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Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox

Brussels Sprouts Brown Rice Bowl with Cilantro Lime Drizzle

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I love bowl food. It’s hearty, filling and mostly healthy depending on ingredients. When I make it at home, it’s always healthy. When I have it out it’s full of inspiration and for the most part a bowl full of good stuff.

I’ve had a love affair with brown rice going on for over 20 years thanks to my mom and since it’s part of the rotation, my husband even likes it. We top it with salty feta cheese & fresh herbs. If brown rice is not your thing try making this bowl with white rice or even quinoa.

I finished it with a Cilantro Lime Drizzle but you can use your favourite dressing if cilantro is not your thing or use a different herb like basil or parsley. If you are on the Wild Rose Detox you have to keep your dressing simple (olive oil, citrus, herbs, s&p). I called this a drizzle as it doesn’t contain vinegar and technically a vinaigrette does.

As always recipes can be changed up to suit your tastes. Add chicken or protein if you want some meat, omit the jalapenos if you don’t like the extra heat!

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Brussels Sprouts Brown Rice Bowl with Cilantro Lime Drizzle
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, dinner, snack, bowl food
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • ½ - 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • ¼ cup peppers & spanish onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup cooked lentils
  • ¼ cup brussels sprouts, lightly sauteed
  • ¼ cup baby tomatoes, halved
  • 1-2 radishes, sliced thin
  • 1 jalapeno cut thin and sauteed lightly
  • 2-3 small bocconcini balls
  • Cilantro Lime Dressing
Instructions
  1. Put brown rice in bowl.
  2. Add each item on top of brown rice.
  3. Pour on some of your Cilantro Lime Drizzle & serve.
Notes
To make Cilantro Lime Dressing: Mix together 1 part lime juice to 3 parts olive oil. Add ½ cup cilantro, pinch of salt & pepper & puree with a hand mixer, food processor or blender. Use within a day or two.

 

Roasted Sweet Potato with Dill

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Like several other posts, I started this one well over a month ago. But December was….I have to say, a write off. Both husband and I were sick (chest infections to some degree hit everyone in our house over the course of 5 weeks) and we had a hard time shaking the sick. His progressed to laryngitis, mine to a 3 week and still fighting off head cold. We did our best to channel the Christmas spirit for the sake of the kids, but it was tough. So out with the old, in with the new…we were happy to welcome a new year and get back to our chipper healthier selves.

Long before the start of 2015, I was hearing people talking about detoxing and the New Year. I am one of those who like to get a clean fresh start following a holiday season that is typically full of lots of goodies and over indulging, giving my body some maintenance (yes just like a car). It’s a habit I’ve come quite accustomed to and while it’s not for everyone, 10 years later it’s still working for me.

I do the Wild Rose Detox and it’s 12 days long. It’s not an easy plan to stay with, especially if you have never done it before. Detoxes are different and it’s important you do not attempt one without consent from your doctor. If you are considering the Wild Rose Detox here are a few things to remember.

1. Advance shopping, meal planning and some simple prep.

2. Change up your eating weeks in advance to help you cope with the amount of things you have to eliminate from your diet. IE drink more water and green tea.

3. Add more fruit, veggies or even roasted chick peas into your diet for snacks but make sure you know which fruits you can eat on this detox and which ones you can not. This will help when the actual detox starts. There is much you can do with vegetables to help fill you up during the detox, just remember to keep fresh herbs and a good selection of spices on hand as flavour is key to success.

I love roasted vegetables and certainly eat my share of them. Upon slicing into the sweet potato, I learned it was yellow – what a surprise! Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse vegetable. They contain vitamins B6, C, D, iron, magnesium, potassium plus more, so really an excellent vegetable to include in your diet. This recipe makes enough for a couple of smaller meals or is lovely as a side dish to a main meal, Sunday supper or holiday dinner. When I am on the detox, I like to serve it over top a simply seasoned & cooked pork chop, slices of pork tenderloin, salmon, white fish or chicken breast. If you like dill, toss on some additional chopped fresh dill or parsley and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

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Roasted Sweet Potato with Dill
Author: 
Recipe type: side, holiday, vegetarian, gluten free, detox
 
Ingredients
  • I medium sweet potato, peeled & cubed (1 inch)
  • 3 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
  • 1 tsp butter
  • olive oil, or coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In a large pan over medium heat add about 1 tsp butter and 1 tbsp oil. Add your sliced shallots and lower heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring regularly. Depending on the size of your shallots, cook for another 10 minutes or until soft and browned. Set aside.
  3. Toss cubed sweet potato in a bowl with olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper and fresh dill.
  4. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread out. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes checking about half way through until sweet potato is tender.
  5. Remove from pan and toss with shallots. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

 

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

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When I made this for lunch this wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. In fact I had set my sights on bigger conquests for lunch, that day. But not everything is meant to be and so Roasted Cabbage Wedges with a Tahini Dressing and Fresh Salsa became lunch. And oh so delicious.

I had cabbage to be used up and the biggest decision of the hour was do I cut the cabbage into wedges or thick planks for roasting. Since the leftover cabbage was on the smaller side, I opted to cut it into wedges. Plus it was easier to roll in the olive oil and lemon juice. Tee hee.

I’ve been all about the fresh salsas lately and so I opted to make one to serve along side, or on top of the cabbage. And I’ve been craving the Tahini Dressing I made back in January so I knew it would be a good companion to the cabbage and salsa.

It was a lovely lunch. Almost too much for one but I managed to get through it all.

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Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Author: 
Recipe type: Snack, Lunch, Side
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cabbage wedges (or ½ quarter green cabbage)
  • olive oil
  • ½ lemon, juice
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Mix together 1 tbsp each of lemon juice and olive oil. On a plate pour dressing over cabbage wedges turning to ensure cabbage is completely saturated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for approximately 20-25 minutes. I like my cabbage slightly crunchy. For a softer cabbage cook a little longer.
  4. Serve with dressing and salsa.
Notes
To make fresh salsa combine ¼ cup each of the following: diced avocado, diced red onion, diced cucumber and tomato, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp diced and seeded jalapeno, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice and good pinch of salt.

 

Twice Baked Smashed Potatoes

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I first came across this recipe years ago, after watching Chef Michael Smith make them on one of his shows…maybe Chef at Home? They were so easy to make, bake a potato, smash them, bake again. The recipe stuck and I started making them at least a couple times a year.

These potatoes are so versatile they go with anything. You can top each one with a small, dressed salad. I love them topped with guacamole or salsa. Eat as a side with a steak or any kind of meat. Sprinkle bacon on top. Drop on some grilled or baked veggies.

Oh La La delicious and they were the perfect side to our Steak with Chimichurri Sauce the other night.

Here’s how I did it.

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Twice Baked Smashed Potatoes
Author: 
Recipe type: side, lunch, dinner
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 6 potatoes, baked and slightly cooled
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • fennel seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place potatoes on baking sheet.
  3. Using a heavy bottomed pan or cup push down on each potato until it has been smashed down evenly.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and fennel seeds on top.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until potatoes have crisped up.
Notes
To bake potato: Wash and prick with fork or knife. Place on piece of tin foil and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a tsp of butter. Wrap up in foil and place on baking sheet and in 350F oven. Bake for one hour.

 

 

Chili Lime No Tequila Chicken

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This recipe is simple with simple flavours. I created it while doing the wild rose d-tox. It was satisfying, tasty and filling. You could easily add half a cup of tequila to the recipe for some added flavour and even toss in some chopped jalapenos. But it’s not necessary.

Chicken kabobs can be made in the winter, by broiling them. The one thing about broiling meat in the oven, is there will always be smoke when you open your oven door. But they cook quickly. Fortunately when I made them I was able to open the windows as we were having a Chinook here in Calgary. As always grilling them while camping or on the deck is just as tasty.

The first time I made these kabobs I used one chicken breast. It made two kabobs which gave me two meals. The second time I prepared 2 chicken breasts and ended up with four kabobs or four meals. This recipe is for 2 chicken breasts. You could easily substitute turkey breast. I’d say it’s a keeper since the minions were picking the chicken off my plate hence prompting me to make more the second time around.

Serve it on a salad, on top of  grains or brown rice.

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Chili Lime No Tequila Chicken
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner, Lunch,
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless cut into cubes
  • 1½ cup zucchini, sliced into thicker chunks
  • ½ red onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Juice from ½ lime
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt & pepper
  • skewers
Instructions
  1. In a plastic ziplock style bag, add your olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Squishy bag to combine flavours.
  2. Drop in your chicken, zucchini and red onion. Give bag a shake and set aside for 30 minutes.
  3. If using bamboo/wooden skewers soak for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking.
  4. Turn oven on to Broil.
  5. Alternating chicken, zucchini and red onion, start building your kabob.
  6. Place on parchment or foil lined rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Make sure your oven rack is as high as it can go. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn kabobs over and broil another 5 minutes. You are now ready to eat.

 

Tabbouleh

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This Tabbouleh recipe is one I got from my mom, so she gets full credit for this recipe. If I were to try and guess which year, it would have been around 1992. Yikes I’m old.

Shortly after I moved to Vancouver my mom started seeing a nutritionist and taking better care of herself. I learned a lot from her in those years whenever I would come home to visit. Tabbouleh is one of the many new foods she introduced me to. Better explained Tabbouleh is a Levantine Arab salad traditionally made of bulgur, tomatoes, cucumbers, finely chopped parsley, mint, onion, and garlic and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

I really enjoyed this new to me salad and it has become a 20 year (so far) keeper. On the original handwritten recipe, my mom adds other items to her salad. Things like olives, garlic, feta cheese. For me I love an authentic tabbouleh although it tends to have way more parsley and less bulgar wheat then how I make mine. I ate this salad often when I was Single in The City (Vancouver). Recently, and much to my surprise, my husband has decided he likes it to. There is hope!

Did you know, by the way, parsley is a nutritional powerhouse with vitamins A, B, C and K and the minerals iron and potassium. Another reason to try and like tabbouleh or add parsley to your soups, salads and smoothies. It’s not just a garnish anymore.

Like quinoa, I cook a batch of bulgar (1 part bulgar to 2 parts water), let it cool and store it in the fridge. I also like lots of lemon in mine, so you may want to cut back on the lemon the first time you make it if you don’t like it so tangy.

You could also substitute quinoa for bulgar wheat and have a Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad instead.

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Tabbouleh
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, snack, side, dinner, salad
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups cooked and cooled bulgar wheat
  • 1 parsley bunch, chopped
  • 3 green onions, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup mint, fresh & chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • ½ cup cucumber, diced
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix.
  2. Pour on dressing and toss once more. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Notes
To make dressing whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, juice from two lemons, pinch of pepper and a good pinch of salt.

 

Dilly Pork Burger

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A hint of dill in our Pork Koftas not only flavours the meat but provides a delicious taste experience. So much so I decided to scale the recipe down a bit and turn it into a regular burger. How about that, a food blogger changing up one of her own recipes to create something new!

The kids and the hubs really liked this burger. I ate mine in a lettuce leaf topped with a Jicama & Green Apple Slaw. They ate theirs on buns. Husband went back for seconds. I wish I had his metabolism and appetite. This was even better the next day for lunch. Will post Jicama & Green Apple Salad soon.

 

Dilly Pork Burger in Lettuce Cup
Dilly Pork Burger in Lettuce Cup

 

We doubled the pork in this recipe so we would have leftovers the next day. Normally for our small party of 4 we use 1 pound of burger and still end up with leftovers since we make our burgers smaller. Maybe that’s why husband can down two of them at one sitting without thinking twice and then contemplate a third.

In any case add your regular fixings to your burger on a bun. You could even mix in a little dill with mayo for an added dill-elicious treat. Or change it up by adding a salsa or slaw and eating it in a lettuce leaf (do this if on Wild Rose D-Tox). Either way it’s a keeper!

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Dilly Pork Burger
Author: 
Recipe type: Burgers, dinner, lunch, grilled burgers, bbq
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • ⅓ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Toss everything into a bowl including a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Lightly mix to combine.
  3. On a heated, oiled grill, drop your burgers and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the burger) or until desired doneness.
  4. Grab some buns, lettuce leafs and add on your favourite fixin's. Enjoy!

 

Bakers Latkes

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One of my favourite foods growing up was potato pancakes. Besides grating potatoes, I honestly don’t know how my mom made them, nor do I recall if they had onion in them or not. But what I do remember is they were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, thin and oh so tasty.

I’ve experimented with them over the years and the way I like to make mine is without any additional fillers…with the exception of egg, sometimes. If you search your basic latke recipe, you will find it is made with a binder (egg) and either flour, matzo, crushed crackers, or breadcrumbs and some onion. My latkes are pretty much grated potatoes, salt and pepper. This time I added in some grated zucchini. I love to taste the potato without any other stuff. Since they are cooked in oil, I salt them lightly after. Crispy and salty goodness is just what I was needing on Day 8 of my D-Tox.

And for the toppings…well growing up it was mostly sour cream. I’ve eaten them with a variety of other toppings, but I always come back to old faithful (sour cream). Since I’m allowed to eat these on a D-Tox, I had to find another topping and decided to add some of the jicama and green apple slaw I created the other day (recipe to be posted soon). Another yummy topping would be a fried egg.

Potato Pancakes latkes
Bakers Latkes

Things to note: Because you don’t have a binder to hold the latkes together you have to be gentle with them or they will fall a part. Ensure you scoop some carefully into your hot pan, gently push down and only turn when they are browned on the underside.

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Potato Pancakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner, Side, Vegetarian, Snack
 
Ingredients
  • 7-8 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled & grated
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated
  • salt & pepper
  • vegetable oil or coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Place shredded potatoes and zucchini in a kitchen towel and twist tightly over the sink to wring out excess water. Transfer mixture to a bowl and toss lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Once hot add 4-5 tbsp canola or coconut oil. You will need to add more oil as you go so keep it close by.
  3. Spoon approx 2 tbsp of the potato mixture into pan. Do this two more times so you have three in the pan at one time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Press lightly. Cook until browned (about 5 min).
  4. Transfer to a plate or platter lined with paper towels. Season with salt. Cover to keep warm while you continue to cook the rest of the latkes.
  5. Serve with your favourite topping.
Notes
Toppings: sour cream, apple sauce, creme fraiche, caramelized onions with bacon, any kind of slaw, cranberry compote.

 

Avocado Green Smoothie

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Some days we sleep in or at times oversleep ending up frazzled and rushed to get out the door. Can anyone relate? But having a time-crunched morning doesn’t mean you should skimp out on breakfast. Breakfast fuels our body and that’s where creating a quick, simple avocado green smoothie can help you start your day with energy.

Several years ago I tried out the Body For Life fitness program. Breakfasts were easy and consisted of smoothies or shakes with the addition of protein. Throughout the years smoothies have stayed with me as a quick alternative to breakfast, lunch or even a snack. And when I am in workout mode, I am always adding protein powder to my smoothies when I can find one I like.

When I had my babies, smoothies were part of the rotation and they quickly got addicted to them. I would add a little water, fruit juice or coconut milk. I always use any kind of frozen fruit—whether it be berries, mangoes, or pineapples, add cinnamon, spinach and whatever else I could find like a fresh banana. As they have gotten older I do not use fruit juice any more but rather cold green tea, water or coconut milk to decrease any added sugars. Always using frozen fruit ensures a thick smoothie.

This smoothie was a combination of all things green I could find in my fridge or counter top. And since I had an abundance of lemons and limes to use, I added some lime juice to finish it off. If you ever find your smoothies to thick add in a little water to thin it out.

When we make smoothies we use either our blender or immersion blender. If you wanted to make this one for the kids, you might want to add in a little maple syrup for sweetness but its not necessary. Mine have never had added sweeteners so they do not miss it. If you really love green smoothies, check out our Mango Ginger Smoothie, a delicious bright drink with a ginger kick!

What’s your favourite smoothie combination?! Please tell us in the comments below!

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Avocado Green Smoothie
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, beverage, smoothie, green smoothie
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped
  • 8-9 mint leaves
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • ½ cup water
Instructions
  1. Toss everything into your blender and puree until smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner smoothie. Pour into a to go cup or drop in a straw. Enjoy.

 

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Red Chili

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Growing up my mom used to make stuffed peppers. She used ground meat, rice, tomato sauce or soup and a few other simple flavours. It was quite good and I always looked forward to it.

Fast forward to the present. I am married to a man who does not like peppers. Lord give me strength. Fortunately the kids do like them raw. Well really they prefer most of their vegetables raw. But it does make cooking challenging at times since I have to miss out on adding the peppers to stews, soups, chili’s, etc. This is why I try to introduce my kids to a variety of foods constantly so they are more open to foods as they get older and not as fussy as my husband.

I’ve made a quinoa stuffed pepper before, but like so many other dishes I make, I’ve never documented it. Now that I’m doing a cleanse and wanting to keep better track of the recipes I use on this cleanse, I am adding it to the blog.

Things to note: I added in some leftover roasted chicken….you can leave the chicken out and keep it strictly vegetarian if you prefer. This recipe makes enough for one person, so if you are cooking for more than one, double it. I like my peppers on the crispier side vs softened when stuffed, so if you like a softer stuffed pepper, bake it for an additional 5 minutes or so. If you love heat, add more chopped chili pepper. The quinoa mixture could also be eaten as a salad. If you are not doing a D-Tox that requires no dairy, a small scoop of shredded cheese mixed in is equally delicious or even sprinkled on top.

Hope you love it as much as I do!

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Red Chili
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, dinner, side
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 whole pepper
  • ¾ cup quinoa, precooked & cooled
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped thin
  • ⅓ cup cooked chicken, diced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp red chili, diced
  • ¼ tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 7-8 whole almonds, rough chopped
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Cut pepper in half and carefully remove seeds and membrane. Set aside.
  3. In a bowl add your quinoa, spinach, chicken, green onion and red chili.
  4. In a second bowl or measuring cup whisk together olive oil, oregano, chili powder, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over quinoa, toss in almonds and stir to combine.
  5. Carefully spoon quinoa mixture into each pepper half. There should be enough to fill each one to just slightly heaping with a few bites leftover for the cook.
  6. Place in baking dish and in oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy.

 

 

Bok Choy & Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing

1 · · 2 Comments

It was bound to happen. If you follow my blog you’ll know firstly I love Quinoa and secondly have been a fan of bok choy salads since the early 90’s. It was only a matter of time before these two collided in my kitchen. My kids started really liking salads last year (anything from spinach, arugula to a mixed bag) so I am able to toss some chopped bok choy into their regular salad and they don’t even notice.

I never jumped on the kale bandwagon as I honestly prefer bok choy and have for almost 20 years. It’s got all the good stuff in it, vitamins, fiber, anti-oxidants, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium. I do eat kale from time to time, but not as much as I eat bok choy.

I’d never had a tahini dressing before but since it includes most of the ingredients that go into making hummus, I decided to give it a try. As I made the dressing I tasted it without the garlic, and then added the garlic, and it went from ok to amazing! I love the addition of fresh garlic in a salad dressing, but make sure others around you are eating it to, if you know what I mean! There were no vampires bothering me that day. If you like hummus you will like this dressing.

If you do not have the Ras de hanout spice just use extra cumin. This is seriously one of my favourite dressings now and I even put some on my baked potato. You could easily add any grilled protein to this dish or any additional vegetables you enjoy.

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Bok Choy & Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, snack, supper, d-tox
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1½ cup bok choy, chopped
  • 2 tbsp pepper (any variety: hot, green, red), chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • 6-8 almonds, rough chopped
Instructions
  1. Toss quinoa through sesame seeds into a bowl and mix. Pour on tahini dressing and stir to combine.
  2. Sprinkle on chopped almonds and enjoy.
Notes
To make dressing: whisk together ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp tahini, ¼ tsp ras de hanout spice, ¼ tsp cumin, pinch of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, 1 minced garlic clove and ¼ cup water. If it's too thick for your liking, add a little more water. Use up within a day.

 

 

 

Eggs in Avocado with Fresh Salsa

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Every January I do the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox. This is my 13th+ year doing this D-Tox and as you can tell I’m hooked. I try to do it twice a year. After Christmas/December and at the end of the Summer. It’s such a great reminder to get back on the healthy eating track, helps me feel better and clears up my skin. I love it and I’m very excited to be starting it again. A forewarning however, do not do a cleanse or D-Tox of any sort unless you have consulted your doctor. Another forewarning is this D-Tox is 12 days long and not an easy one by any means. Being prepared with meal planning, especially if you have a family to feed as well as yourself, is essential to success.

Another important thing to note is don’t do a cleanse or D-Tox to lose weight. Do it to jumpstart healthy eating and as such, make a lifestyle change. Do it to remove flours, dairy and sugars from your diet and see how they may have affected you. When the D-Tox is over re-introduce those foods slowly. I have had friends who have done this D-Tox and struggled with it. It’s not for everyone.

Over the years I have compiled a file on my computer with the recipes and foods I’ve tried that work on this program. It’s important to note this D-Tox is mostly fruit & vegetables with a side of protein, grains and light carbs.

Recently I saw an episode of The Chew, one of my favourite shows on TV right now, and Chef Michael Symon made Eggs in Avocados. He topped it with tomatoes & fresh basil. I’ve seen recipes in passing with eggs baked in avocados, but this is the first time I’ve seen it done in a sauce/fry pan. Being a lover of all things avocado I wanted to try it.

So this is day 1 of my 12 day cleanse and breakfast consisted of eggs in avocado fried in saucepan and topped with a fresh salsa. I’ve never had cooked avocado before and have to admit it’s a peculiar taste that I am not sure about. But everything went together nicely and I will try it again, but next time I might bake it in the oven. Plus you might love cooked avocado, even if I wasn’t so sure!

If you want to keep it vegetarian don’t add eggs, just crispy up your avocado in the pan or oven and top with salsa. You can make up your own fresh salsa like I did today or use this Pico De Gallo recipe. I made a huge batch since I know I will be eating a lot of fresh salsa over the next 12 days. I love it. Here’s how I did it. Note while you are allowed to use salt while on the cleanse, you have to use it in moderation. I did not salt the avocado dish but I salted the salsa.

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Eggs in Avocado with Fresh Salsa
Recipe type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Vegetarian
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 avocado, ripe
  • 2 eggs
  • olive oil
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cilantro, chopped or torn
  • pinch of black pepper
Instructions
  1. Carefully cut your avocado in half length wise. Remove pits. Scoop out a little of the avocado where the pit was sitting to make a slightly bigger hole. I took a small sliver off the bottom of the avocado to help it sit flat in the sauce pan. Add a few drops of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your avocado.
  2. Sprinkle on some black pepper, cayenne pepper and some fresh cilantro.
  3. Crack your eggs, one at a time, into a bowl. Using a spoon scoop out each egg and carefully place each egg in an avocado half.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover pan with a lid, and cook until the egg whites have set up but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. If you like your yolks firmer cook another minute or so.
  5. To serve place on a plate and top with pico de gallo or fresh salsa and another sprinkle of cilantro.
Notes
To make fresh tomato & cucumber salsa: In a bowl add 1 large diced tomato, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp diced red onion, 2 tbsp diced cucumber, 1 tbsp diced jalapeno or green pepper, the juice from half a lime, sprinkle of salt. Mix and serve.

 

Carrot & Cumin Soup

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Some days you just feel like soup. Nothing else. Soup. Maybe a Sandwich because you need to feed the minions a little more than soup or you can’t guarantee they will like the soup you made. But mostly soup. I made this soup and it rocked our world. Well the grown ups. Easy Peasy as Jamie Oliver would say.

Make it entirely vegan by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock and omitting the butter.

Easy, quick and currently our favourite comfort soup.

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Carrot & Cumin Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup, lunch, entree, main
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup shallots, sliced
  • 2½ cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup baker (russet) potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • salt and pepper
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat melt your butter and olive oil. Add carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes then add your shallots. Saute for another 10 minutes turning heat down as necessary.
  2. Stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. Cook another couple of minutes.
  3. Add broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stir and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 - 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
  4. Using an immersion blender or food processor puree your soup. If using food processor puree in small batches.
  5. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley.

 

Caramelized Onions with Ginger

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The past couple of years I’ve been having a love affair with caramelized onions. How could I not have known how delicious these slow cooked, sweet little morsels were. Now I make them on a regular basis and keep them in the fridge. The sampling during the cooking tends to lower the end quantity, so I always try to make a little more than the recipe calls for.

Adding the ginger gives the onions a little kick. Sweet + spicy is super delicious. I can’t wait to try a french onion soup with this combination. The caramelization process does take close to an hour to get the onions nice and brown so make sure you have the time.

Caramelized onions can be used many ways. Mix into mayo or greek yogurt for a dip or sandwich spread. Put on your burger (one of my favourites) or on top of a steak or pork chop. Place on top of a baked brie, or on crackers or baguette slices with your favourite cheese. Mix into eggs, on pizza, or in a pasta (mac and cheese). And of course these make the perfect french onion soup.

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Caramelized Onions with Ginger
Author: 
Recipe type: Condiment
 
Ingredients
  • 3 medium onions, sliced thin
  • 3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • salt
Instructions
  1. In a pan over medium high heat add about 2 tbsp butter and a small glugg of oil. Drop in your onions, stir and spread them out evenly over the pan. Reduce heat to medium low. Keep your heat down and stir occasionally. The natural sugars in the onion will slowly release.
  2. After about 15 minutes add your ginger and a pinch of salt. Stir. Continue to watch and stir. The entire process will take 50-60 minutes.
  3. If the onions start to get dry and stick add a little more butter or a couple drops water.
  4. Once the onions are ready, use immediately or put into seal-able container and in the fridge for later use.
Notes
This recipe yields about one cup.

 

Ras el hanout Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas

2 · · 1 Comment

I’m very excited to be 1 of 3 food bloggers from across Canada chosen to review a Foodie Package from The Missing Ingredient, a Vancouver based company who offers a monthly food subscription service.

Each month The Missing Ingredient will deliver to you (anywhere in Canada) 4-5 hand picked and tantalizing food items for you to play with, all packaged in a lovely box. This is a Canadian service and as such, the product is uniquely Canadian.

Roasted Chick Peas
Roasted Chick Peas

Within each box of ingredients you receive 4 informative post cards; Chef’s Tips is tricks and secrets from a cornucopia of local Chefs, Meet the Maker tells you about one of the locally sourced products in your box, Feature Recipe gives you ideas on how to use one of the ingredients, and Double Up is a another way to use your feature ingredient.

The spice in the box I received was Ras el Hanout. I loved how this spice smelled and immediately became addicted to the aroma it provided. Playing with the spice I’ve so far added it to cream cheese for dips, hummus, roasted vegetables, soup, slow roasted meat with more experimenting to be done.

Roasting chick peas or vegetables in general are a delicious lunch or snack to have during the day. You can add any herbs you like, fresh or dried, and try all kinds of spices. Sometimes just sea salt and black pepper makes me happy. Healthy and good for you, definitely give it a try!

PRO TIPS:

  • I prefer my roasted chick peas to have a little bite. Some like them to be entirely crispy. To get them to the crispier stage let them roast for at least 30 minutes and check them.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Ras el hanout Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas
Author: 
Recipe type: side, snack, lunch, Dinner
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 can (14 oz) chick peas
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Moroccan Ras el hanout
  • sea salt
  • cracked black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 400F.
  2. Toss cauliflower, chick peas, olive oil, Ras el hanout spice, and at least ½ tsp of sea salt and ½ tsp pepper in a bowl. Mix and spread chick peas on parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Roast in oven for 25 minutes until cauliflower starts to brown slightly around the edges.
  4. About half way through stir and add a little more salt to taste.
  5. Eat immediately, or save for snacking later.
Notes
If you can not locate the Ras el hanout spice mix, use cumin or your favourite spice blend instead.

 

Sun & Salsa Festival | Cucumber Salsa

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One of Calgary’s older neighbourhoods, Kensington, has been hosting it’s Annual Sun & Salsa Festival for as long as I can remember. The first time I attended was back in 2002! I love that you can bring the kids along and participate as a family in trying different salsas. Upwards of 20 local restaurants, pubs and cafes participate in the festival, making a fresh batch of their best salsa for the public to sample, and then we the public, are tasked at voting for the salsa we liked best.

There are always some crazy and unique creations. Most super delicious, but also inspiring. You can buy chips there, with proceeds going to charity. Or if you are watching your funds, bring your own bag along. From kids activities, to street performers and dancers, vendors tables, free samples, free fruit, games and balloons artists, there really is a ton of stuff to do. Another treat is the Food Trucks. There are a handful on site to feed you when you get hungry and can’t get into a restaurant and/or on their patio.

My only advice is get there early. Each year this festival gets busier, and by mid afternoon one can almost feel like they are in a sardine tin can walking along the main streets. This is usually our signal that it’s time to go, as it’s no longer fun for the kidlets. This festival typically happens during the summer months, when it’s hot out, so come prepared with sunscreen, hats, and lots of water!

When I used to live in Vancouver, I used to love exploring the Vancouver Province Newspaper during lunch. Of course there was a food/recipe section and it was all that mattered to me back in the day. Whenever I would find a recipe I was interested in, I would cut the recipe out, eventually photocopy it and add it to the “must try” section of my recipe box. It was quite the process back in those days, the days before food blogs, bloggers and foodies alike. More proof that even back in the 1990’s food was a big part of my world.

So in my repertoire of old recipes, somewhere I have a cut out cucumber and tomato salsa. I remember this because we renovated one of our pantries recently and as such everything had to be hauled out and sorted. Not like I got distracted going through recipes or anything. This particular recipe involves vinegar, something I’ve never used in a salsa before. So on a whim I wanted some salsa to pair with our Cumin Steak with Black Beans. I whipped up a quick cucumber and tomato salsa and this recipe was born.

There’s so much you can do with salsa whether you are roasting, toasting or making it fresh. This salsa is super duper easy. Keep it easy or add in a few of the extras I talk about below.

The Sun & Salsa Festival in Kensington returns on Sunday, July 20, 2014. It’s a great way to try some new salsa flavours, support the community and get inspired to make your own salsa at home.

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Sun & Salsa Festival | Cucumber Salsa
Author: 
Recipe type: side, dip, appetizer, accompanient,
 
Ingredients
  • 3-4 mini cucumbers, chopped (roughly 1 cup)
  • 2-3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (1 cup)
  • 2 green onions, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a bowl and stir. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as necessary.
  2. You can eat as is, or let it sit for a couple hours allowing flavours to blend.
Notes
Add ins could be chopped white or red onion and diced jalapeno pepper.

 

Roasted Fennel and Broccoli Soup

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I love soups. Smelling up the house while they cook. I’m trying to get my kids to eat more soup. Wish me luck? They tend to enjoy raw vegetables over cooked. But one must not give up. I had someone come to the door while this soup was simmering on the stove and they were drooling over the smells wafting through the air.

I haven’t made many pureed soups and honestly the family was not too sure about the texture of this soup. But I loved it and I am going to start making more pureed soups to put into rotation. So easy and so healthy.

More often then not my inspiration these days comes from something I’ve heard, seen, or what’s in my pantry/fridge. I’ve had a fennel bulb taking up space for two weeks with the intention of making a salad. Decided today was the day of the fennel bulb. And it wasn’t going to be salad. Looked in the fridge again and broccoli pops out. Thinking a fennel and broccoli soup might work. I used to Google my ideas to see if they’d been done before and I finally clued in to the fact that was a bad idea. Who cares if it’s been done before, at this moment in time it’s my idea inspired by the vegetables staring back at me from the fridge. You can totally make this vegetarian by using vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock. And you can omit the evaporated milk for a Vegan soup. I just so happen to have some leftover from pumpkin pies so it tossed it in.

Substitute almond or coconut milk (unsweetened) if you are making this while doing the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox.

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Roasted Fennel and Broccoli Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup, Lunch, Dinner,
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 1 bulb fennel, cut of top part and chop bottom
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups broccoli, including stems, chopped
  • ¼ tsp dried basil
  • ¼ tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp coriander
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup evaporated milk
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 tsp lemon or lime juice, fresh squeezed
  • olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In a bowl toss in chopped fennel, a splash of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay out fennel onto parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in oven for 10 minutes, stir and roast another 10 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
  3. While fennel is roasting, get a medium sized pot heating on the stove. Add a swish of olive oil and toss in your onions. Cook until they start to soften. Add in garlic and roasted fennel. Stir and let cook on medium low for a few minutes. Toss in broccoli, basil, thyme, coriander and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook a few more minutes.
  4. Pour in your chicken stock and nutmeg. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft. Pour in evaporated milk and bring to a light boil. Remove pot from heat. Add your lemon or lime juice and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Using an immersion blender puree soup until no longer chunky. If you do not have an immersion blender, puree in a blender in small batches.
  6. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and drizzle of olive oil.

 

Grilled Asparagus Bean Salad

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Love Summer for many reasons but quick and simple food appeal to me the most especially on hot days. Brightly coloured, fresh and tasty fruit and vegetables are inspiration everywhere you turn. I loves me a good bean salad and this one is simple enough to make while camping or at a cabin. In fact out at a cabin in Manitoba last week, is where I created this delicious salad.

We had been planning for two years to return to Clear Lake, Manitoba in 2013, after spending time there in 2011.  As it turns out a rather large family gathering was also brewing for around the same time. Our return last week collided with the family gathering and it ended up being quite a large family affair with family folks coming and going throughout the week. Love being part of such a great, happy, social group of people – also known as my inlaws/outlaws. My brother and family also joined in on the fun and with all the people in attendance we completely covered Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

As it turns out husband and I celebrated our Anniversary while in Manitoba and decided to host a BYOBCM Potluck (Bring your own Booze, Chair and Meat) for all the family assembled in Clear Lake. We supplied the sides which consisted of: baked potatoes, quinoa salad, ceasar salad, green salad with fruit and a new grilled asparagus bean salad). It was a lovely evening spent with special family and we couldn’t have asked for a better Anniversary celebration. The wine flowed and the food was splendid. Since I received some good feedback on this salad I wanted to get it posted to share.

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Grilled Asparagus Bean Salad
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 10
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch asparagus, rinsed & ends removed, grilled
  • 1 19oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  • 1 19oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 pepper (yellow, red, orange), diced
  • 3 cobs corn, husks & silk removed, grilled
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • ¼ cup olive oil + 2 tsp
  • 1-2 tsp lime zest
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Take your cooled corn on the cobs and carefully slice off the kernels. Rough chop your grilled asparagus. Place both in a bowl. Add in your chickpeas, black beans, diced pepper and green onions.
  2. In a measuring cup whisk together ¼ cup oil, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust if necessary.
  3. Pour dressing over ingredients in bowl and lightly toss to combine. This salad can be made a couple hours in advance to let flavours marry or served immediately. You can also add chopped cilantro to the salad.
Notes
To grill asparagus: Toss the asparagus with 1 tsp oil to coat. Place directly on the grill over medium heat, cover, and cook until the asparagus changes colour slightly and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Turn the asparagus, cover, and cook until tender, 3-5 more minutes. Lightly season with salt & pepper and set aside.

To grill corn on the cob: Toss the cleaned corn on the cob with 1-2 tsp oil, massaging the corn all over. Arrange cobs on grill over medium heat. Cover and grill, rotating occasionally, using tongs until corn is slightly charred on all sides and tender, approx. 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

 

Cilantro & Black Pepper Hummus

0 · · 2 Comments

I admit I’ve had  hummus on the mind.   I like my hummus spicy and I’m always trying new flavours.  This morning I went rummaging through my fridge to see what I could find.  Olives…feta cheese…sun dried tomatoes..could roast some garlic…everything was appealing…and then I spotted the “needing to be used” cilantro.  Perfect, my cilantro & black pepper hummus adventure was about to begin.

I really want to get the kids liking hummus so this is definitely going to be the “Year of Hummus” in our house as I experiment with flavours they might like and dippers all the while knowing I have a secret agenda.  “Look kids I tried a new recipe today“, “I think it might be great on our greek pitas” or “I made hummus with cucumbers, how yummy” are some of the lines of persuasion one might over hear.   Even sneaking a little on a burger is worth considering.  In the end they will be the ones who decide if they like it or not.

For this recipe add more pepper if you want more of a kick.  The amount in this recipe keeps it pretty mild.

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Cilantro & Black Pepper Hummus
Recipe type: Snack
 
Ingredients
  • 1 can (540ml) chickpeas rinsed & drained
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • ½ bunch cilantro, washed, including stems
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. Add all your ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add additional water as you go. Taste for salt & pepper adding more if required.

 

Alberta Burger

0 · · 2 Comments

3 out of 4 of us really enjoy a good burger and I am proud my kids are not uber fussy about all the things we put in the burgers. They save the fussiness for the burger preparation “ketchup, cheese and some mayo please” is all they like on their burgers although they boy is becoming more experimental in his lettuce adventures.  Baby steps.

This burger is flavoured with spices of the Middle East and served up in a pita allowing everyone to choose their toppings. We served it with a minted yogurt sauce that my little girl mixed up (and liked!).

In considering what to name this burger I decided to firstly pay homage to my birth Province and place where my babies were born. Secondly celebrate the diversity in cultures that makes Alberta such an incredible place to live.  It’s not just plain beef & buffalo here anymore!

As always if you are on the Wild Rose D-Tox you can not have the yogurt sauce or pita. Use a lettuce leaf instead and add some fresh salsa.

You could easily substitute ground pork or lamb in this recipe. Yummy goodness all wrapped up in a pita.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Alberta Burger
Recipe type: Burgers, Lunch, BBQ, Grilling, Dinner
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb ground beef
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion, minced
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika (smoked is good too)
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch of salt & pepper
  • Pita or buns
Instructions
  1. ADD all ingredients in a bowl and combine until just mixed. Shape into oval patties, you should get approximately 6-8 patties.
  2. ON a heated grill cook approximately 5 minutes per side on medium high heat. Serve in a pita with your favourite fixin's.
Notes
To make Minted Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl mix together ½ cup diced tomatoes (seeded), ½ cup diced cucumber (seeded), ½ cup plain greek yogurt, 2 tbsp fresh mint (chopped), 1 garlic clove (minced) and a pinch of salt.

 

Couscous with Mint

0 · · 8 Comments

Back on the grain wagon again this week sharing a Couscous with Mint salad of sorts.  A couple of cooler days here in Calgary allowed the brain to start thinking again and planning some meals….if only for a few days.  Rummaging through my pantry I pulled out couscous.  I further had some peppers to use up, feta that was growing green, 5 kalamata olives left and a pack of mint turning a nasty brown colour. 

A new recipe was born.  Loving all things mint, it’s worth making.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Couscous with Mint
Recipe type: Dinner, side, salad
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups water or stock
  • ¾-1 cup couscous
  • olive oil (3 tbsp)
  • Red wine vinegar (1 tbsp)
  • ⅓ cup pepper, fresh and chopped
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
  • ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives (less or more will work)
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Couscous is pretty much made the same way every time. Boil your water in a pot. Add your couscous once water is boiling. Remove from heat, cover pot and allow to sit up to 10 minutes. Once fluffy pour into a bowl, stirring to fluff a little more and allow to cool down.
  2. Add in your salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, stirring to combine. Mix in pepper, mint, feta and olives.
  3. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Guacamole

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Inspired by a trip to Mexico for my 30th birthday, Guacamole quickly became a make at home habit. Enjoy this dip at your next potluck or gathering.

Guacamole
Guacamole

Pico de Gallo and home made Guacamole are 2 of my favourite summer time snacks. Having visited San Diego many times, driving over the border to Tijuana for Mexican food and taking a few trips to Mexico over the years, I’ve come to love eating and making a variety of Mexican recipes.

Guacamole
Guacamole

How do you like your Guacamole

Are you a chunky guacamole lover or smooth operator?!

Over the years I have tasted my fair share of guacamole. Some times it’s left chunky, some times it’s fairly smooth. Some restaurants and Chefs add additional spices. Some like Rick Bayless add ingredients (chiles and garlic). Once you get the basics down on making a great guacamole, do not be afraid to experiment and add in your own fun ingredients. We tried Blueberry Guacamole and it really works!

More than just a dip

One thing I’ve learned by trying to eat healthier is a little goes along way. Making up a batch of guacamole on Sunday night and keeping it throughout the week is how we like to roll using a little bit every day but not eating the whole bowl. That is hard let me tell you.

If you are looking for more ways to use guacamole than just Mexican food, here’s some of the ways we’ve used this tasty dip:

Deviled eggs, as a topper on potatoes (baked is fantastic), to jazz up brown rice, egg dishes, a dollop on top of baked avocados or roasted veggies, on burgers and hot dogs, grilled meats or fish, even as a topper on chili.

I hope we’ve inspired you to make guacamole if you never have before. Here’s a few tips to help get you started.

PRO TIPS

  • Avocados must be ripe
  • White onion is essential
  • Save the avocado pitts and keep in the guacamole to help prevent browning
  • Save the lemon after you juice it and add to the guacamole to help prevent browning
  • If you do not have jalapenos use red pepper flakes
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Guacamole
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1 roma tomato, seeds removed & finally diced
  • ½ white onion, finally chopped
  • sprinkle of sea salt
  • 1 tbsp jalapeno
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole lemon juiced
  • 1 tbsp cilantro
Instructions
  1. Peel avocados and mash well. Save pitts.
  2. Gently mix in tomato, onion, salt, jalapeno, splash of olive oil (1 tsp), lemon juice and cilantro. Mix well. Serve immediately with a big bowl of nachos or add pitt, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lemon Chili Pork Chops

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There are many ways to spice up and/or marinate pork chops.  Open your pantry and see what you have for spices.  Then experiment with a few.  If you are not sure about what to use try the spice combination in this recipe.   It is not a spicy recipe but more on the milder side – which is perfect for kids who do not like too much spice!  If you like your meat kicked up a notch add in more chili powder.

It was a cooler day outside when we grilled these pork chops.  So I paired these bad boys with some roasted proscuitto, potatoes, onions and carrots.

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Lemon Chili Pork Chops
Recipe type: Dinner, Lunch
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 boneless pork chops (thick)
Instructions
  1. In a ziplock bag combine all ingredients except pork chops. Squishy ingredients to combine. Add pork chops and squishy some more.
  2. Let stand on counter for 30 minutes to marinate or in fridge for longer. Always let your meat warm up on counter for about 20-30 minutes before grilling.
  3. Remove pork from marinade (toss marinade) and grill over low heat for 30 minutes (thicker chops) or until done.

Simple Chicken Fajitas

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Mexican style food is something our family adores. I’ve tried many different versions of chicken fajita’s and always found the flavours are rather bland. So after playing with some spices most of us would have in our pantry, I was able to get the flavour I was hoping for. Plus the family enjoyed the meal so much my daughter asked for it for lunch the next day at school (now that is unusual).

Fajita’s for our family are a quick & easy supper on an activity night. These are truly yummy.

If you are making these for the Wild Rose D-Tox you will have to eat them without the tortillas, sour cream, cheese and any pickled peppers.

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Simple Chicken Fajitas
 
Ingredients
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice, fresh
  • canola oil
  • ½ cup spanish onion, sliced
  • 1 cup pepper (red, green, orange, yellow), sliced
  • whole wheat flour tortillas
Instructions
  1. In a ziplock bag combine chili powder, oregano, salt, cumin, garlic, lime juice and a little oil. Seal bag and smoosh to combine flavours. Add your chicken and smoosh a little more. Refrigerate for a minimum 15 minutes or longer if you have time.
  2. Put your onions and peppers in a bowl. Pour on a little oil and season with salt, pepper and a little cumin.
  3. Take chicken out of marinade and drain. Put on greased BBQ and grill approximately 6-7 minutes per side on med-high until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest under cover.
  4. Meanwhile on a preheated BBQ grill topper or stove top grill pan add some oil and your onion/pepper mix. Give it a little more s&p and saute for about 4-5 minutes or until veggies tender crisp. Set aside in a bowl.
  5. Get all your fixin’s ready, heat up your flour tortillas (10 seconds in microwave, or toss on grill), slice your chicken, grab some peppers/onions and you are ready to assemble your chicken fajita.
Notes
Fixins: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, hot peppers (banana or jalapeno), shredded cheese, chopped cilantro