The reason why I haven’t blogged in a month is because our lives have been a total whirlwind, an absolutely fantastic whirlwind. In a nutshell, Carlo started a new full time job that he loves, we decided to move back to Austin, I interviewed for a great position in Austin (fingers crossed!), we found the perfect house in Bouldin Creek that is a few minutes walk away from the hike and bike trail, Carlo graduated with his MBA with both of our families in town to cheer him on, and we are in the middle of packing up our house because we move next Wednesday!

Yikes it has been crazy, but it seems as though after fairly crappy year on many fronts, the universe is finally smiling down on us. Two months ago I was convinced that we would be moving to Portland, Oregon this summer and that we would never live in Austin again, but all of a sudden, it felt like we were meant to be back in Austin and that it was most the obvious choice in the world to make. The response from our family and friends about our decision to move back has been overwhelming and further proves that we made the right one. So this will probably be my last post in a couple of weeks as we drive back to Texas and settle into our new house and more importantly, our new life.

Like our recent life when a bunch of different and disparate circumstances came together to create a perfect opportunity, this Carrot and Chickpea Salad takes two main ingredients that I would never pair together and makes something fantastic with the addition of a few spices. The smokiness of the paprika, the heat of the cayenne, and the earthiness of the cumin combine with the texture of the carrots, chickpeas, and almonds to produce a really hearty salad with a complex flavour that will have you returning to the salad bowl for more. This recipe makes enough for 4 people at 64 cents per serving.

Carrot and Chickpea Salad, adapted from Food & Wine, May 2010
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
2 packed cups cilantro leaves and stems
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

Start by toasting the almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast them for around 5 minutes until they start to turn golden brown.

In a small food processor, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and then add the garlic, cilantro, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, olive oil, and half of the toasted almonds. Whiz everything up into a nice paste.

In a large bowl, place the grated carrots, rinsed chickpeas, and the remaining toasted almonds. Add the dressing and mix everything together. Finish off the salad by seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

I was definitely Team Rick Bayless last season, who proved to be one of the smartest and most thoughtful chefs that I’ve had the privilege to watch on TV. Perhaps the art history dork in me loves that he was an anthropology PhD student studying in Mexico City who realized that he was more interested in the street food, and then used his academic background to delve into the history and culture of regional Mexican cuisine. While I long to visit Chicago and eat at all of Rick Bayless’ restaurants, I’ll settle on snacking on some of this incredible Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa with tortilla chips while watching tonight’s Top Chef Masters. This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups of salsa which can feed 4 people as a snack at 53 cents per serving.

Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, from Rick Bayless
8 ounces (about 4 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped cilantro
1 small jalape?±o, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted, and flesh scooped from the skin
1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
salt

Roughly chop half of the tomatillos, and put them into a food processor with the cilantro and jalape?±o. Measure in 1/4 cup water and whiz everything to a slushy, coarse puree. Roughly chop half the avocado, add it to the processor and pulse until it is incorporated into the salsa.

Place the salsa into a serving dish and add the finely chopped onions. Finally chop the remaining tomatillos and avocado and stir them into the salsa. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Brussels Sprouts and Smoky Onions on Cheddar Toast, from Food and Wine, January 2010
1 pound brussels sprouts, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
4 slices of good bread, toasted
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350¬?. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the brussels sprouts until they are just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain and pat them dry.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, cover and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. If the onion starts to dry out, add a little bit of water to the pan. Add the brussels sprouts to the skillet and cook until they are tender throughout, about 5 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the toasts on a baking sheet and top with the slices of  cheddar. Bake them for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted to your liking. Serve the dish by mounding the brussels sprouts and onions on top of the cheesy toast.

I’ve decided that I like couscous much better in soup than pasta because it holds its shape a lot better, especially when the soup is reheated, and adding couscous makes the soup making process a lot faster too. The harissa (my new favourite condiment again since we just got a new jar) adds a nice spicy zing to the soup, so you can add as little or as much as you want. This recipe makes enough for 6 bowls of soup at 97 cents per serving.

Moroccan Couscous Soup
glug of olive oil
2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
4 green onions, thinly sliced including the green tops
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
small jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon harissa, plus more to taste
salt and pepper

Heat up the olive oil in a large pot and saute the zucchini and green onions over a medium heat. When they have softened, add the stock and the remaining ingredients minus the parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup up to a quick boil and then reduce the heat and let everything simmer uncovered for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the couscous is fully cooked. If the soup is too thick, add some extra water or stock until you get the desired consistency. Taste the soup and add more harissa if needed, then season with salt and pepper. Throw in the chopped parsley at the last minute and serve.

If you have leftovers, you might need to add some extra water when you reheat it because the couscous absorbs a lot of the soup liquid when it is in the fridge.

