Prasada - Food is Divine

NEW BLOG!

2011-05-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

HI EVERYONE.........
Please note - this Blog has moved to a new address.....please check it out and become a fan on Facebook!
http://keepingitreal-naturalhomemaking.blogspot.com/

TYROPITA - Phyllo Cheese Triangles

2011-05-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to the Real Women of Philadelphia contest......here is my second submission...

TYROPITA - Greek Phyllo Cheese Triangles

2 eggs

4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese - Original or Light

1/2 pound(s) of feta cheese
1/4 cup(s) of fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp. of fresh chives, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. of fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 pound(s) of whole wheat or regular phyllo
1/2 cup(s) of extra-virgin olive oil
11 ounce(s) of fresh spinach or other salad greens
1 1/2 cup(s) of grated carrot
12 sprigs fresh oregano
12 fresh whole chives
1 cup(s) of extra virgin olive oil
9 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
3 pinch of sea salt
3 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp. of finely chopped fresh oregano

Method: Preheat oven to 350* F. Beat the eggs with a mixer until fluffy. Add room temperature cream cheese and continue to blend until well incorporated and creamy. With your hands, crumble in the feta and stir. Add the fresh parsley, chives, pepper, nutmeg and stir to blend.

Place the large phyllo sheets horizontally on your counter, so that the shorter edges are to the right and left. Cut the phyllo sheets, (making vertical cuts) in strips, about 3 1/2" wide with a very sharp knife. Stack them on top of each other and cover with wax paper, and then a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Using a clean pastry brush, brush each strip with olive oil. Then place 1 heaping tsp of cheese mixture at one end of each strip. Lift a corner of the strip next to the filling and fold it over the filling so that it touches the opposite long side and forms a triangle enclosing the filling. Continue to fold up the pastry, maintaining the triangular shape. Fill and fold remaining strips. Place the triangles on a greased baking sheet, and lightly brush each triangle with some olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

In a small bowl make the salad dressing by whisking together the 1 cup of olive oil, lemon juice, the 4 Tbsp chopped oregano, sea salt, and pepper. To plate: Place a handful of fresh spinach on a serving plate. Sprinkle with some grated carrot. Drizzle with some salad dressing, top with 2-3 cheese triangles, and then garnish with a sprig of oregano and a chive. Enjoy!

MAPLE APPLE TART

2011-05-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

I just entered my famous Maple Apple Tart recipe and demonstration video into the Real Women of Philadelphia contest for a chance to win $20 000! Wish me luck!

MAPLE APPLE TART

It's spring and the maple sap is running! Nova Scotia has many local producers of maple syrup, but this year my husband I decided to try our hand at making some from the maple trees on our property. Wow! I have a whole new respect for maple syrup after that experience. Did you know you need 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup? It's Canada's liquid gold! I wanted to create a recipe for this contest using what was available at the Farmer's Market at this time of year. We filmed on May Day in Halifax, and the rhubarb and berries still weren't ready, but apples are still around, and there was lots of fresh maple syrup for sale. I used to sell homemade baked goods at the Halifax Farmer's Market, and this Maple Apple Tart was a huge hit, so I've decided to share the recipe with all of you. Hope you enjoy!

MAPLE APPLE TART

Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, room temperature
1/3 cup pure local maple syrup
1 cup organic unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

Cream Cheese Filling:
10 oz original Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 organic egg
1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

Apple Topping:
2 large organic apples, (Cortland or Spy) peeled and cored
2 Tbsp pure local maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground organic cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Method:
Crust - Preheat oven to 450* F. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Drizzle in the maple syrup and continue to mix until well combined. Stir in the two flours until well blended. If it is still wet, you can add a little bit more flour. Press into the base of a 9" round springform pan or tart pan with a removable base to make an even layer. Create a 1" inch edge that presses against the sides of the pan. Set aside while you make the filling.

Cream Cheese Filling - Put cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then gradually add the maple syrup. Scrape down sides of bowl; add the egg and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl, and mix in vanilla extract and mix until very creamy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, and use a spatula to spread the filling evenly over the crust. Set aside while you make the topping.

Apple Topping - Peel and core apples and cut them into thin slices. In a large bowl, shake the apples with the cinnamon and maple syrup until the apples are coated well. Arrange the apple slices, pinwheel fashion over the cheese filling. Sprinkle the almonds over the apples. Bake in a the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400*F and bake for another 25 minutes until the filling has set. Cool to room temperature and chill 3-4 hours before serving.

GROWING MICRO GREENS

2011-05-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

If you like sprouting, you're gonna love growing micro greens. They are basically just grown up sprouts that have been grown in soil. This is a picture of the broccoli garden we are about to start nibbling at tomorrow like little rabbits. They make great additions to salads and sandwiches. They also make pretty snazzy garnishes.

GROWING MICROGREENS

Microgreens are plants sprouted from seeds that are grown in soil and have at least two true leaves after the cotyledons appear. The difference between sprouts and greens is that sprouts are eaten root and all, whereas only the leaves and stems of micrgreens are harvested for consumption. They are larger than sprouts, yet smaller than the popular commercially grown baby salad greens.

WHAT TO GROW:

Amaranth

Arugula

Basil

Beet- pre-soak

Broccoli

Cabbage

Chives

Red Clover

Corn – pre-soak

Cress

Fennel- pre-soak

Fenugreek

Flax

Kale

Mizuna

Mustard

Parsley- pre-soak

Peas- pre-soak

Radish

Wheatgrass- pre-soak

Method:

1. Pre-soak the seeds: Some larger seeds need to be pre-soaked before sowing. Place them in warm water for 24 hours before planting.

2. Growing medium: Fill a wide, shallow tray or pot with organic potting soil. Be sure to plant in a container that has drainage to prevent mould and rot. A lovely, plastic free option is an Asian bamboo steamer. Spread the seeds evenly over the moistened soil, lightly press to settle the seeds, and then cover the tray with a moistened dish cloth. Store the tray in low light at room temperature. Water lightly every morning until the greens germinate.

3. Sun your plants: Uncover the tray and move the tray to a well-lit area out of direct sunlight. They should be ready in a few days, when they are 2-5 cm tall and 7-1 days old.

4. Harvest: use scissors to cut the greens just above the soil level. It is best to harvest the greens as you need them. If you must, store harvested greens in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

ANCHO CHILI JAM

2011-05-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

I just upped the ante a bit over here. Our usual Burrito festivities just got a bit livelier with the addition of ancho chili jam as a condiment. You've got to try it. It is mildly spicy, and kinda sweet. Sort of like me...
Ancho chiles are dried poblano chiles. They are dark and wrinkly and taste great in this jam. All you have to do is soak them for a bit, and then they're ready to use. I don't think I can ever eat Mexican food without them ever again.

ANCHO CHILI JAM
(makes about 1 cup)

2 medium heads of organic garlic, left whole
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 oz dried ancho chiles
2 Tbsp local honey
2 Tbsp local organic apple cider vinegar
sea salt

Method: Slice the tips of the heads of garlic off and drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Place in a covered dish and bake in a preheated 350* degree oven until the garlic is soft. Allow to cool slightly.
While the garlic is roasting, toast the chiles in a moderately hot skillet for 1 minute, turning frequently. Then soak the toasted chiles in warm water for 20 minutes.
Drain the chiles and puree with the pulp of the roasted garlic, the remaining olive oil, honey, vinegar. Season to taste with salt.

MY BIRTHDAY CAKE

2011-04-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Awwww, I love my boys. We just had a wonderful birthday celebration, drinking wine, and eating fondue. They made me a Tiramisu birthday cake, and I just finished eating two pieces. It was an interesting combination of me having to purchase ingredients when I was in town today, and Scott and Faegan baking the first part of the cake while I was out. You see, having kids, you have to share the duties, even when it comes to your own birthday cake. It was up to me to come home with cream cheese and whipping cream. But, it being Easter weekend, I couldn't find organic whipping cream for the life of me. I am embarrassed to admit, I went to 5 Superstores looking for some. I am so stubborn, I just couldn't break down and buy the conventional stuff that is full of God only knows what, and polysorbate. After the last stop, I thought I'd try out sour cream and see how that does as a substitute. From the taste of things, it did a good job!

TIRAMISU CAKE

2 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder - GMO free and aluminum free

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

10 Tbps organic unsalted butter

1 cup organic coconut sugar

3 organic eggs

1 organic egg yolk

1 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp instant espresso powder

2 Tbsp boiling water

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 Tbsp Kahlua

8 oz organic cream cheese

1/2 cup organic icing sugar

1 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 Tbsp Kahlua

1 cup cold organic whipping cream (or in our case, sour cream)

2 21/2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Method: Preheat the oven to 350* F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

Stir the water and maple syrup together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.

Put the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the cream cheese. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:

If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.

For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining cream cheese filling.

With an icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.

HOT CROSS BUNS- The Easter Rituals continue....

2011-04-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hot Cross buns! Hot Cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot Cross buns!

If your daughters won’t eat them,
Give them to your sons;
But if you have none of those little elves,
Then you must eat them all yourselves!

I love it that each holiday has delicious baking associated with it. Take today for instance - all over the place, especially England, people bake and eat delicious sweet breads called Hot Cross buns on Good Friday. I have never made Hot Cross Buns before, so this year I decided to go for it. I have vague memories of having consumed store bought varieties at some point, but I am pretty sure they weren't as wholesome and delicious as this recipe. Now, as you probably know, most Hot Cross Buns have an icing sugar cross painted on them.....not these. ~~I am not a huge fan of icing sugar, so I opted to omit the cross painting, but by all means, if you really like sugar, paint away!~~ (I just discovered a new way to ice your buns! Mix cream cheese with a little honey, and pipe onto each bun! Yay!) ~~I also meant to glaze the buns with warm apricot jam but forgot to pick some up, and all the stores are closed. So sad.~~ I just baked a new batch and took a picture of the apricot glazed buns......shiny happy hot cross buns holding hands!

HOT CROSS BUNS

¾ cup organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup organic whole milk

3/4 cup local honey

4 1/2 tsp (2 packages) active dry yeast

1 Tbsp sea salt

Zest of 1 organic lemon

Zest of 1 organic orange

4 organic eggs, lightly beaten

5 ½-6 cups organic flour

2 Tbsp organic cinnamon, ground

1 tsp organic nutmeg, ground

1 1/3 cups organic currants, raisins, or dried cherries or cranberries

1/2 cup apricot jam

Optional Icing: ½ cup organic cream cheese
2 Tbsp local honey

Method: Grease a large bowl and set aside. Place the milk in a small saucepan, over medium heat. Heat until milk is warm or reaches 110*. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and a tablespoon of the sweetener. Let the yeast awaken and start to foam and then stir in the rest of the honey, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest.

In a large bowl, blend together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the yeast mixture, butter, and egg; pour into well. With wooden spoon, stir until soft dough forms. Knead until smooth. Then knead in the dried fruit.

Place dough in prepared bowl. Turn to coat with oil. Cover with a pot lid or overturned bowl or plate and let rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours. Don't be alarmed if it doesn't expand very much.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Turn dough out onto work surface. Knead briefly and roll dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 pieces the size of an egg. Shape into smooth balls. Place close together on the baking sheet and brush the tops with butter. Cover well with a floured dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about half an hour. When half risen in the pan, cut two gashes at right angles across top of buns. Continue to let them rise for another half hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Transfer buns to oven and bake until golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until heated through; strain through a mesh sieve set over a bowl. Brush heated jam over warm buns.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Icing: Mix the cream cheese and honey together. Usinga piping bag fitted with round tip, pipe cross on top of each cooled bun.

EASTER RITUALS- Part 2

2011-04-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Easter bunny has been seen lurking around the forest in our backyard. He was happily hopping about in the fog and mist, secretly hiding Easter eggs for all the little girls and boys. Inside, we too were happily hopping about dying eggs for Sunday. Ok, happily isn't quite the word for it. Eggs and a 3 year old are a dangerous combination, so I was getting a little irritated at points unfortunately.

Anyway, we managed to salvage about 9 eggs after dying them using homemade vegetable dyes. I was quite impressed with the cabbage dyed ones that resulted in brilliant blue hues. As if doing all this egg dying wasn't enough, I decided to make homemade pita bread for our falafel supper tonight. (Note to self, keep it to one project a day with a small baby and young child at the helm.) I was going to save the L'Acadie Vineyards Organic (hard) Cider that I bought at the market last weekend for my birthday tomorrow, but I REALLY needed it tonight! So, as I write this I am enjoying it's bubbly goodness.......cheers!

Here is an excerpt from my new book KEEPING IT REAL - A Radical Homemaker's Guide To Living Through the Seasons, that details how to dye eggs naturally for spring celebrating:

DYEING EGGS

Growing up my family always dyed Easter eggs. We’d boil at least a dozen vibrant red ones, which are traditional in Greek families. I always ended up dying some multicoloured pastel ones too, because I think those colours really embody the essence of spring. The dyed red eggs signify the blood of Christ to Greek Orthodox Christians.

Another Greek tradition is playing a game with the eggs called tsougrisma. This game involves two players and Easter eggs. Players hold an egg in their hand, and the first person taps the end of her egg lightly against the end of the other player's egg. The goal is to crack the opponent's egg. When one end is cracked, the winner uses the same end of her egg to try to crack the other end of the opponent's egg. The player who successfully cracks the eggs of the other players is declared the winner and, it is said, will have good luck during the year.

HOW TO DYE EASTER EGGS NATURALLY

To avoid artificial food dyes that are in Easter egg colouring kits, try experimenting with different ingredients found in your kitchen. It is a fun activity to do with your kids to celebrate this festive season!

