Kamut Carrot Loaf with Swiss Chard, Dates and Walnut

It’s amazing what you can work into a loaf these days (and even more impressive how good it can taste!)

When it comes to dark leafy greens and the powerhouse nutrients they deliver, that’s a good thing. 

Many of us have heard of Kale, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy and similar greens, but are less certain about how to incorporate them into our diets.  In the raw, these greens can have a somewhat bitter taste and for some, are difficult to digest.

One of the easiest ways to begin introducing dark leafy greens into the diet is to incorporate them into stews, soups, casseroles and baked goods.  Simply pull apart the leaves, thoroughly wash and chop to desired size.  The cooking process transforms the coarse leaves into soft, silky bundles while the flavours mellow with the other ingredients and are not as sharply discernible.  If you and/or your children are new to these lesser known greens, you may find this a kinder, gentler approach.

From there, you can expand by adding these chopped greens to your morning eggs, stir fries, sandwiches, wraps, salads and smoothies.

 

Dark leafy greens supply a broad range of nutrients including: fibre, vitamins A, C, E, K, folic acid, calcium, iron and magnesium.  These same greens also deliver plant compounds known as phytochemicals that have disease fighting properties.

Here is one delicious way to enjoy them ~

The title may sound involved but once you have your ingredients in place, it will take you about 15 minutes to assemble.  The rest is cooking time.

Kamut Carrot Loaf with Swiss Chard, Dates and Walnut

• 1 cup whole grain oatmeal
• ¾ cup whole grain kamut flour* (substitute whole grain of choice)
• 1/3 cup demerara sugar (substitute a coarse, dark sugar)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup pitted dried dates, chopped (substitute dried fig or prunes)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup grated)
• 2 cups lightly packed Swiss chard, torn (substitute dark leafy green of choice)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

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Note:

Kamut is an ancient, whole grain, that has a mild sweet flavour. It contains 20-40% more protein than regular wheat and is a good source of the immune-supportive antioxidant mineral, selenium. One half cup serving of kamut supplies six grams of protein (the same as an egg), and five grams of fibre.

Although a glutenous grain, kamut is often better tolerated by those with sensitivities to modern, refined wheat.

You can find Kamut at health food stores and in the specialty section of some larger grocery stores.

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Heat oven to 350 F

In a medium size bowl, combine oatmeal, kamut, demerara sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, chopped dates and walnuts.  Stir to combine.

In a separate, larger bowl, combine olive oil, yogurt, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs.

Meanwhile, combine Swiss chard and carrots in blender and blend until coarsely ground.  You should end up with about 1 + 1/2 cups of grated carrot Swiss chard mixture.

The gorgeous colours of nature ~ carrot and Swiss chard

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing only until combined.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Allow loaf to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Hemp Hearts Avocado Salad with a Lemon-Delicious Pineapple Purée

When I was a young girl and my parents had guests over for dinner, they would always serve the same appetizer. It consisted of a half avocado in the skin filled with my mom's homemade vinaigrette.

My mom's dressing was special. Not because it was fancy - with 10 kids at her feet, she was by no means a fussy cook. I liked her vinaigrette because it was mostly vinegar and I delighted in the sharp taste of this liquid and the shivers that ran through my body every time I tasted it.

Whenever I thought my mom wasn't looking, I would dip my finger into her carefully filled avocados and revel in the taste of the sour acid (happily the guests never knew). I grew up with a penchant for vinegar and a great love for the creamy texture and delicious taste of avocado. 

I’m doing something a little bit different with this version today.  I wanted to work in some delicious and nutritious hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds) and thought they would marry well with the sweet and sour lemon-pineapple purée I have put together.

Now, before you get too excited, keep in mind that the edible part of the hemp plant contains only trace amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive chemical in marijuana – so, for good or for bad, you won’t be getting high off this recipe!

That said, hemp seeds are an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fibre.  Two tablespoons of hemp seeds contain about 11 grams of well-balanced, easy-to-digest protein.

The seeds also taste great – when compared to flaxseed and chia (which I use regularly), hemp has a more substantive, chewier texture and nuttier taste that is very appealing in a salad.

Hemp Hearts Avocado Salad with a Lemon-Delicious Pineapple Purée

• 2 ripe avocados
• A handful of lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup orange bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
• 4 Tbsp hemp hearts

For the Lemon-Pineapple Purée

• 1 cup pineapple, chopped (be sure to rinse thoroughly if using canned)
• Juice of 1 lemon

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Notes: I have left the avocados mostly intact for this recipe. If you would like to work in more salad fixings, you can create room by scooping out some of the avocado flesh and reserving it for sandwiches, guacamole or your other favourite use. You can also surround the avocado with more salad fixings once plated, as desired.

The lemon in the purée cuts the sweet taste of the pineapple somewhat and gives it a mild sour flavour that I happen to love but if you prefer, you can diminish the amount of lemon or omit it altogether.

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Serves 4

Slice avocados in half and remove pits.  Line avocado cavity with a few pieces of lettuce and then add bell pepper and hemp seeds, dividing fixings among the 4 avocado halves.

For the purée, simply combine ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth.  Drizzle over avocado and enjoy.

Pan Seared Sesame Tempeh

Whether you are a committed vegetarian or simply looking for ways to vary your diet by introducing more plant proteins, tempeh ("tehm-pay") is one of my favourite choices.

Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a chewy, fulsome texture and nutty taste that makes it more complex and interesting, in my view, than tofu.  The porous nature of tempeh also makes it an ideal absorber of marinade juices and flavours.

A quality vegetable protein, containing all essential amino acids, tempeh is high in soluble fibre and contains good amounts of calcium, essential fatty-acids and B vitamins.

It is possibly one of the least known soy foods in North America, which is unfortunate given its superior nutrient profile and whole food quality in comparison to heavily processed soy products that new vegetarians tend to gravitate towards - soy dogs, soy burgers, soy bacon....

Like tofu, tempeh is extremely easy to work with and tends to take on the flavours of the ingredients it is cooked in.  My favourite preparation consists of simply slicing it and pan frying it with olive oil. 

For this recipe, I have created a simple sesame variation that is very flavourful and delicious.  It will take you about 15 minutes, from start to finish, to have this meal on the table.

Pan Seared Sesame Tempeh

• 1 block of tempeh, in the range of 250 grams, sliced
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp water
• A few sesame seeds for topping

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Notes:

Tempeh comes in different forms.  The most common variation on pure soy tempeh (soybeans only) is a combination of wheat and soy.  Be sure to read package information if you are wheat/gluten intolerant.  Henry's Tempeh is an organic 'soybeans only' brand that I buy most often.

The porous nature of tempeh allows it to absorb liquids very quickly and easily.  You will only need 3 minutes of marinating time on each side.  If you leave it longer, it will absorb all of the liquid and become overly wet.

This meal is best eaten right from the skillet.

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Serves 2

Place sesame oil, soy sauce and water in a small shallow baking dish, mixing to combine.

Lay sliced tempeh over marinade in dish.  Allow tempeh to sit in marinade for approximately 3 minutes before turning over to marinade the other side for another couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, warm a skillet on the stove greased with olive oil.  Pan sear both sides of tempeh and enjoy right from the skillet over your favourite fixings (I prepared mine with coleslaw for lunch but it is also lovely with wild rice, millet, quinoa or lentils).

Pure Soy Tempeh

Cut in half

cut lengthwise

into segments

in the marinade

The first signs of Spring begin to appear (ever the optimist)

My most devoted kitchen companion

Black Dragon Cereal ~ warm coconut milk, wild rice, mango and dragon fruit

Monday was a bumpy night – our boys have been struggling with various forms of cold and flu and our dog decided to get in on the fun sometime around 4 am. 

I eventually came downstairs to start the day feeling a little less than myself.  My husband was already outside gathering the garbage for collection.  I shuffled into the kitchen to get myself a mug a java and discovered that a cup had already been poured.  I leaned over the cup to see that my Valentine had hand-drawn a heart in cinnamon... my eyes welled up.  The Buddhists would tell me that this joy was in me all along.  They're right.  And yet, this small, brilliant gesture, illuminated my day.

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In celebration of the Chinese year of the Dragon, (and our own dragon baby), I couldn't resist this little number. 

The possibilities on what to make with coconut milk are simply endless.  The coconut milk in this recipe is truly worthwhile and tastes absolutely delicious.  I like to warm it up for that extra toe curl.

The handsome dragon fruit (or Pitaya) is native to Central America and cultivated in many Asian countries including China. Reminiscent of kiwi with its dark crunchy seeds embedded in the pulp, dragon fruit is sweet, fleshy and extremely cool with its fiery red skin and green scales. This exotic fruit has notable amounts of vitamin C, phosphorus and calcium. It should give slightly when gently squeezed for ripeness. 

Black Dragon Cereal

• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 + 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 mango, diced
• 1/2 dragon fruit, diced
• Handful of nuts for topping

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Notes:

You can cook the rice in advance of eating this cereal.  Simply reheat in the morning.

If you are concerned about the calories in coconut milk, you can substitute part of the coconut milk with cow's milk, rice milk, almond milk or soy milk.  You can also cut the coconut milk with water if preferred.

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Serves 4

Cook rice on stove top according to package directions (generally 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice; allow water to boil and reduce to simmer for approximately 40 minutes).

In the meantime, warm coconut milk (or milk mixtures) in a small sturdy pot on stove.

Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls and top with warm coconut milk and diced mango and dragon fruit. Add nuts as desired.

Dragon Fruit

The interior of dragon fruit with crunchy black

seeds similar to kiwi in taste and texture

Slicing - or should I say slaying - the dragon

Whole Grain Peanut Butter Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips

I had every intention of making tofu casserole today but when I opened the oven door, what should I find inside but these enormously moist and wonderfully delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

You just never know what the universe is going to throw at you. 

Happily, I have strong adaptive skills.

February is birthday month in this family and since none of us are big cake people, I thought these cookies might be a nice switch up.

I generally use olive oil in baking however for these cookies, I chose butter.  Yes, that's right folks, butter.  A good old fashion saturated fat.

The big message from the public health world and food manufacturers since the 1970s has been that saturated fat is the cause of heart disease.  Over the years, this lipid hypothesis has gradually been disproven and very few credible scientists currently hold this view.  Yet the demonization of saturated fat has been so effective and well entrenched in the minds of consumers, that many of us are still operating under the assumption that we shouldn’t be eating saturated fat /dietary cholesterol.

Scientists have moved away from the lipid hypothesis and have begun to turn their attention increasingly to inflammation as a cause of heart disease and the fact that refined carbohydrates appear to increase inflammation and metabolic syndrome.

For anyone interested in a primer on fats, Michael Pollan does a nice job summarizing the scientific literature in his readable book In Defense of Food. 

Whole Grain Peanut Butter Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup palm sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 cup just nuts peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

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350 F.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together.   Add egg and vanilla and finally peanut butter beating to combine.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine spelt flour, ground flaxseed, baking soda and baking powder, mixing to combine.  Add chocolate chips.

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing just until combine.

On a non-stick baking sheet, drop peanut butter chocolate cookies by tablespoon full, pressing down gently on each.

Bake cookies for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are just beginning to brown but still soft inside.

Allow cookies to cool before enjoying...

Roasted Salmon in a Strawberry-Balsamic Reduction

Here we are coming up to Valentine's Day and I'm still putting away my Christmas decorations...is it just me? It seems every time I think I have them all captured and stored, another one pops up; it's like an endless sea of Santa things - they weeble and wobble but they won't go down.

Onward. 

I've put together an elegant and delicious weeknight meal that will take you less than 20 minutes to have on the table.  If you make the reduction the night before, it will take you even less time.

This is a very adaptable sauce that you can use with virtually any protein - vegetable or otherwise.  It has gentle sweet notes from the strawberry and balsamic flavours with a subtle sharpness from the vinegar.   My sons and I enjoyed the leftover reduction over plain yogurt as a snack - scrumptious.

Roasted Salmon in a Strawberry-Balsamic Reduction

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

For the Strawberry-Balsamic Reduction

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped + more for topping
• 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbsp water
• 4 Tbsp honey

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Directions:

Heat oven to 400 F.

In a small sturdy pot on stove, combine chopped strawberries, balsamic vinegar and water.  Allow mixture to come to a boil and reduce by about half.  Add the honey, mixing to combine and allow mixture to reduce again.  

At this stage, you can either place mixture in a small blender and mix until smooth or, as I have done, you can use a potato masher and mash the berries down to smaller but visible, chunky pieces. 

Meanwhile, lay salmon fillets on a foil lined baking pan.  Sprinkle with black pepper and cook in oven for 10-15 minutes, or until desired doneness is achieved.

Place a couple of tablespoons of the reduction on plates before laying down salmon. Drizzle more of the sauce over top along with some chopped strawberries, as desired.

If you have made your reduction the night before simply warm in a pot on stove, adding some water as necessary to achieve desired consistency upon reheating.

I'm submitting this recipe to KoKo's Kitchen's Valentine's Day Recipe Roundup

All Natural Frozen Banana-Lemon Cream

If you're craving ice cream but are looking for something healthier without the binders, fillers, emulsifiers, artificial flavours, trans fats and fake sugars, you will love this all natural frozen banana-lemon cream.

[insert: have you ever read the nutrition facts label on a low fat/sugar ice cream product?  Truly scary].

This is a gorgeous dessert, or snack, that has a creamy taste and texture similar to soft ice cream without all the non-foods.

I have prepared a non-dairy/vegan version today but you could easily substitute cow's milk, as desired.

All Natural Frozen Banana-Lemon Cream

• 3 frozen bananas
• 1 - 2 cups almond milk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon + more for topping
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp agave nectar
• A few slivered almonds for topping

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Notes:

This dessert tastes best eaten freshly made.  If you make it ahead and try to freeze it, it will become rock hard.  If you refrigerate it, it will lose it's cold ice cream texture and become more life a mousse (still good tasting but not an ideal texture).

The amount of almond milk will vary depending on the size of the bananas you are working with and your preferred consistency.

Frozen bananas do not release as much sweetness as fresh, ripe bananas.  You can work with this by adding naturally sweet tasting spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or cardamon, or a touch of natural sweetener - such as: agave nectar, demerara, muscovado, palm, turbinado or stevia - as desired.

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Place peeled bananas in freezer overnight (allow 24 hours).  If you expect to leave the bananas in the freezer for more than 24 hours, it's best to keep peels on to protect against freezer burn.

Remove bananas from freezer and place in the blender.  If bananas still have peels on, use a knife to carefully remove peel (you may need to let them sit out at room temperature for 10 or so minutes to be able to get through the frozen peel).

Add remaining ingredients to blender along with bananas - beginning with 1 cup of almond milk - blending until smooth and gradually adding more milk until desired consistency is achieved.

This recipe will make approximately 4 cups of frozen banana lemon cream.

Enjoy.

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato & Parsnip Chips

So here I was, thinking that I was the only one who had a thing for parsnip.

Little did I know, there's a whole world of parsnip lovers out there, including my good blogging buddy Charles over at Five Euro Food, who posted a dazzling post on fried parsnip chips within a few hours of my waxing philosophical about the little white root.  Who knew there was so much collective affection for this humble (yet extraordinarily tasty) vegetable?

Here's some other exciting news.  I bought a kitchen gadget.  Need more?  It actually works.  I tend to shy away from gadgetry because I generally have a sneaking suspicion that I can do a better job with my hands, and that the gadget will just end up occupying space until I finally get around to putting it out at our annual garage sale.

But let me just say, this hand-held mandoline was worth every penny.  A mandoline is a fancy name for a slicer - but it's the speed, precision and efficacy of the slice that will have your head spinning.

Just have a look at these paper-thin puppies:

C'est pas beautiful ca?  It took me about 10 seconds to slice these parsnip chips and there is no way in the good heavens that I could ever slice that quickly or thinly, with my hands.  So I am completely at peace with my purchase.

In case you're interested: Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer by Oxo - it cost me $23.99.  Worth all of it and more.

Ok, on to the recipe.

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato & Parsnip Chips

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 parsnips
• 2-4 Tbsp olive oil
• Seasonings as desired (I used sea salt, cracked pepper and chili)

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Heat oven to 275 F.

Thoroughly wash exterior of sweet potatoes and parsnips.  Leaving skin on (where plenty of nutrients reside), set your mandoline to the thinnest slice setting, and proceed to slice the 4 vegetables (it will take only a couple minutes). 

If you do not have a mandoline, choose a nice sharp knife and aim for the thinnest slice possible.

The advantage of the paper-thin slice is that it ends up curling - much like a chip. 

The disadvantage of the super thin slice, if there is one, is that the vegetable becomes almost translucent and loses some of its beautiful colour when baked.  If your slices are slightly thicker, you will retain some of this colour.

Place your potato and parsnip slices together in a large mixing bowl.  Add olive oil and whatever seasonings you like: cumin, chili, coriander, curry, paprika, pepper, rosemary, sea salt, thyme, etc.  Mix together with a spoon or your hands to combine.  You want to have enough oil on the veggie slices to prevent sticking but not too much such that it will give rise to sogginess.

Lay the slices out on a foil lined baking sheet such that they are not touching (if they overlap, they will remain soggy and they won't crisp up).  You may need to use a couple baking sheets.

Cook veggie chips for about 35 minutes, or until they are nice and crispy, flipping them over around the halfway mark.  You will want to keep an eye on them to ensure that they are not over-cooking (oven temperatures and cooking times will vary depending on thickness and size of slices, etc.).

A perfect, all natural, game day munchy ~ enjoy!

Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Ginger, Lime and Vermicelli

You're looking at my current obsession soup.

I can - and do - eat it days on end.

I have long been a fan of Thai cuisine with its vibrant colours, unparalleled flavours and warming properties.  Strangely, the one time I visited Thailand, I was so captivated by the beauty and serenity of the Buddhist Temples, that food played a secondary role (hard to imagine, I know). 

Among my favourite Thai dishes are the country's hot and sour soups - or Tom Yum (meaning boiled spicy soup).  There are hundreds of variations of tom yum, with Tom Yum Goong probably being the most well known (the version that incorporates shrimp).

The vegetarian version that I have prepared today is the one I make most often.  It has all the warming properties and flavours of the traditional broth with plant-based proteins.  I have also incorporated vermicelli in this recipe mostly in honour of my husband who introduced me to Singapore Style Fried Rice Vermicelli back when we first started dating in Montreal. Every time I come across vermicelli, I think of him.

Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Ginger, Lime and Vermicelli

• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce, optional for non vegetarians
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• Juice of one lime
• Zest of one lime
• 500 grams (or 1 large block) firm tofu, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 100 grams vermicelli rice noodles
• 1 cup or so cilantro

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In a large saucepan, sauté onion with some olive oil on low heat until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add chili garlic sauce and ginger to pan, mixing well with onion.

Meanwhile, run edamame under hot water, drain and set aside.

 

Add the next 8 ingredients to onion mixture: fish sauce (if using), coconut milk, vegetable stock, lime juice, lime zest, tofu, red pepper and edamame. Mix to combine.  Allow soup to come to a boil, add vermicelli noodles and mix while immersing noodles.  Reduce soup to simmer.

Add most of the cilantro to the soup (reserving some for topping), mixing to combine.  Serve soup with a sprinkle of cilantro over top, as desired.