July 9, 2014

Lunch a trois: captain, passenger and Isa Lei (and a green wrap recipe)

You must have heard me write before about the “other woman”. She is a fourty somethin’ year old beauty with soft curves and a strong built that takes to the water like I take to the kitchen. Her name is Isa Lei and yes, you know that she is a sailboat. My husband just loves this craft and lovingly works to restore her beauty. I don’t begrudge his attachment, this is what he always dreamed... View Article

July 8, 2014

Roasted whole cauliflower with tahini, pine nuts and roasted pepper

My daughter who dines at all the trendy places told me about a whole roasted cauliflower they had at a middle eastern resto in Toronto, Fat Pasha. I have steamed a whole head of cauli before but never roasted it, so of course I had to try it. It was kind of fun to make and serve. I roasted it on the outdoor grill and it didn’t really take as long as I thought it... View Article

July 7, 2014

Pistachio Roulade with Raspberries

Oh so delicious and easy roulade to make and serve with seasonal berries. There were only four of us for dinner but I made two roulades because I knew where this was going. I had some leftover to share with our lovely neighbours and for my husband ( “is there some more of that cake left?”) for whom one piece is never enough. The recipe is adapted from Laura Calder’s Hazelnut Roll in her book... View Article

July 6, 2014

Cauliflower tacos with lentils and quinoa

Part of my modus operandi (MO) in the kitchen is to have various foods already cooked in the fridge that I can pull together to create a flavourful and hopefully fun and nutritious meal. Running a vegetarian kitchen means that I often cook with grains and legumes and almost always have a couple of containers with these items on hand. Last week I went for lunch at the Eldorado Hotel and I had their cauliflower tacos.... View Article

July 5, 2014

Shredded salad: cabbage, radicchio, apple, mint, basil

Traditional coleslaw is a wonderful thing but it’s nice to create some variations. This salad is easy to make and lovely to serve whether you need a large salad for a group or a small salad for two. Quantities can be adjusted, it is “a handful of this” and “a handful of that” type of recipe. The foundation is the cabbage and you add whatever inspire you. I happen to love radicchio and the slightly... View Article

July 3, 2014

On the Grill: Hasselback Sweet Potato with Orange and Grand Marnier Sauce

I have been slowly getting over my fear of the outdoor grill. With this lovely kitchen installed on our rooftop patio I had to get in there and start using it. I have grilled pizzas and corn on the BBQ before, as well as  grilled some vegetables but now that the weather is hot I am keen on making most of the cooking outdoors under the shade of the roof and umbrellas on the cooler... View Article

June 29, 2014

Thai cucumber salad

This salad is to go with the previous post of Thai Coconut Curry. It adds fresh and crisp texture and flavour to the cooked vegetables and rice. Adding more chopped lettuce would make it a little more substantial. I prefer to cut the cucumbers into diagonal wedges instead of slicing them into thin rounds. You can add other crisp vegetables, such a radishes or even a couple of cherry tomatoes for colour and another layer... View Article

June 29, 2014

Thai coconut curry with spring vegetables

Summer is slow to come here in Kelowna this season. Rain and cloudy skies greet us most mornings. I happen to love rain, the way the air feels, the sound of the raindrops falling and how green and bright everything looks against the grey backdrop of rain clouds. Something romantic, nostalgic, exciting and calming all at once. Leave it to nature to create the perfect harmony. If it’s windy my husband goes to “the other... View Article

June 28, 2014

BBQ Corn on the Cob

The BBQ always kind of scares me. Not sure why but it’s a little intimidating, to say the least. Also the thought of cleaning it is out of the question. So, when something has to go on the BBQ I recruit my husband for the task, which includes the cleanup afterwards. However, since we had this beautiful outdoor kitchen built on the rooftop patio last summer I had to get over this fear and begin learning... View Article

June 22, 2014

Olive Oil Cake with Purple Basil flowers

I came back from Spain quite excited about olive oils. I have never tasted such special oils before. I was dipping my bread into luscious green olive oil that came from 1000 year old olive trees. Just think of it, the history that makes up the experience of such oils. Yes we can get good oils here but you know what I mean. I want to have 1000 years old olive oil like that every... View Article

June 21, 2014

Lentil and Quinoa with Herb Flowers

I found a recipe for lentil-quinoa-kale-avocado tacos in the China Study All Star Collection cookbook. You must have heard about the China Study conducted by Dr. Colin Cambell. In one sentence, the findings of the study indicate that incident of disease is in direct proportion to the amount of animal protein in your diet, specifically, casein, the protein found in milk and dairy. I am not here to preach or tell you what to eat... View Article

June 20, 2014

Fig and gorgonzola crostini

If I see figs at the store I have to get them, provided they are ripe of course. Figs are one of the fruits that do not continue to ripen once it has been picked. If it is not ripe when you buy it it will not ripen in your kitchen. The figs should be soft to the touch but not mushy and should not ooze the syrupy juices. Here is a simple but so... View Article