There are all kinds of ways you can make roast beef, but this is one that I find most fascinating – letting it cook in a cold oven. Yes, it does go against everything you know about cooking and yes, you will be nervous for the entire 2+ hours it needs to be in there for. But trust me. Trust the process. Your beef will cook and it will be delicious. Just be sure to treat it like a souffle in that you cannot open the oven door. As long as you keep to that, you and your roast will be just fine.
Ingredients:
1 eye of round roast, about 3 pounds, room temperature 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon dried thyme 6 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
Directions:
1.) Rinse your roast and pat it dry. Combine the pepper, salt, thyme, and garlic. Rub all over the roast and let sit for about half an hour.
2.) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
3.) Place roast in a roasting pan, fatty side up. Place roast in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes.
4.) Turn oven off and allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours for medium rare, about three hours for medium. You probably won’t get the temperature of the roast any higher than this so choose another method if you like your beef medium-well or well done. And remember – do not open that oven door!
5.) Remove from oven, tent with foil (you still have to let those juices settle outside of the oven) and let rest for about 10 minutes.
6.) While waiting if you’d like, you can pour pan juices into a saucepan and boil rapidly on the stove, reducing it by about half.
This is another one of those recipes that I first saw on MasterChef (MasterChef Canada, to be exact) and knew that it was something I had to try. It sounded so interesting to me, and while I had stuffed chicken breast in this way before, I had no idea that it actually had a name and that it was from one of my favourite food regions in the world – Italy! You can stuff it with just about anything that you happen to have on hand. I chose mozzarella, spinach and prosciutto.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 slices prosciutto 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all moisture 4 thin slices fresh mozzarella 2 cups spaghetti sauce or very high quality tomato sauce Salt Pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1.) Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry. One by one, place the chicken breasts into a large resealable bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, pound chicken until it’s an even thickness of about 1/4″ thick. Remove one breast when finished and continue with remaining chicken breasts.
2.) Lay all pieces of chicken out flat, ensuring that the smooth side of the breast is face-down, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Onto each chicken breast lay one piece of prosciutto, about 1/2 cup of spinach, and 1 slice of mozzarella.
3.) Starting from one end, roll chicken up tightly so that the filling spirals inside, and secure tightly with kitchen twine – either one in the middle of the breast, or one on each end, depending on how large your chicken breasts are.
4.) Preheat a grill to medium heat and drizzle chicken breasts all over with olive oil. When hot, place chicken breasts on the grill and cover either by closing the lid on an outdoor grill or by placing aluminum foil over an indoor grill. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning a quarter turn every five minutes or so to ensure that all sides are evenly cooked.
5.) While the chicken is cooking, place the spaghetti sauce in a small pan over medium heat, cover, and heat just to warm through.
6.) When chicken is finished cooking, rest for about five minutes before removing twine, cutting in half, and placing on a pool of sauce on a plate.
The thing that scared me the most about doing this reduced-carb thing for the month of March was the fact that I would have to say good-bye to snacking as a whole. But just like everything else, you can still snack – even as much as you want – if you know how to do it. So while my chocolate bars and my potato chips will have to wait a few more weeks before we’re reunited, I can still enjoy something else that has actually always been one of my favourite snacks – veggies and dip! It’s really very much like the dip recipe I gave you awhile back for chips and dip, but replace the onions and spices with lots and lots of fresh herbs. And remember, if you’re doing the lower carbs with me this month, don’t worry about the fat in this dish. We’re allowed as much of that as we want!
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise 3/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place everything in a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine. Place in fridge for at least two hours to allow flavours to marry.
I love flank steak. In fact, I love it so much that I’m willing to say it’s my favourite type of steak. Yes, I’d even put it over sirloin and rib-eye, particularly when we’re talking about weeknight dinners. I just think it’s that good. And I think a few years ago it used to be one of the cheaper types of cuts you could find, but that’s just not the case anymore. It’s certainly not the most expensive cut you’ll come across, but it’s not the cheapest either. I still think it’s worth the few extra bucks to bring that flavour to your dinner table and when it’s time to do so, I’m always looking for different things to do with it. This ginger beef recipe is also one of my favourites, and makes a great main when you’re doing Chinese at home, or just want something really tasty.
Ingredients:
1 flank steak, sliced very thinly 3/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup water 2 eggs 1 large carrot, julienned 3 green onions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated or minced 5 garlic cloves, grated or minced 3 tablespoons soy sauce 4 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 cup sugar 3 teaspoons chili pepper flakes 1 cup of canola oil, for frying
Directions:
1.) Place cornstarch in a large bowl and very gradually whisk in water.
2.) Beat eggs into mixture.
3.) Add beef and toss to coat.
4.) Place canola oil into a wok or large pot and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is nearly smoking.
5.) Working in batches, add beef to the oil and cook, stirring with a fork frequently to keep pieces of beef separate. When one batch is done, remove and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining pieces of beef.
6.) Drain all but one tablespoon of oil out of the pot and add carrots, onion, ginger, and garlic – in that order.
