Super Yam Pie for the Holidays!

4 medium                                yams

1-2 medium                            duck Eggs

½ cup                                     organic heavy cream

4 tablespoons                         sucanat

¼ cup                                     grade B Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon                              ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon                           vanilla extract

2 packages                               Barbaras graham crackers or

1 box                                       New Morning graham crackers

1 tablespoon                            ground almonds

½ cup                                      organic unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon                              ground cardamom

To Bake yams:

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees, rinse and yams and place in glass baking dish cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil cover tightly, place in pre heated oven for 1 hour or until tender. Remove yams from oven and set aside to cool.

Making the filling:

Peel yams and place in a large mixing bowl and mash.  In a separate mixing bowl combine eggs, cream, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, whisk together.

Pour egg mixture over yams, if a smooth consistency is preferred use an electric mixer otherwise a large whisk is fine and will yield a more rustic texture.

To prepare crust:

Place graham cracker in a food processor to yield a medium grind, in a glass or porcelain bake ware pour in graham cracker crumbs

Pour filling into pie crust garnish with crushed Sweet Roasted Almonds and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Sooo delicious served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and Papua New Guinea coffee!

Excerpt from: Living Beyond Organic: Food Alchemy pub. Date Fall 2009

This is book 2 in a series of 3. for more information log on to: www.livingbeyondorganic.com

Basic Bison Burger

Ingredients:

 1 pound ground bison

1 Roma tomato

1⁄4 cup organic tamari

1 tablespoon All Purpose Herb Blend

1 teaspoon Garlic Blend

1 teaspoon paprika

- or -

1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves (optional) or 1 teaspoon dried basil

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon fennel, ground

1 tablespoon elephant garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon organic safflower or sunflower oil

Dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place bison in a glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl and set aside. Combine tomato, garlic, tamari, herbs and spices in a blender or food processor. Add puréed mixture to bison and mix well. Shape into patties. Preheat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium flame; season with safflower oil.

Cook 5 minutes per side for medium or until desired doneness is achieved. Makes four burger patties. Patties can be frozen when raw. To freeze wrap them individually in unbleached parchment and place in heavy-duty plastic freezer bags. Use within 3 weeks if stored in a frostless freezer, up to 6 months in a deep freeze.