Even the Leafs are Eating Quinoa!

I've tried a number of quinoa recipes and have never, before now, found one that I actually liked. This recipe had a risotto quality to it, with the nice crunchy texture of the quinoa, and zero bitterness. I used the Bob's Red Mill brand of quinoa, which I store in the freezer. Someone told me that quinoa is also a good vehicle for pasta sauce. I am going to try that today! Hugh says the Toronto Maple Leafs have added quinoa to their diet; given their recent play, I am not sure whether that is a good endorsement for quinoa or not!

Quinoa with Tomatoes, Parmesan and Basil

1 c quinoa, rinsed and drained well
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 c chicken stock
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 c freshly grated asiago (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1/4 c thinly sliced basil

Saute onion in oil for about 3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa and return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, sprinkle tomatoes on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Gently stir in tomatoes, basil and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with grated cheese.

My Mom's Carrot Cake

Quite a few years ago now, back when I wore braces, my mother found a carrot cake recipe in a magazine in my orthodontist's office. I recall writing out the recipe for my mother on the back of an envelope she had in her purse. My mother has been making this carrot cake ever since. I made a few modifications to the recipe in recent years to make it slightly healthier. Below is the version I now use:

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1/2 apple sauce

1 tsp b powder
1 tsp b soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 c flour

3/4 c walnuts
3/4 c raisins
3 to 4 c grated carrots

1/4 c butter
4 oz cream cheese
dash vanilla
icing sugar to desired consistency (I use about 1/3 c)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Mix sugar, eggs, oil and apple sauce. In a separate bowl whisk together b powder, b soda, cinnamon and flour. Add dry to wet and mix. Fold in nuts, raisins and carrots. Bake for 35-45 minutes (the time will increase the more carrots you use). Cook completely. For icing, beat together butter, cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar.

Pasta is Everyday Food!

I love pasta - from spaghetti to gemelli to ravioli - I love it all. I also enjoy how you can pretty much make a pasta sauce out of anything. For example, the ratatouille from my first post is often pureed at our house and served over pasta with freshly grated cheese. Below are two pasta recipes that we've enjoyed this month. The first was inspired by leftover sausage, and the second by a craving for bacon. Enjoy!

Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
6 oz mild Italian sausage, removed from casings*
4 oz shittake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 tbsp red wine
1 -28 oz tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz fusilli pasta
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Saute garlic, onion and sausage in olive oil over medium high heat for approximately 3 minutes, until sausage loses pinkness. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly limp, approx 2 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes and oregano, bring to a boil and simmer approximately 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with cooked pasta and parsley.

* If using leftover grilled sausage, cut into small dice and add AFTER the garlic and onion is sauteed.

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara

8 slices bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise
1 pound spaghetti (or shell pasta for kids)
3 large eggs
3/4 grated parmesan cheese (I have used Kraft and it works fine)
1/2 c half-and-half or evaporated milk

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Cook pasta to al dente. While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, parmesan half-and-half or milk. Set aside. Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Quickly add hot pasta to the egg mixture. Add the bacon, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese.

NB The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs!

The Best Pumpkin Loaf

I found this recipe in an LCBO Food & Drink magazine back in 2001 and have been making it to rave reviews ever since. It seems to be especially comforting for friends at home with new babes. I don't often bother with the toppings on loaves or muffins, but this one is entirely worth it. Sit back, enjoy your piping hot coffee with a slice of this loaf and watch the colours fall from the trees!

Orange Pumpkin Bread

1 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp b powder
1/2 tsp b soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c tinned pumpkin
1/3 c canola oil
1/4 c fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
3-4 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)*

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together flours, b powder, b soda and salt. Combine cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Transfer 1 tsp of the spice mixture to another bown and add 2 tbsp of the brown sugar. Set aside for topping. Add remaining brown sugar to remaining spice mixture. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Stir in pumpkin, oil, orange juice and zest. Stir flour mixture into wet mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into a 9x5 inch oiled loaf pan, or 4 oiled mini loaves. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and topping mix. Bake for 50-55 minutes (35 for mini loaves) and let cool on rack for 15 minutes before turning out of pans.

* I usually just toast the seeds on the tray in the toaster oven. One or two light toast cycles works fine.

Finally - the Kids Like Salad!

Claire has been asking for some time to help more in the kitchen. Usually, I am in a hurry and don't have the time to slow down enough to give her a task appropriate for a 7 year old. This week I had an epiphany. What if I gave her the job of making salad? Would she agree? What would we end up with? Well, my girl she does love the kitchen, and the salads she has come up with have been tasty AND consumed in great quantities by both children because Claire made them. Here are the three variations she has come up with so far:

• Green leaf lettuce with crumbled goat cheese and pecans
• Green leaf lettuce with grated cheddar, cherry tomatoes and walnuts
• Green leaf lettuce with crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries and broken up multigrain tortilla chips

I'm serious. She came up with the ideas, and both kids have eaten these salads WITHOUT ANY DRESSING. They are yummy! Here's to cooking with kids - may we never underestimate what they are capable of!

Another Chili Recipe for your Collection!

Almost everyone makes chili. And while many complain about those mushy red kidney beans, almost everyone likes chili. It is especially comforting on a cool autumn day when accompanied by a cold beer and eaten outside in a spot of sunshine. That is exactly how the following chili was consumed this past weekend at our place, with neighbours who had spent the whole morning working in their yard to create a new garden space. My chili never tastes exactly the same twice, but this one was so good, I actually put pen to paper to record the recipe so I could, hopefully, create the same taste again. I apologize, but you'll have to use your own judgment on spice quantities as I can only ballpark those. For the kidney bean haters, none found here. Chili was served with jalapeno peppers, a variety of hot sauces, sliced green onions, sour cream and the guacamole from my previous post. Keep warm!

Chicken Chili

2 lb ground freerange chicken
2 onions, diced
1 leek, well washed and sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tin tomatoes
1 bottle of pumpkin ale (or other dark beer if pumpkin not available)
1 tin tomato paste
2 bay leaves
cumin (around 1 tbsp)
chili powder (around 2 tbsps)
oregano (around 1 tsp)
chili flakes to taste
1 tin rinsed chick peas
1 tin Heinz tomato baked beans (apologies to purists but this is a key ingredient)
up to 2 c. cooked and cooled brown rice (this really thickens things up)
brown sugar to taste

Brown chicken with chili powder, cumin, oregano and chili flakes. Add onions, leeks, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute until carrots are tender crisp. Add tomatoes, ale, tomato paste and bay leaves and simmer gently for 1/2 hour. Stir in chick peas, baked beans and rice, and warm through. Add brown sugar to taste (usually about 1-2 tbsp).

Last Taste of the Southwest

We are just back from a holiday in Arizona where the daytime highs ranged from 85-99 degrees. The chill in the Toronto air is a rude awakening for us all. Along with the warm weather, we are missing the southwest cuisine and, since I managed to find some perfect avocados at the market yesterday, we'll be enjoying guacamole at our place this weekend. Here's the recipe which has found favour with everyone in our family:

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
tabasco and black pepper to taste
1 tomato, seeded and diced

Scoop flesh of avocado into a bowl but do not mash or dice. Add lemon juice, onion, garlic, salt, tabasco and pepper and mix well. Then take a very sharp knife and cut up the avocado in the bowl until the dice is a size appropriate for you. Add tomato and mix well.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - With Fruit!

My son professes to hate fruit. He'll eat some fruit, like watermelon. But mostly he likes to talk about fruit, and how much he does not like it. As a result, I have turned to finding creative ways to include fruit in his diet. Turns out chocolate chip cookies can be well received even if they contain fruit! And since we still have plenty of apples to use here at our house... Here are the recipes that have met with favour:

Chocolate Chip Apple Cookies

1/2 c margarine
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp b soda
1 c peeled, cored and grated apple
1 c chocolate chips
1/2 c quick oats

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together margarine and sugar. Beat in egg. In a separate bowl, mix flours, ginger and b soda. Stir flour mixture into margarine mixture. Stir in apples, choc chips and oats. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes. Makes 30 cookies. (WW - 3 points each)

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c white sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 mashed ripe bananas
1 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp b soda
1 c rolled oats
3/4 to 1 c chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in banana. In a separate bowl combine flours, salt and b soda. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased or parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 12-13 minutes.

What to do with apples...and kale!

This weekend was apple picking weekend. It's amazing just how many apples a 7 year old can pick in 15 minutes. It's also quite a surprise to see how many baked goods can be made from 20 pounds of apples! We discovered what we were told was an Ontario heritage variety - Macoun - which we all quite liked. I also had to turn my mind to what to do with this week's leafy green from the organic delivery. The following recipes were made and consumed happily this weekend at our home:

Apple Cake

2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c canola oil
1/3 c applesauce
1/4 c orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp b powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4-5 med apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

Beat together eggs and sugar until very light. Beat in oil and apple sauce, followed by juice and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flours, b powder and salt. Add to egg mixture and stir until just combined. In a third bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and apples. Spread 1/2 of batter into an oiled, parchment lined 9 inch springform pan. Spoon apple mixture on top. Spoon remaining batter over top, not worrying if batter does not cover completely. Bake in preheated 35oF oven for 50-60 minutes.

Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 350F. In a food processor, mix:

2 c flour
10 tbsp cold butter
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Add 2 egg yolks and a tiny drop of water to bind.

Divide dough in half and roll out one half to fit a buttered 8 inch metal pie dish. Refrigerate pie dish and remaining dough.

Place in small pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes:

1 lg cooking apple, quartered
4 eating apples, cut into eighths
3 tbsp brown sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp ginger
handful of raisins
1 tbsp water

Pack apple mix into crust. Roll out remaining dough. Egg wash pastry rim, drape over top crust and pinch edges. Egg wash top of pie, make a couple of cuts in the top and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Sauteed Kale with Garlic, Shallots and Capers

1 to 1 1/2 pounds kale, centre stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp drained capers, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cook kale in boiling salted water until almost tender, approximately 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and coarsely chop. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add shallots and sautee until tender, approximately 3 minutes. Add capers and garlic. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in kale and sautee until tender, approximately 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grade 2 - Healthy Eating Initiative

My cousin has started a Healthy Eating Initiative in her grade 2 classroom this year. She was originally sending home healthy recipes with the kids, and providing samples in the classroom for comments and reviews. The idea was so well received that now parents are making the recipes over the weekend and sending them in for the entire class to try on Mondays. In the words of my cousin: "...if I can get more of those crap Lunchables out of my room, and those crap processed foods, then all the better!" She sent me these two recipes which have been well received by the kids in her class:

Salsa with a Twist

Mix together and serve with pita chips:

3 c salsa
1 can chick peas, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can corn, rinsed
cilantro to taste

Goody Two Chews (from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry)

1/3 c peanut butter
1/3 c maple syrup
2 egg whites
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 c lowfat granola
3/4 c craisins

Using hand mixer, mix first two ingredients until smooth. Add second two ingredients and mix until smooth. Add last two ingredients and stir well with wooden spoon. Spoon into sprayed muffin tins (12 regular sized or 24 minimuffins). Bake at 250 for 45 minutes. Let sit overnight to harden.

* For those on WW, these are 2 points for the full sized muffin and 1 point for a minimuffin.

Remember Snackin' Cake?

Back in the 80s (or maybe even the 70s) there was a thing called snackin' cake. Cake for snacktime. What could be better? It seems that our kids prefer a snack called cake over a snack called loaf every time, even if the ingredients are exactly the same. The below recipe is a slightly varied version of a recipe that appeared in a milk calendar many years ago. It makes a lot but goes quickly. We keep it in the refrigerator and sometimes warm it up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds so the chocolate gets all gooey. It also freezes well and can be cut into serving sized pieces before freezing. Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake

1/3 c softened butter
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 eggs
3-4 mashed bananas
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tbsp b powder
1/2 tsp b soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c plus 1 tbsp milk
1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or spray a 13 x 9 inch metal cake pan. Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then bananas and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flours, b powder, b soda and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk. Stir in choc chips. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then transfer cake to rack and let cool completely.

Will's Home and We're Having Ratatouille

Daughter #1 has been encouraging me for some time to start a cooking/lifestyle blog. Here it is. Cooking and time spent with friends and family provide comfort to me during the sometimes stressful stretches in our lives! Today you get my take on ratatouille!

Ratatouille

3 tbsp olive oil
2 sliced onions
1 minced garlic clove
1 eggplant, skin on, cut into 1 inch cubes
1-2 zucchini, sliced
1 small tin diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tsp dried basil
salt to taste

Saute onions and garlic in 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil until tender. Mix onion mixture, eggplant, zuchini and tomatoes in a large covered casserole dish. Sprinkle with basil and remaining olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees, covered, for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste.