Crustless Spinach Quiche

It’s day 2 of our Royal Wedding Extravaganza, but it’s also Meatless Monday, which means I’ll be posting a meatless meal from our brunch menu - Crustless Spinach Quiche!

This quiche is such a great dish because having no crust means that there are only a few minutes of hands on time. It’s also the quintessential brunch dish, despite being of German and French origin, I think it will work pretty well for our British Brunch menu. Packed full of spinach, cheddar and mozzarella cheese with a subtle hint of nutmeg, this is a flavorful and easy dish for any brunch or dinner.

Crustless Spinach Quiche (serves 6)

Ingredients

6 eggs
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 small Spanish onion, chopped or grated
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine eggs, milk and onion in a bowl. Add the chopped spinach, cheeses, pepper and paprika.

Butter a quiche dish and pour mixture into dish.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy your quiche, keep posted for another Royal Wedding Brunch recipe tomorrow!

- Lou

Bean Salad

Last time I checked it was Spring...almost a month into Spring I might add, so do you think we can forget about this sucky weather for a minute and just enjoy a fresh, bean salad? To me, bean salad is the quintessential dish during the warm months because a) it doesn’t require the use of an oven and b) it’s ready in oh, about 5 minutes.

It was only last year that I discovered my love for bean salad. I was chatting with a friend of mine on the phone and she was talking about the bean salad she had just made, this got me wondering: Bean Salad? What do you put in a bean salad? Why have I never had one? Has anyone seen my lip balm? Why do people hate on twilight when it’s actually a good movie?

So, I’ll leave you to ponder those questions while making my favourite and easiest bean salad. And like I said, try and forget the fact that just yesterday morning, I woke up to a blizzard outside my house. Mother Nature - figure it out!


Living Lou’s Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 28 oz can bean medley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp thyme
salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Drain and rinse bean medley and put the beans in a serving bowl.

Slice the green onions. Mix the sliced green onions, crushed garlic and thyme in with the beans. Add oil and vinegar and toss to combine. Season with lots of freshly cracked pepper and a little salt.

Enjoy the bean salad and cross your fingers for winter to finally be finished.

- Lou

p.s I don't actually like Twilight.

Spinach Risotto

When my brain is on overload (i.e. senior year stress) there are certain things which help me deal with said work load, things like making risotto. The repetitive process of stirring the rice, adding liquid, then stirring again is very comforting. For about thirty minutes, instead of thinking about the 1.9 million things I need to do, all I have to focus on is risotto. And let me tell you, in the middle of 3 essays, one seminar and other homework assignments, 30 minutes of risotto making is an extremely welcome break.

When we received our weekly basket of organic produce, I was struck with an idea, inspiration was bubbling inside of me: risotto + spinach = perfect Meatless Monday meal. I'm not sure that I have ever mentioned my love for spinach, but it's a pretty deep relationship, and the best thing about it? It's mutual, unlike chocolate and um... more chocolate, spinach is good for the body as well. And well, everyone knows risotto is my favourite, so this really is a no brainer.

Spinach Risotto (serves 4)

Ingredients
1 cup Arborio rice
1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
3-4 cups warm water*
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 bunch fresh spinach, 8-10 oz chopped
salt & (lots of) pepper to taste

* I used water instead of vegetable/chicken stock to keep sodium levels down. Feel free to substitute stock instead, although using water did not hinder the flavors.

Directions

In a pot over medium heat bring the water to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and keep it warm.

Prepare onions and spinach.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion and saute until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add rice and stir until warm and coated in oil.

Pour in the wine and continue to stir as the rice absorbs the liquid.

When wine is fully absorbed begin adding the liquid. Add in 1 cup at a time, stirring consistently until the water is absorbed. Once water is absorbed, make another addition of water, and repeat until the rice grains are creamy on the outside and somewhat tender on the inside. (3-4 cups worth of liquid.) This entire process should take between 15-18 minutes.

When rice is cooked, remove from heat and add in spinach and Parmesan. Stirring to combine, spinach should wilt from the heat of the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I find a lot of pepper adds a nice touch to this dish.

Have a great Meatless Monday everyone.

- Lou

Homemade Curry Powder

A few months ago (... November) for Meatless Monday I posted a recipe for Vegetarian Curry which is an ideal vegetarian dish. It’s easy to make, hearty, comforting and easy.

Since I’m a person who likes to do as much as I can from scratch, when it came to making curry I knew it would be no different. It’s easy to pick up a jar of curry powder at the grocery store, but if you have the basic spices, making your own is just as simple. Store this curry powder in your spice cabinet, maybe right next to your Basic Spice Rub.

For tonight’s Meatless Monday why not whip up a batch of Vegetarian Curry with homemade curry powder.

Homemade Curry Powder
Recipe slightly adapted from: zarbizarre on Group Recipes

Ingredients
4 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions

Combine ingredients and store in a glass or plastic container. Use in recipes whenever they call for curry powder.

- Lou

Living Lou's Broccoli Soup

Today was one of those days, those gloomy, cool, rainy days when all you can think about is a big warm bowl of soup. It is the first day of Spring after all, and all I can say is that Spring is definitely in the air, which means that the season for soups is coming to an end. That’s the only thing that makes me sad about winter ending, no more soups!

Broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables, and I love cream of broccoli soup, even if it can be a little bland, but today I knew that I wanted to make a different kind of broccoli soup. My first thought was one without cream, because well, summer is coming up and I don’t know about you, but I don’t need that extra cream. Then I started thinking about what other vegetables would add to the soup and voila a soup that is as good for the soul as it is for the body.

This is an extremely healthy and flavorful soup, filled with the goodness of vegetables, broccoli, red pepper and carrots, as well as some yummy spices to add some flavorful layers. When serving, that last little handful of cheese is the perfect topping. Please, I beg you, do not omit the cheese! It won’t be the same without it.

Living Lou’s Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil (approx.)
2 heads of broccoli, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/4 large red pepper, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
3 tbsp green lentils
2 tbsp 1% milk
salt & pepper to taste
cheddar cheese for topping

Directions

Prepare the veggies, roughly chop the broccoli, carrot, red pepper and onion.

Saute the veggies, cumin, paprika and a little salt and pepper in the olive oil over medium heat for 7 minutes. Occasionally stirring.

Add in the garlic and parsley and saute for another 3 minutes.

Add in the vegetable broth, water and lentils. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

After the soup is finished cooking, puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender to your desired constancy. Mix in the milk and serve hot with a handful of cheddar cheese.

This is the perfect soup to enjoy during these upcoming rainy Spring days. Happy Spring everyone!

- Lou

Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf

Quinoa (keen-wah) is something that I've heard a lot about, but have never tried ... despite having some in the pantry for months. It's an interesting, ancient grain that has a rather unique texture, and it's really good for you! The texture is kind of crunchy and soft at the same time. At first I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm pleasantly surprised. The flavor of quinoa is mild and nutty, which is easily adaptable. This week's Meatless Monday quinoa pilaf is filling and works well as a main course, but it would also make a wonderful side to a nice roasted chicken.

After researching about quinoa and it's flavor, I thought that mushrooms would be a nice compliment to it's flavor. I have to say that after eating this quinoa mushroom pilaf, I'm definitely a big fan of quinoa and can't wait to try more recipes!

If you're on the hunt for a dish that is relatively simple to make, and yields scrumptious results then I highly recommend this one!

Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf (serves 2-4)
recipe inspired by: Food Network

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup quinoa
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
freshly ground pepper and salt
1 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat up olive oil in a in a saucepan and add your quartered mushrooms, cooking over medium/medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until slight softened. Add in your clove of garlic, cooking until fragrant, about a minute.

Be sure to rinse your quinoa properly in cold water before adding to the mushrooms. Once rinsed, add quinoa and dried thyme to saucepan, toasting for a minute and mixing around with the mushrooms. It should become rather fragrant. Add in salt and pepper to taste, (be careful with the salt as we will be adding in Parmesan cheese at the end.)

Add water and bay leaf and bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for 9-11 minutes. Once cooking time is up, fluff with a fork and add in the two tbsp of Parmesan cheese, let sit for a couple of minutes before serving!

It really is very simple and delicious, try it out!

- Lou

Rice and Vegetables

Well, well, well, it's the end of January, another Meatless Monday, and a freezing cold and gloomy day... so let's brighten it up with this delicious vegetarian dish of rice and vegetables!

January is an odd month, it seems both like the longest month, and the one that goes by very quickly. I for one am very glad it's over; it's been fun, crazy, exhilarating and filled with highs and lows (mostly highs!), but I'm more than ready for February, which will hopefully be filled with relaxation, and less stress (hello finished college apps and portfolios!)

A nice way to end off the first month of 2011 is with this rice dish - it's packed with vegetables and delicious flavor. Who would think rice could be a meal in itself? Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you, this is not a difficult dish!

Rice and Vegetables

Ingredients

1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small white onion
1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups long grain rice
3 3/4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas (not thawed)

Directions

Mix together the spices, salt and oregano in a small bowl, and set aside.

Prep the vegetables, begin by finely dicing the vegetables and chopping/grating/dicing the onions. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the spice mixture you prepared before and cook for a minute. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another minute or until fragrant.

Add the rice to the pan, stirring to be sure the rice is coated in the mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add in the vegetable stock, water, and bay leaf, bring to a boil. Stir and cover, reducing the heat to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, add the frozen peas and cover and continue cooking for another 8 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes, stir and serve!

Yum, this freezes well too... I have some in the freezer right now!

- Lou

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla

Today marks the first Meatless Monday of 2011 here on Living Lou, and I'm starting it off with a deliciously simple spinach and mushroom quesadilla. This quesadilla is packed with goodness and the tasty flavors of spinach and mushrooms in each bite! I highly recommend using a pre-shredded cheddar cheese that has been flavored with herbs and garlic as it adds another dimension to the dish.

I started this Meatless Monday initiative about 9 months ago and have been posting my Meatless Monday recipes here along the way, and will continue to do so in 2011, hopefully with more consistency than last year!

To start everyone off in the New Year I thought that a healthy, and quick quesadilla is the way to go. Kids are back from the first day back at school and parents are exhausted after a tiring break and a day at work, so who wants to be slaving away in the kitchen? These quesadillas are an easy and healthy vegetarian meal that kids (and parents!) can help assemble, and enjoy.

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla
(makes 1 large quesadilla)

Ingredients
1 large whole wheat wrap
2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese, I like to use the pre-shredded herbs and garlic variation!
1/3 cup spinach
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil (for the pan)

Directions

Wash and slice mushrooms to desired size, I like to slice mine thinly. Begin my wilting your spinach, you can do so by either steaming or sauteing in a pan. I sauteed my spinach in olive oil for about 1-2 minutes or until it's just wilted.

Assemble the quesadilla, using one wrap followed by 1/3 cup of cheese, followed by the sauteed spinach and the sliced mushrooms, and then finally the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese and the second wrap.

Heat up about 1 tsp of olive oil in a frying pan at about medium-low heat. Place your assembled quesadilla in the pan and let it cook on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for about 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Remove from heat and slice into quarters, serve as I did above with a spinach salad.

Happy Meatless Monday everyone!

- Lou

Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is a soup that I’ve been thinking about making for a while, and it’s the perfect dish not only for a meatless Monday, but also for the cold evenings that we’ve got up here in Canada.

It’s been snowing here all day, the ground in covered in a blanket of thick white snow, and it’s beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas. I was deciding between making a baked pasta or a soup, and after I woke up this morning and saw that it was snowing I just knew it would be a soup day. Black bean soup would be perfect, the ingredients are things that everyone should have in their pantry so there is no need to venture out into this terrible cold!


I don’t think that I can say this enough: there is nothing better than a bowl of warm soup to warm you up on a cold winter evening!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
1/2 an onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic chopped
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
4 cups water (or 2 cups water/2 cups vegetable stock)
1/2 cup crushed tomato
2 19 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Chop celery, carrot, onion and garlic.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat in a large pot, add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and spices. Cook over medium heat for 4-6 minutes, until vegetables have softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for a minute before adding the water (or the water/stock). Add in the two cans of black beans and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

Then remove some of the black beans (about 1/2-3/4 cup). Using an immersion blender, or regular blender puree the soup. Once the soup is pureed, add the black beans back in.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top!

- Lou

Gluten Free Vegetarian Quiche

Ah, another Monday and you know what that means? Time for another one of Lou's Meatless Monday vegetarian dishes... on today's menu: quiche! And guess what, not only is this a vegetarian quiche, but it also has a gluten-free crust! And want to know something even better? It tastes amazing. This quiche has the perfect balance of hearty veggies, cheese and delicious eggs, some milk and maybe a smidgen of cream... yum! This is a fun and unusual take on Meatless Monday, usually a nice soup or stew or pasta dish would be a Meatless Monday dinner, but not today!

I'm sure that everyone in your house will enjoy this quiche, it's a big hit here! And the gluten-free crust is made with ingredients available at practically every grocery store!

Note: If you don't want/need a gluten free crust, this can be made in literally an instant, it's the crust that takes a little bit longer. You can use either a store bought crust, or your own recipe!

Vegetarian Quiche

Gluten-Free Crust
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Pulse ingredients together in a food processor until it forms into a ball. Remove from food processor onto a well flour surface and knead lightly. Press dough into pie dish.

Quiche Filling
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1 cup broccoli chopped
1 cup white button mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
1/2 tsp onion powder
pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Firstly, prep the ingredients, chop the veggies and grate the cheese. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and pour into pastry lined dish.

Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until center of the quiche has just barely set. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes prior to serving.

Hope you all have a great Monday, that's meatless and delicious! Plus, how fun is this post? Two recipes for the price of one... woo!

- Lou

Vegetarian Curry

It's Meatless Monday, and you know what that means, a vegetarian dish! We're traveling over to India today and cooking up a delicious, and simple vegetarian curry. This is not only tasty, but it's very hearty too.. you won't even miss your meat! It's not spicy either, so hopefully the kids in your life will give it a try. You can eat it over a bowl of warm rice, and I can guarantee you that it will warm you up. Like a few of our recent Meatless Monday dishes, this dish is not labour intensive, yet it yields delightful results.

I'd also like to take this post to introduce everyone to my wonderful, wonderful new mentor! Jules from Butcher, Baker. We've been paired up for a couple of weeks now and she's so sweet and wonderful! It was through the Adopt-A-Blogger initiative that she found me, and I have to say I am so glad! Being in this food blogging world, and trying to navigate it all by myself can be a little intimidating - have you seen the thousands and thousands of fellow foodies out there? I'm glad to have someone on my side!

Jules' blog is filled with tons of neat recipes, and wonderful commentary! If you haven't, please check out Jules' blog! I love it so much, I've bookmarked this foccacia recipe and I'm slowly, but surely psyching myself out to make it!

Go check out Jules' blog, and while you're reading why not eat a warm bowl of this hearty curry?

Vegetarian Curry
Recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
1/2 medium onion (chopped, or grated)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ginger
2 1/4 cups crushed tomato
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 19oz can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
juice of 1 small lime (or more to taste)

Directions

Start by chopping or grating your onion and garlic. Once that is done, heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes, adding in the garlic and then cooking for another minute or so.

While the onion is cooking, you can start draining and rinsing your chickpeas.

When onion and garlic are done, add in the curry powder and ginger, stirring to evenly distribute throughout onions. Pour in crushed tomatoes and water, stir to combine, and finally add in the chickpeas.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes, without the lid. When the 15 minutes are up, squirt in the lime juice and serve over a bowl of warm rice!

This curry is sure to warm you up, and the meat lovers in your household won't even be complaining about the lack of meat and the vegetarians will love it.

Happy Meatless Monday! And keep an eye out later this week, I'll be posting a recipe for homemade curry powder - none of that store bought junk!

- Lou

Meatless Monday's are back... with Potato Soup!

Meatless Monday's are officially back here at Living Lou! So be ready... every Monday a meatless, vegetarian meal will be coming your way! They can be anything from salads, to soups, to pastas! And the best part is that not only is it good for your body to eat less meat, but it also benefits the environment!

Ah... fall is in the air! Autumn, or fall, is definitely my favourite season... When I think of fall I think of; soup, snuggling in front of the TV as all of my favorite shows come back, Thanksgiving and of course fall fashions!

And with my lovely introduction about my love of fall, I give you a recipe for a delicious, hearty fall soup!

Potato Soup

Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
1 onion (chopped)
1 stalk of celery (chopped)
8 medium potatoes (peeled & chopped)
milk (enough to cover soup. This is the liquid for the soup!)
cracked pepper to taste
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions

Wash and chop the onion, celery and potatoes.

Heat the butter in a pan, and saute onion and celery on low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

Once celery and onion is finished cooking, move to a large pot. Add in potatoes and oregano. Cover with milk. Simmer covered for 30 minutes, be careful not to burn the soup!

Once done cooking, using an immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency! If it's too thick, add some water. Grind in some freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh chives!

There you have it, the perfect soup to warm your soul during the upcoming cold season!

- Lou

Meatless Monday ... Summer Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing!

As I write this post, it is 11:50pm on Monday, so it is still "Meatless Monday", I've been having issues with my photo editing software and I couldn't get the pictures to where I wanted them, but I've finally conquered the computer and been able to fix the problems!

So, I know in my last post I said that I would be posting about cupcakes next... well don't worry, those are still to come! But it is Monday, which means it's time for my weekly "Meatless Monday" post! Today, I decided to have a yummy, super healthy salad for dinner. But the real star of this salad was the dressing, a basil, garlic dressing. And it was delectable... yummmmm!



Ingredients (dressing, makes about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp parmesa cheese (grated)
a pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

Using a food processor, process the garlic until it is chopped, add in the fresh basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add in all of the other ingredients and process until smooth, or desired texture!

And there you have it, a simple to prepare, weeknight, meatless, dish!

p.s In case anyone is wondering what I put in my salad, lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms (matchstick), carrots (grated) and chopped broccoli (for some extra nutrients, broccoli is a super vegetable similar to sweet potatoes!) you can also add in some beans for a bit of extra protein!

- Lou

Kickin' Parmesan Roasted Potatoes .... Meatless Monday!

I've missed a few Meatless Monday's throughout my self imposed hiatus. It was a busy time with exams and such, which left me with basically no time for sleeping, let alone cooking!! So, unfortunately, and reluctantly, cooking was put on the back burner... but now that summer has officially started and I've had a little bit of time to recuperate it's time to try some fun new things in the summer!!

To start us off, here's a fun little twist on the classic roasted potatoes that everyone loves! They are completely delicious and super easy! I like to add in a little cayenne just for a bit of bite, but you can add in as much as you please, or, can handle!

Ingredients
1 package of red baby potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/8 tsp of cayenne (more depending on level of heat wanted)
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and thinly slice the potatoes (no peeling necessary!) Toss in a baking dish with the olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Next, to make your Parmesan mixture, mix together the remaining ingredients (cheese, mustard powder, cayenne and black pepper.) Throw the mixture into the dish with the potatoes and toss to coat. Place in the oven uncovered for 45 minutes. Once they are done, throw a bit of butter on top and serve.

And there you go! These are the perfect side dish for practically anything - I would even eat them as a meal...

- Lou

Meatless Monday – Vegetable soup!

Yes, it is June 14th, and yes it was 25°C outside today, and yes I did decide to have soup for dinner.

Vegetable soup is one of my favourite types of soup, not only is it full flavour but it’s also packed with goodness and nutrients - it's the best way to eat your vegetables! Another key feature of vegetable soup is that it includes no meat or fish products... thus, perfect for my weekly Meatless Monday's features! (See last week's Meatless Monday appetizer here)

When it comes to soups, I prefer a pureed soup over a brothy soup, I prefer the texture, so I decided to puree this vegetable soup. This isn't typically the way vegetable soup is served, but I think it makes it even more mouth-watering. And on the plus side, I feel like pureed soups are more likely to be eaten by picky eaters who hate vegetables, because there aren’t any visible vegetables!

Ingredients

1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 cup broccoli florets
1 carrot chopped
6 green onions
1 stalk celery
¼ tsp ginger
2 large garlic cloves chopped
32 oz (4 cups) of vegetable broth
½ 28 oz can (14 oz) of crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ 14 oz (21 oz) cans of white northern beans
½ tsp coriander
1 tbsp honey
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
salt & pepper

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in your soup pot, sauté green onions, carrot and celery for 6 minutes. Add in the ginger and garlic – cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth and beans. Add spices and honey. Stir and bring it to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer. Add broccoli florets and cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and puree the soup in a blender or using an immersion blender.

And there you have it, the most delectable, thick, flavorful vegetable soup! Feel free to indulge in one, two... or in my case, three servings!

- Lou

This recipe was adapted from Slice of Feist

Bite Sized Stuffed Mushrooms

Here's another one of my promised appetizer recipes; stuffed button mushrooms! These bite sized babies are scrumptious, and I actually got a round of applause from the guests! Now that is success. I usually find stuffed button mushrooms to be a little too rich and cheesy for me. This recipe has the perfect balance of flavors. And they are perfect for a dinner party because you can prepare the filling in advance and fill the mushrooms and leave them in the fridge and pop them in the oven when your guests arrive. Twenty minutes later, when the kitchen is smelling heavenly voila, stuffed mushrooms fit for a King!

Ingredients
24 whole fresh button mushrooms
3-4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsp canola oil
1/3 cup fresh cream cheese
1/8 Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (the added cayenne gives the mushrooms a nice bite!)
1 cup small peeled cooked shrimp

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean the mushrooms (using a damp cloth or paper towel.) Remove the stems from the mushrooms (sometimes this can be a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it all goes well!) Set aside the caps and stems. Add the stems and garlic to a food processor and pulse in brief bursts until finely chopped.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom caps and garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until all the moisture has disappeared. Add in the shrimp and turn heat down to medium-low. Stir in the cheeses and spices. Mix together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Meatless Monday... Take 3 - Baked Tortellini

It's time for my weekly "Meatless Monday" post! Last week was Victoria Day up here in Canada, so I didn't have time to post. Today I wanted to make something tasty and filling, I went with a Martha Stewart "Baked Raviolli" recipe. I made a few adjustments and it tasted fantastic. This was my first time using tortellini, and it was fantastic. I will definitely be making this recipe more often.

Just take a peek at the magic beneath the layer of melted cheese.


Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped (or in my case, grated.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or oregano
2 cans (56 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 pound store-bought tortellini (I had herbs and three cheese. SO good!)
mozzarella and Parmesan to taste

Note: This will make a lot of sauce, I was able to freeze about a Tupperware full!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Soften onion, garlic, salt and pepper in the oil. Add in the thyme and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Whilst all of that is going on, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook tortellini until they float to the top (this will happen super quickly, make sure you watch the pasta!) Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. (The sauce that you have not set aside for freezing!)

Poor the pasta and sauce into a large oven safe dish and cover with mozarella and Parmesan. Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Make this now. It is the most delicious meal ever.

