Tag Archives: Sugar Ridge

Coconut Cream Chia Pudding

May 3, 2017

Chia seeds are one of the healthiest of the new superfoods widely available in food markets today. They are loaded with nutrients that can have important benefits for your body and brain. 

Coconut Cream Chia Pudding is a delicious, easy to make treat packed with lots of nutrition! Vegan-friendly and gluten free, you can make one or more portions the night before to have throughout the week. Start with the basic recipe, adding in your favourite fruits and toppings.

Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayan who prized them for their ability to provide sustained energy.

In fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”

Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, only recently did chia seeds become recognized as a modern-day superfood.

These tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains (1, 2):

  • Fiber: 11 grams
  • Protein: 4 grams
  • Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s)
  • Calcium: 18% of the RDA
  • Manganese: 30% of the RDA
  • Magnesium: 30% of the RDA
  • Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA
  • They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

The fiber and Omega 3’s in Chia seeds rate higher ounce for ounce than flaxseed.  Higher fiber with lots of Omega’s reduce your risk for diabetes type 2 and heart disease. One of the best features are the antioxidants which help the Omega oils from going rancid. So grab your empty mason jars (8oz) and get your breakfast of champions started!

COCONUT CREAM CHIA PUDDING
WITH MIXED BERRIES AND PECANS

Ingredients (per serving)

  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (adjust sweetness to taste)

Mix chia seeds, coconut milk, and maple syrup together in a small bowl or glass mason jar. Let it set in the refrigerator. Stir mixture after half an hour and set back in the fridge. Repeat one more time. Leave overnight.

In the morning, remove it from the fridge, and make sure your pudding looks thick and the chia seeds have gelled.

Layer the coconut cream on top of the pudding (available at specialty food stores or the grocery store in ethnic aisle) then add fresh strawberries/blueberries and top with chopped pecans. Then grab a spoon and enjoy!

You can make 5 to 7 – 8oz. glass mason jars with the basic recipe and change up your breakfast to go every morning by using different fruits, nuts and seeds for a variety of tastes and texture.

P.S. It also makes a great dessert or afternoon snack!

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Maple Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower

April 19, 2017

A guest recently shared a version of this recipe with me and I’ve loved it ever since. I’ve tweaked it a bit of course (cuz that’s what I do) and every guest I’ve shared it with has loved it.

If you are looking for a super quick side dish that’s unique then here’s your answer!     ~ Liz

Ingredients

  • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp sriracha – could use more if you like it hot
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until combined. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated.
  3. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake, flipping once during baking, until golden brown and tender (approx 25 min).
  4. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with additional sriracha sauce if desired.

Pro Tip: If you want less mess for clean up, line the baking sheet with parchment paper!

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Thai Mushroom & Kale Soup

October 14, 2016

Thai Mushroom SoupIngredients

  • 1 large onion cut into chunks (bite sized)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger minced (more if you love ginger)
  • 2-4 cups mushrooms – brown, shitake or cremini – the older the better for flavour
  • 2 cups kale chopped (or bok choy, or spinach, or dandelion leaves)
  • Extra firm tofu – cut into small cubes
  • Mushroom bouillon (or veggie if you don’t have mushroom)
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 – 2 tbsp organic soy sauce
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • Fresh cilantro chopped coarsely for garnish
  • 1 can of coconut milk

Preparation

  1. In a large soup pot, soften the onions, garlic and ginger at a low temperature using a bit of water and put a lid on the pot letting them sweat and release their yumminess to the broth to come.
  2. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook at a low temperature, adding a cup of water after a few minutes.
  3. While this is cooking, fry the tofu in sesame oil until brown.  Turning it often so it doesn’t stick and frying evenly on all sides.
  4. When mushrooms are soft add 3-4 cups of water to the pot and add the bouillon cubes & coriander seeds.  Any bouillon flavour will do as long as it’s vegan & preferably organic so it doesn’t have any nasty chemicals in it.
  5. A few minutes before serving add the coconut milk, tofu, kale, soy sauce & lime juice to the pot. Reduce the temperature and serve when the kale is soft – takes a minute or so.  You can use bok choy if you don’t have kale.
  6. Garnish with bean sprouts and fresh cilantro just before serving.  Hot sauce is an option too.
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Spicy Cornbread Muffins

October 18, 2015

Spicy_Cornmeal_MuffinsThese savory muffins are a full of flavour and a great addition to brunch or served alongside soup.

