Same Day Summer Pickles

Back in my younger years when my children were growing up I used to make a ton of pickles every year to satisfy the family.  I used to can about 52 quarts of Dill Pickles a year alone, along with pickled beets, relishes, chows, chutneys etc.  And jams and jellies too.  It all got eaten.  It's not practical anymore for me to do any of that stuff with just the two of us in the house.  It would never ever get eaten.   i get a magazine every couple of month from the heart association and there are always some recipes in it that are quite healthy. These pickles came from the latest issue.  They are more  like small pickled vegetable salads, feeding just two people, but they're great!  There are four different versions!



Cabbage and Fennel . . .



Carrot and Radish  . . .




Beetroot and Horseradish . . .



Cucumber and Dill . . .

Each one colourful, crisp, delicious and healthy.



Perfect for a salad buffet.  They do only make 2 servings a piece, but could very easily be multiplied up to serve more.



You make a simple seasoned vinegar and then add different things depending on the version you are making.  I did the cucumber and dill version and it was fabulous!



They are fantastic with grilled meats, on burgers and sandwiches, on a salad plate with perhaps some cottage chees, etc.   Quick, simple, delicious and healthy!! Works for me!

 

*Same Day Summer Pickles*

Serves 2 

Printable Recipe 

A super simple meal accompaniment for the summer which makes great use of the fresh summer produce.  There are 4 versions, each pickle serving two.  Heart healthy and delicious! 

For the seasoned vinegar:

4 tsp cider or white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

For the Cucumber and Dill:

115g (4 ounces) cucumber, very thinly sliced

1 shallot, peeled and very thinly sliced

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 TBS chopped fresh dill

For the Beetroot and Horseradish:

1/2 pound cooked beetroot, peeled and cut into thin sticks

1/2 tsp grated fresh horseradish

2 tsp chopped fresh dill

Cabbage and Fennel:

115g (4 ounces) firm cabbage, thinly shredded

55g (2 ounces) fennel, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1 TBS chopped fresh coriander

Carrot and Radish:

115 (4 oz) carrot, peeled and then thinly sliced using a vegetable peeler, into long thin strips

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley, chives or basil 

Mix the vinegar ingredients together to combine.  Toss together the ingedients for each pickle with one quanitity of seasoned vinegar.  Eat straight away, or cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use, leaving out at room temperature for 10 minutes, prior to eating.  Best eaten on the day of preparation. 

Note - Why not make a variety of these.  They are great on salads, in sandwiches, burgers, etc.  Add some colour and crunch!



I hope you'll give them a go!  Bon Appetit!

Grandmother's Oatmeal Cookies

We have an elderly friend that I like to bake things for from time to time.   We usually go to visit her a couple of times a week and  I usually bring her something I have baked on one of those occasions.  I get to enjoy the pleasure of baking something and she gets to enjoy the pleasure of eating what I have baked.   As a diabetic I am not really supposed to be eating a lot of baked goods, so it works really well for me as I love to bake. Its a win/win situation really!



This is a really simple old fashioned oatmeal cookie recipe that comes from a book I have had for a very long time entitled Prairie Kitchen Sampler, by E. Mae Fritz . . .



Sixty Six Years of a midwestern farm kitchen.   Published in 1988 it is a wealth of recipes and reminiscences from the life of Nebraska farmwife Alice Mickish Hendrickson, compiled by her daughter.  Some of these recipes date right back to the early 1920's.  I just love this book and I love reading the stories of her experiences as a farm wife.   There are no photographs in it of the food, just quaint little sketches, but the recipes are sound and delicious.



"The window in the pantry off of Carrie's kitchen opened onto a side porch. After a night out dancing, Walter made a practice of slipping through that little window and raiding the cookie jar before he headed on upstairs to bed. He counted it a lucky raid when these cookies made from his maternal grandmother's recipe were in the cookie jar."  (1922 - 1934)



These are the kind of cookies that my own grandmother made.  Nothing fancy here, but good  good eating.



