Asparagus #1

Asparagus has got to be one of my favorite veggies. There is so much you can do with them.
You can eat them raw, al-dente, broiled, grilled, sauteed, any way really. So behold, this will be one of the many asparagus recipes I hold.

Did you know it was the only vegetable that the etiquette allows to be eaten with your fingers? When there is no sauce, obviously, otherwise... it could be a mess. So we can add finger food to the list as well.

It's a green food, so obviously you have all the goodness of vitamins and fibers that come with it.

So today, I'll share with you a quick recipe that you can use as a side dish to basically... anything.

Balsamic sauteed asparagus.

- One bunch of fresh asparagus
- 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Vegan butter (or again, if you insist, use butter or margarine)
- 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil (or any kind of oil you have)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper.

1. To start off, rinse out the asparagus, dry them with a paper towel and chop off the bottom. About 1 1/2 - 2 inches should be fine. the bottom part is very chewy and full of lil fibers that stick in between your teeth. Not fun.

2. In a skillet or frying pan, a big one, over medium-high, drop in the vegan butter and the oil and let melt.

3. Once it's has melted, pop in the asparagus and saute for about 5 minutes or until they get really bright green.
Toss them with thongs once or twice.

4. Lower the heat a little bit, then drop in the balsamic vinegar, and toss, making sure every asparagus is well coated.

5. Then saute for about 10 minutes, tossing them around a few times. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

You will see the balsamic form some kind of caramel around the asparagus. When that happens, it usually means they are ready. If you like them softer, leave them on the heat for another 5 minutes.

you can see the caramelizing of the vinegar

And serve! Voila!
Let me know what you think! :)

Yummy Greens

Another recipe? Why not!

I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out what to make for dinner, when TA DAM I remembered something I made not too long ago.

It can be a side dish, or a snack, or you could even put it on top of pasta or rice. I usually just make it, toss in a bowl and eat it like that.

It's sauteed Brussels sprouts, green beans and broccoli.

All of which, I'm sure are your favorites. *cough cough*
I never understood why people didn't like these 3. Sure the Brussels sprouts are an acquired taste, but once you've tried it in a recipe that you liked, you will love them from then on.

Very easy. And very good.

You'll need:

- 10 medium size fresh Brussels sprouts
- about 2 handfuls of fresh green beans
- 10 pieces of fresh broccoli, about the same size as the sprouts
- Earth balance butter (or margarine or.. if you insist, butter)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- Grape seed oil


- Start off by blanching your veggies. In a sauce pan, drop them in and cover them with water. Over medium-high heat, bring it to a boil and let the veggie blanch for about 5 minutes. Strain them well.

- Now, in a frying pan, also over medium-high, drop in about 1 tablespoon of butter and the same amount of oil
- Add the garlic, toss it around a bit and then drop the veggies in. Toss them around as well.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir well.
- Let the veggies cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until you notice them getting golden brown and a bit crunchy.

That's it. They are ready. Super easy, healthy and delish.

Kale chips

This one is addictive. You were warned.
It may not look like much, but trust me, you won't be disappointed.

But first, what is kale and why is it so popular lately?
Well my friends, it's a super food. It's got loads of vitamins, fiber AND protein. It's extremely healthy but just as delicious.

This recipe, I'm sure, will prove my point.

What cha need :

1 bunch of fresh kale
2 tablespoons of olive oil or grape seed oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1/2 tablespoon of cayenne pepper

And the steps are just as easy.

-Pre-heat the oven to 350.
- Wash and DRY WELL you kale leaves. You can use a salad spinner for this.
- Cut out the big veins (the stems).
- Shred the leaves into smaller pieces and toss in a bowl.
- Pour in the oil of your choice, the salt, pepper, onion powder and the cayenne pepper and mix well. I usually use my hands. It lets me make sure that all the pieces are covered perfectly.
- Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop in the over for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven.
- When they are crispy, they are ready to be devoured. Because, dearest, you will devour them.


I realize it doesn't look ultra appetizing. Below, I've found a better image. Though it's not mine and it's not the same recipe, the look is pretty much the same!



Not my picture, but I just wanted to show you how good it looks when you take the time to put them in a bowl :)



 I've been sharing this recipe a lot lately, and so far, I've gotten quite a few people addicted to the stuff.

It's yummy and it's healthy.

Veggie Lasagna

Alright! It's been more than 10 days since my last blog/first recipe.
I feel like I haven't had ANY time to write a post.

But behold, dear friends, I'm back!

The recipe that I'm sharing with you today is one of my favorites. And will definitely will be in the book! I've recently had a tasting for it, and I must say, I was quite pleased with the average "grade" it was given. 9 out of 10. Perfection doesn't exist, after all.

A vegetarian lasagna!

Now, don't be scared, there are quite a few steps and quite a few ingredients. But they all are EXTREMELY easy to make.

Here is what you need.

- 1 large onion
- 1 medium size eggplant
- 2 red bell peppers
- about 40 cherry tomatoes (I've used two small containers, completely)
- Fresh basil and thyme
- Lasagna pasta (I've used the oven-ready, it cuts the time and is just as delicious)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Fresh, shredded mozzarella, about 1 1/2 cup
- Fresh, grated Parmesan, about 1 3/4 cups
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of 15% cream
- vegan butter for cooking (I've used my beloved Earth Balance)
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- salt and pepper
- chili pepper flakes
- 1 oz of rum
- oil

In an attempt to simplify this recipe, I will divided the steps into tiny recipes.

#1 Red bell peppers — 20-25 minutes prep and cooking time

- Take the peppers and deseed them.
- Once that's done, slice them into 1/3 of an inch thick, slices.
- Spread them out on a baking shit lined with parchment paper and drizzle a little bit of oil.
- Place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until you notice a bit of black on them. Kinda like when you grill them on a BBQ.
- Set aside.

Which reminds me, during the summer, or for you lucky ones with 365 days of summer, you can just grill halves of red bell peppers on the grill till they are a bit soft.

#2 Eggplant — 20 minutes prep and cooking time

- Take the eggplant, slice it length wise. About 1/2 on an inch thick.
- Cut off the skin on the sides.
- Place on a baking sheet, and sprinkle some salt on the slices. This will make the eggplant sweat, which in turn wont make them extra juicy in the lasagna.
- Let sit till assembling time!

#3 Caramelized onions — 20 minutes prep and cooking time

For this you'll need the onion, the vegan butter, oil and rum.

- Slice the onion into 1/4 inch thick rings.
- In a skillet or frying pan, over medium-high heat, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter, and same amount of oil.
- When the butter is melted, drop in your onion.
- Stir from time to time. When the onion is starting to get soft, pour in your 1 oz of rum and stir again.
- For about 10-15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the onions caramelize. Stir once in a while so they get golden brown evenly.
- Set aside for assembling!

#4 Tomato sauce — 20minutes prep and cooking time

Now this one you can make a the same time as the onions.

You'll need:
- the cherry tomatoes
- the fresh basil
- the 2 cloves of minced garlic
- the fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
- vegan butter for cooking

- Chop in half all the tomatoes and drop in a sauce pan with the butter and the garlic. 
- Bring the heat to medium-high. Stir.
- When you see that the tomatoes are starting to let out their juices, drop in about 2 or 3 pinches BOTH of chopped basil and thyme. Salt and pepper. And let cook for a good 5 minutes.
- Once the tomatoes look really watery, you can pour the content in a blender. BE CAREFUL. blending with hot liquids can be a bit dangerous. Let it chill out for 2 minutes before pulsing the sauce. Also, use a rag to place over the blender's cover, that way, it'll prevent any burns or spills.
- Blend till smooth.
- At this point you can taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.

See! Both at the same time!

#5 Parmesan Bechamel sauce — about 5 minutes prep and cooking time

This one is super easy. You'll need the butter, flour, milk, cream, 1 cup of the 1 3/4 cups of Parmesan, salt and pepper.

- In another sauce pan, over medium-high, melt 2 tablespoons of butter while mixing in the 3 tablespoons of flour to create a roux. This is the base to thicken your bechamel.
- Pour in the milk and cream and stir well. Bring to a boil.
-When it's boiling and thickening, remove from heat and drop in a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Gradually whisk in Parmesan and stir until everything it well mixed.

NOW! The assembling!

In a deep glass oven-proof dish, here is what you'll need to do:

- Thin layer of tomato sauce, covering the whole bottom of the dish.
- 1 layer of pasta, making sure to cover the sauce with it.
- Another thin layer of tomato sauce
- Layer the eggplant on top.
- A thin layer of bechamel
- Add the onions on top, making sure to spread them evenly.
- Add the peppers on top, sprinkle some chili pepper flakes to give it some kick.
- A layer of tomato sauce
- A layer of pasta
- A layer of bechamel
- And finally, sprinkle the mozzarella and the remaining of the Parmesan on top.

Pop it in a oven pre-heated to 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Take out, let set for 5 minutes and Enjoy!!

I currently don't have any pictures of the finished product, but I PROMISE to post some as soon as I get them!

Nota : It seems like a long process, but most steps are done simultaneously. While the peppers are in the oven, you make your eggplant. While the eggplant is resting, you start you onions. While the onions are caramelizing, you make your tomato sauce. And once everything is done, you make the bechamel and layer the lasagna! Easy poesy!

Are we ready for a first recipe???

I just cannot hold it in anymore! Must. Post. One. Tiny. Recipe!

So here it is ladies and gentlemen! Recipe numero uno! Vegan "Tourtière'' (meat pie)

This recipe, I came up with about 2 years ago. And this year, I've shared with a few people. So why not share it with more? right?

