Sipping Soup Surrounded by Autumn Leaves

Thanksgiving. A holiday filled with family, food, laughter, and most of all, lots and lots of pumpkin. Fresh pumpkins lining the tops of tables and mantles, or puréed and cooked pumpkin with maple and spice and baked in the form of pies, cheesecakes, tarts, or all three laid down the centre of an extended dining table in between decorative pumpkins, surrounded by black corn and autumn's leaves.

I spent this past thanksgiving weekend back on Bowen, and the better part of two days travelling from one island to the next, via the mainland, during which I spent most of my time thinking about what it would be like back on the island where I grew up, and back in my friends familiar house, but unable to quickly pop up the hill to where we used to live. I also spent the better part of the ferry rides gazing out the window to where I thought Bowen was, terrified. Terrified of how different it would seem, and how it would feel to be among everything so familiar but changed myself with living in a new place, new people, and most of all, a completely new routine to run by. 

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A Whirlwind of Timeless Cuba

The vastness of what we experienced during our week of spring break in Cuba overwhelms me a little even now. And I know that if I were to volunteer abroad during my year off next year in a developing country, as I currently plan to, that I would again be shocked by my experiences and the sights - but starting off small, slowly easing into new cultures and different ways of life, is important.

Every idea I've had to begin writing brings up new stories from our travels to the Caribbean island; each day was filled with it's own few chapters as if pulled from a novel. That's the lure of holidays and experiencing places, travelling to somewhere completely new gives us the chance to return with a backpack overflowing with stories and the excitement that comes from the thrill of it all. The trouble is always figuring out how to explain it all when someone asks the broad question of "how was it?" So, I'll begin when it really did all start.

The idea for Cuba began sometime last year, when we started fantasising about a tropical holiday during spring break. We had just returned from a few days in one of BC's interior ski mountains, and the idea of sitting somewhere hot and tanning on the beach was idyllic, even if our holiday was no where near a luxury beach resort kind of week. This idea of hopping on the plane this year to Cuba sat with us for the summer, for the fall, and until finally just after Christmas when flights were booked and we started looking into casa particulars, essentially bed and breakfasts run by Cuban families all across the country, to stay in a few different towns including Havana and Viñales in the country. After hostels and other budget accommodation, casa particulars are the cheapest option to stay in Cuba. For the equivalent of around $30 a night, three of us were able to stay in room with clean sheets, towels, and a bathroom complete with shower. Breakfast and dinner are also served in the casas for additional cost, and although we tried breakfast and dinner once at two of the three casas we stayed at, the atmosphere was minimal despite the food being delicious and overly abundant.

Each day had moments of excitement and new experiences that I remember in bursts now. Sometimes I remember the little Spanish I picked up, and reply with ci to someones question, or as I try to find something I mutter to myself, 'Dondé ésta...' There are also the conversations with inquisitive friends that cause me to remember a peculiar moment in a bicitaxi cruising through Havana as I try to recall the highlighted moments to satisfy their undying curiosity. There really isn't any one moment to call the highlight, from Havana (or Habana) to the Valle de Viñales, and finally to spending a couple of nights in Matanzas, one moment leads to another, onto explaining the people we came across, the situations were got into and the ones we almost got caught up in, and from there are the other adventures to be had. It's an intricate and detailed pattern of events. A tightly woven web, but I guess that's just how life goes.

This photo captures many of the cities attractions and features, a mix of 1950s cars and shops, and the new luxury items from China, including fancy new cars, a new line of Transgaviota buses for transporting hundreds of tourists to and from their plush resorts to only the best attractions in Cuba. Driving these cars are exuberant men who shout to friends they see in the street, some stopping in the middle of the road for a quick chat. And instead of slowing down at uncontrolled intersections, many drivers speed up and blare their horn loudly to alert any sleepy cars. But they aren't reckless, and instead share the road with bicycles, horse and carts, and bicitaxis, two person bicycle taxis pulled by one hard-working guy.

