Posts in category: Recipes

Kabobs is super easy to make. mix and match pieces of summer squash and cherry tomatoes on bamboo skewers to create colourful seasonal kabobs.

Colorful veggies are much more fun and appealing to eat.

Toss the vegetables in olive oil, seasonings, salt and pepper.

Skewer the vegetables in whatever pattern you like. Ask your child to help you in the kitchen.

These kabobs are easy to whip up and they’re sure to give you your daily serving of veggies. Feel free to serve them as a light lunch or as a side dish to any meal.

Enjoy !

Recipe adapted from Easy Italian Zucchini Kabobs.

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Super Easy Zucchini Kabobs

These marinated fresh veggie kabobs are packed with tons of flavor – perfect as a healthy side dish to any meal!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Servings 13

Ingredients

  

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic pressed or finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp oregano dried
• 1/2 tsp basil dried
• sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 zucchini scrubbed and trimmed
• 1 summer squash scrubbed and trimmed
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• bamboo vegetable skewers

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and seasonings.
• Slice the zucchini and summer squash into 1/2″ circles. Rinse the cherry tomatoes.
• Add the vegetables to the olive oil mixture. Mix until all of the veggies are coated.
• Prepare the skewers by sliding a few cherry tomatoes and zucchini and squash circles onto each stick. You can choose to put them together in whatever pattern you would like. The recipe should yield about 10 skewers but might produce slightly more or less.
• Add the skewers to the lined baking sheet. bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes start to blister.

I love Bibimbap, a super popular Korean dish. It’s made of a bowl of rice, sautéed and seasoned vegetables, gochujang sauce and seasoned meat.

Bibim (비빔) translates as “mixed,” and bap (밥) means “cooked rice,” so bibimbap literally means “mixed rice.” Before eating it you’re supposed to mix everything all together.

In Korean, this dish is traditionally served in a stone bowl that was previously heated. This makes the rice and fillings sizzle when they are placed in the bowl. In this recipe, I’ve just used pasta bowls here and only use 5 topping (spinach, cucumber, carrots, mushroom, and ground turkey), please feel free to mix it up or use as many toppings as you like (other common toppings: kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, soy bean sprouts, Gosari (fern brake), bell flower roots (doraji).

The most authentic version of bibimbap is served with a raw egg yolk and gochugang (Korean Chili Paste). You can buy the Gochugang Sauce in any korean market. But I made my own, check out my recipe here.

Prepare and cook the ingredients for bibimbap. Even though we mix up bibimbap before we eat it, each ingredient needs to be prepared with care and individuality, bringing out their unique flavors, textures and colors so they come together beautifully in the bowl and deliciously in your mouth.

Heat up the pan over medium high heat. Add a few drops of cooking oil to the pan and sauté the carrot for 3-5 minutes. Clean the pan with wet paper towel or wash it.

Heat a few drops of cooking oil in the pan and squeeze out excess water from the cucumber (or zucchini). Sauté the cucumber (zucchini) for 3-5 minutes. Clean the pan again.

Heat up the pan. Add a few drops of cooking oil and sauté the mushroom for 3-5 minutes.

All vegetables are prepared and ready to use.

Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetables and meat over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an egg. Serve with Bibimbap sauce.

Gently but firmly mix everything together in the bowl with your spoon.

Enjoy !!

Recipe adapted from My Korean Kitchen. 

Learn how to make Spicy Gochujang Sauce. If you like this recipe, please head over to my Facebook Page and Instagram Feed. 

Easy And Healthy Bibimbap

Korean mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Korean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

MEAT AND MEAT SAUCE

• 100 g ground meat (I used ground turkey)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (or minced garlic)

BIBIMBAP SAUCE

• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sesama seeds, roasted
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder (or minced garlic)

VEGETABLES AND OTHER

• 1 cup spinach, blanched and squeezed out excess water, seasoned
• 1 large carrots
• 1 large cucumber (or zucchini)
• 1 cup mushroom, cooked
• 1 cup rice, cooked
• 4 eggs

Instructions

 

• Rice: Cook the rice in a rice cooker or following package directions, using a little less water than called for. The rice for bibimbap should be a little drier than usual for best results.
• Meat: Mix the meat with the meat sauce. Marinate the meat for about 30 minutes while you are working on other ingredients to enhance the flavour. Add some cooking oil into the pan and cook the meat on medium high to high heat. It takes about 5 mins to thoroughly cook it.
• Sauce: Mix the Bibimbap sauce in a bowl.
• Spinach: Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water only until wilted, 30-40 seconds. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Squeeze out excess water. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Toss with 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds, 1 tbsp sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste.
• Carrots: Cut the carrots into matchsticks. Add some cooking oil in the pan. Sauté the carrots for 3 to 5 minutes over medium high to high heat, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
• Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into matchsticks. Add some cooking oil in a pan. Sauté the cucumbers for 3 to 5 minutes over medium high to high heat, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
• Mushroom: Add some cooking oil in a wok. Sauté the mushroom to 5 minutes over medium high to high heat, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
• Eggs: Make fried eggs.
• Assemble: Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetables and meat over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an egg. Serve with Bibimbap sauce.
• Mix all the ingredients well in the bowl and enjoy.

