Eric John's Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Sorry there is no picture, but please don't let that stop you from making this PERFECT fall soup!

This soup was Heaven on Earth, no kidding around! My husband whipped this up the other night and everyone in our family loved it. Even the 2 year old and 5 year old gobbled it down.
My goal is to post a "baked good" every Saturday, but I couldn't wait to post this recipe.

It calls for Beef Broth. For all you meat lovers out there it is delicious just as, but if you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just straying away from meat using a homemade vegetable broth will be an easy and delicious alternative.


Eric John's 
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

.75 ounce dried Lobster mushrooms
.75 ounce dried Morel mushrooms
1/2 cup olive oil
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 sprigs of sage
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2  Crimini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1/2 pound Shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
6 1/2 cups of water
4 heaping TBS Organic Beef Paste
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup white wine
2 TBS unsalted butter


1. Soak dry mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, until plump.


3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. Bundle the rosemary and sage together and tie with kitchen twine. When the oil is hot, add the herb bundle and sizzle for a few minutes on both sides to infuse the oil.

4. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and slightly golden. (Double this if you want to have a good veggie broth)

5. Turn stove to 7 out of 10 (or what ever your stove's equivalent is) and add the Criminis and Shitakes.

6. Cook for 10 minutes, the mushrooms will release their liquid and will shrink quite a bit. Stir more than occasionally.

7. Add the Organic Beef stock and the dried mushrooms along with the soaking water.

8. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, then add the cream, white wine and butter. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. You'll have to use another bowl to hold the pureed soup while your blend the next bit. Pour all the pureed soup back in the pot and keep on low until ready to serve.

Side note: Garnish with parsley flakes in each bowl and serve with oven-heated baguette and brie for added kick.
Enjoy!
~Dana & Eric

Raw Cheese Cake!!!

Dear Readers,
OK, I haven't posted in quite some time. I've been so crazy busy with our jewelry business that I haven't really been baking. I have also decided to try vegetarianism, no cane sugar, no agave, and a mostly raw diet.
I know, sounds kinda crazy. I did this same diet last year and it did amazing things for my body and cleared up my sons terrible eczema.

This way of eating is very alkalizing. Your body will transform and heal in ways you didn't know it needed healing. 

HOW TO DO IT

To fallow this diet you most importantly cannot eat any:

>cane sugar
>agave
>other non raw sweeteners
>breads
>rice
>any and all pasteurized dairy (very important)
>bananas must be very ripe
>no meat 

You should eat:

> avocados
> raw almonds
> raw fruit (fresh or dehydrated under 110 degrees)
> all sprouted nuts and grains (buckwheat is a fabulous sprouted grain)
> raw dates are great when you need something sweet
> lots of leafy greens (kale, chard and spinach are A +++)
> vegetables
> qinoa (lots of protein)
> beans (black and kidney are great)
> cauliflower
> raw coconut oil
> olive oil
> chia seeds ( 1 1/2 cup - 2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 up chia seeds, four drops of stivia and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and let stand in fridge for 15 min or over night if you want it more like tapioca pudding)
> raw honey
> stivia (for sweetening)
> green smoothies!!!!!  (here's who and how: Green Life Family & Green Life Smoothies)

If you fallow this strictly you will notice a dramatic change. Your body will start to detox all the yeast, sugar, and balance the acid in your system. The first week and a half is the hardest. After that you will no longer crave sugar, breads and all the unhealthy fillers we are so used to eating. And remember, it is OK to feel hungry. When you stop eating sugar the yeast in your system sends out all kinds of chemicals to make you feel like your starving in the hopes you will eat what it needs to survive. Don't give in. Eat as much as you want, but only the foods I have shown above. You will thank me 2 weeks from now.

BENEFITS  

Did you know cancer can only grow in an acetic system? If your body is alkalized you will have optimal health, tons of energy and literally a glow about you. Eating this way will kill the yeast in your system, make your gut, brain and muscles very happy. You will also loose all the unnecessary pounds you've been carrying around that you couldn't loose with the moderate exercise (chasing your kids around all day & taking walks). I lost over 20 lbs in 1 1/2 months last year. Alkalizing will also clear up the worst eczema! I watch my son go from having the WORST eczema to it being totally cleared up 4 days later after alkalizing his system. Great for autoimmune disorters!!! 

Well, I am in the mood for something sweet, alkalizingly oh so good for me and this Raw Cheese Cake looks perfect. I'm making it tonight!
My New Roots

Raw Cheese Cake Recipe 

Baillies Oat Meal Cookies

Bake@ 375 degrees
 
1c Butter (rBGH Free)
1c Sugar
1c B. Sugar
1 Dalup Molasses
1-2 Tbs Vanilla
2 Eggs (free range if possible) 

1/2c Tapioca Flour
1/2c Sorghum Flour
1/2c Oat flour
2 Tbs Cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp B. powder
1 Pinch Salt
3c Oat Meal
1c Raisins or Choco-chips

Like I said I would,  I'm posting a really great cookie and it is gluten free. Remember, in all my recipes you can sub the different flours with regular unbleached flour... if you don't want them gluten free.

First things first. In your mixer add butter and sugar together and mix until whipped, add Molasses and mix in. Next add your eggs and Vanilla. Beat those in until your batter is really whipped. Next add your flours first fallowed by the salt, soda, and cinnamon. Mix, but DO NOT over beat or overly incorporate.  Now add your Oats and Raisins (or Choco-chip). Mix it all together, but again no beating.  Beating cookie batter can really wreck a good batch of cookies. Let your batter stand for about 5 min so your flours can soak up the moisture.
Remember, oat meal cookies need to be pulled out of the oven when the center of the cookie still looks raw, but the outer edge is getting crispy. Oat meal cookies continue to cook after you pull them because they hold a lot of heat. If you over cook they will be very crispy and not as good.
Let me know how it goes :)
~D

What's next?

Lice and Mayo mmmm yummy!

I know, I started this thing and haven't written since. Well, I started a business and my Husband finished school so we've been busy. I haven't have time to write to you, but I have found lots of time to bake!

Coming Soon:
The perfect Oatmeal Cookie! And YES it's gluten free!
P.S. No one can tell, not even my Mother :)