Thanksgiving: Cranberry, orange and rosemary sauce

This Canadian Thanksgiving we are celebrating with a duck breast served with shallots in a red wine reduction, topped with a cranberry, orange and rosemary sauce.
I am going to share with you my special cranberry sauce recipe.

Ingredients:
150g of fresh cranberries
2 branches of fresh rosemary
juice from 0.5 orange
0.5 c of water
1 tbsp of butter
0.5 c of red wine
4 tbsp of honey
Salt, pepper
2 tbsp arrowroot

1. On a medium heat cook cranberries and rosemary for about 10 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients (except arrowroot), reduce heat to low. Cook for another 15 minutes.
3. Blend all ingredients. Then cook for another 15-30 minutes on a very low heat.
4. Mix arrowroot with some water, then stir it into the sauce.
5. Serve hot with duck, turkey, or pork. You can mix in juices from cooking meat.
6. Enjoy.

Rosemary mustard sauce

This sauce goes great with white fish, or white meats.

Ingredients:
2 cups Vegetable stock
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosmary
0.5 cup of white wine
1 tbsp mustard
0.3 tap turmeric
1 tsp flour

1. Cool the stock with rosemary on a low heat for 10-15 minutes.
2. Stir in wine, mustard, and turmeric, cook for further 5-10 minutes.
3. Stir in flour to thicken the sauce.
4. Serve hot.

Turkey meatballs in a dill sauce

Today I made turkey meatballs in a dill sauce. Dill sauce and dill soups are very popular in Poland and are some of the favourite meals of Polish kids.

This recipe was inspired by the school menu I received from one of the Polish schools.

You can use this sauce with meats and with a small modification with fish. For fish I would add 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice.

Ingredient:
1. Meatballs
500 g ground turkey
1 large carrot, finely grated
1 cup of fresh parsley
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Optional bread crumbs

2. Dill sauce
1 cup of vegetable stock
3/4 cup of cream
1 pack of fresh dill (about 1 cup)
1 tsp turmeric
2-3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
Sea salt, pepper to taste




Making meatballs
1. Blend fresh parsley with olive oil
2. On a small heat saute finely chopped onion and crushed and finely chopped garlic.
3. Mix all ingredients for meatballs together.
4. Form balls of similar size for even cooking.
5. Heat the pan with ghee or some oil using moderate heat. Place the meatballs and let them acquire some color, while gently stirring them.
6. When ready, set them aside.


Making dill sauce
1. Heat the stock on a low heat.
2. Add butter, dill, cream, and spices. Mix well. Allow to cook for  about 7 minutes.
3. Mix in flour to thicken the sauce.
4. Transfer the sauce to the pan with meatballs and gently cook on a low gas mark for 10-15 minutes.

Bison Meatballs

Bison Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lbs ground bison
1 medium onion
1 egg
5 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crashed
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
0.5 tsp dried sage
0.5 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp paprika
If the bison is very lean add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Form balls with your hand. I used the size of about 0.75 tbsp per ball.
3. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes.

Vegan Oatmeal

Some people wonder whether they will need to give up oatmeal once they start their vegan journey.
The answer is: of course not!

While there are many alternative plant milks on the market, all of them have additives that I am less than comfortable consuming on a regular basis. Hence, I go with milk and mylk-less version of the oatmeal, which tastes delicious.

Ingredients:
0.5 cup uncooked Scottish oats
1.5 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana
1 ripe peach
1 tbsp cocoa nibs
3 tbsp shivered almonds

1. Cook the oats with water and cinnamon for about 7 minutes, until it thickens.
2. Then place oatmeal with a banana and peach in a blender and blend until it is smooth.
3. Serve the oatmeal in a bowl, topped with almonds and cocoa nibs.

#cocoanibs #almonds #veganoatmeal #healthyliving #easymeals #healthywithjoanna

Cabbage Stew (Kapusta Wigilijna)

I have been struggling to make a perfect cabbage stew for years. I tried many recipes and modification and could never get it just right...until this year!

Ingredients:
0.5 kg sauerkraut; pour hot water over it to remove excess sourness
0.5 kg fresh cabbage
1.5 cups of dried mushrooms, soaked, retain water
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
100 g butter
4 whole allspice
5 white pepper corns
1 tbs caraway seeds
5-6 prunes

1. Chop fresh cabbage and place it together with sauerkraut in a pot with butter. Cook on a low heat (gas mark 2.4; after 1 hour lower it to 2.2)
2. Roughly chop soaked mushrooms; add them to the cabbage mix. Also add most of the soaking water.
3. Saute onion for a few minutes until softened; add to the cabbage mix. Continue cooking; mix occasionally.
4. Finely chop prunes, add to the cabbage mix together with spices. Continue cooking, and stirring occasionally.
5. Cook for about 6-8 hours over 2 days. You may need to add some water.
6. Enjoy!

Polish Christmas: Honey Cake (Piernik po Staropolsku)

#easyfoodcreations #healthyeating #PolishChristmas

Here is the 12th century recipe I found on the internet for the traditional Polish Piernik a while ago. Unfortunately it was years ago and the printed sheet did not have the credentials.
The spice mix I created myself as I was not be able to find anything similar ready to use in Canada.
I have to say that my son absolutely loves this cake; it is his favourite.

Ingredients:

0.5 kg rye flour

250 g all purpose flour

0.5 kg honey

4 eggs

250g sugar

250 g jar of jam (sour cherry, plum, or black currant are best)

250 g butter

3 tbsp unsweetened natural juice (sour cherry, blueberry, plum are best)

1 tbsp very strong coffee

1 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp baking soda

2 tbsp lemon and orange peel

0.25 c dried fruits and nuts (optional)

Piernik spice mix 

Piernik spice mix:

10 coriander seeds

5 cloves

1 allspice

0.25 tsp grated nutmeg 

3 poss of cardamom

1 tsp grated cinnamon

0.5 tsp vanilla powder

0.5 inch fresh ginger, grated 

1. Heat half of the sugar, honey and butter in a pan (gas mark 2-2.2); mix occasionally. Let it cool off.

2. Egg yolks mix with remaining sugar for about 5 minutes; add flour, soda, baking powder. Then add honey mix, juice, jam, coffee, cacao, and Piernik spice mix.

Mix well.

3. If desired add finely chopped dried fruits and nuts. 

4. Beat egg whites until stiff. Then fold it into the cake mix.

5. Prepare the baking form by spreading a little bit of butter and flour so the cake does not stick.

Pour the cake mix in.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180c for about 60 minutes.

7. Let it cool off before removing from the form.

8. Enjoy!