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 heart-healthy recipe and a variation on the apple cranberry crisp that I made earlier in the year. It includes dates and walnuts. You don't need any added sugar with this recipe as the dried fruit is sweet enough on its' own. The oats are great for lowering cholesterol. Serve on its' own or with a dollop of plain low-fat yoghurt.
Ingredients:
4 small organic apples of your choice, unpeeled & sliced juice of 1 lemon 2 tsps cinnamon 1 cup dried cranberries (use what you like or what you have on hand here) 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup rolled oats 4 tbsps sunflower oil 1/4 cup dried pitted dates, chopped 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare baking dish by rubbing lightly with oil. 2. Core and slice the unpeeled apples and sprinkle with the juice of one lemon. Place in a medium saucepan with the cranberries. Cover and heat over medium-high. Lower to medium-low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, covered. 3. Pour the cooked fruit into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1 tsp of the cinnamon. Toss lightly. 4. In a small bowl, mix the flour, oats and the other 1 tsp of cinnamon. Drizzle the sunflower oil over the mixture and stir with a fork until crumbly. Stir in chopped dates and walnuts. Sprinkle crumbly mixture over fruit. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes.
My husband suddenly recalled a recipe that his (Italian) mom used to make, so I decided to try it out and it was a hit! You can also add black olives to this for a different flavour. Serve this with a ciabatta baguette, or other italian style bread of your choice---it is great for soaking up the juices!This recipe makes four servings.
Ingredients:
2 lb fresh cod 4 tbsps olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 4 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and very thinly sliced 16 oz stewed chopped roma tomatoes, with juice (use italian style roma tomatoes imported from italy, if possible, as they have a much richer flavour than the regular canned tomatoes) salt & pepper to taste 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsps dried red hot chili peppers (or to taste) 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; cook the onions until golden brown. Add the cod and brown lightly on both sides. Remove from heat. Cut cod into large chunks. 2. In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pot with a tight fitting lid, combine all ingredients, except cheese. Heat to a boil; stir and immediately reduce to low. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring gently a few times. If sauce gets too thick, add one cup of water. Once potatoes are tender the dish is done. Ladle into individual bowls & sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of parmesan cheese over top of each serving. Serve with sliced ciabatta baguette to soak up the juices.
Tabbouleh is usually made using bulgar, but this recipe uses the grain quinoa, which is a grain that is very high in fibre and iron, low in fat, as well as being a complete protein. This is a vegan recipe. It serves four as a side dish.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa (rinsed well and drained) 1 cup water 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 tomato, chopped 1 small english cucumber, unpeeled and chopped 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Combine quinoa with water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Allow to cool somewhat. 2. Put all ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss with two forks. Serve at room temperature as a side dish.
Today was so warm and sunny, I'm pretty sure we broke a temperature record for the 5th of April! This is a refreshing, very healthy drink on a hot day! It can be your breakfast on the go or something to sip slowly on the patio. This recipe makes 2 smoothies.
Ingredients:
1 mineola orange, peeled 1 kiwi, peeled 1 tsp protein powder, chocolate, vanilla or plain 1 cup non-fat plain pro-biotic yoghurt 1 tsp sunflower or canola oil 2 tsps lime juice 6 ice cubes
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender & puree. Serve in a tall glass with a straw as some of the ice cubes will still be a good size. Delicious!
This is a heart-healthy recipe and a variation on the apple cranberry crisp that I made earlier in the year. It includes dates and walnuts. You don't need any added sugar with this recipe as the dried fruit is sweet enough on its' own. The oats are great for lowering cholesterol. Serve on its' own or with a dollop of plain low-fat yoghurt.
