Biscoff No Bake Cheesecake

Indulge in this rich cheesecake slice of heaven highlighted with flavours of caramel, ginger and cinnamon. This no bake dessert comes together in about 20 minutes, then needs to rest in the refrigerator a few hours before serving. I'm sure someone with piping skills (not me!) could turn this into a real beauty!  

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature

3 1/4 tbsps sugar

1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

2 tbsps instant vanilla pudding powder

2 cups heavy cream

2 - 250g packages Biscoff cookies

strawberries

 

Garnish:

1/2 - 1 cup Biscoff spread

more cookies and strawberries

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and pudding powder together for 1 minute or until smooth. Add whipping cream gradually whipping on medium high until firm, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Lay plastic wrap on a pan or flat serving tray. Place 3 rows of 7 cookies each on the plastic. Spread about 1/3 of the filling over the cookies, then make a row of strawberries down the middle with a row of cookies on each side of the berries.

Spread another layer of filling over everything. Using the plastic lift the two cookie sides up to meet in the middle forming a triangle. Press firmly.

Spread the remaining filling over everything and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Carefully lift the cake to remove the plastic and place directly on serving tray or cake board. Heat the Biscoff spread on low in microwave only a few seconds then drizzle or pipe onto the cake and garnish with strawberries and cookies.

 

Serves 6-8

 Adapted from a post from merirasoi2024 on Instagram

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Tuna Stuffed Peppers

Perfect for an easy and healthy meal option using ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry right now.

Ingredients:

1 - 170g (or 4.5 oz) can tuna, drained (albacore this time)

2 bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

1 cup cooked rice (I used leftover rice and peas, if you have plain rice just add about 2 tbsps peas)

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 tsp capers, chopped plus a few more to garnish

2 tsps chili oil 

1 Roma tomato, seeds removed and diced

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 white mushrooms, chopped

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 1/2 tbsps mayonnaise

Roast the bell pepper halves in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes to soften. Set aside and reduce oven heat to 350°F.

Sauté the onion and mushrooms in chili oil on medium heat for 3 minutes then add the rest of the ingredients. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Return to a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Garnish with more capers if you like.

Serves 2

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Air Fryer Honey Garlic Sausages

Just one ingredient: sausages. Can't get easier than that!

Ingredients:

4 honey garlic sausages

That's it!

Just slice every 3/4 inches about halfway through and sit in the air fryer. Cook at 400°F for 9-12 minutes. Pair with rice or potatoes and veg.

Serves 2

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Oat Crust Fruit Pie

No roll oatmeal crust serves as the foundation for this fruit filled pie with no butter or refined sugar added. For when you are craving dessert but are watching what you eat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

3 tbsps water

1 egg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 lbs apples

3/4 lb rhubarb

1/4 cup raisins

2 tbsps water

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp coriander

Take 1/2 cup oats and whirl in food processor to powder then add to a bowl along with the remaining oats. Add 3 tbsps water, egg and cinnamon. I was going for no sugar in this recipe but if you want a little sweetness add about 3 tbsps sugar to the mix.  Grease a 9" pie plate or flan dish and press the crust mixture into the plate. Set aside.

Peel apples and slice, then simmer in a saucepan with 2 tbsps water just to slightly soften them, about 5 minutes. Add the rhubarb and raisins and cook 2 more minutes. Add the honey, vanilla and coriander and spoon into the crust.

Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.

Serves 6

Adapted from: Made by Emily

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Roasted Carrot and Broccoli Stems

I never knew we could eat broccoli stems, but lo and behold here they are. And they are delicious! It's like a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Buy broccoli and get the stem for free! Sweeter than the florets that we have been eating while tossing the stalks. But no more!! They can of course be made alone but I thought I'd pair them with bright carrot slices.

Ingredients:

2 broccoli stems

2 small - medium carrots

2 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

 

Start by cutting the woody end off the broccoli stems then, using a vegetable peeler, peel off the out layer and slice thinly. Peel and slice the carrots thinly too. 

Toss together with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Spread out on a parchment lined bake sheet. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes tossing halfway through.

I can't imagine how many broccoli stems I have thrown out over the years!

Serves 2-3

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Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs

A tangy sweet and sour sauce bursts with flavour in this Chinese restaurant takeout fakeout with juicy meatballs, onion, pepper and pineapple.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb ground pork

2 tbsps soya sauce

1/4 cup grated onion

2 tbsps grated ginger

2 tbsps minced garlic

2 tbsps vegetable oil

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced (or two halves in different colours)

1 cup pineapple chunks

 

Sauce:

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsps water

2 tbsps soya sauce

1/4 cup pineapple or orange juice

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

Combine the ground pork, 2 tbsps soya sauce, grated onion, grated ginger and minced garlic. Take heaping tablespoons and form into 16 balls then roll in 2 tbsps of cornstarch. Heat 2 tbsps vegetable oil in a skillet to medium heat. Fry the meatballs 10 minutes, turning regularly until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. You may need to work in batches.

For the sauce: In a clean skillet heat another 2 tbsps vegetable oil to medium. Whisk the tomato paste into the oil for 1-2 minutes then add the rice wine vinegar, honey, water, soya sauce and pineapple juice cooking 5 minutes. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water together then whisk this slurry into the sauce heating 30 seconds to thicken.

Add onion, pepper and pineapple and cook for 3-4 minutes then add the fried meatballs. Stir to coat and heat through about 5 minutes.

Delicious served with your favourite rice and veg!

Serves 4

And here's the link to my Roasted Carrot and Broccoli Stem recipe:  https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/06/roasted-carrot-and-broccoli-stems.html

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Walnut and Oat Flour Banana Bread

This banana bread is wheat and refined sugar free, and it's surprisingly moist with a tender crumb. Oh, and no butter or oil either!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup oat flour

2 ripe bananas

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

4 eggs

 

Add walnuts, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to a food processor and whirl on high to achieve a coarse, flour-like mixture.

Add the banana. It will make a thick batter. Then add the honey, vanilla and eggs and process until smooth and a much looser batter.

Pour into a parchment lined 8 X 4" loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf

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Grilled Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is labeled as a winter squash, but why should zucchini get all the summer love? Change it up with these barbecued squash slices.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

1-2 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

a few drops of hot sauce and any seasonings you want like:

cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, brown sugar, cinnamon

 

Wash, scoop out the seeds and slice the squash. Peel it if you like but there's no need as the skin is edible. Toss with oil and hot sauce, then seasonings and place on a 350°F grill. Cook 2 minutes on each side over direct heat, then move over to indirect heat and cover for 30-35 minutes. They are done when fork tender. 

Serves 2-3

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Orange Ginger Salmon with Snap Peas and Peppers

Restaurant worthy. Like seriously, every bite was mouthwatering!

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets

2 tsps olive oil

2 tsps minced garlic

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsps avocado or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

pinch of sugar

2 tsps red wine vinegar or Acid League strawberry rosé vinegar

100 g (3 or 4 oz) sugar snap peas

salt and pepper to taste

Rub the salmon with 2 tsps olive oil then combine the minced garlic, orange zest, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and pepper together and rub into the fish. Let rest for 20 minutes.

In the meantime get the vegetables going. Heat the avocado or vegetable oil in a skillet to medium. Add the sliced onion and cook 5-6 minutes, then add the red pepper for another 5 minutes. After that add the snap peas, ginger, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.

 

This strawberry rosé vinegar by Acid League added an interesting note to the overall flavour but red wine vinegar works too. Cover the skillet and cook veggies on low for 10 minutes.

Place salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 12-14 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Plate the red pepper, snap peas and onions and serve the salmon on top.

Makes 2 servings

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Rice Cake S'mores

I wouldn't go so far as to say these are a healthy treat. They are loaded with marshmallows and chocolate after all but they are a gluten free, semi guilt free sweet snack. And ready in no time for when that snack attack hits!

4 caramel chocolate chip rice cakes or any flavour you choose 

4 tbsps chocolate chips, 1 per rice cake

a handful of mini marshmallows on each

Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet for easy cleanup. Air fry at 350°F for 2 mins or pop them under the broiler for just 30 seconds!

You can also try spreading Nutella on the rice cake before the chocolate chips and marshmallows go on 😋

 

Serves 4

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