Living Life with Food

Orange Cranberry Loaf

2012-01-31T21:44:00.000-05:00

I made this recently to share with friends while we talked about food...what else do foodie friends do when they get together!!! We all LOVED eating this loaf. In fact, we all ate more than the "polite" serving cause it was just so good. And requests were made for the recipe so here it is!

Hope you have some time to bake this for your friends and family this winter too. I currently have one in my oven to enjoy with a good friend later today. Food is so worth sharing.

Oh yeah, credit for this original goes to my mother in-law, who got it from "Aunt Minka" , who got it from a cookbook called "Schmecks Appeal" - definite Dutch or Mennonite roots in that word "Schmecks"! Love it! I just swapped out the wheat and sugars!

Orange Cranberry Loaf

2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)*
1/4 cup butter - room temperature
1 egg - lightly beaten
3/4 cup orange juice - fresh is best*
3/4 cup apple butter *
grated rind of 1 orange
1 - 1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries - chopped*
1/2 cup nuts of choice (optional)
* See Cook's notes below

In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (flour, salt, soda, powder, and xanthan gum). Cut in the butter until it creates a fine crumb (or you can basically not tell it is there).
In another bowl, whip/whisk the egg, add the juice and apple butter and mix well. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix until it is just moist. Gently fold in the cranberries and nuts.

Using a loaf pan (approx 4 x 8)., line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the baked loaf. Pour the batter in the loaf pan. Spread the batter to the sides and corners so it is lower in the middle - this helps to avoid a high center that is unbaked.

Bake at 350 F for 1 hour. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow it to cool another 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a hot beverage and enjoy with a friend! Really the best if eaten the day it is made. It is so low in fat that it tends to dry out quickly.

Cook's Notes:
Xanthan Gum: this is a white powder that helps the crumb to stay together. This loaf can be made with Spelt flour and no xanthan but you will notice if the loaf is left for a day or more, the loaf will tend to fall apart very easily - crumbly. So your choice. I try to use less of it in my baking but even a 1/4 tsp can make a difference.

Orange juice: since this recipe requires at least one fresh orange for the zest, I say just buy 2 oranges and squeeze out all the fresh juice inside. Most delicious. Of course, having a good juicer is most helpful in doing this. I highly recommend the pampered chef one - LOVE MINE!!!

Apple Butter: Wellesley brand is my preference. Check out my page on "sugars" for more details on this specifics of this but it is my Sweetener of choice. This can be made with other sugars - I would try maple syrup or palm sugar before heading to the refined brown sugar.

Cranberries: Be sure to cut up your cranberries a bit before adding them. Large berries can just create soggy pockets which no one likes. Plus the loaf is not super sweet and with just a small tart bite, it is more enjoyable.

Penanapple Wraps

2011-05-30T22:19:00.000-04:00

My kids love to cook and so a month or two ago, I signed up for a free cooking class that all of us could do together. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the class due to other events that had to happen on that same day. So in efforts to make up for it, the kids and I have been going through a fun kids cookbook to make more foods together in our own kitchen. And today, we discovered this gem of a recipe. So simple yet so different and refreshing AND completely naturally sweet. (I have to admit I was a little surprised the recipe used a fruit for sweetness!)
My kids loved helping to make these wraps and then loved eating them too! What could be better for any parent who has kids to feed. The only possible down-side to this creation is it contains peanut butter which means it cannot be sent to 99% of the schools for lunch (at least in our area). But there are lunches on weekends and spring breaks and summers plus one could easily substitute any nut or seed butter for the peanut butter for those with allergies. I hope you will give it a try - and with your kids if you have any.

We named the recipe "Penanapple Wraps" cause it is more fun but it was called "The Sky is Falling Apples! Wrap" from Disney's The Magic Kitchen Cookbook.

Penanapple Wraps

(Peanut butter banana apple wrap)

1/4 - 1/2 small banana

2 - 3 Tbsp natural peanut butter

1/2 apple - chopped into small pieces

2 - 3 8" whole wheat tortilla wraps (or wrap of choice)

* See the Cook's notes below for details on the recipe

Put your peanut butter in a small bowl for mixing.

Slice the banana into the bowl and mix or mash until it is as mixed as you like.

Cut the apple into small, bite-sized pieces.

Spread the peanut butter mixture over the surface of the wraps. Sprinkle the apple pieces over the top and roll up the wrap.

Slice as desired and enjoy!

Cook's Notes:

About the banana, you need the banana to add sweetness to the peanut butter so I would not use a green one but perhaps not too overripe either cause then the banana flavour is too strong. So my thoughts are use a banana that you enjoy for just eating purposes.

About the measurements: Sorry I am not an "exact" cook when it comes to measuring ingredients in something like this. I hate putting peanut butter in a spoon just to measure the amount so I just estimate. Hope you are okay to go with it. It can be made with more or less of everything to suit your needs.

About the Tortillas: I normally try to avoid wheat as much as possible. And yes, I do have a spelt recipe to make tortillas on the blog but my real world does not allow me the luxury of time to have those on hand all the time. So do what works for you. When it comes to lunches, much easier to have some purchased tortillas on hand.

Oat Bran Muffins

2011-03-01T23:06:00.003-05:00

This is a super moist, delicious, low-fat bran muffin. Am I the only one the finds Bran Muffins a comfort food? They always bring me back to my childhood with good memories. But what I also remember is that most recipes I have made over the years had an abundance of oil and sugar. I found my inspiring recipe a few years ago but rediscovered it again more recently and made it "clean".

Last week I made some for my elderly neighbour and he said they were so good, he ate one, then two, then three in one sitting! And then he called me to thank me and ask me for the recipe so his daughter could make them. After that, I knew the recipe had to be shared beyond my kitchen. I hope you will enjoy them. I just put a dozen in the oven while the inspiration carries me on to write the blog....can you smell them?? (I just ate my second one as I edited this post! One is certainly not enough.)

Recipe was inspired by this Loaf recipe .

Oat Bran Muffins

1 1/4 cup spelt flour**
1/2 cup oat bran*
2 Tbsp ground flax
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup yogurt - plain
1/3 cup apple butter*
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil of choice (coconut, safflower, melted butter etc)
3/4 - 1 cup fruit of choice*

* See cook's notes below
**Recently found the addition of 1/4 c flour made a better muffin. Previously just 1 cup.
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, bran, flax, cinnamon, soda, powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix together the applesauce, yogurt, apple butter, egg, and oil. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix in any fruit as desired. Stir until just combined.

Scoop the batter into a muffin pan (makes 12 muffins).

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until the muffins springs back when touched. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing to enjoy.

Cook's Notes:
Oat Bran - In efforts to remove wheat from our diet, I like it's equally close cousin, Oat Bran. It easily replaces wheat bran in recipes but perhaps a little more difficult to find. I have only had success in finding at the bulk food store in our area labelled as Oat Bran Cereal. In your grocery store, try looking where you find oatmeal as I have occasionally seen it there in a box - likely the bottom shelf. If you cannot find it, wheat bran would be fine as well.

