Author Archives: vanessa

Baked Quinoa Patties

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2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup finely chopped kale
1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (toasted) cumin
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup bread crumbs, plus more if needed
water or a bit of flour, if needed
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400F / 200C.

Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, dill, kale, onion, garlic, and cumin. Stir well.

Add the baking powder and bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Gently stir in the feta.

At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into twelve 1-inch / 2.5cm thick patties. I err on the very moist side because it makes for a not-overly-dry patty, but you can add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture, if need be. Conversely, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture. If you’re still having trouble getting the mixture to hold – mix in flour, a couple tablespoons at a time.

Oil a baking sheet, and arrange the patties with a bit of space between each. Bake for ~20 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown. Flip and bake for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy hot, or allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.

2 1/2 cups / 12 oz /340 g cooked quinoa, at room temperature*
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup/ .5 oz /15 g finely chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup /.5 oz /15 g finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup / 1.5 oz /45 g finely chopped kale
1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (toasted) cumin
1 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup / 3.5 oz /100 g whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed
water or a bit of flour, if needed

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g crumbled feta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

Indonesian Rice Salad

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1/3 cup peanut oil
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1-2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. crushed pepper
2 tbsp. rice or cider vinegar
1 cup chopped pineapple

Stir in:
scallions
red pepper
peanuts
sesame seeds

Braised Lentils and Sausage

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  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 lb lean Italian sausages
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups low sodium chicken or beef stock
  • 1 tsp. dry Italian seasoning
  • grape or cherry tomatoes (2/3 cup)
  • 1 bunch kale or chard, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
  2. In a large ovenproof skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil and brown sausages on all sides. Transfer to a plate (they donʼt need to be cooked through at this point) and set aside. Add another 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil to skillet and cook the onion over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until soft and turning golden. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add lentils, 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) stock and Italian seasoning, and stir to combine. Once stock is heated through, add tomatoes to skillet, and gently nestle sausages into mixture.
  3. Cover skillet with a lid or foil, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 35 minutes. Remove lid, add more stock if needed, and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes. Take skillet out of oven, and move sausages to one side or set them aside on plate again. Stir chopped kale into the lentil mixture, ensuing kale is well distributed and coated with liquid. Return sausages to skillet. The lentil mixture should have a fair bit of liquid without being soupy. Add a little more stock to the pan if needed. Place the uncovered pan back in the oven for 8 -10 minutes, or until the kale is cooked through and tender.
  4. Taste and add salt, if needed. Serve immediately in shallow bowls. If the sausages are very large, they can be cut into hearty slices or chunks before being served.

Baked Tofu

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1 or more (16-ounce) containers extra-firm tofu

Marinade (optional):
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
Other marinade ideas: minced ginger, minced garlic, lemon or lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce (thinned with water)

  1. Press the tofu: Remove the tofu from its packaging and pat dry with paper towels or a dish cloth. Line a plate with a paper towel and set the tofu on top. Set a small plate on top of the tofu and weigh it down with something heavy, like a 28-ounce can of tomatoes. Press for 15 to 30 minutes. You will see liquid collect around the tofu.
  2. Cut the tofu into pieces: Remove the weight and drain off the excess liquid. Slice the pressed tofu into cubes, thin slices, or sticks, depending on how you plan to use the tofu.
  3. Marinate the tofu (optional): To give the tofu extra flavor, marinate the tofu pieces for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Transfer the marinade and the tofu to a shallow container. Gently toss the cubes until coated with the marinate. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If marinating longer, toss the tofu occasionally to marinate evenly.
  4. Heat the oven: When ready to bake the tofu, heat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
  5. Bake the tofu: Arrange the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. The tofu can be close, but try to avoid pieces touching each other. The tofu will shrink as it bakes. Bake until the outside of the tofu is golden and the pieces look slightly puffed, 20 to 45 minutes depending on the size and shape of your tofu. Toss the tofu every 10 minutes so the pieces bake evenly. The longer you bake the tofu, the chewier it will be.
  6. Cool and store: If serving immediately, serve while still warm. If saving the tofu for later, let it cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a refrigerator container. The tofu will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Baba Ghanoush

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  • 3 whole Medium Eggplants
  • 4 Tablespoons Tahini
  • 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
  • 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good Quality)
  • 1/3 cup Fresh Parsley, Minced

IMPORTANT: Prick the surface of each eggplant several times with the tines of a fork.
On the grill or under the broiler (set to high) blacken/char the eggplant for 25 minutes or so. You want the skin to be completely shriveled and dark, and the eggplant almost fall-apart tender. Just when you think it’s shriveled, let it go another five minutes.
Set them aside to cool slightly.  When cool, peel off skin enough to get a spoon into each eggplant and scrape out the flesh into a bowl. Mash eggplant with a fork. A few large chunks are fine, but try to get it to a relatively smooth texture without being totally pureed.
Add in all other ingredients, stirring and tasting before adjusting seasonings or other ingredients.

