Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake

March 21, 2012 · 9 comments in Comfort Food

Oh, well hello there! I know, I know…I’ve been absolutely inexcusably missing in action from the blog. I just had myself stretched thin with work and life. But you know what they say–when life gives you lemons…make lemon yogurt cake!

When I first came across this recipe, I almost died of shock. An Ina Garten recipe with no butter in it?! This must be one of those end-of-the-world signs everyone keeps talking about. I’m glad I recovered from the shock quickly, because this is one of the most delicious and moist cake recipes ever–and doesn’t it just scream summer?! On that note, let’s take a moment to look outside and admire the gorgeous weather we’re having here in Toronto. Ahh…

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Cake
(adapted from Barefoot Contessa)
[Yields 1 loaf]

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and flour a loaf pan
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt
4. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract
5. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
6. With a spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, until well incorporated
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with blueberries, slightly immersing them into the mixture
8. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until done
9. Meanwhile, cook the lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves
10. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes
11. Carefully slide it out of the pan and place on a baking rack over a sheet pan
12. Poke numerous holes in the cake with a toothpick or skewer
13. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in

Enjoy!

Spinach, Chicken, & Mushroom Dinner Crêpes

November 21, 2011 · 2 comments in Healthy, Delicious

These crêpes may not be the most glamorous looking things in the world, but they taste deeelicious. Perfect adaption of breakfast food as dinner. They’d even be wonderful for brunch!

P.S: It’s my Mama’s birthday—Happy birthdayyy Mama! Birthday dinner & cake will be making an appearance on the blog soon!

Spinach, Chicken, & Mushroom Dinner Crêpes
(loosely adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)
[Serves 4]

Ingredients:
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup skim milk
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
10 ounces boneless chicken, chopped
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp vinegar
4 cups baby spinach
1 tsp dried basil
4 ounces light cream cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Whisk together egg, egg whites, flour and milk
2. Chill batter in refrigerator for 1 hour, re-whisk
3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat
4. When hot, mist pan with cooking spray
5. Take 1/4 cup batter and swirl on pan to create crêpe
6. Cook until crêpe is set, about 1 minute
7. Run spatula around edges, and flip cooking for another 30 seconds
8. Repeat to make 8 crêpes
9. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
10. Mist a non-stick skillet with cooking spray
11. Add onions, and sauté for 5 minutes
12. Add chicken and mushrooms
13. Sear the chicken undisturbed for a few minutes to allow it to brown nicely
14. Once browned, stir mixture occasionally until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are tender
15. Add broth, vinegar, salt and pepper, and stir through
16. Add spinach and basil, turning leaves until they are wilted
17. Add cream cheese and mix until melted through
18. Spoon out equal portions of mixture onto the 8 crêpes
19. Roll them up and place them in a casserole dish
20. Bake for 15-20 minutes

Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (for 2 crêpes)
Calories: 296, Total Fat: 7g, Sat. Fat 3.8g, Carbs: 27.8g, Fiber: 2.2g, Sugars: 5.5g, Protein: 29.3g, Sodium: 246mg, Cholesterol: 103mg

White Chicken Chili

November 18, 2011 · 2 comments in Comfort Food,Healthy, Delicious

First day of snow in Toronto and nothing is more comforting right now than a warm bowl of chili. A twist on the traditional, this one is a tomatoless version featuring chicken, navy beans and all sorts of goodness. Modern comfort food that comes in at a perfectly modest 298 calories!

White Chicken Chili
(adapted from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry)
[Serves 4]

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
12  ounces chicken breast, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder (or more/less depending on your taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground oregano
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup evaporated 2% milk
1 can navy beans
2 green chilies, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
4 tbsp yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tbsp fresh coriander

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat
2. Add chicken breast, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until no longer pink
3. Add onion, celery and garlic, stirring and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables turn transparent
4. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano, mixing well
5. Add flour and stir until chicken is well coated
6. Stir in broth and evaporated milk.
7. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes
8. Add navy beans, green chilies, salt, and pepper
9. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes
10. Pour into bowls, top with yogurt & fresh coriander

Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories: 298, Total Fat: 3.5g, Sat. Fat 1g, Carbs: 34g, Fiber: 9.3g, Sugars: g, Protein: 34g, Sodium: 546mg, Cholesterol: 64mg

Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Tomato Individual Quiches

November 14, 2011 · 2 comments in Healthy, Delicious

You know what I love about quiches? They’re perfectly acceptable to consume for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And so versatile! Quiche with toast? Yes please! Quiche with greens? Yes please! Quiche with soup? Yes please! Quiche with chocolate cake? YES PLEASE! Alright, we’ll forgo the last one since this is a Healthy, Delicious post. This is the perfect option when you just want to throw something together without bothering with a rigid recipe but still want to feel like you’re having a fancy meal. You can substitute any of the ingredients for pretty much anything you have laying around in the fridge.

Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Tomato Individual Quiches
[Makes 4 Individual Quiches]

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups baby spinach
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
 1 cup cooked barley (or brown rice)
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp chopped basil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 small tomatoes, cut into thin slices and halved

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat
3. Add garlic and onions and sauté until onions are caramelized
4. Remove onions and add spinach in the same pan, sautéing until wilted
5. Divide barley into 4 small tart pans and press down to make crust
6. Layer onions, spinach, and roasted red peppers on top of the barley crust
7. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, basil, salt and pepper
8. Pour egg mixture over veggie layers
9. Arrange tomato slices on top of the quiche mixture
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until egg is firm and the top is golden

Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories: 205, Total Fat: 9g, Sat. Fat 2.4g, Carbs: 21g, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 10g, Sodium: 240mg, Cholesterol: 187mg

Pepper Chicken Chettinad

November 7, 2011 · 8 comments in Comfort Food

Being of South Asian background, I’ve had plenty of Indian/Pakistani dishes in my time. So when I say, this dish makes it to my top 5 best Indian dishes of all time, I mean it. I’ve always been a HUGE fan of South Indian food and this chicken main course does not disappoint. You’ll probably need a trip to your local South Asian grocery store to pick up ingredients for this dish but it’s soooo worth it. The combination of spices brings out the most wonderfully complex flavour profile in each bite. Heads up though, it’s definitely on the spicy side so adjust the amount of chilies/pepper to your taste.

Pepper Chicken Chettinad
(adapted from VahRehVah.com)
[Serves 4]

Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods, crushed
2 small cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 green chilies, finely chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves, destemmed
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
12 ounces boneless chicken, cubed
1 tbsp freshly crushed peppercorns
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pan
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and bay leaf
3. Cook for a few minutes until spices start to crackle and release aroma
4. Add onion and salt, and cook until onions are slightly golden
5. Add turmeric, garlic cloves, ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes
6. Bring heat down to medium and add tomatoes, chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until oil separates from mixture
8. Add chicken and cover, letting cook for 5-7 minutes
9. Add crushed peppercorns and cook for a few minutes until sauce is of desired consistency
10. Finish off with fresh coriander leaves

Enjoy!

Kheer

November 6, 2011 · 6 comments in Mama's Kitchen

With it’s rich, creamy, slow-cooked flavour, kheer is quite possibly the most popular dessert for any South Asian festivity.  I’d call this South Asian rice pudding, but that just wouldn’t do it justice. The ingredients are few and the directions simple but there’s something wonderfully marvelous about it. And I’ll just come out and say it, no one makes kheer like my Mama makes kheer. Mmm, totally awesome & perfect. You can try and recreate this recipe but I can’t guarantee it’ll taste the same without my Mama’s magic.

Eid ul-Adha Mubarak to all my Muslim readers! Have some kheer.

Kheer
[Serves 10–12]

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice, rinsed and drained
2 litres whole milk
5 cardamom pods, crushed
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Sugar to taste (optional)
2 tbsp slivered almonds
2 tbsp slivered pistachios
1/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center of oven
2. On stovetop, in a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat milk until it comes to a boil
3. Stir in rice and cardamom pods
4. Transfer rice-milk mixture to the oven
5. Bake for 1 hour or until thickened, stirring occasionally
6. Take mixture out of the oven and blend with an immersion blender for 1 minute (until rice is just broken up)
7. Stir in condensed milk and raisins
8. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until desired consistency is achieved
9. Pour in serving dish and garnish with almonds & pistachios
10. Let cool at room temperature, then chill overnight

