Blog / Recipes

Strawberry Pavlova for Canada 150!

Posted on June 27, 2017

Pavlova Sept 17 2016

Celebrate red and white! Happy birthday Canada!

Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
2 cups whipping cream
raspberries
strawberries, sliced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
3. Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the centre, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
5. In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
6. Remove the parchment paper and place meringue on a flat serving plate.
7. Fill the centre of the meringue with whipped cream. Top with raspberries and sliced strawberries.

Who wants seconds?!

This recipe is from one of my favourite sources: AllRecipes.com

Love Your Heart with these Power Bowls!

Posted on March 6, 2017

Power Bowl salad cropped png image

I’m a life longer learner and passionate about eating, delicious wholesome food! So when I was invited to a Love Your Heart – #CanolaConnect Culinary Workshop hosted by Canola Eat Well, I immediately jumped at the opportunity! It was an evening of learning, cooking, tasting and networking. Here are the event highlights!

Sue Mah standing
A fun evening of learning with my dietitian buddies! Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

The Fabulous Food
The evening began with a spread of delicious appetizers ranging from Beef Tartine on Marble Rye with Hummus and Marinated Feta to Pommes Anna with Anchovy Chili and Cured Yolk. My hands down fave was the Marinated Zucchini with Fresh Ricotta served on a Baguette Crostini. What a winner – super presentation, a combo of textures and made with canola oil! Confession – I went back for seconds!

Zucchini snag it
One of many tasty appetizers! Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

The Creative Chef
I was absolutely thrilled to meet Alexandra Feswick, Executive Chef at the Drake Hotel in Toronto! Inspired by local ingredients, Chef Alexandra created this gorgeous Power Bowl that’s bursting with flavour, colour and heart healthy goodness. “The combination of veggies is endless,” says Chef Alexandra whose salad bowl includes kale, Brussels sprouts, beets, sweet potatoes, avocado, figs and black beans.

Chef Alexandra Feswick. Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

Power Bowl salad cropped png image
Chef Alexandra’s Power Bowl! Photography by Sue Mah

We made our own salad dressing using the star ingredient – canola oil – and mixed in a blend of fresh herbs. With a neutral flavour, canola oil absorbs the flavours of herbs and spices, making it so versatile for salad dressings, baking, barbecuing and cooking. Chef Alexandra’s advice on food? “If you source ingredients properly, food should taste the way it’s meant to taste. And I really encourage people to experiment, after all, it’s just food!”

Sue cooking salad
Mixing our own salad dressings. Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

Power Bowl with Green Goddess Dressing
Recipe by Chef Alexandra Feswick, Executive Chef at Drake Hotel

Green Goddess Dressing
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp crème fraiche
½ tsp garlic minced
1 Tbsp chopped herbs (chives, tarragon, parsley, mint, cilantro)

1. Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard + canola oil together until well combined.
2. Add in crème fraiche + garlic and mix.
3. Gently add in mixed herbs and fold into the rest of the mixture.

Power Bowl
1 cup chopped kale
1 Tbsp black beans
1 Tbsp Brussels sprouts, roasted w canola oil
1 Tbsp chopped beets, cooked
1 Tbsp diced sweet potato, roasted w canola oil
1 Tbsp amaranth seeds, cooked
1 tsp almonds, roasted with canola oil
1 tsp cashews, roasted with canola oil
½ avocado
½ fig

1. Marinate kale with Green Goddess dressing.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and toss together.
3. Enjoy!

The Passionate Farmer
Meet Jeanette Andrashewski, a canola farmer on a third generation farm in Two Hills, Alberta (about 140 km outside of Edmonton). As one of the 43,000 canola farmers in Canada, Jeanette takes pride in producing a Canadian product. When asked why she farms, her answer is honest and honourable, “We get to be our own boss and we get to feed the world.” Rotating through other crops such as wheat, barley and peas helps to keep Jeanette’s farmland healthy, “We want our food to be safe, affordable and nutritious. Our canola oil is going to your family.”

Farmer
Farmer Jeanette cares about producing safe, affordable and nutritious food. Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

The Research Dietitian
Shaunda Durance-Tod reminded us of the many nutrition and health benefits of canola oil. For starters, canola oil is low in saturated fat and packed with heart healthy omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fats. Plus it’s a good source of vitamin E and vitamin K.

Dietitian Shaunda. Photography by Sue Mah

The Fun & Love
Put 26 dietitians in a beautiful, spacious venue at Luxe Appliance Studio, and you’re bound to get great laughs and inspiration! In honour of Heart Month, we were asked to share how we love our hearts. Chef Alexandra goes for a run. Farmer Jeanette practises meditation. Dietitian Shaunda stays calm. And me? I wake up with a heart full of gratitude and practise yoga daily! What about you? How do you love your heart?

Group photo
Fun and friendship at the Luxe Appliance Studio. Photography by Josh-Tenn Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

Disclosure: #CanolaConnect was a sponsored event for dietitians and this is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lucky Foods for the Lunar New Year!

Posted on January 27, 2017

Kung Hei Fat Choy! January 28, 2017 is the Lunar New Year and it’s the Year of the Rooster!

Watch my TV interview about the do’s and don’ts as well as lucky foods to ring in the new year!

DO…
• Wear red! It’s a lucky colour and is thought to scare away the bad spirits!
• Repay your debts so that you have no money owning going into the New Year.
• Give or accept lucky money envelopes. If you’re married, you give lucky money to your kids, nephews and nieces. If you’re single or unmarried, you can still receive these lucky money envelopes from your parents.

DON’T…
• Clean, sweep or dust your house because it will sweep out the good luck.
• Wash your hair. This is also thought to wash away the good luck and good fortune.
• Speak any negative words. For example, don’t talk about death and don’t say the number “four” because this sounds like the word for “death” in Chinese.

LUCKY FOODS

Fish
Fish
This is always on the menu for the Lunar New Year because the Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for “abundance” or “having a lot”. Fish symbolizes an abundance of money and wealth. The steamed white fish is served whole, with the head and tail intact, as this symbolizes a good start and end to the new year. The head of the fish is turned towards the elders as a sign of respect.

Chicken Wraps
Chicken
The Chinese word for chicken sounds like the word for “prosperity”. In this Lucky Chicken Lettuce Wrap recipe, you can use chicken breast or ground chicken. The fresh green lettuce (“choy”) represents wealth. Also, iceberg lettuce, bibb lettuce and romaine lettuce all symbolize longevity.

Dumplings
The boat shaped dumplings symbolize wealth and resemble the shape of the gold and silver ingots which were used as money 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that the more dumplings you can eat on New Year’s, the more money you will have in the year!

Noodles
Long noodles symbolize a long life. The noodle dish is often prepared as a vegetarian entrée and is made with a variety of vegetables – carrots for the lucky colour orange, and cabbage for the wealthy “choy”.

Oranges cookies Mandarin oranges and almond cookies
For a sweet start to the New Year, enjoy mandarins / clementines and almond cookies. Oranges with the stems and leaves intact symbolize life and longevity.

Lucky Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Posted on January 23, 2017

Chicken Wraps

January 28th, 2017 is Chinese New Year! Ring in the New Year with this lucky appetizer – chicken symbolizes prosperity while lettuce symbolizes wealth! Bonus – the wraps are fun to eat and taste great!

Ingredients
4 – 5 T hoisin sauce
2 T light soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1 pound ground chicken (or diced chicken breast)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ginger, minced
1 head Bibb, Boston or romaine lettuce
Red pepper, julienned (for garnish)
Green onions, julienned (for garnish)

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Whisk in cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp of canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and crumble it with a spoon or spatula as you are cooking it. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the internal temperatures reaches 165 F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean bowl.
3. Heat 1 tsp of canola oil in the frying pan. Add the onions and carrots, and cook until tender. Add water chestnuts, garlic and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the chicken back to the pan. Stir in the sauce and continue cooking until the sauce begins to bubble and the chicken is thoroughly coated with sauce.
5. Gently separate the lettuce leaves. Wash and pat the leaves dry. Place a large spoonful of the chicken mixture in the centre of the lettuce leaf. Garnish with red pepper and green onions. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.

Asian Pork Tenderloin

Posted on August 15, 2016

Pork tenderloin recipe
Flavourful and tender, you’ll love this on its own, in a Bánh Mì or in a Cuban-style sandwich.

Directions
2 pork tenderloins (about ¾ – 1 lb each)
¼ cup light soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon or honey mustard
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Trim off the silver skin on the pork tenderloin.
2. In a small bowl, make the marinade: whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, mustard, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Place the pork tenderloin in a large re-sealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight, turning the bag occasionally so that the pork is all coated.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F.
5. Transfer the pork tenderloin to a foil-lined baking dish.
6. Cook in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the centre reads 160°F.
7. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.
8. Pour any remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Drizzle over pork slices. Serve with green a green salad.
9. Use leftovers to make a Bánh Mì sandwich or a Cuban-style sandwich (see recipes below).

Makes 4-6 servings

Bánh Mì Sandwich
Slice a piece of French baguette lengthwise. Spread mayonnaise on each half of the bread. Add leftover pork slices, julienned cucumbers, julienned pickled carrots*, cilantro and a few slices of jalapeño pepper.

*To make Pickled Carrots: Combine ¼ cup white vinegar (or rice vinegar or cider vinegar) and ¼ cup white sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the carrots. Let the carrots stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight so that carrots soften. Drain well before adding to sandwich.

Cuban-style Sandwich
Slice a Panini roll lengthwise. Spread butter on the outside of each half. Spread mustard on the inside of each half. Add leftover pork slices, Swiss or provolone cheese and a few thin slices of pickles. Place sandwich in a heated Panini grill or sandwich press. Grill the sandwich until cheese has melted.

Food Day Canada – Hug a famer, kiss a chef, eat real food!

Posted on July 27, 2016

FoodDayCanada_Logo

This annual summer event actually started in 2003 as the “World’s Longest BBQ” as a grassroots effort to support local farmers, especially the Canadian beef industry which was hard hit by the news of mad cow disease.

Today, on the Saturday of every August long weekend, foodies across the country celebrate Food Day Canada.

Spearheaded by writer, author and culinary explorer Anita Stewart, Food Day Canada is a chance for all Canadians to celebrate and praise our farmers, fishers, chefs, researchers and home cooks.

I just spent hours soaking up the amazing info on the FoodDayCanada.ca website! It’s literally bursting with ideas and recipes to help you celebrate:
– Enjoy a delicious restaurant meal that features Canadian cuisine!
– Cook like a Canadian! Take a look at this long this list of delicious, tested recipes. Drool alert! Which one will you try?
– Shop like a Canadian! Stewart has complied an incredible list of 149 Canadian ingredients (in honour of Canada’s 149th birthday) that can help set the table. All I can say here is WOW!!
– Share the love. Post your stories and pics on social media with #FoodDayCanada and #CanadaIsFood. Be inspired and inspire others to join the celebration!
– Embrace Stewart’s mantra: Hug a farmer, kiss a chef, eat real food!

Pomodori Gratinati (Crunchy Tomatoes)

Posted on July 26, 2016

tomatoes cruncy recipe Florence

On my recent trip to Italy, Chef Stefania Borgioli taught me how to make this delicious dish! A great recipe for your garden tomatoes!

Ingredients
10 ripe tomatoes ( Sammarzano or Roma type)
1 garlic clove
Parsley
Basil
3 handfuls of bread crumbs
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt

Directions
1. Cut tomatoes in half; gently remove the seeds, and salt them a little.
2. In a blender put all of the other ingredients to make a “panure” (breadcrumb mixture).
3. Put the tomatoes in a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Stuff the tomatoes with the panure.
4. Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes or until golden on top.
5. Enjoy hot or at room temperature. Perfect also to dress pasta.

Recipe printed with permission from Chef Stefania, Toscana in Bocca, Florence, Italy.

Lemon Garlic Pasta

Posted on June 23, 2016

Lemon pasta crop.JPG

My kids love the taste of fresh lemons, so we created this pasta dish together.
It’s super easy, and best of all, I always have the ingredients on hand. Use this recipe as a guide and feel free to adjust to your own taste – add more garlic if you’re a garlic fan, add more lemon if you like it more lemony.

To make this a meal, top the pasta with your favourite protein and a big handful of vegetables. I like adding pan-seared shrimp with peas or grilled chicken with diced cherry tomatoes!

Ingredients
4 cups cooked, hot, drained linguine or spaghetti pasta
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
1-2 T fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. In a pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about about 45 seconds or until you can smell its wonderful aroma!
Be careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Remove from heat.
3. Sprinkle in the lemon zest and 1 T lemon juice. Toss.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Taste test and add another 1 T of lemon juice if needed.
Optional: Add fresh basil leaves.

Recipe of the Month – Curry Coconut Shrimp

Posted on May 17, 2016

Coconut shrimp recipe - 2

This has become one of my go-to dinners when I’m pressed for time. I always have all of the ingredients on hand, including frozen shrimp which I defrost quickly under cold running water as I’m chopping the onion. Thanks to AllRecipes.com for this wonderful recipe!

Ingredients
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 T cornstarch
1 T water
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, red pepper and garlic until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
2. Season with cumin, coriander and curry powder. Cook for 1 more minute. Stir in coconut milk, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes.
3. Sir in shrimp, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir until shrimp is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1 T water. Stir into shrimp mixture and cook until sauce has thickened. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.
5. Serve with your favourite grain.

Recipe – Prosciutto-wrapped Mango Bites

Posted on April 21, 2016

Prosciutto wrapped mango bites I found this fantastic appetizer recipe at myrecipes.com. Just 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make. The taste is out of this world! Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled
1 ½ cups loosely packed arugula
1 package fresh basil
4 very thin slices of prosciutto or ham
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Preparation
1. Cut mango into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices (about 16 slices in total). Place 1 mango slice on top of 3 arugula leaves and 1 to 2 basil leaves.
2. Cut each prosciutto slice lengthwise into 4 strips. Wrap center of each mango bundle with 1 prosciutto strip. Arrange on a serving platter, and sprinkle with pepper.

To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed. Cover with damp cloth and chill 30 minutes.

Options: You can substitute slices of honeydew, cantaloupe, apple or pear for the mango. If using apple or pear slices, dip them in lemon or lime juice first to prevent them from browning.

Love to learn? Love to eat?