Maple Mustard Brussel Sprouts

Quick little side dish for ya today. Keepin the veg interesting. This was literally an on-the-spot, use-whats-in-my-fridge, hey-what-the-heck kind of recipe. Its hard to even call it a recipe. And that is the best kind of recipe!!

This little concoction is nothing brilliant or new, but it is to get your mind juices flowin so you can have more fun in the kitchen and add some jazz to your veggies!

Hoisin Glazed Chicken with Orange Rice

So this is going to be a 2 part recipe. The chicken and the rice. Can be eaten together, or use separately. Either way, they are both delish and easy. Sometimes as a student, I end up cooking and eating just one thing. For example - the other day I made mashed potatoes, and just ate those. HA. So complete. Therefore, I am attempting to make sure I eat more whole and complete meals *please note I did have a veggie on the side, it just didn't fit on the plate!

Have you tried hoisin sauce before? It is a Chinese dipping sauce - or - how I usually explain it to people is that it is like a Chinese bbq sauce! It is extremely flavourful and taste amazing with chicken - so why not? And ORANGE RICE? Wha??? It was SO good. But I need to make an important note about this - PLEASE DO NOT USE CHEAP CONCENTRATED FAKE ORANGE JUICE - it will actually taste like chemicals - honestly I have tried this - so please, please don't. Please for me? Kay thanks.

Cold Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash Salad

Welcome to Part 2 of my Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash. Need a refresher on part 1? Check it out HERE

Remember me?

Since I have been insanely busy with school lately I have been trying hard to think of dishes that I can make that will transfer into an awesome lunch the next day. However, eating the same thing for 3 days in a row gets boring, so switching it up a bit keeps my tongue and belly happy. So why not take some leftover veggies, add some protein, eat it cold and call it a salad?

This is so unbelievably easy that it can be done the morning of, and really it doesn't even need a recipe but I felt compelled to share because it tastes so darn good.

Cold Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash Salad
Time: 5 mins            CPS: $0.60                 L of D: Undergraduate

- Left over Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash (recipe here)
- 1/2 cup Chickpeas
- Small handful of Dried Cranberries
- 1 Tsp of Balsamic Vinegar
- A bit of lemon zest

Put all ingredients in a dish. Pour over balsamic vinegar (I just wanted an extra little kick to boost the flavour).

Eat cold. I found it best at room-temperature

Yep. THAT IS IT. I am not lying to you. But here is my suggestions for a few additional ingredients you may want to add if you are feelin it.


- Sliced Almonds?
- Goat cheese?
- Feta cheese?
- Anything you want really!

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Still going with my latest obsessions with brussels sprouts as mentioned in my Warm Beet and Brussels Sprouts Salad I have made a 2-part dish. That is why this recipe makes so much because what I did with the leftovers deserved its own post.

SO STAY TUNED FOR PART 2! (mostly because I think it is way better than part 1. However part 1 did serve its purpose and was delicious).

Here it is along side my delicious chicken - YAY gluten free meal!

Warm Beet and Brussels Sprouts Salad

BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!!!

Everyone hates these little guys. Why wouldn't you? They are mini cabbages. I always hated them as a child.

Well you would think I was pregnant or somethin because I have had some massive cravings from them (no worries friends and fam - I am NOT preggers and if I was.. what a horrible way to find out eh?!)

Red and Golden Beet Salad with Red Onions and Oranges

I found golden beets at the market today! How exciting! Well, it is exciting for me - shut up I know I am a foodie nerd. Listen, I watch the food network all the time and they always use beets with beautiful colour - red, golden, rainbow.. simply amazing. And I NEVER get to do that! One reason is because I am poor, but mainly it is because of where I live. There isn't a whole whack of variety in produce all the time. And that is okay with me, because that means they are not shipping food from all over the world only to rot in my fridge a day after I get it.

Anyways, I found these bad boys and I think they were super cool. So I wanted to show em off in a gorgeous salad. So I did. And I liked it.

It is super easy, light and refreshing. Makes me feel... summery.

Baked Prosciutto Wrapped Figs Stuffed with Blue Cheese and a Balsamic Reduction

Some of you may or may not remember the amazing birthday dinner my foodie friend made for me a few months ago. Well if you can recall, one of the appetizers she made me consisted of Prosciutto Wraped Figs Stuffed with Blue Cheese and they were absolutely friggan fantastic. At the time she couldn't find fresh figs, only dried, but they were still SOOOOOO good. So now that I had my hands on fresh figs, how fitting would it be to try and replicate what she did and add a little spin.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs with Honey

Last post I introduced the New Food Challenge #6: Figs. So here is the first thing I tried with them. Super super simple and easy. Except it didn't turn out....perfect. The figs weren't ripe enough, I cut them too far down so they starred out, and I think I over cooked them because they were a bit mushy....*sigh* 

But like I mentioned last post, these babies are not uber cheap, therefore I wasn't about to throw them out and start over. I was gunna eat them anyways. And guess what? I liked them. A lot. I thought it tasted delicious. So I am going to write about it and correct the mistakes. Because in my opinion... this will impress the PANTS off of anyone you serve this too! SO THERE.

