Beet Horseradish

The holidays have never held huge amounts of wonder, excitement and longing for me. Unlike most kids I knew growing up, we saw my grandparents (our only relatives in the province) quite regularly - and aside from Christmas gifts once a year, our gatherings were more or less the same. Turkey dinner for Thanksgiving was special not for the meal itself, but for the rituals surrounding it - I learned early on in life to "give the turkey a bath" (i.e. thaw it in the laundry tub full of water) and to both pat it dry and "dance with it" (how my mom used to wrestle it out of the packaging and prepare it for trussing). While Mom did the bird, glazed carrots and infamous cheesy broccoli and cauliflower, what I clamoured for the most was my paternal grandma's mashed potatoes - a recipe that I have (at least according to her current recollection) but have never been able to recreate.

Christmas dinners, though, were my maternal grandparents' domain. While we occasionally had a turkey on the table, more often it was roast beef - my grandpa's favourite and (for him and I) the best excuse ever to down a jar of pickled onions and heaping scoops of pickled horseradish. I've loved horseradish for as long as I can remember, and over the holidays it migrated from on top of roasted meat to inside mashed potatoes, mixed with boiled Brussels sprouts and asparagus and carefully scooped onto sliced Havarti over Triscuits.

Most of the time, our horseradish enjoyment was in the form of the plain, white jarred stuff (but not the creamy kind - blech). However, once every few years, Grandpa would find beet-tinted, freshly made and hotter than heck fresh horseradish at the deli and bring it home. He and I were the only two people at the table that truly loved the stuff, and while I never liked beets on their own growing up, the fresh zip of the radish made the earthy sweetness just work on my tongue.

Today would have been my grandpa's birthday (shame on me, I wouldn't know what year), and while he's not with us in person he's definitely partaking in spirit. In his honour, I dug out my jar of  fresh, homemade, pink-hued horseradish  and scooped out a helping over my roasted sprouts tonight. The garden-harvested produce really brought their A-game to the table, and don't mellow as fast as the storebought stuff, meaning wallops of flavour in every mouthful!

Shared with Gluten Free Fridays

Pickled Red Onions for #SundaySupper Oktoberfest

Someone want to tell me how September is over already? It seems like only yesterday that the kids were hauling their backpacks of brand new binders, books and pencils to school, and now the classrooms (at least mine) are well-broken in and the talk is of Halloween parties and even - gasp - Christmas lists. A summer-worshipper myself, the thought of fully immersing myself in the brisk season of fall is somewhat daunting... in fact, while I love the ideas of fall themed events (apple picking, changing leaves and pumpkin carving), I'm staunchly anti-fall climate and have already piled on the sweaters.

That said, October is quite the month of celebration - obviously, we have Halloween to look forward to (although according to the stores, the holiday has been around the corner since August), but there's also Thanksgiving for us Canadians and for the Bavarian community, the glory of Oktoberfest is here too.

Oktoberfest is the longest running beer festival and traveling fair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Cities all over the world celebrate Oktoberfest with German-inspired food, fun, and, of course, beer. It is a 16-18 day folk festival running from mid-September to the first weekend in October. Having been held every year, for 206 years, since its start in 1810, Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture.

The #SundaySupper team, hosted this week by Cricket of Cricket’s Confections, have banded together to create German-inspired recipes in honour of Oktoberfest. My contribution are these sweet-tangy pickled red onions, which are perfect on spicy brats or in slaws as well as on their own. Gloriously pink, just sweet enough and getting better with age, they're ridiculously easy to make too. I used dried papaya seeds for a boost of bitter-spicy pep. I had read somewhere that they're a good substitute for peppercorns and, while they're a little more on the "sharp" side of the spectrum, I'd have to agree. Obviously, regular peppercorns would work too - and if you can get your hands on pink peppercorns, all the better. While you're supposed to chill these before digging in, I'd be lying if I said I didn't eat forkfuls of these pickled red onions from the jar while still warm. They're that good.

