Lamb in Red Wine Sauce

Even if you think you don't like lamb, you'll love this!
Got this recipe from my friend many years ago and it's been my go-to lamb recipe ever since.

Ingredients:

5 1/2 lb leg of lamb, preferably boneless
3-4 garlic cloves, slivered
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dry rosemary
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

First, pat the lamb dry with a paper towel. If it's a bone-in, remove alot of the fat and cut 25 slits in the meat. If it's boneless, keep the net or string on and carefully cut slits in meat without cutting net. Insert the garlic slivers.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and dry rosemary, then brush or rub all over the leg. 

Let stand 30-60 minutes at room temperature.

Roast at 450F for the first 15 minutes.

Then reduce oven temperature to 325F and roast 1 hour and 30-40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 125. Check internal temperature about 30 minutes before the expected end time.

Remove to a platter, cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes before cutting. It will continue to cook a bit while standing.  Then snip off the netting and slice. But while it's standing prepare the sauce.

Red Wine Sauce:
Skim fat from the roasting pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.

Pour wine over and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Add beef stock and return to a boil.

Stir cornstarch and 1 tbsp water together and whisk into the stock.

Blend in the tomato paste and add salt and pepper to taste.

 Serves 10-12

Original recipe was possibly from Canadian Living magazine.

Halloumi

So Halloumi...you might be my new favourite cheese!

Picked this block of Halloumi (or Halloom) up at a middle eastern store, then proceeded to ask my daughter "what do I do with it?" She has mentioned using it in the past so I figured she could help me out.

She said it was best grilled so we used our Cookina sheet on the BBQ. Love it because you still get the grill marks but don't have to worry about food falling through the grill.

When I opened the cheese package I realized it was folded in half and when unfolded was just about the right thickness for grilling, 1/2". So just cut it into serving pieces.

No need for oil. Simply place the halloumi on the hot grilling sheet (or right on the grill if you choose, but maybe oil that first) and cook at 375F (medium hot) 2-4 minutes or until golden on the bottom and there is little moisture left. It doesn't melt!

Flip each piece and cook an additional minute or 2.

It's not like any other cheese I have ever had. It's briny/salty...

and it has the texture of a piece of white meat! 

I think it might be awesome on a skewer with some veggies.  Hmm, will have to pick up more halloumi !!

Cheerios Ice Cream Float

Last night's midnight snack. Couldn't decide if I wanted cereal or ice cream so why not both!

This just hit the spot. Imagine the possibilities of flavour combinations! Different cereal, say Cocoa Puffs with chocolate ice cream and raspberries!

Could this be a thing?

In The Pink Smoothie

Refreshing and good for you too! I don't have a high-powered blender so I used my food processor. A little gritty, but hey...fiber!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup fresh beets (raw or steamed)
¼ cup avocado (optional)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 large apple
1 raw carrot
5-6 ice cubes

I cooked my beet, I find the taste less earthy that way. I left the peel on both the apple and the carrot and I didn't use avocado here. I don't know if the vivid pink colour of the smoothie would have been toned down with it.

Blend or process until smooth (ish)

Makes 2 servings

Another healthy recipe from Nevine's Cuisine

Fresh Strawberry Dump Cake - only 3 ingredients!

Seriously, only 3 ingredients! How easy is that!!

Ingredients:

1 lb strawberries
1  2-layer box yellow or white cake mix
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

Cut the berries in half or if small leave whole and spread in a buttered 13 X 9" baking dish. 

Next, using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the cake mix.

Now "dump" the cake mix over the berries and spread out evenly. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Cool and serve with ice cream.

Next time I may try it in an 11 X 7" pan.

Massaged Kale and Beet Salad

After a few attempts at hiding snippets of kale in salads, this time I went for the whole enchilada. Or in this case, whole kale salad! And it was gooooood! That's right, there were no complaints...I've either won them over or they've just given up.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 kale leaves, washed and torn, about 2 cups packed
1 medium cooked beet, skin on
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsps olive oil
salt to taste

Boil or roast the beet with the skin on for 45 - 60 minutes depending on the size of the beet, then chill. Wash and dry kale then remove ribs and freeze them for later use (probably veggie broth).

Now to massaging kale.  These big leaves just need some tender-loving care to make it to the salad bowl. Place the torn leaves in a bowl and rub them around with your hands for a couple of minutes to soften them. They will become more bright green as you can see below in the before and after pic. I have learned that this is an important step in making kale salad, but does not need to be done in recipes where you will be cooking the kale.

Once green and tender toss the kale with the walnuts, minced garlic and oil. Mix about 10 minutes before serving. Then add the sliced beets...leave the skin on for more nutrients! And salt to taste. I used a good few grinds of pink himalayan salt.

Makes 2-3 side salads

Recipe from: https://www.mariaushakova.com/2017/07/detox-kale-and-beet-salad/

This Awesome Sushi Making Lesson

Learning how to make sushi was so much fun and informative too! 

To start we were each given a sushi mat to use with a piece of plastic wrap on top. 

Next was a sheet of nori (dried seaweed) which we were told has healthy omega-3 fatty acid just like tuna, salmon, and sardines. Makes sense, the fish eat seaweed. Just eliminate the middle man (fish) and eat the seaweed!   Place the nori rough side up to hold the next layer...rice. 

Sushi rice is very sticky and needs to be in order to keep sushi rolls together. Our instructor cooked the rice before class as it needs to be cooked then cooled (but not chilled) for best results.

Constructing the roll:

Use approximately 1/2 cup rice spread out on the bottom half of the nori. For a starter at a dinner party it was suggested to figure on 2-3 nori sheets worth of sushi per guest. One cup of sushi rice makes 3 cups of cooked rice. Do the math to figure out how much rice to cook for your number of guests!

There were several fillings to choose from, none of them sushi fish as this was a cancer wellness center class and some people would not be able to eat it.

In the image below I used a layer of mashed sweet potato, cucumber, radish and crab flavoured pollock. There's your fishy element!

Learning to roll was interesting.  (Note: the image above is sideways. The rice edge of the mat should be in front of you) Starting at that end lift the mat and plastic wrap with your thumbs, while your fingers rest on the veggies not the rice, as it's sticky. Sorry no picture of this as I only have 2 hands, LOL :)  

Gently squeeze from the middle out to the edge with each hand, then remove the mat and plastic. Fold some of the plastic back so there is just enough to go around the roll again. You don't want plastic rolled up in your sushi! Continue this way until the roll is completed.

To seal the edge of the nori dampen with water or soya sauce and roll up. So far, so good

I was worried that when I cut the roll the filling would squish out, but we were told to gently pinch up the nori to slice through, then the rolls sliced well. Of course you need to use a sharp knife.

A sprinkle of black sesame seeds looks great, but holy moly these little guys are packed with nutrients! Look it up! 

This next roll was vegetarian. So nori, rice, then a layer of sriracha mayo (about 1/4 cup mayo to 1 tbsp sriracha), some more sweet potato because it was SO good, then cuc, radish and avocado.

I think these ones came out a little rounder than the last batch.

We had soya sauce and wasabi as condiments, along with marinated sushi ginger (not pictured)

Next time I will try to cut my rolls in even thicknesses and take more time to be more artistic in presentation. 

Thanks to Nevine's Cuisine I think I can call this a success!

Kale and Bean Sprout Stir Fry

Healthy food, 'nuf said...

Ingredients:

3 large kale leaves
1/2 lb bean sprouts
1 green onion, sliced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsps tahini
2 tsps miso
2 tbsps olive oil
1/4 cup water
Pinch or 2 of salt

Heat tahini, miso and olive oil in a wok to medium high. Add ginger and garlic and cook just 1 minute. Add the kale, bean sprouts, green onion, water and salt.
Cover and cook about 3 minutes.

Serves 3-4 as a side

No Egg Apple Rhubarb Buckle

This is a good one if you have an egg allergy, if you're looking to lower cholesterol or if you just ran out of eggs. Of course, you can substitute actual eggs for the egg substitute too :)

Ingredients:

2 cups apples, chopped

1/4 cup rhubarb, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp zest of lemon or orange

2 eggs OR 6 tbsps water with 2 tbsps chia seeds

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Crumb topping:

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsps brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2-4 tbsps butter, at room temperature

Combine apples, rhubarb and 1/2 cup sugar and set aside. I had a few young stalks of rhubarb so 1/4 cup was all I had, but you could use more rhubarb if you like just adjust so that you end up with 2 1/4 cups of fruit in total.

This chia seed egg substitue is so neat! Mix the water and chia seeds together and let sit a few minutes for the seeds to absorb the water. It'll kinda gel.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large mixing bowl combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar and zest. Then add the eggs or egg substitute and the vanilla extract.

Add dry ingredients to the wet in 2 or 3 additions alternating with the yogurt to get this thick batter. Spread in a parchment lined 9 X 9" baking pan.

Top with the fruit then combine the crumb topping ingredients and sprinkle over all.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until golden.

Cool completely in pan before cutting.

Chicken Cream Cheese Wrap

Got lunch all wrapped up with this sandwich filling!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup cooked chopped chicken
2 tbsps dried cranberries
2 tbsps chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp dry parsley
3-4 tbsps cream cheese

Just mix everything up together and wrap in a tortilla with lettuce.

This recipe makes enough for 1 small tortilla wrap but feel free to double, triple, etc....

Strawberry Couscous Salad

To be honest I started off with the intention of making a quinoa salad, but I pulled out this Israeli couscous from the pantry instead. It all worked out fine...

Not like instant couscous which takes no time at all to prepare, this couscous is larger and needs to be cooked 10-12 minutes to give an al dente to these pearls.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Israeli couscous 
2/3 cup water

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsps maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cups beet greens, chopped
1 or 2 kale leaves, thinly sliced
1 green onion, sliced

3 or 4 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
1/2 orange sweet pepper, diced
1 small beet, cooked and shredded
1 cup strawberries (small whole or halved)

crumbled feta

Toast the couscous by tossing it around in a frying pan a bit. Bring the water to a boil, add the couscous and simmer 10-12 minutes until cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

Mix the beet greens (washed well), kale and green onion together and add the cooked couscous.

Mix the romaine, sweet pepper, beets and strawberries in a separate bowl and refrigerate.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and pulse in a food processor. Toss with the couscous mix. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

When ready to serve mix the romaine mix with the already dressed couscous mix and serve topped with crumbled feta.

Makes 4 side dishes.

Here alongside a Kofta burger pattie.
I used this recipe for Kofta but made patties instead of forming the meat on skewers. Barbecued like a hamburger pattie.

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2015/05/kofta-with-homemade-tzatziki.html