Juicing -- What to do with the pulp?

Juicing -- What to do with the pulp?

This is a picture of the Pulp Cake described below

If you've done any juicing, you'll know that a lot of the fruit and vegetables juiced is left in the form of pulp.  If you've read my articles, then you'll know that I'm very frugal and throwing away "perfectly good food" doesn't sit well with me!  However, some may question whether juice pulp is perfectly good food.

It seemed to me that there should be something I could do with at least the pulp from neutrally flavored juices, so my creative brain got to work.  The first thing I did was make some Venison Burger Patties with ground deer meat (venison), ground pork and the pulp, then the next day I made a Pulp Cake, pictured above.  (The Venison Burger Patties recipe is SCD legal.)  They both turned out great!  The recipes follow.  This should help others see that even the "waste product" from juicing can go into making some perfectly great food!

A couple of thoughts about using the pulp before heading into the recipes.  Be sure and run the pulp through the juicer twice to be certain it is well pulverized and as much of the juice as possible is removed.  Also, use neutrally flavored fruits and vegetables or ones that would suit the recipe being made.  When I knew I was going to use the pulp later in a recipe, I removed the pulp I wanted from the waste container of the juicer and set it aside; then I juiced the other fruits and vegetables I was using separately, discarding that pulp. 

Venison Burger Patties

Makes about 10 burgers

(This recipe is SCD legal if the lemon pepper is omitted.)

Spray a large baking sheet with cooking oil spray.  Set it aside.  Pre-heat oven to 375F.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or by hand) combine well:

1 1/4 pounds ground deer meat (venison -- beef could be used instead)

1 1/4 pounds ground pork (chicken or turkey would work just as well)

2 eggs

Approximately 1 to 2 cups pulp leftover from juicing (I used about 1 1/2 cups carrot, apple and celery pulp)

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

Divide the meat mixture into 10 equal portions and form them into patties on the baking sheet.  Alternatively, the meat mixture can be made into meatballs or a meatloaf.*  Bake the burgers at 375F for about 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170F.  Serve as burger steaks or in buns like hamburgers.

*Meatballs -- using a scoop or by hand, form the meat mixture into balls and place them on a large baking sheet.  Bake the meatballs at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes or until firm.  Serve as desired.

*Meatloaf -- Spray a loaf pan with cooking oil spray.  Form the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in the pan.  Bake it at 375F for about an hour or until the internal temperature reaches 170F.  Top with sour cream or other topping as desired.  Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Pulp Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes one 9"x13" cake  

My daughter said this is one of the best desserts she's had in a long time!

Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Spray a 9"x13"x2" cake pan with cooking oil spray.  Set it aside.  Get out 1 cup (2 sticks) butter and 6 ounces cream cheese and set them on the counter to bring them to room temperature.

In a large bowl combine then set aside:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer mix 1/2 cup butter

until light.

Add 2 cups sugar and continue mixing until fluffy.

Add 2 eggs and beat well.  

Mix in approximately 1 1/2 cups pulp and 2 cups unsweetened applesauce, adding alternately with the dry ingredients until the batter is well combined.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted off center comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely before frosting with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosts one cake plus some extra

Beat in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy:

6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gradually add while continuing to mix until well combined:

2 cups powdered sugar

Use to frost cake as desired.  Refrigerate covered any leftovers.

Enjoy!

Pulp Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Whole Wheat Baked Breaded Chicken Strips

Whole Wheat Baked Breaded Chicken Strips

Breaded Chicken? Get it?  We're using bread this time to coat the chicken.  Think frugal!  My family doesn't prefer to eat the heels of the bread, and sometimes it's just destroyed anyway; so there's no eating it.  Here's something to do with extra bread.

Breaded Chicken Strips
Makes about 6 servings

Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Cut about 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast into strips approximately 3" x 1" x 1/2."

Pulverize in a food processor:

4 slices whole wheat bread
1/2 tablespoon parsley flakes

Season the chicken strips with approximately:

1 teaspoon sea salt (I'm using pink Himalayan salt)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes after seasoning.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a bowl.  Put about 1/2 cup of the bread crumb mixture into another bowl.  

One at a time dip the chicken strips into the butter, allowing the excess to drip off, then roll them in the bread crumbs.  Place them onto the prepared baking sheet.  Continue until all of the strips are coated, adding more crumbs to the working bowl as needed.

Bake the Breaded Chicken Strips at 375 for about 20 minutes or until they are sizzling and no longer pink inside (about 170F by thermometer.)

Enjoy!

Baked Chinese Style Pork Steaks with Carrots

Baked Chinese Style Pork Steaks with Carrots

My husband works at a Chinese Bible camp in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.  We live right on a very large lake with 80 acres of woodlands all around us.  Most of the time it's just my family and a few other full time staff on the property, but several times a year, we have camp.  It's so much fun having the property filled with people, and, as an additional benefit, we get to eat in the dining hall.  The folks who work in the kitchen serve up some very delicious, usually simple Chinese food.  This recipe is a take on one of the pork dishes they serve up at camp.  It's frugal, too, because they gave us a whole lot of carrots after the last camp.

Baked Chinese Style Pork Steaks with Carrots (Carrots optional!)
Makes 6 servings

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.

Cut approximately 3 pounds pork steaks into six serving portions.  Place them into a large baking pan with sides.  Season both sides with Adobo or Everything seasoning (seasoned salt) and lemon pepper.  Allow them to rest for 20 minutes up to about an hour.

Cut up 2 very large carrots and place them over the steaks, (optional or other veggies could be used.)  Add water just to the tops of the steaks -- about 1 1/2 to 2 cups.*

Mix together the sauce:

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar or coconut sugar** (coconut sugar for low carb)
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce**
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon dried chives or 3 tablespoons fresh

Pour the sauce over the meat and the carrots.  Cover the pan with foil and place it into the oven at 375F for about 45 minutes.  At the end of that time, uncover the dish and bake it for an additional 15 minutes.

(Optional:  If a thickened sauce is desired, remove the meat and carrots to a serving dish.  Pour the broth into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water and mix it well.  Pour the cornstarch slurry into the broth and stir it until it thickens.  Note:  This is not how our Chinese friends serve their sauces -- it is an American adaptation.)

Serve the meat, carrots and broth over Jasmine rice, if desired, (but not for low carb.)

Enjoy!

*Note:  I made this without the extra water and baked it in a turkey roaster.  It turned out even more amazing than the original version.  Use the original version if you want gravy.  If not, leave out the water.
**For SCD, omit the coconut sugar and soy sauce, instead use 1/4 cup lemon juice and 3 tablespoons honey

Chinese Marinated Steak with Veggies

Chinese Marinated Steak with Veggies

Believe it or not, this was created out of the "frugality" mindset tonight.  I simply was working with what I had.

It all started with a little bit of apple cider vinegar I had in a glass.  That's it, and the rest came from there.  

I had some sliced up steak in the fridge, a half bag of frozen green beans in the freezer, a carrot in the drawer of the fridge, some mushrooms that needed to be used...  Voila!  A new recipe is born!  If green beans aren't available, use whatever is:  broccoli, asparagus or summer squash would work.  No mushrooms?  No problem!  Use bamboo shoots or water chestnuts or a handful of spinach.  Keep it simple!

Chinese Marinated Steak with Veggies
Serves 2 to 3

In a medium sized bowl, combine:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar ("with the mother" is best)
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
4 packets Truvia-type sweetener
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

Add:
1/2 pound thinly sliced beef steak

Mix the steak in with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate it, allowing it to rest from 30 minutes up to all day, stirring occasionally.

While the meat is marinating, slice:

1 carrot, thinly
4 mushrooms 

And rinse 1/2 pound frozen whole green beans.  Set these aside.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil over medium-high to high heat -- depending on the pan.  As the oil becomes warm, put the steak pieces, without the marinade, into the pan, being wary of splatters. 

Reserve the marinade and add 1 cup water plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch to it. (To make this gluten free, simply use potato starch instead of the cornstarch.) Set it aside.

Cover and cook the steak about 2 minutes, or until it is no longer red.  

Add the carrots, cover them and cook them for about 2 minutes.  

Follow the same procedure for the green beans and then the mushrooms. 

Finally, carefully pour the reserved marinade mixture over the meat and veggies in the wok.  Be sure and bring it to a boil.  It is done when the sauce has a shiny look to it, rather than cloudy.  

We served our Chinese Marinated Steak with Veggies over freshly prepared Jasmine rice*.  It was delicious!

I would have eaten it with chopsticks, but we just moved and I still can't find them!

Enjoy!

*This dish is low carb without the rice.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

About being frugal...

What does it mean to be frugal?  Is being frugal being a cheapskate?  Is it being a dumpster diver or what??

Here's the dictionary.com definition of frugal: (3) not wasteful.

That's it!  Frugality is simply not being wasteful.  Sure, there are other definitions, if you want them; but I don't.  The way I mean being frugal is simply not being wasteful -- using what I have on hand to make what I want to make.

How does this apply to my recipes?  My recipes  nearly always start with what I have on hand.  I might need to pick something up from the store if I want to make something special like Egg Rolls, (which will be coming, I assure you!)  However, most of what I make just comes from what I have on hand and from my heart <3

Today, I found myself with a couple of very ripe bananas.  I, also, have a whole lot of sour cream on hand from a donation.  That got me thinking...  Sour cream + bananas = Sour Cream Banana Bread!  

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf

This is a delicious, all natural, reduced sugar treat.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

~1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 medium sized bananas)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
4 packets Truvia-type sweetener
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup coconut oil (liquid -- if necessary warm it to above 72F for it to become liquid)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I make my own, Here is the recipe)

Add:
2 eggs, lightly beaten 

Mix the above ingredients until they are combined, then add all at once and stir until just combined:

2 cups whole wheat flour (pastry type preferred)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Finally, add:
1 cup chocolate chips (I had dark chocolate, but any would be fine, even carob.  Also, 1/2 cup chips would be sufficient.)

Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with olive oil cooking spray.  Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Topping:

In a small bowl combine:

1/3 cup whole wheat flour (as above)
2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil (as above)
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
4 packets Truvia-type sweetener
Pinch sea salt

Distribute the topping evenly over the batter.  I had to use my hands and break it up into clumps.

Bake the bread at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until it is firm to the touch.  A knife test won't work because of the chocolate...

Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes, then tip it up on its side to cool completely.  Remove the bread from the pan and slice it as desired.

Enjoy!