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. 

lentil: a modest legume or the veggie hero?

modest they may be, but lentils are delicious and pack-in some serious nutrition.  lentils not only contain high levels of proteins (100grams packs in 26 grams of protein), including the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, they also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B, and minerals. better yet, lentils are one of the best vegetable sources of iron (100 grams contains 60% of the daily value).  no wonder that then Health magazine has called them one of the top five healthiest foods.

and you know what else is great about lentils?  whether you sprout them and eat them raw, or cook them, most lentils are pretty quick and easy to prepare and are very versatile.  from soups, salads to "filling" in pasta sauces and stews, lentils can be simple and rustic or quite sophisticated.  just use your imagination!

here are a couple of simple recipes for lentil salad. the first is inspired by the french green lentils i had at my disposal. i decided to make a salad that i imagined may be consumed in Provence... having a little Provencal herbs, some fresh fennel, capers and Dijon mustard always makes me think that i can emulate the smells and tastes of the French country! well, i'm not sure whether i was fully successful, but this is one tasty and simple salad to make.  and whether you are vegetarian, vegan or an omnivore, your body will thank you!

the second, also takes me (and hopefully you) on a culinary journey.  i had these wonderful Aleppo pepper flakes that i brought back from my last trip to Portland.  they are strangely and naturally moist and salty (without salt added) and i've been sprinkling them over many dishes lately.  i did a bit of research on them and found that are often used in Turkish and Tunisian cuisine, so i "imagined" a north African style lentil dish.  except this one also uses red quinoa  - not geographically or culinary-culture appropriate to the region, but so delicious! and so full of protein... you may or may not know, but quinoa is a seed (not a grain) that is traditionally used and grown in Peru (or had been once upon a time and is currently experiencing a revival) aside from the delicious nutty flavour is also an incredible source of protein.  lentils and quinoa together, only double the goodness!  i made this salad after my first long bicycle ride this fall and it was meant as a protein rich recovery meal.  and it was!

"dream of Provence", warm french lentil salad with balsamic cream

1 cup french lentils
1/2 bulb of fennel (plus whatever "feathery" fennel greens are on it), diced
1 carrot, diced
1/3 block of smoked tofu (if you can find it, or just regular firm tofu)
3 roasted red peppers
1T capers
2T balsamic cream or balsamic vinegar+1T maple syrup
1T olive oil + some for sauteing
1 bay leaf
1T herbs Provencal, or thyme and rosemary
pinch of ground cumin
sea salt, black pepper

in a small pot, bring the lentils to boil, in 2 cups of water with 1 bay leaf.  turn down the heat, simmer partially covered for 15-20minutes or until tender but still a little crunch.

heat a little olive oil in a pan. saute the diced fennel bulb, tofu and the carrots with a little cumin and sea salt. saute for about 5 minutes.  drain and dice the roasted red peppers.  when lentils cooked, drain and, in a medium sized bowl, combine the lentils with the sauteed veggies, roasted red peppers, finely chopped fennel greens, capers, salt, balsamic cream, oil and herbs. add some ground peppers to taste. serve with crusty bread, or on a bed of greens!

Tunisian quinoa lentil salad  

1 cup red quinoa
1 cup french lentils (or green lentils)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
5 cloves of garlic, whole unpeeled 
6-7 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 chunks
5 marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 bunch of flat leaf, Italian parsley
dill weed or fennel greens
juice of one lemon
olive oil
sea salt
1t cumin, ground
1t Aleppo pepper flakes, or chili pepper flakes

in a pot, bring the quinoa and 1 and 1/2 cup of water to boil.  turn down the heat and simmer, under cover until done (it should take about 10-15mins).
in another pot, bring the cup of lentils and 1 1/2 cup of water to boil (add a bay leaf).  turn down down the heat and simmer.  the lentils and the quinoa will take an approximately the same amount of time.  the lentils may take a little longer.

while the quinoa and lentils are cooking, place the diced peppers, garlic and the asparagus in a roasting dish, and toss with 2T of olive oil and some coarse salt and pepper.  roast in the oven at 500F for 10mins or until done.  when done, squeeze the garlic out of the husk. set aside.  


cut the artichoke hearts into smaller/bite size pieces.  finely chop the dill and parsley. 

in a large bowl, combine the quinoa, lentils, roasted veggies, artichokes, parsley and dill weed.  squeeze the lemon, add 2T (or more if you like) of olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and the Aleppo or chili flakes. serve with lemon wedges for more lemony goodness!

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.

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!

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!

world's fastest risotto

let's face it, fast risotto is a bit of an oxymoron. real risotto takes time and a lot of stirring! and if you have ever tried to make it with brown rice - and yes, this is possible - it takes even longer.  but if you don't have 2 hours to spare and have some left over brown rice in your fridge, you can try this short-cut version.   sure, it doesn't have the same creaminess as the masterfully executed "real thing", but it is tasty all the same.  and it can save you some precious time and help you dress up your leftovers.

quick risotto with tomatoes, spinach and olives