Cauliflower 3 ways

Wow how time flies! It has been 3 months since my last post!  People have been asking me when I will post my next recipe so 3 months away means 3 recipes today... well sort of.

I was at the market a few weeks ago on a sunny Saturday morning.  Just at the entrance of the market there was a stand with a mountain of fresh, local cauliflower.  I don't know about you, but I love cauliflower.  I think that most people aren't quite sure what to do with it other than serve it raw along side other veggies as part of a plate of crudités with dip.  Well, I hope to inspire you today with a few fresh ideas.

Recipe #1: Roasted Cauliflower

 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the cauliflower florets gently with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

All on it's own, this is an excellent side dish!  Give it a try, if you think you don't like cauliflower, I bet you'll change your mind.

Recipe #2: Mung Bean Curry with Cauliflower

 

One of my favorite cuisines is definitely Indian food, and one of my favorite cook books is Vij's at Home.  The famous Indian fusion restaurant VIJ's is just 3 blocks from my apartment, but the recipes in his book are really simple to make, and unbelievably delicious.  They are so good that I have no problem making a big pot of curry on the stove on a hot summer day.... Which is exactly what I did in August.  I did tweak the recipe to include the cauliflower, however, and I happened to have some leftover chick peas in the fridge so I threw those in as well.  The end product?  Awesome :)

Ingredients:

1 cup mung beans
1 head of cauliflower, roasted (recipe above)
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp chopped garlic (9 cloves)
1 28oz can pureed tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp crushed cayenne pepper
4 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped cilantro and good handful of fresh spinach leaves

Wash and drain mung beans and set aside

Heat oil in a medium pot on medium-high.  Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for 45 seconds, or until they are darker brown.  Add garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes, until brown but not burned.  Stir in tomatoes, then ginger, and other spices.  Stir and saute for 5 more minutes.  Add water and mung beans, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Taste beans to make sure they are cooked.

Stir in coconut milk, cauliflower, and chick peas, and increase the heat to medium-high.  Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.  Stir in cilantro and serve over brown rice.

Recipe #3: Silky Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Crisps

 

I traveled to Montreal a couple of weeks ago, and the night before I left, I noticed that I still had a few veggies in the fridge that needed to be eaten before leaving, including a cauliflower.  This next recipe doesn't take more than 20 minutes, and is in my repertoire of my go-to soups.  I made this soup, divided it into single serving containers, and placed them in the freezer. 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender* and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the shredded cheese over the foil in 1 even thin layer. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisps. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Break sheet of crisp cheese into large pieces and garnish each soup bowl with a couple shards and a pinch of fresh chives.

This recipe was sourced from: The Food Network

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

Just a simple salad

sal·ad noun: a usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, or eggs.  

When we think of salad, the definition above is usually what comes to mind to most of us.  Now, I love salad, but I have to admit that topping some lettuce with a few vegetables from the fridge can get a little boring, but salads are such a great way to enjoy veggies whether they are raw or cooked.  It's also very easy to turn a salad into a meal simply by adding a grain or seed like wild rice, noodles, or quinoa, and a protein source like chicken, tofu, or fish, dress it up with a little olive oil and lemon juice, and it's done.  The key to enjoying salads is to get creative and add a few ingredients that will give your salad color, texture, and of course flavor!  Here are a few suggestions:

- Roasted butternut squash, goat cheese and toasted pecans

- Fresh crispy apple, parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds

- Mandarin oranges and fennel

- Feta cheese, corn and dates

- Mango, raspberries and avocado 

Having said all of this, a salad does not always have to include lettuce, it's not like it's a rule! For this month's recipe I thought I would share a simple salad that my mom made this summer that I thought was just brilliant because I never would have put these ingredients together! It's crispy and fresh, and best of all, it took 10 minutes to make.

Fennel and Radish Salad

Ingredients

1 Fennel bulb, green stalks removed, and thinly slice the white part.  Keep the leaves, chop them finely to garnish the salad

1 bunch of radishes, sliced thinly

2 tbsp capers, rinsed

1/4 cup of olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Combine ingredients together, let sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine and serve!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Greens and Bacon: A Perfect Combination

Here's another great way to use kale. It really is one of my favorite vegetables and people are always asking me what to do with it. This recipe came together because of the ingredients I just happened to have in my fridge and was trying to use up. I was making a very simple breakfast consisting of a green onion omelet on a slice of sprouted grain bread, but I wanted something else with it and here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

1 tsp butter
1 green onion, chopped
1 - 2 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped. (I had some leftover from a recipe I made earlier in the week)
1 fresh bunch of kale roughly chopped into 1.5" pieces.


Directions:

Steam the kale. Steaming the kale should take about 5 minutes, and the leaves should be bright green. Meanwhile in a non-stick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the steamed kale and bacon to the pan and stir to combine the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I found that the saltiness from the bacon seasoned this dish perfectly and I didn't need to add any salt or pepper. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 - 4 servings (I ate the whole thing! It was that good)

This easy and delicious recipe can easily be served as a side dish to any weeknight dinner or a weekend brunch. It's a great way to get your greens!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Beautiful Beets

Over the summer, I experimented a little bit with balcony gardening. Okay, I had about 12 pots lining the edges of my balcony, and started everything from seeds in the spring. Everyday, I would water the pots and keep an eye out for those first sprouts to break the surface of the soil. Before I knew it, I had an abundance of arugula and mesclun greens, Swiss chard, baby spinach, and kale. One of the vegetables I was most excited about was the beets. They are super easy to grow, and the best part is that you can eat both the leaves as well as the roots. When I harvested my beets, they were about 1.5" in diameter, but I could have left them to grow bigger; I was just so excited to get them out of the ground and taste them!

Beets are very versatile and can be enjoyed many ways. You can eat them raw by grating them and adding them to a salad, you can pickle them, add them to soups, or roast them in the oven with other root vegetables. So what did I do with my beets? I found this great little recipe that is so easy to make, looks beautiful on the plate, and best of all, was absolutely delicious. It makes a really good starter to any meal, a great side dish, or just an alternative to your everyday salad. I am sharing it with you today.

Roasted Beets with Feta
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 medium beets, trimmed leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees Celsius). Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

2. Bake the beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to an hour. One done, remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel beets and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

3. While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

4. To assemble the dish, place the sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour the vinaigrette over the beets and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Source: www.allrecipes.com

Variations: You can easily substitute goat cheese for the feta cheese, and sprinkle some toasted sunflower seeds.