Wheat free Fruit Crumble

Fruit crumbles are probably one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make, and a fantastic way to use up leftover fruit. What drew me to them initially was that I've never been a fan of pastry, so a traditional pie has never been my thing-not to mention that pastry making was kind of my nemesis for awhile as I learned and practiced how to make it.

Years ago we used to go to a little restaurant that would have all kinds of crumble choices; peach and raspberry, pear and cranberry, apple, and more. Feel free to play around with whatever fillings you want to create with this recipe-it's pretty open to whatever your heart desires! In the pictures I made plain apple and then apple and blueberry, because I had berries to use up but not enough for a solid blueberry on it's own. You can change the amount of sugar in the filling (more if you want, less if you want, none if that's how you roll), and even the thickening agent. Some fruit needs a little help to not become watery, such as frozen blueberries. Some is pretty thick from natural pectin all on it's own.

The amounts for the filling is also open to interpretation. Generally, I fill up my dish nearly to the top before piling the topping over the fruit, making sure to cover every little space. It may look completely overfilled and impossible at the time, but remember that the fruit will cook down. I love to have a good amount of fruit to hold up against the oatmealy topping.

Fruit crumble is fantastic not only as dessert topped with creamy vanilla ice cream, but I am known to eat it for breakfast with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt. Hey, it's fruit and oatmeal, why not?

Yield: a 9x9 inch baking dish (or about 6 servings)

Ingredients:

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup whole barley flour (if gluten free sub the barley and sunflower flours for gluten free flour)
1/4 cup sunflower flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup rolled oats

Filling: 

Blueberry
5-6 cups of fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp barley flour, all purpose flour, or 2 tsp tapioca starch (gluten free)

Apple, peach, or pear

4-6 medium/large apples OR peaches, OR pears (try a combination!), peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp barley flour, all purpose flour, or 2 tsp tapioca starch (gluten free)

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Find a 9x9 inch ceramic dish, or you can use two smaller dishes and make 2 different kinds of crumbles if you like.


2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the oatmeal and then, using your hands, squeeze clumps of the mixture together to make some chunks of topping. You want there to be some so that when it cooks you'll have chunks of filling that become almost cookie-like. Put the bowl in the fridge so that the clumps harden up a little.



3. Next, prep your filling while the topping chills. Toss it all together and fill up your baking dish.


4. Pull the chilled topping out of the fridge and pile the oatmeal goodness over the fruit, covering it all to the edges. Place the dish on a pan so that it catches any overflow and  place in the center of your hot oven.

5. Bake the fruit crisp about 50-60 minutes, until the topping is browned and the fruit is bubbling and soft. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 15 minutes before serving.


6. Try not to eat it all one go.

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Spiced Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cups

Last week I was missing in action, mostly the result of some nasty allergy experiences. When I have a bad one it usually sets me back for a few days or up to a week, and instead of playing catch up I decided to let things go. You were fine, right? Of course you were.

Anyway, moving on!


Being diagnosed as allergic to wheat, corn, soy, and rice really limited the snacks I could eat, and sometimes a girl just needs something, you know? Enter these oatmeal cups. Not really a true muffin, they kind of are like a cross between a granola bar and a muffin - a little more toothsome and more texture than a muffin, but not as chewy as a granola bar. I tuck them into my bag for a snack when I need a pick me up, and both my guys kept raiding the freezer and eating my stash as soon as they discovered how good they were. I eat them after the gym, as a grab and go breakfast with some sausage patties, or will likely tuck them into my bag once school starts as a midday pick me up. 

Don't get scared when you make these. They look totally impossible, like there's too much liquid and there's no possible way that they will turn out, but they always do. You can sprinkle the tops with some mini chocolate chips if you like, or leave them plain.

Yield:12-15

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats-not quick or minute oats  (Only Oats if you are gluten free)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder (wheat or corn free if you need)
2 mashed ripe bananas
2 Tbsp light tasting olive oil
1 tsp vanilla (optional: skip if you are corn free)
2 cups of 2% or whole milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Prep your muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.

3. In a different bowl or large measuring cup (I like to use a big 4 cup Pyrex one), whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana.

4. Pour the works into the bowl of oatmeal and give it a good stir. It's going to be weird and liquidy.

5. Divide the mixture among the muffins cups. I use my cookie scoop to make it easier, so an ice cream scoop would likely help. The mixture should fill about 15 of them or so. You want to make sure that they have lots of oats along with liquid, because the oats will suck up the liquid and become soft.


6. Sprinkle the tops with mini chocolate chips if you like,  and bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and set. Let the cups cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pans and cooling completely on a wire rack.

7. Once they are fully cooled, you can freeze them in a sealable freezer bag for about a month and pop into lunch bags or defrost in the microwave as needed.








Adapted slightly from The Merchant Baker

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Pan Roasted Root Vegetables

I love to cook ahead. This summer when it was ridiculously hot outside, I tried as much as possible to make things far ahead and then stick them in the fridge to re-heat or eat cold later. These vegetables are not only really good for you, but they are delicious and versatile. You can eat them as a side but one of my favourite things is to toss them in a salad with quinoa or millet and then pile the works on some fresh spinach and arugula mix. Don't worry, that recipe is coming too!

You can play around with this recipe as much as you want, but the method is much the same. Reduce or increase the veggies as much as you want, omit the ones you don't like altogether, it's all up to you. Rosemary can be substituted with thyme, you could try seasoned salt if you wish, or fresh cracked pepper. I find that the beets tend to cook slower than anything else so when you cut them into small wedges or moons, try doing them fairly thin.

If you think your kids will never eat this, I challenge you to get them involved in the prep (except peeling purple beets, maybe-unless you have a hose nearby). In my experience cooking with kids,  they will often say they hate things but when faced with a roasted, slightly caramelized vegetable, they can't resist. It's all in how you cook those vegetables, folks. You will be surprised. Trust me. Get them to help stir the veg in some oil and arrange them on the pan. Be careful, though. Once those kids zero in on a favourite vegetable you may not get to eat any.

Yield: around 10 cups of vegetables

 Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
4 carrots
3-4 parsnips
2 medium purple beets
2 medium golden beats
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

2 springs fresh rosemary
3 Tbsp light olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss the Yukon gold potatoes with 2 tsp of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a good pinch of minced rosemary. Spread them on the baking sheet.


3. Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tsp of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a good pinch of minced rosemary. Spread on the baking sheet beside the Yukon golds.

4. Continue with the other veggies in the same manner-tossing with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary and spreading on the sheet. The reason I don't mix them all together is that sometimes the veggies are finished at different times, and this  makes it easier to remove some from the pan early if I need to. Also, because those purple beets will change the color of everything if you toss them all together.


5. Bake the veg for about 35-50 minutes, checking frequently, until fork tender and lightly browned. Some may be finished ahead of others, and because you've divided the vegetables into rows it will be easier to scoop say, all the parsnips off the pan and let the beets cook longer.

6. Let the vegetables cool on the stove top before serving, or cool to room temperature before putting in a sealed container in the fridge. The vegetables will keep for about 4 days and you can use them as a side, toss them in salads, etc.



Inspired by Eating Well 

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Tomatillo White Bean Chicken Chili

Chock full of beans, spicy peppers and tender chicken, this chili is something spicy to brighten up your day. I have brought it to work often year round, and every time I heat it up in the microwave, people are inevitably drawn to the staff room by the smell.

“Oh my goodness,” they peer into the bowl and inhale deeply, “What ARE YOU EATING? It smells amazing!” Honestly it really does. I’d daresay I’m addicted to this chili, if I were to be completely truthful. I’ve made it more times last year than any other soup or stew. Besides the fact that it’s delicious, it also packs really well in a lunch box and stands up to the freezer, which is a must in my house.

