Friday 30 November 2012

Quick Baked Beans and Grilled Cheese with tomato chilli relish



Managed not to set off any alarms today, although did run out of gas half way through cooking! A quick switch-a-roo of the tanks and we were back on track. Sometimes I get into a lunch rut where we alternate between salad and left overs so I thought I had better earn my keep and feed my hungry boys something different. I had two cans of white kidney beans in the pantry and despite Elliot's chilly relationship with pulses, home baked beans seem to get a thumbs up. I'm making my way through the Australian Woman's Weekly cookbook at the moment and this is a mix of two recipes. The beans they served with parmasan polenta and the relish is from a lentil and bean burger dish. I had made the relish a week ago when I whipped up some chickpea burgers and thought it would go well with the grilled cheese. I was right!

Recipe

Quick Baked Beans and Grilled Cheese with tomato chilli relish
adapted from Australian Woman's Weekly
serves 4

For the beans
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp dark brown sugar (optional)
1 cup vegetable stock

For the relish
2 medium tomatoes, chopped coarsley
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic crushed
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons malt vinegar

8 slices bread of your choosing
sharp cheddar or similar cheese (enough to cover 4 slices of bread)
2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
In an ovenproof pot, heat the oil and gently cook the onion and garlic, stirring until onion softens. Add beans, tomatoes,sugar and stock; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, in oven about 40 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Make the relish by cooking the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a small saucepan for about 10 minutes over medium heat or until tomato has softened. Add sauce and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until relish thickens. Cool 15 minutes.

Once beans and relish are cooked, heat 1/2 tbsp of butter in a pan. Spread one slice of bread with relish and place, relish side up in pan, top with cheese and place second slice of bread on top. Cook gently, 7-8 minutes or until underside is golden brown and cheese is starting to melt. Flip the sandwich over and cook the other side until it too is golden. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.

Serve grilled cheese with beans on the side.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to check your advent calendars Saturday morning, a month of chocolate, oh how I love December!

Thursday 29 November 2012

Adam Sandler, Martha Stewart and plans beyond the tin can's capabilities

 image from Martha Stewart


That picture up there, with the perfect pie, that was going to be a picture of my perfect pie's, not Martha's. I promised the good, bad and ugly so here goes. It's a bit long winded and there's a tangent in there too, so bear with me!

Okay so earlier this week I made cookies, no big deal I make them a lot. I have my go to recipe, a chocolate chip oatmeal that over the years I have stripped of fat and sugar and made sufficiently healthy. This week though I felt we had had a bit of an oat overload in our diet and searched the web for an alternative. Many recipes came up with roughly the same ratio's of fat to sugar and I thought just this once (okay twice if we count the flapjacks) we would have the real thing in all it's high fat, high sugar glory. So I got as far as creaming the half cup of butter and the one cup of brown sugar and one cup of white sugar when I realized I couldn't do it. Now, I have this crazy thing where I think that if I just sub in one healthy thing, it will somehow void all the unhealthy stuff. So I put away the white flour and turned to my trusty whole wheat and for good measure threw in a few tablespoons of ground flax too. (See what I mean, like ground flax and undo all that butter and sugar, but it makes me feel better so there.) This however turned the mixture from light drop cookies to firm cookie dough, again, no big deal. I rolled it up into two long sausages and popped them in the freezer planning to bake some later and have the rest ready when needed.

So the pie's up there in the picture, well I've had a craving for meringue lately and the above pictured recipe came to mind. It was published a long time ago and I had only made it once before but it was delicious. Thinking myself so smart and such a culinary genius I had an ah ha moment. Why not make the bases from the cookie dough instead of pastry. Want to see how that turned out?



Yeh, well, turns out I'm not a culinary genius. It was actually a good thing as the truth is the meringue would have been a disaster too as I don't have a broiler. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking.

Where does Adam Sandler come into all this? Well to cap my day of kitchen hopelessness off, I made 'The Worlds Greatest Sandwich', introduced to us by Adam Sandlers character in the movie Spanglish. Turns out you can't cook bacon in an rv without smoking out the whole family and setting off the alarm. The world's greatest sandwich rapidly turned into the totally not worth it sandwich (not really) as I ran between the alarm armed with a tea towell  which I flapped desperately at the ceiling, the stove top where the bacon was causing all kinds of trouble, while trying to pry two bread rolls apart that had morphed into one between baking and freezing.

So what does one do when your kitchen turns against you. You call in the Doctor.




At least pudding was good:)


Recipe

The World's Greatest Sandwich  from the movie Spanglish







Wednesday 28 November 2012

Goat Cheese and Chickpea Couscous




Being two meat eaters and a vegetarian, we alternate our days so I'm not making two meals every night. Last night was veggie night and I had a real craving for chickpeas, food enemy number one for my son, he hates those round nuggets! Making matters worse was my addition of walnuts and goat cheese, another two items on his hit list! All in all a terrible food night for the poor boy, only made better by the promise of Pork En Croute tomorrow, one of his favourite meals. Actually, he ate the whole thing up and begrudgingly admitting that it wasn't terrible, high praise indeed!

I love chickpeas, not only is this wonderful pulse versatile but it's nutritional content packs an all round health promoting punch. Chickpeas are high fiber and low glycemic, so great if you're on a diet as they will keep you satisfied for longer. They are also a fat free source of protein as well as being high in calcium (almost like for like with milk). But wait that's not all, chickpeas are also known to help lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Other nutrients include iron, manganese, potassium and molydenum a needed mineral for those sensitive to sulfites. Yummy and nutritious, yay chickpeas!

Recipe

Goat Cheese and Chickpea Couscous
serves 4

2/3 cup couscous
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp of freshly chopped parsley
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pkg soft goat cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives (or favourite olive of your choice)
salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped mint

In a small saucepan bring water, salt and oil or butter to a boil. Pour in the couscous, remove from heat. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon zest and parsley.

Meanwhile place a small pan over low heat and add chickpeas, walnuts and olives and stir just until warmed through. Season to taste and off the heat stir in the mint and crumbled goat cheese.

Divide the couscous between plates and top with the chickpea mixture. Eat immediately.

This is a light supper or for a lunch on the go either pack in a transportable container or use as a filling for a wholewheat wrap.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Simple soup


 It's beautiful here at the moment, we've had a nice run of sunny days, but boy is it cold in the evening. You'll find me permanently positioned next to our little table top electric heater once the sun starts sinking (shhh, don't tell the boys I'm hogging all the heat!). The only thing to do when cold seeps in down to your bones of course is make soup and this recipe is from Australian Women"s Weekly Vegetarian Cook Book. It's nothing fancy, just a basic minestrone, but it hit the spot last night.

Recipe

Minestrone from The Australian Women's Weekly Vegie Food Cookbook
serves 6

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 trimmed celery stalk, chopped coarsely
1 large carrot, chopped coarsely
4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock
1 cup (250ml) water
1 28fl oz can crushed tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, chopped coarsely
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
150g small shell pasta
14 fl oz can white beans, rinsed, drained
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsely
3/4 cup shaved parmesan

Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add celery and carrot; cook stirring, 5 minutes.
Stir in stock, the water and undrained tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add zucchini, cabbage, pasta and beans; cook uncovered, about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Stir in parsely.
Serve soup topped with cheese.

Try and get a really good quality strong parmesan, it takes the soup from' meh, I'm a pretty basic veg and pasta soup' to a veg and pasta soup that's smoky, gritty, nutty and fruity. Of course I could be talking about myself there! Did you know that they test parmesan by having a master grader go round and tap the cheese wheels with a hammer while listening to the sounds created. The master grader or Consorzio, can tell from this if the cheese has undesirable cracks or voids inside. He would then mark the rinds with crosses or lines to signify a lesser quality cheese. Nowadays, they leave  any markings off the rind if it's of a lower quality. So when buying parmesan make such you can see the name of the maker on the rind.

Hope you're staying warm in your part of the world.

Monday 26 November 2012

Be a softy!



Let's face it dipping your soldiers into a hard boiled egg is no fun. Who doesn't love pretending a volcano is erupting on your plate after all. But the most important reason for being a softy is lecithin. Lecithin is a wonderful nutrient found in all living cells. It is a phospholipid, so a fat essentially, but a darn good one!. You remember when eggs were public enemy number one because of the whole cholerteral thing? Well the funny thing about that is that lecithin, although a fat, actually helps prevent fats in the body from accumulating and reduces cholesteral. So it helps break down fats, but what else can it do? you ask. Well it helps brain cells develop and aids in memory retention. Did you know that your brain is comprised of about 1/3 lecithin. Seriously this stuff is in every part of you. Lecithin is also known to help with hyperactivity and depression as it forms part of a protective coating, essentially, that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers, this is also of benefit for those with insomnia. Our bodies do produce lecithin but not enough for the hard lives we live. As with most things if you have a good whole foods diet, you are probably getting enough. The humble egg being one of your sources. However if you scramble, fry or bake those yolks hard, you are losing out. Lecithin, although an incredible nutrient, can't handle the heat and you destroy all that goodness when you cook those yolks. Soft boiling or poaching are your best options.

 So line up your soldiers and be a softy.

Friday 23 November 2012

Tilapia with charred jalapeno salsa verde





There is a road we drive towards downtown Victoria which looks out over the ocean to Washington State and the Olympus Mountains. Most days it is shrouded in cloud but today it was clear and unbelievably breath taking. The mountains are capped in snow and the clouds formed a soft bed at their base. The enormous size of this mountain range across the water is incredible to see in all it's glory. What a day to have left your camera at home! British Columbia proudly calls itself the most beautiful place on earth and I would have to agree based on what I've seen so far. You can't turn your head here without seeing something stunning. Next time I will remember my camera and share some of this scenery with you. For now you will have to put up with my terribly lit and styled photography of dinner.

I tore this recipe out of Canadian House and Home magazine many years ago, because it's a keeper as we say here. A recipe that's versatile and yummy. The salsa verde is served on fish but you could use it with pasta, in an omelet, with chicken or as a side or dip. It's slightly spicy and oh so flavourful.

Recipe

Tilapia with charred jalepeno salsa verde
serves 4

2 fresh jalepeno peppers
1 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh parsley
5 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp drained capers
2 green onions, chopped
4 tilapia fillets (or similar white fish of your choice)
salt and pepper
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds

To char peppers, place them on a burner grate directly over a gas flame. Cook, turning often as sides blacken, for 5 minutes or until charred all over. (Alternatively, place on baking sheet and broil until blackened.) Let cool slightly. Holding peppers under cool running water, use side of a spoon to scrape away peel; discard peel. Halve, seed, and finely dice. Set aside.



In food processor, blend parsley, anchovies, garlic, oil and vinegar until smooth. Add roasted peppers, 2 tbsp capers and half the chopped green onion; pulse briefly to mix in.

Place fish fillets in a single layer on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet . Season with salt and pepper. Divide parsley mixture among fillets. Spread over top and sides.

Roast in a preheated 450F (230C) oven for about 10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with remaining green onion, 2 tsp capers and almonds.

I hope your weekend is filled with breathtaking moments, (except yours Mummy and Pappi, I hope yours runs perfectly smoothly. Good luck with the move today.)
Have a great weekend everybody.


Thursday 22 November 2012

Apple, Cider and Spice Cake




There is a high end supermarket in England called Waitrose and my dad used to collect their free recipe cards whenever he shopped there and send them to me. Despite the fact I often couldn't find the ingredients they stated as some of them were particularly British, I loved getting them and trying them out with what I could find. My all time favourite was this apple cake, no-where near as good as my mum's, but a fail safe, quick bake when we need something sweet.

I have played with the recipe a bit and substituted oil for the butter and reduced the amount of sugar. I never use the whole amount of sugar called for in cakes and the oil is just because I didn't have any butter. I'll include the real ingredients in brackets and then you can decide. If you don't have self raising flour here's a quick chart to help you make your own no matter what you're baking.

