Patricia Chuey

Food and Nutrition Expert | Recipe Developer

Recipes

Delicious, nourishing creations to add to your collection. Easy enough for any day. Impressive enough for entertaining!

Sesame Lentil Slaw

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Sesame Lentil Salad 002

Not exactly a new food, lentils are one of the world’s first cultivated crops as of about 10,000 years ago. They feed many people. India, Canada, Turkey and Australia are major producers. About a quarter of the world’s lentil supply is grown and consumed in India which has inspired an amazing array of savoury lentil dishes we enjoy in Canada. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of lentils, most of them grown in Saskatchewan.

Lentils are a nutritional superstar yet they keep a pretty low profile. As a great source of fibre, they’re helpful for athletes and anyone looking for more sustained energy or improved blood sugar control. They’re a very affordable plant source of protein and nutrients including folic acid and B vitamins. Every one cup serving of cooked lentils supplies 230 calories, 18 grams of protein, 16 grams of fibre and 37% of daily iron requirements. When included in a meal containing vegetables and grains, the protein in lentils is complete. Everyone should eat lentils. For toddlers, they’re a protein source that can be picked up and eaten by small fingers.

Grown in our country and a nutritional gem, their time has definitely come. Lentils are more than worthy of including at least a couple times each week to replace some or all of the animal protein in a meal. Toss them into stews and pasta sauces. Pureed lentils can be used in hummus-like dips to serve with vegetables or grainy crackers or pita as a snack or to use in place of some of the fat in baked goods like cookies, muffins and loaves.  They can even be stirred in to thicken soups while boosting the protein. Lentils come in various sizes and colours including red, green, brown and black. To cook dry lentils, simple rinse them and then boil 1 cup lentils to 2-3 cups water as for rice. Find more LOTS more delicious lentil recipe ideas at lentils.ca and enjoy them in every season.

Sesame Lentil Slaw    Makes 8 servings

  • 3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 T sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tsp sodium-reduced soy sauce
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 cups cooked green lentils
  • 3 cups green or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced or grated
  • 3 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced or grated
  • 6 green onions, sliced diagonally
  • 2 medium carrots, grated
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  1. In a glass jar or container with lid, shake together rice vinegar, canola and sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sugar. Drizzle about half the dressing over the lentils and allow to marinate in fridge overnight or while you assemble the remainder of the salad.
  2. In a large bowl, combine both cabbages, onion, carrots and sesame seeds. Drizzle over remaining dressing and toss well. Sprinkle marinated lentils on top to serve.
  3. Optional: top with a grilled skewer of prawns, tofu or chicken satay.

Cheers!

Coconut and Banana Lentil Bites

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Lentil truffles balls

If you’re an experienced cook or are just getting into it but don’t yet know lentils.ca, check them out! Not only a tremendous wealth of information on why you should eat these Canadian-grown red, brown, black or green nutrient-rich gems, their recipe collection is OUTSTANDING…and getting even better all the time. Subscribe to receive their quarterly Lentils for Every Season recipe booklets, always full of gorgeous, delicious and easy recipes to inspire. Sounds like I run their marketing department. I don’t. I can only dream of a job that sweet!

To be the coolest smoothie maker on your block for incorporating lentils into your breakfast, and mostly to eat healthy, delicious food, give their Green Lentil Power Smoothie a try. I recently had a chance to demo it on Saturday Chefs on Global News. I received excellent feedback and many requests for the easy, novel recipe.

These Coconut and Banana Lentil Bites (also from lentils.ca) are also super easy and were a big hit with the kids for an after school snack. They made a nice mid-day snack for Mom and Dad too.

Coconut and Banana Lentil Bites    Makes 25-30

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup unroasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana, about 1 large banana
  • 1/2 cup cooked (or from canned) green or red lentils
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 Tbsp melted, cooled, coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut or almond flour
  1. Place coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, banana, lentils, and honey into a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scrape down the sides and pulse again. Transfer to a bowl using a spatula.
  2. Stir in chocolate chips and oil until fully incorporated. Stir in the coconut flour until fully combined.
  3. Roll into bite-size balls, about 1 Tbsp in size. Optional garnish: roll some in extra coconut or dip in melted chocolate as pictured. Cover and refrigerate or freeze for 5-10 minutes. The bites will become more solid and ready to eat. Store in an air tight container in the fridge to snack on during the week, or freeze until you are ready to nibble.

Cheers!

 

 

Savoy Cabbage Leaf Wraps

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Cabbage Leaf Wraps 006

Consistently making half your plate vegetables  – along with quality protein and whole grains on the same plate – is the best way to consume more disease-fighting fibre, antioxidant nutrients and even pre-biotics that promote optimal gut bacteria. It’s critical if weight loss, better blood sugar or cholesterol control are goals too. It’s easy to get in a rut of rotating the same three to five vegetables all winter – potatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber maybe? Those are worthwhile for sure, but don’t forget to include an assortment of fresh green leafies. Often more top of mind come the spring, bright green leaves help keep a supply of energizing nutrients entering the cells in cold and flu season. Frequently served with vegetables or fruit rich in vitamin C like oranges, lemon juice, berries or peppers, dark leafy greens are just far too valuable to limit to salad season. Spinach, kale, chard, collards, romaine, green leaf lettuce, cabbage, Bok choy, Gai Lan and other Asian greens, they’re all very worthy. Rotate your choices as various options become more affordable from week to week. Switch up a typical tortilla with these leaves in your next wrap for added appetizing colour and crunch.

Savoy Cabbage Leaf Wraps Makes 4 servings

  • 8 large savoy cabbage leaves
  • 1 cup hummus*
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown-wild rice mix
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1 cup grated beets
  • ½ cup finely chopped toasted almonds or peanuts

*a classic garlicky lemon hummus works great here

  1. Wash cabbage leaves. To a large pan or baking dish, add about an inch of boiling water. Using tongs, place leaves in the water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to soften, yet not cook, while assembling the other ingredients. Dry leaves well. Trim excess thickness off of stem end.
  2. Using 2 leaves per wrap to make a bigger base, lay leaves on counter, overlapping each other, stem ends facing each other inwards to the middle.
  3. Spread ¼ of the hummus in the center of the leaves. Top with rice, carrots, beets and nuts.
  4. Roll as you would a burrito: roll partially, tuck ends in and continue to roll. Slice in half to serve.

This recipe will also work with large collard green or even Swiss chard leaves.

Cheers!

West Coast Seafood Chowder

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 Seafood Chowder

As a prairie kid of farm parents growing up in Saskatchewan,  seafood chowder was NOT a staple in our regular meal routine. Yet fish is such an important food for protein, healthy fats and nutrients. (Typically, fish of any kind isn’t necessarily a favourite for kids…but the more they’re exposed to it, the more normal and yummy it becomes.) When I moved to the west coast and was able to enjoy a wide variety of fresh and local seafood, making non-fishy fish dishes became easy and normal. Now something we eat at least 3 times each week. With great recipes like this one created by my hubby Brian, even if you don’t live near the ocean, you can make delicious and impressive fish meals from carefully selected frozen products. This non-heavy chowder is simple to make. Any variety of fish and shellfish, the ones YOU like, can be used. With warm grainy bread, it makes a perfect meal on a rainy or snowy Canadian winter day. Let the kids ‘fish’ in the soup and see if they can name the fish or shellfish as they catch it on their spoons! (If fish doesn’t fit at all for you, regularly eat flax seed, walnuts and other foods rich in heart-healthy fats.)

West Coast Seafood Chowder     Serves 6

  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 large carrot, diced finely
  • 2 large celery stalks, diced finely
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 bottle (240 mL) clam juice
  • 4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp each dried thyme leaves and dried parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
  • ½ lb skinless, boneless wild salmon cut in cubes
  • ½ lb skinless, boneless snapper or other white fish, cut in cubes
  • 1 lb shellfish, such as scallops, clams and/or mussels
  • Old Bay seasoning and leafy greens, optional garnish
  1. In a large soup pan, heat oil over medium. Sauté shallots, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle in flour and stir well to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes until flour just begins to brown.
  3. Add white wine and stir well to deglaze the pan (unstick any bits that may be stuck to the bottom).
  4. Add clam juice, chicken stock, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  5. Add fish and shellfish about 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished as desired.

Cheers!

 

Toasted Sesame Spinach Gomae

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Gomae with sauce

Gomae (pronounced go-muh-eye) is a Japanese vegetable dish, often served as an appetizer salad. You’ll find it on the menu at sushi restaurants. It’s very easy to make and possibly the yummiest way to get a dose of the iron, B vitamins, folic acid and minerals that are naturally found in spinach. Garnished with sesame sauce, simple spinach becomes a delicacy. It’s very easy to eat what will seem like a medicinal dose of this stuff. The sauce can be made up to a day ahead and any leftovers make a delicious salad dressing. Enjoy!

Gomae   Makes 8 servings, 2 pieces each

  • 6 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce (use GF version if preferred)
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter or tahini
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 1, 454 g bag of fresh spinach, well washed
  1. Toast sesame seeds. (Do not skip this step as it is vital for the flavour). Place sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes or until golden and they begin to ‘pop’ in the pan.
  2. In a food processor, combine toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar, peanut butter or tahini and mirin into a smooth paste. Set aside.
  3. Very lightly cook spinach by microwaving in batches for 1-2 minutes. Allow to cool. Squeeze out excess moisture and then form into a log shape. Cut pieces, little piles of spinach, and place on serving platter or in small individual serving plates. (Google ‘gomae’ for a variety of presentation ideas.)
  4. Serve drizzled with sesame sauce. Keep refrigerated until serving as it is best nice and cold.

Cheers!

 

Meet Patricia

Eating well is just one spoke in the wheel of health. An active life...

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