Eating Healthy Every Day - Photos

Photos of the class: making Lemon Tart & Almond Puff

Eating Healthy Every Day

Classes have started and you are invited to participate.

Topics covered are:

Canada's Food Guide for Health, Menu planning, Food facts and rules about the kinds of foods we should eat and how we can eat to stay healthy, essential tools for the cook in the kitchen, and cleanliness in food preparation. Each class also includes cooking demonstrations. (More photos of the class on my next post) Next week I will be blogging the recipe for the lemon tart.

Gingerbread Leaves

Ginger is an aromatic autumn or winter spice which also enhances the flavour of cakes, pies and cookies during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. However, the cookies from this recipe can be made throughout the year using various cookie shaped cutters. My family loves them.

¾ cup / 180 ml butter, softened

1 ¼ cups /310 ml brown sugar, packed

1 egg

½ cup / 125 ml molasses

4 cups / 1 L all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp / 7 ml baking soda

2 tsp / 10 ml ground ginger

1 ½ tsp / 7 ml ground cinnamon

1 tsp / 5 ml ground cloves

Thin icing for decorating (optional)

Using a mixer with a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. (Dough can be refrigerated for several hours or overnight for easier handling.)

Roll dough to 1/8 inch / ½ cm thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut shapes with desired cookie cutters. Place on parchment covered baking sheets.

Bake at 350F/180C for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look firm. Remove from oven and let cool. Decorate with icing as desired. Yield: 4-5 dozen.

Carrot Chocolate Chip Loaf

Fresh carrots from the garden are one of my favourite vegetables with dinner. They are a versatile and colorful side dish when diced and added to zucchini, corn, peas or shredded into a salad with greens. This recipe incorporates carrots into healthy and tasty dessert breads. Sugar and spice and everything nice are part of this loaf; excellent with a cup of tea or to go into the children’s lunches. You can substitute raisins for the chocolate chips if you prefer to avoid chocolate.

3 cups/750 ml all-purpose flour

2 cups/500 ml brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. /5 ml ground cinnamon

1 tsp. /5 ml ground ginger

½ tsp. /2 ml ground cloves

2 tsp. /10 ml baking powder

1 tsp. /5 ml baking soda

1 tsp. /5 ml salt

3 eggs

¾ cup/180 ml orange juice

¾ cup/180 ml vegetable oil

1 tsp. /5 ml vanilla

2 cups/500 ml grated carrots

1 cup/250 ml chocolate chips (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease two large or four small loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, orange juice, oil and vanilla. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the grated carrots and chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. (Glaze with a thin icing is optional) Enjoy!

Blueberry Kuchen

Recently I visited Onnink’s Blueberry Farm to purchase blueberries for freezing. This farm is located in an area in the Fraser Valley where the trees surround the field and the hawks frighten away the small birds that would ordinarily feast on the blueberries. The owner also informed me that instead of spraying, they scatter beetles on to the fields to eat aphids that would destroy the fruit. Here is a farm that is environmentally friendly. The owner had some recipes to distribute and this one caught my eye – Blueberry Kuchen.

1 ½ cups/375 ml all-purpose flour

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

2 tsp/10 ml baking powder

1 ½ tsp/7 ml lemon zest

¼ tsp/2 ml salt

2/3 cup/150 ml milk

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp/5 ml vanilla

2 cups/500 ml blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed & drained)

Topping:

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

½ cup/125 ml all-purpose flour

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C. Grease a 13” by 9” (32cm by 22cm) baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Sprinkle with the blueberries.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and flour; add butter. Toss with a fork until crumbly; sprinkle over blueberries.

Bake the cake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yields: 12 servings.

Fruit Scones - Blueberry

Scones are favorite addition to brunch or at coffee time. Very special served with Devonshire cream and your favorite strawberry or raspberry jam. Instead of raisins, you can substitute blueberries, cut-up dried apricots or even shredded cheese. This recipe is in the From Oma’s Kitchen cookbook.

2 cups/500 ml flour

3 Tbsp/45 ml sugar

2 tsp/10 ml baking powder

½ tsp/2 ml salt

1 tsp/5 ml baking soda

5 Tbsp/75 ml butter

1 cup/250 ml sour cream

1 egg (separated)

2/3 cup/150 ml blueberries

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture. In a small bowl combine sour cream and egg yolk, then add to the dry ingredients. Add dried fruit. Knead several times. Pat into an 8 inch circle on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Cut into 8 wedges - separate them slightly.

Bake @ 425F (220C) for 20 minutes. Shut oven off, open oven door and let the center cook for an extra 5 minutes (8 servings)

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse

Raspberries are in season and plentiful now – they are sweet and delicious on cereal in the morning or on ice cream for a night snack. There are a variety of desserts that can be made using this wonderful fruit. One of my favorites is this chocolate raspberry mousse. For the mousse, frozen or fresh raspberries can be used. This recipe is featured in our From Oma’s Kitchen Cookbook along with many other good raspberry ideas.

You can replace raspberries with any fruit in season. Examples are: strawberries, blueberries,peaches, blackberries, or pineapple. Prepare a day ahead of your special occasion in a 9 - 10"(22 - 25cm) spring form pan.

Chocolate bottom:

½ cup/125 ml butter

3 square semi-sweet chocolate

1 ¼ cups/310 ml sugar

1 tsp/5 ml vanilla

3 eggs

2/3 cup150 ml all-purpose flour

½ tsp/2 ml baking powder

½ tsp/2 ml salt

Filling:

1 pound/450 gm crushed berries

1 Tbsp/15 ml gelatin (1 envelope)

½ cup/125 ml sugar

11/4 cups/310 ml liquid, juice drained from berries plus water

2 Tbsp/30 ml lemon juice

11/4 cups/310 ml whipping cream (whipped)

3/4 cup/150 ml whipping cream - to decorate

Fresh berries - to decorate

To make the cake - Melt the chocolate with the butter at low heat until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture - blend. Spread into a greased spring form pan. Bake @ 350E F (180EC) for 25 minutes.or until set. Cool in the pan.

Gelatin filling:- Drain berries - add enough water to the juice to make 11/4 cups(310 ml) of liquid. Combine gelatin, sugar, liquid juice and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring this mixture to a boil. Stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and chill. Mixture should be the consistency of egg whites when ready to beat. Beat 11/4 cups (310 ml) whipping cream to form stiff peaks. Beat gelatin mixture separately, until light. Fold together and fold in crushed fruit. Line 9" (22 cm) spring form pan with strips of parchment paper. Pour filling mixture over cake base in the pan

Refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

To decorate - Beat remaining whipping cream and use the fresh berries to enhance the appearance. A few mint leaves can be added.