This Soup ...

This soup .. yes, this soup. This soup reminds me of my very first experience cooking for real in my parents' kitchen, with my sister beside me and my grandma watching. This soup has old familiar flavours and wraps itself around me like a warm knitted scarf on the first breezy, chilly day of fall. This soup isn't by any means a gooey chocolate cake, a wholesome banana bread or a zippy, lemony treat. But this soup welcomed me back into the school year and eased the pain of summer holidays ending and work beginning.

This soup begins with humble ingredients.. ginger, garlic, lentils, greens... and is finished with a whisper of summer -- a big squeeze of lemon juice and a many sprigs of fresh thyme from my balcony garden. Although I could have began this soup in a classic way -- chopped onions, celery carrots -- I didn't, simply because I was tired and I wanted as much reward for as little work as possible.

This soup is the answer to your weeknight dinner problems, and is also the good idea of staying in on Saturday night and curling up with dinner on the sofa. This soup is zingy from the spices and lemon and creamy from the red lentils, cooked until almost completely dissolved. I chose rainbow chard -- stems and leaves -- to put into this soup; the stems add nice bulk and the leaves turn velvety in the broth.

I think if you wanted to add to this soup, a cup of cooked chickpeas would do the trick, or even a few cubes of tofu sprinkled on top when serving. If you're the type, some crusty bread would probably be nice with this soup ... if you're the type, but I'm not really. I enjoyed this soup straight up, piping hot, curled up on the couch on a Saturday night when I should have been out dancing the night away, or enjoying a movie and popcorn. But dancing and movies aren't what I need in September when the winds are trying to change but the seasons won't let go, when that sneaky feeling of something ending and responsibility sinking in makes its way from my mind to the pit of my stomach; what I needed was this soup. And now, I can enjoy my September.



Lentil Soup with Greens
serves 2

olive oil
a chunk of ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minces
juice and zest of half a lemon
a bunch of swiss chard -- stems diced, leaves chopped into ribbons (spinach, kale would be great too)
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 cup of red lentils, rinsed
3 cups of water or vegetable stock (I used a combination of both)
salt and pepper to taste
a splash of light soy sauce (if desired)
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves removed

1. In a soup pot, cook the ginger and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about a minute, or until things start getting really fragrant. Careful not to burn the garlic!

2. Add the lemon zest and spices and cook for a minute to let the spices toast. Add in the chard stems, lentils and vegetable stock and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the chard leaves and cook, covered, for another 10-12 minutes, or until the greens are tender, the lentils and cooked and almost dissolving, and the broth is slightly thickened.

4. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and fresh thyme. Stir well. Taste and add a splash of soy sauce if desired. Serve!

Enchiladas: Pantry Cooking

I know it's spring and it's hardly a time to cook from your pantry -- what with all the asparagus and rhubarb floating about the market, not to mention the first strawberries of the season?  Summer is around the corner and fresh salads and local fruits and veggies should be a staple.  But sometimes, even in the middle of a lovely spring harvest, we need our pantries.

Maybe it's a rainy weekend what you can't get out to market, and a quick dash to the convenience store down the street is all that you can manage. Or maybe it's that crunch time of the year when you can't get organized enough to shop for the week and you find yourself home from work without having stopped for groceries. It's a good time to pull out those pantry recipes. You know, those recipes that you can put together in a snap that are filling and pleasing and leave lots of leftovers for tomorrow?  Here's a good one for you. You probably have everything you need in your pantry or freezer right now.  Yes, there's canned and frozen veggies instead of fresh, but sometimes, convenience rules and you don't have to feel guilty about that.

I've made these simple black bean and rice enchiladas twice, inspired by a post at That's So Vegan. It's got bold, spicy flavours and comforting carbs, plus a little cheesy topping that goes a long way. The best part is that it make a whole lot, so you can totally entertain with it, or keep it in the fridge for a few more meals to come. A squeeze of lime and a hit of fresh cilantro, or some diced avocado on the side would make this dish even better, but don't sweat it. It tastes wonderful even without the added goodies. Can't get tortilla wraps easily?  No problem. Skip the rice in the filling, and steam it up on the side.  Serve your filling over the rice like a chili. Done!

Don't feel bad about cooking from your pantry in the spring.  Sometimes we all need a bit of pantry love. Wishing you lots of sunshine, spring veggies and yummy suppers!

Easy Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas
inspired by That's So Vegan

serves 3-6 depending on appetite sizes!

1 medium carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of frozen corn
1 large can of diced tomatoes,
1 cup of water or stock
1 large handful of basmati rice
6-8 tortillas
1/3 cup of grated cheese (I use mozzarella)

1. In a large pot, saute the carrot, celery, onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until they start to soften and become fragrant. Add the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.

2. Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, stock and mix well.  Bring to a boil and add the rice.  Cook, covered for about 10-12 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is thickened.  Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly while your oven heats up.

3. In a 9'13 pan, add a thin layer of your filling mixture to the bottom. Now it's assembly time! Take a tortilla in your hand and put some of the filling in the middle -- I would say about 1/4 cupish -- just eyeball it.  Now, wrap up the filling nice and tight (better than I did!) and lay it seam-side down on the pan.  Repeat until you fill the pan. I got 6 the first time I made it, and 8 the next.

4. If you have more filling left over, spread it over the top of the enchiladas . Sprinkle it with cheese and pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 15ish minutes -- just so the cheese gets gooey and the tortillas get a tiny bit crispy in the edges.

5. Serve with your favourite toppings (sour cream, diced green onion, avocado) or just plain is a-ok.

Power Hungry

What do you eat when you're power hungry? Like, I mean totally-exhausted-and-needing-fuel-or -you'll-pass-out-within-the-next-five-minutes hungry? My body must be going through some sort of repair stage because I've felt this hungry twice in the past week. One of those times I was in my classroom getting ready to read a story to 25 little pre-teen monsters during the last period of the day -- a challenge in itself, much less when you're super hungry. I had to settle for cereal, soy milk and another cup of tea.




What I really wanted was this tofu chickpea scramble that I made the other night, when my first power-hunger hit. It has a triple -- yes triple -- dose of protein provided by tofu, chickpeas and a nice drizzle of tahini. It's a simple dish, flavoured with ginger, soy, a little dash of curry powder and a big splash of lime juice. Paired with whole grain red rice and kale, it totally sucker punched my hunger right in the gut. A satisfying, tasty and nutrient-packed meal -- plus it's easy enough for a stressful weeknight: what are you waiting for?

Tofu Chickpea Scramble
adapted from Choosing Raw
serves 2 power hungry people

1/2 cup of your favourite grain (I used red rice. Quinoa or millet would also be fantastic)
1 cup of water or broth
1 bunch of greens -- kale, spinach, chard, collards, even broccoli florettes

1/2 inch bit of ginger
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 cup of cooked chickpeas (canned is fine as well -- just rinse and drain first!)
1 6oz package of firm tofu
1 little drizzle of toasted sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon of tahini
1 big splash of soy
the juice of a lime

1. Rinse your grain out well and place in a pot. Add your water or broth and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and then cook, covered. Times will vary depending on your grain. My red rice take a little bit longer than regular rice. When it's almost done, add in your greens. Cover, and let them steam for about 5ish minutes.

2. In a skillet, sweat the ginger in some olive oil for about 3-4 minutes, until it gets nice and fragrant. Add the curry powder and let it toast for about 1 minute.

3. Crumble in the tofu and give it a good mix. Let the tofu brown for a couple of minutes. If you're using a non-stick pan, you should be fine. If not, you might need to add a touch more oil to make sure things don't get too dry.

4. When the tofu is browned, add the chickpeas, tahini, sesame oil, soy and lime juice. Stir well and let it cook for another few minutes.

5. Divide your rice and greens into two bowls. Add your tofu scramble and dig in.

Something Warm and Filling

Are you covered in butter and sugar and cinnamon and chocolate? Maybe with pecans and cranberries and candy canes? I don't know about you, but as much as I love holiday baking, it can get a little tiresome, and while I'll be very willing to share my sugaring adventures with you next Friday when the school bell rings at 3:30, right how I'm leaving you with something wholesome.

This is a hearty, comforting and flavourful rice and beans dish. It's humble: canned while beans, dried rosemary and sage, celery, carrots and broth. But it's also made special with red and while rice. Everything gets all stewy and delicious and the white beans make it creamy and comforting. It's something you can reheat and sit down on the couch with. Nothing fancy, nothing guest-worthy; just something warm and filling to get you through all that holiday stress.


Stay chilled out folks ... I'm in for a week of hyper activity and another bake-a-thon!

Creamy Stewy Beans and Rice
makes lots!

1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup each of red and wild rice, rinsed well (or use quinoa, basmati, pearl barely ..)
1 teaspoon of crushed, dried rosemary,
1/2 teaspoon of dried sage
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups of water or stock

1. In a large pot, heat some olive oil. Cook the carrots, onion and celery over medium heat until the onions of translucent and fragrant, the carrots and celery start to soften -- about 5-6 minutes.

2. Add the rosemary, sage, and paprika. Stir well. Add in the stock and rice and turn the heat up. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer. Add the white beans.

3. Cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the beans are creamy and the rice and vegetables are tender. Add in more stock if things are looking a bit dry.

4. Turn off the heat and let stand for about 5 minutes, covered. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and/or accompanied with crusty bread and good olive oil. A grating chesse would be nice if that's your thing!

New Age Wontons

The old school pork and shrimp wonton is a comfort food of my childhood. We would order them in soup with noodles, and they would be swimming around, all hard to pick up with chopsticks , and if you managed to finally spear one, you'd be rewarded with a velvety-smooth pasta-like dumpling stuffed with the classic Asian flavours. Ahhh the wonton.




These days, I don't indulge much in the classic wonton anymore; it's saved for special brunches and Chinese New Year festivals. And that's ok -- they're definitely worth the wait and absence makes the heart grow fonder, especially since they don't tend to sit well in my stomach. One of two will do, thank you very much.


But these new aged, caramalized onion and swiss chard wontons? I could eat these everyday. I originally saw these in my new favourite cooking magazine, Vegetarian Times and marvelled at how pretty they looked: they wonton skins turned kinda transparent when cooking and the ruby red chard stems could be seen on the inside. Totally zen-like and beautiful. But I forgot about them until I saw a dish of leftover caramlized onions in the fridge -- originally used as a gourmet topping for mini burgers at my birthday party.



The originally recipe calls for tofu in the filling, but I skipped that and added some chopped celery instead. I made the filling they day before when I had some free time, and the next day at supper time, all I had to do was package them up and boil them for just a minute. Obviously they would take longer if you were actually caramelizing your onions instead of cheating and using leftovers like I did, but I think the extra 20 minute is worth that deep rich, sweet flavour ... Although, I'm sure plain sauteed onions would be good as well. Which brings me to my other point. You could stuff anything into a wonton wrapper! Heidi at 101 Cookbooks put smashed split peas in hers. A curried lentil mixture with chard would be totally yummy too, as would the original tofu and mushroom. I'm totally making these again this week!

Caramelized Onion and Swiss Chard Wontons
makes may wontons ... enough for 2-3 hungry people

1 onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper
about 3 large ruby red swiss chard stalks, stems finely diced, leaves cut into ribbons
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 teaspoon of minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 tiny splash of toasted sesame seed oil
1 tiny splash of light soy sauce
a good grinding of black pepper
a package of wonton wrappers
a small dish of water

1. In a heavy-bottom skillet, heat some olive oil until it smokes. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, and adding splashes of water if the brown bits start to build up on the bottom of the pan. Stir them up and keep on cooking for about 15-20 minutes, or until the onions are super soft and a deep brown colour. From the pan and set aside.

2. In a small sauce pan, cook the the celery, chard stems and ginger in some olive oil for about 5 minutes or until things start to get tender and fragrant. Add the cumin and black pepper and give it a good stir. Add the onions, chard leaves and mix together. If things look a bit dry, add a splash of water or broth. Cook until the chard leaves start to wilt.

3. Add the sesame oil and soy sauce and give it one final stir. Taste and adjust your seasonings. Remove the mixture to a bowl and let it cool, or store in the fridge until you want to use it.

4. To make the wontons, place the wonton wrapper flat on your cutting board. Put about 3/4 of a teaspoon of the cooled chard mixture in the centre. Dip your finger the dish of water and wet all four sides of the wrapper. Fold two opposite corners together to form a little triangle. Press down the sides to make sure it's sealed. Repeat!

5. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add your wontons in batches -- don't over crowd the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the skins become soft and translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve right away, dipped in balsamic vinegar, with an extra splash of soy sauce, or add to a broth and noodle bowl.

I Need Colour

This past few days have been a bit grey and gloomy. The autumn chill has definitely set in, but instead of crisp, sunny, sweater weather, we're getting an icy drizzle and overcast skies. I know it comes with the seasons, but sometimes, you need a bit of help to keep a smile on your face. Coffee helps. Celebration adventures with loved ones help a lot. And colourful food -- for sure!



This quinoa dish definitely has many colours, enough to pick you up on a gloomy, drizzly weekend. It's inspired by a quinoa chowder from a book that my nest friend gifted me with for my 30th birthday that just past. It's a book dedicated to quinoa! I already want to make everything. But this was the first recipe that caught my eye. It's a simple stewy dish with lots of colourful vegetables -- yes, there's STILL fresh corn in the market and super ripe peppers if you hurry. And of course, I couldn't pass up this beautiful bunch of rainbow chard. My own chardlings from our balcony box gave me one last little bunch as well.




This dish is easy to put together, very healthy and definitely flavourful. It's comforting when served hot, but as it sits overnight, the quinoa kind of soaks up all the liquid and becomes kind of salad-like. It's also great cold, but feel free to add a splash of water or broth when re-heating to bring it back to it's chill-chasing stewy goodness. Keep warm and dry!

Quinoa Vegetable Stew
adapted from Quinoa: the everyday superfood by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming

1 carrot, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cobs of corn, kernals removed
half a small bunch of rainbow chard, stalks diced, leaves cut into ribbons
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 cup of quinoa, rinsed well (I used red)
zest and juice of a lime
2-3 cups of vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste.

1. In a large pot, cook the onions, carrots, celery, pepper and chard stalks for about 5-7 minutes, until fragrant and starting to soften. Season and add the lime zest, cumin and smoked paprika.

2. Mix and cook for a minute or so, so the spices can toast. Add the lime juice and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the corn, quinoa and vegetable broth. Stir well.

3. Bring the stew up to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.

4. Remove the lid and add the chard leaves. Stir and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy with crusty bread or all by itself.

Getting Ready for Rain

I love sunshine. And I also love rain. I also love snow. I love that we have all four season where I live. It's truly a blessing. Rain gets a bad reputation and I think it's unfair. Sure, I'm guilty of being a bit disappointed when rain gets in the way of bike rides and walks in the market, and I get more than a little annoyed when my shoes fill up with water. But in the end, I know that rain still rocks. It gives us the perfect excuse to stay inside and do nothing but relax and drink warm beverages. It makes the most wonderful soothing sounds that help you sleep in when your weekday alarm clock inside your head won't shut off. And it makes you feel a little less guilty for leaving work early only to go home and crash on the couch with a big bowl of something comforting.



I have to admit that cooking during weekdays is pretty difficult. I'm usually dead on my feet by 4pm and pass out on the streetcar ride home. Weekday dinners have to be quick, or they have to be made ahead and reheated. I'm the type of person that can make a soup or stew on Sunday, stick it in the fridge and heat it up for supper all week. If you are as well, this braised cabbage and carrot dish is perfect for you. I made it yesterday when I saw that the forecast called for 3 straight days of rain during the work week and I knew that I would need to come home to something comforting and quick.

I first made this braised stew-y dish in April, when spring was just moving in -- the time of slushy sidewalks and chilly wintery rain. It really warmed me up then, and I'm betting it will do the same this week. It's a simple braise of fresh market carrots, purple cabbage and Roma beans (though canned will work just fine I'm sure!) all spiced up with crushed fennel seeds and smoked paprika. I originally used these two spices to mimic the flavours of a chorizo sausage -- I love the spices but hate the oily mess the sausage leaves in the vegetables. I'm not sure that it tastes like chorizo, but it's definitely a winning combination. My thyme pots are still going strong, so I also added a big bunch of that, but if you're making this in the dead of winter, which I'm sure I'll do as well, some dried thyme would be just fine. This braise would be great served with crusty bread if that's your thing. I'd prefer it over noodles or macaroni. It would also be the perfect side dish to pork chops or Oktoberfest sausage, but that's getting too complicated for a week night ... I'm such a wimp! Why do I even have a food blog? :)

Braised Cabbage and Carrots with Beans

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 small head of red cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, cut into coins
a big handful of Roma beans, shucked (or half a can of whatever beans you like)
1/2 an onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
2 cups of water or vegetable broth
4 big springs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, sweat the onions and garlic until fragrant and soft. Turn up the heat and add the dried oregano, fennel seeds, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes.

