Blackberries!

Blackberries! 

(credit: Jackie Garvin)

They're popping up all over the place now and so prices are kind to your wallet, plus they are so, so good for you. Did you know that blackberries are an excellent source of vitamin-C, which is a powerful antioxidant? Blackberries are low in calories, carbohydrates and have no fat, which makes them popular in low carb and low calorie diets. They also have good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium are in blackberries too. That's a lot of good stuff. 

Cobblers are a delicious Southern tradition, no doubt, but consider a healthier dessert like a Blackberry Crisp instead.  You may have heard this recipe this morning on The Tennessee Farm Table in WDVX...  You can listen any time on demand by accessing the show in the audio archives. (The Tennessee Farm Table airs every Saturday at 9 a.m. If you live in East Tennessee be sure to give it a listen... Host Amy Campbell features lots of great info on the people who grow, prepare, and preserve our regional foods.)  

Here’s what you’ll need:

About 5-6 cups of fresh blackberries, washed

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder (use arrowroot powder if you have concerns about GMOs and can't locate GMO-free cornstarch)

2/3 cup brown sugar (you can use less depending on your desired sweetness)

about ¼ cup of cold butter, diced

¾  cup rolled oats

½   cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts, we like pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt

(Use organic ingredients when possible)

Toss blackberries with lemon juice, honey and cornstarch/arrowroot powder and spread in a greased 8-or-9-inch pan.

Combine brown sugar, butter, rolled oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and a dash of salt in a food processor; pulse a few times.

Crumble over fruit and bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes.

This will keep in the fridge for a few days and also freezes really well.

Enjoy! 

Do you have a favorite healthy blackberry recipe?  I'd love to hear about it.  Please feel free to post in the comments! 

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Cranberry Chutney

I love making:

1) holiday gifts

2) food that has many uses

A few pantry staples and stand-bys, like salsa, fit some of the criteria (condiment, sauce, topping, spread) but cranberry sauce (or in my case, chutney) tops them all. Perfect as a condiment with your Christmas ham, a sweet and tart topping for vanilla ice cream, a spread on your post-holiday turkey sandwich or a sauce alongside a lovely savory dish.

As for making holiday gifts, my love language is FOOD so (naturally) that’s what I love to make and give. Enter (again): Cranberry Chutney. Now, the reason why I call my cranberry concoction a chutney (rather than a sauce) is because my recipe calls for additional fruit and less sugar than jams or traditional cranberry sauce. It’s perfectly tart and sweet. (Besides, chutney sounds fancier.)

And here’s another thing: If you’re on a budget this is a fantastically inexpensive gift to create. For about $1 (or less) for a ½ pint Ball jar and less than $2. for ingredients per jar you can create a yummy, thoughtful, (and frugal) holiday gift. 

You can make this recipe on the stovetop or in a crock pot, depending on how much time you've got on your hands. The crock pot method will take 8 hours but here is very little hands-on work; the stovetop will take less than an hour but you'll have to be more involved with stirring, etc. 

 (all ready for givin'!)

Cranberry Chutney

 ***Triple this recipe to yield enough for five ½ pint jars.***

1 twelve oz. bag of fresh cranberries

1 Gala or Fuji apple (peeled, cored and diced)

1 orange (zested, peeled, tough membrane removed, chopped. Reserve zest, orange sections, and extra juice)

1 cup of orange juice

½ - 1 cup of sugar (start with smallest amount and sweeten to taste)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Tip for breaking down the orange:  Zest first, use a mini-grater or microplane for best results. Slice off both ends, and slice off peel while standing orange on end. Cut in quarters; remove pulp from white membrane with hands. 

Crock Pot instructions:

Combine all ingredients in pot.

Stir to mix.

Set to low for 8 hours, stirring about every 1 ½ - 2 hours. 

For the last hour, cover halfway (this will help it thicken a bit) and continue to cook until done.

Stovetop instructions:

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan.

Stir to mix.

Bring to boil. 

Immediately reduce heat to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until cranberries are bursting. (DO NOT let it come to a rolling boil or the sugar will burn the bottom of the pan and your chutney will be ruined.) 

Canning:

Spoon hot chutney into hot, sterilized glass jars. Wipe edges, place canning lids and tightly screw on bands. Boil in water bath for 20 minutes. (Water must be at least one inch above jars.) Cool on wire racks. Be sure to test jars by pushing down on center of lid to make sure it’s stable, not popping up and down. You should also hear the telltale “ping” from each jar as they cool. If your jars are not sealed properly, refrigerate and consume within one week.


Organically yours,


Minde


What is your fave homemade food gift? Share below...  :) 

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Roasted Pumpkin and... Pumpkin Pie

Pic by katerha

Today's "Whatcha Cookin' Wednesday" is a 2-fer  - roasted pumpkin AND roasted pumpkin pie - because it's high time we shift the pumpkin paradigm.

It seems to me that when it comes to pumpkins folks rush to carve them into jack-o-lanterns or use as porch and mantle adornments but when it comes to using it as an ingredient... most reach for the canned stuff.  

“It’s easier!” Maaaaybe, but it's also full of BPA, sugar, preservatives and other added stuff.

”It’s cheaper.” Nope. Not by a mile.

“It’s what I know!”  Shift the paradigm!

I invite you to do your taste buds (and wallet) a favor. Allow real pumpkin into your life and on your table.

A can of organic canned pumpkin will run you about $2.40-3.00. It’s enough for ONE pie. A whole, organic pie pumpkin costs about $1.25-2.50., depending on where and when you buy it, and will yield enough pulp for TWO pies. That's HALF-OFF, folks. Buy late-season pie pumpkins at your local farmers market to get the best deal. (Offer to buy in bulk and see the prices really go down…) I buy up all the inexpensive pumpkins each season and do some bulk cooking, a  bit of a roasting fest if you will. My kitchen smells wonderful for an afternoon and I have enough roasted pumpkin to last until mid-summer, sometimes longer. This is how it looks when I'm done:

I stack them in my freezer, like edible books.

I usually preserve my bounty by freezing flat in freezer bags in 2-cup increments so it's easy to pull out for my favorite pumpkin bread recipe.

You’ll be delighted to find out how easy it is to cook real pumpkin that can be used in a wide variety of recipes including quick breads, muffins, soups and yes, pies. When ripe, pumpkins can be boiled, baked, steamed, or, my absolute fave, ROASTED. Total hands-on time is about 5-10 minutes. Easy.

Roasty goodness by Rachel Tayse

Roasted Pumpkin

-Preheat oven to 400.

-Cut pie pumpkin in half or quarters (top to bottom from stem) and scoop out seeds.

-Place pumpkin on cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.

Tip: For easy clean-up, line cookie sheet or jell roll pan with parchment paper or foil before roasting.  

-Roast for 50-60 minutes, or until a fork can be easily pierced through skin.

-Cool and scoop out pulp from skin.

And now....  PIE. Lovely PIE. Perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, says me and my kiddos. And especially Thanksgiving. I usually refer to this pumpkin pie recipe as "blender pie" since the only kitchen tool needed is a blender. It's easily the tastiest and easiest pie I've ever made. Hands down.

Roasted Pumpkin Pie

Pie pic by pbody

3 c. roasted pumpkin (about one 3.5 lb sugar pumpkin)

1.5 c. light brown sugar

2 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

6 large eggs

3 cups of evaporated milk

-Assemble all ingredients in blender and mix until slightly frothy.

-Pour into favorite pie crust.

-Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned and no longer jiggly in the middle.

Organically yours,

Minde

What's your fave way to cook pumpkin?  I'd love to hear about it...

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "Sour Cream Apple Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust"

My kids are apple freaks. And that’s fantastic since apples are so great for your body. An amazing source of fiber… You can still find some good apples at some markets but for the most part apples are headed out of season. This recipe is an awesome treat for that last fresh batch. You will eat this pie for breakfast the next day. It’s that good.

But first, a few fun facts about apples:

- Apples are the second most valuable fruit crop in the United States, after oranges.
- Apples are not native to the country. Research shows that apples came from Central Asia. (But they are believed to have been grown in America since the early sixteen hundreds).
- Among nations, China is the biggest grower followed by the United States and Turkey.
- Apples are a member of the rose family.
- Johnny Appleseed’s real name was John Chapman.

O.k., enough. Time to create your new fave pie.

SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE WITH OATMEAL COOKIE CRUST

Crust:
3 T. honey
½ c. sweet unsalted butter
1 ½ c. raw rolled oats
¼ c. sesame seeds
½ c. whole wheat flour
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
½ c. finely minced nuts (I use toasted walnuts)
½ t. vanilla extract

Filling:
5 c. sliced and peeled tart apples (like Granny Smiths)
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
½ c. honey
2 T. unbleached flour
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
1 large egg
½ c. sour cream

Making the crust:
Melt butter and honey together. Combine dry ingredients and add honey/butter mixture. Stir well with hands and press firmly and evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9” pie plate.

Making the filling:
Beat egg well. Combine with other wet ingredients and stir well. Sift dry ingredients over apples. Arrange apple/flour/spice mixture in pie pan and drizzle wet ingredients over the top.

Bake at 375 for about 50-60 minutes. (This pie may bubble up and overflow so be sure to place cookie sheet or foil on bottom rack.)

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving... And despite all the turkey and stuffing (or here in the South, dressing) and cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole and corn casserole and on and on and on... We all need a really good COOKIE.

So here ya go. You can thank me in gold bullion.

Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries
(Makes sixteen 4-inch cookies)

1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
1 ¼ rolled oats (old-fashioned)
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup of dried cherries, coarsely chopped
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks about the size of chocolate chips (about ¾ cup.)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar, preferably dark
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, stir together oats, pecans, cherries and chocolate.

In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium sped until no sugar lumps remain, about one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. About 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until evenly incorporated. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide dough evenly into 16 portions, each about ¼ cup, then roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on a baking sheet, spacing then about 2 ½ inches apart. Using hands, gently press each dough ball to 1 inch thickness. Bake about 8 minutes, rotate sheet, bake another 8 minutes until the edges have begun to set but centers are still soft – cookies will seem underdone and will appear wet, raw and shiny in cracks. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.