Winter has arrived (Cashew Chili)

Here is a very good chili to satisfy vegetarians and meat lovers too.

Cashew Chili

2 c. chopped onions
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1 red pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes, 28 0z
3 cans kidney beans, 15 oz
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
hot pepper sauce to taste, or chopped hot pepper
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

Saute onions, celery and pepper. When cooked through, add crushed garlic. Cook for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients except the cashews. Simmer for about 1 hour, then stir in the cashews.
Serve with grated cheddar on top.

* By adding the cashews at the end of the cooking stage will keep them crunchier.
* Don't skip the cumin. This helps eliminate the gas.

To have a quick meal ready in no time, make a 'Chili Starter' for the freezer. You can make up double the amount of onions, celery, peppers and garlic sauteed. Then freeze half of it for next time.

Driving Across Canada

Well, it has been awhile since my last entry. I have left Toronto and John and I have driven across the country to the west coast. There isn't much to be found in between in the way of 'real good food' unless of course you have well spaced friend and family stops like we did. John was smart and planned ahead by making some very good and healthy granola bars and snacks for the road. What a life saver. There are a few good places to stop along the way but you pretty much have to go into the towns and find them. Golden, BC has a good little bookstore/coffee spot called Bacchus (I think) that serves good coffee and good lunch, even has some wheat free alternatives. Now that I have arrived at my destination in BC, I will be sharing regularly with you many good recipes and ideas and thoughts on food and good eating. I would also like to hear from any of you who would like to share as well. Please add your comments or email us at: seriouslycooking@gmail.com

That time of the year....Turkey leftover ideas- Rijsttafel

Happy Thanksgiving.
I love turkey leftovers.... There are so many things to be made with cooked turkey that there's never much left to be used for sandwiches. I also like to package some of the turkey pieces into bags of about 2 cups each and put them in the freezer for another time. Here is one of my favorite recipes using cooked turkey and you would never guess you were having leftovers. It is impressive enough to serve any of your guests, and easy to make. I hope you will try it.

Rijsttafel (pronounced rice-toffel)
This is a Javanese dish.
1 can coconut milk
1 c. unsweetened fine coconut
1 onion, medium sized
1 clove garlic
One inch piece of fresh gingerroot
1 1/2 T. curry powder
1 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. chicken stock
2 c. cooked turkey or chicken
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. mushrooms, sliced

Put the coconut milk and the coconut together in a bowl. Let it sit.
Saute onion until it starts to soften. Add the mushrooms. Continue the saute until mushrooms are cooked. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook another minute. Stir in the curry powder. Cook for another minute. Stir in 1 T. butter and the flour. Slowly stir in the chicken stock. Stir in the turkey and salt.
Serve with a condiment tray of Raisins, Sliced Almonds, Sweetened Coconut, and Fried Bananas.
* Don't skip these condiments, they really add appeal and make this dish even more delicious.
To fry bananas: Peel and cut bananas in half, then lengthwise. Fry in butter for a few minutes. Don't use overripe bananas. Allow at least 1/2 a banana per person because this is one of the best parts of the dish!

This dish has been a favorite of my family's for years and I hope it will be one of your favorites too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brunch beautiful brunch- Pancakes, the way they ought to be.

Hello people!

It's time to talk about pancakes! And i'm not talking about those bland, bleached, fluffy, paltry, pasty, pancakes that turn into mush at the first sniff of syrup! No! Not the ones that have about the nutritional value of an afterthought! No! I'm talking about pancakes that are hearty! healthy! earthy! Angry! Pancakes that are serious business! Pancakes that will nourish the body and mind, and make you sexy! Pancakes that will make you run faster, work harder, and think smarter.

Seriously though....I can run pretty fast and I eat these pancakes a lot so there might be a connection.

Okay. I used to love the idea of pancakes and then they would almost always disappoint. Then my Aunt Sharon, who was into health food before almost anyone, served these pancakes one morning while I was visiting. One taste and I knew I had found the pancakes I had been dreaming of all those years. The kind of pancakes my grandpa was talking about when he called 'em flapjacks.

These pancakes are sugar free, wheat free, dairy free and taste real good. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

2 cups soymilk approx (almond milk works well too)

1 cup spelt flour (buckwheat flour can also be used if you want a lighter pancake)

3 eggs

1/4cup oil

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt (unrefined sea salt preferably)

1 1/2 cup of blueberries - fresh or frozen

Directions:

Add the milk to the oats and leave to soak. 15 minutes will work in a pinch but I've found that overnight is best to get the oats nice and soft.

After soaking, add the eggs and the oil and mix together. (In recipes, usually the wet ingredients get mixed together first.) Leave the berries till last, um... even though they're kind of wet.