Appetizers (die Vorspeisen)

• German Pancake Soup (Flädlesuppe) by Caroline’s Cooking
• German Potato Pancakes by The Crumby Cupcake
• Homemade Pretzels with Kids by Hardly A Goddess
• Kräuterbutter (German Herb Butter) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Latke and Sauerbraten Poutine by Monica’s Table
• Obatzda – Bavarian Cheese Spread by Sunday Supper Movement
• Warsteiner Fondue by A Day in the Life on the Farm

 

Breakfast (das Frühstück)

• German Apple Pancake by The Chef Next Door
• Peach Fritters by Pies and Plots

 

Condiments (die Gewürze)

• Pickled Red Onions by What Smells So Good?
• Spicy Beer Mustard by Food Lust People Love

 

Main Dish (die Hauptgerichte)

• Bavarian Sausage & Cabbage Soup by Food Done Light
• Beef Goulash Recipe by Positively Stacey
• Beer Mac and Cheese by Moore or Less Cooking
• Berlin Potato Soup by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Bierocks by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
• Bratwurst Sheet Pan Dinner by A Mind Full Mom
• Burgers with Bacon-Sauerkraut Jam by Palatable Pastime
• How to Make Traditional German Sauerbraten by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Oktoberfest Beer Brats by Wholistic Woman
• Oktoberfest Chicken Chili by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Oktoberfest Fondue 3 Ways by Momma’s Meals
• Pork chops with Sauerkraut and Apples by Brunch-n-Bites
• Roasted Apple & Beer Chili For Oktoberfest by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Kebobs w/ a Boiled Cider Drizzle by The Freshman Cook
• Schwenkbraten (Grilled German Pork Chops) by Curious Cuisiniere

 

Side Dish (die Beilagen)

• Fried Potatoes German Style by My Life as a Cookbook
• German Potato Salad by Tramplingrose
• Ginger Beer Sauerkraut by Cricket’s Confections
• Herbed Spaetzle by The Hungry Goddess
• Krautsalat (German Coleslaw) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Oktoberfest Potatoes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Dessert (der Nachtisch)

• Apple Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Kaiserschmarrn Recipe by Plated Cravings
• Nana’s Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Rote Grütze (Fruit Pudding) by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

 
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

A"maize"ing Sweet and Spicy Corn Bread

It's no secret that we love cornbread around here. Granted, given that we are Canadian and all that, we adore the sweeter, "breakfast" or "snack" style cornbread baked in square pans more so than the "real" cast-iron concoctions from the south. Regardless of the style, the first biting days of fall brought not only the first round of seasonal colds and flus through the neighbourhood, but that never-ending "chill" that requires true comfort food to chase away. With chili and stew on the stove, there's nothing better than a sweet and savoury side dish like a hearty cornbread, and this one wound up covering all the bases while staying 100% vegan and low-fat to boot.

Making cornbread is not only a chance to savour a great comfort food, but for us is one of those "transition" recipes we make as summer trudges into fall, mixing the summery flavours of the corn with the more practical, "pantry" formats they can be found in - namely dried (as in cornmeal) and canned. Over the summer, we indulge in fresh, local corn full-force, often picking up extra ears when the farmstands are selling them for 10 cents apiece, shucking and freezing the kernels for the winter's soups and casseroles. I've tried to make "cream style corn" myself, but it never turns out right, and picking up a can is a fast, cheap and easy way to bring a ton of corny flavour and moisture to what is stereotypically a dry quickbread. The other secret to creating a melt-in-your-mouth, moist and tender cornbread is in the yogurt. The acidity tenderizes the whole grains gently without creating a soggy middle, and lends a great flavour on its own. While regular, low-fat (not fat free) Greek-style yogurt will certainly do, I decided to play up the "summer" theme and use a vegan, blueberry flavoured coconut yogurt - not only did the fruitiness taste awesome with the hot pepper jelly that also snuck into the batch, but it lent a great colour along with the blue cornmeal I had on hand.

The pan smelled like Heaven as it baked, and the only thing that stopped me from digging in right away was the fact that a single, piping hot corn kernel meeting my tongue was a feeling I did not quite want to go for. Once room temperature, though, the batch began disappearing mysteriously quickly!

South African Yellow Rice #SundaySupper

If you were to come up to me when I was a kid, even a teenager, and say "you're going to be almost 100% vegan from your 20's and beyond", I'd have thought you were crazy. In fact, I probably would have laughed you off the face of the planet - after all, I lived for rare steak, turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas, the treat of bacon on the occasional special brunch out. However, life (and body chemistry) often has other plans, and now aside from the occasional, small portion of lean fish or seafood, animal proteins are off the menu.

If anything, though, taking meat away simply added a wealth of opportunity for flavour to come into my cooking! My digestion started changing when I was in university - when I couldn't afford much, if any, meat anyways - and rice, pasta, bread, frozen veggies and canned beans became the new "norm" my second year when I no longer had a meal plan. Through friends with similar monetary restrictions but from various ethnic backgrounds, I began to pick up flavour combinations to add to the relatively plain staples. Roasted frozen broccoli, cauliflower and green beans with garlic, onion, chili flakes, cumin and a hint of cinnamon became a filling, flavourful base for leftover rice and lentils, while spiking jarred tomato sauce with what felt like any and every herb and spice from Bulk Barn (all purchased on Student Discount Days) created the go-to condiment for everything my boyfriend and I ate for almost a month - I'd have it spooned over chickpea-filled tortillas zapped in the microwave, mixed with macaroni, broccoli and cottage cheese for dinner, and (for a brief moment when I could eat them) would use it to poach an egg for breakfast.

However, one of the things I never made in the apartment was sweet and spicy rice pilafs. One major reason was that all the recipes I had - from cookbooks, the web and friends - took an hour or more to make, which simply doesn't fit with the "home at 8 and starving" student mentality. The other (and probably more pressing) reason was that the ex did. not. like. dried fruit at all. Not Raisin Bran, not date squares, not cranberry-raisin fruit buns fresh from the bakery. As a result, I got my pilafs from the International Buffet section of our cafeteria in the Student Hall once every couple months, and envied the smells of my classmate's meals as we sat in 3-hour lectures.

Many years and a breakup later, I re-evaluated one of the recipes I was given by the Student Hall during an event for South African Style Rice. Essentially a mixture of sweet and spicy curry infused into Basmati rice and garnished with raisins, it also relies heavily on dried spices as opposed to fresh onion, etc that take time to cook down. Start to finish, I can get a pot on the table in about 30 minutes, with an extra 10 if I add a can of chickpeas (my favourite legume at the moment) to the pot as it simmers. As a bonus, this rice is absolutely divine cold the next day, but also reheats well on the stovetop, in the oven or in the microwave if you want it warm.

World Vegetarian Day is coming up, and to go with it #SundaySupper is providing a roundup of the best veggie-based offerings our team has to offer. Whether you're a lifelong convert or dabbling in Maybe / Mostly Meatless Mondays, You'll find something great!

 

Did you know?

• Some of the reasons people say they have adopted a vegetarian-based diet are to improve overall health, environmental concerns, animal welfare, food safety concerns, and weight loss.
• There are several types of vegetarians: A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy and eggs, in addition to plant-based foods. They do not eat meat or fish. A lacto vegetarian eats the same as a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but does not eat eggs. A vegan eats only plant-based foods. A vegan avoids meat, dairy, fish and any foods with ingredients from animal sources. Some vegans also avoid honey.
• More females follow a vegetarian diet than males do.
• Vegetarians may be prone to vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore, they must make sure that they get enough vitamin B12 through fortified foods or supplements.

Appetizers

• Citrus Marinated Olives by Cricket’s Confections
• Goat Cheese and Red Onion Quesadilla by The Freshman Cook
• Grilled Green Tomato and Mozzarella Salad by Monica’s Table
• Italian Lupini Beans by She Loves Biscotti
• Orange Ginger Carrot Soup by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Entrees

• Butternut Squash Zoodles with Fried Sage Sauce by Home Sweet Homestead
• Caprese Stuffed Roasted Eggplant by Sunday Supper Movement
• Cheesy Cauliflower Cake by Food Lust People Love
• Chipotle Tofu Tacos with Plantain by Caroline’s Cooking
• Glazed Carrot and Quinoa Salad with Crispy Chickpeas by Helpful Homemade
• Green Goddess Mac and Cheese by Moore or Less Cooking
• Mujaddara by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta by Wholistic Woman
• Pumpkin Gnocchi and Spinach with Sage Brown Butter Sauce by The Redhead Baker
• Radical Reuben Sandwich by Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Delicata Squash with Sriracha Aioli by The Hungry Goddess
• Roasted Vegetable Casserole by A Mind “Full”Mom
• Spicy Tofu and Rice Stir Fry by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Strawberry Soba Noodle Salad by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach by Cooking Chat
• Vegetarian Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Veggie Riggies: A Rigatoni Sauté by Hardly A Goddess

Sides

• Caramelized Onions and Cauliflower by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh with Chickpeas by Simple and Savory
• Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice by My Life Cookbook
• Locro de Papa (Ecuadorian Potato Soup) by Curious Cuisiniere
• South African Yellow Rice by What Smells So Good?
• Spiralized Sweet Potato and Apple Sauté with Dates by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Turmeric Hummus Casserole by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Desserts

• Chocolate Orange Beet Cake by Baking Sense
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
• Make Your Children Eat Their Vegetables…in a Cupcake! by The Ninja Baker
• Zucchini Blueberry Coffee Cake by Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Squidgy Superfood Brownies

I never thought I would have as much of a struggle to procure ingredients as I did with these brownies. I had a killer recipe waiting in the wings, with flavours I knew were going to be hits. First of all, it was a brownie recipe, which means one thing was present: chocolate - and lots of it. The other ingredients in the formula promised a fudgier-style crumb, which I adore, and lent great earthy notes that balanced the bitterness of the cocoa and the sweetness of the sugar and Truvia. It's a rarity for me to find a recipe using buckwheat flour that isn't completely gluten free, but the dark, nutty tasting flour kept the total gluten level relatively low in these bars, meaning more fudginess!

But chocolate and buckwheat aside, the ingredient that sealed the deal (and almost drove me batty trying to procure) was roasted, pureed beets. I had planted rows upon rows of the root veggie (and carrots, but that's another sob story) at the beginning of the year, choosing varieties that were known for remaining sweet and tender even at gargantuan sizes, for the major purpose of baking into delicious treats. However, just like when I went to make the Green Thai Curry Paste, day after day I'd walk out to the garden to find my prized heirlooms half eaten while still underground. Forget 20-pound showstoppers, I'd be happy with enough beet left for a salad!

Thankfully, the garden gods eventually smiled on me and granted me a small (in number) but large (in size and flavour) crop of my prized beets. After thinking the only thing I'd be able to make with this year's harvest was a small batch of Blueberry Beet Butter, I finally had enough to make my brownies.

I wasn't disappointed either - the cooled brownies were full of chocolatey flavour and were edged with just enough *something special* to appeal to the "I don't eat dessert" crowd. The texture was fudgy, edging on the slightest bit of squidgy in the centre, and they held together when cut so that they could be individually wrapped for lunches. The large amount of beet puree gave the batch a delicate ruddy colour and - bonus point - kept the added fat down to just ¼ cup for the loaf pan-sized batch. Of course, the perfect brownie (beet or otherwise) relies on a delicate manipulation of temperature for success. My secrets are pretty basic, but boy do they work:

1. Do not, under any circumstances, overbake. In most cases a toothpick will come out with damp crumbs for a fudgy batch

2. Placing the pan of baked brownies directly in the freezer from the oven for 30 minutes, then remove it and bring to room temp.

I have no idea why that second trick works - I took biology, not chemistry in college - but it does. I always make sure I've got enough space in my freezer to stick the hot pan (on a baking sheet if I have to layer on top of something) before I pop a batch in the oven!

What's your favourite type of brownie - fudgy, cakey, somewhere in between? Let me know in the comments!