Warm Dandelion Salad with Fried Shallots

Some weeks we have salad every night of the week. This wasn't one of those weeks- frozen veggies were our super heros for the last day or two, saving us a trip to the store for fresh veg when everyone was sick and tired.

Then we went outside.

We were refreshed by the spring air. I was happy to see things coming up in the garden -kale, garlic, lettuce and some rhubarb. But it looked like nothing was ready to eat. Then we spied some young dandelions growing on the side of the house.

We grabbed the scissors and the kids got cutting. What resulted was a container full of spring's fresh and free greens- dandelion leaves mixed with just a little chickweed for good measure.

Some time ago I read that the classic dandelion salad is one made with a warm bacon dressing. I tried that with some organic turkey bacon at the end of last year's dandy season and it was quite successful. The kids and husband liked it. My mother, however, refused to eat weeds.

This time I wanted something vegetarian with some texture and tastiness. I happened to have some shallots from the farmer's market this week, so they made their way into the salad.

The results were tastier than I am capable of explaining in words. We fought over the scraps in the kids' salad bowls. I tried to record it pictorially but it ended up looking like dandelion and worms. Fitting perhaps? I guess it depends on how you feel about eating weeds from your yard.

Warm Dandelion Salad with Fried Shallots

Some salad recipes with fried shallots insist on them being deep fried. Sauteing them over higher heat gives them a nice texture with a little crispness and a little tenderness that mixes well with the dressing.

3-4 cups washed, dried and roughly chopped dandelion leaves

1 cup cross-sliced shallots (approximately 3-4 large shallots sliced in circles)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste

1. In a medium-sized frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the sliced shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes until browning but not burnt, adjust heat if needed.

3. Add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Toss warm dressing over dandelion greens. Season with salt, starting with 1/8 tsp and adjust to taste.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

I found this recipe in a cookbook called "Simply Organic". Within the pages of this cookbook you will find some inspired recipes with a focus on seasonal specialties.

This recipe was adapted from their recipe for Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies. I usually double the recipe and add a little less sugar because it is naturally sweet from the applesauce and raisins. I also add a little less applesauce so it is a little more cookie-like than the original recipe which seems more cake-like in texture.

These are a great packable (and nut-free) snack. They are great as a "breakfast cookie" because they are packed with delicious and nutritious oats. They are also enough of a treat to be packed in a school lunch or enjoyed with afternoon tea.

Here is my version...

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
Due to the applesauce and moisture content, these tend to be cakey in texture. I make these quite small so they can retain some crispness. This recipe makes a whole bunch, about 90 small cookies. These are great to keep in the freezer- to throw in lunches at the last minute. If you have only unbleached flour or only whole wheat flour, you can use 2 cups of whatever you have.

1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1 /2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until mixed through. Add oats and stir with wooden spoon.
3.. In bowl of stand mixer, or with hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Stir in oat mixture.
4. Scoop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. You can leave them rounded or you can press them down slightly with a wet fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just starting to turn golden.
5. Remove to cooling rack and cool thoroughly before freezing.

Cough Syrup & Soothing Tea

Right now 3 out of 4 in our family have been down fighting a cough and cold.

I remember when my daughter was younger and I would dose her up with a toddler's cough syrup just like when I was a kid. The bright orange stuff. Yes, it would temporarily help with the symptoms (it would knock her right out) but it wouldn't make the cold disappear.

Jump to the year 2011 and now that I know better, I am trying to find ways to soothe our family naturally when they are feverish, coughing and runny all over. Honey, lemon and ginger are great natural healers that have been used for hundreds of years. Honey has natural anti-bacterial properties and ginger is known to help with healing respiratory issues. Lemon is full of vitamin C and is also natural antiseptic. All good things when you are sick but also good preventative measures.

This really isn't a recipe but it is a way to keep some handy goodness in the fridge for when you need it right away. This little concoction is known to help both the wee ones and the big ones in the family. I like how it can be used by the teaspoon and they can feel like mommy is doing something to help them immediately. I also like how it is readily available to mix a couple tablespoons full into a cup or mug of warm water to make a soothing drink. The idea is that it is handy to have ready and waiting.

Cough Syrup & Lemon Tea Concentrate
Take this by the spoonful as a cough syrup or add to some warm water for tea. If your family is adverse to ginger, just use the honey and lemon mixture to start and add just a little ginger at a time. This keeps in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

1/2 cup unpasteurized organic honey, warmed if soilidified
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 4 large lemons)
2" piece of ginger, peeled and grated with microplane grater
*optional: fresh herbs such as sage, thyme, and lemon balm

I make this two ways. If it is for me, I add the raw honey, lemon juice and grated ginger in a jar and shake it up. I love the little pieces of ginger in it. My kids aren't so fond of ginger pieces so for them, I grate it and pour a tbsp of boiling water over the grated ginger and then strain it back into the lemon and honey mixture.

If you want to add some healing herbs, add a few sprigs of each to a small saucepan and add a few tbsp of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let steep and then add to the lemon/honey/ginger mixture.

Lemon Lentil Spinach Soup

We went to a restaurant recently that served up the most delicious lentil soup made with preserved lemons.

That tangy lemon flavour came to mind when I had some lentils that I wanted to soup up. But I didn't have preserved lemons to work with (this will change shortly!), so I set to work recreating that soup with just lemon rind and lemon juice.

Although this soup can be made just with water, vegetable broth gives it a nice richness. Since I don't always have homemade vegetable broth, I always ensure that I have some organic vegetable bouillon cubes on hand. So handy. Just a little bouillon adds a lot of flavour when you don't have the time to slow cook food. You could say that bouillon is my magic ingredient in the kitchen.

This is a really nourishing soup with just a touch of spring's greens to add some colour and texture. I hope you like it as much as we do.

Lemon Lentil Spinach Soup
You can just use just water for this recipe but you may need to add more salt to flavour. If you decide to use a little broth or bouillon to add richness, just add a little as too much will overwhelm the delicate lemon flavour. You can remove the lemon rind at the end if you want, but I like the lemon flavour and leave it in! If you want to remove the peel, try to peel it off the lemon in big long pieces as they will be easier to remove from the soup at the end.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups green lentils or French green lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 lemon, rind peeled with vegetable peeler, and juiced for 2-3 tbsp juice (or more to taste)
3/4 tsp- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable bouillon or broth (I use two organic vegetable bouillon cubes with 4 cups water)
2 cups chopped greens (spinach and arugula are a nice combo)

1. Saute onion in olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add celery and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add lentils, parsley, large pieces of lemon rind, salt, pepper and water/broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes. Remove lemon rind if desired.
3. Add lemon juice and chopped greens. Cook for another few minutes until greens are wilted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.

Seed & Fruit Crackers

I have a current addiction to seed crackers and apricot-studded stilton. Not the healthiest or cheapest addiction to have but likely better than smoking or drugs, so I guess I can take some solace in that.

The crackers that I have bought in the past are expensive so I decided that I would try to make them myself. I searched the cracker company's name and "recipe" and many recipes pop up. Most are very similar as they consist of a flour and buttermilk base with a bunch of seeds, nuts and fruit thrown in.

I followed the recipes fairly closely, with just a few minor revisions, but used what seeds, grains and dried fruit that I had on hand. (This is a great way to use up raw seeds and nuts as they tend to go stale quickly.) The results were truly amazing! Millet was also a very nice addition to the cracker as well.

A friend came over and wondered why I had put the store bought crackers in the jar. When I told her they were homemade, she immediately demanded the recipe (shared addiction).

From reading the recipe, you might think this is alot of work, but it really isn't. You can throw the dough together in five minutes. The baking takes up most of the time. Start baking them a day ahead and throw the loaves in the freezer until you are ready to cut and bake them. You will be rewarded with tons of crackers to keep and some to share for a fraction of the cost of bought crackers.

These are best spread with soft cheeses and served with a glass of wine! Time to get that stilton out...

Seed & Fruit Crackers

Makes about 100 small crackers

I am sure you could use nearly any variety of seed-nut-fruit combinations to come up with an amazing cracker using this basic formula. Do not use sugar-sweetened craisins in this as they would be much too sweet for this recipe. The most important part of the process is ensuring that your crackers are thin and uniform in size when cutting them, about 5 mm is a good size. If you have different sized crackers, try to keep them together on the pan and remove the thinner ones before they burn. If you use cooking spray, you may want to use that to ensure easy removal from the pan. I use cooking oil and they eventually come out!

2 cups unbleached flour (I've used up to half whole wheat flour successfully)
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves (crushed a bit with a mortar & pestle or chopped)
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cups raisins or dried cranberries, or a combination of both is nice
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup millet or sesame seeds (similar size and texture, both can be used with good results)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (green hull ones)
2 cups buttermilk (or set aside 2 cups of milk + 2 tbsp vinegar for a few minutes, then take out 2 tbsp)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 4 mini loaf pans (smaller pans result in regular sized crackers) or 3 regular loaf pans (more rectangular in shape) with cooking spray, oil or butter and flour (most recipes recommend cooking spray).
2. Combine flours, soda, salt, rosemary & pepper in a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer.
3. Add sugar, seeds, fruit and nuts and stir to combine.
4. Add 2 cups buttermilk and stir until mixture is combined.
5. Divide batter into 4 mini loaf pans or 3 regular loaf pans and bake until cooked through, about 28-30 minutes for mini loaf pans to about 30 minutes for larger loaf pans.

6. Remove from oven, remove from pans and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack. When cool, place in freezer for ease of cutting. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

7. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. When frozen, slice loaves as thinly as possible with a serrated knife. Place in single layer on baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes-20 minutes. Rotate pans, turn over and bake for another 15-20 minutes  (the thicker they are, the more you will be closer to the 20 minute mark, keep an eye on them at the end!) Make sure the crackers turn a dark brown tone (not burnt, but more like rye bread in colour) and are entirely crisp. Let cool to room temperature and store in glass containers or mason jars.

Frenched Portobello Mushroom Soup

This was another one of those recipes that started with just what I had kicking around.

A couple portobello mushrooms, some leftover wine, and some vegetable broth that I recently made, were sitting in the fridge awaiting an inspiration.

It was a creation of necessity. But it was also a creation of love, as my husband is the main mushroom eater of the family. I like to experiment with new ways of serving them but I am not entirely fond of them myself. I was surprised how fragrant and hearty this simple soup turned out.

The richness was remniscent of French Onion soup and so I had to top it, in French fashion, with gruyere toast. A delightful way to serve this brothy mushroom soup.

Frenched Portobello Mushroom Soup
EASY
Makes 2 small bowls of soup
I made this with my some vegetable broth I had in the fridge that was made with all the leftover veg at the end of the week (some onions, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, and potatoes). I added a touch of soy sauce for richness of colour and flavour and it worked wonders with this soup. If you are using store-bought vegetable broth, perhaps add a teaspoon of soy sauce to get that same richness. This makes only a small portion of soup, so be sure to double it if you have more people to serve. You could substitute organic beef broth for the vegetable broth for a richer soup.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp fresh)
1/4 cup good quality red wine ( I used an organic merlot)
2 cups vegetable broth (homemade or store bought, with or without a tsp of soy sauce)
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
french or peasant bread
grated gruyere cheese

1. Saute garlic in oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add chopped mushrooms and saute until slightly wilted and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in thyme. Add red wine and cook for another minute.
4. Add vegetable broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
5. Preheat broiler and place 2 slices of bread on baking sheet with grated gruyere on top. Broil until golden.  Ladle soup into bowls and top with gruyere toasts.

Banana Chocolate Phyllo Rolls

What can you do with just a few sheets of phyllo left in the package? Usually I would say not much.

I decided that I would attempt some kind of dessert. I grabbed a couple bananas and some dark chocolate that I had hidden in the cupboard. As soon as my daughter saw the chocolate, she was suddenly very interested in helping with dessert.

What resulted was entirely delicious. Almost like a spring roll, they were easy to make and far too easy to eat.

Phyllo makes this a fun way for kids to get involved with making dessert, helping prepare the chunks of banana and chocolate before rolling them up in whatever fashion they choose. No matter how you make them, they still manage to look like an exotic dessert when you add some decorative flourishes- you might want to add a touch of chocolate sauce and some mini scoops of ice cream. Or maybe just some cut up fruit and yogurt.

Although this might be the recipe to use up that extra phyllo dough, it is also good enough to warrant buying some phyllo just to make it!

Banana Chocolate Phyllo Rolls
EASY!
Makes 9 small rolls
These can be served warm from the oven or when cooled. They are really quite delicious with a touch of ice cream but I am sure some greek yogurt would make a nice accompaniment too. You can make these any shape you desire (see package for directions), but we like the "spring roll" shape. For some added crunch, you could sprinkle with a touch of sugar before baking. You could make this vegan by using dairy-free chocolate (such as Cocoa Camino) and using a mild vegetable oil to brush the pastry.

100 gram (3 1/2 oz) bar organic semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped (or a bunch of chocolate chips in a pinch)
2 bananas, cut in half lengthwise and into thirds the other direction
1/4 cup melted, unsalted butter
approximately 6 sheets of phyllo, defrosted in fridge or at room temperature for 4-6 hours

1. Place on sheet of phyllo on large cutting board or counter top. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush melted butter on pastry. Place another sheet on top and brush that with butter as well. (Wrap remaining pastry in damp *not wet!* kitchen towel so it does not dry out).
2. Cut pastry into 3 pieces lengthwise. Place one piece of banana on bottom end of pastry and sprinkle with a tablespoon of chopped chocolate. Fold in a little bit on both sides of pastry (lengthwise) and begin rolling up tightly until at the top.
3. Place on baking sheet and brush with butter. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Can be refridgerated (or frozen, if longer term storage is required) until ready to bake.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. If desired, cut on a diagonal and serve atop drizzled melted chocolate or chocolate sauce.

Stinging Nettle-kopitas

Recently I was lucky enough to join a friend and some other local foodies for a spring ritual- nettle picking.

Last year this same friend brought me a big bag full of nettles and suggested that I add them to a basic potato soup and treat them like spinach. I tried that and I also tried it in rice pilaf.

She also reminded me to wear gloves as they can produce quite a sting until they are cooked. I forgot. The sting persisted in my left thumb for just short of 48 hours. Needless to say, I won't ever forget again. 

That experience taught me two things: nettles may require some special treatment but nettles are also delicious. They are worth the hunt. They are a free source of food and super nutritious- full of vitamins and high in protein. Nettles can be used in any recipe to replace cooked spinach. They really are a locavore's treasure.

I've since read that nettles can be used as a tea, a hair rinse (for shiny, dandruff-free hair), a treatment for arthritis and have potential to help those suffering with eczema. 

Last week I was at a local food talk where the speaker brought in nettle spanokopita. It was amazing! I didn't even think to try that with the nettles! I asked for her tips on making it and she said to use fresh dill and use cottage cheese in place of some of the ricotta. I went home on a mission to replicate her tasty nettle-kopitas.

If you attempt this recipe, be sure to use gloves while harvesting, washing and chopping the nettles. Please learn from my mistake...and it isn't that bad as I am planning the next nettle excursion soon!

P.S. Stay tuned for how to use up leftover phyllo pastry.

Nettle Spanokopita
If you can't harvest some nettles, use spinach in this recipe and it will be just as tasty! This recipe works well in phyllo pastry but I imagine it would be great as a pasta filling as well (you may want to add an egg for a pasta filling though). I prefer to use olive oil for brushing on my phyllo as it is easier to work with (doesn't harden over time) but butter gives it a tasty crust. Also, you can make any shape of phyllo you prefer (use the phyllo box as your guide!) You can make the large ones that you often see in restaurants, or make small appetizer-sized ones like we do. I usually freeze some for later use.

Filling:

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups washed and chopped nettle leaves (use your gloves!) or spinach

2 tbsp minced fresh dillweed (or 1 tbsp dried)
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup cottage cheese (I used 2 %)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Phyllo:

Approximately 1/2 package of phyllo pastry, thawed in fridge or room temperature for 4-6 hours

1/4-1/2 cup Olive oil or melted butter, for brushing

1. In a large saute pan, heat 2 T oil and 1 T butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until onion is softened and golden. Add garlic and saute for another minute or two.

2. Add nettles, dill and lemon juice and saute until nettles are cooked (i.e. wilted) and the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a bowl, combine cheeses, salt and pepper. Add nettle mixture. Stir to combine.

4. Prepare workspace for making phyllo- get a large cutting board (or countertop if you can cut on it), a pastry brush, a damp kitchen towel and your oil or melted butter.

5. Open the box of phyllo and unroll the dough. Place one sheet of pastry on the cutting board and brush lightly with oil. Place another sheet of pastry over top of the other and brush that one also with oil. (Cover the remaining dough with the plastic wrap included and a damp towel over top to keep it from drying out.)

6. Decide what shape you want your phyllo by following directions on box. If you like small, appetizer-sized triangles as we do, cut the pastry into 5 equal pieces lengthwise. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling at the bottom of each piece and fold up triangle-style until you get to the top. Fold over (or cut remaining pastry at the top) and place on lined baking sheet. Brush top with oil.

7. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling.

8. If desired, these can be refridgerated or frozen at this point until ready to use. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until puffed and golden.

9. Serve with tzatziki or yogurt dill sauce (see Zucchini Pancake post).

Real Hot Cocoa

For most of my life I knew hot chocolate as something that came out of a tin with a flower on it. You mixed it with water. It was full of ingredients that I couldn't pronounce- mono and di-glycerides? dipotassium phosphate? silicon dioxide? Not to mention other nasties like hydrogenated oils, corn syrup and modified milk ingredients.

I know some people crave convenience over anything else but this is where I put my foot down. Milk and cocoa aren't even in the top ingredients in this "hot chocolate mix"! Sugar, corn syrup and hydrogenated oils top the ingredient list. Where are the milk and cocoa? (Hint: look further down the list!)

Cocoa in its purest form is really a health food. A study at Cornell University found that cocoa had more antioxidants per cup than either tea or red wine. Apparently heating the cocoa released even more of those disease-fighting compounds.

I, too, like things that are convenient but I prefer to find ways to make things convenient instead of always buying "convenience". My "instant" cocoa can be made in a minute or two. This version is healthier and tastes better than those packaged varities. You may never go back.

(Please note: This is called Hot Cocoa because it contains cocoa, and it is quick and convenient. If you desire a real "hot chocolate", add grated pure chocolate into milk warming in a saucepan).

Real Hot Cocoa
Get your hands on some good organic cocoa or another dark, dutch-processed, cocoa. My pick is always Cocoa Camino. You may find that you like more cocoa or more sugar than I use, after some trial you will find the ratio that works for you. Don't skip mixing the cocoa into boiling water, as it makes it "bloom"- intensifying the flavour of the cocoa. Agave syrup also works well as a sweetener here.

1 tbsp organic cocoa, or to taste
1 tbsp cane sugar or sweetener, or to taste
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup milk
*optional add-ins: a pinch of cinnamon, a small drop of organic vanilla or peppermint flavouring

1. In a mug, combine cocoa, sugar and boiling water. Mix thoroughly until no lumps remain.
2. Add hot milk, or add cold milk and microwave mug for approximately one minute. Stir and sip away!

Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Zucchini seems to be one of those foods that is a "flavour carrier". This fruit, most often treated like a veggie, doesn't have much personality on its own but when it is combined with other foods, flavours and textures, it can be delicious.

This dish is great served as a lunch or brunch item with a beautiful green salad, or it can be a tasty appetizer.

The yogurt dill sauce really carries this recipe. Don't attempt to serve the pancakes without it or you will be sad. Or maybe your zucchini will be sad. It will definitely look sad.

Either way, just heed the advice. You will be greatly rewarded.

Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Dill Sauce
This can be whipped up in just a few minutes and is a lovely break from an ordinary lunch.

Yogurt Dill Sauce
This sauce can be prepared ahead of time for the flavours to blend but doing it at the last minute is fine as well.  Extra sauce can be used as a dip for veggies or home fries. You can also thin it with milk to make a creamy and delicious salad dressing.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (non fat works great)
1 tbsp lemon juice (or half a lemon juiced)
1 tsp dried dill (or 2-3 tsp chopped fresh)
1/2 tsp microplaned garlic, or finely minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper, or to taste
1. Stir together all ingredients in small bowl. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Zucchini Pancakes
Makes approximately 8- 3" pancakes to serve 2-3 people.
You will want to double the recipe if you are feeding a family. If you are avoiding wheat, spelt flour works fine in place of unbleached flour.

2 cups grated, packed zucchini (from approximately 2 small zucchinis)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp unbleached flour
1 egg or 1 egg white, lightly whisked
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
*optional: 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1-2 tbsp grapeseed or sunflower oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place baking sheet inside.
2. Toss together grated zucchini and salt. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
3. Combine flour, egg white, salt, pepper and parsley, if desired, in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Take half of zucchini mixture and squeeze it very hard between your hands to release as much liquid as possible. Place dry zucchini into bowl with flour and egg. Repeat with other half. (FYI-You should have approximately 1/2 cup of liquid released). Stir together mixture.
5. Heat 1/2- 1 tsp oil in large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, spoon about 1/8- 1/4 cup batter onto skillet, lightly pressing down to smooth it out. Cook for apprximately 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown, moving them to the oven to keep warm until serving. Serve with yogurt dill sauce.

