Recipes – The Geezer Gang

Simple dishes, drinks and kitchen projects.

These are short notes in our own words from videos made by others; each note names the channel it came from. Talk with your doctor before changing your diet, taking supplements or starting new exercise.

Acorn flour

Raw acorns are bitter because of tannins. The video describes shelling and grinding them, then soaking the meal in repeated changes of cold water for several days until the bitterness is gone. The resulting flour can be used in bread, pancakes or porridge and stored in a cool dry place.

You will need:

acorns
cold water

Steps:

Shell the acorns.
Grind or crush them into meal.
Soak the meal in cold water, changing the water repeatedly over several days until the bitterness disappears.
Use the flour for bread, pancakes or porridge, or store it in a cool dry place.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Apple scrap vinegar

Ferment apple cores and peels in water with a little sugar, covered with cloth, for about four to six weeks to make a mild vinegar, then reuse the culture for more batches.

You will need:

apple cores and peels
water
a little sugar

Steps:

Fill a jar with cores and peels.
Cover with water and add a little sugar.
Cover the jar with cloth and let it ferment for four to six weeks.
Save the mother culture that forms to start the next batch.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Aquafaba from chickpea cooking liquid

The liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas can be whipped into peaks like egg whites and used in egg-free baking such as meringues, mousses and mayonnaise.

You will need:

chickpea cooking liquid (aquafaba)

Steps:

Save the liquid from a can or pot of chickpeas
Whip it into fluffy peaks
Use it in place of egg whites in meringues, mousses, mayonnaise or soufflés

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Ash cake

A flat cornmeal dough wrapped in wet corn husks or green leaves and baked under hot ash at the edge of a fire for about 30 minutes.

You will need:

cornmeal
water
pinch of salt
corn husks or green leaves

Steps:

Mix cornmeal with water and a pinch of salt
Shape into a flat round
Wrap in wet corn husks or green leaves
Bury in hot ash at the edge of the fire for about 30 minutes
Brush off the ash crust before eating

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Ayran

A simple yogurt drink made from yogurt, water and salt.

You will need:

yogurt
water
salt

Steps:

Blend yogurt with water
Add a pinch of salt
Serve chilled

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Baked chilaquiles in a dish

Tortilla chips baked in salsa and cheese without foil, served right out of the oven before they soften.

You will need:

Big bag of thick tortilla chips
One jar salsa verde
Two cups shredded cheese

Steps:

Put the chips in the dish and pour the salsa over them.
Toss gently with your hands.
Top with cheese, uncovered.
Bake about 15 minutes until the cheese melts and the chip edges darken.
Serve immediately.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Baked tilapia with salsa verde and butter

Thawed tilapia fillets baked uncovered in salsa verde with butter; the fish is done when it flakes and reaches about 145 F.

You will need:

Four tilapia fillets, thawed in the refrigerator
One jar salsa verde
Four tablespoons butter
A pinch of salt

Steps:

Lay the fillets flat in one layer in the dish and add a pinch of salt.
Spoon the salsa over the fish.
Dot with pieces of butter, uncovered.
Bake at 400 F for 15 to 18 minutes until the fish flakes with a fork and reads 145 F in the thickest part.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Barbados gooseberry jam, jelly or syrup

Tart, gooseberry-like golden fruit about the size of a cherry; too sour to eat fresh for most people but suited to jam, jelly or syrup.

You will need:

Barbados gooseberry fruit

Steps:

Make jam, jelly, or syrup from the tart fruit.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Basic homemade kimchi

A simple fermented cabbage recipe using salted napa cabbage and a spice paste, packed into a jar or crock and left to ferment, then moved to cooler storage once active fermentation slows.

You will need:

Napa cabbage
Sea salt
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Korean red pepper flakes

Steps:

Salt the vegetables to draw out moisture
Season the cabbage with the spice paste
Pack firmly into a jar or ceramic crock to remove air pockets
Leave to ferment, checking progress daily
After active fermentation, move the container to cooler storage

Idea from a video by DTD Stories.

Basic slow-fermented country bread

A rustic loaf made with a long rest, a few gentle folds, overnight cold fermentation, and a very hot oven with steam at the start of baking.

You will need:

500 g flour (bread flour with at least 12% protein, or double zero if available)
350 ml water at room temperature
10 g salt
3 g active dry yeast

Steps:

Mix only flour and water in a bowl until shaggy, cover, and rest 30 minutes (autolyse).
Add salt and yeast and mix in, then work the dough gently for about five minutes.
Do four folds in the bowl, rest 30 minutes, and repeat the fold sequence three times in total.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, up to 24.
Bake cold dough in a very hot oven (near the maximum home setting) with a pan of boiling water or ice on the lower rack for the first 10 minutes, then remove the pan and finish baking dry.
Let the loaf cool at least 40 minutes before cutting.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Basted sunny side egg

Spoon hot melted butter over the top of a partly set egg to set the white while keeping the yolk runny, instead of flipping.

You will need:

egg
butter

Steps:

Cook the egg gently in butter until the white starts to set but the top is still raw.
Tip the pan slightly so melted butter pools at one edge.
Spoon the hot butter over the top of the egg repeatedly until the white is set.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Beet kvass

Ferment raw beets in salted water with a starter such as whey or a previous batch of beet kvass.

You will need:

raw beets
salt
water
whey or previous beet kvass as starter

Steps:

Combine raw beets with salted water
Add a starter of whey or previous beet kvass
Ferment until sour and vivid crimson

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Black-eyed peas with rice and smoked pork (Hoppin’ John)

A southern US dish of black-eyed peas cooked with rice, smoked pork, onions and spices, traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day.

You will need:

black-eyed peas
rice
smoked pork
onions
spices

Steps:

Cook black-eyed peas with rice, smoked pork, onions and spices

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Boil fiddleheads before eating

Boil ostrich fern fiddleheads for at least 15 minutes; raw fiddleheads can make you sick. Cooked, they taste like asparagus crossed with green beans.

You will need:

Ostrich fern fiddleheads
Water

Steps:

Boil fiddleheads for at least 15 minutes
Eat only after cooking

Idea from a video by NATIVES WISDOM.

Bone broth from chicken carcass

Slow-simmer bones with a splash of vinegar for a long time; a well-made broth gels when cold, which the video says shows it is rich in extracted nutrients.

You will need:

chicken carcass or bones
splash of vinegar
water

Steps:

Add bones and a splash of vinegar to water.
Simmer slowly for many hours.
Chill the broth; a good broth will gel.
Pressure can the broth for longer storage.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Butter-based gentle fried egg

Use a small knob of butter instead of oil, keep heat low, let the egg warm to room temperature, and cover the pan instead of flipping.

You will need:

egg
small knob of butter

Steps:

Let the egg sit on the counter about 20 minutes before cooking.
Warm a non-stick pan gently over low heat.
Melt just enough butter to film the pan and check it foams softly.
Slide the egg in and cook on low.
Cover the pan for about a minute to set the top, without flipping.
Remove while the yolk is still soft; it finishes cooking on the plate.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Calabacitas con queso (zucchini and corn bake)

Frozen sliced zucchini and canned corn baked with cheese; the zucchini releases its water under the foil and the cheese becomes a sauce.

You will need:

Two bags frozen sliced zucchini, used straight from the freezer
One can corn, drained
Two cups shredded cheese
One teaspoon salt

Steps:

Layer the zucchini and corn in the dish and season with salt.
Toss with your hands and top with cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake about 10 more minutes.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Canistel smoothie and baking

Scoop out the dry, dense flesh and blend into smoothies for creamy texture and sweetness, or use in pie, custard or pancakes. Video suggests a smoothie with milk and ice.

You will need:

canistel flesh
milk
ice

Steps:

Scoop out the flesh from the ripe fruit.
Blend into a smoothie with milk and ice.
Alternatively use the flesh in pie, custard, or pancakes.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Capirotada (bread pudding with piloncillo syrup and cheese)

Toasted stale bread layered with cheese and poured over hot piloncillo syrup, baked covered and then uncovered, then rested warm.

You will need:

Four or five stale bolillos or a stale baguette, sliced
Two cones piloncillo
Four cups water
One and a half cups crumbled queso fresco

Steps:

Simmer the piloncillo in the water for about 15 minutes until the syrup coats a spoon.
Toast the bread slices in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes until dry and golden.
Layer bread, then cheese, then bread and cheese again in the dish.
Pour the hot syrup slowly over everything.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes until the top browns.
Rest about 15 minutes before serving.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Carrot green pesto

Use the bitter carrot tops, stripped of tough stems, blended into a pesto with garlic, oil and a nutty ingredient.

You will need:

carrot greens
garlic
oil
a nutty ingredient such as nuts

Steps:

Strip off the tougher stems from carrot greens
Blend the leaves with garlic, oil, and something nutty

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Cattail rhizome starch

The thick underground stem of cattails is starchy. The video describes digging it up, peeling it, and roasting the white core or processing it into flour. It warns that cattails concentrate contaminants, so only clean natural sources should be used.

You will need:

cattail rhizomes

Steps:

Dig up the thick underground stems.
Peel away the outer layer.
Roast the white starchy core or process it into flour.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Chaya agua fresca with pineapple and lime

In the Yucatan, families blend cooked chaya into an agua fresca with pineapple and lime.

You will need:

cooked chaya leaves
pineapple
lime

Steps:

Cook the chaya leaves first
Blend cooked chaya with pineapple and lime

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Chaya greens in soups, eggs, or stews

After cooking, chaya leaves are mild, similar to spinach, and can be added to soups, scrambled eggs, or stews.

You will need:

chaya leaves

Steps:

Boil the leaves for 15 to 20 minutes
Add the cooked leaves to soups, scrambled eggs, or stews

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Cheese rind broth base

Simmer hard cheese rinds such as Parmesan or Romano in water to add savory flavor to plain soups and stews.

You will need:

hard cheese rinds such as Parmesan or Romano
water

Steps:

Put clean cheese rinds in a pot of water.
Simmer until the water tastes savory.
Strain and use as a stock base for soups or grains.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Chicken and rice baked in salsa roja

Long-grain rice, bone-in chicken thighs and salsa roja baked covered for one hour; the foil stays on until the end.

You will need:

1.5 cups long-grain white rice (not instant)
Six bone-in chicken thighs
One 16 oz jar salsa roja
Hot tap water (jar filled twice)
One teaspoon salt

Steps:

Spread the rice in the bottom of the dish.
Pour the salsa over the rice, then fill the empty jar with hot water twice and add that.
Add a teaspoon of salt and stir once.
Place the chicken skin side up on top.
Cover tightly with foil sealed at the edges and bake at 375 F for one hour.
Check that the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 F.
Remove the foil and bake about 10 more minutes if you want browned skin.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Chicken chow mein with marinated chicken and sauce

Marinate sliced chicken breast in cornstarch, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil for 15 to 20 minutes or longer, sear it until golden, then stir-fry thin-cut onion, cabbage, carrot, celery and scallions with garlic and ginger, add pre-boiled noodles and a sauce of soy, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch and chicken stock.

You will need:

chicken breast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
about 2 ounces chicken stock
onion
cabbage
carrot
celery
scallions
garlic
ginger
Chinese noodles
cooking wine or dry sherry (optional)

Steps:

Cut chicken breast in half and then thin against the grain.
Marinate chicken in cornstarch, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil for 15 to 20 minutes or longer, kept cold.
Make the sauce by combining sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar and chicken stock.
Boil noodles about 3 minutes, drain, and toss with a little sesame oil.
Heat oil in a wok until shimmering, sear chicken to golden brown, and set aside.
Stir-fry thin onion first until caramelized, then cabbage, carrot, celery, garlic and ginger, and finally scallion whites then greens.
Return chicken, add noodles and sauce, toss until combined and serve.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Chocolate shell cake with ladyfinger base and two-chocolate pastry cream

Build a chocolate mold by coating a balloon in melted chocolate, chilling it, and popping it. Make a crumbled ladyfinger and butter base, a vanilla pudding pastry cream split into two bowls flavored with white and dark chocolate, and pipe both creams into the mold before chilling.

You will need:

melted chocolate
ladyfingers
butter
sugar
vanilla-flavored pudding powder
milk
finely chopped white chocolate
condensed milk
dark chocolate

Steps:

Dip a balloon in melted chocolate and brush it; chill for 40 minutes.
Pop the balloon to leave the chocolate mold; shape the mold mouth on a hot saucepan.
Melt butter in a pan and mash the crumbled ladyfingers into it; press into the chocolate mold.
Boil sugar, vanilla pudding powder and milk, stirring until thickened into pastry cream; split into two bowls.
Stir white chocolate and condensed milk into one bowl; stir dark chocolate into the other.
Fill two pastry bags, one with each cream, and pipe both over the mold; decorate the surface.
Chill for 3 hours.

Idea from a video by Cookrate – Cakes.

Cold-steeped staghorn sumac lemonade

Soak red sumac cones in cool water to make a pink, tart drink, then strain and sweeten to taste. Cold steeping avoids bitter tannins.

You will need:

ripe red staghorn sumac cones
cool or room temperature water
sweetener to taste

Steps:

Pick deep red cones from late summer into early fall on a dry day.
Break cones apart into a jar of cool or room temperature water.
Let soak 10 to 20 minutes until the water turns pink.
Strain through a coffee filter or clean cloth.
Sweeten as desired.

Idea from a video by Nature Lost Vault.

Cooked groundnut tubers

The tubers can be boiled, steamed, baked, roasted, fried, or mashed, and can be dried and milled into flour. They should be cooked rather than eaten raw because they contain protease inhibitors and lectins.

You will need:

American groundnut tubers

Steps:

Wash and identify the plant correctly before harvesting.
Cook the tubers by boiling, steaming, baking, roasting, frying, or mashing.
Avoid eating them raw.
Start with a small portion when trying them for the first time.

Idea from a video by Botanical Vault.

Cooked lamb’s quarters like spinach

Treat the leaves like spinach: sauté with garlic, or add to soups, omelets or smoothies. Raw young shoots can go in salads, and the flower buds can be cooked.

You will need:

lamb’s quarters leaves
garlic

Steps:

Cook the leaves as you would spinach
Sauté with garlic
Add to soups, fold into omelets, or blend into smoothies

Idea from a video by Secrets Beneath Nature with Dan.

Cooked prickly pear pads (nopales)

Harvest young tender pads, scrape off spines, then grill, saute, or add to tacos. Flavor is described as a mix of green bean and bell pepper with a tangy lemon note.

You will need:

young prickly pear pads (nopales)

Steps:

Harvest young tender pads.
Scrape off the spines.
Cook by grilling, sauteing, or adding to tacos.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Cornmeal mush

A simple porridge of coarse cornmeal and water that can be eaten soft or chilled, sliced and fried.

You will need:

coarse ground cornmeal
water
salt

Steps:

Bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt
Stir in about one cup of coarse cornmeal per three cups of water
Stir constantly until thick
Lower the heat and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes
Eat soft, or let it set in a pan and slice and fry it

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Cowboy coffee

Coarse coffee grounds boiled directly in a pot over the fire, then settled with a splash of cold water.

You will need:

coarse coffee grounds, about a handful per person
cold water

Steps:

Add a full handful of coarse grounds per person to the pot
Pour cold water over the grounds
Bring to a boil over the fire
Toss in a splash of cold water to settle the grounds before pouring

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Cultured homemade butter

Ferment heavy cream with a spoonful or two of cultured yogurt for 12 to 24 hours, churn until the butter separates from the buttermilk, then rinse, shape and wrap the butter and keep the cultured buttermilk.

You will need:

2 bottles heavy whipping cream
a couple of spoonfuls cultured yogurt

Steps:

Combine the cream and cultured yogurt in a jar and cover with a lid.
Let it sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours until tangy and thick.
Churn in a mixer for a few minutes until the butter separates from the buttermilk.
Pour off and save the buttermilk, then rinse the butter, shape it and wrap it in parchment.

Idea from a video by DishByDavid.

Dehydrate and store chicken of the woods for the pantry

The video suggests drying raw pieces and keeping them in sealed glass jars for a year or more, or grinding the dried mushroom into powder for seasoning or soups.

You will need:

Fresh chicken of the woods
Dehydrator
Glass jars

Steps:

Cut the raw mushroom into pieces.
Dehydrate the pieces.
Store them in airtight glass jars on a pantry shelf.
Grind dried pieces into powder for seasoning or soup bases if wanted.

Idea from a video by Garden Explained with Harry.

Dilled cucumber ferment

Pack cucumbers with dill, garlic and a salt brine in a crock, weight them down, and leave them in a cool place for about three weeks.

You will need:

cucumbers
dill heads
garlic cloves
about 1 cup salt per gallon of spring water

Steps:

Pack cucumbers into a crock with dill and garlic.
Cover with the salt brine.
Weight with a plate and stone and leave in a cool pantry about three weeks.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Dried and powdered moringa leaf

Dry the leaves in a single layer in shade with good airflow, not in direct sun or a closed space. In humid places use a dehydrator on low heat. Once fully dry, grind them to a fine powder and store in an airtight container away from light and heat.

You will need:

moringa leaves

Steps:

Rinse the harvested leaves
Lay them in a single layer in a shaded, ventilated spot on a screen rack
In humid climates, dry in a dehydrator on low heat around 95 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit
Once completely dry, grind to a fine powder in a blender, food processor, or mortar
Store the powder in an airtight container away from light and heat

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Dutch oven sourdough bread

A sourdough loaf raised during the day and baked in a Dutch oven with coals placed both under and on top of the lid.

You will need:

sourdough starter
flour
salt

Steps:

Mix sourdough starter with flour and salt
Let the dough rise covered during the day
Place the dough in a greased Dutch oven
Set coals above and below the pot and bake about an hour

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Eat young hosta shoots

Young hosta shoots emerging in early spring can be eaten boiled, grilled or in soups after cooking; avoid raw and only use untreated plants.

You will need:

young hosta shoots

Steps:

Harvest shoots as they emerge in early spring before leaves open
Confirm plants were not treated with pesticides
Cook the shoots by boiling, grilling or adding to soup
Do not eat raw

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Enchiladas casserole with tortillas, sauce and cheese

A layered baked casserole in place of rolled enchiladas, covered for most of the bake and uncovered at the end to brown the cheese.

You will need:

One large can red enchilada sauce
Two cups shredded cheese such as Monterey Jack
Corn tortillas

Steps:

Pour a little sauce in the bottom of the dish.
Lay tortillas over it, overlapping, without cutting them.
Add sauce and cheese, then tortillas, sauce and cheese again, ending with cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake about 10 more minutes until the cheese browns and bubbles.
Rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Ethiopian lentil puree with injera

A lentil puree served with traditional injera flatbread, described as a complete meal by a farmer who cooks the traditional misawat dish.

You will need:

lentils
injera flatbread

Steps:

Cook lentils into a puree
Serve with injera flatbread

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Fava beans with olive oil, garlic, lemon and herbs

Properly cooked fava beans pair well with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, lemon and cheese.

You will need:

fava beans
olive oil
garlic
fresh herbs
lemon
cheese

Steps:

Cook the fava beans thoroughly
Dress with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and lemon
Add cheese if desired

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Fried Mexican-style long grain rice

Rinse and drain long grain rice, toast it in fat until golden and rattling, fry a blended tomato until it darkens, then add hot broth, stir once, cover and cook low, rest 10 minutes, and fluff with a fork.

You will need:

long grain rice
about 3 tablespoons fat
blended tomato
hot broth (about 2 cups per 1 cup rice)

Steps:

Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well and let it sit a few minutes.
Toast the rice in hot fat over medium heat, stirring, until the grains turn pale gold or golden brown and rattle against the pot.
Add the blended tomato all at once and fry it until it darkens a shade, thickens and stops smelling raw.
Add the hot broth, level the rice gently with the back of a spoon, stir once only, then cover and keep the lid on.
Cook on low for about 18 to 20 minutes.
Take off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

From-scratch buttermilk biscuits

Cut cold lard into flour, stir in buttermilk, pat out the dough, and bake in a hot cast iron skillet.

You will need:

2 cups flour with baking powder and salt
4 tablespoons cold lard
3/4 cup buttermilk

Steps:

Cut the cold lard into the flour until it looks pearly.
Stir in buttermilk just until the dough holds together.
Pat, cut with a jar mouth, and bake at 450 in a hot cast iron skillet for about 12 minutes.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Fruit sodas with ginger bug

Any sweetened fruit juice or flavored liquid plus about 2 tablespoons of active ginger bug carbonates in 48 hours.

You will need:

Sweetened juice or flavored liquid (e.g., grape, apple, lemon syrup, elderflower cordial, pineapple, cranberry, hibiscus tea sweetened with cane sugar)
2 tablespoons active ginger bug liquid

Steps:

Combine a sweetened juice or flavored liquid with about 2 tablespoons of active bug.
Bottle and let stand 48 hours to carbonate.
Refrigerate after carbonation develops.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Gentler pot of cooked beans

A simple pot of dried beans using an overnight soak with the water discarded, a rinse, slow simmering, and aromatics added to the broth. The video says this method may reduce gas.

You will need:

dried beans
cool water for soaking
half an onion, left whole
three garlic cloves, left whole
pinch of ground cumin
epazote, fresh or dried
optional pinch of baking soda (about a quarter teaspoon per cup of dry beans, soak only)

Steps:

Cover dried beans with cool water two or three inches over the top and soak overnight on the counter.
In the morning pour off the cloudy soaking water and rinse the beans well, turning them under running water for a full minute.
Cook in fresh water over the lowest gentle simmer with the lid tilted, not a hard boil.
Add the whole onion, garlic cloves and a small pinch of cumin so they melt into the broth.
Add epazote during the last half hour of cooking.
Keep cooking until five beans taken from the pot are all creamy with no chalky center; if not, cook 20 more minutes.
For a quick soak instead, boil beans two minutes, cover and rest one hour, then drain and cook in fresh water.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Ginger beer from ginger bug

Sweetened ginger tea, cooled, is carbonated with active ginger bug liquid in sealed bottles, left at room temperature for 48 hours, then refrigerated.

You will need:

2 tablespoons active ginger bug liquid per liter of sweetened ginger tea
Sweetened ginger tea, steeped, strained and fully cooled to room temperature

Steps:

Steep and sweeten ginger tea, strain it and let it cool completely.
Add 2 tablespoons of active bug liquid per liter.
Bottle in a swing-top or other sealed bottle.
Leave at room temperature for 48 hours, then move to the refrigerator.
Open carefully over a glass on the first batch, since carbonation can be strong.
Include one plastic bottle as a pressure check: when squeezing it no longer gives and it is firm, carbonation is done.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Ginger bug soda

Make a live starter from fresh ginger, sugar and water, feed it daily, then use it to ferment sweetened juice or tea into a naturally carbonated soda.

You will need:

fresh ginger
sugar
water
sweetened juice or tea for flavoring

Steps:

Make a ginger bug by combining fresh ginger, sugar and water and feeding it daily until it bubbles
Once active, add it to sweetened juice, tea or flavored water
Let it ferment and carbonate, then chill before drinking

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Ginger bug starter

A wild-yeast starter made from grated unpeeled ginger and sugar in chlorine-free water, fed daily for five days in a warm spot until it bubbles, turns cloudy and smells yeasty.

You will need:

1 tablespoon grated unpeeled organic ginger
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup chlorine-free water (filtered, or tap water left out 30 minutes)
Daily feed: 1 teaspoon grated ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar

Steps:

Wash the ginger without peeling it and grate one tablespoon with the skin.
Put the ginger, sugar and water in a clean glass jar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Cover loosely with a cloth, coffee filter or lid that is not sealed.
Keep the jar at about 70 to 80 F, away from direct heat; below 65 F activity slows almost to nothing.
Each day for five days, add 1 teaspoon grated ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar and stir once.
It is ready when tiny bubbles appear by day two, the liquid turns cloudy with a clean yeasty smell by day three, and by day five it bubbles vigorously after stirring.
To test, add 2 tablespoons to cold sparkling water; if the fizz holds and mild ginger flavor comes through after three minutes, it is working.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Ginger bug starter culture

A living starter made from fresh ginger, sugar and water, fed daily for about a week until it bubbles and turns cloudy. After that it can be fed weekly and kept on the counter.

You will need:

2 tablespoons organic ginger with skin on, grated
2 tablespoons plain cane sugar
1 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon grated ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar added daily

Steps:

Mix the ginger, sugar and water in a clean glass jar
Cover with a coffee filter or cheesecloth held by a rubber band
Each day for five to seven days, add one tablespoon grated ginger and one tablespoon sugar and stir well
Keep warm between 65 and 75 degrees F, out of direct sun
Around day four or five, look for bubbles and cloudiness as a sign it is active
Once active, feed about once a week

Idea from a video by Forbidden Roots.

Golden milk with turmeric

Turmeric appears in golden milk, a drink mentioned among its uses; no preparation steps are given in the video.

You will need:

turmeric

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Gotu kola sambol (Sri Lankan style)

A traditional preparation of fresh leaves mixed with coconut and spices. The video gives no exact amounts or method.

You will need:

Fresh gotu kola leaves
Coconut
Spices (not specified)

Steps:

Mix fresh leaves with coconut and spices

Idea from a video by Secrets Beneath Nature with Dan.

Grumichama jam

Cooking concentrates the flavor into a rich, complex jam; the video describes it as well suited to gifts.

You will need:

grumichama fruit

Steps:

Cook the fruit down into jam.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Hardtack skillet

Hard army crackers softened in fat and water, then fried into a patty and served with salt pork.

You will need:

hardtack crackers
rendered fat
water
salt
pepper
salt pork

Steps:

Break hardtack into a skillet with rendered fat and water
Let it soften until it is nearly a porridge
Fry on both sides until it holds its shape like a patty
Season with salt and pepper and serve with a slice of salt pork

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Harvesting sea buckthorn by freezing branches

Sea buckthorn berries are tiny and burst easily on thorny branches. The video suggests cutting whole branches, freezing them for a few hours, then shaking the berries loose into a bowl. The video also says the berries are very rich in vitamin C and other nutrients.

You will need:

sea buckthorn branches

Steps:

Cut whole branches
Freeze the branches for a few hours
Shake the berries loose over a bowl

Idea from a video by Superfood Garden.

Hickory milk

Historically, indigenous peoples crushed hickory nuts, shells and all, and boiled them in water to make a rich liquid called hickory milk, which could be drunk or added to soups and stews.

You will need:

hickory nuts
water

Steps:

Crush the hickory nuts, shells included
Boil the crushed nuts in water
Drink the liquid on its own or add it to soups and stews

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Home-made monk fruit liquid sweetener

Dry the sliced fruit fully, simmer the dried fruit in water so the sweet compounds dissolve, strain, then reduce the liquid to concentrate it. The dried fruit can be stored for a long time.

You will need:

dried monk fruit, sliced
water

Steps:

Slice the fruit and dry it completely, for example in a food dehydrator
Store the dried fruit until needed
Simmer the dried fruit in water
Strain the liquid
Reduce the liquid to concentrate the sweetness

Idea from a video by DTD History Radio.

Homemade bouillon powder base

A dry blended seasoning powder built on nutritional yeast and dried mushrooms, with salt kept low, used as instant broth or to season soups, rice, beans or gravy.

You will need:

half a cup nutritional yeast
two tablespoons sea salt
one tablespoon onion powder or two tablespoons dried minced onion
one tablespoon garlic powder
quarter cup dried mushrooms, broken up
two teaspoons dried parsley
one teaspoon dried thyme
half teaspoon celery seed (optional)
black pepper to taste
pinch of turmeric

Steps:

Blend or grind all ingredients into a fine, even powder, giving the mushrooms extra grinding time.
Store in a clean jar with a tight lid away from light and heat.
To use, add one to two teaspoons per cup of hot water for broth, or a tablespoon to a pot of soup, rice, beans or gravy.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Homemade thick yogurt without straining

Blending half and half with milk to about 7 to 8 percent milk fat makes yogurt thick and creamy without straining, unlike skim-milk versions that turn runny.

You will need:

half and half
milk
yogurt cultures

Steps:

Mix half and half with milk to reach roughly 7 to 8 percent milk fat.
Add yogurt cultures and let it set.
Skip straining; the higher fat blend thickens on its own.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Horchata de chufa

A cold, sweet, milk-like drink traditionally made from chufa tubers in Valencia. The video gives no ingredient amounts or method.

Idea from a video by Nature Lost Vault.

Hot honey drink to hold warmth

In a cold house, make a warm cup of coffee, broth, or plain hot water with a little honey and hold it in both hands while drinking slowly. The video presents this as a warming choice in place of alcohol.

You will need:

coffee, broth, or plain hot water
honey

Steps:

Heat coffee, broth, or plain hot water.
Stir in a little honey.
Wrap both hands around the cup and drink it slowly.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Jaboticaba eaten fresh, jelly or wine

Sweet, juicy grape-like fruit with lychee notes; eat fresh spitting out seeds, make into jelly (natural pectin in skins), or ferment into wine.

You will need:

jaboticaba fruit

Steps:

Eat fresh, spitting out seeds.
Make into jelly using the skins for pectin.
Ferment into wine.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Japanese-style whipped souffle fried egg

Separate three eggs, pour strained yolks into a thin golden layer in a buttered non-stick pan, whip whites with a teaspoon of sugar to glossy soft peaks, pile them on the yolk layer, cover on low heat to steam, then fold into a half moon.

You will need:

3 eggs
a little butter
1 teaspoon sugar
fine sieve

Steps:

Separate the eggs into yolks and whites.
Strain the yolks through a fine sieve until silky.
Warm a non-stick pan on low with a little butter and spread the yolks into a thin even layer.
Whip the whites with a teaspoon of sugar until glossy and holding soft peaks.
Pile the whites over the yolk layer and spread them evenly.
Cover and cook on low heat for a few minutes until the top is set.
Fold into a half moon and serve.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Jerusalem artichoke preparations

Roast like potatoes, slice into gratins, purée into soup, or shave raw into salads.

You will need:

Jerusalem artichokes

Steps:

Roast like potatoes
Slice for gratin
Purée into soup
Shave raw into salads

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Kefir made from kefir grains

Traditional kefir is made by fermenting milk with kefir grains.

You will need:

milk
kefir grains

Steps:

Add kefir grains to milk
Ferment at room temperature until set

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Kei apple jelly, syrup or sauce

The tart Kei apple fruit is too sour for most people fresh but is suited to jelly, syrup and sauces.

You will need:

Kei apple fruit

Steps:

Make jelly, syrup, or sauce from the tart fruit.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Kudzu root starch

Kudzu roots can be processed into a white starch similar to the kudzu powder sold in health stores. The video describes washing and slicing the roots, soaking them in cold water so the starch settles, then drying the starch.

You will need:

kudzu roots
cold water

Steps:

Harvest the roots in fall or winter.
Wash and slice the roots.
Soak the slices in cold water so the starch separates and settles.
Dry the settled starch into a white powder.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Loose-leaf green tea, cold brewed

Brew loose-leaf green tea rather than bagged, or cold brew leaves overnight in the fridge for less caffeine. The video suggests two to three cups a day.

You will need:

loose-leaf green tea
water

Steps:

Use loose leaf instead of bags.
For less caffeine, steep the leaves overnight in the refrigerator in cold water.
Drink two to three cups a day.

Idea from a video by Secrets Beneath Nature with Dan.

Massaged kale

Massage raw kale leaves with a little olive oil and salt for about 30 seconds to soften the texture and mellow the flavor.

You will need:

kale leaves
olive oil
salt

Steps:

Tear or cut the kale leaves.
Add a small amount of olive oil and salt.
Massage the leaves for about 30 seconds.
Eat the softened leaves.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Medlar bletting before eating

Medlar fruit must be softened before eating. Leave it on the tree through the first hard frosts, then store it in a cool dark place for several weeks until the flesh softens and the flavor develops.

You will need:

medlar fruit

Steps:

Leave the fruit on the tree through the first hard frosts
Store the fruit in a cool, dark place for several more weeks
Eat when the flesh has softened

Idea from a video by Superfood Garden.

Milk gravy over biscuits

Brown a spoon of flour in bacon grease, slowly whisk in whole milk, and season with salt and black pepper until thick.

You will need:

bacon grease from the skillet
1 spoon flour
whole milk
salt
black pepper

Steps:

Leave bacon grease in the skillet and whisk in the flour until browned.
Slowly pour in whole milk while stirring.
Season with salt and pepper and cook until thickened; serve over biscuits.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Naturally fermented ginger soda from a ginger bug

Make a ginger flavor base, cool it, sweeten it, add active ginger bug liquid, bottle it in fermentation-rated flip-top bottles, and let it carbonate on the counter before refrigerating.

You will need:

half gallon water
large handful sliced fresh ginger
1 cup sugar
half cup active ginger bug liquid
optional garden herbs or fruit for flavor

Steps:

Boil half a gallon of water with a large handful of sliced ginger for 20 minutes
Add one cup of sugar to the hot liquid and stir until dissolved
Let it cool completely to room temperature, since adding the culture while hot kills it
Strain out the solids and add half a cup of active ginger bug liquid
Pour into pressure-safe flip-top fermentation bottles
Leave on the counter for 48 to 72 hours, opening the cap briefly once a day to release pressure
When the bottles feel firm, refrigerate

Idea from a video by Forbidden Roots.

Navy bean soup with no flour or cream

Navy beans soften and partially dissolve as they cook, thickening a soup naturally without flour or heavy cream.

You will need:

navy beans

Steps:

Cook navy beans until they soften and partly break down
Let the starch thicken the soup naturally

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Overnight clove water

Soak two whole cloves in room-temperature water overnight and drink the water on an empty stomach in the morning. Do not boil.

You will need:

2 whole cloves
250 ml water at room temperature
optional: fresh ginger slice, half cinnamon stick, or squeeze of lemon

Steps:

Place two whole cloves in 250 ml of room-temperature water before bed.
Let them soak for at least eight hours.
In the morning, drink the water on an empty stomach.
Optionally add ginger, cinnamon or lemon.
Never boil the water.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Pan-fried chicken of the woods slices with butter and garlic

Slice fresh, young chicken of the woods and sauté it in a hot pan with butter, garlic and salt until the edges crisp and the inside stays moist.

You will need:

Fresh chicken of the woods, young and tender
Butter
Garlic
Salt

Steps:

Slice the fresh mushroom from the outer, youngest edge of the bracket.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add butter.
Lay the slices flat in the pan and cook until the edges are golden and crisp.
Add garlic and salt, then cook through thoroughly before eating.

Idea from a video by Garden Explained with Harry.

Pickle brine reused for quick pickles

Used pickle brine (vinegar, salt and spices) can be reused to quick-pickle other vegetables such as cucumbers, onions and peppers.

You will need:

leftover pickle brine
cucumbers, onions or peppers

Steps:

Save the brine from a finished jar of pickles.
Add fresh vegetables to the brine.
Refrigerate and eat within the time you would for quick pickles.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Pineapple core meat tenderizer

Blend or finely chop pineapple core and rub it on tough meat for 20 to 30 minutes to soften it, since the core contains a protein-breaking enzyme.

You will need:

pineapple core
tough cut of meat

Steps:

Blend or finely chop the pineapple core.
Rub it onto the meat.
Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then cook as usual.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Pit-roasted camas bulbs

Camas bulbs are slow steamed in an underground pit with hot stones and leaves, which converts inulin into sweeter sugars the longer they cook.

You will need:

Camas bulbs
Grass
Thimbleberry leaves
Heated stones
Dirt

Steps:

Heat stones in a campfire
Place heated stones in a pit
Add a layer of grass and thimbleberry leaves
Place camas bulbs on the leaves
Cover with another layer of leaves, then heated rocks and wet dirt
Let steam slowly cook the bulbs

Idea from a video by NATIVES WISDOM.

Potato water starter

Boil a peeled potato until soft, cool the cooking water to lukewarm, mash the potato back into the jar, cover with a cloth, and keep it warm until bubbly over two to three days. Use filtered or unchlorinated water throughout.

You will need:

1 large potato
Filtered or unchlorinated water to cover the potato
Glass jar
Cloth or paper towel and rubber band

Steps:

Peel one large potato.
Boil the peeled potato in enough water to cover until completely soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Pull the potato out and set it aside.
Pour the cooking water into a clean glass jar and let it cool to lukewarm, not hot.
Mash the potato and add it back into the jar.
Cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel secured with a rubber band, not a lid.
Keep it warm and out of direct sunlight; bubbles should appear in 24 to 48 hours.
After two to three days of visible activity, the starter is ready to use in place of water in bread.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Pre-meal clove tea

Steep crushed cloves in hot water and drink it 15 to 20 minutes before a meal. The video links this to digestion.

You will need:

2 whole cloves
hot water at 85 to 90 degrees Celsius

Steps:

Lightly crush two whole cloves with the back of a spoon.
Place them in a cup and pour in water heated to 85 to 90 degrees Celsius.
Steep for 5 to 7 minutes, then strain.
Drink 15 to 20 minutes before the main meal.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Prickly pear fruit: fresh, juice, or jelly

Ripe tunas can be eaten fresh, juiced, or made into jelly; seeds are edible but crunchy, so some strain them out.

You will need:

ripe prickly pear fruit (tunas)

Steps:

Eat fresh, juice, or make into jelly.
Strain seeds if you prefer a smoother texture.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Quick cooked fish fillet

The speaker says fish cooks very fast, roughly one to two minutes per side, so a quick pan-cooked fillet is a fast weeknight meal.

You will need:

fish fillet

Steps:

Cook the fish for about one to two minutes on each side

Idea from a video by Dr. Autumn Smith.

Quick split peeled lentil dal

Peeled lentils, often split in two, cook in about 10 minutes, making them a fast weeknight staple in Indian cooking.

You will need:

peeled split lentils

Steps:

Use peeled, split lentils
Cook for about 10 minutes

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Quince jelly, paste, and poached quince

Cooked quince turns rose-pink or ruby and becomes floral and sweet; the video mentions quince jelly, quince paste, and poached quince in red wine without giving full recipes.

Idea from a video by Golden Seniors Living.

Raw yacon with lime and chili

Yacon root is eaten raw, sliced thin and dressed with lime juice and chili powder.

You will need:

yacon root
lime juice
chili powder

Steps:

Peel the root.
Slice it thin.
Dress the slices with lime juice and chili powder.

Idea from a video by DTD Stories.

Red snapper ceviche verde

Firm white fish cured in citrus, then mixed with a green herb puree and crunchy vegetables, finished with avocado.

You will need:

red snapper fillets, skin removed and cut into bite-sized chunks
lime juice
lemon juice
dried oregano
salt
cilantro
parsley
mint
garlic
jalapeno
green olives
onion
cucumber
avocado

Steps:

Remove the skin and cut the fish into bite-sized chunks.
Add lime juice, lemon juice, oregano and salt to the fish and mix.
Refrigerate for about six hours so the citrus cooks the fish.
Puree cilantro, parsley, mint, garlic and jalapeno into a fine pesto-like herb mixture.
Drain the citrus marinade off the fish and combine with the herb puree.
Add green olives, extra lime juice, jalapeno, onion and cucumber for crunch and mix.
Top with sliced avocado and serve.

Idea from a video by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Ricotta toast with berries and cinnamon

A higher-protein breakfast that replaces jam with ricotta. Works on toast or stirred into warm oatmeal.

You will need:

part-skim ricotta
toast or warm oatmeal
berries
cinnamon

Steps:

Spread ricotta on toast or stir it into warm oatmeal.
Top with berries and a little cinnamon.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Roasted dandelion root coffee

The video describes digging roots in fall, washing and chopping them, roasting until dark brown, then grinding and brewing like coffee. It describes the taste as earthy and slightly bitter with caramel notes.

You will need:

dandelion roots

Steps:

Dig the roots in fall.
Wash them thoroughly and chop into small pieces.
Roast at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until dark brown and fragrant, about two hours.
Grind the roasted root and brew it like coffee.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Salt pork and beans in a sealed pot

Soaked dried beans cooked slowly with rendered salt pork in a covered Dutch oven set on coals for several hours.

