Monday, October 31, 2011

Jewish Penicillin


STOCK


Drum roll please.....

The other main staple on our cleanse is stock. Yes, stock.
I've been meaning to put this recipe up since I started my blog(almost a year ago)and in that time I’ve made it more times than I care to remember.
Whether our family is cleansing or not, we live on this 24/7.I swear it’s because of my stock that my kids never, and I mean never get sick!

It is really easy to make, just a little time consuming because you’ll need to be around the house.
 
Mine varies from time to time with the bones I get,or the vegetables,depending on what season it is.
You need to invest in a massive stock pot if you’re going to do this on a regular basis – I have a 15litre and a 24litre(I know a little nuts — but I’m a serious stock maker)
*I’m sure I don’t have to state that all your Bones and Veg should be Organic or Bio-dynamic.
 
Usually I get (remembering my pot is massive)
5 chicken frames – I ask my butcher to chop them up,2kg of wings and 1kg of chicken necks and a couple of kilo’s of meaty beef bones.
Of, course you’ll have to adjust the quantity’s to fit your pot.
You could also make just a chicken stock or just a beef stock. I like them both together. 
You’ll need:


First day:

Chicken frames, Chicken necks (if you can get them – I have to order ahead of time for these)
Meaty beef bones or a cheap cut of beef with marrow (Osso bucco)
and
Wings and legs (I buy what ever is on special)
or
A whole chicken (if you want the meat for sandwiches)
Or both if your pots big enough
I use both.

Vegetables:



Second day:

1-2kg juicing carrots — peeled and cleaned – I use a lot of carrots as it adds sweetness to my stock which the kids like
1 green capsicum — deseeded
½ a bunch of celery — leaves and all1 bunch of parsley — washed well
2 parsnips (when in season) — peeled
1 large onion — cut in half skin left on
4 bay leaves — depending on your pot size
1 whole garlic bulb — cut in half skin left on
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
and Himalayan sea-salt to taste (you'll need quite a lot)
This is a good opportunity to buy vegies that have been marked down at your local organic store, after all you will cook all the taste out of them
To start:

1st Day

Roast your beef bones in a really hot oven for about 15-20 min — salt them well

Whilst this is happening, wash your chicken under cold water and after pop it in your pot.
Fill with water so it’s roughly 5cm from the top of the pot



Add the bay leaves and peppercorns - Put your beef bones in once they are golden

Turn the heat on full and wait for it to come to a simmer
At this point it will be kind of foaming on top, this is the impurities coming to the surface. You need to remove these with a metal spoon or ladle




Now turn the heat to low add the garlic and onion and simmer all day – I would  put my stock on at 10am and turn it off just before I go to bed around 11pm.

Buy this stage it will be a rich golden colour.Let it cool down over night (this is dependent on your pot size again, my pot is still very hot in the morning)



2nd day

Remove all the bones and meat from the stock – I do this with these devices.
Now add your cleaned prepared veg (I chop up the carrots and celery roughly)
Turn the heat back on and bring back up to a simmer and cook for the day.

Leave again to cool over night.
3rd Day
 Remove the veg the same way as the bones and then strain the liquid gold (stock) through a sieve lined with muslin (this is not necessary, it just helps to remove excess fat) I use old muslin's that I used to wrap my babies in — then wash and use again.



Store the soup in glass pyrex containers in all different sizes — let cool completely and freeze.

My little tips with stock:
The sign of a good stock is one that is very gelatinous when cold.

If you only use plastic to store your soup in the freezer — remember make sure its cool or the plastic will leach chemicals into your soup.

Never, ever leave your stock on and leave the house without anyone home — this soup is like molten lava and I'd be nervous of starting a fire — turn it off, then when you get home turn it back on.

Never defrost soup and then cook with it (in a stew or something else)and re-freeze.

Always bring your stock back to the boil before eating.


And remember soup like this is scolding hot make sure you cool it down significantly before giving it to small kids – I pop an ice-cube into Wilco’s


As I said earlier, we live on this……
Jemima loves it with Matzo balls and cooked carrot or tiny chicken polpetti.
Frank likes it plain straight up in a mug with little baby pasta or rice — she also likes raw carrots cut up really small on the side so she can add as she likes.
Wilco loves it in everything, I use the evaporation method with his rice and pasta, he’ll have it in a mug, I use it in everything I cook for him and he LOVES the cooked carrot.


P.S I am happy to report that I passed my test(wee test, that is) crystal clear.
2 weeks of Cleansing.
 I almost jumped through the ceiling (I think Anthia was shocked that I'd passed too!) This means I have rid my gut of all the nasty things and now it's time to re-seed.
Did I tell you I feel amazing?


©Michelle Schoeps 2013
All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Coconut Berry Smoothie


A new chapter begins……



Max and I are cleansing again. Well, let’s be real, Max cleanses most of the year — he has changed his eating so drastically (hence his weight loss) that I was a little afraid to be seen with him.

Look at slim Jim and his chunky missus! 
So after way too much indulging with all the usual suspects..(ice-cream, cake and biscuits) I had had enough. 
It was time to trim this waistline readying myself so I can don a pair of bathers during summer (which trust me rarely happens)! 
I booked my appointment with Anthia and we started our cleanse the day after Jemima’s party — 1week and 6days today. 
The hard bit for me is 
getting through the first 2 days without sneaking a square of chocolate. But I’m proud to say I did it - 13 whole days without any sugar, processed food, caffeine, dairy, grains or wheat and a whole bunch of other things.
And Anthia’s right, no craving’s for sugar at all! Which given my usual sugar intake, is a near miracle!
I feel great, I’m barely hungry and besides not sleeping very well due to the humidity in Sydney (lately) I am feeling great and man do I look healthy…. 

A day on the cleanse looks something like this….remembering I’m not a 3 meals a day kind of girl – I like to snack. 


Breakfast – a punnet of organic blueberries and a handful of activated walnuts and pecans
And my new favourite thing a ‘ Young coconut and frozen berry smoothie’ (recipe below) 

Lunch – Eggs and bacon with lightly cooked baby tomatoes and ½ an avocado
Or
Activated nuts are simply, nuts that have been soaked in filtered water with a little seasalt for up to 10hours - then rinsed and patted dry, then put on a baking tray and put into a low oven between 50c-70c and left there for 24hours - click on any of my links to read more about it
A chicken salad with eggs and activated nuts 

Dinner – some form of slow cooked meat with vegetables
Or 
Soup (the base being my stock)

Dessert – stewed granny smith apples with cinnamon and vanilla powder 


I snack in between on, activated nuts, carrots and berries and leftover smoothie 

Coconut Smoothie with Berries or Coconut Smoothie with berries, mango and mint










        You'll need:
1 Drinking coconut — water and flesh
1 cup of frozen blueberries1 cup of frozen raspberries
½ teaspoon of Ovvio’s vanilla powder

optional — mango and a small handful of mint

I had to take guidance from Max on opening and de-fleshing the coconut (he was like a cave man with his axe and coconut)
Once you’ve opened the coconut it’s all pretty simple
 In the blender put:
Water from inside the coconut
                     Scoop the flesh out with a spoon 
(making sure to discard any of the husk left on the outer)pop that in too
In goes both kinds of berries — mango would be delicious too
Lastly, add the vanilla powder
And blend well If you’re a bit braver than me and can stomach the thought of raw eggs add 2 (making sure they are super fresh and bio-dynamic or organic pasture) before you blend
Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for a day and drink as needed.

On monday I'll be posting my stock recipe!


©Michelle Schoeps 2013
All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps

Monday, October 24, 2011

Might as well go out with a bang!




Party season in the Doyle household is officially over.
 

My biggest baby is 12! How the hell did time go this fast? It seems like yesterday this sweet baby girl was in my arms, all cuddly and edible and unable to speak. Yes, unable to speak!
Mothers of other 12 year olds will know what I’m talking about (12 is hard) but I know she’s going to pay me back (later on) by being the most wonderful adult.
Jemima and her favourite person in the world 
And lets face it this very gorgeous, spirited and funny kid is the reason our family is.
If it weren’t for her — nothing would be as it is!
Jemima and her cousin Jas
So for the big ‘12’ we decided to throw her an 80’s Karaoke Disco Party.
It was BIG. 50 kids and the best 80’s tracks ever (personally selected by me)!
 
Max was in charge of photo’s, Doug the barbecue, Josh, Renee, Malcie and Maurice were in charge of keeping the festivities in swing and making sure the boys were kept in line, Ilona was exceptional helping Jemima get her outfit together and making sure Frank shone in the limelight and not forgetting the incredible Justine who made my girls look beyond gorgeous (I hope my girls realise how lucky they are). And Aashy(my future daughter in-law)my son was putty in your hands, thanks for keeping him in line and for letting him have something pretty to chase all day!
Best outfit of the day besides the birthday girl went to Aunty Candice - that outfit was exceptional – I have never seen anyone look so bad but so good all in one — incredible!
The party was a huge hit and the food was pretty good to. We had sausage rolls (made by Melinda at Pedlar, she also supplied all the other meat), Mini hamburgers and chicken skewers all kindly cooked by Doug and served by my gorgeous girlfriends — who also helped me clean up — god I love having tidy friends.
I had contemplated making Jemima a croquembouche but reneged at the last minute - I had a feeling I’d bitten of more than I could chew. We decided we’d go the 'Messina'route(best ice-cream in Sydney) Ice-cream cakes all round – Jemima was thrilled as was I.
Three hours of dancing and eating was followed by a sleepover and a mass of present opening — whoa!
Presents from us
The day  before...whilst prepping for the party of the decade we celebrated Jemima’s actual birthday with her Nana and Granddad (who were visiting from New Zealand) and her Aunty Amanda 
The birthday girl requested ‘Fish Burgers’ for dinner and we did a quick trip to Adriano Zumbo for dessert.

The best and easiest 
Fish Burgers ever!
(adapted from a recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

All you need is:
As many rolls and pieces' of fish that you have people eating
Bap rolls (super soft cloudy buns)
John Dory fillets — skin removed
Best quality mayonnaise - or homemade(even better)
Salted capers rinsed really well
Chives – chopped finely
Lemon
Iceberg lettuce
Salt and pepper
 
How to make:
Make your mayonnaise by rinsing the capers and chopping the chives, mix these into the mayo and squeeze half a lemon and pepper — mix well set aside

Then assemble your rolls — cut them in half and butter both sides (with real butter)
Wash and lay your iceberg lettuce on your rolls
Once this is done, pan fry your fish
Get your skillet really hot and then pop your seasoned fish in, two pieces at a time, cook until the first side is golden (a couple of mins) then flip once and cook for a further minute or two
On top of the iceberg place your fish and a large tablespoon of mayo - squish your bun down and see if you come up for air(I bet you don't) 
There are no words to describe how good these taste, they are simply insane.
Can you see how happy Jemima is after one mouthful? This is every age kind of happiness...
These were followed by an assortment of cakes from Adriano Zumbo...
I think turning 12 might have been Ok? 

©Michelle Schoeps 2013
All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps