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FIRESIDE with Chef at Heart
Recipes
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Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 2:29 PM
Happy New Year! At this time of year, many people will set New Year's resolutions to eat and live healthier but sadly, many of them will give up on their efforts all too soon in the new year. Eating healthier doesn't have to mean spending a lot of time on food preparation or spending hours reading food labels in the grocery store. Making fresh, clean food choices and avoiding processed foods can help keep you on track. Here is a tomato soup recipe that will have your lunch or dinner on the table in about 20 minutes and will taste fresher than any canned tomato soup. TOMATO BASIL SOUP 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 small can tomato paste 2 cups vegetable broth 1/8 tsp dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1 tsp sugar 1/3 cup milk 4 or 5 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced S&P to taste In a saucepot over medium heat, add olive oil and cook onions until softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, broth, oregano, bay leaf, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in milk and basil. Simmer gently until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving. This soup is great with the addition of cooked rice. It also freezes well. |
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Posted on Tuesday, December 06, 2011 8:18 AM
Looking for quick, and satisfying meal ideas that fit within your budget? Intimidated by new recipes? Check out this blog for easy, satisfying and inexpensive meal ideas as well as tips on how to shop and eat well on a budget. |
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Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 9:22 AM
STUFFED PEPPERS 2 large peppers (red, yellow or orange), halved, cored 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 125g meat-free mince 100g cooked rice 2 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp fresh chopped basil 50g pitted black olives, chopped (optional) feta cheese, crumbled Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees F . Rub pepper halves with 1 tbsp olive oil and place skin side down on baking sheet. Bake until softened but still hold their shape (approx. 20 mins). While peppers are baking, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and cook the onion, garlic and meat-free mince for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the rice, tomato paste, basil and olives if using. Spoon the mixture into the softened peppers and top with crumbled feta cheese. Return to oven and bake until heated through, approx. 15-20 minutes. Cover with foil if browning too much. Makes 4 servings. *these are great done on the barbecue! Recipe adapted from original recipe in Vegetarian Living magazine. |
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Posted on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 1:23 PM
Summer. A time for fresh food and fresh flavours. On hot days like today, I think of fresh salads and side dishes and when this recipe sprang to mind this morning, I had to make it. Chances are if you have been a client of mine, I have made this for you at some point, or if you know me, you know how much I love quinoa. This recipe is full of two of summer’s most refreshing flavours: lemon and mint. Add quinoa to the mix and you have a perfect summer salad or side dish that is high in protein, high in fibre and is gluten-free. Try adding grilled chicken for a perfect light summer supper. Enjoy! QUINOA TABBOULEH 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water juice of 1 lemon 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil fresh mint leaves, chopped fresh parsley, chopped green onion, chopped (green part only) 1/2 cucumber, diced 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped Place the quinoa and water in a pot. Bring to the boil, cover, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer for approx. 10mins. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, mint, parsley, onion, cucumber and walnuts, stirring to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. |
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Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 11:29 AM
Puree of Vegetable Soup serves 4 to 6 2 tbsp olive oil 1 leek, finely chopped 3 potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and sliced 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 zucchini, sliced 6 cups vegetable broth (low sodium) 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill 1/2 cup half-and-half or milk 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice S&P to taste Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. Stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and dill, reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a food processor and puree. Return the soup to the soup pot and stir in the half-and-half or milk with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot or chilled. Note: try switching up the vegetables to include any of your favourites! Adapted from oringinal recipe by Williams-Sonoma. |
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Posted on Sunday, April 10, 2011 2:46 PM
Want to reduce the sodium in your tacos? Try making your own taco seasoning and leave those pre-packaged mixes behind on the grocery store shelf. HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING 1 tbsp chili powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground black pepper Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Use to taste. |
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Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 8:28 AM
Here's a 'good for you' chicken dish that combines just the right combination of sweet and spicy and uses bulgar wheat in the stuffing. Serve with a side salad and you've got a fabulous dinner for tonight. STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS  Ingredients2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp garam masala* 1/2 cup bulgar wheat 2 tbsp raisins 2 tbsp almond slivers 4 boneless chicken breasts Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add cinnamon and garam masala and cook 2 minutes more. In a separate saucepan, cover the bulgar wheat and raisins with water and boil for about 5 minutes until soft, then drain any excess water. Add to the onion mixture and almonds. Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast. Fill each one with the stuffing mixture. Optional: rub the stuffed chicken breasts with a pinch of cinnamon. Place stuffed chicken breasts in a small baking dish and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with a salad and enjoy. Per serving: 419 calories, 37g protein, 31g carbs, 17g fat, 2g fibre, 8g sugar, 0.55g sodium *To make your own Garam Masala combine: 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground red (cayenne) pepper 1/4 tsp turmeric Recipe modified from original recipe:BBC Good Food |
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Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2011 10:41 AM
Herbes de Provence Chicken INGREDIENTS Marinade: 1 cup dry white wine 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp whole-grain mustard 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 2 tbsp herbes de provence 3 garlic cloves, minced pinch salt 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 6 whole chicken legs (or whatever chicken parts you desire) DIRECTIONS In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients. Using a knife, make a few deep slashes across the meaty part of the chicken legs and place in a large ziploc bag. Add the marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Shake the bag to ensure the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Refrigerate up to 8 hours, turning occasionally (or freeze at this point). Preheat outdoor or indoor grill, medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard any remaining marinade. Grill the chicken until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (roughly 50 minutes to 1 hour). Remove from grill and serve. Notes: This recipe can easily be frozen. Mix the marinade with the raw chicken in the ziploc bag and freeze. To cook from frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight and proceed with the directions as normal. We love this recipe for camping trips in the summer, cooked over an open fire. Just pack the frozen chicken in your cooler and cook campside for dinner! |
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Chef at Heart: Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 2:51 PM
Having been ill lately, I now consider myself somewhat of a soup connoisseur and I have to say, the only good soup is a homemade soup. Oh sure I already knew that but I guess I was hoping someone somewhere had created a decent soup that I could turn to when I just didn't have the energy to make my own. I was wrong. Sadly, when we're ill, most of us don't feel like cooking so unless someone is doing the cooking for us, we resort to packaged foods we might not otherwise consume. Yes, even I will admit I turned to both canned and dried soup in my time of need (gasp!). My big 'a-ha!' moment was when I wearily sat down to a mug of instant chicken noodle soup (just saying it now sends shivers down my spine) and within a few sips I started coughing and clearing my throat. I have a corn allergy and in my tired state I never thought to check the package ingredients for corn. I was dumbfounded when I checked the ingredients on the package and found not one, not two, but THREE various forms of corn in my little "pouch 'o soup", along with a whole whack of other ingredients I stumbled to pronounce and enough sodium to stop my heart in it's tracks. Needless to say, I tossed the soup and have vowed to never buy soup off the shelf again. After this experience, I was determined to stock-up on homemade soup recipes so I'd be better prepared for my next soup emergency. Happily, after trying a few recipes and making some alterations, I now have some great recipes written down ready to draw upon at a moments notice, either for myself or for clients. Below is just one of them. So the next time you're reaching for that can or box of soup on the shelf, stop yourself. Take a look at the ingredients or the amount of sodium in the soup and hopefully you'll put it back and pick up the fresh ingredients to make your own version instead. CHICKEN SOUP WITH WHITE WINE 2 lb whole chicken or chicken parts1 parsnip, peeled and chopped6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped1 large onion, chopped2 large carrots, chopped2 stalks celery, chopped9 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium)1.5 cups white wine1 tbsp dried oregano1 tsp dried thyme1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley2 med. potatoes, peeled and chopped1 sweet potato, peeled and cubedsalt and pepper to taste Cut whole chicken into parts and wrap in cheesecloth. Put chicken, parsnip, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, broth, wine, oregano and thyme in a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 30 minutes, partially covered, then reduce heat to low and simmer another 60 minutes. Remove cheesecloth from pot and separate the chicken meat from the skin/bones. Return meat to pot. Add potatoes and sweet potatoes and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve. *Don't be tempted to use boneless chicken - the bones add so much to the flavour of the soup! Do be tempted to try your own choice of vegetables or try a few different herbs and spices. |
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Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 2:22 PM
If there’s one question I get a lot as new clients complete a Chef At Heart client questionnaire, it’s ‘what’s quinoa?’ Once revered as sacred by ancient Incas who called it ‘the mother grain’, quinoa has been a staple food of millions for almost 5,000 years. So, if after all these years you haven’t heard of it, allow me to introduce you to one of my favourite foods.... Quinoa (pronounced “keenwa”), is a small edible seed from the quinoa plant that is high in calcium, iron, and protein (more than twice the protein found in barley, corn or rice), and it’s gluten-free. Ready- to- cook quinoa is usually pale yellow (although it can also be pink, orange, red, purple and black), and looks like a disk-shaped seed with a band around it. As the grain cooks, the band pulls away from the seed. Once fully cooked, quinoa looks like cooked couscous sprinkled with spirals and those little bands create a tiny crunch between your teeth just before the grain itself melts in your mouth. Cooked quinoa (or ‘bubbles’ as my girls call it) can be eaten hot or cold, makes a great side dish in place of rice or potatoes, can be made into a salad, or can be enjoyed as part of a main entree. It can even be eaten for breakfast, mixed with milk and berries in the same way you would prepare oatmeal or other hot cereals. And the best part....quinoa cooks very quickly, usually in about 15 minutes. Perfect for those of you looking to put healthy food on the table quickly on busy weeknights. Ready to try it yet? Come on .....millions have tried it and liked it! SIMPLE QUINOA PILAF 1 tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried oregano 2 cups quinoa, washed and dried* 3 cups hot vegetable broth (bring to boil in a saucepan before you start) In a saucepan, heat oil and saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic until lightly browned. Add cumin, oregano and quinoa. Stir constantly and cook for approximately 3 minutes to allow spices and quinoa to toast. Add vegetable broth. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve. Serves 8. * Quinoa seeds are covered with saponin, a resin-like substance that is extremely bitter. In order to make the quinoa edible, it must be washed and scrubbed in water to remove the saponin. While most company’s rinse quinoa before it is packaged and sold, it is still a good idea to rinse it again at home before using it to wash away any residue. |
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