Kale and Red Pepper Skillet Rice

This is not risotto...

I'm going to take some flak for this, but here goes... What's the deal with risotto anyway? And why do TV chefs make such a fuss over it? I understand it takes some patience and timing for a good batch, but I'm still not a fan. I'm happy to be proven wrong, but to me it's just mushy rice.

I prefer a rice dish that's drier and less starchy and with more texture. Brown rice fits the bill. Simmered with some veggies, some broth and a tiny bit of salty meat, it works as a complete meal - something with a lot of flavour that you can sink your teeth into.

I'm not into traditional bacon, but I'm sure it would be delicious in this recipe. I chose to use a bit of chicken bacon for added flavour and protein.

Kale and Red Pepper Skillet Rice
Serves 2

1 cup brown rice
2 slices of chicken bacon
1 red pepper
2 cups of chopped kale
1 medium onion
1 large clove garlic
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons of olive oil, more as needed

Note: You'll also need a large deep frying pan with a lid.

In a large frying pan, brown bacon and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauteé onion and red pepper until soft. Add chopped kale and garlic and sauteé until kale is wilted.

Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the uncooked rice. Cook for 3-5 minutes stirring often. Add the broth and water. Chop the bacon and sprinkle it on top. Give it all a stir and bring liquid to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on low, covered, until rice is completely cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Thanks to Steph at mmmm good for providing me with proof that I wasn't imagining Chef Ramsey and that line about the risotto....

Spring Roll Salad

The things we do for food...

There is something so fresh tasting about cold spring rolls. And there's something very addictive about peanut sauce. Together, they're great as a no-cook summer dinner. In fact, we like them so much, we once drove around town for 5 hours looking for rice paper. That's how determined we were to make them.

So, I had the bright idea of throwing all the ingredients together in a salad - the veggies, the wrapping and the sauce.

It's delicious and very filling. Be careful. I may have eaten too much.


Spring Roll Salad
Serves 4

1 package rice noodles
2 carrots
1/2 cucumber
1/2 red pepper
2 green onions

Dressing:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (peanuts only!)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
red pepper flakes to taste
sea salt
dash of sesame oil
dried basil leaves (fresh if you have it)

Soak noodles completely in boiling water for 15 minutes until soft and then rinse in cold water. Set aside.

Grate carrots, chop green onions, slice cucumber and red peppers.

To make dressing, put all remaining ingredients except basil and sesame oil in a bowl and mix well. Heat in a saucepan on low, or microwave on high for about 1 1/2 minutes, until well combined.

Add veggies and dressing to noodles in a large bowl and toss well. Drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and basil and toss again. Chill and serve.

Brown Lentil Pasta with Tomatoes & Peppers / Macaroni with Tomatoes & Pesto

Fast and fresh...

My weakness when shopping for food is vegetables. I have a habit of buying too much produce and then frantically whipping up three different kinds of soup on the weekend in order to use everything up before it spoils. Lately, I've been trying to buy less, use it up sooner and get creative with what's in my fridge, rather than feeling the need to have everything on hand all the time.

This weekend I shopped at a farmers' market. It was a fresh, sunny day and the veggies were colourful, shiny and all very tempting. Luckily I could only take away what I could carry...a useful limiting strategy. And, this week I've tried to make fast, easy meals with just a few flavourful ingredients. It's amazing what a basket of fresh grape tomatoes can do for pasta.

Brown Lentil Pasta with Tomatoes and Peppers

Brown Lentil Pasta with Tomatoes and Peppers
Serves 2 + leftovers 

brown lentil pasta*
1 white onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic
1 red pepper
2 carrots, peeled and chopped thinly
1 1/2 cups of grape tomatoes
olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Bring water and salt to boil in a medium pot. Add pasta, bring to a boil again and cook for 2 minutes only. Remove from heat and allow to sit in hot water for 10-15 minutes until tender. In the meantime, make the sauce.

Sauteé the first three vegetables in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender. Add tomatoes and cook until they look swollen and ready to burst. Turn off heat and very carefully pierce tomatoes releasing juice.

Drain pasta and add to sauce. Toss with sauce, a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

*Brown lentil pasta is not widely available, but a real treat if you can find it. It has a similar texture to rice pasta, so it's essential that you don't overcook it, or it will be sticky. It's got a slightly nutty flavour, is a good source of protein and has exactly one ingredient: brown lentil flour. I bought mine at Maria's Home Made Noodles. 

Macaroni with Tomatoes and Pesto
Serves 2 + leftovers

1/2 box (170 grams) of dried whole wheat macaroni
2 cups of grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons of basil pesto*
1/3 cup of cheddar rice cheese ^
sea salt and black pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Microwave tomatoes in a casserole dish with a lid for about 4-5 minutes. Very carefully pierce tomatoes to release juice – be careful not to burn yourself. Drain macaroni and add to tomatoes. Toss and add pesto and cheese. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.

*My pesto had basil, sunflower seeds, and garlic. But choose any pesto you like.

^ I don’t eat cheese, so occasionally, I buy cheddar rice cheese when a recipe needs a little something. It melts well, tastes and feels much like cheddar, and is soy, dairy and gluten free. If you eat cheese, choose your favourite.