szechuan green beans with ground pork

This summer has been so packed with playing and wedding and camping and weeding that I can hardly believe it is time to harvest some of the fruits of that weeding but it is! I planted two varieties of green beans this year thinking that I would see which variety performed better. Of course, I can't remember which plants were what variety (although I did make a planting map and if I took the time to check all the info is there) so the experiment would fail any scientific effort but it doesn't matter really, both varieties have excelled. In fact, I would have to say that the competition has done them both good - I have already picked a good harvest of beans and as the plants are still blossoming it is safe to say that I will pick a good deal more. That makes me happy because I love green beans!!!

It may not be terribly fashionable and is certainly old-school but my very favourite way to eat green beans is fresh from the garden, lightly steamed (crispy but not squeaky), tossed with a spoonful of superior butter and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I could eat them twice a day. True story. But that is not a recipe or even a story so I'll share this:

When we went to Shanghai a few years ago a friend took me to her favourite restaurant to have her favourite dish. I loved the dish so much that we literally went back two more times that week for.... more of the same. The dish was szechuan green beans with pork - a much better pork and beans if you will. This recipe is not quite that dish but it comes close enough to make me happy. Given my devotion to green beans you may not think that much of an endorsement but you would be wrong - if this wasn't wonderful I would much rather eat my beans buttered, with salt and pepper. 

Adjust the heat to suit your preference and go nuts eating green beans fresh from the garden (or the farmer's market) while you can. I do!

szechuan green beans with ground pork

1 lb green beans, trimmed

10 oz. ground pork

2 Tbsp black bean sauce

1 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 Tbsp grapeseed oil

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 clove garlic, sliced thinly

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for two minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Whisk together the black bean sauce, hoisin sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, honey, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and ground pork, stir-frying the pork until it begins to brown. Add sliced onion and garlic; stir-fry until onion is softened. (about 3 minutes) Add green beans and sauce mixture, stir to combine with the pork and onions. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until the beans are tender-crisp. I usually add a few tablespoons of water at this point to keep things from sticking and burning.

We eat this with a bit of brown rice and go away very happy. If you like (David does) you can kill it with a healthy sprinkle of sriracha sauce. Whatever makes you happy. It is summer after all.

summer oatmeal

Years ago I stumbled across a recipe for what has become one of our family's very favourite breakfasts. The recipe was called "Swiss Porridge" and is essentially fruit, oats, and yogurt tumbled together. Over the years it morphed into our own version and is one of the very first recipes I posted on this blog. Nobody could ever call it a complicated or time consuming recipe but this idea for summer oatmeal is even easier and is basically just a pared down, healthier-but-still-yummy version.
Fast and easy, this breakfast is brilliant - it is the kind of thing that you can easily conscript your kids to help with or make yourself in just a few minutes. It is yummy and healthy and the best part is a breakfast all ready to grab - no fuss, no muss - first thing in the morning. Made in mason jars it is perfect for the days when you need to get out the door fast - or when you are going to eat after the gym on your way to work (Jonathon). I have discovered that it keeps very well for several days so line some jars up, add the ingredients, shake, refrigerate and you are good for a week's worth of healthy breakfast.

There are recipes for lots of different combinations of fruit and flavour online (just google summer oats or oatmeal). We have tried several variations and haven't hit a bad one yet. This combination of chocolate and cherries is my contribution to the long list.

Unless you want a gummy, mushy porridge (and really who does?!) do not use quick cooking oats. I wondered about it, tried it and don't recommend it. Stick to the slow cooking, large flake, old fashioned variety. The recipe is written for a single serving - it is super easy that way to line the jars up and dump the ingredients in as you go down the line (something little ones could have a lot of fun with), making as many or as few servings as you like. Alternately you can multiply by the number of servings you need and make a large batch in a single bowl. Gotta say it isn't nearly as much fun that way though. Or as cute.

Note: if I am making for myself I use a 250 ml (1 cup approx.) mason jar. David likes a bit more for breakfast so for him I use a larger jar (500 ml) with more of each ingredient. The increased amounts are in brackets.

chocolate-cherry summer oatmeal 

1/4 (1/3) cup large flake rolled oats
1/3 (1/2) cup coconut milk
1/4 (1/3) cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp chia seed
1 Tbsp cocoa 
1 tsp honey (+ a tiny bit more for David)
1/2 (2/3) cup pitted fresh sweet cherries*

Add ingredients(excepting cherries) to the jar in the order listed. Cover jar securely with the lid and give it a good shake. Remove lid, add the cherries and recover. That's it. Store the jars in the fridge. This should be made at least several hours before serving. 

Sometimes chocolate for breakfast really appeals and other times not. For those days skip the cocoa powder, swap the honey for a little maple syrup and fill the jar up with fresh or frozen blueberries. Or mango. Or add a tablespoon of shredded coconut and some sliced banana. You get the idea. For flavours your imagination (and what is on offer at the market) is the limit.

* if cherries are not in season, raspberries or strawberries are awfully good as well.

If you want more guidance flavour-wise, check some other yummy variations here.

baked vanilla yogurt with rhubarb & blueberries

This post is practically a public service announcement. I can't tell you how yummy this stuff is!! Really - you have to try it and then you'll understand. No words. Just yummy, creamy, mellow, smoothness with a touch of vanilla. Best thing ever at the end of a hot day. Even better than ice cream. We had ours with a spoonful of rhubarb compote and a sprinkle of blueberries but whatever fruit is in the garden or catches your eye at the market would absolutely have to be amazing.

You do have to turn the oven on (low) and there is real sugar and cream in this but on both counts it is worth it. Super simple this is just equal parts of heavy cream, plain yogurt (I used Greek) and sweetened condensed milk. How can this be anything but crazy good in your mouth when those are the parts? But trust me, as good as those parts are, the sum of them is even better.

I cannot give credit for the recipe because I read it quickly one day a couple of months ago and try as I might I could not find it again (one of the woes of all the info we have at our fingertips). I do apologize. To be honest I am not entirely certain the way I made it is the way I read it but whatever the case, it worked.

baked vanilla yogurt with rhubarb & blueberries

1 1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (this is the same as one can)

1 vanilla bean

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk together until there are no clumps of seeds. Add the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk together. 

Pour the mixture into  six ramekins and set the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes. The yogurt will be set at this point. Turn the oven off, leave the yogurts in the oven to cool there. After an hour or two, remove them from the oven and refrigerate until cold. Serve with rhubarb and fresh blueberries - or whatever your heart desires.

rhubarb compote:

3 cups diced rhubarb

1/4 cup water

2/3 cup honey

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Put the rhubarb and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook until the rhubarb is tender - about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the honey and vanilla. 

(One of my very favourite treats is cold rhubarb compote with some greek yogurt and honey. Easy and fast. Just so you know.)

rainbow superslaw

Life gets crazy busy - every season a bit more full than the last. When my kids were tiny I imagined that once they were more independent life would be easier. And it was.... in a way. Less hands-on with things like doing up buttons and zippers, getting food from bowls to mouths and bodies into beds but still complicated as I learned to navigate the intricacies of homework and after-school lessons - busy-er not less so. As we progressed through the teen years and on into university, then marriages and babies of their own I have realized that life doesn't slow down, it speeds up. As I move through the experiences of my life I know that I want to continue to experience personal growth. To be better, wiser, smarter, more skilled. That takes time and thought and effort. Doing that and keeping up with the people that mean the most to me means I have to run pretty fast some days. 

One of the things that gets left in the dust of the party of life is the small effort of sharing some of what I put on the table each day. Not that what is on our table every day is worthy of being shared but there are a lot more recipes I have been excited about than I share. If I could sit down right away and tell you how fun it was to try this or that, to share how well it was received and how delicious it was, how I made it easier, or even the laughable less-ables there would be a lot more posts. But I am usually running off to keep up with myself and some of the recipes that are really well worth sharing are neglected. This is one of those.

I saw this recipe in Everyday Food magazine and added it to the list of things that look good to me. That was last fall. I finally made it a few weeks ago for David's birthday dinner and after the first mouthful I really wished I had tried it earlier because we could have been eating it months ago! I love a good slaw and this is one of the best I have tried. Full of wonderful flavours and textures but most importantly, good healthiness. The cherry on the top is that it is really beautiful. The original recipe is Jamie Oliver's so you know it's going to be good :) 

Everyday Food recommends using a food processor and grating all the ingredients into the bowl in a prescribed order. My food processor while not small, is not large enough for that technique so I modified it. I used pecans instead of walnuts because of walnut allergies. Other than that, I followed Jamie's lead. Why mess with excellence?!

rainbow superslaw
(from Everyday Food and Jamie Oliver's Great Britain by Jamie Oliver)

2 raw medium sized beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1/4 red cabbage
2 large carrots
1/4 green cabbage
2 firm pears
1 cup pecans, roughly broken
2 large handfuls fresh curly parsley, chopped

dressing:
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp grainy mustard
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce
sriracha hot sauce

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Shred or coarsely grate the cabbages and carrots into a large bowl. Grate the pears and add to the bowl. (To grate the pears I used a finer attachment.) Add about 1/2 of the chopped parsley to the bowl. Grate the beets into a separate bowl to keep them from staining everything.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage, carrots, and pears. Toss lightly to combine roughly. Add about 1/3 of the shredded beets and toss very lightly to keep the colours bright and separate. Arrange the mixed vegetables on a platter. Top with the remaining beets, followed by the rest of the parsley and finishing with the broken pecans.

Take a minute to enjoy the beautiful perfection of healthy, delicious food - then dig in!

goma dare and ponzu for shabu shabu

Shabu shabu is one of our favourite easy healthy meals. In our house it is elevated to special celebration status - so birthdays, New Year's , that kind of special meal thing. It was a no-brainer for Eden's birthday dinner last week because it is absolutely clean eating (whole foods, no gluten, no refined sugars). Social and totally delicious. Perfect for the day.

Shabu shabu as a dish is super simple - basically a pot of hot water with a piece of kelp (or not) sits on a tabletop burner. Diners add and swish (the shabu shabu sound) various greens, mushrooms, cubes of tofu, and very thinly sliced beef, pork or chicken. Everything 'cooks' very quickly. Healthy fare but not terribly exciting so far. The excitement is in the sauces. For years we bought our dipping sauces for shabu shabu at an Asian grocers. It never occurred to me to do anything else. It was an expensive way to go (ridiculously so) but that's what my Japanese friends did and so that's what I did. One day I realized that making goma dare was likely not only possible but the way to go. Since that day I have made the sauce a number of times and while I can humbly say that it has never been a failure I also have to admit that I have never felt that it was a total success. Eden's birthday dinner was the day the tide turned. I am posting the recipe for both the dipping sauces mostly because I know I won't lose them here :) and I really don't want to. The stars may never align quite as well again.

Because of the cost of the readymade sauces there never seemed to be quite enough sauce (especially the sesame dipping sauce - the hands-down fav). This recipe made a large batch. Large enough to liberally fill dipping bowls for eight adults and five children, refill an inevitably overturned bowl, and have a generous cup left to dress brown rice veggie bowls for a meal for seven. All that didn't begin to match the cost of a measly little bottle from the store. 

A little personal satisfaction that accompanies this meal - I get to use many (but by no means all) of my beloved Japanese dishes. I love layering the pieces, making an interesting statement. A rice bowl, two dipping bowls, a small plate and a pair of o hashi per diner is a good start on displaying the collection. Sort of justifies the passion. lol

goma dare (sesame sauce for shabu shabu)

1/2 cup white sesame seeds, toasted

1/3 cup shiro (white) miso paste

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup tahini

1/3 cup dashi (I made mine from dashi grains)

1/2 cup gluten-free shoyu

1 cup water

The method is so easy that calling it a method is really glorifying the process. After toasting the sesame seeds (either stovetop in a closely watched frying pan or on a cookie sheet in the oven) add all the ingredients to a blender container, pop the lid on good and tight, and give it a whirl on high until the sauce is smooth and creamy. The consistency is quite thin.

ponzu

1/2 cup gluten-free shoyu

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp dashi

1 Tbsp mirin

Mix. Done.

cauliflower soup with toasted garlic

If I had any kind of professional pride I would not be posting these pictures - but there you go, I am most certainly not any kind of professional, so no need for pride! Nevertheless whatever kind of pride I do have is smarting a bit. I don't know what was going on with my camera when I took the pictures - I did it so quickly just before we polished off the soup that I didn't check and now the soup is gone and the pictures are a bit of a mess. I really couldn't not post this recipe for such a small and selfish reason. As it was I felt a bit like I was holding out because this is almost as simple and genius a recipe as last year's broccoli-spinach soup, and I had made it 10 whole days ago. Without sharing. 

I didn't expect an awful lot from this soup. It had been one of those days. The day flies by, stomachs are beginning to growl, and there are no plans for what to fill them with. Not a one. And not an awful lot of anything very exciting in the pantry or fridge to get things off to a promising start. Just a pretty head of cauliflower and some fresh thyme. Not expecting much I didn't plan to share the result ... so no pics. But happy surprise! the soup was really good and there was plenty for another day when I could snap a couple of mediocre shots just as the light was fading.

If you find yourself with a pretty head of cauliflower and half an hour until dinner, consider trying this incredibly simple soup. Toss together a salad of greens with a bit of sharp cheese and some bright cherry tomatoes to go along with the soup. A light dinner to warm your body and soul, satisfy tummies and health.

cauliflower soup with toasted garlic
(from RealSimple magazine)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 head cauliflower, chopped
5 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot, add the sliced garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden - about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove and reserve the garlic slices.

Add the chopped cauliflower to the pot, give it a quick stir for a minute or so then add the chicken broth, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender (15-20 minutes) then remove the thyme sprigs - by this time most of the leaves will have fallen off and you are just pulling out the twiggy bits. Puree in a blender (I prefer an immersion blender). Top with some slivers of toasted garlic and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

mini pumpkin cheesecakes

In some families pumpkin pie is reserved, with love, for the Thanksgiving meal dessert. On the other end of the spectrum you have those who eat pumpkin pie nightly - or would - as long as long as it is 'in season'. My dad abominated pumpkin pie (I don't know!?) so I grew up in a family that absolutely never ate it. I married into a family that adores pumpkin pie. I guess my household falls somewhere in what I like to think of as a healthy middle ground. We enjoy a slice of the pie - or the many offspring and relatives of it - over much of the fall and winter, paying special attention at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This sweet little dessert is not a pumpkin pie. But it is undeniably related. Served in mini portions it is just perfect for filling up that empty spot that begs to be filled after a good meal leaving you comfortable but not tipped over into too full. You can feel reasonably noble as well - if you ignore the cream cheese and whipped cream - eating pumpkin and the healthy spices that dress it up. And it is just a little bite.

To make these gluten-free use a gluten-free ginger cookie for the crumb 'crust'. When I make it for our family I make some portions gf and the rest not. To distinguish one from the other I sprinkle a bit of the reserved crumbs on the top of the gf servings. This trick was born after I had made these and thought I would be able to tell the difference from the look of the crumbs. Couldn't really. 

mini pumpkin cheesecakes

16 ginger thins, crushed (I use Anna's)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
scant 1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
1 cup whipping cream 

In a small bowl combine the melted butter with the crushed ginger thins. Divide the crumbs into the bottom of whatever you are using as serving 'dishes'. (I used tiny glasses this time and have used the 4 oz canning jars also - both look really sweet.) Set aside.

In another bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, honey and spices. Beat until creamy and smooth. Drop the mixture carefully on top of the crumbs, dividing evenly among the glasses.

Whip the cream and dress your little cheesecakes with a dollop of it. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (at least) before serving.

chocolate raspberry clafouti

I am taking a moment away from my Christmas making (back in my atelier and having a blast) because you need this pure and simple, fast and easy road to chocolate bliss. Add raspberries and freshly whipped cream. Sigh and eye-roll. Purrfect. 

This is easily made gluten-free by subbing gluten-free flour. It works equally well. Because I try to stay away from refined sugars I used demerara and muscovado sugars in place of granulated white and dark brown sugars. If raspberries are hard to find (or looking sad at the market) cranberries are an easy, yummy, seasonal substitution.

chocolate raspberry clafouti
(adapted from Gourmet)

3 cups fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp demerara sugar
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1/2 cup muscovado sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Toss the washed berries with demerara sugar and let stand for 15 minutes.

Combine the milk, melted butter, eggs, muscovado sugar, flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract in a blender and process until smooth. Scatter the berries evenly in the buttered baking dish and pour the batter over top.

Bake until slightly puffed and firm to the touch - about 35 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven sprinkle with chopped chocolate. Cool to warm and serve with a generous dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream.

gluten-free buckwheat pancakes

December! Time for celebrating and feasting - we could start with buckwheat pancakes. Despite the many pancake recipes on this blog that would argue the contrary, I don't really like* pancakes all that much. But David likes variety and the weekend usually demands a change from the regular breakfast fare so I make pancakes. Because I don't like them all that much I am always looking for ways to make them more worthwhile. And so you end up with quite a few offerings here. Besides all that Eden and her kids like pancakes a lot. So what can I do? I make pancakes. Of course.

The options for gluten-free pancakes range from the sublime to the ridiculous and there are times when I swear to never try another one. Then I see an interesting recipe and ... here we go again.

These pancakes are so incredibly simple and delicious I was honestly excited. Whole grain and gluten-free and yummy, yummy, yummy. They are light and fluffy with more worth than your average empty pancake. Run out and get yourself some buckwheat flour, then make a hot stack of deliciousness.

I increased the buckwheat flour, decreased the brown rice flour, and didn't separate the egg as the author suggests you do. My pancakes were still very light. I say do it the easy way.

gluten-free buckwheat pancakes 

(from Whole Grains for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff)

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 large egg
about 3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted - or olive oil
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Crack the egg into a measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup, add the butter and maple syrup. Whisk together and add to the dry ingredients. Pour the egg/milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula just until combined.

Cook in a lightly buttered skillet by scan 1/4 cupfuls until dry at the edges and browned on the bottom, then flip and cook until done.

Serve with your favorite maple syrup and fresh berries. 

*I do like all the pancake recipes I have posted. Just to be clear. In fact, I like them a lot. Is that self-serving?

sweet potato hummus

A hummus intervention may be in order here because this recipe brings the total of hummus posts to five. Five!  But it is good and variety is the spice of life they say, so I vary my lunch by varying my hummus. Aaanyway, hummus is one of my favourite fast and easy lunch/snack fixes (just use the handy dandy search bar on the right and google hummus). Does the world need another recipe for hummus? Maybe not, but I think it would be a sadder place without. When I shared a portion of this recipe with Eden her reaction was totally satisfactory. She, in fact, declares that she is addicted to it.

I baked my sweet potatoes in the oven alongside a batch of cookies but if you wanted to hurry things along you could certainly "bake" a couple in the microwave. I like the caramel-ly goodness that happens when sweet potatoes are slowly roasted in the oven but sweet potatoes are so good and good for you that it is hard to find a way to cook them that is not good. Either way is same/same. So bake your potatoes, pull out your food processor and whirl up a batch of goodness to scoop up with some crunchy celery sticks and pita bread. Lunch break doesn't get a whole lot better.

sweet potato hummus

(adapted from Fast Flavours by Michael Smith)

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked 

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup tahini
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp  toasted sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Louisiana hot sauce
1 (19 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

Put the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, sesame oil, salt, hot sauce, and chick peas in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Cut the sweet potatoes into rough chunks and toss into the food processor as well. Process again until smooth. 

Serve with your favourite dippers - I think it is very best with a fresh, crisp celery stick (or two or three...)

Just for the record? I do eat more than hummus for lunch. Sometimes.

chocolate pots

a la Meinhardt's

I have obsessed over the chocolate pots from Meinhardt's in Vancouver for a couple of years. When I am in Vancouver I always, always plan a visit (quick though it may be) to Meinhardt's and rarely leave the shop without a little chocolate pot in my bag. I have tried a number of times to make my own chocolate pots but although I have made some yummy chocolate stuff nothing has been quite right. Not, that is, until a couple of weeks ago. And having cracked the code it is crazy easy. I laugh at myself for all the involved and chocolate-rich options I tried. (To be honest I haven't compared the original to the reinvention, bite side-by bite but I am happy with this.)

