Mashed Maple Sweet Potatoes

Easy twist on mashed sweet potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
1tbsp butter
2tbsp maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Bake potatoes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes
Remove from oven, place in medium bowl, mash with potatoe masher
Add syrup, butter and salt and pepper to taste

ENJOY :)

BBQ Chicken Packets

Its BBQ Season :)


2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, washed and fat trimmed
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
Basil Pesto
Tinfoil for baking

Pre-heat barbecue close at medium high heat
Meanwhile, cut tinfoil into rectangles, and grease with a bit of olive oil
Place 1 chicken breast per foil
Spread pesto on top of chicken breast
Place cleaned, chopped veggies on top of chicken
Fold up foil, making sure its nice and sealed
Place packets on barbecue, and cook covered for 25-30 minutes

Ill be serving this with salad and mashed maple sweet potatoes :)

Rhum Baked Bananas

Easy, somewhat healthy desert.

2 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1/3 cup rhum (or orange juice if you prefer)
3 tbsp splenda brown sugar (double it if you use real brown sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon


Grease a small glass baking dish with a little bit of butter
Place bananas in dish, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon
Pour rhum over bananas
Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes
Serve on top of vanilla ice cream, or with frozen whipped cream :)

Very very tasty

Lime Cilantro Tilapia with Salsa

Last night we ate this with our irish peas and cabbage scottish style. Very easy, very quick and healthy tilapia recipe.

4 small tilapia fillets
2 TBSP lime juice
2 TSP cilantro
1/4 cup salsa

Place fish fillets in a deep baking dish
Pour lime juice and sprinkle cilantro on top
Cover with foil, refrigerate for 1 hour
Pre-heat over to 350 degrees
Place covered fish in oven, bake for 15 minutes
Add salsa to fish, bake uncovered for another 15 minutes

Easy and Done :)
Enjoy

Irish Peas and Cabbage... Scottish Style :)

Wanted to change up the irish peas and cabbage recipe a little bit, and since we have some scottish blood, figured the name was fitting. This recipe is simple, I actually made some today for my father while I was eating lunch, takes 15 minutes.

2 cups frozen peas
1/2 head green cabbage shredded and washed
10 sliced of bacon, diced
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 TBSP butter
2 TSP olive oil
2 TBSP chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a deep frying pan, heat 1TBSP olive oil over medium heat
Meanwhile, boil a small pot of water, and blanche peas (cook for 2 minutes)
Add bacon, cook until just browned
Add onions, and cook until they just start to change color, about 5 minutes
Add cabbage and peas, stir well
Add butter and chicken broth, stir and cover
Lower heat to low-medium and let simmer for 5-10 minutes

AMAZING :) mmm

Stuffed Chicken

Made this tonight for the first time, turned out really yummy.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small brick of soft goats cheese
1/4 cup chopped baby spinach
2 TBSP fresh basil
1/2 tsp all garlic seasoning
1 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat medium skillet to over medium heat
Add olive oil, spinach basil and garlic seasoning
Meanwhile, preheat over to 375 degrees
Clean and remove excess fat off of chicken
Slice a slot in side of chicken
After cooking spinach and basil for 5-10 minutes, lower heat to low and add goats cheese
Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes
Remove from heat
Stuff each chicken breast with mixtures
Close using tooth picks
Season with salt and pepper, and toss some finely chopped fresh basil on top
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375

I served this today with roasted tomato garlic pasta :)

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High Protein Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers

Decided to try and make some high protein dinners, this is my first result.

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
3tbsp ginger powder
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 wooden skewers (soaked for 30 minutes before use)

Blend together peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice sugar and ginger on high for 1-2 minutes or until desired consistancy
Pour over chicken in a deep bowl
Refrigirate covered for at least 2 hours
Pre-Heat over to 400 degrees
Thread chicken on skewers
Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning and basting with left over marinade half way

I served the chicken sprinkled with a bit of fresh cilantro and some thai spiced rice

Vanessa's Red Wine Veggie Soup

Made this tonight with whatever I had lying around the house. Cooked it with some red wine (non alcoholic, but you could use whatever you'd like) to try out some new flavors and it worked really good.

1 cup chopped carrots
1 can corn kernels
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 can diced tomatoes
1 diced shallot
2 mashed garlic cloves
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3tbsp red wine
1tsp white sugar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat
Add mashed garlic and diced shallots
Add 1tsp white sugar, simmer for 5-10 minutes
Add red wine, simmer another 5-10 minutes
Toss in carrots, corn and cabbage, cook for 5 minutes
Add chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Just finished trying this out, and it turned out very good :) We'll see how it goes over for lunch tomorrow.

Roasted Cabbage and Artichoke Hearts

Still trying to eat healthy, so I'm trying to mix it up with different veggies. Made this the other day with some fish and it turned out AMAZING. Super simple.

Small green cabbage, sliced in 1 inch thick pieces
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 450
Lightly grease baking sheet
Arrange cabbage and artichoke hearts on the baking sheet
Brush cabbage and artichokes with olive oil
Season with salt and pepper
Bake 15 minutes, turn over and bake another 15 minutes or until just browned

Loaded Leprachaun Milkshakes

Just because it's St-Patty's Day and I LOVE Carolanns Liquor :)

2oz carolanns
1cup ice cubes
2 scoops light vanilla ice cream
Couple of drops of green food coloring

In a blender, crush ice cubes
Add Carolanns, Ice cream and Food coloring
Blend for 1 minute or until desired thickness

ENJOY :)

Honey Soy Steak Marinade

Love experimenting with new steak marinades. Made this one this morning, the steak is in the fridge marinating right now, so pictures to come later this evening.

1/3cup soy sauce (low sodium)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 TBSP honey

Whisk all ingredients together
Cut small slits in steak
Pour marinade over steak, cover and refrigirate minimum 2 hours. I've been marinating mine for 8.

Ill be serving this with slow cooker scallop potatoes, field greens and of course Rosemount to drink :)

For desert tonight I'll be making irish milkshakes.

Barbecued Asian Inspired Tilapia

Again... trying to get back in shape for the summer, so on top of alot of salads, I've been making alot of fish. Here's a really tasty recipe, I barbecued it, since it was so nice yesterday, but you could also bake it.

2 Tilapia Filets
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together, pour over fish, marinade for minimum 1 hr, I did it for the entire day.
Pre-Heat barbecue at medium high heat
Meanwhile tear a 12cmx12cm square of tin foil, grease with olive oil
Place marinated fish on tin foil, fold up and seal
Barbecue for 10-12 minutes, flip and do the same on the other side

If baking, bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes

I served this dish with chopped up veggies marinated in red wine and olive oil that I also barbecued.

Warm Walnut Pear Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Had this salad tonight with barbecue tilapia and veggies. Im trying to get back in shape for summer, so I've been experimenting with alot of different salads.

Mixed Greens
4 slices soft goat cheese
Cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup walnuts
1 medium pear
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Heat a small skillet over medium heat
Add walnuts and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes
Add sliced pear, cook another 2-3 minutes
Mix pear and walnuts with other ingredients

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Blend ingredients for dressing together in blender on low for 1 minute
Warm in mirowave fo 10-15 seconds and pour over salad

Slow Cooker Pork Chops for Bob :)

Bored today and tried to make something new. Gave it to dad for dinner, and it didnt last 10 minutes once it was in his house.

2 butterfly pork chops
1 can garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp ClubHouse All Garlic seasoning
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms
2 tsp thyme
1 cup water

Place pork chops in slow cooker
Cover with minced shallot and sliced fresh mushrooms
Meanwhile, mix together can of soup, water, garlic seasoning and thyme together
Pour over pork chops, cook on low for 8 hours

Amazing with baby potatoes (you could throw them in) or over egg noodles :)
mmm

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloine

Made this today, tried to be a bit healthier with the pork.

1 pork tenderloine
3/4 cup cooking red wine
1 cup water
3 cloves garlic
1 package dry onion soup mix

Place pork tenderloine in slow cooker
Finely chop garlic and place garlic on and in any crevic of the pork
Mix red wine, water and soup together
Pour over pork tenderloine
Cover and cook for 8 hours

Serve with sauce :)

Northerner Beef Au Jus

This is a favorite camp recipe. Put it in the slow cooker all day, come back and enjoy.

1 sirloin beef roast (10-15$)
2 Packs dry onion soup mix
2 can of beer (again we used carling ice because its what we drink)
1 Can beef broth
2Tbsp sugar
1Tbsp oregano
1 Clove garlic, diced
Whole wheat buns

Brown roast in a frying pan over medium heat, turning until all sides are browned slightly
Mix next all other ingredients in slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
Serve on toasted whole wheat buns, with juice on the side

HomeMade "Chinese" Takeout Night

Had the urge for chinese food today, but not the funds to order in, so we got a little creative.

The chicken is just my sweet and sour fish balls recipe, but using chunks of boneless skinless chicken breast.

As for the stir fry:

1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup snow peas
1 red bell pepper
1 cup bean sprouts
5-10 cherry tomatoes
2 tsp minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ginger powder)
2 tsp cilantro
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dark sesame oil

Heat oil over medium high heat in wok, or deep pan
Cook garlic until slightly browned
Add ginger and cook another 4-5 minutes
Add all vegetables, except bean sprouts
Sprinkle with cilantro and soy sauce
Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but still a little crisp
Add bean sprouts and tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes

Works well with basamati rice :)