Easy Holiday Dinners

Christmas is still over a month away, but I am already that holiday rush. Every time I sit down I remember something I forgot to do and immediately have to get up again. So something had to give and that something was making busy dinners.

But giving up busy dinners doesn't mean that I'm eating fast food or frozen pizzas every night. I've just started cooking smarter. 

Instead of making a big dinner ever night, I might roast up a pan of squash on the weekend and turn that into easy dinners for the next week. Maybe a squash soup for Monday, a pan fried fish and squash salad for Tuesday, and some totally amazing Cheesy Roasted Squash and Mushroom Wraps for Wednesday.

I think I pumped you up for wraps, so that's what I'm sharing today. Read on for the recipe, perfect for the busy holiday season.

Beet-za Pizza!

Most people think of pizza being made from pizza dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. I agree, that's pizza. But I think that pizza is so much more than that too.

One of my favourite pizzas is my Butternut Squash and Arugula Pizza  and it doesn't have any tomato sauce on it at all. In fact it has maple syrup on it! One of my other favourite pizzas is my Provençal Pizza and it's covered in pears and lavendar! 

If you think either of those pizzas sound like something you might be interested in tasting, keep on reading because this pizza is incredibly yummy too. It's my version of a pizza created on the Roasted Root, but done in an even more beet-y way to incorporate the earthy flavour of beet greens. 

Soup for a Dark Day

Is it just me or did it just get super dark in the mornings all of a sudden? I wake up, I look outside, it's dark, and it's 7:00am? It feels like a prank, but sadly it's not.

These dark days make me yearn for hot, silky, creamy soup. The kind full of goodies and deliciousness. The kind of soup that makes you want a second bowl. Maybe the kind with a little heat in it, so you don't feel cold anymore. Do you know the kind I mean?

If you can't put your finger on the kind of soup I'm talking about, don't worry. I have your back. It's the kind of soup I'm sharing today - Thai Coconut Noodle Soup. It's perfect for the days you want to stay in bed, and the other days too.

October's Crazy Ingredient Challenge

I missed last month's Crazy Ingredient Challenge because life just got a little crazy, so this month I made sure to participate. The challenge was a little greater for me this month though because it was to combine pumpkin and bacon and if you know me, you know I don't eat bacon!

Because of my no bacon rule, I took a few liberties with the challenge and used tempeh bacon instead of the real thing. But if you really love bacon and beef,  I know you could substitute regular bacon and regular meatloaves in my recipe if you wanted to. Either way, the best part of the recipe is baking it in a little pumpkin!

I know this recipe is sure to get you in the mood for Halloween, or Thanksgiving if you live in the US. It's too perfect for either one of those holidays! So before you read on, just be sure you are ready to get into the holidays!

Mexi-Style

I have been on a wrap kick for the last few weeks and really enjoying that kind of dinner. There aren't a lot of dishes, it's not messy, no cutlery is required, and it's not a lot of work.

I know if that's all I was looking for, I could just head to the nearest McDonalds. But I also like a few vitamins in my meals. And home-cooked wraps provide all the vitamins I could ever want. I'm making them, so I can put just about anything I'd like into them.

Today's recipe is more than just a wrap. It's a whole Mexican dinner stuffed into a wrap. And, if you're into wraps, it's great served as a casserole and just topped with avocados and cheese. I've happily eaten it that way more than once!

Salad Toppers

Have you ever tried corn nuts? I haven't until now and I am surprised to say that I like them. They look a little like the corn I used to buy from vending machines at farms to feed to the animals, but they taste like crunchy, salty, bites of goodness. And they are great as salad toppers!

The best thing I found about corn nuts is that they taste great on top of any salad I've tried so far. But I have to say that the salad I'm sharing today is pretty fantastic when topped with corn nuts.  Maybe it's the vinegary bite of the pickled beets with the salty corn nuts, creamy avocado, earthy lentils, and sharp green onions, but I think it's a great pairing!

Chickpeas in Asia

If someone told me that I could make a dinner that is easy, quick, yummy, and contains only six ingredients, I would tell them they're either crazy or just warming up a frozen dinner with a bagged salad.

Luckily today is not frozen dinner and bagged salad day. Today is Asian Chickpea Sweet Potatoes day and that day might come around a few times in the near future too. It's even easier than Twice Baked Mexican Sweet Potatoes day and just as yummy!

Big Appehtite

One of my hobbies is cooking up new recipes to enter in cooking contests and sometimes I win big. Recently I entered quite a few recipes into contests put on by Maple Leaf through Appehtite and I am excited to share that I won with one of my favourite quick and easy sandwich recipes.

I have shared my winning recipe before, but it's too yummy not to share again, especially when it just made me $1000 richer! Check out my recipe for my Italian Steak Sandwiches on my blog or on Appehtite.

And be sure to check out one of Appehtite's current contests for a chance to win $1000 yourself!

Great Veggie BBQ

When most people think of barbecuing, I don't think they think about great vegetarian food. Burgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs - sure they all to come to mind. And maybe a veggie burger might slip into a few people's minds, but not great vegetarian food. 

But today I hope to show to you that you can grill up some truly delicious vegetarian food, and not go anywhere near a veggie burger. I've made grilled polenta, BBQ sauce smothered grilled veggies, and fresh tomatoes and basil. I think it's a winner.

Thai One On

I never thought I'd be one of those girls that could order a salad for dinner and be satisfied. And, to be fair, normally I'm not satisfied. Normally I'm still hungry after eating just a salad.

But the salad I'm sharing today is different. It's full of Asian flavour, filling because of the peanuts, and incredibly healthy so you don't feel bad going back for seconds or even thirds.

Ok, so maybe I ate a lot of the salad and that's why I was full.... But I swear, it's a good one!