Then mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.

Then stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Then stir in the berries.

The batter shouldn't be runny and should spread out just a little on the pan.

To add to the pan, take a large soupspoon or a slightly larger spoon, scoop up a full spoon of batter and gently pour it onto a hot pan that has a little bit of butter or oil on it. Once the bubbles in the batter pop then the pancakes are ready to flip. When both sides are medium to dark brown, they're ready! ... If you have leftovers, these pancakes are great for toasting for days after cooking.

All right!? Get out there and make 'em! cause these pancakes are going to change your life..... your brunch life at least.

Celtic Sea Salt

Very important salt facts. This information is taken from The Grain & Salt Society.
Common table salt is not 'SALT', it is refined and has additives such as wax and sugar (yes Sugar!) and most importantly, it is 98% 'sodium chloride', a harmful chemical. In fact, the refining process will decrease the nutritional potential of any salt, including sea salt, by refining it down to mostly sodium chloride. If you have been told not to use salt, this is what you are meant not to use. Our bodies do need salt and it is vitally important that we have it to keep that balance of salt and water that keeps us functioning normally. Without it the cells degenerate and age.
Celtic Sea Salt has a perfect balance of the essential trace minerals and gases the body requires. The chemical analysis is almost identical to that of the salty ' mini-ocean' for the fetus - amniotic fluid - in which we were created. Proper salt actually helps our cells produce other necessary minerals, and recharges the cells in much the same way as a battery. It makes food taste better and more digestible; enhances hydrochloric acid production; stabilizes bodily functions and fluids. You will get a lot more nutritional value out of vegetables by increasing food's potency and enhancing the positive effects of nutrients, re-enriching saliva, and creating hydrochloric acid. Celtic Sea Salt is a superior source of over 80 natural minerals.

You may find initially the drawback is that it doesn't shake very well from a salt shaker because of the high moisture content. Don't let that stop you. I have gotten used to sprinkling it over my food with my fingers. It tastes great. Find it at health food stores. PLEASE try it.

Eatmore Energy Bars

These bars really are great for an energy boost, I have had many customers over the years who have sworn by them. One of these was a marathon runner who always stocked up on a supply of energy bars which he found sustained him much better than any of the protein bars that he tried.
I hope he finds our blog so he can get the recipe. I hope he and everyone else who has asked for this recipe will find it on our blog. Eatmore Energy Bars will be in the next book which will be Cookies, and other treats.

Eatmore Energy Bars

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 cup carob powder
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup fine unsweetened coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
Melt honey and peanut butter together in a large saucepan over very low heat. Stir together and remove from heat when it is soft and mixed well. It doesn't need to be hot. Stir in the carob powder. It will make it very thick. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix very well. Empty into an 8 x 11 pan or a 9 x 9 inch pan. Using the back of a clean sturdy spoon, press it into the pan. Work it into the pan very well so that there are no loose seeds left underneath. The top should be smooth and shiny. Refrigerate to set.
This doesn't have to be kept in the fridge, but it will keep a long time if it is stored well wrapped in a fridge.

Baked Tomato Halves

John Brett, with all those lovely tomatoes from your garden, we are now going to have one of our favorite tomato dishes... and you may want to double this, everyone will want more than one

Baked Tomato Halves

2 medium size tomatoes
2 T. butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 T. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
2 slices bread
2 (more) T. butter
2 tsp chopped parsley, optional
Preheat oven to 350. Cut tomatoes in half. Place cut side up in baking dish. Saute onions in 2 T. butter. Once they are lightly browned, stir in the mustard and worchestershire. Spread this on top of the tomato halves. Cut bread into cubes. Melt butter. Mix well into the bread cubes. Add the parsley. Pile on top of each tomato half. Bake for 20 min. Adjust baking time for the tomato size. Tomatoes should be cooked and croutons browned.

A Simple Egg Salad Sandwich

Why is it so hard to find a good egg salad sandwich. I had one recently in Toronto with no flavor at all to it. It tasted like it was just mashed egg. Other times I have had them with so much mayo that it was dripping out of the sandwich. So, here is how I make it.

Egg Salad Sandwich Filling
This is for two eggs, multiply it out to the amount you want.

2 hard boiled eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
1 finely chopped sweet pickle
salt and pepper to taste
Mayo, just enough to stick it all together.
Boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool and remove shells. Cut eggs finely, rather than mashing. A pastry blender works very well, especially if you are doing a lot. Mix in onion, celery and sweet pickle. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir in a tablespoon of mayo type salad dressing. Add more if needed.

Curry Chick Pea and Basmati Soup

If you haven't seen our Seriously Cooking Soups book, I am posting this very good vegetarian soup that has been extremely popular with our cafe customers. I hope you enjoy it too. This recipe is especially simple and quick if you have some cooked frozen rice to use.

Curry Chick Pea and Basmati Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 inch piece fresh ginger
1 T. curry powder
1 can diced tomatoes, 14 oz
1 chicken-like broth cube
2 cups basmati rice, cooked
1 can chick peas
1 can coconut milk
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
hot sauce to taste

Saute onion briefly with celery. Add chopped pepper. Chop ginger finely. Add ginger and crushed garlic to the saute. Stir in the curry powder. Slowly stir in 2 cups water. Stir in the crumbled broth cube and the can of tomatoes. Heat. Add the remaining ingredients. If you need more liquid, add a bit more water.
To make it a little thicker and creamier, mix 1 T. cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold water, and stir into the soup. Cook a few more minutes to thicken the soup.

Curry Mustard Dressing (on Spinach Salad)

Greetings to our patrons of the Circle Cafe in Victoria. I would like to share this recipe with you that was very popular at the Cafe. The salad is good too, but it's all about the dressing!
Spinach Salad with Curry Mustard Dressing
Fresh spinach leaves
Mandarin orange slices (canned is fine)
Carmelized pecans (carmelizing is optional)
Chicken breast slices (optional)
To Carmelize Pecans, spread pecans on baking tray and roast at 350 until just starting to turn brown. Remove from oven and toss with enough melted butter to coat lightly. Sprinkle a little sugar and salt on them and return to oven for a few minutes. Watch closely as they burn easily.

Curry Mustard Dressing
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 cup olive oil
Combine ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

Tips for enjoying the whole Beet

Hi. Now that we are up and running, I would like to thank all of you who have purchased or have been using my first book, Seriously Cooking - Soups. So far the feedback has been very positive and I hope that you, too, are finding it easy and helpful when making soup. Our intention is to regularly post more recipes and share helpful hints and tips. We would love to hear from you too, and invite you to contribute your comments and tips.
Here is my first weekly Tip ...
Just last night we had some wonderful fresh beets from a farm market. If you have shied away from trying them because you weren't sure what to do with them, here is what we do.
Choose beets that aren't too large, so they will cook more quickly. I use the large ones for Borscht or to grate fresh onto a salad.
Cut the tops off and set them aside for a minute. First, we want to start the beets because they take longer. Wash the beets and put them in a pot covered with water. Bring the pot to a boil, and then turn down to medium heat. Prepare the greens by trimming some of the stems off and discarding the damaged leaves. Cut them and place into a colander to wash them. If you have a steamer basket, put that into a large pot with a little water, then add the greens to steam. They will shrink down a lot.
Once the beets are fork tender, drain the water off and rinse them in cold water. Trim the stem end and the root end off, then in your hand the skins should slip off fairly easily. Slice or cube the beets and put them back into the saucepan with a little butter and a generous sprinkling of dill weed. Simmer until hot. They are delicious!
Debbie

Welcome everyone! The inaugural post

This is the first posting from Debbie and John Brett's Seriously Cooking blog and we're very glad that you could all make it. We're really excited to finally be able to reach out to everyone from all the years and get in touch with any fans of Debbie's cooking that are out there. And I know there's a lot of you, although you're not all from the same camp. Some of you might have gotten hooked in the land of the living skies (the Prairies) where you probably developed a taste for some of the very best organic, stone milled breads in the area. And let's not even get started on those butter glazed whole wheat buns. Or maybe you're a long lost relative that dropped in at a Christmas party and happened upon one of Debbie's dairy and wheat free pumpkin pies (though you'd never guess, swearing it was some of the best you've ever had). Some of you got connected in the beautiful West Coast, lining up at the Circle Cafe just to get a bowl of hearty, healthy and super tasty soup that would disappear faster than a daily special at the 'Soup Nazi's' restaurant! Then you'd be back an hour later to wait in line again for one of Debbie's fresh baked, still warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies (which incidentally were voted 'Best of the Island' by the Times Colonist newspaper). And while you were there, you probably bought an Americano or a Latte from the Barista, and that was probably me.

This is just a start; you could have gotten hooked on any number of Debbie's tasty items almost anywhere else in the country.

So it may have been just a few weeks since we were connected with you or it may have been a decade but that tasty item is still lingering in your mind! Well, I have some great news! Debbie has finally taken that store of knowledge from over the years and started to put it in one place.

Look for the first book in the series: SERIOUSLY COOKING - SOUPS! By: Debbie Donnelly

Can't wait to see you next time!

-- John Brett