Orange Beet Salad

Orange Beet Salad

-2 oranges
-spinach
-1/2 small red onion
-2 small golden beets
-2 small red beets
-fresh sprigs of dill

-Boil the beets.  When done cooking under cold water cut the ends of and the skin will just peel off.  Cut each end of the orange and cut the rind of cut out the section of orange (you will need about 2 tablespoons of the juice for the salad dressing).  Place the spinach in a bowl, with the cut up beets, the onions and orange slices.  Top with dressing below

Dressing

-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
-2/3 cup olive oil
-1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
-1 teaspoon smoked mustard
-2 tablespoons orange juice
-salt and pepper
-fresh sprigs of dill
-1 tablespoon maple syrup

Mix and serve.

Eggs with spinach, Brie and green onions

For breakfast we made eggs.  We just used whatever we had.  I was lucky that my friend had brought several types of cheese, a huge chunk of Brie which she had purchased at St Lawrence market.

-4 eggs
-splash of cream
-a handful of spinach chopped
-chunks of Brie  cut up (maybe a 2 inch by 2 inch square total cut up)
-2 green onions chopped finely
-salt and pepper

In a bowl mix eggs and cream.  Add the spinach and green onions, chopped Brie and salt and pepper.
Add small amount of oil or butter in frying pan on medium heat.  Pour ingredients in a pan and cook unit browned on one side then flip.  It tasted amazing...every few bites there our be melt Brie cheese.
Delicious

Pomegranate and Avocado Salad

Pomegranate and Avocado Salad

Tonight I made an incredibly fresh salad.  In fact it was incredible that I had to eat the whole

bowl of salad.  The fresh key lime on top of the avocado mixed with the tartness

of the pomegranate, the fresh spinach and the amazing mustard dressing.

-spinach

-avocado

-1/2 pomegranate

-carrots

-purple onions

-the juice of 2 key lime 

-salt and pepper

-Place baby spinach in a bowl, add chopped carrot and onion.

Remove seeds from pomegranate and place on top of salad.

In small bowl cut up avocado, dash with salt and pepper and the juice

of 2 key limes.

Mustard Dressing 

-1/4 cup olive oil 

-1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tablespoons maple syrup

-1 tablespoon smoked mustard

-1 tablespoon maple mustard

-1 tablespoon dijon mustard

-salt and pepper

mix together in a measuring cup...I taste as I go and add more

or less, accordingly.  This is a thick dressing and it was incredible with the 

lime juice, the pomegranate and the avocado.

Was a treat for my taste buds.  

Salad from the weekend

For Earth night I had a friend over and we made salad, cooked pizza and drank wine in the dark.  This salad was also spinach, I realize I make a lot of spinach salad, I like it.  You can use any lettuce that you would like to use...it is good for you and delicious.  See below to see the pictures.

Basic Nutrient Values

According to Ready Pac, 2 cups or 6 oz. of raw baby spinach provides 20 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber and 65 mg sodium. Baby spinach is rich in many micronutrients, including vitamins K, A, C and folate; and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. If you do not consume raw spinach within a few days, many of the vitamins are destroyed.

Vitamins

Baby spinach is very high in vitamin K, A, C and folate. A 2 cup serving of raw baby spinach meets over 25 percent of the Recommended Daily Value or DV for vitamin C and nearly 400 for vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for normal blood clotting and, in addition, is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin A is needed for healthy eyesight as well as proper growth and development and, along with vitamin C, helps protect the body's cells and supports immune system function. Folate offers cardiovascular benefits and promotes a healthy pregnancy.

Mineral Absorption

Spinach is rich in calcium -- but it is poorly absorbed by the body because it contains naturally occurring substances known as oxalates. Oxalates bind calcium and prevent most of it from being absorbed by the body. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, on average, your body absorbs about 10 percent of the calcium in spinach. While cooked spinach is rich in iron, plant foods contain a form of iron called non-heme iron. This form is not as well absorbed and utilized by the body as heme-iron, found in animal foods such as meat. Vitamin C enhances non-heme iron absorption, however.

Mineral Benefits

Although spinach is not the best way to meet your calcium requirements, it is still an excellent source of non-heme iron, magnesium and potassium. Iron is essential for oxygen transport throughout the bloodstream and a healthy immune system. Magnesium, along with vitamin K, is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones, aids in muscle relaxation and, along with potassium, helps regulate blood pressure.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/258415-what-is-the-nutritional-value-of-baby-spinach/#ixzz1quthcOae

This Salad had pomegranate, mandarin oranges, onions, celery carrots, peppercorn goat cheese.

Very delicious, I used my smoked mustard salad dressing.

Food is personal.  It helps us to be our best.  It's anchored in time 

and place and always tells a story.

Michael Smith

I used my smoked mustard dressing with this salad

Amazing Tuna Salad

I have just created one of my most delicious recipes.  So in all honesty, I am needing to stick to my budget right now.  So, when I looking through my fridge and cupboards I came across a can of white tuna, almonds, pears and I thought what can I make with a WOW factor, without feeling like I am compromising my taste buds???  This recipe may look like it took a while, however the prep time was about 10 minutes.


T's Tuna Salad with homemade almond brittle, pan fried pears and peppercorn goat cheese


Step 1:


1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
small piece fresh ginger grates
1/2 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup

I started by roasting almonds in a frying pan with grated fresh ginger, after they started to brown i added some tamari soya sauce and maple syrup.  Place in a bowl to cool.


Step 2:


2 whole pears skinned and cored, then sliced 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup white wine


In a frying pan on low heat add pears, cinnamon and white wine.  Allow to soften and simmer.  set aside to cool


Step 3:

1 can of tuna (I used white) drained really well
1 tablespoon mayo


mix together


Step 4:


baby spinach
carrots sliced
celery chopped
peppercorn goat cheese crumbled


Step 5:


Mix together all but almonds.  Serve and top with almonds.  See salad dressing below




Salad dressing


olive oil
balsamic vinegar
splash of soya sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
pepper to taste

I do 2/3 (ish) oil to 1/3 vinegar.  I add ingredients than add more of this or that depending on how it tastes together.  Cooking is an experiment.  

A night on the town

Last night I took a night off,.  I went out with a friend for a night on the town.  We started on Baldwin Street, at Cafe la Caffe, where we had bruschetta and wine which was amazing.  We then walked a few doors down to Bodega, which is my favourite restaurant.  i had Scallops on top of a baked apples over wilted spinach in a curry sauce, followed by a steak and frites and for dessert orange creme broule.  It was an amazing meal.

Dinner at a friends

Am dining at a friends tonight, on the menu Scallops, salmon, spinach salad....so delicious.

Chicken Parmesan

Hello,


Another amazing day in Toronto.  After dinner tonight, I was able to sit on my balcony and enjoy a glass of wine, wearing flip flops and a sun dress.  Amazing weather for March 20th.  I made my chicken parmesan, instead of using mostly mozzarella I used cheese curds and parmesan cheese with a little mozzarella.  I used my spaghetti sauce with the chorizo sausage on top of my breaded chicken.


T's Chicken Parm


I made my break crumbs and added fresh Parmesan cheese, salt pepper and spices
I flattened the chicken , milked and breaded two chicken breasts
in a hot frying pan with a slight covering of olive oil fry chicken until browned and flip over
have oven preheating at 350.
Place the breasts in a casserole dish and cover chicken with tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese, cheese curds and parmesan.


bake in oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes


I served this with a spinach salad and spaghetti 

Quick Wrap

Had a busy day at work, so tonight's dinner is a quick and healthy wrap.  Using left over Yellow Thai Curried Chicken, rice, spinach and fresh cilantro.

Lunch

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." 
— Julia Child

Yesterday, I had lunch with my friend.  This is a left over salad.  Use up all ingredients in fridge, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, peppercorn goat cheese. mushrooms.  It doesn't take much to create something fabulous you just have to try!
We also ate the rest of the Onion soup and the Lasagne.  No food wasted.

lasagne

So I just finished another 12 hour shift, I am using Friday's left over dinner of spaghetti sauce to make lasagne tonight.  So cheaters lasagne...which is delicious.  

T's Cheaters Lasagne

Tomato Sauce Recipe from March 2

Mozarella cheese, asiago cheese, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese grated

Oven ready lasagne noodles

Warm spaghetti sauce up in a pot until heated throughout, place in bottom of a lasagne tray a small portion of sauce, place lasagne noodles on top of sauce top with cheese, and another layer of sauce till tray is full...remember that in the oven the sauce will bubble so leave room at top to account for the bubbling.  Top with the cheese and cook according to directions on oven ready lasagne noodles.  

(I had sauce warmed and lasagne ready for oven in 10 minutes)

Throw together a salad and use salad dressing from Friday night.

Or use rest of baguette from French Onion Soup to make garlic bread.  Either way you have made a healthy delicious dinner that isn't out of a box.  In 10 minutes prep time.  Cooking isn't all that much work, it's just about planning and thinking about what is in the fridge.  Left overs can be made into new meals with a little work.  trying out new things too...and as I always say...if it tastes bad...order food!!!!