Upcoming Workshop - Homemade Apple Dessert!

Burnaby Food First is pleased to offer another FREE workshop!



Homemade Apple Dessert!

Thursday December 10th

6:30 pm to 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre

2055 Rosser Ave / Burnaby - map



Join Alice Macpherson to learn how to make a delicious and festive apple tart that will make the holidays just a bit sweeter!



Registration is required. Space is limited!



To register, please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email.

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**Other FREE Burnaby Food First Workshops!**



Winter Vegetable Wonder!

Thursday, December 3rd

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Ave / Burnaby - map)



Winter doesn't mean you can't eat your vegetables! Join Holistic Nutritionist Sondi Bruner and learn some simple, delicious and nutritious recipes using inexpensive seasonal vegetables. Yum yum - see you there!



Please register to attend. Space is limited! 



To register, please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email.

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Soups On!

Tuesday, December 8

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm



Burnaby Neighbourhood House, South Location (4460 Beresford St. / Burnaby - map)



Join Sharon Kravitz to learn the basics of making delicious homemade soups for the whole family! This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your aprons. Yummy tastings included.



** REGISTRATION IS CLOSED - workshop is full. **



Please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email to be added to the waitlist.



Note: Due to the presence of hot liquid, no small children please at the 'Soups On' workshop. Older kids, however, are welcome 

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Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?



Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email.

Crispy Korean Chicken and Gingerbread Biscotti for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning I'll be featuring the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.

This may look like a long and detailed recipe but once you have all of the elements together (mise en place), it is quite simple to prepare.

Enjoy for your Grey Cup snacking or make it a regular feature!

1. Crispy Korean Chicken
from:  http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-dakgangjeong

Steps:
Mix chicken with seasonings and cover in starch.
Fry in hot oil for 7 to 8 minutes.
Shake off, let sit, then fry for another 12 to 15 minutes.
Coat in seasoning sauce.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over top and serve immediately.
Ingredients

3� pounds chicken wings (about 1.6 kg), washed and drained
� teaspoon salt
� teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2/3 cup potato starch or corn starch
? cup peanuts (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 large dried red chili peppers, seeded, cut crosswise into ? inch pieces (optional)
� cup soy sauce
� cup rice or corn syrup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil, peanut oil)
Directions

Cut off the tip of each wing and chop the wing in half. After this is done you should have about 3 pounds of chicken, with 24 to 26 pieces.
Put the chicken in a bowl and mix with salt, ginger, and ground black pepper by hand.
Put 2/3 cup potato starch in a bowl and dip each wing in the powder to coat it, one by one. Squeeze each wing to press the coating to it tightly.
Make the sweet, spicy, and sticky sauce:

Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons cooking oil, minced garlic, and the dried red chili pepper.
Stir with a wooden spoon until fragrant for about 30 seconds.
Add soy sauce, rice syrup, vinegar, and mustard sauce (optional). Stir with a wooden spoon and let it bubble for a few minutes.
Add the brown sugar and continue stirring. Remove from the heat. Set aside.
Fry the chicken:

Put 4 cups of cooking oil in a frying pan or pot and heat it up for 7 to 8 minutes over high heat.
See if the oil�s ready by dipping a test wing into it. If the oil bubbles, it�s hot enough to start frying. Slide the coated wings one by one into the hot oil and cook for about 12 to 13 minutes, turning over a few times with tongs.
Take the wings out of the oil and shake them off in a strainer. Turn off the heat, and let the wings sit for a few minutes.
Reheat the oil and fry the wings again for another 12 to 15 minutes until they all look golden brown and feel super crunchy through the tongs. If your frying pan or pot is not large enough to fry all the chicken at once, divide it into batches like I do in the video. If you use a larger frying pot to cook them all at once, you�ll have to use more cooking oil.
Coat the fried chicken with the sauce:

When the chicken is done, reheat the sauce until it bubbles.
Add the hot chicken and mix well with a wooden spoon to coat.
Remove from the heat and transfer the coated chicken to a large platter. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over top and serve immediately. This chicken won�t lose its crunchiness, even by the next day. You don�t need any dipping sauce.


