Lentil Salad with Roast Tomato, Red Onion & Cilantro

Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for Castelluccio Lentils with Tomatoes and Gorgonzola from his award-winning cookbook 'Plenty,' I created this modified version of his inspired masterpiece, while still retaining the spirit and exceptional flavour of the original dish, but eliminating some of the needless extra calories. Instead of adding soft and sinful morsels of high-fat Italian gorgonzola cheese, a generous dollop of thick and creamy low-fat plain Greek yogurt crowns the salad in its place. Still, flavour still reigns supreme with a magnificent marriage of sweet oven roasted cherry tomatoes, marinated sliced red onions, fresh chopped cilantro and heart-healthy low calorie lentils, all dressed with a fragrant dressing of garlic, cumin and olive oil. Simple and delicious, this dish tastes as sensational as it looks.




Lentil Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Red Onion & Cilantro
Serves 6

1 19 oz can lentils, rinsed
Juice of 1/2 lime and 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12-16 cherry tomatoes, halved and roasted
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup Greek yogurt, as garnish


Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the tomatoes together in a large bowl with 1/8 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in one layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. This can be done a day before. 

Mix the lemon and lime juice, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, then add the sliced onion rings and toss to coat. After 10-15 minutes the onions will soften and turn pinkish. Whisk in the oil, cumin and garlic to the onions, then add the lentils, cilantro and roasted tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and combine the salad well. Serve in a decorative bowl and top with a crown of plain Greek yogurt and garnish of chopped cilantro.

Tomato and Zucchini Tian with Fresh Thyme & Feta

A classic French Provençal dish of baked seasonal vegetables, this Tomato and Zucchini Tian with fresh thyme from the garden, captures all of the colourful flavours of summer. Simple and delicious, this dish is also low in calories. Traditionally, a summer vegetable tian can feature any variety of layered vegetables, herbs and cheeses from bright green and yellow zucchini and small potatoes to plump purple eggplant and plum tomatoes. Layered and baked, this recipe showcases summer's best — fresh zucchini and tomatoes from the St. Lawrence Market with some fresh thyme from our garden. Topped with a little grated Pecorino, this decorative gratin-style tian is one of my favourite summer recipes, and is as healthy and delicious as it looks.




Tomato and Zucchini Tian
Serves 4

3 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, Asiago, Feta or Gruyere, grated
4 sprigs of fresh thyme


Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush a small baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Combine the dried thyme, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Arrange half of the sliced zucchini in the baking dish and sprinkle with about 1/3 of the thyme mixture. Top with the tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the remaining thyme mixture, then top with the remaining zucchini and thyme mixture. Drizzle the composed tian with remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with the cheese. Scatter the fresh thyme over the tian and bake until the vegetable are tender and the cheese has melted, about 30-40 minutes. Serve warm.

Arancini Di Aragosta: Italian Lobster Rice Croquettes

Arancini which resemble 'little oranges' — arancia means 'orange' in Italian and 'arancini' is the diminutive — are a Southern Italian specialty made with risotto that has been formed into little rice balls, coated with an egg wash, dusted in breadcrumbs and finally deep fried to a golden perfection. Aranacini are often filled with little nuggets of mozzarella, so that with the first bite, a gooey melted centre is exposed. A classic Italian snack, I was first introduced to Arancini while in Venice a few years ago. Having made a fabulous Lobster Risotto the other day, I had some leftovers and as they say, "When life throws you Risotto, make Arancini!"



Arancini Di Aragosta (Lobster Arancini)
Makes 12 croquettes

2 cups of leftover Risotto
2 oz mozzarella, cut into 1/8" cubes
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, whisked
vegetable oil


Form the risotto into bite size balls and with your little finger, poke a hole into the centre, stuff it with a small cube of mozzarella and reshape. Whisk an egg is a small bowl and set aside. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl. Coat each risotto ball in the egg wash, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Heat some vegetable oil a saucepan over medium-high heat, and once a leftover piece of breadcrumb sizzles, the Arancini are ready to be fried. Using a small spatula or slotted spoon, roll the Arancini in the oil until they are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the oil as they're done, and dry on paper towel. Serve immediately with an ombra, or glass of wine, as they do in Venice!

Royal Quinoa with Ginger, Cucumber & Cranberries

High in protein, low in fat and full of vitamins and minerals, Quinoa is easy to cook and tastes great, especially when combined with a colourful and crunchy selection of diced cucumber, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, fresh mint and some surprising Japanese-inspired flavours: pickled ginger and Wafu Light Sesame Vinaigrette. A smooth and creamy sesame dressing, Wafu Light has 43% less fat than Wafu's Original Sesame dressing, at just 40 calories per tablespoon, contains no colours or artificial flavours, is cholesterol-free, is low in sodium and is also peanut-free. More importantly — it's delicious!