For every cup (8oz) of plain flour, use;
1 level tbsp baking powder for scones (or similar type of baking)
2 level tsp baking powder for a plain cake mixture
1 level tsp for a rich fruit cake mixture

Recipe

Apple, Cider and Spice Cake adapted from Waitrose

1/4 cup cider
1/4 cup vegetable oil ( or 1/4 cup butter)
1/2 cup dark muscovado sugar ( or 3/4 cup dark muscovado sugar)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 medium sized Braeburn (or similar) apples
3 tbsp apricot jam

Preheat your oven to 325F (170C).
Grease and line an 8" round cake tin with baking parchment. Peel, core and chop two of the apples into 1/4" cubes. Cook over a low heat with the cider until slightly soft and the cider has been absorbed.

Blend the oil and sugar, then add the eggs and mix well. Fold in the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and softened apples.

Put the mixture in the prepared tin. Peel core and thinly slice the remaining apple and arrange in a spiral over the top of the cake.

Bake for approximately 1 hour. If the apples brown too quickly, cover the tin loosely with foil and continue to cook until a skewer, inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for fifteen minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. When the cake has cooled brush the whole cake with hot apricot jam.

Using a good cider really makes this cake more than just another apple cake and by cider, my North American friends, I mean the alcoholic kind, not the fresh pressed from the farm kind. However, I don't always have cider to hand when I feel like making this and often sub in apple juice and at a pinch have also just used a splash of water to cook the apples. It's still a good cake without the cider, but better with. I also don't always glaze the cake with the jam as apricot jam is not a staple in our home, so that's optional too. Again, better with, but I would rather eat cake than not because I don't have the ingredients to hand.


Wednesday 21 November 2012

The Clean Team






If you cook, you clean and sometimes the things you need to clean can be a bit burnt on and stubborn no matter how careful you are. I just pulled my head from inside my stove where some cheese from tonight's pizza (homemade and perfect, unlike the last pizza!) had escaped it's confines and deposited itself on the oven floor. This little combo above can clean like nothing else I've ever tried. It's all earth friendly and inexpensive to boot! I don't claim to have come up with this miracle but have been using it for years on so many things and it has never failed me. I wish I could remember where I first heard about it so I can give credit where credit is due, but to whomever shared this, I want you to know I am eternally grateful.

It's a simple paste of baking soda, washing soda and washing up liquid. The little baggie contains coarse salt which you can add if you need a bit of an abrasive to tackle the really hard problems. You can also leave the paste on a stubborn stain for 10 minutes or so and let it do the hard work instead of wasting your precious elbow grease! Simply wipe off after that time and sit back and relax ;)

There was a recipe for how much of each you should use, but I've long since just thrown it all together willy nilly. A bit of this, a bit of that and voila. I guess I mix about equal parts baking soda and washing soda and just enough washing up liquid to form a paste.

This cleaning solution faced it's ultimate match after we had been on the road for about 3 months and finally decided the insect massacre that was the front of our RV really needed dealing with. Baked on high impact bug guts are a real challenge but my friends above made short order of turning our rig from gruesome to awesome.

As with all new products to your cleaning regime, test first on an inconspicuous area to make sure your surface doesn't get damaged. I have never had a problem, but you never know.
I hope this helps you all and cuts down on cleaning time so you can spend more time on you :)

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Erbsensuppe




Dinner last night was a craving that just needed to be mollified. The funny thing is I hated Erbsensuppe or Pea soup growing up. To me it was a big vat of insipid grey green mush with a couple of hairy pigs feet with all their knarly hoofiness adding to the vomit like substance. Hungry yet? Funny how our childish imaginations can turn something so benign into something only Hans Christian Anderson could dream up. Now however Erbsensuppe tastes like home and one spoonful brings back such wonderful memories of growing up in Germany. Sadly it still lacks something in the looks department but those pigs feet where in fact ham hock and gave the soup it's earthy smokiness.

This recipe is from Luisa Weiss a fellow part time German who now calls Berlin her home. Her book 'My Berlin Kitchen' is full of fantastic recipes from the mother land and I spent a wonderful two days being transported back to my childhood in Hamburg reading it. She calls it a love story with recipes and you don't have to have lived in Germany to appreciate her story or the food. You can also follow Luisa on her blog The Wednesday Chef


Recipe

Erbsensuppe (German Pea Soup)  from My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss
serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1/3 cup minced Speck or lean bacon
1 leek, white and pale green part only, cut in half lengthwise, well rinsed, and then sliced into half-moons
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 small celery root, diced
1 tbsp fresh marjoram, minced
salt
1 1/2 cups dried split green or yellow peas
5 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
freshly ground black pepper
4 Wiener Wurstchen or hot dogs

Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot. Add the minced onion and bacon. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes; then add the sliced leek and stir well. Cook for another 7 minutes. Add the carrot and celery root and stir well. Cook for a few minutes. Add the minced marjoram and a pinch of salt, stir well.

Pour in the dried peas and the broth. Stir well and cover. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes and stir well. Cook for another 20 minutes. Taste for salt and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Cut the Wurstchen or hot dogs into bite-sized rounds and add to the pot. Warm through (don't let the soup boil once you add the Wurstchen) and serve immediately.

For those not on the meat ladder, you can make this without the bacon and sausage, but as much as I hated those scary 'pigs feet' growing up, they really made the soup, the Wurstchen or hot dogs are a little more friendly and easier to deal with though. It's still a good soup vegetarian style, but sadly not the same.

Guten Appetit!

Monday 19 November 2012

Windy Weather





It's windy here, crazy rocking our little tin can windy. Gale force mother nature is roaring off the ocean and throwing herself at us and to tell you the truth, it's a little bit scary. My neighbour is out in full hazard gear battening down the hatches and I'm just holding on tight to my cup of tea. Granted it's nothing like the terrible storm that hit the east coast a few weeks back, but it sure is an odd feeling to have your home move about while you're sitting in it!

Wild winter weather calls for a good warming breakfast. Today's is a bit of a mash up. I saw a recipe for a breakfast smoothie and not being much of a smoothie drinker, plus not having a blender, it prompted me to turn the idea into a tasty hot porridge. This is a plan ahead breakfast as it needs to soak overnight, a perfect distraction when you're not sure your home is going to be where you left it when you wake up in the morning!

Recipe

Ginger and Cinnamon Oats 
serves 4

1 -2 pears, apples or favourite fruit of your choice ( berries would also work)
1 cup milk
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tbsp syrup (maple, honey, agave etc)
2 tbsp nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew etc)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

Peel and core the pear. Chop into small pieces and put in a blender with the milk, buttermilk, syrup, nut butter, ginger and cinnamon. Blend until well combined and the fruit is well pureed.
Pour into a large container and stir in the oats. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to use, stir in any extra milk if needed and heat gently until the oats are tender.
Serve with extra syrup and cinnamon if desired.


If, like me, you don't have a blender and your mini mixer can't handle all of the above. Blend the fruit, milk and nut butter until smooth,  then transfer to your container and stir in the rest. If you don't have any machine to speak of, you can always lightly steam or cook,with a splash of juice or water, the fruit first to soften it, then mash it into the rest of the ingredients in your container. Of course you don't have to soak the oats overnight if you don't want to and you can blend it all together in the morning instead before cooking. Soaking your oats is better though so do try. Why? Well oats contain something called phytic acid which inhibits the absorption of key minerals such as iron contained in the oats. Soaking helps to break down the phytic acid. There is a bit of a twist here where dairy is not the best liquid to use, as calcium can slow down the rate at which the phytic acid is broken down. For maximum phytic acid breakdown use water, but soaking in dairy is better than not soaking at all.

Friday 16 November 2012

Baker's Remorse



 I'm deeply embarrassed by this. In my defense, my heritage is partly to blame. The English side of me is all, Treacle Tart and Jam Rolly Poly, Yorkshire Puddings and battered fish. The German side is cake and more cake followed by bread and lot's of cheese. To cap it all off I fell out of our enormous truck and smacked my right knee hard on the way down, followed by whacking my left knee even harder on the 'kitchen' table yesterday morning. Now I'm not claiming my brain is located in either knee cap, but let's all just agree that it must have had some affect on my decision making.

I hate Rice Crispy Squares. To me they are the most useless treat to make. There is nothing in them that can justify a moment of pleasure from eating something from the 'naughty list'. Yet last night I found myself melting a huge quantity of butter with sugar AND maple syrup and stirring in a bucket load of oats for what is quite possibly the British equivalent of the Rice Krispy square. Flapjacks. Even as I was unwrapping the butter my mind was screaming at me; WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? PUT THE BUTTER DOWN AND REACH FOR THE YOGHURT, THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TONIGHT! However my body kept going and make flapjacks I did, and I don't even like flapjacks. Knee trauma, it's a serious thing people.

Recipe

Flapjacks (the British kind!) makes 16 squares

300g butter
75g dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons golden syrup (or if you don't have that and you really should try and get it for genuine British    flapjacks, use maple or agave instead.)
200g rolled oats
250g instant oats

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large 8"x12" or bigger baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, gently melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and syrup until well blended. 
Measure out your oats and add to the melted butter mixture mixing well to cover all the oats in the syrup. 
Spread in your prepared baking pan and press down with the bottom of a measuring cup until firmly compacted.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 -25 minutes. Let cool slightly then cut into 16 squares in pan. Leave to cool completely before removing from pan.

So I'm sorry. I'm sorry these will require you to dig out your elasticated pants and walk an extra block to work every morning for at least a week or two, but I can't undo what happened. They have been made and they must be eaten in all their rich chewy yumminess. Next week we will be healthy I promise.

Have a great weekend:)

Thursday 15 November 2012

Burger Buns


Image from Smitten Kitchen


I know, I know, but sometimes making things yourself is just necessary. Pre Tin Can, I had room in the freezer for all those left over buns, now they just go bad. A pack of 8 might work for a family of 4 carnivores but our little pack of two, just can't eat that many burgers. Sure we could use them for sandwiches or something, but come on, you know those buns just aren't right for that kind of thing.

This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen who got it from the New York Times  who got it from Comme Ça restaurant in Los Angeles. With that long a pass it on list you know these buns will be good and indeed they are. Not only that, they're a cinch to make. The best thing about these buns is that they are light yet rich with that wonderful taste and texture you get from making an egg bread. I would eat these for breakfast with a thick layer of good English marmalade or dipped in a bowl of creamy tomato soup. They work well no matter how you use them, but your burger will shine between these golden buns!

Recipe

Light Brioche Burger Buns Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 8 4 to 5-inch burger buns

3 tablespoons warm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sesame seeds (optional)


1. In a glass measuring cup, combine one cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, well-floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be on the sticky side so it can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them tackier than you would a round loaf.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours. (In my freaky, warm apartment this only took an hour.)

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours. (Again, this only took one hour in my apartment and I suspect, you’ll also only need an hour for a second rise.)

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with one tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.


I'm pretty sure it's the pan of water on the oven floor that makes these buns so light so don't forget that step. I've also used this basic recipe to make a loaf of bread too, adding a few seeds and swapping in some whole grain flour. These buns are so much better than anything you'll find at the store, I promise.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

We are dunkers!




I am new to dunking and for years I couldn't understand why my husband would do it. It seemed so wrong, and the mess at the bottom when it was all over was so off putting. If you don't know what a dunker is, think tea and biscuits. For a dunker, tea is simply too wet without a good biscuit to soak up some of that liquid. There is quite a ritual or rather an art to dunking and it all starts with the right kind of biscuit. Digestives and Rich Tea (or social tea) were made for people like us. Hard and plain, they are able to soak up the tea without changing it's flavour. Italians know how to dunk too, it's what the Biscotti was made for. I'll take you through my husbands process, he's had a good 40 years of dunking experience so knows a thing or two!

First, the biscuit must pass the tap test. He gently taps it on the side of his mug or cup, looking for any weakness. Tea time can be ruined by the failure of a biscuit which breaks apart and sinks to the bottom of a perfect brew. You thought the spoon was for stirring in sugar did you? No it's for emergency biscuit rescue!
Once the biscuit has passed the tap test it can be dunked, but this is where the art comes in. Each biscuit has it's own soaking time, dunk for to long and you risk having to perform biscuit rescue and mouthfuls of mush when you finally drink the tea. Dunk to short, and the melt in your mouth texture you're aiming for is instead wet biscuit. Nobody likes a wet biscuit. I wish I could tell you the optimal dunking times, but alas this is all in the eye of the dunker and only through experience will you know. It is a feeling not a science!

We typically have a packet of Digestives in the house, but occasionally I take a cue from our Italian friends and make a good firm Biscotti. This recipe was given to me by the first friend I made when arriving in Canada. I have used it as a base and switched out the almond and chocolate for many other combinations from Cranberry and Lemon, to mint choc chip and today's Pecan Spice.

Recipe

Pecan Spice Biscotti

1 1/3 cups flour (feel free to use whatever type you like, spelt, oat, light whole wheat or even a light rye)
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans ( I like to chop the nuts small as it helps when slicing the biscotti but you can have bigger pieces if you prefer)
1/2 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar (I used brown as that's all I had so my biscotti are dark looking, if you use white sugar they will be a pale, well, biscuit colour!)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg white (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, nuts, all spice and cinnamon in a bowl.
In a separate bowl beat the sugar and eggs together until just blended. Stir in the melted butter.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
Divide mixture in half and shape each half into a 12" long log on your parchment lined baking sheet. Leave a small gap between each log, they will spread a little.
Brush with egg white (optional, I hate wasting an egg just for this and never do it, but it does produce a nice crisp glaze).
 Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, but leave oven on. Let the biscotti cool for 10 minutes or so, then cut with a large sharp knife (especially if you decided to add bigger chunks of nut) into 1" slices. Separate the slices and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Once cooled store in an airtight container for several weeks.


 Biscotti by the way comes from the Latin word 'biscoctus' which means twice-cooked or baked and refers to any kind of bread or biscuit that has been twice cooked and therefore dried and hardened to preserve it's shelf life. No worries about that with this recipe, I'm pretty confident you'll eat them all before there is any chance of them going off. One last thing, as we like to dunk our biscotti, the flavours here are quite subtle. You may want to up the spice factor if you prefer something with a bit more umph!








Tuesday 13 November 2012

Feeling Wild



 Dinner tonight was light and basic which is how I like it. I really needed a break from frying things which has been, I'm sorry to say, the go to method here as I have no broiler and nothing crisps up or seals well in my tiny oven. Tim and I love fish, Elliot not so much but he will eat it if I make it. I try to strike the balance between his willingness to battle through his dislike and my need for fish several times a week! I bought a small piece of pacific salmon and set about making a knockout fresh base for it to sit on, using one of his favourite grains, wild rice.We recently discovered or rather finally got round to trying wild rice. Wild rice isn't actually a rice, rather it's the seed of a wild grass grown in the Great Lakes region of North America. It's a longer thinner, looking rice shaped seed, almost black in colour and once cooked has a nutty flavour and chewy texture which brings real interest to a meal. It's also very high in folic acid, something most of us don't get enough of so is a good choice when looking for an alternative grain.

Recipe

Salmon with Wild Rice in a Ginger and Tamari Dressing
 serves 3-4

400-500g salmon or similar meaty fish of your choice.
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
fresh or dried Tarragon, approximately 2 tsp dried or a small hand full chopped fresh.

Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tamari
1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste

Rice and Veg
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 English cucumber, washed, seeded and cut into small cubes
1 sweet red pepper, roasted and chopped into small pieces
1/2 small red onion, peeled and finely diced
pea shoots or sprouts to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Mix all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.

 Rinse wild rice and place in a pan with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, covered for about 40 minutes. You'll know when it's done as the seed will open up and expose it's soft purple inside. Drain and rinse any remaining water from the rice, toss with the dressing and set aside.

While the rice is cooking place the fish on a parchment lined  baking sheet. Make sure you have enough parchment paper to be able to wrap the fish in a parcel. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish, sprinkle on the salt and pepper and top with the tarragon. Wrap the fish in the parchment paper so it's tightly sealed to keep all the moisture in. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the type of fish used.

Add the chopped veg to the wild rice and dressing and mix well.

Serve the fish onto top of the rice and vegetables, garnished with the sprouts.


The veg kept things nice and fresh and complimented the chewy earthiness of the wild rice. I roasted my pepper which you can do but I think it would work just as well without the labour involved with that. Of course you could just buy a jar of roasted peppers too, I'm all for the simple life! Tamari by the way is a Japanese soy sauce which unlike other soy sauce is not made with wheat so is gluten free. It also has a richer taste and although, like most soy sauce, has a huge amount of salt in it's ingredients list, doesn't have the same salty flavour.








Monday 12 November 2012

Breakfast Bars


Photo from Whole Living 
we ate all of ours before I could get a picture!



Good Morning, I hope you all had a great weekend. Ours was very busy which is why today's recipe is particularly timely, I could certainly use the energy boost this morning. I don't know about you, but I love a good granola bar. They really are the perfect combination of wholesome and satisfying. None of the guilt that a cup cake or muffin leaves you with and a whole lot more fulfilling than a plate full of veggie sticks! However store bought varieties, despite their healthy claims, still have a few ingredients that would be better left out. I have spent years trying to find the perfect granola recipe that is quick and easy to make, doesn't fall apart once cooked and has that ideal balance of chewy yet crunchy.

Hooray then for these breakfast bars from Whole Living. These have been my go to bars for post workout energy replacement and in my effort to build a better breakfast are now making an appearance earlier in my day. After a bowl of yoghurt and fruit these bars rounded off breakfast perfectly this morning.

Recipe

Breakfast Bars by Whole Living

1 tbsp walnut oil, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups spelt flakes
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup sprouted or ground flaxseed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tbsp coarsely chopped pistachios
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Brush an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with oil. Line bottom and two sides with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Brush paper with oil. In a bowl, combine spelt, cherries, flaxseeds, pecans, pistachios and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine honey, peanut butter, oil and vanilla. Cook over medium until melted. Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan: smooth top. Bake until golden and edges pull away from the sides of pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift bars out of pan. On a cutting board, cut into 8 pieces using a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container, separating pieces with wax or parchment paper, for one week.

I absolutely encourage you to use whatever combination of nuts and fruit you like, feel free to throw in a few seeds too, although careful not to add to many or your bars will fall apart. Also, I tend to use Agave syrup rather than honey when I bake so substitute there too if you want. And of course any nut butter will work wonderfully too. What I will say though is try to use spelt flakes. For one, spelt is a lot kinder to your tummy than oats and it's the spelt that gives these bars just the right kind of chewy. If you don't have spelt or don't want to use it, oats will work just fine.

Friday 9 November 2012

In a pickle


Living in such a small space (250sq ft), there are many things that we just can't buy anymore. Pickled chili peppers being one of them. the pantry can't cope with the large jars they come in and the fridge definitely doesn't have room once those jars are opened. Milk, yoghurt, fruit and veg take priority. It's not like we can't live without pickled peppers, but every now and then, you miss small things like that when you want to spice up a sandwich. My son is particularly partial to pickled peppers (how's that for alliteration!) so I decided to find a recipe that didn't require canning equipment or pounds of peppers.

This recipe comes from a blog by Michael Ruhlman , a writer, cook and blogger. The recipe itself is by Michael Symons, a celebrity chef and author who I really don't have a lot in common with seeing as he is a dedicated carnivore! But I like that it's adaptable to any amount of vegetable you want to use and there is no boiling and canning, just put everything together and keep in the fridge. Now I can make small batches when the fancy strikes and our sandwiches will never be boring again.

 Recipe

Michael Symons Pickled Chili Peppers 

 Pickling Liquid
sherry vinegar
sugar
salt
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
4 sprigs of marjoram
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 to 2  pounds chilis (or enough to fill whatever vessel you're using)

Place chilis in a jar and cover them with water. Pour off the water into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half the water and replace it with vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every three cups of liquid.

Combine your liquid and remaining spices in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, then let cool slightly. Pour the pickling liquid over the peppers, screw the lid on and refrigerate. 

To use, slice into rings, chop or mince depending how you want to use them.

I decided to roast the peppers first, a combination of local grown, green and red hot chili peppers. It's not really necessary, however sometimes the skin can be a bit bitter. I had also bought a stem of Brussel sprouts and decided to pickle a few of the small ones too, having never had pickled sprouts before. You'll have to stand by for the results, I'm going to leave them for a few days, but check back next week and see if this recipe is a keeper. Then you can be in a pickle too!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Thursday 8 November 2012

Lasagna


Vegetable_lasagna





 Image from Green Kitchen Stories

I know it seems a bit weird posting about Lasagna. We've all had it and a lot of us have made it. It's not really that complicated is it, layers of meat and pasta, or if you're like me, veg and pasta. But the truth is it is complicated. Everybody has their own version and I thought , after all these years that I had my favourite down pat. My mother taught me how and that's how I like it. She always used plenty of white sauce and a layer of spinach as well as the beef/pork combo of meat, slowly cooked in tomato sauce. Since becoming a vegetarian, I simply left out the meat and added roasted veggies instead. But the other day a favourite blogger of mine, had in their archives a post entitled 'Worlds Best Vegetable Lasagna', and I thought oh yeh, challenge accepted, let's see how good this really is! I was blown away! It would never have occurred to me to add olives and capers to the mix and the combination was amazing. The saltiness of the olives and the pungent sour kick from the capers were a little taste party from heaven in my mouth. The lemon-ricotta was light and added just the right amount of creaminess without overwhelming the dish. I'm sorry Mum, but I will never make Lasagna any other way than this again!


 Recipe

 Lasagna With Grilled Vegetables taken directly from Green Kitchen Stories
Serves 4-6

Tomato sauce (scroll down for recipe)
1 package of whole wheat (or gluten free) lasagna noodles
Lemon-ricotta (scroll down for recipe)
Grilled vegetables (scroll down for recipe)
1 package of mozzarella cheese (250 g)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Start with a thin layer of tomato sauce, cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of lemon-ricotta, a layer of grilled vegetables, a layer of kale and a layer of tomato sauce. Repeat 2-3 times, top the last layer with the rest of the vegetables, the tomato sauce, the lemon-ricotta and the grated mozarella cheese. Bake it in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
Tomato sauce (arrabiata)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 fresh chili (medium strong, finely chopped)
25-30 kalamata olives (pitted)
2 tbsp capers (drained)
4 large tomatoes (cut in quarters)
2 cans plum tomatoes
half a pot fresh basil
salt & pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, and chili and saute  for 2-3 minutes. Add olives, capers and fresh tomatoes and cook it a couple of minutes more before adding the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes, lower the heat and let it simmer for half an hour more under a lid.
Grilled Vegetables
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
2 zucchini (sliced)
1 eggplant (sliced)
300 g mushrooms,
300 g fresh kale or spinach
1 clove garlic

Dash the zucchini and eggplant with olive oil and salt and grill them in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes. Stir fry the mushrooms and the kale in a pan for 5 minutes with olive oil, salt and garlic. You could also grill the zucchini and eggplant in a broiler pan, the important thing is that the vegetables release some of their moist before putting them in the lasagna.
Lemon- ricotta
500 g ricotta cheese
1 organic medium size lemon (zest and juice)
1/2 pot of fresh basil (chopped)
a pinch of sea salt
a pinch of lemon pepper

Place ricotta cheese in a bowl, grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon, add zest and juice to the bowl. Add basil, salt and lemon pepper and mix it together.
See the instructions on how to put the lasagna together in the beginning of the recipe.
Enjoy World’s Greatest Vegetable Lasagna!

