mediterranean eggplant and barley salad.

I know, I know...it seems like forever since my last post! It's not like I haven't been cooking! My memory card is FULL of pictures of food that I've been dying to put on the blog, but my problem lately is finding the time. For those of you who know me, and know that I'm currently only working part time, I'm sure you're shaking your heads right now. And no...I don't have kids to take care of either. So really, I don't have a good excuse. I'm just starting to understand the phrase "there just isn't enough hours in the day". Being a wife and running a home is a lot more work than I ever imagined! Cook, clean, laundry, repeat. I feel like I have a list of things that I'd like to do (maybe not "like to", but should) and just when I get through my list, the fridge needs to be cleaned again, so I start right back at the top of my list. Props to all of you who are doing this all while you take care of your kids and work full-time...or even run your own business...wow!

I was expressing this sentiment to a co-worker just the other day. My friend Helen and I have been lucky enough to be working together the last couple of months, and during one of our daily rants, we were discussing how we felt like we can't keep up with our own lives. Helen is one of those people that just can't say no, and thus works two jobs, always makes time for friends and family, and shows up to work everyday with AMAZING lunches!!!

Helen is a vegetarian and loves to experiment with recipes from various vegetarian food blogs. She brings something new and exciting to work everyday and I'm always amazed at the colours and smells packed into her Ziploc containers. Sadly, Helen had plans to move on to bigger and better things, and so we planned a little vegetarian potluck goodbye party for Helen. While my plan was to make something from her favourite food blog 101 Cookbooks I couldn't pass up the chance to make this recipe. I discovered this recipe on one of my favourite foodie blogs Smitten Kitchen and I followed it to a T (something new for me). My initial reaction when I read the ingredient list was that there was WAY too many flavour combinations going on, but somehow...it just works! A shout out to Deb at Smitten Kitchen for this amazing recipe...it was a hit!

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad
Makes 4 (main course) or 8 (side dish) servings

- (1 1/2) lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- (3/4) lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- (10) tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- (1) teaspoon salt
- (1) teaspoon black pepper
- (1) cup chopped green onion (from 1 bunch)
- (1 1/2) teaspoons ground cumin
- (1/2) teaspoon ground coriander
- (1/4) teaspoon cayenne
- (1 1/4) cups pearl barley (8 oz)
- (1) 14-oz can reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
- (3/4) cup water
- (2) tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- (1) garlic clove, minced
- (1/4) teaspoon sugar
- (1/2) lb cherry tomatoes, quartered
- (1/3) cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved
- (1/2) cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired
- (1) cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- (1/2) cup chopped fresh mint


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut up the eggplant and zucchini into small cubes. Toss with 5 tablespoons of oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Spread evenly into 2 oiled large shallow baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove from oven and combine vegetables into one pan to cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add green onions, cumin, corriander and cayenne, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stiring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more.

Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for another 5 minutes. Transfer to the reserved baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Now it's time to put together the dressing. Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper,  and 3 tablespoons of oil in bowl. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, combine cooled barley, roasted vegetables, tomatoes, olives, onions, mint and parsley into a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss until combined well.

Feel free to make this salad a day a head of time, this will give all the flavours a chance to mingle. Cover and chill overnight, but make sure to bring it up to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!

mediterranean pasta salad.

It's back. The pit in my stomach has returned. Even after a few years of being out of school, I still get butterflies this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE fall. The colours of the leaves, the hoodies returning to the racks in all the stores, sleeping with the windows open...but there's just something about this time of year that is so bittersweet. It starts like clockwork. The marineland commercials slowly start to fade from TV and they're replaced by ads for the EX. That small transition from one jingle to the next and the pit begins to form. Summer is ending, no more lazy days at the beach (not that I even had any), time to dig out the sweaters (even though the weather will remain relatively warm for the next month or so) and time to go back to school (not happening). I'm beginning to think this pit may have more to do with the media and less to do with fact.
This is my attempt to hold on to summer for just a little bit longer. Summer barbecues WILL continue and you'll all need a new salad recipe to bring to your shin-dig this long weekend, so here it is. This is one of those recipes that has been passed down so many times, I have NO idea where it originally came from. It's a staple at our house whenever potlucks are concerned...it's easy, it's relatively quick, it makes a good size portion (and is easy to double), and it keeps well in the fridge for at least a week (not that it ever lasts that long). Oh...and it's REALLY good...enjoy!


Mediteranean Pasta Salad

- (2 1/2) cups of uncooked pasta, penne, fusilli, etc.
- (1) small green pepper, cut into strips
- (1) small red pepper, cut into strips
- (1) cup of cherry or grape tomotoes, halved or quartered
- (1) cup of crumbled feta cheese
- (1/2) cup of sliced black olives (kalamata olives work well too)
- (1/2) cup of minced red onion
- (1/2) cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Vinegrette

- (1/3) cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- (1/4) cup of balsamic vinegar
- (1) large clove of garlic, minced
- (2) tsp of dried basil, or (2) tbsp fresh basil
- (1/2) tsp salt
- (1/4) tsp dried oregano, or approximately (1) tsp fresh oregano

Cook the pasta until just al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from continuing to cook and getting too mushy.

 
Put the cooked pasta into a large bowl. Slice the peppers and tomatoes and add to the pasta.

Add in the crumbled feta, the chopped parsley, the olives and the red onions. Stir gently to mix up all of the ingredients.

Prepare the vinegrette by whisking together all of the ingredients.

Pour all of the vinegrette over the pasta salad and stir, making sure that everything gets covered. Refridgerate for at least a couple hours or overnight before serving.  It's best if you can let it sit overnight as it will give the flavours a chance to soak into the pasta. 

 

beans, beans the musical fruit...

Everyone know's the rest of the song, but don't let that scare you off of this recipe. While beans do have the ability to turn your body into a musical instrument, they also pack a mean punch of fibre and protein. I know...boring! But it's true! Beans are soooo good for you and this recipe is soooo simple. Pick a few cans of your favourite legumes, mix up a batch of this homemade Italian Dressing, and you're set! Feel free to use dried beans instead and simply soak then in water overnight. This salad is a healthy option whether you eat it as a side dish, just on it's own, or throw the beans on top of a boring lettuce salad. It's a great way to get your protein this summer without consuming a quarter of a cow. You can go ahead and eat this salad as soon as it's made, or seal it up and let it marinate for a few hours or overnight. Sealed and refrigerated, you can keep this salad for up to two weeks...but you may want to consider seperate beds...


Bean Salad

- (3) 540 mL cans of beans of your choice (red kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, romano beans, etc.)

Italian Dressing
- (1/2) cup of oil of your choice (extra-virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc.)
- (1/4) cup of vinegar
- (2) tbsp of finely chopped onions
- (1) tsp salt
- (1) tsp sugar
- (1) tsp dry mustard
- (1) tsp dried basil
- (1/2) tsp dried oregano
- (1/4) tsp pepper
- (2) cloves of garlic, minced

To prepare, choose three cans of beans (anything goes!), drain, rinse and empty into a bowl or resealable container.

In a seperate container, mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir until combined. 

Pour all of the dressing over the beans and mix it up. Cover and refrigerate or enjoy right away. If you're planning on serving it after it's been refrigerated, remove from the fridge ahead of time to allow the oil dressing to come up to room temperature. Give it a quick stir and enjoy!

salad super stars.

I've recently been wanting to expand my cookbook repertoire to bring in some new and exciting recipes, but it's always hard to judge a book by it's cover. Some recipes LOOK amazing, but when you scroll through the ingredients, it's hard to imagine them ever tasting good together. Take for example the Kraft "What's Cooking" magazine that comes in the mail every so often. Don't get me wrong...I love getting this magazine, and may or may not take any family member down just to be the first to read it. But some of their recipes just confuse me. Par example...(Please note this is NOT my recipe)...

One-Pot Saucy Meatball Pasta

1 pkg. (225 g) Kraft Dinner Macaroni and Cheese

12 frozen prepared meatballs (1 inch)

1-1/2 cups pasta sauce

1/4 cup (1/4 of 250-g tub) Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese

Really?!? It may in the end be semi-tolerable, but I think you'd need a crane to lift me off my chair after I ate it. Not generally the feeling I like to have after a nice meal.

So...back to my point. I'm looking for new recipes...the best of the best. Something you'd make when you're fanciest friends come over, or when you're trying to impress your in-laws, or you're craving your all-time favourite...or just something really simple but oh-so-good! So send them in! Email your best recipe to pinkpeppercorn@hotmail.ca, and we'll start sharing some of our favourites! If you've got a little story about your recipe, send that along too!

Our first "guest chefs" come to us from Peterborough, Ontario. My Uncle Doug and Tante Niet. They are the salad gurus! I am always amazed at their salads...all the chopping...the tiny cut up veggies...and the flavour! This recipe is no exception. My aunt and uncle brought this salad to Easter dinner this year, and I must admit...I've made it a few times since. It's SOOOOO good! I told them right away I'd have to feature it on the blog, so here it is! Enjoy!



Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad
                     (Serves 6)

- (1) 19 oz. can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
- (1) 12 oz. can of corn niblets (rinsed and drained)
- (1) cup of cherry, grape or cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered
- (1/2) red onion, diced
- (1/4) cup of chopped cilantro
- (2) avocados, cut into larger chunks

Dressing
- (3) tbsp. olive oil
- (1) tbsp. rice vinegar (white vinegar works too)
- (1) tsp. cumin
- (1) tsp. chili powder
- (1/4) tsp. salt
- (1/4) tsp. pepper

Rinse and drain both the black beans and the corn and empty into a medium sized bowl. 

 

Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on their size. If you are using cocktail tomatoes or larger cherry or grape tomatoes, cut them into quarters, otherwise halves are fine. Add to the bowl. 

Dice the red onion into smaller pieces and add into the bowl. 

Chop cilantro quite finely and mix into other ingredients. Leave out the avocado until right before you serve it as it tends to become mushy.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the rest of the salad and stir gently to combine. At this point you can cover the salad and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve. If you make this ahead of time, it will give all the flavours a chance to soak in.

Right before you serve the salad, add the diced avocado, stir and serve.