A NOVEMBER BOWL WITH BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

November is always a weird eating month for us. Caught in between all the incredible Fall produce and the warm bowls of winter stews and curries, our meals often feel confused. I'll make a light soup, a giant bowl of noodles, or some sort of bulked up salad - light on the greens, heavy on the grains and roasted veg.

I was running out of weekday lunch time inspiration, so turned to the menu at a salad joint in Toronto for some inspiration. Modelled after their "maple greens" bowl, this November bowl is perfect for this time of year - with brussels sprouts, roasted squash, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette laced with maple syrup.

JERK TOFU SMORGAS-BOWLS WITH A TURMERIC TAHINI DRESSING

We had our first snow fall this weekend, and though we weren't here to witness it, we returned from a weekend in the sun to a slushy, wintery city. There was a segment on the radio this morning asking people what they turn to as comfort food once the temperature begins to drop. Some said soup, others chili, one lady swore by mac and cheese, and another guy raved about his home-made poutine. Me on the hand, I can't stay away from meals in bowls. There's something really comforting about eating a warm, hearty meal out of a bowl -- a smorgasbord of ingredients tossed in some really kick-ass dressing.

JERK TOFU SMORGAS-BOWLS WITH A TURMERIC TAHINI DRESSING // serves 4

This recipe can easily be adapted to whatever you have in the fridge; start with some brown rice, be sure to include a protein, add something fermented (sauerkraut, kimchi, etc), and a whack load of veggies (roasted or raw). Finish with a flavour packed dressing and you're good to go!

Preheat oven to 400.

Ingredients:

1 block of firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 T jerk seasoning
drizzle of olive oil

5 carrots, roughly chopped
10 brussels sprouts, leaves separated
olive oil, salt and pepper

2 cups loosely packed carrot top greens, roughly chopped*
2 cups loosely packed lacinato kale, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 T olive oil

1 cup brown rice, cooked
~1 cup sauerkraut (store-bought)
sesame seeds, to garnish

*note: can easily be replaced with more kale if you don't have carrot top greens on hand.

Turmeric Tahini Dressing //
1/4 cup tahini
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T tamari soy
1/2" nub of fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1/3 cup water

What to do:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the tofu, jerk seasoning and drizzle of olive oil in a bowl. Gently toss to combine. Spread evenly onto one baking sheet. Toss the carrots with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Spread evenly on half of the other baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes. Add the brussels sprout leaves to the carrot tray. Continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat 1/2 T of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Saute the garlic before adding the greens. Heat for about 5 minutes, until the greens begin to wilt and smell fragrant. Set aside.

Combine all the dressing ingredients into the body of a blender or magic bullet. Pulse until smooth. Add more water to thin if need be.

To serve, place about 1/2 cup of brown rice in each bowl. Surround with 3-5 tofu pieces, and a handful of sautéed greens, brussels leaves, carrot pieces and about 1/4 cup of sauerkraut. Drizzle the turmeric tahini dressing over top of the whole bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm or cold.

There will be quite a bit of dressing left; it will keep for several weeks and is so incredibly delicious, you're going to want to drizzle it on EVERYTHING.

ROASTED AUTUMN VEGGIES WITH A HORSERADISH + POMEGRANATE RELISH

This post will be short and sweet -- wishing all my fellow Canadians a happy turkey weekend with a massive bowl of roasted autumn veggies. The colours are perfect for a festive table, and the dish can easily be made ahead of time -- ideal when the oven is already in use. If you can, pick the prettiest, most colourful veggies you can find and get roasting. Happy Thanksgiving folks!

ROASTED AUTUMN VEGGIES WITH A HORSERADISH + POMEGRANATE RELISH // serves 8-10 as a side, 4 as a main

This is a perfect side dish to accompany any autumn dinner, Thanksgiving included. Alternatively, toss in 1 cup of cooked quinoa or a can of white beans and a squeeze of lemon juice for a hearty lunch time meal.

Preheat oven to 400.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower (I used 1/2 yellow, 1/2 purple), stems removed and cut into florets
20 brussels sprouts, halved
1 delicata squash, halved, seeds removed and sliced into 1/2" moons
1-2 T olive oil
sprinkle cayenne, salt and pepper

2-3 radishes, thinly sliced

horseradish + pomegranate relish//
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1/2 T orange juice
1/2 T prepared horseradish
s+p

What to do:

Combine the cauliflower florets, brussels sprouts and squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and spread onto 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with cayenne, salt and pepper.

Roast the veggies for roughly 30 minutes, until the edges are browned. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the relish. Mix the pom seeds, oj, horseradish, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and stir to combine.

To serve, toss the warm veggies, sliced radish and pomegranate relish. Serve immediately.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BRUSSELS SPROUT + THYME FRITTATA

I'm all about efficiency in the kitchen; how to create a dish that can double as multiple meals. Meet the frittata - the perfect Sunday breakfast, and Monday (or midweek) work lunch. Frittatas are so simple to make, and you can never really go wrong when pairing your veggies and herbs. If I'm making one that I anticipate eating for lunch as well, I'll be sure to add a substantial starch - like sweet potato, squash or grains. An additional sprinkling of goat cheese is never a bad thing either. As for the herbs and spices, toss in whatever you have lingering in the fridge or on the pantry shelf. I promise you, almost every combination will taste delicious, so let loose and get creative!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BRUSSELS SPROUT + THYME FRITTATA // makes enough for 4 as a meal, or 8 as a side

Preheat oven to 425.

Note: I had pre-cooked the butternut squash the day before to save time. Simply chop the squash into small cubes, season with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for roughly 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 eggs
1/2 cup milk (regular, soy, almond)
salt and pepper
leaves from 2 sprigs thyme

1 small-medium size butternut squash, roasted as per note above
8-10 brussels sprouts, separated into leaves and washed
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

What to do:

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a cast iron skillet on medium heat, reheat the squash with a drizzle of olive oil. Be sure to keep the squash in a single layer lining the bottom of the pan. After a few minutes, sprinkle the smoked paprika and brussels sprout leaves over the squash. Cook for about 3 minutes - do not stir.

Remove the pan from the heat, pour the egg mixture on top and transfer into the preheated oven.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are just set. Broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the brussels sprout leaves.

Serve with a drizzle of siracha hot sauce.

BRUSSELS SPROUT + LEMON PIZZA

If I could eat pizza everyday, I would. When I came across inspiration for this recipe, I got really excited about the idea of having crunchy brussels sprout leaves and tangy lemon on top of a pizza. This is the perfect dinner for a weeknight, and its super easy to throw together once you have all the ingredients. Had I been more adventurous, I would have attempted to make the dough, but alas, I turned to the trusty store bought kind.

BRUSSELS SPROUT + LEMON PIZZA // makes enough for two

* Note: Follow the instructions on your pizza dough packaging for oven temp and baking time. I did mine at 400 for 12 minutes.

Ingredients:

10-15 large brussels sprouts, ends removed and torn apart into leaves

half of a lemon, peeled and sliced

1 pizza dough

fresh mozzarella, sliced

grated pecorino parmesan

olive oil

pepper

What to do:

Brush the pizza dough with olive oil and lay the mozzarella slices to cover the crust. Leave a 1/2" edge if you'd like. 

In a medium size bowl, toss the brussels sprout leaves with olive oil and pepper.

Sprinkle the brussels sprouts over the pizza. Spread the lemon slices evenly throughout and top with grated parmesan.

Bake according to package instructions.