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 ear corn, kernels cut off the cob, or 3/4 cup (thawed) frozen corn
  • (optional) 1 chili pepper, minced fine or 1/8 tsp chili powder
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

 Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a muffin pan.
  2. Fry the onion and peppers in the olive oil with medium heat until softened.
  3. When the onion and peppers are nearly finished frying, add in the corn, frying until warmed through. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
  4. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  5. Combine the milk and lemon juice with the dry ingredients and then add in the cooked veggies. Do not overmix.
  6. Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter and bake for 20 min or until browned and an inserted toothpick/sharp knife comes out clean.
  7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes to firm up, then remove from pan to cool.
  8. Enjoy!

 NOTES:

  • For a different flavor, try adding one of the following: Mexican/taco seasoning, feta cheese, fresh basil or whatever you think might make a yummy addition.
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Arugula Salad with Roasted Squash & Candied Pecans

September 17, 2015

Butternut SquashA yummy salad with a taste of fall!

Enjoy!

     Liz

 

 Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon vegan margarine
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 package fresh arugula (or use a combination greens if you don’t like the strong taste of arugula)
  • 1 granny smith apple, cored, sliced quite thin and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup roasted squash, cubed into small bite size pieces
  • 2 tbsp organic dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

  1. Melt margarine in small frying pan over low heat.
  2. Add pecans and brown sugar.
  3. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is caramelized.
  4. Spread out on wax paper to cool.
  5. Mix the oil & vinegar and add the apple as it is sliced to prevent browning.
  6. In bowl toss together arugula (or other greens), pecans, cranberries, apple and squash with the dressing and serve immediately.

Note: To make ahead for a special dinner–toss apple with dressing so that it doesn’t turn brown. Layer apple on top of greens, squash, and pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until needed, tossing just before serving.

If you are not vegan you could add a cheese like feta, or a sharper cheese to contrast the apple & sweet pecans.

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Watermelon Gazpacho Soup

July 29, 2015

WatermelonHere’s a cold soup for the hot weather!  This gazpacho is raw and vegan and, though it is good anytime, it makes a great side for a summer meal.

Enjoy!

     Liz

 

Ingredients

  • approx 3 cups of watermelon, chopped
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno (or to taste)
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
  • dash salt and pepper to taste
  • garnish with fresh mint

 

Preparation

  1. In a blender or food processor, place about half of the watermelon, cucumber, pepper, and onion and all of the jalapeno. Add olive oil and lemon juice and puree until smooth.
  2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add to pureed ingredients and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Chill for at least one hour, to allow flavors to combine, and stir well before serving.
  4. Add lemon juice, salt etc. to taste before serving.

Photo Credit: Rafael Moreno – License

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Rhubarb Crisp

May 21, 2015

Strawberry-Blueberry-Rhubarb CrispRhubarb is in season now and we have been happily adding it to the menu here at Sugar Ridge.  It has to be one of my favourite fruit (even though it is technically a vegetable!).  It has such a wonderful tangy flavour and works so well with other summer fruits like apples and all manner of berries, especially strawberry. 

So, for your baking and eating pleasure, here’s a recipe for a crisp that we make quite often.  There is not a lot to it, so it is easy to make, and it can easily be made vegan and gluten free.

Technically, this rhubarb “crisp” is actually a “crumble”, as crumbles have oats in the toppings and crisps do not.  But since this is the way the recipe was given to me from my mom and previously from my great aunt, I am keeping it this way.  We don’t have to tell anyone and it still tastes the same!

Enjoy!

     Kurt

 

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1 cm-sized chopped rhubarb to almost fill 9″x9″ baking pan
  • maple syrup
  • water (as needed)

Topping:

  • 1/3 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup brown or Demerara sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/4 cups oats
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9″x9″ baking pan.
  2. Wash and chop rhubarb into ~1 cm pieces. (Smaller pieces will cook faster.)
  3. Fill the baking dish with the rhubarb to almost the top.  The volume of the fruit will reduce during the baking.
  4. Drizzle maple syrup liberally over the rhubarb to act as the sweetener and give it some of it’s liquid to bake. It is mostly done by feel and to taste, but you will probably need 1/4-1/3 cup syrup.
  5. If there does not seem to be enough liquid in the pan and the rhubarb is very firm, add a few extra tablespoons of water to help it soften during baking.
  6. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter/margarine and sugar.
  7. Mix in the flour and then the oats and cinnamon. The topping should be crumbly, but still loosely hold together. If it has, for some reason, no stick-togetherness, then add a bit more butter/margarine.
  8. Spread the topping evenly over the pan of rhubarb so that all of the fruit is covered. You may need to press down slightly on the topping to gently compact it all into the pan.
  9. Bake the crisp for 30 to 40 min, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is soft when tested with a knife.  Put the crisp back in for 5 min more if it is still too firm.

Notes

  • as mentioned at the top, pretty much ANY berry I can think of can be added to this recipe. The most obvious (and my favourite!!!) rhubarb berry combo is to add strawberries.  Berries can replace 1/3 to 1/2 of the rhubarb. You may need less syrup to sweeten the rhubarb with berries in the mix, as they already are pretty sweet.  Other great berries are raspberries, blueberries and cranberries.  Consider trying a combo of several berries and make it a bumbleberry-rhubarb crisp!  Apples are also an old standard for an addition to a crisp.
  • gluten-free flour can easily be substituted for wheat flour and the substitution has little to no effect on the recipe, as it plays such a small role in the topping and there are no concerns whether it rises or not.
  • other sweeteners can be used instead of maple syrup. As maple syrup is the “sugar” in our Sugar Ridge, it is a go-to sweetener for us, but honey, cane sugar, brown/demerara sugar or whatever you want will work well.
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Almond Milk Pulp Macaroons

April 23, 2015

Coconut Macaroons

Liz has been making almond milk more and more lately.  One of the by-products of making this awesome milk is a lot of almond pulp.  We are not wasteful around here, so we’ve been adding the almond pulp to various things we make in the kitchen.  It is a great ingredient, as it is full of protein and can be used as a base in recipes, like a flour (as long as you lessen amount of liquid you add to offset the water in the pulp).

One yummy use for the almond pulp is to make macaroons.  Here is a great recipe we came across that uses the pulp and the amazing natural sweetness of Medjool dates.  As we play around with almond pulp recipes more, additional recipes may be posted… maybe even another variation or two on this one!

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup almond pulp
  • 1/3 cup pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp almond or vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine dates, almond pulp, sea salt, and almond or vanilla in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add shredded coconut and coconut oil and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Scoop 1 tbsp portions of the batter, roll into balls between your palms and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  4. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 Notes

  • makes about 12 macaroons.
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon can be added for a nice addition to the flavour
  • if you love chocolate (like we do) you can add a few tablespoons of cocoa into the mix before baking  or drizzle melted chocolate over the finished macaroons.

  Recipe modified from Yoga Journal post.

  Photo Credit: Roxanna Salceda – License

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Oatmeal Cookies

April 4, 2015

“I am not sure where this recipe originates, but it has been in my Mom’s recipe box for as long as I can remember and I have been making it since I was a kid. These cookies have quickly become a favourite and the recipe has been requested so many times, that we just had to add it to the website. I hope you enjoy making and eating them as much as we do!”

 ~  Kurt

Makes about 36 cookies.

Basic Recipe:

¾ cup butter or margerine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg OR 1 tbsp.ground flaxseeds (heaping) and ¼ cup water
2 tbsp water (as needed)
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (or mixture of 1/3 c. whole wheat and 1/3 c. all purpose flours)
¾ tsp baking soda
3 cups oatmeal (large flakes are better, but ‘quck oats’ also work)

 

Option 1: Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Kurt’s favourite)

Make basic recipe and add:
¼ cup  cocoa
1½ cups chocolate chips
(Try substituting ½ c of the chocolate chips for dried cranberries or coconut for something different.)

Option 2 : Cran-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies (Liz’s favourite)

Make basic recipe and add:
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup raisins

 

Preheat oven to 350 F

Preparation:

1. Mix together butter and sugars until creamy in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the egg, water and vanilla mix in.
(alternately, instead of the egg, mix the 1 tbsp. ground flax seeds and ¼ c. water in a small glass or measuring cup and let stand for 5 min. until it is gooey and then add to the wet ingredients.)
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking soda and then mix into the large bowl.
4. Mix the oats into the batter and then any additional ingredients from the “optional” recipes.
5. Spoon compacted balls of the batter onto cookie sheets, flatten the balls out a bit with the spoon, and bake for 12 to 15 min.
6. When done in the oven, let the cookies sit to cool on the pan for several minutes for them to firm up.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

April 4, 2015

This basic recipe is adapted from The Chopra Center Cookbook, by Deepak Chopra. It has quickly turned into the favourite muffin we serve here at Sugar Ridge and group after group raves about it. Try it yourself at home…. but we know you will be back for more!

Makes twelve muffins.

Dry Ingredients:

2 c. whole wheat flour (preferably “soft”)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

 

Wet Ingredients:

1 c. soy / rice milk
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or your favourite nut/seed
1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries (I use a bit of both!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Preparation:

1. Grease muffin tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and the wet ingredients in a smaller one.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl and combine with the dry to make a smooth batter.
4. Mix in nuts/seeds and dried fruit.
5. Scoop the bater into the muffin tins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Muffins should be golden brown, and check by an inserted toothpick coming out clean. If not, put them in for 5 more minutes.

Notes

If you don’t have maple syrup, brown sugar can be substituted, but you will have add a few extra tablespoons of milk to increase the moistness. Add a bit at a time… 

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