A reader recently wrote me to ask for tips on Postpartum weight loss. As I was replying to her, I realized the response had promise as a blog post, knowing that there are probably others out there with the same question!
This is a very long story, which I will explain in an upcoming post, but suffice to say, we are going back to the GAPS diet. Why? Read the rest of this entry »
Growing up, I used to hear adults sometimes say:
“What am I? Chopped Liver?”
I never understood the reference, but when someone says that, they usually mean “what am I? Nothing special? Not a standout? A wallflower?”
As I was planning for tonight’s meal, I noticed that I needed to defrost some liver to chop and blend into the ground beef for tonight’s sloppy joes. The whole point of doing this is to add more nutrition and all the benefits of liver without compromising the taste for picky eaters!
Then, it hit me! I get it now! Chopped liver! It’s not supposed to be a standout! It’s supposed to be a “wallflower” of sorts! Now the reference totally makes sense!
Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Easy Sneaking Liver Tips
I buy whole beef livers farm direct, and they come frozen and they’re just large. I never use a whole liver in one meal, so I thaw the liver partially and cut into ice-cube sized chunks, so they are roughly 2 oz each. I refreeze these chunks on a tray, and then transfer them to a freezer bag so that they are always accessible. That way, if I need to thaw 1/4 cup of liver, I’ll just take out two cubes and thaw them so that they can become chopped liver!
Here are some other ways to use your frozen liver chunks:
- Blend 1 cube into your morning smoothie (make sure your beef liver is from a clean, reputable farmer, and that it’s been frozen for 14 days or more). I promise you won’t taste it, and you’ll get the benefits of raw liver!
- Cut the raw liver into pea sized chunks and swallow them whole, like pills. Chase down with your favorite juice or kombucha.
- Grate frozen liver onto scrambled or fried eggs (this is especially good for toddlers!)
- Conveniently pop 1 in the blender for every cup of chicken broth you use to enhance the nutritional value of blended soups.
- Make liver rice.
So, why in the world would you want to eat raw liver?
Mainly because raw liver contains all of the nutrients that are lost during exposure to high heat, particularly heat-sensitive B12. B12 is so important for overall health, both physical and mental. It’s known as the anti-depressant vitamin. It’s only available in raw animal foods, such as dairy and meat.
Other benefits liver:
- An excellent source of high-quality protein
- Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
- All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
- One of our best sources of folic acid
- A highly usable form of iron
- Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
- An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
- CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
- A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.
I highly recommend trying some of these sneaky liver tips, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. Liver is great, but because it’s so nutrient dense, you need only eat it about once a week.
For other Kitchen Tips, visit Tammy’s Recipes!