Seasonal Eating: Fall https://www.poppyinnovations.ca Poppy Innovations Calgary Mon, 17 Sep 2018 23:08:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 60229301 How To Pick and Prepare Pumpkin https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/how-to-pick-and-prepare-pumpkin/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 18:43:49 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4994 read more →]]> Pumpkins are not just for Halloween! Tasty and nutritious, the seeds and the flesh can be used in a variety of dishes. You can bake them, boil them, steam them or even cook them in the microwave! Pumpkin is an excellent source of fibre, antioxidants and vitamin A. Its seeds are rich in iron and protein. 

How to buy pumpkins: 

For cooking purposes, small pie pumpkins are your best bet. They’re easier to prepare, and much sweeter. Look for firm pumpkins with smooth orange skin that feel heavy for their size. Avoid pumpkins with bruises or spots. 

(If shopping for Halloween, choose large pumpkins with thin walls to make carving easier. Look for ones with a strong stem and a round shape that will stand upright.) 

How to use pumpkins:

Pumpkins are tasty in pies, muffins, cakes, breads, casseroles and soups. Pumpkin is a good substitute in any recipe that calls for butternut squash or other winter squash. 

First, wash your pumpkin thoroughly. If steaming, peel it, seed it and cut into cubes. If roasting, cut your pumpkin in half and seed it. Once cooked, you can scoop the flesh from the hard outer peel and mash and puree it. 

Pumpkin seeds also make a tasty and healthy snack. Wash, then spread on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until golden brown and crunchy. 

How to store pumpkins:

You can keep whole pumpkins in a cool, dry spot for up to a month. Once cut, wrap your fresh pumpkin in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cooked pumpkin can be frozen for up to 10 months. 

One of our favourite pumpkin recipes is Pumpkin Butter

It is perfect for a spread on muffins and scones, or in desserts. Or get more creative and layer it in trifle, sandwich it between two cookies, or swirl it into cheesecake and brownies, it’s sure to be your new comfort food. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year. Delightful to use in the dead of winter when we want all those warm flavours.

]]> 4994 Blender Salsa https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/blender-salsa/ Tue, 11 Sep 2018 12:00:58 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=5006
Blender Salsa
Yields 4
Fresh, homemade salsa is a great staple to have on hand reminiscent of summer. This blender version is easy to prep, cooking time is short and it tastes incredible. For something new, try it on scrambled eggs.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4 pounds Roma tomatoes, cored and peeled
  2. 1 cup minced yellow onion
  3. 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, chopped
  4. 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  5. 2 serrano chilies, chopped
  6. 1 green pepper, chopped
  7. 4 tbsp bottled lime juice
  8. 4 tsp salt
  9. Zest 1 lime
Instructions
  1. Prepare a boiling water bath and sterilize jars, keeping them in the canning pot until ready to use.
  2. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend in short bursts until the ingredients are well incorporated. Don’t overprocess to a puree.
  3. Pour the salsa into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Funnel hot mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims. Cover with lid. Screw on ring band until resistance is met; increase to fingertip tight.
  5. Place in boiling water canner for 15 minutes (adjusted for Calgary altitude).
  6. Remove jars from canner and let cool on cooling rack.
Notes
  1. Adjust heat of salsa to your liking and try a variety of hot peppers. Disposing of seeds from chilies creates milder taste.
Adapted from Preserving By The Pint
Adapted from Preserving By The Pint
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 5006 Beet and Pink Peppercorn Jam https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/beet-and-pink-peppercorn-jam/ Fri, 24 Aug 2018 15:17:53 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=5001
Beet with Oranges and Pink Peppercorn Preserve
Yields 12
A truly unique, delightful blend of flavours. Not to mention a nice break from pickled beets. These preserves are so versatile, we have tried them with goat cheese and crackers, on top of oatmeal and an accompaniment to steak.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 5 lbs beets
  2. 8 cups sugar
  3. 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  4. Zest of 2 medium oranges
  5. 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  6. 2 Tbsp pink peppercorns, crushed
Instructions
  1. Boil beets until tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Cool slightly then peel and process in a food processor until finely minced.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Be careful, this will splutter! Cook to set at 220 degrees F. Check set on a cold plate.
  3. Once it is set, you can let it cool and keep it in the fridge or if you would like to preserve these beets for long term storage, then follow the instructions for canning.
Canning Instructions
  1. Prepare a boiling water bath and sterilize your jars in the boiling water. Do not boil the lids.
  2. Ladle the hot mixture into hot sterilized jars, wipe rims, remove air bubbles by poking the product with a non-metal device such as a wooden spoon handle.
  3. Place lids on jars, tightening only until resistance is felt and process jars in the canner for 25 minutes (adjusted for Calgary Altitude).
Adapted from The Preservatory
Adapted from The Preservatory
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 5001 Veggie Nuggets https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/vegetable-nuggets/ Wed, 22 Aug 2018 22:47:24 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4997
Veggie Nuggets
Yields 25
A recipe for your kids to make for their school lunches or an after school snack. They taste so good, the kids will forget that they are packed with veggies!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Veggie Nuggets
  1. 1 cup shredded carrots
  2. 3 cups broccoli florets
  3. 1 garlic clove
  4. 2 eggs
  5. 1 1/4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs divided
  6. 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  7. 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  8. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  9. 1 tablespoon canola oil
Tzatziki Dip
  1. 1½ cups greek yogurt
  2. 4 cloves garlic
  3. 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
  4. 2 teaspoons olive oil
  5. Juice of ½ lemon
  6. 2 tablespoons dill
  7. Kosher salt, to taste
Tzatziki Instructions
  1. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Veggie Nugget Instructions
  1. Shred carrots.
  2. Steam broccoli in the microwave for two minutes or until tender.
  3. Place shredded carrots, steamed broccoli, garlic, eggs, 1 cup of the breadcrumbs, cheese, onion powder, and black pepper in food processor and pulse for 15 seconds or until well combined. Mixture should form easily into a ball. If it's too crumbly, add water one teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.
  4. Form mixture into balls, about a tablespoon each (I use a cookie scoop). You should get about 25 nuggets. Flatten slightly into round discs about 1/2-inch thick.
  5. Place remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Coat each veggie nugget with breadcrumbs.
  6. Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat until it sizzles when sprinkled with water droplets.
  7. Arrange nuggets in skillet and cook about 4 minutes each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 4997 Gougères https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/gougeres/ Fri, 18 May 2018 03:13:09 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4717
Gougères
Yields 36
Gougères are essentially French cheese puffs. They are made of a dough called pâte à choux but with a considerable amount of cheese mixed into the dough. They are light, airy and cheesy.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. ½ cup whole milk
  2. ½ cup water
  3. 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  4. ½ teaspoon salt
  5. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  6. 5 large eggs at room temperature (this is important for the dough!)
  7. 1 ½ cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Divide oven into thirds by positioning racks on the top and bottom third. Pre-heat to 425F.
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
  3. In a heavy-bottomed medium sauce, bring the milk, water, butter and salt to a rapid boil over high heat
  4. Add the flour all at one time, lower the heat to medium-low. With a wooden spoon, immediately start stirring energetically. The dough will come together forming a light crust on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring with energy for an additional minute or two to dry the dough slightly. The dough should now be very smooth.
  5. Turn the dough into a large bowl and let sit for a minute.
  6. Add eggs - one at a time - beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one. Don’t worry is the dough separates, it will come together by the time the last egg is added.
  7. Beat in the Grated Cheese!
  8. Once the dough is made it should be spooned onto the lined baking sheet immediately. Spoon about 1 tbsp (more for larger puffs) of dough onto the sheet leaving about 2 inches of space between dough mounds.
  9. Slide the sheets into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375F. Bake for 12 minutes, rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes until the Gougères are golden, firm and puffed. Serve warm or transfer to racks to cool.
Notes
  1. Note on Storage: The best way to store Gougères is to shape the dough into mounds, freeze the raw mounds on baking sheets and once they are solid, packed and stored in an airtight plastic bag or tupperware. To bake: take them straight out of the freezer (do not defrost) and bake according to the original directions (give them a couple more minutes in the oven since they were frozen). Voilà!
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 4717 Caprese Avocado Toast https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/caprese-avocado-toast/ https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/caprese-avocado-toast/#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:47:06 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4609
Caprese Avocado Toast
Serves 2
Avocado on toast and caprese salad are a beautiful mix for a healthy snack or light lunch.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Total Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large avocado, halved and pitted
  2. 1/2 lemon
  3. Kosher salt
  4. Freshly ground black pepper
  5. 2 thick slices of bread of choice, toasted
  6. 4-6 halved cherry tomatoes
  7. 1 cup mozzarella balls
  8. Flaky sea salt
  9. 2 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
  10. Balsamic glaze, for drizzling
Instructions
  1. Remove avocado halves from skin and place in a medium bowl. Immediately squeeze some lemon juice over the avocado. Season avocado with kosher salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice if desired.
  2. Spread mashed avocado mixture onto toast. Top with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, garnish with basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Adapted from Delish
Adapted from Delish
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/caprese-avocado-toast/feed/ 1 4609 Beets with Oranges & Pink Peppercorn https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/beets-with-oranges-pink-peppercorn/ Thu, 26 Oct 2017 22:29:20 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4293
Beet with Oranges & Pink Peppercorn
Yields 12
Let's be honest there are only so much pickled beets a person can possibly eat. My friends and I were looking for ideas and came across this recipe in one of my all time fav canning books. This beet "jam" is too die for! We sampled it with cheese, with oatmeal and in a grilled cheese sandwich. Wow is all I can say.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 5 lb beets
  2. 8 cups sugar
  3. 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  4. Zest of 2 medium oranges
  5. 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  6. 2 Tbsp pink peppercorns, crushed
Instructions
  1. Boil Beets until tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Cool slightly then peel and process in a food processor until finely minced.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Be carful, this one is a splurter! Cook to set at 220 degrees F. Check set on a cold plate.
  3. Let sit 5 minutes then ladle into hot sterilized jars, wipe rims, place lids on jars and process 25 minutes (adjusted for Calgary Altitude).
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 4293 Pumpkin Butter https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/pumpkin-butter/ https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/pumpkin-butter/#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2017 15:10:29 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4250
Pumpkin Butter
Yields 6
The Fall inspired recipe is perfect for freezing when pumpkins are in season and using later as a spread on muffins and scones or in desserts. Layered into Trifle, sandwiched between two cookies, or swirled into cheesecake or brownies, it is sure to be your new comfort food.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 (3 lb.) pie pumpkin
  2. 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
  3. 1/2 cup maple syrup
  4. 1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
  5. 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  6. 1/2 vanilla bean
  7. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  8. 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  9. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  10. 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Quarter pumpkin and remove seeds. Place pumpkin peel side up on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin quarters over, peel side down and roast an additional 20-30 minutes, until very soft. Remove pumpkin from oven and let cool.
  3. Scoop flesh from peel and puree in batches in a food processor. Transfer puree to a saucepot.
  4. Stir in apple cider, maple syrup, sugar and lemon juice. Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into pumpkin mixture and then add remaining spices. Bring puree to a boil over medium-high heat stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Reduce heat to low, cover partially (to avoid splatters) and simmer an additional 20-30 minutes, or until thickened and it holds its shape on a spoon. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  5. Ladle hot pumpkin butter into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch (1-cm) headspace. Cool to room temperature. Place lids and bands on jars. Label and freeze for up to 1 year.
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/pumpkin-butter/feed/ 1 4250 Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/freezer-friendly-breakfast-burritos/ Wed, 30 Aug 2017 15:56:51 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=4205
Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos
Yields 20
These breakfast burritos are perfect for a grab and go breakfast that is nutrient dense to fuel your day. Have fun with the recipe and add different ingredients to make it your own!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
7 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
7 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup butter
  2. 1/3 cup chopped onion
  3. 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
  4. 18 eggs
  5. 1/2 cup milk
  6. 1 cup breakfast sausage (or chopped ham)
  7. 1 teaspoon salt
  8. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  9. 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  10. 20 flour tortillas
Instructions
  1. Saute the veggies and sausage with the butter in a frying pan.
  2. Beat eggs and milk, and add it to the pan. Add salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set.
  3. Scoop 1/2 cup egg mixture onto tortillas. Fold ends under and roll up.
  4. Freeze or put all burritos in a baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.
  5. Serve with salsa.
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 4205 Jamie Oliver’s 7 Veg Tomato Sauce https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/jamie-olivers-7-veg-tomato-sauce/ Sat, 01 Apr 2017 17:50:01 +0000 https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/?p=3831
7 Veg Tomato Sauce
Yields 3
Fool Your Food this April Fools Day! Hide extra veggies into your meals and see who notices. Jam-packed with nutritious veg, this has to be one of the easiest ways to get extra veggie portions into our diet, as well as all sorts of brilliant micronutrients.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Cook Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 small onions
  2. 2 small leeks
  3. 2 sticks of celery
  4. 2 carrots
  5. 2 small zucchini
  6. 2 red peppers
  7. ½ a butternut squash (600g)
  8. 2 cloves of garlic
  9. olive oil
  10. 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  11. 4 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Peel the onions, wash and trim the leeks, celery, carrots and zucchinis, deseed the peppers and squash (there’s no need to peel it), then finely chop it all. Peel the garlic and finely chop by hand.
  2. Put a super-large pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and oregano, fry for 1 minute, then add all the prepped veg.
  3. Cook with the lid on for 25 minutes, or until the veg are soft but not coloured, stirring regularly. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, then just under half-fill each tin with water, swirl around and pour into the pan.
  4. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced. Leave to cool a little, then blitz with immersion or regular blender until smooth, taste, and season to perfection.
Notes
  1. Divide up this batch recipe and freeze for future meals on anything from pizza to simple pastas. In other recipes using more than one tin of tomatoes, try swapping out one tin for a tin’s worth of this sauce for an extra nutritional boost.
https://www.poppyinnovations.ca/
]]> 3831