OUT WITH THE OLD

...to make room for the new!  Little by little I've been clearing out the preserves from last summer (and the summer before) from our pantry and freezer.  It seemed odd to buy fresh, new kale (although I did anyway) when I still had jars of it in the freezer.  I also spied quite a few bottles of pesto that we hadn't managed to consume all winter.  Needless to say, we've been eating pesto in everything from scrambled eggs to salad dressing.  Speaking of salad dressing, I can't tell you how good a couple of spoonfuls of pesto tastes in a vinaigrette.  So good that I was wiping my plate clean of this dressing with bits of roasted duck at dinner last night.  We've been loving the fresh spinach available at the Farmer's Market these last few weeks, which tonight I paired with pickled beets from our garden and root cellar carrots.  Real, spring, salad.

PESTO VINAIGRETTE

2 Tbsp Hemp Seed Miso Pesto

1 1/2 Tbsp organic dijon mustard

2 Tbsp local honey

1/4 cup organic red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp organic balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

ground organic black pepper

1/2 cup organic local flax seed oil

1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

Method:  Combine all ingredients except oils in a blender and blend.  Slowly drizzle in the oils with motor running until thick and creamy.  Refrigerate up to 3 days.

PUTTING IT UP

  One look in my garden today and I knew it was definitely time to start preserving some of this harvest before it was too late.  Like all of us, I have list a mile long of all the things I'd like to do, but some things just can't wait.  So during Jude's third and final nap of the day I headed into the garden and began to harvest chard, spinach and rhubarb.  I gave them all a little rinse and then set a huge pot of water on to boil.  Meanwhile, I chopped up the rhubarb and filled up a Mason jar with it and stuck it in the freezer.  I can't speak highly enough of Mason jars.  We use them for storing all of our food and beverages. 

  The spinach and chard are going to taste great in the dead of winter when not a leafy green is to be found (well except for some kale perhaps).  Into the boiling water went the chopped chard for just a little bit, enough to blanch it, and then bam! (Emeril style) I dunk it into ice water to shock it and help keep it's vibrant green colour.  This too went in the freezer in a Mason jar.  

I cook the spinach in a smaller pot with just a wee bit of water until it is wilted and then plop that into ice water.

 

 So, now I just have to keep this up until all the greens are safely put away for the long, cold winter.....

SPRING IS HERE!

Happy Spring Equinox!  After a long winter of hibernating and gestating, I am so glad spring is here.  To celebrate the first day of spring, the sun shone brightly and I cleaned my house.  Nothing says spring like a little spring cleaning.  Oh, and nothing says spring like fresh local spinach at the Farmer's Market.  I can't tell you how excited I was to see that.  To top off my excitement about the spinach, I was delighted to see it being sold in bulk, so no plastic bag!  Woo hoo.  I filled a paper bag and have been happily consuming spinach at every meal thus far.  Spinach in my crepes this morning, spinach in my tomato salad last night, spinach salad for supper tonight......mmmmmmmm spring.  Oh, I also came home from the market with some local, pesticide free, greenhouse tomatoes yesterday too.  I can't wait to see what else is in store at the market next week.  But until then, I am content to still eat winter squash.  It shined tonight next to our Equinox feast of Lemon Chicken and Spinach Salad.  That is the beauty of spring.  Just as the days are still sometimes gray and cold, the sun still feels that much warmer.  The gradual shift from winter to summer is what spring is all about, and so our diet should reflect this too.  The slow emergence of spring's bounty mingles beautifully with the last few remains of fall's harvest.

SPINACH SALAD with a Yogurt Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 pound local organic spinach, washed and torn

1 organic carrot, grated

a sprinkle of organic sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp organic whole milk yogurt

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp organic pear cider vinegar

1/2 Tbsp local honey

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Whisk the yogurt, oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Drizzle it on salad.  Serve.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

4 organic chicken thighs

1 clove organic garlic, minced

juice of half an organic lemon

3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp dried organic oregano

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Marinate chicken pieces in the lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano in the fridge for 2-4 hours.  When ready to cook, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drain the chicken from the marinade and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is browned.

BROILED SHRIMP AND HADDOCK with Spring Vegetable Noodles

Tomorrow is market day so tonight I tried to clear out as many of the fresh greens from the refrigerator as possible.  (Why have I bought so many bags of kale?)  Braised kale, spinach and fiddleheads in pureed tomatoes, a little garlic, lots of romano cheese and you have yourself a mighty fine pasta dish.  Pair that with some broiled shrimp and fish and you have one happy husband too!

SPRING VEGETABLE NOODLES

1 bunch organic kale, chopped

1/4 pound organic spinach

4 large handfuls wild fiddleheads

5 cloves organic garlic, smashed and minced

3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 can organic tomatoes, pureed

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add the garlic, greens, some sea salt and pepper and saute for one minute, then stir in the tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes.  Serve on your favorite noodles with lots of cheese.

BROILED SHRIMP AND HADDOCK

1 bag PC organic shrimp, raw 

1 filet hook and line haddock

tom's spice (on my etsy shop)

organic lemon

2-3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

Method:  Toss the shrimp in some olive oil along with a sprinkle of Tom's Spice.  Drizzle some olive oil on the filet and sprinkle with some Tom's Spice.  Lay in the middle of a large cast iron skillet and spread the shrimp alongside.  Squeeze a little lemon on it.  Broil in your oven for 5-10 minutes or until fish is flaky and opaque and the shrimp start to brown slightly.  Stir shrimp as needed.

LAMB CURRY

My sister is getting married this weekend so my parents arrived today and were here in time for supper.  I hastily took out some lamb stew meat from the freezer this morning, hoping it would thaw in time to make a stew.  It was still a wee bit frozen when I started to make this meal, but it turned out just great anyway.  It is pretty hard to screw up a stew.
     Our freezer has been restocked with lamb from Bruce Family Farms in anticipation of a post wedding BBQ we are hosting.  We originally wanted a whole lamb, but apparently that is unavailable locally until this summer.  Anyway, so the stew meat was up for grabs and rather than my usual Irish Lamb Stew I decided to go Indian with a side of brown basmati rice.  My favorite part of this meal, aside from the big chunks of lamb, was the fresh spinach salad I made that had Indian spiced cashews that I sprinkled in.  I think we need a batch of those kicking around for snacking.

LAMB CURRY

2 pounds organic lamb stew meat (with bones)

30 g fresh ginger

5 cloves organic garlic, peeled

1 can organic crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp organic coconut oil

1 Tbsp organic sunflower oil

2 organic onions, peeled and chopped

2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp organic ground cumin

1 tsp organic coriander

1 tsp organic paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

fresh organic black pepper, ground

5 organic potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 organic carrots, chopped

1 cup organic peas

fresh organic cilantro, chopped

Method:  In the bowl of a food processor, puree the ginger and garlic.  Heat the oils in a large saucepan over medium heat and brown the meat in two or three batches.  Remove from pan and set aside, then saute the onion and salt until translucent.  Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric,  pepper, garlic and ginger, saute for one minute.  Add the tomato, lamb, potatoes and carrots.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat, cooking gently for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  If it gets too dry add some water.  At the end of cooking stir in cilantro.  Check for saltiness and add more if necessary.  Serve with steamed basmati rice,  raita and mango chutney.

SPINACH SALAD with Spiced Cashews, Radish and Cilantro

1/2 pound organic spinach

4 organic radish, sliced

1/2 cup organic cilantro, ripped

1 cup organic cucumber, sliced

1 cup organic cashews

1/2 tsp organic cumin powder

1/2 tsp organic coriander powder

1/2 tsp organic turmeric powder

sea salt

drizzle of organic sesame oil

e.v olive oil

1/2 organic lemon, juiced

organic pepper

Method:  Toss the cashews in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, pinch of sea salt and sesame oil.  Heat a small cast iron skillet over medium heat and then saute the nuts, stirring until they start to brown only slightly.  Lower heat if necessary to prevent scorching.  Remove from heat and set aside.

     In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, radish, cucumber and cilantro.  Drizzle with some olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Add cooled nuts and toss.

CORN BREAD SLOPPY JOE

     Every now and then I feel like I am stuck in a rut when it comes to the ingredients I buy to cook with.  Our freezer is chock full of frozen organic meats which is very nice and very handy, but when it comes to chicken all we have are whole chickens which can be limiting when you're in the mood for something different.  So this weekend I decided to pick up some Holdanca Farms Pastured Perfection Ground Chicken.  I have to say I think this is the first time I've ever bought ground chicken if you can believe it. 

    Flipping through my cookbooks I came across this recipe and man was it ever good.  After making it though there are a few things I'd change in addition to my interpretation of the original.  I didn't have any tomato sauce so I used half tomato salsa and pureed canned tomatoes for the other half.  I also added the spinach and carrot and omitted the green pepper because they're not in season and I didn't have any.  Since I love my own cornbread recipe so much I substituted making it from scratch rather than using a boxed corn muffin mix, while at the same time omitting the fresh corn kernels because I didn't have any of those either.  The original recipe also calls for way more cornbread, as you can see in the photo.  Scott and I both ended up cutting the bottom crust off so we could have thinner pieces and it was way better that way so the recipe I've included uses a smaller batch.  Enjoy!

 BBQ SLOPPY CHICKEN PAN PIZZA

(adapted from Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats)

1 cup organic finely ground cornmeal

1/2 cup organic unbleached flour

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup organic milk

2 organic eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp melted organic butter

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 pound ground pasture raised and/or organic chicken

3 cloves organic garlic, smashed and chopped

1 organic onion, chopped

4-5 cups organic frozen or cooked and chopped fresh spinach

1 organic carrot, shredded

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp organic chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground organic cumin powder

2 tsp hot sauce

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 cup tomato sauce or salsa

3 Tbsp local honey

10 oz shredded organic cheddar

3 Tbsp chopped organic cilantro

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flours, baking powders, sea salt and sugar.  Mix in the eggs, milk and butter.  Rub some olive oil into a large cast iron skillet, pour in batter and bake until the cornbread becomes light golden in colour 12-15 mins.

     Place a second skillet over medium high heat and the 2 Tbsp of olive oil.  Add the chicken and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Once the chicken begins to brown, add the garlic, onion, spinach, carrot and season with salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes then add the worcestershire, tomato sauce, and honey.  Stir to combine and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer until the cornbread is ready.  Adjust the seasonings to taste.

     Remove the cornbread from the oven and cover it with the chicken, then sprinkle with the cheese.  Put the pan back into the hot oven and cook for 5-10 minutes longer to melt the cheese. Remove from oven and top with cilantro and serve.

EASTER FEASTING

I spent my life celebrating two Easters every year.  Greeks follow a different religious calendar whose main difference as far as I've noticed is the day that Easter falls on.  This year though, they fell on the same day.  The last few days have been all about preparing to celebrate Spring with family and friends.

     I managed to take some photos of the meal preparation but totally forgot to take after shots of the meal before we ate it all!  Sorry....suffice it to say it was beautiful and delicious.  And it included lots of roast lamb, because I am Greek after all, and it isn't Easter unless there's lamb. Growing up my father always roasted a whole lamb outside on the spit, rain or snow or shine. Even though my parents in Ontario were only having my brother and his family over for dinner, my Dad ordered half a lamb and they are cooking it on the BBQ....a head and all!  I didn't go that far and settled for two small legs of lamb.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB

1 leg of organic lamb, 5-6 pounds

sea salt and pepper

6 cloves organic garlic

3 Tbsp fresh oregano

3 Tbsp fresh thyme

3 Tbsp fresh rosemary

juice of 1 organic lemon

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

Method:  Preheat oven to 450*.  Make 4 slits with a knife all over the lamb.  Insert half a clove of garlic into each one. In a suribachi, smash the rest of the garlic with some salt and the herbs.  Rub all over the lamb with some olive oil and salt and pepper.  Then squeeze and rub the lemon all over the lamb.  Roast the lamb in the oven at the high heat for 10-15 minutes, then reduce to 340* for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Take out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes then carve.

GREEK LEMON POTATOES

8 large organic russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

juice of 1 lemon

1/4-1/2 cup homemade chicken stock

1/4-1/2 cup e.v olive oil

sea salt and pepper

fresh or dry oregano

Method:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan, being sure not to crowd the potatoes.  Bake in oven for about 60 minutes or until the edges start to brown.  Serve hot with the lamb.

SPRING SALAD with Lemon and Feta

Organic spinach

Organic baby romaine

Organic feta

Organic spring onions, sliced thin

Fresh dill, minced

Organic lemon juice

sea salt and pepper

olive oil

Method:  Combine the lettuces, feta, onion and dill in a large salad bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze some lemon on top and season generously with salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.

Naturally dyed eggs using turmeric, handmade organic chocolate bunnies and chicks, organic spelt arrowroot butterflies, lambs, bunnies and tulips nestled in a bed of straw and moss.

My Mom's Kitchen- Post #3 SPANAKOTIROPITA

The year that I spent in my huband's Greek village years ago taught me many 
great cooking lessons. My most difficult and most treasured one was 
how to make filo dough. After many trials and errors I finally 
mastered it, since then I rarely  buy the manufactured one. Lately 
I've been trying to stay away from wheat so I decided to try it out 
with spelt flour. I was very pleased with the results.

SPANAKOTIROPITA ( Greek Spinach and Cheese Pie)

Filo:
4-4 1/2 cups organic spelt or wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the remaining ingredients 
and combine. Let sit for at least 1 hour, then separate into 4  
equal balls cover while you prepare the filling.

Filling:
1 bunch of organic swiss chard
2 bunches of organic spinach
2 large organic leeks
1/2 cup fresh dill chopped
8 oz feta cheese crumbled
1 /4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste ( if your cheese is salty you may not need it)

Chop the vegetables and wilt in a large pan. Squeeze out as much 
liquid as possible set aside to cool. Add the dill, feta, olive oil 
and sea salt, and combine.
Roll out one of the filo balls as you would a struedel dough, very, 
very thin. Place in the pan spray with e v oil then cover it with a 
cloth while you roll out the other one. Place the 2nd filo on top, 
fill with spinach, cheese mixture, using the overhanging filo, cover 
the filling. Repeat with the remaining 2 balls of filo. Tuck in the 
edges, brush more e v oil on top and score. Do not cut right through. 
Bake in a pre heated 375 oven for about 1 hour or until golden. When 
done you can cool slightly and the cut through to the bottom. Enjoy!

Lentil Soup and Savoury Stuffed Goodness

I can't believe I have yet to share my recipe for Lentil Soup.  The Lentil Soup.  The stuff of my childhood, the broth of comfort and nourishment.  Sad to say, but today won't be the day I do it either.  Just as I was going to make the good old standby, I said no, let's try it a bit differently.  So I did, and here it is.  

     Instead of making some bread to dip into it's brothy loveliness, I went with making some sort of bready type thing with spinach and ended up with a cross between an empanada and a panzerotti.  As I was in the middle of painstakingly rolling, cutting and stuffing these beauties I kept thinking to myself, these babies better be good because this is somewhat labour intensive.  But they were good.    Very, very good.

     Now I am all for supporting local producers and buying local goods, but I draw the line at supporting farmer's who use genetically modified organisms in their products and who feed these to their livestock.  Apparently Greece is a 93% GMO free zone, so I only buy organic feta when I find it or Feta from Greece.

LENTIL SOUP with Brown Rice and Feta

6 cups organic vegetable or chicken stock

4 cups water

1 1/2 cups organic lentils (any kind but I used green)

1 cup organic brown rice (short or long grain)

1 28 oz can organic tomatoes, chopped or squished

3 organic carrots, chopped

1 cup organic onion, chopped

1/2 cup organic celery, sliced

5 cloves organic garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each organic oregano, thyme and basil

1 organic bay leaf

1/2 cup organic parsley, minced

2 Tbsp organic red wine vinegar

Black pepper and sea salt to taste

Method:  Mix broth, water, lentils, rice, undrained tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and herbs in a large pot.  Heat soup to boil, reduce and simmer until lentils and rice are tender, about 1 hour.  Stir occasionally.  

     Remove and discard bay leaf.  Stir in parsley, vinegar, sea salt and pepper to taste.  If necessary, thin with additional water.  

SPINACH AND FETA WHEELS

THE DOUGH:

4 oz organic all purpose whole wheat flour

4 oz organic all purpose unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 Tbsp organic sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 organic egg, lightly beaten

100 ml olive oil

50 ml white wine

1 organic egg yolk, beaten with 1 Tbsp organic milk

Method:  Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Gradually mix in egg, oil and wine, stirring and when it begins to clump, transfer to a floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

FILLING:

1 pound organic spinach, chopped

1 organic onion, chopped

1 clove organic garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1/2 cup feta cheese

sea salt and pepper to taste

organic paprika

Method:  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil and onion and saute until the onion is soft about 5 mintues.  Add the garlic and spinach and saute until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 400*.  Roll out dough on floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm.  Use a 3" cookie cutter to cut out 18 circles.  Put 9 of them aside and cover the rest.  Brush around edges of the rounds with the yolk mix.  Place 1 Tbsp of the spinach filling in the centre and sprinkle with some feta cheese.  Cover with one of the reserved doughs and press firmly around the edges to seal, crimp edges with a fork.  Transfer to a greased tray, brush tops with the yolk and spinkle with some paprika.  Bake until golden 15-20 mins.  Serve hot!

Breakfast for Dinner

Had a wonderful jolt of inspiration this evening over breakfast for dinner tonight.  When my mother gets home she is going to be a regular contributor to this blog!  It is so brilliant because my mother is a phenomenal culinary artist.  Everything she makes not only tastes incredibly good, it looks like art (did I mention my mom is an artist?)  Anyway, so look forward to some amazing recipes by Ellen in the very near future.  

     Mom won't be here this weekend for our regular Sunday brunch extravaganza, so I decided we would have breakfast for dinner tonight.  This was the perfect time to try out a recipe I noticed while flipping through Martha's Everyday Food mag the other day called Skillet Potato Cake.  It is an amazingly crispy yummy potato dish that is a recipe definitely worth making again and again.  

     Ted Hutten at the Halifax Farmer's Market was working magic this winter while the rest of us hibernated.  He magically has spinach this early in the season, so I decided to use it to make a Spinach Mushroom Fritatta.  And no breakfast is complete without some Getaway Farms real bacon and sausage....

SKILLET POTATO CAKE (modified from MS Everyday Food)

2 pounds organic baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

3 Tbsp organic butter

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

3 scallions or 1/2 organic onion and chives

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Preheat oven to 425*.  Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 mins or until tender.  Drain.

     In a 10" cast iron skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat.  Stir in the potatoes, onions, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.  With the back of a large spoon, press the potatoes into the pan, crushing them slightly.

     Bake the potato cake until the edges are golden brown, about 20 mins.  Loosen the cake with a spatula if needed.  Cover the pan with a plate, flip over and remove from pan.

