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One Pot Braised Pork with Root Vegetables

November 1st, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

Ufinished one pot braised pork with root vegetables recipesing the gorgeous root vegetables and squashes of fall, let’s make a one-pot braised pork roast that takes comfort food to the next level.

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 lb. pastured, hormone-free bone-in pork butt or shoulder
  • 1/4 cup spicy mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
  • 2.5 Tbsp. avocado oil, divided
  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped sage
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
  • 2 tsp. thyme leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced) plus 6-8 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 apple
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 cup chicken bone broth
  • 4+ cups of your favorite root vegetables, cut into 1” cubes

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Rub your pork with a tablespoon of avocado oil. In a small bowl, combine the spicy mustard, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sage, rosemary, thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

Rub the mustard mixture all over the pork.

Make slits all over the pork with a knife and place the whole garlic cloves in the slits

Pour ½ tablespoon of avocado oil in a round dutch oven or braising pan and place the pork in the center.

If the pork has a side with more fat on it, place that side facing up. Cut the apple and onion in quarters and place them around the pork.

Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Remove the dutch oven out of the oven and flip the pork over.

Add the chicken bone broth and cover the dutch oven. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Cook for 2 more hours, until the pork, reaches 165 degrees. Check the meat after an hour or so and remove any remaining apple and onion pieces that haven’t broken down. At this time you can add additional broth if you notice too much is evaporating.

Remove the pot from the oven and uncover it. Toss your chopped vegetables in the remaining avocado oil and sprinkle them with salt. Arrange them around the pork in your dutch oven and toss them gently in the juices in the pot.

Cover the pot and place it back in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the pork has an internal temperature of 195-200 degrees.

If the vegetables are tender but the pork is still not tender, you can remove the vegetables and place the pork back in the oven.

Slice or shred your pork and serve with the vegetables and pan juices.

By Priscilla Chamessian, Mark’s Daily Apple

How To Cook Eggs Perfectly, Every Time

March 30th, 2021 by Debbie Martilotta

Scrambled eggs can be dry or watery, fluffy, or flat. That goes for other egg methods too – there’s a big difference between an overcooked hard-boiled egg and a perfectly jammy egg. So, here is a tutorial on how to cook eggs perfectly, every time.

Let’s start with the most intimidating of the cooking methods: poaching eggs.

How to Make Poached Eggs

For poached eggs, you want to use super fresh eggs. A fresh egg will have a firmer, tighter white that will stay together better when poaching.

Fill a pot with water no greater than 2 inches high, about the height of a teaspoon if you measure it from the tip of the bowl to the beginning of the spoon handle. Bring the water to just barely a simmer and add a pinch of salt. You should be able to see some bubbles at the bottom of the pot.

Using a meat thermometer, watch for your water to come to around 190 degrees. Then you’re ready to go.

When you can maintain 190 degrees, crack an egg into a small ramekin. Use a large spoon to swirl the water in the pot to break up any bubbles at the bottom of the pot.

Spin the water gently with the spoon in a circular motion around the inside of the pot to create a small vortex so there’s a still spot of the water in the middle and the rest of the water is spinning around it.

In this middle spot, gently press the ramekin into the water as you are pouring the egg into it. Watch your fingers – the water will burn! The lip of the ramekin cup should go under the water as you pour the egg in. The egg will swirl in the pot and the egg white will start to solidify. If the white part is loose and starts to travel around the pot, gently spin the water around the inside edge of the pot again with a spoon to encourage the egg white to stay together.

Set your timer for around 4 minutes. At the four-minute mark, use a slotted spoon to gently pull the poached egg out of the water. The egg is done when the yolk has a nice spring to it and still feels soft and liquidy in the middle, but the white is pretty firm.

Boiled Eggs

When boiling eggs to make hardboiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, or jammy eggs, it’s best to use eggs that have been in the refrigerator for at least 2-4 weeks, as they will be easier to peel. (If you bought them at the grocery store, there’s a good chance they’re that old by the time they get to you.) Use the float test below to make sure your eggs are still good!

Fill a pot of water about half full with water and a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil on your stovetop.

Once the water is boiling, add your eggs and set your timer.

  • For jammy or soft-boiled eggs, set your timer for 6.5-7 minutes.
  • For hardboiled eggs, set your timer for 10-11 minutes.

Set up a bowl filled with ice and water. Once the timer goes off for your soft or hard-boiled eggs, use a slotted spoon to take the egg out of the pot and plunge them into the cold water. This will help the egg yolk stop cooking. Allow them to cool in the water for around 10 minutes.

Once the eggs have cooled, gently place the egg on a hard surface and roll it back and forth to help the shell crack in a bunch of different places. Carefully peel the cracked shell away. Sometimes running the egg under lukewarm water when peeling or using the back of a spoon helps.

For jammy eggs, slice the egg in half lengthwise. Enjoy as-is, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top, or spoon out the silky yolk onto a slice of bacon or a salad.

For hardboiled eggs, pack for breakfast or snacks, or slice in half and serve alongside sliced avocado or crispy bacon.

How to Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

In a small bowl, whisk together 2-5 eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper if you’d like.

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or grass-fed butter to the pan and swirl it around. After adding the oil or right as the butter is just melted, pour the eggs into the pan so they fill the entire diameter of the pan.

Just as you see the edges start to set against the side of the pan, use a silicone spatula to move the soft egg from the edges to the center of the pan. As you drag the egg from the edges to the center, some cooked egg will be pushed to the center, while the uncooked egg will be displaced to the edges, cooking the egg slowly.

Continue dragging the edges of the egg toward the center of the pan and add about another ½ tablespoon of butter cut into small chunks to the pan. This part is optional, but it helps make the eggs extra creamy.

When the egg mixture is still a bit runny but beginning to firm up slightly, begin folding the egg with a silicone spatula by folding the edges of the egg towards the middle of the pan. This will encourage the egg to cook gently without breaking up into a bunch of tiny pieces. After doing this a few times, turn off the heat and continue folding the egg to the center of the pan to encourage light cooking. The eggs are finished when they are soft and silky. They should have a little gloss to them and be creamy, but still mostly cooked.

Remove the egg from the pan to stop it from cooking and place it on your plate. Top them with a pinch of salt and pepper and serve alongside your favorite breakfast foods. We served ours with an arugula salad and a few slices of crispy bacon.

How to Make a Perfect Omelet

In a small bowl, whisk together 3-4 eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange any fillings you want to use in the omelet (we used chopped-up roasted broccoli and organic shredded cheddar cheese).

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon of avocado oil or grass-fed butter to the pan and swirl it around. Right after adding the oil, or after the butter is just melted, pour the eggs into the pan so they fill the entire diameter of the pan.

As the egg cooks, you will see the edges of the omelet turn from translucent to opaque. Lower the heat slightly and watch the egg continue to cook. Once the egg begins to bubble and parts of it begin to firm up slightly, add your toppings to one-half of the omelet.

Carefully flip the half of the omelet without toppings directly on top of the half with the fillings. Allow the egg to cook for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Use a spatula to carefully flip over the omelet and allow it to cook for an additional minute or so, or until the egg is fully cooked and the cheese filling inside is melted.

Place on to a plate and cut in half, if you’d like.

How to Cook Sunnyside Up Eggs Evenly

Tip: Sunnyside eggs are a little finicky and the time to prepare one to another may vary based on the temperature of the pan, size of the egg, freshness of the egg, etc., so feel free to adjust the time it takes for the white to set.

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add 1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil and swirl it around. After swirling the oil around in the pan, gently crack an egg into the center of the pan.

Allow the edges of the egg white to set and turn from clear to white, but the egg whites around the yolk should still be very runny. When you see this, drizzle a tablespoon or two of water into the pan around the edges of the egg white.

Quickly cover the pan with a lid. Once you hear the water you added sizzle aggressively, turn off the heat. Keep the lid on the pan for 45 seconds to a minute or so, then take a peek at the egg. When the egg is finished, the egg white should be fully set but the yolk still liquidy. If the white around the yolk is not yet set, cover the pan again. If the yolk starts to film over with white, you’ve cooked the egg a little too long.

Serve your egg as is, or dip a piece of bacon or sweet potato fry into the yolk.

How to Make Over-hard Eggs (And Flip Them Without Breaking the Yolk)

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add 1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil and swirl it around. After swirling the oil around in the pan, gently crack an egg into the pan. If you are making multiple eggs at a time, use 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and crack a few eggs into the pan at a time, trying to confine them to different areas in the pan.

