Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Frosting

We'd like to interrupt this alleged "healthy cooking blog" with a brief boozy chocolate interlude. Have I grown fatigued, you might be wondering, of healthy cooking, what with all the treats aplenty being featured (and coming soon, too) on this blog?

Of course not. It's just that there is so very much to be celebrating right now. For example--many birthdays! And there is nothing I love better than making someone a towering cake for their birthday.

Maybe you fellow lovers-of-baking can understand how much fun it is to prepare a cake for someone's birthday--thumbing through recipes and casually inquiring as to the favourite flavours of the birthday girl or boy? Or maybe that's just me, as yes, I really am that obsessive about baking. (I'm totally okay with that, by the way.)

This cake is really delicious. The stout gives it a richly flavoured, pleasantly toasty tinge, to even better highlight all that cocoa, and the Irish cream in the frosting is the perfect flavour accompaniment. I followed the original recipe as listed on epicurious, except for halving the frosting recipe, and flavouring the frosting with liquor.

This yields a HUGE cake--the three layers are all massive. I used two of the layers for the birthday party cake, and the halved ganache amount was plenty to frost it, and still have a leftover amount to top the final cake layer.

I'd recommend either planning to make a massive cake, or making a (still large) but more normal-sized cake and then making twelve cupcakes with the final amount.

The pictures of the final frosted cake are of the two-layered party cake, and then a few pics of the single layer with the leftover frosting on the top. (I don't have pics of the sliced two-layered cake--didn't want to run around the party snapping pics of people's plates, funny enough).

Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Frosting
from epicurious.com

The chocolate and beer play together perfectly in this cake to yield a rich chocolate flavour with a pleasant toasty edge. The Irish cream in the frosting gives it a boozy, over-the-top, celebratory punch. You could try different liquors, or leave it out entirely and keep the frosting simply pure chocolate and cream.

Ingredients Cake:
2 cups stout (such as Guinness; I used a chocolate stout)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Irish Cream Frosting:
(this is half the ingredients from the original recipe, but I found it was plenty enough)
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp Irish cream (optional; or try a different liquor)

Method For cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper.

Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine.

Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. (Or, for a plenty-huge 2-layer cake, use two cake pans and divide the rest of the batter into a 12-muffin pan for cupcakes.)

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:

Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Add your tbsp of liquor and mix in.

Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread about 1/2 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread with icing. If making a 3-layer cake, top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

No nutrititional info--this is an over-the-top celebration cake and breaks all the rules.

Simple Homey Apple Pie, Butter Crust, and Gorgeous Leaves

There is an alchemy involved with pastry crust. The simplest of ingredients--flour, fat, water, and salt--yield a product so much finer than their parts.

As a baker, the elusive ability to master pie crust has long intrigued me, and I declared I would do it. This started me off on the lonely road of buying shocking amounts of butter and practicing rolling pin prowess.

Fall is the perfect time to hone pastry skills, as we're surrounded by a harvest bounty that lends itself so beautifully to pies.

Recently, I was lucky enough to finally be able to go apple picking--on gorgeous Thanksgiving weekend--and we found ourselves the firmest, juiciest, freshest tasting apples possible.

As I had been practicing my pie crusts a little bit, I was feeling a bit more confident about making the pie, but I'm not going to lie: this is a tricky business, and requires a very light touch and patience. And a willingness to throw the whole lot into the garbage and start again. (That only happened once, I swear.)

My suggestions:
I much prefer using all butter--I did experiment with using some vegetable shortening in one of my pies, but I won't do that again. There is no question that it yields a flakier, more forgiving pastry dough, but it has such a funny flavour to me. It just tastes kind of fake. All-butter crusts are a bit denser and trickier, but have much better flavour.

Keep it simple in the beginning. A simple double-crusted apple or plain pumpkin pie is a great way to wade into pastry-making. There's lots of time for lattices and basket-weaving in the future.

Be patient when cutting in the butter. Ah. It does take time. Just go with it! I like using two butter knives.

This is one of those times when the process is as important as the outcome, if not more so. It does feel magical to watch such simple elements turn into something that is beautiful and delicious.

(ps. Thanks to AK for the photography help!)

