Category Archives: Recipes

Quinoa Salad Facts

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Quinoa pronounced “keen-wha” is a really old grain.  It is classified as a pseudocereal, which means it is not a cereal or a grain.  Quinoa is a chenopod, so it is the same family as beets and spinach.  It was a sacred grain for the Inca’s, who called it chissaya mama “mother of all grains”.  It has been cultivated for over 6000 years in the Andes.  It does not grow like a rice; quinoa has a long growing season, likes well drained soil and easily grows at high altitudes up to 4000 meters.  The Spanish conquistadors (really bad guys) who called it “food for Indians” forbade the production and strongly encouraged the farming of corn (maize).  Quinoa is also really good for you, it is gluten-free, high in phosphorus, magnesium, iron and it is high in protein.  Best of all it cooks in 15 minutes or less.

Ginger hates quinoa but he is away…. so Nutmeg (who loves it) got a great recipe from Hot Chili to try.  The recipe is great but even better the next day when the flavors soak in.

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Curried Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango
Recipe type: Salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
You can play with the ingredients to your taste. Red Inca Quinoa adds more fibre and color.

Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Quinoa
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1-2 Whole Ripe Mangoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Whole Red Pepper, chopped
  • ¼ Cup Seedless Cucumber, chopped
  • 2-3 Green Onions, chopped
  • 2 Cups Spinach leaves, washed
  • 1 Can Black Beans, drained
  • 1 Handful (optional) Cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ Cup Olive or Canola Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons White Balsamic or regular vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Mango Chutney
  • 1 Teaspoon Honey
  • 1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon Cumin, ground
Instructions
  1. Rinse quinoa well under cold water, then drain through fine sieve
  2. Combine the quinoa and the water, bring to a boil and then cover, cook for 15 minutes or less
  3. Drain and rinse
  4. Combine ingredients for dressing (starting at the Olive Oil) with a whisk or in jar and shake
  5. Place quinoa, chopped vegetables, and beans in large bowl, drizzle with dressing and toss until well coated

So quinoa is really old and really good for you – Nutmeg will be eating it until Ginger gets back!

Enjoy.

Crunchy Granola Sweet

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Are you a Neil Diamond fan?  Nutmeg is for certain.  She is also a big granola fan and has been for many years.

Hot Sauce used to make homemade granola on a regular basis. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh batch in your house and eating it hot out of the oven.  The basic ingredients usually include: oats, nuts, wheat germ, dried fruit, sugar (or honey or molasses or maple syrup), oil. You can also add spices like cinnamon or ginger depending on your tastes.  Nutmeg loves granola served with berries and yogurt, Chili likes the same in different proportions (more granola and less fruit).  There are likely as many recipes for granola as there are for combinations of how to eat it.

Granola actually has a history prior to Neil Diamond’s “Crunchy Granola Suite” and prior to the hippie “granola” movement in the 1960’s.  The names Granula (invented in 1894 by Dr James Caleb Jackson) and Granola (name change by Kellogg to avoid legal conflict) were trademarked terms in the late nineteenth century United States for foods consisting of whole grain products crumbled and then baked until crispy; in contrast with the contemporary invention, muesli, which is traditionally not baked or sweetened.

Nutmeg has a friend who makes one fantastic version of granola (in fact she has a few variations).  She is currently in the process of setting up her company and will be distributing later this year.  So you should be on the look out for a new Western Canadian company to rival that barely dressed version (Bear Naked) out of the US.  Nutmeg cannot say more at this time on the name of the company and of course the recipes are closely guarded.  The great news is we will soon have locally produced product close to home.  For now enjoy a little Neil Diamond and maybe even experiment with your own recipe and combinations.

Crunchy Granola – Sweet!!

Grilled Fish Tacos on Cinco de Mayo

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Need a dinner idea? Wondering what to serve for dinner on Cinco de Mayo in snowy Calgary?  Yes, for those of you who live in places that have normal weather – it is SNOWING!  So it calls for drastic measures; pull out the tequila and the Mexican beer.  Here is a Fish Taco recipe (care of Saffron):

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Grilled Fish Tacos
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
This recipe is very easy, you can play with the fish, the level of spice and the toppings.

Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds Mahi Mahi A few Limes
  • 1 Medium Red cabbage
  • 1 Bunch Cilantro
  • 1 Small Red Onion
  • 8 Medium Tortillas
  • ½ Cup Plain Yogurt
  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Hot Sauce, to taste
Instructions
  1. Marinate Mahi Mahi in fresh lime juice for an hour
  2. Finely slice the cabbage
  3. Chop cilantro
  4. Dice the red onion
  5. Cut the limes into wedges
  6. Season the fish with salt and pepper and cook in a frying pan for about 3 minutes a side
  7. Mix the yogurt and mayonnaise with some hot sauce, for topping
  8. Divide the fish between the tortillas and serve with the toppings

 

Serve with your favorite Mexican beverage and enjoy Cinco de Mayo!

Fish Tacos

What to serve for Cinqo de Mayo

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Nutmeg had never heard of Cinco de Mayo before she moved to Calgary.  Think what you may, Nutmeg is no slouch!  She has consumed her fair share of tequila, upside down margaritas and cervezas (Spanish for beer) in particular Corona and Dos Equisover the years.  Despite years in liberal Quebec,  a well known eastern university and a good grounding in Toronto,  she had honestly never heard of Cinco de Mayo before her arrival in Calgary.  Ginger made sure she was properly educated in her first 60 days on the scene.  Nutmeg’s awakening led to 5-6 years of classic “house party” celebrations (no photos available.  These parties ranged from reasonable to the industrial size rental margarita machine to dancing with power-tools.  At that point, Nutmeg suggested the annual celebration may have run it’s course.

What is Cinqo de Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo (“fifth of May”) is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.

Cinco de Mayo is not a federal holiday in Mexico. It is interesting that Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico the date is observed in the United States and around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Cinco de Mayo is not (Ginger had told Nutmeg this was the case) Mexico’s Independence Day,which actually is September 16.

What to serve for Cinco de Mayo?

Aside from the obvious tequila, cervezas and margaritas….Fish Tacos!

There are as many Fish Taco recipes as there are “want-to-be” Mexicans on May 5th.  The following are key ingredients:

  • white fish like tilapia or cod – marinade or bread and fry
  • salsa – mango or pico de gallo are both great options
  • spicy coldslaw – try a chipote mayo
  • hard taco shells or soft tortillas

Experiment with a few options to find your favorite combination.

On May 5th, pull out the blender, raise a glass, eat a few tacos and patiently await Truffle’s next installation as he ponders what to serve for Cinqo de Mayo.

The Iceberg Wedge a Classic Salad

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Chili Pepper (Nutmeg’s Dad) loves the “wedge” salad.  Essentially, a large wedge of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing.  This salad can be found in every steak restaurant in North America,  if they do not have it on the menu you may want to check their credentials.  There are of course variations on the classic theme; add bacon bits (real or not so real) or add tomato pieces (mostly for color) or nuts (way too healthy).  In the end there is very little nutritional value, although who really cares as it will most likely be followed by a rare steak and fully garnished baked potato.  The wedge salad is truly a classic, there are historical references to the lettuce from the 1920s and to the salad mixture from the 1950’s and 1960’s.

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Iceberg Wedge a Classic Salad
Recipe type: Salad
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-3
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Full Head Iceberg Lettuce
  • ¼ Cup Blue Cheese Dressing
  • ¼ Cup Tomato, chopped
  • ¼ Cup Bacon Bits, crumbled
  • ¼ Cup Green Onions, chopped
Instructions
  1. Remove the outer leaves off of an Iceberg head of lettuce, do not core
  2. Cut in half and then in half again or as small a wedge as you like
  3. Dress with blue cheese dressing and garnish with toppings to your taste

The hard thing today is actually finding a head of iceberg lettuce at the grocery store, as the modern shelf space has been replaced with Arugula, Spinach, Mache and other mixed greens.  So Chili Pepper would like to recommend you toast the start of Spring and Summer by lighting the briquettes on your barbeque, cook your steak medium rare and serve with a classic iceberg wedge salad.

Enjoy (on behalf of Nutmeg…she is eating Mache)

Wondering About Dates try some Trail Bars

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As you might have gathered Nutmeg is in the desert and it is not that warm so she has some time to add to all the really useful food information in this blog.  So the question about dates came to mind… Here are the facts:

The Date Palm (scientific name Phoenix dactylifera), also known as the Medjool palm is a tall, beautiful and majestic tree that is known for its edible sweet fruits, the dates. The tree belongs to the Arecaceae family and the genus Phoenix. The Date palm produces true real dates. It is the second most known and most useful palm tree in the world after the Coconut palm tree.

The Phoenix Dactylifera is one of the world’s oldest trees. It has been grown for thousands of years in hot, dry, desert regions throughout the world. It is an important multi­purpose tree in the Middle East, Asia and North Africa. The Date palm tree is a holy symbol. It was historically mentioned in the Bible, the Koran and other religious books. Many cultures are based on this tree. It has been called “the tree of life”.  The real Date palm can provide all life necessities: food, medicine, shelter, fuel, building materials and  materials for weaving and basket making. It is a symbol of fertility and hospitality in many countries.

The date fruit is one of the most important sources of nutrition for people in the Middle East. It is considered to be a delicacy. The date is a good source of sugar, potassium, protein, fat and minerals. People in this area have eaten dates since ancient times.

Only a female tree can form dates, large trees will produce up to 1000 dates/year.  A tree usually starts producing fruits after 5-8 years.  It takes about 7 months for dates to ripen. The delicious fruits are harvested from September to early December.

Here is a recipe for Trail Bars using dates:

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Dates Trail Bars
Recipe type: Dessert or Snack
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 20-30 bars
 
These bars are easy to make, very tasty and mostly filled with good for you ingredients.

Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Cup Honey
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 Cup Quick-cooking Oats
  • ½ Cup Wheat Germ
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • ¼ Cup Honey
  • 1 Cup Almonds, chopped
  • 1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
  • ½ Cup Dates, pitted and chopped
  • ½ Cup Dried Apricots, chopped
  • ½ Cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
  • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, ¾ cup honey, and lemon juice until well blended
  3. Combine the flour, oats, and wheat germ
  4. Mix into the honey mixture
  5. Spread evenly into the bottom of an un-greased 9x13 inch baking pan
  6. Set aside
  7. In another bowl, beat eggs while gradually pouring in ¼ cup honey
  8. Stir in almonds, chocolate chips, dates, apricots, coconut, and sesame seeds until they are evenly distributed and well coated
  9. Spread over the crust in the pan
  10. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until center is set, and the top is lightly browned
  11. Cool completely before cutting into bars

 

Good Seafood in Land Locked Calgary

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Nutmeg was convinced when she moved to Calgary that she would never see swordfish or good ahi tuna again.  Without disclosing how long she has been in Calgary let’s just say the seafood scene is much improved.  There are some very good places to buy seafood now.  Calgary will never rival the likes of Vancouver’s Granville island, Seattle’s Pikes Place, Fisherman’s wharf or any of the other amazing places to buy really fresh seafood.

Crab #France #Seafood #Markets @GingerandNutmeg

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Beets Do you Love them too

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Curry Murray loves beets and asked Nutmeg specifically for an article on beets.

So here are some of the facts right from Wikipedia:

The beet (Beta vulgaris) is a plant in the amaranth family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is probably the red root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leaf vegetables chard and spinach beet, as well as the root vegetables sugar beet, which is important in the production of table sugar, and mangelwurzel, which is a fodder crop.

The beet has a long history of cultivation stretching back to the second millennium BC. The plant was probably domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean, whence it was later spread to Babylonia by the 8th century BC and as far east as China by 850 AD. Available evidence, such as that provided by Aristotle and Theophrastus suggests that the leafy varieties of the beet were grown primarily for most of its history, though these lost much of their popularity much later following the introduction of spinach. The beet became highly commercially important in 19th century Europe following the development of the sugar beet in Germany and the discovery that sucrose could be extracted from them, providing an alternative to tropical sugar cane. It remains a widely cultivated commercial crop for producing table sugar.

Beets are good for you too:

  • The roots and leaves of the beet have been used in folk medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments.
  • The Romans used beetroot as a treatment for fevers and constipation, amongst other ailments. They also considered it an aphrodisiac.
  • Beet juice can help lower blood pressure.
  • Beets have been used as a treatment for cancer in Europe for several centuries.

They are easy to cook, you can simply wrap them in tin foil and bake in the oven until tender, the outer-skin will peel off very easily at that point.

Nutmeg loves beets in salad with either a soft goat cheese or something salty like a feta.  The other classic use for beets is in Borscht (beet and cabbage) soup, Nutmeg is on the hunt for a good recipe.

So do you love Beets?  Let us know.

Hearty Hot Soup to Celebrate the New Year

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Nutmeg loves this idea for an open house – invite people over for a bowl of soup and a drink on New Year’s day.  It is a great way to hear all the stories from the night before and toast the New Year with your friends.  One additional bonus, is there is a very good chance no one will stay late as they were up the night before…

Poker Sign #FunnySigns #NewYears

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