Curried Potato Split Pea Soup

I have been on a major lentil kick lately. Three lentil dishes in one week! They are just so versatile, warm, and comforting. However, I think I need a change. One thing I like about lentils is that they are inexpensive and relatively quick to prepare (no soaking like other legumes). While I was at Bulk Barn, I noticed split peas are 2/3 the cost of lentils, and also do not require soaking. So I decided to give them a try. I have never cooked with them before but figured root vegetables would work well.

Curried Potato Split Pea Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
3 small onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium potatoes, diced to 1 cm cubes
3 medium carrots, shredded
4 celery sticks, chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
1 bay leaf
2 cups green split peas
5 cups water
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Add garlic and celery and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add the potato and carrots and saute for 5-10 minutes. Add curry powder and stir to coat.
5. Add split peas, stir to coat, and then add the water, stock, and bay leaf.
6. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer, place lid on pot to allow steam to escape.
7. Cook until peas are tender and falling apart. At this point you can reduce to desired consistency, or puree the soup and then reduce the liquid. I partially pureed the soup.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Oh the visual appeal of a pureed soup...

This soup turned out rather good. It was my first time having split peas and I enjoyed them! They have a bit more of a "green" flavour than lentils, if that makes any sense. Originally I planned on making this soup with thyme and rosemary, but decided last minute to make it curry flavoured, which I really enjoyed. This won't be the last time I cook with split peas so there is always next time to try out some other flavours.

It is crazy to think that the Holidays are just around the corner! This school term has flown by, exams are in less than two weeks. I haven't thought too much about Holiday recipes but I have a nice three week break over Christmas to do lots of cooking and baking. Hopefully you will hear from me before then. Have a great weekend!

Stick it to Fast Food with a Red Cabbage Gratin

I heard about a campaign called Stick it to Fast Food through Dr. Yoni Freedhofe's Blog Weighty Matters. I wanted to post about it because I think it is an amazing example of how we can all make a difference. It was started by a group of Ontario high school students who wanted to bring awareness to the issue of fast food. The end result was petitioning for their fellow students to boycott fast food for the month of November. I have a hard time handling the number of moustaches this time of year, but I can sure handle, or celebrate, a movement such as this one. You can check out their website here. They have a lot of resources as to why fast food is so terrible and recipes to help cook great meals at home.

I hope to also be a resource for putting a healthy meal on the table in a timely manner. The recipe I am posting about today sure fits the bill. Since purchasing the red cabbage at the market for the Spicy Cabbage Slaw, we are still working our way through it. Cabbages are great like that; inexpensive and bountiful. I began searching for specific recipes to use it which isn't something I do often. I came across a gratin recipe from the New York Times and I immediately (as in the next day) make the recipe. And then I made it again. It is easy, very accommodating to different tastes, and can be made well in advance which is perfect for those busy evenings. A great way to use up leftover rice or veggies!

Red Cabbage Gratin slightly adapted from the New York Times
Serves 4-6

1 small bunch of greens (I have used kale and swiss chard)
2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
6 mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
heaping 1/2 cup quinoa (or rice or other whole grain)
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese (could also use an aged cheddar)

1. Blanch the greens in a large pot of boiling water for 1-2 min, and immediately cool in a bowl of ice water. Chop coarsely.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
5. Add the cabbage and mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, under the cabbage softens.
6. Add the greens, stir to combine, and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the cheese, parsley and grain and mix well. Add the vegetables and stir to combine.
8. Grease a baking dish with butter and pour in the egg mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

I highly recommend you make this recipe. You can add and take away vegetables at your leisure, although I hope you try out this cabbage and kale combination. It is filling and comforting which is perfect for the stormy weather we have been having. With this recipe in hand, you can have dinner on the table in not time, and Stick it to Fast Food.

Spicy Cabbage Slaw with Peanuts

So many ideas but so little time. That describes my cooking situation right now. I have lots of ideas that I need to try out, but I must wait until the weekend. I am hoping some of them turn out. In the meantime, I am going to share a recipe which I thought I had shared before. This is probably by 7th time making this recipe which speaks to my love for it. Each time it comes out a bit different, depending on how much cabbage I use, and I have served it in a number of different ways. The original recipe source uses the slaw in rice paper rolls. I did that a couple times, but have also put it in chickpea flour tortillas, served it with rice, and most recently served it alongside some spaghetti squash. While the  is a little bit daunting, due to the excessive amount of chopping and mincing, it is fairly easy and quick to put together. The leftovers taste great which means it is a good way to use up those giant cabbages that are popping up this time of year. I have listed the ingredients based on my most recent rendition of the recipe (which was quite a large batch), but the recipe is easily scaled down and the amount of seasoning and spices can be adjusted to your taste.

Spicy Cabbage Slaw with Peanuts slightly adapted from A Gluten Free Day
Serves 6-10

3 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
13 cups of diced red cabbage
12 cloves of garlic (or 8-10 large cloves), minced
2 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
6 tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg's
4 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup raw peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a single layer of peanuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly roasted. Allow to cool.
2. In a large enough pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the cabbage and cook until just softening.
3. Transfer cabbage from pot into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pot if no oil is left behind. Add garlic, ginger, chili pepper flakes and tamari. Heat for ~3 min until fragrant.
4. Add cooked cabbage and stir to coat well. Add rice vinegar and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and serve as desired. Chop peanuts and sprinkle over the cabbage when serving.

This was definitely the spiciest version of this recipe I have ever made. The homemade chili pepper flakes have varying heat so it is always hard to tell how much to add. You can always use fresh chili pepper to have a bit more control, or leave it out all together if spicy is not your thing. I had the cabbage alongside some spaghetti squash this time, but is also great with rice or wrapped in rice paper as mentioned above. Don't forget the peanuts though, they are fantastic addition.

Gingerbread Granola

Happy Thanksgiving to all! This weekend has been really nice, and I have managed to stop and appreciate all of the beauty that fall brings. This afternoon I will be going for a hike in Hamilton with my parents and I can't wait to get an amazing view of the changing colours of fall. Before you know it, it will be over! If you make this granola, you can transport yourself back into fall whenever you want. It is the perfect combination of sweet and spice. I am going away for a few days this week and wanted to make a granola to have for breakfasts at the hotel. I was looking through my bookmarked recipes and there were just too many granola recipes to choose from! Granola is a pretty easy thing to throw together, so after getting some ideas I decided to just wing it and make my own. The addition of molasses was inspired by A Full Measure of Happiness and the addition of the millet was inspired by Oh She Glows. When I first pulled it out of the oven, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but after it cooled down and turned crunchy, I was in love. This recipe is a winner in my books.

Gingerbread Granola

2 cups oats
1 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup walnut halves, chopped
1/4 cup millet
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 tso vanilla
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp molasses

1/4 raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine oats, almonds, walnuts, millet and spices in a large bowl.
3. Melt together coconut oil, honey, molasses, and vanilla. Add to the dry mix and stir to coat everything well.
4. Spread out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and make for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
5. After removing from the oven, mix in raisins and allow to cool.
6. Once completely cooled, break into pieces and store in an air tight container.

Like I said, this recipe is a winner. It is a perfect granola to make for a friend or to enjoy on the holidays. It can be easily customized with your own preference for nuts or dried fruit, but make sure you keep the volumes the same because there was the perfect amount of flavouring here. It may be hard to try new granola recipes for quite some time...

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

First gingerbread pancakes and now pumpkin oatmeal? I am in full fledged fall mode. The only raw vegetables I have been eating is some winter lettuce. All other vegetables in my diet right now consist of roasted root vegetables, squashes, and sauteed winter greens such as kale. I love this time of year. Now on the squash front, I have officially gotten out of control. Last week I bought 4 squash at the grocery store as they were now only 99 cents a pound. This week at the farmers market, I was overjoyed with the overflow of squash. They are such beautiful vegetables. One farm stand had them 4 for 5 dollars; a complete steal! I of course picked up 4. Now I have a pile of squash in my cupboards and I couldn't be happier.

In the past two weeks I have also purchases 6 pumpkins. I roasted them, and pureed the flesh. I also cleaned and roasted the deliciously plump seeds. In case you are wondering, I have about 16 cups of pumpkin puree in my freezer, all in convenient 1 cup portions. There is going to be a lot of pumpkin recipes on the blog this year; I can feel it. I had a pumpkin loving friend visit this weekend and it seemed only natural to make a breakfast that incorporated some pumpkin, which lead to me creating this recipe, which was based off a stove top version I have made in the past.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal
Serves 4

1 cup steel cut oats
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 cups water

1. Melt coconut oil and add to the steel cut oats in the crock pot. Stir to coat.
2. Add the spices and mix well.
3. Add water, vanilla, and pumpkin and stir to combine.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours.

It is wonderful to wake up to the smell of pumpkin spice in your kitchen. All you have to do is open up the crock pot, give it a stir, and you have a hot breakfast all ready for you. I topped my oatmeal with almond butter but of course maple syrup is also a wise choice. This recipe can easily be adapted to a stove top version if you don't have a slow cooker or just can't wait until tomorrow morning to make this.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Coconut Pancakes

I haven't made pancakes in months. They used to be my go to weekend breakfast, but it has been quite some time. The summer just doesn't  feel like the time to make pancakes. Today was my first weekend in Guelph so I was excited to get up early and hit up the farmers market. Upon my return I promised I would make some pancakes. I had a recipe tucked away for gingerbread pancakes and I decided to give it a try on this crisp, fall-like morning. The recipe called for yogurt which I did not have so I substituted for a can of coconut milk. I made some more modifications as a result and they turned out quite nicely.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Coconut Pancakes adapted from Jenna Weber
Serves 4-6

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsp coconut oil (can be reduced or eliminated if you like)
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond milk (could have probably done with 1 cup)
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
3. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. The batter will be VERY thick.
4. On a greased (I used butter) skillet scoop 1/4 cup of batter at a time, flattening with a spoon to achieve desired thickness. Once the side of the pancakes are beginning to cook, flip to finish the other side.

