Sloppy Joes and Roast Potatoes

Today's blog is a mix of days. I try to take pictures every time I make something. I found I was making such simple things that didn't require a lot of photos so I am going to combine two of those right now.  I didn't make these for the same meal but I totally would if the mood struck me. I also want to say that I ALWAYS add veggies to my sloppy joes. There is just something wrong to me about a ton of meat, sauce, and bread. These are way too filling to pair with much of anything else so the most logical thing, to me anyway, is to load up the meat with veggies. I do warn against adding green peppers unless you really love green peppers. They tend to overpower all the other flavours and it just doesn't taste quite the same.

This is a pretty typical mix for me. One large onion, 1/4 or more of a pepper and a couple stalks of celery including the leafy tops. This all goes in with about 500g of ground beef. The leaner the better as this can get unsightly if there is too much fat floating around. Not to mention, unhealthy.

Now, this is why this is such a photoless recipe, it's so simple! A spice packet and can of tomato paste plus about a cup of water. Follow the packet directions. I do find that I like to add a bit more water to keep the saucy mess from sticking in my pan and becoming like paste.

Once the sauce has thickened it's ready to serve. I generally have homemade buns around and serve these on a buttered toasted bun.

As the weather has been getting warmer I have been finding any excuse to fire up the BBQ. These are a favourite of ours. Mine, because they are so easy to make, Phoenix's because he get's his own package, and they are just so tasty!

If you are making these for a lot of people you can do up a couple big packets and go from there instead of making one for every person. There are only three of us in my house so it was easy to make one for each of us.  

I find that we can eat about 6 new potatoes each or 1 medium potato worth each. Cut the new potatoes in half or thirds if necessary. Try to get them all the same size so they cook in the same time. Chop some onion and throw some in each package. Mushrooms and garlic are also welcome additions. Each person could season their own package too if they really wanted to get fancy. We don't, lol.

Now season liberally with salt and pepper. Dob some butter or margarine on top. It will help them cook and make those potatoes so good. Substitute olive oil, coconut oil, anything you want really.

Now seal up the package. These will be getting turned on the BBQ so be sure to seal the ends well to keep the butter from leaking out and causing flare ups, plus lost flavour! (oh no!)

We have this handy tray for the BBQ that I throw all the packages on. If you don't have one of these, don't worry just put the packages on medium high heat for about 30 minutes. Turn occasionally so nothing burns. These are best kept warm on a top rack in the BBQ when the steaks go on so they cook all the way through. They can also be done in the oven at about 400 F.

We enjoy these with sour cream, green onions, chives, bacon bits, pretty much anything we have on hand.

My Favourite Salad

About five years ago I went on a weight loss journey. A major weight loss journey. 80 lbs later here I am a fitter, lighter, happier version of my former self. I blame good foods and no self control for all the extra weight I was carrying. The thing was, most of the foods I was eating regularly didn't even taste good to me any more.  They were satisfying my fat and salt cravings and they were really easy to make.

This salad became part of my weight loss repertoire. I made and ate this salad for days on end and never tired of it. It's salty, it has healthy fat, it's crunchy, and most importantly it's tasty! With very little prep you can have a weeks worth of lunches and sides for supper in your fridge. It takes the pain out of deciding what to eat for healthy eating.

One of the key components to this salad is the dressing. You can find the recipe here. This recipe makes a lot of dressing. Make it in a jar and keep it in the fridge. I use this dressing on everything, it's that good.

Healthy olive oil makes this recipe good for you and satisfying.

Shake it up and keep it in the fridge. Shake it gently or the oil will solidify. If that happens to you just be sure to take your dressing out 10 minutes ahead of serving to let the oil warm up to room temperature again.

This salad is usually made with cabbage but I'm using romaine this time.

Now the veggies. Use whatever you have. I like to make this to the recipe but the dressing is really what makes this. The salad is just there because drinking salad dressing is gross. Haha. One thing to be sure to get is the bean sprouts and red onions. The rest is very flexible. If you are making this salad for the week keep back the watery veggies like the bean sprouts and tomatoes. Add them just before you eat to keep your other veggies from getting soggy.

This salad is tasty, beautiful, and HEALTHY. It is surprising how good it is for you.

I would normally eat this salad as a meal or with lean protein. I served it along side Sarah's Slow Cooker Pork for a fresh hit of clean flavours. The salad dressing is even good on the rice. Seriously, you will find so many places to use the salad dressing, it really is the star of this salad.

Amazing Quinoa Burgers

I have been late joining the Quinoa movement.  I don't have special dietary needs, I'm not gluten intolerant, not vegan or vegetarian or likely to be the first to jump on new health trends.  That being said, I have been trying to find recipes that use quinoa because I enjoy it.  This is one recipe that introduced quinoa to me.  My sister discovered this recipe as a meat substitute and as meat eaters Chris and I enjoyed it and didn't even miss the meat.  These are so versatile, they are flavourful and have a hearty texture that make them sturdy enough to act as a meat patty.

Quinoa cooks sort of like rice, sort of like pasta.  You measure the water and quinoa like with rice but you treat it like pasta.  Use double the amount of water as quinoa and you are golden.  

I used one cup of uncooked quinoa for this recipe.

Two cups of water.

1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil, turn it down and simmer until the germ part of the seed separates a bit and becomes visible.

Set aside to cool.  This calls for eggs and we don't want scrambled eggs in our patties.

Next, gather your ingredients, three eggs will do.  The recipe also calls for cottage cheese but I didn't have any.  I was going to substitute cheddar and mozza but decided I didn't want the extra fat.

Grate some carrot.  Alternately, you can add grated zucchini or a mixture of both.  Really anything goes.  Just make them in small enough pieces they will cook quickly within the patty.

Now this is where you have options.  I followed the recipe as it is found here but you can really personalize this.  Because of the eggs you will need something to hold the patties together.  The recipe calls for flour or rolled oats as a gluten-free alternative.  I have only made these with flour, personally.  Also, we love cumin so we are happy to stick to the recipe there as well.

The recipe calls for green onions but, again, I didn't have green onion so I diced up yellow onion.  That the great thing about cooking, it is very flexible.

Throw everything into a bowl and mix.  I used my stand mixer for this because it it easy and I'm lazy.

Plus, why have awesome appliances if you don't use them??

It should be completely blended, pretty loose and moist.  Add cheese at this point if you want.

Oil a baking pan.  The recipe calls for these to be fried but I like to start them in a pan and finish them in the oven.

Get a 1/2 cup scoop or measuring cup for portion control.

I use my electric breakfast grill here.  Scoop out your patties, they will cook in the shape you set them in so they are pretty forgiving.

Now squish them into patties with the back of the spatula.

Brown well on both sides.  Then, onto the prepared baking pan so they will continue cooking in the oven.  Be sure they get a good crust before you try to flip them or they will come apart.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 375F.  They will be moist inside, a bit crunchy around the edges and firm enough to be treated as a regular burger patty.  These can definitely be finished in the pan instead of in the oven but I like not having to watch them too closely.  I served these with a nice fresh salad and some left over ham warmed up.  They were excellent with ketchup.  The next time I make them I will be mixing up the seasoning to try a different taste.

After supper, I was having a serious sugar craving so I mixed up a mug cookie.  I'll be sharing that recipe tomorrow.  So. Damn. Good. Seriously!