Rustic Tomato Tarts

These tarts are addictive! We were first treated to these tarts by our good friends Rachel and Stu who always impress us with super yummy vegetarian dishes. This is yet another recipe from the "White Water Cooks - At Home" by Shelley Adams so you will have to borrow or purchase the recipe book to try out this recipe. I will however reveal that this recipe includes tomatoes, goat cheese, fresh basil and Parmesan on a tart that is by no means healthy - consisting largely of butter, sour cream, flour and cornmeal for an added crunch factor. But oh so yummy!

I highly recommend this recipe if you are looking for an impressive but easy appetizer or paired with a mixed green salad and a chilled glass of your favorite white wine! Now that asparagus is coming into season I am committed to trying this tart with asparagus and fontina as recommended by Shelley.

Zucchini and Tomato Puff Pastry Tart

There is a part of me that cringes when I step outside my front door, only to be greeted by the rain. A part of me that wants nothing more then to walk back into the warmth and comfort of my home. But there is another part of me that finds a therapeutic property to rain. This part of me wants to experience the drip, drip, drip of rain falling on every surface I see. Sometimes I think that the only time my mind is ever truly silent is when it is simply listening to the rain. If you can for even a moment stop the noise in your head you will be amazed by how comforting the sound of rain can be. To think that rain is not only nourishing your soul, but that of every living thing in the world around you is both a warm and comforting thought.

This coming from someone who often starts her posts off with a complaint about the weather! I have decided to embrace the changing season by taking some of my favorite summer vegetables and pairing them with puff pastry which is not ideal to bake in hot weather therefore making it perfect for a rainy day such as today!

I have to admit that I sort of cheated on this recipe by not making my own puff pastry. If it weren't a weekday and if I wasn't feeling under the weather I would have attempted it myself. You can manipulate this recipe to incorporate your preferred combination of vegetables and cheese. I think I am going to try a caramelized onion tart next time!

• I pkg puff pastry
• 4 vine ripened tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 1/2 cup Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• fresh ground salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 


2. On a floured work surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle 10 by 12 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. 
3. Spread the Asiago cheese over the surface of the dough. Top with zucchini and tomato slices to within 1 inch of dough edge and finish off with feta, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Stacks

I hope you all had a very restful long weekend. I don't know that I can say that mine was restful but it certainly was productive. Mike and I succeeded in making three batches of jam; blueberry-apricot, raspberry-peach and strawberry-apricot. The first batch proofed to be very stressful as we didn't quite have our bearings yet but by the last batch we could be considered pros!

This is a recipe from the Whitewater cooks at home by Shelley Adams which is a new addition to my cookbook library and probably one of my new favorites. For those of you non-vegetarians you will be happy to know that this cookbook includes lots of yummy looking seafood and meat recipes.

I had the pleasure of being served these delectable treats at a dinner with friends and was so impressed by them that I decided to make them for a potluck I recently attended. Although I can not disclose the full recipe I can give you an idea of what the dish consists of. The basic idea is to stack roasted or grilled vegetables with layers of goat cheese, mozzarella and pesto. Finish off with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a drizzle of balsamic crema. You can make these a day ahead and serve warm by heating them up in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.

Eggplant Balls with Coconut Curry Sauce

I just spent the last 10 minutes running around the backyard picking up the contents from our recycling bins... no thanks to the current "windy" weather outside. How nice it is to come inside and curl up with a nice cup of tea and jot down my latest kitchen adventure!

Eggplant, oh how I love to cook with eggplant! I must recommend that you try these eggplant balls with the coconut curry sauce from my vegan dosas recipe. I did, and they were great!

My suspicion is that these would also make really great appetizers as suggested by Trudy (Veggie Num Nums). Until next time!

Greek Salad Cucumber Bites

Looking for an easy and impressive appetizer? This is it! You can even make them ahead of time as there is no cooking involved with this recipe. Simply prepare and serve.

I like cucumbers because you can easily find local varieties at most grocery stores. This time around I found long English cucumbers grown in my hometown - Port Alberni, BC.

This recipe is from the January 2009 issue of Canadian Living.

• 2 English cucumbers
• 1/2 cup each finely diced sweet red and green pepper
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced black olives
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• pinch each salt and pepper

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off strips of cucumber skin lengthwise. Cut cucumbers crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out about 1 tsp (5 mL) pulp from centre of each slice, leaving base intact. 
2. Combine and stir together all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Scoop a heaping tablespoon into each cucumber slice.

Zucchini and Corn Quinoa Taco Salad

I served this salad in a rush as we had to be somewhere in a timely manner and it turned we came up with a great way to eat this dish. We whipped up the salad and served it as more of a spread for tortilla chips and couldn't believe how much we enjoyed it. We quickly decided this would be great served as an appetizer at a dinner party or as a nutritious snack on movie night! Kinda like serving a bean dip or salsa with tortilla chips.

I didn't have cotija cheese so I used feta instead. The taco seasoning for this recipe is fantastic, I highly recommend using it when cooking other recipes that call for taco seasoning. I used whatever chili powder I had around the house and not the toasted, ground chilies as recommended.... I would assume it would be that much better if I did!

Asparagus and Asagio Canapés

These make great appetizers that you can serve hot or cold. In my case I served them cold for a St. Patrick's day potluck. These turned out great and I will definitely be making them again!

• 3 sheets phyllo pastry
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup Asagio cheese, finely grated
• 12 asparagus spears, trimmed
• freshly ground salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it aside.
3. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately strain and place asparagus into ice water.
4. Brush one sheet of phyllo pastry with olive oil and top with second sheet of phyllo pastry; repeat until all three sheets are sandwiched together. Turn over and brush outside with olive oil and sprinkle with 3 tbsp Asagio cheese. 
5. Cut pastry into 3 x 4 so you have 12 sections. Place an asparagus spear at the beginning of one square and roll till end and place seam down on baking sheet. Repeat until all 12 canapés are ready to bake. 
6. Sprinkle canapés with remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Acorn Squash and Black Bean Empanadas

Empanada is a stuffed pastry most commonly made in Spain and Portugal. The Spanish version tends to be larger in size whereas the Portugal version is divided into smaller appetizer size portions.  This particular recipe comes from the Veganomicon cookbook (one of my favorites!).

This time around I used butternut squash instead of acorn as I just so happened to have some ready to use -  peeled and diced in the freezer. I find it easier to store extra squash in a Tupperware container in the freezer, especially when making recipes that yield small portions of squash. It's convenient to know that you always have diced squash on hand. Also, this recipe like many others only requires 1 cup of beans and most cans yield 2 cups. Instead of throwing away the extra beans you can freeze the leftover rinsed beans just as you would the squash. When you are ready to use your frozen beans, simply rinse with hot water until they become soft again.

I highly recommend this recipe both as an appetizer and a main dish (and served chilled for lunch the next day). Serve with guacamole, salsa or sour cream for dipping. I have had great success making these ahead and freezing to bake on another day. They are quite time consuming so make sure you give yourself ample time if  you plan to serve the same day. I think I will probably double this recipe next time so I can have one batch ready in the freezer for a rainy day!

Cauliflower Fritters and Romesco Sauce

These make really great appetizers as well as week day meals if served with pasta salad or a whole grain like brown rice pilaf or quinoa salad. If you don't like romesco sauce you could serve these with a simple marinara sauce.

• 4 cups cauliflower, cut into florets and steamed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup hot water
  
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Roughly mash cauliflower in a large bowl. 
3. Stir in flour, garlic, egg, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water until batter becomes slightly thicker then pancake batter.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon 1/4 cup size scoops onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 minutes on each side. 

Romesco Sauce 

• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sweet red pepper. diced
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup cubed crustless day-old bread
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 3/4 smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 salt

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium size saucepan. Add tomato, onion, garlic and pepper. Cook until onions turn translucent.
2. Transfer tomato mixture to a food processor and puree.  Add bread, sherry vinegar, paprika and salt and pulse until mixed. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil if mixture is too thick.
3. Serve romesco sauce with cauliflower fritters.

Baked Zucchini Sticks

One of my favorite foods growing up was deep fried zucchini. I now understand that although deep fried tastes wonderful it isn't always good for me. Lucky for us there are alternative ways to cook our favorite deep fried foods. This particular recipe requires you to bread and baking the zucchini at a high temperature. The result is very satisfying and if done properly very similar to deep fried zucchini. I served my zucchini sticks with ranch dressing but I also recommend marinara sauce.

Note: I made the mistake of using fresh breadcrumbs that were coarsely ground. When I make these again I will without a doubt use fine bread crumbs.

• 2 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs (fine)
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• 1 garlic glove, finely minced or crushed
• fresh ground salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic and cheese and shake well. Line with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil.
3. Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Kohlrabi Fries

Kohlrabi is my new favorite vegetable! I have to admit that I was very intimidated by this turnip like vegetable when first spotted at the market and was even further put off when I was unable to find a recipe that inspired me to cook these guys up. In turn, they ended up sitting in my fridge for about two weeks. Alas, I confronted this vegetable head on and decided to just simply work with it. I peeled and cut off a piece and was pleasantly surprised at the crisp full flavor that kohlrabi has to offer (think broccoli stem only sweeter) and was immediately inspired to bake them into fries. There is but one thing you need to know if you are going to attempt this recipe and that is, unlike potatoes kohlrabi will keep a crisp texture no matter how long you roast them.

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 large kohlrabi
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• seat salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 475°.
2. Use a pairing knife to peel of outer skin of kohlrabi and cut into sticks about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and pour into a roasting pan.
4. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes.
   

Note: These fries have such a sweet flavor, they don't require the assistance of ketchup or dip of any kind.

Spaghetti Squash Galettes

I wasn't too keen on spaghetti squash until I tried these galettes. Now I think I will most definitely be cooking with spaghetti squash more then the occasional twice a year ordeal. My only complaint about this recipe was that it didn't yield enough for lunch the next day! I will most definitely be making this recipe again, and doubling the ingredients to yield a larger quantity.

Recipe adapted from Citrone & Vanille

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup feta cheese
• 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 pinch chili flakes
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash in half and place cut side down in a glass baking dish with a half cup of water. Bake for 40 minutes and set aside to cool.
2. Once squash is cool enough to handle, scrape out flesh into a bowl and set aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, mix egg with flour, salt and pepper, to form a thick dough. Add a touch of water if dough becomes too thick.
4. Add oregano, parsley, tomato paste, chili flakes and a dash of salt and pepper to the squash and stir until well mixed. Use your hands to incorporate the egg/flour mixture into the squash. Finish by adding feta to mixture, careful not to break up feta too much.
5. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add heaping tablespoons of squash mixture to pan and cook until browned on each side. Keep galettes warm in a 200° oven while you continue to cook.
6. Serve with a dollop of salsa or leftover hollandaise sauce like I did!

Apple, Pear and Walnut Salad

I'm not much for pears but I did enjoy this recipe.  I served this salad as a side to go along with some veggie wraps but I think it would also make a good appetizer or nutritious dessert.  For this recipe I used local pears and apples but I would suggest using different color pears and apples for more appeal.

• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 apples, preferably use 2 different kinds
• 1 pear
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl whisk together vinegar, orange juice, zest, and raisins.
2. Core and cube apples and pear.
3. Add fruit and walnuts to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Tip: You can use dried cranberries in place of the raisins or add chunks of cheese such as Feta, Gouda or Aged Cheddar.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

I personally find it a lot easier to bake quesadillas opposed to the traditional grilling method. You can pretty much add any kind of vegetable you like to these quesadillas. In this variation I used sweet potato and black beans with sautéed white mushrooms.

• 1 medium sweet potato, steamed and mashed (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 2 cups sliced white mushrooms
• 1 tsp cumin
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 6-8 whole wheat tortillas
  

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat 3tbsp of olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Once heated add garlic and stir frequently for about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and stir frequently until mushrooms release juices and are browned on both sides. 
3. Combine mashed sweet potato, black beans, cumin, lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Lay out two tortillas side by side on a cookie sheet and spoon on about 1/3 or 1/4 (depending on whether you are making 3 or 4 quesadillas) of the sweet potato mixture on each shell and top with 1/3 or 1/4 of sautéed mushrooms. Finish with a handful of mozzarella. Cover with another tortilla.
5. You will probably end up using 2 cookie sheets and depending on how much sweet potato mix you have you may end up with either 3 or 4 quesadillas.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer bottom cookie sheet to top half way through so they cook evenly.
7. Serve with salsa and sour cream

Tip: Some other suggestions for your quesadilla filling is bell peppers, corn, spinach, kale, roasted red peppers, zucchini, yams, different types of beans or lentils just to name a few.

Grilled Eggplant and Apple Pizza with Toasted Walnuts and Roasted Red Peppers

There are many methods to grilling vegetables depending on the season.  I used a cast iron pan as I didn't feel like firing up the barbeque.  I use my bread machine to make pizza dough.  Works perfectly every time!

• dough for 1 large pizza
• 1 eggplant, sliced into rounds and grilled
• 1 apple, sliced thin and grilled
• 1 large, red onion sliced in rounds and grilled
• 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 cup toasted walnuts
• Feta
• Mozzarella cheese

Smokey BBQ Tomato Sauce

• 213 ml can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
  
• 1 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp BBQ Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 500°.  
2. Combine all ingredients for the "Smokey BBQ Tomato Sauce" into a small food processor and blend until smooth. 
3. Cut dough in half and roll out until you have achieved 2 medium size pizza shells about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Spread sauce over each shell and begin to add your toppings.  Finish with walnuts, Feta and finally the Mozzarella.
5. Bake both pizza's in oven for 7 minutes then move the bottom pizza to the top and bake another 7 minutes.
   

Summer Rolls with Sesame-Ginger Dipping Sauce

Here is a vegetarian take on the traditional Vietnamese roll.

• 6 1/2 oz rice noodles
• 10-15 large, round rice-paper wrappers
• Shredded green leaf lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 carrots sliced thinly lengthwise
• 1/2 English cucumber sliced thinly lengthwise
• 6 scallions sliced thinly lengthwise

Dipping Sauce

• 1 tsp Asian chili sauce or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp natural peanut butter (optional)

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and drop in rice noodles.  Remove from heat and let stand 8 to 10 minutes (or follow package directions). 
2. Bring a medium frying pan with about 1 inch of water to a simmer.
3. Drain rice noodles and rinse with cold water.
4. Assemble each roll one by one.  Emerge a sheet of rice paper into the simmering water and quickly remove and gently shake off excess water and set on surface. 
5. Place about 1/4 cup of rice noodles, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, scallions and cilantro at the lowest third of the wrapper.
6. Starting from the edge closest to you, roll the wrapper up and over the filling until the half way mark and tuck in both ends and continue rolling.  
7. Slice your rolls in half, arrange on a plate and cover with a damp towel until ready to serve.
   

Apple & Grape, Feta Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

It's that time of year that the Okanagan valley graces us with it's bountiful fruits such as the delicious Gala apples used in this salad.

• Romaine leaves, rinsed and spun dry
• Red seedless grapes, cut in half
• Gala apple, sliced
• Feta

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup Grapeseed oil or other mild tasting oil
• 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp parsley

1. Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside.
2. Toss romaine, grapes, apples and feta.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad.

Tip: Toasted, chopped walnuts would make a nice garnish for this salad.

Garlic-Parmesan Focaccia Bread

I use a basic bread-machine Focaccia recipe and topped lots of olive oil with Parmesan, garlic and sea salt. Turns out perfect every time! There is an endless possibility of toppings you can use for Focaccia bread. Here are a few ideas:

• Tomatoes
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Caramelized onions
• Cheese - Parmesan, Asiago or Feta
• Herbs - Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Chives, Parsley
• Sunflower seeds or other various seeds
• Olives
• Roasted peppers
• Mushrooms

Veggie Spring Rolls

I was very impressed by this recipe. The rolls were easy to make and turned out nice and crispy despite the fact that they are baked instead of fried. I liked that they were not only healthy but more flavorful then any spring roll I have ever tried. This recipe can be found in the "Vive le Vegan!" cookbook by Dreena Burton.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

• 1 small Napa cabbage
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Dressing

• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped basil or 1 tsp dried
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1. Prepare dressing by whisking all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Shred cabbage by chopping into strips. Toss with carrots, cucumber and scallions.
3. Roast peanuts on high heat in a small frying pan. Shake consistently for even browning should take no more then 8 minutes. Careful not to burn!
4. Add nuts and drizzle dressing. Toss before serving.