Top Recipes Using Organic Dairy Foods – As talk of organic foods has become a hot topic online, on television, and in magazines and newspaper articles, and the benefits of eating organic foods has been publicized, more and more consumers are buying organic foods. A recent article in the May 2008 issue of Prevention Magazine, cited that a new study from the United Kingdom found that organic produce that was grown in Europe beside farmers with conventionally grown produce had as much at 40% more disease-fighting antioxidants.
As the United Kingdom study found, milk from cows that are raised using organic methods had up to 80% more nutrients that are beneficial than milk from cows raised using conventional methods. Two other primary reasons consumers choose organic milk is to avoid milk that has added growth hormones and antibiotics or feed or grass that was treated with conventional pesticides, which non-organic milk does not contain.
In order to avoid the added growth hormones and antibiotics I started buying organic milk and other dairy products for my family about 2 years ago. I also started buy mostly organic foods (especially fruits, vegetables, beans, grains and food products we use regularly in order to eat healthier and know what I was putting into my body and my children’s bodies. I buy many different organic dairy products from low fat and whole organic milk, to organic yogurt, cheese, sour cream, and whipping cream.
Cooking with Organic Dairy products is a real treat because I know I am getting the real deal. I enjoy trying out new recipes or trying to come up with my own version of a recipe I have tried at a dinner party or at a restaurant. I have several recipes that I enjoy that incorporate organic dairy product that I think you might enjoy. I pair most of the recipes below with a healthy salad or soup or a grilled vegetable or fruit based dessert.
My new favorite lunch or light dinner fare is my take on a Margarita Pizza or a Panini Sandwich, it is an Margarita Open Faced Sandwich with Reduced Balsamic Vinegar and Apple. The recipe is simple, quick, and very healthy. It is a meal by itself or it can be paired with a nice salad or a bowl of soup to make a hearty meal.
Ingredients:
1 Slice Whole Wheat Bread
1 Large Tomato or Roma Tomato
1-2 Slices of Fresh Organic Mozzarella (Large Mozzarella Ball or 3 Medallions)
3-2 Fresh Sweet Basil Leaves
1 Apple (Sweet, Crisp, Green Apple, if possible)
¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Time to Make Sandwich: 10 minutes
To make the Margarita Open Faced Sandwich take a piece of Whole Wheat Bread and place it on a cooking sheet or toaster oven tray. Rub ½ Teaspoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the topside of the bread. Next, place tomato slices on top of the bread to until you cover the surface. Then, place several basil leaves on top of the tomatoes. I usually use 3 fresh basil leaves. Next, place a large slice of fresh mozzarella or 3 fresh mozzarella medallions on top of the basil. Now you are ready to toast your Open-faced sandwich. Put your cooking sheet or toaster oven tray in the oven/toaster oven and cook until mozzarella and hot and edges of the bread are toasted (My oven toasts on the top level and it takes 3 ½ minutes to toast the sandwich.
While you are toasting the sandwich, put ¼ cup of Balsamic Vinegar in a saucepan on Medium Heat to make a Balsamic Syrup. You will cook the Balsamic Vinegar until the thin vinegar only half of the liquid is left and is thick like syrup. Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside. While your Vinegar is cooking, thinly slice part of an apple into 2 thin rounds.
Once your sandwich is done being toasted remove, place on a plate and carefully lift the mozzarella and place the apple slices under the mozzarella. Last, you will drizzle the Balsamic Vinegar Reduction or Syrup onto your sandwich. Sit and enjoy with your favorite beverage.
The next 2 recipes are simple ways to use organic dairy products and really treat yourself or company. I eat very healthy but now and again I want to add a little richness to a meal or for a special occasion. Have you ever made fresh butter? If you have never lived on a farm (I have not either) than you may not have made your own butter. But it tastes great, you can make it any flavor you want and it only takes a few minutes. And you know what is in your butter, which is definitely healthier than buying spreads or non-organic butter.
Perfect Homemade Organic Whipped Cream is super easy to make and pairs well with a lovely dessert or even on top of hot chocolate. If you are already using organic dairy products and are just beginning to buy them, you probably have picked up the whipped cream at the store and promptly put it back after reading the ingredient list. Well, for the special occasions or times you want whipped cream you can make yours in less than 5 minutes and it is the best tasting whipped cream you have ever had.
Ingredients for Perfect Homemade Organic Whipped Cream:
1 pint or 16 oz. Carton of Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tsp to 2 Tbs Sugar (to taste)
Vanilla (optional-for vanilla flavored Whipped Cream)
Time to make: 5-10 minutes
To make the Perfect Homemade Whipped Cream you will need an electric mixer, bowl and spoon. First, pour your cold whipping cream into a bowl (chilled bowl if possible but not necessary). Begin beating your whipping cream on medium-high for several minutes (until the whipping cream folding and airy. You do not want to over whip it or it will turn into butter. Once the whipping cream has turned into a Whipped Cream (airy, and thick) gently fold in your sugar. Taste to see if the sweetness is to your liking. If not, slowly add a little sugar at a time. Enjoy this wonderful sweetness with your favorite dessert or on top of hot chocolate! It is so good you will want to eat it alone!
