by ness | Mar 20, 2015 | Main Dishes, Meat, Snacks & Appetizers
So I’ve been a little obsessed with Lebanese food for a while now, particularly lamb koftas. I always thought they were complicated to make but then I saw Gordon Ramsey making it on his Ultimate Home Cooking show and he made it look so darn easy. Like WAY easy. So I gave it a go. And you know what, it WAS that easy. That dude was telling the truth. I actually love that tamer version of Gordon Ramsey – where he’s making like normal-ish food at home and not swearing/freaking out all the time. I spend many a weekend morning learning a thing or two from his show.
I ‘ve been twerking tweaking this recipe on and off for the last half a year, adding a pinch of this and that to get it just so. I actually didn’t change too much except try to make them as efficiently as possible, which involves my trusty food processor. Just add the onions, mint, parsley, garlic and chili flakes to the processor and pulse until finely chopped. Then you add the mixture to the meat with a few more spices and mix.
I used a cast iron skillet to grill these but I’m sure they’d be great in a frying pan or on the BBQ. These little guys are small and cute and grill up super fast – ready in about 6 minutes cooking time. I enjoy koftas at home with some hummus-y sauce – which is just hummus that I thinned out with some fresh lemon juice. This is the easiest, fastest ‘sauce’ ever and goes great with lamb kofta. A simple salad and/or some rice on the side and dinner is ready. Fresh, fast, simple – ultimate home cooking indeed.
Lamb Kofta
I always thought they were complicated to make but then I saw Gordon Ramsey making it on his Ultimate Home Cooking show and he made it look so darn easy. Like WAY easy. So I gave it a go. And you know what, it WAS that easy.
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, lamb, meat, mint, nut-free, soy-free
Servings: 4
Author: ness
- 1 medium onion
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chilli flakes (optional)
- 500 grams ground lamb
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper
- Sesame seeds and sumac for garnish (optional)
- Canola or vegetable oil
Hummus 'Sauce'
- 1/4 cup store-bought hummus
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Add onion, garlic, mint, parsley and chilli flakes to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add lamb to a large mixing bowl and add onion mixture, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper. Gently mix with a wooden spoon or by hand until combined.
Form meat into small golfball sized balls and flatten slightly into hockey puck shape. Place on an oiled plate or platter and brush a teaspoon of oil across the tops of the kofta. Place in fridge for 10 minutes or more to allow the lamb to firm up which helps hold it's shape during grilling.
Prepare hummus sauce. Combine hummus and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until consistency is a bit runny - add more lemon juice if needed. Set aside.
Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Place the kofta onto the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning half way to brown both sides. Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and sumac. Serve with fresh lemons wedges and hummus sauce.
by ness | Jan 12, 2015 | Breakfast, Drinks, Fruits, Kid-Friendly, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I have a new addition to my home – something I’ve wanted and dreamed about for a long time. Yup, I got a VitaMix. It is AWESOME and I LOVE it. Like LOVE LOVE it. I was gifted this amazing piece of equipment by my generous parents for Christmas (thanks mom and dad).
I’ve always wanted one, longingly stared at them in stores or on friend’s countertops but held off due impart to the high price tag and also my limited kitchen storage space. But I’m so excited to have this in my kitchen and I’ve used it almost every day since I got it – for sauce (chimichurri), soup (butternut squash), smoothies (fruit and coconut water), and my new fave green juice.
Based on its versatility and frequency of use, it’s more than worthy of taking up a piece of prime real estate atop my limited kitchen countertops.
This green ginger juice is actually a combination my husband shared with me – it’s pretty green, a bit sweet, and very refreshing.
The ginger adds a nice little kick too. I feel uber-healthy with every sip and it’s a pretty great snack or breakfast drink to start the day.
The VitaMix is strong enough to blitz every last bit of pulp into a smooth and delicious drink. I totally get why the VitaMix is used in so many professional kitchens and homes alike and has a cult-like following.
Look how the whole pitcher just filled right up with the veggies and apples. Let the detox begin. I am hoping that if I continue to drink these on the regular that my skin will start to glow and my waistline will start to shrink. I’ll keep you posted.
Green Ginger Juice
This green ginger juice is actually a combination my husband shared with me - it's pretty green, a bit sweet, and very refreshing. Serves 2 to 3.
Course: Breakfast, Drinks
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: apples, corn-free, egg-free, fruits, kid-friendly, nut-free, soy-free, vegetables
Servings: 2
Author: ness
- 2 cups spinach leaves (washed)
- 3 stalks of celery (washed)
- 2 medium sized gala apples (or other sweet apples, washed and cores removed)
- 1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons agave nectar (optional)
Add the spinach, celery, apples, ginger, and water to the blender and blend until smooth.
For added sweetness, add agave nectar, one teaspoon at a time until a desired sweetness is reached.
by ness | Nov 4, 2014 | Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian
How often do you try something new? Like new new? We all get stuck in our day to day routines and dare I say, ruts. I’m guilty of just grabbing the same-ish groceries week after week and making my same go-to meals or going out to dinner at my usual spots and ordering my favourite thing.
It had been a while since I actually tried something that tasted new. And then, I went for Middle Eastern food and tried mujaddara, rice with lentils and caramelized onions, and my tastebuds woke right up. They went ‘ZING. That’s new’ and you know what? I really liked it. I mean LOVED it. And then I became a little obsessed with figuring out how to make it so I could eat it all the time.
Mujaddara spices: allspice, cumin seeds, ground cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon stick, cayenne, black peppercorns
Somehow in a span of a couple of weeks, this dish has become my new favourite comfort food. It has a lot of winning qualities that I look for, like being naturally gluten-free, healthy, flavourful, and easy to make. It’s got this amazing blend of warm earthy spices blended in carb-y good rice, and protein-packed lentils for a complete meal. And can we discuss the merits of fried onions for a minute? Caramelized onions make EVERYTHING taste better. It’s universal. From French onion soup to biryani, those brown, slow-cooked, flavour-packed onions are definitely a thing. My mom always told me that was the secret to delicious food, and my mama knows what’s up. Just be patient and don’t rush the cooking of the onions. You need to get them deep, dark golden brown but not burnt. Trust me, it’s worth every minute.
Lebanese Rice with Lentils and Caramelized Onions (Mujaddara)
Oh yeah, this dish is also vegan and dirt cheap to make. Gluten-free grocery shopping can cost a pretty penny so meals like this can really help offset those $8 loaves of bread and $9 bags of cereal. Seriously, a little rice and a few lentils go a long way. I like to have this dish with a green salad on the side and/or with grilled vegetables and some yogurt raita on the side. I made this over the weekend and will be enjoying throughout the week. I’m not a huge meat eater but my hubby D definitely likes meat and he said this dish was so tasty that he didn’t miss the meat at all. That’s kind of a big deal.
Fun wikipedia fact: mujaddara is the Arabic word for “pockmarked” because the lentils among the rice resemble pockmarks. Sometimes the ‘ugliest’ food is also the tastiest.
Lebanese Rice with Lentils and Caramelized Onions (Mujaddara)
It had been a while since I actually tried something that tasted new. And then, I went for Middle Eastern food and tried mujaddara, rice with lentils and caramelized onions, and my tastebuds woke right up. They went 'ZING. That's new' and you know what? I really liked it. I mean LOVED it. And then I became a little obsessed with figuring out how to make it so I could eat it all the time. Adapted from Aarti Sequeira
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, pasta, rice & grains, soy-free, yeast-free
Servings: 4
Author: ness
- 1 cup brown lentils (rinsed and debris removed)
- 3 onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 stick of cinnamon (about 3”)
- 1 ¼ cup basmati rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- Sea salt
- Chopped parsley and lemon to serve
Add lentils to a small pot and cover with about one inch of cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, covered. Lentils should be cooked, slightly firm and not mushy. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and let warm slightly. Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns and fry for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add onions, one teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine. Keep cooking and stir with a wooden spoon occasionally until onions are deeply browned and caramelized, about 25 minutes or so. Don’t rush this part and be careful not to burn the onions. Make sure to stir and scrape browned bits off the bottom of the pan. If onions stick, add a teaspoon of water and stir.
Once onions are browned, remove half the onions and set aside. Add ground cumin, allspice, garlic powder, cinnamon stick, and cayenne and stir, cook for about 1 minute. Add basmati rice and gently stir to coat with onion mixture, about 1 more minute being careful not to break the rice. Add water, lentils, 1 and ½ teaspoons salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 9 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 15 minutes, letting residual heat continue to cook rice. The water should be completely absorbed and rice should be tender.
When ready to serve, gently stir rice and lentils together. Garnish with reserved onions and parsley. Serve with yogurt raita and a squeeze of lemon.
by ness | Sep 25, 2014 | Asian, Kid-Friendly, Soup & Sandwiches
So it’s officially Fall now and that means squash soup season and this Thai version is beautifully creamy and super flavourful. I brought this to work for lunch and the steamy aroma of lemongrass, lime, and shallots wafted around my cubicle and down the hall. I was mid-slurp when I looked up and found five colleagues hovering around my desk demanding asking what was I eating that smelled so good. When I told them it was a Thai squash and coconut milk soup, they insisted I share the recipe asap. So here you go friends – get your squash soup on.
So I won’t lie – you’ll definitely probably need to go to your local Asian grocery store to grab the ingredients for this recipe. That is unless your normal grocery store carries kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Thai basil, and fish sauce on the regular. The good news is, you’ll probably end up with more lemongrass and lime leaves than needed for this recipe, and you can freeze them for future use. Also, fish sauce lasts for like ever in the fridge so you’re good there. This makes it easy to whip up this soup since you’ll basically be stocked up and ready to go.
This recipe makes enough for about four servings. I recommend doubling the recipe and freezing some so you can just reheat this gorgeous soup on those cold dark days yet to come. The bright sunny colour and bold flavours will bring your taste buds comfort and warm your belly. You can pump up the spice too by adding those Thai red chiles to garnish – just remember the seeds in those little suckers can be CRAZY hot and melt your tongue/face-off. If you’re into that thing, then definitely have at it. (Seriously, these ones here were like eating fire/burning coals/the devil himself). The chiles in the soup are de-seeded and add a touch of heat without being too spicy at all. To make a more kid-friendly version, just omit chiles all together.
Thai Squash and Coconut Milk Soup
I brought this to work for lunch and the steamy aroma of lemongrass, lime, and shallots wafted around my cubicle and down the hall. I was mid-slurp when I looked up and found five colleagues hovering around my desk demanding asking what was I eating that smelled so good. When I told them it was a Thai squash and coconut milk soup, they insisted I share the recipe asap. So here you go friends - get your squash soup on. (adapted from Williams-Sonoma Soup of the Day)
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: coconut, corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, kid-friendly, soy-free, spicy
Servings: 4
Author: ness
- 4 shallots (quartered)
- 2 red or green Thai chiles (or serrano chiles, or jalapeño peppers, seeds removed)
- 1 lemongrass stalk (center white part only, smashed and roughly chopped)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- 6 kaffir lime leaves (stems removed)
- 4 cups peeled squash (either acorn or butternut, chopped into 2 cm cubes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Garnish:
- Thai basil leaves, chopped cilantro, fresh limes, green onions, and/or chopped Thai chiles
In a blender or food processor, combine the shallots, chiles, lemongrass and 1/4 cup water and pulse until a paste forms.
Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the spice paste and thick creamy part of the coconut milk to the pot. Stir together and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The paste will get quite fragrant and bubbly.
Add the remaining coconut milk, stock, lime leaves and squash and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Remove the lime leaves and discard. Either blend the soup in a blender in batches or use immersion blender to blend until the soup is nice and creamy. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and serve with garnishes.
by ness | Aug 8, 2014 | Reviews
There’s a new spot in my neighbourhood and no I’m not talking about that cool Mexican, rustic Italian, trendy tapas or burger spot. Instead it’s exactly what the neighbourhood was really missing – a gourmet food spot that EVERYONE can shop at, regardless of food allergies. Feast opened up earlier this summer in Trinity Bellwoods Park with an assortment of prepared and frozen foods, pantry items and baked goodies. Bonus: they’re all free from the most common food allergies of wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.
Located right across from the park, it’s the perfect shop to cater to the Trinity Bellwoods set. You can pop in and pick up a gourmet pocket pie (more on that later), a frozen avocado popsicle, or a loaf of bread for the week. A little bit grocery, a little bit bakery, and a lot awesome.
It’s a bright and sunny spot with a bakery counter that just lures you right in. If you’ve got multiple food allergies, it’s can be a bit tricky to find gluten-free treats. Gluten-free treats always seems to have some eggs, nuts and/or dairy but not here at Feast. They make their treats on site in their in-house gluten-free kitchen and favour ingredients that are local, organic, and non-GMO. So not only gluten-free and allergen-free, but practically guilt-free too. 
I tried some of those coconut milk caramels ($2 each). There are two kinds to choose from: Tropical, chewy, delightful, pineapple topped with a sprinkle of smoked sea salt; and Chocolate Krispies made with raw organic cacao nibs and crispy rice cereal. Very tasty. I also got one of the ‘On top of Coconut Mountain’ donuts (top right) and it was moist and decadent ($3.50).
Beyond the bakery, there’s a nice selection of pantry items to stock your kitchen. Goodies include lots of options for dried and frozen pasta, baking mixes, jams and more. Manager Liz told me that it’s a collection of the owner’s favourite things so they recommend everything personally. Their freezer is also stocked with more pasta, and their best-selling avocado popsicles.
Their signature items are their pocket pies which are moist, flaky, and yes, gluten-free. They have a few varieties to choose from including jerk chicken, beef, and vegan curried black bean ($5 – $7 each). I tried the jerk chicken and I really liked the pastry and the filling was moist and not too spicy, though I like my jerk with more heat. Manager Liz mentioned that they’ve already got a strong pocket pie following, a pocket pie posse if you will, who shop weekly and some daily. 
And finally they have lots of gluten-free bread to choose from in varieties that are harder to find like pumpernickel, buns, and my fave gluten-free bagels from Kinnickinick. So if you’re in the west side of Toronto, have food allergies, or just like gourmet food, stop by Feast and feast on some deliciousness. I’m all about supporting local businesses that have a great vision and positive vibes, offering great gluten-free, allergen-free goodies for all to enjoy.
Feast is located at 881 Queen Street W. Toronto, ON M6J 1G5 right across from Trinity Bellwoods Park
