Doug's Temporary Cook Book Blog

This Broccoli and Cashew stir-fry is very nutritious and filling, however I was wondering if it is heart healthy to eat so many cashews in one meal? Turns cashews do no harm, and may do some good:  Consumption of cashew nuts does not influence blood lipids or other markers of cardiovascular disease in humans: a randomized controlled trial - ScienceDirect    BROCCOLI CASHEW STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL): Quinoi, Brown Rice, etc. 1 small yellow onion 3-4 cloves garlic 4 cups broccoli florets 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger 1 cup roasted cashews 2-3 Tbsp. tamari 1 tsp. sesame seeds (or more) METHOD 1. Begin cooking your rice or quinoa if using. (Or do this ahead of time so it’s ready to go.) 2. Meanwhile, thinly slice onion. 3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 8-10 minutes. (I use about 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.) 4. Meanwhile, mince garlic and grate ginger. (I use a microplane grater for gin...

  OLIVE OIL AND LEMON DRESSING 2 tbsp of olive oil 2 tbsp of lemon juice 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper 1/4 tsp of any dry herb, or fresh dill.

  HERBED MASHED TURNIPS Ingredients Turnips Olive Oil Fresh, finely chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, dill) Method Peel and cut turnips into 1-inch pieces.  Place turnip pieces in a pot with salted water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer 15–20 minutes until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain the turnips thoroughly, then return to the hot pot off the heat. Let steam for 1–2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture for a fluffier mash. Mash the turnips with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the mash, then gently fold in the chopped herbs. Stir until the mash becomes silky and speckled with green. Salt and pepper to taste.

Whenever I have too many apples on hand I bake a few with cinnamon for an instant warm treat, or to save in the fridge to flavour my morning oatmeal or yoghurt.  To make, peel and slice a few apples. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and dot with a small amount of butter (the forbidden food!!!). Bake apples till softened with a syrupy coating. Always good!  

I make a simple oil and vinegar dressing for cabbage coleslaw: equal parts oil and vinegar, salt, pepper and a tsp of sugar. This simple dressing basically begins the pickling process that softens the cabbage enough in one day to make a nice salad that will last for days in the fridge. I slice red onions into the finely sliced cabbage and that's it. It is always good. However, recently I have been interested in adding more ingredients to this type of coleslaw, such as this one:   Kittencal's Marinated Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe - Food.com

  SWEET DIJON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup ½ tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed 1 teaspoon anchovy paste ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less) Zest and juice of 1 lemon

The websites listed below offer many healthy and delicious choices, but I use my judgement to select those that are low in refined sugar, salt and unhealthy fats: Diabetes Canada  American Diabetes Association The Pampered Chef - Vegetarian Recipes Eating Well

This recipe is courtesy of the Diabetes Canada archive of free recipes .  LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP Ingredients  1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil  ¼ tsp (1 mL) red chili flakes  4 cloves garlic, minced  ½ cup (125 mL) each finely diced onion, celery and carrots  1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped green cabbage  2 tsp (10 mL) each ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika  ¾ cup (175 mL) small green lentils  1 can (540 mL) no-salt-added diced tomatoes  2 Tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste  1 container (900 mL) no-salt-added vegetable broth  1½ cups (375 mL) water  ½ tsp (2.5 mL) each salt and pepper  2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped parsley  1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice    Instructions  Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add chili flakes, garlic, onion, celery and carrots.  Cook, stirring for 3–4 minutes until softened.  Add cabbage, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika; mix well and cook for 2–3...

LEMON POPPYSEED OVERNIGHT OATS Ingredients 3⁄4 cup (175 mL) 0% plain yogurt 1⁄3 cup (80 mL) large-flake oats (old-fashioned oats) 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) 1% milk or plain kefir 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon zest 1 tsp (5 mL) poppyseeds 1 tbsp (30 mL) of chia seeds 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) fresh  blueberries Instructions Combine all ingredients in a portable container or mason jar with a lid.  Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

When I buy spinach to use in a soup or other recipe I always have a lot left in the fridge due to the way spinach is packaged and sold. Rather than allow those lovely baby spinach leaves to wilt and wither away I make this delicate flavourful salad by pairing my spinach leafs with buttery boston lettuce leafs. Due to the softness of the leafs, this salad does not keep well in the fridge and should be eaten soon after it is made. BOSTON LETTUCE AND SPINACH SALAD Ingredients 2 heads of boston lettuce 1 package (or less...) of baby spinach 1 pint of grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise 1 large red onion, caramelized 1/4 cup of shaved hard parmesan cheese Dressing ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup ½ tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper Instructions Using a big stainless steel bowl, tear the boston lettuce leafs into the size you prefer. Add the baby spinach leaves, ...

We made this nice beef stew awhile ago. Here is  the recipe . And here is another Mechado Baka recipe I may try next time. Just for fun, I did a google image search on the picture above and here is what the AI said about it: "The dish is a rich beef stew, likely a Filipino Mechado or a similar regional variant.  It features large chunks of fork-tender beef, potatoes, and carrots in a thick, tomato-based sauce.  Bell peppers are also visible, a common addition to many stews, including Filipino Caldereta.  The dish appears to be slow-cooked, resulting in a hearty, comforting meal with a deep, savory color.  The vibrant, hand-painted ceramic bowl adds a rustic and authentic presentation to the meal."  

Chickpea Cucumber Salad Ingredients: One 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed. 2 cups of diced cucumber. 1/4 cup of chopped red pepper 1/4 cup of diced red onion. 1/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese. Dressing: 2 tbsp of olive oil 2 tbsp of lemon juice 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper 1/4 tsp of any dry herb, or fresh dill. Method: In a stainless steel bowl make the dressing by simply combining the ingredients for the dressing. Add the chopped vegetables and feta cheese and toss the salad. Suggestion: Lucas suggests that avocado would be a tasty additon to this salad. 

BELL PEPPER, OLIVE AND FETA CHEESE BRUSCHETTA  Ingredients Cooked Bell Peppers. To make, saute 2 or 3 thinnish sliced bell peppers (red, orange or yellow) in 2 tbspn of olive oil for 15 minutes, or until softened.  If desired, you can include 1 clove of crushed garlic and half a red onion, sliced, in the pan. Save your cooked peppers in a jar in the fridge. Whole grain bread slices. Sliced kalamata olives. Feta cheese, crumbed Pesto or Tomato sauce (optional) Instructions Step One: Lightly toast the bread slice(s) in a toaster oven (do not brown). Step Two: Spread the partly toasted bread with sauce (if desired). Layer peppers, olives and feta cheese on the bread slice(s) and return them to the toaster oven for approx. 10 minutes (or until warmed through and the cheese has melted).

This roasted vegetables with eggs baked dish is now one of my favourite breakfast choices and it is super easy to make.  ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH BAKED EGGS Ingredients 4 small potatoes 1 bell pepper 1 large zucchini 1 small red onion 5-6 eggs Intructions Step One:  C ut up one cup of potatoes into small pieces, then cut up half a cup of red bell peppers and half a cup of zucchini and half a red onion, being sure to keep your dice even in size to ensure even cooking. Put veggies into a big stainless steel bowl. Step Two: Lightly grease a 9x11 baking pan with olive oil.  Step Three: Toss the cut up veggies in 2 tablespoons of olive oil plus one teaspoon of dry thyme.  Step Four: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done.  Step Five: Take the pan out of the oven and make little holes in the vegetables. Crack an egg in each hole. Grind some fresh pepper over the egges. Return the pan to oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the eggs are...

The glycemic index is a measure used to determine how much a food can affect your blood sugar levels. Several factors affect the glycemic index of a food, including the ripeness, nutrient composition, and cooking method. Read more here  and here .