Balanced Essentials with Scarlett

Food and Friends

2013-03-19T09:33:00.002-07:00

I don't know about you...but when I think about food, I think about enjoying it with friends and my weekend is a prime example of this!

I had a fun-filled weekend consisting of lots of delicious food, some great company and a lot of time outdoors. Here is a little taste of it:

Saturday night I took a drive up island to visit a good friend of mine and she cooked me a fabulous healthy dinner. The next day she spoiled me with a gourmet breakfast at home and then we headed out for a beautiful hike along the ocean!

A picnic after a strenuous hike with friends~ we hiked up a mountain with our good friends and made sandwiches at the top! This was a great way to incorporate the great outdoors, exercise, lunch and a social visit.

Thats my weekend! I challenge you to think of creative ways to spend time with friends. After all it can get old doing the same thing over and over :) Cheers

When in Doubt...bake a cake

2013-03-06T20:45:00.002-08:00

Orange Cornmeal Cake~

I ate really healthy today and I worked out so I decided that I deserve a reward :)

I found this recipe online a couple of months ago and it turned out really well, so I am going to use it again. It's something a little different and it can be saved through out the week to treat yourself in small doses.

Click HERE for the Recipe

...baking in the oven

I served a slice up with some fresh sliced kiwi and a little vanilla frozen yogi

5 things under $15

2013-02-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

5 THINGS UNDER $15

secondhand treasures

leopard print Madden Girl pumps $14~

black T with gold detailing $10~

set of 4 stemless martini glasses $10~

recycled brown suede clutch $14~

belts galore $5~ each

all these items are from my second hand boutique

Scarlett's Boutique

Gourmet Mama

2013-02-23T21:01:00.001-08:00

I am lucky enough to have an amazing Mother-in-law and when I went over to her house the other day for a couple of hours she whipped me up a quick snack.

toasted pitas with artichoke dip.... tortilla chips with hummus...Brie cheese, olives, pickles, antipasto spread...the stuffed mushroom caps were still in the oven at this point. Might I add that this only took her about 20 minutes.

This woman is such an amazing and efficient cook and I feel so privileged to have her as a part of my life. Her talent in the kitchen helps challenge my cooking skills and I hope to do the same for her. A shared interest with a family member can sure help build a strong bond. Thanks Kell!

Post Workout Dinner- Chefs Salad

2013-02-14T13:10:00.003-08:00

I have to Admit that being pregnant can sometimes be an excuse to eat to much or snack on the wrong types of food when they are in front of me...So the other day when I was out all day running errands, I am ashamed to say that I grabbed a bag of Hawkins Cheezies and a Dads Root beer and shoved my face. although it was absolutely delicious at the time, I felt pretty gross afterwards. Then only a few hours later I had an intense prenatal fitness class and was cursing myself for my earlier choices.

When I finally made it home, I wanted a salad and a huge glass of water. So I created a "Chefs Salad" out of a million vegetables, some proteins and a side of healthy carbs. Gotta keep that baby fed properly...don't want it coming out being addicted to Cheezies haha.

Ingredients:

carrots
tomatoes
cabbage
cucumber
peppers
lettuce
fresh dill
fresh parsley

a few hard boiled eggs sliced
goat feta crumbled
smoked turkey breast sliced

dressing: Liquid Gold (click for recipe)

Directions:

Chop all of the veggies up and toss in a bowl with the dressing then plate the salad and add the feta, eggs and turkey on the side.

I served this with a toasted slice of homemade whole grain bread.

This is the kind of meal that makes you feel great afterwords. A comfortable satisfied.

Enjoy

Chick Pea Saute

2013-01-31T10:39:00.001-08:00

This is one of my favorite standby's

I always keep canned Chic Peas (also known as Garbanzo beans) in the house. They are a good source of protein to throw in to a salad, to have as a main dish, or to whip up a batch of hummus.

This dish is easy to put together and you don't need a lot of ingredients. Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 can of Chic Peas
2 peppers(yellow, red or orange)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
4-5 mushrooms
fresh herbs(oregano or rosemary)

a little bit of feta cheese(optional)
fresh grated parmesan

Instructions:

-dice all vegetables and Saute in a large frying pan with fresh herbs, s&p and chile flakes on med heat for about 10 minutes.

-add rinsed chic peas and saute for another 5 mins or so until chic peas are heated through.

-lastly add crumbled feta and stir around.

serve with fresh grated parmesan on top

ENJOY

Eggplant Parmesan (cheat recipe)

2013-01-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

Routines are great! They keep us on track right? But sometimes we fall in to such a routine that we end up getting bored. This is when it's time to switch things up a little.

Do you ever get bored of the same old vegetables and potatoes that accompany your proteins night after night?...I know, I sound like an infomercial, but I am just trying to help you get out of your boring vegetable rut!

Here is a little recipe that is once again...Quick and Easy...and best of all delicious.

Eggplant Parmesan (cheat recipe)

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 tomato
feta cheese
basil pesto
parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
chili flakes
olive oil

Direction:

-slice eggplant in thick slices (about half inch) and place on a baking pan with a drizzle of olive oils and some salt and pepper and chile flakes
-bake at 400 (I just use the toaster oven) for about 10-12 minutes then remove

-slice tomato and place a slice on each piece of eggplant
-top with a dime size dab of pesto, a small crumble of feta cheese and grated parmesan
- finish on broil for a bout 7-10 minutes
-serve :)

Fish Tacos

2013-01-17T20:27:00.002-08:00

NEW CHAPTER

I know I have been neglecting my blog BIG TIME and I apologize. The thing is I have been preoccupied with a lot of other things as of late. First of all I opened a store in September which has kept me extremely busy to say the least, and secondly, I am pregnant!

I am just about 5 months along and although I have been lucky in the sense that I haven't been regurgitating my meals, I can not say that I have been enthusiastic about food. I don't know what goes on inside our bodies to crave the plainest food on the face of the earth, (potatoes, cheese, bread) but I have had enough!

In the last few weeks, I have been feeling a little bit more inspired, so get ready for some killer food posts because I AM BACK!

One thing I am going to start focusing on is QUICK and EASY. I know that once there is a little one demanding my attention, I will have less time to prepare meals so I need to start practicing now. HOWEVER, I will say that because of my love and passion for food and the art of eating, I will be taking the time or shall I say making the time to prepare one fancy, special, selfish, delectable, sit down-and enjoy with a glass of wine- meal per week. Easier said now right?

First up:

FISH TACOS (so easy and delish)

feeds 2-3 estimated cook/prep time- 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 fillet of white fish

(I am using Halibut that my husbands very generous co-worker gave us! Thanks Mike :)

1 tomato

1 pepper(red,orange or yellow for colour)

a small chunk of red cabbage

1 small onion

4 corn tortillas

salsa

plain yoghurt or sour cream

olive oil

salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin

fresh lime(to squeeze on top of the final product)

fresh cilanto(optional garnish)

green onion(optional garnish)

feta cheese

Remember: These Ingredients are just a guide. Feel free to improvise and use whatever you have in your fridge :)

Directions:

-slice onion and pepper thinly and saute in a pan on medium with a touch of S&P, cayenne pepper and cumin for about 10 minutes or until onions are sweet and translucent

in the mean time...prep

-slice cabbage as thin as you can and set aside on a dish

-dice tomato and set aside with cabbage

-crumble feta and set aside with cabbage and tomato

-put a couple scoops of salsa and yoghurt on the table in a side dish

then...Cook the fish

-remove the peppers and onions from the pan and set aside with the other ingredients

-sprinkle salt and pepper liberally on the fish

-turn the element to med/high heat, add some olive oil and place the fish in the pan.

-cook for 5 minutes each side until fish is cooked through

-remove fish from pan and gently flake with a fork

-heat corn tortillas slightly on the same pan

Serve the tortilla topped with fish, peppers, fresh cabbage,tomatoes and feta and top with salsa and yoghurt and a touch of cilantro or green onion. Add hot sauce if you like spice.

