I recently enjoyed being a judge at the Taste of Saskatchewan pulse recipe contest, held Jan. 13 during Pulse Days in Saskatoon.
Four of the 38 recipes entered were chosen as finalists. These recipes were prepared by the hotel chef for judges and the audience to taste.
The three judges were Shona Pearson, chef at the Faculty Club on the University of Saskatchewan campus, pulse developer Al Slinkard and myself. All the dishes were excellent so it was a hard choice. However, after comparing our score cards, our choice was the prairie baked pulses submitted by Kim Sothmann of Elrose, Sask. She won a weekend getaway at Temple Gardens Mineral Spa in Moose Jaw.
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Those attending the session picked a people’s choice winner – a summer bean salad submitted by Irene Hagel of Choiceland, Sask. For her recipe, Irene won a weekend stay at the Saskatoon Inn.
These are the four finalists’ recipes:
Prairie baked pulses
Submitted by Kim Sothmann, Elrose, Sask.
1/2 pound bacon, cut up 250 g
small and cooked
1-2 large onions, chopped and cooked 1 can (14 oz.) kidney beans 398 mL
3 cans (14 oz.) pork and 1.19 L
beans
11/2 cups lentils, cooked 375 mL
1 cup chickpeas, cooked 250 mL
Sauce:
1 cup ketchup 250 mL
1 cup brown sugar 250 mL
1 tablespoon dry mustard 15 mL
1/2 cup molasses 125 mL
Mix together in a large casserole dish or bean pot (12 cup/three L) and bake for 11/2 hours at 300 F (150 C).
Summer bean salad
Submitted by Irene Hagel, Choiceland, Sask.
2 cups cooked white 500 mL or pinto beans
2 cups canned chickpeas 500 mL
2 cups cauliflower florets 500 mL
2 cups broccoli florets 500 mL
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
11/2 teaspoons salt 7 mL
1 teaspoon lemon herb 5 mL
seasoning
1 cup Italian salad dressing 250 mL
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 50 mL
divided
24 cherry tomatoes
Cook the beans. Drain beans and chickpeas well. Add spices and vegetables. Mix and let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour.
Pour dressing and one half the cheese over the salad. Toss lightly and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, mix in the rest of the parmesan cheese and the cherry tomatoes.
Lentil shepherd’s pie
Submitted by Joanne Nicholls, Tisdale, Sask.
4 tablespoons butter 60 mL
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup green lentils, cooked 250 mL
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, 398 mL
chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce 30 mL
3 tablespoons chopped parsley 45 mL
salt and pepper, to taste
11/2 pounds potatoes, cooked 750 g
and mashed
extra butter
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Use half of the butter to grease a shallow ovenproof dish.
Sauté the onion in the remaining butter in a large saucepan until clear. Add lentils, garlic, tomatoes, soy sauce, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into the dish.
Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, drawing the tines of a fork over the surface to make ridges. Dot the whole surface with butter. Bake 45 minutes or until potato topping is golden brown.
If you like, puree the lentil mixture a little to make it more like the texture of the meat version of shepherd’s pie.
Chickpea dip with toastedpita bread
Submitted by Janet Mandersheid, Bruno, Sask.
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs 50 mL
2 tablespoons dry white 30 mL
wine or water
1 cup chickpeas, cooked 250 mL
1/4 cup slivered almonds, 50 mL
toasted
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice 30 mL
2 tablespoons olive oil 30 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 0.5 mL
2 teaspoons fresh oregano 10 mL
or basil, snipped
basil leaves, optional
toasted pita chips
Combine bread crumbs and wine or water in a small bowl, set aside.
Combine chickpeas, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and ground red pepper in a food processor bowl or blender container. Cover and process until smooth. Stir in the bread crumb and wine mixture, and the snipped oregano and basil, if desired. Cover dip and refrigerate for three to 24 hours to blend flavours. Serve with toasted pita chips.
Farmers’ markets and labels
A reader wrote, “right now farmers’ markets and roadside stands do not have to have nutritional content labels on their products. Are public health inspectors involved or needed?”
Yes, public health inspectors are involved in ensuring food at farmers’ markets is clean and safe.
For example, in Saskatchewan there is a Farmers’ Market Guideline that has been developed to ensure safe food. It is intended to be used by the industry, public health and district health boards. Other parts of Canada also have guidelines.
In these guidelines are rules, for example, regarding packaging and containers, what can be sold, the condition of the building or facility and potentially hazardous foods. Farmers’ markets must abide by all local bylaws, provincial and federal regulations.
If you sell produce from your own farm, these rules do not apply. Roadside stands may be on your property or may not, and so may or may not fall within the farmers’ market guidelines.
For more information regarding particular circumstances, contact the public health inspector in your area.
New nutrition labelling
The new nutrition labelling regulations for Canada, which were released on Dec. 12, 2002, will require most prepackaged foods to have a nutrition facts table.
Manufacturers have until Dec. 12, 2005 (smaller ones have until Dec. 12, 2007) to comply with the new regulations.
The Food and Drug Regulations note which foods are exempt from carrying a nutrition facts table. One of those exemptions is a product that is sold only at a roadside stand, craft show, flea market, fair, farmers’ market or sugar bush by the individual who prepared and processed the product.
All fresh fruit and vegetables without any added ingredients are always exempt from the nutrition labelling regulations despite where these foods are sold.
Other exemptions include alcoholic beverages, raw meat and poultry (except ground versions), raw fish and seafood, foods that are sold only in retail establishments where they are prepared or processed, and individual servings of food intended for immediate consumption.
Ground meat represents a large proportion of meat sold. It is not exempt because the Food and Drug Regulations have set maximum levels for the fat content of three categories (regular, medium, lean) of ground beef.
Foods prepared in restaurants or other food service establishments that prepare food for immediate consumption are not covered by these regulations.
The nutrition facts table will show the calories, the amount of fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C in a specified amount of food. These 13 nutrients will always appear in the table. The nutrients chosen are those that consumers, health professionals and scientists consider important to the health of Canadians.
Manufacturers are only allowed to make specified health claims about the following diet-health relationships:
- A diet low in saturated and trans fat reduces risk of heart disease.
- A diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and regular physical activity, reduces risk of osteoporosis.
- A diet rich in vegetables and fruit reduces risk of some types of cancer.
- A diet low in sodium and high in potassium reduces risk of high blood pressure.
As manufacturers gear up to meet the deadline, we will be seeing an increased number of foods with the nutrition facts table on their label.
Getting chilled won’t cause colds
Viruses, not weather, cause colds. Studies have shown that people exposed to bone-chilling temperatures, icy baths and drafts don’t catch cold unless they are exposed to viruses. Colds are more common in winter largely because people, especially kids in school, spend more time indoors and thus are exposed to more germs.
Source: University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter, February 2004.
Condo knitting needle set
Dear TEAM: I have been looking for a Susan Bates Condo knitting needle set. It contains two size 41/2 mm (seven) heads and one size 10 (15) head, and is a circular needle. I am not sure where to go looking for this as any stores I have checked do not carry them any more. I wonder if you would know where I might find one or if there is a place to advertise for such a thing? – L.N., e-mail
Dear L.N.: Two websites that I believe list what you want are Needles, www.jklneedles.com and Amazing Yarns, www.amazingyarn.com. They take e-mail and phone orders at 650-306-9218 and ship anywhere. Would any of our readers be able to suggest a store that stocks these needles?
Alma Copeland is a home economist from Elrose, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
