Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I tried another new recipe the other day and it was delicious . . .  well I thought so and I guess you have to like mushrooms, which I do.

I found this recipe on Everyday Paleo

Ingredients:

4-6 BIG Portobello mushrooms,     1.5 lbs. ground beef,     1 lb. spicy Italian pork sausage - casing removed approx. 3 sausages,     3 celery stalks diced,     1/2 green bell pepper,     1 red onion,     diced mushroom stems,     1 tsp. paprika,     a few shakes of cayenne pepper,     2 Tbsp. dried basil,     1 Tbsp. tarragon,     6 crushed garlic cloves,     pinch of sea salt,     black pepper to taste,     1 egg,     1/4 cup olive oil,     1/4 cup coconut flour

Preparations:

1.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Use a moist paper towel to gently clean the mushrooms, if you run mushrooms under the tap to clean them they get a little soggy.

2.  Remove the stems and set them aside and carefully scoop out the feathery insides of the mushrooms with a spoon.

3.  Rub the outside of the mushrooms with olive oil and coat a glass baking dish as well.  Place cap down in baking dish.

4.  Dice the bell peppers, onions, celery and mushroom stems.

5.  In a large fry pan brown the sausage and ground beef, add the bell peppers, onions, celery and mushroom and cook until the veggies are tender.

6.  Move the meat/veggie mixture to a food processor and add all the spices, the egg, olive oil and coconut flour.  You don't need to do this step if you like the mixture really chunky.

7.  Process until mixture is finely chopped but not mushy, it should be fine but still chunky.

8.  Scoop mixture into mushroom caps - full

9.  Spoon any remaining mixture around the mushrooms and cook for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly. 

 I did mine on the BBQ and they were superb.

The meat/veggie mixture would be great in peppers or squash as well.

Hope you try them.  Enjoy.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Our garden is just starting to come in . . . we wait so long to have fresh produce, all the things we love.  Tomato, onion, yellow and green beans and of course cucumber.  My challenge is all of a sudden BAM!!!!  we have an over abundance of cucumbers.  What to do?  What to make????

Let me introduce you to my new best friend . . . I don't know why I didn't have one sooner . . . I don't know how I survived.  I sliced up my cucumber, onion and peppers in minutes.

It was so easy and fast.  I added a little celery seed . . . I love celery seed.

Ingredients: 1 cup distilled white vinegar,     1 Tbsp. salt,     2 cups of white sugar or (1/2 cup agave or a little less plus 1 Tsp. Stevia),     6 cups sliced cucumber,     1 cup sliced onion,     1 cup sliced green or red bell pepper,     sprinkle of celery seed

Preparations:

1.  In a medium sauce pan over medium heat bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil.

2.  Boil until sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.

3.  Place cucumbers, onions and peppers in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with celery seed.

4.  Pour the vinegar mixture over the veggies.  Transfer to sterile containers and store in fridge.

Yeild:  8 cups or 64 ounces

Prep time:  20 minutes,     Cook time:  10 minutes,     Ready in:  30 minutes

I don't know how long they will last in the refrigerator but I know they won't be there that long in mine to find out.

Garlic Parmesan Flax Crackers

Good morning my healthy friends.  Glad you could pop in to see me.  I have a quick and easy recipe for you to try but for the life of me I can't remember where it found it...when I do, I'll let you know.

Ingredients:

1 cup flax seed meal (ground)     1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated     1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder     1/2 tsp. sea salt (I use Celtic)     1/2 cup water

Preparations:

1.  Heat oven to 400F

2.  Mix all ingredients together

3.  Spoon ball onto unbleached parchment paper

4.  Cover with another piece of paper.  Even out mixture to about 1/8 inch and no wider than your baking sheet, I find a rolling pin works well on my kitchen table.  Don't get too thin at the edges or they will over cook before the centre firms up.  When you have achieved your desired thickness transfer to your baking sheet and remove top piece of paper.  

5.  At this point I like to run my knife through the rolled out dough in squares, it makes it easier to break up into crackers after they are baked.

6.  Bake until centre is no longer soft about 15-18 minutes.  If it starts to get more than a little brown around the edges, remove from oven.  Let cool completely - it will continue to crisp up.

7.  Break into crackers.

The whole recipe is 6 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 35 grams of fibre.

Oh My Oatmeal Crisp Cookies

These have got to be one of my favourite feel good cookies.  Probably not the healthiest with the butter and sugar but makes up for it with the oatmeal, coconut, whole wheat flour...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Preheat oven to 325oF.

Ingredients:  1 cup of butter,     1 cup of white sugar,     1 cup of brown sugar,     cream these 3 ingredients together and add 1 egg and blend.  Set aside.

In another bowl mix:  1 cup of whole wheat flour,     2 1/2 cups of oats,     1 tsp. baking powder,     1 tsp. baking soda,     1/4 tsp. salt,     3/4 cup of coconut,     dash of vanilla

Mix dry with wet ingredients.  Roll into large 1 inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 4 dozen (I never get to count them, they seem to disappear quickly).

They come out crisp and yummy just right for sharing with a friend over tea.

Joan's Awesome Healthy Banana Muffins

From my Mom to my other Mom, Joan...my mother-in-law.  I loved this banana muffin recipe the first time I tasted it.  I've made a few tweaks to make it a little healthier but it has the same great taste.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening,      3/4 cup cane sugar,     1 tsp. vanilla,     1 egg,     1/2 tsp. nutmeg,     I cup mashed bananas or 1 1/2 large ones,     pinch of salt,      1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour,      1 tsp. soda dissolved in a little hot water,       1/2 cup to 1 cup of cranberries or raisins

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Spray or oil muffin tin.  Mix flour, salt and nutmeg in a bowl, set aside.  In another bowl mix shortening, sugar, vanilla, egg and bananas.  Combine wet and dry then add soda.  Divide evenly into the muffin tin.  Bake for 30 minutes

You can substitute in half quinoa flour/ half whole wheat for a little protein.

Fabulous!!!

Quinoa Flour Waffles

I have a great new recipe for you to try.  Though it doesn't come from Mom's recipe book she was always about eating healthy and finding new ways of making an old favourite better.

I got this recipe from my pal Wendy and it is awesome...especially if you love light, fluffy, good for you waffles.

2 1/4 cups (560 ml) of Quinoa Flour               2 eggs, well beaten

4 tsp. (20 ml) baking powder                         1 1/4 cups (310 ml) of 1% or 2% milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. (22.5 ml) white or cane sugar         1 cup (250 ml) of water

3/4 tsp. (4ml) salt                                      1/2 cup (125 ml) of vegetable oil

                                                             1 tsp. (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl (I use my blender) and set aside.  In a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, water, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and blend well to make a thin batter.

Grease or lightly spray your waffle iron with cooking oil and preheat it.  Pour the batter onto the waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions and close.  Remove the waffles when the lid lifts open easily about 5-6 minutes.  Waffles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and sealed in a container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.  Reheat in the toaster or microwave oven.

My son loves to have these in the morning before school.  It's easy just to pop them in the toaster.

For information about Quinoa check out this link: http://chetday.com/quinoa.html

Apple Crisp

This is a wonderful 'homey' dessert my Mom used to make though I've modified the recipe slightly. . .only slightly.  Now I ask you, how can something made with apples and oatmeal be bad for you.

Ingredients

5-6 medium apples,     1/2 cup flour,     1/2 cup white sugar,     3/4 cup brown sugar,     1/2 cup oatmeal,     cinnamon,     1/4 cup butter,     pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Peel apples and slice into a buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Cut in butter and mix until it resembles a course meal, add oatmeal, mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle this on top of apples.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  Very simple indeed.

Absolutely wonderful!!!