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Covert Farms, Osoyoos

Canada, EAT, family meals, ROAM By Jill Amery October 25, 2014 Tags: canada, Covert Farms, farmer, featured, grower, McIntyre Bluff, Okanagan, Osoyoos, Peller Estates, permaculture, slider 4 Comments

Gene Covert is a pretty cool guy. But he has to be. His mother is still a pilot, and the 1952 Mercury truck that she decided to learn how to rebuild is still the touring vehicle for the farm. Not only does the farm started by his father specialize in organic growing, but they grow grapes for Peller Estates wines, house a summer freestyle ski training jump for the Apex Mountain freestyle team, produce organic wine and have the biggest puffy trampoline thingy and plastic rolling apparatus for kids I’ve ever seen. Oh, and his wife homeschools. So I pretty much can’t even begin to feel worthy.

With a grumpy 6 year old who was instantly charmed by Gene, we began our tour of Covert Farms, nestled beside McIntryre Bluff which separates the north and south Okanagan. It took us all a while to get over the beauty of the truck and I admit that I took more photos of it than I did the farm for quite some time. Seeing grape varietals, feeding organic corn to cows and having a ‘snack break’ at an organic fruit mecca was incredible. But discussing vinticulture, sustainability and permaculture with Gene? Priceless. I spoke of my experiences as a McDonald’s All- Access Mom while touring cattle and potato farms. We talked at length about canning and preserves (yes. I did buy 90 pounds of organic tomatoes which have now been transformed into tomato sauce). The harvest season is the perfect time to go organic at Covert Farms, Osoyoos BC.

Feeling entirely comfortable, the kids asked questions and made observations. We were all sad when we had to get out of the truck. But it was then that the kids noticed the huge bubble-trampoline, and the adults sampled wines with local cheese and charcuterie. At which point we may have purchased a case of wine.

Not only will the Covert family be added to my Christmas list, but an end-of-summer visit is in the cards for our family for many years to come.

Disclosure: Our family was given a tour of the farm and a wine tasting for the purposes of this story.

Le Creuset Introduces Palm Fresh

EAT, family meals By Grace Riley July 31, 2014 Tags: colour, Cookware, dishes, featured, Fresh, leCreuset, palm, Pans, Pots, slider 1 Comment

Le Creuset Introduces Palm Fresh, this new hue will bring a coastal vibe to every kitchen

Le Creuset is introducing a brand new crisp shade of green to the culinary world, Palm. This new addition to the classic palette of hues from Le Creuset’s cookware is fun and fresh. The premium French cookware line says Palm is inspired by the fringe of green that divides land and sea.

Palm evokes the feeling of tropical relaxation by the sea. It is the perfect accompaniment for coastal-inspired recipes and fresh summer dishes for entertaining. As Le Creuset’s newest colour, Palm is available this summer across the brand’s complete collection of quality enamelled cookware, bakeware, tableware, tools and accessories.

“Le Creuset was founded by a casting expert and a colouring expert. The company remains true to that foundation and is known to this day for its rich, trendsetting kitchen hues and its ability to offer them in the widest array of product types and materials in a variety of categories.” says Sarin Keusseyan, Marketing Manager of Le Creuset Canada.

The modern coastal inspired hue of Palm is now available across Le Creuset’s collection of quality cast iron, stoneware and accessories priced from $12 to over $600. It is available at Le Creuset boutiques and select kitchen stores across the country. Please visit www.LeCreuset.ca for more details.

7-Hour Smoked Beef Ribs with Kale Mashed Potatoes

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery July 29, 2014 13 Comments

This is a perfect long weekend meal, and one where the kids can join in to develop a passion for the grill! We used a smoker but a similar result can be achieved on a BBQ. The kale mashed potatoes are full of anti-oxidants and a great way to add a healthy kick to this summer meal. The 7-hour smoked beef ribs can be prepped long in advance so you have lots of leisure time to relax with friends and family as the smoke wafts through the air. Can you smell them? (P.S. Don’t count on leftovers!)

Easy BBQ Coq au Vin

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery July 17, 2014 Tags: bbq, clubhouse, coq au vin, family meal, family meals, featured, grill, la grille, one pot meal, slider, slow cooker No Comments

A favourite dish of mine from the time I was a small child, Coq au Vin has always been a labour of love. Asked to test the Clubhouse LaGrille Smokehouse Maple Marinade in a coq au vin recipe, I was elated!! Armed with bacon, chives, chicken and homemade stock, I was ready! And then I fell. And broke my wrist. Now the challenge was twofold – could I make a coq au vin that is not as labour-intensive as my age-old recipe? And could I manage it with only my dominant hand…

The answer to the second question became fairly apparent as my husband helped chop and lift my stunning Le Creuset pot to the stove. This recipe development experiment would be a family affair, and with my husband involved, it had to involve the grill! The recipe was adapted from the Clubhouse website, which allows you to print ideas in popular recipe book sizes using backgrounds you choose yourself. I was astonished at how simple and full of flavour the dish was, and I only added a few of my own ideas! It also had the added benefit of very easy clean-up facilitated by grilling the chicken on the BBQ.

