Breakfast Pizza

May 17, 2012 - Leave a Response

About three and a half years ago I was in Paris with Jay and it was in a very touristy area that we found a pizza place – don’t ask why we ate Italian food in France but it’s what was available. I ordered for myself a pizza with two fried eggs and fresh cream drizzled on top. Since then I’ve wanted to cook an egg on a pizza but never got the nerve to try. Until now.

Breakfast Pizza

Pizza dough, fresh, ready made or store bought, your choice

Eggs, the number you use depends on the size of the pizza, I used 5 eggs on mine

Shredded mozzarella, lots if you love cheese like I do

Sour cream

Cooked bacon bits, I know I’m all into the whole veggie thing but I gotta have my bacon!

Baby spinach

Fresh dill

Start by preheating the oven to about 375-400F (I’m sorry I can’t remember what setting I used). Spread sour cream over the prepared pizza dough, then add spinach and bacon and other toppings you might like and then crack the eggs – gently so the yolks don’t break – on top. Add the dill and lastly sprinkle cheese over everything and bake for about 30-40 minutes, depending how soft you want your yolks.

Jay showed obvious suspicion and doubt when he asked what was for breakfast but upon his first bite he literally ate his own words. I loved that this only took minutes to put together (it helped that the dough was ready to go of course). Waiting for the pizza to bake meant I could go back to bed and laze until it was ready. Delish!!

Categorized in Breakfast
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Warm Spaghetti Salad

May 17, 2012 - Leave a Response

Aaaand we’re back! I’m now a happily married woman as opposed to a happily engaged woman. Our trip to Mexico was AMAZING and one I will never ever forget. Every single shot at the wedding is full of smiles and utter joy. And I’m not talking about just me – because I do tend to smile a lot – but everyone there was smiling and having a good time. Ahh…wedding bliss :)

Okay, now to more serious issues: Food. The title to this post seems a little odd. You’re probably imagining a bowl of spaghetti noodles with dressing and a few croutons tossed in. Maybe it should be called Baked Veggies On A Bed Of Spaghetti Noodles…because really that’s what I did.

Yesterday I found myself with the task of using leftover spaghetti noodles from the night before (I made a really nice creamy tomato sauce with tons of vegetables and too many noodles – why is it still hard for me to determine the right amount of noodles?). Of course I could have made another sauce to pour over the noodles but I seem to prefer variety in my daily meals. So if you ever find that you have tons of noodles leftover and you don’t want a repeat from the night before then try a Warm Spaghetti Salad:

Cooked spaghetti noodles

Tomato sauce, I used Ragu

Baby spinach, coarsely chopped

Mushrooms, thickly sliced

Grape tomatoes, cut in half

Onion slices

Red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces

Bits of artichoke hearts

Olive oil

Oregano

Fresh ground pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Grated cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the noodles in a greased baking pan and pour a bit of tomato sauce over them – you don’t need to mix the sauce into the noodles unless you want to. In a bowl mix all the veggies together and then toss with the olive oil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, and pepper. Spread over the noodles, top with grated cheese and bake for about 20 minutes.

All portions and amounts are to taste and liking. I didn’t measure anything, just eye balled how much I thought I would want to eat. The amount of time you bake this also is up to you. I just chose 20 minutes because I wanted the veggies to still be slightly crunchy…like a salad. I think next time I’ll add beans or chick peas for added protein.

Categorized in Dinner, Vegetarian and Yum!
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Experimenting With Quinoa

May 2, 2012 - Leave a Response

I’ve finally come to accept quinoa as a healthier substitute for rice (high in protein and fibre compared to white rice). To make a simple pot of  quinoa, like rice, you boil water (2 cups water for one cup of dry quinoa), add the quinoa and let it cook covered on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Also like rice, you can mix quinoa with anything you would normally eat with rice. I figured, let’s pretend this quinoa is rice so for tonight’s veggie dinner I made…Mushrooms and Quinoa Risotto Style!

I read the article on Wikipedia for risotto and followed the instructions to use butter, olive oil, garlic, and thinly sliced shallots to sautee the quinoa. But first I quickly sauteed the vegetables I chose to use:

2 celery stalks, diced

1 small orange (or red) bell pepper, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole – did I mention yet how much I love to bite into these? Careful though, I nearly burned my mouth with delicious hot tomato juice

I used a 454 gram/16oz package of mixed mushrooms – the package I found had enoki, crimini, oyster, portabellini and button mushrooms…of course half were button mushrooms. Coarsely chopped.

On medium heat in a large skillet heat oil and add celery and bell pepper until a bit soft (I like the celery to have a bit of crunch to it).  I added fresh ground pepper, oregano and fennel seeds at this point.  Add the mushrooms and cook until their liquids have released and are starting to evaporate. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

For the liquids I used about a quarter cup of dry sherry and three cups of broth, your choice of flavour but I used beef…I was craving meat! In a saucepan heat the broth and keep on medium heat so the liquid stays very hot.

