ruby tuesday

I saw this recipe for Transilvanian-inspired Spelt Risotto with Beets and Horseradish in the October issue of Saveur (http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Spelt-Risotto-with-Beets-and-Horseradish). It was a warm afternoon and I was perched on one of the benches out front habit coffee in downtown Victoria.  I just finished a long bike ride and was catching the last rays of summer sun while sipping my americano.   Maybe it was the fact that I had just burned a lot of calories, but everything on those pages looked so good! Especially this risotto... I was so inspired! I love beets and I often try making non-rice "risottos," so this recipe was perfect. To top it off, the story of Transilvanian travels that this recipe was written into completely sold me. So, I took it down, resolved to make it on one of the autumn evenings that were just around the corner.

Last night, after a quintessentially November Victoria day, with gale-force winds and layers of clouds visibly passing each other in all sorts of directions and at various speeds, I tried to follow the recipe. I tried. Well, at least I read the recipe. But there were SO many steps... The whole thing seemed just a little too complicated for an impromptu Tuesday-evening meal. And we were hungry. So I took a good look at the photo (hail the internet and good food photography!), took in the colours and the textures. I imagined the smells and the flavours... I skipped some steps, and improvised.  Nothing new here... I tend to do that. Recipes are an inspiration, surely. But reality of what is available, in terms of time, ingredients, and bodily needs, tends to take over in my kitchen.  Thankfully, the results are usually not so bad. And no, I don't claim to have some special touch with food.  Not at all!  Instead, I really believe that good ingredients, lots of love, and a little imagination always yield good results.  

And the results last night were indeed, quite tasty and just as lovely to look at as the Saveur picture. The delicate taste of fennel, the sweetness of the roasted beets, the toothsome crunch of the spelt kernels, make this a delicious and wholesome dish.  And the roasted beets and the red wine combine for a lovely hue that make this a Ruby Tuesday worthy meal! 

Oh yes! While I obviously invite and encourage you to try my recipe (or the Saveur one, which I am sure is absolutely divine though probably much heavier), I will not take offence to modifications. I could not, since that's probably what I would do myself.  And if you do modify and improvise, please share. Write a comment and let me know what you've changed!  And I will do the same.  When I have more time and patience, I will try the Saveur recipe and will let you know how it compares.

Whole Spelt Risotto with Roasted Beets and Fennel

2-3 medium size beets, diced
1 leek, sliced thinly
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bulb of fennel, sliced thinly, green leafs reserved and chopped
1/2 cup of oyster mushrooms (brown will do as well)
1 cup of spelt kernels
1/2 cup of red wine
3-4 cups of veggie/herb stock
coarse sea salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1t dry)
shaved Parmesan (optional)
olive oil

Toss the diced beets in some olive oil, place in a baking pan and roast at 450F for 10-15mins.
In a heavy skillet or pan, heat olive oil, saute the leeks and garlic, with a sprinkling of sea salt (about 3-5minutes).
Add the sliced mushrooms and half the rosemary.  Saute for another 3-5 minutes.
Add the fennel and cook for another couple of minutes.
Now, add the spelt kernels, saute for 1 minute, then add the wine to deglaze the pan.  Stir and when the wine begins to cook down, gradually start adding the broth and letting it cook down, as if you were making risotto;  about 1/2 cup at the time and stirring.  After about 20 minutes, add half of the roasted beets and continue cooking with another 1/2-1 cups of broth.
All together, the cooking should take about 35-40 minutes.  The spelt kernels will become soft and chewy, with some starchy creaminess.
You can season this risotto with more sea salt and a little more rosemary.  Garnish it with some roasted beets, chopped fennel leaves and shaved Parmesan, and/or a sprinkling of olive oil.

layers, pretty layers

So long lettuce, welcome root vegetables and winter greens! Grated or chopped, raw or roasted, root veggies make for delicious salads that are more filling and nutritious than a plate of leaves.  But this kind of a salad is not only healthy, it also lets you take advantage of all the local goodies that are available in the Fall and that keep well over Winter.  And because appearances do matter when it comes to food, a salad that uses grated carrots and beets also looks very pretty when served in a clear glass bowl.  If I have not yet convinced you and you need another reason to try it, here is it: this salad keeps much better than a green salad, so if you can't finish it all tonight, you can always eat it for lunch tomorrow.  Now, you can't do that with lettuce, can you?!

The idea is simple: you grate and chop various veggies, season them, and layer them one on top of the other. Beets, carrots, cabbage, fennel, endives or radicchio are some colorful ideas. The more colours you use, the prettier the salad will be, especially if you alternate them.  To add some protein power, you can use some lentils or beans as one of your layers.  White kidney beans tossed with some parsley pesto are particularly delicious.  Also, to make the salad more filling, you can add a layer of grains like spelt, quinoa, millet or buckwheat.  Finally, make a nice creamy herb dressing or some guacamole to top it off.  

 

I made two of these last week because they were so good. Here is one idea: 

Layered veggie salad with spelt kernels and herbed white beans

3 carrots, grated 

2 large beets, sliced 

1-2 Belgian endives, sliced into rounds

1 leek, the white part

1 can white kidney beans

1 cup spelt kernels or pearl barley

2 cloves garlic

1-2 avocados

1t coriander seeds

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1 lime, and 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2t cumin 

sea salt 

Brush the beets with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, place on baking sheet and roast for 15-20minutes.  When done, cool slightly and dice into small pieces.  Add a little balsamic cream or balsamic vineger and salt.  If you prefer to go more raw, just grate the beets instead and season with the same, vinegar, salt and olive oil. 

In a small pot, cook the spelt kernels in a cup and a half of water.  It will take about 15-20mins. Set aside. 

Grate the carrots.  In a small pan, toss the coriander seeds with 1T of olive oil until fragrant - about 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix with a squirt of lemon juice, the tossed coriander and the oil, and a dash of cumin and sea salt. Set aside. 

Slice the endives, slice the leeks into thin rounds.  Mix the two with a little lemon and salt. 

In a food processor, mix the coriander with 1/4 cup of olive oil and half the lime juice.  Add grated almonds or pinenuts and process more.  It will be like a pesto but without cheese.   Drain and rinse the beans.  In a small bowl, mix them with 2T of the pesto.  Set aside. 

Finally, make a quick guacamole.  With a fork, mash your avocados, add the garlic, the remaining lime juice, a dash of salt and a little cumin. 

Now, time to layer! In a glass bowl layer all the goodies starting with the farro, beets, endives, beans, carrots and top it all of with the layer of guacamole.  If you like, you can also add some of the pesto sauce on top. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

liquid gold

 Halloween crept up so fast this year.  I didn't even see it coming, and POOF, it was already gone.  But I still have its lingering reminder in my refrigerator.  A pot of  pumpkin sage soup; creamy and satisfying, as only winter squash soup can be.  And golden, as liquid gold!

But before the pumpkin soup in my fridge, there was a party.

My current home is neatly tucked away in a rather lush corner of Oak Bay, a suburb of Victoria that is really its own municipality.  As the name suggests, Oak Bay is overgrown with Oak trees.  Gerry Oaks, to be precise, with their gnarly, twisted branches, that are covered with moss and lichen because the moist air and proximate ocean tend to make everything here green-tinged and mossy.  All these twisted Oak trees against the incredible Victoria sky, make for a dramatic landscape.  Particularly at dusk, or on those dewy mornings when the raising sun illuminates the fog and all is enveloped in soft pink mist.

Another thing about my lovely hidden corner of Oak Bay is that it is rather dark.  There are no streetlights at my end of the road and I often stumble home in the dark, my pace quick but careful, expecting the unexpected.  No, its not entirely pleasant and can be a little spooky, so coming home one night it occurred to me that my home would be the perfect site for a Halloween party - I won't even need to decorate!, I thought.  So I sent out some invites, and asked my guests for carved pumpkins as the ticket in. "Let's illuminate this dark Oak Bay corner," I called.  The vision of Jack-o-Lanterns strewn all over the lawn was too good to pass.  And I certainly didn't have time to carve all those pumpkins myself.

The party came and went.  It was wonderful, though the vision of my illuminated lawn didn't quite materialize because pumpkins sold out in Victoria.  Yes! Pumpkins. Sold. Out. On Halloween. I, the host, didn't even have a pumpkin to carve! That's what I get for waiting to the last minute, I suppose.  Luckily, Marc Oliver exudes positivity and even though he was not so keen on carving pumpkins and dressing up to begin with (Halloween is not a tradition in Germany), the sight of my disappointed face stirred some serious creativity and he was running around, decorating with other means and with all his might.  Also, some of my friends were more organized and there were a few carved pumpkins to reminds us of the fact that this was indeed a Halloween Party.  Not to mention the fantastic costumes that those with a great sense of Halloween-spirit came clad in.  Those, of course, were the other reminder.

After the party, I was left with some Jack-o-Lanterns to compost but also with a rather large pumpkin that was uncarved.  The next day, still very full of the yummy snacks and the apricot brandy cocktails from the night before, soup was all I dreamed of. So, pumpkin soup it was.  And this one was delicious! 

I topped it off with some roasted pumpkin seeds and spelt bread-olive oil croutons.  To make it even more velvety, I added some chilled thickened coconut milk (in lieu of cream). Try it! If there are no pumpkins left in your neighbourhood store, try it with any other squash. I think butternut would be best.  Or wait til next year, but don't wait too long, the pumpkins may just sell out again!

Cream of Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Soup

1 medium size pumpkin
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of white wine
2-3 cups herb or veggie stock
1T dried sage, or 2-3T fresh sage
1t dried thyme
coarse sea salt
bay leaf or 2
ground black pepper
olive oil, about 1/3 cup
1/2 cup coconut milk

seed (reserve the seeds) and chop the pumpkin into large pieces, leave the skin on. place on oiled baking sheet - you'll probably need two, or just do it in two batches.
brush some olive oil on the pumpkin pieces and sprinkle some coarse salt.
roast in the oven, at high heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and edges blackened.

   peel the skin - it should come of easily now.  chop into smaller pieces and set aside in a bowl.

in a large pot, heat some olive oil and saute the onions and garlic.  when onions become translucent and garlic fragrant and golden,  splash some of the wine, to deglaze the pot and release the flavours.   add some herbs and add the pumpkin. add the remaining wine, the stock, the bay leaf.

simmer on low to medium heat for about 20minutes. 

 

while the soup is simmering, rinse the pumpkin seeds.  tap dry with a tea towel, toss with some olive oil, smoked or regular paprika and some sea salt.  place on the baking sheet and bake for 20minutes or so.  set aside and use as garnish (or just enjoy as a snack).

set aside to cool a little.  after 10 minutes or so, transfer the pumpkin, some broth and coconut milk into a food processor, or using a hand blender, blend until smooth and creamy.

taste and adjust flavouring. you may add more salt and black pepper, but it is important to do this after the soup is blended, as blending all that pumpkin will change the flavour of the broth.  pumpkin itself is not all that flavourful and it is a bit on a sweet side.  this is a savory soup, so season it accordingly once the blending is done.  but don't over do it, it should still taste like pumpkin!

serve garnished with chunky croutons, roasted pumpkin seeds, a dollop of coconut cream and some fresh sage leaves.  it is also delicious with a generous squeeze of balsamic cream (or your own home made balsamic reduction).

not your usual shephard's pie

despite its name, traditional Shepherd's pie doesn't contain any sheep in it.  and while this particular name originates from Scotland, where sheep herding is a common preoccupation, my brief google research has shown that this dish actually has a very international distribution.  similar types of potato-covered meat pies are found, among others, in Russia, Chile, Argentina, North Africa, North America.  the specific versions differ, but the basic formula: minced/ground/diced meat of some sort, covered with some type of a potato or pastry layer, seems to be quite common across regions and cuisines.  and as with most traditional dishes, there are of course the vegetarian and vegan versions as well which usually utilize lentils or another legume, or perhaps some type of soy protein as the bottom layer. all these versions, i imagine, hit the same note or spot: they are comforting, warming, cheap and very sharable. the perfect dish for a Fall or winter evening. though, i do think that some are healthier than others and the veggie versions - because they are not as greasy - are also pretty delicious as a cold lunch the next day.

i've made all kinds of veggie versions of this dish before, but last week i tried something new and "tested it" on our friends, Glenn and Heather.  although this new version followed the same general pattern/formula,  i wanted to do something that would evoke the flavours of Central and Eastern Europe - just to keep my "food and nostalgia" series flowing.  so instead of meat or lentils, i used kasha - roasted buckwheat groats, which are very typical to the region.

though commonly used as a side dish (instead of potatoes, for instance) in Polish cuisine, Kasha is also eaten as a main, when topped with mushroom gravy, for example.  this version is more typical to south eastern Poland and/or the Ukraine, where my granny Irena (my dad's mom) was from. in the south-eastern borderlands, buckwheat groats are also wrapped up in cabbage leaves and served as yet another incarnation of the cabbage roll. interestingly, while cabbage rolls are ubiquitous to Central and Eastern Europe as a whole, my granny Stasia (my mom's mom) never made cabbage rolls like that because she came from north eastern Poland (another fluid borderland region, this time flowing in and out of East Prussia).  Granny Irena, on the other hand, did, as did my aunt Vera because they both had Polish-Ukrainian roots and came from the same geographical area.  i got particularly lucky: since I grew up in the western Poland - the area which got settled by Poles displaced from other "fluid" regions after the Second World War (whilst, unfortunately, displacing its previous Germany inhabitants) - I got to experience culinary traditions that were very varied.  a wonderful experience indeed, though one i was not fully aware of until i began to reflect on it as a young adult.

but to get back to the pie... to keep the Polish-Ukrainian borderland flavour - in honour of that part of my heritage -  i added some chantrelle and oyster mushrooms to my pie filling.   i also added some crumbled tempeh, to up the protein content and to give it more varied texture.  the mashed potato topping was made with roasted garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary, and a dollop of miso - my mashed potato secret weapon which makes it taste like potatoes and gravy, without the gravy! the results were absolutely delicious, very filling and, at least for me, completely evocative of the flavours of my Polish-Ukrainian background. 

Eastern Borderlands Pie, with Kasha, Wild Mushrooms and Tempeh

5 medium sized potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
fresh springs of rosemary, sage and thyme (or any one of them, you can also use dry herbs)
1 T miso
2-3T unsweetened almond milk
2T olive oil
coarse salt

1 1/2 cups roasted buckwheat groats
2 cups veggie broth or water
1 cup mixed mushrooms (chantrelles, oysters, but you can use brown, portabella or shitakes too)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1T mixed, rosemary, sage and thyme (dry)
1 egg (optional)
1T Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tempeh patty, crumbled (i use the Greene Cuisine tempeh, its local to Victoria and delicious... you can buy it in ohter parts of Canada too - i know, i've seen it.  but really, any tempeh will do).

cook the potatoes, in skins.  until tender.  set aside to cool a little.
while the potatoes are cooking, heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet.  saute the garlic, onions and herbs with a pinch of sea salt.  when onions are translucent, add the mushrooms and saute for another 5-7 minutes until cooked.  add the buckwheat groats and toast with the mushrooms and onions for a few minutes, stirring.  add the broth and the crumbled tempeh, stir, bring to boil. then turn down the heat, cover with the lid and simmer until the buckwheat is cooked.  this should take about 15-20 minutes.  check in the meantime and add more water or broth if necessary. 

while the buckwheat is cooking, mash the warm potatoes with the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped herbs, almond milk and miso.  taste and add some pepper and coarse salt if necessary.  set aside.

crack and egg into the cooked kasha, add the Parmesan and stir well.  this step is optional and just helps to bind the kasha.  but you can easily omit it for a vegan version.

place the kasha in a pie dish or a round baking dish.  top with the potato mash.  sprinkle with a little olive oil an herbs.  bake at 373F for 30mins.  then broil for another 5 minutes to get the potato to turn golden.  serve with a side salad or some roasted veggies. some nice red wine or dark beer are fantastic accompaniments too!

dreaming of Barcelona

i have yet to visit Barcelona... well, i have yet to go to Spain.  and when i do, i will indulge in all the Spanish tortilla i can.  the authentic version: full of eggs, potatoes and saffron. i can't wait!  having said that, the vegan Spanish tortilla, or as Isa Chandra Moskowitz calls hers, the "Revolutionary Spanish Omelet", that i make regularly, is pretty fantastic and uses no eggs at all.  so for those of you with allergies, those of you who are strictly vegan, or those of you just watching your egg intake, this version can be equally satisfying.  in fact, i almost prefer it sometimes to the egg version and pretty much always opt for it in my daily cooking. but for the sake of embracing authenticity (within limits, of course), i WILL have the original, not so revolutionary version, when i do eventually make it to Spain!

for Isa's delicious original "revolutionary Spanish omelet", i invite you to check out her book vegan with the vengeance. that recipe is delicious, though i usually play with it a bit.  i've added some nutritional yeast to it, a dash of smoked Spanish paprika, and i almost always roast lots of onions and garlic cloves along with the potatoes.  i like the sweet roasted garlic "surprise", so i make sure to always have some.    also, the other day, i had completely re hauled the recipe by using yams, rosemary and lots of smoked Spanish paprika.  the result was pretty delicious too! and as i am much more of a yam-fan than a potato fan, this will now be my mainstay tortilla!

here is what you need if you'd like to try my even more revolutionary (though completely unauthentic) 


Smokey Yam Omelet with Rosemary, Sage, Spanish Paprika and Roasted Garlic

3 medium size yams, washed and sliced 
1 red onion, sliced 
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 block of medium/firm tofu
1T nutritional yeast
2 sprigs of Rosemary, or 1-2t the dry stuff
1t sage
1T smoked Spanish paprika
1t coarse sea salt
3T oil and more for brushing 
some unsweetened almond/ or soy milk or veggie stock
1-2T sliced, blanched almonds

in an oven, roast the yam slices, onions and garlic (keep the husks on the garlic, and reserve one), with 1 T olive oil (or more if you like that), a pinch of sea salt and some rosemary and sage.  if you have a cast iron pan, a pan with metal handles and no plastic on it, or a nice round baking dish, roast it right in it...   roast at high temperature (i usually broil it) for about 10-15 minutes or until the yams are soft and edges are getting dark.

while the veggies are roasting, break up the tofu into chunks and in a food processor or in a bowl (using a hand blender), process/blend the tofu with 1 T olive oil, the nutritional yeast, one clove of garlic, the smoked paprika, sea salt and a pinch of rosemary.  add some almond or soy milk to get a smooth consistency that's creamy but not too runny.  you want it to still be scoop-able without being too thick.  taste and add whatever else you think


when the veggies are done, take out of the oven.  "fish out" the garlic and squeeze it out of the husks. you can cut it into smaller pieces or just leave the little garlic "surprise" for whoever is lucky enough... arrange the yams so that they are more or less evenly distributed.  now, pour/or scoop out the tofu mixture over the yams, distribute evenly and shake the dish/pan that you are using, even bang it on the counter a little to make sure that some of the tofu "sinks" between the yams.  smooth out the surface.  brush a little olive oil on top.  garnish with some rosemary leaves and sprinkle some smoked paprika on it... you can also sprinkle some almond slices or pine nuts for a nice finish. 


now, bake in the oven at about 400F for 30 minutes or so.  take out of the oven, check if the tofu has "set" and let it sit for 10 minutes before eating.  you can eat it as is just with a side of salad of some sort because it is very flavourful on its own.  or Isa has a delicious roasted red pepper sauce that she serves her potato omelet with.   its pretty easy to make if you have some ready make roasted red peppers in a jar.  then you just need 3-4 of those, a little lemon, a little brown sugar or maple syrup and 1/3 cup of almond meal.  blend, taste, add whatever you fancy! delicious! 

sunday morning to honour Lorinda

this breakfast is in honour of my friend Lorinda.  she likes pancakes, that i know. and last weekend, she ran her first half-marathon and did so with so much grace, there was a big smile on her face when she finished! "its a good distance", she said to me a couple days later.  well, for a rookie runner, and i say that because i know she's not been running for that long, that is pretty impressive and inspiring! and i had every intention to greet her at the finish line with a stack of vegan pancakes (she is vegan); to congratulate her and help her replenish all those spent calories... but then the thesis got in a way, as only a thesis can...  the deadline was too close for comfort, the panic had set in, so all i could do, was make some pancakes in her honour and fuel my own, though much slower, caloric burn...   because the brain, particularly when you are really putting it under some serious pressure, needs that too, doesn't it?

pancakes are super easy, take not that much time, and can be pretty healthy if you use the right ingredients.  mine are vegan, made with spelt and blueberries and almond milk.   the other variation that i love, particularly in the winter, are banana walnut buckwheat ones - the banana goes right into the batter. yum! but i know that Lorinda is not fond of bananas, so blueberry pancakes they are.

when MO and i were eating up our stacks, thinking of Lorinda and sending her all the good vibes we could muster, of course, i also remembered what else i like about pancakes:  they are the perfect food for feeding hungry boys, or hungry girls for that matter.  even when made with really wholesome, healthy ingredients, pancakes are pretty inexpensive.  you always make a bunch, and they are so filling!  i remembered this pancake-fact as i told MO about my little brother Maciek's visits when i lived in Windsor, ON.  once, for instance, he showed up with another friend and they stayed overnight. in the morning, i, the lone law student living on a serious budget, was faced with two hungry and slightly hangover teens...   pancakes saved the day and everyone was happy: i got to play a gracious host, the boys got full, and i didn't break my budget.

ok, so here is the recipe. 

vegan blueberry pancakes (for Lorinda)

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup almond milk
1T baking powder
1T ground flax (optional)
1t orange extract
1-2T maple syrup
1T canola or grape seed oil, plus more for frying
1/4t salt
1/2-1 cup frozen blueberries (thawed)

mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, salt... no sifting necessary).  mix the almond milk, orange extract, maple syrup and oil together.   in a large bowl, mix the dry with the wet, just enough to incorporate.  add half the blueberries.

fry up! i find that using coconut oil is great if you are trying to use less.  its solid, so you can just take a little and smear it all over the pan without having to use a lot.  as it heats, it will melt and you have the entire pan covered with coconutty goodness. and then your pancakes have a very slight coconut flavour.   otherwise, just a little canola or grape seed oil goes a long way...

serve doused with yummy maple syrup and the remaining blueberries.
yum!

for the buckwheat, walnut, banana variation, you need the same amounts of four, milk, baking powder, salt, oil, maple syrup, etc.  of course, the flour is buckwheat, not spelt.  and i use vanilla extract for these.  then, mush up one very ripe banana with 1T of cinnamon and add that to your batter.  also, stir in  a good handful of walnut pieces. these come out amazing! serve with banana slices and maple syrup. 

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.

yam and kale soup with smokey chipotles

yes, i know its summer, but a northwest coast summer has its fair share of breezy days and cool nights.  for those, the soup is on!

kale has been one of my local farmers' market favourites this summer.  it comes in so many varieties, but my favourite, especially for soup, has been black kale.  this simple soup is a more colourful take on a potato kale soup... it is summer after all, so bright colours and vibrant flavours are still a must! yams give this soup creaminess and velvety texture, kale is all about nutrients, lime and cilantro provide all the fresh, summer flavour you'll need. finishing it off with a little smoked chipotle sauce, adds just the right amount of heat and earthiness all at the same time.

you'll need:

3 medium size yams, diced
1 bunch black kale (or any kale will do), chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2T olive oil
1T cumin
1t coarse salt
1t coriander seeds
3 cups water or veggie broth
juice of 1 lime
handful of cilantro
smoky chipotle sauce

in a heavy pot heat olive oil, saute the garlic, onions, coriander, cumin - until onions are translucent (but take care not to burn the spices),
add the diced yams, saute for 3 mins until coated in spices,
add the water or stock,
bring to boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 30mins or until the yams are soft.
add most of the chopped kale (reserve a handful) salt and the lime, cook for another 5 mins.
with a hand blender, or in a food processor, process the soup until blended but some chunks still remain, add the remaining kale, cilantro and simmer for another 5 mins until the kale softens but is still vibrant green.
serve in bowls with some smoky chipotle sauce and extra cilantro as garnish.

stir fries, sautees and other light summer meals

i admit, i haven't been spending all that much time in the kitchen ... its summer after all, time to enjoy the great outdoors, not linger inside.  but summer is also the time to eat up all the wonderful fresh produce! my local farmers' market has been a goldmine for beautiful fruits and veggies and i've religiously gone every saturday to take in the sights, smells and tastes of seasonal offerings.  once home, i'd mostly opt for big fresh salads or quick stir-fries - to preserve the nutrients, flavour and to save some time.  among my favourites this summer have been broccolini, garlic greens, tiny summer zucchinis, beet greens, and black kale.  just chopping the veggies and sauteing, or stir-frying them with a little olive oil, lemon or white wine, provencal herbs or fresh basil was enough to make for a very fresh, very healthy and very satisfying lunch or light dinner.  just take a look at the vibrant colours and get inspired!

the best quinoa

quinoa is fast to prepare, really delicious and so very good for you!  in this simple recipe, quinoa, roasted or grilled zucchini squash, red peppers, cherry tomatoes mingle with chipotle, coriander and lime seasoning for a delicious summer lunch!

1 cup quinoa, cooked

3 small zucchinis (i used 2 yellow and one green), roasted or grilled, cooled and diced

1 cup red cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1T coriander seeds

coarse salt

1/2 t cumin

1-2 chipotles in abodo sauce, diced finely

1-2 cloves garlic 

juice of 1 lime

2T olive oil

heat 1T olive oil, toast the coriander seeds, set aside

saute garlic, onions, red bell peppers with the chipotles and a little olive oil

mix quinoa with the grilled, diced zucchinis, cherry tomatoes, sauteed peppers (with onions and garlic)

add the toasted coriander seeds, season with cumin, salt, lime juice 

serve garnished with cilantro or mint.

dissertation cabbage

i admit, this is a truly strange title for a blog entry... almost as if i was trying to scare my readers (the few that there are) away.  but don't fear! this post will not have anything to do with the subject of my dissertation.  it does, however, have something to do with the process of writing it...

a couple of days ago, someone commented on my panzanella post (on facebook) by suggesting that it must take a lot of time to prepare my food.  in reply, i assured this person that most food i prepare is not very labour intensive.  admitedly, i have no idea why i was feeling a bit defensive about taking more time than necessary out of my very busy dissertation writing schedule to make nutritious meals... first, i don't take more time than necessary (or do i?); second, i happen to think that all this nutritious food will fuel my writing, right?

well, i admit, i did feel a bit defensive nonetheless, so i decided to show my readers, that good, tasty food, really does not have to take a lot of time.  hence, this dish.  its hardly a recipe and it involves cabbage which may scare some people off.  but i happen to think cabbage is fantastic and i am sure that you will like it too!  but the main point here, is that this meal takes NO TIME to make.  it took 10 minutes to prepare! now, that is NOT a lot of time to procrastinate, is it? hence, it is the first of my "dissertation meals" series:  good brain fuel that takes no time from your writing! of course, to make this a more filling MEAL, you'd have to serve it on some rice or quinoa, which would add a bit of time to the preparation unless you have made some ahead of time.  but if you just want a to quick, light lunch or dinner, you are 10 minutes away from some really yummy cabbage stir fry!

"dissertation cabbage"

(red cabbage fennel stir fry, with mint lemon "pesto" and tamari)

1 small head of cabbage
1/2 head of fennel
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
splash of tamari sauce
1/2 cup of mint lemon pesto
1T olive oil or sesame oil

mint lemon pesto
1 bunch of mint
juice of 1 lemon
splash of rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almonds
process all these ingredients in a food processor or a blender.  here is your mint lemon pesto.

for the stir fry: cut the cabbage and the fennel into bite size, longish pieces.  slice the onion. mince the garlic.  heat 1T olive oil in a wok or a deep frying pan.  saute the onions and garlic for about 1 minute.  add the cabbage and fennel and stir fry for 5 minutes.  add the tamari, stir for another minute.  add 1/2 cup of the mint lemon pesto, stir, serve, eat.  NOW, get back to whatever you were doing!

use up your leftover bread: say panzanella!

panzanella: a classic italian salad made of stale bread and tomatoes.  mine used half a loaf of crusty spelt bread, 3 large red tomatoes and a handful of yellow cherry and other hairloom tomato varieties, 1T of capers, lots of basil, two generous cloves of garlic (minced), a dash of coarse salt, and a generous portion of olive oil (3T).  

the spelt bread i used was quite dense so even though too stale for other consumption, i had to dry it out a little more for this salad.  to do that, i cut it into large cubes, tossed with some olive oil and baked/dried it out in the oven at 250F for 25mins.  in the meantime, i cut the tomatoes into large chunks, julienned the basil and diced the garlic.  i mixed those with some coarse salt, capers and olive oil.  i then added the dried bread and tossed together.  i let it stand, covered, on the counter for about an hour for the flavours to integrate.  before serving, i threw in a couple of handfuls of fresh arugula.

a delicious, filling salad that tastes like summer! and so easy!

i heart corinader!

coriander, and its green incarnation, cilantro, take the center stage in this recipe for seared spiced tofu steaks with mango coriander salsa.   served over zucchini-yam fritters or a salad, these delicious tofu steaks are a wonderful, colorful meal for a hot summer evening, though the comfort factor of this meal would hit all the right notes on an autumn or winter night just the same. versatile and colorful, this meal will engage all of your senses! 

the key to making delicious tofu "steaks" is the marinade.  the longer they get to "soak", the more flavorful they will be when you sear or grill them. the marinade in this recipe features toasted coriander seeds, mustard seeds and cumin (in a little oil), fresh grated ginger, lime juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar and a a little coconut milk.  see recipe below.

finally, the mango corinader salsa is a quick and tasty addition to these steaks.  use one mango, half a bell pepper and a little finely chopped red onion, combine with toasted coriander seeds (in a little oil to release the flavor), fresh lime juice, a little sea salt and fresh, chopped cilantro.  let the mixture chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to get the flavors nicely integrated. 

the new polish

 

farmers market bounty has brought the Pole in me.  well, at lest the young cabbages, beet greens and locally grown oyster mushrooms have.  cabbage, wild mushrooms and beets are key in Polish cuisine and are served up in a variety of ways: fresh, braised, boiled, pickled, preserved etc.

with the exception of the quintessential pierogi, barszcz (or borsch) and cabbage rolls are probably two Polish dishes most familiar in North America.  the first, is a classic Polish soup that is also eaten in Ukraine and Russia (and throughout the region), and can be prepared in a variety of ways depending on the season. when beets are fresh and young, barszcz can be prepared by using the whole plant - roots and leaves - which makes this soup particularly nutritious.  with an addition of some potatoes, carrots and white kidney beans, and seasoned with dill, lemon, bay leaf and garlic, this type of barszcz is delicious as a light meal, particularly when served with crusty rye bread on the side.  classically, it is also served with sour cream, which i prefer to skip.  however, when i do feel like adding some richness to this soup, i use some finely ground almonds/almond meal which does an amazing job of changing the colour and adding creaminess to this soup.  another option is to make a little "cream" by blending silken tofu with a little lemon and salt.

as for cabbage rolls, well, they too are delicious and can be made with a variety of fillings and using different types of cabbage.  while the most popular cabbage rolls are filled with rice and ground meat, depending on the region they are also made with mushrooms and buckwheat, potatoes and carrots, or rice and veggies.  they can also be filled with quinoa, millet, and other grains, although these would most certainly depart from the tradition.  i made mine with brown rice, oyster mushrooms, carrots onions and a little fennel, and seasoned them with mixed herbs such as oregano, marjoram, tarragon and rosemary.  i served them with a simple tomato sauce with a dash of smoked paprika... just to give it a slightly different spin... because putting the spin on tradition is what i like most!
 

"Ukrainian-style" Polish Barszcz 

4-5 beets, peeled and diced (or just thoroughly washed and diced)

beet greens and stems (optional, if you have them), chopped 

1 leak or white onion, diced

2 potatoes, diced

a handful of long green beans, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 

1 carrot, diced

1/2 can of white or red kidney beans

2-3 cloves of garlic

4 cups of veggie broth (i use the herb Harvest Sun bouillon cubes, which are both vegan and organic), or more (depending on how thick or thin you like your soup).

1 T olive oil

2-3 bay leaves 

juice of 1 lemon

allspice, 4-5 whole

1/2t salt, or more to taste

handful green dill, chopped finely    

in a large pot, heat olive oil. saute the onions/leaks and two minced cloves of garlic with a pinch of salt, until translucent.  add the potatoes, carrots, beans and saute for a minute. add the beets (but not the greens), the broth, the bay leaves, salt allspice and squeeze in the lemon juice.  bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 20minutes.  add the beet greens and the kidney beans.  also add the remaining clove of garlic.  let simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are soft.  add the dill, and some black pepper to taste.  let sit for a 10 minutes before eating. 

you can serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and with some fresh dill on top.  sometimes this soup is blended, but the traditional way of eating this Ukrainian-style Barszcz is with all the chunkiness that it comes with.  another version which often is blended, skips the beans, and, in the summer, can be eaten cold.  its sort of a Polish-style gazpacho, and is called chlodnik.

baking before breakfast

i was looking for a good flour-less cake recipe and stumbled upon this orange-almond cake one (on http://mouthfulsfood.com, courtesy of james beard). bonus: its made with no oil and it is gluten free! wanting to cut down on the eggs, as the original calls for 6, i substituted two of them with my favourite egg-replacer: 1T flax seeds + 3T water ... blended til frothy = 1egg. the results were very tasty but i think it will take a little tweaking to make it perfect. the orange flavour and mealy texture were just fantastic and very light! however, after 40min of baking (20 min under the time noted in the original recipe) the top and sides were already getting VERY brown while the centre was still quite moist (the toothpick came out clean but once i took it out of the oven and cut into it... being too excited to wait longer... i decided that it could have been just a tiny bit drier). so, some modifications might include a little more almond meal or a slightly lower baking temperature. i'll try again and report back. and if anyone has any suggestions, i welcome those too as i'm not particularly experienced with baking.

here is the recipe:
2 large oranges (preferably naval seedless)
6 eggs (i used 4 + 2x the flax egg replacer noted above)
1 1/2 c. ground almonds
pinch salt
1 c sugar (i used 3/4 cups and it was plenty!)
1 tsp. baking powder

wash oranges and boil them in water to cover, without peeling, until soft about 30 min.
drain, cool, cut into quarters.
process oranges into a moderately fine puree in a blender or food processor.
beat the eggs in a bowl till thick, then add ground almonds, salt, sugar, baking powder and orange puree and mix well.
pour into a buttered and floured deep 9" cake pan at 400 degrees for 1 hour or longer, until firm to the touch (definitely NOT longer... i'd say it needs less time - maybe 50min).



delicious on its own, it was also really good with berries which is how i served it to my friends.

rise and shine!

sunday mornings are reminiscent of brunch - be they home-made morning feasts or outings to our favourite spots around toronto. tofu scramble - one of the staples at a veggie brunch - is easy and quick enough to enjoy any morning though. and there are so many things you can do with it! this morning, i made myself some "huevos rancheros" inspired scramble.

this recipe is for one, but you can easily multiply and share the goodness with friends and family.

100g tofu (firm, crumbled)

1/4 red onion

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1/4 avocado

2-3T diced tomatoes or 1 small ripe tomato

salt, cumin, pepper and a dash of tamari (to taste)

cilantro or green onion for garnish.

saute the onions in 1t of olive oil until translucent, add the bell pepper and saute for another 2mins, add the tofu and fry for 1-2 mins, add the tomatoes, seasoning and cook until some of the tomato juice/liquid becomes absorbed (but don't let it dry out too much). add the avocado and tamari and cook for another minute or so. adjust taste with additional seasoning if necessary. serve with a little cilantro or green onion.

other easy versions:

shitake, broccoli - just add more tamari for flavour

curried carrot, yellow and red bell pepper and spinach (grate the carrot)