Beef Pho- All Phases

There is not one single food on the planet that makes me feel as good as a bowl of pho. The deep, rich broth. The crunchy vegetables. The lovely noodles. 

Start with a good beef bone broth. If you want to use store bought- get one without sugar or soy or other non FMD ingredients.

Use Miracle Noodles in all phases. You can also use brown rice Pad Thai noodles in P1. 

Make a giant batch of the broth and freeze some so you can have Pho whenever you want. You can halve this recipe if you need to. 

For a homemade bone broth:

Beef Bone Broth

5lbs beef bones- knuckle bones, short rib bones, oxtail or combo 

Splash of vinegar

Put the bones in a very large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the bones and rinse in fresh water. Clean out the stock pot. Add the bones back in, along with 20 cups of fresh water and the vinegar. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 24 hours. Do not boil. Just a gentle simmer is all you need. Remove any scum that floats to the surface. Allow to cool and strain the broth. Discard bones. 

Now for the good stuff.

Beef Pho

10 cups of bone broth

1 large onion

1 4 inch piece of ginger, unpeeled

5 star anise

5 whole cloves

1 large or 2 small cinnamon stick

5 green cardamom pods

1T whole coriander seeds

1T xylitol or stevia equivalent

1/4 cup Red Boat fish sauce

Sea Salt to taste

Cut the onion in half and smash the ginger with a knife to mash it just a bit. Place on a rack on a baking sheet under a broiler for about 5-8 minutes, until thoroughly charred. Be sure to turn over and char all sides. Let cool. Scrape off the charred bits and rinse. Place into the stock pot with the beef broth.

In a non stick skillet, heated over medium high heat, place the anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and coriander. Toss and cook for just about 1 minute to toast- do not allow to burn. Put these into the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer and allow to cook for 2 hours. Strain and discard the aromatics. Add fish sauce, sweetener, and a bit of salt. Stir and taste. Add more salt as needed, or fish sauce. 

Place your steak in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to make slicing easier. Slice very very thin. You can also use cooked meatballs for pho.

For the toppings:

4oz lean steak per serving

Prepared noodles

Bean sprouts (P1 and P3 only)

Cilantro

Thai Basil

Thinly slices radish

Lime wedges or lemon wedges

Fresh mint

Thinly slices onions (let these sit in some vinegar for a few minutes, if you want)

Spring onion

Thin sliced jalapeno or Thai chile

Sugar free Sriracha

Tamari

Chili Sauce (see my recipe)

Black pepper

Fish Sauce

If you want a compliant hoisin style sauce:

FMD Hoisin

4T tamari

2T raw cashew or almond butter

1T xylitol mixed with 1tsp hot water until dissolved

2 tsp rice vinegar or coconut vinegar

Whisk together. Serve with pho. 

Yum Yum Sauce - Phase 3

 

If you like Hibachi as much as I do, you probably like the sauce they serve with it. I don't know why this weird combo of ingredients tastes so good, but it does. It is fast to whip up and it will keep a couple of weeks in the fridge. You can make this vegan just by using vegan mayo- I have a recipe here on the blog. 

This makes a good salad dressing, dip for veggies, or, if you make a fried rice with quinoa or black rice in p3, slap some of this in it and your mouth will be very happy! 

Yum Yum Sauce

Phase 3
2-4 T is a standard portion

1 cup Mayo- I use my Perfect Mayo
2 T sugar free ketchup
1 T xylitol or stevia/monk fruit equivalent
1/2 T paprika
2 tsp vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
1-4 T water

Whisk everything except water in a bowl until smooth. This takes just a second or two. Add enough water to thin to how you like it. 

Scrape into a glass jar with a lid and label it. Keep refrigerated. 

https://www.thecleverspoon.com/2019/06/perfect-mayo-phase-3.html

https://www.thecleverspoon.com/2018/02/vegan-mayo-phase-3.html

Cloud "Coffee" - Phases 1 and 3

Have ya'll seen the new craze with Cloud Coffee, or Dalgona Coffee? It is whipped instant coffee that you put on top of cold or hot milk/cream. It looks super fun and it seems like every person on my Facebook is making this right now! 

Well, I played around with Dandy Blend and after 3 tries, I got it! 