The "Forever" Chicken Soup

I sometimes think people don't really know me. Or "get" me.

But then I get a container of homemade chicken stock, with a recipe tucked in with it, delivered to my door when the kids were sick.

My friend, I love you. You know that what matters in life takes time. You know that giving someone something you've made is one of the best gifts you can give. And you know that something this delicious needs to be shared.

I requested the recipe and she told me where she had found them. She said that this is her "forever" chicken soup recipe and I can taste why. It has amazing depth of flavour that you could never get out of a container of chicken broth from the store. It was so entirely fragrant that this not-entirely-vegetarian tasted it. And it was wonderful.

We share this recipe because it must be shared and given to those you love. (Not just when they are sick, but especially when they are sick!)

To get this unbelievable soup, it is really a three-part process- roasting the chicken, making the stock and then making the soup. Of course, you can skip to just making the soup- just make sure to use the best quality store-bought broth you can get your hands on. My pick: Imagine Organic Chicken Broth (it actually has carrots, onions and celery as ingredients- unlike their counterparts).

I'm not a chicken expert, so I asked my foodie friend Bri to share her experience. The words that follow are hers. We also thank Kyrie who has the wonderful blog, aresohappy, for letting us reprint her recipe for chicken stock. They both recommend putting leftover chicken carcasses into the freezer until you have the three required for the stock. That would take me a little while to gather and I don't have much freezer space, so I might just half the recipe when I make it.

Everyday Roast Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Slice two onions into four thick slices, place on bottom of big ovenproof pot.
3. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Liberally salt and pepper cavity of chicken. Slice a lemon and a head of garlic in half crosswise, stuff into cavity with a large handful of fresh thyme.
4. Brush outside of chicken with approximately two tablespoons of melted butter (or if you have reserved bacon fat, I HIGHLY recommend using that, because it’s delicious). Liberally salt and pepper outside of chicken.
5. Pop it in the oven for 90 minutes.
6. When it comes out, let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you carve- 25 is better. Juicy and yum.

Chicken Stock (based on aresohappy blog)
If you want to see Kyrie's original post, check it out:
http://aresohappy.squarespace.com/home/2010/10/2/2-october.html

Place in your biggest stockpot:
3 chicken carcasses
6 carrots, chopped in thirds
4 celery ribs, chopped in thirds
1 head of garlic cut in half crosswise
1 large handful dill
1 large handful thyme
3 onions, cut in fourths
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. Fill pot with water to within an inch of top, bring to a boil, turn all the way down to the lowest simmer. Allow to simmer at least four hours (I like to let it go overnight). Don’t stir.
2. When it’s done, strain out the solids and discard. DON’T do what I did the first time I made stock, which is strain into a colander in the sink and let your stock go literally down the drain. Do yourself a favor and remember to put a POT under your colander. Hehehe.
3. You have a couple of options at this point. One, you can use it right away after skimming the fat off the top. Two, if you don’t want to use it right away, put it in the fridge overnight and then the fat will solidify on the surface and you’ll be able to take it off a lot easier.

You’ll notice that this stock, when refrigerated, will gel. You want this! This is good! It means that the gelatin from the bones has leached out into your stock, and natural gelatin is so good for you, especially if you have any sort of intestinal upset. When we’re sick we drink this like tea. It’s liquid gold, I tell you. My gorgeous, delicious, nutritious cure-all. Here’s hoping it works this time and we’re all better within a day or two.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill
(Michelle's note: fresh dill and fresh ginger are imperative! Our family left out the extra chicken and just had a veggie-noodle combo and it was unbelievable!)

10 cups chicken broth, homemade or reduced-sodium canned
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces dried egg noodles (3 cups)
4 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
1. Bring broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, ginger and garlic; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Add noodles and chicken; continue cooking until the noodles are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in dill and lemon juice.

Kale and Romaine Salad

It was a marriage of convenience.

I had only a little romaine lettuce and only a little kale. On their own, nothing to talk about. But together, they sang a song of sixpence...

Yes, you need to serve this with the recommended dressing. It is really the only way to go.

