Asian Chicken Noodle

I made this Monday soup for lunch leftovers in the week. It's basically a chicken noodle soup with an Asian twist. Cut your veggies, like celery and carrots on an angle, use soy sauce and ginger in your broth and I used a fresh fettuccine but you can use Soba or chow mein noodles instead. Be sure to chop and prep your veggies first...then be sure not to over cook them because you want your veg a little more crunchy for this one! Enjoy.

Here's what I did.
- Poach a bone in, skin on double chicken breast in 3 cups of water, salt, pepper, a chunk of ginger, 4 crushed whole garlic cloves and a few dashes of soy sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the breast is cooked through. Remove chicken and allow to cool before shredding.

- In another soup pot, heat up a tsp of sesame oil, and fry the white parts of 2 green onions until soft. Then strain your broth into this pot. Here, you can add a 2-3 more cups of chicken stock, either store bought or home made. Bring to a simmer.

- Now, add all at once, thinly sliced carrot, 2 celery stalks, handful of snow peas, package of bean sprouts, green onions, fresh dill the chicken and some thinly sliced fennel. Add fresh pasta and simmer for five minutes.

- Serve with more soy sauce, hot sauce, spring rolls...and voila!

Moolicious!

Moo's Baked Cod With Polenta

This was so amazing and easy. I love dishes that have full flavour, are healthy and take no time to make. I also enjoy things from the oven because once you put it in, you can do other chores while it bakes. Follow these steps and you will not be disappointed. Also, don't worry too much about how much of any ingredient you use. You really can't mess this up!

Preheat oven to 375

In your medium sized casserole dish (not as big as a lasagna dish):

Drizzle some olive oil and strained tomatoes to layer the bottom, then sprinkle some fresh minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Layer 1/2 inch thick slices of polenta in the sauce, drizzle more tomatoes, oil, garlic and salt and pepper.
Place your pieces of cod over the top. Season with salt and pepper, lemon zest, more garlic, olive oil and then sprinkle some panko bread crumbs over top. Cover with foil, and bake for 50 minutes, then remove foil for the last 10 minutes.

Remove and sprinkle a generous handful of fresh parsley and lemon juice over top!

Moolicious.

Chicken Meatloaf with Green Beans and Hash

This week's yummy Sunday supper. I served it with green beans but feel free to use any green veggie you'd like.

Prepare the ground chicken the same way you would for a beef meatloaf.

In a bowl, mix together: a package of ground chicken, a beaten egg, 2 chopped scallions, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, minced garlic and about half a cup of panko bread crumbs. Mix together well and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350, form your meat into a loaf and bake for an hour to an hour and ten minutes.

Now, for the hash:
Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, sauté an onion, some diced pieces of prosciutto, and two cloves of minced garlic until softened.
Add about 3 cups of thawed potato hash browns (I used unseasoned McCain's) and keep mixing. Add any flavour blend of herbs and spices you like. I used, a hint of rosemary, cayenne, paprika, mustard powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Sauté until potatoes brown, add fresh parsley and serve with your loaf.


Mooliciousness to boot.

2013 Superbowl Nachos

We wanted a classic nacho feel with a healthy spin. So, here's what happened. Happy Superbowl.

On a pizza tray, set a piece of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375.
Lay out a few handfuls of plain nacho Tostitos Rounds, sprinkle some sharp Cheddar cheese over top, zest of one lime, a diced Italian tomato, a generous handful of green onions and a sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Remove and spritz half a lime over top. Serve with low fat sour cream.


Moolicious!

Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie

The combinations are limitless. Once you have the fresh fruit, some plain Greek yogurt and juice, smoothies are so easy to make.
In your blending machine, add 5 fat strawberries, a handful of blueberries, a pear, some orange juice (maybe half cup) and a couple dollops of plain yogurt. Blend until smooth and drink up.


Moolicious!

Cha-Cha's Noodles and Cottage Cheese

This is a tribute to my Gwendle. My mom and Cha-Cha used to make this for us when we were kids...and every so often, I will get a craving like I did yesterday. It is so simple, yet so yummy and every time I eat it I am left feeling nostalgic. It is a great side dish to any meaty meal, but they used to make a meal of it all on its' own. I used bowties because they are fun and work well, but you can use any type of small shaped pasta. This will always be a family recipe.

1. Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta. I used a whole box of bow ties. Cook until al dente. Strain.

2. Fry one medium sized diced onion in canola oil and a tbsp of butter until nicely softened.

3. Add some pasta water to the onions for an extra sauce-like feel.

4. In your pasta pot, mix together cooked pasta, one large container of cottage cheese and onions. Season with salt and pepper and add more oil if needed. Done!


Moolicious.

Summer Crab Salad

This is a fresh tasting salad that reminds me of summer, but can be enjoyed in the winter just the same. It is also quite versatile and can be enjoyed many different ways. Take it for lunch, put it in a dinner roll, on melba toast or as I like it, wrap it up in some bib or Boston lettuce and munch away. Enjoy!

In your chosen salad bowl, whisk together your dressing: drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, 3 tbsps mayo, 1 minced garlic clove, sea salt, pepper and a dash of both water and red wine vinegar.

Next, chop and drop in your bowl, half an orange pepper, 2 stalks of celery, a small can of corn kernels, 2 green onions and your diced crab. I used the typical salad crab (a package of 450 grams).

