BLACK FOREST BIRTHDAY CAKE

I know it's probably pretty obvious, but I love to bake. I especially love to bake birthday cakes. People really love it when you bake them a birthday cake too. It's a win-win situation. It's also pretty obvious that I am no vegan, but when I make chocolate cake I always use this recipe, which just so happens to be vegan - and seriously moist and delicious. It adapts really well to a black forest theme too when you slather it with coconut whipped cream and cherries. Yum.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

(makes one 6” layer cake)

¾ cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup organic cocoa powder, sifted

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup organic unsweetened coconut beverage

½ cup avocado oil

1 ½ cups local maple syrup

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp pure organic vanilla

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

CHERRY FILLING

 5 cups frozen organic cherries

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup

2-3 Tbsp organic corn starch

Method: Place the cherries and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water and then stir into the hot cherries. Stir until it thickens to desired consistency. Cool and refrigerate.

WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

1-2 14 oz cans full fat coconut milk

1/4-1/2 cup organic icing sugar or a bit of maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

Method: Chill cans of coconut overnight in the fridge. Chill a large mixing bowl in freezer. Remove just the solid coconut cream on the top and leave the liquid behind for use in a smoothie or something. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer then add sifted icing sugar and vanilla. Use immediately or refrigerate.

To assemble the cake: Use a serrated knife to trip the domed top off of each cake. Pour 3/4 of the cherry mixture on the bottom half and then top with some whipped cream. Place the second layer on top. Use the rest of the whipped cream to ice the cake, then pour the rest of the cherry mixture in the centre of the top of the cake. Sprinkle with shaved dark chocolate and gently press some on the sides of the cake too. Refrigerate to harden the icing a bit. 

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CHICKEN MISO SOUP with Butternut Squash, Sage & Apple

     Our chicken population was getting out of control. We were going through a bag of chicken feed every week and so it was definitely time to cull the flock. Although these lovely birds of ours aren't great for roasting, they do make great stock. If I remember to pick the meat off early enough, then I have a some nice tender meat to make sandwiches and soups with too.
     When it comes time to make soup, I often ask myself the same question; is there any way I can make chicken soup a little more exciting? Here was yesterdays chicken soup redo with a batch of the sourdough biscuits my family loves so much slathered with salty butter...

CHICKEN MISO SOUP with Butternut Squash, Sage & Apple

2 pounds leftover cooked chicken meat

2 onions, chopped

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

3 cups, peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 cup peeled and diced parsnip

1 1/2 cups apple cider

2 cups mineral rich chicken stock

2 cups peeled and chopped apple

2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage, or 2 tsp dried

1 Tbsp peeled and grated ginger root

2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste

fresh black pepper

1/2 Tbsp white miso per bowl of soup

Method: Heat a large soup pot over medium heat, drizzle with oil, and saute onions until soft. Add the vegetables, apple, chicken, stock and cider. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until squash is tender. Place 1/2 Tbsp miso in each bowl, dilute with some stock, and then fill with soup. Stir and serve.

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SOURDOUGH BISCUITS

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter

2 cups sourdough culture

Method: In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the sourdough culture, stirring with a fork. Add more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from being to sticky and wet. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead very briefly until the dough is soft and barely sticky. Add more flour as needed. 

Using your hands form the dough into a rectangle about 2 inches thick. Using a large knife cut into 8 biscuits. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours. Bake in a preheated 375*F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden. Serve hot.

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WINTER RITUALS

     Growing up in Canada means long, cold and snowy winters. Ice skating and sledding. And hot chocolate. Just the mere thought of a hot cup of cocoa makes me nostalgic. Good memories of mom showing us how to make it from scratch, our cheeks red and rosy from all that fresh winter air. It's so simple to make your own hot chocolate, I have a hard time understanding why there's even a market for instant. The best part too is that you can use ingredients that make this chocolatey treat a little bit healthier than usual.

HOT CHOCOLATE

1 1/2 cups milk (almond, coconut or cow)

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 Tbsp raw honey

optional: cinnamon, Dandies brand marshmallows, whipped cream

Method: Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot. Meanwhile, put the cocoa powder and honey in your mug. Add a bit of warm milk and stir into a moistened paste. Pour in hot milk and stir. Top with optional ingredients and enjoy!

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     Now, I limit the amount of refined sugar the kids eat, but ever since a non-GMO marshmallow hit the market they are hooked, and it's hard to say no to s'mores on the campfire and ooey gooey melted marshmallows in their hot chocolate. A rare, but fun treat for sure.

     Every Friday my youngest son and I are home alone while my eldest is at school. This winter I've decided that Fridays will be a special baking day for the two of us. Today we baked up some yummy (and addictive) Chewy Chocolate Chip & Oatmeal Cookies. Tasty little tidbits I can't seem to stop eating.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP & OATMEAL COOKIES

(Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free/Egg Free)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

6 Tbsp nut butter of choice (I used almond)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy-Life brand because they are non-GMO)

pinch of sea salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method: Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and then drop by the spoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.

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CRACKERS

Everyone's heard of sourdough bread. But have you ever tried a sourdough cracker? Yes, believe it or not, crackers don't just come from a box! Not only do these crackers taste great, you're getting all the nutritional and digestive benefits of fermentation. When you make your own crackers, you can also avoid the MSG, cheap vegetable oils, and preservatives the store bought kind usually contain. What more do you need to know? Get baking!

SOURDOUGH CRACKERS

1 cup sourdough culture

1/4 cup room temperature organic lard, coconut oil, or butter

1 cup organic spelt flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

organic extra virgin olive oil

more salt for finishing

Method: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and the lard and cut it in with a pastry cutter. Stir in the culture and then begin to knead the dough, adding as much flour as necessary to make a stiff dough. Place the dough in a bowl and cover the bowl with a lid to prevent it from drying out. Leave the dough at room temperature for at least 7 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*. Take a third of the dough and roll it out on a piece of parchment, flouring as necessary. Roll it with a rolling pin until it is very thin. Brush the dough with some olive oil and sprinkle liberally with some salt. Cut the dough with a pizza cutter or knife, and then transfer the paper to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Repeat.

If some of the inner pieces are thick and not crispy, return them to the oven for a bit longer. Dough can also be frozen after resting overnight so you can make crackers whenever the mood strikes!

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SOURDOUGH SCONES with Raisins & Cinnamon

We've been invited to a potluck brunch tomorrow.  At first I was just going to send two dozen eggs from our hens and hope someone wanted to scramble them (because the three boys are going without me) but then Scott wanted to bring something more.  Well, lets see, I just came home with 3 bags of flour from the store, there are two jars of sourdough starter on the counter, and we have a fridge full of lard.  Obviously, I needed to make some scones.

SOURDOUGH SCONES with Raisins & Cinnamon

1 cups organic unbleached flour

3/4 - 1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/2-3/4 cup organic coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup organic lard or butter

2 cups sourdough culture

3/4 cup organic raisins, soaked in water

1 tsp organic cinnamon

Method:  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.  With a pastry cutter, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Add the culture, stirring with a fork.  The dough should be soft and moist.  Turn onto a floured board and knead briefly until the dough is soft and barley sticky.  Add more flour if needed.

On a well floured board, shape the dough into a long flat, rectangular snake.  With a bread knife, cut the dough into triangles.  Place on a baking sheet and proof for 2 hours at room temperature.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375* for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.  Makes 12 scones.

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BLUEBERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE

My son asked for a blueberry cake this year.  Previous attempts at fruit based birthday cakes have been colossal flops, so I figured I'd do it a bit differently this time and opt out of icing.  What we have here is more of a coffee cake with an awesome maple walnut crunch topping.  Definitely my kind of cake, but lets hope the 7 year old thinks it's great too.

BLUEBERRY CAKE with Maple Walnut Crunch

2 1/2 cups sprouted spelt flour

3 tsp baking powder (aluminum and GMO free)

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup local maple syrup

1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

1/2-2/3 cup organic milk

1 1/2 cups organic wild blueberries
Topping:
4 Tbsp organic coconut sugar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp walnuts, minced
generous pinch of cinnamon
2 Tbsp organic vegetable oil

Method:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease and line a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper.  

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  Whisk oil, maple syrup, vanilla, water and milk together in a bowl.  Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture, mixing until smooth - do not overmix.  Gently fold in berries.  The batter should be thick, not runny.  Add more milk if needed.  Spoon into pan.  Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle onto cake.

Bake on centre rack for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  You may need to cover with foil to prevent top from burning.  Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes before turning out of pan and cooling on a wire rack.

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SOURDOUGH BAGELS

I pretty much never make loaves of sourdough bread anymore.  These bagels are just so good everything else pales in comparison.  A little more time consuming than a standard loaf, but so worth it.  

