This is a very quick slowcooker/weekday meal. I think next time I will try it with fresh basil on top. The goats cheese adds just the right richness to the stew.
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
1 19oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp goats cheese
Add all ingredients but goats cheese to the slowcooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3 hours. Add goats cheese, and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
I served it with toasted pita bread, but you can also put it on top of rice or pasta.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Breakfast Bars
You know those cereal bars that you see in the grocery store that claim to have whole grains. Well, what they fail to mention is that they are only partially whole grain. They are mostly made with "enriched wheat flour", which is a fancy term for white flour, a.k.a. empty calories. This recipe is truly whole grain, and full of fruit.
Trying to get everyone out the door in the morning with a good breakfast is a challenge on the best of days. This recipe simplifies the question "what's should we have for breakfast?" Since I premake them, I don't have to worry about preparing something every morning. We usually eat a banana with it, and find it keeps us full for at least a few hours.
Fruit filling
3 cups frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp organic sugar cane
Crumble topping
1 ¼ cup oats
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
½ cup organic sugar cane
¼ tsp each cinnamon, baking soda and salt
In a pot on medium high heat, combine fruit, water and sugar cane. Cook for a few minutes, and then set aside for another few minutes, until it slightly thickens. It will still be quite liquidy.
In a medium bowl, mix together oats, flour, butter, sugar cane, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Using a muffin tin, place a layer of the oat mixture on the bottom of each cup, using only half of the entire mixture. Pour a layer of berries over top of the oats. Top with the rest of the oat mixture.
Bake on 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in muffin tin before removing.
Trying to get everyone out the door in the morning with a good breakfast is a challenge on the best of days. This recipe simplifies the question "what's should we have for breakfast?" Since I premake them, I don't have to worry about preparing something every morning. We usually eat a banana with it, and find it keeps us full for at least a few hours.
Fruit filling
3 cups frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp organic sugar cane
Crumble topping
1 ¼ cup oats
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
½ cup organic sugar cane
¼ tsp each cinnamon, baking soda and salt
In a pot on medium high heat, combine fruit, water and sugar cane. Cook for a few minutes, and then set aside for another few minutes, until it slightly thickens. It will still be quite liquidy.
In a medium bowl, mix together oats, flour, butter, sugar cane, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Using a muffin tin, place a layer of the oat mixture on the bottom of each cup, using only half of the entire mixture. Pour a layer of berries over top of the oats. Top with the rest of the oat mixture.
Bake on 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in muffin tin before removing.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Banana Chocolate Chip cookies
The dates in these cookies provide the perfect amount of sweetness, without overpowering the flavour. I used a mini-muffin tin, but if you don't have one, just use a cookie tray like you would for a normal cookie recipe.
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chocolate chips
½ cup coconut
1 ½ cup oats, not instant
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed. Evenly distribute batter into a mini muffin tin (one that fits 24 muffins) that has been greased. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before removing from the pan.
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chocolate chips
½ cup coconut
1 ½ cup oats, not instant
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed. Evenly distribute batter into a mini muffin tin (one that fits 24 muffins) that has been greased. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before removing from the pan.
Laziest of Lazy Man Cabbage Rolls (Slowcooker)
Since I love cabbage rolls, but hate the work that goes into them, I decided to try out this recipe in the slowcooker. It really can't get any easier than this! Both my husband and daughter had seconds, so I'm going to take that as a strong hint that this was a good recipe.
1 litre vegetable stock
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 5.5oz can tomato paste
¾ cup brown rice
½ cup dried red lentils
1 340g bag of cole slaw, or 6-8 cups sliced cabbage
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a slowcooker, and cook for 6 hours on low. Then, add about 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to cook for another half an hour on high, or until the cheese is melted. See, I told you it was easy!
1 litre vegetable stock
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 5.5oz can tomato paste
¾ cup brown rice
½ cup dried red lentils
1 340g bag of cole slaw, or 6-8 cups sliced cabbage
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a slowcooker, and cook for 6 hours on low. Then, add about 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and continue to cook for another half an hour on high, or until the cheese is melted. See, I told you it was easy!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Enchilada Casserole
Everything about this casserole was tasty. The sauce was very rich because I used tomato paste rather than the traditional tomato sauce, and the cocoa added so much flavour. The bean mixture was very filling, and the olives on top added the perfect amount of saltiness. I'm not sure how authentic this casserole is, but it is definitely delicious!
Bean Mixture
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Sauce
1 5.5oz can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
A pinch of cinnamon
Other
3 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese
About 10 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a frying pan heated to medium high, sautee pepper, onion, garlic, cumin and salt in a little bit of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add black beans. Continue cooking for another couple of minutes.
While the onion and pepper is sautéing, combine all ingredients for sauce in a bowl, and mix until a sauce is formed. Set aside.
In a circular pyrex dish that is about the same size as the tortillas (it doesn’t have to be the exact same size), layer sauce, tortillas, bean mixture and cheese (in that order) like you would a lasagne. Top with pitted and chopped Kalamata olives if desired.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Bean Mixture
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Sauce
1 5.5oz can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
A pinch of cinnamon
Other
3 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese
About 10 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a frying pan heated to medium high, sautee pepper, onion, garlic, cumin and salt in a little bit of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add black beans. Continue cooking for another couple of minutes.
While the onion and pepper is sautéing, combine all ingredients for sauce in a bowl, and mix until a sauce is formed. Set aside.
In a circular pyrex dish that is about the same size as the tortillas (it doesn’t have to be the exact same size), layer sauce, tortillas, bean mixture and cheese (in that order) like you would a lasagne. Top with pitted and chopped Kalamata olives if desired.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tapenade
If you like olives, try this recipe. It totally beats the tapenades that you can buy in the grocery store. An added bonus is that it takes no time, and any guests that you serve this to will be impressed that you took the extra effort to make it yourself. We served it on crackers and bread.
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roasted red pepper (jarred is fine), finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Combine all items in a bowl, and serve. If you like a more pureed tapenade, then this can easily be pureed in a blender or with an emulsifier.
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roasted red pepper (jarred is fine), finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Combine all items in a bowl, and serve. If you like a more pureed tapenade, then this can easily be pureed in a blender or with an emulsifier.
Artichoke Spread
When my husband and I were in Italy, we had an amazing meal that we talk about all the time. We went to a market and bought fresh tomatoes, cheese, olive oil, wine, arugula and a loaf of bread, and ate all of it! Seriously, there wasn't a bite left.
We often try to recreate this meal, and although it doesn't taste quite the same as it did in Italy, it always comes pretty close. We had one of these meals recently, and I decided to try something new with it. This artichoke spread was delicious on freshly toasted bread. If you like artichokes, you'll love it.
1 14oz can artichokes, liquid drained
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt to taste
Puree all items in a blender, and spread on fresh bread.
We often try to recreate this meal, and although it doesn't taste quite the same as it did in Italy, it always comes pretty close. We had one of these meals recently, and I decided to try something new with it. This artichoke spread was delicious on freshly toasted bread. If you like artichokes, you'll love it.
1 14oz can artichokes, liquid drained
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt to taste
Puree all items in a blender, and spread on fresh bread.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Minestrone Soup
Since being back at work off of my mat leave, my slowcooker has also been working full time. I love coming home to a house that smells great, and having little to no prep work for getting dinner on the table. This recipe is amazingly good! The red wine makes the broth so full of flavour, and with all the beans, it is very filling.
If you have a cold day coming up in the forecast (which is almost everyday for us with all the rain we are getting), put this into the slowcooker. There is no better way to warm up on a cold day than a hot bowl of soup.
1 litre vegetable stock
1 19oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14oz can lima beans, rinsed and drained
3 small zucchini, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, all finely diced
1 24oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste
2/3 cup red wine
3 tbsp freshly chopped basil
½ cup whole wheat macaroni
Parmesan Cheese
Add all ingredients up to salt and pepper to slowcooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add red wine, basil and macaroni. Continue to cook for another hour. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
If you have a cold day coming up in the forecast (which is almost everyday for us with all the rain we are getting), put this into the slowcooker. There is no better way to warm up on a cold day than a hot bowl of soup.
1 litre vegetable stock
1 19oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14oz can lima beans, rinsed and drained
3 small zucchini, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, all finely diced
1 24oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste
2/3 cup red wine
3 tbsp freshly chopped basil
½ cup whole wheat macaroni
Parmesan Cheese
Add all ingredients up to salt and pepper to slowcooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add red wine, basil and macaroni. Continue to cook for another hour. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Lentil Soup
The most important ingredient in this soup is the molasses. Honestly, it makes the soup! The broth has such a rich flavour. Not to mention that it is so simple to make. I have had many lentil soups, both ones that I have made, and in restaurants, and this has got to be the best one that I have had. Give it a try. You may be surprised how you like it.
2 cups brown lentils
1 litre vegetable stock
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 ½ tbsp molasses
2 cups water
3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to top
Add all ingredients, except basil and cheese, to a large pot and cook for about an hour on medium/high, or until the lentils and vegetables are soft. Puree until smooth.
If you want to do it in the slowcooker, add all ingredients except basil and cheese, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Top with fresh basil and cheese, whether it is cooked in the slowcooker or the pot.
2 cups brown lentils
1 litre vegetable stock
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 ½ tbsp molasses
2 cups water
3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to top
Add all ingredients, except basil and cheese, to a large pot and cook for about an hour on medium/high, or until the lentils and vegetables are soft. Puree until smooth.
If you want to do it in the slowcooker, add all ingredients except basil and cheese, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Top with fresh basil and cheese, whether it is cooked in the slowcooker or the pot.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Chocolate Pudding
This pudding takes literally 5 minutes to make. Seriously! That includes clean-up too. And, it is loaded with protein, which is an added benefit,not to mention it is also high in antioxidants. For a light dessert, it is quite rich though, so a little goes a long way. One recipe of this will feed 3-4 people a small amount. It won't look like you are eating a lot, but trust me, with how rich it is, it is more than enough.
1 pkg soft or silken tofu
1/3 cup pure cocoa powder
1/3-1/2 cup agave syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Chill in the fridge before serving, or serve at room temperature. That's all there is to it!
1 pkg soft or silken tofu
1/3 cup pure cocoa powder
1/3-1/2 cup agave syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Chill in the fridge before serving, or serve at room temperature. That's all there is to it!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Vegetable Dip
I made this dip up on a whim, and am really happy with how it turned out. My daughter loves this with crackers, but it is also great with raw vegetables as well. It is high in protein and loaded with vegetables, making it a great, and filling, snack.
1/2 cup light cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup raw carrots, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Store in the refridgerator.
1/2 cup light cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup raw carrots, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Store in the refridgerator.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Eggs with blue corn chips and salsa
My daughter loves eggs! So, I tried out this recipe, and not only did she love it, but so did my husband and I. It was pretty easy to do, and a great weeknight meal. I made it for dinner, but it would be a great dish for a brunch or a heartier breakfast.
If you like things spicier, I would add a chopped up jalapeno or hotter salsa, but since I was making it with my daughter in mind, I didn’t use the spice.
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups blue corn tortilla chips, crushed up
2 whole eggs
8 egg whites
¼ cup skim milk
1 3/4 cups mild salsa, use hotter if you like it
1 cup cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
In a large pan, sauté onions over medium/high heat with olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. While onions are cooking, whisk together eggs and milk in a medium bowl.
Once onions are cooked, add chips to the onions. Pour egg mixture over top. Cook for a few minutes, or until eggs are scrambled. Add salsa and cheese. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted.
If you like things spicier, I would add a chopped up jalapeno or hotter salsa, but since I was making it with my daughter in mind, I didn’t use the spice.
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups blue corn tortilla chips, crushed up
2 whole eggs
8 egg whites
¼ cup skim milk
1 3/4 cups mild salsa, use hotter if you like it
1 cup cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
In a large pan, sauté onions over medium/high heat with olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. While onions are cooking, whisk together eggs and milk in a medium bowl.
Once onions are cooked, add chips to the onions. Pour egg mixture over top. Cook for a few minutes, or until eggs are scrambled. Add salsa and cheese. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted.
White Bean Dip
This is great served with veggies or crackers, and only take a few minutes to prepare. An added bonus was that I gave it to my one year old on top of crackers, and she couldn't get enough of it.
1 19oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup light cream cheese
½ cup roasted red pepper, jarred is fine
1 14oz can of artichokes, liquid drained out
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until purreed. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before eating.
1 19oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup light cream cheese
½ cup roasted red pepper, jarred is fine
1 14oz can of artichokes, liquid drained out
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until purreed. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before eating.
Simple Lasagna
This is an easy lasagna to make and makes for great leftovers, although with how good it is, I’m not sure how much you will have leftover. When I made this, everyone had seconds, and there was only a little bit left for lunch the next day, and that was for 4 adults and 2 toddlers. Delicious!
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 cups Ricotta cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
2 pkgs. Frozen spinach, thawed
4 cups marinara sauce, jarred is fine, but homemade is even better. I have a recipe under pasta if you want to try to make your own.
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook noodles according to package directions.
While noodles are cooking, squeeze excess water out of spinach into the sink. This is very important, otherwise the lasagna will be too watery. Place spinach in a bowl once the liquid has been drained. Add ricotta and cottage cheese to the bowl. Mix well.
In a very large, rectangular pyrex or corningware dish layer ingredients starting first with marinara sauce, followed by noodles and then spinach mixture. Top with the mozzarella.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 cups Ricotta cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
2 pkgs. Frozen spinach, thawed
4 cups marinara sauce, jarred is fine, but homemade is even better. I have a recipe under pasta if you want to try to make your own.
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook noodles according to package directions.
While noodles are cooking, squeeze excess water out of spinach into the sink. This is very important, otherwise the lasagna will be too watery. Place spinach in a bowl once the liquid has been drained. Add ricotta and cottage cheese to the bowl. Mix well.
In a very large, rectangular pyrex or corningware dish layer ingredients starting first with marinara sauce, followed by noodles and then spinach mixture. Top with the mozzarella.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Rice Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
No, there isn’t a typo, and I didn’t mean slowcooker. This really is macaroni and cheese done in the rice cooker. Sounds crazy, but this recipe is unbelievably good!
Not only does it taste great, but it is easier than making macaroni and cheese out of a box. Well, maybe not that easy, but pretty close. If you try no other recipe on this blog, try this. You won’t be disappointed.
2 cups whole wheat macaroni
2 cups vegetable stock
1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup skim milk
2 cups chopped up broccoli florets
Salt to taste
Put macaroni and stock in rice cooker. Cook for 15 minutes. Add all other ingredients. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes. That's it! Seriously, the pasta comes out perfectly cooked, and the broccoli is tender but not overcooked.
Next time, I am going to add 1 cup of frozen peas as well.
Not only does it taste great, but it is easier than making macaroni and cheese out of a box. Well, maybe not that easy, but pretty close. If you try no other recipe on this blog, try this. You won’t be disappointed.
2 cups whole wheat macaroni
2 cups vegetable stock
1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup skim milk
2 cups chopped up broccoli florets
Salt to taste
Put macaroni and stock in rice cooker. Cook for 15 minutes. Add all other ingredients. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes. That's it! Seriously, the pasta comes out perfectly cooked, and the broccoli is tender but not overcooked.
Next time, I am going to add 1 cup of frozen peas as well.
Baked Veggies
These veggies are fantastic! If you have kids who don’t like veggies, try this recipe. The bread crumbs and cheese are perfect for hiding the fact that they are eating vegetables. Everyone in our household loved these. And, they don’t take a huge amount of time/effort, so they are great for a quick weeknight meal.
2 cups whole grain bread crumbs
½ cup Asiago or Parmesan Cheese
2 cups buttermilk
1 bell pepper, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
Preheat oven to 425.
In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and cheese. In another bowl pour the buttermilk.
Taking a few vegetables at a time, first put them into the buttermilk, then into the bread crumb mixture. Once they are coated with the bread crumbs, place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Broil for the last couple of minutes if you prefer a crunchier texture.
2 cups whole grain bread crumbs
½ cup Asiago or Parmesan Cheese
2 cups buttermilk
1 bell pepper, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
Preheat oven to 425.
In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and cheese. In another bowl pour the buttermilk.
Taking a few vegetables at a time, first put them into the buttermilk, then into the bread crumb mixture. Once they are coated with the bread crumbs, place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Broil for the last couple of minutes if you prefer a crunchier texture.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Cheerio Bars
Anyone who has children, knows that Cheerios are a staple food in the house. This recipe uses this staple food, and combines them with a little almond butter for added protein. These are seriously addictive even for adults. Plus, they take no time to make!
1/2 cup almond butter, or any other nut butter
1/2 cup agave syrup
4 1/2 cups Cheerios
In a small pot, heat up almond butter and agave syrup on medium heat until it is smooth, just a couple of minutes. While that is heating up, place Cheerios in a large bowl. Once the almond butter and agave syrup are smooth, pour over Cheerios. Stir until evenly coated. Press Cheerios into a Pyrex dish, use a smaller one for thicker bars, and a larger one for thiner bars. Let cool in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting.
1/2 cup almond butter, or any other nut butter
1/2 cup agave syrup
4 1/2 cups Cheerios
In a small pot, heat up almond butter and agave syrup on medium heat until it is smooth, just a couple of minutes. While that is heating up, place Cheerios in a large bowl. Once the almond butter and agave syrup are smooth, pour over Cheerios. Stir until evenly coated. Press Cheerios into a Pyrex dish, use a smaller one for thicker bars, and a larger one for thiner bars. Let cool in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Cheesy Spinach Casserole
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this recipe, but this was amazingly good! Seriously, it was delicious. My one year old daughter even loved it. This is for sure going to be a regular in this household. Plus, it is super easy, so how can you go wrong?
1 Package Frozen Chopped Spinach (10 oz.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup shredded Havarti cheese
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
4 egg whites
1 red pepper, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Squeeze out excess water from spinach in a paper towel over the sink. This is extremely important, otherwise it will be too watery and won’t cook properly.
In an 8 inch Corningware dish, combine all ingredients. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the casserole is no longer jiggly. Broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
1 Package Frozen Chopped Spinach (10 oz.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup shredded Havarti cheese
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
4 egg whites
1 red pepper, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Squeeze out excess water from spinach in a paper towel over the sink. This is extremely important, otherwise it will be too watery and won’t cook properly.
In an 8 inch Corningware dish, combine all ingredients. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the casserole is no longer jiggly. Broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
Pumpkin Bars
These are super moist because of the pumpkin, and so delicious! I originally made these for my daughter to have for her afternoon snack, but I ended up eating lots myself. And, the next day when I gave them to her again for her snack, she gobbled it up, and ate seconds (me too)!
2/3 cup organic sugar cane
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 14oz can pureed pumpkin
3 egg whites
1/3 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup dried berries (dried cranberries or raisins will also work)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray a 9x 13 inch pan.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg white, pumpkin and milk in a medium bowl.
In another bowl mix flour, oats, spices, baking soda and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture until just blended. Fold in dried berries.
Spread in pan, bake for about 30 minutes.
2/3 cup organic sugar cane
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 14oz can pureed pumpkin
3 egg whites
1/3 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup dried berries (dried cranberries or raisins will also work)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray a 9x 13 inch pan.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg white, pumpkin and milk in a medium bowl.
In another bowl mix flour, oats, spices, baking soda and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture until just blended. Fold in dried berries.
Spread in pan, bake for about 30 minutes.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
I made these cookies one afternoon when I had a craving for chocolate.What can I say? It was raining, I was reading a book, my daughter was napping – it just felt like a cookie baking sort of afternoon.
You can really taste the molasses in these cookies, so if you don’t like that flavour, I would add maple syrup in its place. I also only cooked them for 8 minutes because I like a chewier cookie. If you like a more crispy cookie, leave them in the oven for an extra couple of minutes.
Also, if you want to make these vegan, use carob chips rather than chocolate chips, and almond milk or rice milk in place of the dairy milk.
Wet Ingredients
¼ cup oil or butter
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
Dry Ingredients
2/3 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup organic sugar cane
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Form into 12 equal balls, and flatten with a fork on a sheet pan lined with parchement paper.
Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool before eating (I know, sometimes this is the hardest part).
You can really taste the molasses in these cookies, so if you don’t like that flavour, I would add maple syrup in its place. I also only cooked them for 8 minutes because I like a chewier cookie. If you like a more crispy cookie, leave them in the oven for an extra couple of minutes.
Also, if you want to make these vegan, use carob chips rather than chocolate chips, and almond milk or rice milk in place of the dairy milk.
Wet Ingredients
¼ cup oil or butter
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
Dry Ingredients
2/3 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup organic sugar cane
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Form into 12 equal balls, and flatten with a fork on a sheet pan lined with parchement paper.
Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool before eating (I know, sometimes this is the hardest part).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Stuffed Peppers
I have always wanted to make stuffed peppers, but I have never reallly gotten around to it. I bought a big bag of quinoa a while back and have been trying to find suitable recipes for it, but nothing really caught my eye.
I went to my friends a couple of weeks ago, and she made stuffed peppers with quinoa, and figured I would try them out for myself. Traditionally, rice is used in stuffed peppers, but I actually really like the quinoa flavour in this recipe. If you are used to the rice and meat stuffed peppers, this is quite a bit different, but not being a meat eater, I found these quite tasty. However, this recipe may be a little “strange” if you eat meat on a regular basis. But, try it out, you might actually be surprised by these.
1 cup quinoa
½ cup red lentils
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, juice included
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup Asiago cheese
Salt to taste
4 bell peppers, any colour works
In a medium pot, bring to boil the vegetable stock. Add tomatoes, lentils and quinoa. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa “opens” to form little curls. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup of cheese, chopped basil and salt.
While quinoa is cooking, cut the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove seeds and membranes. Cut a small slice off of the bottom of the pepper as well, so that it will stand straight in the dish. Place in an oven safe dish, standing up. Place about a cup of water (depending on the size of your dish) so that there is about ¼ inch of water on the bottom. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of peppers.
Place in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool for a couple of minutes before eating.
I went to my friends a couple of weeks ago, and she made stuffed peppers with quinoa, and figured I would try them out for myself. Traditionally, rice is used in stuffed peppers, but I actually really like the quinoa flavour in this recipe. If you are used to the rice and meat stuffed peppers, this is quite a bit different, but not being a meat eater, I found these quite tasty. However, this recipe may be a little “strange” if you eat meat on a regular basis. But, try it out, you might actually be surprised by these.
1 cup quinoa
½ cup red lentils
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, juice included
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup Asiago cheese
Salt to taste
4 bell peppers, any colour works
In a medium pot, bring to boil the vegetable stock. Add tomatoes, lentils and quinoa. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa “opens” to form little curls. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup of cheese, chopped basil and salt.
While quinoa is cooking, cut the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove seeds and membranes. Cut a small slice off of the bottom of the pepper as well, so that it will stand straight in the dish. Place in an oven safe dish, standing up. Place about a cup of water (depending on the size of your dish) so that there is about ¼ inch of water on the bottom. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of peppers.
Place in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool for a couple of minutes before eating.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
No Bake Fruit Crumble
It was hot here yesterday, and I didn’t want to turn the oven on. So, I made this dessert instead of the traditional fruit crisp that I would make. The maple syrup and dates added the right sweetness. Although it was very different than my normal fruit crisp, it was light and perfect for the hot summer evening. Not only was it quick and easy, but delicious!
1 cup pitted dates
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup unsweetend coconut
1 tbsp maple syrup
6 cups berries (I used blueberries, strawberries and raspberries)
In a blender, blend dates, almonds, coconut and maple syrup. It will be crumbly, so don't expect it to stick together a whole lot.
Place washed and chopped berries in a large bowl. Top with blended date mixture. Serve with frozen yogurt if desired.
1 cup pitted dates
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup unsweetend coconut
1 tbsp maple syrup
6 cups berries (I used blueberries, strawberries and raspberries)
In a blender, blend dates, almonds, coconut and maple syrup. It will be crumbly, so don't expect it to stick together a whole lot.
Place washed and chopped berries in a large bowl. Top with blended date mixture. Serve with frozen yogurt if desired.
Roasted Vegetable Wraps
I went to a friends house for a bbq, and she made bbq’d eggplant, and my husband and I loved it! This is also the same friend who inspired me to make eggplant parmesan. I never used to like eggplant, but now can’t seem to get enough of it. So, I bought one this weekend, and was actually going to bbq it like she did, but decided to roast it instead and put it into a wrap. However, plain roasted eggplant in a wrap is a little boring, so I added a few other ingredients to make it a little bit different. This was a fantastic and easy meal. I made two extra wraps, for our lunch the next day and they were delicious!
If you don’t have a panini press, a sandwich maker or a quesadilla maker can also work. Or, you can even put it in the oven, but they don’t turn out quite as well in the oven as they would using one of the above appliances.
Makes 4 wraps
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium zuccini, diced
Half red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 cups cherry tomatoes
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
¼ cup goats cheese
½ cup havarti cheese, grated
4 large whole grain wraps
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a greased pan, mix red pepper, eggplant, zuccini, onion, garlic and tomatoes with vinegar and oil. Place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven. Add goats cheese.
Take a wrap and lay it flat. Place ¼ of the havarti cheese on the bottom of the wrap, followed by ¼ of the vegetables. Wrap like this - http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/techniques/ht/burritofolding.htm. Place into a panini press for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted, and the wrap is golden brown.
If you don’t have a panini press, just wrap the cheese in the tortilla and place in the oven for a couple of minutes. Don’t over-cook it in the oven, otherwise it will dry out. However, use a panini press, or a sandwich maker/quesadilla maker for best results.
If you don’t have a panini press, a sandwich maker or a quesadilla maker can also work. Or, you can even put it in the oven, but they don’t turn out quite as well in the oven as they would using one of the above appliances.
Makes 4 wraps
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium zuccini, diced
Half red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 cups cherry tomatoes
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
¼ cup goats cheese
½ cup havarti cheese, grated
4 large whole grain wraps
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a greased pan, mix red pepper, eggplant, zuccini, onion, garlic and tomatoes with vinegar and oil. Place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven. Add goats cheese.
Take a wrap and lay it flat. Place ¼ of the havarti cheese on the bottom of the wrap, followed by ¼ of the vegetables. Wrap like this - http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/techniques/ht/burritofolding.htm. Place into a panini press for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted, and the wrap is golden brown.
If you don’t have a panini press, just wrap the cheese in the tortilla and place in the oven for a couple of minutes. Don’t over-cook it in the oven, otherwise it will dry out. However, use a panini press, or a sandwich maker/quesadilla maker for best results.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Puffed Kamut Squares
When I was a kid, I remember my mom always making puffed wheat squares. They were such a great treat! I am not sure what it is that reminded me of these this week, but something made me remember this oh-so delicious childhood treat of mine, and I couldn’t shake the craving. So, I looked up a recipe for it, and was shocked at what they are made out of! Corn syrup, sugar, fat and some recipes also call for extra candy and marshmallows added. I couldn’t bring myself to make them the traditional way, and had almost decided to not make them at all…except the craving wouldn’t go away!
So, I made up my own recipe made with whole grain Kamut puffs, which I just bought at the regular grocery store down the Natural/Organic aisle, used my trusty agave syrup, added some high quailty cocoa powder and voila! I satisfied my craving without the guilt!
½ cup agave syrup
¼ cup butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder
8 cups Kamut puffs (I used Nature’s Path)
Place Kamut puffs in a large bowl.
In a pot on medium heat, add agave, butter and cocoa until butter is melted.
Pour agave mixture onto puffs, mix until all puffs are evenly coated.
Press into a pyrex dish, and let cool in the fridge before cutting.
So, I made up my own recipe made with whole grain Kamut puffs, which I just bought at the regular grocery store down the Natural/Organic aisle, used my trusty agave syrup, added some high quailty cocoa powder and voila! I satisfied my craving without the guilt!
½ cup agave syrup
¼ cup butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder
8 cups Kamut puffs (I used Nature’s Path)
Place Kamut puffs in a large bowl.
In a pot on medium heat, add agave, butter and cocoa until butter is melted.
Pour agave mixture onto puffs, mix until all puffs are evenly coated.
Press into a pyrex dish, and let cool in the fridge before cutting.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Cocoa and date treats
If you have a sweet tooth than this is the recipe for you. I admit that after dinner, I like to have something sweet to finish off a meal, and this is something I can have without feeling guilty about. I know it sounds a little strange with the dates, but trust me, these are delicious! Plus they are raw – even better for maintaining energy throughout the day.
1 ½ cups pitted dates
1 cup sliced almonds (raw is best, but used blanched if you can't find raw)
5 tbsp cocoa powder
¾ cup coconut
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp water
Put all ingredients into a blender, and puree. The batter will look a little dry, but don’t worry, that is how you want it.
Mold the batter into 1 inch balls, and place onto a plate. Let cool in the fridge for about an hour, then serve. Keep these covered in the fridge.
1 ½ cups pitted dates
1 cup sliced almonds (raw is best, but used blanched if you can't find raw)
5 tbsp cocoa powder
¾ cup coconut
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp water
Put all ingredients into a blender, and puree. The batter will look a little dry, but don’t worry, that is how you want it.
Mold the batter into 1 inch balls, and place onto a plate. Let cool in the fridge for about an hour, then serve. Keep these covered in the fridge.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Corn and Black Bean Soft Tacos
This meal was quite easy to make. The most difficult part was cutting the veggies.
I even fed the black bean filling to my daughter for lunch the next day and she liked it (well as much as you can tell that she liked it since everything seems to be “shared” with the dog lately). I also made enough for our lunches the next day, and it was very filling. I didn’t even heat it up, just ate it cold.
4 large whole wheat soft tortilla shells
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup lettuce, chopped (any kind will do)
3 green onions, finely sliced
¼ cup roasted red pepper (jarred is easiest)
¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
In a medium skillet on medium heat, add black beans, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, salt and about ¼ cup of water. Cook until tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
Take corn, and place into the centre of a paper towel. Squeeze out excess water in the sink. Heat a small skillet on medium high, and add corn in a single layer into pan. Sprinkle on the chili powder and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the corn becomes darkened, but not black (only about 5 minutes).
Once the beans and the corn are done cooking, put together tacos by starting with the beans, followed by corn, lettuce, onions, pepper and cheese. Roll up the wraps, and your done! Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.
I even fed the black bean filling to my daughter for lunch the next day and she liked it (well as much as you can tell that she liked it since everything seems to be “shared” with the dog lately). I also made enough for our lunches the next day, and it was very filling. I didn’t even heat it up, just ate it cold.
4 large whole wheat soft tortilla shells
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup lettuce, chopped (any kind will do)
3 green onions, finely sliced
¼ cup roasted red pepper (jarred is easiest)
¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
In a medium skillet on medium heat, add black beans, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, salt and about ¼ cup of water. Cook until tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
Take corn, and place into the centre of a paper towel. Squeeze out excess water in the sink. Heat a small skillet on medium high, and add corn in a single layer into pan. Sprinkle on the chili powder and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the corn becomes darkened, but not black (only about 5 minutes).
Once the beans and the corn are done cooking, put together tacos by starting with the beans, followed by corn, lettuce, onions, pepper and cheese. Roll up the wraps, and your done! Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Broccoli and Cheese Souffle
When I think of souffle’s I think of the ones that you get in restaurants that are loaded with chocolate and give you cavities just by looking at them. I don't even want to think of the fat and sugar content in them, but man are they good right? I am not adventurous enough to try to bake one of those for fear of loving it so much that I make them on a regular basis, and begin to notice my waist line expanding as a result. I think that I will keep it instead for a treat when I go out for dinner.
However, I have learned that there are many different kinds of souffle’s – who knew? Last night, I decided to make a more savoury souffle for dinner. Was I intimidated by thought of making a souffle? Absolutely! I thought that they were complex and reserved only for those professional chefs who knew what they were doing...ha! Was a wrong! This was actually quite simple to make.
As it was in the oven, I was growing more and more nervous as it rose quite a bit, and I was scared that it was going to overflow. But, alas, it didn’t. And the result was a fantastic meal! I served it with some veggies on the side, but next time I think a salad would better suit it.
It was very light, and would be perfect for a brunch or breakfast with guests. What better to “wow” your guests, then to make a souffle right??
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
1 tbsp butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons spelt flour
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded, sharp cheddar cheese
1 large egg, separated
6 egg whites (or about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 6 inch round Corning Ware dish.
Cut broccoli into very small pieces, and set aside.
In a pot on medium heat, melt butter. Add oil, and stir to combine. Add flour and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. While whisking, add milk, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Add mustard, egg yoke from the separated egg and salt. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together all egg whites (including the one from the separated egg) until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat for another minute.
Gently fold in half of the egg whites to the milk mixture with a spatula. Add the rest of the egg whites, and continue to fold until there are no more white streaks. Add broccoli and cheese.
Pour into the Corning Ware dish, and place onto a cookie tray, just in case it overflows. Cook for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
However, I have learned that there are many different kinds of souffle’s – who knew? Last night, I decided to make a more savoury souffle for dinner. Was I intimidated by thought of making a souffle? Absolutely! I thought that they were complex and reserved only for those professional chefs who knew what they were doing...ha! Was a wrong! This was actually quite simple to make.
As it was in the oven, I was growing more and more nervous as it rose quite a bit, and I was scared that it was going to overflow. But, alas, it didn’t. And the result was a fantastic meal! I served it with some veggies on the side, but next time I think a salad would better suit it.
It was very light, and would be perfect for a brunch or breakfast with guests. What better to “wow” your guests, then to make a souffle right??
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
1 tbsp butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons spelt flour
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded, sharp cheddar cheese
1 large egg, separated
6 egg whites (or about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 6 inch round Corning Ware dish.
Cut broccoli into very small pieces, and set aside.
In a pot on medium heat, melt butter. Add oil, and stir to combine. Add flour and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. While whisking, add milk, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Add mustard, egg yoke from the separated egg and salt. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together all egg whites (including the one from the separated egg) until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat for another minute.
Gently fold in half of the egg whites to the milk mixture with a spatula. Add the rest of the egg whites, and continue to fold until there are no more white streaks. Add broccoli and cheese.
Pour into the Corning Ware dish, and place onto a cookie tray, just in case it overflows. Cook for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Blueberry Protein Pancakes
I made these for myself and was surprised at how much I like them. I also gave some to my daughter, and she gobbled them up like there was no tomorrow! Although, I prefer not to talk about the blueberry mess that I had to clean out of her hair, eye lashes and outfit...that is a whole other story.
My husband even ate a couple post workout, and also really liked them. We didn't put syrup on them, but feel free to do so. These will definitely be made again, and since they are so high in protein, they keep you full for longer than your traditional pancake. Next time I might cook down some raspberries into a syrup and put them on top.
1 cup oats
3/4 cup egg whites
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp agave syrup
3/4 cup blueberries
Put all ingredients except blueberries in a blender and puree. Add blueberries. Pour into a pan greased with an all-natural cooking spray, on medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, or when the first side is golden brown. Flip, and continue to cook for another few minutes. Remove from heat, and top with your favourite toppings.
My husband even ate a couple post workout, and also really liked them. We didn't put syrup on them, but feel free to do so. These will definitely be made again, and since they are so high in protein, they keep you full for longer than your traditional pancake. Next time I might cook down some raspberries into a syrup and put them on top.
1 cup oats
3/4 cup egg whites
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp agave syrup
3/4 cup blueberries
Put all ingredients except blueberries in a blender and puree. Add blueberries. Pour into a pan greased with an all-natural cooking spray, on medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, or when the first side is golden brown. Flip, and continue to cook for another few minutes. Remove from heat, and top with your favourite toppings.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Energy Bars
My husband had a conference in Banff recently, and I was able to tag along for a couple of days. What I like about Banff, is that you can always find something healthy to eat (although it also has its fair share of “treats”, which I do always make sure to indulge in as well). Wanting a snack, I bought an energy bar from a café that caught my eye. It was filled with seeds and coconut and was surprisingly filling. As I was eating it though, I couldn’t help but think how easy it would be to make these at home, and for a fraction of the price nonetheless. So, I experimented with some ingredients I had at home, and they turned out very similar to the one from the café.
What I also like about these, is that they literally take 5 minutes to make. There is no baking needed, they just need to be put in the fridge. The dry ingredients (oats, seeds and coconut) can be replaced with other ingredients as well like dried fruit, just keep the proportions of wet ingredients to dry ingredients the same.
¾ cup all natural peanut butter
½ cup agave syrup (use honey if you can’t find this)
1 cup oats
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
In a large bowl, stir together peanut butter, agave syrup and cocoa. Add oats, seeds and coconut. Stir until evenly coated. Press into a 9 x 13 pan, lined with wax paper. Refridgerate for a few hours before cutting and serving.
Note: These are chewy, not hard.
What I also like about these, is that they literally take 5 minutes to make. There is no baking needed, they just need to be put in the fridge. The dry ingredients (oats, seeds and coconut) can be replaced with other ingredients as well like dried fruit, just keep the proportions of wet ingredients to dry ingredients the same.
¾ cup all natural peanut butter
½ cup agave syrup (use honey if you can’t find this)
1 cup oats
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
In a large bowl, stir together peanut butter, agave syrup and cocoa. Add oats, seeds and coconut. Stir until evenly coated. Press into a 9 x 13 pan, lined with wax paper. Refridgerate for a few hours before cutting and serving.
Note: These are chewy, not hard.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Raspberry Almond Muffins
I am in a phase where I am trying to find new muffin recipes. This one is modified out of the “Food to Live By” recipe book. My husband loved the hint of orange that is added, and the little bit of sugar sprinkled on the top added a sweet crunch. Frozen raspberries could also be used, I had fresh on hand, so just used those. I made these because we are going away for a few days, and thought these would make a great snack for us to have with us. But, I have a feeling that not many are going to make it with us, they may be eaten before we even leave…
1 ½ cups spelt flour
½ cup organic sugar cane, plus one tbsp for topping (you can add more if you like a sweeter muffin)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup egg whites, or one whole egg
1 cup skim milk
¼ cup butter
Zest of one medium orange
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup cococut
¾ cup raspberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix together egg, milk and butter. Add zest.
Mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Once fully combined, fold in almonds, coconut and raspberries.
Pour evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin that has been greased or lined with paper cups. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar (divided onto the 12 muffins, not 1 tbsp on each muffin). Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before eating.
1 ½ cups spelt flour
½ cup organic sugar cane, plus one tbsp for topping (you can add more if you like a sweeter muffin)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup egg whites, or one whole egg
1 cup skim milk
¼ cup butter
Zest of one medium orange
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup cococut
¾ cup raspberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix together egg, milk and butter. Add zest.
Mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Once fully combined, fold in almonds, coconut and raspberries.
Pour evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin that has been greased or lined with paper cups. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar (divided onto the 12 muffins, not 1 tbsp on each muffin). Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before eating.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Slowcooker Spanish Rice
Thought I would try something new, and this caught my eye. It is a great side dish, or can even be a small meal on its own.
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup assorted, finely diced vegetables (I had some left over vegetables that needed to be used, so I used celery, carrots, onion and bell peppers)
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker for 5 hours on low.
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup assorted, finely diced vegetables (I had some left over vegetables that needed to be used, so I used celery, carrots, onion and bell peppers)
1 24oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker for 5 hours on low.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
No-bake (and chewy) Granola Bars
Granola Bars are one of my favourite snack foods. They are great to have on the go or just as a snack pre or post workout. However, the growing list of ingredients that I find on store bought granola bars scares me. Can someone out there tell me exactly what sodium hexametaphosphate is? Or, I recently read on a box “BHT (a preservative)”. What does that mean??? Not to mention that many of them are laden with transfats…
So, in my never ending quest to eat healthy and natural foods, I made my own granola bars. These ones call for prezels, and I try to use the organic ones because they tend to only use all-natural ingredients. Any ingredients can also be subbed out if you don’t like something in them. For any nut allergies out there, take out the almonds, and add raisins or dried cranberries. Be adventurous! As long as your proportions of dry ingredients to wet ingredients stays the same, they will still turn out.
I love the salty and sweet combination of these bars.
2 ½ tbsp butter
¾ cup agave syrup (you can use honey as an alternative, although these will be much sweeter with honey)
¾ cup multigrain prezels, broken into small pieces
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups oats
1 cup brown rice cereal (like Nature’s Path). These actually also come in other grains (like kamut) which I might try next time.
In a medium pot, melt butter, and add agave syrup. Remove from heat once the butter is melted. Add all other ingredients and stir until all ingredients are coated with the syrup and butter evenly.
Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan, and let cool in the fridge for a few hours. Cut into snack size pieces.
So, in my never ending quest to eat healthy and natural foods, I made my own granola bars. These ones call for prezels, and I try to use the organic ones because they tend to only use all-natural ingredients. Any ingredients can also be subbed out if you don’t like something in them. For any nut allergies out there, take out the almonds, and add raisins or dried cranberries. Be adventurous! As long as your proportions of dry ingredients to wet ingredients stays the same, they will still turn out.
I love the salty and sweet combination of these bars.
2 ½ tbsp butter
¾ cup agave syrup (you can use honey as an alternative, although these will be much sweeter with honey)
¾ cup multigrain prezels, broken into small pieces
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups oats
1 cup brown rice cereal (like Nature’s Path). These actually also come in other grains (like kamut) which I might try next time.
In a medium pot, melt butter, and add agave syrup. Remove from heat once the butter is melted. Add all other ingredients and stir until all ingredients are coated with the syrup and butter evenly.
Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan, and let cool in the fridge for a few hours. Cut into snack size pieces.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Spicy Popcorn
We love popcorn in our house. So I decided to try out something different than the regular butter and salt that we always have. In the past, I have added a teaspoon of sugar cane on top of the butter and salt that we always have, but this time I wanted to try something with a little more spice.
8 cups popped popcorn
1 ½ tbsp butter
1 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp each salt, cumin, garlic powder and paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Combine chilli powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne powder and paprika in a small bowl. Melt butter in microwave. Pour butter onto popcorn, and toss well. Add spices, and toss again until popcorn is evenly coated.
8 cups popped popcorn
1 ½ tbsp butter
1 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp each salt, cumin, garlic powder and paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Combine chilli powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne powder and paprika in a small bowl. Melt butter in microwave. Pour butter onto popcorn, and toss well. Add spices, and toss again until popcorn is evenly coated.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Orange Pineapple Muffins
Muffins are my go-to snack. I always have them on hand, and am always trying to find new recipes. Mid-morning, I often have one to tide me over until lunch, although more often than not, my daugher ends up eating most of it, and I get the left-over crumbs...
I came across these ones on a website by The Joy of Cooking, but I changed them so that they are healthier. My husband and I enjoyed them this morning, with a cup of coffee – is there really anything better? It was the perfect start to our day.
Makes about 16 muffins
2 cups spelt flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
2/3 cup organic sugar cane
½ cup butter, softened
2 egg whites
¾ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
1 14oz can crushed pineapple, drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar cane and butter. Add egg whites, and continue to mix. Add yogurt, juice orange zest and pineapple.
Add flour mixture to wet ingredients.
Evenly distribute muffins into muffin cups – makes about 15 in total. Cook for 20 minutes.
For some of the muffins, I added sliced almonds on top before baking them in the oven. I really liked them with the almonds, but they can easily be left off.
I came across these ones on a website by The Joy of Cooking, but I changed them so that they are healthier. My husband and I enjoyed them this morning, with a cup of coffee – is there really anything better? It was the perfect start to our day.
Makes about 16 muffins
2 cups spelt flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
2/3 cup organic sugar cane
½ cup butter, softened
2 egg whites
¾ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
1 14oz can crushed pineapple, drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar cane and butter. Add egg whites, and continue to mix. Add yogurt, juice orange zest and pineapple.
Add flour mixture to wet ingredients.
Evenly distribute muffins into muffin cups – makes about 15 in total. Cook for 20 minutes.
For some of the muffins, I added sliced almonds on top before baking them in the oven. I really liked them with the almonds, but they can easily be left off.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Southwestern Salad
One question that constantly plagues my husband and I is “what do you want for dinner?” This is one of my most hated questions, especially when we can’t seem to come up with a good answer, and even after suggesting all recipes that I have in my repertoire, we still can’t come up with something that we really want to eat. If I were to leave it up to my husband, he would make his flank steak and potatoes with broccoli. Not really my type of meal.
So, with the weather getting nice, and summer just around the corner (although looking outside, it looks like it is about to rain), I felt like a salad would make a good dinner. But, I didn’t want just your standard lettuce, tomato and cucumber type salad. Can you say b-o-r-i-n-g?? I started searching for different salads on the internet, and combined a few that I saw into this salad.
You know that feeling that you get after eating your traditional salad? The one that makes your feel not even close to being full, and leaves you thinking about walking to the fridge to see what else you can eat? This salad doesn’t do this. You actually feel satisfied after this salad because of the protein in the black beans. Next time, I might even add black eyed peas as well…
Makes enough for 4 people
Salad
3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
½ green pepper, finely chopped
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing
¾ cup salsa
¾ cup sour cream
In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together salsa and sour cream to make the dressing. Pour dressing on top of salad.
I served it with corn muffins. Actually, I crumbled the corn muffins into the salad sort of like croutons. I usually make things from scratch, however, today I was lazy, so I used an organic corn muffin mix. If you are doing this, try to stick to an organic brand. Some of the traditional brands have too many ingredients in them that I can’t pronounce, therefore I don’t buy them.
You could make this without the corn muffins, but I found that it gave the salad a sort of sweetness that seemed to complete the salad. I know it sounds strange to crumble them into the salad, but try it, you may like it.
So, with the weather getting nice, and summer just around the corner (although looking outside, it looks like it is about to rain), I felt like a salad would make a good dinner. But, I didn’t want just your standard lettuce, tomato and cucumber type salad. Can you say b-o-r-i-n-g?? I started searching for different salads on the internet, and combined a few that I saw into this salad.
You know that feeling that you get after eating your traditional salad? The one that makes your feel not even close to being full, and leaves you thinking about walking to the fridge to see what else you can eat? This salad doesn’t do this. You actually feel satisfied after this salad because of the protein in the black beans. Next time, I might even add black eyed peas as well…
Makes enough for 4 people
Salad
3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
½ green pepper, finely chopped
1 19oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing
¾ cup salsa
¾ cup sour cream
In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together salsa and sour cream to make the dressing. Pour dressing on top of salad.
I served it with corn muffins. Actually, I crumbled the corn muffins into the salad sort of like croutons. I usually make things from scratch, however, today I was lazy, so I used an organic corn muffin mix. If you are doing this, try to stick to an organic brand. Some of the traditional brands have too many ingredients in them that I can’t pronounce, therefore I don’t buy them.
You could make this without the corn muffins, but I found that it gave the salad a sort of sweetness that seemed to complete the salad. I know it sounds strange to crumble them into the salad, but try it, you may like it.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Potato Salad
For years my husband has been asking me to make potato salad. I don’t love potatoes, but decided that I would try to make it anyways. I wasn’t sure how the recipe would turn out, but for someone who doesn’t like potatoes a whole lot, I actually really liked this recipe! It is a little different from your traditional recipe (with the addition of white beans), but still has some of the traditional ingredients that you would normally find in potato salad (like hard boiled eggs). If you are looking for a healthier twist to the generally high fat potato salad that you are used to, try it out – you may be pleasantly surprised.
Salad
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped*
1.5 lb bag of new potatoes (I prefer to used new potatoes, but any potato will actually do)
3 stalks celery, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing
½ cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly. Boil in water until fork tender.
While potatoes are cooking, chop celery, onion and rinse beans. Add to a large bowl. Add chopped hard boiled eggs.
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for dressing.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain and let them cool. Once cooled, add to celery, onion, beans and eggs. Add dressing and mix until it is evenly coated. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
*fill a pot with COLD water. Add eggs to cold water, and turn on stove to medium high. Once the water begins to boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, strain water, and place eggs in cold water. Once they are cooled, dice up the eggs.
.
Salad
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped*
1.5 lb bag of new potatoes (I prefer to used new potatoes, but any potato will actually do)
3 stalks celery, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing
½ cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly. Boil in water until fork tender.
While potatoes are cooking, chop celery, onion and rinse beans. Add to a large bowl. Add chopped hard boiled eggs.
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for dressing.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain and let them cool. Once cooled, add to celery, onion, beans and eggs. Add dressing and mix until it is evenly coated. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
*fill a pot with COLD water. Add eggs to cold water, and turn on stove to medium high. Once the water begins to boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, strain water, and place eggs in cold water. Once they are cooled, dice up the eggs.
.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Eggplant Lasagne
What is one of the major rules of cooking? Don't cook a new recipe when you are having guests over because you never know how it will turn out. This weekend, I reluctantly broke that rule.
I had my mother-in-law and her husband in town, and planned to make ricotta and spinach stuffed eggplant cannelloni. They are just like regular cannelloni, but instead of using noodles, it would be thinly sliced, roasted eggplant (great for any low-carb eaters). I bought eggplant this week, and all the ingredients, and was ready to go. Right before starting to get dinner ready, I realized that the eggplant that I bought were too small to act as noodles. Panicking, I decided to make it into a sort of lasagne instead. The verdict? Well, there were no leftovers, and everyone had seconds, so I would say it turned out really well. Here is the recipe;
1 500g container ricotta
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
2 medium eggplants, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cups Marinara Sauce
1 ½ cups havarti cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thinly slice both eggplants so that the pieces are about ¼ of an inch thick. Place in a single layer on a greased cooking sheet. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil and about ¼ tsp salt on top so both sides of eggplant are evenly coated. Roast for 15 minutes.
While eggplant is cooking, prepare the filling. Squeeze excess water from thawed spinach. To do this, overlap about 3 paper towels on top of one another. Place spinach in the middle, and wrap paper towel around spinach. Squeeze water into sink.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, drained spinach, cottage cheese and ¼ tsp salt.
In a large rectangular Pyrex dish, layer the lasagne; marinara sauce, eggplant, ricotta mixture, and finally Havarti. You should have enough mixture to do 2-3 layers. Make sure you finished the layers with Havarti on top.
Cook for 45 minutes in 400 degree oven, or until cheese is golden. Let stand for a few minutes before cutting.
I had my mother-in-law and her husband in town, and planned to make ricotta and spinach stuffed eggplant cannelloni. They are just like regular cannelloni, but instead of using noodles, it would be thinly sliced, roasted eggplant (great for any low-carb eaters). I bought eggplant this week, and all the ingredients, and was ready to go. Right before starting to get dinner ready, I realized that the eggplant that I bought were too small to act as noodles. Panicking, I decided to make it into a sort of lasagne instead. The verdict? Well, there were no leftovers, and everyone had seconds, so I would say it turned out really well. Here is the recipe;
1 500g container ricotta
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
2 medium eggplants, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cups Marinara Sauce
1 ½ cups havarti cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thinly slice both eggplants so that the pieces are about ¼ of an inch thick. Place in a single layer on a greased cooking sheet. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil and about ¼ tsp salt on top so both sides of eggplant are evenly coated. Roast for 15 minutes.
While eggplant is cooking, prepare the filling. Squeeze excess water from thawed spinach. To do this, overlap about 3 paper towels on top of one another. Place spinach in the middle, and wrap paper towel around spinach. Squeeze water into sink.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, drained spinach, cottage cheese and ¼ tsp salt.
In a large rectangular Pyrex dish, layer the lasagne; marinara sauce, eggplant, ricotta mixture, and finally Havarti. You should have enough mixture to do 2-3 layers. Make sure you finished the layers with Havarti on top.
Cook for 45 minutes in 400 degree oven, or until cheese is golden. Let stand for a few minutes before cutting.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Chickpea and Sweet Potato curry
I am constantly being reminded that there is only a short time left on my maternity leave. Although I am excited to go back to teaching, I am nervous about how I am going to have enough time to prepare meals, while trying to squeeze in every spare second that I can with my daughter. My solution? I have gotten a new slow cooker (with a timer!) and have dedicated myself to finding some recipes that I can easily put together in the morning before I head to work.
It was a cold/windy/snowy day today, and what’s better on a day like that? For us, a warm curry hits the spot. I just threw a bunch of ingredients in the cooker, and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I even gave this to my 9.5 month old daughter for dinner.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, diced
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 ½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen green beans
Salt to taste
Freshly chopped cilantro for topping
Throw all ingredients but peas and green beans in the slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours on low. Add peas and green beans, cook for another half an hour. Top with cilantro when serving.
I made toasted pitas to go with this. Cut the pita in triangles, drizzle with olive oil and salt, and broil for a few minutes until golden brown.
I also made a salad to go with this. Totally hit the spot with the crazy weather we have been having lately.
It was a cold/windy/snowy day today, and what’s better on a day like that? For us, a warm curry hits the spot. I just threw a bunch of ingredients in the cooker, and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I even gave this to my 9.5 month old daughter for dinner.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, diced
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 ½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen green beans
Salt to taste
Freshly chopped cilantro for topping
Throw all ingredients but peas and green beans in the slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours on low. Add peas and green beans, cook for another half an hour. Top with cilantro when serving.
I made toasted pitas to go with this. Cut the pita in triangles, drizzle with olive oil and salt, and broil for a few minutes until golden brown.
I also made a salad to go with this. Totally hit the spot with the crazy weather we have been having lately.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Stir-Fry Sauces
My husband LOVES stir-fry’s, and inevitably when I ask him what he wants for dinner, he always says stir-fry’s. To me, they are good, but I can’t eat them as much as he wants to. So, to compromise, I decided to try out some new sauces so that I didn’t get bored of eating them all the time, and my husband still gets to enjoy them regularly. Any vegetables work with these sauces, but my favourites are; sugar snap peas, bell peppers (all colours), broccoli, carrots, red onion and celery.
For the sauces, I try to use all organic ingredients for these sauces because even your basic ketchup has some “iffy” ingredients in it. My rule of thumb is, if I can’t pronounce the ingredient, I don’t buy it. You’d be surprised at what is hiding in your basic ingredients.
Here are three sauces that I have tried recently, all of which have been a hit.
Teriyaki Sauce
3 tbsp organic sugar cane
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp minced ginger
3/4 cup organic ketchup
¼ cup light soy sauce
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients in a container. Refrigerate for about an hour before using.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon organic ketchup
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Combine vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and soy sauce in a pot. Bring to a boil. Add cornstarch mixed with water. Continue to cook for a couple of more minutes. Use immediately.
Basic Sauce
I don’t really know what to call this sauce, it is really just an all-purpose sauce that is quick and easy, and tastes great with any vegetables.
1/4 cup light soy sauce
4 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and stir until the corn starch has dissolved. Add to vegetables as they are cooking in the wok. This sauce must be added to heat, otherwise it won’t thicken.
For the sauces, I try to use all organic ingredients for these sauces because even your basic ketchup has some “iffy” ingredients in it. My rule of thumb is, if I can’t pronounce the ingredient, I don’t buy it. You’d be surprised at what is hiding in your basic ingredients.
Here are three sauces that I have tried recently, all of which have been a hit.
Teriyaki Sauce
3 tbsp organic sugar cane
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp minced ginger
3/4 cup organic ketchup
¼ cup light soy sauce
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients in a container. Refrigerate for about an hour before using.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon organic ketchup
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Combine vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and soy sauce in a pot. Bring to a boil. Add cornstarch mixed with water. Continue to cook for a couple of more minutes. Use immediately.
Basic Sauce
I don’t really know what to call this sauce, it is really just an all-purpose sauce that is quick and easy, and tastes great with any vegetables.
1/4 cup light soy sauce
4 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and stir until the corn starch has dissolved. Add to vegetables as they are cooking in the wok. This sauce must be added to heat, otherwise it won’t thicken.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Power Snacks
I made these this morning, and they are so easy! No cooking or baking required! These are a great alternative to the traditional granola bar that you get in the grocery store that is full of sugar and empty calories.
1 cup all natural peanut butter
1 cup agave nectar
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown rice crisps (like Rice Krispies, but made with brown rice. They can be found in the organic or all-natural section of your grocery store)
1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice. I used dried mixed berries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut
In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter and agave necatar until smooth. Add all other ingredients, and stir until everything is evenly coated. Roll into 2 inch balls, and place into a muffin cup. Let air dry for a few hours. Makes about 20.
1 cup all natural peanut butter
1 cup agave nectar
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown rice crisps (like Rice Krispies, but made with brown rice. They can be found in the organic or all-natural section of your grocery store)
1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice. I used dried mixed berries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut
In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter and agave necatar until smooth. Add all other ingredients, and stir until everything is evenly coated. Roll into 2 inch balls, and place into a muffin cup. Let air dry for a few hours. Makes about 20.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Summer Shrimp Salad
Yes, this blog is about vegetarian recipes, but my husband loves shrimp, so I do make it (and eat it) sometimes. Yesterday was beautiful outside, and salad seemed perfect for dinner. This absolutely hit the spot! It is so light and fresh.
Shrimp
About 20 shrimp
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp orange juice and lime juice
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ tsp chili powder
Salad
About 4 cups of lettuce of your choice. I used mixed greens
1 avocado, diced
Dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice and orange juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Salt to taste
In a medium frying pan on medium/high heat, heat up olive oil. Add shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes. Add juices, garlic and chilli powder. Continue to cook for a couple of more minutes, or until shrimp are fully cooked.
In a large bowl, combine lettuce and avocado. Top with cooked shrimp and dressing. Toss well, and serve.
Shrimp
About 20 shrimp
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp orange juice and lime juice
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ tsp chili powder
Salad
About 4 cups of lettuce of your choice. I used mixed greens
1 avocado, diced
Dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice and orange juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Salt to taste
In a medium frying pan on medium/high heat, heat up olive oil. Add shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes. Add juices, garlic and chilli powder. Continue to cook for a couple of more minutes, or until shrimp are fully cooked.
In a large bowl, combine lettuce and avocado. Top with cooked shrimp and dressing. Toss well, and serve.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are delicious! For something that is whole grain and low fat, I can’t complain. My husband and I ate them with strawberries and vanilla frozen yogurt – perfect on a warm spring evening.
Modified from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean cookbook
¾ cup dark chocolate, melted in a double boiler
½ cup organic sugar cane
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3 egg whites
2 whole eggs
¼ cup regularly brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup spelt flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, apple sauce, egg whites, whole eggs, coffee and vanilla. Once that is well mixed, add melted chocolate.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Let brownies cool before cutting.