- Lou

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Baked Ravioli

Radiant Red Pepper Risotto

Risotto is one of those classic Italian dishes that one would be crazy to try and make. Let me emphasize crazy. Especially when it is 32° C (about 90° F) and sunny outside, and you will be slaving away in front of a hot stove continuously for about 30 minutes. Yes, insane... and not to mention, extremely, extremely hot. As insane as it seems in theory, it really is worth it, because the result is utterly scrumptious. Well judging by the multiple servings my family had... it is very good. I found this recipe for red pepper risotto here. When I stumbled upon it the other day, I just knew I had to make it! This would be my second attempt at making risotto; the first try was a major flop. I put too many onions, and if you know me, then you will know how much I hate cooked onions. For this risotto, I didn’t really make any changes to the recipe other than excluding a little onion.

Ingredients
7 cups Chicken Broth, Low-Sodium
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Small Onion, Diced
2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Diced
1-¾ cup Arborio Rice
¾ cups Dry White Wine
Salt To Taste
½ teaspoons Turmeric
5 ounces, fluid Goat Cheese
½ cups Grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Grate onion, and chop red pepper. In medium-low heat heat up olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onion until translucent. (1-2 minutes). Add the red peppers and cook for about 9 minutes.

Add the uncooked rice and stir it around with the peppers and onion mixture. Pour in the white wine and cook for another couple of minutes. Now, being adding the broth a cup and a half at a time. With each addition stir gently, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Repeat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is al dente. (Note: you may not use all the broth.)

At the end, stir in a little more liquid and turn off heat. Stir in turmeric and add cheeses and stir. Serve immediately!

Not only is this wonderful the first night, but it makes the most amazing left overs!!

So it's time to get over your fear of risotto and dig into this wonderful risotto!!

- Lou

Recipe adapted from: Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman: Red Pepper Risotto

Pasta Salad

I would like to start by saying that in my last "Meatless Monday" post (found here) someone pointed out to me that fish is considered meat. I would like to clear it up that for myself I have never considered fish a type of meat, but everyone has their own opinions on the matter, and mine is that fish isn't meat. Therefore my "Meatless Mondays" posts may contain fish sometimes.

This week I have decided to make a vegetarian only meal of a colourful and delectable pasta salad! Perfect for a "Meatless Monday" or a nice and light summer meal. This recipe for pasta salad is absolutely amazing, not only is it very simple, and containing fresh vegetables but seriously, every single person who has tried this pasta salad has immediately fallen in love. When my friends come over they request this all the time!

Ingredients
1 package of your favourite pasta (rotini, fussili and penne work best.)
4 small pickles
2 green onions (green parts only)
8 kalamata olives
half a red pepper
1 carrot (grated)

Dressing
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar (note: using dark balsamic vinegar will make your pasta brown.)
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
1 1/2 tbsp dried basil
1 1/2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.

Cook and drain the pasta, following the directions on the box. Toss the warm pasta (make sure it's warm in order to infuse the pasta with the flavours of the dressing!)

Next, chop up all of the vegetables and add them to pasta. Toss and serve!

Please note: This is an amazing school or work lunch. Throw it in a Tupperware and you're good to go!

- Lou

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

It's tough to believe that one of the sweetest and most delicious vegetables is also one of the best for you. Most people associate sweet potatoes with thanksgiving, but I think that they should be eaten all year 'round. And I have to say, when you're in the mood for a nice tasty snack there is nothing easier and tastier than some savory, sweet potato fries! (well not really fries, since I bake 'em!)

Let's discuss the nutritious nature of sweet potatoes. They are one of the "super vegetables" and many people say that sweet potatoes may in fact be one of the healthiest vegetables for you. They are full of vitamin A and vitamin C, vitamin B6 as well as proteins which are unique to root vegetables. Sweet potatoes also contain antioxidants which help to eliminate chemicals which damage cells. Want to know more nutritious info about sweet potatoes? Check out this analysis.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients
1 sweet potato
2 egg whites
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and a little olive oil to ensure your potatoes do not stick.

Chop the sweet potato into your desired shape. (I like matchstick.)

Whip two egg whites together in a boil and drench your sweet potatoes in the egg white mixture. Lay them out on the wax paper and garnish with salt and pepper to taste. Pop them in the oven for 20-30 minutes, and voila!

- Lou