Christina Najjar

Mushroom and Fennel Seed Pasta Salad (vegan)

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I know it’s so cliché, but pasta salad is honestly the easiest thing to bring to a potluck. When I worked in an office, half the potluck dishes were pasta salads. With my food sensitivities, I usually only get to feast on these dishes with my eyes.

Roasted mushroom and fennel pasta salad

In theory, going vegan sounds really great to me. I don’t like the thought of eating all sorts of antibiotics and hormones. I can’t afford organic meat. Also, it helps to take into consideration the ethical and environmental aspects of going vegan. However, every time I go vegan, I find myself losing too much weight. Because my metabolism works extra hard, I need to eat a lot of protein to keep weight on.

…Oh, the joys of my belly monsters. I would love to eat tons of legumes. However, those little buggers seem to run my life, and I find myself having to avoid lots of decent sources of protein. I manage to sneak all kinds of inoffensive protein into my morning smoothies, but what about the other meals? That’s something for me to ponder for a while.

While brainstorming for weight-gaining ideas with friends and family, the idea of pasta salad came up. I know it’s not as high protein as some other items, but it’s a start. I find that most vegan pasta salad recipes online are rather disappointing. They mostly just use pasta as a replacement for lettuce. I decided to give my pasta salad a different burst of flavour. The fennel seed really complements the mushroom flavour.

Mushroom and Fennel Seed Pasta Salad

Ingredients
150g/5oz pasta of your choice (I used brown rice fusilli)
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp fennel seed
Olive oil to coat pasta (the amount will depend on the type of pasta you use)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. When finished, drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well and add just enough olive oil to coat completely without having it swimming in oil. Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, heat a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and the fennel seed and keep tossing them around. The idea is not the make the mushroom toasty. You just want to cook it a bit and have it pick up the fennel seed’s flavour.

When everything has cooled down, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Makes 2 servings, so multiply as needed.

Not-Your-Traditional Pizza (vegan, tomato free)

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Some people may find vegan alternatives to old favourites quite disappointing. I love melted cheese, but I have yet to find a vegan cheese I enjoy (Daiya is not for me). I do love pizza, though. So how do you stop vegan pizza from being disappointing? Read closely, because I’m about to drop some wisdom… You need to stop making vegan alternatives resemble their conventional counterparts.

New pizza idea

So what does that look like, for pizza? Well, for one, you need to make the crust really tasty. I’ve had a hard time finding a pizza dough recipe that really tickled my tastebuds, so I came up with a recipe on the spot. I’m eating my pizza as I type this out, and I have to say, it’s really hard to concentrate while in pleasure-land. Yes, this crust is orgasmic. I’m more of a sweet girl than a salty girl though, so if you don’t like sweeter dough, I can tell you right now that this recipe isn’t for you.

In the spirit of making vegan pizza a new kind of pizza, I skipped the tomato sauce. Instead, I brushed olive oil with minced garlic allover the crust, and made the pizza all about the toppings. I’m not one to eat until I’m completely stuffed, but I just did. I’m finishing up the last few bites of the pizza as I write this. Yep, I ate the whole thing in one sitting.

Not-Your-Traditional Pizza (vegan, tomato free)

Ingredients
For the crust:
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour (or an extra 1/3 cup brown rice flour if you don’t like the flavour)
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp organic cane sugar (or whatever you have on hand)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup water (or less)

For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings to your heart’s desires – I used yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, green onions, and spinach

Directions

Combine all the dry crust ingredients in a bowl. Add in the oil and the vinegar, and about half of the water. Mix well and keep adding water, bit by bit, until you can form a dough that doesn’t crumble. I found it easier to mix with my hands.

Line a baking sheet or stoneware with parchment paper. Spread out the dough to form a thin crust. Bake for about 7 minutes, then remove from oven.

While the crust bakes, mince the garlic and add the olive oil for the sauce.

When you take the crust out of the oven, pour the sauce on top and spread it out. Let the crust absorb the oil while you chop your toppings.

Now, pile on the toppings. Go on, don’t be shy. Then, bake until the toppings are done to your liking. Makes 2-4 servings.