Modified from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean cookbook
¾ cup dark chocolate, melted in a double boiler
½ cup organic sugar cane
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3 egg whites
2 whole eggs
¼ cup regularly brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup spelt flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, apple sauce, egg whites, whole eggs, coffee and vanilla. Once that is well mixed, add melted chocolate.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Let brownies cool before cutting.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Vegetable Fajitas
This makes about 8 small fajitas or 4 large fajitas
Sauce
½ cup salsa
½ cup sour cream
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Filling
1 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
Hot sauce to taste
8 small (or 4 large) whole grain, soft shell, tortillas
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, combine salsa, sour cream and cheese. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil on medium/high. Add peppers and onions. Saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and hot sauce. Cook for another minute.
3. While vegetables are cooking, warm tortillas in the oven at about 200 degrees for a few minutes. Remove from oven. The shells should just be warm, not starting to get crispy.
To assemble fajitas:
In each tortilla, add some of the vegetable filling and a couple spoonfuls of sauce, and wrap like a burrito.
These made for a delicious and very easy to prepare meal.
For an easy tutorial on how to wrap these up, check out this link - http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/techniques/ht/burritofolding.htm
Sauce
½ cup salsa
½ cup sour cream
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Filling
1 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
Hot sauce to taste
8 small (or 4 large) whole grain, soft shell, tortillas
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, combine salsa, sour cream and cheese. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil on medium/high. Add peppers and onions. Saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and hot sauce. Cook for another minute.
3. While vegetables are cooking, warm tortillas in the oven at about 200 degrees for a few minutes. Remove from oven. The shells should just be warm, not starting to get crispy.
To assemble fajitas:
In each tortilla, add some of the vegetable filling and a couple spoonfuls of sauce, and wrap like a burrito.
These made for a delicious and very easy to prepare meal.
For an easy tutorial on how to wrap these up, check out this link - http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/techniques/ht/burritofolding.htm
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Lentil Salad
This salad is super filling, and great as a lunch on its own, or as a side dish.
Salad
1 ½ cups green lentils, cooked according to package directions
3 tbsp crumbled goats cheese
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
Dressing
2 tbsp minced sundried tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp salt
Additional Ingredients;
4 cups lettuce, any will do, I used mixed greens
Make dressing in a small dish. Combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss well.
Refrigerate lentil salad with dressing for a couple of hours.
Serve on top of the lettuce.
Salad
1 ½ cups green lentils, cooked according to package directions
3 tbsp crumbled goats cheese
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
Dressing
2 tbsp minced sundried tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp salt
Additional Ingredients;
4 cups lettuce, any will do, I used mixed greens
Make dressing in a small dish. Combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss well.
Refrigerate lentil salad with dressing for a couple of hours.
Serve on top of the lettuce.
Maple baked apples
½ cup oats
¼ cup spelt flour
¼ cup slivered almonds
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 apples, cut in half, and the core removed
Place halved and cored apples in an oven safe dish.
Mix together oats, flour, almonds, cinnamon, butter and maple syrup in a small bowl.
Fill the centre of the apples (where the core was) with the oat mixture. The mixture will overflow a little bit, but that is okay. Add about ¼ to ½ cup of water to bottom of dish to prevent apples from drying out.
Cook at 375 for 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla frozen yogurt.
¼ cup spelt flour
¼ cup slivered almonds
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 apples, cut in half, and the core removed
Place halved and cored apples in an oven safe dish.
Mix together oats, flour, almonds, cinnamon, butter and maple syrup in a small bowl.
Fill the centre of the apples (where the core was) with the oat mixture. The mixture will overflow a little bit, but that is okay. Add about ¼ to ½ cup of water to bottom of dish to prevent apples from drying out.
Cook at 375 for 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla frozen yogurt.
Grilled Cheese with Apple
Okay, I will admit that there really isn't a recipe for this, but I do love it! It is great on those cold days with a bowl of soup - comfort food at its best.
This is enough to make one sandwich.
2 slices of whole grain bread
1/4 cup cheddar cheese (or your favourite kind)
Half an apple, cut into thin slices
1 tbsp dijon mustard
I use a panini press for this, but a frying pan could also work. Just make it like you would make a regular grilled cheese if using a pan.
In the panini press;
-drizzle olive oil on the grill
-spread mustard on one side of both slices of bread
-Pile half of cheese on one slice, followed by all the apple, and then the rest of the cheese
-Place the other slice of bread on top
-Let cook for about 5 minutes, or until bread is golden, and cheese is melted.
This is enough to make one sandwich.
2 slices of whole grain bread
1/4 cup cheddar cheese (or your favourite kind)
Half an apple, cut into thin slices
1 tbsp dijon mustard
I use a panini press for this, but a frying pan could also work. Just make it like you would make a regular grilled cheese if using a pan.
In the panini press;
-drizzle olive oil on the grill
-spread mustard on one side of both slices of bread
-Pile half of cheese on one slice, followed by all the apple, and then the rest of the cheese
-Place the other slice of bread on top
-Let cook for about 5 minutes, or until bread is golden, and cheese is melted.
Vegetable Panini
I LOVE panini's, so I started making them at home, and they are super easy!
This is enough to make one panini.
2 whole wheat panini crusts. I buy the ones from Coscto. They come in a pack of 12 (I think) but keep well in the freezer.
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil. I rinse off the oil before putting them into the panini
3 canned artichokes, cut into quarters (can be found next to the olives, roasted bell peppers etc. in the grocery store)
Half a portabella mushroom, sliced
Large handful of fresh spinach
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, sliced (jarred is the easiest)
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated or sliced, whichever you prefer. I have also used Havarti, and it is VERY good.
1/4 cup hummus - I do have a recipe under snacks if you need a recipe. This is optional, and can easily be skipped if you don't like hummus.
Let your panini press heat up, and spray with an all natural oil spray, or drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the grill.
Place one of the panini crusts on the grill. Spread half of the hummus, and half of the cheese on the crust. Add all vegetables. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
On the other crust, spread remaining hummus. Add to the top of the panini already on the grill.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown.
This is enough to make one panini.
2 whole wheat panini crusts. I buy the ones from Coscto. They come in a pack of 12 (I think) but keep well in the freezer.
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil. I rinse off the oil before putting them into the panini
3 canned artichokes, cut into quarters (can be found next to the olives, roasted bell peppers etc. in the grocery store)
Half a portabella mushroom, sliced
Large handful of fresh spinach
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, sliced (jarred is the easiest)
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated or sliced, whichever you prefer. I have also used Havarti, and it is VERY good.
1/4 cup hummus - I do have a recipe under snacks if you need a recipe. This is optional, and can easily be skipped if you don't like hummus.
Let your panini press heat up, and spray with an all natural oil spray, or drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the grill.
Place one of the panini crusts on the grill. Spread half of the hummus, and half of the cheese on the crust. Add all vegetables. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
On the other crust, spread remaining hummus. Add to the top of the panini already on the grill.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thai Curry (slowcooker)
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 14oz can light coconut milk
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1 red pepper, julienned
1 orange pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, finely sliced into rings
1 ½ cups water
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2-3 cups roughly chopped bok choy
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup frozen peas
8oz brown rice noodles
In a slow cooker add all ingredients from soy sauce to chickpeas. Cook on low for 5 hours. At the end of the 5 hours, add bok choy, basil, peas and noodles. Make sure you stir the noodles in really well otherwise they will clump. Cook for another hour. Serve with more fresh basil if desired.
You can also cook the noodles in a separate pot just before serving to prevent any clumping.
1 14oz can light coconut milk
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1 red pepper, julienned
1 orange pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, finely sliced into rings
1 ½ cups water
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2-3 cups roughly chopped bok choy
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup frozen peas
8oz brown rice noodles
In a slow cooker add all ingredients from soy sauce to chickpeas. Cook on low for 5 hours. At the end of the 5 hours, add bok choy, basil, peas and noodles. Make sure you stir the noodles in really well otherwise they will clump. Cook for another hour. Serve with more fresh basil if desired.
You can also cook the noodles in a separate pot just before serving to prevent any clumping.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Chocolate Cupcakes
I made these for my husband for his birthday yesterday, and he loved them! It is about as healthy as you can go with chocolate cupcakes...
Next time I might even add some frozen raspberries as well.
1 3/4 cups sifted spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
¼ cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup organic sugar cane
½ cup egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup boiling water
½ cup dark chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs, and continue to mix for about one minute. Add vanilla, yogurt, and water. Mix well.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, ½ at a time. Once all the flour is combined into the sugar mixture, add the chocolate chips.
Divide evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin. The tin must be greased, or paper cups used.
Cook at 375 for 15 minutes.
I did top these with icing, but it isn't totally necessary. To be honest, I took a shortcut here, and used 1/3 of a box of organic chocolate icing, and then topped the cupcakes with coconut. They were delicious!
Next time I might even add some frozen raspberries as well.
1 3/4 cups sifted spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
¼ cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup organic sugar cane
½ cup egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup boiling water
½ cup dark chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs, and continue to mix for about one minute. Add vanilla, yogurt, and water. Mix well.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, ½ at a time. Once all the flour is combined into the sugar mixture, add the chocolate chips.
Divide evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin. The tin must be greased, or paper cups used.
Cook at 375 for 15 minutes.
I did top these with icing, but it isn't totally necessary. To be honest, I took a shortcut here, and used 1/3 of a box of organic chocolate icing, and then topped the cupcakes with coconut. They were delicious!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
This is modified from "Eat, Shrink and be Merry".
1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup light vegetable cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 can artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
½ cup red onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
½ cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a greased pan, mix together chopped artichokes, onions, and garlic with the olive oil.Bake for 35 minutes.
While the artichokes and onions are cooking, in a blender, puree beans, cream cheese and cottage cheese. Add ¼ cup Asiago cheese.
Drain the spinach by folding 3-4 paper towels together. Place spinach in the middle, and squeeze out excess liquid. This is important, otherwise your dip will be too liquidy.
Once artichokes and onions are cooked, add them to the blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into an oven safe dish. Add drained spinach and mixed until well combined. Top with the rest of the Asiago cheese.
Bake in 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
Serve with toasted pita chips. To do this, cut whole grain pita into triangles. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle on salt. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until they have browned.
1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup light vegetable cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 can artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
½ cup red onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
½ cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a greased pan, mix together chopped artichokes, onions, and garlic with the olive oil.Bake for 35 minutes.
While the artichokes and onions are cooking, in a blender, puree beans, cream cheese and cottage cheese. Add ¼ cup Asiago cheese.
Drain the spinach by folding 3-4 paper towels together. Place spinach in the middle, and squeeze out excess liquid. This is important, otherwise your dip will be too liquidy.
Once artichokes and onions are cooked, add them to the blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into an oven safe dish. Add drained spinach and mixed until well combined. Top with the rest of the Asiago cheese.
Bake in 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
Serve with toasted pita chips. To do this, cut whole grain pita into triangles. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle on salt. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until they have browned.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Eggplant Parmesan
This is adapted from “Crazy Plates”.
1 Eggplant, sliced into 12 discs
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs
2/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I didn’t have any, and used Asiago instead, but traditionally, Parmesan is what is used)
2 tsp dried basil
4 egg whites
½ tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups of your favourite marinara sauce, homemade or store bought (I do have a recipe for Marinara sauce under Misc. if needed)
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
In a dish, lightly beat together egg whites and salt.
In another dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and basil.
Take sliced eggplant, and dip it into the egg white mixture first, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to really press on the breadcrumbs. Place coated eggplant on a greased cookie sheet.
Once all the eggplant is coated, drizzle on the olive oil. Place in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. Take out the eggplant, and flip each one to the other side. Continue to cook for another 12 minutes.
In a greased oven safe dish, place 2/3 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Place 6 slices of eggplant on top of the sauce. Add another layer of marinara sauce, followed by the rest of the eggplant. Top with the rest of the marinara sauce, and the mozzarella cheese.
Cook at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
1 Eggplant, sliced into 12 discs
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs
2/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I didn’t have any, and used Asiago instead, but traditionally, Parmesan is what is used)
2 tsp dried basil
4 egg whites
½ tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups of your favourite marinara sauce, homemade or store bought (I do have a recipe for Marinara sauce under Misc. if needed)
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
In a dish, lightly beat together egg whites and salt.
In another dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and basil.
Take sliced eggplant, and dip it into the egg white mixture first, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to really press on the breadcrumbs. Place coated eggplant on a greased cookie sheet.
Once all the eggplant is coated, drizzle on the olive oil. Place in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. Take out the eggplant, and flip each one to the other side. Continue to cook for another 12 minutes.
In a greased oven safe dish, place 2/3 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Place 6 slices of eggplant on top of the sauce. Add another layer of marinara sauce, followed by the rest of the eggplant. Top with the rest of the marinara sauce, and the mozzarella cheese.
Cook at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Butternut Squash Lasagne
Butternut Squash Filling
6 cups butternut squash, diced (I use the squash from Costco – it is already diced)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 500g container of ricotta cheese
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-On a large roasting sheet, place butternut squash and garlic. Add olive oil and salt and pepper.
-Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until squash is fork tender.
-Remove from oven, and mash until smooth. Add ricotta and cottage cheese
Carmelized Onions
3 medium onions, sliced in rings
2 tsp olive oil
-While squash is roasting, heat up olive oil in a large skillet on medium high.
-Add onions, and cook until carmelized and golden brown (approximately 20 minutes)
Béchamel Sauce
¼ cup butter
¼ cup spelt flour
2 cups skim milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
-While onions are carmelizing, and squash is roasting, prepare the Bechamel Sauce.
-In a pot, melt butter on medium/high heat. Once butter is melted, add flour. Whisk for about one minute or until the butter and flour are well combined.
-Add milk, and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Noodles
9 whole wheat lasagne noodles
-Cook lasagne noodles according to package directions.
In a 9x13 dish, layer squash mixture, onions and noodles. Once these are layered, add the Bechamel Sauce on top. Top with ¾ cup grated Asiago cheese.
Cook at 425 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
6 cups butternut squash, diced (I use the squash from Costco – it is already diced)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 500g container of ricotta cheese
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-On a large roasting sheet, place butternut squash and garlic. Add olive oil and salt and pepper.
-Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until squash is fork tender.
-Remove from oven, and mash until smooth. Add ricotta and cottage cheese
Carmelized Onions
3 medium onions, sliced in rings
2 tsp olive oil
-While squash is roasting, heat up olive oil in a large skillet on medium high.
-Add onions, and cook until carmelized and golden brown (approximately 20 minutes)
Béchamel Sauce
¼ cup butter
¼ cup spelt flour
2 cups skim milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
-While onions are carmelizing, and squash is roasting, prepare the Bechamel Sauce.
-In a pot, melt butter on medium/high heat. Once butter is melted, add flour. Whisk for about one minute or until the butter and flour are well combined.
-Add milk, and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Noodles
9 whole wheat lasagne noodles
-Cook lasagne noodles according to package directions.
In a 9x13 dish, layer squash mixture, onions and noodles. Once these are layered, add the Bechamel Sauce on top. Top with ¾ cup grated Asiago cheese.
Cook at 425 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
Raspberry and dark chocolate scones
¼ cup egg white
½ cup skim milk
¼ cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup organic sugar cane
½ tsp salt
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg whites, milk, butter and vanilla.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until combined. Add the raspberries and chocolate.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop dough onto pan in 12 even balls.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops of scones are golden brow.
½ cup skim milk
¼ cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup organic sugar cane
½ tsp salt
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg whites, milk, butter and vanilla.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until combined. Add the raspberries and chocolate.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop dough onto pan in 12 even balls.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops of scones are golden brow.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Banana and Oatmeal Brulee
Makes enough for two people.
This is a delicious breakfast. My husband loved it!
3/4 cup oats
1 1/2 cup water
½ tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 banana, thinly sliced
Granulated sugar for the top (about 1 tsp)
Preheat oven to 500 on broil mode.
In a pot, combine oats, water, vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon. Cook for a few minutes, until liquid has evaporated and oatmeal is thoroughly cooked.
Place oatmeal in oven safe dishes (I used the same dishes that I cook French onion soup in, sort of like a ramekin dish). Put bananas on top of oatmeal, and sprinkle sugar on top of bananas.
Cook in the oven for a couple of minutes. Make sure that your rack is close to the burners up top, otherwise the sugar doesn’t caramelize as well. Watch closely, because it can burn fast!
Remove from oven, and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
This is a delicious breakfast. My husband loved it!
3/4 cup oats
1 1/2 cup water
½ tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 banana, thinly sliced
Granulated sugar for the top (about 1 tsp)
Preheat oven to 500 on broil mode.
In a pot, combine oats, water, vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon. Cook for a few minutes, until liquid has evaporated and oatmeal is thoroughly cooked.
Place oatmeal in oven safe dishes (I used the same dishes that I cook French onion soup in, sort of like a ramekin dish). Put bananas on top of oatmeal, and sprinkle sugar on top of bananas.
Cook in the oven for a couple of minutes. Make sure that your rack is close to the burners up top, otherwise the sugar doesn’t caramelize as well. Watch closely, because it can burn fast!
Remove from oven, and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Chickpea a la King
Makes about 4 servings
A vegetarian take on the popular Chicken a la King.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 portabella mushroom, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 ½ cups skim milk
4 tbsp spelt flour
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add stock. Cook for several minutes more, or until vegetables are tender.
While vegetables are cooking, combine milk and flour in a bowl. Set aside.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add chickpeas to the pot. Then add the milk mixture 1/3 at a time, waiting about a minute in between adding more.
When all milk mixture is in the pot, add the peas and mushrooms. Let it simmer for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, add parsley and mix well into the stew. Serve with whole grain buns or bread.
I also added some diced, cooked chicken breast for my husband.
If you want to do this in the slowcooker, add all ingredients but peas, skim milk, flour and parsley. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. About 30 minutes before it is ready, mix flour and milk together in a container until flour is dissolved. Add to slowcooker along with the peas. Top with parsley when serving.
A vegetarian take on the popular Chicken a la King.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 portabella mushroom, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 ½ cups skim milk
4 tbsp spelt flour
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add stock. Cook for several minutes more, or until vegetables are tender.
While vegetables are cooking, combine milk and flour in a bowl. Set aside.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add chickpeas to the pot. Then add the milk mixture 1/3 at a time, waiting about a minute in between adding more.
When all milk mixture is in the pot, add the peas and mushrooms. Let it simmer for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, add parsley and mix well into the stew. Serve with whole grain buns or bread.
I also added some diced, cooked chicken breast for my husband.
If you want to do this in the slowcooker, add all ingredients but peas, skim milk, flour and parsley. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. About 30 minutes before it is ready, mix flour and milk together in a container until flour is dissolved. Add to slowcooker along with the peas. Top with parsley when serving.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Raspberry Jam Muffins
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
½ cup egg whites
¼ cup molasses
½ cup wheat bran
1 cup oats
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, milk, sugar, egg whites and molasses. Once that is combined together, add wheat bran and oats. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. Gently fold in raspberries.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each cup about half full with the muffin dough. Add a small scoopful of jam on top of the dough. Add remaining dough on top of the jam, making sure that the jam is covered fully.
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
½ cup egg whites
¼ cup molasses
½ cup wheat bran
1 cup oats
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, milk, sugar, egg whites and molasses. Once that is combined together, add wheat bran and oats. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. Gently fold in raspberries.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each cup about half full with the muffin dough. Add a small scoopful of jam on top of the dough. Add remaining dough on top of the jam, making sure that the jam is covered fully.
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Nut Clusters
1 cup raw almonds
½ cup each raw cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2/3 cup maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl.
Spread all ingredients evenly onto a baking tray. Place in oven for 25 minutes.
When it comes out of the oven, take a knife and break up mixture into clusters. Let dry on pan for several hours.
These are delicious on top of yogurt, or as a snack on their own.
½ cup each raw cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2/3 cup maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl.
Spread all ingredients evenly onto a baking tray. Place in oven for 25 minutes.
When it comes out of the oven, take a knife and break up mixture into clusters. Let dry on pan for several hours.
These are delicious on top of yogurt, or as a snack on their own.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Bell Pepper Salad
This is a super easy and quick salad.
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used red and orange, but any colour would work well)
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, and enjoy!!
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used red and orange, but any colour would work well)
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, and enjoy!!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Chewy Granola Bites
This recipe is from "Eat Shrink and Be Merry" and I just modified it to what I had in the pantry. They are a great post work-out snack.
1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 egg whites
1 cinnamon
2½ cups Kashi Honey Flax Granola Cereal (or any granola you like)
1/2 cup coconut
1/3 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 250 degrees (no this isn't a typo, it is 250 not 350 degrees).
In a large bow combine peanut butter, maple syrup and egg. In another bowl mix together the cinnamon, cereal, coconut and raisins. Add the cereal mixture to the peanut butter mixture.
Evenly divide the mixture between a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Cook for 45 minute. Let cool before removing from the tin.
1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 egg whites
1 cinnamon
2½ cups Kashi Honey Flax Granola Cereal (or any granola you like)
1/2 cup coconut
1/3 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 250 degrees (no this isn't a typo, it is 250 not 350 degrees).
In a large bow combine peanut butter, maple syrup and egg. In another bowl mix together the cinnamon, cereal, coconut and raisins. Add the cereal mixture to the peanut butter mixture.
Evenly divide the mixture between a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Cook for 45 minute. Let cool before removing from the tin.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Veggie Shepard's Pie
1 tbsp olive oil
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 500g. pkg veggie ground
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
A sprinkle of paprika
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
In a large skillet, sauté celery, carrots and onion in olive oil. Add peas, veggie ground, Worcestershire sauce, and veggie broth. Cook for several minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While veggies are cooking, boil sweet potato and potato in a large pot until soft. Make sure that the water is salted to give the potatoes some flavour. Drain water, and mash.
In a large Pyrex dish, place veggie ground mixture on the bottom. Top with the mashed potatoes. Top with a sprinkle of paprika and cheddar cheese (optional).
Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until potatoes turn golden brown.
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 500g. pkg veggie ground
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
A sprinkle of paprika
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
In a large skillet, sauté celery, carrots and onion in olive oil. Add peas, veggie ground, Worcestershire sauce, and veggie broth. Cook for several minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While veggies are cooking, boil sweet potato and potato in a large pot until soft. Make sure that the water is salted to give the potatoes some flavour. Drain water, and mash.
In a large Pyrex dish, place veggie ground mixture on the bottom. Top with the mashed potatoes. Top with a sprinkle of paprika and cheddar cheese (optional).
Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until potatoes turn golden brown.
Quinoa Salad
I added shrimp to this for my husband, but it could easily be left out as well. Next time, I think that I will add a can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained of course) for me.
About 30 large shrimp (I used frozen)
2 cups quinoa
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup goats cheese, crumbled
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Sometimes I use vegetable stock to give it more flavour.
While quinoa is cooking, prepare sundried tomatoes, olives, pine nuts and goats cheese in a large bowl.
Once vegetables and cheese are assembled, cook shrimp in a frying pan. Drain the water from the shrimp if you are using frozen.
Once the quinoa and shrimp are ready, add them both to the sundried tomato mixture. You can either serve this warm or cold.
About 30 large shrimp (I used frozen)
2 cups quinoa
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup goats cheese, crumbled
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Sometimes I use vegetable stock to give it more flavour.
