Crispin Hard Cider

Almost every hard cider I have tried in the past has been sickingly sweet so I basically gave up on them. However, I was really pleased to have the opportunity to try some samples of Crispin hard ciders. These are really refreshing and taste like hard ciders should, crisp and not crazy sweet.


With patio and backyard season just around the corner, I recommend pouring a tall glass of gluten-free Crispin in any of its guises as a wonderful alternative to beer or coolers.


Unfortunately for us Canadians Crispin is not available in hockey land. As for my American readers – you lucky bugger’s.


www.crispinoverice.com

Quinoa Edamame Loaf

Here’s a recipe packed with two of my favorite superfoods: quinoa and edamame. Quinoa is a highly nutritious whole-grain that makes wheat look like a nutritional chump. Edamame are young, green soybeans loaded with protein, folate and isoflavones. You could probably use chickpeas instead of edamame if desired. A fiery salsa would be a perfect topping for this loaf.

Why not make this recipe on a Sunday and bring slices for lunches the following week.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa

1 cup edamame

1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup rolled oats

½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon curry powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cook edamame according to package directions. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, about 6 minutes. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, edamame, quinoa, sundried tomatoes, eggs, parsley, and curry powder. Transfer mixture to loaf pan and press down until the loaf is even. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 50-60 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Printable Version

Food Upgrade

Here's an article I wrote for the May issue of Runner's World about how you can easily boost the nutrition of stuff like smoothies, yogurt and oatmeal with a few ingredients.

Easy Upgrades

Black Bean Brownies

Though North Americans notoriously shun beans, also known as legumes or pulses, think of them as the MVP of your pantry: They’re inexpensive, convenient, blessed with off-the-chart nutrients, easy to store, and ultra-versatile in the kitchen.

So packed with complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber (a cup of cooked black beans provides a whopping 15 grams), vitamins and minerals, if beans were sold in a drugstore, you’d probably need a prescription. A 2009 study by Norwegian scientists found that legume intake was protective against a number of different cancers including colon, kidney, oral, espohagus and stomach cancers. I usually recommend people try and consume at least 2-3 servings per week. You can easily reach this mark by incorporating them into a wide variety of recipes such as salads, soups, chili, dips and even the dessert below.

You’d be hard pressed to find another brownie recipe with such impressive amounts of hunger-quelling fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. For the gluten-free crowd, I’ve included a gluten-free version of the surprisingly decadent baked good recipe. So chocolatey, even kids won’t have an idea what the secret ingredient is.

Bake up a batch and let me know what you think or suggest some other tasty ingredients that could work in this recipe. 

Black Bean Brownies

Makes 12 brownies

Printable Version

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed or ¾ cup dried black beans
3 eggs, room temperature
5 Tbsp neutral tasting oil like canola or grapeseed
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup whole grain flour
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cayenne or chilli powder (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

If using dried black beans, soak them for several hours and cook them until very tender, about 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside. Add black beans to a bowl of a food processor and process until a paste forms. Add eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa, flour, vanilla, baking powder and chili powder; process until smooth and well combined. Add walnuts if using and process until walnuts are mixed in. Scrape the batter into a baking pan and spread evenly. Top with chocolate chips if using. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted tester comes out clean.

Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies

Printable Version

Makes 12 brownies

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed or ¾ cup dried black beans
3 eggs, room temperature
5 Tbsp neutral tasting oil like canola or grapeseed
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup gluten-free flour such as bean, quinoa or brown rice
1 teaspoon xanthum gum or gaur gum
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cayenne or chili powder (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

If using dried black beans, soak them for several hours and cook them until very tender, about 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside. Add black beans to a bowl of a food processor and process until a paste forms. Add eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa, flour, gum, vanilla, baking powder and chili powder; process until smooth and well combined. Add walnuts if using and process until walnuts are mixed in. Scrape the batter into a baking pan and spread evenly. Top with chocolate chips if using. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted tester comes out clean.

Cocoa Nibs

Sweet news for chocolate lovers comes from the raft of studies having found that flavonoids present in dark chocolate can help protect us from a wide range of cardiovascular ailments such as high blood pressure. In fact, according to a new study in the European Heart Journal, those who ate the most amount of chocolate – an average of 7.5 grams a day – had lower blood pressure and a 39 per cent lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to those who ate the least amount – an average of 1.7 grams a day.


If you want to gobble up chocolate as close to its natural form as possible and, in turn, take in the most heart-protective flavonoids, grab a bag of cocoa nibs from your local health food store.

Cocoa nibs are roasted cocoa beans that have been smashed into tiny bittersweet bits. One big benefit cocoa nibs have over dark chocolate bars is that they contain none of the added sugars. Another perk is plenty of hunger quelling fiber – a whopping 9 grams in just one ounce. Plus, very few foods contain as much magnesium, an underconsumed mineral needed to regulate blood sugar levels and build strong bones.

You can sprinkle them into yogurt, oatmeal, baked goods, granola, cottage cheese, and fruit salads. If you have a mortar and pestle, try grinding them with spices like chili and cumin for an interesting fish or poultry rub. Or convert a morning cup of Joe to the dark side by grinding a few nibs with the coffee beans.

One of my favorite suppliers of cocoa nibs is Navitas Naturals (www.navitasnaturals.com), but you can find other brands as well at most natural foods stores.

If anyone has any unique ways of using cocoa nibs in the kitchen I’d love to hear them.