Roasted Winter Squash with Kale Pipián

I made roasted winter squash with kale pipián for lunch and it was great! Before anyone asks, Wikipedia says that pipián is a sauce made from puréed greens and ground pumpkin seeds. Note that to be more traditional, you should use hoja santa (“a robust aromatic Mexican herb”) instead of kale, but it’s just hard to come by. The Tuscan kale in this recipe is also called lacinato or dinosaur kale; it is much smaller and less sturdy than the traditional curly leaf kale that you’re used to seeing. It goes well with the pumpkin seeds, and this was possibly my first time using tomatillos at home – the sauce really worked! It would be great on other roasted vegetables, too. 

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), divided 

3 lbs. mixed winter squash pieces (such as 1”-thick delicata rounds or kabocha wedges, and/or quartered honeynut), seeds removed 

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

kosher salt 

¼ white onion, thinly sliced 

3 garlic cloves, crushed 

8 oz. tomatillos (about 4), husks removed, rinsed 

1 small bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn 

2 serrano chiles (I omitted them) 

flaky sea salt 

cilantro leaves with tender stems and lime wedges (for serving) 

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Toast pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Let cool. 

Increase oven temperature to 425 °F. Toss squash pieces and oil on another rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with kosher salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until browned and tender, 30–40 minutes. 

Bring onion, garlic, tomatillos, and 2 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook until tomatillos are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add kale and cook just until wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Let onion mixture cool in pan until warm. 

Char chiles over the flame of a gas burner, turning occasionally, until blackened and slightly softened, about 1 minute (or, arrange chiles on a rimmed baking sheet and use broiler). 

Transfer onion mixture to a blender with a slotted spoon; reserve liquid. Add charred chiles and ¾ cup pumpkin seeds to blender and purée, adding reserved liquid as needed to get things moving, until a smooth, pourable sauce forms. Season pipián with kosher salt. 

Divide squash among plates. Drizzle with pipián and sprinkle with sea salt. Top with remaining ¼ cup pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Ginger Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry

I didn’t bother taking great photos of this ginger beef and green bean stir-fry, because really, it’s somewhat of an unassuming dish. But then… everyone liked it, even the Fox! It’s a rare thing to give a meal 4 thumbs up in this house, so it deserves to be shared! My modifications are below – note that I didn’t use any rooster sauce because I was out, but I served hot sauce on the side for those who wanted it. 

1 cup long-grain white rice 

1 ½ lbs. flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain 

2 Tbsp. cornstarch 

2 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce, divided 

3 Tbsp. chili-garlic sauce (such as sambal oelek – I omitted that) 

1 tablespoon sesame oil 

4 scallions 

3 Tbsp. canola oil 

a 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (I minced mine) 

12 oz. trimmed green beans 

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds 

Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, toss steak, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a medium bowl until steak is evenly coated. Combine chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, and remaining soy sauce in a small bowl. Roughly chop scallion whites and thinly slice dark green scallion tops. 

Heat canola oil in a large wok or skillet over high. Add steak mixture in a single layer; cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Stir once and cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Add ginger and scallion whites; cook, stirring often, until steak is well browned, about 2 minutes. 

Push steak to sides of pan, creating room in middle, and add beans. Cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture; cook, stirring often, until steak and vegetables are well coated, about 1 minute. Serve with rice, topped with sliced scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Salade arc-en-ciel au quinoa, vinaigrette aux amandes

 

Voici une délicieuse salade de Coup de Pouce. J’ai fait rôtir le brocoli avec la patate douce parce qu’il faisait froid cette journée-là et j’avais donc besoin de manger chaud. J’ai vraiment aimé cette salade! J’ai préféré mettre les restes au frigo séparément, de manière à pouvoir faire chauffer le quinoa, la patate douce et le brocoli, puis j’ai ajouté les dés de pomme fraîchement coupés, les arilles de grenade, les graines de tournesol et les fines herbes au moment de servir. 

Pour la vinaigrette (environ 1 tasse) 

1/3 tasse de beurre d’amandes 

¼ tasse de jus de citron 

¼ tasse de sirop d’érable 

1 petite gousse d’ail hachée finement 

sel et poivre 

Dans un petit bol, à l’aide d’un fouet (ou dans un petit pot muni d’un couvercle), mélanger le beurre d’amandes, le jus de citron, le sirop d’érable et l’ail. Au besoin, ajouter de l’eau, un peu à la fois, pour obtenir la consistance désirée (la recette d’origine parlait de 1/3 tasse, mais c’était trop à mon goût). Saler et poivrer. (La vinaigrette se conservera jusqu’à 5 jours au réfrigérateur. Laisser revenir à la température ambiante et fouetter avant d’utiliser.) 

Pour la salade 

1 tasse de quinoa, rincé et égoutté 

2 tasses d’eau 

1 patate douce, pelée et coupée en dés de ½ po (1 cm) 

2 c. à thé d’huile végétale 

2 tasses de feuilles de chou frisé (kale), déchiquetées 

2 tasses de bouquets de brocoli haché grossièrement 

2 pommes rouges, le cœur enlevé, coupées en dés 

½ tasse d’arilles de grenade 

½ tasse de graines de tournesol 

2 c. à soupe de menthe fraîche hachée grossièrement 

2 c. à soupe de persil italien frais haché grossièrement 

sel et poivre 

Dans une casserole, mélanger le quinoa et l’eau. Saler, puis porter à ébullition. Réduire le feu, couvrir et cuire de 12 à 15 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que l’eau ait été absorbée et que le quinoa soit tendre. À l’aide d’une fourchette, défaire les grains de quinoa. Mettre le quinoa dans un grand bol et laisser refroidir. 

