Category: vegan

Green Couscous

green couscous - trust in kim

This scrumptious recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty – love this book!  I used the larger Israeli couscous, which is also called pearl couscous, but you can feel free to use the smaller version.  I really liked the texture of the larger couscous, which has a bite more similar to a small pasta. The recipe involves cooking the couscous, then coating it with a lovely green herb paste, then topping it with pistachios, green onions, fried onions, arugula or spinach, and a little green chile.

I enjoyed this salad alongside roasted cauliflower and squash with tahini sauce. I absolutely love this meal, and my leftovers at work were the envy of many. This would also make a great picnic salad, instead of a pasta salad.

What you need:

 

  • 1 cup Israeli couscous (or regular – just cook it according to the package directions)
  • just over 1 cup boiling water/ chicken broth/ vegetable broth
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced (I like to use a sweet onion)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh green chile, finely sliced
  • 1 & 1/4 cups arugula or baby spinach

What you need for the herb paste:

  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

What you do:

  1. Cook the couscous according to the package instructions.  I used homemade chicken broth to give it a little more flavour, but you can use water or veggie broth if you have it.
  2. Fry the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until they are golden and soft.  Mix in the salt and cumin, then set aside to cool
  3. Blend all the herb paste ingredients together.  You can use a food processor, but I used an immersion blender because that’s what I have in my tiny kitchen, and it worked well.  Add a bit more olive oil if you need; I left out 2 tablespoons of oil that the recipe called for.
  4. Mix the herb paste into the cooked and slightly cooled couscous, then mix in the pistachios, green onions, green chile and arugula or spinach.  I added the spinach to individual portions because I knew I would have leftovers, and I thought it would wilt over night if I mixed it in.
  5. Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Fennel and Root Vegetables

roasted fennel and root vegetables - trust in kim

These veggies smell great as they are roasting, and they were fabulous alongside a roast chicken. So easy, and a delicious comfort food on a cold winter night.  Feel free to add more or less of any of the vegetables, or omit some altogether.

What you need:

  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 large or 2 medium potatoes
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 3-4 small beets, peeled
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  If you’ve just roasted a chicken, as I did, put the bird aside with a cover on to rest just before you put the vegetables in the oven.
  2. Scrub, then chop the vegetables into pieces that are about 4cm.  The sweet potato can be a little bigger, as it cooks faster. Put them all on a baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil.
  3. Roast for about 10 minutes, then take them out of the oven and toss them around a bit.  Return to the oven and let them cook for another 10 minutes, or until they have browned nicely.
  4. Salt and pepper the vegetables, then serve immediately.

Seedy Tahini Coleslaw

seedy tahini coleslaw - trust in kim

I’m a sucker for a coleslaw – as long as it’s a healthy one; no mayo for me! Okay, so I love the mayo ones with sunflower seeds, but… I think it kind of defeats the purpose of eating healthy cabbage, to load it up with mayo.

So this recipe has no mayo, but it is still creamy and loaded with flavour. I made some and ate it for leftovers for days, and enjoyed it every time.

What you need:

  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 large orange, freshly squeezed
  • 4-5 Tbsp Tahini
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder or 1/2 tsp cayenne (used a freshly ground dried guajillo pepper)
  • 1 Tbsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped into thin strips
  • 1/ small sweet onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds, black and/or white
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

What you do:

  1. Combine the dressing ingredients, from apple cider vinegar to salt.  I find it works best to put the tahini in a bowl, then add a little liquid to make a paste, then a little more liquid, and then the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Combine the dressing with the cabbage and onion until every bit of cabbage is coated in dressing. Let this sit in the fridge for an hour or two.
  3. Toast the sesame seeds in a frying pan until they are lightly browned.  Crush them with a mortar and pestle or in a grinder; this allows you to digest them better. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
  4. Serve the salad with some seeds sprinkled over top.  Do this at the last minute so the seeds remain crunchy.

I found the recipe here.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

vegan cream of mushroom soup - trust in kim

I love creamy soups, but I don’t love cream, so I’m always looking for ways to get the texture and taste without the heaviness of cream.  I’ve heard of using cashew cream before, and finally got around to trying it.  The verdict? So good! Next time I’d leave some of the mushroom pieces whole, but this is great as is.

I found this recipe on Joy the Baker.

What you need:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (I used chicken)
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • salt to taste

For the Cashew Cream:

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup water

What you do:

  1. Soak the cashews in the half cup of water and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat and add the onions, sautéing them until they are slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more, then add the mushrooms, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the broth and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, puree the cashews until they combine with the water to make a smooth, thick liquid.
  5. When it is ready blend the soup until there are no large chunks of mushroom.  Stir in the cashew cream.  The original recipe says to strain the soup now, but I liked it the way it was.
  6. Reheat the soup and serve.

This one also freezes well. Enjoy!

Skillet Cornbread

skillet cornbread - trust in kim

I haven’t made cornbread in almost 20 years.  I’m not sure why.  Maybe I just had too many dry, boring corn breads back then – who can remember?

Last night I was making soup and I wanted something to go with it, so I found this recipe in the same cookbook as the soup, Share by Adriennede Francesco, and whipped up a batch in my cast-iron frying pan.  To tell the truth, it was really the idea of baking something in my frying pan, handed down to me from my Oma, that got me onto this.  Fry the onion, bake, and then serve it in the same dish, and it stays hot for a long time.  Triple win! Plus it’s got corn kernels in it, so it’s got a nice bite to it.

Serve it up with a little butter – magical!

What you need:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 & 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 & 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon liquid honey
  • 1 cup canned corn (or frozen, but I prefer canned – the kernels pop in your mouth when you eat them!)
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives or green onions

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
  2. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron over medium-high heat and add the oil, then the onions.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
  3. While the onions are cooking stir the cornmeal, flour, baking power and salt together in a bowl.
  4. Stir the buttermilk, eggs, butter and honey together in another bowl.  Pour this onto the dry ingredients and sti until it is just mixed.. Stir in the corn and chives.
  5. Pour the batter into the hot frying pan on top of the onions, which you have previously dispersed evenly over the surface of the pan.
  6. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes or until the top its golden brown.  My convection oven cooked it very quickly, and I had to rotate the pan half way through baking
  7. Cut into wedges and serve with butter.

skillet cornbread - trust in kim

 

Spinach Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing

spinach salad with glory bowl dressing - trust in kim

This is my favourite salad dressing.  It is a really simple salad, but so good, and makes me wonder why anyone would buy a salad dressing.  This dressing is so perfect on spinach, and it makes a great side to almost anything.

What you need for the dressing:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon tahini

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/3 cup vegetable oil (the recipe calls for 1/2 cup canola)

What you need for the salad:

spinach

mushrooms, thinly sliced

What you do:

  1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender, or use a stick blender to combine.
  2. Dress your salad with a few tablespoonfuls of dressing. The remainder of the dressing can be refrigerated for a few weeks.

Tomato Soup

tomato soup - trust in kim

(Revised January 2021: This is a great soup recipe, however, my favourite is closer to the actual Burgoo recipe. And it has red wine in it! Click here to find the recipe.)

Burgoo is a great comfort food restaurant in Vancouver.  They don’t have a lot of dairy-free options, so I tend to eat the tomato soup – which is the best tomato soup I’ve ever had!  I found this tomato soup recipe recently and omitted the milk to make it a dairy-free tomato soup.  I think it may be as good as the one I had at Burgoo; it is flavourful, and full of healthy ingredients.  It is also really easy to make, and freezes well.

What you need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

about 1 cup diced carrots

about 1/2 cup diced celery

about 2 cups diced zucchini (skin on)

1 large yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, rubbed off the stems

2 bay leaves

salt and red pepper flakes to taste

about 4 cups (2 28-ounce cans) crushed Italian tomatoes

4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

What you do:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  Add the carrots, celery, zucchini and onion.  Saute for 10-12 minutes, until the onion is very soft and the zucchini has cooked through.  Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
  2. Add the thyme, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, tomatoes and chicken stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are very soft.
  3. Remove from the heat, and take the bay leaves out.  Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.  Add salt to taste.

Enjoy it hot! And I can imagine it is awesome with a grilled cheese sandwich, but this theory is yet untested.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tomato, Dill and Capers

Roasted Cauliflower with dill, tomatoes and capers - trust in kim

Here’s a fabulous vegetable recipe that you will love if you enjoy cauliflower.  I’ve changed the recipe a little (from Ottolenghi the Cookbook) by roasting the cauliflower instead of steaming and then frying it, as the recipe calls for.  I love the flavour you get when you roast cauliflower, and the method in the cookbook was too many steps for me at the time.  I was happy with the results, as was my sweetheart who was dining with me. I also used less oil in the dressing: 1/4 up instead of 1/2 a cup.  Even 1/4 cup  in one vegetable recipe seems like a lot of oil to me. Anyways, another yummy vegetable recipe that I will definitely make again.

What you need:

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon French whole-grain mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cauliflower divided into florets

1 tablespoon chopped dill

1 & 2/3 cup baby spinach leaves

about 20 cherry tomatoes, halved

salt and freshly ground pepper

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.  Place the cauliflower florets on a baking pan and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.  You’ll want to check on them halfway through and give the pan a bit of a toss.

2. To make the dressing mix the capers, mustard, garlic, vinegar, and some salt and pepper.  You can do this in a food processor, with an immersion blender as I did, or if you’re feeling energetic you can just use a whisk.  Add the olive oil slowly while blending, until the dressing is thick and creamy.

3. Cut the tomatoes in half, and wash and dry the spinach and chop the dill.  When the cauliflower is done combine it with the dill, spinach, tomatoes and dressing.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

 

Guacamolata – Avocado Sauce

guacamolata avocado sauce - trust in kim

When I was in the Yucatan earlier this year I found a lot of places serving this runny avocado sauce with their tacos and some other dishes like eggs and fish. It is creamy, yet without any dairy.  When I took a cooking class at Altamar Restaurant in Tulum, the chef told me the ingredients for the sauce, which he called guacamolata.  Last night I was making several salsas to serve to company, so I gave this one a try.  It’s a nice light tasting sauce that doesn’t overpower the rest of the food you are drizzling it on, and a pretty colour too! People who aren’t into spicy foods will appreciate this option.  I served it with a spoon in it so that people could drizzle it on the chip they had dipped into the spicier salsa, to take a bit of the power out of the spice.

What you need:

1 ripe avocado (you know it’s ripe when you can press the little stem in easily – it should still be somewhat firm)

2-3 tablespoons chopped onion (I also used some grilled onion)

2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

juice of 1/2 lime

water to make it runny

salt to taste

What you do:

1. Put the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice and some salt into a bowl.  Add a little water and use an immersion blender to blend it together (or put it all in a blender).  Add more water until it is a very smooth and somewhat runny sauce.  Taste and add more of whichever ingredient you think it requires.  For serving with fish you can add more cilantro.

The sauce retains its green colour even if you don’t use it right away, so you can store it in the fridge for a few days.

Here is a picture of my breakfast at la Bruja on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, with some of this avocado sauce.
Here is a picture of my breakfast at la Bruja on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, with some of this avocado sauce. 

 

 

 

 

Apricot Jam

apricot jam - trust in kim

This summer my friend Connie visited from Ontario and brought a delicious jar of homemade apricot jam.  It was so delicious on toast, and amazing as a glaze for the apricots in this Apricot Almond Cake. I can easily say that apricot jam is my favourite of all the jams, and yet I’ve never made it before.  Since my sweetheart loves it as much as I do, I searched many produce stores to find apricots this late in the summer, (actually a few weeks ago now), and managed to find a few pounds.  Connie sent me her recipe, and I cooked up a batch.  Love the colour, love the smell, and I’m looking forward to tasting it all winter long!

The recipe is proportional, about 3 parts fruit to 1 part sugar.  I’m writing the amounts I used, but you can experiment depending on the amount you are using, as well as the flavour in your fruit.  Sometimes they need a little extra (or start with less) sugar or citrus.

What you need:

12 cups pitted and chopped apricots

4 cups white sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

canning jars, rings and new lids

What you do:

1. Chop the apricots up into small pieces and put them into a large pot with the sugar and citrus juices.  Bring to a low boil and skim off any foam.  Let it cook, stirring often,  on a low simmer until the mixture has thickened.  To test how thick your jam will be when it has cooled you can put a plate in the freezer.  Just drop a little jam onto the icy plate and let it cool, then give it a push with your finger to see if it is thick enough.  If not, just keep cooking it for longer.

2. Preheat the oven to 225F.  After washing your canning jars, put them in the oven for at least 20 minutes to sterilize them.  Heat a small pot of water for your lids to sterilize them and soften the rubber ring.  Just a note: it’s not a good idea to re-use the lids (the rings are fine to re-use though) because they may not seal properly.

3. Once your jam is ready pour it into the sterilized jars, keeping the edges of the jar clean so you will get a good seal.  Put a lid and ring on each and tighten it. My mom and Oma always put a tea towel over the jars until they seal, so that’s what I did.  You’ll hear the lids ‘ping’ as they seal.  I try to keep track of how many pings I hear so I know they’ve all sealed.

I used some jam in this recipe for warm peaches and yogurt.