Category: lactose-free

Lamb Chops with Pistachio Tapenade

These little chops are so easy and tasty – I’ve fallen in love with them.  I don’t cook lamb very often, so I wanted to find an amazing recipe, and after much searching I found it at Smitten Kitchen.  Olives and nuts, well right there you’ve got an amazing combination that works so well with the lamb.

If you want to try out this recipe on someone, feel free to invite me over!

I served them with tiny baked potatoes roasted with some duck fat, rosemary and salt, along with a green salad with vinaigrette, strawberries and toasted slivered almonds.

What you need:

1 rack of lamb or 6-8 chops

1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted

1/3 cup pitted green olives

1 & 1/2 tablespoons capers

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh oregano

1 & 1/2 tablespoons parsley

olive oil

zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

What you do:

1.  Cut the rack of lamb into chops, the salt and pepper each one.  Let these sit while you prepare the tapenade.

2.  To make the tapenade, place the pistachios, capers, garlic, oregano, parsley and lemon zest in a food processor.  Add a little olive oil at a time to make it into a thick paste.

3.  Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Heat a frying pan to medium-high, then add some olive oil.  Cook the lamb chops for 2 minutes per side, or until they are browned.  Remove the chops to a baking pan and smear some of the tapenade on each.  Place the chops in the oven and cook for 4-5 minutes, which will give you lovely rare chops.

4.  Remove the chops from the oven and let them rest 5 minutes before serving.  Savour!

Mango Quinoa Salad

Here’s a salad with a taste of summer.  Easy, yummy, and great picnic food!

What you need:

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked in 1 cup water

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 mango, cut into chunks

1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped finely (leave the seeds in if you love spicy food)

1/3 cup raisins

1 tomato, chopped

juice of 1 lime

a little chopped cilantro and/or parsley

What you do:

1.  To cook the quinoa, put it in a pot with 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil, then put a lid on it and lower the heat, cooking for 15 minutes.  Then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Let the quinoa cool to use in the salad.

2.  Toss all the other ingredients together in a large bowl to let the flavours mingle, for at least half an hour.  By this time the quinoa may be cooled, and you can either serve the mango mixture on a bed of quinoa, or you can mix it all together.  Serve with a garnish of something green, like cilantro.

 

Cocoa Veggie Chilli

I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t miss the beef in this chili.  I know, that’s a pretty bold statement, but it’s got so much depth to the flavour that you might not miss the meat.  And if you’re vegetarian, well then you’ll be celebrating!  I served this one with a bit of avocado on top, and some corn bread on the side.  Yum!  A little plain yogurt and cilantro would also be great.

This recipe is from the Vancouver Sun’s Six O’Clock Solutions cookbook.  I’ve just made a few alterations like substituting olive oil for vegetable oil, using red instead of green peppers, quinoa instead of bulgur, and I added some grated carrot.  I also let it cook a lot longer than the recipe suggests, as I believe a slow-cooked chili is a tastier chili.  But if you’re in a hurry, go ahead and cut the cooking time.

What you need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1-2 grated carrots

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 – 795 mL can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

1/2 cup water

1 – 398mL can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1- 398 mL can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup quinoa

1 can sweet corn

salt and pepper

What you do:

1.  Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat, then add the onions and saute until translucent.

2.  Add the red peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne and stir for another minute or so.

3.  Add the cocoa, tomatoes, carrots, water and beans and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for half and hour to and hour.  (here is where you can do a shortcut if you’re in a hurry – just add the quinoa now and let it cook for about 15 minutes)

4.  Add the quinoa and cook for 15 minutes, or until the grains are tender.

5.  Add the corn, and salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!  And enjoy the leftovers!

 

Veggie Breakfast Hash with Spinach Scrambled Eggs

For a big brunch here’s a healthy alternative full of veggies to the usual bacon and egger.  And if you’re not into a vegan/vegetarian breakfast you can add a bit of bacon or sausage.  I served it with some grilled tomatoes instead, and a big pot of tea.

What you need for the hash:

a few small potatoes

1/2 sweet or red onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, finely diced

red/yellow/orange pepper, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

a spring of fresh thyme and rosemary

butter/ olive oil

What you need for the eggs:

1 egg per person

a little water

salt and pepper

spinach, roughly chopped

butter/ olive oil for frying

What you do:

1.  Steam the potatoes for 15 or so minutes.  If they are large potatoes you can cut them up a bit so they cook faster. Or you could poke a few holes in them and microwave them until they are softened.

2.  Heat a tablespoon or so of butter/olive oil.  Throw in the onions and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and peppers, cooking until they are softened a bit.

3.  Chop or slice the potatoes, then remove the peppers and onions from the pan.  Add a little more butter/ olive oil, then add the potatoes.  Chop the thyme and rosemary and throw it in with the potatoes.  Let the potatoes fry until browned, then add the veggies, and salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them a little with a fork, and add a little water, a teaspoon or so per egg.  Add a little salt and pepper.

5.  Add some butter/ olive oil to the pan, then  add the egg.  Add the chopped spinach, give the eggs a stir or two, and they’re done.

Serve it up right away while it’s hot!

Kale and Scallion Fried Brown Rice

This is a delicious way to add some flavour and nutrition to your rice by adding some greens, garlic and soy sauce.  The recipe is in Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter.  I just made it a little simpler by cooking it all in one pan, and upped the ratio of kale to rice, going heavier on the kale.  Can’t get enough of the greens!

What you need:

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon-ish olive oil

1 bunch kale, chopped roughly

3 scallions/ green onions

1 cup cooked brown rice (white if that’s what you’re into)

soy sauce to taste

What you do:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then throw in the sliced garlic.  Let it cook for a minute, then add the chopped kale.

2.  Add a little water to the pan, then throw a lid on it for a few minutes until the kale is wilted.

3.  Push the kale to the sides of the pan and add a little more olive oil.  Throw in the rice and let it cook until it gets a little crispy, stirring from time to time.

4.  Add the scallions and soy sauce, to taste.

Done!  Easy, huh?

Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Longing for the taste of a summer tomato?  This is the next best thing.  The slow roasting process yields a flavour-packed punch to the taste buds.  Sounds tedious, but trust me, it’s just delightful.  And so much better than the sun-dried tomatoes you buy in a jar!  Well worth the long roasting time.

I threw them on top of a rice and lentil dish as a garnish, but they could also be used to top some ricotta on crusty bread, maybe with a little balsamic reduction.  Or on top of pasta with some Parmesan and basil.

Whatever you don’t use right away (or eat off the pan like I did) can be put in a jar, topped up with olive oil, and refrigerated for use later.  Imagine the possibilities!

What you need:

-a whole bunch of cherry or grape tomatoes

-olive oil

-salt and pepper

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 225F.

2.  Slice the tomatoes in half and put them on a baking sheet.

3.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, then salt and pepper them.

4.  Roast them for 2 – 2.5 hours, until they have lost most of their moisture but are not crispy.  You will need to watch them for the last half hour or so if the process so you don’t overdo them.

5.  Let the tomatoes cool and then place them in a jar. Add olive oil to cover the tomatoes, and store the far in the fridge. The olive oil can be used for cooking foods like tomato sauces, and making salad dressing.

Coq au Vin Blanc

I’m in love with this recipe.  It takes a bit of planning, but it is so worth it – so much flavour!  The chicken needs to be marinated, and it really does taste so much better when you use homemade chicken stock.

You’ll want a nice crusty loaf of bread to go with this, to soak up the delicious juices.  And a nice glass of wine can’t hurt.

The recipe is from Country Living’s One-Dish Country Suppers book, and I’ve adapted it a bit.

What you need for the marinade:

3 cups dry white wine

1 cup chopped onion

1 carrot, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

8 whole black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 pounds of bone-in, skinless chicken pieces (breasts might be a little dry for this one)

What else you need:

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sweet onion, cut into large chunks

5 medium carrots, but into 1 inch chunks

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1/4 cup  flour

3 cups chicken broth (homemade is best!)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

3/4 lb small potatoes

What you do:

1. To marinate the chicken, cook all the marinade ingredients (except the chicken!) for about 5 minutes.  Let it cool to room temperature, then pour it into a container with the chicken and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry.  Strain and save the liquid.

3. In a large pan, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon, then brown the chicken in the bacon fat.  Remove the chicken and most of the fat.

4. Add the olive oil and onions, cooking until lightly browned.  Add the carrots, celery, garlic and shallot, and cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a bowl stir a little of the marinade liquid into the flour, mixing so there are no lumps.  Add the rest of the marinade liquid and mix, ensuring there are no lumps.

6.  Add the flour and marinade mixture to the pot with the chicken.  Then stir in the chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat and cook for about 45 minutes

7.  Add the potatoes, then cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

8.  After a long-deserved wait you have a fabulous dinner to sit down to.  Top each portion with a little of the bacon, and enjoy a nice glass of wine with it!

Roast Chicken in a Romertopf Clay Roaster

I love a roast chicken because it’s delicious, you can cook a whole meat in one dish, and you get to make soup out of the bones.  I have a Romertopf clay baker, but had never used it for cooking a chicken – if you don’t have one, you can use any other covered dish that fits a chicken and all these veggies.  I found this to be a great dish to make for company, because I could throw it in the oven an hour before anyone came over, and then I had time to do some of the last minute jobs, such as relaxing a bit.

What you need:

a whole roasting chicken

1 lemon

a few springs of thyme

salt and pepper

a few potatoes

a sweet potato

a few carrots

1 bulb of garlic

1 onion

butter or olive oil

a few splashes of white wine (optional)

What you do:

1. Immerse the Romertopf  in water for 15-30 minutes.  This needs to be done to avoid cracking when it is in the oven.

2.  Cut up all the veggies and place them in the bottom of the roaster.  I also placed some around the sides of the chicken.

3.  Run your fingers between the skin and breast of the chicken to loosen the skin up.  Push a few springs of thyme under the skin.  Rub the chicken with a little butter or olive oil.  Place it, breast side up, in the roaster.  Stick the lemon whole or cut in half into the cavity of the chicken.  Salt and pepper the chicken and veggies liberally, and add a few splashes of wine.  Add some more thyme on top of the veggies.  I also put in a rosemary branch.  Put the lid on top of the baking dish.

4.  Place the Romertopf baker in a cold oven, then turn it up to 400F.  If you are using another type of baker, feel free to preheat the oven.  Let the chicken bake for 1 & 1/2 hours.  I didn’t even peek at mine, hoping for the best, and it turned out perfect.  Mine browned with the lid on, but if you find yours is still a little pale, feel free to pop it back in the oven for a few minutes.

5.  Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes with the lid on before carving it.

There was quite a bit of liquid in the bottom of the baking dish, so I pulled the chicken out and drained it.  Because the chicken is literally ‘falling off the bone,’ it was a little difficult to take it out whole, so you could use a turkey baster to remove the liquid.

See this link for chicken broth.  You can use the bones and skin instead of the chicken pieces the recipe calls for.  If you didn’t make gravy with it, you could also add the juices that were drained off.

Cauliflower and Tahini Sauce

Yum!   This is so easy – just bake some cauliflower and drizzle a little sauce on top.  So easy, so delicious, so good for you.  What more can you ask for?  There was some leftover sauce, so I used it as a dip for raw broccoli – I think it’s quite a versatile sauce that could be used for a dip or topping for most raw or roasted veggies, and maybe even meats.  Please leave me a comment if you try the sauce out for other uses.

I love roasted cauliflower, and I often roast it without any oil.  Feel free to toss it in a little olive oil if you wish, but it’s amazing without as well.  I’ve roasted cauliflower many times before, but I like this new addition of the sauce from Bonnie Stern’s Friday Night Dinners.  I’ve served it as an appetizer and as a side dish.

What you need:

1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

a little olive oil (optional)

For the sauce:

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash of hot sauce

1/4 cup of warm water, or as needed

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F, then throw the cauliflower florets onto a large baking sheet. (toss them in a little olive oil beforehand, if you wish)

2.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until browned and soft inside.

3.  Combine the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and hot sauce.  Add the warm water gradually until the sauce is a consistency you like.

Serve the cauliflower with the sauce drizzled on top, or the sauce on the side for dipping.

Korean Soba Noodle Salad

The public library is one of my favourite places to look for new recipes.  I recently signed out Robin Asbell’s Bio Vegan cookbook, and found this recipe.  It’s easy, healthy, filling and tasty.  I love most fruits, but I’m not a big fan of pears.  Asian pears, however, don’t have the same graininess that regular pears have, and when julienned they almost seem like pieces of apple.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, which is gluten-free and high in fibre, among many other health benefits that you can read about here.

The salad is served cold, so it made a great leftovers lunch at work the next day.  The pears can turn brown, so if you think you’re not going to eat it all the day you make it, you might want to leave some of the Asian pears out until serving.

What you need:

1/4 cup agave syrup

1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce (or start with a little less and add more to your taste)

1 tablespoon dark miso paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons toasted and ground sesame seeds

200 grams soba noodles, before cooking

1 medium cucumber, seeded and julienned

1 Asian pear, julienned

170 grams extra-firm silken tofu, cut into small cubes

What you do:

1.  Cook the soba noodles according to the directions on the package, drain and rinse with cold water.

2.  Whisk together the agave syrup, hot sauce, tamari, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons on the sesame seeds.

3.  Combine the sauce with the cooled, well-drained noodles.

4.  Top it off with the cucumber, pear, tofu, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.