Allow the whites of the eggs to mostly set. You’ll see the whites begin to bubble as they firm up. Once the white is fairly set, carefully flip the egg over with a spatula. The whites near the yolk may still be shiny and not set yet, but as long as the edges are set and the whites are bubbling, you should be able to flip the egg over without an issue.

Allow the egg to cook on the other side. Use a finger to feel the yolk in the center of the egg. When it feels firm and no longer springy, the yolk is firm and fully cooked.

Repeat with more eggs, if desired. Serve with your favorite sides.

Tip: For an over easy or over medium egg, simply cook the egg for less time before removing it from the heat. For an over-easy egg, the yolk should feel liquidy when touched. For an over medium egg, the yolk should feel springy like a ball of fresh mozzarella.

Egg FAQs

What’s the Best Kind of Cookware to Cook Eggs?

While there is some less toxic non-stick cookware out there compared to the past, we think a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is a great option. It is durable, heats evenly, and cooks eggs quickly. For boiling and poaching, a stainless steel saucepan works best.

How Do I Choose the Best Quality Eggs?

Whenever possible, opt for pastured eggs. Chickens that are pastured have the best chance to eat not just packaged chicken feed, but also bugs, roots, and other scraps that make their yolks rich and nutritious. Here’s an article on how to choose the best eggs for your family.

How to Tell the Difference Between a Store-bought Egg and a Farm-fresh Egg

You can often tell the difference between a store-bought and farm-fresh egg by looking at the yolks side by side. A fresh egg yolk will have a rich, deep yellow to orange color, while mass-produced eggs are a much paler yellow. Keep in mind that farmers can add items like marigolds to chicken feed, which artificially turn their yolks more golden or orange.

Do You Have to Refrigerate Eggs?

Eggs in the United States are refrigerated because their protective shell layers are washed off in preparation to be sold. If you get eggs from a farmer or your neighbor, ask if they’ve been washed.

How Long Do Eggs Stay Fresh?

Unwashed eggs are shelf-stable for about two weeks, and they keep for up to three months in the refrigerator.

How Do You Know Whether an Egg Has Gone Bad? The Float Test for Egg Freshness

Eggs have a decent shelf life in the fridge, but how do you know if an egg is still good to use? Oftentimes, eggs can be used beyond their sell-by date, but to be sure, I use the float test.

Fill a large jar with water and carefully place the egg into the water.

  • If the egg sinks to the bottom and rests on its side horizontally, the egg is fresh.
  • If the tip of the egg points directly downward so the egg is vertical in the water, the egg is older and should be used up right away (these are great options for boiling).
  • If the egg floats in the water, it’s spoiled and should be tossed.

If an egg has spoiled, you’ll know the second you crack it. The rotten egg smell is so strong that there’s a good chance you’ll have to open your windows and leave your house until it clears. When in doubt, use the float method. It’s not something you want to experience.

Egg Freshness and Cooking Methods

The freshest eggs aren’t always the best option for every egg preparation.

  • For soft or hard-boiling eggs, opt for slightly older eggs. These will peel more easily.
  • For poached or sunnyside-up eggs, opt for more fresh eggs. This will keep the white tight.
  • For any other cooking methods, you have the flexibility to use whatever eggs you have on hand.

Egg Nutrition Information

For 1 Large Egg:
Calories: 70
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 185mg
Protein: 6g
Carbs: 0g

From MarksDailyApple.com

Egg And Ham Cups

February 12th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients
1 slice low-fat, nitrate free, deli ham
1 whole, farm fresh egg
2 tbsp organic, reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 slice, thin/small tomatoes, sliced

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Spray the cups of a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Press the sliced ham into the muffin tin cup, forming a ham cup.
4. Place the tomato slice in the cup.
5. Crack the egg and drop it in on top of the tomato. Repeat this process for as many cups as desired.
6. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg is almost cooked.
7. Top with cheese and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Let cool for a few minutes. Once the cup has cooled, use a spatula to carefully transfer it to a plate.
Eat with your choice of carbs, such as a piece of fruit or low carb oats.

Courtesy of Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.

 

Protein Cracked: Making A Case For The Egg

February 12th, 2019 by Debbie Martilotta

Egg whites are a high-quality protein source, but whole eggs often get a bad rap. It’s time to crack a few myths and showcase the power of the yolk.

