Recipe: Vegetable Pot Pie

I will definitely be making this recipe again. So good!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry lentils (pre cooked)
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 carrots chopped
• 1 chopped sweet potato
• 1 chopped yam
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas thawed (or edamame)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 tbsp white wine
• 2 tsp fresh chopped sage
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1.5 cups flour (for the crust)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (for the crust)
• 1/2 to 1 cup ice cold water (for the crust)
• 1 tsp salt (for the crust)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, sweet potatoes, yams, celery, peas and cook until they star to soften, stirring occasionally.

Add the parsley, wine, and sage and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and steam until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the cooked lentils.

Uncover and sprinkle on the 2 tbsp of flour, working it in with a wooden spoon. Stir for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and tamari/soy sauce and cook, stirring until thickened. Take off the heat and cover to keep warm.

Make your crust. Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add in the oil and mix with a fork, breaking up the oil flour chunks. Mix until it is the consistency of coarse sand. Add in 1/2 cup water slowly until it is moist enough to shape into a ball but dry enough not to stick to your hands. Add more water if you need, 1 tbsp at a time until the right consistency is achieved. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and use a small bowl to cut into 5-6 circles to top each pie.

Ladel the filling into your pot pie bowls. Drape the dough over each bowl, pressing down the sides to seal. Make two slits in the middle of the dough with a sharp paring knife.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are browned and the filling is bubbly!

Recipe: Mushroom Risotto

This recipe was delicious! Make sure you add the truffle oil though. It is expensive but definitely worth the purchase :)

Ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion diced, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 1 lb fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh italian parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp truffle oil
• 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 the onion and 1 clove of garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and herbs. Sauté 3-5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle in the truffle oil then add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in 1 cup of warm vegetable broth. Season again with salt and pepper. Sauté 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with the remaining 2 tbsp of oil. Sauté the remaining 1/2 onion and garlic clove. Add the rice and stir quickly until well coated and opaque, about 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in the wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

With a ladle add 1 cup of warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time.

Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture.

Top with a drizzle of truffle oil and chopped parsley before serving.

Recipe: Home Made Granola Bars

This recipe is very flexible and allows you to basically throw in whatever you have around the house for nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Here is the ingredient list for the latest batch I made. Post your ideas about what you put in, I'd love to mix it up next time!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried fruit
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 large ripe bananas

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the oats, nuts and seeds on a baking sheet unit lightly toasted (about 10 min).

Meanwhile in a medium sized bowl mash the bananas and combine with the applesauce. Mix in cinnamon. Once the nuts and seeds are toasted add to the fruit mixture and mix well.

Line a baking dish with parchment paper. Pour mixture into the baking dish and press down evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool and then cut into bars.

Recipe: Banana Apple Loaf

I found this recipe a little too heavy on the apple so I think I'd up the banana and down the apple next time. It still tasted really good, I'm just crazy about bananas...

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 apple peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup applesauce (make it yourself its super easy!)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium sized bowl mash the bananas with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a lightly sprayed loaf pan and bake for about an hour. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.

**Applesauce instructions: Peel, core and chop 8-10 apples into medium sized chunks. Steam for ~10 minutes. Put into blender with  a little bit of water, adding more depending on how thick you want it. Add cinnamon or whatever flavours/ fruits you feel like

Heavenly

Recipe: Lentil Masala Burgers

These burgers were really really yummy and held together nicely. To cut down on prep time I suggest cooking the lentils and potatoes ahead of time. Otherwise its a heck of a lot of work for a burger.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils cooked
• 1/2 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Olive Oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

In a food processor, grind the lentils and potatoes, scraping down the sides and regrinding to make a coarse paste. Add the onion, oats, cashews, cilantro, ginger, and garlic and grind to a fine mince. Add the flour, lemon juice, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Pulse to mix.

Oil a baking sheet and scoop 1/2 cup portions of the lentil mixture onto the pan, leaving plenty of space between them. Wet your palm with a little oil and flatten each scoop of lentil mixture into a patty. Brush the patties with more oil for a crisp top.

Bake until the outsides are slightly crusty but still give a little when pressed (25-30 min). Let them cool slightly before removing from the pan.

Top burgers with fresh tomato, spinach and homemade salsa and enjoy!

Recipe: Burrrrritos!

Ingredients:

• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 3 bell peppers, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 cups black beans rinsed
• 1 cup yellow corn
• 2 roma tomatoes chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 avacado
• 1/2 cup home made salsa (recipe to follow when Riley "perfects" it?)
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 green chili

Instructions:

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until they start to get tender. Add the peppers and sauté a few minutes more.

Add the rice,black beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, chill powder, jalapeño and green chili. Mix well and cook for a couple more minutes.

Portion out the mixture onto your 6 tortillas. Fold up and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Top with avocado slices and spoon the home made salsa over top!

Recipe: Potato-Leek Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb leeks
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 lb yellow potatoes, chopped
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
• 3 scallions/spring onions, chopped
• 1/2 fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 dash cayenne
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice etc.)
• 1 lb broccoli (not in the original recipe but we threw it in anyway)

Instructions:

Slice the white part of the leeks into rounds, then submerge them in water to get out any grit. Drain and pat dry.

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until they are golden and sweet, reducing the heat to low if they start to stick.

Add the garlic and thyme and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and just enough stock to cover them. Raise the heat and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the potatoes are tender and disintegrating, about 20 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree or coarsely mash the soup in batches. Return soup to pot. Add the scallions/spring onions, parsley, salt and cayenne. Gradually stir in the non-dairy milk to reach the desired thickness.

Heat gently to serve, but don't boil or it might separate or scorch.

Makes a nice light dinner with a side salad made up of spinach, romaine, cucumber, tomato and black beans. YUM!

Recipe: Curried Lentil & Quinoa Loaf

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup dry lentils
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup nuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp chia seeds, soaked for a couple minutes with 2 tbsp water
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 tbsp curry powder

Instructions:

 Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium pot bring lentils and 2.5 cups of water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes.

In a separate pot bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until fully cooked.

Saute onion, mushroom and red peppers in the extra virgin olive oil for about 5 minutes until tender. In a large bowl combine the cooked lentils and quinoa, add all the remaining ingredients including the cooked vegetables, chia seeds, oats, sun dried tomatoes, fresh herbs and curry powder. Combine fully. Transfer to a loaf plan, press down until even and cook for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

*Recipe is from http://www.joyoushealth.ca/2011/08/29/lunch-box-favourite-lentil-quinoa-loaf-recipe-gluten-free-high-in-protein-fibre/

Recipe: Thai Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cans coconut milk
• 2 tbsp curry paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 carrot shredded
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)
• 2 limes, zest + juice
• small piece frozen ginger
• 1 handful of bean sprouts
• 2 small eggplants
• 1 red pepper
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions:

Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of one of the cans of coconut milk into a large soup pot and set over medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.

Add the rest of the liquid from the coconut milk can plus the entire other can of coconut milk. Also add the broth, carrot, fish sauce (optional), lime juice and zest, eggplant and red pepper. Grate the ginger into the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Stir in the bean sprouts, spinach and cilantro leaves. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Enjoy :)

*Recipe modified from http://chefmichaelsmith.com/Recipe/thai-coconut-curry-soup/
I love a lot of his recipes!

Recipe: Vegetable Broth

The house smelled SO good while this was cooking :)

In a large soup pot combine:

•   1 lb carrots (chopped into big chunks)

•   1 lb celery (chopped)

•   1 potato (cut into quarters)

•   4 cloves garlic

•   2 onions (cut into quarters with husk)

•   2 bay leaves

•   1 tsp peppercorns

•   1 pinch of salt

•   Any other random veggies you have lurking in your fridge

Fill the pot to the top with water. Bring to a simmer and let cook for at least an hour (2-3 hours is best). Let the broth cool, pour into containers and freeze for a good supply of broth ready to go!

Recipe: Breakfast Cereal

You can enjoy this yummy breakfast cereal hot or cold, and with whatever grain you have on hand.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry quinoa

1/2 cup water

1 apple

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup almond milk

In a pot combine the quinoa with the 1/2 cup of water. Bring to boil, then turn down to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking chop up the apple.

Mix the cooked quinoa, apple and almond milk in a bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and and enjoy :)

Fresh Thinking...

After educating ourselves on the wonders of a whole foods plant based diet this past weekend, Riley and I have decided to do a major diet overhaul. It just makes so much sense...eat food...real food!!

This whole thing started when my mom told be about the China Study and the interesting correlations they found between animal protein consumption and the occurrence of many serious diseases. I wanted to learn more about diet and nutrition so we watched a few good documentaries ("Forks Over Knives" and "Hungry for Change") and read some really well written books (Michael Pollan is highly reccomended). It opened my eyes and shook everything I knew about what I thought to be "healthy". The arguments in favour of a plant based diet were so full of common sense that it makes me wonder why it has taken 23 years to figure this stuff out?

So here is the beginning of a happier, healthier way of eating. We are essentially adopting a vegan diet although I'd like to think of it more as a whole foods plant based diet. Cutting out the crap and as many processed foods as we can and replacing them with whole foods, delicious fruits and veggies :)

I will be posting recipes that we make and random thoughts that I have!

The fridge is bursting with amazing fresh food!