tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27511281546322315872024-03-13T10:58:58.428-04:00Lunch Lady LaineyA journal of delicious, healthy and inexpensive meals made with love for the discriminating packed luncher.Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-70430865321001431862016-04-11T21:38:00.001-04:002016-04-11T21:38:53.537-04:00Dairy-free Cream of Mushroom Soup (vegan alternatives)
WINNER of the least photogenic food ever!
Is there anything better than cream of mushroom soup? My mom was a big fan of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Like boxes of cans in the basement before Costco existed, even though everything else she made was made from scratch. Look up "canned cream of mushroom soup with chicken recipes" online. That's just one taste of my childhood.
Seeing as it'sElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-33597276200341307262016-04-03T11:22:00.003-04:002016-04-03T11:22:48.173-04:00Pressure Cooker Spicy Oxtail and Chickpea Curry
I just bought a pressure cooker and I LOVE IT. I've gone bonkers, trying out all sorts of recipes and even amending my own to suit it. Basically any recipe I have that requires simmering something for hours can go into the pressure cooker and simmer for 30 minutes.
So. Oxtail curry. This usually takes hours to melt the collagen and get the tough meat meltingly tender. NOT TODAY.
IngredientsElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-46627612038398912522016-03-26T15:01:00.002-04:002016-04-03T11:06:34.120-04:00Laksa - seafood noodle soup
Sometimes my cravings get so overwhelming that I end up spending way too much time and effort on satisfying them. Enter laksa, a deliciously fishy, rich and spicy noodle soup I first tried in an Asian food court in Markham, ON (First Markham Place, if you're wondering). I wanted it BAD, but not bad enough to drive 30 minutes to get it. Plus, the noodles they use have dairy in them and give me Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-81093987520199495532015-12-16T20:31:00.000-05:002015-12-16T20:31:24.801-05:00Sautéed Rapini with Balsamic Reduction
I was inspired by a side dish at DeSoto's, a very good neighbourhood restaurant. I love rapini and this is quick and very, very tasty.
Ingredients
1 bunch rapini, washed, bottom 1/2" of ends cut. I also separated the larger branches from the main stem for easier eating
6 garlic cloves, minced finely (less if you don't love garlic)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup balsamicElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-25253988081827311192015-10-18T11:50:00.000-04:002015-10-18T11:50:18.285-04:00Vegan Kimchi Fries
Please excuse the crappy cell phone photo
Every year my friends put together a vegan thanksgiving meal. Most of the people who attend aren't vegan, but we all love the challenge of making something delicious and vegan. My contribution this year was vegan kimchi fries. I had a non-vegan version at a Japanese restaurant last year and it sort of stuck with me.
This isn't a lunch thing you wouldElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-27702547404632773092015-07-05T20:11:00.001-04:002015-07-05T20:13:51.676-04:00Not-Just Red Pepper Soup
My husband and I recently took a trip to Italy where I tasted this incredible soup in a restaurant called Roscioli in Rome. It was dairy free, but incredibly creamy and had a real complexity to the flavours. The soup at the restaurant had little shrimp and chunks of salami in it (it tastes better than it sounds), which I haven't done for this recipe. Honestly, I don't know how close this is, IElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-21576873204631347452014-01-03T16:52:00.000-05:002014-01-03T16:52:04.116-05:00Spinach and Potato Curry Roti
Potato in curry is one of my favourite things in the world. So the first time I had spinach and potato curry roti, my mind was absolutely blown.
Anyway, this is a great spicy lunch for a super cold day.
Seriously, Toronto?
I added in peas for some protein, to round out the meal.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 medium yellow flesh potatoes, peeled and chopped into Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-53188340632249943732013-12-31T15:00:00.002-05:002013-12-31T15:00:35.593-05:00Penang Curry PasteBack in one of my older posts (curry noodle soup), I linked to a recipe for Penang curry paste. It was the wrong one, which I discovered when I made it for a bunch of people.
I looked in my handwritten recipe book and found the real one. I'll be fixing the link, since that last one was no good.
