J & J's succulent mushroom fusilli

Have on hand the following ingredients to make this mouthwatering, exotic pasta:

1 small onion, finely chopped (do it ahead of time to oxidize the onions'  healthy properties)
1 clove of garlic, crushed in a garlic press
olive oil
1 cup of Italian strained tomatoes (looks like a pasta sauce and comes from Italy)
2 large portobelli mushrooms, chopped into large pieces (see images below)
one small chile, finely chopped
1/2 cup or red port or dry red wine
1 cup of 15% organic cream
250 g/ 1-2 cups of organic fusilli pasta
Parmesan reggiano cheese, to be shredded just before serving
fresh basil leaves

Step 1: In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the chopped onions until soft.

 Next in another large deep frying pan (see image above and below) place mushrooms and add the cream and the garlic. Heat gently and raise heat a bit to medium, and place lid on them to steam cook mushrooms so they are spongey and have absorbed some of the cream and garlic.

Step 2: In the small frying pan,  now that the onions are soft, add in some thin slices (cut very finely with scissors) of chipotle chile or  another preferred chile. Let the flavours combine, stirring and then remove from heat and set aside.












Step 3: In the pan with the mushrooms, add the wine and bring to a quick boil, stirring constantly for a few minutes.

Step 4: In another pot, boil water and start to cook fusilli. It should take about 8-10 minutes, so try to time it perfectly so the fusilli is done when sauce is done. In your pan with the mushrooms,wine and cream, now add the tomato puree and the cooked onions that you put aside. Stir well and heat over medium.

Step 5: Stir well to combine all ingredients, but keep heat at medium only so the mushrooms stay spongy. Add some salt and pepper to season and some other dried herbs like oregano or basil if you like.
The sauce should look like below.

When it is amply heated, toss with the cooked and drained fusili with the mushroom tomato cream sauce and serve immediately topped with freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese and chopped fresh, basil leaves (as in the top picture).

Enjoy this delicacy with a nice green salad. Pictured above is a spinach salad topped with a balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette and tiny pieces of gruyere swiss cheese.  It's a stellar combo!

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

This soup is more than just lentils and sweet potato! It also contains beta carotene loaded carrots, onions, fresh ginger, cinnamon and chili pepper! It is a superb immune boosting soup so make this one as soon as possible!

Ingredients:
1 small organic onion, finely chopped
2 large organic carrots, peeled and chopped into half moons
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small cubes
5 cups of stock (veggie, chicken, beef or a combo)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes
1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely as possible
1/2 cup dry red or brown lentils ( I used brown)
Olive oil

Step 1: Saute chopped onion in 1- 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until soft. Then add carrots and sweet potato and stirring constantly so they don't stick, cook for 3- 4 minutes. I added ginger on top right away and I placed a lid on my soup pot while this was happening so these vegetables steamed up a bit, infusing themselves with fresh ginger. After that take off lid, add the cinnamon and chili pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Step 2: Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the 1/2 cup of lentils and stir well to combine.

Step 3: Add the 5 cups of stock (I used 3 cups of chicken stock and 2 cups of beef broth made with the dried bouillon and boiling water. Allow to simmer with lid on for 20 minutes or until lentils open and explode.

Step 4: Take soup pot off the heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then puree in batches in a blender (with the lid secured) and return to your large soup pot to gently heat again. At this time, toast your bread to serve with this soup. Crispy bread works very well. Add about half a fresh lemon's juice and some fresh ground pepper and a little sea salt and stir to combine.

Enjoy this yummy soup!! Top with a little fresh cream or milk and a few shavings of fresh basil leaves (pictured below) and broil your toasted bread with some nice cheese so it melts! Serve immediately.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Follow these steps to a delicious and fast soup loaded with vitamins and goodness!
Have on hand:

olive oil, or a little butter
2 stalks of organic celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 whole broccoli, organic, with stalk removed and in florets
3 cups of stock ( I used 3 cups of chicken stock - you can also use veggie stock)
1/2 cup 15% organic cream

Step 1: Saute the green onions and celery for 4-5  minutes in the olive oil or 1 tablespoon of organic butter in good sized soup pan or dutch oven.

Step 2: Add the broccoli florets and stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Leave the lid off.

Step 3: Puree the soup in batches in a blender (fill only about half way and make sure lid is secured). I leave my broccoli and stock mixture to cool a few minutes before pureeing.

Step 4: Return the pureed soup to the pot and heat gently. Add the cream and serve immediately with toasted (ciabatta) bread with cheese and a little grated cheddar cheese for on top of each serving of soup.

Bon appetite!

Easy Cheesy Baked Chicken with Homemade potato fries

Here's how you prepare this simple but delicious meal for two;

Have on hand:
2 organic, free run chicken breasts
1/2 a cup of old or medium coarsely grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of organic flour
1/4 cup organic milk
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

Step 1: mix the flour and grated cheese on a plate

Step 2: in a pie plate mix together milk and dijon mustard

Step 3: Take the chicken breasts one at a time and dip them in the milk/mustard mixture. Then coat the chicken breasts in the flour and cheese mixture.

Step 4: Bake in a non-stick oven proof dish, sprayed with oil at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I recommend preparing fresh cut potato fries and baking these on a separate baking sheet at the same time as the chicken. Season beforehand with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Thai curried meatball pasta bake

Enjoy this out of this world sweet and sour Thai/Indian inspired meatball bake that is like nothing you've ever tasted! I used a 3 quart slow cooker  to cook the curried meatballs  and sauce, but you can cook the meatballs in a cast iron frying pan and the sauce on the stove if you are without access to a slow cooker... The slow cooker was used by me and it produced incredibly amazing infused flavours- so if you can, try it my way and prepare to be delighted!

List of Ingredients:

For the MEATBALLS
8 oz or 250 g of ground organic pork (if you don't eat pork use 500 g of ground beef)
8 oz or 250 g of ground organic beef
1/2 cup fresh bread crumb using organic seed bread (I made the crumbs by putting bread in blender)
2 tsp of garam  masala spice
1- tsp of chopped coriander, including stems
1 chili, red or green, de-deeded and finely chopped (use a glove)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp of grated, fresh organic lemon zest
a dash of salt

1 tbsp of olive oil (if frying meatballs in cast iron pan only*)

For the THAI CURRY TOMATO SAUCE
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp of coriander, including stems, finely chopped
2 tbsp of FRESHLY grated ginger root
2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp of fresh lime juice, or more
1 can (796ml) of organic diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of organic tomato paste
2 tbsp of  real, quebec maple syrup
2 tbsp, low salt soy sauce
1/2 a cup of dried, organic, no sulphates cranberries

500 g of good quality or organic rigatoni pasta
 1 cup and a half aged/old cheddar or Gruyere, grated

TO GARNISH: dried cranberries and fresh coriander

Step 1: Combine all meatball ingredients, except oil, using your hands. Form into small 1-inch balls. You should have about 25-30 in total. Set aside and then move onto to step 2- the sauce.

Step 2: Combine in a deep, plastic mixing bowl all THAI CURRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS. ( if using stove top method, cook onion first, then add in the rest of the ingredients, heat accordingly to allow flavours to combine)
If doing my SLOW COOKER version, then turn on slow cooker now.

Step 3: Gently place the meatballs in slow cooker. Start with about 20 meatballs and then add the THAI CURRIED SAUCE  to fill the slow cooker, leaving at least one inch of space from top of lid.  It depends how big your slow cooker is. All the meatballs and sauce may all fit if you have a bigger one then I did. Cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours, checking after one hour and moving sauce around with a spoon once, or 3-4 hours if on low. You will know when it is done as the meatballs are opaque when cooked through.

Step 3: 15 minutes before you  are ready to eat, cook the rigatoni pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. It should take 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 425 degrees C. Spray a 9 x 13 glass ovenproof dish (a lasagna dish works great) with a non-stick oil. Add pasta to dish first, forming an even layer. Next, pour in slow cooked curried meatballs and sauce (move it around to combine all ingredients thoroughly using a wooden spoon and top with cheddar cheese. You can add the  extra cranberries if you like, before the cheese. I did not add any extra in my original recipe.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bubbling.

Serve spoonfuls of this baked pasta dish in a wide bowl and add fresh sprigs of coriander!

Prepare to enjoy this flavourful, exotic dish!

Bean and cheese quesadillas with salsa fresco

These quesadillas are so good, there was almost nothing left on the plate before I could even photograph it for this blog!
Have on hand:
a can of good quality mexican made refried pinto or black beans
a few stone ground organic tortillas ( AZIM brand is delicious and was used in my version)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 chipotle chile chopped with scissors into fine pieces, without the seeds (from a can with adobe is easiest, just rinse the chile with water to flush out the seeds)
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 green onion, finely chopped
some fresh cilantro, finely chopped with scissors
an organic lime
an avocado, pitted and diced

Step 1: Heat a non stick frying pan, add a little olive oil. Take one stone ground tortilla and spread with refried beans. Heat  in frying pan, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.Next, add shredded cheddar to cover. Leave about 1/2 inch of space around outside so cheese does not overflow when melted. Add finely chopped chile. Next place another large tortilla on top of the pinto and cheese lined tortilla. Leave to bake and melt for a few minutes, then turn over so the other side can be grilled as well.

Step 2: Prepare Salso fresco. Add chopped tomato,chopped green onion, 1-2 tsp of fresh chopped cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice. Add a dash of sea salt as well. Alternatively you can quickly prepare the salsa using a food processor, but don't process for too long, maybe only 30 seconds.

Serve the grilled and melty quesadilla topped with the fresh salsa and guacamole that you have prepared if you like as well! I also dribble HERDEZ salsa verde on top of the tomatos salsa fresco as well.....

Enjoy this light and fresh lunch or dinner!

Janet's Huevos Mexicana

This quick and easy breakfast is sure to please and will arouse your early morning taste buds! This recipe is for one- but adjust accordingly!

Ingredients:
1 tsp of olive oil
1 huevo- egg (per person)
1  authentic corn tortilla (sold at Mexican grocers- In Montreal try, MAYA Croustilles on Casgrain)
1 avocado, chopped and seasoned with fresh squeezed *lime juice, *sea salt and *cilantro)
2 tablespoons of HERDEZ red salsa for tacos (see photo below) and some extra for serving
2-3 pieces of Nopalitos (tender cactus) - La Costena is a good brand
Cheese for crumbling on top ( pictured here is Beemster Gouda XO)

Step one: Preheat oven to 350 C.  Prepare guacamole. Remove pit and chop avocado. Add fresh squeezed lime juice, a dash of sea salt and chopped cilantro. Set aside. On a baking sheet, place a fresh corn tortilla and brush with oil on both sides, alternatively, you can spray both sides with a spray oil. Bake for about 5-6 minutes or until soft a little, but crispy on edges. Remove immediately.

Step two: In a small frying pan, heat oil and add egg. As fried egg starts to cook, add a tablespoon or two of the red salsa. When egg is starting to set, place a lid on frying pan and turn down heat to low. This will steam cook the egg perfectly, and infuse it with the tasty, smoky salsa.

Step three: Take a spatula and place cooked egg on baked tortilla and add the slices of cactus and a large tablespoon of guacamole. Add the crumbled cheese and a drizzle of fresh salsa on top. I also add, a couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro!

In wintertime, I serve this quick and tasty breakfast entree with a nice earl grey tea with honey. In the summer I make watermelon juice to go with it.....

Enjoy this amazingly colourful and flavourful breakfast that will leave you feeling full of energy and zip!

Pear, Potato and Watercress Soup

This delicious soup will leave you delighted and satisfied on a cold winter's night- and it does not take long at all to prepare!

Ingredients:
- 1 french, organic baguette
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ripened organic bartlett pears, peeled, cored and diced
- 1- 2 medium sized organic, yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon of organic, unsalted butter
- 2 organic green onions, chopped diagonally
- 4 cups of chicken broth or stock
- 1 bunch of fresh local watercress (keep a couple of sprigs aside for presentation before serving)
- 1 cup of organic whipping cream
- 1/2 cup of crumbled organic blue cheese or another soft cheese that crumbles easily and is soft

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 C. Diagonally cut baguette into 1/2 inch slices. Use about half the baguette. Safe the rest to serve with soup (to dip in!). Brush both sides with olive oil and bake, turning the slices half way through. It should take a bout 6 minutes in total to bake or become toasty (and hard).


Step 2: In a large dutch oven( see photo below) or sauce pan, heat butter. Add chopped green onions and cook until softened. Next add potatoes and pears; pour in broth. Bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes.

Step 3: Set aside some sprigs of watercress for serving. Now add washed watercress to the soup for about 5 minutes. Then take off heat for a few minutes. Add soup in batches, to a blender (with the lid tightly secured to avoid explosions!) and puree until smooth. Each batch can then be returned to your soup pot.

Step 4: Add the 1/2 cup of organic whipping cream and heat until hot. Reserve a little of the whipping cream for when you serve the soup.

Step 5: Take toasted baguette croutons and top with the crumbled blue cheese. Ladle and serve soup in wide bowls (see below) and drizzle remaining whipped cream on top. Float crouton in middle and add a sprig of watercress! Serve with extra frech bread as well.

Enjoy this culinary and extremely healthy winter soup!