Category: Easy Recipes

Sticky Apple-Pecan Cake

What do the people think of this cake?  Well, there wasn’t much left over for them to take home, so I’d say it was a hit.  It’s moist and a little sticky from the sauce… so good!  Yes, there’s lots of sugar and fat in this one – it’s a cake, and a Paula Deen recipe at that!  If you’re looking for a healthy recipe, check out one of the salads or something. You might not love coconut, but you can’t really tell it’s in there – it really adds something to the cake, though.

If you’re a little scared of making cakes, this one is for you.  There’s not much you can do wrong if you add all the ingredients.  You pretty much pile everything into a bowl and mix, then pour the sauce over top when it’s out of the oven.

What you need for the cake:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups peeled and chopped apples (I used Macintosh)

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cups chopped pecans

What you need for the sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

What you do:

1.  Mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

2.  Add the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla and mix it up with a wooden spoon until it is combined.

3.  Add the coconut, apples and nuts and mix it.  The batter will be quite thick.

4.  Pour the batter into parchment-lined pans(wax paper will do).  I used two 4 by 12 pans, but that’s an odd size… so you can use two bread pans or, if you have it, one 10-inch tube pan.  What ever you do, bake it for about an hour at 325 F, then test it with a toothpick.  If it needs a little more time, add 10 minutes, check again, adding more time if needed.

5.  Before it has finished baking, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, then adding the sugar, buttermilk and baking soda.  Bring it to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for one minute.

6.  After the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with the back end of a wooden spoon.  Pour the sauce over the top.

7.  Let the cake cool for about an hour before taking it out of the pan to cool the rest of the way – or just get started on it while it’s still warm!

You could reheat it and serve with a little vanilla ice cream, if you’re looking for true decadence.

Quick Lemon Pasta

Looking for ways to use up my bumper crop of arugula, I made up this easy pasta dish.  You can easily substitute the arugula for fresh basil; just use a little less.  It’s a super fast meal to prepare!

What you need:

Pasta (I used brown rice spaghetti by Tinkyada)

fresh lemon juice

parmesan (I use lactose-free l’Ancetre)

arugula or fresh basil

salt and pepper

What you do:

1.  Cook the pasta in lots of water.

2.  Squeeze lemon juice, about 1/2 a lemon per person.  Mix it with a tablespoon or two of parmesan per person, a big drizzle or olive oil, and salt and pepper.

3.  Chop arugula roughly and place in the bottom of a bowl.  Place hot pasta on top of the arugula so the arugula wilts a tiny bit from the heat of the pasta.  Pour the lemon mixture over top and mix it all up.

4.  Enjoy!

lemon block print

Oven-Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

This easy recipe is delicious as an appetizer with dipping sauces, or as part of a meal.  You can also use whole chicken breasts, pounding them before coating.

What you need:

2 chicken breasts

1 egg

1 Tablespoon buttermilk or plain yogurt

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

What you do:

1.  In a small bowl beat egg slightly with a fork, then mix in buttermilk or yogurt.

2.  In another bowl combine bread crumbs, coconut, salt and pepper.

3.  Cut chicken into strips.

4.  Coat chicken in egg mixture, then cover with bread crumbs.  Place chicken on a baking sheet as you take it out of the bread crumb mixture.

5.  Repeat step 4, this time just lightly dipping in egg mixture, then making sure it is coated in the bread crumb mixture.  Place chicken on a baking sheet, with some space between each piece.

6.  Bake at 350F of 15 minutes, then turn each piece over once and bake for 5 more minutes.  They should be slightly browned.

7.  If you are using this as an appetizer, serve with sweet chilli sauce or honey mustard mayo (see recipe below).  It is great when paired with a pasta dish, such as lemon-basil pasta.

Honey Mustard Mayo:

Mix 1 tablespoon mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon honey.

Tomato Basil Yogurt Breakfast Tart

This breakfast tart can be made with or without a crust, and is pretty simple to whip up.

What you need:

3/4 cup plain yogurt

6 eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup vegan or regular parmesan (I use L’Ancentre lactose free)

1/2 cup basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 /2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4-6 roma tomatoes

optional: small chunks of prosciutto

What you do:

1.  Beat eggs with a fork, then mix in yogurt, parmesan, chopped basil, salt and pepper.

2.  Cut tomatoes in half and remove the seeds and liquid.  This is a step you don’t want to miss, because of you do your tart will be watery.   I used grape tomatoes, which taste great but take a long time to deseed.

3.  Pour the egg mixture into a greased pie plate, frittata pan or partially baked pie crust.  Place the tomatoes on top, then top with a little more parmesan.

4.  Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes, or until the middle has set.

5.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

I have used this mushroom crust recipe when I didn’t want a typical pastry crust, and it’s delish!

Mushroom Crust:

1/2 lb mushrooms

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1.  Chop the mushrooms and saute in butter for 10 minutes.  Mix in breadcrumbs, then pat into a greased pie plate.

2.  Bake 10-15 minutes at 375F.

3.  Fill with egg mixture and continue baking.

Wild and Brown Rice, Pepper and Pecan Salad

If you like pecans, whole grains and vitamin C-rich peppers, then you’ll love this hearty salad.  It’s great for a lunch or picnic.

What you need:

3/4 cup brown rice

1/4 cup wild rice

1 each of red, orange and yellow peppers

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 bunch parsley

1- 2 green onions

1/3 cup dried currants

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon tamari

What you do:

1.  Put the rices in a pot with 1 & 1/2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low.  Cook for 45 minutes, then take off the heat, leaving the lid on, for 10 minutes.

2.  Toast pecans by heating in a frying pan for 5-8 minutes on medium-low heat.  Be careful!  It’s easy to burn them.

3.  Chop peppers into approximately 2 cm chunks.

4.  Chop parsley and green onion.

5.  Mix oil, vinegar, honey and tamari together, then stir in a large bowl with all the veggies and the currants.

6.  Let the veggies and sauce do their thing while you are waiting for the rice to cook and cool.  Mix the rice in, and you’re good to go!  It’s really nice served with a few slices of avocado.

Great for leftovers!

Fattoush – Lebanese Salad

I love to bring this salad to picnics.  While the recipe calls for pomegranate, I also make it without it, as fresh pomegranate isn’t always available.  My local Mediterranean shop carries ground sumac and pomegranate syrup, which is much thicker and more tart than pomegranate juice.

What you need:

1/4 cup fresh spearmint, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, cut into bite sized chunks

1/2 cup cucumber, cut into bite sized chunks

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

whole wheat pita bread

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground sumac

1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

What you do:

1.  Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.

2.  Put all the veggies and herbs into a large bowl.  Pour the dressing over and allow to sit for several hours before serving.

3.  Toast the pita bread in the oven until crispy, then break it into bite sized pieces.

4.  Serve the salad topped with the pita at the last minute so it doesn’t get soggy.

Ground Turkey, Veg & Brown Rice Dish

This is an all-in-one type meal, with lots of veggies, some lean ground turkey, and nutritious brown rice.  It takes a bit longer to cook brown rice, but you can put it on to cook while you prepare the veggies and start cooking them with the turkey.

What you need:

brown rice, 3/4 cup uncooked (I use Lundberg whole grain)

some lean ground turkey (or not, for a veggie option)

one large onion, preferably sweet

red bell pepper

carrot

olive oil

salt and pepper

optional: one can sweet corn, balsamic vinegar

What you do:

1.  Start with the brown rice:  bring rice and 1 & 1/2 cups of water to a boil.  Cover, lower heat and simmer 45 minutes.  After that remove from heat and let sit, with the lid on, for 10 minutes.

2.  While the rice is cooking, get started on the veggies.  This won’t take the whole 55 minutes, so you can do other things for a while, then spend 20 or so minutes on the rest of the recipe.  First slice the onion into strips that are just less than 1cm wide.  In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium high, then add onions and cook them until they are slightly browned.

3.  Cut peppers into strips similar in size to the onions.  Add to the onions and cook for a few minutes.

4.  Grate the carrot and add to the other veggies.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the onions are quite brown.

5.  Place the veggies in a bowl, then cook the ground turkey until it’s not pink any more.

6.  Add the cooked rice to the turkey and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, for several minutes.  Now add the veggies (and optional corn) and cook until they are reheated.  Season with salt and lots of pepper (and add optional balsamic vinegar).

7.  Voila, you’ve got your one-bowl dinner, which is great reheated the next day(s) for leftovers.

I use cast iron frying pans because they are naturally non-stick.  As well, I don’t have to worry about scratching their surface, or the possible health risks that may be associated with Teflon.   To clean them, I make sure I scrape them while they are still hot, then scrub them  later.  I don’t use any soap on them.  From time to time I heat the pan up, then add some canola oil and rub it in with a paper towel.  This helps keep up that natural non-stick coating.

The handle can get hot, so I have a “Banana Handle,” which is made by Fred.

http://www.worldwidefred.com/bananahandle.htm

A New Yummier Healthier Coleslaw

Since cabbage is so good for you, I’ve been looking for new ways to eat it.  Since it’s not one of my favourites, this was a bit of a tough task.  But I modified a coleslaw recipe to make, what I think, is a lighter version of coleslaw that is tasty and great for you!  No mayo in this one!

Here are some of the main reasons to eat more cabbage:

cancer-fighting capabilities

vitamin C

fibre

potassium

low in fat and calories

and many more…

Here’s the recipe:

1/2 small head of cabbage, green or red

3 stalks broccoli, crowns removed

1 stalk celery

2-3 carrots

1/4 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds

1/3 cup raisins

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons olive or flax oil

3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

What you do:

1.  Chop the cabbage finely.

2.  Peel and then grate the carrots.

3.  Peel and chop the broccoli stalks into disks.

4.  Slice celery thinly.

5.  Mix all dressing ingredients together, then mix it in with the chopped veggies in a large bowl.  Add the raisins and sunflowers.

6.  Let it sit for at least an hour before you eat it so the flavours can mingle.  It keeps well in the fridge, thus making it great for leftovers!

Rhubarb Walnut Cake

Mmmm,  just in time for spring.  You’ve got all that rhubarb coming up in your garden (or the grocery store!), and here’s the perfect recipe to utilize it.  So moist, and the tangy rhubarb contrasts well with the sweet sugary-nutty topping.  Either the people I work with are really really nice, or this cake is amazing – I think it’s both!  Thanks guys!

What you need:

1/2 cup butter

1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain yogurt (not no-fat)

1 &1/2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 cm chunks

for the topping:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

What you do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.  Cream butter and brown sugar, then blend in egg.

3.  Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Mix one-third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture by hand.

5.  Add half the yogurt and mix until just incorporated.

6.  Mix in one-third more of the flour, then the rest of the yogurt, then the rest of the flour.  Mix until just combined or it will make a tough cake!

7.  Add rhubarb, then pour into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, smoothing the top a little.

8.  For the topping: melt the butter, then stir in white sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and walnuts.  Spread this mixture over the top of the cake.

9.  Bake for around 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

10.  Enjoy!

rhubarb block print

Kamut Salad

This kamut salad is delicious and high in protein.  I cooked the kamut and made the dressing, then just made up half the recipe for dinner, serving the kamut hot with the fresh veggies and chickpeas.  I used the leftovers for lunches by cutting up fresh veggies and mixing them with the dressing and cold kamut and chickpeas.

For the kamut:

3 cups water

1 cup kamut

Bring the water to a boil, then add the kamut.  Reduce the heat, put a lid on it, and let it simmer for 1 & 1/4 hours.  Then take the lid off and let it simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.

For the dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

1 tablespoon flax or olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix it all together with the following ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained

1-2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch scallion, sliced thinly

1 cup chopped mini cucumber

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Enjoy!