Apple butter - I only buy the Wellesley Brand apple butter as it is 100% natural and locally made. It is found at all Bulk Barn stores in Ontario and in Manitoba which would lead me to think all Bulk Barn stores carry it. It is in the cooler area and looks like a caramel molasses color. When I substitute it for sugar, I usually do 3/4 cup apple butter for 1 cup sugar.

Fruit of choice - This recipe is really moist so I find that fresh berries work best. Some ideas to try would include blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, apricots, dates or raisins. You can try it with frozen berries, as I just did mine with frozen cranberries, but I cut them up into smaller pieces first.

Chocolate Nut Truffles

2011-02-20T23:15:00.003-05:00

Here is a wonderful treat that is entirely naturally sweet!

Just blend it all together

and roll it into balls

and you have something delicious and "raw"

that sugar just can't beat!

Be sure to try out both the Chocolate

AND Peanut butter versions!

The chocolate truffle recipe was taken from the 8Week Challenge Participants Guide (Chocolate Date Balls).

Chocolate Nut Truffles

1 cup packed Dates*
2 ½ cups walnuts
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup unsweetened coconut* - toasted
* See Cook's Notes below.

Stuff your dates into a 1 cup measure. Really pack them down.

Using a food processor (mine is 14 cup) place the dates inside and process. Add the walnuts and process again until they are as small as you can get. Scrape down the sides as necessary. Add the cocoa and coconut and blend until a small crumb size is obtained.

Using a small cookie scoop of 1 Tbsp, drop the dough onto a cookie sheet.

Then press the dough into a ball with your hands to keep it from falling apart.

Chill or freeze until eaten. Makes about 34 small balls that are DELICIOUS!!!

Peanut Butter Nut Truffles
1 cup packed dates *
2 cups walnuts
½ cup natural peanut butter
½ cup peanuts
½ cup unsweetened coconut
* see Cook's Notes below

Follow the directions as written above. Makes about 40 truffles.

Cook's Notes
Packed Dates: The key to making this recipe easy is moist dates. I buy my dates in bulk and sometimes they can be dry. After measuring out the 1 cup of dates, I pour hot water over my dates prior to blending and allow them to soak for 1- 2 minutes. Drain the water off and then process the dates. The mixture sticks together much better.
Unsweetened Coconut: I just tried toasting the coconut before adding it and "WOW" ! It tastes fabulous. It adds a new dimension of flavour, and a little more crunch. To toast your coconut, use a small frying pan and stir as it warms. It will brown quickly. I do mine in my toaster oven which basically broils like an oven.

Enjoy with a hot tea or coffee and friends of course!

A + Turkey Sandwich

2011-02-06T09:30:00.039-05:00

In efforts to create a sandwich we enjoy without the mayo, butter and/or cheddar cheese, I think I found something that we really like.

Apple + Avocado + Turkey = great sandwich!

Although it sounds strange, the Avocado offers a creamy texture and buttery flavour. The Apple offers a "crunch" and contrasting sweet and sour flavour. And the turkey offers something of medium body and slightly salty. For me, that is a perfect bite! Even my kids enjoy this sandwich as have other guests at our home. Give it a try - I am pretty sure you will like it too!

"A" + Turkey Sandwich

Sliced turkey meat* turkey roast or deli
Avocado - thinly sliced (approx 1/4 avocado per sandwich)
Apple - thinly sliced
Sliced bread of your choice* - toasted
Prepared mustard
* See cook's notes below for more details

Toast the bread to your desired liking.
Top with turkey, thin slices of apple and avocado to cover the surface and finish with a twist of mustard.

Close the sandwich with the top slice of bread and cut the sandwich on the diagonal. In my own uniqueness, I believe appearance of food has a lot to do with our enjoyment of it and a diagonal cut sandwich always look and enjoy and taste better in my books. Enjoy on it's own or with a side salad.

Cook's Notes:
Turkey meat: If you have leftover roast turkey that would be ideal for this sandwich. However, I am not a cooker of turkey so that does not happen at my house. And I know many have mixed reviews of deli meat but at our place, we do have some deli meats for quick and simple lunches. I buy ML Natural Selections Turkey which does not have nitrates and has ingredients that I am okay with for the sake of convenience. If you have not tried Natural Selections, I think it is worth a try and the price. If you have other deli selections that are great, or other alternatives, please feel free to share.

Bread: At our home, we really try to avoid wheat/added gluten so our breads are usually Spelt or Kamut with Flax. And since these breads do not have the additives that keep bread soft and moist, I freeze it. Therefore, we toast our bread for the best sandwiches...plus we like the crunch it offers in our food.

Ground Beef Barley Soup

2011-02-01T20:36:00.001-05:00

I have loved the 'idea' of Beef Barley soup for a while now but oddly enough, I never seemed to have the stewing beef around to make it. And when I made the effort to go buy some just for the soup, it was always way more expensive than I anticipated so I never bought it and never made the soup. One day, I had finally had enough of the soup's denial and took the chance on trying something new - ground beef! Definitely a cheaper option and after eating it, equally as good if not better. My recipe below was modified from "Looking for Mr. Goodbarley" in my all-time favorite cookbook Crazy Plates. It is perfect for the winter's stormy weather! It really is packed full of goodness.

Ground Beef Barley Soup
1 - 1 1/2 lb ground beef *
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup celery - chopped
1 cup carrot - chopped
3 cups water
4 cups Beef Broth/Stock *
1-5oz can Tomato Paste
2/3 cup Pot Barley*
1 tsp dried Marjoram
3/4 tsp dried Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cup frozen kernel Corn
1/2 cup fresh parsley* - chopped

Optional veggies to add: peas, green beans, parsnips, turnips

In a larger stock pot, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Turning the heat to low-medium, add the diced onion, garlic carrots and celery and saute this for several minutes (5 - 8 minutes will bring out great flavour of the veggies).

Add all the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for an hour or two. You could also make this in a crock pot and let it simmer for the day. Prior to serving, add the fresh parsley.

Add some fresh (wheat-free) bread and a salad and supper is served!

Cook's Notes:

Ground Beef: In many cases, I brown several ponds of beef with onions and garlic ahead and freeze it for another time such as this. If you are doing the same, just add the veggies to the browned meat and carry on. I have also used a mix of ground chicken and beef and it went undetected to those who enjoyed the soup.

If you happen to have stewing beef to use, feel free to do so and just brown the outer edges first (do not fully cook it) in the pot and add the remaining ingredients as noted. You would also need to cook the soup then for 2 - 3 hours or until the beef is tender and done.

Barley 101: The most commonly found options in the grocery stores are Pearl Barley and Pot Barley (or Scotch Barley). The Pot Barley is less polished and therefore contains a more nutritious outer layer but takes longer to cook. In health-stores or specialty stores, you would likely find the even better options of Barley flakes and grits or Whole-grain (bits of whole-grain barley). Both those would require longer cooking times but in a soup like this, why not? Soup always tastes better with longer simmering.

Beef Stock/Broth: I am still in the process of finding a "healthy" broth/stock option for beef. I thought i found one at the bulk barn but discovered it had maltodextrin which is a sugar. So please use something you are comfortable with. Once I find one that I like, I will be sure to pass it on.

If you an unsure of the difference between stock and broth, stock is made using meat with a bone (and a deeper flavour) and broth is made using only meat.

Parsley: Fresh herbs are best added right at the end of cooking for the most flavour impact. And dried is not really the same in my books. Parsley is also very high in calcium so don't be shy about the amount. 3 1/2 oz has 203mg of calcium and cow's milk only has 118 mg for the same amount.***

And I know many people do not like to buy the fresh parsley because it does not last long. So here is my trick. I wash it and then store it in a larger yogurt container with water at the bottom and a produce bag over the top to keep it fresh longer. Mine can last anywhere from 1 -3 weeks depending on how crowded the container is.

Another great tip for cutting fresh parsley and other similar herbs is to put the greens in a small bowl and snip them to the desired size. I think it works like a charm!

***source: Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin

Pizza that is still good for you!

2010-12-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

I feel I have been holding back a golden gem - and that is my pizza crust made with spelt flour. Having just made it again this weekend, I was totally blown away with how spectacular the pizza tasted and my family agreed. I load ours up full of veggies and home-made sauce too so it still classifies as a healthy meal to enjoy. And yes, it does have cheese but a mix of mozza and Sheep Feta. Mmmm...I could eat this every day! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

The Foundation: Spelt Crust
This recipe was influenced from "Benefit of the Dough" in Eat, Shrink and Be Merry.

1 1/2 cups spelt flour (plus more for rolling out the dough)

1 tsp xanthan gum*

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp ground flax

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (or one packaged envelope)
2/3 cup warm water
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp cornmeal (optional but recommended)*

Combine the first 5 dry ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Create a hole in the middle of the dry mixture right to the bottom of the bowl and add in the water and oil. Knead the dough a few minutes by hand or stir as much as possible. Allow the dough to rest and rise for about 20 minutes or more in a warm place. I often will let mine sit for an hour or more and it is still great. For my “warm place”, I preheat my oven slightly to warm it up, turn the oven off and then leave the light on (keep it warm) and place the dough inside.

Makes a great crust for a pan measuring 10 x 15 inches. If using the cornmeal, sprinkle it on your pan before rolling out the crust. Roll out the dough directly into the pan on top of the cornmeal using extra flour as needed.

For rolling on the counter: you will definitely need extra flour as the dough is very sticky. Once rolled out, put the cornmeal on the pan and lay the dough on top.

Pre-bake the dough undressed for about 10 minutes at 400F to ensure no soggy crust.

Once it has baked, you could allow it to cool and freeze it for future use. Otherwise, load it up with your sauce and toppings and bake again for 8 – 10 minutes.

The Middle Sauce:
1- 5oz can tomato paste (make sure no sugar is added in the paste)
5 oz water (just fill the can previously holding the paste)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
3/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic - crushed
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and layer on pizza.

The Top Stuff:
Our pizza usually contains a combination of the following: Artichokes, zucchini, pepper, sun dried tomatoes, tomatoes, olives, red onion, chicken, feta, and mozzarella.

Cook’s notes:

Xanthan Gum: This ingredient is key to making a stronger dough as it creates a glutenous property to the dough. You can make this dough without the xanthan but the crust will be very crumbly and softer. With the Xanthan gum, you get a fabulous crust every time! I purchase Xanthan at a bulk food store or health section of a larger grocery store.

Cornmeal: this little bit of cornmeal at the bottom of the pan helps your crust to bake better from the bottom. It actually allows the hot air to flow between the dough and the pan allowing the crust to crisp up better than without. Worth a try and super cheap to buy.

Rolling out the dough: I do this right in my baking pan which is a Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan. Why not save a step and have less to clean up.

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

2010-09-20T20:19:00.001-04:00

I love to enjoy ice cream...any time of the year. So when I was told to remove all dairy from my child's diet, I had the dilemma of how to enjoy ice cream without her being left out (she also loves ice cream!). And while you can find dairy-free ice cream in the store, the cost for the size was just too much - and still loaded with sugar. Then I came across this recipe. The recipe came from a website so to be fair to all, I will only post the few simple ingredients but leave you with the website link so you can check it out. Really worth a try. Super simple, very delicious and really cheap to make compared to buying dairy-free options. And if you don't have an ice cream maker, don't stop reading here. See the cook's notes below for an alternate ideas.

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Coconut Milk
Cocoa powder
Agave nectar *
Vanilla extract
Ice cream maker*
* = see cook's notes below

www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/05/chocolate-coconut-milk-ice-cream-2.html

I am such a lover of ice cream – no matter what the season is. This one ranks pretty high for me in the like department. Especially since it is simple and cheap.

Cook's Notes:

Toasted Coconut: I personally enjoyed adding toasted Unsweetened coconut on top of my ice cream. Does that not look delicious?! If you have never toasted coconut before, use a frying pan on medium heat and stir until it is lightly browned. Do not add any oil or butter, just dry coconut. I do mine in my toaster oven - just faster. Just be sure to watch it closely cause it can burn quickly once it is heated.

Agave Nectar: This is a more natural, sweet syrup that can replace sugars and has an extremely low Glycemic Index (it does not impact your blood sugar very much). I buy mine in the Health-food Section of the Zehrs store. It is a costly bottle, however good to have on hand for certain foods that apple butter may not work well for. Other options to use would include maple syrup or honey if you prefer.

Ice Cream Maker: So here are some options...
1. If you don't have one, check with a friend who might have one that you could borrow. If you don't have a "borrow-from friend", you should find one of those too! I love mine!
2. If you love ice cream and have always wanted one, try buying it second-hand. I got mine off of kijiji and it was used once. Many people get them as gifts I guess and never use them.
3. You can always go big and buy a new one. Perhaps you know you will make good use of one that is new.
4. The other option is to make the ice cream and just put the bowl in the freezer. Stir it every half hour or so until it is slushy/frosty-like. This may take several hours. It is not the same as a maker but better than never having tried a recipe as such.

Leftover Salad for two!

2010-09-07T19:56:00.000-04:00

The other night I needed supper, but had nothing planned as I was not supposed to be home for supper. So I looked around my fridge and with the leftovers there, put together this wonderful salad! So fresh, simple and a little Mexican! Who does not love Mexican?! I also really really like the dressing - creamy, sweet and a little spicy! Great on many other salads as well. Be sure to read the Cook's notes for other ideas on foods you could add in.

Mexican Fridge Salad

Dressing:

2 tbsp plain yogurt

1 tsp apple butter *

1/8 - 1/4 tsp cumin

juice of half lime (2 - 3 tsp)

Salad:
1 cooked cob of corn *
1 breast of Cooked/BBQ'd Chicken - cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 tomato - diced
1/2 avocado - peeled and diced
corn chips - preferable blue for best color contrast
Fresh Cilantro

In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, apple butter cumin and lime juice and set aside.
In another bowl, combine the corn, chicken, tomato, avocado and plate it as a salad. Top with corn chips, cilantro and drizzle/spoon the dressing over.