Crazy for Creole

I am so grateful for hot summer days this year, but the hot summer nights I could use a little less of. To counteract feeling a little too warm during hot summer nights I do one of two things - I either eat cool salads or spicy hot foods.

Cool salads seem to be eaten a little more frequently in house, just because they're easy and there's no cooking involved, so today I'm sharing a spicy dish. It's not too much work, but it looks impressive. And you can as much heat as you like, depending on how hot it is outside or how hot you like you food.

Ready for a mouthful of happiness? Read on for my Creole Bay Scallops and Rice.

Homegrown Lettuce

It's August and I think this is the first year I've kept my resolution all the way to the eighth month of the year! I promised myself that I would try one new food each month for all of 2014 and I'm proud that I've actually kept it up.

This month isn't quite as adventurous as other months, but it did take a lot more work than just pursuing the isles at the Bulk Barn. This month I tried homegrown lettuce!

I have grown lettuce before but for some reason it's always been a little too bitter for me to really enjoy. But this lettuce is different; it's tender, sweet, and a real treat to eat.

I paired my homegrown lettuce with some other yummy summertime ingredients - barbecued peaches, a light lemon vinaigrette, salmon, and blue cheese. I think I came up with a winning salad, but read on for the recipe to see if you agree.

Summer Salad Frenzy

I have truly enjoyed finding one new ingredient to try using each month of 2014 and I am proud to say that July's ingredient was something I grew in my garden. It's pineapple mint.

Pineapple mint tastes exactly what you would expect a mint and pineapple fusion to taste like and I have no idea how anyone could have made it happen. It's fresh, bright, and delicious. And you might not believe me, but it's perfect with seafood.

The dish I made to first taste pineapple mint is a fresh summer salad and I know it's going to find it's way back onto my dinner table throughout August. It's too simple and perfect to serve on a warm day.

July's Crazy Ingredient Challenge

July's Crazy Ingredient Challenge is a little less crazy than most months, it's combining cranberries and shallots! But while I think that's the perfect combination for Thanksgiving, but it's a little more challenging for the summer.

I came up with a shallot and dried cranberry compote butter that would amazing when tossed with veggies, but I felt like making something a little different for this challenge. So I took a look in my fridge and found a head of cauliflower. Then I looked in my garden and saw that my basil was bright and beautiful. I knew I would make a gorgeous summer soup out of the cauliflower and top it with tart little dried cranberries and bright basil.

This soup was one of my best so thanks to Dawn from Spatulas on Parade for, what turned out to be, a perfect summer combo!

20 Minute Dinners

I am love with quesadillas. I love them done in a pan, on the BBQ, or in the oven. I love them filled with anything, but gooey cheese should always be involved. Basically I don't think anything is wrong with them.

But this recipe is one of the best. Smokey black beans mashed up with garlic powder and cumin. Lots of gooey cheese. Avocados smeared over everything. And they're quick to whip up. Perfect? I like to think so.

Fungi Nights

If I had to eat one thing every single night of the week, I don't even have to think about what I would choose. I know it would be pizza. Pizza can be done in a million ways and not one of them are bad. Plus, almost every single pizza I've ever eaten contains cheese in some form and if you know me, you know how much I love cheese!

Today's pizza is my version of a fungi pizza. It's not a first date pizza because of all the roasted garlic and blue cheese, but it's certainly the pizza I'd choose to make for a 10th date. It's a real winner.

Summertime Tabbouleh

I feel very comfortable cooking most cuisines but middle eastern food has never been one of my favourite foods to eat or cook. But when I first tasted a new version of tabbouleh, filled with fresh Canadian corn, I knew I would be revisiting middle eastern cuisine all summer long.

The tart lemon and sweet corn are a perfect match in this dish. And the roasted baby tomatoes and salty feta cheese don't hurt either. I like to eat a big bowl of this tabbouleh with nothing else, but I know it would be great served as a side dish with something grilled too.

The Grilled Pizza Caper #Herbamare

I love pizza, but there are a few things I am not sure should ever be eaten on one and fish (besides the weirdly popular anchovies) is one of them. All that changed when I tried a smoked salmon flatbread at a restaurant though; it was amazing and seemed so easy to recreate at home.

All I did was grill up some pizza dough, top it with some herby cream cheese, smoked salmon, dressed baby kale, and crispy capers. It might sound like a lot of steps, but trust me, they are all small steps. I know you'll love this recipe.

One of my best tips is to use Sodium Free Herbamare when dressing your baby kale. There is a ton of sodium in capers so I try to cut back on it in the other parts of this dish as best I can. And using Sodium Free Herbamare is an easy way to do that.

Wheat Berries for Canada Day

I love being Canadian and I love sharing my love of being Canadian through food. Every year I create fun red and white dishes for Canada Day and this year I started a little early so I could share it with you now.

I decided I wanted to try wheat berries for my dish and I'm happy to say they turned out great. I learned a lot of them too.

1. Wheat berries are similar to farro, but much less expensive.
2. They can be toasted in the oven prior to cooking them but they have a nice nutty taste even if you don't do toast them first.
3. They need to be cooked for a really long time, about 50 minutes or more.

Ready for my newest dish, Wheat Berry and Grapefruit Salad? Read on for the recipe.

How Do You #Herbamare?

I am a big fan of anything that means I have an easy (but still delicious) cooking experience and Herbamare recently gave me samples of their products to prove to me that using their natural sea salt infused with organic herbs and veggies was a great way for me to achieve that experience.

I've tried all three flavours now - original, zesty, and sodium free - and it's been the Zesty Herbamare that has spoken most loudly to me. I tried Zesty Herbamare in a Healthy Caesar and that inspired me to make my own salad version of the delicious Canadian drink, a Caesar Salad with Salmon.