Vanilla Bean Tofu Custard

Yes, I have heard it all before...you don't like tofu. 

In fact, I don't think I have met anyone who has declared a love for tofu.  But, here's the thing...I like tofu.  So I am gonna make things with it.

When I still lived in the snowy regions of Canada, I used silken tofu as the cream base in chowders.  No one was any wiser that my creamy soups were not made with milk or cream.  Later, I attempted working tofu into vegetable based gyozas; they went over well and no one objected to the tofu that was delicately incorporated in the mushroom, chive, and green onion dumplings.  Still though, I didn't have anyone in the family cheering at my tofu offerings.

As time has marched on, my kids began to welcome the tofu 'cheese' that was in their miso soup ~instead of leaving at the bottom of the bowl; so I felt it time to try a sweeter tactic to get them to endorse a broader range of tofu concoctions.  An easy lunch box chocolate tofu pudding pot was first successful lunch box dessert.  These went over really well and are a regular rotation on the lunch box menu for school.  I whiz these babies up the night before and fill small plastic containers with sweet chocolatety tofu goodness and it it can keep up with the school lunch desserts for over a week.

After a minor battle over who ate more than their fair share of the last batch of pudding pots, I have made a vanilla version for my darlings this week.  It containers real vanilla bean which might seem a little over the top but I guarantee it is worth it.  I can buy vanilla bean paste in the grocery stores here and a little goes a long way.  Don't use the alcohol based vanilla as it imparts a bitter taste in the custard that isn't very nice.

I won't bother to provide a printable recipe for this recipe as it has so few ingredients that I think most people can remember it.  So you don't like tofu, you say?  I suggest you give this vanilla bean custard a try and see if I can change your mind.

• 500-600 grams of silken tofu
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or the paste of 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 tsp. pink salt
• 3 Tbsps. refined coconut oil

Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into individual sized portions and refrigerate.  The custard should keep for approximately 7 days.

Cauliflower Garden Love

The weather is weird here in Perth as we have recently come off a cold spell and are now experiencing temperatures upwards of 18C degrees despite it being winter.  It rained long and hard last night so I had a peek at my garden this morning and was greeted by the baby beginnings of cauliflower.  The plants themselves have been huge for a long time but it is exciting to see a cauliflower or two finally making an appearance.

I have never grown this vegetable before but I look forward to seeing how big they will grow.  We don't eat a ton of cauliflower as it isn't a favourite vegetable of any member of the family.  I prefer to eat it raw but everyone else in my family likes it cooked so I compromise and use it raw for my Cauliflower Tabbouleh and cooked for cauliflower rice.

To make the rice simply cut the cauliflower in small pieces and pulse in a food processor until you achieve rice sized pieces.  I stir-fry the cauliflower rice with a bit of coconut oil, a tablespoon or so of soy sauce or tamari, and some finely chopped parsley or coriander.  Cook for about a minute just before serving.  It is a great rice substitute or even mix it with cooked rice if you want to up your veggie serves and hide it in the meal for the kids.

Oatmeal Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Yes, yes another bread recipe.  No, you can never have too many of these in your recipe files.  I really like the whole wheat sourdough from my previous post but this one is especially a treat with the oatmeal.  I haven't tried this bread in a my baking cloche but I am sure it would turn out deliciously.  So far, I have been making this recipe in a baking tin and slicing for sandwiches.  The bread itself is light and bouncy.  Overall it received and A++ rating from the family.

I think if you add a 1/4 cup of molasses, it would make a really nice molasses oatmeal loaf.  If you would like a few seeds, then add a handful of pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds for a seedy version. This one is also a great loaf for the freezer so don't hesitate to double the quantities and make two loaves for a quick grab later.

"'A loaf of bread,'the Walrus said, 'is what we chiefly need:

  Pepper and vinegar besides are very good indeed.'" - Lewis Carroll

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• 1 cup of warm water
• 1/3 cup of soy milk or any other kind of milk
• 1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of sourdough starter
• 3/4 cup of white bread flour
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1 1/2 tsps. sea salt

In a medium sized bowl, mix water, soy milk, honey and sourdough starter.  Next, gently whisk in the white flour and rolled oats.  Finally, add the two cups of whole wheat flour and sea salt; mix with the a wooden spoon until combined.