7.) Fry very briefly, stirring the entire time.
8.) In a separate bowl combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and chili pepper flakes. Add to vegetable mixture in the pot.
9.) Bring the entire mixture to a boil and then add beef back into the pot. Stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients and cook just until all ingredients are warmed through.
What’s to say about this classic Italian dish? It’s salty, savoury, and has the tiniest bit of zip from the vinegar you add to the peppers right at the end. Whenever I cook Italian sausages I always boil them first to cook them through, and then grill or saute them to get that ‘snap’ that you must have when eating sausage of any kind. I do know some people are adverse to the thought of boiling any kind of meat so if that’s you, just cook them in the pan until they are cooked almost completely through, remove, and then add them back in at the end for about five minutes to warm them back through and cook them entirely. And the colour of the peppers also doesn’t matter at all – just use whatever you happen to have on hand.
Ingredients:
5 or 6 Italian sausages 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sausages and cook for about 10 minutes, just until the sausages are almost completely cooked through. When they’re finished cooking, score sausages (about three scores on each,) remove and set aside.
2.) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add sausages and sear for just about two minutes on each side to get a nice sear on the casing. Remove from the pan, set aside, and turn heat to medium-low.
3.) Add oregano, basil, parsley, and chili flakes to the oil inside the pan. Cook for just about 30 seconds before adding in this order: onions, peppers, and garlic (the key here is really just to add the garlic last so that it doesn’t burn.) Stir to coat everything in the oil, then cook for about 10 minutes on low heat until the vegetables have softened but aren’t carmalized. Add red wine vinegar and stir.
4.) Add sausages back to the pan, cover, and allow to cook for another five minutes or so, just until the sausages are completely cooked and warmed through.
5.) Place peppers and onions on a large platter, arranging sausages on top.
I’m one of those people that doesn’t see a whole lot of point in having lettuce in salads. I mean, I have nothing against lettuce per se, but when there are so many other delicious vegetables, what’s the point? In Caesar salad, I get it. It’s a main component. But when it comes to just regular ol’ green salad, I’d much rather just leave it out. (Is it even considered ‘green’ salad then? I don’t know, but I digress.) Due to my lack of love for this particular leafy green, I came up with this basic tomato and cucumber salad. Throw together my two favourite ingredients from any salad, dress it in basic oil and vinegar, and add some fresh herbs for good measure. The result? A yummy salad without any of that leafy stuff weighing it down.
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber, quartered and cut into bite-size chunks 10 – 15 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley in a large bowl.
2.) In a separate bowl, or in a mason jar, place olive oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper. Whisk or shake together, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
3.) Pour dressing over vegetables and stir thoroughly to combine.
Yesterday I gave you a classic recipe for a cucumber and tomato salad, which is always a big hit at our table. But I recently discovered a side dish that might just replace that salad. You take away the oil and the tomatoes and replace it with sugar (just a touch for those that are on a low-sugar diet,) and fresh or dried dill. When I first made this I only had dried dill in the house, but I’m making it again tonight and can’t wait to try it with fresh. I’m betting it’s just going to be that much better!
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced (preferably with a mandolin if you have one) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1.) Place cucumber slices in a colander in a clean sink. Sprinkle with salt and toss so that all slices are coated. Allow to stand for 15 minutes, tossing again every few minutes.
2.) Meanwhile, place the vinegar, dill, sugar, and pepper in a large bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
3.) Drain cucumbers and pat dry. Add cucumbers to the bowl with the dressing and toss again to thoroughly coat cucumber slices with the dressing.
4.) Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, but up to two hours to allow all flavours to marry.
If you follow me on Facebook you might remember when I told you last week that experts were now saying that cauliflower is the new kale. I didn’t come up with that all on my own. I watched Bethenny Frankel talk about it on her show, when she had Chef Ilan Hall as her guest. It was him that made that bold revelation, and he brought a few recipes to prove his point – including this Chicken Fried Cauliflower. It sounded like the perfect thing for the low-carb diet I’m trying this month and so I got to work in the kitchen. I couldn’t believe how good it tasted! Even without the gravy it has a delightful buttery taste and of course, is much lighter than the traditional steak dish. I warn you that there is a bit of flour in this recipe, but I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You’re having cauliflower as your main for heaven’s sake! Also, if you’re feeding more than two people with this, you might have to use two heads of cauliflower, to get those steaks just right, but save all those other little flowerets. I have lots more in store for them this week.
Ingredients:
3 thick 1″ slices of cauliflower, taken from the center of the head 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon 2 teaspoons paprika, divided 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided A couple cups of canola oil (enough to have about an inch in your pan) 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chicken stock Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Place the cauliflower slices gently into a large skillet and pour in 1/4 inch of water. When the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and gently steam the cauliflower until it’s just tender when you pierce it with a fork, about 10 minutes. Gingerly take the cauliflower out and place it on a plate, allowing it to cool enough that you can handle it.
