Food Lush

Mac & Cheese Style Cauliflower

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Sarah Anne

I'm so sad to be saying good by after such a short time with Food Lush, but I am forever grateful to have been included in this amazing bunch of women who love food as much as I do. I haven't been around long, but before I was a writer, I was a reader brought over by Caitlin (Thanks Caitlin!). So I will link you to a post of hers that gave me the guts to try something I'd always wanted to - Fresh Strawberry Jam!  As far as my own post, I think my very first post on Lentils is my favourite. 

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Onward and upward as they say, folks. I don't have any huge "my last post" kind of post, but I do have a favourite recipe that I rediscovered this week. It's definitely one that I think you'll love. Mac & cheese style cauliflower.  

Now, hold on, don't go anywhere just because I said cauliflower.  I know. It's kind of a misused vegetable. Bland when steamed. Used as 'rice' for the raw food and paleo crowd. Whipped up into faux mashed potatoes. Poor thing. I'll admit this recipe is kind of similar in that it is an attempt to lighten up a homey, cheesy dish.  But do me a favour and give it a shot. I promise, it's a dish worth adding to your rotation. 

Source

I definitely always increase the garlic in this recipe (and all recipes, let's be honest here) and sometimes I'll add a little dijon to the sauce.  I'm sure this recipe would be flexible enough to add bacon for those that like that sort of thing, green onions, maybe even peas?  For some reason, I always feel like peas go with mac and cheese, and since I like to mess with recipes so this is no different. Try it out and jazz up the flavours a bit! What kind of flavour combos can you think up. I love recipes that are simple in flavour and technique that lend themselves to a bit of play.

The other bonus to this recipe? It can be made pretty inexpensively depending on the cheese you buy. It can be doubled for more leftovers too. Maybe it is a way to get kids (and adults!) to eat their veggies rather than that blue box that advertises cauliflower in its pasta? Far healthier and in my mind, way tastier!

I serve this with a green salad most often and call it dinner. Oh, and don't forget to try a little sriracha on top, because who doesn't like sriracha? 

Are you a cauliflower fan? Have you tried any other 'faux' recipes using cauliflower? Perhaps a recipe like this?  

Chana Masala and Indian Spiced Vegetables

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

Jess M.

I have been a faithful Food Lush reader from the start, having been a Style Lush reader for a long time. So, when it comes to choosing a favorite post, it's just so hard! I love how reading Food Lush has always seemed like sitting around with friends and talking about what we're all making for dinner or what great kitchen gadget someone found. So, I have to list the two Food Lush Gift Guides, 2011 and 2012, as my favorite posts. Even today when I looked back at them I was newly interested in things on the lists. They have given me plenty of ideas for my own Christmas list and ideas for others. I also really enjoyed this post about owl-themed kitchen things. I bought the mugs right after reading that post!

As for my favorite of my own posts, it has to be the one where I talked about my cookbook collection. I am so attached to certain cookbooks and I try and give a lot of thought to which ones I buy, so it was fun to show my cookbook-nerd side and share these with my friends.

And I know that this is Food Lush, but I cannot let it go without mentioning just how many things I bought for myself after they were mentioned on Style Lush: this coat, a bunch of these shirts, and BB Cream to name a few.

***

When we try to eat healthy it always involves a lot of beans. And when we discovered Indian food from a local restaurant we were instantly in love. Beans! Vegetables! Spiciness! Many vegetarian dishes! Unforuntaly the Indian restaurant in our town isn't convenient to us at all. We almost never happen to be near it to just pop in and bring home carryout. And when we discovered that our son would eat Chana Masala, I knew I had to find a way for us to have this dish more often. I didn't have to look very far because Smitten Kitchen has a great and easy recipe.

Chana Masala and Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes from Smitten Kitchen

Both dishes use overlapping spices, so when you measure them out for one, measure out for the other. They both also start with sauteeing some onion, so I just start them at the same time. Both reheat very well and when we put away the leftovers we often just combine it all into one big delicious bowl.

(Photos: me)

I'm Crazy for Vegetarian Chili

by Sarah Anne

This post was originally supposed to be about an amazing banana bread recipe I found, because I know you need another one. However! In searching for a good vegetarian chili recipe high in protein, low in fat, I came across a recipe from The Kitchn, and had to share. I promise I'll share the healthier banana bread another time, because I've already made it twice. Read: I can't stop eating it. Anyway!

I'm absolutely one of those people that cannot leave well enough alone. I always tweak recipes, add something here, substitute something there, and as a result I never make the same recipe twice. Often times, I just "wing it" and make my version of whatever dish I'm feeling like in that moment. Soups, chili, casseroles, and salads are all pretty forgiving. I've been getting better about it lately, but when I decided to have chili last night for dinner, I realized that I didn't have a "go-to" recipe. After looking at several that looked delicious, (how does any chili recipe NOT look delicious?) I knew I had a winner.

This recipe uses no faux meat, no yams, no funky ingredients but relies on beans for protein content. On top of that, the secret ingredient - espresso powder, gives it a dark, rich flavour that you might think you'd miss without the beef. The method is easy to follow, and really is a bit of a chop and dump kind of thing. It does take a bit of time to prepare, only because the flavours need to simmer and marry, but it will be worth it I promise. 

Of course, I made a few tweaks. I definitely used less than 1/4 cup of olive oil, more like 1/8th, or two tablespoons. I added 6-8 chopped mushrooms and two roughly chopped carrots in after the onions had sauteed for a couple minutes on their own.  I also increased the chili powder, cumin, and garlic, as often I feel like recipes tend to be under-spiced for my own palate. I like things bold! Abrasive! I used three 19oz cans of beans, one chickpea, one kidney beans, and one mixed. I didn't have chipotle chili powder on hand, so I just used chipotle puree, and added a few tablespoons in with the tomato step, along with a bit of smoked paprika and cayenne.  I told you, we like things muy caliente around these parts.  

Side note: If you don't have/use chipotle puree, you should. Take a can of chipotles in adobo and give it a whizz, or as Jamie Oliver says - whazz, in a food processor or high-powered blender. Store in the fridge and add to everything and anything. It lasts forever and is SO versatile! Think aioli, salad dressing, marinades, soups, etc!

If you care about nutritional and caloric stats, I did plug the recipe into a calculator. For seven servings, they are a bit over 300 calories each (337), with 14 grams of protein and a whopping 13 grams of fiber. A bonus for the vegetarians out there, you're getting some vitamin D from the added mushrooms as they are the only plant source of vitamin D. Nifty eh?

The other thing about this recipe with my additions? There's no way on God's green earth it serves only four people I estimate more like 6-8 servings. It's so fiber rich and filling, you won't need a massive bowl to be satisfied. I did top my bowl with a bit of sour cream and diced avocado and made these muffins to have on the side. All in all an easy, rich, satisfying and healthy meal that was cheap to boot!

This will from now on, be my 'go-to' recipe for chili. I think it's versatile, thick, rich and saucy and just what I was looking for. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think!

Do you have a favourite chili recipe, or a recipe that you seem to go back to over and over for something? What do you like in your chili and what do you look for when searching for a recipe? 

Did Someone Order More Sweet Potatoes?

By Ariel

Apparently the eating plans (*diet* is such a four-letter word, right?) across the board agree we all need to trade in our traditional white potatoes for its less-starchy cousin. I, like Maura, have been eating sweet potatoes in every way, shape, and form. One of my favorite ways to eat potatoes is home fries (and bacon-soaked hash browns, in the name of full disclosure) so I tried prepping sweet potatoes in a way that compliments them while I still get my savory kick.

(Photo by me)

Also in the spirit of full disclosure, I put hot sauce on pretty much everything breakfast related.

Sweet Potato Home Fries

2 large sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2 pieces
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs ground savory
Approx 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (personal preference)
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (or omit, but I like the kick)
1 Tbs minced onion
1 cup minced bell pepper

The first time I tried to make these, I cooked them too high as I would regular potatoes. The thing about sweet potatoes is you have to cook them low and slow in the skillet. I start off by tossing some olive oil in a bowl with the potatoes and coating them with the spices. From there, it's a little more olive oil (or nonstick spray) in the skillet over medium low for about 15 minutes until they start getting a little tender. Then you can turn up the heat to medium until they fully cook through and then to medium high for the last 5 minutes or so to get a crunchier outside. 

You can still tell this is a sweet potato, but the spicy kick and the savory spices keep them from being overly sweet. I think tomorrow I'll be trying out this weeks Sweet Potato Chip recommendation and see if I can break a record or something for the many faces of the sweet potato.

What foods are you eating a ton of lately?

Homemade Pierogies with Granma

by Sarah Anne

It all started with a perfect little dish of antipasto, which then spiraled into a conversation about getting back to basics with cooking and food. Of course I whole heartedly agreed! What I didn't realize, was that basics for Granma included making cabbage rolls and pierogies. 

Let us stop right here for a moment. Have you ever had a pierogi? A potato-ey soft, half-moon filled with cheese, mashed potatoes, onion, cottage cheese, so tender they just melt in your mouth? Boiled and tossed with sauteed onions, maybe butter or sour cream? If you haven't, I suggest you do before you go any further. Or at least collect the ingredients (if you don't already have them, it is that simple) in this post and make them. ASAP.  

I'm a fan, as you can probably tell, so when Granma said she used to make them from scratch, I got excited.  Before I knew it, my Mother in Law and Granma were in the kitchen making dough and fillings. 

I will say this may be time intensive, but it isn't hard. Besides, it's good to get a few sets of hands in the kitchen, even kids could put the dumplings together I think. I haven't included a filling recipe here, but we stuffed ours with two different fillings. One was cottage cheese and green onion, the other was cottage cheese, shredded cheddar and sauteed onion. The options go on and on, and you can even use mashed potato inside! Pasta with mashed potatoes inside. Does it get any better than that? Do be sure to use salt and pepper to taste.

Pierogi Dough

1/4 c oil (vegetable)
1 c water
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 c Instant Potatoes (Idahoan Brand was used here)
2 c flour

Wisk the first four ingredients together. Then add the instant potatoes and stir until combined. Let that sit for 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups of flour. Mix together and knead until the dough is smooth. Add flour as needed if the dough is sticky and continue to add flour until the dough is smooth and silky. (It really does get beautifully soft and delicate) Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Once dough has rested, roll out and cut with a small, round cookie cutter.

Use about a teaspoon of filling (see above for filling ideas) and fold over, sealing edges with a gentle pinch. Lay the filled pierogies on a flour-dusted baking sheet until you're finished. More than one set of hands really helps with this process.

A few notes about this recipe. The dough is extremely soft and tender, it won't be like pasta dough that is firm. It's doughy, soft and delicate. Because of this, there is no need to wet the edges when bringing the dumplings together.  Also, similarly to other stuffed pastas, don't overfill them, and get out the air before sealing the best you can. Oh! Please, please don't try to use real mashed potatoes. We tried. It doesn't make the same dough. Just use the instant kind. I promise, you'll thank me.

You can boil these up fresh, just until they float or they can be frozen. Make sure to put them on a floured baking sheet and freeze individually before putting them in freezer bags for the long haul. Don't thaw them though, just toss in salted, gently boiling water and wait until they rise to the top before draining and serving them up. Otherwise, you'll have a sticky, doughy mess on your hands. Trust me on this one.

I had such a great time making these with family and eating them felt cozy inside as I remembered the three of us in the kitchen, folding up dumplings.  If you give these a try, be sure to let me know how they turned out! I would love to hear about your experiences.

Do you have a family recipe that you make regularly? Perhaps a new tradition? 

Roasted Chickpeas

by Jess M

Like many people (most? it seems), now that January is here, I am trying to eat better, healthier, and exercise more. And as I've mentioned in other posts, I have a bad habit of eating terrible, convenient things during the day. It's very filling and super easy.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can of chickpeas
1 T olive oil
1 t soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Mix olive oil, soy sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper, then toss with the chickpeas. Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until crispy on the outside, still tender on the inside. (You may have to taste test a couple)

I first used this recipe for roasted chickpeas and here on Tasty Kitchen there are several different variations. 

You should probably share these; they make a great happy hour snack with a beer. They are also a really great alternative to plain chickpeas on top of a salad. However, I sometimes just eat them all for lunch. And if you eat a whole can of chickpeas for lunch you likely won't be hungry the rest of the afternoon.

(Photos: me)

Fetuccine Alfredo with Fresh Egg Pasta

by Jess M

If I were to have to pick a specialty in cooking, it would be "dough." I'm decent at following recipes, but not very creative. Give me a bread dough challenge and various cookbooks and websites to read and I'm set. I really get excited about cooking/baking anything that requires the mixing of flour and liquid into a dough, maybe kneading it with my hands, and turning it into something delicious.

When I was pregnant with my third baby, my nesting took the form of cooking, and more specifically: dough centered foods.  I spent time reading bread forums and baked all of our own bread for a while (that didn't last!). I made muffins and cakes and scones and cookies on the regular. I had to start buying flour in 10-pound bags because I was going through the 5-pound ones too quickly. And it was during this time that I decided I was going to learn to make my own noodles. After some trial and practice I decide it was worth a little investment and so for my birthday that year I got The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles and an Imperia pasta machine.

Before I decided to commit to another kitchen unitasker, I experimented making pasta by rolling it very thinly with a rolling pin and cutting it with a butter knife. I wanted to make sure that it was worth going to all this trouble for.  And yes, yes it is.

For me, making my own pasta is a weekend, special occasion kind of dish. It's a little too much effort to go to for a weeknight meal. But when you want to make especially delicious fettuccine alfredo - or really any pasta dish - then this is the way to go.

Following the instructions from Cooks Illustrated, I used my food processor to mix up the dough. The dough for egg pasta is simply 2 cups of flour and 3 eggs. Pulse in the food processor until mixed. Then dump it out onto the counter and knead it for a few minutes until it forms a nice smooth ball.  Let the dough rest for a little while (15 min to 2 hours). Then divide the dough into 6 parts and feed each piece through the rollers of the pasta machine, changing the setting so that it gets progressively thinner each time. When it gets to its thinnest, run it through the cutting attachment.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the noodles for just a couple of minutes, they will be done very quickly.

Alfredo Sauce
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 stick of butter
Nutmeg
1 1/2 - 2 cups parmesan cheese
Combine the butter and 1 cup of the cream in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer.  Simmer until the liquid is reduced a bit, about 10-15 minutes. Then add in the remaining cream and nutmeg, turn off the heat and stir in the noodles and Parmesan.

This recipe is a blend of the Cook's Illustrated cooking method and Pioneer Woman's ingredient quantities. Basically I am using the most amount recommended of each of the cream, butter and parmesan. And spring for the good kind of heavy cream, mine came from the local creamery, but even if you can just get the best one from the grocery store it will taste better.

Now.

In the interest of full disclosure I have to say that the night last week I made this it didn't go quite as smoothly as I'm describing here. I HAVE had noodles go very smoothly. Making the dough is quick! And it only takes 20ish minutes to roll and cut them! But last week, possibly because my dough was too sticky, after the first bunch went through the cutter, it got jammed. Dough backed up and the more I tried to feed through the worse it got. I had to throw out some of the more mangled pieces I pulled out. And there are STILL dried pieces of dough sitting in my pasta machine for me to go back and extract. I cursed at it, I maybe threw some dough and I was very disappointed. Dinner took way longer to make than it should have and I was really sad about it because I spent way too much time fooling with my pasta machine. I ended up cutting the last few sheets of dough on the counter with a pastry cutter just so I could be done and we could eat. AND! My kids did that awesome thing kids do when they look at something you've just spent 2 hours working on to get dinner on to the table and they turn up their noses at it and say "ew." Using the already hot pasta water I boiled them some dried spaghetti noodles which they ate with powdered kraft parmesan.

So, yes, you should make your own noodles. Yes, as with anything new or challenging  in the kitchen it sometimes can end up being a(n almost) complete flop. But when it goes well: you will have delicious, tender, silky noodles with cheesy, buttery alfredo sauce. And that is a win.

~~~

Sometime I'm going to also try my hand at ravioli (and avoid that whole pasta cutter getting jammed up thing!). Ariel shared her adventures in making her own ravioli here. 

(Photos from: me)

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.