carrot, kale & chick pea cakes

For a lighter meal but still satisfying and packed with nutrients, this veggie version of a crab cake is super easy, tasty and healthy.  Serve it up with your favourite condiment, salad, salsa, or even as a patty in a bun or wrap.  Tonight we had them with diced avocados then topped with a spoonful of peanut sauce.

topped with peanut sauce

what you need:
*makes about 8 cakes (~1" thick and 3" diameter)

• 1 cup chick peas (fully cooked, you can use canned)
• 1 cup (packed) finely chopped kale 
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and grated)
• 2 gloves of garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup grated red onion
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup whole wheat panko (or any other bread crumb)
• freshly ground black pepper
• red chilli (optional) - finely chopped
• 2-4 tbsp grape seed oil
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly on an angle for garnish



excess carrot juice!

• 1 few sprigs of fresh cilantro, roughly torn for garnish

what to do:

1. Place grated carrots in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt.  Lightly toss and then set over a large bowl and allow carrots to sit with the salt for about 30 minutes.  This step is important to draw out excess moisture in the carrots, to ensure your cake doesn't fall apart when frying.
2. In a food processor or blender, puree chick peas roughly.  Leaving a few chunks will provide some texture to your cakes.
3. Put kale, chick peas, red onion, garlic, egg, and red chilli in a large bowl.
4. Squeeze excess liquid from grated carrots using your hands - this will also remove the most of the salt.
5. Add carrots to the large bowl containing the rest of the ingredients and use your hands to mix, add panko and black pepper and continue to work the mixture until it comes together and you feel like it can be formed into cakes. 
6. Form cakes and place on a tray lined with parchment paper.  Refrigerate for at least 45 min (this allows your cakes to set so they don't fall apart when frying).

   

   ready for the fridge

7. Heat a non-stick pan on medium with 2 tbsp oil.  Once they oil is hot, carefully place cakes and fry, about 3-5 minutes per side or until a golden crust forms.  You may need to add oil when you turn them over, if your pan seems too dry.

   

   after flipping these I added more oil

8. Remove and place onto serving dish, sprinkle green onion and cilantro over top.  Serve with your choice of topping (we had avocado and peanut sauce while our 2 year old daughter chose ketchup).  Enjoy!

veggie chili

warm and hearty

Chili, especially on a cold day, is one of my favourite go to's.  I always make a huge pot and freeze any leftovers, which makes for an easy meal later on.  This one is vegetarian with a spicy kick.  Use any beans you have on hand!  The important parts are the aromatics and spices.

what you need:

*makes a big pot

• 1 sweet potato
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 cans of beans (I used chick peas, black beans, and white kidney beans)
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp crushed coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional! for those who love spiciness)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes (796 mL)
• cooking oil ~2 tbsp
• salt and pepper
• fresh cilantro and green onions for garnish

what to do:

1. Prepare all your vegetables by washing them thoroughly then dicing them all to about the same size (about the size of your beans).  Keep carrots, celery, and sweet potato separate.
2. On medium heat in a large pot, heat up oil.  Add onions and jalapenos, stir occasionally.  Once the onions are slightly translucent and lightly golden brown, add garlic.  Stir for a minute then add the rest of the veggies.  Continue sauteing veggies for another few minutes -  then add the spices and stir to coat everything.  Once the spices are lightly toasted (you'll smell them ~ 2 minutes), add the can of tomatoes.
3. Drain and rinse the canned beans.  Add to pot and stir, nestling the bay leaves into the liquid.  If it seems dry, add 1/2 cup of water. then cover and bring to a boil.  Once it boils, lower heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour.  Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.  Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve hot garnished with freshly chopped cilantro and green onions.  Best accompanied by corn bread! :)  Enjoy!

grilled summer salad

This hearty salad is great on it's own for a satisfying lunch, or serve it alongside BBQ fare.  This salad travels well as long as you keep the dressing, greens and cooked veggies separately -  it is easily assembled on location.  I brought it to my friend Karolina's birthday party over the weekend (4 hour drive!) and it was enjoyed with burgers and sausages...yum to summer veggies!  For the party I used spring mix and green beans - in the photo above I used asparagus and spinach...you really can use whatever you have on hand.  Instead of grilling you can also place veggies on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven until tender.

what you need:

• 4 beets
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 bunch of asparagus (or equivalent amount of green beans)
• 1 large bag of baby spinach (or spring mix)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• olive oil

dressing:

• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (frozen ginger grates easier)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 lemon's zest and juice
• 1 tbsp honey

what to do:

1. In a pot of water, bring beets (washed but unpeeled) to a boil and allow to cook for at least 30-45 minutes (depending on how large your beets are), or until you can stick a fork into the beets.  Allow beets to cool, then peel them and cut into bite size cubes (red beet juice stains so don't wear your nice clothes!).  Set aside.
2. Preheat oven (400 F) or your BBQ grill.  Cut up sweet potato (no need to peel) into bite size cubes.  Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper in a bowl.  Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or use a iron veggie basket to grill them.
3. Trim asparagus and also toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cut into 1" pieces.  They will take a little less time in the oven or grill so add them to the heat once sweet potatoes have had 10-15 minutes in the heat.
4. Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a jar or tupperware and shake well.  
5. Once sweet potatoes are tender and have some golden brown colour, remove and toss gently in a bowl with the maple syrup.  Return to oven for another 8 minutes.
6. Once veggies are done (tender with slight grill marks or colour from roasting) - allow to cool to room temperature.  You can store the beats, sweet potato and asparagus in a container in a fridge until ready to serve.  
7. In a large salad bowl, toss together spinach, grilled veggies, and beets with the dressing.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.  Enjoy!

lentil cakes

deliciously vegetarian

I always thought falafels were intimidating to make but they actually are really easy as long as you have a food processor!  I didn't have chick peas at home but I used red lentils instead and they turned out well.  These hold up really well so they could be made into small bite size appetizers with tzatziki, alongside a salad, in a wrap or sandwich.  They are an awesome snack the next day.

what you need:

• 1 1/2 cup red lentils (rinsed and soaked 4 hrs in water)
• 1 small carrot
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 egg
• 1 slice whole wheat bread 
• 3 tbsp milk or soy milk
• about 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 handful cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• pinch each salt and pepper
• canola oil 

what to do:

1. Get your food processor ready.
2. Drain lentils.  Soak bread in milk.  Roughly chop carrot, onion, cilantro, and garlic.  Add chopped ingredients to food processor and pulse until very finely chopped, almost a puree but still with a little texture.  Add egg, bread, and spices, then pulse to mix well.
3. Transfer into a bowl and assess how wet the mixture is.  If it appears too wet, add bread crumbs a little at a time and stir well, until the consistency of the lentil mixture keeps together (you don't want it runny).
4. Heat a non-stick pan on medium with a thin amount of canola oil to coat the pan (about 2 tbsp).  Drop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and press gently for an even cake, fry until golden brown then flip, about 2-3 minutes each side.  You can keep them warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the rest.
5. Serve with tzatziki or any other sauce you like.  Enjoy!

lentil cakes with greens and tzatziki

lentil cakes in a whole wheat wrap with spring mix, tomatoes,
cilantro, thinly sliced red onion, and homemade tzatziki

ryan approves:)

veggie lasagna

you wouldn't even know ... tofu hides in here.

Lately we've been trying to eat vegetarian during the week, for both health and environmental reasons.  I had a sudden craving for lasagna - preggo cravings maybe? :) - and I thought tofu would be perfect as a meat substitute... it doesn't have much flavour so it soaks up whatever seasonings you put on it.  And it mixes well with cheese so for those who don't like the texture of tofu wouldn't even know it.  Ryan and I had it for two lunches and two dinners...was very satisfying and tasty.

what you need:

• 1 package oven ready lasagna noodles
• 1 small eggplant
• spinach (a few large handfuls)
• 1 large can san marzano tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cup old white cheddar, shredded
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion
• 1 pint cremini mushrooms
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning (mix of oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme...)
• 300 g firm tofu
• olive oil for cooking
• 1/2 cup water
• salt and pepper
• *freshly grated Parmesan for plating

what to do:

1. Prepare all vegetables:  thinly slice eggplant into discs, rinse spinach, finely dice mushrooms, onions, jalapenos, and garlic.  Set everything separately aside.
2. Rinse tofu and crumble into small bits.
3. Preheat oven to 375 F.
4. In a large skillet, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil on medium.  Saute onions and jalapeno until softened and onions are golden brown (but not burnt), then add garlic.  Add seasoning, salt and pepper, and stir, adding a little bit more olive oil if it appears too dry. 
5. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste to skillet.  Stir and gently break up tomatoes (if they are packed whole).  Add about 1/2 cup water and crumbled tofu, then cover and allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In a large baking dish, spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce mixture to cover the bottom.  Add one layer of lasagna noodles, then layer with eggplant discs, more tomato sauce, then top with a mix of the cheeses, making sure to save some for the top.  Place another lasagna noodle layer, then add the diced mushrooms, spinach, then more tomato sauce.  Place the last layer of lasagna noodles and top with remaining sauce (since these are oven-ready noodles you have to make sure there is liquid on them to cook) - sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
7. Cover with foil (tent it a bit to avoid cheese sticking to foil) - and bake for about 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
8. Allow to cool slightly then slice and enjoy!  Serve with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

yam & spinach bruschetta

This is definitely a non-traditionally bruschetta!  It's packed with nutrients and flavour, and super easy to make.  I made them as my dinner one night but you could have them as a hearty appetizer.  The secret is the mixture of tofu and cheese - so even your friends who don't like tofu won't notice.

what you need:

*makes about 8 

• whole wheat baguette
• 1/2 cup diced sweet potato
• 1/2 cup diced medium or firm tofu
• 1/2 cup diced sharp white cheddar
• 1 large handful of baby spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• water

what to do:

1. Slice baguette on an angle, about 1/2" thick.  Set aside on a cookie sheet.  Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Dice the sweet potato, tofu and cheddar into about the same sizes (less than 1 cm cubes)
3. In a pot, heat up oil on medium and saute garlic.  Add sweet potato and saute lightly, then add about 1/4 cup water and cover to allow sweet potato to cook to fork tender (10-15 minutes).
4. Add tofu and stir gently, cook for about 3 minutes.  Add a little bit of salt and pepper.
5. Add spinach and turn off heat.  Set mixture aside and drain any excess liquid.
6. Pile each of the baguette slices with a generous amount of the mixture, and then place 3-4 cubes of cheese onto each slice (try to sneak them into grooves/cracks near the bread).  
7. Place cookie sheet in middle rack for about 10 minutes, checking midway to make sure bottoms are not burned.  Put the oven on broil for 1 minute, browning the tops and cheese will bubble slightly.  Remove and serve warm.  Enjoy!

winter lentil soup

vegetarian

Today my friend Emily and I decided we needed some healthy vegetables after a fun weekend of dining out in Toronto with friends.  I scrounged my fridge and got some inspiration from the Clean Food cookbook to produce this warm hearty soup that's a meal in itself.

what you need:

• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 eggplant
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 4 cups lentils
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1" x 1" piece of Kombu *optional
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 2 heaping teaspoons of brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
• black pepper and salt (~a pinch)
• water
• cilantro & green onion (optional garnish)

what to do:

1. Prepare all vegetables by dicing them into small pieces.  Roughly chop garlic.
2. Place Kombu into warm water for about 10 minutes, then dice finely.
3. In a large pot on medium, heat up oil and add onions.  After sauteing them for 2 minutes, add garlic.  Saute for another 2 minutes, then add the diced carrots, eggplant, and sweet potato.  Stir and saute for a few minutes, then add the can of tomato and the lentils.  
4. Add water until it just covers the vegetables, and add the rest of the ingredients.  Cover and simmer for at least 1.5 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes and adding water as needed (also depending on how thick you want your soup).
5. Serve hot with chopped cilantro and green onion for garnish.  Enjoy!

kombu is a type of seaweed with natural health benefits, and you won't even taste it in the soup
check out seaweed benefits  for more details

caramelized onion & goats cheese pizza

thin crust vegetarian delight

Creamy goats cheese, sweet caramelized onions, portobella mushrooms, and spring mix to top it all off. This pizza is deliciously vegetarian and satisfying.  Sonia, this was made with you in mind!

what you need:

• pizza dough
• 3 large yellow or vidalia onions
• 1 portobello mushroom
• about 1/2 cup goats cheese
• about 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 big handful spring mix salad
• extra virgin olive oil 
• salt & pepper
• red chili flakes 

what to do:

1. To caramelize onions: this is a long process so start here first!  Chop onions into thin slices and get about 1 tbsp oil heating in a non-stick pan on medium heat.  Saute onions until they are caramelized (browned, sticky and slightly sweet) - it will take about 15 minutes and you will need to toss / stir them occassionally.  Do not turn the heat up or you will burn them.  Add salt, pepper and red chili flakes to taste, then remove from heat.
2. Slice mushroom and roll out pizza dough.
3. Brush pizza dough lightly with olive oil.  Load up the pizza dough first with a generous layer of caramelized onions, then top evenly with mozzarella, crumble goats cheese all over, and mushroom slices.  Bake on a pizza stone or pan for 10-12 minutes - until edges of pizza crust are golden brown.
4. Remove from oven and top immediately with spring mix, they will wilt slightly from the heat of the pizza.  Slice it up and enjoy!

