Curried Red Lentil Soup

An easy, hearty soup which can be prepared in under an hour thanks to the quick-cook properties of red lentils.

Ingredients:

• 2 yellow onions
  
• 1 lb carrots
  
• 1 garlic
  
• 1 heaped tablespoon hot curry paste
  
• 2 cups red lentils
  
• 1 can (796 ml) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes
  
• 1 can (540 ml) chick peas
  
• 4 cups herb broth
  
• cilantro
  
• olive oil for frying

Directions:

Peel and slice thinly onions, carrots and garlic.
Add curry paste and stir fry in olive oil until vegetables are soft.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy.

Quinoa Jumble Pot

Healthy whole grain quinoa adds a nutty flavour to this hearty dish.



Ingredients:

• 3 cups red and white quinoa grain
  
• 4.5 cups water
  
• 2 cups sweet corn kernels
  
• 3 large tomatoes
  
• 2 yellow onions
  
• 1 garlic
  
• 300 g spicy smoked sausage
  
• olive oil for frying

Directions:

Bring water to a boil in a large pan.
Add quinoa.
Reduce heat and simmer until quinoa has absorbed most of the water.
Slice tomatoes into wedges.
Peel and dice onions and garlic.
Slice sausage.
Stir fry onions and garlic in oil until onion becomes soft and translucent.
Add sausage and cook until browned.
Toss all ingredients together in a large pot and cook over low heat until jumble is heated through and flavours have had a chance to blend.

Minted Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This is a delicious and refreshing salad, perfect for those summer garden parties.



Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber
  
• 2 large tomatoes
  
• 3 or 4 fresh mint sprigs
  
• 1 cup yoghurt
  
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Seed and dice cucumber and tomatoes.
Tear mint leaves into small pieces.
Toss vegetables with mint.
Combine yoghurt with lime juice.
Stir dressing into vegetables.
Allow salad to sit for an hour before serving, to give the flavours time to blend.

Hemp Nut Salad

Ingredients:

• salad greens
  
• tomato
  
• avocado
  
• sun-dried tomato vinaigrette
  
• cottage cheese
  
• cilantro
  
• shelled hemp seeds

Directions:

Line single serve plates or shallow bowls with salad greens.
Arrange tomato and avocado in alternating slices around the circumference of the plate.
Drizzle vinaigrette over top.
Place large spoonful of cottage cheese in the centre of the salad.
Sprinkle cilantro and shelled hemp seeds over top.
Enjoy immediately.

Chicken Broccoli Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. broccoli
  
• 1 lb. chicken breasts
  
• 1 onion
  
• 1 garlic
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• 2 cups thick tomato sauce
  
• fresh basil, minced
  
• fresh oregano, minced
  
• 9 lasagna noodles
  
• 300 grams chevre
  
• 300 grams mozzarella, grated or thinly sliced
  
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

Precook lasagna noodles.
Cut broccoli into small florets and steam until nearly tender.
Peel and mince onion and garlic.
Stir fry onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Dice chicken and add to onion and garlic.
Fry until chicken is lightly browned.
Stir minced herbs into tomato sauce.
Spread 1/3 of tomato mixture over bottom of large lasagna pan.
Cover with a layer of noodles.
Spread 1/3 of tomato mixture over the noodles.
Add half the chicken mixture, half the broccoli and half the chevre.
Follow with another layer of noodles topped with the remaining sauce, chicken, broccoli and chevre.
Cover with the third layer of noodles.
Arrange mozzarella over top of the lasagna.
Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until mozzarella is golden brown.
Slice and serve, sprinkling freshly grated parmesan over individual portions.

Tabouleh

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bulghur wheat
  
• 2 tomatoes, diced.
  
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  
• 1/4 cucumber, diced
  
• 1 onion, minced
  
• minced fresh parsley and mint leaves
  
• 2 Tbsp. chopped kalamata olives
  
• juice of one lemon
  
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Place wheat in a bowl and cover with water.
Set aside until water is absorbed (approximately 20 minutes).
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Chill salad two hours before serving.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs aubergine, peeled
  
• 1 garlic, minced
  
• 3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, diced
  
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, diced
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• freshly grated parmesan
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• ground black pepper
  
• fresh basil
  
• 1/2 cup flour
  
• 1 egg, separated
  
• 1/8 cup dry wine
  
• 1/8 cup water
  
• grated lemon peel
  
• nutmeg

Directions:

Beat together flour, egg yolk, water and wine until a smooth paste is formed.
Let paste stand for two hours.
Whip egg white until stiff.
Fold egg white, lemon peel and nutmeg into batter mixture.
Sauté garlic in oil until golden.
Add tomatoes, basil and pepper.
Simmer tomato mixture for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slice aubergines into 1/3 inch thick slices.
Dip aubergine slices in batter and fry in oil until golden on both sides.
Line a large casserole dish or lasagna pan with tomato mixture.
Layer dish with aubergine, tomato mixture and cream cheese.
Sprinkle parmesan over top and dot with butter.
Bake at 350°F for thirty minutes.

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 red bell peppers
  
• 4 - 5 large tomatoes
  
• 6 jalepeño peppers
  
• 1 yellow onion
  
• olive oil
  
• 2 heads oven roasted garlic
  
• 1 sweet potato
  
• fresh basil
  
• 3 cups herb broth

Garnish:

• seasoned croutons
  
• feta cheese
  
• fresh basil

Directions:

Remove stem and seeds from peppers.
Remove stem from tomatoes.
Peel onion.
Cut peppers, tomatoes and onion into large chunks.
Coat large baking pan with olive oil.
Add peppers, tomatoes and onion. Toss to coat with oil.
Roast in oven at 350°F for 1 hour.
Peel and cube sweet potato.
Boil until soft.
Strain off water.
Purée peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sweet potato, basil and juices from roasted vegetables in food processor.
Add broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes to allow flavours to blend well.
Serve topped with seasoned croutons, crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil.

Gazpacho

This cold tomato soup is the perfect dish for a hot summer day. Full of flavour and fresh-from-the-garden goodness.



Ingredients:

• 5 large tomatoes
  
• 1 red bell pepper
  
• 1 green bell pepper
  
• 1 red onion
  
• 1 garlic
  
• cilantro
  
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  
• hot sauce such as Susie's Calypso
  
• 2 cups cold vegetable stock
  
• seasoned croutons for garnish

Directions:

Dice tomatoes, peppers and onion.
Mince garlic and cilantro, reserving some cilantro leaves whole for garnish.
Toss vegetables and minced cilantro together.
Pour oil and vinegar over vegetables and mix well.
Fire it up as desired with hot sauce.
Mix in cold vegetable stock.
Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to allow flavours to blend.
Serve cold, garnished with croutons and whole cilantro leaves.

Gourmet Cheese, Tomato & Carmelized Onion Panini

Cheese & tomato sandwiches, grilled cheese, and cheese & onion just about anything are traditional common grub in my native land. In the best tradition of my adopted country; however, I've combined these flavours with some local specialties and a cooking technique from yet a third country (the Italian pressed & grilled sandwich or "panino") to create this delicious sandwich. Simple food with gourmet taste.



Ingredients:

• hearty whole grain, multi-grain bread
  
• onion, thinly sliced
  
• tomato, sliced
  
• chèvre
  
• aged Canadian cheddar, sliced
  
• extra virgin olive oil
  
• olive oil for frying

Notes:

Panini are traditionally made in a ridged sandwich press which toasts both slices of bread while heating the sandwich through and fusing the fillings together. The ridges give the panino its characteristic stripes. If you don't have such a press; however, you can still enjoy this delicious sandwich by cooking it in a skillet and pressing down the top of the sandwich with a second heavy skillet or other weight, then flipping the sandwich halfway through the cooking time to toast the opposite side of the bread. You won't have the stripes using this second method, but you'll still get all of the flavour!

Directions:

Stir fry onion in olive oil over medium heat until onions are caramelized (soft and caramel in colour).
Spread chèvre on one side of each slice of bread.
Place tomato slices on one slice of bread for each sandwhich.
Top tomato with slices of Canadian cheddar. (I've had great results making this sandwich with Balderson's 2 Year Old Royal Canadian Cheddar.)
Spread carmelized onions over top of cheddar.

Top sandwiches with second slice of bread (cheese side inside).
Brush outside of sandwiches lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Cook in a hot sandwich press or skillet with top weight until both sides of the sandwhich are toasted and the cheeses have melted, fusing the fillings together.
Enjoy hot off the grill.

