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Week 2 (May 11th): Menu at a Glance












The Coziest Chili

Noodle Satay Bowls

Hempy Veggie Burgers

Epic Back to Basics Kale Salad

Immune Chai Tea

No-Bake Chocolate Crunch Brownies

Grocery List: view PDF and print

Living Kitchen Cooks Grocery List Weeks 1 & 2

Your Cooking Playlist

The Recipes:

1. The Coziest Chili


The Coziest Chili

Give us all the comfort food!  Maybe it’s starting to be warmer where you are, but this week in Toronto has been chilly and windy.  We’re still transitioning from winter to spring and this chili is the perfect warming, comforting recipe, especially for these extra stressful days.  If you want to pack some extra meals into your freezer, this chili recipe is perfect for that. It’ll keep for at least half a year in the freezer and you can spruce it up by adding in some fresh spinach or kale when it’s time to reheat.

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 medium sweet potato, diced ((we like to leave the skin on the sweet potato if it's organic))
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup dry brown or green lentils
  • 1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (or use bouillon cubes)
  • 1 14 oz can black beans
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned ((optional))
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • pinch sea salt and pepper
  • large handful cilantro, chopped ((optional))
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil.

  2. Add the onions to the pot, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute for a few minutes.

  3. Once you can smell the aroma of the onions cooking, add the chili powder, cumin, and paprika to the pot for around 30 seconds.

  4. Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, broth and black beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat so that it gently simmers.  Simmer with the lid on for around 30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through. You can add in the corn at the 20 minute mark, if you’re using it.

  5. At the end, end the chopped kale and cilantro, stirring in so that the kale wilts and cooks.

  6. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Substitution Guide:

No onions? You can sub 2 shallots instead of onion or 1.5 Tbsp dry minced onion can work in a pinch if you don’t have fresh

Vegetable broth: you can use bouillon cubes instead

Black Beans: you can sub kidney beans or pinto beans

Don’t eat beans: If you don’t eat beans, you can omit the lentils and beans.  Sub in 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey instead (or ground chicken could work too).

Kale: you can sub spinach or other leafy greens instead of kale

Prep Guide:

This is a pretty quick one-pot recipe to prep.  But if you want to chop the vegetables the night before you can do that and store them in the fridge.

2. Noodle Satay Bowls


Noodle Satay Bowl

We’ll always love peanut sauce (or variations of it made with tahini or your nut butter of choice). This is one of those sauces that’s just nice to have around in the fridge.  You can even make extra and use over the week to season other meals. If you’re missing any of the veggies listed here, you can always swap in any ones that you have. We promise the sauce will make them all taste good!

  • 3 servings vermicelli rice noodles
  • 4 servings shrimp, peeled and deveined OR tofu
  • 1 bunch broccoli (cut in florets)
  • 2 carrots (cut in matchsticks)
  • 1/2 English cucumber (cut in matchsticks)

Peanut Sauce

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond butter or tahini)
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp ginger (grated/minced)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 tsp tamari
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 4 Tbsp water (add more if needed to thin out consistency)
  1. Prepare the noodles according to package instructions.

  2. You’ll want to steam or blanch the broccoli so that it’s bright green and tender.  To blanch, boil a pot of water. Once the water is boiling, add in the broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes, or until bright green.  Then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

  3. Prep the carrots and cucumbers and set aside with the broccoli.

  4. Heat some coconut oil or avocado oil in a skillet and once the pan is hot, add the shrimp (or the tofu) to sear.  Sprinkle sea salt and pepper over top to season. The shrimp will only need a few minutes on both sides to turn pink.  For the tofu, we recommend letting it sit still for a few minutes on the first side before flipping over, so that it can get crispy on the edges.

  5. Lastly, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a bowl.  Adjust seasoning as desired. You can make it more salty by adding more tamari or sweeter by adding maple syrup.

  6. Compiling the bowls is the fun part!  Divide the noodles between 4 portions. Then top with the veggies and protein.  Drizzle the peanut sauce over top.

Substitution Guide:

Rice vermicelli noodles: You can swap in pad thai thickness rice noodles if you have them instead.  If you don’t have rice noodles, you could sub in soba noodles or even regular gluten free linguini.  If you’re grain free, you can use zucchini zoodles, kelp noodles or another type of vegetable based “noodles” that you like.

