Spanaki Avgolemono - Spinach in Lemon Egg Drop

Spanaki Avgolemono
Spinach in Lemon Egg Drop

This is a nice way to prepare spinach. You can have it on its own with a piece of crispy bread or you can serve it as appetiser to start off a sumptuous dinner. The lemony egg drop is comforting and is loaded with many health benefits. Serve it warm or cool.

2 bunches of spinach

olive oil

salt

pepper

1 tsp mint

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1 egg

1 lemon

1/4 cup boiled water

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat some olive oil before adding the spinach. Cook spinach in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes or until wilted.

2. Squeeze juice from half a lemon directly into the pan along with the seasonings. Simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Add the water and simmer for another 3 minutes. Spoon out some of the liquid into a small bowl to allow to cool down.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and the juice of the remaining lemon. 

5. Once the liquid from the spinach has cool down to room temperature, add the lemon drop to the spinach juice. 

6. Slowly introduce the egg drop into the spinach. Stir together and serve immediately or allow to cool down further.

Peruvian Roast Chicken & Quinoa with Black Bean

PERUVIAN ROAST CHICKEN
& QUINOA WITH BLACK BEANS

After much contemplation about what to make for dinner today, I decided on a chicken and quinoa dish. The inspiration came from two sources; my husband and a cookbook called 365 Quinoa. 

PERUVIAN ROAST CHICKEN

4 chicken breast, bone in

olive oil

juice from 1 lime

salt

pepper

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/4 cup water

1. Preheat the oven at 425F.

2. If the chicken still has the skin on, it's your choice if you want to leave it on or trim it off.

3. Bath the chicken in olive oil and lime juice.

4. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and garlic powder. Rub it onto the chicken breasts. Be generous.

5. Place chicken breasts in a rectangular Pyrex, pour the water in the bottom of the dish and cover with foil.

6. Roast for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, uncover and continue roasting for another 15 minutes. This will crisp up the top of the chicken.

QUINOA WITH BLACK BEAN

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cube of chicken stock

1 can black beans

1 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

3/4 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp aji rojo (ancho chili paste)

salt

pepper

1/2 tbsp oregano

1. In a small sauce pan, place the quinoa with the water, olive oil and cube of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. In the same pot, heat some olive oil. Saute the red onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and seasoning. Stir together and saute for another couple of minutes. Add the black beans after straining and washing. Stir together. Gently add the cilantro and quinoa. Lower heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

* The Quinoa with Black Bean is perfect as a side dish like I paired it with the chicken but you can easily eat it on its own.

Saturday Night Scramble

Saturday Night Scramble

This recipe was created out of desperation. Last night, I had the intention of making dinner as simple as possible. After a long day of teaching, my plan was to buy a roast chicken from my favourite supermarket and pair it with their yummy potato wedges and a crisp salad. Unfortunately, that did not happen because of time constraints. Desperate times call for desperate measures. When I got home and looked inside my fridge the inspiration came from these simple ingredients. Try it for dinner tonight or even for your next brunch.

6 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

1 bunch of spinach leaves

100 g of black forest ham, cubed

100 g of smoked Gouda, cubed

1/2 cup of pitted olives
salt
pepper
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp mint
1/2 tbsp oregano

1. In a small mixing bowl beat the eggs together with the milk, salt, pepper, mint and oregano.

2. Meanwhile, in an oven proof pan, heat the oil and saute the spinach. Sprinkle with the garlic powder to season.

3. Lower heat. Add the egg mixture. Let it settle for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the ham, cheese and olives on top of the eggs. 

5. Continue baking in a 350F preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. * If you have a convection option on your oven, use that. It will make your scramble fluffy.

Indian Inspired Lentils

Indian Inspired Lentils

Lentils are the most versatile legumes. Almost every culture has their own variation on how to prepare lentils. Other people make them into a soup, some make them so that they have a thicker consistency to be paired with rice and some make a refreshing salad. However you decide to prepare these ancient legumes, I'm sure you will find them satisfying. In our household, we are making a conscience effort to introduce more vegetarian meals every week. This gives me the incentive to create new recipes with staples such as lentils. Below is my latest variation of the lentils.

2 cups of lentils

4 cups of cold water

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 cup of baby carrots, chopped

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp turmeric

1 tbsp mint

salt

pepper

1 cube of chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup of tomato juice

4 cups of boiled water

2 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large stock pot, place the lentils in the cold water. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. 

2. After 15 minutes, most of the water will be soaked up by the lentils. Add the veggies, tomato juice and seasoning, except for the cube of stock, salt and pepper. Lower heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. 

3. Slowly add the 4 cups of boiled water and cube of stock. Stir and continue simmering for 30 minutes.

4. Lastly, add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat. Stir together and let sit for 10 minutes.

Ham & Cheese Gallette

HAM & CHEESE GALLETTE

Are you getting bored of your usual breakfast options?  Are you searching for healthy yet delicious breakfast foods that you can enjoy with your family? Look no further. You have clicked on the perfect breakfast dish. Serve this at your next Sunday brunch or make it for yourself. Either way you will enjoy the heartiness of this Gallette and reap the benefits from the wholesome ingredients.

1/2 cup oat bran'
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
salt
pepper
2 slices of black forest ham
3 slices of jalapeno Gouda

1. In a small mixing bowl, carefully mix the oat bran, egg and milk until you have a pancake like batter.

2. In a non-stick pan, pour the oat bran mix and flatten with a spatula. Wait for the edges to bubble much like a pancake. 

3. Carefully, flip the gallette pancake over and place the ham slices and cheese to one side of the gallette. Fold over gently and allow the cheese to melt.

Black Bean Chili

BLACK BEAN CHILI

There is one dish I love to experiment with and that is Chili. To date, I have created a wide variety of Chilies; some of which I have posted on my blog. All chilies start with some of the same ingredients: beans, chili powder and tomato sauce. After that you can add whatever other ingredients you like. You can even explore using different beans. Each time, I make Chili it is always slightly different. Basically, I look in my cupboards and fridge to see what I can use to make a delicious and hearty meal for my family to enjoy. Last night, it was Black Bean Chili

2 cans of black beans
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 red peppers, diced
1 cup of baby carrots, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
salt
pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 cube of chicken stock (you can use vegetable stock to make it purely vegetarian)
1 cup of tomato juice
4 cups of water

1. In a large stock pot, saute the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly softened.

2. Add all the seasonings and stir together. This helps the spices and herds to become more aromatic.

3. Lower heat and add the black beans. Make to strain the beans from the can. Stir gently.

4. Add the tomato juice and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Gradually add the water and the chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low heat.

6. Serve over rice or with your favourite crusty bread.

Fasolada - Traditional Greek Navy Bean Soup

For many Greek people around the world it is that time again when we fast for Easter. Other Christians are observing Lent. Many people give up eating meat or animal products and often struggle to find delicious meals to satisfy their hunger. This traditional Greek Navy Bean soup is perfect for those who are on lent or for vegetarians who are looking to prepare Navy Beans in a new way.

2 cups of dried navy beans or 1 can of navy beans
1 onion, diced
3 to 4 garlic cloves, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots or 1 cup of baby carrots, chopped
1 cup of tomato juice
1 cube of chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt
pepper
1 tbsp mint
olive oil
8 cups of boiled water

1. If you are using dried beans you need to soak them overnight to start the softening process. If you are using canned beans the cooking process is slightly different.

2. Add the soaked beans in a large stock put and about 4 cups of cold water. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain the beans and discard the water.

3. If you are using canned beans you will not have to do this step. Simply saute the vegetables in some olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomato juice, seasonings and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

4. If you are doing it the traditional way, add the beans back into the pot with 4 cups boiled water, the vegetables, tomato juice and olive oil. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.

5. At this point the beans should be softened up considerably. Add the seasonings and another 2 cups of boiled water. Simmer for another 30 minutes.

* If the beans are still hard after 1 hour of boiling, add another 4 cups and continue boiling for another hour. Beans should be soft to the touch.

Kotosoupa Avgolemono - Traditional Greek Chicken Noodle Soup

KOTOSOUPA AVGOLEMONO

TRADITIONAL GREEK CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This is all time favourite in the Karipidis Home and now that I'm making it for my own family, it quickly becoming a family favourite in the Herrera Home. Adding lemon egg drop into your usual chicken noodle soup will give your soup a velvety texture and subtle lemony flavour. Perfect for a cold winter's day to drive away the chills or  after a late night out to soothe those aching muscles.

*

1 chicken breast, bone in

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

salt 

pepper

1. In a medium stock pot, place all the ingredients above with 4 cups of water and a drop of canola oil. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes to cook the chicken and create a homemade chicken broth.

2. Remove all the ingredients except for the liquid. Discard everything, except the chicken. Set that aside to shred later.

1 cube of chicken broth

4 bundles of noodles, crushed

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 egg

3. After clearing the chicken stock from the chicken and the flavouring debris, bring stock back to a boil adding the cube of chicken broth and crushed noodles. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl beat the egg and lemon. Sprinkle with salt.

5. After the noodles are done cooking set the whole pot aside. The soup needs to cool down before adding the lemon drop otherwise you will get scrambled eggs in your soup. You don't want that. You want a creamy consistency. If you are in a rush to serve the soup, set the pot aside and ladle out some of the broth into a separate mixing bowl. This will quicken the cooling period. If you are not in a rush let it stand for an hour or two.

