Perfect Food For Fall - Roasted Squash Soup & Drop Biscuits

As the days become shorter and cooler, and sweaters and boots begin to appear, I make the transition over into fall cooking. After a summer of non-stop BBQ'ing I'm usually ready to return to my stove and my cozy kitchen to make some warm delights. Risottos, stews, roasts, casseroles, soups and biscuits are exactly what fall weather calls for. 

One of my family's all time favourites is this Roasted Squash & Apple Soup (recipe below). I don't remember who gave me the recipe, but it's one that I make frequently once the cold weather arrives. I'm especially excited because this year we get to make it with squash from our own garden.

I love to pair this soup with these super simple Pull Apart Drop Biscuits from Canadian Living. The first time I made these biscuits for my mom she was so impressed that she immediately gave up on her mother's recipe she had been using for 40+ years in favour of these. That's how good they are! Plus they're so simple to make. The wet dough takes minutes to prepare, and no need to cut out individual biscuits. Just break off clumps and roll in a little flour before placing on the pan to bake. So easy!

Hope your family enjoys this fall meal as much as mine.

Happy Fall Cooking!

- Care

Roasted Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1-2 squash (butternut, acorn or buttercup)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Onion Finely Diced
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 4 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
• 2 Apples, Peeled & Chopped
• 1 Cup Cream or Whole Milk
• Cinnamon to taste
• S&P to taste

Instructions

1. Cut Squash in Half, remove seeds, brush with oil & sprinkle with S&P and Cinnamon. Roast in oven for 45 mins at 375
2. In a large saucepan melt butter and cook onion until soft
3. Add cooked squash (removed from skin) apple & broth and bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins
5. Add S&P and cinnamon to taste
6. Puree with a handheld blender *optional
7. Add cream & serve
8. Enjoy!

Simple Summer Tomato Salad

Dinner prep can be a tough time of day for many families, ours included! Everyone is tired by the end of the day, and the task of planning, prepping & cooking a meal with kids at your heals can feel overwhelming. Our Ben (3 y-o) has taken to asking "Is dinner ready yet?" "Yes Dinner's Ready!" "It IS Ready!" Imagine this sequence on repeat over and over while you prep & cook a meal. Super fun times ;) We've tried to involve him in food prep and cooking as much as possible, but with his 10 month old sister in tow it becomes a bit chaotic to say the least. 

In order to keep my sanity and avoid episodes like this I focus on quick easy things to prepare so we can have dinner on the table at a reasonable time before anyone gets hangry. We want to make sure we get lots of healthy whole foods in our diet, so keeping it simple ensures this actually happens. 

In the summer months one of our family's favourite healthy side dishes is a Simple Tomato Salad. Our good friends Lesley & Mike introduced us to this recipe a few years ago, and we make it at least twice a week, usually at Ben's request. It's that good!

Now that our beautiful grape tomatoes are all beginning to turn a bright red it's even more exciting.

This recipe takes mere minutes to prepare and only takes a few ingredients, making it ideal for a busy family and a perfect light addition to any BBQ.

You don't need exact measurements for this one, so have fun with it and make it to suit your tastes. 

Enjoy! Hope it becomes one of your family's favourites too.

- Care

Simple Summer Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• Grape Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil
• Feta Cheese
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Wash grape tomatoes and cut in half
2. Wash basil and chop roughly
3. Place tomatoes and basil in a bowl
4. Crumble feta on top
5. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste
6. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar & olive oil
7. Toss & Serve

Feeding Your Baby at This Little Piggy - Join us Today!

I've been meaning all week to write a quick blog piece about the upcoming Feeding Your Baby event at This Little Piggy that I'm taking part in. This Little Piggy is an amazing baby shop in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto. I especially love this shop because they feature so many locally made products and love to host community events. At today's street sale I will be available to answer any questions about starting solids or progressing through foods with your baby. Something that we cover regularly in our workshops at Fifty-Seven. 

Embarrassingly the event is today! Saturday July 26th 11am-3pm...and I'm just getting around to it now! Sometimes my life as a stay at home mom of 2 (Ben 3 years & Lucy 9 months) and business owner can be overwhelming and I need to make choices. So this week instead of doing more things to check off my work to-do list I spent some uninterrupted time in the backyard with the kids. We weeded & harvested our veggie garden, ate apricots fresh from the tree, and enjoyed afternoon cuddles under the branches. Pure bliss. 

In the evening I went for bike ride with my husband & celebrated 4 years of marriage while eating a delicious local meal right in our neighbourhood at The Passenger. Days like these make a life.

Last night I was feeling guilty that I hadn't done anything to prepare for today, but upon reflection I realized that I had. Feeding Your Baby isn't just about choosing the right first food. After all, there is always more than one way to do anything right. 

Feeding your baby is about incorporating a healthy lifestyle early in life. It's about introducing healthy whole foods & regular physical activity. It's about teaching your kids about food systems and where our food comes from, as well as respect for our bodies and our health. It's about teaching moderation and enjoying snacks and treats too. It's about setting an example for our kids and taking the time to enjoy life. This is my message to parents about Feeding Your Baby. 

So for anyone who is looking for something to do on this summer Saturday come join us at This Little Piggy 1594 Queen St W (Queen at Sorauren Ave), to chat about everything food! Or really anything baby you want to discuss. 

