Warning: This is no ordinary recipe blog post. This time I went all out and make a complete meal, and boy was it tasty!

I’m more of a baker overall. Most of the time I’m just making dinner for myself, so it seems a little pointless to go all out on a big dinner for one (one of my roommates is a vegetarian and the other isn’t home much). So, to solve this eating alone problem, I invited my friend/eating/cooking assistant over. We made a Salmon Dinner, complete with delicious new potatoes and a salad. I’ve only cooked salmon once before and the results were less than desirable (there was salmon all over that darn BBQ!), so I was a little apprehensive to try it again. But the end result was delicious and we both had fun doing it!

Please note that we stopped making the salmon before we put it in the oven so we could prepare the rest of the stuff

Salmon Steaks with Savory Blueberry Sauce

I found the original recipe for this on Allrecipes.com. It had high reviews and sounded like an interesting twist to salmon. Some of the reviewers had mentioned an overly vinegary taste to the sauce, and suggested reducing it (I had to look up exactly what “reducing vinegar” was…).

Reducing the Vinegar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon honey (buy here)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (buy here)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 4 (6 ounce) salmon steaks ** I only used three, due to number of people (buy here)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

This is the first thing I’ve actually made in my new apartment, and I’m happy to say it turned out great and delicious (much to my surprise).

I hadn’t tried this particular recipe for Apple Crumble before but as all of my cookbooks are hiding in a box somewhere I had to improvise. I found the recipe from allrecipes.com, it came with mixed reviews and some alterations suggested. I like the sound of it so I followed the recipe more or less exactly.

Ingredients:

• 5 Apples (buy here or here)
• 2/3 cup of maple syrup
• ½ cup of butter
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• ¾  cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• ¾ cup of rolled oats

Method:

1)   Preheat oven to 375° F.

 

 

Allie Davison is the 2011 RCFM Summer Intern, assisting us with marketing and maintaining our social media. She’s studying professional writing at Douglas College and will be working to gain experience and portfolio pieces this season. Here’s more info.

I often make the kind of standalone salads that are meals in themselves – I like to add stuff like eggs, nuts, seeds, and sometimes grilled meat for a heartier chew. I’ve recently started adding yummy treats like dried fruit and cheese. Spinach is coming up in season now and so here’s an idea you can run with: Kitchen Sink Spinach Salad. You don’t need to follow a recipe – just experiment with different combinations and throw in whatever you have that tickles your fancy. Spinach is more nutritious than lettuce and has a great flavour that really lends itself well to a lot of things. If you can’t stand that squeaky texture raw spinach has, consider serving your salad warm and wilt the spinach first. Almost all of these ingredients are available at the market. For a truly decadent salad, try making your own bacon bits. MMMMmmmmm. (Note: homemade bacon bits seem to taste best if you make them the night before).

Start with fresh spinach, washed and trimmed and torn into bite sized pieces if necessary. If you have a salad spinner, use it – the drier your spinach is, the better. Add your choice of: sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced white mushrooms, a handful of raw pumpkin seeds, a handful of sunflower seeds, a healthy handful of dried cranberries or blueberries, a few tomatoes chopped small, and feta or brie cheese crumbled.

As a dressing, you can whisk together: about a 1/2 cup -ish yogurt (we use plain) with a few tablespoons of lemon juice and high quality oil. Some people like to use mayonnaise instead of oil, but I find it is too thick. You can also add parsley, chives or dill or other fresh herbs and then add pepper and salt to taste.

YUM!

A few weeks ago while wandering through the farmer’s market I found the most beautiful spinach from Glen Valley Organic Farms. Green is such a magnetic colour to me, and I could not take my eyes off of the chlorophyll-rich veggies.  I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to fresh organic produce and I always end up buying more than I need for the week.  Good for the farmer and my compost but not my wallet!

As I was standing in line to pay for my treasures –eggs, strawberries, kale, lettuce, cucumbers and of course the spinach, my brain was searching for a new recipe; one that would store for awhile so that I would not have any waste and of course something that my young son would like –or at least be willing to give it a try.  I remembered reading about pesto made with spinach and I thought this sounded good.  So after purchasing the spinach, off I went in search of fresh basil.  As usual, Nature Village Farms did not disappoint me, I love their beautiful produce and I found the loveliest bunch of basil leaves; along with some sweet carrots and luscious blueberries.  I couldn’t wait to get home to wash, nibble on and store my fresh produce for the week!

I found a standard basil Pesto recipe and decided to make a few changes as most are made with pine nuts and I wanted to try almonds and sunflower seeds as both of these are rich in heart healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.  Here is the recipe I came up with:

Heart Healthy Spinach and Basil Pesto

• 2 large cloves of minced garlic
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds (soaked overnight and rinsed well)
• ¼ cup almonds (soaked overnight and rinsed well)
• ½ cup of romano or parmesan cheese
• 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups of fresh spinach (about ½ bunch)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Wedge of fresh lemon juice
• Celtic sea salt to taste (optional)

The night before making this recipe, soak the sunflower seeds and almonds by covering them with filtered water and adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar.  Before making this recipe, drain and rinse well.

In a food processor combine basil and spinach and pulse until finely chopped (you may have to stop the food processor a few times and use a spatula to push the greens down toward the blade).  Then add the garlic, nuts and seeds, romano cheese, lemon juice and salt (if desired) and pulse until well combined.  With the food processor running, slowly drizzle a thin stream of extra virgin olive oil through an opening in the lid; add until desired consistency.  I served this recipe on fresh sourdough bread from A Bread Affair, mixed some with whole grain pasta and used as a veggie dip!  Store tightly covered for up to a week in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.  My aunt stores her pesto in ice cube trays and then uses them as needed.  You can experiment with different oils, nuts and seeds and even herbs like mint or cilantro.  I have tried using ½ flax oil and ½ olive oil and all pumpkin seeds and this was also very tasty.  Have fun and don’t be afraid to try different combinations!

You may be wondering why soak the nuts and seeds prior to eating them?  Nuts and seeds, as well as grains, all contain something called Phytic acid which is found in the outer layer (of the nut or seed) or bran of the grain.  This layer prevents the grain, nut or seed from sprouting until it comes into contact with moisture, however when not neutralized through the process of soaking, phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract; blocking their absorption and can potentially lead to mineral deficiencies.  When we soak (in slightly acidic water) prior to eating nuts, seeds and whole grains, the phytic acid is neutralized, numerous beneficial enzymes are produced, as well as, the availability of B vitamins increases.  For example, the simple practice of soaking rolled oats overnight before cooking them the next morning greatly improves their nutritional benefits and also lessens the cooking time.  For anyone interested in whole food nutrition, recipes and food preparation methods, a wonderful resource book is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

This recipe is swimming in antioxidant rich vitamins and minerals –vitamins A, C and E, glutathione and selenium and phytonutrients that help protect us from disease.  Almonds are rich in vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium and along with the olive oil, are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.  Calcium is needed to stimulate contractions in the heart and magnesium supports the relaxation phase.  Magnesium also calms the nerves –helping with anxiety and stress and relaxes the skeletal muscles helping to prevent cramping.  Vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant, travels through the body neutralizing free-radicals.  We generate free radicals daily as a by product of metabolism; just by being alive, breathing, eating poor quality foods, exercise and interacting with toxins and pollution –to name a few.  Free radicals are electrically-charged molecules that create damage to our cells unless neutralized by an antioxidant.  We can protect our bodies from this stress by ingesting foods high in these micronutrients.  We could also take supplements but when we eat the whole food we get the added benefit of the many amino acids, fibre, complex carbohydrates, fats and oils as well as phytonutrients not all found in a single supplement.

For example, just one quarter of a cup of sunflower seeds contains 90% of the body’s daily requirement of vitamin E and is rich in the mineral selenium.  Selenium and vitamin E are better able to carry out their antioxidant functions together and nature has conveniently packaged them together in this wonderful tasting seed!

