on the blog . . .
"Instant" Bone Broth
I had never made bone broth myself. I was too intimidated, and I felt like it would be a big hassle that I didn't have time for as a new mom. I had visions of a messy kitchen and a fussy toddler, so I just didn't even seriously consider making it myself... until now.
I made real, honest to goodness bone broth for the very first time!
I've had incredible bone broth from Pasture Bird but I had never made it myself. I was too intimidated, and I felt like it would be a big hassle that I didn't have time for as a new mom. I had visions of a messy kitchen and a fussy toddler, so I just didn't even seriously consider making it myself... until now.
Since I got my amazing Instant Pot (click for Amazon listing) , I feel so much more confident cooking delicious meals with some of my tougher cuts of meat (when you buy a full 1/4 beef once a year like we do, you get cuts you aren't too sure how to cook).
I was able to throw everything for a great bone broth into the pot, turn it on, go for a walk with my son, and come back to fully cooked, nutrient dense and delicious broth ready to be strained and stored in jars.
Did you know bone broth is full of collagen, minerals like calcium and magnesium, can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, helps you grow gorgeous, strong hair, nails and skin, can help you look and feel younger, and can help boost your immune system?! It's so easy to make is it will save me a boatload of money compared to buying it pre-made.
There was no complicated prep, no standing over the stove, no entire days in the slow cooker. All I had to do was push buttons and leave it alone. SO EASY! If you don't own an Instant Pot yet, it's one of the few appliances I can wholeheartedly recommend to help make your life easier, and more nutritious.
Easy Whole Healthy Bone Broth:
• Bones of 2 chicken carcasses (3-5 lb chickens)
• 2 leeks
• 2 large carrots
• 2 medium/large stalks of celery
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1-2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• fresh herbs as desired (optional)
• fresh, filtered water
Put the chicken bones into the stainless steel pot. Add chopped carrots, celery, leeks (see how to chop leeks here), and remaining ingredients.
Fill the pot with water to about 2/3 full. Close the lid.
Using the manual setting, set time for 120 minutes on high pressure.
When the Instant Pot time is finished, wait for it to fully depressurize before trying to open the lid. This may take close to an hour. Just wait, it will be worth it.
LOOK AT THAT BROTH!
When the pot is cool enough to handle, strain the broth into a big glass or stainless steel bowl, straining out all the chicken bones and other chunky ingredients. Throw this stuff away.
When the broth is cool enough, pour from the bowl into clean glass mason jars and freeze or refrigerate for later use.
Voila! You just made your own bone broth! *Does a happy dance for you*
When you make this, make sure you come back and tell me how it went! I can't wait to celebrate with you.
XO Maggie
This post contains affiliate links which means I make money on purchases made via these links, which helps support this blog. I never recommend anything I don't use and love myself. All opinions are my own.
The New PACT Lightweight Hoodie - Review and Giveaway
I am a journalist, a survivor, and a wellness expert. I'm always looking to see how the dots connect. Aligning myself with a company meant that company had to stack up and have a positive impact on the planet and its people, with no concessions... Getting to try this new hoodie in the PACT ORGANIC lineup was a joy, but I was looking hard for something to criticize.
I open my package from PACT and pull out my hoodie, immediately noticing the deliciously soft fabric.
I put it on as fast as I can because I want to wrap myself up in that soft, organic cotton and never take it off. I pull the sleeves down over my hands and stretch my arms out to check the sleeve length.
It's perfect.
I start to walk up the stairs to check the fit in the bathroom mirror, and I notice one of my favorite things ever.
THUMB HOLES. The cuffs have thumb holes!
I literally squeak, quite loudly, and I'm grinning now.
Not long after I started My Whole Healthy, I actively sought to partner with PACT because of how they choose to make their clothes. And I loved wearing them.
Organic cotton.
No sweatshops.
No child labor.
Ever.
Did you know conventional cotton uses about 16% of the world’s insecticides? And that the World Bank estimates around 20% of industrial water pollution in the world comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles?!
Ick.
PACT does things differently, and they make the cutest, most comfortable, and well fitting basics I've ever worn.
I think you can see that my Whole Healthy encompasses more than just diet and exercise. More than yoga and meditation. My Whole Healthy requires mindfulness about what I put in and on my body, and my impact on the world. It's a big picture perspective on wellness because I know first-hand how seemingly tiny things can affect big things. I am a journalist, a survivor, and a wellness expert. I'm always looking to see how the dots connect. Aligning myself with a company meant that company had to stack up and have a positive impact on the planet and its people, with no concessions
PACT is that kind of company. Their mission is to change the apparel industry for good and you can read more about the company and their standards HERE. Getting to try this new hoodie in the PACT ORGANIC lineup was a joy, but I was looking hard for something to criticize.
I make it to the mirror in the bathroom and I look at my reflection. I analyze the fit, turn this way and that, put the hood up, zip it, unzip it. It's a size up from my regular size because I'm 6'1" and too-short-sleeves are the story of my life, so I wanted to be sure about the length. And because I like my hoodies roomy, not fitted and tight. Nothing ever fits me perfectly... there had to be something I could point out in my review.
But oh, the fit is beautiful. The perfect body length, cuffs that easily touched my hands, enough room for my strong shoulders without being baggy, and a flattering fit in the body even though I was wearing one size up. The fabric is lighter than traditional fleece hoodies, and it feels like a great layering piece, perfect to throw on when the weather cools down but not too heavy or hot.
The bathroom mirror doesn't let me see as well as I want to, so I duck into my guest bedroom to check the full length mirror and snap a photo. My son toddles in behind me and as I start to frame my shot, my little guy decides it's time to be silly. He puts his head on the floor and does a baby downward dog. Then he cackles with laughter. I can't stop laughing at his antics and every pic I'm taking is blurry.
Finally, I get my shot. So here it is. I'm also wearing a PACT camisole, and the stretch-fit flare pants in charcoal heather. Sooooo comfy, and just as soft as the hoodie but with more stretch and structure to hold the fit.
The hoodie is my new favorite piece of clothing and I wear it all the time. I'm always sad when the house warms up and I have to take it off.
I took it camping, too, and it was the PERFECT layer for the chilly Eastern Sierra mountains. Another feature I loved was the hood... it's roomy and it easily fit over my long, wild hair, keeping my head and ears toasty on the chilly fall mornings.
Check out the photos below that my husband shot for me while we were there.
On this trip, I brought my camisole, and the new PACT organic cotton MEN'S sweat pants (I LOVE them), plus my PACT undies!!! They are the best underwear I've ever had and I couldn't leave home without them, so all together, this made for the the perfect weekend outfit to wear around the campfire and hiking in the John Muir Wilderness up towards Kearsarge Pass.
I took some close-up photos of my hoodie so you could see the details that make this hoodie really special. That bright blue piping is so pretty! And the slight funnel style neck adds something really special. Click the images below to enlarge.
I love this hoodie and this company so much. The holidays are approaching fast, and I'm super excited to share the PACT love with you! If you follow me on Instagram you see me wearing PACT all the time, so without further ado, enter below to win a $100 PACT gift card, just in time for the holidays!
You can enter up until Sunday Nov. 13, 2016 at 11:59 PST. Giveaway open to residents of the U.S.A. only.
The winner will be emailed directly so make sure you use your best email to enter!
If you want to shop PACT right now, subscribe to my Whole Healthy Notes right here to get my EXCLUSIVE discount code, and SO much more wellness love, instantly and totally free!
GOOD LUCK and remember to SHARE THIS POST!
This is a sponsored post and I received compensation in return for posting this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own. I do not accept payment of any kind in return for a positive review. This blog post may contain affiliate links.
The Perfect Outfit For Your Health and a GIVEAWAY!
PACT is a company that not only makes clothing that I feel cute and stylish wearing, they make everything with fairly traded organic cotton, grown on family farms in India and sewn in factories by real people under humane conditions. No sweatshops. Ever.
I used to put toxic chemicals on my skin on a daily basis. And you're probably doing the same thing right now. Most clothing is dyed with terrible chemicals and our skin absorbs what we put on it! Did you know that?
Every time I got dressed, I was putting those chemicals on my skin. And that doesn't even account for chemical residues left in GMO cotton or synthetic fabrics. Luckily, there is a company making clothes I can feel great about wearing.
PACT Apparel makes scrumptious organic cotton clothing that is a dream to put on. To be my whole healthy, I firmly believe that what goes on my body and how clothing, products, and food are produced, all matter just as much as what I eat and how I move.
PACT is a company that not only makes clothing that I feel cute and stylish wearing, they make everything with fairly traded organic cotton, grown on family farms in India and sewn in factories by real people under humane conditions. No sweatshops. Ever. PACT even gives us a peek into how their clothes are made through their website and social media!
I recently got my hands on some new PACT items, so I want to give you a more detailed review.
And give you the chance to win a $50 PACT gift card!!!
I'm still nursing my baby and one of my daily go-to tops that I love for this is the PACT shelf-bra camisole. It's not designed for breastfeeding but it works perfectly for pull-down nursing. The organic cotton is buttery soft, the shelf bra gives me support but still allows for easy breastfeeding, the straps are adjustable, and the perfect amount of stretch keeps the camisole's shape intact despite being repeatedly pulled down and grabbed by little baby hands . I also never have to worry when Baby J decides to suck on my shirt because PACT uses only non-toxic dyes!
I actually own 6 of these tops now and I wear them ALL THE TIME, but this latest one I got in black is perfect for layering under other tops when it gets chilly, and black has always been a classic color choice in my wardrobe. I also work out in it! It's really the perfect basic, all-around, wear-everywhere camisole.
I also got to try out a pair of organic cotton boyshorts in the new limited edition squash blossom print. I own a lot of organic PACT undies already, but I always opt for the bikini cut so I was really excited to try the boy short style. They are extremely comfortable and the extra coverage makes them perfect for more active activities because they stay put and don't ride up. They also add a little extra bum coverage when you want to feel less exposed, but they're still cute and sexy. No granny panties here! It's not really in line with My Whole Healthy or my personal values to post revealing photos of me in my underwear on the internet, but there are plenty of photos of how these babies fit on the PACT website and you can trust me when I say the comfort is off the charts! I'll definitely be adding more PACT boy short styles to my underwear drawer.
The last new item I tried out were the organic cotton knee socks in the limited edition print, desert sky railroad stripe. Living in San Diego, I don't get much opportunity to rock knee socks because I basically live in flip flops, but I love the fit and feel of these socks so the next cool day we have, these socks will be perfect! They really stay up, the print is versatile to work with different outfits, and the organic cotton is soft and comfortable. I wore them around my house all day, and maybe took a few more pics of my feet in the air just for fun ;) Nothing like kicking up your heels to brighten your day!
So here's the best part. PACT is giving you the chance to win a $50 gift card to use on wearpact.com! This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. ... AND CANADA! I got you, my fellow Canadians. I made sure you could get in on this, too.
Enter below! The giveaway runs from March 1 - 6, 2016 so make sure you enter THIS WEEK! When the giveaway is over, one winner will be randomly selected and I will announce it on social media. Make sure you are following me! The winner will also be informed directly with the email you provide below.
ADDITIONALLY... (I'm so excited to give you all this stuff I can't help it with the all caps) I have a discount code for you!
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST SO YOUR FRIENDS GET A CHANCE TO WIN AND USE THE DISCOUNT CODE, TOO!
DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post written by me, Maggie Yount, in partnership with PACT Apparel. All opinions are mine alone.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Live Healthy on a Budget
We've all felt like eating healthy food and buying natural, non-toxic products is expensive! And it can be (stores love to charge us more for the good stuff).
But it doesn't have to be.
My goal is to give you as many resources as possible to achieve your "whole healthy" without spending a ton of money. We all need to eat, we all buy groceries, so why not save money on as many things as possible while making amazing, healthy choices? You can do that.
We've all felt like eating healthy food and buying natural, non-toxic products is expensive! And it can be (stores love to charge us more for the good stuff).
But it doesn't have to be.
My goal is to give you as many resources as possible to achieve your "whole healthy" without spending a ton of money. We all need to eat, we all buy groceries, so why not save money on as many things as possible while making amazing, healthy choices? You can do that.
Thrive Market offers organic, non-GMO, paleo, gluten free etc. foods, plus non-toxic cleaning and personal care products, beauty products without all the chemical junk, vitamins, baby food and products, home goods, pet care products...
all at 25-50% off retail prices.
These are just some of the products you can get from Thrive Market. They carry so many amazing products and brands. Click the image to browse their site.
It's like Whole Foods, at Costco or Amazon prices (or better) with the convenience of ordering online and having it arrive on your doorstep.
Shipping is FREE on orders of $49+, a purchase total that's easy to hit since we probably spend that at the grocery store anyway. I don't think I've ever paid for shipping on my orders.
There's no need to opt for the nutritionally void, "cheap" food because Thrive Market makes healthy food affordable and accessible. You don't need to live next to, or spend your whole paycheck at, a store like Whole Foods.
Order from Thrive Market and the health will come to you.
In recycled, carbon neutral, recyclable packaging, too!
Thrive Market is a buying club, like Costco or Sam's Club but their $59.95/year membership fee makes it cost less than $5/month to belong, and you aren't stuck buying giant bulk sizes.
To add to the excitement, you get 25% off your first order, AND a 30 day free trial after your first purchase to see if you actually like it, PLUS the free shipping on orders of $49 or more. How cool is that?
So when your first month is free anyway, and you get 25 % off your first order, and it's easy to get free shipping, why NOT sign up right now?!
I am a Thrive Market Ambassador, so if you click one of my links to subscribe, I will get a small commission, but that's not the point and not why I'm telling you about this. I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to make a little money but if you sign up for Thrive, you SAVE money on things you'd buy anyway, I make a little money, and then I can keep providing you with free content. It's win, win, win all around and this is a way for you to get amazing, healthy stuff for SO MUCH less than retail prices.
My whole platform is about giving you ways to get healthy and be healthy without spending a lot. Food was a big factor in my healing so having access to organic, gluten-free food was, and is, essential to my health. I want you to have your essentials too because the foods we eat and products we use can often impact how we feel within minutes, not to mention their effect on our health over the long term.
One last thing, Thrive Market believes all families deserve access to healthy food. Many families on a fixed budgets have struggled to buy organic, healthy products because of the often prohibitively high prices. (Raises hand... This has been me for most of my life!)
Thrive Market matches every paid membership with a membership for a family in need, so nothing stands in the way of everyone accessing nutritious choices and truly non-toxic products. If you sign up, you also help another family who needs this but can't afford it.
Please use the Share link below to share this post with your friends. Post it on social media, email it, however you want to spread the word. Get your friends and family to use the links in this post to go to Thrive and sign up!
SO SO sorry, Canada. Thrive Market isn't available to you yet but I'll let you know if that changes in the future!
XOXO Maggie
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Nourish Body and Mind: Make These 3 Easy Meals
When I cook, I want it to be easy, straightforward and give me a delicious, nutritious dish when I'm done. I do NOT want to slave over a hot stove all day! Do you feel the same way? Unless you're a chef and it's what you love to do... I'll be honest, I don't cook much because my husband is ridiculously talented in the kitchen and he cooks for me (I am blessed!) but when I do cook, I also want to enjoy the process and know I'm making something that will make me feel great instead of gross. So that means EASY with real, whole ingredients, cooking from scratch and not using a junky mix out of a box. Don't be intimidated. If I can do it, you can too! These are 3 recipes I love that are super easy to make, healthy, and most importantly, delicious ! Healthy food doesn't have to taste like sawdust. As my husband says, "It's not good for me if I won't eat it!"
When I cook, I want it to be easy, straightforward and give me a delicious, nutritious dish when I'm done. I do NOT want to slave over a hot stove all day! Do you feel the same way? Unless you're a chef and it's what you love to do... I'll be honest, I don't cook much because my husband is ridiculously talented in the kitchen and he cooks for me (I am blessed!) but when I do cook, I also want to enjoy the process and know I'm making something that will make me feel great instead of gross. So that means EASY with real, whole ingredients, cooking from scratch and not using a junky mix out of a box. Don't be intimidated. If I can do it, you can too! These are 3 recipes I love that are super easy to make, healthy, and most importantly, delicious ! Healthy food doesn't have to taste like sawdust. As my husband says, "It's not good for me if I won't eat it!"
When I made my first meal in the rehab hospital (it was a task I had to do as part of my occupational therapy), I chose what I thought would be easy. Grilled cheese and boxed mac'n'cheese. The mac'n'cheese is JUNK, I know, but back then I was taking it one step at a time. I just wanted to make some food and not burn the building down!
And the building remains! Woohoo!
Except I totally burned the grilled cheese. Like burned it black.
So my confidence in the kitchen was not at its highest and I didn't cook much at all for a few years. With a TBI, I realized how much divided, focused attention cooking requires and it was HARD. And really tiring. It's still not the easiest thing for me if I try to do too much. Which I do, often, because I still have that pesky high achiever thing going... but if I stick with what works and I go easy on myself with stuff like one-pot meals or food that doesn't require focused attention for long, I do fine.
Reheating leftovers is still a go-to for me but I can cook stuff now without resorting to processed garbage out of a box or the frozen food aisle. Since nutrition was so integral to my healing to this point and remains crucial to supporting a healthy brain and body, my husband and I usually cook things from scratch (we get restaurant takeout - never fast food - sometimes like any normal person, too) and make the effort to choose healthy ingredients to prepare.
Most convenience foods will have preservatives, artificial additives and low quality, cheap, ingredients designed to save the company money (not boost nutrition). If you follow The Food Babe, she's been instrumental in shedding light on what's really in our processed food and getting companies to remove some of their harmful ingredients from their products. I don't love or agree with EVERYTHING she posts, but she is doing what companies and our government will not do. It's worth looking at her investigations to see some of the truth about what's in processed foods.
The easiest way to avoid all that processed "food" that's so unhealthy... is to cook. Not prepare or assemble something from a package yourself, but cook it from scratch! Like I said, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. I get tired if I stand or have to focus for too long so I need to be able to make healthy food quickly and easily! These are 3 recipes I love and hope you do too. They also happen to be gluten free!
Please use organic ingredients whenever possible:
Coconut Almond Granola
If you follow me on social media, you probably saw me post this photo on Friday! This is the granola and it is so so good! When you make it, let me know how it goes in the comments below!
You will need:
•4 cups rolled oats (certified gluten free if you are very sensitive to gluten)
• 1/3 cup refined coconut oil - I love Nutiva (the refined oil doesn't have a strong coconut flavor. If you want that, use extra virgin coconut oil!)
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of local raw honey or real maple syrup - 1/2 cup honey will make granola quite sticky and sweet, less will still make a delicious (less sweet) granola.
Pre-heat oven to 350º F.
Warm the coconut oil (stovetop or microwave) until it's runny and pourable. Pour over the oats and mix well, coating oats evenly.
Spread oats on a baking sheet as evenly as possible. Bake for about 20-25 mins, stirring every few minutes until toasted and light brown. Let cool.
Warm honey/maple syrup until very runny and easily pourable.
Add cooled oats to a mixing bowl. Add almonds.
Pour warm honey/maple syrup over oats and almonds and mix well, coating evenly (pictured above).
Add remaining raw ingredients (seeds, coconut, dried fruit) and mix well (pictured left).
LET COOL COMPLETELY.
As it cools, the honey will get sticky and hard. If you spread the mixture on a cookie sheet to cool, it's easier to break apart and add to your chosen storage container.
If broken into large chunks, it makes a great snack to bring with you in a bag or container. If broken into smaller pieces and eaten with plain yogurt, organic milk or a unsweetened non-dairy milk, it's an awesome, filling granola for breakfast or a snack! I love sliced bananas or fresh berries on mine in the morning.
Quinoa and Kale Pilaf
This dish can be a meal on its own, or an amazing side dish. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a pseudo-grain that is packed with protein and contains antioxidants. I also love making quinoa salad in the summer by combining cooked quinoa, chopped veg and my vinaigrette (recipe included if you sign up for my newsletter!)
You will need:
• I cup quinoa
• 2 cups of bone broth or homemade vegetable/chicken/beef broth (we sometimes use Pacific Foods organic vegetable broth when we don't have homemade broth because it has no added sugar.)
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• large pinch of salt
• 1/2 box or 7 or 8 whole mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of garlic, chopped (less or more to your taste)
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or white wine.
• 1/2 box of pre-washed baby kale or one bunch of kale, stems and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 block of goat milk feta cheese
• black pepper to taste
In the pot you will use to cook the quinoa, sautee onion in butter (grassfed, organic if possible!) with a large pinch of salt, over med-low heat until translucent.
Add sliced mushrooms and stir until they start to soften. Add a tsp/capful of balsamic vinegar or wine - adds flavor and helps deglaze the pot.
Add the chopped garlic (I got a little jar of pre-chopped garlic to make preparation even easier!) and stir. We REALLY like garlic so if you don't want it, don't add it, or add less! Totally up to you.
Add the cup of quinoa to the pot with the onions, mushrooms and garlic and stir to coat. Immediately add 2 cups of broth. Cover pot! Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to simmer and allow to cook, covered over low heat, for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add the kale directly on top of the cooking quinoa - it should just about fill the pot - and re-cover for 5 minutes! The kale will wilt and reduce in volume in a big way, and the quinoa will finish cooking. Cooking the kale with the quinoa this way helps conserve nutrients that would get lost if it were steamed or sauteed alone because the water in the kale goes into the quinoa.
Remove the cover and remove from heat. Quinoa should be moist and soft (not mushy) with no water remaining in the pot.
Crumble feta cheese over the cooked quinoa and kale, and stir! You are done! Delicious, healthy food awaits. And if you, or your kids, won't eat kale alone, this is a great way to sneak it into a meal.
Fish and Chips made health(ier) with homemade tartar sauce
This recipe has a lot more components and steps than the others, but if that intimidates you, just try one thing! The tartar sauce can be made ahead of time so try making that the day before. It's EASY.
You could have the fish alone or with steamed veggies, or the fries as a side dish in another meal... both keep warm in the oven really well while you throw together something else to go with them. Lots of ways to try cooking each part until you're comfortable doing it all!
And I know... fish'n'chips.... HEALTHY? Is she crazy?!
No, I'm not.
If it weren't for potatoes producing acrylamide when heated to high heat (and to some extent the fish batter), this WOULD be pretty healthy. But there were ways to minimize the production of acrylamide during cooking and by carefully choosing your ingredients, even the tartar sauce isn't bad - especially if you only use a little for added flavor. Just don't drown your fish in it or eat it every day, and avoid burning or heavily browning the fries. Cooking the fries and fish in coconut oil is great because coconut oil is a healthy oil and a saturated fat, very stable at high heat so it will not oxidize or go rancid like vegetable oils can. It also has a slew of other health benefits. I love this version of fish and chips better than any I've tried back home on the east coast or in any restaurant anywhere. Thanks to my father-in-law for the tartar sauce recipe!
For the Tartar Sauce you will need:
• 1/2 cup sour cream - I love Green Valley Organics lactose free sour cream (or substitute greek yogurt). Eating fat does not make you fat. Just choose high quality, clean sources of healthy fats.
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise - we use Sir Kensington's non-GMO certified mayo. Most mayonnaise is made with canola or soybean oils that are almost always genetically modified unless they are organic. See my What's A GMO link for why I avoid them.
• 2 tbsp fresh tarragon or dill - we used dill for this.
• 2 tbsp dill pickle relish - we just chopped up some dill pickles we already had in the fridge.
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and minced.
• 1 tbsp minced shallot
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon zest, minced fine.
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp sugar - we used honey (local, raw) because we didn't have any sugar
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• small splash Tabasco
• pinch salt
• pinch black pepper
Combine all ingredients, seasoning with Tabasco, salt and pepper at the end to taste. That's it! You will never buy tartar sauce again.
For the Chips (fries) you will need:
Warm oven to keep fries hot and crispy after frying
• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes - these are a low-starch potato that won't produce as much acrylamide. They are denser and less fluffy than Russet potatoes which produces a better fry.
• 1 jar (23 oz) refined coconut oil - We use Nutiva
• sea salt for seasoning
Thoroughly wash/peel potatoes. We buy organic potatoes and like to leave the skins on.
Cut the potatoes into rectangular, fry-shaped strips. Discard (compost!) any potato bits that are a lot smaller or skinnier than the rest. These pieces will burn when fried.
Rinse the raw, cut fries under water to remove excess starch. Place in a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 2 hours to pull more starch out of the potatoes. These steps will further reduce acrylamide produced by cooking at high heat.
Thoroughly pat dry. Wet potatoes will essentially steam themselves in the oil, and cause it to foam, and won't fry up crispy :(
Heat coconut oil in a deep pan to 340º F. Use a candy thermometer to check the temp. If the oil is too cold, the fries will be greasy.
If you want do it by eye, test the heat of the oil by dropping a single piece of potato into the hot oil. If nothing really happens, the oil is still too cold. If it bubbles furiously and turns brown quickly, it's too hot! It should sizzle and bubble a little bit and turn a nice light golden brown while cooking all the way through after a few minutes.
Place raw fries into the oil in small batches to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil too much. Keep frying in small batches, letting the oil come back up to 335º between batches, until light golden brown and cooked through. About 8-9 minutes.
Yukon Gold potatoes are stiffer and less fluffy than Russets so they will make a denser fry. Frying at 340º instead of 350º gives them more time to book through before becoming dark brown.
*** If you want to speed up the frying process, parboil all the cut, raw fries first for about 5 minutes and then drop into ice water so they stop cooking. Thoroughly pat dry, THEN fry at a slightly higher temp (350º F). They will fry up faster and get crispy.***
Place fries on paper towel to drain excess oil and salt the fries immediately as they become ready.
Place on a cookie sheet in warm oven while you fry the fish.
For the Fish you will need:
• 1 pound cod or other flaky, white fish
• 1 cup brown rice flour + extra for dusting fish
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dill
• 1 tsp powdered garlic
• pinch black pepper
• 3/4 cup COLD carbonated water
• 2 eggs
• refined coconut oil leftover from cooking the fries.
Gently rinse fish in cold water and pat dry. For large filets, cut them into smaller pieces. They will cook more evenly this way.
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix water and eggs separately, then stir into dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
Lightly coat fish with extra rice flour, then place fish fillets in batter mixture. Coat well and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil to 350º F. You can use the same pan you used to fry the french fries. Don't fry the fish first, and then the potatoes!
Fishy fries. Ew.
Gently place small batches of battered fish into the oil. Do small batches to avoid dropping the oil temperature.
Fry until light golden brown and crispy - about 8 minutes. Turn the fillets regularly to avoid scorching the batter.
Remove fish and place of paper towels to drain excess oil. Keep warm in the oven until all the fish is cooked.
Serve with fries and tartar sauce!
*** This fish batter makes a beautiful tempura batter, too! So if you want to make tempura veggies instead of fries, just batter and fry them before you do the fish! We've made amazing vegetarian soft tacos with tempura fried veggies for one of my vegetarian friends using this batter. So good! ***
If you make any or all of these recipes, please let me know how it goes and if you like/hate them in the comments below! I'd truly love to know. Have fun in the kitchen!
xoxo Maggie
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