Bone Broth and Dumplings

I have recently begun to make "bone broth" in my small pressure cooker. Bone broth is what you get when you cook for an extended time, the bones and connective tissue of meaty joints. Its the joints that are important and contain the collagen and silica. Cooking joints and bones in the pressure cooker significantly reduces the time. An hour under pressure is the same as just boiling for an entire day, but if you don't use a pressure cooker, you can gain the same thing by cooking the joints for a couple of days.

What you get from this is collagen, silica, gelatin, high protein, anti-inflammatory amino acids, glucosamine, chondroitin, B vitamins and a lot more.

Bone broth does not contain a lot of minerals, but if you add vegetables when you make the broth, they will add minerals. Save your onion skins, carrot and celery tops. These scraps, usually thrown away, will add a lot of flavour and minerals to your broth. Add any other vegetables and herbs to the pot with the bones, at the start, then strain the broth at the end of the cooking period. I like to add some carrots, onion, celery and garlic for flavour, a lot of spinach and parsley, also some bay leaves, thyme and oregano. If I had nettles in mid-winter, I would add those too. These all go into the pressure cooker with the bones and joints to cook for an hour under pressure. Other things I have considered adding to the pressure cooker, but have not done so yet, are dried plantain and calendula. it all gets strained out. If I want a few vegetables in my soup, I add them after, with the noodles.

If I'm not ready to use this immediately, it gets strained and put into the freezer. I usually freeze things like this in ice cube trays, then put into freezer bags for use in small amounts, as needed. 

I occasionally use this as a base for chicken noodle soup (pictured below), if made with chicken or turkey. I usually make stew with moose/beef joints. Bone broth can also be sipped by itself in a cup for a nourishing lunch or snack. 

I use wide, flat egg noodles in my soup. We like their texture a lot better than regular pasta noodles. I have used chopped spaghetti noodles, and they are good too, but we prefer the egg noodles and I think they freeze better. 

I recently made bone broth from a turkey. They are cheap just before Christmas! I deboned the whole turkey and used the carcass to make three pressure cookers full of bone broth. I made a lot of chicken noodle soup for the freezer from 2/3 of the total broth amount. I used the rest to make chicken stew for dinner tonight. I didn't have to add much in the way of vegetables, knowing what had gone into the broth. I did add potatoes, carrots and broccoli. 

For the first time in many years, I made dumplings, the easy way. I bought a can of Pillsbury Country Biscuits, the kind that comes in a spiral cardboard can. (No, they are no paying me anything for putting this in my blog.) I cut the raw biscuits into quarters and dropped them into the boiling stew, put on the lid, turned the heat down, and cooked for about 16-17 minutes. They were delicious and perfectly cooked, light, fluffy and delicious! 

I know I could not have made better dumplings from scratch! Using canned biscuits for dumplings is something my mother used to do and took a lot of criticism for, but now I see why. So easy, fluffy, tender and very, very good! I will never again make dumplings from scratch! 

Hostas, A Delicious Vegetable!

Spring is here in the far north! With the coming of spring, comes new growth in the forests and wild areas where the edible Ostrich ferns grow. Fiddleheads are the baby fronds not yet unfurled on Ostrich ferns.

The fiddleheads on the Ostrich fern can be identified by the papery covering that splits when the fiddlehead grows and the smooth stems with a deep, U-shaped groove on the inside.

They can usually be found growing wild all over a damp forest floor, along streams, riverbanks and swampy areas. They like wet ground. Sometimes you can find a patch with hundreds. 

When you pick the fiddleheads, leave several fronds (leaves) on each fern so it can make food with which to grow and survive for the next year. Forage responsibly. 

Before fiddleheads are edible, they have to be prepared properly. When raw, they can make you sick. 

When we eat fiddleheads, I boil them for 15 mins, drain and rinse several times. Then I toss them in a skillet with butter and garlic and sauté. They taste similar to asparagus and green beans. Delicious!! 

Fiddlehead Nutrition: 

Fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), Fresh, raw, Nutrition Value per 100 g, (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	34 Kcal	1.7%
Carbohydrates	5.54 g	4%
Protein	4.55 g	8%
Total Fat	0.40 g	2%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Vitamins
Niacin	4.980 mg	31%
Riboflavin	0.210 mg	16%
Thiamin	0.020 mg	1.5%
Vitamin A	3617 IU	120.5%
Vitamin C	26.6 mg	44%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	<1%
Potassium	370 mg	8%
Minerals
Calcium	32 mg	3%
Copper	0.320 mg	35.5%
Iron	1.31 mg	16%
Magnesium	34 mg	8.5%
Manganese	0.510 mg	22%
Selenium	0.7 mcg	1%
Zinc	0.83 mg	7.5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	2040 µg	--
Carotene-α	261 µg	--

---

From the Gov of Canada food safety website*.

Cleaning

• Using your fingers, remove as much of the brown papery husk on the fiddlehead as possible.
• Wash the fiddleheads in several changes of fresh, cold water to remove any residual husk or dirt.

Cooking

• Cook fiddleheads in a generous amount of boiling water for 15 minutes, or steam them for 10 to 12 minutes until tender. Discard the water used for boiling or steaming the fiddleheads.
• Cook fiddleheads before sautéing, frying, baking, or using them in other foods like mousses and soups.

Freezing

• Clean the fiddleheads properly.
• Boil them for two minutes.
• Discard the cooking water.
• Plunge the fiddleheads into cold water and drain.
• Pack the fiddleheads in freezer containers or bags.
• Store fiddleheads in the freezer for up to one year for best quality.
• Follow the complete cooking instructions above before serving.

From the Maine, USA Gov Extension**: 

Canning Fiddleheads: 

• UMaine Cooperative Extension does not recommend pressure canning as a method to preserve fiddleheads because process times have not been established and tested for home food preservation.
• Commercial cider or white vinegar should be used and must have at least 5% acidity.
• As guidance, approximately 3 pounds of raw fiddleheads should yield about 6 pints of pickled fiddleheads.
• The brine should cover all the fiddleheads in the jar, while leaving a 1/2-inch headspace to ensure a proper seal.
• Be sure to use best canning practices during the water bath process, which includes covering all jars in the canner with at least 1 inch of water and timing the boiling process when the water reaches a rolling boil (212 deg F) with all the jars in the canner.
• Check for a proper seal on the jars after processed jars have cooled.  If the tops are not depressed or have “popped”, place these jars immediately in the refrigerator and eat the fiddleheads within 1 month.

---

Fiddlehead Recipes

Pearl barley risotto with fiddleheads, squash and walnuts
This is a recipe by Chef Kyle Christofferson, winner of the 2011 "So You Think You Can Cook" fiddlehead competition. ***

Ingredients:
50 g fiddleheads, trimmed and blanched
50 g roasted butternut squash, ¼ inch dice
50 g pearl barley (cooked to al dente)
15 g roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp marscapone cheese
1 tbsp parmasean cheese
1 tsp chives
2 tbsp vegetable stock
¼ tsp sea salt

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Serve warm.

---

Sweet Pickled Fiddleheads

1 quart cider or white vinegar (5% acidity)
5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons canning & pickling salt

Clean and wash fiddleheads thoroughly using the process above. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil and immediately pour over fiddleheads that are packed into clean pint jars. Remove air bubbles, adjust the liquid to 1/2-inch headspace and wipe the jar rim. Apply two-piece dome lids and adjust lids to fingertip tight. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner, ensuring a rolling boil for the full 15 minutes and at least 1-inch of water is covering all jars in the water bath.

Makes approximately 6 pints if using 3 pounds of raw, cleaned and trimmed fiddleheads.

---

Shrimp and Fiddlehead Medley

1 pound fresh fiddleheads
6 ounces linguine, uncooked
6 cups water
1 ¾ pounds Maine shrimp, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until slightly opaque white in color (frozen shrimp may take longer). Drain well, and set aside. Cook fiddleheads in boiling water (enough water to cover all fiddleheads during cooking) for 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, without salt or oil. Drain well, set aside and keep warm.

Add olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet and heat on medium high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until crisp-tender. Stir in fiddleheads. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, pepper, salt and celery seeds to vegetable mixture; stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring often. Stir in shrimp and lemon juice; cook until heated through, stirring often.

Place pasta on a large platter. Spoon shrimp and fiddlehead mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

---

Fiddlehead Dijon

1 ½ pounds fresh fiddleheads
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Place fiddleheads in a vegetable steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 12 minutes or until tender, but still crisp. Set aside, and keep warm.

Combine cornstarch and buttermilk in a small saucepan, stir well. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in mustard, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper.

Arrange fiddleheads on a serving platter. Spoon sauce over fiddleheads. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

*https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-safety-fruits-vegetables/fiddlehead-safety-tips.html
**https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4198e/
***https://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/fiddleheads-are-a-great-source-of-vitamins-a-and-c-eat-them-while-you-can/

Fiddleheads - Picking & Using

Spring is here in the far north! With the coming of spring, comes new growth in the forests and wild areas where the edible Ostrich ferns grow. Fiddleheads are the baby fronds not yet unfurled on Ostrich ferns.

The fiddleheads on the Ostrich fern can be identified by the papery covering that splits when the fiddlehead grows and the smooth stems with a deep, U-shaped groove on the inside.

They can usually be found growing wild all over a damp forest floor, along streams, riverbanks and swampy areas. They like wet ground. Sometimes you can find a patch with hundreds. 

When you pick the fiddleheads, leave several fronds (leaves) on each fern so it can make food with which to grow and survive for the next year. Forage responsibly. 

Before fiddleheads are edible, they have to be prepared properly. When raw, they can make you sick. 

When we eat fiddleheads, I boil them for 15 mins, drain and rinse several times. Then I toss them in a skillet with butter and garlic and sauté. They taste similar to asparagus and green beans. Delicious!! 

Fiddlehead Nutrition: 

Fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), Fresh, raw, Nutrition Value per 100 g, (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	34 Kcal	1.7%
Carbohydrates	5.54 g	4%
Protein	4.55 g	8%
Total Fat	0.40 g	2%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Vitamins
Niacin	4.980 mg	31%
Riboflavin	0.210 mg	16%
Thiamin	0.020 mg	1.5%
Vitamin A	3617 IU	120.5%
Vitamin C	26.6 mg	44%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	<1%
Potassium	370 mg	8%
Minerals
Calcium	32 mg	3%
Copper	0.320 mg	35.5%
Iron	1.31 mg	16%
Magnesium	34 mg	8.5%
Manganese	0.510 mg	22%
Selenium	0.7 mcg	1%
Zinc	0.83 mg	7.5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	2040 µg	--
Carotene-α	261 µg	--

---

From the Gov of Canada food safety website*.

Cleaning

• Using your fingers, remove as much of the brown papery husk on the fiddlehead as possible.
• Wash the fiddleheads in several changes of fresh, cold water to remove any residual husk or dirt.

Cooking

• Cook fiddleheads in a generous amount of boiling water for 15 minutes, or steam them for 10 to 12 minutes until tender. Discard the water used for boiling or steaming the fiddleheads.
• Cook fiddleheads before sautéing, frying, baking, or using them in other foods like mousses and soups.

Freezing

• Clean the fiddleheads properly.
• Boil them for two minutes.
• Discard the cooking water.
• Plunge the fiddleheads into cold water and drain.
• Pack the fiddleheads in freezer containers or bags.
• Store fiddleheads in the freezer for up to one year for best quality.
• Follow the complete cooking instructions above before serving.

From the Maine, USA Gov Extension**: 

Canning Fiddleheads: 

• UMaine Cooperative Extension does not recommend pressure canning as a method to preserve fiddleheads because process times have not been established and tested for home food preservation.
• Commercial cider or white vinegar should be used and must have at least 5% acidity.
• As guidance, approximately 3 pounds of raw fiddleheads should yield about 6 pints of pickled fiddleheads.
• The brine should cover all the fiddleheads in the jar, while leaving a 1/2-inch headspace to ensure a proper seal.
• Be sure to use best canning practices during the water bath process, which includes covering all jars in the canner with at least 1 inch of water and timing the boiling process when the water reaches a rolling boil (212 deg F) with all the jars in the canner.
• Check for a proper seal on the jars after processed jars have cooled.  If the tops are not depressed or have “popped”, place these jars immediately in the refrigerator and eat the fiddleheads within 1 month.

---

Fiddlehead Recipes

Pearl barley risotto with fiddleheads, squash and walnuts
This is a recipe by Chef Kyle Christofferson, winner of the 2011 "So You Think You Can Cook" fiddlehead competition. ***

Ingredients:
50 g fiddleheads, trimmed and blanched
50 g roasted butternut squash, ¼ inch dice
50 g pearl barley (cooked to al dente)
15 g roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp marscapone cheese
1 tbsp parmasean cheese
1 tsp chives
2 tbsp vegetable stock
¼ tsp sea salt

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Serve warm.

---

Sweet Pickled Fiddleheads

1 quart cider or white vinegar (5% acidity)
5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons canning & pickling salt

Clean and wash fiddleheads thoroughly using the process above. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil and immediately pour over fiddleheads that are packed into clean pint jars. Remove air bubbles, adjust the liquid to 1/2-inch headspace and wipe the jar rim. Apply two-piece dome lids and adjust lids to fingertip tight. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner, ensuring a rolling boil for the full 15 minutes and at least 1-inch of water is covering all jars in the water bath.

Makes approximately 6 pints if using 3 pounds of raw, cleaned and trimmed fiddleheads.

---

Shrimp and Fiddlehead Medley

1 pound fresh fiddleheads
6 ounces linguine, uncooked
6 cups water
1 ¾ pounds Maine shrimp, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until slightly opaque white in color (frozen shrimp may take longer). Drain well, and set aside. Cook fiddleheads in boiling water (enough water to cover all fiddleheads during cooking) for 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, without salt or oil. Drain well, set aside and keep warm.

Add olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet and heat on medium high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until crisp-tender. Stir in fiddleheads. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, pepper, salt and celery seeds to vegetable mixture; stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring often. Stir in shrimp and lemon juice; cook until heated through, stirring often.

Place pasta on a large platter. Spoon shrimp and fiddlehead mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

---

Fiddlehead Dijon

1 ½ pounds fresh fiddleheads
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Place fiddleheads in a vegetable steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 12 minutes or until tender, but still crisp. Set aside, and keep warm.

Combine cornstarch and buttermilk in a small saucepan, stir well. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in mustard, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper.

Arrange fiddleheads on a serving platter. Spoon sauce over fiddleheads. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

*https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-safety-fruits-vegetables/fiddlehead-safety-tips.html
**https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4198e/
***https://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/fiddleheads-are-a-great-source-of-vitamins-a-and-c-eat-them-while-you-can/

Walnut Substitute, Homegrown!

When someone told me that impatiens glandulifera seeds taste just like walnuts, I said, "really, really? Hmmmm....I will have to see that for myself!" and so I have!

They do taste like walnuts! They do! They do! I am so excited about this discovery! I can grow my own nuts, well, sort of...

I put some in my pumpkin muffins and they were delicious!

This opens a new door for people with nut allergies. You can now have so called "banana nut" muffins! Not only that, they are virtually free and you can grow them in your own yard. These are pink but they come in white too. 

They grow wild here in the Fort Nelson area in fields and road sides. The ones here are white. They are invasive and considered by many to be a weed. I think they are beautiful! 

Mine get about 4-6' ! They like moist shade. It's an impatiens, but not the little ones that you buy cheap in every garden center in the spring. This is closer to the jewelweed, Impatiens capensis, with the same "touch-me-not" seed pods. If you grow them, you will learn to close your entire hand over the ripe seed pod before touching it. Spread them out to dry well before saving them for baking.

To plant the seeds, just sprinkle on the ground in the fall. They need a cold, moist winter and sunlight to germinate. They are prolific reseeders! If you buy them now, just sprinkle on the ground, on top of the snow, where you want them to grow. When the snow melts they will come in contact with the soil and grow.

Warning: these can be very invasive! Mine are controlled by collecting most of the seeds.

They are also beautiful flowers for the back of the shade garden.

The big, fuzzy yellow bumblebees like them - and so do I!

Healthy Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

We eat a lot of cookies around here so I have developed a recipe that makes them fairly healthy. Although they do contain a fair amount of sugar, it is not "empty" calories.

One thing I have added is Quinoa grain (pronounced "keen-wah"). Here is more info about quinoa:

"The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. It is a good complement for legumes, which are often low in methionine and cystine. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces a day, about 1/2-cup, will provide a child's protein needs for one day."

I chose quinoa as an additive because of the protein content. I can even eat some of these cookies, within reason, without suffering a carb "crash". I sometimes grab a couple for breakfast before heading out to the fields in the early morning when nothing else is available that is quick and ready to go, after the two cups of coffee, that is. No, I don't grow my own coffee...yet, but I might look at growing my own quinoa, maybe later.

I buy it from a bin at the bulk food store. Its readily available in many grocery stores, but more costly there. I also grind it before adding it uncooked to things like cookies. I have a small coffee/spice grinder that I use for that.
I love my grinder and use it to grind a lot of things!

I have started using Demerara sugar also from a bin at the bulk food store. I use it mainly because of the high molasses content. I love molasses! Molasses is high in iron and a lot of other minerals and I just like the taste. I particularly like it with peanut butter on something hot, where the peanut butter melts and the molasses mixes in with it. No one else in my family shares this love of molasses, but they like the cookies.

You can use regular brown sugar in this cookie recipe, if you want to.

I use hard whole wheat flour, also from the bulk food store. We are trying our best to get away from using white flour for anything. I might even start making our own burger buns with hard whole wheat flour.

I know people who refuse to eat things from bins at the bulk food store but I shop there a lot. I am cooking these things in the oven, after all, so whatever might have been sneezed in there is going to be dead when it comes out of the oven. The bulk food store where I shop is a very clean, well manned, professional place anyway. Sure, there are people out there who will sneeze in the bins in a store, but they are few and far between. We have to be reasonable, people.

Another thing I add is ground flax, only because I have quite a lot to use up and its good for you.

The recipe makes a lot of cookies, several dozen. I make them small enough to fit into those "snack" size zip lock bags.










Recipe for chewy healthy oatmeal cookies

Preheat oven to 350F

• 1 lb butter, 2 cups melted (I do this in a glass 2 cup measure in the microwave, 2 mins)
• 2 cups white sugar (you can lower this for less sweet cookies)
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed into measure
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1.5 cups light weight commercial cereal (Spec K, flakes, rice)
• 2 cups combined ground and whole grains (quinoa, flax, ground nuts, etc)
• 5 eggs (you can add an extra egg for even more protein content)
  
  
  Mix these altogether in extremely large bowl. Then add:
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 5 cups flour
• 2.5 cups your choice combined raisins/nuts/shelled sunflower and squash seeds/chips (choc,butterscotch,peanut butter)

Mix into dough. You will need to drop the spoon and use your hands at some point.

Roll into balls and bake on greased cookie sheet for 11-13 mins. Make sure your oven is baking at the right temperature.

I freeze what doesn't fit into the cookie jar. These never get hard. We even eat them frozen. I like them better that way.