Egg whites are often referred to as the perfect protein, due to their amino-acid makeup and the body’s ability to utilize them properly.

The average large, whole egg contains about 72 calories, 6 g of protein, 5 g of fat, about 200 mg of cholesterol, and nearly no carbs. The average large egg white contains only 17 calories, 4 g of protein, and no carbs, fat, or cholesterol.

Egg whites contain as many as 40 different proteins. Of these, ovalbumin constitutes the majority, making up about 55 percent of the protein in egg white. Ovotransferrin is an iron-binding protein in egg whites that provides antimicrobial properties and makes up over 10 percent of the protein content. Ovomucin is another type of protein that makes up less than 5 percent of egg-white protein and provides the jellying property of egg white, as well as antimicrobial properties.

Egg-white protein is rich in BCAAs and arginine, as well as the sulfur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine. These amino acids are critical for maintaining the structure of many proteins such as collagen, which is critical for maintaining joint health and levels of certain hormones.

GET YOLKED
Although bodybuilders used to focus on just the egg white for protein and avoided the yolk because of the fat and cholesterol—it’s now known that it’s more beneficial to consume both the egg white and the yolk together. That’s because that golden center contains the majority of the micronutrients in eggs, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.

The yolk also contains all of the egg’s fat and cholesterol, but don’t let that scare you off. Blood cholesterol levels don’t seem to be negatively affected by whole eggs. In fact, one study from the University of Connecticut tested the cholesterol response of 25 males and 27 females to an egg diet (640 mg per day of additional cholesterol) and a non-egg diet (no additional cholesterol). They found the cholesterol in egg yolks does not raise the LDL cholesterol particles that are particularly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.

We now know that fat is important in a diet. The saturated fat in egg yolks is less than half of the total fat. But saturated and monounsaturated fat, also in egg yolks, are important for maintaining higher testosterone levels. The fat and cholesterol from yolks, which was once thought of as harmful, appears to provide benefits for those who do strength training.

In fact, in a head-to-head egg comparison, consuming more whole eggs was shown to help with muscle gain and strength. The magic number? Three. One study from Texas A&M found that subjects consuming three whole eggs a day while following a weight-lifting program for 12 weeks gained twice as much muscle mass and twice as much strength as subjects eating either just one egg per day or no eggs. Those kinds of benefits may be due to the cholesterol content. After all, cholesterol is converted to testosterone in the body.

Cholesterol also helps maintain the integrity of muscle cell membranes, which helps them function properly and avoid breakdown. Scientists from Kent State University put 47 older adults (ages 60-69) on a 12-week weight-lifting program and tested them before and after for changes in muscle mass and strength. They placed all subjects on a moderate protein diet and divided them into two groups. One group followed a lower-cholesterol diet (1.6 mg per pound of body weight or approximately 150-250 mg per day), while the other half consumed a higher cholesterol diet (2.6 mg per pound of body weight or about 250-450 mg per day). After 12 weeks the group that consumed the lower-cholesterol diet did not increase muscle mass and only increased their strength by about 35 percent. The higher-cholesterol group, on the other hand, had an increase in muscle mass of about 5 pounds and upped their strength by about 90 percent.

DROP THE FAT
Eggs can also help you get leaner. Research from Saint Louis University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast consumed fewer calories throughout the day than those who had breakfast with the same amount of calories from a carb-heavy bagel. A follow-up study by the same team found that when women consumed two eggs for breakfast at least five times per week over a 12-week period, they lost 65 percent more weight and had a 34-percent larger reduction in waist size compared to those who skipped the eggs. The study also found that adding two whole eggs to breakfast resulted in no changes in cholesterol levels.

Consider eating two or three whole eggs each day to take advantage of all the benefits eggs have to offer in regard to performance and body composition. You can bump up the protein intake by adding an extra white or two for each yolk.

While eggs are typically thought of as a breakfast food, you can enjoy them anytime throughout the day. Hardboiled eggs work great in salads or as a stand-alone snack. If you really want to kick your eggs up a notch, try my Egg and Ham Cups; they’re delicious and easy to make.

by Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.

Vietnamese “Noodle” Salad with Grilled Steak, Peaches, & Herbs

August 22nd, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 3 peaches or nectarines, sliced into wedges

Dressing

  • Juice of 2 limes
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ⅓ cup apple juice
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Salad

  • 6 cups crunchy lettuce (like romaine), chopped
  • 3 cucumbers, spun into noodles
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • ⅔ cup chopped cashews

Directions:
1: Bring your steak to room temperature, season both sides with salt and pepper.
2: Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
3: Grill steak to medium-rare, about 10 min on one side then 2 min on the other.
4: Transfer steak to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
5: Grill peaches for about 2 minutes each side, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Transfer peaches to a plate.
6: While the steak is cooking, make your dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, apple juice, jalapeño pepper, ginger, garlic, and cilantro in a bowl.
7: Slice the cooked steak thinly against the grain and place it in the dressing. Allow to sit in dressing for at least 20 minutes.
8: On a platter, place the chopped lettuce down as your first layer, then top with the cucumbers, steak, peaches, the fresh mint and basil, scallions, and finally with the chopped cashews.
9: Right before serving, top the salad with remaining dressing.

Diana Rodgers at Sustainable Dish, Licensed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist,
organic farmer, and blogger on all
things sustainable.

Why Protein is so Important to Your Strength Training Regime

April 3rd, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Did you know that your organs, tissues, muscles, and hormones are all made from proteins? The protein found in foods is used by every part of the body to develop, grow and function properly. It can be argued that nothing is more important than consuming protein foods, and because proteins are involved in just about everybody function, it’s important that you consume foods high in protein every day, during every meal to prevent protein deficiency, which can wreak havoc on the body.

Eating enough protein is necessary to build and maintain healthy muscle mass, while also supporting tendon, ligaments, and other body tissue. So, protein is important for bodybuilding, but it’s also necessary for developing leaner muscles as well. When your diet is lacking in amino acids, “muscle wasting” (or muscle atrophy) can take place when your muscle fibers are broken down to support your body’s energy needs.

Protein is especially important after exercise since physical activity like strength training purposefully damages muscle tissues so they can repair and grow back stronger. For the process to happen effectively, you need some extra protein to help repair the damage. While protein alone won’t enhance athletic performance, research shows that eating protein before and after exercise helps increase muscle recovery, promotes muscle synthesis and serves as effective muscle ache treatment.

We need to eat plenty of protein foods every day to keep our metabolisms running, our energy up and our blood sugar levels stable. You might eat enough protein overall, but do you eat the right kinds?

Here are some of the best protein foods for your health.

1. Grass-Fed Beef: 3 ounces: 22 grams

2. Organic Chicken: 3 ounces: 21 grams

3. Bone Broth: 1 serving (¼ cup): 20 grams

4. Lentils: 1 cup: 18 grams

5. Wild-Caught Salmon (and other wild fish): 3 ounces: 17 grams

6. Eggs: 1 large free-range egg: 7 grams

7. Almonds (and other nuts): ¼ cup/23 almonds: 5 grams

Studies show that eating a high-protein diet has a number of health benefits. Not only does it help you maintain and lose weight, but it also works to stabilize your blood sugar levels, improve your ability to learn and concentrate, reduce brain fog, boost your energy levels, support your muscles and bones and support the absorption of important nutrients.

Many people make the mistake of trying diets that involve calorie counting and deprivation. On a high-protein diet, you will feel completely satiated after eating, and you won’t have to deal with the blood sugar highs and lows that lead to cravings and moodiness. You’ll be surprised to see how many foods you can eat on a high-protein diet. Even people on a vegetarian or vegan diet, who sometimes turn to processed foods for energy, have enough high-protein foods to choose from.

My Final Thoughts on High-Protein Foods

  • The protein found in foods is used by every part of the body to develop, grow and function properly.
  • Proteins are long chains of amino acids, which are essential molecules for all metabolic processes.
  • When you don’t eat a range of foods high in protein, you become at risk of deficiencies in certain amino acids, which can result in many health issues, including low energy, mood swings, difficulty losing weight, poor sleep, low immunity and unstable blood sugar levels.
  • Some of the top foods high in protein include grass-fed beef, organic chicken, lentils, wild-caught salmon, black beans, natto, eggs, yogurt, goat cheese, almonds and protein powder made from bone broth.
  • For people who don’t eat animal products, there are plenty of plant-based protein options, including nuts, seeds, beans, leafy greens and grains like quinoa.

partly sourced from draxe.com