Category: vegan

Lemony Roasted Potatoes

Many times over the past few decades I have made these potatoes. When I made them for Mother’s Day recently, and my mom said she loved them, I knew I needed to post the recipe.

I have no idea where this recipe came from, since it was so long that I wrote it down. I know the inspiration to make them the first time came from a Greek restaurant in the small town I lived in for a while, where they made awesome lemony potatoes. Add a few olives, Greek salad, pita bread, tzatziki, and a bit of a protein, and you’ve got an amazing meal.

The only think I changed in this recipe was to use less olive oil. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of olive oil.

The recipe is not difficult to make, but it takes a very hot oven for almost an hour.  Be careful when you open the oven to turn the potatoes halfway through the roasting – there will be a lot of steam that could be very hot on your delicate skin!

This is a large recipe, for 8 people, so halve it if you need to. You might want to make extra so you have leftovers – it’s that good!

What you need:

  • 4 pounds Russet baking potatoes or Yukon Gold
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 500F.
  2. Clean and quarter the potatoes and place them in a large baking dish.
  3. Toss the potatoes in the other ingredients until they are well coated.
  4. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes, turning the potatoes after 25 minutes so they brown on all sides.
  5. The potatoes will be browned on the outside and soft in the middle when they are done.

Spicy Garlicky Green Beans

These beans are a super easy little side dish.  Depending on the amount of spice you like, add more or less of the crumbled hot pepper.

What you need:

green beans

2-3 garlic cloves, sliced

olive oil

dried hot chili pepper

salt to taste

What you do:

1.  Heat a frying pan to medium high and add a little olive oil.

2.  Add the beans and garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring from time to time.  Crumble the dried pepper and throw it in.   Add a little water and put a lid on it for a minute or so, or until the beans are slightly softened.

3.  Add a little salt to taste, and you’re ready to go!

Cajun Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers are so colourful and tasty – enough to impress guests, or just a beautiful meal for yourself.  It’s not too tough to make, and it’s all good for you, even vegetarian!  You just cook up some veggies and mix them with quinoa, beans and spices, stuff it into the peppers and bake.  The pecans on the top of the finished product give it that something extra special.

I love that it’s a meal all on its own, but you can add any side dish you like.

What you need:

3/4 cup quinoa

4-5 peppers, multi-coloured if possible

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

3/4 -1 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

3 teaspoons cajun spice mix

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup cajun pecans

What you do:

1.  Rinse the quinoa, then bring to a boil in 1 & 1/4 cups water.  Cook for 15 minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Cook the onion in butter or olive oil until slightly browned, then add mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are done.  Add wine, if you want, and cook until it is evaporated.

3.  Add cajun spice mix and stir, then add the corn, beans and cilantro, and stir until it’s all mixed evenly.

4. Cut the tops off the peppers and empty them of their seeds and membrane.

5.  Fill the peppers with the quinoa mix, then pop them in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes.

6. Top with the chopped pecans and serve them up!

Cajun Pecans

I made these to top my Cajun Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, but they’d be great on a salad or just as a treat on their own.

What you need:

1/2 cup pecans

2 teaspoons butter or olive oil

2 teaspoons cajun spice mix

What you do:

1.  Melt the butter or oil in a frying pan.  Add the pecans and stir until they are coated.

2.  Add the spice mix and stir until all the nuts are thoroughly coated.

3.  Cook on medium-low heat, stirring from time to time so they won’t burn.

4.  After 5-8 minutes remove the nuts from the pan and let them cool.

Use them whole or chopped up however you wish!  Leave a comment below if you’ve discovered a new way to use them, or if you just like them!

Cajun Spice Mix

No need to buy a package of pre-mixed cajun spices.  If you’ve got a spice rack/drawer/bin going, you probably have all of these ingredients already.  There are so many cajun spice mixes out there, so I looked at a whole bunch of them and used the ingredients they all have in common, then added the ones that I thought would make it taste the best.  I happened to be staying with friends who had gumbo filé in their collection, but it’s not necessary to add if you don’t happen to have it in your rack/drawer/bin.

I’ve used this mix on my Cajun Pecans and in Cajun Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.

What you need:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 & 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon gumbo filé  (if you have it)

What you do:

1.  Mix it all together!  Store it with your spices.

London Fog Tea with homemade vanilla syrup

This picture actually shows London Fog teas with whiskey, on a gorgeous early spring day in the sunshine.  It was still a little chilly, so the hot tea and whiskey warmed us up a bit!

It’s ridiculously easy to make the syrup, and you can substitute the vanilla for your favourite extract for other uses.  Almond is great too.

This tea is pennies a serving, saving you the many dollars that coffee shops charge.

What you need:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

milk/ plain soy milk

strong Earl Grey tea

What you do:

1.  Heat the water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.  Boil, stirring for about a minute, then add the vanilla, stir and remove from the heat.  This syrup will keep indefinitely, so pour it into a jar, and stick whatever you don’t use into your cupboard for next time.

2.  Make some very strong Earl Grey tea.

3.  Heat some milk/soy milk.

4.  Pour about 1/3 cup of the tea into a heated mug, then add 2/3 cup of milk.  If you’ve got a frother, go ahead and add some frothy milk to the top.

