Instant Gratification?

Simmie Sinow

One of our biggest problems with going on a weight loss program (yes, I know Whole30 is not for weightloss primarily, but let's be honest--a lot come to it for just that very reason, especially with the mixed messages on that from the Hartwigs) is the need for instant gratification. We expect to change our eating habits and lose a gazillion pounds in days and if we don't see a drop, we give up. It is a process that takes time and effort, we CAN'T give up on ourselves, we have to keep trying, keep pressing onward and upward because the dedication is what will win in the end.

The same things we tell our children when we want them to walk...they fall and we stand them up..it takes them months to walk, months to talk, years to speak and converse well, months and years to learn but we want to lose weight in days. How happy are we for them when they accomplish these things? How hard do we push them to reach their goals?

How hard do we push ourselves to reach our own?

How quick are we to give up on ourselves when we don't see immediate results?

We are not being fair to ourselves or the process!!

Use that same methodology we use for the children...patience, perseverance, dedication. We have to keep working at it and it will pay off in the end. Have faith, do not give up. Be strong together as a group!!!

It is nice to lose weight quick (which not all experience), but the issue is that we can easily put it back on just as quick as we lost it if we don't change our way of thinking. The loss will be temporary, not permanent -- learn those new eating and dietary habits and have them become a true *habit*. If we are not willing to do this, then no diet or lifestyle change is going to work, not even this one. Get the change in your heart and brain, and you'll be ready to transition to a more habit-filled Paleo (or whatever you decide to do after Whole30).

We ARE an instant gratification society, especially with weight, but think about it:

HOW LONG did it take all of you (especially those of us with over 50 pounds to lose) to GAIN the weight?

It is not going to come off fast, it is a gradual process.

And to keep it off, a MINDSET change HAS to happen.


Otherwise, you may as well go on to the next diet right now.

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

Tina Thomas

A big thanks to Tina for this one! This really hits the spot!

Small onion, chopped
2-3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
Minced Garlic (optional)
Bag of frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots--or any combination you enjoy)
Red Potatoes
Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic salt, red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can Coconut milk or equivalent amount of unsweetened almond milk

Grease the bottom of your crockpot with olive oil or avocado oil.  Add all the ingredients except the coconut milk and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

After 6-7 hours, add the can of coconut milk and cook for another hour.

Shred the chicken and enjoy!

Eggroll in a Bowl or Eggroll Insides

Modified recipes from various sources and combined

In a large, deep skillet, brown/saute the following:

• 1 lb or less ground meat (pork, beef, lamb, chicken, etc.)

After the meat has browned, add:

• green onions, diced
• celery, diced

While the meat is browning, in a small bowl combine the ingredients below

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce replacement (coconut aminos or heavily salted water)

Once the meat is cooked, add dry coleslaw mix to skillet and stir well. Pour soy sauce mixture into the skillet and stir, continuing to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until cabbage is wilted, but still a bit crunchy. Serve with sliced green onion.

NOTE:
Alternatively, you can pre-saute the cabbage and just combine it with the cooked meat when you get to that point; this can save a little bit of time if you are in a rush.

Hoisin Sauce

Modified from MyPurplePaleo

I love my hoisin sauce!  I found a recipe online and modified it a bit to my liking!

This will give you about 1/4 cup

¼ cup coconut aminos
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 - 2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 tsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot sauce (try Frank's Hot Sauce which is Whole30 friendly)
1/8 tsp black pepper


Combine all the ingredients together in your blender or food processor and blend it until it is well combined.  With the almond butter, it will be a bit thicker than just a liquid sauce, which is how it should be.

Note:
Normally I would say if you don't want to spend the money on the coconut aminos ($7/bottle), to just use heavily salted water.  In this recipe I'm not sure the heavily salted water would work; I've not tried that yet, but down the road I probably will.

The coconut aminos are a replacement for soy sauce, but not that close as they are definitely on the sweet side and very little (if any) salt to them.

Herb Meatballs

Simmie Sinow

These are so good!  You can also throw in a handful of raisins for a surprise flavor in them! Use them as an appetizer or over spaghetti squash with marinara sauce.

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1/2 finely chopped onion
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1 Tbsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
Sea salt and pepper to taste

350 oven.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Make meatballs with a tablespoon measure and place them on a baking sheet or in a mini muffin tin and cook for about 25 minutes.

Make-Ahead Bulletproof Coffee Fixins

Shi Breedlove

1 cup homemade nut milk

3/4 cup coconut cream

3 Tbsp ghee

Spices of choice (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, unsweetened carob)

Melt first 3 ingredients together in microwave

Add spices & blend in blender on high for 30 seconds. 

Store in refrigerator. I use mine up before I have to worry about it going bad. I'm sure it will keep for a couple of weeks. Enjoy!!

Notes from Simmie: 

• The nut milk can also be store bought, for those who don't want to make their own!
• The good-by date for this would be that of the nut milk or coconut cream; homemade nut milk generally lasts about 5 days or so, whereas store bought will last a bit longer.

Crockpot Ketchup

Modified from a recipe on BalancedBites website

This was taken in part from a recipe on Diane Sanfilippo's website, and modified a bit in both ingredients and the process.  It's still a bit of an in-the-works project, as it is a bit thicker than I like my ketchup -- but the flavor is to die for!

1 small onion, diced
2 apples, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pinches of cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 pitted Medjool date
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (next time: 2.5 Tbsp, see note below)
1/4 cup water (next time: 2/3 cup, see note below)
6 oz tomato sauce

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and stir to combine. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 4 hours.  I have a small crockpot (2 quart) that I use for making my own Ghee and for individual portions of food items, so I used my small crockpot.

After 4 hours, remove the crockpot from the heating element and let it cool just a bit and then put in your food processor or blender.  Be sure not to fill your blender too full, as warm items tend to expand. Blend until smooth.

Since this is fairly chunky to begin with, what I did was I put it in my larger Ninja and blended the heck out of it, then transferred to my smaller one and blended until I thought it was ready, and then kept blending.

NOTE:
This was still fairly thick, and I'm thinking that it was because my small crockpot runs a bit on the warm side, so next time I will increase the water from the original 1/4 cup the recipe calls for, to 2/3 cup, and also add 1/2 Tbsp extra apple cider vinegar, possibly at the very end of the cooking process for the extra being added.  Another option is to cook less time, thereby keeping more of the water in the crockpot and not evaporating as much.

Once blended, place the ketchup into glass containers and allow it to come to room temperature before refrigerating.

Crispy Bacon Chili

Modified from recipe on The Chew website


1 lb bacon (chopped)
2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large red onion (diced)
1 jalapeno (diced; optional)
2 tsp dried oregano
56 ounces canned fire roasted tomatoes
Garnish
Scallions
Diced Red Onions
Hot Sauce

In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy (about 5-7 minutes). Remove bacon and reserve for garnish.

With the bacon drippings in the pot, add the beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and crispy (about 10 minutes). Push the meat to the side and toss in the onions, jalapeno, and garlic.

Sprinkle in the seasonings and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes until softened then stir into the meat. Pour in the fire roasted tomatoes and adjust seasoning to taste.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until mostly thickened.

Serve with your choice of garnish and reserved crispy bacon.

Turkey Vegetable Breakfast Egg Cups

Recipe Adapted by: Simmie Sinow

From Biggest Loser Recipe

12 slices thinly sliced deli turkey (direct from your butcher, sliced from turkey breast, not pre-packaged)
3/4 cup salsa or marinara sauce
Fresh cut up vegetables
18 large egg whites 

These can be made in either a standard size muffin tin or a jumbo sized tin.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

Lightly coat each cup of your nonstick muffin pan with coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray.

Separate the egg whites into a large measuring cup and whisk.

Line each muffin cup with 1 slice of turkey.  If there is some excess on top, that is ok--fold it into the muffin cup.

Spoon 1 Tbsp salsa or marinara (marinara has a lot less sodium) into each cup.

I put one baby spinach leaf on top of the salsa/marinara and then add some of the cut up vegetables (I use mushrooms, bell peppers and either green beans or asparagus).

• For standard-sized muffin tins: Measure just under 1/4 cup (actually 3 Tbsp) of the egg whites or egg substitute into each muffin cup
• For jumbo-sized muffin tins: Measure 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the egg whites or egg substitute into each muffin tin

Top with some more of the salsa.

Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are puffed and the center is set.  For Jumbo muffins, bake for approximately 30-45 minutes.

Carefully remove the baked eggs from the pan and get ready to enjoy!

These can be stored for a week or so in your refrigerator.  Freezing them and then re-heating works ok, but not great.

Meals on Whole30

Simmie Sinow

How much should you eat, and what should you eat on Whole30?

Here's a graphic that will help you visualize how much of each category you should eat -- remember 3 meals, no snacks.  Eat enough at each meal to sustain you until the next one.

If you're exercising, your snacks before/after should be a mini meal, not a true "snack."

Butter Alternative, Paleo and Whole30 style

Adapted from Predominantly Paleo's recipe

Someone posted a recipe for Paleo Butter recently, and it sounded so easy I thought I'd give it a go.

It was wonderful in liquid form!!!! However, once it firmed up, the salt seemed to rise to the top and it was like dipping my spoon in a shaker of salt.

NOT good!

Since I plan to use my Butter that I made in liquid form -- over veggies or maybe even in my frying pan (I haven't figured out if I want to try that or not), it's no big deal as I can just stir it up and it'll be fine.

What I wound up doing is making a double batch and using just a PINCH of salt.  Pinch as in grabbing a small amount of salt between your thumb and forefinger and putting a little in the container you're making it in.

OR....what I just did was I made a double batch and used 1/4 tsp of salt and that seems to be just about right.

So here is my final modification for the recipe:

4 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
6 Tbsp olive oil -- this can be light olive oil as well
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
6 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blend it well, until it is completely blended.  Then place in the refrigerator to firm up, or in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.

Trader Joe's Shopping for Whole30

One of my favorite stores! Kudos to them for also having great prices on most items!

Below is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

For a PDF file of this list to download, click HERE

Sweet Pulled Pork

Simmie Sinow

1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp crumbled dried oregano
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 apples, chopped/diced small
4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture.

Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture. Put the diced apples alongside the pork as well.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours.

When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

NOTES:
Cooking time will vary depending on how hot your crockpot cooks. My primary crockpot takes about 5-6 hours total; I have another one that takes about 8-10 hours.


The pork in this recipe really does fall off the bones of the pork roast. You can eat this with tortillas or not – it’s so good that I’ve just generally had the pork which is more like shredded and some vegetables or potatoes on the side.

Beef & Butternut Stew - Crockpot

Stacy Cunningham Schott

1 lb. beef cubes for stewing
1 butternut squash, diced
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, diced
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 oz spinach, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano

Quickly sear stew meat on medium-high heat in the skillet; transfer to crockpot.

Add all remaining ingredients except the spinach and mushrooms.

Stir and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add mushrooms 30 minutes before stew is done.  Add spinach just before serving.


ENJOY!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Balancing Paleo

Yes, completely Whole30 compliant!  Thanks to Balancing Paleo for this gem!

2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
1/3 c. coconut cream (scooped from the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

For the details on how to make this, go here for the "scoop!"

Crockpot French Onion Soup

3 large sweet onions, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Ghee or coconut oil
2 cups water
3 cups beef broth/stock
3 cups chicken broth/stock
1/2 Tbsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your crockpot on high for about 10 minutes to get the bottom hot!

Then add the onions and oil.  Cover the crockpot and cook on high for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn the heat to low, then add the rest of the ingredients, making sure to stir enough to thoroughly combine them.

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve hot!

Sams Club Shopping for Whole30

Now the fun!!!! MY personal favorite large quantity store!!! Yes, Costco is good, but I really prefer Sams Club for various reasons.

Below the graphic is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

Note: As always, double check ingredients, as product ingredients are known to change. 

Better safe than sorry!

For a PDF file of the list below to download, click HERE

Chicken, Mushroom & Potato Tear Apart Meal - Crockpot

Simmie Sinow

So What Is a Tear Apart Meal Anyway?

A Tear Apart meal is one that is cooked/baked/made all together but which can be torn apart and made into several different types of other meals.  Tear Apart meals do not always stay together as a unit for future meals.  i.e., in this case, only using the chicken and not the mushrooms or potatoes, or the chicken and mushrooms and not the potatoes, etc. in the future.

In the photo above, I cooked in a crockpot the following:
12 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless--but it doesn't really matter about the skin and bone)
1 large package of mushrooms
A smattering of small potatoes (the size I use, 3 fit in the palm of my hand)--I used about 6 or 7
28 oz can marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's brand and added some vegetable stock to it)
14 oz can marinara sauce (you may or may not need this--this is to assure all items are covered)

Place just enough marinara sauce on the bottom of your crockpot to cover the bottom.

Put half of your chicken thighs on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a little more marinara sauce on top, then the potatoes.

The final (top) layer should be the rest of the chicken thighs, and enough marinara sauce to completely cover them.

Set the crockpot on HIGH for 2 hours, then on LOW for about another 2 hours. After the 2 hours on low, dump your mushrooms on top and push down so they are soaking up the marinara sauce; if need be, add more marinara sauce, cover and cook for 1 more hour.

What Other Meals Can Be Made From This?

Just for some ideas:

• Spaghetti squash with the leftover marinara and cut up chicken
• Zoodles with the leftover marinara, cut up chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side

Costco Shopping for Whole 30

Ahhhh! Costco! The joy and also the bane of our existence for shopping! How many of us can get out of there without forking over $200? Very few I'd imagine!

Costco is bringing on board more and more healthier items, which is nice to see. Below the graphic is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

Please Remember: 
Not all products are carried in all stores!

To download the following in PDF format, click HERE.
     

Whole30 Kitchen Food Basics

Simmie Sinow

     While this may seem daunting, don't let it scare you off -- take those items that you think you'll use or want to use, and make sure you have them in your cupboard/refrigerator.

     Also, the Whole30 folks have a downloadable file strictly for pantry (non-perishable) suggestions.
     To download the following in PDF format, click HERE.
     To download the following as an Word document, click HERE.

Amish One-Pan Ground Beef & Cabbage Skillet

Modified from recipe by Smile Sandwich 

This looks like a variation of our Serious Goodness Casserole -- but done on the stovetop!

1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 head cabbage, chopped
1 Tbsp Ghee
1 clove garlic, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz marinara sauce, tomato sauce, or salsa
salt and pepper, to taste


Heat your pan to medium and brown the beef.

Then add the onion; continue cooking until translucent. Drain extra fat if needed (or leave it and don't use the ghee).

Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add ghee, cabbage, tomatoes, marinara/tomato sauce/salsa, salt and pepper to the pan and stir to combine.

Cover and simmer about 20 - 30 minutes until the cabbage is soft.

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas and Recipes - Resources

With Thanksgiving literally around the corner in Canada (3 days away), I'm seeing a lot of conversation about what to make for Whole30 and/or Paleo Thanksgiving dishes.


Here's a compilation of just some of the websites and recipes; except for the Whole9 recipes, all other recipes listed are links, so just click away! This is just a SMALL smattering of some Thanksgiving websites and recipes for Whole30 and Paleo -- more to come as I am made aware of your favorite websites and recipes!

For those not familiar with the Whole30 term SWYPO, that is Whole30 speak for "it's mock/faux food for something not normally allowed -- so it is not permitted on Whole30."  SWYPO stands for Sex With Your Pants On -- it's ok, but leaves you wanting the real thing, and can easily set off cravings that have been conquered.

Against All Grain Website: Danielle Walker
A Grain-Free Thanksgiving - not all will be Whole30 compliant, but easily modified!

• Includes instructions on how to brine your bird, and a link to Italian Herbed Turkey!
• Roast Pumpkin Soup with Fried sage and Proscuitto
• Festive Holiday Salad - this one does have goat cheese that would need to be eliminated for Whole30.
• Apple Sausage Stuffing
• Turnip and Parsnip Puree instead of mashed taters!
• Roasted Butternut Squash in Brown Butter Maple Sauce - not quite Whole30, but with some recipe "massaging" it could be something Whole30 and wonderful!
• Bacon Brussel Sprouts
• Purple Sweet Potato Mash
• Cranberry Orange Relish/Sauce
• Green Bean Casserole

NomNomPaleo Website - Michelle Tang & Henry Fong

• Butterflied Big Bird
• Warm Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Asian Citrus Dressing
• Paleo Cran-Cherry Sauce
• Roasted Garlic Autumn Mash
• Umami Gravy
• Paleo Pumpkin, Coconut & Maple Custard Cups (Whole30 SWYPO, obviously!)
• Brussels Sprouts Chips
• Garlic Cauliflower "mashed potatoes"
• Pressure Cooker Braised Kale and Carrots
• Roasted Broccoli with Crispy Prosciutto and Balsamic Vinegar
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
• Roasted Chestnuts
• Roasted Curried Cauliflower
• Roasted Kabocha Squash
• Roasted Rosemary Almonds
• Stir-Fried Kale and Bacon
• Baked Yams/Sweet Potatoes
• Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Porkitos
• Braised Cabbage
• Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Bon Bons (Whole30 SWYPO!)

Whole30 Thanksgiving Recipes from the Whole9 folks

The following recipes, all on one page, are at this link. The page includes recipes for:

• Stuffing
• Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffing
• Cranberry Sauce
• Rosemary Mashed Fauxtatoes
• Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
• Giblet and Mushroom Gravy
• Warm Spinach, Prosciutto, and Pistachio Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Squash, and Cranberries
• Squash and Sweet Potato Bake
• Roasted Beets and Pistachio Butter
• Coconutty Butternut Squash
• Root Vegetables with Cinnamon Walnuts

Some Miscellaneous Recipes

• Bacon Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates from Meatified
• Caramelized Onion Sausage Stuffing from PaleOMG
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes from Serious Eats
• Grilled Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic (You HAVE to go see the photo on this one! YUMMY!) from Serious Eats
• Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing from Serious Eats (one substitution needed for Whole30)
• Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Caramelized Cipollini Onions from Serious Eats
• Turkey Porchetta from Serious Eats
• Ultra Crispy Roast Potatoes from Serious Eats

Some Other Sites With Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes & Ideas

• TheClothesMakeTheGirl website Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
• Meatified website: 66 Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
• Robb Wolf website: Grain Free Dressing Stuffing PLUS Thanksgiving Links
• BuzzFeed: Paleo Thanksgiving

Spicy or Sweet Chicken & Veggie Bake

Simmie Sinow

This is a super easy dish to make, and very yummy!

Layer a full layer of each of the following in a baking dish (from the bottom up):

• Pace Picante Salsa (you can also use regular salsa or marinara for a sweeter slant)
• Sliced mushrooms
• Baby Spinach -- you can leave it whole or chop it up
• Chicken thighs
• More Pace Picante Salsa or marinara

Place in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.

Sweet Cherry BBQ Sauce & Ketchup

Simmie Sinow

The photo below appears very brown, but really is not! It was made with dark cherries which for some reason made the photo look almost brown (that and lousy lighting in my kitchen!)

This recipe makes about 1 1/4 quarts of BBQ sauce or Ketchup.

This recipe can double as a recipe for ketchup as well as BBQ sauce. When making it into Ketchup, I simply add a little bit of water and blend it with my Immersion Blender (really, any blender will do) until it is very smooth and has a ketchup consistency.

Easy Peasy, eh?

1 lb cherries, pitted (or a bag of frozen that's been defrosted)
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp yellow mustard (I use dry, but any type will do)
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
6 Medjool dates, pitted (do not use regular dates, they need to be Medjool)
24 oz can crushed tomatoes, strained
5 Tbsp coconut aminos OR 5 Tbsp heavily salted water (1/2 cup water + 3/5 Tbsp salt)
2 tsp paprika (I use smoked)
1 tsp black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the cherries, dates, and water over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, until softened.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine, and heat until bubbling. Reduce heat to low, and let it cook for 30-45 minutes until it thickens.  I cook this until the cherries break up easily when mashed a little bit with a potato masher.

Mash with a potato masher if you want it to remain thick, then put into a storage container and store in your refrigerator.

For a Smoother, More Liquid Sauce (Ketchup-y, even):

Put the mixture, along with some extra water (start with 1/4 cup) in your regular blender or use an Immersion Blender to puree the mixture well.

This serves a dual purpose as BBQ sauce and ketchup, depending on the consistency you choose!

This stays fresh and tasty for two months in your refrigerator -- if you don't consume it before then!


One of these days, I will remember to take a picture of the final product for this post!

A Note On The Coconut Aminos

Coconut aminos are a replacement for soy sauce, but in no way do they taste like soy sauce.  They are sweeter, and not very salty.

Instead of paying the high price for Coconut Aminos, I just use heavily salted water in my recipes instead of the coconut aminos -- it is actually a closer taste to soy sauce than the aminos are.  Plus you're saving your checkbook!

Crockpot Ghee

Simmie Sinow

What you will need:

Butter from grass-fed cows, salted or unsalted (2-8 bricks, depending on how much you want to make)

Crockpot

Nut Milk Bag or Doubled-Over Cheesecloth

Strainer (optional: mostly just to make things easier than wrangling the nut bag or cheesecloth)

Please! Do not scrimp on the butter being from grass-fed cows--I've tried this with butter that was not from grass-fed cows and trust me, you do not want to do this.  With the salted butter, a lot (but not all) of the salt mixes in with the milk solids and gets strained out.


Let's Get Started

Place at least two "bricks" (totaling 1 lb or more) butter from grass-fed cows that is unsalted into your crock pot and set to Low.  I use 2 bricks, as the crockpot I use is a small one that is 2 quarts. I've made it with 3-4 bricks in my small crockpot. If you have a larger crockpot, you can use anywhere from 4-8 bricks. Just make sure you have a container large enough to store it in once you're done!

Set it on high for about 45 minutes, then low for 8-12 hours.  Lid ON.

How Do I Know When It's Done?

After a number of hours, the mixture will start bubbling a bit. Let it keep bubbling, just make sure it doesn't burn -- it is still usable if it turns brown, but tastes much better if it doesn't.

You will notice the clear butter (or ghee) is sitting on top of the milk solids (the milk solids sink to the bottom of your crockpot).  That's the way it should be -- it's just the opposite of how it works on the stovetop.


Straining the Butter To Get The Milk Solids Out

Put a Nut Milk Bag or doubled over Cheesecloth over the container you'll store it in and pour your entire mixture through it to strain out the milk solids. You should end up with almost as much product as you started out with. There should only be a small amount of milk solids left that can be trashed.

This photo shows a small amount of the milk solids in the Nut Milk Bag that I used -- 

you can just toss these out once you're done.

Voila! Homemade Ghee!

The product in your storage container will be completely liquid -- that's the way it should be. If you want to firm it up a bit, put it in your refrigerator for a few hours -- but long term, there is no need to refrigerate it.

The photo below is actually more translucent/see-through than it appears to be.