Creamy Tahini Linguini

Still Black Friday shopping on Saturday? This quick meal packed with protein is just the boost you'll need. And it takes no time to prepare!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup 10% cream
2 tbsps nutritional yeast
2 tbsps light olive oil
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp basil
2 tbsps lemon juice
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
handful of greens
3/4 lb spaghetti

While you cook the spaghetti mix the tahini, cream, nutritional yeast, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, basil, lemon juice and black pepper together in a small saucepan. Doesn't look very appetizing, I know.

Start warming it gently on low heat and when the pasta is almost ready remove some pasta water and add it to the tahini mix. Now heat through.

Drain the spaghetti then add the sauce and greens to the pot. Stir to coat and your healthy and light dinner is ready!

Add more cracked black pepper and some parmesan and you are ready for more shopping!

Serves 2-3

Adapted from: http://blog.eatbanza.com/tahini-linguine-alfredo

Balsamic Roasted Beets (or Best Beets Ever!)

Seriously...they're so good I could've licked the plate!

Ingredients:
3 cups roasted and peeled beets
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp (herbed) sea salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey

You could use canned beets but you would miss out on the superior flavour of the roasted beet. Once you brush them clean (ya don't peel them yet) they can be wrapped individually in foil or put in a baking dish and covered with foil (my personal favourite!) Bake at 350 F for about 1 hour, a little less, a little more depending on the size of the beets you're using. You could also barbecue them for about the same time. 

Once they can be pierced easily with a fork they're done. Leave until cool enough to handle (you can even do this part the day before you want to serve them) then peel them. The skins should mostly just slip off with a little rubbing. It is advisable to wear gloves so your hands don't turn pink!

Cut the beets into wedges, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in a 425 F oven for 10-15 minutes. Mix the balsamic and honey together tossing to coat the beets. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Garnish with some chopped greens of your choice... an herb like parsley or arugula as seen here.

Yep, definitely my new favourite beet recipe!

Serves 4-6

Cinnamon Roll Bread

One word ... keeper !

A good friend of mine was telling me she had a ball of store bought pizza dough that had thawed and re-froze and she wasn't sure if it was still good for pizza. She wondered if making cinnamon rolls from it would work. That got me thinking/researching...

(Side note: My friend is Italian and when I heard that she buys store bought pizza dough I felt vindicated for having not made pizza dough from scratch in years!! If she can do it, I can do it!)

Ingredients:
450g pizza dough
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
2 tsps cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsps milk
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules

I used frozen pizza dough, so I just left the ball in a covered bowl on the counter most of the day. Once doubled in size roll out on a floured board to 1/4" thickness and about 8 X 12".

Combine the sugars, butter and cinnamon and spread or crumble evenly over the dough leaving 1/2" space around the edge. From the long edge, roll up the dough gently but firmly.

Take a sharp knife and cut through the middle lengthwise.

Then, beginning at one end, twist the entire length.

Take one end and curl it towards the middle...

and bring the other end in to form a round. Carefully lift onto a parchment lined baking sheet. (I was soooo impressed with myself at this point!!)

Bake at 350 F for 30-33 minutes

Mix the glaze ingredients together. I guess you could omit the coffee if you like, but I found it just gave an extra layer of flavour to the bread and not really too coffee-tasting at all.

Once the bread has cooled at least 10 minutes, drizzle the glaze all over.

It's a thing of beauty!

One bite and I knew I'd be making this again soon!

Skillet Sweet Mincemeat Pie

Continuing with my cast iron skillet baking obsession, here is my holiday edition! (Please disregard the ugly old oven mitt in the picture!)

Ingredients:
1 lb pie dough
1 jar sweet mincemeat (about 4 cups, bought or homemade)

You can check out my homemade sweet mincemeat recipe at the end of this post, along with a bunch of skillet pies!

Roll out the pie dough large enough to overhang an 8 or 9" skillet, so 11 or 12" round. Place it in the skillet and pour in the sweet mincemeat.

Fold the overhanging edges up towards the middle, crimping as you go around. You can brush on a little egg wash, I didn't here but should have.

Bake at 400 F for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

And the best part... no leaks!!

Slow Cooker Sweet Mincemeat
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2015/10/slow-cooker-sweet-mincemeat.html

Green Tomato Sweet Mincemeat (Stovetop version)
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2014/11/green-tomato-sweet-mincemeat.html

And more skillet pies!!!

Cast Iron Apple Pie

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2019/10/cast-iron-pan-apple-pie.html

Strawberry and Apple Cast Iron Skillet Pie

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2019/10/strawberry-and-apple-cast-iron-skillet.html

Skillet Meat Pie (Tourtière)

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2019/11/skillet-meat-pie-tourtiere.html

Sun Dried Tomato Salmon

Flavourful  and healthy weeknight dinner. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients:
4 salmon filets
2 tbsps lemon juice
2 tbsps light olive oil
2 tbsps white wine
4 sundried tomato halves in oil, sliced
1 tsp capers
salt and lemon pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 tsp celery seed

Place the salmon in a parchment lined baking dish.
Mix everything together and pour over the top.

Bake in a 425 F oven for 18-20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily. 

Serves 4

Parmesan and Garlic Sweet Potatoes

The perfect side dish ... a little bit sweet and a little bit savory.
This recipe serves 2 or 3 people but can definitely be doubled or more.

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp light olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch of herbed sea salt
1/2 tsp oregano
fresh thyme
2 tbsps parmesan cheese

Mix the garlic, turmeric, butter, olive oil, pepper, salt, oregano and thyme together and toss with the potato slices. Then add 1 tbsp of the parmesan and toss. If you've seen some of my other recipes you'll know I like to use saved waxed cereal bags for this kind of job.

Oil a small baking dish and arrange the slices in a spiral pattern then top with another tbsp of parmesan cheese and some fresh thyme.

Bake in a 375 F oven for 35 minutes or until fork tender.

Honey and Thyme Roast Duck

If you are looking for something a bit special this little duck is a perfect dinner for two! The simple ingredients of citrus and thyme add just enough flavour, while the honey adds the right amount of sweetness without overwhelming the taste of the duck itself.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb duck (yes, it's a little one)
1 lemon, quartered
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsps honey
sprigs of fresh thyme
sea salt and lemon pepper to taste
1 or 2 small onions, quartered

Quarter the lemon, squeeze one quarter over the duck then place them all in the cavity. Add the orange juice and tuck in a few sprigs of thyme. Salt and lemon pepper all over and place in a roasting dish along with the quartered onions.

Roast at 425 F for 25 minutes. Remove and baste with the pan juices, reduce heat to 375 F and return to the oven for another 40-45 minutes.

Next drizzle the honey over the top of the duck, sprinkle on more fresh thyme and roast an addtional 20-25 minutes.

Let your golden duck rest 10 minutes before carving.

Mexican Meatball Soup

Chilly evenings call for a good robust soup. And this one will warm you right down to your toes!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice, cooled (leftovers work well)
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded jalapeño cheddar cheese
1 tsp oregano
2 tsps cumin 
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp avocado oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1  1/2 cups diced canned tomatoes
1 cup black beans
4-5 cups stock (turkey, chicken, beef, veg)
1/2 cup kernel corn
1 tbsp lime juice
pinch red pepper flakes or hot sauce (optional but advised)
spinach leaves

To make the meatballs combine the ground beef, rice, cheese and egg and roll into 2-3" balls.

Place the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile you can start the soup. Heat avocado oil in a large pot and add the onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook on medium-medium/high heat 3-4 minutes, then add the canned tomatoes, black beans, kernel corn and stock. I used a homemade turkey broth but any stock you have will work fine.

Bring to a boil, then simmer 15-20 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs to the soup in the last 5 or so minutes along with the red pepper flakes or hot sauce if using. You can also add some chopped spinach.

Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Then serve topped with a few spinach leaves.

Makes 4-6 servings.