LOCAL SPINACH AND MUSHROOM FRITATTA

6 organic eggs

1/4 cup organic whole milk

8 organic mushrooms, sliced

1/2 organic onion, chopped

1/4 cup garlic chives, minced

2 Tbsp leftover bacon grease or olive oil and butter

sea salt and pepper

1 bag Ted Hutten's local spinach (around 4 cups fresh)

1/2 cup organic swiss cheese

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Heat the bacon fat in a 12 inch cast iron skillet and fry the mushrooms and onion/chives until golden brown.  Remove from heat.  At the same time place all the spinach in a covered pot over medium heat until the spinach wilts.  Drain in a colander, pressing out the excess water.  Chop the spinach.  Add spinach to the pan with mushrooms.

     In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and some sea salt and pepper.  Pour on top of the mushroom mix.  Top with grated cheese.  Place in oven for about 15 mins or until the egg has set and puffs up a bit.

Barter Pasta

Lately Friedl from Selwood Green has been visiting my table at the Farmer's Market to barter. He is a pleasure to see at the end of the market day because he always comes bearing lovely fresh sprouts, and this week, some of Norbert's homemade kamut pasta.  We had some leftover smoked salmon from Sunday's brunch which I thought would go perfectly in a pasta.  I also unearthed some spinach from the deep freeze that I prepared from the garden harvest in the summer. This pasta was truly delicious.

KAMUT PASTA with Cauliflower,  Smoked Salmon and Spinach

1 lb Norbert's fresh organic kamut pasta

2 Tbsp organic butter

1 large organic onion, chopped

4 cloves organic garlic, minced

1/2 cup organic vodka

2 tsp organic lemon zest

1 tsp sea salt

black organic pepper

1 1/2 cups organic cream

125 g organic smoked salmon, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp capers

3 cups organic spinach, chopped

1/2 head organic cauliflower

fresh romano cheese, grated

1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Method:  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  When it comes to a boil, add the cauliflower and boil for 3 minutes.  Then add the pasta and cook for about 3 minutes.  As you do this, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onion until softened, then add the garlic and stir.  Add the vodka, zest, salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the cream and simmer until it thickens a bit.  Stir in the spinach and cook until spinach wilts and the sauce evaporates a bit.  Stir in the smoked salmon, capers.  Season to taste.  Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce.  Serve, with the grated cheese and chopped dill.

Memories

When I was growing up my mom used to buy the greatest crusty Italian bread from a little place called Calabria Bakery.  Every now and then I would be in the car with her when she was shopping and she would treat me to some amazing Broccoli Pizza hot from their ovens.  So tonight I decided to replicate that pizza to the best of my ability.  I also made one of my favorite pizza combos of Artichoke and Basil Pesto, something my mom and I used to make growing up too.  I don't think I need to provide the recipe for the Hawaiian Pizza I made.  It was a great way to use up the rest of the ham from yesterday's Eggs Benedict.  But I will mention that in an effort to reduce the amount of plastic and packaging I buy, I decided to buy a fresh pineapple instead of going for the cans.

     I also wanted to mention how excited I am that I found some fresh greens at Ted Hutten's vegetable stand this week.  I overheard him telling another vendor about the mache that was ready, only to discover that it was kind of a hot commodity and you had to ask for it to be brought out from under the table (it's secret hiding place)!  My mom will be so jealous to hear that I am eating some of that, it's her favorite salad green.  He also had some spinach and mixed greens.  

BROCCOLI PIZZA Calabria Bakery Style

1/2 head organic broccoli, lightly steamed and chopped

1 organic onion, chopped

1 cups organic mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup shredded romano cheese

1/2 cup organic mild cheddar, shredded

1/4 tsp sea salt and pepper

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 organic pizza dough (http://prasada-eatingisdivine.blogspot.com/2009/10/pizza-night.html)

Method:  Preheat oven to 450*.  Spread pizza dough out onto a pan.  Combine the broccoli, onion, cheeses and salt and pepper.  Drizzle with the olive oil and toss.  Press this mixture onto the dough and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bottom browns lightly.

