Recipes

This cornbread is the perfect BBQ side dish, and you can cook it right on the grill! Bake ahead of time and take along on a summer picnic or potluck. This recipe uses cottage cheese instead of oil, making it exceptionally moist. Not to mention, it keeps well in the fridge for a couple days, making it ideal to take along on your next camping trip.

Broccoli & Onion Cornbread

A fresh and delicious take on traditional cornbread - as seen on Breakfast Television.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cottage cheese 
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 8.5 ounce corn bread mix 
• 1 ½ cup frozen chopped broccoli, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. Beat cottage cheese, butter, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir corn bread mixes into butter mixture until just moistened.

3. Fold in broccoli, onion, and 1 cup Cheddar cheese.

4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

5. Cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm with compound butter.

Chef's Tip - Cook on the grill the same way you would in the oven, bring your BBQ to the correct temperature and maintain the heat.

This salad has DINNER written all over it! The leftovers will be perfect for lunch tomorrow.

Greek Potato Salad

Ingredients :

• 2 lb new local potatoes
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1” pieces
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 1” pieces
• ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup whole Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 cup crumbled Macedonian style feta cheese

Dressing:

• ½ cup Greek olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Ingredients :

Cut the potatoes in half. In a large saucepan, using a steamer basket over about ½” water, cover tightly and heat to boiling; reduce heat.

Steam 15-18 minutes or until fork tender; cool to room temperature. In large bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients with whisk until well blended; set aside.

Add potatoes and remaining salad ingredients except cheese to dressing; toss. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Sprinkle with the cheese just before serving.

Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a complete protein - containing all eight of the essential amino acids. It has been recognized by the United Nations as a super-crop for its health benefits: packed with dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and easy to digest. The facts suggest it is close to a perfect ingredient as you can get. Bring two cups of water to the boil to one cup of grain, cover, simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. When cooked, the quinoa should still be slightly al dente.

Quinoa & Sweet Potato Stuffed Acorn Squash

vegan, vegetarian, dairy & gluten free

Ingredients:

• ½ c. chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 c.s cooked quinoa
• 2/3 c. dried cranberries, soaked in hot water and drained
• 2/3 c. chopped sweet potato, steamed until just tender
• ½ c. grated, peeled apple
• ½ c. walnut pieces
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried sage Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 3 whole acorn squash
• 1 c. vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a small pan, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft but not browned. Place in a large bowl and add quinoa, cranberries, sweet potato, apple, walnuts, parsley, and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice acorn squashes in half, and scrape out seeds and strings. Place face down in large casserole or roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of vegetable stock, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, reserve any remaining stock, and place face side up in pan. Fill each cavity with stuffing. Drizzle with olive oil and any remaining stock, and cover tightly with foil. Bake until squash are cooked and fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking. Serve immediately. Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a complete protein - containing all eight of the essential amino acids. It has been recognized by the United Nations as a super-crop for its health benefits: packed with dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and easy to digest. The facts suggest it is close to a perfect ingredient as you can get. Bring two cups of water to the boil to one cup of grain, cover, simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. When cooked, the quinoa should still be slightly al dente.

After much deliberation, and sampling of course! We are excited to announce the winner of our mixology contest...the purple vixen. Gin, lemon, lavendar...need we say more. Katy created this amazing purple cocktail and you have just got to try it.

Purple Vixen Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz gin
• .5 oz cointreau
• .5 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz lavender simple syrup
• .5 oz blue curacao
• .5 oz pomegranate juice
• Dash of Hella Citrus Bitters
• Lemon California Crisp (for garnish)
• Hibiscus sugar (rim)
• Sprig of lavender (garnish)

Instructions:

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

Wet the rim of your martini glass and rim with hibiscus sugar. 

Pour contents of cocktail shaker into the martini glass and garnish with lemon crisp and a sprig of lavender. Enjoy!

Carrot Hot Dogs ? FINALLY a veggie dog that doesn't taste like plastic! This recipe is so easy and it's really good (even if you aren't a vegetarian) Here is the recipe Angie did on CTV this morning in case you missed it.

Veggie "Dogs"

Ingredients:

• 4 thick carrots, peeled & trimmed
• 2 dashes of liquid smoke (about 2 eye droppers full)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Black pepper

Instructions:

In ziploc bag, combine the liquid smoke, vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, onion and garlic powder. Add the carrots and let them marinate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the carrots to the baking sheet & season with pepper.

Roast for about 35 minutes or until fork tender. Every five minutes, brush the carrots with the remaining marinade mixture. Once the carrot is just fork tender you can remove it from the oven & chill.

It can then be re-heated on the BBQ when you are ready to eat. Drop it into a bun and add any of your favorite toppings.

Avocado Popsicles

A great treat for Canada Day Celebrations!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Water
• 1/2 Cup of Granulated sugar
• 3 avocados, peeled & pitted
• Juice and zest of 1 whole lime (2 if they are small)
• 1/4 tsp of salt

Instructions:

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan; stir continually until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool

Pour mixture into a blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and pour the mixture into 10 ice pop molds.

Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until firm.