Of course, all of this craziness happened right after I posted on the blog on Friday that I would start doing regular posts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and then I couldn’t find the time to post something yesterday. But here is my intended Monday post for Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Curry, which is fitting since this dish has become our latest super fast weeknight dinner choice!

Lots of veggie curries can tend to be a bit bland, but this one is full of flavour and the toasted cumin seeds on top are just a genius addition with the Greek yogurt. More importantly, it is so easy to make that it ensures you can still eat well even if your schedule is insane like ours has been this past week. This curry makes enough for 6 dinners at 95 cents per serving.

Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Curry, from Huge Fearnley-Whittingstall
2 14-ounce tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, plus a little ¬?extra to garnish
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 hot dried red chilli, crumbled
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
10 ounces potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
5 ounces kale, finely shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
Greek yogurt to garnish
rice to serve

Put a dry frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, toast the cumin, coriander, and mustard seeds and the chilli for a couple of minutes ¬?until they smell ¬?really fragrant and the mustard starts to pop. Grind the spices to a powder in a coffee grinder, spice mill, or with a pestle and mortar, and mix in the turmeric and ginger.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and fry the onion, stirring regularly, until it is soft and golden brown. Stir in the garlic and spices, let it cook for a minute or two, and then add the stock. Simmer everything for five minutes, then add the chickpeas and potatoes. Cook the curry until the potatoes are tender, then add the kale. Cook for a few minutes, until the greens are tender. While the curry is cooking, toast some extra cumin seeds in a dry frying pan to sprinkle over the final dish with a dollop of Greek yogurt and some chopped cilantro.

Over Christmas, I persuaded Andrew to buy Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian despite his dislike of cookbooks without photos. He has emailed me a couple of times telling me about the different recipes that he has made from the cookbook. Last week he told me that he made this Couscous with Cauliflower and Almonds, which he said made for a great lunch.

On Friday, I was stuck with the dilemma of what to eat for lunch and even though I really wanted a Reuben sandwich, I was unwilling to pay $13 (?!?!) for one at the Jewish deli by our house, nor did I want to go to the store to buy all the ingredients to make one at home. Rustling through my fridge, I saw that I had a head of cauliflower from the farmers’ market, so I thought about the email that Andrew had recently sent me.

I got How to Cook Everything Vegetarian off the cookbook shelf and turned to the recipe. Turns out that I had everything else that I needed in the pantry, so I made this for lunch. While it was no meaty Reuben sandwich, I completely agree with Andrew that this makes a tasty, filling, and quick lunch. Even Carlo, who was hesitant about the almonds in the dish, agreed! So it was a successful lunchtime save and saved us a ton of money since we ended up eating at home–Thanks Andrew! This recipe makes enough for 4 lunches at 87 cents per serving.

Couscous with Cauliflower and Almonds, from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
1/2 cup whole almonds
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, minced
1 small cauliflower, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup couscous
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese as a garnish (optional)

Place a dry deep skillet with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, add the almonds and dry cook them, stirring constantly, until they are toasted and fragrant, about a couple of minutes. Remove them from the pan and set them aside to cool.

Add the olive oil to the pan and then cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and it begins to colour, around 2 minutes. Add the finely chopped cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until all the cauliflower pieces are coated in the oil and start to pop and stutter in the pan, around 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the couscous and keep stirring until it too is coated in oil and begins to toast, about another 3 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the mixture with the smoked paprika and stir everything together. Stir in the stock or water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with the lid and turn down the heat to very low. Let the couscous cook for 5 minutes (15 minutes if you are using whole wheat couscous).

While the couscous is cooking, chop the almonds as fine as you can get them. Once cooked, add the almonds and chopped parsley to the couscous and gently fluff it with a fork. Return the lid to the pan and turn off the heat. Let the couscous rest for a minute or so, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately topped with a little bit of grated cheese, although this couscous tastes just as good the next day cold out of the fridge.

Pancake Day reminds me of the powerful traditions that food can play in your upbringing. It was always one of my favourite holidays, and I loved how my mum always made pancakes for me, even though my sister and brother never really liked them that much. I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one who is continuing the Pancake Day tradition now in my family and I know that I will make sure that any children we might have will obsess about pancakes as much as I do!

Speaking of family food traditions that only me and one parent enjoyed when I grew up reminds me of my dad’s Bubble and Squeak. Bubble and Squeak is a traditional English dish made of leftover potatoes and cabbage, or in our house brussels sprouts, that you mash together and then cook in a frying pan until it bubbles and then squeaks (hence the name). I grew up with my dad making this for breakfast after every Christmas, and later when we moved to America, after every Thanksgiving. It is one of the few dishes that my dad makes, but it is my favourite. He always adds any other leftover vegetables from the holiday meal like carrot and turnip mash, and the bubble and squeak then gets served with a fried egg, brown sauce, and baked beans to make a mean English breakfast. This breakfast was only ever enjoyed by me, my dad, and occasionally my mum. My little brother would always reserve his leftover roast potatoes so they wouldn’t get used in the bubble and squeak. Although Carlo thinks that the name bubble and squeak is ridiculously English and silly, he always slides up to the dinner table the morning after the holidays for some of my dad’s breakfast goodness.

This Bubble and Squeak Soup gets its name from the combination of brussels sprouts and potatoes, and tastes like a grown up twist on cheese and broccoli soup for any non-English people who have never heard of bubble and squeak! This recipe makes enough for 6 bowls of soup at 91 cents per serving.

Bubble and Squeak Soup with Aged Cheddar, adapted from Riverford Farm Cookbook
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 pound turnips, peeled and diced
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 pound brussels sprouts
2 ounces aged cheddar cheese, grated
sea salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook it for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes and turnip, and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.

Pour in enough stock so that all of the potatoes are covered by an inch or so. Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chopped brussels sprouts, and cook for 10 more minutes. Use an immersion blend to puree the soup. You can take out and reserve a couple cups of vegetables and return them to the puree for a more rustic soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper, and serve topped with grated aged cheddar.

I made a large batch of the chili a couple of weeks ago, and both Carlo and I loved it. It is so filling, full of flavour, and is obscenely good for you since it is crammed full of veggies and beans. You could eat it just plain, but I think it tastes best over some brown rice or couscous, and then topped with tons of chopped red onion, avocado, sour cream, and a few tortilla chips thrown in there as a little guilty indulgence. We ate all of the first batch and then I made it again the following week, which never happens. Neither one of us complained about eating so much of this chili, which I think stands as a pretty good testament to just how delicious this chili is. I dare you to try it and see what you think! This chili recipe makes enough for 8 meals at 95 cents per serving, toppings extra.

Winter Vegetable Chili, adapted from Food and Wine, February 2010
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, grated or very finely chopped
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
salt
1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
2 canned chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 1/2 cups water, plus more water as needed
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until they slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers, butternut squash, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile powder and cumin and season with salt. Cook for 1 minute.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes and their juices with the chipotle, adobo sauce, and water until it is very smooth. Add the mixture to the casserole along with the frozen corn and kidney beans and bring to a boil. If the chili is too thick, add more water as needed and stir it in well. Cover the pan partially and let the chili simmer over a moderate heat until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Serve the chili with brown rice, chopped red onions, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips.

You need Mexican cheese for this recipe, which you can find at some good grocery stores, or you can do what we did and hit up the local Mexican grocery store since it is cheap and plentiful there. This recipe makes enough to feed 6 people as an appetizer at 95 cents per serving.

Queso con Rajas, adapted from Mark Miller’s Tacos
1 1/2 large sweet bell peppers, roasted, peeled, cored and seeded
2 large poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, cored and seeded
3 jalapenos, roasted and seeded
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
pinch of salt
3/4 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
8 ounces grated queso Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese
1 1 /2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

We roasted all of the peppers on the bbq until they were nice and charred on the outside and then peeled and deseeded them. Cut the roasted peppers into 1/4-inch thick strips (rajas) and set them aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion until translucent, around 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to low, add the bell pepper and chile strips, then stir in the cilantro, oregano, salt, crema, queso, and grated Parmesan. Cook everything over a low heat, stirring continuously until the queso melts, about 5 minutes. Don’t let the mixture brown or scorch. If the queso is a bit too thick, add some more crema until you get the desired texture and thickness.

Remove the queso from the heat and serve immediately with warm tortillas or chips.

The only downside to our adventures is returning home and feeling the results of over eating and drinking for 2 weeks! We came back to Vegas with an insatiable desire to eat lots of veggies in an effort to detox our bodies from too many poolside cervezas and all those buffets at the resort.

Yesterday I made this carrot soup and it totally hit the spot: Tons of veggies, lots of flavour, and very healthy without tasting like health food. This soup recipe made enough for 6 bowls at 74 cents per serving.

Indian Spiced Carrot Soup with Ginger, adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2008
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder, preferably Madras
2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
zest and juice of 1 lime
5 cups (or more) chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt and fresh ground pepper
plain Greek yogurt for garnish

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the dried spices and stir for 1 minute. Next add the grated ginger and stir it for a minute. Add the onions, carrots, and zest of the lime to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saut?© the soup base until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add 5 cups of broth and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the soup uncovered until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

Let the soup cool slightly, and then puree the soup with an immersion blender until it is smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls until it is the right consistency. Stir in the juice of 1 lime and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top to stir in.