I served the tacos with some home cut fries and a ice cold beer

ENJOY :)

Pesto Crusted Halibut

2012-11-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

Do you ever find that in the winter you crave comfort foods? I do! Lately I have been overindulging in way to many carbs. Potato chips, bread, pasta and so on. I think it is something to do with our animal instinct. As soon as the weather turns cold we start storing fat for winter. Well anyways, I caught myself in this rather unfortunate habit after a few days and quickly decided to change it around. So my plan is to have at least 3 starch free dinners per week. Here is my first attempt:

Pesto Crusted Halibut (for 2)

Ingredients:

2 halibut filets
a small jar of pesto
panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper

directions:

-preheat oven to 400 degrees
-cover a baking sheet with tin foil and place fish on top
-sprinkle salt and pepper on the fish
-spread pesto generously on fish
-carefully spoon on panko breadcrumbs over pesto

-bake for 12 minutes until fish is cooked through. DONT overcook as the fish will become dry.

I served baked zucchini and a tossed salad on the side and this dinner was delicious and quite substantial! Try it with any fish.

Roasted Yam Soup with Feta Cheese

2012-10-17T16:01:00.001-07:00

Leftover Love-I am thankful for leftovers :)

When Thanksgiving weekend came to an end, our fridge was packed with leftovers! Now as much as I enjoy a hot turkey sandwich with warmed up potatoes and vegetables on the side, sometimes it's nice to change it up and turn your leftovers in to something new. The largest tupperware container in our fridge held roasted yams so I decided to re-create a meal out of those. This is what I came up with:

Roasted Yam Soup with Feta Cheese and Sage brown butter

Ingredients:

3 cups roasted yams cut in to cubes
1 cup of vegetable/chicken or beef stock (I used the Turkey Stock that i made from my thanksgiving
turkey, but if you don't have that available then i suggest "better than Bouillon")
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste
a small chunk of feta cheese
5-7 leaves of sage
2 tsp butter

Directions:

-put yams and stock in a food processor and blend until smooth
-pour yam mix in to a sauce pan and heat on low-med until warm.
-add milk slowly while stirring
-add feta 2 minutes before serving and stir slightly allowing some to melt in.
-pour soup in to individual serving bowls

Sage brown butter:
-heat butter in a small frying pan on medium heat.
-when butter is melted add sage leaves whole
-sizzle until sage leaves are crisp and butter is brown but be careful not to burn. (should taste toasted, but not burnt)
-drizzle brown butter over soup
-serve!

Good luck trying this out and remember you can make the same dish with squash, sweet potatoes or parsnips :)

"Liquid Gold"

2012-09-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Honey Dijon Salad Dressing

I never measure this recipe so the measurements may not be perfect, but remember to always taste it with a piece of lettuce before serving. You want it to taste balanced. Not to acidic, not to sweet, not to garlicy...but just right :)

Ingredients

4 tbsp Olive oil

the juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic micro-planed or minced

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp Dijon

salt and pepper to taste

-put all ingredients in a mason jar and shake shake shake

*try adding fresh dill for a burst of freshness

I learned to make this many years ago and it soon became my go-to dressing. It is very diverse. I suggest using it not only as a salad dressing, but as a sauce or marinade for seafood or pork. It is a great recipe to whip up in a mason jar and keep in the fridge for a few days to use for various dishes.

A few Ideas:

BBQ'd Salmon:

-Put a fillet of salmon on a thick layer of tin foil and baste with the "liquid gold" dressing

-Bbq on medium heat until salmon is cooked through (I like mine a touch rare)

Cream Free Caesar Salad with Avocado:

-All the same ingredients as a Caesar salad, but add avocado and use "liquid gold" instead of creamy caesar dressing!

Warm Potato Salad

-boil potatoes and quarter them

-steam green beans and chop in 2

-saute onions, red peppers and green olives

-mix all ingredients together with "liquid gold"

Green Salad

-all your favorite veggies with your choice of lettuce and a little "liquid gold"

Souvlaki Platter

2012-07-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get home from work exhausted and the last thing you want to do is cook dinner? Well here is a simple recipe that can be ready in a matter of minutes!

Visit your local butcher shop on the way home and pick up some pre-marinated souvlaki skewers. They are usually only about $2.50 a skewer. 1-2 each will do. I buy mine from The Duncan Butcher Shop. They often have great specials on meats!

Souvlaki Skewers with Greek Salad and Warm Pita

(serves 2)

Souvlaki:

2 chicken souvlaki skewers

2 beef souvlaki skewers

~grill on BBQ on high heat for roughly 3- 4 minutes per side

Salad: While the meat is on the grill, prep the salad.

2 medium tomatoes sliced or 10 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cucumber-peeled and sliced in to quarters

a few olives chopped (your choice) I used green sicilian

1/2 a small red onion sliced thinly

oregano(dried or fresh)

a drizzle of balsamic

a drizzle of olive oil

a pinch of salt and pepper

~mix all the above salad ingredients together and portion in separate bowls

Pita:

2 pita's or naan~butter pita's lightly and throw on the BBQ for a minute then cut in to triangles

Serve

Garlic Scape Pasta

2012-07-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen these before?

A couple of years ago we started growing garlic and it was exceptionally easy to grow, so we planted it again last year and it is almost ready to harvest. Garlic grows below the ground similar to onions and harvest time is in July but the scapes have to be snipped a little before hand. Since the season was a late this year, I just cut the scapes off today and my challenge was to come up with something delicious to cook with them.

This is what I decided on:

GARLIC SCAPE PESTO PASTA

Ingredients:
10-12 garlic scapes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
3 tablespoon olive oil
a pinch of salt to taste
a pinch of hot chilli flakes(optional for a little zest)

Directions:
-Blanch scapes in a large pot of boiling water for about 1 minute then take out and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process

-Add scapes (saving a couple of end clippings for garnish)and ALL of the other ingredients in to a food processor and blend for a minute. This is your PESTO!

-Cook your favorite pasta in the same water that you blanched the scapes in, strain, stir in pesto and serve.

GARNISH: with a couple of scape tips and some parmesan cheese.

SERVE WITH: a small tomato salad drizzled with balsamic and accompany with a fruity white white.

Steak and Prawns

2012-06-16T11:05:00.002-07:00

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Sauteed Prawns and a Fresh Yellow Tomato Salad

This Dinner was amazing! I started to buy these little sirloins at Thrifty Foods a few months back and they have proven to be tender and delicious, plus a very reasonable price and the perfect size for one person. Although you may think that the pre-packaged meats are a better deal, always check out the display case and ask your butcher. You may find a little gem :) Also, It's good to get in the habit of asking where your meat comes from. Is it from the other side of the country, a different country all together, or from your home town? Butchers are there to answer those Questions, and I believe a few extra dollars is worth supporting your local economy. Life is made up of a series of choices, and if we only shop at the big box stores then pretty soon we wont even have the choice of where to go because all of the little neighborhood grocery/local seafood/butcher/ma and pop stores will be gone :( So think before you buy!

I don't like to cook beef often as I find it harder to digest, but once every 2 weeks its a nice treat.

You may notice that I have served no starch with this meal. I find that people get in the habit of having potatoes or rice or pasta with every meal and it is not necessary. Of course once and a while is fine, but not every night. Me and my Hubby were perfectly satisfied after this dinner, so i challenge you to give up some of your fillers and add a large salad or some extra vegetables instead!

Recipe feeds 2

Steak
~Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper and grill on the BBQ on high heat. (roughly 4-5 minutes per side depending on how thick your steaks are.)
~Take off grill and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.
~tip: I like to oil a paper towel and rub it on the grill before putting the steaks on. This will prevent the steaks from sticking.

Prawns

Ingredients:
10-14 Prawns ( I used frozen prawns because I purchased a bag on sale, but fresh is always best)
a tbsp olive oil or butter
3 cloves garlic minced
a small handful of fresh parsly
a pinch of smoked paprika
a pinch of salt and fresh pepper

~Put butter or oil and garlic in a frying pan and heat to medium
~Add prawns, parsley, smoked paprika and salt and pepper and sautee for about 5-7 minutes. Until Prawns are cooked through. place on top of Steaks and serve.

Tomato and Bocconcini Salad

Ingredients:
A small container of Bocconcini Cheese(Raw mozzarella)
2-3 Yellow Heirloom tomatoes
5-6 leaves of fresh basil
a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
Fresh cracked Salt and Pepper

~Slice tomatoes in half and then the halves in to quarters and lay out on plate
~Pile up slices of Bocconcini Cheese on top of tomatoes
~Tear Pieces of Basil on top and drizzle with Oil and Vinegar and finish with s&p.

Serve on the plate next to Steak and Prawns

Remember: If you have any Questions or require more detail on a cooking process, please feel free to ask away :)

Tomato Salad

2012-05-29T11:52:00.003-07:00

Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese and Basil

This is a dish that I would make myself for lunch, serve as a side for dinner, or even bring to a friends BBQ. It takes literally a few minutes to throw together, so I challenge you to give it a try.

The picture is one serving, so follow the ingredients to make enough to serve 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes sliced
5-6 leaves of fresh basil
some blue cheese
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:

-lay tomato slices out decoratively on a serving dish
-crumble blue cheese over top
-drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic
-sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt
-tear fresh basil leaves in to pieces and distribute over the dish.

...and thats it! How easy can a dish get?

*The best time to make this would be when local tomatoes are in season (mid July-August)

My Attempt at Vietnamese "Bun"

2012-05-22T14:54:00.002-07:00

BUN!

Have you ever gone out for Vietnamese food and had that huge bowl of everything from fresh veggies to prawns and even bbq'd meats?

Well it happens to be one of my all time favorite foods to go out for. This dish is called "Bun" and as I learned last night, it is easier than you think to make at home.

Bun is a great meal to serve when you have a few friends over for dinner because although it is just one bowl of randomness, it is exciting and interactive.

I did some online research, taking and leaving different ideas and this is what I came up with.

THE BASE:

1 package of Rice Vermicelli (soaked in water for 20 minutes, then blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes. Be sure to stir while cooking so the noodles don't stick together.

1/2 a cucumber julienned

1/2 red pepper Julienned

a small chunk of purple cabbage shredded

1 green onion sliced fine

5-10 cashews chopped roughly

a small handful of cilantro roughly chopped

a few leaves of lettuce roughly chopped

a few mint leaves chopped

THE MEAT:

-4 chicken thighs de-boned and skinned

-3 tbsp black bean sauce a shake of chillies and some salt and pepper mixed together.

-Slather above mixture on the chicken and bbq on high for 7 minutes per side

*You can use prawns or pork as well or instead

THE SAUCE:

5 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp water

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 large clove of garlic minced or pressed

a pinch of spicy chillies or a tbsp of sambal oelek

mix all together and let stand for 30 minutes to allow flavors to marinade

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

-place noodles separately in individual large serving bowls

-place veggies on top in separate little piles

-sprinkle with cashews

-slice bbq'd chicken in strips and place on top

-serve with sauce on the side allowing each person to pour on as much as they desire. (more is better :))

Watermelon Salad

2012-05-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't tried this, then it's time you do.

When I placed it in front of my husband he was a little skeptical, but by the end of the meal he was wishing for more. It is refreshing and addictive!

Watermelon Salad- serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 of a large watermelon cubed

1/4 of a red onion sliced thin

a small chunk of feta cheese crumbled

fresh parsley chopped

fresh basil chopped

black pepper(fresh cracked)

toss in a raspberry vinaigrette

(if you do not have this on hand then stick to a basic red wine vinegar/olive oil dressing)

Mix all together.

This is the perfect salad to serve as we jump in to summer.

Easy Eat #3-Maui Ribs with Greek Salad

2012-05-02T20:55:00.002-07:00

This is one of the easiest dinners you can make!

If you live in Victoria, BC, then I highly recommend visiting the Red Barn Market and picking up some boneless Maui Ribs. They are DEVINE! Not only are these ribs pre-marinated in a scrumptious sauce, but they only take about 7 minutes to cook. This dinner is lacking a starch, but I don't believe that a starch is always necessary, and to be honest we snacked on some rustic focaccia bread on the way home so we did not need to double up. Sometimes simple is best.

We got home at 6:45 tonight and we were eating by 7PM.

Here is what I did. Actually to be fair, I just made the salad and my husband did the grilling.

Ingredients:

4 boneless Maui Ribs from your local butcher shop

-BBQ Ribs for 4 minutes on one side and 2 on the other. Let rest for 2 minutes. Serve with Greek Salad.

Greek Salad:

2 tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 large pepper any color

olives (greek kalamata or green sicilian)

1/4 red onion thinly sliced

Dressing

a splash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil

1 clove of garlic run through a garlic press or chopped finely

salt, pepper and dried or fresh oregano

-Dice up all of your veggies and mix them all together. Serve on the side of Maui Ribs. Enjoy.

Vegetarian Dinner- Chickpeas with grilled Zucchini and Peppers

2012-04-27T10:22:00.004-07:00

Getting off track when it comes to eating well is really easy, so here are a couple of things I do to try to avoid this.

#1- Do not keep junk food in the house. It is way easier to stay on track when you don't have things tempting you. When you go to the grocery store stray from the chip aisle and head to the produce department.

#2- Commit to an exercise routine. Join a class that holds you accountable. For example I have a boot camp that I attend twice a week and not only does it keep me from wanting to eat unhealthy food the day of, but when I get home, I crave vegetables and water!

I have to admit over the past few days I have fallen off track and I believe this is the result of baking cookies. 2 nights ago I baked a batch of good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies and I indulged in quite a few of them. The next day I felt horrible and at my boot camp I was dragging my feet. This inspired me to hop right back on the healthy train. So for dinner last night I made vegetables. Yup, thats it, but they were delicious, so let me share the recipe with you and next time you feel a little weighed down you can lighten up with this meal.

Chickpeas with grilled Zucchini and Peppers.

Ingredients

A
3 anchovies (optional)
a few chili flakes
2 tablespoon of olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic sliced
a few sicilian olives sliced
fresh basil

B
1 medium zucchini sliced
1 large pepper(yellow,orange or red)

C
1 can of chickpeas
some cherry or grape tomatoes halved

-put A in a sauce pan on lo-medium heat for about 10 minutes. You are basically flavoring the olive oil, so keep the heat low and turn the garlic so that it doesn't burn. when the anchovies have dissolved add C. Stir until ingredients are heated through.

-put B on the barbeque on high or heat in a toaster oven until slightly charred(about 4 minutes each side)

Add all ingredients together and serve with garnish.

Garnish (optional)- pinch of sea salt, pepper, fresh torn basil and peeled fresh parmesan

Remember: These recipes are meant to inspire. Feel free to tweak them as you like and ask me any questions you may have :) I also love feedback, so let me know how it turns out for you!

Easy eat- Avocado and Tomato on Toast

2012-04-26T12:58:00.001-07:00

Avocado and Tomato on Toast

Bread (I used olive bread)

Cream cheese

Avocado

Tomato

Oregano

Salt and pepper

Toast bread then spread on cream cheese. I use Little Qualicum Cheese works cream cheese.

Add sliced avocado and tomato and sprinkle with dried oregano and salt & pepper. A simple snack that offers enough substance to keep you going!

Delicioso!

Lasagna Results and Dessert (Strawberry shortcake)

2012-04-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lasagna-final results

(see previous post for instructions)

Well it turned out great, and me and my friend had a great visit!

As promised, here are a couple of pictures

I served it up with a nice garden salad with a light oil and vinegar.

Now on to Dessert: As my Gran tells me "sometimes you have to cheat." and that is what I did :)

3 ingredients

-packaged shortcake cups

-strawberries

-real whip cream

In the shortcake cup, layer in strawberries, then whip cream and garnish with a sprig of mint! This is so easy to make and just as easy to eat. It is an Essential Eat :)

Lasagna!

2012-04-21T17:37:00.001-07:00

I am thankful when my friends make the drive to visit me as I live quite a ways out of the city. Tonight my good friend Lauri will be coming over and I can't wait to have some quality catch up time. The night will consist of a little red wine, lots of laughs and of course some great food! Because I haven't seen Lauri in FOREVER, I don't want to be cooking all night so I planned ahead. Lasagna!!!!

Lasagna can take a little extra prep time, but when it comes time to eat it's easy peasy.

I made the Lasagna this afternoon and I will prepare a green salad a little closer to dinner time.

ingredients: Lasagna is pretty forgiving when it comes to ingredients. Use what you have, but remember more moisture is better. Here is what I came up with:

preheat oven to 350F

4 garlic cloves sliced
1.5 onion sliced
10 or so mushrooms sliced
salt and pepper to season(s&p)
herbs(italian spice or oregano, basil and rosemary) Fresh is best, but dried is fine too.
1 Lb of ground beef(optional)
1 large can of tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine

500ml cottage cheese
1 bag of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tomato

1 package of oven ready lasagna noodles
2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
a few cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato sliced thin for garnish

1) Red Sauce: On medium heat saute onions, garlic and mushrooms with herbs and s&p. Next add beef and keep sauteing until beef has gone brown. Add tomatoes and white wine and simmer for 20 minutes or so.

2)Green Sauce: in a Blender or Magic Bullet, blend cottage cheese, 3/4 of the bag of spinach, olive oil and tomato. If substance is to dry and wont blend then add a little bit of water to ease it along. set aside.

3)Assembly: in a large lasagna pan layer noodles, red sauce, noodles, remainder of fresh spinach and green sauce and repeat until all your ingredients are gone. Add grated mozzarella on top and lastly, place the sliced tomato decoratively on the cheese. drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Cover with tinfoil.

4)Bake: in a 350 F oven, bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbling on sides and cheese is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with a salad.

I will add a picture after it's baked.

Easy Eat #2-Grilled Cheese and Apple

2012-04-19T16:57:00.001-07:00

For a quick and easy snack or meal, try out this delicious twist on a classic.

Ingredients:

Apple

Cheese(your choice, but I used edam)

butter

bread

salt and pepper

Slice apple thinly and put between the bread with the cheese. Lightly butter the outside of each bread slice, then sprinkle one side with sea salt and pepper and grill on low heat for about 5 minutes per side.

Who doesn't love a grilled cheese?

*Garnish with a pickle and serve with a green salad.

When in doubt...BBQ

2012-04-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Less mess is always best, so turn on that BBQ!

We had a bunch of people pop over last minute for the hockey game the other day and I needed to think fast when it came to preparing some food. With only a couple of hours I decided to throw everything on the barbeque!

I had some steaks that I had picked up on sale that day so I cubed them up and made skewers. I did the same with chicken and shrimp.

For a vegetable element, I sliced zucchini and potatoes and grilled those on the BBQ as well. The Zucchini goes right on the grill where as the potatoes get packed up in a tin-foil parcel first. Lastly and to freshen things up I made a HUGE salad.

By making everything on the BBQ, you eliminate dishes....and that is always a good thing. I left everything on the stove when it was finished and set out plates. We basically indulged in a BBQ buffet and it was great! I hope you turn on your BBQ soon :)

Grill it up!!

Potato Parcel

Don't forget the salad

Playoffs #3 Portobello Explosions

2012-04-16T16:54:00.002-07:00

Portobello Mushroom Explosions

Need a fresh idea for a simple playoff snack? Try these delectable exploding mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms are so filling and quite meaty in texture.

Remember: I am only feeding 2, so double or triple the recipe depending on how many mouths you have to feed.

Ingredients/directions

1 small onion
one pepper(red)
1 clove garlic
hot chili flakes
deli ham

-chop all of the above ingredients finely and saute for 8 minutes with a touch of salt and pepper.

a splash of white wine
goat cheese or feta crumbled
mozzarella cheese grated
3 large portobello mushrooms(with stumps cut off)

-place mushrooms upside down on a baking sheet and pour sauteed ingredients on top then drizzle white wine over top.
-put in toaster oven/oven for 5-10 minutes on 375 degrees F
-add crumbled/grated cheese on top and finish in oven for an additional 5-6 minutes

option #1
Slice in to quarters and serve as a snack.

option #2
Toast up some buns and use these mushrooms as a tasty meat free burger.