All posts filed under: Winter

Soup Series: Beef Stew with Dumplings

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I couldn’t get through my #SoupSeries without including a meat-based soup. And while this isn’t a soup, I still think that this qualifies to be in the series since: 1) it’s warming, 2) contains rich broth and veggies and 3) makes you feel all cozy inside. So here it is, my recipe for Beef Stew with Dumplings. While soups and stews can contain both meat and veggies, they are a bit different. The main difference between a soup and a stew is consistency. Obviously a stew is thicker (i.e. not as watery) because it uses less stock or water in the recipe. Also, while others may not 100% agree with me on this, the size of the chunks of meat and veggies are much larger in a stew than a soup. I love biting into a big, tender piece of meat or carrot. It just makes it seem much more hearty, rich and filling! To make a great beef stew you need to build lots of flavour at the beginning when you are cooking the …

Soup Series: Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Soup

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Just like I mentioned in my Fried Cauliflower with Coconut-Curry Dipping Sauce post, I can’t seem to get enough of cauliflower these days. I love the dense and hearty texture of this cruciferous vegetable in the late fall and early winter. It just seems to really fill you up and keep you warm. Speaking of keeping you warm, you wouldn’t suppose this yummy veggie would keep you EXTRA warm in soup form? Hey, I’m looking for any heat I can get- it is the rainy season after all! So there it is, in all its cauliflower and garlicky glory, Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic soup! My partner and I had a version of this soup last spring at Artisan Eats Cafe on Bowen Island. It was so warm and comforting on this cold day, and that view was really amazing! I however, could have done without the semi-burnt toast and tons of cream in the soup. But from the first spoonful, I knew I had to make this at home! And clearly it was a very memorable …

German Sauerkraut

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Steins of beer, colourful lederhosen and dirndles, and folk music can only mean one thing…Oktoberfest is here! While I may not be in Germany to partake in these celebrations, I am celebrating at home with my recipe for German Sauerkraut! My German Sauerkraut (with an obligatory side of mustard) styled with flowers from Il Fioraio Florist, linen dinner napkin from Kaiko Design , and squash from Kins Farm Market!  Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest is not held during the month of October, rather in September. The festival is held annually in Munich and is 16 days long. I can’t even imagine how much beer can be consumed in 16 days LOL! With all that beer comes good food, entertainment, dancing and singing- sounds like a crazy party! If you are lucky enough to visit Munich during this fall harvest celebration, good for you! But if not, you can always celebrate at home with a few tasty German dishes and lots of beer (responsibly of course!). All in all, this recipe for German Sauerkraut HAS to be …

Rosemary Roast Beef with Red Wine Sauce

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Now, there’s nothing that says “I’m an adult” more than cooking yourself a roast beef. I mean- who does that besides moms and grandmas? Not any young adult I know! While cooking a roast beef can be a bit daunting, it is actually really easy as the oven does most of the work. Just follow these four tricks and you will have a nice, juicy roast- perfect for Sunday suppers! The first trick is to take the roast beef out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you want to cook it. Allowing the roast to warm up to room temperature ensures that it cooks much more evenly throughout. If the center of the roast is still cold, then it won’t cook evenly, leaving you with an overcooked outside and a rare middle. The second trick is to sear the roast before baking in the oven. After rubbing the beef with olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper and dried rosemary, and stuffing it with garlic, I use a well-seasoned cast iron pan to sear the roast on …

Kabocha Squash Curry

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As we can’t seem to shake the cold here in Vancouver, I have been making lots of hearty recipes to keep me warm and full. I honesty feel like a hibernating bear being on the eat, sleep, and avoid the outside as much as possible-train. To keep me full and warm this recipe for Kabocha Squash Curry is just the ticket. Kabocha Squash is a variety of squash that originated in Japan. If you haven’t had it before, it tastes like a cross between a sweet potato, a pumpkin and chestnuts. If that doesn’t scream “best winter vegetable ever”, I really don’t know what does. Kabocha Squash has a tough green or orange speckled rind (so make sure you have a sharp knife to cut it with), but you can actually eat the rind as it is very tasty and nutritious. After trying this squash for the first time it instantly became one of my top favourites (maybe almost as good as butternut squash!). In this winter-friendly curry, Kabocha Squash is stewed with warm, spicy South-East …

Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Honey

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Over the past few days, it has been very cold, but we finally have sun! Like so sunny to the point that there’s not a cloud in the sky- very peculiar for Vancouver winters. Despite the cold, these days have me reminiscing of those beautiful, warm, sunny days of summer at the beach… and how I would give anything to be back there again. While the sun is still around, I am going to take full advantage of it’s positive, happy, summery vibes. I’m even going to increase the happy summer vibes even more with my delicious and healthy breakfast of Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Honey. Not only is grapefruit a lovely bright fruit that just screams happiness and summer, it’s also in season! #CitrusSeason 😀 Obviously, we can’t grow grapefruit in BC, but we can definitely import it from warmer countries to enjoy while they are in season. I had this breakfast for the first time at a cute little B&B in Victoria, BC a few years ago and I have been making it ever since. I …

Winter Fruit Salad

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Nowadays, it’s typical for every fruit and vegetable in the grocery store to have a passport. In Canada, this makes sense as the majority of the country is frozen during our long winters, which makes it difficult to grow food (other than what can be grown in a greenhouse). In reality, our fruit season is relatively short- from June to late October- depending on where you are in Canada and what you are growing…so thank goodness for imports! During this time of year, many fruits that are sold in BC and throughout Canada are imported from warmer climates- particularly from California, Florida, and Mexico. While these fruits aren’t local, we still need to eat fruit to get our vitamins and to stay healthy. This Winter Fruit Salad combines the most flavourful fruits of the season from all over the world together in salad form. In my fruit salad, I used oranges (Florida, USA), clementines (Spain), kiwi (New Zealand), pomegranate (California, USA), pears (Italy), and good ol’ Canadian apples (Okanagan, BC). Wow- fruits from three continents! …