This yummy main dish as seen on Instagram is a very easy week day recipe! It’s so easy, that you’ll read through all the steps below in less than 2 minutes. Let’s go!
Ingredients Rosée sauce
Stringless sugar snap peas
Zucchini
Peppers
Mushrooms
Cajun seasoning Catelli Ancient Grains Pasta
Olive oil
Sweet onion
Directions 1. Boil Catelli Ancient Grains pasta until cooked. Catelli Ancient Grains pasta is made with an all-natural, 100% whole grain blend of Canadian wheat. It also has quinoa, amaranth, teff, sorghum and millet. Each serving contains 12 g of protein, 8 g of fibre and 25% of your recommended daily iron intake. How awesome is that?
2. Sautee mushrooms and sweet onion in olive oil with salt and pepper for 4 minutes.
3. In a separate pan sautee zucchini, pepper, snap peas with olive oil and cajun seasoning (as desired).
4. Take the hot pasta and mix in rosée sauce and all of the veggies.
Catching up over good food is my favourite thing to do with my girlfriends. We usually opt for places we’ve tried before but this time I suggested something new and it worked out! We all met up at Yorkdale, did some shopping and window shopping and then headed on over to Holt Renfrew.
The Holts Cafe is on the main floor of Holt Renfrew and if you haven’t been there before ask for directions.
I could see it being missed easily. One of the sales associates there walked us all the way to the entrance of the cafe. So kind of him. The entrance is decorated simply but very nice.
We loved the seating area. You have the choice of sitting on chairs or booth and chairs. We always go for booths, as you get a lot more space for jackets/purses and we love to talk for hours, so coziness factor is important.
Keep in mind their brunch hours are SATURDAY, 9:30AM TO 4PM and SUNDAY, 11AM TO 4PM. Also, try to make reservations for an earlier time to ensure they’re not our of their more popular dishes like the apple crumble french toast. Alll portions are perfect and all the ingredients are super fresh! Compliments to the chef.
Here’s what we had from the brunch menu:
Apple Crumble French Toast – This actually felt like you’re having dessert but very filling. Tastes amazing! I had this and another dish. Finished I would say at least half of it and shared the rest.
SHAKSHUKA – Two eggs baked in Moroccan tomato sauce, sautéed kale, grilled bread.This was perfection.
Cafe Menu:
INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN: Grilled scallion yogurt, sautéed kale, currants, marcona almond, fingerling potato. Chicken was cooked to perfection, kale was fresh, delicious due to the awesome sauce it was sauteed in. Probably had something to do with the yogurt mix.
Sweet Potato Fries: I’d totally order them again. Also give you two sides of sauces to dip in.
LOBSTER SANDWICH: It was superb, but I can’t find it on the menu anymore.
I put the Catelli SuperGreens pasta to the taste test with my boys, mother in law and my mom. They loved it!
So what was this amazing recipe that I put together? It’s very simple and involves lots of vegetables and for the meat lovers in your family you can add chicken/beef as you wish. The name of the pasta is exactly that, super green. It’s all-natural made with spinach, zucchini, broccoli, parsley and kale! Okay so I know the pasta itself was already packed with veggies but I just couldn’t help it but add more. You can never have enough vegetables! At least I think so!
I chopped up all of the vegetables while I had the Catelli SuperGreens pasta boiling. I’ve only tried a green pasta once before and it was pretty good. However, I did notice that it had a higher amount of sodium in it. Which brings me to why Catelli SuperGreens is so much better! Catelli SuperGreens is low in sodium and fat.
I like to keep my veggies chunky in pasta. It gives it that hearty meal look. I know mushrooms cook a lot faster than zucchini, so you can saute the mushrooms separately or put them altogether and cook on low-medium heat. I used my favourite, the gourmet collection spice blend as a dressing for the chopped vegetables and cooked with olive oil.
Vegetables to saute Yellow zucchini
Green zucchini
Cremini mushrooms
Chicken Marinade chicken overnight or 30 minutes – 1 hour. I used 1 tablespoon of yogurt, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic for the marinade. I then chopped the chicken breast into cubes and cooked.