Cold Noodles with Ginger, Miso and Lime

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Noodles and vegetables
8 ounces buckwheat noodles
A mixture of raw vegetables of your choice (such as carrots, cucumbers, radishes or daikon; see Note for more suggestions)

Sauce
2 to 3 tbsp miso
2″piece ginger, finely grated
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp ground cayenne, or to taste
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice

Cook the noodles in well-salted water until tender but firm for the time recommended on your package of noodles.  Meanwhile, grate, julienne or thinly slice vegetables of your choice.  Drain noodles and run cold water over them to cool. Drain again, shaking out excess water.

Make the dressing by whisking the smaller amount of miso plus the remaining sauce ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust to make sweeter (with more sugar) or more intense and salty (with the last tablespoon of miso) if desired.

Maple-Glazed Salmon

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  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 4 tsp grainy mustard
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 lb salmon fillet

In small bowl, combine maple syrup, mustard and soy sauce. Arrange salmon on foil- or parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet; spoon glaze over fish.

Fish

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There are lot of different grilling options for fish—cedar plank, basket, right on the grate—but whichever method you chose, it’s important to know when your fish is fully cooked and ready to be served. And it’s not as easy as it sounds! Many cooks are overwhelmed when working with delicate and temperamental pieces of fish. Here are a few tips for fish grilling that will help you steer clear of too dry or too raw and land on ‘just right’!

 

Watch the clock

There’s no magic grilling time for anything, but the rule of thumb for fish is to cook it for eight minutes per inch of thickness for steaks and fillets and 10 minutes if you’re grilling a whole fish. Sticking close to that time frame will remove some stressful guesswork from the equation.

Check the colour

There are certain colour cues you can watch for when working with fish. If you’re cooking it with the skin on, wait until it browns and pulls slightly away from the flesh before you flip it to cook the second side. When the fish turns slightly opaque it’s ready to come off the grill completely.

Use the “flip and poke” test


If you’re nervous about judging from colour alone, you can get a little more physical with your fish. Lift the corner with a metal spatula and if it doesn’t stick, it’s ready to be flipped. If you feel resistance, your fish needs more time. When you’ve cooked the second side, poke it carefully with a fork or the tip of the knife. The flesh should flake apart easily. Just make sure you test the thickest piece so you know it’s cooked all the way through.

Check the temperature

You can also insert a meat thermometer into the fish to check if it’s cooked. It should be about 140 degrees. But be careful that you don’t split your fillets—fish is much more delicate than meat when cooked and can easily fall apart on the grill.

Take it off early

For superior results, pull your fish off the grill a few minutes before it’s completely done, when it’s still slightly translucent. It will continue to cook as it cools down, achieving the perfect texture. You can always toss your fish back on the grill if it’s slightly underdone, but you can’t salvage a dry, overcooked product.

 

Nothing says summer like throwing an entire fish on the barby; especially if you caught it yourself. It’s arguably the best tasting way to cook a fish and it’s one of the easiest way to cook it. Here’s how to take all the guesswork out of it.

Slash it

Cut a few diagonal slashes on each side of the fish and place on the grill grate for anywhere from 5-15 minutes per side depending on its size and thickness. A fish that’s stuffed with vegetables or grains will generally take long than plain fish.
Stuff it

Put some salt and pepper on the fish as well as a bit of salt inside the cavity. Then stuff the cavity with whatever your recipe calls for: sliced lemons, limes or oranges, thinly sliced fennel, fresh herbs, chilis—just about anything you want can go in there.
Oil it

Now coat the fish with a tablespoon of olive oil—this will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. It’s equally important to make sure the grill is clean and to brush some oil on it as well.

Grill it

When the skin is crisp and brown, poke the thickest part of the fish with a small knife. When the knife goes in without any resistance, use a spatula (brushed with oil on both sides) to gently flip it. Grill for another 5-15 minutes until the meat on the second side is just opaque and cooked to the bone.

Curried Chicken and Apple Wrap

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1/3 cup mango chutney
1/3 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 tbsp. curry powder
chopped apples
lime juice
n a large bowl, combine the chutney, yogurt, curry powder, apples, lime juice, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.  Add the green onions, chicken, hot sauce, if using, lettuce and apples.

Spoon the filling into the center of each wrap, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold the bottom flap of the wrap up and over the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling.

Hot Sweet Mustard

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1/4 c. dry mustard
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. water
1/3 c. vinegar
Mix mustard with a little water. Allow to stand. Mix cornstarch, sugar, salt with remainder of water until smooth. Add vinegar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add mustard and mix well. Makes 1 cup.