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

November 4, 2011 · 9 comments in Comfort Food

Ah, the chocolate chip cookie. The perfect crowd pleasing sweet treat. The addition of brown sugar gives these cookies a wonderful caramel colour & taste. They are fantastic right out of the oven and stay good for several days at room temperature (just warm them in the microwave for 20 seconds to get the chocolate all gooey). I love this recipe because its so versatile and I can whip up large quantities with ease. Deliciousness.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from Joy of Baking)
[Makes 36 cookies]

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in center of oven
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil
3. Beat the butter until smooth and creamy
4. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes)
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition
6. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated (scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed)
7. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt
8. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until just incorporated
9. Add chocolate chips and fold into mixture
10. Using an ice cream scoop, drop dough into the prepared baking sheets (use a tablespoon for smaller cookies)
11. To get visible chocolate chips on baked cookies, stick a few chocolate chips on each ball of cookie dough
12. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown

Note: If the dough gets very soft, cover and refrigerate until firm before scooping onto baking sheets

Enjoy!

Guilt Free Pina Colada

November 2, 2011 · 4 comments in Healthy, Delicious

As promised, here is the accompanying beverage to our pineapple featured entrée from yesterday. Get those taste buds whisked away to the tropics. All for under a 100 calories!

Guilt Free Pina Colada
(adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)
[Serves 2]

Ingredients:
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 tsp raw honey
1 cup crushed ice

Directions:
1. In a blender, mix all ingredients until well combined
2. Pour into glasses rimmed with lime juice and toasted coconut

Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories: 98, Total Fat: 3g, Sat. Fat 3g, Carbs: 20g, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 135mg, Cholesterol: 0mg

Sweet & Sour Chicken

November 1, 2011 · 12 comments in Healthy, Delicious

As much as I hate to admit it, it’s officially cold. Before the snow starts making its way to Toronto, let’s give a final ode to Summer—and what’s more Summer than pineapples?! Mmmm…

Even though pineapple season peaks from March to July, they are available year-round, making this the perfect I-Miss-Summer recipe you can make in Fall. And you won’t believe how low-calorie this delicious main course is. A 1 1/4 cup serving for only 161 calories?! Puts those boiled carrots to shame. Serve with brown rice or barley and a Guilt Free Pina Colada for a nutritious and succulent weekday dinner under 350 calories!

All recipes in the Healthy, Delicious category feature complete nutritional information (see below).

Sweet & Sour Chicken
(adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)
[Serves 6]

Ingredients:
20 ounces boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp raw honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (you can adjust the amount to taste)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes
2. Place chicken in soy sauce mixture, tossing gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add marinated chicken and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through
5. Add bell peppers and onion and cook until vegetables are slightly tender
6. Add pineapple and cook for 2 more minutes
7. Serve immediately

Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories: 161, Total Fat: 1.5g, Sat. Fat 0.25g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Carbs: 17g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 13g, Protein: 21g, Sodium: 404mg, Cholesterol: 48mg

Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust

October 30, 2011 · 11 comments in Comfort Food

Chilly October nights and a warm, comforting chicken pot pie. Doesn’t get more perfect than this. The velvety, savoury filling is perfectly sopped up by the buttermilk biscuit crust that is crispy on the outside but oh so fluffy on the inside. Sunday dinner at its finest.

Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust
[Serves 4-6]

Ingredients:
12 ounces boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Buttermilk Crust:
2 tbsp butter (cold)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken cubes and broth
3. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until chicken is tender
4. Transfer chicken to a bowl and reserve the broth
5. Heat the oil in a large pan
6. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are transparent
7. Add potatoes, carrots and celery, sauté for a few minutes
8. Add reserved broth, bring to boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes
9. Add peas and corn, simmer until all veggies are tender
10. Add chicken and season with salt & pepper to taste
11. Add the 2 tbsp flour and stir until mixture is thickened
12. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish and set aside
13. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt
14. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or your hands!), until mixture resembles breadcrumbs
15. Stir in buttermilk until just mixed
16. Spoon the biscuit dough in lumps over the filling
17. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling

Enjoy!

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