what do we eat | Colorful recipes to lighten November

Just before the weekend, all readers who cook ask themselves this eternal question: what are we going to eat? To inspire you, The press offers some mouth-watering seasonal recipe suggestions.

Peckish: Tortillas with grilled vegetables and tofu spread by Sonia Lizotte

“Tofu spread is so easy to make! exclaims Sonia Lizot, President and CEO of L’Escouade Culinaire. This recipe was taken from Anti-Routine Lunch Box: 100 Inspired Meal Ideas for Kids and Adultsfrom L’Escouade Culinaire, published by Guy Saint-Jean Éditeur.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 2 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients for the tortillas

• 2 red peppers, quartered
• 2 yellow peppers, quartered
• 1 large zucchini, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper from the mill
• 4 large tortillas
• A few lettuce leaves

Ingredients for the tofu spread

• 1 block 454 g of semi-firm tofu
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 120 g (1 cup) carrots, grated
• 2 tbsp. ground turmeric
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 30 g (1/2 cup) fresh flat parsley, chopped
• 50 g (1/2 cup) grated parmesan
• 1 C. tablespoons salted herbs
• 4 tbsp. tablespoons of homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt

Preparation

• 1. In a bowl, mix the peppers, zucchini and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• 2. In a large pan over high heat, grill the vegetables for two minutes.
• 3. Spread: in a food processor, pulse the tofu with the celery, carrots and turmeric. Pour into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing gently.
• 4. Generously spread the tortillas with tofu, grilled vegetables and lettuce. Make tight rolls and twist one end.

Note

Serve the rest of the tofu spread with raw vegetables. For a change, Sonia Lizotte suggests folding this tortilla in half and baking it in a pan until hot and crispy. You can add cheese.

source: Anti-Routine Lunch Box: 100 Inspired Meal Ideas for Kids and Adultsby L’Escouade Culinaire, Guy Saint-Jean Publishing.

Published on lapresse.ca on November 25, 2019.

Quick Made Well: Ramen Soup with Red Curry

It warms, nourishes, in short invigorates the Sunday!

Servings: 2

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 25 minutes

ingredients

• 3 bok choy, quartered
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 French shallots, chopped
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 ground red pepper
• 1 cup shiitake shiitake, grated
• 3 cups shredded savoy cabbage
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon red curry paste (or more if you’re a chili lover!)
• 1 C. cane sugar
• 1 large can of coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable stock (or more, to taste and appetite. Also, feel free to substitute your homemade chicken stock here if you have it!)
• 3 cups rehydrated ramen noodles (or any Asian noodles you have on hand)
• 200 g firm (or soft!) tofu, cut into small cubes
• Salt (and pepper!) to taste

Preparation

• 1. Cook bok choy in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the shallot, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and cabbage in the butter, stirring regularly, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• 3. Add the curry paste, cane sugar, coconut milk and vegetable stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.
• 4. Add ramen noodles, tofu and bok choy to reheat. Salt if necessary.
• 5. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately (with, why not, to garnish: extra green onions, cilantro or a few crushed roasted peanuts…).

Published on lapresse.ca on November 23, 2019.

Call me boss! : oat risotto with garden vegetables

Makes 4 to 6 servings

ingredients

• 4 tbsp. camelina oil
• 2 shallots
• 150 ml Quebec white wine
• 1 cup whole grain oats
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Swiss chard (1 cup stem, 3 cups leaves)
• 1 cup beetroot chioga
• Cream
• Salt and pepper from the mill

Preparation

• 1. Finely chop the shallot.
• 2. Rinse the oats thoroughly with water 3 times.
• 3. Separate the leaves from the chard stems.
• 4. Roughly chop the leaves.
• 5. Cut the chard stalks into brunoise (small cubes), then blanch them. After the stalks are blanched, refrigerate them immediately.
• 6. Boil the whole beet with the peel, then cool it. After they are boiled and cooled, the skin is removed and cut into brunoise.
• 7. Sweat the shallots in camelina oil.
• 8. Add the oats to pearl them.
• 9. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce until almost dry.
• 10. Add half of the preheated chicken stock.
• 11. Let the risotto simmer over moderate heat, stirring regularly.
• 12. Add the second half of the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
• 13. When the liquid is almost completely absorbed, add the chard leaves, chard brunoise, beet brunoise, sour cream, then season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• 14. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• 15. Cover the risotto and let it sit away from the heat for 4 or 5 minutes.

Published on lapresse.ca on August 4, 2018.

Guilty Pleasure: Raspberry Chia Seed Pudding

Whether eaten as a dessert or a snack, chia pudding is as delicious to eat as it is easy to make. Especially when the recipe only has three ingredients!

For 4 servings

Use 4 cups of 250 ml (1 cup) each

Ingredients for the pudding

• 240 g (2 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries
• 500 ml (2 cups) 2% milk or coconut milk
• 6 tbsp. Chia seeds
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup (optional)

Ingredients for the filling

• 180 g (1 1/2 cups) fresh raspberries
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped pistachios

Preparation

• 1. Place the milk and raspberries in the bowl of a blender and blend until smooth.
• 2. Pour into a large bowl and gradually add the chia seeds, stirring with a whisk. Add maple syrup if desired.
• 3. Leave overnight (or 12 hours) in the refrigerator, or until the cream thickens.
• 4. Immediately before serving, divide the pudding three-quarters into small glasses of about 250 ml (1 cup) and garnish with raspberries and pistachio pieces.

Source: recipe by Barbara Gatto.

Posted on lapresse.ca on June 5, 2017.