ARTICHOKE AND BASIL PESTO PIZZA

1 organic pizza dough 

3 Tbsp hemp seed/basil/miso pesto (http://prasada-eatingisdivine.blogspot.com/2009/10/paninni.html)

1/2 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut up a bit

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups organic mozzarella cheese, grated

Method:  Spread the dough out into a pan.  Spread with the pesto, followed by a spreading a drizzle of olive oil.  Sprinkle some cheese, add the artichokes and then sprinkle the rest of the cheese.  Bake for 10-15 in the preheated 450* oven.

Creamy Mushroom Rotini

I planned ahead and made sure that I bought enough mushrooms from the Farmer's Market for my turkey stuffing.  But then I made this pasta and used them all up.  I thought I was pretty much ready for the grand feast, but it looks like we need to make ONE more trip to the supermarket!

     The photo was taken long before I coated it with a massive layer of grated romano cheese.  Be sure to remember to add cheese before you serve.

  In the spring I made a small batch of Dandelion Wine from the lovely flowers that grow in our yard.  It takes 6 months to ferment and I opened a bottle this weekend.  I like it!  I used up what was left in this pasta.

CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA with Spinach and Bacon if you're not a vegetarian 

1/4 pound organic bacon, chopped into little pieces

4 cloves organic garlic, smashed and minced

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound organic mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp fresh organic thyme or 2 tsp dried

sea salt and pepper

3 Tbsp organic unbleached white flour

1/2 cup organic white wine 

1 cup organic chicken stock or veg stock

1/2 cup organic whole or half and half cream

2 cups organic fresh or some frozen chopped spinach

grated fresh romano cheese

1/2  pound organic kamut rotini

1/2 pound organic rotini

Method: Bring a huge pot of salted water to boil.  Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.  

     As this cooks, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and onion.  Fry for 1 minute then add the mushrooms .  Sprinkle with the thyme and cook mushrooms, stirring for about 5 minutes.  Then add salt and pepper to taste, and the flour.  Stir and cook for about 3 minutes.  Whisk in the wine and and cook for about a minute, stirring.  Then whisk in the stock, cooking for about a minute until it starts to thicken.  Add the cream and cook on low for about 5 minutes.  When done, stir in the spinach and serve.

Soup Day

A perfect foggy rainy day soup for this time of year.

CARROT CARDAMOM SOUP with Red Lentils and Squash

2 Tbsp organic coconut oil

1 organic onion, chopped

3 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh organic ginger

1 tsp organic ground cardamom

1/2 tsp organic ground turmeric

1/2 tsp organic ancho chili powder

1/8 tsp organic ground cinnamon

5 large organic carrots, cut into small pieces

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

8 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock or water

1 cup organic butternut squash, cubed

1/2 cup organic red lentils

1 Tbsp maple syrup

sea salt and pepper to taste

a few squeezes of fresh lime juice

organic yogurt for garnish

Method:  Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, ginger, spices, carrots, potato, and squash.  Stir to coat the vegetables in the spice and saute for 5 minutes, stirring. 

     Add the stock, lentils, and maple syrup.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.  Keep soup chunky or blend until smooth.  Stir in salt, pepper and lime.  Add a dollop of yogurt into each bowl before serving.

SPINACH SALAD with Feta, Celery and Cabbage in an Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Okay, so I strive to eat locally.  Come winter though, I admit to buying the odd package of salad greens and celery.

Organic spinach leaves

Organic celery, chopped

Grated organic carrot

Feta cheese, crumbled

Organic sunflower seeds

Organic cabbage, shredded

Boates apple balsamic vinegar

E.V Olive oil

Sea Salt and Pepper

Method:  Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

GNOCCHI

Whenever I see homemade gnocchi on a restaurant menu, I always order it.  After defrosting some of my pumpkin puree this morning for baking, I had some leftover and needed to figure out a great dinner meal idea to use it up. What better time to make up a batch of homemade gnocchi than when you have some squash hanging around?

