The Taste Traveller

tuna and spinach calzones

Take your average tuna melt up a notch, add some dark greens and tuck it inside lovely pizza crust for a fun-filled, nutritious pocket that's easy to make and easy to take along. Make extra and pop them in the freezer for a quick lunch or dinner. I did a few versions, some with spinach, some without, some with a dollop of pesto, some without. I see endless possibilities here and will revisit these again and again. Have fun! 

Adapted from Today's Parent magazine

Ingredients:

• 2 x 170-g solid white tuna, water packed, drained
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) plain yoghurt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped celery
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped green onions 
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 450-g ball frozen pizza dough, defrosted
• 1 cup (250 ml) cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) parmesan cheese, grated

Optional: chopped mushrooms, pesto, finely chopped parsley or basil

Method:

Preheat oven to 475° F (250° C). 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Combine tuna, mayonnaise and yoghurt in a bowl and mix well with a fork. 

Stir in celery, green onions and salt (and any other optional ingredients you wish such as mushrooms or parsley) and salt and pepper to taste, until well combined. 

Divide tuna mixture into 6 equal portions. 

Place spinach in a suacepan over high heat. Cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted. Let cool and then squeeze out excess liquid. Divide into 6 portions. 

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and roll out into a 6-inch circle. 

Spread 1 portion of tuna mixture on half of each circle leaving a 1/2-inch border. 

Top each with 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese and spread a portion of spinach overtop. 

Add a teaspoon of pesto if using. 

Moisten inside edge with egg and fold dough over to enclose filling. Press down edges to seal. 

Cut two slits in the top of each calzone. Brush tops with egg and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. 

Bake calzones for 10 to 15 minutes or until tops and bottoms are deeply golden and the filling bubbles through the slits. 

Serve hot or let cool and pack to go. 

These freeze well. Bake from frozen in a 475° F oven for about 15 minutes or until tops are nicely golden. If freezing cooked calzones they can be warmed up in the oven or microwave. 

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korean vegetable pancakes

Looking for a different lunch or quick dinner idea? Try these little numbers. Easily adaptable, they can simply be pulled together with just carrots, but the green onions and bean sprouts really add a nice bit of flavour and crunchy texture too. I made these with my daughter the first time, appropriate as the recipe comes from a cookbook for kids. That night I served them along with some other Asian flavours at dinner. I was so pleased when one of our homestay students said these reminded her of the ones her grandma used to make. Love it! These are a simple flour mixture but you could add some protein by adding an egg in with the mixture. Or, try doing a quick omelette or scrambled egg or two in another pan and folding this into the pancake with the vegetables. The dipping sauce is fun and definitely adds a nice touch, but isn't absolutely necessary if you'd rather skip it. 

Adapted from Fun with Asian Food: A Kids' Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) plain flour

1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) sesame oil

1 cup (250 ml) water

3 to 5 spring onions

2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cooking oil for frying (my preferences are coconut oil or ghee)

1 cup (250 ml) beansprouts

1/2 carrot, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons (22 ml) vinegar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

Combine flour, pepper, salt, sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour the water into it. Stir until it forms a thick, lump-free batter. 

Wash the spring onions, then place them on a cutting board and cut them into 1/2 inch (1 cm) lengths.

Discard the tops and roots. 

Make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients in a serving bowl. Set aside.

 

Place a small skillet or saucepan on the stove and add a teaspoon of cooking oil. Turn the heat to medium. Wait about a minute until the pan and oil heat up.

 

Using a cup or ladle, scoop about 1/3 cup (85 ml) of the batter and pour it into the skillet. Using the back of the ladle or a large spoon, spread the batter into a round pancake. 

Sprinkle some of the cut spring onions onto the pancake. Fry on one side until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Use a spatula to turn the pancake over when one side is cooked. 

Sprinkle some of the beansprouts and grated carrot on the pancake. Let the pancake cook for about 1 minute on this side. 

Fold the pancake in half and lift it out onto a serving plate. Repeat for the other pancakes. 

Serve with the dipping sauce. 

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good morning sunshine muffins

 

These little numbers are packed full of good stuff. Yes, muffins are often just like little cakes, not too far from your friendly cupcake really. But, if you take that reality and add a whole bunch of healthy ingredients, it's not a half bad way to start your day. Less crunch, don't add nuts or seeds. Not a fan of zucchini or carrot in baked goods, add something else or more of the one you do like. Your little one having an aversion to vegetables, well - it may be small potatoes (pardon the expression) but here you can sneak a few extra bites into them. I know I'm always saying this about one thing or another, but these are my new fave muffin. 

Inspired by this recipe, and others along the way.

Makes 18 to 24 muffins depending on their size

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 ml) whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking soda
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and grated (2 cups/500 ml)
• 1/2 medium zucchini, grated (1 cup/250 ml)
• 1 apple, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins (or mixture of raisins and dried cranberries or godji berries)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) almond slivers, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) flax seeds, ground
• 3 eggs 
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) oil, preferably melted coconut oil or a combination of this and grapeseed
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk

Method:

Place the raisins in a small bowl to plump up.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.

Add the grated carrots, zucchini, apple, almonds, pumpkin seeds and ground flax seeds. 

Whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla

Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Drain raisins and add to mixture. 

Fill greased, paper-lined or silicone muffin tin to the top or 3/4 full. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Mini muffins will need less time. 

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