Flowfit

I love fingerling potatoes.  They have the smoothest, most natural buttery texture.  I like to keep them simple and ensure I can still taste the potato flavour.  These are as easy as easy gets.  If you don’t have a grill, you can get the same effect in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

No real recipe here….

• fingerling potatoes (approximately 3 per person)
• chopped green onions
• extra virgin olive oil
• dollop of Earth Balance Buttery Spread
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

In “heavy duty” aluminum foil, place all ingredients.  Seal foil to ensure no steam can escape.  If you have a bbq with 3 or more burners, turn the middle(s) one off once it has heated.  Keep the other two on medium and place the foil packet on the “off” section of the bbq.  Close lid.  This is called indirect cooking.  Cook seam side up for 15 minutes, turn and cook another 15 minutes.  Remove from grill and let sit unopened for 10 minutes. If your bbq does not have this, simply use a medium/low setting and turn every 10 minutes for 40 minutes.

Open one end and pour out into bowl.

YUM!

At our house, we LOVE soup!  I think it’s the easiest way to throw together a meal that’s hearty and easy to eat.  This recipe is an old stand by for me… it’s slowly replaced chicken noodle as our all time favorite.

Asian Vegetable Noodle Soup:

Serves 6

• 1 carton Vegetable Stock (or 3 cups water with 2 tbsp Vegeta seasoning)
• 3 cups water (1 boiling)
• 1 mushroom bullion
• 1 tbsp vegeta seasonings
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms (whatever your favorite is fine)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• handful chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 handfuls fresh sprouts
• 1 cup fresh snow peas
• 1 package firm tofu, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups dried noodles

Combine mushroom bullion with one cup of boiling water.  Set aside.  Heat oils in soup pot.  Add yellow onion and carrots and cook on med heat for about 3 minutes.  Add grated garlic and ginger.  Stir to combine.  Add broth, mushroom water and additional 2 cups of water to pot.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium  and add mushrooms, tofu, noodles and snow peas.  Cover and cook until noodles are done – about 2-3 minutes.

Top each bowl with fresh sprouts and green onions.

YUM!

TIPS – Use any veggie you like…. broccoli, bok choy, green beans, squash, anything really goes!  Play with it and enjoy – you really can’t go wrong…

This is also another place to use my “Li Ju An Dipping Sauce“…. really spices this soup up!

mild curry flavour - sweetness shines through

Curried Rice Salad

This salad has been in my family for years. I’ve tweaked it and updated it, but to keep it simple, I’ll give you something close to the original that you can play with yourself. I recently made this at a function I catered, and I added pulled roasted chicken and used Burgol in place of the Rice-a-Roni. It was a hit!

• 1 pkg Rice-a-Roni Chicken and Vermicelli
• 2 jars artichoke hearts (marinated in oil – drain, chop and reserve oil)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 can water (sliced) chestnuts, chopped
• 4 chopped green onions
• 1 cup toasted almonds
• 1 can sliced black olives, drained
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp curry powder (more or less to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to package directions.

In a large bowl, combine celery, raisins, water chestnuts, onion, parsley and olives.

Mix reserved oil and mayo with curry powder. (I use one of the jars from the artichokes and just shake the dressing)

Once rice is cooked, let cool for about 10 minutes. Mix rice with celery, etc. Pour dressing over top and mix in.

That’s it!!  Easy schmeasy!!  Enjoy!

YUM!

TIPS -
To make with Burgol, replace rice a roni with 2 cups Burgol and 4 cups of chicken stock.

Hearty and healthy!

Okay folks, here we go…. I visited my sister last week an she was in the process of making her version of a traditional Italian bolognaise sauce.  Although presently the sight of the ground beef wasn’t pleasing to me, the heartiness of the dish looked irrisistable!  This barley based version is just as tasty and hearty and I have to say WAY more filling.  Make the portion sizes much smaller as the barley continues to expand in your belly – another lesson I’ve learned over the past few weeks ;o)

Vegetable Barley “Bolognaise”

Serves 6-8

• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups finely chopped chard
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
• 1 350 ml tin tomatoes (I prefer Italian brands)
• 1 cup vegetable stock (can replace with water)
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• 1 cup pot barley
• ½ tsbp Vegeta seasonings (or dried seasoned salt of choice)
• 2 cups water
• Sea salt and freshly grated pepper
• 2 cups chopped crimini mushrooms
• 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 bayleaf (remove before serving)
• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Saute onions, carrots and celery, salt and pepper in olive oil for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.  Add more olive oil if needed.

Squeeze juice from tomatoes.  Add all juice from can, plus all of the tomatoes, squeezing and crushing them with your fingers (you can chop them if this grosses you out).  Turn heat to high, add vegetable stock, barley, wine, 1 cup water, 2 cloves of garlic, bay leaf, chard and Vegeta seasonings.  Mix well.  Reduce heat to medium/low and continue to cook (bubbling gently), stirring frequently.

In another sauté pan, add olive oil and garlic.  Saute for 1 minute, add mushrooms.  Cook on med heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until most of liquid is absorbed.  Add to tomato/barley mixture.

Continue to cook “bolognaise” uncovered on med/low heat for 45 minutes.  Add more water when it gets too thick.  I find I need to add about a ¼ cup water every 15 minutes or so.

Remove bay leaf and serve on top of your favourite pasta or eat as is with a good chunk of crusty bread.  Sprinkle green onions on top as garnish.

Serve with mixed salad and THE BEST ever lemony dressing.

YUM!