Curry Roasted Cauliflower

My childhood memories of cauliflower are one of two things: raw florets dredged in dill dip from
a Tupperware veggie tray, or steamed with cheese sauce on top.  To some, these are fond memories, and to others, the reason for a hatred of the vegetable.  I happen to really like cauliflower, but then again, I also like brussels sprouts, cabbage, and rutabaga.

If you haven't tried roasted cauliflower yet, today is the day.  Roasting it at a high heat caramelizes the edges and changes the flavour profile completely.  This recipe goes one step further and adds curry powder for even greater complexity.

You can use either dill or cilantro.  I was intending to use cilantro, but my local grocery store tends to always be out of the one herb I am looking for.  If I want basil, they don't have it, but if I don't need it, they do have it.  Same goes for dill and thyme.  However, they seem to always have parsley and cilantro, so I thought I'd be safe.  Today, though, they did not have cilantro, but instead had bunches and bunches of fenugreek - an unusual herb used in Indian cooking.  I can only assume that someone made a pretty big mistake in the ordering....

Anyway, this can be made as a side or an appetizer.

Ingredients:

1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp capers, drained and finely chopped
salt, pepper

1 head of cauliflower, sliced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the yogurt, garlic, dijon, dill, caper, salt, and pepper and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow flavours to come together.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Mix the oil and curry powder together.  Set aside.  Slice the cauliflower into discs and drizzle with the curry oil.  Mix well.

4. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Bake the cauliflower for 15 minutes, turn, and bake for another 10 minutes.

6. Serve immediately with the yogurt dip on the side.

Shopping Tips:

1. Capers are the marinated buds of a Mediterranean flower although they taste nothing like it.  They are a great acidic addition to many dishes and are regularly found in tartar sauce.  They can be found in small jars in the pickle section of any grocery store.

Spinach, Cauliflower, and Feta Quinoa Cakes

I'm always looking for new and delicious ways to incorporate grains into my meals.  Whole grains are delicious and nutritious, but rarely is a pile of whole grains on the side of the plate appetizing or appealing.  These quinoa cakes are a great way to add a new and exciting food to your plate as a side dish or even on top of a salad for a bit more substance.  They can be made ahead of time and reheated or eaten at room temperature as a filling snack-on-the-go.  Scott likes them plain with Dijon mustard on top.

This recipe makes about 10 - 11 cakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
1 large handful of spinach, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp basil, chopped
4 eggs
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (use garlic and herb if you like)
1/4 cup flour of your choice
1 tsp salt
pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp coconut oil or organic canola oil

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa by simmering in salted water on low heat for about 15 minutes.  Drain and cool to room temperature.

2. Chop the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces or pulse in a food processor.

3. To the cooled quinoa, add the cauliflower and remaining ingredients except for the oil.

4. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.

5. Heat 1Tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan.  Form the patties either by hand or using the lid of a wide-mouthed canning jar (this method makes perfect-sized cakes, and the cakes can be slid off the lid and into the pan).  Fry the patties in batches on a medium heat.  Fry for 3 - 4 minutes on one side and 2 - 3 minutes on the other side or until golden brown. Use the remaining tablespoon of oil for the second batch of cakes.

6. When patties are cooked, transfer them to a paper towel lined plate.  If you are saving them for later, put another paper towel overtop and cover with plastic wrap.  Enjoy!

How to ensure perfectly formed cakes: 1) pack the canning lid full, 2) fry until crispy on the bottom (you will see brown around the edges), 3) do not turn them more than once, 4) use coconut oil which doesn't absorb into the cakes as quickly.

Shopping Tips:

1. Quinoa may come pre-washed or not - check the side of the bag.  If it is not washed, it is important to rinse thoroughly before cooking to get the natural saponin (soap-taste) off.

2. Cauliflower comes in orange, purple, green, and white.  Often these varieties are available in the summer at the farmers market.  If you can find them, orange, purple, and green are healthier and add an interesting contrast to the patties.

Options:

1. As previously stated, these can be eaten warm or cold.

2. Kale can be easily substituted for the spinach.

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.

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!

Summer Fresh Pasta

This is my go-to meal for numerous reasons: it is quick, it is vegetarian, and it is chock full of fresh summer produce.  When your garden (or farmers market or grocery store) is brimming with juicy tomatoes, shiny zucchini, and fragrant basil, this dish will definitely make a regular appearance on your table.

One serving of pasta is only half a cup, but just like eating a sandwich with two pieces of bread, we often eat two servings of grains at one time.  One way to make pasta a more healthful dish is to make it a side instead of a main.  You can also pump it up with vegetables so that it is filling, nutritious, and has more volume - that's what this recipe does.  This will generously serve two as a main course or four as a side.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash
10 spears of asparagus
2 cloves garlic
6-7 cocktail tomatoes (I like Campari)
4 balls of bocconcini cheese
2 Tbsp fresh basil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups of short pasta (like penne)
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Put a pot of water with salt on to boil.  Chefs say that there should be enough salt in the pot so that it tastes like the sea.  If you are restricting your salt intake, use less.  Pot manufacturers say not to put the salt in the pot until it comes to a boil so that it does not pit the bottom of the pot, but I always forget if I don't put it in right away.  If you can remember to put the salt in after the water boils, power to you!

2. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters and then slice each quarter into crescents.  Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and then cut the spears into half-inch pieces.

3. Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, zucchini, salt, and pepper to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat.

4. When the water boils, add the pasta to the pot and stir once.  At this point, add the asparagus to the skillet and continue to sauté.

5. Cut the tomatoes into eighths, mince the garlic, cut the bocconcini balls into eighths and chop the basil into thin strips (called chiffonade).  To chiffonade the basil, roll it up lengthwise like you are rolling a cigar (because everyone knows how to do that!) and then slice with your knife while you hold it tight with your other hand.

6. When there are two minutes left in the pasta cooking time, add the garlic and tomatoes to the skillet.  The tomatoes will lose their juices to create a sauce, but you don't want them to cook too much.  They should still hold their shape.

7. When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it in a colander. Take the skillet off the heat and sprinkle the bocconcini over top.  Be sure to spread it out so that it doesn't clump too much when it melts.

8. Add the cooked pasta on top and stir. You will probably have to add a bit more salt and pepper at this point.

9. Spoon each serving onto a plate.  Top with some of the fresh basil and shave some fresh parmesan over top.  Enjoy!

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Options:

1. Instead of asparagus, green beans would also work well.  Although not as healthy, this dish is also good without asparagus or green beans.

2. Whole wheat pasta is obviously more healthy, but many people cannot stand the cardboard taste it has at first.  If that is the case, you can use half whole wheat and half white pasta.  If one has a longer cooking time, put it in the pot first, and then add the one with the shorter cooking time after.  Over time, you can increase the amount of whole wheat and decrease the amount of white pasta.  Also, whole wheat pasta made with brown rice is usually more palatable than the pasta made with wheat.

3. It would also be very easy to make this dish vegan by leaving out the cheese.

Leftovers:

1. Served cold the next day, this makes a great pasta salad.  One of my friends actually prefers his as a salad and waits until the next day to eat it at all.

2. What do you do with the leftover bocconcini cheese?  Make a lettuce salad.  For the salad use mixed greens (not iceberg), tomatoes, bocconcini, avocado and basil.  Sprinkle extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar over top.  Finish with a bit of salt and pepper to bring out the flavours of the produce. You can also add toasted pumpkin seeds, if you want.

Shopping Tips:

1. When buying bocconcini, do not buy the mini or pearl size - they are very rubbery.  Even better, fresh mozzarella is a superior product to bocconcini balls.

Even though there are a few steps to this recipe, it really is as simple as throwing a bunch of fresh seasonal produce into a pan and adding some pasta.  This is a great basic recipe to freestyle with, and after you become comfortable with the procedure, your imagination is the limit.  Just be sure to always include the tomatoes, or you will be left with a sauceless sauce!

Cod with Fennel and Tomato

Ooohh!  I'm so excited, the first post!  This recipe tastes summer fresh and is great for any warm night.  I really hope you give it a go...

For years, my mom has said that she doesn't like cod and insists on spending four times the amount to buy halibut.  The problem is that the cod she remembers came from a frozen blue rectangular package.  Please buy your cod fresh from the deli section of the grocery store, and you will also be surprised by how fresh and delicate it can taste.

Some people think that they do not like fennel because it has a strong black liquorice flavour when it is raw. I personally hate black liquorice, but when fennel is cooked, it has a very mild flavour that is nothing at all like anise.

This recipe serves two generously, but you might want to make more of the fennel and tomato accompaniment so that you can use it in one or two of the leftover recipes at the bottom.  It also freezes well.

Ingredients:

2 pieces of cod (or other fish - even salmon would work)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large bulb of fennel
1 large leek with as much white as possible on the stalk
1 clove garlic, minced
6 - 8 cocktail tomatoes (I like Campari)
3-4 Tbsp fresh dill (it is important it is fresh)
1 Tbsp fennel fronds (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the two pieces of cod in a casserole dish.  Top with slivers of butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Place in the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes.

 3. Cut the stalks off the fennel fronds, but do not throw them away.  If the outside of the fennel bulb is beat up, peel it with a vegetable peeler.  Cut the bulb in half crossways, and then use the tip of your knife to cut out the core.  Chop the bulb into pieces a little bigger than you would an onion.

4. Cut the green top off of the leek, and then cut it in half lengthwise.  Run each half under cold water and spread the leaves apart to get off any dirt or grime - some are dirtier than others.  Cut each portion in half again lengthwise, and then cut each quarter into 1/4" crescents.

                     

5. In a skillet, add the olive oil, fennel, leeks, salt and pepper.  Sauté on medium heat being careful not to brown.  If it starts to brown, turn down the heat and/or add a small amount of water to the pan.

6. Mince the garlic, chop the tomatoes into eights, chop the dill and chop the fennel fronds.

7. When there are two minutes left in the cooking time for the fish, add the garlic and tomatoes to the pan with the fennel and leeks.  Stir to combine, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

8. When the fish is done, take it out of the oven.  Sprinkle half the dill and fennel fronds over the fennel-tomato mixture.  Sprinkle the other half of the dill and fronds over the fish.  Enjoy!

Leftovers:

With the leftover fennel-tomato mixture, you could:

1. Add chicken stock to make a soup.  You might want to also add chicken or shrimp and pasta or diced potatoes.

2. Reheat in a skillet with a bit more olive oil and tomatoes to make a pasta.  Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  This would also be good with some added shrimp.  You could even add in some lemon zest for an extra zing.

There are two keys to serving leftovers: never serve them the next night (wait at least two days), and try to repurpose them into something a bit different.

Shopping Tips:

1. Fennel is sold in all major grocery stores, but it is kind of an annoying vegetable because it isn't always there and there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it.  At this time of year, though, you should be okay.  If you can only find the bulb without the fronds (feathery bits at the top), just use more dill instead.

2. When you are buying leeks, try to get ones with as much white as possible.  You don't use the green part at all, so look for ones that are at least half white.

3.  Fish should not smell like fish, it should smell like the sea.  There is no lemon in this recipe because you shouldn't need it (although it would be good with a bit of a squeeze, if you want).  If you NEED lemon on your fish, then your fish is not fresh!

That's it.  I hope you are as excited about this journey towards healthy eating as I am.  Yay, fresh food!