Orange, Cheddar and Pine Nut Asian Salad with Sesame

This recipe is the photo that has been the banner of my blog from day one. It’s light, colourful and packs a mix of flavours that aren’t commonly seen together.

I’m heading up to the cottage for May 24 weekend, and this is the type of thing that’s perfect up there along with a veggie burger. I made the portions for this recipe to only serve one person (since that’s how I made it myself) but double up if you have company.

If you don’t love spice, feel free the dial down the hot sauce in the dressing. It won’t hurt the salad at all, you could even replace it with an Asian-tasting sauce of your own if you have one on hand. I like the mix up the dressing a little bit each time just to try something new, but the ingredients I listed for the dressing are the basics.

Sidenote: This is unrelated to this recipe, but I found out something interesting about absorbing iron for any of you who are concerned about this. Apparently, when you pair up iron-rich foods with calcium, it makes it difficult for your body to absorb any of the vitamins. For example, eating a spinach omelette with cheese could lower the amount of iron you intake. BUT vitamin C and citrus-rich foods are supposed to help absorption of iron–just something to keep in mind for all you vegetarians.

Ingredients

Serves 1

• 1 cup romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium orange, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup cheddar, shredded
• 3 tbsp. pine nuts
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce
• A few drops soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. orange juice
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds

Method

Combine lettuce, orange, cheddar and pine nuts in a salad bowl. In a separate smaller bowl for the dressing, whisk together sesame and vegetable oil, hot sauce, soy sauce and orange juice. Drizzle the dressing over the salad mix and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Healthy Blueberry Breakfast Muffins

I’ve recently come to the conclusion that fast-food muffins are basically cupcakes. I know it’s not shocking, but when I ordered a muffin from my school’s coffee shop and it came topped with chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar, I couldn’t bring myself to call it a muffin.

Besides being over-sweet, store bought muffins can be lacking in content; there’s often a lot of dough and minimal blueberries. This recipe doesn’t skimp out on the blueberries, and since I resisted the temptation to put chocolate chips in, the sweetness doesn’t drown out the taste either.

The only thing I wish I had done differently in this recipe was add a little bit more moisture. I think a 1/2 cup of yogurt or a bit more milk would have done the trick, but they still taste good as-is. Over the past few years I’ve stuck to the same fool-proof muffin recipe so when I try deviating away from that, mistakes are made.

Ingredients

Makes roughly 20

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• Pinch of orange zest
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups frozen blueberries

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together both flours, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar and orange zest until smooth. Mix in eggs, milk and vanilla extract with an electric beater.

Carefully add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and “doughy”—do not overmix or the muffins won’t rise as well. Fold in the frozen blueberries and spoon mixture into greased muffin tins. Bake for roughly 20 minutes until cooked all the way through; test with a toothpick to make sure the middle is cooked. Allow to cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for a week.

Beer-Cheddar Spread

Spreads are perfect for summer because they’re quick and easy. Throw in some beer and you’ve got yourself a good time.

I was flipping through an old Vegetarian Times magazine from 2006 when I came across their feature on beer. Since I’ve only ever used booze in stews or soups, I figured trying it out raw in a food processor might be kind of interesting. Mixed with the smokiness of the paprika and the blend of other spices, it worked surprisingly well.

Cheddar and beer mix together really well. They are both distinct flavours, but the cheddar sort of neutralizes the bitterness of the beer, while you still get a taste of both. This is like the ultimate pub food, only it’s not deep-fried (always a bonus), and it’s cheaper. I can’t be the only one who finds it ridiculous that bars get away with charging $12 for a plate of nachos…please.

Ingredients

Serves 6 (makes about 2 cups)

• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 4 oz. plain cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/3 cup your favourite beer, room temperature
• Chives to garnish

Method

Place cheddar and cream cheese into a food processor. Add Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, smoked paprika and garlic powder, and process until well blended. Scrape down excess with a rubber spatula, and process again.

Gradually add beer, blending until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. It should not be runny—this would make it more of a dip, and beer may over-power the rest of the flavours. Top with chives and serve with pita chips, in sandwiches, with cut up veggies or crackers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sprinkles

Cake batter in cookies is one of the greatest baking discoveries I’ve come across on the internet.

My perfect cookie is soft, chewy, and colourful. These cookies check off all three of those requirements (plus they smell AMAZING) so I’m devouring them pretty quickly.

This recipe is directly from Sally’s Baking Addiction, just like my last batch of strawberry cake mix cookies. These ones are even more delicious from the last batch. In her instructions, she notes that she uses 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 white, but I would say I did more of a 3/4 semi-sweet because white chocolate can be iffy for me sometimes depending on the quality.

I was skeptical to let them chill for a full 24 hours (mainly because I’m lazy) but it made a big difference in chewiness. They hold their form much better once the dough has solidified.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup golden or white boxed cake mix
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (You can use half white, and half semi-sweet depending on your preference)
• 1/2 cup sprinkles

Method

In one medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, cake mix and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, beat together butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in egg and vanilla until well blended.

Add flour mixture into the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. I found it was easier to do this with a wooden spoon (or your hands, if you don’t mind the mess) just because the batter was getting all clumped up in my mixer. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Cover and refrigerate the dough for roughly 24 hours. This step is important so that the cookies don’t completely flatten out.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Form dough into balls, taller than they are wide. See photo below for visual help, but essentially if you make the dough ball “tall”, it will bake down into a thick, chewy cookie. Bake cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until they just begin to turn golden brown around the edges.

When you remove them from the oven, they should still appear to look very soft—just let them cool and they will settle. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack if available. Store in an airtight container for up to a week and enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Pesto

If you want a good variation from tomato sauce or store-bought pesto, I’d suggest making this. It’s raw, vegan, gluten-free and fast to make—pretty much a health nut’s dream.

I got this recipe from a food blog called Oh She Glows, and it turned out great. It’s simple but packs a lot of flavour, and has nutrients like potassium and B-vitamins.

Pesto is normally used for pastas, but it can be used as a spread or dip for tons of other dishes too. Especially because this pesto is way less salty than store-bought brands, you can use it on burgers, sandwiches or dip your veggies into it. The only downside to using avocado is that it browns quickly, so it needs to be eaten within the hour of making it or it will begin to brown.

I used a gluten-free corn spaghetti this time around, and if you’re Celiac or gluten intolerant, I suggest this instead of rice pasta. Rice pasta gets sticky and can get this sort of “gummy” texture which ruins the whole dish, whereas once I put the pesto on the corn pasta, I couldn’t even tell the difference.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium-sized ripe avocado, pitted
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a food processor, add garlic, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil. Process until blended. Then add in avocado, basil leaves and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, and serve immediately over spaghetti, burgers, or whatever else you want!

Crispy Baked Portobello Mushroom Fries

These fries go against the conventional idea of a “fry” in all the best ways.

Mushroom slices coated with panko, cheese and spices and baked until they’re crispy and perfect. Cover anything in panko and I can almost guarantee it will taste good.

These are a nice variation from regular fries for a few reasons. For one thing, they’re healthier; baked, not fried. Second of all, they’re more creative. Serving these up at a barbecue or small get-together would work great. Third, you don’t need much salt. As opposed to regular fries which usually have a high sodium count, these only take a pinch.

I got this recipe from Closet Cooking, and it worked perfectly. Placing the mushrooms on a wire rack instead of just directly on a baking sheet helped so much to prevent the breading becoming soggy (a big pet peeve of mine). Cutting the gills off the mushrooms before baking them probably also helped reduce the liquid withheld in the mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 2 medium Portobello mushrooms, gills removed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (Note: Just to clear up any confusion, “gills” are the part of the mushroom that are very thin and under the widest part of the mushroom, and are ususally darker)
  
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Pinch of dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the panko, Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper. Dredge each Portobello slice in the flour, then dip them in egg. Roll them in the panko mixture.

Place each slice on a wire rack on a baking sheet. This will allow moisture to drip down without making the fries soggy, or getting your oven dirty. Bake for 8-12 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. Serve immediately with your favourite dip. I used a Honey Tarragon mustard and it was so good!

Spanakopita Triangles

If you’re having vegetarians over to your house and you need an appetizer, this is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

These bite-sized savoury pastries will save in the freezer for up to a month, and they take under 15 minutes to bake once they’re prepared. The only real difficulty is folding the phyllo sheets into triangles—this can be time consuming, so give yourself a chunk of time if you plan on making these. I tried my best in explaining the steps, and added photos as well, but if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask!

I made these for the first time a couple of years ago, and I got so frustrated when the triangles didn’t turn out perfectly. Here’s a small piece of advice. Nobody will really care if your spanakopita are in perfect triangles, as long as they taste good. Plus, practice makes perfect, so after your third or fourth one you should start to get the hang of it.

If you have leftover phyllo dough, you should keep it covered by a damp cloth in the fridge and use it the next day, or put it in a ziplock bag and freeze it. This can be risky though, because sometimes when you thaw, freeze, and re-thaw, the dough can be a little sticky; that’s why I recommend using it pretty soon afterwards. Wrap almost anything in phyllo dough, brush it with butter, and bake it—it’ll taste good.

Ingredients

Makes roughly 40 pieces

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 300g package frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained
• 1 cup feta cheese, roughly crumbled
• 1 egg
• 1 454g package of phyllo dough, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted (for brushing)

Method

Put garlic in a food processor, and blend on high speed until completely minced. Add in spinach, feta and egg, and process until well mixed. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon if there are still any larger chunks, and process again until done.

Take the roll of phyllo dough and cut into 4 equal sections (see photo). Take one section to work with and unroll it; place the others under a damp cloth to keep them from drying out. This is very important because the phyllo with crack and be difficult to roll otherwise.

Take one sheet of phyllo, and lay it out on a clean, dry surface. Brush a small amount of melted butter onto the sheet with a pastry brush, then fold the sheet in half vertically (so that it will be thinner and longer).

This is the trickiest part. Place roughly one teaspoon of filling at the end closest to you on the phyllo sheet. Grab the bottom left corner of the sheet, and fold it upwards to the right until it’s touching the other side. Then take the bottom corner on the right side, and fold it over the the left. You are essentially making triangles, or folding it “like a flag” for the final product. There are photos directly below to help with any confusion. Don’t worry about making them perfect on your first try, this will only stress you out. Once all the filling is used up, brush the top of each piece with a small amount of butter.

If you are making them to eat right away: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place spanakopita pieces on two ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 7-9 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

If you are making them to eat later: Place all pieces in an airtight container or ziplock bag, and freeze for up to a month. When preparing to eat, bake from frozen and cook for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Penny’s Potato Soup

I made a pot of this soup thinking I could eat it for lunch for the rest of the week, and it didn’t even make it one day. Everyone in my house kept eating it so I made a second pot the next day.

This recipe is from a family friend (hence Penny’s Potato Soup) who used to run a small catering service with my mom. Everything she makes tastes great, so when she gave me this recipe a few weeks ago I knew it was going to be a good one.

I’ve never cooked with whipping cream before, and it actually makes a huge difference in the texture and colour of the soup. My dad says that cooking with ingredients like whipping cream or bacon are cheating because they automatically taste to good, but cheating or not, the cream is a great addition.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. butter
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5-6 cups vegetable stock (enough to cover all of the vegetables in the pot)
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. herbes de provence or dried parsley
• A few drops of hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Method

Put olive oil and butter in a large pot and heat over medium-high. Add potatoes, red onion, celery, and garlic, and cook for 5-10 minutes until potatoes brown a bit, stirring occasionally. Add white wine to deglaze pan.

Lower heat and add vegetable stock so that it covers all of the ingredients. Add grated carrot, salt, pepper, herbes de provence and hot sauce, and cook covered for 10 minutes until all ingredients are soft.

With a hand-held blender, or a food processor, take a portion of the soup and blend it until you reach the texture you want. I usually do 1/3 of the pot, but it’s up to your personal preference. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream and stir until well combined. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Sweet Potato Poutine

Poutine is a Canadian gem that’s pretty open-ended in terms of toppings. But have you ever tried subbing in sweet potato fries instead of regular potatoes? Mind blown.

Companies such as Smoke’s Poutinerie have explored creative toppings for their poutine, but they deep fry their ingredients and have limited vegetarian options. This recipe uses baked sweet potato fries made from scratch so you can enjoy the guilty pleasure of poutine, without the oily aspect.

Mushroom gravy is healthier that meat gravies because it has zero lard and is often reduced in salt. When mixed with sweet potatoes and cheddar, it makes for a great snack. This recipe is also good for leftovers; whatever fries remain, store them in an airtight container (separate from the gravy) in the fridge to reheat later in the week.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch wide strips (french fry shapes)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. dried cumin powder
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup mushroom gravy (sold in most major grocery stores)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss sweet potato, olive oil, paprika, cumin, pepper and salt. Spread on non-greased baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10.

Once the sweet potato fries are cooked, heat the mushroom gravy on medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Distribute sweet potato fries evenly into bowls, sprinkle with cheddar cubes, and top with mushroom gravy. Serve immediately.

Rosemary and Sea Salt Baked Beet Chips

It’s been raining a lot where I live lately, and I happen to also be studying for exams, so the mix of those two things means eating lots of junky food. Snacking is inevitable. With this in mind, I figured I should probably make a healthier munchie so I’m not eating garbage all the time.

Beet chips have done the trick. They’re baked (not fried), a root vegetable and are packed with nutrients that store-bought junk wouldn’t have. It’s also nice to be able to control the amount of salt being put on the chips–sometimes packaged ones are out of hand. Be warned though, making these can be a little messy and stain your fingers for a little bit so don’t wear any clothes you’d be upset to get dirty.

I ate them just on their own, but they would be really good with a little bit of hummus or tahini. If you’re not the biggest fan of rosemary, you could also replace it with basil, oregano or whatever spice you like best.

On a completely unrelated note, I’ve had some time on my hands and have watched a few shows lately that I recommend if you like comedy. The Inbetweeners and Undeclared are two that I became addicted to for a little while.

Sidenote: Because these are baked, they kind of lose some of their redness and are still slightly soft. If you want a sharper, crunchy “chip”, you could try deep-frying. I think I will next time just to see.

Ingredients

• 4 small beets, peeled and sliced into circles
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium-sized bowl, toss all ingredients well until each beet slice is coated and seasoned. Make sure all beet slices are the same thickness so none burn.

Let sit for 10 minutes to allow flavours to develop, then spread over an ungreased baking sheet evenly. Bake for roughly 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to make sure no pieces burn. Allow to cool and serve as a snack with hummus or by themselves! You can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.