the tastiest meals just make themselves, i swear!

i'm moving. again! i moved so many times in the last couple of years... after my first year and a half in Victoria, i was going to return to Toronto, my home town... but since life often proceeds with complete lack of regard for the ways we've planned it, i am still out west; 3 years later.  the life i left in Toronto when i went to grad school imploded slightly, shortly before my scheduled return home, and so i decided to give the west coast a bit more of my time and consideration. and i'm glad i did. since then, i've lived mostly in Vancouver but since my stay here has been interrupted by extended research trips, conference travel, etc., i have taken the "sublet way". subletting means "taking over" other people's rental agreements for specified periods of time by signing a sub-let agreement with the tenant.  often these sublet situations are pretty short and usually the apartments you get are furnished... you basically step into another person's reality, or at least their home. strange and a bit disruptive as it seems - since most of my sublets were 3 to 5 months (hence the constant moving around) - i have found that i really enjoy doing this. i have been careful about the homes i've chosen to live in in their owner's absence and have found this constant change of scenery rather pleasant.  before my string of sublets, i've lived in my own apartments, usually for extended periods of time: with my things and my decorating style.  but just as i like to wear dresses and braid my hair on some days, on other occasions i prefer to wear jeans, structured jackets and my hair in a bun.  but who doesn't shake up their style? that's pretty common... but, how often do we style-play when it comes to the homes we live in? doing that would not only be very, very costly, but also not particularly sustainable.  now, i've had a chance to do that for the last couple of years - sublet, after a sublet.  each a little different, but all really unique,  cozy and interesting.

and what exactly does this have to do with food? well, for one, living in different places and drawing on different sets of cook ware (though i always bring my favourite pots, knives, and a couple of other things), i've experimented with different ways of preparing food.  the kitchen of one of my sublets last summer, for instance, had a fantastic cast iron pan which i have never owned but became absolutely addicted to.  that pan way basically the only thing i ever used in that kitchen... for almost 3 months! it was fantastic and the meals i prepared were amazing.  or when i lived in Poland for a few months earlier this year, i had one pot, that's all.  so i ate a lot of soups and salads.  which is great, since soups were such a huge part of my growing up there.

but there is another thing that moving around has taught me.  those last meals you make at an apartment, you know, the ones that utilize the random things you hate to throw out but don't really want to bring along.  well, those meals can be absolutely fantastic!

today, for instance, i opened the fridge to figure out what to do with the left over veggies. among other things, i had two really nice eggplants that i picked up at the farmer's market, half an onion, a few cherry tomatoes and ... yes, that coconut milk that i have been using in everything lately.  about 1/2 cup of it... really really solid (as i used up all the water that separated).  those seemed like a pretty good curry... so i toasted some seeds and spices, sauteed the onions and eggplants, added some water and that coconut milk, oh yes, quartered those cherry tomatoes, sprinkled a bit of salt, put the lid on and let it simmer....

in the meantime, i folded some laundry, packed another box... and about 30min later, maybe less even, i lifted the lid to find a perfectly softened eggplant... it cooked itself and it was absolutely fantastic!

oh yes, another thing about this curry... if you are a purist, then you might just be horrified.  but, then again, if you are a purist you are probably horrified about everything that i make.  the spice combination is probably nothing traditional...  the spices and seeds i threw into this recipe are whatever i could dig out of the bag into which i had already packed all my spices away.... all i knew, its that i wanted cumin, lots of cumin... everything else, just sort of came together and i can say with all honesty that this was probably the best curry i have ever made.

and yes, it probably qualifies as a "dissertation series" meal, since it takes so little time to prepare. 

eggplant curry with cumin, mustard seeds and coriander. 

with a side of basmati rice, this will feed 2 or 3.  i ate it all, without any rice... i'm moving, remember! can't have any leftovers!

2T olive oil or grapeseed oil
1t mustard seeds
1t coriander seeds
1t cumin seeds
1t cumin powder
1/2t salt  or more to taste

2 medium eggplants, cubed (about 1/2 cubes, pretty big)
1/2 onion, thickly diced
6-8 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/3 cup water

in a deep pan, heat the oil, add the spices and toast for a minute until fragrant (don't burn)
add the onions and a pinch of salt, saute the onions until translucent
add the eggplant and tomatoes; stir to cover with spices, saute for 2 minutes
add the water and coconut milk, add the remaining salt.

turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 25-30minutes.

being bad can be so good.

i'll admit, i'm a little tense about bad food. its probably because i had my share of hot dogs and chicken wings when i first arrived in North America 18 years ago.  coming from Poland, where food may have been rich, but it was very natural and always home made, i threw myself into a brief period of teenage food overindulgence that led to a pretty rapid fifteen pounds. and while it took a little longer to rid myself of the excess weight, going vegetarian about six months after my arrival had saved me from all the chemical chicken and mystery-meat of hot dog wieners.  mind you, there were still some very unhealthy veggie options available for a young teen experimenting with a non-meat diet.  most fake meat products out there have incredibly long lists of ingredients and many of them are pretty chemical. or i could have been the kind of vegetarian teenager that subsided on bread and cheese, and nothing else.  but luckily, the years of home made food and watching both my grannies and my mom always using fresh ingredients - many of which came from our own garden plot - to prepare our food, was probably what saved me.  all that food knowledge and the focus on seasonality and locality (even if out of sheer necessity) became an integral part of the memory quilt that was my childhood.

so today, i'm still a little weary of fast food, grease, or even pub fare.  but there is something about the change of seasons, particularly the coming of autumn, that makes me nostalgic for beer and greasy snacks. maybe its the back-to-school feeling, along with its after-class pub and bar visits? maybe its the fact that the body longs for richer food because its getting colder out? maybe its the nostalgia of late night neighbourhood walks with J, with our occasional midnight trips to the local bar for a huge plate of nachos, or to one of Toronto's awesome pizza parlors? or maybe its the "what's good for your soul, MUST be equally good for your body" that is Marc-Oliver's infectious philosophy (at least when it comes to Nutella and dumplings)... i don't know what it is, but grease and beer were on my mind all day...

so, i gave into the craving. but this is me, and my food blog, much like myself, are focused on healthy food adventures. so this means that today's "greasy" offering is still pretty damn healthy.  all the ingredients are wholesome, and things are baked rather than fried.  and no animals were harmed in its preparation.  overall, its satisfying as anything, with the added benefit of being pretty easy on your body and (if you are like me) on your mind.

this recipe for baked polenta fries is inspired by fries such as these that i had at Toronto's Live Food Bar, a raw food restaurant in my old neighbourhood that also has some cooked items on their menu (http://www.livefoodbar.com/).  i also spotted a similar recipe on the Martha Stewart website, though hers used prepared polenta (in casing, which you can buy at most food stores) (http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-polenta-fries).  mine, was made from scratch, which maybe requires a little more time and effort, but is really easy and cheaper (if you are watching your budget).  also, my chipotle "aioli" is vegan, as it utilizes thickened coconut milk as the base (yes, i'm obsessed with coconut milk).

finally, just because you are having an indulgent meal, doesn't mean you should skip your veggies.  that's why i paired these yummy fries with a Mexican-inspired heirloom tomato avocado salad. remember, always eat your veggies!  oh yes, and i almost forgot.  these are even better when washed down with some wonderful local micro brew... its the west coast, there are so many options!

baked polenta fries with coconut chipotle aioli

for the polenta, you'll need: 
1 cup of corn meal (medium)
4 cups of water
1t salt

salt the water, bring water to boil, turn down the heat.
slowly add the cornmeal, stirring while adding. stir well to dissolve all clumps.
cover with a lid, keep simmering on low heat for 10mins or so.
transfer into a shallow pan, smooth out the surface.  you want it to be about half an inch or 3/4 of an inch thick. and refrigerate for at least an hour.

for the polenta fries:
1T olive oil
1t smoked paprika
generous sprinkling of cayenne or chili pepper flakes

cut the firmed up polenta into rectangles (about 1 and a half inch long).
place on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and hot peppers.
bake at 400F for 35-40 minutes, flipping over about half way through the process.  broil for the last 3-5minutes. 

for the aioli: 
2-4T of thickened coconut milk (refrigerate a can of coconut milk for a couple hours, skim the "cream")
2-4t chipotle sauce (or you can use chilies in abodo sauce, finely chopped or blended)
1 big clove of garlic, minced
a pinch or two of smoked salt, or any other salt
a little coconut milk/water/lime juice to thin it out

mix the ingredients together.  add more chipotle sauce to adjust the taste to suit your preference for heat and flavour.

dissertation meals, continued.... ten minute miso and soft polenta topped with dandelion and pepper pure

there is nothing, absolutely nothing, about these dishes that makes it necessary for one to have academic pursuits... the reason i call these meals, "dissertation meals", is to highlight just how non-time-consuming they are.  this is not to say that graduate studies and/or the life of a graduate student is somehow busier or more taxing than lives of people with full time occupations, be they the care of one's home and children, other dependents or a paid job.  not to even mention the legions of people who are juggling both, and more... compared to these folks, graduate students who have no caring responsibilities or sufficient funding to not have to subsidize their research with other work, such as myself, are perfectly, spoiled...  it is a well known fact that graduate students have more time on their hands than the average person... but there is something about having to juggle this massive project that makes it seem like there is NO TIME AT ALL... it never really leaves your vision... whether it is on the periphery, the horizon, or right there in front of you... its all about the thesis...  many of us have seen the graduate students who are too pale, too unhealthy, because they spend so much time at the library that they forget to eat, socialize, exercise.

well, i'm not about to do that! i think all of those things are crucial to keep sanity and have a healthy perspective - including an academic one.  that's why food and sharing it is a very important part of my academic life.  but time is still precious, so quick meals are good meals.  the dissertation series is precisely about that: good food, in no time (so that you can take more time to share it, or do other things you have to do!).

and the awesome thing about this is that most of us can use more time to share meals, rather than prepare them.  so, no dissertation-in-progress is required for you to enjoy these recipes!

today, i have 2 more...  the first is a ridiculously easy miso soup that takes ten minutes (its not really a recipe, but i'm putting it up anyways because sometimes its the very things that we don't need recipes for that we forget about).  unlike my usual miso soup, i made this one with sauteed peppers, zucchini and black kale... slightly different set of flavours than my usual shitake, nori miso.  not only delicious, this miso is a reminder that not having the ingredients that you "need" for a recipe should never, ever stop you from making food.  just open your fridge or pantry and substitute .... a dash of creativity and a willingness to stray from the recipe is fun and almost always yields good results!

the second dish is and a delicious soft polenta with goat's cheese, topped with dandelion greens and roasted red pepper pure.  this dish takes about 30 minutes to prepare, but the taste is pretty wonderful so you or your guests would never know!  and you can always veganize it by omitting the goats cheese and maybe substituting some blended silken tofu (with a little garlic and salt). or just adding some olive oil or a spoon full of earth balance margarine.   the goats cheese is really there to make the polenta creamy, but either of the options i mentioned will do the trick too.

ten minute miso

1 bell pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
1/4 block of tofu, cubed
1 yellow or green zucchini
2-3T miso (any kind)
2-3 cups water
1T tamari or good quality soy sauce
1t sesame seeds
dash of chilies
1-2 sheets nori
1T sesame oil (though olive or grape seed would do as well)

boil the water.  

heat the oil, stir fry the onions, bell pepper, yellow zucchini and tofu for about 5 minutes, add the tamari half way through.

while stir frying, boil the water in a kettle or in a medium size pot. when boiled, turn off, let sit for 1 minute. add the miso and stir to dissolve (i find that using an egg beater works well for this, or just use a fork).  add the stir fried veggies and tofu to the miso.  cut or rip the nori into strips or chunks. add to the soup.  pour soup into bowls, garnish with sesame seeds and chili flakes.

soft polenta with goats cheese, dandelion greens and roasted red pepper pure. 

1 cup fine or medium cornmeal
1 small jar of roasted red peppers
1 bunch dandelion (but you can also use rappini/broccoli rabe, kale, mustard greens or watercress)
6 cloves garlic
4 cups of water or veggie broth
100g soft unripened goats cheese
1/3 cup almond meal
1-2 t coarse salt
1/2t dry rosemary
1t brown sugar
3T olive oil and more

bring the water or broth to boil.  if using water, salt it sufficiently.  add the rosemary.

while waiting for the water to boil, blend the roasted red peppers, 1T olive oil, 1t brown sugar and 1/3 cup blanched almond meal in a food processor or with a hand blender.  set aside.

when water is boiling, turn down the heat.  gradually add the cornmeal, stirring while adding.  keep the heat low because otherwise you'll be dealing with a geyser/volcano...  cover with a lid.  let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

while the polenta is cooking, heat 2T of olive oil in a pan.  add the garlic and saute for 1 min.  add the washed dandelion greens, cut into 2 inch long pieces.  saute with a dash of coarse salt for about 2-5 minutes.  if using other greens, such as broccoli rabe, it might take longer.  also, if using broccoli rabe/rappini, blanching it first helps to rid it off the bitterness... unless you like that flavour (i do!).

uncover the polenta, stir and taste it.  add a little more salt if necessary.  add 50g of goats cheese and stir it in gently until there are no chunks.  this will make the polenta very creamy!  you can now turn it off the heat.

serve the polenta by placing 1 generous ladle-full of polenta, topped with some greens and a dollop of roasted red pepper pure.  crumble some goats cheese and sprinkle some olive oil on top.  coarse/ground black pepper is nice too.

enjoy!

the (absolutely) best beet salad

i can't get enough of beets! at the risk of repeating myself, i am posting yet another roasted beet salad. but i promise: this one is the best, absolutely!  the trick is to get a bunch of fresh beets, that way they are not too large and are very firm.  beets are plentiful right now and you can find them at your local farmer's markets; so get them while you can.  i got a bunch of amazing golden, red and pink beets today, and it was enough to make 2 big dinner size salads or 4 sides.  at $3 a bunch, its not bad! this salad is vegan, but if you eat eggs, to make it even more filling you can top it with a soft-poached egg... that, in fact, would also make a lovely brunch dish!

another trick has to do with the sauce/dressing for this salad.  i usually pair my roasted beets with a balsamic glaze or a little lemon, but today i was in a mood for something more garlicky, tart and creamy... sort of a cross between cesar dressing and hollandaise sauce... to contrast with the sweetness of the beets.  and yes, it was a winner! normally i make my creamy dressings by blending tofu with lemon, garlic and dijon mustard, but an effort to use less soy has forced me to experiment with other ingredients.  and my favourite soy replacement these days is coconut milk... i usually buy it canned, but i found this amazing 100% coconut milk in a tetrapak at my local grocer and, ever since, i have been addicted to it.  aside from the obvious uses in curries and soups, i have been pouring it over baked/grilled peaches for a creamy dessert (its basically as delicious if not better than cream or melted vanilla ice cream), using it in my morning espresso (mixed with some water and shaken ... it actually foams up!), and today, i used it to make a savory creamy dressing for my salad. it was absolutely creamy and delicious! and rich as it may be, coconut milk is very healthy, so enjoy it!

what you'll need for this salad:

roasted beet, zucchini salad with black kale and creamy dijon garlic sauce.

1 bunch beets (about 6 small to medium size)
1 bunch black kale (or another variety)
1 yellow zucchini
1/2 red onion
2 sprigs rosemary
1T coarse salt, 1/2t cinnamon bark
2-3T olive oil
1-2T sliced almonds, roasted

wash the beets well, quarter (or cut into smaller chunks depending on beet size).
slice the zucchini and the onion. place all veggies in a roasting pan, toss with the olive oil, rosemary and salt. roast in oven for 20-30mins, until beets done.

quickly saute or steam the kale.

creamy garlicky dressing
1-2 cloves garlic
2T coconut cream (skimmed of the top, if you can't find the tetrapack variety, you can use the regular canned stuff, just put your can in the fridge for an hour beforehand to get the "cream" to set)
1T (or more) coconut milk/water
1T dijon mustard
1t capers
1/2-1t nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

in a small bowl, mix the ingredients together.  add more or less coconut milk/water to get the right consistency.

assemble the salad by placing the roasted beets and zucchini atop the bed of kale.  pour 1T dressing and sprinkle roasted almonds on top.

this salad is also delicious topped with a soft poached egg.

soup weather

it is a rainy vancouver afternoon; the heavy clouds heralding the end of summer and the coming of the  gray, dewy season.  but today, i don't mind it so much, because the light in my home is soft and cozy, and there is a steaming pot of soup on the stove and a couple of good friends coming over for lunch. i know that we'll share some food and a conversation, and that is enough to warm my spirit and part the clouds.

here is a nice fall soup that doesn't require many ingredients, and the ones it calls for are often staples in many kitchens, particularly vegetarian ones.  the soup is rustic and simple, but it has an earthy, deep flavour that will satisfy the gourmands as well.  you can pair it with some crusty, toasted bread and a dash of olive oil.  the soup is vegan, but you could also add a dollop of natural yogurt or sour cream if you eat dairy. 

provencal lentil, potato, porcini soup

3 medium potatoes (diced)
1 yellow zucchini squash (diced)
1 onion (diced)
1 cup french lentils (or green lentils)
1/4 bulb of fennel (optional) (diced)
5-6 dried porcini mushrooms
1T miso (optional)
1-1 1/2T provencal herbs (or mixed thyme, rosemary, lavender)
1t coarse salt
black pepper
2T olive oil
green parsley 

heat the olive oil, saute the onions with the salt until translucent
add the provencal herbs, the potatoes, the zucchini squash and the fennel - saute for about 3-5mins
add the lentils, mix and pour in 4 cups of water or veggie broth (optional); or enough to cover all the veggies with about an inch of water covering them.  add the porcini mushrooms.
bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 30mins or until the potatoes and lentils are soft.  add the miso (miso is my secret ingredient in this soup - its optional, but i love the dimension of flavour that it adds - particularly when you use mushrooms and potatoes in a recipe.  i mix the miso with a little soup stock in a separate bowl and then add it into the rest of the soup).
take of the heat, and let sit for 10 mins.  taste and add more salt, black pepper to taste. 
garnish with fresh, chopped parsley.