adventures with whole grains: almond oatmeal cookies with spelt

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I took my basic oatmeal almond cookie recipe and simply substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose flour. The cookies turned out a bit darker in color but there was no other difference in taste or texture. They were just as yummier as the ‘unhealthier’ version (using white flour) only with the added benefits of a more nutritional flour that also has a lower Glycemic Index. Oh… I added half a cup of chocolate chips to this batch just for fun!

Oatmeal Almond Cookies with Spelt Flour

1/2 cup raw organic sugar (or maple syrup)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 ground almonds, toasted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups large-flake oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degree (F). Mix together sugars, butter, vanilla and egg. Stir in oats, flour, ground almonds, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in sliced almonds. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool for 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Enjoy!

a new painting for the cabin

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

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Last January, I bought a huge canvas as a gift to myself for completing my Masters degree. Last week, I finally got in the mood to paint! It was finally time to try and recreate one of the paintings I saw in Australia four years ago… the one that I yearned for but was humungous and out of my price range at $4000!

I gathered up my acrylic paints…

Got the canvas set up in the dining room where the light is best…

And started painting. I have done several of these to give away as gifts over the years but on much smaller canvases.

This is the first base coat. I did one more coat after this to soften and blend the colors.

Then I started with the yellow circles… This should look familiar…

When the circles were done and completely dry I filled in the spaces with white dots.

Then painted the border black.

The finished painting:

I hung this huge painting in the back landing. It is a dark area but there is a skylight directly above it which lights it up quite nicely. This is the perfect spot for the painting as it adds a playful and dramatic splash of color to an otherwise neglected area, and it is the first thing you see when you enter through the back door (instead of a bare wall). I love this painting as it grabs my attention every time I walk by and its bright colors cheer me up. The dots and circles remind me of the basic building blocks of the universe (ultimately energy) and that I am connected to all of existence… Simple but profound.

avocado gazpacho

23 Monday Apr 2012

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I first discovered this soup when on a spring cleanse over 10 years ago and have been making it ever since. Gazpachos are cold soups made with raw vegetables. This recipe is incredibly easy and adaptable to your tastes. The original recipe recommended juicing the vegetables (except the avocado which you puree and add later) but I like the bulkiness of this pureed soup. It fills me up and that way I don’t miss out on the nutritional fiber!

Avocado Gazpacho

1 green pepper

1 English cucumber (if using a regular cucumber, peel to remove the wax)

6 stalks of celery

Juice of half a lime

1 avocado

1 tomato, finely chopped (or add whole cherry tomatoes)

Place the green pepper, cucumber, celery and avocado in a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in the lime juice. Serve in a small bowl and top with chopped tomatoes. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Variations: try adding a generous handful of spinach, dandelion greens or swiss chard; try adding yellow, orange and/or red pepper to either the topping or the mix; add sprouts; add a shot of wheat grass; add a few springs of chickweed to the mix (an edible wild plant).

adventures with whole grains: French bread using spelt flour

22 Sunday Apr 2012

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I took another one of my ‘tried and true recipes’: French Bread and wondered what would happen if I substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose white flour? I found that the bread did not rise quite as high, making for a bit of a heavier bread (which I prefer) and the flavor was wonderful! In the future, if I need a lighter bread, I can try blending the spelt with other lighter flours. I’ll keep you informed on my continuing experiments and explorations with whole grains!

French Bread with Spelt Flour

1 oz (or 1 tablespoon) dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups organic spelt flour

1 egg white, beaten (to glaze the loaves)

Place yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If yeast has begun to bubble or foam a little, add the honey, olive oil and salt and mix together. (If yeast isn’t bubbling, discard as this means that your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.)

Add 2 cups of the spelt flour, mixing in with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed for a smooth, elastic dough.

Place dough into a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to sit in a warm place for an hour and a half (or for one hour in the oven on the ‘proof’ setting).

Punch down dough. Cut in half. Roll out each half on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick, then roll up the dough into a long loaf. Make three diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf and place on a baguette or loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place loaf pan(s) in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until double in size. Brush beaten egg white over the loaf just before baking.

Bake in a 375 degree (F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

moroccan fish pie

20 Friday Apr 2012

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I’ve been making this pie for years and it has never failed to produce a light, elegant meal. I found this recipe in an old May/June issue of Australia Vogue: Entertaining + Travel magazine. The issue must be at least 10 years old and I still keep it on my cookbook shelf as there are so many good recipes and ideas in that issue. If you’ve never worked with phyllo pastry before, it truly is very easy and the end result is buttery and crisp. I have used red snapper, sole and halibut- depending on what I could find that was fresh in the grocery store. This dish is a personal favorite!

