Sample Recipes
ABC Vegetable Soup
Have fun with this soup. Get your kids to count all the different vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups (1 L) chicken broth*
1 28 oz (796 mL) can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup (75 mL)alphabet pasta
1 cup (250 mL) carrots, diced
1 cup (250 mL) celery, sliced
1 cup (250 mL) broccoli, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) zucchini, diced
salt and pepper
*Use 6 chicken bouillon cubes or sachets to make 4 cups of chicken broth.
Preparation:
1. In a saucepan, heat oil and cook onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, pasta, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add broccoli and zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6-8 Food Guide servings
Speedy Vegetable Soup for One
A delicious, healthy and quick recipe perfect for one.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (175 mL) vegetable juice cocktail
1/4 cup (60 mL) water
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
3/4 cup (175 mL) fresh or frozen mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, green beans, broccoli, corn, celery, onions, zucchini)
Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan combine vegetable juice, water, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Add vegetables. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. (Allow about 10 minutes for frozen vegetables and about 25 minutes for fresh vegetables).
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10-25 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Rotini with Ricotta and Summer Vegetables
Fast and easy recipe for one or two.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (125 mL) rotini pasta
2 cups (500 mL) summer vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, summer squash, fresh peas, snowpeas), cut into bite-size pieces 500 mL
1 large tomato
2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh basil (or 2 tsp (10 mL) dried)
2 tsp (10 mL) balsamic vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add the 2 cups of vegetables the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and keep warm.
2. Place a fine strainer over a large bowl. Cut the tomato in half. Squeeze seeds and juice into this strainer. Discard the seeds. Set tomato halves aside.
3. Stir the ricotta cheese, basil, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper into the tomato juice in the bowl. Coarsely chop the tomato halves. Stir into ricotta mixture.
4. Add the pasta mixture to ricotta mixture. Toss gently to coat.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Fruit and Couscous Salad
Not only is this salad yummy on its own, but for a change try it stuffed into romaine lettuce-lined whole wheat pita halves. Enjoy this fruit studded salad with grilled chicken, fish or pork. This tastes great even the next day.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (175 mL) whole wheat couscous
1/4 cup (50 mL) raisins
1 teaspoon (5 mL) curry powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cinnamon
6 dried apricots, finely chopped
1 red apple, cored and diced
1/3 cup (75 mL) diced sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup (50 mL) toasted whole skinned almonds, chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon(5 mL) grated orange zest
3 tablespoons (50 mL) fresh orange juice
Preparation:
In medium heatproof bowl combine couscous, raisins, curry and cinnamon. Stir in 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, stir in apricots and cool to room temperature. Stir in apple, onion, almonds, parsley, orange zest and juice; toss thoroughly. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Standing time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Middle Eastern Pita Salad
Enjoy the bounty of produce in this colourful salad bursting with fresh flavours. The baked pitas add interesting texture to the salad.
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pita
1/2 English cucumber (about 6 inches/15 cm)
4 cups (1 L) torn romaine leaves
2 cups (500 mL) grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup (250 mL) corn kernels
1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup (125 mL) each chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and mint
6 radishes, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
Dressing:
4 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 mL) grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press or minced
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180 ºC). Separate pita into 2 rounds, place on baking sheet; bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Break apart into bite-size pieces; set aside.
2. Dressing: In small bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, lemon rind, oregano, salt and garlic. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
3. Slice cucumber lengthwise into quarters and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch ( 0.5 cm) pieces; place in large bowl. Add romaine, tomatoes, corn, onion, parsley mint, radishes and celery; toss with dressing. Add pita pieces and toss again.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 8 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Sweet Potato Baked Fries
Here's a healthier version of fries that even the kids will enjoy! Leave the skins on the potatoes for extra fibre.
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 450ºF.
2. Peel sweet potatoes. Rinse and dry well. Cut into wedges or small sticks. Put sweet potatoes in a bowl and coat well with vegetable oil.
3. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the fries over and bake for another 15 minutes until slightly crispy.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese if you wish.
Yield: 4 servings
Tuna Mandarin Roll-Ups
This recipe only takes 10 minutes to prepare and uses many common ingredients. Wrap these roll-ups in plastic wrap and pack them for lunch.
Ingredients:
1 170 g can tuna in water, drained
1/4 cup (60 mL) low fat mayonnaise
1/4 tsp (1 mL) curry powder (optional)
1 10 oz (284 mL) can Mandarin orange segments, drained
1/3 cup (75 mL) celery, finely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) lettuce or spinach, shredded
4 small flour tortillas
Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine tuna, mayonnaise and curry powder. Mix well.
2. Stir in oranges and celery.
3. Spread 1/2 cup tuna mixture onto each tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup lettuce. Roll up and serve.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe adapted from Adventures in the Kitchen Kid's Cookbook, by The Canned Food Alliance.
Apple Pie Shake
All the flavours of an apple pie in a shake, yummy and refreshing!
Ingredients:
1 apple, cored and diced
1- 1/4 cups (300 mL) unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup (250 mL) ice
3/4 cup (175 mL) unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) vanilla flavoured yogurt (1 or 2% M.F.)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
Preparation:
1. In a blender combine apple, apple sauce and ice; pulse until apple is pureed. Add apple juice, yogurt and cinnamon; puree until blended. Pour into glasses and serve.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
