Cranberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette

This is one of my favourite winter salad dressings. I keep frozen cranberries on hand and it whips up fast in the blender. The ingredients are simple and also rely on a good olive oil and local honey. I have seem my daughter mop up this tasty vinaigrette with her bread! It is good over all types of greens and also in a winter salad with shredded cabbage and grated beets. Top with your favourite nuts for extra fibre and healthy fats.

Vinaigrettes are versatile and you can us them as marinades as well as salad dressings. This is a good marinade for chicken and mild, white fleshed fish.

I like to encourage people to make their own salad dressings.  It is fun to be creative and you end up with better quality and reduced fat, sugar and salt. This concoction is additive and sodium free! Traditional vinaigrettes are 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Play with this…. I mostly use 1 part oil to 1 part vinegar. Another good combination is 1 part oil: 1 part vinegar and 1 part wine, stock, juice or water.  

Also, remember not to overdress your salad - ¼ to 1/3 c (50-75 ml) of vinaigrette should dress 8 cups (2 liters) of salad greens.


Click this link for a printable recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen - 125 ml
1/2 cup red wine vinegar - 125 ml
1/2 cup olive oil - 125 ml - I used an extra virgin cold pressed
1/2 cup honey, local - 125 ml
1/4 tsp cumin seeds - 1.25 ml
2 Tbsp poppy seeds, whole - 30 ml

METHOD:
Simply combine all ingredients, except poppy seeds, in a container like a glass jar with a lid.  Cover tightly and shake until blended. For a more stable emulsion and a creamier texture, blend in blender one minute. A food processor, traditional blender and immersion (stick) blender also work well.

Stir in poppy seeds. Store any unused portions in the fridge.  Below I am using poppyseeds I saved from my summer garden.

Nutrition Facts (per 2 Tbsp – 30 ml): 60 calories, 4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 mg sodium, 0 g fibre, 5 g sugar, 0 g protein. % Daily Values are all 0 for calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C as the serving size is small.

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Green Tomato Honey Chutney

I made this chutney recipe from "The Moosewood Cookbook" (1977).    My copy is falling apart as I have used it so extensively over the years.  I like that the recipe uses honey instead of sugar.  It also doesn't have many ingredients so it comes together quickly.  My batch with my modifications to the ingredients made six 1 cup (250 ml) jars - so not too big of a batch.

It looks a little redder here when a picture was taken without a flash.

Click on this link to go to a printable recipe.
With my modifications typed below it made 6 x 1 cup - 250 ml jars

INGREDIENTS:
2.5 pounds green tomatoes - a little over a kilogram
3 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger - 45 ml
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp mustard seed - 5 ml
1 1/2 tsp cumin seed (or ground) - 7.5 ml
2 tsp sea salt - 10 ml
1 cup honey - 250 ml
1 cup apple cider vinegar - 250 ml - I used organic
cayenne pepper, ground to taste - I used 1 tsp - 5 ml

I used a mix of lightly red and green tomatoes cut chunky style.  The other mincing is the fresh garlic and ginger which is not mentioned above.  Not too much work.  Ignore the advice about "cool before packing" (more below).

Stir all ingredients together, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.  You can add the cayenne at the end if you want to gauge spiciness.  I like hot food so I added a whole teaspoon.

Ladle while hot into sterilized jars.  Seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Don't screw the lids on tight as you want oxygen to escape from the jar during processing.

Remove jars from water and set on cupboard to cool and seal.  I used long handle tongs to get the very hot jars out.  Use pot holders so you don't get any burns.  As they cool, count the pops based on the number of jars you did so you know they have all sealed.  Any jars that don't seal should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten first.

in good taste,

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc

http://nancyguppy.com/

Pioneer Baked Beans with Pork Hocks

I got into making old fashioned baked beans this past winter.  Dried white "pea" or "Navy" beans, molasses and pork were staple foods of many Canadian pioneers. I fooled around with a few versions trying to make something close to the ones my father used to make.  He preferred the dry baked beans and used both molasses and brown sugar.  Some people, including my mom, like to make a saucier baked bean.  If you want them saucier you just add more water during baking.  

Although this recipe uses pork hocks it isn't hard to make a vegetarian version and I have done it often.  You just omit the meat and you can also add some chopped carrots, parsnips, potatoes or squash etc.

