Spring Radish Slaw

Nothing says "Springtime" like those classic spring fruit, vegetables, and bright colours.  For me, radishes take me back to childhood - tromping through the garden, on the hunt for a stem large enough to indicate it was time to eat!

I always find the first radishes of the year are mildest, and everything about them returns me to the early '80's, adventuring in the raised garden at the back of our small yard, searching through the marigolds and rhubarb for the first fruits of our gardening work.

I have made this salad several times this week and my kids cannot get enough of it.  The salt, vinegar, and sugar in the dressing gently pickle any "spice" out of the radishes, mellowing them down to their basic flavour.

Seconds and even thirds have been fully consumed before I hear, "Mommy, what else is for dinner?  I don't think I have room..."  Success!

RECIPE: Radish Slaw
(feeds 4-6)

Ingredients:
2 pounds radishes, trimmed
1-2 bunches cilantro or italian parsley
3/4 cup craisins
2 tbsp rice, white wine, cider, or champagne vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 tsp salt (or so)

Method:
> mix together the craisins, vinegar, sugar, mayo, and salt in your salad bowl
> slice the radishes with a food processor or mandolin if you have either; if not, it's the old fashioned way with a knife and cutting board
> rough chop the cilantro and/or parsley (this salad would also love spring onions)
> toss with the dressing; can be made ahead or to serve; if made ahead, it all turns a gorgeous pink

Red & Green Salad

It has happened. It is December. Bring on the large gatherings with family and friends. But how do you feed that many people?!

Be not afraid of feeding the crowd of 23, with kids of varying ages, the cousin you see twice a year, and your aunt who has an extra glass of wine or two.

RECIPE: Red & Green Salad

Ingredients:
broccoli (one bunch of 3-4 florets)
cauliflower (1/2 head)
2-4 bell peppers
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup wine (or wine vinegar + 2 tbsp sugar)
3 cloves garlic
nuts
seeds
craisins or raisins

This is a salad of 3's. What do I mean? There are 3 components: veg, sauce, and nuts. In each component there are 3 ingredients. Here's how it breaks down:

Method:
> for the veg; chop the broccoli (including stems), cauliflower, and bell peppers into bite sized pieces, keeping your audience in mind (I always chop smaller for little kids and the elderly) and pop that into a large bowl

> for the sauce; mix together the mayo, wine (or wine vinegar and sugar), and garlic - I usually use about 3 cloves or a tsp of ground garlic

> for the nuts; this is FULLY open to your discretion and ingredients at hand. I love this salad with chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, and craisins. My latest iteration contained sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and craisins.

> MIX AND SERVE!!

And that is it. This is essentially the template for a firm veggie salad at my house. This salad has also contained the following ingredients:
- radish
- onion
- green peas (frozen or fresh)
- snow peas
- snap peas
- kohlrabi
- carrot
- beet
- cilantro
- parsley
- basil
- mint
- parsnips
- apple
- and BACON

Honestly, this salad is a meal in itself. Just add a little meat or a few extra nuts and voila! Dinner is served.

Easy, filling, delicious, AND festive to boot!!

Ranch Dip

There is something about it... creamy and delicious, a good ranch dip or dressing makes everything better. 


After looking in stores for the perfect iteration, I am usually appalled either by the price or the ingredient list. Is it really that hard? Is a good ranch dip out of reach?

Fear not, amazing home-made ranch dip awaits!!

Fresh Fish

There is something to be said for fresh fish. It is amazing. Entirely unlike anything else. And what do I mean when I say "fresh"?

We spent part of early September in a little town called Ucluelet (you-clue-let), BC. What a treasure! It is perched literally at the end of the road on the west side of Vancouver Island.

The rainforest outside our cabin.

Vegetable Soup

There are times when I discover two or more types of leftover roasted, steamed, or otherwise pre-cooked vegetables hiding in the fridge. Just enough to keep, but not enough for anyone's dinner or lunch. The solution? Soup!!

Simple Salad Dressing

I love salad. I love salad dressing. I love home made salad dressing. And my favourite dressing could not be simpler to make.

Are you ready?

The Vegetable Fritter

I found myself staring into the fridge, unsure what would be for dinner. I was making some minced beef that could have been served on rice or pasta, but I didn't want either.

There it was - a zucchini - but what would it become?

Ginger Braised Red Cabbage

By far, one of the simplest dishes I make yet still impressive, delicious, and satisfying.

The Side Dish

The side dish seems to have disappeared as of late. When cooking, I tend to make a couple of dishes, veggies, meat, starch... but it seems rare that I create just a classic side dish, like buttered corn or green beans and almonds.

Garlic Vegetable Omelette

I will be the first to tell you that I do not like eggs. In fact, I really do not like eggs. All by themselves, the texture, flavour, and aroma - I cannot handle it.

I clearly remember it - a night when I was about 7 or 8, I slept over at a friend's house. The mom and dad of the home kick-started Saturday morning with a nice big breakfast of bacon, toast, and sunny side up soft eggs. I ate all I could of that breakfast - even some of the egg whites - until my stomach threatened to embarrass me, at which point I stated I was full.

The other day, I knew I needed an egg for breakfast, protein and veggies, but what could I make? The best answer: eggs.

Herbes de Provence

It sounds so yummy - so French - so... complicated and intimidating. But it is not complicated. It is simple and delicious. You read right; French, delicious, simple.

This is a chicken thigh over salad. Super easy, incredibly flavourful.

Philly Cheese Steak

Sometimes I think that any cookbook I make might have a full chapter devoted to "things that go on a bun". This sandwich would be in that chapter.

Neither I nor my husband have ever been to the east coast, but this is our best guess at what this legendary sandwich might taste like...

En Papillote

One of my favourite ways to cook fish is the french style 'en papillote' (in parchment). All it means is that you cook the fish in the oven, wrapped in parchment paper. The result is always perfectly done moist fish. Here is how it breaks down...

Steak and Salad

Dinner Saturday night was amazing!! I made a salad and My husband grilled the steaks. Sounds simple, but it was incredible!!

Broiled Tilapia on Japanese Inspired Slaw

I cannot BELIEVE how hectic life has been these past two months. The last bit of school was more involved than I thought it would be and I have started organizing my friend's house. Add in swimming lessons and lots of overtime at work for my husband, my own home organization and cleaning, and there is little time left in the day!

On top of that, my husband has embarked on a weight loss journey, so I have been cooking nearly exclusively from his diet plan (with additions of starch, dairy, and fats for the kids). I have had to forge creativity in the midst of strict diet rules and it has been a challenge.

Here is what I made for dinner the other night...

Fish For Lunch

I am often surprised by how few people around me seem to eat fish, cook with fish, or have even tried fish.

On our last trip to the grocery store, we bought one package of each of the frozen fish options, where the fish is filleted and packed as is, right after cleaning.

So yummy and simple, it hardly feels like I am actually cooking!

Portabella Garlic Mushroom Burgers

I was in need of a delicious, healthy, filling, fast dinner (on our way out the door). One that the kids would eat quickly and enjoy. Solution: Portabella Garlic Mushroom Burgers.

It's actually one of the best things I have ever put on a bun. Here is how it breaks down...

Portabella Garlic Mushroom Burger with tomato, cilantro, and caramelized red onions on a toasted ciabatta bun.

Spring is in the air... And on my table!

It was warm and beautiful yesterday, and also at times today. So lovely in fact, that the only logical option for dinner was pasta salad.

RECIPE: Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
500 g package of small pasta noodles
500 g frozen peas
1 bell pepper, diced
other veggies, diced (tomato, cucumber, celery, onions, cilantro, green beans, corn, etc.)
spinach, lettuce, or greens of some kind

2 cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp ground)
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Butter Chicken, Re-Invented

The other night, I was feeling lazy about dinner, so I made the Butter Chicken sauce found here (about halfway down the page) and then I defrosted, rinsed, and pulled the tails off a handful of frozen pre-cooked shrimp and added them to the sauce to warm through. I also made rice and some simple steamed veggies.

We ate most of the supper that night and I ended up with just one portion of Butter Chicken Shrimp leftover in the fridge, no veggies or rice.

The next day for lunch, I realized that I had a few fresh veggies, frozen peas, and the leftover curry. Once the curry was heated up, the veggies chopped, and the peas warmed in hot water, lunch was ready!

Saturday Night Wings

I love chicken wings. But I do not like going out for wings, paying at least $12 for a plate of them, and finding only 12 wings (or fewer) on the plate with two dry sticks each of celery and carrot, likely chopped sometime yesterday. Sometimes the proportion of sauce to wing is not right, the wings are not crisp, or something else taints the experience.

My solution? Wings at home. Crisp, excellent wings are totally attainable, with only the basic kitchen tools you already have.