Food Lush

Dorie Greenspan's lentils

by Katie

As a New Year's resolution of sorts, I have decided to try to resist buying new cookbooks in 2013. That does not stop me from checking them out of the library, and my first library acquisition of the year was Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table.

This book is huge, and gorgeous, and I'm only going to be able to make a fraction of what I want to before I have to return it, but let me tell you: this recipe alone has me already questioning my resolve on the "do not buy cookbooks" thing, because if the rest of them are half as good as this one, I'm going to want this book in my kitchen full time.

These lentils may not be pretty and the technique- boiling twice, chopping vegetables, blending- may seem a little fussy, but let me tell you, these put all other lentils I've ever made to shame. And I was a vegetarian for 10 years- I've made a lot of lentils.

Lentils du Puy

from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

1 cup dried lentils du puy (french green lentils)

1 small onion, peeled

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 4 chunks

1 stalk of celery, cut into 4 chunks

1 bay leaf

3 1/2 cups water or chicken broth or vegetable broth

1. In a saucepan, cover the lentils with cool water. Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes. Drain, and rinse out the pot.

2. Put the lentils back in the pot with the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down to an active simmer and cook until almost tender, 25-30 minutes.

3. Add salt to taste (I added about 1/2 teaspoon). Continue to cook until full tender, 5-10 minutes more.

4. Remove the vegetables and bay leaf from the pot. Discard the onion and bay leaf; chop the carrot and celery to put back into the lentils at the end.

5. Drain the lentils over a measuring cup so you save the broth/cooking liquid. Blend 3/4 cup of the cooked lentils with 1/2 cup of the reserved broth in a blender or small food processor until a paste forms. Stir the paste, the chopped carrots and celery, and an additional 1/2 cup of the reserved broth into the lentils.

This can be made several hours or even days in advance; just reheat gently on the stove before serving. Enjoy!

Trial by Pancake: Fluffy Coconut & Pumpkin Protein

by Sarah Anne

I love breakfast.

It is no secret that brunch is the best meal of the day and I wish every restaurant served it every day. It is probably also no surprise that I too fall prey to the age old question "Sweet or Savory"? Do I have the eggs benedict with chipotle hollandaise over black bean puree with aged gouda, or do I go with the stuffed pumpkin french toast with bruleed pecans and lemon scented whipped coconut milk? (And uhm, who is going to make me both of those right now?) I often wish I could have half of one dish and half of another, sweet and savory, so at home we do scrambled eggs with a side of sweet sometimes. I'd say 75% of the time, savory wins out, but I always have that hankering for delicious pancakes or maple syrup doused french toast.

Once I've decided that sweet is the way to go, I have another conundrum: How do I avoid the white-flour-and-sugar spike? Pancakes and french toast never seem to really stick with me like eggs and toast do, which is frustrating when you're trying to eat healthy. I have searched the web high and low for a good option and I never seem to make the same recipe twice, until now.

I've tried SO many kinds of protein pancakes, banana flourless pancakes, and everything in between. You name it. I've tried it. In my search of finding the right pancake recipe, I discovered two recipes that are high protein, white flour free and have proven to keep me satisfied for far longer than your usual pancake breakfast does! You'll have to pardon a lack of personal photos, these happen in the morning and I'm sure you all understand my normal morning 'state'.

Jamie Eason's Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (more alliteration!) have been in rotation for a few months now. They're high in fiber and vitamin A due to the pumpkin and if you use gluten-free oats, they are a great option for the Celiac in your family. I know you all may be sick of pumpkin spice by this point, but trust me and give these a try.

Source

More recently (read last week), these delicious, Fluffy Coconut Pancakes thanks to Nourishing Days have been the go-to. They are lighter and definitely more like your average pancake I think. They have great ingredients, delicious light flavour and pack a punch of protein thanks to the egg whites. These beauties are also grain free, and dairy free for those with allergies or intolerances. 

Source

They are both pretty easy recipes, and quick, which let's face it is important in the morning. I love mine topped with coconut oil and syrup, or even smothered with a bit of your favourite nut butter. For those of you that haven't tried many paleo-style recipes, please be aware that the coconut pancakes are a little eggy, but the author has updated her recipe with a few tip and tricks to try.

I'm not sure which is my favourite to be honest, but these recipes have certainly increased the 'sweet' breakfast options in my house. I have substituted banana for the pumpkin in the first recipe, but it just wasn't as tasty as the original. Lesson learned: Sarah, stick to the recipe.

Do you have a 'go-to' recipe for french toast, waffles or pancakes? What is your normal breakfast? Is weekend brunch your thing? I'd love to have some new recipes for my repetoire!

Oh, and folks? Please, do yourself and me a favour and use real maple syrup. It's the only way.

Source: My Dad's homemade, Maine maple syrup.

Guilt-Free Dessert: Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

by Sarah Anne

I feel kind of lucky, living up here in the great expanse known as Canada, for many reasons. Currently, the most appropriate reason is that I celebrate Thanksgiving TWICE. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, and much to my husband's joy, I usually throw a second one in there as soon as I see my American friends and family getting ready for it. I am completely unable to resist the call of stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Even the thought of those flavours has me salivating as we speak. 

I tried to 'scale it back' this year for both events, since in the past I've made three appetizers and a whole expanse of vegetables, carbs and protein...for two people. Last week I was proud of myself, I narrowed it down to stuffing, potatoes, a vegetable, gravy, and a protein. And dessert. Oh boy dessert. Have you all had enough of it yet or are you still with me?

I have made versions of this pie before and have always been a fan, but something about the crust from this recipe from Alissa over at Girl Makes Food caught my eye. Coconut, oats, coconut oil and real maple syrup? Sounds delicious. The filling was just as impressive with only three ingredients: silken tofu, dark chocolate and maple syrup. I admit that I added a little espresso powder to it while I blended, and a little vanilla extract just to give it a bit more interesting flavour, and it worked out beautifully. . 

Alissa's photos are far nicer than mine, but they didn't come out too shabby! I would recommend being gentle when toasting the crust as I think mine got a bit too hard, and be sure to oil your pie pan. Mine stuck like crazy but, rest assured, we persevered. 

The best accoutrement, however, was the generous helping of vanilla whipped coconut cream that we dolloped on top of each slice. There are a ton of recipes out there for coconut whipped cream, but as I didn't have the patience to actually follow one to a T, I just kind of winged it. Low and behold it worked!

Want to risk it like me? Try this: Chill a can of full fat (FULL FAT people! Don't do low-fat, please. I'll cry and it won't work.) coconut milk overnight and when you're ready, without tipping it, open the can and scoop out the thick cream that has settled on top. Toss it in a chilled bowl, or the bowl of your mixer and whip away until thick. I added a bit of maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time, and a dash of vanilla powder. I'm sure a tiny bit of vanilla extract would work as well.  Of course you could always try Alissa's recipe, or Angela's, or Ashley's - alliteration much, Sarah? The whipped cream was delicious, light and lasted in the fridge for the most part until our pie was finished, which didn't take long if you were wondering!

I also recommend using a good quality dark chocolate, and be sure that the tofu is very smooth before adding the melted chocolate to it. Truly folks, I'd challenge anyone that said they 'hated tofu', you know who they are, to try this and tell you they hated it. It came together in a snap, and we ate it just as quickly, with little guilt. The ingredients are great and you don't have to worry about feeding your kids artificial sugars or too much of the real thing.  The whole pie has a few tablespoons of maple syrup total, yet it is still sweet and rich without being TOO much of a good thing.  

Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and can increase important blood flow to the heart and brain. It also has high concentrations of magnesium, iron, copper and potassium.  The copper, magnesium and potassium can help protect against cardiovascular ailments while the iron can help prevent anemia. Coconut milk is a great option for those that cannot tolerate, or do not choose to consume dairy. It is also potentially good for the immune system thanks to its high lauric acid content, not to mention it has healthy fats that can boost metabolism.  While widely contested, I do think that the tofu can be considered a healthy ingredient as well.  It's a source of iron, calcium and manganese and has been shown to help reduce cholesterol.  Not to mention, it's a source of protein! See? Dessert CAN be good for you!

Do you have any desserts that you feel are 'lightened up' or aren't quite a bomb of sugar and butter? I love both of those things, but sometimes it makes it a bit easier to enjoy if I know it won't tank all of my hard work!  Do you worry about these things? Or just go for it when it comes to dessert? Let me know if you try this and what you think!

