#recipemaker

Organic Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

I’m always on the search for the perfect cookie recipe.  I received this recipe from a family friend over 10 years ago and I modified it slightly over the years to the recipe it is today.  I have tried so many variations of oatmeal cookie recipes but I always come back to this one. It really is the perfect oatmeal cookie!  I hope you like the recipe, it’s been a family favourite for so many years!  If you make it, let m know how it turns out!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (I use organic ingredients): 1 cup of butter

1 cup of organic unrefined brown sugar

½ cup of organic raw unrefined sugar (fine)

1 egg

1 tsp madagascar vanilla extract

1 ½ cups oatmeal 

1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a stand mixer, add butter (ensure it’s at room temperature) and sugar and mix until smooth.  Add the egg and mix on medium-low speed until mixed thoroughly.  

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and to the wet ingredients, add the oats and then mix until on low speed until completely mixed together. (The dough will get thick).  Remove from the mixer, and stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula/wooden spoon.   Wrapt the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 mins before baking (TIP: refrigerating cookie dough before baking will stop it from spreading too much and going flat)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  After 30 mins remove the cookie dough from the fridge and using a small ice cream scooper, (TIP: Using an ice-cream scooper makes the cookies come out perfectly round and the exact same size) - scoop out the cookie dough and place 2 inch apart on the tray and back in the oven for 10-12 mins or until light golden brown.  10 mins the cookies are more chewy, 12 mins the cookies are more crunchy.

Organic Chicken Medallions 

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

I love chicken, especially the chicken breast but I used to stay away from it because I always over cooked it and it ended up dry!  But I found a sure fire way to cook the chicken breast so it’s always 100% juicy!  I learned this technique in a cooking class I took for a corporate team building event and I’ve been cooking my chicken this way ever since!  It’s a family favourite, I hope you enjoy the recipe!  If you make it, please let me know how it turns out.

Enjoy!

INGREDEINTS (I use all organic ingredients): 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 tbs of olive oil

salt 

pepper

Fresh chopped thyme 

For the Quinoa: 

½ cup of organic sprouted Quiona

1 tbs of butter

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup vegetable broth

salt

pepper

Glazed Carrots:

2 bunches of whole carrots

2 tbs butter

2 cloves of garlic minced

salt 

pepper

Salad:

4 cups mixed greens

1 cup cherry tomaotes

1 cup cucumbers

2 tbs of goat cheese

2 mandarin organes 

2 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tsp of chopped Parsley

1 tsp of garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

Turn to oven on to roast at 375 degrees F.   I make the quinoa and chicken at the same time.

In a small pot, add 1 cup of vegetable broth with ½ cup of quinoa, butter, 2 garlic cloves (whole) don’t chop.  And season with salt and pepper.  Set on stove top on high heat and bring to a bowl.  Once it bowls, turn heat down to low and cook for 15 mins covered.  Remove from heat after 15 mins and keep covered for another 10 mins and fluff with a fork (remove the garlic cloves) and keep warm until ready to serve.

In a large skillet (that you can transfer to the oven) - heat over medium heat and then add olive oil.  Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper and finely chopped thyme.  Set the chicken breasts in the hot pain of olive oil and let brown for 2 mins on each side searing the breast and locking the juices in.  Once both sides are browned evenly, transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 20 mins or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 Degrees F.   Once chicken is cook, let it rest for 5 mins before cutting them into medallion slices.

While chicken is cooking in the oven,  In a large skillet, heat the butter on medium heat, when melted add the finely chopped garlic.  Add the carrots, whole and season with salt and pepper.  Turning the carrots over frequently until all sides are lightly browned.  The carrots will be cooked through in about 15 mins.  

for the salad, chop the greens of your choice and dice cucumbers and tomatoes and crumble the goat cheese on top.  cut one of the mandarin oranges and place in the salad.  Use the juice of the mandarin orange for the dressing.  In a small bowl, add olive oil, the juice from 1 Mandarin orange, orange zest, salt and pepper, parsley and garlic powder.  Mix well and pour over the salad and serve.

Serves 4

Organic Lemon Blueberry Pancakes with a Blueberry Maple Compote

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

Lemon blueberry is one of my favourite flavour combinations!  I have played around with many cookie and cake recipes but one day over breakfast I thought how would these taste in a pancake?  Well it was refreshingly delicious!  The first time I made it, it didn’t turn out, the lemon was too over powering.  So I cut the lemon back and added the zest which makes them perfect.  If you love this flavour combination, you will love these pancakes!  If you try them, let me know what you think?

INGREDIENTS (all ingredients are organic): 1 ½ cups organic all purpose flour

¼ cup organic powdered sugar

3 ½ tsp organic baking powder

¼ tsp sea salt

1 ¼ organic whole milk

1 organic free range egg

3 tbs organic butter (melted)

3 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbs of lemon zest

1/2 cups of fresh blueberries (frozen works too if blueberries aren’t in season)

Blueberry Maple Compote:

3 tbs maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Turn your skillet/pan onto to medium heat. In a small bowl, melt the butter and set aside.

Mix together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Using a Wisk create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in butter and milk and mix well. Once the mixture is smooth (there are no lumps), pour in lemon juice and zest and mix well, allow to rest while your skillet is heating. Mix again with the wisk, then fold in 1/2 cup of blueberries (keep the full cup for the compote).  Pour a scoop of batter onto a buttered hot skillet or pan and cook until it rises and slightly browned, then flip (approx. 3 - 4 min each side).

Blueberry Maple Compote

In a small skillet, turn to medium heat and add blueberries and 3 tbs of maple syrup and vanilla extract.  Cook until the juices thickens and turns to a glaze.  Pour over pancakes while its still hot.

For Waffles, I add one more egg and use ¼ cup melted butter

You can top with additional maple syrup if you like and serve with fresh fruits.

Organic Strawberry-Kiwi Banana Smoothie Bowl

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

INGREDIENTS (all ingredients are organic):

2 Small Banana’s

½ cup frozen strawberries

½ cup kiwi (keep a few slices for the top of the bowl)

1 avocado

1 cup kefir

¼ cup of coconut water

1 tbs of homemade granola (honey, oats and almond)

1 tbs of chia seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add the frozen strawberries to the bottom of the blender, add 1 and a half banana, avocado, and kiwi (save a few slices for the top of the bowl).  Add the Coconut water and then kefir and blend on high speed until fully pureed, it will be thicker than a traditional smoothie.  Pour into a bowl and top with fresh cut kiwi and the other half of the banana, and any other fruit you would like to add and sprinkle the granola and chia seeds on top.

Home made granola - oats, sliced almonds and raw honey.  Mix well and add in clumps to a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15-20 mins until golden brown.  Let cool before serving.

Makes 1 servings

Organic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking​)

INGREDIENTS (All ingredients are organic): 1 Large Butternut squash

4 full size carrots

3 stalks of celery

1 large onion

6 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 tsp of smoked paprika 

Pink Himalayan salt to taste

Freshly cracked pepper to taste

2 tbs of olive oil

3 - 4 cups of vegetable stock

Freshly chopped parsley 

Sour cream (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Set oven to roast at 375 degrees F.  

Peel the butternut squash skin and clean the seeds from the inside.  Chop the squash into small squares and add to a roasting pan.  Peel carrots and chop carrots, celery and onions  into small chunks and add to the roasting pan (it doesn’t need to be perfect just small enough to cook through).  Peel the skin of the garlic and add the cloves whole in the roasting pan.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper and stir until all mixed thoroughly.  Place in the oven in the centre rack and roast for 30-40 mins until the vegetable are soft.  Just keep an eye on them and cover if they start to brown too much.  

Once the veggies are cooked, remove from oven and let it sit and cool for 10-15 mins before adding the cooked veggies to a chopper/food processor and add ¼ cup of vegetable stock at a time as you puree the squash and veggies.  Continue to add vegetable stock ¼ cup at a time until you reach the consistency you like and the soup is smooth and has no lumps.  

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add mixture to pot and heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 mins before serving.  You can add the vegetable stock during this process of the soup thickens too much.

Service with sour cream or creme fraiche and freshly chopped parsley.

Recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Organic Pork Tenderloin with butternut squash noodles in a brown butter sage sauce 

 (Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking) 

I love pork tenderloin, it’s such a great tender and lean protein. And it’s so easy to cook! My trick is to pan sear it on high heat before placing in the oven to roast. It locks in all the flavour and makes pork live up to its tenderloin name! If cooked properly, this meat will melt in your mouth! I hope you like the recipe! Let me know what you think? 

INGREDIENTS (I use organic ingredients):

1 piece of pork tenderloin

1 small butternut squash

¼ cup butter

4 garlic cloves

3 sage leafs

1 cup of green beens

fresh parsley

Salt 

Pepper

½ lemon

2 tbs olive oil

¼ cup of parmigiana reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat over to roast at 350 degrees F.

Season the pork tenderloin with the juice from the lemon and drizzle  1 tbs of olive oil.  Puree the garlic cloves and rub all over the meat and lastly, season with salt and pepper.

Set a large pan to medium heat on your stove top and add 1 tbs of olive oil. Once it’s heated, add the tenderloin to the hot pan and sear each side for 1-2 mins.  once all sides are browned, add to a roasting pan and place in the centre of the oven and roast for 15-20 mins or until the tenderloin reaches 150 F degrees in the centre.   Once its cooked, remove from oven and let rest on a cutting board for an additional 10 mins (cover with foil and its will reach 160 degrees F by resting).

Cut the skin off the butternut squash and slice in half. Clean the seeds and add each half to a spiralizer to cut the noodles.   In a large pan heat the butter slowly until it starts to brown.  Add the sage leaves in until they crisp up.  Add the butternut squash noodles and toss in the butter sage sauce.  Turn the heat to low and  continue to move the noodles in the sauce.  They will soften and cook quickly.  Season with a little salt and pepper.

In a medium size pan, on medium heat, add a 1 tsp of butter and once melted add  the green beans and cook for 5 min - season with salt, pepper and top with freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese.

To plate, slice the tenderloin.  Add the zucchini noodles on the bottom, add the sliced tenderloin on top and some of the cooked green beans.  Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 3

Organic Chocolate Espresso Avocado Pudding

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

INGREDIENTS (all ingredients are organic):

2 large ripe avocados

½ cup cocoa powder

¼ up organic maple syrup

½ cup coconut milk (unsweetened)

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 squares of dark 75% cacao chocolate

2 tbs of brewed espresso

INSTRUCTIONS:

Peel the avocados and add to a blender.  Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut milk and vanilla extract and puree until smooth.  

In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate squares and add the espresso.  Add to blender mixture and puree for another minute until smooth and creamy.  Spoon into serving dishes and serve warm/room temperature.   You can chill and serve cold as well.  Since the avocados will change colour, I would only make enough for the day you are going to eat it, but it will stay an extra day in the fridge.

Servies 4

Organic Strawberry Banana / kiwi blueberry Smoothie

(Recipe by @andriaorganichomecooking)

This cold weather has me thinking one thing…vacation on the beach!  The best part of tropical vacations is the fresh tropical fruit and the fresh blended fruit smoothies. 

Here is my tropical fruit smoothie blend, I mix two different recipes together and it tastes delicious!  It’s all fruit, no sugar and tastes like the tropics!  TIP:  I buy loads of local organic strawberries and wild blueberries when they are in season and freeze them for smoothies and other desserts.

Organic Strawberry Banana Smoothie

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of frozen strawberries

1 ripe banana 

¼ cup of frozen pineapple

¼ cup of Bio-K fermented milk (Or you can use Kefir)

½ cup of coconut water

2 tbs pomegranate seeds

Blend in a mixer or a nutri bullet until pureed.

Organic Blueberry Kiwi Smoothie

INGREDIENTS:

1 ripe banana

¼ cup frozen wild blueberries

¼ cup pineapple

1 kiwi

2 tbs pomegranate seeds

¼ cup of Bio-K plain fermented milk (or you can use Kefir)

½ cup of coconut water

1 mint leaf

Blend in a mixer or nutri bullet until pureed.  Add to a glass until ½ or ¾ full, fill the rest of the glass with the strawberry banana mixture.  Top with homemade granola, frozen strawberries, a slice of kiwi, pomegranate seeds and a mint leaf and serve.