Getting Back to our Roots

Happy New Year!
The holiday season has kept me very busy in the kitchen.  Many, many cookies were baked for our Organic Cookie and Cider week.  I also baked many loaves of sweet bread for gifts and hosted Christmas dinners, so there was not much time for blogging.  I did however, take many pictures and jotted down plenty of notes about the food I made, that I think will interest you. I will share that, as the year progresses.

I would like to start the year with a focus on getting back to our roots.  So much emphasis is made about diets and things we shouldn't eat. I want to get back to making real food, using real ingredients. The foods we should eat.  For years, families gathered around kitchen tables, enjoying food made from scratch, by family members, from recipes that had been passed down for generations.  Sure, today you can look up a recipe online, but there is something different about the food made with a pinch of this and a pinch of that; and mixed until it looks like "this".  One would only know what "this" was, until someone showed you.

Just before Christmas, I had the pleasure of learning how to make pierogies from our receptionist Zofia's mother-in-law.  Teresa is here visiting from Poland.
Many nationalities have traditional holiday foods that they prepare.  For the Polish, pierogies are made in abundance, at Christmas time. So, I was honored to be able to learn from someone who is an expert.

The Pierogie expert: Teresa

Traditionally, these pillowy dumplings are stuffed with a mixture of potato and farmers cheese. This variety is also called a Ruskie (Russian). Other varieties include mushroom/ sauerkraut (my personal favorite) and sweet varieties like fresh strawberry or wild blueberry.  The sweet pierogies, are usually made in the summer, when the fruit is in season. Teresa taught both Zofia and I, how to make both the mushroom/sauerkraut and the cheese and potato.

To begin we made the filling. We used a specific type of Polish farmers cheese for the cheese/potato variety.

This was mixed with mashed potatoes that were previously, peeled and boiled in salted water. 

 A half of onion is minced and added to the cheese and potatoes.  Then all the ingredients are mashed together with some melted butter. Enough butter is added to make all the ingredients blend well. My guess is about 1 stick. The filing was then ready for use.

Zofia's husband Ralf helped with the mashing.  Pierogie making is a family affair.

For the mushroom/sauerkraut filling, the mushrooms we used were a specific, dried mushroom from Poland. They are called Borowik and they looked like portabellos.  The mushrooms were re-hydrated overnight in a pot of water.  The water was then drained and then the pot was re-filled with water and half of a sliced onion for flavor.  The mushrooms were then boiled until softened.

 The water again was drained and the mushrooms and boiled onion were then minced finely. I brought my emulsion blender, which our Polish pierogie maker had never used.  She did approve of the texture of the mushrooms that the blender achieved for the filling. It was a bit of an old world, meets new world experience. 

Drained mushroom and onions.

Meanwhile the sauerkraut was drained, not rinsed and placed in a skillet with some butter.

German Sauerkraut did the trick.

The finely minced mushrooms were added to the sauerkraut and the mixture was reduced down until it was no longer wet.  Once the filing cooled, it was ready to be used.

Drained sauerkraut

Mushroom and Sauerkraut filing

 Now for the dough. The secret is in the ratio.  
1 part liquid: 3 parts flour and a pinch of salt. 

For the liquid we used 1/2 cup of boiling water and 1/2 cup of milk mixed together with a tablespoon of butter.  ( yes, butter is used a lot in the making of pierogies!) Stir until the butter melts.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add one egg. Then, gently pour the liquid over your mound of flour and egg. Our Polish pierogie expert used a butter knife to cut in the liquid. Mix it in, as you pour.  Stop the addition of the liquid once you have a run-off.  Mix and continue.  Once the flour mixture resembles a loose dough ball, begin to kneed with your hands.

Make a well in the center of the flour.

Adding the warm liquid.

Cutting in the liquid to the flour.

   Knead until dough has a spring back texture to it and all ingredients are combined.  Cut off a section of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface.

  The dough should be thick enough to hold the filing but not too thick or the pierogie will be too heavy.  No recipe can teach you this, you have to learn from experience.  If I was to guess, the dough should be rolled out to about 1/8" in thickness. - Get out your rulers. :)
Once the dough was rolled out, we used the "correct sized glass" as our cookie cutter to press out circles for the pierogies.

When ready to fill, pick up your dough circle and place the filling of your choice in the middle. Fold circle over to match the edges up and crimp dough together to seal it shut.Careful not to get any of the filling in the seam, or it will open when boiled.

The pierogie makers.

As you work through all your dough. Leave the finished pierogies on a covered tray to prevent then from drying out. You can place a clean tea towel over the pierogies until they are ready to boil.
 
When ready to cook them, place the pierogies in a pot of boiling water and cook until the pierogies float to the top. Do not add too many at once or they will stick to each other.  Once floating, remove with a slotted spoon.

Perfectly cooked pierogies.

Minced onions cooking in butter.

Just add onions cooked in butter and eat!

 From here you can eat as is.  Top with onions sauteed in butter and/or a dollop of sour-cream.  Some people also like to fry them, to crisp the pierogies on the outside.  The choice is yours.

Being taught to make pierogies, a traditional polish dish, by a polish grandmother, whom had learned to make pierogies from her mother, whom had learned from her mother before her, made me revisit a few things.

1.  You don't need fancy gadgets and cook wear to make good food.   We used a drinking glass for our measuring device and that same glass was our cookie cutter. Sure there are certain kitchen tools that make things faster and easier but at times they also complicate things.
2.  Making food is an experience.  Yes making real food takes some time and effort and it will mess up your kitchen.  But it is not hard.  Aside from the health differences between homemade food compared to take-out, preparing a meal, especially one for a holiday, is an act of love.  You do it because you want to share that love with others. 
3.  Food is the glue that bonds.  Whether it be Christmas, a birthday or some other holiday, food allows you to share an experience with friends and family.  Food is at the core of every celebration.  You can choose to break bread by opening a package, however the experience is much more profound when that bread is made with love, from those you love.

After many years apart, they make pierogies together!

This year, I encourage you to get back to your roots.  What special dishes did your grandmother make?   What foods became a part of your family traditions?   In this fast paced world, why not slow it down a little.  Let's get back to enjoying Sunday dinner together again.

Coconut Chia Pudding

Ch-Ch-Ch-CHIA!.  If you were a child in the 80's, you probably remember the Chia Pet.  It was a terracotta, animal shaped, figurine that came boxed with a packet of chia seeds.  You spread the seeds onto the figurine and kept the seeds wet.  In a few weeks, they sprouted and gave your chia pet a nice coat of chia "fur." 
Chia seeds; once a sprouted ornament-now a new "health food".  After some reluctance, I decided to give the little seeds a try. 

Alone, they have a similar bite or crunch, as poppy seeds.  They do differ from other small seeds in that they hold up to 12x their weight in water.  Once wet, the Chia seeds form a gel like substance around them; much like tapioca.  Because of this, they are great to use as thickeners in puddings, shakes or smoothies. 

Coconut Chia Pudding
1 14oz can of coconut milk
1/4 cup water
5 Tablespoons of chia seeds
2-4 Tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a glass container with a lid.  Stir until well combined and honey or syrup is dissolved.  Place in fridge overnight to thicken. Add fresh fruit of your choice and enjoy.  Makes 4 servings.  

If not using local, raw honey... it's got to be CANADIAN maple syrup.

Chia seeds

I used 3 Tablespoons of maple syrup and found this to be too sweet for breakfast but this may be a personal preference.  My children loved the sweet pudding as a topping for their usual breakfast of berries, bananas, cinnamon, fish oil and yogurt. 

Chia seeds do have some health benefits.  They are high in fiber. In fact, most of the carbohydrates in the seeds are in the form of fiber.  Chia seeds are also 14% protein by weight and have no sugar.  They have many antioxidants and because of their ability to retain water, Chia seeds can contribute to a feeling of fullness, despite their minimal calories.  That said, I don't think Chia seeds are any more or less healthy than other nuts or seeds. Remember variety is the spice of life.  

Aside from making pudding, chia seeds can be used as you would any other small seed, like poppy or flax.  Chia can be used as a topping for salads, in granola, in smoothies as a "breading" and they can be sprouted and added to your sandwich or salad.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Muffins

We had plenty of zucchini this summer.  Unfortunately, it is not really loved at our house.  We all will eat it, but it isn't exactly requested. It is pretty much flavorless and can easily get mushy when cooked.  And, because there are very few things that irritate me more than throwing  good food away,  I had to find someway to put it to use.  MUFFINS!

  Typically zucchini muffins/bread have so much sugar and oil, the addition of zucchini does not suddenly make them good for you.  I have played with my recipe and find this one to be tasty and still pretty acceptable for the health conscious.

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup whole plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Sift flours, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices into a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix eggs, oil, yogurt, sugar and vanilla until well combined.  Add dry ingredient to the wet and mix.  Add zucchini and walnuts and fold in until well incorporated.  Do not over mix.  Pour into greased muffin liners or into a  parchment lined loaf pan.  Bake at 325 for approximate 12-15 minutes if muffins or 30-40 minutes for loaf.  Allow to cool on wire rack and place in an airtight container.  This will freeze well if storing for later consumption.    

grated zucchini

 With a little grass fed butter, these made a great after school treat for the kids.  And yes, they did request more ZUCCHINI MUFFINS!

Greek Lemon Chicken with Sweet Peppers

I don't know about you, but I love one pot meals. You can prepare many of them ahead of time and pop in them in the oven to cook and be ready in time for dinner.  For me, this is such a time saver.  While dinner is cooking I can enjoy a game of checkers with my son or chase my daughter on her bike. No need stand close by to stir a pot, or have to clean up the mess of my neglect.  With all the busyness of back to school, this is a great one pot wonder. The entire meal takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and will surely satisfy the appetite, when you have that craving for Greek food at the Tarpon Sponge docks.

2-3 lbs of chicken thighs, skins removed
1 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
2 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
generous amount of fresh cracked peppercorns
2 teaspoons oregano
6-8 drops lemon oil ( I used NOW organic lemon oil)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
2 large sweet bell peppers, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion. thinly sliced

Tzatziki sauce 

1 cup of plain whole fat yogurt or plain Greek yogurt 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon of minced garlic, or more if you please
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 Tablespoon fresh
Mix to combine.  Adjust seasonings for personal taste.

Remove the skins from your chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper.  Place brown rice in a deep baking dish.  Mix together vegetable stock, oregano, lemon oil, lemon juice and minced garlic.  Place chicken on top of the bed of uncooked brown rice. Pour stock mix over the entire dish.  Layer mixed layer of peppers and onions over chicken.  
This can be place in refrigerator for up to 12-18 hours before baking.  Place in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until chicken reads 180 degrees on thermometer.  Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed.  Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  More liquid will absorb into rice during this time.  Serve with a generous dollop of tzatziki  sauce.

Sliced green and red bell peppers and onions

Spiced chicken thighs on uncooked brown rice.

Add the vegetable stock, spice and lemon liquid.

Still lots of liquid.  Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Better. Almost done.

Top with a dollop of Tzatziki sauce

Don't get me wrong, with the right combination of ingredients, at the right time, I love to tenderly watch and skillfully develop a wonderful meal for my loved ones.  I am just glad, I can prepare them a delightful meal, without having to be so attentive all the time.  I hope you enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie.   Well it's not really a pie in the traditional sense.  Historically it began as a dish of leftover meat which was baked in a crust of potatoes.  As a kid, I always remembered my parents making it with canned cream of corn (it was the 80's) along with the traditional potato and ground beef duo. This is the one I prepare for our family.  It's an updated, healthier version of the Irish classic. 

One of the biggest differences in this Shepherd's pie is I use either sweet potatoes or butternut squash. No white potatoes in mine.  I guess if you really loved your white potatoes you could use them but I will promise you; you will not miss them once you try this version. 

Ingredients
3 Large sweet potatoes or 1 medium butter nut squash
1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt or butter 
1 package of ground beef
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4-5 large carrots, diced
1 bag of frozen peas
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced or about 1 teaspoon dried
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
coconut oil 

What is so great about this meal, is the make it and done factor.  You can make this ahead and put it in the oven when you are ready to eat.  No watching over a boiling pot, no stirring, no tending to.  This is great for those nights you want to come home and have a great, healthy meal without having to make it fresh. Truly a one dish dinner.

Typically I cook the squash or sweet potatoes ahead of time.  For the sweet potatoes I wrap them in foil and place them in the oven on a baking sheet heated to 400 degrees. Bake until they are done. (about 25 minutes or so)  Don't worry if they are in the oven a little longer.  The smooshier the better.

Baked Sweet Potatoes-Skins removed

Sweet potato skins don't go to waste at our house.

If you are using butternut squash.  Cut it in half and de-seed. Rub with a little coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven heated to 400 degrees. Again, no need to fuss too much if overcooked.  

Once your tubers or squash are done, allow them to cool.  Sometimes I do this step at night and allow the squash or potatoes to cool in fridge until morning.  This makes the potatoes or squash easily slip right off the skin.  Literally, they will fall right off and into a bowl for you. Once the potatoes or squash are in a bowl, add a generous scoop of whole milk yogurt or butter.  This adds a little creaminess to the sweet "crust".

Sweet potato mixed with plain yogurt

In a saute pan, add coconut oil and heat to medium.  Once oil is melted add in diced carrots and onions.  Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until carrots are soft. Occasionally give them a toss to make sure they are not sticking to the pan. Once the carrots and onions are cooked, place them in a bowl and toss in fresh minced garlic and rosemary. Taste and season as needed. 

Cooked carrots, onions, garlic and rosemary

Lana likes to pick the fresh rosemary

In the same pan, brown your meat.  I usually use grass-fed beef or buffalo.  Buffalo is naturally very lean, so when I use the beef I do drain off some of the fat once fully browned.  We eat fat.  Fat is good.  But as with all things-moderation is best. 

Browned Grass fed beef

Drain off a little fat

Once the meat is browned, season to taste and layer it in the bottom of a casserole-type dish. This is the first of 4 layers in my Shepherd's pie. 

Layer 1: Beef Layer 2: Carrots and onions

Next, add your cooked and spiced carrots and onions.  

Then open your bag of frozen peas and sprinkle them over your carrots and onions in an even layer.  No need to cook the peas, they will cook in the final bake.

Layer 2: Frozen Peas

My little helper wanted a pea or two

Finally spread the sweet potato or butternut squash over your layers.  Cover and bake when you are ready to eat.  

My little helper wanted more than a pea or two.Oh no you don't!

Life is rough.

I usually  bake mine at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.  There is no need to fuss too much with the perfect bake time.  It has so much moisture in it, you could bake it for 1 hour and it will not dry out. ( Not that I have tried.  At least not on purpose.)

Jam packed with flavor and loads of nutrients.  This could be one of your new go-to recipes.  Once you have made it for the first time, you can do it with your eyes closed there-after.  Really you can.