summer sides.

I don't know about the rest of you, but summer for me means barbequing. I have spent the last eight months of the year trapped in my little 10' by 4' kitchen slaving over a hot stove (My husband is convinced it's 12' by 6'...but don't men generally exagerate when it comes to measurements?) Either way, by the time May roles around I am itching to get outside, to smell the fresh cut grass, have the sun beat down on my pasty white skin, to look out over my big back yard, turn on the grill and start cooking. Oh...did I forget to mention that I live in Downtown Montreal? For now this is my beautiful view...

 
And this is my little slice of heaven...

But regardless of my sad little backyard scenario, that mean machine barbeque can cook up some fantastic burgs' and dogs' just like best of your oversized grills. And who can't grill a burger or boil a hot dog...it's the salads that really make a barbeque!
Skip the typical potato salad or pasta salad next time you're asked to bring a side dish to your family get-together and try this amazing sweet potato and black bean salad. This recipe has been adapted from a recipe originally featured in the New York Times and is a really great alternative to your typical macaroni and mayonaise. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

- (4) medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2 to 1-inch chunks
- (2) tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- (1) large onion, chopped
- (3) cloves of garlic, minced
- (1-2) tablespoons of minced fresh or pickled hot chile, like jalapeño
- Juice of 2 limes
- (1) tablespoon of white vinegar
- (1) teaspoon cumin
- (1/3) cup of extra virgin olive oil
- (2) cups of cooked or canned black beans, drained
- (1) cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 400 degrees C. Put cubed sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to baste), toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on corners and are just tender inside, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a medium skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and chiles and saute another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar and cumin.  While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil until dressing comes together.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion mixture, black beans and cilantro and toss with dressing to coat.  Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy later.

 

lindsay's homemade oatmeal.

I've been meaning to blog about this recipe for months now, but the problem is that every time I make it, it's just slightly different. Kind of hard to write down a recipe that's always changing and all in my head...but here we go! I've been making a version of this homemade oatmeal for the last year now. Every Sunday night I will make a large pot of it and eat it for breakfast the next week. Wow...that just made me sound really boring! I do mix it up every once in a while...have some eggs, cereal...avocado on toast (for those of you who know my obsession with avocado)...but really, this is a staple at our house. 

The great thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. Really...the ingredients listed below are but mere suggestions. Feel free to add whatever "add-ins" you like from coconut, to dried fruit, to fresh fruit...even chocolate chips! Although I personally don't think I could stomach chocolate chips first thing in the morning...but to each their own. This recipe can be made and eaten immediately or reheated whenever you like. I generally keep it in a container in the fridge and scoop a bowlful for myself for breakfast. A splash of milk or water and a couple of minutes in the microwave and presto...instant oatmeal! 

One thing to keep in mind, this isn't your typical Quaker Instant Oatmeal, so don't expect it to taste like it. For starters, it's actually good for you! Depending on what you have on hand in your cupboards (and what your diet may be lacking) the sky's the limit! If you're looking to add a little fibre to your diet, some fresh fruit or a couple tablespoons of oat bran would be great. Adding a couple tablespoons of ground flax seed is a great source of antioxidants and Omega-3's. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, skip the brown sugar and maple syrup (although I must say it won't taste nearly as good!). Steel-cut oats are a slightly tougher, chewier oat and because they take longer for your body to digest, they keep you feeling fuller longer. Sorry for the spiel on nutrition, but eating this oatmeal for breakfast every morning just makes me feel slightly less guilty when a baguette and cheese becomes my dinner.

Oh...one last suggestion...buy your ingredients at a bulk store! Some grocery stores will package some of these ingredients in fancy containers with fancy labels and claim they are shipped from Ireland, but by buying everything at a bulk store, this recipe should cost you mere pennies!

Lindsay's Homemade Oatmeal

- (4) cups of water

- (1) cup of steel-cut oats

- (1) pinch of salt

- (1/4) tsp. cinnamon

- (1) cup of large flake oats (quick oats will work too)

- (1/2) cup of raisins, or any other dried or fresh fruit

- (1/8) cup of flax seeds, coconut, slivered almonds, etc. (optional)

- (2) tbsp. ground flax, oat bran, etc. (optional)

- (1) cup of milk 

- (2-3) tbsp. pure maple syrup, honey, agave, etc. (depending on how sweet you like it)

- (2-3) tbsp. brown sugar or another sweetener (again...depending on how sweet you like it)

To start, add 4 cups of water to a large pan along with 1 cup of steel-cut oats. Add a pinch of salt and cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. 

Once the oats come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on your oatmeal at this point, stirring occasionally and watching that it doesn't boil over. You will notice that a good portion of the liquid will evaporate, but while there is still a fair amount of liquid left in the pot, add in the large flake oats, the raisins (or whatever dried fruit you may be using), the flax seeds, and the ground flax seed. Stir to combine.

Just a side note that your body has a tough time processing flax seeds properly and you don't always get all the nutritional benefits from whole flax seeds. This is why ground flax seeds and flax seed oil are far more beneficial nutritionally, but I just like to add them for some texture.

 Stir in one cup of milk. This will give your oatmeal a creamy texture. Add in maple syrup and brown sugar (or whatever sweeteners you may or may not be using). Cook on low heat for another 10 minutes or so...again, stirring occasionally. You will start to see your oatmeal become a thick, creamy ooey gooey masterpiece!

And there you have it! Homemade oatmeal! Remove from heat and either serve immediately or let it cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

 

chili...inside and out.

Okay. First I must apologize. Again I have been M.I.A. for far too long. I could give you my list of excuses...busy at work, being without my camera, a little detour to Puerta Vallarta...but really...no one likes excuses. So here it is...my world famous chili! Okay...maybe not the world, but maybe Southern Ontario...or at least the Niagara Region...okay, maybe just at my house...but one day...

I know this recipe seems like an odd one to share considering it's spring and chili is generally more of a winter's night kind of meal, but for those of you living in Southern Ontario, or Montreal, or Halifax or even Trenton, Michigan...we've been teased with some warm days, but the 5 day forecast is looking cold and rainy! My solution...stay in your PJ's all day today, tune in to the "W" network and watch a cheesy romantic comedy from the 80's, and make a big pot of chili. Just a suggestion :).

This recipe is of course a spin off of another recipe I found...an award winning recipe at that. Stratford, Ontario hosts a yearly "Heartburn Day" festival where people gather to share their favourite recipe for chili, and this was one of the winners! This festival MUST be Stratford's true claim to fame...not this one hit wonder Justin Bieber :).


People's Choice Chili
(Serves 4-6)
 
- (7) slices of bacon
- (1) lb of lean ground beef
- (1) onion, chopped
- (1) clove of garlic, minced
- (2) tbsp of brown sugar, packed
- (1) can (19oz) diced tomatoes
- (1) can (19oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- (1) can (14oz) pork and beans in molasses
- (1/3) cup of vinegar
- (1) tsp dry mustard
- (3) tbsp chili powder
- (1) tsp Worcestershire sauce
- (1/2) tsp salt
- (1/4) tsp pepper
- hot pepper sauce (however much you like)


Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and then drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.

Drain fat from pan if you wish and increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. Add the chopped onions to the pan and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until no longer pink. The key is to have a handsome guy like this to help break apart the ground beef :).

There are two ways to proceed from here. You can either choose to bake the chili or put it in the crockpot. If you're hoping to eat the chili right away, baking it will be much quicker, but if you're making it ahead of time, letting it simmer all day is good option. 
Add all the remaining ingredients to either an oven-proof casserole dish or your crockpot, including the ground beef mixture and crumbled bacon. Stir until combined.

If you're baking the chili, cover and bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid after 2 hours and bake for an additional hour, allowing the chili to thicken. If you've chosen to cook the chili in the crock pot, set to medium heat and allow to simmer for 4-6 hours, again stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy!