Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These are quick and tasty and are relatively low in fat compared to Grandma's Lemon Cake.

3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use half sugar, half Splenda)
zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp lemon juice)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted butter

Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix lemon zest and sugar together. Mix with other dry ingredients and poppy seeds. Beat eggs and add other wet ingredients. Combine with dry ingredients and mix together until well blended.

Put batter in muffin tin (12 muffins) or you can make one 8x5 loaf with this recipe

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and firm to touch (for muffins)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or so if making a loaf.

Put glaze on tops when they are still warm.

Grandma's Lemon Cake

I love lemony desserts...lemon pie, lemon curd, lemon cake...

Grandma made this lemon cake for special occasions and it was a family favourite. I once decided to figure out the calories and fat in the recipe and was shocked at the numbers I came up with. So they will remain a secret. If I am wanting a lemony tasting treat, I make these lower fat Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. But I have to add Grandma's recipe to this family recipe blog. It is good to take to a potluck or other event where other people will eat most of it before you have a chance to get started.

1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 package Lemon Jello (4 serving size)
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs

Mix cake, jello, eggs, water and beat with beaters for 2 minutes. Add oil and beat for another 2 minutes.

Bake in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

While cake is still hot, pierce top with a fork and pour a glaze made with 2 cups of icing sugar and 1/3 cup of lemon juice over the top.

Serve when cool.

Chickpea Burgers

I am still searching for a fast and easy vegan bean burger which has a good texture and does not fall apart. Lentil Mushroom burgers are tasty but relatively time consuming to make. These patties taste quite different than the lentil ones and are easy to make. I adapted this recipe from a few I looked up on the internet. The spice and vegetable mixture and quantities can be changed according to what you like or have on hand.

1 tin chickpeas (garbanzos) mashed or pureed in a food processor (I just mash them)

1 diced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
3/4 c grated carrot
1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp crushed cumin seeds (or powdered cumin)
1 tsp yellow or black mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander (powdered)
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup chick pea flour (besan) or white flour

oil for frying

Add a tablespoon of oil to a frying pan and cook onions and spices together until onion is softened. Add garlic, cilantro, carrot and lemon juice and cook for a couple more minutes. (The Becka skipped this step and added all these uncooked ingredients together with the mashed chickpeas. The result was excellent.)

Add the cooked mixture to the mashed chickpeas and blend well in a bowl. Take 1/4 cup of the bean mixture at a time and form into patties with your hands. Use a little more flour if it is too sticky. Fry patties in a little oil in the frying pan until browned on both sides.

This makes a burger that is the perfect size to serve in an English muffin.

Channa Masala

This recipe may look complex, but it is very easy, especially if using canned chickpeas. Like most curry dishes, it tastes even better the next day. Serve with basmati rice. I found the recipe here and modified it very slightly.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions (peeled and minced)
• 1 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper- I used 1/4 tsp
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 6 tablespoons chopped tomatoes- I used a few whole cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup water- I increased this to 1-1/2 cups
• 4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds- ground with mortar and pestle
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lemon juiced- I used bottled lemon juice and a splash of lime juice
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
2. Add onions and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until browned (3-5 minutes).
3. Turn heat to medium-low.
4. Add the coriander, cumin (not the roasted cumin), cayenne and turmeric.
5. Stir for a few seconds.
6. Add the tomatoes.
7. Cook the tomatoes until browned lightly.
8. Add chickpeas and a cup of water and stir.
9. Add the roasted cumin, paprika, garam masala, salt and lemon juice.
10. Cook covered for 10 minutes.
11. Remove the cover add the ginger.
12. Stir and cook uncovered for 30 seconds.

Garnish with finely chopped hot peppers and fresh cilantro leaves if desired.

Chicken and Rice

This is a fast after-work meal for the meat eaters in the family.

