Monthly Archives: January 2015

whole grain chocolate chippers

31 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in cook, cookies, whole grains

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whole grain chipper

This recipe comes from my Chocolate Lover’s Cookies & Brownies cookbook. I’ve had this book for at least two decades and have only tried a few recipes in it so far. Now with the holiday season over, I needed a ‘healthier’ cookie to ease me through Christmas cookie withdrawal symptoms. Of course, eating five of these in one sitting doesn’t count as ‘healthy behaviour’ no matter how many raw seeds they contain!

whole grain chipper

Whole Grain Chippers

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used raw cane sugar)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used spelt flour)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups uncooked rolled oats

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup sunflower seeds (I used raw, untoasted seeds)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Cream butter with sugars and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in baking soda, vanilla and salt. Blend in flours and oats to make a stiff dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sunflower seeds.

Place 2 inches apart on cookie prepared sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and golden brown on the bottom. Do not over bake. Cool a few minutes on cookie sheet then transfer to wire racks to cook completely. Enjoy!

One thing I like about ‘rolled in a ball cookie recipes’ is that you can refrigerate (or freeze) half the recipe and bake them a few days (or weeks) later. This is perfect for when you have a lot of baking to do all at once or as a stash in the freezer for unexpected company. I wold freeze the cookie dough balls on a sheet. Once frozen they could be put in a plastic container or large ziplock bag.

Resource:

Weber, L. (1990). Chocolate lovers cookies and brownies. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Ltd.

Attending the Canadian Heritage Breeds Urban Farm Show (November 2014)

23 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in art, chickens, local events

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chicken show

As you may know, Brian, Chayton and I are currently planning for, and preparing to get chickens this coming spring. We set up the coop last fall and are now spending the winter reading up on heritage breeds and sourcing out local breeders.

chicken show

chicken show

Last November, we headed to Red Deer, Alberta to attend the 2014 Annual Canadian Heritage Breeds Urban Farm Show. This is an annual three-day show and we were excited to attend and do a little hands-on research on chickens. The event included a heritage livestock display, a Fancy Pigeon and Racing Homer show, a trade show area, competitions, silent auction, children’s activities, Chicken John’s petting zoo, and a banquet and awards ceremony for those participating.

What is a heritage breed? According to the CHB website:

Giving a concrete definition of the term ‘heritage’ can be a difficult task. The broadest definition of a heritage breed of livestock is: a breed that was developed and used on farms, ranches and homesteads before the advent of modern industrial agriculture. With a few exceptions, they are breeds that thrive in outdoor situations, are able to forage for some of their own food and have a long reproductive lifespan. Our heritage breeds range in age from mere decades to several centuries of history, but common among them all is a unique adaptation to both the farms they come from and the farmers who keep them.

chicken showchicken show We ended up going on Sunday afternoon when things were starting to wind down but we were still able to view most of the chickens. We are just learning about heritage chickens and are amazed at the incredible diversity of the breeds. It was even more exciting seeing the birds ‘in real life’ rather than just in books. They were all so beautiful (some were quite comical) and I can see how collecting and raising heritage breeds can be both fun and addictive!

chicken show

chicken show

I took a lot of pictures and decided not worry about trying to document the names of each breed this time around (there were so many) but rather just enjoyed their beauty in the moment knowing that there would be plenty of time later to learn each of their breeds/names.

chicken showchicken show

Sadly, the pictures are taken through the cages but I hope they are enough to give you a taste of the wide variety of heritage breeds. At the show, the chickens were grouped by their size (small, medium and large) and then further grouped according to their breed.

chicken show

chicken show

We also saw ducks, geese and pigeons.

chicken showchicken show

chicken show

There was also an area at the back with birds for sale.

We really enjoyed attending the show and look forward to attending more shows in the future. We are now in the process of making the final choices and ordering our chicks for the spring. In just a few months, a matter of weeks, really, we will be starting our coop! In the meantime, these pictures are enough to enrich our research and learning about heritage breeds of chickens. I hope you enjoyed them, too.

chicken showchicken show

 

kale & wild rice casserole

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in cheese, cook, rice, vegetables

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kale and wild rice casserole

I found this recipe on Tieghan’s Half Baked Harvest – Made With Love food blog a few months ago and wanted to share it with you. I had a fresh block of gruyere cheese in the refrigerator and wanted to cook something that would warm the tummy on a cold, dark winter evening. This kale and wild rice casserole was perfect and I will definitely add Tieghan’s recipe to our list of family favourites.

Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 large bunches of Kale, leaves torn
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (or veggie broth)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
  • 4 cups cooked wild rice
  • 1 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large sweet onions, sliced into thin rings
  • salt and pepper

kale and wild rice casserole

Instructions

Grease a 2-3 quart casserole dish. Set aside.

Heat a very large skillet (the largest you have!) over medium-high heat. Add all of the torn kale to the skillet and add 1 cup of water. Cover the skillet and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the kale is wilted. Once the kale is wilted and all of the water has been absorbed, remove the kale from the skillet and set aside.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the skillet is hot, sprinkle in the mushrooms in a single layer. Don’t stir them! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them once and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to cook without stirring for about 5 minutes. Now add the butter to the skillet and cook until the butter begins to brown. Once the butter is browned reduce the heat and add the garlic, thyme and nutmeg and cook for about 10 seconds. Now add the kale back to the skillet with the mushrooms, garlic and spices and toss well.

Sprinkle the flour over the kale and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes or until there is a thick sauce. Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked wild rice. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Now wipe the skillet and add the olive oil, cook over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.Continue to cook until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle half the cheese over the casserole and then add the onions and the remaining cheese. Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the onions are crispy. Serve!

  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes

Resource:

Half Baked Harvest – Made With Love food blog

kale and wild rice casserole