Apple Crumble (vegan, paleo, white sugar free)

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A while back, I posted this recipe for apple crumble. It was a bit of an experiment that gave me some interesting results. It’s a good breakfast crumble, but it’s not something I would make for dessert on a regular basis.

When I make apple crumble for others, I make a different recipe. After making this recipe for some dinners and being asked for the recipe a few times, I decided to share the recipe here. The crumble portion is a little less crunchy than in most recipes. This one has a blend of different textures.

Apple crumble (paleo)

As with most things I cook or bake, I have a tendency to simply add ingredients until the mix looks right, rather than measuring them. This time, I made the effort to measure them so that I could share the recipe. I recommend making this for guests when you’re unsure about what to make for dessert. It’s easy and allergy friendly (aside from nuts), and accommodates all kinds of different dietary choices.

Apple Crumble (vegan, paleo, refined sugar free)

Ingredients
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond meal
2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, split into 1/2 teaspoons

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the chopped apples in an even layer in a baking pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon over the apples and toss around until the apples are evenly coated.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Try to spread the mix evenly over the apples and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 2 servings, so multiply as needed.

Your pasta masterpiece – Exercise Your Creativity!

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This post is going to be a little different. Many people have recently asked me to teach them how to cook. I’m of the idea that cooking requires creativity, rather than just following a recipe. I’m a fan of adding ingredients that just feel right to me and that are in line with my cravings at the time. Pasta is an easy meal to train your creativity.

Delicious pasta meal

People often tell me they just don’t know which flavour combinations make sense. A good tip is to think of a meal – any meal – where you’ve had the flavour combination you’re about to attempt. Was it good? If so, it’s probably a safe bet. If you’re unsure about combinations in general, I recommend checking out The Flavour Thesaurus.

Your Pasta Masterpiece

What you need
Veggies – ideas: anything you would stir fry
Pasta (I used brown rice)
Just enough oil to coat – ideas: olive, sesame, truffle, avocado
Flavourful additions – ideas: sesame seeds, parsley, basil

If you have a hard time figuring out how much pasta and veggies you’ll need, try picturing it on a plate. I tend to not overdo it this way.

How to proceed
Start out by boiling the water for the pasta. Salt the water as desired. Add in the pasta when the water reaches a boil.

Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan. Throw in the veggies you want to stir fry. I add them as I chop them, so I start with the veggies that require the most cooking, and work my way to the ones that need the least cooking.

By the time the pasta is done cooking, I find that the veggies are done to my liking. Drain the pasta and coat immediately with the oil of your choice. Toss in the veggies and whatever else you would like to add. And there you go! An easy meal that’s both interesting and filling!

Spinach Dahl (vegan)

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A while back – 34 weeks ago, as pinterest tells me- I pinned The Honour System’s recipe to eventually try out. I had a bit of difficulty finding time, ingredients, and convenience to make the spinach dahl. The recipe was always in the back of my head when I bought spinach, but I always seemed to have other projects for the spinach I was buying. I also never wanted to overbuy in case it all ended up being thrown out.

Spinach dahl (lentils)

I ended up making the spinach dahl differently from the way The Honour System made it. I just went with the flow and it worked out really well for me. That’s not to say that the original recipe is any less tasty. I do encourage you to check it out and make whichever version you prefer. I was planning to add the coconut milk, but I did a taste test and decided that it was perfect as is. I’m sure it would be a great addition though!

Spinach Dahl (vegan)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups split red lentils
4 1/2 cups water (reduce this amount by 1/2-1 cup if you cover the pot during cooking)
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 package spinach (142g/5oz)
Oil for frying

Directions
Heat up the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onion and the spices and toss around for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add in the red lentils and the water. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, cut the spinach into strips (make a nice big pile on your cutting board and go at it with a large knife). It doesn’t need to look perfect.

When the lentils have dissolved enough to make a nice puree 20ish minutes later, turn off the heat and mix in the spinach. Serve over brown rice. Makes 4 servings.

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries With Curry Sauce

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I’ve always disliked anything sweet potato. I felt that they were a cross between carrots and potatoes, and that they couldn’t make up their mind about what they wanted to be. The only sweet potatoes I enjoyed were my stepsister’s husband’s curry mashed sweet potatoes.