Notes

Other common toppings for bibimbap include shiitake mushrooms (slices and sautéed), soy bean sprouts, Gosari (fern brake), Kimchi, bell flower roots (doraji – soaked and sautéed).

Gochujang Sauce is sweet, savoury and a little bit spicy. It can be used in many dishes such as Bibimbap (Korean rice bowls), in soups, stews and marinated dishes.

Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you might also want to try this delicious Bibimbap.  

Spicy Gochujang Sauce

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Sauce

Cuisine Korean

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  

• 1/3 cup soy miso paste
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or grace syrup or honey)
• 1/4 cup cayenne pepper (or less to taste)
• 1/4 cup tamari sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove, minced)
• water to thin (approx. 1/4 cup)

Instructions

 

• In a small blender or food processor, add soy miso paste, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, tamari sauce, and garlic powder. Blend together until smooth, adding water to thin into a paste.
• Taste and adjust flavour as needed. Add more cayenne pepper or chili flakes for spice, tamari sauce for depth of flavour, maple syrup for sweetness, garlic for “zing” or salt for saltiness.
• Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Finding healthy snacks I feel good about serving, and that my kid love to eat, is not easy. These easy, homemade granola bars are packed with oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, As a bonus, these bars are held together by only one nutritious ingredients: mashed bananas ! There is absolutely no added sugar needed. The various seeds that are included offer both protein and fibre – two ingredients that keep tummies full and energy levels steady and stable.

Mix all the ingredients together. Stir to combine.

Spread banana-oat mixture in an even layer on the parchment covered baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

If you are not a breakfast person or if you need something to eat every few hours, or if you need something on-the-go, this is the perfect recipe for you and your family. Not only are these chewy bars a sweet portable snack, but they also lend themselves to endless flavour options – feel free to sub in other nuts and dried fruits for a different bar.

Enjoy !

For more tips and tricks when it comes to feeding your family, head over to my Facebook Page and Instagram Feed !

Family Friendly On-The-Go Granola Bar

This snack will nourish you and your kids without the added sugar

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Snack

Servings 20

Ingredients

  

• 2 ripe bananas, peeled
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Large Flake Oats
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup chia seeds (or Hemp Seeds)
• 1/4 cup cranberries, dried
• 3/4 cup prunes, chopped (or apricots/medjool dates)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mash the banana until smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla, oats and stir will.
• Add the seeds, nuts, cranberries and prunes to the banana-oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
• Spoon mixture into a baking dish. Press down until compact and even.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until firm and lightly golden along the edge.
• Let cool about 10 minutes. Slice into 20 bars.

This cranberry almond biscotti is yummy and crunchy. It was so perfectly balanced between crisp and tender.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until it is evenly mixed and it has a similar texture to cookie dough. Then stir in almonds, cranberries or whatever else you’d like.

Form the dough into two seem-flat logs on the baking sheet. Bake the logs for 25 minutes. It should be golden brown and slightly “cracked” on top.

Cut biscotti on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices. Note: A serrated knife works better for this. Smooth blade knives may cause the cookie to crumble as you cut it.

Place the slices back onto the baking sheet and bake for 6-8 more minutes on each side.

They’re perfect…absolutely perfect ! I will, without a doubt, be making these on a regular basis.

Enjoy !!

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Cranberry Almond Biscotti

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 27

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cranberries, dried
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 4 tbsp margarine, non-hydrogenated
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs (3 large eggs + 1 large egg lightly beaten for wash)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almong, chopped (or walnuts)
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
• Place cranberries in a small bowl, and add boiling water. Let stand until plump (about 15 mins). Drain and set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Use an electric mixer to beat the margarine and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes). Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Mix in the drained cranberries and almond. Add milk to bring the dough together.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each piece into a 12-by-3 inch log, and transfer to prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, flatten logs slightly, Brush beaten egg over the surface of the dough logs.
• Bake, rotating sheet halfway through until logs are slightly firm to tough, about 25 minutes. Transfer logs on parchment paper to a wire rack and cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F (or 300F).
• Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place back on to baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut side down. Bake for 6-8 more minutes on each side.
• Remove baking sheet form the oven, and let biscotti cool completely.
• Biscotti can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or up to 3 months in the freezer.