Ingredients
4 cups heavy cream
6/7 garlic cloves
4 tbsp. butter
1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
500 grams pasta
Directions
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan and add the garlic, cooking for 1 or 2 minutes until aromatic
2. Add the heavy cream and bring the mix to a simmer, watch carefully as the cream can easily boil over and cause a big mess
3. Allow the cream mixture to reduce and thicken so that you can create a line when crossing your finger along the back of a wooden spoon
4. Add some salt and pepper
5. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the cream from the burner and stir in the cheese Add more salt and pepper to taste
6. Add the pasta and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce.
7. ***Optional- toss in some fresh chopped Italian parsley
A delicious twist on simple Alfredo sauce
I find that simple Alfredo sauce is delicious but can become a little redundant, so I came up with this tasty little alternative recipe below. It is one of my hunny`s favourites and I hope it can become one of yours too.
1. Instead of 4 tbsp of butter use 2 tbsps of butter and 2 tbsps of olive oil
2. When garlic is sizzling add about 1 tsp of red chilli flakes, 1 tsp of anchovy paste, and 4/5 basil leaves
3. ***Optional- at this point you can add about ¾ cup of white wine and allow it to simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, until it reduces a little. This adds a nice acidic note
4. Add the heavy cream and bring the mix to a simmer, watch carefully as the cream can easily boil over and cause a big mess
5. Allow the cream mixture to reduce and thicken so that you can create a line when crossing your finger along the back of a wooden spoon
6. Add some salt and pepper
7. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the cream from the burner and stir in the cheese Add more salt and pepper to taste
8. Add the pasta and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce.
9.***Optional- toss in some fresh chopped Italian parsley
Friday, September 17, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Handy Ingredients That Should Always Be In Your Cupboards
The following list is of some items that I must always have in my fridge and or cupboard in order to create great meals everyday. Now these things are great because they can last a long time, and you won’t be finding yourself adding it to your grocery list every week. You will love when you have these basics, because then you will just need to basically replenish your meats, produce and other fresh items.
1. Canned tomatoes- crushed, whole plum and paste
2. Anchovy paste
3. Romano Cheese
4. Parmigiano Regiano cheese
5. Extra Virgin olive oil (cold pressed and good quality)
6. Red wine vinegar
7. Soy sauce
8. Sesame oil
9. Red chilli flakes
10. Fish Sauce
11. Rice wine vinegar
12. Peanut Butter
13. Chilli sauce (siracha)
14. Chicken stock
15. Dried pasta- different varieties in including high fibre and protein white pasta
16. Quinoa
17. Rice- brown and white- I prefer Jasmine or Basmati varieties
18. Kosher Salt
19. Fresh black pepper
20. Garlic
1. Canned tomatoes- crushed, whole plum and paste
2. Anchovy paste
3. Romano Cheese
4. Parmigiano Regiano cheese
5. Extra Virgin olive oil (cold pressed and good quality)
6. Red wine vinegar
7. Soy sauce
8. Sesame oil
9. Red chilli flakes
10. Fish Sauce
11. Rice wine vinegar
12. Peanut Butter
13. Chilli sauce (siracha)
14. Chicken stock
15. Dried pasta- different varieties in including high fibre and protein white pasta
16. Quinoa
17. Rice- brown and white- I prefer Jasmine or Basmati varieties
18. Kosher Salt
19. Fresh black pepper
20. Garlic
I LOVE CARBS…..But Want To Know The Secret To Fat Burning Carbs?
So as I have mentioned before I am Italian, and therefore am pre-conditioned with a love of all things carbohydrate. Pasta, bread, pizza, risotto, potatoes mmmm..mmm.mmmm. But we all know that these delicious items can really be a detriment to your figure. However, I completely believe in moderation and a diet inclusive of white carbs from time to time. I mean, I seriously believe I should get props from growing up eating a different pasta practically everyday, to only allowing myself to eat it once a week on Sundays; it is my indulgence. The secret to having your cake and eating it too, on a daily basis though, is to incorporate fat resistant starches. Ideally, you should try to add 10-15 grams of fat resistant nutrients, to your diet daily and I will let you know how; it is so easy. Now you can happily scarf down those carbs without all the guilt, and with the added happy fact that you are eating something that actually burns fat by itself, and speeds up your metabolism! Another helpful tip, while I’m on the subject, is that lemon juice can burn up to 100 calories on their own as well. Add the juice of one lemon to your daily water intake and let it go to work. SO, now for the list! I have also added the amount of fat burning nutrients for some of the items.
1. White Beans- ½ cup= 3.49 grams
2. Potato-1 whole at 2.5 inch diameter=3.2 grams
3. Garbanzo Beans- ½ cup=2.1 grams
4. Lentils
5. Oatmeal
6. Whole wheat pasta
7. Brown rice
8. Bananas
9. Corn
10. Barley
1. White Beans- ½ cup= 3.49 grams
2. Potato-1 whole at 2.5 inch diameter=3.2 grams
3. Garbanzo Beans- ½ cup=2.1 grams
4. Lentils
5. Oatmeal
6. Whole wheat pasta
7. Brown rice
8. Bananas
9. Corn
10. Barley
Friday, September 10, 2010
Fall Favourites
Well the weather in BC cannot let us be in denial that summer is over. The kids are back to school, Halloween decorations are already out and it is COLD. I hate that; we typically have at least a few weeks left in September full of beautiful sun on the west coast, but not this year. I noticed the food trends for fall starting a bit earlier too. The summer fruit and herbs have mostly disappeared from the grocery store, and have been replaced with a bounty of squash, apples, and potatoes…..yipee! OK so I’m pouting I know; but there is a good side to the changing seasons and the oncoming cold crisp weather. Fall food is so comforting and delicious; and can still rival the colourful dishes of summer. One mistake people often make though, is associating comfort food with fattening food; food that sooths the soul doesn’t always have to be full of calories.
One of my fondest memories of my childhood was coming home from school, particularly in the fall, and smelling the wonderful aroma of dinner wafting from the kitchen. At the time, my parents were together and they, my sisters and I lived in an old home in Delta, BC, where the trees were huge, the lawns were well manicured, and kids and families ate at the kitchen table together. What ever happened to those nostalgic days of community and family, and coming together as a family to sit and enjoy a meal together? Oh yeah, modern life : ( Life just seems so hectic and the opposite of those traditions now. Parents are working different shifts, kids are off to different practices, the TV and video games have taken over the family conversation, and unfortunately dinner gets stuck in a similar rut. Whether one is single or has a family, people are resorting to takeout and pre-made foods more than ever before; but in doing so, they are eliminating that sense of comfort when one walks through the front door and smells those familiar fall- food aromas, and most of all of having a full stomach without a huge sense of guilt.
With a little preparation, creativity and planning you can re-create those feelings for you and your family any day of the week. Life cannot be perfect of course and I am certainly not suggesting that it was; but olfactory senses or sense of smell is a link to memory and preferably good ones. Why not create those memories for you and your family, fall dishes do not have to be difficult, but meal planning and prepping in advance can help you put a satisfying and healthy dish on your table every night. In the next few weeks I will be adding some of my favourite fall recipes, derived from memories of my childhood and practical recipes I have created along the way. I was so lucky to have a mother who for the most part of my life, was a stay at home mom. Did I mention she was also an amazing cook! For those of you who were not as fortunate to have a parent impress you nightly and inspire you in the kitchen, this is where you can self indulge in your own talents. My methods are always easy, and I try my best to blog about recipes that are realistic, that you can entertain or feed your family with, and has an eye on health aspects of each meal. I hope you enjoy my fall favourites and add them to your repertoire.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
2 medium butternut squashes- large dice
1 large carrot- small dice
1 large celery stock- small dice
1 small onion- small dice
8 cups of chicken stock or 8 cups of water with 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper- to taste
Heavy Cream- ¼ cup ***Optional
Parmesan Cheese-grated for top of soup ***Optional
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
2. Dice the squash, coat with a couple tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lay evenly in a roasting pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is caramelized and fork tender.
3. In a saucepan sauté the diced carrot, celery and onion in 2 tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper until veggies are softened.
4. Add the stock to the veggies and bring to a simmer
5.In a blender add some of the squash with some of the stock and veggies and puree. If your blender is to small, you can do this step in batches.
6.Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve and add the cream if you desire.
If the soup is too thick, simply add some more stock or cream.
7.Serve hot with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. All of my soups growing up were served this way and it is absolutely delicious.
Tips: If you are making your own stock, be sure to add a leftover parmesan rind to the stock as it simmers. This adds immense flavour and really gives a personal, homemade touch to the mix. I do this with all my stocks, soups and minestrones; then I top the finished products with parmesan cheese YUMM! If you do not have any stock but want to make soup of any kind; no sweat, just dissolve some bouillon cubes in hot water and poof you have some stock. In this case, be careful how you season your dish as bouillon is very salty, so taste as you go! For this particular recipe if the homemade stock or water with 2 bouillon cubes is not flavourful enough, feel free to add another bouillon cube to give it a stronger flavour. You can also use vegetable stock or bouillon.
One of my fondest memories of my childhood was coming home from school, particularly in the fall, and smelling the wonderful aroma of dinner wafting from the kitchen. At the time, my parents were together and they, my sisters and I lived in an old home in Delta, BC, where the trees were huge, the lawns were well manicured, and kids and families ate at the kitchen table together. What ever happened to those nostalgic days of community and family, and coming together as a family to sit and enjoy a meal together? Oh yeah, modern life : ( Life just seems so hectic and the opposite of those traditions now. Parents are working different shifts, kids are off to different practices, the TV and video games have taken over the family conversation, and unfortunately dinner gets stuck in a similar rut. Whether one is single or has a family, people are resorting to takeout and pre-made foods more than ever before; but in doing so, they are eliminating that sense of comfort when one walks through the front door and smells those familiar fall- food aromas, and most of all of having a full stomach without a huge sense of guilt.
With a little preparation, creativity and planning you can re-create those feelings for you and your family any day of the week. Life cannot be perfect of course and I am certainly not suggesting that it was; but olfactory senses or sense of smell is a link to memory and preferably good ones. Why not create those memories for you and your family, fall dishes do not have to be difficult, but meal planning and prepping in advance can help you put a satisfying and healthy dish on your table every night. In the next few weeks I will be adding some of my favourite fall recipes, derived from memories of my childhood and practical recipes I have created along the way. I was so lucky to have a mother who for the most part of my life, was a stay at home mom. Did I mention she was also an amazing cook! For those of you who were not as fortunate to have a parent impress you nightly and inspire you in the kitchen, this is where you can self indulge in your own talents. My methods are always easy, and I try my best to blog about recipes that are realistic, that you can entertain or feed your family with, and has an eye on health aspects of each meal. I hope you enjoy my fall favourites and add them to your repertoire.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
2 medium butternut squashes- large dice
1 large carrot- small dice
1 large celery stock- small dice
1 small onion- small dice
8 cups of chicken stock or 8 cups of water with 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper- to taste
Heavy Cream- ¼ cup ***Optional
Parmesan Cheese-grated for top of soup ***Optional
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
2. Dice the squash, coat with a couple tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lay evenly in a roasting pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is caramelized and fork tender.
3. In a saucepan sauté the diced carrot, celery and onion in 2 tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper until veggies are softened.
4. Add the stock to the veggies and bring to a simmer
5.In a blender add some of the squash with some of the stock and veggies and puree. If your blender is to small, you can do this step in batches.
6.Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve and add the cream if you desire.
If the soup is too thick, simply add some more stock or cream.
7.Serve hot with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. All of my soups growing up were served this way and it is absolutely delicious.
Tips: If you are making your own stock, be sure to add a leftover parmesan rind to the stock as it simmers. This adds immense flavour and really gives a personal, homemade touch to the mix. I do this with all my stocks, soups and minestrones; then I top the finished products with parmesan cheese YUMM! If you do not have any stock but want to make soup of any kind; no sweat, just dissolve some bouillon cubes in hot water and poof you have some stock. In this case, be careful how you season your dish as bouillon is very salty, so taste as you go! For this particular recipe if the homemade stock or water with 2 bouillon cubes is not flavourful enough, feel free to add another bouillon cube to give it a stronger flavour. You can also use vegetable stock or bouillon.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Having No Food In The House Turned Out To Be A Good Thing
So for some reason this week we really haven’t got around to doing the “big weekly shop”, in hopes of using everything left in the fridge and freezer. Yesterday, there was one lonely freezer item left sitting way in the back waiting it’s turn to hit the pan……it was lean ground sirloin…..yawn. I didn’t feel like making burgers, meatballs or tacos; I wanted something a little more on the healthy side and something that I could make early in the afternoon and just have waiting for my hunny when he got home. I looked in the fridge and it was just as sad looking as the freezer; a couple of sweet onions, garlic, a few stray carrots and a bunch of baby bok choy. After a quick debate in my head I came up with a fast, easy and healthy dinner idea. I couldn’t decide between a curry dish or stirfry so here we go…
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground sirloin
2 small sweet onions- diced
5 garlic cloves- finely chopped
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 large carrots- sliced thin on an angle, or on the bias
1 large bunch of baby bok choy; roots trimmed and washed carefully.
2 tbsps curry powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp worchestirshire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce- for sweetness. You can also just add about 2 tsp. of brown sugar.
Instructions
1. In a medium high saucepan, sauté together the onions and garlic in the canola oil until tender and translucent
2. Add ½ the curry powder, all the cumin and garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Allow to toast for a minute or so, to develop the flavour in the spices. At this point you can also add more heat, by adding a chopped chilli pepper or some red pepper flakes.
3. Add the beef and the other half of the curry powder to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper, and sauté.
4. Once the meat is almost browned add the sliced carrot and allow to sauté for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the bok choy to the pan and drizzle the soy sauce over it. Cover the pan with a lid, and allow the bok choy to cook and shrink down for about a minute.
6. Remove the lid and stir in the bok choy and soy sauce into the rest of the mixture.
7. Add worchestirshire and hoisin sauce, and combine.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Once the boy choy is softened, you are ready to serve!
Serve this over steamed brown or white rice and you have a delicious, one-pot meal! This meal is also very health conscious as it is packed with dark greens, carrots and lean meat. All the nutrients stay in the pan as it is all cooked together, yay! It took about 15 minutes to prepare and cook, and was awesome as a left over for lunch today, and I am so NOT a fan of leftovers. Best part is, with this meal I got my gorgeous nephew to eat his carrots…which he hates! But loved in this dish ; )
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground sirloin
2 small sweet onions- diced
5 garlic cloves- finely chopped
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 large carrots- sliced thin on an angle, or on the bias
1 large bunch of baby bok choy; roots trimmed and washed carefully.
2 tbsps curry powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp worchestirshire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce- for sweetness. You can also just add about 2 tsp. of brown sugar.
Instructions
1. In a medium high saucepan, sauté together the onions and garlic in the canola oil until tender and translucent
2. Add ½ the curry powder, all the cumin and garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Allow to toast for a minute or so, to develop the flavour in the spices. At this point you can also add more heat, by adding a chopped chilli pepper or some red pepper flakes.
3. Add the beef and the other half of the curry powder to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper, and sauté.
4. Once the meat is almost browned add the sliced carrot and allow to sauté for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the bok choy to the pan and drizzle the soy sauce over it. Cover the pan with a lid, and allow the bok choy to cook and shrink down for about a minute.
6. Remove the lid and stir in the bok choy and soy sauce into the rest of the mixture.
7. Add worchestirshire and hoisin sauce, and combine.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Once the boy choy is softened, you are ready to serve!
Serve this over steamed brown or white rice and you have a delicious, one-pot meal! This meal is also very health conscious as it is packed with dark greens, carrots and lean meat. All the nutrients stay in the pan as it is all cooked together, yay! It took about 15 minutes to prepare and cook, and was awesome as a left over for lunch today, and I am so NOT a fan of leftovers. Best part is, with this meal I got my gorgeous nephew to eat his carrots…which he hates! But loved in this dish ; )
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