Swiss Chard, Pear & Gruyère Quiche

I absolutely love quiche. It’s light yet satisfying, flavourful and a definite comfort food in my books. Plus it’s a great make-ahead meal that freezes well for busy work week lunches or supper. Enjoy a large slice on its own, or pair it with a green salad. With the endless combinations of veggies, cheeses and meats, there’s a quiche out there for everyone.  I had some homemade pie crust in the freezer (click here for the recipe), but if you’re pressed for time a pre-made frozen pie crust, such as Tenderflake, works perfectly!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 leeks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 cups Swiss chard, chopped and ribs removed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2½ cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 1 medium ripe pear, sliced
• 1 pre-made pie crust

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Heat oil in cast iron fry pan and saute garlic and leeks for 2-3 minutes
3. Add half the salt and pepper, the swiss chard and saute for another 5 minutes until the chard has soften and wilted
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining spices, eggs, flour, milk, cream and half the cheese in a bowl and stir until combined
5. Place the saute veggies in the pie crust and top with pear slices
6. Pour the cheese mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes

Meatless Mexican Pizza

With leftover black beans & corn in the fridge, a ripe avocado on the counter,  and a fresh bottle of homemade salsa in the cupboard, I threw together a Mexican twist on an Italian classic.

Serves: 4           Prep Time: 10 minutes          Ready In: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large pizza crust of your choice (I used homemade cauliflower crust)
• salsa of your choice (I used mango salsa)
• 1/2 cup Tex-Mex cheese
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1/2 sliced tomato
• guacamole and/or sour cream, optional

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spread salsa over entire surface of pizza crust
3. Top with cheese
4. Sprinkle beans & corn
5. Top with sliced tomato
6. Bake pizza for 20-25 minutes until cheese in melted
7. Serve with guacamole or sour cream, if desired

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

I just tasted spaghetti carbonara for the first time last month, at a friend’s cabin. I’ve never been a huge fan of pasta dishes but I devoured this one. Trying to find a way to make it a little healthier I re-created the recipe using spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti noodles, cutting down on a lot of carbs. Enjoy this on it’s own, with garlic bread, a caesar salad, or both! Serves: 4          Prep Time: 30 minutes          Ready In: 40 minutes Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 8 strips of bacon
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup  romano cheese
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• sprinkle of black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake squash until soft, approximately 30-40 minutes
2. When the squash is cooked, remove from oven cut in half, and let cool on counter
3. Fry bacon, keeping the grease in fry pan for use later
4. While bacon is frying, combine eggs, cheeses and spices in a small bowl
5. When bacon is cooked, transfer to a paper towel to let cool, then crumble
6. Cut open the squash, and get rid of the guts and seeds
7. In the same fry pan, saute the garlic in the grease from the bacon, then add the squash and crumbled bacon, sauteing for a minute or two until everything is coated in the bacon grease
8. Remove the fry pan from heat, and toss in the egg/cheese/spice mixture,  stirring to ensure everything is coated in the sauce
9. Return to the heated element and cook for another minute or two
10. Serve immediately with parmesan cheese, if desired

 

Swiss Chard & Bacon Quiche

I just picked up swiss chard for the first time from a nearby farm. I did some reading and goggling and after narrowing it down to swiss chard lasagna roll ups, swiss chard pizza and swiss chard quiche, I came up with this. Equally delicious by omitting the bacon (you may want to add a tsp of salt though, if you do).

Serves: 6          Prep Time: 30 minutes          Ready In: 1 h 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 strips of bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup of parmesan or 4 cheese blend (parmesan, provolone, asiago, fontina)
• 1 cup of 18%  coffee cream
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp buter
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 bunch swiss chard leaves, ribs & stems removed, chopped
• 1 pre-made, refrigerated pie crust (click here for my pie crust recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Fry bacon, then transfer to paper towel to absorb excess fat and allow to cool
3. Meanwhile, prepare quiche filling by stirring eggs, cheese, cream, and 1/2 tsp of pepper
4. Heat butter in a large cast iron fry pan and saute onions, garlic and thyme on medium heat for 5 minutes, until golden
5. Toss in remaining 1/2 tsp of pepper and add swiss chard, cooking for 2-5 minutes until chard has wilted
6. Meanwhile, crumble bacon into bits and stir into egg mixture
7. Place chard in a colander and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then pat with paper towel to absorb excess moisture
8. Spread chard evenly in the pie crust and top with egg mixture
9. Bake on bottom rack for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 20-300 minutes until the quiche is set and lightly browned (if the quiche is browning but a toothpick does not come out clean, cover with tin foil and return to oven)
10. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving

Chicken Enchiladas from Scratch

This recipe may seem a bit time consuming, but it’s worth the wait! Everything from the sauce to the shells are made from scratch. It’s actually from a friend who coached me through my first attempt while nursing a leg injury at the cabin. To make it more time-efficient, you could prepare the chicken the night before. Goes great with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole or a side salad.

Makes: 10 enchiladas          Prep Time: 40 minutes          Ready In: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 5 small chicken breasts
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 4 1/2 cups shredded Tex-Mex cheese

Sauce

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth

Tortillas

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup corn meal
• 3 cups water
• 2 eggs

Directions:

Chicken

1. Place chicken breasts in water with spices
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat & cook for 20 minutes
3. After 20 minutes, remove chicken and place in a freezer friendly dish to cool
4. Once the sauce and shells are ready, remove chicken from freezer, and shred
5. Toss the shredded chicken and cheese in a large bowl until combined

Sauce

1. Meanwhile heat oil in a large cast iron fry pan
2. Saute garlic, onion and pepper for 3-5 minutes, until soft
3. Add spices and saute for another minute
4. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
5. Reduce heat and simmer
6. Depending on the consistency you prefer, you can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce a little, or use as is

*At this point, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Tortilla

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand
2. Heat large fry pan with oil
3. With one hand on the pan’s handle, ladle approximately 3/4 cup of the batter onto the pan working quickly to move the pan to ensure the entire bottom is evenly covered with the batter
4. Cook for 2 minutes, flip and cook the other side for another 2 minutes
5. Let cool on a wire rack for the time it takes to cook the next shell, and transfer to a plate or tray

Assembly

1. Spread about half the sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish (I used the rectangular 9×13)
2. On a counter top fill each shell with approximately 1/3 cup chicken/cheese mixture
3. Place in dish
4. Top with sauce and 1/2 cup remaining cheese
5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I come from a meat and potatoes family. My parents aren’t into eating to all this new-age, healthy, clean eating stuff that I’ve come to love. Not one, but both of my parents absolutely loved this pizza! They didn’t believe me when I told them what the base was made out of, I had to take out pictures to prove it. I got extra creative in the kitchen today, attempting to make my own marinara sauce from scratch for the first time. If you’re in a hurry, just use canned tomato sauce. Other suggestions for the base would be hummus or pesto. It’s a pizza – have fun with it, experiment with different toppings and enjoy 🙂

Serves: 1-2 (roughly 9 inch pizza)           Prep Time: 1 hour          Ready In: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
• water
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp oregon
• 1/4 tsp basil

Marinara Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 over ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1-2 bay leafs

Pizza

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• sprinkle of sugar
• 1/2 zucchini
• 1/4 cup grated
• 1/8 cup feta cheese, crumbed

Directions:

Crust:

1. Grate cauliflower and place in a small sauce pan with just enough water to cover the cauliflower
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover and let sit for 5 minutes
3. Strain cauliflower and transfer to a freezer friendly bowl
4. Place in freezer for 10 minutes
5. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
7. Remove cauliflower from freezer and place on paper towel. Pat until dry
8. Place cauliflower back in bowl, add egg/cheese/spice mixture and stir by hand until well combined
9. Transfer to baking sheet and pat to 1/4 inch thickness
10. Bake for 30 minutes on the bottom rack
11. Turn the crust over and bake for an additional 10 minutes

Marinara Sauce:

1. While the crust is baking, prep the marinara sauce
2. Heat oil in a cast iron fry pan
3. Saute garlic and onion for a few minutes
4. Next, add chopped tomatoes and spices
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes

Pizza Assembly:

1. Once the marinara sauce is simmering, heat oil in a small fry pan
2. Saute onions, sprinkling with a dash of sugar
3. Remove from pan and grill the zucchini next, for 2-3 minutes on each side
4. Spread marinara sauce over crust, top with zucchini, onions and grated carrot
5. Add crumbled feta and bake for 5-10 minutes

 

Brandy Infused Prune & Rabbit Stew

Here’s a comforting dish that’s even better leftover! A quick and easy, yet hearty and satisfying stew that can also be prepared in the slow cooker. Feel free to substitute your meat of choice for the rabbit.

