black bean quinoa salad.

Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, and even though the weather's not quite as warm as I typically enjoy this time of the year (at least in Montreal!), I guess we'll have to take what we can get! It still beats -25 degrees celcius and snow up to my eyeballs! So now that summer is just around the corner (literally), the pool's are open, the BBQ's are getting fired up, and your friends have been calling to invite you over for a little summer shindig. They'll always tell you not to bring anything..."just bring yourselves!", but we all know that's bologna! Try showing up to someone's house with nothing but your smile and your car keys and the shame will slowly set in. Especially when you're the only ones who actually followed these instructions...trust me...I've been there. So besides your swimming trunks and a 12-pack of Corona's, why not bring a nice fresh summer salad. This recipe is light and flavourful and holds up a lot better than your standard romaine lettuce soaked in Ceasar dressing with a side of soggy croutons...but don't get me wrong...I still love that shit :)



Black Bean Quinoa Salad
(Serves 4-6)

• (1) cup of dry quinoa, rinsed
• (1) tbsp olive oil
• (1 3/4) cup of water
• (1) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• (1) avocado, chopped into chunks
• a handful cherry tomatoes, quartered
• (1/2) red onion, diced
• (1) clove of garlic, minced
• (1) red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• a small handful of cilantro, diced
• (1-2) limes, juiced
• (1) tsp cumin
• (1) tsp chili powder
• (1 1/2) tbsp olive oil
• salt, to taste
• a squirt of Sriracha Sauce (or any other hot sauce), optional

Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all other ingredients. Chop up all the veggies and add into a larger serving bowl. Note: if you're not planning on serving the salad right away, leave out the avocado until just before serving to prevent it from browning.

Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin, chili powder and salt. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary. If you like a little heat, feel free to add a little hot sauce right to your dressing, or leave out and squirt a little right on top of your salad. Again...totally optional, omit if you don't like things spicy.

When the quinoa has finished cooking, remove it from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the minced garlic while the quinoa is still warm to allow it to cook slightly. 

Let the quinoa cool for about five minutes and then add to the veggie mixture along with the black beans, the dressing, and the avocado. Adjust seasoning if necessary. 

Serve with tortilla chips and a refreshing, cold beer.

Enjoy!

tres leches.

There are some recipes where no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to capture the deliciousness of the food through my camera. This is one of those recipes. Generally I just give up.  I decide not to blog that recipe and I delete all my pictures, but I just can't do that with this recipe. It wouldn't be fair to you.  Regardless of the picture above, you'll just have to picture biting into the world's most moist and delicious cake. Picture the milkiness bubbling to the surface as you cut your fork into the cake to take a bite. Picture a cake with a light spongey texture...not overly sweet, but sweet enough...and a generous helping of whipping cream on top. Now you have no choice...you all have to make it...and feel free to invite me over :).

I found this recipe on Ree Drummond's website. Some of you may know her as "The Pioneer Woman" from her food blog and her show on the Food Network.  If you are still lost, follow this link to her blog...her recipes are just ridiculous.

I initially did not have high hopes for this cake. I had never heard of it and was confused by it's name "Tres Leche", as this recipe seems to include "four milks" instead of "three" (I like to count the whipping cream). But after trying it the first time, it has quickly become my go-to "just because" cake. It's a nice light dessert, you can totally make it "just because", but it's good enough to bring over to a friends for dessert. I even made it for my birthday! (Last time I make my own birthday cake though...that's just a rip off!) A friend of mine from Chile, who seems to be somewhat of an expert when it comes to tres leche cakes, is a huge fan of this recipe and has even been known to request I make it on occassion...that must be a good sign!


Tres Leche Cake

- (1) cup all-purpose flour
- (1 1/2) teaspoons baking powder
- (1/4) teaspoon salt
- (5) whole eggs
- (1) cup of sugar, divided
- (1) teaspoon vanilla
- (1/3) cup of milk
- (1) can of evaporated milk
- (1) can of sweetened, condensed milk
- (1/4) cup of heavy cream
- marachino cherries, optional

Icing

- (2) cups of heavy cream, for whipping
- (3) tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally with cooking spray or grease with butter until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. 
Separate eggs into egg whites and egg yolks.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. 
When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Before piercing, I generally like to move the cake to a rimmed platter or serving tray, so all that milky goodness stays in the cake. When I'm planning on transporting the cake, I like to use this cheapy dollar store plastic container. It's the perfect fit for my 9 x 13 cake and it's easy to travel with.
Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture over the cake—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can. I personally hate throwing out the remaining 1 cup of liquid, so try it in your coffee! Just remember to skip the sugar as it's plenty sweet enough!

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip the heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

I've made this cake the day before and it takes just as good! Just put the milk-soaked cake in the fridge over night and wait til the next day to add the whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!

spicy cauliflower soup.

It doesn't get much easier than this. Simple, hearty and healthy, this is one of those soups you could eat bowl after bowl of and never feel guilty. I find cauliflower soup has a tendency to be really fatty with all the cream, potato and cheese added. No starch, no gluten, and no grains, this soup will leave you feeling as light as a feather!


Spicy Cauliflower Soup
   Serves 4-6

- (1/4) cup of olive oil
- (1) onion, peeled and diced
- (1) carrot, peeled and diced
- (1) teaspoon ground coriander
- (1) teaspoon cumin
- (1) teaspoon chili powder
- (1) teaspoon curry powder
- (1/4) teaspoon turmeric
- (1/4) teaspoon dried chili flakes (more if you like it spicy)
- (1) teaspoon salt
- (1/2) teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
- (6) cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
- (1) large head of cauliflower, trimmed of green leaves and coarsely chopped (about 6 cups)
- (3) cups of chicken broth
- (3) cups of water

For garnish:

- a dollop of plain yogurt (per bowl)
- chopped cilantro or mint
- a squeeze of fresh lime juice

I generally like to chop up all my veggies first...it makes it a lot easier when you're working away at the soup.

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, coriander, cumin, chili powder, curry powder, turmeric, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until onions are soft but not browned.

 

When softened, add the cilantro sprigs, cauliflower, chicken broth, and water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

 
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 30 minutes. Stir vigorously with a spoon or whisk to coarsely purée the soup. I ended up using a potato masher to break down the veggies a little more.


Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve hot. Garnish each serving with yogurt, cilantro or mint, and a squeeze of lime juice. 

Enjoy!

blueberry whole wheat-flax buttermilk pancakes.

I know, I know...I'm a little late. Mardi Gras (a.k.a. Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday...whatever you prefer) was 5 days ago, but who really has time to make pancakes in the middle of the week anyways. Joe and I decided to celebrate this, our favourite of all holidays, this weekend instead. Traditionally, this holiday came about as a way to purge your fridge of milk fats and eggs in preparation for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent in which many people would abstain from these rich and fatty foods. Considering the amount of cheese and butter currently in our fridge...we will not be partaking in the second part of this holiday. I would hate to see any of that cheese go to waste.

Speaking of waste (or waist), Joe and I have started to notice a slick thickening of sorts in that area lately. My excuse is that Montreal is unbearably cold in the winter, and since my winter gear can't seem to keep up, I decided to help out by adding a little extra insulation. Joe's theory has more to do with the copious amounts of cheese and bread we've been eating and our tendency to stay in and watch movies on Netflix instead of braving the -25 degree C temperatures. To each their own.

In an effort to celebrate this holiday without the added guilt, I found this great recipe for whole wheat-flax buttermilk pancakes on the Portuguese Girl Cooks blog. I tweaked it ever so slightly and added some blueberries, but feel free to adjust it by adding whatever fruit (or possibly chocolate) you prefer.


Blueberry Whole Wheat Flax Buttermilk Pancakes
Makes 6-8 Pancakes (depending of the size)

- (1/2) cup of all-purpose flour
- (1/2) cup of whole wheat flour
- (2) tablespoons of ground flax seeds
- (1) teaspoon baking powder
- (1/2) teaspoon baking soda
- (1/2) teaspoon salt
- (1) tablespoon of sugar
- (1) dash of cinnamon
- (1) cup of low fat buttermilk
- (1) teaspoon vanilla extract
- (1) large egg
- (3) tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce
- (1/2) almond milk, any type of milk would work
- blueberries, or whatever add-ins you like (apples, bananas, chocolate chips...)


In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, ground flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

In a large measuring cup, measure buttermilk. Add in egg, applesauce, vanilla extract, and milk and whisk to combine. 

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.

Heat frying pan or griddle to medium heat. Add a touch of butter to the pan and allow to melt. Add the batter to the pan by the ladleful, adjusting according to the size of pancake you prefer. Note that I prefer a slightly flatter pancake, so I generally move the batter around in the pan by tipping it in a circular pattern until I achieve the desired thickness. If you prefer very thin pancakes, add an extra 1/2 cup to full cup of milk to thin the batter. Drop on blueberries immediately after ladling in batter.

Cook pancakes until there are a few bubbles on the surface and the edges are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook for about an additional 2 minutes or so until cooked through. The thicker your pancakes, the longer you should keep them on the griddle to prevent an uncooked, soggy centre.

Serve with maple syrup, icing sugar, jam, honey...whatever you prefer!

Enjoy!!!