Soft and cake like  . . .  these tasty little pillows are stogged full of soft sticky raisins and the crunch of toasted walnuts.  I always like to toast my nuts before I bake with them.  It helps to highlight their nuttiness and adds great flavour to baked goods.   Lightly enhanced with warm baking spices . . .  cinnamon, nutmeg  . . .  allspice . . .  these cookies please on every level.  Break out the milk jug and drinking glasses!   These are milk and cookie cookies!  You are going to absolutely love these!

*Grandmother's Oatmeal Cookies*

Makes 3 dozen

Printable Recipe 

These are a good old fashioned cookie you will want to fill up your cookie jar with.  They also freeze well.  I like to toast the walnuts first.  It enhances the nuttiness of them!  Soft and cake-like with buttery crisp edges.  

150g of raisins (1 cup)

225ml water (1 cup)

225g of butter, softened (1 cup)

190g sugar (1 cup)

2 large free range eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

5 TBS raisins water

280g of plain flour (2 cups all purpose)

1/2 tsp each, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, salt

160g quick cooking oats (2 cups)

60g chopped walnuts  

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter several large baking sheets.  Set aside.

Put the raisins in a saucepan with the water.  Bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes, then drain the raisins well, reserving the water.

Cream together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs a bit at a time.  Beat in 5 TBS of reserved raisin water, one at a time.   Beat in the vanilla.  Sift together the flour, soda and spices.  Stir into the creamed mixture.  Stir in the oats, walnuts and raisins to combine.

Drop by the tsp onto the prepaared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between.  About 2 inches.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and test done.  Scoop off onto wire racks to cool.

Store in an airtight container.



Cookies  . . .  biscuits . . .  a rose by any other name.

Enjoy!  Bon Appetit!

Lemon Blueberry Buckle

I just love LOVE blueberry season.  Its one of my favourite crops.  I do eat them all year round, but nothing tastes better than a fresh blueberry picked off of one of your own bushes.  I do miss the wild blueberries that we used to pick in Canada, but one must do what one must do and so we grow our own cultivated berries here and dream of the wild . . .


 

This is one of my favourite ways to serve them.  Its a recipe I have adapted from a dessert book entitled "Rustic Fruit Desserts," by Cory Shreiber and Julie Richardson.  This is a great book.  I've made just about every recipe in the book and each one has been a winner/winner!



This dessert consists of a lovely lemon flavoured cake batter, studded with lovely blueberries, topped with even more berries, and then sprinkled with a delicious lemon flavoured buttery streusal toppingprior to baking!



The end result is moist and totally delicious.



With just enough berries  . . .  and lemon flavour . . .  and that buttery streusel topping is just to die for.  There is even more lemon flavour from a warm Lemon Syrup which gets poured over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, for full on lemony goodness!  (It soaks into the cake and increases what is already moist and delicious!)

 

Todd enjoys his warm, with a bit of cream poured over top.  Me . . . I'm an ice cream gal, that mix of cold melting vanilla ice cream and that warm blueberry cake is a combination made in heaven.  Pure Heavenly Bliss!

*Lemon Blueberry Buckle*

Serves 8

Printable Recipe  

A delicious family classic with a tender buttermilk cake, stogged full of lovely blueberries with a lemon flavoured streusel topping, glazed with a lemon syrup after baking.

For the topping:

70g plain flour (1/2 cup all purpose)

63g of granulated sugar (1/3 cup)

pinch salt

the zest of one lemon

60g butter (1/4 cup) chilled and cubed

For the cake:

225g plain flour (1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg

6 TBS butter, room temperature

145g of granulated sugar (3/4 cup)

the zest of one lemon

125ml buttermilk (1/2 cup)

2 large free range eggs, beaten

300g fresh or frozen blueberries (unthawed) 2 cups)

For the syrup glaze:

the juice of 2 lemons

63g of granulated sugar 

Pouring cream or ice cream to serve.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan really well.  Set aside.

Make the streusel by rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar until it becomes very fragrant.  Stir in the flour and salt.  Drop in the butter and then rub together until the mixture resembles a crumble mixture with bits the size of peas.  Place in the refrigerator.

Make the cake by beating the sugar, lemon and butter together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.Sift together the flour, baking powder and soda.  Stir in the nutmeg and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, making three dry additions and two wet.  Fold in half of the berries.  Spread into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the remaining berries over top.  Remove the steusel from the refrigerator and sprinkle it over the top of the berries.    Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the cake tests done and the cake is golden brown.  It should be firm to the touch.

While the cake is baking make the syrup glaze.  Put the sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan.  Cook over  low heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes  Once it begins to bubble watch closely and stir more often. It should be somewhat thickened.  If you think it is thick enough, remove from the heat and keep warm.   Pour this over the hot cake as soon as it is removed from the oven.  Serve warm, cut into squared with some pouring cream or ice cream.

This keeps well at room temperature for up to three days.



Bon Appetit!

Fermented Foods At Every Meal - Book Review

Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha are becoming very popular offerings on blogs these days and an important staple in many peoples' diet, and with good reason!  Not only do they nourish our bodies with probiotics, but they are also quite delicious!  My sister has been after me to start fermenting food for a while now.  I struggle with Diverticulitis and IBS, and fermented foods are very good for people with digestive problems.  That's why I was really excited to be sent this book, "Fermented Foods at Every Meal," by Haley Barisa Byczek!

Fermented Foods at Every Meal introduces core fermented-food recipes and teaches readers about the science and health benefits of incorporating fermented foods into your diet.





The book begins with an introduction followed by 12 chapters based on a variety of techniques and some pretty basic fermented foods and how to use them.



The first chapter deals with the benefits and basics of fermenting  your own food and I found it to be very helpful, with a wealth of knowledge about the whys, hows  an benefits of fermentation.  Great!

The remaining chapters are divided into basic recipes for the creation of one fermented ingredient, and then how to use it.

 

Creme Fraiche -what is it, hw to make it and how you can use it in a variety of delicious ways.  (Keen to make my own!)  Grilled Peaches with Honey Creme and Granola Crumble anyone?  Yes please!



Kefir - I had never heard of Kefir, but now I feel like I know all about it and how it can help my diet, along with a variety of very delicious sounding recipes such as Overnight Kefir Chia Coconut Oats, and Fish Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce (to name but two!)



Dried Fruit Chutney - I had no idea you could make a fermented chutney using dried fruit.  Fabulous!  Cashew Fruit Protein Balls and Sauteed Swiss Chard with Fruit and Nuts are only two of the recipes in this chapter which are tempting my taste buds!



Fermented Ketchup - Ohh, ketchup, how many of us use ketchup every day.  The idea of a fermented ketchup really appeals to me!    Hash Brown Egg Cups and or Sweet and Spicy Taco Salad anyone?

 

Fermented Ginger Orange Carrots -  the name of these alone sounds delicious. There are a huge variety of ways to use them . . .  soups, salads . . . Cabbage and Carrot Slaw . . . Triple Bean Salad.  Oh boy these look delicious!



Kombucha - Another something I had never heard of.  It's a fermented tea with a pleasantly acidic and sometimes fizzy taste.   Useful for drinks and in salad dressings, dips, etc.    The Beet, Grapefruit, and Chevre Salad with Kombucha Balsamic Vinaigrette looks fabulous as does the Lemon Rosemary White Bean Dip!



Sauerkraut -  You might be surprised to learn that Sauerkraut is actually most likely Chinese in origin and not German!  We love sauerkraut in this house and are keen to make our own.  Look at that beautiful pink tuna in the Ah Tuna Salad with Miso-Wasabi Dressing  . . .  and the Watermelon and Berry Cooler also looks gorgeous.  Just two of the recipes for using your homemade kraut in that perhaps you have never thought of!



Fermented Sweet Pickle Relish - Indian in origin, this sounds fabulous.  Try it in Salmon Salad Stuffed Tomatoes or Confetti Herbed Potato Salad, just to name a few of the recipes you can use it in.



