Chilly night and a yummy meal

Its been raining for days, and the wind is chilly. Last night we got our wood stove up and running. It was really nice to sit on the couch and feel the house warm up. Leeluu loves getting the fire going with her dad, its pretty cute. They go outside and chop wood and then bring it in and declare themselves "fire buddies", while they get it going.

I make a rice bowl meal once a week. I really like brown rice and the veggies are basically all raw (except I steam up some broccoli). There are a bunch of good restaurants that make rice bowls but we live SO far away that I recreated my own.

The key to a good rice bowl is a good sauce! Sometimes I make a peanut sauce, and other times I make a tahini sauce ( I add a garlic clove and some miso) I really like the  reFresh cookbook  tahini sauce too!

Basically for a rice bowl you need to cook up a pot of rice, shred up your favorite veggies. Make a sauce and sprinkle seeds and nuts on, add tofu or tempeh if you like.  Really easy and super yummy!

Veggie pot pie

Pot pie is one of Ocean's favorite meals, since she was 4 ( she will be 15 next month!). I made this last night using Pillsbury biscuits for the crust. I only used 4 biscuits for the tops of the pies, I baked up the rest and we used those to dip! I originally wanted to find some puff pastry, but I couldn't find any that was vegan. 

Although not all Pillsbury products are vegan, I was happy to find something that was. You have to read the ingredients cause it tends to change in different countries. 

Veggie Pot Pie

2 tbsp earth balance butter

1 onion- small diced

3-4 carrots- peeled and small diced

3 stalks celery- small diced

1 tsp summer savory

2 bay leafs

3 cups veggie stock

2 medium potatoes- peeled and small diced

3/4 cup frozen peas

1 cup broccoli florets

2 tbsp tamari

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water

1 package Country Pillsbury Biscuits

In a large saute pan, heat butter, add onion and cook until soft.

Add carrot, celery, savory, and bay leafs. Saute for 3-4 minutes

Pour in veggie stock Add the rest of the ingredients except the cornstarch.

Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are soft. 

Add the cornstarch to thicken. Season to taste.

Scoop into individual ramekins. Roll out the biscuits to fit the top.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 until golden. 12-15 minutes.

10 minute summer stew

Super simple and delicious! I used the vegetables I picked up at the market, some left overs in my fridge, with a can of chickpeas. You could add anything you like to this. Keep the cooking time down to 10 minutes, to keep the vegetables crisp. I served it with a 8 grain loaf of bread.

10 minutes summer stew

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion-chopped
1 clove garlic- minced
1 stalk celery- chopped
1 yellow zucchini- chopped
1 carrot-chopped
1 tomato- chopped
1 cup water
1 can chickpeas
1 tsp dried dill
fresh thyme
fresh basil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pot heat oil add onion, saute until soft.
add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.

market goodies

Vegetable pot stickers

These are super easy to make, all you need is some vegetables and wonton wrappers ( find them at an asian food store). I had 2 packages in the fridge, that were screaming to be used this afternoon. Since its raining and miserable outside I thought I would give it a try.

I found a great recipe on Vegan Yum Yum.Since there was no way I was going to make seitan this afternoon for the filling, I thought I could use up some of the veggies I bought yesterday.

 

The filling is garlic, ginger, green onion, mushroom, bok choy, bean sprouts, carrot, tamari, rice vinegar, ground ginger & a pinch of clove powder. I sauteed up all that until it was soft and transferred it to a bowl.

 

Place the mixture in the center of the wrapper and wet around the edges with your finger dipped in water. Fold over to close and squish the ends together to form a seal.

In a hot pan ( I used a cast iron) brown both sides of the potsticker with a little canola oil.

Add about 1/2 cup water and cover with a lid for 2 minutes.

Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!

Sweet potato & red pepper soup

It is thanksgiving weekend and we have had lots of company. This was a yummy soup I made for lunch. The red pepper was an after thought, actually the whole soup was an after thought :P I just started with the basic soup stock vegetables (onion, carrot & celery). the creaminess is from the white potatoes. I think the sweet potato paired really well with the red pepper, and the color is very fallish. Served it with a fresh baguette that I bought at the farmers market and some homemade sun dried tomato hummus. YUM

1 onion-small diced
1 leek-white part only sliced
4 carrots-peeled, chopped
2 stalks celery-chopped
pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1 large sweet potato-peeled and chopped
1 red pepper-seeded and chopped
3 small white potatoes- peeled and chopped
water to cover (about 8 cups)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pot saute onions,leeks, carrots and celery. Add spices.
Saute until absorbed
Add sweet potato, red pepper, and white potatoes.
Fill with water
Bring to a boil. Simmer until all vegetables are soft
Blend in batches.
Season with the rest of the ingredients.

Moroccan style summer squash stew

Stew has to be one of the most unpretentious foods ever invented, but I love the way vegetables simmer in spices and broth melting together in a pot of deliciousness. I picked up an acorn squash at the vegetable stand at the end of the elderly couples driveway. I wish I had a better name to call it....and it was in the fridge for week.

Today I stacked 2 cords of firewood in our wood shed, when I got in the house I was SO not excited to cook. My back killed and my legs ached.  I still had to feed the herd...I whipped this up and I was very pleased :)

A cinnamon stick gives just the right amount of warmth. I used dried lentils but it could be changed up to chickpeas ( I didn't have any soaked).

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek-white part- sliced
1 celery stalk- small diced
1 acorn squash- peeled and chopped
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leafs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 cups water
1 yellow zucchini- chopped
1 cup baby carrots- or any type
2 tomatoes- chopped
3/4 cup dried lentils
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 pinch sugar
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

In a large pot heat oil add leek, saute until soft. Add celery and squash. Add spices and herbs. Stir until absorbed. Add water and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 hour.
Season with sea salt and pepper.

Vegetable pate

I love snacks...I prefer eating little snacks through out the day, then sitting down to breakfast and lunch. I love munching on raw veggies with a homemade bean dip, or smothering a tortilla with avocado and rolling it up. YUM. The ultimate snacking food has to be veggie pate, on crackers ( even better fresh baguette) with pickles :)
Vege pate is easy to make, you should try it! The possibilities are endless... you could add zucchini, mushrooms...etc.

For this I used a sweet potato, carrot, celery and onion. I learned how to make vege pate from a restaurant I use to work at. It was my favorite thing to eat. I tried hard to remember what I did, and Googled it.

For this pate basically I blended up the onion until it was very smooth and liquidy, add some oil, water and red wine vinegar. Pureed that until smooth. Add a peeled chopped up ( really small) veggies. The secret ingredient is ground up sunflower seeds. A few more things like the spices you like, I used dill and oregano. Add some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in a little flour and nutritional yeast. Pour into a loaf pan.  Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes, or until its formed a crust on the top. Refrigerate.

This particular picture I used a mini loaf pan that I picked up at a garage sale. It would be great to set out at a BBQ for a little appetizer.

Easy Peezy! I hope you make some.

Roasted caulifower soup with parsley cream

Living on the east coast of Canada the summers are pretty mild, and to have a roasted veggie soup on days that are rainy and the fog is thick is possible. If you live somewhere that you can't imagine firing up your oven, you could roast the cauliflower on the BBQ, that would be pretty tasty too!

                                                      Usually I can see the ocean...not today

I have been busy packing and washing walls. Yesterday I went to the hardware store and picked up a can of primer, and some paint supplies for my daughters bedroom.

There are new paints out there, ECO friendly? Recycled from other cans and have low VOC.... and they are half the cost of normal paint! They only come in certain colors and I like the colors they come in neutrals, greens and browns. Its picking the colour that is the hard part, I am so indecisive.

Have you used a ECO friendly paint...Whats the quality like?

Looking for the perfect colour to paint my home. I find this process fun, but very difficult at times.  I need to paint both kids rooms, bathroom, and living/dining room.

I do have time before we have to move into our new home...the end of August. We have the keys and I go there almost everyday. Usually it turns into a beach session though :P

 our beach

I did a lot of running around yesterday so I didn't get all that crazy in the kitchen, we bought some sushi to go, brought it back to the house and I made this rock'n soup. Kid approved... Mo'mo'mo ( more) she asks.




1 head of cauliflower
(drizzled in sunflower oil, sprinkled with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a dash of cumin)
Place on a baking sheet and in the oven @ 400 for 30 minutes or until soft and slightly golden

1 tbsp sunflower oil
 1 onion-chopped
4 stalks celery- chopped
2 cloves garlic- chopped
3 medium potatoes- peeled and chopped
6-8 cups of water
sea salt
white pepper
2 tsp lemon juice

In a large pot heat oil add onion,celery, and garlic. Saute for 6-8 minutes, until very soft.
Fill with water, add potatoes, and bring to a boil.
Let simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Add the cauliflower and bring to a boil for 3-5 minutes.
Blend in a blender in batches
Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice

Parsley cream

I like to keep my stems around with the little bits of leaves on just in case I need to make a stock or something like this...

