Fresh Friday Recipe: Miso Hungry Soup

Last night I taught an awesome workshop at U of T. The topic was Eating for Energy: Smart Starts to Fantastic Finishes. And the menu I created showcased how easy it is to eat delicious and nutritious meals all day long! The key is knowing what foods to eat –which ones rev you up and which ones drag you down. Miso is one of my most favourite “get-up-and-go” foods. I use it in everything, from soups to rice bowls, fish dishes to tofu tosses! And a quick Cup o Miso is one of the best ways to refuel and energize at lunchtime. Enjoy and happy weekend!

Miso Hungry Soup

What’s In It

4 cups spring water

4 tablespoons miso

1 small onion diced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (cremini, button, shitake)

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup cubed squash

Tamari and hot sauce

 

How to Make It

Put oil in saucepan and add diced onion. When onion starts to sizzle, add spring water. When water boils, add squash, carrots and mushrooms. Boil until tender. Remove from heat. Add miso. Stir until dissolved and serve with hot sauce and tamari to taste.

Fresh Friday Recipe: Warm roasted potato salad with fresh rosemary, chevre, arugula and smoked trout

Welcome to Fresh Fridays everyone – our newest way to connect our fans to some fresh n fast gourmet recipes to help you kick off a fun-filled weekend!

This recipe came about from one of our awesome appie creations and is a little more sophisticated than our famous “Couch Potato Salad”. We always make roasted potatoes topped with herbed chevre and smoked trout whenever we do cocktail parties. But these little morsels are just so good you want to have them more than on just special occasions! So we’ve added a few more ingredients…and presto! Instant salad. Perfect accompaniment to a winter soup and a nice glass of Cote de Rhone. Enjoy!

What you need

4 cups fingerling or baby yellow flesh potatoes – sliced in half

olive oil

handful of fresh rosemary – stems removed

1 cup chevre

handful of fresh dill – finely chopped

2 shallots – finely diced

2 cloves garlic – minced

4 cups arugula

1 filet of smoked trout

lemon juice

honey

salt

pepper

NSS (no salt seasoning if you’ve just started following us!)

How to Make it:

Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss raw potatoes in a mixing bowl with a glug of olive oil,  rosemary, salt, pepper and NSS. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in oven for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add shallots, garlic and a handful of fresh dill to the chevre and mix together.

Remove potatoes from the oven and toss with chevre mixture. Add smoked trout and arugula. Pour a good glug of olive oil and squeeze a few lemons onto salad. Drizzle with honey and season with salt, pepper and NSS. Toss, toss then toss again. Taste and add more seasoning/dressing if you desire.

Fresh and Fast: Eating for Energy on the Run

Each summer I have the pleasure of running a wellness retreat for the incredibly enthusiastic interns at Toronto’s PriceWaterhouse Cooper. These dynamic young adults take part in our “Better Business Bodies” program, a customized corporate workshop that engages companies and their employees to live life to the fullest while on the job. This year we focused on the theme of ”fresh and fast food”, and hosted a cooking workshop at the stunning Market Kitchen in the St Lawrence Market! What an incredible venue! We created a wonderful 5 course, Italian-themed meal for them, using the mouth-watering seasonal produce from the vendors at the St Lawrence and our very own AppleTree Farmers’ Market. All recipes (with the exception of the pastry) were designed to be able to replicate in the tiniest of kitchens –even  a dorm room with only a hot plate and a microwave! And each item takes just minutes to prepare. So now there is no excuse not to eat fast and fresh, even with the busiest of schedules. Bon appetit!

 

Fresh Fast Food 

Caprese Salad 

Ingredients

Sliced fresh field tomatoes

Sliced fresh buffalo mozzarella or bocconcini cheese

Drizzle of olive oil

Drizzle of balsamic

Fresh basil, torn

Preparation

Creatively display cheese and tomatoes on a platter and drizzle with oil and vinegar and scatter with basil! 

Dip Trio

Combine all ingredients in a blender
or food processor and enjoy! 

White bean and dill

2 cups cooked white beans

1 handful fresh dill

3 cloves garlic

Glug of olive oil

Juice of one lemon

Salt and pepper

NSS (no salt seasoning)

Sweet Pea and Mint

2 cups sweet peas

1 clove garlic

Glug of olive oil

Juice of two lemons

Handful of fresh mint

Salt and pepper

NSS

Fresh tomato and basil

4 tomatoes

Handful of basil

4 cloves garlic

Salt

Pepper

1 onion

Glug of olive oil

Simmer in a pot 10 minutes and puree!

 

Field Greens with Shallot Thyme
Vinaigrette

 

Ingredients

Fresh
market greens

Thyme
vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons Dijon

1 small shallot, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

Blend ingredients in blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with lettuce and enjoy!

One Pot Orzo

Ingredients

1 cup orzo

¼ cup  chevre

1 clove crushed garlic

1 green onion, diced

1 tomato chopped

A few handfuls of arugula

Butter

Olive oil

Salt, pepper and NSS

Fresh lemon

 

Preparation

Cook orzo according to directions for al dente pasta. Drain and set to cool. In same pan, melt butter and add a glug of olive oil. Add garlic, onions, tomatoes. Sautee a few minutes and add chevre. Melt and add in orzo. Toss in handfuls of arugula and remove from heat. Mix and season with salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

Summer Blueberry Shortcake

Ingredients

Filling

1 pints blueberries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 cups Harmony Dairy whipping cream

1 tablespoon organic raw sugar (for whipped cream)

6 shortcakes (see recipe below), for serving

Shortcakes

2 cups organic flour

1 tbsp baking powder

2 1/2 tablespoon organic sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold, unsalted farm-fresh butter, cut into
small pieces

3/4 cup Harmony Dairy 2% or homo milk

2 tablespoon Harmony Dairy whipping cream

 

Preparation

For the shortcakes:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter. With your fingers, rub it into the
dry ingredients until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the milk until a very soft dough is formed. Do not overwork. Drop the dough in 6 equal portions onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly pat the dough into rounds—3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter—and lightly brush the tops with the cream. Bake the shortcakes in the center of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

For the berries:

Place berries in a bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar, and then gently toss with a rubber spatula. Let rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for juices to
develop. Just before serving, whip cream with 1 Tbsp sugar until it holds soft peaks.

To serve, slice off the top third of each shortcake. Place the bottoms on  dessert plates and top with 1/3 cup of the prepared berries and juice, plus a spoonful of whipped cream. Cover with the shortcake top. Spoon over more berries and juice, then dollop with whipped cream. Garnish each with a whole berry and drizzle with any remaining juice.

Clean out the Crisper Soup

Okay folks…Daily Apple is trying to get media savvy. Posting from my blackberry as I wait in an overcrowded doctor’s office for my yearly physical. So I apologize if the posting looks wonky in any way – very different from the computer.
Anyway – enough about techie stuff. Let’s talk about soup…and how easy it is to turn unwanted, unappealing and un-sexy veggies into delish and nutrish hearty soup! Here’s what Chris and I made last night in minutes while we got our boy ready for bed:

What’s in It:

Wilty veg (we had parsnips, carrots, celeriac and a potato)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Good quality organic veggie stock
sea salt, pepper and of course NSS (no salt seasoning for the Daily Apple newbies!
Olive oil

How to Make it

Super easy. Pour a glug or two of olive oil into a large stock pot.

Heat oil on medium and add onions and garlic. Season your pot with salt, pep and NSS. Add your cleaned and chopped veg and sautee for a few minutes until well seasoned. Add stock until veg are just covered. Simmer until veg are falling apart soft and then blend with an immersion blender.

Serve with good crusty bread and a garden salad. Enjoy!

Oh So Good Okra!

Okay, okay – I know it has been a ridiculously long time since I have posted…but there is good reason. Daily Apple had a baby! That’s right….our little Apple Dumpling was born just before Christmas and it’s been tough finding the time to sit down and write – Tweets and Facebook updates are about all I can squeeze in these days between diaper changes and feedings! But this new recipe we created last night was just too good not to post. So it’ll be short and sweet today…with more to come in future…promise!

My sister’s kids have a terrific caregiver named Shirley (yes…the same one who makes the out-of-this-world hot sauce!) and she is always making the most delicious okra. I LOVE OKRA but usually steer clear of cooking it because of its slimy, not-so-appetizing, reminding-me-of-something-I-don’t-want-to-be-thinking-of-when-I’m-eating, texture. But Shirley seems to always make it crisp and firm, not gooey and slippery. So yesterday, after purchasing some super fresh pods, I set out to create an OH SO GOOD OKRA recipe. Jackpot baby….success! Here it is:

What’s in It:

1 lb fresh okra – washed, trimmed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

cornmeal

salt, pepper, cayenne and of course Daily Apple’s secret weapon,NSS (no salt seasoning)

How to Make It

Place okra in a mixing bowl and add a large handful of cornmeal and season. Toss and let sit for 10 minutes, allowing cornmeal to absorb the “goo”. Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep sautee pan and add garlic. Sautee until garlic becomes fragrant. Add okra and fry until golden and crisp.

