Soup

Creamy Parmesan Italian Chicken & Orzo Soup

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3-4 Chicken Breasts, cut into large chunks
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 can Diced Tomatoes
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Orzo, uncooked
1 cup Parmesan, shredded
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
S&P to taste
Fresh Parsley, for Garnish

In a large pot, over medium high heat, cook chicken in the olive oil.
Remove chicken from pot, and set aside.
In same pot add diced onion and minced garlic; cook until the onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes
Add diced tomatoes and chicken broth, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil.
Add the orzo and cook until the pasta is al dente, approximately. 8-10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and stir in the heavy cream and shredded parmesan, stirring until the cheese is completely melted.
Add chicken back to the pot, stirring to combine with the soup, heat through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, pea shoots and a drizzle of sour cream.

Serves 4

Vegetarian

Black Bean Burger

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Black Bean Burgers

2 (14oz) cans Black Beans, drained, rinsed well
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3/4 cup finely chopped Bell Pepper
1 cup diced Onion
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (omit if serving a Vegetarian)
2 Tablespoons Ketchup, Mayo or BBQ sauce
Salt and Pepper

Cornmeal or cooked, cooled Quinoa to coat burgers in as they are formed

Over low heat in a large skillet, pan dry (fry) black beans – constantly stir black beans in a dry pan until most of the moisture has been removed.

Sauté onion, garlic and chopped pepper in olive oil over med-high heat for 5-6 minutes until peppers and onions are soft.
Turn out into a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients: cumin, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, feta cheese, eggs, W-Sauce (if using),  sauce of your choice, S&P to taste

Use a stick blender to mash it all together. Stir in black beans and whiz with stick blender until mashed, leaving some black beans whole.

Form into patties using about 1/2 cup of the mixture for each burger.

Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10 minutes, flip over and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
At the end of the baking time you can add slices of Cheddar, Havarti, Jaleno Cheddar, Gruyere Cheese to melt.

Serve with your favourite toppings.
Store leftover patties in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

These patties freeze well, cooked or uncooked.

Coffee Cakes, Quick Breads

Chocolate Pecan Coffee Cake

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Decadent Chocolate Pecan Coffee Cake

1 cup unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
4 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 cup sour cream or Plain Greek Yogurt

1 cup Pecans, chopped
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Heavy Cream or  canned Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped

Extra Pecans for garnish

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a Bundt pan or line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the sour cream ( or plain greek yogurt), beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Fold in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.

Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and garnish with extra pecans.

Pasta

Broccoli and Orzo

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Broccoli and Orzo

The easiest comfort food you will ever make! If you can boil a pot of water,  you can make this!

Broccoli and Orzo

1 cup Orzo
1 1/2 cups Broccoli florets
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/4-1/2 cup Milk
Pinch of Paprika
Dash of Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon prepared Mustard
S&P to taste

Cook orzo as directed on package.
During last 3-4 minutes of cook time for the pasta, throw in your broccoli florets and continue cooking.
Drain pasta and broccoli and return to the pot.
Add cheese, butter, milk to desired consistency, paprika, garlic powder, mustard, salt and pepper; stir well.

Serve immediately.

Serves 3 – 4

Pasta

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

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Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

 

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

*16  oz  Linguini pasta
reserve some of the pasta water to help make your Peanut Butter Sauce

3-4 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp grated Ginger (1 teaspoon Ginger Powder, if you must)
2/3 cup Peanut Butter (I won’t judge here: Creamy, Crunchy, Natural, up to you!)
*4 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
1/3 – 2/3 cup Pasta water to stir into Peanut Butter Sauce, thinning to desired consistency
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 – 2 Tbsp Sriracha – How hot can you go?
1 – 2 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (honestly, I go with Maple Syrup most of the time because the Honey prefers to crystallize ’round here!
Stir in Veg:
Julienne whatever veg you prefer and have on hand!
Carrots, Peppers, Peas, Red Onion, Cabbage, Radish, or totally shortcut and throw in a bag of prepared Coleslaw!

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, optional
2 teaspoons Chili Sauce, optional

Instructions

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles for about 10 minutes. Start checking them at 8 though, cooking just until al dente.
Drain and set aside.

Finely mince garlic, grate ginger.
In medium size mixing bowl whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, maple syrup and 1/3 cup pasta water.  Add more water if needed and to your desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasonings, soy sauce and sriracha.
Pour sauce over prepared noodles and stir to thoroughly coat.
Stir in julienned vegetables, coating evenly with the peanut sauce.

Serve with crushed Peanuts, chopped Green Onion, Pea Sprouts, Cilantro

*Make it gluten free: Sub in GF Pasta and GF Soy Sauce

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.