Guest post: Curry in a hurry

Hi everyone!

My name is Caroline and I’m super excited to share this post with you all. Like the Hungry Birdie herself, I am also a law student – studying across the pond in a town called Canterbury (yes from the tales!). As a self-professed cheese aficionado, I have to admit I wasn’t always so thrilled with the idea of vegan cooking. I expected the ingredients to be completely foreign and inaccessible, but reading Robin’s blog inspired me to try a few new recipes (Winter potato salad, Penne with sun dried tomatoes and walnuts… Mmmmm!). And while you probably won’t catch me with a forkful of tofu any day soon, I’m getting a little closer… Enjoy!

Vegetable curry

Serves: 4

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp curry paste
4 plum tomatoes, or similar
2 red bell peppers
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½  can coconut milk
4 cups of spinach or other dark green

Halve and peel one onion and slice into very thin half-moons. In deep pan, sauté onions in olive oil and a pinch of salt until golden and translucent (bonus points if you have the patience to caramelize them slightly). When golden, add two finely chopped cloves of garlic and two tablespoons of your favourite curry paste.

Add a few chopped tomatoes, sliced bell pepper and one can of chickpeas. Shake and pour in half a can of coconut milk. (I freeze the other half in an ice cube tray, pop them out and keep them in the freezer for next time!) Add about a cup of recently boiled water until you are happy with the consistency. Simmer away for a few minutes, add salt if needed.

At the end, wilt in a few handfuls of dark greens – I used organic spinach here. Serve alongside rice, quinoa, or nan bread, and a cold ale if you so fancy it. Enjoy!

If you’re in the mood for a nice light dessert to go with your spicy curry, try…



Baked Plums with Golden Sugar and Allspice

Serves: 4

4 plums, halved and pitted
2 tbsp golden brown sugar
1 ½ tsp allspice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat the exposed side of each plum in the allspice and sugar. Bake cut-side up for 20-25 minutes, until slightly scorched and soft in the middle. (This works better with firm plums.)

Serve warm or room temperature, with chopped nuts or a nice soymilk ice cream!

Tasty taters

photos by pwisenberg

Hello everyone and happy Thanksgiving! Since I finally have time to breathe and relax a bit this weekend, I thought I'd share a recent recipe. I made this mish-mash of a dish on a chilly Tuesday night and it wound up being so flavourful that I felt it deserved to be shared! The star ingredient were the baked sweet potatoes that I seasoned with oregano and paprika. These hearty tots are perfect when cut into thick wedges and served on a bed of bright quinoa salad.

Baked sweet potato wedges and quinoa salad
Serves 4

Baked Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. Place 2 large sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and prick with a fork. Bake for about 45 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and slice into thick wedges. Sprinkle generously with oregano, paprika, sea salt and coarse black pepper.

Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup baby spinach

While the potatoes are cooking, add quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for around 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Sautee until soft and slightly golden. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, dijon and remaining olive oil. Add in the warm quinoa, cooked veggies, walnuts and tomatoes and toss it all together. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the potato wedges over a bed of  warm quinoa and baby spinach for a healthy meal that I guarantee will leave you with a very happy belly!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone xo

Guest post: vegan pizza

photo by pwisenberg

Hi lil' birdies!

My name is Danni and I write a style/design blog, denj. Robin and I met a few years ago in university and we've been cooking yummy dinners together ever since (although I confess, Robin almost always wears the chef hat during these dinners, I'm... the sous-chef?) Anywho, Robin is a busy girl these days at law school, so she asked me to post this yummy vegan pizza I made for a get-together we had a few weeks ago (the very same get-together that we had Robin's Mac n' Cheese from her last post! We were full beyond belief by the end, so much yummy food!) I've never met a soul who didn't love a good pizza, this recipe is a fun spin on a classic. I made this particular one completely cheese-less (vegan or otherwise) but you could always throw a bit on top if you so desire!

Sweet Potato Pizza
Serves 8 as an appetizer 

To buy:

1 flatbread
1 large sweet potato
2 medium tomatoes
5 mushrooms
1/4 red onion
1 red pepper
1/4 cup tomato sauce
fresh basil
1 tsp. olive oil
salt n' pepper

To prepare:

Preheat the oven to 400. Chop up your veggies lengthwise, and your sweet potato into wide flat pieces (chip shaped). Saute your veggies (excluding tomatoes) on the stove to soften. Next, spread your tomato sauce evenly over the flatbread and arrange the veggies on top, drizzle with olive oil, and finish off with fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden. Let cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve!

xo danni

Tasty trio

photo by me

Isn't this trio of crostini just the prettiest thing you ever did see? We had this for dinner recently and enjoyed it outside with a glass of wine. The toppings were actually very simple to prepare and they were all distinct in their flavours- a fresh bruschetta, ginger soy mushrooms and lemon maple asparagus all topped on grilled slices of bread, mmm mmm!

Trio of crostini
Serves 2 as a meal

12 slices whole grain baguette, lightly brushed with oil

Bruschetta 

2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Ginger soy mushrooms

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp chilli garlic sauce
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Lemon maple asparagus

1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp dijon mustard
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by turning on your grill (or stove) to medium-high heat. While the grill heats up, combine all of the mushroom ingredients in one bowl and the asparagus ingredients in another. Spread them out on a grill pan but keep the two toppings separate (or add them to 2 pans on the stove if you don't have a grill). Cook for about 10 minutes, until golden and slightly charred. Meanwhile, prepare the bruschetta mixture by simply combining all of the ingredients in a bowl then set it aside until ready to eat. Lastly, grill the baguette slices (or toast them in the oven) until golden and crispy. Top the bread with the delicious toppings and dig in!

Side note: I hate to choose favourites but if you can only make one of these little beauties, I implore you to make the ginger soy mushrooms. They are rich and savoury with just the right amount of kick from the chilli sauce, a winner if I do say so myself!

Happy summer eating my friends! xo

Twirly whirl

photos by pwisenberg

Despite our proximity to summer, we've still been getting steady doses of gloomy weather here in Toronto. Friday evening was chilly and grey so a warm pasta seemed like the perfect dinner. I knew I wanted to include asparagus and mushrooms and Paul couldn't resist the urge to grill them. The charred veggies wound up being the perfect compliment to the smooth spaghetti which I tossed in a light cream sauce (onions, garlic, white wine and Tofutti cream cheese did the trick). I added cherry tomatoes at the last minute for some colour and acidity. And voila! A simple pasta perfect for a cool summer night.

Creamy spaghetti with grilled vegetables
Serves 4

1 package whole wheat spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup Tofutti vegan cream cheese
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
starchy pasta water

Begin by coating the asparagus and mushrooms in the veg oil, chilli flakes, rosemary and salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until slightly charred, about 6-8 minutes. Back in the kitchen, bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt and add the spaghetti.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic. Season with S & P and cook until soft. Add the white wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Using a wooden spoon, slowly stir in the cream cheese until it has melted to form a smooth sauce. Thin with starchy pasta water if desired, one or two ladle-fulls should do. Stir in the grilled mushrooms and asparagus along with the cherry tomatoes and toss so that all the veggies are coated in the sauce. Lastly, drain the spaghetti and toss in with the vegetables and the sauce.

Enjoy piping hot with a glass of wine and some good company.

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?

Fire it up

photos by pwisenberg

A trip to my neighbourhood organic grocery store inspired me to make this recipe. The ingredients looked so gorgeous, they practically begged me to take them home- thick green spears of asparagus, hearty portobello mushrooms and beautifully-hued bite-sized grape tomatoes. This warm salad was easy to make and satisfying enough to eat for dinner. Plus, it just feels so spring-like with the seasonal asparagus and charred taste from the grill. The veggies were marinated in olive oil, herbs, garlic, dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar, a flavourful bunch if I do say so. The thick slices of portobello are so savoury and filling and the grape tomatoes add a much-needed burst of freshness. I garnished the salad with toasted pumpkin seeds for some extra crunch and served it with grilled crusty bread, perfect for sopping up that delicious marinade.

Warm asparagus and portobello salad
Serves 4

3 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
1/2 package grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
8 small slices whole grain bread, brushed with olive oil

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste

To make the marinade, whisk together all of the ingredient in a bowl until well combined. Taste and rectify the seasoning if necessary. To assemble the salad, begin by coating the mushrooms, asparagus and onions in the marinade and brushing the bread with olive oil (a little sprinkling of sea salt doesn't hurt either). Grill the veggies over high heat (we used a grill pan for the mushrooms and onions, but it isn't necessary), until the asparagus spears are just fork-tender and the mushrooms begin to get a golden brown crust, about 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile, grill the bread on the periphery of the grill where the heat is not so high, about 3 minutes per side. Top warm vegetables with the grape tomatoes and pumpkin seeds and serve with the grilled bread. Couldn't be more simple, couldn't be more yummy!

Soup du jour

photo by pwisenberg

Homemade soup is always better than store-bought, and this simple recipe is no exception. I used a variety of different beans and added hot chili flakes for some extra kick. The dry roasted croutons added the perfect crunch. The best part? It provided Paul and I with a delicious and easy lunch all week long.

Bean and tomato soup with crunchy croutons
Serves 8-10

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups mixed beans, dry or canned (I used dry beans that I'd pre-soaked and cooked)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stocks, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp oregano
splash cider vinegar
1 small can diced tomatoes
4-5 cups veggie broth
2 bay leaves
4 slices day-old whole wheat baguette, cut into cubes

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but trust me it's soo worth it when it means no work for the next few meals! Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Once slightly softened, add the brown sugar, lemon juice, chili powder, chili flakes, and oregano. Cook for a few minutes before deglazing with a splash of vinegar. Next, add the beans, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine and simmer for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better! Meanwhile, sprinkle the bread cubes with sea salt and black pepper and bake at 400 degrees, turning occasionally, until golden brown- about 10-15 minutes.

Happy Friday lovely readers!

This bird has flown!

photo by me

Okay fine... we're totally driving to New York... In fact, I'm blogging from the car right now (modern technology never fails to impress me). I'm sure you'll agree when I say that every good road trip needs snacks, lots of snacks. So, in addition to the vegan brownies my pal Lindsay packed, and my homemade lentil hummus with veggies, we have a tub full of pasta salad to look forward to! I made this yesterday with the specific goal of using up whatever food we had left in the fridge (I hate to waste), and wound up making penne with sun dried tomatoes, basil and walnuts. I ate more than a few spoonfuls of it when it was hot and man it was yummy! I can't wait to try it cold for dinner en route. Plus, it was super easy and came together in 20 minutes tops (Racheal Ray ain't got nothin' on me!).

Penne with sun dried tomatoes and walnuts
Serves 4

1 package whole wheat penne
1/2 jar sun dried tomatoes, drained not rinsed
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 chili, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh basil, tightly packed
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, celery and chili to the pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until just soft. Add sun dried tomatoes and stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine cooked penne, sautéed veggies, basil and walnuts. Toss everything together and serve hot or cold, so delicious!

Well my friends, I'm off to enjoy the rest of this long journey to NYC (car games will be played). I wish you all a wonderful weekend and can't wait to share my adventures with everyone- food, photos, shopping- when I get back!

xo robin katherine

That's amore!

photos by me

Anyone who says they don't like pizza is a liar. I love pizza, but I'll admit I was skeptical that vegan pizza could meet my personal standards. I'm so happy to say I was wrong! I got creative with these recipes, wanting to be sure to incorporate colour, texture and balanced flavours. The potato pizza offers an incredible pairing of both sweet and savoury flavours. The caramelized onions are moist and function as the sauce. Combine this with the taters, thyme and fresh arugula and you've got a lovely little pie that's both tasty and light. I know, I know, pizza should never be light. But, don't fret my friends, my "cheesy" pesto pizza takes care of this little problem. Light it is not, amazingly delicious it is! I was inspired by an episode of Giada at Home for this recipe (honestly, how can you not love this woman?). I combined vegan mozzarella and cream cheese with a ton of garlic and basil and puréed it all together. Top it all off with fresh tomatoes and it's soo yummy. "I can't even tell it's vegan!" exclaimed my non-vegan taste-tester friend, seriously what better compliment could I receive?

Sweet potato & onion pizza
Makes one large pizza

1/2 this homemade dough recipe
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 sweet potato, thinly sliced into coins
1/2 cup arugula
1 tbsp fresh thyme
olive oil, for sautéing and drizzling
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Sprinkle onions with salt and sauté on low heat until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes, set aside. In same pan, quickly sauté thinly sliced potatoes until slightly softened. Lightly drizzle dough with olive oil, spread out onions in centre and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, leaving a one inch border. Spread out potato coins and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Bake for about 12 minutes, until golden brown. Top with fresh arugula and serve.

"Cheesy" basil pizza
Makes one large pizza

1/2 this homemade dough recipe
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti)
2 cups vegan mozzarella (I used Daiya)
1 cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1 plum tomato, sliced
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In food processor, combine both types of cheese, basil, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended. Lightly drizzle dough with olive oil, evenly spread cheese and basil mixture, leaving one inch border. Top with tomato slices and bake for about 15 minutes (I broiled it for an additional minute to ensure bubbly yumminess). Wow all your vegan and non-vegan friends alike with these phenomenal pizzas- do try.

Happy Saturday friends!

Pass the naan, man

photos by pwisenberg

This week has been brutally cold in Toronto. In this type of mind-numbing weather there's nothing quite like a hot meal to warm you up from the inside out. And so the spicy baked chick peas, cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers with warm naan bread and a cool soy yogurt cucumber sauce was born..It certainly is a mouthful, but oh what a mouthful it is! But really, this recipe is much easier than it looks and sounds. You could substitute any type of bean in place of the chick peas and basically go nuts with the veggies. What really makes this beauty a winner is the delicious and spicy mixture it all gets tossed in. Mmm!

Spicy baked chick peas with cherry tomatoes and warm nan bread

Serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 28-oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 12-oz containers cherry tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 slices of store bought naan bread
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the first 7 seven ingredients, reserving 1 teaspoon of mixture for the yogurt sauce. Add reserved spice mix, cucumber and lemon juice to yogurt. Whisk together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add chick peas, tomatoes, green pepper and cilantro to spiced oil mixture and toss to coat. Roast everything until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile brush naan bread with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Heat for 3-5 minutes immediately before serving.

Once the bean mixture is cooked, garnish with parsley and serve on a bed of fresh baby spinach if you so desire. Serve with warm naan and cool yogurt sauce. Sit back as your friends ooh and ahh at your culinary mastery!

Stay cozy my friends.