Simple Coconut Chickpea Curry

I have to admit that even outside of pandemic isolation, I love a good pantry meal. This curry is creamy and flavourful, providing the perfect combination of textures. It is a quick and easy meal that provides great plant based protein and fibre. If you use a jar of curry paste you can freeze any leftovers to use when you’re in a pinch. Enjoy this meal as a creamy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)

1 onion diced

1 tbsp turmeric powder or freshly ground

1 tbsp ginger ground/fresh

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds (2 tbsp ground cumin)

2 tbsp green curry paste

1 can chickpeas

1 can coconut milk or cream

1 zuchinni chopped

2 cups veg stock

rice for serving

Methods

Add, oil to your pot, followed by onions and all your spices. Saute until aromatic and then add in your curry paste. Mix this in for about 2 minutes and then add your drained chickpeas. Coat the chickpeas in the spices and then add your coconut milk. Let this come to a low simmer and add vegetable stock and chopped zuchinni. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes, serve hot over brown rice.

Chicken Kamut Pesto Pasta Salad with Fresh Tomatoes and Olives

I’m pretty much always into pesto, but especially at this time of year when all this beautiful sunshine is on it’s way to bringing us some beautiful basil! But don’t feel confined to just the classic basil and pine nut pesto, there are some excellent alternatives that add just as much flavor and are full of phytonutrients. I love to use parsley and spinach as well as carrot tops- just be sure to add some extra garlic and lemon juice. I also tend to use sunflower seeds as a more affordable option or walnut bits from the bulk bin as they are often a bit cheaper! This salad keeps well in the fridge and so it makes a perfect meal prep choice, especially as we head into spring and summer when you are feeling less inclined towards a warm meal.

Ingredients

Pesto

1-2 cups spinach/arugula (could also save some to add to the salad)

2-3 cups basil

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup nuts/seeds (always a good idea to soak these guys in advance)

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup Olive Oil

Salad- measurements based on personal preference

Kamut pasta

sundried tomatoes

grape tomatoes

olives

bell peppers

Chicken

Method

Turn your oven to 400. Place your chicken in a bowl with lemon, garlic, salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. Massage this through your chicken and add to the oven. Cook for about 20-25 mins depending on how large your pieces are.

Using a food processor or blender, add all the pesto ingredients (minus the olive oil). Blend until smooth, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mix until you get that creamy texture, don’t be afraid to add a bit of water if you feel it’s too thick.

Cook your choice of pasta and once finish let it cool and drizzle with oil. Chop your veggies into bite size pieces. Allow chicken to cool and then slice and either add directly to your salad, or simply place on the side when you are ready to eat!

I use a big mixing bowl and toss all the ingredients together. I find this salad gets better with age and so makes a perfect meal prep for lunches throughout the week!

BBQ Jackfruit Pizza

This pizza is a quick and easy alternative to a meat based pizza with all the same flavour and texture! I love to keep Jackfruit in my pantry to add to tacos, pizza, sandwiches and soups. It has a very neutral flavour and so is perfect to add to dishes that pack lots of their own flavours!

You can mix up toppings and flavours when creating this pizza, I usually use it as an opportunity to use up whatever ingredients I have in the fridge. Try it out!

Ingredients

1 can of jackfruit

1 medium yellow onion

1 cup bbq sauce

1/2 cup kimchi

1-2 cups tomato sauce

cheese of choice

handful of spinach- fresh/frozen

dough - rosemary spelt flour

Method

Mix your dough as suggested in recipe I like this dough recipe. You may need to do this in advance depending on the recipe you choose.

I like to eliminate dishes when prepping and so I use my cast iron pan for all the toppings. Beginning with a drizzle of oil and adding the sliced onion. The most important thing with caramelizing onions is that you don’t overcrowd the onions and you leave them be. Check on them while preparing your other ingredients but let them sit enough so they can get that nice browned effect.

While those cook, open your can of Jackfruit. Depending on what kind you have you may need to chop it up a bit smaller. You want it to look a bit like pulled pork and so you can use a fork to pull as well. Set this aside and if your dough is ready you can get it precooking. I like to first precook it at about 374-400. I oil my tray with a bit of oil and then add cornmeal- this adds a great texture but also helps the dough to stay in place. I coat this with oil and a sprinkle of rosemary. Put this in the oven for about 10-15mins depending on your oven and dough thickness.

Once your onions are nicely caramelized you can place them in a bowl and add your jackfruit to the pan. I add kimchi because I love the spicy and sweet combo. Add the bbq sauce and mix well. Let this heat while your pizza cooks. Once the precook is done, add your tomato sauce, layer on your jackfruit. I then add a bit of frozen spinach to my pan to clean it up a bit- this can be placed on the pizza before serving. Add your onions and cheese and place in the oven for about 10-15mins.

Once this is finished you can add your spinach and then add a drizzle of bbq sauce or some balsamic reduction. I love to serve this with greens and a simple lemon and oil vinaigrette.

Winter Squash In Color

Often times our vegetable based side dishes really do take a backseat to the main course and stay in there position as an addition and don’t steal the show! I love to move away from this traditional role and mix up things up with a flavour and colour boosted dish!

I made this squash for Thanksgiving this year knowing that oftentimes this meal can traditionally be quite brown, and sometimes a pop of colour is a needed change! Squash is a perfect dish for the fall, but let’s not forget about the beautiful veg like the purples in beets and radicchio and the deep greens in Onions and Chives!

For this combination I layered a beet and sunflower seed spread, shredded Radicchio and layered both Roasted Butternut Squash and Delicata Squash on top. I then sprinkled some Tofu Feta and Green Onions for a bit of bite!

I sliced the squash and removed the skins from the Butternut and not from the Delicata as it’s nice and thin. I then mixed the squash with oil, cayenne a titch of honey and salt + pep and then roasted them at 400’ for about 30 mins with a flip in between.

For the Beet Dip I blended 1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds, 2 cloves of garlic, tahini and a few cooked beets. I always like to keep cooked beets in the fridge as they can be easily added to salads, smoothies and dips for extra colour and flavour!

I made this platter once I arrived at my dinner party (doesn’t transport well on the bike) and so packed up the various items in advance which made it a perfect make ahead dish!

First, I spread the Beet Dip onto the platter, I then placed the ripped Radicchio-this is an extremely bitter green so adds the perfect complement to the sweeter Squash. I then layered on the Squash and broke some Feta over the whole dish. I had bought some Sprouts to add but they were a bit too wilted and so I went with Green Onions which I had available- the Sprouts would have been a nice addition though!

This is a great dish for the fall season and to prepare in advance and enjoy throughout the week! the dip can also be used as a Salad Dressing or Vegetable Dip and can be kept in the fridge up to two weeks!

Bon Appetit!

Ottolenghi's Jerusalem Cardamom One Pot Chicken

Ottolenghi’s One Pot Cardamom Chicken

This was a crowd-pleasing recipe and made my house smell so delicious! It’s also a great dish for entertaining as it pretty much does all the work for you (once you brown the chicken and get everything going in the pan).

It made for great leftovers and was the perfect way to get a good combination of foods as I served this with a Fresh Fattoush Salad. 

Tips + Tricks

I would try using a white or brown rice with this recipe and increasing the water content. I found the Basmati took way longer than the recipe said and some of the exposed rice got crunchy. I continued to check on it throughout the cook time, trying to submerge the top layer of rice. 

Serve this alongside a fresh salad to help cut the heaviness of the dish!

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/chicken-with-caramelized-onion-and-cardamom-rice

Butternut Squash With Garlic Crema

It’s fall and so I use every excuse I can to include Squash in my plans. I find Butternut to be the best bang for your buck, and time- it’s a quick peel/clean and chop which is great when I am making multiple dishes for clients. Instead of cubes I prefer to do my butternut squash in half moons. I peel the entire squash, cut off the rounded section and then cut the neck in half. Slice it about 2’ thick, and then repeat this with the seeded section of the squash. I toss with salt, pepper, oil and a tsp of maple syrup. I then lay on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees for about 25minutes or until nice and brown. 

While cooking I make the Crema with the soaked cashews, garlic and lemon juice. Super simple and a perfect complement to the squash. I find it helps to cut the sweetness of the squash and brings out a deeper flavour profile. 

I lay the squash on a platter, you could do it on top of radicchio or another bitter green and then drizzle the Crema on top just before serving! It’s a serious hit and always seems to be a new way to look at serving squash! 

Also with this squash dish, if you have Harissa available at your store I highly recommend trying it. I squeeze a bit into the bowl and lightly coat the pieces (it can be spicy so be advised!). It adds a nice smoky flavour to the dish. 

Epicurious Braised Lamb

This is one of my favourite ways to prepare lamb as it keeps the meat moist and infuses the sauce with a rich and deep flavour. I also love that this is a 1 pot meal and super easy to have going on the stove while you prepare other dishes or do some clean up. This will fill your house with the aroma of rosemary and it’s delightful :) 

Tips + Tricks

I will use whatever cut is available and have used chops and shanks with both being successful!

I also most often make this dish minus the wine as I don’t have it available and I have never noticed much of a difference. 

I also often use water instead of soup stock as I don’t have any to use and it has never really impacted it, I just make sure I brown the onions well and let the dish get infused with fresh rosemary!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/braised-lamb-shanks-with-rosemary-3123

Minimalist Baker's Golden Curry Lentil Soup

I made this Minimalist Baker recipe for personal meal prep recently, and put a few containers in the freezer. It's a perfect recipe on a cold rainy (or if you’re not in Van- snowy) fall or winter day! I love recipes that I can batch cook and keep well in the fridge and freezer. This makes eating at home much simpler, if you know you have a quick meal at hand! It’s great for entertaining as well!

Tips + Tricks

For this recipe I did a bit less carrot and added in Sweet Potato as I had some on hand and I find it makes it a bit more robust. 

I also didn’t add all the broth at once as I wanted it to be a thicker stew not as soup-ey! But be sure to add enough broth to feed the red lentils so they become nice and soft! They require a significant amount of liquid! 

I like to make about 2 cups of Grains such as rice or quinoa at the start of the week to keep in the fridge to serve with these types of dishes (also very useful for a Quick Rice Bowl). 

I will also saute greens such as spinach or kale to serve alongside this recipe, adding that little bit of extra fibre and phytonutrients!

https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-golden-curry-lentil-soup/