Its no secret, getting greens in at every meal can be hard. I don't always feel like a side of broccoli, or a side of salad. Sometimes I want a hearty, warm meal...especially on a cool day.
Stuffing your chicken is a good way to sneak some greens in. Even if its not a full serving of veggies, for me I always say " its better than nothing!"
Sometimes stuffing chicken can get discouraging...and lately there are a ton of new ways to roll your chicken, tie your chicken, fold it etc. Its not complicated. In fact, its all in where and how you make the cut. (I feel like Im on the set of Grey's Anatomy...) but the thing that gets everyone frustrated is you've spent all that time stuffing it and by the time its ready to eat everything has fallen out or dried up! Not with this method! I promise!
4 Chicken Breast
4 Stalks of Swiss Chard
4 Slices of Fontina Cheese (You can also use Swiss if you wish)
1 1/2 tablespoons of Salt
1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon of Pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1/c cup Chicken Stock
1/3 cup White Wine
1 tablespoon of Butter
~Remove the chicken from the packaging and place on the cutting board. The trick is to slice the chicken from the top and on an angle without piercing all the way through. You want to have a pocket to stuff!
~Season the inside of the chicken breast with a pinch of salt and pepper
~Cut the stalks away from the Swiss Chard and discard. They won't have enough time to breakdown and get tender.
~Place the Swiss Chard and one slice of Cheese in every breast and close the flap.
~Heat a tablespoon of Canola Oil in a large skillet/pan (use one that is oven safe) and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
~In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic pepper and parsley and sprinkle over the chicken breasts.
~Place the chicken breasts in the skillet/pan with the seal side down gently in the heated oil and sear for 4 minutes. Add the butter and then using tongs, gently flip the breasts over and sear for another minute. Add the wine and the chicken stock and place the skillet/pan in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the centre.
~Strain the juices that are left in the pan and pour over your chicken and its ready to serve.
Your family will be thrilled that the chicken stayed stuffed and didn't ooze all into the pan! This Chicken is perfect with a side of garlic mashed potatoes!
Natalie
Tomato, Broccoli and Goat Cheese Quiche
I love eggs...but eating them scrambled, sunny side up or poached can get boring. Not only that, when my whole family feels like eggs, it could take a long time and a few dozen eggs to cook enough for five hungry people.
Making a quiche is a great way to get in your Omega 3's and satisfy the egg craving for everyone in one meal. Quiche are very versatile, you can add whatever vegetables you feel like to them, but the key is not to overdo it, otherwise it won't hold and your going to miss out on the egg flavour.
1 9" pie crust (you can make you own, but to really cut down on time and mess, using a store bought crust is perfectly fine)
4 Eggs (if you want to leave the yolks out-you will need 5 egg whites)
1/3 cup Milk
1/3 cup Mini cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup broccoli (cut into small pieces-it might make a mess but add all the little broccoli crumbs too)
2 Tablespoons of Goats Cheese
2 sprigs of Thyme (make sure to use just the leaves and throw the stems away) You can also use 1 tsp of dried thyme if you don't have fresh herbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees
~If using a store bought pie crust, be sure it has been thawed in the fridge before using. Your quiche will crack if you use it frozen.
~Gently dock the crust using a fork to make sure to avoid air bubbles and an uneven bottom.
~Slice the tomatoes into half and place aside
~Chop the broccoli and place aside
~Place the pie crust onto a baking sheet (this will help keep your oven clean in case anything spills over the edge)
~In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until combined
~Add the tomatoes,broccoli, thyme and salt and pepper to the egg mixture and gently paddle into the pie crust
~Crumble the Goats Cheese over top the pie
~Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven until golden brown
~Serve with your favourite side of greens or perfect with a side of soup.
Quiche make great leftovers. Simply make 2 of these healthy quiche and save one for lunches and snacks for the next few days. If covered tightly with cling wrap, they can last 3 days in the fridge!
Natalie
I can't help but rush into Pumpkin Season full throttle every year. Its one of my favourite times of the year and it goes by with the blink of an eye. You really need to take advantage of the flavour of pumpkin in September and October...once Halloween is over, everyone is already onto Jingle Bells and snowsuits!
