Mushroom and Quinoa Soup

I like mushroom soup and I enjoy quinoa so after reading the label on the package I thought I would give it a try. It has a very distinct mushroom flavour and is quite filling. It serves 4 and is lower in sodium than most soups, only 14%, has 10% iron, 15% Vitamin A, 8% fibre, is low in sugar, only 2% and is low in fat, only 6%. Being lower in fat and salt gave way to a more natural robust flavour which was a welcoming change. To find out more about GoGo Quinoa click *here*   

And when the soup was on this is what is looked like. Very satisfying and a wonderful mushroom smell.   

Hope everyone had a nice weekend and is having a good week so far. Spent the past few days doing projects around the house. - JD 

Pumpkin Waffles

Looking at these waffles they are a nice golden amber colour and the smell is that of pumpkin pie. Delicious with maple syrup although my topping of choice was blackberry syrup. Which was amazing! This simple recipe is easy to whip up for breakfast or brunch.   

Pumpkin Waffles

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Makes approximately 5-7 waffles (depending on the size of the waffle maker you use.)

 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

 4 teaspoons baking powder

 3 tablespoons ground flax seeds

 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 1 teaspoon ground British mixed spice or all spice

 1 teaspoon ground ginger

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

 1 cup canned pumpkin

 2 cups milk or soy milk

 3 eggs

 1/4 vegetable oil or melted butter 

Preheat waffle iron.

Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, flax seeds, cinnamon, British mixed spice, ground ginger, salt, and brown sugar) into a large bowl. Stir together. Set aside. 

In a separate bowl combine all the wet ingredients (pumpkin, milk, eggs, and oil) and  blend together. Stirring moderately gently to not spill.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and then add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients; stirring until both are combined. 

Cook waffles according to the waffle makers instructions. When done top with your favourite toppings and enjoy! 

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Having a well stocked pantry is great however when it is running a bit low and a few items need to be replenished and one forgets to; then some kitchen know how and calling upon other possible ingredients out of frustration is a must, especially when one is half way through the recipe. Despite my quick substitutions a delicious lemon poppyseed loaf was achieved. The drizzle icing was an afterthought. Great with a cup of tea or in a packed lunch this lemon poppy seed loaf is easy to make and superb.  

Lemon Poppyseed Loaf

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3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup coconut sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup plain low fat greek yoghurt

grated lemon rind of 4 lemons

1/3 cup poppy seeds

Notes: I only had 1/2 cup of greek yoghurt so I used 1/2 cup of low fat sour cream to make the 1 cup of dairy (greek yoghurt). I was only able to add 2 eggs, that is all I had. With the one egg missing the loaf still turned out, the batter was thick, regardless it went unnoticed. You probably could cut the sugar down to 1 cup and just equally halve the white and coconut sugar. 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease and flour 2 loaf tins. I have a wide and somewhat tall loaf pan so I just needed to grease 1 loaf pan.  I made muffins with the  small amount of remaining batter left.  

In a medium bowl blend the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Then set aside.

In a large bowl blend the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one at a time. Once all the eggs have been added to the butter and sugar mixture; add the lemon rind and give a stir. 

In a separate bowl carefully mix the yoghurt, and or sour cream and lemon juice together and add alternately with the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mixing until just blended. Add the the poppy seeds and stir until distributed nicely. Pour the batter into prepared tins. Smooth the tops. 

Pop in the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until browned and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks for about 15 minutes before turning out of pans.

Once cooled the cake is ready for some drizzle icing if you wish. The drizzle icing is a simple one. About 1 cup of icing sugar mixed with some lemon juice or water to make a runny paste. Drizzle over cake to completely cover the top, letting the icing drip down the sides, and before the drizzle icing sets grate some more lemon rind on top.  

Usually the cake of a lemon poppy seed loaf is much lighter in colour... almost white. Possibly because I added coconut sugar it gave the loaf a more darker look and richer taste. Still, it was very lemony which is the important factor.

