Lime Fajitas

Lime Fajitas

Your shopping list

• 6 chicken breasts
• 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 green pepper, cut into strips
• handful of mushrooms, halved (optional)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Marinade

• 4 limes, juiced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp dried coriander

To serve (pick your favourites):

• tortillas
• guacamole
• salsa
• greek yogurt or sour cream
• spinach
• fresh coriander

What to do with it

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl or ziplock bag and add chicken
2. Seal and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Place chicken in a large roasting pan or dish and bake, covered for 20 minutes.
5. Uncover chicken and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Sauté the oil and vegetables in a medium frying pan until they are soft and begin to brown.
7. Serve chicken and vegetables in warmed tortillas and top with guacamole, salsa and greek yogurt or sour cream.
8. Enjoy!

Weekend wonders

I've been bad at posting. The issue with my cooking style is that I make a lot of stuff up! I often fail at measuring and marking my changes to recipes. The result is delicious food with no record of how to replicate it.
I spent this weekend doing some cooking and food prep and it paid off!

Turkey and Spinach Quinoa Casserole

Your shopping list:

2 cups cooked quinoa 

1 lb extra lean ground turkey

half medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 mushrooms, chopped

half green pepper, diced

5 handfuls of spinach, chopped if you want

2 cups tomato sauce (I use homemade)

1 cup of panko breadcrumbs

1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/8 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp chili flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)

Salt & pepper, to taste

A few sprays of olive oil

What to do with it:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Cook turkey over medium heat in large skillet
3. Once fully cooked, drain fat, remove turkey and add to a large bowl with cooked quinoa
4. Spray pan with oil and return to medium heat
5. Add garlic and onions and sautee until almost golden brown
6. Add vegetables to skillet and cook until spinach is wilted
7. Transfer veggies to bowl and add spices, panko, tomato sauce and one cup of cheese
8. Mix well
9. Pour mix into baking dish sprayed with olive oil
10. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes
11. Enjoy once cooked, or freeze individual portions for later!

Detox time

After an amazing, yet tiring week's vacation in Puerto Plata, I'm ready for something that will help me get back on the health wagon. I took yesterday off and did groceries but didn't really plan out any meals for the week. I've decided that soup is on the menu tonight. I'm disappointed that I didn't remember to buy celery, but I'll have to do without. I generally make minestrone soup, but have no beans or regular potatoes. SO, what I've got here is a homemade vegetable soup, chock-full of deliciousness!

Veggie Soup for the "gotta make up for the terrible eating on vacation" Soul

Your shopping list:

1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4-5 garlic gloves
1 large sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces
1 med zucchini, chopped
2 med carrots, chopped
1 head of broccoli, chopped
handful of green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
handful of spinach
1 large can diced tomatoes, no salt added
handful of mushrooms, sliced
turmeric, to taste
1 litre chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
oregano, to taste
basil, to taste

What to do with it:

1. in a large pot, heat olive oil
2. add onion, garlic and carrots to pot and  cook, stirring often for 5 mins
3. add green beans, zucchini to pot and stir well
4. mix in diced tomatoes, mushrooms and broccoli
5. pour broth into the pot and stir in seasonings
6. simmer for 20-30 mins (or until veggies are cooked enough for you)
7. Enjoy :)

Better than granny's granola

Healthy Start Breakfast

It's easy to claim that you don't have time to eat breakfast and that finding something quick, easy, and healthy is next to impossible. Don't be that person. Instead, be the person who makes a batch of granola on the weekend and has a healthy option on the go.

I modeled this recipe after Dorset Cereals Honey Granola. I've made it twice and this is a rough idea of what to do!

Your Shopping List:

2 cups oats
1/4 cup rye flakes
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaked almonds
1/3 cup crushed pecans
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp oil

What to do with it:

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.
3. Add vanilla, honey, and oil.
4. Mix well and then spread granola on baking sheets. A thin layer is preferable.
5. Bake for 10 minutes and then stir granola.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes,  or until it looks golden.  Be careful not to overcook it!
6. Let cool and store in airtight container (I like Mason jars).  Serve the granola with plain Greek yogurt and fruit.

Keen for Quinoa

One day I decided I needed to stop filling up on bread and starting finding more nutritious ways to fuel my body. I approached my brother Nigel for some advice. This is pretty much how our conversation went:

Alyssa: "I'm always starving unless I eat a whole lot of carbs with each meal"

Nigel: "You should try quinoa"

Alyssa: "Quinoa is disgusting...I want good food"

Nigel: "Not only is it DELICIOUS, it's good for you!"

Alyssa: "I don't believe you."

Nigel: "Try this recipe."

Quinoa Salad

Inspired by: Nigel (yogawithnigel.com)

Serves: 2-4 people, depending on what you're eating it with
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes 
Cooling time: a few hours but feels like forever when you're hungry.

Your Shopping List:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth, or water - you may just add more salt after)

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed

2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice, the fresher the better

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1 medium pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced
1/2 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)

1/2 cup red onion, diced (optional)

1/4 cup feta, crumbled (optional)

oregano, to taste

salt & pepper, to taste

What to do with it:

1. Add quinoa to a medium saucepan and bring broth or water to a boil.
2. Cover and reduce heat to low, allowing the quinoa to simmer. 
3. Set timer for 15 minutes, because the quinoa will be done after about that much time.
4. If you haven't already, now is a good time to cut up the veggies.
5. Once the quinoa is cooked, add the garlic and olive oil and then mix it up. Transfer to cold bowl.
6. To cool your quinoa, stick it in the fridge or freezer.
7. Once cool, add the rest of the ingredients!
8. EAT it up.

Taste your salad along the way! The first time I made it, I measured out ingredients but I don't do that past the cooking of the quinoa stage. I possibly add more or less lemon juice than I wrote... I will never know/have the patience to measure it. 

My reaction...

Alyssa: "I'm keen for quinoa!"

I'm also keen for Cuban beaches!

and I hope you will be too :)

2 for 1 Recipe!

I love when a recipe includes both the main event and a little something for the side. I have a hard time deciding what sides go well with whatever type of meat I'm cooking. I'm known to just make all of my favourite recipes and pretend they mesh. I rarely plan far enough ahead to properly marinade my chicken, but when I do it's always worth it. This chicken recipe is flavourful and a little more exciting than your average breast.
If you're looking for a great warm quinoa recipe, look no further. Before I found this recipe, I always made cold quinoa salads (like this one). While they are delicious, I hate waiting for them to cool and having to pack my lunch in two containers to avoid heating cucumbers. If you were wondering, sauteed cucumber is revolting.

The list may seem long, but your shopping and prepping will be over before you know it!

Marinated Chicken & Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Mint

from Weber.com by Jamie PurviancePrep time: 25 minutesMarinade time: 2-4 hoursGrilling time: 8-12 minutes

Your Shopping List:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each about 6 ounces (washed and trimmed of fat)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (I suggest low-sodium)
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Quinoa:

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1-½ cups quinoa
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ tsp hot pepper sauce (optional)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (optional)

What to do with it:

1. Mix marinade ingredients in a measuring cup or bowl. 
2. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Shake it up! Place bag in a bowl and refrigerate for 2-4 hours (or however long you have). 
3. Once you are too hungry to let the meat marinade any longer, preheat your grill for direct cooking over medium heat and clean it off.
4. Remove the chicken from the bag, discard the marinade, and place the chicken on the grill breast-side down. Keep the lid closed as much as possible and grill for 8-12 minutes (turning once or twice). Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting surface, and cut into 1/2 inch slices - or really, whatever size you want!

Quinoa:

1. In a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat, combine broth, 1 tbsp of oil, and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil.
2. Add quinoa, and lemon juice - stir. 
3. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low. Stir once or twice over the next 15 or so minutes. By this time, or after all of the liquid is absorbed, your quinoa will be ready. 
4. Fluff (not like a pillow - use your fork) and transfer to a bowl suitable for mixing. 
5. Add the remaining oil, salt and the rest of your ingredients listed under "Quinoa". Stir and taste. Alter ingredients accordingly. 

If you're eating the quinoa and chicken together, spread the quinoa on a serving platter and add sliced chicken.

Please ignore the HUGE piece of lettuce.

 I served mine with a pseudo Greek Salad. Enjoy!

The best tomato recipe in the entire universe.

If I could pick one recipe to eat for the rest of my life, I think it would be this one. My dad is a huge fan of cooking on the barbecue and loves to try out new things from his various Weber cookbooks. This recipe is one of those! 
You can tell a lot about what a person likes just by looking at their cookbooks. The best recipes are always the ones that are barely intact, spattered with food, and oil-stained. I just described the page that contains this recipe:

Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Grilled Ratatouille

from Weber.com by Jamie PurviancePrep time: 25 minutesMarinade time: 2-4 hoursGrilling time: 8-12 minutes

Steak, spinach, mushrooms, THE BEST TOMATOES & Corona :)

Your shopping list:

4 large ripe (but not too ripe) tomatoes
Ratatouille:
1 medium red onion, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices   (It will fall apart on the bbq regardless)
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and cut into flat pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch slices
extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese or 2/3 cup Fontina cheese (Optional - I've made it without for my momma)
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil (I've used 1tsp of dried and it worked fine!)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

What to do with it:

1. Cut a 1/2" slice off the top of each tomato and discard tops. With a small knife cut around the inside of the fleshy part of the tomato to within 1/2" of the skin, being careful not to cut through the bottom. With a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2" of the flesh attached to the skin.
2. Discard the juice and seeds to make room for the ratatouille. Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and turn them, cut side down, on a plate lined with paper towels while you prepare the ratatouille.
3. Lightly brush the onion, zucchini and pepper with oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I've forgotten the S&P and it was fine
4.  Grill over Direct Medium heat until tender, turning once, about 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1/3 inch pieces. I don't ever pay attention the size of them in the end. I basically dice it all so I can fit more in the tomatoes.
5. Combine the vegetables in a medium bowl with the cheese, basil and vinegar.
6. Spoon ratatouille into the tomatoes and grill over Indirect Medium heat until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are warm, 8 to 10 minutes. 

They tell you to serve it immediately but I've definitely mistimed my meals and had them sit for a few moments. These are delicious reheated leftovers, but there will be liquid everywhere so reheat it in a bowl!