Sweet and Spicy Tomato Mango Salsa - Personally I love salsa, fermented salsa?   Yes please!    Look at that Chef's Salad, and those Slow Cooker Pork Tacos!  Wowsa!

The final ingredient chapter is . . .



Yogurt - I know you can buy pro-biotic yogurt in the shops, but am really looking forward to making my own. Really great instructions on doing just that along with recipes such as Smoked Salmon Spread, Lamb Kofta with Herbed Tzatzika and yes . . .  desserts!  Flourless Brownie Bites with Peanut Butter Frosting anyone?   MMMMM . . .

The final chapter is based on Troubleshooting and a Resources.

I am really looking forward to utilizing this book  and creating some of the deliciousness on its pages!  There doesn't seem to be a requirement for unusual ingredients either, which is a bonus and a plus in my books! For those who don't have a garden and don't have easy access to a farmer's market this book is very helpful. You can reap benefits from fermenting foods that don't come directly from the garden. So for many of us who shop at supermarkets and try to get the best food we can, this book can help us be more healthy. I applaud Hayley for thinking of everyone when she wrote this book.

Fermented Foods At Every Meal

Nourish Your Family at Every Meal with Quick and Easy Recipes Using the Top 10 Live-Culture Foods

Author: Hayley Barisa Ryczek

Format: Paperback, 192 Pages

ISBN: 9781592337156

Publisher: Fair Winds Press

Series: At Every Meal

$21.99 US/ £12.99 UK / $28.99 CAN

Nourishing Noodles, Book Review

I received a new cookbook recently, just in time for the inevitable bounty of cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and other summer produce!  This new book is all about turning those vegetables into healthy noodles. Nourishing Noodles by Chris Anca of Tales of a Kitchen has more than 150 pages of pasta-less noodle recipes and ideas and includes recipes for non-summer produce as well, such as beets, potatoes, and carrots. There are even recipes for using up those broccoli stalks!

There are seven beautifully photographed chapters for recipe which range from the simple to the elaborate, along with helpful information about what Spiralizing is, what you need to do it, how to get started, etc.





Think you can't spiralize for breakfast?  Think again!  I am keen to try the Carrot Granola Breakfast To-Go!

 

Appetizers and Snacks -  delicious wraps and pancakes, canapes, rolls, etc. 18 pages of snacking and appetizer goodies!



Just look at those delicious sounding soups!



Are you into Raw Food?  There are plenty of recipes to choose from.



Do you prefer your food cooked?   There are plenty of delicious looking entrees also.

 


Mmmm . . .  Dessert.  Sweet Potato Brownie anyone?

The book ends with a chapter based on Basics, Condiments, Toppings and more, as well as a complete Index to all of the recipes in the book.


Some recipes do call for stocking the pantry with ingredients you might not already have on hand, such as hemp hearts, miso and za'atar. And many recipes will require a good spiralizer than can handle fruits and other produce that may not easily fit in a smaller sized hand held spiralizer, but even if you can't make some of the noodles, this book is still really helpful.   I am keen to try making some of the basics like nut milk, coconut bacon, vegetable stock powder, preserved lemon and raw "Parmesan."


This book is great for people who want to manage their gluten or refined grain intake, but its also really helpful for anyone wanting to easily incorporate more vegetables into their diet, or even just looking for quick dinner ideas. Spiralizing vegetables is much faster and easier than chopping and grating, and its a lot of fun!

 


If you're vegan, vegetarian, low carb, or just looking for fresh, healthy and easy recipes to add to your menu, Nourishing Noodles has all the recipes you want! Spiralizing takes just a few minutes and here Cristiana Anca, founder of Whole Noodles, provides you with 75 step-by-step recipes to turn any firm vegetable into a healthy, filling and comforting noodle meal.

Nourishing Noodles -Spiralize Nearly 100 Plant-Based Recipes for Zoodles, Ribbons, and Other Vegetable Spirals

Author: Chris Anca

Format: Flexibound, 176 Pages

ISBN: 9781631061844

Publisher: Race Point Publishing 

 

$22.99/US /£14.99 UK /$27.99 CAN