Entre-temps, préchauffer le four à 425 °F. Sur une plaque de cuisson, mélanger les dés de patate douce et l’huile (voir note plus haut). Saler et poivrer. Étendre la patate douce en une seule couche sur la plaque et cuire au four pendant 15 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit tendre (remuer à mi-cuisson). Retirer la plaque du four et laisser tiédir. 

Dans le grand bol contenant le quinoa refroidi, ajouter la patate douce, le kale, le brocoli, les pommes, les arilles de grenade, les graines de tournesol, la menthe et le persil. (La salade se conservera jusqu’au lendemain, au réfrigérateur.) Au moment de servir, arroser de la vinaigrette et mélanger pour bien enrober les ingrédients.

Burgers de dinde

 

Voici une recette de Coup de Pouce que j’ai beaucoup aimée. Non seulement ces hamburgers sont faits avec une viande maigre, mais ils étaient très goûteux, et en plus, ils se font au four. Au four! Ça veut dire que je n’ai pas à m’occuper des boulettes à cuire en deux fois dans une poêle (parce que je double la recette), et je n’ai pas à nettoyer tout le dessus du poêle par la suite, alors j’adore le concept. 

Pour les céréales de riz brun (ou carrément des Rice Krispies), il se vend de petits formats qui ressemblent à un bol en plastique en portion individuelle, ce qui évite de devoir en acheter toute une boîte. J’ai aussi fait une purée de dattes en mettant quelques dattes à tremper dans l’eau chaude pour les ramollir, puis je les ai passées au mélangeur sur pied. J’ai doublé la recette pour obtenir 8 boulettes; j’ajoute mes autres notes ci-dessous. J’ai servi le tout sur des pains plats de blé entier, avec des épinards et du fromage sans lactose. 

1 lb. de dinde hachée 

1 tasse de céréales de riz brun croustillant 

1 tasse de jeunes épinards hachés, et davantage pour garnir 

½ tasse de cheddar sans lactose râpé, et davantage pour garnir 

2 c. à soupe d’épices à steak (j’en mettrai moins la prochaine fois) 

1 c. à soupe de purée de dattes 

4 pains à hamburgers 

Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. 

Dans un grand bol, bien mélanger l’ensemble des ingrédients avec la purée de dattes. Avec les mains mouillées, façonner le mélange en quatre galettes d’environ 1 po (2,5 cm) d’épaisseur et former un petit creux au centre de chacune. Déposer les galettes sur une plaque de cuisson tapissée de papier parchemin. 

Cuire au four pendant 25 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les galettes soient dorées et qu’elles aient perdu leur teinte rosée à l’intérieur (les retourner délicatement à mi-cuisson – moi, j’ai fait cuire deux fois 15 minutes).

English-Style Chicken Banana Curry

 

This is a post about chicken curry. It is also a post about digital files disappearing. You see, I’ve been having intermittent issues with my iPhone over the course of a few months, where it would mangle videos and simply fail to take pictures. I mean, when I took the photo, everything looked fine, but then when I went back in the Photos folder, there was no record of it, and not even a gap in the file names to justify its disappearance. After trying to troubleshoot this with Apple support, I had to do a factory reset on the phone, and hopefully now the problem is fixed. But I lost some photos from my business, family holidays, and recipes. There’s no record of the mango chicken curry I made. But here’s a banana chicken curry to compensate. 

Even that recipe is the result of a file missing online, because I once made a copy of a similar recipe in an LCBO magazine. Unfortunately, I only made a copy of the page with the photo, ingredients, and first step, without realizing that the recipe was continued on page 76. In the years since, it has been impossible to find that recipe, be it on the LCBO’s website or elsewhere. But when I searched for similar recipes, I found this one, and the ingredients are close enough that I was confident it would satisfy my curiosity. 

OK, so, a banana curry, you say? I’m not sure if it was the British who first paired bananas with curry or whether this was done in Asia as well, but in any case, it’s actually very good! There are also apples and raisins in the dish, so it skews sweet, and I could definitely imagine this with coconut. I served it with Right Rice, and I prefer to slice the bananas fresh instead of mixing them in to be stored overnight; I wrote that below. I ended up not using the raisins because I knew my kids wouldn’t go for it; I used 2 apples and increased the amount of chicken to have leftovers. I also reordered the ingredients below to make the recipe easier to follow. 

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided 

1 large onion, chopped 

2 Tbsp. mild curry powder 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 fresh bay leaf 

2 cups chicken stock 

1 medium Granny Smith apple, diced 

¼ cup raisins (I would prefer golden raisins) 

½ tsp. salt 

1 lb. boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces (I made mine smaller and had more chicken) 

1 ½ Tbsp. flour (I needed more) 

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 

2 ripe bananas, sliced 

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (I think cilantro would be better) 

Sweat the onion (cook on low heat until they are translucent) in a small amount of vegetable oil. Add the curry powder and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, bay leaf and chicken stock, stirring as you go. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. 

