Green Gazpacho

green gazpacho - trust in kim

This soup is awesome! I was a little hesitant at first, as I’m not a big fan of green bell peppers, but since I have loved red gazpacho so much I thought I should at least give this a try.  After all, Yotam Ottolenghi wrote in his lovely cookbook Plenty that this is by far his favourite cold soup, so it must be good.  It is now one of my top favourites too.  It has so much flavour, and it’s got lots of healthy ingredients.  I made one big change, though – the recipe serving six people called for one whole cup! of olive oil! I cut that down to 1/4 cup.  Still takes great, and I feel better knowing I’m not eating almost 3 tablespoons of oil per serving.

While there is no cooking, there’s a bit of chopping, and then blending, so it’s not as quick as I thought it would be.  But it is totally worth a little extra chopping.

What you need:

  • 2 celery stalks (including leaves)
  • 2 small green bell peppers
  • 6 mini cucumbers (1 & 1/4 lbs), peeled
  • 3 slices stale white bread with crusts removed
  • 1 fresh green chile (I used a jalapeno)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 cups walnuts
  • 6 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar (I used white balsamic vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (I just used my plain yogurt)
  • about 2 cups cold water
  • 9 oz ice cubes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • white pepper (I just used black)

What you do:

  1.  Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan or in the oven. Let them cool.
  2. Roughly chop the celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, bread, chile and garlic and place it in a blender. If you are using an immersion blender, as I did, just put the ingredients into a large bowl.  If you have the option to use a blender I recommend that, as it would be a bit easier to get the right consistency for all the vegetables.  Add the sugar, walnuts, spinach, basil, parsley, vinegar, oil, yogurt, most of the water, half of the ice cubes, salt, and some pepper.  Puree until smooth.  Add more water if you need, in order to get the right consistency.  Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to.
  3. Add the remaining ice and blend for just a second or two to break it up a little.
  4. Serve with homemade croutons or a few walnuts sprinkled on top.

This makes 6 very generous portions.  I cut the recipe in half, which would be a great option for a starter-sized portion.

 

My Favourite Breakfast – yogurt, granola and fruit

yogurt, fruit and granola - trust in kim

Most days I enjoy some version of this breakfast, depending on the fruits that are available.  This one has blueberries and papaya – can’t wait until there are fresh local fruits available!

I make my own granola so I can control the ingredients and limit the fat and sugar content, and because I think it tastes great.

What you need:

What you do:

  1. Choose a pretty bowl, if that matters to you, and put some fruit in it.
  2. Add some yogurt.
  3. Top with granola.
  4. Enjoy.

Best served with a cup of tea, in my opinion.

Peanut Butter Granola

peanut butter granola-trust in kim

What you need:

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
  • dash of salt (if there was none in the peanut butter)

 

What you do:

1. Combine the oats, and chopped nuts in a large bowl.

2. Melt the peanut  butter and add the honey or other sweetener and salt to it.  Stir this liquid into the nut and oat mixture and make sure there are no clumps of peanut butter remaining.

3. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes in total. First set the timer for 10 minutes, then break it up a little. Stir it again after another 10 minutes, then check and stir every five minutes until it is golden brown. Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight jar.

I like to serve mine with yogurt and fruit, and sometimes just fruit and soy milk.

 

Flame-Grilled Porterhouse Steak

porterhouse steak - trust in kim

All you really need for this recipe is some awesome steaks, a nice fire, and some friends to share it with.  Salt and pepper are pretty important too.

I didn’t actually have much to do with the making of this meal, except making a basil salad dressing.  Maureen got the steaks ready, and Rudy took care of the fire.  I helped eat them.

You just need to salt and pepper the steaks (other seasonings as you wish), then make a fire and let it burn down to coals.  Throw the steaks on for a few minutes each side, but not too long.  Best done medium rare!

grilled porterhouse steaks - trust in kim

Arugula & Pine Nut Savoury Bread

arugula and pine nut bread - trust in kim

Here’s a really easy and delicious bread you can make as an appetizer or to pair up with a meal.  It uses eggs and baking powder for leavening, so no need to wait for it to rise. I brought a loaf to a party where we slathered our slices with a bit of butter, and the whole loaf went really quickly. With picnic season coming up I can see myself making this one a few times to eat al fresco.

