Getting ready

So we're all back to work, and the baby is away from home and us full time for the first time. To try and make things easier, I'm getting into the habit of making food ahead of time. I have always been a fan of making lunches the night before and Sundays have often been my time to cook something big with leftovers in mind. Now, I'm cooking for three and need to be more mindful about nutrition than ever before. Things have to be yummy, simple and portable. This past week, I made a rice casserole with whole grain rice, broccoli, peas and white kidney beans. It was a little bland but did the trick. The baby didn't like it too much but she ate leftover beans the next day and I enjoyed the dish with salsa.

Today, I took about 20 minutes and made macaroni and cheese with peas, whole milk and squash. One pot is enough for a few adult lunches and several kid-sized portions - plus it will freeze well. I also chopped up a carrot and some broccoli, and boiled it until tender, which the baby will love as finger food. I'll also send along in baby's lunch bag some yogurt (baby's favorite!), chickpeas (soaking as I type), fruit (like applesauce, banana or avocado), and cereal. And that's a week of meals. Done.

I just hope I can keep this up because it's inspiring to be on the ball and ready to face the week with one less thing to worry about.

Squashed mac & cheese

I was looking for recipes on Spark People and was inspired by this one for butternut squash macaroni and cheese. It seemed like a great way to get an extra veggie into a dish and also lighten up a traditionally high-fat - but very comforting - meal. I decided to make the recipe for Mother's Day dinner with the family but couldn't find butternut squash anywhere. Not even frozen. But I did find a spaghetti squash so I bought that and figured I'd try adapting the recipe to suit. The end result turned out better than I expected and everyone loved the dish. Here's what I did:

First to cook the squash, I cut it in a half, pierced the skin and baked it in a shallow amount of water in the oven until it is soft and browned. You can find lots of ways to cook a squash online including video tutorials.

Then I scooped out the flesh of the squash with a spoon. It does look a bit like spaghetti but more like thin rice noodles. I put the squash in a strainer to drain the liquid off while I prepared the rest of the dish.

I cooked macaroni (gluten-free for my mom & sister) and some frozen peas for colour and put that aside, too. Then in a big pot, I combined some milk, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, crushed garlic and some shredded cheddar cheese. You could use more or less of any ingredient as you wish. More cheese is always yummy but also not as healthy so I tried to strike a balance and used about a cup. I wish I had used sharp or old cheddar cheese because I think the flavour would have been better. So I'll make sure to do that next time!

The macaroni and squash was stirred around with the mixture in the pot until it was all combined and gooey. I put the mixture into a casserole dish and topped with some shredded parmesan cheese. You could top with breadcrumbs, too, if you'd like that crunch.

Then I baked the whole thing for about 30 mins until it was bubbly and browned. When served, you couldn't tell the melted cheese from the squash strands and the squash's taste wasn't detectable. Next time, maybe I will try to up the healthy (and protein) factor by combining some soft tofu in with the cheese mixture. This would also be a great dish for a pot luck & would freeze well. There will definitely be a next time for this dish!

Use what you've got

 Some nights you just want supper plain and simple...and quick. Here's another go-to pasta dish that's mostly impromptu or experimental because it allows you to use what you have in your fridge or pantry. It's one part veggies, one part pasta base, and one part sauce. Saute the veggies (and garlic - always!), add tomatoes or pre-made tomato sauce, and throw it on some pasta. Done.

This time around, I had onion, garlic, mushrooms and some nice multi-coloured tomatoes. I started with the onion and cooked them in a small pan until translucent. Then I added garlic and some salt and pepper until aromatic. Then the mushrooms went in until they were cooked and soft. Finally, I added the tomatoes and let their moisture draw out and coat everything. I had some canned plain tomato sauce which I added until it was all heated through. If you want something extra, add meatballs, ground meat or some beans or chickpeas. And the whole point of this dish is you can use whatever veggies or items you have like fresh herbs, peppers, zucchini and different kinds of pasta. Don't be afraid!

 I had olives for the sauce but forgot to add them in. They made a nice after-dinner snack though! I'm still trying to enjoy olives more because I'm not a huge fan of them normally. But with rich food like tomato sauce and some wine, I'm coming around to them a little more every time I have them. Beautiful!

Protein-packed pasta

 I'm a girl who loves her pasta. But too much of a good thing can sometimes be boring...and a bit indulgent. So to strike a balance, I sometimes use a vegetarian option of a basic tomato sauce. This pasta dish is something I whip up when I want my pasta but I want to have my veggies too. 

Start by simmering some chopped onions in a large pan with a little olive oil. Add loads of garlic and some finely chopped chilies. Then add whatever vegetables you have and/or like. This time around, I added red pepper and mushrooms. I also had some dried basil (though I'll admit fresh is always better). Add harder vegetables first and let them cook and soften before adding ones that don't take as long. Also make sure you sizzle each ingredient before adding the next. That way everything marries together and forms a more complex taste. I call this the "layering" technique of sauce-making.

  

Then I add the secret ingredient: Yves veggie ground round. It's a meat-textured wheat and soy protein product that works like ground beef in your sauce. It ups the meaty texture and ups your satisfaction because in 1/3 cup portion it has 10g of protein. But unlike regular meat, it only has 0.5g of fat (and no saturated fat) and just 60 calories. 

Throw in the veggie ground round with your already-sizzling mixture. Add a dash of salt and a ton of pepper (well, that's what I do) and let it cook through until hot and fully mixed together. Add some canned tomatoes or tomato sauce and simmer everything for about 10 more minutes. Serve the chunky sauce over pasta or as "sloppy joes". It's an easy meal and very easy to experiment with or change out one or two ingredients for others you may have on hand or prefer. You could even substitute the veggie ground round for any ground meat, lentils, chickpeas or marinated, mashed-up tofu.

The veggie products come in a few other varieties and can be used in other pasta dishes, tacos, nachos, sheppards pie...you name it. And it's easy to prepare because it's as fast-food as you can get. With the protein, veggies, cooked tomatoes and garlic, this dish ends up being pretty healthy while remaining easy and warming you up on a cold day. Add some grated parm and enjoy!

Spaghetti rules

Simple spaghetti with a tomato meat sauce.

when I'm feeling sooky or sad or just tired there's nothing better than a plain old fashioned meal of spaghetti. I don't really have a recipe for this dish because I've been making it as long as I can remember cooking.

I vary it a little each time depending on what I have on hand. But there are some characteristics that HAVE to stay the same each time:
1) The dish must have a lot of garlic
2) The sauce must be made from scratch. By that I mean that the tomato sauce should start as actual tomatoes. Canned or fresh...it doesn't matter but they have to be real tomatoes that I can cook down, simmer, and turn into a sauce.
3) The pasta has to be cooked al dente (or "to the tooth"). I'm not one to make pasta from scratch (though I'd love to have some if you're offering) but I will not compromise on the "doneness" of my pasta. I like it to have a little bite and it cannot be mushy.
4) Sorry veggies but for a truly comforting spaghetti dish, I need some kind of meat for me to really enjoy it. I'll blame my upbringing for this one. I grew up eating lots of meat-based dishes and, though I really love veggies and a lot of meat-substitute products, there's no substitute for the heartiness or texture ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork gives to a dish of homemade spaghetti.
5) Give it time. The sauce should be simmered for a little while to let all the flavours mingle and marry. Ever notice how lots of chilis or pasta dishes taste better as leftovers the next day? That's because the sauce has had time to develop and settle. I'm not one of those people who will say you should simmer your spaghetti sauce all day. But you will notice a huge difference if you let it simmer for about an hour before digging in.

So if you need some comfort food put on a pot of pasta and start throwing some fresh ingredients into a pan for simmering. Before you know it you'll have a warming dish that's good for your belly and soul.

Lasagna ? I hardly know ya!

Lasagna is something most people enjoy or make on a regular basis. The basics are layers of pasta, sauce and fillers. There are a million different types: white sauce, traditional with tomato sauce, meat, spinach, veggie, fancy or simple, you name it. I made one recently with no-bake noodles (a time and sanity saver), plain old tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, beef and green peppers. It was simple and delsih. I did use cheese (because I'm a cheese addict) and alternated between mozza and ricotta. I love ricotta in lasagna and tend to use it whenever I make the dish.

The thing I really love about lasagna, no matter the variety, is that it's great for so many occasions. You can bring it to a pot-luck, have it at a dinner party, leftovers are great, and you can make a big batch and freeze portions for use at another time. I made two lasagnas this time around: one for now and one for freezing for work lunches. It's an easy and economical solution to the morning rush! Just grab a container out of the fridge and away you go.
ps. I just want to mention I love the lighting in my new kitchen. It's helping me make great strides in my food photography!

Pasta: when nothing else will do

There are times in life when you crave simple foods. Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Pure and simple pot roast doused in Worcestershire sauce. A great poached egg and buttered toast for dipping. And plain pasta with a simple sauce. The last one has been elusive to me for a while until I saw an episode of a Nigella Lawson show where she made the most dreamy and simple pasta dish. As a bonus, it's a great meal to make when you're alone, rushed for time, or have very little in your fridge (or all of the above). Here is my take on that recipe:

You'll need a handful of thin pasta like angel hair or capellini. I say handful here because I mean to take some (as much as you want) and prepare it as you would any pasta, in boiling salted water.

For the sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil (or butter if you're adventurous)
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp basil
salt & pepper (lots of pepper)

In a small saucepan, add a few drops of oil and put it over a low heat. Then add the yolks and whisk like crazy. The yolks will change colour a little and become creamy. Whisking continuously, drizzle in the remaining oil until it all becomes emulsified and cohesive. Add the seasonings and cheese, whisk and toss with your still-warm pasta immediately. If you wish (or have some on hand) squeeze some lemon into the sauce before mixing it with the pasta. This will make you dish just like Nigella's lemon linguine.

By keep the temperature of your pan low and whisking constantly, you'll keep the eggs from scrambling. At the same time, the heat you do give the pan, as well as the heat from the pasta, will be enough to coddle the eggs enough so they're not raw.

This is a creamy pasta sauce that is soothing and satisfying. It doesn't keep well so make just enough to eat at the time of preparation.

As with the lemon juice trick, you may experiment with this basic sauce to your heart's desire. Add cream for an extra decadent treat, sun dried tomatoes, chilies, more herbs, scallops or shrimp, etc.

For some tips on separating your eggs, see this. You can also freeze your egg whites if you have nothing to do with them right away. And for more on whisking:
Whisking

Okey Gnocchi

I've been uninspired lately. My last few blogs were about sandwiches and junk food. I felt I needed to get back into the kitchen with a mission, a new outlook and a real recipe. I wanted to make gnocchi. The word gnocchi means "lumps" in Italian and I have fond memories of the fabulous comfort food being ordered in many restaurants. I, however, have never attempted to make the dish before. It seems simple enough: flour, eggs, potato. Basically gnocchi is little potato pasta dumplings.

The problem is there's a million recipes for gnocchi. Even when you rule out all the non-regular potato varieties (like ones made with sweet potato, corn, squash, cheese, etc.) I couldn't find much consistency in my recipe search. Should I use eggs or not? How many? How many potatoes - should I weigh them or count them? Ricotta or Parmesan, or both? One recipe said to use cake flour, one all purpose, one no flour whatsoever. One website said that once the gnocchi are boiling I'll know if i used too much flour if they sink and too little if they flake apart. Thanks, that helps lots.

Yet, as I sit here and write this I am eating a nice plate of gnocchi. It's not the tastiest lumps of potato and flour I've ever had but I made them and they're decent.

I finally went with a recipe which included one egg, ricotta, Parmesan and regular flour. I started out with the ingredients prepped and put the four in the middle of my counter with a well in it for the wet ingredients - like making pasta. I put the egg in. So far so good. I put the ricotta in. Splush. The four walls broke open and a mutiny of egg oozed onto the floor. I quickly put my hands in there to re-form the four around the wet stuff and stop the oozing. This caked my hands in slop and made it very impossible for me to continue on without much scrapping and washing. The recipe continued on in the same doomed fashion, including a yelling match between me and the food processor which I used because I did not have a potato ricer.

In any case though, my dough probably had too much flour and not enough light-ness. But as I watched my little lumps boil away, sure they would be a complete failure, I saw one rise to the surface. Then another popped up. And soon they were all coming up to say hi. I was shocked. I drained them and took a taste. Not bad. Not flavourful or light but hey, it wasn't a complete disaster. I'll take it. And if you smother anything in olive oil and accompany it with a big glass of red wine, your meal is pretty much fit for a queen.

I don't think I'll be making gnocchi my signature dish anytime soon. But I do know I tried and have some ideas on how to make it better next time around. Though that next time will be very far into the future and I'm bringing backup with me.

Pasta salad for lunch

I've been a littlle lax lately with preparing lunches. If I don't get lunches together either the night before or in the morning, we end up eating crap and spending too much for said crap food. But what do you do when you're sick of leftovers and sandwiches? The other night I decided to improvise with what was in my fridge and cupboard and make a nice pasta salad. You could use whatever you had but here's what I used:

Bowtie pasta (about 2 cups)

Cherry tomatoes (1 pint and cut in half)

Black beans (1/2 can, rinsed)

Green pepper (1/2 pepper, sliced thinly)

1/4 cup light mayo

2 tbs mustard

1/3 cup mozza cheese (cubed, could also use feta or shredded cheddar)

dash of salt & pepper, paprika and chili powder.

Cook the pasta as per directions on the package. Drain and put aside to cool. Then chop/prepare the rest of the ingredients. Put into large bowl and add the dressing ingredients. Mix and combine with the cooled pasta. Then divide the salad up into small covered bowls or reusable lunch containers. Presto - lunch for at least two days. It was easy and it'll be there waiting in the fridge!