No bake snack bars

8x8 greased pan

1 can sweetened condensed milk ( place can in a bowl of hot water while you get other ingredients together)
3 cups of cornflakes
1 cup of quick oats
1/8 ground flax
1/8 hemp seed
1/4 cup of trail mix ( I use just raisins and cranberries to keep it SCHOOL safe)

Put cereal and oats in a large bowl
Pour warm condensed milk over top and mix well.
Stir in flax,hemp,trail mix

Pour into greased pan and lightly press.
Cut into bars, let cool in the fridge about 2 he's.

Leftover veggie tray soup

I took all the leftover carrots,celery,cauliflower,broccoli from the veggie trays in my fridge and made a delicious healthy soup.

About 3 cups if rough chopped veggies
1 1/2 cup chicken stock (use vegetable if you wish)
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheese. (I used marble)

Steam the veggies in stock for 10-15 minutes
Add veggies and stock to blender and puree put back in pot and add evaporated milk.
On med-low heat stir and add cheese.
About 5-8 minutes.

Enjoy

So quick,easy and healthy, garnish with a little grated cheese.

Crock pot pork and apples

crock pot  6 hour on low

3-4 lb pork loin roast

2 large apples sliced ( I use pink lady or granny smith)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 shallot sliced

1 1/2 cup apple juice or cider

put a few slits in the pork and insert apple slices

put remainder of apple slices and shallots in bottom of crock pot.

place meat on the bed of apples,shallots

sprinkle nutmeg and rosemary over meat

pour in liquid

6 hours on low

serve over a bed of rice or with some garlic mashed cauliflower

Making sushi

We decided to make sushi on this cloudy, cold Sunday afternoon

Crock pot roast beef

3 lb roast beef
1 cup red wine
2 carrots roughly chopped
3 stalks celery rough chopped
1 med. Onion rough chopped
1 clove garlic rough chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup beef stock or water
1 spring fresh thyme
1/2 sprig rosemary
1 tsp coarse cracked pepper
4 good shakes Lee & Perrin's
Make a bed on bottom of crock with onion,garlic,celery,carrot
Put meat on top. I put it in frozen
Add wine,stock,juice and herbs, l&p put lid on for 3 hrs. Add potatoes halves for last hour if you wish.
Cook 1 more hour. Should come out perfect medium rare (more med than rare)

Chicken salad with fennel and pesto

2 tbsp butter
1 lb chicken breast  (cubed)
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp basil pesto  (posted earlier on blog)
1 medium fennel bulb  (halved cored and sliced paper thin)
1 stalk celery chopped
1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper chopped

In a skillet put butter and melt  add chicken and drizzle lemon juice over
cook until golden brown
stir in 1/2 of the pesto  mix well
In a large bowl add fennel,celery,bell peppers and add warm chicken
stir in pesto

serve warm or cold in a lettuce wrap, tortilla or on crackers

More Dressings

Shallot/Orange Vinaigrette


2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice  (fresh is best)
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp grated orange zest
a pinch salt/pepper
3/4 cup olive oil


put into a jar and shake and enjoy

store in fridge up to 7 days



Creamy Italian dressing

1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp chopped flat parsley
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
a pinch of salt/cracked pepper


mix mayo and cream together, add vinegar and spices
whisk together and keep in a jar for 3 days

Dressings for spring and summer

Poppyseed Dressing

1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tsp poppy seed

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp liquid or melted honey

in a small bowl add sour cream or yogurt, stir in cream

stir lemon juice and honey together and add to bowl

stir in poppyseeds,lemon zest. Whisk together

keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days

Asian inspired dressing     great  on nappa cabbage salad

1/2 cup peanut oil

2 tbsp sesame oil

1/4 rice wine vinegar

1/2 clove minced garlic

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp of chili flakes or hot sauce

1 tsp melted honey

zest of 1/2 lime

whisk together well. place in a jar, shake and serve

keeps in fridge for 5 days

Braised Kale with bacon spinach salad

1 bunch kale  chopped, stem removed
5 strips of bacon    cut into small pcs
1 small shallot  finely chopped
5 cups baby spinach
5 strawberries  sliced
1 hard boiled egg sliced
1/4 crumbled feta cheese
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1/8 cup pecans
1/8 cup dried cranberries


in a large fry pan put bacon in and cook for 5-8 mins (until almost completely crispy) add shallots and Kale, cook for 4-5 mins
remove from pan.

In a large salad bowl place spinach, toss in warm bacon,kale mix

In fry pan (used to cook bacon) turn on low heat, add balsamic,orange juice and stir to get all the goodness off the bottom of the pan.

sprinkle spinach and kale with pecans,cranberries,egg,feta

dress with warm dressing just before serving

Best Chicken Soup

prep time 15 mins         cook time 30 mins


9 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce
1 clove minced garlic
2 boneless skinless chicken breast  ( cube or thin strip )
1/2 pkg of rice vermicelli noodles
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 cup snow peas
1 cup of oyster mushrooms  torn into small pieces
1 green onion sliced
3 leaves of thai basil thinly sliced
1 lime  cut into small wedges
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tsp coconut oil  ( for cooking chicken in)

in a stock pot put coconut oil, add chicken cook 6-8 mins
Add vinegar,sriracha,garlic,ginger,soy sauce, carrots cook 3 minutes
Add stock bring to a boil  4-5 minutes
add noodles, peas, mushrooms cook until noodles are tender. 3-4 minutes

serve with a sprinkle of green onion, thai basil, bean sprouts
squeeze of fresh lime

so fast and quick

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

8 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup thinly green onions
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup cooked crisp crumbled bacon
Mix together in large bowl (except bacon and sunflower seeds)

Dressing:
2 tbsp bacon fat
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
Use the pan from cooking bacon
Mix together on low heat for 2-3 mins pour over broccoli mix
Place in fridge, best if left for 4-6 he's
Add bacon and sunflower seeds before serving.

Crock pot orange and ginger beef

1- 2 lb of stewing beef
1 onion chopped
3 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and chopped
2 tbsp of orange marmalade
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chines 5 spice
1 tbsp grated orange zest
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup sodium reduced beef stock  1/4 cup extra if using 2 lbs of meat
1/2 cup orange juice  1/4 cup extra if using 2 lbs of meat
2 tbsp cornstarch
4 cups baby bok choy quartered
2 carrots thinly sliced on an angle
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

in your slow cooker combine beef,onion,carrots,ginger,marmalade,soya sauce,brown sugar,5 spice,orange zest and mix well
Add orange juice,beef stock
cover and cook on low for 8 hours
mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp of cold water and stir in at the end of cooking time
Add bok choy cook for 10-15 mins


Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro

Tired of buying crackers? Try these out

9-11 minutes    375 degree oven  non greased cookie sheet

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole grain flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil  plus 1 tbsp for brushing crackers
1 or 2 tbsp of chopped fresh herbs  ( basil,thyme,rosemary) 1 or all 3
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 tsp  sea salt


in a large bowl whisk flours and salt ( not sea salt) gradually add water and olive oil
tossing with a fork until it starts holding together.
in a separate bowl place lemon zest,chopped herbs and sea salt, mix together
divide into 2 parts and roll out on a floured surface. use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut crackers.
place on cookie sheet about an inch apart.
poke a few times with a fork, lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with herb,lemon salt mixture

bake 9-11 mins or until bottoms are lightly brown. cool  for about 2 hours and store in an air tight container.

great for kids lunches, serving with dips, or just snacking on.

you can change up the herbs or leave out the lemon
finely chopped jalapeno and lime zest with sea salt
sea salt and coarse black pepper

Hot Italian sausage and kale soup

5 hot or mild Italian sausage  casing removed
1 medium onion diced
4 cups fresh chopped kale
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp chilli flakes   ( if using mild sausage)
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 can of chick peas
1 can diced tomatoes
1 stalk celery chopped
1 carrot diced

in a soup pot put sausage and cook down 6-8 mins so not pink. use a spatula to crumble as it cooks.
take meat out of pot and drain grease
add onion, garlic,carrot,celery to the pot and cook down until onions are clear.
add kale cook for 5 mins
add tomatoes,chick peas, and cooked sausage
stir well and cook 5-8 minutes and then add chicken stock

let simmer for 25 mins on low  add salt,pepper to taste

should be a nice thick, hearty soup.

lemongrass ginger marinade

1 stalk of lemongrass chopped finely
1 clove of garlic minced
2 inch piece of ginger chopped
1 shallot
1 cup hot water
1 tsp of honey
1 tbsp of fish sauce
1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper.


let stand for 1 hour and stir a few times.

pour over chicken,beef or pork.

let marinade at least 2 hours, best if left over night