Wrapped Up Falafel and Pita Style

 

Last nights dinner, warm home made kale falafels on top of fresh greens and slices of tomatoes from the farm, with a bed of piping hot pita breads straight from the oven, was the perfect end to a hot day that suddenly turned when the fog set in the bay, and a breeze swept up any leaves that tittered around the front deck. Dancing feet outside our open doors were fluttered away in one strong gust, and just the squeals of an open door caught up in the wind could be heard. I set to baking early in the afternoon, and with my chin resting on my hands, staring at this bunch of fresh kale, there was a separate whirlwind of thoughts, recipes, and ideas for the luscious green vegetable. The fresh kale from a nearby farm was how falafels became something else, a whole new flavour was added, as well as intrigue, and falafels were taken up a notch.

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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!)

Curry Home for Dinner!

Mum and dad spent the end of the week together in Victoria, and arrived home late Friday night in hunger and a tiresome state, having followed my direction to wait until they were home for dinner. And to ignore the smells of hot food from the ferry bistro, which was an excuse to steer clear of the long lines, winding down the hall, and nearly to front of the ship.

Their hunger, as they walked in the door, was stretched on as I simmered off dinner, regretting my planning for time. Thankfully, they had wine to sip at. I've never quite got a handle on the time it really does take for me to cook: a perfectionist's best trait. Starting too late, some nights we eat closer to bed time than "dinner time."

It was my fault for leaving to the store just before closing time, trailing my shopping bag and list, and trying to find the ingredients as quickly as I could in order to race back and start cooking. Before I left, I had been caught up in refurbishing my blog, and emerged in the savoir-faire of things, I kept pushing the trip down later and later as the light outside dimmed slowly. I had finally found out how to add an ingredients index, which means no more scrolling through each post to find the right recipe!

And better yet, this recipe index is filling up nicely.

So, to prepare for cooking I cranked the music loud with the best songs of 2012, and laced my apron around my back. It was a gift last Christmas from mum after she noticed my flour stained shirts after baking, the white powder apparent on black tops, and ruining some too.

Mum and dad sat at the table, poured the wine, and sank into relaxed conversation about the week's events, which overflowed with snippets from their days exploring around. I listened as I attended to the stove, hearing about mum's excursions of Vancouver Island and the people she saw and met throughout.

Starting with coffee, in a small building bursting with noise and activity from the customers settled in, she watched how life played out in this area. Her book as a mask of sorts, she watched as some locals spent their mornings huddled around a large mug while other stretched out the morning paper, scanning the headlines for interesting stories. A group of bikers who'd ridden from another town caught up with friends while comparing their accomplishments on bike. And all different parties, those quiet and those exuberant, were connected by the time and the place in which they had decided to settle for an hour, or just a few moments, and were all greeted by the warm welcome of the young Calgarian at the till, spending time there to explore different places of Canada, experiencing life just as everyone else was, in his own way.

In our own way, we have dinner as a family on weekends, untied by work and commitments we can enjoy the company of each other.

As the skillet was taken off the stove, it steamed proudly and fogged the lenses of my camera as I tried to take pictures before it was snatched into awaiting bowls. Watering mouths were nearly burnt when fingers reached to test the food, and I tried to press,

"Don't worry! It's definitely worth the wait."

And boy, were we glad we did.

Guzzling down water after a burn from scalding food is never enviable, and food is never as flavourful when half your tastebuds are gone, squealing at spicy, and resisting sour in agony.

Instead, we could taste the different spices, all emerging from one pot.

Ginger root, surprisingly the most common ingredient in natural arthritis relief supplements because of it's anti-inflammatory compounds called 'gingerols,' added to this curry dish by complementing the other spices incorporated together as well as making our legs feel great despite sitting at the table for a while.

I once heard that by ingesting raw ginger root one could self remedy problems in the joints, as well as awaken the tastebuds! If raw ginger is too powerful (I've once sneezed because off it's taste!) it can also be steeped in hot water for a few minutes.

And to add to that, check out all the other super-food ingredients packed into this one recipe! Garlic... Coconut... Nutmeg... "An apple a day keeps the doctor away..." And even cilantro, the best cleanser around!

And I don't mean household cleaner, I mean, this superfood is loaded with vitamins and nutrients such as calcium, iron, beta-carotene and vitamin C and has the ability to remove heavy metals from our systems.

Call that spring cleaning!

Especially beneficial for people suffering with depression, Alzheimer's, or other neurological disorders, cilantro can oppose the effects of these conditions which worsen the levels of toxicity in the body.

So with that, I hope everyone will Curry Home for Dinner tonight!

Curried Chicken
Print recipe. 

For a delicious weekday meal, or a scrumptuous Friday night feast, this recipe can be adapted for the spice-happy or the mild-lovers by adjusting the amount of chilli added. To accompany, cook some jasmine rice or a favourite quinoa recipe, which both will soak up the curry and leave your plate clean (which I doubt anyone will need help with at this dinner!)

Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, cubed
1 tbsp grape seed oil

1 white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chilli (add more for an increased spiciness)
1/2 tsp both nutmeg and turmeric

3/4 can light coconut milk
1/4 c mango chutney
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp salt

1 Golden Delicious or Gala apple, cored, peeled and cubed (make sure the pieces are not too small, otherwise they will become too mushy and fall apart in the curry.)
2 tbsp cilantro, minced (I added more, since I am a huge fan of the fresh flavour cilantro adds, it was more like 3 - 4 tbsp)

Directions

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken until cooked through and browned slightly.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium, and in the same skillet cook the onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the grated ginger, chilli, turmeric and nutmeg. Stir, and cook for another minute.

Pour in the coconut milk, and add the mango chutney, lemon zest, salt.

Stir in the apple and chicken and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Removing the lid, toss in the cilantro and simmer for another 5 minutes before serving over a bed of wild rice.

Last Of Summer

As we sift back into our annual September routines, diligently pairing sweaters with boots, and jackets with scarves, I reminisce on those summer days when I wore my bathing suit and shorts into the evening, and could spend the whole day sunning on the beach. This weather went hand in hand with my relaxed and joyful mood, so I was thrilled this week to be reminded further of these care-free days, when my hair curled effortlessly from the salt and wind, by the continuing sunny and warm weather for the next few days!

So, in my enthusiasm I have decided to show excitement by bringing out my shorts again, and lazing in our sunny yard with my flip flops hanging off my toes.

My dog, thrilled to be outside with me, wags her stumpy tail at the turn of a page in my book, expecting me to be as sporadic as she, and jump up to throw the ball for her. Peeling my eyes from my book, hanging off the last sentence I've just read,

"In her secret garden..."

I see her dart around the rhododendron bush, and high-tail it down to the bottom of the garden where a small grey cat lurks timidly. They go off down the path, hidden behind the array of tangled branches and leaves, and for a few moments I am left alone before I need to call her back.

Enticing her with a favorite toy, a red frisbee disk, she bounds back up the hill and waits expectantly at my feet. At one point the disk lit up upon impact with the ground, drawing her near it whether or not she could see the flashing colors. Unaware by the toy's declining condition, she happily chases after the flying disk, speeding up as it hits the ground. The sound surprises her, as my weak throw causes it to land behind her as she flits happily around, mouth hanging open.

I laugh as she tries to pick it up, scraping the top of the frisbee with her claws in a digging motion and trying to flip it over so that she can grasp it in her jaws. She continues this endeavor for some time, pausing briefly only to glance at me expectantly.

As if!

And so she returns to her efforts. Finally, with just a small nudge of her nose, the frisbee flips, and she is able to grasp it to carry it back to me. Her little tail wags excitedly, and I imagine her saying,

"Look at me! Look at me!"

As she shows off her prize.

This sunny weather seems to have lifted everyone else's mood as well; even as I shopped this evening for dinner's ingredients people were jovial, exclaiming their enthusiasm in seeing their friends and neighbors, and with our brighter moods comes a brighter, sunnier evening.

Summertime lived on in my kitchen this evening, with this park picnic recipe.

Perfect for my busy schedule, I prepared components of this recipe before I went out for yoga (thought I would try to relax a bit) and left them in fridge to be cooked quickly when I came back.

Walnut Pan-Cooked Cod with Green Pea Mélange
Adapted from Gluten Free Girl's Pistachio Encrusted Salmon with Edamame Mash
Click here for printable version.

Before I was ready to cook, I prepared the Green Pea Mélange and the walnuts to store in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c cooked green peas
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp gluten-free fish sauce
1/4 c grape seed oil, plus 1 tbsp for cooking

1/2 walnuts
1 egg, beaten
1/8 c rice flour

2 cod fillets
salt

Directions

In a blender, combine the green peas, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, and fish sauce and blend until pureed, but still lumpy. Add the grape seed oil, and whirl until mixed. If it is still too thick, add some more oil or water to thin. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the mix into a bowl or cup, and cover, setting it aside.

In the same blender, washed out and dried, pour in the walnuts and blend until finely chopped. Make sure the motor is stopped before it begins to turn to butter.

Set out three shallow bowls on your workspace, in one add the egg and beat, in the second sprinkle the flour, and in the third add the chopped walnuts.

Season the cod with salt.

In a frying pan, add 1 tbsp of grape seed oil, and turn to medium-high heat.

When hot, quickly dip the cod on both sides into the beaten egg, smothering it in the rice flour, and then transferring to the walnuts, coating the cod thickly.

Place the fillet in the pan, and repeat with the second piece. In the pan, sear the cod for approximately two-four minutes, or until slightly browned underneath. Then, flip both pieces and cook thoroughly, covering the pan with a lid for a faster cooking time.

Serve with the Green Pea Mélange, either on the side or spooned on top.

If you prepared the mélange some time before, it should be heated up in the microwave quickly, or on the stove top until simmering.

Also, when coating the cod in the walnuts, it didn't stick very well without a second plunge into the beaten egg, although in doing so, the different ingredients were mixed slightly!