Cooking with Steeped Tea

Recently I have started a gig as an Independent Steeped Tea Consultant. I have been spending even more time than usual drinking tea and learning more about the benefits of tea.

After smelling Steeped Tea's Herbal 'Hot Yoga' tea - I wanted to eat it, not drink it, so I adapted a recipe from the cookbook 'Cooking with Foods that fight Cancer' for Rice Pilaf. But instead of using the spices in the recipe - I just used a tablespoon of 'Hot Yoga' tea.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan
cook 1/2 cup chopped onion and add 1 tbsp of Hot Yoga tea
add 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
stir to coat rice
add 2 cups of water (or stock)
reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is cooked
remove from heat, add 1/4 cup raisins, 1/3 cup frozen peas and 2 tbsp sliced & toasted almonds

the full recipe is pretty easy, but I made it with only the tea (and no onion, raisins, peas or almonds) and it was delicious

for the full recipe, use the following spices instead of the tea
15 cardamon seeds, 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, 3 whole cloves, 3/4 tsp ground cumin, 2 cinnamon sticks and 3/4 tsp ground turmeric

unfortunately, I didn't take a pic, we were too busy eating it.

Enjoy

- Lauren

GF Baking Class.

For my mom's 65th birthday, my two sisters and I decided to surprise our Mom and give her an experiential gift, along with some time spent with us.  We decided to attend a cooking class together at a cooking studio in uptown Waterloo. You can check it out here.  

Before I go any further, I must pause and give all credit to my sisters who came up with the idea.  If it were up to me, I would have chosen something predictable like pedicures.  And here's the thing, our Mom LOVED it.  It was something that she would never (and I mean never) normally do and it was super fun for us to do together.  We laughed lots.  Hopefully we didn't distract the other 4 members of the class.  Who am I kidding?  I'm sure we did.  They probably hated us.

The funny thing was that this particular class was a gluten-free baking class.  To be totally honest, we picked it based on the day that worked best for us, more than on the focus of the class.  However, it completely worked out to my benefit as I am (mostly) gluten free. :)

Our menu consisted of:

Pumpkin Cornmeal Pancakes with Blueberries and Cinnamon Maple Syrup

Gluten-free Strawberry Scones with Lemon Curd

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Tart

Chocolate Souffle Cookies

Everything was delish.  One of my favourtite take-a-ways from the class was learning how to make my own batch of gluten-free all-purpose flour.  I can't wait to make it and substitute it in my favourtie recipes that call for wheat flour.   Not to mention, it's way cheaper than buying gluten-free all-purpose flour already made up and packaged.  I'll be making a trip to Bulk Barn this week :)

Here's the recipe:

1 1/4 cups of brown rice flour

1 1/4 cups of white rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 tsp. xantham gum

Turns out the day was a total success.  Even my nephew loved it!

p.s.  the homemade lemon curd was to die for!

- Carrie

Rhubarb Tarts

It's rhubarb season and who doesn't love a good rhubarb recipe?  It seems only fitting that Rhubarb Diaries would have a rhubarb recipe, right?This simple one is a favourite around my house.  Eight years ago when we moved into our house, my friends' mom sent these tarts over.  We quickly asked for the recipe and have been making them ever since.

Rhubarb Tarts

for a dozen (or so) tarts:

3 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1 egg (slightly beaten)

Mix well and place into tart shells

 (you can make your own or buy the pre-maid frozen ones - that's what I use!)

Bake at 375 degrees for half an hour or a little less.

Enjoy!

- Carrie

HomeMade Christmas - DIY Bath Salts

Hi. I am Grace and I am 12 years old.  I am Carrie's oldest daughter and Leah & Lauren's favourite niece, of course!

Today I am writing a guest post to show you what I made for Christmas Gifts this year.  This is the third year that our family has done homemade Christmas.   I have 'participated' every year and this is probably my best year yet.

In 2009, I made pin cushions with a cross-stitched design on top and crochet dishcloths. In 2010, I made chocolates with my sister  (we used moulds).

This year I made Vanilla Scented Bath Salts.

Here's the finished product!

Here is the recipe (it makes approx. 1 jar)

- 2 cups of epsom salts
- essential oils (not all oils are good for bathing in, try vanilla, orange, lemon, mint, or lavender or     rosemary)
- food colour (optional)
- a tea spoon of sea salt (also optional, I didn't use them the first time I made this)
- a jar with a lid

Mix all the ingredients together, making sure its evenly mixed and put into jar(s).
Enjoy a relaxing bath.

- Grace

Soda Bread Anyone?

As you may or may not know, we have some Northern Irish blood in our family.  Growing up, soda bread was a staple in our home.  Seriously, our Mom made it almost daily!  

Even though it's been forever since I have lived under my parents roof, I love it when my Mom makes me soda bread.  Sometimes she brings a whole batch or two to my house and puts it in the freezer for me.  It's such a treat for breakfast with butter and homemade jam : )

It's been a while since my freezer has been stocked with soda bread and last week I thought to myself, "how hard can it be to make it".  Turns out it was pretty easy.  Can't believe it's taken me so long to make it!  If you're interested, here's the recipe:

Irish Soda Bread

1 2/3 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

1 cup of buttermilk ( approx)

1.  Mix together dry ingredients.  

2.  Add in buttermilk.  

3.  Turn onto floured board.      

4.  Form into a circle.

5.  Cut into four.

6.  Bake in a frying pan at medium heat.  No oil or butter in the pan.

Flip when brown.  When you're ready to eat it, slice the quarter in half and pop the 2 halves in the toaster or toaster oven  to crisp them up a bit.   You can eat them without toasting them, but my preference is always to toast : )

Appetizer Exchange

Last week, I went to my first ever "Appetizer Exchange Party".  My friend, Christa organized it and hosted it.  It was amazing.  I totally recommend doing it!  Essentially it was a food exchange party where appetizers became the main course. There were 6 couples invited and each couple arrived with 6 servings of frozen appetizers and one appetizer serving all ready to eat.  It was a fantastic evening of savoury food, cocktails, wine, Christmas music and laughter.  At the end of the evening, each couple left with six parcels of frozen, homemade hors d'oeuvre ready for the holidays.

I made Minature Bacon and Leek Quiche.  Delish.

Here is the bag I received at the end of the evening.  Not only was it full of frozen appetizers, but the recipes were attached to the bag with my initial.  So lovely.

I'm already looking forward to doing this again next year :)

-Carrie

Cooking With Squash

I have about 6 squash sitting on my counter - different types: butternut, acorn, sweet potato squash and a jamboree pumpkin. I have never used the last two types before but from what i have learned so far about squash is to cut them in half, remove the seeds and roast in the oven. These types are interchangeable (in my mind) in recipes, they might change the taste slightly but the recipe will still work.

The easiest way I find to eat them is after roast

ing in the oven, add some butter, brown sugar or maple syrup and puree. Easy and delicious.

Alittle more strenuous is to make soup. My favourite is Roasted Butternut Squash soup from the Rebar cookbook. I have had many different types and they all turn out pretty good.

A new one

for us this summer was eating spaghetti squash - while roasting the squash, we sauteed onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes (and pretty much anything in your fridge) and then added the veggies to the squash and mixed with goat cheese. Its hard to believe you aren't eating pasta.

I had never baked with squash or pumpkin before, all the recipes I have seen call for canned pumpkin puree but I substituted with fresh roasted and pureed. My latest project was to make some muffins (also from

the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook).

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk ( I used 1 cup minus 1 tsp of milk and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar for a substitute )

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree ( I used some leftover pureed acorn squash)

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup millet (I used ground flax seeds)

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup unbleached flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger (I omitted this as I don't really like ginger)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

-mix wet ingredients together

-mix dry ingredients together

-mix wet and dry together - do not overmix

-fill muffin cups (i made 12 large and 12 small)

-bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

I think next time I will probably also add some chocolate chips

If you have any favourites - let us know, I love trying new things!

Where do you look for new recipes? websites? cookbooks? friends? blogs?

-Lauren

Home made Spring Rolls

Each week our siblings in Waterloo try to get together and hang out - the item on the agenda is always eating. This week we made spring rolls.

We had deep fried ones, which consisted of a pork/crab/vermicilli noodles/lots of other stuff since I wasn't paying attention and my brother was adding stuff as he goes instead of following a recipe. He then pan fried them in oil and then continued to cook them in the oven until the meat was fully cooked.

We also made a vegetarian fresh roll with spinach, mint, green onion, sprouts, noodles, mango, green pepper and I'm probably forgetting something.

We ate both with a peanut dipping sauce (which my husband added extra hot sauce to his portion)

They were great, I wish I had made more fresh rolls because I think they would have been great the next day. And when I make them again, I think I will try smaller and the fresh ones tighter.

Have you tried to make anything new lately?

De-boned Turkey

Because I have made our family's thanksgiving turkey for the last 6 years or so, I was not upset to pass this task onto my brother, who also happens to be a chef. This year he de-boned the turkey, soaked it in an 'apple cider-salt-probably alot of other stuff brine' for a while and then wrapped it in bacon before cooking it.

It was delicious and so much easier to carve - you were basically slicing a loaf of bread.  Plus, we had bacon as side dish.

For all specifics you will have to ask my brother, but he said deboning was easy - just slide your hands around the rib cage and pull it out. I am not going to ask any more questions, I will just continue to eat it at thanksgiving!

At first I was concerned that I wouldn't have any leftover bones to make soup with - but I just took home the uncooked parts that had not been used, covered them with tomato paste and roasted them in the oven before continuing as usual to make soup.

Did you try anything new this thanksgiving? What are some of your family traditions that you love?

Community Supported Agriculture

I am so lucky enough to live in an awesome community where I can receive so much of my food from LOCAL farmers. When buying local food, not only does the produce, meat, cheese etc... taste a thousand times better than anything I would find in a grocery store, it is often picked the morning you buy it AND you support local farmers!! 

This is the first year my sister Lauren and I  have participated in a Community Supported Agriculture program. Lauren and I decided to get a full share amount of food (enough for a family of 4) and split the food between the two of us. It worked out to be approx $20 each for the week of produce which is delivered right to my door.

A bit of background on a CSA:


(Taken from Stevanus Family Farm's website:)

"Community Supported Agriculture farms develop a partnership between the farmer and those who consume their food. Our customers purchase a share in the harvest and are treated to the fresh, all natural, locally grown vegetables which are delivered to your door each week. [The farm] receive[s] the start up capital necessary to purchase seeds, supplies and soil amendments."

Today was our first week receiving our box of produce and we were not disappointed

Check out our loot:

Along with the veggies, we received a newsletter with recipes, and a description of the food and how to cook it (a few of the vegetables I have never cooked with, and I'm pretty excited to try them out!)

Have any of you cooked with white radishes, pak choi or garlic scapes before? Have you tried a CSA?

- Leah

Spinach Pesto

I planted spinach in my garden for the first time this year, I have done various lettuce types before but I was ready for something different. But what to do with all the spinach? Pesto! 


I googled some recipes and made my own based on them all kinda mixed together.


I filled a bowl with fresh picked spinach leaves and about 6 sprigs of fresh parsley, and a handful of fresh garden garlic.



Added 1/3 cup of pine nuts and about the same of parmesan cheese.


Pureeing everything in my magic bullet, adding some olive oil (around 2/3 cup), it took a few batches and a larger food processor would be easier but not necessary.


and voila! vibrant green puree goodness.

Since this was way too much for one meal - and I don't like eating the same thing too many meals in a row, so i spooned it into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer.

Now I have a container in the freezer with spinach pesto portions ready to go.  

I made this about a week ago and then a few nights ago didn't know what to eat, I boiled some gnocchi, when it was in the strainer, I melted the pesto cube with some olive oil and when

it was done, mixed it back in with the gnocchi. 

Topped with more cheese and nuts and delish!

I am planning on doing something similar with nasturtium leaves and basil, also whatever nuts I have in the cupboard (almonds, walnuts, I imagine anything will work) and if you don't have the cheese on hand you can just add it when you make the final meal.

Any other suggestions for varieties?

- Lauren

Cooking With What's in Season

These days I am trying more and more to cook with what's in season and seeing that local asparagus is still available, here's what I'm making for dinner tonight.

This is honestly a no-fail recipe and my family loves it.  I've made it with both asparagus and broccoli, but our preference is asparagus.  Try it out if you are looking for a new recipe.  I always serve it with rice.

Classy Chicken

This is really easy – definitely a family favourite!

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, skinned & boned

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. oil

1 – 10 oz. (280 g) pkg. frozen asparagus or broccoli

Fresh is even better

1 – 10 oz. (284 ml) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 – 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with pepper. Saute quickly in oil over medium heat just until opaque (don’t overcook – the chicken will get tough! Drain. Cook asparagus or broccoli until crunchy. Drain and arrange in bottom of buttered casserole. Place chicken on top. Mix together soup, mayonnaise, curry and lemon juice and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350F (180C) for 30-35 minutes. Serves 6

Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 215), Winners (Page: 85)

~Carrie

p.s.  thanks to my friend, Tracey who originally shared this recipe with me : )