For Alicia

One of the things I learned quickly in plant-based eating is how much of a friend my rice cooker actually is. You absolutely MUST have one.

I use mine for all kinds of combinations - but my favourite lately is brown rice and lentils. It is literally so easy. You just scoop out how many portions you want (1 = 1 scoop, 4 portions = 4 scoops) and then add water to the line inside which corresponds with how many scoops you put in. It takes longer to explain the directions than to make the rice.

I will salt the water, and add any watery veggies (carrots, tomatoes, etc...) but I do stay away from spicing it until it's cooked since I use it for oatmeal. I don't care how cheffy I ever get, but I don't see the need for curry-scented oatmeal....



Here are two easy ways to reinvent any bean and rice dish. Use an ice cream scoop to form balls over tortilla chips, and pop in the oven to heat. Add fresh avocado and cilantro for colour and flavour.




Heat a few spoonfulls in a nonstick pan until the bottom browns and becomes crisp. A bit of olive oil will help, although it's not necessary. Sprinkle over salad greens - here, I've toasted a tortilla into a bowl.

OK - THREE WAYS. Three quarters of the way through the salad, I wrapped up the rest, into the tortilla. You could eat the leftover mixture either way. Great for lunches or a quick wrap on the go.

A FOURTH? Take leftover rice and beans, and turn it into a burger or even a croquette. Do I hear six?

Here is a quick list of a few combos:

Oatmeal + fruit

Bulgur wheat + parsley + green onions

Brown rice + lentils

Jasmine rice + coconut milk + ginger

Black/ Wild rice + extra water !!!

Yellow peas + vegetable stock

French Lentils + shallots

Amaranth + lemon juice

the list goes on....

Delinquent Blogger!!!

I have been horrible at keeping up the blogging, although it's not for a lack of summer inspiration and photographs, so here they are.




First, here is a spicy indian rice dish with butternut squash, chickpeas, a can of Bravo tomato sauce, some roasted corn, green onions and delicious Indian spices from my sister in law. I'm going to make these into veggie burgers by adding some vital wheat gluten and some shredded onion.




I MADE VEGAN FETA CHEESE!!! I love feta cheese, and was intrigued by a combination I saw on "Chopped" where the chefs had to use it in a dessert. While the talking chefheads were musing about the briny saltiness of the feta, I had an epiphany. We have been using occasionally, the new vegan cheese called Teese. It's a great near match to the original buffalo mozzarella. We had about 4 ounces left after a pizza evening, and I thought it might lend itself to adopting some feta flavour.

So : I zested and juiced two lemons and added enough sea salt to the bowl to seriously pickle something. I pressed the small cubes of Teese into the lemony salty brine, and left it alone for a few hours. It was absolutely FETAstic. Next time, I will chop up some capers too.

Last time I was at the grocery store, Harrison asked for Edamame. He loves it steamed in the pods, and seasoned with lemon juice, salt and toasted sesame oil. I also like to make hummus with it. I asked him to pick up two bags in the frozen section - one with the pods, and one already shelled. He grabbed green peas instead, and I didn't notice till I got home.

So - it was green pea hummus! Slightly more bitter, since it was raw, but every bit as delicious. I used a bit of extra garlic, and the colourful heirloom tomatoes really elevated it. I love RYVITA crackers - the texture is perfect and crisp - so this was our lunch yesterday. That, with a lemony, salted, hot sauced vegetable cocktail.

Cell Phone and other Cells

The World Health Organization recently released a report that significant cell phone usage causes cancer. I paid attention. I am SO much more conscious about using it - holding it near my face. Shortening my calls. Worrying about my past usage. Determined to do something about my future usage.

I assume you've also heard this? Scary.

Oh... By the way...

The WHO also implicated animal food consumption to the same thing.

And said it was a greater cause of global warming than transportation industry.

Vegan meal on VIA rail was excellent today. Great salad, soba noodles with lots of veggies and a fruit dessert.

I'd better put my cell phone away now. You know - they say those things are linked to disease and I take those warnings pretty seriously.

p.s. First blog done from my cell phone.

Ironic.

In Love...

yeah, yeah, Bill's great and everything... but that is so not where I'm going with this.

I'm totally head over heels in love with Kale.

Thin, with gorgeous, wavy edges, and an emerald green colour that's great for my heart... Goes perfect with my favourite pair, too - lemon and garlic. It's great when your love actually gets along with the others in your life!

Here's a cell phone shot from about 10 minutes ago - before it hit a hot pan, some olive oil and about a 1/8 cup of water to get it all hot and steamy.

(Or is that me?)

Kale is strong and will take care of you, too. It's such a powerhouse of nutrition - the oxygen and chlorophyll are excellent for everything a body needs.

It's environmentally responsible too - very low on the fuel usage scale, easy to grow and hard to mess up.

It's also sturdy and very low maintenance. Keeps for ages, it's not fussy or precious like its cousins. You get it, you can just take it out when you want. The green equivalent of "no complaints". The strong, silent type but always there when you need it.

Since I am one of those few people who ALWAYS keep their new years' resolution I am very proud to tell you that I have kept this year's in spades, adding greens to chilis, stews, soups and everything under the sun. I add it in its raw form to preserve as many enzymes as possible.

Harrison saw me chopping, and said "Wow, that looks good!". It's awesome when a new love gets along with your kid too, and the kid likes him back.

So - powerful, handsome, caring, easy to be around, socially responsible, patient and just fits effortlessly into your life. What an amazing start to June!

Now... speaking of effortless, when does Bill get home? I have something to feed him!

Easy Tortilla Torta

A great easy weekday meal is a mexican torte, which is essentially a layered lasagna-like dish heavy on flavour, and short on labour.

Mix some leftover salsa with some tomato sauce. I used my final jar made last fall.

In the bottom of a casserole dish, spread some sauce, and layer a whole wheat tortilla. Next, layer:

A can of whole-kernel corn and put another tortilla on top.
A layer of cheddar cheese (Daiya makes a great vegan cheese) and another tortilla
A layer of black beans, some more sauce, and another tortilla

Keep layering, until you've added some great healthy layers. USE ANYTHING IN THE FRIDGE! Veggies, leftovers - the salsa will tie everything together. Search the pantry and freezer too.

I used a can of southwest style baked beans for smoky flavour, and some vegan meatballs (President's Choice Worlds Best Meatless Meatballs. Use a spoon of sauce for each layer - without making it too wet.

Bake at 375 covered in tin foil until hot. I like to leave the top tortilla un-cheesed (I realize this is not a word) so it gets toasted and crispy for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Use the broiler if you want to speed this up. I also topped it with some olive oil, salt and pepper - with lime zest.

Our friend came by last night - missing abot 30 pounds of his former self! Bill gave him a copy of "The China Study" last month - a life changing book about plant-based cuisine - and are THRILLED to see him applying some of it to his own life. It is amazing to see how a few dietary changes can put life back in your years.

Buffalo Chickpea Pizza with Ranch

It's been raining so much around here that we need a canoe to get out of the driveway. After a long day at work, I was more inclined to face up to an empty fridge than run into the grocery store and get wet again.

Delisio is advertising for a Buffalo Chicken Pizza lately, and Boston Pizza's new chicken wing menu is also running heavily. I love wing sauces, and especially hot ones - they're just craving inducers!!

So - rather than give into eating those fowl limbs just for the sauces, I thought I'd throw together a version of a buffalo chicken wing pizza for us...

Before even changing out of my work clothes, I made a quick pizza crust.

3 cups of whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 scant tablespoonfull of quick rise yeast
1 teaspoon each of salt and garlic powder.

Turned the mixer on, and added 1 1/4 cup of warm water. Mixed until a ball formed (about 4 minutes) and then let it rise while I got to the lentils.

I thought the lentils would make a hefty thick "sauce". Vegan pizzas can slide like crazy without the gluey cheese to hold everything together, and one of my cookbooks suggested thickening them with beans. It's a great tip, which adds protein, fibre and flavour.

I took 2 cups of water, a cup and a half of red lentils (which smell like chicken soup!) and a half a cup of hot sauce in a pan, bringing them to a boil. I added a clove or two of garlic, with hefty salt and pepper to taste.

Daiya makes a mozzarella cheese which is now available in mainstream locations like Zehrs and Loblaws. To make it taste like Ranch, I added some more fresh chopped garlic, some chives, some rosemary and some pepper.

Finally, I put some whole chickpeas in a pan (rinse them well!) with more hot sauce and Earth Balance and a tablespoon of dijon - my signature wing sauce.

I baked the pizza crust without any toppings to make sure the crust was cooked through. Added the lentil sauce topping, the herby cheese and topped with the saucy chickpeas.

I told Harrison at the outset that I was attempting a vegan buffalo chicken pizza. At first he hesitated, and then said "I'm sure it'll be good". When I asked why, he replied "Cause you're Mom!"

K

Royal Wedding Menu, Recent Catering and Survivor Finale!

A rare moment just for the halibut! Harrison, Bill and I were addicted to Survivor this season - here is Halibut three ways on finale night. One with lemon, asparagus and capers, the second with a hearty Indian curry spice, and the third with Lime and fresh red chili.











Another variation on the bread / pizza crust recipie. Here is a focaccia dough, stuffed with corn, black beans, tomatoes and salsa. Folded over top like a big perogy!




I love to do double batches of food we are already eating and pass it on to friends! Here is a catering I did recently for a friend's busy weeknights. A double of our focaccia, some curried chickpea and lentils with lemon-poached cauliflower, and in the back is a white bean cassoulet with braised celery.


I have been loving the addition of fresh chopped greens to any saucy dish. Here, an indian curry gets mixed with fresh green onions - and they turn a vibrant emerald! Lots of active enzymes, oxygen and chlorophyll.












Two words - ROYAL WEDDING! I just couldn't get enough. Here is a lunch sandwich, with some avodaco, fresh tomato pureed with garlic and some veggie bacon.
















William's fave dessert is reportedly Eton Mess - a layered dessert of vanilla whipped cream, fresh berries, raspberry sauce and meringue. NOT VEGAN, but delicious. Served in my great grandmother's teacups. Berries only for Bill in the background.













Oeufs en Cocotte, with cream and watercress, served with crumpets and lemon. Didn't this dish just layer beautifully!!!??? This was absolutely SPECTACULAR - especially when eaten during the wedding of the century - and especially when it is obvious that those two really GET each other.

Smoked salmon puffs, poached asparagus and hollandaise rounded out the April 29th menu.