Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Chicken Goodness
Another weekend is here, and it's a special one for the awesome dad's out there. Why not try this out this weekend and see if dad (and everyone else) thinks it's a winner! This recipe is a meal in itself, but if you want to make it a side dish, just eliminate the chicken and keep the veggies to serve on the side of a nice BBQ Grilled Steak and you have another meal dad will love!

 

 

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 Medium-sized Sweet Potatoes (Orange or Yellow Flesh will work)
1lb Grilled Chicken Breast, shredded (Even easier - buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and use the meat from that! One less thing to cook!)
1 Cup Kale, stems removed and chopped
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Avocado Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat oven to 450F, and bake off the sweet potatoes for about 45 minutes. Check at about the 30 minute mark to see if you nee the full 45 minutes. They will be done once you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. 
2. Remove potatoes from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
3. In a bowl, combine the kale with about a tablespoon of avocado oil and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice, and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. The kale should start to soften so it is easy to handle; mix in the shredded chicken.
4. Cut the sweet potatoes in half, length-wise, and press the ends in to loosen the sweet potato. Top with the kale and chicken mixture.
5. For more flavour, you can top with your favourite BBQ sauce, or some caramelized onions - whatever your taste buds are telling you!

One Pot Roast

It's time for a Roast!

Turkey weekend is the sure sign that winter is coming, time to get comfortable with some comfort foods that are filling and good for you. Pot roast is a simple and easy thing for first time or newbie cook's to do because you get your protein, veg, and drippings all in one! Tried VG Farms beef this week that I picked up at Longo's. Turned out pretty good and was readily available at a reasonable price! 

Ingredients:

2-2.5 lbs of Good Quality Beef Rib Roast, or Shoulder
1 Cup Chopped Carrots
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Cup Chopped Onions
2 Cups Potato (Both Sweet and White Potato)
Sprig of Rosemary or Thyme (your preference)
Bacon Fat or Avocado Oil (need the oil to sear the meat)
Beef Stock - homemade if you got it!
Salt & Pepper

1. In a large pot that has a fitted lid, add in your fat or oil. On medium-high heat, sear your roast on each side for about 3 minutes each (this will keep it tender inside).
2. Once that is done, add in all your vegetables, and then the stock until it is just covering the top of the beef.
3. Cover the pot and reduce the heat so that it is cooking on a simmer. Not a big boil, as that will make the beef tough. Cook for approximately 1 to 1-1/4 hours, checking to stir vegetables every once in awhile.
4. When done to your liking. Remove the beef and let rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. You don't want to cut it right away, as it will loose all the goodness out of it. Scoop out your vegetables and then cut your beef and top with the stock "jus" - Enjoy!

Pumpkin Time!

Pumpkin Season is Here!

It's that time of year again - autumn has begun and that means pumpkins are coming into their prime. Pumpkin is such a great ingredient to use, because you can actually use the whole thing - seeds and all! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great snack and super easy to make...but they go fast! If you aren't using your pumpkin to make a crazy jack o'lantern, you can cook off the pumpkin flesh and have it as a yummy side dish with grilled chicken or a juicy steak! Don't go to the grocery store to get your pumpkin - head over to a pick your own pumpkin farm, like Whittamore's, so you know it's farm fresh, plus it's fun!

 

 



Ingredients:

Seeds from one Pumpkin, pulp removed, especially the big chunks
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil, you can also use butter if you prefer
1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Sea Salt to taste

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and heat your oven to 350F.
2. In a bowl, toss the avocado oil and seeds, coating evenly. Add in your spices and salt and combine thoroughly.
3. Spread the seeds onto the baking sheet in a single layer and place in oven.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes tossing the seeds to ensure they are baking to an even golden colour and not burning.
5. Remove from oven and cool before eating. Place in an airtight container if not consuming at one time.

NOTE** If you want to bake the pumpkin flesh, treat it like squash. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper. Clean the pumpkin to ensure any dirt is off of the outer shell. Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with avocado oil and place face down on the baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven until you are able to poke a fork through the shell, usually about 45-60 minutes depending on how big your pumpkin is. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool, then scrape out the cooked pumpkin and season to your liking!

Soup for You!

Tomato & Meatballish Stew

You don't usually think of downing a bowl of soup in the summer, but you can always prep for the fall! Make batches of soup with fresh seasonal ingredients and freeze them in portions for later on. This one is one of my favs, because it is super easy to make and you can even replace the tomatoes with good quality canned ones to make it even easier!

Ingredients:

4 Cups Organic Tomatoes, diced (or you can use good quality canned crushed tomatoes, about a 24-30oz size can should do it)
1 Cup Coconut Milk - full fat!
1 Cup Chicken or Beef Broth (Chicken tastes better for some reason?!)
1 lb Ground Beef, good quality is best, and lean
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
Fresh Basil Leaves
Coconut Oil or Avocado Oil
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

1. Take your tomatoes and coconut oil and blend until smooth in a blender or using a hand blender. If you are using canned crushed tomatoes, just go to the next step.
2. In a pot over medium heat, saute the onions in some coconut or avocado oil. Cook them out until they are soft, but not mush. Add in the ground beef - I like to make them into little tiny meatballs, but you can just break it up into chunks. Once beef is cooked through, drain off any excess fat, you shouldn't have too much if you use an extra lean ground beef.
3. Add in the garlic and season with salt and pepper, stir for about a minute, then add in your tomatoes, coconut milk and chicken broth.
4. Bring your soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in julienne cut basil leaves or if the leaves are small, you can add them whole!
5. Remove from stove and eat right away, or you can cool it off and portion them into freezer bags and save for later!

Super Cabbage!

Move over Kale, Cabbage is the Superhero now!

Kale has been king of the superfoods for a long time now, but Cabbage is moving on up the ranks to dethrone it. Cabbage and kale come from the same plant family, therefore they have similar qualities we look for when choosing the best foods to eat. Cabbage is full of fibre, antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol, vitamins and minerals. To gain the most out of this superfood, you should try to consume cabbage raw, as the more you cook it, you will lose the beneficial aspects that make this vegetable super. Recommended cooking methods include steaming or lightly sautéing it - if cabbage is still slightly crunchy, you're good! Try this raw cabbage slaw that is sure to be a hit during this hot summer season.

Ingredients

1/2 Head Red Cabbage, shredded (more antioxidants in red, but you can use any type of cabbage)
2 Carrots, shredded
2 Green Onions, sliced thinly on a diagonal
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1.5 Tbsp Avocado Oil (or you can use olive oil)
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Quickest way to shred the cabbage and carrots is to toss them into a food processor. If not, just slice them with a kitchen knife - be careful with the cabbage though, you need to remove the centre stem and discard it, but it can be tough to cut and you don't want to eat that!
2. Place the cabbage, carrots, and green onion in a bowl and mix. Add in the apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Combine thoroughly.
3. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Cover slaw and place in fridge for at least an hour for it to absorb the flavours before serving.

Not so Paleo Vermicelli Bowl

VIETNAMESE "BUN"

This is a two-part recipe! So you have your ‘fish sauce’ since no one every knows the name of it (Nuoc Cham) and you have your vermicelli bowl – together they are a magical dish. Most people will enjoy this dish during the warmer days, as the chilled noodles and fresh vegetables are so refreshing and you top it off with barbecued meat! 

Ingredients
Vermicelli "Bun" Bowl

1 Pkg Vermicelli Rice Noodles (thin kind)

2 Chicken Breasts, butterflied (cut in half horizontally so it opens up flat)

1 Shallot, finely minced

2 Garlic Clove, finely minced

1/8 Cup Avocado Oil

½ Head of Iceberg Lettuce, cut into thin strips (julienne cut)

1 English Cucumber, cut into thin strips (julienne cut)

Fresh Mint

Fresh Thai Basil

Pickled Daikon and Carrots (optional)

Nuo Cham Sauce

1 Tbsp or ½ Lime Juice, freshly squeezed

1 Tsp Rice Vinegar
½ Cup Warm Water
½ Cup Fish Sauce (Red Boat brand is gluten-free)

½ Tsp Coconut Sugar
1 or 2 Small Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 or 2 Thai Red Chilies, thinly sliced

Method

1. For the Sauce: Combine all ingredients together, mixing well until sugar dissolves. Make sure you taste it so it is to your preferred liking – some people like the more sour taste, and some prefer a sweeter, spicier finish – it’s up to you!
2. Marinate in a bowl, the chicken in the shallots, garlic and avocado oil for about an hour.
3. In the meantime, cook the vermicelli noodles according to package. Ensure when done cooking, noodles are strained in a colander and rinsed with cold water; drain and set aside.
4. Once chicken is done marinated, barbecue chicken until cooked through and still juicy – don’t overcook it and dry it out! Allow to sit for a minute before cutting into thin bite-size pieces.
5. To Make the "Bun Bowl": Divide the noodles into 4 serving bowls, and then divide out the lettuce and cucumber (pickled daikon and carrots if using as well) and top with chicken. Garnish with mint and basil leaves.
6. Serve with the Nuoc Cham sauce poured over – enjoy!

Pretty Pork Patties

PORK PATTIES

Everyone loves a good beef burger patty, but sometimes it is good to mix things up. Pork patties are quick to make and you can put them with any sauce you want. I tend to lean to an Asian-style sauce for these ones since the cilantro and garlic are staple items in Asian cooking.



Ingredients
1lb Fresh Ground Pork
3 Cloves Garlic, minced well
3 Green Onions, chopped finely
1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped finely
Coconut or Avocado Oil for cooking

Method

1. The key to a good patty is to not overwork, or over compress the ingredients together - be gentle! Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Evenly divide the meat into 4-6 equal parts and form into patties - remember GENTLE! Don't squish or pack them too tightly, because when you cook them, they'll end up being really dry - you don't want that!
3. Heat a pan with some coconut or avocado oil in it; add the patties in and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side. The patties should be browned on each side - you can cover the pan for a better cooking experience when you have flipped it over to cook the second side. Ensure that the patties are cooked through before serving.
4. Enjoy with our favourite sauce - something with some spice kicks these babies up a notch!

Cauliflower Rice...whhaaatt??

CAULI-FRIED RICE
Going back to my Asian roots for this one...kinda. Cauliflower is pretty amazing when you think about it - even being considered the Superfood that took Kale out of the number one spot! You can steam it, bake it, eat it raw and even fried rice it...we're going with that last one today :)

 



Ingredients
1 Head Cauliflower
5 Slices Slab Bacon, chopped (the good stuff if you can!)
1 Chicken Breast, chopped (same size as the bacon for even cooking purposes)
3 Eggs, beaten
1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped (separate the green parts from the white parts)
1 Cup Carrots, diced small
1 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen
1/3 Cup Thai Basil, chopped
1-3 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tsp Sriracha (optional)
Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil (for frying)

Method

1. Make sure all your ingredients are cut before you start frying, you gotta move fast in this one! For the "rice" cut the cauliflower into small florets and pulse in a food processor until it starts resembling little pieces of rice. No food processor, you can grate it roughly with a hand held grater.
2. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a separate dish and set aside.
3. Add to the pan the eggs and quickly scramble then breaking into small pieces, then move to the holding dish. If needed, add a little oil to the pan and turn the heat to high. Add the chicken, white onion pieces, ginger and garlic. Stir fry until the chicken is just barely cooked through, then add the carrots and cook another minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the holding dish.
4. Now add the cauliflower "rice" to the pan. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes until soft, but still firm, you don't want it to be too soft or it will become mushy. Place the cooked bacon, chicken, vegetables, ginger and garlic into the pan. Add in the peas and Tamari to taste and the Sriracha if you choose. Stir and toss together until peas are heated through, then toss in your green onion and basil. Serve!

Krazy Kale!

KALE CHIPS

Kale, kale, kale - so good and so good for you! Kale chips are one of the most friendly ways to get this nutritious vegetable into you, and one of the quickest! If you haven't had kale chips before, you don't know what you are missing...just warning you, you'll spend the time to bake these beauties up, and they'll be gone in a second! You can use an airtight container to store them for a couple days, but you probably won't need it LOL

 

Ingredients
1 Large Head of Organic Kale (there are different kinds of Kale, I use the green curly kind)
1 Tbsp Avocado Oil (this is an approximation, enough oil to coat the kale without excess)
Sea Salt (I use Maldon Salt)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the meantime, thoroughly wash the kale leaves, discarding the hard middle stem. Make sure that the leaves are thoroughly dried out, use a salad spinner if you have one to dry them out.
3. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently toss the kale leaves with the oil ensuring the entire leaf is coated in oil, but not excessively.
4. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet (not necessary, you can place them right on the sheet itself). In a single layer, spread out the kale leaves, lying them flat. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the kale leaves.
5. Place the tray in the oven to bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Check on them to ensure they do not burn. Chips should be crisp with slightly browned edges when they are done.
6. Chow down!