A Better Butter Tart

May 15, 2013 73 Comments

What does it mean to be truly Canadian? Buying milk in plastic bags? Designing your Halloween costume to fit over your snowsuit? Celebrating Thanksgiving in October?

Well, what about butter tarts? You know up until last week I actually thought that the rest of the world knew what these were, until my mother promptly corrected me. “No! Butter tarts are a truly Canadian thing. Like peacekeeping! And Tim Hortons!”

And she would know. My mother loves butter tarts. Never put yourself between her and one of these pastries, as you’d be putting your life at risk.

Last summer she found a classic butter tart recipe in our national newspaper, and as it was a lazy day at the cottage, she decided to give them a try. “They were sinfully delicious”, she said, when I asked about the success of the dessert. “But the ingredients were pretty sinful too. Maybe you should give them a makeover! Then I can eat more.” Good thinkin’ mum. That is what I am here for.

You see butter tarts are not healthy. Not in the slightest. Not even if you used your imagination. For those of you who aren’t Canadian, a butter tart is a white-flour-and butter (or lard!) pastry shell filled with butter, sugar, eggs, and a token handful of raisins (but more often than not, corn syrup as well). That’s about it. They are undoubtedly delicious – I would liken them to edible crack. Ooey, gooey, caramel-ly filling that ceremoniously oozes out when sliced, surrounded by a flaky pastry crust – what’s not to love about that? And although I am all in for a celebratory dessert now and again, I hope I have proven to most of you by now that there are better alternatives to the über-processed ingredients ever-present in common desserts, Canadian or otherwise.

Grain-based Sweeteners: A pretty sweet deal!
In this recipe I am using two different sweeteners: barley malt and brown rice syrup. These are both grain malt syrups and are the least concentrated, least sweet and most nearly whole-food sweeteners.

Barley malt and brown rice syrup are naturally processed sweeteners made from fermented grains, and are made of 50% maltose: a sugar that is only one-third as sweet as white sugar. At least half the composition of these grain-based sweeteners are nutrients found in the original whole grains from which they are made. They also contain good percentages of complex sugars, which take much longer to digest than the simple variety of sugars we find in processed sweeteners, like white sugar for example. Because complex sugars take longer to break down, this smoothes out the blood-sugar highs and lows associated with the consumption of highly processed sweeteners.

Although sugar is a major life force and our bodies need it as fuel, we can lose sight of the fact that there are huge differences is quality when it comes to the sugar we choose to eat. Sugars are plentiful in many whole foods like fruits, vegetables, even grains and dairy products, yet these sugars are balanced because whole food contains the proper minerals. Because refined sugars have been stripped of everything except the sweet, they have lost their mineral content, which creates a deficit of sorts, or an imbalance. The digestion of refined sugars forces our bodies to draw minerals out of our bones, tissues, and blood just regain the delicate equilibrium necessary for us to function. It’s a scary thought! You can imagine after years and years of eating refined sweeteners what a deficit of minerals one could be left with. That is why sugar consumption is linked to so many diseases, including immune deficiency, tooth decay, bone loss, heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, PMS, and yeast overgrowth (just to name a few).

But I don’t want this to be all doom and gloom! Part of the motivation behind making healthier choices is being informed. And when you know the difference between sweeteners that actually take precious minerals from your hard working body, versus sweeteners that maintain the balance, you can make healthier choices from an educated place because you want to do what is best for you.

Some other examples of naturally processed sweeteners are unrefined cane juice powder (Sucanat), unrefined coconut sap powder (coconut sugar), maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, raw honey, fruit juices, fruit syrups and date sugar, amasake (fermented rice). Look for these at health food stores, natural grocers and increasingly good supermarkets. Be on the lookout for products that label themselves “natural” sweeteners such as fructose, brown sugar and turbinado sugar. They are nearly as refined and concentrated as white sugar and have similar effects on the body. And keep in mind that even though naturally processed sweeteners are better than their refined counterparts, you should still treat naturally processed sweeteners as something special (especially theses butter tarts!).

