Food & Drink

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RECIPE: Chicken Shawarma with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 

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Chicken Shawarma
with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 
September 2022

Just over a week ago, I helped create a Middle Eastern themed feast with a few of my food blogger friends, using some fresh vegetables from BC Greenhouse.
I had a craving for a pita filled with delicious things, so I picked some turnips (a first), marinated some chicken, chopped some veggies and made a huge platter that everyone dove into.

Most of the prep for this one is done ahead of time, so it’s an easy dish for parties, or feeding a large amount of people!

Ingredients: 
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
 
For the marinade: 
- 3 tbsp olive oil 
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 
- 1 tbsp ground cumin 
- 1 tbsp ground coriander 
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom 
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional – this is the heat) 
- 2 tsp smoked paprika 
- salt and pepper 
- juice of one lemon 

Greek Yogurt Sauce: 
- 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt 
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 
- salt and pepper 
- tsp of lemon juice (more to taste/to thin) 
- pinch of cumin (more to taste) 
 
To Serve: 
- pita (your choice of kind) 
- lettuce, shredded 
- tomatoes, roughly chopped 
- cucumbers, chopped 
- pickled turnips (homemade is best and easy) 
- hot sauce (optional) 
- hummus (optional) 
- tahini sauce (optional) 
 
Directions: 
 
Mix the marinade ingredients together and place in a container of bag with the chicken, mixing until it’s completely coated. Let sit in the fridge for 24 hours, occasionally mixing it again. 

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl – adjusting seasoning to taste, and place in the fridge covered until ready to use. 
 
If you’re making the shawarma into a platter, you can pre-chop the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips if using and place into individual bowls. 
 
To cook the chicken you can either do so on the bbq or in a hot skillet on the stove for about 4 minutes on each side depending on the size of the thighs. 
Once it’s cooked through, let it rest on a plate covered in foil while you prep the platter with the vegetables and sauces. 

Slice the pitas in half or leave them whole, and let your guests choose which fillings they want to fill it with! 
 
Enjoy! 

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RECIPE: Crab Cakes - But Make It Vegan for Environment911.org

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Vegan Crab Cakes
for Environment911.org
August 2022

I was recently at a wedding and they had delicious crab and shrimp cakes and I wondered to myself whether I could make a vegan version.
The taste and texture of crab is hard to replicate but as a stand-alone appetizer, these are super tasty. You can make them in various sizes too if you want bite-size or one you’d need a fork to break down.


INGREDIENTS
- approx. 400g of young jackfruit (in water)
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning (more to taste)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (vegan)
- 1 tsp soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2-3 tbsp green onion or chives, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped (option to sub in more chives)
- approx. 1.5 cups bread crumbs (regular, panko or both)
- splash of lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl combine the ground flax with 6 tablespoons of water. Whisk together and set aside for 5-10 minutes until it thickens.

Drain the jackfruit of excess water, and break up into fine pieces. (If it’s not already broken up, you can use a food processor to help shred it.)

In a bowl whisk together the lemon juice with the Worcestershire, soy and the Dijon mustard, as well as the old bay, garlic, and salt and pepper – until combined.
Add the broken-down jackfruit, flax egg, chives/green onion and cilantro, and 1 cup of the bread crumbs. Combine (with your hands is easiest) until the mixture comes together evenly.

Form the mix into balls and then patties – at your desired size – and then press the extra breadcrumbs into them for a crispier exterior.
Place on a plate in the fridge for approximately an hour or until ready to cook.

I put mine in the air frier at 375, cooking for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway – if you chose to bake them be sure to keep watch and cook until golden brown.

If you’re frying them in oil, get it nice and hot and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook on the other. Place on a paper towel afterwards to drain excess oil.

Plate and serve with your choice of dipping sauce (I made a homemade vegan tartar sauce) and optional lemon wedges.

ENJOY!

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