Zucchini and Corn Enchiladas

Here's a vegetarian derivative of my popular chicken enchiladas recipe.

Ingredients:

• olive oil for frying and greasing pan
  
• 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
  
• 1 zucchini
  
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
  
• 2 cups hot (spicy) tomato-based salsa
  
• 1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated
  
• 10 seven-inch whole wheat tortillas
  
• sour cream (to garnish)
  
• guacamole (to garnish)

Directions:

Lightly grease a lasagna pan or other large casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Stir fry garlic and onion until onion turns translucent and soft.

Add zucchini and corn and stir fry until cooked through.

Add one cup of salsa, mixing well.

Remove filling mixture from the heat.

Lay one tortilla flat on a large plate or other flat surface.

Spoon a row of filling across the tortilla, about 1/3 of the way in from the near edge.

Sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese on top of the filling.

Starting at the near edge, roll up the tortilla around the filling.

Place rolled enchilada into greased casserole dish, seam side down.

Continue filling and rolling enchiladas as above until all are lined up side by side in the casserole dish.

Spread remaining salsa over top of enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of salsa.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Serve warm with sour cream and a side of guacamole.

Chicken Enchiladas

Last week my father was craving Mexican food and asked me to take him to Taco Bell.
I told him no. I'd make him Mexican cuisine with real food instead.
This was the result.

Ingredients:

• olive oil for frying and greasing pan
  
• 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
  
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
  
• 2 cups hot (spicy) tomato-based salsa
  
• 1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated
  
• 10 seven-inch whole wheat tortillas
  
• sour cream (to garnish)
  
• guacamole (to garnish)

Directions:

Lightly grease a lasagna pan or other large casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Stir fry garlic and onion until onion turns translucent and soft.

Add chicken and stir fry until cooked through.

Continuing to stir fry, use the edge of a spatula to dice chicken strips into small pieces.

Add one cup of salsa, mixing well.

Remove chicken/salsa mixture from the heat.

Lay one tortilla flat on a large plate or other flat surface.

Spoon a row of chicken/salsa mixture across the tortilla, about 1/3 of the way in from the near edge.

Sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese on top of the chicken/salsa.

Starting at the near edge, roll up the tortilla around the filling.

Place rolled enchilada into greased casserole dish, seam side down.

Continue filling and rolling enchiladas as above until all are lined up side by side in the casserole dish.

Spread remaining salsa over top of enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of salsa.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Serve warm with sour cream and a side of guacamole.

Bruschetta à la Dragon

Garlic bread with the works!



Ingredients:

• 1 whole grain baguette
  
• garlic butter
  
• thick & spicy tomato sauce
  
• 1 large tomato
  
• 1 yellow onion
  
• fresh basil leaves
  
• cheddar cheese
  
• mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Slice baguette open and place cut sides up on a baking sheet.
Spread cut surfaces with garlic butter.


Spread thin layer of tomato sauce on top of butter.


Dice tomato and onion.
Tear basil leaves into small pieces.
Distribute tomato, onion and basil on top of tomato sauce.


Grate cheeses.
Top baguettes with grated cheese.


Place baguettes under the grill and toast until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Serve immediately.

Jalepeño Cheddar Soup

This recipe makes a hearty, delicious, brightly coloured winter soup. The jalepeños give the soup a nice flavour, but are not the hottest peppers available. Add some of your favourite hot sauce or a few habeneros for a spicier soup.



Ingredients:

• 2 x 796 ml tins no salt added tomatoes
  
• 2 red bell peppers
  
• 3 cups carrots
  
• 9 jalepeño peppers
  
• 1-2 yellow onions
  
• 2 heads oven roasted garlic
  
• 1 lb aged cheddar cheese
  
• basil
  
• oregano
  
• olive oil

Directions:

Peel onions and carrots.
Remove seeds and stalks from peppers.
Cut onions, carrots and peppers into large pieces.
Toss with olive oil in a large oven proof dish.

Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes.
Transfer roasted vegetables to a large pan or stock pot.
Add tinned tomatoes and their juices.
Add flesh of oven roasted garlics.
Season generously with basil and oregano.
Stir all ingredients together and heat to a gentle boil.
Simmer until vegetables have softened.
Purée soup in a food processor or blender.
Return puréed soup to the pan.
Finely grate cheddar cheese.
Stir cheese into soup and heat until melted.

