Quinoa (not Rice) Pudding

Thought I'd take a quick minute to jot down this yummy recipe. With all the talk of Arsenic in our rice, I must admit, I am making quinoa more than ever (and I made it a lot before!). I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart's wholeliving.com recipe.

1 1/2 c. quinoa
3 c. plain or vanilla almond milk, unsweetened

Cook covered on medium high, until liquid is gone (about 10 min.). Turn burner off, but leave pot on the burner.

Combine:
2 eggs
1 c. plain or vanilla almond milk, unsweetened
1/2 t. cardemom
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. raisins, or other dried fruit (chopped apricots, cranberries, etc.)
1/8 c. honey
1/4 c. unrefined cane sugar

Turn heat back on medium, and pour in egg mixture. Stir quickly to avoid eggs curdling, and continue cooking for a five minutes more. You can add more milk if you like your pudding a bit runnier. Cool slightly and serve with a dollop of whip cream if you can have it.

Tomato, Basil and Bocconcini Salad with Balsamic Glaze

First of all, let me apologize for my extended absence. We just found out that we are expecting our 4th baby (!!) and I have been struggling with morning all-day sickness, so food has been off my radar for the last week or so. However, today I had an unexpected burst of energy (and appetite) and decided to make one of my favorite salads. Here it is for you!!

Blasamic Glaze:

1 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. whole unrefined cane sugar, or brown sugar
1 T. soy sauce

Combine ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy - about 20 minutes. (Do not overcook! This will turn to candy!) Remove from heat, and let cool. Store in the fridge.

Salad:

1 454 g container bocconcini cheese (regular size), sliced
3 roma tomatoes, sliced
2 stems of basil, rolled and sliced
Salt and Pepper

Layer your salad, tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, or your favorite balsamic vinagrette.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Cake (from Heaven)

Have I mentioned before my love affair with Red Wine? Indeed, it is true. Because of my intolerance to sugar, I DO have to be careful with the smooth red liquid, as I am a pretty cheap drunk after only 1/2 a glass. But I will sip that 1/2 glass with relish.

On one such occasion, I noticed on the back of my bottle of Cocobon ($6.99 at Trader Joe's) that it paired well with Chocolate Walnut cake. Well, the bottle of wine talks, and Ami listens!! I found this cake recipe on another blog called The Nesting Project, and she got it from Bon Appetit 1995.

I adapted it to fit our diets here, and iced it with my favorite fudge icing. I was AMAZED. AMAZED I TELL YOU! This cake melts.in.you.mouth. The only problem you have to sort out is: how much you are going to eat yourself (you did make it afterall), and how much you are going to share. Be warned, I'm a dress-size bigger now.

LET THEM EAT CAKE!!

CAKE:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 c. less a Tbsp.Kamut flour

1.2 t. baking soda

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. whole unrefined cane sugar (Panela is great), or brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/4 c. yogurt

1/4 c. plain almond milk

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350. Butter a 13x9 inch glass pan (or two 8" round pans) and line with parchment paper. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour and baking soda into small bowl. Using electric mixer beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla, then melted chocolate. Add dry ingredients alternately with yogurt and water, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in walnuts.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attatched. Cool cake in pan on a rack.

FUDGE FROSTING (Betty Crocker):

1/2 c. whole unrefined cane sugar

1/4 c. baking cocoa

1/4 c. plain almond milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. brown rice syrup or corn syrup

Dash of salt

1/2 c. organic powdered sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Mix sugar and cocoa in saucepan. Stir in milk, butter, rice syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; cool for 30 minutes.

Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Frosts a 13x9 inch cake.

Frank's Red Hot Chicken Wrap with Blue Cheese

I love pub food. It is just the best. Our local pub has yummy food for a good price and beer that they brew on-site, so it is really a win-win situation. This recipe is inspired by their Red Hot Chicken Wrap.

3-4 chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 c. Panko bread crumbs, or crushed cornflakes
salt and pepper
1/2 t. paprika, or seasoning of your choice
2 eggs, beaten

6 wraps
1 large tomato, diced
2 c. shredded lettuce, or salad mix
Blue cheese dressing
Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Stir Panko and seasoning together in a bowl. Beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl.  Dip chicken strips in egg, then in Panko until well covered. Fry over medium heat (with lid) until cooked through on each side. Meanwhile, spread Blue Cheese Dressing (our fave is Renee's) down middle of wrap. Top with lettuce and tomato. Remove chicken strips and place on top. Give a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot. Close the wrap, and enjoy!!

