Slow Simmered Blacks Beans and Vegetables

I was looking for a comforting, hearty bean dish with tons of flavor from whole real ingredients!

We were able to impart so many flavors into these beans as they slowly simmered on our stove.

First, soak your beans overnight in fresh, purified water to remove some of the phytates and tannins. 

Once ready to prepare, saute your vegetable base.  We diced a large organic onion and 4 medium carrots.  We sauteed in a stock pot with coconut oil until translucent.  Midway through sauteing add 4-5 cloves of chopped garlic.

Next, add your soaked black beans (1lb bag).  We added a jar of our homemade chicken stock (full of minerals) to the pot to go over the beans about 2 inches.  

Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes.

Ladle a big spoonful in your bowl add some additional diced onions and/or diced avocado.  Shredded cheese and most importantly season with a natural sea salt blend to add in additional minerals and flavor.

We added Smoked Serrano sea salt for a mild heat, you can add Ghost Pepper sea salt for a more intense heat.

Vanilla Bean Dusted Parsnip Fries and Honey Dijon Dip

Making your own delicious healthy fries are quick and easy and you do not need any fancy equipment or fryers.

Parsnips are so unique and have such a distinctive sweet flavor.  Some say they are a cross between a potato, carrot and turnip.  I just find them extremely delicious!

They look just like a carrot, but they are white!  Peel the outer skin or if you know they are organic go ahead and use a vegetable brush to scrub clean.  

Once cleaned cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thin strips.  We used about 6 medium parsnips for this dish.  Place on a baking pan and add about a two tablespoons of coconut oil to coat all strips.  

Bake in the oven at 425 degrees being careful to turn and avoid burning.  Once golden brown and fully cooked pull out, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and season with Vanilla Bean sea salt.  The Vanilla Bean sea salt is amazing with the sweetness of these fries.  The vanilla shines through and elevates the already amazing fried parsnip.

To kick this up another notch...add a side of Honey Dijon Mustard dipping sauce!  So GOOD!

1)  1 tablespoon raw organic honey
2)  1/2 tablespoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar
3)  2 tablespoons of quality Dijon Mustard

Mix and use as a dip!

Trust me your going to want a bigger batch the next time!

Seasoned Cream Cheese and Veggies

Want a quick bite with some flavor!  Are you always reaching for the quick bag of chips or other pre-made boxed snack?

I've got a great alternative that will give you that same flavor satisfaction with the same ease of preparation and best of all, better for your body in the long run.

It's chopped raw veggies...with a kick!  Take your favorite cream cheese and sprinkle it with a seasoned sea salt blend! It is amazing what a little fresh, natural seasoning will do for the simplest of ingredients.

Thai Ginger Sea Salt is so good on raw vegetables and we added a little Ghost Pepper for some heat!  Remember not too much, just enough to add flavor and add all the mineral goodness only fresh natural sea salt can provide.

Try and eat about 80% raw vegetables to take advantage of all of the live enzymes in these little gems.  Remember color is representative on of what the vegetable contains...try and include as many colors as possible.

Ground Beef with Golden Berries and Jasmine Rice

I was feeling a bit exotic and wanted a healthy beef dish with all kinds of flavor...so this is what I came up with.

Just a quick note about me:  I never follow recipes, I will get inspired by others, however there is something in my personality that does not allow me to follow the written direction when it comes to food or grocery lists.  

I am a free spirit when it comes to these things and sometimes it takes me to such high heights and newly explored ingredients and sometimes I go back to the drawing board.  BUT always, it is me and what comes out of my heart, mind and soul.

This one was a hit!  I sauteed finely chopped onions (1 medium) and garlic (3-4 cloves) until translucent.  Then I removed and added my grass fed ground beef (1 1/2 lbs).  Render your beef until cooked.

Add back in your onions and garlic and add about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.  I finely chopped some left over organic kale and added this to the mix!

Slowly allow this to simmer and meld all the flavors together.

I then cooked a really delicious Jasmine rice!  Once cooked, add to a small bowl and lightly pat down.  Turn the bowl over on a large plate and you will have a beautiful dome presentation!

I added a bit of berry punch to my meat mixture with the super berry - Golden Berry!  Add to your meat mixture near the end of cooking (1/2 cup) and allow them to simmer in the juices and plump up a bit!  This gives the dish a tart sweetness that pops with this dish!

Of course, season this dish well with a natural sea salt!  We used Smoked Serrano for a mild touch of heat which paired well with the sweetness of the berry!

Sunchoke Chips 'Simply Elevated'!

Are you avoiding processed potato chips, but crave them like I do?

Are you adventurous and love to try new things?  Then sunchokes are something you should definetely experiment with!

They are a cross between a potato and a rutebaga, only richer, nuttier and sweeter.

They might be a little intimidating to look at, but they are just as easy to work (just like potatoes).  Just scrub the outer side, peel any spots you feel uncomfortable with and then treat like a potato!

I love potato chips and I do not eat them anymore because I react to the specific starch in potato, BUT not in these little gems!

I scrub and peel (as necessary) and then thinly slice.  I heat up a large pan with coconut oil and then throw these lovely slices in the hot coconut bath!  

Turn and watch them...once they turn golden brown strain them on a plate with a paper towel.  

Sprinkle with any of the blended sea salts:  We love Ghost Pepper, Spanish Rosemary, Sun Ripened Tomato, Thai Ginger and Smoked Serrano...just really depends on our mood or what we are serving them with!

Simply Elevated Bruschetta!

It really is hard to improve upon a good quality Brushetta, but we are going to try...

Bruschette, pronounced "bruce ketta" has long been an Italian favorite which is very simple, yet elegant.  

Start with a good quality Italian bread that is a couple of days old, then cut into slices about one inch thick.  Line up your bread slices on a pan and place in your oven's broiler, you will be toasting both sides of the bread.  

Next step, is to rub the top and crusty sides of the bread with peeled garlic cloves and then drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil.

Next step - 'Simply Elevate' with a gourmet blended sea salt!  We really enjoyed:  Spanish Rosemary, Sun Ripened Tomato, Aged Balsamic and Ghost Pepper sea salt.  

These can be enjoyed with a meal or as a snack.  Cube them and use as croutons on your fresh chilled salad!

Toasted Artisan Bread with Parmesan and Sun Ripened Tomato

Warm, toasty, crusty artisan bread lovingly basted with olive oil, fresh grated parmesan cheese and finished with sun ripened tomato sea salt!

It is deliciously satisfying on it's own and a great side to a main meal.

If on it's own make a pool of organic extra virgin olive oil and use this warm toasty bread to dip and sop up all the olive oil goodness.

Deconstructed Western Omelet with Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt

I'm not famous for my egg flipping, turning, folding, etc.

So...introducing the deconstructed western omelet! 

Saute bits of ham, diced onion and peppers till tender.  Scramble and plate the eggs then layer with your saute mixture.  Freshly grated parmesan cheese and perfectly seasoned sun ripened tomato sea salt to provide the extra flavor and crunch!

Pretty looking dish and all the flavors and textures come shining through with each delicious bite.

Contributed by www.oldcitysalts.com

Smoked Serrano Pineapple Tomato Salsa

Game time...and the perfect snack for game time is salsa!

Get the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find and dice them.  Add cubed juicy pineapple, finely diced onions and a bunch of chopped cilantro.  If you like it hot add diced jalapeno.

Drizzle with olive oil, lemon or lime and a generous amount of smoked serrano sea salt.

Your chips will thank you for it!

Contributed by www.oldcitysalts.com

Sun Ripened Tomato Spaghetti Squash

This is so simple and so delicious!  Not to mention a bit healthy...

Split and roast a large spaghetti squash.  Fork out strands when tender and place in a pan with your favorite tomato sauce to coat and heat.

Plate and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, drizzle of olive oil and finish with sun ripened tomato sea salt!

My 4 and 5 year old devoured it without hesitation!  I was asked to make it every night...

Contributed by www.oldcitysalts.com