Mix together and sprinkle some black sesame seeds for the final touch.


Moolicious!

Quick Pizza with Arugula

This type of pizza is always my quick go to side dish with any cut of meat, fish or chicken because it packs in the carb and the salad, and the bonus is that it feels healthy and tastes fresh and simple. Enjoy.

1. Roll out your thawed store bought pizza dough and place on a baking tray sprinkled with cornmeal. Set aside in the oven with the light on (warmth) so it gets a little puffy, about 30 minutes, then remove before preheating.

2. Preheat oven to 425

3. Grate about 2 cups of fresh gruyere cheese, mince one clove of garlic and thinly slice a shallot.

4. Brush dough with a nice extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle your garlic, some kosher salt, cheese, shallot and season with pepper.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese starts to brown and bubble.

6. Remove and then top with a generous handful of fresh arugula, and a squeeze of lemon.
Slice it up and enjoy!


Moolicious!

Chicken and Dumplings, My Way

Holy moly. I told my Moo that I'd just use some chicken breast and gnocchi and see what happened. Well, I wasn't expecting these yummy results, so much so that I went in for seconds. As always with a one pot wonder, start with your prep first...cleaning, chopping and piling so all you do is drop in the pot as you go. ENJOY, I know I did.

First, heat up some oil, lots of minced garlic and a red onion in a large soup pot, add a tbsp of lemon juice and a squirt of red wine vinegar. Next add two cubed chicken breasts and your herbs and spices: a tsp basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Brown the chicken and remove from the pot.
Next, add three small sized carrots, roughly chopped and a diced celery stalk. Sauté until softened and then add about half a cup of white wine and let the wine cook out.
Add two tbsps cornstarch and allow to absorb then dissolve a veggie stock cube and about one cup water. Simmer for ten minutes, and allow sauce to thicken and keep adding boiling water until it is the desired thickness you want.
Finally, add about 1/4 cup diced red pepper, and a handful of green onions and fresh dill, your chicken, a package of gnocchi and simmer until gnocchi are soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in a big bunch of arugula, let it wilt down and done!

So Moolicious!

Orange Almond Breakfast Loaf

A simple orange inspired me to make some kind of cake as well as some ground almonds and sour cream that needed to be used. I made it from scratch, which might seem scary but if you use ingredients and measure out what you're used to then have no fear. It was yummy!

First, set out what you need:
A lightly greased and sugared loaf dish
An orange, zest and juice
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsalted margarine, melted
3/4 tbsps almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup ground almonds
Sliced almonds for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift flour, ground almonds, the powders together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Whip egg whites together with zest until soft peaks form. Then slowly beat in sugar. Set aside.
4. Add whole egg, sour cream and extracts to melted margarine. Then add flour mixture to this.
5. Gently fold in egg white mixture until batter is well mixed and pour into your dish. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and bake for about 50 minutes.
6. Once the loaf has cooled slightly, brush with orange juice and one tbsp sugar mixture.

Slice and enjoy.

Moolicious!

Souped up Chicken Noodle

This soup was inspired by a classic chicken noodle soup. With a few extra twists, this soup was a yummy meal for a cold night.


Start with your prep:
-cube one small zucchini, dice one medium red onion, dice a few button mushrooms, slice a few small carrots, green beans, two celeries and set aside.
- prep a medium pot for poaching your chicken. So put onion, with peel, garlic cloves, salt, hot peppers, carrot peelings... And chicken. Cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, set aside. Reserve poaching broth.
-In your soup pot, heat up olive oil then saute your onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, then add carrot and celery. Saute for 5 minutes, then add 2 cups chicken stock and strain poaching stock right into the soup. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Next add green beans, and a small shaped pasta, fresh dill sprigs. Cook for 5 more minutes or until beans are cooked and pasta is al dente.
- Finally add your zucchini mix, the chopped chicken, a handful of fresh baby spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Moolicious!

Spaghetti and Shrimpballs with Mussels

Oh so delish. It may seem like this dish is complex but really it isn't and it's the type of thing you'd get in a restaurant for 30.00$. It made date night at home extra special.

Prep first: boil your spaghetti noodles and set aside. Clean your mussels and discard any open or cracked ones. Set aside.

For the Shrimpballs:
In a food processor, pulse together a bag of clean, thawed shrimp with 3 cloves garlic, small handful cilantro, salt pepper and bread crumbs until the mixture has the consistency of ground beef. Set in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to make balls.

For the broth:
In a soup pot, heat up olive oil and lightly fry a shallot and 5-6 cloves of minced garlic.
Deglaze the pot with a cup of white wine and bring to a simmer.
Add a cube of garlic stock, a cup of strained tomato liquid and a bottle of clam juice.
Add about a cup of water with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, a piece of lemon, a bunch of basil and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Now for cooking the shrimpballs: form your balls about golf size, and set on a plate. Once they are all made, place in your broth and cook for 6 minutes or so. Remove.
Next add mussels to the broth, cover and cook for 8 minutes until they open.

Ready to eat? Place some noodles in a bowl, with a few shrimpballs and pour the hot broth and mussels over top. Sprinkle a few basil leaves and parm cheese over top.


Moolicious!