Swim ~ Bike ~ Run ~ Eat!

Rye Flax Crackers

2012-01-15T22:37:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from the Canadian Living Vegetarian cookbook - its a great book - check it out!

3/4 rye flour (I use dark rye)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup flaxseeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds (my preference, not in the original recipe)
4 tsp butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Mix all dry ingredients together then cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk and mix until dough is soft, pliable, and sticky. Add additional water 1 tbsp at a time if necessary.

Knead just until smooth, then wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into quarters, roll each piece into a circle or square about 10" across, about 1/8 thick. Try to make it as even as possible.

Place on ungreased rimless cookie sheets, 2 per sheet. I use parchment paper.

Bake 2 sheets at a time in top and bottom thirds of the oven (325 degrees), rotating and switching top to bottom half way through cooking.

They take about 20 minutes until they are golden, and crisp. These are crisp, dry crackers - a lot like Scandinavian flatbread.

Let cool on rack and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to one month.

Using Sparkpeople, I have calculated that approximately a half round (or 1/8 of the recipe) is about 168 calories. Carb 21 g Fat 8gr protein 5 gr

Quinoa, Chick Pea, Avocado Salad

2011-11-06T15:16:00.000-08:00

I had a recipe for something similar in a vegetarian cookbook but I didn't have all he ingredients so this is what I made. The recipe I was supposed to make is at the bottom of the page.

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/2 avocado, cut up
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 small apple, chopped
1/4 cucumber, peeled and chopped

Put it all in a bowl then sprinkle with:

Juice of 1/2 lime
1 T of olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Makes one big serving.

629 calories, 77g carb, 32g fat, 15g protein

************************************
Actual recipe for Black Bean, Chick Pea, Avocado Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 green onions, sliced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1/4 chopped, fresh coriander
1 tsp grated lime rind
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Toss the veggies and coriander in a large bowl.

Whisk together the lime rund and juice, oil, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper.
Pour over the salad and toss to coat.

Makes 6 (small) servings :)

About 320 calories, 11 g protein, 16 g fat, 36 g carb, 8 g fiber

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

2011-10-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

I had this for lunch at my Pro-D day on Friday - it was so yummy but it'll make your nose run. Perfect for a rainy afternoon. It comes from a Michael Smith cookbook I think, but I'm not sure which one, so I guess you'll have to go buy all of them. :)

2 onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-4 tablespoons oil (I only used 2, recipe called for 4)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 to 2 litres (quarts) of chicken or veggie stock (depending on how big the sweet potatoes are)
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (I just bought a can of chipotle peppers, it didn't say adobo sauce but it seemed "saucy" ;)
Salt to taste
1 teaspon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin

Toppings:
cilantro
sour cream
corn of flour tortilla wedges made into 'chips'

1. Saute onions in oil until browned.

2. Add garlic and saute a little longer.

3. Add broth and grated sweet potatoes. (My sweet potatoes must have been really big compared to what the recipe called for because 1 litre was nowhere near enough. I added a second litre and it was perfect.)

4. Bring to simmer then add cinnamon, cumin, chopped chipotle pepper (only use 1/2 a pepper if you don't like it mild-med hot), and salt.

5. Simmer until sweet potatoes are soft.

6. Puree with immersion blender, or process in batches in your regular blender. Thin with more stock or water if needed. Check seasoning - salt?

7. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and/or home made tortilla chips.

(Brush tortillas with a little oil and bake in oven until crisp. Cool and break into pieces.)

Yummy Black Bean, Brown Rice, Swiss Chard Mess

2011-10-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight, tossing in stuff as I went. It was SO good but then, anything that begins with sauteed onions and mushrooms HAS to be good. What follows is my recipe. Obviously you can use different veggies and beans etc. All measurements are approximate and can be easily changed.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped or sliced mushrooms
Butter/olive oil/margarine or ?
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups swiss chard, stems removed, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon
S&P
1-2T light soy sauce
Other herbs - basil, oregano, thyme, whatever you like

Method

1. Cook the swiss chard in pan with a little water and a lid for 6-8 minutes

2. Saute onions and mushrooms in a non stick pan (oilve oil, butter, maraginze whatever you want). Add freshly ground salt and pepper.

3. Add rinsed black beans, cooked rice, and drained swiss chard to the pan and mix well. Let heat through for a few minutes.

4. Season any way you like - I squeezed in the juice of one lemon and added a dash or two of light soy sauce, more salt and pepper, and some dried herbs ( - what ever you like.)

I had some left over sliced, sauted zucchini so I threw that in too. I would have put in some diced red pepper but I was out.

This meal had about 425 calories - depending on how much fat you use. Nutrient info is approximate and comes from Sparkpeople.com

Calories - 425
Carbs - 67 grams
Fat - 15 grams
Protein - 17 grams

* I'll admit, I was really hungry and ate two helpings..... Oops.

Homemade Fruit, Nut, and Seed Bars

2011-10-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

Healthy homemade bars are really easy to make if you have a food processor although I'm guessing they could also be made with a blender or even by hand if you want. With home made bars, there are no unknown ingredients, and I assume, they are cheaper.

Here's a recent batch I made. You can mix and match any kind of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds that you want of course. This time I weighed everything because I wanted to get a rough idea of how many calories were in each bar. This picture only shows 1 oz each of dates and prunes. I added another oz of each because the mixture was a bit too dry.

Ingredients

2 oz dried dates
2 oz dried prunes
1 oz dried apricots
1/2 oz raisins
1/2 oz dried cranberries
1/2 oz walnuts
1/2 oz almonds
1/2 oz sunflowers seeds (I used toasted)

Throw all of this into a food processor and whir for a few minutes until the mixtures looks like this. Test the consistency to see if it holds together easily. Add in more dried fruit if it's too dry.

I divided this batch into 5 equal piles, using my small kitchen scale (45 grams or 1 1/2 ozs per bar), again, because I wanted fairly accurate calorie count this time. Form the mixtures into bars (or balls or whatever). Wrap each in plastic wrap. Store in cupboard or fridge - I don't think it matters.

Makes 5 bars

150 calories each

Carbs - 27 grams
Fat - 5 grams
Protein - 2.4 grams

(Nutrient info is approximate. Analysis based on data from http://sparkpeople.com)

Falafel Pita

2011-07-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

I will type up the instructions tomorrow but here are the pics now for my friends Brian. :)

Strained yogurt in a coffee filter for 30 min, add dill, S&P, and garlic if you like.

Heat pita and falafels (cut in half) in a non stick pan. Keep flipping until warm through.

Cut up veggies. Lots of choices here, you can add other stuff too of course.

Start layering on the warmed pita.

According to Sparkpeople, it has 325 calories. Check out the dinner info here http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_tracker.asp?id=KELOWNAGURL&dte=7%2F18%2F2011

Chocolate Avocado Frosting

2011-02-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on the internet today, after hearing about it from Erin337, and adapted it a little. It tastes AMAZING and is way lower in fat and calories than regular frosting. It's also vegan for those of you who are looking for more vegan recipes.

This is a great frosting for my non fat, no egg, Chocolate Banana Cake (see the recipe list on the right.)

1 ripe avocado
1/2 - 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar (depending on the size of the avocado)
1/4 cocoa (unsweetened)
1.2 tsp vanilla

Whir in a food processor and spread on a cake or eat from a spoon. :)

For comparison:
1/2 cup pureed avocado - 180 calories
1/2 cup butter - over 800 calories

Super Easy Spicy Sweet Potaotes

2011-02-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

OK, my twitter friend Rhonda, (@ramavery) from Ontario, gave me this recipe and it's too good not to share.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes in 1/2 inch slices.

Coat with a little olive oil.

Sprinkle and toss with cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper (and anything else you like).

Spread on a baking sheet (I put it on parchment paper first for easy clean up).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Watch them after 15 mins.

Ooh la la... yum!

Quick and Easy Chipotle Mayo

I make this when I have sweet potato fries but it would probably be good with the recipe above as well.

Mix mayo and dry chipotle powder to your taste.

When I'm being healthy I use low fat mayo, or sour cream, or plain yogurt, or low fat Miracle Whip or a mixture of any of these, but truthfully, decadent mayo is the yummiest.

Quinoa, Black Bean, Chick Pea Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

2011-01-30T18:06:00.000-08:00

This was based on a recipe from my new Vegetarian Collection cookbook from Canadian Living, but I changed quite a bit.

1 19 0z (540 ml) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 19 0z (540 ml) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cups cooked quinoa

(You could also add chopped tomatoes and any other salad veggies you like.)

Put all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing.

Chili Lime Dressing

1 tsp grated lime peel
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp (or more) chili powder
Lots of freshly ground salt and pepper
(1 clove of garlic, crushed, if desired)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-12-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

This version is from the Whitewater Cooks: At Home cookbook. I couldn't find it on Amazon but the other Whitewater cookbook is on my list on the right. -->

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 cups onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
28 oz can tomatoes, drained (I didn't drain them)
2 tbsp masa harina (I had to use regular flour)
4 cups chicken stock (veggie stock would be ok too)
1 cup water
1 lb chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
I also added cumin, coriander, chili powder, a tbsp taco spice mix, and oregano to taste.

Saute onion, garlic, 1/2 cup cilantro in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat for 10 minutes, until brown.

Put sauteed mixture in food processor, add tomatoes, and puree until smooth.

Add 2 tbsp more oil in the pan and return the onion/tomato mixture to the pan.

Add flour and spices and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add stock and water and bring to boil.

Add raw chicken and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Check seasonings, salt and pepper.

Serve with the following toppings.

Toppings
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, diced
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
Juice of two limes

2-3 corn or flour tortillas, cut into thin, 2" long strips and then fried in small batches in 1/4 -1/2 cup oil, in deep frying pan. Drain on paper towel.

Serves 8.

Tuscan Harvest Soup

2010-12-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

Here's another wonderful recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant: Cooking For Health cookbook. This recipe is just a teaser - please go buy the book by clicking on the link to the right.

I followed this recipe fairly closely but I added more spices (see italics).

2 cups chopped onion
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp ground fennel seed (I didn't add this - I don't like fennel seed)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup fennel bulb, chopped
2 cups green cabbage, chopped
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (I used buttercup squash)
4 cups vegetable stock (I used chicken stock)
1 cup water
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained (white kidney beans)
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp minced thyme (I had to use dry, 2 tsp)
1/4 cup chopped fennel leaves (or parsley)
3 tbsp lemon juice

I also added ground cumin, ground coriander, and oregano.

In a covered soup pot on medium-low heat, cook the onions and salt in the olive oil for about five minutes.

Add the garlic, ground fennel, and celery and cook for about three minutes.

Stir in the carrots and cook for about three minutes.

Add the chopped fennel bulb and cabbage, and cook for about five minutes.

Add the squash, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the squash softens but does not fall apart, five to ten minutes.

In a blender, puree 1 cup of the beans with 1 cup of the soup. Stir the puree into the soup pot.

Add the remaining beans, black pepper, thyme, and fennel leaves. Simmer, covered for about 10 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender and flavors have melded.

Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. If desired, place a piece of toasted bread in individual soup bowl, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Ladle the soup over the bread and drizzle a little more olive oil on top.

January 23rd addendum

I have made this soup many times and right now it is my absolute favourite. 1 cup is only about 150 calories and has chock full of nutrients.

I change the recipe almost every time I make it - adding in or substituting various vegetables as well as herbs and spices. I've used different types of squash, I often skip fennel although I love it, but it's pricey right now, I've thrown in parsnips and other root veggies. And almost always, I added chopped greens near the end, such as kale, spinach, or swiss chard.

One of the keys to making this soup yummy, is pureeing part of it. It really gives substance to the broth so don't skip that step.

I make a big pot every weekend and freeze it in 1 1/2 - 3 cup containers to take to work during the week. 1 1/2 cups is the perfect amount for lunch for me, add a few pieces of fruit and I'm good. If I want more protein, I sometimes cook up from barley or quinoa and throw in 1/2 cup cooked grain into the soup just before I heat it up.

Enjoy!

Italian Stew with Winter Squash and Chickpeas

2010-12-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

I picked up a couple of Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks, popular with the vegetarians out there, and made this delicious stew. Even Erik liked it!

The recipe can be found online here so I feel ok reprinting it for you. I followed the recipe fairly closely but I doubled the spices and added at least one teaspoon of cumin as well. My changes are in italics.

Serves 4-6 (I made half the recipe and had one cup left over)

3 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp ground coriander (I used about 1-2 tsp)
1/2 tsp thyme (I used 1 tsp)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups water
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
2 cups chopped butternut squash (I used buttercup squash from my garden)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
5 cups chopped kale (not stems)
1 T chopped fresh basil
2 tsp red wine vinegar (I actually forgot the vinegar and it was still good but it would have been a nice addition)

Saute onions and salt over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until onions are soft and beginning to carmelize.

Stir in garlic and spices.

Add water and all of the vegetables except the kale. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add kale and simmer 5-10 minutes, until kale is tender but still bright green.

Adjust seasoning. Stir in basil and wine vinegar.

I served this over brown rice. Very yummy.

1 cup has:

315 calories
14g protein
53g carb
7g fat
14g fiber

Potato, Leek, and Mushroom Soup

2010-10-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a new one for you. But I have to be honest, when I make soup, I don't measure very carefully. I'll try to remember more or less how I made it before I forget.

2 large leeks (or 4 smaller ones)
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of potatoes
6-8 oz mushrooms
1 to 1 1/2 litres (4-6 cups) of chicken stock
Butter
Olive oil
Milk
Creamo if desired
Salt and pepper
Thyme
Any other dried or fresh herbs that you like

Trim leeks, use mostly the white and a bit of the light green part. Slice in half length-wise and wash under running water, fanning out the leaves to get the dirt out. Shake dry and slice in 1/4 in half circles.

Peel and cube potatoes, about 1/2 inch chunks.

Heat a little butter and oil in a pot. Saute leeks in the butter for a few minutes. Add mushrooms after a few minutes, and then potatoes a few minutes later. Leeks and mushrooms should be soft, potatoes should be coated and just starting to cook.

Add thyme and any other herbs you'd like. I have fresh thyme, rosemary, basil, and oregano in my garden so I tend to add whatever's handy. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of freshly ground pepper to make the soup 'warm'.