We cannot forget about spinach as this vegetable has been hailed a ‘superfood’!  Just recently I was thumbing through the book SuperFoods, Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life by Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Mathews and discovered that it contains a vast array of phytonutrients, including “beta carotene, plant-derived omega- 3 fatty acids (only a very few vegetables contain these fatty acids), the antioxidants gluthathione, alpha lipoic acid (spinach is the best source of this amazingly potent antioxidant), vitamins C and E, polyphenols, coenzyme Q10, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin K, and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.  It also has chlorophyll, which may be a potent anti-cancer substance.”  No wonder Popeye loved his spinach and it gave him so much strength and energy!  On a side note, just by adding a small amount of vitamin C rich lemon to this recipe, it enhances the absorption of the minerals calcium and iron.

Basil is part of the mint family and like mint is also useful for digestive complaints.  It is also an excellent source of vitamin K (helps with blood clotting), is rich in powerful antioxidant-rich phytonutrients that also have anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.  I love the strong taste of basil and look forward to this summer treat –especially raw, as the enzymes and full flavour are lost in cooking.

Finally, olive oil is both rich in vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.  Up to 75% of olive oil is made of oleic acid –a monounsaturated fat.  This fat is more stable than polyunsaturated vegetable oils and therefore less prone to damage.  To avoid damaged fats, when purchasing olive oil, ensure that it is good quality –extra virgin, cold pressed and stored in a dark bottle (preferably glass).

I love the Farmer’s market because the food is so fresh, and alive with goodness.  Nature is so wise and knows how to package everything together so that we receive the maximum nutritional value.  We just have to have fun and try new ways of creating tasty, nutrient-rich meals.  I love this pesto recipe and I hope that you enjoy it too!

Many Blessings of Health,

Kelly Kiss, RHN (Registered Holistic Nutritionist)

This post is by Kelly Kiss, RHN, one of RCFM’s super amazing volunteers. Stay tuned for more by Kelly as she shares her nutritional knowledge and love of cooking with us all.

I love kale –its rich green colour and beautiful texture. This summer it is growing in my backyard garden like a weed, probably from the cool weather we have been having, but when I saw the large freshly picked bunches at Glen Valley Organics last Thursday, I could not pass up an opportunity to try a new variety!

I like to chop up fresh kale and add it to my soups and bean dishes during the last five minutes or so of simmering. This way it is gently steamed –keeping it tender and retaining its bright colour and maximum nutritional value.

Kale is part of the cabbage family (Brassica vegetables) and has been around for thousands of years. It has a strong upright growing stem and is naturally rich in minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It’s the perfect alkaline-forming vegetable for building strong bones. As my son does not like to drink milk, I am always trying to include foods rich in these minerals from other sources. Kale is a healthy alternative but I have to get creative as he does not like eating it raw. I don’t blame him actually, as it does have a strong sharp taste when eaten on its own without any other flavours. But when you have fun in the kitchen playing with whole food combinations you would be surprised with what you can come up with!

My seven-year old loves lasagne so this week I decided to enlist his help in the kitchen making a vegetarian version using the kale and some other ingredients (carrots, basil and eggs) we had purchased from the Farmer’s Market. Here is the recipe we had fun creating together:

Vegetarian Kale Lasagne

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2-3 carrots (you can also use some mushrooms in place of some carrot)
• 1 red pepper
• ½ large bunch of kale (about 3-4 cups)
• 2 handfuls fresh basil
• 1 large can of whole tomatoes (or 2 cans of tomato sauce) both versions work well
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 cups of cottage cheese
• 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley
• Salt (Celtic sea salt) and pepper to taste
• 10-12 oz package of lasagne noodles (I use the oven ready brown rice noodles by Rizopia so there is no cooking of the noodles –you can naturally use a different kind)

Gently cook chopped onions in coconut oil for several minutes on low to medium heat. Then add the garlic and stir. In a food processor chop the carrots, pepper and basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add this to the onion mixture and stir together; put kale into food processor and finely chop into very small pieces then add this to the vegetable mixture and combine well. Add the whole tomatoes (or tomato sauce), tomato paste and oregano and stir well; let this simmer for about ½ an hour. In a separate bowl combine 2 beaten eggs, cottage cheese, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and set aside. In another bowl, shred the mozzarella cheese and set aside.

