Refreshing Lentil Salad

My friend Michelle had me over for lunch the other day and she served this amazing lentil salad with the Mediterranean Squares from this blog ~ what an amazing combination!!!  I have made lentil salads over the years and I loved this one so much that I demanded she email me the recipe ASAP!!  It is not only easy and contains items you will likely already have in your kitchen, but since it is a heartier legume salad, you can make it and then have some for lunch or dinner (or both!) over the next three days without it getting wilted or losing its flavour.

REFRESHING LENTIL SALAD

Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes seeded and diced

2 oranges peeled and cut into segments

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 (19oz) can of lentils, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)

3 tbsp coarsely chopped dried cranberries

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

• Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl until well combined.
• ENJOY!

 

 

 

  

Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

I wanted to add a bit of an exotic flavour to my regular chicken noodle soup as the kids absolutely love it, but my palette was growing weary of the same old recipe.  Everyone loved it (although Devon told me that I am not allowed to stop making plain old chicken noodle soup! LOL!)  This reminds me of a Thai or Vietnamese-style soup (or pho as it is called in Vietnam)!  Hope you enjoy the medley of flavours while getting the goodness of homemade chicken soup!!!

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tbsp coconut or grapeseed oil

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings

2 stalks of lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise and bruised with the back of a chef's knife

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (I use my rasp)

2 tsp packed light brown sugar (I used maple syrup)

5 1/2 cups homemade or low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups stemmed and quartered shiitake mushrooms

9 oz fresh udon noodles (these are made of wheat so substitute rice noodles if necessary)

1 small Serrano chili pepper finely diced

8 large fresh basil leaves, torn (either Thai or Italian basil)

1 lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges

1 tbsp soy sauce (or gluten free Bragg's)

2 green onions, finely sliced

1 carrot, grated (for garnish)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot, over medium high heat, until hot (the oil shimmers when ready).  Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper, and saute until both sides are evenly browned and almost entirely cooked through.  Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pot with the shallots and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt.  Reduce heat to medium and saute until they start to become translucent (approx. 2 minutes).  Add the bruised lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and stir constantly until the ginger becomes fragrant and lemongrass sizzles (1 minute).  
• Add chicken broth and scrape up any browned pieces off of the bottom of the pot.  Bring to a boil and them reduce to simmer.  Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium-sized pot of water a boil and cook the noodles until al dente (still a little undercooked in the centre).  Drain and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.  Leave to drain well.
• Either finely sliver or shred the chicken breasts.  Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.  Discard the lemongrass.  Stir in the chilies, basil, lime juice and soy sauce.
• Portion between 4 large warmed soup bowls.  Garnish each with shredded carrot, green onions, and cilantro.  Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing.
• 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".

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!

Summer Vegetables with a Spicy Coconut Curry

I have to admit that the two vegetables I really don't enjoy are eggplant and green beans. Both of which I have received recently in my CSA boxes from "Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze"...so when I saw this recipe in July's edition of 'Chatelaine', I decided to give it a go since I do love coconut, curry and lentils!
It was DELICIOUS!!! My husband and I loved all of it; the kids tried it but predictably ate only the lentils (dal) on top!

SUMMER VEGETABLES WITH SPICY COCONUT CURRY

Ingredients

1/2 cup red lentils

500g green beans, trimmed and cut in half

2 tbsp Indian curry paste (I used a Tikki Masala sauce because that's what I had on hand)

1/2 can (200mL) of coconut milk, preferably light

1/8 tsp salt

2 Japanese eggplants (I used Sicilian because this is what I had)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, sliced

lemon wedges

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

4 whole wheat naan breads (optional)

• Combine the lentils with 2 1/2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-high and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until lentils soften. Approximately 8 minutes. Set green beans in a steamer basket over the lentils. Steam covered for 7 minutes and remove. Mix curry paste with 1 tbsp water and then add to the simmering lentils. Stir in the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes more, or until thickened.
• Slice eggplants in quarters lengthwise then into 2" wedges while lentils simmer. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet and saute onions until softened. Add eggplant and cook till tender (approx. 7 minutes). Add steamed green beans and toss to combine.
• Serve the green beans, onions and eggplant with the creamy lentils over top and garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges!

*I don't have a steamer basket so I steamed the green beans separately. Also since I used a curry sauce and not a paste, I omitted the water. Lastly Japanese eggplants are generally firmer in texture than Sicilian*

Cauliflower and Cilantro 'Rice'

This simple and delicious recipe comes from a nutritionist who is also a member of "Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze's" CSA program. It is an easy side dish that gives the satisfaction of a couscous or rice, but is much lighter because it's not carb-rich!

CAULIFLOWER & CILANTRO 'RICE'

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped fairly small
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Juice of a half a lime
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder (regular chili powder will also work fine)
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Put all of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice grain or couscous – you may need to toss it around in the food processor a couple of times.
• Heat the olive oil on medium in a pan with chopped garlic just until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cauliflower bits, lime juice and chili powder and cook on medium high heat until cauliflower is “al dente”. You’ll need to keep it moving so that it doesn’t burn. If you like it a bit softer or stickier you can add some veggie or chicken broth as this will “stick” the cauliflower together a bit better.
• Once it’s cooked to your desired texture, toss in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

This is also really nice cold on a salad or put into a veggie wrap!

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds, Cilantro & Raisins

I decided to make a big bowl of quinoa salad that I can portion out for dinners and lunches for this week and I think this one is a definite winner! As I had a lovely bunch of fresh cilantro I used almost a cup's worth in this recipe, however if cilantro isn't your herb of choice, I think that the Italian flat leaf parsley would also be really delicious and fresh in this salad...or perhaps a lemon thyme...hmmm! Got to try that next time I make this salad!

QUINOA SALAD WITH TOASTED ALMONDS, CILANTRO & RAISINS

Ingredients:

1 cup organic quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups water or broth

1/2 cup EVOO

1/3 cup of lemon juice

1-2 cloves of garlic, diced

4 green onions, finely sliced

2/3 cup raisins

1/2 cup of slivered almonds, toasted

2/3 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Salt & pepper to taste

• After rinsing and draining the quinoa to remove the bitter saponin, add the quinoa and the water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, fluffing with a fork.


• Place slivered almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 325F oven for approx. 5 mins - watch the almonds as they go from raw to toasted to burnt very quickly!! Remove from oven and set aside to cool.


• Meanwhile, combine the EVOO, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl. Whisk and taste prior to seasoning.


• Place quinoa, almonds, raisins, cilantro, onions and dressing in a bowl and let cool in the refrigerator. This salad's flavour enhances the longer you allow it to sit and absorb the dressing in the fridge!


• ENJOY!!
  

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!
  

Zesty Citrus & Chicken Salad

This is an extremely refreshing salad that I concocted when I found myself craving fruit and veggies for lunch today! I had some marinated feta that I made for our party on Saturday, leftover roasted chicken and a red grapefruit. These combined with baby spinach, cilantro, and a lime dressing was delicious!!!

Spinach Salad with Marinated Feta, Chicken, Graperfuit & Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

(Dressing)

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp honey

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp sunflower oil or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

(Salad)

1 cup baby spinach

1/2 breast of roasted chicken, slivered

6 cubes of marinated feta*

1 segmented red grapefruit

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Whisk all salad ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Place spinach in a salad bowl, top with the slivered chicken, feta cubes and red grapefruit segments, and sprinkle the cilantro over top.
• Drizzle the dressing over top and ENJOY!!!

* Marinated Feta:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp oil-packed sundried tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp minced fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb cubed feta cheese

Place all ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and gently toss. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 1/2 hr. Take out of the fridge at least an hour prior to serving to allow the flavours to fully develop.

PLANTAIN GRATIN

I was watching "Everyday Exotic" hosted by Roger Mooking on the Food Network the other night and he created this dish which is so colourful and SO different from anything that I have cooked in the past, that I just had to try it! I have never eaten, nor cooked with plantains so unfortunately my first attempt was disasterous as the plantains were too unripe. However I persevered, bought more and let them blacken on my countertop...the results were miles better!!

PLANTAIN GRATIN

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 stick of cinnamon

1 shallot, sliced into 1/4" pieces

2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced into 1/4" pieces

1 tbsp sugar

salt

4 ripe plantain, peeled, and sliced in half lengthwise

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup aged white cheddar, grated

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional garnish)

salt

• In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and boil for approximately 1 minute. Add the shallot, jalapenos, sugar and salt to taste. Take off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes before removing the cinnamon and draining. Set aside the pickled topping.
• Preheat oven to broil
• Place the halved plantain in a baking dish, drizzle with the vegetable oil and season with salt. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly caramelized.
• Place the cheese and green onions over the plantains, broil in the oven for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
• Garnish with pickled topping and cilantro.
• ENJOY!

**This is a really unique side dish that held up fabulously against the meatloaf leftover from dinner a few nights ago!