Roasted Tomato Soup

Beth served this soup with grilled cheese croutons. You make a grilled cheese sandwich and cut it in crouton-sized squares.

10 plum tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Brush with olive oil and season with a little salt. Roast on a tray or shallow baking dish for 1 hour at 350 F.

Dice one onion and sauté in a little butter or olive oil until softened. Add 1 tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp dried oregano.

Add tomatoes, garlic, and 4 cups vegetable stock to onions and simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered. Purée vegetables in blender and sieve to remove seeds.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with croutons.

Optional - Add 1/2 cup heavy cream if you need extra taste and calories.

Plum Streusel Cake

This recipe is from Anne Lindsay's first cookbook. I could not find my copy of it tonight and I wanted to use up some prune plums that were languishing in the fridge. Thankfully this is a popular recipe and it has been reposted several times on the internet. There are a few minor changes from the original in this version. Any fruit can be used instead of the plums including drained canned fruit.

For the cake
¼ cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
8-10 small plums 

grated rind of one lemon (optional) 

For the streusel topping
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon

For the cake
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease an 8-inch square cake pan or a springform pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat eggs until foamy and combine with butter mixture.. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and lemon rind. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk. 

Turn into prepared pan. Halve and pit plums and arrange over top.

For the streusel topping
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; mix well and sprinkle over fruit.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until top is golden and toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. 

Falafel

This was my second attempt at making falafel. I tried a baked version but they taste much better when pan fried. Deep fried may be even tastier, but this lower fat version is good. It takes minimal time in the kitchen to make falafel, but there are several hours between steps and the process cannot be rushed. Makes about 25-30 small falafel patties.

Step 1:

Soak 1 cup dried chickpeas in water overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. It is fine if you soak them longer (24 hours)

Step 2:

Drain chickpeas and add to a food processor with

1 medium onion cut in chunks
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh parsley (or increase cilantro instead)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
hot pepper flakes or cayenne if desired
2 tbsp flour if needed to bind ingredients together (I never add flour)

Process ingredients until almost smooth. (2-3 minutes) You may have to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times.

Step 3:

Cover and refrigerate in a bowl for several hours or for up to a day.

Step 4:

Add oil to the bottom of a heavy frying pan. I used 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Use 1 tablespoons of above mixture to make each falafel patty. I flattened them for pan frying but they could be shaped in the traditional round size if you deep fry them. Heat pan until hot and cook falafel until browned and crisp, turning once.

Serve in a pita with cucumber, tomato and sauce or with a salad and dressing. Tahini sauce is a traditional choice but tzatziki sauce is also tasty.

Tahini sauce:

Blend in food processor or blender-

• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 3 gloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped (optional)
• hot water to get smooth consistency

Turkish Lentil Soup

This simple and delicious soup takes only half an hour to make. Our daughter had it in a restaurant when she visited Turkey earlier this year and highly recommended it.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium potato, diced
1 large carrot diced
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Lemon slices

Method:

Cook onions in butter until starting to soften. Add other potato, carrots, lentils, broth, water and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes or so until vegetables are soft and lentils are cooked. Put 3/4 of the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Return pureed soup to pot or serving bowl. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on soup before eating. (just do it!)

Sprinkle with dried chili flakes if desired.

Serves 6

Bi-Bim-Bap: Vegetarian version

The Becka had Bi-Bim-Bap at an Asian restaurant in Toronto and raved about this "hot pot". It is made with meat, vegetables, rice and eggs and a spicy sauce is served on the side. There are many versions on the internet including several vegetarian options. I used the vegetables on hand in the fridge but other combinations would work just as well. I liked the look of this recipe on the blog Weird Combinations and used their method to make the one pictured above.

Step 1: Prepare 3 cups cooked rice. I used quick cooking brown rice.

Step 2: Cube a package of extra firm tofu and brown it in sesame oil in a frying pan. I sprinkled the tofu with some sesame seeds

Step 2: Cut up 8-10 cups of vegetables. I used carrots, broccoli, sweet peppers, a poblano pepper, garlic and red onion. Mushrooms and bean sprouts are commonly used as well as other Chinese greens.

Step 3: Steam vegetables until tender crisp and set aside

Step 4: Heat some sesame oil or oil of choice in a large wok or pot. Add the cooked rice and spread it evenly on the bottom and sides of the wok. You want to brown the rice until it is a little crispy. After five or ten minutes add the tofu and vegetable in a nice design on top of the rice.

Step 5: Break 4 eggs on top of the vegetables, put a lid on the dish and cook until eggs are set.

Serve with a spicy sauce. We used peanut sauce made with peanut butter, water, soy sauce, and sirachi sauce. You can find other sauce options online.

Creamy Rice Pudding

I have had this recipe for years and it is our favourite rice pudding. I do like baked rice custards too but they are more time consuming and require cooked rice. This is ready in about 45 minutes if you use white rice.

In a double boiler combine:

1/3 cup short grain uncooked rice (long grain will work too)
2 cups milk of choice
1/4- 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit if desired

Cook over boiling water for 40 minutes until rice is tender and mixture is thickening.

2 eggs
1/4-1/2 cup sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla or other flavouring

Separate eggs in 2 bowls. Add sweetener and flavouring to egg yolks, stir well and add gradually to hot rice mixture. Beat egg whites until peaks form. Remove pudding from heat and add egg whites to mixture. Stir gently until blended. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.

Serves 4

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons

Scalloped Tomatoes with parmesan cheese

I discovered this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen and have made it twice this week. It is fast and easy to prepare and the ingredients are readily available at this time of year. It is a comfort food kind of casserole with the same appeal as pizza, hot bruschetta or macaroni and cheese. There are several versions on the internet with stellar reviews, but I will post it on my own blog for ease of reference. I did tweak the amounts slightly. I used four diced field tomatoes the size shown in the picture below. The other recipes call for 2-1/2 pounds of tomatoes such as plum or grape. I used my cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top and also in the oven.

For croutons:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 slices (2 cups) diced dense bread like sourdough or a good artisan bread. (I used a multigrain sourdough bread)

Add the bread to the oil in a heavy pan, stir and toast on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until bread is crisp and toasted. In the meantime prepare:

Diced tomatoes, 4 large or 2-1/2 pounds plum or grape tomatoes
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

When croutons are done, add the tomatoes and other ingredients to the pot and cook until tomatoes are softened. I put the oven-proof pot in the oven (375 F) and baked it for 30 minutes. You could use a 9 inch square pan or equivalent sized casserole instead.

I made it without cheese the first time and it was delicious. The next time I added 1/3 cup of fresh parmesan cheese petals to the top 5 minutes before taking it out of the oven. The dish needs to sit about 15 minutes before you eat it or you will be sure to burn your tongue!

I would say this serves 4-6 as a side dish. Three of us ate it as the main dish and there were no leftovers.

"Foggy Tea" with Vanilla Syrup

I was introduced to "London Fog" through a reference from a Facebook friend. The drink is served at a popular coffee house in town and is made with Earl Grey tea, vanilla syrup and steamed milk. We have experimented with the recipe and have decided it is better than hot chocolate. I prefer the "Bangalore" version with chai tea, but the Earl Grey version is also very good.

Vanilla syrup:

Combine 1-1/2 cups water with 3/4 cup sugar or sweetener of choice. Cut a vanilla bean in 1/2 and add the half bean to a small pot with the water and sugar. Save the other vanilla bean half for the next batch. Simmer the ingredients for 10 minutes, cool and scrape inside of vanilla bean with a spoon. Store syrup in a jar in the fridge. ( I leave the bean in the syrup)

To make tea:

Brew 2 cups strong tea. Heat one cup of milk of choice until hot. Combine 1 cup tea, 1/2 cup hot milk and 2 tbsp vanilla syrup in a mug. Stir and serve. Makes two 12 ounce drinks.

Feel free to foam the milk if you have the right equipment.

Other versions of foggy tea:

• Manchester Fog - steamed soy milk with a sugar free vanilla syrup in Earl Grey tea.
• Dublin Fog- The same as London Fog, only substituting Earl Grey with Irish Breakfast Tea
• Bangalore Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting Earl Grey with Chai  Also known as a Bombay Fog 
• Maui Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting coconut for vanilla syrup.
• Starbucks Earl Grey Latte is a version of London Fog.
• Tokyo Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting Matcha-based Green Tea for Earl Grey.
• Cape Town Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting Earl Gray with Rooibos Tea
• Nanaimo Mist - Variation on the London Fog, using almond syrup rather than vanilla. 

Microwave Dill Pickles

Ever since I was a little girl I liked dill pickles. The Becka is exactly the same. She puts them on all her elaborate sandwiches and we go through several jars a year. My sister-in-law served us delicious microwave bread and butter pickles. Even our pickle-hating older daughters liked them. I fiddled with the recipe and came up with this dill pickle variation. The results were fast, crisp and tasty.

1 English cucumber (4 cups sliced cucumber)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bunch fresh dill
2 teaspoons non-iodized salt (pickling, kosher)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups water

I used a large 8 cup pyrex (microwavable) measuring cup to make the pickles.

Cut cucumber into pickle-sized slices and put in large container with garlic and dill. Heat vinegar, water, salt and hot pepper flakes in another microwavable container and heat to boiling (3-4 minutes). Pour hot liquid over cucumber and make sure it is all submerged. Microwave cucumbers and liquid for another 6-7 minutes, stirring twice until cucumbers are tender crisp. Let mixture cool and then pack vegetables and liquid in 2 pint jars. They are ready to eat once chilled. Keep in refrigerator and use within a couple of months.

Yield- 4 pints

Vegetable Samosas and Tamarind Sauce

We enjoy spicy potato and green pea samosas from the local Indian restaurant and grocer. The restaurant serves large ones for about $2 apiece and they come with a container of sweet and spicy tamarind sauce. The Indian grocer sells smaller machine made samosas at 3/$1 or handmade ones at 2/$1. Why would anyone want to make them? The ones we buy are deep fried and the paper bag they come is stained with lots of grease. I made these lower fat ones with phyllo pastry and they were quite easy once the ingredients were assembled. The tamarind sauce took very little time to make as well. Feel free to adjust spices to your taste

1-2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds (ground slightly with mortar and pestle)
2 small or 1 large onion finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil and add seeds and onion. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until onions are starting to soften. Add the other spices and mix together.

Add:

3 cups finely diced potato- about 1/4" dice ( I used small new potatoes and did not peel them)
1-1/2 cups frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Mix all ingredients and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until peas are thawed and potatoes are starting to soften. Turn off heat. Preheat oven to 400F

Open a package of thawed phyllo pastry and lift off 3 sheets. Cut the sheets lengthwise into 3 or 4 long strips. I found the thirds easier to work with and they made a larger samosa. Place 1/4-1/3 cup of vegetable mixture at one end of the phyllo strip and fold diagonally like a flag. (Here is a video link that shows how to do it) Place samosa on a baking sheet and brush all sides lightly with oil.

Bake samosas for 20-30 minutes until nicely browned. The larger sized ones need a little more time. Let them cool before serving unless you like burning your mouth.

Makes 12-15 medium sized samosas.

Tamarind Sauce

I buy tamarind paste in rectangular packages. There are plenty of large seeds in the paste.

8 oz tamarind paste
8-12 oz boiling water

Cover paste with boiling water, break up into chunks and let it sit and soften for a while. Put the mixture through a medium sieve. Add sweetener to taste. I used 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup Splenda. Heat in a small pot until mixture bubbles. Add spices to taste. I added:

2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
dash of cayenne pepper

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Costco stopped carrying the 10 inch whole wheat flour tortillas we like and I find most store-bought flour tortillas heavy and very filling. I adapted this recipe from a couple I saw online and substituted 1/4 cup of the whole wheat flour with wheat gluten. It makes the dough so much easier to handle. This made 12- 6 inch tortillas that were very delicious and easy to fold and roll.

1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix dry ingredients together and add

2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons oil

Stir together, roll into a ball and knead for a couple of minutes until dough is well mixed and smooth. Cut into 12 equal pieces and roll each section into a ball. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel while you work so the dough does not dry out. I used my tortilla press to flatten the dough and then rolled each circle as thin as possible with a rolling pin on a floured board. This is where the wheat gluten helps keep the dough from breaking apart.

Heat a frying pan (no oil) and cook one tortilla at a time. Turn the tortilla when the surface starts to bubble. Each tortilla should cook in about minute once the pan is hot enough. Keep tortillas covered  in a bowl with a tea cloth or lid to keep them soft.

Variation: (double amount)

Pour 1-1/3 c boiling water over 1/2 cup wholegrain cornmeal (like Uncle Bob's). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Add 8 tbsp oil and mix well.

Measure

3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat gluten
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt

Add to cornmeal mixture and mix together. Knead dough for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide into 16-20 balls and roll into thin circles with rolling pin. This dough is very easy to work with and cooks quickly because it is warm. Cook as described above in an ungreased frying pan.

Iced Coffee

Anyone who knows me is aware that I am a tea drinker. I may have coffee once or twice a year if a social circumstance demands or if the tea is really awful, but it is not my beverage of choice. Last summer I had a couple of Tim Hortons iced coffees and really liked them. Unfortunately, I had no choice of milk or sweetener as they use a base mix for the drink.

