1st GangUp Challenge of 2013

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Deborah

I like to challenge myself in the kitchen because I can never seem to stick to a recipe (unless I am baking, baking is a science you don’t mess with) when I am trying out something new for dinner. I look at a new recipe and think….hmmm..what if I added this instead of that? or maybe add more or less of a certain ingredient?…or I know hubby wouldn’t eat it with that in it…. hence why I never give reviews on any recipes I try off the internet – it wouldn’t be fair to judge a recipe after I fooled … Read more...

Soup’s On!

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Deborah

Mmmmmmmm…..who doesn’t love the aroma of a pot full of home-made soup? I am a sucker for new soup recipes too. As soon as I come across one that really gets my taste buds fired up – I haul out the soup pot. One of the benefits of soup is that it can also be one of your best tools for Weight Loss. Soup needn’t be full of fat to be delicious!

Soup is not only a take-the-chill-off meal in the winter months, but it also delivers your daily intake of required meat, veggies and water, all in one … Read more...

Fish On!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Deborah

I am heading to BC to wrestle a 25lb. Sockeye into a boat for dinner….OK, I fibbed, as much as I would love to, I will head to my nearest fish monger and ask for a couple of nice, fresh Salmon filets instead. Salmon is an excellent fish to get your daily intake of ‘good fat’ when disguised as a burger.

Serve open-face style on whole grain bread with a side salad to get the maximum benefits in this heart-healthy meal to help in your quest to lose weight. If you are not a salmon fan, try subbing it with … Read more...

How To Make Granola

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Deborah

I love Granola. Granola on yogurt. Granola in a smoothie. Granola sprinkled on ice cream. Granola by itself even. Makes a great snack anytime you get the munchies.

It is very yummy stuff…. but very expensive to buy and the commercial stuff is loaded with more sugar than necessary.

So make your own instead.

Ingredients

½ Cup Un-sweetened Apple Sauce
¼ Cup Canola Oil
½ Cup Lite Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
8 Cups Whole Rolled Oats
1 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds (unsalted)
1 Cup Slivered Almonds (raw, unsalted)
¾ Cup Wheat Bran (or Cracked Wheat)… Read more...

It’s Healthy Food Time

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Deborah

Sometimes you need to step away from the butter laden, ooey-gooey, rich, decadent, make-you-swoon recipes and stabilize your blood sugar or before you know it, you will be living in sweatpants and over sized t-shirts hauling around an oxygen bottle for the rest of your life.

Not to get all preachy….ok, maybe a ‘little’ preachy…but the average person should aim to get 25 – 30% of their daily calories from fat, of that amount, approx. 7% should come from saturated fat (meats/dairy). Less than 1% should come from trans fat and the rest should come from mono and poly unsaturated … Read more...

How To Make Your Own Croutons

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Deborah

Making your own croutons takes about as much time to make a pot of coffee…and just as easy. Trust me, once you make your own croutons, you will never go back to store bought again. With the use of heart healthy Olive Oil, they are much better for you than the butter/transfat laden commercial variety too. These are made from day or two old fresh bread. Not the packaged, preservative laden stuff either, because no matter how long you leave it out, it just doesn’t get stale enough to be used as croutons.

Grab a fresh baguette (preferably whole wheat … Read more...

Easy as Apple Pie

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Deborah

One of the best things about Fall are Apples. Apple season is now in full swing with lots and lots and lots of fresh, crisp apples ready for picking, eating, canning, juicing and baking. I am an Apple Snob though, only liking a few specific varieties to eat fresh. I do venture into other varieties for baking, as long as they stand up well to the cooking process.

Canadian Thanksgiving is approaching quickly and I am usually pressed for time in getting dessert ready in the days leading up to the annual food-a-thon. So this year I decided to venture … Read more...

Sugar Rush

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Deborah

Seeing as yesterday’s post was disappointing in the fact that it didn’t include a sweet, yummy dessert recipe….I have decided to make it up to you and include one. Aren’t I nice? By the way – for those looking for a waist-line friendly recipe….look elsewhere!

This one is aptly named in the post title too.

Sugar Rush indeed. These little beauties will make your teeth scream from all the sugar. Hands down, probably my hubby’s favourite dessert item. This recipe comes from his Aunt Eileen, who made the best Butter Tarts….EVER.

Aunt Eileen’s Butter Tarts

Ingredients

2 Eggs

1 Cup … Read more...

Healthy Blueberry Muffins?

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Deborah

Believe me, it is possible to make healthy, low fat, low sugar muffins. I know you may love your Timmy’s Muffin in the morning, but they are so full of fat (even the so-called ‘low-fat’ ones are not what they are cracked up to be) and sugar, you can literally watch the scale move up after you eat one. After eating one every day for a week, you are pretty much guaranteed to see the ‘Wide Load’ appear on your backside….

I must admit, I had a good time this past summer. Lots of fun in the sun, good food … Read more...

Fall is Around The Corner…

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Deborah

I love Summer and hate to see it come to an end. I know my days of roaming around in flipflops and shorts are almost over. My wild flowers are fading and the flower heads are getting ready to scatter their seeds for next years re-birth. Even the leaves of a few Maples are already showing their Fall colours…way too early for my liking….they are pretty though.

The past couple weeks have seen the nights cool considerably here on the Homestead. I even had to break out the sweaters on a couple days last week, much to my dismay…. and … Read more...