Real Grape Juice & Granita

There is something so satisfying about growing your own food. But it usually takes time, work and patience.

There is something even more exciting about food that just happens with minimal effort. Grapes are one of those things for us. We were lucky enough to inherit some old, hearty vines with our home. They don't require much effort (a little pruning in winter) and they produce heavenly dark purple grapes.

The only problem, according to our children, is that they contain seeds. Not an issue for most adults but a logistical peeling challenge for our young kids.

When we recently harvested a large case of grapes, I was trying to figure out what I was going to make with that mass of juicy purple fruit.  It had to be minimal effort and something that would be enjoyed by the whole family.

I made the standard grape jelly. Easy.
We ate some fresh. I found seeds everywhere.
Then I decided to make grape juice that I had made last year. Everyone could enjoy that.

Then I decided to try making it more concentrated to make a few different things...the juice is a vibrant and refreshing homage to the vine and the granita is the perfect ending to a meal. A great celebration of those home-grown grapes!

Grape Juice Syrup
I decided to make it a syrupy concentrate, so it wouldn't take up a lot of room to store and it could be used for a few different things- juice (when mixed with water), a sparkling drink (with sparkling water) or a granita. This can be made with any variety of grape but some need more or less sugar depending on sweetness. Try to get locally grown grapes if possible.

2 lbs grapes
2 cups water
1- 1/2 cups cane sugar, or to taste
cheese cloth

1. Wash and stem grapes and place in large saucepan over high heat. Mash with potato masher. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until flesh entirely breaks down.
2. Place 3 layers of dampened cheesecloth into strainer that is placed over a bowl. Pour grapes over cheesecloth. Let stand for 10-20 minutes or until most of the juice is in the bowl. Gently gather the ends of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze a few more drops out of the flesh. Do not press hard or you will get bits in the juice.
3. Return juice to clean pan over low heat and add sugar to taste until dissolved. It should be fairly sweet for a syrup.
4. Bottle and store in the fridge or freezer (allow room for expansion). It should last about a week in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer.

To use:
For grape juice: dilute with approximately half water and serve over ice
For sparkling grape juice: dilute with sparkling water
For granita: place in shallow glass or metal dish and freeze. Stir with fork every 30 minutes for a few hours until the right consistency. Takes about 4-6 hours.

Vanilla Applesauce

Apples and cinnamon. Cinnamon and apples. For some people there really is no other way.

I believe it was an article in Jeffrey Steingarten's book, The Man Who Ate Everything, that challenged this presumptive pairing for me.

It has been years since I read it, but I remember that he wrote something to the effect that cinnamon overpowers the apples and all you can really taste is cinnamon. He suggested a light vanilla flavour to highlight the apples.

Ever since reading that passage several years ago, I have made most apple recipes sans cinnamon and I believe Steingarten is entirely correct. There really is something special about highlighting the apple- and tasting the distinct sweet yet tart flavour contained within its flesh.

Here is a recipe that I just made with some apples from our very own little apple tree. The scabby apples weren't so great for fresh eating but made the most amazing applesauce. All thanks to Steingarten.

Notes:
If you really, really like cinnamon and want a delicious spiced applesauce, check out this recipe I stole from some friends on my other blog: http://adventuresingoinggreen.blogspot.com/2009/07/too-hot-to-handle.html
(And foodies will love Steingarten's book! http://www.amazon.ca/Man-Who-Ate-Everything/dp/0375702024)

Vanilla Applesauce

Again, not really a recipe but a method for making incredibly delicious applesauce- perfect for adding to cakes, muffins, pancakes or eating straight from the jar. I froze little containers of this to send to school. If you don't have vanilla beans, use a hearty glug of really good vanilla in its place.

apples, good cooking variety that doesn't tend to brown quickly (gala, granny smith, braeburn, etc.)
1/2 -1 vanilla pod (I used the one from my homemade vanilla container, so a little less pungent than some)
1/2 -1 lemon, juiced
sugar or honey, to taste (I use a combo)

1. Peel and core apples and cut into chunks. Heat in a heavy, deep pot over medium heat, adding water to cover bottom of pot. I like to work as I go, so I get some nice saucy sauce and some chunkier bits, so I throw them in as it cooks. Slice vanilla pod and scrape out one side of the seeds to start. Add half the pod and seeds to the pot. Add juice of 1/2 a lemon. Stir often, adding more water as necessary.

2. Adjust lemon and vanilla as needed. A large pot might need an entire lemon and vanilla pod, a small pot just a little. Cook until the consistency that you desire, about 15- 20 minutes for my big pot from when I finished chopping.

3. Bottle and freeze or process in canner according to standard canning directions.

Cream of Smashed Celery Soup

If you have only ever had cream of celery soup from a red and white tin, you are really missing out.

Homemade celery soup is delicious and full of veggie goodness.

Celery is often relegated to cold veggie plates and a base for other soups but it doesn't really stand out on its own in many recipes. This is one soup that you will want to make again and again!

Some hearty grain bread and some cheese and you have a really great fall meal...

Cream of Smashed Celery Soup
I usually like a chunkier consistency to my soups, so I smash, or mash, the vegetables before serving. If you like a finer consistency, use a hand blender or throw the soup into a blender. If you are going to make this ahead of time, be sure to add the cream just before serving.

2 tbsp butter
2 cups chopped onion
4 cups chopped celery
2 cups peeled and chopped russet potatoes
2 garlic cloves
1/2- 1 tsp salt, to taste
1 tbsp fresh minced parsley, or to taste
4 cups broth or bouillon
1/2 cup whipping or heavy cream

1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and saute for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions start to turn golden. Add potatoes and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt, parlsey and broth and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Mash with potato masher to break up the bigger chunks of vegetables. Just before serving, add cream to the soup. Garnish with additional parlsey if desired.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Growing up, Fried Green Tomatoes was only a movie. I knew green tomatoes must exist (because of the movie) but I had never seen them. I imagined they were something rather exotic. How little did I know.

In the last few years I have found out that fried green tomatoes are an entirely delicious way to use a fruit that would otherwise go to waste. Gardeners who grow tomatoes often end up with some green ones at the end of the season- they will never fully ripen but they still manage to have a lovely scent and mild flavour entirely their own. I am sure most go into the compost pile but I was lucky enough to have a friend share some with me.

I love what my friend said about some FGTs I dropped off for her, "The flavours were so delicate. Seemed the perfect way to usher fall in and say good-bye to summer."

They are ever so easy to make and I can imagine that these would be the perfect nibble any time of day (or night):

Brunch? With eggs.
Lunch? With salad.
Dinner? With anything.
Midnight snack? Yes, please!

I don't give any measurements because it is totally dependent on how many tomatoes you have- you may have one or you may have a half dozen. Adjust your ingredients according to how much you have. They must be made just before serving for best results.

Fried Green Tomatoes
The cornmeal coating can be made a smidge lighter by adding some cornflour or unbleached flour to the mix. You can serve these with mayo and sour cream mixed together and/or lemon juice & hot sauce. We mix all the ingredients together to make a spicy dip. Also delicious with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice served atop salad greens. Enjoy!

green tomatoes
unbleached flour
buttermilk (or 'soured milk'- a splash of vinegar or lemon juice mixed with milk or milk substitute)

cornmeal &/or cornflour or unbleached flour

salt

cayenne pepper, optional

grapeseed or avocado oil

1. Set up 3 dishes with rims for your "breading station" (pasta dishes or shallow bowls work well)- one with flour, one with buttermilk and one with cornmeal or cornflour (with or without cornflour or regular flour). Season flour and cornmeal liberally with salt and a pich of cayenne if desired. 

2. Pour enough oil to cover bottom of heavy frying pan (preferably cast iron). Heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 3-5 minutes.

3. Slice tomatoes into thick slices, dip both sides into flour, then buttermilk, and then into corn mixture using a fork. Slide into hot oil and cook each side for a few minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a touch of salt if desired.

Alice in Wonderland Party

I just had to share my daughter's recent birthday party pics. She decided on the Alice theme and I rather enjoyed planning the party.

I try to ensure that my kids do not consume many artifical ingredients and colours. But the end result still needs to be beautiful- especially for parties! Luckily, I had some natural food colouring and sprinkles and some ideas on how to make some lovely pink drinks.

In Canada and the U.S., a good company for natural colourings and sprinkles is India Tree. You need to watch the labels though as only their "Nature's Colours" line is made of natural vegetable colourants. Usually price is a good indication of the more natural ones as they cost substantially more.
www.indiatree.com/products/decorative/natures_colors/index.html

I usually get my sister to smuggle some natural colourings in from the U.K. as they are quite a bit cheaper there as the U.K. government has asked that most food colourings be removed from food items for several years now. So instead of Red Dye #40, the label reads "beetroot" and instead of Green Dye, the label reads "spinach" or "spirulina". The only sure way to avoid artificial colours in North America is to buy organic, as those items that are certified organic can only contain natural colours.

If you don't have access to natural food colourings, beets, raspberries or strawberries are excellent ways to get some vibrant colour into your drinks and frostings using what is in your fridge or freezer.

I wrote about using some beet colouring way back in February if you want to check it out: http://www.mintgreenapron.com/2011/02/pink-icing-pink-lemonade-pinkalicious.html And although I haven't made it yet, I have also read an article from the U.K. about whizzing up a little spinach, a touch of lemon juice and sugar in a blender to get a lovely pale green colour. Or you can check out this post that I found online that looked interesting from the Old School Pastry blog: http://oldschoolpastry.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-make-green-food-coloring.html

There are studies that show the adverse effects of artificial colours on children (including allergies, ADHD and cancer) and so I try not to take any unnecessary risks with my children's health.

http://www.soton.ac.uk/mediacentre/news/2007/sep/07_99.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20009228-10391704.html

Really, we don't need bright red cookies at Valentine's or orange and black ones at Halloween. Add colour with natural, fresh foods or flowers from the garden. We had vibrant fruit skewers made of strawberries, grapes, canteloupe and watermelon to add some colour to the table at our party.

I hope that this post inspires you to try something new and beautiful in the kitchen...something more natural and less toxic for you and your family!

Back to School Lunches

The other day our minds began drifting to school days again and we began discussing the newest change in our lives- the idea of having lunch at school!

No longer a half-day kindergartener, my daughter is thrilled at the prospect of having lunch at school. She relishes the thought of taking her lunch bag, thermos and water bottle to school every day. I told her she could come home some days for lunch and I received a rather stern reply, "No, thanks." Ah, the joys of independence!

Back when I was teaching in the school system, I would see some rather interesting lunches...pop and chips, a cold McDonalds happy meal or a plastic bag full of everything 7-11 carries. It was sad to see the fuel that some kids had to go on for the day. Not exactly brain food.

I did enjoy seeing the nicely packed lunches- sometimes there were cut out sandwiches in little shapes, a little skewer of brightly coloured fruit, a homemade cookie- all things that showed a little love. I was inspired.

I hope that by packing a healthy and homemade lunch, I can show my daughter a little love in her lunchbox. And if she doesn't yet realize it, a more tangible way to show her love is to include a little note, so I keep a little package of sticky notes on the fridge with a pen and stickers. I recently found a great little booklet with tear-out lunch jokes for my little comedienne, which will be a great little addition too.

Here is my daughter's list of favourite foods that we came up to keep us both inspired for back to school lunches. I think I will be posting them on the fridge for ideas when I do too many repeats. I really liked her ideas so I thought I would share them with you in case you are in the same lunch box boat!

Lunchbox  Ideas (always with a side of veggies)

Baked Beans in thermos with buttered bread
Quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla with bean and cheese & sour cream
Cucumber & cream cheese sandwiches
Buckwheat crepes & fruit
Tuna sandwich with cookie cutter shape
Cold hamburger (hmmm...interesting suggestion?)
Cream cheese, celery and raisin logs with honey'd bread
Hard boiled egg, buttered bread, veggie sticks
Cream cheese & veggie roll up on whole wheat tortilla (grated carrots, sliced red pepper, cuke)

Cucumber & avocado sushi with soy sauce
Chickpea salad with veggies
Grated carrot salad with edamame and crackers
Whole wheat pizza with cheese and organic sliced meat
Real macaroni & cheese (not the bright orange version)

Chicken Noodle Soup in thermos

Pasta Salad

Tofu, veggie & rice in thermos or fried rice in thermos

Snack Ideas

Usually some fruit in there but sometimes applesauce for a treat

Veggies on a stick- tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, etc.

Fruit salad or a skewer of fruit- grapes, halved strawberries, etc.

Yogurt or yogurt dip with sliced apples

Cheese & rice crackers

Kids' own trail mix: cereal, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and chocolate chips

Popcorn with nutritional yeast

Seaweed (Laver)

Homemade muffins, cookies or squares (especially pumpkin & blueberry ones and banana bread)

Currently I am in the middle of baking and freezing the following for our easy lunch treats:

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (Bake about 375 for about 18-20 minutes): http://www.mintgreenapron.com/2011/01/beloved-chocolate-zucchini-loaf.html

Chocolate Flaxeed Cookies with Dried Cranberries:

http://www.mintgreenapron.com/2010/10/favourite-cookie.html

Pumpkin Muffins:

http://www.mintgreenapron.com/2009/05/pumpkin-muffins.html

Asteroid Cookies:

http://www.mintgreenapron.com/2011/03/no-bake-asteroid-cookies.html