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Week 5 (June 1st): Menu at a Glance












Blistered Broccoli Fried Rice

Tangled Green Salad

Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Salmon or Tempeh

Roasted Carrots with Halloumi or Tofu

Almond Butter Chocolate Cups

Crispy Shiitake Bites

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LK Cooks Grocery List Week 5 & 6

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The Recipes:

1. Blistered Broccoli Fried Rice


Blistered Broccoli Fried Rice

This is one of our easiest recipes and if you have day old rice, it will take you minutes to whip up. The blistered broccoli elevates this dish from plain-old fried rice to something that has more interest and flavour. It's seasoned simply with just tamari, lime and hot sauce but if you're looking for a bit more punch we've got options below.

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 head broccoli (chopped into florets)
  • 3 green onions (cut into 1 1/2 inch length pieces)
  • 3 celery stalks (sliced)
  • pinch sea salt and pepper
  • 3-4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp tamari
  • 1/2 lime (squeezed)
  • a few shakes your favourite hot sauce

Optional Toppings

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds

  1. You can use day old rice, or cook it fresh. Add rice to a pot, pour in the water and a pinch of salt, cover, bring to a boil, simmer for as long as the package says. Brown rice usually takes 30-40 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.

  2. Place a wide pan over medium heat and add in oil, swirl it around the pan and then toss in the broccoli, green onions, celery and sea salt and pepper. DO NOT TOUCH THE VEG. As much as you want to toss and stir – don't – let them cook for 4 minutes, Then toss/flip them and cook for another 3-4 minutes. This will give them the "blistered" look.

  3. Scooch the veggies to one side of the pan (if your pan is small, place them on a separate plate), and crack in the eggs, them immediately whip them with a fork and begin pushing them around so they cook evenly. If your pan is too dry, add a splash of oil before adding the eggs.

  4. Pour in the rice and mix everything together, including the veggies. Season with tamari, lime and hot sauce. If you want a titch of sweetness, add a splash of maple syrup, if you want a richer flavour, add a splash of sesame oil.

  5. Top with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds

Substitution Guide:

  • Rice: replace with quinoa, cauliflower rice or leave it out
  • Eggs: replace with tofu or leave them out.  You can always add in nuts like walnuts, cashews or almonds for more protein
  • Broccoli and Celery: can be replaced with green or purple cabbage, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, kohlrabi radishes — most veg lends itself well to a fried rice
  • Green Onions: use any type of onion you have, if you’re using a bulb onion slice it into thin strips, about 1/2 inch in width
  • Lime: rice vinegar, lemon or omit it 

 

Prep Guide:

  • Rice: this recipe works really well with old rice, so cook some a few days before or the morning before to get ahead start
  • Veggies: the chopping won’t take very long but if you want to shave off some time, cut the veg ahead of time

2. Tangled Green Salad


Tangled Green Salad

This is the salad we make when we desperately need to eat greens, want it to taste good with minimal effort. It's filled with texture, crunch and freshness that's perfect for warming weather.

  • 1/2 package soba noodles
  • 2 cups green cabbage (thinly sliced)
  • 2 kale leaves (thinly sliced)
  • 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cucumber (thinly sliced into semi circles)
  • 1 cup edamame or green peas (cooked)

Tahini Greeny Sauce

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/2 cup cilantro or parsley
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt + pinch of pepper

Optional Toppings

  • 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley) (roughly chopped or ripped)

Protein Options (you can leave this salad from protein, or add some in)

  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 12 cooked shrimp
  • 1 cup shredded cooked chicken

  1. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and run under cold water.

  2. Chop all the veggies and place them in a bowl.

  3. Blitz the dressing in a blender or food processor — you can mix it by hand but it won't be as emulsified and combined

  4. When the noodles are cooked, place them in the bowl with the veggies, pour the dressing over and top with nuts, seeds and fresh herbs.

Substitution Guide:

  • Soba Noodles: any type of noodle you have, ideally a thin long noodle but it doesn’t matter that much.  If you don’t eat grains replace with zucchini noodles, beet noodles or any veggie noodle
  • Veggies: You can use ANY veggie you have in your fridge.  We love this as a green veggie salad, but if you have peppers, radishes or tomatoes go ahead and use it.  Also, if you feel like you want to cook this salad to be more warming, go right ahead
  • Tahini: almond butter, sunflower butter or pumpkin butter would work.  Use cilantro rather than parsley if you’re not using tahini 
  • Tahini Greeny Dressing: You can also make an Asian style dressing or a miso dressing, flip back to weeks past to see if there’s one there you prefer to use

 

Prep Guide:

  • You can make the tahini greeny sauce in advance and place in the fridge in a sealed container. 

 

3. Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Salmon or Tempeh


Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Salmon or Tempeh

This is a beloved recipe from the days we had our meal delivery service. This can actually be eaten as a dip with crackers and veggies, but we prefer to smear it over fish or tempeh as a rich and sweet marinade. If you have leftover marinade you can always freeze it an ice cube tray, like a pesto, and defrost it when you're ready to use it again.

Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Relish

  • 1 red pepper or 1 roasted red pepper from a jar
  • extra virgin olive oil for rubbing
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
  • 3 Tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

Salmon or Tempeh

  • 4 – 5 oz pieces of salmon OR 1 brick of tempeh, sliced into strips
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

Optional Salad

  • 1 box mixed salad greens
  • 1/2 cucumber (diced)

Making the Relish

  1. If you have roasted red peppers from a jar, you can use those. If not, preheat the oven to 400. Rub the pepper with olive oil and place on a baking sheet, roast for 20 minutes, then flip and roast for another 20 minutes. You can also place these on the BBQ, it will be faster there.

