Panko-crusted Masala Cauliflower Steaks

This week I'm going meat-free and eating delicious, flavourful vegetarian food has become an exciting project to work on. I walked up and down the aisles of my local grocery store looking for inspiration and found it in the international foods aisle where my eyes happened to rest on panko crumbs. They are so easy to work with and add an instant crunch to whatever you're working with. This recipe for masala panko crusted cauliflower steaks will be sure to please the most skeptical vegetarian, but as it really brings the heat--don't be afraid to dial down the amount of spices if you are into a more milder flavour or pair it with something cooling like a cucumber-yogurt dip. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cauliflower 

Panko bread crumbs 

Masala mixture-

1/3 tsp garam masala

1/3 tsp corriander powder

1/3 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp tandoori powder

Juice of half a lemon

2 tbsp olive oil 

Salt to taste

Chilli flakes to taste

Mix the spices, oil and lemon juice.

Cut cauliflower into 1 inch thick steaks and baste with the masala mixture and spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.

Sprinkle Japanese-style panko crumbs on the cauliflower steaks, creating a crust. 

Continue to bake the cauliflower for 5 more minutes, carefully watching to make sure the panko is crisp but not burnt. 

Enjoy and serve with cucumber yogurt dip, corriander chutney or as an accompaniment to a salad.

Persimmon, Prosciutto and Arugula...oh my!

Today I am sharing a recipe that is perfect for entertaining as it is quick, easy and it is great as a make ahead appetizer but also looks impressive and tastes delicious.
In my opinion, that makes it a total win!

I love that this app keeps me out of the kitchen and leaves my guests feeling like it's a special occasion.
It truly can't be easier and while we are still enjoying the end of persimmon season, we might as well use them when we entertain.

Persimmon-Prosciutto Rolls

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

3 ripe persimmons

1 pkg prosciutto

a handful of arugula or mixed greens

Method:

Step One Peel the skin off a persimmon and cut it into slices about a centimeter thick and a few centimeters wide

Step Two Carefully remove a piece of prosciutto from the packaging. Be careful to pull the ham back very slowly as it tears easily

Step Three Cut the prosciutto into two long strips

Step Four Make a “bouquet” of a few pieces of arugula by holding them together at the ends

Step Five Place the lettuce bouquet and the persimmon onto the end of the piece of ham and slowly roll it while holding on to the other fillings. Roll the hall the way you would a piece of sushi or a place mat

Step Six Arrange your rolls on a  platter, keeping the “seam” side down on the plate

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Well, it's still winter. I think I'm pretty much over it as I can't wait for spring but I have to say, it's a good thing I love a good bowl of soup. Today, I'm sharing my recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Soup. It's light, flavourful and delicious. Perfect for a cold winter day and just so full of summer flavour. It kind of reminds me of a gazpacho, only hot and eaten in the winter, fall or anytime you are in the mood for a steaming hot bowl of deliciousness.

 

I made a quick video to walk you through the steps for making this soup at home. The key is roasting your own red peppers to bring out the delicious flavours. It takes very little time to do this and you can even roast some extra peppers and store them in olive oil for a quick antipasto. Add a couple of cloves of garlic or some fresh rosemary and chili peppers and you've got yourself a party.

Ah, I digress...here's what you need to make this Roasted Red Pepper Soup at home:

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

6 red bell peppers

3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup of milk, cream or coconut milk

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

olive oil

½ teaspoon of chili flakes

¼ teaspoon of cumin

2 tablespoons of fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

(you can also add one peeled and boiled potato to this if you'd like a hearty soup, just add it when you add your peppers)

Step One Cut the red peppers into halves and remove and discard the stems and seeds

Step Two place the red peppers cut side down on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Step Three Remove the peppers when the skins have shriveled and place them in a brown paper bag, set aside

Step Four In a stockpot, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil and add the cumin, salt and chopped garlic

Step Five Remove the peppers from the paper bag. The steam should have loosened the skins and they should be easy to remove with your fingers. Add the red peppers to the pot

Step Six Add the stock and allow the soup to come to a boil

Step Seven Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it comes to the consistency you are looking for. I like this soup to be thoroughly blended (You can also blend this in batches in a counter top blender but make sure to vent the lid )

Step Eight Add the milk, cream or almond/coconut milk

Step Nine Check the seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper to taste

Step Ten Portion into bowls and garnish with some chopped parsley

Bon Appetite! 

A Food Adventure in Mexico!

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! It was a beautiful tropical adventure and my first priority was of course to taste the tropics.
On the beach I got the opportunity and I haven't been able to get this taste of Mexico out of my head!
Even watching this video, makes me want to find a mango and prepare it in this way asap.

It will be super easy for you to make this at home as well!

This is a quick way for you to bring the tropics into your own kitchen. All you need is a little Korean chili (dry spice) and lime. If you ask me there is no better souvenir from a trip than a recipe you can make and taste that will bring the adventures back home with you! Click below to watch the famous fruit vendor from the beach make me my own bowl of tropical heaven. Enjoy! And thanks for joining me on this food adventure.

Butternut Squash Soup...in a blender

So I FINALLY used my Vitamix blender for what I bought it for today and the results were awesome! I made a fresh, homemade RAW hot soup at home in ten minutes. Don't have a fancy blender? 

You can still blend up a quick soup just like this in no time! 

On the weekend, roast up some butternut squash and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Then, on a night you are too tired to really cook, peel the skin off half an onion, chop an apple (cored) and put them in a blender with about 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth. Blend it until it liquifies and then add your reserved roasted butternut squash, some fresh or dried rosemary and 2 cups more of the stock of your choice. Blend away before transferring to a pot to heat through and finish with salt and pepper and a little milk or coconut milk(if you're vegan). Dinner will be ready in half the time because you didn't chop your onion or squash and you didn't have to wait for it to cook on the stove.

Serve it with some bread or salad and it's perfect for a cold winter weeknight. 

How to roast your butternut squash:

1) using a few passes of a sharp knife (be careful) slice your squash in half lengthwise

2) using a spoon or a serated knife, remove the seeds from the squash

3)pierce the outer skin of the squash with a fork a few times (both halves)

4) place them flesh facing down on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper

5) allow the squash to roast in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes

6) when they are done the squash flesh will be a bright orange colour

7) allow it to cool a bit and then use a spoon to scoop out the roasted flesh of the butternut squash

8) reserve in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days and use it in a soup or other dishes

Enjoy!

"You're Mine"-estrone Soup

I'm not sure about where you live, but where I live- it's freezing this weekend! To beat the cold and stay warm, I'm making a hearty (Valentine pun-intended) minestrone soup for lunch. The perfect way to add a little extra love?

Heart-shaped carrots! (The how-to will be in my next post) The recipe is down below. You can easily make this a vegan soup, but I am so partial to a little grated cheese melting it's way into this hot, soupy deliciousness...I can't give it up! But this is a completely vegetarian dish. Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup 

Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ of a bunch of spinach washed, chopped

4 cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock

1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1 green chili pepper, chopped or ½ teaspoon of chili flakes

1 tablespoon of fresh parsely, chopped

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 bay leaves, dried or fresh

1 can diced tomatoes

3 cups of water or vegetable stock

½ cups of pasta of your choice, cooked

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Step One Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic and chili and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables have softened

Step Two Then add the tomato paste and stir to allow all the vegetables to be coated. Cook for 3-5 minutes

Step Three Add the beans, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir gently

Step Four Add the water or vegetable stock and increase the heat to medium-high, allowing the soup to cook for about 10 minutes

Step Five Arrange the Spinach and cooked pasta in bowls and spoon the hot soup over top, allowing the heat from the soup to gently cook the greens. Alternatively, if you plan to eat all of the soup in one sitting, you can add the greens at the very end of the cooking process in order to keep their nutritional content high and their colour a bright green. Garnish with a little chopped parsley and grated cheddar cheese (if desired)

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

The weather outside has been crazy these last few days. Welcome to November in Toronto. It's pink skies one minute and hurricane winds the next. When the air gets chilly I love cozying up to a nice comforting bowl of something piping hot.

Last night I opted to make one of my favourite comfort foods- chili! As a conscious flexitarian, I try to make vegetarian meals whenever possible. As such, I decided to cut the meat on this one but go full flavour. The result is this foolproof hearty chili that has just the right amount of heat, and is full of delicious vegetables and beans.

This one pot dish saves you on time, clean-up, doubles as lunch the next day AND the carnivores in your family will be so satisfied, they won't even notice that something was missing.

Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 540 mL can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 540 mL can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 398 mL can of refried beans

1 can of corn kernals or 1 cup of frozen corn kernals

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green chili, minced (optional)

1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock

1 540 mL can of diced tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

½ cup of tomato paste or tomato sauce

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

½ teaspoon of chili flakes

2 tablespoons of chili seasoning (I use Old El Paso)

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin powder

salt to taste

2 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

grated habanero or cheddar cheese to garnish

Method:

Step One Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat and add the onion, garlic and green chili, stirring intermittently to keep the vegetables from sticking

Step Two Add the hard root vegetables (carrots, celery) and allow to partially cook (about 5 minutes) before adding the bell peppers

Step Three Continue to stir the pot and add the chili seasoning, chili flakes, ground cumin powder and salt, stir the ingredients to evenly distribute the seasoning

Step Four Add the kidney beans, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, corn and stir, allowing these vegetables to heat through

Step Five Add the tomato sauce and stir to incorporate it into the vegetables

Step Six Add the vegetable or chicken stock and the refried beans to give the chili a thicker consistency

Step Seven Allow the chili to simmer on low heat for about 10-12 minutes

Step Eight Portion into bowls and garnish with grated cheese, green onions, cilantro and or plain greek yogurt

I served this vegetarian chili with focaccia dippers- sliced rosemary focaccia lengthwise and toasted the pieces on a baking sheet in the oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

How do you serve chili at home? Let me know what you pair with this one pot meal in the comments below!

Bon Appetite!