shaved fennel salad

shaved fennel salad

*photo from 101cookbooks
* recipe adapted from 101cokbooks

If you're using a knife to prep here, do your best to slice things very, very thinly - not quite see through thin, but close

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into paper thin coins
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and shaved paper-thin
2/3 cup loosely chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
2 tbsp tahini
fine grain sea salt
4 or 5 generous handfuls arugula
Honey, if needed
1/2 cup / 2 oz/ 60g almonds toasted
1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60g / feta cheese, crumbled

Combine the zucchini, fennel and dill in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.

When you are ready to serve the salad, put the arugula in a large bowl. Scoop all of the zucchini and fennel onto the arugula, and pour most of the lemon juice dressing on top of that. Toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust with more of the dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini,or salt if needed. If the lemons were particularly tart, you may need to counter the pucker-factor by adding a tiny drizzle of honey into the salad at this point. Let your taste buds guide you. Serve topped with almonds and feta.

Serves 4 to 6.

Grilled Steak Salad

Grilled Steak Salad

* photo from mission delectable

* recipe adapted from mission delectable and Jamie Oliver

Serves 2 as an entrée-sized salad

For the steak:
1 large or 2 medium size steaks (sirloin or rib eye steaks)
Sea salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Garlic clove
1 sprig of rosemary (optional)


Get a frying pan, griddle pan or barbecue screaming hot and season both sides of your steaks with salt, pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the steaks to the pan or barbecue. Turn every minute and cook to you're liking. 
Approximate cooking time: a 200g steak about 2cm thick wants about 2 minutes each side for medium rare and 3 minutes each side for medium. As it cooks, whip the meat with the sprig of rosemary and rub it with the cut side of the garlic clove for some extra flavour.
When the steaks are perfectly cooked to your liking, move them to a plate to rest for a few minutes.
When ready to prepare salad - slice steaks thinly.


For the salad:
1/2 red onion
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1 pt. cherry, grape, or sugar plum tomatoes
arugula
olive oil
salt & pepper


For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (to taste)
1 tablespoon good olive oil


Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, clean and halve the tomatoes. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for approximately 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and looking a little bit wrinkled. Once the tomatoes are roasted, remove from oven and let cool slightly.


Thinly slice the red onion. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat a couple splashes of olive oil. Add the onion, along with a little salt and pepper. Cook (stirring occasionally) for about 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and just beginning to turn golden. Reduce the heat to low, and cook (stirring occasionally) until the onions are a deep golden color and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to the pan, and stir to combine with the onions. Cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the onions absorb the liquid and the vinegar thickens slightly. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.


Make the vinaigrette.* Put the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a large jar, and give it a good shake to emulsify the vinaigrette.


Assemble the salad. Place a few big handfuls of arugula—along with the caramelized onions, blue cheese, pecans, roasted tomatoes, and a drizzle of the vinaigrette—in a big bowl (reserve some pecans and a little blue cheese as a garnish for each salad). Using tongs, toss well. Divide among two bowls (or plates), and top with the thinly sliced steak, some freshly ground pepper, along with a sprinkling of pecans and blue cheese.

Pan Roasted Cauliflower

Pan Roasted Cauliflower

* recipe and photo found at Fresh365

1/4 c pine nuts (optional)
1 large head cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
2 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 t ground mustard
1/2 t salt
pepper, to taste
2 T chopped chives

In a large sauté pan, add pine nuts over medium heat, and cook, stirring often, 5-7 minutes, until toasted. Transfer pine nuts to a serving bowl. Place pan back on heat and add cauliflower, olive oil, lemon juice, ground mustard and salt. Cook, 10-12 minutes, shaking or stirring every few minutes, until cauliflower is golden brown. Transfer cauliflower to the serving bowl with pine nuts. Season to taste with pepper, and top with chives.

Marinated Kale

Marinated Kale

*picture found here
1 bunch of Kale - chopped
3 cloves garlic - diced (garlic optional)
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt

Combine Kale and garlic in a medium sized bowl. Pour lemon juice over Kale and garlic. Sprinkle salt over Kale and massage Kale for 1 minute or until well coated with lemon juice.

You can eat Kale immediately or let it sit over night (up to five days in the fridge).

Marinated Kale can be a great addition to salad greens, shredded cabbage etc.

Notes on Kale
Kale provides one of the highest nutrition per calorie ratio. Kale is a part of the brassica family. Other members include cabbage, collard greens and brussle sprouts. High in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K, kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli! It is also a great source of fiber. But what makes kale really stand out are the phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which kale is abundant in. Research suggests that these important nutrients protect us against cancer.

Research has found that kale’s sulpher containing phytonutrients activate detoxifing enzymes in the liver that help neutralize potentially carcinogenic substances. When we eat kale, our genes increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, and our bodies eliminate harmful compounds. Kale is one of the powerhouses in it’s ability to help our bodies be healthy.

kale and apple salad

Kale and Apple Salad

* recipe and photos from design sponge

Salad Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale, washed (about 7 cups loosely packed)
1 Golden Delicious apple, cut into matchstick slices
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced with carrot peeler

Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon molasses (not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon coarse ground mustard
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable stock

Pecan Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
pinch of allspice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves

Instructions

1. Using a sharp knife, cut away think center stems of kale leaves and discard stems. Stack several leaves, tightly roll them into a cigar shape and slice them into thin ribbons. Repeat until all leaves are thinly sliced.

2. In a small bowl, combine molasses, vinegar, mustard, shallots, oil and stock, and season with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with kale, apple and cheese, and let sit at room temperature for one hour.

3. Heat butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in cinnamon, allspice, pepper, sugar and pecans. Toast pecans for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until the sugar has melted and the pecans are lightly toasted. Spread on wax paper to cool. Toss pecans with salad and serve.

Corn and Cilantro Chowder

Corn and Cillantro Chowder (no cream)
* recipe adapted from summer harvest chowder recipe in Rebar Modern Food Cookbook
* photo from unknown source

Ingredients:

• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 small red potatoes, diced
• 3 jalapeno peppers, diced (optional)
• 2 red peppers, diced
• 4 cups corn fresh or frozen (about 3 cans of corn)
• 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• fresh lime juice to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped basil or 3 tbsp of pesto

* optional - top with bacon bits

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil or butter in a soup pot and saute onion with 1 tsp salt, until soft and golden. Add garlic,cracked pepper, oregano and half of the basil; saute 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes, jalapenos, red pepper, corn and remaining salt. Saute briefly, then add stock to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
2. Add tomatoes, remaining basil and cilantro. Heat through, season to taste and serve.

lentil soup

Lentil Soup
*photo from 101cookbooks
 recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

4 cups of vegetable or mushroom broth
2 cups of water
2 cups green french lentils
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water 
3 cups of a big leafy green (chard, kale, etc), rinsed well, deveined, finely chopped

Bring 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and salt and saute until tender, a couple minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and water and continue cooking for a few more minutes, letting the soup come back up to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, and wait another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if need be. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Variations:

- You can serve it with a poached egg on top,
- or crunchy, fried shallots,
- with a drizzle of chive infused cream,
- or with chunks of tiny pan-fried butternut squash cubes.

- Make a thicker version by using just a bit of water, and then spoon it over an omelette in the morning.

- Have some cooked farro or wheat berries around? Toss some faro, wheat berries or millet might be good too.

- You can finish the soup by adding your favorite spices or spice blends. Smoked paprika, crushed chiles, toasted cumin, would all work nicely.

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

* Picture from 101 cookbooks

* Recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

1 cup yellow split peas


1 cup red split lentils

7 cups / 1.6 liters water


1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice


2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger


2 tablespoons curry powder


2 tablespoons butter 


8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced


1/3 cup golden raisins chopped

156 ml  tomato paste
 (or one mini can)

1 14-ounce can coconut milk


2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

2 tbsp honey

1 ½ cup cooked quinoa

1 can of diced tomatoes (398 ml)

one small handful cilantro, chopped

cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.

In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.

Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk, salt, honey, cooked quinoa, and diced tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency.

You may enjoy big ladles of this soup over ~1/2 cup of warm farro or brown rice would be good as well. Sprinkle each bowl with cilantro and green onion.

Kabocha Squash French Lentil Soup

Kabocha Squash French Lentil Soup
*Photo from 101 Cookbooks
*Recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

1 kabocha or buttercup squash 1 1/2 lb

1/2 cup water


1 tablespoon olive oil


2 tsp sea salt
(divided)

1 cup green lentils, rinsed


5 coins ginger, 1/8-inch thick


1 whole star anise


8 cups water


2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste


1/4 cup / 60 ml olive oil


1 yellow onion, medium dice


1 leek, sliced into

1/4 moons


1 fennel bulb, medium dice

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp sugar

Sour cream (optional - topping)

Croutons *see below

Preheat oven to 425F, with the rack in the top third of the oven.

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Oil and salt the squash and roast cut side down (in a rimmed baking pan) with the 1/2 cup of water poured into the pan. Roast until tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. When cool enough, scoop out cooked squash and set aside.

In the meantime, in a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, ginger, star anise and water. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt.

In a large stockpot combine the olive oil, onion, leeks, fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1 tsp salt. Cook covered over low heat until vegetables soften, about 7 - 10 minutes.

Remove the star anise and ginger coins from the lentil sauce pan, then add the lentils, lentil broth and squash to the vegetables in the stock pot. Add 2 tbsp sugar. Stir well and cook for another 15 minutes or so, allowing the flavors to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning here with more salt / cinnamon/ sugar if needed.

Serve as is, or topped with sour cream and lots of garlicky homemade croutons.*

*For the croutons I simply rip up the remainder of a day-old loaf of bread into tiny shreds, douse it in olive oil, garlic, and a bit of salt, and toast it in the oven until golden and crunchy - set the oven to 375.

Grilled Pizza - The Dough

Grilled Pizza - The Dough
Recipe and picture found on Sunday Suppers

1- envelope dry yeast
1- cup water – room temperature or warm
1 teaspoon honey
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup fine ground flax meal- corn mean can also be used- I even sometimes substitute semolina flour
3 1/2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons good quality virgin olive oil
3 cups all purpose flour

1- in a large bowl add the water, yeast and honey
2- after all is dissolved slowly stir in the flax meal, whole wheat flour, salt and olive oil
3- slowly stir in the flour until a firm dough has formed
4- remove all contents from bowl and continue to knead on a floured surface until a smooth dough has formed adding additional flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
5- after you have achieved a smooth sough clean of any lumps transfer to a large bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil. add oil to the top make sure a skin does not form while rising. cover the bowl and let rise for about 2 hours. remove dough and knead again.
6- let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes.

* One batch of dough makes approximately 10 Oz  (2-3 pizza's)

Grilled Pizza- the technique

Grilled Pizza Technique
Recipe and Picture found on Sunday Suppers
 Hold your hand 3-5 inches above the hot part of the fire for a count of 3 before the heat forces you to remove it. Then you know the fire is hot enough to start grilling pizza. A cold grill is not going to work. Then place a 5 oz ball of dough on a well oiled metal sheet pan and stretch it out  with your fingers, using a roller is ok but make sure it doesn’t stick.  Oval shaped almost football like are the easiest shape to achieve. The thickness should be about 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch and even all around. Don’t make a loop around for extra crust as you would a traditional pizza, make the thickness consistent throughout.


When the pizza is about 8-10 inches long you can transfer the dough lifting it on each side with your thumb and pointer fingers and spread it across the hottest part of your grill. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the top almost like a pancake,


Using tongs and a spatula flip your pizza over on to the cool part of the grill. Quickly brush the top with olive oil and add toppings as fast as possible. The idea is to get each ingredient on to every part of the pie evenly. Then using the tongs slide the the pizza over to the hot side of the grill. When the cheese is melted and starts to bubble its ready. Slide it off to a wooden cutting board, garnish cut and serve right away. The ideal crust is chewy in the center and crunchy at the same time. Practice makes perfect.

Grilled Pizza - Margarita

Grilled Pizza - Margarita

Recipes and Picture Found on - Sunday Suppers

5 ounces pizza dough- see above recipe
5 ounces Mozarella di Buffalo
Fresh grated Parmigiano- Reggiano
1/3 cup Pizza Sauce- see recipe above
I branch Fresh Basil

* See above post for grilling instructions and dough instructions

Pizza Sauce

2 large cans whole San Marzano tomatoes- about 12

1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

1- in a medium sauce pan saute the garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

2- stir in the tomatoes and lower the flame to med. if you have time to chop the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds if makes for a much sweeter sauce.
3- stir slowly for about 5 minutes then place heat on low and cook covered for about 20 minutes.

4- add salt to taste and set aside off heat for cooling.

Preparation

When you flip your pizza over on the cool side quickly brush with olive oil. Then drizzle over the Parm cheese evenly. Rip the mozzarella into small pieces and squeeze out the excess water, almost like ringing out a sponge. Be careful not to squeeze to hard. After the cheese is evenly spread across the pizza apply the sauce in small dollops around the outside of the pizza. Then add more Parm and a a few splashes if extra virgin oil. Slide off grill and add basil. Eat right away and enjoy!

fall vegetable pesto soup

fall vegetable soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion 

2 leeks

5 garlic cloves

2 beets (roasted and sliced)

2 tomatoes (chopped)

1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes

1 apple (grated)

2 carrots (grated)

1 can of black beans

2 cups of cooked or canned lentils

3/4 cup of pesto or chopped basil leaves

4 cups of vegetable broth

2 cups of water

Salt and Pepper to taste

1) Slice beets in half and roast in a 350 F oven until tender (30-40 min). Cool, remove peel and dice.

2) Dice onion, garlic and leaks.  Saute in soup pot with 1 tbsp of oil.

3) On medium heat - Add diced beets, tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.

4) Add grated apple, grated carrots, black beans, lentils, pesto, vegetable broth ( I used organic mushroom broth).

5) Add salt and pepper to taste.

6) Add approximately 2 cups of water - assess consistency, add less if you would like a thicker soup.

7) Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Thai chicken soup

Thai chicken soup
4.5 cups of coconut milk (3 cans)
6 cups of chicken stock
2 pieces of frozen galangal root (optional)
1 tbsp of grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
rind from 1 lime
3 tbsp thai red curry paste
1 lemongrass stalk (cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 cups of of shredded cooked chicken
3 cups of mushrooms
1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
4 carrots, julienned or grated
2 red peppers, sliced thinly
2 cups of fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups of cooked rice

In a large soup pot, bring coconut milk and stock to a boil.  Add galangal root, ginger, lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, lime rind, thai red curry paste, and lemongrass.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add chicken mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, red pepper, cilantro and rice.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Taste and add more lemon juice, sugar, fish sauce, curry paste as needed.  Garnish with cilantro.

prosciutto wrapped figs

recipe and photo found at Guilty Kitchen
Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
4 Fresh Figs

100 g goat’s cheese

8 slices of prosciutto, sliced very thin

1 tbsp oil

1. Split the figs into quarters.

2. Depress the centres of the figs slightly to accommodate the cheese.
3. Pinch off teaspoon size pieces of the chèvre and roll in the palm of your hand into small balls.
4. Place cheese balls into depression in fig slices.

5. Slice prosciutto into two pieces each, either vertically or horizontally, whichever will be large enough to wrap around the figs. I did vertically.

6. Place fig and cheese combo on one end of a slice if prosciutto and roll up into little cigar shapes.

7. Coat in oil and set aside. Continue with remaining ingredients.

8. Heat BBQ grill to medium high and place oiled wrapped figs directly on grill.

9. Grill on each side for about 1 minute. Just long enough to achieve grill marks and warm the centres within.

10. Remove from grill and devour as an appetizer or as a side dish to a summer salad.

Green beans with Thai style sesame sauce

Green beans with Thai style sesame sauce
1/2 pound green beans
2 tblsp cashew butter
1 tblsp sesame oil
1 tblsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1. Steam the green beans over boiling water until just tender.

2. In a medium bowl, blend together the cashew butter, sesame oil, vinegar, honey, tamari, and ginger. Add the beans and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto with cashews

Pesto
4 cups of Fresh Basil (packed)
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp of rock salt
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup olive oil
fresh parmesan cheese


Use a mortar and pestel to crush the garlic cloves and rock salt.  Blend basil, garlic / salt mixture, cashews and olive oil in a food processor.  Add parmesan cheese to pesto before serving.


* if you have an abundance of basil... make several batches at once and freeze in ziplock bags or in ice cube trays.

Glory Bowl with excellent dressing

* adapted from Whitewatercooks cook book
 Ingredients: (SERVES 4)
    The Bowl
    4 cups brown rice
    1 cup beets, grated
    1 cup carrots, grated
    1 cup almonds, toasted
    2 cups spinach leaves
    1 package firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes
     Dressing
     1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes *
     2 tbsp water
     3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
     3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
     1 clove garlic, crushed
     3/4 cup sunflower oil
     1 tbsp tahini paste
Directions:
1. Prepare rice and set aside.
2. Sauté tofu cubes in a skillet with a little vegetable oil.
3. To prepare dressing combine nutritional yeast flakes, water, tamari or soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, tahini and crushed garlic in blender. Add oil in a steady stream.
4. To assemble the bowls, place cooked brown rice into 4 bowls, top with beets, carrots, spinach leaves, almonds, and sautéed tofu cubes.
5. Drizzle bowls generously with the dressing.

We also make this into a delicious wrap using whole-wheat flour tortillas and all the same vegetables with falafel instead of tofu.
*Nutritional yeast flakes can be found at any natural foods store.

Honey cilantro basil dressing

Picture by guilty kitchen

Honey Cilantro Basil Dressing

recipe adapted from guilty kitchen

1/4 cup Rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar

Juice of 1 Lime

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp  Honey

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup cilantro (loosely packed)

1 cup basil (loosely packed)

Salt & White pepper to taste

1. In small bowl or food processor, combine vinegars, Lime juice, Dijon & honey.

2. Drizzle olive oil into vinegar mix while mixing / blending.

3. When all is combined, add salt & pepper. Allow to sit for an hour or more to allow flavours to meld and intensify.

carrot fennel ginger soup

Carrot Fennel Ginger Soup
~ recipe by me

Olive oil
1 large fennel bulb (thinly sliced)
12 carrots (diced)
5 garlic cloves (sliced)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice + pulp (2 oranges squeezed)
3/4 cup coconut milk
4 tbsp fresh ginger - grated
2 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt
pepper

In a large pot warm 2 tbsp of live oil over medium heat.  Add chopped fennel and stir until softened.  Stir in diced carrots and sliced garlic and cook for a few minutes.  Add vegetable broth, orange juice.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Remove from heat and puree with handheld blender or in food processor.  Once puréed put soup back on low heat and add coconut milk, ginger and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.