I recently went to a homeschool party and decided to make sourdough brownies and heart shaped beef gelatin bites. Both are very nutrient dense, but also satisfying to the sweet tooth and “guilt free”.

I love my local community of fellow homeschool moms, but many of them have a mainstream approach to healthy eating—“Diets should be primarily fruits and vegetables”. “Meat should be in moderation… dairy and grains are the devil”. 

In fact, beef liver and organ meats are the only “multi-vitamin” you need. Animal fats are essential for our diet. Raw dairy is healing. Grains can be tolerated when we prepare them how our ancestors did. Soaking or sprouting the grains prior to consuming and/or reviving the tradition of cooking with ancient grains are two examples.

On the surface, my dishes were considered just brownies and fruit jello, so they were thought to be “unhealthy”. However, like most things, you have to dig below the surface to see the value. Sure, fruits and vegetables are healthy options, but there are many variables involved in a nutrient dense diet.

My sourdough brownie batter is soaked overnight for optimal digestion. I use cacao powder/chips vs. coco powder/chocolate chips because cacao is minimally processed and is packed full of minerals. It contains magnesium (something most people are deficient in) as well as potassium and iron. I use maple syrup as the primary sweetener as opposed to refined sugars. 

The biggest powerhouse of this luscious treat is the flour I choose to use in this recipe- Einkorn flour. I have experimented with various flours, but Einkorn is my “go-to” flour as it is one of the most ancient grains. 

Today, most people aren’t consuming grains in the same form our ancestors did. Many grains are now genetically modified to mature in less time in order to yield a higher production. Less time spent growing means they get less sunlight, which renders them devoid of essential nutrients and vitamins such as magnesium, copper, iron, zinc. The way to avoid the modern wheat conundrum is to turn to ancient grains such as Einkorn, Spelt, and Barley- to name a few. 

The reason I love Einkorn is because it’s the only variety of wheat that has not been crossed with another species. Among all of the ancient grains, it contains one of the greatest percentages of nutrients. It has proven to be easier to digest for those with gluten intolerance, and implementing the fermentation process of soaking the grains makes this even more beneficial for optimal digestion. 

These brownies are absolutely decadent and always a crowd pleaser. It is my “go-to” dish to bring to a potluck. The recipe is as follows:

(Measurements are approximate)

-1 cup of sweetener of your choice. (I generally will use maple syrup, but have used honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or whatever I may have on hand.)

-1 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

-3 eggs 

-1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter 

-vanilla extract (I never measure)

-1/2 cup of Einkorn flour (you can sub this for equal parts all purpose flour if you wish)

-1/2 cup of cacao powder 

-1/2 tsp of salt 

-1 cup of chocolate chips

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees 

1. Combine sourdough starter, melted coconut oil, Einkorn flour, and cacao powder. Set aside. I usually will mix this in the morning to bake later in the day. You can skip this step, but it does provide a second fermentation process for optimal digestion. 

*If you are skipping the second fermentation process, just mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls and combine.

2. After flour mixture has sat for a few hours, add in eggs, vanilla, salt. Combine everything until incorporated. Mixture should have a typical ‘batter’ consistency. Reserve the cacao chips for later.

3. Place mixture in a greased 9x13 pan and place in preheated oven and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick runs clean. 

4. When the brownies are complete, immediately put cacao chips on top and allow a few minutes for them to start melting. Once they are soft and spreadable, spread across the top of the brownies. 

5. Place brownies in freezer and let rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives them a fudge consistency. 

Note: Einkorn is a slow absorbing flour. I like to do the second fermentation because it allows the Einkorn to thoroughly absorb the sourdough starter and coconut oil. If the mixture is on the dryer side, just allow it some time to absorb and resist the urge add more melted oil. 

Enjoy! 

-Lady Lassarus

Have you ever tried it? Your first impulse might be to recoil in horror, but like many other traditional ancestral foods that have been stripped from our memory in recent decades, this is one thing that you will not regret trying.

Indeed, we make a delicious stew with beef tongue. Because its value is largely unknown to many, I find that I can purchase beef tongue at a much lower cost than other cuts of meat when it comes to buying from 100% grassfed and grass finished local farming operations.

While high quality, grass-fed, "stew meat" might run about $7 or $8 per pound where I live, a whole beef tongue is about half that price or less. There are many ways to use beef tongue in your cooking, but today I will focus on a classic beef stew.

"My kids will never eat that"...

Don't despair. If you are worried that you won't be able to incorporate this traditional food into your kids' diet without them protesting, you might try making the stew and not telling them. I promise you, they will not even know the difference. You can then tell them afterwards and (hopefully) they will be pleasantly surprised! I also have to say that it is extremely important to get our children accustomed to eating healthy food. I know it is not an easy thing to turn around if they are used to eating unhealthy, processed foods all the time. But with consistency, gentleness, flexibility and setting reasonable goals, it can be done. (Perhaps another blog post on this sometime?)

Slow cooked beef tongue tastes almost identical to a roast beef or stewed beef. It is very tender, no gristle, and also contains a lot of natural gelatin which releases into the cooking water rendering the stew oh-so-nutritious.

To prepare the tongue, place into a stew pot with a tight fitting lid, cover with filtered water (about one gallon per tongue), and slowly bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a very slow, low simmer. Alternatively you could slow cook it in a crock pot with liquid added. 

As with most other beef cuts, the same spices and herbs are added that you might normally use  to flavor a beef stew. I like to add to the cooking water:

Onions, Garlic, Celery, Shallots, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Leaf

I simmer on low for about 5 to 8 hours. *Towards the end of the cooking time, prepare your vegetables. (See below)

Remove the tongue from the cooking liquid, which by now will be a rich dark golden brown color. Bring the broth back to a boil and add your vegetables. (See below)

The tongue needs to be peeled. It is very easy to do. Simply use a filet knife and peel the thick outer layer of the tongue. (Toss into the compost, of feed to your chickens or dogs for a nutritious treat) The inside of the cooked tongue will be a large chunk of tender, stewed meat. Chop the meat into bite size pieces. (I do this quickly with scissors, saving my cutting board from one less wash that day)

You might find that the inner meat is more "fatty". If your children have an aversion to fatty meat as mine do, chop those bits extra tiny, almost minced. It will basically just dissolve into the broth once you add the meat back into the stew. 

After peeling and chopping the tongue meat, set it aside (in the refrigerator). 

Add your choice of vegetables to the broth. I used:

Rutabaga, Turnips, Carrots, Onion, Potatoes, and Butternut Squash

You might also choose to add more herbs or a generous amount of sea salt. 

Once the vegetables are nice and soft (usually after about 1 hour), add the meat back in and remove the stew from heat. 

It is ready to serve, but stew is always best on the second day, or at least after setting for an hour or two. 

If you decide to refrigerate the stew and serve the second day, or if you simply have leftovers from dinner, just wait until you see how gelatinous the broth is once cooled. This is how you know your body is truly getting a power packed nourish punch!

Our ancestors knew of these simple, rich dishes that nourished our people. These basic stews are something that every cook in the house should be able to master. There is so much room for creativity and variation. The real broth used, the simple ingredients and spices, all contribute to a truly life-giving food. This simple stew can nourish growing young children, men and women throughout their prime, and even help the elderly or bring back vitality to a sick person. 

Our ancestors knew ways to prepare all the parts of the animal and very little, if anything went to "waste". Today, industrialized agriculture, the modern food pyramid and diet fads have created a system of waste. Millions, if not billions of tons of food is thrown to landfills each year. When it comes to animal butchering, wasting good parts is like giving the middle finger to the spirit of the creature that died to nourish your body. While I understand that is out of our control, we can choose to support small scale farmers whenever possible, and bring awareness back to the under appreciated cuts of meat such as tongue, liver (see our liver pate recipe), chicken feet, pork fat, beef tallow and more- all the while reaching our potential as healthy beings in body and mind. 

Don't be too quick to turn your back on an ancestral dish simply because it seems foreign to you. 

Many blessings to you....

-By Vasalisa

I have been making my own version of a chocolate mint tea for a few years now. It is delicious, very low carb (keto) friendly, and the mint is good for digestion.

To make this tasty and festive "latte" beverage, first brew a nice strong peppermint tea. I use looseleaf tea with a ratio of about 1/2 to 3/4 cup dried loose mint in a one quart mason jar, which I fill with boiling water.

After steeping for about 10 minutes, strain the tea and add about 2 T of cocoa powder and a sweetener. For ultra low carb I use Stevia powder (about three mini packets), for a paleo friendly but slightly richer flavor use maple syrup to sweeten to taste.

I then add a generous amount of raw milk and some whipped cream.

I can't get enough of this stuff and it is a guilt-free treat around Yule time! (or any other time of year, really)


Mint Chocolate Latte:

1/2 to 2/4 cup loose leaf dried peppermint (you can use tea bags if you prefer)

2 T Cocoa Powder

3 stevia packets or 2 T maple syrup

3 cups boiling water

1 cup raw milk

whipped cream to top

Nutrient dense and satisfies that sweet tooth but has no refined sugars, made with ancient grains, sourdough, and dye free candy canes! I made these a few times within the past week and think I have perfected the recipe and thought I would share. I brought them to a Yule gathering yesterday and they were a huge hit! 

Here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl: 

-1/2 cup of Einkorn Flour 

- 1/2 cup of Caco powder 

-1/2 teaspoon of salt 

- 1 cup of maple syrup 

-1 1/4 cup of sourdough starter 

-1 tbs of peppermint 

- 3 large eggs 

Ingredients for later:

-Caco chocolate chips

Mix well and grease a 9 x 13 baking vessel and transfer mixture to pan and bake for 30 minutes. 

While brownies are in the oven mash (or have the little one(s) do it) dye-free candy canes (I used the yum earth organic ones) and set aside.

Once brownies are done, remove from oven and immediately put about (I never measure so this is guess) 1 cup of caco chips on brownies and let sit for about 5-10 minutes so the chips can get soft. After they have sat, spread softened/melted chips over brownies to make the fudge layer and then sprinkle smashed up candy canes on top and place in freezer for about an hour. The freezer step is optional, but is what brings the brownies to a whole new level. It provides a depth of flavor and texture that separates them from your run of the mill brownies.

Enjoy! 🎄 

-❤️ Lady Lassarus

Every year as Yule time approaches we begin making egg nog more often. I use raw eggs in ours and it is so nutritious. I say, "more often", because I also make this in the middle of summer. 

At farmers' market many years ago an older Amish lady with broken English told us of her meal of choice for long, hot summer days. Lo and behold- eggnog! It is not surprising that this was her 'meal' of choice, because it is cool, full of protein, and also quite refreshing. 

However, we all very much associate eggnog with Christmas or Yule time...

In our home, the first night we have eggnog is the night we put up the Yule tree and bring out the boxes of decorations. I also bake at least two batches of cookies- typically Russian teacakes and macaroons. 

We also play our favorite classic 'Christmas' tunes such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' performed by Frank Sinatra, and of course, 'Blue Christmas' by Elvis Presley, and so much more. 

The eggnog is a major component to the Westman's celebration of Yule. 

We have raised our own chickens for the use of eggs for many, many years. They eat only non-GMO feed, wild weeds and natural sources of proteins such as bugs. We also move them around the farm to various locations and fresh ground several times a year. needless to say, I felt that our eggs are supremely healthy and of very good quality- therefore I have not the worry of the risk of any sort of sickness or disease from eating the eggs raw. 

Our ancestors consumed raw eggs for millennia and it is only quite recently that it became 'taboo'. Of course the reason is no mystery- with industrialization of agriculture and food production came standards that were otherwise unnecessary and unknown to our folk. 

For instance, hens living on fresh feed and fresh air and pasture rarely, if ever. get diseases such as e.coli or salmonella- the major fear factors promoted in modern times for "store-bought' eggs.

In fact, fresh, wholesome eggs are known to 'keep' for months sitting on the kitchen counter, clean but unwashed, without any special care.  I typically do not refrigerate our fresh hen eggs unless they are for customer sales in which case I am obligated to comply with state egg board standards. For home use, our eggs sit on the counter and are used each day as I need them. Now, if they are very dirty then I wash them for home use as well. 

The raw eggs have a huge amount of nutrition, some of which can be lost in cooking. 