These pancakes are very dense and VERY filling, but very delicious. I normally can eat as many pancakes as my heart desires but these I could only have a couple. It must have been all those healthy fats. I am not a huge fan of the flavour of coconut oil so every time I find a way to incorporate a lot of coconut oil without tasting it that much, I am pretty happy. This is one of those recipes where you don't taste the coconut too much because of all the spices. I wasn't sure the coconut would work well with the gingerbread but it did; it made the gingerbread taste rich, not coconuty.

I like my real maple syrup like a good Canadian does

My trip to the Farmer's Market was a successful one and I picked up lots of local goodies. I have some plans for my purchases such as some homemade tomato sauce and something that is loaded with beets. I also purchased some kimchi which I have never had before but always wanted to try. It is a fermented food which is something I have mentioned I wanted to start getting into. Wish me luck!

Clockwise from bottom left: kimchi, apples, beets, romaine lettuce, broccoli, whole wheat sourdough bread, fresh eggs, beans, and roma tomatoes.

Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Roasted chicken? Is she for real? Yes, I am for real. You may remember my post over 4 months ago explaining the reasons why I don't eat meat. Those reasons still hold true in my mind, but a significant change has happened. To go along with this new chapter in my life, I have also decided to incorporate some meat back in my diet, but not just any meat. The reasons for this are based on a lot of research I have been doing on the healthfulness of animal products when raised traditionally. I will save those details for another post, as I think it will make a lovely post on it's own, full of information and something I really want to share. For now, I want to share how I went about acquiring this chicken which considering my stance of animal products, you bet did not come from the local grocery store; and of course also share a recipe.

Here is excerpt from a previous blog post:

"[My lack of eating animal products] will inevitably shift again one day, maybe even introducing meat back into my life when I have the means to buy healthy meat directly from a farmer for special occasions (I'll have to stop being a student first). But only time will tell."

You guessed it, I bought this chicken direct from a farmer! One of the reasons I was so excited to move to Guelph was because of the local food community here. Not only is this town surrounded by farms but the city is probably one of the best in Ontario for being able to access local, sustainable and organic foods. Upon securing housing in Guelph I immediately started looking for local food sources. A simple search for Guelph CSAs eventually led me to the humble site for Magda Farms.

At Magda Farm, they use a grazing system where the chickens are moved twice a day to have access to fresh pasture, and follow the movement of the beef cattle. The waste of the chickens is then added back into the earth and feeds the grazing vegetation. This is a cyclical system that prevents most of the environmental  problems that have resulted from factory farming. This farm is about a 15-20 minute drive from our house, so you can't get more local than that! In addition, the slaughter of the animals is done at a nearby family run processing plant with the highest ethical standards. In my mind, you can't get more sustainable that this, unless you go and hunt the bird yourself, which I am just not cut out for.

We purchased two chickens in quarters, skin-on bone-in, at $3.59 a pound. That is more than what you pay at the grocery store but my money is going directly to the farmer, and is purchasing healthier meat, not fattened with grain, or pumped full of antibiotics and water solutions. This meat will also last a while for us. I am incorporating meat, not becoming a carnivore, so once a week or two our dinner will include some pastured chicken. This order, combined with another order we will receive in October, will probably last us until the end of November at least.

For our first meal, I simply roasted a leg piece of a quarter chicken with some root vegetables and herbs. I wanted to be able to really taste the flavour of the meat itself, so I could taste the difference from the conventional chicken in my memories.  And boy, did I taste the difference.

Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
Serves 2-3

chicken (I used about 1.5-2 lb leg quarter, skin on. You could just as well roast a whole chicken here, adjusting cooking times accordingly)
1 onion
4-5 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
pint of string green beans, stemmed and halved
5 garlic cloves
olive oil
rosemary
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Chop veggies and arrange in a roasting pan. Toss in olive oil, and season with S+P and rosemary to taste.
3. Clear a bit of pan in the centre and place the chicken meaty side up. 

I may have forgotten to take an "after roasting" photo...

4. Roast for 20 minutes uncovered.
5. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
6. Remove cover and continue to cook until skin has darkened and the chicken is properly cooked (about 10-15 min).
7. Allow to rest for about 10-15 minutes until serving.

The chicken was magnificent. It was delicious and unlike any other chicken I have had in the past. It was moist, with lots of dark meat, and I swear there were muscles on that leg I had never seen on a conventionally raised bird before. The juices that were released from the meat mixed with the vegetables resulted in a wonderful broth that went well with some rye sourdough bread.  I look forward to the next meal incorporating this pastured chicken. To get the most out of the bird, I saved the bones, stowed away in the freezer, until I have more to make some broth.

The majority of the recipes I will share on this blog will still be vegetarian, as that is still how I choose to eat on a regular basis and when I am outside of my home. I think this arrangement fits well with my previous thoughts of not classifying a diet, because there are always exceptions. For me, it is my pastured meat from Magda Farms.