Courses: Side Dishes Cuisines: Vegetables / Vegetarian I LOVE roasting vegetables - ALL vegetables! I find that quick roasting them at a high temperature brings out their flavour like no other cooking method. I used to grill my veggies on my barbecue - but no more. My preferred method is to now roast them at 425°-450° Fahrenheit in the oven on parchment-lined professional-quality heavy-duty baking sheets. I brush the parchment paper with good quality extra-virgin olive oil, brush the tops of the veggies with some olive oil, and depending on the vegetable, will vary the seasoning. I always use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I LOVE Penzey's spices: They have a fabulous Tuscan Sunset (salt -free) spice that's great on vegetables, chicken, fish. Their Singapore Seasoning (salt-free) is absolutely fabulous on squash and sweet potatoes. I feel like I could be a p.r. rep for Penzey's at times! If you don't have a Penzey's store near you, you can order online. What's lovely about these veggies, is that you can cook them ahead and serve them at room temperature. They are also great cold the next day in a salad. Sometimes, I'm tempted to eat all of the broccoli at one time! If you make parsnips, make LOTS - they shrink down and go QUICKLY! And if you make beets, use rubber gloves, peel them and then cut them.
Courses: Soups & Salads
One of my friends was having a serious health issue and he was not permitted to eat any leafy green vegetables with the exception of kale.
So, I found a kale salad recipe, changed it around to suit my taste and made it when he and some others came for dinner. This salad is a huge hit! Everyone loves it. The trick is to make it several hours in advance. This allows the kale to "marinate" and soften. It takes away that "earthy"/"grassy" taste that some might not like. It is refreshing and healthy and pairs well with a rich meal.
It also saves well for the next day.
My preference is to buy the pre-washed, pre-torn kale. But you can also buy regular kale, wash it and de-rib it (you don't want the tough, fibrous ribs).
Enjoy!
Courses: Soups & Salads Cuisines: Vegetables / Vegetarian
I set out to create a soup full of tomato flavour, perfect for a wintery day. By combining lots of ripe Roma tomatoes, rich sundried Italian tomatoes and a can of organic fire-roasted whole tomatoes, I was able to ramp-up the flavour and create a full-bodied and delicious soup.
I have two secret ingredients that always add that little extra touch to my soups: some lemon juice to add a little brightness, and a touch of maple syrup to round out the flavours and add a little more body and richness. (Just be careful to add both in small amounts at a time and: taste, taste, taste!)
Courses: Appetizers
Sometimes you just need a something that's a little sweet, a little salty and a little spicy to have with drinks before dinner. Or to add a little zest to a salad. Or to nibble on for a snack while you are watching the game on TV.
Many of the recipes I saw used corn syrup. So I developed my own recipe, using one single beaten egg white, and a combination of flavours and spices.
Feel free to use your own spice combination.