A few good eggs, a touch of sweet, some good bittersweet chocolate - but not a lot - a dash of cream plus a little bit of time. mmmmmmmmmm

I have made this a number of times. It is equally good made with honey or sugar for sweetening. The honey is recognizable as such in the finished pudding but that's not a bad thing. Try it either way or both.

Since Jonathon first introduced me to the seduction of Meinhardt's little chocolate pots and then pushed me to try to "make it at home", this one is for him.

chocolate pots

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar (or 2 Tbsp honey)

a pinch of sea salt

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped very fine

1/2 cup heavy cream,whipped

Combine the egg yolks, sugar (or honey), and pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Whisk together over very low heat. VERY low heat because you don't want to cook the eggs, just warm things up enough to melt the chocolate that you have chopped very fine so that it will melt without requiring a lot of heat. Check the temp frequently to make sure that you are not, in fact, cooking anything and when it is just warm remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature - which won't take very long since it was never all that warm to begin with.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy to soft peaks. When the chocolate mixture has cooled sufficiently, add about half of the whipped cream and whisk to combine. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spoon into 4 small cups or bowls. Refrigerate until firm.

tomato chowder with quinoa

I am relieved that it is finally November because perhaps now we can justify the snow and cold! It was really hard to get into the spirit of Halloween when it just felt more like January. (I know that is a bit of an exaggeration - when January is truly here this weather will seem downright lovely but I don't have my thick Canadian-winter-blood running yet.) At any rate, between the snow and cold and a sore throat/cough thing soup was all I wanted to eat this week. It was the perfect chance to try something that had been  rattling around in my mind for a few weeks.

Jonathon has recently started a new job (as President of Martha Sturdy - and yes, I am proud!!!) and as part of team-building had a retreat to Martha's beautiful ranch in Pemberton, BC. When Jonathon was telling me about the event he waxed slightly poetic about a tomato soup that Martha had made. It sounded so delicious that I was determined to give it a try. A rich, thick tomato soup with vegetables. This is not Martha's recipe - just a soup I made inspired by Jonathon's ode to Martha's soup. I would love to try her soup but have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed what was in our own soup pot. As an endorsement I offer this: David quite dislikes eating the same thing in close succession but we had this soup for our evening meal one day and for lunch the three days following and he mentioned that the soup was so good that he was really enjoying it - even three days running for lunch. That may not seem like much to anyone else but it is high praise indeed!

This soup is almost as easy as opening a can and so much better. It is tangy with the tomatoes and herbs, full of vegetables and smoothed out with just a tiny bit of cream. The quinoa adds more fiber, additional protein, and nice body. 

The last day we had this for lunch I added a few drops of Louisiana hot sauce just to change it up a tiny bit. 

And as for Halloween? We did something we had never done before - filled a huge bowl with treats, put them on the doorstep with a sign, and retreated to watch Snow White and the Huntsman - which ended up being a pretty good Halloween movie.  The sign recommended taking a couple of treats but since the bowl was empty by 7:30 and it was awfully cold for trick-or-treating, my guess is that the little ghouls took by the armfuls. lol

p.s. you should really check out Martha's house. Well, one of them - it was featured this last summer in Canadian House and Home magazine. Martha is an iconic artist and her favoured medium is resin. From housewares to furniture to canvases and sculpture - all very cool and beautiful.

tomato chowder with quinoa

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic,  minced

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock

3 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 Tbsp dried)

2 mild Italian sausages, cut into 'coins'

1 lb yellow fleshed 'baby' potatoes - halved if small, quartered for the larger ones

2 stalks celery, diced

3 medium carrots, cut into half moons

1/3 cup quinoa

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring,  until translucent. Add the sausage, celery, potatoes, and carrots and cook for a minute or two, stirring to coat the vegetables and let things begin to get carmel-y edges. Add the chicken stock, quinoa, and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (covered) until the vegetables are tender - about 20 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring back to a simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and add the salt and pepper to taste.

roasted squash with quinoa and sausage

Often when I come across a recipe that intrigues me I have a pretty good idea of what it will taste like. Sometimes I am disappointed (the chocolate compost cookies that I tried this week were hugely disappointing - I love the original compost cookies and so had high hopes but .... blehhhh! They seriously tasted like the cookies that I used to find in my grandma's cookie jar along with various other odds and ends - compost for sure) and other times I am euphorically surprised. This meal in a dish is for sure in the latter category. I thought it would be really good but it is so much more than that. I try to keep the bar* high on the blog here regarding what I share. I have to be pretty excited about whatever I share because I know that everybody has so many options and only so much time. This I am super excited about - healthy, easy, and fantastically delicious. I was filled with evangelical zeal when I made it; something this great needs to be shared. Good food isn't really all that hard to find but sometimes it takes quite a bit of effort. Or a long list of ingredients. Or time. Or a toll on one's health. To find an option that hits the trifecta of simple, healthy, and incredibly good is uncommon; adding kid-friendly makes it rare as hen's teeth.

The recipe is from a cookbook that is my newest enthusiasm -  Whole Grains for A New Generation by Liana Krissoff. (Although it is currently slightly out of vogue to be excited about eating whole grains - or any grains at all - I am a fan and think they can have a place in most diets.) I used a pretty little Carnival squash instead of the more common butternut that was called for and didn't peel it because (this is old I know) I don't believe in peeling much of anything with the exception of beets. Aside from adding a tiny bit of fennel seed, those are the only very minor tweaks I made to the recipe.

Make this. Soon.

roasted squash with quinoa and sausage
(from Whole Grains for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff)

1 small Carnival or butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 shallot
1 small onion
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
225 gm mild Italian sausage
1 tsp dried sage leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrape the seeds out of the squash and cut it into 1-inch chunks. Chop the onion into large chunks. Put the onion, peeled shallot, and squash chunks into a 9x11 inch baking dish and drizzle with  1 Tbsp olive oil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until tender - about 30-40 minutes. Give the vegetables a stir about half way through.

Meanwhile remove the sausage from the casings and brown in a 2-quart saucepan with the remaining olive oil. Add the sage and fennel seed, 1/2 tsp of sea salt and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir and scrape up any brown bits. Add the quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes turn off the heat but leave covered and on the burner for another 5 minutes. Remove lid, fluff and add the mixture to the roasted tender vegetables. Gently fold to combine.

*my bar you understand - everyone has a unique idea of what is yummy. One of my dear ones is probably busy pitying David every time he eats with us; his idea of good food is quite different from mine.

baked cod with dill sauce

This is definitely comfort food for our family. It is another one of those super-simple recipes that  gets pulled out when time or tempers are short and dinner needs to be on the table tout de suite. I found the recipe in a magazine (long forgotten now) when I was a very newly married lady. It worked for two very poor and very tired university students and was popular with a tableful of toddlers and preschoolers. We ate it often all the way through soccer games and ballet classes and then another generation of university students. Now the grandkids love it and so do their moms because it is just that easy and yummy. All the ingredients are usually stocked in my pantry or fridge so it doesn't even need to be planned for. Just whip it up and  dinner is ready. 

This is not something that plates up beautifully but it sure goes down well. We always serve it with rice and peas. Always. Just works.

If you don't have sour cream use plain yogurt. If you are out of dill weed or chives, try another herb. We have used herbes de provence among other options. Any firm white fish is good. Double or halve the recipe depending on how many you want to feed - or if you want anything left for a lunch another day. This is that kind of dish. Simply easy and very forgiving. Like the best friends.

baked cod with dill sauce

4 small cod fillets

1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp dried dill weed

1 Tbsp dried chives

1 tsp sweet paprika

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Arrange the cod fillets in a baking dish that just accommodates them. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, dill weed, and chives. Spread over the fish. (There will be a lot of sauce but you will want it. Trust me.) Sprinkle with the paprika. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve over rice  - that's where the sauce comes in :)