Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Banana Bread Pancakes

Bananas get overripe in our house easily this time of year.  One solution that works well is freezing them for future batches of banana bread or pancakes.  

I had four brown bananas on the counter this evening that became breakfast for dinner.  The boys were thrilled!  I made a double batch of Banana Bread Pancakes to freeze for weekday breakfasts or lunches.  (Freeze in single layers separated by wax paper.  Store pancakes in a zip top bag.)  As a finger food treat, my boys enjoy dipping pancake strips in syrup for something different. 

Banana Bread Pancakes
Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food
  • 2 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or butter)
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • Pure maple syrup for drizzling
  1. In a large bowl combine, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Wisk together.
  2. Add honey, eggs, milk, vanilla and coconut oil (or butter).  Wisk to combine.
  3. Add mashed bananas and stir briefly.
  4. Heat a griddle or saute pan over medium high heat (350 degrees for a griddle).  Butter the pan or griddle and pour the pancake batter in to your desired size. 
  5. Give the pancakes a few minutes to set before flipping.  Allow them another few minutes to cook on the second side before removing from the pan.
  6. Serve with nuts, fruit, and syrup or any combination of the three.
I have heard breaking up a bunch of bananas keeps them from ripening as quickly.  The mental picture of my husband's face as he sees bananas sprinkling our kitchen surfaces has kept me from trying that one.  If any of you have feedback in the area let me know! 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Poached Eggs and a BLT Never Tasted So Good

Insipired by the sucessful whole wheat sandwich bread recipe here are a couple of classics:
BLT on homemade whole wheat, with local bacon,
 tomatoes, and lettuce.
 
Poached eggs on toast with orange and red
 tomatoes and avocado.
(Adding a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to
the poaching water keeps the white together.)

Tip for slicing cherry tomatoes or grapes: put them between
 two lids.  Place your hand flat on top of the upper lid. 
Slice between the lids with a serrated knife.
 (I'm a lefty so the picture looks strange!) 

Voila!  Halved tomatoes in no time.

Bread that Smells Like Bread!

I should know better than to look at ingredients on grocery store foods by now.  It's depressing!  Bread (including grocery store bakery bread) is no exception. 

Great Harvest Baking Company features several delicious whole grain options that are 5 ingredients or less.  At around $8/ loaf it's a bit pricey but  I knew I was on the right track when I unwrapped the first loaf.  Wyatt came over and said, "Mama, that bread smells like bread!" and walked away munching on a slice.

This week's challenge - find a whole grain sandwich bread recipe that is easy to throw together without a bread machine.  I want our bread to smell like bread!  I found a knock off recipe of the Great Harvest loaf.  Here is my version which makes a great PB&J, BLT and even poached eggs on toast:

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
  • 2 cups of warm water (about 105-110 degrees)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup ground flax seed
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  1. Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top and add the honey.  Allow it to sit for 10 minutes until it's frothy.
  2. Add the ground flax, oats and 1 and 1/2 cups of flour.  With the paddle attachment, mix until combined. 
  3. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough barely pulls away from the side of the bowl.  The dough will be sticky.
  4. Switch the mixer attachment from the paddle to the dough hook and knead on low for 4 minutes.  (You can also knead by hand for 10 minutes if you don't have a paddle attachment.) 
  5. Remove the dough hook and cover the bowl with a towel. 
  6. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.  This takes approximately an hour and a half depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
  7. Dust your hands with flour and punch down the dough.  Shape it into a loaf and place it in a buttered loaf pan. 
  8. Cover again with a towel and allow to rise until again doubled in size (about an hour). 
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees towards the end of the second rise.  Bake the loaf for 30 minutes.  Cool completely and store in a zip top bag.

Monday, July 23, 2012

An Insanely Good Deal on PYO Organic Blueberries

We discovered Inkwell Farm in Epping NH a couple years ago in Epping, NH.  They have roughly 300 organic berry bushes in the back yard of their 1700’s era farmhouse.   Pull into the driveway and self serve supplies await you in the screen house:  empty milk gallons with bags, a scale, money and change box.

And the price?   $1.95 per pound!  For a price comparison, I bought local (non organic) blueberries at the grocery store on Sunday for $3.99 for 11 oz (roughly $5.80 per lb).  So, 13 lbs of blueberries in our bags (and an untold amount in our belly’s) we headed out after putting $26 in the money box.  Heaven!

On the way back to the highway we stopped at Goody Cole's in Brentwood for some amazing BBQ!  We got a combo plate “to go” with brisket, pork, kielbasa, potato salad and cornbread.  Our open windows wafted the smell all the way home.  If you like BBQ give them a try but for now it’s back to blueberries.

Many of the berries I froze the day we picked them (wash and air dry, freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then store in a zip top freezer bag with air removed) but just as many were eaten by the handful and made into wonderful concoctions. 

Here is what 13 lbs of blueberries look like and what I made with them:
Hopefully they'll still be picking in two weeks so we can get some more for jam.  We'll meet you there on Saturday morning and then swing through Goody Cole's for lunch on the way home.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are to-die-for!  They do take a little time because of the rising so they aren't exactly suitable for a first thing in the morning breakfast.  I started them first thing Sunday morning and we had them for a mid morning snack.  The boys have brought them for daycare breakfast too - their friends look on and drool (Lucky Charms doesn't have anything on me!). 

The original recipe came from Beantown Baker and is another I modified with whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar or substituted refined sugar for honey.  As much as I try to reduce sugar I couldn't bring myself to omit the glaze!  If your willpower is better than mine and you want an even lower sugar version, drizzle with honey in lieu of the sugar glaze.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Dough
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 heaping teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 scant teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Blueberry Filling
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup water
Additional Sprinkling Mixture
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 pint blueberries
Sugar Glaze
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioner  sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk
  1. Add whole milk, butter, and sugar in a sauce pan and warm on medium heat to melt the butter.  Remove from heat and let cool until it is approximately 110 degrees (lukewarm).  Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer.
  2. Sprinkle in yeast and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add 4 cups of flour and stir with the paddle attachment of your mixer.
  4. Cover mixer bowl with a towel and let sit for one hour.
  5. In a small saucepan, combine blueberries, honey, cornstarch, lemon juice and water.
  6. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken slight. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  7. Once the dough has rested for 1 hour, add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with paddle attachment until combined.
  8. Grease a 9x13 pan.
  9. Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle surface generously with flour.
  10. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick.
  11. Spread half of the blueberry filling onto the dough and sprinkle half of the additional sprinkling mixture on top including the blueberries.
  12. Roll the dough toward you like a jelly roll.  Using a serrated knife, cut the cinnamon rolls 2 inches thick and lay in greased 9 x 13 pan. Repeat rolling, filling and slicing with other half of dough.
  13. Cover the rolls and let sit for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375 while the dough is resting.
  14. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
  15. While baking, combine the confectioner sugar and milk to form a thick glaze.
  16. Generously drizzle frosting over warm rolls after they come out of the oven.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

I modified this blueberry crumble bar recipe with whole grains and less sugar.  Here's my version that we had for a snack on Saturday afternoon.


Whole Wheat Blueberry Crumble Bars
  • 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar (less refined but white sugar is fine too)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour (white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2 sticks cold butter, cubed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 cups fresh blueberries
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Honey, (approximately 1/4 cup for drizzling)
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9×13 inch pan (use the leftover butter papers from the recipe and wipe the pan).
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and lemon zest.
  4. Use two knives or a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. 
  5. Stir in the lightly beaten egg.  The dough will be crumbly.
  6. Pat half of dough into the bottom of your prepared pan.
  7. In another bowl, lightly toss the blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust and drizzle with honey.
  8. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. 
  10. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Saturday Dinner: Blueberry Mojitos, Pork Loin with Blueberry Salsa and Blueberry Bread Pudding

Ok, so I admit that this meal is a bit over the top blueberry but my family didn't mind.  Enjoy it together (we served our pork with buttery red potatoes and sauteed yellow squash and zucchini) or serve them separately.  Either way you won't be sorry.

Blueberry Mojitos
Serves 1
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, a few more for garnish if you'd like
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 lime wedges
  • 3-4 mint leaves
  • Seltzer
  • Crushed ice
  • 1.5 ounces white rum
  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle blueberries, honey, lime wedges, mint and a small splash of club soda.
  2. Add the ice and rum.  Shake well.  Strain into a glass with more crushed ice.  Top with a splash more seltzer (to taste).  Garnish with remaining blueberries and a sprig of mint.

Cumin Pork Loin Rub
  • Cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  1. Mix spices together or spinkle on the pork individually. 
  2. Grill or roast pork loin and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Top sliced pork with blueberry salsa.

Blueberry Salsa
Serves 2
  • 1 cup mashed fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup whole fresh blueberries
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, to taste) 
  • seeded and minced jalapeño peppers (optional, to taste)
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  1. Coarsely chop (I used a potato masher) 1 cup fresh blueberries.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together chopped fresh blueberries, 1/2 cup whole blueberries, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, jalapeños, red bell pepper, onion, and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
 
Blueberry Bread Pudding Modified from About.com
Serves 4
  • 2 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2/3 cup milk
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and butter 4 individual baking dishes.  (You can also double the recipe and bake it in a 9x9 inch casserole dish.)
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir gently..
  3. Spoon the mixture into prepared baking dishes.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until set.  Serve warm with freshed whipped cream or ice cream.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

CSA Baked Rotini

Dinner tonight is an idea thanks to a fellow CSA compatriot, Denise!  While my kids are pretty adventurous eaters, my recipe for sauteed mustard greens is not exactly up their alley.  Tonight we had a more family friendly - ooey, gooey, cheese dinner that disappeared from their plates in no time flat.

Baked Rotini with Spinach and Turnip Greens
  • 16oz whole wheat rotini (any similar size pasta will do)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium bag of spinach*
  • 1 bunch turnip greens* (save the turnips for another recipe)
  • 16 oz part skim ricotta cheese
  • 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve enough for sprinkling on top, about 1 cup)
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, clean the spinach and turnip greens*. 
  3. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over meduim/high heat.  Add the greens, salt and pepper and saute until they are wilted. 
  4. Allow the greens to cool for a few minutes before turning onto a cutting board and giving a quick chop. 
  5. In a large bowl combine ricotta, mozzarella, beaten egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, and 2 cups of chopped tomatoes.
  6. Add sauteed greens and pasta and stir to combine.  Pour into a 9x13 pan.  Top with remaining Pomi tomatoes and reserved mozzarella cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.   
Patrick and a clean plate.
*Place greens in the bowl of a salad spinner and add enough cold water to cover them.  Swirl the greens around in the water and allow them to sit for a minute while the sand and dirt settle.  Remove them one handful at a time and into the salad spinner basket.  Dump the sandy water and spin the greens to dry.  You'll be amazed at how this method removes all of the sand, dirt and silt from your greens! 

If you don't have a salad spinner immerse the greens in a large bowl.  Remove the greens to a couple of clean kitchen towels and gently pat dry.


Brotherly love

Sauteed Mustard Greens

One of the many benefits of working at home three days a week is the ability to make a great lunch.  I found a recipe for my Middle Branch Farm mustard greens that fit the bill nicely.  I made some modifications based on available ingredients and lunch is served. 
Shallots, garlic and mustard greens
I had some leftover roasted beets on hand from dinner two nights ago that I decided to throw in.  The earthy sweetness of the beets complimented the greens nicely and gave the dish it's tell tale red color.  The red pepper alone added great flavor if you prefer to leave out the beets.

Note to non work-at-home folks: this would make a great dinner or reheated lunch at the office.

Sauteed Mustard Greens
  • 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 a red pepper, diced
  • 1 beet, cubed and pre-cooked (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic scapes)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth or stock
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Drizzle of sesame oil (optional or to taste)
  1. In a large saute pan, warm the olive oil on medium high heat.  Add the onions and red peppers and saute until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute one minute more. 
  2. Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the greens are just wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and toss with sesame oil. 

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Spring CSA Share - Week 1

Farmer Roger and I met twice 6 months ago at his farm in New Boston.  It was the end of his season and he was tired but had a smile and kind word and was already looking ahead to 2012.  After a winter rest he's working hard at managing the farm and providing hundreds of shares of vegetables to his members.

I assumed that 6 months later I would need to introduce myself again before walking off with his bounty.  Yet when he saw me out of the corner of his eye he said, "Hi Amanda!  Good to see you!"  That's beyond cool.

We had a few minutes to chat and discuss the share for this week.  It's full of greens but not full of plain old lettuce which gets boring quickly.  We've got some great stuff here.  From the bottom left: baby kale, brassica leaves, pac choi, mesclun, garlic (cloves and scapes), spinach, mustard greens, radishes and turnips.

Matt was already well underway with dinner when I got home but I'm dreaming of what we will make tomorrow with these goodies.  Roger tells me mustard greens taste like horseradish which I adore.  I've never had them before but am looking forward to finding some great recipes this week!  Feel free to post any recipes or links that you may have!

I'll do my best to post our meals from later this week!  For those of you in NH Roger's farm still has available shares for the summer.  The farm is located in New Boston however he has satellite pick up locations including Manchester.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Carrot Bread - Kids Lunch 2 (recipe included)

The creative challenge I run into with my kids lunch menu tends to result from lack of planning.  If I approached their lunch like I approached our dinners, every required ingredient (ok, 96% of them anyway) would be available and a recipe or idea at the ready.

This week our grocery list had bit more preparation.  Since the smoothie containers that I was hoping to have already have not yet arrived I'm punting a bit.

Enter tomorrow's lunch for my little men:
Carrot Bread with crunchy peanut butter and
strawberries.  Wyatt has cheddar cheese slices
and Patrick has cottage cheese.

Carrot Bread

  • 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3/4 cup finely grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup diced, dried apricots
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or canola if you prefer)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan.
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine.
  3. Add the grated ginger and carrots, apricots, applesauce, egg yolk, and oil and stir to combine.  The mixture will be thick.
  4. In another bowl or mixer add the egg whites.  Whisk (or beat with mixer) until soft peaks form. 
  5. Temper the mixture by adding a scoop of the carrot batter into the beaten egg whites.  Fold gently to combine. 
  6. Add the egg white mixture to the remaining carrot batter and fold again to combine.** 
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. 
  8. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
 **The double fold technique is more gentle on the egg whites so they produce light and fluffy bread!

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Anti PB&J - Kids Lunch 1 (recipes included)

In our house there is a nightly question that we generally know the answer to.

Me: "What do you want for lunch tomorrow?"
The boys: "Peanut butter and jelly!"

Despite their love for the classic kid favorite, when I reach for the peanut butter jar I feel guilty for not being more clever.  Granted, we do mix it up a bit by adding fruit, veggie and dip, trail mix, etc. to their BPA free Easy Lunchbox container.  Tonight after seeing what a favorite whole foods blogger put together I got a little crazy and broke us out of the PB&J rut.  Here is tomorrows lunch that the boys are super excited for:
Patrick: grapes, sliced red pepper, a whole wheat banana
muffin (recipe below) and a hard boiled egg (recipe below).

Wyatt: Hormel Natural Choice Oven Roasted Turkey, whole
wheat banana muffin (recipe below), mandarin oranges sprinkled
 withcinnamon and sliced red peppers.
Typically I don't make two different lunches for the boys but Wyatt is not a fan of eggs or (recently) grapes.  Since I was feeling like an overachiever I didn't mind working around their favorites tonight but tomorrow may be a different story.  ;-)


Banana Muffins

  • 3 bananas (ripe to overripe)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or less to taste)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Peel bananas and place in a large mixing bowl.  Mash the bananas with a hand held potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl.  Stir to combine.
  4. Grease 12 muffin cups and pour the batter in evenly. 
  5. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Eggs
  • Large saucepan with lid
  • Water to cover
  1. Place cold eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan.
  2. Cover eggs with water by about an inch.
  3. Cook on high heat until the water comes to a boil.
  4. Cover and remove from heat.
  5. Set timer for 16 minutes.
  6. Once timer goes off drain water (careful, it's hot!).  Add new cold water and lots of ice to cool the eggs quickly. 
  7. Store either peeled or in shell in a zip top bag in the fridge.
Hopefully this will be the first of a series of Anti PB&J of lunch box posts.  Looking forward to having you along for the ride and would love to hear your comments and suggestions!  Perhaps the next post will contain these ice pop containers that I ordered today to hold frozen smoothies and yogurt pops.  YUM!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Corned Beef Dinner with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

My family loves a good corned beef dinner.  Here is my tried and true recipe served with homemade horseradish sauce, roasted Brussel sprouts and red potatoes, and mini Irish soda bread loaves.

I know many of you are gagging at the mere thought of Brussel sprouts, but roasting works miracles on these little gems.  Trust me when I tell you to give these a try.  Toss in some red potatoes for a hearty side dish to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day or any other day of the year.

Corned Beef
  • One 3lb corned beef brisket (uncooked), in brine
  • 4 quarts cold water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • 4 whole cloves
  1. Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold running water.  (Be sure to give the sink a good scrub after!)
  2. Place the beef in a large heavy bottomed pot with lid.  Add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
  3. Cover and bring the pot to a slow boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat and skim off/discard any foamy scum that rises to the surface. 
  4. Simmer for 3 hours and 45 minutes. 
  5. Remove the beef from the pot and allow to sit for 20 minutes to reabsorb the juices. 
  6. Slice the beef against the grain and serve with horseradish sauce or mustard.

Horseradish Sauce
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons jarred grated horseradish
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  1. Mix together all ingredients.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
  • 2lbs Brussel sprouts
  • 2lbs red potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • Garlic powder to taste
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Trim the stem ends off the Brussel sprouts and remove a couple of the outer leaves.  Cut the sprouts in half and place in a large mixing bowl.  Don't worry if a few more leaves fall off when you cut the sprouts in half.  They will crisp up nicely.
  3. Wash and dry the red potatoes and add to the mixing bowl.
  4. Drizzle the olive oil over the Brussel sprouts and potatoes.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.  Toss gently to coat.
  5. Spread on a large cookie sheet (or two smaller sheets) and roast until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.  Shake the vegetables to mix about halfway through.

Mini Irish Soda Bread Loaves (with Cranberries)

One of my favorite St. Patrick's day recipes is hearty Irish Soda Bread.  I have great memories of helping my mother cut in the butter and watching her knead the dough. 

In my experience, the best recipe cards or clippings are the most food covered.  The recipe, clipped from a magazine 30 years ago, is darkened with age and dotted with buttery circles. 

My mother's casserole dish is taking a year in favor of a couple of muffin pans.  If you choose to bake in a 2 quart round casserole, adjust the baking time to approximately 1 hour, 20 minutes.  In either case serve the warm bread with a generous spread of butter.


Cut the butter into the
dry ingredients 
Flour and butter mixture
with cranberries

Mixed dough
Ready for the oven

Mini Irish Soda Bread Loaves (with Cranberries)

  • 4 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (or currants or raisins)
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten (divided)
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  The recipe makes approximately 18 muffin sized loaves.  Butter the muffin pans and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
  3. Cut the cold butter it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (or two knives used in a scissor fashion) until it resembles course crumbs.
  4. Add the cranberries and mix gently.
  5. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the beaten eggs.  Stir in buttermilk and remaining eggs into the flour mixture until just combined.  (The dough will be sticky.) 
  6. With floured hands, knead about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly.  Break off large golf ball size pieces of dough and loosely shape into a ball.  Place one ball in each of the buttered muffin cups.
  7. Repeat until the dough is completely divided between the cups.
  8. Brush the dough with the reserved beaten egg. 
  9. Bake the bread for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  10. Allow the bread to cool and store in a zip top bag or freeze for longer storage. 

Saturday, March 10, 2012

St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef

One of the most profound things about eating locally is shaking the hand of the person raising your food.  At Miles Smith Farm one of those folks is Carol Soule.  She welcomed us to the farm, showed us to the cows and got hay for us to feed them.  That was when we learned just how long a cows tongue really is!  The boys were so scared of getting licked they refused to feed them! 

Miles Smith cows are pasture raised and well cared for as they enjoy the fresh air and blue skies of New Hampshire.  The care that Carol and her husband provide the cows translates into beef that I trust is safe for my family.  To find local meat in your area visit your local farmers market, health food store, www.localharvest.org or www.eatwild.com

Brine dry ingredients
Who needs grocery store corned beef for St. Patrick's Day when you can do it yourself?  Alton Brown's recipe indicates the brisket should brine for 10 days so I'm cheating a little with only seven to spare.  Our point cut brisket is fairly thin and will do fine with a few days less in the brine.  Because of the large size of the brisket I cut it into two pieces - each in their own ziptop bag.

I chose to omit the saltpeter that Alton's recipe includes.  Saltpeter is a nitrate that retains the meat's pink color.  I also wasn't able to find the juniper berries so those were also omitted from my version.  I did hear that Whole Foods carried them but we don't yet have a Whole Foods in NH!

In the coming days I'll post my favorite recipes for corned beef, horseradish sauce, Brussel sprouts and Irish soda bread.  Stay tuned!
Brisket in the brine
Corned Beef Brine
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken into a few pieces
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 12 whole juniper berries
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 8 whole allspice berries
  • 2 bay leaves, crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 lbs of ice
  • 1 3lb brisket 
  1. Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger.
  2. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
  3. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F.
  4. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Squeeze out any air and seal the bag.  Lay it flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.
  5. Serves 4-6.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Whole Food Breakfast - Meyer Lemon and Currant Scones

Regardless of how high fiber, low sugar, whole grain, and organic a cereal is, it is still a processed food.

One of my favorite ways to break out of the cereal grind is with homemade scones.  Easy to make ahead, they are grab and go, slightly sweet, and you can't beat the buttery texture of the flaky biscuit.

I made a batch of Meyer Lemon and Currant Scones today to get us started for breakfast for the week.  Considering how we have eaten them for snack this afternoon I see another batch in my future tomorrow evening!

Today's recipe came from one of my favorite whole food sites.  With only Meyer lemons on hand, I modified the original version and they came out well.  Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon and Currant Scones
  • 3 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks of cold butter, cubed
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 Myer lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2/3 cup currants
  • Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl combine flour, turbinado  sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
  3. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles very coarse cornmeal. 
  4. Add the oats, zest and lemon juice and stir. 
  5. Add the buttermilk and currants and stir until moistened.
  6. Transfer the dough to the counter and finish mixing with your hands.  Be careful not to over mix.
  7. Work the dough into a 10 inch square shape.  Using a pastry cutter or knife cut the square into 9 scones equal pieces. 
  8. Transfer the scones to a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  9. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. 
  10. Store in an air tight container once cooled.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I've got worms! Adventures in vermicomposting

Our family of four averages about two bags of trash a week.  Recycling helps, however we try to limit our purchases to things that have need or use and not just stuff.  Don't get me wrong, we have more than enough toys (for kids and grown-ups) in our house!  I would venture to guess that compared to the "typical" American family we live pretty simple lives.

Red wiggler worms
Limiting our stuff collection extends to our food.  Shopping the perimeter of the store, staying away from processed foods, and from scratch cooking limits our packaging trash.  There is, however, an opportunity to manage our scrap food waste which is where the worms come in. 

Our Made in America Christmas resulted in a shiny new Worm Bin for me!  My quest to locate red wiggler worms in N.H. in the winter ended badly.  I suspect I would have had better luck locally during the farm market season.  As luck would have it, Amazon carries everything these day including red wigglers.

My role as worm mother has not begun well.  Waiting two days to open the box, the flyer inside urges immediately adding water to the worms.  (Mistake #1)  Next, the worm bin directions stress that all of the bin set up should be done before the worms are purchased.  (Mistake #2)  Oops.  I'll do better next time and in the mean time my worms are still alive.


This morning the boys and I set up the bin with scraps from our salad last night.  Per the manufacturer directions, here are the steps we followed:
Chop up food scraps well.

Lay down dry newspaper to cover the bottom of the bin.
Prep the bedding material and spread it on top of the newspaper.

Add food to the corners of the bin and dump in the worms
into the center.

Cover with damp, shredded newspaper and then full sheets
 of wet newspaper.

Put the lid on and let 'em eat.  Add more food trays
as the worms establish themselves.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Applesauce Granola - Now with natural sweetener variation

Update: Recipe now includes sucessfully tested natural sweeterner variation. 

On occasion I have been known to go a little crazy in the quest to feed my passion.  Granola provides the perfect example.  My long time assumption has been that the more stuff in the granola the better it will taste.  Oats, nuts, seeds, ground flax, wheat germ, honey, oil - you name it and I've put it in granola.  Once baked I have always been at least mildly disappointed. 

Enter a recipe I found this weekend that goes against the grain, er... oat.  This one is simple, versatile and amazingly good.  Not to mention very low in fat and sugar. 

I rely on homemade granola as a base for granola bars.  The simpler the granola recipe the more variety of granola bar recipe.


Applesauce Granola
  • 4 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (or substitute 3 tablespoons agave nectar + 1 teaspoon black strap molasses)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine applesauce, honey and coconut oil.
  4. Once warmed through mix the applesauce mixture into the oat mixture.  Stir to coat.
  5. Spread the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish or roasting pan.
  6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, stirring the mixture every 10 minutes.  The granola is done when it is golden brown.
  7. Store in a sealed container for up to two weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Stay tuned for future posts on granola bars made from homemade applesauce granola!

The Benefits of Coconut Oil: mushroom, shrimp and spinach pasta with coconut bechamel sauce

Articles toting the benefits of coconut oil are everywhere these days and often include the reasons against using other (seemingly) heart healthy oils like canola.  Generally written or sponsored by the industry or product the article is promoting, the potential conflict of interest leaves the average person to wonder what can and should be believed!

Enter basic reasoning from Charles Mattocks via the Dr. Oz website:
Coconut Oil: A Good Saturated Fat?
You may ask, isn't coconut oil a saturated fat? And aren't saturated fats harmful? Yes, coconut oil consists of 90% saturated fats. But whether or not saturated fats are harmful depends on who you ask. Among mainstream nutritionists, the idea that saturated fats cause heart disease is an “absolute truth” that is never questioned. Those who question this belief, however, point out that mankind has been consuming mainly saturated fats – in the form of butter, lard, coconut oil, etc – for thousands of years, yet heart disease was rare before the 1920s. If anything, the rise of heart disease in recent decades may correspond to the increasing use of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, safflower and canola, as well as margarine. 

In order for canola oil to make it to our grocery store shelf it is highly processed using high heat methods sometimes including the chemical Hexane. The history of canola oil itself describes how much modifying it has been through since the 1950's. It was originally derived from rapeseed however it is a completely different plant.

Expeller pressed coconut oil is as basic and whole as it gets. It still smells and even looks like a coconut (white in its solid form below 76 degrees). Coconut oil's high smoke point makes it perfect for sauteing and the flavor is great for baking. Uses for coconut oil extend to personal care as it can be used as a conditioner and lotion especially during these cold winter months.

In my own kitchen I use canola oil, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Coconut oil tastes great but I would rather not all of our food taste like coconuts! Until I have found a near flavorless version of it I will still use canola oil for high temperature cooking. (I would love to hear responses on flavor light coconut oil brands!) In the mean time I continue to experiment with coconut oil where the flavor profile fits. Here's a recipe that we enjoyed last week.


Mushroom, Shrimp and Spinach Pasta with Coconut Bechamel Sauce
  • 3/4 lb whole wheat pasta
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 3/4 lb peeled and cleaned shrimp
  • 1lb mushrooms (any variety will do)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 package fresh baby spinach
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Cook pasta according to box directions.  Drain and do not rinse.
  2. Add the coconut oil to a large saute pan preheating on meduim/high heat.
  3. Add shrimp and saute until pink, approximately 2 minutes on each side.  Remove the cooked shrimp from the saute pan and set aside.
  4. Add mushrooms to the saute pan and cook stirring often until soft.  Add garlic and stir to combine. 
  5. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir.  Add milk and heat to a low boil to thicken the sauce. 
  6. Add baby spinach and toss.  As spinach wilts add the parmesan cheese, cooked shrimp and pasta.
  7. Warm through, adjust seasoning and serve with an extra sprinkling of cheese.   
 
Mushrooms simmering in bechamel sauce.


The finished product featuring misc. pasta from cleaning out the cabinets!

Orange Almond Bread - Nigella Style


This simple bread, based on a Nigella Lawson cake recipe, features the most unique citrus technique I've ever seen.  Simmer oranges in water for 2 hours and process the fruit whole (peel, seeds, etc.) in a food processor until smooth.  The liquified oranges create a wonderfully moist bread that has no need for added oils.  The flavor is incredible and your home will smell like an orange grove.

The ratio of ground almonds to flour is certainly up for interpretation.  (Nigella's original recipe calls for all ground almonds and no flour.)  Higher ground almond ratios will yield a more dense bread.  Be sure that the total amount of ground almonds and/or flour is 2 1/4 cups.

For an added fiber and omega 3 twist, the Orange Almond bread came out beautifully when substituting a ground flaxseed/water combination for two of the eggs. See below the recipe for the details on the substitution.


Orange Almond Bread
  • 3-4 clementine or mandarin oranges (approximately 14oz.)
  • 1 1/4 cup ground almonds (or 1 cup of whole almonds that you will grind in a food processor)
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 6 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1. Place oranges in a medium sauce pan and cover them with cold water.  Cover and heat the water and oranges to boiling.  Turn down the heat and allow to simmer with the lid tilted for approximately 2 hours.  More water may be required as the oranges simmer.  Drain the remaining water and allow the oranges to cool slightly.
  2. If you are starting with whole almonds pour them into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse them until ground into a relatively fine cornmeal like consistency. 
  3. Pour the ground almonds into a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add the whole oranges to the food processor bowl and process until smooth - approximately 2 minutes.  Add the pureed oranges to the ground almonds.
  5. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. 
  6. Butter or spray a 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes.  The bread may need to be covered with foil if it begins to brown too much. 
  7. Test the bread for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf.  Remove when the toothpick comes out clean of crumbs.
  8. Cool in the pan an enjoy.

The simmering oranges needing more water!
The pureed oranges.






Ground Flax Seed and Egg Substitution

For every egg in a recipe substitute:
  • 3 Tablespoons of water
  • 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed
Allow it to sit for two minutes and add to the recipe in lieu of one egg.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust Experiment

One of our go-to meals on busy weeknight is pizza.  Stretch store bought pizza dough, add toppings and make a salad while the pizza is baking.  Perfect. 

My grocery store carries a couple of varieties of wheat pizza crust.  The first ingredient of these items is typically enriched wheat flour.  From a whole food/whole grain perspective whole wheat flour wins every time.  Consider the following equations:

Enriched Wheat Flour = Iceberg Lettuce
100% Whole Wheat Flour = Spinach  
 
As often is the case, I get over my annoyance by finding my own recipe.  To get around the time factor I make additional quantities to freeze.  The perfect version will take some trial and error but here is the one I made tonight.

Wyatt modeling the honey and beer

Whole Wheat Beer Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warmed beer (approximately 110 degrees)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
Directions: 
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In mixer, dissolve yeast in beer. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and mix with the dough hook attachment on the mixer until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Adjust flour as needed. 
  4. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 10 minutes.
  5. Flatten dough with floured fingers on a floured pizza stone and poke holes in it with a fork.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.               
  7. Add sauce, cheese and toppings and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
  8. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.


I doubled the recipe and wrapped half in plastic wrap and foil and tossed it in the freezer. Overall it came out well. Next time I will get the dough thinner under the toppings but this one wasn't bad. It was surprisingly filling and the beer flavor was awesome with the sausage and peppers.

A general note on the blog: I've updated the settings to allow anyone to make comments.  I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions!