I was introduced to lentils done this way by my host mom in Belgium when I was an exchange student. It was a hearty meal at the end of a drizzly belgian winter day. Comfort food for my homesick Canadian heart. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes, they reminded me of my mom’s shepherd’s pie, deconstructed.

The dish is savoury and rich. And most of the creaminess comes from the lentils themselves – making them a rare breed of virtuous comfort food. The trick is to cook them in plenty of liquid for an longer time, allowing them to break down. My host mom says she didn’t add any cream at all to hers – but I like the bit of added richness. Continue Reading »

Kale chips are crazy good. They sound like hippie food, I will not argue with that fact. You may have to go on trust here. We’ve established trust, haven’t we? After all, I am the same person who brought you this moist chocolate cake and those whoopie pies with salted caramel buttercream.

Quite frankly, I could have titled this post “how to eat an entire bunch of kale in under 5 minutes”. Because that’s pretty much what happened. Continue Reading »

I’m sure I don’t have to convince you that it is a good idea to roast some squash and smother it with creamy sauce before baking it into bubbling submission. You must just know that it’s a good idea.

Caramelized bites of butternut squash stud this dreamy white lasagna between layers of and noodles and creamy ricotta.

Sage and nutmeg are earthy complements to the sweetness.

The top is generously showered with shredded mozzarella and parmesan for a thick, bubbly cheese layer, with those delectable browned, crispy edges… Continue Reading »

…with browned butter and crispy sage.

Okay, it happened. Rain jacket? Out of storage. September cold? Achoo! Uh huh. Pumpkin bandwagon? Jumped on.

I guess it’s really fall. I guess September happened. And October is probably going to happen no matter how hard I dig in my heels. And you know what? I think I’m okay with that.

In fact, I can’t really remember what I like so much about summer… Continue Reading »

I am a wee bit obsessed with tomatoes. I grow my own, inside my apartment. I buy them in exorbitant amounts at the farmers market. I see heirloom varieties and I hyperventilate a bit as I frantically try to buy them all.

Continue Reading »