Special Occasion Whipped Herb or Honey Butter is also made with organic heavy whipping cream 1 main ingredient and a few sprinkles of your favorite spices or sweetener to make a special butter to go with toasted bread, or on baked sweet potatoes or meat or corn on the cob.
Ingredients For Honey Butter:
1 pint Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
1-3 Tablespoons Honey (you can use more or less to suite your tastes)
Ingredients for Herb Butter:
1 pint Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Dried Basil
¼ tsp Dried Oregano
¼ tsp Dried Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Or your favorite Herbs
Time to make: 10 minutes
To make Whipped Honey Butter, you need a bowl, and an electric hand mixer. Pour your cold whipping cream into a cool or chilled bowl. Begin to beat the whipping cream on medium-high to high speed for several minutes until the whipping cream, which is a little thicker than milk, thickens to a creamy consistency. Your whipping cream has turned into butter! Now take your honey and gently fold it into the butter. That is it- you have made Organic Whipped Honey Butter which is perfect for toast, warm, or crisp bread, a sweet potato or baked apples.
To make Whipped Herb Butter, follow the directions above, except add your favorite herbs to the butter or the ones listed above. Fold the herbs into the butter and serve with bread, with corn, or a steak.
Another recipe I love to make and have given it my own twist is my version of a White Pizza. It is called White Basil Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust and it is a wonderful pizza that is perfect for an appetizer or for dinner when paired with a small salad or soup. You can also serve the pizza with a side of marina sauce for dipping bites of the pizza into. I have tried a hundred white pizzas, at restaurants, from the store and that I have played with, but this one is now my favorite-simple yet so flavorful. The organic cheeses make this pizza amazing.
Ingredients for the White Basil Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust:
1 Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (click here for a great whole wheat pizza dough recipe by Kathleen Daelemans
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Clove of Fresh Garlic, minced
6 Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
¼ tsp of Dried Basil
¼ tsp of Dried Oregano
¼ tsp of Ground Thyme
2 oz of Organic Goat Cheese
2 oz of Organic Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 oz of Organic White Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 oz of Pecorino Ramano (a white hard, salty cheese)
Time to make: 20 minutes if the crust is made
To make the White Basil Pizza, you will need a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 450º. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the top of your cookie sheet or pizza pan. Roll and stretch your dough to fill the pizza pan or cookie sheet (if it is a large sheet it make not fill the entire area). I prefer the dough to be rolled as thin as possible. Now pour a little olive oil on your fingertips and rub the top of the pizza crust with the oil. Next sprinkle the fresh garlic around the pizza crust and then sprinkle the fresh basil and dried herbs and a little salt and pepper. Next crumble or put little pieces of the goat cheese all around the pizza. Now sprinkle or shred the mozzarella, cheddar and pecorino romano cheeses onto the pizza. Now put your pizza in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is crisp, browned and the cheese is melted.
When it is finished, cut, and serve with a salad and a small dish of marinara sauce and enjoy!
To finish off my dairy recipe ideas for you I am going to leave you with a dessert. A perfect Fall dessert with a great, yummy twist. Baked Apples with Walnut Cheese Crisps and Whipped Cream. Most of us have enjoyed baked apples, whether in an apple pie or apple crisp but I wanted to try something with a little less sweetness that paired well with a nice white wine and I thought cheese needed to be added to apples!
Ingredients to make Baked Apples with Walnut Cheese Crisps and Whipped Cream:
3-4 Peeled and Sliced Apples (I prefer Green Apples- sweet, crisp apples)
Sugar
Cinnamon
½ Tsp Organic Butter
¼ cup Walnuts
½ cup Shredded White Cheddar Cheese (or other white cheese with a little saltiness and some nuttiness)
Brown Sugar
Time to Make: 1 hour (10-20 to prepare and 30-40 to bake)
To make the Baked Apples with Walnut Cheese Crisps and Whipped Cream, put apples in a mixing bowl. Add tsp of butter to apples and toss. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on apples to coat. Add apples to a small baking dish so they cover the bottom and are spread about 2 apples high. Sprinkle the apples with brown sugar. Bake the apples at 350º for 30-40 minutes (until apples are soft). Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and make 8 small mounds of cheese and sprinkle walnuts on each cheese mound. Once you are done baking the apples. Turn your oven to Broil and broil the cheese mounds until the cheese it flat and crisp (if you have a choice-low broil is preferred). Remove from oven, let cool and then peel of cheese crisps and put onto a plate.
Serve the baked apples with a walnut, cheese crisp and a dollop of the Perfect Homemade Organic Whipped Cream (mentioned above). A little bit sweet, a little bit salty, crunchy and warm- it is dessert heaven!
I hope you enjoy these great recipes and remember organic dairy products make each of these recipes even better and you know what you are getting. Bon Appetit!
