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Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, farmers continued working their fields east of Regina in May. TROY FLEE CE
STATE OF AGRICULTURE It’s a very different kind of year for Saskatchewan’s producers Q & A : DAV I D M A R I T
GRAIN PRICES
C OV I D - 19 FA L L O U T
Resiliency is farmers’ greatest resource A2-A3
Summer may see return to normal: Economist A6-A7
Auctioneers, farm shows change protocols A8-A9
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POWER OF RESILIENCY Postmedia reporter Phil Tank interviewed Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit recently on the state of agriculture in the province.
Q
So, first I’m going to ask you to go back three months before the pandemic hit and give me a general overview or outlook of what agriculture looked like in the province for this year prior to COVID-19.
A
Agriculture Minister David Marit says the issues of rural broadband and mental health have come up in discussions with grains and oil seed farmers. BRAN D ON H ARD E R F I LE S
I guess three months prior to it was almost business as usual. That would have been probably January, December somewhere. ... It was just day-to-day business. We were looking at grain movements, and it was a little bit behind, but we saw it was starting to move and obviously with the cold weather data and other sectors that just seemed to be going along pretty good. We were looking at the moisture conditions from around the province for the year and they were looking good. Obviously, we still had under two million acres of unharvested crop that was still out there that we were concerned on how that was going to come off. And, as a result, it’s coming off as we speak. So, it really was just kind of a normal winter and going through everything. Prices for most commodities were holding pretty good. I mean, the calf prices in the fall were stable. I’m sure, obviously, the cow-calf guys were hoping for a little higher number, but for the most part, that sector wasn’t totally displeased with the prices of accounts in the fall. So, for the most part, the commodity prices on the grain side were moving out, which was starting to see some good news.
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Q
And let’s take it by sector, starting with livestock. What are the challenges that the pandemic has placed on that sector?
A
Well, obviously the biggest ones that the public do know about and it’s when you see plant closures and what happens and how it impacts the whole food chain going forward. Right? And, as a result of that, you saw an announcement a few weeks ago by the federal government for the livestock sector and $50 million set aside for the beef and hog side. And so that’s what we announced (with $10 million in joint provincial-federal funding), that we’re coming into that program with our 40 per cent on the other side, and then introduce also on the price insurance side through the cow-calf guys. So that was probably the biggest thing that we did see, was the challenge around when you see the processing plant closures and the backlog and what happens with that.
Q
And let’s look at the grain side. We certainly haven’t heard as much about grain, but what are some of the challenges there?
A
You’re right, we haven’t heard much. And even with the call with the stakeholders, and for a little over a month now we’ve been reaching out to the stakeholders on a
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monthly basis. We do the grains and oil seeds folks on one call, and then we do all the livestock sector on another call. And the grains and oil seeds folks ... there was always challenges. There were some challenges around it with COVID. And probably the biggest one that I heard from the grains at the time, was something that a lot of people wouldn’t think is relevant to agriculture — rural broadband and the big one that came up from the folks (were) challenges around that. Obviously, the kids aren’t in school, so the kids are home and there’s a capacity being used, whether it’s online learning or whatever. And challenges around that and some mental health issues, too, with the stress side of it. ... For the grain side, the prices have moved up. They’re moving their grain, they’re moving their product. The railways are performing well. Grain shipments are good.
Q
Are there any positives to what’s happening in agriculture?
A
I have to say, probably not any positives. I couldn’t think of a positive right now. The biggest issue, I think, is really something that was just entrenched in farmers as a whole is just the resiliency of it all. And the ability just to adapt. That’s probably some of the big things. I farmed all my life, too. We’re isolated. We’ve been isolated since we started putting the crop in and things like that. So, I think to say that there’s any real big positive, I just think there’s permanent resilience and (farmers have) rebounded and found ways to do things.
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David Marit says the pandemic has made Canadians more conscious of where their food comes from. T ROY FLEE CE
Q
And one thing you said that I think a lot of people might be getting out of everything that’s happening here is they might have a better idea or they’re thinking more about where food comes from. Are you finding that or are producers finding that?
A
Yeah, you know what? I think you’ve struck something that is probably going to resonate for some time to come. To say who’s gonna drive it, I don’t know, because you’re right, the public is probably more aware now of where their food is coming from. And in all sectors, food processing, and now it just doesn’t appear on the shelf. They’re finding out that where it’s grown and how it’s grown and are more aware of that, and want to be more aware of that. I don’t want to say that there might be opportunity. Maybe it’ll just be things might be done differently. And the industry is going to decide that. This interview has been condensed and edited. A more complete version appears online. ptank@postmedia.com Twitter.com/thinktankSK
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GROWING CONCERNS Shutdown came at right time for seeding, but harvest a worry J U L I A PE T E R S O N
When Ian Epp, an agronomy specialist for the Canola Council of Canada, looks back at how COVID-19 has impacted his industry over the past few months, he says “it could have been so much worse.” Epp, who also farms in northwestern Saskatchewan, says this spring’s provincewide economic shutdown came far enough before the start of planting season that growers were able to prepare their operations early and avoid supply shortages at critical times. “I think a lot of growers were concerned about what would happen with the shutdowns, so they were very proactive about getting inputs — seed, fertilizer, parts — onto the farm for the big spring rush,” he said. “And then, I’m hearing, things went pretty smoothly. … If these shutdowns had happened in the middle of the season ... well, you know, Western Canada tries to put the crop in the ground in a pretty short window of time, and it’s a stressful time for growers anyways. “So if the shutdowns had all happened exactly when growers were trying to plant their crops, that would not have been good.” Other agrologists say they are not yet out of the woods. While provincial specialist for vegetable crops Connie Achtymichuk agrees the timing of the pandemic has been mostly on the growers’ side this planting season, she remains concerned about what will happen with the harvest. Because producers have been unable to access temporary foreign workers due to border closures, many have hired local employees to work on the farm this year. However, Achtymichuk says producers are worried access to this labour force may become more precarious over the coming months. Because of this uncertainty, Achtymichuk says some producers held off on deciding what to grow this year, reluctant to plant certain crops while they don’t know how many employees they’ll have. “Some people are still waiting on their labour, and that’s going to affect what
A farmer unplugs his combine while harvesting peas in 2015. L I A M RI CH ARD S F I L E S
kind of crop they grow,” she said in May. “Something like cauliflower, for example, is very labour intensive — you do need a lot of bodies to produce that crop — and we’re getting really close to the time of the year where producers have to put those things in the ground.” Achtymichuk is trying to determine how disruptions in the supply chain — such as a possible overabundance of unsold potatoes due to service industry closures — will affect vegetable producers in the months and even years to come. “We just don’t know what’s going to happen next year,” she said. “We know that (potato) processing contracts are down, but we just don’t know what’s going to happen with the food service industry, so we don’t know if there’s going to be too many potatoes or not enough. And that problem could be compounded because vegetables have a very limited storage period.” Ultimately, Epp said, Saskatchewan’s outlook for this year’s harvest will largely hinge on how well the spread of COVID-19 has been controlled. Despite the many remaining unknowns about how the pandemic will continue to impact the agricultural industry and the province as a whole, he is encouraging producers to use the coming months to
MOVING ONLINE Once crops are in the ground, agronomy expert Ian Epp anticipates some aspects of his job will be radically different this year, as a significant portion of his usual educational and informational events aimed at farmers on behalf of the Canola Council of Canada are off the table for the foreseeable future. “Once we get into the season, growers will really start to see the lack of farmer field days and tours,” he said. “For myself, as an extension agronomist, we use those sorts of things to present new information to growers — things they should be looking for in the field, or updates on diseases and insects. And those will be moving online like everything else.”
get out ahead of any potential harvesting problems they foresee. “I think so long as Saskatchewan has an OK position regarding the virus, we’ll be OK for the harvest,” he said. “The nice thing is that growers have some time to plan out and reassess what went well with planting, and what needs to change, before the harvest rush. They have a few months before that next push.”
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Prices a ‘mixed bag’ of ups, downs Fluctuations not all due to COVID-19 effect, should normalize over summer, economist says EVA N R A D F O R D
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic killing oil prices and grinding most of Saskatchewan’s economy to a halt through March and April, its impact on the agriculture sector is more of an economic blip, showing a “mixed bag” of price gains and losses, according to economist Chuck Penner. On a macro level, “when you look at prices over the last 10 to 20 years ... we’ve actually seen much larger price swings than what we’ve seen as a result of this COVID situation,” he said from Winnipeg. Penner heads up LeftField Commodity Research, which keeps a weekly watch on crop prices in Western Canada. He’s been in the industry just shy of 30 years.
The three-month window during which the coronavirus spread across Western Canada (March through May) shows variable impacts on commodity prices, Penner said. “The grain, oil seed and special crop sectors have performed significantly better than other parts of the agricultural economy; the hogs and the cattle, the fruits and the vegetables — those commodities have been much more severely affected.” The Saskatchewan government’s AGR Market Trends data supports that. As of May 20, the data showed canola priced at $422.59 per tonne; on May 20, 2019, the crop was priced at $417.30. Oats and flax saw annual gains of $27 and $78,
respectively. Penner cautioned attributing such changes solely to the pandemic is difficult, because it ignores other behaviours and trends from before COVID-19 took over the world. “Like durum wheat, we had lower production last year in Europe and in the U.S. In North Africa we had drought, which is not a pandemic effect,” Penner said. Increased global demand for peas and lentils, however, did experience its own version of a Costco-toilet-paper surge. There was “significant uptick in buying by countries in South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa,” he said. “All of a sudden we’re seeing people wanting to stockpile those particular (commodities) because they’re food staples in a number of those countries. “Once they saw other people buying them and the prices started to rise, it triggered some nervous buying.”
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The Saskatchewan grain data shows five lentil types all had one-year price gains from May 20, 2019 to May 20 this year, measured in per-one-hundredpound units (CWT). The greatest gain was $10.79 for small green lentils. Looking ahead to June, July and August, Penner said “the COVID issue is actually starting to fade into the background.” He predicts that as economies gradually reopen, investors and traders will start “just looking at the regular supply-and-demand effects that we typically look at.” As Penner acknowledged, livestock prices tell a different story. Cows graded at D1 and D2 muscle and fat quality sold for $25 less per 100 pounds (CWT) on May 21 than they did one year ago. Feeder steers in the 700- to 800-pound weight class are selling for $3.08 less per 100 pounds this year, too. Cattle in the same categories in Alberta, Nebraska and South Dakota are also seeing one-year CWT price drops. eradford@postmedia.com twitter.com/evanradford
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A farmer swaths a canola field northeast of Regina near Edenwold in 2014. As of May 20, the price of canola was up compared to a year earlier. BRYAN S CH LOS SER FILES
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AUCTIONEERS & COVID-19 has ended the handshake deal as virtual sales rise EVA N R A D F O R D
The COVID-19 pandemic is marking an unfamiliar milestone for auctioneer Blair Stenberg — the first time in three decades he’s been at home, missing the spring auction circuit. “I really miss the road and the travel and the people and everything. This is the first April I’ve stayed home in 30 years, since I was literally 19 years old,” he said from his farm near Hodgeville. Stenberg is an auctioneer with Ritchie Bros. He auctions farm equipment, but he’s also a regular at Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) in Regina, driving animal sales. Thanks to the pandemic, he’s now among a broad swath of people and businesses in the agriculture industry adjusting to the times. The auctions he works are still loud, but absent of in-person bidders, always at his home in Rouleau. He works in front of a computer screen, using Ritchie’s online auction registration system as potential buyers wrangle to win a fair price. “It’s really different. It’s tough to get an upbeat feeling when all you’re looking at is a computer screen, right? ... You’re selling to the world still, yet there’s no one there.” Were it not for the pandemic, he’d have been working auctions in Edmonton and Chilliwack, B.C., in mid-May. Instead, he worked both from Rouleau. Bids are “yelled at us through the speaker and then we just go up from there. It’s just like having the ringman out in front of you; it’s all electronic, though.” Sales seem strong, because farmers and producers still need equipment, Stenberg said. But that doesn’t mean he enjoys driving up bids through pixels and bandwidth. “It’s a totally different world. The interaction’s way off.” Ritchie Bros. says the shift to online-only auctions hasn’t hurt bidder-participation. Vice-president Simon Wallan said they held 56 auctions during the spring ses-
G ORD WALDNER /FILES
It’s really different. It’s tough to get an upbeat feeling when all you’re looking at is a computer screen, right? ... You’re selling to the world still, yet there’s no one there. BLAIR STENBERG, a u c t i o n e e r, w h o i s n o t o n the road this year for the first time in 30 years.
sion, seeing a “40- to 100-per-cent increase” in bidder registration and participation, compared with spring 2019. He oversees everything agriculture-related in Canada. COVID-19 contributed in part to the
percentage jumps. “People shelter in or (follow) social distancing guidelines; (they) had more time to be online and to be watching, paying attention to and participating at these auctions,” he said. Ritchie Bros. intends to keep running online-only auctions for its summer season, from June 15 until Aug. 8. If it returns to in-person, on-site auctions, it will use “real-time information” while contending with health orders from four provincial governments — Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Wallan said. Come fall, Stenberg hopes to be in Regina for Agribition; this year marks the show’s 50th anniversary. For now, Agribition CEO Chris Lane says planning the 2020 event is “full steam ahead.” Staff are brainstorming ways to host it, whether in a different format or not at all in 2020, depending on what the coronavirus does and what social gathering rules governments order or loosen. “We’re a Phase 5 event in every way, shape and form,” Lane said, referencing the province’s five-phase reopening plan. June 1 marked the final subsection of
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SHOWS RETOOL
TROY F L EE CE/F I L E S
Phase 1 (parks and campgrounds). Phase 5 of the plan increases public gatherings beyond 30 people. Like Phase 4, it didn’t have a date as of late May. “We’re over 100,000 people (who attend), and so we’re looking to make sure that whatever the guidelines are around putting on an event that’s safe and allows people to do the business of agriculture, we’ll be nimble enough to fully comply,” Lane said. If Agribition 2020 is cancelled, the Regina area stands to lose almost $45 million, based on economic impact data from 2017. “That’s jobs we create, visitors we bring in and what they spend shopping, eating and staying in the city,” Lane said. The same data set shows a provincial impact of $75 million. If the show goes ahead in a different form this year, Lane said the virtual-digital route is on the table. “For years we’ve been doing online streams of our shows. Online cattle sales are certainly not uncommon these days. If there was any lack of exposure to the ways of doing that business, I think we’re kind of overcoming that.” Similar to Stenberg, Grant Alexander is seeing steady interest in online auctions
The old days of people just showing up on sale morning and going through the bulls and buying a bull changed this year. GRANT ALEXANDER, s e m i - re ti re d We y b u r n - a re a farmer specializing in selling bull semen, embryos and a few purebreds per year
for pricey purebred bulls, most of which sell in the $4,000 to $8,500 range. The Weyburn-area farmer is semi-retired, but he specializes in selling bull semen and embryos, along with a few purebreds per year. After selling his two bulls to buyers in Illinois and South Dakota on March 10, he hit this year’s target. Just in time, too. “None of us knew that any of this was
coming down the pipe when we had our sale. If it had been a week later, we probably wouldn’t have had (it).” Once the province limited all social gatherings to 10 people or less, it killed all auctions, he said. Since then, “a pile of bull sales have been held online.” Of those he watched, he’s impressed by how many bulls sold “with nobody in the stands.” Alexander, now in his 70s, agreed breeders miss the familiar face-to-face, handshake way of reaching a deal. Such settings draw about 100 to 300 potential buyers. “The old days of people just showing up on sale morning and going through the bulls and buying a bull changed this year.” But Alexander says people are adjusting — buyers scheduling appointments to assess a bull one-on-one with the owner; frequent telephone calls; and owners working as impromptu videographers to market their bulls online. “We were moving that way, slowly, but this pandemic made it move a lot faster in that direction.” Unlike Agribition, Canada’s Farm Progress Show didn’t have time on its side. Organizers announced in late April they’re postponing this year’s event, which was to run June 16 to 18. Hosting it in 2020 is likely out. Regina’s Evraz Place, the hosting company, is using the delay as a chance to retool. It’s surveying producers and exhibitors for when each year they want the show scheduled. “We’re trying to make a long-term decision about when the best timing is,” said corporate development vice-president Jerry Fischer. “It’s given us an opportunity to step back and say, ‘When is the best timing for the show? Is June the best time? Is it in fact the time people want?’ And put that question to bed for the future.” That’s not to say the pandemic’s effects have been expected. “When you’re in the major event world and everything comes to a complete stop, it’s just unprecedented.” eradford@postmedia.com twitter.com/evanradford
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Pulse acreage expected to jump as demand grows J U L I A PE T E R S O N
While the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt business across the globe, it has actually increased the market for Saskatchewan pulses. A Statistics Canada report on producers’ crop plans for 2020 in March suggested the country might see a decrease in the number of acres of peas and lentils, but Saskatchewan Pulse Growers executive director Carl Potts said that’s unlikely to be the case. “Since March, lentil prices in particular have strengthened and pea prices have increased as well,” he said. “So we now think the acreage for peas and lentils — and lentils, in particular — is likely to be
more this year than what farmers were thinking of planting in March, just because of the stronger price. “We’re expecting lentil area to increase this year, maybe in the range of five per cent or more overall. And we think peas will be flat or slightly higher (compared to last year).” Potts said the global pandemic is helping to drive international demand for Saskatchewan pulses, which is affecting producers’ decisions throughout the planting season. “We’ve come through a period of fairly low prices for lentils, and farmers in the last couple of years have reduced the amount of lentils they plant and global supplies have been diminished,” he said.
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“I think with the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been some increased buying from some of our major overseas markets that has driven the prices a bit higher … due to concerns about supply chain and availability in some of these importing and consuming countries.” As the world’s leading producer and exporter of lentils, Saskatchewan exerts a great deal of influence on the international supply. According to the StatsCan report, Saskatchewan farmers intend to plant 2.5 per cent more wheat and 6.7 per cent more durum wheat in 2020. According to the International Grains Council, wheat production and consumption are expected to increase globally this year.
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A farmer seeds his field north of Regina in mid-May. TROY F LE E CE
The reduced response rate, combined with a rapidly changing global crop market, though, means some of these estimates may already be out of date. The report also said Saskatchewan farmers are expected to plant 2.3 per cent fewer acres of canola in 2020 than they
did in 2019. The Canola Council of Canada released a statement in April saying that while some unusual circumstances are expected, canola growers are committed to producing a strong crop this year: “At this time, the Canadian canola value chain
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expects to continue providing canola to trade partners all over the world. While necessary operational adjustments have reduced capacity in some areas, we expect to continue supplying canola to our customers.” Overall, the StatsCan report suggested a few factors beyond the pandemic may be affecting growers’ acreage choices this year. “Planting intentions may have been influenced by several factors, including high global supply for some crops and ongoing trade issues including tariffs,” it reads. “Actual seeded area may differ from current intentions depending on … factors including weather during seeding and delays in planting due to the ongoing spring harvest of the 2019 crop.” According to Potts, the only way to find out how well this year’s data reflects reality is to wait for planting to be done. “We’ll have a better sense of what actually went into the ground in late June and early July.” Statistics Canada intends to release data on actual seeded acreages in early December.
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$14.19B
Saskatchewan’s approximate agricultural exports across the globe, averaged between 2014 and 2018. The U.S. is our biggest market, buying 27 per cent of those exports.
44,329 The number of farms operating in the province in 2014, according to Statistics Canada’s latest numbers. They list a total of 59,185 farm operators.
38,000 According to 2018 figures, the number of people who comprise the agricultural labour force in Saskatchewan — down compared to 42,000 workers, the average from 2013-17.
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18,000
Approximate number of producers raising beef cattle, according to the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, in the second-largest beef-producing province (after Alberta). Its website states, “livestock production is a $1.7-billion industry that supports not only cattle operators, but also its direct employees and a large service sector.”
16.6 sq mi Saskatchewan has one of the lowest concentrations of pigs per square mile of arable farmland. Other jurisdictions have much higher rates, such as Alberta at 41.3, Manitoba at 142.7, Iowa at 457.3 and Denmark at 1,459.3. Saskpork.com reports there are 77 registered individuals/companies producing hogs on approximately 148 active Canadian Quality Assurance farms. A total of 2,284,744 hogs were marketed.
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99% This province accounts for 99 per cent of the chickpeas produced in the country. According to the government of Saskatchewan, the seeded area devoted to chickpea production ranged from 32,374 ha (80,000 acres) in 2009 to more than 149,248 ha (368,800 acres) in 2018.
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28,659,000
Saskatchewanchicken.ca reports a total of 68 registered chicken farmers on 74 farms produced 28,659,000 chickens for meat in 2018. The site says the chicken sector in Saskatchewan contributed 4,914 jobs, $94 million in taxes and $471 million toward the GDP.
165
73,000
As of July 2019, the number of licensed dairy operations in Saskatchewan, according to SaskMilk. The organization reports 293,447,345 litres of milk were shipped last year, an increase of 3.78 per cent from the previous year.
66 Number of registered egg farms in the province, based on the calculations of Saskatchewan Egg Producers. Most of these are run by Hutterite colonies or by families who have been farming for generations.
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In 2018-19, mustard carry-over quantities increased to 73,000 tonnes, causing concern of a buildup in supply, according to the provincial Ministry of Agriculture’s annual specialty crop report. The three major types of mustard are grown in Saskatchewan, one of the world’s leading producers: yellow, oriental and brown. Prices for mustard are forecast to increase in 2020-21. B RYAN S CH LOS S E R F I L E S
No. 1
In 2006, Stats Canada reports the province had the largest areas in the country for wheat, oats, rye, canola, flaxseed, dry peas, chickpeas, as well as lentils, mustard seed, canary seed and caraway seed. Saskatchewan is the biggest spring, durum and winter wheat producer in the country.
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KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL Renee Kohlman serves up some favourites with Saskatchewan ingredients. SKILLET CHICKEN BREASTS W I T H T O M AT O E S & O L I V E S
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Makes: 4 servings Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Tomatoes, olives and herbs mingle with chicken breasts in a deeply flavourful skillet dinner. The chicken is baked until tender and juicy in the Mediterranean-inspired tomato sauce, which is quite lovely when served over your favourite whole grain pasta or rice. A squeeze of fresh lemon is the perfect finishing touch. ■ 4 250 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts ■ 1/2 tsp salt ■ 1/4 tsp pepper ■ 2 Tbsp canola oil ■ 1/2 red onion, sliced ■ 3 garlic cloves, smashed ■ 2 Tbsp chicken stock or water ■ 1/2 tsp salt ■ 1/4 tsp pepper ■ 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes ■ 1 sweet red pepper, chopped ■ 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives ■ 2 cups cherry tomatoes (red, yellow and orange, if possible) ■ 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and/or thyme ■ Lemon wedges, for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. 2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towel, and season on both sides with salt and pepper. 3. Warm the canola oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 5 minutes per side. The chicken will release easily from the pan when it’s ready to be flipped. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm on a plate. 4. Stir the sliced onion and garlic into the pan. If the pan is too dry, add another teaspoon of canola oil. Stir for a few minutes, until fragrant. Add the chicken stock or water, and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the salt and pepper.
4-5 large Russet potatoes 1 tsp salt ■ 6 slices of thick-sliced bacon, chopped ■ 1 large onion, thinly sliced ■ 1 tsp dried thyme ■ 3 Tbsp butter ■ 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ■ 3 cups whole milk ■ 1 tsp Dijon mustard ■ 2 cups shredded smoked Gouda, divided ■ salt and pepper to taste ■ 2 Tbsp garlic chives, finely chopped 1. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into slices about ¼ inch thick. Place potatoes in a Dutch oven, cover with cold water and add 1 tsp salt. Cover, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain in a colander. 2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat. When it’s nicely rendered, remove to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Turn the heat to medium and sauté the sliced onions in the bacon fat until golden and soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in dried thyme. 3. To make the Bechamel sauce, heat butter in a medium saucepan over ■
5. Stir in the canned tomatoes, red pepper and olives. Nestle in the chicken breasts. Top with the cherry tomatoes and tuck in the sprigs of herbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 165 F (74 C) in the thickest part of the breast. 6. Remove the skillet from the oven, letting the chicken rest for a few minutes. Serve the chicken and sauce over whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa or couscous. Garnish with lemon wedges. S M O K E D G O U DA & B AC O N S C A L L O PE D P O TAT O E S
Makes: 6 servings Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes
My version of the classic potato dish is gussied up with thick-sliced bacon, smoked Gouda, caramelized onions and a dash of Dijon. The base of the dish is a creamy Bechamel sauce, one of the basic sauces every good cook should know. No Gouda? Use any hard cheese, such as Gruyere, smoked cheddar or Emmental instead.
L E A D E R - P O S T/ S TA R P H O E N I X
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medium-high heat. When it’s melted, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring often. When the sauce is bubbling, remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and 1 cup of shredded Gouda. Stir in the caramelized onions and season with salt and pepper. 4. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 F. Layer in the parcooked potatoes and bacon, making three layers, finishing with bacon. Pour the sauce on top of potatoes, giving the dish a gentle shake to distribute the sauce. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and add remaining 1 cup of shredded Gouda. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped chives and let stand 15 minutes before serving. F L A X S E E D & A PPL E B R OW N BU T T E R B L O N D I E S
Makes: 16-20 squares Preparation Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 22 minutes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. 2. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. It will melt, then get
A good blondie needs ample butter and brown sugar, and these chewy squares are no exception. They’re loaded with diced apples, heart-healthy oats and flaxseed. ■ 1 cup salted butter ■ 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar ■ 1/2 cup granulated sugar ■ 2 large eggs, at room temperature ■ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ■ 2 cups all-purpose flour ■ 1/2 cup large flake oats ■ 1/3 cup ground flaxseed ■ 1/2 tsp salt ■ 1 cup diced, peeled apple ■ 1 Tbsp whole flaxseeds for garnish
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foamy and begin to smell nutty. Once the brown bits start to appear on the bottom of the pan, remove it from the heat, give it a good stir and let it cool down for about 10 minutes. 3. Place the sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cooled brown butter, brown bits and all, and mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs and beat until smooth and creamy, another minute or two. Stir in the vanilla. 4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, ground flaxseed and salt. Add this to the bowl and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the apples. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 5. Sprinkle the whole flaxseeds on top and bake for 20-22 minutes until the top is golden and just set. A toothpick inserted in the middle will still have a few crumbs clinging to it. Let cool completely on a wire rack then cut into squares.
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