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!

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?!)

Blue Cheese, Fig and Caramalized Onion Crostini

Final recipe with figs here today. A few posts ago I introduced figs as my New Food Challenge #6. Since figs are a delicacy in the student world, I tried my best to stretch my dolla and make 3 different smple recipes. Now I know there are a hundred thousand other recipes that you can do with figs. I tried to pick some easy ones that showcase the true figgy flava. But this is all this poor student can afford for now.  I stuffed figs with goat cheese and drizzled them with honey and thyme THEN I wrapped them in prosciutto and blue cheese and topped with a little balsamic reduction. But I left the best for last. Well my fave anyways. AND they are so pretty. Don't you think? Bring these to your next party and I guarantee a show-stopper moment.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Ginger Roasted Carrots

Okay, so now that the birthday month is over, and the chocolate holiday has passed, I suppose it is time to start eating some vegetables again. I suppose so.

Now I know I am a little late posting about these heirloom carrots (a.k.a purple and white carrots) because they are typically found in the late fall. But you can do ths recipe with any type of carrots. Even the genetically modified baby carrots that come in a bag.

The purple ones are my favourite! Even though there really isn't that much difference between the colors, I think there is a subtle sweetness to them. And the orange ones are more - carroty... ya you heard me. Whatever, eating purple food is cool and you know it.

Balsamic Pear and Goat Cheese Dip

What better way to show up to a party, then with a bottle of wine? Or perhaps a 26er of Jack Daniels? Maybe some Tequila? Or perhaps one BAD ASS dip. 

Although some may prefer some alcohol ... ... hmm... I say I prefer the dip. Well this dip at least. 

Broccoli and Dried Cranberry Pasta Salad.

 Pasta salads are definitely summer staples. But there is no mythical crazy recipe rule book out there that says you can't make a summer dish in the coldness of fall. So I did it. I made a pasta salad for a potluck!

Everytime I think of pasta salad, I think of the type my family always made - italian dressing, chunks of cheese and some veggies. Good? Yes. Over done? For me? Yes. Want to try something different? YES. 

Creamy Pesto and Garlic Scape Potato Salad

Ahhh... potato salad. A staple at any family bbq/picnic. I don't know about you, but when I think about potato salad, I think of KFC, grocery store sides, Mom's recipe with chunks of celery, and a whole whack of mayo. Bring back memories? Ohhh yaaa. Actually not that many for me since I do not particularly like chunks of celery in anything. So I typically stayed away from it... or picked the celery out (my mom hated that!)

Lime, Shrimp, Avocado and Cilantro Salad

Summer is here! Oh baby oh baby! Well technically it has been here for a while, but lately.. the temperature.. wooo ...sky rocketing! The weather is warmer, the sky is clearer, the produce is more vibrant and the stove becomes my enemy because it heats up my apartment to a million degrees celcius. Solution? Befriend my BBQ and learn to cook without the use of heat. Can we do it? I am sure as heck going to try.

This salad is so incredibly fresh and jam PACKED with flavor. No seriously, the flavor just explodes with every bite. I kid you not. 

Basil Thai Eggplant

A few days ago I introduced a new food: Thai Eggplant. Now I get to tell you what the heck I did with them! Like I mentioned before, the most common recipe that I found was Basil Thai Eggplant. So I decided to give it a whirl and make my own little version.

I thought it would be simple and quick and still allow me to taste the pure flavour of the eggplant. And it was just as I suspected... it tasted like eggplant... with some basil.

New Food Challenge #2: Baby Bok Choy

With Chinese New Year happening last week, I was in the mood for some cooking with an Asian flare. So why not use one of my most favourite vegetables: bok choy! I grew up on this veg and it is hard for me to envision a stir-fry without it. As I was about to post my bok choy recipe, I realized that not everyone has some Chinese family members, and not everyone knows what the heck bok choy even is!

But now you will  muahaha...

Roasted Acorn Squash

I love the fall. I love the smell of the season, the leaves changing, the really great colors of fall fashion. But I have to say, what I love the most, is squash. It's hearty, nutritious, tasty and when in season, it is extremely cheap! Grocery stores tend to sell squash at $0.79 a pound. But guess what? I made the hike out to Trail's End Farmer's Market in London Ontario and I found squash of all kinds for 4/$5! And we are talking the big suckers too! Oh man what a deal...or shall I say.. STEAL! It really makes you think about how much grocery stores mark up their produce eh? I am a big supporter of shopping at farmer's markets, not only do we win buy getting great produce at low prices, but we are supporting local communities and farmers.

Anyways. Back to the squash. Now most of you are familiar with butternut squash. And why wouldn't you? It's awesome! But sometimes I like to switch it up a bit like with some acorn squash. The flavor is more peppery and not as rich. They are also the perfect size and make their own little serving dish! I personally love acorn squash when you are eating it plain and I leave the butternut for when I am making soups or other types of dishes.

The most simple way to make squash is to roast it, and in my opinion, the best way to eat it.

Roasted Acorn Squash

1 Acorn Squash
1 tbsp of butter (more if you like mmhmm)
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (like a pumpkin!). If you like, save the seeds for later and wash them. You can roast them just like pumpkin seeds.

Brush or smush the butter all over the inside of the squash and sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Place the squash in some kind of casserole dish and put in oven.

Roast for approximately 20-30 minutes (depending on how big the squash is). How to tell if it is done? Poke it with a fork! If it is tender, your ready to eat.

Smells sooooo good.

Hummus - Just as Universal as Mayo

Hummus. Love it. Absolutely love it. I dip things in it, spread it on things, mix different ingredients into it. You can use it for just about anything! Now most pre-made hummus you find in stores contain A LOT of oil and sometimes other ingredients that I can't pronounce. So once I discovered how incredibly easy it is to make my own, I never looked back to the shelves in the grocery store again.

You can mix a million different flavors into hummus twisting and turning it into different recipes, but today I will present you with the basic hummus recipe. Simple but never boring.

An important key to a good hummus is Tahini or Tahina. Tahini is basically a sesame seed paste. You can actually make it yourself, but I opt for the easy option of buying a huge tub. Why? Well its relatively cheap and it lasts forever. Nowadays you can find it at most grocery stores. Tahini reacts with the chickpeas to make a smoother texture and richer flavor (if you have ever tried to make hummus without tahini, you know what I am talkin about!

Ok... on to the recipe!

Basic Hummus 

1 can of chickpeas
2 tbsp of Tahini
1 tbsp of water or oil
1 tbsp of lemon juice (optional)
1 garlic clove
Salt to taste

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water or oil and blend. Blender is easiest option, but of course I do not have one so I use an emersion blender. Heck I have even used a potato mashed.

I choose water over oil for a healthier option. But once everything is blended, you may need to add more liquid to reach your desired consistency (depends on how thick or thin you like yours).

Also, I love garlic, so I often put in more.. but there is such a thing as too much. I think 1-2 cloves is just fine raw, but I have made it with roasted garlic and I use a lot more.

Drizzle olive oil on top and serve with chips, pita, veggies... literally whatever!