Ingredients
5 dried chilis (I use birds eye chilis)
1/2 tsp salt
1 large shallot, sliced
4 large Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-21169043738326996332013-10-31T11:52:00.002-04:002013-10-31T11:52:43.607-04:00Vegan Enchiladas
I know, it looks gross, but it tastes great.
Okay, this is nowhere near authentic. I tried to make authentic enchilada sauce and it was a horrific failure. So here's my version. Note, the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce is what gives this sauce the right flavour. It will be spicy. I don't know how to avoid this. If you like spicy, then add more peppers!
Ingredients
1 can kidney beans, Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-68262460081241639672013-10-30T11:54:00.000-04:002013-10-30T11:54:04.100-04:00Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Fluffy potatoes, stewy stuff, what's not to love?
Note, I use real butter in this recipe, but it's easy to substitute with vegan margarine.
Ingredients
1/4 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
about 10 mushrooms, chopped small (I used white button mushrooms)
1 can brown lentils, drained
4 red skinned potatoes
1/4 cup or so vegan cheese, shredded
Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-34209304593706401952013-10-24T12:32:00.003-04:002013-10-24T12:32:41.851-04:00Stolen recipeOkay, stolen's a strong word. But I recently tried out a great recipe that I need to share with the world.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts - Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Pomegranate Seeds.
This is not my recipe, which is why there's a link to it. I substituted mixed beans for chickpeas, though.
It's absolutely delicious. If you think you don't like brussel sprouts, try roasting them in the oven.
Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-53096486772514902492013-07-18T11:56:00.000-04:002013-07-18T11:56:32.532-04:00Vietnamese Vermicelli with Chicken and Green Papaya Salad
It's hot. It's been about 40ºC with the humidex for over a week and not surprisingly, a heavy, hearty meal isn't what I'm looking for nowadays. I still love love love noodles, though, so here is a recipe for something I get pretty often in Vietnamese restaurants.
Vietnamese Chicken and Vermicelli
2 Chicken thighs
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 servings vermicelli (I buy Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-8963816134214619832013-06-04T23:43:00.001-04:002013-06-04T23:43:26.148-04:00Fancy Fish Curry
Sorry for the iPhone photo. I don't always bring the good camera to work
This recipe is based on one for Gulai Ikan from Charmaine Solomon's "The Complete Asian Cookbook." I was in the mood for an East Asian green curry fish dish (yes, my cravings are just that specific) but I didn't have all the ingredients, namely curry leaves. Plus, I was working with Grace brand Pure Creamed Coconut, whichElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-82603096027788946122013-05-29T11:12:00.006-04:002013-05-29T11:12:46.781-04:00$12 Sandwich
Do you ever go to a bistro for lunch and see a sandwich that looks tasty and say "$12?! What the what?!" It happens to me pretty often. With a little bit of foresight, those sandwiches could be had for a couple of bucks. Good quality deli meat, roasted veggies, it doesn't take much. Obviously, you can choose whatever veggies and meat (or no meat) that you like, add cheese, pesto, tomato sauce,Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-57103332003360689162013-03-30T17:19:00.003-04:002013-03-30T17:19:59.290-04:00Easy Roasted Chicken with Chinese 5 Spice Powder
Chicken is probably the easiest meat in the world to make. Put some spices on it and bake.
Ingredients
2 chicken thighs, separated
1 tbsp Chinese 5 Spice Powder
3 tbsp light soy sauce
Let's do it!
Put everything into a big bowl and coat the chicken well. Let marinate for as long as you can. Me, I marinated for about 20 minutes.
Set the toaster oven for 350ºF. Put the chicken in a Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-45450025678392256552013-03-30T17:18:00.000-04:002013-03-30T17:20:40.650-04:00Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
As I say in my bio, my husband is a picky eater. But together (my cooking skills and his inability to cook) we've expanded his palate to eat all sorts of things. One of the things that seemed really challenging at first, but was made pretty simple was dark green veggies. Loaded with nutrients and hated by everyone who doesn't love veggies. How did I get him to like/tolerate them? Cooking themElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-76199012608080242392013-03-25T15:42:00.003-04:002013-03-25T15:42:33.045-04:00Easy Somewhat Homemade Meatballs (with spaghetti!)
I'm sorry about the terrible photo. I left my camera at home and I took this on my phone.
If you can't eat dairy, you probably don't eat meatballs (or you do, and feel the pain later). This recipe is easy and dairy-free, and totally delicious. I got the idea for using sausages from some cooking show. It works great because the sausage is already pre-spiced and full of fat, so you don't get Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-24766834220192939862013-03-18T22:00:00.000-04:002013-03-18T22:01:11.051-04:00Vegan cheesy chili
Yeah, let's totally pretend that I'm going to eat 7 chips with this, and not that entire bag behind it.
The first rule of chili is that it needs to be bad for you. This is junk food, so despite all the veggies and lack of fat in this dish, it still has to taste like a heavy, hearty treat and not a healthy tomato stew that your saint of a mother made for you on a cold winter's afternoon.Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-14144657856740437152013-03-15T16:08:00.000-04:002013-03-18T22:01:04.485-04:00Korean Seafood Pancake
All my pics at work sucked, so here is a pic of four pancakes I took at home.
I tried one of these at a fantastic Korean restaurant in Toronto and immediately fell in love. This recipe is a mangling of two recipes, one from Maangchi (my usual go-to for all Korean recipes and quite possibly the most comprehensive recipe/how-to site in the universe) and the Kitchn, but I basically just used Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-97440133767011792013-02-07T00:25:00.000-05:002013-02-07T00:25:08.805-05:00Couscous Salad
In an effort to be healthy (and get rid of a TON of cilantro), I present: couscous salad.
Measurements are approximate!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup couscous
2 3/4 cups water
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
Lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
splash of olive oil
salt to taste
Let's do it!
Boil water and add in Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-64420610219775480242013-02-04T22:10:00.002-05:002013-02-04T22:10:52.086-05:00Vegan enchilladas
Alright, the way I did this wasn't vegan, but it can easily be vegan. These are nowhere near authentic, it's just how I make them. They are stuffed with refried beans and rice, and covered with a spicy tomato sauce.
Ingredients
1 can black beans
1 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Water
1/2 cup rice
2 cloves garlic minced
Enough broth to cook the rice (sorry, I don't Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-15792309345268088822013-01-18T21:55:00.000-05:002013-01-18T21:55:04.702-05:00Pasta with bacon and brussel sprouts
If you don't like brussel sprouts, this dish is not likely to change your mind. But if you LOVE brussel sprouts, then hurray! I really enjoyed this dish, but it's not the best thing I've ever made. Oddly enough, the Hubster is NOT a fan of brussel sprouts, but still really enjoyed this pasta. Probably because the sauce is basically bacon grease.
Ingredients
4 servings of dry pasta
4 slicesElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-21218010732768818552013-01-04T10:44:00.000-05:002013-01-04T10:44:14.029-05:00Paella!
Mmm... iPhone photo...
This dish is based on this recipe from the LCBO Food and Drink Magazine. For those of you who don't live in Ontario, you're missing out on a great, free magazine.
Anyhow. I needed to make some changes since I was dining with a friend who doesn't eat land animals, plus I had merguez sausage, not chorizo, and no black cod.
Ingredients
900ml vegetable Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-45205220537390924222012-12-30T18:48:00.002-05:002012-12-30T18:50:25.155-05:00Vegan(ish) mac and cheese
Coming out of the oven.
Daiya cheese has really brought me back to the world of over-processed cheese. It basically tastes like Kraft cheese slices, but hey. Every once in a while I want something junky.
This recipe puts a LITTLE healthiness into it.
Ingredients:
1 box (4 servings) macaroni. Or any other short, pasta, like rotini (in the pic)
1/2 bunch kale
1 leek
3 sundried Elaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2751128154632231587.post-57324105100948878842012-12-17T11:59:00.001-05:002012-12-17T11:59:36.772-05:00Winter BBQ SauceAfter making Chuck's BBQ Sauce a couple of times, I was emboldened to make my own with tasty, winter holiday ingredients. This sauce is sweet, spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. It goes GREAT on ribs, but will probably be amazing on chicken and anything else. This sauce takes time, patience and a blender.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced thin
10 or so fresh cranberries
3 cloves garlicElaine Kwokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352910761313116468noreply@blogger.com0