CELEBRATING CANADA DAY!
In Canada, July 1st marks the day for Canadians to show pride in their nations history, culture and achievements. From coast to coast the country’s birthday is marked with various events.
On July 1st, from coast to coast, the country’s birthday is highlighted with colorful parades, concerts, carnivals, festivals and firework displays.
Food and drink are almost as synonymous with Canada Day as the colors of red and white. More importantly this date celebrates the historical event in which Canada gained its independence from Great Britain in 1867.
Pizza is one of those foods that works for just about everyone. From meat eaters to vegetarians, kids, adults and everyone in between. Year-round, it’s the perfect entree for family or party events.
Although avocado on pizza may sound weird, to me it’s glorious. When you think about it, tomato or tomato sauce is a big part of pizza most of the time. Often guacamole is made with tomato, so that avocado flavor compliments pizza well.
Pizza is one of the easiest meals you can make at home. I most always prefer to make my own crust but nothing wrong with a purchased one or some naan or focaccia bread for the crust. Once that crust part has been taken care of, it’s really just a matter of topping the pie with all your favorite ingredients and waiting for it to come out of the oven.
It’s always interesting to me what develops when you ‘step out of the box’ so today our Canada Day meal is a smoked salmon & avocado pizza.
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Avocado & Smoked Salmon Pizza
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Instructions
Pizza Spread
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese with the dill & minced garlic. Mix well.
Caramelized Onion
Heat oil in a skillet until hot. Add sliced onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook & stir about 15 minutes or until moisture is evaporated & onion is soft. Reduce heat; sprinkle with cider vinegar & brown sugar. Cook & stir until caramel brown in color. Remove from skillet & set aside.
Toppings
Grate cheese. Flake smoked salmon. Peel avocado & remove pit. Slice in 1/8-inch slices.
Assembly/Baking
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Drizzle garlic olive oil onto the Naan breads & spread with cream cheese mixture. Divide onion evenly between the 6 Naan breads. Top with 1/2 of the grated cheese. Evenly distribute the smoked salmon then top with remaining cheese.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until hot & bubbly.
Remove from oven & divide avocado slices between the pizzas. Garnish with chopped sprigs of fresh dill & sprinkle with lemon pepper if you wish.
Recipe Notes
- Alternately, you can omit the garlic olive oil & the cream cheese mixture & use bottled tartar sauce for the base of the pizzas. Brion & I really enjoyed this alternative.
CELEBRATING HERITAGE DAY!
In 1974, the first Monday of August was made an official provincial holiday to recognize and celebrate the varied cultural heritage of Albertans. Businesses can chose whether or not to recognize the day as a general holiday, which most do.
The Heritage Festival held in our city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada is a three-day event to sample delicious food, see creative performances and celebrate Canada’s multiculturalism. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy the tastes, smells and sounds of different nations around the world.
Even though many people will take in the day’s events and cultural food at the festival, some chose to pack a picnic lunch and take a drive somewhere just to relax.
I am posting a summer veggie & shrimp pizza that should work real well with that idea.
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Summer Vegetable & Shrimp Pizza
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Ingredients
Toppings
- 3 slices bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 circles
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 gm WILD jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined & cut in half lengthwise
- 2 ears corn, cooked
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt & pepper
- 25 gm Parmesan cheese, grated
- 50 gm mozzarella cheese, grated
- 5 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
Ingredients
Toppings
- 3 slices bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 circles
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 gm WILD jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined & cut in half lengthwise
- 2 ears corn, cooked
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt & pepper
- 25 gm Parmesan cheese, grated
- 50 gm mozzarella cheese, grated
- 5 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
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Instructions
In a skillet, fry bacon until almost done. Remove to paper towel.
Add zucchini, onion & garlic to skillet with bacon drippings & sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Increase heat slightly & add 1/2 tsp. of oil. Add shrimp & cook for 1 minute, turning halfway through. Transfer to a plate. Cut cooked corn kernels off of the cobs.
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Brush Naan breads with olive oil & sprinkle with salt, pepper & Parmesan cheese. Top with zucchini, onions, garlic, shrimp, corn, bacon bits & mozzarella cheese.