Now begins the risotto part. In a large skillet or a large pot, heat olive oil and cold butter. Toss in chopped garlic and shallots and cook for about 30 secs on medium heat. Add the quinoa and stir to make sure the grains are well coated. Look out for quinoa shrapnel!

Pour sherry into skillet and stir gently. When it has evaporated start adding the hot broth half a cup at a time and stirring constantly. Continue to add the broth in half cup measurements until it’s all incorporated into the risotto.

Just when the last bit of broth has been stirred in, add the vegetables and cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes or so for flavours to mix. Remove from heat and stir in some cold butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and devour. I won’t post any pictures because I fear if I do you may not want to make this and it is SOOOO worth it!

Categorized in Dinner, Vegetarian and Yum!
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Chickpea Burgers

May 2, 2012 - Leave a Response

There’s a pub close to where we live called The Morrissey. If you ever find yourself in the West End of Vancouver, I highly recommend going there. Their burgers are amazing and usually it’s what I order, they’re that good. Last week I decided I would not have The Morrissey Burger because I wanted to keep going with this new vegetable affair so I took a chance on their chickpea burger, called The Hippie Chick. Oh. My. God. It was the best veg burger I’d ever had. And yes I do like to try veggie burgers from time to time. Most taste like cardboard. But this one was crispy on the outside and perfectly dressed, I couldn’t tell it was a patty made from chickpeas. Since then I’ve been craving that burger. Last night I decided to experiment and create my own version. I just hope I can remember how much I used for each ingredient…

Chickpea Burger Patties

Makes 4 good-sized patties

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Tahini sauce, about a tbsp

Juice of half a lemon

4 garlic cloves

Place the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until slightly coarse. Transfer to a bowl, add an egg and mix well. I’m not sure how much bread crumbs I used but just keep adding until you have the right consistency and texture. You want to be able to roll the mixture into a ball and then flatten into a disc and not have it fall apart. Heat a large skillet with oil and fry at medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, just keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t burn. Place patties on paper towels for a few minutes and then serve. Dress the burger however you like. My burger was dressed with:

Dijon mustard

Fresh basil leaves

Goat’s milk feta cheese

Alfalfa sprouts

Cucumber slices

Categorized in Dinner, Vegetarian and Yum!
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Sauteed Vegetables and Buttery Garlicky Quinoa

May 1, 2012 - Leave a Response

In two days Jay and I will be hopping on a plane to Cancun, Mexico where we will exchange vows in front our family and close friends. We’ll also be indulging in the pleasures that come with all-inclusive resorts. I know I will eat meat while I’m there, and probably lots of it, but for now I continue to create veggie dishes that make my taste buds dance and sing. Plus I also want to “clean” out the produce in the fridge before we leave.

Tonight I simply sauteed vegetables in olive oil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Once the vegetables were softening up a bit I added a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar. I added the spinach in the last few minutes so it wouldn’t cook as much and lose its colour.

Veggies used:

Onion, chopped

Mushrooms, sliced

Cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces

Cherry tomatoes, kept whole because I love biting into a cooked cherry tomato

Fresh basil leaves

Baby spinach

I think I made quinoa once before tonight and like the first time, I burned the bottom layer slightly. Not enough to make the rest of the pot stink of burnt grains but just enough to give it a slightly smoked taste and a bit of crunch. I mixed the quinoa with a generous pat of butter, garlic powder, and fresh ground pepper. Turned out way better than I had expected. The meal was topped with crumbled feta cheese.

The picture below is the actual amount that I ate. At first I thought it would be too much food but…I couldn’t stop eating it!

Categorized in Dinner and Vegetarian
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I’m back and I’m LOVING veggies!

May 1, 2012 - Leave a Response

It’s been a couple of months since I was last here. Sadly, I miscarried in the beginning of March and for a while I lost my  taste for delicious food. Luckily, and with the help of the amazing Jay, it didn’t take long before I was craving food and absolutely needing to cook something fantastic. At first it was all carb-filled, comfort food. Lots of gooey cheese and greasy bacon…a lot of French food. Anyway, in the last month and a half I’ve been slowly changing what I eat. Especially in the last two weeks I noticed I have (unintentionally) become a vegetarian!

It all started when we had a friend over last month. I decided to go the healthy route and set up a veggie tray and a fruit tray. Our friend mentioned she was on a cleanse to figure out what was wrong with her stomach. She told us she was only eating vegetables and fruit (funny that I happened to have that for snacks) and that she felt amazing because of it. Yeah, of course I knew this already. Vegetables = good health blah blah blah. But since that night I haven’t had any meat. At all! I’m honestly amazed at how much I’m liking vegetables now. Last night, while I watched Twin Peaks on Netflix, I actually munched on celery sticks.

To kick off what I hope will be a lasting change in my food lifestyle, I present to you today’s brunch:

Eggs and Spinach Wrap

Whole wheat tortilla or pita

Eggs

Baby spinach

Goat’s milk feta cheese (obviously you can use regular feta)

And any other filling you might like. Today, on top of the items mentioned above, I added:

Dijon mustard

Onions

Alfalfa sprouts

Caramelized onion jam, leftovers from yesterday

Salsa, medium spice

It’s all up to you  how much you put in your wrap, just make sure it fits ;)

 

Categorized in Breakfast, Vegetarian and Yum!
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Imitation Costco Chicken Bake

February 16, 2012 - One Response

Years and years ago I actually owned a Costco membership card. I’d go with my then boyfriend and buy vats of feta cheese and bulk-size cans of soup. Eventually we realized the amount of food we were buying was obscene for only the two of us. However, we kept the membership because during our lunch breaks at work we’d drive over to the nearest Costco to get a hot and delicious chicken bake. I could never resist the gooey cheese and crispy crust.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a Costco and even longer since I’ve had a chicken bake, as not all Costco stores carried them. And the last few weeks I’d been having intense cravings for a chicken bake so I did a quick Google search and discovered that all you really need is pizza dough, chicken, bacon, onions, mozzarella, and Caesar salad dressing.

For the pizza dough I went through my previous posts in search of the thin and crispy dough I liked – which also doesn’t take long to make. The recipe can be found here.

Chicken Bake Ingredients – For two people

Ready made pizza dough, store bought, your favourite recipe or the one mentioned above.

1 chicken breast, approx 6oz cut into small pieces

4 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces

1/2 a medium onion, finely chopped

approx 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or more if you love cheese the way I do.

Caesar salad dressing, I used about 3 tbsp but that’s a matter of preference I think.

Spices of your choice for the chicken, I used garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Preheat oven to about 450F. Heat a bit of oil in a pan and cook the chicken. Add seasonings and once it’s cooked through set aside in a bowl. Add the bacon pieces to the pan and cook until done and then add them to the chicken. Stretch your pizza dough to a rectangle about 11 inches by 7 or 8 inches. Spread desired amount of Caesar dressing over surface and then sprinkle onions, chicken and bacon, and the majority of the mozzarella cheese (leave some aside to sprinkle on top of the chicken bake). Fold the pizza dough over and seal the seams and then place in the oven for about 7 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and put back in the oven for another 8 minutes or so or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and melted.

Was it as awesome as the original Costco chicken bake? Well, to be honest…I don’t really remember what the Costco chicken bake tasted like except that I remember loving it. But this version has completely wiped the memory of a Costco chicken bake from my mind.

Categorized in Dinner
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Angel Food Cupcakes

February 15, 2012 - One Response


Because I made creme brulee and Jay made Hollandaise sauce yesterday, there were 5 egg whites idly resting in the fridge. I wasn’t sure what to do with them and then remembered I still had never made angel food cake. After doing a quick Google search on how to make angel food cake I was disappointed to discover a tube pan is needed. A more specific search brought me to this site where I found the recipe I used for the cupcakes. In my version I decided to fit as much batter into each cup and I also wasn’t very careful about making the batter even.


For the strawberries I cut them into small bite-size pieces and in a bowl I sprinkled about 2 tablespoons of sugar. It’s probably best to let the strawberries sit for at least a half hour. I’m not sure how long I let them macerate. Maybe 40 minutes?

The cupcakes turned out fluffy, light, and sweet. I think, not bad at all for a first attempt.

Categorized in Dessert
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Valentine’s Day Dinner

February 15, 2012 - 2 Responses

Yesterday when I asked Jay what he thought we should make for our V-day dinner he said, “Pizza?” I immediately shook my head. To me, V-day is a special occasion that deserves hard work and sweat in the kitchen. When I suggested bacon-wrapped pork loin all thoughts of pizza flew out of Jay’s head. “Wow, yeah that sounds amazing,” he said. I continued listing the other items on the menu: artichokes or asparagus with Hollandaise sauce (“Oh! Oh! Can I make the sauce?” he interjected at this point and I nodded), cheese-stuffed mushrooms for appetizers, white chocolate creme brulee for desert, and the best part (for me) non-alcoholic red wine. Yes, that’s right, we are expecting! In about six months we’ll have a little addition who will get to enjoy our kitchen creations.

Now, when I’m making somewhat elaborate dinners I like to prepare things ahead of time and get all my ingredients ready so I’m not scrambling around looking for the white wine while the garlic burns in a pan. First, I sliced the pork loin and laid it out on a piece of plastic wrap. For a video on how to butterfly a pork loin go here. Next, on another piece of plastic wrap, I made a lattice with the bacon by first laying down six strips vertically and then lacing bacon horizontally through the strips. The other thing I made several hours ahead of time was the creme brulee as that needed to chill in the fridge for at least four hours. And if you’re like me and don’t own a fancy brulee torch, then remember to bring out the creme brulee to sit for a few minutes at room temperature before broiling it in the oven.

Ok, Ingredients:

Stuffed Mushrooms:

6 to 8 white mushrooms

oil, I used canola

about 6 cloves of garlic, more or less depending on your taste

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese, softened

about 3tbsp Parmesan cheese

fresh ground pepper, to taste

cayenne pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Carefully remove the stems from the mushrooms but don’t throw them away – finely chop the stems and set aside. Mince the garlic and heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Throw the garlic and mushroom stems into the oil and cook for about 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir until smooth and then add the Parmesan cheese, ground pepper, and cayenne pepper. With a small spoon, stuff each mushroom with the filling – there will be a lot of filling, don’t worry, the rest will be in the pork. Dab a bit of softened butter on the bottom of the mushrooms and place them on a baking sheet. Pop the mushrooms in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until juices are flowing.

Pork Loin:

I used a 760g/1.6lb pork loin

approx 12-16 strips of bacon

Leftover cream cheese filling from stuffed mushrooms

Kitchen twine

A generous splash of Guinness to keep the pork moist while cooking.

Turn oven heat up to about 400F. With the pork all ready to go, all you need to do is spread the cream cheese mixture over the top and then roll it and tie it with string. Place the pork in the centre of the bacon lattice and with the help of the plastic wrap, carefully cover the pork and press the bacon down. Place it in a baking pan (one preferably with a lid) pour some Guinness around the sides and put it in the oven for about 40 minutes to an hour. You can remove the lid halfway through, depending on how brown you want your bacon to be. I think we may have overcooked our pork – the bacon was a little crispy but the meat was amazing inside.

The sides:

2 russet potatoes, unpeeled, washed, and quartered

a bunch of asparagus – sadly our local store did not have artichokes

Hollandaise sauce

While the pork is doing its thing in the oven, boil the potatoes. And while that’s happening you can make the Hollandaise sauce. I would rather just tell you to Google Hollandaise sauce because one recipe and instruction may work for one person but it may not for another. The first and only time I successfully made Hollandaise sauce I used Laura Calder’s recipe but when Jay tried it, he wasn’t as successful. Last night, he used Julia Child’s version and the sauce turned out really well. In Jay’s opinion, it helps if you have another person reading out step by step instructions while you work on the sauce.

For the asparagus, place the stalks in a steamer basket and then over the simmering pot of potatoes. When the pork is ready to be cut, the potatoes will be ready and so will the asparagus as the stalks only need about 5 minutes or so to steam.

Creme Brulee:

For recipe and ingredients go here. As I mentioned before, I don’t have a torch so I used the broiler to burn the sugar coating. Unfortunately my broiler takes FOREVER to heat up and time was a-wastin’ so the sugar did not fully melt and did not have that crackly effect. However, the custard…oh the custard. Please make this. You don’t even really need the crackly sugar on top – the custard is like heaven in a ramekin.

This turned out to be a happy coma-inducing dinner where all we could do was say, “Wow, that was amazing.”

And in case you’re wondering – the non-alcoholic wine tasted like almost unsweetened grape juice. Oh the sacrifices we make.

Categorized in Dessert, Dinner, Must repeat and Yum!
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Fast and easy tomato, basil, cheese pizza

December 21, 2011 - Leave a Response

Fresh basil. Tomato. Buffalo mozzarella. Those are the basic ingredients for stomach pleasure. Even the sight of the three ingredients on a cutting board bring a smile to my face. I think it was while I was in Italy that I “discovered” caprese salad and also where I fell in love with fresh basil. Since then I’ve made an effort to find buffalo mozzarella (not so easy to find the good stuff but bocconcini cheese balls do the trick) and to keep a constant supply of tomatoes and fresh basil for moments when I crave some Italian simplicity.

Today is one of those days and for lunch I’ve made a super easy and quick pizza.

Ingredients for one pizza:

Thin pita bread – if you prefer to make dough then go for it but I wanted a pizza “NOW”

Tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade

Buffalo mozzarella, cut into slices

Tomato, sliced

Fresh basil

Spread the tomato sauce over the pita bread and then arrange the basil leaves on top and then the tomato and finally the cheese. Pop it in the oven for a few minutes just until the cheese melts and there you have a gorgeous and tasty lunch.

Categorized in Lunch, Must repeat and Vegetarian
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