Real Food... Really.

Ever wonder how much food do we eat these days?

I mean real food. Fresh-from-the-farm (via markets or grocery stores), raw ingredients, homemade meals and treats, macaroni and cheese that doesn't involve either a vibrant orange, chalky powder or some form of "processed cheese food"? Food your mom grew up with, maybe food you grew up with, made with love and eaten as a family?

I get it - I'm just as guilty as any of us (and considering the general readership of food blogs being what they are, I'm preaching to the choir here). Yes, I use canned tomatoes and beans to make things fast sometimes. Yes, I eat ketchup and 1-minute oatmeal and I don't grind my own peanut butter or shred my own coconut. Though I have made pasta dough and stocks from scratch, more often than not you'll find dried noodles and tetra-paks of chicken broth in my cupboard. But that doesn't mean that I don't care about what I'm putting into my body or the systems of all those I care for. I may use canned tomatoes and dry pasta sheets to make lasagne for Sunday dinner, but you can bet I'll be flavouring up those tomatoes with fresh garlic, herbs and spices, layering it over the noodles and the filling of browned meat and whatever seasonal vegetables look tasty when I shop. Of course the half hour it takes to put together the pan is longer than unwrapping a frozen "homestyle lasagne" and sticking it in the oven... I'm not a machine with vats of pre-chopped, cooked, shredded and moulded ingredients! But at the same time, my family can sense that the resuled was cooked, not just re-warmed, even days later when they're eating leftovers.

I'm not a martyr - I know nobody will have the time every night to put together a 3 course meal from ground zero. We all have lives, jobs, commitments and deadlines that don't allow for unbridled hours in the kitchen. But making the choice to make real food and cooking a part of your daily routine will go a long way in re-shaping the future generations we're raising. Even if it's just in the form of using in-season vegetables and fruit for snacks, or having your kids stir a pot of pasta or make muffins with you on a weekend begins to bring back those basic elements of home life that began to die off when the microwave was invented.

I'm not alone in this belief system, either. Foodies and families from both sides of the cash register, including some of the "big guns" like Hellmann's, are beginning to take a more prominent stance in the re-acceptance of meals and ingredients made with natural, simple ingredients. While I know there are those out there who can subscibe to a 100-mile diet or organic everything in their homes (and sometimes out), I know that for me at least adopting a lifestyle focusing on fresh and seasonal produce, but not relying on an "organics" tag to make buying decisions works. I would much rather use a good-quality, no-salt-added can of tomatoes in the middle of the winter than peeling, chopping, seeding and cooking flavourless red blobs, and I'll definitely eat my fill of pencil-thin asparagus from the time I see the "Foodland Ontario" bands on them in April. As for the whole organics thing, well... they can't win 'em all. I wouldn't be able to afford to sit here typing at my computer if I bought everything certified organic. But you know what? A lot of farmers out there can't afford to certify their business as organic and keep the label every year. So when I do go out to the farmers markets around me over the summer, I ask about the produce I'm picking up, especially if it's something I wouldn't peel first. A simple "what's your preferred pest management system?" will help you choose what you're going to spend your money on, and while you're at it decide if it's worth paying $4 for a head of organic lettuce from another country when you can buy a fresh-from-the-farmer, non-certified bundle of greens for $2.

Processed foods, especially convenience food ingredients, can be trickier. For instance, this is what you get if you open up a can of Lucky Leaf brand peach filling for your next BBQ dessert:

Peach Slices, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Food Starch-Modified (Corn), Sugar, Salt and Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid to Maintain Color. Color Added.

That's ten ingredients... including the big bad-boy HFCS, and three kinds of refined sugar. And food colouring? Since when was a perfect peach not vibrantly hued on it's own? That would be why there's a shade called "peach" out there! Not to mention that aside from being gooey-sweet, the filling has no added "oomph" from any other spice. I mean really - for the 18 grams of sugar and 90 calories in every 1/3 cup portion? I'd rather make my own with ingredients you don't have to source from a company with a name like CHEMaster.

Not all of premade products are evil though, the trick is to read the labels - if you can't pronounce what you're reading... if your grandmother would believe an ingredient was a bathroom cleaner before believing it should be eaten, it's safe to say it's probably not the most wholesome choice. Times are changing too - Hellmann's Mayonnaise's latest campaign not only is promoting it's removal of Xantham Gum, Phosporic Acid and Beta Carotene from it's formula, but had introduced a whole "Real Food Grant" program. This awards program is giving away $100 000 Canadian in funding to deserving advocates of tying family and food together who want to bring their plans to bear in their community. Whether the ideas are huge or tiny in scale, if they involve bringing the awareness of true nutrition to the younger generation as a whole and involving them in keeping it alive, they're good! If you're interested, the PDF file of information is here and the official grant homepage is here.

In terms of pie-making, peach pies don't have to stay a strictly summer treat just because they're homemade! If, like me, you happen to live in an area that has both an insanely short and an insanely rich peach season, why not pick up a few extra baskets at the market when they're at their peak (and cheapest)? I've had great success with making pie and crisps with the bags of frozen filling I made last summer, including one last month for the Club staffers. As a bonus, my filling only has 5 ingredients, including Chinese 5-Spice (totally optional), six grams of sugar and 56 calories for the same amount as the pre-canned stuff. So you have to get sticky one time a year for a half hour of peach peeling? Come on! You can lick your fingers... try enjoying that while putting the can into your cart!

Easy-Freeze Peach Pie Filling

The tapioca flour here is key to the consistency in the finished pie, since it isn't affected the same way as cornstarch and flour by freezing. Makes enough for one 10" deep dish pie, or one regular 9" pie and a small peach crisp!

4 lbs ripe, fresh peaches, peeled

3/4 cup raw cane sugar

1/4 cup tapioca flour (not pearls or granules)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Chinese 5-Spice powder (optional, use your favourite spice)

1. Slice peaches into thin wedges, trying to preserve as much of the shape and juice as possible. Place into a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, tapioca starch, salt and 5-spice.
3. Pour over the peaches and toss to coat.
4. Use immediately
   
   OR:

For later pie:

1. Line a pie plate with greased foil. Spoon filling into the foil to the rim of the pie plate.
2. Cover with another layer of greased foil and place in the freezer.
3. When frozen, remove the foil bundle and store in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
4. To use, unwrap (still-frozen) filling and place into prepared pie shell. Top with crust and bake immediately at 375F for 55 minutes.
   
   OR:

For cobbler or crisp filling:

1. Place amount required by the recipe in heavy-duty freezer bags, gently pressing to form a single layer of fruit. Place bags on cookie sheets and freeze solid, then store as desired.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 55.7
Total Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 48.4 mg
Total Carbs: 14.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 0.5 g

You can make anything you want with the filling too, just like with the regular stuff - thawed out, they're delicious spooned over ice cream for an instant summer dessert or made into a simple, fast crisp with an oatmeal topping. To keep with the theme of Marye's blog event Real Food... Real Quick (amen to you for starting that!), I'd pop the crisp into the oven before sitting down to a dinner of grilled vegetable sandwiches.

The sandwiches are pretty dead-simple (and quick!) to put together - but their whole taste relies on the freshness of the ingredients you choose. In the height of summer, sliced zucchini, bell peppers and eggplant topped with fresh, juicy tomatoes are a sure winner, come slightly cooler days of early fall rich onion and earthy mushrooms fit the bill nicely. The tangy, herb and garlic yogurt sauce is reminiscent of Greek tzatsiki, and is delicious both on the sandwiches as well as alongside any grilled meats.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwiches

Serves 4

1/4 cup non-fat Greek style yogurt (like Oikos)

1 clove garlic, crushed through a press

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dill

1/4 tsp paprika

1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise

1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise

2 red bell peppers, sliced into thick strips

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 multi-grain sandwich rolls, split

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

1. Preheat the grill to high heat and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic, oregano, dill and paprika (make ahead: up to 1 day ahead - store covered in the fridge).
3. Drizzle eggplant, zucchini, and peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Place on the grill and cook 3 minutes per side.
5. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, place buns, cut side down, on the grill to toast.
6. Serve grilled vegetables on the toasted buns topped with a few slices of tomato and the yogurt mixture.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 236.5

Total Fat: 9.8 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Sodium: 210.9 mg

Total Carbs: 32.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.2 g
Protein: 7.6 g

So, how do you embrace real food? Drop me a comment and let me know!

A Hobnob With a Hobgob(lin)

I love opening my kitchen to anyone who happens to drop by. Friends, family, friends of friends, kids and pets are all equally welcome in my kingdom of sorts, provided that (most) of the damage incurred is to food and not the furniture! I can even take a decent amount of "damage" to my nerves - after the Boys and Girls Club, I'm pretty sure they're cloaked in neual Scotchgard™! I've even been known to invite some pretty shady characters - some cake-loving devils for instance - and some sweet angels too. But I'd never had a hobgoblin in my fridge, until now.

Mind you, the hobgoblin fit quite comfortably inside there, being a bottle of beer and all. When it came time for me to make my contribution to the Simcoe chapter of the Autism Society of Ontario's Fifth Annual Evening for Autism, I was casting my mind around for ideas as to what to do that was new and unique this time around. There was a request on the books for a similar cake to last year's, so I knew that that would be made, but it wasn't until I saw my dad wearing a shirt from Wychwood Brewery with the imp on it's front that I wondered how it would fare in cake. Ironically, I had bought him that shirt with a bottle of the same beer for Christmas a few years back, for no other reason really than because the logo was neat and hey, the beer came with a shirt! Yeah, that was a real sentimental gift, I tell ya! ;-)

So anyways, I started to search for what the beer actually was supposed to taste like - I know it sounds odd, I mean why not just go crack a bottle and try it myself, right? Well, that nasty little alcohol allergy thing eighty-sixed that kind of plan, but luckily there seem to be some well-worded beer connoisseurs out there that helped clue me in.

Apparently, the brew has coffee, spice almond aromas and a flavour of malt, chocolate, coffee and smoke. Some people claim a caramel or even a toasted bread type of nuance in the bottle. I don't know about you, but these all sound like pretty tasty elements, not the least in a cake! Even the note about "smoke aroma" isn't too far out of left field, really - think of sweet maple or apple wood, or slightly charred marshmallows over a camp fire. Plus, I've used not only smoked salt but liquid smoke in cookies before - remember?

So a new brew for the cake... nice, but I still wanted something really different. Something I'd never used before. Well, to start, I figured I would beef up the chocolate flavour a bit more with a half cup of super-strong espresso. A dig through my pantry cache gave me a few unexpected bonus flavours too - deep, bittersweet Demerara sugar and a bag of previously forgotten malted barley flour! But what to do with the now superfluous 1/2 cup of beer left in the bottle? Well, I would like to say that it was a stroke of genious that brought me to my final plan... but in reality it was really more of a stroke of luck - the Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Cookies show was on, and when I was looking up the recipe for one of the other contestant's cookies, the "White Beer Cookies" by Sean LaFond caught my eye. The directions called for reducing the beer with sweetener to make a syrupy drizzle that wouldn't throw off the dry/wet ratio of the mixture, which would then have the intensified flavour of the ale.

That's when the lightbulb went on for me. I could just combine the leftover hobgoblin with a touch of brown sugar and cook it into a thin beery caramel, then add it to the standard cream cheese filling and masking frosting! It would give that added *punch* to the basic recipe! But it involved a form of one of my greatest fears in the kitchen: hot sugar. For me, hot, sticky mixtures are right up there with boiling oil on the "stay away, far away" list. My track record with it's not stellar - I have a few burn marks on both my skin and some oven mitts to prove that. But hey, I was more experienced in the kitchen now, and if it didn't work out this time for whatever reason I could just junk the mixture and nobody would know!

It did work out though - about 20 minutes simmering on the stove brought about a rich, dark syrup that thickened nicely as it cooled down. It wasn't quite liquid candy-thick, more like pancake syrup, but it had reduced way down and would more than serve it's purpose in flavouring the relatively bland filling.

The rest of the cake-making was pretty standard issue, aside from the new flour and sugar I used and the hit of espresso I threw in! The method stayed the same though, because why mess with a good thing? I've done this cake four times in two and a half years - I know it works. The ganache on top of the whole shebang stayed the same too, because it's pretty hard to change up a mixture of two ingredients that is supposed to be simple. A generous sprinkle of decorator's sugar formed a lush grassy field on the dark chocolate, which I then dotted with candy-covered chocolate pebbles, eventually using them to make a nest for a few malt-chocolate Easter eggs.

So how did it all go over? I wasn't able to attend the evening myself, but I heard back from the organizer that weekend, who extended her thanks for the cake and telling me it's final selling price at the auction - $200! Considering that last year's cake fetched a respectable $120, I was flabberghasted at the increase. I'm thinking that hobgoblin just might have been an angel in disguise!

Hobgoblin's Chocolate Cake

Serves 20

1 1/2 cups Hobgoblin Ale (or similar malty stout beer)

1/2 cup brewed espresso
1 1/2 cups salted butter
1 cup Demerara sugar
1 1/2 cups dark cocoa powder
2 cups flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup malted barley flour
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups full fat sour cream

Filling

1/2 cup Hobgoblin Ale

1 tsp Demerara sugar

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups sifted icing sugar  

 

Poured ganache for finishing

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, grease and line two 9" spring-form pans.
2. In a large saucepan, combine stout and coffee with the butter and bring to a simmer.
3. Stir in brown sugar until blended, simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add cocoa powder, whisking well until the mixture is smooth.
5. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
7. In another large bowl, beat eggs and sour cream together well.
8. Beat in the slightly cooled beer mixture.
9. Fold flour mixture into the batter until everything is completely combined.
10. Bake cakes about 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean.
11. Cool completely in tins before turning out, filling and frosting.

Filling:

1. In a small pot, cook stout and brown sugar over low heat until reduced to 2 tbsp. Chill completely.
2. Cream together the cream cheese, shortening and butter in a large bowl until creamy.
3. Beat in the reduced stout and vanilla, then gradually add icing sugar to your desired consistency.
4. Chill 2 hours before use, store unused portions in the refrigerator or freeze.

Finishing:

1. Slice each cake layer in half horizontally, to form 4 layers. Place one layer on a cake round.
2. Spread with a generous dollop of filling, top with another layer of cake.
3. Repeat until the cake is stacked. Chill until stable, about 1 hour.
4. Coat the cake in a thin layer of the remaining filling/frosting to seal in the crumbs and even the sides, chill until firm.
5. Make the ganache, allowing it to stand 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly, then pour over the cake (placed over a wire rack to let excess run through) in 2 or 3 coats, waiting 5 minutes in between each coat.
6. Decorate as you wish!

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 654.9
Total Fat: 34.5 g
Cholesterol: 117.0 mg
Sodium: 212.4 mg
Total Carbs: 86.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g
Protein: 8.3 g

Dining (Without Dying) – Disney Gets it Right

I had the good fortune recently of spending a week vacationing at Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. Having been there several times over the years since our first family trip there in 1996, I knew I was headed straight for a land of (admittedly) long lines, but also tons of sun, fun, great photo-taking and people watching opportunities. As a foodie, too, Disney World promised a land of all sorts of gastronomic delights. With four theme parks, including the international smorgasbord that is EPCOT’s World Showcase, plus two water parks and a “downtown” shopping and dining district that rivals most cities’, it is truly a land of sensory overload. I have eaten my way through Disney enough times to know the best spots to find everything from breakfasts to desserts, whether it’s a to-die-for chicken Caesar wrap on the fly or an elegant, sit-down three-course dinner. I can pretty much work the World’s food scene with my eyes closed.

Travels in Taste

One of the (many) regions of the world I 've always been enthralled with, and hope to visit one day, is Morocco. From all the tourism and encyclopedia articles I've read and photos I've gawked at, the thought of a land so rich in history, culture, religion and colour begs me to visit. I can't imagine a better afternoon than arriving in Marrakesh and trawling the Bab Doukkala food market, with the opportunity to find anything from perfectly dried fruits, to jars of saffron, or tubs of giant, briny olives. The aromas of this north African land's traditionally known dishes are their own wonders to behold, as are the vibrant shapes and colours of their textiles and ingredients and the distinctive music.

Soup has a certain, inexplicable way of warming the body and soul of anyone who encounters it. It could be any kind, from any region of the world, and the feeling that I can't describe as anything but "comfortable" would be the same. Making soup from scratch (or mostly scratch), whenever you can also a great way to explore the world without leaving your home. For me, it allows my mind to instantly board a plane to anywhere I want to go, wherever piques my interest or holds a special place in my heart, and visit - even just for the afternoon.

My mom shares my love for the unique country (though maybe not as feverishly), especially the colourful clothes and savoury flavours. As a result, the two of us have made the culinary trip a few times - from the ratatouille-like kamfounata, to a spicy and thick stew and even a simple but elegant jewelled couscous pilaf. With our trip coming up along with the promise of a visit to the "Disney Morocco" in EPCOT, I couldn't get the country off my mind! I wanted to capture, as best I could, my favourite nuances of the country - while concocting a delicious and portable meal for my mother's lunchbox.

Moroccan Inspired Vegetable Soup

Serves 10 as lunch

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

5 medium carrots, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tbsp orange zest
6 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup orange juice
1 19 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 19 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 cup Golden Jewel grains blend (I found this at Bulk Barn - it's a mixture of Israeli couscous, coloured orzo, split garbanzo beans and quinoa - feel free to substitute your favourite mix)
5 oz green beans, chopped
Salt, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high flame.
2. Add onion, carrots, pepper and celery. Cook 7-8 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, ginger and prange zest, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in broth, orange juice, tomatoes, tomato paste, curry, cumin, saffron, and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Stir in chickpeas, grain blend and green beans, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until beans are tender.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 198.4
Total Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 872.9 mg
Total Carbs: 37.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g
Protein: 6.6 g

The couscous and orzo in my grain blend add two unique pasta shapes, perfect to send into Presto Pasta Nights! It's being hosted this week by Susan who writes The Well-Seasoned Cook.

When In Doubt, Make Muffins

One of the best things about muffins is that they are pretty much infinite in their possibilities. Add salt, cheese, bacon and onions or herbs and you've got yourself a dinner side, drizzle in maple syrup and nuts for breakfast, or go all-out with chocolate chips and candied fruit for a dessert. Because they're lightning-fast to pull together, too, they're a great vehicle for what I like to call the "use-up" phenomenon. There's nothing better to slake a sweets craving mid-morning than a slightly sweet, dense batter crammed to the brim with spices and fruit!

While at the Club, I made gads of different muffins to stem the tide of all the assorted produce we had from turning all at once. While all of them were eaten one way or another over the weeks, there were a handful of each kind that became favourites with the staff, and forced me to figure out the actual recipes I was making rather than simply tossing ingredients into a bowl and stirring. A couple of trial-and-error episodes later and I hit it on the head (again) with these three apple-packed snacks that went a long way to emptying the giant box!

Eggless Apple - Coconut Muffins

Makes 18

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups soy milk
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 peeled apples, finely diced
1 peeled apple, sliced into 18 wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix sugar, brown sugar, oil, vanilla and milk until well blended.
3. Add both flours, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
4. Stir until just combined, then fold in the coconut and the diced apples.
5. Spoon evenly into muffin tin. Top each cup of batter with 1 apple wedge.
6. Bake 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 138.1
Total Fat: 4.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 38.3 mg
Total Carbs: 25.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 3.4 g

Super Apple Raisin Muffins

Makes 18

5 large apples, peeled & chopped finely
3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 1/4 cups raisins (soaked in boiling water and drained)

1/4 cup oil

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, grease 18 muffin cups.
2. Mix apples, sugar, honey, and raisins in a bowl, let stand 30 minutes.
3. Add oil, vanilla and egg, stirring well.
4. Add flours, baking soda, baking powder and spices to the apple mixture, stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 183.8

Total Fat: 3.8 g
Cholesterol: 11.8 mg
Sodium: 5.4 mg
Total Carbs: 37.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.0 g
Protein: 2.5 g

Wholesome Creamy Apple Muffins

Makes 18

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp pie spice

½ cup cream cheese

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp honey

2 oz silken tofu, pureed

1 cup sour cream

2 large apples, peeled and diced

1/3 cup raisins, soaked in hot water and drained

½ cup toasted buckwheat kernels (kasha)

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F, grease 18 muffin cups and set aside.
2. Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice, set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the cream cheese, sugar and honey.
4. Add the tofu, beating well, then add the sour cream and blend thoroughly. Stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the apple chunks, raisins and kasha.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 166.0

Total Fat: 5.4 g
Cholesterol: 12.7 mg
Sodium: 29.5 mg
Total Carbs: 27.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 3.6 g