PYO Meal Series: Garlicky Green Bean Salad

For our next Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, we are featuring The Garlicky Green Bean Salad. Summer is the season of salads. If you like garlic, and aren’t sure what to do with green beans,  this salad will not disappoint. It has the best balance of flavours, a satisfying crunch, and is incredibly easy to throw together. This is a really good make-ahead salad as it gets even more delicious the next day. We love this salad on its own but it would pair well with fish or chicken! 

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!  

The giant green beans!

Recipe

*Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 lbs Thames River Melons beans 

1 cup parmesan cheese 

1 cup of pistachios (or sub slivered almonds), shelled and chopped

For the Dressing

⅓ cup of olive oil 

Salt and pepper

1 lemon, juiced and zested

6 cloves Thames River Melons garlic 

1 tsp Thames River Melon Blossom honey 

Here is what you will need!

Instructions

1. Trim and wash green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Blanch beans for 3 minutes by submerging them in the boiling water. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water. Use tongs to transfer the blanched beans into the ice bath to stop them from cooking. Once cool, drain, pat dry, and place in the fridge to stay cool while the rest of ingredients are prepared.

3. Make the dressing: combine olive oil, the zest of one whole lemon (zest before cutting), juice from one whole lemon, 6 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp TRM honey, salt and pepper. Shake well.

4. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of chopped pistachio (or sub slivered almonds),  1 cup of grated parmesan cheese, and top with pepper. 

5. Toss beans and dressing together in a large bowl so that beans are well coated, then slowly add the parmesan and nut mixture and toss well.

Serve up cold! This makes a perfect side dish.

Garlicky Green Bean Salad

Cost 

PYO beans are $3/lb. 2 lbs of green beans are needed for this salad. 

Therefore, the total cost of PYO vegetables for this salad was $6.  

Nutritional Density

* Please note these amounts are based on 6 servings. If you want smaller portions or to get more servings per batch, divide by the amount of servings you decide to make, to get the correct amounts of fibre and protein. 

Storage

This salad will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 days. However, it’s important to note that the beans will not maintain their bright green colour for more than 1-2 days. 

The dressing will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the fridge.


Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. If you have tree nut allergies or want to make this salad for a back-to-school meal, you may roast pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. 


Recipe inspired by Molly Baz, developed and photographed by dietetic interns Lise Wolyniuk and Lexie Nobbs and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD


Reference:

Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch

PYO Meal Series: Raisin and Sunflower Seed Eggplant Salad

We are featuring our eighth Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, Raisin and Sunflower Eggplant Salad. Yes, you heard it here, our eggplant plants are full of fruit ready to be harvested. What to do with eggplant you ask?... make a delicious salad! Eggplant has a mild flavour that pairs well with bold flavours like bitter pickled onions (an easy how-to-pickle guide is within the recipe instructions of this post). However, the toasted fruit and seeds and fig dressing add a sweet and savoury flavour that pairs perfectly with the pickled onions.

The balance of flavours and nutrients are some of the many highlights of this salad. Not only will you be satisfied with this salad, but it may inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and experience new flavours. 

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

So much flavour, a must try!

Recipe

*Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

~8 small (2 lbs) Thames River Melons eggplant 

1 cup Thames River Melons herbs (basil and sage)

½ cup feta cheese (I used goats feta, but you may also use goat cheese) 

Toasted Fruit and Seeds 

½ cup of raisins (can substitute for currants or cranberries)

½ cup of sunflower seeds (can substitute for pumpkin seeds or use a nut such as walnuts)

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp Thames River Melons Melon Blossom Honey or maple syrup 

2 dashes of cinnamon 

Dressing 

2 tbsp fig jam 

1 tbsp Thames River Melons Melon Blossom Honey

⅓ cup olive oil 

1 lemon, juiced

Pickled Onion 

1 medium Thames River Melons sweet onion

¾ cup of apple cider vinegar 

¼ cup water

½  tsp salt

1 tsp Thames River Melons Melon Blossom Honey 

Here is what you will need!

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Wash the eggplant, then cut into quarter or 1/8th  wedges (depending on the size of the eggplant). Place the  wedges skin side up on a baking sheet, pour olive oil over them and season with salt. Place in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.

Eggplant wedges!

3. While the eggplants are in the oven, make the pickled onion brine:  in a small pot on high heat bring the apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and honey to a boil.

4. Thinly slice the onion and place into a mason jar. Pour the boiling brine mixture over top of the onions and shake the jar. Let cool and marinate on the counter for a minimum 20 minutes (the longer the better). 

5. After 10 minutes in the oven, or until the one side of the eggplant looks golden, flip the eggplant and set another timer for 10 minutes. 

Golden and ready to be flipped!

6. Meanwhile, make the salad dressing by adding the honey, olive oil, lemon, and fig jam to a jar. Shake until evenly mixed . 

* There may be chunks of fig, but that is okay!

7. Now, take out the eggplant and let it cool on top of the oven. 

8. While the eggplant cools, add the butter, sunflower seeds, raisins, maple syrup/honey, and cinnamon to the same pot as the vinegar brine and put on medium heat. Stir until the sunflower seeds get golden and crisp. 

* This is my favourite step as it gives off the most delightful aroma. 

9. Assemble the salad: place the roasted eggplant wedges on a serving plate, then  remove the pickled onions from the jar (look at the waste less notes for more ideas on how to use the remainder of the pickled onions) and add them on top of the eggplant wedges. Add the crumbled feta cheese, sprinkle on the fruit and seed mixture and lastly, cover the salad in dressing and garnish with sage and basil leaves. 

10. Serve up warm or cool! This makes a perfect side dish to share with family & friends.

Tada! Raisin and Sunflower Seed Eggplant Salad!

Cost

This salad requires approximately 2 lbs of eggplant. Eggplant PYO cost is $2/lb. Therefore, the PYO vegetables for this salad cost $4 in total. 


Nutritional Density

Eggplants contain manganese and vitamin K which are minerals and vitamins essential for good bone and blood health. Both micronutrients play a role in blood clotting. Manganese specifically plays a large role in reactions that contribute to bone formation and bone density (1).

For 100g of eggplant, there is 0.232 mg of manganese and 3.5µg vitamin K (2). 

The recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for manganese is 1.8 for female adults and 2.3 for males adults. Therefore, 100g of eggplant provides females with 13% of RDA and males with 10% of RDA. The adequate intake (AI) for vitamin K is 90µg for male adults and 120µg for female adults. Therefore, 100g of eggplant gives 4% of AI for females and 3% of AI for males (3). 

The pickled onions may provide probiotics. Probiotics are the good bacteria present when a food item is fermented. The fermentation process uses the bacteria present on the fruit or vegetable and a salt/water/sugar brine to activate the bacteria. When consumed, these bacteria may transport to the colon and help your digestive tract maintain good health (4). 


Storage

This salad will keep in the fridge for 2 days. If planning to store, we recommend keeping the dressing on the side as the eggplant may become soggy. 

The dressing will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the fridge.


Waste Less Notes 

You may not use all of the pickled onions (depending on how much your crowd likes onions). However, these pickled onions can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container and used in a number of delicious recipes, especially in tacos, stir fry, and as a pizza topping. 



Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. You may substitute the raisins for any dried fruit, like currants or cranberries. Even diced dates would work great! As for sunflower seeds substitutes, pumpkin seeds or if you have nuts on hand, then walnuts or pecans would be lovely. 


Recipe developed and photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD


References

  1. National Institutes of Health. (2021). Manganese: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Retrieve August 17, 2024, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Manganese-HealthProfessional/ 

  2. Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 17, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch 

  3. Health Canada. (2023). Dietary Reference Intake Tables: Reference values for vitamins and minerals. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 17, 2024, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables/reference-values-vitamins.html#tbl1 

  4. Valentino V, Magliulo R, Farsi D, et al. Fermented foods, their microbiome and its potential in boosting human health. Microb Biotechnol. 2024;17(2). doi:10.1111/1751-7915.14428 

Pick Your Own Meal Series: Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

We are featuring our next Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad. Craving pasta…but also wanting something summery and fresh? Presenting the long weekend Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad, because it ages like fine wine, feeds a crowd, and you grill the veg on a barbecue which is perfect for keeping your house cool during those hot days. 

We made this salad to go with a BBQ meal including steak, halloumi, and tofu, which provided protein, but you could always add protein of your choice directly to the salad. Things like tuna, or chicken would work great!

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

Look at all the veggies!

Recipe

*Serves 10 - 12

Ingredients

2-3 Thames River Melons zucchini 

2-3 cups Thames River Melons grape tomatoes

½ medium Thames River Melons red onion

1 Thames River Melons red bell pepper

2 cups arugula 

½  cup capers

½ kalamata olives 

200g of dried pasta (we are using penne)

200g of feta 

1 tsp salt (for boiling pasta)

For the Dressing

⅓ cup of olive oil 

Salt and pepper

⅓ cup red wine vinegar 

1 tbsp Thames River Melons honey

2 tbsp Thames River Melons garlic scape mustard 

1 cup of fresh Thames River Melons herbs (dill, basil, oregano, etc)- please feel free to add more 



Prepping the produce!

Instructions 

1. Prepare the vegetables, beginning with the zucchini and bell pepper, for grilling. Wash and then cut zucchinis in half lengthwise then half again to get four pieces. Sprinkle salt over the zucchini to help draw excess water out, and set aside.

Cut the red pepper into quarters and set aside.

2. Slice the red onion with the grain and separate, halve the grape tomatoes, and mince fresh herbs. We used dill and basil.

3. Peel, crush and mince 3-4 garlic cloves

4. Dab the zucchini with a paper towel to remove water. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to the zucchini and red pepper, ensuring all is well coated.

5. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to instructions. 

6. Place the zucchini and red pepper on the BBQ.

7. Begin to assemble the salad. In a large serving bowl, place grape tomatoes, olives, capers, red onion, arugula, dill, basil, and crumbled feta

8. Make the salad dressing. Combine olive oil, minced garlic, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper and mix

9. Remove the vegetables from the grill.

10. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool slightly.

11. Cut the grilled vegetables into bite sized pieces.

12. Add the pasta, grilled vegetables, and dressing to the serving bowl. Toss and serve.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

Cost 

The zucchini weighed 1lb. The bell pepper was 0.35lb. The tomatoes were 0.8lb. 

PYO zucchini is $0.50/lb, bell peppers cost $2/lb, and grape tomatoes cost $0.80/lb. 

Therefore, the PYO vegetables in this dish cost approximately $2 in total. 

Storage

This salad will keep in the fridge for 4 days. If planning to store, we recommend keeping the arugula separate and adding at time of consumption. However, dressing the salad is recommended as the pasta and vegetables can marinate over time.

Waste Less Notes 

It is an easy way to incorporate vegetables that may be on their last days of freshness. 

Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs. You can add or subtract vegetables depending on what is in season and what you have on hand. 

Recipe developed and photographed by dietetic interns Lise Wolyniuk and Lexie Nobbs and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD

Pick Your Own Meal Series: Cucumber Salad, Two Ways

PYO Meal Series: Cucumber Salad, Two Ways

This is our fifth Pick Your Own (PYO) meal, featuring cucumbers from the farm, two ways: a Cool Creamy Cucumber Salad and an Acidic Cucumber Salad. 

The cucumber plants are thriving right now in the PYO patch! What can you do with a cucumber? Here we will show you how to turn plain ole’ cucumbers into two different deliciously elevated cucumber side salads that will pair perfectly with your BBQ plans this summer. 

The field cucumbers we have here on the farm are different from the English cucumber you may be used to seeing in your local grocery store. For these recipes, we recommend roughly peeling the cucumber skin, as it is a bit tough and can be hard to chew. In addition, we recommend halving the cucumbers and lightly scooping out the insides of the medium to large sized ones, to reduce the water content and remove the larger seeds. 

Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!

Recipe for The Creamy Cucumber Salad

*Serves 4 

Ingredients

1 lb Thames River Melons cucumbers

1/2 cup Thames River Melons dill 

2 small Thames River Melons red onions and their greens

4 tbsp white vinegar or pickle juice  

¾ cup Greek yogurt 

1 tsp salt 

Juice of half a lemon

Instructions 

1. Thoroughly wash the cucumbers, onions, and dill.

2. To make the dressing, whisk together pickle juice (or vinegar), yogurt, salt and lemon juice + zest in a salad bowl. Finely chop the dill and add to the dressing.

*It is most efficient (and creates less dishes!) to make the salad dressing in the same bowl you plan to serve the salad in.

3. Slice onion from north to south* (greens to the root or ‘with the grain’) and add to the dressing bowl. Save some of the greens to slice and add as garnish). Marinate the onions in the dressing while preparing the cucumbers. 

*Slicing onion ‘with the grain’ yields a more mild flavour, important when eaten raw

4. Roughly peel the cucumbers, and cut them each in half, then lightly scoop out the inside of the larger ones. Next slice the cucumber halves into half-moon shapes.

