This was published as an apple-cinnamon "soft oven cake". Which, honestly, seemed a little strange to me as most of the cake recipes I'm familiar with are baked in the oven. Upon reading the recipe, I discovered that it was basically just a Dutch baby with most of the butter omitted, so I decided to just revert to calling it that.

This lower-cal Dutch baby is definitely noticeably leaner and a bit eggier than the traditional recipe but, overall, it actually still works pretty well. Although, I do feel like saying it serves six is a bit of a stretch. I feel like cutting it in quarters is more reasonable (although that does, of course, increase the Points cost). To offset this a bit, I swapped out the sugar for monk fruit sweetener. It's still a bit higher in Points than I normally like my breakfasts to be, but I figure it's alright as a treat once in a while.

Apple-Cinnamon Dutch Baby

Slightly adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 sweet apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. 1:1 monk fruit sweetener
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and lightly spray a 23cm (9") deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat.
3. Add apples and cook, tossing occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine milk, flour, eggs, sweetener, and vanilla and whisk to combine and make a smooth batter. Set aside.
5. Add cinnamon to apples, stir to combine, and remove from heat.
6. Dump apples into prepared pie plate.
7. Return pan to heat and melt remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter.
8. Drizzle melted butter over apples, then pour batter over.
9. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes. Batter should be puffed up and only just set (and still fairly jiggly) in the centre.
10. Cut into quarters and serve with syrup, icing sugar, fresh fruit, and/or whipped cream.

Tari Waali Murghi (Chicken in Tomato "Gravy")

I made a batch of tomato sauce for another curry last week. there was a bunch of sauce left over though, so I selected this curry to use up the extra sauce. The rich tomato "gravy" in which you cook the chicken is delicious. And, since the chicken has been skinned and trimmed of excess fat before cooking, it's relatively healthy and low-fat too!

Tari Waali Murghi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. ginger paste
• 2 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 1 (1.5kg) chicken, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil or schmaltz
• 1 3/4 c. tomato sauce
• 1/3 c. fried onions
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Combine the ginger and garlic pastes and slather them all over the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the chicken pieces meat-side-dwon and sear for ~3 minutes on each side.
4. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
5. Add the tomato sauce to the pan.
6. Stir in the fried onion, coriander, paprika, salt, cumin, tumeric, and cayenne.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for ~20 minutes.
8. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn to coat them with the sauce.
9. Cook, covered, turning occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked (20-25 minutes).
10. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Farasvi Murghi (Chicken with Green Beans)

We were a bit shy on potatoes to use for this dish, but I made it anyway and just went a bit heavy on the chicken and beans. It was nice, but not a standout the way the recent fish curry was. Still, it was a good way to use up the last of our potatoes. And it's fairly healthy and low-fat and even has some vegetables in, so that's hice.

Farasvi Murghi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 450g skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-cm pieces
• 2 tsp. bottle masala¹
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 slices fresh ginger (~2x4x0.3cm), julienned
• 225g russet (or other floury) potatoes, cut into 2-cm pieces
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. fresh or frozen French-cut green beans
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Toss the chicken with the bottle masala and set aside.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, and potato and stir-fry until the vegetables brown around the edges (5-8 minutes).
4. Add the chicken and stir-fry to sear it (3-5 minutes).
5. Add the water and salt and deglaze the pan.
6. Add the beans and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and potato is fork-tender (15-20 minutes).
8. Spoon a little broth into a small dish and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
9. Mix the cooled broth with the cornstarch and stir this slurry back into the pan.
10. Cook until the sauce thickens.
11. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

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¹ Iyer notes that if you do not have any bottle masala on hand (and do not wish to make any), that you can swap it out for Madras curry powder instead. It won't be the same flavour, but should still be very nice. ^Back

I had a surplus zucchini that needed to be used up and I'm always looking for good ways to use up sourdough starter and/or discard. I mostly followed the recipe, but I did try swapping out some of the sugar for chopped dates and I used monk fruit sweetener for the rest. I figured it might help cut the calories a bit. Plus, I thought the flavour of the dates would be nice with the bananas and the spices.

Sourdough Banana-Zucchini Muffins

Adapted from Cultures for Health

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. chopped dates
• 1/4 c. boiling water
• 1/3 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. monk fruit sweetener with erythritol
• 2 c. eggs
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 250g sourdough starter (fed or discard) @ 100% hydration
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 1 zucchini, grated

Directions

1. Pour the water over the dates and set aside to soak for a few minutes.
2. Cream the butter with the sweetener until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Mix in bananas and dates.
5. Mix in starter, vanilla, and orange zest (if using).
6. Add the flour on top of the batter.
7. Sift the baking powder and baking soda on top of the flour.
8. Add the salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg on top.
9. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until almost combined.
10. Add the pecans and the zucchini and stir them in.
11. Add cupcake liners to a muffin tin and fill with batter.
12. Set filled tin aside while the oven preheats to 180°C (350°F).
13. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18-20 minutes.

This is another Weight Watchers recipe. But, unlike some of the previous ones that I've tried, I actually quite like this one. I think my main issue with it is that it's still pretty high in Points. Although it is at least very quick and easy to make.

Pineapple Fluff

From Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

• 1 (590mL) can crushed pineapple
• 1 (4-serving) package sugar-free vanilla pudding
• 1 c. light whipped cream

Directions

1. Mix the crushed pinapple with the dry pudding mix, then fold in the whipped cream.
2. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

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Variations

There are a lot of possible variations on this theme (none of which I've tried yet).

1. Different fruit: peaches, pears, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, etc.
2. Different pudding: chocolate or white chocolate... or cheesecake, pistachio, coconut cream, or banana cream if you can find them.¹
3. Different toppings/mix-ins: toasted coconut, marshmallows, cherries, chopped nuts, etc.
4. Different extracts: vanilla extract, coconut extract, orange extract, rum extract, etc.
5. Whipped cream substitutes: light Cool Whip, plain Greek yogurt, fat-free cottage cheese, vanilla yogurt, etc.

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¹ If you're not worried about Points/calories/sugar, then you can get the regular (non-sugar-free) pudding mixes and have a lot more flavour options. ^Back

Dhaniawaale Muchee (Cilantro Fish)

I really liked this curry! The flavour was amazing. It had just the right amount of heat. And it was dead easy to make. I'd definitely try this one again.

Dhaniawaale Muchee

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. firmly packed fresh chilantro
• 1/4 c. firmly packed fresh curry leaves
• 6-7 cloves garlic
• 2-4 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, stems removed
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 600g skinless, firm-fleshed fish fillets (cod, halibut, bass, pollock, etc.)
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 c. half-and-half (10% MF)

Directions

1. Combine cilantro, curry leaves, garlic, chilies, and salt in food processor and process until finely minced.¹
2. Slather the cilantro mixture over both sides of the fish fillets and chill for at least an hour.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the fish and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side.
5. Transfer fish to plate and set aside.
6. Whisk half-and-half into yogurt and pour the mixture into the plan.
7. Scrape the pan to release any browned bits, then return the fish to the pan and spoon the sauce over.
8. Simmer, basting the fillets frequently, until they're cooked through (~5 minutes, may take more or less time depending on thickness of fillets).
9. If fish cooks through before the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove the fish from the pan and continue cooking the sauce until the desired consistency is achieved.

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¹ I don't have a food processor, so I used the "food chop" setting on my blender. It needed a little help doing the job, so I added a few tablespoons of the half-and-half to the mix. I think next time I might just try mashing everything up in the molcajete, but this worked okay for today. ^Back

Chilgozae Waale Palak aur Methi Saag (Spinach and Fenugreek Greens with Pine Nuts)

I needed a vegetable dish to go with my chicken curry tonight and this looked interesting and, most importantly, like something I had all the ingredients for.

Chilgozae Waale Palak aur Methi Saag

From 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 450g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 450g frozen fenugreek leaves, thawed
• 1-2 Tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 red onion, halved and sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 c. raw pine nuts
• 1-2 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies¹
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri garam masala
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream²

Directions

1. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the greens and set both the greens and the liquid aside.
2. Heat the oil over medium-low heat.
3. Add the onion, garlic, and pine nuts, cover, and cook until caramel-brown (~20 minutes).
4. Add the greens, chilies, salt, and garam masala.
5. Stir-fry for ~5 minutes.
6. Pour in the reserved liquid and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat, then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
8. Stir in the cream and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until warmed through (3-5 minutes).

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¹ Or 3 parts sweet paprika to 1 part ground cayenne. ^Back
2 You can swap out the heavy cream for half-and-half (10% MF) if you want a lower calorie alternative. ^Back

I was in the mood for crêpes the other day and found a low-Points WW recipe online. The original recipe didn't use sourdough, but I figured I'd swap out the flour and some of the milk for starter and give it a try. It worked beautifully! And now I have another easy (and delicious) use for sourdough discard.

Also, my tawa is amazing and I love it! It does such a nice job of crêpes and pancakes and those sorts of things. So much easier than using a regular skillet.

Sourdough Crêpes

Adapted from Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

• 225g sourdough starter @ 100% hydration (active or discard)
• 1/2 c. milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. stevia granules (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Omit the stevia and vanilla if the crêpes will be use for a savoury dish.
2. Preheat a griddle or tawa over medium heat.
3. Lightly oil if necessary.
4. Pour in a scant 1/4 c. of batter and quickly spread it out to form a thin, smooth circle.
5. Cook until crêpe looks dry on top and underside is well-browned.
6. Flip and cook until the other side has some browning too. (It will likely not brown as much and be more spotty brown.)
7. Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining batter.
8. Top and/or fill crêpes as you see fit.

Zero-Point Banana Disappointment

This was billed as a "banana soufflé". It is not. I mean, given that it involves no whipped egg whites and is cooked in the microwave, I wasn't really expecting it to be like a soufflé. But I was hoping that it might still be at least palateable. It wasn't even that. It was wet and rubbery and sad.

This is like the chickpea "cookie dough" all over again. These recipes in no way produce a result that is even vaguely similar to their namesake. And, in most cases, the results are barely even edible!

I want to lose weight, but I don't want to be relegated to eating nothing but mashed chickpeas and cabbage soup for the rest of forever! I feel like most of these recipes were written by people who have never experienced flavour. They're all bland and sad. And the only reason that people like them is because they don't have much to compare it to.

I'm sorry if that seems excessively harsh, but I'm just really frustrated right now. Like, I get that a lot of it is down to what you're used to. If you're used to eating food like that, it probably will taste good to you. But I get tired of people making these "healthy" or "diet" recipes and then insisting that "you can hardly even tell" and "it tastes just as good as regular cookie dough/soufflés/doughnuts/whatever". It absolutely does not! If you like how it tastes, rock on! Good for you. But don't tell me it tastes the same. The only way someone would think this banana rubber is anything like a soufflé is if they've never tasted an actual soufflé. I think that because the eggs puff up in the microwave, they must've decided "OMG, it's just like a soufflé!" No. No it isn't. Stop telling people you're giving them a soufflé. It's not.

Okay, sorry about that. Rant over. I just needed to get that out of my system.

Anyway, aside from needing to vent, the main reason I'm doing this write-up is because I feel that there might be a way to salvage this recipe. It's probably going to take a bit of trial and error; I don't expect to get it right on the first pass, but I think it might be worth tinkering with.

The original recipe just called for mashing up 2 bananas with 2 eggs and zapping that in the microwave for 3 minutes. I tried adding a tiny bit of brown sugar and some vanilla and mixed spice. Unfortunately, I was a bit groggy and I think I may have been a bit heavy-handed with it. So next time I'd definitely scale back the seasoning a bit. I also think that this recipe really needs at least a little starch just to bring everything together and improve the texture. I was thinking of adding a little ground flax to it next time. Flax would increase the Points cost significantly, but it'd be worth it if it produced an actually pleasant texture.

Microwave Banana... Something

Adapted from The Holy Mess

Ingredients

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax
• 2 Tbsp. (fat-free) cottage cheese
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. mixed spice
• 1/4 c. blueberries (optional)

Directions

1. Combine bananas, eggs, flax, cottage cheese, sugar, vanilla, and mixed spice.
2. Stir in blueberries (if using).
3. Divide batter evenly between two mugs and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
4. Check for doneness and microwave a bit more if needed.

Okay, so this recipe needs some work. I had my doubts about it, but I figured I should make it as written the first time. Well, okay, mostly as written. I did make a few swaps just to try to make it a little healthier. But they're tried-and-true swaps that I've made in similar recipes in the past with no ill effect, so I'm confident that that's not why this recipe didn't really work. And, having tried it once, I do have a few ideas for how to improve it. I just haven't had a chance to test them yet. So, take the instructions below with a grain of salt.

Sourdough Bran Muffins

Adapted from Cultures for Health

Ingredients

• 500g ripe (fed/active) sourdough starter @ 100% hydration
• 1/4 c. water
• 60g all-purpose flour
• 150g oat or wheat bran
• 4 dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 Tbsp. boiling water
• 1/4 c. honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 c. oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. mixed spice
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. raisins

Directions

1. Combine starter and water.
2. Mix in flour and bran.
3. Cover and let ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
4. Pour the boiling water over the dates. If your honey is very stiff or has crystalized, add it as well; the hot water will soften/dissolve it. Set aside for 10-20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease a muffin pan.
6. Combine date mixture, honey, eggs, banana, applesauce, oil, salt, cinnamon, and mixed spice in a large measuring cup and mix well.
7. Break up preferment into small pieces and sprinkle with baking soda.
8. Add ~1/2 of the wet ingredients and mix well.
9. Add the raisins and the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined.
10. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). This recipe should make ~18 full-sized (5cm/2" diameter) muffins ore 36 mini muffins.
11. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-18 minutes. (Mini muffins will probably only need 10 minutes.)
12. Cool in pan(s) for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.
13. Serve with butter and/or jam.

American Sandwich Bread

I don't usually make white bread. And, to be fair, the folks at America's Test Kitchen did provide instructions for a whole wheat variant. But I wanted to try the white flour version first and see how it came out.

It's a very nice bread overall. Mine did indeed come out light, tender, and sliceable as the recipe promised. However, it also came out much larger than the pictured loaf. It rose to an astounding height in the oven and was light enough that I cooled it upside down like an angel food cake for a while just so that it wouldn't collapse too much. (Not that I could turn it upside down in the pan like I would with the cake. Instead I turned it out and then let it sit upside down for a while since the top crust was a bit firmer than the bottom.)

Part of the problem may be that I misread the instructions and used an 8x4" (20x10cm) loaf pan instead of the 8.5x4.5" (22x11cm) pan the recipe specified. I still think it would've come out pretty tall even in the right pan, but it would've at least had a little more width and a little less height. Oh well... now I know for next time.

White Sandwich Bread

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country April/May 2020

Ingredients

• 385g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. milk, room temperature
• 1/2 c. water, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. honey

Directions

1. Combine flour, yeast, and salt and make a well in the centre.
2. Combine the milk, water, butter, and honey and pour into the well.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, working from the centre outward.
4. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and silky (10-20 minutes).
6. Round and place smooth-side-up in a bowl. Cover and set aside until fully risen (~2 hours).
7. Knock the dough back and press flat.
8. Letter fold, then roll up to form a loaf.
9. Place seam-side-down in a greased 8.5x4.5" (22x11cm) loaf pan.
10. Cover and set aside to proof for 60-90 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and gently moisten the top crust with a little water.
12. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-40 minutes.
13. Cool in pan for ~10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool.

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Variations

Whole wheat Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• 230g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 150g hard (strong/high grade/bread) whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp. wheat germ
• 2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. milk, room temperature
• 1/2 c. water, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp. honey

Malai Methi Kebab (Creamy Fenugreek Kebabs)

I ended up making this with some "soya chaap" that I had on hand in the pantry. This made for very easy prep. Sadly, I found the texture of the soy-wheat kebabs to be somewhat lacking. I think, in future, if I want to make a vegetarian version of this dish, I'll just go with seitan or, failing that, maybe an extra-firm tofu. Still, I'm glad I at least gave the "chaap" a try. And, to be fair, they're weren't awful, they just weren't great either. And I think this recipe could've been great with the right protein.

The original recipe called for skinless, boneless chicken breasts, and I've written it up that way here. That said, feel free to experiment with other proteins if you'd like.

Malai Methi Kebab

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 1/2 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. Punjabi garam masala
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 450g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips 2-3cm wide
• 1 Tbsp. ghee¹
• 1/2 c. tomato sauce (canned or homemade)
• 2 Tbsp. dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), soaked in water and skimmed off before use
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne or kashmiri chilies
• 1/4 c. half-and-half (10% M.F.)

Directions

1. Soak some bamboo skewers (or just use metal ones).
2. Whisk the yogurt, cilantro, coriander, cumin, ginger paste, garlic paste, garam masala, and salt together.
3. Add the chicken and toss/stir to coat.
4. cover and chill for 1-6 hours.
5. Preheat a grill or broiler to high.
6. Meanwhile, heat the ghee (if using) over medium heat.
7. Add the tomato sauce, fenugreek, and cayenne and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for ~5 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low and stir in the half-and-half.
9. Place kebabs on a lightly greased rack and grill or broil for ~8 minutes, turning occasionally.
10. Once kebabs are done, slide the meat from the skewers and pour the sauce over.
11. Serve with rice and/or flatbread of your choice.

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¹ If you'd like to cut a bit of fat and a few calories, simply omit the ghee. The sauce will lose a bit of richness, but be a bit more diet-friendly. ^Back

I was planning on making myself some savoury sausage crumbles for breakfast the other day. But then breakfast rolled around and I wasn't really feeling it. And come dinner time, I was looking at the recipe and the recommended portion size and thinking that it didn't really look substantial enough to be satiating. So I started casting about for something else to do with chicken sausages. That I could make with the ingredients I already had on hand. And wouldn't take too long. And would be tasty and satisfying. Oh, and wouldn't put me over my Points target for the day. So... a fair few requirements.

Eventually I settled on a recipe for a fairly simple combination of chicken sausage, sauerkraut, and potatoes. I made a few tweaks to match what I had on hand and cut the Points a bit, but I kept the general idea.

It's honestly pretty similar to how we often do perogies. Just with potatoes standing in for the perogies. And, because you're cooking the potatoes in the skillet, it gets a bunch of liquid added as well. (If you decide that you want to make this with perogies, just boil them separately and omit the broth/stock and wine.)

I added a chopped apple to my skillet. I figured it would go nicely with the caraway and sausage. I think a red bell pepper would also be a nice addition. And, if you are doing this with perogies (and you're not dieting), you can always top it with cheese and/or sour cream. Oh, or some good grainy mustard. I think that would also be excellent.

Sausage and Sauerkraut Skillet

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 450g potatoes, sliced
• 450g chicken or turkey sausage, cooked and sliced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 c. sauerkraut, rinsed
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 apple, chopped (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring frequently for a minute or two.
3. Add onion and sausage and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add caraway and bay leaf and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
5. Add sauerkraut, wine, chicken stock, pepper, apple, and bell pepper (if using).
6. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender (10-15 minutes).
7. Serve alone or with sour cream and/or grainy mustard.

This was originally supposed to be a zucchini and goat cheese frittata, but I swapped out the goat cheese for pressed cottage cheese. I also reduced the oil, replaced the half-and-half with 2% milk, and increased the basil called for. Overall, I'm pretty happy with these changes. The resulting frittata is still flavourful, but hopefully a bit healthier than the original.

If you'd like to cut a few more calories, you can try making it with 5 whole eggs + 10 egg whites. I've had good luck with replacing up to half the yolks with additional whites in the past. I find frittatas and omelettes made entirely with egg whites to be not to my taste, but as long as they still have some yolks in the mix, I do find that I'm able to play around with the ratios a bit and still get palatable results.

Zucchini Frittata with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2020

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground, divided
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 450g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 onion, halved and thinly sliced, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 zucchini, shredded
• 100g pressed cottage cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Whisk eggs with milk, pepper, and 3/4 tsp. of the salt. Set aside.
3. Melt 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the tomatoes, ~1/3 of the onion, half the garlic, and remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down (~5 minutes).
5. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and half the basil, transfer to bowl, and set aside.
6. Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of butter, zucchini, remaining onion, and garlic to the pan.
7. Cook over medium heat until zucchini has softened (7-8 minutes).
8. Stir in egg mixture and sprinkle evenly with cheese and remaining basil.
9. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until frittata is just set (12-14 minutes).
10. Let rest for 5 minutes then slide onto plate, cut into wedges, and serve topped with the tomato sauce.

I picked up some pressed cottage cheese/twaróg in my last produce basket. I figure it's high protein, low fat, and packs a decent amount of calcium, so why not?

This recipe didn't specifically call for pressed cottage cheese, but I figured either would probably be fine. I upped the water a little bit when I made it to compensate for the drier cheese. I don't think I needed to though. There was plenty of liquid and I actually ended up having to bake my casserole for a bit longer than called for to get it to set up properly. And, despite my liquid difficulties, I do quite like how it came out! The texture of the pressed cheese is fantastic. I would definitely use it again.

I was a little shy on tomato sauce. The original recipe called for 4 cups, which is about 945mL. I had a 796mL tin of tomatoes and just used that as the base for my sauce. This worked fine, but I think it would've been nice with a bit more sauce. That said, I'd hate to open two tins for it. I think next time I might try to use an 828mL tin of tomatoes + a tablespoon or two of tomato paste. Hopefully that will give good flavour with minimum effort or complication.

Cottage Cheese Pasta Bake

Adapted from A Mind "Full" Mom

Ingredients

• 250g dry short pasta (rotini, radiatori, cavitapi, etc.)
• 1 (540mL) tin cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 c. frozen chopped kale
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella (add a little Parmesan if you like)
• 500g pressed cottage cheese (twaróg), crumbled
• 800-950mL tomato sauce¹
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• ~1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking pan.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pasta, cooking 2-3 minutes less than package instructs.
3. Reserve 1/2 c. of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
4. Return the pasta to the empty pot and add the drained beans, kale, and both kinds of cheese.
5. Mix well, then add th tomato sauce, eggs, reserved pasta water, and basil.
6. Pour everything into the prepared pan. (Top with up to 1 c. of additional cheese if you would like it extra-cheesey.)
7. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.

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¹ I usually make my own tomato sauce from either whole or diced tinned tomatoes. I just did a very quick, no-cook sauce for this: 800mL tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. chopped dried garlic, 1 tsp. chopped dried onion, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, and 1/2 tsp. dasida. (Basically just raiding the spice cabinet and tossing in whatever smelled good.) As noted, next time I'd add a Tbsp. or two of tomato paste, but this worked fine for my purposes. ^Back

This was really tasty! I'm no stranger to shrimp alfredo but I think the addition of the salmon and bell peppers really elevates it. The original recipe calls for baking the salmon and peppers in the oven; I did them in the skillet, which makes things take longer (since you can't parallelize) but also results in having fewer dishes to do, and lets you incorporate the salmon juices into the sauce.

This was a two-person recipe, but I got three fairly generous portions out of it and I think with a robust side dish it would comfortably serve four, so I've written it up as is.

Linguine with Creamy Salmon-Shrimp Sauce

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 250g salmon filets, skin on
• 250g shrimp, peeled (tails permitted but optional)
• 250g fresh linguine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1cm half-length strips
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 120mL heavy cream + 120mL milk (or 240mL half-and-half)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• zest of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 tsp oil and the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp.
3. While peppers are cooking, combine lemon zest, half the parsley, half the garlic, chili flakes, and ½ tbsp oil in a small bowl.
4. Push peppers to the edges of the skillet. Add salmon and pour parsley-garlic mix overtop. Cover and cook until cooked through.
5. Break apart salmon into flakes, remove salmon and bell peppers from pan, and buffer.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp, 1 tsp oil, and remaining garlic.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink all over and just cooked through; remove and buffer.
8. Add butter and onion to the pan. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.
9. Add flour and stir until well coated, ~30 seconds.
10. Add cream and milk and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened and gently simmering. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Return salmon, bell pepper, shrimp, and accumulated juices to the pan and continue simmering on low heat.
12. Cook the pasta, then add to the skillet and toss with the sauce.

We're still using Hello Fresh, but I haven't been writing up most of the recipes because usually they just aren't that interesting, or are minor variations on recipes we've already documented. This one was new, though, and it was an "Alex super favourite!" and ended up providing multiple school lunches for her. She also mentioned that it was "a bit spicy, but in a good way".

Chipotle Turkey Bowls

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 6 tbsp guacamole
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3+3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1+1 tbsp enchilada spice mix, divided
• ¾ C white rice
• 1 tsp broth concentrate
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 113g corn kernels
• 3 bell peppers, chopped
• 500g ground turkey
• 4 tbsp chipotle sauce

Directions

1. Combine japaleño slices, vinegar, 60mL water, and sugar in a small pot.
2. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, until sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat.
3. Stir 2 tsp of the jalapeño pickling liquid into the guacamole; set aside.
4. Transfer other contents (including liquid) to a small container and place in the fridge to cool.
5. Set instant pot to "sautée". Add butter and wait until melted.
6. Add half the garlic, half the enchilada spice, and all of the rice. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and evenly coated, 1-2 minutes.
7. Turn off heat. Add ¾ C water and broth concentrate, cover, and set to "pressure cook high 5 minutes". Follow normal rice cooking procedure.
8. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet oved medium-high heat.
9. Add oil, onions, peppers, and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp. Remove and buffer.
10. Add turkey, remaining garlic, and remaning spice blend. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned.
11. Add 120mL water and chipotle sauce. Cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
12. Return vegetables to the skillet, mix together, and cook until warmed through.
13. Serve over rice, topped with guacamole and pickled jalapeños.

Tamatar ka Lep (Tomato Sauce)

Usually when I need tomato sauce I either wing it or make something based on one of my go-to pizza sauce recipes. I'm also not averse to buying ready-made tomato sauce depending on how much I need and how much effort I feel like putting in. And, occasionally, when I need tomato sauce for an Indian dish, I'll make something based on the spiced tomato sauce recipe that Iyer provides in 660 Curries.

Unfortunately, his recipe takes the approach of adding some ghee and spices to a ready-made tomato sauce. And, frankly, if I'm going to the effort making an Indian-spiced sauce, I don't want to also have to buy a ready-made sauce. Ready-made sauces are for when I'm feeling too lazy to make something myself.

So I usually end up starting with a tin of crushed tomatoes (or purée some whole tomatoes), add a few of my own seasonings, and go from there.

It's generally a little bit different every time. Usually it involves some form of garlic and onions, a bit of salt, pepper (if I remember), and whatever else sounds good to me at the time. I ended up tossing a bit of bottle masala in this time because I figured that was a nice, complex spice blend that would help make up for the fact that I was starting with plain, unseasoned tomatoes. I think, in the past, I've also tossed in Italian seasoning (since most commercial tomato sauce available here tends to be vaguely Italian). The point is, you've got options. I'm just writing something down here to give an idea of some of them.

Tamatar ka Lep

Adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. ghee
• 12 green cardamom pods
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 (828mL) can crushed tomatoes
• 1-2 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies
• 1/2 tsp. dhania-jeera masala
• 1 tsp. bottle masala
• 1-2 tsp. fried garlic or garlic paste
• 1-2 tsp. fried onion
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Heat the ghee over medium heat.
2. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks and sizzle for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and sprinkle in the chilies, masalas, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and/or whatever other herbs and spices you'd like to use.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate (25-30 minutes).
5. Remove cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks before using/serving.
6. Sauce should keep in the fridge for ~2 weeks.

Pudhina Kaaju Subzi (Minty Cashew Vegetables)

I grabbed some more green tomatoes in our last produce basket so I could give this curry a try. It contains lots of different vegetables, but only one spice! Given that, I was a little worried that it would be lacking in flavour, but it was actually quite delicious and complex!

Pudhina Kaaju Subzi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries

Ingredients

• 1 large potato, cut into large cubes
• 1 medium carrot, halved and cut into 5cm lengths
• 2 c. water, divided
• 2 large green tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 225g cauliflower, cut into florets
• 225g spinach, well-rinsed
• 1/4 c. raw cashews
• 1/4 c. fresh mint
• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, finger, or serrano chilies
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Combine potato, carrot, and 1 1/2 c. of the water in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, for ~10 minutes.
3. Add tomato and cauliflower, cover, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, a handful or two at a time, and stir it in until wilted.
5. Cover and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/2 c. of water into a blender with the cashews, mint, cilantro, and chilies.
7. Purée until sauce resembles pesto.
8. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
9. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn reddish-brown (10-20 seconds).
10. Add the onion and stir-fry until light brown (5-8 minutes).
11. Add the cashew sauce to the pan with the onion.
12. Pour a little water off of the vegetables and use it to swish out the blender and add that to the pan as well.
13. Reduce heat to medium and cook sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to separate and sauce starts to brown on the bottom (~15 minutes).
14. Add the vegetables to the sauce and deglaze the pan.
15. Stir in the salt and simmer, uncovered, for ~5 minutes.

I thought this recipe sounded delicious and I've been wanting to try it out for a while. Unfortunately, I'm just very bad at coordinating having both the ingredients and the energy to make it. I finally did it though! I mean, I ended up having to substitute frozen kale for the fresh because I ended up using up all the fresh kale in another dish. But that worked out okay in the end. And we all got to enjoy delicious stuffed squash.

Between the cheese, the almonds, and the combination of butter and oil, this dish is a little more calorically dense than I'd prefer for a vegetable side. It is very tasty though. And relatively filling. And, although I haven't worked out all the nutritional information, I'd think it should pack a decent punch fiber- and nutrient-wise between the squash, kale, and apple. And it definitely feels a bit special and indulgant, which is nice.

I only tried the apple-almond version, but I've included the pear-hazelnut variant as well. It also sounds great (possibly even better than the apple one), but I didn't have any pears on hand, so I stuck to the apple recipe for this time around.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2016

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, quartered pole-to-pole
• 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil¹
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 170g kale, stemmed and sliced
• 1 Fuji or Gala apple, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 60g soft goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Scoop the seeds and guts from the squash wedges and discard them.
3. Drizzle the squash quarters with 1-2 Tbsp. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
4. Place the wedges with one cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until the downward-facing side is browned (~20 minutes).
5. Flip so that the other cut side is facing down and roast for another 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the two least attractive wedges. Discard the skin.
8. Flip remaining six wedges skin-side-down on the baking sheet.
9. Heat 1/2-1 Tbsp. of the remaining oil over medium heat.
10. Add kale, apple, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and cook, covered, until kale wilts (~3 minutes).
11. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid has evaporated (30-60 seconds).
12. Add the scooped squash flesh, mix well, and cook until beginning to brown (1-2 minutes).
13. Push squash mixture to sides of pan and pour in remaining 1/2-1 Tbsp. of oil, garlic, and rosemary to the centre.
14. Cook until fragrant (30-60 seconds).
15. Stir the garlic mixture into the squash mixture.
16. Add the vinegar and cook until evaporated (~1 minute).
17. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
18. Divide filling among squash wedges.
19. Top with goat cheese and almonds. (~10g of cheese and 1 tsp. of almonds per wedge.)
20. Roast until almonds are browned and squash is heated through (5-7 minutes).
21. If desired, drizzle with extra oil before serving.

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Variations

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pear and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, quartered pole-to-pole
• 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil¹
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 170g kale, stemmed and sliced
• 1 anjou pear, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 60g soft goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted hazelnuts

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¹ I halved all the oil quantities called for because I'm trying to lose weight right now. If you're also feeling calorie-conscious, then use the smaller amount of oil. If you're not worried about calories and would like maxium richness, use the larger amount. ^Back

Jalfrezi(e)s are anglo-Indian curries. They were developed in Indian restaurants predominantly serving English customers. Although there's a lot of variability in what, exactly, constitutes a jalfrezie, they generally involve onions and bell peppers (usually large chunks of both) in a spicy sauce. The protein can be pretty much anything: lamb, beef, goat... even chicken, shrimp, or -- as Iyer has done here -- cheese. For a vegan option, you could even try it with cubes of extra-firm tofu.

Paneer Jalfrezie

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 onion, cut into 1-2cm dice
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-2cm pieces
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger¹
• 1/2 c. tomato sauce²
• 1 Tbsp. balti masala
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. water³
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 225g paneer, cut into 1-2cm cubes

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until onion begins to brown (3-5 minutes).
3. Add the tomato sauce, masala, and salt and reduce heat to medium.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate slightly (5-8 minutes).
5. Add the water and cilantro.
6. Add the paneer and gently stir to coat the cheese in sauce.
7. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly (10-12 minutes).
8. Serve with rice and/or your favourite flatbread.

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¹ I was running low on fresh ginger, so I just substituted 2 Tbsp. of ginger paste here. The paste doesn't stir-fry as well as the minced fresh ginger though, so use the fresh if you have it. ^Back
2 I didn't have any ready-made tomato sauce on hand, so I quickly tossed something together based on the spiced tomato sauce recipe in 660 Curries. I've posted the recipe separately here. ^Back
3 If making this curry with meat rather than cheese, reduce the water to 1/2 c. as the meat will tend to release some liquid as it cooks. ^Back

Despite posting several recipes that use Kashmiri Garam Masala, it looks like we never actually got around to posting a recipe for the masala itself before. I am rectifying that now.

Unlike bin bhuna hua garam masala, which is composed entirely of untoasted spices, or Punjabi garam masala, which uses toasted spices, this masala uses a mix of toasted and untoasted spices to achieve its unique flavour. We don't tend to use it as much as some of the other masalas, but it still holds a place in our spice cabinet and it's nice to have on hand when needed.

Kashmiri Garam Masala

From 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken into smaller pieces
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. black cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 4 blades of mace (or 1/4 tsp. ground mace)
• seeds from 4 black cardamom pods

Directions

1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the cumin and cinnamon and toast, shaking the skillet frequently, until the seeds turn reddish-brown and the mixture is very fragrant (1-2 minutes).
3. Transfer to a plate to cool.
4. Once cool, add the toasted spices to a spice grinder along with all the remaining ingredients and grind very fine.
5. Store in an airtight container away from excess heat, light, and humidity.

This is another one of Iyer's fusion recipes. The tortellini get stired into a mushroom-y sauce of sour cream that's been seasoned with chilies, garlic, garam masala, and dill. I was a bit short on sour cream, so I also mixed in a bit of plain Greek yogurt to stretch the sauce a bit. I don't think I'd want to do it as an all-yogurt sauce, but the mix worked well.

Tortellini with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 450g cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-4 dried red Thai, arbol, or cayenne chilies, gently pounded
• 400g light (3-5%) sour cream
• 1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri garam masala
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh dill
• 425g cheese tortellini

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown (12-15 minutes).
3. Add the sour cream and yogurt and reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Add the salt and garam masala, cover pan, and cook, stirring occasionally for another 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to package directions.
6. When the sauce is done simmering, stir in the dill and remove from heat.
7. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.

Tonnarelli ai Canestrelli (Tonnarelli with Scallops)

I made this with tortellini and about 25% more scallops than called for, and it was tasty; the writeup is for the original recipe. Hazan suggests spaghetti or spaghettini as alternates, but also says to reduce the olive oil from ½C to ⅓C when doing so.

The biggest problem I had here is not overcooking the scallops; the finely chopped ones released a lot of liquid, which meant the long simmer to cook it off also overcooked them somewhat. It was still tasty, but they lacked the buttery texture of perfectly cooked scallops.

Tonnarelli ai Canestrelli

The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Guiliano Hazan (p.107)

Ingredients

• 120mL olive oil
• 2-4 cloves minced garlic
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 450g bay scallops, ¼ of them finely chopped
• salt
• 60mL panko or breadcrumbs, toasted

Directions

1. Combine the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large skillet.
2. Cook over medium-high heat until the garlic starts to change colour.
3. Stir in the parsley, then add the whole scallops and season with salt.
4. Cook, stirring, until they are no longer translucent, 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the chopped scallops and cook for another minute, then remove from the heat.
6. Cook the pasta al dente, then drain and toss it with the sauce and breadcrumbs.

A nice one-pot meal, this was especially a hit with Alex. I've written up the recipe as described, although we made it with lamb sausages rather than pork.

Sausage with White Beans and Kale

Cook's Country, October/November 2020, by Sara Mayer (p.27)

Ingredients

• 2×440mL tins of cannellini beans, rinsed
• 830mL tin diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
• 240mL broth
• 30mL olive oil
• 450g italian sausages, pricked
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 450g kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• ⅛ tsp salt (double if using unsalted broth)

Directions

1. Combine 120mL beans, 120mL tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and broth in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Add sausages and cook until browned on both sides. Remove and buffer.
4. Add onion and cook until softened.
5. Add garlic and cool until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
6. Stir in bean-tomato mix, remaining tomatoes, and kale. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted, ~15 minutes.
7. Stir in remaining beans and browned sausages. Cover again and cook until sauce thickens and sausages are cooked through.

Custard Toasts

I would describe these as "ok, I guess". Symbol liked them more than I did.

Breakfast Custard Toasts

Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• ½ C yoghurt
• 2 tbsp peanut powder
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 4 thick slices of bread
• ¼ C raspberries
• 4 tsp muesli

Directions

1. Whisk together the yoghurt, peanut powder, syrup, vanilla, and egg.
2. Squish the bread slices to make a well in the top of each one.
3. Top the breads with the custard.
4. Top the custard with the raspberries.
5. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
6. Top with muesli.

It's been a while since I've done any new Laurel's Kitchen recipes. I've mostly been doing sourdough lately to maintain the starter. But I was in the mood for something different this time, so I figured I'd crack Laurel's back open and see what looked good.

This would be just your basic, everyday whole wheat bread with a few buckwheat groats mixed in. Except for the fact that the liquid -- rather than being water or even milk -- is a raisin purée! It makes the bread a bit denser and moister than it would otherwise be. Between that and the kasha, I found it a bit tricky to get the hydration levels and baking times just right, but I'm decently happy with how it came out in the end.

Kasha Bread

From the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book

Ingredients

• 1 c. raisins
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 122g kasha (buckwheat groats)
• 14g coarse sea salt
• 830g hard (strong/high grade/bread) whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 2 Tbsp. oil

Directions

1. Combine the raisins with the water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until raisins are very soft.
2. Purée raisins with their cooking liquid and add enough cold water to bring the total volume to 2 1/2 c. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the kasha, salt, and flour, mix, and make a well in the centre.
4. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the yeast and warm water. Set aside for ~5 minutes.
5. Once raisin mixture has sufficiently cooled (to ~40°C), pour it into the well in the centre of the dry ingredients along with the yeast mixture.
6. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, working from the centre outward.
7. Knead for 5-10 minutes, then begin working in the oil.
8. Once all of the oil has been worked in, knead for 10-15 minutes more, adjusting hydration of dough as necessary.
9. Cover and ferment at room temperature for ~90 minutes.
10. Use finger poke test to determine when dough is ready to knock back.
11. Once ready, knock it back and knead it a few strokes.
12. Divide dough into two equal portions, cover, and rest for 10-15 minutes.
13. Meanwhile, grease two loaf pans.
14. Shape loaves and drop them into the pans.
15. Cover and proof at room temperature for 45-60 minutes.
16. Use finger poke test to determine when dough is done rising.
17. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
18. Carefully slash loaves.
19. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.
20. Reduce heat to 180°C (350°F) and bake for another 40 minutes.
21. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

I feel like the flavours in this stir-fry could use a little tweaking. Not that it was bad. Everyone (including me) seemed to like it just fine. I just felt like it wasn't quite as good as it could be. I'm wondering if a little shaoxing wine might be the way to go. I'm used to seeing it in a lot of Chinese stir-fries, but it doesn't tend to come up as much in American ones. I feel like it might help balance things out a bit.

Beef and Eggplant Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2017

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil, divided
• 600g eggplant, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1-2 fresh red Thai or cayenne chilies, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 450g extra-lean (95%) ground beef
• 4 scallions, sliced thin, whites and greens separated
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the oyster sauce, rice vinegar, shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce and set aside.
2. Heat wok over medium-high heat.
3. Drizzle in 3 Tbsp. of oil and wait a moment for it to heat up.
4. Add the eggplant and cook until tender and browned (8-10 minutes).
5. Add dark soy sauce, toss to combine, and immediately remove from heat.
6. Transfer eggplant to a plate.
7. Return wok to heat and drizzle in remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
8. Add the chilies, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 10-20 seconds.
9. Add the beef and cook until browned and cooked through (3-4 minutes).
10. Pour in the sauce and add the white parts of the scallions and cook until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes).
11. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions and sesame seeds (if using) and serve over rice.

I've been eating a lot of cottage cheese bowls for breakfast lately. The apple one in particular is very tasty and simple to make. It's also low-Points/low-calorie and gets me a good dose of protein, calcium, and fruit first thing in the morning. All-in-all, it's a pretty ideal breakfast. That said, I still like to mix it up a bit sometimes. So I've been casting about for other breakfast ideas.

Eventually I settled on this Weight Watchers sheet pan pancake recipe. I made a few adjustments, but the basic idea is the same.

Banana Sheet Pan Pancake

Slightly adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 c. water
• 5 1/2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large bananas, divided
• 2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour¹
• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• chopped pecans, to serve²
• maple syrup, to serve
• raspberries, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) and grease a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Combine the yogurt, water, 1/4 c. of the sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Mash two of the bananas and mix them into the wet ingredients.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and spread all the way to the edges.
7. Slice the remaining two bananas and decorate the top of the "pancake" with the banana slices.
8. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar over top.
9. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15-20 minutes.
10. Serve topped with maple syrup, raspberries, and/or chopped pecans.

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Variations

Lower-Calorie Version

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 c. water
• 5 1/2 Tbsp. 1:1 monk fruit or stevia sweetener, divided
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large bananas, divided
• 2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• chopped pecans, to serve
• "no sugar added" syrup, to serve
• raspberries, to serve

Spiced Banana Bread Sheet Pan Pancake

The original recipe claimed to be a "banana bread" sheet pan pancake, but it didn't include any of what I tend to think of as the traditional/characteristic banana bread spices. I think, if I were doing it again, I'd want to try to add some more spices to it to amp up the flavour a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. spiced rum
• 2 large eggs
• 5 large bananas, divided
• 2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• chopped pecans, to serve
• maple syrup, to serve
• raspberries, to serve

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¹ The original recipe calls for white whole wheat flour (as in flour ground from white wheat berries). I don't generally keep that on hand, so I usually just substitute regular hard whole wheat flour. That said, I think soft flour would be even better here. I didn't feel like grinding any for this recipe, but I might give it a go with soft flour next time. I think 330g should be about right. ^Back
2 The recipe called for using the chopped nuts as a topping, and that's what I did this time. I think I'd be inclined to try mixing them into the batter next time though. ^Back

Amchur Lauki (Squash with Mango Powder)

Amchur (or amchoor), dry unripe mango powder, is something we always have on hand but don't actually use that often. This bottle gourd squash curry showcases it nicely.

Amchur Lauki

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer (p.603)

Ingredients

• 1½ bottle gourd squash, peeled, cored, and cut into 5cm chunks
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 fresh Thai chiles, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, cored and cut into 2cm chunks
• 1 tbsp amchoor
• ¾ tsp salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add cumin and cook until they sizzle, turn reddish-brown and are fragrant, ~10 seconds.
3. Add squash, turmeric, and chiles.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is well coated in turmeric and lightly browned, 5-8 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato, amchoor, and salt.
6. Deglaze with 1 C water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 10-15 minutes.

Jhinga Balchao (Pan-Seared Shrimp with Chile Vinegar Paste)

This is a dish we can only make when the Kidlet isn't around, because it contains shrimp (which she is mildly allergic to) and is quite spicy. It's really, really tasty though! And not too hard to make, either, especially if you already have the masala on hand. Strongly recommended.

Jhinga Balchao

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer, p.270

Ingredients

• 1 lb large (16-20/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails left on
• 2 tbsp balchao masala
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 8-10 large fresh curry leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Toss the shrimp with the balchao masala until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30-120 minutes.
2. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the shrimp with their marinade and cook until seared pink on one side, about 1 minute.
4. Flip the shrimp over and sear the other side, too; remove and buffer.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining oil, onion, and curry leaves.
6. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and darkened, 10-12 minutes.
7. Stir in tomato paste and salt to make a thick sauce.
8. Stir in shrimp, cover, and cook until shrimp are orange and cooked through, ~5 minutes.