Excuses

I haven’t written anything for so long because my baby has learned to read.  Well, not really read.  What he has learned to do is to bring me a book and then sit on my lap while I read it again and again and again.  This has cut into my writing time, but, luckily, not my eating time.  In fact, I’ve discovered my favourite dish ever.  And it’s easy to make.  And it’s almost healthy.  I’ll write more about it later, but for now, here it is:

Recipe: Great Green Vegetable Pasta

I learned to make a white sauce and have regretted it ever since.  White sauces are easy and I will pair one with almost any type of food that I’m preparing.  And, more often than not, I will add cheese to that white sauce.  This recipe is a great alternative because it includes almost every element of the white sauce, except that it omits the flour and includes more vegetables.

I will still make white sauce, but I will add this into the rotation as a shout out to my arteries.  Hey, arteries, thanks for keeping me conscious!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese (I didn’t do this and ended up with a runnier dish)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Big handful of pasta – I used Ryan’s homemade wholewheat fettuccine
• About 6 cups of chopped vegetables, your choice – go crazy
• 1/4 cup green onions
• 2 tbsp butter

Method:

• Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Set aside.
• Cook the pasta in water until almost done.
• Add the vegetables to the water.  Use your discretion here if one type of veg will cook faster than another.  Add the former first and wait a minute or two before adding the next.
• Drain pasta and vegetables and put back into the pot.
• Add the butter and stir to coat.
• Pour the sauces over the vegetables and mix well.  Warm on a low heat setting if desired.

Tags: basil, cheese, fresh herbs, garlic, healthy pasta, one dish, parsley, tomato, Zucchini

Recipe: Apple Spice Muffins

This is obviously not a picture of apple spice muffins.  Instead, this is Walt first thing in the morning.  As you can see, he’s wearing a retro Big Bird sleeper and has a clubbed foot.  Maybe not a clubbed foot.  Instead this demonstrates his new skill of removing his diaper while remaining dressed.  The diaper often travels to various parts of his body much to our humour and, often later, disgust.

We eat these muffins in the morning because they’re pretty healthy.  I only use whole wheat flour and try to sub in apple sauce and maple syrup instead of using sugar.  I wouldn’t say they’re the most amazing baked good in the world, but if you are hesitant to eat cake muffins for breakfast, these are a wonderful compromise.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Method:

• Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
• Mix wet in another.  It’s much easier when all wet ingredients are at room temperature.  This requires some planning, though, and wouldn’t judge you if they’re not.
• Combine wet and dry.
• Pour into a well greased muffin pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes.  I usually use mini muffin tins and usually only bake for 12-14 minutes.  Use the toothpick test to check doneness.
• Eat muffins while your baby attempts to walk with diaper in his foot.

Tags: apple, apple sauce, breakfast, maple syrup, muffins, spice