Crustless Caprese Quiche

Since I can't stand baking in any form, making pastry is a painful ordeal for me (plus we are gluten-free so who needs crust, right?)  This classic flavour combination is so fresh and light that you can literally eat it for any meal or even as a snack!  The best part?  I used basil from my garden, tomatoes, garlic and eggs from Cooper's Farm and combined it with some ingredients I had on hand and adjusted a typical quiche recipe to suit our food intolerances.  Try it tonight!!!

CRUSTLESS CAPRESE QUICHE

Ingredients

1/4 cup diced onion (I had spring onions so I used them and skipped sauteing them)

1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large tomatoes; one with the seeds removed and the other thinly sliced

1/3 cup packed fresh basil, julienned

4 oz fresh mozzarella, grated (I used goat mozzarella)

4 large eggs

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup milk (I used non-dairy creamer)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

• Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray an 8" or 9" pie plate with non-stick spray.  Set aside.
• Add a tsp oil to a large skillet (I always use coconut because it can take high heat).  Saute the onions over medium-high heat until translucent and add the garlic, salt and pepper; saute for a couple of minutes more.  Spoon into an small bowl to allow to cool
• Slice one of the tomatoes in half and scoop or squeeze out as many seeds as you can.  Dice tomato.  Add to onion mixture.
• Add julienned basil to the onion mixture and stir to combine.  Spoon this mixture into the bottom of the prepared pie dish and spread into an even layer.  Top with the mozzarella.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper.  Gently pour over top the cheese layer in the pie dish.
• Lay the tomato slices gently on top of the egg mixture (overlapping if necessary).  Sprinkle top of quiche with black pepper and salt.
• Place in the oven for 50 minutes, or until the quiche is set.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• ENJOY!

Zuppa de Fagioli

I created this simple and flavourful soup using ingredients almost solely from our CSA box from "Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze"!  This is considered a peasant soup in Italy and is often passed over for the more popular minestrone, however I urge you to try it.  Not only is this nutritious and easy to create, it is colourful  and flavourful!!

ZUPPA DE FAGIOLI

Ingredients:

2 - 14oz cans of low-sodium cannellini beans (you can substitute white kidney beans)

1 tbsp. EVOO

I leek (white and light green parts), trimmed, sliced in half, cleaned and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 celery stalks, diced

1 carrot, diced

2lbs spinach, trimmed and roughly chopped (you can substitute kale or Swiss chard)

2 ripe tomatoes, diced

4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

• Put 1 can of beans with its liquid in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.  Drain and rinse other can of beans.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add leek, garlic, thyme and oregano.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leeks are soft.  Add celery, carrot, spinach and tomato; cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
• Stir pureed beans and stock into vegetable mixture.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Add drained beans and stir until heated through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve in warm bowls topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
• ENJOY!

Curried Chickpea Quinoa

Last night we had baked salmon in a soy and maple syrup glaze, as well as a leaf salad.  I needed a quick and nutritious side dish that would appeal to my kids as well as the adults.  Upon surfing www.allrecipes.com, I came upon this recipe which is excellent warm or cold!

CURRIED CHICKPEA QUINOA

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium red onion, diced

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup of raisins

1 teaspoon of curry powder

Salt and black pepper to taste.

• In a large saucepan, bring the water and orange juice to a boil.  
• Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, and stir.   Bring back to the boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).
• Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another 5 minutes.  Remove the lid, fluff quinoa with a fork, season with salt and pepper, and serve
• ENJOY!

Rockin' Moroccan Stew

Years ago I discovered this stew recipe in my "Crazy Plates" cookbook and I had forgotten about it until we recently went to a friend's Moroccan-themed dinner party!  It is simple, nutritious, filling, delicious and low fat....what more could you want?!?!

ROCKIN' MOROCCAN STEW

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup each of diced celery and chopped green bell pepper (I only had orange for the dish pictured!)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes

1 can (19oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (19 oz) drained and rinsed chickpeas

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp each of ground cumin, curry powder, ground coriander, and chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup raisins (I didn't have any so I used dried cranberries)

2 tbsp each light peanut butter, and chopped fresh cilantro

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic.  Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften (approx. 3 minutes)
• Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanut butter and cilantro.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Stir in raisins, peanut butter and cilantro.  Mix well.  Simmer for 5 more minutes.
• ENJOY!            

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!

Mediterranean Squares

I have had this recipe for 10 years and continue to enjoy it time and again!  My friend Sharon made this for lunch one day when our eldest children were babies and it soon became a staple for gatherings and our various lunches with Siobhan.  It is simple, consists of ingredients that you can find in your pantry and fridge, and takes no time at all to prepare.  The best is that it is just as tasty cut up into small bite-sized squares and eaten cold!

MEDITERRANEAN SQUARES

Ingredients:

(Topping)

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of dried rosemary

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2 medium hot house tomatoes, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tsp dried basil 

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano

(Crust)

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup cold shortening (or cold butter)

3/4 cup milk

• Preheat oven to 425F.  Prepare a rimmed cookie sheet by sprinkling with 2 tsp cornmeal.  Set aside.
• In a small microwavable bowl, pour olive oil over the garlic and onions and microwave, uncovered at high for 1 minute, or until softened (*I generally place the ingredients in a small pan and saute till softened)
• In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in shortening until it becomes coarse crumbs.  Add milk all at once and mix to make a soft, sticky dough.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead approx. 10 times (avoid overworking the dough!)  Roll out to fit pan.
• Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the crust.  Arrange tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion mixture on top of the cheese.  Sprinkle with basil, oregano, pepper and Parmesan.
• Bake in bottom third of preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.  
• Slide on to a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes prior to cutting into squares.
• ENJOY!

**Since my family cannot really tolerate wheat and dairy, I use gluten free all-purpose flour, coconut oil instead of shortening or butter, almond milk, and goat's cheeses!

  

Garden Frittata

This simple frittata that uses seasonal ingredients is perfect for breakfast or brunch, served with wedges of melon!

GARDEN FRITTATA

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

4 whole eggs

1/2 cup grated cheese, divided (I used cheddar)

1 tbsp minced fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 small zucchini, sliced (or you can use diced red bell peppers)

2 green onions, sliced

1 tsp olive oil

Sliced tomatoes to cover the top of the frittata (I used grape tomatoes)

• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, eggs, 1/4 cup cheese, basil, salt and pepper; set aside.
• In a large (10") ovenproof skillet, coated with cooking spray, saute zucchini and onions in the olive oil until softened.
• Add egg mixture; cover and cook for 4 - 6 minutes, or until eggs are almost set.
• Uncover, top with tomatoes and remaining cheese.  Place skillet in oven under broiler until eggs are completely set (2 to 3 mins).  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
• Enjoy with some melon wedges on the side! 
  

Fresh Tomato Salsa

My family enjoys Mexico, and in particular the Mayan Riviera, so much that we spend a lot of time there and have actually built a vacation villa there (www.villaarrecife.com)!  This is a very common condiment that is always placed on the table as an appetizer with freshly made corn chips, no matter where you go.  It's simplicity is what allows the flavours to shine through and I guarantee after making a batch of this, you will no longer want jarred, pulpy 'salsa' again!!!

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

Ingredients:

6 plum tomatoes (or any flavourful, ripe variety), finely diced

1/4 of a white onion, finely diced

1/3 of a bunch of cilantro (coriander), finely diced

2 serrano chilies, finely diced with seeds and ribs

Juice of one lime

1/2 tbsp coarse salt

3 fresh peaches, finely diced

• Once all the ingredients have been chopped, simply combine in a medium-sized bowl and serve with corn chips (our new favourite are the lime flavoured ones from PC!)
• ENJOY!

**The peaches are optional but add a nice seasonal burst of sweetness which plays off the tartness of the lime, heat of the chilies and saltiness of the chips, beautifully!  If you don't have peaches, you can add apples, or mangoes, plums or even avocados for a more authentic feel!

Aparagus & Tomato Tart With Chevre

For Father's Day I held a brunch at the house and invited my parents as well as Greg's ~ it was a special Father's Day this year as Sunday was also my Father-in-law's 69th Birthday.  With all the incredible fresh produce that we've been receiving in our CSA boxes from Cooper's, I decided to create this tart as I had all the ingredients on hand!

  

ASPARAGUS & TOMATO TART WITH CHEVRE

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 tsp white vinegar

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup of half and half cream

1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 oz log of goat's cheese (chevre)

1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

4 plum or small tomatoes

4 spears of asparagus

• For the crust, place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse gently till combined.  Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form.  Add vinegar and pulse until mixture begins to form a ball.  Remove dough and gather into a ball.
• Lightly oil a 9" tart tin with a removable bottom.  Place dough ball in the centre of the pan and using the palm of your hand, press dough from the middle of pan to edges.  With your fingertips, press dough up the sides of the pan until the dough is even with the rim.  The pastry will be very thin.  Refrigerate for 30 mins.
• Position rack in bottom of oven and preheat to 400F. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.  Whisk in milk, cream, salt and pepper.  Crumble goat cheese into a large bowl.  Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash cheese.  Continue mashing while gradually adding egg mixture.  Mixture may be a little lumpy. Add in snipped chives.
• Quarter tomatoes lengthwise, cut out seeds and core.  Arrange tomato quarters in chilled crust in a circular pattern.  In between tomatoes, add asparagus pieces (trim end and cut into 1 1/2" lengths or smaller)
• Slowly pour egg mixture over top and swirl gently to evenly distribute chives over tart. 
• Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 35 to 40 mins, or until the centre of the tart is still a little jiggly.
• Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes prior to slicing.
• Serve warm or room temperature and ENJOY! 

Tomato-a-rama!!!

It's that time of year again when all the tomatoes are at the peak of ripeness, and I start my sauce-making (much to my son, Devon's delight!) Of course I chose one of the hottest days to go over to "Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze" and pick the lovely San Marzano tomatoes that Steve Cooper has grown specifically for sauce-making...my friend Kathy and I nearly died! Hours later, the tomatoes on the bottom of the bushel basket were still warm from the sun's rays!

I am fairly new to the sauce-making game and since my son is pretty much a purist, I tend to make a basic sauce to which I can add roasted garlic, fresh herbs, sauteed ground beef, etc. to depending on what recipe I am using the sauce for. We ran out of my homemade sauce fairly early in the season and so I decided that I would make a whole bushel-worth of sauce and then go over this week to pick another half bushel for diced tomatoes....I got 11 Litre jars and one 500mL jar out of the bushel.

Here are some tips that I have picked up on the way and am passing on to you budding sauce-makers out there!

1. Get a pot of water to a rolling boil, cut an "x" in the bottom of each tomato and drop them into the pot. (I found that these tomatoes needed to be in the boiling water for 3 to 5 mins. to make the skins peel off easily).
2. I never seem to have enough ice on hand so when I create my ice bath in the sink, I use the ice packs that I keep in my freezer - they work just as well and are reusable! Keep the tomatoes in the ice bath for at least 3 to 5 minutes so they're cool enough to handle!!!
3. After peeling the skins off and trimming the stem end, I seed the tomatoes over a sieve which is placed over a large bowl. This way the tomato water from the juicy seeds drips into the bowl. When your tomatoes are in the pot, just add the tomato water to the pot for a super-flavourful sauce!
4. Instead of transferring hot tomatoes to a blender or food processor, I just use my immersion blender to puree up the tomatoes as they are cooking.
5. Reduce your tomatoes by half for thick sauce and a 1/3 for thinner sauce. Make sure that you don't have the heat too high otherwise they will scorch to the bottom of the pot. If you feel that it is taking too long or your pot is too full, transfer half the mixture to another pot so the sauce doesn't have to cook for too long and you risk scorching.
6. BE CAREFUL when you are transferring the sauce into the jars - I gave myself a nasty burn on my hand when some of the sauce splashed back out of the jar....thank goodness for "Traumeel"!!!

Grilled Tomatillo and Jalapeno Salsa

The tomatillos are also plentiful over at the farm and since I made Salsa Verde using them last year, and added them to my tomato sauce to thicken it up, I decided to make a batch of salsa using Cooper's jalapenos, garlic, oregano, tomatoes and tomatillos!

GRILLED TOMATILLO & JALAPENO SALSA

Ingredients

2 lbs tomatillos

4 cups chopped, peeled plum tomatoes

1 1 /2 cups chopped onions

1/2 cup finely chopped and seeded jalapeno peppers

2 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp kosher salt (or canning/pickling salt)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup white vinegar

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried)

• Peel husks from tomatillos and rinse under running water. Pat dry and broil in oven on a rimmed baking sheet, for approximately 10 minutes (turning halfway through to ensure even charring on all sides of the tomatillos). Remove from oven and let cool. Chop coarsely and measure out 5 cups.
• Meanwhile, prepare jars, lids in canner, as usual.
• In a large pot, combine tomatillos, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often (because it will stick to the bottom otherwise...trust me grrrr!) Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for approximately 45 minutes or until mixture is thickened and salsa can be mounded on the back of a spoon.
• Stir in oregano.
• Ladle the hot salsa in to hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace (adjusting headspace once air bubbles are removed). Wipe rim and centre lid on jar. Screw band down until fingertip tight. Place jars in canner and return to a boil. Process jars for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove canner lid. Let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing to a towel-lined surface. Check lids after 24 hours and reprocess any lids that have not sealed.
• ENJOY!!!
  

*As a note ~ my jars are labelled mild because the fresh jalapenos from Cooper's Farm are quite potent and last year my batch of salsa was quite hot! Therefore, I skimped a lot on the jalapenos and the result was more of a mild salsa instead of the desired medium. My next batch will have a little more heat!!!

Springtime Pasta with Asparagus & Spinach

We received fresh spinach, asparagus, herbs, hot house tomatoes and garlic scapes in our 3rd CSA basket! These ingredients, some chopped onions, a can or romano beans and pasta completed this meal!! The best part is that there was no need for a sauce of any kind as the romano beans are soft and creamy once cooked. When tossed with the pasta, they coated all the ingredients like a sauce!

SPRINGTIME PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS & SPINACH

Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic scapes finely chopped

6 spears of asparagus snapped into 1" pieces

3 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves

2 chopped fresh tomatoes

1 can of Romano beans, rinsed and drained

2 tsp of dried oregano

250 g of your favourite pasta (I used rotini so the ingredients would hold on to each piece!)

• In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta according to directions.
• Meanwhile, heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic scapes, sauteing until soft. Add asparagus, Romano beans, and tomatoes and cook for approx 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves and saute until wilted.
• Drain pasta and add to the vegetables along with dried oregano. Stir well over medium-high heat to combine all ingredients. Remove from heat and serve with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste!
  

My AWESOME Salad - CSA Week Two

I was so thrilled to get this week's CSA basket since I received an email from Lisa Cooper saying that we were getting spinach!!! As part of my online Booty Camp Challenge, I not only have eliminated refined sugars and dairy from my diet, but also must have one large salad each day (not too difficult with all the great seasonal produce available now!).

Today I was HUNGRY so I created this using almost all the items from my CSA box! I like to call it a deconstructed salad and everything but the balsamic, vinegar, chickpeas and red onion slivers are from Coopers!

I had frozen a chicken from last summer's CSA and recently roasted it up with fresh herbs, EVOO and salt and pepper. I decided to slice some of this delicious cold chicken and poach an egg to put on top of the baby spinach and green leaf lettuce! The cucumbers and chickpeas were topped with red onion slivers and drizzled with white vinegar ~ yummy! I just snapped a few asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces and sliced up one of my hot house tomatoes to finish it off!

I truly love this time of year for all the amazing produce that's readily available!!! I hope you take advantage of it and create your own salad this weekend!!!

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!

Butter Chicken - MY FAVOURITE INDIAN DISH!!!

For me the quintessential Indian dish is butter chicken. You can tell the calibre of the restaurant you are at simply by the sauce - many try to use a cream of tomato base which is always too salty (like prepared soups are) and not a robust fresh tomato taste. I love to make it at home for my family...and the bonus is leftovers can be chopped up and made into sandwiches or put on salad!!!!

This is NOT a low-cal option, but it is the #1 way to get into my good books by preparing it for dinner ... hint, hint !!

BUTTER CHICKEN - Murgh Makhani

Ingredients:

2 cups Balkan-style plain yogurt

6 cloves garlic, minced

1" piece of gingerroot, minced

1 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tbsp each lime juice and medium curry paste

2 tsp each mild paprika, ground cumin and coriander

1/2 tsp salt

8 air-chilled free range chicken breasts

BUTTER SAUCE

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp Garma Masala

2 tsp each mild paprika and medium curry paste

1 can chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/3 cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

• Line a sieve with cheesecloth; set over a bowl. Add yogurt; drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Discard liquid; place yogurt in a large bowl and whisk in garlic, ginger, garam masala, lime juice, curry paste, paprika, cumin, coriander and salt.
• Add chicken to bowl (or a large ziploc freezer bag), and turn to coat with yogurt marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Place chicken, skin side up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan; spoon yogurt mixture over top. Roast in a 400F oven until no longer pink inside - about 45 mins. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving juices in pan.
• BUTTER SAUCE: Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until browned - approx. 10 mins. Add garam masala, paprika, and curry paste; cook, stirring often until fragrant and beginning to stick to the pan - about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan; mash tomatoes with spoon. Simmer until spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly - about 15 minutes.
• Let cool slightly. In a food processor or blender, puree until smooth *You can make this ahead of time and allow to cool; cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours*
• Pour sauce into a roasting pan; bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits. Add cream and butter, a few pieces at a time, cooking just until each is melted and incorporated. Pour over chicken. Garnish with coriander.
• ENJOY with a cold beer and naan bread!!!

Peanut and Potato Soup

Peanut soup is a firm favourite throughout Central and South America, and is particularly popular in Bolivia and Ecuador. As in many Latin American recipes, the peanuts are used as a thickening agent, with unexpectedly delicious results!

PEANUT AND POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

4 tbsp peanut oil (or EVOO if you don't have it)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 fresh red chilies seeded and chopped

7oz or 200g can of chopped tomatoes

1 1/4 cups unsalted peanuts

6 1/2 cups homemade beef stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over low heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften.
• Add the garlic, pepper, potatoes, chilies, and tomatoes. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly with the oil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened.
• Meanwhile, toast the peanuts by gently cooking them in a large dry frying pan over medium heat. Ensure that you keep stirring to prevent the peanuts from burning.
• Remove from heat and process the peanuts in a food processor until finely ground. Either add the vegetables and continue processing until a smooth consistency, or add nuts to the soup and use an immersion blender to process the vegetables.
• Return the mixture to the dutch oven and stir in the beef stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes so the flavours can combine.
• Pour the soup into heated bowls and garnish with a swirl of peanut butter and some dried red chili flakes.
• ENJOY!!

* You can substitute peanut butter for the unsalted peanuts, but ensure that you use equal quantities of chunky and smooth to get the ideal texture - you want some coarser chopped peanuts to add some crunch to the soup!*

Black Beans with Corn and Tomatoes

This is one of those super-easy side dishes that I love not only for it's clean taste and ease of preparation (because I generally have the ingredients at hand), but also because it is so good for you! Tasty and healthy?! You bet!

BLACK BEANS WITH CORN AND TOMATOES

Ingredients:

1 tbsp EVOO

1/2 a yellow onion, finely diced

1 - 28oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp finely chopped green chilis

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 small can of corn, drained and rinsed

Pinch of salt

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

• Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion. Saute for approximately 5 minutes (or until the onion is translucent).
• Add the black beans, chilis, tomatoes, cilantro and corn. Simmer 15 minutes over medium heat. If the mixture becomes too dry, you can add a touch of water or fresh lime juice (my personal favourite as it makes the flavour of the chilis and cilantro just pop!) Taste and add salt if required.
• Serve with lime wedges and ENJOY!
  

Kashmiri-Style Curried Turkey

This recipe is one that I have had for a long time and use when I have a couple of bananas that are too ripe to eat. I especially enjoy preparing this recipe when I have turkey on hand that has already been cooked and cut up, as it makes the preparation time that much shorter!

KASHMIRI-STYLE CURRIED TURKEY

Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO

3lb cooked turkey, cut into 2" pieces

1 large onion diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 apple, peeled and diced

2 medium-sized ripe bananas, cut into 1" pieces

1 large tomato diced

2 tbsp curry powder

2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (preferably homemade!)

• In a large skillet, heat the EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and saute the onions and garlic over medium heat. Cook until softened (approx. 5 mins.)
• Sprinkle onions and garlic with the curry powder, turmeric, cumin and coriander. Saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the apples, bananas, tomato and broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, and stirring frequently until the liquid is reduced by half (approx. 5 to 10 mins.)
• Add turkey to the pan and stir to ensure all pieces are covered in the sauce. Simmer, covered, for approx. 20 minutes, or until all the pieces are heated through.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve on a bed of basmati rice and ENJOY!

*For the recipe that is photographed, I added some leftover roasted butternut squash that has been skinned and diced, for some additional sweetness!*

Stuffed Zucchini (or maybe reaching zucchini overload!)

We are still receiving zucchini in our CSA basket and I might possibly be reaching zucchini overload...but not yet!!!
I decided to pull out an old favourite this week for dinner - stuffed zucchini! My son Devon enjoyed it and I think you will too!

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini

1 1/2 tbsp EVOO

1 cup chopped onion

1 minced garlic clove

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tbsp drained capers

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 ozs of soft chevre (goat's cheese)

salt & pepper, to taste

• Preheat the oven to 400F
• Cut zucchini in half, lengthwise, and trim both ends. With a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon carve otu the centre of each half and reserve the zucchini flesh in a bowl.
• Put the zucchini shells in a casserole dish and add 1/2 cup of water. Cover dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, or until the shells are softened.
• Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350F
• Heat oil in skillet and add onion. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, or until soft. Chop reserved zucchini flesh and add to pan with garlic and tomato. Cook 5 mins.
• Take off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
• Drain water from casserole dish. Fill zucchini halves with the stuffing and bake for 15 minutes, or until the chevre is melted and slightly browned on top.
• ENJOY!!

Rhubarb-A-Rama!!!

There is nothing, for me, that signifies springtime more than the annual arrival of the rhubarb crop!!! After making a couple of pies (rhubarb meringue pie, and a sour cream and rhubarb pie), I turned me thoughts to my newfound obsession of preserving. I scoured my recipe collection and found a few I had torn out of a "Canadian Living" in the thoughts of one day tackling the scary job of canning....well that day has arrived! I decided to create a chutney that can be enjoyed in the height of wintertime either on a baked brie, or just alongside a ploughman's lunch. Although I have the jars in my cupboard, I have yet to crack the seal on one - but I tasted it just prior to canning and I believe it will quickly become a family fave!!

RHUBARB TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups chopped, seeded and peeled tomatoes

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

• In a large, shallow Dutch oven, combine rhubarb, sugar, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, salt and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 4 cups. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Ladle into hot 1 cup (250 mL) canning jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Cover with prepared lids; screw on bands fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 mins.
• Makes 4 cups (1L)
• Enjoy on top of a baked brie, with robust cheeses or meats, or on a sandwich!