I indulge with the cheddar biscuits in this recipe since the vegetables are leaner. This is also a great side dish for grilled fish or chicken.
Cheddar Biscuits
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour, sifted a few times
1 tsp (5 mL) low-sodium baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
3 Tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) cubes and chilled
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated extra-sharp cheddar
1 green onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup (180 mL) buttermilk, well shaken
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Blend in butter with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese and green onion, add buttermilk, and stir until just combined.
Set aside until called for in Braised Vegetables Pot Pie recipe below.
Yield: 6.
Braised Vegetables Pot Pie
3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for oiling pan
3 cups (750 mL) young vegetables (such as onion, leek, carrot, celery, turnip, parsnip, squash, or potato), chopped to similar size
3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1/2 tsp (2 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup (60 mL) whole wheat flour (or gluten-free option)
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Lightly brush 9 x 9 in (23 x 23 cm) baking pan or other shallow baking dish with about 1 tsp (5 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, and set aside.
In separate heavy, shallow pan add vegetables, 1 cup (250 mL) broth, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil, and thyme, and stir to coat. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are nearly done and liquid has been almost absorbed, about 20 or 30 minutes depending on vegetables used and their size.
Remove lid and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are coated with glaze and caramelized.
While vegetables are cooking, prepare sauce by heating remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, whisk until smooth and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups (500 mL) broth and whisk until smooth. Increase heat to medium and simmer, whisking constantly. Remove pan from heat and whisk vigorously to break up any lumps.
Add vegetables to sauce, stir, and pour into prepared pan.
Drop Cheddar Biscuits (see above for recipe) into pan as topping, in mounds using ice cream scoop, leaving spaces in between. Bake until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 263 calories; 5 g protein; 15 g total fat (6 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 27 g carbohydrates (4 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 351 mg sodium
source: "Pot Pies", alive #361, November 2012
Yogurt completely transforms the texture of these chicken thighs, making them tender and flavourful with bright notes of lemon and cilantro. Ideal for a day trip, these can be marinated in the morning and cooked in the evening, but they also work well when cooked in advance and packed for a picnic to be eaten cold. Marinade mentions Marinate chicken thighs for anywhere between 4 and 24 hours. Discard excess marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken. It should not be consumed uncooked.
Citrusy and slightly sour sumac and a touch of maple syrup enliven pickled onions in a perfect complement to this salad. Kale and Napa cabbage stand up for hours to the sweet and puckery dressing, and hearty farro will keep you going while on the road. This salad is sure to be a favourite for picnics, backyard potlucks, or road trip lunch stops. Dressing for dinner This salad stands up well, even while dressed, for up to 4 hours. (Truth be told, I’ve often happily eaten it the next day.) In fact, time helps kale to soften up and become even more delicious. If you’re travelling for a longer period, make the pickled onion dressing as described above: let it stand for about 20 minutes, and then add all the oil and pack it into a separate container so you can finish the salad when you arrive at your destination. The pickled onions are also great with steaks or chicken.
These wraps are perfect for an overnight journey when you want to have something quick and satisfying the next day. Sweet smoked paprika adds just a hint of smoky flavour to sweet potatoes, which join with spinach and red pepper to dress up eggs in a pleasing way. Make these wraps anytime and stick them in the freezer for your next excursion. Pack them frozen and they’ll have time to thaw on the journey, or put them in the fridge the night before you travel so you have something convenient and tasty to eat before you set off. Leave the ketchup bottle behind, and serve them with your own smoky red pepper sauce. Freeze with ease While foil is convenient for freezing and reheating these wraps, to cut down on waste, freeze wraps in a single freezer-proof container. Insert a small piece of parchment between each wrap so they don’t stick together. This will allow you to remove individual wraps easily when you need them.
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.