Slow Cooker Beef Stew

(Ashley Tested & Approved!)
Original recipe makes 12 servings

3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby carrots
4 large potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
3 tablespoons butter
3 onions, sliced
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions
Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.

In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet, and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.

Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Tim's Squash Curry Soup

1 med onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

4 cups of cubed buttercup squash

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

4 cups of chicken stock (no sodium added)

1 cup of cashew cream (recipe follows)

Pinch of salt and pepper

In a large pot sauté onion, garlic and carrots in olive oil. Add all other ingredients and cook at a strong boil to break up the squash well, and then simmer until cooked though.

Puree and add 1 cup of cashew cream and a dash of hot sauce (optional).  Adjust seasoning if needed with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Cashew cream
Soak 1 cup of raw cashews for at least 2 hrs. Rinse the cashews and place in the blender with 1 cup of water. Blend until very smooth. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of lemon juice and blend again.

Tim's Spicy Lentil soup

In a sauce pan, 
3 tablespoons of olive oil, 
2 chopped onions, 
2 chopped carrots, 
2 chopped medium potatoes
clove of garlic

Saute till soft (10-15 minutes), add 4 tablespoons of curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cayene pepper (more if you dare) and cook for a few minutes.  

Add a can of chopped tomatoes (or 6 to 8 fresh tomatoes already stewed) and a 900 ml container of low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups of washed green lentils.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for up to 2 hours.  

It is a bit thick so you may add some water.

Enjoy!

Low Carb Shepherd's Pie

Rapini Fried Rice

What you need...

3 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoon of NB honey
1 cooked boneless skinless chicken breast  cubed  or 6 oz of tofu drained and cubed
5 tablespoons of olive oil
½ cup of your favourite nuts toasted
1 bunch of fresh rapini -blanched for five minutes-cooled-chopped into bite size pieces
2 carrots peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves minced
1 hot pepper finely chopped
1 ½ cups of cooked rice
½ cup of fresh green onion thinly sliced

• Mix together, 2 tbl of soy sauce,  all the honey and 3 tbl of water-set aside
•  Cook the chicken breast with 1 tbl of olive oil,
• When cooked add 1 tbl of soy sauce and sauté for five minutes-set a side
• Brown the nuts in 1 teaspoon of olive oil-set a side
• Sauté the blanched rapini, carrots, garlic and hot pepper in 2 teaspoons of olive oil for 3-5 minutes-set aside
• Heat remaining oil in pan, toss with rice thoroughly and then add the vegetable mixture and toss
• Pour over the honey/soy sauce mixture and stir in over high heat until blended.
• Sprinkle with nuts and green onions and serve

Based on a recipe from Pete Luckett’s “Complete Guide to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables”

Easy Pasta Salad

By Nela McHugh ~ Simply for Life Cooking Expert

½ pkg. whole wheat or brown rice pasta (fusilli or bowties)
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup green or red onions, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked or raw veggies of choice such as red pepper and zucchini, chopped *
½ cup chopped parsley or your favorite fresh herb
1 cup goat or crumbled feta cheese
Your favorite homemade salad dressing

* Note: this would be a great recipe to use your leftover grilled or roasted veggies. 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. Meanwhile in a large bowl mix well the rest of the ingredients including the dressing. Add pasta and stir. This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.

Shadow Lawn Inn's Ginger squash and apple soup

2 squash cut in 1/4,  with the seeds removed

1 large onion peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic
2 apples peeled cored and quartered
1 tsp curry powder
Pinch salt and pepper
1 cup  cider
6 cups water or vegetable stock
1 inch fresh grated ginger

Put the squash on a roasting pan skin side down; place the onion pieces, garlic and apple in the squash pieces. Sprinkle with curry powder, salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 ˚F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the squash is cooked.

Allow the squash to cool enough to handle, and then peel it into a soup pot. Add in all the other roasted items.

Add in the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender. You may need to add more liquid if the soup is too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Remember that a squeeze of lemon juice will give a nice finish to the soup.

To garnish use some reduced balsamic vinegar and an apple chip.

Ashley's Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Pre-heat oven to 400F
1 small head cauliflower (cut into florets)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 Tbsps Fresh or Dry Thyme
3c Chicken broth or Veggie Broth
1 1/2c. shredded aged cheese of cheddar cheese
1c. milk or cream (I used cereal cream)

Drizzle small amount of olive oil on cauliflower in bowl..toss..transfer to cookie sheet. Roast for 20-30 mins.

Saute onion in pot with small amount of olive oil until a little bit caramelized. Add garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant (not sure what that means..smelled great though ;)) 

Add roasted cauliflower, chicken or veggie broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, let simmer for 20mins. Puree in blender, put back in pot. Now add the cheese...let melt while stirring, add cream, stir, remove from heat.

Eat!!!

Spicy Caesar Salad Dressing

By Nela McHugh ~ Simply for Life Cooking Expert

2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced     
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
Dash of hot sauce
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup olive oil

Add all ingredients except the oil to a food processor or blender. Turn the machine on and let it run for 15 to 20 seconds. As the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil. This step is very important as it will make your dressing “creamy”. Let the machine run for another 15 seconds until the oil is incorporated.

SFL's Marinades and Rubs

By Nela McHugh ~ Simply for Life Cooking Expert

We know these mixtures flavor and tenderize meats but recently, food scientists have found that some marinades, herbs and spices can reduce as much as 99% the amount of carcinogenic compounds that form when meat is cooked at high temperatures.

Marinade the steaks as long as 2-3 days in advance, but if you forgot (which happens to us often) then you can use fresh pineapple or kiwi juice and a simple rub. The acidity in these juices will help speed up the tenderizing.

Quick Rub
For about 4 steaks:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ tsp each, salt and pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tbsp oregano
2 kiwi or about ½ cup pineapple juice

Mix spices. Rub olive oil on meat then rub the spices. Squeeze the kiwi juice over the steaks and rub well. Let rest in the fridge for at least ½ hour.

Herb Marinade
4 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry red wine
Salt and pepper to taste