Quinoa with Everything Green

All the green veggies and quinoa too! High protein and fiber in a light and satisfying salad. Keep it vegetarian using water or vegetable broth to cook the quinoa, or use beef or chicken broth with cooked meat added if you like that.

Ingredients:

2 cups broth or water

1 cup quinoa (I used this one with ancient grains)

1 cup edamame beans

1  1/2 cups chopped spinach

1 cup diced cucumber

1 avocado, sliced

2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp dry oregano

2 tbsps fresh lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp light olive oil

First, cook the quinoa as directed on package then refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chillled.

Mix the prepared veggies in a large bowl. Combine the parsley, oregano, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Add the cooled quinoa to the vegetables, then toss well with the dressing.

Refrigerate until ready to eat and top with sliced avocado.

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Got a cookie craving? Don't feel like too much fuss? Then this is the recipe for you! These bars, that taste like big old oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, are ready in about half an hour!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or marg at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups oats

1  1/2 cups chocolate chips 

Cream the butter and sugars together, then add the eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 additions. 

Once blended fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Spread in a greased 13 X 9" baking dish.

Distribute the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top pressing in gently.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.

Cool and cut into bars. Yum 😋

Roast Beef and Farfalle Salad

A simple dinner using that little bit of leftover roast beef in the fridge. You can use any roast beef you have or even sliced deli beef. I used leftovers from my Cross Rib Steak with Garlic Sauce a couple of posts back. I didn't have the heart to heat it and lose that lovely pink center so served cold in salad worked for me!

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups farfalle

1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked, thinly sliced roast beef

1 cup diced tomato

3/4 cup diced cucumber

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced red pepper

Dressing:

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp dijon

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp dry basil or oregano

salt and pepepr to taste

pinch sugar

Shredded lettuce and fresh parsley to serve.

Drizzle light olive oil

Cook the farfalle as directed on package. While that cooks prepare the dressing and once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss immediately with the dressing.

Combine all the diced and sliced veggies and add the farfalle.

Place shredded lettuce on the plates.

Place the pasta and vegetables down the center of the lettuce bed and top with sliced beef. 

And finish with some chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of light olive oil.

Serves 3

Recycle Dog Pull Toy

This DIY recycled t-shirt pull toy is a hit with Karma!

Take a couple of old t-shirts and cut them in strips about 4" wide and as long as you like. Knot them together, braid them and knot the end. This t-shirt material was thin so I doubled up using 6 strands instead of 3. Also tied a knot with some extra material in the middle so that Karma could pull from the middle while I can hold on both ends when she tugs!

Then just go out and PULL !!!

"Ok, stop Mom! You're embarrasing me!"

Cross Rib Steak with Garlic Sauce

Mouthwatering cross rib steak, sautéed mushrooms and a butter-rich garlic sauce will make you think you're eating at a nice steak house. (Oh covid, how I do miss eating at a restaurant once in awhile 😧)

Ingredients:

2 - 1" thick cross rib steaks (totalling 3/4 lb)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsps avocado or vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsps butter

Garlic Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

2-4 tsps minced garlic, depending on your preference

2 tsps garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tsps fresh chopped parsley

Fried Mushrooms:

2 cups thick sliced mushrooms

2 tbsps butter

steak spice

1 tbsp olive oil

To begin, rub the steaks with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper and leave on the counter about 1 hour or until they reach room temperature.

Prepare the sauce. Melt 1-2 tbsps butter in a saucepan. Add garlic for 30 seconds, making sure not to overcook it. Then on low heat add the rest of the butter, salt, and garlic powder. Add the lemon juice for 30 seconds before removing from heat. Then add the chopped parsley.

In a large skillet add the mushrooms, 2 tbsps butter, steak spice and olive oil. Heat on medium high temperature stirring occasionally until golden.

Heat avocado oil in a heavy skillet on high heat, then add the meat. Turn every minute using tongs.  After 3 minutes add 2 tbsps butter and spoon melting butter and any pan juices over the top. You could also add a spoonful of the garlic sauce to each steak.

The smaller steak cooked faster than this one 🠟 so was removed to a plate. The internal temperature should read 125°F. Then plate the meat and cover to keep warm.

Allow the meat to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with golden sautéed mushrooms...

then top it all off with garlic sauce.

And remember... one day the restaurants will open again!

Serves 3-4

Original recipe from: teamterryketo.com

Everything Bagel Bread

Soft white bread with the Everything Bagel flavours you love! And, baked in a slow cooker, just over 2 hours to make start to finish!

2 1/4 tsps instant yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1  1/2 cups water, at 105-110°F

1 cup bread flour

2  3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

4-5 tsps Everything Bagel seasoning (+ 1 tbsp for coating)

In a large mixer bowl mix water and sugar together, then add the yeast and gently stir. Add both flours, salt, olive oil and seasoning and, using the dough hook attachment, knead 5 minutes.

When the dough is smooth and elastic form a ball or loaf and roll in 1 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning.

Place in a parchment lined 6 qt slow cooker.

Cover and bake on high for 2 hours or until the internal temperature reads 200°F. The bottom and sides should be browned but the top might look a little anemic, so using the parchment paper, lift the bread out of the slow cooker and broil for 3-5 minutes.

Let it cool on a rack for 20 minutes before slicing.

Pineapple Crisp

Golden pineapple and oat crisp made decadent topped with frozen vanilla yogurt.

Honestly, I had this fresh pineapple that, when I cut and peeled it, turned out to be over ripe and not very pretty to look at. But baked up in a crisp it was given a second life!

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh pineapple tidbits

1 tbsp flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup marg or butter

1/4 tsp salt

Toss the tidbits with flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt and place in an oiled 8 X 8" baking dish.

Combine the oats, brown sugar, marg and salt until crumbly and sprinkle over the pineapple. Gently tap down a little.

Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Serve with frozen vanilla yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream.