Pumpkin Spice Blend

Pumpkin Spice is always so popular this time of year. Pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice ice cream, pumpkin spice breakfast smoothies, next there will be pumpkin spice kale salad! Here's a simple recipe for your own blend.  I like to make a batch in the early fall and hope it lasts throughout the holiday season, so I can add it to all sorts of recipes.  To do that, I would recommend doubling the recipe below.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoons ground cloves

Store in a glass jar with a tight lid.  I like to use Mason Jars.

Home made Chipotle Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise, if bought at the regular grocery store, is not fit for human consumption.  Here is an easy, delicious recipe for a spicy mayonnaise that will keep in the refrigerator for at least three weeks. . .if it lasts that long. (The beautiful photo which I use here is not my own.  My mayonnaise never lasts long enough to take a great picture like this.  Props to the original photographer.)

Ingredients:
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle powder
1 - 1 1/4 cups olive oil

Method:
Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor or high speed blender such as a Blendtec or VitaMix. Blend or process, while very slowly streaming in the olive oil until the mixture becomes mayonnaise.  It really is that simple.
Enjoy.

COCONUT BACON

This recipe is so good for use on any salad,  but particularly good on Caesar Salad.  

BTW, this stuff is like popcorn.  You will find yourself snacking on it long after the salad has been eaten.

Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 cups large, unsweetened coconut flakes (not regular shredded coconut!)

3 tablespoons Bragg's Aminos, aka: Bragg All Purpose Liquid Soy Seasoning.

2½ tablespoons liquid smoke (any flavor, choose your favorite)

10 drops liquid stevia (I sometimes use 12 - 15 drops. Taste it!)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a half-sheet pan or large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix the liquid ingredients in a small measuring cup or bowl.
• In a large bowl, drizzle the coconut flakes with tamari, liquid smoke and liquid stevia mixture.  Mix well. I find it easiest to toss with my hands. Spread the flakes into an even layer on the parchment lined baking sheet. 
• Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 14 minutes, until flakes are mostly dry and turning golden on the edges. 
• (Keep an eye on the coconut as it can go from golden brown to deep burnt brown fairly quickly. For softer bacon, you'll probably only need to bake for 12 minutes, for crispy bacon, aim for 14.) 
• The coconut flakes will further crisp up as they cool.
• Let the "bacon" cool. Then use it immediately, or freeze for up to three months (It will never last that long).

.

XYLITOL - NOT SO SWEET AFTER ALL. . . .

I am not a doctor.  I am not a chef.  I am not a nutritionist.  This blog is not intended to generate money or revenue from product sales of any kind.  I write it because I am interested in developing and sharing healthy recipes that taste good.  It really is that simple. 

I have always been, in the words of my friend, Janelle Bohemier, "iffy" about Xylitol. Today I want to share the latest information I have about Xylitol. . . .and it is not pretty.  

Those of us who follow the guidelines of The Maximized Living Nutrition Plan, or guidelines for healthy eating in general, do so because we want to become, and then remain, healthy!  If you read carefully the research and information from Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist, you will quickly understand that xylitol is more likely than not producing the opposite results.  PLEASE read Sarah's blog, and then follow up with more research of your own.  I am hoping to make non-believers of all of you.  Let's be "iffy" about xylitol together!

Green Juice - You Can't Imagine How Great This Tastes!

I don't know how many of you have seen the film, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead."  It is a very inspiring story of an Australian man's journey to heal himself from the inside.  To do this, he traveled across the United States armed with a juicer! Along the way, he met many people who also needed a bit of a food intervention and introduced them to the idea of juicing.  Since I saw the film, I have been incorporating this green juice into my nutrition and I LOVE it!  Here's a link to a recipe for the green juice featured in the film by one of the more inspiring characters, Phil Staples.
Yes, I know it's green.  What you need to know is: IT IS DELICIOUS!
Enjoy.

MAXIMIZED REFRESHMENT

Here is a fabulously fresh, simple, and delicious recipe from our friend, Wendy Hord.  What a terrific drink to enjoy all summer long.  Thank you, Wendy.

BREW a teapot of green tea, using 3 teabags to approx. 6 cups of boiling water, let steep for ½ hr., then pour into a large water pitcher. Fill the pitcher up the rest of the way with cold water (approx. 4 more cups). 

ADD ½ or more mixed frozen berries, I used (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry) blend.  Leave it  to steep overnight in the refrigerator for best infused flavor.

STRAIN out berries, and add stevia to taste, stir.

SERVE on the rocks with lemon or berry garnish

Just as yummy as commercial flavoured iced teas…. without the
sugar or aspartame!!

Enjoy.

GREAT TIP FOR STORING BERRIES

Berries are the bounty of the summer season. But they're also kind of delicate. Raspberries in particular seem like they can mold before you even get them home from the market. There's nothing more tragic than paying $4 for a pint of local raspberries, only to look in the fridge the next day and find that fuzzy mold growing on their insides.

By way of the "forward" option on gmail, Cliff shared this excellent tip on how to salvage berries that are starting to lose their luster. Now I'm here to share a tip on how to prevent them from getting there in the first place:

Wash them with vinegar.

When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted I find you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and I've had strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.

Enjoy.

ALMOUND FLOUR REVISITED

I have wanted to share a few important links and recipes with all of you for quite a while. Sorry for the delay. First, I want to talk about Almond Flour, Almond Meal, the difference between the two in recipes, and the cost factor.

I avoid purchasing almond flour in the grocery store at around $15.00 per pound. One example of almond flour you will find in retail stores is Bob's Red Mill. This product, really more of an almond meal, has a very coarse texture. I do not recommend using Bob's Red Mill almond flour in my recipes, although, it will yield a decent result – just not the amazing results that a finer textured Almond Flour will produce. The least expensive almond meal I have seen locally is in the “Bulk Barn,” where the cost is roughly $9.39 per pound. In the bulk stores, it is referred to as “ground almonds,” and that is closer to the truth of its texture. I prefer to purchase almond flour of the finest quality and texture online where the price is considerably less than retail in either the grocery store or in bulk. Of course, there are shipping costs, which add to the bottom line price. Ultimately, almond flour is still expensive, but it is packed with protein and flavour, allowing me to have baked treats like cupcakes and breads. So for me, it is worth the cost.

Here in Canada the best link to order almond flour online is:

JK Gourmet at www.jkgourmet.com 1-800-608-0465.

Search the website carefully. You are only interested in the blanched almond flour! You will be buying in bulk from JK Gourmet, but you will save money, your results will be wonderful, and you will have plenty on hand when you need it.

Other online sources, best for US orders, are:

Benefit Your Life (organic) at www.benefityourlifestore.com 1-877-295-2407

Honeyville at www.store.honeyvillegrain.com 1-888-810-3212

In the US, you can purchase smaller amounts per online order, which, based on your budget, might be helpful.

I store my almond flour in the freezer, taking out 8-10 cups at a time to keep on hand at room temperature. Trying to use frozen almond flour is more work than it’s worth.

By the way, if you have enjoyed the almond flour recipes in GOOD FOOD using almond meal or ground almonds, you will enjoy those recipes even more using this better quality almond flour. You need not make measurement adjustments.

I will follow this post with a recipe which, thanks to the finer textured almond flour, I have really enjoyed, “Dark Rye Bread.”

Enjoy.

Storing Fresh Herbs

Once the weather begins to brighten, planting herbs becomes a top priority for me. I have found in the past that herbs are not as fragile as annuals, so frost is much less of a concern (with the exception of basil, which really loves the hottest weather it can get). I am experimenting with some new herbs and vegetables this summer, all planted in containers (city mouse that I am), and all chosen because I know I will actually use them in my meals. I got some beautiful lettuce plants from McSmith’s farm a couple of weeks ago, and they are also doing beautifully.

Over the rainy Mother’s Day weekend, I happened upon the following advice about storing fresh herbs once they are picked, and decided to pass it along. This method will work whether you plant and harvest your own herbs, or you buy them in bunches at the market. Fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, and other fresh herbs can last up to 2 weeks or longer when stored this way.
Let me know how it works for you.
Enjoy.

METHOD:
1 Snip off the bottom of the stems.
2 Make sure the leaves are completely dry. Better to hold off rinsing them until you're about to use them.
3 Fill a jar or a water glass partially with water and place the stem ends of the herbs into the water in the jar. (See the photo above.)
4 If you are storing the herbs in the refrigerator, cover loosely with a plastic bag. Cilantro loves cool temperatures and should be stored in the refrigerator. Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. According to experts, basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold.
5 Change the water after several days if the water starts to discolor.

Anne Willan's Home Canned Tomatoes and an Elegant, Easy Cream of Tomato Soup

This is one of the simplest methods for canning fresh tomatoes I have ever heard of. The method is the creation of Anne Willan, a respected chef who has written over a dozen internationally published cookbooks, and is the founder of one of the best cullinary schools in the world, La Varenne, in France. Once processed, the jars of fresh whole tomatoes will last for one year, and can be used for soups and sauces all winter long. Although you will probably use this method next summer at tomato harvesting time, I promised one of the blog followers to post the method over the weekend. (Sorry I am a day or two late.)
Directions:
Pack whole, well washed, unpeeled tomatoes with stems and any leaves removed, into quart/litre jars with a few sprigs of thyme, a couple of bay leaves, and an onion slice or two. Close the sealer lids and set the jars on a rack in a deep canning pot. Add enough water to cover generously. Weight the jars down (with a brick or other weight) so they don't float. This can be tricky. My suggestion is to weight the jars down before adding all the water. One other tip: If you do not have, and can not find, a round rack to fit in the bottom of the deep pot, use a clean kitchen towell or two in the bottom of the pot. This worked well for me after I scoured my town for a round rack.
Bring the water to a boil, and then simmer for an hour and a half until the tomatoes begin to lose their shape and collapse. Let the jars cool in the water so the lids form a tight seal. When done, each jar will look only half full of tomatoes. See the photo.
Elegant, Easy Cream of Tomato Soup
Open one of the jars of canned tomatoes and remove the bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Put the remainder of the contents into a blender and puree until smooth.
Add the puree to a soup or sauce pan, and add approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup of organic heavy cream (or a combination of cream and unsweetened almond milk) to taste. Bring the soup to temperature, add just a touch of salt, and enjoy one of the freshest tomato soups you have ever tasted.
Note: I used about two tablespoons of cream and approximately 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk. Suit yourself. You won't believe how wonderful the soup tastes.

Garden Fresh Basil Pesto

This recipe is so simple and so delicious. Right now, before the weather changes, you will want to harvest your beautiful basil and make up a giant batch of pesto. It will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks (if it lasts that long), or you can freeze it in ice cube trays and use little amounts later. (See below for more on freezing.)

All you do to make a big batch of Basil Pesto is this:
Put two to three cups of basil leaves in a food processor with 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, about 1/2 cup of pine nuts, olive oil (the amount of olive oil depends on the texture you desire - so more or less depending on how thick you want the pesto to be), and approximately 1/2 cup grated quality Italian parmesan cheese, and YUM!

Note: If you intend to freeze some of the pesto in ice cube trays or small containers, this is easily done, and works very well. However, it is wise to omit the Parmesan cheese from the recipe, and add it when you thaw the pesto for use within a week or two.

Pesto is wonderful as a side sauce over an otherwise ordinary grilled chicken breast, or, for you grain eaters, it is always a wonderful pasta sauce or pizza topping (used in place of tomato sauce).
I am making myself hungry.

Enjoy.

Choosing Hot Peppers at the Grocery Store

A few of the recipes in GOOD FOOD call for the use of a Serrano chili. Use a Jalepeno anytime you cannot find a Serrano in the grocery store. This tip may help you decide which pepper to choose.

"Ever take home a jalapeño chili pepper from the grocery store and have it either be so lacking in heat it may just as well be a bell pepper, or so hot a speck will create a raging inferno in your mouth? Here's a quick tip for choosing jalapeños that can help you decide which ones to pick. Jalapeño chilies progressively get hotter the older they get, eventually turning bright red. As they age, they develop white lines and flecks, like stretch marks running in the direction of the length of the pepper. The smoother the pepper, the younger, and milder it is. The more white lines, the older and hotter. Red jalapeños are the most hot, because they've been maturing the longest. "

"If you are trying to avoid the hottest jalapeños, pick the chilis without any striations. If you are looking for heat, find a red jalapeño, or a green one with plenty of white stretch marks. Note that this is just a guideline. There is still plenty of variation among individual peppers. You can find hotter-than-Hades peppers without any white lines. But your chances of picking a mild one are better if you go for smooth. Or if you are looking for heat, you will more likely find that in a pepper with lots of lines. "

"I would like to clarify here that this tip is based on absolutely NO scientific evidence. I have seen this approach mentioned by others (online), but who knows what is really going on? I do know that they are developing much milder variety of jalapeños these days. I also know that the capsaicin, the chemical that gives chilis their heat, is concentrated in the seeds and ribs. The flesh of the chili that is closer to the seeds will be hotter than the flesh near the tip. This is established fact. Perhaps chilis that are more mature have more of their capsaicin distributed throughout their flesh than the younger ones? Perhaps hotter varieties of jalapeños develop striations and milder ones do not. I have never eaten a mild red or striated jalapeño. But several times I have bought perfectly smooth, beautiful jalapeños only to be disappointed in their complete lack of flavor and punch. So, please take this tip with a grain of salt. Since using this approach I have not encountered a dull jalapeno."

To view the picture above, simply double click on it for a larger image. You will see the "stretch marks" or "striations" more clearly.

McSmith's Farm and a Lemon Chicken recipe

I have been to McSmith's Farm twice in the past 5 weeks. What a lovely experience. This farm is the real deal. They sell fresh, organic, free range chickens every two weeks on a Saturday morning from around 10AM to 1PM. From the London area, going south on Wellington Road, the cutoff for McSmith's Farm is exactly 9 km south of Regina Mundi Highschool. Just follow the signs - believe me - it will be worth it.

McSmith's also has fresh and frozen organic, free range chicken pieces, such as boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, and bone-in chicken thighs (my favorites). They are pre-packaged in freezer safe storage pouches, so they could not be more convenient to have on hand. I was so delighted with the quality of the chicken that I went out and bought a separate small freezer. For more information on McSmith's, you can check their website at mcsmithsorganicfarm.com, but for now, I want to share a new lemon chicken recipe that I tried the last time I had the bone-in chicken thighs on hand. This recipe is not in my recipe book, GOOD FOOD, but I wanted to share it becauseI KNOW you will enjoy it. We sure did.

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried) (optional)

1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 Tbsp melted butter
Lemon slices for garnish

Method
1 Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on to each piece of chicken.

3 Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.
Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.
Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

4 Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Serves 4-6. Serve alone or with steamed vegetables, or "Cauliflower Rice."