Our children love homemade raw eggnog and I can rest assured that it is a nice healthy treat for them, without the soy, or other flavors, sugars and additives that many store bought versions of eggnog contain. 

*** If you are immunocompromised and wary of eating raw eggs for some other reason, here is an alternative recipe from another website. 

Sunday was such a blissful Autumn day here in southern Appalachia. Mind you, I broke out the Autumn decor weeks ago (ahem, mid to late August), but this weekend I finally felt the Autumn Equinox creeping in on us. 

The morning was crisp. I warmed the house by making a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls. The sun was shining, the windows and doors were all open in the house, and fresh sourdough was bubbling on one counter (it had been fermenting from the night before). Homemade vanilla has been ‘proofing’ for close to six months now on another counter (I’m planning to use it for Yuletide gifts!). Some leftover bone broth was simmering on the stove to make way for a butternut squash pumpkin soup I had planned on making for dinner, and also there sat a cabbage head that needed to be shredded to make one last bit of fermented sauerkraut before winter.  

Alas, it was a busy Sunday in the kitchen. My husband had to run to town for some things and took my little one with him which meant I had a few hours of uninterrupted time in the kitchen, a rarity! 

Earlier in the morning, while the cinnamon rolls were cooking my little one and I made some immune boosting gummie bears from high quality beef gelatin, elderberry syrup infused with medicinal herbs, beet, apple, and carrot juice, and apple raw honey. 

Next, I mixed pumpkin, pecans, and cream cheese to put in the ice cream maker… 

Lastly, I began the sourdough-einkorn apple pie made with apples that we picked last week at a local orchard. 

For dinner, I made a lovely bacon pumpkin butternut squash soup. I also had a spaghetti squash that had been sitting on the counter for weeks; I decided to roast it and then blend it with the creamy, butternut squash/ pumpkin puree to have on hand for a healthy “spaghetti” or “Macaroni and cheese” for my little one to each for lunch in the coming days.

Stay tuned for all of these recipes. Today I will share the Sourdough Einkorn Crusted Apple Pie. I choose to use einkorn because it is an ancient grain and is much more digestible than high gluten modern flours. 

Make sure to use organic, local ingredients, homegrown/harvested whenever possible. 

Measurements are approximate because I’m horrible at following recipes. I usually get the foundations for a recipe and tweak it to my liking. 

Sourdough Einkorn Crusted Apple Pie

For the crust:

-2 cups of einkorn flour 

-1/2 cup of sourdough starter 

-1 cup of frozen unsalted butter (grated)

-About 4-5 tablespoons of ice water 

Apple pie filling:

-About 5-6 assorted apples of your choosing (peeled and cored)

-About 1/2 cup of maple syrup 

-About a handful sprinkle of brown sugar (optional, but I do find using a little bit of brown sugar gives a better consistency) or 3 table spoons of local raw honey 

-Dash of salt

-Juice from half of a lemon with lemon zest 

-2 tablespoons of melted butter

-2 tablespoons of cinnamon 

To make the crust (Can be done the night before):

-Combine einkorn flour and salt. Using a fine grater, grate 1 cup of butter. Use a pastry cutter to start combining. Add in sourdough starter and add in tablespoons of cold water one tablespoon at a time until dough becomes a crust consistency. *May use food processor for this step.

-On a lightly floured surface, form dough into a ball and split ball into two. Flatten both out to about 10 inches (or however big your pie dish may be). I made the bottom crust a little bigger so I would have enough to close the pie in. 

I stacked my two pie crusts (using a silicone sheet) and put it in the fridge for an hour or so. You can use plastic wrap as well. We try and limit as much plastic in our home as we can. 

-While the crust is chilling, combine all apple pie ingredients. I chopped the apples very thin and combined all ingredients and just used my trusty hands and tossed in a glass bowl. 

-After crust has chilled, line pie dish with bottom crust, add filling, and then place second pie crust on top. I pinched the top and bottom crust together to seal the pie, made the circumference etchings using a fork, and used runes as my slits in the top of the pie.

-Lightly brush the crust with some milk. You can sprinkle some brown sugar on top as well if you’d like. 

Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. 

I hope y’all enjoy this recipe!. Be sure to let us know if you like it! 

Hail! 

-Lady Lassarus