Buckwheat Cranberry Stuffed Chicken and Kale Mushroom Acorn Squash

When was your last cooking experience with cast iron cookware?

Never? What?

It is amazing to think that many people in our modern world are so removed from basic cookware that served generations upon generations of humans.

Yes, it's heavy.

And no, it's not dishwasher safe.

If you have glazed over then you probably aren't interested in what I'm going to write next.

Cast iron cookware provides nutritional opportunities that other cookware can not. More specifically:

Researchers found that cooking in an iron skillet greatly increases the iron content of many foods. Acidic foods that have a higher moisture content, such as applesauce and spaghetti sauce, absorbed the most iron. (via which is an excellent summary of the 1986 research publication)

Yup, you read that correctly. Go to the source for a complete list of the foods tested by the researchers. More iron? 'Naturally'? Yup. Most women of child bearing age could use a tad more iron.

And another thing about cast iron cookware. It gets very very very hot. Don't say I didn't warn you (the next time you burn yourself you'll remember this warning...as will I....lol).

And oh yeah - cleaning? Elbow grease. Heat the pan with a bit of salt water if the going gets tough (no soap). Invest in some bbq/copper bristle brushes (I have a collection). And thoroughly dry the cast iron pan after washing - I always heat mine to dry either on the stove top or in the oven. Some people lightly grease their cast iron pans before storing...I only do that with my bakeware since I do not use it as often. I use most of my cast iron cookware at least once or more a week.

I have a ceramic glass top stove so if that's an excuse you've used then you'll be happy to hear that I've not had any problems using cast iron on top of my glass topped stove. Mind you, the times I've forgotten that cast iron gets hot hot hot have not involved the dropping of the cast iron onto my stove top and I hope that is a scenario I haven't invited upon myself now that I've written it - YIKES! Perhaps the good karma intended by sharing operational issues surrounding the use of cast iron will follow me on this one ;)

Buckwheat Cranberry Stuffed Chicken

2 - 4 organic bone-in chicken breasts $16.09/kg ON Beretta

Stuffing
1/2 cup buckwheat grits - I have used buckwheat flakes for this too $5.44/kg QC Karma
1/2 cup chopped cranberries $6.43/kg ? Karma
1 medium chopped organic onion $3.25/kg ON Karma
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp organic yellow mustard seed ? ? Karma
1/2 tsp organic dried thyme $39.86/kg ON Karma
1/2 tsp organic dried sage $27.38/kg ON Karma
1/2 tsp organic dried rosemary $23.40/kg ON Karma
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 strips chopped uncooked organic bacon $17.24/kg ON Beretta


Mix the stuffing ingredients thoroughly. Stuff each breast by carefully separating the skin from the flesh on each breast and gently packing in the above mixture. Any leftover stuffing can be baked for about 30 minutes. Bake the stuffed chicken in a heavy covered pan at 350F for 45 minutes - 1 hour depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Keeping the lid on during the entire cooking time will help the chicken retain the moisture of the stuffing. Serve each breast drizzled with the pan drippings and the below stuffed squash ;)

Kale Mushroom Acorn Squash

1 organic squash $2.53/kg ON Karma
200 g organic variety mushrooms $11.74/kg ON Loblaws
1 bunch black kale $2.25/bunch CA Karma
3-5 cloves organic garlic $11.15/kg CA Karma

Clean and halve squash and bake for 40-50 minutes face down in an oven proof pan (don't forget to roast the seeds for about 15 minutes for a pre-dinner snack ;).

In another pan - preferably cast iron with a well fitting lid to use after roasting - add the mushrooms and garlic and roast in the oven alongside the squash for about 20 minutes . Take this mixture out when there is still about 10 minutes left for the squash. Add the prepared chopped kale to the roasted garlic/mushroom pan and cover but do not return this to the oven. The heat of the cast iron pan will soften the kale just enough without overcooking it. Add this mixture to the cooked squash and serve open faced as pictured. Each serving size is approximately 1/4 squash.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Buckwheat Waffles

This is my front yard today. Toronto has been the recipient of about 15 cm of snow in the last 24 hours and it is still coming down (but is expected to end tonight).

So most of us in the city are nesting. I chose to nest by creating waffles for brunch. They took the edge off the cold by warming up our insides!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Buckwheat Waffles

Wet Ingredients
1 organic free range egg $5.53/dozen ON Karma
4 pitted dates $3.99/kg IRAN Local grocery
1/2 - 3/4 cup organic rice milk $2.09/L QC Karma
1 tbsp organic sunflower oil $2.09/L ON Karma
additional oil is required to oil the griddle

Dry Ingredients
1 cup buckwheat flour $2.46/kg MB Karma
1/4 cup tapioca flour $1.25/kg THAILAND Chinatown, Toronto
1/4 cup sweet rice flour $1.67/kg THAILAND Chinatown, Toronto
2.5 tsp aluminum/gluten free baking powder $2.99/kg ON Karma
1 tsp sea salt $1.06/kg ? Karma

Use a blender to mix the wet ingredients thoroughly (mincing the dates). Use less milk for drier waffles (and a more solid batter). Add the dry ingredients and blend well.

Pre-heat the cast iron griddle (both sides) in the oven at 450 F. Oil both sides of the griddle before adding 1/4 of the battter to one side. Cover with the other half and return griddle to the oven. Bake about 5 minutes or until steam starts escaping out of the griddle. Remove from oven and use a metal spatula to lift out of the pan. Repeat until batter is done - oiling both sides each time. Keep waffles in warming oven or freeze for future use.

Serve with warmed fruit or maple syrup (or both!).

Hemp Buckwheat Protein Bread (gluten free)

(adapted from this recipe)

This is very dense but it is quite good toasted with marmite (UK). Or served with mackerel and fresh greens.

I purchased all of the ingredients (except one, noted below) at Karma Food Co-op.

Makes: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 10 min + rising time
Cook Time: 30 min - 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Hemp Protein Powder
1/2 Cup Shelled Hemp Seed
1Tbsp Hemp Seed Oil
2 cups Organic Buckwheat flour (I use whole grain)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup potato flour (purchased in Toronto's Chinatown)
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 Free Range Eggs
1 1/3 rice milk or Hemp Milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp Italian Spices(Marjarom, Thyme, Rosemary)
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
2 1/2 tsp yeast
5 cloves minced garlic (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a flat cookie sheet.
Mix all ingredients together, shape loaf on cookie sheet, let rise, then bake at 350 until golden brown.

I will update this post with a yeast free version once I get my sourdough starter started ;)

Buckwheat pancakes

1/2 cup organic buckwheat grits (NOT groats)
1/2 cup boiling water (add to above and mix thoroughly)

Mix the following into the mix using a whisk or a hand held electric beater;
1/2 cup organic buckwheat flour
1/8 cup organic ground flax/sesame/sunflower/pumpkin seed (this adds a wonderful texture in addition to the grits - I keep a pre-ground mix in an airtight container of this mixture to add to cereals/salads/baking in my fridge all the time)
1/2 cup coconut water kefir (or suitable milk substitute)
1 egg (or use 1/8 of extra ground organic flax seed with 1/8 cup water)
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup sunflower oil
1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Use a pastry brush to lightly coat a cast iron griddle with sunflower oil. Cook pancakes when a drop of water evaporates quickly on the griddle (indicating it is hot enough). Pour a ladle full of liquidy pancake mix (add more kefir if it is not 'runny') and turn when bubbles form on the top. Be careful not to burn when using cast iron (but the cast iron griddle will provide the most uniform heat to the pancakes and they will be VERY fluffy!).

These pancakes keep in well in the refrigerator or freezer. Serve with warm maple syrup and/or in season fruit and cinnamon!

Alice's Restaurant Bread

0.5 cup ground fresh organic flax seed (use standard consumer coffee grinder, almost full)
2 cups organic buckwheat flour
1 cup organic millet flour
0.5 cup organic rice flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
0.5 tsp sea salt

Mix above dry ingredients with wooden spoon in large bowl.

Add 1.5 - 1.75 cups organic rice milk, slowly (start with lower value...do not let it get mushy before kneading!). Stir until mixed slightly. Knead with hands into 2 small rounds. Flatten on cast iron or stone bakeware and cross with a knife or pizza cutter. Brush with sunflower oil.

Bake at 350 degrees F for @ 40 minutes until lightly brown on bottom. Cool on trays and store in a bread tin wrapped in a clean tea towel.

This bread is great with hemp oil and sprouts. Cilantro chutney too.