Turn the sticky dough out onto an unfloured counter and knead with the slap and stretch method for approximately ten minutes.  After kneading, shape the dough to form a ball and return to the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap then set aside until the dough has doubled or more; this may take anywhere from six to eight hours.

Once doubled, turn the dough onto a floured counter and shape into a loaf.  Bake at 425F or 220C for 30-35 minutes until the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.  Makes one medium sized loaf of bread.

Vegetable Pakoras

We don't really deep fry foods at our house but this recipe is the exception to the rule.  Pakoras are a little bit indulgent and we often eat them with a vegetarian/vegan meal of chickpea korma or especially with our favourite masoor daal (red lentil curry).

We were first introduced to the humble pakora at our favourite Indian take-away in Vancouver.  We started making our own when I began experiencing more problems with dairy and eating out became more problematic.  I cook them on a night when we want to feel like we have had a special take-away meal without ordering take-away.

If you don't own a deep fryer then cook in a deep heavy-bottomed pot with a few inches of oil.  I cook them outside so the deep fried smell doesn't go through the house.  The pakoras freeze or keep in the fridge well for a gentle reheat later.  Unfortunately, ours never last long enough with my biggest kid eating them cold out of the fridge as a late night snack.  There is never a pakora left the morning after an Indian feast!

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• 1 cup of besan (chickpea) flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 - 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. grated ginger
• 1 tsp. crushed or minced garlic
• 2 cups of assorted fresh vegetables of your choice such as finely chopped cabbage, corn, green beans, green onion and/or grated carrot
• rice bran oil for frying

In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and then add the water and mix well.  Your batter should resemble thick cake batter.  Add your veggies and stir.  Try to keep the veggies  uniform in size so they will cook evenly.

In a heavy bottom pot, pour your rice bran oil in so it is a few inches high and heat until hot enough for frying.  You can test this by dipping a chopstick or wooden spoon handle in the hot oil and if small but vigorous bubbles form then your oil is ready.

Drop the batter in by the heaping tablespoon and fry until cooked through.  Try not to make the pakoras too large as they will struggle to cook through in the middle.  Place cooked fritters on a plate or tray covered in paper towel.  These freeze well or can be stored in the fridge, reheated or simply eaten cold.  Makes approximately 24 pakoras depending on the size.

Masoor Daal (Red Lentil Curry)

Ahhh, the humble lentil.  What can I say about lentils that most don't already know?  They are not a particularly glamorous food but they are full of fibre, easy on the pocketbook, very quick cooking, and simply put ~ delicious.  

You might think this meatless wonder would be a hard sell for dinner but my husband and children clap their hands with delight when I tell them we are having daal.  Serve this filling meal over a bed of fluffy basmati or a side of cauliflower rice ~ whatever you lean towards, I doubt you will be disappointed. I like this meal with a kick of spice and ~on special occasions~ serve it with a decadent pakora to make it feel like a special take-away treat. 

Throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning with a cup less of stock and have it ready for when you come home or cook it up on the stove-top in about 30 minutes.

Masoor daal and basmati rice with veggie pakoras.

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• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 stick of celery, finely diced
• 1 medium sized onion, finely diced
• 4 sprigs of coriander or parsley, chopped
• 2 bird's-eye chillies or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 Tbsps. rice bran oil or coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 cup of dried red lentils
• 5 cups of vegetable stock, water, ~ or chicken stock
• 1 tsp. of salt or to taste

In a medium-sized pot, sauté parsley/ coriander, carrots, celery, and onion in oil for a few minutes until translucent.  Add the chillies, ginger and garlic and cook for another minute then add the vegetable stock, spices, and lentils; bring to a gentle simmer.  Cook for approximately a minimum of 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the curry does not stick.  I like daal thick but runny;  just use less water/stock should you like it thicker.  Garnish with more chopped coriander or parsley. Serves 4-5 depending on portion sizes.

Spinach & Seed Crackers

I have been making my own crackers for a while after finding that I am more and more sensitive to the additives and flavourings on and in store-bought commercially made crackers.  Homemade crackers are more nutritionally dense and give you a chance to pump up the nutrients per serving.

