This year I am not doing an Easter dinner but instead I am hosting a brunch.
On the menu this year is cheesy sundried tomato and spinach frittata, arugula salad, tomato salad, avocado toast and eton mess with lemon curd and strawberries š¤¤
I love a frittata because you can make it ahead and it is DELICIOUS!!
Ingredients
ā¢ 12 eggs
ā¢ 500 grams fat free cottage cheese
ā¢ 225 g shredded GruyĆØre
ā¢ 3 cups spinach chopped
ā¢ 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes diced
ā¢ 1/4 tsp salt
ā¢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
ā¢ 150 grams feta crumbled
Directions
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees (I always do convection bake)
2. In large bowl, place eggs and beat them lightly.
3. Add cottage cheese, gruyere cheese, spinach, diced Sundried tomatoes, salt and pepper.
4. Mix well and pour into parchment pepper lined 9 by 13 pan
5. Bake approx 40 minsā¦ check at 35 you donāt want it jiggly in the middle
6. Let cool in pan – I serve in squares – serves 12
7. Serve with arugula salad topped with feta and lemon balsamic
Iāve been tracking my macros for 3+ years now, but the one thing that makes my life easier is make a head lunches because I am usually in back-to-back meetings from 9 AM until 5 PM šµāš«
I usually focus on protein first and then everything else second. Start to finish this meal prep took 20 minutes, you can serve it with rice or quinoa, cauliflower rice or you can even put it in tortilla shells. Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 packs – 454 grams Extra lean ground beef – 96/4 Iām taking EXTRA LEAN .. I always buy the grass fed free ones from Loblaws (picture below)
500 grams zucchini grated and squeezed out in a towel
4 spring / green onions diced
Cilantro steams about 3 tablespoons finely minced.
Sauce:
4 tablespoons soya sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons gochujang (my FAV condiment)
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
How to make:
This couldnāt be easier, take all of the sauce ingredients and mix them all in a bowl with a whisk and set aside.
Get a large cast-iron frying pan or regular nonstick frying pan and start cooking your beef. I donāt use any extra oil.
Once it is 80% cooked (5-8 mins or so) add in your grated zucchini, your cilantro stems and your spring/green onions continue to cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until the zucchini is soft. You do not need to add salt because ofthe soya sauce.
Dump in your sauceā¦ simmer for another five minutes or so and voilĆ !
I always add some extra Sriracha to it, cilantro leaves, everything but the bagel seasoning, sometimes a Thai bird chili for a little extra kick. I served it with 100 g of cooked white rice.
Total macros for this dish (including the rice) is 52P/41C/11F. Since it is loaded with protein, it keeps me full. After I heat it up, sometimes I top it with a half of a diced avocado for a little extra fat and some more Sriracha, because I love the heat.
This easy poke recipe is a refreshing Hawaiian salad of fresh ahi tuna steak cubes tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions for a dish full of umami flavor. I serve it with radishes, pickled red onions, avocado. Serve it on rice, in tacos, on salad, with potato chipsā¦ anyways itās DELISH.
When you find yourself with fresh ahi tuna steaks, Tuna poke is one of the easiest seafood dishes you can make (seriously, it only takes 15 minutes to prep) and you will never be disappointed by the rich umami flavors the fish has to offer. I get my flash frozen sashimi grade tuna from Sealand.
All you need is 10 mins prep.
What Is Poke?
Poke (pronounced POE-keh) is a Hawaiian dish. Its name derives from the Hawaiian word “to slice or cut.” The name is a good indicator of what the dish is because poke is traditionally sliced raw fish (usually tuna or octopus) that’s marinated in a savory, umami-rich sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.
Every year when we go to Maui I eat Poke daily. Iām obsessed with it.
This easy poke recipe only has a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.
Ahi Tuna Because you eat it raw, be sure to buy sashimi-grade tuna.
Soy Sauce Soy sauce provides umami-rich flavors.
Sesame Oil Sesame oil lends a nutty flavor to the marinade.
Green Onions Green onions add color and a hint of flavor.
Toasted Sesame Seeds Toasted sesame seeds will add a crunch to the poke as well as a light nutty flavor.
Chili oil, cilantro, furikaki all optional (but I use them)
Making poke is so incredibly easy. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours. Serve as desired.
Ingredients
ā¢ 3 – 6oz fresh tuna steaks, cubed
ā¢ 1/4 cup ponzu (citrus soy)
ā¢ 1/4 cup chopped green onions
ā¢ 2 tablespoons sesame oil
ā¢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
ā¢ 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
ā¢ 1 tablespoon furikaki
ā¢ 1 tablespoon momofuku chili oil
Place diced tuna in a medium non-reactive bowl. Add ponzu sauce or soy sauce, green onions, sesame oil, sesame seeds and mix well. (I always used cilantro, momofuku chili oil and furikaki) Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Thereās nothing better than a make a head soup. I donāt need to think about it during the week and I already have a meal ready to go.
This soup I have made more healthy ā¦ there is no cream but itās still is extremely creamy, full of protein and absolutely delicious.
I didnāt have spinach on hand, if I did I would have added 2-3 cups to the soup at the end. Again soup recipes are guidelines, just use what you have!
Ingredients
1 tablespoons Butter
1Ā tablespoonĀ extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely diced
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
750 ml 1%milk
1 chicken bouillon cube in 2 cups of water
Salt and pepper
1/4Ā teaspoonĀ ground nutmeg (optional)
1 cup carrots finely diced
1/2 cup green onion thinly sliced
600 grams roasted chicken breast cooked and cut into small cubes (I used 2 large chicken breasts and roasted them in the oven 400 degrees for 25 minutes and I seasoned them with salt and pepper and garlic)
1 500 gram package ready-to-use mini gnocchi (if you use regular size gnocchi, cut them in half)
Sriracha (because I put this on everything)
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened.
Whisk in the hot water and bouilion cube. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, nutmeg (if using), green onion, chicken, and gnocchi.
Simmer until the soup is heated through and the gnocchi is cooked approx 3-5 minutes. Before serving, taste, season with additional salt if needed, and sriracha.
A 350 gram serving is 35 protein, 35 carbs and 7 fat. Solid macros āļø
The holidays are busy, prior to this pandemic I would be entertaining hand over fist. Sure entertaining has slowed down, but you should always have elegant, quick and easy appetizers in your kitchen repertoire. Here is one that looks elegant but start to finish takes 15 minutes.
12 slices of prosciutto but you can use Serrano ham too
1 ball of cranberry and pepper Boursin
24 pecan halves (toasted in a fry pan)
1 cup of arugula
1/2 cup of balsamic (I used a white cranberry balsamic) put it in a pan and reduce it until it turns into a thick syrup- takes about 5 to 8 minutes on low. – you should have 2 tablespoons once it is reduced
2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
Now itās time to put it together. Lay the slices of prosciutto out on a cutting board. Section the Boursin into 12 each portions ~ 3/4 tbls. Put the cheese on one end, top with 2 pecans and a generous pinch of arugula. Roll them up and slice in half. Then drizzle the top with the reduced balsamic glaze and a few dried cranberries.
This homemade version of vanilla bean scones is so easy to make. Great for kids and quick snacks.
Prep Time 30 minutes – Cook Time 16 minutes
Makes 16 mini scones
INGREDIENTS
SCONES:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar or vanilla bean sugar
1Ā½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, grated into pieces
1/2 to 2/3 cup cold heavy whipping cream (depends on the moisture in your flour and house)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
seeds scraped from one vanilla bean or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (I swear by this stuff!)
1Ā½ tablespoons milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (I did 350 degrees for convection bake) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the grated butter and rub butter and flour together with your hands. Continue until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Then mix in the cream and the vanilla extract.
When the dough has gathered itself into a ball and divide the dough into 2 equal portions. I had to add more cream to make this happen… keep that in mind. Flatten each portion of dough into a disc shape, about 1 1/2-inches thick. Score each disc into 8 triangles with a knife, and pull the triangles slightly away from one another (allowing about 1/2-inch in between).
Brush with cream on top and bake the scones for 16 to 20 minutes, until set in the centers and slightly golden on the bottoms.
ADD THE GLAZE:
In a small bowl, stir the powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and milk together until smooth. Spread a small amount of glaze on top of each scone.
NOTES
These are delish, you canāt eat just one. The recipe makes 16 mini scones, 2 hours after baking I have 8 left. They got a 12/10 for taste. š
These are a staple in our house! The kids eat them for snacks after school, on the way to the gym, Joel grabs them for a snack. I make a batch weekly and they are always eaten. If you have 10 minutes you can whip up a batch.
Dry mix.
2 1/2 cups oats
1 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup milled flax seed
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup chocolate chips (I use mini)…save for the end
Wet mix
1 1/2 cups nut butter (I usually use 1/2 almond and 1/2 peanut butter)
1/3 honey
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tbls coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt (this is key!)
Place wet mix in microwave for ~45 seconds until melted- stir and add into dry mix. Once mixed add in 1 cup chocolate chips and roll into balls.
Makes 32 keep in fridge and enjoy! These are delish!
I have always dreamed of having a backyard with a huge stone pizza oven. But Iām afraid itās going to be baby steps for me to get to my dream, so I started my journey on Motherās Day when I treated myself to an Ooni Koda gas pizza oven from Capital BBQ.
This pizza oven has changed my life. It is portable, meaning I can pack it up and bring it to a friends house for dinner. It weighs 12 pounds, the design is sleek, I can store it in the off-season in my kitchen. It is powered by a propane tank and it only takes 15 minutes for it to come up to 930Ā° and it cooks delicious Neapolitan style pizzas in 60 seconds.
The high temperatures help pizza dough quickly transform to a perfectly chewy-but-crispy crust, all while drawing any excess moisture out of any sauce, cheeses & toppings you have on your pizza. The result? Crispy crust, with no sogginess. A pizza loverās dream!
I do have a couple of tips I have learned in the 5 times I have used my pizza oven.
Use only quality ingredients – I make my own dough and sauce and boy does it make a difference!
Use a wood pizza peel to put the pizza in the oven and the metal one to pull it out
Do not multi task when you are making the pizzas, they take 60 seconds and every 20 seconds you turn the pie in the oven
The less toppings the better. Since this cooks quickly you need you keep the toppings light
Try new things! I created a Flammkuchen style pizza that is the š£
It is not just for pizza! With a cast iron pan you can look steaks and chicken in it too!
The cost. My Ooni koda cost me 499$ CDN plus tax. I would say it was the best money I ever spent.
Number of Servings: 1, perhaps 8, or even 12 depending how one is feeling that day š This blog is a judgement free zone.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes of drooling in front of the oven
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons milk (skim, low fat, or whole)
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean
1-1/3 cups cake flour … but seriously any flour you can find during this pandemic (I used AP), spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a straight edge aka knife.
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
13 tablespoons salted butter, softened (no need to cut it in pieces) 16 tbls is a cup so yāall need to do some math or buy the butter in the sticks. Yes Salted … to be honest I only bake with salted butter. I remember saying it to my French instructor at Le Cordon Bleu and he almost fainted š Iām too old to care anymore.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350Ā°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease an 8-in x 4-in x 2Ā½-inch loaf pan with butter like you are in an episode of Mad Men. Dust with flour, shaking off any excess. (Alternatively, use a nonstick cooking spray with flour in it, since we are 6 weeks into a pandemic the 1950s way suited me just fine.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla until just combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 separate additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to combine. Do not over-mix. (The batter may have a slightly curdled or grainy appearance — that’s okay.)
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap or store in a large sealable plastic bag.
The wrapped pound cake will keep for several days (it will never last the long) at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Continuing my pandemic weigh gain I deciding to dabble in bagel making. They are crazy easy to make and even easier to eat. Make these today!
NEW YORK-STYLE BAGEL RECIPE Makes: 8 medium-sized bagels Total Time: ~2 hours
Optional Toppings: Everything seasoning, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds. (Everyone in my house prefers plain bagels, so I went with 3 Everything and 5 plain) š
Preparation:1. In Ā½ cup /120ml of the warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast. Do not stir. Let it sit for five minutes, and then stir the yeast and sugar mixture, until it all dissolves in the water.
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 Ā½ tablespoons (4 Ā½ teaspoons) granulated sugar 1 Ā¼ cups / 300ml warm water 3 Ā½ cups (500g) bread flour or AP flour what I used (you will need extra for kneading) 1 Ā½ teaspoons salt
2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture.
3. Pour 1/2 cup / 90ml of the remaining warm water into the well. Mix and stir in the rest of the water as needed. Depending on where you live, you may need to add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to about Ā¼ cup/60ml of water. You want a moist and firm dough after you have mixed it. I had to use all the water.
4. On a floured countertop, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Try working in as much flour as possible to form a firm and stiff dough.
5. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
6. Carefully divide the dough into 8 pieces (I did not have a scale so I made a ball and cut it in half and half again and again until I had 8 pieces). Shape each piece into a round. Now, take a dough ball, and press it gently against the countertop (or whatever work surface youāre using) moving your hand and the ball in a circular motion pulling the dough into itself while reducing the pressure on top of the dough slightly until a perfect dough ball forms. Repeat with 7 other dough rounds.
7. Coat a finger in flour, and gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about ā the diameter of the bagel and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Repeat the same step with the remaining dough.
8. After shaping the dough rounds and placing them on the cookie sheet or granite or wooden board, cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ĀŗF.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lower the bagels into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with boiling. Once the bagels are in, it shouldnāt take too long for them to float to the top (a couple seconds). Let them sit there for 1 minute, and them flip them over to boil for another minute.
10. If you want to top your bagels with stuff, do so as you take them out of the water. I didnāt brush them with egg wash I just sprinkled on and voila!
11. Once all the bagels have boiled (and have been topped with your choice of toppings), transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet or in my case I oiled the parchment paper on my baking sheet.
12. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. I rotated the pan 1/2 way through.
13. Cool on a wire rack… or if you are my kids tear one open slather it with butter orschmear it with cheese cream and devour it.