Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake

photo(3)

We were fortunate enough to have Jameson’s amazing brother and sister-in-law come spend a week with us awhile back.  We had such a blast exploring our city, relaxing and just plain talking with them.  By getting hitched and combining our families have Jay and I have amassed an incredible, dynamic, ragtag group of exceptional family members.  We may have one of the largest immediate families in the history of mankind but we wouldn’t change it for the world. We so enjoy and cherish every second we have with any member of our brood.  So having Eton and Angela here with us to experience how we do our Brooklyn lifestyle was such a joy.

We ate out a little, but we ate in a lot because I seriously love having new taste buds to impress.  This Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake Quinoa  (with meat options to appease my carnivorous brother-in-law) was a hit and had Ange asking for the recipe as a souvenir.  I figured I shouldn’t keep the dish just to the family, but spread the love around.  Lately with our hectic schedules, we Jordan’s are all about this dish because it requires little prep, virtually no mess and leaves us leftovers for days.  It is the perfect, filling meal for the evenings when you need something quick but don’t have the time or energy to pull off a multi-course meal.  Enjoy. Continue reading “Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake”

Canadian Thanksgiving: (Vegan/ Gluten-Free) Curried Coconut Yam Casserole

design

Another treat from our Canadian Thanksgiving feast.  Again, this vegetable accompaniment is a staple for large gatherings in our home.  Actually, this dish extends well beyond our dinner table as it is my go-to dish when asked to bring something to my Aunt’s family meals.  You may recall that my aunt is one hardcore host, and that the meals she crafts are bar none.  In my family, once married along with your nuptials comes the responsibility of bringing an item to the table to share.  One best bring their A-game if they want to fit in with the rest of the exceptionally talented family members whose food never ceases to amaze.  On my first married Christmas Eve, I was asked to bring yam casserole. It seemed easy enough.  Although, I am not a very conventional girl so I didn’t want my dish to merely be the standard marshmallow topped, overly sweet, candy-esque variation of this dish.  So I began playing around with flavors and spices.  Truth be told my first version of this side dish had orange juice and it was thoroughly underwhelming.  It wasn’t awful but it wasn’t great either.  However, by the time Easter rolled around I had refined my recipe and this truly awesome vegan, gluten and sugar-free casserole was born.  So enjoy the fruits of my labour and have a happy celebration with those you love most. Continue reading “Canadian Thanksgiving: (Vegan/ Gluten-Free) Curried Coconut Yam Casserole”

Summer Spinnach Salad (for 1)

Happy Long Weekend!Image

It is the Canada day long weekend and the weather is spectacular. We have made the most of it with

date nights,

Image

sunset walks,

Image

and Bachelor Parties on Sail boats.

Image

With the busyness of the days and the sun beating down on us, the last thing I want is to be was inside prepping a meal or baking in front of the stove.  So this cool, crisp and simple salad, which is loaded with nourishing summer ingredients fit the bill for dinner.  The recipe is a meal salad for one person. I do it for one because there are so many options for this salad and dressing that you either follow my recipe or engage your culinary creativity to suit your own palette.

Continue reading “Summer Spinnach Salad (for 1)”