Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken Breasts

 Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken Breasts
 Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken Breasts

Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken Breasts – boneless skinless chicken breasts quickly baked in an intensely flavoured honey, garlic and Dijon mustard glaze.

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 6 cloves minced garlic
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard

Instructions
  1. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Use a baking pan that is large enough to have a half inch of space around each chicken breast but no more. Using too large a baking dish can cause the glaze to be too shallow in the pan and burn easily.
  2. Place the empty pan in a 425 degree oven to heat up while you prepare the glaze.

To prepare the glaze
  1. Melt the butter in a small saute pan. Add the garlic and cook for only 30-60 seconds to soften it. Do not brown the garlic.
  2. Add the honey, Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to blend and simmer over medium heat for one or two minutes begin to reduce the glaze.
  3. Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Remove the hot pan from the oven and place the chicken breasts an equal distance apart in the pan. Pour the hot glaze evenly over the chicken.
  4. Return the pan to the 425 degree F oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and baste the breasts with the glaze in the bottom of the pan. return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until a neat thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the breast reads 170 degrees F.
  5. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan
Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic & Parmesan is a quick and delicious vegetable recipe. You can't go wrong with fresh asparagus, garlic and parmesan!

Prep time 5 mins
Cook time 15 mins
Total time 20 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Jersey Fresh Asparagus
  • 3 Tbs. Olive
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • ⅓ Cup of Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Wash asparagus thoroughly. Jersey asparagus tends to be a little sandy. To remove sand, soak in cold water for a few minutes so sand the can settle to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
  3. Use a vegetable peeler to skin outer layer of asparagus.
  4. Spread out on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Crush garlic on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Make sure to spread all over asparagus and coat thoroughly.
  6. Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes.


Spinach Muffins

Spinach Muffins
Spinach Muffins

With the help of the mashed banana and the cinnamon, you can’t even taste the spinach. You’re kids will never know. They will simply be a Green Muffin to them. And isn’t that just all the more enticing to a child?

Serves: 16 muffins

Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 (6 ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup mashed banana (from about 1 to 2 bananas)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
  2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a blender, place oil, milk, and spinach. Blend on high for about 30 seconds or until completely puréed. Add banana and vanilla; blend on low just to mix.
  4. Pour puréed mixture into dry mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined.
  5. Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

You can use 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour for an all whole-wheat option. You can possibly use spelt flour too.

Baked Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

Baked Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
Baked Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serving: 6 Servings

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest. These baked ranch potatoes have just 4 ingredients and they're perfect for dinner; whether it's for the family or a party!

Ingredients
  • 3 lbs baby red potatoes, unpeeled
  • ½ cup buttermilk ranch or yogurt ranch dressing
  • Garlic salt, to taste
  • 1 to 1½ cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions
  1. Cut potatoes into 1″ to 1½″ pieces. Fill a 5 Qt pot half full with salted warm water (about 7 cups water and 1 tsp salt).
  2. Add potatoes and bring to a boil then cook at a low boil for 8-12 min depending on size of potatoes (they should be nearly done and should be fairly easy to pierce with a fork) Drain well.
  3. Drizzle ½ cup ranch dressing directly into the pot with drained potatoes and gently toss - just enough to coat evenly.
  4. Transfer potatoes into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle potatoes with garlic salt to taste.
  5. Bake uncovered at 400˚F for 20-25 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and set oven to broil.
  6. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, return to oven and broil for 2-3 min or until cheese is melted.
  7. It's perfectly ok to add more garlic salt at the end if you under-seasoned it the first time (speaking from experience).

Grilled Corn Fritters

Grilled Corn Fritters
Grilled Corn Fritters

Yields 6

Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 cups grilled corn (or if you don't want to grill yours, you can use regular corn kernels)
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions
  1. In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Add milk and mix together with a wooden spoon until thick and thoroughly mixed through.
  2. Add the grilled corn and mix well with the flour mixture until all the kernels are well-coated.
  3. Heat up a skillet over medium high heat and add some vegetable oil to the pan.
  4. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop corn mixture out and place into the skillet, gently pressing the mound down so it's flattened. Cook for 5 minutes on one side, or until it's browned, flip, and cook another 5 minutes, or until it's browned.
  5. Remove and repeat for all the other corn fritters.
  6. Serve immediately.

Notes

These grilled corn fritters are best eaten the day of but can be kept in the refrigerator for one day. Any longer then it's not as good so eat them up!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini

Baked Parmesan Zucchini
Baked Parmesan Zucchini

Crisp, tender zucchini sticks oven-roasted to absolute perfection. It's healthy, nutritious and completely addictive!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
  • 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
  4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Oven-Fried Fish

Oven-Fried Fish
Oven-Fried Fish

You'll find this Oven-Fried Fish recipe surprisingly tasty and crunchy. It's a delicious preparation that will please the fish lovers in your family and it's ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons milk or water
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 lbs. fresh or frozen (thawed) white fish fillets

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with butter.
  2. Combine eggs and milk in medium bowl.
  3. Combine corn meal, flour, paprika and garlic powder in medium bowl.
  4. Dip fish fillets into egg mixture, coating both sides, then into corn meal mixture. Place skin-side down in baking dish.
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
  6. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.


Sunflower Seed, Kale and Cherry Salad with Savory Granola

Sunflower Seed, Kale and Cherry Salad with Savory Granola
Sunflower Seed, Kale and Cherry Salad with Savory Granola

Ingredients
  • 1 bunch kale, leaves roughly torn
  • 1 zucchini + summer squash, quartered
  • olive oil, for drizzling
  • kosher salt + pepper
  • 4 ears fresh or grilled corn, kernels removed from the cob
  • 1 1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted + halved
  • 1 (14 ounce) can white or black beans, drained
  • 1 cup microgreens

Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette
  • 1/3 cup shelled, toasted sunflower seeds
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • kosher salt + pepper
  • crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Savory Granola
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup raw, shelled sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  • pepper, to taste


Instructions
  1. Add the kale to a large bowl salad bowl with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until the kale begins to break down and soften a bit.
  2. Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat.
  3. Place the zucchini in another bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Grill the zucchini until light char marks appear, about 3-5 minutes per sides. Remove from the grill.
  4. Add the grilled zucchini, corn, fresh cherries and beans to the bowl with the kale. Gently toss to combine. 
  5. Sprinkle on the microgreens and savory granola (see recipe below). Serve the salad alongside the sunflower seed vinaigrette (recipe below).

Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette
  1. Add the sunflower seeds, olive oil and lemon juice to a high powered blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth. If needed, add water to thin the vinaigrette. 
  2. Stir in the chopped basil, salt and pepper. 
  3. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to your taste. 
  4. Vinaigrette can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge.

Savory Granola
  1. Preheat the oven the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the oats, coconut and sunflower seeds to the baking sheet
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Pour over the oats mixture and use your hands to toss everything together until combined.
  3. Spread granola in a single layer. 
  4. Bake for 10 minutes, stir and toss, and then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until oats are toasted. Remove from oven and let cool completely. 
  5. The granola will keep in a glass jar for up to 1 week. Serve sprinkled over the salad.

Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies
Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

Yield: Makes about 2½ dozen cookies.

Deliciousness made with all-natural flavoring—triple lemon! Melt-in-your-mouth Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies at their finest and from scratch. What could be better? Our recipe was reverse engineered from standard recipes for Gooey Butter Cookies calling for boxed yellow cake mix. The result is simply a sublime buttery, light and tender-crumbed cookie sweetened just right and full of lemon flavor including an enchanting tang from cream cheese. You just can’t have one! Included is a scrumptious and irresistible gluten free variation. Everyone loves these classic cookies.

Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups (270 grams) organic all-purpose flour, such as King Arthur Flour®
  • 2 teaspoons (about 8 grams) baking powder
  • 1 (8-ounce/226-gram) package cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®, softened
  • ½ cup (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon (a few drops) lemon oil, Omit for gluten-free variation.
  • 1/8 teaspoon natural yellow gel based food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt, or ¾ teaspoon regular table salt
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk (mine weighed 71 grams w/o shells)
  • 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted, for rolling & dusting cookies

Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder until well blended. Set aside.
  2. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until well blended, creamy and smooth.
  3. Beat in sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, lemon oil, food coloring and salt; mix until well combined, light and fluffy, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary. Add egg and egg yolk and beat in well until creamy and light, about 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed.
  4. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and mix until just fully incorporated. Dough will be very sticky. Cover work bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
  5. Meanwhile, arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
  6. Measure enough dough to roll into generous 1-inch balls, using a 1 1/3-inch spring-loaded cookie scoop (or by measuring a generous tablespoon of dough with a measuring spoon) making sure each scoopful is in equal amounts. This is important for evenly baked cookies.
  7. Roll dough between palms of hands to achieve a small rounded ball and then roll in confectioners’ sugar to lightly coat. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake in preheated oven until cookies have spread into round cookie shapes and are puffed and crackly, about 14 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies will still be soft in the centers. If they start to brown around the edges, they have baked too long. The underside of the cookies should be only very lightly browned.
  9. Transfer to wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet. Once completely cooled, carefully remove cookies from baking sheet using a thin metal cookie spatula and transfer to an airtight container. Repeat with remaining dough on prepared cookie sheets.
  10. If desired, chill the cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Before serving, dust cookies with additional confectioners’ sugar. Serve cookies chilled or at room temperature.

Notes
  • Only use completely cooled cookie sheets lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper before baking each batch.
  • Avoid crowding the cookies on baking sheets by spacing apart at least by 2 inches.
  • These tender cookies taste fabulous when served either at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.
  • Cookies will keep for up to 1 week covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Watermelon Popsicles

Watermelon Popsicles
Watermelon Popsicles

Servings: 10 Popsicles

Ingredients
  • 2 cups blended watermelon (about 1/4 of a large watermelon)
  • 1 Fresh Young Thai coconut
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 Kiwis

Instructions
  1. Pour the blended watermelon about 2/3 of the way into the mold.
  2. Secure the lid to the mold and insert the popsicle sticks. Freeze for 3-4 hours.
  3. Blend the water and the meat of the Young Thai coconut together until completely smooth. 
  4. Remove the lid from the mold and fill half of the remaining space in the mold with the coconut mixture.
  5. Place back in the freezer for 2-4 hours. (If you are using a mold with a lid, you need not bother to put the lid back on as it will be tricky to get all of the sticks back through their respective holes. By this time the sticks are frozen in place so the lid is not necessary).
  6. Peel and blend the kiwis with the lime juice. Fill the last remaining space in the mold with this blend and place back into the freezer until the pops are completely frozen (approximately another 4 hours).

Cranberry Walnut Bread

Cranberry Walnut Bread
Cranberry Walnut Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the warm water and then sprinkle in the yeast. Next add in ½ cup of the flour, mix briefly to combine and then let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to proof the yeast.
  2. Add in the honey, olive oil, salt and cinnamon. Mix on low speed briefly to combine. Add in the remaining 5 ½ cups flour, about one cup at a time, and mix on low speed until the dough is a shaggy mass. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic, adding more flour if needed. (You can also knead the dough by hand. This amount of dough was pushing the capacity of my mixer, but it still worked fine that way).
  3. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large lightly oiled bowl. Turn once to coat and then cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours.
  4. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal.
  5. Gently deflate the dough and then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead in the cranberries and walnuts by hand. Split the dough into two equal sized pieces and form each into a ball that is about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Place both pieces on the preparing baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel(s) and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with additional all-purpose flour. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut a cross in the top of each loaf that is about 1-inch deep.
  7. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should be 190 degrees. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Thai Coconut Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Thai Coconut Chicken and Shrimp Soup
Thai Coconut Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, pounded
  • 2-inch piece galangal, sliced
  • 12 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
  • 3 tablespoons Thai roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
  • 1/2 lb skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined, tail-on
  • 6 oz fresh white button mushrooms, stems trimmed and quartered
  • 1 red chilies, deseeded, cut into thick strips
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 big lime, juiced

Instructions
  1. Add the chicken broth and water into a pot on high heat.
  2. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and roasted chili paste into the broth and bring to boil.
  3. Add the chicken, shrimp, mushroom and red chili. When the chicken and shrimp are cooked, add fish sauce, coconut milk and lime juice. Stir to combine well.
  4. Turn off heat and serve immediately.

Note
If you can’t find lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, just skip them. There are no real substitutes but your soup will not have the aromas imparted by these ingredients.

Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
  • 4 cups organic chicken stock or homemade chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Pinch white pepper
  • 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional, but if you want "the look...")
  • ¼ cup cornstarch mixed with ½ cup water
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped (optional)

Instructions
  1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium-sized soup pot. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Add in 5 drops of yellow food coloring, if using. The yellow food coloring gives the soup that rich restaurant-style yellow color but it is, of course, optional. Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  2. Next add the cornstarch slurry; make sure the cornstarch and water is mixed well, as the cornstarch settles very quickly. Stir the soup continuously as you drizzle in the slurry, or you'll get unpleasant clumps of cooked starch in your soup. 
  3. Use more or less starch if you like a thicker or thinner soup. You can also add the starch in a couple small batches, let the soup simmer for a couple of minutes, then check to see if the consistency is to your liking.
  4. Now we're ready for the most exciting part: the egg. This recipe calls for the egg to be slightly beaten, which results in both white and yellow egg swirls. The speed at which you stir the soup when adding the egg also determines whether you get large “egg flowers” or small egg flowers (i.e. swirly bits of egg). This is more a matter of personal preference than correctness. If you vary the speed at which you stir the soup, you'll get both. Some people even prefer chunks of egg in their soup, so do whatever suits your preferences!
  5. Once the soup's consistency is to your liking, use a ladle to stir the soup in a circular motion, and slowly drizzle in the egg until you have added it all.
  6. Ladle the soup in a bowl, top with scallion and cilantro, drizzle some sesame oil over the top, and serve!

Vegan Creme Caramel

Vegan Creme Caramel
Vegan Creme Caramel

Serves: 6 cups

Ingredients
  • 500 ml vanilla soymilk
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp agar powder

for the caramel:
  • 100 gr brown sugar

Instructions
  1. Boil the milk with the sugar and agar. When it starts to bubble remove and let cool.
  2. Caramelize the sugar until a thick glossy dark brown color. 
  3. Pour 2 tbsp in each cup and fill in with the vanilla creme. 
  4. Refrigerate.
  5. The creme is really easy to turn oven and has a wonderful look.

Mushroom Gnocchi with Walnut Pesto and Arugula

Mushroom Gnocchi with Walnut Pesto and Arugula
Mushroom Gnocchi with Walnut Pesto and Arugula

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the Walnut Pesto
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Gnocchi
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 24 ounces DeLallo Traditional Gnocchi (1½ packages)
  • 3-4 cups arugula (optional)
  • fresh parsley, basil, or other herbs to taste

Instructions
  1. Toast the walnuts in a nonstick skillet over medium low heat, shaking or stirring to make sure they don't burn. Pulse the walnuts, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until a textured paste forms. Set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top of the water. Drain and set aside.
  3. While the gnocchi is cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Add the gnocchi to the mushrooms in the pan. Over medium high heat, stir in about half of the walnut mixture. Things will get a little sticky because of the Parmesan, but if you keep browning it, you will end up with gnocchi pieces that have that perfectly golden brown textured exterior (and mushrooms, too). Add the herbs and toss gently to combine.
  5. If desired, toss with arugula (it will wilt, which I was fine with, but if you want it to stay crispier, let the whole thing cool down a little bit first). With the remaining pesto, add a little more water and salt and pulse to form a sauce if you want. Drizzle over each serving.

Notes
  • Normally I drown my foods in sauces. But this recipe is more rustic-feeling. It eats almost like a warm, roasty salad. There isn't a whole lot of sauce going on other than the pesto.
  • If you DO end up adding water or oil to your leftover walnut pesto to make something of a sauce, be sure to season it generously with salt and pepper, and be aware that because it's a nut-based sauce, it will be very thick and heavy. As leftovers sit around, it will get even thicker.
  • A lighter "sauce" option would just be an additional drizzle of olive oil with some good sea salt.
  • This is a really flexible recipe so go nutso with it to make it to your gnocchi liking!

Mini Oatmeal Raisin Toddler Muffins

Mini oatmeal raisin toddler muffins
Mini oatmeal raisin toddler muffins

Yield: Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients
  • 1 cup oats (I use old-fashioned oats)
  • 1 cup milk (skim, 2% or soy all work fine)
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use white whole wheat flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cup raisins

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Place oats in a medium bowl and add milk. Allow the oats to soak while you prepare the rest of the muffins.
  3. In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  4. Add the maple syrup, applesauce, egg and vanilla to the bowl with the soaked oats and stir to combine.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  6. Mix in the raisins. The batter will be very runny.
  7. Fill the mini muffin tin. Each cup should be filled almost to the top.
  8. Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes, until done.

Notes
  • I used maple syrup so these would be safe for any kids under the age of 1 (you can’t give honey to babies). Otherwise, you could certainly substitute honey for the maple syrup.
  • These are just barely sweet and great for little ones. If you want them to be sweeter, try increasing the maple syrup to 1/3 cup.
  • Extras can be stored on the counter for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days and frozen for up to 3 months.

Creamy Watermelon Sherbet

Creamy Watermelon Sherbet
Creamy Watermelon Sherbet

Yield: About 6 cups

Ingredients
  • 5 cups watermelon puree (about 1 large watermelon)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Instructions
  1. Soften gelatin in ½ cup of the watermelon puree. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature and then heat gently to dissolve gelatin. Cool slightly.
  2. Add remaining watermelon puree, sugar, nutmeg, lemon juice and milk to gelatin mixture.
  3. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to appliance directions.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

This Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is a simple fish recipe that is done in 20 minutes and will even impress non-fish lovers!

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 tilapia filets (about 4 oz each)
  • lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. In a shallow bowl, mix together the Parmesan, paprika, parsley and salt. Drizzle the tilapia with the olive oil, then dredge in the cheese mixture, pressing it in lightly with your fingers if necessary. Transfer to the baking sheet.
  3. Bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10-12 minutes. Serve with the lemon slices.

Low Fodmap Salmon with sesame oil

Low Fodmap Salmon with sesame oil
Low Fodmap Salmon with sesame oil

Ingredients
  • 500g/1lb salmon
  • 4 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 150ml/¼ pint sesame oil
  • Japanese gluten free soy sauce

To serve

salad made from:
  • pickled ginger
  • Rice - cooked, drained and refreshed*
  • coriander, chopped
  • mint, chopped

*After the rice is cooked, rinse under cold water until cold, then drain and cover.

Preparation method
  1. Wrap the salmon in cling film and chill for a couple of hours.
  2. Slice the salmon as thinly as possible, cutting the flesh on a diagonal, and arrange on a plate in a fan pattern.
  3. Heat the sesame oil in a pan until sizzling hot and smoking.
  4. Carefully spoon the oil over the salmon and serve with the salad piled into the centre of the plate and a bowl of gluten free soy sauce to dip the salmon pieces into.

Vegetarian Ramen - Spicy Soy Milk Ramen

Vegetarian Ramen - Spicy Soy Milk Ramen
Vegetarian Ramen - Spicy Soy Milk Ramen

Ingredients

For Vegetarian Dashi
  • ¾ cup water
  • About 1 1” x 2” (2.5 x 5 cm) kombu
  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom

For Soup
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½" ginger
  • Scallion (white part)
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tsp. chili bean paste
  • 2 tsp. miso
  • 1 Tbsp. sake
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • ½ cup dashi
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
  • Dash of white pepper

For Ramen
  • 1 serving ramen noodles

For Ramen Toppings
  • ½ Ramen egg (omit for Vegan)
  • Spicy Bean Sprout Salad
  • Vegetarian kimchi
  • Corn
  • Scallion (green part)

Instructions

For 2 servings, simply double the amount of ingredients.
  1. Soak the kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in ¾ cup water for at least 30 minutes. Transfer the liquid into a small saucepan, including kombu and shiitake mushrooms. Slowly bring the liquid to boil over low heat. This will help enhance the dashi flavors.
  2. Right before the liquid turns into a full boil, remove the kombu and shiitake mushroom. If you don’t remove the kombu from the liquid before full boil, the dashi will be become slimy.
  3. Grind sesame seeds until they are crushed (I use Japanese “suribachi”).
  4. Press 2 cloves of garlic and mince ½ inch ginger.
  5. Separate green and white parts of scallion, and then cut into thin rounds.
  6. Add 2 tsp. sesame oil into the small saucepan. Add garlic, ginger, and white part of scallion and cook over medium low heat until fragrant.
  7. Add 2 tsp. Spicy Bean Paste and 2 tsp. miso in the saucepan. Stir constantly so that they don’t burn.
  8. Add 1 Tbsp. sake. This will help you release the bits of the sauce attached to the bottom of the saucepan with a wooden spatula.
  9. Add the sesame seeds and soy sauce.
  10. Slowly add 1 cup soymilk. Stir the soup the soup constantly and make sure to dissolve Spicy Bean Paste and miso before you finish adding the soymilk. Add ½ cup kombu & shiitake dashi next.
  11. Add dash of white peppers and salt to taste.
  12. Once the soup and all the toppings are prepared, cook the fresh or dried ramen noodles in boiling water. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Make sure to loosen the noodles before adding to the water. Stir the noodles so that they don’t stick to each other.
  13. Once the noodles are done cooking, drain the noodles very well and transfer to a ramen bowl. Pour the hot ramen soup into the bowl.
  14. Place the toppings of your choice on ramen and enjoy!

Notes
If you want to make more than one serving, simply multiply the quantities of ingredients by the number of servings you wish to make.