I found a couple of recipes for iced coffee on Pinterest and modified them for the quantities we would use in our household. This recipe is well worth making on a hot holiday weekend. The cold water brew eliminates any bitterness in the coffee.

Put 3/4 cup medium grind coffee in a jar and add 3-1/2 cups cold water. I used an empty 1 litre olive jar. Let the mixture sit for 12 hours.

Strain the coffee in a very fine sieve, a coffee filter or some cheesecloth. ( I used a coffee filter). You now have your coffee concentrate.

You can now make your iced drink according to your preference for coffee flavour and sweetness.

In a 10 ounce mug I added:

1 tbsp sweetener (agave nectar, sugar, sweetener)
2 tbsp milk (or cream, soy milk, chocolate milk)
1/4 cup coffee concentrate
Ice cubes
Fill the rest of the glass with water

This was enjoyed by everyone in the family!

Here are ratios for different quantities of coffee concentrate ~
1-1/2 cups ground coffee to 7 cups cold water
1 cup ground coffee to 4.5 cups cold water
3/4 cup ground coffee to 3.5 cups cold water
1/2 cup ground coffee to 2.25 cups cold water

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I made this pasta salad for dinner with ingredients on hand in the kitchen and garden. It was good enough to make again.

2 cups dried pasta cooked according to package directions
2 tins tuna, drained and flaked
1-1/2 cup black beans
5 large stuffed olives, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
3 scallions, sliced
5 leaves fresh basil, ribboned

Dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil
                2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
                fresh ground pepper

Put salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk dressing with a fork and pour over salad.
Other vegetables such as sliced fresh or roasted peppers, celery, carrot, etc could also be used.

White Chili

I cook dried beans in a small crockpot and do not bother to pre-soak them. After rinsing and sorting the beans, I cover them with boiling water, salt, peppers or onions (optional, depending on their intended use) and then put the crock pot on high until the beans are soft. Black beans, peruano beans, red beans and white kidney beans cook the fastest of the legumes I have tried. Today I cooked a pot of white kidney beans for Pasta e Fagioli soup. After mentioning this to my daughter on Skype, she suggested I try making white chili, a dish I have never heard of before. I had cooked chicken on hand and the chili came together quickly. A vegetarian version is included. Adjust the seasonings and hot peppers to your taste.

1 tbsp oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
2-4 finely chopped jalapeno peppers, seeds removed (could use poblano peppers instead)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 -1 tsp dried oregano
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Heat oil in large pan. Add onion, peppers and spices and cook until softened.

Add:

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cooked white kidney beans
2 cups chopped chicken breast (can use ground turkey or chicken instead) OR
2 cups chopped mushrooms or vegetarian "chicken breast"

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. I added 1/2 cup mashed white beans to thicken it faster.

Add 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro and serve with salsa verde and grated cheese.

I made burritos with the chili using 10" whole wheat wraps. It can also be served with tostadas or tortilla chips

Potato Asparagus Salad

This dish was so very tasty that I had to post it right away. I saw the recipe* on Oh She Glows (a great vegan blog) but modified it somewhat with the ingredients I had on hand. My husband said it was the best potato dish he had ever eaten.

1 lb mini potatoes washed and quartered

2 tsp olive oil

Mix oil and potatoes, spread on baking dish in a single layer and roast at 425F for approximately 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender

1 lb fresh asparagus, washed and cut in 1-2 inch pieces

2 tsp olive oil

Heat oil in a pan, add asparagus and stir fry until tender-crisp- about 8 minutes. Combine the potatoes and asparagus in a bowl.

Lemon juice from one lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp coarse salt

Whisk lemon juice, oil and salt together and pour over potatoes and asparagus. Serve warm. 

Makes approximately 4 servings.

*the original recipe includes garlic, dill, mustard, scallions, and a few optional ingredients which would add to the flavour.

Coconut Oil Pastry

I do not miss eating meat and poultry products at all except for the lard in my pie crust recipe. Hydrogenated vegetable shortening is not a healthy switch and butter crusts are also high in saturated animal fats. I have been reading about the health benefits of coconut oil which is a natural saturated fat. This week I bought a 2 pound jar of Nutiva Coconut Oil for about $17.00 at our grocery store. That is a lot pricier than lard but now that I do not buy meat, it fits in my budget. I never liked coconut as a child, particularly the dry desiccated coconut on cakes and in cookies. I tried a little of the Nutiva Coconut Oil on a piece of bread and it was delicious! Here is a recipe for pie crust with coconut oil. It does have a mild coconut taste so consider that when deciding what filling you use. I made our yearly rhubarb custard pie (not vegan) and the crust was flaky and complementary in flavour.

For 2 nine-inch crusts:

3/4 cup non-hydrogenated coconut oil (you can use up to half the amount in butter)
2 cups white, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
4-9 tablespoons ice water (I needed 7 today)

Measure the oil and if it is soft and runny, put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Don't leave it in too long or it will become rock hard. In the meantime, measure flour and salt in a bowl and place ice cubes in a small glass of water.

Add the fat and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter until the fat is the size of small peas. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water and mix together. Keep adding water a tablespoon at a time until you have an easy to handle ball of dough that is not too sticky. Divide in half and roll out to fit a 9" double crust pie or 2 single 9" pie crusts. Bake as directed in your recipe of choice.

Note: Today is hot and the coconut oil was very soft. Keeping the ingredients cold was important and in the end the pie crust was very easy to handle. 

Roasted Rhubarb Salad

I came across a recipe for roasted rhubarb and decided to give it a try. My first attempt turned into a sauce which was tasty but not suited for a salad. I picked fresh leaf lettuce, arugula, chives, cilantro and rhubarb from my garden and made this for lunch. You could add crumbled cheese, nuts, seeds etc as desired. I used the liquid from the rhubarb sauce and a little balsamic vinegar for dressing. Any vinaigrette would work.

Roasted Rhubarb

4 small stalks rhubarb

1-2 tbsp sugar (to taste)

Wrap securely in foil and place in the oven at 425F for 10-12 minutes. Check it every 5 minutes and take it out when sugar is melted and the rhubarb is just starting to soften. You should still be able to slice the stalks. Cool for a few minutes and add to greens. 

Simple Pasta e Fagioli Soup

It is a cold, rainy day and this the soup I made for a quick supper after work. There are pasta and bean soups with more ingredients but this was warming and satisfying.

1 carton vegetable broth (approx 1 litre)
1 carton water (approx 1 litre)

Bring to a boil and add:

2/3 cup ditali pasta (small tubes)
3 large cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried pepper flakes (or to taste)
2-1/2 cups cooked white beans
1/2 bunch of kale, chopped, stems removed

Simmer until pasta is just done. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and some good bread.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

• 3-4 cups black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 2 cups corn, preferably cut from the cob
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoons each ground cumin and ground chili powder
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2-3 limes, juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and allow to sit for 15 minutes for flavours to blend. Serve on tostados.
This recipe is just a guide. Feel free to adjust ingredients according to your taste.

Fish Stew

We bought fresh Iceland char tails at the local fishmonger and I cooked them in this tasty sauce. Any fish would work and the spices and ingredients could be easily changed according to your taste.

In a large pan or wok cook in 1 tbsp oil until soft

2 large onions, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 portabello mushroom, diced

Add

1- 28 oz tin tomatoes ( I used herbed, diced tomatoes and altered the salt and spices accordingly)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano

(I added some left over green salsa that needed to be used up as well)

Add 1-1/2 lbs of fish and simmer until fish flakes easily. Then add
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Serve as is or over rice, noodles, polenta, with crusty bread, tortillas or beans.

Serves 6

Paneer Curry

I am sure there is an official name for this curry, but as I am not an expert on Indian cuisine I will not try to guess what that might be. What is important is that this dish is warming and tasty and the meat-lover in the family found it very satifying too.

Heat 1 tbsp oil on a wok or large pot and add

375 g paneer diced in 3/4 inch cubes.

Brown paneer on all sides, remove from heat and place in a dish. Add to the same pot-

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds, crushed
1 tsp mustard seed
1 diced cooking onion (alternately, you can blend the raw onion with the tomatoes, garlic and ginger)

Heat oil, add seeds and onion and cook until fragrant and soft. In the meantime, combine in blender and puree

4-5 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chopped ginger root

Add tomato mixture to pot along with 

1 cup vegetable broth or less depending on how juicy the tomatoes are. (You do not want the sauce too runny)

Add

 2-1/2 cups defrosted frozen peas

Add the browned paneer and the following spices

2 tsp garam masala
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric

Simmer to blend flavours.

Serve on rice or with naan bread. Serves 6. Tastes even better the next day if you have leftovers.

Pinto Bean Cake

 

There is no need to tell anyone what is in this cake until they taste it and see how delicious it is. This spicy, moist cake is best baked in a bundt tin but can also be made in a 9 x13 pan.

