Carrot Apple Fennel Slaw

I have some left over cabbage from last week's Braised Red Cabbage dish so the easiest way to use it up is in a slaw. You can make it even easier buy buying a bag of pre-cut coleslaw, broccoli slaw or carrot slaw mix and add in the fennel and apple. The dressing is a vinaigrette, but if you like it creamier, add more mayonnaise.

Adapted from Evil Shenanigans.

1/4 red cabbage, shredded or sliced fine
1/4 green cabbage, shredded or sliced fine
3 carrots, peeled and shredded or cut into matchsticks
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 apple (any variety), cored and cut into matchsticks (Peel is okay!)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
pinch sea salt
pinch pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1. Add all vegetables to a large serving bowl and toss well.

2. In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk together until well blended and smooth.

3. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to evenly coat. Top with sunflower seeds.

*For a meal-size salad, top your slaw with some roasted chicken breast.

Poutine

Poutine! The quintessential French-Canadian comfort food. Fries covered in fresh cheese curds and gravy. Does it get any better than that? While at the Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago, I picked up some farm fresh cheese curds. In my area fresh curds are hard to find. Heck, even un-fresh curds are hard to find! This was a real treat and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.


From Wikipedia:

In the basic recipe for poutine, French fries are topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered with brown gravy or sauce. The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the inside stays soft, while the outside is crunchy. The gravy used is generally a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper, or a sauce brune which is a combination of beef and chicken stock, originating in Quebec. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are rarely used. Fresh cheese curds (not more than a day old) are used. To maintain the texture of the fries, the cheese curd and gravy is added immediately prior to serving the dish.

In the past when I made poutine I would use a packet of powdered Poutine Gravy Mix. This time I decided to try my own. It turned out well and was quite easy. I used pre-cut frozen fries because they bake up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - perfect for a traditional Poutine. Serve for lunch or dinner; as a side or a main.

For the gravy I mixed half a cup of chicken broth, half cup of beef broth and a splash of red wine in a saucepan. I simmered it on medium-high heat until it was reduced by a third. I added a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and whisked until the sauce thickened. Finally, I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I baked the fries until crisp and placed them on a plate. I sprinkled a generous amount of cheese curds on top of the fries then drizzled with an equally generous amount of piping hot gravy. Delicious!

P.S... It's pronounced "Poo-Tin" but since French is my second language, I'm okay with "Poo-Tine". ;-)

Braised Red Cabbage & Apples

I picked up some Bratwurst from the Redl's Home Grown Beef stand at the market last week. When I think of Bratwurst, normally I think of a huge juicy hot dog. But it's a new day my friends. I'm going to Mexico in two months. I need to think about my "figure". Instead of brats on crusty rolls, slathered in condiments, I'm sticking with the German theme and cooking up a big pot of braised red cabbage.

Adapted from "A Cook's Bible: Gluten Free, Wheat Free & Dairy Free Recipes.

1 medium red cabbage, 1.5 - 2lbs - halved, cored and sliced thinly
3 large baking apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice, divided
3 tablespoons honey*
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons butter*

1. Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Grease a large baking dish or dutch oven with butter.

2. Arrange half the shredded cabbage in the bottom of the dish. Top with half the apples, onion and garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 2 tablespoons honey and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Repeat process with a second layer using remaining ingredients.

3. Pour vinegar over top of everything. Dot small pieces of butter over top. Cover dish with a lid and bake in pre-heated oven for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until cabbage is tender. Remove from oven and serve with grilled or broiled bratwursts. (Mashed potatoes makes a great accompaniment too!)

*Sub out non-dairy margarine for butter and agave syrup for honey and you have a vegan side dish!*

This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade.