** If you're not a fan of blue cheese, substitute shredded cheese of your choice.

Yiaourti me Meli (Yogurt with Honey)

A few years back (OK, more than a few) my cousin and I had the wonderful privilege of travelling together. We were single, foot-loose, and fancy-free (and loving every minute of it)! We tried to conserve our $$ by making our own breakfast and lunch, which were quite meagre. But for dinner we splurged and went out. 

On one of our evenings out, we made our way into a Greek restaurant (which is funny, as we were in Germany at the time). The young male owners were also the young male waiters, and neither spoke English. Now, travelling with food sensitivities is difficult. Travelling with food sensitivities in a country where no one understands you is downright impossible.

Through hand signals and a lot of pointing at the menu, I managed to order something. Although I don't remember what dinner was, I never forgot dessert! For one thing, I could actually eat it. For another, it was delicious. And thirdly, it was served to us with much Grecian flourish, and numerous requests to accompany those young male waiters to the DISCO (the only word we understood from them).

A super fun memory, and a dessert that I'm excited to pass on to you. It is easy, but so good!

Serve it after your greek inspired meal, or sneak it as a guilt-free snack. Yes, a dessert thats actually good for you. Who knew that existed?

In individual bowls, put:

3/4 c. plain greek yogurt (balkian)

Drizzle with:

1-2 Tbsp. good quality honey

Top with:

1 Tbsp. walnut pieces

Creamy Artichoke Chicken Casserole

If you like chicken and you like artichokes, and if you like SIMPLE, this one is a real winner. My recipe does call for Parmasan cheese, but there are some great substitutes out there if you want to keep it cheese-free.

4 chicken breast halves, sliced crossways against the grain

1 c. mayo

1 c. plain yogurt

2 14 oz. cans of artichokes, quartered

1/2 c. parmasan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. pepper

Panko or breadcrumbs

Slice your chicken breasts. Place in bottom of casserole dish. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients (except Panko). Pour over chicken. Sprinkle top with Panko/breadcrumbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes in 375 oven. If you like, briefly put under the broiler to brown the top. Serve on its own, or over rice or noodles.

Changes on Food at Our House

Well, I've made some decisions! Food at Our House will be undergoing some small changes. I have decided to move the meal plans to their own section. There are 17 weeks of meal plans, which I will add to as I can, but which you can still cycle through if you need ideas.

I am going to continue posting the food I love. I will be more relaxed about this for right now, but you can still look forward to one or two new recipes a week during the summer, and more in September.

Thanks so much for reading my little blog. I am excited to see regular readers from not only Canada and the US, but also Russia, Australia, and the UK among others! I hope you will stick with me as I sort things out on my end. I really appeciate your feedback, your comments, and that you take time out of your day to check in. As always, here's to eating good food, and being healthy!

Schezuan Orange Chicken

A little spicy, a little sweet, and really yummy!

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 t. grated zest
3/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. mandarin orange pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. grated ginger
1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 green onions, sliced thin

Whisk hoisin, orange zest, and juice in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes. Add red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds. Add sauce and simmer until sauce has thickened (3-5 minutes). Off heat and stir in green onions. Serve over rice.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes

Meal Plan This Week

I apologize that I haven't been getting to posting my recipes... The times, they are a-changin', and I'm considering putting Food at Our House on hold temporarily. But I am very torn, as I really do love getting these low dairy/sugar/wheat recipes to the people that need them. I will let you know later in the week what I've decided. Until then, have a great week!

Monday - Roast Turkey with Sweet Potatoes
Tuesday - Schezuan Orange Chicken over Rice
Wednesday - Quiche Lorainne
Thursday - Crispy Chicken Wraps
Friday - Go Out!
Saturday - Oven-Grilled Reuban Sandwiches
Sunday - Roast Beef and the Fixins

Phyllo Salmon with Brown Sugar and Rock Salt

A few years back, a friend and I were walking along the beach at dinner time. People were taking advantage of the nice weather, enjoying their swims in the lake, and cooking their dinner on the provided metal grate bbqs. We passed one such bbq, and couldn't help but comment how delicious their food smelled... what was it they were making?? We were told it was salmon with brown sugar and rock salt, gave us a generous sample, and we were on our way, changed people. I have been a fan ever since, and this is my version:

4 sheets of phyllo pastry

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 salmon fillet, skinned and deboned

1/2 c. whole unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar

1 t. rock salt (make sure not to overdo it!)

1/2 lemon, squeezed

 1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, or 1 t. dried

a few dabs of butter

Oil the sheets of phyllo according to directions. Place salmon on phyllo. Sprinkle with sugar and rock salt. Squeeze lemon all over, and sprinkle with dill. Dab with butter.

Wrap up phyllo to make a little salmon present.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until done. Salmon will flake with a fork when it is cooked.

Meal Plan This Week!

Monday: Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Black Beans

Tuesday: Phyllo Salmon with Brown Sugar and Rock Salt and Herbed Quinoa

Wednesday: Roast Chicken

Thursday: Chili

Friday: Go Out

Saturday: Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Sunday: Waffles, Eggs, and Fruit

Gyros!

A gyro is a greek sandwich filled with lamb or beef. I am personally not a big fan of lamb, but if you are, feel free to sub in ground lamb for the beef.

4 pita breads

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh or 1 t. dried mint leaves

1 t. sugar

1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped (3/4 c.)

1 lb. ground beef or lamb

1 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 c.)

2 Tbsp. oil

2 c. shredded lettuce

1 med. tomato chopped (3/4 c.)

Create a pocket in your pitas by cutting halfway around the edge with a knife and gently separating the layers. Mix yogurt, mint and sugar in small bowl. Stir in cucumber.

Mix beef water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, garlic and onion. Shape mixture into 4 thin patties.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until no longer pink in center. Place cooked patties into pita pockets and top with lettuce, tomato, and yogurt mixture.

**My note: If you don't want to shred your lettuce, just place a leaf or two in each pocket. I also just sliced my tomatoes instead of dicing them.

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Baked Oatmeal

For Estelle! Thanks for reading!!

Last summer I took the kids (no hubby) to family camp with a friend of mine. Between the 2 of us, we had a 6 year old, a 3 year old, a 2 year old, an 8 mo. old, and a 6 mo. old. Yes, we were crazy. BUT we had a great time, so much so that we're doing the exact same thing this year.

The food at this place was AMAZING, and mealtimes were such a great time of relaxing for us moms, as we didn't need to cook a darn thing. One morning we were served baked oatmeal, which my friend had raved about (she had been the year before). Unfortunately for me, it was full of wheat, sugar and milk; more like a cake. When I came home, I made it my mission to find a baked oatmeal that I could serve to my family. Ta-da! Here it is:

3 c. rolled oats (I use quick, but I think any would work)

1/2 c. unrefined raw cane sugar, or sugar of your choice

2 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. almond milk, or milk of your choice

2 eggs

1/2 c. butter

2 t. vanilla

1 c. dried cranberries, fresh blueberries, or any fruit of your liking

1/2 c. chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds (optional)

Combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Stir in fruit and nuts. Spread in greased 9x13" pan. Bake 350 for 30 minutes. This is great for breakfast or as a fast snack on the run. Serve it on it's own, or with a bit of milk and a drizzle of maple syrup. Yum!

Meal Plan This Week!

Have a great week!

Monday: Gyros

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza

Wednesday: Pasta Puttanesca

Thursday: Turkey Stroganoff

Friday: Go Out!

Saturday: Mulagatani

Sunday: Roast Chicken with the Fixins

Spaghetti with Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meatballs

OK, so, we try to eat healthy around here; we try to monitor our red meat intake and up the veggies. But honestly, HONESTLY, sometimes you just gotta have some spaghetti and meatballs. Mm-mmm. I came up with this recipe because I didn't have an egg. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. Let me know what you think!

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. onion, minced

2-3 Tbsp. mayonaisse

2 Tbsp. unsweetened Almond milk

salt and pepper

1 t. dried parsley, oregano, or your choice of herbs

Mix all ingredients together (this will be wetter than you're used to). Form into meatballs, and brown in olive oil over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add your favorite tomato sauce, and simmer over low heat (if medium is 6, simmer around 2) until meatballs are cooked through (probably about 7-10 minutes). Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan (or alternative) over rice pasta.

Pasta with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Even though we are dairy-free in our house, the kids can tolerate goat milk and cheeses, which is awesome for me, especially in recipes like this. Greek feta (goat`s milk feta) is the perfect substitute for regular feta.