So here's what you need :

- 4 pie crusts (I've been using Tenderflakes. The blue box is made with all vegetable shortening and is veg)
- 1 pack of Yves' vegan ground "beef", in original
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 big onion, diced (or 2 shallots)
- 6 small to medium white mushrooms (you can switch it up if you want)
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 tablespoons of ketchup
- 1 can of lentils (rinse them well)
- 2 tablespoons of ''tourtière'' spices (you can find them in any grocery store)
- fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped
- vegan butter for cooking.
- salt and pepper

To start off, following the crusts' instructions on the package, bake two of the four crusts. Making sure to poke holes with a fork.

1- Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent.

2- Incorporate the ground "beef" and rinsed lentils, stir.

3- Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. It's not meat, so all you need is to warm everything up!
4- Add water, ketchup, spices and salt and pepper and stir. I usually taste it at this point. You can add or adjust the spices to your liking.
5- Preheat the over to 350 and pour in the mixture in the two crusts that have been baked.

6- Take the fresh thyme and rosemary and sprinkle some on the inside of the uncooked crusts.
7- Cover with the other two uncooked crusts. Seal the sides with a pinch of a fork, and poke a couple of hole on the top. You can also get creative and use a cookie cutter (as seen bellow).
8- Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden and crispy.

Take it out and enjoy! Oh and don't forget the ketchup. It's not tourtière without ketchup!

















It may seem like a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but they are so easy to follow that nothing can go wrong! The average grade out of 10 was 9.5, so I think it's safe to say you should try it!

Let me know how it goes!

Tasting 1, 2, 1, 2

See what I did there with the title? Tasting instead of testing? Well... I thought it was clever AND funny.

OK! Let me explain how the process of my book is going to go about.

First, I want this book to reach all my friends and family. Then, if their response is good, I want it to reach the WORLD! I know, it's a bit big of a dream, but hey! you never know!

I know I will get some major heat from my veg friends for this... but since 90% of the people I love eat meat, I've decided to have a few that aren't veg (it's still to be decided for sure). But of course, EVERY recipe will have the veg alternative. As well as a sugar-free alternative, gluten-free.

I want this book to be accessible for everyone. Who knows, maybe my carnivore friends will see how amazing veg food is ;)

So, obviously, the recipes I want in my book I actually love. But will you? Cue in the testers!
My dear friends and family will be used as guinea pigs till the completion of the book.

Tough job, I know They have to sit with a bunch of people they like and eat free food. Bummer.
I do, however ask them to fill out a comment sheet such as the one below. It;s the price to pay for being my friend. Mouahaha.

I do take their comments seriously and adjust what needs to be adjusted. I've surrounded myself with some of the most honest people I know. With their input, I'm sure this project will blossom to something amazing.

But for now, stay tuned! Recipes and pictures will be here shortly!

p.s Happy Friday!

Sorry about the quality of the picture... and the fact that it's "squished". Still figuring out how to use this blog thing!

First attempt at blogging!

If you're reading this it's either because you're a friend of mine or you have stumbled upon this blog. Either way, welcome!

First off, I would like to apologies in advance if my posts seem a bit... novice.  It is my first blog, after all.

So, what is The Untitled Rox Project? It's a book, an adventure, an experiment and now, a blog.

It is a project that I've had my sights on for a very long time.

Ever since I can remember, I've always loved cooking. I cannot recall when or where I've acquired the knowledge, it sort of always been with me.

I remember being young and watching my parents cook. I knew what I liked and what I didn't like, but when you're a kid, you don't really get to say or pick what you're having for dinner.
Then came the day where I was allowed to use the stove and the oven. I must have been 11 or 12. I felt like a grown up.

I wish I could tell you what my very first recipe was.

So, keeping this in mind, as I grew older, I've tried to recreate recipes that I loved but... with a twist. I've bought a gazillion cookbooks over the years, only to realise I never actually opened one and copied a recipe word for word, ingredient for ingredient. A simple picture sparked some kind of creativity in my mind. Some times it worked out amazingly. Other times... not so well.

It's funny that the idea of being a chef never seemed to be real. It was more of a fantasy. Therefore, off to school I went. Studying subjects I didn't really care for. Sure graphic design lets me be creative, but not in the way that I needed to be. Working for a living was never my idea of a perfect life. At work, at my desk, I'd fantasise about opening my own bistro, and mentally planing and imagining the menu. Living in my mind. I even took a cake decorating class to try and feed this creative appetite I had for the culinary arts.

But why? Why would you dream just to dream? So there it was. I was motivated. I would write down those menus, make a book out of it. Share it. And who knows where it will take me over time.

That's what The Untitled Rox Project is about. FINALLY making a dream reality.

In this blog, I'll share recipes, concepts and comments I've gotten for them.

Maybe it will make you want to try them, or maybe it will inspire you to create your own. But most importantly, I hope it will make you pursue YOUR dreams.