You will need:

dried beans
salt pork
water

Steps:

Soak dried beans overnight
Dice salt pork and render it in the pot until the fat runs clear
Add the soaked beans and cover with about two inches of water
Seal the lid and set the pot on a bed of coals
Cook for six to eight hours

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Sauerkraut in a crock

Salt shredded cabbage, pack it into a crock under its own brine, and let it ferment at cellar temperature for three to six weeks.

You will need:

5 pounds cabbage, finely shredded
3 tablespoons pickling salt

Steps:

Shred the cabbage finely and mix with the salt until it releases liquid.
Pack it firmly into a crock so it sits under its brine.
Keep at cellar temperature for three to six weeks, keeping the cabbage below the brine.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Savory rhubarb chutney and braise

Rhubarb stalks can be braised with ginger as a savory side or made into chutney for meats. The video warns leaves are toxic and only stalks should be eaten.

You will need:

rhubarb stalks
ginger

Steps:

Braise rhubarb with ginger as a savory side
Or cook rhubarb into a chutney for meats

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Scallion pancake from excess potato starter

Stir a little flour and salt into extra potato starter, add chopped scallions or herbs, and fry in a hot skillet until golden on each side.

You will need:

1 cup potato starter liquid
2 to 4 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt, optional
Green onions or fresh herbs
Butter or oil
Olive oil for drizzling

Steps:

Mix the starter, flour, and salt until just combined.
Stir in chopped green onions or fresh herbs.
Fry in butter or oil in a hot skillet until the edges set and the bottom is golden.
Flip the pancake.
Add sliced scallions and a drizzle of olive oil.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Scoring chestnuts before roasting

Chestnuts must have their shell scored with a knife before roasting, or steam builds up inside and can make them burst in the oven.

You will need:

chestnuts

Steps:

Cut a score into the shell of each chestnut with a knife
Roast the chestnuts

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Semizotu: purslane with yogurt and garlic

A Turkish summer dish of chopped purslane mixed with strained yogurt, crushed garlic and olive oil.

You will need:

purslane leaves
strained yogurt
crushed garlic
olive oil

Steps:

Chop the purslane leaves
Mix with strained yogurt and crushed garlic
Drizzle with olive oil and serve

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Shelf-stable paste version of bouillon

Blend the powder with a little oil or miso to form a thick paste that scoops like store tubs and can be refrigerated for months.

You will need:

bouillon powder
oil or a spoon of miso

Steps:

Blend the powder with just enough oil or a spoon of miso to make a thick paste.
Keep it refrigerated.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Simple Italian-style warm cannellini beans

Warm cooked cannellini beans dressed with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper and fresh herbs, served as a simple meal.

You will need:

cooked cannellini beans
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
cracked black pepper
fresh herbs

Steps:

Warm the cooked cannellini beans
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle with sea salt, cracked black pepper and fresh herbs

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Simple salted steamed edamame

Boil or steam edamame pods, sprinkle with coarse salt, and squeeze the beans out to eat.

You will need:

edamame pods
coarse salt

Steps:

Boil or steam the pods
Sprinkle with coarse salt
Squeeze the beans directly from the pods

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Skillet cornbread

Mix buttermilk, cornmeal, egg, salt and baking soda, then pour the batter into a hot, greased cast iron skillet and bake.

You will need:

buttermilk
cornmeal
1 egg
salt
baking soda
bacon grease or baking fat

Steps:

Heat a cast iron skillet in the oven with fat in the bottom.
Mix buttermilk, cornmeal, egg, salt and a spoon of baking soda into batter.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake about 25 minutes.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Smoked pulled ham shank

A budget holiday alternative to pulled pork: season a pre-cooked non-spiral ham shank, smoke it to form bark, wrap it with a sweet braising liquid, cook it until tender, then pull and moisten it with its juices.

You will need:

pre-cooked smoked ham shank, non-spiral sliced
sweet rub (Meat Church Hickory used in the video)
pineapple juice as braising liquid
brown sugar (optional)
heavy-duty foil or a half disposable steam pan
wood pellets

Steps:

Season the ham all over with the rub and let it sit about 15 minutes so the rub adheres to the natural juices.
Smoke at low heat until a dark bark forms; the video’s example ran overnight at about 195°F, but it notes 3 to 4 hours would also work.
Wrap the ham in foil with pineapple juice around the bottom and optional brown sugar.
Raise the smoker to about 300°F and cook wrapped for roughly 90 minutes, until a probe slides in with no resistance (about 207°F in the video).
Unwrap and pull the meat, mixing in some of the juices; add barbecue sauce only if you want a BBQ flavor.
Taste before adding more seasoning, since the cured ham is already salty; serve as sliders on soft rolls.

Idea from a video by Meat Church BBQ.

Sobelly and greens

Diced salt pork rendered down, then wild greens such as lamb’s quarter, dandelion or mustard weed wilted into the fat.

You will need:

salt pork, about a quarter pound
wild greens such as lamb’s quarter, dandelion or mustard weed

Steps:

Dice about a quarter pound of salt pork
Render until the fat melts out
Add the greens and let them wilt into the fat
Eat the potlicker liquid with cornbread soaked in it

Idea from a video by Lost American Memories.

Soup beans with ham bone

Simmer dried pinto beans with an onion and a smoked ham bone in a heavy pot for about three hours until tender.

You will need:

1 pound dried pinto beans
1 onion
1 smoked ham bone

Steps:

Put the beans, onion and ham bone in a pot with water.
Simmer for about three hours until the beans are soft.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Stinging nettle greens

Nettle loses its sting once cooked or dried. The video says to harvest young plants in spring with gloves, steam or boil briefly, and use like spinach.

You will need:

young stinging nettle leaves

Steps:

Harvest young plants in spring, wearing gloves.
Steam or boil for one to two minutes.
Use in place of spinach in recipes.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Stirred apple butter

Cook windfall apples down with cider and a little sugar in a big kettle, stirring nonstop for about eight hours until thick.

You will need:

15 pounds windfall apples, cored and quartered
1 gallon fresh cider
a scant handful of sugar

Steps:

Cook cored, quartered apples with cider and sugar in a copper kettle over a fire.
Stir without stopping for about eight hours so it does not scorch.
Cook until dark and thick enough to stand a spoon in, then jar.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Strawberry leaf tea

Dry strawberry leaves and brew them as a tea. The video describes this as a traditional European practice.

You will need:

dried strawberry leaves
hot water

Steps:

Dry the leaves.
Steep them in hot water to make tea.

Idea from a video by Secrets Beneath Nature with Dan.

Sweet potato flour baking

The video says sweet potato flour can be used for pancakes, muffins and cookies.