What you need:

* Hard boiled organic white eggs (they take on the dyes better than brown eggs, but brown eggs will work as well)

* 4 cups of fruit/vegetable solids, mashed and 3–4 tablespoons for spices per quart of water

* 2 Tbsp local organic apple cider vinegar for every quart of water

* Several pots and bowls

* Optional: stickers, rubber bands, and crayons for decorating the eggs and making interesting patterns

* Egg cartons for drying the dyed eggs

Natural egg dyes can be made from a variety of ingredients:

RED

Organic beets in cranberry juice (instead of water)

LIGHT PINK

Frozen cherries

YELLOW

Organic tumeric powder

GREEN

Wild blueberries and their juice mixed with a few tablespoons of organic tumeric

BLUE

Shredded organic red cabbage

METHOD:

Method 1—Hot (for eggs that won’t be consumed)

Place eggs in a single layer in a large, nonaluminum pan. Add the dyeing ingredient of your choice. Cover the eggs and other dyeing “agent(s)” with one inch of water. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar per quart to help the color adhere to the egg, and bring to a boil. Next, simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the desired shade is achieved. If you cook the eggs longer than 15 minutes, they will become rather tough.

Method 2—Cold (for eggs that will be consumed)

Simmer the dyeing ingredients of your choice in a large, non-aluminum pan for 20–30 minutes. Lift or strain the ingredients out of the water and allow the water to cool to room temperature. Submerge the eggs until the desired color is achieved. You may keep the eggs in the solution overnight as long as it is refrigerated. The longer the egg stays in the dye, hot or cold, the deeper the hue will be.

If your house is anything like mine, you will have so many boiled eggs leftover from easter eggs, that you won’t know what to do with them. So here are some potato salad recipes to help you out.

POTATO SALAD

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds organic Yukin gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 ½ cups organic hard boiled eggs, diced

(1/4 cup organic white wine vinegar

2 organic scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup organic mayonnaise

1 stalk organic celery, sliced

2-3 Tbsp homemade organic relish

3 Tbsp organic parsley, chopped

2-3 organic eggs, hard boiled and chopped

sea salt and organic pepper)

Method: Set a bamboo steamer basket over a large pot of simmering water.

Place potatoes in basket, cover basket, and steam potatoes, tossing

occasionally, until tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine vinegar, scallions, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add hot potatoes to vinegar mixture; toss to combine. Cool to room temperature. Add mayonnaise to cooled potatoes; mix gently to combine. Serve, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Variation #1

BLUE CHEESE, APPLE AND WALNUT POTATO SALAD

¼ cup organic mayonaise

1/3 cup organic yogurt

3 Tbsp organic red wine vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp organic black pepper, ground

1 cup organic celery, thinly sliced

¼ cup organic red onion, diced

1 cup organic apple, diced

¼ organic walnuts, coarsely chopped

½ cup organic blue cheese, crumbled

Method: Prepare potatoes as described in master recipe. Substitute the white vinegar for the red and toss. Let the potatoes cool to room temperature then gently fold in all ingredients.

Variation #2

INDIAN SPICED CHICKPEA POTATO SALAD

1 cup organic cooked chickpeas

½ cup organic cilantro, chopped

¼ organic lime juice

1 Tbsp organic grainy mustard

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp organic black pepper, ground

½ cup e.v olive oil

2 cloves organic garlic, mashed to a paste

1 tsp organic ginger, finely grated

1 tsp local honey

1 ½ tsp organic cumin, ground

1 ½ tsp organic coriander, ground

½ tsp organic turmeric, ground

Method: Prepare potatoes as described above in master recipe. Substitute the white vinegar for lime juice and toss. Fold in the remaining ingredients.

ARTICHOKE, BLACK OLIVE AND MINT POTATO SALAD

1/3 cup organic mayonnaise

1/3 cup organic buttermilk

2 Tbsp organic lemon juice

2 tsp organic Dijon mustard

2 cloves organic garlic, mashed

½ tsp organic red pepper flakes, crushed

2 tsp fresh organic marjoram, chopped

2 cups organic artichoke hearts, chopped

1 cup Greek Kalamata black olives, chopped

½ cup fresh organic mint, chopped

Method: Prepare potatoes as described in master recipe. Substitute the vinegar with the lemon juice and toss. Fold in the remaining ingredients.

RITUALS OF EASTER - Part One

2011-04-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

The last few days I have been daydreaming and planning special Easter rituals and activities for the family. We headed into the city this morning to pick up some special supplies for our Easter crafting and baking. Faegan had fun spotting the Easter Bunny all along our journey, even in some unexpected places. The poor stuffed bunny we saw propped up at the end of someone's driveway is probably soaked by now from all the rain! It is so special to slow down for awhile and spend time in the kitchen with a child, baking. He loved dumping the cupfuls of flour into the bowl, measuring out the teaspoons of soda and salt, and then stirring it all together. The best part, of course, was using the fancy Easter shaped cookie cutters to make the biscuits. We chose an oatcake recipe to use for these treats, because they do require cookie cutters, but also because they are healthier than anything else. (Plus I really like them!)

OATCAKES

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic all purpose flour

1/3 cup organic coconut sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup organic butter

1/2 cup organic whole milk

Method: Preheat oven to 375*. Mix together the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter. With a fork, stir in the milk. Dough should just cling together. Divide the dough into 3 parts and roll out on a lightly floured board. Cut with cookie cutters and bake on an ungreased sheet for 10-12 minutes.

We have also been eating a little simpler around here while we do a fast for the last week before Easter. This is a tradition my family used to do when I was growing up, and it brings back fond memories for me. So no meat, dairy or eggs for me until Sunday. This means lots of beans at meals, including this traditional Greek black eyed pea soup.

BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

1/2 pound organic black eyed peas, soaked overnight

8 cups water

1/2 cup organic celery, chopped

2 cloves organic garlic, sliced

2 cups organic onion, diced

1 can pureed organic tomatoes

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

3 Tbsp organic parsley, minced (optional)

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp organic pepper

Method: Place the beans in a large soup pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for about one hour, or until they are tender. Then, add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered for 1 1/2 hours. Season to taste.

GET YOUR VEG ON KIDDIE STYLE

2011-04-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

After a morning spent playing outside in the foggy rain, and crafting "Little Red Riding Hood" puppets, my little boy was hungry! My favorite food to make lately when I want a fast, nutritious lunch is alphabet pasta with vegetables and browned butter. Who says you can only use vegetable alphabets in soup? This dish actually reminds me of hilopites, a greek square shaped pasta. Every now and then my family in Greece sends a batch of homemade hilopites to my mother, and if I am really lucky, she shares her stash with me. As a nutritious substitute, we love to use Vegetable Alphabets pasta from Eden Organic. They are made from 60% organic whole grains and are vegetable dyed lovely hues with beets, spinach, carrots and annatto. The trick to this meal is chopping or grating whatever vegetables you have on hand, so they are in easy to eat little bits. The "sauce" is simply butter that is melted to the point of just browning, which give this pasta a lovely nutty, buttery flavour. We can't get enough of this dish in us, so be sure to make lots...we always do!

VEGETABLE ALPHABETS with Browned Butter

1/2 pound Eden Organc vegetable alphabets

1/4-1/2 cup organic butter

1 cup organic butternut squash, grated

1 organic carrot, grated

3 handfuls organic spinach, torn

Other great additions: peas, broccoli, rutabaga, red peppers

freshly grated romano cheese

sea salt

Method: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1/2 Tbsp sea salt into the water, along with the pasta. While it cooks, heat a small saucepan over medium low heat and heat the butter until it starts to brown slightly, about 5 minutes. When the pasta is almost ready, stir in the veggies. Strain the pasta when it is tender and pour the browned butter over top. Top with lots of cheese.

CRAZY FOR ICE CREAM

2011-04-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Owning an ice cream maker doesn't necessarily mean you will make ice cream that often. It is one of those appliances that seems like a great idea when you are in the store, you buy it and bring it home, and then rarely ever use. I own alot of kitchen appliances and gadgets like that, but I refuse to give them away because when I do want to make __________ (fill in the blank - ice cream, popcorn, pasta, peel apples, core apples, juice, etc) then I have the tool to do the job. Unfortunately this means my basement is FULL of kitchen equipment. Ah well, that's the beauty of having a basement. A friend recently told me that Gandhi once said to only own as much "stuff" as you can fit into a chest. HMMMMMMMM I am way past that point. Though it is comforting to think that I am not a fear based person when it comes to the thought of my house being broken into and all my stuff stolen. I mean I like my stuff, but I can live without all of it. Anyway, so the point of this story is that I have been making ice cream a lot lately. I can't help it. I see organic dairy products on sale and I keep bringing home whipping cream and milk that needs to be used STAT! My favorite thus far has been last night's treat of Peanut Butter Chocolate ice cream.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM

3 organic eggs

1 cup organic sugar

250 g organic chocolate chips

2 1/4 cup organic half and half

1 cup organic whole milk

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

3/4 cup organic natural peanut butter

Method: Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate and cream. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted. Whisk into the egg mixture. Return entire mixture back to the pan and cook over low heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain into a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Then stir in the vanilla and milk. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Transfer one cup of the cream mixture to a blender and blend in the peanut butter. Stir peanut butter mixture into remaining cream mixture. Transfer to an ice cream maker.

THE BIG 3

2011-04-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Just winding down from a day of lots of busy excitement as my little boy turns 3. His birthday isn't actually until Thursday, but we celebrated it today with lots of fun and friends. I look back at last year's birthday party and wonder how I managed to do it all! I pared down the extravagance big time this year due to the fact that we now have two little ones to tend to, but I tried to still keep it special and delicious.

As you may remember, I have committed to striving to live as plastic-free a life as possible, which means not buying products packaged in plastic or made of plastic. So last year at birthday time I bought Chinese paper lanterns instead of balloons. The beauty of these lanterns is that they can be used over and over again, and they add a nice festive touch to parties. The paper theme continued over to the corner where we hung a pinata shaped like a sun wearing sunglasses. I stuffed this sucker full of little wooden toys, chocolate coins, and fruit sticks. I had an uneasy feeling this "pull ribbon" variety of pinata was a dud. I was right, after pulling off all the ribbons the darn thing didn't open. I had to seriously put a lot of effort into busting the thing open to get the candies out....oh well.

Since Faegan is now three, I thought we could try letting the little ones make their own pizzas. The dough and toppings were made in advance and ready to go for when the guests arrived. After some outdoor play and a snack of popcorn with (unintentional) burnt butter, they went to work creating their very own pies. My favorite was the pizza face, made by chewing away bits of pepperoni to make a smile and pupils.

The sweetest part of the party of course was dessert. Today was a great opportunity to try making super large cupcakes with the pan I've had kicking around since last years aborted baking idea. I thought it would be neat to give each kid their very own cake to eat instead of cutting into a traditional birthday cake. My favorite maple chocolate cake recipe translated fairly well over to cupcakes, except they sort of sunk in the middle. No matter though, they still tasted great, especially when served with a side of homemade honey ice cream.

MAPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

(makes one 6” layer cake or 9 large cupcakes)

¾ cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup organic cocoa powder

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup organic whole milk

½ cup organic vegetable oil (sunflower or safflower)

1 ½ cups local maple syrup

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp pure organic vanilla

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Prepare two 6” round cake pans by greasing them with some oil and then lining with parchment paper cut into rounds. Sift all dry ingredients together into a bowl. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, and then stir in the cocoa powder until dissolved. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla into the cocoa mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into to the dry. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake in 350* oven for 45-60 minutes in cake pans and for 22 minutes in the cupcake pan. Allow to cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans. Cool completely before icing.

MAPLE CHOCOLATE ICING

½ cup organic cocoa powder, sifted

100 g organic unsalted butter, room temperature

½ tsp pure organic vanilla

½ cup local maple syrup

Method: Whip the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add vanilla and maple syrup. Slowly stir in cocoa.

HONEY VANILLA ICE CREAM

4 organic egg yolks

1/2 cup local honey

2 cups organic cream

2 cups organic whole milk

1 tsp organic vanilla

Method: Whisk the egg yolks with the honey. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium low heat, bring cream and milk to a simmer and then gradually whisk into the egg mixture.

Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Stir and transfer into an ice cream maker.

SUGARING TIME

2011-03-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I love maple syrup. I use it whenever possible, and love substituting it for sugar whenever I can in recipes. Our house is always stocked with it, and in fact, I start to get anxious when we run out. So, it only makes sense that we would try our hand at harvesting our very own sap to make maple syrup. To our dismay, we only have three (small) maples on our property. That hasn't stopped us from purchasing three spiles and tapping away. Going around to each tree to empty the buckets of sap is one of the highlights of my day. Right now, all the sap is gathering in our fridge until the weekend when the big boil down occurs.......

Did you know that maple sap makes for a refreshing beverage right out of the tree? Oh indeed! And so even without a chemical analysis of it, I can pretty much guarantee it is full of electrolytes and life giving energy to give you just the boost you need this spring. If drinking it straight up isn't your thing, try replacing it for water in your favorite recipes....oatmeal, coffee, tea and more!

SPROUTS OF SPRING

2011-03-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

All the excitement over the first signs of spring have inspired me to start sprouting again. I seem to go in phases when it comes to sprouting. I think sprouts are especially good in the spring, as their vibrant energy helps our bodies get in gear for the warmer weather. Growing your own sprouts is farming essentially, only you do it indoors, which also makes them great winter crops to supplement the heavier fare of winter. I could go on and on about sprouts, but instead I'll just share you an excerpt from my new book! Yes, that's right I am writing a book which is almost complete! So exciting. All I can say about it now is that it is basically a renegade homemakers guide to living.......will keep you posted on it's developments as they unfold......

Sprouting is a wonderful and easy way to grow some of your own food year round. Not only are sprouts tasty, they are very nutritious. Sprouts are concentrated natural sources of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, trace elements, amino acids and proteins. Growing your own sprouts reduces the amount packaging that store bought ones come in, not to mention the carbon footprint associated with shipping fresh produce to stores. Homegrown sprouts are also always fresh, and a rewarding experience to grow!

What can be sprouted?

Although most people are only familiar with alfalfa sprouts and asian bean sprouts, there are so many wonderful sprouts you can grow. Some of the most common seeds that are sprouted are: alfalfa, broccoli, lentils, radish, red clover, mung, and onion.

Methods of Sprouting

There are many ways to sprout seeds, depending on the tool you use. I personally prefer sprouting in a glass mason jar and in a specially designed sprouting tray that has perforated holes in the bottom. When I am growing sunflower sprouts, I start the seeds in my mason jar and then transfer them to a tray filled with soil.

