2+ pounds of quality bones* 4 quarts of filtered water Bone Broth one head of peeled & smashed garlic cloves a few stalks of celery, chopped 2+ carrots, chopped 1 small white onion, chopped *knuckle or marrow are great for larger animals. The entire carcass can be used for poultry, & adding chicken feet to any broth will result in more gelatin. Tip: avoid adding greens at the beginning, as they tend to get bitter when cooked too long. Put all ingredients into a slow cooker on low, for 24-48 hours (on the shorter end for poultry, & longer for larger animals). If you don t have a slow cooker, you can use a large stockpot. Bring the liquid to a boil, and then simmer for 24-48 hours. Once the broth is done, strain it into mason jars to store. You can also pour it into a silicone cupcake sheet to make pucks which can be thawed for individual use. It s important to store the broth right away, as it s a perfect medium for bacterial growth when left at room temperature. Tip: use a small metal mesh strainer to catch the bone, bits, & veggies. You want to throw away anything cooked with the stock, & add in new greens & such for eating. My favorite application: heated & blended with some grass fed butter & sipped like coffee. YUM! (kids love it too!!)
Fermented Pickles {& other veggies} Ingredients*: enough pickling cucumbers to fit in a ½ gallon jar, whole or speared roughly 2 quarts of filtered water 6 grape leaves 2 heads of dill 5 tablespoons of mineral-based salt 8 cloves of garlic, peeled spices to taste: black peppercorns, caraway, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds *you can cut this recipe in half for a quart-sized jar. Inspired by a cultures for health recipe. Pour the water & salt into a bowl, & let the salt dissolve. Grab the {thoroughly cleaned} ½ gallon jar, & place 3 cloves of garlic, both heads of dill, about 1/3 of the spice mix, & a few grape leaves on the bottom. Tightly pack half of the pickling cucumbers into the jar, on top of the pickling goodies. Add another layer of 1/3 spices, 2 grape leaves, & 3 cloves of garlic. Top that with the rest of your pickling cucumbers. Finish off the jar with the remainder of the garlic, spices, & leaves. Pour the saltwater brine into the jar, leaving a few inches of space at the top. Tightly twist the top of the jar until sealed & store in a cool{ish} place for 3-14 days. The warmer the room, the quicker the fermentation process. For example, pickles in room temperature will be done closer to 3 days, while leaving them in a cold basement may take about 2 weeks. Keeping the temperature under 80 degrees is ideal. When they are done, the water will be cloudy white {usually at the bottom} & have a slight effervescence. Store in the refrigerator. For many, many more fermentation recipes, visit the cultures for health website!
Fruity Squishies 1 cup of fruit of choice, chopped if necessary o blueberries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, pears, etc. 3 cups of filtered water cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice grass fed butter or coconut oil Tip: use organic!! :] Place the chopped fruit & water into a saucepan & bring to a boil. Bring down to a simmer & continue cooking until fully cooked & very soft {about 10-15 minutes}. Pour the fruity goodness into a blender & blend until smooth {you can always add more water for a thinner consistency}. Add a dollop of butter or oil & a pinch of spice if desired. Tip: you can store the extras in a silicone ice cube tray in the freezer.