Shrimp OR Tofu: If you don’t eat either of these proteins or don’t have them on hand, you can use chicken instead of shrimp.  You could even serve the bowl with a piece of seared fish instead.  If you’re vegetarian, feel free to use tempeh instead of tofu.

Peanut butter: You can always use tahini or almond butter instead.

 

Prep Guide:

You can prep the peanut sauce earlier in the day, or even the day before and store it in the fridge.  This sauce will keep well for many days, so if you leftovers you can save it for other dishes.

You also could chop the vegetables earlier in the day if you’d like.

3. Hempy Veggie Burgers


Hempy Veggie Burgers

We’ve made so many different types of veggie burgers over the years and this one is more unique than others!  Hemp seeds are an amazing source of protein and healthy omega-3 fat and usually they’re simply used as a sprinkling on top of salads.  If you have a bag of them sitting around, why not actually incorporate them into a delicious recipe? (And if you don’t have them, you can use walnuts instead) These freeze really well too, so you could make a double batch and save them for future weeks!

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 8 oz container brown cremini mushrooms (sliced)
  • 2 medium shallots (sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  • 1 Tbsp balasamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp tamari
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

Options to serve on the side:

  • 1 small box mixed salad greens
  • 1 lb roasted sweet potato wedges or yellow/red potatoes
  1. Cook the brown rice with 2 cups of water in a medium sized pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, covered on low heat for 30 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.

  2. Meanwhile, heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a skillet.  Add the shallot for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Add the garlic for another minute.

  3. Slice the mushrooms and add them into the skillet.  Give them a nice stir with the shallots and garlic and then let them sit still for 2 minutes.  This will help evaporate the moisture from the mushrooms.

  4. Continue to saute the vegetables for around 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked.

  5. Once the rice is cooked and the mushrooms are cooked, combine all of the ingredients in the food processor.

  6. Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  7. Give the food processor several pulses, until the mixture comes together in a sticky mixture.  You want the mixture to have some small pieces of mushroom and rice left though. Don’t overblend the mixture, you don’t want it to turn into a puree.

  8. Use a spoon to scoop out the mixture and then shape into patties with your hands.  We made 8 patties. But, if you prefer large patties you can make fewer large-sized patties.

  9. Place patties on the lined baking sheet.

  10. Bake for 15 minutes and then flip and cook on the second side for 10-15 more minutes.

  11. If you'd like to have roasted sweet potato or potato wedges with the burgers, you'll want to slice the potatoes into wedges, rub with some olive oil, sea salt and pepper and roast for around 30 minutes at 375 until crisp on the edges. If you want to have salad greens in the meal, you can toss them with your favourite dressing (or just use some extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar).

Substitution Guide:

Seeds/Nuts: You can swap in walnuts instead of the hempseeds if you don’t have them (we’ve tested the recipe with walnuts and it works well).  We haven’t tested it with other types of nuts/seeds, but you could try it out.

Shallots: you can use regular yellow onion (or even red onion) instead of shallots if you don’t have them

Prep Guide:

You can put together the ingredients in the morning and then bake the patties at dinner.  You can store the mixture in the fridge, covered in a bowl.

4. Epic Back to Basics Kale Salad


Epic Back to Basics Kale Salad

It feels like the kale salad obsession has happened and passed, that we actually forgot about how good they can be!  Since we’ve been focusing on buying produce that lasts for a long time these days, we have more kale and cabbage on hand than we used to.  This salad is a great option if you’re tired and just don’t feel like making anything fancy or difficult.

  • 1 bunch green kale (chopped)
  • 2 cups purple cabbage (slivered)
  • 2 cups green cabbage (slivered)
  • 2 clementines OR 1 orange (segmented)
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, slivered or sliced
  • 1 to 2 lemons (juiced)
  • 3 to 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch sea salt and pepper

Protein Options

  • 1 14 oz can chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, boneless/skinless
  • 1 lb salmon or fish of choice
  • 1 lemon
  • pinch sea salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
  1. Wash off the kale well. We like to use a salad spinner and first soak the kale in a bowl of water and then dry it off in the spinner.

  2. If you have a food processor, we recommend using the slicer setting to slice the purple cabbage and green cabbage.

  3. Segment the clementines or orange.  Lightly toast the almonds. You can warm the nut in a skillet over medium heat and give the pan a little shake every minute to evenly warm the nuts.  Or, you can spread them out on a small baking sheet and roast in the toaster oven at 350 for 5 minutes.

  4. Place the cleaned and dried kale in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over top and add the olive oil. You can start with the juice of 1 lemon 3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.   Then, use your clean hands to massage the kale. This will help soften the kale and make it taste better. If you find that the kale seems dry, feel free to add more extra virgin olive oil.  If you want more lemon, add more lemon juice.

  5. Then add in the slivered cabbage and clementine or orange.

  6. Top with the toasted almonds.

  7. If you want to add in a protein, we recommend searing it in a skillet with some extra virgin olive oil.  Season with garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. Once the protein is cooked, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top to season.  Serve with the salad.

  8. If you like more citrus, you can add extra lemon juice to the salad.

Substitution Guide:

Almonds: You can swap in any other type of nut or seeds that you like, such as walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.

Prep Guide:

This salad works well if it’s prepped in advance.  You can put together the salad in the morning to have all set for dinner or lunch later in the day.  Kale and cabbage hold up well, so it’s a great salad to keep as leftovers for a few days.

5.Homemade Immune Chai Tea


Homemade Immune Chai Tea

One of the things that we've really been enjoying is making our own "coffee breaks" at home. You don't have to actually make coffee, you could make your favourite tea instead. This is a quick and easy chai inspired recipe if you want something special and cozy, plus it'll make your kitchen smell delicious!

  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 inches ginger root (sliced)
  • 4 green cardamom pods and/or whole cloves ((omit if you don't have))
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teabag rooibos, black or tulsi (your choice)
  • 1/2 cup dairy free milk of choice, unsweetened (per serving)
  1. Add the cinnamon stick, ginger, cardamom and/or cloves and water to a pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. You'll small the delicious aroma of the spices!

  2. Turn off the heat and add in the tea bag. Let the bag steep for 2-3 minutes.

  3. Now you have your chai concentrate ready! To make a serving, pour 1 cup of the hot tea concentrate into a mug. Heat 1/2 cup (per serving) dairy free milk of choice and pour this into the mug of tea. If you're making 3 servings, heat 1.5 cups of the dairy free milk.

  4. Add honey or sweetener of choice.

Prep Guide:

You can store the chai concentrate in a mason jar in the fridge for up to a week.  Just reheat on the stovetop and add 1/2 cup of hot dairy free milk when you’re ready!

6. No-Bake Chocolate Crunch Brownies


No-Bake Chocolate Crunch Brownies

These decadent brownies are the best combination of fudgy and crunchy! Let's face it, who doesn't need some feel good chocolate these days? Even though these are a sweet treat, they are made with nutrition rich ingredients to provide you with healthy fat and protein (that'll keep your blood sugar stable even when you indulge). If you're nut free, see the substitution notes below!

Filling

  • 2 cups dates (Medjool or other type)
  • 2 cups walnuts
  • 3/4 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp water (add gradually)

Topping

  • 100 grams dark chocolate bar (70% or darker) (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 cup natural or organic peanut butter (or almond butter or tahini)
  • 1 cup puffed crispy rice cereal or puffed crispy quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  1. Choose your date of choice.  If you are opting for cooking dates or honey dates, soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes to rehydrate them, then discard the water.

  2. Add the walnuts into the food processor and pulse using the “s” blade until a crumble forms. Then add the dates, cacao powder and sea salt, blending so that it forms into a “dough”.  Add 1 Tbsp of water at a time through the feeder hole as the food processor is running. You don’t want the “dough” to be too wet, but you do need enough water for it to adhere together.

  3. Once the “dough” is sticky enough to form a ball, remove it from the food processor and place it in an 8 inch square pan that’s lined with parchment paper.  Use your fingers to press the dough into the pan so that it’s spread out and even, then immediately place it in the freezer.

  4. While the brownies are chilling and hardening, start making the topping.  Melt the chocolate chips, coconut oil and peanut butter in a small pot over medium heat. Continue to stir with a silicone spatula until all is velvety and melted together.  Once smooth, fold in the crisp cereal of choice.

  5. Remove the brownies from the freezer and pour the chocolate peanut butter crunchy topping over.  Use a spatula to get an even layer.

Substitution Guide:

Peanut Butter: You can use almond butter instead or tahini, if you can’t eat nuts

Walnuts: You can sub pecans or almonds instead.  If you can’t eat nuts, you can use sunflower seeds or hemp seeds instead.

Crispy Rice/Quinoa: If you don’t have one of these on hand, you can technically omit this from the recipe and it’ll still be delicious!

 

 

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