This recipe comes from the Railway City Brewing Company in St. Thomas.  We love Railway City because their all-natural beer is craft brewed in small batches using only the finest ingredients, premium locally grown hops and Ontario-sourced malted grains, with no artificial additives or preservatives. Their signature “growler” bottle is actually returnable to the brewery.  This is the simplest bread recipe I have ever tried, which made me a little skeptical at first, but this beer bread was every bit as good as they promised.   The top is crunchy while the inside is soft and delicious.  I used Iron Spike Amber Ale for its excellent flavour.  Serve it with your favorite soup, stew or chili for a hearty and delicious meal.

–Erin

You’ve never tasted whole grains like this before. Grainstorm is a Toronto-based company that takes ancient and heritage organic grains grown in rural Ontario and grinds them like our forefathers used to in centuries gone by, transforming them into baked goods that are actually good for you!

Grainstorm was born in 2010 when Toronto “marketer and avid foodie” David Zivot embarked on a journey to getting healthier without giving up the food he loved. His family discovered how delicious grains were when ground fresh at home, and how great they felt after eating it. Zivot sourced some ancient and heritage grains from a farm in Owen Sound and others from the Canadian prairies, and started grinding them for those of us without such equipment to enjoy.

I stumbled upon Grainstorm’s Ancient Grain Muffin & Loaf Mix at a nearby health food store. I loved the packaging and was intrigued by the idea of an organic baking mix. At home, I went straight to the Grainstorm website and found a recipe for Apple Almond Loaf. I adapted it to make delicious, filling, and healthy muffins! I love having them in the freezer to pull out for a convenient and wholesome breakfast.

Not sure about the whole ancient grain thing? Wondering how grains could actually be good for you? Find the answers to these questions and so much more on the lovely Grainstorm website.

Grainstorm products are currently available in 158 stores across Canada, many of which are in Ontario. Find a store near you or connect the Grainstorm people with your favourite local shopkeeper. Or, you can always shop online!

–Sarah

Good Morning 2013
I’ll admit that I may have overindulged a little over the holiday. I’m feeling the effects of those excess calories on my waistline. I know you’re not supposed to eat shortbread cookies and chocolates for breakfast, but sometimes it’s hard to resist!

This year I’ve decided to make a healthy change thanks to a tasty little jar of goodness I picked up from my friends at Forbes Wild Food. Their Preserved Wild Strawberries, stirred into plain unsweetened yogurt is the most delicious start to my day! For the past few days I have been making our family a delicious breakfast parfait each morning.

Anything Goes in a Breakfast Parfait
Here’s what I’m adding to my breakfast parfait: A chopped apple and some sliced peaches topped with a half cup of plain yogurt, a teaspoon of Wild Strawberry Preserve, a couple of tablespoons of hemp hearts, and a small handful of granola. I love it. It’s quick, easy, tasty and nutritious. The wild strawberries add a touch of sweetness that makes the whole thing taste like heaven. I’m not counting calories. I’m just trying to make sure I put good stuff on my spoon. The protein fix I get first thing in the morning takes me all the way to lunch time without snacking!

Forbes Wild Strawberries
Wild strawberries are often considered the finest of wild fruits because of their heavenly taste and aroma. If you have ever picked wild strawberries, you will know how long it takes to harvest enough for a dessert or preserve. Forbes wild strawberries are harvested in Northern Ontario and Quebec and are full of flavour.

–Erin

Photo Credit: Melissa Cowan of Cowans Country Store

Holiday Nostalgia
I have always loved egg nog. Every December, my mom used to stock up with several cartons each week, because my siblings and I could not get enough of it. As adults we are much the same, so it was a delight to discover a rural, local version by Harmony Organic!

Egg Nog the Organic Way
Harmony Organic is an Ontario company headquartered in Listowel that distributes organic milk products, including 1% and 2% milk, chocolate milk, whipping and coffee creams, brie cheese, and of course egg nog. All of their products are made with 100% organic milk from happy cows across rural Ontario, then that milk is minimally processed to preserve nutrients and freshness. In the interest of environmental sustainability and retaining the freshest taste possible, Harmony Organic offers all of its milk and cream products in traditional glass bottles as well as cartons.

Get in on the Deliciousness!
This exceptional holiday beverage is available for a limited time only, and each shipment disappears quickly from the stores, so you may want to put in a special order at your local Harmony Organic supplier.

If you’re in the Listowel area, I recommend you call the Cowan sisters at Cowans Country Store to order your egg nog. You can also follow the store on Facebook to find out when they get a new shipment!

Cowans Country Store
126 Main Street
Listowel, ON
519.291.2188

For those outside of the Listowel area, find a store near you using the Harmony Organic store locator tool.

–Sarah

Cookies: The Kids Loved Them
I’m not a mom who typically sneaks vegetables into the kids’ dessert, but this recipe for lentil chocolate chip cookies really grabbed my attention. Curious to know if these cookies tasted good, and figuring that since the kids are going to eat cookies anyways, I figured this healthier recipe was a must-try option.

I did tell the kids I added lentils to the cookies, partly because I wanted them to be more open to legumes and also because I wanted to give them a chance to make a fuss. The crazy thing is they didn’t care! They ate these cookies up as though they came right off a store shelf. This is excellent, because now I have four dozen cookies in my freezer to add to the kids’ lunch bags and share with friends and family when they come over.

The Big Deal about Lentils
I’ve learned that not only do lentils taste good, but you can actually put them in about everything. They complement the usual savoury suspects like soups and stews, and also desserts like pies and cakes. The Canadian Lentils website will inspire you to get cooking with this powerhouse legume.

The main thing is that lentils are great for you! They are gluten-free, high in protein, fibre and other vitamins and minerals, such as folate and iron. In my observation, these elements are sorely lacking in most store-bought cookies. Lentils are also quite easy to cook with. For the three-quarters of a cup of pureed green lentils that this recipe calls for, I simply simmered them in a saucepan for about 15 minutes or so until tender, then pureed them in a food processor.

Baking Hints from the Chef
Okay, I’m not really a chef, but here are my helpful ideas: first, get all the ingredients out and pre-measure them. Of course, when I did this, I noticed I was out of eggs and had to stop the whole procedure until my husband ran to the store! When you have all your ingredients together and you get around to dropping the cookies on the pan, I recommend lining your pans with parchment paper. I keep a big roll of that stuff my kitchen and use it instead of greasing the pans. Parchment paper makes baking cleanup a snap!

It should be noted that this is not one of those cookie recipes where you have to worry about the dough spreading all across the pan when they bake, so I could literally bake about 16 -20 cookies at a time, depending on which cookie sheet I was using. I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of into efficiency when it comes to baking. Last, if you don’t want to bake all the cookies at once, roll the dough into balls and store them in a container in the freezer, then just bake them as needed. Everyone will be amazed when, 12 minutes later, you’re pulling freshly baked cookies out of the oven!

If you have a great recipe that uses a secret healthy ingredient, we’d love to see it! Share it with us on Facebook or drop us a line via our About page.

Happy Baking!

–Erin

Born and raised in Thornbury, Ontario, Red Prince is descended from the Golden Delicious and Jonathan apple lineage. If you’ve never heard of Red Prince, it’s because they only arrived in stores two years ago. This new type of apple is distributed by Martin Farms, whose products are for sale in your local Loblaw’s store.

What originally drew me to Red Prince apples was hearing that they were slower to oxidize after being cut. Since my kids are offended by apples after they turn brown, I thought Red Prince was worth a try!

Immediately struck by this apple’s pleasing colour, I also liked the weight of it in my hand.  Red Prince apples feel substantial and seem heavier than most for their size.  It turns out that there is more to appreciate about Red Prince than just good looks: the flavour is really impressive, too!

The crunchy sweet taste of a Red Prince makes me feel like I am eating something more decadent than an apple, which is a compliment I don’t often pay to a piece of fruit. I like that these apples will appease my sweet tooth and my hunger cravings at the same time.

Something else that kicks the Red Prince experience up a notch is the fact that it is locally-grown. Knowing that I am buying fruit produced only a few hours away adds an extra dimension of pleasure to my snacking experience.  I have always associated Ontario with the world’s best produce, so Red Prince apples are a welcome reminder of the high quality fruit available here in our own backyard. ]]> http://www.ruralist.ca/taste-red-prince-an-ontario-apple/feed/ 2 http://www.ruralist.ca/taste-hayters-turkey-sausage/ http://www.ruralist.ca/taste-hayters-turkey-sausage/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:00:26 +0000 Erin Roy http://www.ruralist.ca/?p=521 NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

All right folks, I’m no chef. In fact, if I’m being honest, cooking is something that stresses me out a bit. Finding a meal that’s healthy, easy and that everyone will eat is a challenge, as anyone knows. It’s a challenge that I secretly dread each evening.

In spite of that, I’m about about to share with you a favourite recipe out of my own family cookbook. This lasagna is gobbled up within minutes of it coming out of the oven! It’s made with Hayter’s Turkey Sausage and Pine River Cheese.

As I prepared dinner tonight I took a few i-phone shots to show you the process. This is one of my more involved dinner selections, prep takes about 30 minutes and then I watch a bit of the boob-tube with the kids while it cooks for another 20, but it’s worth every minute of effort!

Finding a Gem on Main St. Shelburne

The Main St. Café is an institution in Shelburne: it’s just “always been there”, so no can remember anymore how long it’s actually been open. My husband Dennis and I recently had the good fortune to stop there for lunch and now we both understood why the sweet little diner stands the test of time. The Main Street Café is the kind of restaurant where you immediately feel comfortable. They have a copy of the daily newspaper, the food is homemade and the servers actually sing while they work. Dennis ordered the Chef’s Salad and I ordered the soup and sandwich special – a hearty chicken vegetable soup served alongside a tasty grilled Reuben wrap. Our lunch was served fast, fresh and totally delicious.

Located just a few minutes north of Orangeville, Shelburne is at the crossroads of Highway 10 and 89. It is the town we pass through when we’re heading north to Peterborough or if we are doing a fall color tour, there are some spectacular views at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park nearby.

The Reuben Wrap

But back to the food. Yes, you did read that correctly, I had a Reuben wrap! Here’s how it’s done: take a large flour tortilla, spread some Thousand Island dressing in the centre, add some corned beef and sauerkraut, top with Swiss cheese and then fold in the sides and grill. Voila: the grilled Reuben wrap. I would suggest, however, that you head to Shelburne and order one at The Main St. Café, because I just know they make it better than we can. When you’re there be sure to sit in the front window to enjoy the view of Main St.: Shelburne is a busy spot and the people watching is great.

Lunch at a local diner is a simple pleasure. It’s not always necessary to have a fancy meal every time I’m in a restaurant. Sometimes there is more value in a good hot home-cooked meal, enjoyed while reading the newspaper or just watching the world go by. The Main Street Café is certainly a great place for that.

–Erin

I love garlic, so a garlic-themed cocktail party seems the perfect way to enjoy this savoury treat and surprise my guests with something new at the same time. To get the ingredients I made a visit to The Garlic Box in Hensall, which is undoubtedly one of the THE best places to go to get your garlic fix.  Owner Jackie Rowe helped me choose three great appetizers and a signature cocktail to serve at my fun, informal get-together.

1. A clove a day… – Aside from the delicious flavour, a good reason to eat garlic is for its health benefits. Garlic is known to have cardiovascular and immune boosting effects.

2. Bacon-Wrapped Garlic Buds – If you’re looking for a crunchy, garlicky zinger, than look no further. This appetizer is made from Pickled Winter Garlic Cloves (halved lengthwise), wrapped with bacon and secured with a toothpick. Place between sheets of paper towel and microwave on high for a minimum of 3 minutes. Serve Warm.

3. Garlic Scapes – Garlic scapes have a mild garlic and onion flavour. They are crisp and when pickled whole have a crunchy texture. Diced garlic scapes from The Garlic Box are a versatile ingredient, excellent in potato, egg and tuna salads, tartar sauce or on burgers & fish. Use them as you would a caper.

4. Cranberry Garlic Rum Preserve - The Garlic Box combines fresh, zesty Ontario-grown cranberries with the earthy goodness of garlic and genuine rum. Serve as a condiment with pork, poultry and game or use it to enhance dressings, sauces and marinades. I like it best dolloped on pâté or brie cheese. The savoury garlic flavour really cuts the sweetness of the cranberry and adds a delicious taste dimension.

5. Ontario-Grown Garlic – The Garlic Box processes more than 40,000 pounds of fresh Ontario garlic per year. The Garlic Box grows their own garlic near the town of St. Marys and also buys from other Ontario Farmers. Now in their 14th year of business, they partner with several Ontario food producers such as Peller Estates, Jakeman’s Maple Syrup and Thompson Beans to add the freshest local ingredients to their products.

6. Savoury and Sweet – I discovered that pickled garlic comes savoury and sweet. On my next visit I am going to try The Garlic Box Picked Garlic Cloves in Apple Cider with Honey. I like the sound of ”premium hard-neck garlic from the region of Northern Ontario” that is “hand selected before pickling in apple cider and sweetened with local honey.” Yum!

7. Cranberry Garlic Canapes - Cranberry Garlic Rum Preserve spooned over cream cheese is just so tasty! I first spread the cream cheese on pita chips from Sarah’s Fine Food then topped them with the preserve and garnished it with finely chopped chives. So easy and delicious.

8. The Pig’s Tail Caesar – This cocktail will both impress and refresh your guests! Mix up your favourite Caesar cocktail recipe, then garnish a cocktail skewer to look like a pig’s tail with a garlic scape and a one inch piece of cooked bacon wrapped around half of a pickled garlic clove. We splashed a bit of the garlic scape juice in our caesars for a little extra flavour.

9. The Ultimate Garlic Bruschetta – This is a serious claim, and The Garlic Box wins it hands down! You must buy this seasoning packet and add it to 2-3 diced tomatoes, a medium diced onion, 2 tbps chopped cilantro (I used more because I love cilantro), a tablespoon or two of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients together and let it sit at least 30 minutes to let the flavours combine. Cut thick slices of baguette or crusty bread and toast them before topping with the bruschetta mixture. This is so garlicky and so delicious, I could make a meal out of it all by itself!

–Erin 

The Stratford Garlic Festival

If you’re a garlic lover and looking for some fun this weekend, you can find The Garlic Box at the Stratford Garlic Festival. For six years the Stratford Garlic Festival has been delighting garlic lovers with impressive culinary competitions, garlic-braiding workshops, an Ontario garlic market and much more. This one-of-a-kind event attracts big names in the Stratford culinary world, and this year is no exception!  See chef Aaron Linley of Bijou defend his title against chef Yva Santini of Pazzo in the Garlic Chef competition on Sunday at noon. All the festivities are sure to give visitors a garlic fix they are sure to enjoy.

My boyfriend and I have an annual strawberry picking date. We both grew up in rural Ontario and find ourselves coming up with excuses to get out of the city and into the country as much as possible. This year he planned an epic out-of-the-city date which included strawberry picking, rock climbing, wild flower picking and a drive through the country so I could shoot. It was magical. We picked our strawberries at a farm just south of Singhampton. They were bright, big, juicy, and perfectly ripe. Overwhelmed by our senses, we got a little carried away and picked 14L of strawberries. To take advantage of these strawberries before they could go bad on us, I made a strawberry rhubarb pie to share with him and his folks. There’s nothing better than sharing something you had a hand in making (or picking). – Frances Beatty

Frances Beatty is a photographer living and working in Toronto. She loves working with alternative and historical processes, old cameras and Polaroids. Frances daydreams daily of leaving the city behind for greener pastures. You can enjoy more of Frances’ photography on her website and her blog.