Serves: 6-8          Prep Time: 20 minutes          Ready In: 40-60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup prunes, chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 bottle of rabbit
• 3 strips of bacon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 small turnip
• 2 tsp thyme
• 2/3 cup red wine
• 1-2 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Combine brandy and brown sugar in a small bowl and soak prunes while preparing bacon and vegetables
2. Over medium heat, cook bacon, remove from heat, let cool and crumble
3. Meanwhile, peal and chop onion, garlic, carrots, celery and turnip
4. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat
5. Saute onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes until soft
6. Add remaining vegetables, spices and saute for another 3-5 minutes
7. Add red wine, chicken stock, bay leaf and brandy infused prune mixture
8. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables have soften. You may need to add more chicken stock depending on the consistency you prefer for stews
9. Serve on its own, over a bed of rice or with homemade bread or rolls

Mango-Lime Fish Tacos

To cut down on prep time for this dish, make the mango salsa and lime sauce the night before.

 

Serves: 4          Prep Time: 30 minutes          Ready In: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Mango Salsa

• 1/2 cup chopped mango
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 1 clove of garlic

Lime Sauce

• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lime
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp Epicure Mango Curry Spice, optional

Taco

• 1 pound cod or tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp each cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 egg or 1/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup panko crumbs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup shredded green or red cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine ingredients for Mango Salsa and set aside
2. Combine ingredients for Lime Sauce and set aside
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; saute cabbage and carrots for 5-10 minutes
4. Meanwhile, combine spices in a large ziplock bag, add fish, and shake until coated.
5. Next, add flour to ziplock bag, and shake to coat.
6. Dip fish in egg or milk, then dip in panko crumbs.
7. Push saute veggies to one side, add a splash of oil and cook fish, turning once, until golden,  5 to 10 minutes.
8. Flake fish into chunks and combine with cabbage and carrot.
9. Heat tortillas according to package directions.
10. Divide fish among tortillas; top with mango salsa and yogurt sauce.

Protein-Packed Veggie Burger

Sweet potatoes, kidney beans, quinoa, spinach, carrots and spices combine to make a deliciously satisfying burger you can sit down and eat with a fork and knife. No bun or sides required….there’s so many nutrients jammed into these patties you won’t need anything else!

 

Serves: 4          Prep Time: 40          Ready In: 70 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa (I used red, but white would be fine)
• 1 sweet potato
• 1/2T Coconut or Olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup kidney beans
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp Epicure Burger Seasoning
• 1/4 cup  chickpea flour or panko crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and bake sweet potato
2. Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil, add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and let cook for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and chilli powder and saute for 3-5 minutes. Next, add spinach and carrots until spinach wilts.
4. Once the sweet potato is cooked, peel and cube and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Rinse and drain kidney beans, and mash with sweet potatoes, along with maple syrup and seasoning
6. Transfer sauteed veggies, and quinoa, and stir until well combined.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form patties, approximately 1/2 cup each in size. Coat in panko crumbs or chickpea flower.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes, flipping half-way.
9. Top with crumbled goat cheese, avocado slices and tomatoes

Chef Michael Smith’s Bacon Lentil Burritos

It’s not very often I follow a recipe to the nine, but in this case, I (mostly) did and the result was as amazing as I expected. Quick, easy and absolutely delicious!

 

If you’re pressed for time, like I was, just fry the bacon, and heat a can of lentils in the leftover grease. From start to finish, the burritos should only take about 20 minutes to prepare.

And simply omit bacon if you’re a vegetarian, the flavour will not disappoint!

http://chefmichaelsmith.com/recipe/bacon-lentil-burrito-2/#.U2abK61dXe4