Granola with plain yogurt, my favorite!

Here is my own version of the recipe, with many adjustments :

5 cups of rolled oats
2/3 cup of almonds
1 cup of sunflower seeds
2/3 cup of sesame seeds
2/3 cup of brown sugar

2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom

3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of canola oil

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, mash the bananas to a puree. Add the maple syrup, honey and oil and stir.
3. Pour the bananas and syrup mix over the dry ingredients, stirring well until the oats are well coated.
4. Spread the granola on two baking sheets lined with paper. Bake for 30 minutes at 400F (200C), rotating the sheets and mixing the granola every 10 minutes.
5. Let the granola dry for a few hours before storing it in an airtight container. The granola will get crisper as it cools.

Courgette Midnight F1 (left) and Cucumber Delikatesse (right)

Those two were started indoors a few weeks before transplanting them last month. There are many small cucumbers and a small courgette, with a good amount of flowers, so I should get a few vegetables out of them.

I’m also pleased about the way the cucumber is climbing the tomato cage. I had to tie the stems of the two plants to the bottom ring of the cage to get them started climbing, but it’s all good now. I’ll have to keep an eye out when the cucumbers get bigger…

Cheeseman’s Tomato (left), Tomato Riesentraube (middle) and Tumbling Tom Red (right)

They were all started indoors about 6 weeks before transplanting them last month, two plants for every pot. The two indeterminate types, Cheeseman’s and Riesentraube both look pretty much the same for now. I pruned them a bit and both have a few flowers. The Tumbing Tom have a whole lot of flower right now and is growing in a nice bush shape without any pruning since it’s a determinate tomato. I probably won’t put them in a cage next year if I try them again.

Pea Super Sugar Snap

I had trouble starting the peas since one of the neighbouring cat thought the pea planted was a great litter box and kept disturbing the seeds. The one that did grew are just starting to produces flowers (and there is one tiny pod), but I think it’s a bit warm to plant more right now. I’m sure the planters would be prettier with more pea vines in them…

Lettuce Grand Rapids (back) and Arugula (front)

I ended not starting any lettuce Grand Rapids, since some of it grew by itself in early spring. I just gathered them all together in the same box. One of them went to seed late in the season last year, so I guess some of the seeds ended up in the boxes.

The arugula was started from seeds outdoor 10 weeks ago and grew nicely in front of the lettuce and is producing enough for my salads needs

Lettuce Catalogna (left back), Mustard Tendergreen (right back) and Radish Saxa II (front)

Both the lettuce and Mustard Tendergreen were started from seeds about 10 weeks ago. I had mixed results with the Catalogna : it was slow to start, in part because the cat that messed with the peas also liked that corner. Also, the taste is nothing really special and the plants are not particularly productive, although the leaves look pretty. The Mustard Tendergreen has been a good producer like last year, producing many leaves which taste a bit like spinach.

The radishes have mixed results : the one growing with the lettuce have grown pretty big (and tasty), helped by the cat troubles and the slow growing pace of the lettuce, but the ones with the Mustard Tendergreen had more trouble since the greens grew so fast the radishes had no time to get to a decent size before being choked.

All together, the greens have produced enough in the last three weeks for me to eat at least two or three large salads a week and extras for sandwiches, with more to spare. The lettuce Grand Rapids, the arugula and the Mustard Tendergreen are looking like they want to bolt and go to seed already, but I’m cutting the flower heads as they show up and hope they’ll keep producing for another month. After, I’ll most likely plant more of the lettuce Grand Rapids and the Mustard Tendergreen in the spots currently occupied by the radishes for a late summer/fall harvest.

Oregano (left), Thai Basil (left right), Parsley Moss Curled (middle right), Fine Verde Basil (right), Chives (back right) and Cilantro (two back left)

The chives is the same plant as last year, it grew back just fine. The oregano, Fine Verde basil and cilantro were started from seeds indoors 10 weeks ago and grew pretty well. I’ve started picking up some and they all taste great too. The Thai basil and parsley were started at the same time, but they’re pitiful (they’re probably invisible in the picture). The large plant in the parsley pot is actually a arugula plant that got lost…

I first heard about baked oatmeal on A Year of Slow Cooking. Since I love all things oatmeal for breakfast, I had to try it. I adapted it to add my favorite spices, but they’re not needed if you want milder oatmeal.

1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of flax seeds, ground
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of cardamom seed, ground
1/2 teaspoon of cloves, ground
a pinch of salt

3 cups of rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 cup of raisins

1 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup of canola oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

• In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, flax seed, baking powder, spices and salt. Add the rolled oats and raisins and stir again.
• In a smaller bowl, mix the milk, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid in the oats mix and stir well.
• Spread the mix in a 8″X8″ pan and cook for 30 minutes at 350F/175C. Let them cool for a few minutes and cut into 9 large breakfast squares or in smaller bars.

• Tumbling Tom Red (Mr. Fothergill’s Container Gardens at Canadian Tire) : A red cherry tomato plant made for containers. First try with this variety, but the packets says that the tomatoes will be sweet and juicy.
• Tomato Riesentraube (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) : A indeterminate sweet cherry tomato plant with large clusters of 1 oz fruits. I had one planted in the box last year and I thought it would be way too cramped, but I was able to get a few tomatoes even in those harsh conditions. Looking forward to trying this one in a proper pot this year.
• Cheeseman’s Tomato (The Cottage Gardener) : An early indeterminate cherry tomato plant that produces tons of tiny teardrop-shaped tomatoes, or so it says on the web site. This is new for this year, so I have no idea how well it will work.
• Courgette Midnight F1 (Mr. Fothergill’s Container Gardens at Canadian Tire) : A compact zucchini plant made for containers, first try this year.
• Cucumber Delikatesse (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) : According to the packet the cucumbers will be 10″ long and pale green with crisp flesh and thin skin. I consider this my first try, I tried in the box last year but they were really too cramped and the vines stopped growing after a few inches. I have my doubts about cucumbers since I had trouble keeping a store-brought plant properly watered last year, but freshly picked cucumbers are really good. I have a 10″ pot left that’s a bit too small for the other plants so I’m going to try again. This time, I’ll add a tomato cage so the vines can climb and mulch so I don’t have to water as often. I’m also considering moving it to a more shaded spot if I have too much trouble.
• Pea Super Sugar Snap (Burpee at Zellers) : Sugar snap peas, with edible pods and full sized peas. I’m going to try to grow them in a spot that’s in the shade for most of the afternoon in wide flower planters. This is a real experiment, I really don’t know how this will work out, I’m not even sure how I’ll stake them yet…

In the three flat boxes (thanks dad!) :

• Lettuce Grand Rapids (Dollarama) : An early variety of loose-leaved light green lettuce. Pretty mild, it’s nice to mix with other greens in a salad, or alone with a zesty salad dressing. This worked well last year so it’s coming back.
• Mustard Tendergreen (part of the Burpee mesclun sweet salad mix at Zellers) : Earlier than the lettuce and very productive, it tastes a bit like spinach , with a little mustard aftertaste. Good in salads or stir-fried and a good alternative for spinach since my spinach never grew past an inch or two last year. It overtook every other green in the mesclun mix, so I saved some seeds to plant it alone this year.
• Lettuce Catalogna (Mr. Fothergill’s Italian Vegetables at Canadian Tire) : The packet claims that this is an early lettuce with crisp leaves and good bolting resistance. New for this year.
• Arugula (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) : Standard arugula, with the usual peppery taste, it’s nice to mix with other greens in a salad. Worked decently next year but I had a very small patch, so I’ll plant more and see how it goes.
• Radish Saxa II (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) : Pretty standard early radishes that grew well last year, I’ll be planting some in front of the greens rows. When they’re picked, I’ll probably start new rows of greens if the older ones look too tired at the time.

Herbs in smaller dollar store pots (7 1/2″ wide) :

• Chives (store-bought plant): I had a plant last year, so I’m hoping it will grow back.
• Cilantro (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) : It grew decently last year, but I’ll have to stake them better since they grow pretty tall for the small container. I loved the taste too, so I may grow two pots.
• Parsley Moss Curled (Dollarama) : It’s indoor right now, so I’ll just take it back outside. It took a while to get started from seeds but it’s going strong now.
• Mint : I’ve had it for a few years and put it through alot of hardships, but it’s still growing. It’s indoor right now, I’ll repot it and put it back outside.
• Oregano (store-bought plant) : This one pretty much died at the end of the season last year after producing many tasty leaves. I’ll probably just buy a new plant.
• Fine Verde Basil (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds): A cute small-leaved basil that grows in a compact ball shape with the classic basil taste. Was pretty productive too so it’s coming back this year.

Good but not for this year :

• Tonga Di Parigi carrots (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) Produces small 1″ long carrots perfect for a container. I was only able to start picking up carrots in September last year, so I would rather use the space for radishes or greens, but they were delicious when freshly picked.

What are you going to grow on your balcony this year?

1 lb (543,6 g) of olive oil
2,0368 oz (57,74 g) of lye
3,0552 oz (86,61 g) of water

Now, we’re going to make this soap. First, using a digital scale, measure the olive oil in a large bowl as precisely as you can. You can buy pomace olive oil for this : it’s not very good for eating, but for soap it works just fine. Actually, it will be longer to stir the soap if you use high quality olive oil so I prefer to use pomace.

