Well, this point came much sooner than I had anticipated. I’ve already shared all of my family’s favourite meals, so now I have to start trying new recipes. This is good for me – stepping out of my comfort zone for the next 10 days could have some interesting results. Hopefully my family will like SOME of my creations!

To make things even more interesting, I purchased a Vita-Mix today and should be really shaking things up in the juicing department as soon as I can figure out how to set it up. Refresh cookbook has lots of ideas for juice combinations which I will be trying out over the next couple of days. Will keep you informed on how I sneak in kefir, protein powder, spirulina and other great healing aids – and what the family thinks of these healthy green drinks. Failing everything else, at least I will be eating well – because my taste buds seem to be much more interested in trying out new flavours than my teens.

So, what’s for dinner tonight you ask? Are you ready – cause it’s pretty exciting!

From the cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, we’re trying the Winter Squash Galette with a yeasted tart dough. It will be accompanied by a kale salad with mango (sweet flavours to compliment the squash) and a Quinoa with red peppers, leeks and carrots. I have a couple of hockey boys sleeping over tonight so I need filler food! I’ve also got a couple of steaks to BBQ in case they’re still starving.

Yeasted Tart Dough with Olive Oil
2 tsps active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/8 tsp salt (have you ever heard of such a thing? I didn’t realize that I had a 1/8th tsp measure)
1 3/4 cup flour, as needed (I’m using whole spelt flour tonight)

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water in a medium bowl and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Add the oil, egg and salt, then stir in flour. When the dough is too stiff to work with a spoon, turn it onto the counter and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.

Add more flour if necessary to keep it from sticking.

Set the dough in an oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Winter Squash Galette

Yeasted Tart Dough recipe
2 1/2 lbs winter squash (I used butternut)
1 small head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the squash
1 onion, finely diced
12 fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 2 tsp dried
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 egg, beaten

Make the dough. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and brush the surface with oil. Stuff the garlic into the cavities and place the squash cut side down on parchment lined sheet. Bake until flesh is tender, about 40 minutes. Scoop out the squash and squeeze the garlic cloves. Mash them together with a fork until fairly smooth, leaving some texture.

Warm 1 Tbsp oil in skilled over medium heat. Add the onion, and sage and cook until onion is soft and beginning to colour about 12 minutes. Add it to the squash with the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Roll out dough into 14-inch circle and spread the filling over it, leaving a border of 2 inches or more. Pleat the dough over the filling, then brush the edges with beaten egg. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

I think this will be delicious with the salad. I’ll definitely add some maple syrup to the dressing and will make the salad while the squash is roasting so it can marinate for at least 2 hours.

NOTE: After making this tart, I suggest that you roll it out on either the cookie sheet or pizza stone that you intend to bake it on. It is impossible to move when full. Another suggestion – to make this tart faster, you could use a phyllo pastry crust. This crust is quite doughy, more like a pizza crust.

Kale Salad

I met a really interesting couple at The Crow’s Nest last night (yes, I’m predictable – on Sundays we have supper out so that’s why there’s no Day 12) who had lots of questions about the importance of detoxing, so I thought I’d do my blog today on why a spring detox is a healthful practice.

What are toxins?
Toxins are substances that are harmful to our health. There are two main categories: Exotoxins – toxins which enter into our bodies from our external environments; and Endotoxins – toxic by-products of internal bodily functions.

Exotoxins include such things as xenobiotics (insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, food additives, plastics, drugs, chemicals from cleaning supplies, etc.), toxic metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, arsenic in our water, fish, lead pipes, paint, pots and other sources), organic toxins (aflatoxin, penicillium toxins on our food), vitamin and mineral excesses, infections, lifestyle toxins (caffeine, sugar, alcohol, smoking), inhalents (mold, algae, pollens), food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, nightshades), and energetic toxins (electromagnetic fields, ionizing radiation, geopathic stress).

Endotoxins are things like by-products/waste products of intestinal bacteria and fungi, intermediary metabolites (lactic acid, urea), hormonal overload (estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, prolactin), increased free radicals, toxic emotions (excess worry, regret, grief, fear, anger) and toxic memories (loss, embarrassment, shame, violence, abandonment).

What happens when we are toxic?
When the body is unable to keep up with the break down and elimination of toxic wastes, symptoms of illness can begin to show up. These symptoms may include headaches, joint pain, fatigue, irritability, depression, mental confusion, digestive disturbances, cardiovascular irregulatiries, flu-like symptoms like hives, runny nose, sneezing and coughing.

Why detox in the spring?
Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal and the perfect time for an annual removal of these toxins from the system. There are many kinds of detoxification strategies that are available.

The simplest is for 2-weeks to concentrate on feeding your body with lots of fresh, raw vegetables and fruit (take a break from eating potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce which are classified as nightshade foods and can be inflammatory for some individuals – as well as citrus fruits including lemon, lime, oranges, mandarin, grapefruit, as they can be a source of food sensitivities).

While you’re enjoying lots of fresh, raw vegetables and fruits, take a break from eating sugars (white, brown, honey, maple syrup, you name it, leave it alone for 2 weeks), gluten-containing grains (white flour, whole wheat flour, spelt, kamut, barley, rye), dairy products (especially milk, and cheese) and all lifestyle toxins (food additives and colourings, caffeine, alcohol, smoking).

Do include small amounts of protein each day as the function of proteins in our body is to repair, renew, and improve immune function. However, protein containing foods are generally higher in fat, require cooking, and are harder for the body to digest. Foods that draw energy for digestion interfere with the use of energy for cleansing and rejuvenation, and should be avoided during detoxing.

Include in your 2-week detoxification a trip to a spa where you can relax and feel pampered and refreshed. You also might want to consider keeping a journal during this time to keep track of how you feel as your body is given the chance to clean and clear itself.

Kale Salad

When kale is cut into thin strips, rubbed, and then marinated overnight in a dressing, it has a wonderfully soft and juicy texture that makes it delightful for a salad. This nutritious salad is visually beautiful, and sure to become a staple recipe for your family and friends. When I’m not on a detox, I add 1 tbsp of maple syrup to the dressing.

1 head of kale, washed and cut into thin strips
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cucumber
1/3 cup raw whole almonds, chopped
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 small red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red cabbage

Combine all the above ingredients in a large bowl. Feel free to add some fresh berries to increase the antioxidant properties of the salad.

Dressing:
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flax oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon
1 tsp tamari
½ tsp coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a jar, shake and pour over salad. Massage dressing into salad and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and allow the kale to soften. This salad will keep for a couple of days as the kale just softens in the dressing and becomes juicier.

Thanks to Caroline Dupont’s Enlightened Eating for starting me on my love affair with kale.