In our home we love all types of food. We are fortunate enough to live in an area where international foods are abundant. A lot of my recipes have an Italian theme, because I am married to a wonderful Italian man who, of course, loves Italian food, but he also loves every type of food available! Enjoy!
"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." Harriet Van Horne
This is a wonderfully healthy dessert that I served last night with low fat plain yoghurt and strawberries on the side. You can serve it with ice cream or frozen yoghurt if you prefer. It is best served warm. This recipe is enough to fill a 8' x 10' baking dish. It can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days and warmed again before serving.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats 4 tbsps brown sugar 1 heaping tablespoon whole wheat flour 4 tsps sunflower oil 6 or 7 large apples (your choice), peeled, cored and sliced thinly 1 cup dried cranberries 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice 1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly oil an 8' x 10' glass baking dish. 2. In a small bowl, combine the oats, 2 tbsps brown sugar & the flour. Drizzle the four tsps sunflower oil over the mixture and then mix together with a fork until mixture is crumbly. 3. In a large bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, remaining 2 tbsps brown sugar, the lemon or lime juice, cinnamon & nutmeg. Toss well to combine. 4. Spoon apple mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the oat mixture. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown--about 35 to 40 minutes.
We love jerk flavouring! Chicken and pork are both great with a jerk marinade. You can make this as hot or as sweet as you like. The point is the blending of flavours, not that it be so hot you can't tolerate it. I used a one pound pork tenderloin and marinated it for about 24 hours. It serves 3 people. Serve it with roasted root vegetables for an easy meal.
Ingredients:
1 1b pork tender loin 1 small chopped onion 1 tsp garlic powder 3 tsps dried red hot chili peppers (depending on your heat preference) 2 tbsps picante hot sauce 1/8 cup lime juice 1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce 1/8 cup brown sugar 1/8 cup cider vinegar 2 tbsps sunflower oil 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Puree all ingredients, except pork, in food processor. Place pork in a glass bowl or a plastic bag. Pour marinade over pork and coat well. Place in fridge and marinade for 24 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 375F. 3. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat 2 tbsps olive oil over high heat. Carefully place the marinated pork in the skillet and brown on all sides. Transfer to a roasting pan. 4. Roast, uncovered, in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with remaining marinade. Allow to sit for five or ten minutes before slicing.
Barramundi is a fabulous Australian fish that we were introduced to on our last cruise. It is an excellent source of protein, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Barramundi fillets are easily pan-fried. This fish is not easy to find. We bought it at our local Metro store. This recipe includes a nice spicy marinade. It will serve two people. I served it with sauted red and yellow sweet peppers and mushrooms and some steamed broccoli.
Ingredients:
2 barramundi fillets 1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon thai green curry paste 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried hot red chili peppers 1 small onion, finely sliced 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Whisk together all ingredients, except fish. In a large flat bowl, pour marinade over the barramundi, skin side down. Marinade in fridge, covered, for at least 30 minutes. 2. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add marinated barramundi, skin side up, and whatever is left of the marinade and the onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the fish and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
These cookies are very healthy, full of fibre and while they are a good size, they only contain about 150 calories each. Grab one as you go out the door for a light breakfast on the go! Makes about 20 cookies.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps sunflower oil 3 egg whites 1/2 cup plain, low fat yoghurt 1/2 cup dried dates, chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup rolled oats 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup oatmeal crisp cereal 2 tbsps ground flax seed 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F/177C 2. Combine sugar, oil, egg whites & yoghurt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in chopped dried dates and cranberries. 3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, oat cereal, baking soda, flax, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir with a fork. 4. Add flour mixture to egg white mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in walnuts. 5. Drop by heaping tablespoon full onto lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes (until almost set). Cool on baking sheet & transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
This is a wonderfully healthy dessert that I served last night with low fat plain yoghurt and strawberries on the side. You can serve it with ice cream or frozen yoghurt if you prefer. It is best served warm. This recipe is enough to fill a 8' x 10' baking dish. It can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days and warmed again before serving.