5.  Add about a tablespoon of the syrup and stir it in.  Taste it to see if it’s sweet enough for you.

Sit down and enjoy your hot cuppa with a friend, or take a quiet moment to yourself.

The view from Rudy and Maureen’s, where we enjoyed a hot cuppa.

Maple Butternut Squash Soup

The sun came out today and reminded me that I only have a little more time to make winter soups!  So here is a squash soup I’ve been meaning to post for a long time, one that I’ve been making for years.  The baked cauliflower topping, however, is a new addition, and I’m going to make it like this again.

I know that the sticker on your squash probably tells you that the easiest way to cook it is in the microwave.  This may be true, however, I find oven-baking it makes it taste sweeter, and it’s also more satisfying.  Also, you can cook the cauliflower while the squash is baking.

What you need:

1 medium-sized butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)

2 stalks celery

1/2 large sweet onion (I cry less over sweet onions – you can use a regular one if you wish)

1 red or yellow sweet pepper

1/4 cup white wine (I used riesling)

1/4 teaspoon dry tarragon leaves, crumbled (1/2 teaspoon fresh)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

3-4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

maple syrup to taste

salt to taste, unless your stock already has salt in it

1/4 cup dry sherry – optional but amazing!

1 cauliflower, an optional topping

What you do:

1.  Cut the squash in half, de-seed and lay on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes or until it pierces easily with a knife.  At the same time you can cut the cauliflower into florets and bake for the same amount of time, until browned.

2.  Cook the onion, celery and pepper in butter for several minutes.  Add the spices, then the wine, and cook for a few more minutes.  Add half of the stock and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

3.  When the squash is cooked, allow it to cool enough to be handled.  Puree it, along with a cup of the stock, then add it to the vegetables.

4.  Heat the soup through, then add the maple syrup, sherry, and salt to taste.

5.  Top with chopped roasted cauliflower to serve.

Chili-Lime Nuts

This my attempt to make nuts like the Trader-Joe’s Thai lime and chili nuts.  These have less salt and no added oil.  You can adjust the amount of cayenne, if you don’t like things to get too hot.  This is really easy to make, and makes a nice treat to nibble on.

What you need:

juice of 1 lime

1 cup mixed nuts (I used red-skin peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, pecans and cashew – almonds would be great!)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 dried chili, crumbled

pinch of sugar

3 lime leaves, sliced – optional

What you do:

1.  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and coat all the nuts.

2.  Bake at 220F for 40-60 minutes.  Check them and stir every 10-15 minutes, especially near the end.  They will be done when they are dry inside – check by tasting!  You’ll want to scrape the dried juice and spices off the pan as you go along to combine with the nuts.

3.  These will keep for a few weeks.

Garlic Pea Shoots

Here’s another attempt to recreate a dish I tried and loved, this one from Legendary Noodle on Main Street in Vancouver.  So quick and easy, so addictively good.

If you’re in Vancouver, you can find pea shoots at East West Market on Main at King Edward St.

What you need:

pea shoots

sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

soy sauce

water

What you do:

1.  Heat a frying pan on medium heat and pour in a teaspoon or so of sesame oil.

2.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic and then the pea shoots to the pan.

3. Add a tablespoon or so of soy sauce and toss the shoots a little.

4.  Add a tablespoon or two of water, then cover the pan and let it cook for about a minute.

Done!  Ready to eat!

Pasta with Butternut Squash, Capers and Raisins

This recipe comes from my mom – she’s been making it for years.  I’ve just changed a few things – I bake the squash instead of boiling it, which makes it sweeter (I think), I use less oil to cook the onions, and for meat-eaters I serve a bit of fried chorizo on top.  Oh, and a splash of wine, red or white, in the sauce, if I’ve got some on hand.

This is comfort food at its best – it tastes great, and it’s good for you.  I serve it on brown rice pasta, which is better for you and tastes so good, and works better for all the people who need to have gluten-free recipes.  I prefer the texture of it to whole wheat pasta, which seems grainier to me.  Just make sure you don’t overcook it – I always check it a few minutes before the recommended cooking time is up.

What you need:

1 medium-sized butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 finely diced onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 dried chili pepper, crumbled

1 – 796mL can plum tomatoes, chopped and undrained

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1 tablespoon capers

salt and pepper

pasta, 3-4 cups cooked, keeping in mind that 1/2 cup or cooked pasta is one serving

chorizo sausage, optional (if you’re in Vancouver, Windsor meats on Main street makes their own amazing chorizo)

parmesan to grate on top, optional (I use lactose-free l’Ancetre)

What you do:

1.  Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 30-ish minutes at 350F, or until a knife pierces it very easily.  Let it rest until it is cool enough to handle.

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan and then add the onion, cooking for a few minutes.  Add the garlic and chili peppers and cook for another minute.

3.  Add the tomatoes and their juice, along with the raisins, capers, salt and pepper and optional wine.  Let this cook for 20-30 minutes, or until much of the liquid has evaporated.  During this time you can boil the water and cook the pasta when the sauce is almost ready.

4.  Cut the squash into cubes.  I make cuts in it while it’s still in the peel, then scoop the squares out.  Carefully stir the squash into the tomato sauce, then combine with the pasta.

Top with a few slices of chorizo and some freshly grated parmesan.  So good, and fabulous as a leftover for my lunch today!