PUMPKIN GNOCCHI with Spinach, Mushrooms and Sage

1 1/4 cups well drained organic pumpkin or squash puree

1 organic egg

1/4 cup romano cheese, grated 

1/3 cup organic whole wheat bread crumbs

2-2 1/2 cups organic unbleached white flour

3-5 Tbsp organic salted butter

1 Tbsp dry organic sage or 3 Tbsp fresh sage minced

more romano cheese

1 onion, sliced thinly in wedges

1 cup organic mushrooms, sliced

1 large handful of spinach

Method:  Place the squash, egg, 1/4 cup romano cheese, and bread crumbs in a bowl.  Mix well to combine.

     On a work surface, place 2 cups of flour in a mound and make a well or hole in the centre. Scoop the squash mixture into the well and gradually add begin adding the flour into the squash until you have a ball of dough.  If you need more flour add it a little at a time.  This is a soft dough and too much flour will yield a hard dumpling.  

     On a well floured surface, gently knead the dough until it is smooth.  Roll it into an 8" log.  Cut the log into 4 equal pieces.  Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece into a 20" long rope about 1" wide.  I sometimes cut this in half to make it easier to work with and roll out.  Cut each rope into 40 1/2" pieces and press each piece gently against the tines of a fork.  Place the pieces on a floured kitchen towel.  Let the gnocchi rest for 15 minutes.

     In a skillet, melt 1 Tbsp of butter over medium heat and saute the onion until they begin to soften.  Then add the mushrooms and sage, cooking until soft and golden.  Set aside, keeping warm.

     In 6 quarts of boiling water, cook the gnocchi and spinach until they rise to the surface, about 2-3 minutes.  Drain carefully and toss with the remaining butter and mushroom mix. Sprinkle with romano cheese.

Lunch for Me

The other day I was browsing around Sobey's.  I love grocery shopping and just checking out what is available.  This is especially fun at Sobey's because I don't normally shop there and so I never know what to expect to find.  To my great surprise I came across some organic Atlantic salmon from Ireland.  This was very exciting, especially since I started to crave salmon as I was walking past the fish department.  You see, ever since I found out about the sad state of salmon farming I have opted to not eat farmed salmon.  Which is really sad for me because I love Atlantic salmon.  It is very easy to find Pacific wild salmon in the stores, but I prefer Atlantic salmon which apparently is illegal to catch these days.  So I scooped up a pack and brought it home to cook for supper.  I was disappointed in the flavour and texture of this organic salmon and all my hopes for a new life of salmon eating disappeared forever.  I am hoping it was just in the Sobey's freezer for too long, so I will try another batch from a city Sobey's to see if there is a difference.  Anyway, so I had one more fillet left and decided it would taste ok in something like a fish cake.  I had some leftover mashed potatoes from supper the other night which made lovely fishcakes for lunch.

SALMON FISHCAKES with Sweet Potatoes and Capers

1 organic salmon fillet, cooked and flaked (about 4.5 oz)

1 cup organic mashed sweet and white potatoes

1 organic egg, beaten

1 very small onion, minced

1-2 handfuls of organic breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp organic parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp capers

sea salt and pepper

Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix together and then shape into patties.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat.  Melt some butter and fry the patties about 5 minutes on each side.  Serve over spinach salad

FALL SPINACH SALAD with Feta and Carrot in a Lemon Dressing

Organic baby spinach

Feta cheese, crumbled

Organic carrot, grated

Organic sunflower seeds

Organic lemon

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Method:  Layer the vegetables, cheese and seeds in a bowl.  Squirt with some lemon, drizzle with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss and then add 2 warm fishcakes on top.