Live. Love. Inspire.
A Food Diary
Here you will find my favourite food finds of the week that I have tested in my kitchen and on my family. I hope you like them as much as we do and that they give you a burst of inspiration to cook for your family.
Fast Udon Soup With Tofu and Greens
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/fast-udon-soup-tofu-and-greens
My Own Version Of Turkey Bolognese With Quinoa Macaroni
Sauté Onion, Garlic and Celery
Add organic lean ground turkey (I buy the best I can find at my local butcher counter)
Add a pinch of Cinnamon, Fennel, Herb De Provence, Salt and Pepper
Add canned diced tomatoes, your own homemade tomato sauce or whatever your go-to tomato base is (I’m super fortunate to have an Italian uncle that delivers 2 cases of his jarred tomatoes to me every season)
Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten and a can of tomato paste if you need to thicken it up
Cook until bubbling and then turn it down and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve over a bed of whatever noodles you desire. If you want to go light I used this fabulous Quinoa Macaroni.
Serve with your best Parmagiano Regiano and if it has truffles in it – even better!
Pea and Spinach Pesto Pasta
This gorgeous recipe from Deliciously Ella has easily become a family fav and is so easy, fast and super comforting. This app is my go to for delicious meatless options.
http://deliciouslyella.com/pea-spinach-pesto-pasta/
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
I grew up on this pasta salad. We love to make it when we are beachside or on my parent’s boat and sometimes it’s just a great lunch at home.
1 jar of chopped artichoke hearts
1 can of flaked wild tuna
1 cup of pitted kalamata olives (buy the good ones)
1 cup of chopped feta cheese (I use the herb and garlic version)
1 container of cherry tomatoes
Combine the above ingredients with a large bag of rotini pasta (boiled and cooled) and top with the following dressing:
½ cup of Olive oil
1 tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1 clove of minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon of plain yogurt or mayonnaise to give it a little bit of that creamy texture
Salt & Pepper
I always eye ball these ingredients and add to taste. Dress your salad according to how much dressing you like.
If you have any fresh herbs on hand you can always sprinkle a few on top. It’s fabulous with a little oregano.
Citrus Roasted Monk Fish In Collard Wraps
I picked up this recipe at Whole Foods and it was a true winner. I used Monk Fish but they had originally suggested Paiche.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/citrus-roasted-paiche-collard-wraps
Creamy White Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hocks
I served this hearty soup for a table of 8. We paired it with a gorgeous fresh loaf of crusty bread and some cheeses in the middle of the table and everyone was happy. Smoked Ham hocks aren’t available everywhere but I called the butcher ahead to score what I needed.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These were a major win. I discovered the recipe in America’s Test Kitchen – The Slow Cooker Revolution and the entire table gobbled up every last bite (so much for leftovers).
Ingredients
2 lbs. free range ground chicken
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
3 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
2 heads Bibb lettuce
Directions
Place ground chicken and garlic in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 – 6 minutes. Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a 5 – 7 quart slow cooker. Add bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 – 3 hours until chicken is tender.
Stir in water chestnuts, cooked rice, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through 3 – 5 minutes. Season with additional salt as desired. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling.