Serve over top seasoned spicy brown rice (we make a rice concoction with chickpeas, diced tomatoes, onions, garlic and hot peppers…DELISH!). Top with hot sauce and enjoy!

Oh So Good Okra!

Aloha – Daily Apple Style!

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of catering my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Stephanie, the vivacious and fun-loving bride, requested a Hawaiian Luau theme – to reflect her upcoming honeymoon and passion for all things tropical. Now, being a hard-core macrobiotic and local foods advocate for the past decade does not allow me much exposure to exotic dishes and island delights…but after a bit of research I realized I could create a plethora of tropical treats and still be true to my whole-foods roots. So please enjoy these unique Hawaiian dishes with a side of Ontario freshness!

Pretty Pineapple Salsa

What’s In It

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice with juices reserved

1 small red pepper, diced

3 medium green onions, diced

1 hot chili, diced

1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 tbsp  fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

How to Make It

Mix all ingredients including reserved pineapple juices in medium bowl.  Cover and let stand at least 1 hour at room temperaturebefore serving.

Maui Wowi Onion Dip

What’s In It

3 large sweet onions, finely chopped 

1 cup raw turbinado sugar   

1/2 cup white wine vinegar 

1/2 cup organic sour cream 

1/4 tsp cumin     

Salt & pepper

How to Make It

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and let sit overnight. Serve with root chips and raw veggies!

Sesame Cabbage Salad

What’s In It

1 head cabbage chopped

1 bunch green onions chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery and peppers

1/2 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoon organic honey   

2 cups toasted sesame sticks or crunchy Asian noodles     

sesame seeds, toasted

How to Make It

Mix cabbage, green onions, peppers and celery.  Mix dressing of vinegar, oil, and sugar. Toss dressing, sesame sticks and sesame seeds with salad mix. Serve immediately.

Aloha Sweet Potatoes

What’s In It

4 to 5 medium sweet potatoes     

1/2 cup organic butter 

1 cup organic brown sugar       

Fill a large stock pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and add to water. Boil until tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain and return pot to stove. Melt butter with brown sugar. Add potatoes and mash with a hand-masher. Season with salt. Transfer to a large casserole dish and bake at 425 until top is golden brown. Top with an additional sprinkle of brown sugar and enjoy!

Congratulations Nick and Stephanie!

Easy sweets

I’ve never been much of a dessert person, but lately I’ve been craving a little something after dinner. Always on the quest for a healthy alternative (cause let’s face it – a chocolate bar is always an option!) but wanting something a little more dessert-y than simple fruit, this recipe satisfies both criteria. And the best part is – it’s very versatile. Check out all the menu items you can create with easy rhubarb compote.

What’s in it:

6 cups rhubarb – well washed and chopped

1/8 cup water – add more if necessary

1/4 cup maple syrup – add more if prefer sweeter

How to make it:

Nothing to it. Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly, until rhubarb has a jam-like consistency. Cool and serve.

What to make with it:

Organic yoghurt (we like Pinehedge Farms) with rhubarb compote , chopped fresh strawberries and granola topper

Biscotti drizzled with warm rhubarb compote

Rhubarb Ice Cream Sundaes

Fresh blueberries topped with rhubarb compote

Strawberries dipped in chocolate and drizzled with rhubarb compote

Toast with rhubarb compote

Get as creative as you’d like! Enjoy!

Summer fresh rhubarb

Garden In A Bowl

Every year around this time, when the weather turns warm, the sun shines longer and the nights feel more relaxed, my diet changes. Not a conscious choice - just something innately inside of me (and likely inside of most of us) calls for cooler, crisper, lighter meals after a long day. Chris calls this type of supper “Cold Plate” – a childhood favourite, based on a traditional east coast style pub plate, featuring classic menu items like devilled eggs, pickled vegetables, fresh breads and cold salads. I get the concept completely, just not a huge fan of some of the fare (devilled eggs would have to top my list of least appetizing foods!). So, every summer, I try to create fresh, new “cold plate” recipes for my hard-working husband….and this simple salad from the other night is now a new favourite. I hope you enjoy it!

Simple Summer Salad

Ingredients

6 baby cucumbers

2 ripe tomatoes

1 small red onion or shallot

4 scallions

2 stalks celery

1 cup freshly shelled peas

1 avocado

1 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp rice vinegar

salt

pepper

NSS (no salt seasoning)

toasted sesame seeds

a tiny pinch of cayenne or chilli flakes

Preparation

Nothing to it! Chop all of your ingredients and toss in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and season with salt, pepper, seeds and spices and mix well. Serve with warm, crusty bread and a cold glass of rosee.

Bon appetit!

Doesn't this just look like summer?

Fresh from the Farm Recipe – Gourmet Gazpacho

First off, I have to say I’m slightly embarrassed by how long it has been since I have posted a new article. I actually had to shut my eyes when I logged in this morning! But it hasn’t been for a lack of want. And not to make excuses either, but the first half of 2010 has been a busy one – with lots of crazy twists, and turns…all positive of course. Here’s a wee bit about what’s been going on around Daily Apple.

1. We have totally revamped the business and closed the retail side of our operation in December (sad but also very exciting). We relaunched in January, focusing solely on health and wellness consulting, and food, fitness and lifestyle presenting. It has been a great ride thus far!
2. Our very own farmers’ market, AppleTree, became a year-round market and had a successful first winter season indoors at the North Toronto Community Centre. Our outdoor season launched April 22 with a giant earth day celebration (including Chris in an enormous apple costume!) and we have had 3 sunny market days since
3. Our cookbook – Daily Apple Living – is in the works! We are currently shopping for a publisher (anyone? anyone?) It is a sweet and sassy account of my life and those in it – focusing on food choices, exercise options, work-life balance and of course, fun! I’m so lucky to be working with my good friend and über talented graphics designer, Margaret Gdyczynski, and my editor, fashion consultant and incredible sister, Sydney. Stay tuned!

Okay, okay, that’s enough excuses already….but now you can see I really haven’t been sitting around on the couch eating bon bons…promise!

Now – on to the recipe of the week. This is long overdue, and I dedicate this posting to my new foodie friends at  “All the Best Fine Foods” (Olivia and Christina – you guys rock!)

Gourmet Gazpacho

(created for the Green Living Show – Toronto 2010)

What you need:

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp rice vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1 zucchini

4 tomatoes

1 green pepper

1 cucumber

1 red onion

½ cup veggie stock

Hot sauce

Salt

Pepper

No salt seasoning (NSS)

How to Make It:

Blend the lime juice, vinegar, oil, cilantro leaves, and cumin in the small bowl with a wooden spoon.

Place the zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and onion in batches in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process, adding the lime juice mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, to prevent the blade from being clogged with the vegetables. The soup should have a crunchy texture; do not puree the vegetables. Pour the soup into the large bowl as each batch is processed.

When all the vegetables have been processed, add just enough vegetable broth to give the gazpacho a smoother consistency. Season the soup with the Tabasco sauce and salt to taste.

Refrigerate, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours before serving.

Happy eating everyone! It’s good to be back.

Use fresh tomatoes...always!

The Romanseco…my new favourite vegetable

I first encountered this strange vegetable at my friend Kathleen’s grocery store, Culinarium, which carries only produce and products from our native Ontario. It was a feature in the weekly farmers’ box – and, like me, many of the customers who encountered this alien-like member of the Brassica family, didn’t know where it came from, what it tasted like and more importantly what to do with it. Thanks to Wikipedia, here is all you ever wanted to know about the weird and wonderful Romanesco plus our newest Daily Apple recipe!

Native to the province of Ontario, Romanesco (or Roman Cauliflower as it’s often called) is an edible flower of the species Brassica oleracea and a variant form of cauliflower. Romanesco broccoli was first documented in Italy (as broccolo romanesco) in the sixteenth century. It is sometimes called broccoflower, but that name is also applied to green-curded cauliflower cultivars. It is also known as coral broccoli. It is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids.

The vegetable resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. The broccoli’s shape could be described as fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesco_broccoli

Romanesco with Garlic & Parmesan

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 head Romanesco – separated into perfect cactus-like florets!

2 cloves garlic – thinly sliced

1/4 cup organic veggie stock

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt & black pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add Romanesco until colour goes bright green. Add veggie stock and cover skillet to allow steam to cook unti crunchy-tender. Drain liquid and transfer vegetable to decorative serving platter. Cover with freshly grated cheese, coarse salt and pepper.

Bon Appetit!

Looks like Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors!