Roasted red Peppers

Paolo's Roasted Red Peppers

It was hard for Patrick and I to come home from Italy and not find the usual foods we were so priveleged to enjoy in Italy. The fresh flavors, the labor that went into making foods from scratch, the home cooking. We missed it all.

However, we were invited to our friend Paolo's for dinner one night and we were so pleasantly surprised to find the entire dinner cooked from scratch. We were very excited and the food was tremendous. The memory of that dinner is still very much alive in both our minds.

Paolo made some roasted peppers that were so simple and flavorful. This is the recipe I put together from that night. Not the exact recipe, but close enough I think!

We miss you Paolo!

By the way if you happen to be following this blog please correct or update the pepper recipe. We also want your Tiramisu recipe.

By far the best Tiramisu I have ever had, and I have had a lot of Tiramisu in my lifetime!!!

Roasted Red Peppers

6 Long Red peppers (tend to be sweeter)

2 Yellow Peppers

or any combination of red, yellow, orange peppers.

4 cloves of garlic smashed

6 Basil leaves thinly sliced

1 tablespoon regular cooking Olive oil

Good quality Oilve oil

Fleur de sel

Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash peppers and place whole on baking sheet.

Drizzle with regular cooking olive oil.

Roast in oven about 15-20 minutes or until skins turn black.

Allow to cool.

Remove skins and seeds from flesh. (some seeds can stay)

Cut peppers into thin strips.

Place in a bowl with crushed garlic and mix well.

Add 1/2 cup good quality olive oil.

Add freshly cut basil leaves.

These peppers are delicious on their own or served with little toasts.

I usually have them out when I serve cheese, or for cocktail hour!

The longer they sit the more flavorful they become! You can store them in the fridge and take them out to rest at room temperature about 1/2 an hour before serving.

A Green shake to start your morning...

I am not a coffee drinker. But I do need something quick and easy to give my morning a healthy kick start!

My mornings usually involve packing bags for school or camp. Changing diapers, getting kids dressed, brushing hair, making and serving breakfast etc. All of these little things take more time than you might imagine with three little ones.

On our last family trip to Mexico we were are all introduced to this green health shake. It is delicious and full of great stuff to start your morning and keep you going until your first snack. I usually end up eating my first meal around 1:30pm!

Here is what I do.

1 cucumber chopped

1 celery stalk chopped

1 carrot peeled and chopped

1/2 cup baby spinach

1/2 cup of red or green collard greens-swiss chard or Kale

1/2 cup arugula

1/2 cup parsley

1/3 cup nopal

1 teaspoon ground flax seed

1 teaspoon ground salba seed

1 teaspoon fish oil

2-3 chunks of pineapple or apple

1 small yellow beet. I use yellow simply to keep the integrity of the green shake! You can use any color you like. I cook my beets on Sunday and keep them in an airtight container

Any liquid you like. I use orange juice. You can use soya milk or milk, anything really!

I prepare my shakes at the beginning of the week in these magic Bullet Containers.

The key to these shakes is preparation. I have 5 mini blender containers that I got when I bought my Magic Bullet. They are perfect for this operation. I chop and prepare the ingredients and divide them up on Sunday night. This way all I have to do in the morning is take out a container, put it in the blender, add the liquids and that's it!

Enjoy!

Flax Seed:

Flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber including lignans, an abundance of micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids (table). Flax seeds may lower cholesterol levels, especially in women.^[9] Initial studies suggest that flax seeds taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast^[10][11] and prostate cancers.^[12] A study done at Duke suggests that flaxseed may stunt the growth of prostate tumors,^[13] although a meta-analysis found the evidence on this point to be inconclusive.^[14] Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.^[15] There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content^[6] though excessive consumption without liquid can result in intestinal blockage.^[16] Consuming large amounts of flax seed may impair the effectiveness of certain oral medications, due to its fiber content,^[16] and may have adverse effects due to its content of neurotoxic cyanogen glycosides and immunosuppressive cyclic nonapeptides.^[17]

]

Salba Seed:

Nature's Most Powerful Whole Food

Salba^® is the richest whole food source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fibre found in nature. Every serving (12 grams or approximately 2 flat tablespoons) of Salba^® provides over 2,400 mg of Omega 3s, over 4,500 mg of dietary fibre, with less than 0.5 net carbohydrates per serving. Gram for gram, Salba^® provides six times more calcium than whole milk, three times more iron than spinach, and fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli. Salba^® is all-natural, has no trans-fats, is gluten free, has almost no carbohydrates, and is certified Non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism).

The Cactus Plant

Cooked and diced Nopal

Nopal:

Nopales are very rich in insoluble and especially soluble dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (especially vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but alsoriboflavin and vitamin B6) and minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and manganese, but also iron and copper). Nopales have a high calcium content, but the nutrient is not biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, which is neither highly soluble nor easily absorbed through the intestinal wall.^[3]Addition of nopales also reduces the glycemic effect of a mixed meal.^[4] Nopales are low carbohydrate and may help in the treatment of diabetes.^[5]

Summer Spinach Salad

This recipe is one of Tassy's favorites. You will soon learn why. It is easy, fast and absolutely delicious. She made it for us for the first time at the lake and it blew everyone's mind! She always makes me a vegetarian version of this salad and it is just as delicious. We have been making it ever since. Nobody makes it quite like Tassy but here it is. Give it a try!

Summer Spinach Salad

6 cups of baby spinach leaves

2 cups of basil, fresh

1/2 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

4 oz of proscuitto, bacon or pancetta

toasted pine nuts

Salt and pepper

3/4 cups of Parmesan Cheese

Toss spinach and basil in a large bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic and pine nuts. Saute until nuts begin to brown slightly. Stir in prosciutto and cook another minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the salad with warm dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve.

Willie's Cafe Tomato Bisque

Willie's Cafe Tomato Bisque

This soup is adapted from Willy's Cafe in London Ontario. Patrick and I used to walk over from my place on Piccadilly Street and have a warm refreshing soup. It always made our weekend.

We had it so often that the owner gave us the recipe on a card at the end of the year. It's one of my favorite soups. I serve it often.

I added this recipe because sometimes dinner can just be a simple soup made with fresh produce, a chunk of baguette and a movie! Serve it warm or cold.

Here is the recipe.

Tomato Soup:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (olive oil for a vegan)

1/2 cup chopped white onion

3 tbsp flour

1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed

1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed (fresh)

1 tsp dried oregano

5 cups pureed canned tomatoes

4 cups water with vegetable stick bouillon- or veg broth

4 teaspoons of honey

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups of whipping cream ( leave out if vegan)

In a pot melt butter and sautee onions until golden brown.

Add herbs and cook for 1 minute.

Add flour cook for 2 minutes

add tomatoes and vegeatble stock. Simmer about 1/2 -1 hour.

Add honey and salt and pepper

Puree soup in a blender.

Add cream and heat through

Add fresh dill sprig to garnish.

Serve.

If you happen to dislike dill- take out dill seed and dill weed. Replace with a teaspoon of dried basil and fresh basil.

For a fresh summer version use fresh tomatoes, ripe and red!

For a richer taste and texture, roast your tomatoes first. In oven on high heat until lightly charred. DO NOT BURN!

On the bbq with perfectly ripe tomatoes only-grill until lightly charred.

More Fennel - Roasted Fennel and Other summer vegetables with Cous Cous

Summer Vegetables with Roasted Fennel and Cous Cous

Chop fennel into chunks

Chop vidalia onion into chunks

chop cucumber on the diagonal into thick slices

cherry tomatoes

Fresh sweet peas

dried mint

chick peas

toasted almonds

fresh mint

olive oil

salt pepper

juice of half a lemon

spinach

feta cheese

Put all ingredients up to and including chickpeas into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt,pepper and dried mint (about a teaspoon) mix to coat all vegetables.

Transfer vegetable mixture to a bbq vegeatble basket. Cook on high heat until, soft, caramelized and tender.

While veggies are cooking, cook cous cous.

Arrange spinach in a large bowl.

Allow cous cous to cool. Add to spinach.

Add veggie mixture to spinach.

Toss with olive oil, lemon, salt pepper and fresh mint.

Add toasted almonds

Crumble feta pieces on top.

Serve as a starter with toasted pita or as a side.

Celebrating Eggplant

Small eggplant cut in rounds.

Perfect for grilling

or roasting.

For an easy salad

Salt the eggplant until it sweats approx 30 minutes. Wash off moisture with paper towel.
Brush slices of eggplant with olive oil. bbq on med-high heat or bake at high heat.
Toss with baby spinach, feta, mint, toasted almonds
toss with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.
toast whole wheat pita bread and serve.

Roasting Eggplant in the oven.

With a curry

Add chunks of eggplant to stir fried onion, carrots, chickpeas, tomato sauce, coconut milk, curry paste or powder. add tamarind paste.
serve with naan bread and white rice with peas.

Tossed through Pasta

pan fry pieces or chunks of eggplant with garlic,

onion, wild mushrooms, chilli, add white wine, add your favorite tomato sauce.
cook your favorite pasta and toss with vegetables. add olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese. Or toasted sunflower seeds. Garnish with basil.

See here for the detailed recipe.

1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, whole
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Glug of balsamic or red wine vinegar or freshly-squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 4 minutes (only do it for 8 if you want them nice and burnt, like mine). Remove from the oven and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve (at least) 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.

Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy, as well as a glug of vinegar (optional). Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

Enjoy!!!