Summer Garden Salad

As summer winds down this week, I am coming to terms with the end of another warm season. The leaves are just starting to change and soon we will be seeking the warming comfort of stews, homemade bread and soups. Summer always passes too quickly, with so many exciting obligations, cottages, vacations, pools to be enjoyed! I never get as much time to blog as I plan!

I wanted to spend this last week celebrating our garden. This year we had a huge garden. It was a lot of work but we have been harvesting the benefits for months now. By far the star of our garden this year was the beautiful tomato. We planted, in total, 67 plants. Yes, a tad excessive. But we have had fun trying all of the new heirloom varieties. I can say that I have eaten tomatoes, in some form, at almost all meals for about two months now and I am still craving them. I think I could live on tomatoes like these, daily, for the rest of my life! So, many of the recipes this week have that theme (perhaps I will call it an homage to the tomato).

My first recipe, however, is created from a mixture of many of the vegetables in our garden. All of the veggies, herbs and lettuce used in this salad come from the garden (save and except for the pine nuts). This is an easy summer classic garden salad. I make it regularly throughout the season. It is an excellent way to celebrate the harvest, add whatever you have fresh on hand!

Summer Garden Salad

3 or 4 large handfuls of lettuce (I used arugula and Boston bib)

1 bunch of french breakfast radishes, sliced thinly

large handful of mixed herbs (I used chives, basil, mint, oregano and parsley)

large handful of fresh mixed grape tomatoes, halved 

garden cucumber, sliced thin

small handful of toasted pine nuts

Dressing:

 

Salt 

Pepper

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Dijon Mustard

White Balsamic Vinegar

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Oysters with Herb Butter

In honour of Canada Day, here is one of my favourite recipes for grilled seafood, given that grilling is one of Canada's favourite pastimes, and definitely the way that I will be celebrating the day! There is something so fantastic about sitting outside, enjoying the weather, grilling with a beer in hand!

This recipe can be used for almost any type of seafood. Halved lobsters work well as do scallops, mussels etc. You can also change up the herbs to include whatever you have fresh on hand!

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Oysters with Herb Butter

2 lbs jumbo shrimp

12 oysters

large handful of fresh herbs (tarragon, chives, parsley, mint), chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 t smoked paprika

2 T olive oil

3 T butter

salt and pepper

Remove vein and legs from shrimp and butterfly from the top, keeping shell attached.

Wash oysters well to remove all excess grit and sand.

Combine olive oil, 1 clove garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and shrimp in a bowl. Let marinate for twenty minutes.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan, combine melted butter with fresh herbs, and remaining clove of garlic.

Grill oysters and shrimp over medium high heat until shrimp is pink and oysters are opened. As oysters open, brush with butter and herb mixture.

Remove from grill and toss with butter and herb mixture.

Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy with crusty bread and a crisp refreshing white wine.

Happy Canada Day!!!

Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla and Basil Spiked Whipped Cream

I love love love strawberry Shortcake. I am speaking of the desert here, and not the cartoon, although I do have a special place in my heart for her as well. When I was little one of my favourite movies was "Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City". Strawberry is the big winner of a nation wide cooking contest and she wins a trip to "Big Apple City" in order to compete in a big bake-off at "the little theater off Times Pear!!" (she makes Strawberry Shortcake!) Sometimes I wonder why I am a lawyer ... I digress!!

The shortcake recipe was inherited from my Grandmother Gerrie! My mother has been baking it up for me for all of my life and it is my favourite. I always look forward to this time of year, when the local strawberry farms are full of beautiful sweet berries. The season is so short so take advantage while you can!

Grandma G's Shortcake:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 T sugar

3 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/3 cup shortening or lard

1 cup milk (2% or whole milk)

2 T butter - cut into small pieces

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Cut in shortening, then stir in milk until just blended.

Mixture will be thick.

Spoon Mixture into an 8" x 8" square greased pan and dot with butter.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Strawberries w/ Vanilla and Basil Spiked Whipped Cream

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 T basil

1/4 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 vanilla bean

Place Strawberries in a bowl, top with 1 T icing sugar and 1 t basil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

In the bowl of a mortar and pestle, combine remaining basil and icing sugar. Smash until the basil is well bruised and the sugar and basil are well acquainted!

In a clean metal bowl, whisk together whipping cream sugar + basil mixture, and the insides of the vanilla bean, until soft peaks are formed.

Serve by slicing a piece of the shortcake in half, load the bottom half with as many strawberries and cream as possible, then top with the remaining half!

Bliss!!

Meatless Mondays ... Quinoa Burgers!

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's "Whole Living Website". The website is full of fantastic recipes which are healthy and really delicious! She also has ideas for life balance, green living tips, fitness ideas and lots more information designed to help the reader live a full, balanced and healthy lifestyle!

This recipe is my favourite veggie burger recipe. As summer has arrived (semi-officially, marked by the Victoria Day weekend last weekend and the Memorial Day weekend for Americans this past weekend) it is the beginning of burger season in my house!! The recipe calls for pitas, which are great, but I also love them on whole wheat English muffins!! If you skip the Tzatziki sauce and replace the egg with egg substitute, you can make this recipe vegan!

Quinoa Burgers

1/2 cup rinsed quinoa, cooked

1 medium carrot, chopped coarsely

6 T, chives, chopped finely

15 ounces white navy beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T ground cumin

1 t coarse salt

1 t ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 T lemon zest

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, chopped fine

1/2 English cucumber, shredded and drained

Place the carrots in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade attachment. Pulse until the carrot is very finely chopped.

Add cooked quinoa, chives, beans, breadcrumbs, egg and spices to the carrot. Pulse until mixture is combined but still slightly chunky.

Form into four equal sized burger patties. Refrigerate for half an hour, or until firm.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet (I prefer a cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through, approximately 8-10 minutes per side.

To make sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and serve!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes!!

I had been on the search for the best chocolate cupcake recipe for a while. I have tried a number of recipes, however I found one that comes from an old Cooks Illustrated, which has got to be the best I've found (so far!!). I really like cream cheese frosting with my chocolate cupcakes (or my red velvet cupcakes or my vanilla cupcakes or my carrot cupcakes ...), you could also do a devils chocolate icing if you want an extra boost of chocolatey goodness!! I've included the recipe for cream cheese icing as I think it is more colourful for Spring!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

~ makes 12 cupcakes, do not double, if you need 24 make two separate recipes ~

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into 4 pieces

2 oz bitter-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 t baking soda

3/4 t baking powder

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a standard size muffin pan with cupcake liners.

1. Combine butter, bittersweet chocolate and cocoa in a heat proof bowl. Place bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water, you may also use a bain maire / double boiler for this purpose, if you have one of these.

2. Heat the chocolate mixture until it has melted. Whisk to achieve a smooth consistency. Remove from heat and set aside to cool (to the touch).

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk eggs to combine. Whisk in sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and fully incorporated.

5. Add chocolate mixture to sugar and egg mixture and whisk until fully combined.

6. Switch to paddle attachment. Add 1/3 sifted flour mixture. Mix to just combine.

7. Add sour cream and mix to just combine.

8. Add remaining flour mixture and mix to just combine.

9. Divide batter, evenly, among muffin pan cups.

10. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester, inserted into the center of the cupcake, comes out clean.

11. Remove and cool for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, prior to icing (about 30 minutes).

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 t vanilla

2 cups icing sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until very well combined (whipped).

Add vanilla and mix well to combine.

Slowly add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until fully incorporated.

Taste, for sweetness and consistency.

Add more icing sugar if you find that it is too loose or not sweet enough!

Once desired consistency is reached, add food colourings to colour the icing to the colour of your choice.

Shrimp Quesadilla - Cinco de Mayo!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!!

I am a big fan of Mexican food (who isn't)! It has to be one of the easiest foods to love. I have a particular fondness for spicy cuisine in any form and Mexican is among my favourites (plus who doesn't want an excuse to make Margaritas!)

This recipe for Shrimp Quesadillas is simple and quite flavourful. You can add as much spice as you can handle in the form of jalapeno peppers or thai chilies. If you want to control the spice, make sure you remove the seeds and white pith from the inside of the pepper, prior to chopping. If you like it hot, leave it in!!

Buen Provencho!!

Shrimp Quesadillas

4 6-inch whole wheat tortillas

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

100 g queso fresco or goat cheese

zest of 1 lime

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 t cumin

1 jalapeno or red Thai bird chili, chopped

Salt and Pepper

1 t olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped garlic. Add shrimp, season with cumin, salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove shrimp from pan, set aside to cool. Slice width-wise.

Evenly spread one quarter of the cheese onto one tortilla.

Top with half of the shrimp, half of the tomatoes, half of the chopped chilies, half of the cilantro and half of the lime zest.

Add another quarter of the cheese on top of these ingredients.

Top with another tortilla.

Repeat to make second Quesadilla.

Lightly brush four sides of Quesadilla with olive oil and grill until browned and cheese is melted.

Serve with Fresh Guacamole, Rice and Beans!

Quinoa Salad

What a beautiful way to start the Week! I am in love with all of the fresh flavours of this salad, the crunchy pine nuts, the creamy beans, the chewy quinoa and the crisp veggies combined with the smokiness of the grilled zucchini and the tart citrus dressing! The best part? Don't tell anyone ... it's super healthy!   

QUINOA SALAD

1/2 cup dried quinoa, rinsed 

2 medium zucchini 

1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped 

1 cup English cucumber, de-seeded and chopped 

1/2 medium yellow sweet pepper, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts 

1/2 cup navy beans

1/4 cup fresh dill

Juice and zest of one lemon 

juice of one lime

1-2 T olive oil 

salt and pepper

How to Cook Quinoa: There is some debate about the proper ratio to use when cooking quinoa. I usually use a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to liquid. For the above recipe I combine 1 cup of water mixed with half of the lemon juice and all of the the lemon zest as well as a bit of salt and pepper. I usually cook my quinoa in my rice maker, but if you don't have a rice maker you can also bring the quinoa and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Then, remove the quinoa from the heat and let stand, covered for ten to fifteen minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve!

 Cut zucchini into long strips, lengthwise. Grill over a grill pan. Let cool.  Chop into bite sized pieces.

Toast pine nuts until browned. Let cool. 

Combine cooked quinoa, chopped vegetables, pine nuts, beans, fresh dill,
remaining lemon juice, lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss to combine. 

Serve! 

~ Serves 4 as a side salad / 2 as a dinner salad ~