6. As you are waiting for the soup to cool down, shred the chicken and place it gently in the soup. Stir together.

7. Once the soup has cooled down, you can directly ladle some of the broth into the lemon drop and beat together for a velvety texture. If you have cooled down some broth separately, you can wait for 10 to 15 minutes to cool down. Add the broth to the lemon drop in the same fashion. 

8. Lastly, stir in the avgolemono gently into the soup. Enjoy with crackers, crusty bread or on its own.

Makaronia me Kima - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Makaronia me Kima
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

This is by far one of my favourite dishes for several reasons. First, I love the texture of ground meat. Second, the combination of tomato and cheese is addictive. Third, it is the simplest dishes to prepare. At last, everyone in the family loves it too.

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

olive oil

salt

pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp oregano

1 jar of your favourite tomato sauce (I chose a tomato & basil blend tonight)

100 g of Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

1 bag of your favourite spaghetti

1. In a large sauce pan, saute the onion and garlic until softened. About 3 to 5 minutes. 

2. Add the ground meat and combine with the onion and garlic. Brown well about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Add the seasoning and tomato sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil 6 quarts of water for the spaghetti. Once the water reaches the boiling point through in a good amount of salt and olive oil. Cook pasta for 11 minutes. If you like your pasta less al dente, then leave it in for 15 minutes.

5. Serve hot with a sprinkling of the grated cheese and a fresh Caesar or garden salad.

Greek Meatloaf

Greek Meatloaf

Here's an alternative to our regular meatloaf. This variation on the Canadian classic has a Greek twist to it. Not only is it delicious but healthy for you too. My Greek Meatloaf is loaded with flavour and wholesome veggies to make sure you get your daily serving of vegetables. Pair it with my Roasted Sweet Potatoes and you will be the Dinner Hero tonight.

1 lbs. ground chicken

1 egg

2 cups of bread crumbs

1 onion, diced

1 pint of mushrooms, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

8 oz of baby spinach (1 bag)

100 g or crumbled feta

salt

pepper

1 tbsp oregano

1/2 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven at 450F.

2. Place ground chicken, the egg, 1 cup of bread crumbs and seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Combine until the egg and the bread crumbs are mixed well into the ground chicken.

3. In a deep pan or dutch oven, saute the onions, mushrooms and peppers until slightly browned. You don't want to over cook them. About 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Add the baby spinach and stir together to wilt the spinach leaves. About 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Once the spinach leaves have reduced, add the veggie mix to the ground chicken. Add another cup of bread crumbs. This will help to absorb all the extra juices from the veggies. Combine well.

6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and scoop in the ground chicken and veggie mix, making sure to even it out. You don't want one side of the loaf to be higher or chunkier. An even loaf will help to cook it evenly.

7. Place loaf into the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

8. At 45 minutes take out the loaf and check if it has cooked through. Spoon over the tomato sauce and continue baking in the oven for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 425F.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

3 to 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

salt

pepper

1 tsp cumin

olive oil

1. Preheat oven at 450F.

2. Peel and dice sweet potatoes and place them in a baking dish or Pyrex.

3. Coat with olive oil (be generous), salt, pepper and cumin. Mix together.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

5. Uncover after 40 minutes and continue baking for another 15 minutes so that they can crisp up. Lower heat to 425F.

* Do reduce cooking time I baked both dishes at the same time since they both require the same cooking temperature. During the first stage of cooking, I placed the loaf on the top rack and the sweet potatoes on the bottom rack. Then, when I was for the second stage I put the sweet potatoes on the top rack to caramelise and the loaf to set with the sauce on the bottom rack. This method saves time and you are sure to have both dished ready at the same time. Enjoy!

Spanakorizo

Spanakorizo - Spinach with Rice

Good Morning Readers! I hope you are having a good March so far. Some of you may have started your lent and most Greeks are going to be getting ready to fast for Easter. This dish is perfect for lent or fasting because it is purely vegetarian. Spanakorizo, is another heirloom recipe that has been passed down to me from my Mom, however I've added some extra protein and omega-3 with the help of hemp seeds. Serve with crusty bread and olives.

2 bags of baby spinach - 16 0z

1/2 cup of arborio rice

1 cup of tomato sauce

4 cups vegetable stock 

*if you are not on lent or fasting you can use chicken stock

1 onion, diced

2 to 3 garlic cloves, diced

4 cups water

salt

pepper

1/2 tbsp mint

1. In a stock pot, saute the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat.

2. Reduce the heat and add the spinach. Toss with the onion and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Once you see that the spinach has reduced in size add the salt, pepper, mint and finally pour the tomato sauce. Stir together and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Once the liquid is bubbling nicely add the arborio rice. Make sure to stir well otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom on the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir frequently to help separate the rice. The arborio rice has a tendency to absorb all the liquid so you might want to reduce the heat. Your dish should be kind of soupy consistancy.