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Week 13 (July 27th): Menu at a Glance


Sheet Pan Salmon with Charred Cabbage

Green Shakshuka

Easy Poppy Seedy Salad

Crunchy Fennel Apple Celery Salad

Sweet Granola Bark

Loaded Nachos Living Kitchen Cooks

Sheet Pan Salmon with “Charred” Cabbage Wedges 

Green Shakshuka

Easy Poppy Seedy Rice Noodle Salad

Crunchy Fennel Apple Celery Salad 

Sweet Granola Bark

Loaded Nachos

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Week 13 – 6 Recipes

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The Recipes:

1. Sheet Pan Salmon with “Charred” Cabbage Wedges

 
Sheet Pan Salmon with Charred Cabbage
Sheet Pan Salmon with Charred Cabbage 1
Sheet Pan Salmon with Charred Cabbage 2

Sheet Pan Salmon with “Charred” Cabbage Wedges

In the summer (or, really all the time) I love when a simple dish with minimal ingredients (and dirty dishes!) delivers big and surprising flavour: i.e. this recipe. Everything cooks on one baking sheet and in a matter of 30 minutes. Am I selling it enough for you? The main flavouring agent: gremolata – a fresh, Italian herby condiment.

If you're sick of eating salmon, any fish will do: trout, halibut, snapper, arctic char… you name it. And, if you're unsure about roasted cabbage, just know that when it cooks it softens, sweetens and becomes tender, ridding itself of any bite or bitterness.

  • 1 small green or purple cabbage, sliced into wedges ((see instructions on cabbage size))
  • drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt and a few cracks of pepper
  • 1 lb salmon sliced into 2-4 fillets (or, any fish sliced into fillets)
  • 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt and a few cracks of pepper

Gremolata

  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans (toasted (toasting is a must to bring out flavour!))
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 cup flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt and a few cracks of pepper

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C)

  2. Take a baking sheet and drizzle the bottom with extra virgin olive oil, now place it in the oven while you prep the cabbage. No need to use parchment paper.

  3. Slice the cabbage into wedges. Ideally, the smaller the cabbage the better, but if you only have large cabbages, slice the whole head in half, then halve those pieces (so it's quartered), then slice the quartered pieces into smaller wedges. You may only want to use 1/2 of the cabbage if it's very large.

  4. Once the cabbage is sliced, take the hot baking sheet out of the oven and placed the cabbage on it, you'll hear sizzles. Drizzle a little oil on top of the cabbage with salt and pepper. Then place in the oven to roast for 15 minutes.

  5. While the cabbage is cooking prepare the gremolata.

  6. Toast the chopped pecans either in your toaster or on a skillet on the stove, watch them because they burn quickly. Toasting them is a must for added richness and flavour.

  7. Then combine all the gremolata ingredients. If you like it more blended, you can blitz everything in a food processor or blender, or just mix by hand. I mixed by hand because I wanted a more "rustic" texture.

  8. Once 15 minutes are up, take the baking sheet out of the oven, flip the cabbage wedges and move them to the sides of the pan to make room for the salmon. Season the flipped cabbage with salt and pepper.

  9. Place the salmon in the middle of the baking sheet, drizzle a little oil, salt and pepper on top. Then place back in the oven to cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. You know fish is perfectly cooked when the thickest section gently flakes away when punctured with the side of a fork.

  10. Once, the fish is cooked, take it out of the oven and spoon the gremolata over the fish and cabbage. You may have leftover gremolata, which you can eat with eggs, crusty bread, on top of sauteed or roasted veggies.

  11. Eat as is, or accompany it with cooked rice or roasted potatoes.

First, a little ode to cabbage.  This is one of our favourite vegetables because it’s a member of the cruciferous family (so it helps detox the liver) and it’s so hearty it can last in your fridge for months!  The longer a cabbage sits the more bitter it becomes, so cooking it helps relieve the bitterness while bring out its sweetness.  This is the perfect quarantine vegetable. 

Substitution Guide:

Cabbage: brussel sprouts
Salmon: trout, halibut, cod, snapper, arctic char, any fish you like
Pecans: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds – any nut or seed works
Flat Leaf Parsley: we like the texture of this parsley the best for this recipe, but, curly parsley, cilantro or mint will work — or, you can do a combination of any of these herbs

 

Prep Guide:

Gremolata: can be prepared 1-2 days in advance, or the morning of. 

2. Green Shakshuka

Green Shakshuka

Green Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in perfectly spiced tomato sauce. This shakshuka is tomato-less and isn't of the saucy variety.

At the beginning of spring, I signed up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) – I was inspired by one of our Living Kitchen Cooks members. Each week I get fresh local produce and there are sooooooo many greens (kale, swiss chard and beet, radish and turnip's with plumes of greens). They were starting to wilt or yellow because I wasn't eating them fast enough and then along came the idea to make this recipe. You can also sub in any green vegetable — like zucchini, brussel sprouts, cabbage, whatever you like. It's typically eaten as breakfast or brunch, but it's perfectly suitable for supper.

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic scape or 2 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (omit, if you don't like cumin)
  • 6 cups greens of choice (I used a combination of kale, beet greens and diced zucchini)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt and a few cracks of pepper
  • 4 eggs ((you can use up to 8 eggs with this recipe))

Toppings – these are optional, but highly encouraged, choose the ones you like best

  • torn up fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, mint and/or basil)
  • few shakes of hot sauce
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • crumbled feta
  • few dollops harissa pasta
  • few spoonfuls dairy-free or dairy yogurt
  • broken crusty bread (gluten or gluten-free)

  1. Place a large, wide skillet on medium-high heat.

  2. Add extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

  3. Toss in the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for another 3 minutes. Add in the cumin.

  4. As the onion and garlic are cooking, prep your greens. Chop the kale, beet greens, chard, zucchini – whatever you're using. Then add them to the pan with salt and pepper. If your pan is not that wide, add them in batches, since you are adding 6 cups. You want them nice and wilted, which takes about 5-7 minutes. You can definitely add less or even add more, just adjust the "wilting" time.

  5. After 5-7 minutes, make little "wells" or holes and crack in the eggs. We only used 4, but you can add up to 8, if you're pan is big enough. After a minute, cover the pan for 3-5 minutes so the eggs can cook quickly. If you don't have a cover big enough, just use an ill-fitting one, it's fine.

  6. If you like the yolks really running, watch them so they don't overcook.

  7. Serve with whatever toppings you love.

Substitution Guide:

  • Greens: use whatever green veg you have – zucchini, kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collards, swiss chard, beet greens, radish/turnip greens, etc
  • Cumin: if you don’t like cumin, just omit it, it will still be very flavourful 

 

Prep Guide:

  • Chop the veggies a day or two in advance, leave them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make

3. Easy Poppy Seedy Rice Noodle Salad

Easy Poppy Seedy Salad

Easy Poppy Seedy Rice Noodle Salad

This is based off of an Ottolenghi recipe. We love so many of his recipes, but always find there are aspects we want to change or ingredients we're missing so we give them our tweaks. The theme for recipes this week is simple and easy, and this recipe fits right in. Like most noodle recipes, it actually doesn't really matter what veggies you use, as long as you use them. Poppy seeds really do make this recipe, but when you're done eating, go look in the mirror and make sure you don't have any stuck in your teeth 😉

  • 1/2 package rice noodles (we prefer medium-wide for this recipe)
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 carrots (julienned)
  • 1 cucumber (julienned )
  • 1 apple (something crisp like granny smith or honey crisp) (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup chopped kale
  • 1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed OR use crispy chickpeas )

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Toppings

  • torn fresh herbs (mint, basil and/or cilantro)
  • small handful toasted pecans or walnuts

Rice Noodles

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place the noodles inside. Remove from heat and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Pull out a noodle and test it to ensure it's cooked to your liking. Then drain and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil to prevent them from sticking.

Veggies/Fruit

  1. Cut all the veggies and fruit. For the cucumber, slice it in half vertically, scoop out the inner seeds and then julienne it. This prevents it from getting soggy. If you're rushed for time, just chop the veg however you like.

  2. Give the kale a little massage with your hands to make it more digestible when it's in the salad.

  3. Then, toss all the veg and fruit in a bowl. Add in the noodles.

Dressing

  1. Mix the apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar and extra virgin olive oil in bowl or measuring cup. Mix well so the coconut sugar dissolves.

  2. Pour the dressing over the salad, give it a mix so everything becomes a dressed, then add in the poppy seeds and toss well.

  3. Garnish with roughly torn or chopped fresh herbs and toasted nuts.

Substitution Guide:

  • Rice Noodles: soba noodles, spaghetti, linguini, zucchini noodles (or, any type of veggie noodle).  Really any noodle will do. 
  • Veg: Use any veg you like – peppers, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, celery
    • think about what veggies you have in the fridge that can be eaten raw and use those
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: lemon juice or lime juice
  • Coconut Sugar: honey 
  • Poppy Seeds: omit if you don’t have

 

Prep Guide:

  • This recipe comes together quickly, but you can chop the veggies a day in advance

4. Crunchy Fennel Apple Celery Salad

Crunchy Fennel Apple Celery Salad

Crunchy Fennel Apple Celery Salad

Years ago I hosted a cooking show on RogersTV (those who are Canadian will know this network). One of the guests on the show made a salad similar to this and I've never forgotten it. It's a really, really simple salad that relies on the innate flavours and textures of the veggies to stand out. Seasoned with just a bit of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil and honey, it's perfectly in line with this week's theme: simplicity.

  • 7 celery stalks (thinly sliced)
  • 1 small or medium fennel bulb (thinly sliced (directions below on how to slice properly))
  • 1 small or medium kohlrabi bulb (peeled and sliced into matchsticks)
  • 1 crisp apple (like granny smith or honey crisp) (sliced into matchsticks)
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt and a few cracks of pepper
  • small handful herbs of choice (basil, mint, parsley or cilantro) (roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 cup pistachios (toasted)

  1. Slice the celery thinly and place in a bowl. You can reserve some of the celery "leaves" as garnish.

  2. Cut the fennel. Stand it up straight, then cut right through the center, all the way day down. Now, cut out the core (which is in the shape of a triangle) by slicing around the triangle and pulling it out. Then place the bulb cut side down on the cutting board and slice it thinly against the grain (so you're cutting it horizontally, not vertically)

  3. Cut away the skin of the kohlrabi, don't use a peeler, use a knife. Then cut it into matchsticks. Cut the apple into matchsticks too. Place all the veggies in a bowl.

  4. Pour the lemon juice, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a little bowl and whisk to combine. Then pour it over the veggies.

  5. If you're ready to eat top with fresh herbs and toasted pistachios. If you're not eating it immediately, cover and place in the fridge, without the garnishes. The longer it sits in the fridge the more it takes on the citrus and acidic flavours (which is a good thing!)

Substitution Guide:

  • Fennel and/or kohlrabi: replace with another hearty veggie like celeriac that’s sliced into matchsticks, thinly sliced radishes or daikon radish, cabbage, endive
  • Lemon: lime
  • Red Wine Vinegar: apple cider vinegar, lemon or lime
  • Pistachios: toasted pinenuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds 

5. Sweet Granola Bark

Sweet Granola Bark

Sweet Granola Bark

I originally intended to make granola bars, but every time I tested and re-tested they held together enough to make cool, craggy pieces but would still crumble a bit when slicing. The more I made them, I realized how much I actually preferred them this way — they could act like a "bar" when I wanted them to, or I could crumble them more to be more like traditional granola. Either way the flavour is dang good. They taste like a dessert treat combined with a hearty breakfast. We also tested them as "no-bake" and bake — both are delicious, so it just depends on what kind of texture you like. No bake is more chewy and baked has a crisper, toastier taste.

  • 2 cups rolled oats or quinoa flakes
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup combination of hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup whole chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 cup nut or seed butter of choice
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Chocolate Drizzle

  • 2 Tbsp dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tsp coconut oil

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C)

  2. Place the oats and nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the oven for 7-10 minutes until toasted. Watch them so the nuts don't burn. Even if you bake these later, it brings out the flavour of the nuts and oats.

  3. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

  4. In a pot over low-medium heat, add in the nut/seed butter and the honey. Continue to stir until gooey, it will still be a bit thick. Then add it right into the dry bowl. Stir to combine. You may want to use your hands to get every piece covered in the nut/honey "glue".

  5. Place parchment paper in a brownie tin, mine was 9 x 9, but use whatever you have. If it's bigger or smaller, the only thing that will change is the thickness of the bars.

  6. Press down with your hands and then use a measuring cup or a small dish to press the top really hard. This evens out the bars and smooths out the top.

  7. If you're going no-bake, place them in the fridge (or freezer to speed things up), for about 1-2 hours until hardened.

  8. If you're baking, place them in the 350 heated oven for 15 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool.

  9. Make the chocolate coating by placing chocolate chips in a double boiler with coconut oil. Stir, until smooth, take off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then, using a spoon drizzle the chocolate over granola. Immediately place in the fridge to harden.

  10. Once the chocolate is cooled, slice or break the granola into "bark". Store in an airtight container on the counter for about a week.

Substitution Guide:

  • Rolled Oats: quinoa flakes, buckwheat groats, quick oats
  • Almonds: pecans, walnuts, pistachios, cashews or any seeds
  • Mix of hemp, sunflower, pumpkin: use whatever nuts or seeds you want, just ensure they’re small or chopped and amount to 1/4 cup
  • Chia Seeds: we found these helpful for binding the bars, so I recommend not replacing them 
  • Raisins: craisins, dates, currants, any dried fruit of choice
  • Nut/Seed Butter: I used 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup tahini, you can use whatever you have or even combine nut/seed butters together
  • Honey: I didn’t try this with maple syrup, I suppose it could work but may not stick as well together.  Certainly worth a try if you don’t have or eat honey

6. Loaded Nachos

Loaded Nachos Living Kitchen Cooks

Loaded Nachos

Technically, this is supposed to be a snack or an appetizer but it can absolutely double as a meal. Especially when it's loaded with fiber-rich beans and veggies. We give an option for a vegan cashew cheese (that may sound meh, but is genuinely delicious). If you're grain free, replace the nachos for roasted sweet potato discs, we'll give show you how in the directions. This is recipe is a slight departure from the simplicity of the other recipes this week, with lots of different toppings, but well worth the time and effort.

  • 1 bag your favourite nacho chips

Vegan Cheese (if you eat dairy, you can replace with 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese)

  • 1 cup cashews (soaked for 30 minutes)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 garlic clove

Pico de Gallo

  • 1 large tomato or 8-10 cherry tomatoes (diced)
  • 3 radishes (diced)
  • 2 Tbsp red onion or green onion (finely diced)
  • 1/4 cup corn (optional)
  • 1/2 jalapeno (optional) (de-seeded and finely diced)
  • 1/2 lime (juiced)
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro (chopped)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Fixings

  • 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1-2 avocado(s) (diced)
  • 2-3 radishes (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cup black olives (optional) (sliced)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • lime wedges for garnish

Sweet Potato Nachos (if you're not using nacho chips)

  • 2-3 sweet potatoes (sliced into 1/2 inch thick circles)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt and pinch of pepper

Vegan Cheese

  1. Soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes to soften, then drain and rinse

  2. Place vegan cheese ingredients, except for the water, in a food processor or blender and blitz while adding 2 Tbsp of water at a time. Continue to add 2 Tbsp until a smooth desired consistency has been reached.

Pico de Gallo

  1. Prep all the veggies and toss together in a bowl until well combined.

Assembly with Vegan Cheese

  1. Use a cutting board or a baking sheet. Place a layer of nachos down and spoon over some black beans, some pico de gallo and vegan cheese. You can make little dollops of vegan cheese or place in a piping bag or plastic bag with the tip cut off and squeeze it around.

  2. Layer on more tortillas and again, spoon the beans, pico de gallo and vegan cheese. Now, add the rest of the fixing.

Assembly with Cheddar Cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

  2. Place the nachos on a baking sheet and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

  3. Remove from the oven and top with beans, pico de gallo and all the fixings.

Assembly with Sweet Potatoes (rather than nacho chips)

  1. Preheat oven to 400

  2. Toss sliced sweet potatoes with olive oil and spices. Lay on a baking sheet, ensuring there's room between them and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes until slightly crisped.

  3. Once out of the oven, layer the sweet potatoes with beans, pico de gallo, vegan cheese and all the fixings.

  4. If you're using cheddar cheese, place it directly on the sweet potatoes as soon as they're cooked and broil for 1-2 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Watch closely so nothing burns. Then, take it out of the oven and load it up with all the toppings and fixings.

Substitution Guide: 

  • Pico de Gallo: you can use store-bought salsa if you’re running low on time, we like the fresh ones that are in the fridge section (not on the shelf)
    • radishes: omit them 
  • Black Beans: pinto beans, kidney beans
  • Fixings: whatever you love on nachos, you can follow this recipe to the letter or just use it as a guide and add your own flare 
  • Nacho Chips: replace with roasted sweet potato discs

 

Prep Guide:

  • Vegan Cheese: can be made up to 4 days in advance, kept in an airtight container in the fridge
  • Sweet Potato Discs: roast a day or two in advance.  When you’re ready to eat, simply heat them up and then add all the toppings. 

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