Maple Glazed Salmon

I marinated a piece of salmon for myself for the afternoon with about 3 TBSP maple syrup, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dill and pepper.  I baked it for about 20 minutes at 350F (covered) and then also pan fried a little at the end, because I like it a little “crispy” – probably more than any normal person would want their salmon but whatever.

 

Since there doesn’t seem to be a vegetarian equivalent to salmon yet that I know of, I just cooked Brent one of his vegetarian scaloppini. A brushed a little maple syrup on both sides of his, and sprinkled with pepper and dill weed, then added some sriracha sauce to the top and baked, uncovered for about 20 mins.

 

We had cauliflower in the fridge and I found this recipe on Kitchen Treaty – SOOOOO good!! A little messy/sticky when baking but tasted awesome – Maple Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower!  Even though we had similar flavors on our protein, everything was still super tasty and different.

 

http://www.kitchentreaty.com/maple-sriracha-roasted-cauliflower/

 

And topped it off with a little side salad of spinach, grapes, goat cheese and my balsamic vinaigrette I made the other day:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp pomegranate juice

1 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp minced garlic

                      

 

Thai Pumpkin Soup

I have seen quite a few versions of this recipe in some of our cook books, but took my own little spin on it today with what I had in the house!  It was… spicy - but really good!

 

14 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

14 oz can light coconut milk

1 Thai Red Pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 red potato, peeled and chopped

1 tsp hot curry powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp brown sugar

Pinches of salt and pepper

 

Combine all in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours then use immersion blender to make smooth! I garnished with a little more cayenne pepper and a little Thai red pepper - I’ve seen a few recipes garnished with pumpkin seeds which would be nice too!

 

 

Spinach and Cranberry Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Tonight I just kind of made dinner up!  Stuffed chicken with salad and a pomegranate martini!

Slice a chicken breast open lengthwise slightly to create a pocket (don't slice the chicken right in half!) and then open and sprinkle with some salt and pepper, lay 4 leaves of baby spinach in the pocket and spread soft cheese on top (I used Boursin cranberry and pepper!). Close the chicken breast and drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and bake, covered for 30 minutes.

I couldn't stuff Brent's chicken, so just baked it for about 10 minutes and then flipped and topped with pepper, spinach and cranberry cheese and baked for another 10 mins!

For the salad, I topped spinach with pomegranate seeds, chopped avocado, hemp seeds and some of the Boursin cranberry cheese crumbled and a balsamic vinaigrette:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp pomegranate juice (from the pomegranate I used to get the seeds from!)

1 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp minced garlic

Shake in tight fitting container until mixed

And I topped my dinner off with a little Pomegranate Martini:

1 oz vodka

1 oz pomegranate juice

Lime and pomegranate seeds to garnish 

Shake vodka and juice together in a shaker and serve!

Rice Paper Chicken Rolls!

Ok it's been awhile... and we haven't been making very exciting food the last couple weeks for some reason! But here's one that I tried after I saw a friend shared the recipe on Facebook! We happened to have ALMOST all of the ingredients to make these! I used chicken (real and fake of course) instead of shrimp and thought I had an avocado but apparently didn't so used red peppers instead to go along with the cucumbers, vermicelli, mixed greens and other fillings!  Yum!


http://www.shared.com/eat-fresh-with-these-shrimp-rolls-1944996682.html

Cauliflower and Potato Slow-Cooker Soup

Fall is coming... We had to turn on the furnace...maybe we're babies lol but it was cold! Boo - So I made soup in the slow-cooker!  A nice creamy cauliflower and potato soup but with no fatty cream or milk!! I just threw all of this into the slow cooker on low for about 6 hours or until cauliflower and potatoes are tender.  Then blend with immersion blender until smooth! Garnish with whatever!! I topped with mozza cheese and parsley!

1 head cauliflower, chopped
4 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
900ml vegetable broth (I think that's about 3 cups!)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
Pinches of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper

Chicken, Nectarine and Plum Stir-fry

I found this recipe online in 2009 apparently (according to the random sheet of paper I printed that I still haven't bothered to transfer to a recipe card!) and I have made it many times since then! It's nice and "summer-y" and colourful and so good!! Not much else to say except try it!! 

My "original" printed recipe said you could substitute plum sauce with honey garlic sauce and that's what I did since that's what we had! 

Also, I assume he's not the first person to ever think of this, but Brent has discovered and shared with me that corn starch mixes a LOT more nicely into a sauce if you dissolve into a little water before you add to the other ingredients - it doesn't seem to take away from its thickening ability and just mixes in a lot better with no clumps!! :)

So, buy some plums, nectarines and snow peas and hold on to the last few days of summer!!!!

http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/stir-fry-cooking-method/chicken-nectarine-and-plum-stir-fry/

Spinach and Feta Roll-Ups

10 lasagna sheets 

3 TBSP fresh basil, chopped 

2 TBSP red onion, chopped 

1 TBSP minced garlic

3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped 

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dill

1 tsp Rosemary 

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup Alfredo sauce

Cook pasta according to directions. 

In the meantime, combine basil, onion, garlic, spinach, feta, pepper, dill and Rosemary in a bowl.

When lasagna is cooked, follow these directions for each sheet:

Lay one sheet out and pat dry with a tea towel, then spoon some of the spinach mixture on to cover. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Some of the spinach mix WILL fall out, don't try to be perfect :)

Lay each roll-up in a baking dish (I split ours up because Brent likes things a little "saucier" than I do haha). Top with Alfredo sauce and mozza cheese, cover with tin foil and bake at 300F for about 30 minutes (or until sauce is starting to bubble). Uncover, take toothpicks out and broil until cheese is browned!!

I served tonight with a side salad with radish, celery and goat cheese (Brent had poppyseed dressing and I had some of my home made balsamic vinaigrette).

Homemade Guacamole

We had a super lazy appetizer night tonight! Veggie potstickers, jalapeño poppers and my homemade guacamole! I was on an agent trip a few years ago to Mexico and we were treated to a cooking class at the Fairmont where we learned to make a yummy recipe!

2 ripe avocados, mashed
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped very finely
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime (helps the avocado from browning and gives nice flavour!)
Sprinkle of salt and pepper

I also added half a fresh chopped jalapeño for fun tonight since I had one then served with Tostitos Roasted Garlic and Black Bean Tortilla Chips!!

Spicy Pepper Pizza

I was going to make a margarita pizza tonight but couldn't seem to find any fresh basil so decided to make a spicy pepper pizza instead!

I also bought a salad kit for a side - Eat Smart Mixed Greens and Quinoa - topped with the avocado dressing, quinoa, almonds and feta!

Spicy Pepper Pizza

1 package Kraft pizza kit

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 TBSP crumbled goat cheese

1 jalapeño, sliced

2 Thai red peppers, sliced

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 tsp dried basil

Mix the pizza crust according to directions, but I usually mix in half of the Parmesan cheese and spices that come in the package right into the dough! Then let rise as the directions say, and roll out onto a pizza pan. 

I like to cook the crust for about 4 minutes and then flip it before putting the toppings on.

So once it's been flipped, add the sauce, garlic, mozza, peppers and basil. Cook at 425F for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and browning! 

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Sandwich

I ripped this recipe out of Women's Health in March 2011 apparently and just trying it now lol! It was soooo good tonight!

For 1 serving each you'll need:
-1 chicken breast (I had one skinless boneless breast for me and a veggie breast for Brent)
-1 pineapple slice (I bought Canned slices but fresh would be delish!)
-A few slices of fresh or pickled jalapeño (I used 1 fresh one split between 2 of us)
-Teriyaki sauce (I used La Grille brand)
-1 slice Swiss cheese
-1 bun (we used ciabatta... I feel like I always do but my dad's store keeps making these and they're too good, I can't help myself)
-I slice of red onion, thinly sliced

Marinate chicken breast with teriyaki sauce (marinate separately of course if you are cooking real and veggie) for at least 1/2 hour.
Heat BBQ and then remove chicken from marinade and put on the BBQ! Cook for at least 5 minutes on each side. When almost cooked, place buns on top rack of BBQ to toast and at the same time either lay Swiss slices on the open faced bun or on the chicken breast (I chose the bun for less mess!). Also add pineapple slices to the grill and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
Top each bun with chicken, pineapple, jalapeños, onion and a little extra sauce if you'd like!