Place ½ of the noodles on the bottom of a 13x9x2” baking dish then add:

• ½ of the cottage cheese filling
• ½ of the mozzarella slices
• ½ of the vegetable sauce

Repeat this one more time finishing with the vegetable sauce on top. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; then uncover for last 15 minutes of baking. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Another great way to use fresh raw kale is in smoothies, pestos and salads with yummy dressings. A delicious recipe that I found in the book, “More Vegetables Please!” by Elson M. Haas, MD and Patty James, MS., is called “The Best Kale Salad Ever”. The dressing marinades and softens the kale making it easier to chew as well as digest; the vitamin C (in the lemon) aids mineral absorption and the enzymes in the raw foods help the digestive process. I even discovered that it is okay overnight in the fridge as it does not get soggy and limp like most leafy green salads with dressing do.

The Best Kale Salad Ever
Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of kale washed and dried
• 2 tbsp of fresh lemon
• 1 whole avocado, peeled and chopped
• ½ medium red onion chopped
• 1 medium apple cored and chopped (I prefer it without)
• 1-2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tsp of fresh grated ginger
• 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp of Tamari soy sauce
• ½ cup of chopped cashews (optional)

Tear the kale leaves away from the large stems and chop into small bite-size pieces; place in a large bowl. Add the fresh lemon and avocado and gently mix together. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately.

There is so much more to say about this wonderful vegetable! For those who are interested, I found a site (written by a Dietician) completely dedicated to kale with information and recipes (including vegan), check out: www.365daysofkale.com and enjoy the many health benefits and tastes of kale!!

~Kelly Kiss, RHN

A few weeks ago, one of our directors, Matthew Laird, tweeted about the delicious meal he had whipped up using ingredients bought at RCFM’s opening market. He said:

Bacon, roast pepper, goat feta & tomato sandwich made from @nwfarmers ingredients. Mmm.

And then, to make us all drool, he included a photo.

And then, while cruising around Flickr for pictures of the market, something I regularly do, I came across a photostream from Jessica, a local food blogger who writes at Yum-o-rama. Jessica had stopped by the last winter market in April and picked up the goods to make a pizza. She then took luscious photos of the process:

So, without further ado, we are pleased to announce this season’s photo contest – Made from the Market.

You don’t need to be a professional photographer (heck, Matthew’s photo was taken using his iPhone)- the key here is that we want to see what people make when they go home from the market with all their goodies. So, blog about it. Email us. Tweet us. Tell us with pictures what you made from what you picked up. Bonus points if you share your recipes. Anyone who shares with us is entered to win the grand prize.

What’s the grand prize, you say? Stay tuned. I promise it will be good. We’re just finalizing some details and we’ll post the prizes soon! Enter as many times as you wish. Enter by posting to our Flickr group, emailing info@rcfm.ca, posting on our Facebook page, or tweeting us a link. We will draw at the market on October 7th.

Good luck!

Sometimes I look at eggplants and think, what on earth can I do with this thing in the kitchen?! While the oblong and purple squash-like creature may look cumbersome to cook or eat, it is actually used in a variety ways. You can grill it, bake it, chop it, puree it and even kabob it. I love to use eggplant as a meat alternative when making lasagna and even the pickiest of eaters can’t taste the difference.

Did you know that eggplants are actually part of the Nightshade family and are related to the potato and tomato? Because of this it was thought of as poisonous and unedible for many years. It is native to far Eastern countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Bangledesh, Nepal and Pakistan. It is not a vegetable but actually a fruit and is botanically classified as a berry. They can vary in appearance with some varieties being small and round (as used in a lot of Thai cuisine) or oblong like a cucumber/squash.

In keeping with the dip theme I had in the previous post, I have a simple and delicious recipe for Baba Ganoush. This is an Arabic dish using mashed eggplants with various seasonings. The most popular way to prep the eggplant is to roast it on the BBQ and bake in the oven to give a smokey flavour and soft pulp. The eggplant is what gives this delicious dip its unique taste.

Remember that when you store eggplant keep it away from other veggies and fruit as it emits ethylene gas which will spoil other produce in your fridge.

Ingredients:

- 3 medium eggplants
- ¼ cup of tahini (roasted sesame paste)
- 1 ¼ tsp of course salt
- 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
- 1/8 tsp of chili powder
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- a half bunch of picked flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

2. Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.)

3. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance.

4. Remove from oven and let cool.

5. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

6. Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

Be sure to chill this dip for a few hours before serving. I suggest pairing this dip with some delicious artisan bread from A Bread Affair.

This week there are over 40 vendors for you to choose from to pick up amazing ingredients to blend together in a masterpiece of yummy. Produce, fish, meats, breads, sweets, dips, spreads, pasta, dairy, cheese, produce… oh wait? Did we say produce?

If cooking’s not your game- although we prefer the term “food mixologist” because not everything needs to be cooked – then consider the market for a tasty fresh hot snack! Try craft-beer infused smokies from Beer Brats (the Red Racer is a winner), unbelievably tasty bison dogs from Maluma Bison (we recommend the Brie smokie), or delectable hot vegetarian samosas served with a fantastic homemade tamarind chutney from Copeland Foods. If you’re headed down after dinner, come for dessert! Choose traditional baked sweets from Blackberry Hill (our pick: the date squares) or try gluten free baked yummies from Eat It Up - including fresh made GF pies both in mini and regular sizes.

Pair your food finds with one of a kind crafts and artisan products made locally by your neighbours. Don’t miss the Art in the Park open air art gallery and bring a blanket for some down time communing with Mother Nature in gorgeous Tipperary Park.

As always, parking is available for bicycles at a rack at the south end of the market, and for cars on Royal, Queens, and in the City Hall parking lot after 4:30. We offer free drinking water – the nicest tap water this side of heaven – and kids’ activities.

Here’s the fresh sheet for this week:

Entertainment:

• Allyson Grant – Face Painting – 3-7
• Jinhee Park – Violin – 3-7

Community Group:

• Burns Bog Conservation Society

Vendors This Week : (not all vendors come to every market, so check this list if you’re looking for someone special – they are arranged categorically. Want a complete listing of all the vendors, even the ones not here this week? Here it is!)

As soon as Summer Solstice comes along, my inner hostess has been sending me to the farmer’s market for fresh treats to feed friends and family. There is nothing like preparing a spread to nosh on over cocktails and chatter during these long summer evenings. Most people think that entertaining can be time consuming and costly but with a quick trip to the farmers market it can actually be quite the opposite.

My mother has always taught me to cook simply and cleanly. Never one to make overly-spiced fares, she has always opted for palette cleansing tastes like the zest of an orange in a salad dressing or fresh mint cooked with baby nugget potatoes. Her simple recipes and love of “backyard farming” has turned me into a green machine when preparing food. I believe that the best things in life are health and delicious food and when you shop local you can incorporate both.

Both vegetables offer unique, yet versatile flavours that can be translated into a number of dishes. I prefer an artichoke, especially when the hearts are marinated in oil and lemon with a hint of cilantro. When accompanied with a sweet Riesling from Blasted Church Vineyards it makes me think of being in the Mediterranean.

Here is a recipe for my mother’s delicious artichoke and spinach dip. Most of the ingredients can be found at the market and can be made in a pinch if you have unexpected guests. This dip is always a party favorite and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:
- 1 large lemon
- 1 cup of artichoke hearts (plain or marinated in olive oil)
- 2 tsp of chili flakes
- 1 package of cream cheese
- 1 cup of fresh spinach (make sure you boil it first!)
- a couple pinches of fresh cracked pepper to taste
- You can also add a bit of mayonnaise if you like a creamier texture

Directions:
1. Chop spinach and artichoke hearts into small pieces
2. In a large bowl combine spinach and artichokes with cream cheese and mix well
3. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the mixture
4. Add chili flakes and pepper to taste

This dip has a creamy consistency with a citrus taste. The artichokes add a bit of texture as does the spinach. You can try grating some fresh parmesan into the dip and pairing it with a fresh loaf of artisan bread. Remember that this dip is best served hot so toss it in the microwave for a couple minutes right before you serve it. Enjoy!