Bake until cheese is bubbling & naan bread is 'toasted', about 7-8 minutes. Allow pizza to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 8 slices. Sprinkle with basil & parsley. Serve
According to writer Mark Twain, ‘cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education’. This uniquely versatile veggie has graduated above its many cousins, …. broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, kale and kohlrabi to become the sophisticate darling of the species. Delicious raw, fried, grilled, pickled, riced, roasted, steamed or sautéed.
Cauliflower ‘rice’ came on the scene as a popular grain-free alternative to rice. As with many food trends, the ‘riced’ craze has continued using other veggies like sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, onions, and peas.
The grocery stores have jumped on the bandwagon with fresh and frozen products and in a variety of plain and flavored versions.
Making your own riced vegetables is even easier than in days gone by. Just trim, chop and pulse your veggies in a food processor. Cook with a quick steam or sauté and flavor with some fresh herbs and spices. Of course, you can always change it up with other chopped veggies, nuts, or a sprinkle of cheese.
Riced cauliflower makes an interesting pizza crust. A different texture than the traditional bread dough crust but loaded with flavor. It’s sort of firm, chewy and soft all at the same time. I had tried this idea some years ago and we quite liked it so why not try it with a different topping and have it again!
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Cauliflower Pizza Crust w/ Barbecued Chicken
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Instructions
Cauliflower Crust
In food processor or blender, pulse cauliflower until it reaches consistency of coarse crumbs.
Place cauliflower and 3 tbsp water in microwaveable dish and cover with plastic wrap, leaving one edge lifted. Microwave on high, stirring once or twice during cooking time, until cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes; let cool. Drain cauliflower in colander lined with cheesecloth or thin, clean tea towel. Wrap cauliflower in cheesecloth and twist while pressing to remove all liquid (this step is essential).
Place pizza pan or baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
In bowl, combine cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder and oregano, season with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, transfer cauliflower mixture to piece of parchment paper and press into 12-inch circle. Slide parchment paper with cauliflower crust onto hot baking sheet from preheated oven. Bake until crust is golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes.
Toppings
In a saucepan, sauté red onion & mushrooms until tender and moisture has evaporated.
Evenly spread half of the barbecue sauce over baked cauliflower crust, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese & all of the onion & mushrooms . In bowl, toss chicken with remaining barbecue sauce; evenly arrange over crust and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onion.
The countryside around Merida, Mexico is home to many plantations or haciendas.They grew a cactus of the Agave family and processed the leaves to remove the fibers inside to make what is called a ‘sisal’ rope and other related cordage products. Although most haciendas laid abandoned for many years after the Mexican Revolution and the invention of synthetic fibers, today many have been restored and turned into luxury hotels, restaurants, museums and attractions.
On one of our day trips we went to Hacienda Sotuta de Peon. This is a restoration project focused on preserving the history of how a native plant was farmed for its fibers and made into rope. You can witness the whole process step by step; from plant in the ground, to raw material, to fibre and finished product.
This tour of the plantation was very interesting! The ‘grand hacienda’, or landowner’s home, was one, very long building. The rooms from kitchen through the bedrooms were all in a row connected by doors. The veranda ran the length of the house overlooking the pool and beautiful gardens. Sheer opulence in comparison to the conditions of the factory workers a short distance away. Over in the factory, the sisal leaves are lifted up from the street onto a conveyor belt where it is arranged by hand for maximum efficiency. Equipment, powered by a loud diesel engine, with overhead drive shafts and big leather belts, squeezed the leaves. Rivers of green pulp and liquid ran down to the carts below. The cleaned leaves came out the other side and workers made individual batches of the fibre and sent them down a rail to the room below where they would be hung out to dry in the sun.
In the next process, machinery separated short and long fibers, spun it into grade rope or baled it. When nylon and other synthetic materials were created it changed the economics of this industry. No longer able to compete they ultimately had to shut down. At the end of this part of the tour we were taken on a mule drawn, covered cart to see the fields of the sisal growing. What was interesting about the ride was that the mule pulled all of us around the plantation in this cart attached to the same rail system that was used over a century ago to transport the workers.
I’m including some of the highlights of Brion’s photos of that day for you to enjoy. In keeping with the Mexican theme, here is a tasty little recipe for some fish tacos as well.
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Fish Tacos with Guacamole
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Ingredients
Other Filling Ingredients
Ingredients
Other Filling Ingredients
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Instructions
Fish
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place a metal rack over a baking sheet & spray the rack with vegetable spray. Set aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, cumin, chili powder, salt & pepper. Set aside.
Cut fish fillets into fingers & brush with olive oil. Toss the fish fingers a few at a time into the flour mixture until well coated. Transfer fish to baking rack. Spray the top of fish lightly with vegetable spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden & cooked.
Guacamole
In a large bowl, coarsely mash avocados, lime juice, salt & cumin using a fork; stir in tomato, garlic, onion & cilantro.
Cover & refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos.
Coleslaw
In a bowl, combine coleslaw with ranch dressing.
Assembly
In each (heated) tortilla, place a small amount of coleslaw. Top with a couple of fish fingers, guacamole, red onion, diced tomato, grated cheese & the remainder of coleslaw. Serve any extra guacamole on the side. Of course, nothing wrong with adding a bit of salsa to the equation!
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Flax is a flavor that has always appealed to me. I like it both in the ground or seed form. Flax is sown and harvested much like a spring cereal crop and matures at the same time as wheat. Although its place of origin is unknown, it seems likely it it would be southwest Asia. Flax is one of the oldest textile fibers used by humans. Evidence of its use have been found in Switzerland’s prehistoric lake dwellings as well as fine linen fabrics being discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs.
Here in Canada, flax is produced as an oil seed crop. Superior oil quality and higher oil content have long been major features of Canadian flax seed, attributed to Canada’s climate. I remember my father growing flax as a trial crop one year in southern Alberta. The thing that made a lasting memory for me was its pretty azure blue flowers and interesting little seed pods. Thinking about that, it must have been in the late fifties or early sixties.
Today, I’m making some crepe stacks using flax-meal in the crepes. It should give a nice nutty flavor to compliment the chicken-avocado filling.
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Chicken Avocado Flax Crepe Stacks
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Ingredients
Crepe Filling
- 2 cups chicken, cooked & shredded
- 1 cup sweet corn niblets, drained
- 4 large fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 large fresh tomato, diced
- 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 large avocados, mashed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder & salt
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp onion, minced
- 4 pieces sun-dried tomato, minced
- 60 grams cheddar, mozzarella or parmigana-reggiano, shredded
- whole flax seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)
Ingredients
Crepe Filling
- 2 cups chicken, cooked & shredded
- 1 cup sweet corn niblets, drained
- 4 large fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 large fresh tomato, diced
- 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 large avocados, mashed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder & salt
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp onion, minced
- 4 pieces sun-dried tomato, minced
- 60 grams cheddar, mozzarella or parmigana-reggiano, shredded
- whole flax seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)
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Instructions
Flax Crepes
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In a blender, combine crepe ingredients & blend for 1 minute at high speed. Scrape down sides; whirl for another 15 seconds. Cover & refrigerate for at least 1 hour or longer. Heat a non-stick griddle (or use a crepe pan). Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter on griddle using a circular motion to create the right size of crepe needed. Cook about 2- 3 minutes on each side. When cooked, cool on a wire rack until needed. This batter makes about 10 crepes.
Sauce
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In a saucepan, melt margarine; add flour to make a roux & cook for a few seconds. Slowly add milk/broth combo, stirring to combine well. Add spices & continue cooking for about 5 minutes or so. Set aside
Crepe Filling
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Mash avocados & add yogurt, spices, lemon juice, onion & sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside. Slice mushrooms & if you prefer, saute for a few minutes otherwise you can leave them raw. Prepare fresh tomatoes, red & green onions. Grate cheese.
Assembly
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On a work surface, lay out 3 crepes per person (for 2 people). Spread all but 2 crepes with avocado mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border on each. Place two of the avocado 'spread' crepes on serving plates. Top each with some chicken, corn, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, 'sauce' & cheese. Lay another avocado 'spread' crepe on top of each plate & repeat with fillings, sauce & cheese. Now, top each stack with an un-spread crepe. Spread any remaining sauce in a small circle in the center. Top with the remaining filling ingredients & sprinkle with last bit of cheese. When you are ready to serve just give them a few minutes in the microwave & your done! Any remaining crepes can be frozen.
Recipe Notes
Flax can replace fat or eggs in a recipe:
- 3 Tbsp ground flax = 1 Tbsp butter, margarine, shortening or veg oil
- 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water = 1 egg (combine & allow to sit 1-2 minutes before using)
