Just finished a fall squash recipe and don’t know what to do with the pretty seeds left over? Here’s a quick and fun recipe that will delight young and old alike. To be served warm as an aperitif with mulled wine, at breakfast with yogurt or as a snack for the kids at snack time!
Ingredients
Pumpkin seeds
Sugar (preferably brown sugar)
Method
1. Toast the seeds in an oiled frying pan, stirring constantly
2. When they are lightly browned, sprinkle with sugar and let caramelize by mixing with a wooden spatula
3. Pour on a plate or serving dish, separate the large pieces and allow to cool.
In the kitchen, there are often leftovers that you usually cover with cellophane film, like a muffin you want to take for coffee at the office or a sandwich to take away at lunch. The used plastic film thus ends up in the trash after use…
The principle of the beeswrap is to be able to wrap our food without creating waste, while using what we already have: an old cloth, an iron and beeswax, easy to find in pharmacies if you don’t have candle leftovers. Less waste and a nice DIY to offer to your loved ones!
What you need
A clean, dry piece of cloth – this can be a scrap of fabric, an old shirt etc., which can be used for upcycling here.
Beeswax, broken into small pieces.
An iron
Baking paper, which you can keep to use next time
Method
Cut the fabric to the desired size.
Cut the beeswax into small granules (see photo), if it is bought in pharmacies it is normally ready to use. Beeswax has antibacterial properties, so it is important not to use just any candle wax!
Pre-heat the iron
Place a piece of baking paper (slightly larger than the cloth) on an ironing board, put the cloth on it and spread the beeswax granules evenly on it.
Place the 2nd piece of baking paper on top of your fabric, and gently iron; the wax will melt and integrate the fabric, making it waxy.
Turn your cloth over (leaving the baking paper on) and iron on the other side.
Add a little wax if necessary
Your beeswrap is ready!
Tricks
Wash your beeswrap in cold water with soap.
Avoid very hot foods as they can melt the wax.
If you need more wax, remelt it as described above.
For hygienic reasons, it is advisable not to use the same beeswrap over 1-2 years of age.
Some ingredients may be missing from our refrigerators after ten days at home. With a little creativity, we can find alternatives in our cupboards. Zero waste can also be done with what is already available!
Vegan cooking has long gone without eggs and butter. Now is the time to be inspired by them! Here are a few examples of ingredients that can be interchanged:
Alternatives to eggs
½ banana replaces 1 egg
Chickpea water to replace egg whites (aquafaba recipe)
Potato flake purée for savoury preparations
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed in 2 tablespoons of water that is left to soak for a few minutes replaces 1 egg
Alternatives to butter
Applesauce
Coconut oil
Almond puree
Alternatives to cream
Greek yogurt
Coconut milk
Most substitute ingredients are used in the same proportions as the original. However, there is no precise rule. It’s up to you to experiment and above all, have fun!
Spring is here – and with it whole fields of wild garlic in the woods. This spring plant is very useful in cooking: wild garlic in risotto, spätzli, soup, but also in butter, salt or oil, and in many other recipes.
You can also make wild garlic paste to add to your dishes and have it on hand all year round. For example, the paste can be used as a base for pesto or as a seasoning for different dishes with garlic.
Picking wild garlic – what should you think about?
In many places, wild garlic grows in fields or in the shade in the hollow of leafy trees. A wild garlic harvest can therefore ideally be combined with a seasonal walk in the forest. Therefore, there are a few points to consider (which also apply to the harvesting of other wild plants) :
Choose the harvesting point carefully. To find plants with as little pollution as possible, keep at least 50 metres from busy roads or fertilized farmland. On popular trails, it is best to pick plants slightly off the common track. This reduces the risk that x number of dogs have already urinated on them.
Don’t harvest everything. Wild garlic spreads so quickly that it is almost impossible to harvest everything. Nevertheless, you should only harvest as much as is necessary so that the plants can continue to reproduce and the next hiker can also enjoy them.
Beware: wild garlic look like autumn saffron and lily of the valley and both plants are poisonous. The easiest way to make sure you are picking what you are looking for: rub a leaf between your fingers. If it smells strongly of garlic, it is a ramson and you are safe.
You can find more information on harvesting and using wild garlic in the garden journal.
Recipe for wild garlic paste
Wild garlic should be processed as fresh as possible. It is therefore best to start preparing it immediately after returning home.
What you need
Clean glasses of the desired size
Blender (or a board and a sharp knife)
Ingredients
100 gr of wild garlic
85 ml of vegetable oil
12 grams of salt
How-to
With a blender
Mix the wild garlic, oil and salt in the blender until a fine paste is obtained.
Pour into clean glasses.
Without a blender
Cut the wild garlic into as fine pieces as possible with a sharp knife.
Mix it with the oil and the salt until the salt is dissolved.
Pour into clean glasses.
Don’t forget to label! It is best to keep the paste in a cool place (in the cellar or refrigerator).
We wish you a lot of fun picking, preparing and tasting the wild garlic!
What about a different breakfast? It doesn’t always have to be the old familiar cereal. With oatmeal, for example, you can bake fine muffins with only 6 ingredients:
Recipe for 8 muffins
300 g of ripe bananas
75 g of oat flakes
1 egg
1 teaspoon of baking powder
50 g of berries, depending on season
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation
Peel the bananas and mash them into a pulp with a fork
Add the oat flakes, egg and spices and mix well
Carefully fold in the berries
Finally add the baking powder, stir and fill into muffin cups
Bake at 180 degrees for about 12 minutes
Remove from the tin and enjoy !
Tip: you can also replace the oat flakes with other flakes such as millet flakes or rye flakes. The spices can also be adapted to suit your taste
Because of the situation linked to the coronavirus, some products are sold out in some shops. With a bit of flour, water, heat, air and time, you can make your own sourdough bread. The most important element is that the whole grain flour is freshly milled. The easiest way is to use rye flour. Here is what you need:
Ingredients Sourdough
150 g rye flour
150 ml water
Ingredients sourdough bread
600 g wheat flour
400 ml water
100 g sourdough
1 tsp salt
The sourdough
Prepare sourdough
You need a large jar (approx. 500 ml) to prepare the sourdough. The sourdough can be kept in the fridge – with proper care, it can last for years!
There are 4 steps to making sourdough – here is how it works:
Day 1
Mix 50 g whole grain rye flour and 50 ml water (at approx. 40°C) in the jar by hand. Cover the jar, but don’t close it tightly, and let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature (ideally 25-30°C)
Day 3
The mass should have expanded and be full of bubbles. The smell may be pleasantly acidic, cheesy – this is all quite normal, as long as there is no mould. Add 50 g flour and 50 ml of water a third time, mix and let sit for another 24 hours.
Day 2
Again, add 50 g rye flour and 50 ml of water and mix everything with a wooden spoon this time. Cover and leave to sit in a warm place for another 24 hours
Day 4
The sourdough is ready; it has to be stored in the fridge from now on. Of course you can also bake your first bread with it. This is how it goes:
The bread
1. The pre-dough
Mix 200 g whole grain flour with 200 ml water (lukewarm) and 100 g sourdough with a wooden spoon; mix everything to a homogeneous, mushy mass. Cover the pre-dough at room temperature and let it rest for 1-2 hours so that the air can circulate.
2. The main dough
Add another 400 g of whole grain flour and 200 ml of water to the pre-dough and a teaspoon of salt. Using a wooden ladle, mix everything again to a homogeneous, but this time much tougher mass. Do not stir too long and do not knead.
Let the dough rest, covered, in a cool place (max. 18°C). The time depends on the temperature. In the fridge (approx. 5°C), it can sit for a good 12 hours, if it is warmer, 8 hours will be enough.
3. Fermentation and baking
Now the dough must rest in a warm place, ideally around 25°C, for another 6-8 hours. Here again, the warmer, the faster the fermentation.
After fermentation, the dough is ready for baking. It is best to tilt the dough onto a floured surface and then fold it three or four times before forming it into a ball. The dough should be soft and smooth and not too sticky.
Then it goes into the oven, for about 70-80 minutes at 220°C. Depending on the dough and oven, the baking time can vary greatly. Tip: bake the dough in a (preheated) cast iron mould: put the lid on for 45 minutes, then bake for another 25 minutes without the lid.
And now: enjoy!
Why sourdough? Here are 3 advantages:
1. The taste
When the sourdough is prepared, a multitude of aromas are created. This gives the bread its typical taste without any artificial additives.
2. Longer shelf life
The acidity in the added sourdough reduces the development of mould. If stored correctly, the bread can then keep for several weeks.
3. Getting rid of additives
Because the sourdough has so many positive properties, chemical additives are not required during baking.
Smells good! And the smell of what’s in the oven is known to be the best!
Pamela, our administration coordinator, tells us the secret to a delicious recipe – naturally baked with baking soda!
Why baking soda? Baking soda is available in bulk stores and in many other places and is an inexpensive alternative to baking powder. It’s even better if it eliminates the need for disposable packaging.
Good to know: Sodium bicarbonate as a substitute for baking powder in pastries: test it in small doses. In order to potentiate its action, nothing is better than “activating” it by mixing it very simply with an acid: a tear of cider vinegar for example or a little lemon juice (source).
Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Recipe for 12-16 Muffins
Ingredients
2 cups flour (e.g. mid-white flour)
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup poppy seeds*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup vegetable milk (e.g. rice milk)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sunflower or rapeseed oil
*The poppy seeds can be replaced, for example, by coarsely chopped chocolate (as in the photo)
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
In a bowl mix flour, sugar, poppy seeds and baking soda and add grated lemon peel.
Add milk, lemon juice and oil to the mixture in the bowl and mix well.
Oil the muffin baking tin** or small glass moulds and fill each ¾ with the mixture.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
**In grandma’s day, the molds were metal. It’s best to use reusable baking tins.
We wish you a lot of pleasure in baking your own pastries and a «good tasting!»