Enjoy this soup as a meal on its own, or with a salad or a flavourful bread such as my Ancient Grains Focaccia.

Ancient Grains Focaccia

This hearty and delicious focaccia is fragrant with olive oil and herbs. Omit the feta or substitute a soy-based "cheese" for a vegan alternative.

Best enjoyed still warm from the oven. If you have any leftovers they can be enjoyed the next day, lightly warmed.


Note: The focaccia did originally fill this pan. A good chunk of it got eaten before I had a chance to take a photograph!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons "Quick Rise" instant yeast
  
• 1 1/4 cups very warm water
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 + 1/2 cups white flour
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/2 cup stone ground whole grain amaranth flour
  
• 1/2 cup stone ground whole grain quinoa flour
  
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary + additional for topping
  
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• kalamata olives
  
• tomato
  
• onion
  
• feta cheese

Directions:

Combine yeast with 1 cup white flour, sugar and salt.
Stir in very warm (hot to the touch, but not scalding) water.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, whole grain flours, and herbs.
Knead dough for 10 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour as needed if dough is too sticky. (Dough should be smooth and elastic after kneading.)
Allow dough to rest ten minutes in a warm, draft-free environment.
Coat a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Gently press dough into baking sheet to fit dimensions of sheet.
Cover with non-stick parchment paper and a tea towel.
Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size (approximately 30 minutes).
Pit and chop olives.
Slice tomato.
Slice onion thinly.
Crumble cheese.
Brush surface of dough with final teaspoon of olive oil.
Sprinkle olives, tomato, onion, feta and reserved rosemary over top of dough.
Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Spicy Vegetable Juice

I have been staying at my parents' home the last couple of weeks. My father has a brand new 1000 watt Breville "Juice Fountain Elite" and my mother an enormous refrigerator which is perpetually stocked with more produce than they can eat (and crammed so full that my mother can seldom find what she has hidden away in there!) I felt this was a good combination for experimenting with some new juice recipes *. Here is the first:

Ingredients:

• tomatoes
  
• carrots
  
• red pepper
  
• celery
  
• cilantro
  
• hot sauce **

Notes:

* I did a fairly good job of cleaning out my mother's fruit and vegetable drawers during the course of these experiments, but they were chocker-block full again the next day!

** I used Dan T's Inferno White Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce. If it's heat level is not to your liking, any cayenne/tomato-based hot sauce would make a suitable substitution.

Directions:

Cut the stalk out of the red pepper and scrape out the seeds.
Wash the cilantro, squeeze into a bundle.
Stuff red pepper with cilantro bundle.
Juice carrots and celery on high speed.
Juice tomatoes and cilantro-stuffed red pepper on low speed.
Add a dash of hot sauce and mix well.
Enjoy fresh-squeezed or chilled same day.

Tomato & Feta Salad

Simple. Tasty. Nutrient rich. What more could you want?

Ingredients:

• tomatoes, sliced into wedges
  
• feta cheese, crumbled
  
• fresh basil leaves, ripped into small pieces
  
• balsamic vinegar
  
• extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Toss tomatoes, feta and basil together.
Sprinkle with oil and vinegar.

Guacamole

Guacamole is a wonderful accompaniment to many Mexican dishes and a delicious and healthy chip dip. (Not that the chips themselves are all that healthy, but, if I've been working up a good sweat, and the chips are of a low-salt-as-far-as-chips-go variety, then I allow them under my Most things in moderation policy.)

Don't be shy with the hot peppers in this recipe. Avocados are known to have several important health benefits but they are a mild-tasting fruit and can really take the sting out of the jalepeños' heat.



Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled & pitted
  
• freshly squeezed juice from one lime
  
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
  
• 2 jalepeños, diced
  
• fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

Mash avocados with a fork.
Incorporate lime juice thoroughly.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Cover and chill approximately one hour to allow flavours to blend.
Serve immediately.

Guacamole is best served fresh. I have personally eaten leftovers stored for 1-2 days in full, air-tight containers in the refrigerator -- but I don't serve this recipe to guests once it's more than a few hours old.