Shakshuka

I needed a recipe that was not only quick and tasty, but wanted it to be simple and clean too - plus who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?  Shakshuka is a dish usually eaten for breakfast in Israel, although with a side salad it is a lovely light vegetarian evening meal.  Made in one skillet it hails from Libya and has many variations.  This version included items that I had available in my pantry!

SHAKSHUKA

 Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 seeded and diced red or green pepper

28oz can diced tomatoes (I use low-sodium)

1 can tomato paste

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Salt & pepper, to taste

5 - 6 eggs

1 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

• Heat olive oil in skillet.  Saute onions and peppers over medium high, stirring often, until softened.  Add garlic; saute for an additional minute.
  
  
  
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices.  Stir to combine well.  Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it reduces and thickens.  Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
  
• Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, spacing out evenly.
  
• Cover the skillet and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has really thickened.
  
• Turn off heat, sprinkle chopped parsley over entire dish.
• Serve with toasted flat bread
  
• ENJOY! 

Kale with Crispy Salami

This is a super quick as well as super nutritious side dish ... not to mention super tasty!!!  ENJOY!!

KALE WITH CRISPY SALAMI

Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch cayenne

3 tsp sea salt

5 cups of kale leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

3 large shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

8 thin slices of salami, cut into narrow strips (Italian or Hungarian are our faves!)

Black pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar and cayenne.  Set aside.
• Add about 3" of water to a large pot, add salt and bring to a boil.  Toss in kale and parboil about 3 minutes.  Drain, and let kale dry out in sieve.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and stir-fry until they start to colour (approx 5 minutes).  Remove to a small dish.  Increase heat in skillet to medium high and add salami strips.  Cook until crisp.  Transfer the salami to another dish.
• Add kale to skillet and toss quickly.  Kale should just be heated otherwise it will overcook and become soggy.  Remove from the heat, add honey mixture and shallots and toss.  Season to taste with pepper.  Transfer the kale to your serving bowl or platter and garnish with the salami.
• ENJOY!

Turkish Red Lentil & Vegetable Stew

I found this recipe in a magazine and was intrigued not only because of its simplicity, but the fact that the recipe has endeavored to make the lentils a complete protein source by combining them with a grain - bulgur!  I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and I was so happy that I took the time to create this meal because it was delicious!!

TURKISH RED LENTIL & VEGETABLE STEW

Ingredients

Half of a large eggplant, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

I large onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, cut into 1" chunks

1 zucchini, cut into 1" chunks

1 each sweet red and yellow pepper, cut into 1" chunks

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 cup red lentils

1/2 cup bulgur

4 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp dried mint, crumbled

• Sprinkle eggplant all over with the salt and let stand until beads of moisture appear (approximately 1/2 hr).  Blot dry with a towel.
• In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium-high heat.  Fry onions until lightly golden (approx 4 mins).  Add eggplant, carrots, zucchini, peppers, paprika and cayenne.  Saute until eggplant is almost tender (approx. 10 mins)
• Add lentils and bulgur and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add broth, 3 cups water and the tomato paste.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered until lentils are almost dissolved (approx. 1 hr).  Make sure you stir periodically otherwise the lentils tend to stick to the bottom of the pot!
• Stir lemon juice and dried mint into the stew.  Ladle into bowls and ENJOY!

Saag Paneer (Indian Spinach with Homemade Cheese)

Saag...

Paneer...

 This is a classic Northern Indian dish that consists of spinach and fresh, unripened cheese made by curdling whole milk to separate the curds from the whey.  You can find it in many stores,
but as with most things, I find homemade best!

SAAG PANEER

Ingredients:

2 bunches spinach, trimmed

2 tbsp vegetable (or coconut) oil

3/4 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp finely grated fresh gingerroot

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (AKA coriander)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground coriander

Pinch cinnamon

3 plum tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped

1/3 cup Balkan-style yogurt

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp garam masala

8 oz paneer, cubed

Saag Paneer!!!

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch spinach until just wilted; drain.  Chill under cold water and drain again.  In a food processor, puree spinach with 1/4 cup water and set aside.
• In a large deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat;  cook cumin seeds until slightly darkened (approx. 10 seconds).  Add onion and butter; saute until onion is golden (approx. 8 minutes).  
• Reduce heat to medium; stir in garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute.  Stir in fresh cilantro, cayenne, turmeric, ground coriander, salt and cinnamon.  Saute, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds before adding tomatoes.  Stir until tomatoes break down (approx. 3 minutes).
• Stir in pureed spinach; cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 tbsp water if mixture is getting too dry, until steaming hot (approx. 3 mins).
• Stir in yogurt, lemon juice and garam masala; bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and add paneer.  Cover and cook until heated through (approx. 2 minutes)
• Serve and ENJOY!

PANEER RECIPE:

12 cups homogenized milk

1 cup lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

• In a large saucepan, bring milk to a boil; remove from heat.  Add lemon juice; stir until milk curdles and separates into spongy white chunks (curds) and greenish milky water (whey).  Stir in salt.
• Pour into a double cheesecloth-lined stainer set over bowl.  Let stand until most of the liquid has drained off.  Fold cheesecloth over top; weigh down with a plate and full 28oz can.  Refrigerate for 8 hrs or up to 24 hrs.
• Remove cheesecloth and use!

*I substituted goat's milk yogurt - it is thicker and my family who is lactose intolerant can eat it!  I also omitted the butter and used coconut milk for the saag recipe...the paneer recipe I followed to a "T".

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

This easy one-pot meal is perfect for using up any of those random vegetables in your crisper!  There are many ingredients, but don't let that deter you - the complex flavours created from using these spices and vegetables is delicious!!

SOUTH INDIAN-STYLE VEGETABLE CURRY

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil, or olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

1-2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup light coconut milk

1-3" cinnamon stick

Sea salt and black pepper

1 small cauliflower, broken into florets

1lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1" cubes

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 lrg carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick rounds

1can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 lightly packed cups of fresh baby spinach

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp finely grated lime zest

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown (2 to 4 minutes).  Reduce heat to medium and cook until the onion is richly browned (5 to 7 minutes more).  Add the garlic and ginger; cook stirring for 1 minute.
• Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices.  Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the spices.
• Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.  Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice, and zest;  cook until the spinach has wilted (about 3 minutes).
• Serve garnished with the cilantro and ENJOY!

Cheese Spread Pine Cone

I found this in "Taste of Home" magazine and thought it was perfect for our annual Xmas Open House!  It is not only really easy to create, it looks fantastic (if I do say so myself!)

CHEESE SPREAD PINE CONE

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup milk

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons of dried minced onion

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2/3 cup sliced, unblanched almonds

1 cinnamon stick

Fresh dill sprigs

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth.  Add the feta, mozzarella, onion, and cayenne;  mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.
• On a serving platter, form cheese mixture into a pine cone shape.  beginning at the narrow end, arrange almonds in overlapping rows.  Add cinnamon stick and dill for the stem and pine needles.
• Serve with bread sticks, crackers and/or vegetables. 

Creamy Turkey & Apple Chili

As it is harvest time here and we just had Thanksgiving, I had apples and turkey a-plenty!  This recipe is one that I have made for years and love.  It is deceiving because it appears to be just creamy and bland...but it really packs a lovely heat which is surprising and delicious!!  I made a double-batch for a dinner party we had last night and everyone loved it!!

CREAMY TURKEY & APPLE CHILI

Ingredients:

1/4 cup EVOO

2 lbs of turkey meat, cut into 1/2" cubes

4 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

Dash of cayenne (if you like it a little on the hot side!)

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 apples, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 onion, diced

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups homemade chicken broth (or turkey)

3/4 cup milk

Two 15oz cans of white kidney beans, chickpeas, or Romano beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Asiago cheese

• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the turkey, chili powder, cayenne (if using), and cumin.  Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 mins.  Transfer to a bowl.
• In the same pot heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil.  Add the apples and onion and saute until soft, stirring constantly. Approximately 6 mins.  Add to the turkey mixture.
• In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the chicken (or turkey) broth and milk until thickened, approx. 3 mins.
• Stir in the turkey-apple mixture and beans.  Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cheese.
• Serve with cornbread muffins, tortilla chips, or crusty bread!
• ENJOY!!!

Acorn Squash Soup with Bacon

In our CSA boxes we have been receiving a lot of squash lately (which makes me SO happy!)  As I had 3 white acorn squash hanging about I decided to try this recipe which I found on www.allrecipes.com.  All I can say is YUMMY!!!  Greg and I had two full bowls each and the kids gobbled theirs up too.  The bacon isn't necessary, but it did make a nice contrast to the sweet and slightly spicy soup.

ACORN SQUASH SOUP WITH BACON

Ingredients:

1 small onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

dash cayenne pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash

salt and pepper to taste

5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

 

• In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, dill, curry and cayenne until blended. Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper; heat through.
• In a blender or food processor, process the soup in batches until smooth. Pour into bowls; garnish with bacon.

Spiced Spatchcock Chicken

We are part of the poultry share with "Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze" and nothing beats the fantastic flavour and texture of free-range, pasture-raised, hormone & antibiotic free chicken!!

In case you aren't familiar with "spatchcocking" it is simply a method of flattening out a whole chicken so that it can be grilled evenly!

SPICED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Ingredients

2 tbsp EVOO

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon & salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3lb (1.5 kg) whole chicken

Lime wedges

• In a large bowl, combine oil, turmeric, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
• Using kitchen shears, cut chicken down each side of the backbone; remove the backbone. Turn chicken breast side up; press firmly on breastbone to flatten. Add to bowl and rub all over with the spice mixture.
• Heat barbecue grill and place large piece of heavy duty foil over the grill (or if you have a drip pan under the grill, just oil the grill itself). Place chicken bone side down on the grill and close lid, turn once two-thirds of the way through cooking time of 45 minutes, until juices run clear when thigh is pierced (or when thermometer reads 165C).
• Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve with lime wedges and ENJOY!!
  

Quinoa & Chickpea Soup

I have recently joined the creator of "Booty Camp Fitness", Sammie Kennedy, in her 8 week online challenge. I completed a Booty Camp session in Mt. Albert and had amazing results so since a second session isn't being run, due to my instructor hurting her back (get better Erin!), I decided that this online challenge was just what I needed to give my booty a kick! The challenge consists of completing a 45 mins workout every day and some dietary restrictions (no dairy, no refined sugar, and no or 50% reduction in alcohol...not to mention a big salad daily). I knew that no dairy wouldn't be that huge of a challenge for me, but I didn't realize how difficult it would be to 'kick sugar'...it's in absolutely EVERYTHING! However, I am just watching labels more carefully and making substitutions where necessary.

I created this soup the other day and my family loved it (it was a little spicy for the kids but they ate it)! It's simple to prepare, nutritious, and absolutely delicious!!

QUINOA & CHICKPEA SOUP

Ingredients:

EVOO

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 onion, diced

1 tsp smoked paprika (spicy or regular is fine)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 whole tomatoes, chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup organic quinoa (rinsed and drained)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

• In a large pot, heat the EVOO over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until tender. Add garlic, quinoa, paprika and cayenne. Stirring constantly to prevent sticking and burning, cook for 2 mins.
• Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, stock, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
• Simmer for 30 mins. covered, stirring occasionally.
• Add parsley and lemon juice and blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
• Serve and ENJOY!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

We often receive pork roasts in our CSA baskets and I think this is our favourite way to enjoy them! This is an easy recipe but take note of the amount of cooking and marinating time ~ it's got to be slow roasted and although you can marinate it for as little as one hour, I find that 24 hours really ensures the flavour gets into the meat! I cannot take credit for the sandwich in the photo ~ Greg made this batch of pulled pork using my favourite recipe!

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup whole-grain mustard

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Kosher (or coarse) salt

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pork roast (preferably a butt roast), approx 5lbs

2 cups water

1/2 cup port

8 to 10 dashes of hot pepper sauce

• Using a mortar and pestle or a fork, mash together garlic, mustard, sugar, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, to form a paste.
• Spread paste evenly over entire pork roast and refrigerate in a roasting pan (or a Ziploc freezer bag) for at least 1 hr, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300F. Add water to the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover the roast in the pan with foil.
• Cook, basting hourly, flipping halfway through, until pork is tender and can easily be pulled apart using a fork (approx. 6 hours)
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred pork and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Pour drippings into a pan and heat to medium high heat. Add the port and hot pepper sauce. Simmer until the consistency of BBQ sauce. Pour over the pork and stir thoroughly.
• Place the pork on a fresh sandwich bun and enjoy!

Broccoli, Potato & Caramelized Onion Soup

As I was on a roll yesterday with making my leek & potato soup, I decided to use up the broccoli that has been residing in my fridge for a week! Luckily I had chopped and frozen potatoes from my CSA share into 2, 4 and 8 cup portions so it was easy to pull this soup together! This recipe comes from my favourite vegetarian cookbook: "The New Vegetarian Epicure", by Anna Thomas.

BROCCOLI, POTATO & CARAMELIZED ONION SOUP

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lbs broccoli (approx 6 cups of chopped broccoli)

3 onions, roughly diced

salt, to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

2 1 /2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 large potatoes (approx. 1 lb), peeled & diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

3 cups water

4 cups homemade vegetable stock

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 1 /2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% milk

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Generous pinch of cayenne pepper

• Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a skillet, over medium heat. Add the onions and saute with a sprinkle of salt, until golden.
• Combine the potatoes and celery in a large soup pot with the water and stock and approx. 1/2 tsp salt if needed (if it's a homemade stock you might want to as homemade stocks are never seasoned).
• Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli and sauteed onions and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the lemon juice and puree the soup either in batches in the blender, or using an immersion blender in the soup pot. Don't overprocess as the texture should be somewhat rough.
• Melt the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter in a skillet and stir in the flour. Cook this roux for a few minutes, stirring constantly, till golden. Whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring or whisking till it thickens. Whisk in the mustard and the cayenne and add the white sauce to the soup.
• Bring the soup back to a simmer, taste and correct the seasonings with more salt and pepper, mustard or cayenne.
• You can garnish the bowl with small florettes of steamed broccoli, or a swirl of sour cream!
• ENJOY!!!