Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 lb medium sweet potatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Coarsely grind coriander, fennel, oregano, and red pepper flakes with a mortar and pestle. Stir together spices and salt.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch wedges.

Toss wedges with oil and spices in a large roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes. Turn wedges over with a spatula and roast until tender and slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Winter Canning

We're moving into the darkest time of year right now and that means it's a great time to get canning! Most people think of canning as a summertime activity, putting up food to last us through the long winter months. But there's plenty of goodness to be preserved this time of year too, and you don't have the heat and light outside tempting you to turn off the stove and go relax in the park. In fact, there's nothing more cozy and comforting than spending a crisp winter day in the kitchen, warmth bubbling off a pot and good food being preserved for the spring.

So what kinds of canning can you get up to in the winter? The first step is to figure out what's fresh and seasonal right now -- and then put it up. Here are a few ideas for delicious winter preserves.

1. Cranberries
What other fruit says winter treat like cranberries? If you stumble into a big batch of fresh cranberries, do yourself a favour and can some of that. Cranberries cook up into a delightfully tart jam that goes perfectly with scones, soda bread, and meats, or they can be pickled and served with turkey for a holiday option. For the pickled version, try this recipe, and for jams -- well, do you want a Spiced Cranberry Jam or a Pear Cranberry Jam? Or think about a wintry version of a burger and make a Cranberry Ketchup to go on top!

2. Onions
This all purpose seasoning food is a surprise treat when canned, as it can cook up sweeter than sugar. Caramelized Onion Jam is one of those foods you didn't know you were missing until you tried it (and then you had to have to forever and ever). Or turn onion into a Marmalade and enjoy a bit of bit with your oniony sweetness. You can also pickle these guys and enjoy these Garlicky Bread & Butter Onion Pickles well into the next planting season. And -- one last onion idea! -- what about an Onion Apple Ale Relish? Right?

3. Persimmons
These sweethearts enjoy a short autumn season so can them while you, well, can. They make a beautiful simple Persimmon Jelly if that's what you're after, and can also be turned into Vanilla Persimmon Butter for a less sugary treat. You can also go spicy-savoury with this Persimmon & Habanero Chutney, or try these Brandied Persimmons for a truly decadent preserve.

4. Citrus
Citrus is a huge winter canning opportunity. There are so many kinds! Lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, oh my! Don't miss the citrus season -- it's your change to make as many different kinds of marmalade as you can dream up, make jams and jellies and curds, and can segments whole in syrup. Need somewhere to start? Why not try this recipe for Three Citrus Marmalade or maybe make some Meyer Lemon Curd? You could also try this Persian Grapefruit Marmalade, you know, if you want. Or make Preserved Lemons. If you're looking for jams, this Orange Thyme Jam is a great one, and if you want jellies, what about this Orange Jelly?

5. Apples & Pears
These gorgeous local fruits may be our most emblematic -- and easy to can -- winter fruits. You can do just about anything with them and easily substitute apples into a pear recipe and vice versa. They're autumn's gift to jam -- and if you don't believe us, try making this Pear Vanilla Jam, this Apple Ginger Jam, this Pear & Chocolate Jam, or this Honey Lemon Apple Jam. Apples and pears also make a great marmalade, as is the case in this Rosemary Apple Marmalade. Fruit butter is another thing that apples and pears excel at: start out with a simple Apple Butter and let yourself add flavour as needed. Or can pears whole in slices, as in this Preserved Pears recipe.

Whatever your flavour, winter offers many fine canning opportunities -- don't miss out! These treats also all make great gifts... but that's an article for another time.

Roasted Grape Galette

Adapted from Baking Bites

INGREDIENTS

pastry for one 9-inch pie crust, chilled
16-oz red grapes (1-2 large bunches)
1 tbsp red wine or grape juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp coarse sugars

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

On a large, lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust into a large circle 10-12 inches in diameter. Transfer crust to prepared baking sheet and lay flat.

In a medium bowl, toss grapes with wine/juice and cornstarch. Spoon about 3/4 of the grapes into the center of the pie crust, arranging them in as close to a single layer as possible and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the edge of the grapes. Fold up that extra edge of pie dough, covering about 1-inch of the grape filling all the way around the galette. Pile remaining grapes into the center of the tart.

Sprinkle grapes and tart crust with sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until pastry is a deep golden brown. Allow tart to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Stop GMO Apple Production in the Okanagan

Right now, Okanagan Speciality is working hard to get their GMO Arctic apple approved in the U.S. and produced in the Okanagan. This apple is designed to not oxidize when cut, which would give pre-cut sliced apples a much longer shelf life. Currently Granny Smith apples are used for this packaged snack food -- they require citric acid to keep them white while in their packaging and have a limited 14 day shelf life (which we think is still pretty long for a sliced apple!). These new GMO Arctic apples would require less citric acid and have a much longer shelf life -- and we at Green Earth Organics don't think that's a good thing.

Not only would these apples be sold long past the normal life span of an organic (read: real) apple, but introducing GMO apples into the producing areas of the Okanagan, Similkameen, and Creston has the potential to cause BC's apple producers to lose very important export markets all over the world.

This is what the company behind this issue says about their product:

"Arctic apples address the supply chain issues caused by enzymatic browning. Only truly nonbrowning Arctic apples can reduce shrinkage rates, open new product opportunities, enhance freshcut offerings while decreasing costs and create a consumption trigger for consumers. We look forward to providing the apple industry with these benefits, and with your continued support, other biotech enhancements like fireblight and scab resistance."

What do you think? Read the following press release and make your voice heard by responding through the available channels:

In an important regulatory milestone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has opened the second, and final, public comment period for Okanagan Specialty Fruits’ biotech-enhanced nonbrowning Arctic® apples.

APHIS has posted their Environmental Assessment (EA) and Plant Pest Risk Assessment (PPRA) for Arctic apples, and is requesting public comments on the documents until the December 9, 2013 deadline. We are aware that biotechnology is controversial to some, but our company’s industry and consumer research suggests that those opposed represent a small, vocal minority who do not represent the mainstream consumer. The science, including over a decade of field trial experience and APHIS’ review, demonstrate that Arctic apples are just as safe and healthful as their conventional counterparts and they offer great value to the apple industry.

In the EA, APHIS recommends that Arctic apples be granted non-regulated status in the U.S., which we anticipate will occur early in 2014. We look forward to working in cooperation with the apple industry (see our communication to apple growers, packers and processors below) and associations, including yours, to get more people eating more apples. We invite you to support apple biotechnology by sharing this news with your membership, and by commenting to APHIS in support of Arctic apples. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact us directly.

Pear and Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Adapted from Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

Topping:
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cake:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled pears
 

DIRECTIONS

For the topping:
Blend walnuts, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in food processor until nuts are coarsely chopped. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until coarse crumbs form.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13x9 inch metal baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a separate large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add both sugars and beat until well blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then lemon peel and vanilla. In a separate small bowl, blend sour cream and milk.

Add to the butter and sugar bowl, the sour cream mixture, alternating with dry ingredients in 3 additions each. Spread half of cake batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle half of topping over; cover with pears. Spread remaining batter over; sprinkle with remaining topping.

Bake until top is brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Welcoming Calgary to the Green Earth Organics family!

We’re going across provinces to deliver delicious organic food to your home and office.

When Dan and Billy started Green Earth Organics more than 15 years ago, it was running out of a home in Vancouver, with Dan going door-to-door to sign up his neighbours. Since then, Billy has moved to Toronto and opened his own location of Green Earth Organics, run independently from the Vancouver office, and the two locations have happily gone about the business of delivering to homes and offices in the greater Vancouver area and the greater Toronto area. Now, Green Earth Organics is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to our family: our brand new location, soon to be delivering to Calgary!

Brigitte is the owner of the new Calgary location. This month she was in Vancouver, getting trained in our systems, such as designing, packing, and delivering the bins. For the next couple of weeks, she will be setting up her warehouse and getting ready to make her first deliveries next week after the official launch of Green Earth Organics Calgary at the Calgary Woman’s show this past October 26 & 27.
We are so excited to welcome Brigitte to Green Earth Organics. She is an enthusiastic supporter of organics and of green living, and we look forward to supporting her as she launches and grows the service in Calgary. There will be a wonderful selection of organic fruits and vegetables and some of our most popular organic grocery items. As the location grows, Brigitte will be sourcing suppliers bringing in as many local items as she can. She will also be expanding the selection of organic groceries as time goes on, so she welcomes feedback about what kind of items you would like to add to your bin.

If you are interested in signing up and being one of her very first customers, or if you have any product suggestions for her, you can contact her member services team, at 403-ORGANIC (403-6742642) or email us at calgary@greenearthorganics.com

Blanket Drive!

Green Earth Organics is happy to announce that this chilly November we’re partnering with Blanket BC to help those in need. It’s an exciting opportunity to make a difference and spread the warmth. For the next three weeks you can also help by placing blankets inside your bins and we’ll deliver them for you.

Since collecting 67 blankets on their first blanket drive, Blanket BC has grown into an incorporated charity and has been able to distributed over 100,000 blankets to date! Blanket BC is also raising awareness to homelessness and the working poor across our communities
website: http://www.blanketbc.org/

Spread the word...spread the warmth!