Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Foccacia Bread with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes


Do you like making bread and working with dough? Well I absolutely love it! There's just something very comforting to me about taking simple ingredients like flour, yeast, and olive oil and turning them into something warm and crispy and chewy from the oven.

And bread is a lot more simple to make than people might think. In our busy world of convenience, I believe we've been robbed of some very basic, simple pleasures - not to mention the fact that anything homemade right out of the oven just tastes better!

You can make this bread without the toppings and it is still just delicious, but my secret ingredient in many, many recipes is roasted tomatoes - especially in the winter when tomatoes aren't in season. Roasting them gives a depth of flavour and sweetness that can't be beat!

 To roast tomatoes simply Lay them, cut side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme and garlic. Roast for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and roast the tomatoes until caramelized, about 20 minutes more.

Okay, now back to the bread.

First, let me couch this by saying I have a full time job along with a side line business, and I still find time just about every day to make meals from scratch - this includes homemade pizza, pasta, and today's bread.

Now before you start accusing me of being the energizer bunny, let me reassure you, nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, in years past, the first thing I thought about when I arrived home from work was "Where's the takeout menus?" Followed by "What's on TV tonight?"

That was before I became intentional about my happpiness.

Nowadays, the first thing I do when I get in the door is take a deep breathe of appreciation for my cozy home. I put on comfy soft clothes, some background music, pour a glass of wine, and get into the kitchen. Oh the pleasure of it! The smells, the textures, the absolute relaxation of letting ingredients sing.

Looking for a slower, more delectable life? Get thee to some dough.

Tell em The Kitchen Witch sent you!

Foccacia Bread with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes
Adapted from the original recipe at Inspired Taste 

Visit printable recipe HERE


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 roasted tomatoes
  • 10 olives (pick your favourite kind) sliced
Directions

  1. In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and the black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic-olive oil mixture. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough.
  4.  Press the tomatoes and olives into the dough then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the garlic-olive oil mixture. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it puffs slightly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Carrot, Coconut, Curry Soup

 In the fall and winter I have an absolute love affair going with soup - especially at lunch time.

For years I used to buy my lunch, spending between $7-$15.00 per day on sodium laden, mostly processed restaurant meals because I told myself I just didn't have the time to cook foods from scratch.

But over the last few years, I've had a bit of an awakening when it comes to what I eat and the myth that cooking is a difficult task that should be avoided at all costs in the name of convenience.

This is a belief created by the advertising industry, not reality.

Most days now I look forward to coming home to cook. It's tactile and satisfying to create real food with real ingredients - not to mention a boon to the pocket book! Who knew you could create a complete meal with a bag of carrots, an onion, a few spices, and some broth?

During these chiily days of winter, I can't think of a more satisfying thing to take for lunch or serve for dinner!

Carrot, Coconut, Curry Soup
For printable recipe click HERE
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp Thai green curry paste
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 6 cups peeled and chopped carrots (approx. 10 large carrots)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 8 oz can coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  •  fresh squeezed lime and cilantro
Directions
  1. In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in either a bit of olive oil, vegetable stock or  water for 3-4 minutes.    
  2. Add the ginger and carrot and continue stirring. Stir in the spices and cook for a few more minutes.
  3. Add the coconut milk and vegetable broth and let simmer lightly, uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are cooked through.
  4. Either using an immersion blender or by placing the soup in a blender or food processor, puree until smooth and creamy
  5. Add additional salt and pepper, lime and cilantro to taste and serve. 

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff


Before I became vegan, I used to crave comforting dishes like beef stroganoff, never imagining that old time tastes and textures could be updated and recreated in  new ways.

Not only is this delicious, it really does taste like a stroganoff - with the added benefit being, it's packed with fiber and protein so it's also very filling. And very filling means, you eat less, so we've got a win win right across the board!

The white sauce is made with white kidney beans and the trademark stroganoff flavour comes from dill.

This winner of a recipe is easy to make and the sauce freezes well.

I hope you enjoy!




Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
Visit printable recipe HERE
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
  • 2, 540 ml tins no salt added white kidney beans
  • 1 pod Knorr's homestyle vegetable stock 
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 12-15 button mushrooms
  • 3 medium cloves of garlic
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 large dill pickle
  • 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
  • 1 tbsp dry dill weed
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 
  • 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1, 340 gram package egg free wide pasta ribbons (Walmart carries these)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley
Prep It!
  1. Drain the kidney beans into a large collander and run under cold water until no foam comes off the beans. 
  2. Place beans into a food processor with 1/2 cup water and process until smooth.
  3. Wash the mushrooms and cut into quarters.
  4. Peel 3 medium sized cloves of garlic and mince finely.
  5. Dice the dill pickle into small 1/8 of an inch pieces.
  6. Measure out the dill pickle juice, dill weed, and nutritional yeast.
  7. Chop the parsley.
Cook It!
  1. Bring a large stock pot filled with salted water to the boil.
  2. Boil the noodles for 5-7 minutes (I prefer my noodles al dente so only ever cook for 5 minutes).
  3. In a large stock pot, or deep pan, saute the mushrooms over medium high heat in the olive oil - just until they begin to release their water.
  4. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently until it becomes fragrant. 
  5. Add the remaining cup of water and stir well to incorporate. 
  6. Add the processed beans, the vegetable stock pod, pickles, pickle juice, dill weed, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Stir well. 
  7. Drain the cooked noodles and add to the sauce, stirring so that everything is well coated. 
  8. Add the fresh parsley and serve.