-Carolyn 

Pain Free Gardening

We wanted to share this great post about Pain Free Gardening that our amazing Physiotherapist Liz Frey wrote earlier this spring. It definitely still applies as summer rolls in, our gardens continue to grow & our backs continue to ache : ) 

As the last bit of snow finally disappears many Torontonians will be eager to get working in their gardens; however, unless you have been diligently exercising over the winter your muscles may not be ready for the heavy lifting, bending and reaching positions involved with gardening. It is at this time of year we see an increased amount of clients with low back pain, hip pain and knee pain because of the stress gardening can place on your joints and muscles.

Gardening is a goal-oriented activity where people find themselves focused on the outcome -the beautiful display of flowers and greenery rather than pacing themselves to enjoy the process. Commonly, gardeners tend not to pace themselves; they become over zealous when purchasing flowers and want to have all of them planted in one day. I advise my patients to vary the tasks they perform -no more than 20 minutes at one activity before moving to another task and to take a water break every hour. This will decrease the stress on one muscle group. If your garden is large, then choose a section of the garden that you are going to work and leave other parts for another day. 

I also recommend a light stretching routine prior to picking up a shovel or trowel - this will warm up the muscles, helping avoid strains and sprains as well as muscle soreness the following day.  

If you are working at different heights then use aids to help decrease strain on your lower back. If you are working at ground level, use a kneeling pad so you can comfortably work the soil on all fours rather than bending from the waist. If you are working above your head, then use a step stool rather than reaching out of your comfort zone.

When faced with heavy loads, I recommend using a wheel barrel for transporting the load. Lift small amounts more frequently rather than one heavy load. As well, keep the load close to your body, bend from your hips and knees, aiming to keep your back straight while lifting through your legs -your back will thank you!

When doing rotational motions such as sweeping, raking and shoveling try to move your feet rather than twisting your body or using jerking motions. Most people are somewhat stiff through there mid back and twisting motions or reaching beyond your comfort zone can cause unnecessary pain.  

Finally consider a gentle walk for cooling down and some light stretches before hitting the shower.

Remember that gardening can be an excellent form of exercise; however, the combination of flexibility, strength and endurance required can be a lot for your body at the beginning of the season. If you are experiencing pain please follow up with a physiotherapist or your doctor. Listen to your body, pace yourself and happy gardening!  

- Liz

Rhubarb! What to do with it? Make something delicious! Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Rhubarb! It's everywhere these days. Filling local farmer's market tables & in full bloom in many neighbourhood gardens. If you're lucky enough to have Rhubarb in your yard, you better use it! Or at least give it away to the Grandma on your block. I hate when food goes to waste and Grandmas always know what to do with random ingredients. Something about wartime era scarcity I think, but I digress. Back to Rhubarb!

When we moved into our 1st home in Bloor West Village last summer we found an abundance of Rhubarb. It hadn't been cared for and was in pretty rough shape. Since Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable I knew I would have a chance to bring it back to it's full glory the following year, and that's exactly what I've done.

When it started appearing in early spring we watched with anticipation. I read all about how to tend to Rhubarb (more info here) and was super excited when it was ready to harvest. In our zone Rhubarb can usually be harvested starting in June and continues producing until mid to late sumer depending on the season. It's ideal to harvest when stalks are 12" - 18" long and 1/2" -1" thick. The colour can range from celery green to deep red and does not determine ripeness, which I thought was interesting.

To harvest, grab the stalk at the base and twist while pulling. This will break off the stalk at the root. Don't forget to cut off and dispose of the leaves outside in your yard waste bag. They are poisonous and should never be ingested. That's why rhubarb stalks are sold without leaves at markets and in grocery stores.

Harvesting your Rhubarb will encourage continued growth. If not harvested, stalks will become weak & rot :(

Once you have your beautiful harvest of Rhubarb you'll need to make something. I chose this Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler from Home to Heather (full recipe below with minor adaptations). We're not a GF family, but I always enjoy making recipes healthier and since many of my friends and family are GF, it's a nice bonus of this recipe. The recipe can also easily be made vegan by substituting the egg for ground chia seeds & water, the butter for coconut oil & the cream for almond or coconut milk. 

This recipe is quick to prepare and absolutely delicious. Top it with a little ice cream or fresh whipped cream and you have a perfect summer treat. I forgot to get a photo of the finished product the 1st time, but that's ok. It was so good that I had to make it a second time...in 1 week ;) Yum! 

Check out The Old Farmers Almanac if you're interested in planting some rhubarb or need to learn how to care for yours. It's a great resource for all gardeners.  

Enjoy!

- Care

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Filling

• 3 cups rhubarb

• 2 cups strawberries

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

• 1/2 cup oat flour (or regular flour)

Topping

• I cup oats

• 1/2 cup almond flour (or regular flour)

• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil)

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp cream (or almond milk)

• 1 tsp vanilla (or inside of 1 fresh vanilla bean, optional. I added this because I love fresh vanilla)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Chop fruit and toss in a large bowl with sugar and flour until combined

3. Transfer filling to ungreased 8x8 baking dish

4. Mix dry topping ingredients together

5. Add in egg, butter & cream

6. Mix until combined and spoon over filling like drop cookies (don't smooth out, just dollop on)

7. Bake for approximately 45 mins until filing is bubbling and topping is nicely browned