Avocado At the end when you’re about to serve the dinner add sliced avocado to the side.
For the sauce I just used a store bought rosée that had cheese in it.
Weekdays are generally a very busy time for families. Going to work, appointments and for the stay at home mommies or those on maternity leave, taking care of your little one(s). I get excited when I find a really good quick and easy recipe, and folks..this recipe by Chef Michael Allemeier is definitely one of those recipes! It’s almost time for me to go back to work and this recipe fell into my lap at the right time. Just when I started searching for more ideas and created my new board on Pinterest labeled “Week night dinner ideas“. I feel like I’ve exhausted all the usual dinners I make and really needed a reboot. If you totally get me right now, then check out that board after you’ve read through this recipe. 😉
You might have watched my snapchat videos of how I went on and on about #CatelliFamilies and what I used, so I’ll get straight to the point. Prep time for this recipe will be anywhere between 5-7 mins, cook time 15 mins woohoo! and will make 4 servings.
What you need
1 Pkg Catelli Smart® Spaghetti
375 mL
whipping cream
2 cups (500 mL)
peas, fresh (or frozen optional)
1 cup (250 mL)
shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup (80 mL)
green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp (3 mL)
ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
Instructions
Add 4 litres of water to a pot and add 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt to water. Bring to a boil.
Heat a large pot or frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes to slightly thicken. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas to the hot cream and return to a simmer. Once pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the hot sauce.
Add Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and sliced green onions and bring to a simmer. Adjust salt to taste and serve at once.
I never thought a simple Alfredo with peas would taste this good! My husband is a huge meat eater so I made some spicy ground chicken for him to mix in with this recipe. Chefs tip is to try adding mushroom and/or tomatoes. On that note, I think I’ll try to add zucchini next time! What will you make with your Catelli pasta? Use the hashtag #CatelliFamilies to share your awesome recipes.
Let’s first get my confession out of the way before we start. I had never tried persimmons before and this was my first time! I always wondered what they tasted like but never saw them being sold in singles, only by the case. (Update: Singles sold in Chinatown or Harvest Wagon) Persimmons are sweet and sort of taste like cantaloupes, peaches or mangoes. The ones I bought are ready to eat as soon as you purchase them. Even better, they’re seedless, pit-less and you don’t have to peel the skin off! Persimon® are available November through January, if they last! I called 3 Sobeys and a Foodland. They were all sold out (End of November), so they are clearly high in demand. At the end I found a box at Metro! Yay!
This particular brand Persimon ®, are ripe and ready to eat, while other brands you may have to wait for them to turn soft and ripen. They’re grown exclusively in the Ribera del Xúquer valley near Valencia, Spain.
Roast Chicken with Persimmons and Olives with Persimon®
1 Whole Chicken (3-1/2 pounds) cut into 8 pieces and breasts halved crosswise (I used two large chicken breasts with no skin to feed two people. But you can get with skin and use a whole chicken for serving 6) 1 tbsp (15 ml) Paprika (I used a paprika/lime mix, see below images)
1 tsp (5 ml) Salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) Pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chopped Parsley
1 Persimon®, topped and cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) wedges (I used 1 and a half and ate the other half while it baked!) 🙂 1 fennel bulb topped and cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) wedges (I didn’t use fennel bulb. But it’s a great option) 1/2 cup (125 ml) Cracked green olives, pitted and halved
1 tbsp (15 ml) Olive Oil Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Method
Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C)
Line a rimmed baking pan/sheet with parchment paper. I love this parchment paper because it’s strong compared to some other brands I’ve used.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the paprika, salt, pepper and half of the parsley; toss to coat. Place the chicken in the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
I love the smell of fresh cut parsley
[Tweet “#DidYouKnow a Persimon® with freckles=extra sweetness? #PersimonSays”]
Place the Persimon® wedges, olives and remaining parsley in a separate bowl. Add olive oil, season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
After the 20 minute mark turn the chicken pieces over. Add the Persimon®, olives, parsley mix to the bake sheet and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through. Bake until the chicken is cooked through. You can serve this with rice, salad or even on its own. You can also use persimmons in pretty much anything! Whatever you would add fruit too. I have some persimmons left, maybe I’ll make something sweet with it!
Voila! Your classic baked chicken recipe with a touch of Mediterranean flair. Yum 🙂
This is the easiest and most delicious salmon you’ll ever make!
I bought my salmon with it already sitting in marinade which made the process of putting together this recipe a lot faster. I bought mine from Loblaws. If you’d like to try your own home made marinade then try this quick recipe for jerk marinade: here. Rice and vegetables are the best sides for this main dish as the fish can be very filling on its own.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Brush fish evenly on both sides with olive oil and salt and pepper on the flesh side.
3. Place fish into pan, flesh side down and allow to cook for approx. 5 mins. Flip fish to the skin side and put into preheated oven. Cook for about 12 mins.
If you haven’t noticed from my previous recipe posts, I love easy recipes. I work all day and come home and need something healthy, fast & flavorful. This recipe goes amazing with potatoes, steamed veggies or rice. The outcome of this recipe is a sweet, spicy (depending on whether you add spices), garlic glazed chicken. I recommend using aluminum foil on top of your roasting/baking pan for an easier clean up.
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add spices and herbs as desired. (I used a spice rub from William Sonoma and spices by Club House)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking/roasting pan with aluminum foil, lightly coat or brush oil on foil.
In a small sauté pan, sauté garlic with olive oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add additional spices, salt etc as desired.
Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking/roasting pan and cover with the garlic/brown sugar mixture. Add salt and pepper on top for taste. I used sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Bake uncovered for 15-30mins, check on the chicken. The cooking time differs depending on the size and how thick the chicken breast is.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz) I used mozzarella and havarti jalepeno cheese
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning – I bought mine from William Sonoma
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use the regular kind but the italian one is better)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Lots of toothpicks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.
In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.
Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.
Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks. I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used.
Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).
Place the chicken seam-side down onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the toothpicks before serving. Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick. I topped the stuffed chicken with saffron sauce. If you’d like the recipe for saffron sauce please leave a comment below.
Here’s the deal. You come home from the gym and you’re exhausted! Your body aches and you just want to drop to the floor. Don’t let the beat drop just yet and pick yourself up to try this AMAZING stuffed green pepper recipe. Quick and easy.
Prep Time: 35mins
You will need:
Whole Green Peppers ( 1 for each person)
Rice
Dice tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli (whatever veggies you want)
Crushed cashews
Chicken breast cut into cubes
Cheese
Coriander
How to:
Put your rice in a rice cooker or Uncle Ben’s instant rice
Cut the top out of the green peppers. Clean them out. Place in oven to soften to desired texture.
In a sauce pan cook your chicken breast cubes until cooked. You can add honey, or just salt, pepper and cayenne pepper for a more spicy flavour.
Add your chopped veggies and crushed cashews. Sauté veggies with soy sauce or any other sauce you prefer. Healthier substitute would be coconut oil.
Place rice inside whole green pepper, chicken, veggies, rice again, topped with cheese and coriander. The images attached are a beef version I did.
This is the fastest Honey Lemon Chicken recipe ever! For all of you who live busy lives and never have time to cook. You can do this!
Prep Time: 20mins
You will need:
Chicken (I used 3 chicken breasts)
Honey
Lemon
Vegetables – I used broccoli, green peppers & parsley
Cashews or Peanuts (which ever you prefer)
Salt & Pepper for taste and seasoning
How To:
Cut chicken breast into slices and start cooking on medium. Season with mixed ground pepper and a bit of salt. Just before chicken is cooked turn temperature to high and add honey to pan (Make sure you use enough honey to cover all the chicken). Cook till the chicken is golden and then add fresh lime or lemon juice on top. Cut up your vegetables and mix in a bowl. Either you can add it into the chicken honey mix and cook to desired texture or eat it as is with dressing on the side. For the rice, I just use my rice cooker or there’s always Uncle Ben’s if you’re really in a rush.
