Sugar vs Agave Nectar

I recently made a batch of Paleo brownies (recipe to be posted once I fine-tune it a bit). The recipe did not have any flour in it and it called for agave nectar instead of sugar. I've been pondering the difference between sugar, honey, and agave nectar for awhile now but hadn't found any information that nicely summarized the differences for me. This article from the Globe and Mail does a reasonably good job of comparing agave syrup and Stevia to sugar. As I suspected, they really aren't all that different from one another. I'll keep researching but this info is certainly something to keep in mind when considering whether sugar is a 'less healthy' option than the other alternatives.

All about steak

We are eating quite a bit of steak this summer. This makes sense considering that we ordered half a grass-fed cow last fall but unfortunately, I'm not as good at cooking steak as I'd like to be. Enter this handy tip sheet from Hoven Farms.

While we don't order our beef from Hoven, I have had it in the past and can't say enough good things about its quality. Hoven Farms has an excellent reputation with sound farming practices. I appreciate their recent social media efforts and I was thrilled when they answered my question about free-range eggs! So, thanks to Hoven Farms for the great info sheet on steak.

And in case you were wondering about the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed (or conventional) beef, check out this other handy little tip sheet:

An update on tuna

In May, I had posted a link to information about buying sustainable tuna. At the time, I mentioned that I had never seen the Safeway brand of tuna at my local grocery store. Well, lo and behold, I did recently notice that they carry it here in Canmore. And as you can see from the photo, it is reasonably priced compared to other conventional tuna. I'm not sure if it is sold at other Safeway locations but I imagine that it should be. Best of luck in your search!

Blueberry Vol-au-Vent

Wow! It's been quite awhile since I've posted. So much has happened in our little mountain town since my last blog post. Thankfully, our house was fine but the homes of friends and colleagues suffered significant damage. Canmore and Exshaw are both on the road to recovery but it will be a long time before things get back to normal.  Personally, we have had a lot on the go as well. Scott started parental leave in June and we've been camping, biking, and visiting family over the past month. We have high hopes for this summer's holiday plans but given the recent circumstances, time will tell if those plans come to fruition.

This recipe has been in my blog 'to post' pile for quite awhile. It is one of my go-to dessert recipes when we have friends for dinner. It's lovely to make during the summer when blueberries are fresh but it's equally delicious in the winter when you use need to frozen berries. This recipe is originally from the Pepperidge Farms website but I've adapted it by significantly reducing the sugar and enhancing the flavour with additional lemon zest, butter, and vanilla. A word of advice - watch your pot carefully when you are making the pastry cream as it burns quite easily. Stir it frequently and keep a close eye on it for dessert success!

Ingredients:
1 package Tenderflake frozen puff pastry
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries or 1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
2 tsp grated lemon zest

1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Bake pastry shells according to package directions.
2. To make blueberry sauce, mix berries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cover and refrigerate.
3. To make the pastry cream, mix 1/4 cup sugar and flour in a saucepan. Whisk in the milk. Cook and stir (using a whisk or wooden spoon) over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and gradually stir half of the hot mixture into beaten egg. Return egg mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream and refrigerate for an hour.
4. To assemble - spoon 1 tbsp blueberry sauce into each pastry shell and top with 1 tbsp pastry cream. Alternate until pastry shell is full. If desired, top with fresh whipping cream (yummy but not necessary).

Summer's here! Go forth and enjoy the outdoors.