taste buds on tour

 This classic homemade apple bread recipe is loaded with sweet apple cinnamon flavor, and leftovers freeze well too! .

• 2 cups finely diced apple
• 2 cups white, spelt, or oat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar, unrefined if desired
• 1 cup milk of choice
• 3 1/2 tbsp oil, or applesauce for low fat
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1.  You can either just add the cinnamon with the dry ingredients, or mix it into 2 tbsp of the milk and swirl that into the loaf right before baking 
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
3. Stir dry ingredients very well. Add remaining ingredients to form a batter, smooth into a greased 9x5 pan
4. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple bread comes out mostly clean. Let cool. I like to cover with a cloth overnight and serve the next day, because the flavor and texture are even better. 
5. Leftovers can also be sliced and frozen. If desired, frost with your favorite icing or the simple glaze

This Vegan, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free meal is the perfect complement while cheering on your favourite team.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked French green lentils (2 to 2 3/4 cups cooked)
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Avocado Oil
• 1/2 medium or large red onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or 1 large tomato, chopped
• 3 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1 batch Lemon-Tahini Dressing
• Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Chopped green onion and lemon zest, to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse and drain the lentils. Add to a medium pot and cover with a couple inches of water.
2. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, but still a bit chewy. French lentils will hold their shape beautifully and won't break down like regular green or brown lentils. Drain well. 
3. Prepare the Lemon-Tahini Dressing: Mince the garlic in a mini food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Set aside. 
4. In a large skillet or pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic, along with a pinch of salt. Stir. Sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
5. Stir in the chopped red pepper and tomato and sauté for another 7 to 8 minutes.Add the spinach, and stir to combine. Sauté until just wilted. Remove the pot from the heat.  
6. Stir in all of the Lemon-Tahini Dressing, and the fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Serve with chopped green onion and lemon zest on top, if desired. 
7. This salad is lovely served on top of a leafy green salad

Coconut ice cream is always on our itinerary when we visit our favourite Caribbean islands, Antigua & Barbuda.  This simple, irresistibly luscious coconut milk ice cream is just waiting to be your new favorite dessert. With only 4 basic ingredients, zero added sugar, and the best part – no need for an ice cream maker! It's also Keto and Vegan friendly. 

Ingredients:

2 13.5- oz cans Full-fat coconut milk

3/4 cup Sweetener, we like Monk Fruit 

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1/4 tsp Sea salt

toasted coconut

Instructions

Place a loaf pan or an airtight freezer-friendly container in the freezer while making the ice cream.

Add the coconut milk, sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender, and mix until smooth and creamy.

Transfer the coconut ice cream mixture to the pre-frozen container and place it in the freezer.

Let the ice cream freeze for at least 3 hours until hardened.

Remove the coconut milk ice cream for about 10 minutes from the fridge before serving it.

Toasted coconut on top brings additional depth of flavour and texture.

These meatballs are slightly crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. They’re traditionally served as an appetizer with tzatziki and pita bread as part of a mezze platter or as a meal with a salad, Greek of course!  Email me for the Keto &  Gluten Free version.

Ingredients:

 500 grams ground beef or   lamb

250 grams ground pork

1 medium red onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 large egg

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

4 mint/spearmint leaves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Prior to frying:

½ cup flour 

Olive oil to coat the pan

* fresh parsley for garnish 

*Tzatziki for dipping and pita bread

Method:

 Grate the onion into a large bowl and add the remaining and add the remaining ingredients. Mix with your hands until the mixture is smooth.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, this makes it easier for rolling and helps to maintain a round shape when cooking.

Measure heaping Tablespoons and roll into balls then dredge through the flour, dusting off the excess. You should end up with 32-35 balls.

Cook over medium heat until golden on all sides, roughly 6 minutes. Alternatively you can bake these on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The pan fried method is traditional and produces meatballs that are more moist on the inside. 

Kalí óreksi!

This classic Greek dish is a version of the French coq au vin.  It is important that the wine used is a good red wine which together with the allspice and cinnamon adds aroma and savory flavor to the poultry. Traditionally it is served with hollow spaghetti like pasta and plenty of grated Kefalotyri cheese.

In researching this recipe I discovered that it is often referred to as Rooster with Red Wine and that most of the Greek Isles want to claim this recipe as their own, and I certainly understand why! This recipe serves 6 hungry guests.

This recipe can be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot*.  Below is the stove-top method

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into segments

1 large white onion, minced

Several Tablespoons of olive oil

4 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 tin diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch of ground allspice 

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 oz dry red wine, one that you would drink, a Pinot Noir or Tempranillo work great

1 cup hot water

Method:

Remove tomatoes skins and dice (score the tomatoes and place in boiling water, in a few short

minutes the skins will start to peel, revolve from boiling water, let them cool and the skins will peel easily).

Season chicken segments with sea salt and pepper.

Coat the bottom of a dutch oven pot with olive oil.

Brown chicken over medium heat on both sides. Add minced onion and cook until translucent. Remove and set aside. Remove excess grease from the pot.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and bring to a boil.

Add chicken pieces, onions, spices, garlic and a cup of hot water to cover the chicken and stir.

Bring back to a boil, season with salt and pepper and simmer partially covered on medium-low for 90 minutes. Serve over pasta or egg noodles. 

Kalí óreksi!

 There is something magical about cuisine that appeals to all the senses. We found so many dishes in Greece that did just that. The appearance, texture, sound, fragrance and, of course, flavour—worked together in synergy.  Moussaka is a classic Greek dish of layered thinly sliced potato, eggplant and ground lamb or beef, topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce. 

OPA! 

Moussaka Serves 6-8

2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices, sprinkled with sea salt on both sides and drizzled with olive oil.

If using potatoes, peel and slice 3 potatoes the same way, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake them on a parchment lined baking sheet until soft.

The Meat Sauce

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb. ground lamb or beef
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon paprika1 bay leaf
• ½ cup red wine
• 14 ounce can diced tomato
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup hot beef broth

The Bechamel

• ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 cups 2% milk, warmed
• 2 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS  

Salt the eggplant. Spread the eggplant slices in one layer and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to "sweat out" its bitterness.Turn the broiler of your oven on.

Prepare a large sheet pan or two and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Pat the eggplant slices dry, removing excess salt, and assemble in one layer on the prepared pan. Brush generously with olive oil.Place the sheet pan about 6 inches away from the broiler. Broil the eggplant briefly, turning over so that both sides are softened and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.Do the same with the potatoes if included.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes). Now add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb until fully browned, tossing regularly. Drain the lamb/beef from any excess fat and return to the skillet. Add the dried oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and paprika. Stir to coat the meat with the spices. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute to reduce. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sugar, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350°F and work on the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, add a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs. Return all to the pan and stir into the bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture, bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more. (You should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce.)

Lightly oil a 9 ½" x 13" oven-safe baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom. After removing the bay leaf, add the meat sauce and spread well. Add the remaining eggplant slices and potatoes if you are using them as well. Pour the bechamel on top and spread to cover all the eggplant. Sprinkle paprika on top.

Bake the moussaka casserole on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45 minutes. If you need to, transfer the baking pan to the top rack and broil briefly so that the top of the moussaka turns a nice golden brown color (watch carefully). Remove from the heat and let the casserole sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

Kalí órexi!

Yamas!

When I saw this dish in Santorini I was taken back to a childhood memory.  When I wasn't feeling well my mother would make this soup for me and almost immediately my physical and emotional well-being returned to it's usual state of happiness.  After all these years my appreciation for this amazing meal has not changed a bit!  I hope you like this as much as I do!

OPA! 

Tips:  Make sure to temper the sauce, if you skip this step, you’ll end up with egg drop soup instead. Also, feel free to add other seasonings to the stock. Some traditional additions could be oregano, bay leaf and if you choose to use store-bought stock/broth, watch the salt content,  modify to taste and add freshly grated or minced garlic. 

Serves 6-8:

2 quarts chicken stock

About 4 cups (or less) roasted and shredded  chicken

8 egg yolks

½ - ¾ cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup uncooked orzo pasta, or ½ cup arborio rice

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Garnish: chopped fresh dill or parsley

-Bring chicken stock and shredded chicken to a boil.

-Add the orzo or rice and 1 teaspoon of salt and boil for about 6 minutes. The orzo/rice will be par cooked. If you use rice, you will need to increase the cooking time, adding 10 minutes or more.

-Prepare the egg lemon mixture by combining the egg yolks, corn starch, lemon juice, and olive oil in a boil. Whisk them together until smooth and the cornstarch dissolves.

-Once the stock boils, very slowly add one cup of the hot liquid into the egg-lemon mixture to temper it. This will prevent the eggs from scrambling. Add 1-2 more cups of hot stock while whisking to incorporate.

-Add the tempered egg lemon mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the soup thickens. Continue to mix it.

-Garnish with fresh herbs of choice.

-Serve and enjoy.

Kalí órexi!

Yamas!