It’s so funny that I’ve waited so long to post this recipe because it’s a really, really good one. I made this in early fall when I could still put things outside on the balcony to photograph. It’s not that I forgot about this tasty chicken meal, but it’s because I took a photo of this meal in my well-worn Jadite dish. Let me explain. I love this dish. It treats me well and I think I do well by it too. But it is by no means a pretty dish – well, not after I’m through with it. Sure, it’s got a lovely vintage green hue…but it stains easily and it’s near impossible to scrub away all of splatters. No matter how hard I scrub it with my miracle baking soda-vinegar-soap concoction it won’t become pristine (however, my miracle mix does work wonders on bathtubs and cleans grimy ovens like nobody’s business). What I wouldn’t give for a dishwasher! And a window in the kitchen! And more cupboard and counter space! Actually, I’ve got a whole list of wants & you can see them all & follow me on Pinterest because I’m sort of addicted.

But I’m snapping out of my perfect dream world because I made this dish last week with every intention to take another photo. But then dinner was running late, we were starving, and when it came right down to things, we just chomped down. There was no waiting to take photos because this is a chicken dish you just want to inhale. New photos be damned! We dug in and licked our fingers. Happiness achieved.

There is a bit of prep time because the chicken should marinate for a couple hours so that the chicken gets a lemony soak, but other than a bit of advance planning, the rest is a snap. The first time I made this, I threw caution to the wind and left the skin on. But it’s January now and I’m much more sensible, so I pulled that skin right off before marinating it. Chicken skin, I understand the lure, but either way, it’s delicious. Your call.

elsewhere: Need a bowl of gluten-free comfort? Try my coconut and lime rice pudding over at Poppytalk this week. It’s a no-fuss way to near instant happiness. And it’s vegan to boot!

greek lemon chicken
4 chicken thighs (skins removed or not, your call)
2 lemons, juiced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dried chili flakes

Rinse and dry chicken and place in a ziplock bag. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate for 2 hours, flipping the bag once.

Preheat oven to 425F. Place chicken and marinade into a baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear after being pierced with a knife.

Possibly related posts:

• sloppy seconds: greek lemon chicken + greek salad
• chicken and orzo with lemon and olives

January is a weird month for me. It starts off well – I’m inspired, positivity is seeping from my pores, I’m attacking new projects, I’m getting shit done. Then I stumble, I wipe myself off and am back at it, but there’s something amiss. My confidence is shaken and before I know it, I can’t quite remember what I was fighting for. What was making me tick for those couple of weeks? Where did that drive come from? Can I get it back? Please?

Maybe the days of endless grey skies and rain might have something to do with it. Or maybe it’s just that my body is saying relax, chill, take it easy. Have a beer, go out with friends, watch 3 episodes of Luther all in a row. And make a good dinner. A cozy dinner that feels like a warm blanket of niceness. A dinnertime hug. This smoked tofu and vegetable pot pie is just what your body needs.

I know, the ingredient list looks long and probably seems complicated. Think of it as a stir fry (easy, right?) with a biscuit top. No pie dough skills required. The vegetables are what I had on hand at the time, though you could certainly change things up to suit your own vegetable drawer. I used frozen organic butternut squash, peas and corn to make things super simple. I had fresh green beans on hand, but the frozen kind would be equally good. Don’t stress! The vegetables and tofu bathe in a lovely cream sauce which is simply that a sprinkle of flour and some vegetable stock and almond milk. Done and done!

Years ago – let’s be real, here – decades ago, when I read the Moosewood cookbook cover to cover, I would spy the words “smoked tofu” in a recipe and wanted to know more. But somehow, back then, I couldn’t easily find it in my local markets. But now, smoked tofu is quite commonplace and I’m surprised that this is my first time using it. And, yes, it’s as good as I imagined. If you don’t have smoked tofu on hand, try adding some smoked paprika or chipotle powder instead. I’m not the sort of person to have a bottle of liquid smoke on hand, but I’m sure that would work too. The smokiness here is fantastic and really helps to elevate this dish into super-fantastico territory. So pick some up at your local market.

elsewhere: Need a wholesome treat? What about a golden apple cake that makes January a happier little place. Go get the simple recipe over at Poppytalk.

smoked tofu & vegetable pot pie
When I made this, I had some extra biscuit dough leftover which is always a nice surprise. You could bake it up alongside the pot pie, or save it for the next day’s breakfast.

1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t crushed red chilies
1 pkg smoked firm tofu, diced into 1″ cubes
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, sliced/diced
1 c mushrooms, sliced
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 c fresh green beans, cut into 1″ pieces
1 c cooked butternut squash, diced (frozen is fine)
1 T sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 t sriracha (optional)
2 T flour
3/4 c vegetable stock
1/2 c almond milk (any dairy or non-dairy is fine)
1/4 c frozen peas
1/4 c frozen corn

biscuit topping:
1 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
4 t baking powder
1 t sugar
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c butter, cubed (earth balance or other vegan butter)
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese or daiya (vegan cheese)
1 c almond milk (any dairy or non-dairy is fine)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add in onions, garlic, salt and chilies. Let everything sweat for a bit and then add in the cubed tofu, celery, carrots, green beans, oregano and mushrooms. Sprinkle with the dried oregano.

Let saute for 10 minutes and then add in the butternut squash, soy sauce, sriracha (if using) and sprinkle with flour. Stir until flour coats everything. Pour in the stock and milk and let things thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in the peas and corn and then pour mixture into a deep oven-proof dish. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare your biscuit dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, sugar, parsley, salt and garlic powder. Add in the butter work it in with your fingers until it’s blended in with the flour and looks like oats. Stir in the cheese until well mixed and then pour in the milk, stirring lightly with a wooden spoon.

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out until your dough is about 1 inch thick. Trim dough to the size of your dish and gently place on top of your tofu & veg filled oven-proof dish. Alternately, just drop spoonfuls of dough onto the top of the mixture and pop it in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until biscuit topping is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.

Possibly related posts:

• c’mon spring, let’s get on with it! chicken pot pie with cheddar-biscuit topping
• the secret of great tofu: green beans & tofu in a thai coconut sauce

A lot of people I know are reigning in their spending for the new year to help them with savings, getting rid of debt, etc. While I can count myself lucky in that we have no debt and we’ve been rigorously saving for years, I have noticed that we’ve eaten in almost all our meals so far this month. And strangely, it hasn’t felt like we’ve missed anything. Hardly! We’ve been eating very well and quite healthily, I might add.

Take this meal as an example. It seems rather plain – just remnants from the fridge: yams and mushrooms (and a tiny bit of leftover cauliflower – which I left out of the recipe because I felt it didn’t really add anything special to the dish). But this dish was more than just some random veg – I thought it quite flavourful and delicious, especially when served over millet. Somehow, the yams and the mushrooms work together as a great pair, with some chunky red onions along for the ride.

The yams have a definite sweetness and it goes so nicely with the tang from the white wine vinegar. I added in some maple syrup to round out the sweetness to the onions and mushrooms and it was a good move. The Mexican chili powder and smokey chipotle played nicely here adding a little earthy heat. While you could serve this alone as part of a meal, I loved this over millet. You could easily pair this with brown rice – but if rice is your go-to grain, branch out and try something new, like millet, quinoa or farro instead.

mexican-spiced roasted mushrooms & yams
3 yams, peeled & diced
1/2 onion, large dice
2 T olive oil
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T maple syrup
1 t chili powder
1/4 t chipotle powder
1/2 t fine-grained sea salt
a good grind of black pepper
2 c sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, toss the yam and onion together along with the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, chili powder, chipotle powder, and salt. Toss until well coated. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment, foil or silpat and then use a slotted spoon to remove the yams and onions to the prepped baking sheet. Reserve extra liquid in bowl and set aside. Arrange yams & onions in one layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the mushrooms into the bowl with the leftover dressing and toss well. Give a good grind of black pepper over top. When the yams and onions come out from the oven, flip and arrange space on the baking sheet for the mushrooms. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown & well-roasted. Remove from oven and serve immediately over your favorite rice or grain (I like millet).

Possibly related posts:

• yam & bean orange-scented chili
• craving comfort: spaghetti & mushrooms

Usually the transition into a new year brings a bit of stress. Maybe I set my goals and expectations too high or maybe I just feed off the stress of others. But not this year. I made a couple simple goals and one of them – to be a better hugger – already got in some practice-time through December. And yeah, about that hugging goal, I’m totally serious. Truth is, I’m a wimpy hugger and I really noticed how lacking I was in the hugging department when I visited my friend in Montreal. After we had met up, he sent me off with a big ol’ bear hug and it made me feel pretty great. It’s amazing how a hug can really make someone else feel good. So I told myself that I’m going to quit giving out namby-pamby tentative hugs to my friends and instead deliver good, hearty and heart-felt hugs. We’ll see how it goes.

A hug makes you feel warm and loved and happy and I think this meal does the same. This dal uses red lentils which cook up in a hurry into a soft and tender bite. There’s curry involved along with a bit of sriracha because I like heat. But there’s also some diced apples to nudge in some mellow sweetness. I added in fennel because I had some lying about my vegetable crisper, but you could sub in something as common as celery, broccoli or cauliflower. I even think some greens like spinach, kale or chard would be good here too. There’s no fuss involved and it’s an easy enough meal to make on a busy weeknight. See, it’s like a nice hug for your insides and it’s a good a place to start as any.

elsewhere: Yup, I love year-end recaps and over at Poppytalk, I list my top 12 favorite recipes that have appeared over on Poppytalk through 2011! Take a peek and check out my favorite recipes.

tomato-apple dal
2 T coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 c fennel bulb, finely diced
2 apples, finely diced
2 T fresh ginger, minced
pinch of salt
2 T curry paste
2 c red lentils
2 c diced tomatoes
3 c water
Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, to taste
1/4 c yogurt (optional)

In a large heavy pot, melt coconut oil over medium-high heat and add in onions, fennel, apples and ginger along with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until everything starts to get a little soft. Add in the curry paste and lentils and stir around until the lentils start to glisten. Turn down heat and add in the tomato puree and water, stirring so everything is combined. Put the lid on the saucepan and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until everything is soft. If it’s too dry for your liking, add in a bit of water. Stir in yogurt (if using) and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

Possibly related posts:

• curried apple & lentil dal
• warm up with winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry

Last winter while exploring the quaint little city of Victoria, BC, I stumbled into a hidden away Mexican restaurant called Hernande’z and discovered my new favorite dish – huaraches. Then a few months later, I found myself in Fort Greene, Brooklyn munching on one at the Brooklyn Flea and a week later I was in Williamsburg gorging myself on another at Smorgasburg. I was seriously hooked!

Huaraches are flattened patties of corn masa and get their name from the popular Mexican sandal. They are topped with beans, cheese, vegetables, sour cream, and salsa and they are beyond delicious. I tend to associate Mexican food with long summer evenings, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy the taste of the tropics in the middle of winter, right? Right!

It looks like a big production, but turning masa flour into dough is quite simple – just add a little vegetable broth and salt and then shape into balls. The dough does tend to dry out quickly so it’s a good idea to cover everything with plastic wrap when you’re not working with it. My patties were a bit dry and cracked a bit around the edges, and while I’m sure a Mexican grandmother might give me dirty looks, taste-wise, I was happy with the results.

It’s best to figure out your topping situation before starting the dough. So if you’re making your own refried beans or even just opening up a can, make sure they’re warm and simmering over low heat. Get your brisket sticky and shredded or crumble up some chorizo or shred some chicken if you’re into adding meat. I hope you’ve got some homemade salsa ready – this recipe works incredibly well with canned tomatoes (really!!!). Grate your cheese, shred your lettuce, mix up your guacamole or chop up your avocado. I also love to quick pickle some sliced red onion in lime juice for a bit of zing! The toppings are the best part so use what you like and don’t skimp! And it’s so easy to make your huaraches 100% vegan – just choose your toppings wisely!

Then mix up the dough, flatten it out with your hands, and start pan-frying. Or you can cover the the patties tightly in plastic wrap and let them sit in the fridge for a bit. The only real tricky part to these is flipping the huaraches so they don’t crack. And if they do crack, well, that’s where the loads of toppings become handy as a disguise! Gather some friends because this is a meal that is fun to eat! Once you hand over the hot patties to the awaiting crowd, everyone can add all the toppings they like. Hello awesome party time!!

huaraches
2 c masa flour
1 t sea salt
1 3/4 c slightly warm vegetable broth
oil

toppings:
refried beans
shredded pork or beef or chicken (if desired)
shredded lettuce
fresh salsa
guacamole or avocados
sour cream
grated cheese (cheddar cheese or feta or cojita)
hot sauce
quick-pickled red onions

In a large bowl, combine the masa with the salt and pour in the vegetable broth. Stir until combined and then knead the dough until it becomes a smooth ball. Pinch off the dough and flatten – does it crack? If so, add in a bit of water until there are no cracks.

Divide the dough into orange-sized balls and flatten into an oval shape about 1/4″ thick. Cover patties with plastic wrap separated with squares of parchment paper immediately if placing in the fridge.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and place one or two huaraches (or how many comfortably fit in a pan). Cook until masa is golden brown, about 3 minutes and then carefully flip and cook for another 3 minutes.

Spread hot huaraches with the warmed refried beans and whatever topping you so desire. Eat and repeat! Makes about 4-6 huaraches.

Possibly related posts:

• mexican nacho pizza
• the small joys: bean & veggie burrito

This is the time of year that I find myself totally craving comfort. Wooly tights. Flannel sheets. Knit caps. Fuzzy sweaters. Heavy quilts. I think it’s because I get a little run down with work and all the craft fairs that pop up around this season. And craft fairs are hard work. I never realized how sore my smile muscles could get until I entered the craft fair circuit. It’s kind of a big change from working from home, let me tell you. Which reminds me, thank you to everyone who came around to my table at Got Craft this past Sunday! Thank you for saying hi and making me blush! And if you’re in Vancouver and want to pick up a few more paper doo-dads, I’ll be at Toque as a fundraiser for the Western Front this Friday and Saturday (details here).

And speaking of comfort, there’s something about this dish that seems like old-fashioned comfort food. Maybe because this dish is various shades of brown. Or maybe it’s the pasta which is always welcome this time of year, but I think the meaty mushrooms lend some earthy appeal. Don’t skimp! I used baby ‘bellas here, but I think a good mix of wild mushrooms would really kind of make my mouth go wild in a good way. There’s lots of garlic and the caramelized onions add some nice sweetness. I wasn’t sure what kind of herb to throw in and when I spied a bottle of herbs du provence (a mixture containing fennel, savoury, thyme, basil, lavender, etc.) it just seemed like the right thing to do and it worked really well. Of course, I thought lemon juice would go nicely here and next time I might add in some of the zest as well for extra zing.

When you’re run ragged with work and all the busy stuff that seems to crop up at this time of year, you need a little bit of comfort and ease around the dinner table. Even when that table is just the warm spot on the couch as you catch up on your latest tv craving. But just as this dinner is easy to whip up in about 30 minutes, it’s also perfect to serve at a casual gathering of your bestest friends. Just a bottle or two of your favorite wine and maybe some fresh parsley or basil to sprinkle overtop and you’re good.

elsewhere: The other morning was chilly and I wanted something warming so I made a batch of delicious oat and nutmeg scones. They were perfect little bites of quiet happiness. Get the recipe over at Poppytalk. You won’t regret it.

spaghetti & mushrooms
250 g spaghetti
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced thinly into strips
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 t sea salt
1 t aleppo pepper
1 t herbs de provence
1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
1 lemon, juiced
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add in spaghetti. Add in a little salt if you remember. Let it simmer over medium heat until almost al dente……

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add onion slices. Saute until soft and fragrant, about 5-10 minutes. Toss in mushrooms, garlic, salt, aleppo pepper and herbs de provence. Stir everything around until the mushrooms release some of their moisture. Pour in stock and let simmer and reduce slightly.

How’s that spaghetti doing? Almost al dente? Then strain out most of the cooking liquid, but reserve about 2-4 tablespoons of cooking water with the spaghetti and toss the whole shebang into the skillet. Toss with the mushroom mixture, squeeze in the lemon juice, toss again, and serve in deep bowls with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Possibly related posts:

• 500 grams of spaghetti = two delicious summer pastas
• boot-strapped: mexican-spiced roasted mushrooms & yams

I know, I know, I just wrote about gremolata and here it is again, sneaking it’s way into this soup post. It’s not that I want to be known as the gremolata girl, but honestly, I couldn’t help myself. While this spicy & sweet winter squash soup is delicious on its own, I wanted to add something else to it and felt that heavy croutons wouldn’t cut it. I yearned for something fresh and light and vibrant and figured that a mix of herbs, hot peppers, orange zest and apples would be a great accompaniment. This isn’t a frou-frou garnish, instead, it adds a layer of complexity that really works well.

This soup is very sophisticated and complex in flavour yet it’s a cinch to prepare. I think was inspired by some seriously amazing and luxurious meals I had this past weekend. You see, I was chosen to spend 4 jam-packed days in Vieux Montreal (that’s the Old Quarter of Montreal for you anglos) with 5 other Canadian bloggers courtesy of the very passionate Montreal coffee company, Van Houtte. I’m a simple girl used to soaking my own chickpeas and eating out usually involves a cheeseburger, so dining at fantastic restaurants and eating multi-course meals, let alone participating in wine-tastings and coffee cuppings, is way out of the ordinary for me. I loved it and wanted to capture a bit of that worldliness in one of my first meals back at home and I think I did good.

For this dish, I roasted several small varieties of winter squash the night before – and just so you know, most ornamental squash can be eaten! Those tiny cute pumpkins I got from our CSA before Halloween were quickly roasted and turned into soup. After cutting them in half and scraping out the seeds and stringy bits, I put them into a roasting pan filled with nearly an inch of water. Once they were soft, I just scraped all the innards and was left with just over 2 cups of squash. I think you could easily use canned pumpkin or roast your own acorn/butternut/kabocha squash here and get great results.

All curry powders & pastes have different spice levels. If you’re not sure how spicy yours is, start by adding a small amount at a time until you get the spice that suits your taste buds.

elsewhere: Looking for a warm & flavourful biscuit to eat with your soup or stew? Head over to Poppytalk & bake up a batch of easy zucchini & cheddar biscuits.

spicy winter squash soup with apples & orange scented gremolata
1 T butter (or Smart Balance or olive oil, if you want something non-dairy)
1 small onion, diced
2″ knob of ginger, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 birds eye chili, seeds removed & diced
1/2 t salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
1 heaping T curry paste (I used Patak’s Jalfrezi paste – curry powder works too!)
2 1/2 c cooked winter squash
2 apples, skinned & diced (I used russets)
6 c vegetable or chicken stock or water
a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

In a large heavy pot, heat butter over medium-high heat and add in the onion and ginger, letting it sweat and get wilty – about 4 minutes. Add in the carrot, fresh chili, salt and ground pepper and stir around to get fragrant. Stir in the curry paste, along with the cooked squash and apples. Pour in the water or stock and give everything a good stir. Put on the lid and let simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes, checking at the half way point to add in additional liquid if needed, and stirring occasionally.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup and taste it to see if it needs more seasoning – I always add in some hot sauce here (vinegar based or sriracha, your call). Pour soup into bowls and top with gremolata. Makes 4-6 servings.

orange scented gremolata
1 birds eye chili, seeds removed & finely diced
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 t fresh sage, finely chopped
zest of a small orange, diced
1 t green pepper, finely diced
1 T of finely diced apple (I used a russet)

Prep the gremolata just before you are going to serve the soup. Combine all ingredients and drop a small spoonful on top of the soup. Trust me, this is more than a pretty garnish. Be amazed.

Possibly related posts:

• warm up with winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry
• smooth like orange velvet: winter vegetable soup

Growing up, Sunday suppers were a big deal in our house. The meal almost always revolved around meat (though once there was a poorly received tofu lasagna) and potatoes. She’d start preparing the meal early in the morning and when I’d wake up, she’d enlist my help to peel the potatoes and carrots, chop the onions or in the case of beef stew, flour and season the stewing beef. Beef stew is a huge comfort dish from my childhood and something that was prepared only once or twice a year, though I would have gladly eaten it once a week. We were all a huge fan of the boeuf bourguignon, which is how it was known in my household.

I don’t cook a lot of meat in our house, but when I spied some nice looking stewing beef at my local butcher, I figured that turning it into a comforting beef stew would make an ideal fall supper. Baby potatoes, local carrots, fresh herbs and a big ol’ onion melt down with the help of some good red wine and beef stock. It’s a dance of comforting proportions.

Slow cooker update: A lot of you asked in the comments about a slow cooker and I don’t have one, so I couldn’t advise. However, Nicole, who blogs at Dula Notes, says that this stew is great in a slow cooker cooked on low for 10 hours. Thanks Nicole for the great tip!

But the real kicker here is the gremolata. Now don’t get all uppity about gremolata because it’s simply a fancy word for some freshly chopped herbs, lemon zest, sea salt and a small drizzle of olive oil. It seems humble enough, but when scattered over top the hot bowl of stew, it releases some seriously delicious scents and flavours.

elsewhere: Pop on over to Poppytalk if you fancy a quick and hearty vegetarian meal – a golden lentil dal with ginger & orange.

beef stew with gremolata
2 T canola oil
1/3 c flour
salt & pepper
1 lb stewing beef
1 large onion, large dice
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4 carrots, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 bottle good red wine
3 c beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 T fresh rosemary leaves
2 large potatoes, cubed

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Dump the flour onto a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef cubes in flour. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add in oil. Brown the beef on all sides – be sure not to over crowd the pot or else the beef won’t brown easily. And browning here is all important, so brown each piece well (but don’t burn!) in batches until all the beef is browned. Remove beef and set aside.

2. Add in onion and additional oil if needed and saute until coated in oil and starting to get soft – you want to stir frequently and try to grab all those bits at the bottom of the pot. Add in the garlic and carrots and stir that around too. Pour in the wine and now is your chance to truly loosen all those particles hanging out at the bottom. When you’ve got the bottom clean, add in the beef broth, bay leaves, rosemary and browned beef cubes and bring the whole shebang to a boil. Add in potatoes, cover pot and place in oven.

3. Let cook in oven covered for 2 hours, giving a stir occasionally. Reduce heat to 200F and cook for another 2 hours, still keeping the pot covered. The liquid will have reduced considerably but there should still be a good gravy. The vegetables will be tender and the beef should be melt-in-your-mouth. Ladle into bowls, serve with red wine and a good rustic loaf of bread. Top each bowl off with a spoonful of the gremolata. Serves 4.

gremolata
1 large handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 large stem of rosemary, stems removed + finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
tiny drizzle of olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Combine all ingredients into a small dish and serve a spoonful over top each bowl of stew. Also, really tasty mixed in with salad or coleslaw.

Possibly related posts:

• a taste of home: chicken, sausage and vegetable stew
• the girl can’t help it: spicy winter squash soup with apples & orange scented gremolata

The last few months have been hectic with work so I found it hard to take time out and do the things I enjoy. So this week, I made time for friends and for adventure and for bike rides. It also helped that Vancouver has been sunny for days so it’s been easy to meet up with friends and take some time out for myself without needing to bring along an umbrella. To say that this past week was fun is an understatement. It’s been awesome. And by way of an introduction, so is this meal.

I made this a few weeks ago, but I’m already thinking that it’s time for a repeat. It’s spicy and warming and perfect on nights when there’s a chill in the air. Fall is here and we’ve been tempted to turn on our heat (but so far, we’re resisting). This would make an ideal warm-up dinner. We’re lucky to still get some nice looking tomatoes from our csa (though I doubt we’ll see any more to come as we got our first bit of frost this week), so I chopped up some nice golden heirlooms and reduced them down with some onions and garlic. A spoonful of my favorite curry paste bumps up the spice. Yogurt, coconut milk and a dollop of mango chutney get involved as does some zucchini. If it’s hard to find zucchini now, try subbing in some colourful peppers or get all up in autumn’s grill and add in some roasted butternut or acorn squash or even some sweet potatoes. Really, I think that would be just grand.

If you think it’s easy to screw up shrimp, give this meal a try because I think it’s almost impossible to cook them badly here. Just make sure that adding the shrimp is the last thing you do. The lime & chili marinated shrimp only need 2 minutes to cook, so once the sauce is prepared, the rest is a breeze. I served this over coconut rice which is a heck of a lot easier to prepare than it sounds. I just took the leftover coconut milk from the sauce and dumped it into the pot of cooked rice. It’s not overly coconutty, but it made the rice creamy and worked really well with this dish. Ta da! Dinner is served.

spicy masala shrimp with zucchini and coconut rice
1 T canola oil
1/2 large onion, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t sea salt
2 T (heaping) masala curry paste (I use Patak’s)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c plain yogurt
1 T siraracha (optional)
1 T mango chutney
1 c zucchini, cut in half or quartered & sliced thin
1/2 can (400 ml) light coconut milk

1 lb large shrimp (21/25 shrimp), deveined & tails on
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper)
1/4 t sea salt
juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 can (400 ml) light coconut milk
4 c cooked, hot rice

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add in onion. When the onion gets fragrant & translucent, add in the green onion and garlic and stir it around with a bit of salt. Add in curry paste and the tomatoes and cook down until the tomatoes get soft, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, In a medium bowl, add the shrimp, garlic, pepper, salt and lime juice and let marinate for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Back over at the stove, turn down heat to low and add in yogurt, sriracha, mango chutney, half the can of coconut milk and the zucchini into the tomato curry mixture. Stir well and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn back up the heat to medium-high so the mixture starts a slow bubble and pour in the shrimp mixture. Stir so that the shrimp is coated in the curry and let cook for 2 minutes until the shrimp is pink.

Meanwhile, add a half can of coconut milk to your hot rice and stir well.

Serve masala shrimp over coconut rice. Serves 4.

Possibly related posts:

• beautiful magic: spicy roasted broccoli & shrimp
• brown rice bowl with vegetables & roasted chickpeas

Last night I had cooked up a pot of chickpeas, drained them and put them in the fridge. I had no immediate plans but figured I’d use them in a soup or stew sometime in the next few days. But then lunchtime rolled around and I was getting a hankering for some good eats. Ages ago, I had bookmarked a chickpea sandwich recipe on Smitten Kitchen and when I gave it a look over, any questions about what to eat were solved. A smashed chickpea salad sandwich coming up!

The recipe is really a cinch to prepare and it’s got a serious case of tangy with all that lemon and caper business going on. But it’s also got some creamy mayo in there too to help smooth things out a little. The original recipe calls for olive oil instead of mayo but I was all out because I only get my olive oil from Tosi & Co, the oldest Italian market in Chinatown and the shop been closed for about a week now. It makes me nervous to think about it and I’m crossing my fingers that it opens again soon! But I loved how much that dollop of mayo did for this salad. I added in capers instead of black olives, though I think that would be a great choice too. But the biggest bonus for me is the juice of a whole lemon. I used a rather juicy lemon and I loved the super lemony sucker punch it gave, but feel free to tone it down to just a half lemon if you’ve got timid taste buds.

I made sandwiches for me and Cornelius on rye toast and I couldn’t get enough, so I made another. This is a bit of a drippy sandwich, so I even licked my plate. I have no manners, but I sure can appreciate a good sandwich. Yeah, this is the good stuff. So good, next time, I’ll forget about the bread and just eat it as is, salad-style. Alone. And happy.

elsewhere: This week I go ball-istic over at Poppytalk and make a recipe for veggie balls. They’re great! Also, you have to make this creamy asian veggie slaw that converts slaw haters. It’s delicious and I make it often. Enjoy!

tangy lemon smashed chickpea salad
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
1 c chickpeas
1/4 c finely diced red onion
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
1 lemon, juiced (though you might just want to use half a lemon if you aren’t so into the tangy like I am)
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T good mayo (vegan mayo if that’s your thing)
1 t capers, finely chopped
1/4 t flakey sea salt
a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce

In a medium bowl, dump in your chickpeas and use a potato masher to smash your chickpeas. This shouldn’t be hummus texture here – just smashed with some whole chickpeas and a lot of roughly chopped ones. Stir in the red onion, pepper, parsley, capers, lemon juice and the remaining ingredients. Taste & adjust seasoning if needed. Serve on toasted bread or crusty rolls or just eat as is, salad-style. Makes 4 servings.

Possibly related posts:

• eat hungrily: chickpea & romaine salad with lemon-parmesan vinaigrette
• lemon, parmesan & chickpea cabbage salad