Posts Tagged In Season

Moroccan Eggs

Looking for a healthy breakfast option to use fall leafy greens?

Moroccan Eggs

Moroccan Eggs

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • Swiss Chard – 1 bunch – stems removed and sliced, leaves cut into ribbons (can substitute with kale, collard greens, spinach)
  • Crushed Tomatoes – 1 can
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
  • Onion – yellow – 1 medium – finely chopped
  • Garlic – 5 cloves – chopped/crushed
  • Chili – red or green, seeded and sliced
  • Paprika – ½ tsp
  • Cayenne – pinch
  • Saffron – 1 pinch
  • Eggs – 1-2 per person
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  • In a large oven proof skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. When warmed, add swiss chard stems and sautee for 5 minutes until beginning to be tender. Remove stems from pan from pan.
  • Using same warmed skillet, add olive oil and cumin seeds. Let them fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
  • Add onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 7-10 minutes until softened.
  • Add tomatoes, Swiss chard stems, chili, paprika, garlic, cayenne and saffron (optional). Reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes until sauce thickens. Add Swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Create divots (one divot per egg) in the sauce and break egg into the divot. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Place skillet in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes (or until whites have set).

For more on healthy eating, contact Graham Beaton“>Graham Beaton naturopathic doctor at 613-290-6115. Graham is in practice a few blocks south of Somerset St and Elgin St in Ottawa.

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Corn Pudding

Fresh corn, currently in season in Ontario, can be a great side dish for many meals. The following is an Argentinean recipe that is an adaptation from Francis Mallmann’s Andean Savory Corn Pudding from the book Seven Fires – Grilling the Argentine Way.

Yield – makes 8-12 servings

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Onion, white – 1 medium, finely chopped
  • Corn – 8 ears of fresh corn
  • Whole milk – ½ cup (can also use 2%)
  • Basil – 1 cup chopped
  • Paprika – 1-2 tsp (original recipe calls for red pepper flakes)
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

  • Remove corn husks and brush silk off the ears of corn.
  • Using a hand or box grater, grate corn kernels off corncobs into a bowl. When done, use a knife and cut off remaining corn from the cob. (You may notice that grating the corn does not work very well, but it does break/milk the kernels which makes the dish creamier. Alternatively, the kernels can be cut off of the cobs, and pulsed a few times in a food processor to slightly break them down).
  • Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot on medium heat. When hot, sauté onion until soft, approximately 8 min.
  • Add corn and the liquid obtained from grating the corn to the pot. Stir, and sauté until it thickens (which does not take very long).
  • Add ½ of the milk (1/4 cup) and stir until combined.
  • When combined, reduce heat to maintain simmer. Add remaining milk and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes. The corn mixture will become creamy.
  • Add basil, paprika, and salt and pepper.

Graham Beaton is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in downtown Ottawa at Ottawa Collaborative Care Centre.

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Beet Hash with Duck Eggs

There is a great easy recipe for Beet Hash with Eggs on Martha Stewart’s website. To make it more exotic, substitute regular eggs (chicken) for duck eggs.

Advantages of duck eggs vs regular eggs (chicken)?

  • More filling
  • Higher content of: Omega-3 fatty acids; Vitamins A, E, B1, B3, B6, B12, Folate; Iron; Zinc
  • Lower content of: Omega-6 fatty acids

Disadvantages of duck eggs vs regular eggs (chicken)?

  • Much higher in cholesterol and slightly higher content of saturated fat. So, consume moderately.

Where to get the duck eggs and the other ingredients?
Bearbrook Game Meats at the Lansdowne Farmers Market (Ottawa)

Any changes to the recipe found in the link above?
You can also exchange the chopped parsley for freshly chopped basil. In addition, I find that covering the pan with a lid while cooking the eggs gets the eggs to solidify faster (if you don’t want runny eggs) without burning the bottom of the vegetables or eggs.

Graham Beaton is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in downtown Ottawa at Ottawa Collaborative Care Centre.

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Carrot Top Gremolata

Ever wonder what to do with leafy greens carrot tops? Make a carrot top gremolata (that you can serve on sautéed, roasted or grilled carrots). Where can you get carrots that still have their tops? In Ottawa, at the Lansdowne Farmers Market.

Ingredients:

  • Leafy green carrot tops – 1 bunch (stems removed)
  • Lemon – zest and juice from 1 lemon
  • Garlic – 2 cloves crushed
  • Basil (fresh) – a generous handful
  • Olive oil – a few tablespoons
  • Walnuts – Chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  • In a food processor or blender with a blade attachment, add carrot tops, basil and garlic. Chop until fine.
  • Add chopped walnuts and pulse
  • Add olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Serve with sautéed, roasted or grilled carrots.

Graham Beaton is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in downtown Ottawa at Ottawa Collaborative Care Centre.

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Fresh Tomato Sauce

If you are at the Lansdowne Farmers Market this weekend (in Ottawa) and are looking for a fresh and simple tomato sauce recipe, try this one:

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes – cut in wedges
  • Garlic – 2 cloves crushed
  • Basil – Handful
  • Sugar – 1 tbsp
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Sea salt – Pinch
  • Olive oil – 2 table spoons

Directions:

  • Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
  • Add tomatoes, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Maintain heat until tomatoes come to a simmer.
  • Turn heat down slightly to maintain constant simmer.
  • Cook until tomatoes break down and have formed a thick sauce (cooking time can be up to 45 minutes)

The sauce goes great with fresh pasta or if you mix with puy/green lentils.

Graham Beaton is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in downtown Ottawa at Ottawa Collaborative Care Centre.

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Green Beans with Garlic, Ginger and Lemon

Ingredients:
-Green string beans – 2 lbs
-Fresh ginger root – 6 inch piece (peeled) – grated is approximately 1/4 cup
-Garlic – 3-4 cloves
-Lemon zest
-Olive oil – about 4 tablespoons
-Almonds – slivered
-Salt and pepper

Directions:
-Steam or cook beans in boiling water. When tender (about 4 min), cool quickly in cold/ice water to stop cooking.
-Grate ginger
-Toast slivered almonds
-Heat 1/2 of olive oil in large skillet over medium/high heat. Cook 1/2 beans, ginger and garlic until ginger and garlic are softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest and toasted almonds. Serve

Note: It is easiest to cook beans, garlic and ginger in two batches (if cooking 2 lbs of beans).

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Strawberry and Cherry Tomato Salad

As strawberries season is coming to a close, here is an easy recipe for fresh Ontario or Quebec strawberries.

Ingredients:
-Strawberries (cut in half or quartered depending on size)
-Cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
-Fresh basil (handful)
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper

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Roasted Cherry Tomato and Mint Salad

Ingredients:
-2 lbs of cherry or grape tomatoes
-1 onion (red or sweet onion)
-Garlic (either use 2 cloves, chopped garlic scapes or if purchasing a whole garlic plant from a local farmers market (the Lansdowne Farmers Market in Ottawa in a great place to get your local produce), you can chop and add a garlic stem (cut in 3-4 inch pieces) to flavor the salad (remove stem after cooking)).
-Mint (handful)
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
-In a bowl, combine cherry/grape tomatoes (halved or quartered depending on size), chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix well.
-Pour mixture onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or into a roasting pan.
-Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes
-When tomatoes have finished roasting, chop mint and mix with tomatoes.
-Can be served either hot or cold.

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Pickled cabbage

Ingredients

  • Large head of red or green cabbage
  • 1/3 cup salt

Directions

  • Sterilise glass jars and their seals.
  • Wash and dry cabbage. Quarter the cabbage, discard core then shred it finely.
  • Transfer shredded cabbage to a glass mixing bowl and sprinkle salt over top. Mix salt in with the cabbage. Weight down the cabbage to keep it submerged in the liquid that is/will be released from the cabbage.
  • Transfer to the sterile jar(s). Ensure that the cabbage is submerged in the liquid. If needed, add 1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of water to fill the jar, ensuring that the cabbage is submerged.
  • Cover the container with cheesecloth and tie it tightly (use rubber band or string).
  • Store in a cool place (temperature range 65 to 75 degrees F).
  • Let stand for 1 week to cure, cover, then refrigerate.
  • Pickled cabbage can last up to 2 weeks in refrigerator.

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Savory and Red Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
Salad

  • Red cabbage – ½ head finely shredded
  • Savory cabbage – 5 to 10 leaves chopped
  • Mango – 1 cup in strips
  • Papaya – 1 cup in strips
  • Mint – ¼ cup chopped
  • Cilantro – 1.5 cups chopped
  • Toasted chopped almonds – 1 cup

Dressing

  • Juice from 1 lime
  • Maple syrup – 2 tablespoons
  • Olive oil – 4 table spoons
  • Garlic – 1 clove chopped or crushed
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  • Combine ingredients for salad. Make dressing. Combine both and serve.
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