Clean & Balanced - An Adventure With Food

Meatloaf, In Cupcake Form

2012-02-15T10:28:00.001-07:00

First of all, I love Pinterest. I continue to be inspired by all sorts of things that people post on the site - and the food ideas are plentiful. I absolutely couldn't resist when I came across a picture of a meatloaf cupcake and had to repin it immediately. Thank you skinnytaste .com for posting your "skinny turkey meatloaf cupcakes" and passing on the inspiration! I thought it would be a fun meal to make for Valentine's Day so here is my bison meatloaf version:

Bison Meatloaf Cupcakes w/ Garlic Mashed Potato Frosting

1 lb ground bison

1 egg

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/8 cup wheat germ

2 tbsp Honey Bunny ketchup

2 tbsp organic mustard

1 tbsp Honey Bunny bbq sauce

1 carrot, shredded

fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp italian seasoning herb blend

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot - reserve for garnish

Combine all ingredients well. Spoon into lined muffin tins. I found some foil liners that didn't even require the use of a muffin tin and they worked out very well. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through (if using a meat thermometer: internal temp of 170)

Bison is a very lean meat so that is why I made sure to add lots of wet ingredients and use flax seed and wheat germ as the binders, instead of breadcrumbs. Omitting the wheat germ also would easily make this a gluten free recipe.

*note: I decided to plug this particular brand today as I've used Honey Bunny products for quite a while now and absolutely love them - organic, local and honey to sweeten rather than sugar.

Garlic Mashed Potato Frosting

2 cloves, roasted garlic

fresh thyme

pepper

milk (almond, cow, soy)

1 tbsp organic mayonnaise

Peel and cube 2 potatoes. Boil until fork tender. Meanwhile, wrap 2 cloves of garlic in foil and pop in the oven with the meatloaf. The garlic will be soft and sweet. You should be able to squeeze the clove out of it's skin but if it doesn't easily come out just peel the clove and use the back of your knife to "puree" it before adding it to your mashed potatoes.

Drain and mash the potatoes with the remaining ingredients, adding the milk a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes to the top of each meatloaf and garnish with a carrot heart. Thanks to my mom for the fantastic idea of a carrot heart, the perfect "cherry on top"! To make the carrot heart simply cut a carrot into thin coins, making four cuts - two to the bottom to create the bottom point and a little v on top. To smooth out the top points carefully use a vegetable peeler. Love it!

Another Pinterest find was this honey sweetened lava cake from acouplecooks.com. I used their recipe as is and it was fantastic. I overcooked mine on the first try but as they said, still delicious as a normal cake!

Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip

2012-01-29T23:18:00.002-07:00

A couple of years ago I had a cold asiago/artichoke dip and thought it was delicious (even though I thought I didn't like artichokes). Turns out I like artichokes when they are disguised in dip form. And then recently I've been getting into Pinterest, a website where people "pin" things they like. I love the site as it gives me inspiration for many things, and lots of recipe/food ideas. I saw a recipe for the dip and it reminded me how tasty it was. I figured it would make a good dinner for a night where I felt more like munching! Here is my version:

Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup organic mayonnaise

1/4 cup organic cream cheese

2 tsp stone ground mustard

splash lemon juice

1 cup organic frozen spinach

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 clove garlic, crushed

pepper to taste

2 green onions

1/4 cup shredded organic cheese (reserve some for top)

Combine first four ingredients in a food processor and combine well. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until well incorporated and desired consistency is reached (I'm not a fan of chunky sauces/dips so I pulsed it well). Preheat oven to 350. Place mixture in a small baking dish, cover with thin layer of cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Serve with whole wheat baguette slices, oat crackers (my fave for flavour combination), seed and rice crackers and veggies for dipping.

Memories of P.F. Chang's

2012-01-23T20:09:00.002-07:00

I was in Phoenix, Arizona recently and we had dinner at P.F. Chang's. I had never been but I will be back! It was such yummy Chinese food! Earlier today I happened to come across a picture of the lettuce wraps on Pinterest and I immediately decided that this would be dinner tonight! I checked out a number of recipes online and decided to use this one as a reference and go from there.

Lettuce Wraps (reminiscent of P.F. Chang's)

ground organic chicken breast

2 large cloves garlic, minced

low sodium soy sauce (enough to coat chicken)

1-2 tbsp honey

fresh ground pepper, to taste

tsp fresh grated ginger

splash rice wine vinegar

mushrooms, chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped, as garnish

lettuce leaves (iceberg would be ideal but romaine leaves work like a little boat)

brown rice vermicelli - prepared according to package directions

1 tsp sesame oil

Brown ground chicken breast. Add mushrooms, garlic and ginger. Honey, soy sauce and vinegar are added when the mushrooms are cooked down. Add 1/8-1/4 cup of water and put the lid on to simmer while you chop onions, prepare lettuce "wraps", and soften noodles. P.F. Chang's had crispy noodles which I liked but I added some sunflower seeds (which must go in every wrap type meal I make!) for some additional crunch. The recipe I looked at used peanuts which would be tasty. At the last minute I added the sesame oil to the meat mixture and combined well. Layer noodles on the bottom, spoon meat over the noodles and top with green onion. Dig in!

Pumpkin Sauce

2012-01-09T23:31:00.002-07:00

The Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company opened my eyes to pumpkin bechamel one fall day. They used it as the sauce on their thanksgiving inspired pizza. Delicious. I had blogged about it and tried to recreate that pizza when I got home. The leftovers became a cannelloni dish. Yesterday I put another spin on it, using chicken chorizo instead of turkey on the pizza and then created a leftover pasta bake with rigatoni noodles, pumpkin bechamel, chicken chorizo sausage, chopped spinach, chopped yams, caramelized onions and cottage cheese.

Season's Eatings!

2012-01-09T23:10:00.003-07:00

It's hard to believe that the Christmas season is over for another year. Seriously, where did it go? I love the anticipation of Christmas - making preparations, buying gifts, planning menus, playing Christmas music around the house, treats, food, food and more food... but it goes by in a whirlwind. Personally, I think that adds to the wonder of the whole season. It makes us want to savour it all the more. Here are some of our culinary experiences this Christmas, made all that much better with the company of dear friends:

The first photograph is red velvet pancakes with a cream cheese icing; a mix given to us as a gift. Doesn't it look delightfully festive?

This year I chose a fresh turkey and it seemed to be slightly more tender and juicy than it's frozen counterparts. I prepared it the same way as I normally do with a compound butter (see below) and covered in cheesecloth.

Compound butter: Soften organic butter and combine with a mixture of (chopped) fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, orange zest and pepper. Gently use fingers to separate the turkey skin from the meat and then spread the compound butter inside. Place two slices of orange on the breasts. Place remaining orange rinds, sprigs of rosemary and thyme inside the main cavity.

Soak unbleached, food-safe cheesecloth in Vegetable Stock and place over the turkey, covering as much of the exposed bird as possible. This is for an open roasting method at 325. Heat a couple of cups of vegetable broth for the first basting (using pan juices for the next bastings), keeping the cheesecloth moist throughout the cooking process. Remove the cheesecloth for the last half hour and it magically turns golden brown without burning.

It's no secret that I love stuffing. Looove it. My mom makes the best stuffing, and I think it tastes so good because she stuffs the bird but I get freaked out by all the warnings with stuffing and food borne illnesses. So, I have been trying to create my own 'baked separate' version that emulates the flavours of my mom's. This years was the best thus far.

Begin by laying an entire loaf of bread on cookie sheets to dry out overnight. (Or you could lightly toast it if you forgot to do step 1). I used a good whole wheat loaf with flax. When you're ready to finish the stuffing saute 2 onions (finely chopped) and about 8-10 stalks of celery until softened. The day before I had roasted a head of garlic so I added a few cloves at the end, just to combine with the celery and onions. Roasted garlic has a wonderful aroma and sweet taste.

Chop/tear bread into cubes and put in a large bowl. Add softened celery/onions/garlic. Now, you'll need your nose. Add a few tablespoons of dried sage and adjust as desired. You can also add some fresh sage leaves but the dried sage really makes sure you get that wonderfully "sage-y" stuffing with every bite. Dried savoury and pepper to season, then it's time to add some melted butter (I can't recall how much I added - perhaps 1/4 cup) and organic, low sodium vegetable stock. This part is difficult to measure. It depends on how dry the bread is. I begin adding and stirring until all the bread is moist and has soaked up the stock (without having it swimming in liquid). Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour. I put it in when I take the turkey out to rest.

Roast turkey and pan gravy; sage and celery stuffing; garlic mashed potatoes (add some butter, milk and a few cloves of roasted garlic to the potatoes and mash well); roasted brussel sprouts with orange juice, cranberries and pecans; mashed rutabagas; carrots, cranberry sauce and onion buns.

Still have room for dessert? Warm gingerbread with dulce de leche ice cream. I really wanted to attempt to make this dessert 'clean' but at the last minute it was decided that 1/4 cup of brown sugar in the recipe could be a Christmas indulgence. I really wondered if date jam could serve as a substitution. Perhaps I should test this out in the near future ;)

Turkey leftover sandwich:

Whole grain bread, mayo, lettuce, cranberry sauce, turkey and stuffing.

Remembering That I Love To Cook

2011-12-15T21:16:00.008-07:00

Somehow, I forgot. In the midst of life - hectic schedules and exhausted evenings - I felt uninspired, eating so I didn't fall over rather than being mindful of how I was fueling my body and taking joy in the preparation of a meal. It sure takes a concerted effort, intentional planning and commitment to get a balanced, clean meal on the table. It's usually the first thing to go in our busy lives, isn't it? As I realign my priorities, yet again, I have been encouraging myself to make the time to plan and prepare meals that I savour with every bite. (Rather than that whole, 'eating so I don't fall down' approach.)

This week began with slow roasted short ribs that I used again in tonight's meal: Short Rib Stroganoff. Oh boy, was it tasty. (p.s. Have I ever mentioned the smaller plate trick? I often serve our dinners on the "side plates" to curb over-eating. It helps you control your portion size!)

Short Rib Stroganoff

leftover cooked organic beef short ribs, with reserved cooking liquid

button mushrooms

pepper, to taste

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp organic butter

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4-1/2 cup organic 0% plain yogurt

kale chips

I braised my short ribs a couple of days earlier in red wine with thyme, rosemary, a couple of smashed garlic cloves, an onion and chopped fennel. After cooling, I put the leftovers in the fridge as is, with the cooking liquid and all the aromatics. Today I

removed the meat, scraped off as much of the solidified fat as I could, took the meat off the bones (put that meat aside) and returned the bones to the pot. Then I added enough water to cover the bones and let it simmer for about 1/2 hour or so - the longer the better to extract further depth of flavour. The smell of the stock simmering was so rich and comforting!

Meanwhile, prepare a skillet with the olive oil and butter and preheat to med-high heat. Once the butter is melted add a couple of cups chopped mushrooms to the pan. Sautee until golden brown, reducing heat when the liquid has cooked out. Add the minced garlic, cooking for a couple of minutes then stir in the reserved short rib meat. Season with pepper.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta or rice of choice according to package directions.

Strain the beef stock, skimming the top to remove some of the fat. Return the strained stock to the pot and thicken with your preferred method. (Cornstarch, brown rice flour, wheat flour, etc). Simmer until it begins to thicken, adding more water if it gets too thick. Add the meat/mushroom/garlic mixture to the thickened sauce, again adding a little water and mixing well if it is too thick. Finally add the yogurt stirring to combine. Heat through then spoon over pasta. Top with crushed kale chips. Enjoy!

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And how about a delicious pizza? I love creating new toppings! This one has chopped steamed kale, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and spicy chicken sausage with goat mozzarella and "cream" sauce base. (Basic white sauce using milk - almond, soy, dairy - with garlic and goat mozzarella)

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I try to avoid processed foods as much as possible, especially processed meats. So I was delighted to find natural corned beef from Sunworks Farm. I turned a plain corned beef sandwich into a cozy grilled version. All it took was some stone ground mustard, the corned beef, goat cheddar cheese on some sprouted grain bread which was then dipped into a well beaten egg and grilled. Served with yam fries.

Corned Beef Monte Cristo

Bison Roast & Scalloped Root Vegetable Au Gratin

2011-10-02T19:40:00.003-06:00

I wish I could put a scratch and sniff button on my blog so you could smell how good the house smells right now. A bison roast slowly braising all afternoon will do that.
I had a bison inside round roast that I seared in my small dutch, added a chopped yellow onion and a few cloves smashed garlic. I seasoned the roast with fresh cracked pepper and dry mustard and finished it off with a generous "splash" of organic red wine. Then the lid went on and the pot went into a 300 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. (I got a little excited and didn't take a picture of it when I took it out of the oven.)

As a side dish I decided to try rutabagas and golden beets together. I've done a turnip/potato scalloped dish before that turned out well so why not with beets? The main problem I've encountered with anything scalloped is the vegetables not being cooked all the way through. I peeled and sliced both the beets and the rutabaga and steamed them for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile I made a white sauce starting with a roux - melt a couple tablespoons of butter, add equal parts flour and whisk until smooth and flour taste is cooked out (just a minute or so). Then slowly whisk in milk and let simmer and thicken. Add more milk if it gets too thick.

Then I layered the vegetables in a buttered baking dish with a layer of the white sauce. Next I sprinkled each layer with fresh thyme, parsley and finely chopped onions. On the top layer I ended with the last bit of sauce (which I had to thin out slightly to make sure I covered the top) and finely grated some organic mozzarella cheese to finish it off. I put it in the 300 degree oven for the last half hour of the bison roast's cooking time. When I took the roast out I turned the broiler on to get the top golden brown.

The last touch was preparing pan gravy while the roast rested. Yum.

Korean-Spiced Beef Buns

2011-10-02T17:16:00.004-06:00

It's definitely the time of year for comfort food. And it always correlates directly with the weather. The temperature went from +34 (remember, in September!) and I craved watermelon and all things summer but two days later, with the drop in temperature I began to search through my fall recipes.

A recipe I've always wanted to try is from the 2008 Jan/Feb issue of Cooking Light: Korean Spiced Beef and Cabbage Rolls. Check out this link for the recipe. I omitted the sugar, used a splash of red wine in place of the sherry, and used ground ginger because the ginger at the grocery store didn't look very good. Never be afraid to experiment or change things around to make it work for you.

Love for the Pie Iron

2011-10-02T15:48:00.005-06:00

I was just looking through some pictures from this summer when I came across a tasty meal we had while camping in Jasper. I had made some sloppy joe meat to take with us and we decided to make a sloppy joe with cheese in the pie iron. Highly recommend!

One Pot Curry Stew

2011-10-02T13:08:00.003-06:00

The other night I was craving chicken pot pie and I ended up taking it quite a different direction. I had a time crunch and decided to use a prepared organic soup as the base rather than making my own white sauce - and it went from there. I love happy endings to my food experiments!

One Pot Sausage & Curry Stew

chicken mettwurst sausage
onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
button mushrooms
1/2 package firm organic tofu, drained and diced
carrots, sliced into coins
celery, finely sliced
frozen kernel corn
cabbage, finely sliced
pepper to taste
2 tbsp curry powder
tsp cumin
organic sweet potato soup
2 tbsp flour

Begin by sauteing 3 chicken sausages in a large dutch oven. Feel free to omit or put your own twist on the recipe. The mettwurst sausage I used had a great blend of spices (coriander, marjoram, allspice, caraway) to compliment all the flavours in the stew so another option is to brown ground chicken, google mettwurst recipes and simply add these spices to the chicken. The sausage will be chopped up anyway. While the sausage is browning break it up with your utensil and remove casing if necessary. I had to go through the steps this way because I started with frozen sausages. If they are fresh then begin by squeezing the sausage meat from it's casing and brown.

Add diced onions and mushrooms to the pot and cook down, then add garlic and saute for a couple more minutes. Add spices and stir for a couple of minutes to bring the spices to life. Add remaining vegetables, diced tofu (optional) and sweet potato soup. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

From this point I spooned the stew into small ramekins and covered each with a piece of all-butter puff pastry. Bake at 375 until puff pastry has risen and is golden brown. To make it a hearty casserole add some cooked pasta. Today for lunch we had it one more time and I baked the remaining puff pastry in strips and served them like bread sticks in the stew. Delicious. Hearty. Comforting.

Grilled Italian Sausage Pizza

2011-08-22T23:52:00.004-06:00

flour/yeast/salt/olive oil/dried oregano/ground flax seed

4 organic chicken italian sausages

cheese of choice (goat/cow/vegan)

onion

mushrooms

orange pepper

organic tomato/pasta/pizza sauce

Begin by preparing pizza dough. I like to use this recipe. Set aside to rest.

Grill sausages and saute onions. Clean and slice mushrooms and pepper.

Divide dough in half (to make it easier to handle on bbq) and press out into a disk - to the desired crust thickness, remembering that it will rise when grilling. Lightly oil one side and place that side on a low-medium preheated grill. Leave for approx 5 minutes. Take off of grill and place grilled side up on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Place toppings on pizza and return to grill for another 10-15 minutes. You could also bring all the toppings out to the grill to make things easier - just remember to flip it over and place the toppings on the grilled side (this prevents soggy dough). Keep an eye on your grill to make sure it isn't too hot or you'll burn your crust.

Sea Scallops w/ Quinoa Pasta

2011-08-17T19:20:00.004-06:00

I recently read an article on the health benefits of sea scallops and oysters - much to my surprise. I have never really been a fan of scallops because I found them incredibly rich. When I think back I've often seen scallops and other seafood accompanied with cream and butter. No doubt I found them rich. This protein rich meal was quick and healthy.

1 package quinoa spaghetti (prepared as directed on package)

1 cup peas

1 package sea scallops (about 20 small sized)

basil pesto (handful of fresh basil, pine nuts, minced garlic, splash of lemon juice and olive oil to bring it all together - pulse in food processor, adding olive oil slowly)

While the pasta is boiling preheat a skillet with a couple of teaspoons of canola oil to medium high heat. Place a couple layers of paper towel on a plate and place scallops on top. Top with another layer or two of paper towel and let sit while the pan preheats. This gets the excess water out so you can get a great sear on the scallop. Place about a third of the scallops in the pan, making sure that you've left enough space between them - if you overcrowd the pan the scallops won't sear. Turn over after a 2-3 minutes - don't touch them before hand. They should have a great golden sear and release from the pan beautifully. Sear the other side and place in covered dish to keep warm while you prepare the other batches.

Toss the pesto and pasta, reserving a little of the cooking liquid to help bring it all together; toss in the peas and serve.

2011-08-17T19:04:00.002-06:00

Lamb burger sandwiches - same ol' ground lamb recipe I've posted before on sunshine bread, mayo, greens and cucumbers.

Meatless mushroom burger - sounded good, had great taste but there was a bit of an issue keeping the patty intact on the bbq!!! I think my main problem was pulsing the mushrooms a little too long in the food processor. I'll post the recipe if I can get it to work properly.

Warm potato salad - create a foil packet of baby potatoes, and onions and bbq until fork tender.

Dressing: fresh chives, dill, sour cream, stone ground mustard, fresh ground pepper

Denver(ish) Sandwich

2011-08-01T21:50:00.003-06:00

I was recently introduced to the world of the Denver sandwich. When we were on holidays my husband ordered one and I inquired about what exactly was involved with his selection. He told me that it's a denver omelette between two pieces of toast. Ham, onion and green pepper are the standard ingredients in the omelette. So, one night when I was feeling uninspired to cook I knew I had some eggs in the fridge and I recalled how much Kevin liked his sandwich. Here is my variation with what I had on hand.

Omelette:

6 organic eggs

splash of milk (dairy, almond, soy)

sliced green onion

grated goat mozzarella

freshly cracked pepper

Not bad for my first omelette! I just left it alone (kind of like a pancake) until it was bubbling and the top was almost set and then I flipped one half over onto the other, cooking it for a few more minutes. We made it really simple by putting it on whole grain toast with some ketchup. Quick, easy and filling.

Summer, How I Love Thee

2011-08-01T21:11:00.006-06:00

My new favourite summer salad. I love my salads but I usually like them to go on the side of something. I think the trick is to get a salad to feel satisfying without feeling the need to have to serve it with something. These salads could go both ways for me - on the side (even if it does take up half my plate!) or on their own for lunch.

Last summer I tried to "pickle" watermelon and I loved the sweet/sour taste of it. This year I decided to add some greens and a few of my current go-to salad ingredients. It's a wonderful marriage of sweet, sour, salty, crunchy and soft - oh so good.

Watermelon, cubed

goat feta cheese

pine nuts/pecans/sunflower seeds (or all 3!)

sliced green onion

organic mixed greens

dressing: stone ground mustard, agave nectar, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, olive oil

(note: I did have leftovers and it was rather soggy, as expected, the next day but still edible - for smaller crowds I'd recommend serving the dressing and watermelon on the side so leftovers can be preserved)

This was served with cedar planked salmon, iced tea, some crusty bread and corn on the cob with pesto compound butter (I think I use pesto in everything these days - yum!)

Brewed (then chilled) pomegranate white tea, pure white grape juice, lemon slices

Chili-lime cedar planked salmon.

As I opened the fridge to grab my usual lemon I asked my guests what they thought of lime on their salmon instead. I was reminded of a delicious salad they had made with southwestern flavours and out came the chili powder with the lime. Since it was an experiment I only lightly dusted the salmon with the chili powder but I would be more generous next time. A sprinkle of lemon pepper spice mix and fresh cracked peppers were the only other seasoning. No need to fuss with gorgeous wild sockeye filets. Just remember to soak your plank before using so that it doesn't burn up to quickly.

And how could I forget dessert? Great friends are a wonderful excuse to have a tasty treat.

These are bbq-ed bananas served with organic vanilla ice cream (also could be great with tangy homemade frozen yogurt), quick "toffee" sauce (butter and agave or brown rice syrup melted together), toasted pecans, dark chocolate chunks and a sprig of chocolate mint.

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Quinoa Pasta Salad

1 box quinoa macaroni - cooked according to package directions (but I'd recommend checking for doneness about 5 minutes earlier than they say - gluten free pastas can get mushy and overcooked easily!) - rinsed with cold water and drained well

organic carrots - thinly sliced into coins

1 large green onion, thinly sliced

frozen corn kernels, cooked and chilled

dill to taste

fresh cracked pepper

dressing:

organic mayonaise, stone ground mustard, olive oil, agave nectar, rice wine vinegar

Beyond Wieners on a Stick

2011-08-01T20:38:00.004-06:00

We spent some time camping in Waterton last month and had a wonderful time. Since we bought a travel trailer we have felt the flexibility to spend more time in one location and do so in much more comfort than our tenting days. It also gives us more flexibility with our food preparation. We have a great fridge/freezer so I can bring food along with us - I've just got to do a little more menu planning to make sure that I have all the components of each meal. And as yummy as a hot dog is cooked over an open fire we didn't want to eat that for two weeks straight. (Plus, the townsite campground only has communal picnic shelters, not fire pits at each site - most likely to do with the wind I'd imagine).

Bbq chicken breast on a toasted ciabatta with goat cheddar, mixed greens,

pesto infused mayo and thinly sliced apple.

This one takes a little prep the day before but it's worth it. Combine in a large bowl: 1 can coconut milk, 1 tbsp curry powder, lime juice, honey, pepper and minced garlic. Add drumsticks make sure each is well coated. Cover and place in fridge overnight. All that's left to do is grill them! So moist and delicious, with a hint of curry and the smokey goodness of bbq.

Coconut curry chicken drumsticks served with lemon spinach couscous and mixed greens.

Grilled Salmon Kebobs with Quinoa

2011-06-27T22:34:00.002-06:00

Grilled Salmon Kebobs

Marinate, a couple of hours to overnight, two wild salmon filets in a mixture of maple syrup, ground mustard, garlic, dill and soy sauce. Cut into cubes and place on skewers (if you're using bamboo skewers soak them in water first). Make sure your grill is cleaned and oiled. Place skewers on preheated (med-low) grill and don't flip them until they easily come off the grill (about 5 minutes on my grill at my temp) - then flip and grill on the other side. Serve over quinoa.

Pesto and Pea Quinoa

Prepare 2 servings of organic quinoa according to directions (if it is not prewashed make sure you rinse your quinoa first as it has a bitter protective outer layer). Fluff with a fork and stir in 3tbsp of pesto and some blanched peas. That's it!

Giant Stuffed Mushroom and Other BBQ-ed Delights

2011-05-24T21:37:00.000-06:00

Stuffed and Grilled (mini) Portobella Mushrooms

mini portobella mushrooms - cleaned and stems removed

(bigger than cremini, smaller than their full grown versions)

ricotta cheese

day old bread, torn into small pieces

pesto (when I have some in the house every recipe seems to get some thrown in as it has to be used up!)

1-2 tbsp milk to bring it all together

green onion, finely sliced

shredded goat cheese

Grill on medium heat for 10 minutes

Turkey Burgers

ground turkey

wheat germ

1 organic egg

1 tsp chili powder

sliced green onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pasta Salad - I've totally been craving pasta salad these days!

1/2 package organic vegetable pasta

1-2 green onions finely sliced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

drizzle olive oil

2 tsp brown mustard

2 tsp organic mayo

1 tsp dill or 1 tbsp pesto

The infamous "beer can chicken". I used a juice sweetened Jamaican lemonade as a sub in for the beer.
Begin by removing any upper racks from your bbq then preheat one side of the bbq at a medium temperature. Prepare chicken by opening beer/pop can and drinking about 1/3 of it. Then mix together a spoonful of onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, oregano and steak seasoning. Place a couple of spoonfuls of spice mix into the pop can and rub the remainder on the chicken. Set can into it's holder (you can buy tools specifically for this anywhere bbq tools are sold) and place the whole thing into a disposable roasting pan. Set the chicken on top and you're set to go to the bbq. Put the chicken on the side of the bbq that does not have the burner going and turn the heat down to low. Keep an eye on it, making sure it doesn't get too hot - slower, lower and longer is best. I once had it too hot and neglected it, only to find that the heat from the lid burned the top half of the chicken. Oops. Roast it for about 2 hours or until internal temp reaches 180, juices run clear and legs easily pull away.

Golden This Time

2011-04-24T22:31:00.000-06:00

We had a delicious beet salad the other day that was almost exactly like the one I posted recently - the only difference was golden beets and I used lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar in the dressing. It was served with a wild salmon filet. I could eat a whole bowl of this right now. Mmmm...

Spring Has Sprung

2011-04-24T22:21:00.001-06:00

There are some foods that I only eat when they are truly in season. Asparagus is one of them. I got a great book by calling into CBC radio years ago called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and the family decided that they would only eat food they raised/grew or bought locally and they began this new lifestyle when the asparagus sprouted in the spring. Unfortunately, our climate does not allow for spring harvest but I can still follow a seasonal diet. Some foods simply align themselves with certain seasons anyway. I could relate to this family starting off with asparagus as it seems "off" to buy asparagus in the middle of winter. I think you appreciate food more too when you eat seasonally. I've mentioned in a past post that I like to shop for the freshest ingredients and then decide what I'm going to make afterward. If the kale looks wilted and the apples are shipped in from New Zealand then they won't make it into my cart. But based on my seasonal knowledge I was hoping this week that there would be some fantastic organic asparagus waiting for me! (and there was)

I had a sheet of puff pastry in the freezer from Christmas time and I remembered a Jamie Oliver recipe I had for an asparagus tart. His recipe is rather rich so I tweaked it by using milk instead of cream, no butter (there's enough in the pastry), and a much smaller amount of cheese (a lower fat version also). It was a marriage of the end of the fall harvest (potatoes) and the start of the spring season.

I ended up making way more mashed potato than I needed for the tart so I put the leftover in a casserole to bake the next day. Because of the egg in the mix the potato puffs up, a bit like a souffle. I served it along side slow-braised curried chicken.

Next is our Easter tradition of a braised leg of lamb. I really like lamb chops and think they are more appropriate for Easter but I personally find them too rich for my digestive system.

Braised Leg of Lamb

Canadian leg of lamb - bone in

1/2 bottle organic red wine

1 head of garlic

1 yellow onion

Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile preheat a ovenproof skillet or dutch oven and sear lamb on all sides until browned. Add chopped onion, halved head of garlic and wine. Place, covered, in oven for 2 1/2 hours. Resist the urge to eat as the delicious aroma fills the house - dinner will be ready soon enough ;)

We had pesto mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus with the lamb and lemon cheesecake squares for dessert.

The inspiration for dessert was found in an old Kraft magazine. I took the recipe and made it as clean as I could. I used almond meal, the flour, organic butter and crushed organic ginger snaps for the crust. I could have used frozen oil (when you put regular oil in the freezer it changes it's viscosity) instead of butter and a different type of flour just as easily. As for the cream cheese there are organic dairy and soy versions available. I used about 1/4 cup of agave nectar as the sweetener and omitted the sugar completely. My last tip is to put a layer of parchment paper in the pan to make it easy to pull out the squares.

Brussel Sprouts Revival

2011-04-13T19:15:00.000-06:00

I've only had brussel sprouts a few times in my life and despite an effort to like them I always turned up my nose at them - until last week. Kevin and I travelled to Las Vegas and ate at Bobby Flay's restaurant, "Mesa Grill" (I'll have to blog about our culinary adventures there later). Kevin ordered a side of brussel sprouts and they were delicious! Just as the beet salad from yesterday was inspired by this trip I wanted to try and recreate these brussel sprouts at home (just to test if I really did like them or it was some magical celebrity chef conspiracy). This link will take you to the recipe on his webpage. As pomegranates are hard to come by this time of year I used dried cranberries instead. Then I decided to add sliced green onions and toasted pecans instead of walnuts. (In the restaurant he also used pecans). In fear of the sprouts not reheating well we ate the entire bowl! If you try reheating them let me know how it goes.

Served with a bison steak - first barbecue of the year!! Yay spring :)

Just Beet It

2011-04-12T20:06:00.000-06:00

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad

9 organic beets (red, golden or a combination)

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp raw agave nectar

1 tsp olive oil

crumbled goat feta

pine nuts (toasted or raw)

mixed greens

Wash beets and trim off both ends. If they are small leave them whole or chop larger ones in halves or quarters (so all the beets are the same size and will roast for the same length of time). Place in a shallow baking dish at 400 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Let cool and peel off skins. Cool beets completely (and if you're in a hurry pop them into the freezer to speed up the process!) Chop into bite size pieces and toss together with other ingredients. Serve on a bed of mixed greens (or just arugula). (Accompanied by baked mahi mahi filet, encrusted with almonds and spices)

Colourful beet juice

Note: when eating dinner and watching the food network be prepared to want whatever is being prepared on television! We went immediately into the kitchen to see what we could make for dessert - this is our creation: organic chocolate pudding sweetened with agave, bananas, hazelnuts and a chocolate peanut butter drizzle.

Bison Dips and Carrot Fries

2011-03-30T19:06:00.000-06:00

I had a lovely bison sirloin tip roast that I wanted to roast but I didn't feel quite like the traditional fixin's that go along with roast anything. So here's tonight's recipe.

Carrot Frites

a bag of thin organic carrots

olive oil

thyme

Preheat oven to 375. Wash and peel carrots, cutting them in half or quarters, about the length of a french fry. Toss in olive oil and thyme. Roast for approx 45 minutes or until slightly caramelized and crisp.

Bison Dip

Bison roast

dry mustard

pepper

rosemary

garlic powder

onion powder

red wine

Preheat oven to 400. Place bison in a roasting pan, mix together dry ingredients and pat onto roast. Add 1/4 cup of wine to the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast @ 300 (turn the oven down when you put the roast in), covered, until your preferred meat doneness. (Be careful not to overcook bison but since we're not fans of rare meat our bison roasts are still cooked to well. This roasting method produced a juicy, tender roast. The reason bison can overcook and therefore be tough is because of how lean it is.)

I prepared the roast earlier in the day so this could also be done the night before or even at dinner time, just allow for at least 1/2 hour resting time for the bison. This allows all the juices in the roast to stay there instead of cutting it right away and having those juices run out (and then you're stuck with dry meat.) Thinly slice, against the grain and pile up on a toasted bun. My favourite bread toasting trick these days is to spread some basil pesto on the cut side before toasting - just gives the sandwich an extra kick of flavour.

Au jus

There should have been some liquid in the roasting pan which would have all the flavours of the red wine, spices and natural juices from the bison. Serve along side the sandwich for dipping. Try adding some ketchup, tamari, honey and garlic to create a bbq version.

Lamb Meatballs Anyone?

2011-03-24T18:46:00.000-06:00

Lately I've been letting the ingredients I find in the pantry/freezer and the fresh products at the grocery store inspire my cooking more than picking a recipe and then going out to buy those ingredients. There was ground lamb in the freezer which I've pretty much done the same way but in different forms. Burgers both ground and as patties, kebabs, and now meatballs. And instead of wrapping them in some form of pita-esque wrap why not romaine lettuce? A very quick meal to whip up.

Lamb Meatball Wraps

1 pound ground lamb

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp (+) gyro spices

Form into meatballs and cook in saute pan until browned on all sides. Serve in romaine lettuce leaves with tzatziki sauce (yogurt, cucumber and tzatziki spices).

Open-faced Portobella Sandwich

2011-03-15T19:25:00.000-06:00

Open-faced Portobella Sandwich

Tonight's creation was inspired by some beautiful portobella mushrooms I bought the other day. I wiped them clean, brushed them with olive oil and grilled them in a preheated grill pan. Earlier in the day I had slowly sauteed a thinly sliced yellow onion until it was soft and beginning to brown. Then I added about 1/4 cup red wine to deglaze the pan and cooked the onions until all the wine was absorbed.

I assembled the sandwiches in two different ways. The first was the whole mushroom on toast, topped with the onions and served with yam fries on the side (leftover from last night's meal). The other version had the mushroom sliced and tossed with the onions and then topped with the yam fries.

Here Fishy, Fishy

2011-03-14T23:28:00.001-06:00

This picture doesn't do this sandwich justice. It was so delicious. A baked wild salmon fillet with mixed greens, herbed mayo and grilled bun with roasted garlic.

I began baking the fillets the night before (they were thawed in the fridge and needed to cook them) so all I had to do was reheat them in the oven and assemble the rest of the sandwich. I had an herb and almond mixture left over from a baked halibut dish so I added some to the mayo to give the mayo an extra kick. And while the fillets warmed I minced some garlic and put it in the oven, covered, to quick roast it. (Be careful to keep checking on it - you'll smell it when it's done - burnt garlic is horrible) Roasted garlic has a milder, sweeter taste than it's raw counterpart. The roasted garlic can be added to a little olive oil or butter and brushed onto the insides of the bun before grilling. Yum.

The other fishy meal we had was a healthier option of fish and chips. I pan fried (not deep fried!) sole fillets and served them with roasted yam fries. These recipes I took out of my "Delicious Detox" cookbook - who knew detoxing could be delicious?

Another Smoothie Idea

2011-03-14T23:10:00.000-06:00

Last year I watched a cooking show that gave me the idea to freeze smoothies into popsicles and I was all over it! They are a great snack, especially on a summer day or after a good workout. Then Kevin and I were talking about breakfast options that I could make for him to eat at work and the frozen smoothie idea came to mind. So, we tested out freezing an entire smoothie and he has reported that it works well. I make batches of smoothies and pour them into freezer safe plastic drink containers (BPA free). Kevin takes one out of the freezer in the morning and leaves it in his office to partially thaw. All he has to do is shake it up at that point and enjoy. Keeping it frozen makes the smoothie a much nicer consistency than letting it thaw completely.

And making all these smoothies for him caused me to have a craving for one today. The one pictured above is blueberries, unsweetened chocolate almond milk, a heaping spoonful of almond butter and a frozen banana. I have quite the stockpile of overripe bananas that I have popped into the freezer and they work fantastic in smoothies. Be creative with the ingredients, include some fiber (I use wheat germ in Kevin's), some protein, and lots of fruit. The options are endless!

Hello, neglected food blog

2011-02-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that my cooking inspiration has been sporadic the last while. When life gets busy the first thing to go is important stuff, like food and eating! Not a good plan but it's the reality. I depleted leftovers and stocked up on the best clean eating, prepared dinners I could find. I miss cooking though. I miss meals that don't feel rushed - stuffing your face just because you know you should eat something probably isn't the best plan.

But it wasn't all bad! Here are some creations over the past months. (Note to self: update food blog more often so you remember how you made it)

Eggnog inspired french toast (Christmas morning)

Braised Bison Shanks, Mashed Apples and Turnips

Thyme and Rosemary Roasted Carrots and Baby Potatoes

Best Clean Eating Christmas Dessert Ever!

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cranberries and Walnuts

Toffee Sauce and Organic Vanilla Ice Cream

Yum, Yum, Yum :)

Pastry/Apple/Cheese Thingamabob

Sage and Goat Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

Too hungry to take a decent picture, Braised Lamb Leg

Ridiculously tender and delicious

Shepherd's Pie with lamb leftovers

Monochromatic Rice Wrapper Wild Halibut & Coleslaw Rolls

Bison/Chicken Meatloaf

Best meatloaf I think I've ever made

Taco soup inspired by friend's potluck dish

Squash, Ricotta and Walnut Lasagna

With Kamut Noodles

Erin's Vegetable Pot Pies

2010-12-20T22:06:00.001-07:00

I recently had an "Amy's" brand vegetable pot pie and it was delicious! I have been craving pot pies for a while now and it certainly hit the spot. And although I liked it I really try not to buy too much pre-made food. When things get busy it's nice to have some healthy go-to meals but cooking things yourself really is the best for quality control. So, I bought another pie and dissected it. The vegetables were easy to figure out (especially since they were written on the ingredient list!) but there's always the elusive "spices" mystery on ingredient lists that give companies their secret edge. I felt pretty confident I figured out some of "Amy's" tricks and made my own version to freeze. (I found these awesome individual pie containers at the grocery store.)

Erin's Vegetable Pot Pie

2-3 carrots, peeled and cubed

1-2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 yam, peeled and cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pack organic, extra firm tofu

1 cup frozen green peas

thyme, dill, salt

2 tbsp organic butter

2 tbsp flour + extra for further thickening

1 litre low sodium, organic vegetable stock

1 cup organic milk

1/4 organic white cheddar

Prep tofu by squeezing water out. (The best way to do this is to take it out of the package, cover it with paper towel, place it into a baking dish and put something heavy on top. Put it in the fridge and leave for a couple of hours.)

Place cubed root vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for 30min at 375.

Saute onions in a large pot or saute pan until soft, add garlic and add to roasted vegetables. Set aside until ready to use. Cube tofu and also add to vegetables. Tofu not your cup of tea? Use cubed chicken meat instead.

Add butter to the emptied pan and when melted add flour. Whisk, cooking for a couple of minutes to get rid of the flour taste. Slowly begin adding stock, whisking until combined and smooth.

Simmer over medium low heat until thickened, adding more flour (a little scattered over the top) if needed. Add milk and remaining stock, a little at a time until all incorporated and a thick sauce is achieved. Return vegetables to pot with the sauce, adding tofu and peas also. Add cheese and seasonings, stirring until cheese is melted.

Prepare preferred pastry recipe. I tried a pure, vegetable shortening this time (Earth Balance) with whole wheat flour and some italian seasonings - the dough was flaky and delicious. Roll it out and use the pie plate as a guide for the size of the top and bottom crusts. (For the bottom turn the pie plate upside down and cut an extra inch diameter around. For the top, match the outer rim of the upside down plate.)

Gently place bottom crusts in pie plates, spoon filling into each one, brush the edge with egg, place the top crust on top and press to seal the edges. Cut a couple of vents in the top crust then bake on a tray for 20-30 minutes at 375, or until crust is brown and filling is bubbling.

Ground Lamb Bunwiches

2010-12-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

I cleaned out the freezer a while back and organized all my meat into their best before dates. Then I've been letting that meat serve as my inspiration for meals. I had taken some ground lamb out and let it defrost in the fridge. And when it was ready to use I was in a rush. Forming meatballs, skewers or burgers was going to take longer than I had for dinner prep so here's what I came up with.

Ground Lamb Bunwiches

whole wheat burger buns

(when making your own add some spices to the dough to kick it up a notch)

1/2 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground lamb

gyro spice mix

cucumber, sliced

sauce: tsp mayo, tbsp yogurt, garlic to taste

Soften onion in a saute pan. Add garlic, being careful not to burn it. Add lamb and cook through. Drain fat. Add spice mix and a little water until spices are fragrant and well incorporated.

Slice buns to make a pocket (like a pita), place a spoonful of sauce along with 3-4 sliced cucumbers inside the bun and then add some of the ground lamb mixture.

Eat one bite and yell Yam!

2010-11-24T23:14:00.001-07:00

Last week I went to visit a long time friend of mine and one morning she showed me a scrumptious looking recipe that had us both feeling inspired. I immediately declared that we should make it and it was decided that indeed we would! The original recipe for sweet potatoes with pecans and goat cheese is found on the food blog, Smitten Kitchen. We roasted the yam medallions and saved some plain ones for her two children who aren't big fans of this vegetable's texture. I love how she challenged their palette and encouraged them to eat at least one bite (which turned into multiple bites - super mom!). And after each bite she had them yell out "Yam!" It was awesome. Yum! Yam!

Well, you don't have to bribe me to eat yams and I'll yell out "Yam!" anyday. Even though I pigged out on this yammy feast only a few days ago I couldn't resist making it again. Here is my slight variation of Smitten Kitchen's rockin' recipe:

Celery "Salad" on Yam Medallions

w/Pesto Crostini

large yam

olive oil

pepper

Salad:

2 stalks organic celery, thinly sliced

1 green onion

goat cheese feta or chevre, crumbled

fruit and nut trail mix (unsweetened)

Dressing:

1 heaping tsp stone ground mustard

1 splash rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp almond butter

Crostini:

1 whole wheat baguette

1-2 tbsp organic butter

1-2 tsp basil pesto

Preheat oven to 400. Wash and slice yam into medallions (circles). If the skin is in good shape leave it on for more nutrients. Place on baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with pepper. Roast yams approximately 15 minutes then flip and continue for another 10 minutes. The yams should be fork tender (not mush) and slightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until combined. Then wash and slice celery and green onion. (Good call on finding the green onion Paula - that mild onion bite would've been missed!)
Run your knife through a generous handful of trail mix to ensure there are no large pieces of fruits or nuts. The trail mix I have in the house has sunflower seeds, raisins, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, dates, and almonds. The texture and flavour contrasts in this recipe really are wonderful - sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy, hot and cold. Perfect.
There may seem like a lot of steps in this recipe but it really was a quick meal. The other component is the savoury crostini which requires a grill pan, broiler or toaster oven. Combine pesto and butter. (If needed soften butter in microwave for 10 seconds. Slice baguette into rounds. Spread compound butter on both sides of each slice and toast in preheated grill pan (or under broiler) until browned. I personally love the marks from using a grill pan.
Now all that is left is assembling all the components. Place yam medallions on plate, top with celery salad and sprinkle goat cheese crumbles on top. Serve with warm crostini. Pig out and yell "Yam!".

No Soup For You

2010-11-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, you can have soup. How about squash, apple and red onion finished with a little basil pesto? It's certainly not a recipe passed down through the generations and stored in an armoire but it's pretty simple and tasty. I feel like I've posted a bazillion recipes like this one - it's my basic creamy soup but it's so yummy that I have to post every variation for my own future reference.

Carnival Squash

Carnival Soup

1 medium winter squash

1 granny smith apple, peeled and cored

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

dash garlic salt

basil pesto (basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese)

unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk

Wash and half the squash. Scoop out seeds. (wash and save seeds) Roast at 375 with peeled and cored apple for 45 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Cool.

Meanwhile saute onions until softened. When squash is cool enough to touch separate the skin from the flesh and place in a blender with apple and cooked onions. Add enough almond milk to get the blender going and puree until smooth. Return to pot that you sauteed the onions in and add more almond milk until desired soup consistency is reached. Add a sprinkle of garlic salt (ie. salt and garlic powder). Serve with a dollop of pesto and a goat's milk grilled cheese sandwich.

More Curry and A Potato Casserole

2010-11-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

I had to cook for a large group last week and decided to stick with basic chicken and potatoes as they generally are well liked ingredients. I had a jam packed day on the day I needed to prepare the food so I decided on braising the chicken in my large dutch oven at a low temperature for 4 hours. As for the potatoes the first thing that popped in my head was the hash brown casserole on everyone's potluck list. I checked some recipes I had and then online for the classic dish and was grossed out to see an entire stick of butter on the ingredient list. Seriously? A whole stick? So, I cleaned it up and lightened it up - and hoped that it wouldn't be a flop!

Braised Coconut Curry Chicken

enough boneless skinless chicken to feed a miniature army

(or however many people you're planning to serve)

1 can light coconut milk

one small red onion, diced

1/2 tbsp oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

generous pinch turmeric, ginger

dash nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp flour (all purpose or brown rice)

In a large dutch oven (heavy pot with tight fitting lid - you could also use a slow cooker after the first few steps) saute diced onions in a small amount of oil until softened. Add garlic, being mindful not to burn it. Keep the temperature med-low/med. Add ground spices and cook for a few minutes - this helps to release all that spicy goodness! Add chicken pieces (if using breasts cut in half or in thirds) and stir to coat chicken. Shake coconut milk well and pour over chicken. Braise, covered, in a 250degree oven for 4 hours until chicken is cooked through and very tender. Remove chicken from pot and thicken braising liquid by adding flour, whisking until smooth, then bring to a simmer. Return chicken to thickened sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. (You can't taste the chicken for proper seasoning until it's fully cooked!) Serve over rice, noodles or alongside potato casserole!

Potato Casserole Revamped

8 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 small container fat free sour cream

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp dijon mustard

organic chicken soup (or make your own creamy sauce)

1 cup grated organic cheese

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp thyme

Prepare potatoes and par-boil for approx 5-7 minutes. Drain and add to 9x13 baking dish. Slice mushrooms and add to the potatoes. Pour sour cream and enough chicken soup over it to cover. Add cheese and seasonings, mix well. Bake at 400 for an hour or until bubbling and starting to brown on top.

Curry

2010-11-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that I got from "Gourmet" magazine years ago. Delicious.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-and-Curry-Pie-236403

Curry, beef, purple potatoes and peas inside puff pastry - how could you go wrong?

Yogurt and Poppyseed Salad Dressing

1/4 cup plain organic yogurt

1-2 tsp poppyseeds

splash rice wine vinegar

splash honey

Another magazine that has wonderful recipes is "Fine Cooking". That's where I got the recipe for this vegetable curry. In the same edition was a clean recipe for cornbread and I thought the two would work well together.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/south-indian-style-vegetable-curry.aspx?nterms=50142

I used the vegetables I had on hand rather than going out and buying the ones indicated in the recipe. Golden beets, purple potatoes, purple carrots, and sweet potatoes were what I used.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/classic-buttermilk-cornbread.aspx

Pumpkin Out of the Box

2010-11-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Another food adventure we had on holidays was encountering a pumpkin pie milkshake and a meatloaf sandwich at the Urban Diner in downtown Edmonton. Kevin had the shake and I, the sandwich. I definitely wanted to try the sandwich at home and while I was getting things ready I remembered that shake Kevin had.

Erin's Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin

1 cup homemade frozen yogurt

1/4 -1/2 cup organic milk/almond milk

cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger to taste

Blend together until smooth.

Meatloaf, cranberry chutney and garlic mayo. Yum.

I also had some pumpkin bechamel, caramelized onions and yams leftover from when I made the pizza so I checked the pantry and came up with a pumpkin cannelloni. The picture isn't super appealing but it was absolutely delicious.

Pumpkin and Yam Cannelloni

roasted yams

caramelized onions

ricotta cheese

cottage cheese

cannelloni noodles

pumpkin bechamel

Prepare noodles as directed until al dente. Mash yams and onions together, combine with cheeses. Fill cooked noodles with mixture and place in a baking dish. Cover with pumpkin bechamel. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake at 350 for 1/2 hour until heated through and sauce is bubbly.

Pizza Adventures

2010-11-11T10:56:00.001-07:00

Last month I had some of the most creative, unique pizzas I've ever eaten. On holidays we ate at the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company in Canmore and had chicken/apple with pesto and a Thanksgiving inspired special. I had never thought about putting turkey, pumpkin or yams on a pizza before this! Then in Banff I couldn't resist another wood fired pizza at the Bison Restaurant - smoked bison, caramelized onions, edamame beans and fresh mozzarella were too intriguing. And it was one of the best pizzas I've eaten - ever. So, naturally I felt inspired when I arrived back home. I wanted to attempt my own version of the Thanksgiving dinner on flatbread but simplified.

I began with my normal dough recipe - whole wheat and honey with Italian seasonings. I also added a touch of nutmeg and allspice, keeping with the Thanksgiving inspiration.

The sauce was a pumpkin bechamel (a pumpkin based cream sauce). Begin by making a rue then adding pumpkin, spices and milk. Simmer until thickened.

For the toppings I cut up leftover turkey breast, caramelized onions, roasted and cubed yams then topped the whole thing with goat's milk cheddar.

The Rocky Mountain pizzas.

And somewhere along the way I discovered that the Flatbread Company sells frozen versions of their pizzas. When we stopped at Planet Organic for groceries on the way back home I grabbed one to try. Not the same as the real deal, finished in their awesome oven but still very tasty.

Gobble

2010-10-24T22:43:00.003-06:00

We were in Banff this Thanksgiving, enjoying an amazing buffet at the Keg in the Caribou Lodge. We were excited to return this year as we celebrated our wedding anniversary and remember the second Thanksgiving meal we ate as a married couple (the first being the scrumptious meal we ate at our reception). There's just something about thanksgiving food that gets me excited so even though the holiday is long over I decided to roast a turkey and make all the fixings that accompany it this weekend.

The technique I use to try and keep everything moist and perfectly golden is to cover the turkey in cheesecloth soaked in stock. I continue to baste the turkey, keeping the cloth moist until the last 1/2 hour or so of cooking time when I take the cloth off. That's all it needs to finish it's roasted turkey magic.

I realized I haven't taken a picture of my Le Creuset saucepan. Here's the gravy bubbling away. These pots are so beautiful. *happy sigh*

Roast turkey, pan gravy, roasted purple carrots, walnut and sage stuffing, cranberry chutney (need to revamp my recipe for next time), and garlic mashed potatoes with sparkling raspberry to drink. And next, the leftovers!!

Oh! How could I forget the pumpkin pie? Here's the link to my recipe. I didn't use any agave nectar this time, just 1/4 maple syrup. http://erinstinson.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkin-pie-and-allergen-free.html

Autumn Bounty

2010-10-24T22:10:00.000-06:00

One of my favourite things to do is to go to the Strathcona Farmer's Market in Edmonton, whenever it aligns with our traveling schedule. We bring a cooler and stock up on all the hearty offerings of the local farmers. Autumn brings a particularly awesome array of root vegetables, some of which I couldn't resist buying. Sugar pumpkins, purple carrots, purple potatoes, golden beets, and a honey squash traveled home with us.

Warm Roasted Golden Beet Salad

5 medium-large golden beets

1/4 white onion, sliced

salt/pepper

olive oil

granny smith apple, julienned

fennel, thinly sliced

goat feta

walnuts, toasted

balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar

Slice off beet tops and set aside. Wash and peel beets. Slice into rounds. Toss with salt, pepper, olive oil and onion. Roast at 375 until fork tender and slightly carmelized. (I lost track of how long they were in the oven for - it was at least 30 minutes)

Wash beet tops and saute with a little water until greens are bright and tender (approximately 10 minutes). Prepare remaining ingredients and layer as desired. Combine vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle over top.

Forgotten Summer Meals

2010-10-24T20:59:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you but I already miss summer. Fall cooking is lovely and cozy and blah blah (no, seriously, I do love it!) but I miss the warm sunshine and the barbecue. Here are a few meals made this summer that I neglected to blog about.

Grilled Lamb Burgers

Ground lamb

egg

gyro spice mix

onion, finely chopped

garlic, minced

pitas

tzatziki - yogurt, cucumber, garlic powder, dill

Combine first five ingredients and form mixture into patties. Grill until cooked thoroughly. Serve with tzatziki in a warmed pita. Simple and delicious and oh so summery.

BBQ Chicken Caesar

It doesn't get much easier than this. Cleaned organic romaine hearts. Your favourite caesar dressing. (Renee's makes a nice one without preservatives and sugar). Homemade croutons (tear up all those bread ends taking up space in the freezer, toss them with garlic powder, onion powder, a touch of salt, pepper and some olive oil, bake until crunchy at 350). Fresh grated parmesan. Bbq'd chicken breasts. Combine. Eat. Enjoy.

Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches

Another recipe from the "Clean Eating" magazine. Homemade frozen yogurt, made without the need for an appliance and some chewy dark chocolate oatmeal cookies makes for a neat twist on the traditional ice cream sandwich. A little messy to eat but a tangy, cool treat.

Snack Time (Gluten & Sugar Free)

2010-10-24T20:32:00.000-06:00

These date, chocolate& hazelnut puffed squares were really tasty. Regular puffed squares usually consist of melted butter, corn syrup, sugar and puffed wheat. All of which is unnecessary. The version I made was from a recent issue of "Clean Eating" magazine and the only indulgence involved melted dark, organic chocolate (which has raw cane sugar in it). In the future I think I could use cocoa powder without any issues. A small amount of honey (2 tbsp) and pureed dates are the substitute for sugar and corn syrup. I love dates. They are sweet and delicious - and a healthy alternative to any regular sweetener. The only things left to add are a little hazelnut butter, chopped hazelnuts, along with some puffed rice and quinoa.

It is common knowledge that I am addicted to popcorn. And sometimes a gal's just got to have some caramel corn. Using trail mix, raw cocoa nibs, brown rice syrup and agave nectar I created a healthier version of poppycock. All it requires is simmering the syrups, popping the corn, laying the popped corn and trail mix on parchment lined cookie sheets, drizzling the syrup over top, tossing to cover - then you pop the sheets into a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Let it cool and break it up.

And for a savoury chip/pita dip here is my recipe for curried humus. Take all the ingredients for a little spin in the food processor until smooth. Trust your nose and your taste buds and tweak the seasonings as desired. Maybe a touch of salt, a little more curry, another clove of garlic... hummus never seems to come out exactly the same each time for me.

1 can garbanzo beans with liquid - same deal as chickpeas (unsalted)

1 can navy beans (drained and rinsed)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

curry powder to taste

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

splash tamari (wheat free soy sauce) or tsp miso

tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

Fall Meals

2010-10-06T17:44:00.001-06:00

A local farmer was selling these pumpkin-like squashes and I was surprised to discover it was a type of spaghetti squash. I roasted it, scraped the cooked "meat" out of it's shell and tossed it with olive oil, pepper and a little maple sugar. I had also saved and toasted the seeds and used them as a garnish and served it back in it's shell (which had turned nice and crispy - a perfect bowl) It was a side dish accompanying wild salmon grilled on a cedar plank.

I discovered bison prime ribs at the farmer's market but wasn't sure how to go about preparing them. Pork ribs are often boiled and then either roasted or barbecued but I'm not a fan of boiling my meat. I decided to try them in the slow cooker in a homemade bbq sauce. They were tender and delicious, especially served over garlic mashed potatoes and sweet peas.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Bring a pot of water to a boil and place a steamer on top.

Wash and cut into large chunks 4 potatoes. Leave on the skin if it's in good shape.

Peel and crush with the back of a knife (not mince) 2 cloves of garlic.

Place garlic and potatoes in steamer until garlic is soft and potatoes are fork tender.

Mash together until smooth with a little milk and butter.

Remember good ol' wieners and beans? Every so often I get a craving. My version was a can of Eden's organic baked beans and grilled chicken sausage, served over roasted baby carrots. A little monochromatic but tasty!

Home Ec' Flashback

2010-10-06T16:39:00.002-06:00

One of the meals I remember making way back in junior high home economics class was breakfast pizza. So simple, so tasty and an easy breakfast, lunch or supper meal.

Toast bread, pitas or buns.
Top with a mixture of ketchup and bbq sauce.

Prepare scrambled eggs as desired
Place cooked eggs on bread and top with grated cheese.

Put under broiler until cheese is melted and browned.

Finito!

Caving in to Fall

2010-09-11T10:06:00.000-06:00

The transition between summer and fall seems to be non-existent this year. Instead we got slapped in the face with gloomy, rainy weather after quite a lovely summer and I think we're all still suffering from it's sting. But after a number of days of turning on the furnace and being in the trails, watching the fall colours appear, I decided it was time to relent. The days of delicate mixed green salads are turning to the months of hearty root vegetables roasted to perfection. And I'm slowly getting the urge to cook and create new recipes again. Okay, it's all coming back to me now... I love autumn.

Turkey "Meatloaf" w/ Blushing Root Vegetables

Meatloaf:

1 1/2-2 pounds ground turkey

half an onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/4 cup ketchup or 2 tbsp tomato paste

splash tamari

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp milk

1/4 cup crushed cereal or breadcrumbs

fresh sage, thyme and rosemary to taste

pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Saute half a minced onion with some garlic until softened but not browned. Combine the onions and garlic with all the above ingredients and spoon into a lightly oiled baking dish. Bake uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 165.

Blushing Root Vegetables:

beets

parsnips

carrots

onion

olive oil

"table blend" Mrs. Dash

1 tsp maple sugar

Wash, peel and cut the vegetables into bite size pieces. (Beet note: a few weeks ago we were having dinner at a friends house and she served some fabulous roasted root vegetables, including beets - thanks Kendra! I traditionally haven't been a big beet fan but my husband is so seeing someone else serve it in such a beautiful way inspired me to give it a shot. They roasted wonderfully along side the other vegetables so I was hopeful that I could do the same. Instead of scrubbing the beets, which are notorious for staining, I chopped off the ends, held it in a rubber gloved hand and peeled it with the other. That way I avoided scrubbing time and a big, ruby red mess.) Place the cut veggies in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with oil and toss with seasoning. Cover with aluminum foil and bake alongside the meatloaf. For the last half hour uncover the vegetables, stir them and sprinkle maple sugar over top. The gorgeous red juices of the beets will end up colouring all the other vegetables, almost making it look like rhubarb!

Turkey Chili

For me, the hardest meal of the day to deal with is lunch time. It's hard to feel inspired when I'm in the middle of a busy day and I know I just need to eat. The best remedy for lunch time boredom is having meals prepared ahead of time. When I think back to what we used to eat at lunch time no wonder we'd feel horrible and sleepy all afternoon! Grocery stores are filled with items marketed as quick lunch choices but they usually taste horrible, are highly processed, and void of real nutrition. And especially with the change of season hot, homemade meals are just the fuel our bodies need to get us through the afternoon.

2 pounds ground turkey

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 green pepper

chili powder to taste

pepper to taste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp savoury

2 tsp paprika

2 cans Eden's Baked Beans

1 can romano beans

1 can navy beans

1 can chopped tomatoes or 1/2 jar chunky tomato sauce

1/2 cup no sugar ketchup (that means no artificial sweeteners either!)

Brown turkey meat in large pot until cooked through. Meanwhile, saute onions, garlic, green peppers and mushrooms. Add to the cooked turkey meat. Continue adding remaining ingredients.

Buy beans that aren't packed in salt to control your sodium intake or rinse them before adding to the chili. Otherwise I add beans and the liquid they are packed in. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 4 hours - the longer the better to develop flavours. Keep tasting it along the way and add more spices if necessary.

Happier Hot Dogs

2010-08-02T21:38:00.001-06:00

For those of you who know my husband, you will likely know that his favourite food is hot dogs. He's eaten a bazillion of them in his lifetime and loves to tell the story of the time he ate twelve (yes, twelve) in one sitting then a 4 litre pail of ice cream. And he has informed me that this hot dog gorging isn't a one time occurrence. (Perhaps even thirty in one day!) It must be hot dog love. And as you can imagine, hot dogs aren't exactly on my "clean" menu (except on his birthday) so I was happy to find some yummy chicken hot dogs at a farmer's market. Sunworks Farm is a must stop when we go to the farmer's market and we stock up on all sorts of fantastic organic meat. Any of the prepared foods we've tried, like sausages and these hot dogs have been really delicious and have a short, clean ingredient list. No fillers, no sugar, no preservatives - right up my alley. These sausages and weiners have become staples in our house and are especially yummy when cooked over a campfire or on the grill.

