Food Truck Food - Food with an Attitude

Ever since food trucks burst onto the scene, I have had a secret desire to start one of my own. I dream up all kinds of crazy food I can make and dream about all the customers praise, etc. Then the reality of the looooog days and little money and crazy hours they endure and I come back down to reality and blog about it instead, lol. I can do it on my own time, I get to eat our creations and I get lots of praise from all of you online.... win-win.

Elk Sausage Corn Dogs with Cranberry Mustard and Birch Syrup Hot Sauce Dipping Sauces

4 Elk Sausages (cut into 3 pieces)
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
3/8 Cup White Rice Flour
3/8 Cup Tapioca Starch
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 Cups Coconut Milk
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 large Egg

In a small bowl add the vinegar to the coconut milk and let sit for 10 mins. In a medium bowl, whisk together the corn flour, tapioca starch, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the egg to the coconut milk mixture and whisk together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until smooth. Thread the sausage pieces onto skewers or popsicle sticks. Heat deep fryer to 365 degrees. Dip each sausage skewer into the corn batter and place into the preheated deep fryer. Shake basket gently to release from the bottom. Only cook a few at a time or the oil will cool down too much. Turn with tongs often so they are golden on all sides. Remove to paper towel lined plate to drain.

Makes about 1 dozen mini corn dogs

Cranberry Mustard Dip

3/4 Cup Frozen Cranberries
1/3 Cup Water
1Tbsp Stone Ground Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Pinch Sea Salt

Combine cranberries, maple syrup, water and salt in a small saucepan over med heat. Cook for 10-15 mins, or until the cranberries have softened and popped open. Stir occasionally. Stir in the mustard and cook for an additional 5 mins. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Make 1/2 Cup

Spicy Birch Syrup Dip

4 Tbsp Birch Syrup or Maple Syrup
4 Tbsp Franks Hot Sauce

Mix well and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 1/4 Cup

Fried Chicken and Gravy Poutine

Fried Chicken

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into fingers

3/4 Cut Full Fat Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup White Rice Flour

1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch

1/4 Cup Arrowroot

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika

2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

In a medium bowl, add coconut milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 mins. Add chicken breast pieces and marinate for 1 hr. Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Set up a baking pan with  rack on top. Take each piece of chicken and flour each piece thoroughly and then set on rack to dry a bit. Fry in small batches at 350 degrees for 6 mins until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to drain. Salt immediately.

Chicken Gravy

2 Cups Chicken Stock or Chicken Bone Broth

1/4 Cup Ghee

1/4 Cup White Rice Flour

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Melt ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in rice flour. Slowly add stock while continually whisking. Simmer until thickened fully. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Assemble Poutine

Deep fry French fries according to package directions. When just hot from the fryer, salt and sprinkle with cheese curds. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Place 2 or 3 pieces of fried chicken on top and drizzle with chicken gravy.

Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese and Bacon Dippers

Tomato Basil Soup

1 Onion, Chopped

1 Tbsp Minced Garlic

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

24 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes

2 Cups Vegetable Stock

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Salt & Pepper to Taste

10 Fresh Basil Leaves (sliced thinly)

Heat medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped onions and saute until they start to turn golden, 2-3 mins. Season with red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock and can of crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 20 mins. Add fresh basil. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Grilled Cheese and Bacon Dippers

4 Slices Gluten Free Bread

2 Slices Aged Cheddar Cheese

2 Tbsp Bacon Bits

2 Tbsp Softened Butter

Preheat cast iron frying pan over medium low heat. Butter all 4 bread slices on one side. Put the cheddar slices on two slices of bread on the side that has not been buttered. Sprinkle the bacon bits on the cheddar cheese evenly. Top with remaining bread slices with the butter side out. Place the two sandwiches in the preheated cast iron pan. Grill until golden. Flip and grill the other side until golden. Remove to cutting board and slice into 4 equal "fingers". Serve alongside soup for dipping.

Cheese Stuffed Onion Rings

2 Large White Onions

3-4 Slices Jalapeno Havarti Cheese

2 Cups Rice Flour

5 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese

Peel and cut onions into 1 cm rings, then separate the rings. Slice the Havarti into even strips the same width as the onion. Place a smaller onion ring in the center of a larger one and fill the gap with the strips of cheese. Place the flour in one bowl, the eggs in a second and the gf breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a third. Preheat the deep fryer to 365 degrees. Dip each prepared ring into the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Fry two at a time until golden. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with spicy marinara or sriracha mayo for dipping.

Happy Meal for Adults

For the past few months I have been getting nostalgic about the food from my childhood and recreating it. This was all brought on by a quickly approaching, milestone birthday, which of course cannot be avoided... I guess I was just trying to go back in time through food. One of my favourite birthdays from my childhood was to have a birthday party at McDonald's....Happy Meals all around with that lovely florescent orange drink. I thought I would make a grown up version of that meal from past with some adult flavours and some healthier ingredients.

Orange Creamsicle Milkshake Float

Orange Sorbet

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey

In a small saucepan, heat water and honey until simmering. Simmer for 20 mins stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool. Add orange juice and stir. Pour into glass loaf pan and freeze for several hours or overnight. Remove from freezer and place into blender. Blend on high to incorporate air and pour back into glass loaf pan and refreeze for several hours.

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into running ice cream machine and process for 20 mins. Remove to glass container and freeze for several hours.

In a frosted mug, place 2 scoops orange sorbet and 1 scoop coconut milk vanilla ice cream. Top with sparkling soda water and stir until smooth.

Baked Apple Hand Pies

Apple Pie Filling

2 Gala Apples, peeled and diced small

1/4 Cup Ghee

1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar

1/2 cup Water

2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

2 tsp Apple Pie Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice

Melt ghee in and medium saute pan over medium heat. Add coconut sugar, maple syrup and spice to ghee and stir to combine. Add apples, stir to combine. Let mixture sauté on medium heat until apples soften. If filling starts to dry out or the sugar browns too fast, add water 1/4 cup at a time. Cool completely before using in pies.

Pastry

1 cup Rice Flour

3/4 cup Tapioca Flour

1/2 cup Ghee

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 Large Egg, beaten

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

3 to 4 Tbsp Ice Cold Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flours, xanthan gum and salt in a medium bowl. Form the ghee into 1/2 tsp sized balls and drop into flour mixture. Cover the balls well with the flour mixture. Rub between your fingers to flatten into discs. Place bowl in fridge for ghee to firm up after squishing for about 5 mins. Add the vinegar to the beaten egg, add 3 Tbsp ice water and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix well until dough comes together and is not dry. Dump out onto a rice floured surface and knead lightly. Chill for 5 to 10 mins. Cut into 4 pieces. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, not too thin as the pastry will crack. Cut 8, 5 x 3 inch rectangles. Loosen pastry from surface with offset spatula. Place 2 Tbsp of filling on each rectangle, leaving 1/4 inch all around. Do not overfill or the pastry will crack. Dab water around the edge of the pastry. Place a second rectangle, rolled slightly larger than the first, on top of filling. Press all around the edge with your finger. Crimp the edge with a fork. Cut small vent holes in the top, center with the tip of a knife. Brush with egg wash. If the pastry cracks, dip your finger in water and rub over the cracks gently until they seal back up. Repeat with the 6 other pieces of pastry. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins and turn to broil. Broil for 2-3 mins to lightly brown tops. Do not overbroil or the pastry will dry out.

Makes 4 (5" x 3") Hand Pies

Chicken "Nuggets"

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 2" x 2" Nuggets

3/4 cup full fat Coconut Milk

1/2 cup White Rice Flour

1/4 cup Tapioca Starch

1/4 cup Arrowroot

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika

2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 Chili Powder

In a medium bowl add coconut milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 mins. Add chicken breast pieces and marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile in a another medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Set up a baking pan with a rack on top. Take each piece of chicken and flour each piece thoroughly and then set on rack to dry a bit. Fry in small batches at 350 F for 6 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to drain. Salt immediately.

Sriracha Maple Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp Sriracha or alternate hot sauce

3 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

Stir together thoroughly. Serve alongside chicken nuggets.

Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce

3 Tbsp Mayo

2 tsp Dijon Musard

1 Tbsp Honey

Stir together thoroughly. Serve alongside chicken nuggets.