Slow Cooker Lemon-Honey Lamb Shoulder

This is a delicious & easy recipe for a lamb shoulder. The slow cooker is the secret to its success. Serve with roasted sweet potatoes and green beans. Fabulous!

• Ingredients:
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1.24 kg boneless lamb shoulder roasts
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey
• 6 shallots, quartered
• 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch
• Directions:
• 
  1) Combine garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper; rub all over lamb. Place
  in slow cooker. Whisk lemon juice with honey; pour over lamb. Add shallots. Cover and cook on low until lamb is tender, 7 to 8 hours.
  
  2) Remove lamb to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Skim fat from cooking liquid.
  
  3) If you want to make a gravy, just whisk cornstarch with 2 tsp water; whisk into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve with lamb.

Recovery Smoothie

A great smoothie to pack in a thermos for after your workout.

• 2 Tbsp walnuts
• 2 squares Lindt 85% cocoa dark chocolate
• 1 Tbsp all natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp pitted and chopped dates
• 1 tbsp or serving of good quality protein powder
• 1 cup skim milk
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup (optional)
  *the optional here is recommended if your workout has exceeded 90 minutes
• About 1 cup (250 mL) ice cubes

Serves 1.  Makes 2 cups [500 mL]

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Store in a thermos to keep cold while traveling. 

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Kale, Walnuts, Apples, and Pomegranate

This is a delicious, easy to make salad that you can serve as a side dish with fish or chicken, or have it alone as a lunch dish. The quinoa adds a complete protein that is low in fat and high in iron and fibre. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups of kale leaves, chopped in food processor, stems removed
½ cup of sweet white onions, finely diced
2 small organic apples, diced with the skin on
1 cup of toasted walnuts, chopped in food processor (pecans work well too)
seeds of 2 pomegranates
2 tbsp of lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp of olive oil
½ tsp of coarsely ground black pepper
dash of salt to taste
dash of cinnamon to taste (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Divide into 4 salad bowls to serve. 

Spicy Falafels in Pita Bread

This is a tasty way to eat chickpeas, which are a great source of protein and fibre. Use firm pita bread so you can stuff the halves with all sorts of goodies and they will hold up! I used romaine lettuce, tomato slices, guacamole/avocado, low fat plain probiotic yogurt and a dash of hot sauce to stuff the pita bread. You can use whatever you have on hand that suits your fancy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-2 plus 2 tbsp olive oil
-1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-28 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
-1/2 tsp ground cumin
-1/2 tsp ground cayene
-1/2 tsp ground turmeric
-2 tsp dried parsley
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 egg, beaten
-pita bread of your choice, each one cut in half

Directions:

1. In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Reduce to medium-low and saute the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute one minute.
2. Place drained chickpeas in a large bowl. Add the cooked onion and garlic and other spices and mash with a fork or a potato masher until well mashed. Add the egg and mix together with your hands. Form into  six large balls and then flatten into patties.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the falafels for about 3 minutes each side until golden brown and heated through. Stuff them into the pitas along with whatever else you decide to use.

Fish Stew in Tomato Broth

This is a delicious fish stew that can be adapted to your own tastes in terms of spices and vegetables. Whatever white fish you use, you need something that is a bit thick so that it holds  together once it is added to the broth. You can also add a variety of seafood, rather than just white fish, such as shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams. I have kept it simple and I like it that way. This dish has a bit of a kick to it from the red chili peppers but that is optional. You can sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and sop up the juices with some fresh bread. This recipe makes about 4 entree servings.

Ingredients:

-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 tsp salt
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-3/4 tsp dried red hot chili peppers (optional)
-1 tsp hot picante sauce (optional)
-1 small can tomato paste
-1 (28 oz) can superior quality diced tomatoes in juice
-2 cups fish or vegetable broth, low fat, low sodium
-1 cup water
-2 cups swiss chard, chopped (measure once chopped)
-2 tbsp chopped parsley
-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-2 tbsp dried basil
-4 large, thick white fish fillets (I used wild haddock), chopped into bite sized pieces, about 2 inches thick
-freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (if using) 

Directions:

1.  In a large, thick bottomed stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onions and salt and saute until soft, about five minutes. Stir in minced garlic and dried chili peppers and saute another minute. Add a bit of broth and scrape bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. 
2. Add tomato paste and stir in. Add tomatoes and juice, remaining broth and water. Heat to a simmer and stir in swiss chard and spices. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. 
3. Stir in the chopped fish and whatever other seafood you are using. Stir gently and cook at a low simmer for another five minutes, or until the fish and seafood is cooked through. Ladle into large soup bowls and sprinkle with a tsp of Parmesan or Romano cheese (if using).  

Kombu Shiitake Dashi

Dashi is a japanese soup broth that is made with brown seaweed (kombu). There was a BBC story today about how an  alginate found in brown seaweed inhibits the body's ability to digest fat. Apparently this information is not new and people in Japan, Korea and China have known it for years! That is why, in general, those populations tend to be thin!! Of course, you still have to pay attention to what and how much you eat, but every little bit helps, right? So, off I went to the grocery store and bought some dried kombu, which you can use to make this broth. This recipe uses Shiitake mushrooms, but there are many varieties. This dashi is an excellent soup stock, and can be used as a base for a noodle dish or just eaten as is. 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cold water
• 2 pieces dried kombu seaweed
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sauted in the olive oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 a small onion, chopped and sauteed with the mushrooms
• 2 small carrots, chopped and sauteed with the mushrooms
• 1 tsp soy sauce---use low sodium
• 2 inch cube finely minced or grated ginger
• 1 tsp freshly grated black pepper 
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Preparation:

1. Heat water and kombu in a medium saucepan and bring to a high simmer. Do not boil. Remove the kombu and discard after simmering for about 4 minutes. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onions, ginger, mushrooms and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the sauteed vegetables to the broth, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir in the grated pepper and hot sauce and cook for another few minutes. Ladle into soup bowls.

Kidney Bean and Butternut Squash Stew

I made this, kind of by accident, tonight for dinner and it was a big hit, so I thought I'd better write it all down while I remembered what I did. It is high in fibre and protein and full of nutrients but low in calories. You can top it with a teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese and soak up the juices with some fresh bread if you wish. We just added some quinoa to the bottom of our bowls, since I already had a batch in the fridge. Delicious!

Ingredients:

-2 tbsp olive oil
-1/2 a medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped
-1 inch square of fresh ginger, minced
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 large sweet red bell pepper, chopped
-1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
-2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
-1/2 cup low sodium, non-fat chicken or vegetable broth
-1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, with juices (chop the tomatoes with kitchen shears)
-1 can (19 oz) small red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
-a few dashes of hot picante sauce (optional--jalapeno, habanero)
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 cup chopped parsley
-1/4 cup dried basil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in heavy-bottomed, large sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute onions and peppers until soft. Add garlic and ginger and saute for one minute. Add butternut squash and carrots and saute until lightly browned.
2. Stir in broth and scrape bits from bottom of pan. Add tomatoes with sauce. Stir and reduce heat to medium low.
3. Stir in hot sauce, salt, pepper, parsley and basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until butternut squash is cooked through. Stir occasionally.
4. Lightly stir in kidney beans and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so. Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese (if using).
Makes about 6 servings.