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Don't let a crummy kitchen get you down

Capt Mike and I are in the process of moving. Don't worry...I'll wait while you go and set your clocks. Alright....back?

As I was saying, we're in the process of moving, and because our closing dates don't quite match up, we're staying in a short-term, furnished rental unit. It's a crummy apartment downtown, and they've used the term "furnished" quite loosely. We have three mismatched plates, 7 mismatched glasses, 1 giant glass bowl, the world's smallest non-stick frying pan, and a smattering of assorted spatulas, spoons, and utensils. It is, for all intents and purposes, a crummy kitchen, not unlike the ones Capt Mike and I each had when we first met.

But just because you have a crummy kitchen, that doesn't mean you can't still be an adventurous, health-conscious cook. Thus, I give you our most recent recipe creation: Chorizo and Brown Rice Stuffed Mini-Peppers

Stuffed Mini-Peppers

1 bag President's Choice miniature bell peppers (approximately 12 peppers)
1 hot italian or chorizo sausage, uncooked
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Wash peppers and remove tops to make 12 tiny bowls. Set aside.
3. Remove sausage from casing. Cook in non-stick skillet over high heat until cooked, about 5 minutes, seasoning with garlic to taste.
4. In a large bowl, combine sausage, rice, and feta. Mix well. Spoon 1 tbsp of mixture into each pepper shell. Place in a non-stick baking dish.
5. Bake until peppers are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings. Pairs nicely with a mixed green salad.

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Cuckoo for couscous

I didn't really start enjoying couscous until recently. I used to pick it out of my tabouleh if I thought there was too much of it. But I have since realized that sometimes it's a nice substitute for other starches like rice, pasta, or potatoes. As a result, Capt Mike and I now eat it on a fairly regular basis, most often in the form of this simple, flavourful salad.

Couscous Salad

1 cup whole wheat couscous (I use President's Choice brand)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
4 Lebanese/baby cucumbers, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (or 4 plum tomatoes, chopped)
4 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Pour dry couscous in the bottom of a large mixing boil. Add hot water, stir, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Fluff moistened couscous with a fork, then mix parsley, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber.

3. Dress with the lemon juice and olive oil, and toss to coat.

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Feeling a little exotic

Often when Capt Mike is away, I find myself less than inspired in the kitchen. However, rather than falling back on old bad habits, or resorting to evening meals consisting entirely of cereal, I am attempting to continue to make healthy, satisfying meals during his current absence.

So far this week, I've been feeling a little exotic. Capt Mike hates lamb (unless it's ground and spiced beyond the point of recognition), so I decided to take the opportunity with him away to indulge in some lamb chops.

Spiced lamb chops with minted peas

8 fresh lamb chops (~1.5 lbs)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
2 cups peas
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Mix together turmeric, cumin, and coriander to create a dry spice rub. Press into chops, both sides.
3. Brush a non-stick skillet with olive oil. Sear chops in pan, 2 min per side. Remove to a non-stick baking sheet, and continue cooking in oven for 5 min (or until desired doneness).
4. Remove excess grease from skillet, and sauté shallots until soft. Stir in peas, and cook through for 4-5 minutes. With the back of a wooden spoon, mash peas slightly as you stir them. Remove from heat, stir in fresh mint. Serve immediately alongside lamb.

Additions may include homemade tzatziki sauce or couscous salad (recipes to be posted later).

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I can't believe it's not cabbage

Actually, you will believe it's not cabbage, but you probably won't believe it's actually broccoli. In fact, it's broccoslaw!

Broccoslaw

1/2 bag of President's Choice Broccoli slaw (or similar product)
1/2 cup raisins or plain "Craisins"
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1. To make dressing, combine sour cream, vinegar, and pepper in a large bowl.

2. Add raisins, walnuts, and slaw mix. Toss well to coat evenly with dressing.

Yield: Approximately four 1 cup servings

We had this last night with turkey meatloaf (a recipe for another day?), and couscous. The raisins give a nice hint of sweetness, so you don't have to add sugar to your dressing. The amount of dressing is just enough to coat the slaw without making it soggy or overly creamy, like you might find at your local chicken shack. Any leftover, undressed slaw mix can be used to make more slaw, or can be cooked up in a convenient stirfry. I'm using our leftovers tonight to steam up to accompany some garlicky, broiled salmon.

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Fun with fennel

I was asked to bring a vegetable side dish to a dinner last night. I knew the hostess was serving a chicken dish, rice, and a salad, but I was quite sure what would go best with everything. I thought about playing it safe with green beans or something along those lines, and then I thought "screw safe". I am going to give something a little different a try.

For those of you unfamiliar with fennel (the vegetable, not the seeds in jars in the spice aisle), it has a VERY mild licorice flavour, and looks kind of like dill sprouting out of the tops of celery that are sprouting out of the top of an onion. It is a great accompaniment to Italian sausages, fish...and chicken, which is why I chose it.

Fennel au Gratin

2 fennels bulbs, trimmed of their stalks (the "dill" can be reserved for seasoning)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 large shallots, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup goat cheese (chèvre) or similar soft, mild cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Remove any tough outer parts of the fennel skin, and cut bulbs in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 5 or 6 wedges.

3. Place fennel in a medium saucepan, and cover with chicken stock. Season with fennel dill, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring stock to a low boil, and braise fennel until tender, about 12 minutes.

4. Drain fennel and set aside.

5. Lightly brush a shallow baking dish with olive oil. Scatter shallots in bottom of dish, and arrange braised fennel in a single layer over shallots. Cover with tinfoil, and bake for 10 minutes.

6. Prepare béchamel sauce: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in milk, making sure no lumps form. Place milk mixture back over medium heat, season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste, and stir until mixture reaches a boil and begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and mix in goat cheese until melted.

7. Remove fennel from the oven, and pour the béchamel over it in an even layer.

8. Broil dish under high heat for 5 minutes, or until béchamel becomes bubbly and light golden on top.

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Slow roasted

Last night's side dish isn't a typically quick and easy weekday dish, and would likely be best attempted for the first time on a weekend when you can check in at the kitchen every once in a while.

Root Vegetable Gratin

1 medium turnip, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup cream
1 tbsp olive oil
8 low sodium saltine crackers, crushed
fresh ground pepper
salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Coat a deep casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Place squash slices in casserole dish in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Repeat with turnip, then sweet potato, and continue altering until all of the vegetable slices have been used.
5. Pour stock over vegetables, and cover dish tightly with lid or foil.
6. Bake for 1 h.
7. Remove foil, and pour cream over vegetables. Cover and again and return to oven for 30 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and olive oil. Spread crumb mixture over vegetables. Broil on high for 2 min, until crumbs are golden brown. (This last step can be done just before serving, after having prepared the casserole earlier in the day or the night before.)

Try it with different combinations of root vegetables, and alter the seasoning to your liking. Ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon will have the house smelling like fresh-baked pumpkin pie!

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Is that a ball in my soup, or are you just happy to see me?

It's getting to look a lot like fall around here, so tonight I decided that I would take advantage of a local sale on kale and create a hearty bowl of meatball soup for dinner. Making the meatballs took about 15 minutes. Cooking the soup took another 30. So what if I'm not Rachael Ray? It's still not that long, and meatballs can be prepared ahead of time if so desired.

Turkey Meatball Soup with Kale

Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
5 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp pine nuts, crushed (optional)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1. Knead together all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Form into balls approximately 1.5 inches in diameter (slightly smaller than a golf ball; 1 lb of meat yielded 24 balls for us tonight).
3. Refrigerate until needed.

Soup
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
8 cups chicken broth, reduced sodium variety
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed well and drained (I like legumes, but pasta could be substituted)
1 bunch fresh kale, washed, rinsed, and roughly chopped into bitesized pieces
Meatballs

1. Over medium heat, cook onion, garlic, carrot, chili flakes, and oregano until vegetables are soft.
2. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Carefully add meatballs, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add beans (or pasta) and kale. Bring back to a boil, and continue to simmer until meatballs are cooked through and kale is thoroughly wilted.

A note on Kale
Kale describes a number of leafy green vegetables popular in many European and Asian dishes. The Russian variety was introduced to Canada in the 19th century. It is a member of the Brassica species, and therefore related to other greens such as broccoli, cabbage, and collard greens. It is extremely high in vitamins A, C, K, and beta-carotene. It also contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have anti-cancer properties. And, it's fairly cheap this time of year.

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Quick and easy...and meat-free

I am not a vegetarian by any stretch. I love meat. The taste; the smell of it roasting, searing, or grilling away. I love meat. But I don't need to eat it at every meal, and I actually quite enjoy meat-free meals from time to time. Those times, however, are rare occasions now that I share cooking duty with an avowed carnivore.

So, when Capt Mike is away, I make some of the dishes I don't get to eat very often. (To be fair, when I am away, Capt Mike gets to indulge in a wide variety of pork products, Kraft dinner, and Lipton SideKicks...we all have our comfort foods.) Today, after taking the puppies on two 3 km hikes through the woods, I wasn't in much of a mood to stand over a hot stove for any length of time, so I hauled out one of my favourite old stand bys: black bean quesadillas. I should point out that Capt Mike has actually tried these, and quite liked them...with a side of meat. ;-)

Black bean quesadillas

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green chilis
1 clove fresh garlic, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp garlic powder
4 green onions, roughly chopped
Cooking spray, olive oil variety
Shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese
Soft tortillas
Salsa to garnish

1. In a food processor, combine beans, chilis, garlic, and onions. Blend until you have a thick, not-quite-smooth paste.

2. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium flame.

3. Spread ~2 Tbsp of bean mixture over surface of tortilla. Sprinkle ~1 tsp cheese on half of tortilla, and fold over to create a semi-circle shape.

4. Place quesadillas in hot pan, and cook until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

5. Serve with your favourite salsa and a salad.

Buen apetito!

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Finger lickin' grilled chicken wraps

Tonight's dinner always gets a thumbs up from Capt Mike. (Dexter and Zeppelin can't eat spicy foods, but I am sure they'd enjoy a toned-down version.) Capt Mike, who I suspect has an undiagnosed tape worm, eats 4 of these in a sitting--I eat one, with lots of salad. We usually have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Grilled chicken wraps

1 lb chicken breast (approx. two breasts)
1 jalapeno pepper (optional if you don't like heat)
1 cubanelle or other mild variety of pepper
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 tsbp chives (preferably fresh; optional)
4 tbsp low fat sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
8 soft tortillas

1. Grill jalapeno and cubanelle over medium flame until lightly browned on the outside. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool before cutting into strips.

2. Grill chicken breasts until cooked through. Slice cooked chicken into thin strips.

3. Mix together chives and sour cream, seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. (Personally, I don't use salt.)

4. Construct wraps: Spread ~1 tsp of sour cream mixture on tortilla; Fill with a couple of slices the grilled chicken, a few strips of the grilled pepper, romaine lettuce, avocado, and red onion. Fold into a "burrito", and enjoy. (Each wrap will contain ~1/4 of a chicken breast, ~1/2 cup of romaine lettuce, 1/8 of an avocado, and ~1 tsp sour cream.)

Low fat, high fibre, no sacrificing flavour.

Notes about avocado

Most people know avocado as being a high-fat fruit. While this is true, its also incredibly high in fibre. One cup of avocado contains 240 calories, 22 g of fat, and 10 g of fibre. Not many of us chow down on a whole cup in one sitting though, so don't let the fat content scare you away form this tasty, nutritious source of vitamins and minerals.

Avocadoes can be expensive in northern climates (i.e., Canada) during the winter months. To stretch your avocado, why not try turning it into a guacamole-esque spread for your wraps or sandwiches as an alternative to mayonnaise? Avocado mashed with lemon or lime juice and a hint of garlic can be just the thing to jazz up boring turkey, chicken, or roast beef.

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Harvest Festival 2009: Sandbanks Winery

Last Wednesday was my birthday (Happy birthday, me!), but Capt Mike and I put off celebrating until the weekend. And how does one appropriately mark 31 years on the planet? Why, with manual labour, of course!

Capt Mike, Dave, Joyce, and I participated in the 2009 Harvest Festival at Sandbanks Winery. We picked their grapes, they plied us with food and drink. As big a proponent of healthy eating as I am, I cannot tell you the sheer pleasure experienced by indulging in a free glass of riesling at 10:30 in the morning.

Unfortunately, we have no pictures from the day to share. As ever, we charged the batteries, but forgot to bring the camera. But I can tell you that should you ever get the chance to visit Prince Edward County in the early fall, the grape harvest is an event not to be missed. Helping out your neighbours in return for free wine: the ultimate win-win scenario.

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Comfort food (without the extra cushioning)

After writing yesterday's post, I had an idea: if I am really going to be a part of the solution, I should do more than just post one recipe (tasty and easy to prepare as it may be). Not that I am a great chef, or even a particularly good cook... but I am willing to experiment and inflict the results on my unsuspecting husband and dogs, and post the recipes that get the Capt Mike stamp of approval here for you to enjoy. (Dexter and Zeppelin do not have particularly discriminating tastes when it comes to what they eat, so their votes don't really count.)

Without further ado, I give you last night's dinner:

UnCorned Beef and Cabbage

1 lb inside round beef roast
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
1 tsp coarse salt
2 Tbsp mustard seed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lb baby potatoes
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
1 head green cabbage, cored and shredded
Pickled beets and mustard for garnish

1. Combine salt and pepper, and rub over entire roast.
2. Place roast in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Cover with water (or beef stock/water mixture for added flavour). Add remaining spices, and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and cover to let simmer for 40 min.
3. Add carrots and potatoes to pot, and continue cooking for 5 min.
4. Add cabbage to pot, and continue cooking until the root vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork (about 5-10 min).
5. Remove from heat, and strain meat and vegetables from liquid. A small amount of liquid can be reserved as an "au jus" to pour over the meat.
6. Slice roast thinly, and serve on a bed of cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Garnish with mustard, pickled beets, or other condiments of your choice.

Notes about cabbage
Cabbage is extremely high in vitamins C and K, even after cooking. It is also a great source of dietary fibre and folic acid. When choosing a cabbage in the store, look for one with crisp, tightly packed leaves that are not cracked. Avoid storing your cabbage already cut or shredded, as this will decrease its vitamin C content.

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There really is a first time for everything

Today marks a first for Capt Mike and I. After slaving over a hottish stove for a good 40 minutes or so, we agreed that the salmon dish I had prepared was crap, and opted for delivery instead.
Now, I do not fancy myself a chef per se (despite applying for cooking school in Belleville... a girl's gotta do something to keep herself busy in Trenton, right?), but I am a pretty decent cook. I like to experiment in the kitchen, and usually the results are pretty tasty: roasted red pepper risotto on a bed of sautéed spinach, with Italian sausage meatballs; "teriyaki" salmon fillets; lemon-dill halibut steaks. I also like to try things I've seen on TV, particularly if they are touted as healthy and easy to make. So how was I to know that the salmon, spinach, and leek bake I borrowed from "You are what you eat" would end up tasting exactly like it was a recipe from a second-rate British cable show, and not haute cuisine?
In my own defence, never before has Capt Mike opted in favour of take-out over something I've made the effort of preparing myself. He's always game to try new things, and I like to challenge our palates with new flavours as often as possible. But tonight's dish was a complete disaster. Bland. Pale. The salmon looked poached, not baked. The baby spinach lost all of its chlorophyll. Describing the seasoning as "discrete" would be generous. Only the English could make salmon taste bad. And me following their recipe, apparently.

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No, it really doesn't taste anything like sugar

So, I'm a mentor. I am volunteering with a program called Go Girls!, which aims to promote the values of acive living, healthy eating, and good self-esteem among 12- to 13-year-old girls. In my experience, and in the experience of the people at Ophea, who administer the program, 12- and 13-year-old girls are at a pretty high risk of developing negative habits and negative self concepts. So, for the next seven weeks I am spending my Friday afternoons playing games, eating snacks, and hanging out with a group of 8th graders from a local public school.
This entry emphasizes the snack portion of the program. You see, it's my responsibility each week to provide these girls with yummy, fun, healthy snacks to eat that don't taste "healthy" or look like rabbit pellets. Last Friday's pita chips went down fairly well, as did the carrot sticks, but the hummus and raita dips were met with a chorus of "why can't we eat Canadian food?" Ignoring the fact that we will, at some point, be addressing the idea of Canada's multicultural nature and the importance of experiencing the wealth of diversity we have in this country, their comments alerted me to the fact that what I think is a tasty treat (hummus), is not what a tween thinks is a tasty treat (chips and melted cheese from a jar). They want junk food. So, in the spirit of compromise, I went looking for some low-calorie brownie recipes (that I plan on serving with fresh fruit).
As open-minded as I like to think I am, I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners. I basically think they are evil and taste like soap. But I was willing to give Splenda a try, given its apparent ability to be used in baking. So, I went out and bought a box and made my hip-friendly junk food. The result? Brownies that taste like.... soap. Splenda does not look like sugar. Splenda does not melt like sugar. And Splenda sure as hell does not taste like sugar. It tastes like an artificial sweetener. (Duh.)
Now, I am not naive to the origins of Splenda. I know that it's not a natural sweetener. Mother Nature does not strip sugar molecules of hydrogen and oxygen atoms and replace them with chlorine. The food scientists at McNeil Nutritionals do that. But if you're going to establish an entire brand identity on the idea that a product tastes like sugar, shouldn't you try to make it.... taste like sugar? And maybe you could make it look a little less like an illicit substance while you're at it.

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Taste sensation

Necessity isn't the mother of invention. Procrastination and absentmindedness are.

I decided that I wanted to have berries, yoghurt, and granola for breakfast in the mornings. Because I live in the Far North, berries this time of year are pretty expensive, so I opted for the flash frozen ones, since it's all the same to me anyway. I just figured I could defrost them when I needed to. Wait, change that - I just figured I'd remember to defrost them when I needed to.

In all the rush this morning, I didn't take them out of the freezer before walking Dexter. I was forced to add frozen berries to the vanilla yoghurt and granola, and race out the door to work.

By the time I got to work and settled in for my breakfast while answering e-mails, the frozen berries had defrosted slightly, but had frozen up bits of the yoghurt. The result? Kind of a crunchy, fruity yoghurt sundae, and absolutely delicious.

I should forget to defrost things more often (as long as they're not chicken.)

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Happy Thanksgiving

It tasted just as good as it looked.

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On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese...

Copious Quantities of Quintessential Currie Concoction Consumed

For some reason, our family likes to think it's a little Italian. Special occasions are marked with lasagna and (or) spaghetti and meatballs. (To understand the and (or) part, you need to eat at my Uncle Russ's house. Thirty pounds of meat are considered to be a serving for 6.) When I was little, my dad used to tell me stories about his life as a kid growing up in Sicily, which he didn't. I was a gullible child. I also believed that my dad was once a little boy from Trenchtown, Jamaica, and that he taught Bill Cosby how to dance.
But I digress...
Tonight was spaghetti and meatballs night. Made famous by the aforementioned Uncle Russ, pretty much every member of the Currie family has tried to recreate his mouth-watering recipe. Sauce that simmers for days on end. Meatballs that melt on the tip of your tongue. Tonight dad came about as close as he ever has, and our belts have the new notches to prove it.

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PC Animal Crackers

Here in Ottawa (and a lot of other parts of Canada), we have a grocery store called Loblaws. The store brand at Loblaws is known as "President's Choice". Who the President is, I am not entirely sure, but he seems to be a foody, and a bit of an industrial spy. Most of their products are eerily similar to major brands. One of their newer products is in their Organics line — President's Choice Organics Chocolate Animal Cookies. That's right — chocolate. I decided to buy a box to see what they were like, and if they'd remind me of the old Barnum Animal Crackers I remember.
Upon opening the box, I immediately noticed a difference in the variety of cookie-shaped animals. Elephant: check. Camel: check. Monkey: check, but no pants this time. Bison: check.....wait a second....bison? Okay, we can let that one slide. Then I saw the goat. The anatomically correct goat. He (and I am pretty sure it's a he) has a very visible dangly bit. The picture is a bit blurry, but you get the idea.

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