August 7, 2012
Eating mostly vegetarian, I have developed many recipes using grains and legumes and often have in my fridge cooked barley, lentils, quinoa etc., ready to be incorporated into hot or cold dishes. When I cook grains or legumes, I usually cook more than required for what I am making, and sometimes cook a pot of barley just to have it in the fridge for another time. This is one such recipes. I had pre-cooked barley... View Article
August 5, 2012
Baby potatoes are so cute. Round and plump and delicious they lend themselves to many food preparations. You can toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper and a dash of paprika and roast until crisp outside and soft inside. You can steam them and toss with butter and chopped herbs. You can toss them with butter and brown sugar and roast. I often steam them first a few hours in advance and then toss... View Article
August 2, 2012
Whenever I serve appetizers I try to include crudités (raw vegetables) with dip. Vegetables are so beautiful and can serve as a centrepiece of an appetizer table. They are also nice on the table before dinner, allowing guests to munch on fresh vegetables while waiting for dinner. As a salad they can be very refreshing and make a beautiful salad plate for one or more. Try to use the unexpected. How about raw asparagus, sliced... View Article
August 1, 2012
Here is a pretty dish to make where you want a little more elegant presentation of a rustic dish. Any combinations of root vegetables works. I bake them in a ceramic baking pan and then cut into squares. To get the height I stack two squares one on top of the other, it looks more interesting that way. Alternatively, bake them in a deep pan and stack them up to the top. This is the... View Article
July 29, 2012
I had a few people over last night for an open house. Thankfully it was a beautiful evening and we could sit on the patio and enjoy a gorgeous summer evening here in Kelowna. We had wine and Hors d’Oeuvres that I set out partly in the dining room and partly on the patio with coffee and dessert “station” on a wrought iron trolley also on the patio. I tried to have the small event... View Article
July 27, 2012
Quail eggs are not something I cook with often but I saw them at a store and bought them this time. They were sitting in the fridge for a couple of days before I got to them. The shells are so gorgeous, like work of art. I was considering poaching but ended up hard boiling them and adding to the potato salad I was making that day (we have had a few potato salads these... View Article
July 26, 2012
Barley is a good base for grain salads and you can incorporate seasonal vegetables and a simple dressing to make your own variations. I tend to cook the barley a day in advance, let it sit in the fridge overnight to recompose itself, and use it in a salad the next day. Today I had sweet green grapes, crisp radishes and sweet and tangy apples that joined to make this fruity grain salad for lunch.... View Article
July 24, 2012
It’s raining and cool today. There must have been a rain storm here last night. We woke up to find several cushions and a beautiful, heavy table cloth that were left out overnight scattered all over the patio this morning, soaking wet. The one time I don’t put everything away and there is an overnight storm. The tall grass in the planters surrounding the patio is bent over, burdened with rain water and wind. One... View Article
July 20, 2012
We have been eating pretty simply these last few days, you have seen the postings. A salad here, a chilled soup there, corn on the cob almost every day. Everything so fresh, so flavourful and so seasonal. That’s how I enjoy cooking the most. Today for lunch I put together this lovely potatoes and vegetables salad tossed with a store bought mayonnaise and flavoured with a bunch of fresh dill, chopped and mixed into the... View Article
July 18, 2012
We are settled in our Kelowna abode for a few weeks and I am going to the local markets each day searching for beautiful produce to prepare at home. These market forays are special and I venture with anticipation to see what’s new, what’s fabulous and what’s going to make it home with me to be prepared for lunch or dinner. Spring and summer vegetables are one of the most exciting things for a foodie... View Article
July 17, 2012
Spanish in origin, this refreshing chilled soup is lovely in the summer when tomatoes are ripe and sweet and vegetables are crisp and tender. I serve it on hot days and even the skeptics and the less adventurous fall for it every time. Gazpacho is easy to make, there is no cooking involved and the ingredient list is quite flexible. Today I made this with vine riped tomatoes from the local market, small cucumbers, tender... View Article
July 14, 2012
Vegetarian burgers are standard on the menu here in the summer. I make a recipe and if not using all the burgers immediately I freeze them individually, well wrapped in plastic bags and pull them out as I need them. They reheat beautifully in a 375℉ oven or on a grill. I make them with cooked lentils and whatever vegetables I have on hand. For these burgers you need brown or greenish lentils that cook... View Article