Butter Pie Crust
from Bon Appetit, November 2009
This simple recipe forms two 9-inch pie crusts.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup (or more) ice water

Method
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Place your cubed butter in the bowl, and using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut the butter into all of the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Be patient--this will take about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with the ice water and stir the mixture lightly with a fork until the dough starts to come together. This is where the light touch is needed. Add more water, a tsp at a time, if the dough is dry, but only add enough until the mixture is able to hold together and form a ball.

Gather the dough into a ball and knead once or twice--but try to handle it as little as possible. Cut the dough into half and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for about an hour.

(The pastry can be in the fridge for a couple of days if you want to make it in advance. Or, double-wrap it carefully and you can freeze it for up to a month. Before using, let thaw at room temperature and proceed with the next step.)

Once the dough has chilled, roll out each disk onto a floured surface. If it's too cold right out of the fridge, let it warm up for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending how long it's been in there. Roll on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8 inch thick and a width of about 12 inches. Keep rotating your circle as you roll out, and make sure it's not sticking to your surface by lightly sprinkling with flour if you need to.

To transfer your dough circle to your pie plate, drape half of it over your rolling pin and rest it gently into your 9-inch pie plate. If you're making a double-crusted pie, repeat the procedure with the other disk and leave your crust until you're ready to top your pie. If you want to cut out a couple of shapes like I did, do it at this point.

(If you're making a single-crusted pie, freeze the rest of the pastry until your next pie adventure--provided it's not more than a month away.)

Simple Homey Apple Pie
Modified slightly from the perennial classic apple pie recipe in Joy of Cooking

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds of 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices of peeled and cored firm, juicy apples (I used a mixed of Cortlands and Spartans)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter, cubed into small bits
mix of cinnamon and sugar (about a tbsp)

Method
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and position your rack in the bottom third. In a large bowl, mix the apple slices with the sugar and lemon juice. Add the flour and spices. Mix well until all are blended.

Take your pie plate with the crust laid in it and spoon in your filling. Dot the filling with the bits of butter. Top the filled pie with the second pie crust and press the edges of the pie crust together. Cut off excess overhang, leaving about an inch, and fold the edge under itself. Using your thumb, flute indentations along the edge of the pie, or press a fork around the rim to create a pretty pattern. If you haven't cut out a couple of shapes (as I did), then take a sharp knife and slice a few steam vents. If you want to attach cut-out shapes, dab the back of them with water and attach.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the pie and place in the oven.

After 20 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Near the end of the baking time, keep a careful eye on it. If your pie edge starts to burn, shield it with aluminum foil. Place the pie on a cooling rack and let cool for about an hour before serving. Cut into wedges and top with a dollop of ice cream or rich lemon yogurt if you're really feeling indulgent.


Sorry, no nutritional information for this one, as it is a celebration dessert!

Crawford Lake Hike
Here are some bonus fall pics of our hike last weekend to nearby Crawford Lake. The golden leaves are starting to really come alive in the woods right now. Glorious!

Roasted Butternut Squash (or Sweet Potato) Biscuits

I know I promised apple goodness and it is still to come, don't worry. There is just a lot of cooking and baking to report on right now!

Waking up in the early morning and baking for a houseful of guests is one of those thrilling activities that pairs so well with the excitement of holidays. It is one of my favourite things to do--even if it's not my house. Yes, if I'm coming over for a weekend, I'll probably try to force my way into your kitchen. You are warned.

Such were the events of our recent Thanksgiving weekend. My favourite time in a house is when everybody is still asleep and the sun is starting to come in through the windows. Putting on the coffee and breaking out the mixing bowls and wooden spoons is a treat of a way to start the day.

Of course, the reality of the recent weekend wasn't quite so peaceful--in a house full of sleeping babies, sleep is more of a suggestion than an actual entity. But as you can tell from the restful light of the photos, it was still absolutely idllyic.
And I'd rather be around babies than perfect peace and quiet, anyway.

A grand feast was planned for the evening, so we knew breakfast had to be something fairly simple, but still satisfying. A previously tried and loved recipe for sweet potato biscuits got a bit of a makeover (last minute) to become roasted butternut squash biscuits, as I had plenty of already cooked squash on hand and it substituted perfectly.

I doubled the recipe with great results and the large batch kept us happy all weekend long. These biscuits are simple to make and very delicious. They have all the buttery and flakey appeal of so-called normal biscuits, but the added roasted vegetable gives them extra heft and flavour. They're delicious with your breakfast yogurt or scrambled eggs, and also with a bowl of hearty fall soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash Biscuits
These delicious, flaky and flavourful biscuits will be a hit at any fall gathering (or any time of year, honestly!) The original recipe calls for sweet potato, and you can certainly swap the butternut squash with sweet potato or pumpkin if you'd like. I based my recipe from Orangette; Molly took it from Martha Stewart, so it's turning into a game of recipe telephone...the way the best ones do.

Yields 8 biscuits
Ingredients 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup chilled butternut squash puree (or sweet potato, or pumpkin)
1/3 cup buttermilk

Method
In a large bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients (from the flour to the baking soda). With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the chilled, cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size lumps of butter remaining.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup chilled sweet potato purée and 1/3 cup buttermilk; stir quickly into flour mixture until combined (do not overmix). Your mixture will be lumpy.

Preheat oven to 425°, with rack on lower shelf. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead very gently until dough comes together but is still slightly lumpy, five or six times. (If dough is too sticky, work in up to 1/4 cup additional flour.) Shape into a disk, and pat to an even 1-inch thickness. With a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible.

Gather together scraps, and repeat to cut out more biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once). Grease or lightly spray a baking sheet. Place biscuits on sheet, keeping far apart (they will spread a bit). Brush with 1/2 tbsp melted butter.

Bake until golden, rotating once, 20 to 24 minutes.

Nutritional Facts
217 calories; 9g fat; 30.6 g carbohydrate; 1.1 g fibre; 3.7 g protein

Spicy Whole-Wheat Molasses Cookies

The recent Canadian long weekend was a much-appreciated time to enjoy the fall colours (and the delights of apple picking!).

Look for apple-y goodness coming to a blog near you, very soon...

But for now, it's time to focus on the food of the moment: spicy molasses cookies. Which pair so very with fall leaves, don't they?


Yes, fellow healthy eaters, we can primarily eat nutritious food and that's wonderful. But sometimes, come the snap of cool air and a renewed interest in hot tea, a proper cookie is in order. Am I right or am I right? I think I'm right.

And of course the perfect cookie for a picturesquely autumnal day is that of the spicy ginger variety.

I did err, at first, though. I told myself to make "healthy" sweets. Sigh. Will I ever learn? So first I tried making some protein cookies, heavily spiced. They were fragrant with gingery spices and made the kitchen smell like heaven. But they were like small rocks, and great at cleaning my dog's teeth. At that point I shook my head to the obvious point: cookies are what they are: treats. Just accept that, and move on. And make great cookies.

Fortunately for everyone (except my dog), this recipe, modified from one on allrecipes.com, makes great chewy and spicy cookies. Of course, I can never leave well enough alone and added whole-wheat flour, but fortunately, it goes beautifully in and you'd never guess--trust me. Plus, I can't bake a ginger cookie without putting crystallized ginger in it--otherwise, what's the point? With a crackly outer layer and a dense, chewy middle, these spicy cookies are a proper treat, especially when dunked into a steaming mug of tea.

Spicy Whole-Wheat Molasses Cookies
These fragrant and chewy cookies have all the best flavours of fall. They are simple and satisfying, and somewhat addictive (just ask my nephew). Try with the crystallized ginger, and maybe even some chocolate chunks. You can freeze the unbaked dough for a few weeks (just thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before baking) to help your schedule as things get busier. Note that I really like things spicy--if your tastes run more moderate, half the amount of spices listed.

Yields 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, cut into small bits*

*I find kitchen shears work best at getting the crystallized ginger into small enough pieces.

Method
In a large bowl, blend the butter, sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flours, baking soda, salt, spices, and crystallized ginger in a small bowl, and mix into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour. (If you're freezing the dough, put into an airtight container, making sure no dough is exposed to the air, and freeze.)

An hour later (or when your frozen dough has softened enough), pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough in walnut-sized balls. Place 2 inches apart onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper, and flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. (These will be quite soft when you first take them out of the oven, but will firm as they cool.)

