New Recipe: Spinach & Pear Green Smoothie

I tried a green smoothie at the Halifax Seaport market yesterday but its flavours failed me. There was not enough depth or sweetness.  So here's my reply.  (And with the remaining half pear you should try another recipe from an earlier SJ post ... Walnut, Apricot, Pear & Feta Salad)

Green Smoothie with Spinach & Pear
(makes one large glass)

half of a ripe pear, peeled and cored
three handfuls of spinach
a few dollops of plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup of almond milk
one frozen banana (could be reduced to half if you like things less sweet)

Blend until smooth.

My Life as Salad & Pie

Two outstanding recipes that I made recently include simple ingredients with minimal prep.  The food represents what I love about life: deliciousness.  I named the recipes for two people very close to me - I cannot separate the person from the dish in my mind.  Jessy's salad is vibrant with a special sweetness and perfectly composed; Rebecca's dessert is elegant, decadent and undeniably a good friend.  In other news, I started watching Masterchef Junior.  The kids are inspiring and ridiculously confident young cooks - and the judges are obviously having a lot of fun with them. I wish I was 12 years old and on this show.

Jessy's Salade Nicoise
Serves 4

8-10 new potatoes, cut in half or quarters and boiled
a large handful of green beans, steamed
4 eggs, hard boiled and served at room temperature
enough mixed greens for four people
8-10 black olives, sliced (Kalamata are good)
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
fresh herbs such as basil or dill (optional)
sea salt and pepper
2 seared fresh tuna steaks, sliced, or 20 seared scallops (optional)

For the dressing, use this one from River Cottage Veg cookbook:

1/2 small garlic clove, crushed with a little salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A squirt/pinch of sweet (agave, sugar etc)

Gently toss the greens with a little of the dressing.  Compose all of the ingredients on a large platter or individual plates starting with the greens in the center and the other ingredients in groups around the outside. 

This was dessert from my first visit to enVie Vegan Kitchen.  It tastes very similar to the recipe below and was so lovingly plated I was smitten with their kitchen immediately.

Rebecca's Chocolate Pie

First make the salty-sweet pecan oat crust:

1 cup oat four or processed oats

2 cups pecans

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp ground flax

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp fleur de sel

1/4 cup brown rice syrup or honey

1 tbsp earth balance, melted

Combine all the ingredients and press/shape into large pie plate.  Score the crust by poking holes with a fork and bake until lightly browned, ten mins approximately.  Le cool before filling.

Next make the filling:

300 grams dark chocolate 

300 gram package of silken tofu (Rebecca says: "accept no tofu substitutes! it must be the softest kind")

vanilla and / or liqueur to tast (1tsp - 1 tbsp)

Melt the chocolate and then blend along with tofu and vanilla / liqueur in a food processor until silky smooth. Pour into prepared pie crust and let set for several hours in the fridge.

Serve with unsweetened whipped cream.  

Romaine, Sweet Corn & Blueberry Salad

Three days before official moving day, with a lot of packing left to do, and fighting rising temperatures in the city, we wanted to eat whatever would not produce extra dishes.  Leftover lasagna from the freezer served with a fresh salad fit the bill: a slightly unusual combination of blueberries and sweet corn make this salad interesting and cool.  I added a handful of trail mix (cashews, almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds) at the last minute.

Combine half a head of romaine (enough bite size pieces for two) with 1/3 cup of fresh blueberries and 1/3 cup of fresh corn (cooked and cut off the cobb, and cooled).  Toss in your favourite vinaigrette (some crushed garlic is a great addition). Add a handful of nuts, raisins and seeds too.

Handle with Care: Walnut, Apricot, Pear & Feta Salad

Recently I've only had eyes for Bibb lettuce. Since being served a salad with these delicate green petals at a restaurant last month, I have a new outlook on the endearing qualities of lowly lettuce and long to have  more amusing bites. But be careful; these leaves bruise easily.

And in completely unrelated news, Kristin Wiig departs SNL.  I would like to dedicate this salad to her because she's funny and she knows it.

Walnut, Apricot, Pear & Feta Salad
Bibb lettuce (half a head is good for two people)
a handful of walnut halves
4 diced dried apricots
1/2 pear, peeled and roughly sliced
1/4 cup feta, cubed
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons diced red onion

For the dressing mix together 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of freshly diced garlic.

eggplant salad with minted yogurt dressing

This salad would have been perfect had I grilled the eggplant long enough. And even without the distinctive grilled haloumi (I used feta pieces) or the finishing touch of sumac (read on...) the salad was a refreshing combination of flavours.  We both ate it, but (me) not overly enthusiastically.  Now you have a go at it...

Tuesday's inspiration; easy eastside eats

Here's a new one: pass by that excellent restaurant I want to try soon (Ruby Watchco), read the daily menu posted in the window ($49 for 4 courses ... maybe next month), stop by their sister store (Ruby Eats) to pick up ingredients, go home and mimic their salad for supper. Oh, and round it out with a couple slices of St. Johns organic bread from the bakery on Broadview Avenue. I took home a delightful walnut and raisin loaf, plus a spelt loaf with a very pretty detail on the top.

Salad ingredients: baby greens, red onion, blue cheese, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette