vegetarian
mushroom pâté
Now that November is here, I start looking for easy-to-make snacks, appetizers, and finger food for the upcoming holiday season. Everyone has their favorites and one of mine is pâté. The thing is, it’s rich and calorie laden. An easy solution without compromising taste is to use the mighty mushroom. Not only are delicious, they’re…
Read Morewarm barley salad
Barley is one of those staple grains that sit in my pantry for the longest time and then, without rhyme or reason, I go on a barley binge! I usually throw barley in soups or stews but recent years have seen me use it as a substitute for rice, mixed in with roasted vegetables and…
Read Morepasta salad with roasted chickpeas
I’ve had this package of multicolor farfalle (Italian for butterfly) pasta for weeks now and every time I open the pantry door, there it is, waiting for me to do something with it. The colors of the butterfly pasta are all natural using beetroot, spinach, turmeric, paprika and black squid ink. I wanted something special…
Read Morewild rice salad
A rice salad is so versatile and using wild rice is a healthier option. Wild rice is a grass and can be as long as one-inch and range in color from brown to black. I prefer a wild rice mix which is a combination of brown basmati and wild rice. A salad of your own…
Read Morecurried lentils – an easy dish to make
It was wet and humid yesterday. I was hoping the rain would have stopped late in the afternoon so we could use the barbeque but windy conditions prevented that idea from happening. I was feeling a bit nostalgic about our time overseas and a simple curry was the remedy needed to help us reminisce about…
Read Moreroasted peppers
What is it about Mediterranean flavours that drive my taste buds crazy? It’s an explosion of flavours, all vying for my attention and asking me to favor only one! But alas, how can I? When I think of food from the Med, the words fresh and healthy come to mind. And why not. TweetFacebookLinkedInTumblrStumbleDiggDelicious
Read Morepuff pastry pizza tart
Pizza can be an easy midweek meal to make and it’s one where you can get the family involved. Make individual pizzas to cater for the fussy eaters in your family or have them build their own. I like making my own pizza dough but sometimes, to save time, it’s just as easy to buy…
Read Moreradish leaf pesto
Pesto derives its name from pestâ which means to pound/crush. A typical pesto consists of crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts mixed with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Pesto was originally used mostly to flavor vegetable soups. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that it was used as a sauce for pasta. Earlier versions of pesto…
Read MoreRoasted Cipollini Onion Crostini
What do you get when grilled baguette slices (crostini) and roasted cipollini onions come together? Answer: a heavenly snack that’s so easy-to-make and ridiculously delicious! Cipolini (chip-oh-LEE-nee) onions are small and flat. The word in Italian means little onion and are sweeter than the average yellow or white onion. I have seen them in food…
Read MoreMicro Greens, Avocado and Strawberries
Micro greens are sprouting up everywhere (pardon the pun) from local farmers’ markets to specialized food shops. What are they, you ask? Think of tiny seedlings bursting into young greens from vegetables and herbs. Micro greens are typically one-inch to two-inches in height. Although little in size, they tout an intense flavor but not as…
Read More