These new-and-improved butter tarts are pretty darn delicious. Slightly different than your traditional version, they have a more caramel-y center and crunchier crust, almost like a shortbread cookie. I used ghee as the fat in the filling for this recipe because heck, this is a butter tart. If you choose to use butter, make sure that it is unsalted, or omit the salt in the filling. If you don’t want to use any animal products stick to the coconut oil. I haven’t tried it this way, but I am very confident it will be just as delicious.

A Better Butter Tart

Crust:
2 cups / 190g rolled oats (gluten-free, if possible)
1 cup /140g brown rice flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
6 Tbsp. brown rice syrup
5 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

Filling:
1/2 cup (125 ml.) brown rice syrup
1/4 cup (60 ml.) barley malt
2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp. ghee, melted (unsalted butter or coconut oil is fine)
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/4 tsp. baking powder
a couple pinches sea salt
1/3 cup organic raisins (optional, although traditional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F / 170°C).
2. Make the crust: In a food processor, blend the rolled oats on high until you have a rough flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour with the brown rice flour and salt. In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil and brown rice syrup together, pour it over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until everything is incorporated. You may need to use your hands to knead the dough a little at this point.
3. In a standard muffin pan press a golf ball-sized amount of dough very firmly into each form, continuing high up on the sides. I found that the thinner the crust on this the better. They will puff up slightly in the oven.
4. Bake the shells for 10 minutes until just turning a light golden colour on the edges. Remove from oven.
5. While the shells are baking, make the filling: melt the fat you are using in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the seeds of one vanilla bean pod.
6. In a medium mixing bowl measure out the brown rice syrup and barley malt. Pour in the melted fat and whisk to combine with the sweeteners. Sift in the arrowroot and baking powder, add salt (unless you are using salted butter) and whisk until completely smooth. Fold in the raisins, if using.
7. Spoon enough filling into each baked shell until just below the rim of the crust. The filling will bubble up while baking and coat the top edge of the crust, which looks very beautiful. Place the filled shells in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and browning around the edges. Remove from oven, let cool, then place in the refrigerator until completely chilled. This is an important step because it will crystallize the sugars, making removal of the tarts very easy.
8. Using a very sharp, pointed knife, insert the tip of the blade down along the side of each tart breaking the sugar seal if necessary – they should pop out of the mold very easily. If not, pierce the sugar seal in a couple places until you can remove them. If they are stubborn, keep them in the fridge until colder. Once removed from their molds you can keep the tarts at room temperature in a tightly sealed container, and warm them a little before serving if desired. Keeps for a week.

It’s hard being away from the homeland, but munching on one of these with my family last week sure helped ease the pain. If you’ve never enjoyed a butter tart before give these healthier treats a try and enjoy a little bite of true Canadian heritage – ‘cause you’d be a real hoser if ya didn’t, eh? Geeeeez.

See you this summer my dearest Canada! I’m counting the days…

Miraculous Rice-less Risotto with Ramps and Asparagus

May 6, 2013 44 Comments

I had no sooner returned to Denmark from Kauai, than had to turn right around, head to the airport and get on a plane to the Netherlands. Last weekend I was teaching my Green Goodness cooking classes in Amsterdam to celebrate spring and all verdant edibles. The icing on the cake was being invited by chef Schilo van Coevorden at the Conservatorium Hotel to collaborate on a tasting menu for his restaurant, Tunes. After working together in his spectacular kitchen, we came up with three dishes that would comprise the backbone for the tasting menu, as well as the meal served at the official launch and press event.

My favorite dish of all was a rice-less risotto. Chef Schilo is very much into taking seasonal vegetables and making “rice” out of them, simply by cutting them into grain-sized pieces. I had done this before at my raw food restaurant, but I had never tried cooking it before. Intrigued, we set out to make rice from white asparagus with a green sauce from blanched green asparagus and nettle. Combined with caramelized shallots, olive oil and some sheep’s milk cheese, it was a creative, light take on one of my favorite comfort foods.

Since I have an undying passion for wild leeks, also known as ramps, I chose to use those instead of the nettles in my version of the sauce. Ramps are popping up all throughout the forest floor here in Denmark, so they are an in-season treat that I love to forage for. Because they are from the leek family, ramps have an unmistakable allium flavour – stronger than cultivated leeks, but milder than garlic. You can use the whole part of the plant, but I like using just the leaves (easier to harvest!) in pesto, chopped up into salads, or folded into eggs. In this recipe, use just the leaves and save the little white bulbs for grilling, or use in place of onions or shallots in cooked dishes.

The Power of Spring Foods
This time of year we are entering new nutrient territory! That means fresh, seasonal foods with a whole host of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that we haven’t been exposed to over the long winter months.

Ramps contain quercetin, a plant pigment (flavanoid) that not-so-coincidentally helps combat seasonal allergies. It also acts as a powerful anti-oxidant, combating damaging free radicals that cause disease. Quercetin is anti-inflammatory, so it particularly helpful for arthritis and asthma sufferers. For anyone wishing to improve heart health and prevent atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and circulation problems, include quercetin-containing foods in your diet (including onions, cruciferous vegetables, berries, and many nuts and seeds).

Asparagus, both white and green varieties, contain vitamin K. This family of chemically related substances collectively allows your blood to clot normally, protects your bones from fracture and postmenopausal bone loss, helps prevent calcification of the arteries, and provides possible protection against liver and prostate cancer. Research continues to evaluate the possibilities of vitamin K’s role in protecting against oxidative damage, regulating the body’s inflammatory response, and how it supports the brain and nervous system.

Miraculous Rice-less Risotto with Ramps and Asparagus
Serves 2

Ingredients:
4-6 large white asparagus spears, approx. 370g
2 shallots, minced
1 Tbsp. ghee or olive oil
a couple pinches salt
For garnish: Pecorino Romano, lemon zest, white pepper, cold-pressed olive oil

Sauce:
1 bunch green asparagus, approx. 300g
1 bunch wild leeks (ramps)
1 ½ Tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
½ Tbsp. lemon juice
1-3 Tbsp. cooking liquid
salt to taste
a small squirt of honey
Pecorino Romano to taste (lots!)

Directions:

Begin by preparing the sauce. Snap off and discard the woody ends of the green asparagus, wash them well and chop them into similar size pieces. Rinse the ramps well, removing any soil.
Bring a pot of water the boil, add the asparagus and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the ramps, submerging them in the water for 1 more minute, just to take the raw edge off. Do not overcook! Immediately drain the asparagus and ramps reserving the cooking liquid in a separate bowl. Rinse the vegetables under very cold water, or submerge them in an ice bath to halt the cooking process. Reserve 2-3 pieces asparagus for garnish.
Add the cooked asparagus, ramps and remaining sauce ingredients (except for the salt and cheese) to a blender and process on high until smooth. Add cheese and salt, taste for seasoning. If necessary, add more cooking liquid to achieve a thinner sauce.
Prepare the asparagus “rice”. Peel the white asparagus from the base all the way to the tip. Using a mandoline, a julienne peeler/slicer, or your excellent knife skills, create long, thin vertical strips. Line them up, then cut them across to create very small “grains”, each about the size of a grain of rice. Set aside. Mince shallots.
In a frying pan heat a little ghee or olive oil (if using olive oil make sure to cook over low heat!), add the shallots and a pinch or two of sea salt. Cook until the shallots have nicely caramelized, about 7-10 minutes. Add the white asparagus rice and stir to combine with the shallots. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the green sauce and fold into the rice, warming it. Continue to add the asparagus/ramps cooking liquid that you reserved, or just water, to thin out the consistency. The texture should be like regular risotto: loose and creamy, not sticky and dry nor too wet and soupy. Make sure it is hot all the way through. Season to taste, add more cheese if desired (sooooo gooooooood).
Plate the risotto and sprinkle with lemon zest, white pepper, more cheese if desired, and olive oil. Add a couple pieces of asparagus to the top and serve immediately.

Tropical Chewy Granola Bars

April 25, 2013 63 Comments

Returning home from such an epic holiday, sitting here at my desk in my apartment feeling a million miles away from anything tropical, there is a part of me that wants to say I’m getting “back to reality”. But that would be inaccurate, as I believe that the island of Kauai was absolutely the realest place I’ve ever been. What do I mean by this? Well, I have never in my life been faced with more awe-inspiring nature, powerful energies, provocative weather, and life-challenging situations. It was the biggest dose of reality I could have gotten, anywhere.

I think the thing that struck me as soon as we left the airport was how low-key the island seemed. No huge high-rise hotels, no chain restaurants, no four-lane highways. Everything was pretty quiet and chilled out. And since the single, main road that winds its way along the coast of the island never actually connects to itself, this has kept things rather simple and undeveloped. Over 90% of Kauai is inaccessible by car, so Kauai tends to attract nature lovers who appreciate a raw, untamed, untouched environment and a good hike.

The first week of our trip, we were staying on the north side of the island, which during the winter and spring seasons receives a lot of rain. So much in fact, that our plans and high hopes of hiking the Kalalau trail were dashed by flash floods and washed out footpaths. We eventually did the first section of the trek, but the river crossing was so dangerous that we strongly warned from Mother Nature to turn back. Rains were rather relentless and some days were safest spent on high ground and indoors. I have never experienced such powerful weather – it was clearly to be respected!

We eventually found ourselves on the western side of the island trying to find some dry land and sunshine. Camping out on the beach was heavenly, until one night a sandstorm drove us out of our bliss and back in our cars for shelter.

But this is beginning to sound a bit complain-y, while I was actually having a total blast. Whether I was being pummeled by life-threatening waves, unrelenting rain, sand storms, or burning sun, my time on Kauai made me feel very connected to the environment, and so very alive. I loved feeling so small, so vulnerable, and at the mercy of nature (except when it got a tad scary). It was a reality check in the best way. Life was put back into perspective again, and I remembered that I am a part of a world so much bigger and more powerful than I can even fathom. Every second of that 38-hour trip was worth every second of that life-affirming, life-connecting feeling.

So, how do these granola bars tie into anything? You can imagine with the trekking and camping we did that there were a few energy bars consumed as they were the most convenient way of getting calories into us on the trail. We did find some rather high-vibe varieties, but I knew that as soon as I got back home I would make my own full of the delicious, tropical flavours. Mango, banana, coconut and macadamias were daily fare, and these form the base for my recipe. Finding the more unusual treats like noni, ice cream bean, soursop, Surinam cherry, breadfruit, and rambutan here in Copenhagen is slightly more challenging, so I stuck to relatively common dried foods you can all get your hands on, in paradise or otherwise.

These Tropical Chewy Granola Bars are a very versatile recipe and you can make several substitutions if you are missing some ingredients or aren’t into them. I used ripe bananas as the liquid binding agent, but if you don’t like bananas, replace them with ½ cup of applesauce. You could also use 2 eggs. Instead of the dried fruit I used, feel free to change it up: dried pineapple would be great, as would dates, cranberries, cherries, or raisins. Of course this will change the flavour a great deal, but if you want to adapt the recipe to the seasons and what is available, you most certainly can do that. Replace the buckwheat with oats if desired, the honey with maple syrup, the coconut oil with butter or ghee. And if macadamia nuts are unavailable, any nut will do – almonds, pecans, or cashews would be really good in these.

Even if you won’t be hitting a trail anytime soon, these granola bars will just as well on a spring picnic, biking around the city, or just an afternoon tea computer break. Because let’s face it: that’s about the only way I’ll be enjoying them for now. No complaints.

Tropical Chewy Granola Bars
Makes 12-16 bars

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. chia seeds + 6 Tbsp. water
2 cups / 200g rolled oats (certified gluten-free if possible)
½ cup / 150g raw buckwheat groats
1 cup / 50g coconut flakes
¾ cup / 100g macadamia nuts, chopped
60g / 2 oz. dried banana, chopped (or Medjool dates)
60g / 2 oz. dried mango, chopped
¼ cup / 60ml coconut oil
1/3 cup / 80ml honey (or maple syrup)
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp. extract)
2 very ripe bananas
½ tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine chia seeds and water to make a gel. Set aside.
2. Spread the oats, buckwheat, coconut and macadamia nuts out on a baking sheet and place in a 300°F / 150°C oven. Stir every 5 minutes or so, until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. While the oat mixture is toasting, make the liquid. In a small saucepan combine coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Whisk over low-medium heat until melted and thoroughly combined.
4. In a food processor or blender, blend peeled bananas with the honey and oil mixture. Blend until smooth. Pulse in chia gel gently, just to combine>
5. In a large mixing bowl combine toasted oat mixture, sea salt, and chopped dried fruit. Pour in the liquid and stir well to combine.
6. Turn the oven up to 350°F / 175°C. Spread a large piece of parchment paper in a 8” x 8” (20 x 20 cm) baking pan, overlapping the sides. Pour the granola bar mixture into the pan and press down firmly with a spatula, especially in the corners. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden on top and around the edges.
7. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. To take the granola slab out of the pan, simply lift up the sides of the parchment. Place on a flat surface and cut into rectangles or squares (12-16, depending on the size). Store in a airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Best if kept cold, as this prevents the bars from crumbling.

As much it was nice to have a break from technology, I really did miss blogging and it feels good to be back in the swing of things. I have lots of good stuff up my sleeves for this season and I’m excited to share it with you all.

Lots of love from the un-tropics of Copenhagen,
Sarah B.

Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Stir-fry

April 13, 2013 49 Comments

Hello dearest friends! I am back, I am back.

What. A. Holiday. I have so much to share with all of you, and many food inspirations, but for now, recuperating from that major haul home and adjusting to time zones, I’ll give you this very quick and simple recipe that has welcomed me to Copenhagen.

If you can get your hands on fresh shiitake mushrooms, definitely use them. I was lucky enough to find these itty bitty organic ones at the market right next to the baby bok choy, so the dish invented itself.

One tip I will offer is: do not to wash the mushrooms! Mushrooms of any sort are like sponges, and rinsing will cause them to absorb water and taste extremely bland. Boo. If the mushrooms have dirt on them, simply brush them lightly with a kitchen towel or a mushroom brush. If you are using dried shiitake, soak them for at least 30 minutes until soft enough to slice.

If bok choy isn’t your thing, you can substitute any green here: Swiss chard, spinach, kale etc.

Looking forward to sharing my adventures with you in the next post! Much love and happy stir-frying.

Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Stir-fry
Serves 2

Ingredients:
knob of ghee or coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
300g / 10.5oz. baby bok choy
150g / 5oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms (you could also use dried, 1/3 the amount)
1 small chili, minced (optional)
1 Tbsp. tamari
½ Tbsp. maple syrup
large handful Thai basil or regular basil
cooked grain to serve
sesame seeds to garnish

Directions:
1. Brush dirt off mushrooms; slice if they are large. Rinse bok choy well, shake off excess water and slice into strips. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a knob of ghee or coconut oil. Add minced garlic and chili; cook just until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, maple syrup and about half the tamari. Cook until the mushrooms have absorbed most of the liquid and are soft. Add the remaining tamari and the bok choy. Stir to coat, remove from heat and continue stirring until the greens have wilted, about 5 minutes. Now fold in the basil and let wilt.
3. Serve immediately over grain of your choice: brown rice, quinoa, millet etc. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.

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I got a very lovely surprise in my inbox when I arrived home – My New Roots has been selected as a finalist for Saveur’s Best Food Blogs 2013! The category I am in is “Special Diets” and I am honoured to be in the company of five other incredible nominees. But here is where I shamelessly ask you to vote for me. You can do that here. Voting closes next Friday, April 19. Thank you SO MUCH for your support.