4. Chop dill and add to  the salad bowl with the dressing. Add the cucumber slices as well.

5. Toss the salad in the dressing until the cucumbers are fully coated.

6. Garnish with onion greens.

This salad pairs well with a Greek inspired dinner, such as Souvlaki style chicken.  

Recipe for The Acidic Cucumber Salad

*Serves 4 

1lb Thames River Melons cucumbers (we suggest small to medium)

2 Thames River Melons onions and the greens 

6 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar

1 tbsp Thames River Melon Blossom honey 

1 + ½ tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp toasted sesame oil 

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Juice of half a lemon

Instructions 

1. Wash cucumbers and onions.

2. To make the salad dressing, in a salad bowl whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice 

*It is most efficient (and creates less dishes!) to make the salad dressing in the same bowl you plan to serve the salad in.

3. Slice onion from north to south* (greens to the root or ‘with the grain’) and add to the dressing bowl. Save some of the greens to slice and add as garnish). Marinate the onions in the dressing while preparing the cucumbers. 

*Slicing onion ‘with the grain’ yields a more mild flavour, important when eaten raw

4. Lightly peel the cucumbers, then halve them. Scoop out the insides of the largest ones. Cut  the cucumbers into half-moon and add to the salad bowl with the dressing and onions. 

5. Garnish with onion greens.

6. Toss, then let sit for 5-10 minutes. Toss again, ensuring all cucumbers are coated in dressing. Let sit again for 5-10 minutes. 

7. Enjoy! This version of the cucumber salad pairs beautifully with sushi, or a teriyaki chicken. 

We ordered our favourite local sushi to complement the flavours of this salad. This lunch was a great balance between homemade and takeout food. 

Cost 

PYO cucumbers are $1/lb. PYO onions are $4/lb. PYO dill is $4/lb. 

In total, the cost of PYO cucumbers per salad is $1. The onions cost PYO onions per salad $1 and dill (for the creamy cucumber salad) was $0.20. 

Nutritional Density

Did you know? Cucumbers contain 95% water (1). These salads will surely keep you hydrated on a hot summer's day. Not only are cucumbers good for providing water to your body but they also contain an abundance of electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium (1). These electrolytes control our bodies’ water balance, helping it to function optimally.  

Storage

These salads will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

All of the onion greens won’t be needed for these salads, but you can freeze the remainder and use in your next stir-fry!

Modifications

This recipe may be modified to suit your needs.

In terms of the Creamy Cucumber Salad, you may substitute the Greek yogurt for a plain dairy, or lactose-free yogurt. 

Recipes developed and photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD

Reference:

Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 21, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch .

Stuffed & Air-Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Squash blossoms are found in the cuisine of many cultures, such as Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Often referred to as delicacies, they are typically only found at farmers’ markets, so try to get your hands on them while you can!

Stuffed squash/zucchini blossoms may not be familiar to everyone, but they make for a unique appetizer or addition to many dishes. Our suggestion is to be creative and make them your own! That’s exactly how we approached developing the following recipes, grabbing whatever ingredients we had in the garden and trying a number of unique combinations.

Ingredients: Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup water, room temperature

Tip: Prepare the batter with oat flour to make the recipe gluten-free/ Celiac-friendly.

Ingredients: Filling

1 block cream cheese

+ additional spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables (5 variations listed below)

Tip: To have softer cream cheese to work with, remove the block from the fridge about two hours prior.

1. Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

4 large strawberries

1 teaspoon honey

Topping:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

icing sugar

2. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon honey

3. Herb & Garlic (4 blossoms)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

scant ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 onion slice, chopped

salt & pepper (to taste)

4. Spicy Dill (4 blossoms)

3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes

5. Jalapeño (4 blossoms)

2 green onion tops, chopped

1 jalapeño, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare all ingredients according to the suggestions above (e.g., mince, dice, etc.) and set aside.

  2. Gently rinse blossoms with water and dry with a paper towel. It’s okay to open the petals (even if they tear a bit) to ensure there aren’t any bugs. The entire flower is edible, but most people remove the bud from the inside (called the stamen) and the stem from the base of the flower.

  3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and water to create the batter. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

  4. Preheat air fryer to 370°F.

  5. For each flavour variation, combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and fill each blossom with about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture. To make the filling step easier, transfer your filling to a piping bag. If you don’t own one of these, don’t worry! You can make a quick & easy at-home version by filling a Ziploc bag and snipping off one corner.

  6. After the blossoms are filled, carefully coat the outside with batter. Although a bit messy, we found it easiest to do this by hand. Try your best to close the flower so that the filling doesn’t run out when frying.

  7. Evenly coat the air-fryer basket with olive oil and lay down 6 battered blossoms, ensuring they’re evenly spaced. You may be able to fit more depending on the size of your basket.

  8. Fry for 12 min, carefully flipping halfway.

    Tip: After frying, if the blossoms are stuck to the bottom of the basket, give them 10 min to cool and they will be easier to remove.

Recipe developed by Alissa Debruyne and Emma Van der Burg, 2023 Dietetic Interns

Strawberry Bruschetta

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries, chopped

1/3 cup tree nuts

½ cup feta

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons basil, chopped

¾ cup balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions

  1. In a bowl combine strawberries, tree nuts, feta, olive oil and basil. Let sit in fridge until balsamic vinaigrette is complete.

  2. Heat balsamic vinegar in a small pot or sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar thickens (about 15-20 minutes). It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Let cool for 5 minutes.

  3. Place a generous amount of the strawberry mixture on chicken or a crostini roll and top with a drizzle of the thickened balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by Dietetic Internship student Rae Wilcox

Blueberry Goat Cheese Tart

Although it’s still technically summer, the cool nights and crisp mornings are telling us fall is well on its way. And I think this recipe is a perfect representation of that transition. A little bit summery, featuring the last of our 2019 blueberries, and a little bit autumnal with the comforting and filling oven warmed pastry, stuffed with a sweet & savoury filling. It’s the perfect recipe for impressing guests, while still allowing yourself time to enjoy your company since it’s so quick & easy. Paired with a hearty side salad — I’m thinking one with apples and nuts — it makes an easy and satisfying meal. Give it a try & let me know what you think!

Blueberry Tart.jpg

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 log goat cheese, softened

1.5 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 spring fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem (or ½ teaspoon dried)

Handful of fresh basil leaves, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  2. Unroll the sheet of puff pastry onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Score a ½ inch border around the the edges, being careful to not cut all the way through. Next, prick all over the base with a fork. Pop in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

  3. While the pastry bakes, prepare the blueberry filling.

  4. Add blueberries, water, vinegar, maple syrup, and thyme to a small pot and place on the stove over medium heat. Cook, stirring consistently, for 10 minutes or so. The blueberries should break down and the mixture should be bubbly and thickened.

  5. Remove the pastry from the oven, and gently press down the centre of the tart.

  6. Carefully and evenly spread the softened goat cheese out across the pastry, leaving that ½ inch border uncovered.

  7. Add the blueberry filling to the tart, on top of the goat cheese and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

  8. While the tart finishes baking, roughly chop the fresh basil. After removing from the oven, sprinkle this herb on top, along with a few fresh blueberries for serving.

  9. Slice into rectangles and enjoy!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Soft Pretzel Twists & Garlic Scape Mustard Dipping Sauce

Superbowl Sunday is fast approaching, and that calls for just one thing - snacks! I’ve always enjoyed the Superbowl, but not really for the football. Instead, my priority has always been the food, and this year will be no different. I’ll be whipping up a batch of these delicious soft pretzels for guests to dunk into our delicious Garlic Scape Mustards. Check out the recipe below and try it for yourself! Serve alongside some fresh veggie sticks to balance it out. Have a great weekend!

Pretzels & Mustard.jpg

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Baking Time: 8 minutes

Makes: 8 soft pretzels

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)

1 cup warm water

1 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

3 cups all-purpose flour + up to 3/4 cup more if needed

2 cups water

4 tbs baking soda

1 tbs coarse salt, for sprinkling on top

3 tbs salted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475⁰D and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.

  2. Combine yeast, warm water, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with hook attachment. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes "frothy". Stir in the salt and 1 tbs of melted butter.

  3. Next, add flour 1 cup at a time until a dough forms and is no longer sticky. If you press your finger into the dough and it bounces back, it's ready to knead. Knead dough for 5 more minutes until smooth and pliable. Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, prepare baking soda bath.

  4. In a small pot, combine 2 cups of water with 4 tbs of baking soda and bring to a boil. Once the baking soda is mostly dissolved, take mixture off heat and allow it to come down to a lukewarm temperature. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish once cooled down.

  5. By now, the 15 minutes of dough resting time should be up. Take dough out of the bowl and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Cut dough into 8 sections (like a pizza). Roll each triangle into a long rope, about 19-20 inches long.

  6. Shape dough as desired; into a traditional pretzel shape, twists, pretzel sticks, or pretzel bites. Place prepared pretzel shapes in the baking soda bath for 2 minutes. If the whole pretzel isn't covered by the water, spoon it on top of the areas is doesn't reach. Once the 2 minutes is up, carefully pick pretzel up either by your hand or with the help of a fork and place on prepared baking sheet. You may have to re-shape slightly. Sprinkle the pretzel with coarse salt while still wet (optional). Repeat these steps until all 8 pretzels are prepared and on the baking sheet(s).

  7. Bake pretzels for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the remaining melted butter.

  8. These homemade soft pretzels are best served hot and fresh out of the oven but will keep for about 2 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Pop them in the microwave and they're good as new!

Recipe adapted from sprinklesomesugar.com by Alex Chesney, RD

Oven-Baked Onion Rings

Onion rings make the perfect addition to a summertime burger & beer on the patio, especially on a long weekend! Although the deep-fried version is super delicious, its high fat content makes it something to be enjoyed just once in a while. Fortunately, I created this tasty oven-baked version that is virtually fat-free, while still giving you that crunch & taste you may be craving. Try them at home today!

*Makes approximately 18 onion rings

Ingredients:
1 fresh sweet onion
¼ cup flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1-2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 450 F.

  2. To prepare the onion, remove the greens and the root. Place the onion on its side, and then carefully slice into ¼ inch slices. Separate the slices into individual rings and set aside.

  3. Set up an onion ring prep assembly-line using 3 bowls. Work from left to right: in the first bowl, place the flour, in the second, whisk together the eggs & milk, and in the third, mix together the bread crumbs, garlic powder, and salt.

  4. Begin to assemble the onion rings. One at a time, dip the onion rings into the flour and coat evenly. Next, drop the onion slices into the egg mixture and again, coat evenly. Finally, place the onion rings in the panko mixture and coat evenly once again. Repeat this process for each individual onion ring.

  5. Place coated onion rings on the baking sheet. Once all onion rings are prepped, place in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. The coating on the onion rings should be nicely browned. Remove from oven and enjoy!

*Tip: The panko mixture can get quite gummed up from the egg & milk mixture. To ensure the final stage of coating is successful, it helps to only put a little panko at a time into the third bowl, and refresh every 3 rings or so.

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

 

Asparagus & Green Garlic Flatbread

This flatbread recipe may look a bit lengthy, but it's oh-so-easy & delicious. If you're running short on time, feel free to use a store bought dough. The toppings are really flexible as well! Try swapping out the veggies for whatever you have on hand, or add some leftover roasted chicken or even a sunny-side-up egg for a boost of protein.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup milk
2 tbsp oil (canola, olive, or something similar)

Toppings
½ lb asparagus
3 stalks green garlic
2 tbsp oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
¼ cup softened goat cheese
Parmesan cheese to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional, if you want some heat!)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly stir in milk and oil until a soft dough is formed. Once mixed, knead dough together approximately 10 times. Shape dough into a ball and let rest while toppings are prepped.

  2. Wash and trim the asparagus. Next, wash and trim green garlic (remove long green leaves and roots), then slice the remaining white portion of the garlic in half, lengthwise. Place prepped asparagus and green garlic in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour oil over the vegetables and rub until completely covered. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and, if desired, the red pepper flakes.

  3. Next, flatten the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stretch dough into desired shape (round, rectangular, abstract – it’s up to you!), about ¼ inch thick. Poke holes in the dough.

  4. Place both the prepped vegetables and the dough into the oven. This will allow the veggies to gently roast, and the dough to pre-bake a little before adding the toppings.

  5. After 10 minutes, remove the veggies and the dough from the oven.

  6. Carefully spread the goat cheese evenly across the dough using a spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange the roasted veggies on top of the goat cheese and finish by sprinkling with parmesan cheese.

  7. Return the flatbread to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, until the parmesan cheese is melted.

  8. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and slice for serving. Enjoy!

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD 

Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles

This is one of our favourite ways to enjoy asparagus! 

*Serves 6

Ingredients:
36 thin spears fresh Ontario Asparagus (about 1 bunch)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto

Instructions

  1. Wash and break asparagus stalks where they snap easily; discard ends. Dry and toss with oil and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Bundle 3 spears together; wrap 1 piece of prosciutto around asparagus.

  3. Place bundles on greased grill over medium to medium-high heat; grill, turning occasionally, until asparagus is bright green and tender and prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes.

  4. Drizzle bundles with olive oil.