  2. Take the pepper out, place it in a bowl and put a plate on top of the bowl, allowing the pepper to steam.

  3. Meanwhile, toast your walnuts in the toaster, oven or on the stovetop, watch them carefully so they don't burn.

  4. Peel the pepper, the skin should slide off fairly easily, if it doesn't use a pairing knife to help. Discard the seeds as well.

  5. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until combined, but still chunky

Cooking the Salmon or Tempeh

  1. Preheat the oven to 375

  2. Season the salmon or tempeh with sea salt and pepper

  3. Then spoon the marinade over the salmon. For the tempeh, make sure both sides are coated in the marinade. Leave some marinade behind, you will use it later.

  4. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes until it gently flakes away with a fork. The tempeh will cook for about 20-22 minutes, flip once halfway through.

  5. Once out of the oven, brush or pour over remaining marinade to kick up the freshness

  6. You can finish it by squeezing a little more lemon on top, a slight drizzle of honey or a few sprigs of fresh herbs. Serve with any veggie of choice.

  7. If you'd like a simple side salad, combine the mixed greens with diced cucumber, and any other veggies that you like in salad. Season with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar.

Substitution Guide:

  • Walnuts: you can use ANY nut or seed of choice.  Toasted cashews would especially be delicious
  • Lemon: if you’re out of citrus, balsamic vinegar would be a good sub
  • Salmon: you can use any fish you like, you can also put this over chicken
  • Tempeh: you can replace with tofu, white beans or chickpeas

Prep Guide:

  • Roast the pepper a day or a few days before.  Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, until you’re ready to make the fish or tempeh. 

4. Roasted Carrots with Halloumi or Tofu


Roasted Carrots with Halloumi or Tofu

Roasting carrots amplifies their sweetness, especially when you hit them with a drizzle of honey right at the end. Now that the weather is warmer, make use of fresh herbs, like mint, to wake up this root veggie.

  • 1 lb medium size carrots (about 7) (top sliced off and slice in half lengthwise )
  • 1/2 package halloumi or tofu cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 heaping tsp za'atar spice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt and pinch pepper
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leave (torn up )

  1. Preheat oven to 375.

  2. Toss the carrots and halloumi or tofu in oil, salt, pepper and za'atar

  3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Ensure carrots and halloumi or tofu have enough space and aren't overlapping, so use 2 baking sheets, if needed.

  4. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then take the halloumi or tofu out, leave the carrots in and cook for another 10-15 minutes until browned and softened.

  5. Take everything off the heat and toss together. Drizzle with a bit more extra virgin olive oil, honey and fresh mint leaves

BBQ Method

  1. Once you've oiled the carrots and halloumi or tofu, place on a heated BBQ, cook the carrots for 10 minutes on one side and then 10 minutes the other side. The halloumi or tofu will only need to be grilled for 3-5 minutes per side.

Substitution Guide:

  • Za’atar: replace with sumac or leave it out, it will still be flavourful
  • Mint: replace with any fresh herb you have

 

Prep Guide:

  • Cut the carrots, halloumi or tofu head of time

5. Almond Butter Chocolate Cups


Almond Butter Chocolate Cups

Did you love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? Here's our healthyish version

Bottom Layer

  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao or cocoa powder
  • 4 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or 4 drops stevia

Top Layer

  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 4 Tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch flaked sea salt or whatever salt you have
  • small handful unsweetened shredded coconut

  1. Heat coconut oil and almond butter in a small saucepan, whisk together until blended, then add in the cacao powder and maple syrup.

  2. Line a mini or normal size muffin tin with liners, then pour in an equal amount into each hole, you just want it to be half way full.

  3. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until frozen.

  4. Meanwhile, make the top layer by whisking just coconut oil and almond butter in a saucepan.

  5. Take out the muffin tin and make sure the chocolate layer is frozen, then pour the almond butter layer on top and sprinkle with salt.

  6. Return to the freezer until they solidify then sprinkle with shredded coconut. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Substitution Guide:

  • Almond Butter: tahini, organic peanut butter, sunflower butter, any nut or seed butter

 

Prep Guide:

  • Bottom Layer: you can make this layer in advance and freeze it and come back to making the top layer when you have more time

6. Crispy Shiitake Bites


Crispy Shiitake Bites

Mushrooms are nature's magical food, literally — they support immunity, they're rich in anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties and heart healthy fiber called beta-glucan. It's sometimes hard to find creative ways to eat more mushrooms — well, here's the perfect way: as a crispy snack. You'll probably eat them within 5 minutes of coming out of the oven.

  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms (about 11-18 mushrooms)
  • 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt and pinch of pepper
  • 1/8 tsp granulated garlic

  1. Preheat oven to 400

  2. If the mushrooms are dirty, rub them with a towel, do not put them under water or they'll get too moist

  3. Take the stems off the mushrooms, by slicing them with a pairing knife or snapping them off with your hand. If you want, you can put the stems in a bag in the freezer with other veggie scraps and make veggie broth soup.

  4. If some mushrooms caps are much bigger than the rest, cut them in half, you want them all to be relatively the same size.

  5. Place them in a bowl and add in the other ingredients. Toss around so they're coated in seasoning

  6. Place them cap side down (so the stem side is facing up) on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Ensure there is enough room between.

  7. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan around in the oven and cook for another 10-12 minutes. You can also flip the actual mushrooms but I tend to skip this step.

  8. Once out, let them cool for a few minutes to harden then eat on their own, with pesto or any dip of choice.

Substitution Guide:

  • Shiitake Mushrooms: you can use any mushroom you have.  if you only have cremini, slice the caps so vertically so they’re slightly thinner and reduce cook time by 5-10 minutes

 

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