Chocolate Protein Oatmeal with Mixed Berries

How do you cook your steel cut oats?

My cousin’s spouse recently told me he cooks his for 20 minutes. WHAT?!

Mine always takes 35 minutes, if not 45 minutes. I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s how I get mine to be super creamy.

Because it takes so long, I make a big batch to last me all week. Leftovers heat up beautifully and I can mix-and-match my flavours each day.

I start by dry-toasting my steel cut oats as the water heats up to a boil (1:4 ratio). When they become fragrant and lightly toasted, I turn off the heat. Usually by this time, the water is boiling and I plop it all in, and then simmer it for 40-45 minutes.

I refrigerate the oats and take out a portion every morning. Heat it up in the microwave for 2 minutes along with a touch of water. From there, I add my flavours: cinnamon, vanilla, fruit, flax seeds, nuts, nut butter,  etc.

My recent breakfast fix has a chocolate base. I use the Chocolate Amazing Grass coupled with Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Pro 70 for a hearty foundation. I also typically add some fresh fruit, but lately I’ve been cleaning out the frozen fruit from the freezer: this time with mixed berries!

Why Amazing Grass? Beyond its nutritional benefits, I really like the taste (Rob doesn’t like it, though). A slightly malty chocolate taste with low calories and a good protein ratio.

Why Hemp Pro 70?  First of all, I am no protein powder aficionado, but Hemp Pro 70 is pure hemp protein. No fillers, no sweeteners, etc. The high protein content (70% by weight), omega fatty acids, iron and calcium is great but the most important part is that it is water-soluble. You can’t taste it in the oatmeal. It thickens it while keeping it smooth. I usually add more water when I add it to my oatmeal. It also makes my oatmeal more filling…. and green-looking. 😉

While I am partial to steel cut oats from the bulk bin, one of my non-bulk favourites is from Essence of Life. The texture is a bit more creamy. I find Bob’s Red Mill a bit too chewy.

My cousin’s spouse, though, recommended Bob’s Red Mill. He suggests using a big pot (a great tip for no spillover!) and to do a hard boil for 18 minutes uncovered and then 2 minutes covered. He keeps it covered and then lets it sit off the heat for an additional 2-5 minutes. Says it never fails him.

I know there are other variations for cooking on steel cut oats: start with a boil then leave the oats overnight, or just soak them overnight for a chewier texture.

I’ve tried overnight slow cooker steel cut oats, but it was way too watery.

Hence, I’ve stuck with my classic, yet lengthy 45-minute boil.

Tell me, how do you cook your steel cut oats?

Here are some other ways I’ve enjoyed oatmeal:

Whipped Banana Oatmeal with Cranberries
Mango Pistachio Steel Cut Oatmeal (aka Mango Shrikhand Oatmeal)
Mango Oatmeal
Balsamic Lemon-Blueberry Steel Cut Oats
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Roasted Flax Seeds
Pan-Fried Oatmeal with Peach-Blueberry Vanilla Compote
Multigrain Oatmeal with Quinoa and Kasha
Apple Pie Oatmeal
Baked Apple Banana Oatmeal
Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal
Savoury Oatmeal with Soy Sauce and Nutritional Yeast
Savoury Oatmeal with Goji Berries, Nori and Ponzu Sauce

This is my submission to this month’s Monthly Mingle featuring cherries and berries.

Bok Choy, Broccoli and Edamame Skillet with Millet

There is one problem with my list of top cookbooks for my move.

What if I buy new cookbooks?

Sometimes the Book Depository makes it a bit too easy to buy new books. Americans are already blessed with cheap prices and even cheaper shipping options, but in Canada, things are a bit more expensive. Prices on books are reasonable on amazon.ca but I usually wait until I have an order over $40 for free shipping. And by that time, I may have decided not to buy the cookbook afterall. At The Book Depository, even though they ship from the UK, it is free shipping. Because it is from the UK, there is also no tax. I have not been hit with customs fees either, yet.

After I borrowed Bean by Bean from the library, I knew this cookbook was totally up my alley. Beans, beans, beans. Lots of information, this is almost a book of short stories describing each dish! Mostly vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipes. International themed. I also love the multiple variations for the recipes – swapping in different ingredients for a different meal. The only drawbacks were the heavy handedness with the oil (not too hard to fix) and serving sizes that are far too generous (again, not too hard to fix). So far, it I think it was a well spent $10.49.

So after I sorted my new cookbooks in alphabetical order, it turned out that Bean by Bean was lucky cookbook #17 for the Random Recipe challenge this month. I was excited to try any (non meatist) recipe, so I flipped it and it fell open to this very green Bok Choy, Broccoli and Edamame Skillet… which I decided to serve with millet (and no, not just because it rhymes).

I have bookmarked quite a few very simple beans + greens + lemon stir-fries but had yet to try one, so I was quite pleased to be bluntly encouraged to make this for Random Recipes. This recipe is great because it is so simple. No garlic, nor onion (gasp) just veggies and edamame with lemon. First, get your millet cooking, chop your veggies and then after a quick stirfry with a squeeze of lemon (and Aleppo, my addition), you have a tasty meal. A super green one at that. Pick your own favourite greens (baby spinach would be great), vegetables (I am still partial to broccoli but carrots would be nice, too), bean (any takers for chickpeas) and grain (quinoa, yes please). While Dragonwagon says this would serve 2-4 with pasta as a main dish, this was more like 6 servings when I added in the millet.

This is my submission to Random Recipes this month, to Ricki’s Weekend Wellness and to this month’s Gimme Green event.

Sarah’s Raw Brownie Speckled with Almonds

Still interested in winning recipe #5?

To recap:

1. Plantain, Cabbage and Coconut Curry with Split Pigeon Peas

2. Carolina BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork” Wraps with Pickled Red Onions

3. Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole (Guacamole Con Piña y Pepino)

4. Raw Sweet Potato Mushroom Sliders

5. Sarah’s Raw Brownies!

Of course, Rob needed dessert for his party.