samosas

This weekend I had my friends Liz and Sonia over for a girls weekend! We made a great dinner on saturday and samosas was on the menu.  Although these samosas are not exactly like traditional Indian samosas, they are really good and good for you.  Typically samosas are pockets of dough filled with garam masala spiced potatoes, green peas and then deep fried.  These ones were made with sweet potato, carrots, green peas, tofu, and a homemade blend if Indian spices including turmeric for a lighter flavour.  Even Sonia approved:)

what you need:

• phyllo pastry (thawed, room temperature)
• 1 small sweet potato
• 2 carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 200 grams firm tofu
• 1 medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• canola oil
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cold water

for the spices:

• 1 tsp each ground turmeric, coriander seed, cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• salt and pepper

*you may choose to use garam masala instead (a blend of spices you can buy)

what to do:

1. Dice the onion, and roughly chop garlic into small pieces.  Dice sweet potato, carrots, and tofu into small cubes, try to cut them about the same size.  
2. In a large pan, heat up 1 tbsp canola oil on medium.  Add the mustard seeds; once they start making a gently popping noise (about 2-3 minutes), add the onions and saute until slightly translucent.  Add the rest of the spices and stir.  After about 1 minute the aroma should be intense, add in the rest of the vegetables and garlic.  Saute for another 2 minutes, then add water.  Cover and allow to simmer for several minutes.
3. Remove cover after about 8-10 minutes and check if vegetables are tender.  If they are, remove lid and turn the heat down to medium-low and allow, if any, excess liquid to evaporate.  If the vegetables are still hard and your pan is dry, add a little bit of water and cover again.
4. Remove vegetable mixture from heat and add frozen peas, stirring to incorporate.  At this point, add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature (or it can be made a day in advance and refrigerated).
6. Lay out phyllo pastry on a large cutting board (should be layers and layers stacked) and using the tip of your knife, cut into 2.5" strips.  Keep most of it under plastic wrap with a slightly moist tea towel on top to prevent drying out.
7. Lay one strip of phyllo flat, brush with a thin layer of melted butter all over, then place a second strip on top.  Put 1 heaping teaspoon of the veggie mixture in one corner of the phyllo, then fold it over to make triangle (isosceles), and continue folding it upon itself until you are on the last triangle - brush with butter then seal to finish. 

Liz making samosas!

folding onto itself into a triangle



8.  Put them on a cookie sheet.  You can bake them right away at 425 F, for about 10 minutes.      

    Once they are gold brown, remove and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes and serve       

    hot with fruit chutney or plum sauce.  Enjoy!   




9. You can also make these in advance; place the entire cookie sheet filled with samosas in the 

    freezer for about 20 minutes, then remove them and store in a container in the freezer to bake

    another day.

dinner with friends!

ravioli with black bean & acorn squash

you won't miss the meat with this veggie dish

Tonight I wanted to make something entirely vegetarian (for you sones!) and as I walked around the grocery store I thought acorn squash looked fun.  Black beans were the protein of choice because I thought its texture would marry nicely with the squash. The dried chillies make the dish because it balances the sweetest of the squash - you have to try this!

what you need:
*serves 4*

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 can of black beans (540 ml)
• 5 handfuls of spinach
• 1 head of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• fresh cheese & spinach ravioli (I used Ziggy's)
• 2 dried red chillies or 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese 

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Cut up acorn squash into about 1" wedges - take the seeds out and save them for snacking later.  
3. Trim the top off the garlic and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, add a small pinch of salt and pepper.  Wrap completely with aluminum foil.
4. Toss the acorn squash with 2 tbsp olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Place the squash and garlic on cookie sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, flipping them halfway.
5. Remove from oven and allow squash and garlic too cool before handling.  Remove skin from squash.  Drain and rinse the can of black beans.
6. In a large pot, bring cold water to a boil to cook the ravioli (add about 2 tbsp salt to the water).
7. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium heat, add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and the red chillies.  Allow the chillies to blacken and crush them a little bit.  
8. Before you cook the pasta, cook the spinach in the boiling water for 5-10 seconds then remove immediately with tongs or a spider and set aside.  Cook the ravioli for about 5-7 min, drain and save the pasta water.  
9. Add the black beans to the pan and toss gently.  Add the squash and softly mash with the back of a fork.  Add the roasted garlic (hold it upside down and squeeze until flesh comes out).  Turn the heat to low and add 1 cup of pasta water, stirring gently until the beans and squash absorb it.  Depending on how dry the squash is, you many need to add more pasta water.  Add the spinach.
10. In a large bowl, mix ravioli with the squash and black bean sauce.  Serve hot with freshly ground pepper and Parmesan cheese shavings.  Enjoy!