Food Photo of the Day ~ Cheesy Macaroni with Broccoli and Cauliflower

The kidlets have ate cheesy macaroni with broccoli before however adding cauliflower brought this to a whole other level for them. I wasn't quite sure how much of a warm reception the cauliflower would receive. Regardless, adding more vegetables is a plus and can make any classic that much more healthy. The only thing that would make this even more delicious is... more cheese! 

- JD 

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are an American classic. Growing up we had them from time to time. I always saw it as a quick, fun... if you didn't mind the lack of structure, meal which my mum could throw together in no time. Now that I am an adult I still view Sloppy Joes in the same way and every now and again fancy one.

While checking out the local organic shop I found a Sloppy Joe seasoning packet. The sodium content was reasonable and so was the price so I bought it. Using the seasoning packet did not necessarily cut down on time it was more convenient. My only issue with this seasoning mixture is that the directions state to "mix packet contents with warm water in a bowl, stirring until completely dissolved" ... since it didn't specify a specific amount of water I just added what I thought would dissolve the spices however I ended up with a thin paste. I was not sure if the warm water activated the seasonings some how or why you would need to water down the seasonings as they were there to give it flavour.   Next time I will opt to make my own seasoning mix. 

1 x Simply Organic Sloppy Joes seasoning packet

1 x 454g ground(mince) meat... usually lean minced beef is used or sometimes minced turkey however I used minced chicken. 

1 x can of tomato paste

1 to 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 piece of celery, chopped 

and half a large yellow onion, diced

*You could also add some diced red and green peppers.

Make according to the seasoning package. 

If you do not have a seasoning packet then you will need a combination of the following ingredients. 

1 to 2 teaspoons of chili powder 

Worcestershire sauce 

possibly some mustard

1 can of tomato paste 

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

some honey 

balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

How much or how little will be up to you. My son thought adding some Sriracha sauce would be great too. 

Place a little bit of oil in a large fry pan, add the meat and onions and cook on high heat until the meat and onions are soft. Add the grated carrots and chopped celery or any other veggies you may want to add. Let those cook for a few minutes then add the seasoning sauce you made, from the list of ingredients above, or a seasoning packet, as I did, and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve on buns, rolls or try serving it in a wrap. 

Hope everyone had a good week. School is just about finished for my kidlets so these few weeks have been busy ones. Enjoy your weekend! - JD 

Southwest Chicken Meatloaf

Making this classic whether it be the mid-week filler or the Sunday roast dinner is packed with flavour and extra protein. As a child meatloaf dinners were never my favourite and I attribute some of that to the pre-packaged spice mix my mother would use. However this recipe brings a palatable burst to this otherwise bland loathsome recipe.

Southwest Chicken Meatloaf

----------------------------------------------------------

2 x packages of minced (ground) chicken - approximately 2 lbs.

1/2 cup low sodium medium salsa

1/2 cup low sodium black beans - drained and rinsed if using canned beans, which I did

1 egg

some fine breadcrumbs - approximately 1/4 cup

1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 deep dish loaf pan

First pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.

In a large bowl mix the minced chicken, salsa, black beans, egg, breadcrumbs, feta cheese, and salt and pepper. When combine place the meat mixture into the loaf pan. Ensuring a nice fit and a smooth top. Place the loaf pan in the pre-heated oven to cook for about and hour or until the juices run clear.

Notes: I used canned black beans. You may want to try dried beans just prepare them as the package states. If you only have one package of minced (ground) meat then add more black beans to fill the meatloaf out more. Don't have feta cheese then try cheddar or Monterey jack. I used tomato salsa however I have seen pineapple salsa and mango salsa in shops, give that a try. Try adding different beans like pinto or navy... or try chickpeas.

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD