Helloooo, I wanted to share with you guys a special treat that I made this weekend. In case you didn’t know, it is Thanksgiving in Canada so a feast was in order. One of my favourite parts of the meal was these roasted garlic mashed yams. I was in charge of dessert, and I decided to make a more savoury dessert- something I’ve never done before! I chose a walnut, fig and brie tart with pear sauce from Anna Olsen. I always trust Anna Olsen for baking recipes. The crust was really crumbly but I liked the rich, nutty flavour that the ground walnuts gave it. I love brie and I feel like I would use a bit less ricotta and a bit more brie. The figs combined with the honey are delicious, and the pear sauce was sooo subtle and yummy. This was really fun to photograph, even though I only had a minute or two before it went from oven to table. I just wish uploading it to the ‘net didn’t make the colours go off!

Walnut, Fig, and Brie Tart with Vanilla Pear Sauce

Crust

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup lightly toasted and ground walnuts
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
• 3 tablespoons cold water

** LOL LOL LOL I just realized as I was typing this that I forgot to add the 3 tbsp of water….perhaps that was why the dough was crumbly. Too funny. Instead of rolling the dough out, I simply pressed it into the tart pan- no big deal!

1. Combine flour, walnuts, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until the texture of coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons cold water and mix just until dough comes together. If needed, add up to 1 more tbsp. Wrap and chill for an hour before rolling.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Line a 9-inch tart shell with crust and trim edges.
4. Line tart crust with foil and weigh down with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and foil and bake for 10 minutes more. Allow to cool.

Filling

• 1 1/4 cups walnut halves
• 7 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 6 ounces brie cheese, (triple crème is best!)
• 12 fresh fig

1. Toss walnuts in 2 tbsp honey and spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes and let cool.
2. Mix together ricotta and brie. Spread over the bottom of the tart shell.
3. Cut figs into quarters and arrange, flesh-side up around tart. Sprinkle walnut halves over figs. Bake tart for 10 – 12 minutes, just to melt the cheese and warm the figs. While warm, drizzle remaining honey over tart.

Pear Sauce

• 2 ripe pears
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup white wine

1. Peel and dice pears, and cook with honey, scraped seeds from vanilla bean and wine until tender, about 15 minutes. Puree and strain sauce. Chill before serving.

Enjoy!

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.

Ahhh, I’m a few days late in putting up a new post, but once again I was in one of my favourite places ever- Whistler. Doesn’t it seem like I just got back from there….? I’m not complaining! This time we got to do one of my favourite Whistler activities….”The River of Golden Dreams” although sometimes this little river is a bit of a nightmare! It’s always fun, but this time was exceptionally fun. There was a bit of beer involved, kayaks flipping into freezing water, a lost and recovered hat and pair of sunglasses (twice!), soaking wet clothes, a lost and not recovered $600 pair of Oakleys, war wounds from getting entangled in surrounding bushes, and an unfortunate duck mama losing two babies that ended with a happy reunion between them.

The guys trying to get all the water out of the flipped kayak…bahaha!

Uh-oh…stuck in the bushes again!

The reunited duck family!

I’m home now, but I can’t say I feel much like cooking anything….I feel like it’s too nice out to be in the kitchen! But when I saw Sweet on Veg post about these falafels, I just HAD to make them! When I was in bartending school, my friend and I would eat at the falafel place downstairs from the school for lunch and we became totally addicted, but I haven’t had any since!

I followed the recipe for the falafels pretty much exactly, but instead of making them in pitas I used wraps, which work just as well. I love how these can be baked or pan-fried. I slathered my wrap with hummus and a bit of tzatziki, and filled it with lettuce, cucumber and tomato. Yummmmm!

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.

This has to be one of the most delicious ways to eat kale. It’s such a simple preparation but I could munch away on these kale chips forever! Forget potato chips or chocolate- this is my kind of treat!

Kale is an amazing vegetable. Besides looking super cool, it is rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and calcium. There’s about a bazillion other nutrients you get when you eat kale and all for extremely few calories. I’ll definitely be adding kale to my ‘to-grow’ list for my garden!

Baked Kale Chips

• 1 head of green kale
• a tbsp olive oil
• pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 200 F. Wash the kale and dry it well. Tear the kale into smaller pieces (get rid of the tough middle stem). In a bowl, toss it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, remove and toss the kale, place in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until dry and crisp. Enjoy!

If you can remember back to this post, I made a meal inspired from the Middle East. This particular dish is a cumin- carrot salad. I used organic carrots and they were so fresh and sweet, it added an entire element of flavour compared to regular carrots. Yum! For those of you that don’t know, cumin is an extremely healthy spice. It has a unique flavour and wonderful properties that aid in digestion, help fight off colds, and cumin is actually very rich in iron. It’s also a powerful antioxidant, and has even been said to aid those suffering with insomnia. It’s used extensively in Ayurvedic healing, and you can see why! Try this salad, and experience the benefits of cumin.

Cumin-Carrot Salad (adapted from the NY Times)

• 1 lb of organic carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

Place the carrots in a steamer above 1 inch of boiling water, cover and steam 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water, and drain on paper towels. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and cumin. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in carrots, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, parsley, and olives. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.

Here we are, already setting the clocks ahead and getting ready for Spring! We’ve been having unusually sunny weather here in Vancouver for most of February and then suddenly got snow this week, and now the sun is back, trying to make an appearance! Strange strange strange. Regardless of the weather, I decided to make a light, refreshing and healthy pea soup. Anything to do with peas just tastes like Spring to me- the flavour is so fresh! This made a pretty big batch, but I’ll definitely be freezing it in single portions for whenever I need a quick bite! Hey! I just thought of something- what a great dish for St. Patrick’s day! Eat a nice healthy pea soup and then go and drink pint after pint of green beer! :p

This week I will be graduating from culinary school with a Certificate in Baking & Pastry Arts (hopefully! If I pass all my exams ). This consisted of me taking 3 months of culinary courses and 3 months of baking & pastry courses. It has been a big learning experience for me and there is much that I can take from traditional French cooking and pastry, and apply to what I think modern food should be- tasty and nourishing for your body, mind, and soul. From here, I will be finishing my last few courses as well as my case studies in becoming a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. I’ve made some great friends over the last few months, and it’s going to be strange not going to school. I can’t say I’ll miss the 4:45am mornings, though! Onwards and upwards…..

Spring Pea Soup

• 1 kg package frozen peas
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1/2 lemon (I might use an entire lemon next time- I liked tasting the citrus!)
• 1 tsp dried basil (I didn’t have fresh in my garden!)
• 1 tsp dried mint (same here!)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

Heat a large pot over medium heat with 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Add shallot and garlic and cook a couple of minutes, until softened. Add frozen peas, vegetable stock, herbs, salt and pepper, lemon zest and juice. Cover and bring to a simmer. Puree in a blender. Return to pot and heat until hot. Garnish the soup with a small lemon wedge, chives, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Enjoy!

* If you wish to make this soup a bit richer, simply add a dollop of creme fraiche, yogurt, or some heavy cream.

I love veggie burgers because they are so easy to make, healthy, and filling. For a long time I have been wanting to make my own veggie burgers- avoiding soy, preservatives, and unneccessary ingredients. Many people think that when they are buying packaged veggie burgers in the grocery store, that they are ‘veggie, and therefor healthy’, but that’s not true. A lot of brands use nasty ‘improvers’ to help flavour the burger, and they can be really awful for your body. Not to mention extra sugar, and artificial colours.

I based this burger around two kinds of beans- chickpeas, and red kidney beans for healthy fibre and vegetable protein. I added vegetables, spices, and seeds for extra yummy flavour, and used chickpea flour to bind the burger together. I lightly coated the outside of the patties in panko bread crumbs and baked them in the oven with just a small drizzle of olive oil on each one.

I loved these burgers, and my meat-eating family enjoyed them too! I put mine in an wrap with ketchup, mustard, avocado, and lettuce. Yum!

These almost remind me of a burrito in burger form! So without further ado, here is the recipe:

Veggie Bean Burgers

• 2 19 fl oz cans of beans- I used chickpeas and red kidney beans
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbsp crushed pecans, chopped
• 1/4 tsp each smoked paprika, cumin, coriander
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup oats
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• Panko bread crumbs
• olive oil to drizzle

Combine all but the last three ingredients  in a food processer and pulse until a chunky paste is made (ie. a few whole chickpeas should still be visible)

Remove the mixture to a bowl and stir in oats, chickpea flour, and cilantro until mixed. To make the patties, spread panko crumbs onto a plate. Take 1/4 cup of the burger mixture at a time and make into a ball. Press down on the ball to make an even veggie patty. Coat top, bottom, and sides in panko. Place on a parchment-line sheet tray and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve in a bun or tortilla, with all your favourite toppings!

I’m totally obsessed with yams and sweet potatoes, as ya’ll probably know, and here’s one more recipe for when I have to satisfy my craving! These are sesame baked yam fried and they are served with an almond butter dipping sauce. I recently made an almond butter dipping sauce to use with my spring rolls, and it was quite different to the one used in this recipe. This one, to me, tasted just like ketchup, so I added some ginger to try and make it taste a bit more interesting without being overpowering. This made a great 2 am snack

Sesame Sweet Potato Wedges with Almond Dipping Sauce

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• sea salt
• chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400F.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt.

Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes until tender.

Almond Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• red chili flakes, to your liking
• 1-2 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• sea salt and pepper

Whisk all ingredients together well, and add 1/4 cup of hot water, blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently.

Sprinkle the cilantro over the potato wedges, and serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!