Oh boy - this home is filled with salmon lovers! And that makes me happy because I love salmon and salmon is so good for you! This kind of meal is right up my alley. It's well balanced, full of vitamins and minerals and it's delicious! And let's talk about our nutrient dense powerhouse - SALMON! Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which are so important for brain function and a healthy nervous system. It also has high levels of selenium, potassium and vitamins B12 and D. The list of health benefits of salmon goes on and on and I don't want to ramble on, but if there's only one thing you really need to know it's that salmon is amazing for optimal health!

I love this recipe because it is completely adaptable, you can add virtually any vegetables you have on hand: bok choi, onions, celery, baby corn, spinach... the possibilities are endless. Most vegetables are low in calories but have the benefit of vitamins, minerals, fibre and filling you up! So if you're watching your calories go ahead and pile on the veggies!

Now, I know what you're thinking.... this recipe has a lot of steps and a lot going on. But I promise you it won't take long at all to pull this dish together. The noodles cook in 3 minutes flat and the salmon hardly takes any time to prepare and cook either. While the salmon is in the oven you can make your sauce and stir fry the veggies, it all comes together in 30 minutes or less! You and your family will love this salmon dish, it's so yummy and good!

*tip! do all of your diving and chopping before you start cooking, I often find this is the most time consuming task

I do want to point out that the sodium count is high, thus the reason for using low-sodium soya sauce. You can adjust the amount of soya sauce and oyster sauce to suit your taste and dietary needs.


INGREDIENTS

- 1 salmon filet
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 package Chinese steam fried noodles
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup suey choy, chopped
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch or corn starch
- 1/3 cup warm water
- green onion, sliced into matchsticks
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

SAUCE
​
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 4 tbsp low sodium soya sauce
- 4 tbsp oyster sauce
​- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Prepare salmon filet by rinsing in fresh water and pat dry
3. Season filet with salt and pepper and place on a greased baking dish
4. Bake salmon until done - when a fork easily flakes the salmon, about 8-12 minutes for every inch thickness of the salmon filet
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook noodles for 2-3 minutes, rinse and drain (or as per the package instructions)
6. In a saucepan mix all sauce ingredients and stir over medium heat
7. In a wok or large frying pan add vegetable oil and stir fry mushrooms, carrots, pepper and suey choi on medium high heat until vegetables just become tender - don't overcook, they'll become mushy
8. Add sauce and noodles and stir over medium-low heat
9. In a small bowl mix starch with warm water until starch has dissolved
10. Add starch mixture and stir
11. Dish out serving of vegetable-noddles on a plate and top with salmon, green onion and toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

​serves 4

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

It's the weekend and you know what that means - picnics, bbqs, cookouts and potlucks! The sun is shining and I know many of you will be spending time with family and friends. And what's a day with friends and family without great food? Well... it's probably a day of rumbly tummies and grumpy people! (at least with my family!). The thing about cooking for a crowd is taking into consideration everyone's likes and dislikes. This creamy citrusy dressing is delicious and it's filled with fresh veggies and packs a hit of protein - perfect for vegetarians. It isn't spicy or fishy or high fat or bland. Its mild flavours will accompany most dishes and is sure to be a hit with friends and family, even the little ones so it's perfect to bring along!

This salad is so easy to make and prepare ahead. Letting the salad rest in the fridge will help develop the flavours and let the pasta absorb the dressing. I like my fusili salad a little saucy. Sometimes I find when it sits in the fridge that the pasta absorbs all of the dressing, if this happens to you just whip up some more dressing and toss! Mmmm..... I'll probably eat a whole bowl for lunch even before we head out the door! 😋

Fun fact: most plants are incomplete proteins but combining beans and corn together provide all of the essential amino acids as a complete protein!
​
Update!  I'm excited to let you all know that this recipe was featured on the feedfeed's Clean Eating page! https://thefeedfeed.com/lovegoodfoodblog/creamy-corn-and-blackbean-salad
​And check out the feedfeed's page for more Clean Eating recipes!
https://thefeedfeed.com/clean-eating-recipes


INGREDIENTS

- 1 lb of fusili pasta
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 limes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the pasta in salted water as per the directions on the package to al dente
2. In a large bowl combine mayonnaise, the juice of 1 lime, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and stir
3. Drain pasta and add to dressing and mix well
4. Add black beans, corn, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, onion and parsley and stir all together
5. Cut the second lime into wedges and serve!


* tip! pasta cooked al dente will stand up better in a pasta salad, over cooked pasta wil become mushy

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

Chia pudding is all the rage and it's no wonder. It is a SUPERFOOD loaded with fibre, protein, anti-oxidants, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It's versatile and sooo good for you. Chia seeds are often soaked ahead of time, which makes the most nutrients available to our bodies to use. After the seeds have been soaked they end up having this amazing "glooby" texture. You know what I'm talking about, right? My kids think it's funny the way the seeds feel in their throats when they swallow. So we call them glooby seeds here at home! If you haven't tried them, you just have to experience it to know!

A great way to enjoy chia seeds is in chia pudding. This chia pudding is so pretty, it's great for breakfast, a snack. and definitely for dessert! Chia pudding is so versatile because the flavour is so mild that you can adapt it to any liquid and toppings of your choice, like this one soaked in almond milk topped with homemade granola, a dollop of Greek yogurt with kiwi and banana slices. I use unsweetened almond milk, it's low fat, low calorie and adds a sweet taste to the chia pudding. This is seriously beautiful and sweet enough to serve as dessert!

I'm excited to let you all know that this recipe was picked up by the feedfeed's Best Chia Seeds Recipes - check it out https://thefeedfeed.com/lovegoodfoodblog/almond-chia-pudding-with-granola-banana-and-kiwi

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 small banana
- 1 kiwi
- 4 tbsp granola (homemade or commercial)
- 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt


DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the chia pudding at least 4 hours ahead of time, or overnight
2. Pour chia seeds in a container and add almond milk, stir well, cover and place in the fridge
3. After chia seeds gel and set and ready to serve, spoon out pudding into two bowls
4. Slice kiwi and banana and add to chia pudding
5. Top off with granola and Greek yogurt

makes 2 servings
​
Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

This may seem like such an easy recipe that it's hardly worth writing about but honestly, you're going to want this one in your back pocket. You can make this in a snap and it's super healthy. I couldn't believe how scrumptious the smell of the grapefruit was as it began to release its juices under the broiler. Mmmmmm - heavenly! But truthfully, this broiled grapefruit would be delightful for breakfast on a chilly morning and the perfect dessert on a hot summer night.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 grapefruit
- 4 tsp golden brown sugar
- 1 cup of plain Greek or Balkan style plain yogurt
​- 1/2 lemon
- basil leaves


DIRECTIONS

1. Turn on your oven's broiler to HIGH
2. Slice grapefruit in half and slice just a touch off the bottom of the grapefruit so it rests firm and place on a baking sheet
3. Spread 1 tsp of brown sugar on each grapefruit half and put in oven
4. Broil for approximately 5 minutes, the grapefruit releases a gorgeous citrusy smell when it's ready
5. Take out of the oven and place one half on each plate
6. Too each one with a dollop of plain
​


makes 4 servings

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

If you're like me, your kids have a love-hate relationship with cauliflower. My youngest wrinkles his nose at the sight of it without even taking a bite but then the next day he's eating it covered with a glob of hummus. But I tell ya, your kids won't even know that they're eating cauliflower when this dish shows up on their plate.

Cauliflower rice is rapidly gaining popularity because of it's health benefits, it fits into a paleo diet, it's low carb and gluten free - what's not to love? It's being used as a side dish and as a low-carb gluten-free alternative to rice and couscous. Cauliflower's mild flavour is so versatile it lends itself well to any flavour profile you want to add!

Turmeric is also having its time in the spotlight for its amazing medicinal properties. Tumeric has a natural anti-inflammatory compound, increases the antioxidant capacity of the body, improves brain function, lowers the risk of heart disease, help prevent cancer and Alzheimer's and even help delay aging. Tumeric has definitely earned its place as one of the most effective natural substances out there!

With these two powerhouses teaming up you're sure to be on your way to health and well being!
​

INGREDIENTS

- 1 regular size head of cauliflower, approximately 4 cups
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- chives, chopped
- parsley, chopped


DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and trim cauliflower and cut into pieces
2. In a food processor blend cauliflower in batches until it turns into a grainy consistency - it won't take long, about 7-8 pulses
* if you don't have a food processor you can also grate the cauliflower into small pieces
​3. Heat up a large frying pan on medium heat and add oil.
4. Add cauliflower rice, garlic, tumeric, salt and pepper to pan and stir frequently
5. Cook cauliflower for 8-10 minutes
6. Add chopped parsley and chives and stir
7. Fluff with a fork and serve!

makes 4 servings

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

You can't go wrong with a gorgeous bowl of fresh fruit salad. It's great in the morning with your breakfast, as a snack or as a dessert. You can dress it up or dress it down, whip cream, yogurt, mint leaves, just use your imagination!

I know what it's like when you're watching your calories but are craving something sweet. Fresh fruit is a great way to curb that sweet tooth. The bonus - it's low in fat and has fibre and tons of vitamins! Win win! Oh - and there isn't anything technical to this dish so even anyone with no cooking skills can master this one! Bonus!


INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut
- 1 kiwi, slices
- 1 banana, sliced
- strawberries
- 1 tbsp shaved or grated coconut


DIRECTIONS

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl and serve!!!

​
serves 4

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

​I love when you have leftovers that can be reinvented into something fabulous. Last night I made a huge pot of rice and had leftover rice. I knew I would use it for something and after digging into my produce drawer this afternoon and seeing the bell peppers, red onion, cucumber and celery I knew what this dish would become.

Salads like this one are great for meals on the go. The dressing is already mixed in and and because there isn't any lettuce to wilt it will stay fresh and tasty for hours. Bonus: you don't even need to bring a messy salad dressing container! It is loaded with fresh vegetables and because of the beans you get a hit of protein and fibre!

In fact, this salad is so versatile the next time you're having a BBQ or heading to a potluck think about taking this great Black Bean & Rice Salad.

​Be sure to make a big batch so you can have it as your lunch, as a side dish or as a healthy snack.


INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 tsp white sugar (optional)
- 1 clove grated fresh garlic (optional)


DIRECTIONS

1. Put rice, black beans, celery, peppers, red onion and chopped cilantro in a large bowl and stir
2. In a small bowl or in a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine olive oil, vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, chilli powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and if it suits your taste add sugar and/or garlic. Shake or stir!
3. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.
* the flavours of the dressing will develop over time so if you have time pop the salad in the fridge for an hour or more before serving
4. To serve, scoop 1 cup of salad in each bowl and top with 1/8 lime wedge and avocado and enjoy!

serves 4

Tip! The rule of thumb for making salad dressing is to mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. But this ratio isn't a fixed rule, if you prefer your dressing a little more tart you can add a splash more vinegar

Busy busy night! Tonight was the first night of soccer for my little boys this year. While I had the pizza in the oven one was asking me to help him with his shin guards and I totally forgot about the the pizza! 😮 Thankfully I saved it and we gobbled it down before heading out the door. So basic, so fast, yet so good. Marinara sauce, tomatoes, and mozarella topped with fresh arugula and toasted pine nuts. I'll let you in on a little time-saver secret, instead of pizza dough I just used a large soft flour tortilla! I always have tortillas on hand and they make a great thin crust base for your pizza. Perfect on a busy night! But by all means if you have the time use traditional pizza dough it will be extra delicious!


INGREDIENTS

- 1/3 cup of homemade marinara sauce or ready-made pizza sauce in a pinch
- 1 large soft flour tortilla
​- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
- 1 cups fresh arugula
- 2 tbsp pine nuts


DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F
2, Place the tortilla shell on a pizza pan or a large baking sheet
3. Spoon the marinara sauce (or pizza sauce) onto the tortilla and using the back side of the spoon spread the sauce around the shell. If you like it more saucy by all means add more sauce!
4. Put the mozarella cheese on top and add the diced tomatoes (and any other chopped vegetables of your choice) on top of the cheese
5. Put the pizza in the oven for 5-10 minutes, at the 5 minute mark watch it closely, the pizza will be ready when all
of the cheese has melted and starts to bubble
6. (Optional) I love the cheese on top of my pizza to get a little brown, if you want to add this step turn on the broiler to HIGH for a few minutes and let the cheese brown under the broiler
* watch this step very closely, the heat on the broiler is very hot and it will go fast!
7. Take the pizza out of the oven and let stand for a few minutes
8. Take a small frying pan and put the pine nuts in the pan over medium heat
​9. Stir the nuts continuously, it will take a few minutes to start to toast but once they start browning watch them closely, it won't take long
10. Once the pine nuts start to brown take them off the heat
11. Spread the arugula over the pizza and top with toasted pine nuts.
12. Slice and serve!

makes 2 servings

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

Nutrition ratio: 54:27:19

I love cheese so I load it on and that's why 1 serving is half a pizza. I serve this with a salad but you can reduce the amount of cheese and enjoy the whole pizza for your dinner.... it's the cheese that packs on the fat count

When I think of comfort food, hot chicken noodle soup always comes to mind. It's warm and yummy and helps make you feel better when you're a little under the weather. This rice vermicelli bowl with roasted chicken is my Asian spin on the old chicken noodle classic. Long white rice vermicelli noodles are placed in a hot bowl of ginger-garlic broth and topped with roast chicken and stir fried veggies. Just a head's up - there are a few steps to this meal and you'll have a few dirty pots at the end, but I promise, it'll all be worth it! Some of the health benefits of this yummy spin on chicken noodle come from the garlic and ginger. The medicinal properties of garlic and ginger have been known for centuries. They were prescribed for ailments such as morning sickness, heart disease, colds, tick bites, arthritis, and a whole slew of other ailments but I won't bore you with a whole essay on it! Just know that we can all benefit from the antioxidants and immune system boosters of ginger and garlic! The next time you aren't feeling well I hope someone brings you a piping hot bowl of Rice Vermicelli in a Ginger Garlic Chicken Broth.

And it seems that the feedfeed agrees that this bowl of comfort food will help you feel better too! It has been featured on their Feel Better feed, check it out: https://thefeedfeed.com/lovegoodfoodblog/vermicelli-noodles-with-ginger-garlic-chicken-broth.


INGREDIENTS

- 1 package of white rice vermicelli noodles
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups of homemade chicken broth or a 32 oz/900 mL carton of low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 inch of fresh ginger, sliced coin sized
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife blade
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 1 bunch spinach leaves (approximated 2 cups)
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- soya sauce


DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the vermicelli noodles
​2. Meanwhile heat up 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan
3. Chop up chicken breast and place in a frying pan and cook chicken until outside of chicken is browned and the chicken is cooked through - put aside
4. Put the broth in another pot and bring to a boil - I promise, you'll only have 2 elements on the go at any time!
5. Add fish sauce, 2 smashed garlic cloves, fresh ginger and sugar to the broth, add salt to taste and return to medium heat
6. Place vermicelli noodles in boiling water and cook for 2-5 minutes, or as per the package directions, stir to loosen strands, drain and put aside (the noodles will be ready when they're soft all the way through)
7. Heat up a wok on medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil.
8. Add onion and peppers to wok and quickly flash-fry, once peppers and onions have softened a bit and have a bit of a sear, take off the heat and add the spinach and toss the spinach and vegetables until the spinach wilts (the spinach will "cook" in the residual heat of the pan and will wilt down substantially)
9. Now you're ready to put it all together!
- pour 1 cup of broth in each bowl
- place desired amount of vermicelli noodles in each bowl
- spoon veggies and chicken breast on top of noodles
- sprinkle black sesame seeds and you're ready to serve!

* have soya sauce available on the table for anyone who would like a splash!

​
makes 4 servings

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

Sometimes when you find something so warm and comforting you just keep coming back for more. That's the way I feel about our EVERYday oatmeal. You can't beat the health benefits from a bowl of hot oats that you can make in a snap. This take on one of my family's go-to breakfasts is all-Canadian. Quebec maple syrup, Ontario black walnuts, and oats and flax grown in the prairies. The amazing thing about maple syrup is the health benefits. What health benefits, you might ask? Well, I'll let you in in a little info -potassium, manganese, zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium. And not to forget all the benefits of oatmeal!

INGREDIENTS

- 1/3 cup quickoats
- 1 tbsp flax meal
- 2/3 cup boiling hot water
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp black walnut pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. Scoop oats and flax meal into a cereal bowl
2. Pour 2/3 cup boiling hot water over oats and cover for 5 minutes to cook
3. When oats are cooked add walnuts and drizzle maple syrup on top.

makes 1 serving

Have a great day and Love Good Food! ❤️

I discovered this purple wheat multi grain bread at my local bakery and I can't stop thinking of great ways to enjoy it! Whenever you get a chance you should try one of your local bakery's specialty breads, you just might be surprised how wonderful the new flavour can inspire your meals!

Pairing this bread with avocado and an egg was a natural fit. And I just love the way when the avocado pit is removed it makes the perfect little nest for your poached egg! Avocados are the new superfood. They are loaded with fibre, healthy fats and tons of nutrients. Just a word of caution, if you're watching your daily fat intake avocados weigh in pretty hefty on the day scale. Many nutrition labels for avocados consider 1/5 of an avocado as one serving. But honestly, avocados are a superfood and you deserve all of the healthy benefits that avocados offer!
​

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 avocado
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 slices of multigrain bread
- 1 tsp butter

DIRECTIONS
​
1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and reduce to medium-low heat
2. Add vinegar to the water
3. Crack one egg into a cup or small bowl and gently pour the whole egg into the pot of water on the stove
4. Set the timer for 3 minutes for soft eggs, 4 minutes for medium and 5 minutes for firm eggs
5. While the egg is cooking toast bread and cut the avocado in half
6. Use a spoon to scoop the avocado half out from the skin
7. Lightly butter your toast and place the avocado on the toast
8. Using a slotted spoon remove the eggs from the pot and place in a bowl or directly onto the toast if you're ready to assemble

* adding vinegar to the water will help the proteins in the egg to bind and help with the poaching

Serves 1

​Have a great weekend and Love Good Food! ❤️