Fried Egg over Quinoa

by Jess M

As a stay-at-home mom, and the one in charge of feeding 5 people three meals a day, I usually slack off when it comes to putting effort into my own lunches. With my husband at work, and my older two children at school, it’s just the toddler and me here for lunch. So I usually default to some form of melting cheese on a carb: grilled cheese, quesadilla, nachos, etc. And while tasty, this isn’t the healthiest of lunchtime habits and I’m usually sleepy and hungry again by the time the toddler settles in her room for quiet time and then I have free reign of the snack foods.

So, I’ve been trying to think of something delicious and healthy to eat for lunch. I do not want to go to any trouble. I will go so far as to dirty one plate or bowl, maybe a cooking vessel, but that’s it. 

 

I cooked up some quinoa and put it in a bowl with some soy sauce. Then I fried an egg, set it on top and drizzled some sriracha sauce over it. It was delicious and I was full all afternoon. And I’m so excited about it I can’t wait to eat it again for lunch today. 

(Photo from: me)

Eat Vancouver: Heirloom Vegetarian

by Sarah Anne  

In honour of my husband's Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, we went out for more than take-out falafel this week! Not that there's anything wrong with takeout falafel, mind you. I surely didn't eat it three times this week. Nope. Not I.

My husband surprised me with the restaurant this time, which is no small feat considering how keyed into the local food scene I am. When we pulled up and I saw the sign outside, I could barely contain my excitement. A new vegetarian restaurant, called Heirloom Vegetarian, that hadn't even been open a month yet!

I could hardly sit still; I was so excited when I looked at the menu. I had been assured that one of their appetizers was so perfect for me, it could have been created with me in mind, so I frantically searched the menu for that item. Was it the crispy chickpeas? The raw cauliflower risotto? Oh, no. This was it. They knew I was coming.

We started out with drinks, and I was hooked by the nightly special - a Red Cedar. Forgive me for not remembering the mix, but it had cedar infused vodka, sweet vermouth, a cherry garnish, and a sprig of scented cedar. We were told by our server that the head bartender, Vanessa, was a holistic nutritionist and created all the inventive drinks herself. I loved watching her make drinks all night, spraying the cedar with some concoction, using an eyedropper to scent or flavour other beverages. She truly brought back the art of the cocktail. As a fan of gin and juniper, I figured I might like the different twist that the cedar brought to the drink. I was not disappointed.

Our initial order somehow did not make it to the kitchen, but just as we were getting a bit grumpy our server offered a bowl of not-so-average popcorn and apologies to tide us over. This is also on their late night menu, and I highly recommend it as something to munch while deciding. It was lightly coated in a mix of coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and beetroot powder! I suspect the beet gave it the hint of sweetness that matched perfectly with the rich coconut oil and salty, cheesy nutritional yeast.

As our food finally came out, my initial excitement came roaring back with a vengeance, along with my hunger that had been temporarily quelled by the bowl of popcorn I nearly inhaled. The handpicked greens salad was beautiful and while I don't usually prefer frisee lettuce, its bitterness married perfectly with the toasted hazelnuts, sweet ginger poached pears, roasted brussel sprouts, and the floral orange blossom vinaigrette.

The avocado frites came out next. I was afraid I had built up the crispy wedges to something unattainable in my head, but I assure you, we were not disappointed. Smoky, crispy, buttery and accented perfectly by the sweet and fruity homemade ketchup. I rationed these for the rest of my meal, making sure they lasted until the bitter end! You'll have to forgive my phone-quality photos and just trust me that every dish was enticing and beautiful.

The other star of the night, (How many are we at, have you kept count?) was the wild and foraged mushrooms in coconut cream with fennel, garlic and dry cider, served with a walnut onion baguette. I really wished that I could swim in this dish. I took no photo, as I was too focused on digging into the bowl of mixed mushrooms in cream. Again, not a single disappointment with this perfectly spiced dish. Delicately anise hinted from the fennel, rich and unctuous thanks to the coconut, it was probably our favourite dish of the night. Thanks to our server, whose name I did not get - for shame, for solidifying our ordering of this dish. We all but licked the bowl clean and then mourned the loss.

Heirloom's dessert selection was like the rest of the menu, inventive, creative and thoughtful. There was a gluten-free semolina chocolate cake, a vanilla chia pudding, and the dish that we ordered, a pumpkin mousse with vanilla cashew cream and a date-walnut crumble. I figured I could have chocolate anytime, but this might be seasonal.

