Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from Canadian Living combines ground meat with cucumber, yogurt, harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, garlic, mint, coriander and cumin, yielding a flavourful and moist burger. Instead of chicken, you could use ground lamb or beef. Serve the burgers in a bun or on top of pitas with the cucumber yogurt sauce and lots of fresh toppings.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for plain yogurt with no preservatives and use fresh lemon juice. Check the ground cumin to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents. Ozery Bakery pitas contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Additive-free harissa is hard to find, but you can make your own; the recipe is below. La Costeña canned chipotles do not contain preservatives.

The cucumber yogurt sauce goes into the burgers and is also a topping

Top your burgers with cucumber, avocado, radishes, onion, tomatoes and feta

Grill burgers until cooked through

Mediterranean Chicken Burgers

Ingredients:

Harissa

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet paprika

1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground caraway

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Burgers

¼ cup (60 ml) shredded English cucumber

½ cup (125 ml) plain Greek yogurt

1 ½ teaspoon (7.5 ml) harissa paste

1 ½ teaspoon (7.5 ml) liquid honey

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) lemon juice

1 lb (450 g) lean ground chicken, beef or lamb

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground coriander

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt

4 pita pockets

Toppings (optional)

Sliced radishes, cucumber ribbons, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, crumbled feta cheese, sliced red onion or fresh sprouts

Preparation:

Harissa

In a mortar, combine the paprika, chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, caraway and olive oil and pound until a paste forms.

Burgers

Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber. In small bowl, mix together cucumber, yogurt, harissa, honey and lemon juice.

In large bowl, mix together ¼ cup (60 ml) of the yogurt mixture, the chicken, garlic, egg, mint, coriander, cumin and salt.

Shape mixture into four ½-inch (1.27-cm) thick patties (Make-ahead: Layer patties between parchment paper in airtight container; refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Place patties on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until instant-read thermometer inserted sideways in patties reads 160°F (71°C), 8 to 10 minutes.

Place pitas on grill, turning once, until warmed through, about 1 minute. Spread some of the yogurt mixture on pitas. Top pitas with patties and toppings (if using). Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

The ingredient list for this recipe is a bit long, but the results are worth it. Combine chiles, garlic, ginger, yogurt, lime juice, cilantro and spices in a blender and puree until smooth. Use the marinade for skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs; it keeps the meat juicy and adds great flavour.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the spices and peppers for colour and anti-caking agents. Use fresh lime juice and an all-natural yogurt; I use Astro brand.

Combine ingredients in blender

Marinate chicken and then grill under cooked through

Chile-and-yogurt-marinated grilled chicken

Ingredients:

7 dried hot chiles, broken into pieces, seeds removed

1½-inch (3.8 cm) piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves

½ cup (125 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped cilantro stems

3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground coriander

1 tablespoon (15 ml) smoked paprika

1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) crushed dried fenugreek leaves or seeds

1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) garam masala

1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) ground cumin

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus more for grill

1½ pounds (680 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, patted dry

Kosher salt

Preparation:

Place chiles in a medium bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Let sit until chiles are very soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Blend chiles, ginger, garlic, yogurt, cilantro stems, lime juice, coriander, paprika, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, cumin, and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a blender until smooth. Transfer marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Season chicken generously with salt and add to marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat chicken. Chill at least 2 hours.

Let chicken sit at room temperature 1 hour before grilling.

Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grate. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag, and grill, turning every minute or so, until beginning to char in spots, 8–10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Serves 4. Do Ahead: Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

From Bon Appetit

This dish, which is based on a recipe from Food and Wine, takes only a few minutes to prepare and cook. I reduced the prep time even further by using fast-fry pork cutlets instead of sliced pork tenderloin. I used panko breadcrumbs and added Italian seasoning and pepper. I also opted to toss the cucumber with greens and vinaigrette instead of yogurt and dill. I think thinner slices of cucumber would work better than the ½-inch (1.27 cm) thick slices called for in the recipe, but that’s a personal preference.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for yogurt and breadcrumbs with no preservatives. I used Astro yogurt and PC Panko.

Dredge pork in yogurt and seasoned breadcrumbs

Fry for a few minutes on each side

Pork schnitzel with cucumber salad

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, sliced ½-inch (1.27 cm) thick

Kosher salt

Pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped dill, plus small sprigs for garnish

1 ¾ cups (425 ml) whole-milk yogurt

1 ½ cups (375 ml) seasoned breadcrumbs

One 1¼-pound (567 g) pork tenderloin, cut on the bias into 12 thin slices, about ¼ inch (0.63 cm) thick (or use fast-fry pork cutlets)

Canola oil, for frying

Preparation:

In a colander, toss the cucumbers with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of salt.

Let stand for 15 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess water. In a large bowl, mix the cucumbers with the chopped dill and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the yogurt and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, put the breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 ½ cups (375 ml) of yogurt in 2 separate shallow bowls. Season the pork with salt and pepper and dip in the yogurt, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge in the breadcrumbs, pressing to flatten the pork and help the crumbs adhere.

In a large skillet, heat ¼ inch (0.63 cm) of oil until shimmering. In batches, add the pork in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve the pork with the cucumber salad and garnish with small sprigs of dill.

From Food and Wine

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

Our dear friend and neighbour Denyse sent me this recipe from the New York Times last summer, and we recently all sat down together to enjoy it. The ingredient list is long, but the results are worth it. The preparation is in two parts, as the chicken is marinated in spiced yogurt for several hours. I served the chicken with basmati rice and Indian-spiced vegetables.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for yogurt, butter, canola oil and tomato paste without additives and use fresh lemon juice. Check the spices to be sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I use Imagine brand chicken stock.

You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours

Simmer for 30 minutes

Butter Chicken with rice and Indian-spiced vegetables

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups (375 ml) full-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoons (25 ml) ground turmeric

2 tablespoons (30 ml) garam masala

2 tablespoons (30 ml) ground cumin

3 pounds (1.5 kg) chicken thighs, on the bone

¼ pound (125 g) unsalted butter

4 teaspoons (20 ml) neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 medium-size tomatoes, diced

2 red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

Kosher salt to taste

2/3 cup (150 ml) chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade

1 ½ cups (375 ml) cream

1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) tomato paste

3 tablespoons (45 ml) ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds

½ bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

Preparation:

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown.

Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the almonds, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serves 6.

From the New York Times

This recipe from the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living can be made in less than 30 minutes. Simply spread a mixture of yogurt, mayonnaise, onion and cilantro on salmon fillets, pat panko crumbs on top, and bake. The salmon stays incredibly moist, while the panko adds a satisfying crunch. Paired with a curried yogurt sauce, this would be great for a casual dinner party. One note – depending on the thickness of the salmon, the baking time may be closer to 15-20 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use all-natural yogurt and mayonnaise, and butter that contains only cream. Check the label on the panko and the curry powder to make sure they do not contain preservatives, colour or anti-caking agents. If you would like to make your own curry powder, I’ve included a recipe below. I used ShaSha brand breadcrumbs, which are similar to panko in texture but are made from spelt and are all-natural.

Salmon, spread and panko

Spread the yogurt-mayo mixture on the salmon

Top with the panko and bake until the salmon is cooked through

Panko-crusted salmon with curried yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp 2% plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

4 skinless salmon fillets (about 680 g total)

Pinch each salt and pepper

½ cup panko crumbs

2 tbsp butter, melted

Curried Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp liquid honey

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp curry powder (to make your own, see recipe below)

Pinch each salt and pepper

Curry powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp crushed or ground fenugreek seed

1 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp crushed dried dill

¼ tsp ground mace

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp dried mustard

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients together.

Preparation:

In bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, green onions and cilantro. Arrange salmon on lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over top of fillets.

Combine panko and butter; sprinkle on top of yogurt mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Bake in 425F (220C) oven until fish flakes easily with fork and panko is golden, about 10 minutes.

Curried Yogurt Sauce: Meanwhile, in bowl, stir together yogurt, cilantro, ginger, honey, lemon juice, 1 tsp of water, curry powder, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days). Serve with salmon. Serves 4.

From the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living