Beet, Avocado, Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad

It's April. Which is the end of the semester. Which means papers, assignments and final exams. Which means a lot of late nights and even more coffee.

Since it is just the beginning, I am trying to make sure I start the month off right by actually eating some veggies. Not sure how long it will last... but hey... at least I am trying right?

Well I am mac and cheese yesterday. But no one has to know about that really.

Bacon and Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower is... well kinda boring. Sorry but it is.

 

How do you make something not boring? You bacon-fy it.

Baconfy you ask? Yes, baconfy - the art of adding bacon to something to make it exponentially better.

Not only did bacon make this soup taste better, it changed the colour...to a less desirable colour. But don't think about that! Think about the fact that there is bacon in it! Problem solved.

 

And really, when you consider how much bacon per seving is used in this recipe, it is actually extremely healthy. I mean it is literally just pureed veggies. So eat, guilt free (my fave way to eat)

Quinoa with Corn and Edamame

Last post we learned how super awesome quinoa is.

But, I also learned that on its own... is pretty plain Jane. Nothing against Jane or anything, but that is just not how we roll over here at the Gourmet Student.

We put the extra in extraordinary.

Plus I was bored and needed to use the edamame in my freezer because they were starting to look a little .. blah.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

Butternut squash soup was one of the very first things I started making while in school that actually tasted good. I can't remember exactly when I started, or for what reason I chose this soup in particular, but it sure does have a lot of memories attached to it!

I've made this at my house, at friends house, for myself to freeze, for study parties. I've made this with many people together and I have made this on my own. I have taught people how to make this and I have made 100,000 versions of it.

Spiced Carrot Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Are you that annoying person in class munching on carrots? Crunch, crunching away while the prof is lecturing.Chopping your jaw down on those orange nubbins? Crunch crunch crunch.... crunch... Please just stop, I can't hear what the prof is saying...I can hear inbetween crunches.... I can't hear my friend next to me.... I can't even hear my own thoughts!!!!!!! CRUNCH CRUNCH.

Not you? Okay... that is totally me. I admit I am a carrot munch cruncher. BUT I know I am not alone.

Butterless Butter Chicken

Do you love Indian food? Do you know what restaurants in your area serve the real stuff? The authentic dishes? Do you know how much butter is actually in butter chicken? Do you consider yourself a connoisseur when it comes to butter chicken? Really? You do??

Well good for you.

Because I don't.

How To: Bedazzle your Veggie Tray

Tired of your boring veggie platter? Carrots, celery, broccoli and maybe some peppers. It is definitely easy I'll give ya that. And its a healthy tid bit to your party spread. You can even buy them pre-made at the grocery store (although it may cost you an arm and a leg). 

How many times does this happen to you. 

-You decide to host a party. 

- You think of some awesome snack ideas

- Day of, you go pick up all the ingredients at the grocery store and realize - crap there is nothing good for me on the menu, lets throw in a veggie tray

Bah ...always an afterthought. 

Grilled Eggplant, Tomato and Basil Salad

Its hot. Wicked hot. So unbelievably hot that I have barely left my bedroom in 2 days because I have a tiny little air conditioner jammed in the window.

My one bedroom apartment has begun to melt. The doors won't close properly because the wood has expanded due to the humidity, the floors have begun to sweat. Whether to open or close the windows is in constant debate.

The thought of turning on my oven, or even a burner on the stove top just makes me sweat. Last night I went to Subway for dinner just so I can sit in an air conditioned building for half an hour.

But I can't live off Subway (Well ya I could, Jared did it).

Which leads me to -  salads and bbq.

Kale Chips

Sweet tooth? How about a SALT tooth? Ya that is more like it. Icecream? No thanks. Cookies? Maybe later. Crackers? Oh ya. Popcorn? Oooh baby. Chips? YES!!! Salty foods are a weak spot for me and when I get my hands on something, there is no stopping me. But obviously eating bags and bags of chips is clearly NOT healthy in any way shape or form. And I have stressed this point before because I know there are more like me out there! Don’t worry peeps! I feel your pain!

Warm Spinach Dip

Spinach Dip!!! Wooo! Yes, spinach dip is incredibly exciting, at least it is with my group of friends! Definitely a party staple and probably the most requested recipe I have. Which makes it an obvious addition to the Ultimate Student Collection. Its ooey, its gooey and soooo tasty! Even though it is packed with cheese, (and I mean seriously packed), I use light/low fat versions to help out a bit, but surprisingly it does not sacrifice flavour.

Now I know there are a gazillion spinach dip recipes out there, but I add a little something extra that sets mine apart. That secret is slivered almonds. It adds an element of crunch to the creamy dip. Trust me, once you have the dip without them, you will miss them.

So next time you have a girls night, or you are invited to a potluck, try bring this super easy spinach dip, its sure to please the masses.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup with a Honey Drizzle

Cold outside? Need to warm your belly? I have the perfect trick - a big ol hearty bowl of soup. Its sweet, savory and spicy all at the same time. I love soup, but I'm not a big fan of the kind with broth and stuff in it ... I like the pureed type, so you will begin to see a lot of these types of soup in the future! 

A really good thing about this soup is that it is extremely healthy for you! (Always a plus). In the past sweet potatoes may have been given a bad rap because they are a carb. You know, the whole "carbs are evil" thing that was floating around for awhile. However, sweet potatoes are actually extremely good for you and should be a part of everyone's diet. It is full of dietary fiber (apparently more than oatmeal) and Vitamin A and C and beta carotene (when eating with the skin on). Sweet potatoes also have a really low glycemic index score - wait what is that? Well all you need to know is that it means that sweet potatoes are digested slowly, which keeps you fuller, longer.  

I also just like to make a note that I chose to leave the skin on my sweet potatoes. Most of the antioxidants found in sweet potatoes are actually in skin. I just scrubbed them real well before using them. Plus... I am lazy and skipping the step of peeling was right up my alley. But if you choose to skin the potatoes, the color of your soup will be a lot more vibrant (just something to keep in mind). 

Warm Beet Salad

Lately I have been seeing a lot of trendy salads popping up in restaurants all over the place and sometimes at a hefty price. So when I find a salad I love, I try to replicate it at home, that way I can have much more at a lower cost.

Beets have a bad wrap for being a pain in the butt to work with. Which yes I agree, they can be. They stain your fingers, take forever to cook and you have to peel them! Bah! Well I came up with a few tricks that make the process a little easier.
1) Instead of buying a bunch of little beets, I buy 1 BIG beet
2) I wear gloves, or just plastic bags on my hands while peeling. Or just suck it up and work quickly and wash your hands directly afterwards. Lemon juice also helps getting the purple stain out of your skin
3) I slice them and grill them on the barby

Now I know that winter is on the way and this is clearly a salad I did more often in the summer, so for some people the bbq is not an option. Which is fine, you will just have to spend a little longer cooking them. But there are so many ways of cooking them, that you can choose your preference.

Warm Beet Salad

1 large beet

1-2 cups of spinach or spring mix
1/4 cup of walnuts (I like to toast them but this is optional)
Goat cheese (as much or as little as you like)

Dressing
2 Tbsp of Red wine vinegar
1/2-1 tsp of Dijon Mustard
1 small shallot
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
*Note, you do not have to use this dressing, I happen to love it ESPECIALLY with this salad, but I don't always have shallots on hand, and I really think it is the shallots that make it awesome. But whatever there are a ton dressing that work, I recommend a vinaigrette. 

Get your gloves on an peel that beet.
BBQ: Cut into big slices, drizzle with olive oil and place on grill. It will take about 5-8 minutes on either side until there are some nice grill marks on it.
OVEN: Cut up the beet into slices or chunks. Just remember the smaller the pieces, the quicker they cook. Put in oven at 450 degrees for about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the beets.
You will know they are done when the beets are tender and you can easily slide a fork/knife into it.

In the meantime, make your dressing. Chop up shallot, whisk together with dijon and red wine vinegar. While whisking slowly add in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I sometimes like to add my goat cheese right into the dressing so it kind of soaks up the flavor). Set aside.

Set up your greens on the plate, and sprinkle the walnuts over it. Once the beets are done, add to salad and crumble goat cheese over top (if you didn't add it to the dressing) and drizzle dressing over entire thing. I like to do this as soon as the beets are done cooking because when the goat cheese hits the warm beets, it slowly melts and gets all yummy.

Enjoy your salad and your purple poop the next morning!

Cooking Tip for 1: Like I mentioned earlier, buy 1 large beet and it makes life easier. Also you can find jarred pickled beets. They are tasty as well and can be heated in the microwave. I would just recommend reducing the amount of vinegar in the dressing if you choose these bad boys.