I really loved meeting all these different people, who had experienced life in a very different society from our own. There were men at the book sale in Havana's busy streets that were looking to find work in Canada sometime in the near future, and were hoping that each of our countries would relax regulations so that he could start a new life. At the moment, it was more profitable to sell books to eager tourists in the streets than his own government job as a school teacher. So, he worked longer days to support a family. 

In Cuba's valley towns there was a lower pace of lifestyle, cowboys rode horses through the streets, and large trunks came tumbling down the roads at 5 AM to pick up workers for a day in the tobacco fields. I loved this atmosphere with kids playing soccer in the street, and everyone staying up late to make sure they could catch up with friends in between doorways and on street corners. Even in Havana, kids played a game of baseball in a side street, or jump rope as the occasional car came down pushing them to the sidewalks briefly before carrying on.

In Viñales we explored the jardin botanical that has been growing for the past one hundred year. In the centre of what looks like a vast jungle of cocoa, mango, and banana trees, tobacco and flowers, is a small colourful cottage where a family lives. They take care of the jardin, and upon your entrance through the bright red gates will lead a tour around the paths of the garden. In our sparse Spanish and our guides limited English, we had fun deciphering the Spanish names of plants into our well-known English terms.

For a closer look into the beauty of Viñales, we were lead by a local on horseback through the tobacco fields and among the farmers who plow their fields with oxen. In the morning we set out, the sun was just beginning to warm our backs, and we rambled along through the fields and dirt tracks. As it began to get hotter, we stopped at an old man's house a top a grassy hill, where he served us hollowed out coconuts with rum and honey. Looking out, we could see the town of Viñales and spreading out from that an array of checkered houses and tobacco fields, and among that a small amount of corn and rice fields. It was amazing to experience rural Cuba with it's slower pace lifestyle, and laid back farmers on horseback in gum boots and smoking a Cuban cigar. For me, riding horses through Cuba was the perfect moment.

There is so much history in Havana. And in Cuba. Between the crumbling buildings and streets piled with rubble are places built in the early 1900's, and some of these places, recently restored into colourful attractions, have the undeniable beauty and amazing craftsmanship in ornately decorated columns, marble floors, and painted ceilings particular to that time period.

Among this revolution and restoration of the buildings there is the life of the Cuban people. Things seem to be on the brink of change with the widespread access to the Internet, and this newness of ideas flowing amid buildings which have stood for hundreds of years casts an exciting atmosphere among the people. However, if you stop to listen in broken English and reply in haphazard Spanish, the views of the Cuban people seem to reflect both gratitude and frustration with the revolution. A change in their country which both propelled a movement but now seems to have stagnated their countries development.

Sometimes, moments put you back into the 1950's while spending time on the streets of Havana or walking in Viñales' fields. A lineup of 1950's style cars at a crosswalk puts you into a different decade, as does the image of three cowboys on horseback trotting through dirt tracks just outside of your bedroom window. With this mismatch of modern and past culture, this country is unique in it's own way. That's the beauty of exploring new places, and places so different from home. There are windows into the history, and the people, and into the hopes and traditions of their lives.

Quinoa and Goats Cheese Patties
Print recipe here!What I loved about the food in Cuba, and I know that no one goes there for the food, but it was still delicious, was that the ingredients were all so simple, fresh, local, and tasty. They used simple ingredients like fish and chicken, which was cooked or fried in a sauce, and served with rice, and often beans. In the valley we had a greater variety of fresh fruits and vegetables such as bananas, shorter than the ones we have at home, and much sweeter. Our host family went into their back yard and came back with a bundle of tiny little bananas, and offered us one each, which we devoured greedily, enjoying the sweetness of these pale green goodies.

This recipe follows a similar principle, simple, fresh ingredients for a decadent dinner. For best tasting results, use locally grown vegetables, and if you have access to it, local goats cheese. 

Serves 2 (makes 4 patties)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup warm water

2 tbsp soft goats cheese
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, grated
1 egg
1 large (2 small) garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to season
1 tbsp grape seed oil (for frying)

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the uncooked quinoa and warm water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine goats cheese, cottage cheese, grated carrot, egg, and minced garlic. Stir to combine.

Add in the cooked quinoa slowly, mixing between each addition to prevent the egg from cooking.

Sprinkle chili powder, salt, and pepper in, and stir well.

At this point, if you're mixture is not sticking together well, or has too much liquid, add in rice flour 1 tablespoon at a time. It should be sticky and hold its shape.

Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil. Using a 1/4 cup measuring spoon, ladle the quinoa mixture bit by bit into the frying pan and press down to form approximately 1 inch thick patties.

Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side. Lower the heat if they brown (or blacken) too quickly, or the oil begins to spit, and raise the heat if after 5 minutes there is no colour change.

Enjoy with Baked Tomato Salsa, or use instead of meat patties in a gluten free burger bun.

Enjoy! xx S

Homemade Soup? So Easy!

I could barely pull out the Pumpkin Maple Dinner Rolls we had put in the freezer as containers and plastic bags of gluten-free baking tumbled over what I really wanted to eat with my soup today. I guess just having three of us in the house (two during the week) makes it a little difficult to get through all the cookies and brownies, muffins and then dinners, which we always seem to make excess of.

And then just last week, with the mid-January blues getting to us and forcing us to get out of the house, somehow, any way, we stepped off the ferry and drove to Vancouver for the Gluten Free Expo. Needless to say, we brought home an even greater selection of baked goods, gluten-free protein bars, chips and crackers, but proving to be just too much to be consumed in one or two evenings - into the freezer they went as well.

It was amazing how busy the convention was; tickets were sold out as soon as we got there, and there was a two hour wait for those who had already bought tickets. People who excitedly rushed up to the front desk with tickets bought online were greeted with an offer for a rebate, cash back for their purchase and time spent. However no one seemed to grumble unhappily, perhaps their bellies were content with the aversion to wheat - no upsets there: happy bodies, happy minds.

With the promise of different food options, and new substitutes for a gluten free girl, just behind those closed doors, we decided to head off for lunch before gathering a new sense of purpose to peruse the aisles of the expo - bag in one hand to be filled with samples.

Everyone eagerly approached tables, some pushing to be handed a gluten-free brownie cut and placed into a paper muffin cup first, while others grabbed at pamphlets before stopping in their tracks to read the small information printed on it. One woman, as I passed by her table with watchful eyes and just as I glanced at the selection of products lined neatly along the front of the table, caught me with a quick smile and leaned forward,

"Let me tell you about this product," she enticed,

"You're a growing girl, and you need fibre in your diet,"

How did she know? I wondered to myself, How does she already seem to know me so well, as she continued, labelling things which applied to me.

"You have a craving for protein," She also offered, and held up the product, a protein bar with 25 g of fibre.

"Come back and buy some with your mum," She whispered.

How did she do that? How was she able to get so personal in such a small amount of time, luring me in, connecting with me, and undoubtedly making me feel as if I had to return. I hurried past her table as I tried to return back to where mum was, head down and avoiding eye contact.

Later on, as the end of the expo neared, one aisle was increasingly filling up with more people, the promise of free gluten-free goods a certain lure. One table stood out as one man handed out whole loaves of bread and packages containing four large muffins, a very generous offer compared to the thumb-sized cookies given by neighbouring tables. Another popular table was serving gluten free noodles with the customer's choice of sauces, either sweet, spicy, or peanut, however as we passed by, their stocks were empty and they had already begun to pack up. It must have been the only table which we saw as completely empty by the time we got there - the popular demand for something savoury had overwhelmed them.