Caesar Vinaigrette

I made this easy dressing to top a simple Caesar salad for a family get together. Traditional Caesar dressings use raw eggs but one of my family members is expecting so she can't eat raw eggs. Another option is mayonnaise, but it's not my favourite condiment (and store bought mayonnaise is highly processed), so I try to avoid it. I found a simple blender Caesar dressing on Pioneer Woman so I used that as a guide and changed it up slightly. The result was a perfectly balanced, fresh and tangy dressing. It was way better than anything that comes in a bottle. Incidentally, this would also be a terrific as a baste for chicken!



2 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plain Dijon mustard (not grainy)
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
dash of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Add garlic, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt and pepper to a blender.

2. Pulse on low a couple times until blended. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse a couple more times.

3. Add olive oil, a little at a time, and pulse once before adding more. When totally combined, pour into a glass jar or bowl and refrigerate prior to use.

My salad was made with a head of fresh romaine from the Farmer's Market. I added about three tablespoons of dressing, tossed it together, then added shaved Grana Padano and the Pioneer Woman's garlic croûtons, made using fresh country bread, also from the Farmer's Market. To finish it off, I added another tablespoon or two of dressing and tossed everything once more.

My First Guest Post & Wild Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak

I was lucky enough to be asked by Kristen of Food Renegade to write a guest post for her blog. It was quite an honour, especially since I'm so new to the world of "Real Food". Kristen said she loved my photography and simple recipes and asked me to put together a grain-free, sugar-free recipe "for a tasty, but easy main dish". I was stumped at first. No grain? No sugar? But those are my two favourite things! In the end I stuck with my favourite, never fail, Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms and a new one, Wild Mushroom and Garlic Crusted Steak. With flu season approaching I was planning on doing a new post about immunity boosters (see last year's), so I used this opportunity to plan a dinner around immunity boosting food. I was so excited about the project I had my post in to Kristen in just over 24 hours! The post is below or check it out on Food Renegade. The post and pictures look way better on her site! Enjoy and happy health!

P.S. This dish would be delicious with a bed of buttery mashed potatoes under the steak... or even better, horseradish spiked mashed potatoes!

Immunity Boosting Dinner
Autumn is just about here, summer holidays are over, kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and it’s beginning to rain more often. What does all this mean? Flu season is right around the corner! Along with the changing of seasons comes the onslaught of germs and viruses. I don’t get seasonal flu shots and can’t afford to be off sick from work, so this is the time of year I start super-charging my immune system by changing my diet to focus on “immunity boosting foods”.

It’s well documented which foods help boost immunity and fight off colds and flus. Prevention Magazine has a good list as does Yahoo! Health. My ultimate Immunity Boosting meal consists of a grass-fed sirloin steak for Zinc, Omega-3’s and Vitamins A & D, sautéed mushrooms for white blood cell support, and sautéed spinach and garlic for Vitamins A and C and bacteria fighting Allicin . Today I’m sharing recipes for a Wild Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak with Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms. Pair with a side of simple sautéed spinach and a glass of antioxidant rich red wine, and it’s a complete meal with great health benefits. This dish would also be delicious with a bed of buttery mashed potatoes under the steak!

Prep Tips: Start the mushrooms first. While the mushrooms are browning, put together the Wild Mushroom & Garlic mixture and coat the steaks. After you turn the steaks once (Steak Step 3), add red wine to the mushrooms (Mushroom Step 3) and let simmer on low while steaks finish cooking and resting (15 minutes). Start cooking the spinach 5 minutes after you have placed the steaks on a plate to rest. Everything should be ready when the steak rest period is up.

The Barefood Contessa has a very simple, tasty sautéed spinach recipe. Check it out here.



Mushroom & Garlic Crusted Steak

4 Small Grass-Fed Steaks (Sirloin or Strip Loin work best)
14g Dried Wild Mushrooms, about 0.5 ounces by weight, (I used a mixture of Porcini, Chanterelle, Shitake, Lobster & Oyster mushrooms.)
1 tsp Whole Mixed Peppercorns
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Garlic (preferably Roasted Garlic, if you can find it)
1 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Onion
1 tbsp Fresh or Dried Chopped Parsley
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
2 tbsp Olive Oil, Divided

1. Add mushrooms and peppercorns to a spice grinder or food processor and grind until you have a course powder. Place mixture in a small bowl. Add salt, minced garlic, minced onion and parsley. Mix together. Add fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir mixture together to form a thick paste.

2. Place steaks on a plate and brush with a bit of olive oil. Press mushroom mixture onto each steak to coat. Turn steaks and do the same with the other side.

3. Heat a cast iron fry pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When pan and oil hot, add steaks to pan, two at a time if pan is small. You can also cook the steaks on the grill, if you prefer. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side, then move steaks to a plate and cover with foil to rest while you cook the other two. Let steaks rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Red Wine Sautéed Mushrooms

1 lb White Button or Brown Crimini Mushrooms
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
Splash of Olive Oil (to keep butter from burning)
1/3 cup Dry Red Wine
Salt & Pepper to Taste

1. Brush or lightly rinse mushrooms to remove any visible dirt. Cut mushrooms in half or into quarters if they are very large.

2. Heat butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until reduced, browned and tender.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add red wine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine has reduced, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mushrooms onto plate beside steak and drizzle some extra sauce over the steak.

Bison Bean Burritos with Homemade Refried Beans & Guacamole

I'm going away for a few days so my fridge is a little bare. This is where creativity comes into play so I can get a wholesome dinner, made with real food, on the table. I pulled some bison ground out of the freezer, found a can of Eden Organics pinto beans in the cupboard, bought a couple avocados at the market yesterday and plucked three ripe tomatoes from my tomato plant. A mish mash Mexican meal is in the works. Bison and bean burritos, with fresh Pico de Gallo and Guacamole.

Step 1: Dice up some Pico

Make your Pico de Gallo using this recipe. Improvise for ingredients you don't have. As long as you have tomatoes, you can whip up a simple Pico.

Step 2: Make the beans

Homemade Refried Beans

-1 can organic black or pinto beans, drained (but not rinsed)
-1/4 cup fresh Pico de Gallo or other fresh salsa
-1 tbsp pickled jalapeño or banana peppers (optional)
-1 tbsp bacon fat (optional - but adds great flavour!)

1. Add the first three ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Using an immersion blender, quickly blend together the beans and salsa, leaving a chunky texture.

2. Add bacon fat to a heated cast iron frying pan, then pour in beans. Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare other dishes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving.

Step 3: Prepare the Guac

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup Pico de Gallo
salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut avocados in half and scoop flesh into a bowl. Add Pico de Gallo and mash together using a fork or small masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a fresh lemon or lime you may want to add a splash of juice as well.

Step 4: Cook the meat

Bison Burrito Meat

1 lb ground bison meat
2 tbsp Jill's Mexican Seasoning or other homemade Mexican or taco seasoning blend.

1. Add a bit of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium-high. Add bison and cook until starting to brown. Break apart larger pieces with spatula.

2. Add Mexican seasoning and a couple tablespoons of warm water. Stir together. Reduce heat slightly and simmer until meat is cooked through.

Step 5: Assemble



Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells
Prepared ground bison
Prepared refried beans
Prepared guacamole
Prepared Pico de Gallo
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)

1. Lay a tortilla shell on a plate and layer fillings of your choice down the centre of the tortilla. Fold tortilla into a burrito and serve with more sour cream, guacamole and Pico de Gallo on the side. Alternatively, if you don't want to use tortillas or don't have them on hand, layer your ingredients in a bowl for a Mexican Fiesta Bowl. Also very delicious!

Lobster Bisque

A "bisque" is a smooth, creamy, soup with French origins. Bisque is broth left after simmering shellfish with aromatic vegetables, straining, then mixing with cream. According to Wikipedia, the name "Bisque" is thought to either be derived from The Bay of Biscay (on the West side of France and the North side of Spain), or from the term "bis cuits", which is a Spanish/French jumble, meaning "twice cooked".