While quinoa is cooking, prepare sundried tomatoes, olives, pine nuts and goats cheese in a large bowl.
Once vegetables and cheese are assembled, cook shrimp in a frying pan. Drain the water from the shrimp if you are using frozen.
Once the quinoa and shrimp are ready, add them both to the sundried tomato mixture. You can either serve this warm or cold.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Mushroom Stroganoff
Approx. 4 cups dry whole wheat egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini mushrooms)
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ cups low fat sour cream
3 tbsp spelt flour
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Saute onion in oil until translucent. Then add mushrooms and cook until brown. Place cooked vegetables in a bowl and set aside.
While vegetables are sautéing, cook egg noodles according to package directions.
In the same skillet that vegetables were cooked in, add the vegetable broth. Let cook for several minutes (about 10 minutes) on high or until it has reduced in half. Return vegetables to the pan. Add peas.
In a small bowl combine sour cream and flour. Add this mixture to vegetables and broth. Cook for a few minutes until sauce has thickened. Add fresh parsley and noodles. Stir until all noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Serve with extra fresh parsley if desired and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini mushrooms)
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ cups low fat sour cream
3 tbsp spelt flour
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Saute onion in oil until translucent. Then add mushrooms and cook until brown. Place cooked vegetables in a bowl and set aside.
While vegetables are sautéing, cook egg noodles according to package directions.
In the same skillet that vegetables were cooked in, add the vegetable broth. Let cook for several minutes (about 10 minutes) on high or until it has reduced in half. Return vegetables to the pan. Add peas.
In a small bowl combine sour cream and flour. Add this mixture to vegetables and broth. Cook for a few minutes until sauce has thickened. Add fresh parsley and noodles. Stir until all noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Serve with extra fresh parsley if desired and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Lime Coconut Muffins
2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup coconut, and another ¼ cup for sprinkling on top of muffins
2 tsp lime zest
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup organic sugar cane
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg white
¼ cup skim milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, combine flour, coconut, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla and lime juice. Add to flour mixture.
Evenly divide batter into 12-muffin tin, and top each with coconut.
Cook for 18 minutes.
1/2 cup coconut, and another ¼ cup for sprinkling on top of muffins
2 tsp lime zest
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup organic sugar cane
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg white
¼ cup skim milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, combine flour, coconut, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla and lime juice. Add to flour mixture.
Evenly divide batter into 12-muffin tin, and top each with coconut.
Cook for 18 minutes.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Apple Sauce Muffins
1 1/4 cups Spelt Flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup organic sugar cane, plus 2-3 teaspoons for the tops of the muffins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together applesauce, milk, sugar, yogurt and egg.
Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture. Add raisins.
Pour evenly into 12-muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.
Cook for 16 minutes.
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup organic sugar cane, plus 2-3 teaspoons for the tops of the muffins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together applesauce, milk, sugar, yogurt and egg.
Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture. Add raisins.
Pour evenly into 12-muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.
Cook for 16 minutes.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Pina Colada Muffins
¼ cup egg whites
14 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup organic sugar cane, and 2-3 tsp more for topping
¼ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a medium bowl combine egg, pineapple, yogurt, sugar and butter.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to pineapple mixture. Stir until combine – do not over-mix. Add coconut.
Divide batter evenly in greased muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.
Cook for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
14 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup organic sugar cane, and 2-3 tsp more for topping
¼ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a medium bowl combine egg, pineapple, yogurt, sugar and butter.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to pineapple mixture. Stir until combine – do not over-mix. Add coconut.
Divide batter evenly in greased muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.
Cook for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Sweet Potato Chili
This has a REALLY smoky flavour.
1 large sweet potato, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 19oz can black beans
1 19oz can mixed beans
2 tbsp canned chipotle peppers, chopped
1 tsp paprika
½ cup orange juice
½ cup of water
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
Top with fresh cilantro when serving. I also served it with whole wheat egg noodles.
1 large sweet potato, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 19oz can black beans
1 19oz can mixed beans
2 tbsp canned chipotle peppers, chopped
1 tsp paprika
½ cup orange juice
½ cup of water
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
Top with fresh cilantro when serving. I also served it with whole wheat egg noodles.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Quinoa and Blueberries
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 tsp. organic sugar cane
1 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. slivered almonds
1. In a pot on medium high, combine milk, water and quinoa. Cook for about 15 minutes. Add sugar and maple syrup and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Top with slivered almonds.
1 cup water
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 tsp. organic sugar cane
1 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. slivered almonds
1. In a pot on medium high, combine milk, water and quinoa. Cook for about 15 minutes. Add sugar and maple syrup and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Top with slivered almonds.
Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry
1 tbsp olive oil
1 portabella mushroom, diced
2 carrots, grated and sliced thinly
3 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/3 cup red onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
About 30 snow peas, with the ends trimmed
1 cup edamame beans
¾ cup green beans (I used frozen)
3 cloves garlic, minced
About 10 oz. soba noodles (if you can’t find these, a whole grain spaghetti will also work)
Sauce:
1/4 cup light soy sauce
4 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1. Cook soba noodles according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add vegetables, beans and garlic. Saute until all vegetables are soft, a few minutes.
3. While vegetables are cooking, make sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl, and stir until the corn starch has dissolved.
4. Add sauce and cooked noodles to vegetables. Let it continue to cook until sauce thickens.
1 portabella mushroom, diced
2 carrots, grated and sliced thinly
3 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/3 cup red onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
About 30 snow peas, with the ends trimmed
1 cup edamame beans
¾ cup green beans (I used frozen)
3 cloves garlic, minced
About 10 oz. soba noodles (if you can’t find these, a whole grain spaghetti will also work)
Sauce:
1/4 cup light soy sauce
4 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1. Cook soba noodles according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add vegetables, beans and garlic. Saute until all vegetables are soft, a few minutes.
3. While vegetables are cooking, make sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl, and stir until the corn starch has dissolved.
4. Add sauce and cooked noodles to vegetables. Let it continue to cook until sauce thickens.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Oatmeal and Carrot Muffins
This is modified from the "Everyday Health" website
1 cup skim milk
1 cup oats
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup egg whites
1 cup spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinammon
1/2 cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine milk and oats. Set aside.
3. Cream together 1/4 cup of sugar, butter and eggs. Add to oatmeal and milk mixture. Add carrots.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to sugar and butter mixture. Add raisins.
5. Bake in a muffin tin that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, or lined with muffin tins for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
1 cup skim milk
1 cup oats
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup egg whites
1 cup spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinammon
1/2 cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine milk and oats. Set aside.
3. Cream together 1/4 cup of sugar, butter and eggs. Add to oatmeal and milk mixture. Add carrots.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to sugar and butter mixture. Add raisins.
5. Bake in a muffin tin that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, or lined with muffin tins for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Tortilla Soup
Soup:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 19 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable stock
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
A splash of hot sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
Toppings:
Cilantro
Yellow corn tortilla chips
Avocado
Combine all soup ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6 hours.
Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and yellow corn tortilla chips.
1 onion, finely chopped
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 19 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable stock
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
A splash of hot sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
Toppings:
Cilantro
Yellow corn tortilla chips
Avocado
Combine all soup ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6 hours.
Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and yellow corn tortilla chips.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Frittata
1 cup whole grain pasta (I like to use penne or linguine, but any will do)
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
3/4 cup egg whites
1 whole egg
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. In a bowl, combine all other ingredients, except cheese. Add cooked pasta once that is finished.
3. Spray with medium sized frying pan with non-stick spray, or drizzle with olive oil.
4. Pour all ingredients into the pan, on medium heat. Top with a lid, so that the top of the egg also cooks.
5. Cook until egg is mostly cooked, and only minimally jiggles. Then, slide the frittata onto a plate, and then flip it back into the pan, on the other side that hasn't been cooked yet. This can be a little tricky, but it does work. Just be patient.
6. Add cheese to the top. Replace lid. Cook until cheese is melted.
7. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. If you serve it too fast, it will fall apart.
You can use any veggies or ingredients that you want to. Brocolli and cheese is also good.
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
3/4 cup egg whites
1 whole egg
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. In a bowl, combine all other ingredients, except cheese. Add cooked pasta once that is finished.
3. Spray with medium sized frying pan with non-stick spray, or drizzle with olive oil.
4. Pour all ingredients into the pan, on medium heat. Top with a lid, so that the top of the egg also cooks.
5. Cook until egg is mostly cooked, and only minimally jiggles. Then, slide the frittata onto a plate, and then flip it back into the pan, on the other side that hasn't been cooked yet. This can be a little tricky, but it does work. Just be patient.
6. Add cheese to the top. Replace lid. Cook until cheese is melted.
7. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. If you serve it too fast, it will fall apart.
You can use any veggies or ingredients that you want to. Brocolli and cheese is also good.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Thai Pizza
This is adapted from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, but I have changed the sauce, added more vegetables, and taken out the chicken (which can be easily added in if you wanted).
Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water
pinch red chilies
1 tsp honey
1 tsp red wine vinegar
pinch of salt
2 cloves garlic
Combine in a pot, bring to a simmer until all ingredients combine. Set aside.
Pizza
4 personal sized whole grain pizza shells
2 carrots, juliened or grated
1 bell pepper, sliced
5 green onions, sliced
1.5 cups bean sprouts
1 cup cheese of your choice, I like to use cheddar
2 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
1. Spread an even amount of peanut sauce on each pizza.
2. Top with the vegetables and cheese.
3. Cook at 425 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Broil for a couple minutes for an extra crispy pizza.
4. Top with cilantro.
Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water
pinch red chilies
1 tsp honey
1 tsp red wine vinegar
pinch of salt
2 cloves garlic
Combine in a pot, bring to a simmer until all ingredients combine. Set aside.
Pizza
4 personal sized whole grain pizza shells
2 carrots, juliened or grated
1 bell pepper, sliced
5 green onions, sliced
1.5 cups bean sprouts
1 cup cheese of your choice, I like to use cheddar
2 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
1. Spread an even amount of peanut sauce on each pizza.
2. Top with the vegetables and cheese.
3. Cook at 425 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Broil for a couple minutes for an extra crispy pizza.
4. Top with cilantro.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
White Bean and Tomato Soup
This is super easy, and great for a quick meal.
3 cups vegetable stock
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red lentils
1/4 cup fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree until smooth. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh asiago cheese, and more fresh basil.
If you want to make this in the slow cooker, add all ingredients but basil to the slowcooker, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Puree once cooked. Top with fresh basil. Don't add the basil while it is cooking, as it won't taste as good if it sits in the pot for the whole day.
3 cups vegetable stock
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red lentils
1/4 cup fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree until smooth. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh asiago cheese, and more fresh basil.
If you want to make this in the slow cooker, add all ingredients but basil to the slowcooker, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Puree once cooked. Top with fresh basil. Don't add the basil while it is cooking, as it won't taste as good if it sits in the pot for the whole day.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Bean Salad
Super easy, and a great side dish!
Either chickpeas or white beans can be used in the recipe.
1 can chickpeas or white beans
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sun-ripened tomatoes, chopped
10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
4 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients into a bowl, mix well.
Either chickpeas or white beans can be used in the recipe.
1 can chickpeas or white beans
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sun-ripened tomatoes, chopped
10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
4 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients into a bowl, mix well.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Black Bean Patties
Adapted from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean recipes.
These can be used as a meatless burger, or on their own.
1 can black beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup almond butter (all natural peanut butter will also work)
3 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 egg whites
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
Preheat oven to 425.
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Scoop into patties on a cookie sheet lined with parchement paper.
Cook for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
These can be used as a meatless burger, or on their own.
1 can black beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup almond butter (all natural peanut butter will also work)
3 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 egg whites
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
Preheat oven to 425.
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Scoop into patties on a cookie sheet lined with parchement paper.
Cook for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)