Chop a half a cup of parsley (stem on), put in a blender with an 8 oz ladle full of the soup, add 3 tbsp soy milk, blend until smooth.

Eat your greens...chip styles

Chips...mmmm, so good and so bad. I have this friend, whom will remain nameless, that use to say how bad chips are for you. I don't think she was talking about these kind :P

I have seen kale chip recipes all over the web, in stores, books..etc. I had yet to try to make them. I always thought I would need a dehydrator to make them ( I really want one).

I bought a HUGE bunch of it this week with the thought that I was going to try and make them in the oven...I have heard through the grape vine that you can do this. This is my first attempt, and I am pleased with the results.

I have tried deep fried spinach before, I use to have to make it for a garnish back in my restaurant days. It has a similar crispiness to it. Baked kale has an almost seaweed flavor. I was really surprised, and like the idea that you are not steaming the nutrients out.

Basically I washed the kale, drizzled it in olive oil sprinkled with sea salt and nutritional yeast and baked in an oven on a cookie sheet at 350 for 10 minutes. Super simple and super tasty.

I was inspired by selfish vegan. Check out the site. I really like it.

A few of my favorite places

Parc La Fontaine, a beautiful green space smack in the middle of the city. We were lucky the weather was warm and sunny, I use to ride my bike through this park all the time. It really is a lovely spot to hang out under the trees to escape the city heat.

  

 I miss Montreal....I wish I lived closer.

Living in this city makes life easier in many ways...YOU DON'T NEED A CAR! Which is something I miss quite a lot :(  There has been some cool new additions to the city...the Bixi bike, I am going to try out while I am here. When I get time to myself, I love biking, especially through a city. You see things you would never normally see, and you can stop anywhere. I will post my experience using it this week :)

Another favorite place, The Jean-Talon Market. I took the kids there and filled up with fresh fruits and vegetables...and gourmet sorbet! Its open all year but of course the best selection is in the summer, lucky for me.

I can't forget about why we are visiting Montreal, Piknic  Electronik, well actually we came for the MUTEK festival, but I can't go because its held mostly at venues that have an age limit :P. I can go to the piknic because kids are allowed, it is usually held every Sunday in Parc Jean Drapeau. Its fun to listen to music, dance, bring the kids and drink and eat with friends.

This is the stucture which the DJ and everyone dances under!
One of the highlights of the parc is that there is a geodesic dome. 

We had a great evening. We went out for Indian food, and came back to the cottages and had a fire, played UNO and drank some wine.

It been raining all day, I had to drive into the city to drop off a good friend and one of Oceans who came up to the cottage over the weekend. This is my beautiful Ocean and her bubblegum in the back seat of the car. I love this picture.

Wild rice bowl

 

We are leaving soon and I wanted to use up the fresh produce. This is my version of cleaning out the fridge :P

Rice and salad in a bowl with sauteed broccoli ,TVP slices, onion ,garlic and tamari. Drizzled with homemade peanut sauce. In the salad department I used lettuce, shredded carrots, cabbage, green peppers, sliced cucumber and green onion.  Toasted pumpkin seeds are necessary.

The TVP slices come dry and I buy in bulk. Soak in hot water until they are soft. Drain. Heat oil in a pan, add onions, garlic saute for a few minutes. Add the TVP. Sprinkle dried oregano and  chili powder ( a teaspoon of each). Pour a few tablespoons of tamari over it and let it cook for 5-8 minutes. Add broccoli and let cook until done.

                                                         TVP (textured soy protein)

Sweet Potato & Tamarind Curry with Basmati rice

It been almost a week since my last post, both my daughters have been very sick with the flu :( I feel so helpless at times. I know I just have to give them lots of love and fluids.

This week I have slacked a bit on the kitchen duties.
I have been cooking the really quick dinners. You know the kind, BLT's, spaghetti, soup, etc.

Tonight I made a quick curry...one of my favorite comfort foods. I luv'it!!
I wish I had more experience in Indian cooking, maybe if I return to the restaurant industry, I would love to try my hand in a professional Indian kitchen.

I used the tamarind I bought a while back. I remember my first experience using it. I just added it, and ended up with a crunchy-seedy curry. Not the best. So this time I soaked a chunk of it in a little water and loosened the seeds. Drained it and added it to the curry. It has a sweet and sour taste, I think it gives the curry more "umpf".

I also have some exciting news...but I can't divulge it quite yet ;) I will know more as the week progresses. hehehe

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion-sliced
3 cloves garlic-minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tbsp fennel seeds- toasted and crushed
1 can coconut milk
1 can water
3 tbsp tamarind paste- soaked in 1/4 cup water-drained
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 green pepper-chopped
2 tsp cane sugar
2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large saute pan heat pan on medium high heat, add oil.
Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and ginger.
Add spices and stir around until no longer powdery.
Add potato, stir to cover with spices.
Add coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes
Add chickpeas and tamarind. Season with sugar,salt and pepper.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

A made a simple lentil vegetable soup for dinner tonight, rustic I suppose. I didn't fuss around, just put a few ingredients in a large pot and simmered it for about hour and half. It was super yummy and easy to make.

I like to serve this type of soup with a loaf of good bread and a salad. Who says dinner has to be hard? I literally threw this together in about 15 minutes, and left it to cook on the stove (on low), left the house even for 40 minutes!

I also got some goodies in the mail this afternoon. Edward and Sons sent me a box of products to try, which is always fun. I love getting things via snail mail :)

The brown rice snaps didn't last long...they were tasty. The miso cup soup was really good, I was out all day running errands and when I got home I decided to try it and  I really was quite impressed with the taste. Most instant soups have a weird plastic taste, but this one was TASTY! There is 3 servings in a pack and each package contains two small envelopes one for miso paste, the other has dehydrated tofu, seaweed and green onions. I really love miso soup, and Edward and Sons made it easy to enjoy.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

• 1 medium onion- small diced
• 2 cloves garlic-minced
  
• 3 carrots-peeled and small diced
• 1 stalk celery- small diced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• water to cover( about 7 cups)
  
• 1 small potato- peeled and small diced
• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 Roma tomato- small diced 
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

In a pot saute the onion, garlic, carrots and celery, for 3-4 minutes
Add spices and cover with water. Add lentils, potato, and tomato. Bring to a boil.
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the lentils are soft. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Fiddlehead and Lemon Risotto

When I worked in the kitchen, risotto was always one of the dishes that would be made by the chef. Why? I am not sure, maybe because its a real hit or miss kind of dish.You don't want to over cook the rice, or under cook it for that matter. Either way I always wanted to try my hand at it.

You need to start with a good vegetable stock, which consists of mirepoix: onions, carrots, and celery. I like to include peppercorns, parsley stems, a half of a lemon and a bay leaf. I fill a large pot with water and add the vegetables. Bring to a boil, and simmer for a good hour or two.

For this risotto I blanched the fiddleheads, and gave a rough chop. Zested and juiced a lemon.
Next I finely diced 2 shallots and sauteed them in 2 tbsp of earth balance.
Poured in 1 1/2 cups of risotto, stirred it around to cover the rice in the buttery onions.
With my stock drained and simmering on the stove top, I ladled in about a cup of stock at a time, stirring constantly until it was all absorbed, do this until the rice is almost cooked, about 5-6 cups worth of stock.

Taste as you go.
Add the lemon zest and juice, the chopped fiddleheads, and about 1 cup of white wine.
Stir until almost all absorbed. You might need to add more stock, depending on how you like your risotto.
Finish with 1 tbsp spoon of earth balance. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pierogies- caramelized onion, cabbage and potato

There is something to be said about dough stuffed with potato then sauteed in butter. Whats the word I'm looking for? YUM!  These are pretty time consuming but well worth the effort.

I made the filling first, caramelized onions with cabbage.

I boiled potatoes and used my trusty ricer to mash them. Season the mixture with dried mustard, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and 3 tbsp of earth balance.

Next I made the dough which consisted of

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water

I kneaded it until it was soft and smooth, then let it rest for 30 minutes in a bowl while I washed up the dishes. Then I pulled out my pasta roller ( a gift from my dad).  Cut the dough into 4 sections. Start on number 1 and work your way down to number 5.  If you don't have a pasta roller, get out the old rolling pin and get rolling!

Another great invention: Ring molds/cutters(another gift from my dad:)  Cut out rounds and place a little ball of the potato mixture in the middle.  Pull the dough together and press down firmly.

Once you have no more dough. You can either eat them, or freeze them for later.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Place the pierogies into the pot,wait until they float up to the surface.  Drain. Heat up a pan with earth  balance or oil.  Add the pierogies and cook until golden. I like mine with sauted mushrooms.

One recipe makes about 52 pierogies. If you have potato mixture left you can always make potato cakes!