This soup an involved and long process, especially when you factor in the lobster dinner required in advance of the soup making, but in the end, it is well worth it.

From this:



To This:



Serves 2 entrees or 4 appetizers

left over parts of 2 cooked lobsters (legs & bodies)
4 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup brandy or sherry
1/4 cup sweet white whine
2 tomatoes, chopped
few sprigs of thyme
6 cups water
salt
pinch cayenne
1 1/2 cups cream (I used Half & Half Coffee Cream!)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup cooked lobster meat, in chunks (reserved until end)
A few springs of Italian parsley, chopped (reserved until end)
sour cream (optional)

1. Chop the lobster remains into smaller pieces and place in a bowl.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaf to pot. Stir until veggies are translucent.

3. Add tomato paste and stir together for a couple minutes. Add lobster pieces, then add brandy and white wine and mix well. Add tomatoes, thyme, cayenne and salt. Give it a quick stir. Add water and stir again. Let cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until volume is reduced by half.

4. Once soup has reduced, place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain the soup by ladling it into the strainer. Press the liquid out using the back of a large spoon. Discard the solids. Pour the liquid from the bowl back into the saucepan.

5. Stir in cream and simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with warm water and add to soup. Simmer for two minutes, and stir, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Skim off any fat from the top of the soup, then whisk quickly for a few minutes so the soup is frothy. This will help incorporate any remaining fat into the soup and incorporate air into it, making it lighter and creamier. Let soup stand for a few minutes so the froth subsides slightly.

6. Drop a spoonful of lobster meat into each bowl. Ladle bisque into bowls over top of lobster. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sour cream. Serve with a warm Cheddar Bay Biscuit.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

When butter is melted and left to cook, the milk solids separate from the fat and sink to the bottom of the pan. There, they begin to caramelize and turn a light brown colour. The resulting liquid is very aromatic and has delicious nutty flavour, which is why the French refer to this as "Beurre Noisette" - hazelnut butter. The butter can be used as is, poured over vegetables, pasta, fish, poultry and meats, or mixed with other ingredients to create a rich, flavourful sauce.

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp soy sauce*

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.

3. Roast asparagus in oven for 10-12 minutes, until tender.

4. While asparagus is cooking, add balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half.

5. Melt butter in another small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until colour turns light brown. Careful not to burn the butter.

6. Once butter is a light caramel colour and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reduced balsamic and the soy sauce. Stir together. Spoon off and discard any foam from the top. Pour into a glass measuring cup or other glass cup with spout. Stir together well so mixture does not separate. Sauce should be a dark and rich with a thick, syrupy consistency.

7. Remove asparagus from oven and place into a serving dish. Pour Balsamic Brown Butter sauce over top of asparagus. Serve immediately.

*Use Gluten Free, if required.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

My dad called the other day from the East Coast to say he is bringing fresh lobster home. "Call your sister and plan a dinner", he said. I've eaten lobster before but always with steak, garlic mashed and veggies. This time I wanted something different so I Google'd "Lobster Dinner" and asked my co-workers to see what they would suggest.

One of my co-workers, with roots in the Maritime Provinces, immediately said "Cheddar Biscuits!!!!". The sentiment was echoed online, where several sites recommended cheddar biscuits or cheese appetizers. More Google'ing led me to a recipe for Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits. I've never eaten at Red Lobster but another co-worker assured me that the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are "to die for".

As for the rest of the meal, it's all very light and fresh to pair with the rich taste of the fresh lobster. My sister is supplying the wine (Chardonnay, although Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc are also recommended pairings). Our starters will be the Cheddar Bay Biscuits with a salad of mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette (and perhaps crumbled goat cheese). Sides dishes will be steamed (or grilled) asparagus (possibly with The Pioneer Woman's Blender Hollandaise Sauce) and corn on the cob. The lobster will be grilled and served with melted garlic butter and lemon wedges. For dessert... I'm not quite sure yet. Either a cheesecake or sorbet with fresh fruit. It will be a very, very substantial, rich and butter heavy meal! I won't need to eat for days afterwards... but you know I will anyway!

Now for the biscuits... These biscuits are not healthy, wholesome, natural, fresh or anything else I strive to achieve with the recipes on this blog. They are, however, delicious, light, airy, flaky, cheesy, buttery and totally sinful. Enjoy in moderation. :)



Recipe comes from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.

Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
3/4 cup cold 2% or Whole milk
4 tbsp cold butter, cut into small chunks
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese (I used a Tex-Mex blend because that's what I had... sooo good!)

Brush on Top:

2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch salt
pinch cayenne(optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick with cold butter using a pastry blender. If you don't have a pastry blender, try a large fork, a potato masher or even your hands. There should be small chunks of butter, about the size of peas, throughout the mixture.

3. Add cheddar cheese, garlic powder and milk. Mix by hand until combined and formed into a dough.

4. Break off 1/4 cup portion of dough and roll into a rough ball. Drop onto an ungreased baking sheet. Continue with rest of dough. Will yield 12 portions.

5. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

6. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, mix together the ingredients from the "Brush on Top" section. Using a pastry brush, brush the garlic butter over top of the biscuits. Be very generous and use all the butter. Serve warm.

Garlic Cheese Croûtons

Last week I bought a loaf of delicious artisan Garlic Cheese bread from A Bread Affair. This was my second loaf, and unlike the first that I gobbled up in three days, I could only finish half of this one before it started to dry out.

Marianne suggested that the Garlic Cheese loaf would make tasty croûtons so I stole her idea and made some for my soup.

Make sure you use day old, dried out bread, not stale bread! Stale bread will make stale croûtons! If you can't find an artisan style garlic cheese bread, use a crusty French or Italian bread and add a teaspoon or so of fresh minced garlic to the mix.

4-6 slices of day old crusty garlic cheese bread
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Coarsely chop bread into cubes about 1" square. Add to a large bowl.

3. Add Parmesan and parsley to bread in the bowl. Toss together.

4. Drizzle olive oil over everything and toss well to coat bread cubes.

5. Spread bread cubes in a single layer, on an ungreased baking sheet.

6. Bake in oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. This could take longer, depending on volume of pieces, size of cubes and density of bread. Keep an eye on your cubes and remove from oven just as they start to turn golden.

7. Set aside to cool. Store in container with tight fitting lid. Use within a week or so otherwise your croûtons will be stale!

Use on top of salads or soups. They are even tasty enough to eat on their own... although not recommended!

Cream of Lettuce Soup

Cream of Lettuce? You got it. I saw Ricardo make this the other day on his show. He calls it "Choisy Soup". I Google'd high and low and could not find the origins of "Choisy Soup". As well, "choisy" in french is related to "choisir", meaning choose. Lettuce in French is "laitue". So I don't understand the name "Choisy Soup" and I don't know where it comes from. If anyone can advise, please leave a comment.

I decided to make this soup because I made a fatal error in shopping for one and bought a bulk bag of hearts of romaine. What am I going to do with THREE hearts of romaine lettuce? I can barely get through one let alone three! When I saw this odd soup, I thought it would be a good way to use up all that extra lettuce and soup is always nice this time of year, especially when it's vibrant green!

1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups potatoes, diced
6 cups lettuce, coarsely chopped (I used Romaine)
salt & pepper to taste
sour cream for garnish, optional

1. Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and onions and cook until onions are tender.

2. Add milk, broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

3. Add lettuce. You may have to do this a bit at a time to fit it all in. Lettuce will quickly reduce by half so you will have lots of room. Stir and continue to heat for a few minutes.

4. Pour soup into a blender and puree until smooth. You could also use an immersion blender in the soup pot. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the soup through the strainer, using a spatula to move the soup around the strainer and push it through. Add more salt and pepper as required.

5. Spoon strained soup into bowls. If you'd like, Add back a spoonful or two of the vegetable puree from the strainer. Garnish with sour cream and chopped chives. Can be served hot or cold. (The left over mush might make a nice quiche filling. Will have to investigate.)

Make it vegan by using olive oil instead of butter and non-dairy milk instead of milk.

Baked Zucchini Fries

When I saw this recipe for Baked Zucchini Fries, I knew I had to try it. I had just about 3/4 of a zucchini in my fridge that needed to be used pronto so this seemed like the perfect fix. If you are a fan of Zoo Sticks from White Spot, but not a fan of the heavy, deep fried, breaded coating, you will love these Zucchini Fries!

Serves 1-2 as an appetizer or side dish

1 medium zucchini, cut into thin sticks, about 2 1/2 inches long
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (see here for tips on how to make your own)
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freeze dried parsley (or fresh chopped)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

2. Pour egg white into a shallow bowl or plate.

3. Add breadcrumbs and seasonings to a second shallow bowl or plate. Mix well. Set the bowls and the baking pan side by side. (I worked right to left. The egg wash was on the right, the breadcrumbs in the middle and the baking pan on the left.)

4. Using your right hand, dip the zucchini sticks, two or three at a time, into the egg whites, turning to coat well. Still using your right hand, transfer the zucchini from the egg wash to the breadcrumbs. Now use your left hand to turn and coat the zucchini in breadcrumbs then place it on the baking sheet. This is Michael Smith's Wet Hand/Dry Hand method. Continue using this method until all the zucchini pieces are coated and placed on the baking sheet. Ensure they are in a single layer and spaced evenly.

5. Place baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Turn zucchini about half way through cooking.

6. Remove from oven and serve immediately with dip of your choice.

Dip suggestions: Marinara sauce, salsa, hot sauce, dijon mustard, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing!

Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad

This salad is very quick and easy to toss together. It only uses 4 main ingredients (plus seasonings) and is the perfect lunch or side dish on a warm spring or summer day.

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, assorted colours
1/2 one small shallot, diced fine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh parsley or basil, chopped
sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

1. Rinse tomatoes and cut in half vertically. Add to a serving bowl.

2. Add diced shallot, vinegar and olive oil. Gently toss everything to mix together.

3. Add herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If you are not planning on serving the salad immediately, do not add the salt until just before serving. Salt will draw the juices out of the tomatoes making the salad very watery.

Chickpea Vegetable Salad

I had some left over veggies and dressing from my Greek Salad the other night so I put together a super quick salad. Perfect for lunch because Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) are high in protein to keep you kicking all day long. They are also loaded with fiber and I'm sure we can all use a little more fiber in our diets!

Chickpea Salad:

1 28oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/4 English cucmber, quartered and chopped
1/4 red pepper, diced
1/4 yellow pepper, diced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
handful Italian parsley, chopped
Greek Salad Dressing (see below)

1. Toss everything into a bowl and mix well. Add some crumbled feta if you're feeling really sassy!

Greek Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp Greek seasoning
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
dash balsamic vinegar
pinch salt & pepper to taste

1. Add everything to a Mason Jar or salad dressing cruet. Shake well to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Shake again before using. Store in fridge for up to a week.

Greek Roasted Potatoes & Greek Salad

Accompaniments to the Pork Tenderloin Souvlaki I cooked up last night. Served with a dish of 10 Cent's Tzatziki Sauce. I love dipping my potatoes in Tzatziki!



Serves 2 with some left overs

Greek Roasted Potatoes:

2 baking potatoes, cleaned and cut into medium cubes (skin on!)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Greek seasoning (see below)
salt & pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix everything (except potatoes) together in a bowl. Add potatoes and toss well to coat.

3. Spoon potatoes onto baking sheet and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, tender on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside.

Greek Seasoning:

1 1/2 tbps dried oregano
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp freeze dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Mix everything together in an air tight container. (Mason jars work great for this!)

