There's nothing better on a crisp fall morning than hot pancakes with real maple syrup. I love maple syrup so much, I even top my oatmeal with it rather than brown sugar, and maple sugar candies were my favorite purchase at the local Fall Farm Days event. Yum! The great thing about maple syrup, other than it's sugary goodness, is it is naturally organic, a great source of antioxidants, it's IC safe, and low in oxalates. Maple syrup didn't just jump on the organic band-wagon, it has always been there. Maple syrup is made by tapping maple trees to extract the sap, then the collected sap is boiled without any added ingredients. Maple syrup naturally contains manganese and zinc, which promote energy and antioxidant production in the body, as well as protect your heart and boost your immune system. Who knew?
What's up with those grades? According to the Official Vermont Maple Syrup Website, there are four grades of maple syrup, and most are available in your local grocery store. Vermont Fancy has a mild flavor and light color. This is used as a topping for things like ice cream. Next is Grade A Medium Amber, which is darker in color and has a pronounced maple flavor. This is commonly used as table syrup. There is also a Grade A Dark Amber which has an even more pronounced maple flavor. I personally prefer this grade. It is strong enough to be used for cooking, but not so strong where you can not use it as table syrup. Grade B is the darkest most concentrated grade, and is mostly only used for cooking.
A couple years ago, my brother who is very creative in the kitchen, challenged his friends to come up with their best recipes using maple syrup. The results proved that maple syrup isn't just for pancakes anymore!
Maple Vinaigrette:
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup pear juice (I use Knudsen's Organic Pear Juice)
1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup (I use Grade A Dark)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup olive oil (I've found that extra virgin is too strong-try a milder olive oil for this dressing)
1 tsp salt
1/4 pepper (can use white pepper for low-oxalate option)
In a bowl whisk together pear juice, maple syrup, and olive oil. Add basil, garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together until combined. Can store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. To make in a salad dressing shaker, pour all ingredients in, put top on, then shake to combine. Can also be store in the fridge.
**I love this dressing over a romaine salad with feta and pears, but works on almost any salad**
Maple-Glazed Squash:
2 acorn squash
2 Tbls veggie oil
2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (white pepper for low-oxalate)
5 Tbls. maple syrup (either Grade A Dark or Grade B)
4 Tbls. unsalted butter
1) Preheat oven to 475.
2) Halve squash, remove seeds, then cut each half into 4 equal wedges. Toss with oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in bowel. Arrange cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes until deep golden brown color.
3) Bring syrup to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Off heat whisk in butter until smooth. Cover to keep warm.
4) Remove cooked squash from oven. Flip and brush with 6 Tbls. glaze. Put back in oven and bake another 15 minutes until golden all over.
5) Brush with remaining glaze and serve warm.
**I like to serve this dish as a side to a roasted chicken**
Maple Salmon:
1/4 cup maple syrup (Grade A Dark or Grade B)
2 Tbsp soy sauce (use Kikkoman's low-sodium. I don't have a problem with this type)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt/pepper (or white pepper for low-oxalate)
1) in small bowl, mix maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2) Place salmon in shallow baking dish and coat with syrup mixture. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
3) Preheat oven to 400. Bake salmon with the marinade uncovered for 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Note: you can also discard marinade before baking if soy sauce bothers you.
**I serve this dish with white sticky rice and cooked brocoli**
Chicken with Maple Sauce:
1 pkg dried pasta (fettuccine or linguinie)
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 lbs)
salt and pepper (white pepper for low-oxalate)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 red bell peppers
3/4 cup chicken broth (I use Pacific organic broth. it's the only broth that doesn't contain celery which is high in oxalates)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 cup maple syrup (Grade A Dark or Grade B)
1) cook pasta according to directions on pacakge. Drain and set aside.
2) season chicken with salt and pepper. In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees). Remove chicken from skillet and tent with foil to keep warm.
3) meanwhile seed and core red peppers and cut into thin long strips. After removing chicken, increase heat to medium-high and add red pepper to skillet and stir fry for 6-8 minutes until crisp.
4) In small bowl combine broth, cornstarch, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add to skillet, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir for 1 minute longer, then stir in maple syrup.
5) Serve chicken over warm pasta, then top with maple red pepper sauce. Add your favorite veggie or salad to complete the meal.
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