Crunchy Cauliflower Bites

Lately I’ve been on a bit of a cauliflower kick, probably because it’s such a healthy vegetable and it retains any flavours you add to it. Cauliflower can be prepared in so many ways, try marinating it over night, or seasoning it, or this way: my favourite way to have cauliflower; breading and baking it. The first time I made these Sean and I devoured them in about 5 minutes, the whole head of cauliflower, gone! They really are that delicious!!

I use simple flavours to create this crunchy & tasty side dish, and it can be eaten with any meal.. I mean, who doesn’t love a crunchy aspect to any meal! It’s like eating crispy, cauliflower fries. But so much healthier, and (personally I think) much tastier! You’re not left with the heavy, greasy feeling after but an energetic, lightened feeling although you might be left with remorse that you ate them all and there are no more left.

Soak them in that egg wash to get all that crunchy goodness to stick!

Mmm Spicy breading mixture!!

Almost ready to go in! Is your oven pre-heated??

Oh Crunchy, Golden goodness! Yes!

Crunchy Cauliflower Bites

You’ll be wishing you made a double batch while munching on these crunchy little bites of delight! But the best part? They are healthy, so you can devour as many as you want while feeling great about making healthy choices! Does it get any better?

Time:

Prep Time: 10 minutes// Cook Time: 20 – 30 minutes //Yields: 2 – 3 servings (depending on your self control!)

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-size florets

1 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tsp roasted garlic flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Line with Aluminum foil and lightly oil a large baking tray, set aside.

2. Whisk egg and 2 TBSP water in a large bowl, add cauliflower, salt & pepper and mix well, ensuring all the cauliflower is covered in the egg wash

3. Combine Panko, garlic powder, cumin powder, red pepper flakes and roasted garlic flakes, separate shallow dish.

4. Working one at a time, dredge the egg soaked cauliflower in the Panko mixture, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until cauliflower is golden brown and crispy, turning once halfway through

Emily.xo

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Even thought it was 23+ yesterday, I had a strong craving for some creamy, hearty soup that I just couldn’t shake. I really didn’t want to turn on my oven when I got home to a scorching hot house, but boy, I really wanted that soup! So as always, my stomach won the battle and I turned on that oven to add depths of flavour to this delicious, warming soup; and yes, it was worth every bead of sweat on my forehead. This soup is so chock-full of flavour and cheesy goodness that the first bite reassured me that I had made the right choice; how does that saying go? ‘What the stomach wants, the stomach gets’.. yes, I think that’s it :P

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This thick, heartening soup will warm your soul and dazzle your taste buds with the blend of vegetable goodness and cheesy deliciousness, after all Broccoli & Cheese were made to be blended and gobbled up together!

Time:

Prep Time: 10 minutes // Cook Time: 50 minutes // Yields: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

1.       2 heads broccoli, chopped into florets

2.       1 medium yellow onion

3.       2 large carrots, diced

4.       6 cloves garlic, peeled

5.       4 slices bacon

6.       1 – 1 1/2 c. aged cheddar cheese, grated

7.       4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

8.       2 cups water

9.       2 TBSP grape seed oil, separated

10.   1 TBSP + 1 tsp garlic powder or flakes

11.   1 TBSP cumin powder

12.   1/2 tsp dried thyme

13.   Salt & pepper to taste

14.   1 1/2 – 2 TBSP Franks Red Hot sauce

15.   1 TBSP Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400°F

2.       In a large bowl, add broccoli, garlic, 1 TBSP oil, 1 TBSP garlic powder, salt & pepper and mix well; place in a single layer on large cookie sheet and bake for 25 – 35 minutes until broccoli is crisp and garlic is golden, flipping halfway through to ensure even baking.

3.       Cook bacon until crisp, place on a paper towel lined sheet, and set aside.

4.       Meanwhile, over medium heat add 1 TBSP oil to a large pot, add onion and carrots and sauté until onions are translucent and carrots are beginning to soften, about 5 – 7 minutes. Add 1 tsp garlic powder or flakes, thyme, cumin, vegetable or chicken broth, water, mix together and bring to a low boil; then reduce heat and let simmer until broccoli/garlic are done baking.