2. Gingerbread Biscotti

2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp Frangelico (or try kirsch, or coffee liquors)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325�F. Mix butter sugar and molasses until smooth. Add one egg at a time and mix. Add vanilla and liquor and mix until smooth. Combine dry ingredients and mix slowly into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Turn out dough onto floured surface and form into a large log. Divide dough into three pieces and flatten out each piece into rectangles onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Take out of oven and cut into biscotti pieces. Turn cookies and bake for 5-7 minutes at 300�F. When cooled, drizzle melted chocolate or make a simple icing of icing sugar and liquor.

Enjoy!

Food Security and Food Culture

Food Security includes not only ensuring access to food but also achieving good nourishment and nutrition. This is described as 'Utilization of food' as described in a previous article about this topic. Intake of a well balanced diet goes hand in hand with the diversity, customs and cultural traditions that are associated with food preparation and consumption. In order to achieve Food Security therefore, it is necessary to recognize the importance of culture in relation to food habits. This cultural aspect is further explored in this post. It is part of a series of articles about Food Security. 

We are what we eat

The experience of cooking and eating food is determined by lifestyle, resources, community influences, aesthetic preferences and all such factors that prescribe culture and identity. Food is usually a very important part of celebrations, holidays, festivals and events. Food production, preparation and intake are often collective activities among family, friends and community. These collective and cultural influences therefore are integral to continued intake of sufficient and nutritious food. 

For instance, meals are traditionally long, leisurely and eaten with together with family or friends in Latin cultures such as French, Italian or South American. In India and some other Asian cultures, elaborate cooking processes and use of a wide variety of ingredients are a common feature of everyday meals. Traditional Middle Eastern family meals are served in a communal plate in the centre of the table. Food is eaten without cutlery or plates but using hands.

Cultural traditions and customs are not fixed. They are continuously evolving but they remain part and parcel of Food Utilization and therefore Food Security. 

Impact of Culture on Food Security

Due to a modern lifestyle people are switching to a fast food culture and perhaps no longer attach enough importance to cultural traditions in food habits. The increasing trend towards eating out, take away meals moving away from home made food has negative consequences. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer are attributed among other factors to fast food, industrially or commercially prepared meals all of which often have high levels of sodium and fat and may be lacking in necessary vitamins and diverse nutrients compared to a traditional fresh home cooked meal. Many such articles are available on this subject. The likelihood of diseases like cancer being caused by consumption of processed meat has also recently been in the news. 

Source: Wikipedia

In a multicultural community, some families switching from their traditional cuisine to a western diet may adopt unhealthy cooking or eating habits. This may be because of losing touch with their own culture over generations as a result of modern developments like migration and globalisation. At the same time they may struggle to adapt to local cuisines due to lack of sufficient knowledge not having grown up with the local foods. Furthermore a move away from cooked meals using fresh ingredients to pre-packaged, processed, fast food can also diminish the importance and richness of our ecosystem which supports and creates our food. 

Suggested Measures

It is suggested that work done towards improving Food Security could include efforts to promote the importance of nutrition as well as a suitable cultural environment. This can be done by officially acknowledging the impact of diverse cultural habits and preferences while developing Food Security programs, training or services such as in food bank distribution programs, food related workshops/conferences or while subsidizing/incentivizing local food markets. Introducing an element of cultural awareness, celebration of traditional customs through food festivals, fusion cooking workshops or promotional food events are also part of the measures that encourage communities to better engage with food and eat well. 

Medical treatments are often prescribed after identifying likely deficiencies in a patient's traditional diet and eating patterns by doctors currently. For instance certain vegetarian diets result in deficiency of vitamin B12 with specific medical consequences and accordingly the treatment addresses the deficiencies. The impact on diet of cultural differences should perhaps be taken into account at a prior stage in the work done to improve Food Security.  

Burnaby Food First has been offering many interesting workshops this month to promote local food preparation techniques and locally produced food such as 'cooking with winter greens', 'cooking with root vegetables', 'drying and storing foods' and more. Please check our website for details or contact us to be included in our mailing list. 

Some links for further reading:

http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/foodsecurity/publications/articles/FoodIdentity.pdf

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/food-culture/

http://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/

Thanksgiving Menu 2015

THANKSGIVING WEEEEEEEK (forget Oprah voice, we're singing that with Jean-Ralphio flush-with-cash voice)! I�m hosting for the first time, and I�m so excited! I usually help my ma out in the kitchen, and make one or two dishes, but I've never been in charge of the full meal, or the turkey. I'm stooooooooked to do the turkey! I'll probably post some updates on Instagram (is this what Snapchat is for? Ugh. I just feel too old for Snapchat... I mean... be real, it's just for d**k pics, right??), to let you know how it all turns out. If you need any last minute inspiration, here�s my menu!


I�m making:

• Dry brined, spatchcocked (!) turkey & gravy
• Mashed sweet potatoes (with nutmeg, butter, and milk...no egg or sugar) topped with spiced pecans and bacon and toasted maple meringue 
• Honey Dijon roasted brussels sprouts 
• Homemade green bean casserole (but with French�s onions because I love them)
• Massaged kale salad with apples, pomegranates, shaved parm, and roasted delicata squash 

Our guests are bringing:

• Classic mashed potatoes 
• Caramelized onion and kale stuffing
• Rolls 
• Cranberry sauce 
• Papa's marinated olives & pickles 
• Cheese & crackers
• Pumpkin pie & whipped cream 
• Cheesecake 
• Pecan pie with chocolate and caramel drizzle

We�re drinking:

• Sparkling cider
• Prosecco
• Wine 
• Beer
• Apple peel bourbon cocktails, for the kids table 

Have a happy, happy Thanksgiving, and remember, the people around your table are more important than the decorations or the food on your table! Enjoy your friends and family, be thankful for your loved ones, and don't stress out!

Upcoming Workshops - Winter Vegetable Wonder and Soups On!!

Burnaby Food First is pleased to offer two more FREE workshops!



Winter Vegetable Wonder!

Thursday, December 3rd

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Ave / Burnaby - map)



Winter doesn't mean you can't eat your vegetables! Join Holistic Nutritionist Sondi Bruner and learn some simple, delicious and nutritious recipes using inexpensive seasonal vegetables. Yum yum - see you there!



Registration is required. Space is limited! To register, please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email at burnabyfoodfirst@gmail.com.



AND



Soups On!

Tuesday, December 8

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm



Burnaby Neighbourhood House, South Location (4460 Beresford St. / Burnaby - map)



Join Sharon Kravitz to learn the basics of making delicious homemade soups for the whole family! This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your aprons. Yummy tastings included.



** REGISTRATION IS CLOSED - workshop is full. **





Note: Due to the presence of hot liquid, no small children please at the 'Soups On' workshop. Older kids, however, are welcome

Fat, Added Fat, and Obesity in America

In the last post, we saw that carbohydrate and particularly sugar intake have been declining in the US since 1999, even as our obesity rate has continued to climb.

In this post, let's look at another putative driver of obesity: our fat intake, and especially our intake of added fats like seed oils, butter, and olive oil. Like the graphs in the last post, the data underlying the following graphs come from USDA food disappearance records (not self-reported), and NHANES survey data (1, 2). Also like the last post, the graph of total fat intake is not adjusted for waste (non-eaten food), while the graph of added fat intake is*. As a consequence, the figures for total carbohydrate and total fat intake are higher than actual intakes, but still good for illustrating trends.

Here we go. First, total fat:
Read more �

Butternut Squash Meatloaf

I've made many a meatloaf in my day, but I had never thought of putting squash in it before.  However I swear, you can google any two ingredients and a recipe will pop up, which is exactly what I did last night.  By adding butternut squash (cooked in bacon, onion and sage) to this meatloaf, the flavors are off the chart.  And now I talk like Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  

I used this recipe and made some minor changes.  Instead of pork, I used ground turkey, I skipped the red pepper flakes (in case my kids wanted to try it, hahahaha, they did not), I didn't use an egg because I didn't have one (it turned out just fine), and before cooking it I topped it with a balsamic/ketchup combo (which I highly recommend doing).  By the way, I like to use my hands to form the loaf and cook it on a baking sheet vs. a bread pan.  I think it makes the exterior nice and crispy, which I love.  I plan on turning it into a sandwich for lunch.  Is it lunchtime yet??  

Rosemary Rutabaga Fries

Rutabaga might be the coolest word.  Say it a few times (if you know how to pronounce it).  Rutabaga.  Rutabaga.  Now say it with an Elvis accent, I don't know why, just trust me.  Don't you feel cool?  Or are you starting to feel extremely foolish?  Ok, we'll move on.

It is a root vegetable, and when I went to that cooking class I talked about a few weeks ago, the chef prepared Rutabaga Fries.  They were so good - not crispy like traditional fries, but that caramelized, roasted texture makes up for it.  Rutabaga's taste similar to a turnip, and have a little of that horseradish flavor that I happen to love.  Combined with the earthy rosemary, salt, pepper and good olive oil, these were a perfect side dish for this time of year.

Rosemary Rutabaga Fries

(Serves 4)

Printable Recipe

1 rutabaga

2 T chopped rosemary

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and chop the rutabaga into 1/4-inch sticks.  Place in a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper.  Use your hands to toss, making sure everything is well coated.  Place on a baking sheet, and roast for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to ensure even cooking.

Volunteer Sales Coordinator Needed!

Volunteer Sales Coordinator Wanted for The Apron Project



The Apron Project is celebrating its third birthday. The community has responded well to our hand made aprons. We continue to get more sewing volunteers who are infinitely creative with the endless amount of fabric that is available.

Cute children's aprons hand-made by a Burnaby Food First Apron Project Volunteer!

Where are the aprons sold?

Modern aprons sewn by

Burnaby Food First's Apron Project Volunteer

We are selling our aprons at:

• The Farmers Market, 


• Market Mondays at the Burnaby Village Museum


• and various other community events. 

We would like to find someone to coordinate the sales of the aprons. Our busiest time of the year is the summer.



The Volunteer Sales Manager need not attend the events. The main responsibility is to schedule volunteers and to coordinate the transportation of the aprons to and from the events.



The Volunteer Sales manager does not need to have a vehicle but does need to schedule volunteers who are willing to provide the transportation.



Other suggestions for sales ideas and venues would also be appreciated.



Support for the position of Volunteer Sales Coordinator will be provided by The Apron Project Volunteers.



For more information or to be our new Volunteer Sales Coordinator, email Leona! 



Sales of our aprons goes to support our cooking and gardening workshops and events, which helps to make sure that everyone has enough food to eat - food that is healthy, enjoyable and safe for us and the planet!





Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on
board!

Caramel Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Yesterday I whipped up this Today Original Recipe with Willie and Natalie... Caramel Pumpkin Bread Pudding.  I made it over the weekend, too, and it's truly ridiculous.  Perfect Thanksgiving dessert turned into Black Friday Breakfast.  I mean, if you're going to participate in that madness, it's probably best you carb-load that morning, am I right?

If you missed the segment or want the recipe you can check it out here.  

Carbohydrate, Sugar, and Obesity in America

We like explanations that are simple, easy to understand, and explain everything. One example of this is the idea that eating carbohydrate, or sugar, is the primary cause of obesity. This lets us point our finger at something concrete and change our behavior accordingly. And it's true enough that it has practical value. But the world around us often turns out to be more complex than we'd like it to be.

The CDC recently released its latest data on the prevalence of obesity in the US, spanning the years 2013-2014 (1). These data come from its periodic National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Contrary to what many of us had hoped for after a slight decline in obesity in the last survey, the prevalence has once again increased. Today, roughly 38 percent of US adults have obesity. As a nation, we're continuing to gain fat, which is extremely concerning.

I decided to examine the relationship between obesity prevalence and our intake of carbohydrate and sugar over the years. The food intake data come from the USDA's Economic Research Service (2). For some reason, the data on carbohydrate don't extend beyond 2010. This probably relates to funding cuts at the USDA*.

Let's have a look at the data for carbohydrate:

Read more �

Corn Pudding with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

When I was growing up, my little family of four�my parents, my sister, and I�created some very, very strong holiday traditions. Like, the kind where if one tiny thing changed, we revolted. We were so rooted in those traditions and rituals that giving them up has been hard. Last Thanksgiving, our first without my dad, was really, really hard. He wouldn�t be there to cut the turkey, to joke with my sister and me about the fuckingyams, to give his annual thanksgiving toast. So, to counter the sadness and weirdness of his absence, my mom invited tons of people. Like 30. Or more. It was a huge party.


What people may not know about me, is that I'm an introvert. I�m pretty outgoing, I love public speaking and entertaining people, and I�m not shy� so a lot of people probably don't realize that I get stressed and a little uncomfortable at parties and social gatherings (which leads to me doing really awkward things, like when I showed everyone how to whip and nae nae at Halloween this year). I didn�t really put it all together myself, until I read that extroverts get energy from being around people, and introverts get energy from being alone. That is totally me. I like being with people, but man, sometimes it completely drains me. As does networking and small talk. I can speak at a room just fine, and I love having conversations with a few close friends. But small talk and working a room� no way, man. I'd rather whip and nae nae in front of a crowd.

So Thanksgiving last year� I was already super emotional about my dad, and stressed about the crowd, and started drinking champagne with breakfast, as one does. And kept drinking champagne all day, as one does. And then, because I was a little tipsy, I decided not to change out of the zebra print harem-type jogger pants and baggy Seahawks t-shirt I was wearing during morning food prep. And then, one of our family friends did a makeup demo on me� as one does? So, last Thanksgiving, I was the drunken hot mess in mismatched PJs, with a full face of makeup and a bottle of bubbles, crying and laughing and spilling champagne all over a toddler (sorry about that, Brit!).

Whew, we made it through that one!

My friend LZ came to last year's Thanksgiving celebration, and we laugh all the time about what a shit show it was, from the toddler-champagne incident, to us taking selfies with our friends' sleeping baby at the bar, to LZ's boyfriend burning off his eyebrows at the bonfire. (ok... all of this is adding up to a story about how I'm not fit to be around children). I'm so grateful for the friends that helped me through that hard time, and help me look back at it with joy and laughter. 

This year�s turkey day is also going to break tradition. My mom will be spending Thanksgiving with my aunt in Idaho. So, for the first time ever (except for the one year we went to my cousin�s wedding around Thanksgiving), my mom won�t be hosting and making the meal at my childhood home. Which means� I�m hosting my in-laws and my sister and her fianc� at my house! I�M HOSTING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

Obviously I�ll try to keep the pre-game bubbles to a minimum. No guarantees on the zebra pants though. 
   



Corn Pudding with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Corn pudding is my friend LZ's "it's not Thanksgiving without it" dish. She makes a basic Memphis Corn Pudding. You could also add jalapenos or green chilis, which then makes it Santa Fe Corn Pudding. My variation has caramelized onions and goat cheese... I'm gonna go ahead and call it Seattle Corn Pudding. 

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper
One can sweet corn, drained
One can creamed corn
One egg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter
1 box jiffy corn bread mix
1 cup sour cream + 2 tablespoons
4 oz Ch�vre goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 2.5 quart casserole dish.*

First, caramelize the onions. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, slowly (low to medium-low) until golden brown. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and let onions cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together corn, egg, melted butter, corn bread mix, and 1 cup of sour cream until well combined. Mix in cooled onions. 

In a small bowl, stir together ch�vre and 2 tablespoons sour cream, until smooth and creamy.

Add half of corn mixture to baking dish. Dollop on half of ch�vre mixture. Top with remaining corn mixture, and then dollop on rest of ch�vre. Leave in dollops or swirl in a bit if desired.

Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours, until golden brown on top. It shouldn�t really jiggle when you shake the dish. Let rest for a few minutes to firm up. Enjoy hot or at room temperature. 

*You can also use a big flat 9 x 13 baking dish. It will come out thinner and more cakey/ less puddingy. Instead of layering goat cheese, just dollop all of it across the top. Reduce baking time to about 50 minutes. 

Easy Comfort Food on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Easy Comfort Food

This morning I am presenting the following recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod.  

Both dishes are so easy to prepare, that I made them this morning in short order.  

Local honey from Beeproject Apiaries can be purchased directly through them.  They will deliver, within a reasonable distance. 

1.Honey Saut�ed Zucchini (with Lavender)

1-2 sliced zucchinis (sliced on the bias)

� + tsp creamed honey (I used wonderful Bee Project CreamedHoney www.beeproject.ca)

pinch lavender flowers (optional)

Heat a saut� pan and add the honey and then the lavender.  Add the zucchini slices and cook until done.  Serve. 

2. Baked Cheesy Pasta

(for a large baking dish)

2 pkgs short pasta (farfalle, penne, shells, etc.)

1 large tin diced tomatoes

1 head roasted garlic

1-2 onions, sliced

1-2 dried red chilies, crushed

1 tbs dried oregano

pepper, to taste

chipotle peppers, or other chilies � tsp (optional)

2 cups heavy cream

good pinch nutmeg

white wine or vodka

olive oil

Cheeses:  your favourites, such as blue, chevr�, brie, gruyere, Emmenthaler, etc., crumbled or grated in a large bowl.

Grate and crumble cheese.  Cook pasta less than time recommended.  That is, if the dried pasta package recommends 10 minutes, take off 2+ minutes in cooking time.

Cook sliced onions in a large saucepan with some olive oil. Add tomatoes and spices.  Add garlic and red wine or vodka.  Bring up to a simmer.  Now make the white sauce IN the red sauce.  That is, add cream, nutmeg and white wine or vodka. 

I don�t add salt to the sauce as the cheese is salty enough. 

Drain pasta and add to cheese.  Add sauce and stir thoroughly.  Fill a large baking dish with the mixture and bake at 350�F until bubbly. 

Let rest for a few minutes and serve. 

Hint:  When reheating, bring to hot temperature, covered, in an oven.  A microwave will result in an unpleasant and mushy pasta.

*other optional ingredients include, red wine, vodka, roasted red peppers, saut�ed mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, cooked bacon, cooked chicken, Crispy onions, etc.

Friday Links

A few random links for you to enjoy on this Friday.  Check out the first one... starting a new Instagram account and I want YOU to be a part of it!

Share your REAL LIFE moments on Real Moms Wear Grey.

I will not sleep until you sign up for the TODAY Food Club.

We've had some serious dance parties to Daniel Kim's Pop Danthology 2015.

Monster Cookie Dough Dip... because.

And while we're on absurd dips... S'Mores Dip.  OMG.

Holiday candles like this one are my weakness.

Thanksgiving in a slow cooker?

And finally, more grey... these pajamas!

Reminder! Annual Fundraiser

Burnaby Food First is pleased to invite you to our first annual fundraising workshop!


Natural Sweetness: You are sweet enough already!

Monday, November 16

6:00 pm - 9:00pm

Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Avenue / Burnaby - map)



In this hands-on workshop, chef and Holistic Nutritionist Andrea Potter will introduce us to the basic concepts behind creating delicious and healthy raw desserts. Now you can have your cake and eat it too!



We will be incorporating superfoods such as maca, hemp hearts, coconut oil, and more into our decadent creations.



Raw desserts are naturally free of refined sugar, dairy, eggs and flour. Yummy tastings included!



Tickets: $65 (includes a hands-on cooking session and tastings).



Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at http://naturalsweetness.eventbrite.ca or by calling (604) 294-7421.



Location: Two blocks from Brentwood Skytrain Station. Limited street parking is available. Please consider biking or taking transit.



This workshop is a fundraiser for Burnaby Food First. All proceeds will go to support Food First programs and community workshops. For more information, please visit http://burnabyfoodfirst.blogspot.ca/. See you there!

TODAY Food Club Launch

Yesterday I was honored to help launch the TODAY Food Club.  If you're still unfamiliar with it, it's an online community where people can share recipes and connect with on-air talent, chefs and Today Show staff.  It includes monthly challenges, weekly tips and meal-plan ideas (lord knows I need that), and the chance to win prizes and be featured on air!  Instead of just an online place to find recipes, it will be a place to have a conversation and receive feedback.  Food is my favorite thing to talk about (duh), so I couldn't be more excited about this!

Yesterday, I made the infamous Spaghetti Pie (which was Today.com's number one recipe for 2015), and Today Food Stylist, the lovely Alli Simpson, made her family's Ultimate Banana Bread (truly the best I've ever had).  It was a treat to be there for such a special event.  Go join the club, share your recipes, get your friends to vote for you, and maybe I'll see you on the Today Show someday soon :)

Alli and I (top) and some of the fabulous Today Food team (below)...

All photos by Samantha Okazaki

Taco Pie with Winter Squash

After making this insanely delicious Spaghetti Pie the other day (as seen on my Instagram page), I started imagining what other dinners I could make in a pie pan, and because it was Tuesday my mind instantly went to tacos!  Taco Pie!  But not just any taco pie, no, no... this particular dish is only disguising as comfort food (which is what it tasted like, oh man).  This hearty but healthy casserole has lean meat, the protein and fiber from beans and the nutrients from a whole lot of squash you won't even know you're eating.  By the way do beans have fiber?  I don't know, it just sounded right to say.

At the last minute I decided to add a frozen package of cooked squash into the meat (the pureed kind).  It melted beautifully, and balanced out the spice of the meat in a sweet and subtle way.  My kids loved it (well, two of them did, not the middle one who would live off of Skittles if she could), and had NO idea I had tricked them into eating something healthy.  And by the way, I ate two slices topped with avocado.  IT WAS SO GOOD.  

Taco Pie with Winter Squash

(Serves 8)

Printable Recipe

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 lb. ground turkey

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

1 12 oz. pkg cooked squash, thawed

1 8oz. bottle taco sauce

3 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans (you probably won't use it all)

2-3 cups Mexican blend grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saut� for a few minutes, until onions begin to soften.  Add ground turkey and saut� until no longer pink.  Add taco seasoning and water and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer until sauce begins to thicken.  Add thawed squash, and stir to make sure everything is well incorporated.  Remove from heat.  Spray a 10-inch cake or pie pan with cooking spray.  Add a small amount of the taco sauce and spread with a spatula.  Place a tortilla in the pan, and then spread a layer of refried beans on top with a spatula.  Top with a third of the meat, then a third of the cheese and finally a third of the taco sauce.  Place another tortilla down, and repeat with the beans, meat, cheese and sauce.  Place your last tortilla down, top with beans, the rest of the meat, the rest of the sauce and ending with the rest of your cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.    

The squash disappears!

Thanksgiving Feels

I'm feeling ALL THE THANKSGIVING FEELS. 
I'm thankful that my mom, sister, and I made it through a full year without my dad. That first year was hard. It's still hard. He is missed so, so, so much. But I find my grief has become less of the daily gut wrenching variety, and I'm grateful for that. 

I'm thankful for my family, and so, so sad and hurt for my family. My aunt, my mom's sister, is fighting stage 4 cancer right now. Sometimes life feels so unfair. 

I'm thankful for my friends. The older I get, the harder it is to keep in touch with people. Even people who are just down the street. Time just flies so quickly that before you even blink, weeks have gone by without catching up. But then, with this handful of people I hold dear to me, when we do catch up, it's like no time passed at all. It's cheesy, but they truly fill my cup.

Of course, I'm grateful for my husband and my cat, for unlimited binge watching tv possibilities, delicious food, and the nice, warm house we get to come home to everyday. 

I have a family and friends and a warm house. I have suffered heartbreaking losses and people I love are fighting huge battles...and beyond me and my small world, we see mass shootings in the news everyday now, I'm terrified for the next Presidential election and the wars being waged in this country on women's health, gender and marriage equality, the insane amount of injustice people face because they weren't born into privilege... and beyond that, I can't even begin to list the atrocities in other parts of the world. SO WHY THE FUCK ARE PEOPLE WORKED UP ABOUT RED COFFEE CUPS.  

We're all fighting battles... fight the ones that matter, and be thankful for a warm cup of coffee. And if matters to you that much... order the fucking Christmas blend already.

On that note, here are some appetizer, salad, and dessert recipes for your Thanksgiving table!

Papa's Marinated Green Olives

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Truffles

Pear & Bleu Crostini with Salted Maple Caramel

Sweet Potato, Pear, and Wild Rice Salad

Date & Chorizo Kale Salad

Mini Cranberry Tarts

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Slice & Bake Spice Cookies with Citrus Glaze

"Brookies"

This cookie is bananas.  Half chocolate chip, half brownie cookie.  Now that I know how easy it is to make two different doughs and roll them together into one perfect cookie, I think the possibilities are endless, don't you?  WHAT UP, CHRISTMAS COOKIES?!  I'M TALKING TO YOU, BOO.  Sorry I don't know what that was.  I used this recipe but I cut the chocolate chip cookie dough in half.  I've written the word "cookie" way too many times in this post.  Cookie.  

Cooking with Tajines at D.A.Niels!

On Saturday, I presented the following dishes for a cooking demonstration using tajines at D.A. Niels.  I'll be there again on December 5th to give another tajine cooking demonstration.  

The photo with the eggs was at the beginning of cooking.  Cooking eggs in the tajine whole results in a creamy egg.  Quite remarkable!  One person tried the beef tajine recipe using my Ras el Hanout with Moose meat!  He loved the result.  My spice blends of Ras el Hanout, Turkish Baharat and Tea Masala, are all available at D.A. Niels.  

Come and see me at the Downtown Hydro Market on Thursday, November 12th, for more cooking ideas and products!

 

Moroccan Beef Stew (can use lamb)

2 lb beef roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly saut� onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Squash Tajine

1 small butternut, hubbard or winter squash, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup chopped dates
1 medium onion, chopped
1 head garlic (loose cloves)
2 tbs olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1 tbs turmeric
1 heaping tablespoon Ras El Hanout *
Splash of Rosewater**
1/2 chopped pickled lemon (just the peel)***
Pinch of salt
Optional: eggplant, zucchini

Place all ingredients together in a casserole dish (traditional cooking vessel is a tajine). Cover and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. If cooking on the stovetop, cook covered at medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Serve with rice or couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Upcoming Workshops: Cooking with Winter Greens & Root Vegetables

Burnaby Food First is pleased to offer another two FREE workshops!



Cooking with Winter Greens

Wednesday, November 25

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm

Pioneer Community Resource Centre (4535 Kingsway / Burnaby - map)



Join Maya Thau-Eleff to learn how to make delicious, healthy, and quick weeknight meals from seasonal greens! This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your aprons.



Registration is required. Space is limited! To register, please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email.



Cooking with Root Vegetables



Thursday, November 26

6:30 pm - 8:15 pm

Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Avenue / Burnaby - map)



Join Meghan Cooke for this workshop and learn how to turn root vegetables into healthy meals and snacks! This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your aprons.



**REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR THIS WORKSHOP**, please contact Meghan at
(604) 209-2404 or by email to be added to the waitlist.

----

Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a
volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on
board! For more information, send us an email.

Slice and Bake Spice Cookies with Citrus Glaze and Sea Salt

IT�S COOKIE SEASON YOU GUYS!!!

So many cookies, so few months until I need to squeeze into a maid of honor dress for my sister�s wedding. Why is this time of year just sooo unavoidably cozy and carby and sugary? 
We were still having crisp but sort of warmish weather right up until daylight savings, and it�s like when the clocks changed, Seattle got all cold and chilly. And dark at 5PM. And also, how on earth is it November!? Ugh, it�s so insane how fast time flies. But anyway, the point is, it�s stormy and gloomy outside, and warm and cinnamon-cookie scented inside.    
I almost didn't share these cookies here... they're not over the top special or crazy or "the next big thing," they're just a really solidly awesome buttery spice cookie with the perfect chewy-crispy texture. My secret? Chocolate chip cookie dough! Even without the chocolate, ccc dough has the best texture and buttery brown sugar flavor. Last winter when I was making chocolate chip cookie variations like my life depended on it, I started rolling the dough into logs and freezing it. The dough works really well as a slice and bake, and the cookies are perfectly shaped. Oh, and the fresh citrus-cinnamon glaze dries into the prettiest smooth shell coating. So simple and so good! 

Spice Cookies with Citrus Glaze and Sea Salt
Makes about 36 cookies

These slice and bake cookies work best when the dough is frozen, so plan to make the dough a day in advance. 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, if you have it) 
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (store-bought or make your own) 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons fresh citrus juice (I used grapefruit and clementine)
Pinch of cinnamon
Flaked sea salt

In stand mixer or with hand mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar (and turbinado, if you using), and brown sugar until fluffy and smooth, beating for about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla, and fresh ginger, scraping bowl to combine. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (not the extra cinnamon though). 

With mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to butter mixture, and beat until combined. Separate dough into two balls. 

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, and sprinkle half the cinnamon on it. Roll one dough ball gently in cinnamon until the outside is coated, then roll into a log (about 1.5 inch diameter), and wrap with plastic wrap. Repeat with 2nd dough ball. Place both logs in a freezer bag, or additional plastic wrap, and freeze until frozen through. 

To bake:
Preheat oven to 360 degrees F. Pull out one log, and slice in 1/2 inch thick slices (should be about 18 per log). Arrange spaced evenly on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

To glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and citrus juice (start with 3 T of the juice, and add more if needed). The glaze should be thin and runny, but not watery. Once cookies are completed cool, dip the top of each one in the glaze. When the glaze is set but not totally hardened and dried, and a few flakes of salt to the top of each one. Let glaze dry completely, then eat!