Savoury Apple and Rosemary Stuffed Pork

I never really have interesting ideas when it comes to pork but I decided to try something different. I made this one up as I went so measurements are approximate but it was a big hit and turned out looking quite nice.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

- 1 thin sliced, lean pork chop per person
- 5 cups of brown, long grain rice cooked
- 3 cups of unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 apples, finely chopped with peels on (Elstar, honey crisp or granny smiths work best)
- 2 medium sized white cooking onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 "branch" of rosemary per pork chop as well as one additional "branch" finely chopped.
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 cloves of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- twine, one segment per pork chop, long enough to wrap and tie securely

Method:

- Preheat oven to 175 degrees c

- saute onions and apple in a large pan with olive oil, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, chopped rosemary and salt and pepper
- dust pork with salt and pepper
- once apples and onions are soft, add precooked rice to the mixture and stir well and add 2 cups of apple sauce
- simmer mixture for 5 minutes stirring often
- lay pork chops on top of twine lengthwise and spoon a dollop of the rice mixture on to each. Top with a "branch" of rosemary and fold the pork over the rice and secure twine with a knot (see picture). Place rolled chops in a glass baking dish, knot and rosemary facing up.
- mix together honey, one clove of crushed garlic and remaining apple sauce with 1/2 cup of boiling water and pour into the base of the glass baking dish.
- bake for 20mins and serve with sides of your choice, shown with Chic Pea and Kidney Bean Salad and steamed broccoli

Chic Pea and Kidney Bean Salad

This recipe is tasty and fun and can be made in advance. It is very quick and easy to prepare and it adds a nice splash of colour to the plate and works great with a variety of flavours.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

- 1 can or jar of kidney beans
- 1 can or jar of chic peas
- 1 yellow, red or orange pepper, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
- lemon pepper salad dressing with a dash of cayenne pepper and a tablespoon of white vinegar



Method:

- drain and rinse peas and beans
- mix beans, peas, pepper, onion, tomatoes and cilantro in a large bowl with dressing and serve

Dutch Spinach à la Crème with Hard Boiled Eggs

I was a little bit skeptical when the kids first asked me to make this. I thought they were kidding when they said they wanted "creamy spinach they could mix with eggs and potatoes" but this is actually one of their favourite things to eat. Hard boiled eggs are very simple and quick to make and a favourite for many children. This dinner can be ready in about 10 minutes so it is great if you are in a pinch.

Prep Time: 10-15mins

Ingredients:

- 2 eggs per person
- 1 medium sized potato per person
- 20 oz raw spinach (2 small bags or one large one)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 shallot
- 5 white mushrooms
- 1/2 red pepper
- 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
- 2 teaspoons of flour
- 4 cups of milk
- 1 teaspoon each of oregano and thyme
- salt and pepper to taste

Method:

- leave eggs to boil for 9 minutes
- chop potatoes into cubes with peels on or off and steam or boil until cooked thoroughly
- melt butter in a large skillet
- Steam spinach in a steamer or double boiler for about 5 minutes or until soft to the touch
- add flour to melted butter slowly, mixing with a wooden spoon until a soft, pasty consistency is obtained
- slowly add milk one cup at a time, stirring constantly and bringing milk to a boil before adding additional milk
- in a separate pan, sautee finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and red pepper with a small amount of butter or olive oil
- add crushed garlic to sauteing vegetables and remove from heat
- milk mixture should have the consistency of a thin gravy. Whisk in additional milk or flour to lightly boiling mixture as required to achieve desired consistency
- once the milk mixture has reached the desired consistency, add spices, steamed spinach and sauteed veggies and mix and heat on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until you are finished preparing the eggs and potatoes.
-serve eggs peeled with spinach and potatoes, children will often mix all 3 together on their plate or eat the eggs separately and mash the potatoes and spinach together. Other veggies you have on hand can be substituted in the spinach mix.

Green Salads and Dressings

Fresh greens and veggies can be combined in an infinite number of ways to make tasteful side dishes and main courses. I usually pick whichever veggies look fresh and are bright in colours that not only taste great but look nice on your plate. I often include nuts and fruit in the salads to make them more appealing to the children and for some contrasting flavors. Here are a few combinations I have tried that seem to work well.

- rucola, white mushroom, radish and green apple w/ lemon and pepper dressing

- mixed greens, cucumber, tomato and pistachio w/ basic balsamic vinaigrette

- mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, white mushroom and toasted pine nut w/ coriander and thyme dressing

- baby spinach, thin sliced cabbage, carrot shavings, cherry tomatoes and pear w/ lemon pepper dressing

- mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, yellow sweet bell pepper, green onions w/ basic balsamic vinaigrette

- baby spinach, ruccola, cucumber, sliced strawberries, toasted mixed nuts w/ lemon and pepper dressing

Dressings

I usually make my dressings in jars, doubling or tripling the mix to keep in the fridge for use other days. There are so many different dressing recipes and premade dressings out there but I find the best are always basic mixes that are flavorful but not overpowering.

Lemon Pepper Dressing

- mix equal parts lemon juice and olive oil with fresh ground black pepper and a dash of salt, shake and serve

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

- mix 1 part balsamic vinegar to 3 parts olive oil with fresh ground black pepper and a dash of salt, shake and serve

Coriander and Thyme Dressing

- mix 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil with fresh, finely chopped coriander and thyme and a dash of salt and pepper. For a creamier dressing, add one table spoon of creme fraiche for every 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia

This dish is great for kids who normally do not like eating fish. The tilapia is very mild tasting and the saltiness of the prosciutto adds a savoury saltiness and a nice crispy contrast in texture to the delicate fish. I like to serve this dish with roasted root veggies or a risotto and a colourful green salad.

Ingredients:

- tilapia fillets (1 per person)
- prosciutto (1 slice per fillet)
- 3 cloves of garlic (per 6 fillets)
- fresh basil, dill and parsley (dry works as well)
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (per 6 fillets)
- 3 table spoons of olive oil (per 6 fillets) additional oil may be required
- salt and pepper

Method:

- preheat over to 200 degrees C
- blend herbs, oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper in jar and add crushed garlic and additional olive oil if mixture is not pourable
- dust fillets with salt and pepper and wrap with prosciutto slices. It is not necessary to completely cover the fish and small pieces of prosciutto can be placed on top on the fish.
- place fish is a lightly oiled glass baking dish and pour oil and spice mixture over the wrapped fillets
- bake for about 15 mins or until fish is no longer translucent and has a light flaky texture

Serve with roasted vegetables or risotto and colourful salad.

Roasted Veggies

Green Salads

Roasted Veggies

Prep Time : 5 mins

Cooking Time: 20 min-1 hour

Ingredients (for 6 people):

- these ingerdients can be modified to include other vegtables such as sweet potatoes, sqaush, corn, green beans etc.
- 3 large carrots
- 5 medium sized potatoes
- 3 cups of brussel sprouts
- 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- herbs and spices to taste

Method :

- crush garlic and shake in a jar with olive oil and desired herbs and spices (thyme, basil, oregano, salt and pepper are a nice mix). You can double or triple your mix and store in the jar in the fridge for up to a week for other recipes.
- cube potatoes and carrots and trim brussel sprouts
- you may steam vegetables in advance for quicker roasting time
- toss raw or pre-steamed vegetables in a glass baking dish with seasoning and oil mixture
- bake for between 20mins and 1 hour at 175 degrees C depending on weather or not your pre-steam the veggies

Tomato, Cucumber, Basil and Mozzarella Salad and Tomato, Advacado, Basil and Mozzarella

This is a simple and impressive looking salad that can be served as either a starter or as the main course. Very ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and basil work best.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

- ripe vine tomatoes (1 per person)
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil
- 1 large cucumber or 2 advacado (for 6 servings)
- 3 balls of fresh mozzarella (for 6 servings)
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method:

- slice tomatoes, mozzarella and cucumbers into 1/2 centimetre slices
- layer slices and basil making sure to alternate ingredients on the plate gently fanning them in a semi circle (see picture)
- mix vinegar, oil and salt and pepper in jar and spoon over finished salads
- garnish with cucumber peel or additional basil leaves