photographic evidence

I'm always a little bummed out when I don't have a photo post for every yummy recipe I make. And because there is no photo in sight for this post, please do not make the mistake that the recipe below is hum-drum, bland or just plain ugly. Not so! This week I made some great vegan dinners but I am lacking the photographic evidence. Don't worry, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.

When my friend arrived onto Vancouver soil, I had made up a butternut squash and chickpea soup flavoured with ginger and orange. You'll have to trust me when I say that it was tasty! The next night I made a veggie yakiudon with tons of ginger and cauliflower...oh my! However, it was Tuesday night's dinner that was the true stand out. Fretting over what to make, I came up with a Mexican salad with a grapefruit juice dressing, crushed tortilla chips and blackbeans served over mixed greens that I made up on the fly. This was my crowning salad achievement of the week and alas, no colourful photo. I guess I'll have to make due with happy memories. My recipe is a bit fuzzy since I'm recounting ingredients and measurements from a couple days ago rather than just a few hours. I'm sure it will be great. Trust me.

mexican black bean & tortilla salad
1 can of black beans, rinsed & drained
1 rib of celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced fine
juice of half a grapefruit
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t cumin
1 t dijon mustard
1 t red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
salad greens
tortilla chips, slightly crushed
fresh salsa

1. In a medium sized bowl, add the black beans, celery, red pepper and onion and combine.

2. In a small measuring cup, add the grapefruit juice and red wine vinegar. Add an equal part of olive oil and stir. Mix in the cumin, dijon, garlic and red wine vinegar and mix well until combined. Pour dressing over black beans and let sit for a few minutes, tossing occassionally.

3. In your own individual salad bowl, add in some salad greens. Crush some tortilla chips over top and drop in a couple big spoonfuls of the black bean mixture. Top with some fresh salsa. Eat and repeat, if necessary.

photographic evidence

I'm always a little bummed out when I don't have a photo post for every yummy recipe I make. And because there is no photo in sight for this post, please do not make the mistake that the recipe below is hum-drum, bland or just plain ugly. Not so! This week I made some great vegan dinners but I am lacking the photographic evidence. Don't worry, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.

When my friend arrived onto Vancouver soil, I had made up a butternut squash and chickpea soup flavoured with ginger and orange. You'll have to trust me when I say that it was tasty! The next night I made a veggie yakiudon with tons of ginger and cauliflower...oh my! However, it was Tuesday night's dinner that was the true stand out. Fretting over what to make, I came up with a Mexican salad with a grapefruit juice dressing, crushed tortilla chips and blackbeans served over mixed greens that I made up on the fly. This was my crowning salad achievement of the week and alas, no colourful photo. I guess I'll have to make due with happy memories. My recipe is a bit fuzzy since I'm recounting ingredients and measurements from a couple days ago rather than just a few hours. I'm sure it will be great. Trust me.

mexican black bean & tortilla salad
1 can of black beans, rinsed & drained
1 rib of celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced fine
juice of half a grapefruit
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t cumin
1 t dijon mustard
1 t red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
salad greens
tortilla chips, slightly crushed
fresh salsa

1. In a medium sized bowl, add the black beans, celery, red pepper and onion and combine.

2. In a small measuring cup, add the grapefruit juice and red wine vinegar. Add an equal part of olive oil and stir. Mix in the cumin, dijon, garlic and red wine vinegar and mix well until combined. Pour dressing over black beans and let sit for a few minutes, tossing occassionally.

3. In your own individual salad bowl, add in some salad greens. Crush some tortilla chips over top and drop in a couple big spoonfuls of the black bean mixture. Top with some fresh salsa. Eat and repeat, if necessary.

dammit, pomegranate!

Way before everyone starting touting the pomegranate as the latest miracle wonder food, I was already an old pro at this tart and refreshing fruit. Back in grade six, my mom kept me in fine pomegranate style. I was smitten with the Go-Go's and smitten with the pom. I only ate tart fruit and my mom figured I needed variety away from the white grapefruits I would normally would eat during the winter, so she introduced pomegranates to my lunchtime routine and I was instantly hooked. I liked that I could eat them slowly, juicy kernal by juicy kernal and share them eagerly with my friends. Now that I'm all grown up, I still enjoy the pom in salads, with yogurt and granola or just plain, kernal by kernal.

Tonight, when figuring out dinner options, I knew that I had some fresh shrimp to use up along with some near-wilty romaine lettuce. Upon closer fridge inspection, I found some oranges, limes, celery, a green pepper, a quarter of a white onion and the miracle pomegranate. Well, it looked like I had the makings of a perfect salad and I wasn't wrong at all. I decided to spice up the shrimps with chipotle powder and brighten them up in some lime and orange juice, zest and all. The salad did require some time in the kitchen...no one said prepping a pomegranate was quick! But the time spent peeling and picking was well worth it. Cornelius pronounced this meal amazing and I was too busy licking my plate to pay attention. Yes, it was that good. Perfectly light, bright and colourful. It's like summer on a plate at the beginning of January!

chipotle shrimp with a citrus pomegranate salad
for the shrimp
1/2 lb shrimp, heads removed & deveined, rinsed
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/2 orange, juiced & zested
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t chipotle powder
1 T butter

for the salad
1 pomegranate, peeled & prepped
1 orange, chopped (cut off skins/pith with knife and dice)
1/2 orange, juiced & zested
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/4 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 head, romaine lettuce, rinsed & dried

for the dressing
1/4 c olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Rinse the shrimp and place in a medium sized bowl. Pour lime and orange juice over shrimp, along with the zest and chipotle powder. Toss and set aside. I just left these on the counter to marinate for about an hour. I live to write this now.

2. Prepare the pomegranate* and put the kernals into a medium sized bowl, along with the diced orange, onion, green pepper and celery. Toss with the juice of the orange and lime and their respective zest. Set aside for 30 minutes. Knit, call your mom or read a magazine.

3. After the 30 minutes have passed, make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients along with the juices from the bottom of the bowl in Step 2. I just used a spoon to scoop up the fruit-juicy goodness.

5. In a large cast iron pan, melt butter and add the shrimp in one by one into one layer. Don't pile them in. When you've added your last shrimp, the first shrimp you added should be ready to turn over. Use tongs and gently turn over the remaining shrimp. Remove from pan immediately as you don't want the shrimp to overcook.

6. Tear romaine into bite sized bits and place into a large salad bowl. Put the orange/pom/veg mixture from Step 2 on top of the lettuce and then pour the dressing over top. Toss and plate. Divide the shrimp and place on top of the salad. Let the ooohs & aaaahhhhs begin!

This makes 4 appetizer sized plates or 2 large meals.

* Don't know how to prepare a pomegranate? It's easy but time-consuming. Have one bowl ready for the delicious seeds and have another bowl handy for the compost. An apron to cover your clothing would also be a good idea, as pom juice stains. First cut off the top until you see seeds. Then, tear into that sucker and start de-seeding. It should break into a couple different parts. Choose only the brightest seeds. If they look cloudy or plummy, toss them into the compost heap.

dammit, pomegranate!

Way before everyone starting touting the pomegranate as the latest miracle wonder food, I was already an old pro at this tart and refreshing fruit. Back in grade six, my mom kept me in fine pomegranate style. I was smitten with the Go-Go's and smitten with the pom. I only ate tart fruit and my mom figured I needed variety away from the white grapefruits I would normally would eat during the winter, so she introduced pomegranates to my lunchtime routine and I was instantly hooked. I liked that I could eat them slowly, juicy kernal by juicy kernal and share them eagerly with my friends. Now that I'm all grown up, I still enjoy the pom in salads, with yogurt and granola or just plain, kernal by kernal.

Tonight, when figuring out dinner options, I knew that I had some fresh shrimp to use up along with some near-wilty romaine lettuce. Upon closer fridge inspection, I found some oranges, limes, celery, a green pepper, a quarter of a white onion and the miracle pomegranate. Well, it looked like I had the makings of a perfect salad and I wasn't wrong at all. I decided to spice up the shrimps with chipotle powder and brighten them up in some lime and orange juice, zest and all. The salad did require some time in the kitchen...no one said prepping a pomegranate was quick! But the time spent peeling and picking was well worth it. Cornelius pronounced this meal amazing and I was too busy licking my plate to pay attention. Yes, it was that good. Perfectly light, bright and colourful. It's like summer on a plate at the beginning of January!

chipotle shrimp with a citrus pomegranate salad
for the shrimp
1/2 lb shrimp, heads removed & deveined, rinsed
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/2 orange, juiced & zested
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t chipotle powder
1 T butter

for the salad
1 pomegranate, peeled & prepped
1 orange, chopped (cut off skins/pith with knife and dice)
1/2 orange, juiced & zested
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/4 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 head, romaine lettuce, rinsed & dried

for the dressing
1/4 c olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Rinse the shrimp and place in a medium sized bowl. Pour lime and orange juice over shrimp, along with the zest and chipotle powder. Toss and set aside. I just left these on the counter to marinate for about an hour. I live to write this now.

2. Prepare the pomegranate* and put the kernals into a medium sized bowl, along with the diced orange, onion, green pepper and celery. Toss with the juice of the orange and lime and their respective zest. Set aside for 30 minutes. Knit, call your mom or read a magazine.

3. After the 30 minutes have passed, make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients along with the juices from the bottom of the bowl in Step 2. I just used a spoon to scoop up the fruit-juicy goodness.

5. In a large cast iron pan, melt butter and add the shrimp in one by one into one layer. Don't pile them in. When you've added your last shrimp, the first shrimp you added should be ready to turn over. Use tongs and gently turn over the remaining shrimp. Remove from pan immediately as you don't want the shrimp to overcook.

6. Tear romaine into bite sized bits and place into a large salad bowl. Put the orange/pom/veg mixture from Step 2 on top of the lettuce and then pour the dressing over top. Toss and plate. Divide the shrimp and place on top of the salad. Let the ooohs & aaaahhhhs begin!

This makes 4 appetizer sized plates or 2 large meals.

* Don't know how to prepare a pomegranate? It's easy but time-consuming. Have one bowl ready for the delicious seeds and have another bowl handy for the compost. An apron to cover your clothing would also be a good idea, as pom juice stains. First cut off the top until you see seeds. Then, tear into that sucker and start de-seeding. It should break into a couple different parts. Choose only the brightest seeds. If they look cloudy or plummy, toss them into the compost heap.

jam it on the one

It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm back and ready get to work in the kitchen. My 7 week full time contract job is now finished, I've got my freelance work under control and now it's back to normal. Phew! I've been eating a lot of soups and pasta but it's always nice to have a fresh green salad to make everything better. Last night for dinner, I made the best dressing ever and I've been thinking about it ever since. My salad was the standard issue organic greens spring mix topped with toasted walnuts. The secret ingredient? Jam! I used my favorite Bonne Maman Sour Cherry Jam to add a bit of fruity sweetness to my standard vinegrette and I was amazed at how amazingly fantastic it was. Jam. Who knew it was for more than just toast?

Sour Cherry Vinegrette
1 t dijon mustard
1 T sour cherry jam
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c olive oil

Add ingredients into a small jar. Tighten lid. Shake vigourously. Add dressing to a green salad.

jam it on the one

It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm back and ready get to work in the kitchen. My 7 week full time contract job is now finished, I've got my freelance work under control and now it's back to normal. Phew! I've been eating a lot of soups and pasta but it's always nice to have a fresh green salad to make everything better. Last night for dinner, I made the best dressing ever and I've been thinking about it ever since. My salad was the standard issue organic greens spring mix topped with toasted walnuts. The secret ingredient? Jam! I used my favorite Bonne Maman Sour Cherry Jam to add a bit of fruity sweetness to my standard vinegrette and I was amazed at how amazingly fantastic it was. Jam. Who knew it was for more than just toast?

Sour Cherry Vinegrette
1 t dijon mustard
1 T sour cherry jam
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c olive oil

Add ingredients into a small jar. Tighten lid. Shake vigourously. Add dressing to a green salad.

thanksgiving is pretty much all about food.

I love three day weekends...especially the sunny kinds in October that are also known as Thanksgiving. It's definitely true that a three day weekend is much more meaningful when you actually work away from home. For that 3-day break, I'm so thankful! It was a wonderful weekend filled with bike rides, boardgames, and food. For once, I didn't host the Thanksgiving dinner at our little 400 sq. ft. apartment. Instead, we stuffed our panniers with sauteed brussels sprouts topped with pecans*, spicy cranberry chutney**, green salad with apple dressing***, and of course, pumpkin pie**** topped with maple whipped cream all the way to our friend's lovely home. All of this plus our host's amazing coca-cola ham, roasted roots with bocconcini, and lots and lots of delicious mulled wine. Definitely a meal to be thankful for.

* I love brussles sprouts and I see no reason to gussy them up with extras, but this recipe from Elise was simple and lovely. If you're not a fan of the humble sprout, try this recipe and become a true believer! As for my own interpretation of the recipe, I substituted lime juice for the lemon and added pecans instead of almonds. Delicious!

** Every wintery holiday, I make this chutney. It's a time-honoured favorite that I've tweaked and twiddled with until it reached perfection. This time around, I was all out of oranges so I couldn't add the juice. I could have subbed in some plain ol' water, but oh lucky me, I found a half bottle of reisling in the fridge! Saved the day and the chutney. Yum!

*** I love green salad and I love apples in salads. This was a winner. Of course I didn't have the walnut oil the recipe called for, so instead I added olive oil with a couple drops of sesame oil for added flavour. Again, I added some toasted pecans for crunch. And who eats Red Delicious apples? Not me! Granny Smith all the way. I'll definitely be making this salad again.

**** I've made this recipe for a few years now and it's never failed me. In fact, dare I say it, it's the best damn pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. Did I mention it's way too easy to make?

thanksgiving is pretty much all about food.

I love three day weekends...especially the sunny kinds in October that are also known as Thanksgiving. It's definitely true that a three day weekend is much more meaningful when you actually work away from home. For that 3-day break, I'm so thankful! It was a wonderful weekend filled with bike rides, boardgames, and food. For once, I didn't host the Thanksgiving dinner at our little 400 sq. ft. apartment. Instead, we stuffed our panniers with sauteed brussels sprouts topped with pecans*, spicy cranberry chutney**, green salad with apple dressing***, and of course, pumpkin pie**** topped with maple whipped cream all the way to our friend's lovely home. All of this plus our host's amazing coca-cola ham, roasted roots with bocconcini, and lots and lots of delicious mulled wine. Definitely a meal to be thankful for.

* I love brussles sprouts and I see no reason to gussy them up with extras, but this recipe from Elise was simple and lovely. If you're not a fan of the humble sprout, try this recipe and become a true believer! As for my own interpretation of the recipe, I substituted lime juice for the lemon and added pecans instead of almonds. Delicious!

** Every wintery holiday, I make this chutney. It's a time-honoured favorite that I've tweaked and twiddled with until it reached perfection. This time around, I was all out of oranges so I couldn't add the juice. I could have subbed in some plain ol' water, but oh lucky me, I found a half bottle of reisling in the fridge! Saved the day and the chutney. Yum!

*** I love green salad and I love apples in salads. This was a winner. Of course I didn't have the walnut oil the recipe called for, so instead I added olive oil with a couple drops of sesame oil for added flavour. Again, I added some toasted pecans for crunch. And who eats Red Delicious apples? Not me! Granny Smith all the way. I'll definitely be making this salad again.

**** I've made this recipe for a few years now and it's never failed me. In fact, dare I say it, it's the best damn pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. Did I mention it's way too easy to make?

thanksgiving is pretty much all about food.

I love three day weekends...especially the sunny kinds in October that are also known as Thanksgiving. It's definitely true that a three day weekend is much more meaningful when you actually work away from home. For that 3-day break, I'm so thankful! It was a wonderful weekend filled with bike rides, boardgames, and food. For once, I didn't host the Thanksgiving dinner at our little 400 sq. ft. apartment. Instead, we stuffed our panniers with sauteed brussels sprouts topped with pecans*, spicy cranberry chutney**, green salad with apple dressing***, and of course, pumpkin pie**** topped with maple whipped cream all the way to our friend's lovely home. All of this plus our host's amazing coca-cola ham, roasted roots with bocconcini, and lots and lots of delicious mulled wine. Definitely a meal to be thankful for.

* I love brussles sprouts and I see no reason to gussy them up with extras, but this recipe from Elise was simple and lovely. If you're not a fan of the humble sprout, try this recipe and become a true believer! As for my own interpretation of the recipe, I substituted lime juice for the lemon and added pecans instead of almonds. Delicious!

** Every wintery holiday, I make this chutney. It's a time-honoured favorite that I've tweaked and twiddled with until it reached perfection. This time around, I was all out of oranges so I couldn't add the juice. I could have subbed in some plain ol' water, but oh lucky me, I found a half bottle of reisling in the fridge! Saved the day and the chutney. Yum!

*** I love green salad and I love apples in salads. This was a winner. Of course I didn't have the walnut oil the recipe called for, so instead I added olive oil with a couple drops of sesame oil for added flavour. Again, I added some toasted pecans for crunch. And who eats Red Delicious apples? Not me! Granny Smith all the way. I'll definitely be making this salad again.

**** I've made this recipe for a few years now and it's never failed me. In fact, dare I say it, it's the best damn pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. Did I mention it's way too easy to make?

i confess, i'm a picky eater

I know, I should be ashamed of myself! But truth be told, I'm just not fond of some foods and I may even get a bit squeamish when push comes to shove. Sure, I've overcome many a food-dislike (believe it or not, I hated strawberries but now, I can't get enough of them!) When I was a kid, I would never dream of eating a tomato....and now I can almost say that I like that darn fruit (well, with very specific rigid guidelines in the care and preparation of said fruit). I wish I could give every fruit or vegetable or dish it's fair shake, but old habits die hard. Take the simple greek salad as an example. When I go to a Greek restaurant and it comes with my dish, I'll gladly eat the onions, olives, feta and green peppers, but I'll only peck at a cucumber or a tomato. I've already been won over with having tomatoes and cucumbers in sandwiches, but I'm still not keen on them appearing in my salads. But, ooooh, I love me a greek salad and sometimes modifications are necessary for the picky eater. Carrots replace tomatoes for colour and every colour pepper (not just green) go into my salad for sweetness and crunch. And while it may not be traditional, my mock "greek" salad has converted many a guest over the years. This salad is one of my favourites and nothing ever gets left on the plate but the olive pits. And that is a very, very good sign.

mock greek salad

1 red pepper, large dice
1 yellow pepper, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
1 small red onion, large dice
2 carrots, cut into coins
1/2 c black kalmata olives
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 T dijon mustard
1/4 t white sugar
1/4 t dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste

1. Place the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the olives and the feta and toss well.

2. Prepare the dressing. Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt & pepper. Shake vigorously in a tightly lidded jar until fully blended. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Pour over salad and toss again.

This salad is best if left marinating for a couple of hours and served chilled, but it's also delicious served right away.

summer in a bowl

It is HOTT outside! It rarely gets all humid and sticky like it does out east, but right now Vancouver is going through a little heatwave and I'm not used to all this humidity. Cooking just isn't an option. Yesterday we were invited to a bbq and I decided to whip up a salad. Unfortunately, I wasn't very inspired to make anything new (I blame the heat), but somehow after checking out what the local market had out for sale, I knew I couldn't let all that natual goodness go to waste. Armed with green beans, fresh corn on the cob, cucumbers, parsley and other yummy vegetables, I whipped up a salad that is the epitomy of summer in a bowl. Colourful, crisp, fresh and healthy, this salad was a delicious barbeque accompaniment and I'll definitely be making this again.

The key to this salad is to keep everything bike sized. Not only does it make the salad look extra pretty, but it makes for a tastier mouthful!

colourful chopped vegetable salad
1 lb green beans, chopped
1 bunch of radishes, sliced into discs
1 green onions, sliced
2 tomatos, seeded and chopped
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
2 ears of corn
1 orange pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 t cider vinegar
1 t honey
2 T olive oil
salt & pepper

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans. Blanch until bright green and tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and add to ice water to cool. Place green beans into bowl. With a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the corn cob and blanch for 2 minutes in salted water. Drain and cool. Add corn to bowl. Add remaining vegetables and parsley and mix.

2. Make dressing. Combine lemon juice, honey, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mix until thickened.

3. Toss dressing into salad and serve immediately.

southern hospitality

Last night I felt inspired enough to make an entire meal with drinks, a main course, a couple of sides and a dessert. It even had a Southern theme! Unfortunately, my camera died before I could take a photo of everything plated, but rest assured, it was a sight to behold. Truely.

The first undertaking was drinks and since it was a southern meal, I decided to make some lemon iced tea. I don't like to add a lot of sugar, so please adjust to your own taste buds.

lemon ice tea

• I set my kettle to boil
• put 2 orange pekoe tea bags in my pitcher
• added the juice of 2 lemons and the hollowed out lemon carcasses (for extra lemony flavour, dontcha know)
• dumped in a 1/4 c of white sugar and poured the boiling water over the whole lot. I topped up the pitcher with cold water and stirred everything around. When the tea bags had finished their steep, I removed them from the pitcher and just let the mixture cool on the counter before refrigerating

...

With my drinks taken care of, I was onto part two of this southern feast:

pulled pork sandwiches
I didn't really know what I was doing since I came up with this one on the fly, but it turned out nicely. Cornelius commented that this tasted like real barbeque, so I think I did good.

I took a pork loin and marinated it with a lot of crushed garlic, some chipotle powder, cumin, mexican chili powder, dried thyme and a bit of salt. After a couple hours of fridge-sitting, I popped the entire thing into a small covered roasting pan and into the oven for about an hour at 450 degrees. I then mixed together some ketchup, yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, worchestershire sauce, cider vinegar and some xxx hot sauce and poured it over the pork. I dropped the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cooked it for half an hour before taking it out of the oven and shredding it all together into one big shredded porky mess of tasty goodness. Back in the oven for another half hour before we served this on whole wheat hot dogs buns (seriously, it was all we had & the meal didn't suffer from it one bit).
...

I figured a potato salad was in order and I wanted something nice and light tasting. I had bought a whole wack of lemons (14 for $2) earlier in the day, so I figured I'd make up a lemon vinegrette and see what would come of that. The results? So fresh and tasty that the world "incredible" came up more than once.

incredible lemony potato salad
6 small yukon gold potatoes in their skins
2 stalks of celery with leaves, diced and leaves roughly chopped
1 large lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 c olive oil
1 t honey (or white sugar, if vegan)
1 t dijon mustard
1 small bunch of basil, torn
1 T capers
pepper and rock salt

1. Boil potatoes whole in their skins until done. Cool slightly and cut into large cubes. Place in bowl. Add chopped celery.

2. Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, honey and dijon into a dressing and pour over potatoes.

3. Tear basil leaves over top of salad. Add capers, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and rock salt. Mix. Cool in fridge until ready to serve.
...

I've posted this recipe before, but it's so good that I have to post it again. An Everybody Likes Sandwiches first. It's that good. Actually, this time I used less lemons (last time I used 2), but even with just 1 fat lemon it was all good. It's the perfect snack or side dish for hot weather because these beans are eaten icy cold so it's the perfect foil for the heat of summertime.

Lemony-Garlicy Green Beans
1 lb of fresh green beans, trimmed
2 cloves of garlic, minced (1 clove if you aren't among friends)
1 fat lemon, juiced
2-3 T of olive oil
rock salt

1. Steam the green beans until bright green and crisp. You don't want to over cook these. Crisp = delicous! Drain and rinse in cold-cold water. At this point, I put the beans in the freezer just to get extra cold while I mixed the dressing.

2. For the dressing, mix the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil together. Transfer beans into a nice serving dish and pour dressing over top. Return to the fridge for extra coldness. Sprinkle generously with rock salt and serve. It's better than chips. Seriously.
...

Okay, I lied about making dessert. I was fully planning on making a rhubarb and strawberry cobbler but after such a feast, Cornelius and I decided that adding dessert would be way too much. So we played board games and sipped homemade ice tea instead. I think we made the smart choice. The rhubarb can wait another day.

simply delicious

I'm running around tying up loose ends before we leave for our trip tommorrow morning. So many little things that I don't want to forget about that I've got lists upon lists of things to remember. That's why today I needed something quick to prepare for lunch and bonus points if it used up all the half-cut vegetables in the fridge. This canelli bean and tuna salad turned out to be amazingly simple to prepare and I had everything I needed in the apartment to make it happen. A perfect, quick summer lunch and delicious to boot.

canelli bean and tuna salad
1 can of canelli beans, drained & rinsed
1 can of tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 t capers
1 small lemon, juiced
1 t dried oregano
salt & pepper

1. In a small bowl, add the rinsed beans and the can of tuna with all its juices. Mix in the chopped vegetables, capers, oregano, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Mix.

Delicious served with crackers and baby carrots. Yum!

holiday beach picnics

This weekend was all about relaxation, fun times, good food and great friends. Holiday weekends, you are perfect! Cornelius and I missed out on the largest Critical Mass bike ride because we had free tickets to see the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team play. Despite not knowing anything about soccer, it was good times all 'round and the bbq hot dogs and icy cold beers didn't hurt either. Canada Day was pretty much spent at a friend's house party where we played Pit ("Corner on wheat!") on the lawn and ate vegan curry. Sunday we gathered with a group of friends and had a bbq picnic out on the beach where we grilled up veggie dogs & meaty sausages, drank margaritas & strawberry-pinapple daiquiris. Hello, summer!

Besides making the stealth daiquiris, I also made a delicious pasta salad and promised to post the recipe on this ol' blog. It was that good. The roasted tomatoes are the key to success for this salad. They add such a sweetness and a lovely smokey flavour that can't be beat. If I could eat roasted tomatoes all day, I most certainly would. The day before I had made a similar salad, but added grated parmesan cheese to the dressing and chunks of boccocini to the salad. But this was a salad for mixed company (ie. vegans!) and I left out all dairy. The picture above also includes some blanched cauliflower which I didn't add to the picnic salad because I had run out...but if you've got some, add it. It was tasty too!

roasted tomato pasta salad
8 grape tomatoes, halved
sea salt
pepper
crushed garlic
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

1. In a small tin or a piece of tin foil folded to give it sides, place the haved tomatoes cut side down. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

2. Place under broiler for 15 minutes or until the skins blister & char. Using tongs, flip tomatoes and broil for another 15 minutes or so. Remove from oven.

For the salad:
Radiatore pasta or other short chunky pasta
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, chopped fine
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green or orange pepper, chopped
2 T capers
1/2 c spicy green olives, chopped
roasted tomatoes with their juices
a bunch of fresh basil leaves, torn

For the dressing:
1 t balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
juice of 1 lemon + zest
1 T dijon mustard

1. Cook pasta according to directions. When ready, rinse under cold water and dump into a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, peppers, capers and olives and mix well.

2. Prepare dressing mix until emulsified. Toss with salad. Add roasted tomatoes with their juices and the fresh basil. Chill for at least 1 hr or if you can't wait, just dig in!

i love leisure

Yesterday I had a busy day. Cornelius and I decided to ride our bikes to Pitt Meadows so that we could ride along the Fraser River trails. We saw a couple of bald eagles up close, 2 donkeys and a few cows grazing. It was a lovely day and we managed to ride more than 80km. You think after all that, we'd be ready to relax and put our feet up. Not so. Last night was the first night of our Tennis Leisure Club, and we rocked the balls & racquets super-fun-style! We played by our own rules, cuz that's how we roll! Major fun was had and I think all Leisure Club members are pleased to note that this will be a recurring Monday night event.

Today I had to play catch up with work and didn't want anything fussy to mess with when it came to my lunch. I also wanted a little comfort, after all, my muscles were a bit stiff after all that activity the day before, so I called my mom and requested her mixed bean salad recipe. When I was a kid, I was a very fussy eater (actually, some people would still say I am!) and I hated all kinds of beans. But somehow, this salad was one of my favorites. It was tangy with vinegar and had a touch of sweetness and lots of crunch. I modified the recipe because I like the taste of cider vinegar better than white vinegar, and I didn't have a can of yellow or lima beans, so I added some extra veggies and cut back on the amount of dressing a bit. I couldn't wait to eat this salad the next day, so I ate a bowl of it about an hour and it was delicious. I also know that this salad will taste even better tommorrow! This recipe makes a huge serving bowl full, so it's perfect for picnics and bbqs.

mixed bean salad
1 can of green beans
1 can of yellow wax beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of lima beans
1 can of chick peas
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
1 c celery, diced
1/3 c cider vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c white sugar or honey
1 t paprika
salt & pepper

1. Drain and rinse all beans and combine in a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables.

2. Combine ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Pour over salad and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

i like it hot in here

The weather has been HOTT and I'm not complaining. I like an early summer which means only good things like popsicles, bbqs and hanging out at the beach. Last night I had a friend over and I didn't want to turn on the oven or do anything that would increase the already HOTT temperature in my kitchen, so I made a meal out of 2 dips and a very hearty salad. As my friend Kristen can attest, the meal was flavourful and delicious and can definitely stand up to repeat makings in the HOTT summer weather.

simple hummous
Dip number one was my simple hummous recipe, which is simply a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas dumped into a blender along side 3 plump cloves of garlic, 3 heaping T of tahini, 2 T cumin, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a few large drops of hot sauce, juice of 1 lemon, salt & pepper, 1-2 T water and 1-2 T olive oil. Blend. If it's too thick, add a bit more water. Done!

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Dip number two, was the very delicious white bean dip posted by poco-cocoa. I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I used less oil and more garlic. Beyond tasty!!

white bean dip
2 T plus 2 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt, plus more to taste
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 T fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
4 garlic cloves

In a blender, combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add in the olive oil until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

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The salad I conjoured up was a bit unusual since I never use pearl barley except in soups. Here, it's the main grain and works nicely. Colourful, a bit different and so good.

white, red & green barley salad
6 c water
1 2/3 c. pearl barley
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, choppped fine
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1/2 c raisins

Dressing:
1 lemon, juiced plus grated rind
3 T olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 T cumin
1 t dried dill

1. Boil water in a large pot and add barley. Turn down heat and cover until barley is tender about 45 minutes. Drain and rinse barley until water runs clear. Barley should still be warm to help absorb the dressing.

2. Add barley to large bowl and add red pepper, red onion, apple, raisins.

3. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients together until thickened. Add to salad and mix well.

Serve at room temperature or chill until ready to eat.

my lazy sunday

The weekends are typically times to relax, get stuff done and enjoy life a little more. This weekend was no exception. Every year around this time, there is a huge 30 block garage sale that I go to every year and this time I managed to find some pretty sweet scores. I bought a pretty 1950's teal n' green floral tablecloth for $3, a great pack for 3 day hikes in the woods for $5 and a complete speedball screenprinting kit for $3! But somehow in the kafuffle of thrifting and biking around for groceries, I managed to break the screen on my camera, so this will be a no-picture post.

On Saturday night, I met up with the EMB (Electric Moon Banana) crew at a nearby park at 11pm sharp for a full moon bike ride around the city and although I cut home early in the ride, I still didn't make it to bed until 3am. Sunday was rough and tiring, so I needed something bright and simple to make the day move along a little faster. A brown rice curry salad and some grilled chicken fit the bill. This would make a great picnic meal.

This is a great way to prepare chicken and you can use the meat to add to salads, natchos, burritos, etc. and this chicken is even tasty cold.

lemon & garlic grilled chicken
4 chicken bone-in parts (I used thighs)
1 lemon, juiced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T ground cumin
2 T chili powder
salt & pepper

1. Wash chicken peices in cold water and remove skin and visible fat. Place chicken in ziplock bag with lemon juice and spices. Refrigerate for 2 - 4 hours.

2. Spray cast iron grill pan with a light coating of oil and heat on high. Add chicken, presenation side down. Turn when chicken is slightly blackened, about 15 minutes or so. Repeat on the other side for another 15 minutes.

3. Cover the pan with foil and place in a 400 degree oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

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This salad tastes great the day it's made....but it's almost better the next day as the flavours get real tight! If you've got some chopped almonds, I think they'd be a lovely addition to this flavourful salad.

brown rice curry salad
2 c brown rice, uncooked
4 T curry paste (I use Patak's "korma" paste)
1 T ground cumin
1 t sesame oil
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/3 c major grey or mango chutney
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 c raisins
1 granny smith apple, diced
1 bunch of parsley, chopped fine

1. Cook rice according to package directions. When all the water is absorbed, pour rice into a large bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil with the curry paste until well mixed and add the onion. Cook until translucent. Add the cumin and sesame oil and mix well. Turn off heat and add the chutney, stirring until everything is combined. Add mixture to rice, mixing well. If you want more curry taste, cook up some more oil and curry and add it to the mix.

3. Add in all the finely chopped vegetables and the raisins and blend everything well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.

4. Stir in chopped apple and parsley and stir the salad once again to combine. Serve.

a salad fit for a domestic goddess

Summer's can be hot in the Northwest (no, really) and Friday night was no exception. I had a fridge full of fresh vegetables and figured making a salad would be the best option for dinner. I decided making Nigella's Vietnamese Chicken and Mint Salad since I had all the ingredients needed and more.

I had 3 free range chicken thighs in the fridge that needed tending to, so I put the chicken in water along with a few dried chili peppers, kafir lime leaves and a few dashes of fish sauce and set the whole lot to simmer. Once the chicken was cooked, i left them to cool in the fridge and I put the cooking liquid away in the freezer for another day.

I started by chopping up ½ a small green cabbage and ½ of a small purple cabbage into fine shreds and threw it into a large bowl. Next, I grated 2 large carrots and threw that on top of the cabbage. The green onions, ½ of a red and ½ of a green pepper were next and I chopped those up too. I rolled up a large handful of mint leaves into a cigar shape and cut that into a lovely chiffonade (!!) and tore off some Italian parsley off of their stems and threw them in too. The final step was shredding up my chicken thighs and then with my clean hands, I mixed everything all up and started on the dressing.

I followed the dressing pretty faithfully to Nigella's recipe, but I subsitituted the rice vinegar for some red wine vinegar since it was all that I had.

1 fat garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp rice vinegar
1 ½ tbsp lime juice
1 ½ tbsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

Once it was shaken up, I added it to the salad and me and Cornelius dug in. The next day I ate the some leftovers with some crushed peanuts on top for added crunch. Tasty!

couscous & yam salad

last night i made a yam/couscous salad recipe that i found here and modified to suit my tastes. it was so awesome that i'm sharing it here. My notes are at the bottom.

2 medium-sized sweet potatos (or yams), cut into smallish chunks
2 carrots, chopped into chunks
1 green pepper, chopped into small sized pieces
1/2 of red onion, finely diced
1 cup couscous
1 lemon
olive oil
ground cumin
maple syrup
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. put the sweet potatoes & carrots on a cookie sheet and smoosh them around with some oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top and bake until soft on the outside, crisp on the outside -- around 30 minutes or so. Meanwhile, chop the green pepper into small pieces and dice the onion finely. Prepare the couscous to the one cup of couscous according to the instructions on the pack. I used veggie broth instead of water.

When the vegetables are out of the oven, make the dressing. Squeeze lemon into a small bottle, add some olive oil, a teaspoon of cumin powder, and a bit of maple syrup and shake the mixture until well combined. The amounts in the dressing depend very much on personal taste - this is quite lemony, and you may want to increase the cumin, maple syrup and the oil. After tasting, you may want to add some salt & pepper. I did.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, roasted veggies and green pepper. Pour the dressing, and stir in with a fork. Eat up.

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Next time I might add some raisins and walnuts into the bowl just because i like salads with raisins and nuts and I definitely think the texture and sweetness would go well with this salad. If i was feeling flush, i might also add some crumbled feta over top, but that would be just like showing off.

poor girl

Returning from a month long holiday and paying for a wedding can really drain a girl's finances (as well as the finances of her newly betrothed). There isn't really much in our pockets for frivolous items and sadly, exciting (and usually expensive) treats from the market are also forbidden. I've been trying to be thrifty like my mother and make use of the food that already exists in our cupboards and refridgerator shelves. So far, i've been pretty successful.

The other day, one of my frugal successes came in the form of a variaton on a waldorf salad. I will try to recount the proportions accurately, but as I just winged it, it might be best to taste it as you go along. I really liked the addition of cinnamon as it gave more depth to the flavour.

My Waldorf Salad
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1 small head of green cabbage, chopped coleslaw style
1 small onion, diced fine
2 carrots, grated
1 small green pepper, diced
a handful of raisins
a handful of chopped walnuts

For the dressing, combine 1/4 cup of mayonaise with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. Add a heaping tablespoon of sugar, juice of 1 lemon and a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and blend until combined. Taste! If it doesn't taste like you think it should, add more sweetener or more lemon juice (or vinegar) til you get it right. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until throughly combined.