And another discovery we made is Numi Honey Lemon iced tea. It's easy enough to make your own iced tea but sometimes it's nice to just grab a bottle and go. Plus, I think it's important to support businesses that you feel are doing things right. If we don't support them and continue to buy the mainstream brands that aren't very good for us then how will things change? This goes for everything from food to everything else we use and put into our bodies and homes. So, back to this tea. It's refreshing and delicious and "barely sweetened" with honey and agave nectar. Perfect with a chicken hot dog.

Campfire Pizza and Bananas in Pancakes

2010-07-18T22:12:00.000-06:00

My husband and I bought a travel trailer this year and have been enjoying our weekends away in the great outdoors. Meals have to be carefully planned out, with backup plans in case the weather is stormy. We have our favourite stand-by's, like steak and mushrooms or chicken sausages from the farmer's market - both cooked right over the camp fire. Yum. And this weekend I thought I'd try a pizza on the open grill and a new angle on a banana pancake recipe for breakfast.

Pizza a la camp fire worked out better than I thought it might. I made the dough at home and then put it into the trailer fridge to continue when we got set up at camp. The only difference with this crust was that I flipped it over once it was browned on the bottom (just to make sure that it was cooked through and wouldn't burn on the bottom. It was a little tricky flipping a hot, partially cooked crust outside but we managed and we didn't drop it in the dirt or the fire. We did cause a couple of tears in the dough which led to some of the oil from the pesto sauce seeping through and causing some dark (aka burnt) areas on the bottom but otherwise it worked fairly well. The challenge is maintaining consistent heat without it getting too hot or too close to the flames. Cooking it over a camp fire did give the pizza a lovely smoky flavour and a nice texture to the crust.

The other day I spotted a campfire cookbook and I quickly flipped through it for some inspiration. Everything seemed uninspiring until I saw bananas dipped in pancake batter. Cool! The cookbook wasn't worth the one recipe to me and it seemed pretty straight forward so banana pancakes made it on the camping menu this weekend. I picked a pancake recipe from "The All Natural Allergy Cookbook" and put together the ingredients for easy assembly. They were easy, quick and delicious. The bananas "sandwiched" between layers of pancake batter were oh so creamy. Yum. I'll definitely do this one again.

Bananas in Pancakes

your favourite pancake recipe

bananas

maple syrup

Begin by preparing your pancake recipe as usual, leaving out a little of the main liquid (ie. milk, almond milk, etc) so that the batter is thicker than normal - this will help the batter stick to the bananas.

Slice a banana in half and then lengthwise, into thirds.

Dip each banana slice into the batter and drop into a preheated cast iron skillet.

Flip when you see popped bubbles on the edge or top (just like regular pancakes).

Brown on both sides and serve with maple syrup.

Any extra batter? Thin the batter slightly and continue making regular ol' flapjacks!

Terrific Turmeric

2010-07-14T21:02:00.001-06:00

Turmeric is one of those super foods that seems to do everything but fix your car. If you're curious do a search on the internet for the health benefits of turmeric and you'll see what I mean. Super turmeric! And for those of you who live or have lived in the same city as me, turmeric is the ingredient that gives Mitchell's sunshine bread it's yellow colour. (The same thing goes for yellow mustard.) Turmeric has a distinctive flavour (it's a main ingredient in curry powder) so I don't use it too often despite it's health benefits. But whenever I think a dish would work well with a little turmeric I add it. Tonight I marinated tofu in a mixture of turmeric, curry powder, stone ground mustard, sesame oil, tamari and a splash of maple syrup. Then I grilled it on the barbecue and served it alongside a salad and some bread. (And I just so happened to have two ends of sunshine bread sitting in the freezer that I couldn't bring myself to throw out.) Even though I enjoy eating meat it's nice to have vegetarian and vegan days in the mix.

Curried Grilled Tofu

Begin by pressing the tofu cake. (Tofu comes in a variety of textures. I enjoy the texture of medium firm on the grill but any of the firmer ones would be fine. Soft or silken tofu's will not work.) Pressing takes out some of the moisture it's packed in so that more marinade will soak in. Tofu is pretty much tasteless so the flavour of your marinade will be the flavour of your tofu.

Pressing is done by removing the tofu cake from it's package, draining away the liquid and placing it in a baking dish lined with paper towel. Cover the tofu with another layer of paper towel and place a plate or another dish on top. Place a heavy jar from the fridge on top and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours. (If you don't have time just gently squeeze the tofu and move to the next step.)

Then pour out this liquid and remove the towels. Move the tofu to a cutting board and slice the cake into even 'steaks'. In the same baking dish combine marinade ingredients (no measuring) and then spread the tofu out in the dish, turning over to cover well. Place the dish back in the fridge until you are ready to grill. I'd recommend at least one hour but the more the better and turning half way will also help the marinade to soak through.

Grill over medium heat until heated through and grill marks have set. Brush with any leftover marinade - no need to worry about cross contamination with tofu! - and serve.

Sorry about that bean sprouts...

2010-07-06T00:12:00.000-06:00

The last time I picked up a package of egg roll wrappers in the grocery store I discovered that the ingredient list was not very "clean" so I put them back down and remembered I had come across a recipe for whole wheat wonton wrappers in my "Clean Eating" magazine. My friend Paula had taught me how to make some yummy spring rolls back in University days and I've been making them ever since, now with a few tweaks of my own. I used my $20 pasta machine to roll out the wrapper dough (1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 egg, a dash of sea salt and 2 tbsp warm water - combine, knead for a minute and roll out). I'd recommend having some white flour on hand to help with the rolling out process otherwise the dough tends to stick and tear. Making any type of pasta takes a little patience but it's worth it and I think it's fun!

For the filling begin by browning some lean ground bison, adding chopped mushrooms, finely sliced leeks and minced garlic. Cook it down until any liquid has evaporated. Then add a few splashes of apple juice and some freshly washed bean sprouts. Cook for a few minutes longer until the juice is absorbed and the bean sprouts are incorporated. You still want them to have some good crunch so don't overcook at this point. (You may also want to sprinkle in a little flour or cornstarch to help thicken up the filling if there's any liquid still hanging out in it.) Today I completely forgot the bean sprouts until I had finished wrapping them all. Oops. It turned out for the best though since it would have doubled the amount of filling I had and I was running out of time. I made two batches of the wrappers and likely would have needed two more with all the bean sprouts.

To form the rolls add a spoonful of filling in the middle of the wrapper (don't overfill or it will split) and moisten the edges with a little water.

Take one corner and pull it over the filling, pressing the corner to secure it.

Take the other corner and fold it over, securing it also.

Tuck up the ends like a little parcel, pressing lightly to secure all the edges. Now, all that is left to do is to heat them in a frying pan until they are golden brown. Serve with plum sauce or apricot preserves.

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

2010-06-29T23:26:00.001-06:00

This month I've been mostly cooking old favourites and standbys. It seemed like a particularly busy time therefore I didn't have the energy or desire to dream up new recipes. But the other day I felt like spaghetti and meatballs and decided to make a simple turkey meatball using some of the fresh herbs I'm growing. Turkey is very lean and can dry out so I added some moisture and some 'filler' to help hold it together.
In a small food processor (or smash it in a bag) pulverize sugar free, organic corn flakes. Add it to a bowl with ground turkey meat, an egg, fresh oregano, garlic, onion, parsley and whatever else you feel like. Form them into balls and brown them in a skillet. Cook through. Simple. Healthy. Delicious. Instead of a tomato sauce these meatballs would also be yummy with a pesto or an alfredo type sauce too. I'd also recommend mixing it up by using a pasta made with something other than regular wheat - like quinoa or kamut.

Summer Picnic

2010-06-29T23:12:00.000-06:00

Since the weather started warming up I've been having lots of picnics or at least eating lots of picnic food. I love picnics! Sandwiches, salads, something crunchy to snack on and a bite of dessert are common picnic fare for this gal. And it's even better when you can share picnic food with good friends. Here is the latest version, which was indeed shared with wonderful friends.

~salmon sandwiches and gf bread~

wild sockeye salmon, organic mayonnaise, parsley, chives, pepper and dill

~'pickled' watermelon and peppermint~

watermelon, fresh peppermint leaves, red wine vinegar, agave nectar

~coconut nut balls~

almond butter, variety of nuts and seeds, brown rice syrup, coconut

Braised Lamb Shanks

2010-06-01T08:16:00.000-06:00

Deeelicious! I wanted to make a nice meal for a guest last night and I remembered I had some wonderful looking lamb shanks in the freezer. I braised them (slow cooking in liquid) for 3 hours and they were fall off the bone scrumptiousness. The braising liquid consisted of organic red wine (Lucky Bug), a can of whole tomatoes with their juice, a cup of water, a couple heaping spoonfuls of tomato paste, a heaping spoonful of apricot preserves (no sugar added), a thinly sliced onion, 6 cloves of smashed garlic, a couple of stalks of celery, 2 sprigs of rosemary and a bunch of thyme. In braising you want the liquid to cover about 3/4's of the meat. Use a dutch oven (large, oven safe pot) with a tight fitting lid and braise at 350 for a few hours.

Creme Brulee Banana Chocolate Pudding Pie (Agave Sweetened)

2010-05-30T21:24:00.004-06:00

I was craving dessert. And at home I have continued to choose not to cook with sugar. Hence my banana pie creation. I made an oat/honey/oil crust (which I would have preferred to have been a nut crust but in the interest of time chose to make the oat one) and 2 batches of sugar free, gluten free chocolate pudding (sweetened with agave nectar). Assembling it was a cinch. One batch of cooked chocolate pudding, one thin layer of bananas, the second batch of pudding and another layer of sliced bananas. Then I got the idea to torch the bananas after I sprinkled a tiny bit of maple sugar (just crystallized maple syrup) over top.

I continue to be surprised with desserts that can be made without sugar cane and their natural sweetness is much more palatable than the sugar we are most often used to. Last night we went to an annual barbecue that my husband's company puts on and I call it a "cheat night". And on those designated cheat nights I even survey the dessert table for anything that looks like it might be worth a bite or two. I tasted a layered cake and was amazed at how excessively sweet it was. (It was tasty though) ;) But for every other day it's nice to know that I can create desserts that satisfy a sweet tooth and are created with clean ingredients.

And, if you're looking for a good resource on clean eating check out this magazine. There are a few things that they use (like pork) that I don't consider clean eating but there's lots of great recipes and information. http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm

Salmon Casserole

2010-05-20T18:40:00.003-06:00

A rainy day like today was perfect for a cozy casserole. And leftover salmon fillets were the inspiration. Mix it all in a creamy sauce with egg noodles and peas, and pop in under the broiler - comfort in a dish.

gluten free, sugar free, dairy free doesn't equal taste free!

2010-05-14T08:22:00.004-06:00

Lately we've been going through the bananas faster than they ripen but there were two left this week that were getting to that place. Time for banana bread! Months ago I tried a great gluten free recipe in a cookbook I have. (Check out this previous post for the recipe.) This time I decided to add some carob chips and it worked out well. This is one of those recipes that I'd serve even to people who didn't have any food intolerance issues. They may notice something a little different but the taste and texture aren't much different than 'regular' banana bread. Some recipes I've tried definitely require an acquired taste or desperation for something resembling that item -been there! Some things just don't taste good! But the more that you eat unprocessed, sugar free, gluten free, etc, etc the more your palette is refined and you don't need all the 'extras'. To me, it's like a detox and once you've eliminated the garbage it doesn't taste good anymore. (I actually find the same with things like detergents, fragrances, plastics, paints, fabric softeners, etc. Not that I eat them but their toxic odours are offensive to me now.) The more you clean up the more you can identify the junk in your environment and in your food. So, even if you don't have any issues with food intolerance I challenge you to make the effort to eat (and live) and little cleaner. It just starts one step at a time. (Ha! And as I type this I can see the neighbour trying to kill his grass with some kind of chemical - lovely.) I can't control my neighbours and I can't control you but I can control my own choices and try and encourage you at the same time. So, why not whip up a batch of banana bread without refined sugar and wheat? ;) Or how about some sugar free, dairy free french toast made with sprouted grain bread and served with real maple syrup and some chicken sausages? Eating clean is good and tasty!

French Toast using

sprouted grain bread, eggs from happy hens

and unsweetened chocolate almond milk

BBQ Tofu

2010-05-12T21:04:00.005-06:00

Although I have reintroduced many of the foods I tried to eliminate I still like to experiment with my cooking, and limit those "forbidden" foods like wheat, corn, red meat, etc, etc... Although lately I have to confess that I have been eating a lot of popcorn. I find that I go through food funks - times where I don't feel like cooking and I lose interest in the whole thing. And when things get busy, as they have been lately, I tend to resort to quick food fixes like toast or popcorn. I have a hard time creating meals when my brain is scattered. I'm not very good at making food plans but I'm going to try doing it again in the hopes that it will come in handy on those 'popcorn' nights. (I still have my doubts about whether eating inflammatory foods affect my psoriasis, since eliminating them didn't improve it, but it's still time to stop the popcorn binge!!)

This week I cleaned out the fridge and was determined that I wasn't going to let anything else go to waste. One thing I have gotten better at over the years is making meals out of the things that are already in the house but sometimes food will get lost among the bags, jars, and cartons. I hate wasting food. (Foods that aren't uber-processed have a much shorter shelf life!) So, once the fridge was cleared out of all those 'iffy' items that I felt too guilty to chuck but too wary to eat, I could clearly see what remained. And an extra firm package of organic tofu was just the ticket for a Tuesday night.

I didn't have enough time to press the tofu as I usually do so I gave it a good squeeze to get as much liquid as possible out. Since it's extra firm I found this quick press worked just fine. Then I sliced the tofu cake in half and ultimately into 8 square slices. The marinade of tamari, white wine, honey sweetened bbq sauce, and a spoonful of miso was mixed together in a baking dish and I spread the slices out on top. After an hour or so I flipped the squares and let the tofu continue marinating. I grilled them over low heat (but preheated the bbq to a higher temp) for about 10 minutes total. One of the things I love about tofu is that I can use the extra marinade without worrying about cross contamination (like I would with marinated chicken, for example). I served it with roasted yams and shallots and some sauteed mushrooms. It was a delicious vegan supper!

Burrrrrito!

2010-05-03T20:49:00.006-06:00

"Refried" Beans

1 can organic, unsalted pinto beans

generous pinch salt

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

splash tamari

Add one can of pinto beans, with the canning liquid to a saucepan and heat. Mash the beans and add all remaining ingredients. Stir frequently and reduce until desired consistency, adding a little water or vegetable stock if necessary.

Taco/Burrito Filling
1 pound ground organic beef or bison
(measurements are approximate - follow your nose and your taste buds and adjust accordingly)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp minced onion (or onion flakes)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (or garlic powder)
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano

Brown meat and add spices, stirring until well incorporated. Sprinkle a very small amount of flour (or: cornstarch, brown rice flour, arrowroot...) over top. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup filtered water, mix well and simmer until thickened.
Spread some of the bean paste over the tortilla and spoon the meat into the centre. Top with salsa, your choice of cheese and veggies, plus my personal favourite, sunflower seeds. I don't know what it is but I absolutely love sunflower seeds in wraps of any kind.

This picture has nothing to do with burritos but I wanted to take a picture of the old and new labels of my favourite organic tomato sauce. I will miss the old, colourful label...

We All Live In The Meatball Submarine

2010-04-27T23:51:00.006-06:00

I've been craving meatballs. Mmmm, meatballs... Then it led to a craving for a meatball sub so I whipped up a batch of sub buns, made a pot of simmering meatballs in tomato sauce and served it with some coleslaw. Delish!

Lean Bison Meatball Subs

extra lean ground bison

1 egg

oregano

parsley

basil

garlic powder

onion

paprika

organic tomato sauce

goat cheese mozzarella

whole wheat sub buns

Mix together meat and spices and form into uniformly sized balls. Heat skillet and brown meatballs on all sides. Add tomato sauce and simmer. Slice open buns, place meatballs and sauce on one side. Top with cheese. Brush the other side with a little olive oil and garlic and put under broiler until toasted and cheese is browned and bubbly.

Rock on fennel, rock on

Fennel and Cabbage Coleslaw

(fennel has a delicate licorice taste)

Smoothie Popsicles

2010-04-22T18:39:00.007-06:00

This week I caught part of a "Chef at Home" episode where Michael Smith froze a leftover smoothie to make popsicles. (Note to self... that's a great idea - I should make smoothie popsicles!) Here's my version:

Smoothie Popsicles

plain organic yogurt

unsweetened chocolate almond milk

frozen blueberries

frozen strawberries

small amount of agave nectar or honey

Puree until smooth and pour into popsicle molds. Freeze. Easy as pie... well, easier than pie.

And have you ever heard of broccolini or broccolette? I've seen it in the grocery stores but haven't tried it until today. It's like a cross between asparagus and broccoli with long spears and flowerettes on the end. The entire thing is edible, including any yellow flowers that may be on it. I cut off the ends and steamed it for about 6 minutes. (Served alongside grilled bison steak and sauteed mushrooms)

Grilled Lemon Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2010-04-22T09:17:00.005-06:00

The wonderfully unseasonal temperatures we've been experiencing have been perfect for being outside and firing up the barbecue. And the warmer it is outside the lighter the meal you want. Yesterday I came up with this recipe:

Grilled Lemon Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 organic chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

lemon

tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

4 garlic cloves, minced

brown rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles)

1 carrot and 1 cucumber, julienned

head of romaine lettuce, separated into leaves

cashews, chopped

sesame oil

Using kitchen scissors cut chicken into long strips. Place in a container with the juice and zest of one lemon, a couple of splashes of tamari and the minced garlic cloves. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours. Wash and prepare vegetables. Bring water to a boil and soften rice noodles. Grill chicken, a few minutes on each side, until cooked through. You could put the chicken on skewers too but I was careful to place them across the grill so they couldn't fall through. Drain rice noodles and rinse, adding a splash of tamari, lemon juice and sesame oil to the noodles - toss. To prepare simply use the romaine leaf similar to a taco shell, filling it with some noodles, a couple of strips of grilled chicken, then topping it with the vegetables and chopped nuts.

Easter Menu

2010-04-16T22:06:00.007-06:00

roast rack of lamb w/ dijon, rosemary, thyme crust

roast carrots
shitake mushroom & thyme risotto (dairy free)
lemon meringue pie (gluten free and sugar free)

Shitake and Thyme Risotto
1 small container fresh organic shitake mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups arborio rice
3 sprigs fresh thymeBegin by sauteeing the mushrooms and onions in a little oil. Meanwhile heat vegetable stock in a separate pot. Add rice and cook, stirring for 4 minutes. You'll hear the rice crack and pop. Add wine and thyme and cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Then begin adding the vegetable stock one ladle at a time, stirring until nearly evaporated before adding the next ladle. The process should take about 20 minutes. If the rice is not quite cooked through and you've used all your stock you can use hot water. This is where traditional risotto recipes call for rich cream and butter but the consistency is so creamy already that it is unnecessary in my opinion. Serve immediately.

Lemon Meringue Pie

almond flour crust

making the lemon curd (sweetened with honey not sugar)

finished pie - (meringue sweetened with maple 'sugar')
the filling can be simply the chilled lemon curd or beaten egg whites can be folded in to give it a much creamier texture

The Return Of BBQ

2010-04-16T21:14:00.005-06:00

Some people bbq all winter long but we wait until the weather warms up and the snow enveloping the bbq melts away. And what better to barbeque but a tasty burger?

I also have a fondness for sausages of all types and since our days of processed smokies and wieners are extremely limited I get excited when I find some that are just meat and spices (no preservatives, fillers, etc). Here we grilled turkey cranberry sausage and chicken apple sausage served with a side of my coleslaw.

Apple, Sunflower Seed Coleslaw

organic green cabbage, sliced finely

organic granny smith apple, julienned

sunflower seeds

dressing:

mayonnaise (the real stuff)

honey

rice wine vinegar

celery seed

dijon mustard to taste

A kitchen tool I loved using this winter when the barbeque was still hibernating was my Le Creuset grill pan. It made for tender, juicy meat with those sweet looking grill marks.

Chicken and corn quesadillas were on the menu this night.

rolling out tortillas

corn, grilled chicken, bbq sauce and goat's milk mozza

a trick I use to make sure the cheese is melted