4 skinless chicken breasts, bone in or out
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or other creamed condensed soup)
3/4 cup parboiled rice
1 cup water (Add 1/3 cup more water for a creamier base)

Mix rice, water and soup together in the bottom of a casserole dish or roasting pan. Place chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Season chicken with paprika and pepper.

Cover and bake for 45 min at 375 F. Remove lid for last 5-10 minutes.

Serve with a salad or cooked vegetables.

Vegetarian Chili

Chili is one of the fastest meals to make if you use canned beans and tomatoes. I have made it with ground meat, chunks of chicken breast, soy crumbles, but like it this way the best. I have used chili seasoning mixes in the past but due to their high sodium content, prefer to do my own spice mixture. This time I accidently put a teaspoon of cinnamon in instead of chili powder. I added the chili afterwards and the taste was unique and good. I rinse the beans well before adding them to the pan. It can be served in many ways;-

• with toast and a salad
• in taco shells or with tortillas adding salsa and sour cream
• as a taco salad served in a bed of greens and topped with tortilla chips and toppings
• as a stuffing for peppers

In a large pan or wok add some or all of these ingredients;-
2 tsp oil, 1 large diced onion, 1 large diced sweet pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 or more chopped hot peppers, 1 or more cups sliced mushrooms. Cook til softened

Add-
1-28 oz tin tomatoes
1-6 oz tin tomato paste if you have it
2-19 oz tins rinsed beans ( I used black beans and kidney beans)
1/2-1 tin canned lentils for a "ground meat" like texture
I like to simmer some zucchini slices in the stew after the tomatoes are added

Seasoning suggestions- (season to taste)

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin ( I crush the whole seeds with a mortar and pestle)
hot pepper flakes, cayenne if you like it hotter
1/2 cup or more chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
salt and pepper to taste
(or one package of chili seasoning mix)

Simmer for a few minutes to blend flavours. Tastes even better the next day.

For a meat-based chili, add 1/2-1 lb of cooked ground meat or chicken chunks. You can cook the meat with the onions and peppers.

Swedish Apple Pie

My sister-in-law Shirley made this delicious fruit dessert for us last weekend. It lends itself to modification and I made it with a mixture of fruit (apples, frozen raspberries and blueberries) as I find that storage apples can be bland by this time of year.

Slice 5 cups of apples or 5 cups of fresh fruit and place in a 9 inch pie plate with

1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar or sweetener
1/2 tsp nutmeg if desired
pinch of salt if desired

In a separate bowl combine

1 cup flour or mixture of flours
pinch of salt
1/2 -2/3 cup brown sugar or other sweetener
1 egg
1 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

Place topping evenly over fruit.

Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned and fruit is tender.

Microwave Popcorn

Paper bag approximately 14 x 26 cm

Commercial microwave popcorn bags expose users to potential chemical risks which you can read about by following the link to this Wikipedia article. I learned that popcorn can be microwaved easily in regular paper bags and have experimented with the methods described on several websites. Microwave ovens heat unevenly and results can vary even if the same method is used each time. Different sized bags and variations in microwave oven outputs will also affect the recipe. This is how it works in our oven.

Place 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in a lunch sized paper bag. Fold the top down narrowly twice (about 2 cm folds). If the bag is too small the popping corn will tear it open.

Place bag upright in microwave oven and set on high for 2 minutes 10 seconds (1000 watt oven). Watch the bag closely. Occasionally the popcorn is done in less than 2 minutes so remove early it if the popping slows down a lot or stops.

Remove the popped corn. Sometimes there are quite a few unpopped kernels in the bag and you can put the bag back in the oven for 15 to 30 seconds watching it carefully.

Makes 6 cups popcorn. Pour melted butter over the popcorn or just add salt if desired.

Granola

Mom used to make granola for me in the 1970's. I would take a jar of it back to the one room I lived in when I went to university. I have never made it myself but my daughter was making some today so I looked up a recipe, modified it and made this batch. I have one complaint about it...
It is too good, and rather addictive.
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon or less salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnuts
1/4 cup coarsely ground or whole flaxseeds (optional)
1/3-1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit
(Add 1 to 1-1/3 cups of nuts/dried fruit of your choice to 2 cups of oats)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the mixture over the oats and flaxseed mixture and and mix thoroughly until all grains are coated.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.
Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the walnuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Bake for 5-10 minutes until nicely toasted, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the dried fruit over the granola.

August 2012

I experimented with a yummy variation of this granola. Forget the cocoa krispie cereal!

Chocolate Granola

Add 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Use coconut oil 
Substitute 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses and agave syrup for the sweetener
Use dried cherries for the fruit

Lentils and Rice

I found these colourful mixed lentils in the Indian food section of our supermarket this week. Lentils cook quickly and do not need pre-soaking. They are ideal for a quick supper. I planned to make Mom's Goulash for my husband's dinner and modified the recipe to make this vegetarian version. It turned out very well and both dishes took about 40 minutes from start to finish.

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1-2 tsp oil
1 cup lentils
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano, thyme
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

14 oz canned stewed tomatoes

1 cup basmati rice

1 zucchini, sliced or diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups shredded greens (I used mustard greens)

Heat oil in wok or large pan. Cook onions and peppers until softened. Add lentils and stir into the oil and vegetable mixture. Add salt and spices. (change the spice combination if desired)
Add water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer lentils for about 15 minutes until they are partially cooked. Add tomatoes and rice and continue to cook until rice and lentils are soft. Add more water if necessary. Add zucchini, mushrooms and greens (or any other combination of quick-cooking vegetables) and simmer until they are done and the liquid is absorbed. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Makes 4-6 main servings, or 8 side dishes. We served it with cabbage and onion slaw.

(The lentil and rice mixture, without the last group of vegetables, is the right texture and consistency for making a filling for cabbage rolls. I have tried a vegan cabbage roll filling which tasted "OK" but looked very unappetizing. I liked the look of this combination and may try it with some blanched cabbage stored in my freezer)

Pizza Casserole

I adapted a recipe from A Taste of Home and made this vegetarian version of a pizza casserole. It had all the flavours of pizza and could include other favourite toppings in the layers. I will include directions for the meat version as well in case the above link goes dead. This makes two casseroles so one can be frozen for another time.

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta- I used cavatappi

2 -340 g packages of veggie ground round (or 2 lbs ground meat)**

16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (or 2 tins canned mushrooms)

1-2 green peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped (optional)

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce- I used a salt-free sauce

1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

(or you can use 4-1/2 cups of prepared pasta sauce)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1-120 g package veggie pizza pepperoni

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven,* cook peppers, mushrooms and onions over medium heat until softened; drain.

Stir in the tomato sauce, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings.

Add the crumbled veggie ground round.

Drain pasta; stir into the sauce.

Divide half of the mixture between two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes; sprinkle each with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top each with pepperoni and Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

* if you are using ground meat, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain, and then cook the vegetables until softened

** the second time I made this I omitted the meat/veggie ground round and we thought it tasted even better with just the peppers/mushrooms/tomato sauce.

Lentil Mushroom Burgers

I have been eating a mainly vegan diet for a while and have been trying out many new recipes. This meatless burger is from Canadian Living and is absolutely delicious! I made it exactly according to the recipe. I will copy it here in case the link goes dead. I did not grill them but browned them in a frying pan on the stove.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pecans
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
3 cups (750 mL) finely chopped mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (50 mL) salsa
6 hamburger buns

Preparation:
In large skillet, toast pecans over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to food processor. Add lentils; pulse just until smooth. Set aside.

In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry mushrooms, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Scrape into food processor. Add bread crumbs and salsa; pulse to combine. Form into six 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties.

(Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate on waxed paper–lined rimmed baking sheet for up to 4 hours.)

Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Sandwich in buns.