fresh mint and strawberry 'sangria'

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Oh yeah! Keep cool this summer with a tasty herbal brew.

Nothing fancy to this, really. It's just a nice way to keep hydrated in style when the mercury starts to rise. Simply take a whack of fresh mint, place it in a large juice container and top it up with about one and a half litres of boiling water. Stir in honey or sugar to achieve desired sweetness. Cool and refrigerate. When serving, fill a glass with ice. Top up with chilled mint tea. Add diced fruit, such as strawberries and, finally, garnish with a sprig of mint. Cheers.

chicken stroganoff with beer

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Tonight's feast for 4..... served with Lemon-Basil Basmati Rice and steamed asparagus. Oh yeah!

Chicken Stroganoff

Olive oil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 slices of bacon, diced
½ onion, peeled and diced
1 large green pepper, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
½ orange pepper, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
4 c mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced

1 ½ lbs skinned and de-boned chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces
1 ½ T flour
1 ½ c chicken stock
1 c beer
1 T Dijon mustard
1 t Worcester sauce
½ t hot sauce
2 bay leaves

½ cup sour cream- add very last!
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley for garnish- if desired

Bring a large pot to medium heat. Add 2T olive oil. Saute onions and bacon for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peppers and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove all ingredients from pot and placeto side in a medium bowl. Add 1 T olive oil to same pot plus the mushrooms. Cooked mushrooms until lightly brown, until all extra liquid is gone. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from pot and add to onion mixture.
Working on a dinner plate, lightly salt the chicken pieces and then sprinkle them with the flour. Add 2 T olive oil to the same pot and brown chicken in batches, setting the pieces aside as they are cooked. When all chicken has been cooked and removed from the pot, add the chicken stock, beer and remaining ingredients except for the sour cream to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes with a loosely fitting lid. Return all vegetables to the pot and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Right before serving, add the sour cream and heat through, but do not allow to boil. Serve with rice or pasta. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

veggie lemon quinoa with basil chicken

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If you haven’t explored quinoa yet, I highly recommend it. Nutty in flavour and full of protein, quinoa is a delicious departure from rice or potatoes. Plus it’s just as easy to make. The chicken component of this meal was inspired by bbq leftovers from last night. I don’t know where the heck those busty birds came from, but they sure did have a lot of meat on them. Two breasts yielded 3 cups of meat.

Veggie Lemon Quinoa
Make sure to rinse the quinoa (to remove bitterness) before starting the rest of this dish.

2 T olive oil, divided
½ onion, diced
½ orange pepper, diced
3 c kale, washed and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ t salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ c quinoa, rinsed and drained in a sieve
3 c water
½ c frozen green peas
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1/3c fresh chopped parsley
3T toasted pumpkin seeds

Bring a large pot to medium heat and add 1 T of olive oil. Saute onion for 3 minutes. Add orange pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in kale and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir in for 1 minute. Add the drained quinoa and stir occasionally, until grain is dry and smells a bit ‘toasty’. Add the water + salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 17 minutes. Add peas, lemon, parsley to pot and return lid. Cook for 3 more minutes. Toss in pumpkin seeds. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Basil Chicken Breast

2 c cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 tomato, diced
2 T fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste.
4 T crumbled goat feta- optional

In a medium size bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with the quinoa. Serves 4 as a side dish. If desired, crumble 1 T of goat feta on each serving. Yum!

lobster bisque

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This is actually part 2 of an earlier post….what started out as ‘lobster sandwiches!’ resulted in some left over shells. It would be a crime to through them away. Roasting said shells and making them into a flavourful stock is time well spent- trust me. Last night I opted to transform the stock into a bisque. Smokes! That’s good soup…..tres elegante and almost free to make.

Lobster Bisque

1 T olive oil
1/2onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 T butter
2 T flour
1 litre of lobster stock (approx)
½ t salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 dashes of paprika
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of cayenne

Garnish: Crème fraiche + chives or parsley.

Bring a large pot to medium heat and add olive oil. Next add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrot, continuing to stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Melt in the butter and then sprinkle with flour. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Continue to simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour soup into a blender in batches, filling blender about 2/3 full each time. VERY IMPORTANT: Before blending, remove cap from inside of blender lid, leaving a hole exposed in the middle. Cover this hole with a tea towel (preferably one that is not your favourite, as it will get some soup splashed on it). The reason for this is to allow the hot steam to escape safely, so that you do not make a big mess and get a nasty burn. Strain blenderized soup through a sieve and return to pot. Serve immediately (and garnish), or allow to cool, refrigerate and serve later.

lobster sandwiches!

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My super awesome friend, Peter P, came by yesterday to help me with a plethora of computer issues. Quite frankly, I don't know where I'd be without him. I certainly wouldn't have this blog. He has been a quintessential part of global peasant's lay out and functions since even before its first post back in the summer of 2006. Heck, he even taught me how to write HTML code!!!

Not only did he spend half of his Sunday helping me out, he brought a fresh lobster with him....all the way from P.E.I. Suddenly dinner was a no-brainer. This isn't even a recipe, really- more like an assembly. Consuming it is messy (no cutlery and lots of napkins) and delicious.....even more so with the addition of a frosty, tall glass of beer. I love you, Peter!

Lobster and Tomato Sandwiches

1 lb lobster, cooked and meat removed from the shell*
2 T melted butter
juice and zest of 1/4 lemon
good pinch of salt

*Save the shells and roast them on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes @ 350*. Put shells in 5 cups of cold water with 1 t salt, 8 peppercorns and 4 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 25 minutes. Strain through a sieve (into a bowl) and allow to cool. Use lobster stock to make lobster bisque (stay tuned for recipe).

2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/8 t Tabasco sauce
1 T parsley, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
2 t balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

6-8 slices bread, lightly toasted (I used spelt, but any light bread would do)

Shred the lobster meat into a small bowl and combine with butter, lemon and salt. Combine tomato mixture in a second bowl. Assemble the sandwiches by first spooning some of the tomato onto a toast, then topping it with a spoon of the lobster. Garnish with whatever visually floats your boat (I used micro arugula from my garden).

pasta with cauliflower alla sabbia

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My friend, Brad, was by yesterday afternoon to wash his car in our driveway (he lives in an apartment) and to watch some of the Rome Masters Tennis Series (he has no t.v. of his own and claims that if he did, he would be hopelessly glued to it day and night). And I believe him. Brad is the same friend that I cooked dinner for a few weeks back, the one with the pink cel phone that he never answers. That was the night that I made him Pink Risotto, in honour of his uniquely coloured communications device.

As the dinner hour passed and Brad was still clearly going nowhere anytime soon, I offered to cook us a meal. You may or may not be surprised to learn that he is wheat intolerant. Whatever would I cook for Brad?..... A few months back, I waxed on about how delicious Peter Zambri's Cauliflower Alla Sabbia recipe was. It really is a stellar dish. And dead easy to prepare. All the fixin’s were in the fridge. Why not try tossing it together with some kamut noodles and make it into a ‘Brad friendly’ pasta dish? It was a lip smacking success. The only thing I would do fifferently next time would be to slice the cauliflower into 3/8" slices after blaching it. He left later with a happy belly, a clean car and the pleasure of knowing that Nadal had kicked Djokovic’s ass.

Pasta with Cauliflower Alla Sabbia
(Cauliflower tossed with anchovies and chilies, leaving out the breadcrumbs)

1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
4 small garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 heaping tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. chili flakes (optional)
4 whole anchovy filets
salt and pepper
1/8 cup chopped parsley, leaves only.
1/4 c finely grated parmesan

pasta for 4

Blanch cauliflower in boiling salted water for two minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a cloth or paper towel lined baking sheet to cool. Slice the flowerettes into 3/8" thick slices. Add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook according to package directions. In the meantime, in a separate large pot, heat the oil and butter. Add garlic, chilies and anchovies and fry over medium heat until the anchovies melt and the butter & garlic turns a nut brown. Add the cauliflower to the pan and toss, making sure to heat through. Lightly season with salt and pepper at this stage. Add parsley and parmesan and toss again, coating thoroughly. Add about 1/3 c of the pasta water to the vegetable pot (to create a light sauce). Drain the pasta and toss it in with the cauliflower mixture. Serve immediately.

snappy ginger snaps

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I really don't have many hankerings for sweets, which is probably why I'm not much of a baker. But for some reason, today I felt like making some cookies. This recipe comes from my mom. June usually reserves this particular cookie for Christmas time.....I guess because of its many holiday memory triggering spices. But I think it works well any time of the year. I have switched out her usually 'fancy molasses' for this darker, more intensely flavoured 'blackstrap molasses'. These crunchy treats are a perfect companion to a hot cup of tea and taste divine crumbled over vanilla ice cream..... not to mention that they make your house smell like heaven on earth when they are baking.

Snappy Ginger Snaps

½ c blackstrap molasses
½ c butter
½ c brown sugar

2 c flour
½ t baking powder
1 ½ t ginger
½ t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
¼ t cloves
¼ t salt

Put large pot over lot / medium heat. Add the molasses and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and sugar. Combine all the dry ingredients and sift into the molasses mixture. Mix well. Turn dough out onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and form into a long thin roll. Place wrapped dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes to chill. Then preheat the oven to 350*. Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and place on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice dough into 3/8” thick cookies. Place cookies on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.

french bistro and cinema night

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Moi et Pierre (A.K.A. Peter P.) getting ready to serve our dinner guests.

Last Sunday brought with it an opportunity for my good pal, Peter and I to create and serve a French themed meal for 8. 'French Bistro & Cinema Night' was a belated birthday gift from both of us to our (French Canadian) bon ami, Michel Laflamme. The featured Beef Bourguignon recipe is a concocted combo of components I had borrowed from 4 different recipes. Note that making this dish a day ahead increases the flavour and allows you to greet your guests without reeking of just-fried bacon and onions. The menu went as follows and I dare say that our meal was outstanding (though half of our guests were dozing off into a food coma shortly after the movies started rolling, myself included):

To Start:
Mimosa Salad. Click here for recipe.

Main:
Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes. Click here for recipe.

Dessert:
Half Baked Chocolate Cake with Fresh Orange Cream

To Drink:
Lots of Red Wine and not nearly enough water

Cinema:
That Man From Rio /w. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Pierrot le Fou /w. Jean-Paul Belmondo

recipe for beef bourguignon

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Moo la la! (Photo by Sander de Graaf)

Beef Bourguignon
(Serves 8)

4 slices of bacon- finely sliced
2 1/2 lbs beef shin, cut into cubes + flour to drudge
2 medium onions, peeled + large dice
2 carrots, peeled + rough chop
2 stalks of celery, peeled + rough chop
1 lb nice mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves garlic
1 bouquet garni (Sprig of thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, 2 sprigs of parsley)
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bottle of Burgundy red wine

1- Fry bacon. Remove with a slotted spoon and put aside.
Remove some of the bacon fat. Season meat with salt and
pepper. Drudge in flour. In same pot, add some olive oil
to the bacon fat. Brown the meat in batches. Remove and
set aside.

2- Preheat oven to 325*F. In the same pot, add 1 T olive oil or bacon fat and then the mushrooms, cooking until lightly browned. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Again in the same pot, add 1 T olive oil or bacon fat and fry the onions, cooking until just starting to caramelize. Add the carrots and celery- cooking until lightly browned. Add the garlic + tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. Return the mushrooms and the beef to the pot and then add the red wine plus the bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Lightly cover with a cartouche (shaped, round piece of tin foil). Cook for about 2-3 hours, checking and giving a gentle stir every 1 hour. Remove the bouquet garni. Taste and adjust seasoning, if neccessary. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

baba ganouj (eggplant dip) + flax seed crackers

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Eggplants await their next life as Baba Ganouj.

The evite for Tara's 40th b-day last Saturday came with a request to please bring some snack food. With iffy weather and a guest list of diverse palates, I settled on an old favourite..... I've been making this Baba Ganouj (Mooseswood Cookbook) recipe for over 15 years and it continues to serve as a consistently yummy success (though I must admit that David O.'s gourmet Mac + Cheese left everyone else's offerings in the dust). The old standby would be to serve this dip with plain white bread, but I thought it might be fun to try something different. Having never made crackers before, I patched together this second recipe from a variety of others I had read. It actually worked out quite well. I think that next time I will try substituting 1 t of the milk for 1 t of Tamari, to provide a little extra zing. Keep in mind that you could experiment with different kinds of flour, such as spelt, rice or kamut.

Flax Seed Crackers, ready for dippin'.

Baba Ganouj (Eggplant Dip) + Flax Seed Crackers
(from 'Moosewood Cookbook' -by Mollie Katzen)

1 T olive oil
2 eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ c fresh lemon juice
¼ c raw tahini paste
½ t salt
¼ t Spanish paprika (optional)

Garnish:

1 T olive oil
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place eggplant halves face-down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until eggplant slightly yields when poked with the tip of your finger. Cool. Scoop eggplant pulp into a food processor and discard the skin. Add remaining ingredients except for the lemon juice and whirl together, processing until smooth. While machine is running, slowly add lemon juice, a bit at a time. Use only as much juice as needed to make a creamy dip (not too runny). Transfer to serving dish and garnish with parsley and olive oil. Serve with bread or crackers.

Flax Seed Crackers

½ c raw flax seeds
2 T sesame seeds (optional)
1 ½ c all purpose flour
½ t baking powder
3/4 t salt
4 t butter
1 T onion powder
½ c milk

Preheat oven to 325*. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the milk. Transfer ingredients to a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk. Mix and knead dough together until the dough forms a ball. Chill for a few hours.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. On lightly floured counter top, roll out the first section of dough (to 1/16" thick) using a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut into 6 squares. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer crackers onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for 5 minutes more. Put crackers directly onto baking racks to cool. Makes 24 crackers. Store at room temperature in a dry, airtight container.

soba noodle salad

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Here is another meal I have created for my current ‘grub on the go’ lifestyle. I made a whack of it for lunch today and still have lots more. You could substitute the tofu with prawns, shredded chicken, pork or beef plus maybe a little fresh diced mango.....

Soba Noodle Salad

1 8oz package soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
½ yellow pepper, thinly sliced
½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced
½ c red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 T fresh basil, thinly sliced
2 T fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 175 gram package of ‘Pete’s Soyganic Tofu & Sauce’ (any flavour)
2 T toasted sesame seeds
1 T toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Dressing:

4 T vegetable oil
1 t toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 t rice wine vinegar
1 T Tamari sauce
½ t fish sauce
½ t chili garlic sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T grated ginger
1 t sugar
juice and zest of ½ lime
s & p

Pour cooked noodles into a colander. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer noodles into a large bowl. Next add the vegetables, fresh herbs, tofu and 2 T sesame seeds. In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients with a fork. Drizzle dressing over noodles and salad ingredients. Toss gently to combine. Serve into 4 bowls and garnish each serving with 1/4 of the last 1 T of sesame seeds. Salad stores well in the fridge and would also be a great picnic item.

cous cous extravaganza

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All of my recent gardening efforts have left me with a larger appetite and less time for food preparation. I’ve taken to making large batches of food to provide me with quick, tasty and healthy meals so that I can fuel up fast, save the rest in the fridge for later and get back to playing in the dirt.

This salad I whipped up on the weekend perfectly fit the bill. With only 5 minutes of cooking time, cous cous is a quick and easy carb. The grain itself is made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat into granules and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. Cous cous serves as a primary staple to many parts of the world and provides a great back drop to a wide range of ingredients and flavours. Take note that, while I put pretty much everything but the kitchen sink in this version, it's a very flexible recipe. You can add or omit any ingredients you wish and serve it freshly made, while it is still warm or later, when it has chilled in the fridge. This dish also travels well and can serve as an excellent ‘starch’ portion to many entrees. Note that I did intend to include a photo of the completed dish….. but I forgot and ate it all.

Cous Cous Salad with Butternut Squash & Kale

2 T olive oil
¼ yellow onion, small dice
1 c dried cous cous
1 c boiling water

1/3 c currants, soaked for 20 minutes in boiled water and then drained
1 + 1/2 c kale, thinly sliced
¾ c roasted butternut squash, large dice
½ orange pepper, cored and sliced
½ c fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 preserved lemons, pulp removed and thinly sliced
1/3 c chopped parsley
1/3 c toasted pumpkin seeds
2 T nutritional yeast
½ c frozen green peas

Juice and zest of ½ lemon
½ c olive oil
s & p

In a large pot over low-medium heat, sauté yellow onion in 2 T olive oil until onions are yellow and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add cous cous and stir well. Turn off heat. Pour in boiling water. Cover and let stand for 4 minutes. Add frozen peas and let stand for 1 more minute. Fluff cous cous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Serve immediately, or store covered in fridge.

pretty in pink

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My friend, Brad has a pink cell phone. He is an adult and, yes, he is heterosexual. He claims the phone was a gift from his older brother (also an adult heterosexual). He also claims that it is predominantly silver with pink as the accent, but he is fooling only himself..... it's really frickin' pink. Brad is one of those people who just shouldn't bother owning a cell at all. If it isn't locked up in his glove compartment for days on end and he actually happens to be carrying it on his person..... more than likely it will be switched off. Leaving a message would be futile, as he checks his voice mail so rarely that a message left today would probably not be retrieved until well after Easter, if ever.

I had invited him over for dinner last night, wanting to cook him a belated birthday meal. But what to make? Something pink, perhaps? After all, teasing those I care about is pretty much my reason for living, next to feeding them. Then I thought of it.....Brad's birthday menu would be Pink Risotto.

Pink Risotto (with Green Peas, Mushrooms & Kale)

The ‘pink’ part of this dish comes from using beet water as the cooking liquid (as opposed to regular water or stock). Beet water is simply what is left in the pot after boiling beets. I make a habit of saving this deeply coloured liquid and it always ends up coming in handy for something. Note that it also makes a nice (and colourful) vegetable stock. As for the quantity of liquid in this dish, it really is a ‘wait and see’ measure, as is the cooking time.

2 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, small dice
10 mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 cups thinly sliced kale
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ cups arborio rice
1 tsp salt

4 cups beet water (approximate)

1 ½ cups frozen green peas
zest of 1 lemon
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (+ extra for garnish)
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley (+ extra for garnish)

Place a large heavy pot over medium heat and wait 2 minutes. Add olive oil, and then the onions. Sweat the onions until they start to become translucent, for about 5 minutes. Next add the mushrooms, stirring occasionally until they are mostly cooked. Add the kale and then the garlic, continuing to cook for about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir constantly, allowing the rice to lightly toast, but not stick to the pot and burn. Add the salt and about 2 cups of the beet water. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low / medium. Stir the rice occasionally, topping up the liquid as needed. Continue doing so until the rice is almost cooked (al dente). Add the peas, zest and lemon juice. Cook a few more minutes, still topping up the liquid as needed (if you run out of beet water, just use regular water). Lastly, add the butter, parmesan cheese and parsley. Combine. Taste, adding more salt if needed. Serve into bowls and garnish with more parmesan and parsley. Serves 4.

tightwad tuesday- a pancake brunch

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It's time for the second installment of 'tightwad tuesday'- a monthly posting created to feature meals that are tasty, healthy and budget conscious..... and also to provide a price per serving breakdown. And wouldn't you know it? I happened upon Rachel Ray last week while she sat as a guest on Larry King. She was all pumped up about a new feature being offering through her folksy food empire called Meals for a Steal. It's almost exactly the same format as the one I began back in February, only Ray's is promoted through her t.v. show, magazine, website and nation wide public appearances. Yeesh. Guess my idea wasn't as original as I thought. But I shall continue these installments, as I feel that there are many more interesting low cost recipe options besides Turkey Turnovers and Cheesy Hash Brown Chili. Did that sound too bitchy?

Today's meal is a weekend brunch, inspired by a Sunday morning date I'd set with my good pal, Gigi. We were way overdue for a catch up. Eating in a restaurant was likely to involve a lot of waiting and a busy, noisy environment. We were craving a 'free range' visit....one where we could impulsively hop on a laptop, look at books and muck about with craft supplies. So I suggested bringing brunch with me to her house.

It didn't take me long to pack up my little ingredients bucket, having already settled on a winter version of my dad's amazing cornmeal pancakes, which I like to embellish with yogurt, nuts, bananas, apples and homemade blackberry sauce plus chilled grapefruit slices served on the side (intended to provide a puckery contrast). The recipe below will serve 4 people. I used only half of the quantities to feed the 2 of us. The food cost for both servings came in at $4.10 (including 1 grapefruit), or $ 2.05 per person. (the blackberries were free, as they were still in my freezer from a self directed railway track-u-pick last summer).

Jack’s Cornmeal & Banana Pancakes with Berry Sauce

Berry Sauce:

2 cups berries, any kind
1/3 cup brown sugar

Put berries and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, continuing to cook until some of the liquid has reduced (about 10 minutes).

Pancakes:

1 cup flour
½ cup cornmeal
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 banana, thinly sliced

3 tbsp melted butter
1 ¼ cup milk
1 egg

Toppings:

1 apple, cored and sliced
1/3 cup toasted coconut
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup yogurt- any flavour

In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients, plus the sliced banana. Then add milk, then the egg, then the melted butter. Combine all. Heat up fry pan at low-medium. Add 1 tbsp oil. Put pancake batter into hot pan, in whatever shapes and sizes you like. Cook about 4 minutes. Flip. Cook until bottom is slightly golden brown. (about 2 minutes) Repeat until all batter is cooked. Place pancakes on dinner plates. Top each pancake with a good drizzle of blackberry sauce and then a generous dollop of yogurt. Next add the sliced apple and then a sprinkle of the cocnut and pumpkin seeds. Serves 4.

one pot wonder- super easy home baked bread

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Mix up the dough (no kneading required). Cover with saran wrap for 24 hours .

One hour in the oven in a heavy, lidded pot and voila!

Lordy!.....Tastes and smells even better than it looks.

I’ve never understood why certain people guard their favourite recipes. Unless you are Heinz selling ketchup or Cadbury selling Caramilk Bars, who cares about keeping deliciousness in the vault? One would assume that those who love to cook food also love to feed people and are therefore generous by nature. One of my favourite aspects of food is its ability to be such an incredible connector. It has the power to bridge so many divides, be they cultural, economic, social, political or otherwise.

Philosophizing aside, most things simply taste better when they are shared. One of my favourite local bookstores is Duthie Books. I adore this store, not only for its impressive selection of reading material (including cookbooks!), but also for its eclectic, engaging and super fun staff. On more than one occasion I have dropped by with little treats, as a gesture of appreciation to some of the many people I feel are an enjoyable part of my community. During a recent visit, the store's owner enthusiastically gifted me with this bread recipe. As Cathy Duthie relayed specific details of the ingredients and method, it became evident that she considers this baked item a favourite, one that she makes almost daily. She had been given the recipe by her sister who had, in turn, received it from CBC’s ‘Sounds Like Canada’ host, Shelagh Rogers. With most recipe sharing, each recipient contributes their own special addition and/or modification. I opted to lightly oil the pot, as I found that my first attempt stuck to the bottom when I removed it from the oven and I also drastically reduced the salt quantity from 1 tbsp to 1 tsp. As for 'flavour makers’, I added 1 whole caramelized onion (finely sliced) plus 1 heaping tbsp of roughly chopped rosemary. The end result was warm and savoury, moist and chewy..... truly an excellent loaf of bread. Like any home baked loaf, it is at its best when served fresh from the oven, though it also toasts well.

Shelagh Rogers’ Bread

2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 cup all purpose white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry yeast

*optional: additional flavour makers, such as caramelized onions, grated cheese, grains, granola, canned lentils, bran, currants, blueberries, herbs etc.

between 1 + 1/4 to 1 + 1/2 cups cold water

In a glass bowl combine all dry ingredients. Mix in any desired ‘flavour makers’. Mix in water. Cover mixture with saran wrap and allow to sit on counter for 24 hours. Next put a large cast iron or Le Creuset pot into a preheated 450* oven for 10 minutes. With a paper towel, lightly oil the bottom and sides of the pot, being very careful not to burn yourself! Gently scrape dough out of the bowl and into the hot pot. Cover with snug fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes at 450* and then turn temperature down to 400* and continue to bake for another 45 minutes. Remove bread from pot and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly (about 15 minutes minimum).

tightwad tuesday- curry in a hurry

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Starting today, I’m going to be writing a post the 3rd Tuesday of every month which will focus on a tasty, healthy and inexpensive meal and also a breakdown of the cost per person. I feel that it is a good habit to be aware of how much we are spending to feed ourselves and our loved ones, even if it is not currently a concern. I also believe that frugal meal preparation is an enormous opportunity for creativity and new discoveries. Such excercises can teach us to appreciate and enjoy our food more, while at the same time learning to be less wasteful.

I made this curry to welcome home our house guests, who had just arrived after a long flight from a much warmer climate than our own. I figured that a steaming hot bowl of heart warming sustenance might take the edge off their long journey. This is a tofu and veggie version, though it would be just as good with chicken or fish. The entire cost for ingredients, including all spices and dried goods came to $10.63, though it is important to note that most of the purchases were not organic, except for the tofu and garlic. The meal ended up serving 6 of us, though the quantities are best for 4 generous entrees at $2.66 per person. Dealio!

Coconut Curry With Tofu & Vegetables (Served On Basmati Rice)

1 tbsp canola oil
½ onion, peeled and diced
½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Japanese eggplant, large dice
1 orange bell pepper, cored and diced
2 medium yams, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp of your favourite curry paste
1 tsp dried curry spice

1 can coconut milk
300 ml cold water
3-4 pitted dates, roughly chopped
8 dried kaffir lime leaves
½ tsp salt

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
175 grams tofu (Pete’s Soyganic)
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
extra 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (for garnish)
3/4 c finely chopped cabbage (for garnish)

1 cup uncooked basmati rice (cooked according to package directions)

Bring large pot to medium heat. Add canola oil. Add onions, stirring until they are starting to become yellow and translucent. Next add the cauliflower. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the eggplant and peppers. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, clear a space at the bottom of the pot. In this space add the curry paste, curry powder, garlic and ginger. Cook about 2 minutes, until aromatic. Next add the yams and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes. Now it is time to add the coconut milk, 300 ml of water, dates, lime leaves and salt. Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Combine the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water in a small cup. Add to curry and stir constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add basil and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt). Simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Serve rice into soup bowls. Ladle curry on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro tossed with sliced cabbage.

baby, it's cold outside

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An old man once told me ”There’s no such thing as cold weather- just bad dressers.” But I beg to differ. No matter what I do these days to stay warm, even when indoors, I’m continually chilled to the bone (and I like to think that I am dressed for the climate). So I’ve been trying to come up with some crafty solutions. The infrared sauna I went to last week was great, but I can’t do that everyday. I bought myself a heating pad (which I now call my new boyfriend with a 6 foot cord), but it’s not exactly portable. If I plug in any more space-heaters, there's sure to be trouble. Then yesterday I saw my bathtub in an entirely new light. I often work from home…..why not combine my afternoon break / snack time with a hot, core warming bath? It didn’t take long to create a menu that would be complimentary to my decadent plan…..Ants On A Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) + Cucumber Water. I’d had the flavoured water at a fancy spa once, and had been meaning to make it at home for quite some time. Today’s ‘home spa’ experience was both effective and extremely enjoyable. I think I’ll make another appointment for tomorrow.

Home Spaaaaah:

-tub full of steamy water, fancified with your favourite bath salts or bubble bath
-music to suite your mood
-candles, of course
-celery, peanut butter and raisins- serve on a fancy plate
-cucumber slices, ice and water- serve in a fancy glass
-a bathtub tray (could even be a plank of wood)
-your fluffiest bath towel + slippers + bathrobe

porridge- hawaiian style

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Homemade porridge, Hawaiian-style.

Without getting into too much of a ranty pants, the restaurant experience on Hawaii’s big island blows harder than the local trade winds. Meals are not only consistently poor, they are really pricey. I am known to be a woman who enjoys her food (especially when on vacation). I can't remember the last time that I returned home from a holiday critical of my culinary experiences in a foreign land.

Anyhoo….. on the upside, I was very fortunate to be staying with my family in a seaside condo that included a full working kitchen. We gave up on restaurant dining at the end of day 3, instead opting to do for ourselves. Though almost all grocery items are imported from the mainland (including produce plus a good deal of the fish and seafood), we were still able to prepare tasty meals..... even supplementing our larder with fresh ingredients from local farmers markets. But buyer beware- there are vendors at some of these markets selling products shipped in from off-island. You have to ask where their products came from if buying local is important to you.

The Holualoa Farmers Market on Saturdays (9:00 am - noon) seemed the most authentic that we saw. It was here that I picked up a jar of the most amazing raw honey I have ever had. Made from Christmas berries, its sweet, thick, creamy amber goodness was heavenly served on pretty much anything. The woman who sold it to me keeps the bees herself, reusing the same queen from batch to batch- unlike the usual practice, which is to start with a fresh queen each time. The finished product proved especially sensational drizzled over Hawaiin-style porridge. The local pink grape fruit I purchased from the citrus vendor could not have been any fresher, juicier or prettier.

A vibrant citrus selection at the Holualoa Farmers Market.

Porridge- Hawaiian-Style

Make your favourite porridge as you normally would, also adding ½ tsp of cinnamon and ½ cup of raisins. When porridge is ready, spoon into bowls. Top with:

-a drizzle of good honey
-fresh pineapple pieces
-fresh banana slices
-toasted coconut
-toasted macadamia nuts

Add milk or yogurt, as you like. Serve and enjoy, preferably al fresco..... while looking at the ocean and wearing no shoes.

pimp my egg salad

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Twangy Egg Salad served on spelt toast.

Egg salad gets a bad rap. Perhaps it suffers an unfortunate hangover from elementary school days….. a time when an egg salad sandwich packed in one’s lunch box led to a wafting sulphur like odour and the inevitable fart jokes that followed. For most 5-12 year olds (and many adults), dining in forced isolation from one’s peers simply isn't worth it. Others are not so self conscious.....

Clutching her black Chanel purse, the heiress and her friend made a beeline for the buffet table, not pausing to greet fellow guests before sampling everything from mini egg salad sandwiches to caprese salad on toast and carrots. - Paris Hilton's last meal, hours before reporting to jail to serve her 2007 sentence.

As a grown up, I do love a good egg salad…..especially these days, when our post holiday girths (and palates) have been bombarded with fancy and decadent treats for what feels like months. Give me some simple, yummy, comforting grub to satiate me: belly, heart and soul.

This ‘Twangy Egg Salad’ recipe was inspired by my Grandma L’s (though I highly doubt the word ‘pimp’ ever crossed her lips). She always added aged cheddar to her version, which really took it up a notch (especially since she usually served it on my Grandpa L’s home made bread and always cut my sandwich into adorable little quarters). The 'Twangy' in this version comes from the vinegar content of both the mustard and the pickles.

Twangy Egg Salad

4 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped (free range, organic, if possible)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp grain mustard
tiny titch of chili sauce
1 large pickle, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup grated, aged white cheddar cheese
salt & pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Serve as a sandwich or pita filling, or on top of a green salad.

best cauliflower ever

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It is extremely rare that I prepare a recipe to the letter. Usually it serves more as an inspiration, a starting point. But two days ago I made an exception. This recipe is simply perfect as is. The only modifications I made were to (1)- double the cauliflower quantity and (2)- omit the jalapeno, and only because I didn’t have any on hand. Two heads of cauliflower had been sitting in my fridge, patiently waiting to live up to their potential….and, oh Lordy, did they ever. So much so that I made this dish again the very next day.

I had stumbled upon this recipe while googling Zambri's Restaurant, having just read about it in the November/December issue of Eat Magazine. Located in Victoria, Zambri's website describes their cuisine as “….authentic, full flavoured Italian food…..No tricks, fresh local ingredients and undeniable flavours.” Chef and co-owner Peter Zambri was the subject of a National Post article this past April, where he described the following Cauliflower Alla Sabbia as one of his signature dishes. Delizioso!

Cauliflower Alla Sabbia
(Cauliflower tossed with anchovies, chilies and breadcrumbs)

1/2 large cauliflower, cut into florets
4 small garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 heaping tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp. crushed dried red chilies (optional)
4 whole anchovy filets
4 slices of jalapeno with seeds (optional)
1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
1/8 cup chopped parsley, leaves only.
1/4 c finely grated parmesan

Blanch cauliflower in boiling salted water for two minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a cloth or paper towel lined baking sheet to cool. (Alternatively, transfer to a bowl of ice water but Zambri advises that you don’t want them to be too water logged, or the breadcrumb-anchovy mixture won’t stick to the vegetable). Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add garlic, chilies, anchovies, jalapeno and fry on medium heat until the anchovies melt and butter & garlic turns a nut brown. Add the cauliflower and breadcrumbs to the pan tossing together to coat, making sure to heat through. Lightly season with salt and pepper at this stage. Add parsley and parmesan and toss again, coating thoroughly. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Should any ingredients stick to the bottom of the pan, simply scrape with a wooden spoon and crumble over the cauliflower. Serves 4.