Tomatillos, which were a mystery to me at the grocery store, can be found in the produce section. In Superstore I found them with their papery husks removed, encased in plastic film on a styrofoam tray. In Save on Foods, they are often in a basket with the paper husks still hiding the green fruit within.

What is a tomatillo, you ask? Check out this great article from What's Cooking America. They look like a green tomato once you peel off the husk, but they are actually related to a gooseberry.

You don’t have to do much with them in this recipe other than wash and the roast the tomatillos and a hot pepper in the oven before chopping and adding to the pot. They add some wonderful flavour and your tomato hating children may let mild (and yet tasty!) tomatillos pass without knowing what they are. Use this to your advantage!

A word about hot peppers while we are here; always start small. I usually use 1/2 of a seeded hot chile, and that’s enough for me. You can use more if you wish, and here is where you may want to experiment a little so that you can judge for yourself and your family how much heat is appropriate. Also, be sure to prick the pepper well with a knife before you roast it; otherwise, the little thing will explode all over your oven and you’ll have nothing left for your chili. Roasting the chile allows flavour without as much bite. If you choose to not roast the chile but instead saute it along with the onions (which I have done before when I forgot the roasting step), be sure to use caution. Not only are those hot pepper juices going to make your dish hotter than if you roasted it, but I’ve had long lasting burning sensations in my fingers just from handling hot peppers for chopping. Not to mention if you forget and rub your lips or eyes-ouch! Gloves would probably be a good idea. I remove the seeds of the chile, and therefore a good deal of the heat, but I’m finding that the chiles I’ve been using still have a good amount of bite even without the seeds.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients: 

1/2 -1 hot chile (I use the mixed hot Gusto ones from Windset Farms)
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
3/4 lb  to 1 lb of fresh tomatillos
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch, mixed w/ 2 Tbsp cold chicken broth OR 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
small can of green chiles
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups white beans (cannelli or white kidney beans, or other small white bean)
1 lime

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.


2. Score the bottom of each tomatillo with a knife in an X shape and give the hot pepper a good stab or two. If you don’t do this, they will explode in your oven as they roast.

3. Roast the tomatillos and peppers for about 15-20 minutes until they are softened and browned a little. Once they are cool enough to handle, chop the tomatillos and hot pepper. While you are waiting, chop the stems off the bunch of cilantro and set the leaves aside. Chop up the stems finely.

The roasted tomatillos become all browned and squidgy, just perfect to chop for a chili

4. In a large, deep skillet, saute the chicken thighs over medium heat with a bit of oil until browned on both sides; remove to a plate and set aside. Once they are cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces.

5. Add the onions, sweet red pepper, garlic, hot chile, and cilantro stems to the pan. Stir and cook until softened and fragrant; about 3 – 4 minutes. Sprinkle with cumin, salt, pepper and coriander. Continue to saute about a minute longer.

6. Sprinkle flour (if using. If not, skip this step) over the vegetable mixture and continue to stir and cook another minute or so. Gently add the broth, stirring and loosening up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. If you are using arrowroot starch mixed with a little cold chicken broth as your thickener, add it here. Stir and heat through.The mixture will thicken slightly.

7. Add the beans, roasted tomatillos, roasted hot pepper, canned green chilies, and chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.

8. Before serving, zest the lime over the pot before cutting it in half and squeezing in the juice. Chop the cilantro leaves and add to the chili just before serving. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can top the chili with crushed tortilla chips and/or avocado slices when serving, if you like.

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Everyday Allergy Friendly Granola

Date and cranberry granola

When I originally wrote about granola here, I claimed that I didn't eat it much because it can be high in fat and sugar. That was true until I learned how to make my own-and wow, was it delicious! I used to eat it often, but when allergies reared their ugly heads, granola was put on the back burner for awhile.

In the last few months, I have figured out how to make granola for myself that is nut, soy, corn, rice, sulphite, and wheat free-which is pretty fantastic. (Note: the 'free-ness' of this granola depends on the products you use. I am okay with things that are labeled "may contain" or produced on the same lines as my allergens, but if you are not you have to do your own research) It has become my go-to breakfast, replacing the peanut butter toast that I ate almost daily for many years. Instead I now shuffle down to the kitchen, put about 1/4 cup of granola in a bowl, add another few tablespoons of puffed quinoa for good measure, top with about 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey, and then a sliced banana or some fresh blueberries.

It's a great way to start the day. You should try it!

This recipe is super easy and pretty forgiving. Don't have hemp hearts? No biggie. Just add more sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Basically I need 1 cup of nutty/seedy things and 1 cup of dried fruit in there, so you can adjust things to your heart's content. The original recipe calls for pecans, but I mixed it up and tried whatever I happened to have on hand. I like hemp hearts (pictured below) because they are nutritious and add some great flavour. Mine are from Bob's Red Mill, and they are produced in a dedicated gluten free facility. 

Hemp hearts from Bob's Red Mill

Besides breakfast the granola makes a super tasty munchie snack late at night if you toss in some mini chocolate chips, too.

Yield: Approximately 6 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled ONLY OATS  (this brand is certified gluten free)
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup shelled unsalted sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (sulphite alert: be sure to get one that has NOT been processed with sulphur dioxide)
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (check for sulphites!)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp light tasting olive oil
1/2 cup chopped dates (did you know dates are sulphite free?)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisins, to be specific, if you want sulphite/nut/gluten free)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 F, and line a really large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, flax, coconut, and brown sugar.

3. In a small sauce pan, warm up the honey, olive oil, salt, ginger, and cinnamon until it's all liquidy and combined.

4. Slowly drizzle the honey/oil mixture over your giant bowl of oats and stuff, mixing as you go. Try not to spill it all over the counter, like I occasionally do.

Tip: put a damp washcloth under the bowl while you toss this so that the bowl doesn't move.

5. Once you've tossed the oats and seeds in your honey and oil spice mix, give it a good stir to make sure things are coated and then tip the works out onto your lined sheet pan. Spread it out.

6. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes, taking the pan out EVERY TEN MINUTES to stir it around. Don't forget to do this, or your granola will be half cooked in some spots and burned in others (I've done it. Trust me). The granola is done when it's a deep golden brown. Set the pan on your stove top and let it cool.


7. Stir in dried dates and craisins and toss them around before transferring everything to a big plastic container (or a bunch of Mason jars, if you like them better). The granola should keep for quite awhile, but honestly I eat most of the batch by about 3 weeks or so.

I have a hard time not eating it right off the pan when it's warm.

Note: I have not received any compensation or encouragement to mention particular products in this post. I have done so because they work for me and my health needs, and I would like to share the information with others who may have similar challenges.You should always read packages and contact companies if you are unsure that a product is safe for you. DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. Products will differ from country to country (I'm in Canada) and what is safe here may not be where you are. Always read the label.

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Roasted Veggie and Farro Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Awhile ago, my friend Maria and I made a trek to Costco for household supplies and while we wandered the aisles of giant jars of peanut butter and cases of toilet paper, we came across someone offering samples of farro. I had never seen the grain at a store before, but here and there in recipe books I had seen the name. Farro is a nutty, chewy grain that is really quite tasty. We found it for fairly cheap (around $5 for a big bag).

Allergy alert: if you need to be wheat free, substitute either brown rice or barley for the farro and cook them according to their package directions with the appropriate amount of chicken broth.

This salad is really tasty. Sweet roasted veggies, chewy grains, salty feta, and a bit of spice from the harissa are a really great combination. I also have a pile of ripe avocados hanging around on my counter and decided to chunk one up and toss it in, which was a great idea. This recipe doesn't give you a huge portion but it's really satisfying and nice to take to work for lunch. Don't be worried about not finding harissa either-I haven't been able to for years, but finally a friend gifted me some. It's just a spicy paste or oil, and you can substitute a little chili powder without a problem. It's a great way to use up some extra veg, and I love the sweet and slightly charred roasted veggies. I normally don't eat parsnips often, but in this salad with the feta and mint they are very, very good.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked farro
4 cups water or chicken broth
olive oil
1/2 pound carrots (about 4 medium)
1 lb parsnips (about 2-3 large)
fresh cracked pepper
salt

1-2 avocados

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more to taste

3/4 cup (4 oz)  crumbled feta 

Dressing:

5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp harissa, to taste (or sub some chili powder to taste)
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice and some lemon zest
pinch ground cumin

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

In a medium sized pot, bring the farro and chicken broth to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer about 20-25 minutes, until tender. They should still have a bit of bite but not be crunchy. Drain well and set aside to cool.

While the farro is cooking, peel and chop the carrots and parsnips into matchstick sized pieces, about 2-3 inches long. Toss them with about 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooled farro, roasted vegetables, mint and feta. Drizzle the dressing over top and give it a good toss. Serve topped with chunks of avocado, fresh cracked pepper, and a little more freshly chopped mint leaves.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

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Lentil Barley Salad with Feta, Spinach, and Tomatoes

Let's be honest, shall we?

 I don't really like green lentils. I'm not sure why-maybe it's the soup I've made before with them that seemed tasteless and horrible, or the fact that their texture was always a little weird to me, but I just never have liked them. Red lentils are fine in curry to thicken, but that's as far as it goes. So it seems a little weird that out of the blue I decided to make this salad, but I was trying to use up some of the ingredients in my cupboards and fridge, plus the photo in the cookbook looked amazing, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Have you done that before? Cooked something solely because the photo of it made it look delicious? I have. Once I made liver from a magazine because the photo looked amazing, and I completely ignored that it was..well.. LIVER. It tasted disgusting, as liver does, and was the one time I refused to eat my own cooking, excused 4 year old Kevin, and made us sandwiches.

I digress! Back to this tasty lentil salad!

So, the salad. It was really, very good. The barley and lentils give it a nice nutty, grainy taste, and the salty feta with tomatoes and spinach really add to it. Kevin had three helpings and we we still had enough to put in our lunches tomorrow. It would be really great alongside some grilled chicken seasoned with oregano, garlic, and lemon and a green salad for a little more veggie crunch. I would enjoy it just as a light lunch. You can do what you want with it-I ended up adding more feta because I'm a cheese lover, and then I bumped up the veggies too. You can change things up however you wish. I used only about half of the dressing, since we are a family that doesn't like too much dressing on anything. You can judge this for yourself, and use the leftover dressing on a nice green salad later in the week.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry green lentils
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 garlic clove, peeled
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 packed cup of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 of a small red onion, chopped finely
fresh cracked pepper

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp grainy mustard, or dijon
1 tsp honey

In a medium saucepan, stir the lentils, garlic, and barley together, then cover with a few inches of water. Turn the heat to medium and bring it to a boil, then let it simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, checking now and then and adding a little more water if you need to. The barley and lentils should be tender with a teeny bit of bite, with barely any water left. Spread them out in a dish and let them cool. Remove the garlic clove and throw it away-or you could just chop it up and throw it in the salad, which is what I did.

Once the lentils and barley are cool, toss them in a medium sized bowl with the cherry tomatoes, spinach, cheese, and onion. Sprinkle with pepper and toss.

To make the dressing, measure the ingredients in a jam jar with a tight fitting lid, and give it a shake until it thickens and is well mixed.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. We only used a small amount of dressing since that is how we roll, but you can use more if you wish. The leftover dressing would be great drizzled on a tossed green salad and will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Makes 4 servings

Adapted from Spilling the Beans

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Soy Sesame Steak

This steak is one of the easiest ways to please my teenager. Sliced thinly, marinated for a few hours and then seared in a hot pan, it's a great way to stretch a cut of meat to serve a few people. Kevin has made this before on his own, which shows you just how easy it can be to make. The secret to getting perfectly cooked and yet tender bits of meat is to get your pan really hot, and add the beef strips in batches so that they sear quickly, yet leave the inside a bit pink. It only takes a brief 45 seconds to 1 minute to do this, so stay at your stove and watch it carefully.

 Adapted from Gourmet

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (this is important-make sure you use low sodium or the end result will be too salty)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sake
1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts separate from the dark green, minced)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 lb flank steak, sliced very thin ( 1/8th of an inch?) across the grain

 Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, sake, white and green parts of scallion, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds in a bowl. Toss with steak strips, cover dish with plastic wrap, and chill for about 2 hours.

Get your frypan hot over medium heat. Add a little oil. Add about half of the beef strips, stirring and moving it around quickly as it sears. The trick with having tender steak strips is to cook it just briefly. When sliced so thin, beef doesn't need long to cook at all-maybe just 1-2 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pan, but rather cook in batches, stirring it around as you go.

Heap the cooked steak strips on a plate, sprinkle the remaining green onion over top, and serve with rice. 

Serves 2-3

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Beet, Carrot, and Spinach Salad with Couscous and Feta

I was tempted to call this 'Science Salad', because it was inspired by one of the science teachers bringing something similar for their lunch last week.  I admit that I'm somewhat of a lunch stalker, always noticing what the people around me are eating and occasional gleaning inspiration from them or out right asking for a recipe.

This salad also reminds me of Anne, a friend of mine (and Science teacher!) who once had a huge garden in her backyard, full of beets and carrots.  I never really liked beets that much until I met Anne, and her enthusiasm made me wonder if they really were better than I thought.  Anne moved away recently and is now without her beloved garden, but I think she would like this recipe.  Look Anne, you have me eating beets too!

A word about the recipe:  beets are nasty suckers to shred and this is best done if you have a food processor with a shredding attachment. In fact, my little food processor made this recipe really quick to make.  You can use a box grater, but it might be a little messy and you'll come out looking like you murdered the beets rather than just shredded some tasty vegetable.  Don't be put off by the ingredients in this-by themselves, they aren't anything special. Pair up sweet beets with salty feta, the tender couscous and tart dressing, and it's really, really, tasty.  If you can't find Israeli couscous, substitute quinoa or regular couscous.  You don't need a lot per person, but enough to pile the veggies on.  I think you could just eyeball it.

Makes 4 servings

2 medium beets, peeled and shredded
3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
2 cups washed and trimmed fresh spinach leaves, torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 red onion, minced
Feta cheese
pistachios, chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked Israeli couscous (allergy allert: Substitute pearl barley!)

Tahini dressing (recipe below)

In the bottom of a medium sized pot, toast the couscous over medium heat in a bit of oil until golden, which should take about 3-5 minutes.  Make sure to stir so no bits get burned. Pour in 2 cups boiling water, bring the couscous to a boil, then put a lid on, turn the heat down to low, and cook for about 10-12 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.

Let the couscous cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

Divide the couscous between 4 plates.  Top with spinach, then a handful of each of the shredded carrot and beets.  Sprinkle a bit of red onion, then feta and pistachios over top.  Serve with tahini dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Balsamic Tahini dressing (from Choosing Raw)

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup water

Blend everything together in a food processor!  You can adjust the amount of water depending on if you want it thinner or thicker, in which case it makes a great dip.  I seasoned it up with a little more salt and pepper as well.

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Greek Style Quinoa Salad

Last week I went to the Kraft Kitchens in Toronto, and while I was there we all had the opportunity to cook something in the kitchens ourselves. I chose this delicious looking Greek style quinoa salad. In typical Scatteredmom style, as soon as I got home I made the salad again, but changed it around to use less processed ingredients. Bought salad dressings are okay and last forever in the fridge, but in order to get them to last so long they have to contain a lot of preservatives, salt, etc. My dressing is so fast you'll be surprised, plus it's full of flavor, but it doesn't last that long. No matter-you can always shake up another jar whenever you need to, and it's so much better for you.

Adapted from Kraft Foods

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or 1 cup chopped, seeded, tomato
1 small cucumber, chopped
feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
10 cups mixed greens

Measure into a jam jar, pop a lid on, and give 'er a shake:

4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
pinch sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of salt

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the quinoa. Give it a stir, put a lid on it, then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Allow to cool until room temperature.

Meanwhile, chop your tomatoes, cucumber, and onion, then toss them in a bowl with a little bit of your dressing. Toss with the cooled quinoa and some feta cheese.

In a salad bowl, layer the greens, and then the quinoa mixture. Top with a little more feta and then sprinkle over some fresh oregano. Drizzle some of the dressing over that. How much dressing you like is up to you, we keep it pretty minimal and the feta ads so much flavor I don't think you need much.

Serves 6

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Quinoa and Barley Salad

This was my first time cooking quinoa. The stuff was actually kind of hard to find here, and wow! So expensive! For a small bag in some places it was about $8, which seemed kind of over the top. I did eventually find a small box of it that seemed more reasonable, so I thought I'd try this recipe since it's a little different from what I usually make.

Hubs refused to try it, but Kevin smacked his lips, took thirds, and asked me to make it again. I served it with seared steak for Kevin, and roasted chicken breast for me and Hubs. The portions might seem small but they are actually kind of filling, so don't worry. If you wanted to add some chopped nuts, like pecans or almonds, it might add a nice crunch.

What is quinoa, anyway? Check out this site for some info.

Adapted from Canadian Living October 2006Salad:
2/3 cup barley
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup each finely diced carrot, celery, onion, sweet red pepper, and zucchini
1/2 cup finely diced cucumber
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and mint
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I found this to be a bit much. I'd reduce it a little)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt and pepper

First, cook the barley. Bring 1 1/3 cups of water to a boil, adding a pinch of salt. Add the barley, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, for about 30-40 minutes (watch it carefully). I ended up adding more water. Let cool.

In a different pan, bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil, then add the quinoa. Cover and turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, saute up the celery, onion, red pepper, and zucchini in a little olive oil until just tender crisp. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooled quinoa, barley, veggies, cucumber, mint, thyme, and parsley. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, ginger, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

You can make this ahead and then chill for up to 24 hours! Store in a sealed, airtight container.

Makes 6 servings.

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Roasted Garlic Beef Stew

When the wind is blowing and it's pouring rain outside, nothing is better then a good thick stew to warm you up. This one has lots of hunks of roasted garlic, which adds a ton of flavor! We not only polished off our bowls but the leftovers make wonderful school lunches. I found that I kept the tetra pack of beef stock close by, because I didn't find that there was enough "juice" for my liking. That way I could eyeball it a bit and just add more if I felt we needed some! It's equally as good with just beef broth instead of the red wine.

Original recipe from Canadian Living Comfort Cooking 2007

12 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 each carrots, parsnips, and Yukon gold potatoes (all peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes)
1 pound of stewing beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme and sage
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine or beef stock (if you are sensitive to Sulphites, just use beef stock)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas

Fry the garlic in a small amount of olive oil over low heat until soft and golden, shaking occasionally to move it around. Remove the garlic to a plate and keep the oil.

Saute the stewing beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat with some of the garlic oil until browned. Remove beef to a plate and set aside. Add more of the garlic oil and saute the onions until soft and browned. Stir in the salt, pepper, 1 tsp of thyme and sage, stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes longer.

Add the stock, wine, tomato and paste, bringing it to a boil and the stirring to bring up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the beef and it's juices to the pan, with the reserved garlic. Add the chopped vegetables, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender (about 1 1/2 hours)

Stir in the peas, remaining thyme and sage, then heat through.

Makes 8 servings

Slow cooker directions:

Follow recipe up to browning the stewing beef.

Put the garlic, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and meat in the slow cooker. Continue with recipe above by frying up the onions until soft, then adding the salt, pepper, 1 tsp thyme, sage, beef stock, wine, and tomato paste; stirring and scraping up the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is tender.

Increase the heat to high. Add peas, remaining thyme and sage, then let heat through.

Serves 8.

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Mediterranean Rice Salad

Salads don't have to be all about lettuce and veggies; sometimes a nice grainy one will do. This is a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats and is nice enough to serve to company or take to a BBQ. I have often left out the currants, but I do like the bit of sweetness that they add to the dish. I like to use fresh orange juice-meaning I buy some really great oranges and then squeeze them myself, but first I like to get a little of their zest into the dressing as well. You could use juice from a tetra pack, but I think the fresh is a little nicer.

Adapted from Canadian Living

1 1/2 cups long grain rice (allergy substitution: try quinoa or sorghum, even barley)

1/4 cup dried currants (optional)

1/4 cup chopped onion (try green onions or even red onion)

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 zucchini, grated

Dressing:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp rice or wine vinegar

1 tbsp liquid honey

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp each ground cumin and coriander

1/2 tsp each paprika and pepper

Cook rice as you normally would. Remove from the heat and stir zucchini, onions, currants, and carrots. Set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together in a bowl and pour over salad. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until chilled.

Makes 8 servings

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Oven Braised Beef and Beer

As soon as my March 2007 issue of Canadian Living arrived in the mail, Kevin insisted that I had to make this recipe. Low and behold, it's one of the most delicious stews I've ever made! Yummy!

If there's anything I've learned over the years of cooking, you only cook with alcohol that you will drink. To be honest, I've never liked beer but in this recipe, it's really very good. You can even buy only 1 can at a time if you wish at the liquor store and often the staff will be happy to help you out. Using beer in this recipe was WELL worth the flavor that was added to the stew. I absolutely recommend it. I experimented with various types of beer and settled on Stella Artois. You decide what works best for you.

2 lb cross rib pot roast, boneless, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup diced bacon
2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
3 cups button mushrooms, (250 g/8 oz) halved)
1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, and dried thyme
3/4 cup each beer and beef stock (or all beef stock)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (optional)

Slow Cooker instructions:

In a skillet, get some oil good and hot, then fry up your beef in batches until it's browned on the outside and has some nice caramelized edges. Transfer beef to your slow cooker.

In the same skillet, fry up your bacon just until it's starting to crisp. Add to the slow cooker.
Drain most of the fat from the skillet. You will need a bit to fry up the carrots, onions, garlic, and mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper until the onions are softened, which will take about 3 minutes. Add the beer to the skillet, scraping up all the delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add it all to the slow cooker. Top with the beef stock and tomato paste. Stir and then cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or until meat is tender.

Whisk flour with 1/4 cup of cold water, stirring into the cooked stew, then cover and cook on high for about 15 min. or until it thickens up. Top with some freshly chopped parsley. If you happen to have some fresh thyme on hand, it would be delicious chopped up and added instead.

Serves 4.

Delicious with garlic mashed potatoes!

Oven instructions:

Omit the flour. Instead, brown the meat and set it aside, then fry up the bacon, carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and thyme until the veggies are tender (about 7 minutes).

Stir in the tomato paste, then stir in the beer and beef stock and bring it to a boil, stirring up all those tasty brown bits on the bottom. Add the beef back to the pot, cover, and cook in a 325 F oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the beef is tender. I personally don't have a dutch oven to do this in, but I have used a casserole dish and it has worked fine. Sometimes I've added a bit more beer or beef stock if I feel it isn't 'saucy' enough. I love the sauce, so I happily top the beer and beef stock up to about 1 1/4 cup of each rather than 3/4 cup each.

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