Coconut Lime Halibut

I'd had the idea for this fish topping for a couple of days.  One of Scott's favourite meals is halibut on pea and basil risotto, so I was thinking of doing that, but the Italian risotto and the tropical fish didn't really seem to work together until I was struck with inspiration on the way to the Farmers Market on Saturday.  The inspiration was not the fresh produce at the market like you might expect, instead it was a gaudy advertisement for Tequila Lime Chicken at a fast food Tex Mex place.  As I drove by, I had the idea to use tequila instead of white wine for the risotto, and the result is this brightly flavoured party in your mouth.  Any part of this dish can be made on its own or paired with other dishes if you wish.  It looks like a lot of ingredients, but many of them are repeated.  I've just split them up to make it a bit easier.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

2 pieces of fresh halibut or other firm white fish such as cod
1 Tbsp coconut oil
juice of half a lime
salt, pepper

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup spinach
2 Tbsp basil
zest of one lime
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

1Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup arborio rice, uncooked
2 Tbsp tequila
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, WARM
1/2 cup peas
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a small food processor, blend together the coconut, spinach, basil, lime zest, salt, and sugar.  Set aside until later.

3. In an oven proof dish, rub a bit of the coconut oil on the bottom of the dish and place the fish on top.  Cover with the remaining coconut oil, the lime juice, salt, and pepper.  Just use a pinch of salt since the topping contains salt.

4. In a medium sauce pan, melt the coconut oil and the butter.  Sauté the onions and garlic until they are soft and translucent.  Add the dry rice to the pan and stir until coated.  Continue stirring for another minute.

5. Add the tequila and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it has evaporated.  Turn the burner down to medium-low.  Add approximately 1/2 a cup of the warm stock to the pot and continue to stir.  This will develop the starch in the rice and result in a creamy risotto.  When the stock has almost completely evaporated, add another 1/2 cup.  Continue doing this until the stock is all absorbed and the rice is cooked through.  It will take 25 - 30 minutes.  Continue to stir regularly.

6. When there is about 20 minutes left in the cooking time of the rice, put the halibut in the oven.

7. When the rice is cooked through, add the frozen peas, spinach, and basil.  Cook for another 3 minutes until the peas are cooked.  Season with salt and pepper.

8. Plate the risotto with the halibut on top (squeeze on a bit more lime juice, if needed).  Top with the coconut lime crumble and enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. Buy a good quality virgin coconut oil.  For this recipe, you want one that has a coconut flavour.  If you buy regular coconut oil, it will not have a coconut flavour.  There are supposedly many health benefits to cooking with coconut oil.  It has a high smoking point, so it will not go rancid as easily as if you sauté with olive oil.  Also, it is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, which apparently do not absorb into the body as readily as short and long-chain ones do...

2. You cannot make risotto with regular rice because the starch content is not high enough.  Make sure you buy arborio.  It is in all grocery stores, you just have to look for it.

Warm Halloumi Salad

Several years ago when we lived in England, Scott discovered donair kebabs (pronounced donner  kebahbs, for some reason).  These are not kebabs as we Canadians know them, but are actually donairs.  At the time, I was a fish-eating vegetarian (otherwise know as a pescetarian) and couldn't eat the meat donairs that he was eating; however, there was one little Lebanese shop down the street from us that served vegetarian halloumi donair kebabs.  I had never heard of halloumi before, but it is a wonderfully mild cheese that you can grill because it doesn't melt.  Depending on the kind you buy, it can be a bit salty and might need to be rinsed, but otherwise it is a great addition to many savoury meals.  This recipe is a healthy way to incorporate halloumi into a warm salad that makes a very filling meal.

Serves two as a main or four as a side.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole grains (spelt, wheat berries, farro)
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or more or less to taste
1 large or 2 small leeks, cleaned and sliced into half moons
1 tbsp ready-to-eat sun-dried tomatoes (or packed in oil)
6 kalamata olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 clamshell of baby spinach, chard, kale
juice of half of one lemon
1 tsp honey
4 1/4 inch slices of halloumi
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp fresh basil
pepper

Directions:

1. Cook whole grains ahead of time.  Most will need to be soaked overnight.  I used spelt for this recipe.  Because I forgot to soak it, I poured boiling water over it and let it sit for two hours, did the same thing again, and then cooked it for about 25 minutes.  However, it can take up to 60 minutes of cooking time.  For that reason, it is always easier to cook whole grains ahead of time and then throw them into boiling water for 30 seconds when you need them.  You can even freeze them and then throw them in the pot, frozen, when you need them.

2. In a dry medium pan, toast pine nuts.  Keep an eye on them.  You want them to be brown, but they burn quickly.  Set aside to cool.

3. In the same pan, sauté oil, red pepper flakes, and leeks until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, olives, garlic, and basil.  Slice the halloumi and rinse, if needed.

5. When the leeks are tender, add the garlic and baby spinach.  Continue cooking until the spinach has wilted.  Add in the lemon juice, honey, and a bit more oil, if needed.  Add pepper but do not add salt as the olives and haloumi are both salty.

6. Add the cooked spelt to the leeks and spinach.  Toss to coat with the dressing in the pan.  Add in the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and set aside.

7. Heat a small pan.  Brush both sides of the halloumi with oil and sprinkle each piece with the Italian seasoning.  Grill the cheese in the hot pan on both sides until it is brown.  Place on top of the salad and top with fresh basil.  Enjoy!

This salad is great warm, cold, or room temperature although the cheese is best served hot.

Shopping Tips:

1. Halloumi is not sold in all grocery stores.  It is sold at Superstore as "halloom".  This is what I buy as it is not as salty as the haloumi that I have bought from specialty stores in the past.  They also sell a herbed version if you do not have Italian seasoning.

2. I buy the plastic clamshells of mixed baby spinach, chard, and kale, but if you can only get spinach, that's perfectly fine.

3. Whole grains are becoming more available, but I make a special trip to the organic store to buy them in bulk.  I then store them in 1L canning jars.  If you are going to use them quickly, you can store them in the pantry, otherwise, you can keep them in the freezer to keep them from going rancid. The same goes for nuts.

Spring Pasta

Easter is over and it seems that spring has finally arrived - or at least it is definitely on its way.  I realized that I have posted a summer pasta and a winter pasta, but there was no spring pasta.  Well, here it is.  With bright green flavours including spring fresh vegetables like asparagus and leeks, this is sure to be another meal that you will make again and again.

It makes two large portions or four sides.

Ingredients

170 g short pasta like bow ties

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 large or 2 small leeks, cleaned

8 asparagus spears, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen sweetlet peas

1 cup cottage cheese

2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1. Put pasta water on to boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

2. Cut leeks into half-moon slices and sauté in a large pan with olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

3. When leeks start to soften, about 4 - 5 minutes, add the asparagus spears.

4. When there is about three minutes left on the cooking time for the pasta, add the garlic and the peas.

5. When the pasta is drained, remove the pan of vegetables from the stove, add the cottage cheese and pasta and toss. Adjust seasoning.

6. Serve in pasta bowls and top with basil.  Add freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.  Enjoy!

Ravishing Radishes

What is the most under-rated spring vegetable? The radish!  Radishes are detoxifying and great for digestion, they are high in vitamin C and low in calories, and they can even help with bug bites.  Why then are they so ignored?  In most homes, radishes show up on veggie trays or on top of green salads, and they are almost never on restaurant menus, but there are so many wonderful ways to eat them!  Did you know that radishes can be cooked or even roasted?  They can! In fact, cooking them reduces their pungency and gives them a more subtle flavour.  Although at this time of year, they are usually a little milder already.  What's even better is that you can even eat the radish greens.  They are tender like spinach and taste a bit like watercress.

Since I will not be posting next week, here are two ravishing radish recipes to hold you over.

Fennel and Radish Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 large leek, washed, quartered, and sliced
1 large fennel bulb, chopped
1 bunch radishes, quartered and sliced

1 lb frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled
1 clove garlic, minced

juice of half a lemon
1 Tbsp light miso
1 tsp honey
salt pepper

fresh dill, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pan, sauté the oil, butter, leek, salt, and pepper for 4 - 5 minutes.

2. Add the radishes and sauté for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Combine the lemon juice, honey, and miso into a paste.  Add to the pan and sauté for approximately 2 minutes or until the shrimp curl and turn pink.

5. Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and top with fresh dill.

Options:

1. This can be eaten on its own or is great when tossed with a short pasta like bow tie.


Radishes on Rye

Spread a fresh piece of rye bread with butter, add sliced raw radishes, and top with flaked salt such as Maldon.  Even if you have very pungent radishes, this combination will remove some of the heat. As an alternative, add sliced raw radishes to your avocado toast from this previously posted recipe. Enjoy!

 

Chipotle Orange Braised Pork

I love when I taste something new that blows my mind.  A combination of flavours that I've never tasted before yet seem so perfect together that I can't actually believe it is the first time I'm tasting them.  Since I've been experimenting with food for so long, that rarely happens to me anymore, but years ago when I tried the combination of orange and chipotle together for the first time, that was the reaction I had.

This is a big recipe, so it feeds many or is great as leftovers.  Actually, like most braises, it is better when made a day ahead of time so that the flavours have time to mingle and the fat can separate.  Pork shoulder is a very fatty meat, so you either need to separate it out in a fat separator, or cool it and skim the fat off the top.  Because this is a slow braise, it is better with cheaper, tougher cuts of meat (like shoulder).  Don't try to make it with pork loin in order to cut down on the fat content (Mom!).  This recipe takes at least five hours to cook, so it's great to make on a Sunday afternoon and then eat for leftovers during the week.

Serve with brown rice, farro, or other whole grain ( I tried it with both rice and farro, and it was definitely better with chewy farro).  It's even better when served with sweet cooked carrots.  Yield: Approximately 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt

14 oz diced tomatoes
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 -1 whole chipotle pepper, minced (depending on how hot you like it)
1 tsp cumin

1 4-5 pound pork shoulder

fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a heavy dutch oven, sauté the onion in the oil with the salt until it is translucent.

3. While the onion is sautéing, combine the tomatoes, orange juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, salt, garlic, chipotle, and cumin in a small bowl.

4. Cut the string off the pork shoulder roast if it has it.  Trim the roast of any excess fat and cut into four quarters.

5. Push the onions to the side of the pot, and place the pork on the bottom of the pot. Cover with the liquid mixture.

6. Cover with a lid and place in the oven.  Turn the oven temperature down to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Cook for 5 - 6 hours (mine took 6, but I think my oven runs cool) without opening the oven door or until the meat falls apart when you pull on it with two forks. Separate the fat from the sauce or skim off any fat that is siting on the surface.

8. Serve on top of rice, farro, or other whole grain, and garnish with cilantro.  Enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. Chipotle peppers can be found in any grocery store by the taco ingredients.  They come in a very small can packed in adobe sauce.  You only need one, so you will have to buy way more than you need, but they can be frozen for a later use.  They are a great addition to salsa.

2. The handy dandy fat separator that you see pictured above was an awesome present from my brother and sister-in-law.  I'd been putting off buying one for years (even though they only cost about $10) because I kept telling myself that I didn't really need one, but trust me, they are soooooo handy!

This can be made at any time of the year, but is a great warmer on a chilly night.

Slow Cooker Short Ribs - Asian Style

The slightly weird looking vegetable above is a Chinese radish called a daikon.  It is crisp and refreshing and can be eaten raw or cooked.  It is slightly more mild than a regular red radish.  In this recipe, the pickled carrot and daikon salad adds a fresh and crispy crunch to the tender and succulent short ribs.

This recipe is adapted from the Williams Sonoma New Slow Cooker book.  I made this recipe once for just Scott and I without the salad, and it was still very good, so if you are in a hurry, just throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it.  The second time I made it, my brother and sister-in-law were visiting from L.A, so I thought I should do it right and include the salad.  It was met by rave reviews from all (even though I should have cooked it for a bit longer that time since I had made a bigger batch).

The portions here will serve four people when served over rice.

Ingredients:

3 kg beef short ribs (about 8 small ones)
salt and pepper
3/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup organic ketchup
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
5 cloves garlic, smashed

2 carrots
1 daikon
rice wine vinegar
organic canola oil
salt
sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler on high.

2. Place the ribs bone-side down on a rack over a tray.  Season meat with salt, pepper, and five-spice powder.

3. Broil for 8 minutes.  Turn and broil for another 8 minutes.

4. Mix the hoisin, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, onion, ginger, and garlic in a 6 quart slow cooker.

5. Add the broiled ribs to the slow cooker and turn to coat in the sauce.  Cover with the lid and cook on low for at least 6 hours.  Ribs will be very tender and falling off the bone when done.

6. While the ribs are cooking, finely slice the carrot and daikon in to thin julienned strips.  Toss with a bit of rice vinegar, canola oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of sugar.  Let marinate in the fridge until the ribs are done.

7. When the ribs are done, serve them with rice.  Pour the cooking liquid into another container and let sit for five minutes.  Skim off the fat from the top, discard, and then pour the sauce over the ribs and rice.  Top off with the drained carrot/daikon salad. Enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. The hoisin and fish sauce can be found in the Asian section of a regular grocery store.

2. Daikon can be found in some grocery stores and in Asian markets (although it may be called lo bok).  If you can't find it, leave it out.  

Options:

1. The first time I made this, I didn't make the salad part. It was very good, so if you want an easier recipe, just make the ribs.

2. As with most things, this is even better the next day.  I like to cook it in the slow cooker on Sunday, and then I make another meal for dinner.  That way, I can save the ribs for meals later in the week.  I just separate the meat from the sauce and store them separately in the fridge.  That way the fat rises to the top of the sauce and I can skim it off the next day.  Then I mix them together again when I reheat them.  This meal does not suffer from being reheated in the microwave.  Just make fresh rice.  (Mom, do NOT mix the rice with the sauce and save it for leftovers!). 

Winter Pasta

I've previously posted my favourite Summer Fresh Pasta, so you are all familiar with one of the most popular dishes on our dinner table.  However, even favourites run their course and eventually everyone gets sick of them - cue the new winter fresh pasta.  One of the things I like most about the summer pasta is that it is quick and easy to make and includes lots of vegetables.  So, I took the same idea a just tweaked it a bit.

This recipe does include bacon instead of cheese, but it's only one slice for two people, so it's definitely in moderation.  Just enough to give the bacon flavour without overpowering everything.  This dish serves two people as a meal or four as a side dish.

Ingredients:

1 slice bacon, diced
1/8 tsp crushed red chile flakes
1 medium zucchini, cut in quarter moons
3 canned artichoke hearts, cut in twelfths (3 hearts out of one can, NOT 3 cans...)
6 cocktail tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
Fresh parmesan cheese, grated
salt, pepper
fresh basil, chopped (optional)

dried linguine or short pasta

Directions:

1. Put salted water on to boil in a large pot for the pasta.

2. Fry the bacon over medium high heat for about 4 minutes.  Do not add any extra oil to the pan, the bacon will release a lot of fat momentarily.

3. Add the chile flakes and the zucchini as well as a bit of salt and pepper.  Sauté for about 8 minutes.  Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to directions.

4. When there are about three minutes left in the cooking time for the pasta, add the artichoke hearts, garlic, and tomatoes to the zucchini.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.  Sauté until the tomatoes have released their juices and created a sauce.

5. Drain the pasta and add it to the veggies.  Portion into bowls and top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if available and desired.  Basil is really more of a summer herb, but sometimes you can find it in the winter.  Enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. It is really important to buy cocktail tomatoes.  First of all, in the winter, the other ones are disgusting and have no taste, and second of all, they have a lot of juice, which is what creates the sauce.  Other tomatoes, especially Roma tomatoes, have less juice and will leave you with a dry pasta.

2. Do yourself a favour and buy your bacon from the Farmers Market.  The taste difference is incredible, and once you've tried it, you will never go back.  I rarely use bacon, so I splurge on the good stuff, wrap it up in small quantities and freeze it.  For this recipe, you can cook it right from frozen, so there is no need to worry about defrosting it.

Options:

1. You could add kalamata olives to this is you wanted to take it even further into the Mediterranean.


If you've tried out any of these recipes, I'd love to hear what you think.  Please drop me a line in the comments section and let me know.  Thanks!

Pantry Party Casserole

It's time to admit that there will be a day in the not so distant future where the temperature will be minus 30 before windchill, the snow will be up to your shins, and the last thing you will want to do is leave the house.  This recipe is perfect for that day (and any other winter day when you are feeling lazy).

I first made this recipe when Scott and I were living in England.  We started out with only a hot plate to cook on, but luckily graduated to a gas range (hob) and oven a couple of months after settling in.  I have fond memories of making this dish after a chilly February day of showing my parents around London.  I still think of that day every time I make this dish, which is often, and remember my mom's worried look when I was (god forbid) putting garlic, of all things, in the pot.  This dish was responsible for helping her get over her fear of garlic just like a few of the previous recipes have been responsible for helping her get over her fear of basil.  God only knows what adventures await her next!

I use three pots at once in order to speed up the cooking time.  The first day you eat this, it will be soupy and is great to sop up with crusty bread.  The leftovers will be significantly drier.  Don't get turned off by all the steps, it's a really simple recipe, and after you make it once, you probably won't need to use the recipe again.  It is a good idea to make it when someone else is on clean-up duty, though...

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or organic canola oil
1 small white onion
2-4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can artichoke hearts, packed in water
1 can chickpeas
4-6 medium red potatoes
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
salt, pepper
fresh basil (optional)

Directions

1. Put a large, a medium, and a small pot on the stove.  Take out a casserole dish.

2. Chop the onion and garlic and put them in the medium pot with the oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.  Saute on medium heat for about 8 minutes.

3. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.  (You can leave the skins on).  Simmer them in the large pot in salted water until they are tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato sauce to the onion pot and simmer until the sauce is reduced and thicker.  Add more salt and pepper, if needed.

5. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water and put them in the small pot.  Cover them with water and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft.

6. Preheat the broiler.

7. Drain the artichokes and quickly rinse in water, if you want.  They are okay if they are not rinsed, but they have a briny flavour.  Cut each heart into eighths.  Add to the tomato pot when the potatoes are almost done cooking.

8. Grate the cheese.

9. When the potatoes are finished cooking, drain them and let them sit for a couple of minutes so that all the water is gone.  Put them back into the large pot.

10. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the potato pot.  Pour the tomato/onion/artichoke mixture over the potatoes and chickpeas.  Stir carefully so that everything is mixed together.

11. Pour everything into the casserole dish and top with the grated cheese.

12. Cook under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Top with fresh basil, if desired.  Enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. Like I said, this is a great pantry recipe, so buy double the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and chickpeas so that you have them on hand the next time you want to whip up something from what you have in the cupboard.

Options:

1. This recipe is very flexible.  It can be made with any kind of cheese except maybe blue cheese.  If you don't have Italian herbs, just use dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, or a combination of what you have.  If you don't have fresh garlic, use garlic powder.  The point of this recipe is to use what you have on-hand, so feel free to experiment.

My method for making this is a bit unconventional because I don't want to wait for it to bake in the oven, and I prefer sautéing the onions instead of putting the into the casserole raw.  It makes for a much better flavour.  If you want to bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees instead of broiling it, you can and it will be less soupy, but I like the sauce - it's great with bread...

Sweet, Sour, Salty, and Spicy Squash

This recipe was inspired by one in Heidi Swanson's book "Super Natural Every Day".  I have changed several of the ingredients but kept the four most important components of the dish: the sweet squash, the sour lemon, the salty miso, and the spicy curry paste.  Together, they are perfectly balanced so that the squash is not too sweet, the lemon is bright, the miso is barely noticeable, and the curry does not bite.

Mom, there will be a few ingredients that are new to you here, but they are well worth the investment.  I promise that you will use them again in many future recipes.  These are not ingredients that you will use a small amount of and will then sit in your cupboard until they go bad.  Also, the green curry is not the kind of curry you don't like.  You don't like cumin, and this paste has no cumin in it.  Trust me, it is good.

Miso is an amazing ingredient that can be added to many dishes to add that special "umami" flavour.  It stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach and restores the beneficial probiotics in the intestines. It reduces the risk of several different cancers, is detoxifying, and contains antioxidants.  It also strengthens the immune system and helps to lower LDL cholesterol.  No wonder many people in Japan eat miso soup for breakfast every day!

This recipe serves two generously for a main course or four for a side.  If you are using it as a main course, you may want to serve it with a piece of bread or a light green salad.  You could also serve it with rice.  We ate it by itself, but that's just us...

Ingredients:

Butternut squash (fill a Pyrex liquid 2 cup measure as full as you can)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white miso
1 Tbsp green Thai curry paste
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 red potatoes or 8 baby potatoes, cubed
Juice of half a large lemon
6 leaves of kale
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp fresh parsley (or cilantro)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (if you are feeling energetic, you can roast them in the oven like pumpkin seeds).  Cut the squash into 1/2 inch cubes.  You can peel it if you want, but you don't have to.  I usually peel half and leave half with the skin on.  Fill up the Pyrex cup - that's how much you will use for this recipe.  Toss the rest of it in a bit of olive oil and roast it on a separate baking sheet to use at a later date - if you put it in the fridge raw, you will never use it - trust me!

3. Cut the potatoes into cubes.  Put the potatoes with the squash in a medium bowl.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, miso, and curry paste.  Measure out 1/3 cup of the mixture and put it in the bowl with the potatoes and squash.

5. Toss the potatoes/squash with the miso sauce, and then place them on a baking sheet.  Put this baking sheet and the baking sheet with the plain (leftover) squash in the oven for 30 minutes.  Stir them around at 15 minutes and 25 minutes so that they do not burn.

6. Add the lemon juice to the leftover miso mixture.  Cut the stems out of the kale, slice the leaves into ribbons, add them to the miso/lemon mixture, stir to coat completely.  Leave this at room temperature to wilt in the lemon vinaigrette while the squash cooks.

7. Simmer the chickpeas in a small pot of water for about 5 minutes to soften them up a bit.  Drain and set them aside until the potatoes/squash are ready.

8. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan for about 2 minutes.  Chop the parsley into large pieces.

8. When the potatoes and squash are soft and a fork will easily go through them, take them out of the oven and toss them with the kale mixture.  Add the chickpeas. Serve on a plate and top with the pumpkin seeds and parsley (or cilantro).  Enjoy!

Leftovers:

1. The leftover butternut squash can be eaten alone as a side, added to soups or stews, or pureed with vegetable stock for a nice soup.  You could find a muffin recipe that uses a squash puree, or you could freeze it for another use.

2. The leftover miso can be used in soups, stews, or just added to hot water for a very nice, light and healthy soup.  You can use it with some olive oil and the juice of the other lemon half for a nice vinaigrette.

Shopping Tips:

1. There are many different kinds of squash at the farmers market at this time of the year.  You could use another kind if you want, but don't use spaghetti squash - it is too different.  If you use butternut, pick one that has a long skinny part and a small bulb.  That way you get more flesh and fewer seeds.

2. The miso will be in the refrigerated section of the health section (you might have to go to a health food store, but I don't think so, it is pretty common).  There are different kinds, but you want to make sure that you get white miso as it is the mildest. I use shiro miso.

3. The Thai green curry is in the Asian/Thai section of the grocery store and can be purchased at any grocery store.  You can use red Thai curry as an alternative, but I prefer green.

Scott gave this recipe an 8/10 and then went back for thirds, so I'm thinking it deserves at least an 8+. . .
P.S. He gives almost everything an 8/10.  I'm still trying to figure out what he expects for a 10!

Cabbage Hash

When I hear the word "cabbage",  memories of limp, stinky boiled cabbage immediately pop into my mind.  From where, I have no idea since my mom never, ever made boiled cabbage or even cabbage rolls!  Fortunately, this recipe is a delicious way to enjoy lightly sautéed cabbage with no offensive odour whatsoever.  In addition, the humble cabbage is a super nutritious food that prevents cancer, lowers cholesterol, and helps heal stomach ulcers.

This week's recipe was inspired by blogger Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks.  The original recipe can be found in her book "Super Natural Every Day".  This hash makes a great side dish, or it can be served with a salad for a light dinner.  For a vegan option, hold the cheese.  Serves four.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp coconut oil, plus more as needed.
115 grams of potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into tiny hashbrown-sized cubes
Sea salt
Half a red onion, chopped
15 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked and cooled
Two large cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage (about half of a small head)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium high heat. Sauté the potatoes and sea salt until the potatoes are cooked through.  They should be brown and crispy on a couple of sides.

2. Add the red onion and white beans as well as any oil necessary to continue sautéing until the onions are translucent.  If the beans become a bit crispy as well, even better.

3. When the onions are cooked through, add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the cabbage and cook for approximately 3 minutes until it is wilted but still firm.

5. Take the pan off the heat and finish with a sprinkle of dill and the grated parmesan.

6. Season with freshly grated black pepper and more sea salt, if necessary.

Shopping Tips:

1. Coconut oil should be virgin or extra virgin and cold-pressed.  It is easy to find now and will be a solid white colour at room temperature.

2. There are several varieties of white beans - use whichever ones you want.  If you use canned, try to find a brand that is BPA-free.  Eden organics usually are.  You don't want to take the time to cook a great meal and have it laden with carcinogenic BPA...

Options:

1. If you don't have coconut oil, you can use canola or extra-virgin olive oil, but the flavour will change.

2. Instead of potatoes, you could use leftover cooked whole grains such as wheat berries, faro, or brown rice.

3. You could use any kind of bean you want, including chickpeas, but again, the flavour will change.

4. And of course, you can use white onions or shallots instead of red onions and red cabbage instead of green.

Leftovers:

1. If you have leftover hash, you can fry it up again the next day for breakfast or lunch and serve it with a poached egg on top.  The soft yolk from the egg will create a nice sauce.

2. You will probably have leftover cabbage, dill, potatoes, and onion.  You can throw these together with vegetable stock, canned diced tomatoes, celery, and carrots for a warming soup.  You can even add some barley if you want.

3. This cabbage hash is also a useful recipe if you already have leftover potatoes in the fridge.  You will probably have to cut them into larger pieces for step one so that they don't turn to mush.

Four-Day Farro

Don't worry, it doesn't take four days to make this.

A few months ago, I was visiting my parents for the weekend, and made this recipe from the River Cottage Veg cookbook.  A few days later, my dad called me and told me that they were eating the leftovers for the fourth day straight, AND that he now likes farro better than brown rice, which is saying a lot, trust me!

For those of you who are also new to farro, it is an ancient Italian wheat variety.  It is chewy and nutty and falls somewhere between brown rice and wheat berries.  The recipe below is my variation on the recipe that was initially published in the River Cottage book.  You may also want to use the basic structure of the recipe and play around with the vegetables you add depending on the season.  In my opinion, this dish is perfect for fall.

This recipe serves 6 - 8 generously.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, crushed with back of knife but left whole
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dry farro, cooked according to package directions (make sure to rinse first)
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (or 1/2 cup dry and cooked)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp toasted slivered almonds
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Mix butternut squash, fennel, onion, and garlic with olive oil.  Bake for about 30 - 40 minutes stirring part-way throughout.  You want it to be caramelized and brown, but not burned.

3. In the meantime, cook the farro in salted water and drain it.  It's okay if it sits at room temperature until the squash mixture cooks.  Also, if you are using canned beans, heat them through in a pot of water.

4. When everything has finished cooking, mix the farro with the mixture out of the oven including any oil/juices in the pan.  Add the lemon juice, dill, parsley, almonds, parmesan, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Enjoy!

Options:

1. I like to add half a golden delicious apple, tossed in lemon juice, that has been finely diced.  It adds a really nice crisp freshness that contrasts nicely with the rich cheese.

2. Apparently when my parents got to day four of leftovers, they decided that it was time to change things up a bit, so they added diced yellow peppers that had been roasted on the barbecue.  Apparently, the results were pretty fantastic.

Shopping Tips:

1. The best way to buy farro, in my opinion, is in a vacuum-sealed bag/box from an Italian store.  When bought this way, it is very inexpensive and fresh.  You can also buy it from an organic or health store, but it will be much more expensive.  If you buy an imported from Italy brand, buy one that says "semi-perlato or semi-brillato", which means that it is semi-pearled and will cook much more quickly, usually in about 20 - 30 minutes.

2. One of the best kitchen purchases I ever made was my lemon reamer.  This very inexpensive tool will juice a lemon faster and more effectively than any fancy gadget you can find.

Leftovers:

1. Obviously this lasts for quite a while in the fridge.

2. You could also mix in a bit more cheese and some egg, form the leftovers into patties, and shallow fry them.  Serve on top of dressed lettuce for a nice lunch.

Buon appetito!

Cauliflower and Kale Barley Risotto

 Risotto is something that I always thought was hard to make - until I learned how to make it. It is not something you can get in a restaurant - at least not the traditional kind because it has to be stirred quite frequently in order to get its telltale  "creaminess".  This creaminess comes from developing the starches when you stir.  Restaurants usually cheat and add cream instead, which adds unnecessary calories and fat.  Even traditional risotto is made with white arborio rice, butter, and parmesan cheese.

This recipe does not use butter and substitutes barley instead of rice for added fibre and nutrients.  There is also an option to use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese, which will significantly cut calories and add great nutrition.  Nutritional yeast is an inactive form of yeast that is a by-product of molasses manufacturing.  If that scares you, the smell is reminiscent of the "cheese" packets that come in a box of KD - something I'm sure we are all familiar with.  Nutritional yeast is also high in protein, vitamin B-12, fibre, and folic acid.  It tastes great, too.

This recipe will serve two as a main course or four as a side.  Total cooking time is 30 - 40 minutes, but don't let that deter you - it's well worth the wait!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small head cauliflower
Half a small red onion
1 clove of garlic
2/3 cup of pot barley
1/4 cup of white wine
2 cups or a bit more of low-sodium vegetable stock
4 kale leaves
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (or 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese)
2 Tbsp fresh dill
salt, pepper

1 baking sheet, 1 small pot, 1 medium pot

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Warm the vegetable stock in a small pot.

2. Cut cauliflower into florets.  Place on baking sheet with space between each floret (if you crowd them, they will steam instead of brown).  Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Turn once and bake for another 10 minutes.

3. Dice onion and, in a medium sized pot, sauté in 1 Tbsp olive oil until translucent but not brown.  While this is happening, mince the garlic.

4. When onions are ready, add the dry pot barley and stir for about 30 seconds so that the barley soaks up the oil.

5. Add the minced garlic and white wine and stir until the wine is almost gone.

6. Add one ladle full of the warm vegetable stock  and stir until the stock is almost gone.  Continue to add ladles of stock one at a time while stirring frequently.  Wait until each ladle full is almost gone before adding the next one.  Don't be afraid to stir vigourously.

7. While the barley is cooking, cut the stems out of the kale and then slice the leaves into ribbons.  Chop the dill.  Keep going back to the stove and stirring the barley and adding more stock.  When the stock is about 2/3 gone, add the kale to the barley pot.

8. During this time, the cauliflower will finish cooking.  Let it cool for a couple of minutes, and then chop it into small bite-sized pieces.

9.  After you have added all the stock to the barley, taste it to see if it is tender (it will take about 25 - 30 minutes to add all the stock).  It will be chewy, but it should be the same consistency throughout.  Don't worry about whether or not it is the right consistency, ask yourself if it is the consistency you want to eat it.  If it is not, cook it some more.  If you need more liquid, just use some warm water.

10. After you add the last bit of liquid, do not let it reduce all the way, the final consistency should be a bit runny.  If you accidentally reduce it too much, no sweat, just add a bit more warm water.

11. Turn off the heat.  Add the nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese), cauliflower, and dill.  Enjoy!

Options:

1. If you are not familiar with kale, don't like kale, or don't want to buy a bunch of it for only four leaves, you can use spinach instead.

2. As stated above, you can use parmesan instead of nutritional yeast, but I would really encourage you to try it.

3. You could use the same amount of arborio rice instead of barley if you want a more traditional risotto.

4. Again, if you are not drinking white wine with your meal and don't want to buy a bottle for just a small amount, you can use vegetable stock instead (although the taste will be slightly different).

5. If you don't have a red onion, you can use a regular white or yellow one.  You could also use shallot instead.

Shopping Tips:

1. The cauliflower in my pictures is purple, obviously.  I get it at the farmers market and like to use it because it has more antioxidants than the white kind, and it is prettier.  The taste is the same.  They also have an orange variety, which tastes the same, but has the added benefit of betacarotene.  The green variety is a hybrid with broccoli, so it shares a few of the same benefits, but it also shares some of the flavour, so it will definitely change the taste of this dish.  If you can only find the white variety, use it!

2. Pot barley is less refined than pearl barley, so it is more nutritious.  Hulled barley is 100% whole grain, but will take twice as long to cook, so it is better for soups and stews.

3. Buy the same kind of wine that you are going to drink with your meal.  Do not buy cooking wine!  I don't drink very often, so I buy a bottle of alcohol-free wine from the grocery store and keep it in the fridge for cooking - it lasts a long time that way.  It also saves me from having to make a special stop at the liquor store.

4. The kale you see in my pictures is flat-leaf kale that I got at the farmers market.  If you buy it at the grocery store, it will probably be curly. You may have a choice of green or purple kale - it doesn't matter what you buy.

5. Nutritional yeast is usually sold in the bulk section of health stores, but you may be able to find it in the organic/health food aisle of your grocery store.  Do not look in the baking section - you will not find it there!

Leftovers:

1. If you have leftover risotto, you will have to reheat it on the stove by adding more stock.  If you try to reheat it in the microwave, it will probably end up gummy and gross.

2. With the leftover kale, you can sauté it, add it to soup, or make kale chips - there are tons of recipes online.

3. The nutritional yeast can be saved in an airtight container for a very long time.  It is also very good sprinkled over popcorn...

If you haven't noticed already, this recipe is vegan.  Don't tell anyone, though.  It is so good that they will never notice!