Kale and Chick Pea Soup

This Monday marked the beginning of lent for most Christians in the world as they prepare themselves for Easter. In the Greek tradition, some Greek people fast for the full forty days; refraining from eating any animal products. However, most will observe some form of fasting during the Holy Week. In our modern age we struggle to find vegetarian meal ideas because we are so use to consuming animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy. I must admit that I too fell in that category several years ago before explore the wonderful world of vegetarian eating. Often I hear my fellow Greeks say that they never know what to eat during lent and therefore fore go the whole experience or they simply can't stomach another bowl of fasolada. Here is a simple and hearty soup to fill all your hunger needs including protein and leafy greens.

1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 tbsp mint leaves
1 tsp thyme
salt
pepper
4 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of tomato pulp
1 can of chick peas

1. Saute the diced onion in a medium sauce pot until they sweat a bit. Avoid browning the onion otherwise your soup base will be bitter.

2. Throw in the kale and cover to allow to wilt slightly before stirring into the onion.

3. Season with the mint, thyme, salt and pepper before pouring in the vegetable stock and tomato pulp.

4. Bring the soup to a boil before adding the drained and rinsed chick peas to the pot. Then turn it down to a simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Serve with your favourite crusty bread.

Peruvian Tilapia with Carmensita's Quinoa

As of late my favourite fish and grain pairing is Tilapia with Quinoa for a few reasons. The first reason is the texture of both the Tilapia and the Quinoa. Tilapia is a mild white fish that lends well with the fluffy and nutty texture of Quinoa. Another reason why a I prefer this coupling is that both Tilapia and Quinoa are versatile ingredients, therefore I can experiment with a variety of seasonings and flavourings. One more reason and perhaps the most important reason is the health benefits of eating both.

I discovered this pairing a couple of years back when my Mother-in-Law was visiting from Peru. As you may already know, Quinoa is an indigenous grain to Peru and while Carmen was here in Toronto she taught how to use Quinoa in my daily cooking. Here I marinated the Tilapia in Peruvian flavourings and the Quinoa has hints of the way my Suegra prepares her Quinoa.

Peruvian Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets
juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp aji amarillo
salt
pepper
2 tbsp avocado oil

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Place tilapia fillets on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

3. In a small mixing bowl prepare the marinade. Brush generously onto each fillet.

4. Bake the tilapia in the oven for 30 minutes.

Carmencita's Quinoa

2 cups mixed quinoa ( I used red and white)
4 cups of water
1 cube of chicken stock
1 red onion diced
1 small tomato diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp avocado oil

1. Place quinoa in a medium size sauce pan with the water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and the reduce and simmer for 15 minutes of medium-low heat.

2. Meanwhile, saute the red onion, tomato with the garlic, cumin and oregano.

3. Once the quinoa is done cooking stir in the saute mix and cover with a paper towel and the lid of the pan. This helps to absorb some of the liquid from the quinoa.

* Serve this dish with your favourite green salad. I served a warm garlic and lemon kale salad.