Again with the scale, measure the amount of lye in a small bowl. The water can be measured directly in your lye pitcher.

Add the lye to the water (NEVER add the water to the lye) in the pitcher. The lye will heat the water, wait until the solution is back at room temperature. Meanwhile, put the oil in a larger bowl if necessary. I mix my oils in a microwaveable bowl in case some of them needs to be melted, but it’s a bit too small to mix the lye.

When the lye has cooled down, pour the lye solution in the olive oil and mix.

And mix, and mix, until the soap mixture “traces”, or leaves traces in the mixture before disappearing. It’s a bit like doing whipped cream…

Pour the soap in the mold, and wait until it’s hard enough to unmold. It may take a few day depending on the temperature and humidity. I usually unmold while it’s slightly sticky, but holds its shape.

Let the cut soap dry for at least three weeks before using so it gets firm and mild. It may take longer depending on the heat and humidity in your home.

This is a recipe my mom made over and over every summer when we were kids (and still does). It’s been so long I have no idea where the recipe is originally from. This is a lot better than the old frozen juice, staying tasty to the last chunk.

Ingredients (for 2 racks of 8 popsicle)

1 packet (85g) of Jello (or generic brand)
1/2 cup of sugar
2 cups of boiling water
2 cups of cold water

Preparation

• Put the jello powder and the sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the boiling water and stir until the powder and sugar are completed dissolved. Mix in the cold water.
• Pour the jello mix in the ice pop molds, leaving a bit of room at the top. Put the sticks in and freeze overnight.
• To unmold, run hot water over the mold, twisting and pulling the stick gently until it gets out.

 

Ingredients (Yield : about 20 bars)

40 oatmeal squares cereals
2 cups of quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup of wheat germ
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon of cardamon pods, ground
4 teaspoons of flax seeds, ground
2 teaspoons of chia seeds, ground
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, ground
A pinch of salt

1 egg
1 1/2 cup of soy milk or cow’s milk
1 cup of fresh okara
2 tablespoons of canola oil

1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation

• Put the oatmeal squares in a large bowl and smash them a few times with a potato masher to break them in small pieces.
• Add the oatmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, spices, grounds seeds and salt in the bowl and mix well.
• In another bowl, mix together the egg, milk, okara and oil. Pour it in the big bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well.
• Add the chocolate and the raisins and mix again.
• Pour the batter in a pan, spreading it evenly. I used two pans, one 8″ X 8″ and one 8″ X 4″.
• Cook at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. When the mix has cooled enough, cut in bars. This recipe freeze well if the bars don’t disappear within 3 days…

I ate one of them as a late breakfast, but for a weekday morning half a pancake it with some fruits was more than enough. It does keep for about a week in the fridge though so you don’t need to eat everything right away.

 

Ingredients (Yield : 3 big pancakes)

1/3 cup of flour
1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup of frozen cranberries, chopped

Preparation

• In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in the eggs,ricotta and chopped cranberries.
• Pour 1/2 cup of batter in a hot pan and cook, turning the pancake when the top starts to bubble and the bottom is brown. It will brown pretty fast but don’t worry, it won’t taste burnt.

Unfortunately, the bags sold at the grocery store are pretty expensive if you take into account that they only contain a few popcorn kernels, not to mention the salt and/or the artificial flavours they add for the taste. Also, it produces a lot of waste : you have to to throw away the greasy bag, the plastic wrapper and the box. That’s a lot for three or four bags of popcorn!

The best option I’ve found is to make my own popcorn bags. The only things needed are a brown paper bag (I use lunch-style bags) and 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels. Put the kernels at the bottom of the bag and fold it a few times. Cook for about 2 or 3 minutes in the microwave like you would for a store-brought bag, stopping when the pops are more than a few seconds appart. You don’t need to add grease or oil : it works fine without anything. The only time I ever used oil, it was all absorbed by the bag, with none left for the popcorn.

When it’s done, you can add your seasonings of choice. I usually just eat it plain, or with some nutritional yeast. Any other good ideas? I’ve got a lot of pop-corn grains left…

Cretons are usually eaten on toasts (sometime with a dash of mustard) or on crackers. This makes a pretty big batch for one person but it can be frozen and it will be as good when thawed.

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) of ground pork
2 slices of white bread
1 cup of milk
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

• Remove the crust from the bread and tear in small cubes. Put in a pan with the milk and stir together.
• Add the pork,the spices, the salt and the pepper to the pan and mix. Cook over low heat for about an hour, stiring from time to time.
• Once the cretons are well cooked, you can eat them as is or put them in the blender and chop a few seconds for a smoother texture. They can be stored in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for a long time.