Carrot-Pulp Muffins (or Juice-Pulp Muffins)

This recipe was devised by my daughter Olivia as a way to use all the wasted pulp from juicing carrots.  It is delicious and moist if you use shredded carrots, but it can be a little dry if you just use the carrot pulp without a little extra moisture from something like applesauce, apple juice, a little of the carrot juice (which will make very orange muffins!) or even a little water.

2 C. flour (we use freshly ground whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. oil (we use olive oil)
3/4 C. brown sugar
3 C. grated carrot (or carrot pulp from juicing with moisture added)

Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine eggs with oil and sugar.  Add to dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.  Stir in carrots (grated, or as moistened pulp).  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.


In an interesting modification, my friend Maegan prepares the following muffins out of her juicing endeavors.

Maegan's Juice-Pulp Muffins

Combine:
2 C. pulp from juicing (carrots, apple, celery, kale)
3 eggs
1.5 c flour (she used oatmeal run thru her food processor)
1/3 c oil
1 tbsp baking soda
2 tbsp honey
1 banana
1 Tbsp cinnamon.

Bake at 350 about 15 minutes. ("You kinda have to check them," she says.)

Sweetheart Dinner Salad

This simple salad was served at a "Sweetheart Banquet" we attended years ago. Various contributors brought the different ingredients and the salads were easily assembled on site before the event.
(The original recipe was from my friend Cathy Auffarth.)

Layer ingredients in this order on a salad plate:
Romaine (or any sort of leaf lettuce, but not iceberg!)
Green onions, finely chopped (with green stems)
Celery, sliced thin on the angle
Mandarin oranges (canned, drained)
Sugared almonds (see below)

Top with sweet red wine vinegar dressing.  (See below.)

Sugared Almonds:
Combine 1 C. slivered almonds with 3-4 Tbsp. sugar over medium heat, stirring until lightly toasted and caramelized.

Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing:
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce
salt & pepper, to taste

Pumpkin Pancakes with Buttery Maple Pecan Syrup

This recipe is originally from allrecipes.com.  I doubled it and used 1 can of Trader Joe's organic pumpkin purée to feed a crowd of ten.  The doubled recipe appears below.  They're yummy, and if you have some left--not likely around here!--they're good leftover.

Pancakes (doubled recipe):
3 C. milk
2 C. pumpkin purée (I used 1 15-oz. can)
2 eggs (I used 3 small)
1/4 C. oil (I used olive oil)
1/4 C. Apple cider vinegar (yes, vinegar!)
4 C. flour (I used half freshly-ground whole wheat)
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt

Combine wet ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix well.  Combine dry ingredients and add all at once to wet ingredients.  Stir just until blended.  Do not over-mix!

Cook in tad of butter over medium heat on hot griddle.  Delicious served warm with Buttery Maple Pecan Syrup and whipped cream.

Buttery Maple Pecan Syrup:
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 C.+ pure maple syrup (I used dark amber from Costco)
3/4 C. pecan pieces, toasted

Melt butter and heat over medium heat until nicely browned.  Stir in maple syrup and cook together for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.  Remove from heat and let stand.  Add toasted pecans.

This original quantities (from allrecipes.com) appear here.

Uncle Steve's BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (or a 15 oz. can)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon onion salt (2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon onion powder)
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon minced onion
1 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup hot sauce (Tabasco, Frank's, etc. ...I use Frank's and then just store it in that bottle)

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drown your meat in this deliciousness, and enjoy.

50+ Real-Food Condiment Recipes

Here's a link to some homemade condiment recipes I want to be able to find again.  Fewer preservatives and artificial ingredients is good, but so is a good recipe that makes for a decent substitute!

I'll post comments below if I try any of them, and you do the same if you do!

By the way, it is hard to beat Uncle Steve's BBQ Sauce, which is already posted here on this site.

Brussels Sprout Salad

Approx. 24 Brussels sprouts, shredded (I use the whole big bag from Costco)
1/2 C. Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (or pre-shredded kind, but not "powdery" kind!)
1/4-1/2 C. toasted walnuts, in pieces
1/2 C.+ extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
SPG

1) Chop the ends off of the brussel sprouts, then rinse and soak briefly in cold water.

2) Shred the brussel sprouts in a food processor or mandolin, or chop with a knife. 

3) Toss the sprouts in a bowl and top with toasted walnuts and grated cheese.

4) For the dressing, blend the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and mustard with a sprinkle of SPG.

5) Pour the dressing over the salad and stir thoroughly. 

NOTE: This is best served after a brief chilling in the fridge.  

AUNT KIM'S VERSION (Beach Week 2021)

1.5 lb fresh Brussels sprouts

1 granny smith apple

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/3 C. dried cranberries

1/3 C. pomegranate arils

1/4 C. walnuts, chopped

2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1/3 C. olive oil

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 Tsbp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. honey

1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine. Shred Brussels sprouts, rinse well, and dry. Chop apple and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Combine all remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss with dressing and serve.

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies (gluten- and grain-free)

These are tastier than you might expect them to be.  I promise you can't taste the chickpeas!  If you can't have grains or gluten, but still want some cookies, these will make you very happy!  The shape and texture are a little different than regular cookies, but they are definitely a yummy grain-free cookie alternative!

Ingredients

1¼  C. (1 can) chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ – ¾ C. natural peanut or almond butter - room temperature
¼ C. honey, agave, or real maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
½ C. chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. 

Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With wet hands, form into 1½" balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising. 

Bake for about 10 minutes. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. 

They will not set like normal cookies.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge) for up to 1 week.

Olivia's Super-Healthy Carrot Muffins (dairy-free)

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice (opt.)
4 eggs
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup brown sugar (or more if you want your muffins to taste very sweet)
3 cups carrot pulp (left over from juicing)
oats

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, in bowl and set aside.
3. Mix eggs, oil, and sugar in bowl or KitchenAid.
4. Add flour mixture to egg mixture.
5. Put the carrot pulp in a bowl and add warm water, stirring until the consistency of the carrot/water mixture resembles applesauce.
6. Add carrot/water mix to batter.
7. The mixture now will be very gloppy and watery, so add oats and/or more flour until the mixture becomes the desired consistency.  (I added about 1 cup oats and <1 br="" cup="" flour.="">8. Cook the muffins in muffin pan for about 20 minutes. 

Note: These muffins will not be smooth on top.  They are also not very sweet unless you add more sugar.

Basic Stir-Fry Sauce

My parents have called asking about how to make this basic "knock-off Chinese food" sauce for stir-fried vegetables.  Usually I do the following:

1) Dice whatever leftover meat I have and want to include.

2) Dice whatever veggies I have on hand and want to include: any combination of onion, carrot, pepper, celery, broccoli, etc.

3) Stir-fry the veggies in coconut oil (if I'm in a hurry and need to use high heat) or olive oil (if I have time to cook it over medium heat), seasoning with SPG.

4) If I want a semi-thick sauce like at Chinese restaurants to serve over rice, I make a sauce of the following (usually doubling for my family):

Combine in measuring cup or large mug:

2 tsp. sugar

5+ tsp. soy sauce

2+ tsp. white wine

Carefully stir in (until there are no lumps):

2 tsp. cornstarch

Pour into saucepan and slowly whisk in:

1 C. water

Add Asian seasonings--I use a nice blend from Costco--and maybe some grated fresh ginger and simmer lightly until thickened.  Combine with veggies and meat and serve.  

We like nuts in it, too!  Add almonds, peanuts, cashews, or even walnuts--or just have them available on the table as a topping. 

Basic Corn Bread

My friend Cherie has asked for a good cornbread recipe. This one is from the More-with-Less Mennonite cookbook.  My copy (39th printing, May 1991) is so stained and frayed as to almost be illegible at this point, with pages falling out and the cover off.  It is well loved!

The recipe as published uses sweet milk, and I've included that recipe below my modified version, immediately below, which uses buttermilk and a few other tweaks.

Buttermilk Cornbread (the way I make it)
1 C. cornmeal
1 C. flour (I use freshly ground whole wheat)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. brown sugar

Make a well and add:
2 beaten eggs
1 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. oil (I use olive oil)

Stir just until smooth.  Pour into a pre-heated (heavily oiled during the heating) cast iron skillet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or so until golden brown.  I always triple the recipe and then cook it in two skillets so we'll have leftovers for making cornbread dressing as a side dish.  It freezes nicely.

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Basic Cornbread (as published in More-with-Less)
1 C. cornmeal
1 C. flour (may use part or all whole wheat)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 C. dry milk powder (optional)

Make a well and add:
2 beaten eggs
1 C. milk
1/4 C. oil or melted shortening

Stir just until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9x9 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  Serve hot with butter, syrup, honey, or milk.

Original contributors: Esther Landis, Lancaster, PA and Eleanor Hiebert, Elkins Park, PA