SOURDOUGH BAGELS

4 cups organic sourdough 

4 organic eggs, beaten

4 Tbsp avocado oil

1 cup organic milk (even works with homemade almond milk)

4 Tbsp organic coconut sugar

4 Tbsp local honey

2 tsp sea salt

3 cups organic whole wheat flour

3 cups organic unbleached white flour

organic sesame or poppy seeds

Method:  Pour the culture into a large mixing bowl.  Add the eggs, oil, coconut sugar, salt and mix.  Add the flour one cup at a time until the dough is stiff.  Then turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and satiny, and no longer sticky.  Add more flour as necessary.

Place the dough in a large bowl covered with a plate or lid, and let sit for 8-12 hours or overnight at room temperature.  

Divide the dough into 30 equal balls.  Roll each ball into a 15 cm rope and pinch the ends together.  Proof for 1 hour on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375*.  Bring 4 litres of water to boil in a large pot and add the honey and some salt.  Drop the bagels, 2 at a time, into the water.  Remove them with a slotted spoon after they rise to the surface, drain on a rack and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.  Place bagels back onto the cookie sheets and bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool on wire racks.

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SUPERSEED COOKIES

I love it when you have your cookie and eat it too.  These tasty little treats are chock full of nutrient rich hemp and chia seeds - full of protein so you won't crash and burn.  Totally nourishing, very satisfying.  What more can you ask for in a cookie?

SUPERSEED COOKIES

1/2 cup organic shelled hemp seeds

1/4 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup organic chia seeds

3 organic eggs

1/2 cup organic coconut flour

1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted

1 tsp organic ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup local maple syrup or honey

1/2 cup organic chocolate chips

1/4 cup organic raisins

Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Stir well and allow to stand for 5 minutes until the coconut flour absorbs all the liquid.  Form into flattened rounds.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for about 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

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EARLY MORNING MUFFINS

Grains are getting a bad rap lately.  Gluten free diets are all the rage.  People are starting to eat like our paleolithic ancestors and either eliminating grains altogether, or reducing their consumption drastically.  Over here we tend to travel the middle path and practice conscious consumption of our most favorite of carbohydrates.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, this also means we tend to prepare our grains in ways that makes them healthier and easier for our bodies to digest.  One of my favorite ways to do this is with sourdough culture.  Every couple of weeks I make a batch of sourdough bread for sandwiches and toast, and I feel better knowing that I am transforming ordinary flour into a more nutritious food - lower glycemic index, less gluten, phytic acid free.  

     The amazing thing is, you can pretty much make everything with sourdough culture - pancakes, crepes, hot cross buns, pizza dough, biscuits, and today's favourite, MUFFINS!  We made a batch of these the other day with blueberries and bananas, so I figured we try it out with apples and cinnamon.  My new favourite muffin recipe.  Adapted from the Cultures for Health recipe.

SOURDOUGH APPLE AND CINNAMON MUFFINS

2 cups organic spelt flour (I used half whole grain, half light)

1/2 cup sourdough culture (can be inactive straight from the fridge)

1 cup organic whole milk, preferably unhomogenized or pasteurized

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 organic eggs, beaten

1/4 cup melted organic coconut oil or butter

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder, aluminum and GMO free

1 organic apple, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tsp organic ground cinnamon

1/2 cup organic walnuts, chopped

Method: The night before you want to bake the muffins, combine the flour, starter and milk until just combined.  Cover and leave on the kitchen counter to ferment for 7-12 hours.  The next morning preheat oven to 425*.  Combine the maple syrup, salt, and eggs in a bowl.  Beat until combined.  Sprinkle cinnamon, baking soda and powder evenly over fermented dough.  Pour in the liquid mixture, apples, and oil and mix well to combine.  The dough may be a bit stretchier than you are used to.  

Once all the ingredients are mixed in well, divide into 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

These muffins store really well and even taste good the next day, unlike some of the muffins I've made.  

SOURDOUGH BREAD that doesn't feel like a brick

I am pretty happy with my latest batch of sourdough culture.  It is a different recipe from the one I shared with you a while back for Pain au Levain, which produces a more rustic, French style bread.  The thing I like about it most is that it produces loaves of bread that are much lighter than some of my previous sourdough experiments - like light enough to make a sandwich with! Yay!  