This serves 1 - 2 people depending on your appetite and whether lunch, supper or a late-night snack. To make for a bigger family/group, just add more of the things you like and double, triple or quadruple the dressing.

Cook's Notes:
Apple Butter: I always have the Wellesley Apple Butter in my fridge but recognize not all of you will or may have access to buy it. In place of Apple butter, you could also try pure maple syrup or naturally sweetened apricot jam.
Cob Corn: I happen to save leftover, uneaten corn cobs because they work great for add-ins to meals like this. You could always use frozen corn kernels as well but perhaps let it thaw so you don't have frozen bites in the salad.
Other add-ins: Here are some other ideas of things you can add in to increase the amount of salad you have - rice, beans of any sort, peppers, jalapenos, jicama (a sweet Mexican potato), cucumber...be creative and empty the fridge!

Lentil Soup - for all seasons

2010-08-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

I made this soup the other day because I needed a quick and easy soup. Even though it is hardly "hearty soup season", it was still so delicious and so worth sharing. Please don't wait till fall to give this one a try!

This recipe was passed on from my mother in-law and I "tweaked" it ever so slightly to suite my cooking style.

Lentil Soup

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 medium onion - chopped finely
1 clove garlic
2 stalks celery - chopped finely
2 carrots - chopped finely
1 red pepper (or any color of your choosing) - chopped finely
1 1/2 cups red lentils
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sea salt
5 cups chicken broth or stock *
2 Bay leaves
1/2 lemon - juiced (about 2 Tbsp)*
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped finely

In a 4 quart pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Saute the onions for a few minutes. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and pepper. Continue to saute for about 5 minutes - or more. This process of "sweating" the veggies brings out a richer flavour providing you are not burning the veggies. Add the seasonings and lentils. Stir for a minute to infuse the flavours.

Add the stock and bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. If you have the time, I would suggest simmering for a longer period (like 2 hours).

Just before serving, add in the lemon juice, cilantro and remove the bay leaves. We like this soup served both hot and cold. Try it and see what you prefer.

Cook's notes:
Finely chopped vegetables: My preference in a soup like this is to have all the veggies similar in size and in this case, that is dictated by the smaller lentil size. They do not have to be tiny, but I prefer to cut my carrots in 4strips and then slice them to get quarter pieces rather than round coins. You get the idea.

Chicken Broth: There is a chicken broth I found that is made without any sugars - yes, most chicken broth has added sugar. The problem for me is it is quite a bit more expensive so I opt for a cheaper, organic one that does have a bit of organic sugar. A choice dictated by cost. I do make my own stock as well without any sugars, but I typically save that process for fall/winter. The store brand I like now is Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth purchased at Costco.

Stock vs Broth: Stock is made using bones and broth uses only meat. Stock is usually "jelly-like" from the bone. Either one are fine for soup but I would expect the stock has a deeper, richer flavour. Maybe I will have to make my own to compare one day.
About the 5 cups...Most store-sold broths are 4 cups so this technically means opening two and having leftover broth. So options are to add 4 cups broth and 1 cup water or you could try 1 cup apple juice in place of the water idea as well. If you open the second carton of broth, consider freezing it for later use - just be sure to measure it and label the amount so you know exactly how much you have.

Lemon: It may seem quite strange to add lemon juice at the end but I am learning that lemon juice "brightens" the flavour of many foods, including this soup. I have left it out and thought it was fine but then added it in and wow! I will add it from now on. A"seasoned" chef once told me real lemon juice does not come out of a bottle. Fresh really is best.

Apple Curry Grilled Chicken

2010-08-20T04:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a recipe I have made over and over and over again. And given the BBQ season is still going strong, I hope you will give it a try and enjoy it like we do. Our favorite meal includes this marinade on chicken with grilled veggies, brown Basmati rice and grilled pineapple. This sauce would also work wonders on pork chops, pork loin or even add a new zip to hamburgers.

This recipe is influenced by a favorite cookbook: Crazy Plates - Grill of a Lifetime

Apple Curry

Grilled Chicken

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup apple butter - Wellesley brand
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Soy Seasoning*
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 - 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice or applesauce (to thin out the sauce for eating)
* See Cook's notes

Mix all the ingredients together except the apple juice/sauce. If you would like to marinade the meat, pour about 2 - 3 Tbsp of sauce over the chicken breasts to marinade for 30 minutes or more. Use some extra sauce to baste the meat when grilling. The other option we have been doing is to use olive oil and salt and pepper on the chicken to grill it and use the marinade like BBQ sauce, just add it as it finishes grilling.

With the extra marinade (that has not been in contact with raw meat), add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup applesauce or a Tbsp or two of apple juice to thin out the sauce and lessen the intensity. Warm this on the stove top or in the microwave and use to add to the grilled chicken (and rice if you are serving it).

Cook's notes:
Bragg's Liquid Soy Seasoning is like Soy Sauce only much better for your body than Soy Sauce. It is simply soy protein from soybeans and water and tastes like the soy sauce. Another similar option to buy is also Tamarind Sauce. One person once explained the difference between them like this: what pure maple syrup is to Aunt Jamima is what Bragg's Liquid Soy Sauce(or Tamarind sauce) is to Soy Sauce. Yes, it is a little more expensive but most things that are better for you do cost more. You can find it in the Health Food section of your grocery store.

Black Bean Brownies

2010-08-05T09:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a brownie recipe that serves up great chocolate taste, not too sweet, yet fudgy texture along with a shocking surprise for your guests – yes, it really has a can of beans in it! I created my version of the recipe after being influenced by other recipes I found in my cookbook collection. Seems I can hardly ever follow a recipe as noted by anyone any more. Hope this one works for you or if you are like me….may it inspire your own creativity to make one to call your own! BTW...if you have never tried a brownie like this, it is truly worth it.

Black Bean Brownies
1 (19 oz) can of black beans – thoroughly rinsed and drained
¾ cup butter – melted *
1 cup walnuts (used as separate ½ cup measures) – toasted
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup natural coffee substitute *
½ tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup apple butter *
4 eggs

Notes for Success on this:

This recipe is completely mixed in a 14-cup food processor. If you only have a smaller food processor, make sure you puree the beans and nuts in smaller portions and then use a bowl and hand mixer for the remaining mixing.
Puree the beans and nuts to as smooth a texture as possible before adding too much liquid.
"Blend” and “Puree” are the same setting on my machine. The difference is pureeing is to take something whole and making it basically a paste (takes longer to mix) and blending is simply to mix several ingredients together (shorter time to mix).
Times noted for blending are approximate. I never time them but the idea is to have it well blended and smooth.
Please do not serve the brownies warm or from the oven as the bean flavour is strongest then. They store nicely in the freezer and are quick to thaw for serving cold.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Using a food processor, add the black beans and puree for about 45 seconds. Add the melted butter and process for 1 – 2 minutes or until as smooth looking as possible. Add the ½ cup of walnuts and puree for another minute.

Add in the cocoa powder, the applesauce, salt and vanilla. Before adding in the coffee substitute, first add 1 – 2 Tbsp of water to the coffee granules to dissolve them in a separate bowl and then add to the food processor along with the apple butter. Blend for another minute. Add the eggs and blend the mixture for another minute or so.

Line an 11x15 baking pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan.

Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of toasted walnuts over the batter and gently tap them into/under the batter to cover them before baking.

Bake at 325 F for 20 – 25 minutes. (20 minutes makes a nice fudgy texture that we enjoy). Cool completely before cutting.

Serve chilled and topped with plain yogurt and fresh fruit.

Cook's Notes:

Butter: If you find 3/4 cup too much, try decreasing the amount and increasing the applesauce(ie 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup applesauce). I am not an official test kitchen and do not have time to just repeat baking to try all the small changes one could really make. But the next time to do make this, I plan to try this combo myself.

Natural Coffee Substitute: I found this one at a bulk food store and it is 100% caffeine free. It is made of roasted barley, rye, chicory, and beet roots. It helps to mask the "beany" flavour. You could always use other instant or strong coffee if you are not avoiding caffeine.

Apple butter: As always, my favorite choice is Wellesley brand. If you do not have this available, you could use agave nectar or maple syrup as substitutes. If in doubt, just email me and ask.
Baking Pan: If you do not have a pan 11x15 , feel free to try a 9x13 cake pan but add a bit more baking time...perhaps another 10 minutes. I would not try a larger pan as the brownie is not very thick in a 11x15

Truly Delicious!

Amazing Chocolate Pudding

2010-07-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

This has been my guilt-free pleasure this last week and it is time I shared it with you. I really enjoy this funky version of chocolate pudding. As you read the ingredients, I am sure you will cringe your nose and say "Is she out of her mind?". No, I am not and I hope your curiosity will get you to try it too. IF you are not a fan of chocolate and banana, chances are it will not be your favorite like mine, but it is still worth trying for nothing other than a great food story.

I need to give credit here where it is due. I did not create this recipe...although I wish I had! I heard of it via friends who purchased a cookbook called "Simply Balanced" put together by the team leading the 8 Week Challenge. I believe the only change I made was removing the lemon juice. I think it is ingenious how they recreate the mouth-feel of instant boxed pudding through the use of avocado and banana! Who thinks of that?!? Plus it is all healthy.

Amazing Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado *
1 banana (as ripe as you like them)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp Applebutter (Wellesely brand is my favorite)
1 cup Rice Milk *
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Plain yogurt for topping*
Fresh fruit cut up for topping (peach and strawberry are my faves)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or use in a bowl with a hand processor and puree until smooth. Chill for an hour or two. Before serving, be sure to top the pudding with yogurt and fresh fruit.
Makes approx 3 cups of pudding.

Cook's Notes:

Here is a great way to peel an avocado...cut the avocado in half and then in half again. Instead of using a spoon to scoop it out, just peel the peel away. It leaves you the most avocado and one less dirty utensil!

Rice Milk is naturally sweet so it offers extra sweetness when used in this recipe. If you choose a different type of milk (almond, soy or cow's milk), you may need to add a little extra apple butter to sweeten.

Be sure to dress up your dessert pudding with plain yogurt as it contrasts the chocolate flavour beautifully. Sounds odd but the tartness of the yogurt works well with it. Also lessens the flavour of banana as well. Plus who does not love chocolate and fruit? Fresh cut fruit is a must for us.

Naturally Sweet Ketchup

2010-06-23T13:08:00.001-04:00

Let me start by saying I have mixed thoughts on making my own ketchup and if you think I have gone too far now, so be it. I have heard of others making it from scratch and thought it was crazy to go to that extreme. At this point in life, we really do not use much ketchup any more. But with the BBQ season starting, it has become the base for some BBQ sauces I am attempting as well as some tomato sauces I am trying. And given there is a LOT of sugar in just a little bit of ketchup (like almost 1 tsp of sugar in just 3 tsps of ketchup), I figured trying my own recipe was worth it . AND to my surprise, and that of my many guinea pigs who have tried it, it is really good and really simple. It actually tastes like a tomato-based condiment rather than just a sweet red sauce. So I would encourage you to give it a try and taste and see what a difference homemade makes (Jenn's ketchup is on the right in the picture above).

Jenn's Naturally Sweet Ketchup

1-5.5 oz can of tomato paste*
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or apple butter*
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
* = see cook's notes

Mix all the ingredients together and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Yields 1 3/4 cups of ketchup.

Cook's notes:
Make sure your tomato paste does not have added sugar in it. READ the ingredient list, don't just look at the calorie label as tomatoes themselves offer natural sugar.
If using maple syrup, please only pure maple syrup. It will still raise your blood sugar so if that is a concern, you may prefer to use the apple butter (wellesley brand). I don't have specifics on the glycemic index (GI) of the syrup vs apple butter but I know when doing the 8 week challenge, maple syrup was not allowed and apple butter was so I am assuming from that, the GI of apple butter is lower and therefore better for your body. Your choice. I have made both ketchup options and they don't really taste much different.
I don't know exactly how long this ketchup will last in your fridge because I usually have used mine up in a week or two. Assuming it does not get contaminated from food/germs, it should last fairly long as the Heinz version does not have any preservatives either (other than a lot of sugar) and it lasts forever!

If you would like to know more about glycemic index, check out the link below.

http://www.whfoods.com/sitesearch.php

Fast, Simple and Beautiful

2010-06-13T22:23:00.000-04:00

Here is another recipe I have made frequently for my family and for many guests. A friend Val served me a similar meal years ago and since then I have been adjusting it and now the final change was the sugar-free dressing choice. Thanks Val for that first meal! This is seriously one of our favorites due to the beauty of colors, the taste and then the simplicity of making something spectacular! Just look at that color - it certainly inspires me and I hope it will you too.

Sundried-Tomato Chicken

Pasta with Feta

3 cups uncooked Brown Rice Penne Pasta*
3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
1/2 red onion - diced
1 zucchini - diced
1 yellow pepper (or color of your choice) - diced
1 1/2 cups carrots -peeled and diced
1/4 - 1/3 cup Sundried Tomatoes* - cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 - 1/2 cup Sundried Tomato dressing - Renee's brand *
1/2 cup Feta Cheese - crumbled
* = see Cook's notes below

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to directions.

Using a large skillet, heat the skillet and add 2 tbsp of dressing and the diced chicken pieces. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and remove the meat from the skillet to cook the veggies. Add another 2 - 3 Tbsp of the dressing and add the onions, peppers, zucchini and carrots and cook for another 5 - 7 minutes or until tender.

Add the sundried tomato pieces, olives (if using) and return the meat to the pan. Add more dressing if needed but it should not be dripping in the sauce. Stir and cook until heated through.
To serve, layer the pasta with the veggies and chicken and top with crumbled feta.