Click on this link for a printable version of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups (500 ml) white beans "Navy" (1 pound - 450 grams)
cold water for soaking
1/2 cup (125 ml) molasses
1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) ketchup
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried mustard powder (like Keens)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1 onion, large, peeled, cut in half
4 whole cloves (spice)
2 lb (900 g) pork hocks

METHOD:

 

1.  Soak beans overnight in plenty of cold water.  

Quick soak method: cover beans with 3 times their volume of cold water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

To cook add more cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Drain liquid and set aside (do not throw out liquid).  Place beans in a 12 cup (3 litre) bean pot or casserole.  You can also use a roasting pan that has a lid.  You can also make these in the slow cooker.  It will take longer and I don't find they taste quite as good as those baked in the oven.

2.  Add the molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, dry mustard and salt to the bean pot and stir well to combine.

 

 

3.  Cut onions in half lengthwise and peel.  Push two whole cloves into each half and bury in the beans.

   

4.  Push pork hocks into the beans as well. 

5.  Add enough reserved liquid to cover the bean mixture.  Cover and bake in a 250’F (120’C) oven for 6-9 hours or until liquid is mostly absorbed and beans are tender.  They need to cook down to be very soft and deeply browned.  If they seem too dry you can stir in some more of the reserved cooking liquid during baking.  The beans will absorb a lot of the moisture.  Some people take the lid off during the last hour of baking to make the beans darker.  I usually skip that step and the photo below is of beans baked with lid on the whole time.

6.  Below I show how I took the pork hocks out of the finished beans and set them on a plate until cooled.  When cool enough to handle remove the meat and stir back into the baked beans.  Discard the fat and bones.  

That's it!  Enjoy your beans.  There is no nutrient analysis on this one LOL.  Pork hocks aren't in the ingredient data base of my software and you don't eat the bone or most of the fat so it seemed pretty impossible to do. Dried beans are high in protein, fibre, folate, iron and a skad of other vitamins and minerals.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

I have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year.  I have made "sun dried" tomatoes in the oven before but it was years ago.  My mom told me about them.  Basically you remove the green stem end with your fingers and cut small tomatoes like cherry or small plums in half.  Season as you wish, and roast cut side down  in a very slow oven.  

The tomatoes get tossed with some olive oil and then whatever you wish including basil, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper etc.  Here I am below pulling the pine like needles off the garden rosemary.  Was a hot day as you can see as I was working in my bathing suit.  The tomatoes below are being dressed with olive oil, pepper and fresh Genovese basil.  I did another batch with the rosemary.

Mine took 6 hours at 225'F in my propane oven.  I find propane a bit slower than gas.  I can guess electric ovens are faster but I don't have one!

The tomatoes below are some of my larger beefsteak tomatoes that I needed to get put away before they went bad.

As with most techniques you have options.  Some people remove the seeds and wet pulp and then roast.  Some people peel off the skin.  I don't do either as I want the volume and find by the time the tomatoes are pureed or use in a sauce you can't tell.  The skins cook down and totally disappear if you puree with an immersion blender.  The skin of the fruit provides fibre and also many nutrients on vegetables and fruits are just under the skin.  Hope you try this simple method.  Let me know how it goes!

I have some cherry tomatoes in the food dehydrator too and I will do a separate post on how well they turn out.  Happy harvest!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that you need to freeze your little bags of oven roasted tomatoes if you aren't going to eat them right away.  Eating them right away is what may happen as they are so sweet and delicious.  Restrain yourself and put some in little bags for the freezer so you can relive this moment during the winter months!

Preserving the Garden Zucchini

Today I am dehydrating zucchini, putting them into homemade turkey soup and even pasta sauce!  Good rainy day projects.  I am starting to feel victorious having wittled down my rather substantial pile of garden zucchini on the back porch.   I made the mistake of going away for a week early August and came home to many medium, large and gigantic zucchini.  

The zucchini are slowly being made into soups and sauces that I am freezing for the upcoming winter.  True, I could "can" it but I do find freezing a lot easier.  My niece also grated and froze a bunch of bags.  Most people know about using grated zucchini in baking loaves, cakes and muffins.  Grated zucchini is also a great addition to soups, omelettes, stews and spaghetti sauces.  This is a link to my favourite chocolate zucchini cake recipe I posted last year.

Right now I also have 5 levels of zucchini in my food dehydrator.  It will take a few days until they are fully dehydrated... less if the weather was drier.  I wrote on my blog last April about the marvels of using a food dehydrator and you may want to check it out.  Dehydrating food is an ancient process which helped to sustain early people.  Heat from the sun or fires was used to preserve food harvested during seasons of plenty. Dried foods have been found in the pyramids and other burial tombs and centuries later some of it was still preserved in good condition.  

