With the summer days just beginning and the kitchen starting to heat up, the last thing that I want to do at the end of a warm day is turn the oven on. One day here late this spring, I found that I made lunch and some snacks for the kids without having to really heat things up … plus, I was able to use some leftover chicken from making stock! (And we all know that there’s plenty of that around to try to get creative with!)
So here are a bunch of recipes that I used to keep things cool in the kitchen and yet nourish some hungry tummies. One of them is for my favorite homemade mayo that pairs well with a lot of different dishes. You can use it as you would the old store-bought mayo or salad dressing that you used to get.
Enjoy, and happy (almost) summer!
Mama’s Chicken Salad
Leftover chicken from making stock, either shredded or cut into 1 inch cubes
Mayo (see recipe below)
Fermented pickles
Onion
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of turmeric powder
- Add 1-2 cups of cooked chicken to a bowl, along with a large spoon or two of homemade mayo, 1-2 diced fermented pickles (I used Bubbies this last time, but I usually use homemade pickles when I have them), 1 small diced onion, a sprinkle of turmeric powder, and sea salt and pepper to taste. (This is approximately how much of each ingredient I used. You want enough mayo that your chicken is moist without being drowned in mayo. Adjust the proportions of each ingredient based on taste and how much chicken you use.)
- Mix all ingredients together and serve on GAPS legal bread, a slice of lettuce, or just plain.
My Favorite Mayo
(from the kitchen of Nourished & Nurtured)
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp. organic mustard (original recipe calls for Dijon; I used stone ground)
3 Tbs. fresh lemon or lime juice (I use lemon)
2 Tbs. raw whey (optional)
1 ½ to 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil (you can also use a milder flavored oil or add several different oils; I use Paeleon Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which has a mild flavor that I like)
½ tsp sea salt
Pinch black pepper
- In a food processor, blend all ingredients together except for the olive oil until smooth.
- While the machine is running, add the olive oil slowly (drop by drop) via the drip chamber in your food processor (or very, very slowly by hand) until your mayo and smooth and creamy.
** When using raw eggs, please make sure to use eggs from organic pastured chickens from a source you know and trust!
How about a side dish to go with your chicken salad? Let’s make up a quick raw veggie dish!
Raw Veggies
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
Extra virgin olive oil (I like to use Paeleon Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Braggs apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
- Cut up cauliflower and broccoli into florets and place in large container.
- Pour the olive oil and apple cider vinegar over the raw veggies (approximately ¼ cup or less of olive oil and 1/8 cup or so of the apple cider vinegar; experiment with this until you find a mixture that suits your taste).
- Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and mix with a large spoon. Taste, and add more sea salt and pepper if desired.
It’s time for dessert, baby! Here’s a fun raw recipe from Food Matters.
Raw Chocolate Bars
Base:
½ cup raw almonds, soaked and dehydrated
½ cup Medjool dates, pitted (about 6 dates)
6 Tbs. melted organic virgin coconut oil
¼ cup organic cocoa powder
Caramel Layer:
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted (about 10 dates)
½ cup melted organic virgin coconut oil
4 Tbs. tahini
2 Tbs. raw honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Top Chocolate Layer:
¼ cup organic cocoa powder
¼ cup melted organic virgin coconut oil
¼ cup raw honey
- In a food processor, add all ingredients from the base layer and process until you have a sticky crumble. Press into a square 8×8 glass dish and place in the freezer while you make the next layer.
- In your food processor, add all ingredients from the caramel layer (no need to clean food processor in between layers), and process until smooth. Spread caramel layer over the base layer and freeze an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
- Whisk all ingredients from the top layer together in a bowl and pour evenly over the caramel. Freeze for about 10 minutes, slice into small squares, and then store in the freezer. (I love frozen treats!)
Perhaps instead of chicken salad you prefer deviled eggs! I love to make a batch of these and store them in the fridge to eat whenever I can use the fat/protein boost throughout the day. A quick and easy snack and great addition to your summer recipes!
My Deviled Egg Recipe
Hardboiled organic pastured eggs
Homemade mayo (see above recipe)
Organic mustard
Sea salt
- Hard boil a dozen eggs (or as many as desired). To hard boil eggs, I heat up water in a medium sized saucepan until it is close to boiling, and then decrease the temperature to low-medium. Then, I add a dozen eggs to the water and cook for approximately 20 minutes with a little sea salt in the water. When finished, I stick the pot in the sink and turn on the faucet with cold water and let it run over the eggs in the saucepan until they are cool.
- Remove shell from eggs. Slice eggs into half with a sharp knife horizontally, and remove the egg yolks (save these in a small bowl). Place the empty cooked egg whites on a plate or in a shallow dish like an 8×8 or 9×13 pan (size depending on how many you make).
- Mash the cooked egg yolks with a fork until you have a crumbly mixture. Then, add enough mayo to make a creamy (not dry) texture. Add mustard and sea salt to taste.
- Scoop the egg yolk mixture with a spoon and place inside the cavity of the egg whites. You can sprinkle with paprika or turmeric if desired.
Watch for more delicious recipes to be posted this summer! While GAPS may be about soups and stocks, there are ways to beat the heat and enjoy some GAPS treats too!
~ Alicia