     I just can't make bread with yeast anymore. After reading so much about how sourdough predigests the gluten and neutralizes enzyme inhibitors (that interfere with digestion) and phytic acid (that blocks mineral absorption), how could I possible feed that to my family with a good conscience?  Well, I couldn't, and now I don't have to

     Perhaps the best thing about this bread is the ritual I've gotten into which involves getting the bread started in the evening when the house is quiet and the children are in bed.  So, no little fingers poking into the dough, or mid kneading diaper changes are involved.  Peaceful, relaxing, unhurried and pleasant.  The dough rests overnight, and then in the morning I let it rise in the pans and bake it by our afternoon naptime.  Perfect.

SOURDOUGH CULTURE

Ok, first you have to create a really active culture.

organic flour (I used unbleached and whole wheat flour)

warm water

Method:  Mix 2 cups of flour and 1 1/2 cups warm water in a 2 litre glass bowl.  Stir the mixture vigorously to allow lots of air to infuse the batter. Place the bowl uncovered on top of your fridge, or another nice warm spot.  Stir the mixture at least twice every 24 hours.  In 2-3 days, some bubbles should appear on the surface.  At this point, feed it a cup of flour and enough water to maintain the previous consistency (like thick pancake batter), and stir it well.  Be sure to still stir it twice a day.  You may need to repeat additional feedings at 12-24 hour intervals for several successive days.  When it forms a 1-2" layer of foam, you will know you have an active yeast in your brew.

     Once you have a good, bubbly culture, use it to make bread, or pour it into some mason jars and refrigerate.  If you do refrigerate, be sure to feed your culture once a month to keep it alive.

Fully Active Culture

     When a refrigerated culture is warmed and fed, the organisms begin to reactivate, but the activity of the wild yeast is often inhibited by the increased acidity of the culture.  To reduce acidity do the following:

- remove jar from fridge and fill the jar with warm water while you stir it vigorously

- leave about 1 cup in the jar and discard the rest

- feed the culture in the jar 2/3 cup flour and enough water to make a thick pancake batter

- proof at 70-75* for about 2-4 hours until it is foamy

- if your culture has been in the fridge for longer than 2 weeks you may have to repeat this process

Culture Proof

   Warming and feeding for 2 hours is usually not enough to prepare a refrigerated culture.  Therefore you must create a culture proof:

- start with a fully active culture

- stir it and put half in another jar 

- to each jar add 2/3 cup flour and water to make a thick pancake batter

- proof 8-12 hours

- now it is ready to use to make bread

SOURDOUGH BREAD

(makes one loaf - I usually double it)

1 cup culture

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sea salt

2 cups organic unbleached flour

1 cup organic whole spelt flour

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

Method:  Pour the culture into a mixing bowl.  Stir the water and salt into it.  Add the flour  a cup at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand.  Knead it until it is smooth and satiny.

     Proof the dough overnight at 70* F in a greased and covered bowl- it should double in size.  

     In the morning, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.  Allow the dough to rest for 30 mins.  

     Flatten the dough slightly, then gently form a ball by lifting from the edges and pulling into the centre. Then form into a loaf shape and put into a greased loaf pan.

     Cover with a large overturned bowl and proof for 2-4 hours .  

     Place the pan into a cooled oven, then turn the temperature to 375* and bake for about 45-70 minutes.  Remove from pan and allow to cool.

WILDCRAFTING: Blueberries

I paid a visit to my favorite wild blueberry picking spot on my way into the city the other day and was very happy to discover that the time for picking is now.  I had fantasies of a quiet morning in solitude foraging for blueberries, but my plan was foiled.  My son was desperate to come along to "Blueberry Land", and so he did.  

He was really cute with his little bucket in hand as I heard the little "dip, dip" of his harvest hitting their mark.  The novelty of actually doing any picking lasted about 30 minutes, and then her transformed into the blueberry monster who ate every berry he came across.  At two and half hours he was ready for home, but I was frantic.  I couldn't stop tipping my bucket of berries over!  Picking little tiny blueberries off the ground is very tedious and disheartening work.  Alas, a good portion of my harvest has now become compost on the forest floor, but I did manage to salvage enough to make one, delicious, and I mean delicious, pie.  Note to self:  always use a container that has a wide base that won't tip over when picking blueberries.  My husband also informed me that I could always do it like his dad does - use a little sour cream container for the active picking, and when it gets full, dump it into a larger, lidded container.  Good idea.

Please note:  berry picking is not for the "instant gratification" type of individual.  It takes a long time to pick berries (and sometimes your bucket tips over).  Then you have to bring them home and clean them and remove all the leaves, dirt, and debris (especially if you had to pick them up off the ground after spilling them) which is kind of hard.  But I do have a quick cleaning tip - place berries in a bowl of water, swirl and strain.  Then pick up small handfuls of berries, pick out any large chunks of debris and then dump the handful of berries in a bowl.  Little bits of dirt and leaves will remain stuck to your hand, simply wipe off on a towel and repeat.

WILD BLUEBERRY PIE

1 double crust recipe for pastry dough

4 cups wild blueberries

4 Tbsp organic cornstarch

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 tsp organic lemon juice

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  Place the berries in a large bowl.  Using a potato masher, squish 1/4 of the berries to release some juice.  Stir in the cornstarch, maple syrup and lemon juice.  Let rest while you prepare pie crust in pie plate.  Pour in filling, cover with other crust and then bake at 400* for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350* and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until crust browns slightly.

EATING IRISH (Soda Bread)

One of the things I like most about being a parent is revisiting stories, traditions, and cultural concepts that I was exposed to as a child.  For the most part I am learning so many new things about things I thought I knew about, but I am also sometimes aghast at the things children are taught in books and in the mass media.  One of my favorite books as a child was the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Reading them again as an adult each night with my son has been wonderful. Well it was until I got to the second book that tells the tale of the Wilder family moving to the prairies and essentially stealing land and resources from the Native Americans.  I never realized what a stereotypical and racist slant the book has.  I had to censor the story as I was reading it out loud, which was really hard because they go on and on about it.

So this week I've been reading all kinds of story books about Leprechauns and clover.  I'm not all that much interested in St.Patrick, but I do love the tales of the wee folk and the fauna.  So while I always knew that Leprechauns were little green guys, I didn't realize they were the cobblers to Faeries.  In one of the story books a man named Finn raves on about his mother's soda bread so much that I had a huge craving for some myself.

Last night before I went to bed I whipped up a batch of dough to ferment a bit overnight before I baked a loaf this morning.  I'm in love.  So, if you're feeling like a little Irish spring celebrating at this time of year, do yourself a favour and bake a loaf of this Soda Bread.

SPELT IRISH SODA BREAD

1 1/2 cups organic whole grain spelt flour

1 1/2 cups organic light spelt flour

1/2 Tbsp sea salt

1/4 cup organic coconut sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup organic rolled oats

6 Tbsp organic unsalted butter

1 cup organic buttermilk

Method:  Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 375*.  In a bowl, stir to combine the flours, oats, salt, and sugar.  Cut in the butter and then Stir in the buttermilk, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature overnight.  In the morning, sift in the baking soda, knead it into the dough a bit .  Form the dough into a round loaf and make an X with a knife on the the top of the loaf.  Place the loaf on the preheated stone and bake for about an hour.  Set on a rack to cool.
(ps Normally Soda Bread is made by mixing all the ingredients just before you are going to make it, so the baking soda would be stirred into the flour before adding the buttermilk.  While doing this does make it easier to evenly incorporate the baking soda into the dough, it prevents you from being able to soak the flour overnight in buttermilk....)

I'M IN MANNA FROM HEAVEN

I've missed Manna Bread so much.  I used to buy it all the time, but my low plastic lifestyle no longer included this (double) wrapped plastic convenience food.  I wrote it off as just another one of those things I can live without in order to decrease the planet's plastic overload.  

Good thing I like cooking though because now I make my own.  What?  Yes, you heard me right, you too can make your very own manna bread, and a wheat free one at that.  And what do you know, it's way cheaper.  The only trick is, you have to be very patient.  Yes, because in order to make manna bread you have to wait three days.  Trust me, that is a small price to pay for having the most delicious snack food on the planet in your cupboard.  Oh, and make sure you have lots of almond butter on hand because manna bread truly is a heavenly food when it's smeared with raw almond butter.  

     Not only does manna bread taste great and hit the spot every time I have the munchies, it is a very nutritious and easy to digest alternative to conventional breads.  This is because making breads from sprouted grains provides more protein, vitamins and minerals thanks to specific biochemical changes that occur during germination that increase the accessibility of these nutrients.

CARROT RAISIN MANNA BREAD

2 cups organic kamut berries

1/3 cup organic raisins

1 organic carrot, shredded

Method:  Soak the kamut berries overnight in water.  In the morning, strain. and then place them in a mason jar with a piece of cheesecloth held in place with an elastic band.  Place the jar upside down at a slight angle and let rest on your counter for 12 hours.  Rinse, drain, and let them sit another 12 hours.  By this time they should have a tail growing that is about as long as the grain itself.  Drain the kamut and place them in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.  Process the ingredients until they turn into a sticky, doughy, paste.  This may take a few minutes.

     Grease your hands and remove the dough and form it into a loaf that is no higher than 1 1/2 inches.  Bake at 225* for 2 1/2 hours.  The outside will form a light, chewy crust while the inside is moist and muffin-like. Keeps well at room temperature for about 3 days, or you can slice and freeze.

RUSTIC RHUBARB TARTS with Lemon Cream Cheese

So the Real Women of Philadelphia contest is long over, but I don't think I posted my recipe entry for Rustic Rhubarb Tarts.  I still have lots of rhubarb growing in my garden and I am guessing I am probably not the only one.  I apologize for the dorky videos I made demonstrating me making all kinds of stuff with Philly.  I am not really into Philadelphia cream cheese at all.  I never buy the stuff, and in fact don't recommend you do either.  I just really wanted to win $10 000.  Considering Anna Olsen was the judge, I figured my best bet was to go all conservative too.  So, if you like the recipes I submitted to the contest, do me a favour and substitute some nice organic cream cheese, or, when appropriate, creamy goat cheese (chevre).  That is what I actually use in my kitchen.  I am really looking forward to filming some great footage of "things we do around my place" in the near future.  I learned alot filming these little suckers, and can't wait to refine my skills in the fine art of video blogging..

RUSTIC RHUBARB TARTS

1 pound organic rhubarb

1/3 cup local maple syrup, or more to taste

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/2 cup organic unbleached white flour

1/2 cup organic rolled oats

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic unsalted butter, chilled

3 oz organic cream cheese, chilled

1 organic egg yolk

2 tsp organic lemon zest

2 Tbsp local maple syrup

5 oz organic cream cheese, room temperature

Make the pastry dough: Place the flours, oats, and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine.  Add 1 egg yolk, 3 oz cold Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, and process until the dough comes together, about 15 seconds.  

Pour the dough out onto your counter and form it into 6 equal balls.  Flatten each disc with the palm of your hand and place them in a covered container in the refrigerator and chill while you make the other components of the recipe.  

Make the rhubarb compote: Chop the rhubarb into small pieces.  Place them in a medium sized saucepan with the maple syrup and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens to a thin jam like consistency.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

 Make the cream cheese filling: Place the 5 oz of room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of your mixer along with the maple syrup and lemon zest; mix until light and creamy.  

Roll out the dough: Remove the dough from the fridge and place a ball onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a small circle that is 1/4" thick.  Leaving a 1" border, spread 1/6th of the cream cheese onto the dough.  Place a couple of spoonfulls of the rhubarb compote on top of the cream cheese.  Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, using your hands to shape and seal it gently.  Repeat this with the other 5 balls of dough.  Place the tarts onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375* oven for 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

OATMEAL BREAD

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

OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups organic large flake oatmeal

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup organic molasses

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

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 tsp instant yeast

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

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

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

BANANA BREAD

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

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

BANANA BREAD

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 50-60 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

3-4 ripe organic bananas

1/3 cup organic vegetable oil

1/2 cup organic brown rice syrup

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp GMO free baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground organic allspice

1/2 tsp ground organic cinnamon

pinch of ground organic ground cardamom

1/2 - 1 cup organic walnuts, crushed

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

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

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

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

MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS AND SHEPHERD'S PIE

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

MONTREAL STYLE BAGELS

adapted from Home Baking by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Makes 20

3 tsp local honey

1 cup lukewarm honey

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 large organic egg

1 Tbsp organic oil

2 tsp sea salt

About 1-2 cups organic whole wheat flour

3 cups organic unbleached flour

For the topping

3 Tbsp local honey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHEPHERD'S PIE

For the topping:

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

3 organic parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces

1 cup organic yogurt

1/4 cup organic salted butter

1/4 cup organic milk

Filling:

1 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 large organic onion, chopped

3 organic celery stalks, chopped

2 organic carrots, chopped

2 cloves organic garlic, minced

1 pound organic ground lamb

2 cups organic lentils, cooked

sea salt and pepper

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

1 tsp organic cumin powder

1 tsp organic chili powder

2 1/2  Tbsp organic cornstarch

1 1/2 cups organic peas

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

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

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