All You Need for Easy BBQ Coq au Vin:

1 ½ lbs (750 g) chicken thighs
5 tbsp (75 mL) Club House La Grille Smokehouse Maple Rub Marinade, divided
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) each pearl onions and quartered mushrooms
1 cup (250 mL) no salt added diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups (500 mL) homemade Chicken Stock
1 cup (250 mL) red wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) Club House Rice Flour
2 tbsp chives
2 tbsp sage leaves
1 tbsp tomato paste

All You Do for Easy BBQ Coq au Vin:

1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken thighs with 3 tbsp (45 mL) rub marinade and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. On a medium heat grill, cook chicken thighs on both sides for 7 minutes making sure to obtain good grill marks and making sure not to burn chicken.
3. In a medium saucepan on high heat, sauté bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms for 2 minutes. Add remaining rub marinade, tomatoes, chicken stock and grilled chicken thighs.
4. Combine red wine and rice flour along with some of the liquid from the pot to make a roux. This will help you avoid lumps in your sauce. Add it to the above mixture and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat and place into a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Cook for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). *You could also assemble all of the ingredients in a slow cooker after grilling the chicken.
5. Serve over your favorite pasta or rice.

In all, we had a wildly successful dinner with very easy cleanup. The only problem was that there were no leftovers….

What are some of your favourite things to make on the grill? Share your stories with me on Twitter using the hashtag #FlavourStory!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post made possible by Clubhouse La Grille. All images and opinions are our own.

Gazpacho

EAT, family meals By Guest July 3, 2014 Tags: cucumber, family meals, featured, Gazpacho, soup, summer recipe, tomato No Comments

Gazpacho is an incredibly healthy and refreshing summer soup. If you happen to own a Vitamix it is even simpler! (And will save you some time to make mouth-watering fresh bread).

4 cups tomato juice
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 cucumber, seeds removed
2 cups chopped tomatoes (better if skins are removed, canned tomatoes can substitute)
2 green onions
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Coarsely chop vegetables. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until well combined, but still a bit chunky. Chill at least two hours before serving.

Peach, Goat Cheese and Basil Flatbread Pizza

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery April 16, 2014 Tags: california cling peaches, family meal, featured, leftovers, Peach Goat Cheese Basil Flatbread, pizza, slider No Comments

Don’t know what to make for dinner tonight, this peach, goat cheese and basil flatbread pizza might become your go-to recipe.

2 naan, about 9-inches (23-cm) each or 1 thin pizza crust, about 11-inches (27.5-cm)
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
11/2 tsp (7 mL) za’atar spice*
½ cup (125 mL) creamy goat cheese
2 slices prosciutto, cut into strips
2 canned California Cling peach halves, cut into thin slices, well drained and patted dry
4 pitted black olives, cut in half
4 fresh basil leaves, shredded

1. Preheat oven according to package directions for naan or pizza. Brush tops with oil. Sprinkle each naan with ½ tsp (2 mL) za’atar or pizza with 1 tsp (5 mL) za’atar.

2. Place on baking sheet. Dollop evenly with goat cheese. Then scatter with prosciutto, peaches and olives. Bake according to package directions, until crust is hot and cheese is melted, about 2 to 4 minutes for naan and 6 to 8 minutes for pizza.

3. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining ½ tsp (2 mL) za’atar and basil. Makes 2 servings for naan or 2 to 3 for pizza

*Za’atar is a blend of dried thyme, oregano, sumac and sesame seeds. Sometime ground cumin and salt is added.

Makes 6 servings

Sweet Chili Chicken and Peach Wraps

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery April 16, 2014 Tags: california cling peaches, family meal, featured, gluten-free, peaches, slider, sweet chili chicken and peach wraps 1 Comment

Instead of tortillas, try this gluten-free alternative. They’re easy to make, a super way to use leftovers and customize to your own taste.

11/4 cups (300 mL) cut into strips cooked chicken
3 tbsp (45 mL) Thai sweet chili sauce
1 (14 oz/398 mL) can California Cling peach halves or slices, in fruit juice concentrate or light syrup, drained and patted really dry
8 large rice paper round wraps
4 very small leaves Boston or leaf lettuce, torn in half
3-inch (7.5-cm) piece cucumber piece, cut into julienne strips
1/2 small red pepper, cut into julienne strips
8 to 12 mint leaves (optional)
Additional Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping

1. Have all your ingredients prepared. In a small bowl, stir chicken with sweet chili sauce. Fill a pie plate with warm water. Lay a damp smooth kitchen towel on the counter. Thinly cut peach halves into slices or use peach slices.

2. Working with 1 wrap at a time, dip in warm water until it is just pliable, 20 to 40 seconds. Place on kitchen towel. Place ½ a lettuce leaf near bottom of circle. Place 2 peach slices on top of lettuce, followed by 1/8 of chicken, then 1/8 of the cucumber and red pepper and 2 to 3 mint leaves depending on size.

3. Fold bottom (edge closest to you) of rice paper wrap over filling towards centre. Fold in sides to slightly cover filling. Then roll to totally enclose filling and form a roll. Set seam side down on a cutting board. Repeat with remaining ingredients. If sending for lunch, leave whole. If serving as an appetizer, slice in half diagonally. Serve with additional sweet chili sauce. Best eaten right away but if storing, make sure they aren’t touching each other as they will stick. Cover with barely damp paper towel, then seal tightly with plastic wrap.

Makes 8 rolls

6 Minute Breakfast Frittata

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery April 2, 2014 Tags: breakfast, chives, eggs, family meal, featured, frittata, Holiday, quick, slider, tomatoes 2 Comments

I love this recipe for a very quick breakfast frittata. It looks especially divine with fresh chives drizzled throughout!

Ingredients:

8 Eggs
10 tiny tomatoes chopped in half
3 slices cubed bread
1/2 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 c milk
1T olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl as you heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook 4 minutes. Try not to touch it as it cooks. Using two spatulas, gently flip over your frittata and cook another 2 minutes.

Cut and serve.

Mickey Mouse Lobster Cream Pappardelle

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery March 28, 2014 Tags: cream sauce, disney side, disneyside, entertaining, family meal, lobster, mickey mouse, pappardelle, roux 2 Comments

Lobster Cream Pappardelle:

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 c white wine
1 cup lobster stock (or vegetable)
2 cloves garlic
2 T fresh thyme
1 medium onion, diced
1 T butter
1 T fine flour
2 cups diced lobster tails

2 bags dried pappardelle

Method:

1. Saute the onion in butter over medium heat until soft.
2. Deglaze the pan with wine and add stock.
3. Reduce liquid to 1/2 cup.
4. Add flour while stirring constantly.
5. Add garlic and thyme and cook 2 minutes while stirring – you don’t want the garlic to burn.
6. Pour in heavy cream and allow it to thicken. You may have to add a bit more flour depending on your preference.
7. Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle in boiling water.
8. Add the chopped lobster to the sauce so that it is warm but do not overcook.
9. Mix the al dente pasta and the sauce together and form Mickey heads on a plate.
10. Serve with Mickey-shaped garlic bread.

Serves 8

Sanity-Saving Supper Time Tips

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery March 25, 2014 Tags: dinner, family meal, family meals, featured, health, lasagna, leftovers, Lianne Philipson Webb, nutrition, recipes, slider, Sprout Right, supper No Comments

By Lianne Phllipson-Webb, Sprout Right

In the spring as the weather improves, kids can get even busier with after school and evening activities. This can make supper time a challenge. How do you feed your hungry crowd healthy food, and quickly? Here are three sanity-saving supper time tips that will make your weekday meal prep a cinch.

Weekends are for Prepping

Make some time for your weekday meal prep. Head to the grocery store and fill your fridge with fresh fruits, vegetables and protein. Create a plan for weekday meals and prepare by washing and cutting up veggies, grilling or roasting meats.

Think BIG

Think BIG when it comes to meals and always aim to have a hearty amount of leftovers. Leftovers make great lunches for the next day and they can also form the foundation of your next supper. Cook a whole chicken (or two) instead of cooking a chicken breast and cut up the meat to make a salad or taco for the next night. Incorporate casseroles that please a crowd, and heat up great, like homemade lasagna.

A Team Sport

Involve your kids as much as possible in meal preparation. Find age-appropriate activities like ripping lettuce leaves (pre-schoolers) and cutting up raw veggies (school-age). Even toddlers can help by grabbing their own plate and fork and helping to set the table. You can have “make your own” nights, where you put out the basic ingredients and the kids choose how to put their meal together. Examples include make your own pasta night, a chili bar (with hot chili, cheese, veggies and potatoes) and make your own taco night. Getting the whole family involved at mealtime not only helps you, it helps your kids learn skills toward independence.

Do you have some favourite recipes for quick and easy weekday meals? How do you save your sanity at suppertime?

Lianne Phillipson-Webb is the founder of Sprout Right, a company that specializes in pre-conception, prenatal, and postnatal nutrition for women, as well as good food and health for the whole family. With over ten years of experience, Lianne is a registered nutritionist, author, member of the International Organization of Nutrition Consultants, and mother of two.

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