Breakfast Smoothie

This is a pretty versatile recipe.  Just use whatever fruit you have on hand to switch up the flavour.  From the 2014 Milk Calendar.

1 banana, peeled and broken into chunks
1 cup plain or fruit flavoured yogurt
1 cup milk
1 cup mixed fruit (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp liquid honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a blender or in a tall cup using an immersion blender, combine banana, yogurt, milk, mixed fruit, honey and vanilla puree until smooth.  Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.

2 to 3 servings

Lemon Curd with Yogurt

A delicious dessert that tastes decadent.

LEMON CURD
3/4 cup lemon juice (fresh works best)
2 lemons, finely grated zest
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup butter cut into cubes, room temperature

GARNISH
1 cup greek yogurt
berries

1. In a saucepan, bring lemon juice, zest and 1/2 cup of sugar to a boil.  Lower heat when it begins to boil.  
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and remaining sugar together until creamy.  Gradually beat in lemon mixture without stopping, to keep eggs from cooking.  Return to saucepan and whisk continuously over medium heat.  Remove from the heat at the first sign of boiling.  Mix in butter until smooth. Cover and let cool before refrigerating.
3. Place a spoonful of chilled lemon curd into glasses.  Top with a scoop of yogurt and sprinkle of seasonal berries.

Tandoori Salmon Fillets with Mango Mint Relish

A wonderful salmon dish with loads of Indian flavour.  I used Greek Yogurt thinned with a bit of milk for this.  The Mango Mint relish really compliments the salmon.  From Food and Drink Autumn 2003.

MARINADE
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garam masala or curry paste (I prefer the garam masala)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
4 salmon fillets, about 175 g each

MANGO MINT RELISH
1 large mango, peeled
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeno pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for brushing salmon

1. Combine garlic, ginger, lemon juice, garam masala, vegetable oil and yogurt.  Spread on salmon. Let marinate for 1 hour.
2. Dice mango into 1/2 inch dice.  Toss with onions, ginger, jalapeno pepper, lime juice and mint leaves.  Season with salt (I omit the salt).  Reserve, refrigerated until needed.
3. Brush salmon with oil then grill salmon flesh side down for 2 minutes, turn over, close lid and grill 5 minutes on skin side or until white juices appear.  Serve relish on the side.

Serves 4

Goat Cheese, Dill and Lemon Spread with Lavash

A simple and delicious dip!  Lavash is a flat cracker like bread but you can use any crisp cracker.  If you make the dip ahead of time just cover and refrigerate, it will keep for a couple of days.  From Food and Drink Winter 2002.

205 G plain creamy goat cheese
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 larg garlic clove, minced
finely grated peel of 1 lemon
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill

Garnish
Dill sprigs or lemon peel
Lavash, broken into large pieces

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat goat cheese with yogurt, garlic, lemon peel and pepper until well combined.  Stir in dill.  Scrape into a serving bowl.  Garnish with sprigs of dill or lemon peel.  Serve with lavash.

Makes 1 cup

Individual Butterscotch Cakes with Hard Sauce

You can either make this as 8 small cakes or as one large cake by baking it in a 10 inch springform pan (add an additional 20 minutes to the baking time).

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp Scotch
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup ground pecans
1 cup plain yogurt

HARD SAUCE
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tbsp Scotch
1/2 tsp orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour 8 individual bundt pans (or a pan with 8 moulds); set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add Scotch, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pecans.  With a wooden spoon, stir into butter mixture alternately with yogurt, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of yogurt.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake in the centre of preheated oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Transfer to rack, let cool in pan on rack.  Loosen cakes from edges of pan.  Place rack over pan;; turn cakes out onto rack.  Lift off pan and let cool completely.
5. To make sauce, in a microwaveable bowl, beat butter with confectioners sugar until fluffy.  Beat in Scotch and orange zest, microwave on high in 5 second intervals until pourable consistency is reached.  Pour over cakes.

Serves 8

Buttery Cinnamon Cake with Apple Compote

I really liked this recipe out of Food & Drink Autumn 2010.  It is simple, flavourful and versatile.  Switch the apples for your favourite fruit like peaches, bananas or pears for a change.  If using apples try a firm tart type for the best flavour.  This cake is best served warm.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

GLAZE
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp water

APPLE COMPOTE
4 large red-skinned apples, diced (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cardamom or ginger
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.   Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of flour and  of sour cream.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.  
4. For the glaze, combine sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Remove ring form cake.  Brush top and sides with glaze and serve warm or slide the cake off the pan onto a rack and let cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the apple compote.  Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until apples are tender but still keep their shape.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm with slices of cake.

Serves 8

Pork and Sweet Peppers on Noodles

1 lb (500g) boneless pork loin

2 tbsp sweet paprika, divided

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter, divided

2 sweet peppers (red, yelllow, green or orange) cut into thin strips

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or stock, divided

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

8 oz extra broad egg noodles

1/2 cup plain yogurt not fat free

Chopped fresh parsley

1. Trim off fat from pork and cut across the grain into 1/4 inch thick strips.  In a bowl, sprinkle pork with half of the paprika and 1/4 tsp each, salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, melt half of the butter over medium high heat.  Brown pork strips in three batches, adding more of the butter as necessary; transfer to a clean bowl.
2. Reduce heat to medium.  Melt remaining butter in skillet; add sweetpeppers, onion, remaining paprika and 1/4 cup of the broth to a skillet and saute for about 3 min or until onion is softened.  Stir in remaining broth.  Whisk flour into milk and stir into skillet, increase heat to medium high; bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any brown bits stuck to pan.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 min or until sauce is thickened.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for about 6 min or until tender but firm.  Drain well.  Return pork and accumulated juices to sauce.  Simmer, stirring often for 2 min or until just of pink remains in pork.  Remove from heat, stir yogurt, then stir into sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Divide noodles among serving bowls; spoon sauce on top and sprinkle with parsley.

Brown Sugar Banana Cake

Cake

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Filling

1 banana

Icing Sugar for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease two 8” or 9” cake pans.
2. Cake:  Beat brown sugar and oil in an electric mixer.  Add eggs, 1 at a time beating well after each addition.  Add next 6 ingredients.  Beat to combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
4. Assembly:  Place 1 layer of cake on serving platter.  Place sliced banana on top. Place remaining cake on top.  Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

** for a more decadent version, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips and mix with 1/4 cup evaporated milk.  drizzle over top.

Blueberry Lemon Cake

A simple and elegant dessert

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

grated rind of 2 lemons

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup milk

½ cup plain yogurt

1 ½ cups frozen or fresh blueberries

icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 10 inch bundt pan or 13 x 9 inch metal cake pan; dust with flour.  Set aside.
2. IN large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Beat in vanilla and lemon rind.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir milk with yogurt; stir into egg mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of wet.
3. Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan, smoothing top.  Sprinkle with blueberries. Spoon remaining batter over top, smoothing gently.
4. Bake for about 60 min for bundt pan or 45 min for metal pan or until tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 in.  Invert onto rack and let cool completely.  Transfer to serving plate and dust with icing sugar.

Fresh and Light Antipasto Tuna Salad

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 english cucumber, chopped

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1 sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups cubed mozzarella 

2 cans chunk tuna, drained

Salad greens and or whole grain toast

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, basil and pepper.  Add cucumber, tomatoes, yellow pepper and mozzarella and toss to coat.
2. Using a fork, gently stir in tuna, breaking chunks slightly but leaving tuna in bite size pieces.  Serve on greens or place greens on toast and spoon salad on top

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg

Blueberry Maple Syrup
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda until well mixed.
• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, vegetable oil and stir until combined (a few lumps are ok - don't over stir).
• Pour a thin film of vegetable oil into a large skillet or griddle (never mind if yours is nonstick).  Heat on a burner set to medium; its ready when a drop of water begins to sizzle in the pan.  Spoon the batter into the pan, by tablespoonfuls - depending on the size of your pan, you may be able to cook 6 to 8 little pancakes at a time or 3 medium sized ones.  Cook about 2 minutes per side, turning over once, until browned on both sides and cooked through (the batter should not be gummy in the middle).  Transfer to a heatproof plate and keep warm in a 200F oven until you've cooked all the pancakes.  

Blueberry Maple Syrup

• In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, combine the blueberries and the maple syrup.  Microwave on high power 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• In a small bowl stir together the water and cornstarch.  Stir into the blueberry mixture and microwave for another 30 seconds.  Remove from microwave and transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving with pancakes.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

My kids won't knowingly eat zucchini but they did eat these muffins! Ha! one for the veggies....:)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 small zucchini, unpeeled and coarsely grated
1/2 cup chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt
• In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Add to the dry ingredients along with the zucchini and stir until almost combined; add the chocolate chips or nuts and stir just until blended.
• Pour into muffin tins lined with paper liners.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until tops are springy to the touch.

Buttery Cinnamon Cake with Apple Compote

Cinnamon and apples just seem to go together.  This cake has it all and is a great treat with coffee.  I am trying to be good so I did not add either whipping cream or vanilla ice cream to it, but it would taste great if you did.  Serve this cake and compote warm to really enjoy the flavour.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Glaze
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp water

Apple Compote
4 large red skinned apples, diced (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cardamom or ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of sour cream.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.  
4. For the glaze, combine sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Remove ring from cake.  Brush top and sides with glaze and serve warm or slide the cake off the pan onto a rack and let cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the apple compote.  Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer  over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until apples are tender but still keep their shape.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm with slices of cake.