Classic Poutine

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I swear, I’m having a salad week. No, really. I really am. I sauntered over to the grocery store yesterday with visions of veggies dancing in my head, and I packed myself a massive layered salad in a jar for lunch today. I think it has something to do with saying the phrase “plant-based” approximately one bazillion times this week on the podcast. It also probably relates to the fact that this past weekend I ate like as if I was a four-year-old who is allowed to drink alcohol. I basically consumed carbs, sugar, salt, and alcohol. And a whole lot of goldfish crackers. Oops. It was my birthday. Yolo?

Clearly, vegetables are the move in this situation.

So, I promise to share some of my fave veggie-heavy recipes and salads and all sorts of delicious rabbit food soon. But until then, will you hate me if I unload some poutine onto your Wednesday?? (sidebar: it’s Wednesday already? double take)

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This poutine is actually not totally *un*healthy, because the fries are simply baked potato wedges and there is only a small amount of cheese (which I bought local, holla!), and as for the gravy: it’s homemade, contains a plethora of mushrooms, and you can control the salt content. See? Guilt-free snacksies.

I loosely used Joy the Baker’s recipe for baked french fries, but didn’t use most of the spices she did. I used salt, granulated garlic, pepper and cornstarch! I basically followed this recipe for wild mushroom gravy but adjusted the proportions because I only needed a small amount. I ended up with a not-very-liquidy gravy, but I liked the taste a lot. The thyme made this dish!

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I’ll leave you with a happy (for me) little anecdote about shooting these photos. It was late in the afternoon when I decided I wanted to make this poutine, and was immediately bummed out (as I usually am when I spontaneously decide to make food that I want to photograph late in the day) until I realized that I had enough daylight hours left to make poutine and take photos of it! So then I did, and it made me very happy. The end. Not much of an anecdote, I guess, but I was happy and grateful and noticed that taking food photos while listening to This American Life made me feel just like myself. Hallelujah, thank goodness for Spring.

Happy Wednesday!

Mushroom Bruschetta

Fresh, light, delectable, summery.

As you probably know, I love bruschetta of all kinds. Although bruschetta is traditionally just toasted bread with fresh garlic rubbed over the top, I much prefer fresh tomatoes mixed with anything on hand (see here and here) and a generous helping of the bright flavours of balsamic vinegar and goat cheese.

The other day, I was in the mood for a decadent lunch that included some of my favourite tastes – fresh, crusty baguette, creamy goat cheese and tangy balsamic vinegar. This is the simplest of meals that could also double as an hors d’oeuvre at a party (just use smaller baguette rounds), paired with some champagne?

It’s incredibly easy, and so tasty!

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