I'm always so inspired by David, Luise and Elsa's blog and their amazing photography. I do have an excuse on that front though, tiny home, terrible lighting (this is the biggest problem) and not enough fabulous dishware to really style things well....oh yes and talent, but that I'm working on! 
Don't be frightened by the long recipe, it's not that difficult and well worth the effort. 

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Why I Sprout

  my current batch  in for their bath!
a detox mix of of mung beans, red clover, lentils and white radish

I first heard about sprouting over on Sarah B's blog My New Roots, and I've been hooked ever since. It's so easy to do and you have a constant supply of a nutrient rich super food even in the dead of winter. It's a great activity to do with your children too, might even get them eating more veg! Basically, as Sarah will tell you when you pop on over to her blog in a minute, sprouted seeds and beans have 15% to 30% more protein and up to 10 times the B-vitamins as well as extra vitamin C, E and K. They really make a great addition to any sandwich or salad and then of course there's the satisfaction that you grew them. I also sprout peas and transfer them to a small bowl of soil once they start growing. Peas shoots are great as a green in your next salad, all that energy rich chlorophyll just waiting to turn you into a super human, well a super healthy one anyway.



Pea shoots in full Yoga poses!


How to sprout

The best thing about sprouting is that you don't need any fancy equipment either. You can of course buy a proper sprouting jar if you want (I did!) but really all you need is a large glass jar, the sort of thing those homemade soups come in at the grocery store. Some mesh or an old pair of tights to fit over the opening and a rubber band or piece of string to tie it on. You can buy seeds for sprouting from your local health food store, but any dried seed or bean will do. Caution, do not use seeds meant for the garden. More often than not they will have some kind of pesticide on them. Look for organic seeds and beans.I often get mind from the bulk food store.


my sprouting jar, but any glass jar will do


 Here's what you do. Put your desired amount of chosen seed or bean in your jar. I tend to go for about 1 -2 tbsp. Fill the jar half way with water. Cover the top with your mesh and allow to soak overnight or up to 8 hours. I prefer to use filtered water for this first soak, those beans and seeds are going to soak up a lot of this water and I prefer not to have fluoride and chlorine as part of my bounty. It's entirely up to you though, tap water is okay too, in fact I use regular tap water for the rest of the rinses.
The next morning, or after the 8 hours are up, drain your jar of the water and rinse the seeds or beans really well, several times. You're going to do this twice a day for the next few days, the rinses that is, after the first soak you don't want your produce sitting in water. Try and prop your jar up so it's angled with the mesh facing down to let any excess water run out. By the second day, or even sometimes by the next morning, you'll see the seeds or beans sprouting and after a few days you'll have a jar full of sprouts. They grow really quickly.

my detox mix at day three

 The reason sprouted produce is so much better is that seeds and beans have a protective enzyme that prevents the release of nutrients, what the seed or bean needs to grow. It's only in the ideal conditions, i.e water and light that the enzyme is released and the nutritional value of the seed or bean is exposed. When we eat our seeds and beans without sprouting we don't get the benefit of all that goodness locked away inside, even when digested, the seed or bean does not give up it's treasure. This only occurs through the growing process. The same applies to nuts. Remember I recommended soaking your museli the night before eating it? Well it's for the same reason.

Do head over to Sarah's blog, she explains it much more eloquently and she has posted a great video at the end from a contagiously exuberant Australian couple who are so excited about sprouting. It's worth popping over for that alone.

Happy sprouting everybody.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

The Skinny on Mayo

remember it's a mini mixer, not a giant pot of mayo!

When we sold up and moved from around 2000sq ft to 250sq ft I had to sell or give away many of my belongings. The ones that hurt the most (kind of) were my myriad kitchen gadgets. The Kitchen Aid stand mixer, the Panini Press, four slice toaster (we eat toast in shifts now, oh the inhumanity!), large heavy Le Creuset pot (okay, it was an Ikea one), coffee maker and bean grinder, and many more things. However I knew I wouldn't be able to survive without my immersion blender and a food processor. The food processor I had was much too big so I purchased a small 4 cup Cuisinart mixer. It chops and it grinds and it fit's in the drawer.
I use it a lot and today it made mayonnaise for me. Perfect creamy delicious mayo. I tend to avoid mayo because it is high in Omega-6 fatty acids which, if consumed to much, can have adverse health effects. However, my diet is a whole foods rich, natural diet, I rarely eat processed food and keep my fat intact low. Everything in moderation and I like mayo on my sandwich every now and then.

Mayonnaise is really easy to make and if you have a handy little mixer like mine, you will have yourself a bowl of whipped goodness in about 5 minutes. Seriously, 5 minutes start to finish! Somebody open the tuna fish!

Recipe
 

Homemade Mayo - makes about 4 cups.
 

1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1 tsp Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
pinch salt
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup sunflower oil (or any light vegetable oil of your choice. You can use Olive, but it will leave your mayo with a much stronger flavour.)

Put the egg, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, salt and lemon juice in the bowl of your mixer. Pulse 3-4 times just to blend.
This part is really important. You are going to add the oil drop by drop while pulsing the mixer, for at least the first 1/4 cup. By adding the oil slowly you avoid the chance of the eggs separating.  With the mixer running you can start pouring the rest of the oil in a slow steady stream. Once all of the oil  has been added give it another 20 secs or so to blend and voila, creamy mayonnaise. Transfer to your container or jar and store in the fridge.


The small Cuisinart that I have has a great feature on the lid that allows me to add liquid and it does the job of creating that slow steady stream. Perfect for mayo.

