Warm Shiitake Mushroom "Chicken" & Arugala Salad

I think the beautiful, sunny weather we are having is inspiring me to make some inventive salads. This is another recipe that's not only quick and easy to prepare but it's filling and dare I say..... DELICIOUS. I used the Nelakee soy pepper "chicken" that we bought on our "Gwei Lo's in Paradise Part Deux" excursion. 

Here's what you will need:
Serves 2 people.
1 1/2 cup soy pepper "chicken" from Nelakee
Half lemon (optional)
2 cups baby arugala
1 plum or roma tomato
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms


Directions: 

Lightly fry "chicken" in frying pan for a  few minutes until lightly browned or until they are warm all the way through, usually about 2-3 minutes. I didn't use oil because they are a bit greasy to begin with, I just squeezed a bit of lemon on the "chicken" while it cooked. Set aside when ready. Then wash and and seed tomato. Chop into bite size pieces. Wash and slice mushrooms (if you don't like raw mushrooms, toss them in while the "chicken" is frying and squeeze in some extra lemon juice). Wash Arugula and assemble salad. Dress with tahini dressing (click here for recipe) or your favorite creamy style dressing like vegan caesar or a creamy poppy seed would work too but I would add salt, pepper and garlic powder. The dressing should be creamy, a vinaigrette dressing would be a bit too bland for this.

Potato and "Bacon" Salad

 This is one of my favourite summer/spring recipes. It's quick, easy and tasty. German style potato salad with veggie "bacon".


Ingredients:

6 Yukon gold potatoes
1 celery stalk
3 pieces of Yves "veggie" bacon
1 teaspoon of black mustard seed
1/4 cup of dijon mustard
 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Prep:
- Fill a large pot with water and turn on heat to boil. While waiting for water to boil, clean potatoes well. Cut away any bad spots. Cut potatoes into small cubes and place in boiling water. Cook until soft but not mushy. When ready, drain and toss in large bowl and let cool. If you are in a hurry you can pop the potatoes into the fridge.
- While waiting for potatoes to cool. Fry Yves veggie "bacon" until slightly crisp. Once cooled cut into small piece.  Add mustard seed to already heated pan and toast until seeds pop. Set aside. Wash, and dice celery. Chop into small bite size pieces. Once potatoes have cooled toss everything into the bowl including oil, mustard, seeds, celery and bacon and give it a good toss.

 

 

Serve with veggie burgers, or barbecued corn rolled in earth balance, chili and lime or baked kale. Enjoy -B

Warm Kohlrabi & Green Bean Salad With Dijon Mustard Dressing

      I tried Kohlrabi for the first time last year at the Wynchwood Barns farmer's market. CC  and  I showed up late and everyone was getting ready to close up for the day so we went to the first farmer we saw who still had vegetables on the table. He was so friendly and helpful and stayed around until we were done shopping. He asked us if we had tried a kohlrabi before. Tried? I don't even know what it is! It's a turnip - German,  just in case you wanted to know. He cut a piece for us to try and it was surprisingly delicious despite it's odd looking body. It tastes like a cross between a radish and a carrot. Not too sweet with a nice crunch. He gave us one to take home along with a basket of small cucumbers. Score! I wasn't entirely sure what to do with the Kohlrabi other than to eat it raw so I just threw a couple of things together and here's what I came up with.

What you will need:
1 Kohlrabi
2 cups of fresh green beans
1 teaspoon of brown or black mustard seed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard- your favourite kind
2 1/4 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1tablespon of fresh squeezed lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- Cut stems and rough skin off Kohlrabi. Cut in to thin 1/4 inch slices.  Wash and remove ends of green beans. Set aside.
- Heat pan. On medium heat toast mustard seed in 1/4 tsp of oil for a minute or so or until they pop.
- Add the rest of oil to pan. Add kohlrabi and green beans. Give everything a quick stir. Add dijon mustard, garlic powder salt and pepper. Stir frequently. Warm beans and kohlrabi for about two minutes. Don't cook for too long you want to keep the crunch in the vegetables. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon. This can also be served cold.

