Parmesan Crisp Baguettes

The perfect dunker for fall soups.

Ingredients:

• 8 baguette slices, sliced on the diagonal
• olive oil
• parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions:

• Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. 
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese on both sides of the baguette and press down slightly.
• Place bread in a non-stick fry pan without any oil and over medium heat, toast until golden
• Flip bread over and toast the other side.
• Serve warm.

 

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apples & Carrots

A sinfully delicious, very low fat bowl of creamy silky goodness.  Roasted butternut squash is  pureed with carrots and a granny smith apple to mellow out the richness of the squash.  This comforting soup tastes delicious with a crusty slice of bread for dipping.
 

Ingredients:

·         1 medium butternut squash

·         2 tablespoons olive oil,

·         1 small onion, diced

·         2 small carrots, peeled and diced

·         1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

·         1 teaspoon garlic, crushed

·         1 teaspoon ginger, grated

·         4 cups low sodium chicken broth

·         salt & pepper to taste

·         1/3 cup half and half cream (I used 1% milk)

 

Directions:

·         Preheat oven to 375°. 

·         Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

·         Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Brush 1/2 of the olive oil (1 tablespoon) on the inside and outside of the squash. 

·         Turn squash over, cut side down, and bake about 45 minutes or until tender.

·         Cool the baked squash enough to handle. 

·         Meanwhile while the squash bakes heat olive oil in a large pot.

·         Add onions, carrots and apple and sauté, until soft.

·         Add garlic and ginger.

·         Add the chicken broth and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

·         When the squash is cool, scoop the flesh into the pot with the chicken broth.

·         Simmer all together for an additional 10 minutes, breaking up large pieces of squash.

·         Add salt and pepper to taste.

·         Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup half and half cream.

·         Puree soup in a food blender, or food processor until creamy smooth.

Keep warm until service, or cool then reheat before serving.  Soup thickens when cool, so when reheating you may have to add some additional chicken broth.

Serve with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

I also like to serve this soup with Parmesan Crisp Baguettes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

 

With the “chili” fall weather upon us, nothing beats coming home to a comforting bowl of chili.  Delicious served alone, or on top of rice or mashed potatoes.  I especially love this recipe in my Chicken Chili Cheese Fries or Chicken Taco Salad.  (Recipes coming soon)  As with most chili recipes this tastes even better the next day.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound ground chicken

1 cup onions, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, fire roasted preferably, juice drained      

1 (15 ounce) can kidney bean or black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (7 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon chicken boullion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

Instructions:

In a large non-stick fry pan cook the ground chicken, onion, green pepper, and garlic until chicken is browned.

Drain excess fat and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir. 

Cover and cook over low heat for 8 hours.

Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, green onions, or sour cream if desired.  

Serves 4   (about 5 cups)

You might notice this recipe does not call for as many beans as most, simply because when I use this recipe over Chicken Chili Cheese Fries or Taco Salad I like less beans.

 

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Low Fat Pumpkin & Spice Latte

If you love coffee and pumpkin you will love this low fat version of the famous Star Bucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.  A perfect treat for a chilly fall afternoon or with dessert at Thanksgiving.

Just a bit of heaven in a cup!  As an added note, Canadians gulped down more than 1.2 million litres of pumpkin-spice latte last year, primarily from Starbucks.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons real pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup              
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup very strong coffee (or a couple of shots of espresso)

Directions:

• In a blender, blend pumpkin, milk, maple syrup , vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. 
• Blend until smooth.
• Transfer to a small sauce pan and heat until smooth.  This can also be heated in the microwave
• Pour the coffee into the hot milk mixture.
• Serve as is or top with low fat whipped cream.
• Additional sugar, stevia or maple syrup can be added if you like it really sweet and you don’t mind all the empty calories.Serves 2.

*Note*  If you don’t have Pumpkin Pie Spice, you can make your own by combining:

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4  teaspoon ground allspice

Serves 2

 

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Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Delicious homemade tomato sauce that is so much better than store bought.  Since the sauce is pureed after it has simmered it’s your choice as to leave the skins or not.   In the batch in the photo I used about 2 pounds of skinned rom tomatoes and 3 pounds of cherry tomatoes being my plants produced way too many to eat….even after giving lots away.  Didn’t bother to skin them, those suckers are too small.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 5 lbs ripe tomatoes, (to peel, cut a small “x” on the top and drop in to boiling water for 10 seconds and drop in to an ice bath. Skin will easily peel off) 
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 medium onions, finely diced
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

• Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.
• Add diced onions and garlic.
• Saute for 6-8 minutes or until onions are translucent and tender.
• Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley and salt.
• Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours or until cooked down and starting to thicken.
• Optional: Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree sauce until smooth.
• Place into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• This sauce freezes nicely as well.  To freeze I use freezer bags.

 

 

 

 

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Greek Grilled Chicken

When the weather is hot the grill is where I do most of my cooking.  This super moist chicken breast, marinated in Greek seasonings and fresh lemon juice is perfect served with a Greek Salad for a light summer supper.

 

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts rinsed and trimmed of fat

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon low salt Greek seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (1/2 teaspoon dried can be substituted)

Instructions: 

1. With a sharp knife, make tiny slits in the tops of the chicken breasts about half an inch apart.  This helps the marinade to penetrate the meat and aids in an even cooking time.
2. Mix marinade ingredients together.
3. Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag and pour in marinade.
4. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours.
5. Preheat grill to medium heat.
6. Grill chicken for about 25 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.

Serves 4

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Watermelon Aqua Fresca

Being such a hot day today in Saskatchewan and I had a watermelon in the fridge I decided to make some refreshing Watermelon Aqua Fresca.  Brings back such memories of our time spent in Mexico where this drink is so very popular.  Not too sweet, it is definitely a thirst quencher served icy cold on a hot summer day.

 

Watermelon Aqua Fresca

Ingredients:

• 4 cups seedless watermelon
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
• 1/2 cup cold water

 

Directions:

1. Process watermelon, agave nectar and water in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer into a pitcher.  Discard solids.
3. For those who don’t mind a little pulp in their drinks, just omit the last step.
4. Chill and serve over lots of ice.



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