2.) Place 1/2 cup of flour in a medium-sized bowl, and the eggs in a separate medium-sized bowl. Season both sides of the cauliflower slices (gently) with salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
3.) Empty any remaining water out of the large skillet, wipe dry, and place canola oil into the same skillet. Heat over medium-high heat.
4.) Meanwhile, dip the cauliflower into the egg, coating both sides, and then transfer immediately into the flour mixture.
5.) When all cauliflower slices are coated and oil is hot, place slices gently into the oil and fry on one side for about three minutes. Very gently flip and fry on the other side for another three minutes.
6.) While cauliflower is frying, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan. When melted sprinkle in one teaspoon of paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika. Whisk in one tablespoon of flour and cook for about one minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock and cook for just a few minutes, until mixture is thickened. Add to gravy salt and pepper to taste.
7.) Plate cauliflower steaks either with gravy drizzled over top, or served on the side.
Yesterday we talked about “ricing” cauliflower – the process of putting florets into a food processor and pulsing it until they began to look just a bit larger than pieces of regular rice. Doing this allows you to take cauliflower to a whole new level, such as turning it into a cauliflower pizza crust. But you can simply keep this “cauliflower rice” and turn it into just that – a rice dish, without a grain of actual rice to be seen. And it’s pretty simple to do.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 red onion, diced 1 cup mushrooms, chopped 1/2 head cauliflower 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup frozen peas 1 egg 2 tablespoons soy sauce Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Chop cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor to make “rice cauliflower.”
2.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add diced onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms just begin to brown, about five minutes. Add the garlic and the ginger and cook for another minute or so.
3.) Add the cauliflower rice and stir to combine. Add frozen peas, stir, and cook for about five minutes. You want the cauliflower to start cooking through, and the peas to become hot.
4.) Spread vegetables all around the sides of the pan, creating a well in the centre. Lightly beat the egg and drop it in this empty centre. Stir the egg, allowing it to scramble fully while keeping it away from the other vegetables as best you can (don’t worry if it mixes in a little bit.)
5.) When the egg is fully cooked, stir into all of the vegetables until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
6.) Add soy sauce and stir again to fully mix. Taste, and then season with salt and pepper accordingly.
Of all the cauliflower recipes I’ve given you this week, this one might be my favourite!
I once watched a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Drives where Guy Fieri interviewed a restaurant owner that made his own tater tots. There was much discussion about how this was a very difficult thing to do, and how it’s next to impossible to get the right taste and the right consistency. I think I’ve found their problem. All those other restaurants have been using potatoes! Silly people, when obviously cauliflower is the only way to get that same delicious taste and texture. This recipe promises just that. Cauliflower that tastes just like tater tots. Finally, an unprocessed, gluten-free way to enjoy those delectable freezer treats. But, really?
I have to tell you, I had no faith that I was going to pull this recipe off. And as I got further into the cooking process, my faith started to lessen. I tasted as I went and yes, they tasted good. But like tater tots? Not really. And I have to say, they’re a heck of a lot of work. But that just goes to prove that you don’t get anything good without trying. Because once these were pulled out of my pan for the final cook and I bit into one, I couldn’t believe it! They tasted just like tater tots! And you know how tots have that slightly chunky texture that you can feel with every bite? These even have that! Yes, they are a lot of work, so just go into it knowing that. And if you don’t have a good pastry bag (like me,) just form the cauliflower mixture into French quenelles using two spoons (I’m hoping to put up a video tutorial on this at some point.) I find that they’re very pretty this way, and do look even more like tater tots.
Okay, so are you ready? Here goes…
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup old (sharp) Cheddar cheese 4 egg whites 1 tablespoon of vinegar Salt Pepper About 3 cups canola oil for frying
Directions:
1.) Clean and trim the cauliflower and place the florets into a large saucepan. Add butter and cream, cover pan, and cook for about five minutes, until the cauliflower is just fork-tender.
2.) Add this mixture to a food processor and add Cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse just until the cauliflower breaks apart, but not until it’s mushy like a puree. The consistency should look like cooked oatmeal. Transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
3.) Meanwhile, beat egg whites until they become frothy. Add vinegar and beat until they form stiff peaks. (This vinegar bit wasn’t in the original recipe, but I’ve never beaten egg whites and not added vinegar or cream of tartar. It seems to take away the eggy tasty, without leaving any taste behind, and that was the case with this recipe too.)
4.) Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture once it’s cooled, and then fold the remaining cauliflower mixture into the rest of the egg whites. Quickly fold the two mixtures together until they are fully combined. Refrigerate again for another half an hour so that the mixture will hold its shape.
5.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
6.) When mixture has come out of the refrigerator, place into a piping bag and pipe 2″ lengths onto the baking sheet. Or, do like I did and use two spoons to form the quenelles, gently laying them onto the baking sheet when finished.
7.) Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until they have dried out some and have puffed up slightly.
8.) Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot, add cauliflower tots and fry for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown.
9.) Remove from heat as tots are finished baking, and sprinkle immediately with salt.