Mason Jar Method

1. Soak the seeds: Not all seeds require this step. If they do, fill the jar with seeds and water, twirl the water in the jar, pour water out and repeat this until the water runs clear. Fill the jar with cool water and leave to soak for 8-12 hours.

2. Rinsing and Draining: Drain the water out of the jar, fill with cool water, twirl the water. Pour off the water and repeat once or twice more. Rinse 2-3 times daily. When you are done rinsing, you need to get as much of the water out of the jar as possible. Turn the jar over and shake until all the water is gone.

3. Sprouting: Place the jar face down at an angle between the times you are rinsing and draining. You can use a dish rack or high-rimmed bowl for this purpose. Be sure that the jar is placed in a low light area. When the sprouts are done and big enough to eat, you can move them to a brighter area of your kitchen, but never in direct sunlight. Placing them in more light will cause the leaves to turn green, which is a good thing. Refrigerate the sprouts to slow the growth rate and keep them fresh until consumed.

SPROUTING TRAYS

Growing sprouts in a tray is very similar to growing them in a jar.

1. Soak the seeds in a jar as outlined above.

2. Rinse and drain the seeds in the sprouting tray. The perforated holes will allow the water to drain out. Be sure all water is removed from tray.

3. Cover the tray with a damp cloth in a dimly lit part of your kitchen. Be sure to rinse and drain 2-3 times a day.

4. Sprouting: when sprouts reach desired height, remove the cloth and move them to an area of the kitchen with more light to green off your plants. When done, store sprouts in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

GROWING GREENS

The difference between sprouts and greens is that sprouts are eaten root and all, whereas greens are harvested and you only eat the greens. Greens also differ from sprouts in that they require soil to grow. The most popular greens to grow are sunflower, buckwheat and pea. Pre-sprout the seeds: Most seeds need to be soaked and pre-sprouted until they grow a root of about 1/8-1/3-inch long.

2. Growing medium: Fill a shallow tray with organic potting soil. It is not necessary that the tray have holes. Spread the seeds evenly over the moistened soil and cover the tray with a cloth. Store the tray in low light at room temperature. Water lightly every morning until the greens are 2-3 inches long.

3. Sun your plants: Uncover the tray and move the tray to a well-lit area out of direct sunlight. They should be ready in a few days.

4. Harvest: use scissors to cut the greens off above soil level. Store them in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

GROWING GRASSES

The increase in popularity of juice bars, raw foods and healthy living has introduced people to the benefits of grass juices. You have probably heard of wheatgrass juice, the very concentrated green liquid often consumed straight up like a shot, or mixed in with smoothies. Wheatgrass juice is believed to help cleanse the lymph system, restore balance in the body, help remove toxic metals from the cells, and restore vitality. In addition to wheat, many people grow and juice other grains like spelt, rye and barley.

The best way to juice grasses are with a hand-cranked wheatgrass juicer that acts as a press that slowly extracts the wheatgrass juice from each blade of grass. Using a wheatgrass juicer is preferable because it does not destroy the enzymes with high speed. Grasses are grown exactly the same way as greens, but must be consumed and juiced immediately, or very shortly after harvesting.

SPRING IS HERE!

2011-03-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring Equinox! After a long winter of hibernating and gestating, I am so glad spring is here. To celebrate the first day of spring, the sun shone brightly and I cleaned my house. Nothing says spring like a little spring cleaning. Oh, and nothing says spring like fresh local spinach at the Farmer's Market. I can't tell you how excited I was to see that. To top off my excitement about the spinach, I was delighted to see it being sold in bulk, so no plastic bag! Woo hoo. I filled a paper bag and have been happily consuming spinach at every meal thus far. Spinach in my crepes this morning, spinach in my tomato salad last night, spinach salad for supper tonight......mmmmmmmm spring. Oh, I also came home from the market with some local, pesticide free, greenhouse tomatoes yesterday too. I can't wait to see what else is in store at the market next week. But until then, I am content to still eat winter squash. It shined tonight next to our Equinox feast of Lemon Chicken and Spinach Salad. That is the beauty of spring. Just as the days are still sometimes gray and cold, the sun still feels that much warmer. The gradual shift from winter to summer is what spring is all about, and so our diet should reflect this too. The slow emergence of spring's bounty mingles beautifully with the last few remains of fall's harvest.

SPINACH SALAD with a Yogurt Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 pound local organic spinach, washed and torn

1 organic carrot, grated

a sprinkle of organic sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp organic whole milk yogurt

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp organic pear cider vinegar

1/2 Tbsp local honey

sea salt and pepper

Method: Whisk the yogurt, oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle it on salad. Serve.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

4 organic chicken thighs

1 clove organic garlic, minced

juice of half an organic lemon

3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp dried organic oregano

sea salt and pepper

Method: Preheat oven to 375*. Marinate chicken pieces in the lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano in the fridge for 2-4 hours. When ready to cook, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drain the chicken from the marinade and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is browned.

BABIES AND BACON

2011-03-12T06:24:00.000-08:00

I really miss my blog. It has been so long since I've posted any new recipes and updates on my life. But we've been a little busy baking a baby. And he's here! Welcome Jude, we just want to eat you up. As you can imagine, life is a little hectic here at times with two wee ones to take care of. We are slowly getting into a rhythm, but sadly making exciting food is last on the list of things to do. We've been finding ourselves eating leftovers for a few days actually, so I've spared you the details of those fancy meals. The other day I managed to fry up some bacon, slather a couple of croissants with dijon, melt cheese and slice apple for some lunch sandwiches, which I then had to eat with a crying baby in a sling as I dropped croissant flakes all over him as I ate standing up. I didn't even have a chance to change the lens on my camera to get a good picture.......I am going to share it with you nonetheless....

GRANOLA

2011-01-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe for granola with you yet. I've been making this recipe for many, many years, and I never seem to get tired of it. I mean, it is a good idea to take a break from eating it, I like to rotate what I eat for breakfast. Most granola recipes only use sweeteners and oils for wetting agents, which I find result in a granola that gets kind of burnt and doesn't stick together in chunks at all. This one uses water or fruit juice to moisten the oats which results in the odd crunchy cluster. This may sound strange, but one of my favorite ways of eating this cereal is with rice milk poured all over it, grated apple and blueberries. I let it sit for about an hour, which makes it all nice and soft. It is also great in yogurt with berries and apple as well.

MAPLE HEMP NUT GRANOLA

(Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall)

8 cups organic rolled oats (I like to use mostly quick oats with some larger flakes thrown into the mix)

1 cup organic raw sunflower seeds

1 ½ cups organic almonds, chopped

1 cup organic hemp nuts

1 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup organic flax seeds

1 tsp organic cinnamon, ground

½ cup organic vegetable oil

1 cup local maple syrup

½ cup organic brown rice syrup

2 cups water or organic apple juice/cider

Optional: 1 tsp pure organic vanilla exract

½ tsp pure organic almond extract

Optional additions once the cereal is cooked: organic raisins, cranberries, goji berries, dried apple pieces

Method: Preheat oven to 300*. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Spread cereal onto two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven until cereal begins to brown lightly, making sure to stir every 15 minutes or so. It should take about an hour. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator.

COZY KITCHEN CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

2011-01-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

To be honest, I haven't been much inspired to make supper this last leg of my pregnancy journey. Estimated date of arrival of the new babe is in six days and I find myself lugging myself into the kitchen each night trying to figure out what to make. Thank goodness my mom is arriving today, I look forward to passing the wooden spoon over to her for a little while. Hope she doesn't mind!

Soup seems to be making an appearance on our menu more often than not these days. I suppose that might have something to do with me trying to use up what ingredients we already have in the house, coupled with my insistence on only buying what is seasonal. So we have been eating lots of squash, kale, carrots, and other wintry goods, which just so happen to make good soup too. We eat a lot of lentil soup around here, but I wasn't much interested in a tomato based soup (all our stews and soups tend to have tomato in them) so opted for a curried lentil variety. I love eating soups the next day for lunch too.

I had a great photo of this soup on file, but lost a bunch of my photos yesterday when I was trying to clean up my files..........

CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

2 cup organic green lentils

1 cup organic red lentils

1 Tbsp organic coconut oil

1 tsp organic black mustard seeds

1 large organic onion, diced

2 organic bay leaves

3 clove organic garlic, minced

3 Tbsp fresh organic ginger, minced

1 tsp organic cumin, ground

2 tsp organic coriander, ground

1 tsp organic paprika, ground

1/2 tsp organic turmeric, ground

2 organic carrots, chopped

5 leaves organic kale, chopped

2 cups organic butternut squash, cut into small cubes

1 organic rutabaga, cut into small cubes

8-10 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock or water

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method: If possible, allow lentils to soak in water overnight with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes and then add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the carrots, squash, rutabaga, ginger, and remaining spices and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lentils and stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook partially covered until the lentils are soft. Stir in the kale, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes.

OATMEAL BREAD

2011-01-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

Today was a perfect bread baking day. An overcast January morning, lots of rain, and a big baby belly that just wants to cozy up by the fire and knit. Although I've been subsisting on lots of delicious homemade sourdough bread the past few months, I often make the rest of the family a few loaves of delicious yeast breads to have on hand in the freezer. Every now and then I like to make this rich Oatmeal Bread instead of our regular whole wheat loaf. The gooey molasses adds a deep dark hue to this oatmeal studded bread. Kind of chewy, and deeply delicious. The perfect snack on a winter day, smothered in salty butter. The best part of winter bread baking is setting the bread to rise by the fire while I rock my self into knitting heaven....

OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups organic large flake oatmeal

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup organic molasses

(1/2 cup coconut sugar - optional - this will make a sweet loaf)

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 tsp instant yeast

5-6 cups organic flour (I used mostly whole wheat with some unbleached white)

Method: Pour the boiling water over the oats, stir, and then add the molasses (sugar), sea salt, and butter. Let cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, a few cups at a time, and then scrape the dough onto a well floured surface, sprinkle it with flour and knead it. Gather the dough together in your hands and push it away from you with your palms. Fold it in half towards you, then turn and turn and repeat pushing, folding, and turning, sprinkling flour on the dough to keep it from sticking, this may take up to a cupful more. Keep kneading for several minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

After kneading, put the dough in a large oiled bowl, and flip to coat both sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a pot lid, and place in a warm place (near a woodstove or in a gas oven that has a pilot light). Let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled. Punch the dough down to remove air bubbles, then divide into 2 parts. Shape each into a loaf and place into a greased loaf pan. Cover each loaf with a large upturned mixing bowl and return to a warm place again to rise the second time. The loaves should double, about 1 hour. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. When bread is golden brown on top and bottom and bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, it is done.

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

2011-01-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

My husband and I are sharing a New Year's Resolution that involves making sure he eats out less when he's in town working. So, for the past week he has been munching his way through a batch of my oatmeal scones for breakfast. To keep things from going stale, I made him some morning glory muffins today for his morning snacks that are always in his truck on the way into town. I like this recipe because it sneaks carrots, apples, nuts and dried fruits into us, and our taste buds are happy about it. If I know him, he will probably drench these little babies in molasses just like he does the scones........

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

(makes about 8 jumbo muffins or 16 small muffins)

3 cups organic whole wheat flour

2 tsp GMO and aluminum free baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp organic cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 organic eggs

3/4 cup local honey

2/3 cup organic whole milk yogurt

1/2 cup organic vegetable oil

2 cups organic carrots (or zucchini or both), shredded

1 cup organic apples, peeled and grated

1/2 cup organic raisins, cranberries, goji berries, or dried cherries

1/2 cup organic nuts or seeds

1/2 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

Method: Grease or line muffin cups with paper. Preheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, yogurt and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir in the carrot, apple, dried fruit, coconut and nuts. Mix until a thick batter forms. Spoon into prepared muffins cups and bake about 20-25 minutes.

NEW YEAR'S EVE FONDUE PARTY

2011-01-01T09:27:00.000-08:00

We've started a new family tradition in our house, and it began last night with the most delicious and fun fondue party. I was so sure I already owned a fondue pot, but after looking everywhere in our cluttered basement, it was nowhere to be found. Luckily without too much hassle a pretty decent pot was purchased, along with a smaller ceramic dessert fondue pot, and we were ready to roll! I've only had fondue twice in my life, one year my mother made cheese fondue, and the other time our neighbour made the kind with hot oil. Both times were very yummy, so I was excited to try it out for myself. Fondue parties don't have to be too much work, but as you can probably see from this blog, I love to feed people and entertain so I made many of the accompaniments from scratch because it's fun for me. The cheese fondue is made from Gruyere and Emmenthal cheeses melted with some white wine and thickened with cornstarch and lemon juice. You can dip all kinds of things into this gooey and stringy delight, including the spread we had last night of crusty homemade bread, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and strips of red and yellow peppers. I was happy to have an opportunity to open up and share a jar of my homemade dill pickles to eat with the fondue, along with some mammoth garlic stuffed olives.

For dessert I baked a few yummies to dip into the chocolate fondue. My favorite Maple Shortbread, Maple Almond Biscotti and the star of the night, mini Orange Vanilla Cakes. We also feasted on a selection of dippable fruits including bananas, pears, clementine segments, and pineapple. It was a real treat to buy these precious imported fruits for this special occasion. This meal was so much fun I can't wait until next year to do it again (if I can wait that long!)

CHEESE FONDUE

Serves 4 adults as a main course

9 cups grated Gruyere and Emmentaler cheeses, organic if available (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 1/2 cups dry local, organic white wine

1 organic clove garlic, sliced in half

2 Tbsp organic cornstarch

2 Tbsp organic lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1/4 tsp organic nutmeg, grated fresh

freshly ground black or white pepper

Optional accompaniments: cubed bread, breadsticks, steamed small potatoe wedges, bell pepper strips, blanched broccoli and cauliflower, seared scallops, steamed shrimp, whole cherry tomatoes, olives, pickles, apple slices, pear slices

Method: Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic, then discard the cloves. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the wine to a bubble and then begin whisking in the cheese by the handful, until melted and combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the lemon juice with cornstarch until the starch is dissolved. Stir this into the cheese, whisking until it is smooth and bubbling. Season with pepper and nutmeg. Transfer to the fondue pot and set over the flame. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE FONDUE

Serves 5-6 as dessert

3/4 pound organic chocolate chips

1 cup organic whipping cream

Optional accompaniments: strawberries, banana, pineapple, dried fruit, shortbread, cake, biscotti, orange segments, homemade marshmallows, cherries, mango, melon, apple, pear, candied ginger

Method: Set a bowl over lightly simmering water. Stir in the chocolate and cream, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer to the fondue pot set over a flame.

MINI ORANGE VANILLA CAKES

Makes 5 mini loafs (2 1/2 cups batter)

3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup organic unbleached white pastry flour

3/4 Tbsp aluminum and GMO free baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup organic vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower)

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1/4 cup organic brown rice syrup (or more maple)

3/4 cup organic whole milk

1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

1Tbsp organic fresh orange juice

zest of 1 organic orange

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Grease the pans with vegetable oil. In a large bowl, sift in, then combine the dry ingredients, including the zest. In a smaller bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Add the wet to the dry, whisk gently until smooth. Pour into the pans and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Transfer pans to a rack and allow to cool before removing from pans.

WHOLE WHEAT MAPLE SHORTBREAD

Makes about 12-15 cookies

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1/3 cup organic brown rice flour
1/4 cup local maple sugar
1/2 cup organic unsalted butter

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl and rub in the butter. Roll into small balls, pressing down on them with your palm to flatten them a bit, placing on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350*for about 15 minutes or until just slightly golden.

MAPLE ALMOND BISCOTTI

1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup organic unbleached white pastry flour

1/2 Tbsp aluminum and GMO free baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic almond slivers

1/4 cup organic vegetable oil

1/3 cup local maple syrup

1/2 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

1/2 tsp pure organic almond extract

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift and mix together the dry ingredients, then stir in the almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Stir the wet into the dry and then form into two logs, 2 1/2" in diameter. Bake until golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then slice into thin diagonal 3/4" slices. Bake for another 15 minutes.

CHRISTMAS TOURTIERE AND HOMEGROWN TURKEY

2010-12-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

Wow, am I ever full. There has been lots of feasting and celebrating going on around here, and I've only now taken a break from stuffing my face to write this post. It all started with Tourtiere or French-Canadian meat pie on Christmas Eve. This has been a tradition in my family forever, and I am so happy to have started making this for my family the past couple of years. I even had enough to make an extra pie to freeze, which will be perfect when I go into labour and need to bring food with us to the birth house.

While I was busy in the kitchen, my husband Scott had the sombre task of saying goodbye to two of our turkeys so we could feast on Christmas Day. We were a little worried that wild turkeys would be drier and harder to cook than conventional turkeys. A night of brining and careful basting did just the trick, and we had the most delicious meal ever. I've got to admit, Scott and I were pretty proud of ourselves that all the diligence and care of the turkeys paid off. What a rewarding experience for sure.

I had lots of extra pastry left over after making the tourtiere so on Christmas morning I made some Maple Butter Tarts. I don't have a picture to share, but I do have the recipe. They taste so good, especially when they're frozen.

TOURTIERE

Makes 3 pies

2 pounds organic pasture raised pork, ground

2 pounds grass fed beef, ground

3 organic onions, chopped

3-4 tsp sea salt

3/4-1 tsp organic clove, ground

couple of pinches organic allspice, ground

1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped

a few sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

2 organic bay leaves

pastry for 3 pies

1 organic egg yolk, beaten

1 Tbsp organic milk

3 cups water or organic beef stock

Method: In a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat cook the meat for 5-10 minutes or until no longer pink. Place the meat in a sieve to drain off fat. Return the meat to the pan and stir in the onions, water, spices, bay leave, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and partially cover, simmering and stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Remove the bay leaves and let cool and then refrigerate. Divide pastry into 6 rounds and roll out 3 of the rounds and fit into the bottom of 3 9" pie plates. Spread the meat mixture in pie shells. Roll out remaining dough and arrange over the meat filling. Trim and crimp edges to seal; cut steam vents in top of pastry. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 350* and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

MAPLE BUTTER TARTS

Prepare enough pastry to line 2 dozen medium sized tart pans or muffin cups.

1/2 cup local maple syrup

1/2 cup organic brown rice syrup (or more maple syrup)

2 organic eggs

1/2 cup maple or organic coconut sugar

Method: Preheat oven to 400*. Stir the syrups together to combine. Whisk in the egg and then stir in the sugar. Pour syrup mixture into tart shells, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

2010-12-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since my last post on gingerbread. Since then we've completed making and decorating the gingerbread houses. And yes, I did manage to lay out bowls upon bowls of bright colourful candy around my toddler without him eating any of it. (Well actually he ate one chocolate snowman because he has developed a fondness for chocolate.) That is the beauty of children, they imitate whatever adults do, so seeing as I don't eat candy, it was pretty easy to show him that the candy was just for gluing onto the gingerbread.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE ICING

4 cups organic icing sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

3 organic egg whites

Method: Sift together the icing sugar and cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer beat in the egg whites and whisk for 7 minutes or until the icing is thick enough to hold its shape. Can be kept refrigerated in a covered dish for 3 days.

Holiday preparations are in full swing over here, and today we visited a local tree farm to cut down an evergreen for our Solstice/Christmas celebrations. Growing up, this annual tradition always included coming home to chow down on hearty chili and sausage on a bun. So, my sister came over and that is just what we did. I make my chili differently from mom, and I make cornbread to go with it even though she never did (ah the beauty of evolution in tradition). The addition of delicious toppings like shredded cheese, avocado, olives and cilantro are a nice touch too.

CHILI

5 cups organic cooked kidney, pinto and black beans

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 pound organic/grass fed ground beef

2 organic green peppers, chopped

2 organic onions, chopped

3 cloves organic garlic, minced

1 Tbsp organic ginger, grated

2 tsp organic mustard seeds

1 tsp organic coriander powder

1/4 tsp organic nutmeg, grated

3 Tbsp organic chili powder

2-4 tsp sea salt

organic black pepper, ground

3/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp local honey

2 can organic chopped tomatoes

2 cups water

Toppings: chopped avocado, green onions, shredded cheese, cilantro, green olives, sour cream

Method: In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute beef, onion and green pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger and spices, stirring for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, beans, honey, salt, pepper, vinegar, and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low, cooking for about 30-40 minutes or until mixture is nice and thick. Serve with toppings.

CORNBREAD

1 cup organic cornmeal, finely ground

1 cup organic whole wheat or spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp local honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup organic whole milk

2 organic eggs

3 Tbsp organic butter, melted

Method: Preheat oven to 375*. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add wet to dry, stir. Pout into a 9" X 9" buttered pan and bake for 25 minutes.

MY GINGERBREAD MAN

2010-12-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

It began last night. After a long and full week, I wondered what my son and I were going to do all day today. Another rainy, overcast day. Me, a baby full belly and little desire to be mobile. The only solution was to go for a walk to get the mail, rainy day or no rainy day. Am I ever glad I did go for a walk. Five minutes into being outside, my mood immediately changed and I found myself marveling at the beauty of nature. As my son threw rocks into the ocean, I noticed how lovely and magical the perfect circles that formed on the surface of the water were each time a rock went in.

When we got back home, I decided to visit the supermarket to load up on some bulk decorating candy so we could make gingerbread houses! I purposely chose the supermarket over Bulk Barn, because as you know, Bulk Barn won't allow me to bring in paper bags to package my goods, but Superstore does. So yay! Superstore, you get my business! I am really hoping I succeed in convincing my son that the candy is solely for decorating, and not food meant for human consumption (what? it isn't!). I'll let you know how it goes. I have hopefully enlisted the (willing) assistance of my talented husband to construct the gingerbread houses. He is a builder after all, so I think he will do an excellent job. It will be fun to make them altogether as a family anyway. Until then, Faegan and I spent the morning baking gingerbread men, which taste divine warm from the oven.

GINGERBREAD MEN

(if I had a gingerbread woman cookie cutter I would have made them too)

I multiplied this recipe by four to make enough men and the house.

1/4 cup organic butter, room temperature

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar (or organic brown sugar which can be as simple as 1/2 cup organic sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp organic molasses)

1/2 cup organic molasses

1 organic egg

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups organic unbleached flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp organic ground cloves

1 tsp organic ground cardamom

1 tsp organic ground cinnamon

1 tsp organic ground ginger

1/2 tsp sea salt

Method: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (If your butter is cold, simply beat it in the mixer bowl while you blow a hot hair dryer on it for a few seconds, it will be warm in no time.) Add the molasses and egg and combine.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients. Then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate dough for at least one hour. Roll dough out on a floured countertop to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to make shapes. Transfer to greased or parchment lined sheets and bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes.

CHAI

2010-11-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

Years ago when I first started really getting into yoga, my interest and fascination with all things "India" began. Visits to Gerard Street in Toronto to shop in the fascinating stores of Little India, feasts at Indian restaurants, forays into the world of Hare Krishna, and of course, chai. Keep in mind, I've never been to India and have never had authentic chai, for I am sure it is probably quite different than the chai I like to make. However, most accounts of this delectable beverage include these ingredients in some form or other. I like mine really milky with lots of honey. If you're not really into black tea, you can omit it altogether, which I often due, most of the time just because I forget to add it in. Chai makes a great alternative to hot chocolate on a cold winter day.

CHAI

(makes enough chai for 3 servings)

2 - 2" pieces of organic cinnamon sticks, smashed

2 cups water

5 organic cardamom pods

5 organic cloves

2 black peppercorns

1 thumb sized nob of fresh organic ginger, grated

1 Tbsp organic loose leaf black tea leaves

2 cups organic milk

2-3 Tbsp local honey

Method: Add the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns to the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the milk, increase heat slightly, but do not boil, just heat milk gently. Remove from heat, stir in tea leaves and let brew for 1-3 minutes. Strain, stir in honey to taste and serve.

REAL FRUIT LEATHER

2010-11-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

I don't know why it has taken me this long to finally make some homemade fruit leather. I can remember flipping through my mother's Time-Life cookbook collection as a child, and drooling over the idea of making my very own fruit roll ups! Anyway, better late than never. And it was so easy! I can't wait to try mixing the apple puree with some strawberries, cranberries and all kinds of yummy fruits next summer. Oh and don't forget the possibility of pear leather..........

APPLE FRUIT LEATHER

(please note I used a Vita-Mix blender to make this puree, which really liquifies the apples. You may need to use more water if you are using a different blender)

1 quart of local organic apples(I used Macintosh, but feel free to experiment), cored and sectioned - keep skin on

a wee bit of water

a squeeze of organic lemon juice (optional)

Method: Place the apples in the blender and add a wee bit of water to get the blades moving. Blend until it reaches the consistency of applesauce. Spread onto a dehydrator tray fitted with a Teflex mat, about 1/4" thick. Dry at 108* overnight. Peel off and cut into strips. Store in a glass jar.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SCONES with White Cheddar Cheese

2010-11-17T15:31:00.000-08:00

I found a sneaky way to get some squash into my toddler with these delicious scones. He definitely ate more of these than the carrot studded bowl of oatmeal I tried to squeeze into him the other morning. They were the perfect accompaniment to a big bowl of lentil soup and a visit with some lovely friends.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SCONES with White Cheddar

1 cup organic unbleached wheat or spelt flour

1 /3 cup organic whole wheat or whole spelt flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup organic unsalted butter

1 cup organic roasted butternut squash puree (or pumpkin)

2/3 cup organic buttermilk

1/2 cup organic medium or old cheddar cheese, grated

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Peel and cube the squash, and roast in a greased pan for 20-30 minutes. Puree and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400*. Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until it is sandy in texture. In a separate bowl, combine the squash, milk and cheese. Mix this into the flour. Turn the mixture out onto a floured counter. Roll into a ball and flatten into a long cylinder. Cut with a pastry paddle into triangles. Place on a parchment lined sheet and bake for 18 minutes.

HOMEMADE SPELT SPINACH NOODLES with Cauliflower and Broccoli in a Mustard Butter

2010-11-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

I really need to learn how to use my external flash to take pictures of the food I make at night. Now that it is darker earlier in the evening, I've been having a hard time getting a picture good enough to post on this blog! To my horror, I am unable to share with you the visual delight of the meal we ate tonight. Trust me, it looked as delicious as it tasted. The inspiration for this one comes from Deborah Madison's "The Greens Cookbook" which is a classic, French inspired vegetarian cookbook from 1987. Since I am avoiding wheat these days, one of the adaptions to the recipe was the use of spelt flour in the pasta.

HOMEMADE SPELT SPINACH NOODLES with Cauliflower and Broccoli in a Mustard Butter

Spelt Spinach Noodles

1 cup organic spinach leaves, loosely packed with stems removed

2 organic eggs

1 cup organic spelt flour

1/4 cup organic whole spelt flour

pinch of sea salt

Method: Wash the spinach leaves and dry them as well as you can. Chop them very finely to make a coarse puree, then gently squeeze out the water. Mix the spinach with the eggs. Place the flour and salt in a bowl, and make a well in the centre. Pour the egg mixture into the well and gradually, work the egg into the flour, using your fingertips. Continue until the egg is evenly distributed, then turn the mixture out onto the counter and begin to knead. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water at a time. Knead the dough until it is smooth and shiny (5 mins). Place it in a covered bowl and let it rest while you prepare the other ingredients for the pasta. When ready for pasta, roll the dough out onto the counter by hand and cut into thick strips, or use a pasta machine according to machine directions.

The Vegetables and Sauce

5 Tbsp organic butter, softened

2 Tbsp organic Dijon mustard

3 cloves organic garlic, minced

2 tsp organic balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp organic parsley, roughly chopped

1 cup organic breadcrumbs

2 organic sundried tomatoes, soaked and cut into small pieces

3-4 cups organic broccoli and cauliflower cut into small pieces and florets

sea salt

pepper

romano cheese

Method: Prepare the pasta dough, set it aside to rest, then roll it out and cut it by hand into strips about 1/2" wide. Shake them with more flour to keep them from sticking together and set them on a floured cookie sheet while you make the sauce.

Cream 4 Tbsp of the butter with the mustard, garlic, vinegar and parsley. Melt the remaining butter and add the bread crumbs. Fry them in a small skillet until they are crisp and browned.