5.       When ready, add broccoli/garlic to the soup, bring back to a boil; reduce and let simmer for 5 - 10 minutes; then, using an immersion blender or transferring batches to your food processor, blend until desired consistency, being careful not to burn yourself by any splatters. (I like mine to be smooth but leave small chunks in for texture, so I use a hand blender)

6.       Add the Franks Red Hot sauce, Dijon mustard and cheddar cheese and mix until cheese is melted.

7.       Serve immediately, garnished with crumbled bacon, more grated cheese and garlic bread or fresh bread if desired,

*Note – you can leave out the bacon to make this a vegetarian soup, just it adds a nice bit of salty deliciousness and texture to the soup

Emily.xo

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

I suppose it’s time to share something personal with you guys, I was never a baker. I hadn't baked a thing (since being a little kid) before I moved in with Sean; but Sean likes treats: granola bars, cookies, muffins and I despise the processed ingredients and copious amounts of sugar that go into the ones you buy at the grocery store. So I started a new adventure of baking, I was always a cook, I love to spend hours in my kitchen creating new dishes, experimenting with flavours and sampling everything as it goes, but I never liked baking. Probably because I’m not a big fan of baked goods; and why would I make them if I won’t eat them? But then there was Sean, and his love of baked goods and treats coming right up against my hatred of processed sugars and starchy baked goods. I just can’t have him putting such junk into his body on a daily basis. So I decided to get into the kitchen and attempt the art of baking, my first few experiments didn’t work out that well but I think I’ve come a long way and I’m hooked.

 

We both work long hours, and when you include commuting on top of it our hours at home are minimal, especially in the morning when you just want those extra 10 minutes in bed! These Applesauce Oatmeal muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings as they are gluten-free and won’t make you feel heavy and full. With no processed sugars or additives you can feel great about eating one on your way out the door, and another for your mid-morning snack!

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

You’ll be watching the oven, waiting anxiously and watching the seconds tick by as the light cinnamon and applesauce smell of these muffins fills your house; the best part is they are guilt free so you can feel good about slathering butter on a piping-hot muffin and enjoying it with a cup of tea!

Time:

Prep Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes // Cook Time: 20 – 25 minutes // Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1.       1 c. steel cut or rolled oats

2.       1 c. almond milk

3.       1 c. oat flour (I make mine by blending oats to a flour consistency in my magic bullet)

4.       1 1/2 tsp baking powder

5.       1 tsp baking soda

6.       1/4 tsp salt

7.       1 tsp cinnamon

8.       1/4 c. shredded unsweetened coconut

9.       1/2 c. applesauce

10.   1 egg, lightly beaten

11.   2 TBSP pure maple syrup

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 375°C

2.       In a medium bowl, cover oats with milk and let sit for one hour (this softens the oats and makes the muffins super moist)

3.       In a large bowl whisk oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and shredded coconut together

4.       Add Applesauce, egg and maple syrup to the oat/milk mixture and stir until fully combined

5.       Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix with a spatula until just combined (don’t over mix as it will make the muffins dense

6.       Grease your muffin tin (I use coconut oil) and fill each cup about 2/3 with mixture, top with more shredded coconut and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7.       Enjoy with a cup of tea, a bit of butter or store in the fridge for up to one week for quick breakfasts on the go!

Emily.xo

Recipe adapted from http://shrinkingjeans.net/2010/11/taste-of-the-sisterhood-oatmeal-applesauce-muffins/

Buffalo Chicken Bites

The weather here in Calgary just loves to play tricks on us, one day it is sunny and +15 and the next morning we wake up to an inch of snow and -1; it makes it difficult to plan meals ahead which I like to do! But I don’t want to be making hot soup on a hot day, or a cold salad when it’s snowing out; but what are you going to do.. When you can’t control the weather but you really have a craving for Buffalo Chicken Bites you might just have to eat them on a sunny Spring day!

I was never a big fan of spicy food growing up, in fact I probably was one of the biggest spice wimps that was ever around! I’d cringe at the thought of hot sauce and refuse to eat anything with the slightest heat; but all that changed when Sean and I got together – he opened my eyes to the wonderful world of spicy food and now I couldn't love it more. We are always adding Frank’s Red Hot sauce, Srirachi or Tabasco to our meals to find the perfect level of spice; and the more I add, the higher my tolerance rises. So when I found a big bottle of franks red hot sauce and chicken breasts on sale I just knew that buffalo chicken was in our near future.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

This spicy chicken is perfect for a cool spring night; it will make your taste buds sing and your face flush! Just make sure you have a nice, light side and a tall glass of water and you’ll be sure to have a delicious dinner feast!

Time:

Prep Time: 5 minutes // Cook Time: 35 – 45 minutes // Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1.       1/4 cup brown sugar

2.       3/4 cup Franks Red Hot sauce

3.       1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

4.       1TBSP garlic powder or flakes

5.       Salt and pepper to taste

6.       5 chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into bite size chunks

Directions:

1.       In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together brown sugar, Franks Red Hot sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic powder and salt and pepper (if wanted)

2.       Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the sauce and mix well (you can let the chicken marinade for as long as you want to really enhance the flavours, I like to prepare my chicken in the morning and let it marinate in the fridge all day)

3.       Lightly grease an 8x8 pan and add chicken and sauce to it, bake uncovered for 35 – 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, the sauce will be quite liquidy

4.       Serve with rice or quinoa and veggies; or if there is anything else you prefer, serve it with that! This dish will go with most any side J

Emily.xo

Easy Chicken Rotini

Sometimes the weeknights can become a hectic scramble for us, between ball practices, Sean’s hockey practices and over-time at work it can be tough to find time to make a complete dinner when I’d really rather sit down on the couch to watch the newest episode of Chopped. On those evenings the desire to pick something up on the drive home or order a nice, cheesy pizza can be overwhelming and I really have to ask myself – Do you want to put that into your body? Usually the answer is no, I do not. But then I’m still stuck trying to find a healthy dinner that doesn’t take too much effort.

As I was perusing Damn Delicious I came across a one-skillet pasta dish that looked interesting. I based my ideas for this dish off of that, but I wasn’t confident in one-skillet so I cooked my pasta separately, I also threw in some more veggies to make it a well-balanced meal and voila. A delicious, healthy dinner in about 30 minutes. Yes! And I felt good about it after too, not only was it cheesy and delicious; it was guilt free.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Rotini

A luscious tomato sauce full of juicy veggies, chicken and creamy, cheesy goodness. Why reach for the take-out menu when this comes together in just over 30 minutes?

Time:

Prep Time: 10 minutes // Cook time: 25 minutes //Total: 35 minutes // Yields: 5 servings

Ingredients:

1.       1 package multigrain rotini

2.       1 TBSP grape seed oil (or oil of choice)

3.       1 lb extra-lean ground chicken or turkey

4.       1 red pepper, diced

5.       1 small yellow onion, diced

6.       6 cloves garlic, minced

7.       1 c. Chopped spinach

8.       1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, + 1/4 can of water

9.       2 TBSP dried oregano

10.   2 TBSP dried basil

11.   1 TBSP roasted garlic flakes

12.   Pepper to taste

13.   1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1.       Cook pasta according to directions on package

2.       While pasta is going, heat oil in a large skillet over medium – high heat, add garlic and onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

3.       Add chicken, and cook another few minutes until chicken is browned and broken into smaller pieces; then add red pepper and remaining spices. Once the chicken is fully cooked through, reduce the heat to low-medium and add the crushed tomatoes, water and spinach; stir together and let simmer.

4.       As soon as the pasta is done to your liking, drain and return to the pot. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir in the grated parmesan. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes on low heat for the flavours to meld.

5.       Top with more grated parmesan and garlic toast on the side.

*Note – As this is a pasta dish you can feel free to add any veggies or use any meat you like, I chose chicken because it’s lighter than beef or pork. This would be great if you topped it with mozzarella and baked it, covered with aluminum foil, in the oven for 15 minutes but unfortunately for me Sean does not like melted cheese. L

Emily.xo

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

 Don’t you just love the spring time, when you wake up and the sunshine is coming through the blinds to greet you like an old friend? I always find it so much easier to haul myself out of bed, although that hasn’t been a problem since we got Hobbes. He’s about 8 months old now and seems to be going through the ‘teenage adolescent’ stage, meaning he loves to wake us up at 3:00 a.m. by running around like a fool! He also loves his early morning cuddles with me, as soon as my alarm goes off he’s on me, giving me his sweet cuddles and hugs. Really, he does hug. He sure is a wonderful kitty, except at 3:00 a.m. But back to the sunshine in the morning, I always find it so inspiring. I wake up and think, the sun’s shining yay! I better have something healthy to start my day. I’m not sure why, but the sun makes me think of healthy food! (Yes, probably because it means bikini season is coming, yikes!)

Generally my morning start with a nice cup of black tea with milk and honey, and half of a whole-wheat English muffin with my home-made almond butter (recipe coming next time I make a batch!!) and then for my mid-morning nourishment I opt for a smoothie. Today I was feeling particularly adventurous, knowing that I’d have a yoga class at lunch time to get through so I decided to throw a handful of spinach into my smoothie. I do this quite often when my smoothies need to be more of a meal then a delicious treat, and this did not disappoint. I couldn’t resist and drank it right away, and then had to make a second for later!

I love the thick, creamy consistency of this smoothie as well as the delicious flavours from the fruit; many of you may say spinach? In a smoothie? No Way. But you’d be wrong. So wrong. Spinach in a smoothie is the perfect addition, the taste of it is masked by the fruit and it’s supplying plenty of extra protein and nutrients. I love to have a spinach smoothie before my lunch time yoga class, that way I know I’ll have the energy to really enjoy my practice without my stomach singing to the room (so embarrassing!!)

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

This creamy, nutrient packed smoothie is perfect for breakfast, pre-work out or post-work out snack; it provides protein for your muscles and tastes like a bit of heaven! The coconut-blueberry-banana mix is a perfect blend of flavours, while the oats and spinach are packed with fiber and protein.

Time

Prep Time: 5 minutes // Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

1.       1/4 c. oats, ground into flour consistency

2.       1/2 banana

3.       1/3 c. Frozen blueberries

4.       Handful of spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped

5.       Coconut water (roughly 1/2 - 2/3 c.)

Directions

1.       Add oats to blender and cover with some of coconut water, stir to combine well.

2.       Add banana, spinach and blueberries to the blender, and then fill about blender 2/3 full with remaining coconut water and blend until a nice, smooth consistency. There will probably be little bits of spinach that don’t blend, just take your floss with you!

*Please note – I did not measure the coconut water, so I’m guessing. It would be best to follow directions and eye ball.

Emily.xo

Beef Broccoli

Sundays are always such a hectic day! To start, I always try to do all my baking for our lunches so we can feed on healthy, nutritious snacks at work. We always do our weekly grocery shop, all the cleaning and laundry. And our slo-pitch team practices on Sunday afternoons; these practices usually last 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours and leave us exhausted and sore. So when I walk in the door at 5:00/5:30 after a long day the last thing I want to do is cook a big dinner, sorry that’s the second last, the last thing I want to do is eat out. After such a busy day all I want is a hot, healthy meal that will nourish my body after the rigorous work-out it’s gotten. Enter my slow cooker.

In the past I’ve always felt my slow cooker to be the week day saviour; but I’ve never considered its potential to ease my weekends. I suppose I always felt that it was cheating on the weekends, when I “have all day off” (I use that term loosely) why would I use my slow cooker? But then ball season started. You see, I’ve been playing ball for years but I was always single before. I never had to consider what Sean was going to eat after a long practice; personally I’d be fine with a nice cheese, tomato, cucumber wrap with a salad on the side. But Sean has a much bigger appetite and needs a healthy dose of protein in all his meals. So I started looking at my slow cooker in a new way, a weekend way, and this lead me to trying these Beef Broccoli stir fry, original recipe here.

Beef Broccoli

This stir fry was so delicious! With tender, melt in your mouth beef; crunchy, juicy broccoli and toasty sesame seeds you’ll be going back for a second helping of this guilt-free deliciousness! You might want to make a double batch!

Time

 Prep Time: 10 minutes // Cook Time: 6 ½ - 8 ½ hours

Ingredients:

1.       1-2 lb boneless beef roast, sliced into ¼ inch strips (I used a chuck roast, but any cut will work)

2.       2 heads broccoli, cut into florets

3.       1 c beef broth (I used a bouillon cube dissolved in hot water)

4.       ½ c soy sauce

5.       1 TBSP sesame oil

6.       6 cloves garlic, minced

7.       1 TBSP chili garlic paste (I use the rooster brand)

8.       2 TBSP cornstarch

9.       4 tbsp white sesame seeds

Directions:

1.       Place strips of beef into slow cooker

2.       Mix beef broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and chili garlic paste in a small bowl and pour over the beef, mix lightly to coat all the meat and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours (I did 8 and it was marvelous)

3.       Mix cornstarch with 2 TBSP liquid from the cooker, add back into the mixture and stir well to combine

4.       Add the broccoli florets and mix well.

5.       Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, the sauce will thicken and the broccoli will cook to perfection.

6.       Toast sesame seeds in a non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden (about 6-8 minutes)

7.       Serve over brown rice, with toasted sesame seeds to top.

   

   Emily.xo