Friday is here. Another busy week as bit the dust. Have a good weekend everyone. - JD 

Cottage Cheese ~ No Salt Added

Cottage cheese was one of those dairy products I ate on occasion due to the bitter salty taste. Some say, that is what makes cottage cheese... cottage cheese however the salty overload doesn't do anyone any favours. So when I was at the local shop picking up a few things and got a craving for cottage cheese I found this... No salt added, 2%M.F., low in fat, 15g of protein and only 6 grams of sugar... I was relieved! This is fantastic for those watching their salt intake. If you are are not watching your salt intake I suggest you switch or try this one; just keep in mind that it may take you a few mouthfuls to get over the taste because the salt content in regular cottage cheese is high, 18%! When you compare that to the 2% salt content of this cottage cheese it's a healthier option. 

Hope everyone has had a good start to their week. It's Wednesday... middle of the week. The weekend is almost here. - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Sunday Brunch Pancakes

Pancakes are a simple way to refuel and feed the masses for Sunday brunch especially when paired with blueberries, oatmeal and ground flax seeds. I took this a step further and sprinkled a mixture of unsweetened shredded coconut, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, crushed almonds, and whole flax seeds, I know flax seed overload, after I placed the batter in the pan. I call these everything pancakes because they are loaded with goodness and substance. Not heavy just healthy. 

A bit of an dreary overcast Sunday, which is alright. Enjoy your day.  - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli with Cheese

I do not mind cheesy sauces however it always conjures up as a smothering heavy pool sitting with you well after dinner has finished. When I made this oven roasted cauliflower and broccoli, the cheese was an after thought. Rather than make a gooey cheese sauce I just grated some strong cheddar cheese. Once the vegetables were finished roasting; I sprinkled the cheese over the top and the dish was put back into the oven to let the cheese melt. Sparing a dense overindulgent sauce for something a bit more modest and light. The vegetables were tasty to begin with and the cheese added a bit more flavour which went down like a treat with the kidlets and my husband. An easy way to add a bit more flavour and comfort to an already satisfying dish. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD  

Leftovers #21 ~ Inside Out Apple Strudel

Having leftover apples is more like having apples that are bitterly bruised and well... have been hanging around for too long. The ones that typically make apple sauce, apple juice or what I usually make, an apple pie; because I needed neither and wasn't really itching to make pie, I made this inside out apple strudel. With a few simple ingredients it was easy to produce a such delicious dessert.  

Inside Out Apple Strudel

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1 package of ready made puff pastry, thawed and chilled, according to package 

8 apples, cored, peeled and sliced

1 to 2 handfuls of dried cranberries

1/4 cup or 1/2 cup of crushed walnuts

3-4 heaping tablespoons dark brown sugar

2-3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon British mixed spice

1-2 tablespoons melted butter 

1-2 tablespoons melted butter for sealing the edges, nicely

Icing sugar 

water

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF. 

Then line a 9x 13 baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place all the prepared sliced apples into a large bowl. Add the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, British mixed spice, the cranberries, the walnuts and melted butter. Toss to coat the apple slices evenly.  

Reading the directions on the package of the ready made puff pastry, roll out as advised. I rolled both squares, the whole package, into a rectangle that would fit the baking tray however still had a bit of room. Then place the rolled out puff pastry onto the prepared baking tray. Lay the apple mixture on top; spreading evenly. Making sure to leave an edge to roll up. 

In a little bowl melt the second amount of butter. Roll up the edges of the pastry, creating a nice folded edge, doesn't have to be perfect, all the way around; and using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter over the now folded up edges.

Place in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the apples are cooked and the edges are nicely golden brown. Remove form the oven. Allow to slightly cool. 

Once the open strudel has cooled for a bit; in a medium bowl mix together some icing sugar and a bit of water to make a runny, not watery, icing paste. Then drizzle over the semi-warm strudel. Serve immediately. 

Notes: This recipe has a bit of flexibility with the measurements of ingredients. You made add more of one and not so much of another; except the puff pastry that is as stands. I went with what I had on hand and that was half the fun... being creative; the other half of course is sharing (eating) it.

At the end... the plate was clean not a crumb left. Before that it was sliced into squares.

Simple and delicious!

It was very rainy and dreary today. I didn't mind; I quite enjoy it. - JD