The super bowl

photo by me

As wonderful as the Canada Day long weekend was, I definitely consumed my fair share of booze and junk food. By the time Monday rolled around, I was in some serious need of healthy eats. This was my first time cooking with millet and I found it hearty and satisfying, kind of like a cross between brown rice and quinoa. I topped it with wilted kale, crunchy cucumbers, chewy sun dried tomatoes and creamy avocado for an array of textures. A splash of lemon juice, tamari and chili sauce added just the right amount of punch to this healthy bowl of goodness.

Millet and veggie bowl
Serves 2

1 cup millet (or any other whole grain would do)
2 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt
1/2 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 avocado, sliced lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce would work too)
1 tbsp chili sauce (optional)
2 lemon wedges

In a small pot, bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Add the millet, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a pan and add the minced garlic and kale. Sautee until just wilted, this should only take 3-5 minutes, and set aside for later.

To serve, spoon millet into two bowls and top each one with cucumber, sun dried tomatoes, avocado and kale. Drizzle each bowl with 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and tamari. Garnish with chili sauce and a lemon wedge.

Bon appetit!

P.S. Check out my latest post for One Green Planet here!

Farm fresh

photos by me

This kind of food makes me so happy- colourful, healthy, fresh and straight from the farm to my bowl! After picking up a beautiful assortment of veggies from a local farmer's market earlier in the week I couldn't wait to enjoy them in their purest form. This salad could not be easier to make. I simply chopped up the vegetables and added diced avocado for richness, walnuts for texture and a splash of olive oil and lemon juice to tie it all together. I loved it on its own, but Paul threw the mixture on some bread for a hearty sandwich and tonight I'm tossing it with quinoa for a yummy dinner. Ahh veggies, so versatile!

Fresh farmer's market salad
Serves 4 

1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
4 mini cucumbers, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
juice of 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together and add the olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Couldn't be easier, right?

xo Robin

P.S. Tomorrow I'm off to Toronto Island for a picnic with friends, do you have any must-try recipe suggestions?

Feeling fresh

photo by pwisenberg

Hello and happy May! This was an easy little weekend lunch that turned out to be too adorable not to photograph. I basically grabbed all of my favourite ingredients (including my new found love, cilantro- apparently it no longer tastes like soap to me!) and tossed them in some fresh lime juice and fruity olive oil. The flavours were bright and vibrant and the cucumbers and fresh jalapenos added a welcome crunch. Obviously, a few salty tortilla chips didn't hurt either...

Avocado and spinach salad
Serves 2 

2 cups baby spinach
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, chopped
1 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeno, diced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
about 1 tbsp olive oil
about 1 tbs lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 handfuls of whole grain tortilla chips

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the spinach and tortilla chips, until it looks almost like  a very chunky guacamole. Spoon mixture onto a bed baby spinach and top with tortilla chips. Easy peasy!

Just a quick post tonight, I know... I'm currently watching the Canadian election results (no comment, grr..) and drinking tea while trying to pack/outfit plan for tomorrow when I'll be off to London to attend a swanky dinner with my mum and her colleagues. Speaking of swanky, this weekend I can't wait to go to one of Toronto's best vegan restaurants, Fressen, with some of my favourite friends annnd very soon I can share some exciting news with you all!

Have a great week lovely readers xo

Summer lovin'

photo by me

Hello everyone, it's great to be back to the blogosphere! New York was amazing, I really did not want to leave. I'm so excited to share some of the great photos we took while we there... coming soon I promise! But for now, here's a yummy little dish that has become a standard in my house. I know, I know, the ingredients are not quite in season, but come on, it's so delicious I couldn't resist! My mum has been making a black bean and corn salad like this for years, so I basically took her recipe and added fresh tomatoes and thick slices of ripe avocado, mmm.

Black bean and corn salad
Serves 4

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn (fresh if possible)
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced

Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 1/2 limes
zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine salad all of salad ingredients, reserving avocado. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss to coat. Top with sliced avocado and serve. That's it- supa easy.

Spread the love

photo by me

I rarely eat sandwiches and I never eat white bread, but yesterday I did both and loved every minute of it. After the Mexican dinner party I hosted this weekend, I found myself with a bunch of ripe avocados on hand. Since I must have consumed my weight in guac this weekend, I decided to do something a little different with them. I combined the avocados with white kidney beans, green onion, garlic, lemon and fresh cilantro. It came out surprisingly light and airy (I'm even tempted to call it a mousse) and works equally well as a spread or dip. Seriously delicious, especially when smushed between toasted bread and topped with baby spinach and plum tomatoes. Could there be a more perfect lunch?

Creamy white bean and avocado spread
Yields about 4 cups

1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 very ripe avocados
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 green onions
juice of one lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Whiz up all the ingredients in a food processor and voila! A fresh, healthy and irresistible concoction that works as a spread, dip, pasta sauce, salad dressing or, let's face it, can be eaten straight off the spoon.

Happy eating everyone!