I substituted spinach for the arugula, which was delicious, but I imagine the arugula would give it even more flavour. She uses self-raising flour, but I changed the recipe a little so I could use all-purpose flour.  This bread is light enough that you could use some whole wheat flour.

This recipe is from Yvette Van Boven’s book Home Made Summer.

What you need:

  • 100 grams washed and dried arugula or spinach
  • 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 & 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream (I used 2% yogurt)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 5-by-9 loaf pan with butter.
  2. Chop the arugula and set it aside.
  3. In a bowl whisk the baking powder, salt and pepper into the flour, then add the eggs, sour cream or yogurt, olive oil and mustard.  Mix on high for about a minute – this makes a very thick batter, but don’t worry, it will make a nice light loaf.
  4. Fold in the arugula and pine nuts, then pour the batter into the pan and press it into the corners.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
  6. Serve it either hot or at room temperature with a bit of butter.

spinach and pine nut bread - trust in kim

 

Mexican Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Mexican Soup - trust in kim

Last weekend I was planning to have friends over for dinner, and I wanted to make a pot of soup and a loaf of bread, so I made up my own version of a Mexican soup. It’s got some chicken, beans, and lots of vegetables including a few kinds of peppers.  I served it with Mexican farm cheese, some cilantro, and a squirt of lime on top.  Hot sauce optional.  I also made a vegetarian version.  This was a great recipe to make for a bunch of people, and it was enjoyed by both adults and children.

I roasted the peppers and tomatillos on my gas stove but you could do this on the barbecue, or under the broiler.

What you need:

  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 6 tomatillos
  • olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 serrano pepper, minced
  • 1 dried guajillo pepper
  • 2 cans pinto beans, drained
  • 1 can peaches and cream corn
  • 4 limes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cilantro
  • Mexican farm cheese

What you do:

  1. Roast the poblano and bell peppers over a flame, turning often, until the skin is blackened all over.  Put the peppers into a container with a lid on it, and let them sit for about 20 minutes.  Continue with the other preparations, then go back to the peppers and remove their skin and seeds.  It’s okay if there are pieces of blackened skin remaining; those flecks will add character to the soup.
  2. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and roast them until they are lightly blackened and only a little softened. Set them aside.
  3. In a large pot heat a little olive oil and add the diced onions.  Cook for a few minutes, until they are becoming translucent, then add the garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring a bit.
  4. Add the chicken thighs and cook for a few minutes on each side.
  5. Add the chicken stock, minced serrano, and the whole guajillo pepper.
  6. Let this cook for about 20 minutes, then add the drained pinto beans.  Chop the roasted peppers and tomatillos and add them to the pot.  Let this cook for about 20-30 minutes.
  7. Take the chicken out and cut it into large chunks, then pull it with a fork so you’ve got stringy bits of chicken instead of cubes.
  8. Add the corn before serving and heat through, along with the juice of two limes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Serve with some chopped cilantro on top, a sprinkling of the farm cheese.  Set out some hot sauce so people can add as much heat as they like.

roasting poblano peppers - trust in kim

 

roasting tomatillos - trust in kim

Vegetarian Mexican Soup Broth

Vegetarian Mexican Broth - trust in kim

This recipe is for the vegetarian version of a Mexican soup I made recently.  It’s got a little kick to it because of the guajillo pepper

What you need:

  • 1 small onion or half a big one
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 dried guajillo pepper
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk celery
  • half a dozen peppercorns
  • cilantro stalks

What you do:

  1. Put everything in a pot and add about 4 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about half an hour.
  2. Strain the veggies out and use the broth to make a soup.

Peanut Butter Brownie with Chocolate Ganache

peanut butter brownie - trust in kim

For those who love chocolate and peanut butter, this will be a temptation.  There’s a peanut butter “blondie” on the bottom, filled with chocolate chips, and then a chocolate ganache on top.  It is a two-step recipe, but the second step is so easy. For the chocolate ganache I used half bittersweet chocolate and half  semi-sweet.  I thought it was a great balance of sweetness to the base layer that is slightly sweeter, and my staff at work who sampled this on goodie day agreed.  If you’ve got a real sweet tooth you may want to use only semi-sweet chocolate.

I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen (love her site and cookbook), and she got it from Gourmet Magazine’s recipe from Butterwood Desserts.

What you need for the brownie/blondie:

  • 1 cup or 1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 & 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used a natural peanut butter with no sugar or salt added – if you use this you’ll want to add extra salt to the batter)
  • 2 large eggs plus one yolk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 & 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or more if you’re using natural peanut butter

What you need for the ganache:

  • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter

What you do:

  1. Begin by rolling out enough parchment paper to line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.  Spread some butter on the parchment, then line the pan with it.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the middle of the oven.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until the  mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the peanut butter. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. With the mixer sped on low, mix in the flour until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips,  then spread thick batter into the parchment-lined baking pan, smoothing the  top.
  4. Bake the brownies for about 40-45 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (I used two 9×9 pans, so mine was done early)
  5. Cool completely on a rack before topping with the ganache.
  6. To make the ganache put the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl that fits on top of a small pot of water.  Add the cream and butter, then turn the heat up on the double boiler until it reaches a low simmer.  Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and glossy.  Spread the ganache over top of the brownie, then let it stand until set.
  7. To cut the brownie remove it from the pan, then run a large knife under hot water, dry it off, and slice the brownie.

peanut butter chocolate brownie - trust in kim

Mexican Caesar Salad

 

chicken caesar salad - trust in kim

Here’s an interesting twist on the usual Caesar – this one has an avocado and yogurt in the dressing, and a few extra veggies, making it a pretty healthy salad.  The recipe comes from Jamie Oliver’s Save with Jamie.

I didn’t actually make this one myself; I’ve injured my shoulder and can’t cook, so my wonderful friend John came over and cooked this for me.

What you need:

  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 pinches dried oregano
  • olive oil
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce
  • cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • cucumber, sliced into rounds (I like to use the mini cukes, but English works too)
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1.5 oz Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 2 anchovy fillets (I used a bit of anchovy paste)
  • 5 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • juice of 1 lemon + an extra lemon just in case you need it
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 rashers of bacon
  • a small loaf of bread (we made it into garlic toast)

What you do:

  1. Place the chicken on a large sheet of parchment paper and toss it with salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, and a little olive oil.  Fold the parchment paper over and flatten the chicken to about 3/4 inches thick by basking it with a rolling-pin.  Get  a grill pan or a cast iron frying pan really hot before placing the chicken in the pan.  Grill for 3-4 minutes per side.  It should get nice and browned.  Remove the chicken from the pan
  2. Fry the bacon until crispy, then let it sit on a paper towel to remove the excess fat..
  3. To make the dressing, put the avocado flesh, half the grated Parmesan, garlic, anchovies, yogurt, lemon juice, a few drops of Worcestershire, and the olive oil into a blender (or use an immersion blender as I did). Blend until smooth, then add a little salt and pepper to taste, and possible more lemon juice.
  4. Break pieces of washed and dried lettuce into a large bowl and add about half of the dressing, mixing until it is all coated. Toss in some tomatoes and cucumber rounds. You can either arrange the salad on a platter, or on individual serving plates: arrange the chicken on top, then crumble some bacon on top, along with some Parmesan.
  5. Enjoy with a nice loaf of warm crusty bread or garlic bread.

Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Sauce

Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Dressing - trust in kim

This roasted veggie salad is one of my newer favourites. The veggies caramelize and become even more delicious when they are roasted, but this salad is really just an excuse to use this tahini dressing.

You can easily make it into a full meal by adding some quinoa or another grain.  I’ve also made it with some sumac-spiced chicken on the side.

What you need:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • olive oil
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • salt and pepper
  • baby spinach

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup of warm water
  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of hot sauce

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and get two baking pans ready.
  2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Cut the stem off; if you wish you can peel it, but the peel is edible, as it turns softer when it is baked. Cut the squash into slices and toss them with a little olive oil.  Place on a baking sheet, salt and pepper lightly, then put into the oven.  It will need about 30 minutes to cook.
  3. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place on another baking sheet.  Throw it into the oven and set the timer for about 15 minutes.  At that time you can flip them over so the tops have a chance to brown up.  Flip the squash oven now too.
  4. When the vegetables have both browned up nicely they are ready to eat. If one looks done before the other you should pull it out of the oven.
  5. While the vegetables are in the oven you can make the tahini dressing.  Begin by putting the tahini in a bowl and add a little bit of water to mix until the tahini becomes liquid.  Then add more water until it is all combined.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  6. Place the spinach on a large plate, (add your grains now if you are using them) and top it with the squash and cauliflower.  Drizzle with the tahini dressing.
  7. Enjoy!