Pumpkin is not only delicious and easy to cook with but it is also loaded with nutrients. Pumpkin is low in Saturated Fat and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is an excellent source of Vitamin E, A and C. Its even considered a good source of Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Iron, Folate, Copper, Magnesium, Niacin, Riboflavin and Potassium. I KNOW! Its like its own little delicious superfood.
For the months of September and October, its clear that Pumpkin just might be able to replace my daily multi vitamin!
2 Cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1/4 teaspoon of Nutmeg
3 egg yolks (Don't discard the whites...they are a vital part of the recipe. Just sent them aside in a separate bowl)
1 Cup of Pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup canola oil
~combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl
~In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, pumpkin vanilla, milk and oil and set aside
In a mixer (or you can use a hand blender) beat the 3 egg whites until a stif peak forms
~Mix the dry ingredients together with the wet ingredients and then gently fold in the egg whites just until combined
~Gently scoop some of the mixture onto your waffle iron and wait for pure bliss!
These waffles are good with any maple syrup of your choice. If you want to take it to the next level, you can top them with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon, warm maple syrup and a sprinkle of toasted pecans! These are a great treat on Halloween morning for the kids!
Natalie
Kale Hummus
Its not easy fitting in all your greens...
I think to myself everyday that I should add more greens to my smoothie...or eat a salad everyday for lunch, maybe even make zucchini chips. Its not that I don't want too...its that sometimes it seems like its too much work to get it all made. Life is busy...especially with kids!
Im a lover of hummus...I can literally eat it by the spoonfuls and I put it on everything!
This hummus is smooth, creamy, packed with flavour and most importantly healthy!
1 (540 ml) Can Chick Peas
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 Cup of Kale
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon toasted pistachios
~Drain the chick peas as you normally would but save about a tablespoon of the liquid. I find it helps to give this recipe the smooth texture.
~Remove the stems from the Kale. Just use the leaves in this recipe, the stems won't cook down well.
~Steam or blanch the kale just until its soft. You will have a hard time getting the smooth, velvety texture if you choose to skip this step.
~Place the drained chick peas, the liquid with all the remaining ingredients in your food processor (or fancy magic bullet).
~Pulse the mixture a few times to get the ingredients all mixed together then puree until smooth consistency. You may need to add an additional tablespoon of water depending on how fluid you prefer your hummus.
~Poor into a bowl or serving dish and sprinkle the pistachios along the sides and drizzle with olive oil.
This hummus is a great addition to any sandwich as a spread! Sprinkle it with your favourite nut of choice (doesn't have to be pistachios). It adds texture and will help with the presentation!
Natalie
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
This year has been very successful for tomatoes...but I have to be honest...Im getting tired of making sauce with them and I can't eat Tomato Salad everyday...I lied when I said in May that I couldn't wait!
The good news, this recipe uses up some of the extra's that are left hanging on the vine and its a great dish for entertaining. There is something about warm Goat Cheese and a crispy Phyllo crust that makes my mouth water. So I found a way to get both out of one bite!
10" round tart pan (You can use a square pan as well)
1 Cup tomatoes (I like to use the little ones from the garden but you can use any tomato in this recipe. The smaller the tomato the sweeter the taste so if you can get cherry tomatoes those work perfecly.)
1 tablespoon chopped Parsley
1 Garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
3 sheets of phyllo (Make sure you thaw it in the fridge before you use it. Otherwise it will be very difficult to get it to stay together and not tear)
1/2 cup Goat Cheese (I like to use a flavoured goat cheese, but plain works just as good. I use a herb flavoured Goat Cheese, helps to add even more flavour to the tart)
~Fold each sheet of Phyllo in half and gently place the first sheet in your tart pan. Drizzle a touch of olive oil and add another folded sheet of Phyllo and repeat by drizzling olive oil. Place the last folded sheet of phyllo and gently press trying to avoid the sheets from tearing
~Cut your tomatoes into bite size pieces, if your using cherry tomatoes simply cut them in half
~Place the tomatoes in a bowl and add the minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and gently stir
~Pour the tomatoes into the tart shell and arrange them so they are evenly distributed
~Crumble the Goat Cheese over top the tomatoes and sprinkle the Parsley overtop the filling
~Place in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, until golden brown and the tomatoes are softened
~Serve warm or room temperature
This is a great Appetizer for entertaining...you can easily make little mini ones using your muffin tin. Jut use kitchen shears to cut the appropriate size of Phyllo for each one. Your guests will love the look!
Natalie