Rob specifically requested a new raw dessert. Apparently Raw Mango Paradise Bars weren’t enough! 😉

I had been eyeing Sarah’s recipe for Raw Brownies and figured a rich chocolate dessert would appeal to the masses. While a cashew-based dreamcake would have been nice, too, I wanted to try something different.. and gasp, something even easier to make.

5 ingredients.

1 food processor.

chill.

devour!

As a make-ahead dessert, this couldn’t have been easier. And the results were great. Fudgy raw brownies. Not too sweet due to the raw cacao powder with great texture from the partially chopped almonds. You can’t really compare them to traditional (baked) brownies, but they are delicious in their own right.

I smushed the batter into a 9×9″ tupperware container and while it doesn’t look like a lot of food, these are very rich and filling. When serving, do yourself (and your guests) a favour by making small pieces.

This is my submission to this month’s Bookmarked Recipes, to Ricki’s Weekend Wellness and to this month’s Cook.Eat.Delicious-Desserts for Wholesome Desserts.

Millet Bowl with Rosemary Mushroom Gravy and Kale

Here today, gone tomorrow.

A high of 22°C on Sunday, but only a high of 3°C yesterday. Ouch!

Let me share with you something that will not be disappearing so fast… my lovely surprise from the garden:

KALE! My kale is back! I swear, it is almost bigger than when we harvested it in the fall and it is not even April yet. I thought we had removed the roots, too, but I guess not, because little kale plants are popping up all over the garden. The Vates Blue Curled Kale is definitely a keeper. 🙂

Sadly, the kale will be our legacy gift as we won’t be able to enjoy it this summer (moving!), although I may be able to eat baby kale salads before we leave.

Now, the question for the gardeners out there. What is this plant? Is it a beet?

Last year, Rob and I diligently watered a plant all summer, thinking it was kohlrabi. We waited until the plant was nice and big because we thought it was a root vegetable. I eventually pulled it out to see what magical vegetable was hidden underneath….. except there was nothing there. We had been watering a weed!! We were very sad. But this doesn’t look weed-like to my virgin garden eyes (too pretty, no?)… and I don’t want to pull it out yet. We planted heirloom beets and kohlrabi in that area last year but nothing really grew. Our chioggia beets were gourmet: baby beets, not more than an inch in diameter in the fall (hehe). Please let me know if you have any ideas because it doesn’t really look beet-like or kohlrabi-like to me.

Back to the kitchen: Once I had the energy to cook after returning from Vancouver, the cold weather had me wanting a warming and comforting savoury dish. Angela’s Cozy Millet Bowl certainly hit the spot. Filled with sauteed rosemary mushrooms and kale overtop millet, this tasted rich without any heaviness. My changes were simmering the millet in broth, omitting the oil (since I was using a nonstick pan), decreasing the rosemary (just because I didn’t want to pick my plant clean), decreasing the tamari (1 tbsp of tamari is salty enough with the broth) and omitting the cornstarch. It wasn’t thick and creamy like a typical gravy but it was rich and savoury without hurting my belly (no grease, please). If you like a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch. I loved the thinness so that it trickled down to coat the millet. The worst part about this recipe? I wish I had made more!

Anyways, please help me with my garden query… else I may just rip it out in a month due to curiosity. Unless you tell me it is a weed, and I will rip it out tomorrow. 😉

This is my submission to Ricki’s Weekend Wellness and to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Terry.

Cotter’s Borlotti Bean, Zucchini and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Oh gosh, am I ever happy to be back at home! Thankfully I was able to enjoy the summer weather this weekend. 22°C, baby! Rob and I took advantage of the glorious weather by taking out our bikes for our first (real) bike ride of the year. I know it has only been 3 months, but I had forgotten how much I love riding my road bike.

With the beautiful weather in Toronto, the last thing I wanted was to cook up a storm over the weekend. Rob made a delightful savoury lentil and rice soup that I will be sharing, but it was times like this that I really appreciated having a freezer with the taste of summer.

If you thought my fridge was full, you haven’t seen my freezer yet! It is filled with cooked beans, herbs, frozen veggies and fruit, and of course, some meals that I have popped in there for emergencies. Rob and I have a physical menu of possibilities from the freezer: a white board where we keep track of what’s lurking in the cold. Mainly so that we know what’s in there… so we  don’t forget about the container of black eyed peas, half a can of whole tomatoes, or this roasted red pepper and tomato soup with zucchini and cranberry beans.

Earlier, way earlier in the summer, I gushed over Denis Cotter. Except I only shared two of his recipes, his not-quite-authentic yet still delicious Massaman curry and the Pan-Fried King Oyster Mushrooms and Bok Choy over a Wasabi Millet Mash. I actually made a few of his recipes this summer, and when I pulled out this soup from the freezer, I was aghast that I hadn’t shared it yet. Shame on me, because it is great.

Cotter is the master of the multi-component meal, bringing out the best of each part of the dish. The original recipe can be found in his new cookbook For The Love of Food. Red peppers and tomatoes, right at summer’s peak, were roasted to perfection, then simmered and pureed to create a silky broth. Meanwhile, you cook your cranberry beans (I used fresh ones so this was fast, but dried beans could work, too, after you cook them). You then toss them with lemon juice and marjoram. Next, you saute the zucchini with garlic to take off their raw edge. This can all be done as the veggies are roasting. When you are all set to eat, ladle out a portion of the tomato-red pepper broth, top with zucchini and cranberry beans. Each component is slightly different, both in taste and texture, creating a complex and tasty soup. The lemony beans with the garlicky zucchini swim in the creamy and rich broth with wonderful results. Cotter also included a basil-chili oil recipe to drizzle overtop but I honestly thought the soup was great without it.

Thankfully, this soup freezes well (I made individual servings and simply combined all the components together) and I still have a few servings left. It is nice to have a taste of summer at the tale end of winter, when flavourful tomatoes are just a faint memory.

This is my submission to Deb for this week’s Souper Sundays,  to Ricki’s Weekend Wellness and to Cookbook Sundays.

Roasted Vegetable and Kale Chip Pizza with a White Bean and Quinoa Crust

Thanks for the feedback on yesterday’s post about changes after embarking on a whole food lifestyle (definitely check out Britt’s post with her experiences). Since I’ve cut out refined flours, I rarely eat bread-type things.

I am not sure why but I even have this thing against whole wheat flour. I’d much rather eat whole grains, in their original form, than rely on flours (unless I am making the flour myself in my food processor).

But here I am, enjoying pizza without any flours in sight.

Be forewarned, this isn’t your typical pizza crust.

Super flexible with any combination of beans and grains, I spotted this at Everyone is Vegan many moons ago. Here, white beans and cooked quinoa are whipped together with flax and spices to create a lovely bread-type crust.

The crust takes longer to bake than your typical pizza crust, which means you get the benefit of glorious roasted veggies. I normally wouldn’t put onion on my pizza, but I will if it is roasted as it is here. Red pepper also roasts well. Broccoli gets that delightful crispy edge. And the best part: laying kale overtop the veggies results in a pizza topped with kale chips!

Since I used the miso gravy from the Dragon Bowl, does that make this a Dragon Pizza?

Other pizza crusts, toppings, etc, I’d like to try:

Gluten-Free Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust from Making Love in the Kitchen
Choosing Raw Pizza with Quinoa Buckwheat Crust and Guacamole from Choosing Raw
Roasted Garlic and Beet Socca Pizza from Sprint 2 the Table
Caramelized Onions on a Sweet Potato Socca Pizza from The Lean Green Bean
Mediterranean Date & Olive Pizza on a Chickpea Crust from Cara’s Cravings
Quinoa Oat Flatbread Mini Pizza with Spinach Hummus, Roasted Beets and Red bell pepper from Hobby & More
Cilantro-Hemp Pesto Pizza from Farmers Market Vegan
Butternut Edamame Pizza from Sketch Free Vegan Eating
Tex-Mex Pizza with Kidney Bean and Quinoa Crust from Dates & Quinces
Caramelized Onion, Shaved Butternut and “Goat Cheese” Pizza from Diet, Dessert & Dogs
Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Topping from What Would Cathy Eat?
Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Spread from She Let Them Eat Cake
Tomato-Tahini Pizza Sauce from Aria

This is my submission to this month’s Bookmarked Recipes, to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and to Simple and In Season.

Ginger-Lime-Wasabi Edamame Hummus

I am a victim of my own success.

Nearly a year ago, I started my whole foods vegan diet, or vegan on steroids as Rob likes to put it. I did it primarily for health and environmental concerns and haven’t looked back.

No, really, there is no turning back. I know some people wonder why I can’t just eat something if it has meat broth, or snack on whole wheat bread, or just eat the darn white rice. There is a reason for my choices and I don’t want to compromise. Not all vegan food is healthy.

On the rare occasion, I have made small compromises. Last summer, I went to a potluck where a friend didn’t know about my food choices and quickly whipped up some deep-fried tofu-and-lotus root croquettes for me. I should have stuck to my lentil salad, but I also nibbled on a rice dish and the croquettes. I left that night with a belly beyond bloated. At the time, we thought maybe I had mistakenly eaten something with shrimp (of which I do have allergies) because I reacted so badly.

I have travelled a lot this year, some for vacation, other times for interviews and this time for a conference. I have become really good at planning for success: finding a grocery store and appropriate restaurants, if need be. This time, I returned to my favourite Vancouver hotel not only because it is affordable, but because I have a mini-fridge in my room and access to a communal kitchen. I also know that T&T is close for me to pick up affordable groceries. Because I didn’t have to cross borders, I brought some veggies, hummus (this Ginger-Lime-Wasabi Edamame Hummus!) and some leftovers with me to tie me over until I was able to shop at T&T. I even brought a dressing in anticipation of buying frozen edamame, a quick and easy way for me to get my bean fix. 🙂

I was pretty diligent about picking up some produce to bring me back to my normal routine: tea and grapefruit to start the day. I planned for a simple oatmeal+flax+fruit breakfast, but instead was wooed by Ruth’s Chia Goodness at T&T. Basically it is a souped up chia pudding and I am adamant to recreate it for my next travel destination. It is easier than my portable overnight oats since I have been using water as the liquid instead of nondairy milk. I picked up a bunch of veggies to make some collard wraps with my hummus (pea shoots, carrots and cucumber), and edamame for my bean salad.

However, I left Toronto’s balmy summer weather and was greeted by Vancouver’s cold and wet conditions. In the span of an hour, I can see it pouring torrential rain, followed by some snow/sleet and then the sun will come out and dry it all away. With this chilling weather, by the time a few days rolled around, the last thing I wanted to eat was another cold salad or wrap.

While I had earlier success at some nearby raw restaurants (Gorilla Food‘s Main St Monkey sandwich is so good!), I scoped out some hot vegan eats at nearby Nuba, a Lebanese resto with many vegan options. I had enjoyed my meal there last year, so I was eager to have a large glass of carrot-beet-ginger-lime juice, as well as mujaddara. I also opted for a small side of Najib’s special: crispy cauliflower with lemon and sea salt, with a tahini sauce. Unfortunately, a few hours later, I had a bloated belly…  However, a few days later, I thought maybe their red lentil soup and falafels could sooth my cold soul. Not so. Within minutes of finishing my plate, my belly was bloated again. I thought I had picked hearty bean dishes, but my plan had been foiled. Even when I don’t know what the offending food is, my belly cannnot be fooled.

In retrospect, I have blamed it on the deep-frying.The mujaddara had deep-fried crispy onions, that crispy cauliflower – yeah, it was deep-fried, too, and those falafels were also deep-fried. Suffice it to say, I don’t deep-fry anything at home and this was probably what caused my troubles.

You see, I cannot go back to my old ways.

Many bloggers have recently adopted a vegetarian, vegan or whole foods way of eating. I would love to know if you’ve experienced the same since changing. Before I went whole foods, I never really had any digestive issues. Now, a small deviation into junk can easily trigger something nasty. Annie recently said she notices changes immediately when she deviates from her vegan, gluten-free diet.

Anyways, back to the hummus. Hummus is the perfect travel food in my opinion, because all you need are some veggies to dip and you are good to go! It can also go a bit more fancy with a collard wrap or a hummus dressing for a raw kale salad. While I prefer the traditional recipe, you can easily mix things up with different flavours – any takers for pomegranate red pepper or Indian-spiced? This time, I opted for a spin off of Gena’s Ginger Lime Edamame Hummus which I had immediately bookmarked last summer.

I’ve made some fabulously creamy edamame dips (edamame miso dip and edamame guacamole), so I knew this wouldn’t disappoint. I liked Gena’s suggestion for ginger and lime. Instead of tobasco sauce, though, I added wasabi powder to continue with the Asian theme. It contrasted nicely with the sharp bite from the ginger and the acidity from the lime, all the while creamy from the edamame and tahini.

Yet another successful variation on hummus. I think I will warm it up to counteract my shunning of all cold foods.

This is my submission to this month’s Bookmarked Recipes, to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and to this month’s Gimme Green event.

Mediterranean Collard Wrap with Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

In my quest to go simple with my meals, I have been turning to wraps for lunch.

I don’t think I have ever had sandwiches for lunch. Even as a child, I remember eating leftover pizza instead. The local pizzeria had a Monday night special: 2 pizzas for $5. As such, my parents bought a couple every. single. week. For years. Pizza for lunch every day. Although I never complained because I loved it.

Leftovers, whether a soup, stew or salad, have always been my go-to lunch.

But with my renewed interest in eating more greens, I have fallen for green wraps.

Just like you probably don’t need recipes for sandwiches, you probably do not think you need recipes for wraps. True, my ingredient list is a bit approximate in its amounts, but I love sharing good combinations of wrap fillings.

Furthermore, for those who travel, this is a perfect wrap to whip up at your destination. You can easily pick up all the ingredients at a well-stocked grocery store (here’s a shout out to Trader Joe’s who knows how to do hummus very well!). If you can’t find pre-sliced artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, I suppose it could be considered optional if you are knife-less due to travelling only with carry-on luggage. I don’t know why, but canned artichoke hearts have a super simple built-in can opener. Perfect – no need to whip out my (non-existent) Swiss Army knife. 😉

This wrap was inspired by Tess’ Fresh Greek Delight found in Radiant Health, Inner Wealth.  I used a collard leaf to wrap up hummus, sliced artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh basil and garlic chive sprouts. The Greek flavours worked well with the creamy hummus, salty olives, bright fresh basil and the zippy garlic sprouts.

Enjoy! What are your favourite combinations for wraps?

This is being submitted to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Haalo.

Celeriac and Pumpkin Curry

Celeriac. Pumpkin. Could I be sharing any more autumn-like produce?

As I am munching away through my freezer before our next move, I am rediscovering meals that I should have blogged about but for some reason, I haven’t!

I am a long-standing proponent of leftovers but oddly enough, when I stash leftovers in the freezer, they kind of sit there for a while. Freshly made meals are always my go-to choice, but I have some real gems being unearthed these days.

I have  become a bit more accustomed to the tamer curries that are made with curry powder, red lentils and an assortment of veggies. I really liked the Red Lentil and Root Veggie Dal and since celeriac was my favourite veggie this winter, I was eager to try my hand at a similar stewy curry from Sarah. Typically, potatoes are used in Indian cooking but here, celeriac adds a different dimension which complements the sweetness from the pumpkin.  I also loved the addition of the spinach thrown in for good green measure. I usually don’t freeze meals that use greens, but these leftovers are ok from the freezer.

By the way, does anyone know what kind of pumpkin is sold in stores that are cut into large wedges? They are labelled as Ontario pumpkins, but I have no clue what kind they are… I don’t cook with the jack-o-lantern pumpkins, but this was definitely a pumpkin for cooking. 🙂

This is being submitted to Deb for this week’s Souper Sundays and to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend.

My Favourite Cookbooks (and How to Slim Down to 10)

Rob thinks I can trim my traveling bookcase to less than 20 cookbooks.  I can do it. It is only a year, right? Even though my move is not for a while, I am brainstorming how I would select only 10 cookbooks.

I know cookbooks serve many purposes – to educate about ingredients and how to cook, to share tried-and-true recipes or merely an inspiration for which my own recipes can spring to life. For me, the most important part of the cookbook are the recipes. First and foremost, how do they taste? Next, how hard are the recipes? Are there multiple steps and how long will it take to make them? In addition, what kind of ingredients do I need? Surprisingly, I don’t feel the need for multiple photos. I read cookbooks, instead of glossing through them as picture books. I obviously adjust the recipes to suit my own tastes, and share my adapted recipes on this blog.

With that in mind, I thought I would share my favourite cookbooks and the recipes I have really enjoyed from each (no duds listed here!). Any killer recipes I’ve missed? Not that I need more cookbooks, but what are your must-keep cookbooks?

1. Radiant Health, Inner Wealth by Tess Challis {vegan}

My kitchen was revolutionized when I discovered Tess’ cookbooks. Fresh, flavourful food without too much fuss. Here are the recipes I recommend from her 3 cookbooks.

– Chicky Baby Seasoning (this is the best stock substitute and I use it all the time!)
– Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary and Garlic (recipe elsewhere)
– Baked Lemon Cilantro Pakoras
– Creamy Low-Fat Hummus
– Edamame Miso Dip
– Indian-Spiced Superseed Porridge
– Lemon Ginger Miso Soup
– Mango-Cucumber Spring Rolls with Thai sweet chili sauce
– Zucchini Chips to Dry For (recipe elsewhere)
– 15-Minute Zippy Garlic-Basil Marinara with Zucchini Noodles
– Shiitake, Walnut, and Cranberry Salad with Adzuki Beans
– Moroccan Quinoa
– Chili Lime Noodles
– THE Peanut Sauce (original recipe elsewhere)
– Mediterranean Collard Wrap with Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fresh Greek Delight, original recipe elsewhere)
– Alethea’s Caribbean Black Beans
– Rosemary White Beans with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
– Dolmadas
– Fat-Free Red Lentils and Spinach with Tamarind
– Zesty Unfried Refried Beans
– Tamarind Chutney
– Easy Indian Mung Beans (recipe elsewhere)
– Dillicious Yellow Tofu
– Saag “Paneer”
– Thai Tropical Fruit and Tofu Salad
– Moroccan Barley and Pea Shoot Salad
– Black Bean, Cilantro and Apricot Salad
– Spinach, Orange, and Toasted Almond Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette
– Toasted Sesame Orange Teriyaki Vegetable and Quinoa Bowl
– Red Lentil, Spinach and Lemon Soup
– Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
– Raw Mixed Berry Crisp
– Tropical Mango Pie
– Everything Nice Popcorn (recipe elsewhere)

2. The Two Week Wellness Solution by Tess Challis {vegan}

– Apple Pie Amaranth Oatmeal
– Savory Sage and Red Lentil Soup
– Moroccan French Lentils
– Warm Mediterranean Chickpea and Spinach Salad
– Almost Raw Asian Kale and Edamame Salad
– Symphonic Mixed Bean Salad
– Lime-Spiked Black Bean and Quinoa Kale Wrap
– Garlicky and Lemony Black-Eyed Pea and Kale Salad
– Sexy Saucy Noodles with Thai Skinny Dipping Sauce
– Shiitake-Basil Spring Rolls
– Raw Cinnamon-Raisin Barley Energy Cookies
– Raw Lemon Barley Energy Cookies

3. Radiance 4 Life by Tess Challis  {vegan}

– Maca My Day
– Dark Chocolate Raspberry Shake
– Strawberry Vanilla Milkshake
– Breakfast Quinoa
– Green Velvet Guacamole (aka Edamame Guacamole)
– Supercharged Hummus
– Onion Dill Miso Dressing
– Miso Healthy Dressing
– Lemon Asparagus Quinoa Toss
– Asparagus Pecan Quinoa Salad with a Maple-Mustard Dressing
– 15-Minute White Bean and Kale Soup
– Holy Shiitake Lentil Soup
– Ginger Lime Carrot Soup (with Sweet Potato Hummus)
– Roasted Garlic Tofu Salad with Cilantro Rice, Black Beans and  a Mango Salsa
– Smoky One Pot Beans and Bulgur with Kale
– Everyday Chicky Gravy (not my favourite)
– Happiness Bowl
– Fast and Forbidden Fried Rice
– Immune Boon Noodles
– Almost Raw Quinoa Toss
– Rosemary Mushroom Risotto, aka Rustic Rebel Risotto
– Hungarian Chickpeas (recipe elsewhere)
– Pineapple Tempeh with Red Rice
– Sweet and Simple Glazed Tempeh
– Heavenly Raw Chocolate Sauce
– Raw Mango Paradise Bars
– Maca Chip Raw Energy Balls
– Cacao-Cacao Chip Cookies (recipe elsewhere)
– Raw Cinnamon Raisin Balls (recipe elsewhere)
– Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies (recipe elsewhere)
– Gingersnap Nuggets

4. Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz {vegan}

I go through periods where I love this cookbook and then I set it down for a while. Not all recipes have been winners, but these have been my favourites.

– Cool Slaw (recipe elsewhere)
– Roasted Beet, Orange and Brown Rice Salad with an Orange Sesame Vinaigrette
– Sushi Roll Edamame Collard Wrap with Green Onion-Miso Vinaigrette
– Smoky Split Pea Soup (I preferred this soup)
– Hottie Black Eyed Peas and Greens (recipe elsewhere)
– Sauteed Kasha and Mushrooms with Dill
– Chickpea Piccata
– Red Lentil and Root Veggie Dal
– White Bean, Quinoa and Kale Stew with Fennel
– Braised Cabbage with Chorizo Seitan Sausage
– Forty Clove Chickpeas and Broccoli
– Mango BBQ Beans
– Smoky Tempeh and Chard Stew
– Yam and Black Bean Stew with Orange and Cilantro
– Lettuce Wraps with Mustard-Hoisin Tofu Salad (recipe elsewhere, I preferred this tofu recipe)
– Grilled Portobello Burgers (recipe elsewhere, but I preferred this recipe)
– Caribbean Curry Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains (recipe elsewhere)
– Tamarind BBQ Tempeh and Sweet Potatoes

5. Love Soup by Anna Thomas {vegetarian}

It is no secret that I love soup and I love Love Soup by Anna Thomas. All of the soups have been real gems, flavourful and healthy. However, one draw-back is that the recipes are usually pretty long and dirty a lot of dishes.

– Green Soup with Ginger
– Springtime Mushroom Barley Soup (aka Barley, Asparagus, Mushroom and Fennel Soup)
– Pickle Soup
– Finnish Double Pea Stew with Apples
– Caramelized Cabbage Soup (recipe elsewhere)
– Roasted Carrot and Lentil Soup with Harissa and Mint
– Spicy Black Bean Soup with Sweet Red Peppers (recipe elsewhere)
– Spicy Indonesian Yam and Peanut Soup
– Pureed Soup of Carrot and Yam with Citrus and Spices (recipe elsewhere)
– Black Bean Soup with Roasted Red Peppers, Lime and Cilantro
– Warm Lentil and Swiss Chard Salad

6. For the Love of Food by Denis Cotter {vegetarian}

I peruse this cookbook more than I cook from it because while all the recipes are mouth-watering, they typically include multiple steps for one dish. When I do bust them out, though, the recipes have been nice.

– Borlotti Bean, Zucchini and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
– Black Bean Soup with Chocolate and Chillies with an Avocado Salsa (recipe elsewhere)
– Wild Rice Bowl with Ginger-Braised Leeks and a Sweet Pepper, Chilli and Caper Sauce (recipe elsewhere)
– Pan-Seared King Oyster Mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy in a Coconut Tamarind Sauce with a Caramelized Leek and Wasabi Millet Mash
– New Potato, Cauliflower, Chickpea and Green Bean Thai Curry with a Cucumber and Coriander Salsa
– Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chickpeas, Fennel & Leeks (original recipe elsewhere)

7. Olive Trees and Honey by Gil Marks {vegetarian}

This is a collection of Jewish recipes from around the world. What I love about this vegetarian cookbook is that there are plenty of variations with each recipe. Swapping a single spice will transfer a dish from an Indian version to a Syrian delicacy.

– Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions (Mujaddara, Mengedarrah)
– Sephardic Green Beans and Carrots with Tomatoes (Fassoulia)
– Ethiopian Split Pea Puree (Yemesir Aleetcha)

8. 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyers {meat dishes included but lots of veg*n}

This is one daunting of a cookbook but when we tackle it, the results have been great. It is also one reason we have a large collection of spices and beans.

– Sambhar Masala
– Bengali Panch Phoran
– Sesame-Flavoured Blend with Peanuts and Coconut (Maharashtrian Garam Masala)
– Avocado Chutney
– Black Eyed Pea Coconut Curry
– Roulade of Collard Leaves with a Tomato-Mustard Sauce
– Cumin-Scented Pigeon Peas with Mango
– Chana Masala
– Cinnamon-Flavoured Black Eyed Peas (recipe elsewhere)
– Chicken simmered in a pumpkin-lentil sauce with fenugreek (Murghi dhansaak) [made without the chicken] (recipe elsewhere)
– Plantains and Cabbage with Pigeon Peas
– Toasted Split Green Lentils with Spinach
– Chickpeas with Mango Powder
– Minty Rice Layered with Chickpeas and Greens (Chickpea and Spinach Biryani)
– Tempeh Tikka Masala
– Mutter Paneer

9. Rebar by Audrey Alsterburg and Wanda Urbanowicz {vegetarian}

This cookbook has phenomenal soups and salads. Every time I pick it up there is another recipe I bookmark. The long ingredient lists can be daunting but definitely worthwhile.

– Bombay Hummus
– Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Rosemary
– Tomato Tarragon Soup
– Smoky Split Pea Soup with Roasted Garlic and Sage
– Christmas Eve Borscht (or Barszcz)
– Kasha Salad with Roasted Beets and Green Beans in a Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
– Lime-Cilantro Quinoa Corn Salad
– Lemon Miso Tofu and Eggplant
– Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Allspice

10. Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi {vegetarian}

Master of combining new ingredients, this is a great way to try something you have likely never thought of before. A lot of his recipes have been previously published through his column at The Guardian.

– Snowpeas, Snap Peas and Fava Beans in a Tomato-Cardamom Sauce (Mixed Beans with Many Spices and Lovage)
– Pomegranate, Snap Pea and Barley Salad with Dill and Allspice
– Quinoa Wraps with Sweet Potato and Dried Iranian Lime and a Sweet Tahini Dipping Sauce (combination of Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato and Dried Iranian Lime with his Sweet Tahini Sauce)
– Fried Lima Beans with Spinach, Feta and Sumac (recipe elsewhere)
– Roasted Celeriac and Lentils with Hazelnuts and Mint
– Sea Weeds and Greens Salad (aka Kelp Noodles with Wakame and Radish Sprouts)
– Grilled Eggplant and Mango Noodle Salad with a Sweet Chili Dressing
– Cabbage and Kohlrabi Salad
– Ultimate Winter Couscous
– Socca Pissaladière

11. World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey {vegetarian}

While she may be the Queen of Indian cooking, I like this cookbook more for the way it introduces each vegetable rather than the recipes. The lushness from the recipes may be lacking since I typically cut down the oil.

– Chickpeas and Chana dal Cooked Together in a Tamarind-Mint Sauce
– Trinidadian Black-Eyed Pea Stew
– Nigerian Red Kidney Bean Stew with a Peanut Sauce (recipe elsewhere)
– Red Lentil Dal with Zucchini

When I originally made my list, I mis-numbered the titles, so I had a bonus cookbook. Oops!  Other cookbooks still in the running:

The Joy of Cooking because I like the intro to all the vegetables. Although I have only made one recipe:

– Spaetzle

Big Vegan because it is a comprehensive cookbook and all the recipes have been nice so far:

– Hazelnut-Sage Pesto
– Creamy Spinach and White Bean Dip
– Sunshine Carrot Tofu Scramble with Spinach
– Roasted Vegetable Ribollita
– Rasta Pasta
– Jamaican Tofu Chowder with Collards
– Japanese Okonomiyaki Veggie Pancake
– Seitan Burgundy Stew with Parsnips (not my favourite)
– Roasted Tofu and Veggie Curry in Garlicky Coconut Gravy (not my favourite, the sauce disappeared)
– Baby Quinoa (Kaniwa) Bowl with Cranberry Jicama Salsa and Sweet Squash Puree (original recipe for quesadillas here)
– Tuscan White Bean and Wheatberry Stew

Vegan Eats World, because most of the recipes have been great and I have made a lot:

– Pressed Baked Tofu
– Five Spice Seitan
– Smoked Hazelnut Spice Dip with Jicama (Dukka)
– Mexican Pumpkin Seed Pate (Sikil Pak)
– Venezuelan-Style Tofu Sofrito Scramble
– Fluffy Scrambled Chickpea “Eggs” with Shallots (Ethiopian But’techa)
– Luscious White Bean and Celery Root Puree
– Ninja Miso Carrot Ginger Dressing
– Sweet Autumn Toasted Pita and Kale Salad
– Smoky Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup (Shchi) (recipe elsewhere)
– Pumpkin Black Bean Posole Stew
– Freekeh and Millet Pilaf
– Sesame Wow Greens, a spin on oshitashi
– Fastlane Kimchi (cut down on the red pepper flakes, please, half is still plenty)
– Breakfast Banh Mi Sandwich with Star Anise Pickled Daikon
– Double Mushroom Glass Noodles with Baby Bok Choy (Jap Chae)
– Fresh Noodle Soup in Sesame Miso Broth
– Curry Noodle Soup with Oyster Mushrooms (Curry Laksa)
– Rice Paper Rolls with Kale and Pear and Peanut Coconut Sauce
– Coconut Black Eye Bean Curry (Lobia)
– Island Coconut Brown Rice and Peas
– Pumpkin Coconut Curry
– Flying Massaman Curry
– Pineapple Curry
– Kimchi Tofu Eggplant Stew (Jigae)
– Lentils in Berbere Sauce (Yemiser W’et)
– The Great Big Vegetable Couscous
– White Bean Farro Soup with Chickpea Parmigiano
– Yellow Split Peas with Chard and Tomatoes
– Eggplant Shakshuka with Tahini Sauce

How to decide what to bring?  What’s more high yield? The cookbooks that I haven’t cooked much out of? I also garner a lot of inspiration from other bloggers, and have a lot of bookmarked recipes. Therefore, even if I leave a few good cookbooks at home, there are still plenty of recipes to keep me inspired. I just can’t curl up with my laptop before bedtime. In any case, I have amalgamated a fabulous table of contents for me to refer to when I crave some tried-and-true recipes from my favourite authors. I probably should make an index for my entire site, too! 🙂

I am curious, do any of you use e-cookbooks?

Raw Sweet Potato Mushroom Sliders

Would you go to a steakhouse for an upscale vegan experience?

It seems so counter-intuitive, eh?

My buddies were eager to dine out during Winterlicious and when I checked the menus there was only one that had vegan options: Prime, the steakhouse at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Yorkville.

I was hesitant, though. Could a steakhouse really have great vegan food? It turns out that they recently hired Doug McNish, Raw Aura‘s former vegan chef that catapulted raw food into my dream books. He added a complete vegan menu at Prime, so I was confident that this would not be subpar vegan eats.

I priced out their Winterlicious menu. It turned out it was cheaper to pick from their standard vegan menu than to limit oneself to the vegan options on fixed price menu, especially since there was overlap between the options.

I opted to try the wild mushroom and pearl barley risotto with crispy sage and truffle oil as a starter. It was decadent and delicious. It was also rich and filling, so I decided to pace myself and take half of it home. Rob tried the nori rolls stuffed with a creamy ginger dill sunflower seed pate but we didn’t find them that exceptional.

For our mains, I happily munched on the herbed portobello mushroom and tempeh burger which was the highlight of the night. I have never had such a flavourful veggie burger. Unfortunately, the sweet potato fries were subpar, even after I asked for fresh ones since mine were cold. They also forgot to give me the sun-dried tomato aioli, but I am glad I reminded them because it was really good with the burger.

Rob had been pining over the cornmeal crusted tempeh steaks, spiced sweet potato coconut mash, steamed greens with caramelized onion and cherry tomato relish but we both found it lackluster. I suppose we’ve been spoiled by great vegan eats from Blossom Cafe, Candle 79 and Pure Food and Wine in NYC.

For dessert, I was salivating the vegan Mango Cheesecake with a Raspberry Coulis. When I packed my risotto earlier, I wanted to make room for this dessert. However, it was bad. It was uber sweet but in a dry icing sugar kind of way. Turns out, I can make a better version at home anyhow (remember those Mango Paradise Bars?)

So, the winning dish that night was the mushroom and tempeh burger and that is what inspired me to try my hand at Susan’s Raw Sweet Potato Mushroom “Sliders” for Rob’s birthday party.

I enjoy raw food because the flavours really pop. At Prime, although their meals are not raw, their tempeh burger had great flavours mingling together which is what captured me into the dish. Here, these mini burgers are flavoured with shiitake mushrooms, sage, rosemary, garlic with bulk from pumpkin seeds and sweet potato. They don’t require a long dehydration time since you want to maintain some moisture. Don’t have a dehydrator? I bet they could easily be baked for 15 minutes or so but I can’t say for sure.

I ate my sliders as mini sandwiches with a slice of tomato as the base, followed by a bed of alfalfa sprouts. The slider was then topped with a smear of avocado with a touch of salt. Delicious!

This is being submitted to this month’s Veggie/Fruit A Month featuring sweet potatoes, to this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday for mushrooms and to this week’s Wellness Weekend.

Finnish Double Pea Stew with Apples

Guess who biked to work yesterday? With highs of 18C, a nice rain on Monday to get rid of the salt, I was almost feverish in excitement to finally start biking to work!

I know it is only a teaser, though… Warmer weather alone does not make spring. Especially if it only lasts a week.

There are many ingredients I associate with spring: Baby greens. Arugula. Asparagus. Carrots. And peas.

Since the fresh, local produce hasn’t made its way to the forefront just yet, you can approximate springtime with this hybrid of a stew adapted from Love Soup: Finnish Double Pea Soup with Apples (original recipe here). It is a wonderful merriment of a hearty stick-in-your-ribs winter split pea stew combined with a sprinkling of spring with fresh (or in my case, frozen) peas (I used the sweeter petit pois from President’s Choice). Apples also add a hit of sweetness without being too discernible. The vinegar and mustard temper and balance the soup extremely well along with a whiff of nutmeg and coriander. The flavours are not over-the-top but they marry very well.

This is my submission to this month’s My Kitchen, My World featuring dishes from Finland, to This Week’s Cravings (Green), to this week’s Wellness Weekend, to this month’s  Gimme Green event and to Deb for this week’s Souper Sundays.

Bengali Toasted Moong Dal with Spinach (Bhaja Moong Palak)

I have talked about my inherited spice drawer before, but I did not tell you how I am positively smitten by it. It is a bit nonuniform as I haphazardly slotted in new spices in a hodge podge of old bottles, but the easy access to rows and rows of alphabetized spices is positively beguiling in its sheer simplicity. I used to have a rack of test-tubes filled with spices. As you can tell, though, my favourite spices cannot be contained within 12 test tubes. When I move, I need to devise a new spice system. The problem? I don’t know what my next kitchen will look like, or what the next one after that will look like… I need something practical, functional and most importantly: adaptable. The Kitchn has some great ideas but nothing that wows me. This one is really cute, but I want something that is both light-proof, air-tight and portable between kitchens. For now, I am thinking of finding similar white-top glass bottles (from Bulk Barn or Solutions) and storing them in a lightproof box.  Do you have a tried-and-true system?

Rob has suggested downsizing my cookbook collection before our move to the US. I suggested 20 cookbooks. He thought I could do better. I have over a year to figure things out or negotiate with him. hehehe.

Thank goodness he hasn’t capped my spices. I have over 50 spices, for sure. Cooking relies on fresh herbs and spices and it is much easier to move a box of spices instead of plants.

I am constantly amazed how a simple change in spices can lead to a completely different meal. In this case, I was curious about using 2 seemingly polar spices together in a savoury dal: cloves and fennel. Who knew that they would work so well together?

The Bengalis, that’s who!

This Toasted Moong Dal with Spinach is a Bengali curry adapted from 660 Curries. Not only is the strong fennel and cloves special to Bengali cuisine, but the lentils (moong dal) are toasted which firms them up. They do not disintegrate like red lentils. Rather, the toasting enhances their nuttiness allows them to keep their shape. This is known as a bhaja. Feel free to substitute your favourite green for the spinach.

Back to the spice issue at hand – what is your favourite way of storing your spices?

This is being submitted to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Ancutza, to this week’s Wellness Weekend and to This Week’s Cravings (Green).

Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole (Guacamole Con Piña y Pepino)

There are many differences between Canadians and Americans. One definitely is due to the Mexican influence on Americans.

Despite posting a few Mexican recipes, I don’t really know much about Mexican cuisine.

Like hummus, everyone has their favourite guac recipe. I haven’t experimented much but I loved this creamy guacamole with edamame.  You see, I don’t buy avocados that often. They are expensive in Canada. I know they are ridiculously cheaper in the US, especially in the Southern states. But for some reason, they have been on sale recently so when Rob went grocery shopping, he came home with over 10 avocados. We were obviously making guacamole for his party!

While the brisket and BBQ jackfruit tacos received high praises, I think this guacamole stole the show. It was the winner of the night.

I want to call this a nontraditional guacamole because it is stuffed with pineapple and cucumber. However, since it is adapted from Truly Mexican, it is probably more authentic than you think. Mexicans know how to accentuate the already delicious avocados into a sweet and spicy salad.

Chunkier than your mashed guacamoles, you have a mingling of sweet pineapple chunks, cool chopped cucumber and chunks of avocado bathed in a lime-chile marinade. Due to the acidity from both the lime juice and the pineapple, this is a guacamole you can make in advance and not worry about it turning an ugly brown.

Make sure you have large chips to scoop up this guac, or if you’re like me, make it into a wrap!

Load a Romaine leaf with guacamole, and top with your favourite toppings – I chose julienned cabbage and carrots, chopped cilantro, pickled red onions, alfalfa sprouts and sunflower seeds.

Don’t have any fixings? It paired beautifully with the BBQ jackfruit as well.

This is being submitted to this month’s Simple and In Season, to this month’s Herbs on Saturday bloghop, to this week’s Weekend Wellness, to this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday for pineapple and to this month’s Gimme Green event.

Carolina BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork” Wraps with Pickled Red Onions

Rob likes to have dinner themes for his birthday parties. Last year, it was Japanese.

We had planned on going Ethiopian this year, as it is the theme of our current neighbourhood. However, we changed our minds at the last minute because I wasn’t in the mood to cook up 5 different cooked dishes.

While I can dream up menus for days on end, they involve vegan dishes. Rob knew that some of our guests might balk at the lack of meat, so he offered to make a Southwestern Pulled Brisket in the slow cooker. With his meal chosen, I crafted the remainder of the menu with it in mind.

Therefore, this year it was a hodge podge of Southern US and Mexican dishes, foreshadowing our next, next move to Texas in 2013. My (not so) discerning palate can’t tell the difference between Texan and Carolina BBQ styles, but I can tell you how delicious everything turned out.

I was initially hesitant, but Rob encouraged me to try my hand at jackfruit carnitas.  We had all the fixings for great tacos for the brisket, so why not have another filling, too?

I eventually settled on a recipe for Carolina BBQ-inspired pulled “pork” from Jessica.

Jackfruit is a fruit from Southeast Asia. Rob tells me it tastes like bubble gum. While the ripe fruit is sweet, you can buy canned young jackfruit in brine, which is quite flavourless. It has been used as a meat substitute due to its texture. After being cooked, it pulls apart into stringy bits akin to pulled pork and beef brisket.

While Rob’s brisket took 8 hours in the slow cooker, my BBQ jackfruit pulled “pork” took an hour, tops.

They key of the recipe is the spice blend, and here we used a plethora of spices to capture a Southern BBQ flavour: sweet smoked paprika, Aleppo chili flakes, mustard, tomato and red pepper pastes, tamarind and vinegar for some tang and sweetness from the maple syrup (yes, that’s 4/8 of my favourite ingredients in one sauce!). Such a glorious BBQ flavour with a bit of a kick. Chile heads, again, feel free to use the suggested cayenne, but I though it was plenty spicy without it.  Dry frying brought out the flavours from the dry spices, then a slow simmer expanded the saucy flavours. Baking it firmed up the jackfruit so that it was more akin to pork.

As the jackfruit bakes, or if you are more inclined to make the brisket (it had rave, rave reviews, btw, and Rob loved its sheer simplicity to prepare), make some pickled red onions. I know many people shun fresh red onions, and a quick marinade in vinegar with some salt and sugar can really bring out their flavour. We used the recipe suggested by Deb.

Both the brisket and BBQ jackfruit pulled pork was served with an assortment of toppings – shredded Romaine, chopped tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, sliced cabbage, avocado and the pickled red onions. While we had roti and pitas for guests, I opted to make wraps with Romaine lettuce leaves. The jackfruit was so flavourful that you didn’t need so much per wrap. While Rob’s 3 lbs of beef brisket easily fed 10 people, my 20 oz of jackfruit served more like 2-4 people, depending on how many toppings you added.

Next time, I think I will try my hand at socca taco shells, which Laura made for her jackfruit tacos.

This is being submitted to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Cristina, to this week’s Healthy Vegan Fridays, and to this week’s Weekend Wellness.