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Food and Recipes

Food and Recipes

Category: Food and Recipes

Honey Dressing, with Jaime Oliver

In this video, we see Jamie Oliver keep it simple and let the ingredients shine. We spend a lot of time thinking about food and flavour but make no mistake, we truly appreciate learning from the experts.

This recipe features honey and as natural or raw honey is more readily available in-store and on-line, the flavour comes together easily.

I love Peace River honey from Canada. It’s a flavour I remember from childhood, and would be perfect in this recipe.

At this time of year, you can sub in maple syrup from your favorite Sugar Shack! Adjust the amount to your own tastebuds.

Enjoy Jamie Oliver’s simple and delicious recipe and why not share it with a friend? Click here to watch the video. 

in Food and Recipes, Video Blogs Posted by The Good Life With Kat & Nat

Did You Know? Eating Blueberries Protects Your Heart

In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, researchers looked into the benefits of eating a daily serving of blueberries among adults at high risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the findings, the 138 participants ranged in age from 50 to 75 years, and they were all classed as overweight or obese. They were given a cup or a half cup of blueberries every day for six months, while the other individuals were assigned a purple-colored placebo pill.

Results showed that eating a daily cup of blueberries cut the risk of heart disease by 12 to 15 percent via sustained improvements in vascular function and reduced arterial stiffness. However, the amount seems to matter – the researchers found no significant benefit from eating a half cup of blueberries daily. Instead, they credited the anthocyanin – flavonoids responsible for the red and blue color in fruits – with the health benefits seen.  

Every day, try including a variety of berries, including blueberries, into your diet. While the benefits of eating in lesser quantities were not immediately apparent in this study population, a half cup of blueberries offers the same antioxidant potential as five servings of any following vegetables: peas, carrots, apples, squash, or broccoli.

Blueberries are also a good source of fiber, with a half-cup serving containing approximately three grams of fiber per cup of fruit. According to recent data, anyone suffering from metabolic syndrome may be relieved to learn that consuming a daily portion of blueberries can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals who have the illness.

Furthermore, berries have a vital role in preventing and treating cancer, diabetes, and neurological ailments, among other diseases.

Despite their small size, blueberries are mighty when consumed regularly.

in Food and Recipes, Health and Fitness Posted by The Good Life With Kat & Nat

Breakfast Pears

Try this elegant variation of breakfast pears made by Chef Robert Mills.
Click here to watch the video. 

“I like to serve this dish warm in the morning in place of oatmeal. Soon I will be cooking these for you in your kitchen.”
-Chef Robert

Breakfast Pears

Servings: 2

Prepping time: 5 Min

Cooking time: 25 Min

Ingredients

4 Barlett or Bosc pears
1 cup rolled oats
3 tbsp raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup light brown sugar 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for brushing
Maple syrup and or whipped cream on top for plating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Toss the oats, brown sugar, pecans and the cinnamon to combine.
3. Stir in the melted butter until everything is roughly combined.
4. Stir in the raisins.
5. Cut the pears in half and scoop out their cores.
6. Lay the pears halves in a baking dish and brush their tops with melted butter.
7. Press some oat filling in the center of each pear.
8. Bake uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the pears are tender and the oat filling is lightly browned.

Serve warm, drizzle with maple syrup, and with whipped cream on the side if desired.

Click here For the Recipe Card
in Food and Recipes, Video Blogs Posted by Chef Robert Mills

Light Festive Fruit Cake

Light Festive Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups fine white sugar

1 cup butter (room temperature)

5 eggs

1 cup cake and pastry flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp mace

1 pound light raisins

½ pound glazed cherries cut in half (half red; half green)

¾ cup diced glazed pineapple

½ pound diced mixed peel or citron if preferred

½ cup orange juice

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ pound toasted slivered almonds

Unsweetened coconut to taste

Crystalized ginger sliced to taste

Method:

The night before baking cake, prepare fruit and add orange juice. Let stand overnight, stirring a few times.

On baking day line containers with parchment paper and make batter.

 Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cake and pastry flour, salt and mace. Beat until flour disappears.

Add slivered almonds and coconut to fruit and stir. Add the ¾ cup of all-purpose flour to the fruit and stir until fruit is covered. Add batter and mix well.

Scoop mixed batter into lined pans and bake at 325 degrees for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. If top of cake gets too dark lay tin foil over the top.

Remove cakes from oven and let cool.

Poke holes all over cakes with a skewer or something similar and drizzle either white rum for the boozy version or white grape juice or apple juice for the non-boozy version. This helps moisten the cakes.

Wrap in cheesecloth then foil and store in a cool place.

This Wellings blog by Kathie Donovan was exclusively written for Wellings Communities and appeared first on MyWellings.com.

in Food and Recipes Posted by Kathie Donovan

Apple Dumpling Bread

As the community thinks about giving thanks to the people in their lives that have made a difference, we often think of gathering, food and drink. What are some of your favorite traditions around the holidays?

Welcome fall with this incredibly delicious apple dumpling bread recipe from Chef Robert Mills. You can have this for breakfast or dessert or any time of day. Click here to watch the video. Enjoy.

Apple Dumpling Bread 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3 pounds medium Honey crisp apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dough:

  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
  • 3/4 cup warm whole milk (110° to 115°)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cider sauce & glaze:

  • 4 cups apple cider, divided
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, divided
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

Directions:

  1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter. Add the next 6 ingredients; stir to combine. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples have softened and released their juices, 10-12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer apples to a 15×10-in. rimmed baking pan; spread into a single layer. Add cider to Dutch oven and bring to a boil; cook, stirring, until juices thicken and reduce to 1/2 cup, 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla extract. Pour over apple slices; cool completely. (Filling can be made 24 hours in advance and refrigerated.)
  2. For dough, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, oil, salt and 1-1/4 cups flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  3. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  4. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into an 18×12-in. rectangle; spread apple mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up the Dough and Apples and place in  a greased 9×5-in. loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°.
  5. Bake until well browned, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. For cider sauce, bring 3-1/2 cups cider and brown sugar to a boil. Cook, stirring, until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 25 minutes. For glaze, beat confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough remaining apple cider to reach desired consistency.
  6. Add remaining butter and vanilla to cider sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Cool slightly. Drizzle sauce and glaze over bread.
in Food and Recipes, Video Blogs Posted by Chef Robert Mills

4 Refreshing Drinks To Finish Summer 😎☀️🍹

Here are four summer drinks that will refresh your day. Special thanks to Pick Up Limes for the great recipes. 

Enjoy!

Peach Thyme Iced Tea

Ingredients

Lemon tea

4 cups (960 mL) boiling water, ideally around 185°F (85°C)

4 white tea bags 

3 lemons, juiced

Peach thyme syrup

6 ripe peaches, pitted and roughly chopped

10 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup (240 mL) water

⅓ cup (80 mL) maple syrup 

Drink assembly

1½ cups (166 g) ice cubes

½ peach, sliced

4 small sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

To a large jar or bowl, add the boiled water and tea bags, and let it steep for 8 – 10 minutes, then remove the tea bags and let cool off. Once cooled off completely, stir in the lemon juice.

To a saucepan, add the peaches, thyme, water, and maple syrup. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the peaches have started to soften, use the back of a wooden spatula or tamper to mash the peaches to release their juices and flavours.

Place a sieve over a bowl and strain the peach mixture. Using the back of a spoon, press out as much liquid from the mixture into the bowl as possible. Let this cool off completely. Note: no need to throw away the peach puree that remains in the sieve. You can either eat it as is (it’s like eating applesauce!) or add it to a smoothie.

To assemble the drinks, divide the ice cubes between your glasses. Then pour one part peach syrup to two parts of the cooled lemon tea mixture into your cups. Stir it, garnishing with peach slices and fresh thyme. Enjoy!

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

Ingredients

Flavoured syrup

2 large grapefruit

2 cups (330 g) fresh pineapple chunks

6 large sprigs fresh rosemary

½ cup (120 mL) water

⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar 

Soda

1½ cups (360 mL) grapefruit juice

3 cups (720 mL) carbonated water

3 cups (333 g) ice cubes

Optional garnish

grapefruit wedges

rosemary sprigs

Directions

Start with zesting the grapefruit. Reserve the zest for later.

To a medium saucepan, add the juice from the same grapefruit, along with the pineapple, rosemary, water, and sugar. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, we can add the grapefruit zest to the saucepan. By now the pineapples should have softened as well, so using a wooden spoon or wooden tamper, mash the pieces of pineapple to release its juices and flavour.

Place a sieve over a bowl and strain the mixture, using the back of a spoon to press out as much liquid from the mixture into the bowl as possible. Let this cool off completely, first on the counter, then in the fridge.

To make the drinks, divide the ice between the glasses and for each cup add 1 part of the flavoured syrup, 1 part grapefruit juice, 2 parts carbonated water. Garnish with grapefruit wedges, and rosemary sprigs, and enjoy!

Ginger Mint Lemonade

Ingredients

1 Tbsp (6 g) freshly grated ginger

20 (13 g) fresh mint leaves, or more as desired 

3 lemons, juiced

3 cups (720 mL) water 

2 cups (222 g) ice cubes

2 Tbsp (30 mL) agave syrup, plus more as desired

Directions

Wash the ginger, and grate it into a pulp. Gather the pulp into your fist and squeeze with your hands over a pitcher to extract the juice. Discard the pulp. Note, the more ginger you use, the spicier the kick. If you want a subtle ginger flavour, just cut the ginger into slices and add to the mix, instead of grating and squeezing.

Add the mint to the pitcher, and using a wooden spatula or wooden tamper, give the mint a mash. We want to bruise the mint leaves slightly, just enough to extract some of their flavours into the drink.

To the pitcher, then add the lemon juice, water, ice cubes, and agave syrup. Stir it all, and serve immediately. Add more syrup if the drink tastes too tart. Cheers!

Pink Lemonade

Ingredients

1½ cups (225 g) frozen raspberries 

¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup, or more as desired

4 lemons, juiced

4 cups (960 mL) cold water

2 cups (222 g) ice cubes

Garnish

fresh mint leaves

fresh raspberries

lemon slices

Directions

Add the raspberries and maple syrup to a saucepan on medium-high, cooking for 3 – 4 minutes. Keep the mixture at a gentle simmer, and as the raspberries start to soften use the back of a wooden spatula or tamper to mash them up.

Place a sieve over a pitcher to strain the raspberry mixture, using the back of a spoon to press out as much liquid from the mixture into the bowl as possible. Let this liquid cool off completely.

When cooled, stir in the lemon juice, cold water, and ice, and give it a stir.

Garnish with lemon, mint and fresh raspberries if desired, and enjoy!

in Food and Recipes Posted by The Good Life With Kat & Nat

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