Tag: Nova Scotia

Get Rich Quick!

Apparently we are in for a wet weekend. So we wanted a quick breakfast that would let us get out on the trail before the rain arrives. Eggs Benedict may not seem like the obvious choice, but this quick Prosciutto Benny with Blender Hollandaise is just the ticket!

For two:

3 large eggs
2 slices prosciutto
1 multigrain English muffin, split
1/4c / 60ml butter
1t /5ml lemon juice
1/2t / 2ml dry mustard
Dash Tabasco
White vinegar
Lemon pepper
1 large tomato, sliced

Split the muffin and toast or warm for a few seconds in the microwave.

Bring a medium pot of water to boil.

Meanwhile separate one egg and put the yolk in the blender with the Tabasco, lemon juice, and dry mustard.

Put the prosciutto in a nonstick pan on low, just to warm it a little.

Heat the butter in the microwave just until boiling. Turn blender on and pour the butter in slowly – it will cook the egg yolk.

To assemble, stack muffin, prosciutto, poached egg. Drizzle with hollandaise and sprinkle with lemon pepper.

Serve with tomato, and go!

20140111-085324.jpg

Sometimes Simple is Best

20140110-071323.jpg

We started the morning with a serious workout, so a heavy breakfast seemed to defeat the purpose. It was a great opportunity to continue our exploration of the treats we began socking away in the freezer last summer!

Blueberries! Quick frozen without sugar, they only take a few minutes to thaw. (Or a minute or so in the micro if you are really in a rush). Top these with some organic yogurt, plain and unsweetened. A sprinkle of cinnamon will trick your tongue into thinking there is sugar, and if you add the crunch of a tablespoon or two of chopped almonds (roasted without salt) it is like a breakfast parfait. Round it out with half an English muffin and some peanut butter for extra protein. Tasty, fast, go!

Warmth from Within

Weird weather! We go from snow, to rain, to sleet, from freezing to frigid, and windy to calm, all in a day. To be ready, a warm breakfast is always in order. Hot cereal is a great way to start. This is my apple nut oatmeal breakfast. Shout out to the artisanal mug, which has a family connection – my sister’s cousin-in-law (?) makes beautiful pottery like this turquoise charmer!

20140108-071305.jpg

For two:

3/4c or 180ml rolled oats
2T or 30ml chopped walnuts and dried cranberries
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1 chopped apple, skin on

Add about 1-1/4c or 300ml water. Cook on the oatmeal setting on the microwave or 3 mins on high and 5 on med-low.

Serve with milk and brown sugar.

Shank You for a Delicious Meal!

We made a lovely road trip with the parents on Saturday, including a visit to Grammy, now aged 100. Side stopovers included Oulton’s meats, where we watched the talented team of butchers make short work of preparing a variety of delicious meats. In our case, we bought half a lamb, which included these two tasty shanks. We expect to be featuring all sorts of fall lamb recipes over the next weeks.

20131021-124453.jpg

We wanted to take advantage of local produce as well, including the delicious apples we picked up on our last trip to the Valley, and some potatoes we grew in our own plot. Here’s how we did it, for 2:

2 (12-ounce) lamb shanks, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/8 cup alcoholic sparkling cider
2 large diced apples
A good handful of fresh basil, thyme and oregano, minced
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley for topping

1. Heat oven to 300F. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle lamb with freshly ground black pepper. Add lamb to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan. Add garlic to pan; sauté 15 seconds. Add cider; cook 2 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in apples and herbs; cook 2 minutes. Return lamb to pan. Cover with apples, cover pan and bake 1 hour. Turn lamb over; cook 1 hour more or until meat is done and very tender. Remove lid and cook until thickened if necessary. Serve sprinkled w parsley, and mashed potatoes on the side.

A Fresh Start

20130913-070850.jpg

Hurricane season is underway and here in Nova Scotia we spend a lot of time with our eyes cast skyward. Today we’re expecting a bit of weather…no hurricane, but definitely some serious wind and rain. On a day like that, a serious breakfast is called for. So we rolled out some green tomato bennies to get us started off on the right foot.

Top a toasted English muffin with sliced tomato and a little prosciutto, then a poached egg. For the blender hollandaise, blend an egg yolk, a small squeeze of lime juice, a little hot sauce and a dash of dry mustard. Blend, and meanwhile heat an ounce of butter in the microwave til boiling. Keep the blender running and pour the butter into the egg in a thin stream – it will cook while you do this.

Serve and enjoy.

20130913-071545.jpg

So…much…produce!

Wow! We are surrounded by a bountiful harvest.

20130826-222609.jpg

The consequence, of course, is that we have to find ways to use it all…and preserve what’s left for future use. So tonight’s adventure included a zucchini-orzo-pepper-goat cheese dish…after we finished putting two batches of roasted beets (golden and red), two batches of beet greens, and a couple of jars of pesto away for chillier days. Fortunately the orzo was quite a reward – reminding us why all our hard work has been worth it!

20130826-223118.jpg

Spice Up Your Salad!

La princessa and her parents left this morning and now the house is eerily quiet. We’re so grateful to have had them with us for a few days, and glad they enjoyed our city by the sea.

Today is also the day we get our diet and exercise routine back on track – so here’s an easy meal to kick things off, for two:

Leftover grilled steak, about 250ml/1c, sliced thin

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 5 ml each butter and olive oil, and cook, covered, just til tender:

1 sliced onion
2 sliced mushrooms
1 sliced green pepper

Add steak slices and a sprinkling of chipotle powder or a minced Jalapeño.

Serve over 500ml/2c mixed greens.

We’re fortunate to have greens from our own garden, but use a variety to make it more interesting.

Enjoy!

20130810-125238.jpg

We Grew Our Lunch…and Have All These Veggies Left Over!

20130804-130541.jpg

Spoiler alert! We grew neither the tuna nor the ingredients for the dressing ourselves. But we did grow everything else (All seeds from Vesey’s or Halifax Seed) – a satisfying lunch after a morning of post-vacation weeding and laundry! Any combination of veggies would do, but we used:

Simpson lettuce
Vulcan lettuce
Green and yellow beans, blanched
Black Chinese radish, blanched
Golden beets, cooked and chilled
Thinly-sliced red onion

For two, top each plate of veggies with 1/2 can solid tuna in water

Drizzle w lime maple dressing (recipe for 2 – mix all together)

10ml/2 t mayo
5ml/1 t Dijon
Zest and juice of one lime
5ml/1 t maple syrup (we get ours from our neighbours at Acadian Maple)

Now to check the larder and get a few staples before settling in to enjoy what’s left of our long weekend. Happy Natal Day, Simcoe Day, or anything else you’re celebrating!

Wholesome Whole Wheat Crepes

20130721-092433.jpg

125ml (1/2 c) whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
125ml (1/2 c) 1% milk
65ml (1/4 c) water
10ml (2T) butter, melted
1 large egg
Cooking spray

Gently mix all but cooking spray together with a whisk. Refrigerate 1/2 an hour. This will give a thinner crepe.

Meanwhile prepare toppings – we whisked some cream and prepped fresh berries, but a creamy seafood or chicken filling works well also.

To cook, heat a medium sized nonstick pan on medium heat. Spray w cooking spray or wipe w a paper towel dipped in canola oil.

Pour in about 1/4 c batter and swirl to a thin layer. When surface is dry, flip gently and cook a few seconds more. Place in warmed oven that has been turned off, on a tea towel.

Repeat. Makes 6 crepes, 2 servings.

Faster than Hollandaise

If someone tapped into our social network today, they might even discover what we’ve had for breakfast. In the midst of the net crawling, personal info spying controversy that is filling up the (do we still say airwaves?) we’re still talking about food.

Today, a quick substitute for Eggs Benedict. All the rich creaminess, topped with a poached egg, but fast and easy enough for a workday. Here you go, Internet spies, here’s the recipe:

For two:
2 toasted whole wheat English muffins
1 avocado, mashed, with the juice of 1/2 lime
4 poached eggs
Cracked pepper
Chipotle powder

Spread the English muffins with the pepper. Top with eggs, and sprinkle with chipotle powder to taste. Enjoy!

20130611-070652.jpg