I enjoy the ease and economy of dehydrating garden herbs, vegetables and berries.  Foods are exposed to hot air which removes moisture. Bacteria and microorganisms cannot grow when moisture is not present. Thus dehydrated foods are preserved for long periods without refrigeration.  They also have far less weight and bulk than fresh foods.  So far this summer I have dehydrated high bush cranberries, peppermint, spearmint, thyme, sage and zucchini.  I am going to experiment with drying some tomatoes.  The herbs we use in dry form but the zucchini and tomatoes can be reconstituted in sauces or by pouring over boiling water.  Soups and sauces will be my main uses.

FIVE EASY STEPS TO DEHYDRATE FOOD

1. Slice most foods thin – about ¼” (1/2 cm)

2. Do not overlap your food on trays

3. Rotate and turn trays

4. Remove food when it looks and feels dry

5. Place food in air-tight containers – jars or Ziploc®™ bags

The zucchini in the garden are still producing but thankfully at a much slower rate!

My next class at Chapman's Landing is the Mediterranean Diet Canadianized!  This class is being held Saturday September 11th and will be both delicious and educational.  The topic is of special interest to those wanting gluten free, heart healthy and diabetic type recipes.   I hope to see you soon at a cooking class at Chapman's Landing soon.

Tastefully yours,

Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.
Chapman's Landing Cooking Studio

"How To" Dehydrate Food in a Dehydrator

Last summer I gave this beautiful lemon balm a serious haircut and then I dried the leaves and tender stems in my Ronco food dehydrator. They're a great tool, especially if you have a garden. I bought mine for $5 last summer at Value Village and unfortunately it didn't come with a manual so found a person online that had the manual in electronic format and they emailed it to me:)  I did go to Youtube and watch the Ronco food dehydrator promotional video on the website and that was pretty funny! They are for sale online for $40 US.

Now it is totally possible to dry foods without the electric dehydrator but it sure did come in handy last summer when it was wet and damp most of the summer and very hard to dry food using air method. I am posting this early in the season so you have drying food in mind as we go towards our growing season.  If it is hot and dry out you can use the trays without the electric heat to dry food.  Slower, but effective.

The video clip told me I can dry herbs and spices overnight. Then you crumble by hand and seal in a jar with lid. They were putting whole fresh herb bundles from the store on the trays. So, if parsley is 50 cents at the farmers market late in summer then you can stock up and dry them and use it throughout the winter. I also freeze herbs but dried is more green as you don't need a freezer to keep them.

The Ronco model dehydrator I have is heated with an element from the bottom but it does not have a fan or motor and therefore it makes no noise. It distributes gentle heat, but not hot and the heat is distributed by convection air flow. Mine doesn’t have a fan that makes noise and I have heard friends complain about how noisy their model is that has a fan.

A tray of herbs drys in 3 hours. When they said overnight they had stacked the 5 trays and were using store bundles of herbs. I removed big stems before putting them in.  Below is a tray of spearmint getting ready to be dried.  I use it in tea and punches and also as a crushed herb.

I can't say enough good about dehydrating garden vegetables and herbs and summer fruits.  By falls end I had dried basil, celery, choke cherries, dill (leaves and stems), high bush cranberry, lemon balm (Melissa), lovage, mint, oregano, zucchini ... and more.  They were part of our winter eating and cooking classes including  punches and teas, soups and stews.  This is way cool. I can see getting carried away dehydrating everything!

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

Staghorn Sumac

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) grows in abundance near my home.  Local food at my fingertips!  It is rewarding to gather as I can dry it and use it throughout the winter months.  I am just getting short on my supply now.    The red-berried drupes can be used fresh or dried to make delicious hot or cold beverages. I think it tastes like Red Zinger tea (Celestial Seasonings tea made from hibiscus). Impress your family and friends by brewing up some sumac tea or better yet, make my favourite mint and sumac punch.

The tartness of this sumac is partly due to the high ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in the berries. They also contain tannin, the astringent that is in ordinary tea. Staghorn sumac was used by native people and I imagine they taught the first settlers how to make it into a refreshing bush tea. Below you can see that the leaves peak in colour in the fall.  You can pick stag sumac from August to mid-October in my area. 



Staghorn sumac is a small deciduous tree that grows in thickets or clusters. The largest trees are 10 meters (30+ feet). The ones around me are approximately 10-20 feet tall. It is named for its branches which resemble the velvety antlers of a deer. The bush is a member of the Anacardiaceae or Cashew family, and is a native to eastern North America. It grows naturally throughout Ontario and Quebec down to northern Georgia and Mississippi in the United States. The pinnate, compound leaves grow alternately along the branches. The serrated leaflets grow opposite one another. The most identifiable feature is its bright red, conical blooms of densely packed red drupes that grow from the terminal ends of the branches.

Your first task is to properly identify the plant. The 'WHITE' fruit of the 'POISON SUMAC' is as deadly as its name. The tree and fruits do not look the same and are very difficult to mix up. Use field guides to help you identify edible wild plants and you also ask someone who knows the difference to teach you. The sumac drupes are in the basket on your right in the photo below. High bush cranberry is on the left.



Collect the drupes when it hasn't rained for a few days as the rain washes out some of the malic acid and flavour components. Also, don't strip a tree of all of the seed heads or the tree can die. Take 5 or so from each tree and move on. You can pick the fruits from mid-summer through to fall. The drupes dry and stay on the trees over the winter and provide food for the birds.

HOT STAGHORN SUMAC TEA

Two large drupes, like those shown below, will make a large pot of tea. Put the fresh or dried drupes into the pot and pour boiling water over. The longer you steep the tea the darker red it will be. I steep it for at least 20 minutes and if I am going to drink it cold like an iced tea then I steep it overnight. Some sources say to soak the drupes in cold water as the boiling water method extracts too many tannins from the stalks and can make a bitter brew. I however, have used boiling water with good success. Don't boil the drupes in water. Just steep. Optional additions to the pot include garden mint and other herbs as well as whole allspice, cinnamon or cloves.




When the flavor is to your liking, strain the drink to remove seeds and hairs. The fruit can be used more than once in most circumstances. Sweeten to taste with honey or your favourite sweetener.


HOW TO DRY THE SUMAC DRUPES:

Dry the seed heads in a dehydrator or on a screen in a dry area with good air flow. You can also hang them to dry.  Below I have the drupes and high bush cranberry in a basket ready for my dehydrator.  I used my dehydrator a lot last summer as it was so wet and often raining.






NUTRITION FACTS: Staghorn sumac fruit is high in vitamin C. It also contains malic and tannic acids and I am sure it provides other nutrients but I am not sure what they are! The sumac berries used in the Arab countries, Middle East and North Africa is a different genus. Their nutritional and medicinal characteristics are cited as diuretic, reducing fever, antiseptic and anti-diarrheal.

OTHER USES FOR SUMAC: Sumac juice makes a fine jelly (like making crabapple jelly), fruit syrup and delicious wine. The jelly is good with roast meats or cheese. For these recipes you will need to make a very strong brew or decoction. Add more drupes to make a stronger infusion. You can also infuse the same batch many times discarding used sumac as you move along.



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

"How To" Make an Herb Oil Puree for the Freezer

Use this simple method to create deliciously potent herb oil puree for you freezer. I have used this method for a number of years since I learned that basil, cilantro, mint and other delicate herbs tend to lose flavour when froze on their own. The herb oil puree freezes a bit “soft” due to the high oil content. 

The herb oil purees are versatile and can be used in casseroles, sauces and soups and on bread and baguette. The photo above shows a basil and olive oil combination.  I add the garlic, nuts and cheese later when I want to make a fresh tasting  pesto. Once defrosted, you can lightly toast bread under the broiler and then top with the herb oil puree and lightly toast again.  Sprinkle with some chopped fresh garlic and tomato and broil a bit longer.  Spoon out for use in your favourite recipes.  You will have a fresher flavour if you toss the herb oil puree into pasta or swirl into soup at the end of cooking.  You can also use the puree when you sautee garlic and onions for recipes.

I use my own garden grown herbs or organic herbs that don't have added pesticides.  This recipe comes a bit late for most of us to use our garden herbs but you might still have garden sage you can use and it is a good technique to remember for next year.  I also used Silver Leaf XV Native Olive Oil from organic grown olives that I buy from Gypsy Whole Foods Warehouse out of Burke's Falls.  The first, cold press of the olives is done without added heat and preserves nutrients.


I like freezing as a food preservation method as it reduces food safety risk. Pathogenic bacteria are "in suspended animation" and cannot grow at freezer temps. I discussed food safety of garlic and oil in a previous blog and the same holds true for herbs in oil. According to Health Canada herb oils made fresh for use should not be left at room temperatures. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 7 days, freeze or discard.  If you are going to defrost a whole jar of herb oil puree you should do it in the refrigerator and remember to use it up in a week.

Commercial herbs in oils, and pesto, are required to have an acidifying agent added to prevent growth of harmful micro-organisms during long storage. The acid changes the flavour but it is safe.  Alternately, dehydrated herbs can be added to oil. Follow this link to Oregan State University's Extension Education Service's handout Food Safety & Preservation:
Herbs and Vegetables in Oil.


Makes about 3 cups/750 ml

1 cup  (250 ml) XV olive oil - I used Silver Leaf XV Olive oil from organic grown olives
2 cups (500 ml) fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, lemon balm, mint, parsley, tarragon alone or in a pleasing combination. 

