Cooking with Maple Syrup

  in Blog

We love cooking and baking with maple syrup. Maple syrup is wonderful because it imparts delicious flavor in addition to sweetness. If you like maple syrup on pancakes, (and of course, who doesn’t,) you will enjoy its earthy flavor in unexpected places. Maple syrup can work its charms in so many ways in dressings, sauces, baked goods, and in marinades. Here are a few ways to use maple syrup…

Amaranth Porridge

½ cup amaranth
1 ½ cups water
pinch sea salt
1-2 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Optional: raisins, sliced bananas, toasted chopped nuts, butter

Whisk together the amaranth and water in a medium saucepan and let sit overnight. In the morning, add the salt and bring the amaranth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 30 minutes. Stir a few times during cooking as it will stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and stir in cream and maple syrup. Serve with optional toppings. Serves 2

Maple Braised Squash

4 tablespoons butter
1 3  to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

  1. Melt butter in heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add squash and sauté for 1 minute. Add broth, syrup, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until squash is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
  2. Using slotted spoon, transfer squash to large bowl. Boil liquid in skillet until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return squash to pan and cook until tender, turning occasionally, another 5 minutes.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve with chicken nuggets, spring rolls, rice noodles, chicken satay, over salads.

Miso Sauce

¼ cup white miso
1 green onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
pinch cayenne
¼ cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Maple Beer Braised Pork

From Canadamaple.com

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter, divided
1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
25 (about 2/3 lb.) pearl onions, peeled
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 can (12 oz.) beer
1-1/2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme

  1. In a 4-quart pan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, heat oil and half the butter until oil sizzles.
  2. Sprinkle the pork pieces with the salt. Brown the pork in the hot oil on all sides, about 10 minutes; remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan, add the vegetables and sauté  until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the beer, beef broth, pure maple syrup, soy sauce, bay leaf, thyme and browned pork.
  5. Bring to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat. Simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
  6. Stir in remaining butter and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and maple syrup as needed.

Asian Glazed Turkey Meatballs

For the sauce
¼ cup tamari
1 tablespoon cool water
1 teaspoon corn starch or arrowroot powder
¼ teaspoon dried ginger
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
pinch cayenne

For the meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
4 green onions, finely chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
Cooking spray
Sesame seeds for garnish

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine meatball ingredients and shape into walnut sized balls. Place on a rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
  2. While meatballs are baking, add the tamari and water to a small saucepan. Add in the cornstarch and ginger and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk in the remaining sauce ingredients and cook, over low heat, until mixture thickens.
  3. Serve meatballs drizzled with glaze and sprinkled with sesame seeds. 

Vegan Popcorn Balls

From care2.com

1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup organic maple syrup
1/2 cup barley malt syrup
1 cup cold water, to prevent sticky hands

  1. Pop popcorn and place in a large bowl.
  2. Mix maple and barley malt syrups in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, and stir constantly for 5-6 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the popcorn and mix thoroughly.
  3. Slightly moisten your hands with cold water, and form balls by firmly packing the mixture in your hands. Be sure to moisten your hands before making each ball.
  4. Place balls in a covered container or wrap in wax paper, then freeze until the syrup hardens.

Cashew Cream

1 cup cashews, soaked in warm water for 2 hours, drained
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup water
pinch sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla

Add the cashews to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. (you can start with only ¼ cup of water if you want thicker consistency and add more if needed) Will keep for 3-4 days.

Maple Oatmeal cookies

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups maple syrup
1 cup cane sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup currants
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt

  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease or cover two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, maple syrup, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Stir in the oats and currants.
  3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets and bake for about 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool cookies on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Vegan Nutty Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup almonds, ground fine
1 cup regular oats, ground fine
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup  canola oil
fruit jelly or jam of your choice i.e. raspberry, apricot, strawberry

Heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a bowl except jelly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.  Make an indentation in each cookie with a spoon or your thumb. Fill each indentation with jelly and bake about 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 16 cookies.

Dairy-Free Coconut Rice Pudding

serves 4

1/2 cup white basmati rice
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
pinch salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan combine all ingredients except vanilla. Place saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Can be served warm or chilled. Delicious with fresh seasonal fruit such as berries or peaches.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Adapted from healthyblenderrecipes.com

1 cup canned or fresh mashed pumpkin
1 cup coconut milk
1 fresh or frozen ripe banana
1/2 cup crushed ice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
pinch sea salt

Throw all the ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth and creamy.