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.

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. 

from market finds to fresh summer meals

for freshness, i love my community farmers' market! well, for time being, its really the next best thing to having my own patch of land to cultivate. and it keeps the resources within the community!  here are a couple of lovely salads - one earthy, one fresh, both made from local, seasonal produce that i found at the market over the last couple of saturdays. enjoy!

 

greens with fresh rainbow radish, sprouts, grilled baby beets and fennel steaks

 

minted lemony zucchini ribbons

the second time aRound

i had some leftover brown rice in my fridge and a last minute lunch guest the other day. what to do? my friend phyllis always talked about these southern italian rice balls that her mom would make with leftover risotto. my rice was certainly not risotto, but with a little help of parmesan, rosemary, parsley, an egg and some breadcrumbs, i ended up making these delicious rice patties. i served them with some roasted veggies and a simple tomato-cucumber salad. both, my guest and i were satisfied with the results! i bet phyllis would be too...

savory brown rice patties
1.5 cups of brown rice, cooked
2T parmesan
0.5 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2T parsley, chopped
1 T rosemary, chopped
1 egg
1-2T spelt flour (add in batches to get the rice mix to not be too sticky)
salt and pepper to taste
0.25 cups of breadcrumbs (whole wheat or spelt)

mix all the ingredients together, except for the breadcrumbs. form the patties (about 2 inches in diameter and 0.5 inch thick). roll the patties in the breadcrumbs.
heat 2 T of olive or canola oil in a heavy skillet or a pan, fry the patties for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden.

turn on the HEAT!

in the mood for something spicy? well, i was! my friends jenn and chris made this wonderful lime-cilantro tofu with pickled tomato salsa dish for me some time ago and i wanted to recreate it for marc oliver ... poor guy, his taste buds got a little assaulted by the heat in this recipe! but unlike so many overly spicy dishes in which the heat mutes the other flavours, this one still retains all the wonderful aromas of coriander, cumin and lime. so if you like spice, this one is for you. of course it can be easily adapted for your less heat loving friends by reducing the amount of cayenne this recipe calls for.

here is the recipe for the salsa ... courtesy of mattbites.com (with some modifications). as for the tofu, it was marinated in lime, chopped cilantro, crushed coriander seeds and some oil. after a couple of hours of this tasty bath, you can grill or bake it. yum!

pickled tomato salsa

1 clam shell cherry tomatoes (i like the yellow/red mix)
0.5 bunch scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced or 0.5 red onion, diced
2 Serrano chiles, with seeds, chopped
0.5 Cup white vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 t salt
4 t freshly grated ginger
1 T minced garlic
2 t coriander seeds (crushed in a mortar)
2 t cracked black peppercorns
2 t ground cumin
1 t cayenne
0.5 t turmeric
0.25 Cup extra virgin olive oil

1. in a large bowl, toss tomatoes with scallions and chilies.
2. in a medium saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. add brown sugar and salt, and cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. remove from heat and reserve.
3. measure ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cracked peppercorns, cumin, cayenne and turmeric onto a plate and place near stove. in another medium saucepan, heat oil over moderate heat until just smoking. add spices and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until aromas are released, about 2 minutes. remove from heat and stir in vinegar mixture. immediately pour over reserved tomato mixture. stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or several days.
4. before serving, remove tomatoes from juices, roughly chop, and return to pickling liquid.

gourmet camping

i've been so busy camping, road tripping and swimming in the ocean that i have neglected my blog duties... this post has no recipes, but it does have some inspiring photos to prove that you CAN eat well while camping. my friend laura and i made it our mission to bring delicious and nutritious food on our last getaway to keats island, bc. here are a few pics!

summer salad: romaine, avocado, red bell peppers and hand picked blackberries

we drizzled this salad with some homemade balsamic vinaigrette that we brought along and sprinkled nuts and seeds on top (for additional nutrition and tasty crunch).



laura's jamaican coconut quinoa pilaf

my friend laura created a camp-stove friendly version of her favourite jamaican rice pilaf by making it with quinoa (which cooks much faster than rice and has lots of protein in addition to its good carb content). seasoned with ginger, allspice, garlic and studded with yam and smoked tofu pieces, this pilaf was a delicious one-pot meal and only took about 20 min to make. along with our salad and pernod anise/water coctails, it was the perfect end of day meal.



all into the pot...



add the coconut milk... and simmer...



voila!

cold soba on a hot day

here is a a really good and easy cold soba noodle salad recipe - perfect for a hot summer day (you can easily make this a warm salad for a cold winter night too, but let's not talk about cold winter nights just yet). i made this twice last week because it is so good and takes no time at all. the first time i made it, i added sauteed oyster mushrooms instead of the tofu that i listed in this recipe. both versions were delicious.

cold soba noodle-veggie salad
1 carrot
handful of snow peas
1 red bell pepper
1 small cucumber
2 green onions, or quarter of red onion
cilantro
0.5 block of tofu, cubed
soba noodles, handful (i use 100% buckwheat soba, but other kinds will do as well)

for the sauce, blend together:
1T miso
1T tamari
1T almond butter
1t tahini
2Ts rice vinager or lime juice
1inch ginger root, grated
1t maple syrup or honey
1t hot chili sauce

bring water to boil in a pot, cook the soba noodles until done (about 5-7min). drain, rinse under cold water and let drain well.
julienne all the veggies. cube the tofu and saute with a little oil and tamari (about 2-3min). mix the veggies, tofu and noodles with the sauce. garnish with cilantro (and maybe some black sesame seeds).

makes 4 servings.

black bean monday

for the love of legumes and healthy vegan/vegetarian diets, here are a couple of black bean recipes for you to enjoy. soak some black beans overnight, drain and cook in plenty of water. ready in less than an hour, home-cooked beans have less sodium than the canned variety, are less expansive and keep your recycling bin from overflowing.

the veggie nut&bean burger...

0.5 cup of black beans
0.25 cup of walnuts and pumpkin seeds, mixed and chopped
1T parsley, finely chopped
1-2T red onion, finely chopped
1T red bell pepper, finely chopped
1t cumin, ground
1t mixed herbs (i.e marjoram, tarragon, oregano)
salt to taste

in a food processor or a blender, finely chop the nuts and seeds. in a bowl, mush the black beans with a fork (or process in a food processor). add the nuts, parsley, pepper, onion, spices and herbs. mix well. form 2 patties and refrigerate for about 20min. fry in some oil for about 3 minutes on each side. enjoy alone (with a salad) or on a bun, topped with avocado, tomato and some chipotle ketchup (1T spoon of organic ketchup mixed with 1t of chopped chipotle in adobo sauce)

note that these burgers have a crunchy exterior with a middle that's still soft. you could try to mix in an egg if you prefer, but i wanted to make them vegan ... they didn't crumble and held together nicely.

and the topper... (also great for your burger)

0.5 cup black beans + 1 red pepper (chopped) + 2 green onions (chopped) + 0.25 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels + 1 ripe tomato (chopped) + 2 finely diced chipotle peppers (in abodo sauce), a good squirt of lime juice, cumin and salt to taste = black bean-chipotle salsa

things to do with pesto, 2

spread on rye sourdough crackers, top with:

a. crumbled goat's cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes and cracked pepper,
b. smoked tofu (or gouda) slices, roasted red pepper-eggplant antipasto and parsley,
c. carmelized onions and fresh fig slices,
etc...

pearls and licorice

here is a recipe for a lovely warm pearl barley and fennel salad. it takes only 15 min to make so you can enjoy it any day, although the pretty yellow and pale green veggie ribbons make it festive enough for a special brunch. it could be served along slices of smoked tofu or poached eggs and some crusty bread. some toasted almond slivers would make a nice topping. it's delicious cold too.

0.5 cups of dry peal barley
0.5 bulb of fennel
1 small yellow pepper
0.5 leek
4-5 cherry tomatoes, halved

1T juice of an orange
1T olive oil
pinch of cumin
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

cook barley in 1 cup of water for about 10-15 min or until tender;
julienne the fennel, yellow pepper and leeks;
heat oil in a skillet or a pan (i use a cast iron pan), saute the vegetables with a pinch of salt for about 2 min; add the juice, tomatoes, and cumin, saute for another 2 min until tender but still crunch; add the barley and mix with the veggies, sauteing for another minute; add salt and pepper to taste. done.

makes 2 side servings

curry-in-a-hurry

who says you have to simmer a curry for a long time? you can make this easy curry in about 40mins: 10 min prep, 30min cooking time.

creamy eggplant curry

ginger root (chopped or grated), about a 1 inch piece
2 cloves garlic
0.5 yellow cooking onion
3-4 baby eggplants
0.5 yellow bell pepper
0.5 red bell pepper
1 tomato
1T curry powder

cilantro (chopped)
0.3 cup coconut milk
1T oil (safflower, or other cooking oil)
salt and pepper to taste

heat oil in a skillet, add chopped ginger, onion and minced garlic, saute until translucent, about 5 min. sprinkle half of the curry powder, mix until all sauteed onions covered, add coarsely chopped eggplant, bell peppers and tomato, saute for another 5 min, add the remaining curry powder and mix until vegetables evenly coated, add some water to de-glaze the pan and cover the lid for 5-10 min until the vegetables absorb it, add the coconut milk, stir, cover the lid and let cook for another 10-15 min.

add salt and pepper to taste, stir in the chopped cilantro, squeeze some lime/lemon juice into it, serve with a dollop of raita on top.

raita/yogurt salad

0.5 cup plain yogurt
0.5 english cucumber
0.5 t cumin
pinch of salt
1T chopped cilantro

grate the cucumber, mix in with the other ingredients.

nothing beats a beach picnic

great view, soft sand, calm water, good food, good friends, laura's mojitos: a perfect canada day picnic at centennial beach!

to eat, to drink:

• laura's mango salsa and chili-spiked hummus
• crusty bread, kalamata olives, fresh bc-grown sweet peppers, goat's cheese
• seedy crackers and flatbreads
  
• wild rice-french lentil salad (with bulgarian feta, dill and cherry tomatoes)
• laura's green lentil salad with apples and marjoram
  
• young potato-yam salad with leeks and pesto
• very buzzy mojitos
• blackcurrant iced tea, sweetened with a touch of honey

local finds: sea asparagus

i picked up some sea asparagus at the farmers' market the other day. i've read a lot about it recently and was curious to try it. high in vitamin A and a good source of calcium and iron, sea asparagus can be eaten raw, sauteed, steamed, stir-fried, etc. it goes really well with all things asian, which is why i paired it with oyster mushrooms, broccoli, bok choy and soba noodles for a wonderful and light salad. sea asparagus season runs from may to july, so get some before its gone.
photo courtesy of westcoast seaweed

for more information see: http://www.westcoastseaweed.com/seabean/nscp_toc/index.html


here is a recipe:


some soba noodles
1-2 handfuls of sea asparagus
1-2 bok choy
1 small head of broccoli
1-2 cups oyster mushrooms
1 clove garlic

1T sesame oil
1T tamari sauce
1T chili sauce or 1t cayene pepper

boil water and cook the soba; drain and set aside

heat oil, saute garlic then mushrooms ...
add remaining veggies and the tamari sauce, sautee for a couple of minutes until tender but still crisp, add chili sauce

toss with soba noodles and sprinkle some sesame seeds for garnish (i didn't have any but i think it would be a nice touch)

lazy summer meals #1

things to do with pesto: serve along fresh tomatoes, grilled veggie antipasto, fresh bread and olives...

pesto pesto pesto

laura and i bought some beautiful basil on commercial dr. yesterday and turned it into jars of delicious pesto. we used walnuts instead of pine nuts and ground almonds instead of parmesan cheese... just to keep it light, cheap and vegan. the results: 2 generous jars of brilliant pesto at about $4 each. fantastic!

maybe this should be the inspiration for our guerrilla gourmet operation later this summer...