Crispy Chick Peas

For me, cooking is a way of life and it's something I really enjoy doing.  There's nothing quite like putting together a meal, chopping and cooking simple ingredients while listening to some of my favorite tunes or catching up on the day with my husband.  It's relaxing, it's enjoyable, and I always get excited when I discover a new recipe that I can't wait to share.

Although we cook at home several times a week, there's always the "leftovers" night, and this entails gathering up random leftover items and whatever greens we have and throwing them into what we call our "kitchen sink" salad.  I must say, to our amazement, these salads end up being some of our best!

This latest recipe started with half a can of leftover chick peas sitting in the fridge that I was staring at when I was putting together one of our meals of leftovers.  Although I love chick peas in flavourful dishes like curries and soups, I find them bland and boring on their own.   I wanted to jazz them up a little and that's when I thought back to an amazing dish I had in one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Vancouver.  The dish is made up of deep-fried chick peas tossed in arugula, mint, lemon zest, and chili flakes.  I have simplified the recipe and found a way to transform chick peas into an addictive snack and crunchy addition to my "kitchen sink" salad.

Here's how I made them:

1 cup Chick peas, rinsed and dried
2 - 3 tbsp Olive Oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat up oil on medium-low heat in a non-stick pan.  Add the chick peas and cook until golden brown (tossing gently every 5 minutes or so).  Add lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste and place chick peas onto paper towel and cool for a few minutes.

Go give them a try! Enjoy!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

DIY: Super yummy granola bars

It amazes me just how many varieties of granola bars are on the grocery store shelf.  I haven't counted them but there's lots.  These days, it's boring if a granola bar is simply made with oats and honey, and maybe a few raisins.

That is why there's one made for every taste bud out there: sweet, sweet and salty, chocolate or yogurt covered or dipped, chewy, crunchy, made with "real fruit filling", peanut butter, with fibre added, calorie controlled... Ugh, the list goes on and on.

It's almost as confusing as the yogurt section of the grocery store.  You can sit there all day comparing the labels (like we're not busy enough), and getting nowhere with it... It's no wonder people are confused and don't know what to eat.  Anyways, that's for another blog post.

I have realized in the last couple of years that I really don't like store-bought granola bars.  In fact, I find them quite expensive and well, they don't taste good, at all!

I do, however, love the chewiness of oats combined with a warm spice like cinnamon, crunchy toasted nuts and seeds, and the sweetness of dried fruit and honey to tie it all together.  So I started making my own, and here's how I make them:

Pecan Granola Bars
Makes: 24 bars

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped (you can use other nuts you have on hand)
2 cups of chopped dried fruit (I used raisins and cranberries)
1 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter unsalted, softened 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, pecans, and dried fruit.  In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and honey.  Using an electric mixer beat until light and fluffy, and then add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until all is combined.  Gradually add the flour mixture.  Add oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

Press the mixture evenly into the baking dish.  Bake until the top is golden and the edges are lightly brown, about 25 minutes.

The bars will be very soft straight out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.  Cool completely on wire rack then cut into bars.

* They will keep up to 10 days stored at room temperature in air tight container.  Or freeze some for a rainy day.

Enjoy!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Local and in Season: Berry Smoothie in February

 Okay, I know what you're thinking, "Melissa's lost her marbles... berries are not local nor are they in season at this time of year". Well not in this part of the world anyway, but this smoothie is made from local and seasonal berries.  No, I am not growing my own berries indoors in my little sun-filled den... although, I wish I could, but rather thanks to my freezer and a wonderful local winery.

Stocking up on berries is something I typically do every year.  Berry season explodes in the summer months here and I absolutely love it.  My sister and I usually get together and drive out to some local farms just south of Vancouver, buckets and bowls in hand, and head out into the fields to pick berries at the peak of their freshness.  Of course when I get home with my 10 pounds of berries, there's only so many blueberry pancakes that can be made (and I'm not a great baker), so I end up stocking my freezer to have a steady supply for the months ahead.  When my frozen berry stock runs low (which is right about this time of year), I buy a box of local frozen blueberries from a winery in Richmond.

I make the following recipe all the time.  I know what you're thinking again, "it's a little cold outside to enjoy a frosty smoothie", but last weekend was beautiful and sunny and I enjoyed this after a run.   I am currently training to do a half-marathon in June and I find that this smoothie is the ultimate post-run fuel.

How I make this:

1 - 11/2 cups frozen berries
1 banana (fresh or frozen and semi-thawed)
1 cup soy beverage or milk
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup plain yogurt

Place all ingredients into a blender and give it a go!

Wish me luck and enjoy :)

If you have a favorite smoothie recipe, please share.

A fabulous start to the day

If you haven't had steel-cut oats before, you have to try them!  The cooking time is longer than regular large flake and instant oats, but it's totally worth it.  Of course I don't make steel-cut oats when I'm scrambling in the morning, trying to get out the door in time.  Instead, I make a large batch on a Sunday afternoon, cool it and store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and there you have it, breakfast for the week.  Genius!

The best part of making steel-cut oats, is that there are endless possibilities to add flavour and personality.  I make mine with half milk half water and as the oats cook, they become thick and creamy.  I add raisins, and just before serving, chopped pecans.

Here's a basic recipe to get you started and feel free to add fruit, nuts, seeds and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. 

Steel-cut oats


Ingredients

1 cup steel-cut oats
2 cups water
2 cups of milk
1 pinch of salt

How I make this

Bring the water and milk to a boil in a heavy medium-size saucepan.  Careful! When this starts to boil, it can make a mess really quickly if you're not paying attention.

Add the oats and salt and lower the heat to low to bring it to a gentle simmer.  Cook for about 40 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add toppings and serve warm or cool and store in an airtight contain in the fridge.

Here's to no more excuses for skipping breakfast!

I'm curious, what do you put in your steel-cut oats?

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

I can't believe it's kale!

I know that I have posted several recipes with kale in them (Greens and Bacon and Bowl of Awesome), but I can't help it, I just love it so much that I had to post this recipe as well.  I promise that I will move on to other luscious veggies now that spring has arrived and new things are in season.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and you will convince the greatest of skeptics that kale is addictive!  All you need to do is find a fresh bunch of kale (any variety works), wash and dry the leaves well (remove the tough stems), season and bake!  The amazing thing about these is that they actually do taste like potato chips, and the best part is that you can flavour them with a variety of spices and seasonings.  Here's the basic recipe:

Ingredients

1 bunch of kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

Wash and dry the kale leaves removing the stems.  Cut them into 1 1/2 inch pieces.  Place them onto a cookie sheet as a single layer, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Get your hands in there and give it a good mix to evenly coat the leaves.

Bake them in the oven until slighly brown on the edges but not burnt, they should be light and crispy.

As I mentioned, this is the basic recipe, but if you want to go for something a little more adventurous, try making salt and vinegar kale chips using 1 - 2 tbsp of your vinegar of choice instead of the olive oil, you can also go for a smoky flavour by adding 1 tsp of smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the basic recipe.

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Taking grains to a whole new level!

There are lots of ways to eat whole grains, but I have come to realize over the last few years that very few people know what a whole grain is, so I thought that I would dedicate this post to set the record straight when it comes to whole grains!

What is a whole grain? 
It's a cereal grain that contains all three parts: the germ, the endosperm, and the bran.  Examples include oats, wheat berries, barley, brown rice, millet, rye, kamut (ancient relative of durum wheat), spelt (a distant cousin of wheat), corn, and quinoa.  In contrast, refined grains retain only the endosperm, which is the largest part of the grain and lacks fibre, vitamins and minerals.

How do I make sure a product is made with whole grains or whole grain flour? 
This is the tricky part.  Don't rely on the claims made on food packages that say "Made with whole grains".  The reason for this is that the 'whole grain' portion of the product may be small.  For example, 'Multigrain bread' is not whole grain bread.  In fact, more often than not, your multigrain bread is made with white flour and a few grains added to give the bread some texture.  So if you want whole grain bread, see the ingredient list and look for 'whole grain whole wheat flour' as the first ingredient listed.

How are 'Enriched wheat flour' and 'whole wheat flour' different from 'whole grain flour'?

Enriched wheat flour: is stripped of the bran and the germ but enriched with vitamins and iron

Whole wheat flour: has the bran, so it is higher in fibre than enriched wheat flour, but may have much of the germ removed.

Whole grain whole wheat flour: contain all three part of the kernel! 

How can I get more whole grains in my diet?
Looking beyond breads, another way to include whole grains in our diet is by eating, well.... grains!  I have been making this recipe for several years now, it's great as a side dish, a light lunch, or even a mid-afternoon snack.  It uses kamut and spelt grains which give this salad a hardy texture, but also make it a source of both protein and carbohydrates and fibre.  You can find these grains in the bulk section of supermarkets.  This recipe is great for parties or pot lucks so I recommend doubling it.

Ancient Grain Salad
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup kamut kernels
1/2 cup spelt kernels
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup currants
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 tsp freshly minced ginger
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add kamut and spelt kernels, stir, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes (kernels with be tender but chewy).

Let kernels drain in a sieve, then spread on a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.

Combine cooked kamut and spelt kernels with corn, pepper, currants and green onion.  Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Gradually whisk in oil and remaining ingredients.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or until chilled.

Enjoy!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Salade de Fruits

Ok, it doesn’t get any simpler than this! Fresh fruit salad, so simple and yet so good.   

People always ask me for specific things they can do to get more fruits and vegetables in their diet.  Well here it is.  When I do my grocery shopping, I fill my basket with fresh fruit.  I try to include seasonal and local fruit whenever possible.  When I get home… and here’s the trick… I don’t just put the fruit in the crisper and hope that I get to it sometime during the week.  I get out a good size container, my cutting board and a knife, and get chopping.  In 10 minutes, I have fresh fruit salad for the week.  I take some with me to work and enjoy it with yogurt, it makes the perfect snack.  It also makes a sweet and refreshing dessert.

This fruit salad in particular had the following ingredients, but use whatever you like!

1 Manila mango

1 small can of pineapple chunks (fresh would be great too)

1 Granny Smith apple

1 orange

½ pink grapefruit

about 15 black seedless grapes, sliced in half

2 kiwi fruit

Fresh, simple, and delicious!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Variety is the spice of life... and breakfast!

As a dietitian, I am always encouraging people to add variety to their diets.  Enjoying a wide variety of foods not only targets different nutrients, but it keeps things interesting and fun!  Breakfast might be the one meal of the day that lacks variety especially on weekdays when we’re on the go.

I came across this great granola recipe several years ago and I make it at home on a regular basis. I find that store-bought granolas (aside from being expensive) are too sweet and can have a lot of added fat.  This recipe is naturally sweet from the dried fruit and a touch of honey, and has no added fat.  I mix and match a variety of dried fruit, nuts and seeds that I happen to have on hand. It’s crunchy, it’s sweet and I enjoy it for breakfast or as a light snack with yogurt and fresh fruit.

Ingredients

1¼ cups of chopped dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apples, apricots, cranberries, blueberries, cherries)

1 cup hot water

3 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups unsweetened puffed rice cereal

½ cups raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

½ cups raw sliced almonds or other chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts)

¼ cup skim milk powder

2 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 275°F  (135°C)

In a small bowl, soak the dried fruit in the hot water until softened, about 15 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Add the dried fruit with the soaking water and stir to mix well.

Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes for even cooking.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc