Southwest Veg Hash

I've been feeling uninspired and tired of eating routinely so I made my first hash ever (veg).

Ingredients:
1 Sweet potato cubed
1 Yellow onion diced
1 Clove garlic minced
1 Yellow bell pepper diced
1 Can of black beans rinsed
1 Cup of frozen corn kernels
Cumin
Chili powder
1 Fried egg…

Directions:
Roast the sweet potato in oil and 1 tsp each of cumin and chill powder for 40 minutes at 360.
Sautee diced onions until softened then add garlic, bell pepper and other ingredients. (salt and pepper). I served this with fresh avocado and a fried egg on top because that seems  luxurious enough to get someone out of a food funk, right? T'was!

Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup

So - I noticed it's been a while since I posted something healthy. Here it is…

Ingredients:
1 Cup of dried green lentils
1 19oz Tin of diced tomato
10 Cups of water
1 Large sweet potato
1 Yellow onion
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Carrots
2 Stalks of celery
1 1/2 Tbsp of italian seasoning
Salt and pepper

Direction:
Cook 1 cup of dried lentils separately in 2 cups of water over simmer for about 25 mins or until tender.
Brown diced onion in olive oil with salt and pepper, add minced garlic then other equally diced veg. Add water, stock and drained canned tomatoes. Add seasoning and let simmer until desired texture.

This is a quick dish and tastes heavenly!

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

I really can't picture myself making muffins without oatmeal these days. Truthfully, I never pictured myself being a muffin maker, but here I am! Making muffins…

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups flour
2 Cups oats
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Tsp baking powder
1 3/4 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Tsp cinnamon
2 Eggs
1 Cup of bananas (frozen and defrosted)
1/4 Cup butter
Pinch of salt.

Directions:
Cream butter with sugar, add vanilla, mashed bananas, eggs then combine with dry ingredients. Add about 1/4 cup worth of mixture to paper cups in muffin tins and bake 18-22 minutes at 325.

It's like the best banana bread you ever ate, shaped like a muffin, in your mouth!

Semi-Milk Chocolate Brownies

As requested I have posted this variation of my brownie recipe (adapted from Anna Olson's Triple Chocolate Brownie recipe).

Ingredients:
2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 Cup of butter
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup flour
3 Eggs
Pinch of salt
1 Cup milk chocolate chip pits

Direction:
Melt semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Take off heat and add vanilla, salt, sugar - mix. Add flour and mix then one egg at a  time and mix. Lastly add the milk chocolate and empty on parchment paper in a  rectangular cake dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 325. Normally I do 38.

PS. If you serve with a plate of fruit you won't feel as bad about eating 3!

Eggnog Pancakes!

I would double this batch!

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

2 Cups eggnog

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1Ttbsp (15 mL) sugar

1 Tsp  baking soda

Directions:

Cook over medium heat in a  non cook skillet. Wait until slightly bubbly then flip! You'll get it eventually - making pancakes isn't really something you learn by reading directions.

This was christmas breakfast! Served with a homemade apple-pear sauce, Quebec Maple syrup from a family-friend's farm and local sausage. Yummers. 

The Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

The secret ingredient is cinnamon!

Ingredients:

½ Cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ Cup sugar

½ Cup brown sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tsp vanilla extract

½ Cup peanut Kraft smooth peanut butter

1 ½ Cup all purpose flour

1 Tsp baking soda

1/2 Tsp cinnamon

¼ Tsp salt

Adapted from an Anna Olson recipe.

Directions:
Rolls dough into small balls and place on parchment paper. Press down gently with a fork once (first dipped in flour to reduce sticking to the dough). Bake for 10-12 minutes on parchment paper

depending on the size.

Eggnog Cookies

Better late than never! And these are so worth a try! First time making them… even though I'm not a HUGE eggnog fanatic the spices were so nice.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 Cups of flour
2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp of cinnamon
1/2 Tsp of nutmeg
1/2 White Sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
3/4 Cup butter
1/2 Cup eggnog
2 Large egg yolks.

Directions:
Combine sugar with butter and cream. Add vanilla, egg yolks, eggnog and blend.
Mix dry ingreedients separately then combine.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes (Until buttons are golden). I just put some plops of dough on parchment paper to give it a rustic feel and topped with pieces of pecans.

Plated with my double chocolate butterscotch brownies.