Kickin' Jicama and Carrot Salad

Jicama whaaaaat?  Grown in South America and is typically found in Mexican cuisine, Jicama is a root vegetable that looks a bit like a turnip. It has a slightly sweet, crisp taste and can be eaten raw or cooked. We had a burst of summer weather here for a week so I got inspired to make this summery salad. (On a side note, it ended up snowing today.)

Ingredients:
1/2 Jicama
2 medium sized carrots
Arugula (optional)
1 tablespoon of black sesame seed
Lime wedges

Dressing:
1 teaspoon of chili flakes (more if you you like it hot and don't have an ulcer)
2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 teaspoon Braggs
Lime wedges

Directions:
Peel Jicama and julienne (cut in to matchstick size pieces)
I used a spiralizer for the carrots but if you don't have one just grate carrots.

 
Lightly toast sesame seeds in a non stick pan (I didn't use oil- i just tossed them in and kept the pan moving)
Toss carrots, jicama and seeds in a large bowl. Add dressing. Toss a few more times. Serve on a bed of arugula with a slice of lime or as is. -B

Quinoa Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing

If you are not familiar with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) then it is time to get acquainted. Here's the scoop. It's an ancient grain/seed originally grown in South and Central America and is high in protein, calcium and iron. It also contains vitamin E and some B vitamins as well as some other good stuff that I am not going to get into because I am not a nutritionist and don't know what they do (yet). When cooked, quinoa becomes fluffy and has a nutty flavour, so it works with many different vegetable combinations.

 Kale another essential part of this recipe, has powerful anti-oxidant properties and is high in beta carotine, vitamin K and C, calcium and other things I can't pronounce. With the leftover kale from the salad, you can bake it with flavourful spices like cumin, coriander, whole fennel seed, garlic, sweet spanish paprika, sea salt and black pepper.

The combination of red beets, golden beets, carrot, kale and quinoa create a very colourful, super nutritious and in combination with the tahini dressing makes it super tasty. -B

What you will need:
* A cup of cinnamon chai tea (David's Tea makes a delicious caffeine free one) to revitalize, wake you up and help you focus.
*You might want to listen to Demon Fuzz- Afreaka. Just saying.

For the salad:
1 cup Quinoa (I like to soak the quinoa for about 20-25 mins to reduce the earthy taste)
2 cups water
Bunch of Kale
1 Large carrot
2 Red beets
1 Small golden beet
1 medium-large size carrot

Soak Quinoa for about 20-25 mins. While quinoa is soaking, peel then shred carrot and golden beet. Take two kale leaves, wash and chop into bite size pieces (you can use the stems if you like).

Peel and chop red beet into small bite sized pieces. Set veggies aside. When quinoa is done soaking, fill pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to boil. Add quinoa. Bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low and place on a tight fitting lid. Cook for approx. 20- 25 min (or until soft) stirring occasionally. When ready, let quinoa cool before adding veggies. Once cool, throw everything in. Give it a mix.  Serve with dressing on top.

For the dressing:
2.5  Tbls. Prepared Tahini (you can find this in most grocery stores or you can get it at Akrams in Kensington Market)
Juice from 1 medium sized lemon
Fresh parsley -a small handful
1-2 cloves garlic (adjust to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Sea salt (to taste)

*I use a Magic Bullet for this. If you don't have one a blender will work or you may just have to mix in a cup with a fork or whisk but it should be creamy.

Throw all the ingredients above in the Bullet and mix that shit up. Kay? Done. Adjust to taste if you like. I like it really lemony.

Baked Kale

While quinoa is cooking start preparing the kale.

Pre-heat oven to 350˚.

Wash the leftover kale from the salad and chop in to bite-size pieces. Throw the kale into a big bowl and drizzle on olive oil (just enough so that spices stick). Mix it up. Now this part is a guessing game. I just throw everything on, mix it up and BAM - Done! Sprinkle on the following spices; garlic powder, cumin, whole anise/fennel seed, coriander, sweet spanish paprika, sea salt and black pepper. Mix it up.

Spread kale on baking pan. (I don't grease or cover with anything). Bake for 10-15 min. Mix occasionally. You kinda want some really crispy pieces - almost burnt. It's a nice mix to have super crispy with just baked. When finish eat as a snack or serve as side dish. -B