These crackers are inspired by a combination of recipes found on the net but especially the  Chia Crispbreads found at Anja's Food 4 Thought.  I make Anja's recipe all the time but this was my interpretation of it with my favourite spices, flour, and spinach.  Leave out the spinach or simply substitute it with kale ~ either way these crackers are delish!

Spinach & Seed Crackers with a side of hummus.

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• 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbsps. flax seeds, ground or whole
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup whole rolled oats
• 1/4 cup of buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup of filtered water
• 2 Tbsps. rice bran oil or olive oil
• 250 grams spinach, washed & pureed

In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.   Add water, oil, and spinach to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.  Set aside for 20-30 minutes and then spread on a baking sheet between two pieces of baking paper and roll out as thinly as possible.  Remove the top piece of baking paper and score into cracker shapes with a large knife before placing in preheated oven.

Bake at 350F/ 180C for 30-40 minutes or until crisp and toasted.  Baking times may vary depending on the thickness of your cracker so keep an eye on them to ensure the perfect toastiness.  Let cool for a few minutes before breaking them up either along the scored lines or freestyle when you forget to score them for baking - like me!  Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to a month.

Cilantro Tomato Chutney

While our family strives to keep our sugar consumption on the low side, we do enjoy things that are sweet  - in moderation.  With tomatoes being competitively priced right now in WA, I decided to venture into sweet chutney-making for a small amount to dose on my burgers or to enjoy with my Shepherd's Pie.  Chutney is great as a condiment on burgers; with ham or turkey; spread on an egg'n bacon rolls; or even served with your favourite Indian take-away.

My chutney project started in the morning as the recipe requires a bit of time for the onions and tomatoes to release a bit of liquid.  Then as I had a number of other kitchen chores to do, I just set my bowl aside and came back to it after lunch.  It is school holidays this week so the kids and I were laying low and I was getting some extra cooking done as the pantry was empty of just about everything.

I don't really have the room for large batches of condiments so this amount is just right for our fridge and won't last long enough to worry about it going off.  Give this chutney a try as I am sure it won't disappoint.

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• 1 kilogram of tomatoes, medium dice
• 3 medium sized onions, small dice or finely sliced
• 3 Bird's-eye chilli peppers, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of natural cane sugar
• 1 tsp. Madras curry powder
• 1 1/2 tsps. mustard powder
• 1 1/3 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. natural sea salt

Chop tomatoes and onions and toss with sea salt in a medium-sized bowl.  Set the mixture aside for a few hours or overnight in fridge to allow the tomatoes and onions to release a bit of liquid.

Drain the salty liquid from the mixture; add the chilli, garlic, sugar, and spices to the tomatoes and onions in a medium-sized pot. Cook gently on medium heat for about 8 minutes and then add the apple cider vinegar.  Stir to combine.  You can now leave you chutney chunky or blend about 1/3 of the mixture and leave the rest chunky.  I used a stick blender directly in the pot and blender for a few seconds to get the texture I wanted.

Now bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and reduce until about 1/3 of the original amount or to a desired thickness.  Be careful not to let your chutney burn as it is sweet and it is thickening so as it is reduced it might have a tendency to stick to the pot.  Stir often! Just before removing thickened mixture from heat, add chopped cilantro and stir well.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars.  Hot water can the chutney for long term storage or store in fridge.  This recipe makes about 4 cups.  It should keep for a month or two in the fridge if the jars are properly sterilized.  The chutney will thicken a bit more in the fridge.

Raging Raw Sriracha

After saying goodbye to successful chilli growing in our last home state, I was excited to discover a couple of well established chilli bushes in the otherwise empty garden of our new home.

With a little tender loving care, chillies have flowed steadily all summer and I wanted to try my hand at chilli sauce - which is a favourite of my husband.

Finally, after spending some time doing a little research I patched together this recipe that makes a pretty nice tasting hot sauce.  I can't say how it compares to the popular commercial brands of sriracha but it has passed the husband test so that is enough for me.

Use it sparingly or stand back for the fire to blow out your ears!

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• 2 medium sized red capsicum, coarsely chopped
• 100g red jalapenos chillies, coarsely chopped
• 30g Bird's eye chillies, stem removed
• 7 cloves of peeled garlic
• 1 Tbsp. uniodised salt
• 3 Tbsps. honey or maple syrup for vegans
• 1/4 cup of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with 'Mother'
• 3 Tbsps. of raw unpasteurized sauerkraut juice (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. of guar gum (optional)

Wash, deseed, and coarsely chop capsicum; destem chillies and peel garlic - place everything in a high speed blender.  Add salt and honey to the the ingredients and pulse until chillies start to liquefy.  Blend mixture until smooth.  I added three tablespoons of my homemade sauerkraut juice to kick start the ferment but this is not necessary.

Pour mixture into clean jars with a good few inches of space at the top to allow for expansion and loosely screw on cap.  Place jar in darkened cupboard at room temperature to ferment for 5 days; open and stir each day.  Fermentation takes place when bubbles start to form.  

Taste after day 5 and transfer sauce back to blender, add cider vinegar, guar gum and puree until blended. The guar gum acts as an emulsifier and keeps the sauce from separating but is unnecessary if you don't want to add it.

Transfer sauce to sterilized jars or bottle and refrigerate.  The sauce should last quite some time if fermented successfully.

Healthy Bubbles Sourdough Starter ~Updated~

Saturday was sourdough starter day and I finally began a batch of wild yeast sourdough starter. Sourdough contains naturally occurring lactobacilli and wild yeasts - found in the air and in the flour used in the starter.  It's the lactic acid from the lactobacilli bacteria that gives sourdough bread its sour taste.

Sourdough starter - Day 3

The starter is pretty simple to make.  I just mixed together three Tablespoons of white flour and three Tablespoons of whole wheat flour with enough filtered water to make it into a cake mix consistency and covered it to sit on my counter for a day or two.  Once I started to see some bubbling action, I mixed in another 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour into my mixture and added just enough water to maintain that cake mix consistency.  I covered it and awoke to see bubbling goodness! 

Each day, I discarded half my starter and added another 1/4 of a cup of whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup of white flour and enough water to maintain a cake mix-like consistency - for a total of ten days.

I think I was a bit ambitious with my sourdough dreams and tried bread too soon.  I achieved amazing flavour in my early loaves but I didn't get the ultimate rise I was looking for and felt a bit discouraged.  Make sure your starter is able to double on the counter after feeding or it won't have the strength to make your bread rise.

Eventually, I started feeding my sourdough starter with some organic rye flour.  Rye is supposed to promote hearty microbial growth in starters and I must admit that once I switched it helped a lot.   After multiple successful batches of English muffins, cake, pasta, pizza dough and pita bread, I think my starter has enough microbial activity to start the bread making process again.

Continue to use at least some rye flour as food for your sourdough or a combination of whole wheat, rye and white as a food once the microbial activity is truly established. So far, I have the most active and healthiest starter when I add a tablespoon or two of rye to my starter now and again.

I store my sourdough starter in my fridge and feed it with flour and water to form a thick paste rather than a runny batter.  It should have lots of bubbles and deflate when you spoon it out to use it or feed it.  I feed mine whenever I use it or once a week ~ whichever comes first.  If it smells like nail varnish then don't worry.  Give the starter a stir and feed it a couple of times before using; the smell just means it is very hungry!

The day before you use your starter, take it out of the fridge.  I take half of the starter, place it in a separate bowl, and feed it equal weights of water and flour; leave this starter on the counter.  I then feed the remaining amount of starter from the fridge and return it to the fridge for later use.

In the morning, I either discard half of the fed counter top starter and then feed it the same amount again; or I keep the whole amount and feed it double the amount of flour and water that I did the day before.  I mix my bread within four hours of this feeding.  If I double the amount of fed starter then I am usually baking a double batch of bread.

I have had lots of success with this method and hopefully you will too!

Happy baking!

Freestyle Fresh Plum & Fig Frangipane

It is plum season in my neck of the woods.  A few days ago, my husband surprised me with a 10kg box of huge juicy plums and we have been eating them everyday. Today when I went out to harvest some more basil from my garden, I was surprised to find our figs from our fig tree were finally starting to ripen.  

Since I am only getting a handful of ripened figs at a time, I decided to combine the plums and figs together for frangipane awesomeness!
This freestyle plum & fresh fig frangipane is adapted from the recipe found at Gourmande in the Kitchen.  

A pretty pie dish would make this dessert a bedazzler but unfortunately all I had was a plain utilitarian glass pie plate; pretty presentation dish or not, this dessert is still a treat!  Divide into small ramekins for a more formal individual experience.

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• 4 large plums. halved and sliced
• 4 fresh figs, sliced
• 1 cup of almond meal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

In a greased 8-9 inch glass pie dish, evenly spread the sliced plums and figs over the bottom.  In a separate bowl, whisk the honey, oil and egg together and then add the almond meal, spices, and salt; stir to combine.  Spoon the almond mixture over the fruit as evenly as possible and bake in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and serve warm with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, cashew cream, or dairy-free ice cream.

Today's Garden Goodness & Basil Pesto

Today is clean up day and part of my tidy is pruning the roses, picking the weeds and sweeping the patio.  It is a 'cool' 28 degrees with a nice breeze so I have managed to get quite a bit done.  

My tomatoes and corn are completely finished.  I managed to produce 8 full sized ears of corn and about another 6 baby corn for a stir-fry.  The tomatoes were really abundant and we enjoyed colourful bowlful after bowlful.  Now all that is left is my chilli peppers and a few mixed herbs.  I couldn't resist letting a few of my chives go to flower as they are so pretty.  I think we can safely enjoy these in our mashed potatoes and potato salads for a bit longer.

I cut back all my basil and made pesto for the freezer and it looks like I will have a second blush to make a bit more.  Yum!  Pesto is pretty easy to make.  I don't follow a recipe.  I just whiz up what I have but usually include:

• a bunch of basil
• the juice of 1-2 lemons
• the zest of 1-2 lemons
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• a bunch of green onions
• a healthy glug of olive oil - enough to make it a runny consistency
• walnuts or pine nuts (optional)

I leave the Parmesan cheese out as I am allergic to dairy but this can be added back in to individual dishes if some hold the cheese and some don't.  Whiz the ingredients up in a blender or food processor and adjust seasonings to taste.   Pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays to pop out when you need it or refrigerated in a sterilized jar for up to a couple of weeks.  The kids love it on zucchini noodles; as a marinade for chicken or fish; or stirred into pasta with some cherry tomatoes for school lunches.

Any Kind of Nut or Seed Butter

Ever since I developed an allergy to dairy, I have increased my consumption of nut and seed butters. I was always a big yogurt and cheese eater so I needed a protein substitute and peanut/ seed butter helped me out a bit.  

With concern about the hydrogenation of oils and sugar added to store-bought peanut butter, our family switched to the non-hydrogenated and no-sugar added peanut butter; now we can't eat any peanut butter with added sugar or emulsifiers as it tastes really sweet and gloggy.  

Since our interstate move, we have found the price of this natural kind of peanut butter to be much dearer and in rather small containers so I have sourced my own peanuts and started making my own. I try to buy blanched, raw, organic peanuts when affordable otherwise go for unorganic blanched peanuts from a trusted quality source.   I use seed butters for anything we send to school especially as a binding ingredient in homemade granola bars.

This peanut/seed butter recipe is easy to make if you have a high speed blender.  My blender is a Vitamix knock-off from a grocery store chain called Aldi.  For $99, it is a pretty good substitute for a Vitamix which retails for a minimum of $799 here in Oz.  To clean-up from nut or seed butter making, just add water and a splash of liquid soap to the blending jug and whiz, rinse and repeat until clean.

• 4 cups of lightly roasted nuts or seeds
• 4 Tbps. coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt

In a high speed blender, add coconut oil, sea salt and nuts/seeds.  Pulse for about 2 minutes until peanuts start to break up.  Then turn blender on regular speed and slowly work up to high.  If the nuts or seeds don't start to liquefy, use the tamper to push down until they start to blend smoothly.  Follow your blender's manufacturer instructions and you should achieve a smooth creamy nut or seed butter that is delicious.

Pour the nut/seed butter into a sterilized jar and refrigerate.  To sterilize the jars, simply pour boiling water into a glass jar and lid.  Leave the boiling water in the lid and jar for about five minutes and then empty and place upside down in a oven at about 100 degrees Celsius or 200 degree Fahrenheit until you are ready to pour in the butter.  This product will keep indefinitely with proper sterilization and refrigeration.

Spiced Apple Chips

Variety is said to be the spice of life and it is never more true than with school lunches.  I am not a big fan of the good old staple sandwich so I am always trying to provide some new, interesting, and easy lunches that keep things varied.

This week I made dehydrated apple chips for a snack in the kids' school lunch box. I wanted to add a bit of a twist to just the plain sliced and dehydrated variety so I added some extra ingredients to the process to get a bit more flavour and zing.  These apple snacks are especially great as they don't require refrigeration and I don't get anymore bruised, spoiled, or half-eaten apples back in time for the end-of-day lunch box clean out!

4 cups of filtered water
2 tsps. of citric acid
2 Tbsps. honey
1 tsp. powdered cinnamon
1 tsps. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. powdered allspice
1 kilogram of apples

In a large bowl combine and thoroughly mix the filtered water, citric acid, honey and spices.  The citric acid will prevent the slices from turning brown but it does add a mildly sour taste to the chip and I balance that out with the honey.  Look for citric acid in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

Next,  wash and core the apples.  I used a sweeter variety but any favourite type of apple will do.  Next slice each apple into 3 mm slices.  Remember that if you slice the fruit too thin then the slices will dry out to the consistency of paper so around 3mm is about right to get a chewy ring.

Lastly, soak the slices in the citric acid and spice mixture for ten minutes and then place evenly in your food dehydrator or oven. don't overlap the apples on the tray.  Set your temperature settings to a medium heat and dehydrate until dry to the touch and chewy; temperature and drying times depend on the type of dehydrator that you own.  If using the oven then heat it to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degree Celsius and then turn off the oven; lay the apple rings onto baking paper and leave in oven until dried out and chewy.

This process can be duplicated successfully with pears, plums or nectarines.  The plums and nectarines need to be pitted and cut into quarters, soaked in the citric acid mixture for ten minutes but the drying times will take much longer.  If your plums are small then cut them in half.  This gives you a good sized piece of dehydrated fruit to munch on.  Adjust your drying times for stone fruit based on your dehydrator.

In the meantime, your apples should be chewy and delicious with a gentle kick of spice.  Store in an airtight container or bag.  These chips shouldn't last long!

Creamy Waldorf Salad with Kale

Always looking for another salad to keep my family interested in eating them, I recently decided to try my hand at the infamous Waldorf salad.

Created in the 1800's at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel by its maitre d'hotel, the Waldorf salad contained fresh apples and celery dressed with mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce.  By the 1920's walnuts were added as a garnish.  In my childhood, I can remember eating the Waldorf with grapes and chicken added to the salad.

To keep the apples from turning brown, I tossed mine in apple cider vinegar.  Using unpasteurized cider vinegar adds beneficial microbes to the salad, as well.  I also like the sweetness and colour of the grapes; the crunch of celery and the bite of a few green onion.  Walnuts or any nut is optional to add a bit of protein and essential fatty acids.  Finally, instead of serving on the traditional bed of lettuce I chopped up kale and add directly to the salad.  The whole family thought it was yummy! This is my version of the Waldorf, the family liked it and I hope you do too!

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• 3 tsps. unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
• 2 medium sized red apples, diced
• 1 cup of red seedless grapes, sliced in half
• 2 small celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 stalks of kale, chopped
• 3 Tbsps. of walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 2 Tbsps. whole-egg mayonnaise
• pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Wash and chop the apples and toss with the apple cider vinegar.  Then chop the celery, green onion and walnuts and add them to the apples.  Slice the grapes and add to the bowl.  Finally, wash the kale, remove the stems and chop; add the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to the salad and gently toss to combine.

Yield:  Serves 4

Creamy Coleslaw with Kale

Coleslaw is one of my favourite side dishes.  It is sweet, tangy, crunchy, and colourful - I always have the ingredients in my refrigerator.  This recipe is an old favourite with a new ingredient - kale. Kale is incredibly nutritious and it pairs well with cabbage especially since it is very close to the cabbage family.

I have been using kale in smoothies, stir fries and now in salads.  My kids love this coleslaw and the kale didn't phase them a bit.  The lemon zest adds a freshness to the salad that makes it worth your while digging out a lemon just to get at the skin.  I choose to add apple cider vinegar to my dressing instead of using the whole lemon, partly because I prefer the cider vinegar taste but especially because I use cider vinegar with 'mother' - imparting extra beneficial microbes to the dressing.

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• 3 Tbsps. of whole egg mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar - preferably unpasteurized
• 2 tsps. cane sugar, maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp. grainy Dijon mustard
• The zest of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage - shredded
• 1 medium sized carrot - shredded
• 4 curly leaf kale leaves - shredded

In a large bowl, whisk mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, lemon zest and seasonings until smooth.  In the same bowl, add the cabbage, carrot and kale.  Toss together until well combined.

Refrigerate for up to 4 days.  Serves about 4 depending on your serving sizes but we rarely have much left over after supper.

Killer Korma Sauce

I absolutely love Indian food but my dairy allergy and my aversion to overly rich foods really get in the way of a good Indian take-away.  I have spent a few years trying to nail a recipe that tasted as good as our favourite take-away and was healthier than most.  Dairy-free and delicious, I have shared my Killer Korma Sauce recipe with many friends and it is now a favourite curry staple in our house.

The kids can make this recipe with no problem.  Just add lamb, chicken, tofu, chickpeas, veggies-only or your favourite fish to the sauce and serve veggies on the side - or chuck them into the curry for a one-dish wonder!

Printer Version

• 2 Tbsps. sunflower or 2 Tbsps. coconut oil
• 1/8 cup ground almonds or (optional)
• 1 medium onion, pureed
• ½ cup carrot, grated
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1Tbsp. ginger, freshly grated
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. heaped, ground cumin
• 1 tsp. heaped, ground coriander
• 200g. diced fresh tomatoes
• 400g. light canned coconut milk
• fresh coriander
• fresh/dried chilli to add a bit of heat (optional)
• approximately 400g of your favourite protein or just add vegetables

Puree onion and then lightly saute onions and carrot with oil in large saucepan or tagine; add tomatoes and cook gently until softened. Add spices and a splash of water to help tomatoes soften and form a paste with the spices, onions and carrot. To prevent burning keep adding a splash of water but keep your paste soft but fairly dry. Cook paste slowly for about 10 - 15 minutes.

If using raw chicken or lamb then add to the pan to lightly cook. When chicken is browned add coconut milk with the almond meal. Simmer gently for 15 minutes to finish cooking and bring the flavours together. If using fish, then add the coconut milk to the tomato/onion mixture, simmer 10 minutes and then add fish and gently cook for a few minutes until cooked through. Serve over steamed basmati or cauliflower rice and season with chopped, fresh coriander leaves or parsley.

Use leftover almond pulp from homemade almond milk or vegetable pulp from juicing to act as a sauce thickener and add nutrition to this sauce.

 ~Serves 4-6 persons depending on serving sizes ~

Cocoa Banana Oat Smoothie

In order to increase my number of leafy green vegetables and try to eat bananas - an important prebiotic, I started to make a smoothie each morning for breakfast.  I am not a big breakfast eater but I thought this might be fast, nutritious, and a good start to my day. I am now officially over my aversion to whizzed up bananas and find that this smoothie is great for breakfast on the run.  My kids, who regularly cut corners with breakfast, like this drink and will slurp it in the car before school drop off.  Our smoothie is always dairy-free but use whatever milk works for you.

Printer Version

• 1 cup of almond, soy or cow's milk
• 1 whole very ripe banana
• 1 1/2 cups of spinach
• 1/3 cup of whole rolled oats
• 1 tsp. natural vanilla extract
• 2 tsps. rounded, Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 4 ice cubes or 4 cubes of frozen coconut water

In a high speed blender, add the above ingredients in the order that they are listed; blend for about 30 seconds.  This smoothie is best consumed right away rather than refrigerated for later.