Category: Main Dishes

Fresh Mediterranean Skillet

1 Comment

Loads of flavor come together in a simple skillet that can put dinner on the table in no time. And don’t shy away from doubling the amounts; it tastes even better the next day.

IMG_1397

Fresh Mediterranean Skillet

1 tablespoon Garlic Olive Oil (I used Della Terra‘s, but if you don’t have access to it, use extra garlic and basil)
1 tablespoon Basil Olive Oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 (14oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts (not in oil), drained and cut into quarters
4 whole roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes or 3/4 cup sliced sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup black olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
4 cups packed baby spinach or other greens
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Traditional Balsamic Condimento, or aged balsamic vinegar, to taste
Fresh basil, chopped

Heat both olive oils in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cannellini beans. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

Add the artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, tomatoes, black olives, and capers. Cook for 1 minute. Add the greens and lemon juice. Cook just until the greens have wilted.

Bring to high heat and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and fresh basil, cooking until fragrant.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Romaine Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

Leave a comment

Grilled lettuce and greens might seem a little out of the ordinary if you’ve never done it before, but trust me, it’s the best way to enjoy salad in the summer. I’ve done a Grilled Caesar Salad before, which is what got me started with this salad-on-the-grill kick. The vinaigrette can be made in advance, and makes about double what you need; store the leftovers in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Grilled Romaine with Sundried Tomato Vin

Grilled Romaine Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

For the salad
1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil, preferably medium intensity
1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch rings
4 roma tomatoes, halved length-wise
2 romaine hearts, halved length-wise
Fine sea or Himalayan salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (80mL) pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon (15mL) capers

For the dressing
1/4 cup thinly sliced sundried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
Boiling water for tomatoes
1/4 cup (60mL) good quality, low acid traditional balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1/4 cup (60mL) good quality extra-virgin olive oil, preferably medium intensity

To make the salad, brush olive oil on the cut sides of the onion, tomato and romaine hearts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill to medium high heat. Put the red onion, tomatoes, and romaine on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, keeping a close eye and checking the underside of each one to ensure it is grilled, but not charring.

Remove from heat. Put the vegetables on a serving platter. Sprinkle with olives and capers. Let sit while making the dressing.

Put the sundried tomatoes in a small bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let sit for about 5 minutes, until softened. Drain, then finely chop. Put that tomatoes back in the bowl and add the balsamic vinegar and garlic. Mix to combine. Add the oil in a stream, mixing constantly, to emulsify the mixture. Pour over the salad ingredients. Serve immediately.

Maple Lentil Chili

5 Comments

Served alongside the Maple-Kissed Cornbread from my first book, The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread, I love the combination of spicy and sweet in this super easy recipe. Like most soups and stews, this one tastes even better the second day. If you want a sweeter chili, add a little more maple syrup–of course! Depending on who I am serving it for, adding some finely chopped jalapeño into the bell pepper mix adds just the right amount of kick that I love.

 

chili-cornbread2

Maple Lentil Chili

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound/16 ounces portabello mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups water
2 (28 oz/796 ml) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups (285g) brown lentils (dry)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground thyme
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
1/3 cup (80 ml) pure dark maple syrup
Sea or Himalayan salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, stirring until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic, continuing stir often until mushrooms have released their juices and are cooked through.

Add the water, tomatoes, lentils, chili powder, cumin, thyme, and cinnamon to the mixture. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cooking for at least 45 minutes, and until the lentils are soft. Stir in maple syrup, add salt and pepper, and adjust seasonings to taste.