R is for...Recipe!

   ...Because I don't want to wake up tomorrow and still be a day behind.  That and I promised a recipe for Hummus in a "later" post...So, here is the later post!

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 can chickpeas (15 oz or 398ml), drained and rinsed

2 TBSP Tahini (sesame butter) or peanut butter (smooth, ideally natural or low salt)

juice from one lemon (as much juice as you can get out of it!)

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and chopped fine (optional: my husband loves it this way, but the kids prefer it without)

1/2 cup roasted red pepper (I use the ones from the jar, as they are more readily available than roasting your own)

1/2 TSP Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce

1/4 cup water, set aside

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except for water, in medium bowl.  Using a hand blender, blend until smooth (this may take a while, be prepared for at least 5 minutes if you have never made hummus before), if too thick, add water a few spoonfuls at a time until desired consistency is reached.

You could make this in your food processor and it will be a little bit creamier and you likely wouldn't need the water.  I am lazy and hate washing all the bits that go with the food processor, so I just use the hand blender.

Serve with pita (warmed in the oven is a nice treat), raw veggies like carrots and celery or pita chips!  Or your favourite dip carrier!  It is also delicious on a wrap with fresh veggies.

Enjoy!

Happy Packing!

B is for... Blueberries...Yum!

   It would have just been too easy to use Bananas for day two (letter B) of the A to Z blogging challenge.  Besides, I already have a post called Banana Bread
   We are spoiled here on the Island, where the climate (especially in the area right south of us called the Cowichan Valley, Cowichan meaning "Warm lands") resembles that of the Mediterranean.  This lends itself to an excellent growing season for berries and melons, beans, lettuces and peppers.  Some folks are even growing olive trees, in hopes of being able to make local olive oil.  (The influence of the 100 Mile Diet).   We are fortunate to have blueberry farms (even an organic one) right near by, so during the season, I fill our freezer with those little blue gems, make jam with them and we eat many many fresh ones.  At this time of the year, the kids start to see the fresh ones in the store (mm, from Chile and Mexico), so I kick it back up with frozen blueberry yogurt shakes and German Blueberry Cake and of course, blueberry muffins.  The bear will even eat them frozen for breakfast.  She also enjoys them fresh, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon (last price I saw, 5.99 for about 9 berries in a plastic box, uh uh).
We have a standing favourite Blueberry muffin recipe. It is an adaptation of a recipe from the Joy of cooking, and it makes a great loaf as well (grate a little lemon zest into it and you are all set for a great coffee treat!)

Blueberry Muffins
Preheat oven to 400F, grease or spray 12 cup muffin tin, or line with papers.
3 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl (ideally a glass one if you have one), set aside.

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Place blueberries in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients, shake lightly to combine.  Set aside.
3 eggs, beaten,
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (fat content is up to you)
1/2 tsp vanilla
In medium bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well with fork.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until combined.  If using a glass bowl, check underneath to see that most of the dry has been incorporated.  Fold in blueberry flour mixture.  Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, until muffins are golden and tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan, then shake out and serve immediately.  Once cooled completely, these muffins freeze quite well, but we never have any around that long.

A link for the letter B :Brits in the USA , is another Blog from the A-Z Challenge.

Happy Packing!

Some blueberry notes from Canadian Living Magazine:
blueberry
• Nutritional value (1/2 cup/125 ml): 41 calories, 1.5 g fibre, rich in antioxidants
• Disease-fighting factor: Blueberries rank No. 1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 60 other fresh fruits and vegetables. Blueberries may help lower the risk of developing age-related diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was once a recipe that I asked for from my mother-in-law...because my husband loved these cookies so much.  She got it from her Aunt Mabel...So, in my recipe binder, we call them "Aunt Mabel's oatmeal cookies-sort-of"...The original recipe started out with quick oats, a cup of brown sugar (for 18 cookies!), white flour and a half a cup of shortening.  (ew...butter, I have no problem with, butter is real!  Shortening, that doesn't need to be refrigerated ever??  Just wrong!  Although, I confess I do eat oreo cookies sometimes...I just try not to think about that part!)

So, after years of playing with the recipe...Here is what we have come up with!

Aunt Mabel's Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (sort-of)
Makes 30 lunchbox size cookies
Preheat oven to 350F,  set oven racks in bottom 1/3 and top 1/3 of the oven, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2 cups large flake oats
1/2 cup skim milk powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup liquid (water, milk, soy milk, evap milk)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1 oz block bittersweet chocolate shaved into the batter at the end

Combine oats and skim milk powder, set aside.  Combine other dry ingredients in separate bowl, set aside.  In bowl stand mixer, combine brown sugar and butter, mix until light and fluffy (medium speed).  Add applesauce and continue mixing well.  Add egg and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy.  Add half dry ingredients, and mix until well combined.  Add half oat mixture and mix until just combined.  Add 1/8 cup of liquid, mix until combined.  Add remainder of dry and oat mixtures, mix until combined , add remaining liquid, mix 30 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer stand and stir in chocolate chips, cranberries and chocolate shavings.
  Using small food scoop (or tablespoon), drop cookie dough onto lined sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart (12-16 on each sheet).
Bake 12 minutes (rotating sheets at 6 minutes).
Will keep in airtight container 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Enjoy!

Happy Packing!

Gone looking for inspiration...

   This past Christmas, I received two gift cards for Chapters/Indigo booksellers.  I was delighted.  My first thought was that I could go out and buy myself a new novel or two...I couldn't wait.  Something to read that was just for me.  Not a parenting book or a children's book, not even a cookbook.  I perused the Globe and Mail best sellers list...maybe I would get the new non fiction...I really wanted to read Stevie Cameron's book...Or perhaps the new Giller Prize book...
   I made a list (surprise!) and off I went, BY MYSELF~  First to the Coffee counter for an extra-hot non-fat half-sweet Chai Latte (I can be as high maintenance as the next customer if I don't have a van full of kids with me), a nice change from my typical long pour Americano with cream.
   The Stevie Cameron book was easy to find, so I picked it up and carried it around with me while I browsed.  I love the feeling of new books in my hands, just waiting to be opened and read, an e-book reader, I am not.  I looked at calendars and flipped through the best sellers, including the Giller Prize winner, but I put that one back, no longer sure that I wanted it.  Then I came upon the middle table filled with cookbooks.  Hardcover ones, with the Boxing Week sign about 30% off.  And there was Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", right on the top.  I had wanted that book for such a long time (yes, even before seeing the movie "Julie and Julia", but that had only made me want it more)...30% percent off, and a gift card...You do the math!
   Within a few moments, I had made my way to the cookbook section in search of Gordon Ramsay books.  There was one I had been wanting to look at.  I spied it, in another woman's hands.  I scanned the shelf and realised that she was holding the only one.  Before I could say anything, she walked away with it, saying something to her daughter (or at least the young girl who was with her) about 30% off, and heading towards the cash line.  Oh well.  I still had Julia Child and Stevie Cameron, Gordon Ramsay could wait for another day.  Maybe I was done looking at books.  I was certainly done with the Chai.  So, I too headed for the line up, and then home to make Quiche.  Mmmmm...

   A few weeks ago, I discovered that "Better Food for Kids" had been released in second edition, and was now for kids ages 2 to 10 (the previous edition is ages 2 to 6).  I went online and found it.  And I still had a gift card left.  So, I browsed (albeit without a tasty chai in hand), and found two more books I wanted.  Unfortunately, for my comfy chair, neither of them were novels.  Nope.  They were (you guessed it) cookbooks.  The Zuni Cafe (a San Fran eatery gone cookbook) and (wait for it!)...Dieticians of Canada, "Cooks!" pub. 2011  (what was it that they were doing in the first five books?)...What?  Were you expecting Gordon Ramsay?  Yeah, well, I would bet that his wife would use the D of C cookbooks.
And I have to tell you, the new D of C "Cooks!" is awesome!!!  And they don't use nearly as much butter as dear Julia.  In ten minutes of browsing through the book, I found four recipes that I could have made right then and there without a trip to the grocery store.  And a few more where I was only missing one or two ingredients.  I made "Greek Chicken" out of it on Saturday night, with some steamed potatoes  on the side and their recipe for Tzatziki.  All gone at one sitting.  Even my fussy 9 year old ate everything (and I don't think that had anything to do with the promise of dessert).
There are great soup and lunch recipes inside it, plus desserts and breakfast recipes as well as dinners and sides.  Healthy eating tips, local eating tips, storing tips for fruits and veggies.  All kinds of great stuff.  And all for under $20.00.  If you are looking for some easy inpiration in the kitchen, this book gets my recommendation!  Five stars!

Happy Packing!