Quatra Ensalada

Rainbow Carrot Slaw with Ginger Vinaigrette
1 yellow carrot, julienned
1 white carrot, julienned
1 orange carrot, julienned
1/2 piece of ginger, skinned and grated
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp tamari

Toss all ingredients together and let it marinate for 5 minutes before serving.

Minted Cucumbers
1 cucumber, seeds removed, diced
2 cups cold water
1 large handful of mint leaves, crushed and minced
1 cheese cloth and twine

Soak diced cucumber in a brine made of water and mint leaves wrapped in a cheese cloth. Soak for 30 minutes or longer. Drain and serve cucumbers. Discard mint and water.

Pickled Oregano Black Peppercorn Onions
1/2 white onion, sliced thin
EVOO
Fresh Lemon juice
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
1/2 tbsp oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together and massage till the onions have softened or wilted. Serve alongside crisp veggies of choice or with smoked salmon.

Tomatoes with Cinnamon and Chillies
1 roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
1 thai red chilli, minced

Toss all ingredients together and serve.

This salad gives your palate a nice tingle. A great summer salad with bursts of flavours. All the flavours are harmonious but distinct when eaten separately.

Mango Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:
2 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
2 limes juice and zest
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 large mangoes peeled, pitted and diced
2 red thai chillies, minced
1 handful of cilantro leaves, minced
1 small white onion, diced
6 napa cabbage leaves julienned
6 kale leaves julienned
1 orange bell pepper diced
1 pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for at least 3 hours before serving. Great compliment to grilled meats and seafood.

Bon apetite!

Chicken Corn Soup

1 small can cream of corn
1 chicken breast, diced
1/2 white wine
1 cube of bouillon
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

In a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add oil and sautee diced chicken till lightly browned. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Scraping the browned bits from the pan. Those are the yummy caramelized flavours. Add can of corn and mix well. Bring to a simmer and then add bouillon cube. Mix and incorporate well. Bouillon cube will slowly melt into the liquid.

Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper. Serve hot with garlic toast. Makes 2 bowls.

Rosé Sauce with Turkey Vegetable

Ingredients:

1 cup of soft goat cheese
1 10 oz can diced tomato in olive oil & garlic
1 small zucchini finely diced
2 cups button mushrooms finely diced
1 lb of ground turkey
1/2 cup white onion finely diced
2 tbsps olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a large sauce pan at medium high heat and add olive oil, onions & turkey. Sautee till turkey is browned and onions are translucent. Add the can of tomatoes and turn heat down to medium. Bring to a simmer and add zucchini & mushrooms. Stir well. Let simmer for 3 minutes. Add goat cheese and stir well. Bring to a simmer and keep stirring as the cheese melts to incorporate it into the sauce. This will also prevents it from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with pasta or putting it in lasagna.

Vietnamese Style Spicy Beef Stew

6 cups cubed stew beef
1 large onion halved and sliced
2 carrots peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2 tbsps Sesame oil
2 tbsps Chilli oil
2 tbsps Five Spice Powder
1 tbsp Cinnamon
3 cloves garlic minced
1 stalk lemongrass bruised and minced
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup gf Tamari sauce
1 tbsp Fresh cracked Black pepper
2-3 tbsps olive oil

Place olive oil in a large pot on medium heat, brown your beef cubes on all sides. Remove meat and set aside. In the same pot add garlic, onions, lemongrass and carrot. Sautee for 2-3 minutes. Add meat back into the pot along with remaining ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil and turn the heat down to low-medium. Cover with lid. Simmer for 3-4 hours, occasionally stirring, make sure the sauce doesn't  stick to the bottom. Taste and Texture test at 3 hours, cook longer if meat is still tough. Cooking time depends on what cut of meat you buy. When you like the taste and texture of the meat. Turn heat to low. You can thicken the sauce using 1 tbsps of cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsps of cold water. Pour this mixture in the sauce slowly and mix very well to thicken it.

Serve hot with french bread, steamed rice or noodles.

Brussel Sprouts & not Cheese

2 cups brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved
A pinch of coarse sea salt
A splash of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
Freshly grated garlic clove
2 tbsps nutritional yeast flakes

Steam your brussel sprouts until cooked bit still has a slight crisp. Remove from steamer and toss in the seasoning. Serve warm as a side with grilled protein of your choice. Pairs well with a tart sauce such as cranberry, balsamic or sour cherry.

Green Smoothie

I admit I don't eat enough vegetables and/or fruit. I just don't have time between work and life in general to sit down and eat 2 salad bowls of greens.

Here's my solution. Make green smoothies. I could drink 3-6 of these a day if I had the time.

1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 ripe banana
1/2 to 1 cup of almond milk (depends if you like it thick or watery)

Blend blend blend and drink.

Gingered Brandy Fizz Cocktail

Here's an autumn season drink, brought to you by Edible Vancouver.

This is what you will need:

Ginger Syrup Recipe
1 c brown sugar
1" piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 pear, cored, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 c water

In a small pot, mix together the sugar, ginger and pear with water.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Cool completely.

Drink Ingredients
1 oz (30mL) pear or regular brandy
3/4 oz (25mL) ginger syrup (above)
1/2 oz (15mL) lemon juice
3 oz (90mL) sparkling wine
1 pear, thinly sliced

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake together brandy, ginger syrup and lemon juice.

Pour into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.

Garnish with a slice of pear.

Chia Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cup milk of choice (soy, rice, almond, hemp etc)
1/8 cup chia seeds
1 cup frozen fruit
Agave nectar or honey for sweetener ( I don't use it, but those who like it sweet can use it)

Mix 1/2 cup milk and chia seeds together. Stir well and let it sit for 20 minutes till it has thickened. This is a great use for leftover cereals like oatmeal or quinoa.

Pour chia mixture into blender, followed by frozen fruit and 1 cup of milk.

Blend blend blend and voila.

Hope you enjoy this quick breakfast.

Lentil & Rice Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
4-6 medium sized harvest veggies chopped into 1" sized pieces
(This week I used; turnip, carrot, potato, celery, cherry tomatoes)
8 cups broth
2 cups water
3 bay leaflets
1/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup brown rice
2 tbsps olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot on medium high heat sautee vegetables with olive oil for 2 minutes and add bay leaflets, rice and lentils. Sautee for another 3 minutes. Stirring frequently.

Add broth and water. Bring to a rolling boil then turn heat down to low. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the rice and lentils doneness. The rice should have blossomed and appear fluffy. Lentils should be soft and the texture of cooked chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with garlic toast.

GF Souvlaki

What's your choice of meat? You can make tempeh or firm tofu souvlaki as well. No matter what it is. The trick is to marinate for 6 hours or more.

For the marinate you will need a blend of olive oil, fresh minced garlic, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. And for those who love more tangy-ness add the zest of a lemon.

Cut your meat, tofu or tempeh into bite size pieces.

Whisk all the marinate ingredients together.

Place meat, tofu or tempeh in a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinate in and seal it shut, pressing all the air out. Massage the meat or swish the tofu/tempeh around to evenly coat it. Repeat every other hour. Just to make sure the flavours are evenly distributed.

Soak your bamboo skewers in cold water for at least an hour before use. Skewer the meat/tofu/tempeh using veggies as dividers or you can just have all meat.

Grill until meat is cooked or when the center is warm. Serve with rice, pita, tzatziki sauce and greek salad.

GF Slow Cooker Adobo Chicken

This is a well-known Filipino recipe for chicken. It is a nice balance of sweet, savoury, bitter and spice.

6 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
1/2 cup GF Tamari
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pickled pearl onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced potato
2 tbsps ginger powder
2 bay leaves

Place all the vegetables in the bottom of your slow cooker followed by th ginger powder and bay leaves. Place chicken thighs over the vegetables and pour liquids over top. Cook on high for 2-3 hours then on medium for 1-2 hour. Serve with steamed rice and salad.

GF Boeuf Bourguignon

This is my rendition of Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon sans gluten (gluten free version).

6 oz slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4 x 1 1/2" pieces, 1 tbsps olive oil, 3 lbs stewing beef, such as lean rump pot roast, cut into 2" cubes, patted dry. 1 carrot, thinly sliced, 1 medium onion, sliced, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. 2 tbsps gluten free flour blend,
3 cups red wine, such as Chianti, Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. 3.5 cups beef stock or canned low-sodium beef stock, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp dried thyme, 1.5 dried bay leaf, crumbled, 4 sprigs fresh parsley, plus more for garnish. 3 1/2 tbsps unsalted butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 24 pearl onions, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, and peeled,
1 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered.

After shopping for half a day to buy all the ingredients,  you yhen spend the remainder of the day cooking. 😆

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with oven racks set in the middle and lower half. In a small saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a simmer; add bacon and rind, simmering for 10 minutes. Drain; dry bacon and pot. Reserve rind.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch-oven over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon; set aside.
Increase heat to medium-high; oil should be just below smoking point.

Add beef in small batches and cook until well-browned on all sides. Remove meat, and set aside with bacon.

Add carrots and sliced onions; cook until browned.

Return beef and bacon to pot; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle in flour, tossing to coat.

Transfer pot, uncovered, to middle of oven; bake for 4 minutes. Toss meat and vegetables; bake for 4 minutes more.

Transfer pot to stove. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.

Over medium-low heat, stir in wine and enough stock to barely cover meat. Add tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1 crumbled bay leaf, and bacon rind; bring to a simmer. Cover pot, and transfer to oven.

Bake, regulating heat so stew simmers, until meat is fork tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, make a Bouquet Garni (herb sachet). In an 8 x 8" piece of cheesecloth, combine 4 sprigs parsley, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme, and tie using kitchen twine. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, combine 1 1/2 tbsps butter and 1 1/2 tbsps oil over medium-high heat. When butter is bubbling, add whole onions; sautée until browned, about 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup stock to pan; season with salt and pepper, and add the bouquet garni. Simmer, covered, until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated, 40 - 50 minutes. Remove herb sachet, and discard. Set aside.

Wipe out skillet; place over high heat. Add 2 tbsps butter and 1 tbsp oil; butter will begin to foam. As foaming subsides, add mushrooms; sautée stirring often, until lightly browned. Remove from heat; set aside.

Pour stew into a sieve set over a large saucepan. Rinse out Dutch-oven. Return beef and bacon to pot; add cooked mushrooms and onions.

Skim fat from sauce. Over medium-low heat, bring sauce to a simmer, skimming off additional fat, 1 to 2 minutes. Sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, bring to a boil and reduce to correct consistency.

If too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.

Bring pot to a simmer, covered, over medium heat, basting meat and vegetables with sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley; serve immediately.

GF Crêpes

Bonjour mes amis! Bienvenue à la blog YourInnerGreek. Today I will share a french snack/simple dessert recipe with you.

For the batter you will need the following ingredients; 2/3 cup coconut, soy, almond, rice or cow's milk, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1 egg, 2 tsps olive oil or melted butter and pinch of salt.

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Grease your frying pan with olive oil and heat the pan over medium heat.

Pour 2 tbsps of batter into the pan while swirling the pan to spread out the batter.
Continue to swirl the pan – OFF the heat! – until the batter begins to bubble and there is no longer excess batter to swirl.
Cook for 30-40 seconds; the first one is always not the nicest looking crepe. But it gets better as you go.

Carefully flip the crepe and cook and additional 15-20 seconds on the other side. Repeat until there is no batter left.

This recipe makes approximately 10 crepes depending on your pan size.

Serve the crepes with melted butter and sugar. Butter, sugar and lemon. Cinnamon apple compote and confectioners sugar dusted on top. Or have a savoury crepe a la Thon. Tuna salad and chopped tomatoes rolled in the crepe.

Bon apetit!

GF Pancakes Recipe

I thought I would post this recipe for those who love pancakes. Super simple and quick to make.

Here is what you will need; 1 cup GF flour blend, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1 tbsp coconut oil, a pinch of salt & 1/2 cup coconut water give or take. You may need more or less coconut water. It depends on your flour blend; some like more liquids and some like less.

Whisk all the ingredients together till smooth without lumps. Grease your frying pan and heat should be at medium. Pour a laddle of batter in the center of the pan and watch for bubbles to form. Once the edges becomes solid and slightly translucent. Flip the pancake and press down lightly with your spatula. In about 20-30 seconds remove from pan and place on serving plate. Repeat till no batter is left.

This reipe makes about 6-7 mini pancakes or 2-3 large pancakes. Which is great for 1 person.

Hope you enjoy my recipe; let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

Cheers,
Vivian

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

Here's a super easy recipe that I tried out in my test kitchen today. It is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and vegan. Sorry to those with nut allergies. You could try using a nut free spread. Let me know how that turns out. :)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut sugar, any granulated sweetener will do
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup gluten free steel cut oats
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients well. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes for the chia seeds to thicken.

Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1" balls in the palm of your hand. Place 1" apart from one another on baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a fork to 1/2" thickness, this makes them either striped or checkered pattern. You may also use your fingers to flatten them. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Let set & cool on baking sheet. Serve with milk or tea. Keep leftovers in an air tight container.

Cheers & Enjoy.
Vivian

Slow Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Stew

An easy and healthy meal for the family.

Ingredients:
6 pieces bone in chicken thighs
4 cups your choice of chopped veggies
[In this recipe I used celery, carrot, cherry tomatoes, onion, cauliflower, garlic]
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups water
2 tbsp Montreal steak spice
1 cup cooked pasta [macaroni, bows, shells or use fancy character pastas to make it fun for the kids]

Place all the ingredients except for the pasta in your slow cooker. Turn the temperature to high. If it doesn't all fit. You can either cook the chicken or the vegetables till they're soften first. Then everything should shrink and it will fit in a 6 quart slow cooker.

Once the chicken is cooked and the liquid is simmering. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 2-3 hours. The vegetables and liquid should thicken into a chunky sauce. Chicken should fall apart now. Remove the bones and add the precooked pasta. Mix well and warm up the pasta for about 30 minutes in the stew.

Serve hot with garlic toast or on its own.

Bon appetit!

Montreal Steak Spice

Hello my fellow foodies:

Here's a recipe from my family friends in Montreal. It tastes rather different than the store bought variety.  Hope you will enjoy it as I did.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried onion flakes or granules
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes or granules
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tbsp crushed chilli flakes
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds

Place all the spices in a pistol and mortar. Or use a blender. Grind the spices to a nice coarse powder. Store in an air tight jar in a dry cool place when not used.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mexican Bean Dip

Ingredients:
1 can mixed beans
1 can refried beans
2 cups white wine
1/2 white onion, diced
1 cup white mushrooms, diced
2 tbsps molasses
1 jalapeño, unseeded & diced (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil on high. Then turn down to low and let simmer for 3-4 hours. Then liquid should evaporate leaving you a thick sauce.

Turn off heat and let sit till it's cooled off a bit. You pour the mixture and blend till smooth. I personally like some texture in my dips, so I tend to blend half and mix it with the other half that hasn't been blended.

Option #1: Top with your choice of shredded cheese, sour cream and green onion. Serve warm if not hot.

Option #2: You can also put the mixture in a heat proof dish and bake it with the cheese on top. Bake till the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and green onions on top.

Easy recipe for game nights or family dinners. If you are serving children then substitute juice for wine. (Apple juice or white grape are good choices)

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Vivian

Kimchi Recipe

One of my favourite things from Korean cuisine is all of the little appetizers and side dishes. One in which is kimchi. Here I will share my friend Jennifer Kim's family recipe.

2 heads of Nappa cabbage
1 carrot peeled and julienned
1 small daikon radish peeled and julienned
6 sprigs of green onion cut into 2" segments
1/2 cup Sea salt
2" piece of ginger peeled and minced
3 large cloves of garlic peeled and minced
1/2 white onion julienned
1/2 cup Red chilli powder
1/8 cup sweet rice powder
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fish sauce or tamari (vegan alternative)

Cut the cabbage into bite size pieces, soak in a large bowl of cold water for couple minutes and drain. Add salt to the cabbage and mix well. Let stand for thirty minutes. Mix the cabbage and salt mixture again. Let stand for another thirty minutes. Now rinse the salt out of your cabbage in the sink and drain. Repeat two more times.

In a sauce pan mix rice powder with water with a whisk. Bring to a boil and continue to whisk as the mixture thickens like porridge. Add sugar and whisk till fully incorporated. Remove from heat and place saucepan in an ice bath to cool.

Once the rice porridge is cooled, add ginger, garlic, chilli powder and fish sauce. Stir well. Add carrot, radish and green onions to the rice porridge mixture. Mix well.

In a large bowl, mix to large handfuls of cabbage with a handful of the rice porridge veggie mixture. Place this is a large jar or storage container. Repeat with the remainder of the cabbage and rice porridge mixture. Seal the jar or container with lid. Store in fridge for a savory kimchi or leave at room temperature for a sour kimchi. It's best to ferment for a week or longer before consuming.

Enjoy 😉