Margaret's Healthy Hummus- Quick and so easy!

Margaret brought this hummus to the IDG Cottage lunch.  It was delicious served with mini pitas and crackers.

Yam and Sweet Onion Soup

Wilma found this recipe in Prevention Magazine.  If you can't find yams, you can easily substitute sweet potatoes, or even a winter squash like butternut.  This soup was part of the International Dinner Group menu with the Healthy Foods theme.  We all enjoyed the flavours and lightness of the soup.

Soup served with a salmon millet cake topped with gingered tomato marmalade

 

 

 

 This recipe would serve four.

The Top Ten Healthy Foods Menu for the June 2014 IDG Cottage Lunch.

Our International Dinner Group is meeting at Wilma's cottage this weekend.  The theme is healthy ingredients- the Top Ten.  You know, there are so many Top Ten lists, with many different top ten components.  So, our list was a blending of three.

Louise is stirring the pot.

Our menu:

Salmon Cakes- appie size (Joanne)

Margaret's Healthy Hummus and Pita

Wilma's Yam and Sweet Onion Soup

Gisela's Steamed Broccoli Salad :
Gisela choice of ingredients was healthy and very tasty! 

Louise's Rice and Peas

Yucatan Chicken (Carmen) :  
Carmen made this recipe her own by substituting butternut squash for the chayote, with great success.  Her words of advise: make the chicken the day before you serve it to let the flavours blend together.  Everyone at the IDG loved it!


Flourless Chocolate Cake (Françoise)

Fresh watermelon (Marvel)

Louise's Rice and Peas- goes with Yucatan Chicken

A must for any Caribbean inspired menu..

This recipe will serve ten to twelve...

Louise's Tiramisu- It has stood the test of time- Always a Hit!

From Louise...

The first time I had this I was with Wilma at a restaurant at the corner of Dalhousie and Clarence (I think). They put the mixture on a plate and put the lady fingers around it. It was very good (the lady fingers stayed crisp) and that is the way I served this for years. But now I prefer doing it the way I've outlined below. 

Steamed Broccoli Salad- Gisela's Own...

Gisela developed this recipe for the IDG Cottage lunch (June 2014). 

"I have just made the broccoli salad for tomorrow to let the flavours blend, my own recipe."

Served on a bed of baby spinach, the recipe is for 8-10 people.

Hot Pickled Summer Squash- Debbie- this one's for you!

This is Debbie's most favourite pickle.  She's addicted!  The summer that I grew zucchini, yellow and pattypan squashes, was the boon year for this pickle.  Who could resist all three of these squashes in one glorious pickle!  When you make your batch, please send pictures for me to post.

This recipe is based on the one found in Liana Krissoff's Canning for a New Generation.

This recipe will make approximately seven 500 ml jars.

Ingredients
4 lbs     mixed zucchini, yellow and pattypan squashes (or use just one type of squash)
1 med.  onion
1/4 cup, plus 1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp    cumin seed
1 tbsp    yellow mustard seed
1 tbsp     chili flakes
1 tsp       ground cumin
6 cups    cider vinegar
2 tbsp     mild honey
2 cloves  garlic
7 small    fresh serrano chiles (optional)

Directions
Scrub the squash and cut into chunks (or 1/4 inch rounds).  Thinly slice the onion in half rounds.  Put the squash and onion in a large bowl and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup of kosher salt, tossing to combine.  Cover with a layer of ice cubes and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.  Drain and rinse under cold running water.  Toss with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chili flakes and ground cumin and set aside.

Prepare for water bath canning.  Was the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl.  Prepare the vinegar (below) then add boiling water to the lids.

In a non reactive pot, combine the vinegar, 1 1/2 cups of water, honey and remaining one tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil.

Remove the hot jars from the canning pot and place them upright on a folded towel.  Drain the water from the jar lids.

Working quickly, pack the squash, onion, garlic and chiles into the jars.  Ladle the hot vinegar mixture into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at the top.  Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar.  Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it's finger tight.  Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure they are covered by at least one inch of water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes to process.  Remove the jars to a folded towel and leave undisturbed for 12 hours.  Check the seal on the lids after one hour.  If you can push the center down, the jar has not sealed.  Keep this jar int he refrigerator.  Label the sealed jars and store in a cool, dark place.

Pistachio Pesto- version 2- and just as Heavenly!

I love pistachios and I love pesto- a marriage made in heaven!  This version is simpler than the first- there's no garlic, no parmesan, no herbs- just pistachios...  See which one you prefer.

To make 2 1/2 cups.

Banana Yogourt Cupcakes

Sorry, no picture.  We ate them all!  I'll try again next time.

Quick to make- and, I used a sugar substitute, Xyla, so my diabetic friends could indulge.  You could use brown sugar.

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.