Sweet potato fries with dip

Then, recently, I started making my own sweet potato fries. For a few weeks, I was making them almost everyday. They’re a pain in the butt to cut, but hey, they’re tasty. The trick is to make them a bit spicy. Not so much that your mouth burns, but just enough to add a bit of a kick. For that reason, my measurements for the spices for the fries will be vague. Add the seasoning as you like it.

As a side note, this morning, I was having a conversation about remembering things I’m grateful for. I am grateful for many things, though I did want to mention one thing. I am grateful for you folks. Everyone who reads, shares, and/or comments on my posts. You all keep me going!

Sweet potato fries with dip

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries With Curry Dipping Sauce (vegan, paleo)

Ingredients

For the fries:
1 sweet potato
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
Black pepper to taste – go generous

For the dipping sauce:
2 tbsp full fat coconut milk, refrigerated
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp each: cumin, minced fresh ginger, ground cardamom, garlic salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut the potatoes into fries and season them. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or adjust time if you cut your fries a different size from the picture. Take them out halfway through to flip/toss them.

In the meantime, prepare the curry sauce. Take the can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Slowly turn it over and open it from the bottom. The thick stuff will be sitting right at the top that way. Scoop up the needed amount and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Zucchini Fritters: A protein rich snack (vegan)

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I tried making zucchini fritters when I had a bag of ten zucchinis from Costco in the fridge. I used a recipe that I found online, but found it quite disappointing. So, I decided that I wanted a better recipe. I improvised a recipe using some of my favourite ingredients instead. These turned out quite tasty the second time around – I put too much garlic salt in my first batch. These would go well with a tahini sauce.

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that’s underrated. While it’s not as nutrient dense as, say, broccoli or kale, it does still contain essential nutrients. It’s a great way to boost your daily intake of vegetables in subtle ways. For instance, it can be added to smoothies and juices without adding flavour, can be spiralized or julienned to use as noodles, or can be integrated into chocolate cakes to make them moist and dense.

A little known fact about zucchini is that it’s mucilaginous. Big word! What it means is that it has a “slippery quality”. This makes it easier to digest for those who have digestive issues. Additionally, those who suffer from ulcers may find mucilaginous vegetables soothing.

Zucchini fritters

Zucchini Fritters (vegan)

Ingredients
1 zucchini
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp water (optional – see directions)
Oil for frying

Directions
Shred the zucchini using a julienne peeler or a mandoline. Then, add the other ingredients and let sit for a few minutes. The salt will “sweat” the zucchini to provide the needed liquid. If it’s not enough, add one or two teaspoons of water to blend the ingredients.

Heat a bit of oil on a frying pan over medium heat. Drop patties by tablespoonful and flatten them a bit. Cook the patties for a few minutes, and then flip them. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from the heat.

Cabbage Fried Quinoa (vegan)

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Sometimes, I like to be able to take little shortcuts in the kitchen. If you’re a really busy person (who isn’t?), any tips and tricks to speed up cooking can be helpful. For instance, if you’re cooking grains, make a large quantity for the week. Then, use the grains in a few different recipes. For instance, if you cook quinoa, you may want to make a quinoa salad, fried quinoa, and a quinoa stew.

Here’s another help hint. When I don’t have time to chop veggies to fry, I pick up a bag of coleslaw or some variation on it. I find that cabbage is one of the veggies that develops the nicest flavours when fried.

To give you an idea of how much I enjoy this meal, let me put it into perspective for you. Out of all the recipes I’ve posted on here since I started my blog, I can count on one hand the recipes I make on a regular basis. I mostly like to experiment with new meals, but I keep a few tasty and easy meals that I can make when time is not my friend.

Cabbage fried quinoa

Cabbage Fried Quinoa (vegan)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup dry quinoa, cooked and refrigerated (makes about 4 cups, give or take)*
Bag of slaw mix
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste (go generous on the pepper)
Oil for frying

*To cook quinoa, bring 1 1/2 cups dry quinoa to a boil in 3 cups water and cook for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Refrigerate until completely cooled down.

Directions
Heat up a bit of oil in a large frying skillet over medium heat. Add the quinoa and toss around to get it heated up nicely.Since it’ll have been refrigerated, it won’t stick to itself. When the quinoa is nicely heated up (about 4-5 minutes), add in the slaw mix. Cook until it’s done to your liking, tossing every couple of minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and keep tossing a bit until nicely coated.

Chocolate Puffed Rice Squares (vegan)

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Sometimes, my inspiration for recipes comes from things I ate when I was younger and really enjoyed. I never let me food sensitivities limit me in what I can eat. Instead, I figure out all kinds of alternatives. That’s what I did with these chocolate puffed rice squares.

I lived in Lethbridge, Alberta between the ages of 8 and 15. There, I went to a tiny French school. At lunch time, two students would run the canteen, but it was more like a plastic bin of snacks. Every once in a while, my mom would give me 50 cents to get myself something I liked. There were these squares I really liked.

I didn’t actually know what they were until recently, when I took to the internet. I was disappointed to find out that they contained wheat puffs and corn syrup.

There was a bag of puffed rice sitting around in the pantry for a while. Over the week end, the bag was staring at me. I tried one single puffed rice. The taste brought me back to those puffed wheat squares, and so I set out to make an allergy friendly version.

I was surprised to find that my allergy friendly recipe turned out very much like the wheat and corn syrup squares. This works well as a last minute potluck item because the work is done in 5-10 minutes, and then simply needs to cool down.

Chocolate Puffed Rice squares

Chocolate Puffed Rice Squares (vegan)

Ingredients
5 cups puffed rice
1/4 cup Earth balance buttery spread
1/2 cup brown rice syrup (thick syrup is key!)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar or alternative
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Grease a square pan (about 9×9) and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients except the puffed rice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix well and bring to a boil. Do not remove it before it boils. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and mix in the rice puffs until evenly coated. Transfer to the greased pan. If you need it to set quickly, you can put the pan in the fridge (though you need to be careful about rapid temperature changes if you’re using pyrex). This makes 9 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled.

Curry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (vegan, paleo)

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If you need to know anything about my cooking, it’s that I like to curry everything. I especially love to curry things that you wouldn’t expect to see curried. It’s my chance to be creative and make something “new”. Since I’ve never had curried pumpkin seeds, I thought this would be an awesome thing to experiment with.

Curry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I’ve been so busy lately that Halloween snuck up on me. Every year, I get really excited about Halloween, I plan my costume way ahead of time, and I make sure to have a pumpkin carving date with my friend Sylvie. On Sunday last week, I realised that it was the week before Halloween and that I hadn’t planned anything Halloween-y. So, my friend came over on the Tuesday for pumpkin carving. She turned hers into an alien.

The store didn’t have any smaller pumpkins, and I wasn’t going to dig a knife through pumpkin flesh two inches thick, so I decided to etch my design. Little problem… I don’t have the tools for it. In the end, I used a flat screwdriver. I had to figure out a way to get creative, right? This is how it turned out:

Carved pumpkin (roast the seeds with curry for a healthy snack!)

I was really tired by the end of decorating my pumpkin. This doesn’t look very difficult to do, but without the right tools, it’s exhausting. Anyway, I got two pumpkins’ worth of seeds, so I roasted them and coated them with curry spice.

Curry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (vegan, paleo)

Ingredients
2 larger pumpkins’ worth of seeds*
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp each: garlic salt, cumin powder, turmeric
1/4 tsp each: onion powder, ground coriander

*If you use one pumpkin, the flavour will be stronger but just as good – or you can cut the recipe by half.

Directions
Preheat oven to 325F.

Rinse the seeds really well. There should be no pumpkin strands left on the seeds. Drain them and dry them off a bit. They don’t need to be completely dry. The oven will take care of that for you. Blend the spices in a little bowl and then add to the pumpkin seeds. I did this directly on the baking sheet and mixed it all with my hands.

Then, lay the seeds out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, give or take a couple of minutes. Watch them near the end to make sure they don’t burn. Remove them when they’re done to your liking.

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Christina Najjar - Natural Nutrition

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Ottawa ON K1J 6M7
T: (613) 706-2811

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