Green Sushi Salad

With the coming of spring I've been feeling the need to do a little life revamp. This usually happens around this time of the year. I've been trying to increase the healthy things in my life. Not that I'm cutting out drinking or eating out or croissants, but just trying to do a little more of the good things that I already do. Drinking more tea. Actually going to yoga/pilates. Eating more greens. Eating less sugar. (Who am I kidding? I am failing miserably at this one!) My new favourite thing is to make a GIANT salad, and pack it into a few containers for lunches at the beginning of the week. I lug them all to work at once, and that gives me healthy lunches with very little effort for the rest of the week. This week's salad I tried? This veggie sushi salad. Doesn't it look fantastic? Mine doesn't look as pretty, but it sure does taste good.

This delightful recipe and photos are from Green Kitchen Stories. You should definitely check them out if you're interested in eating a little greener!

What I Had For Dinner Last Night: Lemon Bacon Potato Salad

Ok. Stop. I had the best potato salad EVER last night. And I made it myself. The boy had just finished a particularly grueling period at work so I decide to celebrate with him. I made a steak as big as my torso (no really, I ended up cutting it in 4 it was so big, fresh grilled corn on the cob with garlic butter and cayenne, sauteed green beans with balsamic vinegar and THIS potato salad. Make it. Or invite me to a BBQ and I will bring it!

• 2.5 lbs waxy potatoes (I used new potatoes)
•  6 – 7 slices or bacon or pancetta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon (I used more)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard 
• 2 tsp. salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch of green onions
• 1/2 cup Italian (Flat Leaf) Parsley, chopped

Dice your potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Keep the peel on. Place the diced potatoes in a large pot, then fill it with cold water and set over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 10 – 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

When the potatoes are done, gently drain the pot. Put them in a large bowl and add the chopped green onion, parsley and lemon zest.

Cook the bacon until crispy. Take the bacon out of the pan, and chop when cool. In the pan (leave that bacon fat in there!) add the olive oil, the lemon juice and the mustard. Whisk. Pour the dressing on top of the potato. Sprinkle on the bacon. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat at room temperature. EJNOY. Mmmmm.

This was my version. You can find the original I riffed on here at Bitchin Camero.

Cookies...For Grown Ups

So my little brother got me a cookbook for Christmas. One that I had asked for on excellent recommendation from a bestie. I was instantly engrossed in all the delicious pictures. And he casually threw in that should I make 175 batches of cookies, I should feel free to stop by my mom's and drop a few off. Smart Move kid. Below is my first batch (and cover recipe) from the book.

Makes 2 dozen

• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   Notes: Do not skip the various cooling steps!

 via Martha Stewarts Cookies

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

So I've given myself a baking challenge. That is, bake something every week. EVERY week. Thus far I am 3 weeks in, and each week is getting more delicious. Monday's delight was in honour of a wine and dessert party that one of my besties was hosting at her condo. This came out delicious, but not too sweet. Which is good, because I've convinced myself that it's ok that I have been eating this for breakfast!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

 

1 loaf egg bread, sliced 1-inch thick

4 eggs

14-oz can pumpkin purée

½ cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp kosher salt

4 cups 2% milk (I used soy milk because I'm lactarded)

Instructions

1 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 11-x 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

2 - Toast bread on baking sheet until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes, turning as necessary. Let cool and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups). Transfer to baking dish. Set aside.

3 - In a large bowl combine next 10 ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour over bread cubes and allow to sit for 15 minutes or until pumpkin mixture is absorbed by bread.

4 - Bake 45-60 minutes or until bread is golden and a knife inserted into dish’s centre comes out clean. If the pudding browns too quickly, cover dish with foil during baking.

5 - Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream or a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

Note: Next time I think I will try this with some chopped apples.

From an old Wish Magazine

Tara's Thanksgiving Cranberry Chutney

1 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
2 inch knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp dried crushed chillies
1/4 tsp cloves
1 bag (12 oz) of fresh cranberries
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into cubes

Combine vinegar, onion, juice, zest, ginger, and spices. Boil for about 10 minutes. Ass cranberries, brown sugar, and pears. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Take the lid off and continue to simmer and stir to thicken if needed. Using a masher or spoon (if you don't have a potato masher...because I don't) mush the chutney getting rid of some of the big chunks.
Serve on top of turkey.

SO good. Also delicious with goat cheese. Also delicious with turkey sandwiches. I'm thisclose to putting it on top of vanilla ice cream too. Bad idea?

riffed on from an old Bon Appetit

What I Had For Dinner Last Night - Lemon Olive Chicken

2 pints of grape tomatoes
3-4 zucchini
1 cup of black and green olives
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp of capers (preferable salt packed)
Olive oil
2-3 tsps of dried thyme
8 chicken thighs
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a glass or ceramic dish. Get your hands nice and oily. Throw the chicken on top of the veggies skin side down, season, and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes. Give the dish a stir and flip over the chicken. Season again. Continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes. Close to the end, get impatient, sit on the floor in front of the oven and watch the skin get lovely and brown. (It was late, I was hungry and just a little bit drunk).

This creates lots of lovely saucy goodness as the cherry tomatoes bake down, so would be really nice served over top of a fresh flat pasta, with some baby potatoes, or with a fresh baguette to soak up the juices.

Mmmmm. I promise.

Riffed on from a recipe from the now defunct Wish Magazine