Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

(makes 12)

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup poppyseeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1tablespoon lemon zest (optional)

1 egg
3/4 cup rice milk (or regular milk)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions:
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and lemon zest if you choose to add it).

In separate bowl mix egg, milk, oil, and lemon juice.

Pour into flour mixture and stir just enough to moisten being careful not to over-mix.

Spoon into greased muffin tins.

Bake in 375* oven for 25- 30 minutes or until tops are firm.

Hubby's best, most incredibly delicious chicken (or turkey) soup

This recipe came through my mother-in-law, and is meant to use up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas. We do make it then, but like it almost as much with leftover roast chicken (and Gracie, of course, prefers it with no meat at all ;-) It's one of Hubby's favourites, especially when he has a cold (or comes home frozen from the arena).

What makes it a little different from most turkey/ chicken soups is the addition of a can of tomato soup before serving. It not only gives it a wonderful flavour, but adds some vitamin C as well (important during cold season).

I you haven't made a roast turkey or chicken, this can be made using chicken pieces (thighs are nice) to make the broth, and the meat can either be added to the soup or kept for another meal such as a stir-fry or chicken pot pie, added to a salad, or shredded for sandwiches or Shredded Thai Chicken.

Ingredients (amounts are flexible- use what you have or what you want):

~ a soup pot of turkey or chicken broth, about 8 cups (made from boiling the carcass left over from the turkey/ chicken along with any leftover veggies, some onion, and whatever seasonings you like. I like to use the same seasonings I use in my stuffing, since that flavour already comes out when boiling the carcass)

~ about 4 cups of chopped veggies (I use carrots, celery, potatoes and onion) and about 1 cup of frozen peas if desired

~ about 1/2 package dried linguine or fettuccine, broken into bite-size pieces (about an inch long)

~ any nice bits of meat that fell off of the carcass during boiling, and any leftover roasted meat, cut up (or, as Gracie would suggest- use no meat at all!)

~ one can of all-natural, low-sodium tomato soup

Directions:

1. Heat broth to boiling and add meat and all veggies except peas, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes and carrots are almost cooked through (about 15 minutes).

2. Bring broth back to a boil and add pasta, reduce heat and cook until al dente (check the package- it's usually about 10 minutes).

3. Next add frozen peas, and bring back to a boil.

4. Turn off heat and stir in the can of tomato soup.

5. Serve with pepper and parmesan on the table for those who would like to add them, and a loaf of homemade bread if possible.

healthy makeover- tuna casserole

Ingredients:

One box whole wheat macaroni
1 can tuna packed in water (no salt)
one recipe homemade condensed mushroom soup
a cup or so of frozen or fresh peas (depending on season)

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and put into large casserole dish.

Add tuna (drained) and peas, then pour mushroom soup over top. Stir until nicely mixed, sprinkle with pepper if desired.

Bake in a 350* oven until heated through (about 1/2 hour).

Serve with parmesan, pepper, parsley and grated cheddar on the table as additional (optional) toppings.

Note: we usually double this for our family so that The Boy can have seconds, and Hubby can have leftovers for lunch the next day

Gypsy Soup

This is by far our favourite soup this winter. So good, in fact, that my chickpea-hating 12yo has proclaimed it the second-best soup ever (mushroom being number one).

My lazy version of the Moosewood Cookbook's Ever-So-Delicious Gypsy Soup

3 tablespoons (or so) olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp chopped garlic in oil
2 cups sweet potatoes- peeled and chopped
1 cup fozen peas
1 can chickpeas- drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon basil
dash cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1/2 can tomato paste

In a large saucepan, saute onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes in olive oil for about five minutes.

Add seasonings (except soy sauce) and the broth.

Simmer, covered, fifteen minutes.

Add remaining vegetables, chickpeas, tamari and tomato paste.

Simmer another 10 minutes or so - until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them.

NOTES : The vegetables used in this soup are flexible:
Any orange vegetable can be combined with green...for example, green peppers or green beans could replace the peas. Carrots or squash can be used instead of, or in addition to the sweet potatoes, etc.

A substitute for condensed mushroom soup

We don't use condensed soup in any of our recipes anymore, since we avoid MSG, artificial colours and flavours. Problem is, many of our favourite quickie casseroles and 15-minute suppers call for a can of mushroom soup to act as the 'sauce'. Hubby mentioned the other day how much he has missed one of his favourites- a broccoli/ ham/ cheese/ rice/ mushroom soup combo the kids dubbed 'Super Supper' years ago. I decided to experiment, and actually came up with a winner! We had 'Super Supper' last night, and it tasted very close to what we were used to, but better (of course!).

I took my favourite quick-n-easy cream of mushroom soup recipe and reduced the liquid- and there you go- condensed soup!

Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces finely chopped mushrooms
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (optional)
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, combine mushrooms, broth, and onion, and bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Melt butter in another saucepan; blend in flour.

Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Add sauce to mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 3 cups.

Notes:

Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

The original soup recipe calls for 2 cups of broth and 3 cups of milk- the rest is exactly the same.

Pancake Tuesday

This is our favourite pancake recipe. We have made it successfully without the blueberries, and also by substituting chopped apples. The original recipe came from the back of a Kellogg's Bran Flakes box, but we use cheaper store-brand bran flakes and changed some of the ingredients to make them healthier and more nutritious.

Bran flake pancakes

Ingredients

(250 mL) 2 cups whole wheat flour
(25 mL) 2 tbsp raw sugar
(15 mL) 1 tbsp baking powder
(2 mL) 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
(425 mL) 1 3/4 cup milk (we use rice milk because of Baby's milk allergy)
(25 mL) 2 tbsp oil
(250 mL) 1 cup bran flakes cereal (or multigrain flakes, or ancient grain flakes or whole-grain oat flakes, etc.), crushed to 125 ml (1/2 cup)
(300 mL) 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Directions

1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In medium mixing bowl, beat egg until foamy. Stir in milk, oil and crushed cereal. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir again. Add flour mixture and blueberries, stirring just until combined.

3. Using 75 ml (1/3 cup) batter for each pancake, pour batter onto lightly-greased preheated skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface and underside is golden brown. Carefully turn and cook until browned. Serve immediately with syrup.

YIELD: about 14 pancakes

How to make a hungry hockey family happy

Originally posted here.

'smack' n cheese

Originally posted here.