Everybody Likes Sandwiches

sweet yams in the summertime: southwest potato salad

kickpleat — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:00:19 +0000

After my last few posts of cakes, muffins and cookies, I figured I better post a salad. I made this for dinner the other night because I wanted to use up the yams lingering around my vegetable drawer. Truth be told, I was wondering why I had yams when it was nearly June. But then I remembered I’ve been eating asparagus like it’s been going out of style (well, it is a short growing season), hence the lingering yams. So when I spied a can of black beans in my cupboard, this salad idea was born. It’s a potato salad that strays from the norm and it’s a very, very good thing.

It’s a long weekend here in Canada so why not celebrate with a potato salad. It’s perfect picnic, barbeque or friendly gathering eats and this one is especially nice because it’s not the usual mayo-laden stuff. The roasted sweet potatoes give a good sweetness (so much so that I didn’t add any honey or sweetener in the dressing) and I tossed in some frozen corn to roast up as well. I kept the vinaigrette a bit zingy with lots of lime juice and garlic. Cumin, chili powder and chili flakes (plus a splash of hot sauce) add heat, but it won’t burn your face off. I think people get scared with seeing a lot of chili powder in a recipe, but it’s a blend of several different components (usually garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and oregano) so I don’t find it all that spicy. But if you’re a bit heat-shy, add the amount you feel comfortable with.

My husband and I ate this up as a main-dish salad, but it would work perfectly as a side for a summer bbq. It’s so much more delicious than I would have imagined and we both went back for seconds. I’m already wondering if I should throw some more yams into my grocery basket along with the asparagus! Yams may not scream spring & summer, but this salad helps transform into the perfect vegetable for nice warm days.

And don’t forget to add a sprinkle of feta cheese before serving! It compliments this dish so well.

southwest potato salad
If you don’t have Old Bay, leave it out (or add in a touch of paprika & celery salt). But ever since I discovered how great it went with a black bean salad, I like to add it in. Old Bay, it’s not just for seafood!

3 yams, diced
1 T vegetable oil
1 T chili powder
1/2 t chili flakes (or cayenne)
1 T ground cumin

1 c frozen corn

1/4 c minced red onion
1 can of black beans, rinsed & drained

1/4 c vegetable oil
juice of 2 limes
2 cloves garlic, minced
a splash of red wine vinegar (optional)
1/2 t Old Bay seasoning
1/2 t ground cumin
pinch of salt & a good grind of black pepper
a few spashes of hot sauce

crumbled feta cheese & cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the diced yams with the oil, chili powder, cumin and chili flakes. Dump out evenly onto a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add corn into the same bowl and toss to gather up any of the remaining spice & oil. Remove yams from oven and toss for even cooking, adding in the corn. Bake for another 15 minutes.

In a large serving bowl, add in the black beans and red onion. Combine the remaining ingredients into a small jar and shake until well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Remove the corn and yams from the oven and add into the bean mixture. Pour over dressing and toss the salad well. Serve immediately (though I’m sure it’s delicious cold too). Serves 4 meal-sized portions.

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the birthday cake that almost wasn’t: caramel cake

kickpleat — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:02:36 +0000

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I just wasn’t feeling my birthday this year. But you know, things got a lot better. On the day of my birthday there wasn’t cake, but there was a lovely chocolate whoopie pie from a local bake shop with a candle in it where I was serenaded with the happy birthday song by my very endearing husband and that was pretty wonderful. He took me out to a restaurant that I’ve been dying to try (it was worth every bite) and I got to try creme brule for the very first time ever (it was heaven!). I wanted this goodness to continue, and so when I had some friends over later that weekend, I decided to bake a cake in celebration.

I consulted various cake recipes and when I found that Tim, Dana and Deb all gushed about one particular caramel cake, I was sold. The cake itself is simple to make in fact, I’d argue that it’s probably best as an “everyday cake”. It isn’t fancy in the least, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t special. I used Tim’s version as a guide since he declared it his most favorite cake of all time (you see, this is a cake with excellent pedigree). Tim sifts the flour and then calls it done where as the recipe requires you to sift the flour and then sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I’m not sure you know this about me, but I’m not a sifter. I whisk which isn’t nearly the same thing. So I ditched the extra 2 tablespoons of flour and moved on. Maybe next time, I’ll omit a bit more flour for a lighter crumb. But regardless of my non-sifting manoeuvres, this cake is pretty delicious. It’s got an ever-so-slight tang from the buttermilk (though I’m sure you could easily sub in a spoonful of vinegar into a cupful of milk with equal success), but it’s the caramel glaze that is the real stand out here.

Normally, I have no issues with caramel. I’ve been making caramel things for years and always found it a cinch. Except when I made the glaze this time, everything curdled. There was no creamy sauce, just curdled lumps no matter how quickly I whisked the thing together. I freaked out on Twitter, got a few great responses on what could have gone wrong and decided that I’d toss the stuff and try again the next day.

Well rested, I was ready to tackle the glaze. But beforehand, my husband poured me my morning coffee and then asked if I’d like milk or half and half in my coffee. Since I only buy milk for my coffee, it suddenly hit me. I had purchased half and half instead of heavy cream! DOH. OOPS. Hanging my head in shame, I was off to the grocery store on Mother’s Day looking for heavy cream like everyone else (seriously, I had to go into 3 shops before I found a carton!) Once back home, the caramel was a dream to make. I should note that I have a candy thermometer but it never works (I probably should just toss the thing). It only gets up to 150F and then stays there for the duration of the caramel-making. Useless! So I’ve learned to improvise and use a timer (set the timer for 14 minutes after the mixture starts boiling) and then keep a glass of ice water nearby. Once the caramel stars looking golden, flick a drop into the ice water until you get to a nice soft-ball stage. Got it? Remove from heat and pour over your cake. Take the caramel off too soon and it will be thin and less flavourful. Keep it on too long and it will turn into rubber or leather or worse. Let it look drippy and lush. At this point, everyone who comes into the kitchen will go ga-ga over the cake. It’s like they can’t help themselves. Caramel on cake. What will they think of next?!

So we ate the cake and it was delicious. Sometimes we ate a slice with a ball of homemade vanilla ice cream over glitter paper because why not? Try a slice with coffee! Or eat a slice on the sly for breakfast. You may need to smear your finger around the plate to catch any drips. It’s okay because it’s your cake. Enjoy it. I did.

elsewhere: I know, so many sweets over here lately. There’ll be some healthy meals coming up, don’t worry about it. In the meantime, head over to Poppytalk where you’ll find a great recipe for Sole Almondine. It sounds fancy. It tastes fancy. And it’s a cinch to make! Win!

caramel cake
(adapted from Lottie + Doof & Gourmet)
2 c + 2 T sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring…or if not sifting, cut out the extra flour addition)
1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda (oops, I left this out & it worked out fine)
1/2 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 c well-shaken buttermilk

Caramel glaze:
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 T light corn syrup (honey or Lyle’s golden syrup, can be substituted)
a pinch of kosher salt
1 t pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F, placing rack at the centre of the oven. Cut a round or square of parchment and place on the bottom of the tin. Butter and flour a 9″ round cake tin or an 8″ square tin – including parchment. Set aside.

Sift (or vigorously whisk) the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and mix well. Add one egg and let it fully incorporate before adding in the next. At low speed, add in the buttermilk and mix (it will look a bit curdled, this is okay). In 3 additions, add in the flour, mixing well between each addition.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth out the top. Rap the tin against the counter a few solid times to knock out any air bubbles. Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and then invert and cool completely (removing parchment, of course).

To make the caramel, in a medium sized saucepan (don’t use a small pan!), stir the cream (double check that it’s heavy cream and not half and half), sugar, salt and corn syrup together over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Turn on your timer for 14 minutes and if you’re using a candy thermometer bring up to 210-212F. Or use my ice water technique which I describe in the post above. Remove from heat immediately, stir in the vanilla and then pour over cake, starting at the centre so that you get some lovely drip action. Cool for 30 minutes before serving. Keeps for several days, if need be.

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the very best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever

kickpleat — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:36:10 +0000

I don’t often make chocolate chip cookies. I love them, but I’m pretty picky. There’s the kind I grew up with, the recipe that came from the back of the chocolate chip bag. I’d help my mom sift the flour (sifting, now there’s a trait I haven’t carried to adulthood) and stir the batter by hand. My favorite part,of course, was adding in the chocolate chips–many which were stuffed inside my cheeks instead of into the mixing bowl. I’ve made vegan chocolate chip cookies, a fantastic oatmeal version, and I tried a recipe that was very similar to the one I grew up with. I’m also pretty enamoured with this maple version. But I wanted to try something new and Ashley over at Not without Salt had the answer.

Let me introduce you to the very best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. Ever.

These don’t require extra egg yolks or a 36 hour unbearable wait in the fridge. No fussing about with special ingredients or complicated instructions. Ashley suggests using a good block of chocolate and then using a serrated knife to cut the chocolate (the very best you can afford) into chunks. I’m sure they’d be wonderful that way. But I went for ease and used very good chocolate chips. Traditional but no less wonderful. I also love nuts in my cookies, so I went ahead and used half a cup of sliced almonds (though chopped pecans or walnuts would be perfect too). And because I love a bit of salt to bring out the sweetness, half of the batch I sprinkled with some flakey salt. It was a good move. I recommend you do this too.

These aren’t quite like the cookies I remember as a kid. They’re better. A whole lot better. And I know my mom would approve, secret stashes of chocolate chips stuffed into cheeks and everything. Bake up a batch and send them to your mom.

elsewhere: Stop your boring meals – brighten them up with a sprinkling of za’atar. Don’t buy this condiment at the store, make it fresh and keep your meals exciting. Get the recipe over at Poppytalk.

the very best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever
(adapted from Not Without Salt)
1 c butter, room temperature
1/2 c white sugar
1 3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 c semi sweet or bitter sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c sliced almonds (optional – if not using, replace with chocolate chips)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or fleur de sel (optional), for sprinkling

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, blending well before adding in the second egg. Add in vanilla and mix until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix. With a spatula fold in the chocolate and the almonds (if using).

Using a tablespoon, roll into balls and place onto a prepared cookie sheet (I always line mine with silpat or parchment paper). Slightly flatten out the tops. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt or fleur de sel.

Bake at 360F for 12 minutes until lightly golden but still a bit gooey on the inside. Cool on wire racks.

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wake-up call: banana, coconut, & lime muffins

kickpleat — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:26:20 +0000

Oh hi, thanks for sticking around while I got a bit overwhelmed with everything. I’m not sure if in the past week or two I was buried under work and commitments or whether I was a bit grateful to take a bit of a pass on things. Either way, I’m here and Vancouver has suddenly turned into spring. I’ll take it.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I usually get excited and start planning my cake-making weeks in advance. This year, I haven’t given the whole affair much thought. To even call my birthday “an affair” makes it seem more exciting than it is. I have no plans and I think I’m okay with that. Cake will come, I’m sure of it. May will be a birthday month which is always the best kind of celebration. In the meantime, I’m going to leave you with some past birthday cake posts from the 7 years of this blog.

Let’s reminisce! Last year’s cake was especially delicious if you are looking for a traditional chocolate birthday cake. In 2009, I went on a bike n’ cake party and made 2 cakes! The previous year, I made Orangette’s amazing flourless cake (that even my vegan friend gobbled it up with extra scoops of whipped cream ). One year, I made 2 kinds of cupcakes because I like to roll like that (and yes, there were bikes involved too). The next cake is a beaut – a yellow cake filled with lemon curd and topped with chocolate ganache. Back in 2006, my husband made my cake (there’s a first for everything, apparently). I’m sure it was delicious. And my very first birthday post just contained a couple of photos (of a baked alaska & cupcakes).

I don’t want to leave you empty-handed, so please bake up a batch of these banana, coconut & lime muffins.

They are moist and so packed with flavour that it’s a great morning wake-up call. The texture isn’t gummy or dry, no way! These muffins are light and delicate (but not too delicate) and they do not disappoint. The recipe is slightly adapted from the great vegetarian cookbook,Entertaining Vegetarians (you’ll recall it’s the same book as the sesame dip that had me & so many of you mesmerized by its sheer awesomeness). So enjoy the muffin break and trust me, we’ll get to talk about cake soon. I’m sure of it.

elsewhere: Last week at Poppytalk I made up a batch of easy, eggless chocolate fudgey mocha bite cookies. Delicious. Head over for the recipe!

banana, coconut, & lime muffins
(adapted ever so slightly from Entertaining Vegetarians)
scant 2 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil
grated zest & juice of 2 limes
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c plain yogurt (or 1/4 c plain + 1/4 c coconut flavoured yogurt)
1 large, ripe, mashed banana
3 T unsweetened shredded coconut

Grease up 16 muffin cups (or 8 x large ones) and preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients, then fold in the flour mixture being careful not to over-mix. A few lumps is okay. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch. Let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.

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my favorite tomato sauce (with onions & orange)

kickpleat — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:05:08 +0000

Some food combinations are wonderful but others can have you scratching your head. For instance, last week, I picked up some coconut milk cheese at my local deli. I like coconut and I like cheese, so I figured the combo would be delicious. Nope. It was like a bottle of suntan lotion spilled onto my cheese. Not appetizing in the least.

Tomato and orange, on the other hand? Now that’s a winning combo.

I’ve been making a version of this tomato sauce for nearly 15 years. It’s my go-to sauce and I’m actually a bit shocked that I’ve never shared it here. It’s simple and charming and you’ll wonder when you finish your plate how you could have lived your life without it. It’s one of those sauces.

The very first time I made this tomato sauce it was way more complicated than it needed to be. Vodka and cream was involved, and back when I was a poor student, these 2 ingredients were way outside of my budget. But I hung onto this sauce and discovered that getting rid of those pricey ingredients actually made the sauce much more interesting and way more accessible.

I used fire-roasted tomatoes this time ’round, but regular tomatoes work just as well. Come summer, use diced fresh tomatoes and it becomes even more brilliant. If you left out the orange juice, you’d get a nice little tomato sauce. But it’s the orange juice that makes this dish really special. Just be sure to use a good pungent orange, not one of those watery, tasteless ones. Quality ingredients matter when you’ve got such a simple sauce.

It’s a quick sauce too. Get your onions and garlic sauteing and then get your water on for your pasta. Dinner will be ready before you know it. And don’t forget to sprinkle on some cheese!

elsewhere: Over at Poppytalk this week (and just in time for a sunny weekend), I give a recipe for perhaps the best pancakes ever. You be the judge.

And if you are in Vancouver, on May 6th is another installment of Vancouver’s best craft fair, Got Craft? I’ll be there selling my cards, birthday calendars & prints and you can also purchase a uber cute Got Craft tote bag that I designed for the event! Pick up a copy of the local free mag The Westender and check out an interview I did about Got Craft (or you can read it online here). Of course, please stop by Sunday May 6th and say hi! I love meeting my readers!!

my favorite tomato sauce (with onions & orange)
A more intense orange flavour can be reached by adding some zest into the sauce. Play around!

1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced thin
5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 t dried oregano (or herbs du provence)
1 t aleppo pepper (or 1/4 t red chili pepper flakes)
pinch of kosher salt
1 T butter
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes (fire-roasted tomatoes are an excellent option)
juice of 1 orange

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion and garlic and let saute until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in dried herbs, pepper, salt and butter along with the can of diced tomatoes. Let sauce simmer and reduce slightly, about 10-15 minutes, turning down the heat if necessary. Squeeze in fresh orange juice, stir and let simmer another 3 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta.

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crispy kale salad with toasted coconut

kickpleat — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:05:22 +0000

Don’t let the picture above fool you. It looks weird and kinda brown and shiny – like some kind of magical dragon shed its tasty skin in my bowl – but that right there, is a bowl full of awesome. Crispy kale + garlic + coconut bathed in a sesame/soy blend and baked. Well, if the truth be known, a bit over-baked. But you know what? Still freakin’ delicious. I clamour for the stuff now.

I recently picked up a whole mess of kale from the farmer’s market. The bunch I picked wasn’t just one kind of kale, but included several varieties of baby kale and I was eager to try them immediately. Unfortunately, stuff happens and that bag of baby kale sat in my fridge for a wee bit longer than I originally imagined. No worries, though. Kale is robust and hardy and there was no real damage done. And this preparation was perfect for my greens.

I served this over red quinoa, which in my mind, is much better tasting than plain ol’ regular quinoa. And it’s just as delicious over millet or farro. And while this recipe is called a salad, it’s not your usual garden variety mess of greens. The orginal recipe didn’t call for garlic or hot sauce, but how could I leave them out? Together they meld perfectly with the kale and the coconut and the asian-y flavours. Did you pick up some coconut ribbons yet? You know, the stuff I used in those chocolate coconut squares? Well, this is a much healthier way to use up the rest of your bag. Or make this for dinner and the squares for dessert. Balance, people.

elsewhere: Check out my latest post at Poppytalk where I make a very tasty lentil & potato soup. Another quick meal for your repertoire? Go get ‘em, Tiger!

Also, if you’re in Vancouver and want to know a bit more about writing or authors, check out the North Shore Writer’s Festival happening this weekend. I’m excited to be on a blogging panel on Saturday with other awesome local bloggers, so stop by the Welsh Hall this Saturday at 2pm and say hi!

crispy kale salad with toasted coconut
(adapted from Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen)
1/3 c olive oil
1 t sesame oil
2 T soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
a splash or two of hot sauce
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large bunch kale cut into ribbons, stems and large ribs removed
1 c unsweetened large coconut ribbons
quinoa, farro or millet, cooked

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a lidded jar, pour in the olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and garlic. Shake well. In a large bowl, dump in the chopped kale and coconut and pour in about half of the dressing. Spread out onto a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the coconut becomes golden and the kale turns a bit crisp. Stir things about at the half-way mark. Remove from oven and serve on top of your favorite grain, drizzle with remaining dressing. Makes 2 large meal servings or 4 side dish servings.

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a good breakfast: creamy spiced oatmeal

kickpleat — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:00:38 +0000

I’m breathing a huge sigh of relief. We’ve moved into our own home (well, it’s still an apartment, but it’s our very own place) and we’re totally thrilled. The act of moving was slow and steady – we decided to move over the course of a week which seemed like the way to go at the beginning, especially since we were only moving 10 blocks away. However, it stretched out the actual pain of moving (hello stress! hello aches & pains!) rather than attacking it in one fell swoop. But we did it!! We’re here and we love it. Sure there are boxes everywhere and still so much to organize and get done, but we’re slowly chipping away at our list and getting things set up. The real drag came when our internet and phone were set up 4 days later than promised. No internet? Now that’s a real bummer. But we’re all set up and our lives are getting back to normal. Finally.

So let’s celebrate!

But before we get carried away, there’s nothing wrong with some good old fashioned wisdom. Like a hearty, healthy breakfast to start the day. Yup, I’m talking about oatmeal. It’s been years since I’ve mentioned the stuff (like this baked oatmeal with apples or this pumpkin version) but I eat a bowlful of it weekly (& sometimes more). It’s not sexy food, but I think this version wins a few points for “interesting-ness”. Plus, it’s tasty and creamy and I actually crave it first thing in the morning, so what more could you want in a bowl of oats?

The difference here is all in the preparation. Spices get added into water & cold milk (dairy or non-dairy, no big diff) and then when it simmers away for a bit, that’s when the good stuff begins. Do not doubt the power of a good spice infusion! Oats get added into the fragrant pot (remove the spices first or you’ll have twigs and shoots in your bowl). I like to add both Scottish oats (the fine, almost powdery stuff – Bob’s Red Mill makes a fine version) along with large flake oats, but you can stick with one or the other. I think steel cut would also work well here too, but you’ll have to adjust the amount of liquid and the cooking time (check the package for guidance). If you’re gluten-intolerant, make sure your oats are from a non-contaminated source, ie. buy gluten-free oats.

Of course, the best part about oatmeal is the toppings. I love a good amount of cinnamon, toasted nuts, maple syrup and raisins. My husband goes for fruit, coconut and brown sugar. Make it your own and then get on with your day.

creamy spiced oatmeal
(adapted from Mad Hungry)

I loved the spices below, but you could play with your own blend – vanilla would be lovely here (extract or even better, the scraped pod). Don’t be scared of the bay leaf, it adds a subtle, sweet herbal quality.

1 c milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 c water
1 whole cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
3 green cardamom pods
4 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 c rolled organic large flake oats
1/2 c Scottish organic oats

toppings: maple syrup, ground cinnamon, toasted sliced almonds, shredded coconut, raisins or other dried fruit, blueberry compote or other fresh or stewed fruit

In a medium sized pot, add in the water, milk and the whole spices, along with the pinch of salt. Let it simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until it comes to a slow boil. Remove spices, reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the oatmeal, stirring occasionally until oats are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve in bowls and add in your favorite toppings. Makes 2-4 servings.

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curried red lentil & mushroom burgers (& a recipe for homemade mayonnaise)

kickpleat — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:55:04 +0000

It’s been a while since I’ve made some veggie burgers, but when faced with a major cupboard clean-up, coming up with recipes from meager beginnings is a fun challenge. I had a small amount of red lentils in my cupboard and instead of packing them and moving and then unpacking them into our new apartment, I decided to use them up, stat.

The great benefit of red lentils is that they cook up quick. Once they boiled up soft, I drained them and then got to work coming up with some good flavours. Curry always goes well with lentils, so I sauteed some curry paste with onions, garlic and mushrooms until fragrant. I tossed in a few shakes of worcestershire sauce because that to me always smells like burgers for some reason (childhood memory, most likely!) Wheat germ lent some bulk and I used an egg to bind the mixture together. I decided to bake them instead of frying them, figuring the less jostling about, the better. I’m always worried when shaping and cooking veggie burgers that they’ll crack and fall apart, but luckily, these held together well. Look ma, no cracks!

Can you tell that those burgers up there came out of the fridge? Yeah, they’re chilly, but they reheated well. I added on some extra cheese for extra melty happiness. Extra cheese? Always a good call.

Oh, and see that mayo on the side? That was one of my biggest discoveries. One, it’s homemade, and two, it was really, really easy to make! Not only that, but it kicked store-bought mayo to the curb. Delicious! My easy mayonnaise recipe follows below.

elsewhere: I’m getting behind this week, because there are 2 awesome recipes over at Poppytalk for you to catch up on. First, let me introduce you to shrimp and grits because those two are quite a delicious pair. And then finally, there is some spicy orange peel tofu to keep your dinner plate hopping.

curried red lentil & mushroom burgers
If you want to make these gluten-free, look for a g/f worcestershire sauce – Lea & Perrins is g/f in the US, but not in Canada. And use g/f bread crumbs instead of wheat germ. If you want these vegetarian, Annie’s makes a good vegan worcestershire sauce. Or leave it out.)

1 c red lentils
1 t olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c mushrooms, diced
1/4 t salt
1 t worcestershire sauce
1 T curry paste
1 egg
3/4 c – 1 c wheat germ or g/f bread crumbs
sliced strong cheddar as a topping (optional, but delicious)

In a medium-sized pot, boil water and add in lentils. Cover and turn down heat to medium-low. When soft, about 15 minutes or so, drain really, really well & set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add in onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir around until they get soft and fragrant. Add in mushrooms, salt and worcestershire sauce and let that all melt together. Stir in curry paste until well combined.

In a medium-sized bowl, add in lentils and mushroom mixture and stir until blended. Add in egg, letting that get mixed into everything before pouring in the wheat germ or g/f bread crumbs. Blend and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. Brush a cookie sheet with a thin layer of oil. Form patties out of lentil mixture – I just made a large golf ball sized ball in my hand and then flattened it with my other palm before placing it on the cookie sheet. I then smoothed out any cracks along the sides of the patties before churning out my next one. Bake for 10-15 minutes and then flip carefully with a spatula – these were actually much less delicate than I had feared (phew!). Add a slice of cheese to the flipped side, if desired and bake for another 5 minutes until golden and cheese is melted.

Serve on a bun (or rye toast like I did) with a good schmear of dijon, homemade mayonnaise, sliced pickles, arugula and a dollop of ketchup. Makes 6 patties.

homemade basic mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
1 t lemon juice
1/2 c mild tasting oil

In a tall plastic glass (it came with my immersion blender), add in the yolk, salt and lemon juice. Mix well using your immersion blender and then ever so slowly, pour in the oil – you want a slow, steady and thin stream. I used just under 1/2 cup of oil. When it looks like mayo, stop blending. Makes about a 1/3 cup of mayo.

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tame the march madness: carrot ginger dressing

kickpleat — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 03:29:20 +0000

Moving apartments. There’s the process of finding boxes, fiddling with packing tape, stacking boxes and boxes of really, really heavy boxes filled with records and books, all while wondering if there really is a need to hang onto that silly, kooky-looking, vintage coconut girl purse. Does it stay or does it go? As you can see, I’ve got a lot on my plate right now.

I’m not looking for things to get any more complicated. Which is why I’m glad I’ve got this salad dressing as my new weapon against March Madness. I’m not talking basketball here, in case you thought otherwise. You know that tiny salad compartment tucked away in the corner of your bento box from that sushi joint around the corner? This salad dressing is kinda like the one you’d find at Japanese sushi restaurants – it’s sweet and earthy and bright. It looks like a ray of sunshine (trust me, Vancouver in March needs all the sunshine it can get) and it tastes just as lively.

It does look odd, kind of thick, like pureed carrots, but that’s exactly what it’s got going for it. Plus ginger, and lemon and the warmth of toasted sesame. It’s delicious and virtuous at once. It’s like the best tasting vitamin boost ever.

The dressing is lovely poured over a simple green salad sprinkled with sesame seeds. But I think it would be just as nice over steamed spinach. This recipe makes a lot. That jarful? That’s what’s left after 4 or 5 big ol’ salads. So you may want to cut the recipe in half. Or pour it over everything you eat this week.

You’ll be happy you did.

carrot ginger dressing
(adapted from Appetite for Reduction)
1/2 lb carrots, peeled & sliced into 1″ chunks
1 T fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
2 T water
1 T white wine vinegar
1 t roasted sesame oil
1 t canola oil
1 t agave syrup
a few dashes of sriracha
1/4 t salt

Boil up the carrots until tender – about 15 minutes or so. Drain and run under cold water until cool. Add the drained carrots and everything else into a food processor and blend until smooth. Thin out the dressing if needed with a little water.

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neighbourhood loving: union market chocolate macaroon copycat bars

kickpleat — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:22:23 +0000

I love trying to recreate some of my favorite things from local shops and restaurants. I first tried my hand at the UBC cake from the Uprising Bakery. I think I did pretty well and that recipe has been the most popular recipe on this site for years. I’ve done a play on the Najib’s Special cauliflower dish from Nuba. Again, a success. And then there’s the Union Market, a small and long-time running local haunt that puts out some seriously delicious baked goods for all the neighbourhood to enjoy. I tried to recreate their cinnamon buns and while mine were delicious, they just weren’t built the same as the ones from the Union. It’s okay, I’ll still visit the market for their sweet buns. And their flakey and amazing croissants.

But the Union Market has another treat that I really, really love – their coconut chocolate macaroon bars. They’re dense, buttery and rich and chock full of chocolate and coconut. For me, coconut and chocolate is a pairing for the ages. You just can’t go wrong and these bars capture all that is right. So when I spotted a similar sounding recipe on Pinterest, I was interested. Very interested. Lucky for me, the results were perfectly similar.

I think the key to success is to use ribbon coconut (I’ve noticed this lately mentioned on blogs as “coconut chips”). The wide ribbons of coconut really add chew and texture where the shredded stuff just can’t keep up. It’s key, I think in re-creating these bars. Good chocolate is also highly desirable. I like the bitter-sweet stuff, but semi-sweet works well too.

The Union Market drizzles their bars with chocolate, but for me, that’s overkill. Too much sweetness. I like the plain jane approach – but trust me, there’s nothing plain about these squares. Nothing. I urge you to bake up a batch as soon as you can. I’m sure you’ll find yourself making these often – I’m already planning my next batch.

elsewhere: If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you know that I’ve got a cabbage problem. I love it and eat it all the time. So I had to share my latest cabbage slaw obsession over at Poppytalk: Sunshine Citrus Slaw. It’s delicious and I’ve been eating it all week long. Enjoy!

union market coconut chocolate macaroon copycat bars
(adapted from The Brown Eyed Baker)
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
1 c brown sugar
1 large egg
1½ t vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 c unsweetened ribbon coconut (aka coconut chips)
1 c semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour an 8″ square baking pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter with the sugar, egg and vanilla. Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix until combined. Stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden. Don’t overbake. Cool and then slice into squares.

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