Here is what I know so far- 
If you use xylitol, you will need to use very hot water so it dissolves. Or whiz it up in a blender first so it is a fine powder.

This is a pretty strong brew. If you do not like strong coffee/Dandy Blend, I would skip it. 

I have not tried this with other coffee subs. 

I highly suggest putting this on top of almond or coconut milk from a carton. The strong coffee taste needs to have lots of milk to tame it down. You can use unsweetened brown rice or oat milk in phase 1.

I tried using my immersion blender, my stand mixer and my Vitamix. The only way that worked was with a good old whisk and glass bowl. Do not use plastic- you will waste your time.

This is a fun drink, but it is some work. 

Cloud "Coffee"
Makes 1 serving

1 cup almond OR coconut milk from a carton, chilled or warmed
**OR**
1 cup unsweetened brown rice OR oat milk, chilled or warmed

2T Dandy Blend
2T xylitol powder or stevia equivalent (use sweetener to taste)
1T water- hot or cold (see notes above)

In a very clean glass bowl, whisk the Dandy Blend, sweetener, and water together, then whisk until the color lightens, and the mixture is thick and fluffy. This can take 3-5 minutes. 
Spoon onto the top of the chilled or warmed phase appropriate milk and enjoy!

Balsamic Black Bean Salsa- Phases 1 and 3 (vegan and vegerarian)

This is a versatile salsa that can be use in many different ways. You can use this as a dip for chips or crackers. You can make a burrito bowl out of it by putting it on cooked and seasoned brown rice or quinoa. You can make taco with this with spelt tortillas or even lettuce wraps. Use it as a protein on a salad- you don't even need a dressing! 

Use whatever veggies you have in this. Jicama, radishes, green onions, zucchini- whatever crunch veggies you have!

Balsamic Black Bean Salsa
Phases 1 and 3
Makes 3 standard servings of protein


1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or white beans or pinto beans), drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup tomato or tomatillo salsa OR 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned (drain if canned)
1 chopped jalapeno, optional


Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
1 garlic clove, minced OR 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp each s&p

Mix the beans and veggies together in a large bowl.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over bean mixture. 

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Let sit for 1 hour before serving. 

Orange Muffins - Phase 1

I have an abundance of oranges right now... apparently they were on sale. And, they were part of my Misfits box (see here for info on this great service- you can get a percentage of your first box with my code) so I have been stocking up on citrus!

I was going to make a cake. 

Then I thought about cookies. 

Maybe some marmalade? 


I settled on muffins. Super easy to whip up and can be totally compliant for FMD!! 

I use the zest and the fruit in this recipe. I peel the oranges with a knife and be sure to get all the white pith off- it is bitter. And be extra sure to get the pithy core out of the middle. Oh, and remove the seeds, too!

You can use any oranges you like- I used Cara Cara Oranges today, along with 2 lonely clementines. You need 1/2 cup puree, any extras you can freeze in ice cube tray for use in smoothies.

I hope you love these as much as I do. 

Orange Muffins
Phase 1
Makes 6 standard servings of grain

1 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour (for gluten free, see below)
3/4 - 1 cup xylitol, or the equivalent
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites, lightly whipped
1/4 cup oat or brown rice (unsweetened) milk
2 tsp orange zest (fresh is best)
1/2 cup pureed, peeled, no pith orange(s)

**for Gluten Free- use 1/2 cup each of brown rice flour, oat flour and sorghum flour

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vanilla, milk, orange zest, orange puree and egg whites. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until mixed. Do not over-work.

Divide into lined muffin tins. 

Put the pan into the hot oven, close the door and IMMEDIATELY reduce temp to 375 degrees.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool. 

Chipotle Ranch - Phase 3

If you have ever been to Bad Daddy's Burger Bar, you will know about this sauce. 

Now, most of what they have on the menu is not compliant to FMD, including this sauce, but they DO have a build your own salad that looks like it could be made pretty darn close to compliant.

My husband loves this sauce. Our server last time, told us what it was made of. I came home and experimented with compliant ingredients and here we have it.

It is smokey and ranchy and just plain delicious. This would be good with sweet potato fries, jicama fries, roasted cauliflower. You could put this on burgers or tacos. Heck, even salads. 

Now- it is a combo of 3 of my recipes. Mayo, Ranch and my Smokey BBQ Sauce. (if you have my Tomato-less BBQ sauce, you could add the liquid smoke to it and use that combo instead of the Smokey BBQ Sauce)

Here are the links to all 3:
https://www.thecleverspoon.com/2019/06/perfect-mayo-phase-3.html

https://www.thecleverspoon.com/2018/02/buffalo-ranch-dip-mayo-and-ranch-also.html

https://www.thecleverspoon.com/2020/03/easy-smokey-bbq-sauce-phase-1-and-phase.html

Even if you are starting from scratch, the whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes or so. Just let it set up a bit to marry flavors. 

Pro Tip: If your sauce is thin, you can whisk in 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to thicken it up.

Chipotle Ranch
Phase 3

1/2 cup Ranch from above recipe
3T Smokey BBQ Sauce from above recipe
1 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Whisk together in a small bowl. Add the xanthan gum if you need, as instructed above. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into jar with a lid and refrigerate for a couple hours before serving. 

Easy Smokey BBQ Sauce- Phase 1 and Phase 3

There are so many ways to make BBQ sauce. The flavors are often regional as well as traditional in families. 

This one takes about 5 minutes to make and is super easy. This will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge. Use this on all the meat for a great flavor pop. 

For the smokey flavor, I use Liquid Smoke and smoked paprika. Be sure to read the ingredients in the Liquid Smoke. Some flavors and brands use molasses and other non FMD ingredients. If you cannot find Liquid Smoke, then just double the smoked paprika. Here is one sugar free Liquid Smoke (this is an affiliate link. I get a tiny commission but there is no extra cost to you) https://amzn.to/2QaTpnf This stuff is good in my Carolina BBQ sauce, a couple drops added to ranch dressing or marinades- really great flavor. 




Smokey BBQ Sauce
Phases 1 and 3

1 cup tomato puree
2T apple cider vinegar
3T xylitol or stevia equivalent

1 tsp of each:
garlic powder
onion powder
sea salt
black pepper
Liquid Smoke
smoked paprika

Whisk everything together in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Optional:
1/4 tsp cayenne for some heat
1/4 tsp orange zest

"Cheesy" Jalapeno Chicken Burgers - All Phases

We love a good burger- I think everyone that knows me, knows this fact! We do beef burgers, turkey burgers of all types. Now, I am on to chicken burgers.

This recipe can be modified for all phases of FMD. Just use the veggies you like that are phase appropriate. In phase 2, you can use chopped fresh spinach, onion, green onion, mushrooms. You just want everything chopped fine and about 1 to 1 1/2 cups per pound of ground chicken breast. The veggies will keep the burgers moist and add flavor. And don't forget the star of the show- jalapeno! If you do not like spicy, be sure to cut out the membranes and take out the seeds. Use 1 or 2 jalapenos, your preference. 

Grilling these bad boys is easy but you can cook them in a pan or bake them in the oven. Totally versatile!!

The cheesy taste comes from nutritional yeast. This is a condiment available at almost every grocery store now. 

I serve them on my homemade sprouted wheat buns with lettuce, tomato, onion- and in p3, add avocado. 


"Cheesy" Jalapeno Chicken Burgers
All Phases
Makes 4 standard servings

1 lb ground chicken breast
1-2 jalapenos
1/4 small red onion, peeled
1/2 cup shredded carrot (p1 and p3 only)
1 garlic clove
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup cilantro- fresh
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

In a small chopper or food processor, add the veggies, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno and yeast. 

Pulse a few times until super fine chop is achieved. 

Scrape into large bowl. Add chicken, s&p and onion powder and mix to combine everything very thoroughly. 

Divide into 4 equal parts, and form into patties. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the burgers reach 160 degrees internally. You can also pan fry or grill. 


PRO TIP: Use the cilantro stems for this since you will be chopping it up. They have just as much flavor as the leaves!

Smoky Tofu Bacon - Phase 2 - Vegan

Enjoy this vegan recipe in Phase 2 of The Fast Metabolism Diet Plan. Double this recipe if you like. 
You can put this in a lettuce cup, along with some shredded lettuce, shredded radish, bell pepper and make a bacon taco!

Smoky Tofu Bacon
Phase 2
Makes 2 standard servings


8 oz extra-firm or super-firm tofu
1/4 cup tamari
Pinch of stevia
1 T liquid smoke (be sure to read ingredients)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder


Drain the tofu. If not using vacuum packed super-firm tofu, wrap it in a clean towel and stack a heavy object (like a cast iron pan) on top of it to press out excess liquid. (Or, use a tofu press if you've got one). Leave the tofu to press while you measure out the other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place a metal rack on top of a baking sheet. (If desired, put a piece of parchment on the baking sheet to catch drips, for easy cleanup).

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Cut the tofu into thin strips, approximately 1/8 inch thick. Take each tofu slice and dip it fully into the marinade, then place it on the prepared baking rack. Repeat until all of the tofu slices are dipped, spacing them out evenly on the rack. Set aside the excess marinade.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully flip each piece over and brush or dab the tops of each piece with the remaining marinade. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until browning around the edges and starting to take on a firm texture - it can burn quickly so keep a close eye on it. Remove from the oven and let cool. 

Chicken Tacos - All Phases

Man, we love a good taco in my house. I will make tacos out of anything and everything. Chicken tacos are one of my favorites. 

You can use chicken breast in phases 1 and 2. Use boneless thighs if you want in phase 3. Adjust the spices to your liking- we prefer things on the spicy side.

Top your tacos with grilled peppers, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced radish, chopped tomato or some pico, guacamole in p3- the list is endless.
For phase 1 and 3, you can use my Tortilla recipe and in phase 2, use lettuce as taco shells. Or, if you feel adventurous, you can use your mandolin to slice jicama to use as shells! 

Ole!

Chicken Tacos
All Phases
Makes 4 standard servings

1 lb chicken- boneless breast or thigh, according to phase
1 small onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 finely diced jalapeno (optional. You can remove seeds and membrane to reduce heat)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime

Cut the chicken into 1/2 in pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. If you are on phase 3, add a tsp or so of olive oil. Add the chicken and brown the chicken. Make sure it is spread out in the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes before stirring. You want good golden color. Stir it around and try to brown on all sides, letting it sit each time for 1-2 minutes. Add the spices- chili powder, cumin and oregano and the cayenne if using. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
Remove from skillet.
Add the onion to the pan with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Add a little water or chicken stock if you need. Once the onion starts to soften, add the tomatoes and jalapeno. Cut the lime in half and add the juice of half. Cook the tomato mixture for a couple minutes then add the chicken back in. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. You do not want any liquid in the bottom of the pan or the tacos will be soggy, so simmer lightly until the liquid is gone. Sprinkle the cilantro over and serve. 

Dry Rubbed Pork (Tender) Loin - All Phases

Here is the dry rub I use when I smoke pork. Feel free to change it up or increase or decrease any spice to your liking. 

Make sure your prepared mustard is compliant to FMD- no sugar or soy. I have noticed that I can buy the same brand and one time it has sugar and another time it doesn't. Always read the labels. You can also use a spicy brown mustard if you like, as long as it is compliant.

For the cooking method- you can smoke this, or bake it. Put it in the crock pot. Whatever you fancy. 

For the smoker, you want to wrap the loin loosely in foil and smoke it wrapped for the first 2-3 hours at about 200 degrees. Then open the foil and continue smoking until the meat is 160 degrees internal.

For the crock pot, do not add liquid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Do not lift the lid until you are ready to eat. 

For the oven, place the loin in a baking dish. Loosely cover and bake at 350 for about 2 hours. Remove foil and cook for 1-2 hours until the pork is done. 

Pro tip: Slather and rub the pork the day before you cook it. Store it loosely covered in the fridge until ready to cook. 

Dry Rubbed Pork
All Phase 
Makes 8 standard servings

2 lb pork loin or tenderloin- depending on phase
Prepared mustard - either yellow or spicy brown

For the rub:
3T smoked paprika
2T mild or medium chili powder
1T garlic powder
1/2 T onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp black pepper
2T sea salt
1 tsp cayenne (optional)

Put the spices in a jar or container with a lid. Shake to combine.

Dry the loin with a paper towel. Slather the loin with mustard- covering all sides. Generously sprinkle the rub on the loin and gently press into the mustard. Cook according to your favorite method as listed above. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing or pulling. 

Moroccan White Bean Burgers - Phase 1 and Phase 3 (vegan)

These easy to make spicy burgers can be served on sprouted wheat pita or buns. You can adjust the spice to your taste buds.

Tip: If you cannot find harissa, or it is too hot, you can use sriracha, or hot sauce, or chili paste or berbere (a terrific spice similar to curry but different. I get mine from Penzey's).

Moroccan White Bean Burgers
Phase 1 and Phase 3
Makes 4 standard servings of protein

1/2 red bell pepper
3 scallions, trimmed
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1.5 tsp ground coriander
1.5 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp harissa (see tips above if you cannot find this)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups cooked white beans (cannellini)
3/4 c sprouted wheat breadcrumbs
3 T olive oil (phase 3 only)

In a food processor, pulse red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, garlic, coriander, cumin, harissa, and salt until vegetables are very finely chopped. Add beans; pulse until beans are coarsely mashed.

Transfer mixture to a bowl; add breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands until well combined. Shape into 4 burgers. Place on a parchment lined plate and refrigerate 30 minutes.

For phase 3, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add burgers and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

For phase 1, place burgers on a baking rack on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until heated through and browned a bit. 

Herbed Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream - All phases

Roast beef and horseradish go together like spaghetti and meatballs. I love horseradish so much. When I was a kid, my dad used to set up fondue for us on special occasions. He would mix horseradish and ketchup together as a cocktail sauce and we would dip our meat into it. So good!

Fast forward many years and when my husband and I got married, we had beef tenderloin at the reception. It was served with a Blackberry Horseradish sauce. I would have never thought to put those two things together. I searched for a recipe but it was not a thing on the internet at all! So, I made one up. You can find it in my Holiday cookbook.

You can buy prepared horseradish, which is usually grated and in a jar with vinegar or water. It can be hard to find in the store- sometimes it is with the eggs or dairy. It is usually refrigerated. If you go to the condiment aisle, you will find sauces- usually those are non-compliant to FMD, so be sure to read the label. You can also buy the horseradish root and grate it yourself. It is very strong and can be hot if you use a lot.

For this roast- use the cut of beef appropriate for the phase you are in. Tenderloin is a good choice but any lean roast will work. You can even do this on elk, or deer if you have some. For special occasions, I will use a rib roast or prime rib. 

While horseradish is all phases, the coconut cream for the Horseradish Cream is only phase 3. You can mix the horseradish with one of my phase 2 BBQ sauces, if you want, or just leave it off altogether for p2. For phase 1, mix it with some compliant ketchup.

Herbed Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream
Roast is all phase, Sauce is phase 3
Makes 16 standard servings


1 bone-in beef rib roast or tenderloin or sirloin roast (4 lbs)
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram, savory and thyme
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 medium onion, sliced
3 fresh rosemary sprigs

Cream Sauce:
3/4 cup coconut cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish or grated fresh
1 tablespoon minced chives
4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice


Trim and tie roast if desired. In a small bowl, combine the fennel seed, crushed rosemary, basil, marjoram, savory, thyme and sage. Rub this spice mixture all over the roast. Place in a roasting pan. Top with onion and rosemary sprigs.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 2 to 3 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness. 
For medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°

While the roast is cooking, mix the sauce ingredients together. Cover and place in fridge for a couple of hours. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Remove roast from the oven. Discard onion and rosemary. Let roast stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing. 

Turmeric Lime Chicken - All Phases, H Burn

Turmeric has so many health benefits and it has a wonderful flavor. Mix up this marinade and your chicken will be ready to grill any time in the week.