Nutritional Information
per 1 of 36 cookies: 88 calories; 4.1g fat; 12.6 g carbohydrate; 0.6 g fibre; 6.9 g sugar, 1g protein

Lemon Paprika Roast Chicken with Carrots and Onions

[Back to back chicken posts! But I did want to get this one out there, because Thanksgiving (in Canada, that is) is just a few days away and roasting a chicken is such a good Thanksgiving option for people who are cooking their feast for a small number.]

Roasting a chicken warms up your cool kitchen. The increasingly tantalizing aroma will make your mouth water. And having to do so little while your dinner sizzles away in the oven will make you relax. If you're feeling ambitious, maybe you'll be motivated to whip up a batch of cookies on the side for a little treat, or to roast some harvest vegetables too. But you're not going to move too fast, and that's nice.

I am deeply appreciative of the roasting concept.

I also adore that caramelized, crispy edge that comes from roasting. I'm not even afraid of a slight char. It adds such good flavour and texture to your food.

When roasting a chicken, once you have the basic technique down, it is easy. It doesn't really go beyond how you prepare the bird (simplicity is best), oven temperature (turning a dial), and the occasional basting and timing check. The piece of equipment I find essential is the meat thermometer. They are cheap, easy to find, and save you from over-cooking and drying out your dinner.

I would also suggest buying an organic chicken, if possible. Yes, they are more expensive. But buying a whole chicken is the most economical way to buy organic (much more so than buying organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts). Truly though, it is the flavour that makes the organic chicken win. It always tastes much better. Juicier, richer. I don't have a clear reason why this is the case. But it is the truth.

I enjoy the flavour punch of lemon and paprika, because it adds such bright contrast to the smokiness of roasting. There are fancy things you can do, like rub garlic and butter under the skin or whatnot, but on a standard Sunday evening I forgo the frills and just get it done. This simple technique works well.

Lemon Paprika Roast Chicken with Carrots and Onions

This flavourful meal is perfect for a fall weekend day when you have a couple of hours to do some things around the house, and it will provide good leftovers for lunches on Monday, too. I love the combination of lemon and paprika, but feel free to try other spice blends. Everything tastes good with a roasted chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients
Chicken: 1 3-4 lb chicken, preferably organic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt 1 lemon, cut into wedges 1 onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves of garlic, peeled (optional--I'm not a big fan, but most people are)
cooking spray

Side vegetables:
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 onions, quartered
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and halved
salt and pepper

Method
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Clean out the chicken's cavity and pat dry with paper towels. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Place as much of the wedges of lemon and onion inside the chicken as will fit. You can place a couple of cloves of garlic if you'd like.

Mix your spices into a little prep bowl on the side. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting dish that's been lightly coated with cooking spray, and tuck its wings under. Rub the outside of the chicken with the olive oil, and then rub your spice mixture into the skin.

Roast the chicken for about 40 minutes. Then baste with pan juices, and add your vegetables to your roasting dish (don't crowd them--if they don't all fit, spread the extra on another shallow roasting pan).

Baste the vegetables with the pan juices as well. Twenty minutes later, give your vegetables another stir and baste the chicken and vegetables again. If your bird is about 3 lbs, it might be ready by now. It is done when a meat thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh reads 190 or when the chicken juices run clear when you prick the thigh.

If your bird is a bit bigger, it might be another 20 minutes or longer. Just keep checking. The vegetables will be done when you can easily pierce the carrots with a fork.

When chicken is done, transfer from the roasting pan to a wooden cutting board and tent with foil; let rest for another 15 to 20 minutes (if the veggies aren't done, you can keep roasting them). If they are, keep them warm under some foil.

While the chicken is resting is a good time to make gravy if you're so inclined. It might be tempting to skip the "resting" stage but it makes your bird juicy so try to hang on.

Carve your bird, serve with the vegetables, and enjoy!

Nutritional facts For about 2 oz of breast meat, 2 oz of leg meat, with no skin, and 1/4 of the vegetable portion: 439 calories; 27 g fat, 14 g carbs, 3 g fibre, and 34 g protein

Panko Chicken with Hoisin Ginger Salad

Craving old-school chicken nuggets? This up-scale homemade version, using panko (Japanese breadcrumbs that yield nice and crunchy results) might satisfy that. The hoisin and ginger dressing on the salad provides a light and delicious tang.

As much as I enjoy improvising in the kitchen, there is a lot to be said for following a recipe. Far from being an uncreative way to go, it can actually break you out of the same tired flavours and methods. This little dish came together more easily than you’d think and was a fun combination of textures and tastes. From one of my favourite recipe sites, Cooking Light, I pretty much followed the recipe to a T and was pleased was the results. Consider it as an option when you don’t mind following someone else’s orders for something a bit new.

Panko Chicken with Hoisin Ginger Salad
This crunchy chicken would also work well in a salad wrap, or beside mashed potatoes if you’re really looking for that comfort food fix. If not, the bright flavours of this salad provide a nice compliment.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients
Chicken:
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooking spray


Salad:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (8-ounce) package field greens salad mix

Method
Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken, tossing to coat. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until chicken is done and lightly browned, stirring once.

To prepare salad, combine vinegar and next 7 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a food processor; process until well combined.

Combine tomatoes, green onions, and salad mix in a large bowl; add vinegar mixture, tossing to coat. Place about 1 cup salad mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup chicken.

Nutritional Information
per serving: 242 calories; 7.2 g fat; 28.8 g protein; 14.4 g carbs; 2.8 g fibre.

Feta Salmon Cakes with Roasted Vegetables

Just because you're lazy and/or short on time doesn't mean you can't whip up a tasty meal a bit different from the norm. It is a satisfying thing to put together a quick meal when you get home from work that has nice fresh flavours and provides a good balance of nutrients, but is speedy. Honestly, on weeknights, if it won't happen in under 30 minutes, forget it.

Fish is handy on weeknights because it is fast and soooo healthy (especially salmon, loaded with all those good fats), but it can be hard to fit in without careful planning when you're picky like me. What makes me picky? I don't like anything but very fresh fish, and I am never organized enough to pick it up on the way home to ensure that it will be fresh enough to please me.

Canned salmon is my recent solution to this problem. It is easy to find, relatively cheap, and lends itself well to meal preparations that don't need the freshest fish possible. Salmon cakes are delicious comfort food that work well with canned salmon, and also keep well enough for lunch the next day. Plus, they're easy and fast. How do I cheat even more? I buy the canned salmon that is already bone- and skin-free. Sorry, if I'm lazy enough to be opening up a can for dinner than I do NOT want to be messing around with bones and skin.

The action plan for this meal: the minute you get home, turn your oven to roasting temperature and prepare your veggies. Toss them in the oven and let them roast away while you prepare the salmon cakes and cook them on the stove top. In 30 minutes you'll have a delightful dinner with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Success!

Feta Salmon Cakes with Roasted Vegetables
Yields 2 servings (2 cakes per serving)
These flavourful patties come together quickly for a healthy meal, and provide a good lunch for the next day, too. The tangy brine of the feta nicely complements the salmon.

Ingredients
Salmon cakes
1/4 cup uncooked oat bran (you could also use bread crumbs or crackers here)
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
2 tbsp sour cream
1 180g-can of salmon (I prefer skinless and boneless)
1/2 cup parsley, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Roasted vegetables
2 cups of halved mushrooms
2 zuchinni, sliced thickly
2 bell peppers, chopped coarsely
bit of olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp Montreal steak spice

Method
To roast vegetables: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Coat two roasting pans with cooking spray. Toss your chopped veggies in a large bowl with a touch of olive oil and your spices (I used Montreal steak spice, but anything handy in your cupboard would work). Spread veggies on your roasting pans and set in the oven. Keep an eye on them by giving the vegetables a stir every ten minutes or so to keep them from sticking.

To make salmon cakes: In a medium bowl, mix all your ingredients together. Depending on how salty your feta is, you might want to take it easy on the salt. Tread lightly.

Form the mixture into four patties. Lightly coat a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Once pan is hot, add your salmon cakes and cook for about 4 minutes each side or until done to your liking.

Depending on the size of your pan, you might need to cook them in two batches. When your salmon cakes are done, your veggies are likely finished. Serve together, with a little dipping sauce (I like both grainy mustard and hot chili sauce) on the side, if you'd like.

Nutrition Facts
Note: nutritional information is for the Feta Salmon Cakes only. 2 patties per serving: 326 cals, 18 g fat (all the good omega-3 fats!), 10 g carbs, 33 g protein