Food Challenges

Squash Tart

3 cups cooked squash, mashed
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tomato, sliced
50 g cooked back bacon, finely diced (2 thick slices)
2 oz cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water


Sauté the onion in a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of water until it is translucent. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cooked bacon, cooked onion, cooked squash and oregano. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.


Add 2 tsp of oil to an oven safe frying pan. Form the squash mixture into a large patty. Add the squash patty to the frying pan and cook over medium heat until the bottom begins to brown (about 3 to 4 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes, until it begins to form a light crust. Remove from under the broiler and sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top of the squash patty. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the cheese and cover with the remaining cheese. Return to the broiler and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.


Remove from the oven and cut into 4 pieces. Serve hot with apple pear chutney or additional diced, cooked bacon.


Nutritional Information: Approximate values per serving


Calories: 131
Fibre: 2.6 gm
Fat: 8.3 gm
High in calcium, phosphorus , vitamin B6 and vitamin C

Apple Pear Chutney

2 cups apple (2 organic Fuji apples)
2 cups pear (2 organic D’Angou pears)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 cup purple onion
1 clove garlic
¾ cup tequila gold
1/2 cup honey
2 limes
¼ cup pistachio nuts, without the shell
6 pieces candied ginger

Peel, core and dice the apples and the pears. Place in a large bowl. Peel and dice the red onion. Add to the bowl. Peel and crush the garlic. Add it to the bowl. Toss well. In a medium sized pot, combine the diced, pear, apple, onion, dried cherries, tequila gold and honey. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about an hour, uncovered. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

In a shallow pan, dry roast the pistachio nuts. Watch them constantly and move them around the dry pan, so as not to burn them. Set them aside to cool. Dice the candied ginger into small pieces and set aside. Peel the limes and cut them into segments. Set aside.

When you are ready to serve your meat, toss the pistachio nuts, lime segments and candied ginger into the chutney.

Makes 10 servings. Suggested servings: with pork, lamb or chicken and over frozen vanilla yoghurt.

Nutritional Information: approximations only

Calories 95      Fibre 1.8 gm      Fat 0.1 gm

Low in sodium (2 mg), High in Vitamin C and sugar (21.7 gm)

Feta and Beet Salad

4 beets
2 tsp canola oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp feta cheese


Wash the beets carefully in cold water. Leave the root in place and keep a small amount of stem (2 fingers wide). Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (30 minutes). Drain off the water and allow the beets to cool.


When the beets are cool, cut off the root and stem. Remove the skin. (Use rubber gloves to prevent your hands from staining) Dice the beets into small cubes.


In a serving bowl, combine the diced beets, canola oil, thyme and lemon juice. Toss the mixture well so that all the ingredients coat the beets evenly. Add salt and pepper if desired.


Crumble the feta cheese on top of the salad and it serve cold. Makes 2 portions


Nutritional Information: Approximate values per portion


Calories 144
Fibre 4.2 gm
Fat 6.1 gm


High in dietary fibre, manganese, potassium, vitamin C


Low in cholesterol

Lighten Up! Broccoli Soup

This soup is very quick and easy to make. It’s starch free as well. If you like a thick soup, add less liquid and more broccoli.


2 to 4 heads of organic broccoli and stems ( peeled ) about 6 cups
1 large organic onion ( peeled ) about 2 cups
6 to 8 cups of water, organic low fat chicken or vegetable broth
1 small bunch of fresh organic parsley ( chopped )
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper ( to taste )


Bring the water ( or broth ), salt, pepper, and the bay leaf to a boil in a large pot with a lid. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.


Finely chop the onion, and broccoli in a food processor until it’s a mealy paste. Add the processed vegetables to the boiling broth and cook for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and remove the bay leaf.


I like a smooth, creamy soup, so I put it through the blender on high until it has a velvety texture. This soup has a bright green colour and bold taste. It freezes well and is packed with nutrients because of the very short cooking time.


I like to add nutmeg to mine, but that’s a personal preference, so I add it at the table.


Makes 6 large servings


If you want some variety, you can add cream or half and half before you serve it. Just remember, you can’t freeze soup made with cream because it will separate when you reheat it. Cream will also increase the fat and calorie content. This is also very nice with toasted gluten free croutons and grated old cheddar on top.


Nutritional Information: approximations only


Calories 85
Fibre 3.1 g
Fat 1 g

Salmon Salad Cups

This is my twist on an old summer or luncheon favourite. I serve it with a bowl of soup to make a complete meal.





200 g salmon, (1/2 cup) canned wild pacific, mashed
1 Tbsp parsley, fresh finely chopped
1 Tbsp chives, fresh, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 tsp tarragon, dried
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 cup lettuce, romaine, 4 leaves cut in half


Wash 4 romaine leaves and pat them dry. Cut each one in half width wise to make 8 “cups” or “boats”. Set aside.


Drain the salmon, if using canned, and mash the meat with a fork to break it into small pieces, in a mixing bowl.


In the same bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients with the salmon and mix well. With a spoon, place equal amounts of the salmon salad on each romaine cup.


Arrange on a plate and serve cold. Makes 2 servings.


Nutritional Information:


Calories 246
Fat 14.9 g
Fibre 0.9 g


High in B6, B12, Niacin, phosphorus, selenium, thiamine.

Apple Ginger Muffins

2 cup almond meal
4 pieces crystallized ginger, finely diced
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 apple, organic finely diced
3 egg whites, free range organic
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp raw honey
3 Tbsp canola oil


Peal and core the apple. Dice into small pieces. Sauté the diced apple with the water in a small frying pan until tender. Set aside to cool. Add the chopped, crystallized ginger.


Combine the almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.
Combine the vanilla, honey, and oil. Mix well.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
Place a spoonful of the batter into each of 12 paper muffin cups in a muffin tin.


Bake at 325F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.


Nutritional Information per muffin:


The advantage of this muffin is that it contains no starch of any kind. It is suitable for anyone following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Although this muffin appears high in fat, there are no transfats or cholesterol and what fat there is, is considered “heart smart”. They are moist and delicious, as well as very satisfying.


Calories 144
Dietary Fibre 2.3 gm
Fat 11.4 gm

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Ingredients


1 cup romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half on the diagonal
3 oz (90g) chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 tbsp basil, fresh chopped
10 black olives, pitted & cut in half on the diagonal
¼ cup feta cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice


Directions


Layer the ingredients: from the bottom up
Romaine lettuce tossed with basil
cut grape tomatoes
diced chicken breast
olives and feta cheese
Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice on top.


Serve cold. Makes 1 serving. Large salad suitable for a main course.


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 382.8g


Amount Per Serving
Calories 366
Calories from Fat 185


% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20.6g 32%
Saturated Fat 7.8g 39%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 878mg 37%
Total Carbohydrates 12.3g 4%
Dietary Fibre 3.9g 16%
Sugars 6.7g
Protein 34.0g


Vitamin A 40%
Vitamin C 39%
Calcium 27%
Iron 18%


*Based on a 2000 calorie/day diet. Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation.

Lighten Up!

You hear that term used often these days. It’s become part of the vernacular: our street talk, slang. I always think,”Relax! Smile! Enjoy yourself.” Invariably, it makes me chuckle when someone says it to me. It’s a gentle reminder that I’ve gotten too serious. That can happen easily with me. However, when my doctor suggested I lighten up recently, it meant something entirely different!… Continue Reading…