When you are ready to cook the pasta, salt the boiling water, melt the mustard butter on low and then add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the tomatoes. Drop the broccoli and cauliflower into the pasta water halfway into the cooking time of the pasta and then drain the whole pot when the pasta is ready. Toss with the butter sauce, season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the breadcrumbs and fresh romano cheese.

APPLE CAKE with Walnuts and Honey

2010-11-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

There were so many things to do last night, but all I wanted (and was craving ) was to make a dessert. Even though it took about an hour before I could indulge, this delicious cake was definitely worth the wait. The best part about this cake is that it's wheat-free, and sweetened with fruit, honey and just a wee bit of maple sugar.

APPLE CAKE with Walnuts and Honey

1/4 cup organic unsalted butter or organic palm oil at room temperature

1/4 cup (generous) local honey

1/4 cup flax slurry or 1 organic egg

1 tsp organic vanilla

1 cup organic applesauce

1 cup organic oat flour (or spelt or wheat flour)

1/2 cup organic brown rice flour (or spelt or wheat flour)

1 tsp organic cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp gmo and aluminum free baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 organic apples, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup organic raw walnuts, chopped

Topping: 1/4 cup local maple sugar or coconut sugar

1/8 cup organic butter at room temperature

2 Tbsp organic oat flour

1/2 cup organic raw walnuts, chopped

1 tsp organic cinnamon powder

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Oil a 9 X 9" cake pan, or line it with parchment paper. Cream the butter and honey together until light and fluffy. To make the flax slurry, blend 1/8 cup organic flax seeds with 1/2 cup water until frothy. Stir the slurry in, along with the vanilla and applesauce.

Mix together the dry ingredients in another bowl. Add the dry mix to the wet and stir. Fold in the apples and nuts and spread into the cake pan.

Combine the ingredients for the topping in a separate bowl. Sprinkle on top of the cake and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Cool and cut.

BEEF BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP

2010-11-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

I have a vivid memory of my mother taking me out for dinner in a restaurant as a child, and ordering me Beef Barley Soup. It was so good! This soup is my attempt at trying to re-create that awesome yumminess. Although, I am pretty sure that one probably didn't include organic kale, cabbage and grass-fed beef.

BEEF BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP

4 pounds meaty grass-fed or organic beef bones

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil or organic vegetable oil

4 organic onions, coarsely chopped

6 cups water

2 cups organic cabbage, chopped

3 stalks organic celery, chopped

4 organic kale leaves, stemmed and chopped

2 organic parsnips, chopped

4 organic carrots, chopped

3 pounds organic tomatoes, peeled and diced (or use canned tomatoes)

1 organic bay leaf

3/4 cup organic pearl barley

sea salt and pepper to taste

Method: Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Brown the meat bones on all sides, then remove from pan. Saute the onion in the oil until softened. Add the water and stir, removing the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Be sure the water covers the meat. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook another hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP with Cauliflower and Sage

2010-11-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

It was another beautiful sunny fall day after a week long deluge of torrential rain here in Nova Scotia. After a long day hanging out with my wee one, I really craved a comforting bowl of soup. The cauliflower in the fridge was begging me to get creative with it, so this is the soup I came up with. It is going to taste great with a salad chock full of homegrown sprouts and some warm rye sourdough bread dripping with butter.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP with Cauliflower and Sage

3 cups diced and peeled organic butternut squash

4 cups chopped organic cauliflower

1 large organic onion, chopped

4-5 cloves organic garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp organic butter

2 tsp dried organic sage leaf, or 2 Tbsp fresh organic sage, minced

3-4 Tbsp organic white/mellow miso paste

sea salt and pepper to taste

enough organic chicken or vegetable stock to cover the vegetables ( or use water )

Method: Heat a large soup pot over medium low heat. Melt butter and saute the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic, sage, squash and cauliflower. Add enough stock to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, adding some salt and simmer until soft. Dilute the miso with a ladleful of stock, then stir into the pot, being sure not to boil it to. Using a blender, puree the soup and thin with more stock if soup is too thick. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of yogurt if desired.

OATMEAL with Apple, Grated Carrot and Goji Berries

2010-11-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

My two and a half year old is becoming more of a picky eater. While I can still occasionally get him to gobble up a plate of broccoli, sometimes it is a real challenge to get him to move past the carbs and protein. I thought I was being pretty clever this morning by grating some carrot into his bowl of oatmeal. First thing he said was carrot! and then decided he didn't want oatmeal for breakfast. I guess I'll have to be a little more devious next time.

OATMEAL with Apple, Grated Carrot and Goji Berries

1 cup organic quick oats

2 cups water

1 organic apple, peeled and sliced

1 small organic carrot, grated

1 Tbsp organic goji berries

dash of organic cinnamon

maple syrup or honey to taste

Method: Bring pot of water to boil in a small saucepan. While you wait, prepare the apple and carrot and stir them into the pot. Add the cinnamon and goji berries. When water is boiling, stir in the oats, reduce heat and let simmer until nice and thick. Add more water if necessary. Drizzle with maple syrup.

TOMATO CHEESE MELTS on Sourdough Bread

2010-11-10T05:57:00.000-08:00

I've been enjoying the last of the local tomatoes by making these tasty tomato cheese melts almost every day. They are a definite comfort food, reminding me of all the times I ate some sort of variation of them growing up. These days the tomatoes have been piled up on top of homemade sauerkraut and topped with swiss cheese. When I was a kid, they often included slices of salami, and yesterday I used some leftover salmon mixed in with mayonaise and capers. You can get pretty creative with these little suckers, maybe a little pesto, not to mention you could use bagels, crumpets or english muffins. They make a great hot breakfast or lunch special!

TOMATO CHEESE MELTS on Sourdough Bread

4 slices organic local tomatoes

2-3 Tbsp organic sauerkraut

1/4 cup grated organic swiss cheese

2 slices organic spelt sourdough bread (this one pictured was made using Heartwood Bakery bread which I bought in store, specifically asking them to keep their plastic bag)

Method: Toast the slices of bread. The top with some cheese, the sauerkraut, tomato and end with the rest of the cheese. Broil until melted.

MAPLE OATMEAL SCONES

2010-11-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

I had a request from my husband Scott to make some more oatmeal scones. Is it because they are so amazingly delicious, or just so handy to grab on the way out the door when he leaves so early in the morning? Both. We've been enjoying these scones for many years now. What I love about them is that they're just like eating a nice bowl of oatmeal smothered in real maple syrup. They freeze really well, sometimes I eat them frozen when I am too impatient to pop them in the toaster oven. Last week before I started my modified cleanse I ate two in a row, warmed up and smothered with honey.......

My father in law likes to pick wild cranberries each fall. One day I am going to go out with him, but until then I just enjoy the bounty he provides. To switch things up a bit, I decided to add some to the mix, along with some ground almonds and almond extract....delicious! Feel free to experiment with other additions like blueberries, walnuts, hemp nuts, raisins, currants, cinnamon........

MAPLE OATMEAL SCONES

2 cups organic whole wheat or spelt flour (please note spelt makes a crumblier scone)

1 1/2 cups organic quick oats

1 1/2 tsp aluminum and GMO free baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic unsalted butter

1/2 cup organic whole milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup or honey

1 organic free range egg

(optional - nuts, dried or fresh fruit, spices)

Method: Preheat oven to 375*. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Cut in butter and mix with a fork or your fingers until butter is mixed in with the flour and marble sized.

Combine milk, maple syrup, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until dough comes together.

Flour your work surface liberally and pat dough out about 2 inches thick in a log shape. Use more flour if necessary to dust the surface. Using a knife or pastry scraper, cut the log into triangles.

Place on a greased cookie sheet in a 375* oven and bake until light brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

SAUERKRAUT AND OTHER FERMENTED YUMMINESS

2010-10-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

I decided to go nuts at the Farmer's Market this week and buy loads of veggies to turn into lacto-fermented yumminess. It is amazing the amount of veggies you can pack into a jar once they've been salted a bit. So I spent the afternoon grated, chopping, peeling and smashing all that produce and they are now happily resting on the kitchen counter, busily fermenting their little hearts out......

LACTO-FERMENTED CARROTS

(adapted from "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin)

http://astore.amazon.ca/prasada02-20?node=6&page=2

These carrots taste great in salads, with eggs, and on sandwiches.

4 cups grated organic carrots, loosely packed

3 tsp sea salt

Method: In a bowl, mix the carrots and salt together. Place in a Mason jar and press down with a wooden pounder. There should be about an inch of space between the top of the carrots and the top of the jar. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature about 2-3 days before transferring to cold storage.

SAUERKRAUT

Makes a half-gallon jar

3 1/2 pounds organic cabbage

1 tablespoon sea salt

You can add optional ingredients from the following list: 1 tsp caraway seed, peeled sliced garlic; washed, cored and sliced apples; peeled onions cut into eighths; dill seed; juniper berries; or other spices.

Wash cabbage and cut into thin shreds, with a kraut cutter, mandoline, food processor, or by hand with a knife. Mix cabbage shreds with the salt in a large bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Then press the cabbage with your fist or a wooden stamper until the juice is flowing well. It is important to crush the vegetables enough to create the juice.

Pack the juicy shreds into your jar in layers, interspersing the caraway and any other ingredients you are using. Pack tightly enough that all the air is pressed out. You should leave about two inches of space below the lid. If you don’t have enough, you can add a little brine: 1 tsp salt to one pint water. Put the lid on and screw down, but not really tight. Put the jar on a plate or pie tin, and keep in a dark corner of your kitchen for one week. Then put in a cold place for another four weeks to mellow. Sauerkraut keeps many months under proper storage conditions (provided you keep out of it that long).

Untraditional KIMCHEE

Makes a half-gallon jar

1 ½ pounds organic Napa cabbage

1 pound organic daikon radish

3 tablespoons sea salt

1 ½ tablespoons peeled and sliced organic garlic

6 organic scallions trimmed and sliced or ½ cup trimmed sliced leek

2 tablespoons peeled and grated organic ginger

1-3 tablespoon fine quality medium Korean hot chile powder

1 teaspoon organic sugar

Wash Napa cabbage and cut in half lengthwise. Cut out the core, chop the rest in approximate 1.5” squares. Peel daikon and slice ¼” thick. In a large nonreactive bowl, mix 6 cups water and 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons salt. Then put in the radish and Napa, dunking them in the water. Let stand 8-12 hours, dunking occasionally.

At the end of this period, prepare the rest of the spices along with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon sugar into a mixing bowl (a second bowl). Scoop the vegetables out of the brine into the bowl with the spices, mix well. Reserve the brine.

Pack the vegetables reasonably tightly into your jar. Be sure to pour in any liquid left in the bottom of your mixing bowl. Then fill the jar up to the neck with the reserved brine. Cover jar loosely, put on a plate or pie tin, and keep in a dark place. Kimchee takes from five to nine days to ferment, depending on the ambient temperature. At five days, start tasting the brine with a clean spoon. When it is sour enough to your taste, your kimchee is done. Cap tightly and keep in a cold place. It is ready to use at once, and will keep many months under refrigeration (or buried out in your yard if you live in Korea).

SUPER HEALTHY CHOCOLATE COCONUT BLOBS with Flaxseed, Almond Butter and Tahini

2010-10-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better that a decadent treat that you can feel really good about eating. These Chocolate Coconut Blobs are so good, I find it really hard to stop at just one. The trick to these little suckers is eating them frozen. The freezing element has absolutely nothing to do with extending shelf life because they will not last long in your house.

SUPER HEALTHY CHOCOLATE COCONUT BLOBS

(adapted from "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin)

http://astore.amazon.ca/prasada02-20?node=6&page=2

1 cup ground organic flaxseeds

1/2 cup organic tahini

1/2 cup organic almond butter (roasted or raw)

1/4 cup organic hemp nuts

6 Tbsp organic cocoa powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup local honey

2 Tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 tsp organic almond extract

1/2 - 1 cup organic shredded coconut

Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. With a spoon or your hands, form into balls and roll in the coconut. Freeze and enjoy.

STRAWBERRY KEFIR SMOOTHIE

2010-10-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

These past few mornings I've been drinking a delicious strawberry smoothie made with kefir. Kefir is a lacto-fermented beverage that supplies beneficial probiotics, enzymes, minerals, rapid hydration, and enhanced digestion to people. It is so easy to make too! I have to yet built up a taste for drinking it straight up though, so I like to blend it into this delicious smoothie. Kefir is even easier than yogurt to make, so don't be timid, try it! Just stir in the cultured powder and let it sit on your counter.

HOMEMADE KEFIR

1 litre organic whole cow or goat's milk (raw if you have access)

1 packet kefir starter

Pour the milk into a glass Mason jar. Add kefir starter, screw on the lid and shake. Set at room temperature (70-75*) for 12-48 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator. Can last for several months in the refrigerator.

STRAWBERRY KEFIR SMOOTHIE

(adapted from "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin http://astore.amazon.ca/prasada02-20?node=6&page=2)

300 ml organic kefir or yogurt

1/2 Tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil

1 Tbsp organic flaxseed or hemp oil

1 Tbsp unheated local honey

1 Tbsp organic hemp nuts

1 cup organic frozen or fresh strawberries

2 Tbsp organic goji berries

1 Tbsp organic greens powder

Method: Blend all ingredients and enjoy.

LACTOFERMENTATION aka Delicious Veggies

2010-10-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Many cultures around the world include lactofermented vegetables and foods in their diets. Lactofermented vegetables are easier to digest, and in fact improve the general digestion when taken regularly in small amounts. Vitamins and minerals are more available. Carbohydrates are broken down and therefore require less insulin for digestion, making lactofermented vegetables ideal for diabetics. These aren't the only reasons why I love them so......it's because they taste so delicious and are so satisfying somehow. I am on a bit of a cleanse right now that involves eliminating sweeteners (sugar), yeast and gluten from my diet. The best part of this diet change though is the emphasis on consuming more lactofermented foods and probiotics. So I've been busy making up batches of homemade yogurt and fermented salads. Right now I have a beet salad fermenting in my basement fridge. I've never tried it before, so I am very excited for it to be done it's thing, which unfortunately is going to take about a month! It can be eaten before then, but the extra time gives it a chance to mellow out. Good thing I still have sauerkraut in my fridge from about a year ago! It's still good though. I ate some this morning mixed with grated carrot, avocado, and umeboshi vinegar. Great way to start the day!

LACTOFERMENTED BEETS with Napa Cabbage, Apple and Onion

Beets, with all their sugars, turn out a fierce fermentation. It is good to add other vegetables such as the Napa in this recipe, or rutabaga or turnip, so that you are not using only beet.

Makes one half-gallon jar

2 to 2 ½ pounds beets

½ pound Napa cabbage

3 ounces chopped apple

3 ounces chopped onion

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt

mustard seed to taste.

Peel, wash and grate or shred the beets in food processor. Trim and cut finely the Napa cabbage. Put beets and cabbage into a big bowl with the salt, and press with your fist or a wooden stamper until the juice is flowing well.

Pack into your jar in layers, interspersing the apple, onion, and spices. Be sure to leave at least two inches below the lid. Put lid on jar loosely, and be SURE to put the jar into a pie tin. Beets can run over the top of the jar since they have a vigorous fermentation. Put the jar in a dark place in your refrigerator for one week. Then wash the sides of the jar if needed, and keep in a cold place for another four weeks to mellow. Keeps many months under proper storage conditions.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS for Wee Little Pumpkins

2010-10-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today my son and I attended a Pumpkin Fun Playgroup with a group of moms and wee ones who gather together every week as part of a Waldorf Initiative. Everyone brought along pumpkins to carve and I thought it would be very tasty to bake some Pumpkin Muffins. I try to avoid feeding my family refined sugar, and so chose to make a batch of not too sweet muffins using brown rice syrup. Simple, delicious, vegan, and the best part is there is a load of pumpkin puree in each one!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

(from "Cooking the Whole Foods Way" by C. Pirello)

1 cup organic pumpkin or squash puree (simply roast a pumpkin, cut in half in the oven for abou 20 minutes until soft, scoop out flesh and puree)

2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp organic ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground organic cloves

1/4 tsp ground organic cinnamon

1/3 cup soy, rice or whole organic milk

1/4 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup organic brown rice syrup

1/2 cup coarsely chopped organic walnuts (we omitted because of nut allergies in the group)

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly oil one muffin tray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a bowl. Combine cooked pumpkin with milk, oil and rice syrup. Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients, mixing just until well blended to make a thick, spoonable batter. Spoon into prepared muffin holes.

Bake about 20 minutes or until the muffins start to brown slightly and they spring back to the touch. Cool and serve!

INDIAN FOOD

2010-10-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

I didn't wake up this morning expecting to make a huge Indian feast. In fact I didn't even know it was going to happen until I started. I absolutely love paneer in any Indian dish, so decided to make some. I will remember next time to wait until I have LOTS of milk in the fridge, because by the time you strain off all the whey, you aren't left with much cheese. Anyway, there was just enough to make a small batch to use in a lovely dish that was made with whatever chard was left in our garden, along with some kale.

The ultimate kicker in this feast was the Puris I made, otherwise known as FRIED bread. That's right, pretty much like dipping donuts in your curry. But oh so good and worth the hassle of deep frying and the oily drippiness of it all. I can remember eating lots and lots of puris in my favorite Indian restaurant when I lived in Ontario, where it was served with a bowl of delicious curried chick peas.

PANEER

A punjabi homemade cheese resembling ricotta. It can also be pressed to make a harder curd much like tofu. For the recipe I made tonight, I kept it soft and crumbly.

1 litre organic whole milk

juice of 1 organic lemon

Method: Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it boils, it will rise to the top of the pan. Turn off the heat and immediately add the lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon and watch the curds separate from the whey. Strain with a cheesecloth in a colander.

METHI CHAAMAN (Chard with Fenugreek and Indian Cheese)

1 1/2 (675 g) pounds organic chard

2 cloves organic garlic

4 Tbsp organic yogurt

1 Tbsp fresh cilantro

3 Tbsp ghee or oil

8 oz crumbly paneer

sea salt

2 Tbsp fenugreek leaves, dried (methi)

1/2 Tbsp dried organic coriander powder

1/2 tsp organic cumin powder

pinch organic cardamom powder

pinch organic clove powder

Method: Rinse the chard well, drain and coarsely chop. Boil it in some water for 10 minutes, drain. Put the spices, a couple of tablespoons of the cooked chard, garlic, yogurt, and coriander in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste.

Heat the ghee or oil in a large saucepan or skillet and stir fry the paste for 6-8 minutes, adding water to prevent sticking. Add the remainder of the chard and stir fry until it is well mixed and heated through. Add the cheese and salt to taste. You can add more water to make it runnier. Serve hot.

MASOOR DAL (Red Lentil Curry)

1 cup organic red lentils (masoor dal)

5 cups water

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp each organic turmeric, coriander and cumin powders

1 Tbsp freshly grated gingeroot

1 Tbsp organic oil

1/2 tsp organic black mustard seeds

1 organic onion, chopped

2 dried hot red chiles broken in half and seeds removed (optional)

pinch of hing

Method: Wash the lentils and drain; set aside. Boil the water and add the lentils, turning down the heat and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes. Next add the salt, spices, and ginger. Cook for another ten minutes, reducing to low while you prepare the next step.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the mustard seeds. When they finish popping, add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the hing and broken chile. Pour this into the pot of dal. Continue to cook until the dal becomes thicker, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with basmati, garnished with fresh cilantro.

PURIS

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

2 1/2 Tbsp organic ghee or palm oil

a little over 1/2 cup warm water

organic ghee or vegetable oil for deep frying

Method: Add ghee solids or palm oil to flour and mix with your hands until flour is the consistency of coarse meal. Add water and keep mixing. Knead dough about 10-15 minutes. Cover and let sit for half an hour.

For rolling, lightly flour your surface and pinch of bits of dough and roll into round flat circles. Place puri in hot oil, push it to the bottom and bathe it in oil. It will rise and puff up like a balloon. Turn over quickly and remove with tongs.

RAW GRANOLA

2010-10-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

My recent attendance at a sprouting workshop has inspired me to include even more raw foods into my diet. The constant whirring of the dehydrator is proof that I've gotten my raw mojo back! I love it when I make something raw that I REALLY love to eat. Today, it's raw granola that's got me so excited. Do yourself a favour and make this granola......

RAW GRANOLA

(adapted from "I am Grateful" by Teres Engelhart)

1 1/2 cups organic almonds, soaked overnight

1/2 cup organic sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

1/2 cup organic buckwheat, soaked overnight

1/2 cup organic hulled hemp seed

5 organic apples, grated

1/2 cup pureed organic dates

1/2 cup organic coconut flakes

scant 1/2 cup local honey

1 tsp organic pure vanilla

2 tsp organic cinnamon

1/3 tsp sea salt

Method: Rinse and drain the seeds and grains. Chop the almonds and add them, along with all the other seeds and grains to a large bowl. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the "S" blade, puree the dates along with some apple to make it moist. Now add the apple, dates and remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.

Prepare 2 dehydrator trays with both the grid and Teflex sheets. Spread out the granola with your hands and dehydrate at 145* for one hour, and then reduce temperature to 115* and dehydrate until dry.

BASIL BONANZA: Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce and Basil Vinaigrette

2010-09-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

I wait all year for the fresh local tomatoes and basil. We all know how bland and tasteless out of season imported tomatoes are, so why bother eating them?

This week at the market I bought a huge, HUGE bouquet of fresh basil. It has been sitting on my counter in a cup of water until I felt inspired to make something beautiful with it. Normally I just make my favorite Hempseed Miso Pesto and freeze it in glass jars in the fridge so we can enjoy it all winter. Seeing as I've already made about four jars of that, I decided to try something different - Fresh Basil Vinaigrette. I found this recipe in my favorite cookbook "REbar" so decided to try it out. Why did I wait so long? It's amazing! So good in fact, I made a double batch and intend to enjoy it all week long. For tonight though, it is going to be featured on a fresh salad next to a huge plate of pasta with my Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce. Norbert Kungl was selling organic paste tomatoes (those are the little tomatoes that are just a wee bit bigger than grape tomatoes) and I've been wanting to make some sauce from fresh tomatoes for a while. What a difference fresh tomatoes make! So sweet and delicious, it makes you so glad you waited all year.

FRESH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

adapted from "Rebar Modern Food Cookbook" by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz

Yields 1 1/4 cups (300 ml)

2 cloves organic garlic

1 1/2 Tbsp grainy organic mustard

2 Tbsp local honey

1/4 cup local apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp organic balsamic vinaigrette

45 g fresh organic basil leaves

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp cracked organic pepper

1 cup e.v olive oil

Method: Combine all ingredients except oil in the blender. Slowly add olive oil in a slow, thin stream until thick and creamy. Season to taste and refrigerate up to 3 days.

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE with Basil

Yields 6 cups

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

5-6 clove organic garlic, minced

12-15 fresh organic tomatoes or 30-40 small paste tomatoes, diced

sea salt and pepper

20 g fresh organic basil

Method: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir and then add the tomatoes and basil. Season with a few pinches of sea salt and pepper. Cook covered for 5 minutes, then remove lid, reduce heat to medium low, stir and let liquid reduce until sauce reaches desired consistency. Adjust seasoning as required. Serve over pasta or on pizza.

This can also be made with 2 cans of organic tomatoes.

CUCUMBER, APPLE, KALE, AND FENNEL JUICE

2010-09-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is the time to get your veg on! All the crops are being harvested and so there is no better time to eat lots of raw veggies and fruits. This week at the market I stocked up on cucumbers, beets, fennel, carrots, apples, and lots of other fresh produce so I could make delicious fresh juices. This morning I decided to pour the juice into a wine glass thinking it would make my husband more likely to drink it if it reminded him of his favorite beverage. It took a little encouragement, but he drank it.

CUCUMBER, APPLE, KALE AND FENNEL JUICE

2 organic apples, seeded

2 small organic pickling cucumbers or 1/2 of an english cucumber

3 leaves organic kale (great way to use up the kale in the garden that the slugs have been munching on)

1/4 -1/2 small organic fennel bulb

Method: Juice all the vegetables and drink up!

RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

2010-09-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I like to flip through one of the many cookbooks on my shelf for inspiration and ideas. Over the years I've dabbled in raw cuisine, testing out recipes from books now and then. For the most part I've really enjoyed the recipes I've tried, especially the desserts! A really lovely raw "un"cook book that I bought a while ago called "I am Grateful" by Teres Engelhart has some really yummy desserts. Today, I decided I had to make the cashew lemon cheesecake. It is so simple to make and incredibly delicious. I ate two pieces and can't wait to go back for more tomorrow. (By the time I got around to photographing this the light wasn't so great, so I apologize for the crappy photo!)

RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

adapted from "I am Grateful" by Teres Englehart

makes a 9 1/2 cheesecake

For the crust:

2 cups organic almonds

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 - 1/2 cup organic dates (I used about 16)

For the filling:

3 cups soaked organic raw cashews (soaked 8 hours in water)

1 1/2 cups homemade organic almond milk

1 cup organic lemon juice

1/2 cup local honey

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tbsp organic non-gmo lecithin granules

3/4 cup raw unscented coconut oil

Garnish:

Top with organic lemon zest and/or slice and wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method: Make the crust first by finely chopping the almonds, vanilla and sea salt in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the "S" blade until finely crumbled. Continue to process while adding the dates in small amounts until the crust sticks together. Press crust into the bottom of a 9 1/2" spring form pan.

To make the filling, blend all the ingredients except the lecithin and coconut oil until smooth. Add the lecithin and coconut oil and blend until well incorporated. Pour onto the crust and sprinkle with the blueberries. Set in the fridge or freezer until firm (about an hour).

POT ROAST WITH GARLIC MASHED

2010-09-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Autumn is definitely here, the days are cooler and the kitchen is warming up. Pot roast is the ultimate comfort food, especially when you serve it with mashed potatoes. The great thing too is that you have to make this meal early because it takes 4 hours to cook in the oven. That way you can cozy up with a book or finish little projects you have going on. I took the time to finish sewing up the diapers I am making for the baby. Sigh.....loving the season.

POT ROAST with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 Tbsp organic vegetable oil

1 5-6 pound organic and/or pasture raised beef chuck roast or any other cut suitable for pot roast

sea salt and pepper

1 cup organic beef or chicken stock

1 1/2 cups organic red wine

3 organic onions, cut into wedges

4 cloves organic garlic, chopped

2 organic bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh organic thyme

2 Tbsp organic tomato paste

2 pounds organic carrots, cut into chunks

1 organic parsnip, cut into chunks

2 celery stalks, chopped

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Season the roast with sea salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides and then add the stock, wine, herbs, onion, garlic and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven and roast for 3 hours. Then add the carrots, parsnip and celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 1 more hour. Serve on garlic mashed potatoes.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Just add chopped raw garlic to your mashed potatoes.....

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

2010-09-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Most commercially prepared mayonnaise is made with non-organic eggs and genetically modified organisms. I did find an organic mayo from Spectrum, but I wasn't so impressed with their use of soya oil or with the price ($12-$13/jar!) I always used to buy it until I realized how easy it was to make my own.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

3 organic eggs

1 1/4 tsp organic dry mustard powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup organic lemon juice

1 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup e.v olive oil

1/4 cup organic flax seed oil

Method: (Please note I have only made this in my Vita-Mix blender so I am not sure how it will turn out in your own blender.....it should be fine though).

Place the eggs, mustard, salt and lemon juice in the blender. Turn machine on low and slowly build it up to high. While machine is running, slowly pour in oil in a thin, steady stream until you use it all up and the mixture thickens. Stop machine and stir in any oil sitting on top. Refrigerate up to 4 weeks.

DILL PICKLES

2010-09-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

I used to think the whole joke about pregnant women craving pickles was something that would never occur to me. In a sense it is true that I don't crave them, but I do really enjoy them now more than ever. So, I decided to make some dill pickles with the fresh cucumbers that are in season right now.
In an effort to use a more local product, I tried using Boate's Apple Cider Vinegar to make dill pickles last year. They turned out, only I wasn't very keen on the appley taste. I was really tempted to just cave and buy good old white vinegar, but realized I couldn't find any that was in a glass bottle, so I decided to try out white wine vinegar. I'll let you know how it goes.

DILL PICKLES

8 lbs organic pickling cucumbers

14 heads fresh organic dill

7-10 cloves organic garlic, chopped

7 Tbsp coarse celtic sea salt

7 tsp organic pickling spice

3 1/2 dried organic red hot peppers

8 cups vinegar (your choice)

8 cups water

Method: Fill boiling water canner with water. Place 7 clean 1 litre mason jars in the canner over high heat. Wash cucumbers, slicing off blossom ends, leaving a 1/4 inch of stem attached. Place snap lids in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.

Combine vinegar and water in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, boiling gently while you pack jars. In a hot jar, place 1 head of dill, 1 clove of the chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp spice and 1/2 of a hot pepper. Pack cucumbers into a hot jar to within 2 cm of top rim. Place one head of dill on top. Add boiling pickling liquid to cover cucumbers to within 1 cm of top rim. Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and food, readjust head space. Wipe rim, then centre, snap lid on and apply screw band until just fingertip tight Place jar in canner. Repeat. Cover canner, return water to boil and process 15 minutes. Remove jars, cool 24 hours, check jar seals.

SHRIMP STIR FRY

2010-09-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Living life with less plastic isn't the easiest thing to do sometimes, but for the most part, once you get used to shopping and living differently, it ain't so bad! For instance, I've sewn a whole bunch of cloth produce bags with drawstrings and take them with me to the market instead of using the plastic bags provided. I also bring along paper bags and vegetable wax paper for bulk items, meats and seafood, as well as an (old) plastic tub so nothing leaks out.

Today, instead of buying the (unfortunately plastic packaged) PC Organic Shrimp that I was once so excited about, I got some wild caught ones from Mike's Fish Shop at the Farmer's Market. Sometimes it is inconvenient when you are looking for something specific and it is only available wrapped in useless plastic. If you're strategic though, another store probably sells what you are looking for. For example, Atlantic Superstore has a nasty policy of selling most of it's organic produce in plastic. So I choose to shop at the Farmer's Market and Planet Organic. The market is your best choice for finding plastic free food by far. Some vendors do use a lot of plastic, but there is always someone around the corner who doesn't, so be discriminating!

Today was a great reminder that living a life plastic free requires not only diligence in the market, but regular activism! The last couple of times I've shopped at Bulk Barn, the checkout staff got all flustered when they saw my paper bags. They then tell me that I am not allowed to use my own bags because of health regulations. Not only was I hassled by the staff, but then a customer in line was impatient and told me this wasn't the time for political activism. I strongly disagreed which then held him up even longer. So sad. Anyway, so I will be calling Bulk Barn head office on Monday to voice my objection to their policy and to request that they offer paper bags in their stores for customers who prefer them. If you are so inclined, please join me by calling (905)886-6756.

SHRIMP STIR-FRY

10 wild caught shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise if huge

3 Tbsp fresh organic ginger, grated and the juice squeezed out with the palm of your hand

3 Tbsp organic tamari soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 tsp organic sugar or honey

1-2 Tbsp organic cornstarch

1 cup water

organic black pepper

4 Tbsp organic vegetable oil

1 organic red bell pepper

1 stalk organic broccoli, peeled and chopped into florets

1 large handful organic snow peas or sugar snap peas

8 organic green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 organic zucchini, cut into half moons

1 large handful roasted organic cashews

Method: In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, ginger juice, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, some black pepper and the water. Set aside.

Heat half the oil in a large cast iron wok over medium high heat. Cook the shrimp until just opaque, set aside.

Add the other half of the oil and stir fry the vegetables until crisp yet tender, about 3 minutes.

Whisk the sauce, and pour it into pan, cook stirring until thickened. Add the shrimp and stir until coated. Serve over rice or noodles with some cashews.

BANANA BREAD

2010-09-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday morning really wanting to bake the very ripe bananas that were sitting on my counter into banana bread. Then the power company decided to do some repair work on some hurricane related damage, and we were left without power again for the whole day. So I woke up this morning and went right to it.

I love it that this recipe only uses bananas and brown rice syrup for sweetness. Lightly spiced with cinnamon and spices, it's the perfect snack anytime of day. Sometimes I like to bake these in mini serving size pans, like a personal pan pizza, only banana bread! If you're feeling a bit naughty, you can add some chocolate chips too.

BANANA BREAD

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 50-60 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

3-4 ripe organic bananas

1/3 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup organic brown rice syrup

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp GMO free baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground organic allspice

1/2 tsp ground organic cinnamon

pinch of ground organic ground cardamom

1/2 - 1 cup organic walnuts, crushed

1/2 - 1 cup organic chocolate chips (optional)

Method: Preheat oven to 375*. Oil a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan. With a potato masher, blend together the bananas and oil until combined. Stir in the syrup .

In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients, except the nuts and chocolate chips. Then add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix together. Stir in walnuts and chips.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.

PRASADA BLOG NOMINATED FOR BEST MOMMY FOOD BLOGGER!

2010-09-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine nominated me for Best Mommy Food Blogger on Babble.com. I'd love it if you checked it out and cast a vote!

http://www.babble.com/babble-best/top-50-mommy-food-blogs/nominate-a-food-blog/index.aspx

I'm listed under Anastasia, so the best way to find it is to pick the alphabetical option............

HERBED IRANIAN RICE

2010-09-04T15:51:00.000-07:00

Growing up we lived next door to an Iranian family. My mother fell in love with the cuisine, and encouraged our neighbours to show her how to make Iranian food. One of the lovely rice dishes she still makes to this day is laced with green onions and herbs. It was the perfect accompaniment to the organic salmon we broiled.

HERBED IRANIAN RICE

1 cup basmati rice

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup organic fresh dill, minced

1/4 cup organic fresh parsley, chopped

3 organic green onions, sliced

1 Tbsp organic salted butter

1 tsp sea salt

Method: Rinse the rice in a sieve until it runs clear. Let the rice soak in the water for at least 30 minutes in the pot you will be cooking it in. Then bring the water to a boil, add herbs, salt and butter, cover with a lid, lower the heat to very low and let steam for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

MY MOTHER'S KITCHEN (in my kitchen) - STUFFED PEPPERS WITH EGGPLANT

2010-09-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

My mother has been visiting for the last two weeks, so there has been a flurry of activity in the kitchen. The farmer's market is overflowing with seasonal vegetables we don't see around these parts most of the year, so I've been very excited to bring home treats to make all my summertime favorites with. Luckily mom is here to help with all the work.

Her willing hands were also very useful when I had the hugest urge to go wild blueberry picking last week. A couple of years ago there was a big forest fire alongside the highway not too far away from where we live. I was sad to see all the trees burn away, but a part of me was looking forward to the idea of prime blueberry growing conditions that are subsequently created as a result of a big burn. So there we were, out early in the morning, me with my big baby belly, and mom with her allergy congestion. We weren't there for very long, just enough to pick blueberries to make two lovely pies. That same day we made sweet and sour pickles, and Spanakopita. We were tired by the end of the day, but well fed.

To take a break from all the cooking, we've been busy sewing baby stuff. And going to the beach to cool off during this heat wave we've been having. When we get tired of that, we haul ourselves back into the kitchen to make other delicious treats like homemade pasta, which my son helped us make, and stuffed peppers. Wow, I'm getting tired just writing about it all. By the way, sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I find myself low on patience and energy during this pregnancy. Thankfully, mom took these pictures of supper tonight, and so here I am sharing it with you.

STUFFED PEPPERS with EGGPLANT

1 medium organic eggplant, sliced in half and hollowed out, reserve the meat and chop

6 organic peppers, any colour, tops cut off and hollowed out

2 cups partially cooked organic brown rice

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

1/2-3/4 pound organic or pasture raised ground beef

1 can organic whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 organic onion, diced

1 organic leek, thinly sliced

2 large cloves organic garlic, chopped

1/4 cup Bulgarian feta, crumbled (I bought this type because it comes in bulk from a metal can instead of a plastic pail! woo hoo)

1/4 cup organic parsley, chopped

1/4 cup organic mint, chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

1/8 cup grated romano or parmesan

1/4 cup organic breadcrumbs

2-4 organic potatoes, cut into large wedges (to hold all the peppers upright in the pan)

Method: In a large saute pan, cook onion, reserved eggplant, and ground beef over medium heat with half the olive oil until onion is soft and beef is browned slightly. Stir in the tomatoes and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, add cooked rice, feta, herbs and seasonings.

Preheat oven to 350*. Fill peppers and eggplant. Cover the peppers with their lids. Brush olive oil over the peppers and any of the exposed eggplant. Combine the romano and bread crumbs together in a bowl and then sprinkle on top of the peppers and eggplant. Place the peppers and eggplants in a baking dish, and use the potatoes to keep the peppers upright in the pan, wedging them between the vegetables. Bake in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until nicely browned and cooked through. If peppers brown too quickly, cover with parchment paper.

Faegan insisted on being the official pasta machine cranker. He had a lot of fun helping, but eventually he decided he'd rather cut the pasta into little bits which inspired us to make a quick lunch of leftover pasta bits boiled in water and then smothered in salty butter and freshly grated romano cheese.

The grand finale was this delicious lasagna made from the fresh pasta noodles, grilled eggplant and zucchini.

One of the blueberry pies.

The lovely leeks we used in the pita. I was glad to find a use for all the chard and dandelions in the garden too.

And the delicious sandwich pickles.

I promise I will get to posting all these recipes eventually. Just as soon as beach days are gone.........

MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS AND SHEPHERD'S PIE

2010-07-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been so long since I've posted! I have a good excuse though, I'm pregnant! With all the joy and excitement there is also lots of nausea and fatigue, so I've been taking it easy with the extra responsibilities. That's not to say that I haven't still been cooking, I just haven't had the energy to tell you all about it. But tonight I feel like I can, so here it is. Awesome homemade bagels that I just had to make after a really bad bagel I ate yesterday at a little cafe in the city. It made me crave the real deal, the delicious chewy real Montreal style bagel. Then I realized I should probably make supper, especially since Scott's brother in law Brad and nephew were going to be popping in around dinner time. Luckily I had some ground lamb in the freezer. Now today was a very hot summer day, and shepherd's pie is definitely not a hot summer day kinda meal. But hey, that's what I felt like making. Are you going to argue with a cranky, hot pregnant woman?

MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS

adapted from Home Baking by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Makes 20

3 tsp local honey

1 cup lukewarm honey

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 large organic egg

1 Tbsp organic oil

2 tsp sea salt

About 1-2 cups organic whole wheat flour

3 cups organic unbleached flour

For the topping

3 Tbsp local honey

About 1 cup organic hulled sesame seeds and or black poppy seeds

Method: In a medium bowl dissolve the honey in the lukewarm water, then stir in the yeast. In another small bowl, combine the egg with the warm water, oil, and salt. Set aside.

Add 1 cup of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir in. Add the egg mix and then 2 more cups of flour and stir. Add the rest of the flour in and blend. The dough will be quite stiff. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead it for 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a large lid. Let rise for 1-2 hours, until the dough is soft and has doubled in volume. Gently punch the dough down, cover and let rise again for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450*. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the dough into quarters and then work with one piece at a time, leaving the others covered in the bowl. Cut the piece of dough into 5-6 pieces. Roll each small piece out under your hands into a skinny rope 10-12 inches long. Press on the dough and roll it back and forth. Lay the dough rope over one hand, with one end lying across your palm and the other hanging down. Wrap this other end around your hand so that the ends overlap by an inch. Pinch the overlapping ends together, then, with your hand still in the dough loop, place your hand palm down on your work surface. Press down slightly as your roll the seam under your palm to encourage it to stick together. Place the bagel on a baking sheet and cover with a cotton cloth and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Continue with the rest of the dough.

Add the honey and stir to dissolve. Place a parchment lined baking sheet by your side. Put the poppy or sesame seeds in a plate.

Gently slide 4 bagels into the boiling water. Use the back of a slotted spoon to gently press them down into the water and let boil for 45 seconds. Use the spoon to to remove them one by one and lay them in the seeds. Roll each bagel in the seeds, coating both sides. Place them on the baking sheet. When the sheet is full bake them in the oven for 8 minutes, then turn over and bake another 5-7 minutes. Repeat until all bagels are done.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

For the topping:

1 1/2 pounds organic potatoes, cut into small pieces

3 organic parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces

1 cup organic yogurt

1/4 cup organic salted butter

1/4 cup organic milk

Filling:

1 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 large organic onion, chopped

3 organic celery stalks, chopped

2 organic carrots, chopped

2 cloves organic garlic, minced

1 pound organic ground lamb

2 cups organic lentils, cooked

sea salt and pepper

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

1 tsp organic cumin powder

1 tsp organic chili powder

2 1/2 Tbsp organic cornstarch

1 1/2 cups organic peas

Method: Preheat oven to 425*. Make the topping by placing the potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid. Mash the potatoes and stir in yogurt, butter and milk. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Filling: Heat oil a in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic, stirring, until tender, 10-12 minutes.

Add the lamb, cook, breaking up any large pieces for 5 minutes. Stir in the 1 1/2 tsp salt, and the other spices. Season with pepper. Stir in the cooked lentils. Whisk together the cornstarch and reserved cooking liquid; add to the meat. Boil for 1 minute then add the peas. Transfer to a large baking dish, then top with the potatoes. Bake until bubbling and the top is browned, about 30 minutes.

FIREPIT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

2010-07-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

Scott was at it again, this time trying out the automatic spit my dad gave him after our wedding. He had this vision of roasting some chickens over the coals and so was eager to make supper for us this evening. Scott spent the afternoon rigging up three levelled wooden supports to rest the spit on. I was quite impressed. I was so hungry watching them cook, I could hardly wait for them to be done. We used the cast iron skewers my mother sent me from Ontario to grill some boiled potatoes, zucchini and mushrooms. The delicious fresh cucumbers I picked up at the farmer's market this Saturday tasted yummy in a garden fresh salad with feta cheese. Summer doesn't get any better than this.

HERBED NEW POTATOES

2010-06-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

I had a delicious memory of these potatoes my mother used to make when I was a child. I specifically remember eating them at the cottage in the summer, all buttery and oniony. So I called her up to fill me in on the details of the dish. She recommended garlic, and so I thought, what better way to incorporate the garlic scapes that I just harvested from our garlic plants than in this dish? These potatoes are so amazing I ate 3 helpings. Hmm maybe that's why I'm busting out of my pants right now!

HERBED NEW POTATOES with Garlic Scapes, Dill and Parsley

20 small organic new potatoes

1/4 cup organic salted butter

1/4 cup chopped organic dill

1/4 cup chopped organic parsley

1/4 cup minced organic garlic scapes

1 organic green onion, chopped finely

sea salt and pepper

Method: Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Heat the butter in a small skillet until melted, remove from heat. Stir in the scapes. Drain the cooked potatoes and toss with the butter and toss in the other herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

CITRUS BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

2010-06-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

I love the library. Most of the time they have books that I would love to buy, so instead of buying them, I borrow them. If after checking them out I discover I shouldn't live without it, then I go and buy it! It's so much fun showing up and finding all these great books waiting for me on the reserve shelf. And so it was the day I arrived to find The River Cottage Meat Book. As you may have already guessed, it's a book about meat. A manifesto on the importance of eating GOOD meat. Honouring the animal by treating it right during it's life and then continuing that respect by the care you take in cooking it. It's such a huge book, full of so much information, I might just have to buy it just so I can actually get through all of it. The biggest reason why I will probably buy it though is because it's so good. I especially love the section on barbecuing, where he outlines the proper way to cook meat on an open fire without burning it. Anyway, so this recipe is from this book and it turned out really deliciously. Definitely not a hot summer day kind of meal, but I made it anyway because lamb shanks are some of the only cuts we have left in our freezer!

CITRUS BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

from the The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

4 organic, pasture raised lamb shanks

2-3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 organic carrot, finely diced

1 organic onion, finely diced

2 organic celery stalks, finely diced

a few sprigs fresh thyme

2 organic bay leaves

2 organic cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 bottle white wine

1 cup lamb stock or water

juice and zest of 1 organic lemon

juice and zest of 1 organic orange

sea salt and pepper

chopped organic parsley to garnish

Method: Heat some of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the diced vegetables, and sweat, without browning until tender. Add the thyme, bay, garlic, tomato paste, wine, lamb stock, along with most of the citrus juice and zest (save a few pinches of zest and a tablespoon each of the juice). Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

Heat a little more oil in a separate pan and brown the lamb shanks on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add them to the casserole and cover with its lid. Transfer to a low oven (250*) and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the shanks from the pan and keep warm while you finish the sauce by skimming off some of the fat, then taste the liquid for seasoning. Boil to reduce, then stir in the reserved zest and juices. Serve the lamb shanks on plates spooned over mashed potatoes or soft polenta.

BEAN SALAD with New Potatoes and Snow Peas

2010-06-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

I had no idea what I was going to make with the beans I had soaking all day. This salad was easy, and used all the spring bounty I had sitting in the fridge and cupboard. I used dried beans, but of course you can always used canned, just make sure you buy Eden Organic canned beans, because their cans are plastic BPA free!

BEAN SALAD with New Potatoes and Snow Peas

1 1/2 pounds small organic new potatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked organic kidney beans

1 1/2 cups cooked organic chickpeas

1 1/2 cups cooked organic pinto beans

6 oz steamed snow or string beans, cut in half

1 bunch organic green onions

1/2 cup e.v olive oil

1/4-1/2 cup organic local apple cider vinegar

1-2 tsp local honey

2 cloves organic garlic, smashed and chopped finely

1/4 tsp organic red pepper flakes

1-2 tsp organic dijon mustard
2-4 tsp umeboshi vinegar

sea salt and pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh organic parsley leaves

Method: Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Drain the cooked potatoes and keep whole or cut in half. Pour some of the salad dressing on the potatoes while they're still hot so they soak up the flavour. Combine the potatoes with the beans, peas, scallions and parsely. Stir in the rest of the dressing. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Check for saltiness and adjust as necessary.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE with Rhubarb Compote

2010-06-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Seeing as this was the first week for fresh, local strawberries, I just had to make some strawberry shortcake. Yesterday we enjoyed the first quart of strawberries on my husband's chocolate birthday cake. Even though we still had leftovers of that, I had a craving for whipped cream and biscuits, loaded with strawberries. Now the beauty of this recipe is it included using up some of that Rhubarb Compote I wrote about a few days ago. I had a batch sitting in the fridge, and it was a yummy, sweet addition to the shortcake.

It seems I've got strawberry fever. Not only am I eating lots of strawberries, I'm planting them too! I bought some strawberry plants the other day at Avery's Farm Market on my way home from the city. So of course, then I needed somewhere to plant them. That was when I decided a perennial vegetable garden would be perfect for planting not only these healthy strawberry plants, but the asparagus seeds I've been meaning to plant, and some rhubarb too. Thanks to Scott's hard work today, we now have a new raised bed that's waiting for a soil delivery. I can't wait!

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE with Rhubarb Compote

1 batch organic whole wheat biscuits http://prasada-eatingisdivine.blogspot.com/2009/09/best-biscuits-ever.html (you may want to add some more sweetener to this recipe)

1 batch rhubarb compote http://prasada-eatingisdivine.blogspot.com/2010/05/rhubarb-compote.html

1 quart local unsprayed or organic strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 carton organic whipping cream

Method: Slice a biscuit in half with a serrated knife. Drizzle the sliced strawberries with most of the maple syrup and let sit for 15 minutes. Make the whipped cream by adding a drizzle of maple syrup to the bowl before you use an electric mixer to whip the cream for about 5 minutes. Slather each side of the biscuit with some rhubarb compote, top the bottom half with whipped cream, followed by some strawberries and syrup. Top with the other half of the biscuit.

ORZO PASTA SALAD with Oregano and Kale

2010-06-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's pretty safe to say that I love pasta salads. Using orzo in your pasta is a little different than your run of the mill pasta salad, and using kamut orzo makes it whole grain, wheat free, and delicious. I was lucky to have a bottle of leftover Tahini Dressing in my fridge when I was making this, which made it quick and easy. But it is so yummy you will want to go the extra mile and make the dressing on the spot!

ORZO PASTA SALAD with Oregano and Kale

1 bag organic kamut orzo

1 bunch organic kale, chopped finely

1/2 cup tahini dressing (from a previous post)

5 organic radishes, sliced

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

2 Tbsp organic capers

3 organic carrots, shredded

1/4-1/2 cup minced fresh organic oregano

juice of 1 lemon

2-3 Tbsp umeboshi vinegar

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

Method: Bring a pot of water to boil, then cook orzo according to package directions. Add the kale to the pot 5 minutes before the orzo is done. Strain and return to pot with the olive oil, toss and allow to cool. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve.

RED CLOVER WINE

2010-06-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

It recently occurred to me that I could make not only Dandelion Wine but Red Clover Wine too! That is really exciting because making wine is fun, and I love red clovers. The bees do too! I noticed many of them buzzing around the blossoms as I was picking them at midday. My son was a great helper, picking a blossom here and there, and holding the basket, following me around the yard as he watched the bees frolic amongst the clover. I had to beg my husband not to cut the grass until I had a chance to pick my fill of flowers for the winemaking. I think he likes it that I make stuff from weeds so it wasn't too hard to convince him. While I was at it, I picked a basketful to dry for winter teas. Red clover is very nutritious and delicious.

The herb garden is sprouting many perennials once again, my favorites being the chives, oregano, thyme and lemon balm. I made a lovely fresh herbal tea from the red clover tops and lemon balm leaves while the wine making was in session. I was also inspired to add some chive blossoms to our salad after eating at Fid the other night. It was something I always knew I could do, but somehow never bothered to. They looked delicious sprinkled in with some violets in our very own salad greens. I love spring and eating the things that grow right here in our yard. I also remembered to harvest some comfrey branches to hang and dry for medicinal salves and teas. They look so lovely hanging around in our kitchen.

If you are interested in making Red Clover Wine, simply substitute Red Clover Blossoms for the Dandelion in the posting for Dandelion Wine recipe.

I couldn't resist taking a few shots of our lovely little chicks. Well, they're aren't so little anymore! Good thing they are here too because we lots 2 hens a couple of weeks ago to PREDATORS, so we were sad, but they certainly make us feel better.

CHOCOLATE HONEY ICE CREAM

2010-06-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

The beauty of making your own ice cream is that you don't have to use white sugar. I like to think of last night's chocolate honey ice cream as toblerone ice cream, minus the almonds, which could always be sprinkled on top. The only downside to this stuff is it kept out toddler up until midnight....very stimulating. It must have been the chocolate caffeine and sugar in the chocolate chips....

I was very excited to find a stainless steel storage container with a lid at Value Village the other day. Perfect for storing homemade ice cream.

CHOCOLATE HONEY ICE CREAM

6 oz organic chocolate chips

1/4 cup organic cocoa powder

4 organic egg yolks

1/2 cup local honey

2 cups organic cream

2 cups organic whole milk

1 tsp organic vanilla

Method: Melt the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over medium heat. Gradually whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with the honey. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium low heat, bring cream and milk to a simmer and then gradually whisk into the egg mixture.

Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Stir and transfer into an ice cream maker.

HOMEMADE TOFU

2010-06-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

In order to avoid the plastic packaging that tofu comes in, I've had to resort to making my own. I have eaten a lot of tofu in my life, but this is the first time I've ever made soy milk or tofu. You see, soy milk is the first step in the tofu making process. It is also the most time consuming and labour intensive part. Technically though, it is very easy to do. A bowl of beans makes a whole lot of soy milk, but very little tofu in comparison.

Where I once thought of tofu as a quick fix for an easy meal, I now realize how much effort is involved in the the things we take for granted. But boy, does it taste good. Now, aside from having just made a batch of great tasting tofu, I feel good knowing not one piece of plastic was used to make it. I bought the beans from Planet Organic, using a homemade drawstring cotton bag. The magnesium chloride was unfortunately packaged in plastic at Supernatural Health Food Store (and a #5 which isn't even recyclable) so I kindly asked the owner of the store if he could please reuse his plastic container and sell it to me in a paper bag. He did thankfully. Hopefully he actually reuses the offending container! Instead of using cheesecloth which is sold in plastic, I used a nylon almond milk bag to strain the tofu. These are very easy to make from old sheer curtains. It is a lot more effort than just buying a pack of tofu, but we're worth it.

TOFU

562 grams organic soya beans, soaked overnight in water

3 litres water plus about 3 litres for grinding the beans in the blender

1 Tbsp magnesium chloride

Method: Drain the soaked soya beans and rinse in a sieve. Then pour beans into a blender or food processor (probably have to do in a few batches) with some water and puree. Pour all the pureed beans into one or two large cooking pots on the stove and add the 3 litres of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. If the beans start to boil over, add a little cool water to calm them down. Using an almond milk bag or cheesecloth, strain the beans, reserving the milk. Pour the milk into a clean pot and bring to 175*. While you wait for the milk to heat, dilute the magnesium chloride with 1/2 cup boiling water. When water is at temperature, turn off the heat and pour the magnesium chloride solution into the milk, stir ONCE and let sit for 15 minutes. Then pour the curds into a tofu mold or simply strain it your almond milk bag or cheesecloth. When all water has drained and the tofu is firm, store in a bowl covered in water. Change water everyday.

FISH CHOWDER with Asparagus and Sweet Potato

2010-06-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

It was a beautifully rainy day today, so rainy and damp I even had to light the fireplace. It was the kind of day that chowders were made for. A morning trip to the library, a good book read during nap time and a big, steamy bowl of chowder and biscuits made this day even cozier.

FISH CHOWDER with Asparagus and Sweet Potato

1 pound hook and line haddock

1 pound organic salmon

1 cup fresh clams and their juice

3 Tbsp organic butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 organic carrots, chopped

3 organic celery, chopped

3 cloves organic garlic, minced

2 organic bay leaves

3 tsp fresh organic thyme

4 organic potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 organic sweet potato, peeled and diced

4-5 organic asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

3-4 cups water

3 cups organic whole milk

1/2 cup organic cream

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup organic butter kneaded with 1/4 cup flour

sea salt and pepper

chopped organic parsley

Method: In a large soup pot melt the butter and cook the onions, garlic, celery and carrot until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 or until potatoes are tender. Add the fish and clams, asparagus, the white wine, milk and cream. Cook on low heat until the fish is opaque. While the fish cooks, stir in bits of the butter/flour clumps, stirring until it reaches the thickness you desire. Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

FIRE GRILLED MACKEREL with a Tamari Ginger Dipping Sauce

2010-05-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

After a beautiful morning spent at the South Shore Waldorf School's May Fair, we took the long way home on the old highway. If Faegan hadn't been taking a nap in the car, we would have stopped at all the antique stores and yard sales along the way. The one stop we did make though was for some fresh caught mackerel. I was hoping we would run into a truck on the side of the road selling wild mackerel so that I could avoid buying fish from the store wrapped in plastic. I was so excited to find some today that I bought 10 so I could freeze some for another day. The only time I ever usually eat mackerel is when it's smoked. I had visions of outdoor grilling over the fire again, so did a quick internet recipe search and found one for Salt Grilled Mackerel on Cook it Simply's site. What a delicious way to serve mackerel! I am going to use that sauce for all kinds of fish and seafood dishes again. This was delicious served with a fresh garden salad made with an asian style vinaigrette.

FIRE GRILLED MACKEREL with a Tamari Ginger Dipping Sauce

adapted from Cook it Simply

4 local wild mackerel, gutted and cleaned with head on

2 Tbsp fine sea salt

8 Tbsp organic tamari sauce

4 Tbsp local honey

2 inch piece organic ginger, grated finely

Method: To make the sauce combine the tamari, honey and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a light boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and let cool.

Prepare the fish by slashing the fish down one side, and then sprinkle the salt in the cavity, on the skin and in the gashes. Let sit for 40 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Heat your grill or prepare the fire pit so that there are just hot coals and place the fish on, cook for about 5 minutes each side, being sure to only turn once. You can baste each side midway through cooking with some of the sauce. Serve the fish with tiny dishes of the extra sauce for dipping.