METHOD:

1. Puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth in a blender or food processor.
2. Pour into sterilized jars, label, date and store in freezer. I like to line mine up on the door of the freezer for easy access during cooking.  If your needs are smaller just freeze in ice-cube trays or smaller portions.

Optional additions: hot chile pepper if you want a spicier combination.

The lemon balm (Melissa) shown below freezes well in an herb oil puree.



Woody herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or lemon verbena freeze fairly well on their own but they can also be pureed in oil and frozen for later use. They are quite strong so I only use 1 cup packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil.  Remove the leaves from the woody stems before making the herb oil puree.




MEDICINAL and NUTRITION FACTS:

Oil is high in calories and has on average 120 calories per tablespoon.  Oil provides essential fatty acids and help absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  Adding some healthy oil to vegetables helps absorption of these fat soluble vitamins.  For instance, using a bit of olive oil on carrots helps your body absorb and use the vitamin A.  Fats are slower to digest than carbohydrate and protein and using healthy fats as part of a well balanced diet helps promote satiety = helps you stay full longer.  In the past it has been suggested that people use a very low fat approach to weight loss but this is actually not a good approach.  Olive oil is also high in monounsaturated fatty acids which protect against heart disease. Extra virgin olive oil is also anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic (reduces blood clotting) and anti-hypertensive.


I was surprised to find out that basil is a member of the mint family but not surprised that as a medicinal plant it is high in antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. Fresh basil is high in vitamin K which supports normal blood clotting - 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil provide 27% of the RDA of vitamin K.  Basil also contributes vitamin A, manganese, and magnesium (if you eat enough of it!).



This herb oil puree made with extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil has the following in a tablespoon (15 ml): 40 calories, 4.5 g of fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 0 mg carbohydrate.

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

"How To" Make Oven Roasted Peppers

I have received a lot of nice and encouraging notes about my food blog and they are greatly appreciated! Most people seem to take the RSS feeds and don't post their comments directly on the blog. Regardless, thank YOU very much!

Ontario red peppers are in season. If you don't know how to roast peppers try this simple oven method. If you already know how to make them and have a great technique this can be a reminder! It would be nice too if you would post your technique in the comments. I use the roasted peppers as a healthy and flavourful addition to salsa, sauces, sandwiches, salads etc.

Conventional agriculture focuses more on peppers that look nice and ship well. Organic peppers avoid agricultural chemicals and peppers are on the "dirty dozen" list published by the Environmental Working Group. Follow this link to see the 12 most important vegetables and fruits to buy organic if you want to reduce your pesticide intake.

I bought some jar roasted peppers (Romania) at the store and they also contained water, sugar, salt and vinegar. The vinegar is added to acidify the peppers and acts as a preservative but unfortunately it also changes the flavour. They will do in a pinch but they pale in comparison to the home-roasted peppers.

I wasn't fortunate enough to have my own red peppers this year. They were moving along nicely then we had that cold weather in July and the blossoms fell off. They didn't catch up... I did get some of my own cayenne and jalapeno peppers and also a few green peppers. The beautiful red pepper shown here was in my friend's garden in Noelville.



8 sweet red peppers - I used the Shepherd variety as they are more economical
1 Tbsp organic XV olive oil or more

1. Wash peppers under cold running water. Cut each one in half and use your hands (clean ones!) to remove the seeds and pith. Use your hands and coat each pepper lightly with olive oil inside and out. Place in a baking dish and roast in the oven at 450 F° for about 30-45 minutes or until the skin turns black. Oven temps vary and I have gas/propane and find my oven is on the slow side. You can roast them whole if you wish and remove innards later.
2. Take the peppers out of the oven and place them in a paper bag for about 20 minutes to allow the steam to loosen the skin. Use your hands to peel back the skin, stem, and seeds. You can cut them into strips or squares as you wish! The skins are on the top and the roasted pepper on the bottom in this photo.

3. Store in the refrigerator. If you won't be eating them in the next week you should add more olive oil and freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can also puree them with olive oil and freeze the pepper puree. Be creative but practice food safety!

Notes:
This recipe also works great with jalapeno or banana peppers.
When I make them on the barbecue (grill for southern readers) I grind some fresh garlic with herbs and olive oil in the mortar and pestle and add a tablespoon or so of the fresh pesto into each cavity during roasting. I don't peel off the skin before eating.

Red bell peppers are fully ripened green peppers. They have thicker walls and are much sweeter. They are also more nutritious with 158% more vitamin C and 30% more vitamin A than green bell peppers.

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