Royal Quinoa with Pickled Ginger, Cucumber & Dried Cranberries
Serves 6

1 cup red and white quinoa
1/2 english cucumber, finely diced
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pickled ginger, diced
1/8 cup pickled ginger juice
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 cup Wafu Sesame Japanese vinaigrette


Add the quinoa and 2 1/2 cups of water to a pot. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. The water will evaporate, much like rice. Let the quinoa cool for 10-15 minutes before scooping into a large bowl. Add the pickled ginger and juice and toss well. Then add the cucumber, almonds, dried cranberries and fresh mint, stirring until well combined. Finally, mix in the Wafu sesame vinaigrette and toss until combined. Adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Moules Marinière with Leeks, Thyme & Cream

Wine, cream, and butter — the holy trinity of any devout epicurean. Together they produce a mighty potion rich enough to enhance any dish. One of my favourites is Moules Mariniere, a classic dish found in brasseries throughout the world. The essentials are simple: cook chopped leeks in an abundance of butter, add a dollop or two of white wine, lashings of parsley and a final flourish of light cream. Difficult? Hardly. Expensive? Not at all. Mussels are only $2.99/lb, but you'll need a reasonably good bottle of white wine, both for the broth and for quaffing afterwards. Moules is an easy dish that can be prepared in no time at all, and it's delicious, especially with a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the addictively delicious sauce. If you're feel sufficiently motivated, you can also make your own french fries for a traditional "moules-frites." Mon Dieu.

Moules Marinière

Serves 2

1 lb mussels, de-beard and kept chilled until using

2 leeks, rinsed and thinly sliced

1 handful of fresh thyme

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 tbsp butter

kosher salt and white pepper

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Crusty French bread, for serving

In a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Add the leeks, season with salt and white pepper and sauté until translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes. Then add the wine and fresh thyme, and stir to combine. Once the wine is bubbling, add the mussels and give them a stir to coat. Cover and turn the heat up to medium-high, and continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened up. Those that haven't, you should discard. Add the cream and parsley, and give it all a good stir. Serve the moules in one large bowl or portion into two warmed dinner bowls. Ladle the sauce overtop and garnish with some additional chopped parsley. Be sure to mop up the sauce with a loaf of warm crusty bread — delicious!

Smooth & Creamy Salmon Mousse with Dill

This smooth and creamy Salmon Mousse looks especially festive when it's unmolded and garnished with sliced lemon, dill and an olive slice for the eye! Okay, maybe it's a little retro, but fish molds seem to have made a real comeback. And because it's made without whipping cream or mayonnaise, it's low in fat and calories, and the flavour is unbeatable.

Simply mix together some chopped dill, minced onion, lemon juice, yoghurt and sour cream with some dissolved gelatin, and chill until almost set; then combine it with two cans of sockeye salmon and pour into any type of mold you prefer. For a cocktail party, a traditional fish-shaped mold or small terrine works very well, but also small single serving ramekins make an elegant choice for personal Salmon Mousse appetizers, which can be served to guests nestled on a small bed of mixed greens, or served with little toast points. Light and delicious, this is a refreshing low-fat starter that requires little effort, and makes a tasty appetizer for a dinner party or Sunday brunch with friends.



Salmon Mousse with Dill
Serves 10-12

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
1/2 cup water or clam juice
2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
2 tbsp yellow onion, grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
dash of Tabasco sauce
3/4 cup plain 2% yoghurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
2 8-oz cans sockeye salmon


In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water or clam juice; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Warm over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in dill, onion, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco sauce, sour cream, yogurt and celery. Refrigerate until mixture begins to set. Remove the skin from the salmon, but not the bones. They’re an excellent source of calcium. Mash the salmon with a fork or process in a food processor. Mix into gelatin mixture. Spoon into a 4-cup fish mold, or similar. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, unmold onto a serving platter and surround with crackers or fresh cut vegetables.

Streusel Tart with Raspberries, Plums & Blueberries

This gorgeous Raspberry, Plum & Blueberry Streusel Tart is a cross between a tart and a clafoutis, and is absolutely delicious. The sweet butter crust is made with ground almonds, flour, white and brown sugar, cinnamon, a little salt and 3/4 cups of butter, which are all blended together in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. The resulting crumble is pressed into the base and up the sides of a greased springform pan, then baked for about 20-25 minutes. Once the crust has cooled, chopped pitted plums, raspberries and blueberries are scattered along the bottom, although any combination of stone fruit and berries such as blackberries, strawberries, nectarines, cherries or peaches would be great too! 



Raspberry, Plum & Blueberry Tart with Streusel Topping
Serves 6-8

3/4 cup unsalted butter - 1 1/2 sticks - chilled and cut into small pieces
1/3 cup blanched almonds 
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided plus 1 tbsp
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar 
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
3/4 tsp salt 
4 medium ripe but firm plums
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
1 large egg yolk 
2/3 cup light cream 
1 tsp grated nutmeg


Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with room temperature butter or olivina and set aside. Place the ground almonds in a food processor and pulse until medium fine. 

Transfer the nuts to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix until just combined. Add butter, and mix on low speed until the crumble begins to stick together, about 2 to 3 minutes. Press 3 to 3 1/2 cups of the crumble into the bottom of the prepared pan and to about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust. Set the remaining crumb mixture aside.

Transfer the crust to the oven and bake until it appears to be set, about 20 to 25 minutes, then set aside. Watch to ensure the crust doesn't burn.

Slice the plums in half, remove pits and slice into eighths. Scatter the raspberries, blueberries and sliced plums onto the cooled crust and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup flour + 1 tablespoon flour, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk in the 2 eggs, egg yolk, cream, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg, and mix until blended. Pour the custard over the fruit and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Transfer the tart to the oven and bake until the custard has set and is slightly golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Let rest at least 25 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with a bowl of whipped cream, Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream to be completely decadent. Yum-yum.