Three ‘Bare Fridge’ Recipes

Our friends, Quinn and Kristin, visited the Yukon this week. They drove 3000 kilometres from their home on Vancouver Island with their dog, Luna, and met us for a week of camping, Catan, and carefree Yukon adventures.

Their last night here coincided with the first NFL game of the season. I know nothing about football, but Quinn and C played college football together, so this game was a ‘must watch’. I wanted to cook something simple and light for dinner to go with the chicken wings C had made. My mum’s ‘bean salad’ recipe is a serious favourite in our household, and we tend to have most, if not all, ingredients on hand throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. I decided to pair the salad with cornbread. I’m not going to lie – I’d already gotten well into the recipe when I realised that I was missing a few key ingredients. This called for improvisation! The exact skill I’ve spent my nearly 4 years in the north developing. I knew I could do it.

For the cornbread, I didn’t have the creamed corn called for so after a bit of hemming and hawing, I decided to use coconut milk instead. Not the same, I know. Not even close! But I needed the liquid and that’s what I had. This meant I had to add more cornmeal. I was out of the correct oil, too (!), so olive oil had to suffice. In hindsight perhaps cornbread hadn’t been the best recipe to choose; however, it turned out, phew! And maybe it wasn’t the best cornbread I’ve ever had, but it wasn’t bad either, and it got me thinking about making do, and simple recipes. Recipes that require few ingredients or allow for easy substitutions. Recipes that rely on pantry staples. Recipes that result in simple dishes that are nevertheless healthy and delicious.

I’ve decided to share three of my favourites with you. These are recipes from the cookbook my mum created for me before I moved to Beaver Creek. They are the types of meals I make when I am at the very end of a grocery haul. They are possible even with the barest of bare bone ingredients. They’re satisfying and they taste good, and, as a bonus in an age of rising food costs and inflation, they’re reasonably cheap to make.

Spinach Soup:

I love this recipe because it’s something my mum used to cook for me and my brothers often. When I was a kid, my favourite part of the meal was the parmesan we added on top. But as an adult, I love that it’s a satisfying meal for a cozy day (and bonus: it allows me to get my veggies in!). I find that when properly stored, carrots can last a long time, as do potatoes, onions, and garlic. I always keep frozen spinach on hand, too. This soup is delicious when served with homemade biscuits.

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 tbsp butter

1 carrot, chopped

1 potato, chopped

1 package of frozen spinach (300 g.)

½ tsp salt, or more to taste

Pepper to taste

½ tsp basil

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of thyme

Sauté the onion in 1 tbsp of butter until soft. Add the garlic, then carrots, potatoes, and spinach. Cover ingredients with water and cook until the veggies are soft. Then, add remaining ingredients and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Top with freshly grated parmesan.

Black Beluga Lentil Soup

I love lentils and I love soup. This is the perfect combination. It uses ingredients I generally have on hand and it makes any rainy or cool day feel cozy.

1 onion, chopped

A thumb size chunk of ginger, grated

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 small chili, chopped (or chili flakes)

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 carrots, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

A heaping bowl (or two) of frozen kale (or fresh if it’s on hand)

A couple good knobs of butter

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups black Beluga lentils

Salt and pepper to taste 

Sauté onion in butter until soft. Add the spices and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, potatoes. Add the lentils and stock. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked. Blend about 1/3 of the soup with an immersion blender. Add kale and adjust seasoning.

My Favourite Lentils, Ever

My mum used to make this regularly. I recall coming home from work when I was a university student in my early twenties and still lived at home (hehe). My mum would have this lentil dish ready for me, and I’d devour it. When I make it here, I like to add it on top of a bed of greens like arugula (or sautéed frozen greens, like kale, when we’re out of fresh produce).

1 ½ cup brown/green lentils

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

4 tomatoes, chopped (canned are ok!)

1 tbsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tbsp whole coriander seeds, freshly ground

Boil lentils in 4 cups water until cooked (about 25 minutes). Sauté onions in a frying pan and then add garlic and tomatoes. Grind coriander seeds with salt and pepper and add to tomato mixture. Cook to make a bit of a sauce and then add to lentils. Delicious.