Spaghetti Squash Salad Rolls

Dan    Recipes, Vegan     appetizer, Asian, autumn, quick and easy, squash, vegan

What you’ll need…

1 large-sized spaghetti squash

1 red bell pepper

1 carrot

1/2 cucumber

1 pack marinated tempeh

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

salt & pepper

1 pack rice paper wraps

hoisin sauce

hot chili sauce

Just having some fun with spaghetti squash! This definitely makes for an interesting salad roll, and one which you will certainly not find at your neighbourhood Vietnamese restaurant!

After gutting the squash (that sounds kind of terrible…), cut in half, and place open-side down into a large pot. Add in 1 inch of water, 1 TBSP of salt, cover, turn to medium-high heat. Once the water starts to boil, turn heat down to low heat and let the squash steam for 8 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, use tongs to remove the squash from the pot, setting the halves on the counter to cool.

While you’re waiting for the squash to cool, thinly slice the vegetables, tempeh, and chop up the herbs. Set aside until you’re ready to start wrapping.

Once the squash has cooled down, use a fork to ‘rake‘ the insides out. While going around the sides with the raking motion, the squash should start resembling noodles. When both halves are thoroughly ‘raked’, place them in a bowl with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt & pepper. Mix gently with hands.

Now for the assembly line…get a medium-sized bowl, and fill it with hot water from your kitchen tap. Set beside a cutting board, and have all remaining items on a plate beside you. Take a (one at a time!) rice paper wrap and dunk it in the water for about 8-10 seconds. Once it starts to soften, lay it on the cutting board as flat as possible. Now add your fillings, with the spaghetti squash as your base (about 2 TBSP of the cooked squash), then roll. The easiest way to roll is to fold the bottom half of the rice paper over your filling, then bring the sides in, and start to roll, tucking in the sides as you go. It’s super easy, you’ll get the hang of it!

This should make about 8 rolls, and don’t take it personally if one of your wraps breaks. Just wet another rice paper roll and give it a second wrapping.

Use the hoisin and chili sauces for dipping. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Total prep time…25 min

PFB: Choose Your Own Adventure: Kimchi

Dan    Thoughts     adventure, Asian, different, Korean

Ok, I am onto round two of the Foodbuzz‘s Project Food Blog competition. This time around, I’ve decided to go on a quest to conquer kimchi! As previously mentioned in my ‘alphabet‘, I really enjoy the dish, but cooking Asian cuisine is not something I dabble in very often. I believe my pho and ginger beef are best left to the professionals! The task for this round is cooking a traditional dish from a different culture that is outside of one’s comfort zone. Kimchi  definitely falls outside of my ‘zone’, so I think it will be an excellent venture. A good friend has given me her mother’s (Korean) recipe for kimchi, and, well, shall I give it a whirl?

Feel free to join me on the adventure, this one’s interactive!

In addition to going outside of my comfort zone mentally, I chose to extract myself from my city’s downtown centre (aka physical comfort zone) and venture to the very north end of town to go ingredient shopping. T & T Supermarket is an Asian specialty market with all kinds of interesting items. From pickled chili bamboo shoots to chicken feet, they’ve got just about everything that you won’t find at your local grocery store. When I treat myself to a visit to this market, I am more like a kid in a candy store. So many interesting things to look at and I want to try them all. Well, maybe not sea urchin…

Kimchi does not require a lot of ingredients, and, to be honest, you can find most of the ingredients at your local grocery store (with the exception of the Korean chili powder I needed).  I ventured out to this market for the experience, and found some unique items that I’m going to experiment with in the near future. Once I had gathered up my kimchi components I was just about to head to the cashier when an aisle full of junk food and candy caught my eye.

Do I…

buy tons of junk food and forsake my healthy diet forever…(click here)

or…

stay true to my food-world sans junk food…(keep reading)

Phew, you kept reading! That other road was definitely a dead end! Let’s get back to the kimchi creation. My cooking comfort zone generally involves no recipe. I like to walk into my local grocery store or farmers’ market and let what’s around me inspire tonight’s dinner. Now, recipe in-hand, I read through it and see that the cabbage needs to soak in salted water for 3-4 hours and then the prepared kimchi must sit in a cool location for 2 days to ferment! I’m a make-it-and-eat-it kind of guy, so this multiple-day procedure was a first for me.

After I let the cabbage soak in salted water for 4 hours, I had to combine it with a paste made out of the ginger, garlic, fish sauce, sesame oil, then add in the daicon. The whole process was simple enough, although my hands did turn red after rubbing the whole mixture with the paste and chili powder…So now what? Now with all the components combined, I have 2 days to wait for this kimchi to be ready.

Do I…

catch up on all the True Blood episodes that I’ve missed…(click here)

or…

be productive with my time, clean my house, and write up a couple blog posts…(keep reading)

If you had the faith in me to keep reading I applaud you! I successfully, but slightly impatiently, waited the full 2 days before giving the kimchi a taste test. I tossed the mixture with a bit of sesame oil and topped it with some fresh green onions, then took a bite. It turned out pretty tasty, and spicy, if I do say so myself. With the kimchi completed, photos taken, there was only one last, final step: post the entry to my site. I sat down at my computer, parrot on shoulder, and was about to start typing when I received a message from my friends asking if I wanted to meet them for lunch at my favourite pub. Hmm…

Do I…

meet them for lunch and a beer. I won’t miss my deadline…(click here)

or…

politely decline their offer…(keep reading)

Sorry guys! Next time! With the post submitted, I have come to the end of my kimchi adventure. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed eating it!

Click here for the Kimchi recipe!

Click here to head over to my Project Food Blog contestant page!

Carly Rae Jepsen

Dan    Thoughts     awesome, Canadian, music

Out of Mission, BC. Carly Rae Jepsen is an up and coming singer-songwriter with a voice that is probably as cute as a cupcake. She got her break as a finalist on Canadian Idol a few years ago, and from that, has established a credible career, not to mention a Juno nomination. Her debut album, Tug Of War, was released about 2 years ago, but it still gets a massive amount of air-time on my iTunes.

She’s currently recording a second album, which is due out soon! Until then, check out her myspace and let me know what you think!

http://www.myspace.com/carlyraemusic

Fire Roasted Tomato ‘Bisque’ w/ ABC-rostini

Dan    Recipes, Soups, Vegan     appetizer, basil, delicious, soup, tomatoes, vegan, winter

Not my best photo, but hey! This was a spontaneous meal made from the heart!

What you’ll need…

2 14 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes

1 yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1 french baguette

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP dried parsley

1 TBSP dried basil

1/4 cup fresh basil

olive oil

salt & pepper

A few days ago, one of my good friends was not feeling so great. After heading home from work I decided I would cook up some soup and bring it over to her. Personally, nothing quite hits the spot when I’m feeling under the weather as a hot bowl of tomato soup. I decided against alphabet pasta in the soup. After all, we are grown-ups right? A, B, C-rostini seemed much more appropriate…

I feel like all my recipes start with an onion and some garlic…I guess that’s ok as long as it’s not a dessert? Anyway…First off, preheat you oven to low broil. Then, chop up the onion and mince the garlic. Place them into a medium-sized pot with some olive oil and cook on medium-high heat. Once the onions have softened, add in the 1/2 cup of red wine and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cans of tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add them to the soup pot along with 2 cups of water. Turn to high heat and let it come to a boil. Turn down to low heat, add the balsamic vinegar, dried parsley, dried basil, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

While the soup is simmering away, let’s get to these A, B, C-rostini ready. Basically, all you need to do is cut your baguette into 1″ slices and then make them into shapes with a good knife. I mainly did this to make my friend smile, so feel free to opt-out of the alphabet shapes. I won’t be offended! I laid the letters onto a baking sheet, brushed them with olive oil, and sprinkled some salt & pepper over top. Place them into your preheated oven for about 8 minutes. You’ll have some warm, toasty, and, not to mention, the cutest crostini ever!

After the 20 minutes have elapsed, do a quick taste test on the soup, add some pepper, and maybe a pinch or two of salt. When it’s time to dish out the soup, top each bowl with some fresh basil and some A, B, C-rostini on the side.

If you’re wondering, my friend is feeling much better now! It’s all in the soup!

Serves 4

Total cook time…35 min

My Friend’s Korean Kimchi Recipe

Dan    Recipes    

What you’ll need…

1 head napa cabbage

1 daicon

2 TBSP fresh ginger

1 1/4 cup green onion

4 cloves garlic

3/4 cup sea salt

2 TBSP fish sauce

2 TBSP Korean chili powder

sesame oil

Once again, to clarify, although the title is fairly obvious…This is not my recipe, but thank you for allowing me to share it!

First off, chop the cabbage into 1″ pieces and place in a large pot or bowl. Add the salt, fill with water, and let it sit for 4 hours.

In the meantime (and you have lots of meantime!), chop (or grate) the daicon into very small pieces. Mince the green onions; leave a bit out for garnish. Take the ginger, garlic and fish sauce, place in food processor and blend into a paste. Add a bit of sesame oil while you’re blending. Set aside.

Once the 4 hours have elapsed, drain the cabbage. Squeeze leaves to get out any excess water. In a bowl, combine the vegetables, paste, and chili powder. Work with hands until everything is evenly covered. The cabbage leaves are usually left whole and then reformed into a head after soaking with the ingredients spread between the leaves. I found chopping the cabbage first and mixing everything together was much more time efficient and yielded the same outcome. Now for the tricky part: the mixture must sit in an air-tight container for 2 days in a cool place, like a cupboard. I managed to squish the kimchi into a 2 litre tupperware container, so it was nice and full with no air. Wrap the entire container with plastic wrap, to help avoid any air getting in.

