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Less Sugar, More Mussel

4 Nov

October was a bit of a mess, nutrition-wise, and boy did we feel it. We certainly ate well, but between my birthday, Thanksgiving, our pumpkin beer sampling mission, and Halloween, let’s just say that there were a few choices we could have made differently. And with a trip to Vegas coming up at the end of the month, just ahead of the holidays, it could have been an insulin-flamed dive further into poor choices without some intervention.

There will still be beer and chocolate and all that good stuff, but we’re also trying to get back to a Nordic, anti-inflammatory way of eating that always makes us feel energized and satisfied. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen this weekend – check it out!

Miso-Ginger Mussels with Mushrooms, Kale, and Siracha

Check out the size of these babies from SaltSpring Island Mussels. Adding a tablespoon of white miso paste to the broth brings out the nuances of their natural flavour: earthy, sweet and just a tad salty, like the sea. I hate when mussel broths get so elaborate that the flavour of the mighty mussel itself becomes secondary. I also added grated ginger, garlic, onion, and a variety of mushrooms.

No Sugar, No Oil Added Banana Bread. I love love love finding a new blog full of style and recipes that instantly inspire me, which is exactly what The Sweet Beet turned out to be!

I recommend at least doubling the cinnamon. I did, and some of my taste-testers couldn’t even tell there was cinnamon in it. This is one of those simple, efficient base recipes that makes my brain start firing off variations while still chewing. Next time, I think I will try adding golden raisins and unsweetened coconut. Since it was my Mum’s birthday yesterday, I brought her the extra loaf. My stepdad Jim’s recommendation for next time is to add cloves, which inspired me to fantasize about a sugar free, oil free pumpkin version. It has great flavour, but it could have been spicier and what better to put with spices than pumpkin? Or are you totally sick of pumpkin to the point of almost being willing to accept Christmas music? I know, the fall pumpkin obsession has been a bit ridick, especially on the food blog corner of the web. But what if I put pieces of 90% cocoa dark chocolate in it? See, you still love me. Thankfully, having farmers in the family means I left with lots of eggs and a sweet pie pumpkin to make all my dreams come true.

Moroccan Spiced Lentil Veggie Stoup

I was having coffee and banana bread at the farm while Mr. ST finished the cooking process on this one, so unless you want a photo of the finished product in a giant plastic container in my fridge, this is as blog-worthy as it got ;) Lentils, mushrooms, sweet potato, red pepper, carrots, kale, and fresh fenugreek leaves that were randomly available at The Rootcellar this week! The main flavours came from healthy tablespoons of turmeric, cinnamon, curry powder, and cumin as well as the juice of a big lemon. Also, I can’t say enough about Pacific Foods organic broth. Short of making your own, it is a  fantastic alternative. I used the mushroom broth because we are funghi freaks. This is lunch for the week ahead!

And finally, Whistler Brewing Company’s Chesnut Ale.

I almost hate to say it, but it must be said: This beer is better than the Granville Island Winter Ale so many of us covet from November – February every year. Like the Winter Ale, it has vanilla overtones, but the added nutty and toasty elements in this beer really add to its charm and my inability to drink it as slowly as I should. It took me right back to when we visited the brewery during our trip to Whistler back in August….

The brewery is located at Function Junction, off Highway 99. We stopped in after our train-wreck art adventure in the woods!

Whistler Brewing has consistently impressed me this year. Flavoured beer is getting a big gimmicky at this point, but we admire when a craft brewery puts thought into making the flavouring a true elevation of a beer style’s thisness (if you’re willing to get all philosophical about it). I spent my summer following up my Saturday long runs with a dip at Thetis Lake and their Pineapple Express Wheat Ale. Refreshing rainy fall runs, followed by inhumanely hot showers, meet your new friend.

Nothing puts me more at ease than a weekend in my runners, in the kitchen, and snuggling on the couch with Mr. ST. Nourishment for the mind, body, and spirit!

PS – Do you have a favourite seasonal beer yet?

 

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Pumpkin, Beer, and Smoked Gouda Soup

21 Oct

I had planned to share some details of our noteworthy food and drink experiences in Vancouver, the Okanagan, and Squamish/Whistler/Pemberton from the summer, but the truth is that my heart belongs to fall and my brain is completely clouded over with infatuation for breezy gray days and root vegetables. And with the making of this soup, there is just no coming back – you’ve been warned.

Yesterday my mum dropped off a giant farm care package at my house, including a big ‘ole pie pumpkin and two pounds of bacon from the summer’s pigs. My first thought was to whip up some pumpkin pancetta pasta – but what to do with the rest?

We still have a bunch of pumpkin beers kicking around in the fridge (working on a ‘best of’ pumpkin beer post) and being that I am a cheese fiend, I started to think about beer cheese soup and how much more appealing it suddenly seemed with the velvety sweetness of fresh pumpkin……so I tabled my plans to make pear ginger coconut carrot soup and got down to business breaking down my pumpkin.

The small amount of curry powder and apple give just a bit of depth, but I deliberately stayed away from cinnamon and other Indian cross-over spices in order to retain the soup’s autumnal herb and cheese flavour.

The beer I chose, Howe Sound’s Pumpkin Strong Ale, has quite a powerful molasses note that worked exceptionally well here. You will probably still have great results with a nut brown or an amber, but the pungent taste of a strong ale is ideal.

Pumpkin, Beer, and Smoked Gouda Soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Half a large sweet white onion, diced small
  • 1 gala apple, diced large
  • 2 carrots, thickly sliced into coins
  • 1 tablespoon of mild curry powder
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 big sprig of thyme
  • sage leaves
  • 4.5 – 5 cups of pumpkin, large dice (sweet pie pumpkin)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1.5 cups strong ale
  • 1 – 1.5 cups grated smoked gouda
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Sweat the onions for a few minutes until they start to get translucent and then add the apple. Sautee them together until the apple becomes fragrant and starts to soften.

Add the carrots and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes or so.

Add the lightly smashed clove of garlic and the curry powder. Stir and work into the vegetables until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the vegetable stock, beer, and diced pumpkin. Stir it all together then crank up the heat to medium-high.

When it starts to come to a boil, stir in a few sage leaves a big sprig of thyme.

Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and carrot are both very tender. I am always surprised at just how quickly pumpkin cooks!

Remove from the heat. Remove the big branch of thyme and a couple of the sage leaves. I left one sage leaf in the soup when I blended it all together with my hand blender.

Return the pot to the stove and stir in the cheese in small handfuls, over low heat. Smoked gouda is not a great melting cheese so there will be flecks of curd-like cheesy bits in your soup but it mostly melts, which I think is the best of both worlds. You could also use an aged white cheddar. I didn’t add any salt or pepper until the very end, which is the best way to go with anything cheese heavy because you’re going to get some salt/seasoning from the cheese itself.

I served this up for dinner sprinkled with spicy sweet roasted pumpkin seeds on top and kale chips for crunch.

This dish has inspired me to try going all the way with Indian spices and stewed pumpkin. Maybe also with kale stewed into it and some cubed paneer. Pumpkin Saag Paneer, anyone? I wish I had a hollow leg. And another pumpkin.

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Roasted figs and farm stories

14 Oct

Fresh figs are nothing like their dried or Newtonized cousins. They’re soft and delicate and can play well as a savoury or sweet accompaniment. I’ve been cutting them up into my morning yogurt/granola parfaits but last weekend, I used His Worship David Lebovitz’ technique to serve some roasted figs and brie alongside our Thanksgiving feast. The liberties I took were to use maple balsamic vinegar instead of red wine and I used sage and rosemary to complement the herbs I used to roast the chicken and delicata squash we ate alongside this dish. I also nixed the honey and only added the brown sugar. Too much sweetness and tartness can overwhelm fresh fig’s flavour. The season is short, so get on this!

Balsamic roasted figs and brie

As you might know already, last weekend was actually birth-aversary-giving for Mr. ST and I – my birthday, the anniversary of when we met, and Canadian Thanksgiving. Farm-sitting at Omnivore Acres for my mum and stepdad turned out the be more than fitting for the occasion: a bit of romantic getaway, with a few chores mixed in to keep with the humble gratitude of the holiday.

I went trail running with this girl

And we got plenty of slobbery kisses from this girl

We picked eggs

We had a charcuterie lunch in the sun

And I got a little excited to have such a large gourmet kitchen…….

My tips for extra crispy skin:

1. Dry that bird thoroughly before you season it.

2. Massage olive oil and salt and pepper into the skin.

3. Thin slices of salt cured fatty ham on top (courtesy of this fella).

Lemon herb roasted chicken

Have you tried delicata squash? The skin is edible and the flesh is a cross between a sweet potato and an acorn squash. These came out like potato wedges and were even good cold the next day. No need to peel like a butternut, and no awkward ribbing like an acorn.

We certainly have a lot to be thankful for. How was your Thanksgiving?

In praise of the casserole

11 Dec

It’s rare to find a casserole that isn’t a blow to the arteries: bound by cheese or sprinkled with breadcrumbs and a few pats of butter. They’ve also become OVER-convenienced, calling for a Stouffer’s stuffing topping or the dreaded Campbell’s condensed soup binding technique. Ick.

But casseroles CAN be healthy and they can be a balanced, one-dish meal. Before you turn your nose up at the potato-chip crusted, repressed housewifing legacy of the casserole, I want to remind you of its lasting virtue. Casseroles are time-bendingly efficient. They don’t just save you time by making nice with the oven, they allow you to reorganize your food prep time. On a rushed Monday night, I put this together before going to spin class and Mr. ST put it in the oven while I was out.

After ninety minutes of leg-pumping, heart-pounding, sweating in way too close proximity of other strangers, coming home to this bubbling delight was a single moment of joy that no one could take from me. Coming home to Mr. ST is pretty sweet too, I guess. After all, he’ll hug me without hesitation pre-shower. That’s love.

This is a perfect fall/winter seasonal casserole and a great way to fit a meatless meal into your week. On different occasions I’ve used greek yogurt or light sour cream and both work just as well. Truth be told, I usually crumble a bit MORE cheese directly into the sauce, slightly violating the name, but I promise it’s great both ways (albeit less salty without the added cheese).

The feta crumbled on top transforms into salty little cheese croutons. The lemon zest in the base of the pan balances out the saltiness of the olives and cheese. And the kale and squash can be whatever variety is on sale that week. I’ve made this with kale and acorn squash, chard and butternut, and even spinach and delicata.

A good squeeze of lemon and some fresh mint on top just make the dish complete.

June Cleaver—take note, no potato chips needed.

Almost Cheeseless Pasta Casserole

From 101 Cookbooks

zest of one large lemon

8 ounces dried whole wheat pasta (penne or something comparable in size)

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into quarter sized pieces

3 handfuls kale, chard, and/or spinach, loosely chopped

2 cups plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% here)

2 egg yolks

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces

scant 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F degrees, with a rack in the middle. Butter or oil an 8×12-inch baking dish, or two smaller gratin dishes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta until al dente. Just 10 seconds before you are done cooking the pasta, stir in the butternut squash and kale – for the quickest possible swim. Quickly (but carefully) drain. Now run cold water over the pasta, squash, and kale (just enough to stop it from cooking). Shake off any extra water and set aside.

While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, garlic, and salt in a large mixing bowl – set aside until the pasta is boiled. Then. when ready, add the pasta-squash-kale mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir in half of the almonds. Scoop everything into the prepared baking dish(es), sprinkle with olives and feta, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve sprinkled with a bit of the chopped fresh mint and remaining almonds.

Serves 6 -8 as a side.

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Magic Mushrooms

28 Nov

Sorry to all of you who got to this post with ulterior googling intentions, but magical is definitely how I would describe a mushroom that looks like this
Wouldn’t you??

My self-imposed fall soup challenge has completely fallen apart. When I said that that bland pumpkin soup nearly shook my faith in Serious Eats’ list of favourite fall soups, I guess I spoke too soon. That, and I discovered SoupAddict.com. Since then, I have basically developed a sick internet crush on this person’s ability to showcase the best of what soup can be. I’m happily inferior—and full of soup.

The Rootcellar has had the most incredible mushroom varieties these last few weeks and some near prehistoric looking funghi reached out to me last Saturday. It was a sign from the universe that I needed to make SoupAddict’s Ancient Grains and Mushroom Soup. That and I am an absolute freak for mushrooms.

We used ½ a pound of deep brown, little cremini mushrooms and ¾ pound of mixed shitakes, chanterelles, and cauliflower mushrooms, in addition to a small bag of rehydrated porcini mushrooms.

My only variation in prep was that I thoroughly browned the mushrooms in the dry pan, after adding them to the mirepoix, rather than immediately adding mushroom stock. Mushrooms develop the most flavour when they can brown in a dry pan and release their own liquid and this did not disappoint. We also didn’t have any white miso but we did not miss it one bit. Ours turned out more red than the original recipe, but that’s probably because I used a bit more smoked paprika than originally called for and used beef broth instead of vegetable broth. Uh-mazing.

You miiiight want to give yourself a facial from the steam while this cooks.Then make uncontrollable mmmmm noises while eating it in front of five episodes straight of Breaking Bad. Just sayin, it worked for us.

Ancient Grains & Wild Mushroom Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 generous servings

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water

2 teaspoons coconut or canola oil
1/2 cup millet
1/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water

1 medium onion diced
1 medium carrot diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped (cremini, portabella, shiitakes, etc.)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon light miso (optional, but tasty)
2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce (or vegetarian substitute)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons mascarpone or greek yogurt (we used plain fat free greek yogurt)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup freshly grated parmesano reggiano cheese, for garnish

Rehydrate dried mushrooms by pouring one cup very hot water over them and allow to soak for 20-30 minutes

Heat coconut oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the millet and quinoa and allow to toast for several minutes. Add water and turn heat to high. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, then begin checking. When water is completely absorbed, remove from heat, fluff the grains and set aside.

In a 5 quart stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute until soft about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove porcini mushroms from soaking water (reserve soaking water), rinse, pat dry and chop.

Add all mushrooms to onion mixture, plus a bit of the reserved mushroom stock. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mushrooms have released their liquids, about 10 minutes.

Return heat to medium, and stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, miso and worcestershire sauce. Add vegetable stock, and allow to come to a good simmer.

Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. You’ll want the soup properly seasoned before adding the grains.

Optional: for a thicker soup, run an immersion blender briefly through the soup, leaving some mushroom pieces for a chunky texture.

Add the grains to the soup and turn heat to low.

Place mascarpone in a small bowl. Add a ladle of the hot soup and mix well — use a whisk if necessary — until smooth. Add to soup. Stir in parsley. Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

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