June 11, 2016
Our family here in Kelowna gets together for a Friday night dinner fairly regularly. We try to keep it simple so it doesn’t become burdensome and we linger over soup and salad like some may linger over a 5 course meal. This week was my “turn” (we don’t keep track, whoever feels like cooking invites) and I thought vegan burgers may be fun, with a side salad of potatoes and fresh peas in a classic... View Article
April 15, 2016
I have been making an effort to use up all of the grains and legumes in my pantry. I am a bit of a shopping addict when it comes to foods, wanting to buy everything in sight. Just think of what I could do with this or that. So inevitably I have jars filled or half filled with barley, wheat berries, various rice grains, lentils and more. I haven’t cooked with barley in a while... View Article
September 21, 2015
I cook with seeds and grains often and thought I’d make something with quinoa for dinner. A trip to a produce stand nearby yielded a beautiful, lush shallot and a bunch of carrots that were so fresh the soil was still clinging to them. I wanted to keep things simple so I cooked the shallot in a little olive oil, added the quinoa and stirred to get it coated with the oil. I then cooked... View Article
July 13, 2015
This recipe is for the rice, lentil and noodle bowl that I served with the Israeli tomato-cucumber salad the other day. Together with grilled corn on the cob and French baguette it made a lovely summer patio dinner, all plant based. I also made Rosemary lemonade to cool us down, love lemonade in the summer. I cooked everything together pilaf style so the rice, lentils and noodles are ready at the same time. If you... View Article
June 7, 2015
Risotto is one of the most luxurious and flavourful dishes to come out of northern Italy. It’s easy to prepare and combines well with all kinds of seasonal vegetables and flavours. I posted a number of risotto recipes on the blog before and you can always exchange ingredients as long as you follow the basic simple method of cooking the rice. There are a few considerations when cooking a risotto: What rice to use? Oil or... View Article
May 30, 2015
Two pancake recipes in one week seems like a lot but that’s how sometime things go. I cooked red quinoa the other day and wanted to try it in a couple of different dishes. Pairing it with vegetgables is the predictable choice (and I did make red quinoa with shaved carrots and asparagus) but I thought I’d try it with pancakes and loved the results. The pancakes had nutty flavour with good texture and the... View Article
April 27, 2015
How many ways can you make a bowl of oatmeal? To me, the possibilities are endless. This rich version is not an everyday oatmeal but a nice one for a special morning when you want something hearty and fun. I am on my way to a broadcast of Swans Lake from the Royal Ballet of London (they broadcast performances to local theatres worldwide, thankfully) and from there to a cooking class at the one and... View Article
April 26, 2015
Grains and legumes form a large part of our every day food at home. They show up at breakfast, in soups, salads, main course and even desserts. This easy version of rice and beans is good with the addition of caramelized onion. The onion, slowly caramelize until it is golden and crisp in spots, is reminiscent of the classic middle east dish of rice and lentils called mujadara. I fold the caramelized onion into the... View Article
April 15, 2015
I was looking through the breakfast section on the blog and was surprised to see that I have not posted this muesli recipe. I have been making it for years (with my eyes closed by now) and it has been a favourite in the family forever. It’s my go to breakfast item when I want to prepare something in advance and we enjoy it by itself or in addition to other breakfast items if we... View Article
April 1, 2015
I am a very early riser and love the quiet of early morning. Most days I see the sun come up, slowly rising, brushing the sky with strokes of soft peaches and pinks. The mountains across the lake remain dark, hiding the mysteries of the night, revealing them little by little as the light invades their valleys and exposes their peaks. Some mornings I start with a tisane and a few cookbooks, leafing through them... View Article
March 22, 2015
It’s officially spring here in the Okanagan but still kind of cloudy and cool. The lilacs are trying to bud and I hope their efforts are going to be rewarded with warm weather and enough sunshine. So what I am trying to say is that it is still cool enough here to enjoy a warm bowl of hearty and delicious homemade soup. I wanted to have a simple dinner of soup and salad and have... View Article
March 17, 2015
I thought I’d tell you about one breakfast cereal trick I have. If you cook with grains and seeds you know how you end up with a little bit of this and a little bit of that in your pantry. When I get to less than a cup of any of these items I add them all together to a jar and then cook them as cereal instead of the usual oatmeal. You can keep... View Article