Cook's Notes:

Pasta: My preference for pasta is brown rice pasta. I only cook mine for 7 minutes once the water boils and the pasta is added. If you overcook your rice pasta, it will go mushy and tastes terrible. Please check your brand directions and always use a timer! Seriously...it is not worth ruined pasta.

Chicken: You have other options for chicken here. It really tastes delicious and fancy to marinate the chicken breasts in the dressing (just enough to coat them) for an hour or more and then BBQ the chicken. Slice the breasts and lay over the plate. The other thing we do is buy sundried tomato chicken sausage and use that with this meal. So take your pick.

Dressing:Renee's Gourmet Sundried Tomato and Black Olive dressing is one that contains no added sugars so it is all I buy. You can find this in the cooler section of the produce department of larger grocery stores. One could use other Sundried Tomato dressings or even Italian dressing in a pinch, but know it will likely contain sugars of some sort. Read the ingredient list and remember dextrose is a sugar.

Sundried Tomatoes: These can be purchased dry or in oil. For obvious reasons, the dry ones are the healthier option and even in oil, some brands will add sugar as well. If using the dry ones, they suggest soaking them in hot water for a few minutes before using. I have done this water soaking but in a pinch, I have also used them without soaking them first. Makes for a faster supper. And for cutting up the tomatoes, don't forget you can use a scissor instead of a knife if you prefer.

Apple Walnut Spelt Bread

2010-06-02T08:41:00.000-04:00

This recipe was first discovered thanks to the purchase of my Sunbeam breadmaker. The recipe was in the recipe section of the manual - and then modified of course. I love it because it is nice to dump into a machine and get this marvelous loaf along with the best-smelling house ever! I have no doubt it would also work the old-fashioned way if you don't have a breadmaker. It does make a heavier bread but it is the best toasted with butter. Great tea-time snack or breakfast!

Apple Walnut Spelt Bread

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsweetened apple juice
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter - melted
1 egg
1/4 cup applebutter
4 cups spelt flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp instant yeast
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Add the applesauce, juice, salt, butter, egg and applebutter into the bread pan. In a separate bowl, measure and add the flour, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking bsoda and stir to combine thoroughly. Pour this onto the liquids in the bread pan. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour mixture.
Twist the bread pan into the breadmaker, close the lid and select the sweet bread setting (on my machine it is about 2 1/2 hours). Select your crust color and press start. When the dough is formed into a ball during the kneading cycle, raise the lid and sprinkle the nuts in (about 5 minutes into the cycle). This does make a delicious 2lb loaf of bread.

Cook's Notes:
The recipe book does say this should not be made using the timer (ie placing it all in the pan and having it set to go on at a later time). I have no idea why this would not work for a timer but I have not tried it yet. I think I may have to though. Waking up to this bread would be a delight!
I would definitely consider adding raisins in and perhaps omit the nuts then. Another option I have wanted to try is to add small pieces of apple in as well. Yum!

A New Twist on Salsa

2010-05-28T22:59:00.000-04:00

Here is a fantastic new salsa that is filled with healthy essential oils for your body in their most natural form - fresh olives and avocados! Even for those who do not like olives, this is still worth trying because the combination of foods in each bite blend so well together, you may not know you are eating olives. It is perfect for any BBQ, party or even a lite lunch side.

This recipe was passed on by our good foodie friends, Hans and Carolyn! Thanks so much. I am so glad I had the pleasure to enjoy and share this one.

Avocado Salsa

1 ½ cups kernel corn *
1 ½ cups olives (kalamata or black) - sliced
1 cup red pepper – chopped finely
½ cup red onion – chopped finely
3 cloves garlic – pressed/minced
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice – freshly squeezed
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt and pepper
3 avocados – diced *
Blue or White Corn Tortilla chips *

* Check the Cook's notes below for more details.

In preparing your veggies, try to keep all of them similar in size - and small so you can get lots on your chip. Using a large glass bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the avocado and refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Add the avocados just before serving. Enjoy with a bowl of tortilla chips - and friends too!!!

Cook's Notes:
Corn: Frozen kernel corn works really well as it is not milky and gimpy like canned corn is.
Lemon juice: As the famous Coco once said, "The only lemon juice you should use is that which you can freshly squeeze".
Avocados: Try not to use fully ripe ones as they will get mushy in the salsa. To peel them, cut them in half and using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh. To remove the pit from the one half, using a larger, sharp knife, place the edge of the blade into the pit and twist the knife until the pit is removed.
Tortilla Chips: We eat mostly the Blue corn tortillas because they are a bit better for you than the white corn (kinda like sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes). I stay away from the multigrain because all those I have seen have added sugar in them...read the ingredient list. I would rather avoid sugar and get my fibre from many other foods so I go with the blue ones (or white some days).

Baked Oatmeal - the weekend is here!

2010-05-20T20:09:00.001-04:00

When I first heard about this dish, I was skeptical. It simply sounded a little strange. I finally asked a friend for her recipe, made small changes, and we have been enjoying it ever since. Since it is now a staple to signify "the weekend is here", I figured it was time to share it. Give it a try - you know you want to.

This recipe was influenced by http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art3375.asp

Baked Oatmeal
* = see cook's notes below

2 cups Oats *
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans - chopped and toasted
1 1/2 cups rice milk or milk of your choice *
1 tbsp applebutter or you could use maple syrup *
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp canola oil
Fresh fruit to add before eating

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until the eggs are evenly mixed into the other ingredients. Then add the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and nutsand stir. Pour the batter into a large pie plate (10" or more) or a 9x9 cake pan or serving dish and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes if you can wait. Then slice and serve in a bowl with milk of your choice and fresh fruit.

Cook's Notes:
Oats: I only use Old Fashioned Rolled Oats but you could use large flake. Quick Oats would likely still work but may be a different texture. Definitely do not use Minute Oats.

Milk: I like to use Rice Milk because it is naturally sweet (no added sugar) so it makes the dish sweeter without adding more sugars. If you use regular milk, you may find you need to add more sweetness.

Applebutter options: if you do not have applebutter that is naturally quite sweet ( I only use Wellesley brand), you could use maple syrup in equal amounts.

Options to consider: I think this would be delicious with fruit added in before baking, like blueberries or raspberries or even sauted apples.
I also found it worthwhile to mix up the recipe the night before and leave the it in the fridge. I even set my oven to turn on automatically the following morning so I could be as lazy as possible - hey, it is the weekend! So in the morning, all I have to do put the mixture in a room-temp baking dish and add it to the hot oven to bake. During that time, why not get a little more sleep. That sweet, warm cinnamon oat smell is a great thing to get your day going!!

Spelt Tortillas

2010-05-09T22:48:00.000-04:00

I have heard making tortillas was easy so I just had to give it a try. Plus I wanted fajitas for supper so it seemed like a good time. So here is what I did – I took a tortilla recipe and made it from spelt flour. And the results…so good I am a new believer in making my own tortillas, dare I say, all the time? I think my family might demand it now. Fairly basic so do give it a try and let me know what you think.

Spelt Tortillas

This recipe was adapted from : http://www.imagelicious.com/blog/post/homemade-tortillas
Yield: 12 6-inch tortillas

1 ½ cups spelt flour
½ tsp Xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp butter – room temperature (could also use shortening if preferred)
2/3 cup warm water
extra flour for rolling out the dough ( I used regular white flour for some reason)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add in the butter and mix until a fine crumb forms. Add the water and stir to make a soft dough. Knead (or continue stirring) the dough for 1 – 2 minutes and then let it rest for 10 minutes.

On a floured surface, pour out the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Using as much flour as needed to not have your dough stick, roll out each piece into a 6 inch tortilla (or as thin as you can handle). Dust off any excess flour before frying.

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. With a non-stick skillet, there is no need to add any oil or butter for cooking. Once it is hot, cook each tortilla for about 1 – 2 minutes or until the dough bubbles and slightly browns. Flip and continue to cook for about another 30 seconds or until browned as desired. You may need to brush away excess browned flour from the pan before adding a new piece of dough.

To reheat the tortillas, preheat an oven to 350 F. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven for 5 minutes.

Cook`s notes: Given it was my first time trying this, I only rolled one piece of dough at a time to ensure I had the right thickness and frying time. My plan is to spend some time making a lot ahead of time and freezing them so I am not making these AND supper to go in them at the same time.

If you don`t want or have spelt flour, this recipe can be done with regular or whole wheat flour and then you don`t need the xanthan gum either.

Rating: 5 star

My family devoured these fajitas...the tortillas made such a difference. So so much better than what we buy.
*special thanks to my husband for helping me make these!

Banana Date Muffins

2010-04-30T22:31:00.000-04:00

This is one of the first foods I made where I removed the sugar completely, and it is in muffins!! The trick is to let your bananas get really ripe and also to freeze them. The riper banana has more natural sugar so there is no need to add more. I also never make banana muffins where the bananas have not first been frozen. And don't pour out the juice that comes when they thaw - it all makes for a delicious moist muffin - without sugar!! We also like the crunch of the healthy toasted walnuts and the bites of sweet dates that simulate the chocolate chips I used to use to fill my banana muffins! So give them a try or come on over cause I make them almost every week!!

Banana Date Muffins

4 frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups) - thawed and mashed
1 egg
1/3 cup butter - melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped dates (approximately)
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces (approximately)

Preheat the oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, mash the banana, add the melted butter, egg and applesauce. Mix well. I then add the salt, soda and powder and stir. Add the flour and stir slightly, then add in the final dates and nuts and stir until just combined.

Scoop into a greased muffin pan and bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until the centers spring back when touched.
Makes 12 muffins.

Cook's notes:

Nuts always taste better when slightly toasted before used in baking. I usually do mine in the toaster oven but can also be done on the stove in a skillet. Simply toast and stir occasionally until you smell a wonderful warm, buttery nutty smell.

Dates - use scissors to cut them. Much faster and easier than a knife. I strongly suggest buying dates loose in bulk. They are the cheapest and easiest to use for cutting up.

Rating: 5 Star!!
We love these and they are always in my freezer.

Spelt Buttermilk Pancakes redone

2010-04-30T22:16:00.000-04:00

I had a dream of the perfect family breakfast this morning with fluffy pancakes, bacon, fresh fruit and orange juice...but that did not quite happen that way. Let's admit it, pancakes need to be eaten fresh once they are done cooking, not put on a plate and held until all the cakes are done. Nooooooo. So right there, it does not really work as a family sit-down meal. But regardless, it is still an enjoyable breakfast even if the "chef" is the last to eat.

I thought I had a great recipe but then I was inspired by the buttermilk pancake recipe I found in Fine Cooking Dec09/Jan10 issue. They looked so light and fluffy and delicious I had to try it - with spelt and no extra sugar. Why do they add sugar to something we ladden with syrup?!? So here is our new delicious recipe that will now be our staple. Sorry I cannot take pictures like they do in the magazine. Trust me, they are great.
See the notes below if you don't have spelt and xanthan gum.

Spelt Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups spelt flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 cup milk or rice milk * see notes below
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 eggs - lightly beaten
3 Tbsp melted butter

Combine the milk and vinegar and allow to sit to "sour" before being mixed in.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, powder, soda, salt and xantham gum.

In a medium bowl, mix the "buttermilk" and eggs and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Add the melted butter and gently stir until the batter is evenly moistened (there will be lumps). Let the batter rest while you heat the griddle.

Preheat the griddle (375F) or skillet (medium to medium low), lightly season the surface with butter. Pour the batter onto the griddle for each pancake ( about 1/3 cup of batter for each). Let them cook until the edges appear to be set and bubbles rise to surface. The top surface should still look wet. Flip the pancakes and continue to cook until the second side is nicely browned.

Transfer the pancakes to a waiting recipient so they can start eating while the pancakes are freshest and most enjoyable...or put on a platter and wait until the rest of the batter is cooked.

Serve with butter, pure maple syrup and fresh fruit!

Cook's notes:
Milk: The original recipe calls for buttermilk and one can substitute that with milk and vinegar as noted in the ingredient list. I have also done this recipe with rice milk and yogurt (1 cup of each) and that works too. Or you could do the original 2 cups of buttermilk if you have.
Xanthan Gum: If you don't have Xanthan gum, you can still make these successfully with spelt flour or white flour if you prefer, however, the texture is better when Xanthan is used with spelt.
Lumpy Batter: I saw a cooking show on the perfect pancakes and to my surprise, they insist on leaving lumps in the batter. So I had to try it and am now a firm believer - lumps make better pancakes. I think it works because the batter is not whipped like one would need to do to get the lumps all out. Be sure to leave the lumps.

Rating: 5 Star!
A basic recipe but they are delicious and easy too. The perfect weekend breakfast!

Tomato Ricotta Penne - a meal in minutes

2010-03-19T23:04:00.000-04:00

It's almost supper and you have no food planned or thawed to be cooked. Here is my meal in a pinch that is fast, easy and absolutely delicious. From start to finish, about 20 minutes to make and it is filling, very healthy and beats toast and cereal. Sorry I don't have any pictures to add right now. I will take some the next time it is made. Enjoy!!

Tomato Ricotta Penne

3 cups uncooked Brown Rice Penne Pasta - cooked according to directions

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 red onion - finely diced

1 medium zucchini - diced into bite-size pieces

1 pepper (color of your choice) - diced into bite-size pieces

2 cups Classico Tomato and Basil pasta sauce (or a sauce of your choice)

1 cup ricotta cheese (or half of a small 454 g container)

1/4 cup sheep feta cheese or parmesean cheese

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces (optional)

Cook the pasta according to directions. See cooking notes at the bottom.

In a large skillet, pour the oil into a heated skillet. Saute the onion for a few minutes until tender. Then add the zucchini and pepper and saute until they are tender (about 5 minutes?). Add the pasta sauce. Once that is heated through, add the ricotta cheese and heat for a few more minutes.

Serve the sauce over cooked pasta.

What would I do different?
If I have leftover cooked chicken, I will add it to the sauce. Since this recipe is mostly used in a pinch, I won't bother to thaw frozen chicken to add. The ricotta and walnuts add the protein in the dish.
You can also add fresh garlic when sauting the onions but I find the choice of sauce has plenty of flavour.
I am not one to measure my diced veggies so please use your common sense in the amount used. I like lots of veggies so sometimes use more or less or whatever is in my fridge.

Cooking Notes:
Rice pasta cannot be overcooked. Follow the directions on the package as different brands will cook different. I use my timer when cooking pasta to ensure I will not over cook them. Mine is cooked for 7 minutes from the time it is added to the water and it is perfect every time.

The walnuts in here really do add a beautiful texture and flavour. As bizzare as it may sound, it really is worth a try. Pine nuts are often the choice nut for something similar but I find them fairly expensive and will use walnuts instead. I also always lightly toast the nuts I use as they taste much better than raw ones.

Rating: 4-Star
We really do love this recipe but since it is fairly simple, I can only give it a 4-Star. If the sauce were from scratch, I would give it 5 but then it is hardly a meal in minutes.

Better Nutter Bread - a power snack

2010-03-16T20:22:00.000-04:00

It is friday morning and I am pretty much out of snack-type foods (aka baking). A new favorite recipe I discovered is a Nut Loaf which is filled with all sorts of nuts and things that are healthy for you - unless you live on Weight Watchers.
I have modified the original recipe to remove the sugars and white flour and am very very happy with the new results...plus it makes 2 loaves which doubles your efforts at one time. One for you and one to give away! Hope you enjoy it.

Better Nutter Bread

1 egg

1 c vanilla rice milk with 1 tbsp apple cider

1/4 cup butter – melted

1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce

¾ cup apple butter*

½ cup toasted nuts - chopped (walnut, almonds)

1 – 2 Tbsp each coconut, wheat germ, ground flax, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds

½ cup dates – chopped (optional)

2 cups spelt flour

1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

Combine egg, milk, vinegar, butter and apple butter and apple sauce in a large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients (nuts, dates, and dry ingredients) in a separate bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and gently stir. Pour into 2 greased 5x9 loaf pans. Bake at 350 F for 30 - 35 minutes or until done. Wait about 10 minutes before removing the loafs from the pans to cool on a rack.

Cook's Notes:
The only apple butter I use is Wellsley Apple butter which can be bought in the grocery store or in the Bulk Barn stores in Ontario (at least in the Niagara Area). If you use a different one, please make sure it tastes sweet otherwise it will not be a good replacement for sugar. The Wellsley brand has the consistency of a soft honey and is dark brown in color. It is always in my fridge.

Sweet Potato Salad - My new favorite summer salad

2010-03-16T19:59:00.000-04:00

So here is my rendition of a lovely salad I will definitely be making for all the potluck/BBQ's coming this summer. With a day as warm as today, I had to give it a test-drive and we were not disappointed.

I found this recipe out of a new cookbook I have been trying: The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno. The picture alone was so appealing I had to try it. I did "modify" just so slightly. Seems I can hardly get myself to follow an actual recipe to a "T" any more. Hope you will find it as inspiring and delicious tasting too!

Sweet Potato Salad

4 cups cubed sweet potato - peeled, cubed and precooked

1/2 cucumber (about 6 inches long) - deseeded

1 green onion - trimmed and chopped

1 - 2 stalks celery - diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (half of a lemon)

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1/2 cup plain yogurt

zest of the half lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 3 cups precooked quinoa*

Precook the cubed sweet potato in a pot of boiling water. Cook them until just tender so they will not mush up in the salad. How long? Your guess is as good as mine and depends on how small you cut them as well. Start with boiling for 5 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and vinegar for the dressing.

Remove the seeds from the cucumber (inner section of the cuc, even if seedless) so it is not so mushy for the salad. This can be done with a knife or spoon or melon baller. Cut the cucumber into bite-size pieces and add to the vinegar dressing. Add the chopped celery, green onion and fresh cilantro. Toss with the dressing. Add the sweet potato and toss gently.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with the lemon zest.

To serve, plate the sweet potato salad, top with pumpkin seeds and yogurt. If using the quinoa, first plate this, top with the sweet potato, seeds and dressing. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

*If you are new to quinoa, it is a high-protein grain that is kinda like couscous and rice. I cook it up like rice (1:2 grain/water) and always make extra to use for salads like this, soups, or extra protein in our porridge. For this salad, it adds a protein component, more texture and color which makes this salad all the more delicious!

What would I do different next time?

I think one thing I would change would be the pumpkin seeds. I have a great recipe for seasoned seeds and I think that would add a delightful spark to the light salad. That recipe will be coming as soon as I find it again.

Rating:

Definitely a 5-star rating in my opinion which basically means a definite make again.

Chocolate Carrot Cake - what better way to begin

2010-01-24T22:36:00.000-05:00

After the dessert I made tonight, I knew the blog had to start now and with this recipe - Chocolate-Carrot Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting. It inspires me to think outside traditional baking with new ingredients and olds ones used in new ways! So begins the journey with my food blog. Glad you have joined me.

Chocolate-Carrot Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

*slightly modified from Laurie Sadowski's recipe in the St. Catharines Standard January 2010

3 Tbsp ground flax
¾ cup warm water divided
3 cups grated carrots (about 5 carrots)
¾ cup agave nectar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp oil (safflower, canola)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cup spelt flour or gluten-free flour mixture
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
½ tsp salt
1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (I used regular)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil 2 – 9 inch round cake pans and lay down a coffee filter to help ease removal of the cake (or cut a circle from parchment paper).

In a small bowl, whisk together the flax with ½ cup warm water. The mixture will become thick and gel-like. This will replace the eggs in the cake recipe. Set aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, mix together the agave nectar, applesauce, oil, vanilla until well blended. Add in the flax mixture and combine thoroughly. Stir in the shredded carrots.
In another bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.. Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined. Gently stir in the final ¼ cup warm water.

Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 25 – 28 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool about 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and cooling completely on a cooling rack. Don’t forget to remove the filter or parchment from the bottom of the cakes.

Frosting:

½ cup dates (packed) or date butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large avocado – peeled and pitted
½ cup cocoa powder
4 oz cream cheese (optional)
warm water

Soak the dates in the warm/hot water to soften them (15 minutes or until soft). Puree the dates in a food processor using the date water to create a date butter. Add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture is smooth. Add in the cream cheese for a milder flavour and it helps to create more icing cause you can never have too much!
Once the cakes have cooled, frost generously and enjoy!!!

What would I do different?
I likely would not bother using flax and water and just use eggs unless it was for someone who had egg allergies or was vegan. It just removes a step and extra dishes.
I may try using just agave nectar instead of the date butter for the icing. While I do like dates, it does have a bit of a date taste.

Rating: 5 - Star
For a dessert of this nature and texture, and the fact that there is no sugar, I have to give it a 5-Star.