Cream together:

1/4 cup soft butter

2/3 cup sugar

Add one beaten egg and mix well.

Puree 2 cups cooked pinto beans and add to above mixture.

Measure and combine together:

1 cup flour

1 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves and allspice if desired

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine well.

Add 2 cups diced raw apple (skins can be left on) and 1 cup raisins.

Put batter in prepared tube or Bundt pan and place in preheated 375 F oven for 45 minutes.

If you use a 9x13 pan, the cake will be done in  30 minutes.

Nutritional information for 1/12 of cake

Calories-204

Carbs- 37g

Fat-4g

Protein-5g

Fibre-3g

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup for 50 or 12

Photo Credit: Matthew D. Lyons

We had a fundraiser lunch at church today and I made this recipe to serve 50. We actually served more people than that because there was other food and the soup bowls were small. I didn't have a pot big enough at home, but cooked the beans, onions and peppers ahead of time and assembled the ingredients in the church kitchen. I did not make the soup as spicy as I would at home and had some hot sauce available for those who wanted some extra heat. Feel free to adjust the proportions of any ingredient or the spices. The smaller recipe is below in red type.


1/4 cup oil
10 cooking onions, diced

1/4 cup oil  (second amount)
2 poblano peppers, diced
2 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 sweet green peppers, diced
4 sweet red peppers, diced
4 sweet yellow peppers, diced
(or a total of 8 lbs of sweet or hot peppers and onions)

4-28 ounce tins crushed tomatoes
6-900 ml cartons vegetable broth
6 cups canned or frozen corn
2 lbs dried black beans, cooked (8-10 cups cooked beans)
13 oz tin tomato paste

1/3 cup chili powder
1/3 cup ground cumin
8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bunch chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Cook onions in oil until softened. Put them in the blender with some of the crushed tomato and blend until smooth. (This step is not needed if everyone likes visible onions in their soup)

Cook peppers until soft. Add onion mixture and all ingredients to the pot. Bring to a simmer and then add seasonings and pressed garlic. Adjust seasonings as required.

Serve with the following garnishes:

Tortilla chips, grated cheese, diced avocado, sliced lime, sour cream, chopped cilantro

We used 2 large bags of tortilla chips, 4 cups grated cheese, 6 avocados, 6 limes, 500 ml sour cream for the crowd.

Tortilla Soup for 12

1 tbsp oil

2 cooking onions, diced

1 tbsp oil (second amount)

1/2 poblano pepper, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/2 sweet green pepper, diced

1 sweet red pepper, diced

1 sweet yellow pepper, diced

(or a total of 2-3 lbs of sweet or hot peppers and onions of your choice)

1-28 ounce tin crushed tomatoes

1.5-900 ml cartons (1.3 l) vegetable broth

1.5 cups canned or frozen corn

1 tin black beans, (2 cups)

4 oz tin tomato paste

1-2 tbsp chili powder

1-2 tbsp ground cumin

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Cook onions in oil until softened. Put them in the blender with some of the crushed tomato and blend until smooth. (This step is not needed if everyone likes visible onions in their soup but we have an anti-onion family member)

Cook peppers until soft. Add onion mixture and all ingredients to the pot. Bring to a simmer and then add seasonings and pressed garlic. Adjust seasonings as required.

Serve with your choice of the following garnishes:

Tortilla chips, grated cheese, diced avocado, sliced lime, sour cream, chopped cilantro

Layered Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing

This is another recipe from Angela Liddon's blog. I made it first for a potluck lunch and then again the next day with a few changes. The orange-ginger dressing is what makes the finished product so tasty. The salad can be layered in 500 ml mason jars (instant lunches!) which will keep in the fridge for a few days. You can also layer or mix the ingredients in a bowl.

Measure

• One cup each, dry of two grains such as wheat berries, kamut, barley, quinoa, brown rice ( I used barley and farro, then barley and kamut). Cook them separately in salted water until tender.  Drain in sieve.
• Boil 1 cup of frozen edamame in water for a couple of minutes and drain.
• Measure 1/2 cup dried fruit like raisins or dried cherries

Chop or grate the following vegetables: ( I used a food processor)

• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup green pepper
• 1 cup red pepper or tomato
•  1/2 cup cilantro

Dressing;- Mix together

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or pressed (I used a garlic press)

Assemble salad
For the 500 ml jars layer

• 1/2 cup one grain
• 1/4 cup green pepper
• 1/4 cup red pepper or tomatoes
• 1/2 cup second grain
• 1/2 cup carrot
• 2 tbsp dried fruit
• 1/4 cup edamame (or other legume)
• cilantro (or parsley)
• 1/4 cup dressing 

(I had some cooked grains left over)
Alternately, layer/mix all ingredients in a bowl. You can serve it immediately or store in fridge for up to four days.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

I have purchased almond butter twice and both times it tasted rancid and bitter. I have tasted chocolate-hazelnut spread too, but hazelnuts do not impress me. I saw this recipe on Angela Liddon's blog and was very impressed with the result. (Follow this link for a detailed description of making chocolate almond butter and chocolate peanut butter) Here is a quick description.

• 2 cups raw almonds 
• 1/3 cup 70% cocoa chocolate squares or chips (all we had at home)

(Angela's recipe calls for 1 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 cup chocolate and a dash of salt. I didn't add oil or salt)

Put almonds in food processor and mix until smooth and creamy. This takes about 15 minutes and you have to scrape the bowl often. Melt the chocolate on low heat and add to the almond butter. Process until well blended. This made about 1-1/2 cups. I wonder how long it will last??

Mexican Fish Soup

Assemble your ingredients before you start, and this soup comes together quickly

1 dried chile (or more), opened with seeds and veins removed.

Cook dried chile in a small amount of water until softened (about 5-7 minutes) and put into blender with:
1 white cooking onion
2 cloves garlic
3 fresh tomatoes (plum tomatoes work well)
1 canned chipolte chile (remove seeds if you don't want the broth to be too hot)

Blend on high until smooth and add to a large soup pot along with

4 cups fish stock*
2 cups vegetable stock (or put in 6 cups vegetable stock if you don't have fish stock)
1-2 large potatoes (like a Russet) cut in chunks
1-2 large carrots cut in thick slices
3 large bay leaves

Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer until vegetables are starting to soften (about 10 minutes) then add

1-1/2 lbs firm white fish like Pacific Snapper cut in chunks the size of the vegetables (see photo)

2-3 cups coarsely shredded cabbage or other greens
5 cilantro stalks

Simmer until fish flakes and vegetables are cooked (about 10 minutes)

Adjust seasonings adding salt, pepper, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, etc.
If the broth is too spicy, add a 28 oz tin of crushed tomatoes. I did this and really liked the end result even better.

Serve with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortillas, taco chips, tostadas or rice as desired.

Serves 6 main course dishes.

*Fish Stock (made ahead of time)

I made fish stock using the bones, fins and head of a mild, non-oily white fish from our fishmonger (about 3 pounds) simmered in a stock pot of water with one onion, leek tops, one large carrot, one large celery stalk, 1 tsp pepper corns, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp each thyme and oregano, fresh parsley (or cilantro) stalks, salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, strain and cool. It made enough stock for 3 batches of this soup. Store unused broth in freezer.

Vegetable Barley Soup

This is a hearty vegetable soup/stew which takes just a few minutes to put in a slow cooker in the morning. It can be served over rice or pasta or with biscuits.  Ingredients can be changed according to the vegetables you have on hand.

3 onions finely diced 
1 cup sliced celery
1 diced green pepper
1 diced red or yellow pepper

Saute the first 4 ingredients in a frying pan in a little oil or broth until softened.
Put in slow cooker and add:

1 large carrot sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
3 cups kidney beans, rinsed and drained (other beans can be used)
1 28 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup pot barley (not quick-cooking)
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning or a mixture of oregano, basil, thyme, hot pepper flakes to taste
1 carton vegetable broth (4 cups)

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. One half hour before serving add:

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced 
4 cups or more of chopped fresh spinach or kale
salt to taste

Burritos

Stephanie made burritos for our bus trip and for my plane ride back to Canada. She wrapped them in foil when they were hot and they stayed warm for a few hours. Burritos are rolled flour tortillas with a warm filling. They can be served for a meal, packed for a lunch, or frozen and quickly reheated in the future. We had them for supper tonight with a salad, guacamole and salsa.

2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked black beans
2 roasted poblano chilies finely chopped
2 roasted red peppers finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove crushed garlic
salt to taste

Grated cheese (optional)
Strips of cooked chicken or beef (optional)

12- 8 inch whole wheat tortillas (I buy this size at Costco. You can use 6 or 10 inch tortillas)

Method:

Mix first 9 ingredients together
Warm tortillas in microwave or on a skillet
Place 1/3-1/2 cup filling in tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and lay meat on top if using
Roll tortilla up into a cylinder and place in an oven proof dish, seam side down

Continue until all tortillas are filled.
Cover dish and heat burritos in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. (or warm individually in microwave)
Serve hot with garnishes as desired (salsa, sour cream, guacamole)

Burritos can be wrapped individually for bag lunches.

Variations:
The internet is full of burrito recipes for meat lovers and vegetarians. Breakfast burritos with eggs are also filling and easy to make.
I also cook onion, sweet and jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, spinach and seasoning until soft in a skillet. Add 2 ounces of cream cheese to the vegetables, heating until the mixture is creamy. Put a thin layer of refried beans on a tortilla, then a layer of vegetables and grated cheese if desired. Roll and heat as above.

Guacamole

We had a wonderful meal at a vegetarian buffet in downtown Tepic and the guacamole was the best I have ever tasted. I wanted a bowl of it, not just a condiment portion! I made some tonight to go with our burritos and it tasted almost a good as what I had in Mexico.

Mash together

2 large ripe avocados (or 3 small)
Juice of one fresh lime
1 clove garlic, crushed
A dash of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp hot red chunky salsa
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Rosca de Reyes

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1-11 g package of dry active yeast
150 g sugar (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp)
6 g salt (1 rounded teaspoon)
3 eggs
120 g melted butter (1-1/3 bars with one bar equivalent to 1/2 cup)
125 g warm milk or water (1/2 cup)
Flavouring to taste i.e. vanilla, orange peel or extract
Decorations as desired such as citron, cherries, dried fruit, slivered almonds

Filling (relleno)

3/4 cup chopped nuts such as almonds and pecans
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Flavourings as desired
Plastic infants

Method

1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in warm milk or water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Put flour in a bowl, make a well and add yeast, eggs and all other ingredients. Stir until well blended and smooth.
3. Knead on floured board until dough is a good consistency
4. Place dough in bowl, cover with a towel and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size
5. Roll dough into a 70 x 25 rectangle

6. Spread filling over dough, place the desired number of plastic infants on the surface and roll it up from the long edge.
7. Make a ring and place it in baking pan covering it and letting it rise again in a warm place until doubled in size.

Place decorations on dough before it rises the second time or you can glaze and decorate it after baking.

Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes and then at 325 F until done (approx 35 minutes)

Note- This recipe was taken from an insert in the package of yeast
Tradi-pan La levadura casera

Tortilla Spinach Lasagna

Stale corn tortillas are used instead of lasagna noodles in this tasty layered casserole. Tortillas can also be used with a tomato based sauce.

Ingredients

1-1/2 -2 cups milk of choice
2-3 tbsp flour
Dash of salt and pepper

Add milk slowly to flour to make a smooth paste. Add rest of milk and seasoning and heat on stove or microwave stirring often to make a white sauce.

Heat a frying pan and cook until softened...

8 ounces of spinach
1/2 cup mushroom
one diced jalapeño or poblano pepper
one clove of crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Add vegetables to white sauce. (Feel free to alter vegetable mixture)

Using 12 stale tortillas in a greased 9 x 9 pan...

Put 4 tortillas on bottom of pan. Add a layer of vegetables and repeat layers finishing with a sauce layer. Cover the top with a layer of crumbled or grated mild cheese. You can add cheese to the layers if desired. You can also add mashed beans as a layer. I like the texture of white kidney beans in this recipe.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350F until bubbly or heat in microwave for 5-10 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Agua de Frutas

I am not a fan of sweet drinks, but the fruit drinks and teas served in Mexico are very refreshing and the sweetness is easily controlled.

Fresh fruit drinks

Blend a mixture of fruit such as strawberries, melon, mango, pineapple, orange, etc in the blender with a little water until you have a thick puree. Sweeten to taste. This is your concentrate. To serve, add some fruit to a glass or pitcher and add water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. The drinks are thick enough that they are difficult to get through a straw. Garnish with lime if desired.

Jamaica

Add boiling water to dried hibiscus flowers and let it steep until it is a deep red color. Strain and cool and add sweetener to taste. Dilute concentrate as described above. I make hot hibiscus tea regularly and use 1 teaspoon dried flowers per cup of boiling water. For the cold concentrate I would start with 2-3 teaspoons per cup of water.

Nut Pinwheel Cookies

Make a basic sugar cookie dough (like this or this)

Combine
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
in a food processor and process until you have a coarse paste. Add a little milk or water to bind ingredients if necessary.

Roll dough into a rectangle that is about 3/8" thick. Spread nut mixture within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll from long edge into a roll refrigerate or freeze log. Slice cookies and bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes or until set and lightly browned.