Leave in the cool location for 2 days, then unwrap and enjoy. When the kimchi was ready to serve I topped it with a some sesame oil and fresh green onions. Once opened, it will last in your fridge for 2 weeks.

Serves…4-8 (depends how much you like kimchi!)

Total prep time…2 days, 4 hours

Project Food Blog: The ‘A’ to ‘Z’ of me…

Dan    Thoughts    

Alright folks, Foodbuzz is on the hunt for a superstar food blogger and I figured I better throw my hat into the ring. There is some formidable competition, but I am definitely going to give it a valiant effort!

I was sitting here, racking my brain trying to think of the best way to to showcase myself for the first Project Food Blog challenge…I considered  poem-writing, video-shooting, maybe magic tricks, but then decided to go with the alphabet. It will kind of be like 20 questions, but cooler, and I might still rhyme…sometimes…In a nutshell, I think I will be a strong contender in this competition. I don’t have years of blogging behind me, but I am constantly learning and improving my craft.

So, without further adieu, I present to you, my alphabet…

Artichokes: are one of my favourite things to eat. Fresh, canned, any which way they can be served to me I will devour them!

Brother: I have a (fraternal) twin. We are very different, and live miles away from each other, but share a passion for cooking. Although, I think I may be a tad more talented if I do say so myself.

Creative: My brain often keeps me up for all hours of the night, cycling through ideas for new dishes, blog posts, and my next great dinner party!

Dan: That’s me, I had to fit myself in here somehow. This is Dan’s Good Side after all!

Everything: I am proud of all I have accomplished, and the goals I still continue to strive for. I have worked hard for everything that I have.

A home-made lamington. Best. Dessert. Ever. You can thank Australia for that!

Food/Friends: They go hand-in-hand. It is one thing to cook a beautiful meal, but good conversation and a few laughs really takes food to the next level.

Grapes: Tasty in salads and they can be turned into wine. I thank them for that.

Higher Ground: The cafe I run in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a fantastic place where I am allowed to let my creativity roam free. The great success we’ve had there in local music, arts events, and vegan meals has been overwhelming and makes me very proud.

Interesting: You kind of have to be to get people to read your blog. Sometimes my friends call me ‘strange’, I say ‘interesting’

Jalapenos: Spicy! I have a love affair with jalapenos. Fresh salsa is one of the best things to enjoy on a nice summer day. Although, last year I did cut a substantial amount of these peppers sans gloves. I definitely learned my lesson there…

Strawberry sorbet with candied mint leaves. Dear Summer, please come back.

Kimchi: I haven’t tried making this dish yet, but regardless, another one of my favourite things to eat! Mmmm…now I need to go get some! Who’s coming?

Learning: Something I do by reading, listening to others, and just paying attention to the world around me! I try and cook something out of my comfort zone every week! Sometimes with great results, and (occasionally) with great failure!

Music: Quintessential in my life! There is definitely something special about listening to some of your favourite music while cooking away in the kitchen, and dancing while no one is looking.

New: As I previously mentioned, I am newer to the world of food-blogging, but I have come a long way in a short time, and time flies so quickly anyway, so I’m sure I’ll be old mad food blogger in no time!

Opportunity: They are always out there! When opportunity strikes, I always go for it.

He’s a handsome fellow, just like his dad!

Parrot: I have one. He sits on my shoulder a lot. I could of been a pirate in my past-life. His name is Baub, he’s a bit grumpy, but he’s not a picky eater so I guess that’s a plus?

Quirky: If everyone was the same, life would be too boring! I embrace my quirky-ness!

Ribs: For some reason this is my kryptonite in the cooking world! I have yet to cook up a good batch of ribs. One day ribs, one day…(*shakes fist*)

Show: My ultimate goal. A cooking show where I would cook up some tasty meals and feature musicians. It would be pretty damn awesome.

Three: Good and bad things come in threes, as does the average, everyday meal. Appetizer, Main, Dessert!

Roasted cauliflower and arugula soup. Fall’s here and it’s time to warm up!

Ukrainian: Is the ultimate hearty and home-y kind of cooking. Perogies and cabbage rolls anyone? I thank my Ukrainian friends for teaching me these tricks of the trade.

Vegan: A more recent passion of mine. I host weekly vegan dinner nights at my cafe. I am currently on a quest to convince meat-eaters that a good vegan meal can be just as filling!

X-men: ‘X’ is a tough letter obviously. Not food related, but I do read X-men comics religiously. It’s the teenage nerd in me.

You: None of what I’ve done could be possible without your support. So thank you! Hopefully you enjoyed this alphabet!

Zucchini: What a squash! If marriage to vegetables was legal I just might consider. Ok, maybe not, but I do love zucchini! Growing up my mom would always have an abundance in the garden and put them in treat bags at my birthday parties! Ha, ha, ha.

Zucchini ‘linguine’ with a pasta-stuffed roasted tomato

Now you know my ABCs, won’t you come and cook with me?

Click here to go and check out my Project Food Blog Contestant Page!