Turmeric Lime Chicken
All Phases
H Burn
Makes 4 standard servings

1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 4oz pieces (use thighs for p3 or H Burn, if you want)
2 T olive oil (P3 and H Burn, only) - In P1 and P2, use chicken broth
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
Zest of half a lime
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp finely minced garlic
Pinch of sea salt  
Freshly ground pepper to taste


Put everything but the chicken into a bowl and stir to blend. 
Score the tops of the chicken pieces, cutting only about 1/8" into the chicken and about 1/4" apart. Add the chicken pieces. Turn them in the marinade to coat well and smoosh the marinade into the score lines. Cover and set in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. 
Grill chicken on a hot grill or bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until it reaches 160 internal temp. Serve immediately with a good side of appropriate veggies. 

Homemade Chorizo - All Phases

Sausage is a wonderful thing but on FMD, it is hard to come by one that is compliant. Mostly because you really do not know what cuts of meat are used, just how much fat. You can make all types of sausage with some spices and ground meat. It is really easy. 

For this one, use a pork tenderloin or loin. Do not just go buy ground pork- it could be shoulder which is not compliant for FMD. Pick your loin and take it to the meat counter. Ask if they will grind it for you. Most meat counters will oblige and it does take long at all. This way, you know which cut is in your package.  
Or, you can cut it into chunks and pulse it in a good food processor. Of course, if you have a meat grinder, you are all set. 

Homemade Chorizo
All Phases
Makes 8 standard servings

2 pounds ground pork loin or tenderloin
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 T ancho chile powder
1 T sweet paprika
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp salt
3 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 T apple cider vinegar


Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the spices and vinegar. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture. Place the chorizo in a colander or sieve over a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 days, daily squeezing out and discarding any liquid. After 3 days, divide the meat up into 8 little 4 oz loaves, wrap each one in plastic wrap and place the loaves in a freezer bag freezer container. 

White Bean and Avocado Salad - Phase 3 (Vegan)

This is a great salad for the summer. The best part, it is both a healthy fat and a protein on phase 3! Serve this with a salad or grilled veggies, and you have a full dinner!

Great option for vegans!

White Bean and Avocado Salad
Phase 3
Vegan
Makes 2 standard servings of protein and healthy fat

1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 T apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooked white or cannellini beans, rinsed
1 avocado, diced
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 T extra-virgin olive oil


In a medium bowl, toss onion, vinegar, salt and pepper together, then let sit for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans, avocado, parsley, and olive oil to onions and toss to combine. 

Apple Compote - Phase 1

Do you love applesauce? I do. Especially warm. When my daughter was little and we were poor as heck, I would make a cobbler with applesauce. It was SO good straight out of the oven... maybe I will write up the recipe some time for you.

I love applesauce on pancakes, on biscuits, on toast, on blueberry bread... Sometimes I like it sweet, sometimes not. 

Here is the kicker- store bought applesauce is not approved for FMD.

BUT- you can make your own very easily.

Chop some apples, add sweetener if you like, or not. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, my Pumpkin Pie Spice, mace, ginger, cloves- or no spice at all. Your choice. 
You can bake it in the oven, or cook it in a pan on the stove. Mash it to your liking. Leave it chunky. It is so easy to prep this ahead of time, and you can have apple "sauce" all Phase 1. Cook this while you cook Sunday dinner and you will have apple compote put up for the week ahead. Double the recipe if you want. 
Adjust portions for your weight loss goal. Portion this and freeze it. 

Grab your apples and a knife (safely, of course) and let's go.

Apple Compote
Phase 1
Makes 4 standard servings

4 cups chopped apples (I like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji- but use your favorite cooking apple. If you do not know if it is cooking or eating, simply ask The Google)
1/4 tsp cinnamon- or more, if you want
1/2 tsp powdered stevia- or not. Use more if you want, less. Up to you. Use xylitol if you want.
Tiny pinch of sea salt (never table salt)
Nutmeg, ginger, mace, cloves- pinches here or there. You decide.

Stovetop method:
Wash the apples and chop. Leave the peel on. I like to use 2 kinds of apples, and chop them in different size pieces. 

Chuck them into a skillet over medium high heat- add the salt and toss or stir. Cook for a couple of minutes, until they start to brown just a bit. 

Throw in a splash of water and let simmer for 4 minutes. Add sweetener and spices if using and stir... cook 1 minute or until the apples are just soft. The smaller you chop them, the less time to cook. 
Mash with a fork or potato masher, run through a food processor- whatever you fancy. 
Portion and freeze if you need.

Easy Method:
Chop the apples and throw them into a baking dish, along with a pinch of salt, the sweetener and spices if you are using. Add a tiny splash of water. Stir. Wack it in a hot oven (375 degrees) for about 15 minutes or so. Check at 10 minutes. Bake just until apples are soft- not longer. Mash as you please. 

Rosemary Focaccia Bread - Phase 3

As my husband and I were preparing to smoke some meat for Super Bowl Sunday and the upcoming week, we were having a hard time deciding on dinner. Here we were with about 10lbs of chicken wings, 9lbs of pork and some ribs and none of it was for our Saturday night dinner. 

I wanted something easy and initially thought about grilled cheese and tomato soup. I asked my husband and he was like, "eh." Great. He does not sound interested. Now what? So, I went online and started looking at recipes. I stumbled upon a focaccia recipe and instantly saw I could make it FMD compliant. I pulled out my tomato soup recipes, thawed some chicken and instead of a non-FMD meal, I made something better!

This bread is so easy to make. I do have some specific rules for it, though. 

You can use sprouted wheat flour, or one of my Flour Mixes, or even spelt (for maintenance since it is Phase 1).
This will not work with coconut flour or 100% oat flour or brown rice flour. 

You really do need to lighten it a bit since sprouted wheat flour is so heavy. If you are not using a flour mix, be sure to do one of the following (I do NOT have subs for these- simply choose 1):
- add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (I no longer use or recommend Vitacost brand xanthan gum- it has messed up way too many yeast doughs for me. I use Bob's Red Mill)
- add 2T tapioca flour
- sub 1/2 cup sprouted wheat flour for almond meal or flour
- sub 1/2 cup sprouted wheat flour for sorghum flour

Next- and this one is super important- be sure to watch the first rise. You do not want to allow the dough to rise more than double it's size. (this goes for all of my FMD recipes) I cannot say how long this will take as there are too many factors involved in yeast breads rising. It might take 30 minutes, it might take 90 minutes, it might be somewhere in between. Once it is doubled, move on to the next step.

Be liberal with the olive oil. Do not be scared!

If you do not have a stand mixer- mix the dough without the salt until it forms a ball. Turn out onto a clean counter that has been lightly floured and knead the salt into the dough. Pat the dough into a flat circle. Sprinkle some of the measured salt onto the dough. Fold over and knead 8-10 times. Pat into a circle, sprinkle with a little salt and knead. Repeat until the salt is incorporated well.

Roll or press to the thickness you prefer. Are you using this for sandwiches? Do not press it super thin. Make it a circle, a rectangle- whatever you want. 

Lastly- use only fresh rosemary. Dried just won't work. 

Here you go:

Rosemary Focaccia
Phase 3
Makes 28 servings for phase 3

1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110°F*)
1 (0.25 ounce) package active-dry yeast or 2 1/2 tsp 
3 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour (see notes above)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (see notes above)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons flaked sea salt or course salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

flaked sea salt

Add warm water (*about 110°F. Use a thermometer if you do not know what this feels like) and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough attachment, and stir to combine.  

Turn the mixer onto low speed, and add gradually flour(s) and olive oil. 

Increase speed to medium-low, and continue mixing the dough for 5 minutes.  (If the dough is too sticky and isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add in an extra 1/4 cup flour while it is mixing.)

If you are stirring by hand, just mix until it forms a ball. Follow kneading steps explained above. 

Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball.  Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) with olive oil , then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location (I put mine on my stove with the oven on) and let it rise for 45-60 minutes, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size. Be sure to not let it go more than double.


Preheat oven to 390°F. (I know this is weird but 400 was just a tad too hot in my oven. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Place the dough on the baking sheet and roll or press into the shape and thickness you want.  Generally you want the dough to be about 1/2-inch thick.  

Using your fingers, spread about a tsp of olive oil over the dough. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or parchment, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap. Now for the fun part!! Using your fingers, poke deep holes all the way down to the baking sheet, all over the surface of the dough.  Then drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the fresh rosemary needles and sea salt. You can rough chop the rosemary first, if you want. 

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.  Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired.

Slice, and serve warm.