Moroccan Inspired Salsa

My Moroccan inspired salsa shown above was originally a recipe called Matbucha which is a cooked salad of tomatoes and peppers popular in Arab countries.  They eat it hot or cold as a dressing for rice or potatoes.  Matbucha is popular in Israel too and one site said to use it as a dip with fresh Challah on Friday.  I think most countries have their own special "salsa."

Here in Nipissing village we had it with organic blue corn tortilla chips!  But, it would also be great with any kind of bread, pita wedges and as a fresh accompaniment to grilled fish.  Sort of like a middle eastern Bruschetta.  I must admit I am a bit of a salsa nut.  It is low in fat and sodium and nutritious in many ways.  It is a much better choice than creamy or cheese based dips which are usually high in fat, saturated fat, sodium  and calories.  Corn tortilla chips are naturally wholegrain and you can even buy baked versions if you want to skip more fat calories.

I used my fresh garden tomatoes and roasted red peppers I had frozen.   I posted a recipe earlier on how to make your own roasted red peppers.  I am down to the very end of my fresh garden tomatoes and next year I really need to grow more of them.  At one point they were in every window on the main floor and we ate them as they ripened.  I know many people like to wrap them in newspaper and put them in a box to ripen slowly in the dark but I find the window sill method works well.

INGREDIENTS - they were all homegrown or organic:

5 roasted red peppers
5 tomatoes, ripe (about 8 cm/3 inches)
3 cloves garlic, fresh
1 cup (250 ml) red onion
1/3 cup (75 ml) raisins
1/2 cup (125 ml) cilantro, fresh
2 Tbsp (30 ml) mint, fresh
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, XV
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seed
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground cayenne or other hot pepper to taste

METHOD:

Combine everything in your food processor and pulse until you get your desired consistency.  If you don't have fresh tomatoes you can use drained canned tomatoes.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1/4 cup or 60 ml serving): 30 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein.  %Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and are 15% vitamin A, 25% vitamin C, 2% each calcium and iron.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com  

for course information, menus and registration. 

Cranberry Rhubarb Chutney

I have always loved cranberries and rhubarb.  I love how they are sour and bitter at the same time - especially if you don't overdo it with the sweetener.  Here I have paired them up in this creative chutney that has a multitude of uses.  Canned or jellied cranberries will do in a pinch but they are too sweet and far  from the real thing.  If you don't make fresh cranberries for your special dinners you really should give this version a whirl.  Fast and easy to do.  My method is to make a double batch so we can eat half and put the other half in a clean, sterilized jar that will seal and be ready in the fridge or cupboard for another occasion.  Cook once, eat twice.

USES:

- serve with cheese and biscuits/crackers.  Old white cheddar comes to mind

- spread over a round of brie or camembert and melt in oven.  Serve with a crust baguette

- stuff into crepes with brie cheese and melt

- use as a condiment with roast pork or poultry

- mix with cream cheese for a tasty spread....

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups (1 liter) rhubarb, diced (fresh or frozen)

2 cups (500 ml) cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup (250 ml) onion, red, diced

1/2 cup (125 ml) dark brown sugar or honey

1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp (30 ml) ginger, grated

2 tsp (10 ml) garam masala*

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) red pepper flakes or cayenne powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon, ground

Note:  If you don't have rhubarb you can substitute tart apple

*  garmam masala is an Indian spice blend of black pepper, cardamom, coriander, cloves, cumin and nutmeg.  If you don't live near an Indian market you can usually buy it at the bulk food store.

METHOD:

1.  Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  I used my garden frozen rhubarb.  I bought organic Stanbush cranberries as I didn't make it to any of our local bogs this fall.  Cover and cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until fruit softens, cranberries "pop" and sauce begins to thicken.  You can make the chutney in a glass bowl in the microwave or on top of the stove. 

2.  Pour into sterilized jars and allow to seal.  Once open the chutney keeps for a month in the fridge.  The sealed bottle should keep 12 or more months on the shelf like any other canned fruit preserve.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 2 Tbsp/30 ml serving): 20 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 4 g sugar, 0 g protein.  %Daily Values are 4% vitamin C, 2% calcium and 2% iron.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com  

for course information, menus and registration. 

Fun with organic vinegar - make some edible Christmas gifts

Over the years I have come up with numerous herb, fruit and flower combinations that I use when making flavoured vinegars.   I like to give these beautiful bottles as hostess and Christmas gifts.  It is ideal if you make these throughout the summer from your garden herbs and local berries.  I will mention a few that you can create during the winter months with fresh or frozen fruits and fresh herbs you can get from the store. 

Below is a photo of some of the summer vinegars I made (left to right): strawberry balasamic vinegar, apple cider with sage and cranberry and raspberry white wine vinegar.  I use them to add inspiration to my winter salads!

Vinegar is fermented wine derived from the French word vin aigre.  It contributes a bright, sharp flavour to food and can seriously reduce the amount of salt needed in recipes.  Vinegar, and other acidic foods such as tomatoes and lemon juice, have been shown to lower the glycemic index of the dish they are used in.  This means food is more slowly digested and leads to a slower rise in blood sugar.  Vinegar has next to no calories and is a friend of those watching their weight or those changing their food ways to manage heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

The type of vinegar you use to make your flavoured vinegars depends on your preference, what you like to cook and your pocket book.  Higher prices are attached to the best vinegars.  I have not ventured off to make my own vinegar from scratch but I have been considering it.  I don't use everyday white distilled vinegar for much other than cleaning my toilet (did I say that?).  Vinegar lasts quite a while and gets used slowly so I buy the good ones and enjoy them.  The photo below shows the types of vinegar I have been using.

Apple Cider Vinegar is my everyday all purpose vinegar.  I buy a raw, unpasteurized, wood aged and organic apple cider vinegar from Eden organics.  It has the live "mother" or vinegar culture which appears as a cloudiness in the bottle.  This type of vinegar pairs well with fruits like apple, cranberry and pear.  It also goes well with strong herbs like tarragon, thyme, sage and rosemary.

Balsamic vinegar is traditionally made from Trebbiano grapes and aged in oak barrels.  It has a sweetish after-taste.  I have a Silver Leaf traditional Balsamico organic vinegar from Greece.  The real balsamic is aged 12 years for "vecchio" and 25 years for "extra vecchio."  Much of what we buy in the store is actually a wine vinegar with added caramel for colour and flavour. 

Rice vinegar is made from fermented rice or rice wine alcohol.  It has a subtle, sweet flavour.  Buy the unseasoned one without added sugar or salt.

Wine vinegars - white or red wine grapes are fermented in oak.  They range in flavour from mellow to sharp.  The white wine vinegar I am using is from Spectrum Natural and it is organic and a product of Modena, Italy.  They say it is a blend of Italian white wines that has been slowly fermented and aged.  The Inari red wine vinegar I am using is also organic and contains mother.  It is from Italy as well.

BERRY and HERB VINEGAR

Use on green salads, fruit salads or as part of a marinade for meat or poultry.  The vinegar will tenderize tougher cuts of meat and the taste will cook off (trust me)!  The benefit of using frozen berries is that they are cleaned and ready to go. 

1 cups (250 ml) fresh or frozen berries (e.g., cranberries, raspberries, blueberries)

Sprigs of fresh herbs, cleaned and dry

3 cups (750 ml) cider or other vinegar

Experiment!  Try:

- fresh apple slices, thyme and apple cider vinegar

- cranberry, sage and apple cider

- cranberry and rosemary with any vinegar is particularly festive for Christmas

- blueberry thyme and balsamic vinegar

- strawberries in balsamic vinegar

- raspberry, mint and white wine vinegar 

METHOD:

1.  Stuff berries and herbs into clean and sterilized bottles.   You can wiggle things around with a chop stick or skewer to get an artful arrangement.  The quantities above for berries and vinegar are approximate. 

2.  Pour vinegar of your choice over.  I like to use a funnel when I do this.  Make sure the herbs are completely covered as they can grow mold if they are not.  Add a bit extra if possible as the fruit and herbs will absorb a bit of the vinegar as they sit.  

3.  Seal, label and date.  Store in a cool place or refrigerator as berries have a tendency to ferment.  Read further down for more tips on the process.

HERBS:

You will need fresh herbs to go with the berries.  They are a bit pricey but there is a good selection in most grocery stores.  You can also add dried herbs to the vinegar if you prefer.  The flavour will be good but they are not as pretty.  When you begin using the vinegar be sure to remove any exposed herbs as the bottle empties.  If you don't take this precaution molds can grow on the exposed herbs.

