Thai-Style Lentil and Coconut Soup

Brent got me this great cookbook a few years ago: The Complete Book of 400 Soups . Now, it would be great if June meant that soup season was over, however for those of us on the Wet Coast, summer seems a far off dream right now. So yesterday I opened up this book to try and find a soup that was a little different from anything I've made before. This soup is from the Hot and Spicy section, and I made a few modifications. Overall, a great lunch time soup for this dreary Juneuary.

Thai-Style Lentil and Coconut Soup
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 1 chilli, seeded and finely sliced (the recipe called for a 'bird's eye' chilli, I just grabbed a random one, may have been a jalapeno?)
- 1 inch piece fresh lemon grass, outer layers removed and inside finely sliced
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 tsp freshly ground coriander
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 3 3/4 cups liquid (I used half vegetable broth, half water, recipe just called for water)
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in dutch oven and add onions, chilli, garlic, lemon grass and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions have softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Add lentils and spices. Pour in coconut milk and liquid, and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40-45 minutes, until lentils are soft.

Pour in lime juice and add scallions and coriander, reserving a little of each for the garnish. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

The original recipe did not call for ginger, but it just seemed like a natural addition to the flavours. I was also out of paprika, but don't think it missed the 1 tsp, although feel free to add it.

The soup is great, now if I could just find something to do with that second stalk of lemongrass I have!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

There's nothing like making a big batch of spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker. This recipe is lightened up with the use of ground turkey instead of ground beef, but feel free to substitute as you wish. One batch of this recipe makes enough for us to enjoy one night, and freeze two more portions. With this in the freezer all you need is some dry pasta and you have a quick weeknight dinner in the amount of time it takes to defrost the sauce and boil some water!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 1/2 lb ground turkey
- 2 cans (28oz each) tomatoes
- 1 can (5 1/2 oz) tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 sweet red or yellow pepper, chopped
- 2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp each dried basil and oregano
- 1 tsp each dried thyme and salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 tsp balsamic vinegar

In large skillet saute turkey over medium-high heat, breaking up with fork until crumbly and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, place tomatoes in slow cooker. mash with potato masher or fork until slightly chunky. Stir in tomato paste, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, red pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Using slotted spoon, transfer turkey to slow cooker, mix well.

Cover and cook on low until vegetables are tender and sauce is thick, about 8 - 10 hours. Stir in vinegar.


Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups are a crutch of mine. I've always loved them, and the combination of salty and sweet seems to improve the older I get.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I tore this out of the March 2008 issue, and have made them half a dozen times at least since then. They are very good, and tend to disappear quickly! They can be made with a microwave or using a heatproof bowl over top of a pot of boiling water.

Peanut Butter Cups
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Combine white chocolate and peanut butter, melt, stirring, for about 1 1/2 minutes in microwave (or however long on stove top). Set aside.

Melt semisweet chocolate in another bowl using same method.

Line mini muffin tins with paper liners. Dividing evenly, use spoon to layer semisweet chocolate and peanut butter mixture, beginning and ending with semisweet chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Freeze until set, about 15 - 20 minutes. Let come to room temperature before enjoying.

These can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Good luck not eating them all before then!

Mushroom Barley Risotto

I've tried cooking with barley a couple of different times, and while I'm still not 100% convinced I like it, there are a couple of things to note.

First, pot barley and pearl barley are two very different grains, even though they look almost identical. Pot barley takes longer to cook as it is the whole grain with only the outer inedible hull removed. Pearl barley has been polished, and is quicker cooking, but not as nutritious. I'm pretty sure one of the times I didn't like the recipe I was using pearl barley instead of pot barley, and just overcooked the whole thing.

Secondly, my favourite recipes with barley so far have included other grains that provide a texture contrast. One example is a barley and rice salad. While the barley is a little chewy, the crunchier rice evens out the texture experience.

I'm going to continue to experiment with barley, as with lots of other grains. This recipe below was pretty good, although the texture still isn't my favourite.

Mushroom Barley Risotto

- 1 pkg (14g) mixed dried mushrooms

- 3 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 small onion, diced

- 3 green onions, sliced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 cup sliced fresh cremini mushrooms

- 1 1/4 cup pot barley

- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

In heatproof bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over dried mushrooms; let stand for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid, coarsely chop and set aside.

In saucepan, bring soaking liquid, chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups water to simmer; reduce heat and keep warm.

In separate saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onion, green onions and garlic until fragrant and softened, about 3 minutes. Add soaked mushrooms and cremini mushrooms; saute until almost no liquid remains, about 5 minutes.

Add barley; cook, stirring to coat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add hot broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring after each addition until liquid is absorbed before adding more. This process will take about 45 minutes, until creamy and barley is tender but still slightly firm.

Stir in parsley and season with salt. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Veggie Potstickers

I love potstickers! I don't eat a lot of fried food, but the way these are prepared with a little pan-frying and finishing off being steamed, I could probably eat the whole batch myself!

A note regarding Napa cabbage. Did you know that oftentimes it is labeled as Bok Choy at the grocery store? I'm sure there are slight variations between the two, I just pull up a photo of what I'm looking for on my iphone and grab the cabbage that most closely resembles it!

Veggie Potstickers

- 3 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded

- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

- 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari

- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

- 1 medium carrot, grated on finest holes of grater

- 24+ wonton wrappers

Asian Dipping Sauce

- 1/4 cup tamari

- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

- 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil

- 1/2 lemon, zested

Stir all ingredients together in small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Filling - Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and garlic and cook until leeks begin to soften, 3 - 4 minutes. Add cabbage, vinegar, tamari and ginger, and cook, stirring until cabbage is soft, another 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the carrot. Allow filling to cool.

Transfer to mixing bowl and work together until fully incorporated. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Assembly - Lay a wonton wrapper on the work surface and put about 1 tbsp of filling in the centre. Using your finger, wet edges of the wrapper. Bring outside edges together over the filling and press together to form a little pouch. Continue with remaining wrappers and filling.

Cooking - Heat remaining oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Place all of the potstickers upright in the pan and cook, without disturbing them, until browned on the bottom, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and immediately cover. Allow potstickers to steam for about 3 minutes, then remove lid. Continue cooking until all the water is evaporated.

Now remember, they are called potstickers for a reason and it's okay if you lose a couple in the process of transferring to the serving platter.

Serve with the Dipping sauce and enjoy!

Vegetable Curry with Cashews

Here is another great vegetarian dish. When I was shopping for this meal, I had real trouble locating Madras curry powder. Low and behold, it's labeled as Hot Curry Powder, and on the back of the label it says Hot (or Madras) Curry Powder. Wish I had known that before I searched for 20 minutes! We served this dinner with vegetable samosa's and a cucumber salad after an afternoon of snowshoeing. I chopped and prepped everything in advance, and the actual cooking took no time at all.

Vegetable Curry with Cashews

- 1/4 cup olive oil

- 2 tsp cumin seeds

- 2 cups unpeeled eggplant, diced in 1/2 inch cubes

- 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 2 cups 1/2 inch cauliflower florets

- 1 cup diced onion

- 1 cup diced carrot

- 1 cup green beans, cut in 1/2 inch lengths (I used frozen beans)

- 2-3 tsp minced, seeded jalapeno pepper

- 1 tbsp minced, peeled, fresh ginger

- 1 tbsp Madras (or hot) curry powder

- 1 clove garlic, grated

- 1 tsp coarse salt

- 1/2 tsp turmeric

- 13.5 ounce can regular or light coconut milk

- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted cashews

- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until they are a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and chickpeas and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, 5 minutes.

Add cauliflower, onion, carrot, green beans, jalapeno, ginger, curry powder, garlic, salt and turmeric. Cook, stirring for five minutes.

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro and serve with rice and naan bread.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

This soup is a little different than your regular vegetable soup. The addition of a cinnamon stick during the simmering really adds a nice flavour that you don't usually find in this type of soup. This is another great one to make on Sunday for the week ahead, as it does not take very long.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 cup each chopped carrot and sliced celery

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1/2 tsp dried oregano

- 1/4 tsp ground cumin and hot pepper flakes

- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped

- 1 sweet green pepper, chopped

- 1/2 cup passata (strained tomatoes)

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 each bay leaf and cinnamon stick

- salt and pepper to taste

In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, salt, cumin and hot pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes.

Add sweet potato and green pepper; cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in passata, 4 cups water, chickpeas, bay leaf and cinnamon stick and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, around 20 - 25 minutes. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick

Toffee Cookie Brittle

I love baking, however I really don't like having it at home. The problem being most recipes make quite a bit, there's only two of us here, and Brent doesn't have as much of a sweet tooth or self-control problem like me. So when I get the opportunity to bake for a birthday, or a holiday, I take full advantage and try out new recipes. Brent's office was having a bake sale for Valentine's day, so I got to work and found a new recipe that seemed simple enough. Turns out there wasn't enough interest for the bake sale, but I sent him to work with the goods anyways, because these little pieces are addictive!!

Toffee Cookie Brittle

- 1 1/4 cups butter, softened

- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 cup chocolate chips

- 6 Skor bars (39g), chopped

Set out 17 x 11 inch rimmed baking sheet; leave ungreased.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in vanilla and salt. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars.

Gently squeeze handfuls of dough just until mixture holds together; pat evenly into baking sheet. Bake in centre of 325F oven until just firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack; break into pieces.

I tried to use a cookie cutter to make heart shapes when they come right out of the oven, before they harden to break. Idea works in theory, however the cookie cutter gets super hot, so I only got through about 6 of them. No need to have pretty shapes though, just break up the pieces and try not to eat too many of them at once!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

This is another great slow cooker meal for those days we get out to enjoy some winter activities. There's nothing like coming inside after a long day on the ski hill and being assaulted with the aroma of chili that's been cooking all day. I took a cue from my Mom when I was home at Christmas and tried browning some vegetables first. I think she roasts them, which is something I should try next time. The measurements below are my best estimates. One of the great things about chili is that you can really just use what you have, and add or subtract as you'd like.

Vegetarian Chili

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 - 3 stalks celery, chopped

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 2 - 3 cups cauliflower florets

- 2 - 3 cups broccoli florets

- 28 oz can diced tomatoes

- 2 - 3 cans (19oz) of beans (chickpeas, red or white kidney beans, black beans)

- 1/4 cup tomato paste

- 1 or 2 tbsp chili powder

- oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and other spices

In saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil. Saute onion, celery, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli with some sea salt.

Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and spices. Stir to combine.

Cook on low heat for 6 - 8 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with cheese and some toast.

Multigrain Loaf

I've made my own bread a few times before, mostly buns and french loafs. While this recipe takes some time, what with preparing the starter the night before, and the two rises, it is definitely worth it! It is great for sandwiches, toast and just plain warm out of the oven with a little butter. This recipe is from The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book, a great resource for a ton of awesome recipes!

Multigrain Loaf

- 4 cups multigrain bread flour

- 1 cup warm water

- 2 tbsp buckwheat honey (I couldn't find this so used a dark grade honey)

- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Starter:

- 1 tsp granulated sugar

- 1 cup warm water

- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

- 1 cup multigrain bread flour

Starter: In large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, stirring until mixture is consistency of thick pancake batter, about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in warm place until bubbly and puffy, 8 to 12 hours.

Stir in 3 1/4 cups of the flour, warm water, honey and salt to make sticky dough. Turn out onto generously floured surface. Knead, dusting with as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic; about 8 minutes. Form into ball and place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down dough (one of my favourite parts!). Shape into ball; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Press into 11 x 8 inch rectangle. Starting at short end, roll up into cylinder; pinch along bottom and ends to seal. Fit, seam side down, into greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Cover with clean tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Dust loaf with 1/2 more of flour. Slash top lengthwise down centre, starting and ending about 1 inch from edges of pan. Bake in centre of 375F oven until instant-read thermometer registers 215F and loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 50 - 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool.

Vegetable Stock

Even before deciding to cook/eat Vegetarian for the month of February, I've always used a lot of vegetable stock. It used to be more difficult to find stock that was more natural, but there are many more options now. However, I still find the packaged stocks too salty, and sometimes it's hard to get to a Stock Market or Soup Meister. Making your own vegetable stock, however, is super easy and quick. The stock will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. This recipe is from Mark Bittman's 'How to Cook Everything'.

Vegetable Stock

- 4 large carrots, sliced

- 2 large onions, chopped (no need to peel)

- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

- 2 celery stalks, chopped

- 2 - 5 cloves garlic (no need to peel)

- 10-20 medium button mushrooms, trimmed and halved

- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

- 10 - 20 fresh parsley stems and leaves

- freshly ground black pepper

In saucepan, heat a little oil and brown vegetables for a few minutes. Add 14 cups cold water and some pepper. Bring to a boil and adjust the heat to simmer steadily but gently for 30 minutes to an hour.

Let cool, then strain, pressing on the vegetables to extract as much juice as possible. I strained into a cheesecloth lined sieve, squeezing the cheesecloth each time. Divide into containers, marking how many cups in each container, then use or freeze for later.

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Risotto

Risotto is such a versatile dish. You can take a base and add vegetables, meat, different cheeses, and create a new dish every time. This dish used up some vegetables we had left in the crisper, and just thinking about it now I wish I had some left!

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Risotto

- Cauliflower and Broccoli, in florets (about 2-3 cups)

- Extra Virgin Olive oil

- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

- half leek, chopped

- 1 cup arborio rice

- 1/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth

- 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan

- 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

In large bowl, toss together cauliflower, broccoli and 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on greased baking dish in 400F oven for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and tender.

In small saucepan, bring broth and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil, reduce heat and keep warm.

In large saucepan, heat one tbsp of oil over medium heat. Cook leek, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat and toast grains. Add wine or 1/4 cup stock and cook until no liquid remains, about 1 minute.

Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Rice should be loose, creamy, and slightly firm in middle. Stir in roasted vegetables, parmesan and spinach.

Mini Lemon Scones

I needed to taste test some jam at work, and I figured it would be more fun to do it as a group with some homemade scones instead of just crackers. Now, I'd never made scones before so I was a little nervous. Friends had told me before that scones were super easy to make, but I was still kind of nervous. To add a little pressure, my boss has been making scones since she was first taught how in grade school in Ireland.

Of course I turned to Canadian Living to see if I could find a recipe that would complement the Peach Jam we were tasting. These mini lemon scones were great, and so super easy to make. I brought a jar of my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam as well, hoping to redeem myself just in case the scones weren't really as good as I thought (but everyone loved them and the jam!).

Mini Lemon Scones

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 tbsp granulated sugar

- 1 tbsp grated lemon rind

- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 1 egg

Topping:

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

- 2 tsp granulated sugar

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon rind, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs. Whisk buttermilk with egg; add to flour mixture, stirring with fork to make soft dough.

With lightly floured hands, press dough into ball. On floured surface, knead gently 10 times. Pat out into scant 3/4 inch thick round. Using 1-3/4 inch floured round or fluted cookie cutter, cut out rounds, patting out scraps and cutting more rounds twice. Place on parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.

Brush biscuits with egg; sprinkle with sugar. Bake in center of 400F oven for about 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool on pan on racks.

Chicken in Dijon Cheddar Sauce

I realize this dish does not go along with my eating/cooking vegetarian for the month of February, but to be fair, I made this in January. I'm just only getting around to posting it now. This is another great week night meal that does not take too long to prepare. Another bonus, you will very likely have most of the ingredients on hand.

Chicken in Dijon Cheddar Sauce (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 onion, finely chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, thyme

- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups milk

- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

- dash hot pepper sauce

- 1 cup shredded extra-old Cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup finely diced red pepper

- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken, in batches. Transfer to plate. Drain fat from pan.

Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme to pan; fry over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard and hot pepper sauce.

Return chicken and any juices to pan; cover and simmer until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 10 minutes.

Add cheese and half each of the red pepper and parsley. Stir until cheese is melted. Sprinkle each serving with remaining red pepper and parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.

Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad

This salad is very easy to make, and is filling enough to serve as your main course for week day lunches. The fresh mint is great, especially if you have a post-lunch meeting. Just check your teeth first!

Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad

- 1 cup medium or coarse bulgar

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

- 1 cup diced English cucumber

- 1 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Dressing

-1/4 cup lemon juice

- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper

In saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil. Stir in bulgar. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until no liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; fluff with fork and let cool to room temperature.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, onions and mint.

In small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over bulgur mixture and toss.

Vegetarian for a month (or what remains...)

Brent and I have decided (well I suggested and he agreed) to try and cook and eat vegetarian for the rest of February. Now we're not going to just stop eating meat, we are going to challenge ourselves to cook more creatively without using meat, and using minimal dairy. I was making soup for our lunches for the week, and using all the fresh produce really got me thinking about the many different dishes we can make that are vegetarian. So we started brainstorming, and so far our list includes everything from tofu, bean dishes, risotto, steamed dumplings, rice and bean burritos, to vegetable curries and coconut milk pancakes. I'm really excited about this, and feel that having a challenge like this will help me to create some great new dishes.

This soup is my inspiration to eat/cook vegetarian for a month. It is possibly the simplest soup I have ever made, but it is seriously so good. Brent's exact words were 'Hot damn, that's like restaurant soup'. This is from the March issue of Canadian Living, and is supposed to be Alphabet Soup, but after searching a couple of grocery stores unable to find the tiny alphabet pasta we settled on some mini shells.

Alphabet Soup (minus the alphabet)

- 1 tsp olive oil

- 1 leek (white and light green parts only), diced

- 1 carrot, diced

- 1 rib celery, diced

- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 small zucchini, diced

- 4 cups vegetable broth

- 1/2 cup bottled strained tomatoes (Passata)
- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/2 cup alphabet pasta (or mini shells)

- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 cup packed fresh spinach, thinly sliced

In large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook leek, carrot, celery and garlic, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, 1 cup water, tomatoes and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in corn and chickpeas; cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Check the pasta for doneness at this point. If it needs to be simmered for another 5 minutes, now is the time. Once pasta is cooked, stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 1 minute.

This soup is another excellent argument against canned soups, because it is such a simple recipe, but the flavours are so reminiscent of the alphabet soup we've all had as kids. Crush up some crackers and you are good to go!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow cookers are fabulous inventions. Even though some recipes do take a bit of prep time (chopping, searing, seasoning), there is something so satisfying about getting dinner ready hours in advance, with nothing to do but wait for the timer to go off.

Like many people, our slow cooker does not get a lot of use in the summer months. However, once the winter hits, I find myself taking it out almost weekly. It's a great way to make a big batch of something to feed you for a few days. Especially those days where it's dark when you leave your house in the morning and dark when you leave the office. I find sometimes I just don't want to come home and prepare dinner, and then worry about packing lunches. Those days I just want to curl up with a book, or watch a movie. Preparing a few days worth of dinners/lunches with a slow cooker gives me that opportunity, without feeling any guilt!

The other great thing with slow cookers are the recipes! You can find a recipe to cook almost anything in a slow cooker. Plus, you can really play around a lot with the ingredients and flavours. This beef stew was simple, but oh so good.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 lb stewing beef cubes

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 2 onions, chopped

- 2 tbsp chili powder

- 1 tsp each salt and pepper

- 4 each large carrots and stalks celery, cut in 1 inch chunks

- 1 tbsp each cider vinegar and liquid honey

- 1 3/4 cups beef broth

- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups each frozen corn and frozen peas

In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown beef in batches and transfer to slow cooker.

Drain fat from pan and add remaining oil. Fry onions, chili powder, salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Scrape into slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, vinegar and honey.

Add 1 cup of the broth to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from bottom of skillet. Scrape into slow cooker with remaining broth. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low until beef is tender, about 6 - 8 hours. Skim off any fat. Move beef and vegetables to 1 side of slow cooker.

In small bowl, whisk flour with 1/2 cup water; whisk into liquid in slow cooker and stir to redistribute ingredients. Cover and cook on high about 15 minutes, until thickened. Add corn and peas and cook until steaming hot.

Best enjoyed with some fresh bread and a glass of wine. We discovered a little bakery near our place and bought a nice thick loaf that was perfect for sopping up all the good bits at the bottom of your bowl. Enjoy!

Flax Cookies

Cookies, that are good for you? Well, I was convincing myself of that until Brent pointed out that they are still full of butter and sugar. However, they are better for you than most, and still taste awesome. Now I also learned when I brought these in to work that it's best not to tell people a cookie is healthy-ish, because cookies and healthy just don't go hand in hand, and it creates skepticism before people have tried the cookies. Verdict all around though, was that these cookies are pretty darn good.

Flax Cookies (do I even need to say they're from Canadian Living??)

- 1/2 cup butter, softened

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 1 egg

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

- 2/3 cup flaxseeds

- 1 tsp baking soda

Prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper or greasing and set aside.

In bowl or stand mixer, beat together butter and brown and granulated sugars until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, flaxseeds and baking soda; stir into butter mixture to make soft dough.

Drop by level tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350 F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until golden - about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 2 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool.

Slow Cooker Squash and Chickpea Curry

This is a great dish to make when you know you are going to have a busy week ahead. It's simple and with a big batch of rice will last you for 3 or 4 days. Another great recipe courtesy of Canadian Living.

Slow Cooker Squash and Chickpea Curry

- 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 small squash)

- 2 cups diced peeled potato

- 1 can (19oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp minced fresh gingerroot

- 2 tbsp mild or medium curry paste

- 1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk

- 1 cup vegetable stock (there is enough flavour that you can use water if you don't have stock on hand)

- 1/4 cup natural peanut or cashew butter

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 cups packed shredded Swiss chard

- 1 cup frozen green peas

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Combine squash, potato and chickpeas in slow cooker.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Fry onion, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally until onion is light golden, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add curry paste; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add to slow cooker.

Add coconut milk and stock to slow cooker; stir in peanut/cashew butter and salt. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in Swiss chard and peas. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until Swiss chard wilts. Sprinkle with coriander and serve over rice.

Make Ahead - Mini Quiches

This is another one of those great make ahead appetizers that is always a crowd pleaser. The great thing with this recipe is that you can really play with the filling, based on what you have on hand or what you know your friends and family like. The ones below are two of my favourites! You will definitely have more egg filling than needed, so feel free to use more mini shells and make as many as you want.

Mini Quiches (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 24 mini tart shells (in foil cups), thawed

- 4 eggs

- 1 1/4 cups milk

- 1 tsp Dijon mustard

- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Double-Cheese and Spinach Filling:

- half pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry and chopped

- 1/2 cup diced rindless Brie cheese

- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

- pinch of fresh nutmeg

Artichoke and Shallot Filling:

- 2 oz pancetta, diced

- 4 small shallots, minced

- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and diced

Place tart shells on rimmed baking sheet, dividing filling amongst shells.

In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pepper. Pour into shells, being careful not to overfill. Bake in bottom third of 375 F oven until pastry is golden and filling is just set, 25 - 30 minutes. Serve warm.

To make this ahead, let cool, refrigerate in air tight container for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in 400F oven for about 4 minutes.

Chicken Fingers

These Chicken Fingers are great, and the best part is you can make them in advance and cook them from frozen. If you have these and some french fries on hand, you've got an easy, healthy, 'fast food' dinner. I also like having these in the freezer to use in wraps for lunches.

Chicken Fingers

- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan) cheese

- 1 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs

- 2 tsp dried oregano

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp each pepper and paprika

- 1/4 cup butter, melted.

Between sheets of waxed paper, pound chicken with meat pounder or rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cut on diagonal into strips (you can also use this recipe to make popcorn chicken, by cutting into small bite sized pieces). In bowl, whisk eggs. In shallow bowl, combine cheese, bread crumbs and spices.

One at a time, dip chicken strips into eggs, letting any excess drip back into bowl. Coat generously with cheese mixture, pressing to adhere.

Store, layered between waxed paper, in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Bake from frozen.

Arrange on greased baking sheets; drizzle with butter. Bake in 425F oven until golden, crispy and no longer pink inside, about 20 - 25 minutes.

If you'd like to cook them right away, decrease baking time by about 5 minutes.

Brownies

Following a fabulous Sushi date last Saturday night I wanted something sweet, just a little bit of chocolate or ice cream. Walking home we stopped in to a little convenience store, and we were going to buy some type of chocolate bar, kit kat or coffee crisp or something. Well, we didn't have any change on us, and they wanted us to spend $5 to use the Interac. So we walked away, and I thought, that's okay, I don't really need something sweet. Fast forward to about an hour later, the craving has not gone away, so I decide to whip up a batch of brownies. This is a pretty simple recipe, nothing fancy, no icing or anything. But they hit the spot. Someday I'll make and post the brownies with the Caramilk bars in them...so decadent!

This recipe comes from a great little cookbook I have called Clueless in the Kitchen. This is actually my second copy as the first one went up in the Great Kitchen Fire of '03.

Antidepressant Brownies

- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 2/3 cup oil

-1/2 cup boiling water

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 1/3 cup flour

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In large bowl or stand mixer, stir together the cocoa and baking soda. Blend in 1/3 cup of the oil, and mix until smooth. Pour in the boiling water, stirring until the mixture thickens. Stir in the rest of the oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth.

Add the flour and vanilla. Blend completely until there are no lumps.

Mix in nuts (if using) and pour into greased baking pan. Spread the batter evenly. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, until just set in the middle. Be careful not to overcook.

Let cool and cut into squares. I would only cut the ones you are going to eat right away. I cut them all into squares and portioned them out for the lunches for the week, and they dried out by the end. Oh, and always eat one that's still super warm!