Eye for a Recipe

This delicious recipe from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi has several steps, but the end result is well worth it. Hearty root vegetables are mashed with butter, maple syrup, spices and cooked lentils, then topped with shallots that have been braised in wine, stock and thyme. Cook’s Note: To make your own caster sugar, place regular white sugar in a spice grinder and process until it is very fine, about the consistency of icing sugar.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used a red wine from Frogpond Farm, which does not add sulfites to its wines. I also used Imagine stock and butter that contains only cream. Check your dry spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Brown shallots and then braise

Reduce braising sauce and add butter

Cook vegetables until tender

Le Puy lentils work best for this recipe because they hold their shape

Root Mash with Wine-Braised Shallots

Ingredients:

For the shallots

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 1/3 lb (600 g) shallots, peeled

1 2/3 cups (400 ml) red wine

200 ml vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 tsp (5 ml) whole black peppercorns

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tbsp (15 ml) caster sugar

Salt

2 tbsp (30 g) butter

For the lentils and vegetables

1/3 cup (80 g) puy lentils

½ celery root (300 g), peeled and cut into chunks

2 carrots (300 g), peeled and cut into chunks

½ kabocha squash (300 g), or other type, peeled and cut into chunks

2 sweet potatoes (600 g), peeled and cut into chunks

5 tbsp (70 g) butter, diced

2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup

1½ tsp (7.5 ml) ground cumin

Salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Put the oil and shallots in a heavy pan and fry, stirring occasionally, for five minutes until well coloured. Add the wine, stock, bay, peppercorns, thyme, sugar and a ¾ tsp (3 ml) salt, cover and simmer for an hour. Remove the lid, raise the heat and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove the shallots and keep them warm. Stir butter into sauce and set aside until ready to use.

Meanwhile, simmer the lentils in plenty of water until tender (about 25 minutes), drain and set aside.

Half fill a medium pan with water, bring to a boil, add the celery root and carrot and, after 10 minutes, the squash and sweet potato. Ten to 15 minutes later, they should be done.

Drain the veg, shaking off as much liquid as possible, and mash well with a potato masher. Mix in the butter, maple syrup, cumin and cooked lentils and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, top the mash with shallots and pour sauce over the top. Serves 6.

From Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi

This healthy and tasty stew from Canadian Living only takes about 45 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for a weeknight supper. And the leftovers are great for lunch the next day!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Imagine organic chicken stock, which has no artificial ingredients. Check the label on your spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use all-natural yogurt and fresh lemon juice.

Cube the squash and slice the onions

Add peppers and garlic

After adding the broth and simmering the chicken, add kale and corn

Cook until the kale wilts

Chicken and Kale Stew with Chili Yogurt

Ingredients:

Chicken and Kale Stew

1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil

2-½ cups (625 ml) cubed seeded peeled butternut squash

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed

1 small finger chili pepper, (red or yellow), halved lengthwise and seeded

1 tbsp (15 ml) minced peeled fresh ginger

1 pkg (900 ml) sodium-reduced chicken broth

½ tsp (2 ml) each dried sage and dried thyme

½ tsp (2 ml) pepper

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

450 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

4 cups (1 L) chopped stemmed kale

½ cup (125 ml) frozen corn kernels

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch

Chili Yogurt

1/3 cup (75 ml) 2% plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh chives

½ tsp (2 ml) lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) sunflower seeds, toasted

Preparation:

Chicken and Kale Stew: In Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook squash and onion, stirring occasionally, until onion is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili pepper and ginger; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in broth, sage, thyme, pepper and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add chicken; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, remove chili pepper to cutting board; mince chili pepper. Reserve for Chili Yogurt.

Add kale and corn to Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted and chicken is no longer pink inside, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Whisk cornstarch with 2 tbsp (30 ml) water; stir into Dutch oven. Bring to boil; cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Ladle stew into serving bowls.

Chili Yogurt: In small bowl, stir together yogurt, chives, lemon juice and reserved chili pepper; dollop over stew. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Serves 6.

From Canadian Living

This colourful salad from Chatelaine is a great side dish with grilled meat or seafood, and it would also be a good vegetarian entrée. Roast squash and toss with peppery arugula, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and feta. Drizzle with an apple juice-Dijon vinaigrette and enjoy.

Roast the squash until tender and beginning to brown

The squash and sweet dressing complement peppery arugula

Top with crumbled feta and dried cranberries

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for a Dijon mustard without benzoate of soda or sulfites – I use President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon. Make sure the feta does not contain preservatives and that the cranberries do not contain sulfites. I used Ocean Spray craisins, which are additive-free.

Ingredients:

¾ cup (174 ml) apple juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 tbsp (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard

1 butternut squash, about 1.4 kg, washed well

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt

4 cups (1 L) baby arugula

1 cup (250 ml) crumbled feta

¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tbsp (30 ml) dried cranberries

Preparation:

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat to 400 F (200 C). Line 2 large baking sheets with foil.

Boil apple juice with vinegar and garlic in a small saucepan. Boil until reduced to ¼ cup (60 ml) about 10 min. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil and Dijon.

Cut a large, shallow slit through the skin of squash. Microwave on high to make it easier to cut, 3 to 5 min. Slice unpeeled squash in half and discard seeds. Cut into 1/3-in.-thick (0.8 cm) slices. Toss with remaining oil, honey and salt until coated. Spread out on prepared baking sheets. Roast until just tender and edges are starting to brown, about 15 min.

Divide arugula among plates. Top with warm squash. Drizzle with dressing. Top with feta, pepitas and cranberries. Serves 4.

From Chatelaine

Paillard is a term used for meat, usually veal or chicken, that is pounded thin and then quickly seared on top on the stove. This recipe for chicken paillards from Martha Stewart Living is healthy and quick to make for a weeknight supper. In addition to the chicken, it includes roasted squash and onion, and a garnish of fried sage leaves and baby spinach. And, if you’ve had a tough day, pounding the chicken can be very therapeutic!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The only thing that may contain artificial ingredients is the butter, which can contain colour. Look for a brand of butter that has only one ingredient: cream.

Toss the squash and onion with oil and put in the oven to roast.

Pound the chicken to a thickness of about a quarter-in

Fry the sage leaves

The sage should be crispy

The thin paillards sear quickly on top on the stove

Chicken paillards with squash, onion, fried sage and spinach

Ingredients:

½ small kabocha or acorn squash, unpeeled, seeded and cut lengthwise into ¾ -inch (1.9 cm) slices

1 small red onion, cut into wedges, root end attached

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

4 skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves, 4 to 5 ounces each, (113 g to 141 g each), butterflied

Red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon (15 ml) unsalted butter

16 fresh sage leaves (from about 4 sprigs)

1 cup (250 ml) baby spinach leaves

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Distribute squash and onion evenly on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil, season with salt, and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer and roast until squash is tender, about 15-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, pound chicken to a 1/8 to ¼ -inch (0.3 cm to 0.6 cm) thickness (use the smooth side of a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin or a heavy pot). Season on both sides with salt and red pepper flakes. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Swirl in remaining tablespoon (15 ml) oil, then butter. Fry sage until just crisp, about 1 minute; let drain on a paper towel.

Working in 2 batches, add chicken to pan and cook until golden and cooked through, about 1 minute on each side. Divide chicken among 4 plates and top with spinach, squash, onion, and sage. Serves 4.

From Martha Stewart Living