BOTTLES TO USE:

Reduce, reuse, recycle.  This is your opportunity to clean and sterilize some bottles and jars that you like.  The first photo in this post shows (left to right) recovered whiskey bottle, tamari bottle and juice bottle.   Use bottles or glass jars that are free of chips or cracks.  Good choices are clear wine and liquor bottles.  You can pick up decorative bottles at many dollar stores but I prefer to recycle.

HOW TO CLEAN AND STERILIZE BOTTLES:

Thoroughly soak and wash the bottles.   Remove old labels.  A baby bottle brush is handy for this task.  Sterilize them by immersing in a pan of water and simmering for 10 minutes.  Once sterilized, remove from water and invert on kitchen towel to dry.  Use while warm.

HOW TO SEAL YOUR BOTTLES:

You can buy stoppers at a wine making store.  They usually have cork or plastic stoppers.  I buy the plastic as they are easy to put through the dishwasher and keep clean.  I also buy the heat shrink covers they put over wine bottles.  They shrink around the bottle when immersed in boiling water.  You can also use steam from a kettle to shrink the wraps.

If I haven't been clear enough just post a comment with a question.  I am trying to keep this succint!

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com  

for course information, menus and registration. 

Kale and Tofu - Indian Style

This is a healthy remake of one of my favourite dishes called Palek Paneer which originates in North Indian.  IT is a beautiful dish that goes over well with all people including those that would not usually eat kale!  It is also easy and flavourful and suitable for both gluten free and vegetarian eaters.  Serve as a main course with whole grain Indian breads and brown rice or as a side-dish to more traditional meals.

Traditionally it is made with spinach but I used kale as it is what I still have in my garden and it makes a fine substitute.  Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese.  If paneer is not on hand you can use a firm tofu like I have or a firm ricotta cheese or even diced potatoes. I give instructions below if you would like to try making your own fresh paneer.

2 Tbsp (30 ml) oil - I use grapeseed

350 gram package tofu, firm (or paneer or firm ricotta cheese)

1 cup (250 ml) onion, diced

2 cloves of fresh garlic  - I use Ontario organic garlic

1 Tbsp (15 ml) ginger, fresh, grated or minced

2 tsp (10 ml) coriander seed, ground

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seeds or ground

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) turmeric, ground

1 tsp (5 ml) garam masala (Indian spice blend)

1 tomato, fresh

8 cups (2 liters) kale, fresh, shredded

1/2 cup (125 ml) water - as needed

Note: Substitute  2 x 10 oz cello packs of fresh cabbage, spinach or Swiss chard for the kale.

METHOD:

1.  Cut the firm tofu (paneer, ricotta, potato...) into 2.5 cm/1" cubes. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and fry on both sides until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.  Set aside.

2.  In the same pan fry the onions, minced garlic, ginger, and spices and saute until the onions are soft.

3.  Add the chopped fresh tomato and shredded kale mix well.  Continue cooking until vegetables are tender but not overcooked.  The water is an optional ingredient if you want it a bit saucier.   

4.  To serve, add the previously fried tofu/paneer cubes and toss lightly. 

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 cup/250 ml serving): 190 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 2 g sugar, 12 g protein.  % Daily Values are 290% vitamin A, 200% vitamin C, 25% calcium and 20% iron.

HOW TO MAKE PANEER:

We can't buy paneer in northern Ontario but you could always make your own!   To make paneer at home you bring 1 liter/4 cups of milk to a boil over low heat.  Add 30 ml/2 Tbsp of lemon juice and stir continuously and gently until the milk thickens and begins to curdle.  Strain the curdled milk thorough a sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth).  Set aside under a heavy weight for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours to press to a flat shape about 1 cm/ 1/2 inch thick.  Make the paneer the day before you plan to use it in a recipe; it will then be firmer and easier to handle.  Cut and use as required; it will keep for about one week in the refrigerator (from: the Complete Book of Indian Cooking by Shehad Husain and Rafi Fernandez, Acropolis Books, Annes Publishing Limited 1995)

I teach a Tikka and Tandoori Indian class and also Indian Vegetarian Cooking. 

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com  

for course information, menus and registration. 

Beet Salad Morrocan Style

I am exploring Moroccan cooking and notice recipes include a lot of my favourite foods like beets, pumpkin and squash. These foods are easy to grow and keep well which fits in with me being more self-sufficient.  I have also been trying to get young people to eat beets over the past few days and I am surprised how few of them like beets.  Ian said they taste like dirt!  Julie, Trigger and Carley (below) liked them (or so they said)!

Most of them were never served beets at home.  And yes, they do taste a bit like dirt!  I am attributing this to their high mineral content.  I did a bit of research and did in fact learn that the taste of the beet reflects the elements in the soil where they are grown.  Makes sense.

Our modern beet is one form of beta vulgaris and Swiss chard (below) is also a member.  They are both part of a larger family that also includes spinach and the edible wild lamb's quarters (chenopodium album). 

When it comes to nutrition it is hard to beat beets!  They are a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, carotene, B vitamins and vitamin C.  The pigment that gives beets their beautiful, intense, red purple colour is a kind of anthocyanin called betanin.  It is a powerful antioxidant and helps fight cancer cells.  Beets are considered laxative (purgative) and can really help keep you regular.  They colour the stool making it easy to clock the efficiency of  your personal transit system!  Also, when some people eat beets their pee turns red and this is known as beeturia.  I am not entirely certain but I think it is genetic and does not occur in all of us.

There are many ways to use beets and my favourite by far is to simply boil and eat them straight up!  I also make pickled beets, roast them in the oven or grate raw and use as a colourful addition to green salad.  They are really pretty used in coleslaw with, or in place of, carrots.  Beets are naturally sweet so they go well with sour flavours such as citrus, vinegar or yogurt.  

Makes 8 or more 1/ 2 cup - 125 ml servings

1 lb beets or approximately 4 cups/1 liter peeled and cubed) 
1 fresh lemon, juiced - about 1/4 cup (60 ml) 
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1/8 tsp (.6 ml) cinnamon, ground
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
Optional additions: chopped red onion, tbsp of honey, zest of the lemon, 1/4 tsp ground cumin and/or paprika.

METHOD: 

1.  Cut the green tops off leaving an inch (2.5 cm) or so. Leave the tap root intact as well.  These steps reduce "bleeding" of the beet juice into the cooking water.  Wash beets and boil in a covered saucepan until tender.  This can take longer than you think!  Let them cool in the cooking water.

2.  Use your hands to slip off the skins.  Chop them into cubes and place in bowl.

3. Combine rest of ingredients and pour over beets.  Toss to coat.  Let marinate for an hour or so before serving.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 125 ml serving): 50 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 5 g sugar and 1 g protein. % Daily Values (based on 2,000 calorie diet are 2% vitamin A, 15% vitamin C, 2% calcium and 4% iron.

 

P.S. I haven't been able to entirely correct the spacing in this post.  Perplexed!

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com
for course information, menus and registration. 

10 Way to Eat Pumpkin & Like It!

I baked off some sugar pumpkins.  I am having some of my past students over for dinner and will make a nice Moroccan pumpkin soup and freeze some puree for other dishes too.  The rest of my pumpkins should last until Christmas so I will just leave them be as they aren't creating a large carbon footprint adorning my dining room!  I had to bring them in off the porch as our hard frosts have started.  Here is my dog Angel with the sugar pumpkins and also a yellow pumpkin I bought at the market.  I will dry and save seeds from all of them for next year's garden.

The Hallowe'en pumpkins are typically the cucurbita maxima.  I use pumpkin and squash interchangeably in most recipes depending on what I have on hand.  Canned "pumpkin" puree in Canada is usually made from dense orange squash like butternut.

I notice that pumpkin is usually eaten in pie but it doesn't get centre stage for much else and it really should!  It is high in fibre, vitamins A and C and antioxidants.  Sweet potatoes are usually imported but pumpkin is a good food to help eat local.  The pumpkins I have were grown by my neighbours Sharon and Murray Becker of Becker's Berry Patch. They are pretty famous in these parts for their strawberries.

I tried an Italian pumpkin this year in my garden and it was a bit of a failed experiment.  They never turned orange!  This was as orange as they got.  I did use them when small though like I use zucchini.  Maybe one of you knows about these beastie pumpkins?

Pumpkin is eaten around the world in a much more serious fashion.  It is the basis of many vegetable curries in Africa and the Caribbean.  A Moroccan tagine comes to mind.  In some parts of Europe it is common to add a chunk of pumpkin to simmering chicken broth to add a golden hue and a sweet rich flavour. You can also make a really nice vegetable pie or quiche with pumpkin.   I made a list of all the various ways I used pumpkin.  You probably have others you can suggest.

1. Toasted pumpkin seeds
   
2. Pumpkin Pancakes
   
3. Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
4. Pumpkin Cheesecake
5. Stewed Pumpkin with Chiles and Feta
6. Pumpkin Butter (Slow Cooker)
7. Pumpkin Soup - a spicy curry, with coconut milk mainly
   
8. Sweet Spiced Pumpkin Pickles
9. Pumpkin and rice (also risotto)
10. Savoury Pumpkin Quiche
    

NUTRITION FACTS:

The dark orange vegetable family, which also includes winter squash, sweet potatoes and carrots, outshines all others in vitamin A content.  They are also packed with fibre, antioxidants, vitamins B6, C and K as well as calcium, potassium and folate.  The flesh of the pumpkin is low in calories and fat and, as its bright orange colour suggests, is an excellent source of the antioxidant beta-carotene which our body converts to vitamin A. Research has found that a diet rich in beta-carotene can reduce your risk of developing certain cancers and helps prevent heart disease. Beta-carotene also maintains good vision and fights infection.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Visit me at http://www.chapmanslanding.com
for course information, menus and registration. 

Old cookbooks - old lessons that still fit with today's wave of eating green and local

You may have noticed that most of my posts and recipes don't use or discuss meat or dairy products.  I am not a vegetarian but I was once for 9 years.  I feature local, in season, fruit, vegetables and whole grains as most people need to include more of them in their diet so they can live well with less health problems like diabetes, cancer, constipation, heart disease and obesity.  But, I also know it is better for the environment.

A study published last year in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that reducing red meat and dairy consumption is far more effective than buying locally-produced food for reducing greenhouse gases. In fact, the researchers estimated that reducing consumption of these foods by just 11-19% was as effective as 100% local buying!  Food for thought.

When I was 17 I was strongly influenced by Frances Moore Lappé and her book "Diet for a Small Planet."   It has sold 3 million copies and the 20th anniversary edition is now for sale.   Following are a few excerpts of her biography posted at Wikipedia.

"Throughout her works Lappé has argued that world hunger is caused not by the lack of food but rather by the inability of hungry people to gain access to the abundant amount of food that exists in the world and/or food-producing resources because they are simply too poor. She has posited that our current "thin democracy" creates a maldistribution of power and resources that inevitably creates waste and an artificial scarcity of the essentials for sustainable living."

"Lappé makes the radical argument that what she calls "living democracy," i.e. not only what we do in the voting booth but through our daily choices of what we buy and how we live, provides a mental and behavioral framework of goods and goodness that is aligned with our basic human nature. She believes that only by "living democracy" can we effectively solve today's social and environmental crises."

Her daughter Anna came alongside and is now also doing all kinds of amazing work.  I have a copy of Anna's newer book called Grub, ideas for an urban organic kitchen.  The beauty of what Frances and Anna write is that is it well researched!  Dietitians like that.  All the facts are researched and uncovered and you get recipes that reflect their beliefs and values.  In the foreword Anna says "learning where our modern food comes from and how it's made and what it's doing in the world leaves a bitter aftertaste."  The book will help you make healthy food choices and prepare mouth-watering meals while unmasking corporate flimflam and supporting sustainable farming.  She says her complete guide is for the young, the hip, the socially tuned-in - and for all who want to eat real food.  She tells you how to set up your kitchen and gives socially responsible vegetarian recipes that follow the four seasons.

Follow this link to Anna's getcha grub on blog.  Anna lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is working on a new book about food and climate change and launching the “Take a Bite Out of Climate Change” campaign.

When I was 21 years old I was given a copy of the More-with-Less cookbook at Christmas from my parents.  This recipe compilation is from Mennonites living around the world and it showed people how to eat better but consume less of the world's limited resources.  I was just learning to run my own kitchen, shop and cook and I found it full of frugal and practical recipes.  Most of the old standbys are covered, along with more around the globe recipes from the Carribean, Egypt, Indian, Paraguay, Vietnam, Mexico, and Russia.  It's an excellent source for vegetarian and less-meat recipes.  It was commissioned by the Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Pennsylvania in 1976 in response to the growing world demand for food.  The 25th Anniversary Edition is now for sale.  My copy sold for $8.95 but it now sells for $31.95!

Between these two sources I was guided to eat less meat and expand my culinary horizons.  All of these books make wonderful Christmas gifts for curious and novice cooks interested in the environment and green eating.  The older books are like buying a positive piece of history.