UrbanMommies » Great Eats

Oru’s Blueberry Blitz

Jill — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:26:31 +0000

1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
6 Blueberries
6 Lime Leaves

Muddle Blueberries and mint with lime juice and simple syrup. Shake over ice. Top with soda or sprite if you want it sweeter. Garnish with extra blueberries.

Recipe created for UrbanMommies by Oru Restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Photo: Bopomo Pictures.

Healthy Mac and Cheese

Jill — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:12:10 +0000

1 tray of Sweetpea sweet potato Baby Food
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 package noodles cooked as directed – whole wheat or vegetable..anything but plain white..are the best.

- Combine first three ingredients and bring to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Mix with cooked noodles of choice.
- Add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.

Original recipes by Chef Jordan Wagman, reprinted with permission from Sweetpea Baby Food and Organic Snacks.

Toronto Summerlicious

Jill — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:12:21 +0000

Get a deal at some of the hottest (and most delicious) restaurants in Toronto.
When: July 9-25
Price: Varies
Where: Various
More info: www.toronto.ca

Society in Yaletown

Jill — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:50:05 +0000

After 4:30 on Sundays, kids actually eat (gasp) free. And this is no Old Spaghetti Factory. No sir. Funky pink chandeliers, a heated patio, and to-die-for ombiance. And the food is exquisite. You don’t even have to ask for the truffled baked mac and cheese that your kids would normally make you order…unless you want to. www.society-grg.ca

Springtime Tuna and Asparagus Salad

Jill — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:04:10 +0000

Nothing says springtime in Canada like fresh asparagus. Delight in the tastes of the season with this nutrient-rich and refreshing salad. The apple honey lime vinaigrette is fruity and delicious, and using Mott’s Fruitsations apple sauce reduces the amount of oil needed and helps to coat the lettuce. For people who love salad dressing and hate skimping – rejoice! This recipe promises to be a new favourite that is sure to mix-up your “fruit-ine”!

Serves: 4

Cook time: 2- 3 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Vinaigrette

1 x 111 g (approx. 1/3 cup or 75 mL) Mott’s Fruitsations Unsweetened Apple fruit snack

¼ cup (50 mL) each: vegetable oil and freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

1 tbsp (15 mL) honey

In a small jar with tight fitting lid, place all ingredients, shake well and refrigerate until ready to use. Shake before use.

Salad

4 cups (1 L) torn lettuce (romaine, Boston Bibb, red or green leaf)

1 ripe avocado, cubed

¼ small red onion, sliced thinly

8 stalks asparagus, trimmed, blanched and chopped*

1 can (6 oz / 170 g) water packed tuna, drained

¼ cup (50 mL) toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

*Pour boiling water over asparagus spears and let stand for 2-3 minutes, drain and plunge asparagus into ice cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry.

Place lettuce on a large platter or in a bowl; top with avocado, onion, asparagus and tuna. Just before serving drizzle Apple Honey Lime Vinaigrette to taste and top with pumpkin or sunflower seeds; serve immediately.

Nutrient Analysis per serving (1/4 salad recipe with vinaigrette) : 332 calories, 27 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 6 g fibre, 15 g protein, 156 mg sodium. Excellent source of folate, magnesium and iron. Good source of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Herb Frittata

Jill — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:37:22 +0000

Serves 2 as an appetizer, 1 as a lunch dish
From “Lidia’s Family Table” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and fresh herbs until just blended together.

Heat the butter and oil in the small frying pan until it just starts to sizzle, then pour in the eggs and turn the heat down very low. Cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes. The eggs will start to puff up and sizzle at the edges. Lift a corner of the frittata with a spatula, and check to see if the bottom has browned in splotches. When it has, flip the frittata over by giving the pan a firm, quick shake up and over toward you so that the egg mass dislodges and flips over in one piece. Or, if that unnerves you, turn the frittata over with a spatula. Cook the second side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, again checking to see if the bottom has browned to your liking. Serve right away, or let cool to room temperature and cut the frittata in wedges.

Peanut Basil Pesto

Jill — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:11:37 +0000

Ingredients:

½ cup peanuts, toasted
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups packed basil leaves
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place cooled toasted peanuts and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Don’t pulse too much or you’ll have peanut butter. Add basil leaves and pulse until combined and finely chopped and a puree begins to form.

2. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil until combined. Add 2 tbsp (25 mL) more oil if you would like pesto a bit saucier. Turn into a bowl and stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Delicious as a pasta sauce or a sandwich or pizza spread. Makes about 1 cup (250 mL).

Asian Chicken and Veggie Wrap

Jill — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:09:01 +0000

Ingredients:

2 tbsp peanut butter
½ to 2 tsp hot Chinese chilli-garlic sauce*
1 medium-size flour tortilla, preferably whole wheat or multi-grain
Shredded lettuce or whole leaves, optional
Colourful sweet peppers cut into strips
Leftover cooked chicken, cut into strips
Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir peanut butter with 1 ½ tbsp (22 mL) water and chilli sauce to taste. Stir in more water to thin mixture to the consistency of mayo.
Spread wrap with peanut butter mixture right to the edges. Line with lettuce if using, colourful peppers, chicken, salt and pepper to taste. Wrap and fold to enclose filling. Slice diagonally in half. Makes one wrap (can easily be doubled).

*Chinese chilli-garlic sauce can be found in the Asian section of supermarkets or substitute 2 tsp (10 mL) cider vinegar and cayenne to taste.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Spiced Banana Sandwich

Jill — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:03:56 +0000

Ingredients:

2 slices raisin, whole wheat or regular sandwich bread
As needed Butter
2 tbsp peanut butter
½ banana, thinly sliced
Generous sprinkles brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger

Directions:

Lightly spread one side of each bread slice with butter. Spread other side of each slice with peanut butter. Layer banana slices on peanut butter on one of the slices. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Top with other bread slice, peanut butter side down.

Set a medium frying pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add sandwich. Cook until a deep golden on each side, adjusting heat as needed, about three minutes a side. Slice into quarters. Makes one sandwich (can easily be doubled).

Spaghettini With Olive Oil and Garlic

Jill — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:07:39 +0000

This classic Italian dish has found a permanent spot in Italian American cuisine. You can dress it with Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano. And I guarantee that it’s a favorite for kids as well as moms. Why? Because it tastes delicious and requires very little clean up!

Serves six.

Salt
1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon (or more to taste) crushed red pepper
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano
Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Stir the spaghettini into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still very firm, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper.

Ladle about 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water into the sauce. Add the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat with sauce. Cook until the pasta is coated with the sauce and done, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the grated cheese, if using. Check the seasoning, adding salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Author Bio
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, is the author of five previous books, four of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, and can be reached at her Web site, www.LidiasItaly.com.