saffron coconut halibut

Creamy, creamy coconut milk is one of my favourite ingredients to use. I especially like to use it for weeknight dinners, when I am starving, but still want something comforting and delicious. No one always has oodles of time to prepare dinner. But it doesn't mean that putting dinner on the table is a completely impossible feat involving extensive acrobatics either. I wouldn't say that this is the absolute fastest or the world's easiest dinner to prepare, but pretty darn close. Some cooking is still required. However, I would serve this dish for friends, and not feel guilty that it takes only seconds of hands on time, and because it is so very deliciously good. Saffron Coconut Halibut 1 boneless filet of halibut (or similar white fish) 1 can of coconut milk (I prefer full-fat) 1 tsp of saffron threads 1/2 tsp salt 1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. 2. In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk, salt, and saffron threads (broken up with your finger tips) to a slight simmer. Be careful, as it splatters easily. 3. Place the filet in a glass baking dish. 4. Pour the coconut mixture over top. Place in the oven to bake for at least 20 minutes, check if the fish is flaking and no longer translucent. Continue to bake until cooked through. This will depend upon the thickness of the fish. 5. Serve the fish over basmati rice, and with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
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tangy halibut with garlicky lentils and steamed spinach

Cooking, and not just chopping, doesn't get much easier than this simple fish recipe. There are loads of similar recipes, but this one is good when you crave something sweet and tangy, without any chili heat. Starting with the lentils, thoroughly wash 1 cup of French green lentils. Using a medium saucepan with a lid, bring the lentils, 2 halved cloves of garlic, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to low, and cover. Cook for another 1/2 hour, or until tender. Season, and drain. For the halibut, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tbsp (or equal amounts) each of honey, miso, and hoisin. Spread it on the halibut (or any white fish, or salmon). Bake on parchment paper for 8-10 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fish. Serve with lentils, and steamed spinach. Tasty, and you don't need to knock yourself out.
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chickpea, corn and crunch salad - some salads don't need any vinegar

There are moments of my time which are completely calculated, and premeditated. Usually silly things like ensuring there is enough cream and eggs in the fridge for the makings of ice cream, or endlessly searching recipes to find the right one to use the special vanilla in. How ridiculous, I know. But, what could be better, and why wouldn't I plan that? Especially since the rest of the time, I am often completely succumbed to following the pangs of hunger - that is if Jeff doesn't beat me to it and start cooking first. So planning lunches, to-go, can seem a little bit mundane, as I am just not hungry for lunch at 5:30 in the morning. Imagine my shock when I come to the realization, as an over-zealous vegetable shopper, that really there are no vegetables in the house. How can this be? Is this some kind of bizarre joke? The fridge was bursting at the seams with aromatic garden scents just days ago. Now, there is just nothing to eat, I swear it. My mother used to hate these moments, when I stand and blankly stare into the fridge, "What do you think is going to fall out of there? If you want something you have to look for it. STOP, holding the fridge door open for so long!" Sheeesh. I find it hard to open the fridge door to this day. Well sure, there's lots to eat, but all of it requires significant cooking, and I'm in a hurry to get to work. Immediately, I begin to hard boil eggs. Maybe that will solve the problem of no lunch for the soon to be hungry girl, yes? Well, no, the novelty wore off (maybe tomorrow). I continue to scrounge, and discover that really there are vegetables hidden in the depths of the fridge, just under used, misjudged vegetables lurking in there. Take corn on the cob for instance. Except that, immediately, butter comes to mind, or the feeling of little corn holders sliding within greasy fingertips. But, even though I use it in many dishes, I sometimes don't think about using it as much as I should. And it is really so lovely, especially raw, so sweet, so crispy, so perfect with red onion, which also lurks in the crisper, only to have a slice sheared off here and there. For many reasons, I eat a lot of chickpeas in salads for lunch, and these I always have on hand, always. They are inexpensive, a good source of protein and fibre, and they are just about as nutty as I tend to be. But really, I just like them. I cook chickpeas in the slow cooker, just rinsing them first, then I cover them with water and give it a whirl. I just check that they are always covered with water, sometimes adding a bit more. I taste them to decide when a texture I like is achieved, and then I season with a bit of salt. Sometimes I toss a clove of garlic in the works, if I'm feeling adventurous - yes I do realize this is a pathetic sense of adventure, but it is a noble cause nonetheless. The best thing is that I always have the makings for hummus, as I keep bags of chickpeas frozen, specifically for my sometimes mundane salads with chickpeas. Chickpeas are my lunch when there is nothing else to be had. No leftovers, nada. Today's salad was different. First of all, there was no lettuce. And there was no acid for a vinaigrette, just olive oil. There was also finely chopped celery, and nearly minced red onion; things I hate to do early in the morning, even though I love my knives. It just doesn't feel like the right time of day to inhale a pungent onion smell, as much as I love to eat it's spicy fruit when paired with a rich chickpea. It is worth the effort, and a fairly small effort at that. This salad didn't even require a separate container to store a dressing, so I guess that was one less thing to do, no? Chickpea, corn, and crunch salad (Serves 1) 1 cup cooked chickpeas 1 stalk celery, diced 1 corn on the cob 1/2 tbsp finely chopped red onion extra virgin olive oil, to taste 1. Remove the husk from the corn. Using a medium-sized bowl, place the end of the corn into the bowl, so the corn is upright. Cut the kernels in the bowl with a sharp knife. 2. Combine the corn with the chickpeas, celery, and red onion. Lightly dress with olive oil.
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Bacio: Sweet & Simple Nutella Ice Cream

I absolutely adore hazelnuts. There is something so satisfyingly rich, and buttery about their roasted flavour. I am constantly trying to find ways to incorporate them into everything I can. And this dessert has to be simplest of all; I don't even need any hazelnuts.... But Nutella instead, the consummate hazelnut combination. It really is like a kiss. Bacio!

Bacio Ice Cream

1 300 mL can sweetened condensed milk
2.5 cups 35% heavy cream
4 tbsp best quality cocoa
6 heaping tbsp Nutella
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp fleur de sel

1. Place a resealable container in the freezer to cool. This will keep the ice cream from immediately melting once removed from the dasher.
2. In a blender, combine the condensed milk, heavy cream, cocoa, vanilla, fleur de sel, and 3 tbsp of the Nutella.
3. Add the mixture to a prepared ice cream dasher, and churn.
3. When the mixture resembles "soft ice cream", and just before you would normally empty the dasher; add the remaining 3 tbsp Nutella, trying to "ribbon" it into the mixture. Try to keep the mixture from becoming over-mixed, the intention is for "ribbons" of Nutella to remain.
4. Place the ice cream into the cooled container, and immediately skip to the freezer. The ice cream will be ready to enjoy once it is a bit more solid. Kiss in the meantime. Patience.
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