This is an easy pasta dish to put together, and is lovely for lunch or dinner.  With a leftover bowl the next day it can also easily be turned into a pasta salad with some chopped spinach added in.

8 ounces small pasta shells

1 small shallot sliced

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

6 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces

5 Tblsp. fresh pesto

1/4 - 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Parmesan cheese

Heat up a pot of water to cook the pasta.  While pasta is cooking, heat up a large pan with the EVOO, on low medium heat.  Add in the shallot and asparagus, sauteing about 5 minutes. Then add in the tomatoes and continue to saute.

Pour in 1/4 cup pasta water, season with salt and pepper and add the drained cooked pasta, tossing to coat.  Remove from the heat, and add the pesto, and grated Parmesan cheese, mix well.

Serve along side any main dish, or have as a meal on it's own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curry potato salad offers up a nice change to regular potato salad and goes well with most other main dishes.  These past few years we have been fortunate to buy organic potatoes from a local farm - such a difference in flavor and texture.  If you are able to get organic potatoes this salad will delight.

2  1/2 lbs. potatoes - red or yukon gold preferably

2 large hard boiled eggs

1/2 cup frozen, thawed green peas

1/4 cup diced green onion

1/4 cup finely diced celery

cilantro garnish (optional)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise plus 3 Tblsp.

1/4 plain yogurt

2 teaspoons mustard

3 teaspoons Madras Curry Powder

Salt to taste

lemon juice from a 1/4 size lemon wedge

Paprika

Scrub the potato skins, cook whole until tender, drain and allow to completely cool.  Cook the eggs and allow to cool.

Once potatoes are cooked, peel off the skins, and chop to cube size. Place into a medium/large sized bowl

Peel eggs and mash with a fork, then add to the potatoes.  Add the green onions, celery, peas to the potatoes and eggs.

Whisk up the dressing in a separate bowl.

Pour over the potato/eggs and toss/mix to evenly coat.  Check for salt.  Then add a sprinkling of paprika over the top.

 

This is a lovely rice and potato side dish that pairs well with most any main dish.  Here we had it with Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken.

 

3/4 cup basmati rice, well rinsed, set aside in the sieve to dry

3 medium organic Yukon gold potatoes, or 1 1/2 cups, peeled, diced to 1 inch size, rinsed, dry with paper towel

1 small shallot sliced

1/4 tsp. saffron, or a good sized pinch

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 Tblsp. Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth

minced fresh chives

Heat up a dutch oven with a good drizzle of Olive oil on medium low heat - make sure it comes to temperature at least 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and saute about 8 minutes, then remove to a bowl.

Add another drizzle of Olive oil to the pan, then the shallots and saute 2 minutes.  Add the saffron and continue to saute 2 minutes.  Add the rice and saute about 4 minutes, then poor in the chicken bone broth stirring well.  Raise the heat to medium high to bring to a good simmer, then lid on lower the heat to minimum, stirring with a fork until it is a light simmer.  Simmer for 18-20 min. lid on, then take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff rice and potatoes with a fork, sprinkle on the minced chives.

With this recipe, we used a 3 quart slow cooker.  Each slow cooker seems to have it's own unique heat.  In determining the cook time, I would recommend using a 3 quart slow cooker.  This lovely side dish was cooked in 2 hrs. and 15 minutes.  It makes a nice lunch with a salad, or a lovely side dish to any Mexican flavoured main dishes.  Adding sliced avocados, salsa, plain yogurt are nice accompaniments.

2 tblsp. Avocado oil

3/4 cup long grain basmati rice, well rinsed

1 small shallot, diced

1/4 of a green pepper, diced

2/3 cup diced tomato

14 oz can of black beans rinsed well

1-2 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tblsp. warm water

Plug in the slow cooker, and preheat on low.  Heat up a saute pan on low medium heat with the Avocado oil.  Add the vegetables and saute 5 minutes.  Add in the seasonings and rice, and saute for another 3 minutes.  Transfer the rice vegetables to a slow cooker, add in the black beans and pour in the water.  Stir gently lid on and cook on low for 2 hrs. 15 minutes.

 

 

Such a simple recipe to put together one I have been making for years. Great for breakfast, served with whipped cream or a splash of cream on top.

With this dish, ideally a soft crumb gluten free bread works best here - use your favourite gluten free bread.

6 cups cubed soft gluten free bread

3 eggs, whisk well

1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and ginger

1 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract or vanilla extract

1 cup milk, 1 cup half and half cream - we use lactose free, but use your milk of choice

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup raisins

1/2-2/3 cup pure maple syrup (I was generous and used 2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Add the milk and butter to a sauce pan, heat on low until the butter is melted.  Lightly grease a glass baking dish with butter. (mine was 8x11.5 in size)

In a large bowl add the cubed 6 cups of soft gluten free bread. In a separate bowl whisk up the eggs, add the cinnamon, ginger, almond extract, and mix well.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes, tossing well to coat then place evenly into a lightly greased casserole dish. Toss in the raisins throughout on top.  Pour the milk/butter mixture over top evenly.  Then drizzle the maple syrup over the bread pudding - be fairly generous.

Bake for 45 minutes and serve warm with cream.

If you read my blog, you will know that using a crock pot, slow cooker is not my usual preferred method of cooking.  I never really got good results in the past, hence the few slow cooker recipes on this blog.  This one?  It is a keeper.  15 minutes of prep time, load the crock pot, set the temperature, and dinner is done and on the table 5 1/2 hours later.  When a recipe works the time saving convenience of a crock pot is wonderful.

5-6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1/2 Tblsp. Italian Seasoning

1 Bay leaf

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 Tblsp. Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tblsp. soy sauce

1 Tblsp. white balsamic vinegar

fresh cracked pepper

2 big Tblsp. tomato paste

2 Tblsp. corn starch

1 cup water

1/2 of a large green pepper, sliced

1 large garlic clove, sliced in half

2/3 cup chopped carrots, 1 tblsp. finely diced celery leaves and celery

hand full of chopped leeks, optional

2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 1/2  inch pieces

We use a small 2-3 litre sized Crock Pot Slow Cooker.  For this recipe you will want to preheat the crock pot on high for 15 minutes while prepping vegetables etc., then add the ingredients, keeping on high for another 15 minutes, then turn down to low heat for 5 1/2 hours. (total preheat time on high, 30 min.)

Add the chopped potatoes to the bottom of the crock pot, followed by the carrots, celery and leaves, garlic clove, green peppers and bay leaf.

In a bowl whisk up the Worcestershire Sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, corn starch and water, then set aside.

Add the chicken thighs on top, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, fresh cracked pepper, then pour the sauce over the top.  After the crock pot has heated on high for the 15 minutes with the ingredients added, turn the crock pot to low and cook 5 1/2 hours.

 

 

If you are looking to getting into a healthier lifestyle regime, this immune boosting smoothie is a great way to start.

Believe it or not, this smoothie contains red cabbage, and you would never know it to taste it.  If you want to check out the many many health benefits of red cabbage, here is a great article.

We alternate the flavourings of this smoothie - one day we will use a 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, the next time we use cinnamon and tumeric, all 3 of these flavors provide huge immune boosting properties as well.  Here we use frozen, thawed: organic strawberries, organic wild blueberries and pineapple, but any choice of berries, fruit etc. can work nicely.

3/4 cup chopped red cabbage

1/2 tsp. organic tumeric, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or a 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger chopped

1/2 cup frozen thawed organic strawberries

1/2 cup frozen thawed pineapple

1/4 cup frozen thawed organic wild blueberries

1/4 wedge fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4-1 cup water

Put all of the ingredients into a blender:

Blend until nice and smooth - you will not believe how good it tastes, and such a great way to start your day.

 

A one pot meal with simple ingredients, and tasty comfort food with easy clean up too.

 

With this dish, you could also use, smoked sausage, chicken strips, beef strips, and a variety of your favourite seasonings.

2 Tblsp. Avocado oil

4 gluten free Italian Sausages

3/4 cup basmati rice

1 3/4 cup chicken stock

1 shallot, sliced

chopped red and green bell pepper to equal 2/3 cup

2/3 cup chopped small broccoli with stems - separate the florets from the stem

1 tsp. dried oregano, basil, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese

handful of chopped Flat Leafed Italian Parsley

Heat up a dutch oven on medium heat with the Avocado Oil.  Once heated add in the sausages to cook until nicely browned.  Mine took about 18 minutes.  Then remove to a plate and set aside.

Drain off some of the oil, turn the heat to low and add in the vegetables excluding the broccoli florets and seasonings.  Saute until fragrant - about 4 minutes.

Add in the rice and saute for 2 minutes.  Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Add in the broccoli florets, and once the stock is simmering, turn down to minimum lid on and cook 18-20 minutes.

Cut up the sausage into bite size pieces, and half way through cooking add in the chopped sausages on top, lid back on to cook the remaining time.

Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and fresh chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley.