Another delicious summer salad recipe for ya today! This one features plump, juicy, ripe peaches that are warmed and caramelized on the grill. They pair up with toasty walnuts, blue cheese, and peppery arugula and it’s all tied together with a honey & balsamic reduction. What’s not to like!? I’ve included a variation of this recipe that I think would be delicious to try!

Grilled Peach Salad (adapted from here)

• 2-3 ripe peaches, cut in half
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
• butter (or olive oil/Earth Balance/etc. to veganize the recipe)
• 5 oz baby arugula
• 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes until they are aromatic. Set them aside to cool. Once cooled, give them a rough chop.

In a small saucepan, heat the honey, balsamic vinegar, thyme, black pepper and salt over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the honey and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the honey balsamic syrup cool a bit – it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Spread a thin layer of butter over the cut side of the peaches. Place the peaches on the grill, cut side down. Grill until peaches are softened and grill marks appear- 4 to 5 minutes.

Arrange the peaches cut side up over the baby arugula and top with blue cheese crumbles and toasted walnuts. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

**Variation: Try using apricots instead of peaches, goat cheese instead of blue cheese, basil instead of thyme, and pine nuts instead of walnuts.

I recently spent the weekend on Saltspring Island (one of my favourite gulf islands here in British Columbia, Canada). Saltspring is known for it’s self-sustaining community. For this small island, you can literally get anything you need. There are plenty of beautiful farms producing everything from fresh dairy  and vegetables to lavender and wine. Every Saturday there is a market in the heart of town that showcases all of the great products of the island. I love seeing all of the fresh organic vegetables, hand crafted jewellery and clothing, and of course the raw, or vegan baked goods.

A trip to Saltspring Island reminds me of everything summer, which leads me to this salad. A caprese salad just screams summer, to me. Using tomatoes straight from the garden or farmer’s market for the fullest of flavours, along with fresh basil, and soft mozzarella cheese, you just can’t beat the taste that these simple ingredients provide. A quick vinaigrette to drizzle over top and this colourful salad is ready to serve.

Caprese Salad

• 2 large tomatoes, red or yellow or both, sliced
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 lb soft mozzarella, sliced or bocconcini
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp altogether of dried italian herbs (ie. basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Can you believe it’s 2011 already? I literally remember being nine years old and counting down to midnight on y2k, wondering what would happen when the year 2000 hit. Hah!

Last night was a ton of fun. I invited five friends over for some snacks and drinks before we hit the town. I love entertaining, I wanted a really fun menu with everything miniature!

Everyone was greeted with a Mini Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Drop Martini.

Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Martini

• 2 oz Absolut Peach vodka
• splash of pomegranate juice
• splash of grapefruit juice
• sugar
• orange zest

Put a bit of sugar into a bowl and stir in some orange zest. Run a piece of orange around the rim of your martini glass and then rim with orange-sugar. In a martini shaker, combine ice, vodka, and juices. Shake! Shake! Shake! Pour into prepared glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

And we munched on a fresh platter of veggies n dip

I made these Fig & Brie bites, which were absolutely delicious. I think you guys know about my love affair with brie…and these were no exception. MAKE SURE YOU FREEZE THESE BEFORE YOU BAKE. I actually couldn’t serve these because mine weren’t cold enough, so the brie ran everywhere…..but the scraps were amazing haha. I have one more batch ready, which I will freeze first.

Fig & Brie Bites (adapted from Food Mayhem)

Sour Cream Pastry

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 3/4 cup fig jam
• 10 oz wedge of brie cheese

To make the sour cream pastry, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor by pulsing a few times. Add the butter and pulse 4 times, then process for 10 seconds, or until it looks sandy.

Empty into a very large bowl and form a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, yolk, and vanilla extract. Place wet mixture in the center of the well and work from the inside out with a rubber spatula.

When the dough comes together, knead a few times with your hands and press together. Divide the dough in half and form a 3″x4″ rectangle with each. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Dough can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.)

Remove one dough rectangle from the fridge and cut in 4 equal pieces. Keep un-used dough in the fridge.

Roll the piece of dough into a 14″ x 3″ strip on a lightly floured surface. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of preserves down the middle.

Cut the brie into thin slices a little less than 1/8″ thick. Cut off the rinds. Lay the brie down the middle on top of the preserves.

Lift the sides of the dough over the preserves and brie, folding one side over the other. Press down gently to seal.

Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Place them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with all the remaining dough, preserves, and brie. Place them in the freezer for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove to cooling racks to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best served warm.

I also served Smoked Salmon Blinis. I love smoked salmon, and all seafood for that matter. I try to avoid salmon because I have a sensitivity to it, but what the heck, it was New Year’s Eve!!

Smoked Salmon Blinis (recipe found here)

For the pancakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 8 ounces cold smoked salmon
• Freshly chopped green onions, for garnish

For the sour cream sauce:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and chives.

In a small bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add the egg and whisk until completely incorporated.  Whisk in the milk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just incorporated and no large lumps remain.  Do not over-mix.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Spray lightly with non-stick spray then scoop the batter by the tablespoon into the pan.  Cook for one minute on the first side, flip, then cook for an additional thirty seconds, or until the cakes are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed in the center.  Remove to a plate to cool while you prepare the rest.

While the cakes cool prepare the sour cream sauce by adding the sour cream, horseradish and salt to a small bowl.  Whisk to combine then let stand ten minutes.

To prepare, spoon a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of the sauce onto the center of the cakes.  Top with a piece of the salmon.  Garnish with the chives.  These can be assembled up to one hour in advance.  Serve at room temperature.

I have always wanted to make sliders, and I decided to make these lovely Lentil Walnut Burgers from Oh She Glows, into sliders! They look so adorable and almost to cute to eat.

Lentil Walnut Sliders (adapted from Oh She Glows)

• 3/4 cup canned lentils
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 piece bread, toasted OR 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 chia/flax egg (1 tbsp ground chia or flax + 1/4 cup water)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl make the chia or flax egg and set aside.

Toast the walnuts by placing the walnuts on a baking sheet and cooking at 350F for about 12 minutes until golden brown and delicious. Let cool.

In a food processor, process the garlic, walnuts, toasted bread OR breadcrumbs, spices & seasonings until combined. Now add oil and lentils and pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should be visible and left chunky). Add the flax or chia egg and pulse a bit more until combined. Now shape small patties with hands and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a non-stick mat. Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, turning once. When almost done, add cheese (if using), and let melt in the oven for about a minute.

I served these on slider buns, with spinach, avocado, ketchup, mustard, and havarti cheese. Enjoy!

My friend Taylor said, “These are the best f*cking burgers ever!” LOL

As if we didn’t have enough shots in our near future, I thought I’d kick things off with a shot that wouldn’t make our stomachs (and livers!) cringe. A simple Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup served in shot glasses.

Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup (adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

• 2 acorn squash, pumpkins, or other smallish winter squash (I used one can of pumpkin puree, and one acorn squash)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• clove minced garlic
• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
• water
• 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)
• sprinkle of red chili flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle.

Carefully cut each squash/pumpkin into halves (or quarters). Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

Saute garlic clove in a bit of olive oil in a soup pot. When the pumpkin/squash are cool enough to handle scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer – a light vegetable stock would work here as well. Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt and chili flakes (and more curry paste if you like, I used about 10 teaspoons of curry paste, but the kind I used was very mild.)

To round out the evening before we headed downtown, was a selection of festive cookies. I made shortbread 3-ways, snowflake sugar cookies, and rumnog pecan cookies (vegan, and to die for!) .

The other day I hankerin’ for cornbread. (Did I just say hankerin’…?) The fact that I felt like cornbread is pretty weird considering I’ve eaten it about twice in my life, and the most recent time was several years ago. I told my mom, and she was down. I searched for a few recipes, looking for one that might use a healthier flour than white flour, and I settled on Heidi’s recipe for ‘Firecracker Cornbread’. I didn’t change too much in her recipe, but I baked the bread in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, and it took about half the time. I topped it with butter and drizzled it with plenty of honey and my mom and I both enjoyed it. I really liked that it had fresh corn in it, and I loved the subtle spicyness from the red pepper flakes.

Also, please check out my latest Examiner article. It’s a review on this really great asian vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver called Whole Vegetarian Restaurant. My mom and I went for lunch and we ordered so much food that they moved us to a bigger table LOL. It was delicious, though. Unfortunately I was an extremely bad food blogger and didn’t have my camera on me!! Talk about unprepared….I guess you’ll just have to trust me on this one

I was at Costco and saw these cute little small eggplants and I had to buy them. I was cruising Tastespotting, as I so often do, and I stumbled across these miso-glazed eggplant. If you all know me, you know my obsession with miso- I made these that night for dinner! It was delicious.

I cooked these on a sil-pat on a baking tray, and the glaze that ran off the eggplant and on to the sil-pat was just pure candy- it was soo sweet and delicious. I think that when I make these again, I might slice the eggplant, roast it, and then at the last minute or so, add the glaze and give it a quick broil.

Miso Glazed Eggplant (from Momofuku for 2, originally from fatfreevegan)

1 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons shiro miso
3 tablespoons sugar
2 Japanese eggplants, cut in half lengthwise*
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
sliced green onions, for garnish

Place the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for about 2 minutes to allow some of the alcohol to cook off. Then add the miso and stir until smooth. Stir in the sugar, reduce the heat to very low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, while you broil the eggplants:

Brush the cut sides of the eggplants with the sesame oil. Put the eggplants cut-side down on a baking sheet and place under the broiler of your oven for about 3 minutes, checking often to make sure that they do not burn. Turn them over, and cook for another 3 minutes or until the tops are a light to medium brown. Do not burn! (If your eggplant still isn’t tender all the way through, turn the broil function to bake at 375˚ for a few more minutes; then proceed with the recipe.)

When the eggplants are tender, top each one with the miso sauce and put them back under the broiler until the sauce bubbles up–this should take less than a minute, so watch them closely. Enjoy hot, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

These potatoes taste exactly like a samosa. I’m not a huge potato eater (yams on the otherhand, I adore!) but I really did enjoy these, and it was great to not have to worry about making a dough like you would for a samosa. Same great flavour, though!

Sorry for the slowdown in posts (this has been sitting in my drafts folder for a long time now!), but I am in Whistler, like I said before. I’ll be home very soon, though (with a review on a fantastic restaurant I went to).

In the mean time…this is what most of the weekend looked like- plenty of birthday fun

Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes (adapted from Veganomicon)

• 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed, baked, cooled (to bake a potato, preheat the oven to 400 F, poke the potato with a fork several times, bake for about an hour until easily pierced with a fork)
• 1/4 unsweetened soy milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Slice the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato in the skin. Be careful, so you don’t break the skin! Mash the scooped out potato with the soymilk and set the skin aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and coriander seeds and heat for a minute or two until they start to pop. Add the onions and carrots and saute for 7-10 minutes until the onions begin to brown.

Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a minute. Add the cumin, turmeric, and salt, along with a splash of water. Stir well, then add the potatoes mixing well. Add a little more water if it looks to dry. Cook until the potatoes are heated through. Add the lemon juice to taste, and stir.

Brush the insides of the potato skins with a little bit of olive oil. Scoop the filling into the skins. Line a baking sheet with the stuffed potatoes and bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, and enjoy with Mango Chutney.

Mango Chutney (adapted from Veganomicon)

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp dried chili
• 1 large mango, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp unrefined sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp curry powder

Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the oil, garlic, ginger, and chili to the pan. Saute for 1 minute. Add the mango, sugar, water and turn up to medium. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, until boiling. Add the red wine vinegar and curry powder and cook for another minute, uncovered. Chill until ready to use.

I had a brand new package of organic bulgur that had been sitting in my pantry for way to long. I wanted to make something other than the traditional tabbouleh with it (don’t get me wrong though, I enjoy tabbouleh!) I found a fantastic recipe from Bittersweet and as soon as I saw it had miso in it, I was sold! I was so impressed with this recipe, it sounds so simple but simple really is best here. My mom and I have been enjoying this over the past couple of days.

In case you aren’t too familiar with bulgur, it’s a Middle Eastern grain. It’s high in fibre and protein, and low in fat and calories. It’s a whole grain, and usually derived from durum wheat. When you buy it, it comes par-boiled and dried. It’s used around the world in pilafs, salads, soups, baked goods, and as cereal. Ya learn somethin’ new every day!

Bulgur Pilaf

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp tamari
• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted
• 1 tbsp chopped chives

Heat a dry skillet over the stove and toss in the bulgur. Toast for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to keep the bulgur moving, until it smells nutty and turns slightly darker brown. Pour the grains out onto a plate, and place the emptied skillet back over the heat.

Add in the oil, garlic and ginger, and cook for just a minute or two until the spices have browned a bit. Stir in the lemon zest, soy sauce, and miso paste, breaking up any lumps that may form. Stand back a bit while slowly pouring in the water, as it may hiss and splash slightly. Scrape everything off the bottom if it’s sticking, and add your toasted bulgur into the mix, along with the peas. Turn down the heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. If all of the liquid hasn’t been absorbed by then, simply continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, until it has all evaporated.

Let stand for 5 minutes off the heat, and stir in the almonds and chives.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side.

I really wanted to try making a dish that I haven’t made before…in fact, I have never even liked dolmades- until I made these! I chose to make a completely vegan version and I was really happy with the results. Dolmades are basically a rice mixture (sometimes with ground meat, or vegetables) wrapped in grape leaves. You can find grape leaves at specialty grocery stores, but I was lucky enough to purchase them from this great little restaurant in Vancouver. I have been eating their awesome falafel wraps on pretty much a weekly basis lately, with my friend, as we attend bartending school (did I mention I was doing bar school!? It’s so much fun!!). They also happen to sell a few items like grape leaves, hummus, dates, etc. and I will definitely be doing a proper review on the restaurant in the next couple of weeks- they’re so nice and make such good food! When I picked up a jar of grape leaves to buy, the man at the till was so kind and he asked me what I was doing with them. I told him I was making vegetarian dolmades and he gave me all kinds of tips to make them just like his mom used to- how cool!! I took some liberty in making these though and probably used some unconventional ingredients, but it’s all about the end result You can definitely roll the dolmades a couple days ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you want to cook them.

Vegan Dolmades

• about 35 grape leaves, rinsed in warm water for about 30 minutes to wash off the brine, drained, and patted dry, and stems trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup currants
• 1/2 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4-1/2 tsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 long grain white rice ( I used basmati…)
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 tbsp tomato paste

Line a large saucepan with about 5 of your grape leaves (use the torn or damaged ones if you have any). Set aside.

In a skillet, heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the green onions, and cook, stirring once in awhile until soft. Add pine nuts and currants and stir, let cook for about 2 minutes. Add dill, mint, salt, and rice and cook for about a minute.

Add 3/4 cup of vegetable stock, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer about ten minutes. Stir in peas and turn off heat (keep covered).

Lay out a grape leaf (vein side up) and place one tbsp of the filling into the middle of the leaf.

Fold the bottom stem end up over the filling, fold in the sides and roll toward the top of the leaf. Repeat with all the remaining leaves. This is where you can stick them in the fridge for a couple days before cooking, if you so choose.

If you want to cook them now, put them in your large saucepan that you had previously lined with grape leaves in a single layer. ( I had some double layers because I’m a rebel)

Drizzle with a tsbp of olive oil and add the remaining vegetable stock, and the tomato paste into the pot. Add more vegetable stock if necessary so that the dolmades are pretty much covered. In case you’re wondering, that blob is my tomato paste….it was frozen.

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer for about 1 hour, until the rice is tender. Lift them out of the pot and you can eat them warm, or cooled. I had them with tzatziki! Enjoy!!

This is a unique, and ultra creamy soup. The subtle chamomile flavours pokes through the dish just enough for one to taste it, but not identify it. The chamomile tea takes the place of any herbs and spices, and a nice pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to enhance the lovely flavour of the soup. This soup took about 20 minutes to make- it was so simple. I love how the cauliflower is just so creamy and smooth, without the addition of any actual cream- or any dairy at all, for that matter. For a vegan soup, I think absolutely anyone would enjoy this.

Chamomile comes from a flowering plant of the daisy family. It has been used for centuries to help with insomnia, anxiety, skin conditions, headaches and stomach problems. The smell of chamomile just brings relaxation to mind. This soup is a great way to enjoy chamomile in a form other than tea.

Chamomile Cauliflower Soup (adapted from Cooking with Tea)

• 7 chamomile tea bags
• 3 cups water
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped frresh parsley, for garnish
• olive oil, for garnish

Boil the water and tea bags in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and squeeze the excess liquid into the pan. Add the cauliflower to the tea, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.

In a small saucepan, saute the shallot and celery in the olive oil until the shallot is clear. Put in a blender with the cauliflower, plenty of salt and pepper to taste, and a cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Blend until smooth and add more liquid if necessary until desired thickness is reached. Pour into bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly chopped parsley, and enjoy!

This dish is just completely delicious- I had to share it. It’s easy to make, and it’s healthy. I really think it is the best sauteed spinach I have had. Spinach has nearly 2 mg of iron per cup and only 15 calories. It’s full of fiber, vitamin A, and plenty of minerals, like calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes (adapted from Veganomicon)

• 1 bunch spinach (about 6 cups), washed well and roots discarded
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger (*I keep my fresh ginger in the freezer- it’s so easy to grate this way.)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and salt. Saute for 30 seconds or so. Add the tomatoes and saute until moisture begins to release- about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, add the lemon juice and serve.