Hidden Liver Baby Meatballs 1lb grass fed ground beef** ¼ lb pastured beef liver ½ onion, diced 1tsp onion powder 1tsp garlic powder 1tsp black pepper grass fed butter, as needed 2tsp cumin 2tsp chili powder 1tsp oregano ½ tsp salt Tip: aim for the highest quality, pastured, & preferably local beef liver. Storing it in the freezer can help keep it at it s freshest. Use or freeze directly after purchasing. Put the liver into a high-speed blender & blend until smooth. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl & get your hands dirty! Form the mixture into balls no larger than a golf ball. Heat a large skillet to medium heat & melt a generous amount of butter in the pan. Place the meatballs into the pan {you may not be able to fit all in one batch} & cook fully, flipping them over throughout. It will take about 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs. Tip: for an even softer meatball, you can cook in the oven at 425 for about 30 minutes {or until no longer pink}. **You can replace the beef with bison, turkey, or lamb {you may choose different seasonings in that case}. You can also omit the liver for a different taste but not always! It s too nutritious not to include ;]
Little Liver Pate ¼ lb fresh pastured chicken livers ¼ cup fresh bone broth OR filtered water 2 tsp grass fed butter ¼ tsp mineral based salt Tip: aim for the highest quality, pastured, & preferably local chicken liver. Storing it in the freezer can help keep it at it s freshest. Use or freeze directly after purchasing. Heat broth over medium on the stove. Place the chicken liver into the broth & bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer & continue cooking for 8-10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, & add the butter & salt. Pour the entire contents of the pan into a blender or food processor. Blend away until smooth! Tip: Baby s only need about one ounce of liver at a time. Preferably a few times a week! You can place the extra into small containers & freeze for later use :]
1lb chicken or beef livers Liver Sprinkles Tip: aim for the highest quality, pastured, & preferably local liver. Storing it in the freezer can help keep it at it s freshest. Use or freeze directly after purchasing. Put the liver** into a high-speed blender & blend until smooth. Cover the dehydrator tray{s} with unbleached parchment paper. Pour the liver liquid onto the tray, making sure to keep it on the parchment paper. Dehydrate on the lowest setting for 24-48 hours depending on thickness. The liver sheets will easily crack when bent, once finished. Break up the sheets & blend them into a fine powder. You can encapsulate the sprinkles for adult consumption, or keep them in powdered form to sprinkle over your & baby s food. **If the liver is not of the highest quality, cook it first. The nutrition will still be phenomenal & only a few enzymes will be missing. Tip: making thinner layers on multiple trays will help speed up cook time. PSA: dehydrating liver smells funky. Dehydrate in a garage or basement if possible!
Meaty Mash {yum?} While some parents feel comfortable giving whole foods {including meats} to their babies from the start, others would prefer purées. There is also a bit of a middle ground, which I call pulsed. We will discuss both here! any amount of fresh fully cooked cubed, ground, or shredded grass fed/pastured meat breastmilk, formula, or bone broth grass fed butter desired spices* *you may want to start with minimal seasoning, however many babies do really well with a variety of cultural spices as they grow! If you re cooking the meat directly before altering it for baby, let it cool before placing it into the blender. For pulsed meat, simply pulse the blender a few times until the meat becomes a chunky broken down version of the original product almost finely ground. If the meat has lost its juices, it may become powdered. If that is the case, you can add breastmilk, formula, or bone broth to moisten it. If you prefer a purée, add more of the liquid, & blend on high until smooth. You may add butter & a pinch of spices for flavor.
Soft Boiled Egg Yolk Eggs are one of the most nutritious & easy to digest foods. Because of their nutrient density & rich flavor, it is best if they are introduced in small amounts {just a bite or two at first} to avoid a reaction. Food reactions can be genetically or environmentally triggered, so if a family member has an egg allergy, be mindful. filtered water 1 pastured egg liver sprinkles Tip: aim for a pastured egg without the use of corn, soy, or GMO feed Bring a saucepan filled with filtered water to a boil. Gently lower the pastured egg into the water. Boil for 4 minutes. Once the egg is done, take it out of the water & let it cool for a minute. You can crack the egg open, & separate the yolk from the white. You want to make sure that no white remains on the yolk. Mix it up & serve tiny amounts to your little one. You can also add liver sprinkles! Tip: the yolk should be soft, not runny
Veggie Crumble veggie of choice o cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peas, broccoli, cabbage, etc. coconut oil or grass fed butter fresh bone broth mineral based salt pepper other desired spices Tip: aim for organic! Steam or roast the vegetable of choice with filtered water until very soft. Place the cooked vegetables into a bowl & add butter or oil until fully melted. Sprinkle with a teeny pinch of salt & pepper if desired. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor & lightly pulse {just 1-5 pulses depending on the strength of the blender} until the vegetable is a chunky & soft texture. You can also add a bit of fresh warm bone broth, for moisture.
Veggie Squishies veggie of choice o beets, squash, parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. coconut oil or grass fed butter fresh bone broth or filtered water desired spices Tip: aim for organic! For carrots, beets, cauliflower or other steam-able veggies, steam over filtered water until very soft. For potatoes & roots, poke holes so that the vegetable can breathe, & bake at 400 º for about an hour, or until soft. Place the cooked vegetables into a bowl & add butter or oil until fully melted. Sprinkle with desired spices, if you so please! Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor & blend away until smooth. Add fresh bone broth or filtered water if the consistency is too thick for your liking.