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Canola Eat Well Holiday Baking Party

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Who doesn’t love baking up a storm, hanging with your girlfriends, learning about food, and sipping some wine? I got to do all this and more last week attending a farm-to-table holiday baking party hosted by Canola Eat Well. The event took place at Luxe Appliance Studio, a stunning cooking space on King St East here in Toronto, and was hosted by cookbook author and chef Emily Richards.

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A neutral oil, canola oil can be used for frying as well as in sweet or savory recipes. Emily explained its versatility and how well it lets other flavours shine. A great versatile healthy oil to have in your pantry, I often use it in baking and for making popcorn the old fashioned way on the stove top using a pot and kernels.

My dad’s family has run a successful family dairy operation for generations. At the event I especially loved getting to chat with a Canadian canola farmer from Alberta about how the farm-to-table dining craze supports Canadian farmers and their local communities. Just another reason to reach for canola oil!

To kick off the evening and get our hands dirty we crushed some canola seeds. A practice canola farmers still do today to grade the quality of their canola seed. We were even able to expel some canola oil.
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A highlight of the night for me was connecting with Emily, a successful cookbook author and mom of three. She shared some tips on weeknight family dinners and the beauty of cooking and eating as a family. Emily talked about watching her grandmother use canola oil this time of year in holiday baking and shared some of her favourite recipes. I have included her aranaci rice ball recipe below.  If arancini is on the menu at a restaurant I always order it to share as a starter. Crispy and cheesy, a perfect small bite with some wine. It’s featured, along many other delicious Southern Italian recipes in her latest cookbook Per La Famiglia. A great Christmas gift for a foodie!

Arancini (Cheese-filled Rice Balls)

Ingredients for filling:
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp saffron threads
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 egg

Ingredients for Coating:
6 oz mozzarella, provolone, asiago or havarti cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs
4-6 cups canola oil (for frying)
good quality sea salt (to sprinkle after frying)

Filling: Boil water and saffron in large pot. Add rice and reduce heat to low stiring frequently for about 20 minutes or until tender but firm. Add romano cheese and butter. Set aside and let cool. Coating: Cut cheese into 16-18 small cubes and set aside. In a shallow dish whisk eggs. Divide rice filling into 16-18 small balls. Make an indentation in each ball and place cheese cube, then seal indentation. Roll balls in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. In a large saucepan heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry balls in small batches 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain on a paper towel lined dish. I added a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to these as they cooled as well.

I served these at home with a little tomato sauce for dipping and topping and they were a huge hit.

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Photo credit: photography by Josh Tenn-Yuk courtesy of Canola Eat Well. This event and post was sponsored by Canola Eat Well. All opinions and comments are my own.

tomato + zucchini baked egg shakshuka

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Tomatoes, zucchini, garlic and feta – maybe some of my favourite flavours ever. Shakshuka hails as a breakfast dish in the Middle East, but I often make it for weeknight suppers or late lunch on Sunday afternoons.

It cooks in one pan, and we sometimes have fresh bread from the market on Saturdays to scoop it all up with. Other wins? Shakshuka cooks in one pan, is meatless and loaded with veggies and protein from those eggs. Can you tell I have gone back to work with the cooks-in-one-pan business? Life’s full of big beautiful feelings with my boy now in daycare and it’s BUSY. Three of out four meals I am cooking these days cook in one pot or pan i.e.: soups, frittatas and dishes like this one. Okay enough about me, back to the recipe! I used tomatoes and zucchinis, but you can easily substitute any veggie your family likes. Red peppers, mushrooms or spinach all work. I’ll often make this on Sunday and enjoy it Monday for lunch, it’s one of those dishes that reheats well the next day too. Recipe makes four servings when paired with a green salad or fresh bread.

tomato + zucchini baked egg shakshuka

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion sliced into half moons
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 small or 1 large zucchini sliced into half moons
2 tomatoes diced
1 and 1/2 cups canned tomatoes or leftover tomato sauce
4 eggs
handful feta
chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil in an oven proof pan (like a cast iron) on the stove top. Add onion and salt and pepper. Saute onion on low-medium heat until fragrant, approximately 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini and fresh tomatoes and paprika and cumin. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and zucchini lightly browns.

Add canned tomatoes or leftover tomato sauce scrapping up any bits that are sticking. I almost always use leftover marinara-style tomato sauce which I usually have hanging around in my fridge or freezer. This has some basil and oregano already in it, so feel free check the seasoning and add a pinch of each and some extra salt and pepper if using canned tomatoes. If they are whole canned tomatoes, break them up a bit with your hands as you add them. Cook and stir occasionally until canned tomatoes warm. Lastly, using a wooden spoon push back the sauce and veggies creating an empty space in the pan for each egg. Break the eggs (I use a bowl in case of shells) one by one and add in. Transfer pan to the oven. Sprinkle feta on top. Bake for 5-10 minutes based on how well done you want your eggs. With a little toddler eating this at my house I veer more towards the 10 min mark. Serve straight from the oven topped with parsley and dive in.

butter chicken with coconut milk

easy butter chickeneasy butter chickenButter chicken tops my list of comfort foods. I had a fierce craving the other day and  crafted this easy homemade version instead of ordering in. This curry was simple to make and amazing to eat. I used a can of coconut milk, instead of the traditional whipping cream and love it all the more for being healthier. The little knob of butter at the end makes the recipe just the slightest bit better. The sauce a bit glossier. A little bit of butter goes a long way. I froze a few containers for busy weeknights and it was perfection. Makes 6 servings.

butter chicken with coconut milk

Ingredients:
2 small cooking onions chopped
2 inch knob of ginger peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 heaping tbsp good quality yellow curry powder
1 heaping tsp cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
1 can of diced tomatoes (400ml)
1 can coconut milk (400ml)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks (or 8 boneless chicken thighs)
1 tbsp butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh cilantro for topping

Coat the bottom of a large pot generously with olive oil. Sauté onion on medium heat until fragrant with salt and pepper to taste, approximately 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add a touch more oil if needed. Using a wooden spoon stir the curry powder, cumin and chili flakes into the pot. The goal here is to create an aromatic curry paste. Add a small splash of water if needed. Cook for two more minutes reducing the heat slightly. (Should smell pretty amazing by now.)

Add the chopped chicken to the pot and coat in curry paste. Pour in tomatoes. Using the wooden spoon again scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate any bits that are sticking. The acidity of the tomatoes helps here. Add can of coconut milk. Let simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice. Taste test for salt and pepper. Stir in butter. At this point I let the curry rest on the stove for about an hour to cool and thicken and for the flavours to mingle. Serve over rice or quinoa and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.

flank steak tostadas

flank steak tostados
I love Mexican food. Tostadas are one of my favourite dishes to order in Mexican restaurants so I thought it time to create it at home. Since figuring out the recipe, I think I’ve made this at least four times this winter already!

Serve with soft corn or wheat tortillas, or lettuce wraps or with rice/quinoa. Flank steak is a reasonably priced cut of beef at most butchers and using the slow cooker makes it juicy, tender and fall apart.

Recipes makes 6 servings.

flank steak tostadas

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 – 2 lbs flank steak
  • 2 cooking onions cut into thin slices
  • 2 red bell peppers cut into strips
  • 1 tbsp cumin                                                                                                                                                           
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle powder or chili powder                                                                                                                     
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 6 dashes hot sauce
  • salt and pepper

Serve with:
Cilantro, crumbled feta cheese, salsa, lime slices, avocado

Cut flank steak into large chunks. Should be roughly the size of a hockey puck. This makes it easier to shred after cooking. Slice onions and peppers into strips. Combine spices in a small bowl.

Coat bottom and sides of slow cooker generously with olive oil. Layer the onions on the bottom and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top the onions with the flank steak pieces and sprinkle with spice mixture and hot sauce. Layer the red peppers on top of the flank steak.

The moisture from all that veg makes the meat juicy and I serve the cooked onions and peppers with the meat too. Cook in slow cooker for four hours on high. Let cool slightly and shred with two forks. Be sure to let the meat  sit in remaining liquid in slow cooker for a few minutes too after shredding. 

This freezes well for meal prep.  I add a few spoonfuls of the remaining liquid to keep the meat juicy and moist.

balsamic chicken salad

balsamic chicken salad

It’s almost Christmas! The house abounds with cookies, chocolate, wine and treats. Time for a mini detox and lots of salads and greens leading up to Christmas Day and New Year’s. Whipped up this salad today and the chicken and roasted peppers are really the stars. The recipe for the roasted peppers can be found on my blog here. The balsamic glaze at the end really makes the dish. You can find it at any grocery store or specialty food shop. I add it to salads or over cheese on a cheese board. If you have time on your hands here is a great recipe for how to make it at home from the Pioneer Woman. I have also added toasted pine nuts and asiago or parmesean cheese to this salad to fancy it up for guests too. Recipe below serves two.

balsamic chicken salad

2 big handfuls salad greens
2 roasted peppers (hint: recipe here)
2 chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
herbamare (can be found here)
olive oil
half of a lemon
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
balsamic glaze for drizzling on plate

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Coat chicken breasts with a little olive oil and season each side with salt, pepper and herbamare. Roast in oven (I use my cast iron pan) 10 to 15 minutes a side until browned. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the chicken when you flip it halfway during cooking. Remove chicken from oven to cutting board and let cool. Divide greens onto two plates. Dress the greens with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Top with roasted pepper pieces. Slice the chicken and add to salad plates. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the chicken and dig in!

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