Lovely Green Lifestyle

Seed-Starting Part 2: Seedlings Saturday

2013-03-18T18:44:00.003-04:00

It may be cold outside but that isn't going my stop these new seedlings from springing up. Just a few more weeks now (I hope) before the warm weather arrives and they will be ready for the outdoors!

Once these seeds begin to sprout, the next step is to give them light ... and a new home, that is, a bigger home to spread their roots.

Some supplies you will need to transfer your two inch sprouts include:

- small to medium size pots
- seedling and/or potting soil
- labels
- water
- fertilizer (optional, but most helpful in improving their health)

Since I started my seedlings using egg cartons and packaging shells, I had to make sure the roots would have to grow. They are not strong enough to break through the shells, so it's very important to carefully break the shells apart before placing the seedlings in a new container.

Top off with more soil ...

... And sit your newly potted seedlings in the light. Constant light would be best, to achieve this you can use artificial lighting. In my case, I wanted to save money (and energy), and fortunately I'm lucky enough to have about 12-14 hours of sunlight shining through my large kitchen window.

Apple Pie on a Sunday Afternoon

2013-03-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

For all the baking I've done over the years I realized it was high time I made an apple pie, which up until recently, I never had, at least not in a long time!

I used a recipe for cherry pie but adapted it to use apples and voila, the best freakin' homemade apple pie I I could have made.

Apple Pie
Adapted recipe from Vegan Pie in the Sky

For the crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
8 tbsp vegan margarine
8 tbsp vegan shortening
6 tbsp ice water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the filling
4-5 cups peeled and chopped apples
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt

1. In a large bowl mix together the flour and salt. Mix in the sugar.

2. Add half the margarine and shortening by the spoonfuls, cutting it into the flour mix with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it appears pebbly. Add the remaining margarine and shortening to the flour mix.

3. In a cup mix together the water and cider vinegar. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mix by the spoonfuls, gently mixing it in.

4. Knead the dough and add more water as needed. You won't need much until it gets doughy enough and stays put together to work with.

5. Divide the dough in to two, rolling each half into a ball then press each one into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425F.

7. In a large mixing bowl mix together apples, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.

8. Prepare the pie plate with one half of the dough. Add the filling.

9. Cover the apple filling with cut-out pieces of the other dough half. I used a cookie cutter to create stars and circles but you can use any shape, or simple strips.

10. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 350F and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

11. Place pie on cooling rack to cool down for about half an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Seed-Starting Part 1: Seedy Saturday

2013-03-11T20:02:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we enjoyed Spring-like temperatures and celebrated Seedy Saturday at Evergreen Brickworks. As the weather warmed up everyone around the market was getting pumped and eager to start their Summer gardens, myself included. I even gave myself a head start and bought seeds and the right soil early so that I could collect all the supplies I needed to start my seedlings sooner. This year, as always, I like to find greener ways to start my seeds, which would not only be environmentally friendly but would also save me money.

Some easy-to-find and recycable supplies you can use to start your seedlings include:

Egg cartons, tomato or avocado cartons (the purple stuff in the picture above)
Plastic trays from previous year seedlings
Spinach/salad plastic containers
Newspapers
Egg shells (optional)

What you may need to buy:

Seeds (if you don't save your seeds from the previous year's crops)
Seedling soil
Plastic wrap (to cover the starters before they sprout)

Once you have all the supplies you need it's just a matter of figuring out what needs to be started when. This weekend I started tomatoes (a bit early), peppers, eggplant, and a variety of herbs. To find out when you need to start your plants check out Ontario's Ministry of Agriculture and Food website.

Essentially, when starting your seedlings you want to create a little "greenhouse" more or less. Covering the soil/seeds with plastic wrap, leaving a few gaps for air, will keep moisture and heat in to help them germinate quicker.

Most importantly, label your starters! Once the seedlings spring up they will all look very alike and it would be near impossible to tell them apart until they reached maturity.

Another great option for creating a mini "greenhouse" would be to use a salad container. In this case, I drilled holes on the lid to allow air/oxygen to pass through to the soil and seeds, also important.

And if you're really lucky, after just a few days you will see a few seedlings pop up! Once they do appear they will of course need light. Place your seedlings in a sunny spot where they will get at least 10-12 hours of light or more if possible. Natural sunlight can be unpredictable so some people will add a light to the seedlings to aid consistent growth.

Coconut Everything!

2013-03-07T18:47:00.004-05:00

I decided that I pretty much love anything coconut soup now and that this new recipe will be added to my repertoire of favourites. It is delicious, sweet and spicy - can't go wrong with that!

Red Lentil Coconut Soup
Original recipe from Scaling Back, I altered my recipe a bit here ...

2 cups red split lentils
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup tomato paste
7 cups water
1 400ml can of unsweetened coconut milk
1 15oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Fresh cilantro & lime wedges to garnish (optional)

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pan and add the onion and bell pepper, cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, spices, and tomato paste then continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes or until the mixture is fragrant and browned.

3. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until lentils are softened to your liking. Add the lime juice at the end of cooking.

4. Add salt or more lime juice if desired depending on your taste.

5. Serve each soup bowl topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

Enjoy!

'Girls Night Out' Made In

2013-02-07T19:36:00.002-05:00

Planning a girls night out? Why not make it a day in instead. As I get older I'm learning to appreciate the importance of affordability, relaxation, great company, and fine wine. So, instead of a late night out clubbing with friends in a crowded bar, over loud music, I decided to make it a Girl's Day In! A quiet Sunday afternoon brunch to catch up properly, enjoy each others company and manicures. One of my favourite parts of party planning is making a delicious, healthy spread, including ...

Fresh sliced red and yellow peppers with homemade hummus.

Mini organic whole wheat sandwiches with vegan dill mayo and cucumber, and vegan "turkey & cheeze" with spicy salsa.

Fresh Sunday afternoon orange juice or fruit cocktails: orange juice, pomegranate juice, soda water, vodka, and fresh orange slices.

My Sunday brunch buffet table setup: dishes, cutlery, hummus & crackers, peppers & hummus, veggies, salad, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and a drink station.

Curry Dill Hummus
1-2 cups of cooked (canned is fine) chickpeas
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup of freshly squeeze lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini sauce
1 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a food processor, mix together until well blended. Add more or less water to the hummus depending on your consistency preference. Serve immediately or chilled.

Enjoy!

Mike's Birthday Balloons Revisited

2013-01-29T23:02:00.004-05:00

Last year for my boyfriend's 30th birthday I surprised him with 30 balloons, each one blown up, stringed and tied to each string a photo of him. Believe it or not I saved all of those balloons because I just didn't have the heart to toss them, especially since they weren't as biodegradable as I had hoped!

So, this year I decided to make something good out of them. I made a 31 balloon birthday card for his birthday this year. I was able to reuse the balloons and make it a gift for him - again! The next step would be to frame it or add it to a scrap book. Any other suggestions? I'd love to hear them.

Mike loved the birthday card and his birthday surprise visit to the Ontario Science Centre.

Happy Birthday Mikey!
Love you!

Busy, Busy, Busy ... but Happy New Year!

2013-01-06T18:50:00.000-05:00

First off, HAPPY 2013 TO EVERYONE! I hope this year will be the greatest yet for everyone. For me, it's been a non-stop year so far. Leading up to 2013 it was especially busy and doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. From holiday parties, family gatherings, friendly visits, a new job, and many new year's revolutions I hope to achieve, it's been difficult to find the motivation or even the time to sit down and write something - anything!

So, for now I wish everyone health, happiness and the Eco-friendliest year yet to come. For myself, I hope to create and cook up more delightful meals this year and to share them here. I also hope to achieve some personal goals - getting finances in order, buying a home (a farm preferably), maybe even starting a family, spending more time with friends and family, and of course, more traveling!

Okay, so somewhere in my ambitious schedule I do hope to find the time to write. Until then ... make this year great!

xo
SL

Dinner Party Delights for the Holidays

2012-12-19T22:44:00.001-05:00

For me, this month has felt like a complete blur. It's been a whirlwind of busy, non-stop working, studying and getting ready for my new job and I guess the holidays, which, OMG are just around the corner. One week away today! What the...!? Okay, don't let panic set in just yet. Fortunately I took full advantage of my time off and finished nearly all of my Christmas shopping before December 3rd. I even got a dinner party out of the way and now it's all about juggling last minute details (and last minute gifts).

If you're stuck in a crunch and need some holiday decorating or dinner party meal ideas here are just a few I share with you ...

Above Photo: My centerpiece candle wreath. I used the same jars I made last year to decorate the table. I placed an over-large candle in the center of a basket, added the Christmas jars, a few pine cones and voila. A simple, quick centerpiece wreath.

A "snowman" place setting for each guest at our dinner party. I found this idea online, somewhere ... but now can't remember where for the life of me. I thought it was such a neat idea and so simple but clever. Our guests loved it!

Snowman Dinner setting: Large plate, small plate for the head, black napkins and dinner knife for the top hat, fork and spoon for the arms, napkin for the scarf, and chocolate eyes and carrot nose.

Our Christmas tree is very red this year. Yep, that's a red tree ... it wasn't intentional but I wasn't paying attention really while I was decorating. By the time I realized it, it was too late. For anyone who has decorated a tree before you know, once you have those lights and ornaments on, there is just no turning back (not until after January 1st).

Carrot Upside-Down Tart
Original recipe from The Vegetable Cookbook, p. 104

1 lb young carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tbsp organic honey
3 1/2 tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
1 small bunch fresh thyme, chopped
12 oz ready-made puff pastry, thawed if frozen
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Cool the carrots in a saucepan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes, until just tender. Drain, toss with the honey, butter, and thyme, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over the bottom of an 8-inch tart pan or round cake pan with a depth of about 1 1/4 inches and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the carrots are caramelized.

3. Roll the pastry out onto a floured work surface into a round large enough to fit the pan and with an extra 3/4 inch edge. Lay the pastry carefully over the carrots and tuck the edge down between the carrots and the side of the pan to make a border. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and turn out upside down onto a plate. Serve immediately.

I also made, what may have been one my best cupcake recipes yet, vanilla/peppermint marble cupcakes and vanilla/pomegranate marble cupcakes (these were the best!). I simply took a regular vanilla cupcake recipe, followed the steps as usual but then divided the batter to make a pomegranate flavoured batch to swirl into the vanilla. I then did the same for the peppermint marble.

Topping each pomegranate-vanilla cupcake with real pomegranates was a perfect touch. Using festive red and green colours made these really perfect for a Christmas dinner party!

Christmas is less then one week away ... better get baking!

Soooooo many Root Vegetables!

2012-11-28T22:08:00.004-05:00

This just in, still in season, soooooo many root vegetables and brassicas! The nice thing about these vegetables is that they make great comfort foods too ... as soups, tarts, baked, and roasted. My favourite is of course roasted vegetables. There is just something really nice about a fresh batch of mixed roasted root vegetables like sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, and carrots.

A vegetable I just added to my kitchen this year, which up until now I admittedly never heard about, is kohlrabi. What is it exactly? Well exactly, it's a perennial vegetable that is a stout cultivar of cabbage and tastes similar to broccoli. To me, it's just another interesting, delicious and nutritious vegetable I can add to my repertoire and enjoy.

I added the kohlrabi to this roasted vegetable dish (above) which I seasoned with a olive oil, a bit of sea salt, black pepper, and dried dill. Roasted chopped vegetables at 350F for about 35-40 minutes. The vegetables I used here include: carrots, sweet potato, kohlrabi, black turnips, and parsnips.

There are only so many ways to roast vegetables but I always enjoy them, they make a perfect side dish and can be a healthy alternative to fried potatoes or salty snacks.

Enjoy!

Soooooo Many Beets!

2012-11-21T10:07:00.003-05:00

This season on the farm we had so many beets! I mean WAY more beets then any one person can handle, even me, and I love beets! However, I have been doing my very best to find many ways to prepare beets and stumbled upon this one, which is of course one of my favourite ways...because everything tastes better with chocolate!

Beet Chocolate Cupcakes

Original recipe from Fat Free Vegan

1 large beet
water
unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1.5 cup organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1. Peel and dice one large beet. Place the pieces in a saucepan with water to cover and boil until soft. Allow the beets to cool, and then drain them, reserving the red water for another purpose.

2. Put the drained beets into the food processor with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

4. Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. Add enough apple sauce to reach the 2-cup line.

5. Add the 2 tablespoons water (or more, depends on the consistency, should be a thick liquid), vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well.

6. Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the beet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.

7. Bake for about 22 - 24 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.

8. Allow to cool completely before icing. I used vegan icing which I dyed red using the red beet juice.

Decorate as you please and serve!

Enjoy!

Broccoli Disguised as a Muffin!

2012-11-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

Ever since I saw this recipe on Etsy, probably about a year ago, I have wanted to try it ... and I finally did! I am SO glad I did too, the recipe worked out very well! I substituted butter for canola oil but they were still very delicious and I kept the eggs, using organic free-run eggs.

Savoury Broccoli Cakes
Original recipe from Etsy

12 trimmed broccoli florets
1/2 cup canola oil (original recipe called for 1 cup + 2 tbsp of butter, softened)
1/4 cup sugar
4 large free-run eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup organic flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Daiya cheese

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the broccoli florets for about 3 minutes, then rinse well in cold water to stop the cooking. Dry each floret well with paper towels and set aside.

Mix the oil and sugar together until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, turmeric, cayenne and salt, and add this into the wet ingredients as well.

Fold in the grated cheese last with a spatula.

Place one heaping tablespoonful of batter in the bottom of each muffin case, then stand a single broccoli floret in each muffin case, and top with the remaining batter.

Spread the batter over the top of each floret roughly, it doesn't have to be perfect.

Bake the cakes for approximately 25-28 minutes, until golden brown and hard to the touch.

Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Best served the same day.

Enjoy!

Pizza Night Delight!

2012-11-14T14:43:00.001-05:00

Pizza is and forever will be my most favourite all-time food, in fact, my most favourite comfort food! Especially now that I have found an amazing and simple crust recipe that is light, soft and so delicious. No pizza party night must go without this crust recipe ... I don't know who Jay is but he sure knows his pizza crust.

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust
Original recipe from Allrecipes.com

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour to the mixture and mix until doughy.

4. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

5. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour.

6. After an hour, punch down the dough and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.

When the dough is ready, make for your favorite pizza recipe!

7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). NOTE: If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping it and then bake it.

9. Bake pizza until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sunday Moring Brunch: Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

2012-11-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

One of my favourite things about Sunday mornings, is having time to make a lovely breakfast. I especially love when I can try something new, like this morning, I made delicious lemon poppy seed pancakes. They were perfect for breakfast, light, fluffy and just the right amount of lemony.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
Original recipe is from Jae Steele's book, Ripe from Around Here

2 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup almond milk
3 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut or sunflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of one organic lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice (from about one lemon)

1. Mix together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

2. In another bowl mix together the milk, agave, oil, and vanilla.

3. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just mixed.

4. Fold in the lemon zest and juice until just combined.

5. Pour spoonfuls of the batter onto a lightly oiled hot skillet and cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

Enjoy!

Preserving the Harvest: Pickling Radishes

2012-11-08T20:30:00.003-05:00

Yep. I'm still at it. Well, trying to be anyway, still trying to preserve and learn how to preserve as much food as I can. This week: radishes! I also learned this week, that I actually like the taste of radishes, at least the ones from the farm, because up until now I always believed I hated them. It just goes to show you, always try news things and even old because you never know your taste might change!

Pickling and Preserving Radishes
The original recipe can be found Grow It Cook It Can It but because I didn't have all of the ingredients I had to tweak my recipe a bit (see below).

Ingredients
- About 2 bunches of radishes
- 1 cup Pinot Grigio white wine
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig sage
- 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tbsp. pickling salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
- A few pinches of pickling spice mix for each mason jar

1. In a pot, combine all of the ingredients except the radishes.

2. Bring everything to a boil and then let simmer for about five minutes to infuse the brine with the fresh herbs.

3. Remove brine from heat and let it cool down enough so that it is just warm or cool but not hot - boiling hot water could cook that radishes and you don’t want that.

4. In the meantime, cut the radishes into smaller pieces so that they fit into your jars. You can cut them into halves, quarters, wedges or rounds.

5. Add a few pinches of the pickling spice mix into each jar. Pack the radishes into clean quart or 1/2 litre jars.

6. Strain the cooked brine to discard herbs.

7. Pour the brine over the radish in the jars. Screw on the lid and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

The radishes take about three days to taste properly pickled.

Enjoy!

Do you have a great pickling recipe you'd like to share?

I would love to hear it, please message me or leave a comment!

Be a Farmer, at Least Once in Your Life ...

2012-11-04T21:34:00.001-05:00

... Because then I believe everyone would have a greater appreciation for their food and where it comes from. At least I know that I do, especially now that I have experienced what it is like to be an organic farmer in Ontario. My experience wasn't that long and wasn't even during the hottest days of Summer, but it was enough to learn that farming is very tough work and sometimes, with very little pay out. The difference to me is, it's work worth doing, it's important work that at the end of the day you can feel good knowing that you are contributing something great to your community. You are part of something bigger ... the system of feeding cities! Farmers are so very important!

My experience working on ManoRun Organic Farm has made me more excited about the possibility of being a farmer myself one day. I am excited, nervous, anxious, and eager to be part of a system that provides healthy, organic produce to people. Despite the struggles and back-breaking work, I still believe organic farming would be worth doing one day.

At least for now, it is an experience that I will take with me and cherish. I have also made it my goal to be back farming in some shape or form next season.

I experienced a great bounty from ManoRun each week, one that tasted better then anything I ever bought at the grocery store. Organic Farmer's markets are definitely the way to go for fresh, local produce.

I got to watch things grow, transform and take shape each week ...

...and die when the frost hit. Experiencing the cycle of living plants from start to finish is pretty amazing.

One of my most favourite experiences of all, was meeting and interacting with some wonderful farm animals ... my favourite of course being, the cows.

I gained valuable farm and growing knowledge, and learned some new techniques.

Working with equipment, something up until now I pretty much never did, is something I got to do on the farm, experimenting with different farm machinery.

I got to watch new and exciting projects develop from start to finish, like ManoRun's new pond.

Although I never did witness the birth of these piglets, it was an amazing and beautiful surprise to see them the next morning, after weeks of of waiting and feeding their mama.

As a bonus, I also made some very good friends, people and pets!

For more information on how you can work on a farm:

WWOOF or CRAFT Ontario

My Fun-Filled Halloween Weekend!

2012-10-31T12:41:00.000-04:00

Halloween is always my favourite time of year, and like every year it usually involves me running around like a crazy person, trying to get everything done for our party right down to the last detail. This year was no exception, we went all out and it was amazing!

The theme this year: Classic Scary Movies! My only regret, is that I didn't take better photos or get enough photos. On the plus side however, we did capture a lot of video footage. Nonetheless, the important thing is that everyone had a great time and the food was delicious.

Thankfully this year I had some amazing produce to choose from, from ManoRun Organic Farm, some pictured above: black radishes, baby carrots and young parsnips.

Our food table, with a film projector, crows, spiders, snakes, worms and more ... luckily, those were not the edible bits. What we did have on the menu: chocolate cupcakes, crackers and veggies with hummus, roasted root vegetables, nachos and salsa, sangria, figs, prunes, candied pecans, and of course, more chocolate!

I thought our sangria dispenser (in the far back of photo above) with fake floating fingers inside was a nice touch. The food I kept simple yet dark and delightful. I tried to use dark coloured food or orange to add some Halloween "creepiness" to the table. Example, black olives and prunes, blue nacho chips, roasted dark root vegetables, red beets, etc.

And no party would be complete without some cupcakes! Chocolate vegan cupcakes with orange colored vanilla icing.

An idea I learned from the Martha Stewart website: glue fake black spiders to toothpicks as added decoration to the table, or to be used for picking up finger foods.

I wish I had more to show, or recipes to share but it was a hectic week/end for me and unfortunately, as mentioned I didn't get as many photos as I had hoped. Until next time ...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Best. Hummus. EVER!

2012-10-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

One of my all-time favourite things about Fall is butternut squash, any squash really, but mostly I enjoy butternut. Finding new recipes for it however, can be a challenge. Either then turning squash into soup or roasting it, I didn't think there was much else I could do with it. Recently, however, I found a recipe for curried butternut squash hummus ... huh? Weird. No, not weird, AMAZING! At least that is how I feel now after making it, devouring it and sharing it with every possible person around me.

Not only is this hummus delicious on bread, crackers or with any raw veggies, it was also used to make this delicious vegan lasagna (pictured below, right).

Now, the lasagna recipe is lengthy and time consuming so instead, I share with you the amazing hummus recipe and my green rice recipe (pictured above, left):

Curried Butternut Squash Hummus
Recipe from 500 Vegan Recipes

2 cups chopped roasted butternut squash
15 oz (425g) cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 large-size clove garlic, grated
1 tbsp extra-virigin olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
Juice from 1 lemon
1 heaping tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend together well until smooth. Adjust flavour as you like it by adding salt and/or pepper or more of less of the other spices and lemon juice.

I also like to add a touch of water to really smooth it out. Serve with crackers or vegetable sticks.

Green Rice with Kale

1/4 cup Arugula Pesto
3-4 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped into small pieces
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve warm to hot. Best served as a side dish, even though kale is amazing!

The hummus I made didn't last very long to preserve but I imagine it would freeze pretty well! It would be similar to freezing pureed squash or pumpkin, I think, which I will review next week!

Preserving the Harvest: Pickled Carrots

2012-10-19T19:24:00.001-04:00

I am definitely loving this pickling/canning kick I'm on. Next up this week, carrots! The nice thing about carrots, which I didn't know, is that they actually get sweeter when the frost hits. Not only do they not die out from frost, they taste even better from it.

Pickling Carrots
Original recipe from Serious Eats.

What you will need:

1 1/2 pounds carrots, trimmed to fit your jars
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbsp pickling salt
1 tsp dill seed
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic

Bring a small pot of water to a boil in which to blanch the carrots.

Peel carrots and trim to fit jars. Cut into thin sticks.

When the water comes to a boil, drop in the carrots in and cook for about 90 seconds if you plan on canning your carrots.

When time is up, remove carrots from water and run under cold or ice water to stop the cooking process for about 90 seconds.

Prepare two 12-ounce glass jars by placing lids and jars in a boiling hot water for about 2 minutes. This will sterilize the jars and soften the lids.

Combine vinegar, water and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Place spices and garlic cloves into the bottom of the jar or jars.

Pack carrots sticks upright in jars and pour the boiling brine over the carrots, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.

Proceed with your canning instructions or refrigerate to enjoy for the week.

Preserving the Harvest: Arugula Pesto

2012-10-16T19:55:00.002-04:00

I for one have never been a big fan of arugula, that is, until now. Since starting work at ManoRun organic farm I have tried a lot of new things that I now love which has made the experience that much more amazing. Arugula is one of them. Besides enjoying it in salad it was suggested to me that it also made for an amazing pesto. I was skeptical but did my research, found a great recipe online, and now I can't get enough of this stuff!

Vegan Arugula Pesto
Original recipe from Finally Kitchen, serves: 4-6

2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup raw walnuts, pinenuts or almonds (I did a mix myself)
3 tbs fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 1/2 ounces baby arugula
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbs olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

When I made this recipe I actually doubled it and it filled about two and half 250 ml jars, which are great for freezing!

Mince the garlic cloves in a food processor, then add the walnuts and pulse until the nuts are chopped. Add all of the remaining ingredients, pulse until evenly blended and creamy.

You may need to scrape the sides of your processor a couple of times to ensure it is mixed well. Season with salt and pepper, serve with crackers, bread or pita, and enjoy!

Do you have amazing pesto recipe that you love?

I would love to hear it! Please leave a comment.

Preserving the Harvest: Pickled Beets

2012-10-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

Not a lot of people love beets but then again, I am not like a lot of people. I freakin' love beets! I think they are quite possibly my most favourite vegetable of all time. I know, crazy, right? Well, besides tasting delicious, I find them to be so versatile. Beets are great raw, cooked, steamed, sauteed, roasted, any way really. You can add flavours and they will pick it up beautifully when cooked.

So, on my mission to master the art of preserving, I of course had to include beets. This week, I found a great recipe at Allrecipes.com for pickling and canning red beets.

Pickling Beets for canning

The original recipe was found on allrecipes.com, however, I adjusted some of the measurements because I found the original ones weren't working for me. I wanted to make sure I had enough liquid for the 10 pounds of beets I used.

10 pounds fresh small beets, stems removed

3 cups organic cane sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp pickling salt
4 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup whole cloves

Step 1: Wash and clean about 10 pounds of beets. I used a scale to get an accurate measurement.

Step 2: Wash beets further, scrubbing well and removing any rough skins or roots. The original recipe called for peeling the beets after they were cooked but I skipped that step and left the skins on. Chop beets into quarters or chunks.

Step 3: Fill a pot with water and beets, bring to a boil and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or just until tender.

Step 4: Important: Drain the beets but reserve at least 3-4 cups of the beet water.

I used at least 3 cups (or more) of the beet water to make the pickling brine but it may depend on your preference and how many jars you want to fill.

Step 5: Fill each jar to the neck with the hot, cooked beets. Toss in several whole cloves into each jar with the beets.

Once that is complete, move onto making the pickling juice ...

Step 6: In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Bring to a rapid boil then remove from heat and pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, and seal lids.

Step 7: Get your pot ready for canning. Fill a huge pot (not large, a huge pot) about halfway with water and bring to a boil.

Step 8: Fill your canning rack with your prepared and lightly sealed beet jars. A canning rack makes the whole process so much easier, so you will definitely need one. Now, some people don't cover the jars completely with water but in this case, I did. I made sure there was about an inch of water over the top of each jar.

Sit the jars in the boiling pot for at least 10 minutes or so. Remove from the rack and jars from the water and sit them upright in a place where they will not be disturbed for at least 24 hours. You will start to hear the lids popping immediately and if they haven't yet they will do so as the jars cool down.

For me, 11 out of 12 jars popped, so it was a very successful first canning night!

Preserving the Harvest: Apples into Applesauce

2012-10-09T21:16:00.002-04:00

'Tis the season for preserving, which is what I hope to be doing a lot of this month. Two weeks ago I learned to blanch green beans to prepare for freezing and last week, I made applesauce, which is also good for freezing or canning. This week, I hope to pickle beets and carrots for canning, which is something I still struggle with but I swear I will master canning!

Making applesauce is possibly one of the easiest things to make and a healthy treat to enjoy, so it's a win-win.

Step 1: Wash and chop apples into small pieces - the smaller they are the faster they cook.

Step 2: Add apples to a pot on medium-high heat. Add a few dashes of cinnamon.

Step 3: Cover to cook for at least 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

Step 4: Check on apples every few minutes and stir them to prevent from burning or sticking and check for tenderness. Cook for at least 12-15 minutes, until completely soft.

Step 5: Once cooked and completely soft you can now start mashing the apples. I used a potato masher but a fork could also work.

Step 6: Once mashed transfer apples to a food processor to puree them further, to get a smoother consistency. This step is optional, if you like your apple sauce chunky then skip to step 7.

Step 7: Fill a mason jar with your apple sauce, securely seal it and add it to the freezer. I am pretty certain you can freeze applesauce without pressurizing the jar but if you fell better canning, by all means.

Any tips or tricks you can offer me about preserving, freezing or canning, I would love to hear them! Please leave a comment.

Farm Life Part I: Earth to Table

2012-10-03T21:01:00.001-04:00

Recently, I quit my job. Actually, I quit my job to work on an organic farm for a couple of months as an farm intern. My job now, working in the field, harvesting, planting, weeding, processing, selling, and helping with animal chores, etc. etc. ... basically anything you need to do to run a small farm. The experience so far has been so satisfying and amazing. It is an experience that I would one day love to turn into a full time career.

The farm is ManoRun Organic farm, located in Copetown, Ontario. Only a month in and it's already been a great learning experience, every day is different and every day I learn something new. I've also been gaining the skills and confidence I need to someday run my own organic ... hopefully, someday soon!

One of my most favourite aspects of the farm are the animals! I especially love how happy I feel when I am around them and the bond I am creating with some of them. That for me was expected however, I always loved animals as a child and especially loved cows. This is me with Trish, their dairy cow leading her out to pasture.

I also love all the wonderful produce we harvest every week and get to take home. That was also a given though, I love fresh, organic food!

What I didn't except was the feeling I now get when I prepare and eat the food that I harvest with my own hands. It's a feeling of true contentment and satisfaction. I feel as though I have a deeper connection with my food right now, especially when I get to watch it grow, get to pick it, prepare it and then share it with friends and family, it's an amazing feeling.

I just love these pigs and had to show them off. I never thought I could be so entertained by such an animal but I am, every time I see them. I love giving them treats (tomatoes) and watching how quicky they scarf them down, they really make a lot of noise too. They're so curious and playful, but very shy and stick close together as a pack.

Pigs are like dogs really, but they just don't get the same attention or respect unfortunately. These pigs however, live very happy lives and it's great to be a part of that right now.

How connected are we to the food we eat? If you asked me, not connected enough! I feel most people shop so mindlessly for their food, whether it's because they are just too busy, too broke or they don't care, most do not take the time to really see what is being put into their bodies or where it is coming from and how that might make a difference.

It could take something as simple as visiting a farmer's market once a week instead, or going directly to a farm, meeting the farmer and asking him questions to get more connected with your food. Believe me when I say, and I speak from experience, that having a better understanding of what you put into your body and where it comes from can make a world of difference on your physical, mental and spiritual health.

Taste of the Week at ManoRun Farm: Green Beans

2012-09-28T14:20:00.003-04:00

It's green bean season on ManoRun Organic farm, or so it feels like it these days! We have so many amazing green beans to harvest and not enough time to eat them or people to sell them too. So what does one do? Run a green bean eating contest? Perhaps, but I thought it was high time I learn the fine art of food preservation, starting with, green beans. After all, preserving truly is the only way to eat locally and still enjoy your favourite foods throughout the Winter.

Now, I consulted a few people, checked some cook books and scoured the internet for tips, how-tos and instructions on freezing green beans. I learned that before freezing green beans or any other vegetables alike, you must first blanch them. Essentially I went online to find out how to do this and in the simplest steps possible, here is what I did:

Blanching Green Beans for Canning or Freezing

Step 1: Trim the ends of your green beans.

Step 2: Wash them well.

Step 3: In boiling water, boil for them about 3 minutes and no longer.

Step 4: Remove from boiling water after 3 minutes.

Step 5: Immediately douse them in freezing cold water for about 3 minutes.

Step 6: After 3 minutes remove from cold water.

Step 7: Lay your beans out on a tea towel to dry for a few minutes. I think this part is optional but I did it.

Step 8: Fill your labelled freezer bag and seal trying to release as much air as possible.

Enjoy ... for Winter!

Welcome Fall! I Offer Comfort Food: Chili

2012-09-25T19:25:00.002-04:00

When I am in the kitchen sometimes my best learning experience is through experimenting. I try my best to find great recipes online or in my many cook books that will use up the ingredients I have at hand, but more often then not, I am missing one or two things. I am usually missing those one or two things that are unfortunately, key to the recipe. Those kitchen staples that I just haven't gotten around to buying or stocking up on.

So, some days, it is just more fun and easier to take what you have on hand and make something out of it. This is what happened when I only had kale, canned beans, left over tomato sauce, and a few other farm fresh produce left to use for a dinner party, which I didn't know what to do with. What happened? A recipe was born!

Kale & White Bean Chili

1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp fresh or dry parsley
1-2 tsp fresh or dry oregano
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1/2 large zucchini (or 1 whole small-med one), chopped
1.5 cups of tomato sauce (store-bought or homemade is fine, any will do)
2 cans white kidney beans, rinsed and well drained
1/2 to 1 whole bunch of kale, broken apart in big pieces
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large pot over med-high heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft.

2. Add spices, cook for about a minute.

3. Add peppers and zucchini, mixing well and cooking for about 3 minutes. At this point turn heat down to medium.

4. Add tomato sauce and beans, stirring together well for about a minute or so.

5. Add kale and cover for at least 5 minutes to soften.

6. Stir everything together well once. Add salt and pepper to taste and thenleave, covered for about 10-14 minutes cooking on med-low heat.

7. Turn heat off, mix together one last time and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Farm Roasted Vegetables: Welcome Fall Comfort Food!

2012-09-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

My newest and possibly most delicious way of making roasted vegetables is this:

Step 1 - Gather together the most farm fresh produce you possibly can find or buy such as, red and yellow potatoes, carrots, onion, sweet potato, beets, garlic, etc. All of my amazing produce these days comes from ManoRun Organic Farm.

Step 2 - Preheat the oven to about 425F.

Step 3 - Chop all vegetables to the size of your liking (the smaller the size the quicker it will cook).

Step 4 - Season those vegetables with olive oil, a few dashes of sea salt and pepper, a handful of freshly chopped rosemary, oregano, and thyme. I sometimes add a few dashs of garlic powder if I don't have fresh garlic on hand. I eyeball how much I put in of everything so you can do the same, to your liking.

Step 5 - Roast in the oven for about 35-50 minutes. The amount of time will depend on the size of the vegetables and on how crispy and golden you like them.

Wow, five easy steps, I didn't realize how simple this recipe really was and you will love it! It's a wonderful addition to your meal and a perfect comfort food to welcome in Fall this weekend!

Enjoy!