I also made us a little side salad, I inspired by the "wine and cheese" salad I like at Lady of the Lake in Brandon! Mixed greens, red grapes, pecans, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette (the recipe I posted on Sunday!).

Yum yum yum

Orange Sesame Chicken

Brent made dinner with a recipe from VH sauces - Orange Sesame Chicken with Bok Choy and rice noodles. Yum! Follow the recipe for the chicken below, cook rice noodles according to the package (takes like 2 minutes!) and he sautéed the Bok Choy in a frying pan with a little olive oil and about 3 TBSP of the VH Orange Ginger sauce until tender!

http://vhsauces.conagrafoods.ca/blog/recipe/orange-sesame-chicken/

PS I guess this is just like normal for us so maybe I forget to mention sometimes but he used a real chicken breast for me and a veggie one for him! See? Simple as that!

Mixed Greens with Strawberries, Nectarines and Goat Cheese

I made a bright summer salad last night with about 4 cups of our spring mix from the Farmer's Market, topped with 10 sliced strawberries, 2 thinly sliced Nectarines, 1/4 cup herbed goat cheese and this balsamic vinaigrette I made:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 olive oil

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp dill

1/2 tsp basil

Salt and pepper 

Shake in a container with tight fitting lid until mixed (shake again right before serving if it will be stored in the fridge before you use it)

!

Farmer's Market Salad

I don't usually share our lunches but this looked too good and pretty not to share! No special recipe, but just a salad with an awesome spring mix from the farmer's market in Brandon today, full of lots of different greens - I'm not even sure what to be honest! The bags are topped with pansies (edible!) so gives a cute pop of colour! I topped our salads with cucumber, Granny Smith Apple, avocado and goat cheese... Sounds like a strange combo maybe, I don't know, but it was good :) 

I had a raspberry vinaigrette and Brent had creamy poppyseed. I didn't want our extra ciabatta bread to dry up and go to waste so made garlic toast!! Maybe we each didn't need both sides of the bun but whatever, it's the long weekend! 

Beef Stir-fry

Simple dinner tonight - Beef Stir-fry with rice.

Heat about 1TBSP olive oil in 2 separate frying pans and fry beef until cooked through. I used real beef strips for myself and Gardein brand beefless strips for Brent.
Cut up about 2 cups of vegetables - I used broccoli, asparagus, celery and water chestnuts! Add to pans of beef with 1/2 cup water, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending how "well done" you like your veggies!

Stir-fry Sauce:
2 TBSP soya sauce
1 TBSP worcestershire sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Mix together and add to beef and vegetables when cooked and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice!

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Fresh Summer Salsa

Chris, Kyleigh and Luke came for supper the other night and we made this yummy BBQ chicken with tomato, avocado and mango salsa, along with BBQ potatoes, a fresh salad and rice (for the potato hater Brent, but everyone else had some too!).

Chicken Recipe from "Cooking Classy" - I also added some chopped up mango to the salsa and thought about adding a fresh jalapeño but didn't in case the kids wanted to try the salsa (they did not for the record... They both wanted chicken but not "that stuff" apparently)
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/07/grilled-cilantro-lime-chicken-with-avocado-salsa/

BBQ Herb & Garlic Potatoes
Peel and cut up 6 red potatoes into small pieces then toss with 2TBSP olive oil, 1tsp dill, 1tsp oregano, 1tsp cilantro, 1tsp minced garlic, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and cook on BBQ for about half an hour!

I made a Greek salad just with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta and a Greek Feta & Oregano dressing from Kraft!

Kyleigh made a lovely blueberry tart for dessert!

Then we had leftovers the next day with a chicken sandwich on ciabatta, topped with extra salsa and a side salad!