I felt like that today, overwhelmed by the sweetness of so many baked goods, especially after a Berry Cheesecake which mum made for supper last night - using gluten free granola ground with butter and walnuts for the base. Then, after hot chocolates with mum and dad this morning, I was craving vegetables and spices, and the bright colours of fresh produce.

Sweet Cumin Carrot Soup
Print recipe here.

A touch of honey added to the warmth and richness of cumin seeds with the smooth carrot elements create a soup that is both hearty (just the right ingredients for an energy boosting soup) and comforting for those rainy, cold days - or any day really.

This ultimate comfort dinner soup can be chased down with a Pumpkin Maple Dinner Roll, buttered and topped with a chunk of cheese.

I love the rich colour of this soup, which just screams out as being healthy and full of vital nutrients and antioxidants. These carrots are high in carotenoids, which is also found to reduce the risk of diabetes - and increase how much you can see at night!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

approximately 3 cups coarsely chopped carrots, or baby carrots
1 tbsp honey
6 cups vegetable stock

4 spoonfuls sour cream or plain Greek yoghurt

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, cumin, and salt. Stir until softened, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the carrots and honey.

Pour in stock and bring stovetop to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, this should take approximately 25 minutes.

In batches of 2 or 3, purée the soup mixture in a blender until smooth. Careful, the heat may make the mixture bubble while blending, so hold the lid on tight.

For a thinner soup, strain before adding more water, or just spoon the soup into bowls as is.

Garnish with sour cream and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot.

Drive Roll

You wouldn't believe the hype around here for Justin Bieber's Believe tour. I've never known so many people to go to one concert, at the same venue and time, and all people who I know. And some even got backstage passes - the opportunity to meet him.

Three friends and I were driven down to Tacoma, a three or four hour drive from here for my mum, with the cost of a hotel to share. Tuesday afternoon, with passports and money secured, as well as the tickets for the show safely stored someplace we would remember, my mum picked us up from school early, and we were off.

Music loud, and sun pouring down, the excitement for the next twenty four hours away built. Brick upon brick, joke upon joke, and tumbling down with pouring laughter.

It was hot in the car, and mum and I constantly fiddled back and forth with the temperature dial, me favouring the red side, where warm air escaped from the vents and blanketed me, and mum the blue, causing my toes to chill as icy particles splintered through my cocoon. The temperature outside read above 15°C, and as we drove mum commented,

"It feels like a May long weekend!"

Just like the days when school comes to the end early, and we all dash off for the weekend as a much needed get away, giving us all that extra push of motivation to carry on working and finish the end of the year.

We've had enough tests this week for it to feel like exam time, I've been swamped every evening, underneath toppled textbooks and scattered pens, creating a jungle around me as I sit wrapped up in slippers and a big sweater, cradling my iPad, and fingers drumming at the keys as I slip into zombie-mode...

Must. Get. This. Done. Tonight.

Until mum shouts out,

"Would you like a cuppa tea!?"

Everyone napped as the car edged through traffic, a stalled stampede through the winding array of businesses as we neared Seattle. Truck and RV vendors lined the highway, as advertisements decked out in quickly fading colours dotted along became blurred swatches of colour as we sped up.

The hotel which we checked into was nothing glamorous, with a double bed for two to share, extra padded as requested for a good sleep, and a TV on the wall. Very American. Downstairs, little girls dressed in purple t-shirts with slogans of

Believe Tour 2012

And,

Justin Bieber We Love You,

Matched with little tutus danced around the foyer in excitement, smiles expanding as the time closed in. 3 hours.

In our room we donned make up and heels, and tried not to laugh at how silly we might look with so many younger kids around, in their pony tails and sneakers.

The venue of the concert was a dome building, with seats up the sides of the stage in the centre. We arrived in the middle of the opening act, Carly Rae Jepson, and the stands were only three quarters full. Many people, like us, thought they had loads of time to wait, as nothing ever starts on time!

I loved the costumes some girls wore, matching pinks and purples, matching hats and shirts, and my favourite, the hot pink skirts that read

'Swaggy'

On the back.

That was Tuesday night, and the last day of what still felt like summer. Today, I watched as rain drops fell down the windows, as if racing each other to the bottom.

I cheered for the underdog, slowly crawling and diagonally approaching the race. Slow and steady. If only I had taken heed of that advice as I cooked, maybe I would have remembered all the ingredients.

Like the butter. Which caused my pastry to resemble a cocoon, protecting the little caterpillar inside.

Although, I can't deny what I learnt from it, watching my little rolls sitting in the oven. I explored another consistency from baking with gluten-free flours, only found from straying from the written and tested recipes. Or forgetting to follow the path completely.

Butter is vital for many baked items, including cookies, cakes and pastries. The richness, as well as its creaminess, improves the texture, flavour, and moisture, as well as even freshness of whatever its used in. Butter, as the preferred fat by chefs all across the world, although I often opt for Earth Balance spread, serves for different purposes depending on the temperature.

Chilled butter, best when stored in the coldest part of the fridge, is specifically used for some pie crusts. Cold butter causes the flour to absorb less of the moisture contained within butter, and results in a flaky, crisper consistency.

Alternately, butter kept at room temperature is usually required for recipes that call for creaming together the butter and sugar. This process involves incorporating air, which helps with the process of rising as it bakes. The best temperature for storing butter at room temperature is between about 18°C and 21°C.

Finally, melted butter is often reserved for cooking sauces, and pan-frying, however sometimes it is used in baking recipes, such as cheesecake crusts. Using melted butter adds small amounts of flavour and moisture to dry ingredients.

So here, with butter this time, are my sausage rolls.

Gluten-Free Turkey Sausage Rolls
Print recipe. 

I really started crying this time, when I chopped the onions I mean. I must have been really upset about chopping up such a beautiful onion. Well actually, it was just really fresh. If this happens to you, causing you to sniffle and tear up while cooking, and forcing odd expressions of shock from those around,

"Whats wrong!?"

Chewing gum is meant to help. Try it!


My first attempt replaced the egg in this recipe with ground flax, preferable if you don't eat eggs or are allergic, however the result was crumbly, and the pastry was extremely difficult to work with. The second time, I completely forgot the butter! Which caused the pastry to resemble a shell-like cocoon, although still tasty. I also found that they took much longer to cook without butter, or any replacement. Finally, I remembered all the ingredients, and worked with proper flours to reach a perfect result.

Make 12 regular sized sausage rolls.

Ingredients

Pastry

3/4 c blanched almond meal
3/4 c potato flour (not starch!)
1 c brown rice flour
3/4 c tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt

1 egg
1/3 c butter, or dairy-free replacement
about 3/4 c chilled water

2 tbsp milk for brushing

Filling

500 g ground turkey

1 carrot, grated
1 apple, grated
1 brown onion, grated
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped finely
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped finely

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp thyme leaves
salt and pepper to season

Using an egg helps bind together the pastry...

So that this is finally possible!

Directions

Pastry

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor combine the dry ingredients, pulse, then add the chilled butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Pour in the egg and mix.

With the motor still running slowly add water until the pastry forms a ball. Remove from the processor, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Filling

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in a large bowl for the filling, squeezing the juices from the grated carrot, apple and onion before adding. Stir well, making sure ingredients are spread throughout the entire mixture. Set aside.

Pastry

Remove the pastry from the freezer and cut in half. With one half roll it out on a piece of parchment sprinkled with brown rice flour. Shape into a long rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Spoon the filling down the centre. Using the parchment paper underneath, fold the long edges over the filling.

Brush milk over the edges to help with sticking, and roll the pastry overtop, cinching the edges together. Place the roll so that the edges are underneath.

Cut into desired sizes, and place on the lined baking sheet. With extra milk, brush the tops of each sausage roll.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Delicious with caramelised onions or ketchup (not Heinz brand!)