Baked Pear, Fresh Fig, Roasted Almond and Arugula Salad

Baked Pear, Fresh Fig, Roasted Almond and Arugula Salad
serves 4 to 6

-1/2 cup blanched, sliced almonds
-2-3 pears, cut in half and cored
-cinnamon
-ground ginger
-arugula
-fresh figs, washed and sliced in half

Salad Dressing

-2 tablespoons grainy Dijon Mustard
-2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
-juice of half a lime
-pinch of salt
-fresh pepper

Cut and core pears, in a baking dish place the pears and sprinkle with ginger and cinnamon.  Bake in oven at 350 unit soft.  You can add a small amount of butter on the pears if you wish.  (about 20 minutes).  In a frying pan gently roast the almonds on medium low heat, Stir frequently.  I do this with no oil, there is enough oil in almonds.  Place arugula in a bowl, add almonds, figs and place the baked pear on top.  Make the salad dressing by mixing the ingredients and taste, if to tart add a little more olive oil, or maple syrup.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast

My kids wouldn't eat French Toast so this morning we had a friend of theirs that stayed over the whole weekend who requested French Toast for breakfast.  So this was my sneaky way of getting them to eat it, I only had whole wheat bread in the house.


Apple Cinnamon French Toast

-4 eggs
-2 tablespoons apple butter
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 cup of milk
-optional pinch of salt
-bread

Mix ingredients together and on medium low heat cook the toast till golden brown then flip over.  I used a Teflon pan so I didn't use and oil to cook the toast, if not a cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.  Serve with maple syrup , fresh fruit or apple sauce.

Roasted Veggies with Burdock Root in a miso ginger sauce

So, my philosophy is cook and experiment, if it doesn't turn out order in...when I was cooking this dish, I was reaching in the cup...board for some spices and the bag of cinnamon fell into this and was added... unexpectedly, so I went with it and it turned out amazing.

Roasted Veggies with Burdock Root in a miso ginger sauce

1 tablespoon oil
1 sweet potato
1 small beet
2 purple onions chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cup burdock (gobo) root
a handful of mushrooms
chili powder
1/4 cup roasted almonds

In a large frying pan add the onion, celery, burdock root, sweet potatoes with oil at medium heat.  Pan fry till sweet potato browned on both sides.  Then add beets, cook until soft.  Add the mushrooms and peppers.  Sprinkle with chili powder.  Then continue cooking.  Add sauce below and cook until flavour even throughout.  Top with roasted almonds.

sauce

2 tablespoons miso paste
1 tablespoon ginger grated
1 teaspoon tamari
sprinkle of cinnamon

 Total cooking about 35 minutes.

Sweet potatoes

Last night I made an incredible dinner, I went to the brickworks farmer's market this weekend where they have organic foods available.  There will be three separate posts for the meal.  I made sweet potato fried, they were sweet and spicy and delicious.

Teresa's Sweet Potatoes

-2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced like coins
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1/4 cup wine, broth, water

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat, add the sweet potatoes.  Stir occasionally, flip the sweet potatoes when browned.  Once browned on both sides, sprinkle with the spices and continue to fry for a bit.  Then add the brown sugar and liquid and allow to cook down.  It took about 20 minutes prep and cook.

Fresh Ontario Peaches oven baked

Yesterday I went to the Brickworks in Toronto which has a farmer's market.  It was the blueberry festival, however I forgot to buy any.  I was having some vegetarians over for dinner and I wondered around the market deciding what to make.  The peaches were incredible. I bought a basket and made this for dessert.

Baked Peaches

-4 peaches washed and cut in half, pit removed
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of melted butter.

preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  Have peaches laid out on a casserole dish skin side down.  Coat the top of the peaches with the melted butter.  And sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon ginger mixture on top of each peach.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.  

Won ton Wrappers

So it was my kids fun fair today and I needed some donations and was pressed for time.  I had bought a package of won ton wrappers so I made three types of won ton sugar cinnamon, apple won tons and cranberry cheddar cheese with rasp berry jam

Cranberry Cheddar Cheese Won ton with Raspberry Jam

*12 won ton wrappers on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam
*Cranberry Cheddar cheese cut it small pieces
*Raspberry Jam
*Melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  spray cookie sheet with Pam or use parchment paper.  Place won ton on tray I folded into triangles, so I places cheese near centre with the ability to fold in half top with a small amount of butter and cook for about 7 minutes.  cool on a rack.

Brown sugar Coated Won tons

*12 won ton wrappers
*1 tablespoon brown sugar
*1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
*melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  spray cookie sheet with Pam or use parchment paper.  Mix sugar in cinnamon together. Lay won ton flat use a pastry brush to lightly coat won ton with butter.  Sprinkle brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top.  bake for about 5 minute.

Apple stuffed Won ton

*12  won ton wrappers
*2 apples chopped finely
*1 tablespoon brown sugar
*1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
*juice of half a lemon
*1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
*melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  spray cookie sheet with Pam or use parchment paper.  Peel, dice apples, add sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice, stir.  Place won ton wrappers on tray, place a small amount of apple on wrapper to that it can be folded in half and sugared.  Ass melted butter and sprinkle with sugar or cinnamon sugar.  Bake for 8 minutes.

Pineapple & Sweet Potato Quinoa with roasted almonds

Had my friend over for dinner the other night.  I had just finished working a 12 our shift, she brought Salmon skewers which she had purchased at St. Lawrence Market.  I whipped up this dish in about 5 mins of prep and 20 minutes cooking time.  


Pineapple and Sweet Potato Quinoa with Roasted Almonds


-1 cup quinoa
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 fresh pineapple chopped with juice
-1 medium sweet potato cubed
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-1 teaspoon soya sauce
-1 teaspoon yellow Thai curry powder
-1. teaspoon cinnamon


Roasted Almonds


-1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
-1/3 cup of Chardonnay or white wine
-1 teaspoon brown sugar
-sprinkle of cinnamon


In a pot add water, quinoa, pineapple, sweet potato, brown sugar, soya sauce, Thai curry, and cinnamon.  Cook on high until boiled then cover and reduce heat cook for 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  While cooking the quinoa in a frying pan on medium heat add almonds when starting to brown add the rest of the ingredients, allow to cook until the liquid reduces and almonds are dry and crunchy.When quinoa is cooked taste...you may want to add a touch more soya sauce, then cover with the roasted almonds.  Then serve.

Yellow Thai Curried Chicken with coconut milk

So tonight, I am not actually doing the cooking, I have a friend who is cooking with me.  I helped with some prep work.  It is nice to have a break from the kitchen


Yellow Thai Curried Chicken with Coconut Milk


1 bay leave
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons yellow curry
1 chili pepper chopped
3 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of minced ginger
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 chicken breasts chopped (you can use thighs or drumsticks)
1 can of coconut milk
4 potatoes
2 medium sized tomatoes
1/4 cup of cilantro
2 tablespoon fish sauce or tamari


In a frying pan dry fry the spices on medium-high heat.  Add the chili pepper, shallots, garlic, and ginger, for 1 minute stirring constantly then add chicken and potatoes.  Stir for a few minutes.  Add the chicken broth and the can of coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until potatoes and chicken cooked.  Add the tomatoes about 10 minutes before cooked.  serve over rice or noodles and top with fresh chopped cilantro.

 Bring to a boil

Add tomatoes at end, and cook for about 10 minutes

Fresh Cilantro

Yellow Thai Curry Chicken for dinner tonight

I am off to Kensington Market to get the ingredients for dinner

-coconut milk
-chicken
-ginger
-garlic
-yellow thai curry
-red chili flakes
-potatoes
-cilantro
-cinnamon sticks
-shallots
-chicken broth
-fish sauce
-tomatoes

Looking forward to tonight dinner.