Articles and Recipes

American Flags, parades, fireworks, picnics, families, friends, and nostalgia - these are some of the memories that I have of the Independence Day 4th of July.

Family picnics were integral events in my family. I recall elaborate events on my grandparent's lawn, surrounded by a meticulously pruned hedge, the backyard had lawn chairs and tables laden with perfect cool finger foods. Radish roses, curled carrots, and celery sticks cold from the refrigerator. In other years picnics were hosted at my Aunt and Uncle's, and there we were allowed to have sparklers, and the older children lit firecrackers. And I recall many, many years when picnics were hosted at my parent's home. Happy memories of helping my mom make macaroni and potato salad, and watching my mother make her famous baked beans.

My mother had that knack of cooking without a recipe so when we wanted to recreate these awesome baked beans she was tasked with writing it out. Mom always made these in the cool of the morning, and then they would cook and keep warm for the rest of the day, so cooking times are hard to pin down. Mom always cooked a crockpot full, that contained 7 pounds of baked beans + 2 pounds of bacon, they were delicious, and leftovers never lasted long.

A few important notes - always fry and drain the bacon, and always cook the onions. I have made these with Bush’s Baked Beans - any variety should work. These two companies beans are gluten free.  

I have cut Mom’s recipe in half, but feel free to scale back up. 

5 Quart pot with lid or crock pot
4 cans -28 oz B&M Original Baked Beans 
5-6 large onions, sliced and sautéd 
1lb bacon, cooked, drained, and diced
5 tablespoons ketchup
5 tablespoon brown sugar
3 teaspoons dry mustard

Oven method: Add all the prepared ingredients to the 5 quart pot, baked in an oven at 350F until bubbly. Then bake for an hour stirring occasionally. Reduce oven heat and keep warm. 

Crock Pot method: Add all the ingredients to crock pot, cook on high for 1-2 hours then keep warm. 

Either way the beans should be cooked until thick and bubbly. 

     

We wish you a festive 4th of July! 

With warm wishes for your home,
from the husMait home kitchen.

Supplies list:
fry pan
5 quart pot
Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
Stainless Steel Knives 

 

Our family has a range of healthy eating requirements, which makes finding recipes for the whole family challenging.  However I have just found a fantastic recipe on the back of the Kirkland Signature Almond Flour bag.  The recipe is gluten free but with two small tweaks everyone in our home can enjoy this.  

I replaced the dairy butter with a Miyokos European Style Cultured Vegan Butter and the egg with a Flax Seed egg replacement. Check your cocoa powder and chocolate chips to ensure they fit your dietary requirements.  We used Kirkland Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips and Ghirardellie Premium Baking Cocoa.  

Our 3 Piece Mixing Bowl Sets are awesome tools for this bake. If you are looking for a value our 11 Piece Bakeware Set comes with the 3 stainless steel bowls, valued separately $18.99  (regularly for $30.00) plus the stainless steel measuring spoon valued separately for $13.99, which means the 3 stainless steel colanders are a steal at $8.01! 

I thought I would mention again my high school Home Economic teachers training of assembling all of the ingredients and equipment before baking. Our equipment list is below the recipe. This combined with reading the recipe throughly before beginning really helps for an efficient, no mistakes bake.  

Gluten Free Almond Brownies recipe as written by Kirkland Signature:

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup almond beverage
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Kirkland Signature Almond Flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup chopped whole natural almonds
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
more almonds for garnish

PREPARATION 

Heat oven to 350F

Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend in egg. Blend in almond milk and vanilla

In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and baking powder.  Add to butter mixture and blend just until mixed. Stir in chopped almond and chocolate chips. 

Coat an 8”x8” baking pan with non stick cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 30-35 minutes

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Garnish with more chopped almonds or with sliced almonds toasted.  

 HusMait Equipment suggested for this recipe:

Set of 3 Melamine Mixing Bowls or Set of 3 Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls 
11 Piece Bakeware Set
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups 
Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
Set of 2 Flour Scraper
Side Tang Cooks Knife or Classic 4 Piece Knife Set
12” Silicone Whisk with Stainless Steel Handle

 

 

It’s rhubarb season, which lasts from April to July in most places. The warmer the climate the shorter the season.

My memories of rhubarb go back to spring and my teenage years when I picked rhubarb from the back garden, where I recall it growing all summer long. Rhubarb pie is one of the first pies I learned to bake and was my dad’s favorite. 

Fast forward to heart-healthy eating and fewer people at home to eat a pie and I need my rhubarb fix in a different way.  I was really pleased to find this recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp from  Once Upon a Chef.  I decided to try her recipe because of the simplicity of the ingredients and the added pecans and oats in the topping. 

I was also very excited that this was a quick recipe to assemble and would be easy to transport to a picnic or beautifully elegant to serve at a dinner party. 

I did make two changes - first I substituted gluten-free Namaste Perfect Flour Blend and second Miyoko’s European-style vegan butter. This recipe calls for a 2-quart baking dish, I used my 9.5 inch Pyrex pie dish which worked fantastically.

The two-part method is easy. First, wash and cut your fruit. Then mix the fruit well with granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large bowl. Transfer this to the baking dish. 

Second, create the topping by combining flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter. Then stir in the oats and chopped pecans. Spoon this mixture over the fruit. 

The crumble smelled delicious as it baked and the topping came out crispy and browned with lovely bubbly fruit beneath.  We ate it simply as it was. Adding whipped cream or ice cream would have been heavenly! 

Equipment used: Our Bowl Sets are currently on SALE June 2021

Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Bowls - Set of 3 Melamine Bowls or Set of 3 Stainless Steel Bowls
7” Santoku knife
Wire Cooling Rack
Cutting Board
Pastry Cutter

 

 

This week in the husMait Kitchen we are making Vegetarian Butternut Curry based on a recipe shared by @sonia_duryn, on Instagram.

Curries and other Indian dishes deliver outstanding flavor and protein but can often be high in calories and saturated fats. When eating a diet low in fat, ingredients such as coconut cream or coconut oil, ghee, and other solid fats should be minimized or avoided altogether. A general rule of thumb in heart health is that any fat that is solid at room temperature has the potential to add inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries.

So how can we get that same flavor and texture in our heart-healthy dishes? Choose dishes that do not call for high-fat ingredients - there are so many great recipes widely available. My number one recommendation is to reduce the oil a recipe calls for by about 1/2 wherever possible. Replace ghee or coconut oil with a vegetable oil such as canola or corn oil. A second way is to steam or broil vegetables instead of frying them as the recipe indicates. Broiling will give your vegetables that rich browned flavor that frying achieves, and saves stovetop messes. Thirdly replace full-fat coconut cream with a reduced-fat version, homemade coconut milk, fat-free yogurt, or broth. A fourth way is to reduce fat is to avoid meat and paneer. And finally, minimize using pre-made curry pastes as these contain oil, alternatively count that curry paste oil as the oil you use to sauté your other ingredients. 

To increase flavors use fresh spices, and whole freshly ground spices. I make small batches of Garam Masala, tandoori seasoning, taco seasoning, chili packet mixes, and rubs. I find the flavor is richer and more vibrant. Use fresh tomatoes over canned tomatoes to eliminate the tinny taste. Find and use recipes from authentic Indian chefs, my favorites are Ruchi of Ruchie’s Kitchen and Atul Kochar

A video tutorial of this recipe can be found on @husMait_home on Instagram. 

Butternut Curry Based on recipe by @sonia_duryn 
My substitutions: light coconut milk, which has 60% less fat and calories and has the same taste and creaminess, blended whole fresh tomatoes, and increasing the curry paste to 2 Tablespoons, but decreased the oil used for frying.  

We omitted the 200 grams each of mushrooms and broccoli, which would also be fantastic and substituted 200 spinach. 

Ingredients:
300 grams Butternut Squash - cubed (@ 3 cups)
200 grams drained chickpeas (@1 3/4 cups)
200 grams spinach
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 can of plum tomatoes 
400 grams of coconut cream (substitute as mentioned above)
2 teaspoons curry paste
salt and pepper 
cilantro 

Method: 
Assemble equipment and prepare ingredients. 
In a large pan brown the onion in olive oil. When the onion is translucent add the garlic. 
Add sweet potato cover and continue browning for a few minutes
Add tomatoes and chickpeas cook until tomato water is almost evaporated 
Add curry paste and stir through 
Add the coconut cream and turn down the heat, cover and cook 15 minutes just below simmering.
Add spinach and cook for 5 minutes
Serve with cilantro and rice. 

Equipment
3-quart saucepan with lid (or larger)
Knife, 7” Santoku knife
Measuring spoon
Measuring Cups 
Cutting board
Kitchen scale
Wooden spoon

We hope you enjoy this meal and that if you try it you will leave us a comment below. 

With warm wishes for your home, 
from the husMait home kitchen. 

We are baking heart-shaped, jam-filled sugar cookies in celebration of Mother's Day. These cookies are gluten-free and vegan with great texture and flavor. 

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed 
6 Tablespoons of hot water
3 cups of gluten-free 1 to 1 flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup soft dairy-free butter substitute
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

1. In the large melamine bowl, mix the flaxseed and hot water, let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In the small melamine bowl mix gluten free flour, baking powder and salt well.
3. To the large melamine mixing bowl with the flaxseed mixture add the butter substitute, sugar, and vanilla. This can be done with a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer, at medium speed.
4. Add the dry ingredients gradually mixing until smooth and well combined. 
5. Place the dough on the Silicone Rolling Mat, form the dough into a 1-inch thick disc, fold the Silicone Rolling Mat around the dough and place fold side down on a plate or pan, and refrigerate for several hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 400F. 
7. On the Silicone Rolling Mat divide the dough into quarters, refrigerate 3 of the quarters until ready to roll. 
8. On the Silicone Rolling Mat with the Silicone Rolling Pin roll 1/4 of the dough to about 1/8th inch thick. 
9. Gently cut cookies using the largest Stainless Steel Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter. You may need to dust the cutter lightly with Gluten-Free flour.
10. Place about 2 inches apart on a Non-Stick Baking Sheet or a cookie sheet lined with a Silicone Baking Mat or a well greased cookie sheet. 
11. To create the window top cookie:  from 1/2 of the cookies cut a smaller heart from the center of the cookies, removing the small cookie and baking separately. NOTE: Cutting the center out after placing the cookie on the baking sheet helps retain the shape of the window cookie. 
12. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown around the edges
13. Remove to cooling rack until completely cool. 
14. Spread jam on one whole cookie and top with a window cookie allowing the jam to show through the hole. If you want a touch of class, sprinkle the window cookie with powdered sugar before placing it on top. 

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. 

We recommend our Essential Bakeware 5 Piece Set which includes the Silicone Rolling Pin, Silicone Rolling Mat, Silicone Baking Mat, 10 x 14 inch Non Stick Baking Sheet, and a Silicone Flour Scraper. This set is a great value. 

There is a video tutorial of this bake on IGTV, come have a look. If you enjoy baking these cookies as much as we did, tag us on Instagram or FaceBook. And don't forget to save some for your mom! 

With warm wishes for your home, 
from the husMait home kitchen. 

Mushrooms are a staple in our vegetarian kitchen. There is quite a bit of research into the nutritional benefits of mushrooms, which indicates they are a great source of micronutrients, and B and D vitamins, and trace nutrients such as copper.

Mushrooms are a great vehicle for flavor and texture. Mushrooms add a savory, meaty bite to help you create satisfying and delicious meals. We add them to vegetarian chili, omelets, risotto and pilaf, portobellos for grilling or broiling, and our favorite cedar plank!

A couple of years ago we visited Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar, owned by John Howie. John Howie is an award-winning chef who is well known for his cedar plank cooking. Besides the beautiful cedar-planked salmon, we enjoyed gorgeous, flavorful, and texturally satisfying cedar plank mushrooms. The mushrooms were so well seasoned and cooked to perfection that they stood alone as a fantastic main course. We immediately knew we had to try these at home on our grill!

Lucky for us John Howie shares this recipe on his website.

This recipe is so easy and so delicious it will become your go-to weekend special. Cedar-planked Mushrooms are easy to assemble ahead of time and require no fiddly final touches. The one thing you have to remember to do is soak the cedar plank at least an hour before cooking. Otherwise, preparation is a matter of cleaning and cutting the mushrooms and herbs, and mixing the marinade. We highly recommend using the fresh herbs as well as making or buying the Porcini Mushroom Rub. We also add this rub to mushroom soup and risotto for an additional amazing level of flavor.

Go to plankcooking.com For this and other amazing recipes and products. Check out our video tutorial on our Instagram account.

With warm wishes for your home,
from the husMait home kitchen.

Products used in preparing this recipe:
Side Tang Cooks Knife
Pairing knife 
Palm Brush
Set of 3 Melamine Mixing Bowls ON SALE
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
Flour Scraper