My name is Monica and I am a recovering Chicken Nugget Fiend. Yes, as a youngster, I happily bounced through the golden arches for the delicious morsels. Now that I’ve peered behind the scenes of that culinary process….EEEEEEKS!!! Let’s make our own delicious and nutritious homemade chicken nuggets instead. These are fantastically fun snacks for
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Beet Kvass Myth Busting (& Recipe)
Have you been taught that you must use whey or another culture starter when making beet kvass? (You don’t.) Are you dairy free, on a tight budget, on the GAPS or SCD diet and therefore cannot buy and use whey or other culture starters? (Don’t worry!) Have you been taught that if you do not use
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The Best Butternut Squash Soup
[Holistic Squid note: I’ve tried and loved many a fall soup, and I can personally vouch that Monica’s is the best butternut squash soup recipe you’ll find. Enjoy!] When I begin to see butternut squash and all the other fall gourds trickling into the farmers market, I cannot help but smile. As much as I
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Grain Free Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
Luckily, I was able to snap the photo above before my husband and kids devoured the last two pieces. Needless to say, this grain free pumpkin bread is a big hit at my house. Based on my grandma’s tried-and-true banana bread recipe, over the years I’ve discovered that I can substitute pumpkin, squash, zucchini, or just
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Fried Squash and Zucchini Rounds – Grain free
I love quick and easy nutrient dense food. Especially seasonal, elegant finger foods like these fried squash and zucchini rounds. Amidst all the time-intensive bone broths, sauces, and stews, it’s nice to have some easy go-to choices when the fuss and muss are not on the menu. Dinner doesn’t always have to be a grand
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The Secret To Crunchy Pickles
Do you fancy yourself a fearless fermenter? Have you made sauerkraut, chutneys and pickles galore? How were your pickles? Were they crisp and delicious? Tell the truth. One of the most frequent fermentation flops I see are hollow or soft pickles. It’s a shame, because crunchy pickles are a classic, fundamental, and encouraging way to
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Fresh Italian Salsa Recipe
My tomato plants have given me lovely fruit all summer long, but their season is coming to a close now. I think it’s at the end of their season that I enjoy tomatoes most – savoring their zesty sweet taste of summer in dishes like this Italian salsa. I love to make a fresh Italian
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Summer’s Harvest Recipe for Ratatouille
This time of year, the gorgeous summer produce keeps coming. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, oh my! Ratatouille time. All winter long my go-to meals involve slow-cooked meat and root veggies in the crockpot, but at this time of year, ratatouille is my solution to feeding my family yummy comfort food with whatever my farmers’
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How To Make Curry Powder
When you set out to learn how to make curry powder for delicious recipes like this coconut chicken curry, you will encounter so many varied recipes. From mild and vaguely warming to some heat or even super hot. Thai, Indian, African and all the couplings in between. From simple ingredients to a complex list of spices, the
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How To Make Tallow Body Balm
Before I tell you all about tallow body balm, I have a little story to share… I don’t tend to see many t.v. commercials, but last week my 5 year old and I were watching the Olympics on the computer. Every five minutes or so, we were subjected to an ad for a shampoo that
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Easy Greek Meatballs Recipe
Nutrient dense food can be a challenge to fit into our modern go-go lifestyle. The good news is that easy recipes like these Greek meatballs help to ease the kitchen load and boost energy in an utterly delicious way. After my post Easy Meatballs-Nutrient Dense Food on the Go, I heard from many of you asking for
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Mongolian Beef (Healthy Chinese Food!)
I love Chinese food. I love eating with chopsticks. I love the soups, the sauces, and the fast and fresh style of cooking. I love the deep meaty flavors. So, my awakening to the ubiquitous use of rancid plant oils in most restaurant Chinese food was heartbreaking – to put it mildly. Fortunately, Asian cooking lends itself easily
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