Lunch

Breakfast Wafflewich

By in Breakfast, Lunch 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

breakfast wafflewich

Max’s favourite breakfasts are toast and eggs or oatmeal. He’s gotten so good at helping me make these things that he knows just what to do and how to tell when his eggs or oatmeal are done. I love making breakfast with him but I was getting a little tired of the same old, same old. So, I came up with these sandwiches to switch things up a bit and help add some veggies to our favourite breakfast. They were a hit! He ate an entire sandwich himself and then asked for another.

You can sub out the veggies in these for whatever veggies you prefer. Tomatoes won’t be super tasty for too much longer so we might swap them out with some roasted red bell pepper, sautéed mushrooms or green onions. Feel free to mix and match to your delight.

I kept it light on the condiments because we were having it for a weekday breakfast but if we made these on a weekend (a.k.a special breakfast) we might just spread the outside with butter to make it more grilled cheesesque or add some mayo to the inside to make it more like a breakfast BLT, and while we’re at it we might even swap out the the ham for bacon! But for an everyday/weekday breakfast we’ll keep things a little healthier as described below.

I love that this breakfast looks like a waffle but tastes like a panini. It makes it great for grabbing on the go and so much fun for kids.

Breakfast Wafflewich

If desired you can spread the bread lightly with butter to give it a grilled cheese effect.

  • 4 slices soft wheat bread
  • sliced cheese
  • 4 slices deli ham
  • 2 fried eggs (firm yolks)
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 1 handful baby spinach

Preheat a square-style waffle iron. Divide toppings between two slices of bread, starting with a layer of cheese and ending with one more slice of cheese (to act as glue). Top with remaining bread. Place in preheated waffle iron and press down firmly to create a waffle impression. Allow to cook 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally if needed, until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Makes: 2 sandwiches

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I”ve been looking for a good tomato soup recipe for FOREVER. Nothing beats tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch on a rainy day (and we”ve been having plenty of those lately). But, most of the homemade tomato soups I”ve made in the past were extremely flavourless and left much to be desired.

I wanted something quick, that I would actually make for lunch spur of the moment, but I also wanted it to be so flavourful that I wasn”t wishing for something different. This recipe knocked it out of the park for me. I”ve made it so many times since I first found the recipe – more than any recipe for a long time. It”s made with all pantry staples that I keep on hand, so it can be made at any time.

This isn”t a runny soup, it”s thick and dip-able, almost like a marinara. We like to make grilled cheese and cut it into sticks for dipping. It”s so flavourful it”s actually kind of hard to eat on its own. But that”s not something to complain about. Give me some grilled cheese sticks to use like spoon and I”m set!

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

The baking soda in this recipe helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 onion, diced finely

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 (32 oz.) can pureed (or crushed) tomatoes

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/4 teapsoon salt

  • pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • milk or water, to desired thickness

  • sour cream, to serve (optional)

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add onion; cook until tender. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, baking soda, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Stir in basil and honey. Add milk (or water) to desired thickness. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Makes: 4 small servings

Adapted from Food Doodles.

(Baked!) Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

My love of crispy chicken burgers and sandwiches knows no bounds. If I spot it on the menu, no matter how hard I try to convince myself to try something else, I”ll always end up getting it. I know if I ordered something else I”d just wish it were more crispy, chicken-y and sandwich-ish. So, I stick to the usual and have yet to be disappointed in my decision. You can”t choose who what you love crave.

I recently made a recipe for a crispy chicken sandwich that was fried in a skillet. *shudder* All it did was remind me of all the reasons I hate deep-frying. Really, I despise it. The greasy smell that lingers in the house. The grease splattered walls and floor. Not my cup of tea! But what it really means, is that I have to find healthier alternatives that are just as yummy as their greasy counterparts. Darn. :)

This Crispy Chicken Sandwich is worlds better than the deep-fried version I tried and makes so much less mess. It”s flavour packed – starting with a sour cream marinade and crispy chicken coating, and ending with a quick aioli slathered onto crusty rolls. Who needs fast food when you can make something this easy and delicious at home?

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

You can store any leftover aioli in the fridge. Serve it as a dip for fries, spread on burgers and sandwiches, or use it as a yummy alternative to tartar sauce.

Crispy Chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut in half widthwise to make 4 thin ones

  • sour cream marinade (below)

  • 1 cup homemade shake “n bake

Sour Cream Marinade

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 tablespoon minced chives

  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

  • 1 small garlic clove, minced

Quick Aioli

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve

  • 4 ciabatta rolls (or other), split

  • lettuce, tomatoes, cheese

Mix together ingredients for the sour cream marinade. Place chicken in the marinade, making sure each piece is coated evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400ºF while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Stir together aioli ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Coat marinated chicken pieces in homemade shake “n bake. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or  until cooked through.

Serve on rolls spread with aioli and topped with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cheese.

*Tip: for extra crispiness, bake the chicken on an oven proof cooling rack so the air can circulate under the chicken as well.

Serves: 4

Aioli adapted from Donna Hay.

Loaded “Baked Potato” Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Soup 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

It”s still winter. Despite a few days of teasing here and there the cold weather is prominent and spring is still a month away. For my family this means soup – it”s kind of a winter staple around here.

Now that we”ve moved to New York my hubby”s office is only a five minute walk away which means he comes home for lunch almost every day. And, I”m loving it. We generally like to keep things pretty simple but soup and grilled cheese are pretty much a must. The thing I love about soup is that it keeps on giving – you make the recipe once and you can have it for lunch again later in the week.

James isn”t a big fan of potatoes, unless they”re in the form of french fries or mashed potatoes (drenched in gravy, of course), so I don”t make baked potatoes very much at all. Baked potatoes are one of my favourite ways to eat potatoes but for the potato-averted they seem to be a bit of a nightmare since they”re so full of… potato. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised when James loved this soup. I think the number one reason is because the soup is smooth and silky – no bland chunks of potato to be found. Add some crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and chives and you have a baked-potato-lovers dream that”s fit for non-potato-lovers too.

Loaded “Baked Potato” Soup

  • 4 strips bacon, diced

  • 1.5 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

  • 1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 5 cups chicken stock

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • grated cheddar cheese and chopped chives, to serve

In a large saucepan cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside for later.

Cook leeks in a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease until soft. Add potatoes, stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes mash easily with a fork. Remove the sprigs of thyme and puree the soup with a handheld blender, food processor or blender. Strain through fine mesh sieve to ensure smoothness, if desired. Pour back into pot, add sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat until warm; do not boil.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with cooked bacon, cheddar cheese and chives.

Makes: 6 servings

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Spicy Bean Burritos (Freezer Friendly)

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless 6 Comments Tags: , , , ,

I had high hopes for these burritos after spotting them on Annie”s Eats (I trust that woman with my taste buds) and they were even better than I thought they were going to be. That doesn”t happen too often. I find that beans tend to zap the flavour out of dishes and I was a little afraid that would be the case here, but these were so flavourful – thanks to the beans being simmered in a spicy broth until they soak up every last tasty drop.

This recipe helped me knock off yet another of my 2012 food goals – meatless meals that the whole family enjoys. I”m on a roll! ;) Max did have a little bit of trouble eating a full burrito just because it was a little bit too bean-y for him, so I turned his into a quesadilla and served the “salad” on the side (the guys likes his veggies!) and he gobbled it right up.

It”ll definitely be a regular at our table, especially since I almost always have the ingredients on hand. It”s a perfect last-minute meal when you”ve had a tiring day and just want to get something quick and healthy on the table. I”m planning on serving it with Quick Mexican Rice with Beans (minus the beans) next time, to round out the meal.

Growing up we used to heat up those store-bought spicy bean burritos and top them with salad toppings, sour cream and salsa. I”m planning to make my own version by filling some 6 inch tortillas with this bean filling and some cheese, rolling them up and freezing them for quick lunches during the week. To serve, we”ll treat them just like the store-bought burritos and top them with the sour cream and veggies instead of having them in the wraps. I”m already excited to eat them again!

Spicy Bean Burritos

Don”t throw out the extra chipotles! Put them in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. When you need some for a recipe, chop off as much as needed and thaw to use.

Bean Filling

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • dash cayenne pepper

  • 1/3 cup chicken broth

  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

  • 6 tablespoons salsa

To Serve

  • tortillas

  • shredded cheese

  • diced tomatoes

  • chopped lettuce

  • chopped green onions

  • sour cream

Cook garlic in a small amount of oil just until fragrant (30-60 seconds). Add spices, broth and beans. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salsa.

Spoon bean filling into tortillas, top with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and sour cream to serve.

Adapted from Pink Parsley via Annie”s Eats.

Kids in the Kitchen: Tortilla Pizzas

By in Kids, Lunch 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Kids in the Kitchen: Tortilla Pizzas

I think it”s great to get kids in the kitchen early and even to arm them with recipes so that once they”re a little older, and staying home alone, you know they can take good care of themselves in the kitchen (without you having to worry about the house exploding while you”re gone).

I first came up with this idea just before we moved. Our house was becoming more and more depleted of ingredients and we had some leftover pizza toppings and an opened package of tortillas. My hubby was gone on a business trip so I wanted to make something quick for me and Max. This was the first thing that popped into my head and I must admit, I didn”t expect us to like it so much.

This is a great recipe for kids to learn to make on their own – my son had so much fun and was so proud to make a pizza all by himself. And, they won”t be the only ones enjoying it, it makes a yummy quick lunch for us adults too. :)

It”s also a great project to do to when the kids are bored out of their minds, being stuck inside all winter. Take a little extra time on lunch and watch them get excited about making their own creations and then eating every last bite.

A Few Topping Ideas

These personalized pizzas are a great way to use up those leftover scraps of veggies and meat that you”re not sure what to do with. Here are a few ideas.

Sauce:

  • pizza sauce

  • pesto

  • dressing (such as southwestern ranch)

  • salsa

  • leftover bolognese/pasta sauce

  • cream cheese

  • refried beans

Meat:

  • leftover chicken

  • sandwich meat

  • taco meat/fajita filling

  • leftover ham

  • vegetarian: beans

Veggies/Fruit:

  • bell peppers

  • mushrooms

  • green onions/onions

  • pineapple

  • corn

  • spinach

And don”t forget the cheese!

Tortilla Pizzas How-to

A step-by-step guide for the kiddos.

Step One:

Assemble ingredients and place a tortilla on a baking sheet. Top with pizza sauce.


Step Two:

Put on desired toppings – be as creative as you like. :)


Step Three:

Top with cheese. (Mom and Dad – avoid the urge to help them make it perfect.) :)


Step Four:

Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven. Bake at 450ºF (or under a broiler) until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp. Make sure to keep your eye out for the “boiling” cheese! :)

P.S. If you”ve got one, you could make these in a toaster oven to be more kid-friendly.


Step Five:

Remove from the oven, cut into slices and enjoy!

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