Chili Cream and Swiss Chard Soup

So we steep chilies in cream at work to make delicious spicy cream. And there was a batch recently that got left to steep for a bit too long. My co-worker Jen was going to throw it out but I said, WAIT! That is delicious spicy cream! It is fatty and spicy and those are…

Wilted Dandelion Salad with Cured Meats

The mother of my childhood best friend used to make salad from dandelion greens that grew in her yard.  She is one of the most elegant, magical, beautiful women I have ever known.  She read us all of the children’s classics in her beautiful English accent.  She’s an actress and it’s probably partly her fault…

Wilted Amaranth Greens

This more of  a public service announcement, than a recipe.  If you encounter this lovely leafy green with streaks of purplish pink under its leaves, it is Amaranth.  Yes, in addition to providing a healthful, gluten-free, grain-like seed which can be used to make fabulous pancakes and a super nourishing version of sushi, the Amaranth…

Tiny New Potatoes and Aromatic Greens Steamed in Butter

This dish is elegant and easy and is a particularly excellent a side dish for fish.  It should really be made with smaller potatoes than the ones pictured here. It should be made with the tiniest potatoes that you can find. If you are feeling adventurous take a trip  to an Indian market to get…

Pea Shoot, Sunflower Sprout and Roasted Squash Salad

I have been missing tender and flavourful little salad greens.  I eat pre-washed baby spinach and arugula, which can be acquired year round.  I find pre-washed baby greens so damn convenient that I cannot resist using them, but the truth is that they don’t have as much flavour as nice local salad greens that were…

Strawberry Rhubarb Trifle (Gluten-Free)

Trifle is a thing of beauty.  It is boozy cake, layered like a parfait with fruit preserves, custard, whipped cream and nuts.  It  looks gorgeous and tastes amazing.  A trifle is an excellent desert make ahead of time when you need to feed a lot of people.  It is a British desert (I’ll say it…

Salad Rolls

When I was a pre-teen visiting my family in Vancouver, I liked to visit the food at Granville Island.  This goes to show that my idea of a good time has not changed all that much in 25 years.  I still go to look at food markets in whatever city I visit.  ANYWAY at twelve…

Improvise Stir Fry!

You know, everyone who I consider my tribe here in Vancouver–and I’m talkin’ my extended circle of friends and acquaintances–make stir fries. It’s my regional cuisine, and it’s a way of life. Why is this? The deep-rooted Chinese influence on the city? The chronically lingering hippy culture? Maybe it’s the fact that stir fries are…