Popcorn!

Well, my daughters wanted to just put the whole ear of popcorn in the microwave and let it go. They assured me they would get all the popcorn out of the microwave when it was done. So I said OK.

Wow, that was a barrel of laughs! We watched as the kernels popped and flew around, and every time one on the bottom of the ear popped, it made the whole ear jump. And true to their word, they cleaned it all up. It's really pretty easy since it's all dry.

Try it :-)

Easy Peasy and Really Tasty!

So I experiemented. And it turned out so wonderfully that I thought I would share :)

Grab an acorn squash. Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Put the halves face down in a greased oven proof dish. Add 1/2 inch of water. Bake at 350 until tender; about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut up apple, mushrooms and onions. Saute in a little olive oil. Set aside.

When squash is cooked, turn face up in a baking dish. Add a little butter in each one. Put some apple/onion/mushroom mixture in each one. Grate a little sharp cheese over each one. Bake in the oven until the cheese melts.

This was absolutely fantastic with a roast pork dinner! And ALL the stuff used (well, except for the cheese but you can get it at Fox Hill) was from my basket of bounty!

Japchae - Sweet Potato Noodles

Japchae is a Korean dish traditionally made with sweet potato (glass) noodles, which can be found in most Asian supermarkets, we also do it with rice or wheat noodles.

• 8 ounces sweet potato noodles
• 1/2 savoy cabbage, rinsed and trimmed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 chicken thighs skinned & deboned, sliced thin
  
• 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
  
• 3 to 4 dried black fungus soaked (30 minutes) and sliced thin
  
• 1 red pepper sliced very thin
  
• 1/2 bunch asparagus
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Cook the sweet potato noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Be sure not to overcook the noodles, or they will lose their chewy texture. If you like, cut the noodles with scissors into 6- to 7-inch lengths for easier eating.

In a large bowl combine half the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and the sugar. Set aside to let the flavours soak in.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, the remaining garlic, 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce, and 1 1/2 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the onion, mushrooms, red peppers, cabbage, asparagus and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Cover and let stand over medium heat for another 5 minutes, until cabbage and asparagus are cooked through, but still a little crunchy. Remove from the heat.

In the large bowl with the sauce, thoroughly combine the noodles and chicken mixture. Serve warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Enjoy and remember any of the veggies can be substituted for others & tofu for meat ... and use local as much as possible!

Cabbage Salad recipe - yummy!

This was served over the holidays at a family party. My Auntie Jennie made it from her sister inlaws recipe. Yummy!

6 cups green cabbage, shredded

6 cups red cabbage, shredded

3 green onions, sliced

1 red pepper, julienned

¼ cup raisons

Dressing

3 TBSP cider vinegar

2 TBSP sweet mustard

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp caraway seeds

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

pinch of allspice

dash of Tabasco sauce

Toss dressing and vegetables together, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Cabbage

Hey Patricia,

Here are some of the things I like to do with cabbage!

I can't believe it's just cabbage!
-This recipe is so simple and absolutely delicious.

1 head white cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teasp sea salt
1 lemon, squeezed
1 tbsp nutritional yeast(optional)

Mix alll ingredients in a bowl and decorate with you favorite herbs.
Serves 5.
-Taken from: 12 Steps to Raw Foods, Victoria Boutenko

** I like to cut the cabbage in to chunks or strips rather than shredding it, and I always adjust the seasoning depending on how salty, lemony or herby I'm feeling that day. I also really enjoy adding lots of black pepper to add some heat during the cold winter months.


Cabbage Lemon Elixir
This is an excellent source of healthy intestinal bacteria.

1 small cabbage, corred
1 Whole lemon, peeled to remove yellow skin
Pure Water

Fill blender with 1/3 of cabbage, add half the lemon and water to fill half the blander. Pulse to grind cabbage(rather than liquefy).
Transfer to a glass gallong jar.
Repeat the process with the remaining cabbage.
Fill jar to almost full with water. Cover with cheesecloth and put in a warm place for 24-36 hours(depending on the temperature).
Pour elixir into a glass jar to store - straining out the cabbage. Store in the fridge, will keep for 2-3 days.

Use in smoothies and dressings or as a refreshing beverage to replenish healthy intestinal bacteria.

-Taken from: Lifehood Recipe Book: Living on Life Force, by David Judd, PhD and Annie Padden Judd.

**This recipe sounds kind of complicated, but is acually quite easy to make. The elixir does taste a bit cabaggy, but I find it very refreshing and enjoyable.


Enjoy!

Amy

Baked Apples and Cranberries

Baked Apples and Cranberries - really delicious, makes a lovely change.

Oven 350
6 apples, core and peel the top 1/2 or so from the top. DO NOT take the bottom out with the core if
you can avoid it. If you do by accident, put the little piece back in the bottom as best you can.

3/4 cup of cranberries or so (quantity is not critical.
3/4 cup packed soft brown sugar
4 tblsp honey
2 cups water.

Stuff cranberries into cored apples and sprinkle the rest around them in a high sided baking dish.
Dissolve sugar and honey in water and heat. Pour over apples and cranberries.
Put into the oven for 1 hour, basting the syrup over the apples from time to time.

Enjoy

Ellie
(PS I got it from the internet, but don't think recipes are copyrighted yet? If so, apologies to
the inventor of the recipe)

Fit for a Super Hero

I have a confession to make. I don't "love" kale. Truth be told, I probably haven't given it a fair chance. Perhaps if I spent more time tinkering in the kitchen I would change my mind. Because it's just so healthy, I force myself to eat it. I recently remembered one of the old newsletters which included a recipe for a kale smoothie. When I was whirring up our family's smoothies this morning I decided to toss in some kale for fun. Great success! I loved it and so did both my wee ones. In fact, Spider Man asked for seconds in order to recharge his super powers! I think the fruit likely offset the green taste of the kale, but I suppose that is fine. Our bodies still got the benefits of this super leafy green vegetable.

Here's my quick morning recipe

1 cup soy milk or milk
spoonful of vanilla yogurt
handful of frozen strawberries
handful of frozen blueberries
1/2 banana
2 leaves of chopped kale

Whir up in the blender and enjoy.

Now I'm going to try out that kale and potato soup in the previous post as it looks fantastic! Maybe I will learn to love kale (:

Kale & Potato Soup

We made this with the kale that was in the box a few weeks ago, and everyone loved it.

• 6 cups water
• 3 med-large potatoes, peeled & diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 1-2 tsp Gremolata *recipe to follow
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• grated Parmesan to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes in the water 10 - 12 minutes, until tender and take off heat.
   


2. In a medium skillet heat oil and sauté onion until translucent.
   
3. Add the chopped kale and continue to sauté for 5 - 8 minutes.
   


4. Add the Gremolata and garlic ... sauté 2 - 3 minutes.


5. With a slotted spoon take half of the potatoes and add to kale.


6. Add stock and cook on medium for 10 minutes or until tender.
7. Add kale mixture back to the potato and water, simmer for another 10 minutes or until hot enough.
8. Serve with grated Parmesan ... Enjoy!

Gremolata

This makes about a cup. We use it in almost every Italian based recipe we do, especially pasta sauces.

• 1 cup sea salt - course
• 3 tbsp of lemon zest
• 3/4 cup whole garlic
• 2 tbsp whole or fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh sage
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary

1. Combine in food processor or coffee / spice mill and grind to a fine powder.
2. Cover and store in the fridge.

Cabbage experiment #1

I guess gratin is the foodie word for scallop (thanks Lorrie :)) I am green in the food world really. I try and get by as a foodie without the proper qualifications. I don't know much about cooking. I love doing it and I sometimes make good things but I don't have the study of it under my belt in terms of terminology and science. I would very much like to attend for a weekend or two, Julia Child's school of cooking. Did any of you see the movie?

Anyway - tonight I started the cabbage adventure.

1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 cup cabbage cut into strips
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cubed butternut squash
dash of pepper and salt if you like
Saute in a fry pan, cover and stir occasionally for 10 minutes
Add
1 cup cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
Stir together
Bake for 15 minutes at 375F

We ate this with a side of boiled beet and carrots. Sounds boring but it is easy and yummy.

Izaak liked it 10/10, Lily doesn't like it, Frank ate it but didn't comment, Josh gave it a 8/10.
Josh commented that one can't really go wrong with cheese. I agree. Anyway we ate it all up and it was good. Tomorrow I will experiment without the security of cheese in my back pocket.