Kale and Romaine Salad
Some  grated carrot would be nice if you want to add some colour.

equal portions of both:
kale, washed, ribs removed, chopped into 3 cm pieces
romaine lettuce, washed, chopped into 3  cm pieces


Green Girl Dressing
 This is strictly for parsley lovers. I've been known to use Honey Greek Yogurt in a pinch (not using adding any sweetener) and it works well. If you have dressing leftover, use as a veggie dip!
1/4 cup greek yogurt (or other thick yogurt)
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or more if desired!)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp ground pepper, or to taste
*sweetener optional: 1/2 tsp honey or agave syrup, or to taste

1. Place all ingredients in a blender (or use hand blender, as I do) until it is a pale green colour and there are only small bits of parsley visible.
2. Toss dry lettuce and kale leaves with a small amounts of dressing until it reaches your desired amount.

Vanilla Earl Grey Love: Cookies and Pudding

“There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be diminished by a nice cup of tea.” ~Bernard- Paul Heroux

I can't agree more! When I recently read a study about how black tea can actually help us recover from stress, I felt much better about my afternoon tea ritual.

It always includes a cup of my favourite tea- T's Vanilla Earl Grey and it sometimes includes a special treat.

Here are two recipes that highlight this delicious tea. The pudding is lovely for afternoon tea or as an after-dinner dessert. Serve whipped cream in a little creamer to add to the whimsy.

The shortbread cookies are wonderfully scented by the tea and seem to improve with age. I have given them as gifts, packed them into used tea containers with a little packet of looseleaf tea inside- the tea provides an extra whiff of beautiful bergamot and vanilla when the recipient opens it!

*The additional vanilla in these recipes is optional, as the tea does have a lovely vanilla flavour. If you do want to add it, make sure you use organic vanilla as the artificial vanillas are sure to add off-flavours to these recipes.

Vanilla Earl Grey Pudding

Makes 4 puddings
This recipe is based on an Earl Grey Pudding by Anna Olson. The main difference is that I use more vanilla earl grey looseleaf tea and omit the additional vanilla as it is wonderfully scented without it. If you really love vanilla, you can add it to the whipped cream too.

2 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp looseleaf vanilla earl grey tea
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cane sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch (my preference: organic or GMO free)
*optional: 1/2 tsp organic vanilla

1. Bring 2 cups milk and tea leaves to a low boil over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the milk. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Strain tea leaves out using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Pour milky tea back into clean pot and keep warm over medium heat.
2. Combine 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl until dissolved. Add to warming milk tea and whisk constantly until slightly thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Pour into custard cups or tea cups and refridgerate for at least an hour.

Vanilla Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

This recipe is based on a Martha Stewart Earl Grey shortbread cookie. I think mine is better. You can use a coffee grinder (wiped clean!) or try a blender to grind the tea. I usually double this recipe to share with friends. This cookie keeps for weeks and tastes even better with age!

1 cup unsalted butter (preferrably organic or cultured, European-style butter)
1/2 cup icing sugar
*optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp finely ground vanilla earl grey tea leaves (start with approximately 3 tbsp tea leaves, process for about 5 seconds, or until there are no large tea leaves visible)

1/2 cup coarse sugar or turbinado sugar

1. Beat butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add vanilla if desired.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground tea leaves. Add to butter mixture and mix until the dough comes together.

3. Divide dough into 2 portions and place each portion on a large rectangle of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log about 16 cm long, 4-5 cm in

diameter. (It should be about the length of a large soup spoon). Wrap well and place on cookie sheet and refridgerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place coarse sugar on large, flat plate or another flat pan. Unwrap log and place under running water for 3 seconds. Roll in sugar, pressing it into the log as you roll.

5. With a large sharp knife, cut log into 1 cm wide coins. Place on cookie sheet, each cookie about 5 cm apart from the others. Bake for approximately 12 minutes. (If you are baking 2 sheets at the same time, rotate your pans at 6 minutes). Let cool for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

6. When cool, place in jars with lids.

T's Vanilla Earl Grey also makes the best London Fog!

Have I sold you on Vanilla Earl Grey Tea yet?

You can buy it from my favourite tea company:

http://www.tealeaves.com/

The beautiful mug?

http://www.hornofplenty.ca/

Grandma Manky's Crackled Gingersnaps

This recipe is an homage of sorts.

To whom? A grandmother that I only knew for a short time.

I have only a few precious, yet fleeting, childhood memories- big family dinners with everyone gathered around her table (always cascading with delectable food), tea time with grandma in her kitchen and sitting on the back steps in the sun with her.

I am also lucky to have her recipes. A few in her writing, often scribbled on lined paper that are now stained and brown with age (I imagine she probably copied them from a friend or the newspaper, as I often do!) And other recipes passed down to me by way of my parents and my dear aunts.

I'm pretty sure that this recipe is beloved by everyone in the family. It is a long-standing Christmas-baking tradition. I always wonder why I wait that long to make something so good and so full of memories.

Yes, I had to alter the recipe, as I always do, but this time just a little. I refuse to use her fat of choice- shortening- but butter is a fine substitute. I strain to hear her voice in this recipe so I can't change it too much.

Other than that, this is grandma's recipe. There may be other versions floating out there in our family (or your family) but this one reminds me of being with her, dunking cookies into my afternoon tea, and watching the chiming Black Forest cuckoo clock intently. I must get one of those...

Grandma's Crackled Gingersnaps
If you like a thicker, more chewy cookie, you don't have to press it down with the bottom of a cup- leave it in a small ball.

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses (I like blackstrap)
1/4-1/2 cup more sugar for coating

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
3. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add egg and molasses.
4. Scoop out a heaping tablespoonful, roll into a ball, roll in coating sugar and press down lightly with the bottom of a cup.
5. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes depending on how crisp you like them.

No Bake Asteroid Cookies

I am sure we all remember making no bake cookies in home ec class. They were tasty but so full of sugar they probably propelled our blood sugar levels to outer space and back!

I love the idea of an oatmeal and chocolate cookie that is so easy to make but I didn't like all the sugar that was in them.

I also wanted to make something that the kids could take as a treat to school. But it would need to be free of nuts because of severe nut allergies at school, so peanut butter was out.

This cookie got a mint green makeover. It now has half the sugar, it is made with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter and I threw in some other little bits of goodness- wheat germ, flaxmeal and dried apricots.

I am positive that this recipe can accomodate your additions too- if you can't have wheat, try adding all flaxmeal instead of the wheat germ. Dried apple or some seeds might be nice in this too. You could also try to reduce the sugar even more if you so desire. I keep these small, so I am not too concerned about the amount of sugar that is in them.

Even if you never make cookies, you can make these. They are super easy. You really can't go wrong with this one.

I asked my kids what we should call this cookie and we decided on asteroids. It seems a fitting name, given their shape- and a taste that is out of this world!

No Bake Asteroids
The apricots are optional but they really taste great with this combination of ingredients.

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup pure cocoa (Cocoa Camino is my fave)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter, if you prefer)
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ

1. In a medium saucepan, heat butter, sugar, milk and cocoa over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in vanilla and sunflower seed butter. Remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, apricots, flaxmeal and wheat germ.
3. Pour chocolate mixture over the oat mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well combined.
4. Shape into small balls with ice cream scoop or with damp hands, about 2 tbsp size. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets and place in fridge or freezer until firm. Remove to containers and keep refridgerated or frozen until use.

Beety Borscht Soup

It was snowing this weekend and all I wanted was a big bowl of soup to warm me from the inside.

I happened to have all the fixings for my version of borscht. I never follow a recipe when it comes to borcht, I just know what I need to add to get the approximation of what I want.

Dictionary.com defines borscht as "any of various eastern European soups made with beets, cabbage, potatoes, or other vegetables and served hot or chilled, often with sour cream."

My version this time included beets, cabbage, onion, celery, carrots and tomato. Other times I've added red peppers, beans and leftover tomato soup. Although I don't really care for potatoes in borscht, I can imagine there are tons of other veggies that would be delicious in this soup. My mom's version always had bacon and canned beans in tomato sauce. You really can do anything you want with this!

I always think borscht tastes better the next day, so I love to make a lot so there are leftovers. I can't imagine any soup as beautiful or as healthful as this!

Beety Borscht Soup
Serves 3-4
Vegetable broth results in a richer flavour but water works too. Make sure you have a little spoonful of sour cream or yogurt to go with this. You may want to double the recipe and freeze the rest.

1 tbsp sunflower oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 medium beets, peeled and chopped
1/2 green cabbage, chopped
2 cups canned tomatoes (diced is usually best)
4 cups water or vegetable broth/bouillon
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp dried dill, or 2-3 tbsp fresh dill
3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
ground pepper

1. In a large saucepan, saute onions and celery in oil over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and then simmer for 30-45 minutes (or until desired tenderness). Serve with a dallop of sour cream and a sprig of dill.