Sandwiches and Wraps, Vegetarian

Grilled Falafel

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I have a falafel recipe somewhere but it seems to have gotten lost in all the moving around we have done over the years. I googled “falafel recipes” and ended up at Food.com where I found this recipe by justcallmetoni

I read a few of the reviews and admittedly, the first time I made these I didn’t have any cilantro or parsley in the house! I subbed in a bit of dried parsley and a bit of coriander; they were amazing! Second go around, I had cilantro but no parsley…I really need to get my act together! I had my doubts about the green falafel. I thought my boys might not like it but they proved me wrong. The next time I make this it is my goal to have both fresh parsley and fresh cilantro on hand!

Sometimes I make falafel and serve it with Bombay Rice and a green Vegetable; sometimes I make it and serve it in a wrap. You can make this recipe and use the resulting falafels quite successfully, either way!

falafel wrap
Falafel Wrap

1 Tbsp (15ml) Olive Oil
1 small Onion, finely diced
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 – 14 oz (398ml)  can Chick Peas
1 cup (250 ml) loosely packed Cilantro
1 cup (250 ml) loosely packed Parsley
1 cup (250ml) cooked Brown Rice*
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Curry Powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 cup (175ml) Breadcrumbs

Serve alongside Rice and Veg for a complete Meal
or
Serve in a Wrap or Pita with Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Tzatziki

Method:
Heat oil in a skillet over med-high heat.
Saute onion for a minute or two; add garlic and continue sautéing until onion is soft and garlic is golden, about 4 minutes, total.
Let cool.
Place sauteed onion in food processor; add chickpeas and pulse to coarsely chop the beans.
Add cilantro, parsley, rice, curry and cayenne; pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and evenly distributed.
Turn the mixture into a bowl.
Stir in lemon juice and 1/4 cup (50 ml) of the breadcrumbs.
Pour remaining breadcrumbs onto a plate.
With your hands, mix chickpea mixture until it is like a moist dough.
Scooping up 1/4 cup (50ml) at a time, form the chickpea mixture into patties.
Coat lightly in the remaining breadcrumbs.
Repeat, making 8 – 3 inch (7.5cm) patties.
Heat  cast iron skillet.
Brush lightly with oil.
Place the patties in the skillet, about an inch (2.5 cm) apart.
Cook 4 minutes, until lightly browned.
Turn and cook another 4 minutes, until second side is lightly browned.

Serve immediately alongside Bombay Rice and a Green Vegetable of your choice or in a Wrap or a Pita with thinly sliced Tomatoes, Cucumber, Shredded Lettuce and Tzatziki.

Serves 4 – 6

*I  have used plain white rice because it is what I had on hand.

falafel and bombay rice with wilted spinach
Falafel and Bombay Rice with Wilted Spinach

Or you can just throw ’em on top of some Salad! Oh, Falafel, you are so versatile!

falafel on salad with tzatziki
Falafel on Salad with Tzatziki

 

Coffee Cakes

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

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This is the recipe found on the package of Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. It is super basic and can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. Add whatever fruit you like, spice it up, or don’t; use milk, water, coconut water, almond milk…choice is yours.

So simple to make.  Get it this stuff going after you put the coffee on, go have a shower or make the bed or whatever while the cereal is cooking, come back to the kitchen and Voila! Breakfast is ready and so is the Coffee!

apple cinnamon oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

3 1/4 cups Water, Milk, or Almond Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Apple, peeled or not, grated or finely diced
-or 1 cup Applesauce
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

In medium saucepan bring liquid and salt to a boil.
Stir in 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, apple, and cinnamon.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove pan from heat.
If desired, cover anklet stand for 2 minutes before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid.

Serves 4

Pasta, Poultry

Chicken a la King

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I have been making Chicken (Turkey) a la King for as long as I can remember!  I usually serve it with pasta though I have heard you can also serve it over toast or on a bed of rice.

Over at Betty Crocker they show a lovely pic of Chicken a la King served on a wedge of toasted French Bread, and I have to say, it looks pretty amazing! I may have to try that next time!

chicken a la king
Chicken a la King

1/2 cup Butter
1 small Onion, diced
1/2 cup Flour
1 small Green Pepper, chopped
3 oz Fresh Mushrooms, sliced – Optional
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups diced, Cooked Chicken or Turkey

3 cups  cooked hot Pasta or  cooked hot  Rice or Toasted French Bread Slices

Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add diced onion and sauté for about 4 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Add flour, salt and pepper – cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly.
Stir in half the milk  and bring it back to a boil, stirring constantly; add remaining milk, stir constantly.
Add chicken stock, half at a time, returning mixture to a boil before  the next addition of liquid, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in chopped green pepper, mushrooms – if using, chopped chicken or turkey – reduce heat and cook until heated through, stirring as needed.

Serves 4

Vegetables

Stuffed Zucchini

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We made this at school a few weeks ago and I was eager to try it at home. I used Chef Nathan’s presentation method but used a different recipe for the stuffing. I tweaked the recipe a bit and added garnishes.

Please feel free to hop over to the original Zucchini Boat recipe.

Stuffed zucchini
Stuffed Zucchini

1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup Shallots,  finely diced
1 clove Garlic,  finely diced
3 Small – Medium Zucchini, cut into chunks – flat bottom, angled top,    scoop zucchini out of the centre and reserve
8 oz. Mushrooms, finely diced
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

3 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
Cilantro
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.

In saute pan, on medium-high heat, heat olive oil.
Add diced shallot and cook for a minute or two.
Add diced garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes.
Add finely diced  reserved zucchini pulp.
Add diced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are softened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese; mix thoroughly.
Spoon equal amounts of stuffing into each zucchini cylinder; top each with a slice of cherry tomato.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, garnish with fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

About, Coffee Cakes

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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Sometimes I buy Sour Cream; I don’t know why I do this, no one here really likes it. I must have bought it because a recipe called for a bit of it leaving me with a whole lot to use up! That lil tub of sour cream kept was right at eye level in the fridge so each time I opened the fridge I would say to myself, “Right, I have to make something with that sour cream.” Well, I finally did something with it!  I turned to my friend, Betty Crocker, and she came through!You can find the original recipe at Betty Crocker . I keep not one, but two Betty Crocker cookbooks in my kitchen; it was fabulous being able to look at a printed recipe instead of having to scroll through the recipe as needed on my iPhone!  I did follow this recipe to the T, for a change…next time I might try adding some steamed apples? hmmmm!   A super moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake that was well received by all.

coffee cake, sour cream, cinnamon
Wonderfully moist coffee cake

Brown Sugar Filling
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup chopped Nuts – I used Slivered Almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground

Cinnamon Batter
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 large Eggs
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Sour Cream

Vanilla Glaze
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
2 – 3 Tablespoons Milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease bottom and side of Bundt pan or two Loaf Pans (9×5). Lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Prepare Brown Sugar Filling: In a small mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, chopped nuts and cinnamon. Set aside.

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until smooth.
Add vanilla and eggs, mixing well after each egg is added; cream until light and fluffy.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and stir just until all the flour is moistened. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add half of the sour cream and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add another 1/3 of flour mixture and stir just until flour is moistened. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add remaining sour cream and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add remaining flour and stir until all flour is moistened.  Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase speed on mixer and beat for 1 minute.

For Bundt pan, spread 1/3 of the batter (about 2 cups) in prepared pan, then sprinkle with 1/3 of Brown Sugar Filling; repeat twice.
For loaf pans – spread 1/4 of the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) in each pan, then sprinkle each with 1/4 of Brown Sugar Filling; repeat once.

Bake Bundt cake  for about 1 hour,  Loaves for about 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes.
Remove from pan(s) and place top side up on wire rack.
Cool for about 10 minutes longer before finishing with Vanilla Drizzle.

Vanilla Drizzle Mix all ingredients until smooth and drizzling consistency.

Oh, and by all means, do have this for Breakfast!  I added a bit of Cottage Cheese and a handful of fresh Blueberries to make it a lil bit healthier!

sour cream coffee cake for breakfast
Sour Cream Coffee Cake for Breakfast!

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