Lemon Coconut Pie

I recently found this awesome enamel pie plate at Value Village for $3 and knew I had to have it.  It's so pretty!  The only problem is that unless it's a pot pie, I never make pies.  The reason being that I suck at making pie crust.  I don't know why, I follow directions and tips, but my pie crusts never turn out.  So I decided to make a crust out of crushed Lady Fingers instead.  Way easier, and it tastes great too!  

I love everything lemony, and this pie is no exception.  I also like that it's different from lemon meringue...because you can't have too many types of lemon pies:)

Lemon Coconut Pie

1 1/4 cups crushed Lady Finger Biscuits

1/4 cup + 3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

zest and juice from one lemon

2 eggs

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix the crushed Lady Fingers with 1/4 cup of sugar, the butter, and the lemon zest.  Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of a pie pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.

Beat the eggs and remaining sugar together until well blended.  Add the flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and salt and mix well.  Pour into the cooked pie crust and then cover with the coconut.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until browned.  Chill in the fridge for a few hours before cutting.  Enjoy!

Spring Roll Salad

Everything about this salad is amazing!  The flavours blend together so well, I could probably eat it every day.  And it's so refreshing to have in the middle of winter.  The fresh lime and cilantro and the overall brightness of this salad makes me feel like spring is just around the corner.  I found the original recipe for this salad here, but I have made a few changes to it, such as the addition of mango.  I love mango in spring rolls, and I also think mango, cilantro, and lime go really well together, so I wanted it in this salad.  If you have the time I recommend making the dressing ahead of time so the flavours have a chance to mingle.  I found it tasted better the next day, but it was also delicious the first day, so if you can't make it ahead of time don't worry.

Spring Roll Salad

100g Vermicelli noodles, cooked according to pkg

3 cups shredded Napa Cabbage

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup sliced English cucumber

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 mango, julienned

1 can baby corn, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

spicy dressing:

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp minced ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

Cut the noodles into bite-sized pieces and put in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss.  

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and stir into the salad.  

Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup

This is a wonderful, full-flavoured soup that is warming on a cold winter's day.  And with an ingredient list of old cheddar, roasted cauliflower, and delectable leeks...how could it not be delicious?  When I made it I only pureed it a bit with the blender so that there were still tasty pieces of cauliflower in the soup.  Roasting the cauliflower first added a wonderful nutty taste.  I sometimes roast cauliflower as a side dish and then toss some Parmesan cheese on it using this same roasting method- it's delicious!

Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1+1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, ends and dark green parts removed

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 cup shredded old white cheddar

1 cup milk

salt and pepper

optional: parsley and/or orange cheddar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Roast on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, until browned, stirring once or twice.

Cut the leek in half lengthwise and then thinly slice both halves. In a large pot heat the remaining oil then add the leek.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until it is softened.  Add the broth, wine, thyme, and roasted cauliflower.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

Use a submersion (hand) blender to puree the soup into the desired consistency.  Mix in the cheese and milk and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Fresh Mixed Vegetables

Sometimes I just crave simple vegetables with a side of rice, and these veggies were perfect.  They added so much colour to my plate, and had a great melding of flavours.  I used green beans, carrots, and yellow and orange peppers to make this.  I would have added red peppers too if I had had some in my fridge.  When I paired this with a brown and wild rice medley it made for a filling and healthy meal.  When making this dish just be careful to not overcook the vegetables, the fresh crispness of them add to the taste of the dish.  These vegetables are also a great addition to penne tossed with a cream sauce.

1 large carrot, peeled and julienned

1/2 orange pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips

large handful of green beans, trimmed

1/2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup vegetable broth

freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a large pan over med-high heat.  Add the carrots and green beans and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth and cover pan for 3 minutes.  Add the peppers and cover pan again for 2-3 minutes or until carrots and green beans are tender-crisp.  Season with pepper and enjoy!

Citrus Compote Breakfast Bowl

I have always been a breakfast eater - after all it is the most important meal of the day- but I find I always end up eating the same thing.  Cereal, yogurt, maybe a banana if I'm feeling extra healthy. Just something quick that will get me through the morning.  There have been many times that I have bought grapefruit in the hopes that I will eat it at breakfast, but then I find I don't have time in the morning to eat it.  But with this recipe I can have a quick, healthy breakfast that includes grapefruit and so much more.  The compote stays good in the refrigerator for 3 days so you can make it on a Sunday night and enjoy this flavourful breakfast in the morning with no fuss.  Best of all, it has all four food groups in it, and lots of protein when you use Greek yogurt.

Citrus Compote Breakfast Bowl for Four

2 pink grapefruit

2 oranges

3 clementines

1/2 tsp orange zest

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

1 cardamom pod, lightly crushed

1" piece of cinnamon stick

1" piece of ginger, cut into strips

2 cups plain or vanilla Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup Pecans

1 cup Granola 

Supreme the grapefruit, oranges, and clementines, reserving at least a 1/2 cup of juice.  

In a small pan mix 1/2 cup of citrus juice with the zest, honey, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Strain the syrup and pour over the segmented pieces of fruit.  Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavours mingle.

Divide the yogurt between 4 bowls, topping with the compote, pecans, and granola.  Enjoy!