Author: Marni MacLeod

Fragrant Basmati Rice with Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom and Turmeric

Fragrant Basmati Rice with Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom and Turmeric

Basmati rice has a lovely nutty flavour and it goes well with just about everything (not just curries). This is a cheat from Jamie Oliver’s video “How to Cook Perfect Fluffy Rice Three Ways.” If you don’t have a rice cooker (poor you) then watch 

Shaved Fennel Salad with Lemon and Parsley

Shaved Fennel Salad with Lemon and Parsley

My dear friend Paula, gifted me her brand spanking new fancy, schmancy Cuisinart (think the Binford 3000 of Cuisinarts) because she felt guilty about not using it enough. I have promised to use it enough for the both of us…starting now. I had a massive 

Cauliflower Wings with Bang Bang Sauce

Cauliflower Wings with Bang Bang Sauce

Ok, they’re not chicken wings BUT, Cauliflower Wings with Bang Bang Sauce are pretty damn close on the yum scale.

I love cauliflower, especially roasted cauliflower. I got this recipe from the delightful Cherise Danae of Midnight Munchies and More. You can get Cherise’s recipe here. Her recipe is vegan. Mine is not. Make the one that suits you.

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 C panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 C  mayo
  • 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tsp sriracha

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Mix flour and salt pepper together then whisk in the milk. Pour that on top of your cauliflower florets and stir to coat.
  3. Once coated, pour panko in and stir up to coat. Then put the florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. Bake for about 40 minutes, turning halfway.
  5. Make the bang bang sauce by whisking together the last three ingredients. Cherise used 1/2 tsp sriracha but I used 1 tsp and probably would have been find with 2. I’d keep tasting it as you go along to adjust to your preferred heat level.
  6. Once the cauliflower is done baking, pour bang bang sauce on top toss to coat (don’t over mix) and eat!

 

Pineapple and Broccoli Chicken Bake

Pineapple and Broccoli Chicken Bake

What you make when you have fresh pineapple and broccoli to use up and some chicken tenders. Pineapple and broccoli chicken bake is not super sweet (not like sweet and sour) and with the Bang Bang sauce it hits just the right note of sweet 

Pork Empanadas with Phyllo Pastry

Pork Empanadas with Phyllo Pastry

Pork empanadas are spicy and filling. They make a great appetizer or side dish. While they are a bit of work, this recipe makes lots so you can freeze them for later. The filling is a variation of the Pork Enchilada recipe from Canadian Living 

Chocolate Quinoa Cake – Gluten Free

Chocolate Quinoa Cake – Gluten Free

Chocolate Quinoa Cake is moist, chocolatey, gluten free and dairy free (if you want it to be).

It’s a combination of Best Ever Quinoa Chocolate Cupcakes from Epicurious and Chocolate Quinoa Cake from Lorraine Elliott’s blog, Not Quite Nigella, with a bit less sugar and the substituting some coconut oil for some of the butter.  I also made this in a Bundt pan but should have greased and floured the pan. It was a bit of a fail getting it out of the pan but since I’m not adverse to chocolate quinoa pudding, it didn’t really matter. I like this plain but you could frost it with a chocolate ganache or whipped cream. Pro tip: heat it up and it’s even better.

Ingredients

2 C cooked quinoa*, cold
1/3 C Almond Breeze (you could use milk)
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 C coconut oil, melted and cooled (if you don’t have coconut oil just use more butter)
1/2 C butter, melted and cooled (if you want to go dairy free substitute coconut oil)
1 C sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, any old kind will do
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

*To cook quinoa, rinse 1 C quinoa in cold water for 2-3 minutes. Boil 1 1/4 C water, add 1/2 tsp salt, add quinoa. Bring it back to boil, cover, reduce heat and cook 15 minutes. Turn of heat and let sit with lid on for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.

Method

  1. Cook the Quinoa and let it cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
  4. In a food processor or kitchen aid, beat eggs, milk and vanilla together until well mixed.
  5. Add cooked and cooled quinoa, coconut oil, butter and and whiz again.
  6. Add sugar, cocao powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and blitz briefly until combined.
  7. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  8. If the top starts to burn shield with tin foil.
  9. Allow to cool completely in tin before trying to get it out of the pan (I found this out the hard way). When I made this is was very moist and wouldn’t come out of the bundt pan (probably because I was too lazy to prep it properly…next time I will grease and flour it and I didn’t let it cool long enough).
  10. Try covering it with saran wrap and leaving it in the fridge overnight.
  11. Remove from pan and ice or eat plain. Personally, I like it heated up a bit.

It’s really very good, nice and chocolately without being too sweet.

 

 

Baked Korean Style Chicken Wings

Baked Korean Style Chicken Wings

Baked wings round two. I got the initial idea from Meal Prep On Fleek (I love that blog name) which directed me to this Korean chicken and vegetables sheet pan recipe from Dinner and Dessert. Than I saw this recipe from Honest Cooking and decided 

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Old Bay Seasoning and Honey

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Old Bay Seasoning and Honey

I do love chicken wings. Especially those to die for wings at Phnom Penh here in Vancouver. These Cambodian style wings are crispy and light but that crispiness is achieve via a deep fryer. I don’t have a deep fryer and have no plans to 

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable soup is hardy, nutritious and easy on the budget. I was reminded of this when I recently attended a Soup Sisters event here in Vancouver. If you are looking for a way to give back to your community in a way that has a direct impact on people who need help, I encourage you to see if there is a Soup Sisters (and Broth Brothers) in your neighbourhood. You can find out HERE. I can’t quite describe the feeling you get from working with other people to put some good back out into the world, but I promise, it feels pretty amazing. So, help give a #huginabowl and #soupitforwardYVR!

My friends and I made 15+ Litres of Hamburger Soup that was delivered to clients at Kate Booth House and Atira.  These organizations provide shelter and resources for women and children fleeing domestic violence and support for women and youth coping with homelessness, addiction, and substance abuse issues in Vancouver.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, medium dice
2 large carrots, medium dice
3 medium potatoes, medium dice
1/4 of a 1lb cabbage, cored and sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 C vegetable stock (1 stock cube dissolved in 2 C water)
2 C water
Left over pasta (optional, I just happened to have some left over fussilli and tomato sauce)

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a soup pot and saute the onions for 3 minutes, add the carrots. potatoes, and cabbage and stir to coat with the butter.
  2. Add the salt, pepper, fresh thyme and bay leaves.
  3. Saute another 5 minutes and then add the stock and water.
  4. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a gentle simmer.
  5. Simmer for 1 hour and serve.

If you have left over pasta, put a heaping spoon full in each serving bowl and ladle the hot soup over top.

 

Caramelized Onion Galette with Thyme and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Caramelized Onion Galette with Thyme and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This vegetarian caramelized onion galette with thyme and sun dried tomatoes is an adaption of this recipe from Country Living magazine. It’s very versatile i.e., you can add all sorts of extra goodies that you like. For example, I’ve made it adding porcini mushrooms and