Steamed Moroccan Vegetables

Do I have an obsession with anything “Moroccan”? Sort of. Stick Moroccan in front of any kind of food and I’m going to be excited to try it. After my friends Alaina and Ashton (yes, one of the original Cheeses and her hubby) had a Moroccan-themed dinner party at their apartment to showcase their tajine and new recipes (from… you guessed it, Morocco!) I was so impressed by the combinations of unique spices and flavours—I mean, what North American would even consider putting cinnamon with meat? It blew my mind and my tastebuds and I’ve been gobbling up Moroccan recipes ever since.

This recipe is an alteration from Martha Stewart, so I can hardly claim any sort of authenticity. But darn, these baking paper-wrapped parcels of veggies are good! If you actually own a tajine, this recipe could be easily adapted.

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Edited: February 7th, 2011

Chickpea & Couscous Falafel

I think that if I ever went purely vegetarian, one of the things I would miss the most was a good hamburger. This recipe, when I first found it, was labeled as a vegetarian burger. While I can honestly say that the patties were delicious, it takes a very special blend of vegetarian ingredients to make a truly satisfying hamburger, as the patty itself needs a certain amount of juiciness that’s almost impossible to get with beans, lentils, or chickpeas.  (I’m dying to try this recipe from 101 Cookbooks, though.) However, this recipe makes a truly superb falafel wrap filling, or it can be eaten on its own.

Falafel are fried or baked pieces of ground chickpeas, and are thought to have originated in Egypt. The chickpea in this recipe is paired with couscous, meaning you’ve got a complete protein—a great vegetarian option! These are so easy and cheap to make, keep well, and taste like a charm. Enjoy!

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Edited: July 5th, 2010

Cauliflower + Cabbage Bhaaji

To be honest I’m a bit nervous to be posting this recipe; when it comes to Indian food, I know I enjoy it, but I’m very far from an expert on it. I didn’t grow up with curries, I’ve never been to India, and I can probably count the number of different Indian restaurants I’ve ever been to on one hand. Two hands if you start counting restaurants from neighbouring countries with similar cuisines such as Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Of course, I’ve been to said restaurants many times and have greatly enjoyed trying a variety of dishes (as in, not ordering butter chicken every. single. time. as some people seem to). I’ve become a bit more confident in recent months after eating with my boyfriend’s family, who seem to have a wonderful grasp of various Indian dishes—partly because one side comes from Fiji and grew up on Indonesian/Indian dishes. I also spent six months in a workplace comprised of mostly Indians or Nepalese, and I loved spying on their homemade dishes at lunch time.

So. For a small-town Canadian girl who thought it a feat to start eating medium salsa, I think I’ve done myself proud. I came to this recipe mostly in an effort to use up some veggies in my fridge, and keep our fridge well-stocked with leftovers for lunches. This bhaaji is a light but tasty meal, and fairly versatile—add an extra green chili if you like some spice, add some sliced chicken breast for some more protein, or serve with rice for a complete protein and a meal that’s vegan/vegetarian and gluten free. Here goes!
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Edited: May 19th, 2010

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is awesome. Pure and simple. I first learned how to make it at my old summer job at Jus Juiced Cafe back in Revelstoke, and have tried to make my hummus from scratch ever since! I did a bit of research into hummus before writing this post—turns out that humans have been eating chickpeas since about 10,000 BC, and hummus as a food (the name comes from the Arabic word for chickpea) has a place in food folklore as one of the oldest prepared foods. Its earliest record dates back to the 12th century in Egypt and Syria. Suffice it to say, there’s a reason it’s been around for so long!

Hummus, as long as it’s made with tahini, is a complete protein, and is high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and folate, and dietary fibre. Use it as a dip, spread, or sauce, and play with this recipe a bit so everyone in the family can enjoy it! Making hummus at home is easy and cheap, so no more $6 tiny tubs from the grocery store.

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Edited: April 26th, 2010