Completely Sweet Valentine's Day Supper

Feeling McLovin’ and looking for a unique way to impress your dude or dudette this Valentine’s Day? Why not flash a peace sign, zip down to Montréal and enjoy a one-night stay at the exact same suite John Lennon and Yoko Ono lounged in during their 1969 Give Peace a Chance bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Yep, for a mere $2,000 CDN, or one very large coffee tin full of toonies, you and your sugar pie could enjoy a leisurely stay in legendary suite 1742 complete with souvenir Jo-Ko PJs, a bouquet of white flowers, wine, breakfast and dinner as ordered by the famous nesting lovebirds 40 years ago. Just imagine!

Or, you could KISS (keep it simple sweetheart), save those under-the-bed toonies for junior’s tuition and host your very own love-in with a simple “I wanna hold your hand” dinner at home—sans les enfants. Just select your favourite lounge crooner “romantic hits”, set a peaceful table for two—complete with flowers and candles—and serve up a Lovin’ Spoonful Valentine’s meal all of your own. Start with a heart-friendly cranberry and feta salad and follow that number with a medley of sesame carrots, red peppers and sugar snap peas, rosemary-roasted red potatoes, maple-nut crust baked salmon and a dessert of frozen vanilla yogurt laced with crushed hot-cinnamon hearts. Best of all, this meal can be prepared in advance or quickly assembled at the last minute, giving you lots of “quality time” to spend with your sweetheart! But before the chopping and romantic fireworks begin, agree on who is Chef or Sous-Chef and Give Peace a Chance.

Cranberry Feta and Roasted Walnut Salad
4 cups mixed greens
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tart, sliced apple

½ cup toasted walnut pieces mixed with:
1 tsp each melted butter, sugar and cinnamon

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon or old-style mustard
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Toss nut pieces with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Bake for 5-6 min at on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet for 325F. Let cool. Layer salad greens in a large, shallow salad bowl or on a large serving platter. Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard and pepper in small bowl. Slowly add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. Pour over salad greens. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle cranberries, cheese, sliced apples and cooled walnuts over top. Serve immediately. Tip: Double or triple the dressing mixture and store in a glass jar, unrefrigerated. Keep large batches of the other salad ingredients in Ziploc bags in the refrigerator for quick salad prep. Imagine, you'll be getting your greens... every night!

Sesame Carrots, Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas
1 cup mini carrots
1 cup washed and trimmed sugar snap peas
1 red pepper thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Steam carrots for 5 min. Add peppers and snow peas to carrots and steam for another 3 min or just until tender crisp. Drain water from pot. Over low heat, in the same pot toss carrots, peppers and peas with 1 tbsp sesame oil. Sprinkle 2 tbsp sesame seeds over top and mix well. Serve immediately.

Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes
6-8 small red potatoes
2 tbsp rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp coarse salt
Wash potatoes (leave skins on) and slice in half. Boil for 12-14 min. Drain. Place potatoes in a foil-lined 13x9” baking dish. Mix together olive oil and rosemary. Pour oil mixture over potatoes and toss gently with a pastry brush. Sprinkle pepper and coarse salt over top. Bake for 45 min at 425 F (stirring at halftime) until lightly browned

Salmon with Maple-Nut Crust
This recipe is for one large tail piece of salmon with the skin on. The tail of the salmon is always the sweetest and leanest.
1 large tail piece of salmon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup almonds, pecans or shelled pistachios

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with tin foil. Wash and dry salmon with paper towel and place skin side down (flesh side up) on the sheet. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Mix together syrup, curry and mustard. Chop up or crush nuts. Preheat oven to 425F. Spoon half of maple syrup mixture over fillets then sprinkle with nuts. Spoon remaining maple mixture over nuts. Cover the exposed areas of the sheet around the fish with tin foil pieces—this keeps the oil from splattering and burning. Bake in centre of oven at 425F for 35 min.

Crushed Hearts Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (pictured above)
3 cups very slightly melted and softened Vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream
3 tbsp crushed cinnamon hearts, reserve 1 tbsp
1/4 cup coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate bits
2-4 rolled wafers or chocolate biscuits
Chocolate syrup (optional)
In medium sized plastic tub mix frozen yogurt, 2 tbsp crushed cinnamon hearts and chocolate bits together well. Place mixture in the freezer. To serve, use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon and spoon into glass bowls. Garnish with rolled wafers or chocolate biscuits. Drizzle with chocolate syrup (optional). Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp crushed cinnamon hearts. Serve immediately.

More devilishly simple winter salads

Discover your supernatural salad powers-invite a few unusual suspects to the mix!

Go exotic and imagine yourself creating a salad with characteristic ingredients as charismatic and enigmatic as the guests you would invite to a fantasy dinner party. Begin by thinking of your salad as “insalata”, Italian for “salad”. The word sounds so devilishly close to “insolent” it will give you all the creative license you need to think beyond the usual sad-sack, pre-mixed salads in the grocery store. Next, imagine yourself in a Mediterranean light, crafting a work of art so unique and delicious your family and friends will exalt you to the heights of “Leonardo Insalata.” Start by creating a bed of greens (romaine lettuce, watercress, organic mixed greens, etc) and adding your favourite chopped fresh or grilled vegetables. To mystify and sweeten your creation, add unexpected embellishments like sliced pears, apples, or figs. Need a crispy-crunch fix? Toss in few spicy or sweet nuts or seasoned croutons. For a final mystery complement, consider inviting dashing, unusual salad guests like crumbled Stilton cheese, capers or proscuitto to prompt the question, “mmm…just who and what is this?” Drizzle your favourite oil and vinegar dressing over top and toss well or serve in a layered design.

Now set the mood and let the “insalata” begin. If weather permits, eat “al fresco”—keep your parka on—it means, to eat in the open air or outdoors. Buff up the cutlery, fill the water goblets, drape the table with a linen cloth, and light the tea lights. After ditching the dishtowel from your shoulder and casually whipping off your work-in-progress apron, place a clean, white napkin over your right forearm and go about your humble abode to personally invite each family member to an introductory dinner course of (whisper) “Insalata”. Stand back, your mystery starter will have your dinner guests scrambling for the best seat at the table, eagerly awaiting your work of art and then jumping from their chairs for more. Sotheby’s take note!

Try these salads to pique your interest:

Maple Pear and Stilton Cheese Salad

(The beauty of this recipe is its quick assembly. Many of the ingredients can be prepared in large batches and refrigerated in sealed Ziploc bags for quick salad preparation any night of the week!)

Mix together 1/3 cup maple syrup with 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar. Core and thinly slice 3-4 pears and place in the maple syrup mixture in a sealed container (Ziploc boxes work well.) Turn and shake the container 4-5 times to coat the pears. Set aside. These can be stored for 2-3 days, if necessary.

For the salad:

Thinly slice 3-4 dried figs and ½ of a red pepper.

Crumble up 1/3 cup Stilton cheese.

¼ cup sugared pecans* (buy at the Bulk barn or make yourself with the recipe below)

Organic PC Greens

On a large platter, place four large handfuls of organic greens. Sprinkle sliced figs and red pepper slices over top. Drizzle about 1/3 of the pear mixture juice over top. Place 8-10 pear slices on top. Sprinkle Stilton cheese over top. Finish by sprinkling ¼ cup of the cooled sugared pecans over top. Serve with a large salad spoons. Do not toss. Serve in this layered arrangement. Tip: Young children prefer this salad with green Granny Smith apples instead of pears and a mild white cheese instead of Stilton.

*Sugared pecans recipe

2 tbsp butter

2 cups pecans

1/8 tsp EACH: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

2 tbsp sugar.

Stir nuts in melted butter in fry pan. Heat 3-4 minutes on medium heat and until heated and very light brown. Remove from heat. Mix spices and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over nuts and stir well. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place nuts in an even layer and toast at 300F for 10-12 min, stirring at 3 min intervals until brown. These burn easily so watch them carefully.

Light and Healthy Mandarin & Spinach Salad

For the salad:

1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds

1 red or orange pepper sliced into long, thin segments

1/3 of a medium-sized red onion, sliced in long thin pieces

1 small can drained Mandarin orange segments

6 –8 cups washed and trimmed spinach

For the dressing whisk together:

¼ c honey

3 tbsp cider or other fruit vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp poppy seeds

In a large salad bowl toss together all ingredients, except red peppers and nuts. Drizzle one-third of dressing (or more to taste) over top and toss. Sprinkle peppers and nuts over top and serve.

Speedy Gonzales Artichoke & Hearts of Palm Salad

2 tins whole, drained artichoke hearts – chopped in large pieces

2 tins whole, drained hearts of palm, chopped into large pieces

Use Farm Boy Lemon garlic marinade or whisk together your own:

¼ c olive oil

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix chopped artichokes and hearts of palm in lemon garlic mixture and serve in a medium sized serving bowl.

Winter Salads with Kick

(Yes...I did take this picture of a salad in a fresh Barrhaven snowbank--the perfect salad chiller!)
As you cruise past the magazine racks at your local grocery store you suddenly begin to stare and salivate. Perhaps you spotted soccer stud-muffin David Beckham or Mrs. Posh gazing out at you with a pound of desire or yet another magazine advertising comfort foods with juicy photos of saucy dishes—sure to bulge the belly! You want to bring one home—a magazine—that is, but what about that New Year’s resolution to eat salad and exercise every day so you can slip—rather than cram—yourself into something a little more comfortable. Like that little black dress or spandex tux for your niece’s wedding next June?

Finding a line-up of fresh, lively ingredients for salads during mid-winter however is no easy feat. So, try a new game and give your salads a kick to keep you scoring on the right side of the scales. Add a few untried players from the back-bencher grocery aisles to your field of greens; fennel bulbs, mung beans, hearts of palm, walnuts, mandarins, cranberries, or roasted parsnips. Other options might include nuts, grains like bulgar or couscous, sharp cheese like Swiss or Stilton or other proteins such as sliced hard-boiled eggs, diced tofu or cottage cheese. Try these winter salad recipes to stay on top of your game and eat like Mr. and Mrs. do at Beckingham Palace!

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Serves 12
Dressing:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp diced onion
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 apple cored, thinly sliced
1 pear cored, thinly sliced
In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream (or whisk in) until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix. In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce and dressing, then cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear. Serve immediately.


Apple yogurt salad
Makes 4 cups
¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2 tbsp orange or mango juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, chopped bite-size
2 Clementine tangerines, peeled, sections cut in thirds
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Mix the yogurt, orange juice and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl. Stir in the apple, then the more delicate tangerines and mint. Serve immediately.


Winter Vegetable Salad
Serves 6-8
1/2 lb parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) chunks
1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/2 inch (2 cm) chunks
2 stalks celery, sliced
3/4 cup frozen peas
½ small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
Dressing:
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp chili sauce
pinch salt
Steam parsnips and carrots over boiling water until tender-crisp. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Pour hot water over peas, just to thaw; drain well. In a medium bowl, combine parsnips, carrots, celery, peas, red onion and raisins. For dressing: Combine yogurt, vinegar, chili sauce, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; mix until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. From: www.homefamily.net

Couscous Date Salad
Serves 4
198 g Package of Couscous with fruit and nuts
(or plain couscous and add your own chopped dried fruit and nuts)
2 cups chopped unpeeled English cucumber
½ cup pitted dates, chopped
¼ cup raspberry vinaigrette
Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous. Stir. Return to boil. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to a large bowl. Chill uncovered for 30 minutes. Add cucumber and dates. Toss. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss well. Makes 5 cups. Serves 6.

Mung Beans Salad
Serves 6
Mung beans are very nutritious, protein and fibre full.
2 cups whole mung beans (at the Bulk Barn)
Dressing:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp garlic, mashed
1 tsp chopped hot pepper
2 tbsp shredded coconut
Salt to taste
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Soak whole mung beans overnight. Drain and put to simmer on very slow heat, until buttery soft. Add the dressing to the hot beans, and serve immediately with Naan or pita bread.

Colorful Bean Salad
Serves 6
2 cups dried beans, soaked overnight
½ cup chopped roasted red pepper (bottled is fine)
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 small can (398ml) Hearts of Palm, sliced
½ cup sliced purple onion
½ cup celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, mashed
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Watercress or salad greens of your choice. Rinse beans and cook in 6 cups of water until just tender, about an hour. Drain and add all other ingredients. Mix well, and let flavors blend for at least one hour. Serve at room temperature, on a bed of greens.