Veggie Stuffed Chicken Breasts

So much flavour, lots of colour, some work but well worth it!

Ingredients:

3 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup small broccoli florets 
1/2 cup sweet potato, cut in small cubes
1/4 cup finely diced red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1  1/2 tsps garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
3/4 cup cheese, I used Monterey Jack
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Place broccoli in a bowl with 1 tbsp water. Microwave 30 seconds on high. In another bowl microwave the sweet potato cubes in a couple tbsps of water for 1 - 1  1/2 minutes. Drain off any remaining water.

With a sharp knife slice chicken breasts down the middle lengthwise, but not all the way through, forming a pocket.

Season inside and out with salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and paprika. Mix together the cheese, mayo, 1 tsp garlic powder, broccoli, sweet potato and red pepper.

Fill the chicken pockets with the veggie/cheese mixture and hold together with toothpicks or wooden skewers. 

Not going to lie...this was not too easy!

You can sprinkle on a little more seasoning if you like.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in an oven-safe skillet.

Sear chicken 3 minutes on each side, then de-glaze the pan with 2-3 tbsps of water, broth or wine.

Cover skillet and bake in a 425 F oven for 15-18 minutes.

Let rest 5 minutes and serve with rice (and more veggies!)

Beef, Carrot and Sweet Potato Stir Fry

Yummy isn't always pretty.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb round steak, cut in thin strips
1/2 - 1 jalapeno, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps olive oil, divided

2 or 3 carrots, sliced
1 small sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 inch fresh ginger, shredded or minced
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup kale, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Mix jalapeno, garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil and massage into beef strips. Marinate 1 hour in fridge.

In a large skillet or wok heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the meat. Toss until no pink remains then remove to a plate.

To the same pan add the sweet potato, carrots and green onions and cook 5-7 minutes.

Return the meat to the pan and add everything else. 
Heat through for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Cinnamon Roll Cake from Scratch

If you love cinnamon rolls but don't have the patience (like me) for all that rising and punching down it takes to make "real" cinnamon rolls, then this is the recipe for you! This cake is super buttery, filled with cinnamon and easy to make!

Ingredients:

cake:
3 cups flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsps baking powder
1  1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted

cinnamon filling:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsps flour
1 tbsp cinnamon

glaze:
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
5 tbsps milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Start by preparing your pan...grease and flour a 13 X 9" and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the sifted flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla. While running the mixer slowly pour in the melted butter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Next, in a medium bowl, beat the room temperature butter until fluffly then add the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. It will be lumpy at first...

but will come together to form a smooth filling.

The original recipe said to spread the filling over the batter, but that didn't work for me. So I simply dropped blobs of filling randomly over the batter trying to stay about 1" away from the sides.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 35-38 minutes then cool for 15 minutes.

While the cake cools whisk together the glaze ingredients.
Drizzle over still-warm cake.

Doesn't all the glaze look amazing?

This cake will serve 15 good size pieces of cake that doubles as a cinnamon roll. Does that mean I can eat cake for breakfast?!?

Original recipe: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2013/10/10/cinnamon-roll-cake-from-scratch-recipe/

Crochet Yoga Mat Strap

Simple crochet carry strap that doubles as a yoga strap to use when holding poses. You can make it super simple with just plain crochet or you could add beads for added interest.

If you are using beads feed them onto the end of the wool in order of how you want them before starting the project. Simply slide them down the yarn while crocheting until you want to incorporate them. 

Chain 195 sts in a worsted wool. I used a 4.50mm crochet hook but this is a strap not a sweater so size isn't terribly important!

Sc row 1, ch 1 turn. Repeat this row two more times.

To make a slit sc 6 sts then ch 6. Skip 6 sts and continue to sc until 12 sts before end of row. Ch 6 sts, skip 6 sts then continue sc 6 sts. Ch 1 turn.

If you are not adding beads then repeat the first 3 rows...sc, ch 1 turn, for another 3 rows. 

If you are adding beads then at any time in the work start sliding beads into place. Slide one in front of your work, work the stitch and keep the bead in front. That's about it, space them as you like. Just keep in mind that you might not want beads in the middle when carrying the strap on your shoulder. While working the beads in remember you are working 3 sc rows.

Once the strap is complete place 1 marker at 36 sts from beginning and place a 2nd marker 20 sts from the first one.

Sc to 1st marker, then fold work horizontally and sc to connect both sides until the 2nd marker. Then just unfold and continue sc.  When you get near the other end mark 36 sts from end and 20 sts from that marker and work the same as the first end when you get to it. Fold and crochet together between the two markers, then unfold and continue sc to the end. Tie off and sew in the end of the wool.

Feed the strap through the slits on each end to form loops to hold the yoga mat. 

Namaste

Chicken and Avocado Soup with Lime

This Mexican meal in a bowl is packed with fresh goodness and just the right amount of heat. 

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, skinless and bone-in
2 - 900 ml (2 quart) cartons chicken broth, divided 
4 green onions, sliced
1 jalapeno, minced (add more if you like more heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Italian tomatoes, diced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 cup chopped kale
1 cup kernel corn
3 tbsps lime juice
3 medium avocados, sliced or diced (1/2 avocado per serving)
tortilla chips, monterey jack cheese to serve

Because I was using bone-in chicken I started this soup the day before. If you want to use boneless then same day works. But bone-in is more economical.

In a large pot add chicken breasts to one carton of chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste, only pepper if your broth is salted. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.

Here's why I started the day before.  I like to chill the chicken a few hours before removing the meat from the bones as you can see by the bits of chicken fat in the picture below.

Once you've remove the meat, chop or shred it and return it to the pot.  

Add the the second broth, green onions, jalapeno, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, kale and corn.  This is how I mince jalapeno!

Bring to a boil again, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Remove from heat and add parsley and lime juice. Place 1/2 avocado, sliced or diced, in each serving bowl and ladle in the soup.

Garnish with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Serves 6

Carrot and Everything Else Muffins

Even though a good part of this recipe uses whole wheat flour these muffins are still very (sorry, about to use the M-word!) moist! No other way to describe them.

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup flax
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamon
1 egg
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 apple, unpeeled and shredded
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups grated carrot, unpeeled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, plus more for tops

Start by re-hydrating the cranberries...soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Combine the egg, applesauce, apple and vanilla and mix into the dry ingredients. Add the melted coconut oil

Fold in the carrots, drained cranberries, coconut, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Fill lined muffin tins, top each muffin with more sunflower seeds, and bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Makes 24 amazingly "moist" muffins!

Boho-Chic Recycled Dog Sweater

She must have been a hippie in a past life!

To make this outfit all you need is a scarf that no one wears anymore (and a matching hat if you want the optional hood!)

I trimmed the fringe a bit shorter then folded the scarf in half lengthwise.  Using a crochet hook and some wool I crocheted the two sides together on one long edge. Alternatively you could sew them together.

Here's what the back looks like.

Now drape it over you dog and decide wear you want to sew up underneath.  You need  an opening for the head and another larger opening for the two legs and chest (instead of two separate leg holes...very easy to put on!)

If you want to make the hood open the hat up in half and sew that edge to the top of the sweater and you're done!

See how the head is through the smaller opening and the chest is through the larger one.

And now that unused scarf has a new life!

Here is Karma's aloof, disinterested model expression ; )