Mole Chicken

Hi Yall. Back again. It has been gray here for days. Anyway, I still enjoy the honeysuckle on the trials I bicycle on.  They have replaced the roses in their aromatic presence. I think intoxicating is the correct word for this flowers smell. I feel so wrapped in love with the smell of flowers  so strong in my life here. And the green, getting greener. (Anywho)  Yesterday I went to my farm. Its a farm I have bought shares of in the cows.

So in effect its my farm! I not only pick up my 2 quarts of milk, cream, butter and eggs, but now get chicken and my produce out there. Some loving committed soul has grown a garden here, for us shareholders to enjoy the fruits of.  Everything I buy is local either straight off of this farm or a neighbors.  The greens and the dairy are from here, and the eggs and the chickens from about 3 local farms.The chickens are organic pasture fed, meaning putting them out in a pasture and letting them eat the bugs and the grasses, you know, like in the old days. The chickens are leaner and not so soft, as regular chickens.  They have real chicken muscles, the legs are longer and the breast is narrower. They had a life so to speak. For this I am grateful, that whoever raised them took into consideration their chicken-ness. Amazingly I feel blessed to have food that though had to die for me is raised  as humanely as possible.
Here is why I have started eating meat as of late. Its a lesson in what has gone wrong in agriculture, but you need to know in order to make the best choices. I take into account the degradation of all food even that which is labelled organic. I wonder how wholesome any food is if you don't know where it came from.  I got a real education from the chicken /egg farmer who happened to be at the farm that day. He owns a place called Too Many Paws farm. He explained the whole butchering thing and why normal organic USDA chickens have to get a chlorine bath. (Its disgusting if you want to know... oh, okay I'll tell you later). The USDA will not give him a stamp of approval because he won't put his chickens thru this final, albeit unnecessary step. Therefore he cannot bring his product to a local store. Only USDA can be sold in a regular store, like Jimbos, Whole Foods ,Trader Joes or other organic market. What a paradox.  His chickens are butchered so that there is no need for this added step, which adds poisonous chlorine... that you think you are avoiding when you buy organic, because you think ALL organic is the same, you know, really good for you.
 Oh contraire!! All organic is not created equally. His chickens do not have the intestines ripped apart  and covering the chicken at the time of butchering. (thats the gross part) These are things I never think about and no one does really.  We owe it to ourselves to get educated about all manner of food production.  If you are interested, I recommend a great book,  Family Friendly Farming by Joel Salatin. I read it a few years ago. He is a friend of Michael Pollan an author who was in the movie, Food Inc. Mr. Pollan  wrote Ominvores Dilemna. Mr Salatin is a hero in these parts, as many farmers try to follow his model for farming.  He too is one of our  local farmers.

I used to be strictly vegetarian actually. But if there is so few producers of quality organic local food, I must turn to other foods and that means animal products.  I cannot eat the quantity and quality of produce I enjoyed in CA. I must be flexible and so I eat meat now.  I could eat sprouts and brown rice I suppose. But I enjoy eating, and cooking like my ancestors did. It creates warmth and joy in a home. I do not believe ones health or spirituality is compromised if one follows certain guidelines to ensure quality in the purchase and consumption of high quality meats.

The key to cooking an organic healthy chicken is slow cooking whether on the grill or roasting in the oven or in a stew. Today I cooked half of one of the birds. I hope you enjoy this fare, its my own recipe for Mole chiicken, which I really like because it has chocolate in it. There are as many variations as there are people on the planet but the common denominator is chocolate and cinnamon, maybe some cumin and hot peppers.  Here is a recipe for the whole chicken.

Mole Chicken

one 3-4 pound chicken cut into 12 serving pieces (organic of course)

2 organic onions chopped 

5 cloves garlic chopped

2 poblano chiles chopped

2 jalepeno chiles chopped

2 carrots organic chopped

2 organic celery ribs chopped.

1 can diced organic tomatoes (32 oz) 

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1/2 cup organic ground powdered dark cocoa

2 tbsp raw organic tahini

2 tbsp raw almond butter

2 tbsp organic peanut butter

1 bay leaf

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp Celtic or Himalayan salt

1 tsp ground black pepper.

3 cups filtered water

Put water in large Dutch oven. Add tomatos, onions, celery, garlic, chiles  and chicken. Cook til boiling.Turn heat down to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. .  Remove chicken pieces. Whisk in  spices, cocoa, nut butters. Return to simmer and add chicken pieces again. Let simmer for about 1 hour, til meat is tender and falling off the bones. . For my chicken it will be about 2 hours of simmering.

I am trying not to cook by sauteeing veggies or meat in oil like I normally do. I can do without the risk of creating toxins in the oil by heating it.  This way there is no oil unless you want to add it later.  Overall, there is absolutely no difference in taste and your house will be less odorous and your kitchen cleaner  as well. 

I serve this with cornbread and rice. And every meal I now have salad, in this case it will be the fresh spring greens from my VA farm. I can't eat the rice or the bread now, that's for my other family member who is a carb eater.

One more thing; I just purchased a water ionizer. If you want to create an alkaline environment in your body, this is the easiest fastest way I know. If I am going to consume animal flesh and other things that raise my acidity levels, the least I can do is drink alkaline water. It has been proven to neutralize ones pH even if you eat foods which create an acid environment. Robert O Young ( Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired) cannot say enough about using alkalinized water. It really is your first line of defense against all illness and aging  which is due to the lack of an alkaline bodily "terrain". 

I have a product from Ionlife, the model is the Jupiter Melody. Its $1495 with an extra filter thrown in for good measure. That's it. No shipping charge added to that. Its amazing. So of course I use alkaline water in the cooking as well, which improves the whole recipe, in cooking time, in flavor, in retaining of nutrients. The manufacturer recommends using the highest level of alkalinity (a dial on the machine lets you choose more or less )  for cooking stews and soups.  I will let you know how it affects the rest of me i.e. overall health. Just give me about a month.  

Fasting.

 Its May and here in Virginia, its all about green grass, flowering trees, blue skies, the smell of roses and honeysuckle on the bike paths. People and animals and the plant world filled with hope and renewed vigor. Mother Earth at her most enchanting

Who needs food?  Seriously. When it was gray (or white with snow) that was all I could think about other than staying warm, and whatever we could do indoors that was lifegiving. This is when creativity is at its peak I think. In the darkest time of the year. That is when I am most creative whether in be in my painting to create another more vibrant world in my art) or writng, to wake me up and acknowledge that the emotions and the life force are flowing inside of me despite what I witness on the outside. Now that the weather invites me to play, and the outside world is filled with life (and Love if evident more so than ever) I am not so physically hungry.  But my 'family' is so I must cook and of course we both must eat. 

Today is a good day for me to fast. Coincidentally, it will be a new moon very shortly. In just a few days actually. So then I will continue but with a clearer "palette".  Dumping the old thought patterns, preparing for renewal from the Divine Love source, acknowledging mortality, weakness and all the thoughts I put at bay to go forward daily and put up a brave front. Today is my day to let it all go.I will go thru a 'winter' today. And probably for the next 2 days. Just as the moon is in its darkest phase monthly, I too will go thru this act of death, but only to the outer world which has given me so much joy as of late. Its time.
Mind you I don't do this often. I think when its time you just know its time. There is no hard and fast way to know other than the internal world will trigger you to do this. There is no one thing that is chiding me here, not depression or anxiety or a feeling of wanting anything in particular. Its just a knowing. I didn't even plan this. How can you plan on this if your knowing comes without warning. Anyway, if you never did this don't worry. If you don't want to do this who cares?  Just know that the results are wonderful. A feeling of calm and clarity  So, file this blog away for another month if you think this is something you want to experience.  In the meantime enjoy spring.


In preparation for a fast. Up to 3-7 days in advance
Cleanse the bowels with a good bowel cleanse product.
Drink water and lots of it.
Eat plants and plant products only the fresh raw organic kind, mostly green mostly fruit.
During the fast (Three days)
Rest frequently
Set aside mornings and evening for both breathwork and meditation.
Take salt baths to draw toxins from the skin. Add essential oils to the water. 
Drink warming teas, for me it will be Yerba Mate. And I will add raw honey and raw cream. I can't be that harsh on myself.
Drink lots of water, up to 3-4 liters a day. 
Yoga stretching routine.
Be creative as the thought patterns change so will your views on the world and so write it down or construct an outer replica of your inner world  through art. 
After the fast (First day)
Fresh organic fruit.
Raw nuts
Salads with very dark leafy greens. Just lemon juice, olive oil for dressing. OR your own homemade mayonnaise made with organic cold pressed olive,safflower, sunflower seed oil. 
Continue drinking lots of water.
Next week
Here is where everything can go to seed. To avoid the pitfalls of getting really sick you must stick to clean wholesome foods, avoid alcohol, and meat, and complicated dishes. Continue eating the foods listed above and add simple steamed dishes, minimum spices. Be kind be gentle in thought, word, and deed..... especially to yourself. Let things go, i.e. worries, annoyances, people who cause you to worry and be annoyed. At least know that you don't have to engage in your old ways of engagement. Its just as poisonous to feel these things as eating the wrong foods. Avoid like situations.  Be nice to yourself. The success of this time depends on it. It helps to continue hydrating with 3-4 liters a day. I know its not easy at first. I simply fill 3 glass milk bottles with water and set them in the kitchen. I try to have a bottle in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Full Moon Food. (Coq au Vin Menu)

I survived a full moon in Scorpio last Wednesday!  So did you, meaning that it is  very appetite enhancing, no matter who you are.   But even without knowing astrology and the moons cycles, one can always tell the difference between a full moon day and other days.  Its the intensity of emotional responses that one is aware of that sets these days apart from other less luminous days and nights.  So in honor of that little boost of energy (and the fact that I haven't been writing for quite a while) here are some recipes to satisfy and nourish. I have already given recipes for the Potato Wedges, Crudites and the salad (variation of Spoon Salad) in previous posts. So look them up and repeat the performance... Enjoy!

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Menu

 Coq au Vin

Potato Wedges

Crudites aux Aoili

Arugula and Spinach salad

Cinnamon Pecan Cookies.

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Coq au Vin

Ingredients
1 organic whole chicken cut into 10-12 pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp pepper
5 slices of organic bacon or about 1/2 tsp Hickory smoke flavoring (optional)
4-6  tbsp organic olive oil

1 bottle red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp  organic butter

12-29 pearl onions

1/2 pound button mushrooms

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp tomato paste

1.(This step is optional for those who eat bacon.) Saute the bacon strips in the dutch oven and remove, leaving the drippings.
2.Then dredge the chicken pieces in about 1/2 cup of flour a tsp each of salt and pepper. In a dutch oven take half of the chicken pieces and saute them in the bacon drippings and add a little of the oil. They are golden brown on both sides.  Remove and set aside, while sauteing the remaining chicken.
3.When all the chicken is sauteed, put all of it   back into the pot, open a bottle of red wine pour over the chicken. Set on low heat after it comes to a slow boil. 
The original recipe calls for using chicken broth as well but I choose not to, as I do not buy commercial chicken broth. If you have your own stock then go ahead. It will save on the wine.
4.Then add the rest of the flavorings, thyme, tomato paste, garlic. Add hickory flavoring now if you want if you didn't use bacon. Its fine without the added smoky flavor, but that is the original French recipe. Simmer for around 45 minutes.
5.In a pot of boiling water add the pearl onions and parboil til the skin comes off easily usually takes 15 minutes. Remove the onions and slip the skins off by making a cut at one end. In a separate skillet, add about 2 tbsp of butter. Saute the onions til brown. Remove.
6.Wash the mushrooms. Then cut them in quarters, discarding the stems. Saute them in the butter til brown, adding more butter to prevent any burning.
7.Add both the onions and the mushrooms to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes.  This recipe is wonderful the day after. I like to cook it a day in advance to let the flavors really meld. This idea is the base for Beef Bourginon and other meat dishes stewed in wine. All use the same ingredients more or less.
8.Remove all the meat and vegetables.  Here you can do the following. To create a thicker sauce, you can now reduce the liquid to whatever thickness you want. Just simmer and stir til it looks glossy and smooth, coating the spoon. To remove the fat from the sauce, you can also remove the liquid and put in a separate container in the fridge. the fat will rise to the top. You can skim it off. It will be solid if left in long enough. That is why I like to serve this the next day. This step is easier if you have a chilled sauce.
9. Put the sauce back in the pot. Then add the chicken, mushrooms and onions. Reheat simmer and serve immediately
10. Serve with Baked Potato Wedges and  Crudites aux Aoili (Mixed vegetables with Mayonnaise dip)  Here  I used fresh tomatoes, asparagus and brussel sprouts. (see previous posts)
11. You can also serve a nice arugula and spinach salad with oil vinegar and grated Romano cheese. Follow recipe for Spoon salad if you feel more comfortable with a recipe to follow. These 2 dishes are the base of many a meal, whether or not you are serving meat, fish, eggs.

Cinnamon Pecan Cookies. 

(At the request of one of my very beautiful  readers I am adding lots of pictures to my food stories i.e. blogs). This is a recipe that is so easy you will never be at a loss again for how to make cookies. The base of the recipe is always the same. No matter if chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter. You'll see.
This is a half recipe. Feel free to double if you are feeding a crowd. Preheat oven to 375.

 Ingredients. 

This is the basic cookie dough recipe.1 large organic egg
1 scant cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup raw organic butter, softened.
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup organic whole wheat or spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt.

1.Mix together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix til light and fluffy.
2.Mix together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients.   You now can add whatever you want to create different cookie recipes.
3.For this recipe, add cinnamon to the dry ingredients.  Then combine the dry with the sugar, butter mixture. Add 1/2 cup of broken raw pecan pieces. Stir well.
4. Drop by teaspoonful on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes til a bit brown around the edges.
For variations.........

• chocolate chocolate chip?  Add 1/4 cup dry organic cocoa powder to dry ingredients. Add 2 oz (one half a TJ 72% cocoa bar.
• peanut butter? add 1/2 cup peanut butter to butter mixture. Increase flour by 1/4 cup. Chill. Form into balls and flatten with back of a fork to create criss cross imprint on top of cookie.
• oatmeal? Reduce flour by 1/4-1/2 cup add 1-1 1/2 cup of rolled oats. Add 1tsp of cinnamon to dry mixture.
• Create your own....... Have fun be creative.