You will need:

sweet potato flour

Steps:

Use sweet potato flour in pancakes, muffins, or cookies

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Sweet potato flour from dehydrated chips

Slice sweet potatoes, dehydrate into chips until bone dry, then grind into flour or powder and store airtight in a cool dark place.

You will need:

sweet potatoes

Steps:

Slice sweet potatoes
Dehydrate into chips until bone dry and snapping
Grind into flour or powder
Store fully dry and airtight in a cool dark place

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Sweetgrass repellent salve

A simple salve made from beeswax, coconut oil, sweetgrass-infused oil, and lemon eucalyptus essential oil, poured into a tin and applied to pulse points. The video says the salve stays on skin longer than a spray.

You will need:

2 tablespoons beeswax pellets
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons sweetgrass-infused oil
10 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
dried sweetgrass for infusing oil

Steps:

Make sweetgrass-infused oil by soaking a handful of dried sweetgrass in coconut oil for two weeks, or gently warming it on low heat for two hours.
Melt the beeswax and coconut oil together in a small heat-safe bowl over simmering water.
Remove from heat and let cool for three minutes.
Stir in the sweetgrass-infused oil and the lemon eucalyptus essential oil.
Pour into a small tin or glass jar and let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Apply a thin layer to pulse points, ankles, wrists, behind the knees and ears.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Sweetgrass simmered spray

A repellent spray made by simmering fresh sweetgrass in water, then straining and refrigerating it. The video says it keeps up to a week.

You will need:

2 cups water
a large handful of fresh sweetgrass

Steps:

Bring two cups of water to a boil.
Add a large handful of fresh sweetgrass.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then cool completely.
Strain into a spray bottle and refrigerate for up to a week.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Switchel

A sweet, sour ginger drink of water, cider vinegar and sorghum molasses, served cold for hot work.

You will need:

water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sorghum molasses
a piece of fresh ginger

Steps:

Grate the fresh ginger into a jar.
Stir in the vinegar and molasses, then add cold water.
Chill in a cool place and serve.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Tallow and pemmican

Render meat trimmings low and slow, strain out the solids to keep the pure fat as tallow, then mix it with dried pulverized meat and berries to make pemmican.

You will need:

meat trimmings
dried pulverized meat
dried berries

Steps:

Heat fat trimmings low and slowly.
Strain out the solids to get tallow.
Mix tallow with dried, pulverized meat and berries.
Store the pemmican in a sealed container.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Tang-jong paste for a softer crumb

A Japanese technique: cook a little flour with water into a thick paste and mix it into the dough so the crumb stays soft longer.

You will need:

1 tablespoon flour
5 tablespoons water
30 g of the bread’s flour and 150 ml of its water can be replaced with this paste

Steps:

Stir the flour and water over low heat until it thickens into a paste.
Cool it, then mix it into the dough in place of part of the flour and water.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Tepache from pineapple rind

Ferment pineapple rinds and core with brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves in water for 2 to 3 days to make a lightly fizzy drink.

You will need:

pineapple rinds and core
brown sugar
water
cinnamon
cloves

Steps:

Combine pineapple rind and core with brown sugar, water, cinnamon and cloves
Ferment for 2 to 3 days
Strain and serve lightly fizzy

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Tomato and cheese baked eggs

Cook garlic, bell pepper and chopped tomatoes with salt, sugar and pepper into a thick sauce, stir in shredded cheese, make wells for eggs, cover on low until whites set, and finish with dill.

You will need:

olive oil
minced garlic
finely diced bell pepper
2 ripe tomatoes
salt
sugar
black pepper
shredded cheese
eggs
fresh dill

Steps:

Warm olive oil and soften minced garlic until fragrant.
Add diced bell pepper and soften.
Add chopped tomatoes with salt, a little sugar and black pepper; cook down to a thick sauce.
Stir in shredded cheese until melted.
Make wells and slide an egg into each.
Scatter cheese on top, cover on low until whites are set and yolks still soft, about three minutes.
Finish with chopped dill.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Turmeric golden milk

Warm milk blended with turmeric, a pinch of black pepper, Ceylon cinnamon and raw honey, drunk each night. The video says black pepper’s piperine raises curcumin absorption and cites Ayurvedic tradition.

You will need:

1 cup whole milk or plant milk
half a teaspoon turmeric
pinch of black pepper
pinch of Ceylon cinnamon
raw honey to taste

Steps:

Warm the milk without boiling.
Stir in turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon and honey.
Drink every night before bed.

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Water-glassed eggs

Preserve unwashed eggs in a food-grade crock of pickling lime water in a cool cellar, discarding any egg that floats.

You will need:

1 ounce pickling lime (calcium hydroxide)
1 quart cool boiled water
unwashed eggs

Steps:

Dissolve the pickling lime in cool boiled water to make the solution.
Place unwashed eggs in a food-grade stoneware crock and cover with the solution.
Check the eggs and throw out any that float; do not crack them until used.

Idea from a video by Silas Mercer Cooking.

Watermelon rind pickles

Cut the tough green skin off watermelon rind, cube the white part and pickle it in vinegar with spices, tasting similar to cucumber pickles.

You will need:

watermelon white rind
vinegar
spices

Steps:

Cut off the tough green outer skin.
Cube the white part of the rind.
Pickle the cubes in vinegar with spices.

Idea from a video by Sidney Explains.

Whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana

A simple breakfast pairing the video recommends to slow the blood sugar response, using whole grain bread instead of white bread with sliced banana added for fiber.

You will need:

whole grain bread
natural peanut butter
sliced banana

Steps:

Toast the whole grain bread
Spread natural peanut butter on the toast
Top with sliced banana

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.

Whole-head cabbage ferment in a crock

Old-style fermented cabbage kept whole rather than shredded, submerged in a salt and water brine with thyme, then left to ferment for weeks or months.

You will need:

cabbage heads
salt
water
thyme

Steps:

Leave the cabbage heads whole rather than shredding them.
Place the heads in a crock.
Cover them with salt and water.
Let them ferment for weeks, or months if you want more.
Eat the cabbage straight from the crock, wrap meat in the leaves, or roll the leaves into sarma.

Idea from a video by DishByDavid.

Yacon syrup

Extract the juice from yacon roots and slow boil it until it thickens into a dark syrup, which the video suggests using in place of maple syrup or honey.

You will need:

yacon roots

Steps:

Extract the juice from the roots.
Slow boil the juice until it thickens into a dark amber liquid.
Use it in place of maple syrup, honey or agave.

Idea from a video by DTD Stories.

Young leaves raw or wilted

Pick young leaves before the plant flowers and use them raw in a salad or wilted in a hot pan.

You will need:

young Virginia pepperweed leaves

Steps:

Harvest young leaves before the plant flowers
Use raw in a salad or wilt briefly in a hot pan

Idea from a video by PLANT BASED NEWS.