I love burgers

So I admit

I LOVE BURGERS!

There! I said it!!

I could probably eat a burger everyday if I really wanted to.

And when im talking burgers.. Im coming from a gluten free way and not having it with a bun

Something about all the different ways to flavor the ground beef/chicken/turkey just gets me excited...

is that weird?? a little.. ill admit! haha!

anyways one of my favorite burger to make is 

Turkey Spinach

ONLY if I get to the Tuesday market however and pick up

fresh ground turkey from Hilltop Farms

Something about their freshly ground meat that just makes these burgers so so good!

Now, I only made this recipe because of one of my best gal pals 

introduced me to frozen boxed spinach....

P.

She is a great cook/bartender (makes a wicked punch)

And has a young son, so she sneaks frozen spinach into everything she can!

She had a bbq and made wicked burgers with spinach in it

So whenever I add frozen spinach into anything now 

I refer to it as A la P

Turkey Spinach Burgers A la P

you will need:

1lb of fresh ground turkey 

1 egg

1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated

4 tbsp yellow mustard

2 tbsp Epicures French Onion dip mix

1/2 cup pasta sauce (I like classico tomato pesto)

fresh cracked pepper

1 box frozen spinach (squeeze excess water out in paper towels)

1 Shallot, finely diced

how to:

mix all ingredients together in a bowl

form patties, making sure they are the same size and same thickness throughout

to ensure proper cooking

bbq at 400 degrees for 4 min a side (1/4 inch thick) or until cooked thru

cover with foil and allow to rest before serving

I top them with fresh avocado serve alongside some fresh tomato slices

National Put a Zucchini On Your Neighbours Porch Day!!

Happy National 'put a zucchini on your neightbours porch day!'

I heard that on the radio this morning.. haha

anywho...

My loves birthday was last friday

and his AWESOME sister, M,

gave him a beautiful bag of her own home grown veggies!

In that bag were 3 HUGE zucchini

which I have heard are the best for making 

Zucchini Loaf.

Then, while we were out for dinner,

M told me she tried a pin she repinned from me

Cheesy Zucchini Rice.

Both her and her hubby D agreed it was 

AMAZING!!!

Yesterday I created both.

and yes, im sharing them with you because they were 

AWESOME!!

Go to your local farmers market and get 2 big-ish zucchinis

and re create this yumminess soon while they are in season!!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
(Slightly adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-zucchini-bread-i/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=double%20chocolate%20zucchini%20loaf&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results)

preheat oven to 350
grease 2 loaf pans

you will need:

2 squares unsweeeted chocolate, melted (I did the double boil method)
3 eggs
1 cup coconut sugar or any sugar you wish (unrefined!!)
1 cup veggie oil 
(next time im going to try half cup melted butter and half cup applesauce)
2 cups coarse grated zucchini (one about the size of your forearm)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 Cups gluten free flour
1 teaspoon of each: baking soda, cinnamon and salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

how to:

In a large bowl combine:
eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, vanilla and melted chocolate
mix well so eggs are broken up

In a small bowl combine:
flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt
add to wet ingredients 
make sure no flour bits are left
add chocolate chips

pour into 2 loaf pans evenly
and bake for 50-60 min or until a toothpick comes out clean

I froze half of one and sent the other off to work with my love.
SO GOOD with coffee.


Cheesy Zucchini Rice
(adapted from http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/06/28/cheesy-zucchini-rice/)

you will need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups veggie stock
1 large zucchini coarsely grated
1 cup Daiya Motz cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and fresh cracked pepper
bacon cut into small bits (optional but DELICIOUS!)

how to:

in a large saucepan place butter and olive oil over med heat
add rice and stir until rice smells toasty (1-2 min)
add veggie stock
bring to a boil
then put a lid on it and turn down heat to low
simmer for 30 to 40 min (brown rice takes longer)
until almost all liquid is absorbed
then throw in zucchini, Dayia, parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper
stir on low heat until combined well and resembles risotto (5min or so)

top with bacon on your plate for some texture

enjoy!!

Gluten Free Strawberry Pie, OH MY!

Nothing tastes more like summer then 

fresh Ontario strawberries!!

I found this simple strawberry pie recipe online

(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-pie-ii/)

and adapted it and made it Gluten free!!

Thanks to Healthy Foods and More 

(bridgeport street, across from the zellers plaza)

for their 2.99 gluten free pie shells!

And!

To Herrles Market

(erb street)

for growing the WORLDS BEST

Ontario Strawberries!!

you will need:

1 frozen gluten free pie shell 

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 coconut sugar 

zest from one lemon (optional)

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons water

how to:

pre heat oven to 400 degrees

with a fork, poke numerous holes in your pie crust

bake for approx 10-15 min

until a little golden brown on edges

cool

in a small sauce pan on medium heat

add approx 1/4 of your strawberries 

(washed, hulled *fancy term for tops removed*, sliced and mashed with a potato masher til chunky ish)

and the coconut sugar

bring to a boil, stirring constantly

in a small dish

combine arrowroot powder and water

until disolved 

when strawberry mixture is boiled

turn off heat

add arrowroot liquid 

and stir stir stir

til it thickens

pour into a glass bowl 

cool a bit

then add lemon zest

cool more til room temp

add rest of your berries to your strawberry mixture

pour into pie shell

refridgerate for at least 2 hours before serving

I picked up So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk ice cream to go along

but I bet Cool Whip would be yum too!!

Enjoy!!

Amazing blog!

Woke up to a facebook inbox message from my brother:

omg and then a link to this fab blog with AMAZING paleo recipes!

http://earthenergyyoga.com/category/recipes/

Please check it out.

He sent me the link to the caprese cauliflower crust pizza

since I am on a cleanse right now

Im not eating anything really exciting except chicken fish and veggies

and my bbq is getting a workout!! hehe

once im able to eat eggs and pork again

I will for SURE be trying that pizza!!

YUM YUM!

Worlds best Egg Salad recipe

Nothing screams more like comfort food to me then a great
egg salad sammich!!

I remember my mom making these for lunch when I was younger

and I have finally perfected
thee worlds best
Egg Salad Sammich recipe!!

you will need:

6-8 hard boiled eggs*
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tbsp green onions, sliced into Os
1 heaping tbsp helmans olive oil mayo
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
8 dashes of Franks Red hot sauce
S & P to taste
2 separate bowls

*how to boil eggs*
place eggs in bottom of saucepot
add water til eggs are just covered
bring to a boil, once it starts to boil
time for 5 min
then turn off the heat
cover
and let stand for 10 min
then add cold water to pot
let cool for 5 min
peel in water

how to:
separate the cooked yolks and cooked white in separate bowls

bowl #1 - yolks
Add mayo and mustard to yolks
mash until combined with back of spoon
add celery, green onion, dill, smoked paprika, cumin
Franks and some s & p
fold and evenly mix together
taste
need more salt? pepper?
add to taste

bowl #2 - whites
season whites with salt and pepper
with a potato masher
mash to medium size pieces
add to bowl #1

fold the white into the yolk mix

place on boston leaf lettuce on your choice of bread
I like Udi's whole grain loaf (gluten free)
or gluten free brown rice tortillas
I also like adding alfalfa sprouts but thats just me!

I can imagine this would be unreal on some pumpernickel bread
or a cheese bun!! dammit. I miss those!

*CAUTION!*
if you are making this the night before for lunch
do not
mix the two bowls together until the day you wish to eat!
therefore mix it the morning of!
it tends to get watery when mixed together overnight

enjoy!

Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Everyone has those brown bananas on their counter

but have you found the ultimate banana muffin recipe?

one that promises amazing muffins everytime?

One that delivers a crunchy muffin top

with a soft and fluffy banana-y inside?

Well.. you're in luck!

Cuz Ive been making banana muffins for as long as I can remember

way back with my mom

and now I make them in my own kitchen

gluten free of course

This recipe Im about to give you 

I found online (http://www.catcancook.com)

however

I have tweeked it and made it my own

I also have 2 versions

1 with butter and 1 without

With butter, the muffins are fluffy and crunchy topped

With applesauce, the muffins are a bit more dense but plenty moist which makes them just as tasty!

You will need 2 bowls, 1 large for wet ingredients, 1 small for dry

Also have your muffin tin ready with muffin liners in it

After stirring you wanna get those suckers in the oven asap

so the baking soda and powder do their thing and rise 

preheat oven to 350 

Bowl #1:

Mash together with a potato masher the following

3-4 brownish yellowish bananas

1/2 cup sugar (I use unrefined coconut sugar, any unrefined sugar is great!)

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup of melted butter or 1/3 cup plain applesauce

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

set aside

Bowl #2:

Mix together gently with a spatula

1 1/2 cups bobs red mills gluten free all purpose flour mix

(since these are muffins you dont need to add xanthan gum)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

add bowl 2 ingredients to bowl 1

mix gently with a spatula

until flour is just combined

spoon into liners

bake for 20-25 min until toothpick comes out clean

makes 12 large muffins or 10 jumbo muffins

enjoy

Beef and Quinoa Stoop

Stoop:

not quite thick enough to be a stew,

not quite thin enough to be a soup.

I currently have bronchitis 

and really just want a big bowl of

soothing/comfort/warm

What better then this protein packed

STOOP!

you will need:

stewing beef (I bought 2 packs, around $8 worth)

3 stalks celery thin sliced

 1/4 bag of matchstick carrots (just easier and fast when your sick)

1 small sweet potato diced (approx same amount as celery)

1 small turnip diced

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 containers of beef broth (1.5L)

1/4 cup dried quinoa

frozen peas (if you like)

a large glug of red wine from your fridge (HA!)

s&p

roll and tie together with cotton string:

3 sprigs parsley (stole some from my bunny Flopsie. Shes cool)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

3 bay leaves (dried)

how to:

In a large pot

add some olive oil or red palm oil

add onion, cook for a min or 2 on med high heat

then add beef, it should make quite a sizzling sound

you want that, trust me

dont touch it at first, let it sear 

thats flavor my friends!

add s&p

cook beef for approx 5 min

then add all veggies except carrots(if using matchstick, dont want them mushy)

cook veggies with beef for approx 4-5 min

then add quinoa

stir quick so quinoa is mixed around with beef and veg

then add broth

wine

garlic

and your bunch of herbs

stir

bring to a boil

then simmer for 17 min 

or 

until quinoa is done and veggies are cooked thru

last 2 min add frozen peas

enjoy!