I wasn't sure with my first bite as it wasn't what I was expecting. Chilled, not sweet and pumpkin pie-y like I had anticipated. However with each bite, I loved it more and more. I particularly ended up loving that it was barely sweetened, delicately spiced and felt so light. We finished the glass off with no problem, of course. Did anyone have a doubt?

Heirloom thanks their local suppliers boldly on their menu and focuses on delicious vegetarian and vegan fare with many gluten free options and sources as much as they are able, locally. No tofu, no fake cheeses, the menu at Heirloom Vegetarian was exciting to read and it became very apparent by the creativity of the offerings, that the chef simply loves good food.

The atmosphere was clean, elegantly lit by candlelight and I couldn't help but look around to take in all the antiqued light boxes, gardening tools turned artwork and vintage veggie prints on the walls. The staff were lovely and knowledgeable and took care of us well, recommending dishes, offering suggestions and helping us when our order had us waiting.

I cannot say enough about this new restaurant in Vancouver. While not an everyday restaurant for us probably, I just can't wait for another occasion to dine at Heirloom Vegetarian. On the way out I noticed they serve brunch and my budding love of this local spot combined with my faithful relationship with brunch guarantees our return for sure. I'm excited to dine again with Heirloom and can't recommend it enough for vegetarians and omnivores alike.

And of course, I loved the message at the bottom of the menu.

Easy Vegetarian Sausage Stuffing

By Jessica

This was my second Thanksgiving as a vegetarian or possibly even my third? I'm not totally positive, the years seem to just be rolling by in one big blur lately. At any rate, I know that I haven't made myself vegetarian stuffing until this year. I'm not sure why, it's not like it'd be that big of a deal to sub veg stock for chicken stock with even the usual suspect of Stove Top stuffing that my brother likes and have something that we both can eat, I've just invested more of my time on whole dishes like vegetable pot pie. 

Right before Thanksgiving, I became obsessed with having vegetarian sausage stuffing and ran down to Central Market to grab some Field Roast. I chose the Apple Sage variety, it just sounded more "fall" to me. For the bread part of the stuffing, I went with Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Cubed Stuffing Mix.

This could not have been simpler to use. The instructions, on the back of the bag, call for the addition of onion and celery but as I don't care for celery in my stuffing I used onion and garlic. I also used veg stock instead of chicken stock and I used Irish butter but I could've easily used Earth Balance and had vegan stuffing. 

Super quick, very tasty and has reheated well! I definitely will be making this again.

Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

by Jess M

This time of year I make a lot of soups for dinner. And cheesy soups always taste so good with a nice crusty roll and a salad on the side. But most cheese soups I’ve made (broccoli, cauliflower, potato) are very rich, have lots of cheese and are more suited to a special weekend meal rather than a weeknight dinner. This particular broccoli soup is lighter on the cheese, and is thickened with cannellini beans. It makes for a quick, creamy, and tasty soup that has a good dose of beans and greens.

Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup from EatingWell.com

This recipe is super simple: you basically cook the broccoli, and then puree it with the beans and melt in the cheese. I use an immersion blender so that I don’t have to transfer the hot soup to a blender and back again. I top it with some croutons and serve it along with a side salad. And for a vegan alternative, I think you could make this without the cheese and use vegetable broth.

(Photo from: me) 

Pantry Staple: Canned (and Dried) Lentils

Editor's note: Welcome to the lovely Sarah Anne, who is joining Food Lush's ranks. You can learn more about her at Fear No Food and on Twitter, too. 

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by Sarah Anne

Hey folks! I'm Sarah, a new addition to Food Lush, and I'm pretty excited to be able to talk to yet MORE people about food. Consider yourself warned!

As someone really keyed into not only the enjoyment of food, but also true nourishment, I tend to be a bit obsessive about making sure that we eat a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber, protein, and other nutrients. It helps that I am constantly looking up nutritional stats of most foods, but it also helps that I keep my pantry and freezer well-stocked. Out of the many foods I keep on hand, which hopefully I'll go through in time, one of my most favourite pantry staples is a can or bag of lentils.

They are a great source of cholesterol-reducing fiber, vegetarian protein along with a couple B vitamins, folate, iron, manganese and a host of other vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, lentils are low calorie and nearly free of fat. As a vegetarian, I'd say they're a pretty good staple to have on hand, and we eat them a few times a week. 

There are several different types of lentils – brown/green, french or puy lentils, split red lentils, each of which has their use; I use brown or green lentils most often, with split red lentils coming a close second in the wintertime.

Canned lentils can be a great quick fix, and are wonderful in the summertime when you don't want to heat up the kitchen, as I rarely do in my 500sq ft apartment. Toss the rinsed lentils with chopped veggies and prepared vinaigrette for a nutritious and filling salad. Add a whole grain for even more oomph. Do the same in the fall or winter, but saute the vegetables and add the rinsed lentils toward the end, toss with dressing or sauce and you have a hearty, belly-warming meal. Our favourite this past summer was to add quinoa and canned lentils to Greek salad for a complete and super easy meal.

A bag of dried lentils can be just as useful, and even less expensive, but requires a bit more planning and prep time just to rinse and cook. It's still worth the effort to me! Here are a few of my recent favourites that used dried lentils. I've made each of these and have LOVED them. As an aside – so has my husband who is usually the test of a good, people-pleasing recipe.

Dreena Burton's “No-Fu” Love Loaf

(Source: Hannah Kaminsky & Plant Powered Kitchen)

Veggie Balls from Huffington Post

(Source) 

 

French Lentils with Walnuts and Goat Cheese from Laura Calder, Food Network Canada

(Source)

Lentils are such a versatile ingredient and a great option for meat eaters and vegetarians alike and are cheap to boot! From lentil loaves to indian style curries, everyone can get on board with something about lentils. Do you cook with lentils often? What kind? Do you have a favourite recipe that uses them? I'd love to find some new ones!

Broccoli potato soup

by Elsha

I love broccoli cheese soup. It’s creamy and comforting and delicious. However, my husband recently started avoiding dairy, so a cream based soup filled with cheese is sort of out of the question. Fortunately, with a little looking around and some modifications I managed an excellent dairy free substitute. 

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 lbs thick stemmed broccoli, stems peeled and diced, tops cut into pieces
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cans (5-6 cups) chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 cups water

(There's a lot of chopping to do.)

First, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is soft. Then add the diced broccoli stems, half of the potatoes, the broth, and the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the broccoli and potatoes are tender. 

Meanwhile, put the broccoli florets and the rest of the potatoes in a pot of water to cook. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. 

When the broccoli stems and potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to puree the soup smooth. Add the broccoli florets and the rest of the potatoes as soon as they are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. 

(photo credit: me. The lighting in our kitchen is so yellow!)

Pureeing the potatoes and broccoli stems gives the soup a nice creamy base without using any milk or cream, and the yukon gold potatoes give it a nice buttery taste. Using vegetable broth makes the soup vegan, or you can go the other direction and sprinkle cheese on the soup when you serve it. Either way, YUM!

Do you have a favorite broccoli soup recipe?

Easy Pantry Meal: Crock Pot Beans and Rice

by Jess M

So many evenings I struggle to squeeze in some kind of dinner between school, homework, and kids’ activities. And sometimes those same evenings come at the end of a day filled with activities for the toddler, or errands or any number of things that can clog up my day and take over any of the time I may have had to prepare dinner ahead of time. On nights like these, it goes without saying that the children are eating a dinner out of the freezer: chicken nuggets or corn dogs, maybe with a side of canned fruit or applesauce if I remember. But my husband and I really want something delicious and preferably healthy, and I don’t want to attempt to make something that is going to take any amount of time to prepare. 

This recipe for Crock Pot Beans and Rice has become a staple for those nights when we hardly have time to sit down together and eat. And it’s also great for those nights when we can’t sit down together and I’m taking one kid one way and he’s taking the other another way. I can leave the crock pot on the counter and we can help ourselves. 

I'm really not sure how I came across this recipe in the first place: I think it was the result of my husband doing some random googling for meal inspiration. 

The recipe is super flexible, you could use any combination of beans you like and any kind of rice you may have on hand. It is also very quick for a crockpot recipe, I've had it be ready in as little as 3 hours on high, though 4 is better. I like to generously sprinkle some salt on top of my bowl and eat it standing up in the kitchen.