Add about 4-6 cups of chicken broth and simmer until potatoes are cooked. Adjust seasoning.

Add some milk (I just poured some in - maybe a cup or two? - and then I added about 1/2 cup creamo which is higher fat - you can decide)

Eat!!

I'm not sure if this would freeze very well - potatoes get weird when frozen, but you could try it if you want. I just put mine in a container and ate it at work every day for the week.

Tortilla Soup

2010-09-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Once again, I found a lot of different recipes on the net and this is the version I made.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup salsa
1 15 oz can chick peas or black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice from one lime
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 shake of chipotle spice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 pkg taco seasoning mix
2 chopped cooked chicken breasts

Serve with:
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese, grated
Green onion, diced
Diced avocado

Cook onion, garlic, and carrot in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, salsa, beans, herbs and seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add diced chicken and heat through.

Stir in grated cheddar and sour cream, then top with avocado and green onions. Serve with tortilla chips.

Sundried Tomato Bruschetta

2010-08-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

OK this is not a healthy appie but I was asked for the recipe so here it is. I make this differently every time I make it and there are no exact measurements. Just mix up to your taste.

For about 4-6 slices of bread, measurements are approximate
3-4 sun dried tomato slices, (marinated in oil), chopped.
2-3 olives, chopped (any kind, green are fine)
1 green onion, chopped
1-2 tbsp pesto
1-2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp cream cheese

I sometimes also add any of the following if I have them:
1-2 chopped mushrooms
1-2 chopped marinated artichokes
Chopped fresh or dried herbs

Thinly slice a baguette on the angle, brush one or both sides with a little oil from the sundried tomato jar, and toast briefly in the oven. Then spread the mixture on the toast slices and broil for a minute or two. If I have any, I sometimes grate long strips of parmesan cheese on top before I broil it..

If you make this and add sometime different, comment below and let us know what worked for you!

Kelownagurl's Falafel Recipe

2010-08-08T14:31:00.000-07:00

I have tried a number of recipes, including the packaged mix, and this if the version I like the best, so far.

1 - 19 oz can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 carrot, grated
1 big handful of parsley, chopped (abt 1/2 c )
Juice from 1 lemon (abt 2 tbsp)
1-2 tsp cumin
1/2 - 1 tsp coriander if desired
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp olive oil (if desired - I use a little water to thin it instead)
1 Tbsp flour (may be adjusted depending on humidity)
1 tsp baking powder

Most recipes call for 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed but my stomach doesn't like garlic so I skip that.

Other than the chickpeas, most of the ingredients can be increased or decreased slightly.

Put chickpeas, onion, carrot, and parsley in food processor and process for about 30 seconds until chunky. Add lemon juice, cumin, salt, flour, baking powder and process to mix. Add a little olive oil and/or water if the mixture is too dry.

Form into patties and fry in a little oil, on medium heat until golden brown on each side. The recipe said to fry them in 1/4 inch of olive oil but I used a non-stick pan with just a glazing of oil. Also, lately, I've been dropping them by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper and baking in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until sort of firm. They break apart pretty easily but they taste great. :)

You may have to play around with the amount of water you add until you find the right consistency. This mixture should be chunkier than hummus.

Serve hot or cold, with tzatziki. May be eaten in a pita with raw veggies and tzatziki.

You can also spread the "raw" falafel mixture onto toast or use like you would any hummus.

KG's Hummus

2010-07-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

OK there are lots of good hummus recipes out there but several people have asked, so here's mine. First off, you will notice there is no garlic. Raw garlic and I do not get along so I don't put any in and I'm happy that way. Roasted garlic would be nice but I rarely have any laying around so... Feel free to added a clove or two of crushed garlic if you like.

Ingredients

1 540 ml (19 oz) can of chick peas, drained, save some liquid
1-2 T of tahini (in a pinch you can also use peanut butter but it's better with tahini)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2- 1 tsp cumin (to taste)
Salt (and pepper if desired)
(Most recipes call for olive oil but I don't use any and don't miss it.)

Method

Dump chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and S&P into food processor. Add 1-2 T of reserved liquid. Process until smooth, adding more liquid if needed.

Can be eaten with pita, raw veggies, or my favourite, a spoon.

Store in fridge if you don't eat the whole thing at one sitting. :)

If you want to use dry chickpeas, COOK THEM FIRST! (Right Gordon? ;)

Quite a few calories, but I figure they're good ones.

Whole Grain Veggie Salad

2010-07-22T18:30:00.001-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight, taking ideas from a number of different recipes I found.

Earlier today, I cooked 1 cup each of cracked wheat and barley. Simmer each in boiling water (cracked wheat about 12 minutes, barley about 20 minutes)until tender but chewy then drain and cool.

To assemble salad, measurements are very approximate.

1/3 cup cooked barley
1/3 cup cooked cracked wheat
1/2 cup chick peas (drained and rinsed)

Add chopped vegetables to your taste. Today I added:

* red pepper
* green onions
* avocado
* fresh chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil)

I also added a large handful of dried cranberries and walnuts.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and the juice from 1/2 lemon

Add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is so adaptable. You could any kind of cooked whole grain, raw or cooked vegetable, cooked beans, dried fruit and nuts, fresh herbs.

YUM!!!

Pork Tenderloin

2010-03-22T20:20:00.000-07:00

1 pork tenderloin
6-8 large mushrooms
8-10 baby potatoes
1/3 bottle red wine
1/2 - 1 cup beef stock (or water and oxo)
Montreal Steak Spice
6-10 cloves of garlic
garlic salt if desired
1-2 T olive oil

I made this tonight and it was pretty good so I want to write it down quickly before I forget.

Cut a pork tenderloin into about 5-6 chunks. Sprinkle with Montreal Steak Spice, garlic salt, and thyme. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and brown meat on all sides.

Toss in about 6-8 large mushrooms, halved or quartered.

Pour some red wine in and let it simmer for awhile, scraping the bottom. Add 5-6 cloves of garlic.

Add more wine and/or a little beef broth as needed.

While it simmers, partly cook (boil) some new red potatoes. Drain well. Toss into pan. Add more thyme to taste.

Cover and cook in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 20 mins or so till the liquid boils down a bit and thickens.

Next time, I would like to take the potatoes out near the end, toss them with a bit of olive oil and thyme, and cook them a little longer to brown them a bit more, make them a bit crispy.

Anyway, this recipe could be tweaked a lot, but it was pretty darn good for a first attempt on a busy school night.

This recipe served 3 of us for dinner.

Chicken Chili in the Crockpot

2010-01-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

4 chicken breasts, cut in pieces
1 19 oz large can of black beans
1 14 oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce
2 cups of salsa
1 package of taco seasoning
Other seasoning to taste (I added cumin)

Mix ingredients in crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for ?? hours.

Shred chicken in your bowl when you serve it if you want.

Tastes good with a dollop of low fat plain yogurt (or sour cream).

Can add all sorts of other stuff. Different beans, different kinds of canned or fresh tomatoes, additional seasonings, onions, mushrooms, celery, corn.....

Goat Cheese Terrine

2009-12-27T12:51:00.001-08:00

This is a recipe from the Whitewater Cooks at Home cookbook. Fabulous cookbook, I strongly recommend you buy it.

Beat until fluffy and smooth (mixer or spoon):

8 oz (250 g) soft goat cheese (I bought mild, unripened)

Spread half the cheese on serving plate, cover with:

¼ cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

½ cup pesto, store bought or homemade

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp freshly ground pepper (I didn't use this)

Spread the rest of the cheese on top.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and press down gently to compress the layers a bit. Refrigerate until just before serving.

When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle with:

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp balsamic crema or balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

I made mine right on the serving dish but you can also use a 6" tart pan with a removable bottom. When ready to service, just invert onto a plate and remove the pan bottom/sides.

Rosemary Nut Crackers

2009-12-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Got this recipe from Whitewater Cooks at Home (first via my friend, Nancy). They are almost exactly like the expensive Rainforest Crackers and oh so yummy with the Goat Cheese Terrine recipe I will also post.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together in a large bowl:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Add and stir until just combined:

2 cups buttermilk

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

Add and stir just until well blended:

1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

½ cup pecans (or other nuts), toasted and chopped

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup sesame seeds

¼ ground flaxseed (wheat germ also works)

2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (I used 2 tsp dried, crumbled)

Pour into two 8x4 inch greased loaf pans and bake at 350˚ for about 35 minutes, or until golden and springy to the touch.

Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. The cooler the loaf, the easier it is to slice thinly. (Can be cooled overnight in the fridge.)

Slice the loaves as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I put mine on parchment paper.) Each loaf makes 30-35 slices.

Bake at 350˚ for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake 3-6 more minutes until crisp and deeply golden.

Remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Store in a cookie tin or freeze in sealed containers.

What not to do...

2009-11-21T21:56:00.001-08:00

Someone asked me if I could post some pictures of the recipes I have on the blog, so today when I was making the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup again, I decided to do just that.

Here are the peppers, ready to cut up.

And here they are again, seeded, cut in half, rubber with olive oil, and spread out on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. There is half a head of garlic inside the piece of tin foil.

Here are the peppers after 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Here are the cooked, peeled peppers, tomatoes, and roasted garlic in a large pot. Just add 1 litre of chicken stock and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

Here is the pot, sitting in the sink, after I forgot to turn down the stove to low, and left to go work on my report cards for awhile.

So sad.... I managed to salvage most of the red peppers but they smell so gross and smoky, I guess I'll have to throw them out. I am afraid my pot is ruined as well...

On a brighter not, the smoke alarm works well.... ;)

Creamy Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2009-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

* Measurements are approximate. You can always tweak it to suit your own taste.

6 large red peppers – cut in half, seeded (thick flesh is best)
Olive oil rubbed over peppers
Salt and pepper
5-6 garlic cloves
Parchment paper on a cookie sheet makes cleanup easier

½ large onion, diced
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
1 large can diced tomatoes (798 ml – 26 oz?)

1 tsp thyme
1 tsp Herbs de Provence or any herbs you want
Several good shakes of cayenne

3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 – 2 1/2 cups milk

Set oven to 400 degrees. Put peppers skin side up on cookie sheet. S&P.

Sprinkle garlic with a little oil and wrap in piece of tin foil. Put in oven with peppers.

Cook 45-60 minutes, or until skins are black and peppers are soft. Let cool and then peel off the outer skin. Squeeze the cooked garlic from its skin as well.

Saute onions in butter until soft. Add some of the chicken stock and cook a few minutes to soften further.

Add red peppers, tomatoes, and rest of chicken stock to the sauteed onions. Add thyme, S&P, cayenne, any other herbs/spices to taste and cook for a little while.

Puree with hand blender right in the pot. (At this point, it tastes pretty good and could be eaten as it is if you didn't want to add the calories/fat of the white sauce.)

Make white sauce – melt butter, add flour, whisk in milk and stir until thickened. Stir into pepper/tomato mixture. Heat thru. Check seasonings. Makes about 7 cups or so?

I put it in 1 cup containers and freeze it for work. Yum.

Runner Bob's Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-11-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk

1 ½ cups pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle 350 degrees or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Lybbe's Quinoa Mango Salad

2009-07-02T12:31:00.001-07:00

Quinoa/Mango Salad

I poached this straight from Lybbe's podcast blog (with her ok :)

Boil one cup of rinsed quinoa until done (will look like small beads with white ring around outside) - drain, and refrigerate for about an hour. You should have about 2 cups of cooked quinoa.

Peel and chop a large mango - add to quinoa
Chop, slice or dice a very large red pepper - add to quinoa
Thin slice a whole vidalia onion - add to quinoa
Cut the ends off a handful of snow peas, and steam until just bright green - do not over-steam - you guess it - add to quinoa.

Toss everything together and sprinkle with a little sea salt. If the mango is not overly ripe and isn't really juicy, you can add a bit of lemon or lime juice.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cake (non-fat, no egg, low sugar)

2009-04-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

I made this combining several different recipe ideas. The base recipe was from Nancy Clark's book "Sports Nutrition Guidebook". I highly recommend this book if you want good, sensible, nutrition information for athletes.

Ingredients

3 large bananas, mashed (at least 1 cup)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup dry cocoa
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 - 1/2 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix mashed banana, applesauce, cocoa, and milk.

2. Mix dry ingredients and stir in banana mixture.

3. Spread in 9" X 9" pan.

4, Bake for about 30 minutes, at 350 degrees. Watch it, my oven is a bit iffy so I checked it several times and I took it out when it was slightly underdone.

5. Let cool, cut into 16 squares. Eat or freeze.

Rough nutrient guide, based on info from Sparkpeople

1/16 of cake

Calories: 83
Carbs: 19 gr.
Fat: .5 gr (1/2 gr)
Protein: 2 gr

Tip - frost with chocolate avocado frosting - see recipe in side bar.

Avocado Shrimp Salad

2009-03-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

I made this the other day - it was SOOO good.

Cover a plate with a bed of washed greens. Any type will do. I'm lazy and buy mixed spring greens by the bag.

Roughly chop 5-6 stalks of leftover cooked asparagus.

Thaw 1 cup or so of frozen shrimp and 1 cup of frozen mango.

Chop up half an avocado, half a red pepper, a couple of green onions (if you want), and a tomato.

Dump the shrimp and veggies on top of the lettuce and mix up a bit. If desired, drizzle with a little low fat dressing and salt and pepper. I often just squeeze on lemon juice and s/p.

I'm sure you can mix and match with other veggie combinations. Some walnuts or almonds might be nice?

Looks wonderful- tastes great

Roasted Root Vegetables

2009-03-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Volume 2, Issue 2 of Canadian Running Magazine (which I really enjoy reading by the way). In the magazine it is credited to Anna Olsen so I linked the title to her recipe.

Updated Friday, March 13

I made this again last night with a few changes and it was still great. Here's my version first, then the original recipe follows.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Yield: 3-4
Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and cubed carrot
1 cup peeled and cubed parsnip
1 cup cubed celery root
1-2 cups buttercup squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Toss carrot, parsnip, celery root with olive oil and thyme and season lightly. ** I almost forgot - this time I sprinkled some Montreal Chicken spice over as well. ** Place in an large shallow baking dish and roast for 20 minutes. Add in buttercup squash and stir to coat. Return to over and increase temp to 375. Cook until vegetables are equally tender. Remove thyme sprigs if necessary.

Drizzle several tablespoons of low fat italian dressing over the warm veggies and serve. I use Renee's Wellness Tuscan Italian Dressing - only 20 calories per 2T. I've also tried Newman's Own Balsamic Dressing - 35 calories per 2T.

Note: I would have used the shallots as called for below, but I rarely have any in the house.

Also would like to throw some mushrooms and/or asparagus in there near the end some time.

****************

Original Recipe - Roasted Root Vegetables

Yield: 6
Ingredients:

1 cup peeled and diced carrot
1 cup peeled and diced parsnip
1 cup diced celery root
1 x Delicata squash, seeded and diced (you can leave the skin on)
2 x shallots, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Toss carrot, parsnip, celery root and squash with shallots, olive oil and thyme and season lightly. Place in an 8-cup baking dish and roast for 30 to 40 minute, until vegetables are equally tender. Remove thyme sprigs.

Warm Vinaigrette

1+ 6 tbsp olive oil
1 x shallot, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté shallot for one minute over medium heat. Whisk in mustard, vinegar and rosemary and reduce heat to low.
Whisk in remaining 6 tbsp oil in a slow drizzle and season to taste.
When ready to serve, toss warm roasted vegetables with warm vinaigrette, garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (another one)

2009-02-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

I found a few recipes on the net and came up with this combination. I was a bit laissez-faire on the amounts of ingredients so tweak it as you will. My recipe makes about 8 cups of soup.

4 large red peppers, halved and seeded
1/2-1 onion, cut in chunks (I don't put this in but you can)
1/2 head garlic (or more)
1 medium sweet potato, cooked into microwave, cut in large chunks, peeled
2 tomatoes
Olive oil
S&P
Italian seasoning (ie basil, thyme, oregano)
6 cups of chicken stock
Plain yogurt (or cream)

Lay red peppers, skin side up on baking sheet and brush with oil. Toss other veggies in a little oil and lay around the peppers. Brush the garlic with oil and wrap in foil. place in oven with other veggies.

Place in middle of oven under broiler set at about 400-450. Check frequently. 15-20 minutes.
When I got to this point, the peppers seem like they need longer cooking so I switch the oven to 400 bake instead of broil and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the peppers were soft and the skins were starting to blacken.

Remove from tray, and cool. Slip peels off tomatoes and garlic. Sweat peppers in a bag 10 minutes and then peel.

Put veggies in large pot and add 6 cups of chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil. Puree with hand blender. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Add thyme, basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a little cream or a dollop of plain yogurt. A dash of Franks Red Hot Chili Lime is tasty too.

I store in 1 cup containers all week in the fridge and add yogurt after I heat it up.

Thai Red Curry

2009-01-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

OK, this one's for Bobm512z. It's not particularly healthy because of the high fat content of the coconut milk but I've tried using low fat and it's juat not the same. I also tried it with plain yogurt instead and it was only so-so.

Recipe

398 ml (14 oz) can coconut milk, undisturbed so cream floats to top (not low fat)
2-3 T olive oil
2-3 T red curry paste (I buy Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste)
1 1/2 T fish sauce
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 red or yellow pepper cut in chunks
1-2 carrots cut in fairly thin slices
White part of 2 green onions, sliced (or sliced regular onion if you want)
1 lb shrimp, prawns, halibut, scallops, or chicken in chunks
Salt if needed to taste
1 diced tomato

Put oil and 4 T cream off the top of the coconut milk can in pan. Slowly heat over medium. Add curry paste when hot. Stir till oil separates and is lightly browned. Reduce heat and add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and 1/2 c. water. Add peppers, carrots, and onions. Cover and simmer on low for 5 minutes. (I actually don’t cover it...) Add rest of coconut milk. Add fish or chicken in single layer. Cook gently till cooked thru.. Ad diced tomato and cook 1-2 minutes. Add diced green onions. Serve over jasmine rice.

You are supposed to garnish with the following but I never do because I can’t find fresh. I had them at a restaurant once though and they were good.

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, sliced (or lime rind?)
sliced thai basil leaves

Notes: I am fairly casual in the amounts. I just squeeze in some lime juice, toss in a spoonful of sugar etc... I make it spicy to my taste at first, then it ‘cools ‘ down once I add the rest of the coconut milk. You can add more curry later if you need it. I find the heat o fthe curry paste varies from jar to jar so I adjust every time I buy it.

I’ve made it with chicken breast, cut in chunks.

Or a bag of frozen (thawed) prawns.

Or 1lb of halibut.

Or 1/2 lbs scallops and 1/2 lbs halbut or prawns.

All yummy. Jasmine rice is best but any kind of non-flavoured rice will do. I have often used brown rice.

Lybbe and Solorunner's Kale Salad

2009-01-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from two friends on Twitter. I'll give you the recipe then note my adaptations below.

Ingredients:
kale, chopped very finely (no rib)
cherry tomatoes
avocado
green onion

Dressing:
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper

This is the basic recipe and it's delicious as is. However, I have trouble chewing raw kale right now due to my new braces so I blanched a head of chopped kale for 2-3 minutes (that's all) and ran cold water over it. Then I patted it dry(er) with a paper towel. I used some in a salad that day and left the rest for a salad at work the next day.

Also - I don't use oil on my salad, just fresh lemon juice and S&P.

One day I added some leftover cold asparagus, cut in one inch pieces - yum! And another day I added some dice red pepper. Another day, I used chopped tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. Yet another day I chopped up some leftover cooked chicken breast and added that.

No matter how you make it, it's a wonderful salad, made of well-documented super foods!

Enjoy!

Cucumber Shrimp Spread

2008-12-28T15:20:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe and often make it to take to parties. And it's low-fat!
Canadian Living Magazine – June 1998 P. 97

1/2 long English cucumber, peeled (seeded if nec)
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz cooked shrimp (frozen is fine)
3 T light cream cheese
2 T light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
4 tsp chopped fresh dill

Grate cucumber into a sieve, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 10 minute.

Drain, and squeeze dry in clean tea towel.

Pat shrimp dry and puree in food processor with cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice and rind, mustard, and pepper.

Pulse until chunky/smooth.

Stir in chopped dill and grated cucumber.

Garnish with a few whole shrimp and a sprig or dill.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Per tablespoon
26 calories
3 g protein
1 g fat
1 g carb

Hot Rum Toddy

2008-12-17T21:39:00.001-08:00

OK, I know this isn't a "healthy" drink but it's what I'm craving with this never-ending cold of mine. My buddy Bowerm says it should be 1/2 cup of rum, but that would put me under the table, or perhaps cause a new drunken podcast. :)

Here's the recipe for a traditional Hot Rum Toddy, from http://www.foodandheritage.com/toddy.htm

Ingredients:

1 cup of hot water

1 ounce of dark rum

2 teaspoons of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of creamed butter

2 teaspoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice

grated nutmet

dash of powder cinnamon

dash of powdered ginger

hint of powdered cloves

Method:

Mix your dry and wet ingredients (except the hot water and rum) into a paste. Pour into a serving vessel one cup of boiling water. Stir in the paste until dissolved. Add your once of rum. Garnish with a curl of lemon peel and a cinnamon stick. Serve when hot.

Quantities:

Serving for 1.

Jessup Food & Heritage, Ltd. 2000

Baked Chicken Penne

2008-11-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from the Kraft What's Cooking magazine holiday '08 edition. My 10 year old son made it, under my supervision, and it was delicious! He loves cooking and is going to be a good cook some day. :)

Baked Chicken Penne

1-1/2 cups whole wheat penne, uncooked
1 285 gram package baby spinach
1 T. olive oil
1 lb (450 gr) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces.
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1-1/2 cups pasta sauce (half 700 ml jar)
1-2/3 cups canned, diced tomatoes, drained (1/2 large can)
1/4 cup light cream cheese spread
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 T. grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for the last minute. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add chicken and mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes.

Add pasta sauce, tomatoes, and basil. Simmer 3-5 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Stir in cream cheese.

Put drained pasta/spinach into a 2 L casserole dish. Pour chicken mixture over the pasta and add 1/2 of the mozzarella. Stir until well-coated.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over and bake 3 minutes more, until cheese is melted.

Make 4 servings, 2 cups each serving.

Calories 480
Fat 14grams
Carb 42 grams
Protein 45 grams

Cyberpenguin's Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2008-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

2 – 2½ lb. red peppers (6-7)
3 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1½ cups yellow onion, chopped
1 c. vegetable broth (or chicken broth, if you prefer.)
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
8 - 10 fresh basil leaves
1/3 to ½ c. heavy cream (I recommend substituting w/non-dairy creamer or plain soy milk instead for obvious reasons! ;-))

Directions: Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove stems, seeds & ribs. Lay cut side down on baking sheet; place under broiler. Roast until skins blister & blacken, 15-20 minutes. Remove & cover with foil. Let cool 10-15 minutes. Peel off skins, chop into medium pieces, & set aside. (Note: This can be done the night before. Refrigerate the pieces in a covered dish. Add the pepper juice to the soup as well.)

Warm oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion & sauté until translucent. Add chicken broth, water, salt and cayenne. Cover partially & bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15–20 minutes. Add roasted peppers & cook for 10 minutes more.

Drain peppers & onion in colander, reserving liquid. In batches, puree peppers & onions in food processor or blender. Return puree & reserved liquid to saucepan and reheat. Cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice & cook 1 minute more. Taste & adjust seasonings. Stir in 1/3 of shredded basil. Serve & float 1-2 Tbsp. cream on top & sprinkle with remaining basil. Serves 4.

Gwennie's Yellow Split Pea Soup

2008-11-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

1 16oz bag yellow split peas
4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 quick spray of cooking spray
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium parsnips, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or more, to taste)
1 or 2 medium bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

Add olive oil, a quick spray of cooking spray (to coat) onions, garlic, and thyme to a large pot and sautee until onions are soft.

Add carrots, parsnips and bay leaf, and sautee another 2 to 3 minutes.

In a colander, quickly rinse yellow peas, then add peas, broth, and water to sauteed vegetables.

Stir, and bring to a boil.

Cover and let sit until peas become soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(If you have a hand-held puree machine, I like to puree part of the soup while it is still in the pot. I also like to leave part of the soup chunky, so it's half pureed, half chunk. If not, the soup is delicious as it is!)

ENJOY! ;)

There's Hummus, and Then There's Hummus

2008-11-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of Hummus Recipes that Rambonie posted on his blog, Iron Newman , today. Hummus is a delicious and healthy snack, and I often eat it as the main protein in my lunch. I dip veggies when I'm trying cut down on the bread products.

*********************************
Basic Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

This is very similar to my recipe but I can't eat raw garlic so I often just omit the garlic altogether which I'm sure would make some purists freak out. However, I've was thinking that a roasted garlic hummus might be kind of nice. Anyone have a good recipe?

Also, a note - you can use a little peanut butter if you don't have any tahini in the house (which I often don't).

*********************************
Rambonie also posted this interesting looking recipe. I'm almost afraid to try it but it does sound kind of good.

Pumpkin Hummus

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

juice of one lemon

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup tahini paste

1 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

salt to taste

Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving the liquid. Place the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid into a blender, and puree until a smooth paste forms. Add the pumpkin puree, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cover and puree again until smooth. Use additional cooking liquid as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.

He later told me he thought the Pumpkin Hummus wasn't that great, and thought it was too garlicky. He said he thinks "the next batch will come out better, a little less spicy, a little sweeter and more pumpkinier."

*********************************

I'd love to find a good recipe for 60 Peppercorn Hummus that I buy at the grocery store. Yummy. I've thought about just throwing a bunch of cracked pepper into my home made hummus but I haven't tried it yet.

Update: Maybe this one for Peppercorn Hummus?

http://www.aviawest.com/owner_news/2006/January/recipe.html

or this one for Roasted Garlic Hummus?

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=202343

I'll let you know after I've tried them.

Menu Plans

2008-11-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

Not sure why I'm writing this down. I guess I was just thinking through my current way of eating and looking for ways to improve.

I've been trying to get more meat alternatives and more fruit and vegetables into my diet, and cut out as much processed foods as possible. The toughest thing is doing that when I'm tired, or busy. When I plan ahead, and shop properly, it's a lot easier to stay on track. Also, my family enjoys it when I make certain standards during the week and they are not always the best choices for me. We eat a lot of things made with burger so I've trying to replace beef with chicken or turkey for starters. I have also tried to replace regular pasta with whole wheat and often I will skip the wrap or the bread when the boys want to have soft tacos, burgers, or sloppy joes.

Things I've noticed.

When I was training, I ate about 55-60% carbs, 20-25% fat, 20-25% protein. Right now, in the off-season, I haven't paid a lot of attention to that balance but I doubt it's that far off.

To maintain my weight, I need to eat about 1400-1500 calories per day. If I eat extra to cover calories lost when working out, I have to be careful or I gain weight.

I would be happy if I could eat 1800-2000 calories a day because that's what I FEEL like eating. Anything less than 2000 calories a day feels like deprivation.

Last summer when I was training hard for 8-10 hours a week, I could eat 'normally' (probably about 2000 calories a day) and not gain weight. To lose weight, I need to work out 30-60 minutes a day AND cut down on calories. To maintain my weight, I need to eat carefully and exercise regularly.

I find all of this very challenging but I have maintained a 20+ lb weight loss for over two years now. It's a constant battle.

So a typical day, when I'm being "good" looks like:

Breakfast is always the same thing.

Yogurt, 1/4 c oatmeal, 1/2 oz walnuts, 1/2 banana or 1/2 cup mango.
Coffee with 2 sugar and cream

Snack- apple

Lunch

- 1-2 pieces of fruit
- 2-3 raw veggies (carrots, peppers, snap peas most often)

Plus one of the following:
- turkey chili on brown rice (with veggies), 1/2 slice whole grain bread
- one of my filling vegetable/grain/bean soups
- whole grain crackers and hummous, tuna, cottage cheese, 1 oz cheddar
- big salad with a protein and a slice of whole grain bread

Snack - fruit, green tea

Dinner
- 3-4 oz lean meat or alternate protein
-1/2 cup brown rice, whole grain pasta, sometimes 1/2 baked potato
- more raw veggies or salad with lemon juice or low fat dressing
- sometimes cooked veggies

dessert= fruit (blueberries or raspberries) with 1 piece dark chocolate
1 glass red wine.

I TRY TO EAT:
- to eat blueberries, walnuts, kale, and other 'high nutrient' foods every day.
- olive oil only
- olive oil becel when I want butter
- strained plain yogurt instead of mayo on everything
- green tea, cold or hot
- low-glycemic carbs except after training

I TRY NOT TO EAT:
- white flour products
- processed junk food - chips, crackers, donuts....
- more than one cup of coffee a day (1 T creamo, 2 tsp sugar, can't stand it any other way)
- food high in fat
- food high in nitrates (processed meats, sausage etc)

AFTER A WORKOUT:
- I drink chocolate milk and eat a lean turkey and veg sandwich. Depending on how hard the workout is, I will allow myself high-glycemic carbs at this point.

Easy Chicken Soup with Brown Rice

2008-11-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

1 large chicken breast
garlic or garlic powder
salk and pepper
1-2 T olive oil

Chop 2-3 carrots, 2-3 celery, 1/2 onion
Could also add chopped mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes. snap peas....)
1 litre (1 quart?) chicken stock (or homemade or veggie or cubes...)
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown rice

(You could also add pasta or black beans or ?)

*************

Chop one large chicken breast and brown with garlic powder, salt and pepper, (or diced garlic) in a little olive oil in a medium soup pot. Add chopped carrots, celery, onion, any other vegetable you want to add (mushrooms, peppers, diced tomato, snap peas...). Stir the mixtures to coat well and soften the vegetables. Scrape bits off the bottom. Stir in 1/4c -1/2c brown rice. Add 1 quart of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you simmer low, keep a cover on. If you cook higher, do not cover and add a bit more water as needed.

Check seasonings. Add oregano, basil, or thyme if you like.

You could make this with veg broth if you wanted.
Make about three 2 C servings.

Wheat Berry, Barley, and Tomato Salad

2008-11-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

Taken from Canadian Living Eat Right Cookbook p.115

I made this and I like it for lunch on school days.

1 cup wheat berries (I had to buy bulgher wheat)
1 cup pot or pearl barley
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic(I only used one)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Rinse wheat berries, place in bowl. Cover with 2" water and soak for 12 hours., Drain
Stir into a pot of boiling salted water. Reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Stir in barley, cook covered another 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to large bowl.

Meanwhile cut tomatoes in half. Heat oil in skillet and cook tomatoes, vinegar, thyme, S&P until warm and softened, about 5 minutes. Pour over wheat / barley mixture. Toss well. Sprinkle with cut green onions and goat cheese.

Make 6 servings

Cal: 328
Pro - 7g
Carb - 52g
Fibre - 7g
Fat - 11 g (2g saturated)

* I think when I made this, I also added some diced red peppers to the final mix.

Phil (AKA Snowshadow)'s Four Favourite Recipes

2008-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Phil loves curry I think. :) He sent me jpg's of the recipes so I thought I'd add them here. I have NOT tested Becky or Phil's recipes, but I trust them :)

Just click on the recipe and you'll have a larger, more 'readable" image.

Salmon Stir-Fry

Tuna and Tomato Salad

Vindaloo Curry

Becky (AKA Seriouschick)'s Two Favourites!

2008-10-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here are couple of interesting sounding recipes that Seriouschick from Twitter emailed to me today. I think I'll try them out on the weekend! Thanks Becky! Anyone else have any tried and true recipes to share?

Curried Lentils with Butternut Squash

1 cup dry lentils
1 small butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Spray a two-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Pour the lentils into a deep pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and add raw chunks of the squash (go ahead and leave the skin on to add nutrients and texture to the dish). Simmer until the squash is soft (about one hour). Remove the pot from the heat, drain, and set aside. With tongs, pull out the chunks of squash and mash them roughly, skins and all, with a fork, ricer, or potato masher.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, mix the drained cooked lentils and mashed squash with the olive oil and all the spices (including the salt and pepper). Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. At this point, you can cover the dish and refrigerate it for a few hours or even overnight. When you're ready, bake until piping hot, which will be about 20 minutes if you're putting it into the oven right after mixing it or about 30 minutes if it's been refrigerated. Serve warm, garnished with shredded coconut if you like and with a serving of wild greens, such as blanched chard. Serves two as a hearty main dish or four as a side dish.

Calories: 530
Protein: 32 g
Carbs: 94 g
Fat: 8 g

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Feta-Olive Salad

2 large sweet potatoes
1/2 lb block good feta cheese , cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
2/3 cup black oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (ground ok)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds (ground ok)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
something cool and creamy to dollop on top: sour cream, yogurt, tzaziki... even hummus!

Preheat the oven to 375F. Wash the potatoes to rid them of any dirt and place on a foil-lined baking pan in the oven (no need to prick them). Bake until they are completely soft, about 45-60 minutes (depending on their size).

While the potatoes are roasting, make the salad. I like to toast the cumin and coriander seeds before using them, but you don't have to. If you do, just heat them in a dry pan, stirring often, until they smell fragrant and toasty. Set aside to cool, then crush them coarsely in a mortar or with the back of a heavy knife (if using whole seeds). Mix together all the salad ingredients in a bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge until the potatoes are done (add a little more olive oil if it seems dry). When they are, remove them from the oven and place on plates. Slice them lengthwise down the center, folding open to reveal the orange flesh inside. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Pile half the feta salad on each potato, and eat!

Notes: I can't get enough of this dish. The contrasts between hot and cold, sweet and salty, crunchy and soft are mind-blowing. It is so simple, so quick, and so delicious. Who decided that this versatile vegetable could only be served slathered in marshmallows?

Yellow Bows of Texas (Turkey Chili)

2008-10-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

From the Looney Spoons Cookbook - Crazy Plates.

I made this today and quite liked it. I had it on brown rice instead of pasta. It freezes well and makes a nice lunch.

1 lb lean ground turkey/chicken
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic minced
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped carrot (I used grated because I had some)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 small can diced tomatoes (I added this)
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 19 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp oregano

12 oz bow tie pasta (I cooked 1 cup raw brown rice)

Toppings
Low-fat sour cream
Shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions

Spray a large non-stick skillet with Pam, or a little olive oil. Cook ground turkey, breaking up with a spoon. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, and carrots. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring until veggies are tender.

Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salsa, =beans, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta or rice. Drain.

Serve on top of rice or pasta with any desired toppings.

Serves 6

Nutrients (with pasta)

441 calories

Carbs: 65 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Protein: 34 grams
Fiber: 5 grams (probably more fiber with brown rice)

Breakfast

2008-10-19T21:04:00.001-07:00

So what do I eat for breakfast?

Well it varies from day to day but I try to get some good carbs in the form of whole grains, fruit, yogurt for protein, and a few walnuts or almonds every morning. (They're a super food!)

Here are my two main work day breakfast meals:

Steel Cut Oats with toppings (yogurt, fruit, and/or nuts)

Steel Cut Oats are the best choice - they are more nutrient dense - higher calorie but also higher in protein and fibre than regular oatmeal. I find them more filling and they have a chewy texture.

Bob's Redmill Brand has 140 calories for 1/4 cup. The toppings vary in caloric content.

They do take longer to cook but I have found a simple method that works quite well.

Just before I go to bed, I put 1/4 cup of steel cut oats and 1 cup of fully boiling water into a thermos and close the lid. I leave it on the counter overnight. In the morning, I pour the oatmeal into a bowl and give it a quick zap in the microwave oven to warm it up a bit more. I top it with plain yogurt and fruit. I often sprinkle some chopped walnuts or almonds on top as well. No sugar for me but I'm used to not having it sweet. Bananas work well if you have a sweet tooth.

1/4 steel cut oats (140 calories)
1/2 banana (54 calories)
1/3 cup liberty Plain Organic yogurt (48 calories)
1/3 oz walnuts (56 calories)

Total: 290 calories

Carbs: 46 grams
Fat: 10 grams
Protein: 12 grams
Fibre: 6 grams

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Plain yogurt with fruit and quick cooking oatmeal

I tend to eat this as a snack, as well as a breakfast. I make it when I've forgotten to put steel cut oats in the thermos overnight. I just mix it up in a bowl and eat. The oatmeal softens up in the yogurt quite quickly and doesn't need to be cooked first (at least not for me. :)

3/4 cup plain yogurt (110 calories)
1/4 cup quick cooking oats (75 calories)
1/3 oz walnuts, broken or chopped (56 calories)
1/2 banana cut up (54 calories) (or any other fruit)

Total: 311 calories

Carbs: 38 grams
Fat: 11 grams (6g from the walnuts)
Protein: 15 grams
Fibre: 4 grams

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I also eat an apple every day at about 10am when my students have their snack break.

Italian Meatball Soup

2008-10-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

I found this in my latest Chatelaine magazine (also online). Very tasty, filling, and fairly healthy. Could be made vegetarian if you used beans instead of making the meatballs. Serve with some grated fresh parmesan and a crusty whole grain roll.

8 cups chicken broth (could use veggie)
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or 1/2 tsp each dried oregano leaves, thyme and basil
2 cups bite-size pasta pieces, any type
1 egg
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 lb ground chicken or beef (I used turkey)
2 large tomatoes, chopped (or two cups canned, diced)
1 medium zucchini, chopped

1. Pour broth into a large saucepan and set over high heat. Add Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Measure out uncooked pasta. If using spaghetti or lasagna, for example, simply break into bite-size pieces. When broth boils, stir in pasta. Reduce heat to medium.

2. Immediately crack egg into a large bowl. Sprinkle with basil, salt and Parmesan. Whisk until mixed. Crumble in chicken. Using a fork or your hands, work in until evenly mixed. With wet hands, form mixture into small balls about the size of a cherry and drop right into the soup as each is formed. Stir occasionally. Then add tomatoes and zucchini. Continue to boil gently until pasta and vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through. Total cooking time for pasta will be at least 10 min.

Nutrients per cup (250 mL)
13g protein
6g fat
16g carbohydrates
1g fibre
67mg calcium
777mg sodium
171calories
Preparation time 15 min
Cooking time 10 min
Makes 12 cups (3 L)

Mango Chicken Salad

2008-10-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

I just mix up the following ingredients in a container and take it to work. I added the dressing just before I eat it. I usually eat about 2 cups total.

Ingredients:
Mango cubes (thawed or fresh)
Chopped celery
Chopped red or yellow peppers
Diced cooked chicken
Quartered walnuts
Grapes halves

Dressing:
Strained plain yogurt
Curry powder
A little sugar or Splenda or ?

(I love Liberty Organic Plain Yogurt for everything. I thicken it a bit by dumping some into a coffee filter set in a strainer. In 30 minutes or less, it's as thick as sour cream, leave it over night and it's almost like cream cheese. It doesn't have a sour yogurt taste to it and I use it in place of sour cream all the time as well as in place of mayo in sandwiches etc. I'll admit I use the full fat version (4g). The low fat isn't quite as tasty but would work just as well, especially in a dressing.)

Lentil and Kale Soup

2008-10-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

1 cup dried lentils, soaked overnight and drained
1/2 cup dried barley
2 T olive oil
10 cups stock, veggie or chicken
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups chopped carrot
2 cups chopped celery
2-3 cups chopped sweet potatoes (chunks)
3-4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1 large can diced tomatoes (791 ml or 28 oz)
½ - 1 tsp thyme, oregano
1+ T cumin
A few shakes of cayenne
Salt/Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in pan and sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and kale until softened. Add stock, sweet potatoes, lentils, barley, and herbs. Cook for an hour or more until veggies and cooked through and barley is softened. Add more water or stock as needed. Add more seasoning if needed.

1 ½ cups is about 200 calories.
3.5 g fat, 35 g carb, 8 g protein

Black Bean and Rice Soup Recipe

2008-10-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

I can't remember where I got the original recipe which has been adapted to suit my tastes. If I find the source, I will post it here.

1 T olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
3-4 stalks diced celery
2-3 diced carrots
1 large can diced tomatoes (790 ml / 28 oz)
3-4 cups cooked black beans (I soak 1 cup overnight then drain. I cook them in a crockpot with fresh water, all day on low before I make the soup. You can also used canned, drained beans.)
1 cup dry brown rice
6-8 cups chicken broth (use veggie if you want)
salt and pepper
1-2 T cumin
1-2 T chili powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
Fresh lime juice

• Saute chopped onion, garlic, diced celery and carrot in a little olive oil (and/or butter).
• Add beans, tomatoes, chicken stock and herbs/spices
• Simmer gently for awhile until rice is cooked. Add more stock as necessary.
• Serve in a bowl with a big squeeze of lime juice.
• You could add cilantro but I don't like it.

1 ½ cups is about 220 calories.
2.5 g fat, 39 g carb, 9 g protein

Butternut Squash and Kale Soup

2008-10-14T21:18:00.001-07:00

Adapted from a recipe in the Canadian Living cookbook "Eat Right: Your Guide to Good Health."

2 T butter or olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tsp diced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper
5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 large potato, peeled and cubed (try sweet potato next time)
4 cups chicken broth (veggie broth might also work)
2 T tomato paste
2 T fresh lemon juice
2-3 cups finely chopped kale.
1/2 c. milk if desired

Experiment with the seasonings. I added some thyme and savory. Oregano, basil, and/or cumin might also be nice.

Saute onion, celery, garlic in butter. Add ginger, curry, S&P. Stir in squash and potato. Stir to coat. Add broth, tomato paste and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash in pot with potato masher (or hand blender). Stir in kale and simmer covered 10 minutes or until kale is soft. Adjust seasoning. Serve with 1-2 T milk stirred in to each bowl. Yum!

Edit Update: I made this again today and added 2-3 cups of grated carrots that I had left over. I also used a sweet potato (dark orange) instead of regular potato. Still delish!

Something New!

2008-10-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to figure out how to add recipes and other nutrition information that I have found useful but I wanted it to be easily accessible and not all mixed up with my training talk on my Kelownagirl Blog. I decided to add a separate blog just for recipes and tips and will try to add new information and ideas whenever I come across them. Please feel free to post your own recipes and tips in the comment section!