Add the apple, raisins, and salt and reduce the heat, simmering for a few minutes. 

While the sauce is simmering, toss the chicken pieces in the flour. 

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan. Brown the chicken and then add the sauce (I had more chicken than called for, so I cooked it in two batches). 

Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the lime juice and stir. 

To serve, top with bananas and parsley. Serve with rice.

Tarte aux bleuets et au chocolat

Cette recette vient de Ricardo. Même si j’ai dû faire des changements, même si tout n’a pas super bien fonctionné, même si je n’avais pas de fleurs comestibles pour la rendre aussi belle que celle d’origine (ça vaut vraiment la peine d’aller voir!)… Cette tarte était absolument excellente, et il va falloir que je la refasse! 

Déjà, pour la croûte, je n’avais pas de biscuits au chocolat, mais j’avais un sac de mini Oreos dont je voulais me débarrasser, alors j’ai utilisé ce sac avec ¼ tasse de beurre sans lactose et 1 pincée de sel. J’ai utilisé un moule à tarte à fond amovible de 9 pouces (au lieu de 10,5 pouces) et j’ai eu juste assez de croûte, mais pas assez de garniture gélifiée, alors je ne vous recommande pas plus grand. Et au lieu de la crème chantilly au chocolat blanc, j’ai utilisé de la crème végétalienne en bonbonne et des copeaux de chocolat blanc. Un délice! 

Pour la croûte 

280 g (2 tasses) de chapelure de biscuits au chocolat 

2 c. à soupe de sucre 

6 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose, fondu 

1 pincée de fleur de sel 

Pour la crème au chocolat noir 

115 g (¾ tasse) de bleuets frais 

225 g (8 oz) de chocolat noir à 60 %, haché 

1 tasse de crème à fouetter sans lactose 

½ tasse de lait sans lactose 

¼ tasse de sucre 

3 jaunes d’œufs 

Pour la chantilly au chocolat blanc 

55 g (2 oz) de chocolat blanc, haché 

½ tasse de crème à fouetter sans lactose 

Pour la gelée aux bleuets 

1 c. à thé de gélatine 

5 c. à thé d’eau froide, divisée 

2 c. à thé de fécule de maïs 

2 c. à soupe de sucre 

Pour le montage 

¼ tasse de bleuets frais 

fleurs comestibles, mûres (facultatif) 

Pour la croûte 

Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. 

Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients (j’ai fait ça dans mon robot). Presser fermement le mélange dans le fond et sur la paroi d’un moule à tarte à fond amovible de 10,5 pouces de diamètre (9 pouces pour moi, et c’est ce que je recommande). 

Cuire au four 10-12 minutes. Laisser refroidir 30 minutes. 

Pour la crème au chocolat noir

Répartir les bleuets sur la croûte. 

Dans un autre bol, placer le chocolat. 

Dans une casserole, hors du feu, mélanger au fouet la crème, le lait, le sucre et les jaunes d’œufs. Cuire à feu moyen-doux en remuant constamment jusqu’à ce que la crème ait légèrement épaissi. Verser sur le chocolat et laisser fondre 2 minutes sans remuer. Mélanger au fouet jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit lisse. Verser la crème au chocolat dans la croûte sur les bleuets. Réfrigérer 2 heures ou jusqu’à ce que la crème soit prise. 

Pour la chantilly au chocolat blanc 

Entre-temps, dans un troisième bol, déposer le chocolat blanc. 

Dans une petite casserole, porter la crème à ébullition. Verser la crème chaude sur le chocolat et laisser reposer 1 minute sans remuer. Mélanger au fouet jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit homogène. Couvrir et réfrigérer 2 heures. 

Pour la gelée aux bleuets 

Dans un petit bol, saupoudrer la gélatine sur 1 c. à soupe de l’eau. Laisser gonfler 5 minutes. 

Dans un autre petit bol, délayer la fécule dans le reste de l’eau (2 cuillères à thé). 

Dans une petite casserole, porter à ébullition les bleuets avec le sucre jusqu’à ce que le sucre soit dissous. Au mélangeur à main, réduire les bleuets et le sucre en purée lisse. Passer la purée au tamis (je n’ai pas fait ça, j’ai ma vie à vivre) et remettre dans la casserole. Incorporer le mélange de fécule à la purée de bleuets. 

Cuire à feu moyen en remuant au fouet jusqu’à ce que le mélange épaississe. Retirer du feu. Ajouter la gélatine et bien mélanger jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit dissoute. Laisser tiédir 5 minutes. 

Verser délicatement la gelée sur la crème au chocolat et l’étendre sur toute la surface de la tarte à l’aide d’une spatule coudée (je n’en avais pas tout à fait assez, même si mon moule était plus petit). Laisser figer au réfrigérateur 1 heure.

Pour le montage 

Au batteur électrique, fouetter la chantilly jusqu’à ce qu’elle forme des pics fermes mais encore souples (ne pas trop fouetter, sinon la crème tournera en beurre). Dans mon cas, ça n’a pas fonctionné, mais je tiens à préciser que j’avais un substitut de crème végétalien, alors c’est peut-être de ma faute. 

Garnir la tarte de pointes de crème chantilly. (J’ai plutôt utilisé de la crème végétalienne en cannette et des copeaux de chocolat blanc.) Répartir les bleuets, les mûres et les fleurs comestibles. La tarte se conservera quelques jours au réfrigérateur.

Thon grillé à la lime et à l'échalote

 

Bon, le vrai titre du plat serait trop long: thon grillé à la lime et à l’échalote, betteraves sautées au miel et au cidre, purée de petits pois au gingembre et à la menthe, mais avouez que ça a l’air excellent! J’ai fait ce plat parce que ça avait l’air délicieux sur l’image, et parce que le thon est pas mal le seul poisson que je peux apprécier. Les enfants n’ont pas trippé, mais c’est tant pis. 

Pour préparer le tout, j’ai commencé d’avance : d’abord les betteraves jaunes, puis les rouges, puis la purée de petits pois. Vers l’heure du souper, j’ai fait réchauffer tout ça séparément pendant que le thon cuisait sur le poêle. Est-ce que je vais me donner autant de trouble souvent? Non, clairement, mais une fois, ça va. 

Pour le thon 

¼ tasse d'huile d’avocat ou d’olive 

½ tasse d’échalote française hachée finement 

1 c. à thé de zeste de lime râpé 

¼ tasse de jus de lime 

1 c. à soupe de miel liquide 

1 c. à soupe de sauce soya à teneur réduite en sel 

4 darnes de thon, épongées (environ 6 oz / 180 g chacune) 

1 c. à soupe d’huile de canola 

oignons frits du commerce et feuilles de menthe, pour servir 

sel et poivre 

Dans un petit poêlon, chauffer l’huile d’avocat à feu moyen-doux. Ajouter l’échalote et cuire de 2 à 3 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’elle ait ramolli. Transférer la préparation dans un bol. Ajouter le zeste, le jus de lime, le miel et la sauce soya, et mélanger. Réserver à la température ambiante. 

Régler le barbecue à puissance moyenne. Badigeonner le thon de l’huile de canola. Saler et poivrer. Déposer le thon sur la grille huilée du barbecue et cuire de 4 à 6 minutes pour un poisson mi-cuit ou jusqu’au degré de cuisson désiré (le retourner à mi-cuisson). Déposer le thon sur une planche et laisser reposer 5 minutes. 

Au moment de servir, répartir la purée au centre de quatre assiettes. Garnir du thon et des betteraves. Arroser de la préparation à l’échalote réservée. Parsemer d’oignons frits et de feuilles de menthe, si désiré. 

Pour les betteraves 

(Pour que les betteraves jaunes gardent leur belle couleur dorée sans virer au rose, on les fait cuire puis sauter avant les betteraves rouges, avec la moitié du vinaigre et du miel.) 

4 petites betteraves jaunes 

4 petites betteraves rouges 

1 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose 

2 c. à soupe de vinaigre de cidre 

1 c. à soupe de miel liquide 

sel et poivre 

Dans une casserole d’eau bouillante salée, cuire les betteraves de 20 à 30 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’elles soient tendres. Les égoutter et les passer sous l’eau froide jusqu’à ce qu’elles aient suffisamment refroidi pour pouvoir les manipuler. Peler les betteraves, puis les couper en quartiers. 

Dans un poêlon, chauffer le beurre à feu moyen. Ajouter les betteraves et les réchauffer 2 minutes, en brassant. Ajouter le vinaigre et le miel, et poursuivre la cuisson, en brassant, 1 minute ou jusqu’à ce que les betteraves soient bien enrobées. Saler et poivrer. 

Pour la purée de petits pois 

4 tasses de petits pois frais ou surgelés 

1/3 tasse d’huile d’avocat ou d’olive (j’en mettrais bien moins)

¼ tasse de jus de citron 

2 c. à thé de gingembre frais râpé 

15 feuilles de menthe fraîche 

sel et poivre 

Dans une casserole d’eau bouillante salée, cuire les petits pois. Les égoutter. Au robot culinaire ou au mélangeur, réduire en purée lisse les petits pois égouttés, l’huile, le jus de citron, le gingembre et la menthe. Passer la préparation au tamis fin. Saler et poivrer.

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Soy Sauce and Mushrooms

 

This recipe is from Bon Appétit. I’m just a sucker for sheet pan dinners that include gnocchi! Plus, mushrooms are one of the few vegetables that the Fox actually likes. The quantities below yield 4 delicious servings. 

2 medium carrots, peeled

6 scallions, divided 

1 onion, sliced ¼” thick 

1 17.5-oz. package shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi 

14 oz. mixed mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, or trumpet), trimmed, cut into large pieces 

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 

1 garlic clove, finely grated 

2 Tbsp. soy sauce 

1 Tbsp. mirin 

1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar 

2 tsp. granulated sugar 

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil 

toasted sesame seeds, for serving 

Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400 °F. 

Slice carrots and 5 scallions on a diagonal to match length of gnocchi. Toss carrots, scallions, onion, gnocchi, mushrooms, and 4 tablespoons olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. 

Roast gnocchi and vegetables, stirring once or twice, until gnocchi and onion are golden and mushrooms are starting to crisp around the edges, 30-35 minutes. 

Meanwhile, place garlic, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small jar. Cover and shake to combine. 

Remove baking sheet with gnocchi and vegetables from the oven and drizzle dressing over; toss to coat. 

Divide gnocchi and vegetables among plates and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Thinly slice remaining scallion on a diagonal and scatter over the dish before serving.

Beef and Cauliflower Taco Skillet

 

This is a great recipe not only if you like southwest flavors, but also if you are trying to reduce the amount of meat or increase the amount of vegetables in your diet. The recipe is from Budget Bytes. I used frozen riced cauliflower because it’s just easier, but of course you can make it fresh if you want. I also made this a mild dish (my modifications are below) and served hot sauce on the side. We give this dish 4 thumbs up! 

2 cloves garlic 

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

1 lb. ground beef 

1 15oz. can black beans 

1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I had a 15-oz. can of tomatoes without chiles) 

1 Tbsp. chili powder (I used 1 pinch Korean pepper) 

1 tsp. smoked paprika 

1 tsp. ground cumin 

½ tsp. dried oregano 

¼ tsp. salt 

1/8 tsp. pepper 

3 cups riced cauliflower 

2 oz. lactose-free cheddar cheese, shredded 

1 avocado 

1 tomato 

¼ cup finely diced red onion (I sed a shallot) 

1 handful fresh cilantro 

Mince the garlic. Add the garlic, olive oil, and ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the ground beef is browned. (If you're using a high fat content beef, you may want to drain off the excess fat before the next step.) 

Drain the can of black beans and add them to the skillet along with the diced tomatoes with green chiles (not drained), chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook until the skillet is simmering. 

Add the riced cauliflower to the skillet (no need to thaw, if frozen). Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until the cauliflower is tender, about five minutes. 

While the beef and cauliflower are heating, dice the tomato, avocado, and red onion. Roughly chop the cilantro. 

Top the beef and cauliflower mixture with the shredded cheddar. Place a lid on the skillet, and let it heat over medium for a few minutes, or until the cheddar has melted. (I didn’t do this part and made the cheese an optional topping.) 

Once the cheese is melted, top the skillet with the tomato, avocado, red onion, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Fall Salad

 

This recipe is from Weelicious. While it is no longer fall, you might still be able to find persimmons; if not, keep this in mind for the next time they’re in season! I’ve decided that I really like persimmons and want to eat more of them. This was a great way to enjoy them fresh! They are so beautiful sliced across the equator. Note that I assembled the salad willy-nilly over several days and used more fruit than the directions call for. 

For the salad 

1 lb. arugula (or favorite salad greens) 

1 pear, cored and thinly sliced 

½ cup pomegranate arils 

1 persimmon, sliced (I used a fuyu persimmon) 

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted (I only had pecans on hand) 

¼ cup lactose-free feta cheese, crumbled 

For the dressing 

1 small shallot, finely diced 

3 Tbsp. fig or regular balsamic vinegar 

¼ cup olive oil 

¼ tsp. kosher salt 

Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. 

Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine. 

Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to just coat the salad.

Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

 

For Thanksgiving, I made my usual, beloved cranberry sauce, but the Little Prince wanted to taste the famous canned cranberry sauce from Ocean Spray, so I bought that too. Of course, we had leftovers of each after the meal, so I froze them for a while, then came across this recipe for a chocolate cranberry cake that uses the canned sauce as a base! So I used my regular, fresh-berry sauce in the cake (I blitzed it with the immersion blender first because it also had orange segments), and the jellied canned sauce in the frosting. This was really good, and it’s a great way to use up those leftovers! 

For the cake 

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

½ cup lactose-free butter or margarine 

1 oz unsweetened chocolate 

1 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (see above) 

½ cup sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla 

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder 

1 pinch of salt 

For the glaze 

¼ cup lactose-free whipping cream 

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

¼ cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce 

For the cake 

Preheat oven to 325 °F. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with foil (I just used wax paper on the bottom). Coat foil with cooking spray. Dust the pan with cocoa and tap to remove excess. 

Microwave 2/3 cup chocolate chips, butter and unsweetened chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on High for 1 minute (I did this in a double-boiler). Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate. 

Add cranberry sauce and sugar; mix well. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. 

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter in prepared pan. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 minutes, then refrigerate 1 hour or until cold. 

For the glaze 

Microwave cream and chocolate chips together in medium microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on High (I also did this in a double-boiler). Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate. Add cranberry sauce; mix well. 

Turn cake out onto serving plate; remove foil. Spread glaze over top allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Chill 1 hour or until glaze is firm. (The cake can be stored in the fridge or at room temperature.)

Mochi Waffles

 

This mochi waffle recipe is from Bon Appétit. I really liked the consistency of these and how chewy they were! Note that in my version, below, I simplified the toppings (otherwise, you’d be making a sort of bananas foster and it would be a waste of maple syrup). 

1 ¼ cups mochiko (sweet rice flour) 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 Tbsp. baking powder 

1 ½ Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt 

2 large eggs, separated 

1 ½ cups lactose-free whole milk 

1/3 cup sugar 

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 

4 Tbsp. (½ stick) lactose-free butter 

bananas and maple syrup (for serving) 

Whisk mochiko, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. 

Whisk egg yolks, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. 

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then gradually add to egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add dry ingredients to bowl and whisk until smooth. 

Lightly whisk egg whites in a small bowl until foamy, then whisk into batter. 

Heat a waffle iron on high; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Pour a heaping ½ cup of batter (or enough to cover surface) onto iron and cook until waffles are golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, coating iron with more nonstick spray as needed. 

Serve topped with bananas and maple syrup.

Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes

 

Not too long ago, my mother-in-law came to visit, so we needed some gluten-free recipes. I decided to try these almond flour chocolate cupcakes, which you can also make low-carb. And the chocolate frosting has only two ingredients! These were delicious; I’m glad we tried them. 

In the recipe below, I added some weights and a few notes. The cupcakes will keep at room temperature for a few days, or in the fridge for up to a week. 

For the cupcakes 

2 ½ (300 g) cups almond flour 

½ cup (60 g) cocoa powder 

1 cup granulated sweetener or choice (such as monk fruit sweetener or erythritol) 

1 tsp. baking soda 

¼ tsp. salt 

3 large eggs 

1 cup lactose-free sour cream (or Greek yogurt) 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

For the chocolate frosting 

¾ cup coconut cream, chilled (chill a can of full fat coconut cream; remove the liquid and measure out ¾ cup) 

1 ½ cups chopped chocolate (I used 7 oz.; ideally, do not use chocolate chips here) 

For the cupcakes 

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a 12-count muffin tin or use muffin liners. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the rest of the ingredients until combined. Fold them into the dry ingredients until just combined and mostly smooth. 

Distribute your cupcake batter evenly amongst the muffin tin. Bake for around 20 minutes (25 minutes for me), or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. 

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting. 

For the frosting 

In a mixing bowl, put the chilled coconut cream and set aside. 

In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and melt in 20-second spurts until melted. (I did this in a double boiler.) 

Add the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl and whisk together with the coconut cream until thick and glossy. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours, to thicken. 

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator. Using a stick mixer, beat together the firm frosting until light and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes (it will be somewhat thick, but by no means solid).

Bol smoothie noix de coco, banane et mangue

 

Ce bol smoothie était vraiment délicieux, et joli en plus! Seul défaut : il ne contient pas assez de protéines, alors ça vaudrait la peine d’ajouter des protéines en poudre ou quelque chose du genre, pour éviter d’avoir trop faim avant midi. Bon appétit! 

1 banane 

1 mangue 

½ tasse de boisson à la noix de coco 

½ tasse de yogourt grec nature sans lactose 

1 c. à thé de sirop d’érable 

tranches de kiwi 

arilles de grenade 

graines de chia 

flocons de noix de coco 

Réduire en purée la banane, la mangue, la boisson à la noix de coco, le yogourt et le sirop d’érable. 

Verser le smoothie dans un bol et garnir de tranches de kiwi, d'arilles de grenade, de graines de chia et de flocons de noix de coco.

Zucchini Sausage Rolls

 

It feels weird calling these zucchini sausage rolls because, even though there’s technically more vegetables than meat, you really can’t tell when you’re eating them! Sausage rolls are akin to pigs in a blanket, but instead of a little sausage encased in dough, it’s sausage filling with aromatics encased in dough. I doubled the recipe to use up a whole pound of meat and froze a bunch of the rolls – these are good for school lunches! The single recipe, as written below, yields a dozen rolls. 

2 medium zucchini (about 8 oz. total), scrubbed 

1 small white onion (about 4 oz.), halved 

8 oz. ground pork 

1¾ cups panko 

¼ cup finely chopped parsley 

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest 

2 tsp. coarsely ground fennel seeds (I’d recommend 1 tsp.) 

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt 

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

2 tsp. garlic powder 

2 tsp. paprika 

1 large egg 

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed 

Grate zucchinis and onion on the small holes of a box grater into a large bowl. Add pork, panko, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Beat egg in a small bowl to blend; set 2 Tbsp. egg aside in another small bowl. Add remaining egg to zucchini mixture and, using a sturdy wooden spoon or your hands (I used a fork), mix vigorously until evenly combined (it’s preferable to overmix rather than undermix here). 

Unfold puff pastry sheets. (If using a 14-oz. package with only 1 sheet of pastry, cut in half lengthwise and roll out each half on lightly floured surface until about 14"x9".) Working with 1 sheet, spoon half of meat mixture about 1" away from edge of pastry closest to you. Pat mixture into sausage shape, running along length of pastry. Fold pastry up and over mixture, then roll up to encase fully (mine were more oblong than rolled). Gently run your thumb along seam to seal (no need to pinch both ends of roll closed). Place sausage roll, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining sheet of pastry and meat mixture. Chill, uncovered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. 

Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 375 °F. Brush sausage rolls with reserved egg. Using a paring knife, cut slashes in top of pastry at regular intervals. Cut each roll into 6 pieces to make a total of 12. Arrange evenly on baking sheet and bake until rolls are puffed and light golden brown, 30–40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 °F and continue to bake until deep golden brown, 15–20 minutes longer.

Persimmon Cake

 

I decided that I really wanted to enjoy some persimmons while they were in season a few months ago, so I made Catherine McCord’s persimmon cake. This cake is dense and moist, and has a more delicate taste than the dark crumb would let you think. It was delicious! 

You should know that there are two main kinds of persimmons: fuyus and hachiyas. The fuyus, pictured here, are the most readily available in stores. They can be eaten when firm, and I really enjoy them. The hachiyas are more oblong, and those are trickier because they must be soft-ripe before they can be eaten. 

To make persimmon purée, all you need to do is peel some persimmons, remove the core if it is tough and/or white, chop them, and purée them in the food processor. It will look odd at first, like a chunky mixture that isn’t doing what you want it to, and you’ll wonder if you should have steamed the fruit first, but keep processing and it’ll come together! I used 6 or 7 fuyu persimmons and got a bit more than 2 cups of purée – I ate the extra purée with yogurt and vanilla powder. 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. baking soda 

1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 

¾ tsp. kosher salt 

1 ¼ granulated sugar 

¾ cup lactose-free butter, melted 

2 cups persimmon purée (see above) 

3 large eggs, at room temperature 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

powdered sugar, for dusting (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Coat a 10-cup (2.5-liter) bundt cake or tube pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the granulated sugar. 

In a medium bowl or standing mixer, stir together the ¾ cup melted butter, persimmon purée, eggs, and vanilla. 

Add the flour mixture on low and stir just until everything is moistened; don't over mix. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (50 minutes in my case). Remove from the oven and let cool completely. 

Once the cake is cool, invert onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Gluten-Free Challah

 

When my mother-in-law visited us for Thanksgiving, she requested that I make her gluten-free challah. She likes the blog Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, so I used their challah recipe. It calls specifically for Better Batter all-purpose gluten-free flour, so I got some online (though there’s a recipe for a sort of equivalent on the original link). This challah is pareve in addition to being gluten-free. It wasn’t hard to make, though of course the dough is more difficult to work with than wheat dough, so I couldn’t make a nice braid like I wanted. Nevertheless, the bread came out wonderfully! It was perhaps slightly gummy compared to “regular” challah, but absolutely delicious, and much better than anything my mother-in-law had been able to find in stores. 

I think that gluten-free bread gets stale more quickly than wheat bread; it’s important to keep leftovers in an airtight container, or slice and freeze the bread. It would also make great bread pudding! 

(Another quick recommendation, while I’m at it: I also tried a biscuit mix by Daddy-O. It’s made with a mixture of corn starch, white and brown rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch. It made great biscuits very quickly!) 

1 ¾ cups (245 g) Better Batter all-purpose gluten free flour blend 

⅝ cup (75 g) tapioca starch/flour, plus more for sprinkling 

1 ⅔ teaspoons (5 g) instant yeast 

¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar 

2 tsp. (6 g) kosher salt 

¾ cup lukewarm water 

4 Tbsp. (56 g) extra virgin olive oil 

3 (75 g) egg yolks, at room temperature 

2 Tbsp. (42 g) honey 

egg wash (1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water) 

poppy seeds or sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional) 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour blend, tapioca starch/flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine well. 

Add a bit more than ½ cup of the water, olive oil, egg yolks, and honey. Using the paddle attachment, beat vigorously. 

With the mixer running, add as much of the remaining water as necessary for the dough to smooth out. (In a warm, humid environment, it may take a bit less than the full ¾ cup of water.) The dough mixture will come together in a clump and then smooth out and stick to the sides of the bowl. Keep beating until it begins to look whipped, and the color lightens a bit (about 6 minutes total). 

Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled bowl with a very tight-fitting lid. Place the container in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for at least an hour and up to 2 days. 

When you’re ready to bake, turn out the chilled dough onto a surface lightly dusted with tapioca starch/flour. Sprinkle the top lightly with more starch, and divide the dough into 3 equal portions. 

Working with one piece at a time, knead the dough in your clean, dry hands, without adding any additional flour of any kind, pinching any seams that separate. 

Begin working the dough into a cylindrical shape, pinching any gaps together, fanning your hands out toward the edges to lengthen the strand. Rolling back and forth, create strands about 15 inches long from end to end that taper slowly from the center to each end, with very tapered ends. Sprinkle each strand lightly with more tapioca flour on the outside of the cylinder to smooth the surface, then set it aside. 

Place the 3 strands on a lightly floured surface parallel to one another and about 5 inches apart from one another. Gather the tapered ends on one side together, pinch them securely and tuck the very end under the knot. 

Plait the 3 strands as you would any 3-strand braid. Do not pull the strands, as they’ll fray. Just place them on top of one another as you work toward from one end to the other. (Honestly, this was a bit hard, given that the dough is gluten-free.) 

Placing your hands carefully under each side of the braided loaf, carefully lift the braid onto a lined baking sheet. Press the finished braid gently on each ends toward center to shorten the length a bit. Sprinkle the top of the braid lightly with more tapioca starch and brush off excess from the valleys between braids. 

Cover the braid securely with plastic wrap, and place the loaf in a warm, draft-free location. Allow the loaf to rise until it’s at least 150% its original size (anywhere from 45 minutes to hours). If any of the tops of the strands begin to separate from one another as the dough rises, try to smooth and pinch them closed. When the dough is nearing the end of its rise, preheat your oven to 350 °F. 

Uncover the risen bread and brush the tops and sides of the braids very generously with the egg wash. Avoid letting the egg wash pool in between the braids. Sprinkle the top evenly with the optional seeds. 

Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180° and reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F. 

Continue to bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bread bounces back when pressed on a center braid and the internal temperature is at least 190 °F on an instant read thermometer. 

Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Pouding de chia bleu

Cela fait longtemps que je me dis que j’aimerais bien essayer de cuisiner avec de la spiruline en poudre. Comment résister à quelque chose de si bleu qui ne soit pas artificiel? Alors voilà, j’en ai commandé en ligne et je me suis lancée, avec ce pouding d’Hubert Cormier (Déjeuners protéinés). J’ai beaucoup aimé! 

La recette ci-dessous donne deux portions. 

1 tasse de boisson de soya non sucrée (j’ai pris du lait sans lactose) 

1 tasse de yogourt grec à la noix de coco sans lactose 

¼ tasse de haricots blancs, rincés et égouttés 

¼ tasse de graines de chia 

2 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable 

1 c. à thé de spiruline en poudre 

1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille 

garnitures au choix (bleuets, noix de coco, etc.) 

Au mélangeur, mixer la boisson de soya, le yogourt grec et les haricots blancs jusqu’à l’obtention d’une purée lisse. Transférer dans un bol. 

Ajouter les graines de chia, le sirop d’érable, la spiruline en poudre et la vanille et mélanger vigoureusement. 

Couvrir er réfrigérer toute une nuit. 

Servir garni au goût.

Homemade Vegan Nutella

I have to self-control. I made Nutella again. Well, to be fair, it’s not Nutella-brand, it’s chocolate spread with hazelnuts, but since today is World Nutella Day, I’m sharing it. I tried two recipes this time and have a clear winner! It’s Minimalist Baker’s Nutella! The other one was from The Kitchn, and while I was drawn to it because of the inclusion of coconut milk, the final consistency was less than ideal, and it yielded too much. 

The original notes of the recipe say that if you don’t want to use melted chocolate, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. The yield of this recipe is roughly 2 ½ cups, which translates to 2 Bonne-Maman-sized jars. I kept one in the fridge until I had finished the one on the countertop. 

3 cups raw or roasted unsalted hazelnuts 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

½ tsp. sea salt 

2/3 cup dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped 

2 tablespoons (or more) of maple syrup or agave nectar 

Preheat oven to 350 °F and add hazelnuts to a baking sheet in a single layer. If raw, roast for a total of 12-15 minutes. If already roasted, roast for 8-10 minutes just to warm the natural oils and loosen the skins. This will make it easier to blend into butter. 

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Then transfer to a large kitchen towel and use your hands to roll the nuts around and remove most of the skins. You want to get as much as possible off because it yields a creamier Nutella. But it doesn’t have to be perfect! 

Leaving excess skin behind, add hazelnuts to a food processor or high-speed blender (a high-speed blender like a Vitamix yields best results). Blend on low until a butter is formed – about 8-10 minutes total – scraping down sides as needed. 

In the meantime, heat the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments. Set aside. 

Once the hazelnut butter is creamy and smooth, add the vanilla and salt and blend well. Then add melted chocolate a little at a time and blend again until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt or vanilla if desired. 

If your Nutella isn’t sweet enough, add stevia to taste, or 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave. Just know the more liquid sweetener you add the firmer/stiffer the Nutella will get, so add sparingly. 

Transfer to a clean jar and store at room temperature for everyday use for 2-3 weeks.

Greek-Style Lemon-Oregano Potatoes

This is a recipe is from Jenny Rosenstrach’s The Weekday Vegetarians; she has also posted this recipe for Greek-Style Lemon-Oregano Potatoes on her substack. I was looking for a side to make with Instant Pot rôtisserie chicken, and I was afraid that this would be too similar, given that it’s also flavored with lemon and oregano, but it was perfect. Like, really, perfect. The texture was wonderful, and they were so flavorful! Mine didn’t even come out as golden-brown as they should have, and still they were a hit. I need to make these again! 

3 lbs. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered 

kosher salt, to taste 

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon) 

2 tsp. dried oregano 

freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat slightly and aggressively simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes. (They do not have to be fully cooked.) Drain the potatoes. 

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Line a sheet pan with foil. 

Place the drained potatoes on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil all over the potatoes and, using a spoon or your hands, gently toss them to make sure every potato is coated in oil and turned flat-side down. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and toss with the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and another drizzle of olive oil.

Instant Pot Rôtisserie Chicken

I don’t often make a whole chicken, but believe me when I tell you this one from Damn Delicious is worth it! You do need a pressure cooker, though (the recipe is intended for a 6-quart Instant Pot). The chicken was moist and flavorful; everyone liked it. I served it with Greek-style oregano-lemon potatoes that were equally mind-blowing, and a green salad. I absolutely have to make this again! 

2 tsp. kosher salt 

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

2 tsp. dried thyme 

1 ½ tsp. paprika 

1 tsp. dried oregano 

1 tsp. onion powder 

½ tsp. garlic powder 

1 (4-lb.) whole roasting chicken 

1 lemon, halved 

2 Tbsp. canola oil 

1 cup chicken stock 

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. 

Remove giblets and excess fat from the chicken cavity. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Season chicken and chicken cavity with salt mixture. Stuff cavity with lemon. 

Set Instant Pot to the high sauté setting. Add canola oil and chicken, breast side down, and cook until evenly golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, flip, and cook for an additional 4 minutes; set aside. 

Place metal trivet into the pot and add chicken stock. Gently place chicken on top of the trivet. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 28 minutes. When finished cooking, naturally release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions, about 20-30 minutes. Let rest 10-15 minutes. 

Serve immediately.