Moroccan Fish Pie

4 medium snapper fillets

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped finely

½ cup loosely packed coriander leaves (cilantro)

½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

very finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

about 6-8 sheets phyllo pastry

¼ cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a gentle simmer and poach the snapper over a low to medium heat until just cooked. Drain and set aside to cool.

When cool, remove the skin and flake the flesh into a bowl, then stir in the spices, garlic, coriander and parsley leaves, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Season to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lay out the phyllo pastry and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Lay out a sheet of the phyllo on a work surface and cut in half. Lightly butter six shallow pie or tartlet plates, or 4 deeper ramekins. With a pastry brush, lightly butter each phyllo square on both sides and place in each pie plate. Repeat the process with three pieces of pastry at a different angle so that the corners don’t match up.

Divide the fish pie filling into 6 (or four- depending on how many pie plates or ramekins you have) equal portions. Spoon filling into each pie plate then place a phyllo square on top on this and butter it lightly. Fold the edges of the pie inwards to sit on top of the pastry top.  Again, lightly brush with butter. Repeat the process with each pie. Place the pies on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve with a salad on the side and a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc… Enjoy!

adventures with whole grains: spelt waffles with Saskatoon berries

18 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I have been busy having fun with the new WonderMill and experimenting with freshly milled spelt flour. As spelt flour is very versatile and can be substituted for most flours, I thought I’d start with my ‘tried and true’ recipes just to observe how it behaves as opposed to the all-purpose flour that I was used to.

I decided to start with waffles. I used the same recipe, as previously posted. The only difference is the substitution of spelt flour for the all-purpose, I used buttermilk (as I was out of almond milk) and I added about 1/2 cup of Saskatoon berries. The waffles turned out beautifully! They were light, fluffy, crisp and flavorful. I served them with my rose hip jelly. I made the full batch as I like to refrigerate (or freeze) the extra waffles and pop them in the toaster for quick breakfasts.

Spelt Waffles

2 eggs (preferable from organic, free-range hens)

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup canola oil (or extra virgin olive oil or melted butter)

1-3/4 cup almond or soy milk (I used buttermilk as I was out of almond milk)

1 tablespoon maple syrup (or raw cane sugar, brown sugar or natural sweetener of your choice)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs with a whisk until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Pour batter from a cup or ladle onto center of waffle iron. Bake about 5 minutes or until steaming stops. Remove waffle carefully and serve immediately, or keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 four-inch waffles

Resource:

Zeman, A. (1991). Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.  New York: Prentice Hall.

a few moments in mid-April…

17 Tuesday Apr 2012

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Today, I thought I’d take time to appreciate the changing seasons and share some photographs taken around the cabin over the past few days…

As you can see, winter is still hanging on. We received a lot of snow over the weekend and as the temperatures stayed just below freezing, it didn’t just melt away.

Here is a dark-eyed junco (below). Junco’s are part of the sparrow family and they are just returning from spending the winter in a warmer climate.

This is the only time of year that I brush Lucy’s fur as she does not shed very much (until now). Usually all of her time rolling in snow, swimming in deep water and running through tall grass keeps her fur fresh and clean. In April, I put the balls of dog fur in the suet feeders for the birds to gather for their nests.

Exciting! Just yesterday I noticed the first snowdrops pushing up through the ground.

Cross country skis have been put away in exchange for hiking boots and poles. Spring is just around the corner!

sprouting alfalfa seeds at home

16 Monday Apr 2012

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Lately, I’ve gotten out of the habit of sprouting my own sprouts for salads and sandwiches. With spring just around the corner and a batch of arugula and spinach seeds planted indoors in a few pots of soil, I felt inspired to start a jar of alfalfa sprouts on the counter.

Research shows that sprouts are a veritable fountain of youth. Sprouts abound with antioxidants, they are full of protein, chlorophyl, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Broccoli sprouts have been found to contain 50 times as much of the antioxidant sulfurophane as mature broccoli. Wheat grass juice is the closest substance to hemoglobin, and is therefore a phenomenal blood purifier and liver de-toxifier. Sprouts contain enzymes, giving your body a much-needed rest as they digest themselves – invigorating you while requiring no help from your body to process them. New research indicates that peanut sprouts reduce harmful cholesterol and that sunflower, buckwheat and grain sprouts dramatically improve the quality of life for diabetics. The list goes on and on. ~sproutpeople

Sprouting seeds is easy and no special equipment is required besides a glass jar, some cheesecloth and a rubber band. I buy Mumm’s Seeds at my local health food store but I have also seen them at some grocery stores in the produce section. I paid $7 for this bag but it will grow between 20-25 cups of sprouts! To this day, I have only sprouted alfalfa seeds but this morning I was inspired by some youtube videos to broaden my experience and try sprouting other seeds, such as wheat berrries, mung beans, lentils, broccoli, and even quinoa. I am also keen to try baking sprouted grain bread and will post my progress once I start experimenting.

To sprout your alfalfa sprouts, place 1 tablespoon of the seeds into a glass jar. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and hold this in place with a rubber band. Add water, Swirl and drain. Refill with about 1 cup of water and let soak for 2 to 6 hours. Drain water.

Rinse twice a day by filling with water, gently swirling and then draining thoroughly. I keep the jar near my kitchen sink so that I remember to rinse. The picture above shows the second day. Below is the third day.

Sprouts should be ready in 3 to 6 days. Below is the fourth day. Once the seeds sprout and the little green leaf is evident, place the sprouts in a large bowl of water. The husks will rise to the surface and are easily removed.

Drain the sprouts thoroughly and store in a containers in the refrigerator. Eat within the next few days. Sprouts are wonderful on their own, in a smoothie, in sprouted-grain breads, on a salad or in a sandwich. Enjoy this fresh and nutritious treat!

Asian-style chicken wings

14 Saturday Apr 2012

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With the warmer days it’s been so nice to do more outdoor cooking. Here is my friend, Michele’s basic recipe for Asian-style marinade for chicken wings. I’ve been using it for years and love the flavor!

Asian-Style Chicken Wings

1 lb (or more) organic, free-range chicken

¼ cup light soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons white wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients thorough. Pour over chicken and refrigerate for a minimum of four hours or overnight.

Feel free to try other variations to your taste. For example, try adding 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce or oyster sauce. Also, you can add more garlic or black pepper. Enjoy!

spelt pasta with gremolada

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I have been making my own pasta for quite a few years now have been having a lot of fun experimenting with various recipes. Now that I am milling my own flours, my pasta will be even more fresh and flavorful. This spelt pasta was my first experiment using the spelt flour that we milled just minutes before with our WonderMill. If you’ve never tried fresh pasta (not including store-bought, which has preservatives), it is worth either making your own or taking a special trip to the farmers market to get some!

Spelt Pasta

about 2-¾ cups spelt flour

3 medium eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place the eggs and oil in the mixer bowl and attach the flat beater. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour a little at a time just until the dough begins to form a ball (you may not need the full amount of flour). Exchange the flat beater for the dough hook and knead at medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes, and a smooth, elastic dough has formed. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, wrap with plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Attach the pasta roller to the mixer and adjust to setting 1. Pass the dough through the roller at low speed (dust with flour first if dough is sticky), then fold in half. Do this four or five times. When the dough is no longer sticky, adjust setting to 2 and roll the pasta through. Do not fold in half this time. Continue rolling the dough through four to five times at each setting until the desired thinness is reached. Place on a clean tea towel or over a pasta rack. Repeat with the other portions of dough.

Change pasta roller for the desired pasta cutter attachment. Feed the flat pasta dough through the cutter and place back on clean tea towels or over a pasta rack. Pasta dough can be frozen, dried or cooked immediately in a pot of salted, boiling water.

Gremolada

Grated zest from 2 large lemons (about 2 teaspoons)

Grated zest from 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1-½ teaspoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound pasta (linguini, fettuccini, capallini, etc.)

In a glass jar, add the grated lemon and orange zests, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover the jar with the lid and shake vigorously to mix. Let stand until ready to use. (Can be made the day before.)

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done. Drain and toss with the sauce. If desired, add parmesan cheese, capers, olives, minced and cooked Italian sausage or anchovies. Enjoy!

Resources:

Halsey, K. (2003). The Essential Mixer Cookbook: 150 Effortless Recipes For Your Stand Mixer and All of its Attachments. London: Quintet Publishing Ltd.

Hill, J. (1996). Food & Wine Magazine’s Quick From Scratch: Pasta. New York: American Express Publishing Corporation.