Apple, Cheddar & Bacon Pie

All the ingredients you need!

The finished pie!

I grabbed one of the free magazines at the checkout of my local grocery store the other day.  When I opened it up I found this little gem and I was so intrigued (and had all the ingredients on hand) so decided to try it out on the family tonight for dessert!  The kids were so excited since we never usually have dessert during the week...and boy was it good!  Funnily enough, my son Devon didn't enjoy it (I supposed it is because he likes to separate his sweets and savouries?!)  The rest of us loved it!

APPLE, CHEDDAR & BACON PIE

Ingredients:

1 deep dish pie crust*

4 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples

5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup grated aged Canadian cheddar cheese*

1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tsp of thyme (fresh or dried)

• Preheat oven to 350F and blind bake the pie crust until golden (or according to the package directions).  Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 325F.
• Toss apples with bacon, cheese, brown sugar and thyme.  Spread evenly in pie shell.  Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until apples are soft.
• Serve and ENJOY!   

*I used a regular pie crust simply to hold the filling in place while baking. If I were to make this again, I would either make my own wheat free crust or not even bother, and just bake the fillings in the pie dish.

*As we don't eat dairy, I used a cheddar goat's cheese which tasted just as lovely.

Candy Sushi

Sushi platter!!

This past Saturday I was invited to a wedding shower for my sister-in-law's sister, Caitlin!  It was candy-themed and I wanted to create a dish that would dovetail nicely with the theme...hence candy sushi!!!  This is something that I have never tried before, but you know me!  I will try anything once - and I wasn't disappointed!  This was relatively easy and took approximately 1/2 hr!? (The kids were blown away that I made something unhealthy!  Just to show that I can be a 'fun' Mummy, I packed them two pieces of sushi each in their lunchbags!!)

CANDY SUSHI

Ingredients:

3 cups rice krispies cereal

2 tbsp butter

1 cup mini marshmallows

gummy worms

Swedish or gummy fish 

Green fruit roll ups

chocolate sauce

Orange marshmallow wedges

Wasabi peas*

"Nigiri" sushi with wasabi peas!!

"Rice" rolls with "ginger" & "soy sauce"!!

• In a small pot, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Add the mini marshmallows and stir until they are melted.  Take pot off the heat.  Place rice krispies in a large mixing bowl and add melted marshmallows - stirring together until combined.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking dish and pour out rice krispies mixture on to the pan.  Press the mixture out into a flat sheet approximately 1/2" thick.  Approximately 1/2" in from the edge of the rice krispies mixture, place two lines of gummy worms widthwise across the sheet.  Take the parchment paper and gently roll the rice krispies over the gummy worms and using your hands, press into a cylinder shape (much like making real sushi on a bamboo mat or 'makisu').  Cut the roll off of the sheet of rice krispies.   Like you are cutting pieces of sushi, cut the rice krispies log in 1/4" rounds. (If they flatten a little, just mould with your hands!)  Wrap a strip of green fruit roll ups around the edge to mimic the seaweed (nori) found on the outside of actual maki sushi!
• Another style of 'sushi' you can make is nigiri.  I achieved this by pressing the rice krispies mixture into the pan so it is 1" thick.  I then cut it into 1/2" wide, 2" long pieces.  Then I simply placed a gummy fish on top of the 'rice' and wrapped a thin strip of fruit roll up around the middle to imitate nigiri!
• For soy sauce I used chocolate sauce.  For the pickled ginger I used the orange marshmallow wedges and simply cut them in half lengthwise.  *Not until I finished did it occur to me that I could have used fondant icing and coloured it green for wasabi!  Instead I substituted my guilty pleasure - wasabi peas!
• ENJOY and have fun playing with your food :0)

Why Wheat-Free??

As a family we have been wheat-free for almost 1 1/2 yrs now and we couldn't feel better!  I subscribe to this blog named after the famous book "Wheat Belly", and it has many fascinating facts regarding wheat.  The latest entry had answers to one of the questions I am frequently asked: "What is the benefit of going wheat free if I am not celiac or have an intolerance?"  I personally have no gluten intolerance but decided to make the whole family wheat-free as Devon and I should support both India and Greg.  Thought those who have been contemplating a wheat-free lifestyle, would be interested in this:

What’s the point of avoiding wheat if you don’t have celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity? Many reasons:
1) You avoid the gliadin protein of wheat, the opiate in wheat that stimulates appetite and increases calorie consumption by 440 calories per day. (Eliminate gliadin and calorie consumption drops by 440 calories per day.)
2) You avoid the lectin in wheat, wheat germ agglutinin, that is directly toxic to the intestinal tract and causes abnormal intestinal permeability that Trojan horse’s foreign substances into the bloodstream, causing multiple inflammatory diseases. You may also restore leptin sensitivity to restore the capacity for weight loss.
3) You avoid the amylopectin A of wheat, the “complex carbohydrate” that accounts for the fact that two slices of whole grain bread increases blood sugar higher than 6 teaspoons of table sugar.
4) You avoid the alpha amylase inhibitors that trigger wheat allergy, likely the trigger for the boom in wheat allergy among kids.

There’s more, but you get the idea!!
If you would like to read more about the way that wheat has been altered over the years, check out this link.  http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/04/whistleblowers-wanted/

Ensalada Grangero (Mexican Farmer's Salad)

Cinco de Mayo was this past Saturday and our friends, Michelle and Sean and their children, joined us in a veritable feast honouring our newly adopted homeland of Mexico!  We took our recipes from the Better Homes & Gardens "Mexican" magazine (on stands till July 2012) and were super impressed with the results!

This salad was made by Michelle and is delicious and beautiful in its simplicity.

ENSALADA GRANGERO

Ingredients:

3 ears of fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed

1 1/2 lbs of fresh green beans, trimmed

3 cups grape tomatoes

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil

3 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped*

2 shallots, chopped

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp bottled minced roasted garlic

1/4 tsp salt

• In a Dutch oven, cook corn in a large amount of boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.  Remove corn from Dutch oven, and set aside to cool.  Add beans to the boiling water in Dutch oven;  cook for 3 to 4 minutes or just until crisp-tender.  Drain beans in a colander; rinse with cold water and drain well.  Cut kernels from corn cobs.
• In a large bowl combine corn kernels, beans, tomatoes and onion.  Toss to combine.
• For dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine cilantro, oil, chile peppers, shallots, vinegar, garlic and salt.  Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth.  Drizzle dressing over vegetables; toss to coat.
• ENJOY!

Quick Vietnamese - Style Chicken Pho

My husband, kids and I have been into the spicy Vietnamese soups (pho) lately in a BIG way.  I am suffering with a lousy head cold today so I thought a chicken pho was in order for dinner tonight!  This is super simple and while you can go more elaborate and make your own stock, using a low-sodium chicken stock is perfectly acceptable.  I had chicken thighs which Greg browned for me and then I thinly sliced, and I had my own stock in the fridge already...this made the pho really quick to make!

QUICK VIETNAMESE-STYLE CHICKEN PHO

Ingredients:

2 cups of thinly sliced, cooked chicken

8 cups chicken stock

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 - 3/4 tsp Chinese 5 Spice powder

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar (I used 1 tbsp agave syrup)

Thinly sliced shiitake or porcini mushrooms (optional)

1/2 lb dried rice noodles

 1/2 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into wedges 

Either sliced red chilies, or sambal oelek sauce

• Heat the stock in a large pot on medium low heat.  Add the chicken, onion, 5 spice powder, fish sauce and sugar.  If adding the mushrooms, add now.
• Once the stock is simmering, add the rice noodles and stir well.
• Serve the stock in a bowl, and top with cilantro, green onions, chilies, and lime wedge squeezed.
• ENJOY!
  

Mulled Wine

**Yet another recipe that has been lingering in my drafts file on this blog - I will try to get a photo when we make it for our Xmas Party 2012!!!**

This has been a staple at our annual Xmas Open House for the past 17 years and it is delicious!  It reminds me of being in the Christmas Markets in Munich and sipping on the Gluhwein while munching on a sausage.  Beware - this definitely is a hangover waiting to happen!!!  Let's just say that it warms the blood and the imagination (just ask our friend JP how he created the Micmac legends surrounding the mulled wine...! LOL!)

MULLED WINE

Ingredients:

1 lemon peel

1 orange peel

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch ground nutmeg

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 bottles of full bodied red wine

2 cups ruby port

1 cup brandy

• In a large pot add peels, spices and sugar to the wine.  Heat gently and simmer.  
• Add the port and brandy  and heat until liquid just begins to simmer, but do not allow to boil.
• ENJOY!

*If you need to stretch the mulled wine, add orange juice...but remember, that just waters down the alcohol!!  

Feta Artichoke Bites

Yet another easy, economical and tasty appetizer that I made for our annual Xmas Open House and upon looking through my draft file, realized that it didn't get published?!

FETA ARTICHOKE BITES

Ingredients:

1 jar (7 1/2 oz) marinated artichoke hearts

1 cup diced seeded tomatoes

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 baguette

• Drain artichokes, reserving 2 tbsp marinade.  Chop artichokes and place in a large bowl.  Stir in the tomatoes, cheeses, onions and reserved marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Cut baguette into 1/2" slices.  Spread with artichoke mixture.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Broil 4 to 6" from the heat for 4 - 5 minutes or until edges of bread are browned.  
• Serve immediately.

  

Soba Noodle Salad With Pea Shoots & Shiitake Mushrooms

Although I made this for a friend's baby shower and posted it three years ago, I recently had a request for it from another friend.  Therefore, I decided to separate it from the blog post entitled "A Sweet Pea Baby Shower" (although check this post out for some other delicious recipe ideas!!!)

SOBA NOODLES WITH PEA SHOOTS AND SHIITAKES

Ingredients:

1 pkg of soba noodles (8oz) - Japanese buckwheat noodles

1 tbsp each, of sesame & vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz (300g) of shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

12 oz snow pea shoots (375g)

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup sodium-reduced soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp granulated sugar

• In a large pot of boiling water, cook soba noodles until tender (5 mins). Stir gently and reduce heat because they tend to boil over. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• In a large skillet or wok, heat half of the sesame and vegetable oils over med-high heat; saute garlic until fragrant (15 seconds), add mushrooms and saute for another 4 mins, or until tender. Add to noodles.
• In the skillet heat the remaining oils and stir-fry the pea shoots until wilted and tender (5 mins). Add to noodle mixture.
• Whisk together mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Pour over noodles and stir well. Serve at room temperature, or cooled.

Refreshing Lentil Salad

My friend Michelle had me over for lunch the other day and she served this amazing lentil salad with the Mediterranean Squares from this blog ~ what an amazing combination!!!  I have made lentil salads over the years and I loved this one so much that I demanded she email me the recipe ASAP!!  It is not only easy and contains items you will likely already have in your kitchen, but since it is a heartier legume salad, you can make it and then have some for lunch or dinner (or both!) over the next three days without it getting wilted or losing its flavour.

REFRESHING LENTIL SALAD

Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes seeded and diced

2 oranges peeled and cut into segments

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 (19oz) can of lentils, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)

3 tbsp coarsely chopped dried cranberries

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

• Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl until well combined.
• ENJOY!

 

 

 

  

Quick Mini-Pizzas (Wheat, Yeast, Sugar, Casein and Lactose Free!)

I was really hungry at around 11:00 today as I had my morning smoothie at 8am and the tummy was a'grumbling!!  I usually grab for the eggs and some veggies to saute as my breakfast, but today I decided to mix it up and made mini-pizzas! 
Admittedly, pizza is the food that I miss the most being wheat, yeast, casein and lactose,and refined sugar-free.  I have made a couple of versions of pizza that is within the confines of this rebalancing diet:  one that is wheat and yeast free, and one that is the same but using almond flour.  These are both really tasty and we've enjoyed them both, but they aren't quite like a chewy, doughy, cheesy deep dish pizza!! LOL! 
Not wanting abdominal pain, I just couldn't get the idea of pizza out of my head...these little pizzas soothed my craving and were delicious!!! 
Even if you aren't interested in revamping your entire diet like my family and I have, just replacing a few meals here and there with this would make a huge difference ~ try them out and see!!

QUICK MINI PIZZAS

Ingredients:

1 Ezekiel English muffin, cut in half

3 tbsp homemade tomato sauce*

Handful of arugula leaves or baby spinach

Leftover chicken, shredded

Handful of shredded goat marble cheddar

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Place the English muffin halves cut side up on a small rimmed baking sheet.  Spread the tomato sauce evenly between the two.  Top with chicken, arugula leaves and cheese.
• Place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted evenly.
• Remove from oven and enjoy!  

*If you aren't using a homemade sauce, read the label closely as they invariably contain sugar (as well as tons of preservative...and some BPA from the can!)  I sweeten my homemade sauce (which also contains no-heat jalapenos and some onions) with pureed carrots!  Try it out!!*