What to do with leftover veg? I had some brussels sprouts, eggplant and green beans lying around. Hardly a combination for a stir fry. So I cut them up, drizzled on some balsamic vinegar and olive oil, added salt, pepper and some seasoning spices. Threw it on the grill. The result was delicious.
I’ve acquired a taste for kale over the past year. I bought a bag of baked kale chips from Spud last week. It was good, but seemed heavy on the seasoning and calories. I wondered if I could make a lighter version. So here it is.
Baked Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 275F. Wash kale. Be sure to dry thoroughly. Remove centre rib from the kale and rip into pieces. Season with olive oil and sea salt. I used some Eurasian black salt which has a bit of a sulphur odour; I couldn’t tell after it came out of the oven. I baked it for 30 minutes as it was still slightly damp when I put it in. It tasted really good, so good that I ate the whole bunch. Well, I saved the ribs for stir fry.
We had quite the snowstorm today. Stayed in until it was over. Cooked up a storm as well. This weekend, I made: sayur lemak, bok choy and pineapple salad, spicy Korean pork and meyer lemon curd tart.
Sayur lemak is a Malaysian dish. Specifically, it is vegetables cooked in coconut gravy. I fell in love with this dish when there was a Tropica in Calgary. I found that this version is a bit watery, not like gravy should be. Next time, I will add some cornstarch.
Looking around the web for some inspiration, I found a bok choy and pineapple salad. It is similar to gado gado, but the veggies are not cooked. I quite liked this dish. I added some fresh mango and it was tasty.
I felt like making a Korean dish to go with this, but didn’t feel like spending a lot of time. This spicy version of pork bulgogi was perfect. I served it on top of roasted spaghetti squash. I’m trying a mostly veg and meat dinners this week (and last). Starchy carbs make me hungry and fat.
The Meyer lemon curd was delish, but unfortunately did not set. So it was not picture worthy. Will try cooking it on a pot directly on the stove rather than the double boiler method, next time.
Update: After a day or so, I had another slice. Voila! It was set.
I was out at a hostel this weekend on a ski trip. I offered to cook the group dinner. After a long day out ski touring, there’s nothing better then some comfort food. Of the Asian variety. I premade Vietnamese style salad rolls and Thai green chicken curry. This is the best recipe I’ve found for that.
Vietnamese Style Salad Rolls
Throw the bouquet garni and onion into a sauce pan with water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes. Add the whole chicken pieces and whole shrimp. Remove from heat when cooked. Shell and devein shrimp. Cut in half. Shred or tear into pieces chicken meat. Set aside.
Boil some water and pour into a glass pie plate. Soak a rice paper wrapper for a few seconds. Place on cutting board. Layer vermicelli, carrot, cilantro, basil, and chicken. Use three shrimp halves per roll. Roll and seal.
To make the sauce, blend Hoisin sauce and peanut butter 3:1. Add a little hot water for ease of mixing. Serve with a dollop of chili garlic sauce on top to taste.
It’s usually served with jasmine rice, but since we were at camp, I used bulgur (yes it’s wheat) for a dish with more texture. It also cooks faster than rice.
I’m in the mood for veggies and protein this week. The salmon, I improvised with onion jam, apricot red pepper jelly and some orange marmalade. The sweetness of the glaze compliments the salmon nicely. Instead of the oven, I had hubby throw it on the grill for 25 minutes. The stir fry is centered around the mixed bean sprouts, which help fill you up with protein. They are a combination of mung beans, red & green lentils, green peas, garbanzos & adzuki beans.
Stir Fry Veggies
I used whatever I have available, but prefer to use veggies that are sturdy and can stand up to high heat.
Heat a couple tablespoons of grapeseed oil on medium high in a wok. Add garlic and saute until just starting to brown. Add all the veg except sprouts and tomatoes. Cook until just starting to brighten in color. Add rest of veg. Season to taste with any combination of sauces. Turn off heat and add sesame oil.
In my quest for something different, I decided to try making daal makhani. I ordered delivery the other night from Taj Curry and Pizza. Thought it was pretty good and have something to compare my cooking to. I usually cook Bengali daal, it’s a bombproof recipe. I think this one takes more time and finesse, especially when I don’t have a pressure cooker. Thank goodness for immersion blenders!
I’ve finally found a use for the urad daal that I bought a while ago. Now to find recipes for the toor daal, mung daal and chana daal. I love lentils, Indian style. Oh, and it goes really well with my sister’s pulao rice. It tastes much better the next day.
I made a second attempt at gluten free muffins. Not as successful as the first attempt.Very dense and heavy. Still trying to find the ideal baking time. Baked for 33 minutes but could have probably used more time. Also omitted the xanthan gum as I have a friend who can’t eat it. I’ll add it again next time and see if it affects the texture. Also used quinoa flour which gives it a nutty taste. Will see if I can find a substitute for that too.
I stopped by My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe yesterday. Been meaning to try this one for a while. I thought that paying $3.25 for a fairly large single scoop was a good deal. The ice cream was pretty good, I think the flavor was mud slide. Tasted like mocha with vanilla. Perfect treat after swimming. They have 72 flavors, I think I will be back for more.
