M-J’s Low-Carb Cinnamon Toast

M-J's Low-Carb Cinnamon Butter ©M-J de Mesterton 2012

M-J’s low-carb cinnamon toast consists of Wasa 7-grain Crisp & Light bread spread with M-J’s original cinnamon butter. RECIPE: Simply mix cinnamon with softened butter and stevia powder (you may prefer to use Splenda), using your own judgment for the proportions of each ingredient. Wasa Crispbread is very low in carbohydrates, and contains a good amount of fibre; cinnamon is known to lower blood-sugar levels.

©M-J de Mesterton 2012

Salad with Fuji Apples and Sesame Dressing

Romaine Lettuce, Cucumbers, Fuji Apples and Sesame Dressing

M-J’s Sesame Dressing

Peanut Oil or Vegetable Oil

Sesame Paste

Soy Sauce

Rice Vinegar, Cider Vinegar, or any White Vinegar

Whisk these ingredients together, starting by the gradual addition of oil to the sesame paste. They are listed in order of amounts, which vary by taste among cooks.

M-J’s Winter Health Smoothie

M-J de Mesterton's Winter Health Smoothie

One half-cup of water, one fourth-cup of lemon juice, one jalapeño or serrano pepper (roasted, pickled or fresh), two stalks of celery, one-half of a cucumber, one tablespoon of thick yoghurt or one half-cup of buttermilk, one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of parsley, all whirled in a blender till smooth. Add water if necessary for processing.

Copyright M-J de Mesterton 2009

M-J’s Original Recipe: Walnut Torte

M-J's Walnut Torte Recipe on Elegant Survival Cuisine

Elegant Cuisine

M-J’s Cream of Celery Soup

Cream of Celery Soup, by M-J de Mesterton Photo Copyright 2009

Recipe is on M-J’s Elegant Cuisine Page: My Original Recipe: Low-Carbohydrate Celery Soup/
Potage de Celeri

M-J’s Still Life with Fruit Smoothie

M-J de Mesterton Still Life with Fruit Smoothie, Recipe Copyright 2008

Ginger, Chilean black grapes, plain yoghurt, bananas, apples, oranges, frozen blueberries, strawberries and a bit of honey are blended in an Osterizer for a health-enhancing morning drink.

~~M-J

M-J’s Green Beans with Almonds

M-J's Green Bean and Almond Sauté

In a large pan or wok, heat some peanut or red chile oil (M-J’s recipe is on the Elegant Survival.net Cuisine page). Empty a bag of frozen or fresh green beans into the hot oil. The thinner the beans, the better. Crush some roasted chile almonds (M-J’s recipe is on the Cuisine page at Elegant Survival.net) inside of a bag with a mallet or potato masher. Empty them into the pan with the green beans after they have begun to look a bit browned. Toss this together and sautée it for a while longer. Serve alongside chicken or beef, or as a high-protein, high-fiber meal if you don’t eat meat.

Elegant Apple Pie

Photo of M-J’s  Elegant Apple Pie Copyright Elegant Survival, 2008–click image to enlarge

M-J’s Elegant Apple Pie Recipe

• 4 cups of white flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 stick of salted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¾ cup of chilled lard (“manteca”)
• 7 Fuji apples–cored, peeled, and thinly sliced (reserve peels and cores)
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1/4 cup light-brown sugar (or more, according to your to your taste)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1 additional half stick of butter
• An extra 2 tablespoons of sugar, either white or brown
• One cup of water
• DIRECTIONS

• 1. Make the dough: put one stick of cold butter into a large mixing bowl, together with the 3/4 cup of chilled lard and a teaspoon of salt. Add flour gradually, working it into the butter and lard. Add approximately 3/4 cup of cold water, then cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms small pea-shaped balls, and when formed into a large mound, it holds together. Sometimes less cold water is required–believe it or not, the amount needed to make a pie dough with this recipe depends upon the moon.’s current phase. Mix this by hand, since machine will create a tough pie crust. I use an old-fashioned wire potato masher and a wooden spoon. When the dough sticks together but doesn’t stick to your hands, shape it into 2 balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• 2. Put all of your apple peelings and cores into a saucepan on the stove with a cup of water and two tablespoons of sugar, and boil until the liquid becomes syrup. Strain liquid from solids and reserve it. The peelings can then be eaten or ground into applesauce–it’s important not to waste any edible part of your apples.
• 3. Assemble the pie: heat your oven to 425°F. Roll out one ball of dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Fit the dough into a 9 or10-inch pie pan. Place one layer of apple slices into the dough-lined pan. Cover them with two tablespoons of cornstarch and a quarter-cup of brown sugar. Repeat this process with apples, sugars and cinnamon. Distribute the half-stick of butter on top of the apples after slicing it into bits. Add your apple syrup over the top of the pie. Alternatively, I sometimes skip the step of creating syrup from my apple peelings, and just use some apple juice concentrate (found in grocery frozen juice section).
• Roll out the second ball of dough for the top crust. Brush the edges of the bottom crust with water or milk, and lay the top crust down, pressing the edges together to form a tight seal. Use your imagination to pierce or slice a design into the top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Bake for ten minutes at 425*F, then lower your oven heat to 350* and bake for another hour. Let the apple pie cool for a minimum of two hours before serving.
• Elegant Apple Pie Recipe Copyright M-J de Mesterton 2008

Copyright M-J de Mesterton