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!