EVERYTHING COLOURFUL SALAD

I declare that "Spring is finally here"; I say finally because at last something has bloomed in my garden - tulips. Big day for me since I have been eyeing all the opened tulips in the neighbourhood as I take our dog for his daily walk. "Do they fertilize, do they have better sun exposure or have I bungled up the hardiest of perennials" ? are thoughts that I wrestle with during every outing. So as I proudly took pictures of our first blooms of 2015, I tried not to dwell too much on the fact that my weeds are probably crying out for my attention too.
Pardon the digression, I must get back to my Everything Colourful Salad. What better time than spring to make a salad that is bursting with the colours and flavours of the season. I made this salad on Saturday and we had leftovers for breakfast today with a hard boiled egg. A perfect protein rich salad that is not just easy to make and healthy, it tastes good too. My recipe used the vegetables I had but feel free to substitute. I made a dressing with pomegranate molasses that my dear friend M brought back from Iran. I have also used "Magiun de prune" to make this dressing and it is just as delicious. Now "Magiun" for my non Romanian readers is a plum paste like jam made using a sweet plum variety that is cooked down for up to 10 hours without adding any sugar. The result is a thick, dark purple paste that is slightly sweet and sour. We bought a jar from the local Romanian deli and I must admit I got a real kick out of seeing a label with just one ingredient on it - Plums.
This is the ideal "cut up and pack for a couple of days" salad, add dressing when serving. I layered this is a deep dish and used it over the weekend and the leftovers this morning for breakfast. Put in individual containers to pack into lunch boxes with some dressing on the side. Play with colours, enjoy your salad : >


Skill Level: Easy 

Serves: 4 to 5 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa 
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2 medium sized carrots, thinly sliced 
• 1 red bell pepper chopped into small pieces 
• 2 stalks celery chopped into small pieces 
• 11/2 cup chopped red kale
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp  honey
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3-4 tbsp warm water (the molasses and the honey make it quite thick)
• salt and pepper to taste 

METHOD: 

1. Wash and cook quinoa 1/2 cup cooked in 1 cup of water. (I usually cook 1 cup so extras can be added to other salads, soups or used as a side )
2. Put the cooked chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs (if using canned, drain liquid, rinse thoroughly and pat dry before pulsing in the food processor)
3. Wash and slice carrots, chop pepper and celery. Cut up the kale
4. To make the dressing add all the ingredients together and mix well until combined. Add water to thin out as needed. Check seasoning
5. If serving immediately add the quinoa to the vegetables and toss with the dressing. Crumble feta and add if using.

Paneer and Vegetable Rice

Rice is a revered grain in all of Asia. In India it is referred to as “Prana”- The breath of life - and is often the first solid food given to a baby. It features prominently at Hindu weddings, symbolizing wealth, abundance, fertility and prosperity; puffed rice is the last food put into the mouth of a deceased person, believed to feed the soul on its journey. This staple plays a role in religious ceremonies and celebrations, and sustains, employs and provides a source of trade for much of Asia. China and India are two of the largest producers and consumers of rice in the world. Cultivated for centuries, today, rice is grown on every continent except Antarctica.

The versatility of this modest grain demands respect; it graces the tables of the wealthy as well as humble homes too poor to afford much else. Rice preparations are diverse enough to satisfy breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner options. Few grains can boast being made into food (risotto, fried rice), beverages (rice wine, rice milk), and clothing. This grass cereal contains complex carbohydrates, no fat or sodium and is a source of protein. It is gluten free, easy to cook and provides a delicate, nutritious option for infants or people with digestive disorders. Of the brown and white varieties, the former is more nutrient dense with a higher vitamin, mineral and fibre content, while the latter is relatively inexpensive and can be stored indefinitely.

Rice features prominently in Asian cuisine. There are several varieties of rice, this recipe uses the basmati variety. My mother says, “Rice grains should be long and graceful, standing close like siblings, but never stuck together, and the trick is in pre-soaking the rice.” 

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 -6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 packet of paneer (available at most grocery stores) 
• 2 cups of boiling water with 1-2 tsp of salt to soak paneer 
• 4-5 Tbsp of cooking oil to fry paneer
• 20 green beans cut into small pieces
• 1 large red onion sliced
• 1 large carrot cut into small cubes
• 1 large red bell pepper cut into small pieces
• 1/2 a cup of frozen corn
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil to saute vegetables
• 2 cups of basmati rice
• 1 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) substitute w/ 1/2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 cups of boiling water
• salt to taste

METHOD:

Mixed vegetables with paneer

1. Cut all the vegetables into similar sized pieces
2. Add oil to a skillet and sauté onions until golden, add carrots and when cooked, add beans, corn and lastly the red pepper. Set aside
3. Cut paneer into cubes, add it to a bowl of salted boiling water let it stand for 15 minutes. (this step can be omitted if you are trying to reduce salt) 
4. Add oil to a pan and fry the paneer until the edges turn golden, drain with a slotted spoon and add it to the mixed vegetables. Season to taste

Rice

1. Drain all the water from the rice, heat a pan (with a well fitting lid), add ghee and   rice until all the grains are coated with oil. Add salt to taste
2. Add 2 cups of boiling water 
3. Cover, set heat to medium and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes 
4. Allow the rice to cool slightly 
5. In a large skillet add the rice and the mixed vegetables with paneer and mix together taking care not to break the grains of rice

Stacked Eggplant with Feta Cheese

Eggplant, as I have previously mentioned, is a family favourite, so I was happy to try out a new recipe that was an instant hit. This works well as an appetizer as you can make the eggplant slices ahead of time and assemble the rest of the ingredients just before serving. Enjoy! 

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small eggplant that can be cut into  1 inch slices
• 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup cooking oil ( I used sunflower oil)
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1  cup zucchini cubed
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1/4 cup feta cheese grated
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes cut into half 
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp dried rubbed oregano
• 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts  

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 500 F
2. Season the flour with cayenne and salt and toss eggplant in the mixture and coat both sides
3. Heat a 2 Tbsp oil and add the eggplant slices and saute eggplant for 3 minutes per side adding more oil as necessary
4. Set the eggplant aside on a parchment paper lined tray
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil and saute the onions, mushrooms and zucchini 
6. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and add tomatoes
7. Add breadcrumbs and oregano. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed
8. Divide the vegetable mixture evenly on top of the eggplant slices, sprinkle walnuts and feta over top 
9. Bake for 5 minutes before serving

Cranberry Lentil Almond Rice

Here is a side I often serve with baked chicken or fish. It is easy to make and on the day you decide to go meatless, it makes for a perfect lunch. Cranberries are a very versatile ingredient and are harvested from September to November which is likely why this fall fruit features in holiday dinners from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I buy bags of it and freeze it; they are perfect to throw into a batch of muffins or my zucchini cranberry bread with the added convenience of using without thawing. In this dish, it partners perfectly with lentils, almonds and rice. For this recipe, I used parboiled rice but you can use any rice you have on hand (the cooking instructions will differ accordingly). Try this with brown rice for extra fibre. 

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of parboiled rice cooked in 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups of boiling water
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1/2  cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup brown lentils soaked for 1 hour and boiled till soft but not mushy
• 1/4 cup of slivered almonds 
• 2 Tbsp live oil (not virgin or extra virgin)
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube 

 METHOD:

1. Wash and cook rice for 20 minutes in an uncovered pot. Allow to cool
2. Saute onions until transparent, add the vegetable bouillon cube
3. Add the lentils and mix well
4. Turn off the heat and add the cooled rice and mix 
5. Sprinkle the cranberries and slivered almonds until combined
6. Season if necessary

Jamaican Style Rice N' Peas

A lot of nutrition research and articles find that North Americans, in general, do not consume enough beans or legumes in their diet. Beans or legumes are known to be a good source of protein and dietary fibre. Unfortunately, they can also be perceived as boring, bland and flavourless. 

Besides adding beans in my soup and salad, I sometimes like to serve them with rice as a side dish. Jamaican Style Rice N' Peas is one of the examples. The rice is fluffy, light and flavoured with thyme and coconut milk. This is an excellent side to our Jamaican Inspired Jerk Chicken.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 5

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups parboiled rice
• 1 can (540 mL) red kidney beans
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 bay leaf

 METHOD: 

1. In a non-stick pot, heat up 2 tbsp cooking oil and dry garlic until light brown 
2. Add in parboiled rice, stir for 2 minutes under medium heat for a nice toasted colour 
3. Drain red kidney beans and rinse with water. Add into the pot and stir for a minute
4. Add in the remaining of ingredients, stir. Cover and let it boil
5. Lower the heat and cook for another 20 minutes, covered
6. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 5 minutes
7. Fluff the rice with a  fork and serve hot