2. Add the cabbage and carrots and give it a good stir. Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf and put the lid of the pot. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the carrots and cabbage are just starting to soften. Add the beans and cook, covered for another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables and beans are cooked to your liking (I like the cabbage and carrots to still have a bit of bite, and the beans to be creamy but not falling apart).

3. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the fresh thyme and serve with whatever you like!

Montreal Coleslaw

So, did I mention that I went to Montreal? Oh yeah.. I did. Did I mention that I'm yearning to be back there? Did that too, eh? I haven't officially come down off my Montreal high, even though it's been more than enough time. There's just something about that city that makes me miss it in a strange way.

I've been to Montreal many times, but I always find something new each time I go there. This year, we discovered the markets. And during one of our market visits, I discovered la pomme blanche. It's a beautiful, small green apple that's first harvested in July, and then again August. It's not just tart, it's sour. Think sour apple candy! It's totally delicious, totally refreshing and totally sour! I bought a huge basket just a few days before were were supposed to come home, and seeing as I didn't want to lug a gigantic bag of apples on the train with me, I had to eat most of them up. My partner is not really a sour apple snacker. He'll have a bite, but that's about it. My best friend is against apples in general (yes yes.. only when they're raw because they have a weird texture .. crunchy? crispy? delicious? ahem...).




So. I. Ate. Apples. I snacked on them pre-breakfast, post-workout with a glass of grapefruit juice at the tiny kitchen table before anyone else even got out of bed. I packed them on our walking adventures and happily crunched them in between drinking coffees and eating bagels. I ate them after dinner as a refreshing fruity dessert. I even made a sandwich with one and stuffed slices of it in between orange-honey mustard and vache qui rit cheese. It was the perfect train snack. Totally perfect.

When I got home, I had 4 pommes blanches left and with 2, I made this delicious coleslaw that reminded me of all my favourite flavours from this past Montreal trip: sour apples, sweet local strawberries and tangy orange mustard. I also threw in some beet because I remembered seeing these beautiful mulit-coloured beets at the market. It added a beautiful deep flavour to the salad and balanced out the cheek puckering apple very nicely. The dressing is on the sweet side, and doesn't follow the 3:1 oil-vinegar ration, which is what I like, but feel tree to taste as you make it and adjust accordingly. Seeing as we don't have pommes blanches here in Ontario, I'd say the granny smith would be a fine substitute, or even better, the ginger gold, which I just discovered. It has a very similar texture to la pomme blanche, but isn't quite as sour. If you're against apples, I can't help you here.. this salad screams "J'aime les pommes!"

Counting the says til my next trip back to la belle province...


Sour Apple Coleslaw with Sweet Fruity Dressing

1/4 of a large (I mean huge) head of purple cabbage (or 1/2 of a normal sized one)
2 sour apples
1/2 a giant beet root (or 1 normal sized one)

1.5 tablespoons of honey mustard
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of orange marmalade
2 teaspoons of strawberry jam
1 tablespoon of olive oil
a little grinding of black pepper

mix-ins (optional): goat cheese, sunflower seeds, toasted walnuts or almonds

1. Shred your cabbage. Julienne your apples and beet. Mix together in a large bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, marmalade, jam, olive oil and pepper. Give it a taste and adjust to what you like.

3. Pour your dressing over the salad and give it a nice big toss. Let it sit in a fridge for at least 20 minutes. Top with mix-ins of your choice and enjoy!

Magic Dressing

I'm taking a quick break from the thyme treats to share this amazing salad with you. It's looks kinda plain but it's the magical dressing that really makes this salad come to life. It's tahini!!

You're probably not a stranger to cooking tahini. I'm not either, but I've never made salad dressing with it. But I should have! Oh I should have. In fact, just the other day, I was at a wonderful restaurant with my sister called Fresh, where they have this beautiful bowl of goodness that's just called "Simple" on the menu. It consists of brown rice, grated carrots, micro greens, lots of parsley and a delicious, creamy tahini-tamari dressing. I thought of this dressing when I went to make a salad and wanted something interesting to put on it. Kickpleat, of Everybody Likes Sandwiches, one of my favourite blogs, makes tahini dressing all the time. She puts it on millet, coleslaw and even butternut squash. So I thought, why not? Let's do it. I simplified her version of the dressing -- just tahini, lemon juice, pepper and a splash of water -- and it was truly magical. Creamy, nutty, tangy. I couldn't get enough. And I picture this dressing over every salad: chickpeas, simple cucumber and tomato, even as a dipping sauce for this roasted cauliflower.


But it was just perfect on a simple mixed salad of blanched kale, fresh Ontario spring mix greens (courtesy of my sister's CSA) and some stray leftover quinoa and lentils. Like I said, you could add anything. The big tahini boost and lentils were enough to give me a healthy protein dose, but chickpeas would be a lovely addition, as would tofu cubes, or even a good sprinkling of pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Tahini hasn't really been a staple in my fridge, but now it definitely will be. Happy salad days!

Simple Salad with Tahini Dressing
inspired by Everybody Likes Sandwiches serves two

half a bunch of kale, stems removed
2 cups of mixed salad greens
1/2 cup of cooked grains of your choice
extras like tofu, chickpeas, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, roasted almonds....

2 tablespoons of tahini
juice of half a lemon
a good grinding of black pepper
2 tablespoons of water

1. Blanch the kale in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until cooked but still bright green. Drain, pat dry and divide between two bowls.

2. Put 1 cup of salad greens in each bowl, and top of the grains and extras.

3. To make the dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, black pepper and water vigorously until blended. You may need to add more lemon or water if the dressing is still too thick. It should be creamy but pourable.

4. Pour the tahini-liciousness over your salad and give it a good mix. Enjoy!

Cool Noodle Salad for those Hazy Days

I think summer is here. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh... don't scare her away. The thunderstorms and steamy afternoons (and migraine headaches!) definitely mark the beginning of summer. So do strawberries and rhubarb in the market and an increasing urge to stay outside.


While a couple weeks ago I could get away with making soup and enjoying it despite the hot weather, I can't say that I could have done that for the past few days. Instead, a few days ago, I made a yummy, simple noodle salad that sat in the fridge and was enjoyed all week long. I used extra thin vermicelli, (but I think next time I might try cellophane noodles), sliced carrots, blanched broccoli and asparagus and dressed it with a lime, ginger and soy mixture. The final ingredient threw it over the top: Thai basil. Ever had it? It's definitely similar to Italian basil but with a sweeter and more licorice-y taste. When I smell it, I think of pho, that classic Vietnamese noodle soup that comes served with raw bean sprouts and tons of Thai basil that you just throw into the soup to cook. I used tons of it in this salad and it totally made the different between a great salad and a super-fantastic salad.



I used a combination of raw and cooked veggies, but if you were feeling lazy, you could stick with just raw ones. Cucumber would be very refreshing in this salad, as would sliced red peppers or even celery. For a bit more kick, you might want to add some chopped green onion, or use a fresh red chili in the dressing instead of the chili powder that I used. If you need a bit of protein in your salad, shredded cooked chicken would be perfect, as would some marinated tofu if you want to keep it veggie. Cilantro would have been a perfect herb to add as well, but try not to skip the Thai basil. If you don't grow it, you can usually find it wrapped in most Asian grocery stores. Personally, I'm ecstatic to have three little Thai basil patches growing on my balcony, because I plan to make this salad many more times this summer.

Now..what should I do with this big pot of spear mint that was given to me as a gift ......

Noodle Salad with Thai Basil
300g of dried, extra thin vermicelli (they come in little "cakes" -- I used three)
1 medium carrot, sliced into match sticks
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
a big handful of Thai basil
a few sprigs of fresh thyme

juice and zest of 2 juicy limes
1 tablespoon of light soy
1 tablespoon of dark soy
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
1 teaspoon of dark brown sugar or honey
1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon of canola oil
a pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Soak the noodles in cold water for a couple of hours. Drain, and dunk into boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove (but keep the water to blanch your veggies) and run under cold water. Drain and put into a large bowl.

2. Blanch the asparagus and broccoli separately until tender. Drain and add to noodles. Add carrots and herbs and toss until everything is evenly distributed.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and zest, oils, soy sauces, ginger and sugar. Taste and add more oil or sugar to your liking. It will be quite zing-y, but the noodles will mellow it out.

4. Pour 2/3 of the dressing in the salad and toss. Taste and add more if you like.

5. Serve immediately or chilled.

So NOT Soup Weather

It's a been a steamy past few days here in Toronto, and I know the last thing you want is a bowl of hot soup to make you even hotter. But trust me; this is worth the pain. In the scorching feels-like-41-degree weather during the middle of this week, we made a soup so delicious that is was worth the minor discomfort of eating hot foods on a hot day.

Here's the story: I wanted to make this soup when I first saw the post. I love lentil, I love beans and I wanted an excuse to use my hot smoked paprika again. Then, I saw this lovely spring minestrone and I was intrigued by the addition of fresh pesto stirred into the soup at the very end to give it body and a kick of flavour. My idea to combine the two soups came when I was staring into the fridge at some leftover pesto I had made (which by the way, is so much better when you make it yourself!) and wanting to do something with a beautiful bunch of spinach that was sitting in the crisper. It worked out beautifully. It was a great way to use up a few purple potatoes I had hanging around for a couple of weeks, plus use some of Ontario's first batch of spring asparagus.





This soup is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different vegetables. I don't think you could mess it up, even if you wanted to! It's hearty with beautiful earthy lentils and chickpeas -- winter staples that you probably still have hanging around, but also fresh and spring-y from the veggies and fresh herbs. Whatever you do, don't skip the pesto. It's the secret that makes this soup a definite winner.

Spring-Winter Minestrone
inspired by kickpleat on poppytalk and Simple Recipes

1 medium carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
a handful of button mushrooms, sliced
a handful of baby potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of green lentils, rinsed
1/2 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups of water or vegetable stalk, plus more if needed
a small bunch of spinach, roughly chopped
a small bunch of asparagus, trimmed and halved
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of fresh pesto

1. In a large pot, sweat the onions, garlic, carrots and celery with some olive oil for about 5 minutes until they start to get soft and fragrant. Season and add dried oregano and smoked paprika.

2. Add the mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas and give it a good stir. Add the stalk and bring up to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender.

3. Add the asparagus and put the lid on for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the chopped spinach. Simmer, uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the asparagus and potatoes and fully tender and the liquid has reduced.

4. Turn off the heat and stir in the pesto. Serve with something over ice!

Jamie Oliver's Humble Home-Cooked Beans

Do you like baked beans? If you're like me, the only kind of baked beans that you know about are the kind that come in a can and taste maple-y sweet and are, yes, let's admit it, totally addictive. In exploring a new kind of baked bean, the home-made kind, I came across many different options. Pineapple and molasses, bacon and apple cider vinegar, beer and dried berries .. there were so many options. But I wanted to start simple. Then, I remembered the list. Yes, the list. Towards the end of my March break, I had made a list of all the cooking that I wanted to do before the summer, and Jamie Oliver's baked-beans was on it. I was flipping through one of his cookbooks and somehow, those creamy comforting beans caught my attention. A quick ingredient scan told me that they were totally doable.



These beans are the perfect thing to eat on a rainy, cool spring Sunday afternoon while watching a funny movie and relaxing. The beans cooked on the stove top, bubbling away with bay leaves, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and a couple new potatoes. The funny and genius part of this recipe is that when the beans are tender, you drain some, but not all of the water, and smash up the potatoes and garlic. They get stirred back in the beans to make them creamy and delicious. A little splash of vinegar brightens everything up at the end, and the few glugs of olive oil that Jamie calls for is not even needed.



I can totally see myself adding a big dose of maple syrup at the end next time ... and yes, there will be a next time .. lots of next times...

Jamie Oliver's Humble Home Cooked Beans
adapted from Jamie at Home

1.5 cups of dried cranberry/borlotti beans, soaked overnight in cold water
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
half a stalk of celery
a quarter on a white onion, roughly chopped
garlic clove, unpeeled
2 baby potatoes, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
1 splash of balsamic vinegar

1. Placed the soaked beans, bay leaf, thyme, celery, onion, garlic and potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Gently bring to a boil, and then simmer for about an hour, or until the beans are tender.

2. Remove about 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Drain the beans. Discard the thyme stems, celery and bay leaf. Remove the garlic and potatoes to a small bowl and give them a good smash.

3. Put the beans, reserved cooking liquid and potato garlic mixture back into the pot over low heat. Cook, stirring gently until the liquid has reduced a bit. Season well with salt and pepper. Add in a splash of balsamic vinegar, stir and serve.



Pssssst! We've started our own coffee adventure! Here's our first one ..

Coffee Tree: double americano, cappuccino and german chocolate cake flavoured coffee (soooo delicious!). And of course .. one of us walked away with 1/2 pound of beans .. French Caramel flavoured beans to be exact .. SO worth the trek to Jane/Bloor

Winter Spring Spring Winter

Here in Toronto, we're not sure whether it's still winter, or it's the beginning of spring. Since putting away my big Colombia winter jacket, I've been stubborn and called this week of minus double digit temperatures, wind chill factors and even a day of blowing snow that lasted from 8am - 8pm -- yup, I've called it spring. I've refused to bring my big jacket back out and have fooled myself by adding another thermal layer and pretending that it's spring.

The truth is, that I got through this every year. The end of March and the beginning of April has always been full of weather surprises: warm and sunny one day, wet and rainy the next, and icy and windy the week after. It's a mesh of the two seasons together, and -- shhhhh don't tell -- I kinda like it that way. It's kinda like what this supper was -- a mesh of warm, earthy, winter flavours, with fresh spring ones that wake up of your taste buds and comfort you at the same time.



The other night, we made another really easy, tasty and satisfying supper from our latest edition of Vegetarian Times. It was a simple meal of bulgur cooked in broth, flavoured with garlic, shallots, mushrooms and tomatoes, with the added springyness of baby bok choy and fresh thyme. I haven't really cooked with bulgur much, but I found that in this dish, it was perfect -- nutty and hearty and quick to cook, pairing perfectly with the wintery, earthy mushrooms and shallots. The bite from the tomatoes and fresh taste of greens was a comforting reminder that spring is on its way .. for sure.

You could totally up the protein factor of this supper my added tofu, chicken or even chickpeas. I think next time I'll add a bit of lemon zest and squeeze of juice at the end to perk things up a bit more. Chopped fresh parsley would be a great addition as well.

Bulgur with Veggies
adapted from Vegetarian Times

4 small bok choy
2 teaspoon of olive oil
2 cups of cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of grape of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 shallots, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup of fine bulgur
2.5 cups of vegetable stock (feel free to use part water)
1 spring of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

1. Blanch the bok choy in boiling, salted water for about 2 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and roughy chop. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms in 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes or until nice and brown. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the tomatoes to the skillet, cut-side down and cook for 2 minutes, until brown. Remove and set aside.

4. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet. Saute the shallots and garlic for about 2-3 minutes. Add the bulgur and toss to coat. Add broth thyme spring, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then cover. Reduce the heat of medium-low and simmer for about 7-8 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is cooked.

5. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and bok boy back into the skillet and toss until everything is mixed together. Serve immediately.









Coffee Update! (Final One!)

We're finished!!! We sampled the good stuff at 24 different, independent cafes in Toronto. Sadly, our journey is over, but we have plans to make our own list of indy cafes to visit this summer.

The Mascot - mocha, cappuccino and americano enjoyed after a yummy lunch of ethiopian food and followed by a lovely, sunny walk in Parkdale.

The One - We saved the best for last -- one of my all time favourite coffee hangouts: cinnamon-spiked drip coffee, cappuccino and americano, enjoyed with cookies and a vegan chocolate cherry bar and the company of our favourite barista

To Your Health

Happy 2011! I really hope your 2010 ended and your 2011 started better than mine. In the midst of a post-Christmas pre-New Year's party at my best friend's house, right in the middle of a crazy game of Cranium, while everyone else was just starting to feel their vodka-cranberry buzzes, I started to feel a sore throat coming on. By midnight, it had worsened, and by the time a woke up in the morning, I could barely swallow. Yuck. Despite my strengthening workout, Listerine rinses, chugs of orange juice and endless pieces of Fisherman's Friend, by the 11am, I had crawled back into bed. My body couldn't make up its mind as to whether it was hot or cold, and somehow, my legs were aching like crazy.


It's now the 2nd of the month in a brand new year, and the pain in my throat has moved to my chest and I'm constantly coughing into my sleeve (sorry to anyone who has to ride public transit beside me!). Geeze! How did I even make it through a New Year's celebration game of Monopoly and a sip of iced wine champagne at midnight? Caffeine, cold + flu medication, and a restorative soup, made with love. It was a soup of easily digestible lentils and veggies simmered in homemade broth and sipped slowly on the couch covered in blankets. I ate this lovely soup three days in a row. By the third day, I was feeling slightly better, and decided to participate. We added a few more veggies and even some yellow split peas for a little extra texture.

There are probably an endless number of ways to flavour this soup: crushed fennel seeds and basil, cumin and lemon, coriander and lime ... the possibilities are exciting. But what I've been wanting is something easy to taste, something familiar and warm, something soothing and friendly to help me get through my cold. So we settled for simple salt and pepper, a few sprigs of thyme, and the help of some homemade, flavourful stock. I'll try those other combinations when I feel better. For now, I'll go back to my soup and hope that tomorrow, my cold + flu pills will be enough to hold back 150 excited students.

Get Well Soup
serves 4

3/4 cup of red lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup of yellow split peas, rinsed
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small can of tomatoes
2 sprigs of thyme
4 cups of flavourful stock

1. In a large soup pot, saute the onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until things get fragrant and start to soften. Add the lentils, split peas and tomatoes and give it a good stir.

2. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes form a yummy, sticky coating at the bottom of the pot. Add your stock and scrape up the bits from the bottom. Throw in your thyme sprigs and turn up the heat.

3. Bring your soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes. The lentils should have broken down and the peas should be tender. Serve with bread for a nice, comforting meal.

Soupy, Saucy Macaroni

Yeah, yeah, I know a post about macaroni right after holiday baking is a bit of a let down. I know. But follow me on this one. I know I should be wiring about eggnog cheesecake squares and butter basted turkey, but just to tell you the truth, holiday cooking scares me just a touch. I know .. I just wrote about how I love baking for the holidays. So I'm a total flake, I admit it.

Anyway, if you haven't stopped reading yet, let me share with you a very simple, but delicious and comforting meal that feels good going down and will keep you fueled and charged whether it's to get through the holiday rush, or to stay up later on January 2nd when you've realized that all the work you brought home to do over the holidays has just sat in your bag untouched since December 17th. Right...


We had this meal right around the start of the holidays when we needed something yummy, healthy and comforting to have on a cold night. I had plans for lots of holiday baking and making homemade decorations. In short, I needed to be energized, and this dish did just that. It's not a cheesy, rich, baked macaroni dish. Quite the contrary. The macaroni bakes in a very brothy, light tomato and vegetable mixture and is topped with crispy breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of grated mozzarella. The secret here is homemade vegetable stock and a little patience. It's not fancy or authentic. In fact, the macaroni isn't even "el dente" -- its slightly overcooked because it's been baked in the soupy sauce, but don't let that fool you. It's comforting, delicious and a tradition in the making. I think I'll make it a tradition to have this baked macaroni dish on the first day of my holidays. Yes! Tradition set.

Brothy Macaroni and Veggies

1 cup of uncooked macaroni
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
3-4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (or you could you a small can on tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small sprig of thyme (or use 1/2 teaspoon of dried)
3-4 basil leaves, chopped (or use 1/2 teaspoon of dried)
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs
a bit of grated mozzarella cheese

1. Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until almost tender. Drain and set aside.

2. In an oven proof pot, sweat the onions and garlic until soft and fragrant. If you're using dried herbs, add them now. Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes,

3. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and the juices start getting sticky. Add the broth and give it a good stir, making sure to pick up all the yummy bits that may of gotten stuck to the pot. If you're using fresh herbs, add them now.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer until the liquid has a reduced a little. Add in the macaroni. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven until the top is nice and golden brown and the liquid has further reduced.

5. Remove from the oven and serve.

Homey and Hearty Lentil Casserole

Winter has definitely arrived. Never mind this waiting for December 21 when it becomes official. It's here. My many layers of clothing, silly-looking but warm hat and puffy man jacket already make it official. And although I love winter, and snow hikes and blustery days spent inside baking and winter walks during those deceptively chilly but sunny days, I have to admit that I don't like the cold. It seeps into my bones and plants a chill that is so hard to get rid of that I feel like either staying under a hot shower for hours or putting on three sweaters and never leaving the house. A colleague at work this week mentioned that for the holidays, he was taking his family to visit friends north of Thunder Bay, where they would go ice fishing, soak in a hot tub and then roll around in the snow in an "authentic Canadian tradition." (I won't even GO there with how loaded those words are!) I was cold for the whole morning thinking about this. Some Canadian, eh?

So how do I take away the cold? Coffee helps. Lots of coffee and tea in never-ending quantities and merino wool socks on my feet ... and a nice, homey, hearty and healthy meal, like this lentil and walnut casserole. We got the idea to make this dish when we saw it on a menu at a restaurant. Although we didn't order it, it stayed in our minds and we had to try to create it in our kitchen. I can't say enough good things about this casserole. It's definitely flavourful and tasty -- my Mom even thought there was meat in it! And it's completely vegetarian, very healthy and the perfect meal to cook and enjoy on a cold winter day. It's creamy without cream, filling but not heavy and has just enough spark from the dried and fresh herbs to take comfort food to a new level. It does take some time prepare and will take up several pots and pans in the kitchen, but if you've got a whole afternoon of warming up to do like we did, it shouldn't be a problem. Just put your favourite CD on, pour yourself another cup of tea, and dive into this recipe.

Lentil Walnut Casserole
adapted from Food.com

3/4 cup of dried red lentil, rinsed thoroughly
1.5 cups of vegetable broth

1/2 a sweet onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove, minced
a handful of chopped cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1/4 cup of oats
1 egg
1 teaspoon of honey mustard
a splash each of Worcestershire sauce and dark soy
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed (or use 1/2 teaspoon of dried)
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh sage (or used 1/2 teaspoon of dried)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese

1. Cook the lentils in the vegetable broth for about 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid is gone and the lentils are tender but have not yet disintegrated. Set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the mushrooms in a splash of olive oil until they start to get nice and brown. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the lentils and mushrooms with the rest of the ingredients except the cheese, and give it a nice big stir. Pour this mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the cheese on top.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, then turn on the broiler and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese gets brown and bubbly.

5. Remove from the oven and serve with a green salad or steamed vegetables.

La Belle Verte

L’Automne me parle. Elle me chuchote dans l’oreille, en disant: Au revoir … au revoir .. à l’année prochaine. Pour la plupart, je ne peux pas l’entendre, elle parle si doucement. Les après-midis sont toujours ensoleillés, je ne dois que porter ma tuque après le couché du soleil. Le vent est toujours doux et frais, et les feuilles sont encore colorés…les belles rouges, oranges et jaunes de l’Automne. Mais .. mais .. son départ est là. Son au revoir reste dans mon esprit comme un rêve dont je n’arrive pas à rappeler tous les détails. Elle me chuchote à l’aube, quand l’air est froid et glacé. Elle berce le soleil beaucoup plus tôt que d’habitude, et elle me suggère avec un tout petit frisson, que je devrais porter mes bas et attacher ma tuque.

L’Automne, je vous aime, et pourtant, vous restez seulement quelques courts mois. Je voudrais vous garder dans mon esprit, même quand la neige de l’Hiver me chatouille le nez, même quand la pluie de Printemps me mouille les cheveux, et même quand la chaleur de l’Été me crie d’enlever mon chandail ..

Mais enfin, le cycle de saisons doit prendre place, et je ne peux que penser aux après-midi de l’automne parfaits, ceux qui sont passés en marchant avec mon amour, en prenant un café lentement, un en particulier passé juste à l’autre côté de la capitale de notre pays, à la ville étrange et charmante de Gatineau. On a marché pour une belle demi-heure, suivant les rues cycliques qui semblent n’emmener qu’aux bâtiments gouvernementales gris et sérieux et bien trop officiels pour un petit séjour en Octobre. Mais, en tournant un coin final, on est arrivé soudain au milieu du centre-ville. Encore, étrange et charmant, pas comme les centres-villes de ma connaissance, ce centre-ville était entouré de maisons résidentielles, et ce centre-ville était solennelle et silencieux. On a dîné chez un petit resto vegan : La Belle Verte. C’est là où j’ai fait connaissance du foncé et feuillu chou frisé (kale en anglais). Ce légume je n’ai jamais goûté auparavant, et maintenant, je l’en suis toute intoxiquée. Mon amour a commandé une spécialité : La Belle Verte, qui est composé des pâtes (faites à la maison de blé entier), des légumes (carottes, choux frisé, brocoli et haricots) et une sauce au choix (il a choisi la sauce épicée aux arachides). Moi, j’ai choisi le cari aux légumes avec du riz, encore servis avec les mêmes légumes délicieux. Le cari était doux et savoureux, mais c’était le chou frisé qui, pour moi, a fait ce repas mémorable. Un simple légume, oui, mais quand je l’ai goûté, c’était l’Automne qui me vient à l’esprit.

Maintenant que mon beau séjour est fini il y a un long moi, et le vent de l’Hiver m’embrasse furtivement pendant les sombres matins, et les soirées tardifs, je cherche à augmenté ces belles souvenirs pour me couvrir avec tous ses chaleurs de l’Automne. C’est certainement les goûts de l’automne qui sont les plus réconfortants, et parmi les pommes, les citrouilles, la cannelle et les canneberges, je cuis le chou frisé. Non, je n’ai pas essayé à refaire les repas de La Belle Verte (mais je l’en veux bien). Ailleurs, j’ai fait un simple dîner de pois de chiches assaisonnés avec le gingembre et les autres saveurs asiatiques et le chou frisé blanchi. Très simple, mais délicieux, et certainement un repas qui emmène mes souvenirs de Gatineau au devant de mon esprit.

Simple Chickpeas and Kale
serves 2

a small bunch of kale, stems removed
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon of olive oil
a small chunk of ginger
a splash each of dark soy, light soy and sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
black pepper to taste

1. Blanch the kale in salted, boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, drain and roughly chop. Divide between two bowls.

2. In a saucepan, heat the oil and ginger over high heat until things get toasty and fragrant. Add the chickpeas, soy sauces, coriander and sesame seed oil and toss around. Add black pepper and cook until the sauces turn syrupy.

3. Pour the chickpeas over the kale and serve immediately.

4. Au revoir L’Autonme. À l’année prochaine!