I was sent samples of maple syrup from the nice people at Pure Canada Maple Syrup. I was very excited when Laura contacted me, because I love pure maple syrup. A few years ago when we vacationed in the north east we were able to sample a few different kinds. Growing up in the Mid-West, it isn’t nearly as readily available. So I have been forced to come accustomed to the mass produced ones you get at the grocery store. When the box showed up my husband said “that looks like enough for my waffles, you aren’t going to make anything with that, right?” Well, I did make something, and I am really looking forward to having some on our waffles one morning.

Did you know there are promising indications that maple syrup has over 54 antioxidants (some are similar to those found in red wine, berries and flax seed) and may benefit your liver health. What a great reason to have pancakes for breakfast!

I have never made Whoopie Pies before. They are all the rage right now. I have had one in my life (a few years ago on vacation), and it wasn’t anything to write home about. I love the idea of them, but the one I tried was dried out, and not very good. So I have been kind of turned off. I finally gave in though, and came up with a great flavor combination with the maple syrup. These were everything I hoped a Whoopie pie would be, they were moist, fluffy, and delicious. The sweetness of the maple syrup works very well with the brown sugar flavored cookie.

Brown Sugar with Maple Buttercream Whoopie Pies
Cookie recipe Adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbls butter, softened
• 4 Tbls vegetable shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbls milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla (maple extract would be good too)

Maple Buttercream

• 4 Tbls butter, softened
• 2 Tbls pure maple syrup
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter, shortening, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (approx 3-4 min). Add eggs and buttermilk and beat until combined. (It will look curdled, that is OK.)

In a 1 cup measuring cup combine milk, baking soda, and vinegar. With your mixer on low pour in half of the flour mixture, then the milk, then the rest of the flour. Mix until just combined. Stir in vanilla.

Use a small cookie scoop to drop dough onto baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until they are set, and just starting to brown around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

To make the buttercream frosting, cream together all of the ingredients. Use more or less milk to get the desired consistency. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the buttercream. Match up the cookies by size. Pipe buttercream onto the flat side of a cookie. Place the top on and gently press together.

**I was sent free samples of the syrup from Pure Maple Syrup Company. All opinions are my own.

We all know that maple syrup is fabulous in all sorts of sweet and savory dishes. But guess what? Did you know that it is good for you, too? According to the fine folks at Pure Canadian Maple Syrup, who very generously sent us superior samples to try (yum!), not only does maple syrup have greater nutritional value than sugar or honey, but its health benefits are more comprehensive than you might expect. (To learn more, and judge for yourself, check out their website.) But, it’s got to be pure maple syrup—not that “maple-flavored,” pancake syrup stuff lining the supermarket shelves that’s usually nothing more than a combination of high fructose corn syrup and artificial maple extract. Pure maple syrup is the real deal…real good…and 100 percent natural.

Most believe that it was the Native American Indians who taught the Colonists how to tap the maple tree for its sap, boil it down to a “sweetwater,” and continue to cook until it’s reduced to pure, unadulterated maple syrup. Generally, the darker the syrup, the more pronounced the maple flavor, which is why I love the intense flavor of Grade B the best.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to tap into that sweet flavor!

1. You betcha we’re pouring it over a big, fluffy stack of pancakes (or waffles).

2. But why not amp up the maple flavor even more and make some Maple-Almond Butter to go with them? Using an electric mixer, beat together one stick of unsalted butter (make sure it’s room temperature and very soft), 1/4 cup maple syrup and 3 tablespoons toasted, cooled and finely chopped almonds. Place on the end of a piece of parchment paper, tuck in the sides of the paper and roll into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Drizzle a little maple syrup over a bowl of plain Greek yogurt mixed in with some homemade granola and fresh strawberries or blueberries. What a way to start the day!

4. Maple-roasted bacon. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire cooling rack in a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the bacon on the rack in a single layer. Roast until the bacon begins to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and drizzle a little maple syrup over the top of each slice. Bake for another 5 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and grind a little pepper over the top of each slice. Call me when it’s ready.

5. Make these lovely Maple-Nut Buttons from our Christmas cookbook. And then send me some. Pretty please?

6. Make some Maple-Chile Popcorn. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray (or butter). Place 8 cups of popped corn in a large glass bowl that’s been coated with cooking spray. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup maple syrup with 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper and 1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and stir until just combined. Cook for 2 minutes without stirring. Slowly drizzle the syrup over the popcorn, stirring to evenly coat (a rubber spatula works great here). Spread popcorn in an even layer in the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Commence some serious munching.

7. Turkey–it’s not just for Thanksgiving anymore. Check out this gorgeous mahogany-lacquered bird, thanks to maple syrup.

8. Swirl some maple goodness in your oatmeal. Grind a little fresh nutmeg on top; sprinkle over a little ground cinnamon and serve with whole wheat toast for a delicious, heart-healthy breakfast.

9. Save room for some pie. Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie. Just tell yourself, “I’ll only eat one slice.” Repeat as necessary.

10. And a to-die-for pasta: Sweet Potato Ravioli with Maple, Brown Butter and Sage. That recipe’s coming up next…so, stay tuned!

Here’s a little maple syrup trivia for you: It takes 40 gallons of sap to make a single gallon of syrup.

I did not become a fan of maple till I graduated from the artificially flavored maple syrup of my youth to the caramelized liquid gold actually tapped from maple trees. Depending on the when in the season it is harvested, the subtle flavors of real maple syrup can also include nutty, vanilla, coffee, floral or spicy. It also contains more than 50 antioxidants…check out the Pure Canadian Maple Syrup site for all sorts of information and recipes.

I love the mixture of sweet and salty paired with salmon…so maple syrup with a splash of soy sounded like a wonderful flavor combination. Ginger and garlic added a bit of zing…and I’m thinking some red pepper flakes would have been nice as well. Bill went to work raving about this recipe…and the lightened up fettuccine Alfredo with which it was served. Stay tuned for that recipe…

Maple Glazed Salmon~

• 3-4 6 ounce salmon fillets, skin on
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Large pinch of ground ginger or to taste

Mix maple syrup, soy, garlic and ginger in a baking dish. Dip each side of the salmon fillets in the marinade, then let sit, skin side down, for about 20 minutes.

Turn on broiler. Spoon a bit more of the marinade over salmon then place 4-5 inches under broiler element. Cook to desired doneness, about 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Remove from oven and spoon some of the syrupy marinade over salmon before serving.

Disclosure: I received samples of pure maple syrup courtesy of The Federation of Quebec Pure Maple Syrup Producers, but the opinions stated in this post are my own. I was not compensated in any way for writing this post.

My youngest mentioned cinnamon rolls…the last new recipe I tried was good, but not any better than a couple I’d already posted. I looked online and found the Ultimate Sticky Buns from Bon Appetit. I stayed relatively true to the recipe except for swapping out the honey for some pure maple syrup and eliminating the pecans. I had received some wonderful samples of Pure Canadian Maple Syrup…full of antioxidants and absolutely delicious. I used the medium amber in this recipe. Oh, my gosh, these are spectacular buns…I could eat the caramel topping by the spoonful….mmmmmm. A big winner!!!

Sticky Buns…adapted from Bon Appétit

• 1 cup warm water (105-115º)
• 4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (one stick), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup nonfat dried milk powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/4 cups flour plus more for dusting work surfaces

Glaze:

• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

Filling:

• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Mix warm water, yeast and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes, till foamy. With stand mixer fit with paddle attachment, beat sugar, butter, milk powder and salt till well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in yeast mixture, then 3 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in last cup of flour and let mixer run for about 5 minutes (may also knead by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer). Dough will be sticky.

Butter large bowl and add dough, and turn dough so all of exterior is coated with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm area till doubled in size, about 2 1/2 hours.

For the glaze, beat brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, maple syrup, corn syrup, and water till well combined. Divide between two greased 9-inch cake pans. Mix together cinnamon and sugar.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll each half into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread each half with the remaining butter (divide equally), then sprinkle each with half the cinnamon sugar mixture. Starting with long side, roll each rectangle tightly into a log. Cut one log into 12 even pieces and place cut sides down into one of the prepared pans. Repeat with second log. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area till doubled in size, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375º. Bake till golden brown, about 30 minutes. I turned down oven temp to 325º for the last 10 minutes as mine were getting quite brown. Run knife around perimeter of pans and invert onto serving dishes. Cool about 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 24 rolls.

Liv’s love for everything Maple has only grown over the years. Rich and robust in flavor, pure maple syrup satisfies her sweet tooth while adding a depth and complexity beyond that of granulated white sugar. And with 1/4 cup providing generous doses of Manganese (necessary for brain and nerve function) and Riboflavin (produces energy and works as an antioxidant) in addition to a decent dose of immunity fighting zinc, this sweetener (lower in sugar than pure honey) is one I can feel good about giving her in moderation.

To be sure you are purchasing pure maple syrup, always check the ingredients listed on your product where you should find one (1), and only one, ingredient – maple syrup. Many imitation syrups, or pancake syrups, do not contain any real maple syrup at all, and some of those claiming to be made from pure maple syrup may have as little as 5% of the real stuff.

Maple syrup, actually the boiled sap of the sugar, black or red maple tree, is harvested by tapping, or piercing, the tree to allow the clear, almost tasteless and low in sugar sap run freely from the tree. After collection, the sap is boiled and the water evaporated leaving the various grades of pure maple syrup that we find in our local stores.

In general, syrups tapped at the beginning of the harvesting season are clearer and lighter in flavor, such as Grade A. Grade B provides a darker, stronger and more complex syrup that remains a favorite with mixologists when crafting bourbon, rum and whiskey cocktails.

Whichever grade your prefer, maple syrup adds a special, “homey” flavor to your baked goods and an additional depth and complexity to soups and savory dishes. Wonderful in so many recipes, our favorite remains the simple pancake or waffle drenched in our favorite Grade B Pure Maple Syrup and topped with a sliced banana.

With thanks to Pure Canadian Maple Syrup, who so kindly sent us samples of Grades A and B Pure Maple Goodness, we present to you some of our favorite Maple recipes in addition to a tasty new creation made with the samples – Maple Granola. Pure Canadian Maple Syrup’s web site is an excellent source for additional maple syrup health benefits and they feature a collection of recipes.

Do you have a favorite use for Maple? Let us know!

Maple Granola
adapted from Epicurious

With egg whites replacing the usual fats (butter or oil), this crunchy, low in fat, flavorful granola works wonders in a Granola/Yogurt Breakfast Parfait. I find the almonds positively addictive…

• 1/2 cup brown sugar**
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large egg whites)
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• A couple pinches of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground dried ginger
• pinch clove (optional)
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup ground flax meal
• 3/4 cup halved almonds
• 1 cup dried fruit mix (cranberries, blueberries, raisins – we used Trader Joe’s Golden Berry Blend)
• 3 Tbs pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat oven to 300º. Generously coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Stir 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing down the sides with a wet pastry brush. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, vanilla and spices. Add to the cooled syrup mixture. In a large bowl combine the oats, flax meal, additional 1/4 cup of sugar, and nuts. Add the syrup mixture and toss well to coat the ingredients evenly.

Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, then stir. Bake another 10 minutes, stir again. Bake until a rich golden brown in color, watching closely towards the end to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and pour into a large bowl, stir in dried fruits and pepitas. Cool, then place into airtight containers.

** The original recipe from Epicurious calls for 3/4 cup of brown sugar, this was just too sweet for us, but if you want sweeter up the sugar.

What would pancakes or waffles be without maple syrup? My kids don’t want to find out so I make sure I have maple syrup always stocked in our house. I was happy when the folks at Pure Canadian Maple Syrup sent me some free samples of their outstanding varieties of maple syrup. My kids wanted to eat it straight out of the bottle, but I was determined to use it in a savory dish. I love the balance of sweet and savory when creating Asian dishes so I created this Maple and Orange Sticky Chicken dish. It blew the roof off on how good it came out. The maple syrup provided just the right balance of sweetness for the chicken. We ate them as a meal with some rice and steamed vegetables. The marinade turned into this thick and awesome sauce that we poured over our rice. It certainly was a fantastic meal and I know I’ll be making this Maple and Orange Sticky Chicken again very soon.

Ingredients:
12-15 chicken legs (bone in, skin on) You can also use breast or thigh

Marinade:
1/2 cup of good quality maple syrup
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of orange marmalade jam
1/4 cup of dry sherry or Chinese Rice Wine
2 Tbs of rice wine vinegar
2 inches of grated fresh ginger
4-5 cloves of fresh garlic grated
1/4 tsp of Chinese 5 Spice
red chili flakes to taste (I put 1 heaping Tablespoon)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in the marinade together. Put chicken in a ziploc safe bag and pour marinade over chicken. Make sure all the chicken gets coated well with the marinade. Marinate overnight in the fridge. **remember to place ziploc into a large bowl or tray to catch accidental drips**

Place Chicken and all the marinade into a large baking dish. Preheat oven to 400 degree. Bake Chicken in the middle of the oven. Cook chicken for 45-55 minutes and baste chicken with marinade juices every 15 minutes.

Optional step: Sprinkle chicken with some sesame seeds for the last 15 minutes of baking time.

Serve hot with Rice and Vegetables. Enjoy.

Disclosure: I received the maple syrup courtesy of Pure Canadian Maple Syrup. I was not compensated in any way for writing this post. The opinions stated in this post are my own. Thank you.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

This morning, I rocked the almond flour once again, but, this time, in the form of pancakes!

In the mix:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Cinnamon to taste

Makes 4 pancakes

I topped my pancakes with fresh blackberries and maple syrup that the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers sent me to test out.

Did you know that Quebec is home to more than 7,400 maple businesses, making it a producer of close to 80% of the worldwide maple syrup output? Crazy, right? I had no idea so much maple syrup came from there. Maple syrup also has over 54 antioxidants! I didn’t know that either!

Maple syrup adds more than flavor and sweetness. All-natural pure maple syrup has been shown to be healthier for you than most other sweeteners.

The recipes here show how maple syrup highlights the sweet or savory flavors of holiday appetizers, a pork roast and dessert. And that lets you say Happy Holidays to your friends and family in a most delicious way.

When shopping at the grocery store, be sure to look for “100% pure maple syrup” on bottle labels.

For more holiday recipes, visit www.purecanadamaple.com or follow on Twitter @PureCanadaMaple.

Maple and Portobello Strudel

Yield: 8 portions

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, divided
• 4 Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup from Canada
• 4 sheets phyllo dough

In skillet over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter; add mushrooms, onion, garlic, apple and thyme. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter. In bowl, stir butter and maple syrup.

On a work surface, spread out one sheet of phyllo; brush with butter-maple syrup mixture. Stack the next

3 sheets, brushing each layer with butter-maple syrup.

Spread mushroom filling along a short edge of phyllo, then roll up tightly. Brush with remaining butter-maple syrup; wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 week.

About an hour before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and place the frozen strudel on it; bake 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; cut into 8 slices.

For the complete version of the Weekend Menu page, including more great recipes and food talk, see the print edition of the McCook Daily Gazette.

How did you become interested in maple syrup and their bioactive phytochemicals?

Maple syrup, a natural sweetener, is the largest consumed plant natural product that is obtained entirely from the sap of trees. During the intensive heating process required to transform tree sap into syrup, a complex ‘cocktail’ of native phytochemi­cals (originally present in the xylem sap) and derived compounds (formed through chemical reactions during processing) ulti­mately ends up in maple syrup. Given our laboratory’s interest in identifying bioac­tive phytochemicals in medicinal foods, we collaborated with the Federation of Maple Syrup Producers from Quebec, Canada, leaders of the world’s commercial produc­tion of maple syrup, to isolate and identify its chemical constituents.

Who in your laboratory carried out the research?

Although assisted by students, the major­ity of the maple syrup research was con­ducted by postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Liya Li, who obtained her PhD in Pharmacognosy from Peking University, Beijing, China in 2006. She joined my lab, the URI Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory (BBRL), in the summer of 2008. Dr. Li is an ener­getic and fantastic natural products chem­ist who in her capacity as the BBRL Lab Manager also serves as a great training resource for junior postdocs as well as graduate and undergraduate students.

Could you provide a brief explanation of the work and results in your own words? In what way are the data in your paper new?

Our extraction and isolation scheme started with 20 L of maple syrup obtained from Quebec, Canada, and it should be appreciated that this volume of maple syrup was obtained from a large amount of sap (40 L of sap is needed to form 1 L of syrup). Along with 53 natural plant com­pounds, including four new compounds, we obtained a small quantity of a process-derived compound, 2,3,3-tri-(3-methoxy- 4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol, which was assigned the common name of quebecol in honor of the province of Quebec in Can­ada. Quebecol has a new chemical struc­ture and while the mechanisms of its for­mation remains elusive; we believe that it was formed during the processing and/or extraction of the maple syrup. We specu­late that quebecol may have interesting biological properties given that it bears structural similarities to tamoxifen, the breast cancer chemotherapeutic drug. We also suspect that there are other, yet to be identified, process-derived compounds in maple syrup. Thus, the finding of quebecol opens up the possibility of the presence of other bioactive compounds in maple syrup.

What impact does this research have on natural product science?

This research underscores the exciting opportunity for the identification of new chemical entities and potential drug mol­ecules not only native to plants, but also from their derived products such as com­pounds formed in situ during processing and extraction of plant foods. This work highlights the importance of botanical re­search and has attracted significant public interest given that consumers now have heightened interest in their selection of ‘functional’ foods with health benefits that extend beyond basic nutrition.

What is a favorite nonscientific activity of your lab?

We enjoy getting together outside of the lab for our summer barbeque and pool party and our annual Christmas festivities.

What is your lab’s motto?

“Plants Rule!”

What is your greatest extravagance in the lab?

We spare no costs to provide lab members with whatever resources, instruments, and supplies that they need.