Monday 5 November 2012

Banana and Blueberry Pancakes



Being true to my word, I am continuing to experiment with a more varied breakfast menu, one rich in protein and other energy boosting nutrients. Sunday morning saw me using my extra hour not for sleep but for pancakes. I had seen this recipe for flour free Banana and Blueberry Pancakes a while ago and had bought bananas last week planning on finally making them. Unfortunately I neglected to buy coconut but by yesterday morning the bananas were reaching that point of no return where soft and brown turns from sweet to dry which is very close to bad. I did however have a plentiful supply of ground almonds, so followed the recipe substituting them in instead.

I'm torn about giving a negative review about a recipe especially when I've messed with it and to be honest the pancakes weren't actually bad, just not really to my liking. I like eggs, but for some reason I have a problem eating them at breakfast. These pancakes were very 'eggy', the taste was fine, strong banana and sweet blueberries, but the texture for me was all wrong. If you like eggs for breakfast give them a try.

Recipe

Banana and Blueberry Pancakes from Green Kitchen Stories
Serves 4

3 bananas
6 eggs
100 g coconut flakes (this is where I substituted an equal amount of ground almond)
3/4 cup blueberries (frozen)
1 tsp cinnamon
coconut oil


Mash the bananas with a fork. Whip the eggs and mix it together with the bananas. Add coconut, blueberries and cinnamon and stir it together.
 

Fry the pancakes on both sides in coconut oil on medium heat. Serve with coconut flakes, cinnamon and blueberries on the top.

The other thing I'll mention is that even on my lowest heat, they browned very quickly, in fact faster than they cooked through and their texture made it hard to turn them. I've probably put you off making these now, but they really are a good recipe if you like eggs for breakfast and the time to spend making them. Definitely a Sunday morning thing.

Friday 2 November 2012

A Terrible Vegetarian

 Chickpea and Tomato Hummus

That's me by the way, I'm a terrible vegetarian. Pre-Tin Can living I made more of an effort although I can't say I was spot on with my balance of protein and such. Now however, with such a tiny space and only one pot at a time really fitting on the stove, it's gotten pretty bad. Tim and Elliot are meat eaters so on the nights meat is on the menu I usually just eat the veg rather than make another meal for me. I'm always cold and wonder why! So this week I have made a promise to myself to make sure I'm doing it right and the simplest way to start is with breakfast. My go to breakfast as you know is my homemade museli, but lately I have started mixing things up with fruit and yoghurt, adding flax and nuts and today eggs. The funny thing is I'm half German and in Germany breakfast is big. Cheese, meats, fruit, yoghurt, rye and wheat breads, pickles and spreads and pate. You name it, it's probably on the table. In the spirit of all that's German, tomorrow I will add this beautiful spread to the table along with some multi-grain bread I baked this week. This recipe was given to me by my old boss and friend Kathy and I thank her every time I make it, it's that good.


Recipe

Chickpea and Tomato Hummus
makes 1 1/2 cups

12 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 can chickpeas (or 1 cup cooked)
15 basil leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, adding water as needed until a creamy consistency is reached. 
Store in the fridge in a sealed container until ready to use.

Writing out the recipe she gave me I realize I don't often make it that way anymore! I don't always have basil so will quite often substitute spinach or kale. I never add the oil, however I do use sun dried tomatoes kept in oil so I suppose they cancel each other out. If you don't have lemon juice it tastes just as good without too, although do try and add it.
I have used this as a spread on toast or for a vegetarian sandwich or wrap. Veggies or pita for dipping is obvious but it's also great as an alternative pizza topping instead of tomato sauce (thin it out a bit first, it can be a bit dry and thick once baked). I am also going to use it as an omelet filling for that double boost of protein! I'll keep you all up to date with other breakfast ideas and maybe make it a bit of a weekly feature    (now I have to start eating better!)

Have a great weekend everybody. See you on Monday

Thursday 1 November 2012

Borscht Salad


The market has an abundance of beautiful bunches of beets at the moment and they are one of my favourites. My son on the other hand hates beets so he will be having leftovers tonight! I often roast beets to toss into any quick salad I happen to be making but today I thought I would use Borscht as my inspiration. Really I should just make Borscht as I've never had it before, but I'm really not in the mood for all that cooking and with the never ending rain and no gym membership, I don't need a soup thickened with mashed potato right now either, if you know what I mean! Thank goodness for sweatpants:)
I'm basing my salad on a typical Ukrainian version of Borscht although substituting sprouted black beans as my starch in favour of potato. Other than that most of the rest of the ingredients are the same, beets, cabbage, carrots, onion, tomato and a dill vinaigrette. All topped off with a soft boiled egg.

Recipe
 

Borcht Salad
serves 4

2 medium beets
1 large carrot
1/4 medium red cabbage
2 spring onions
1 large tomato
4 eggs, at room temperature

Dill Vinaigrette adapted from Food Network recipe by Bobby Flay

    2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    1 tablespoon minced shallot
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
 

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Trim beets then wrap in foil and roast in the oven for approximately 1 hour or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool before peeling.
 

Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor and process until blended. Set aside.
 

Shred the cabbage thinly. Julienne the beets, carrots and spring onions. Chop the tomato into bite sized pieces. Pour half the dressing over the vegetables and leave, covered, to sit for up to an hour. This will help to soften the veg and mellow the taste of the cabbage.
 

Put a pan of water on to boil. When boiling, gently lower the eggs on a spoon into the pan and simmer for 7 minutes. Remove the eggs when done and place in iced water to stop the cooking process. Peel the eggs.
 

Serve the salad on mashed sprouted black beans, cooked quinoa or couscous with a sliced in half boiled egg on top and the remainder of the dressing drizzled on and around the salad.

I found I had a fair amount of dressing left, which I think would make a great dressing for pasta. By the way, if this is your first time trying beets you should know that for some people they have an effect on your pee! It can be from light pink to bright red in colour, especially when you eat the leaves too. Don't be alarmed!

 Smačnoho! (as they say in Ukraine)