6 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 medium red onions, finely sliced (you do need all of them)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch fresh spinach (or one small box)

salt to sprinkle

3 c. cooked fusilli

1 c. crumbled feta cheese

freshly grated parmesan cheese

pepper

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts (optional)

1/4 c. sliced kalamata olives (optional)



Heal oil in saucepan. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add spinach and sprinkle lightly with salt. stir until spinach wilts. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Cook pasta until tender. Drain. Add feta cheese to warm pasta and cook over low heat until cheese melts. Add spinach mixture and toss. Sprinkle with parmasan cheese, pepper, pine nuts and olives if desired.

Sweet Potato Mash

As a young adult (ah, those were the days) I had a bit of trouble tolerating potatoes. I think it must have been the fact that potatoes can have the equivalent of 17 teaspoons of sugar in them (not a good choice for diabetics). Once I got my refined sugars under control, I was able to have potatoes in moderation again, but during my potato ban, I enjoyed many many sweet potatoes (which you`d think would be more sugary than potatoes, but actually not!). I especially loved mashed sweet potatoes, and here`s my favorite way to do them:

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and cut into chunks

3 Tbsp. butter

1/4 c. liquid (chicken broth, plain almond milk, milk, or cream)

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 c. fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

sour cream or substitute

Put cut sweet potatoes (peel on) into a pot. Cover with water and boil until soft. Meanwhile, fry garlic until fragrant. Remove from heat. Drain and mash sweet potatoes. Stir in butter, liquid, garlic and parsley. Season to taste and top with a dollop of sour cream. Mmmm, is anyone else getting hungry?

Menu Plan This Week!

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.... but maybe some good food will help!! I hope you're Monday is starting off great, and that maybe, just maybe, it is sunny where you are (what is it about the sun that just makes ya feel good?). Here's our meal plan:

Monday: Chicken Salad Melts on Toast

Tuesday: Pasta with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Wednesday: Roast Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash

Thursday: Spaghetti with Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meatballs

Friday: Go Out!

Saturday: Waffles with Berry Puree and Soft-Boiled Eggs

Sunday: Steak and Mango Spinach Salad

Easy Spanakopita

I made this as a quick dinner before my daughter's school performance. It was so good! I served it with homemade tzatziki sauce and a salad. If you're looking for something more filling, pair it with some roasted lemon potatoes or some rice as well. (Just as a note though, make sure you thaw out your phyllo pastry from the freezer, which takes a couple hours.)

1 large box fresh spinach, washed and stemmed

1/2 c. onion

1/2 c. red pepper or mushrooms (or both!)

 2 eggs - beaten

1 c. feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 c. quinoa flakes, panko or bread crumbs

1 tsp. dried dill

Healthy pinch nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 c. butter

4 sheets phyllo pastry

Steam spinach in fry pan until wilted. Remove. Saute onions & pepper. Add to spinach. Add eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, dill and spices. Follow package instructions for keeping phyllo moist. Brush each sheet with butter, layering each sheet on top of the next. Put filling along length of bottom layer, leaving 1" margin at each edge. Seal by folding and rolling up like a jelly roll. Brush tops with butter and bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Adapted from "Grand Slam", The Best of Bridge

Chicken Medallions with Spinach and Quinoa

This was super easy, and so tasty!

1 large box of fresh spinach, rinsed stems removed

1 red pepper, sliced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 shallots or 2 Tbsp. onions, minced

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 t. dried

1 Tbsp. capers

Over medium-high heat, saute half of spinach until wilted (no oil required). Add red pepper and remaining spinach. Saute 4 minutes longer or until pepper is tender crisp and most of liquid evaporates. Remove to casserole and keep warm.

Place chicken between wax paper sheets and pound with mallet to 3/4" thickness. Mix salt, pepper, and 1 t. lemon rind and rub over chicken.

In same skillet (that you used for the spinach), melt butter in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute 3-4 minutes each side. Remove when cooked, and arrange on top of spinach. Keep warm.

In drippings over medium eat, saute shallots 1 minute. Add broth, bring to boil, reduce heat and add lemon juice. Whisk in remaining lemon rind, herbs and capers. Pour over chicken. Serve with quinoa or rice pilaf.

From "That's Trump", The Best of Bridge Series