Hungarian Cauliflower Casserole

When I was living in Hungary last year I met an amazing friend who taught me all the hidden gems of our little town, like where to get my nails/hair done, where to tan, take dance classes, and she would have me over to her beautiful house to teach me Hungarian dishes. I honestly love this dish so much I could eat the whole thing to myself. There are a few steps, but I will try my best to break it down for you!

Ingredients:
1 pack of ground pork
1 pack of ground turkey
1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice
2 heads of cauliflower, or 1 really big one
1 large container of sour cream
2 TBSP of paprika
1/2 onion
Olive Oil
1 tomato or paprika pepper (optional)
Goulash paste & paprika paste (optional if you can find it get it its so good. Check it out here, here, or here)
salt & pepper to taste

Step 1:
Add 1/4 C Olive oil to saucepan and caramelize chopped onion. After about 6 minutes add ground turkey and pork mix together and cook thoroughly. When cooked add about 1/4 C of water, salt & pepper, paprika and a generous squirt of each paste if using. Paprika burns easily, so adding the water is an important part of this step. Mix together and continue cooking uncovered. Add a tomato cut in half, or a paprika pepper cut in half just for flavoring. Remove after about 5-7 minutes and discard. Do not worry if it seems runny, you want it to be moist.

Step 2: Add 1/4 C olive oil to sauce pan and then add uncooked rice and stir. Paying close attention stir and heat rice being careful not to burn about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water bring to boil then reduce heat. Allow to steam for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, let sit additional couple minute then add rice to meat mixture.

Step 3: Chop cauliflower into small pieces and steam/boil until its soft, but not soggy.

Step 4: Put meat/rice mixture in the bottom of casserole dish, next layer cooked cauliflower on top, and then spread sour cream mixture on over top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until sour cream starts to lightly brown on edges. Serve!

Saucy Slow Cooker Ribs

4 lbs of pork baby back ribs
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Cups Ketchup
1 Cup Chili Sauce (I use Heinz)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
4 TBSP white vinegar
2 TSP dried oregano
2 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 dash hot sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper & place in a shallow baking pan. Brown for about 10-15 minutes per side, drain any fat.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients. Place ribs in slow cooker and pour sauce over ribs turning to coat.
4. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until ribs are tender! YUM!

Day 4: One Week No Meat Challenge:Grilled Portobello & Pesto Sandwich

Day 4: Grilled  Portobello & Pesto Sandwich

Adapted from closet cooking

(makes 1 sandwich)

You will need:
1 portobello mushroom
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
1 red pepper (cut in half and roast in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes)
1 handful spinach
1 tablespoon pesto
2 slices of bread or 1 bun (

Directions:
1. Brush the mushroom with balsamic vinegar.
2. Brush the grill with oil.
3. Grill the portobello mushroom until tender, about 3-6 minutes per side.
4. Assemble sandwich.

Read more: http://www.closetcooking.com/2009/07/grilled-portobello-and-roasted-red.html

Day 3: One Week No Meat Challenge: Zucchini Hasbrowns

Day 3: Zucchini hasbrowns

You will need:
·    2 cups grated zucchini

·         2 large eggs, slightly beaten

·         2 tablespoons chopped green onion

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·         1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper

·         1/2 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 pinch dried oregano/basil/parsley (whatever you have on hand)

·         1/4 cup vegetable oil, or as needed

·         1 garlic clove

·         a dash of chipotle powder

·       

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the drained zucchini, chopped green onions, basil, oregano, and/or parsley, one garlic clove, two eggs, salt, a healthy grind of black pepper, a dash of chipotle powder, and enough flour to pull it all together (about a half a cup or so).

2. Heat either your oil in a large skillet, and while heating, make sour cream sauce:

3. Place heaping spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the hot pan, and cooked them for about two minutes per side, or until nicely golden brown (placing them onto a sheet pan in a 250º oven in between batches to keep them warm). Serve them up with a dollop of the horseradish cream and a few lemon wedges for squeezing over them. Perfect as an appetizer, first course, or light lunch!

*note: Make sure you use small scoops, they are better small and crispy! 

Day 2: One Week No Meat Challenge: Chick Pea Chili

Day 2: Chick Pea Chili 
Put Extra Virgin Olive Oil or coconut oil in pot and add pureed peppers, onion, broccoli until softened and then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, diced carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, chickpeas, and kidney beans (don't drain), and a teaspoon of chili spice if you like spicy!  Simmer for half hour and enjoy!

Day 1: One Week No Meat Challenge: Tofu Tacos

I'm challenging myself and you, to one week with no meat (except fish)! I'm on day four of only fruits, veggies, and tuna and I feel great, but I know there are lots of challenges to following a vegetarian diet, so I wanted to share some deliciously easy tips & recipes for you to try! I will do 7 vegetarian posts, one for each day of the week starting with Tofu Tacos below!  An as a side note, I just have to tell you that I just went to the Bay and got myself a Cuisinart Mini Prep plus processor to make chopping more efficient and I am so in love. It was on sale, but even its normal price is only 34 bucks and it works awesome, plus it comes in fun colors. If you don't have a food processor this is what you've been missing!! You can check it out here

Foods to enjoy while on a vegetarian diet

·                     Fruit: any and all fresh fruit

·                     Vegetables: any and all fresh vegetables

·                     Fish: fresh, canned in water or olive oil

·                     Legumes: dried or canned, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils

·                     Eggs: preferably organic

·                     Olive oil (preferably extra virgin), Coconut oil (unprocessed)

·                     Nuts: raw unsalted almonds, walnuts, macadamias and cashews

·                     Seeds: raw unsalted sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds

·                     Green tea, white tea, weak black tea (decaffeinated)

·                     Water: from one to three litres of water per day. Try adding lemon to hot water in the AM for a natural detox. 

Day 1: Tofu Tacos

You will need:
1 pkge firm tofu
Taco shells
taco seasoning
Sour Cream
Salsa
Cheddar cheese
avocado
lettuce
tomato

Buy firm tofu and drain. Draining the tofu is very important to give its "meat-like" texture. After draining, crumble the tofu & fry in pain with olive oil until it starts to get crispy about 5 mins. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and fry 1-2 more minutes. Serve in taco's with all your fav toppings including salsa, sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomatoes, etc!

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

I made these a few days ago and at first I was thinking hm, just okay, so I put them in a zip lock in the fridge. Later on, I microwaved them and had some and found myself going back for more over the next two days until they were gone and I only wanted more, more, more!! I dip them in ranch to subside some of the heat and make the perfect buffalo flavour! 

Size: about 1 cup cauliflower • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 119.4 • Fat: 2 g • Protein: 4 g • Carb: 21.4 g • Fiber: 3 g • Sugar: 0.2 g
Sodium: 1172 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 22 oz (6 1/2 cups) cauliflower florets
• 3/4 cup Franks Hot Sauce
• 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly spray a large non-stick baking sheet with oil.

Combine the water, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir until well combined.

Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place on the baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower is baking, combine the hot sauce and butter in a small bowl.

Pour the hot sauce mixture over the baked cauliflower and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with Ranch for the perfect treat!!

Crunchy Coleslaw Salad



 

 

Okay, so the pic I took really doesn't do this salad justice. I know it looks like a thrown together random pile of crunchy stuff, but in reality its fabulous & the perfect summer treat to pair with any meal, or have on its own as a snack! If you like vinegar like I do, well no one likes it quite as much as me, but either way you'll love it. Give it a try!

 

You will need:

 

1 bag of coleslaw
1 pack chicken Mr Noodles crushed
Silvered almonds fried in a little butter or oil and dash of salt

 

For the dressing mix together:

1/4 C olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp soya sauce
Seasoning pack from Mr noodles
Dash of sugar and pepper

 

Delicious!!