Greek Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp Greek seasoning (see above)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
dash balsamic vinegar
pinch salt & pepper to taste

1. Add everything to a Mason Jar or salad dressing cruet. Shake well to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Shake again before using. Store in fridge for up to a week.

Greek Salad:

1/2 English cucumber, diced large
2 Roma tomatoes, diced large
1/4 red pepper, diced large
1/4 yellow pepper, diced large
1/4 red onion, diced large
3-4 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
3 tbsp crumbled Feta cheese
Handful of Greek or Kalamata olives (optional)
Greek Salad Dressing (see above)

1. Add all the diced veggies & basil to a large serving bowl. Toss well. Add the desired amount of dressing and toss again. Top with Feta and olives.

Miso Glazed Salmon with Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy & Veggies

This dinner takes 20 minutes or less to prepare - prep & cook time, start to finish. Quick, super tasty and healthy. If you'd like, add a side of seamed brown or wild rice.

Note about the tags: The stir fried veggies are a vegan side dish.

Serves 2

Miso Glazed Salmon:

2 small wild salmon fillets
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp light miso paste
2 tbsp honey
splash Sriracha or other chili sauce (optional)

1. Set oven broiler high and ensure rack is in the centre of the oven.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, miso paste, honey and Sriracha. Taste and adjust ingredients to suit your tastes. I added a tad more honey. You might prefer to add a tad more chili sauce.

3. Spray a baking sheet with oil and place salmon fillets on the baking sheet, skin side down. Lightly baste the salmon fillets with the miso mixture.

4. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Baste again 5 minutes through cooking and again when done.

5. Remove from oven and plate.

*Don't overcook like I did! Although, the crunchy bits were kind of tasty!*

While the salmon is in the oven...

Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy & Veggies:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thin on a bias
1 stalk celery, sliced thin on a bias
1 cup green beans, trimmed
8 pcs baby boy choy
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp soy sauce

1. Heat wok over medium-high heat and add olive oil.

2. Toss in carrots, celery and green beans. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add green beans, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir fry for another couple minutes.

3. Toss in baby bok choy and stir around or try the Jamie Oliver wok flip as seen from 4:32 onward in the attached video. It's fun!

4. Pour in soy sauce. Toss well. Lower heat and leave veggies to simmer for a couple minutes.

5. When salmon is done and plated, remove veggies from heat and plate beside the salmon.

If you time it right, your salmon and veggies will be done at the same time. :-)

Slow Cooker Lazy Cabbage (un)Roll Casserole

I have two very sad pieces of news:

1. My mom ate all my left over Lazy Cabbage (un)Roll Casserole.
2. I didn't get a chance to take a picture before she ate it.

The good news is, this dish is REALLY REALLY good. So good, it prompted my mom to steal from my fridge, a rather large tupperware container full of it. Then she e-mailed me asking for the recipe because she was telling the ladies at work how good it was and now they want to make it too.

All the taste without the hassle.

Ingredients:

- 1lb (16oz) pkg coleslaw mix or 1/2 whole green cabbage, sliced thin
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice, uncooked
- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 cans tomato soup
- 4 tbsp sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Brown the ground beef in a saute pan. Drain excess fat. Mix in garlic. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together diced tomatoes, tomato soup, sucanat and water.

3. Place coleslaw/cabbage in the bottom of your slow cooker. Using the whole bag of coleslaw mix may seem like a lot of cabbage, but it will wilt down. Layer ground beef over top of coleslaw. Follow with onions and rice. Pour tomato mixture and water over top. Add a bit more water if it looks too thick. DO NOT STIR MIXTURE.

4. Set slow cooker to high for 4.5 hours.

5. Once cooked, stir well to mix.

6. Top with a bit of shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream. Freezes well too!

Note:
I used a 6 quart slow cooker. If yours is smaller, reduce the amount or make it in batches and freeze the left overs. To reduce the amount, use 1/2 bag of coleslaw, 1 cup rice, 1 can on tomato soup, 1 cup of water and 3 tbsp sucanat. Leave all other amounts the same.

Sauteed Mushrooms & Beet Greens

I picked up some beets at the market, complete with the greens attached. While I admit, I normally am one to let things go to waste, today it was not in the cards. The beets were put to use, root, green and all. Unfortunately I don't have a picture because I ate the goods a little too quickly. :)

greens from a bunch of beets (I used 6-8 leaves)
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
couple tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

2. Add onions and saute for a minute until starting to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and saute another couple minutes until just starting to brown.

3. Tear the leaves into 2-3 inch pieces. Toss greens into saute pan.

4. Add balsamic vinegar and stir until greens start to wilt.

5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Kale Chips

This recipe comes from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. Ms. Reno claims this is "the easiest recipe in the book" and I think she is right. My desire to try kale was inspired by Marianne, who has been eating kale chips just about every night lately. I actually ran into Marianne at the produce market today and mentioned that I was going to try kale chips for the first time. She described them as being "not quite like potato chips".

Well, you know what? Marianne was right. When baked until crisp and tossed with olive oil and some seasonings, kale tastes like nature's potato chips. Kale chips are really, REALLY good.

Kale is also VERY GOOD FOR YOU! The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth describes kale as a "nutritional powerhouse". Part of the cabbage family, kale is a powerful antioxidant as well as being packed with calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and K and contains 4g of protein and 3g of fiber (per 2 cup serving). It also has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli... what is the miracle food now?

If you needed any more reasons to try kale, well, take my word for it - kale tastes good and is quick and easy to prepare. Plus, kale is in season right now!

Kale Chips:

1 bunch of kale, rinsed/dried and trimmed (can be broken into smaller pieces)
1 tbsp good quality EV olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Place kale leaves in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic salt, oregano and pepper.

4. Arrange leaves in a single layer on the baking sheet.

5. Roast leaves in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on the leaves during the last few minutes to ensure they don't char. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

DO NOT over bake your kale!! I over did mine a bit and bit and some pieces tasted slightly bitter from being burnt... but it was still a success.

Roasted Vegetables on Broiled Polenta

While looking for an alternative to the usual starchy side dish of potatoes or rice, I came across Karina's recipe for Roasted Vegetables on Broiled Polenta. It's the kind of recipe I really enjoy - a fridge cleaner. Take whatever veggies you have in the fridge and throw them on a pan. There isn't much to the recipe. No measurement or quantities. Usually I make stir fry's using this method so this roasted vegetable dish is a nice change. Using pre-cooked, store bought polenta is a real time saver too. What is polenta, you ask? It's just boiled cornmeal and it's darn tasty broiled with EVOO.

Serves 2-3

4-5 cups of assorted, chopped vegetables (I used brocoli, carrots, red onion, zucchini, beets and cherry tomatoes.)
4 cloves whole garlic, peeled
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Herb blend of your choice (I used a Vegetable seasoning blend from Epicure)
Salt & fresh ground pepper
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1 roll of pre-cooked polenta
Shaved Parmesan for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place chopped veggies (including garlic) on a baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle herb blend, salt and pepper over top. Toss well. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

3. Roast for 30-40 minutes until nearly done.

4. Meanwhile, slice polenta into thin slices and arrange them on a separate baking sheet, drizzled with olive oil. Brush tops of slices with more olive oil. I used a garlic infused olive oil for this part.

5. When veggies are nearly done, cover with foil and place on bottom rack of oven. Set oven to broil and place polenta into the oven on the higher rack.

6. Broil until polenta is sizzling, just starting to brown on top and crispy around the edges (10-15 minutes).

7. Remove everything from the oven. Arrange a few polenta slices on each plate. Take one of the roasted garlic bulbs and squish it a bit then rub it across the polenta. (Add the rest of the roasted garlic to the veggie mix and eat them whole! Yum!) Top polenta with roasted veggies. Grate some fresh Parmesan over top and drizzle with more balsamic vinegar.