ActiFry Recipes from T-Fal
Posted January 2, 2012 – 1:06 pm in: Low Fat, Main Dish
Lower in fat than regular fries, these Tex-Mex fries are a healthier option
(NC)— Now, you can eat healthy and have your fries too. Innovations today allow us to make all those favourite high calorie and high fat foods with only 1 tablespoon of oil. The product developers at T-fal have created innovative appliances for healthier living that decrease the average fat intake of pub-style meals by as much as 70%. Here are some recipes using the new ActiFry:
Tex-Mex Fries
Ingredients:
3 lb (1.5kg) of potatoes, peeled and washed
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 tbsp of Tex-mex or fajitas spice mix
2 tbsp of tabasco sauce to taste
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Cut the potatoes into ½ inch (1 cm) thick fries, wash well and dry carefully.
2. Mix the Tex-Mex powder with the vegetable oil in a small bowl. Put the fries in the ActiFry pan and pour the spice mixture evenly over them. Cook for 45 minutes.
3. Open the Actifry, add salt and pour the Tabasco over the fries. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Recipe serves 6. Nutritional information per serving: 199 cal, protein: 5.3g, fat: 2.5g, carbohydrate: 41.5g, sodium: 0.04g. Compare: regular fries can have more than 380 calories and more than 20 g of fat per serving.
BBQ Chicken wings
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken or more chicken wings, tips cut offSea salt & ground pepper
Directions:
Toss the wings in barbecue sauce enough to coat them. This can be done the night before so the meat absorbs some of the sauce. Set the ActiFry for 25 minutes and turn on (*check for doneness after 20 minutes, depending on the size of the wings).
Note: Fried pub chicken wings can have more than 1500 cal and more than 100 g of fat for only 10 wings, more than an entire day worth of calories. Cooking wings in this new appliance makes this snack a healthier treat on game day or family night.
Chinese Style Ribs
Ingredients:
1 rack of pork spare ribs
1/3 tsp baking soda, 1tbs water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1tsp sugar, 1tbs soya sauce, 1tbs cornstarch, -1/4tsp sesame seed oil, 1tbs minced garlic, 1tsp five spice powder (optional)
Preparation:
1. Cut ribs into single rib sections and place in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients and add to ribs, mix well to coat the ribs evenly.
3. Marinate for a least 1 hour. Add ribs to the ActiFry and cook for 25-30 min. (depending on how meaty the ribs are)
Pulled Pork Sandwich in minutes
Succulant pulled pork in less than half an hour.
The newest Nutricook appliance (by T-fal) can save hours of preparation for pulled pork. You can make this tasty dish in less than a half hour:
Ingredients:
4 tsp of olive oil
1 shallot finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (500 g) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 bottle of your favourite barbecue sauce
6 whole wheat buns
Preparation:
1. Coat the pork tenderloin evenly with the barbecue sauce.
2. Heat the olive oil in the Nutricook pan and brown the pork on all sides.
3. Take the pork out and rinse the pan. Place the pork in the steaming basket.
4. Put the basket with the pork loin in the pan.
5. Program 18 minutes on the timer and select the meat cooking program.
6. After 18 minutes steam will appear, at which point you need to turn off the heat and turn the program selector to steam.
7. Set the steam program for 10 minutes. This is the soft steam that makes sure the meat is cooked inside on the inside as well as the outside.
8. After the end of the soft steam phase, take out the pork at which point it should peel apart easily.
9. Lightly toast your whole-wheat bun, add your pork and any other desired condiments.
Find more heart healthy recipes at www.t-fal.ca
No Comments | Tags:Polpette di Fungi
Posted October 13, 2011 – 6:14 am in: Vegetable2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
50g freshly grated Parmesan
50g Panko breadcrumbs, plus extra for rolling
1/4 cup chopped plain parsley
1/2 cup finely diced fresh mushrooms (crimini, button, whatever you like)
Pinch sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying
One jar (about 700mls) of your favourite pasta sauce
Method
1. Beat the eggs and the baking soda with a whisk.
2. Slowly add the cheese, the breadcrumbs, the parsley and mushrooms to the egg mix. Season with sea salt and pepper and fold gently until all ingredients are combined.
3. Using a teaspoon form small balls of the mixture, then roll them in the extra Panko crumbs.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the egg balls 2-3 at a time and fry over medium heat until golden brown all round. You will need to turn them to make sure they brown evenly.
5. Drain on a paper towel and continue until all balls are fried up.
6. Heat your pasta sauce over medium heat and then add the balls when the sauce is bubbling. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover the saucepan. Continue to heat for about 7 minutes - the balls will be warm through and will have absorbed some of the sauce.
7. Serve topped with fresh basil.
Makes 10
Mardi Michels is a well-known food blogger who resides in Toronto, Ontario. In “real life,” Mardi is a full-time elementary school French teacher. She also moonlights as a part-time PhD student, and is halfway through the Food & Media certificate at George Brown College, in Toronto. You can find her travels and recipes documented on her blog, www.eatlivetravelwrite.com.
No Comments | Tags:Working class diner
Posted October 6, 2011 – 6:13 am in: Resources
(NC)—Dining in the workplace is often reduced to a quick inhalation of a soggy sandwich at the desk. Hunched over, many conclude lunch hour within minutes. Some meals are shortened, while others are eliminated altogether.
“When you eat less often, it does not mean you are eating healthier,” says Carol Dombrow, Heart and Stroke Foundation registered dietitian. “Check the nutrition information and pay attention to serving sizes to help you make healthy choices.”
The fast paced office environment oftentimes places food in the sidebar of the day, more as an afterthought than the main act. One-quarter of Canadians report visiting a fast food restaurant on a daily basis to save precious minutes of their days.
As Carol explains, Canada’s Food Guide is a great tool for following a healthy diet—at home or at work.
To keep up with an active and healthy lifestyle at work, Carol suggests following these tips:
• Have breakfast. Coffee alone does not constitute breakfast. Remember that it is the most important meal of the day. People who eat breakfast are more likely to meet their daily nutrient needs and maintain a healthy body weight. Aim to include three food groups, e.g., whole grain cereal, milk and orange wedges or a poached egg on whole grain toast and sliced tomatoes.
• Have healthy snacks on hand for your morning or afternoon breaks.
• Change your midday coffee break to a juice or fresh fruit break. If you choose juice, make it 100% fruit juice.
• Prepare healthy lunches at home so you are not faced with an empty lunch bag, an empty stomach and the temptation to pop out for a convenient burger and fries as a quick fix lunch.
• Bring a bag of baby spinach leaves, peppers, carrots and other veggies and leave them in the fridge at work, so you can prepare fresh salads at lunch.
• Bring fruits and veggies to work to snack on during the day.
• Make your lunch hour a sit down occasion and enjoy every bite.
More tips and ideas on planning healthy snacks while on the run are available online at healthcheck.org or you can download the Health Check Recipe Helper app. The free app—available in English or French—can be downloaded at the Apple, Android, and BlackBerry app stores or at www.heartandstroke.ca/mobileapps.
No Comments | Tags:Savour autumn’s harvest with chicken cacciatore
Posted September 29, 2011 – 6:11 am in: Italian, Poultry
(NC)—As the trees begin to don their bright fall colours and the crisp autumn air moves in, embrace the changing season’s bounty with a hearty home-cooked chicken cacciatore recipe. Loaded with tender chicken breast, tomatoes bursting with flavour, and crispy vegetables served over a bed of fluffy rice, this tasty dish is the perfect new recipe to keep your family warm as the weather cools off.
Chicken Cacciatore with Rice
Total preparation time: 30 minutes
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cups zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/4″ (1/2 cm) slices
1 lb chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ (2 cm) pieces
1 can Hunt’s Chunky Tomatoes, green pepper, celery and onion, undrained
1/4 cup Hunt’s Tomato Paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook rice according to package directions.
1 Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat while preparing rice. Add onion, mushroom and zucchini; cook three to five minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
2 Add chicken; cook five to seven minutes, or until chicken pieces are no longer pink inside, stirring occasionally.
3 Add diced tomatoes with their liquid, the tomato paste, salt and pepper; stir. Cook for ten minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
4 Serve over the rice.
Serves 4.
Additional recipe ideas can be found online at www.huntstomatoes.ca.
No Comments | Tags:Chicken with mushrooms and black bean sauce
Posted September 22, 2011 – 6:09 am in: Asian, PoultryPrep: 10 mins
Cooking: 10-15 mins
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 chicken breast fillets, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated
350g portabella mushrooms, halved
4 green onions, trimmed
200g baby bok choy, trimmed
4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
4 tbsp black bean sauce
rice or noodles to serve
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the chicken and stir fry over a high heat for 5 mins or until pale golden. Add the garlic, ginger and mushrooms and stir fry for 3-4 mins.
Cut the spring onions in half lengthways then each into 4cm lengths; cut the pak choy in half lengthways. Add the onions and bok choy to the pan along with the wine and black beans sauce. Stir fry for 2-3 mins or until the bok choy stems are tender. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.
Calories 174, Protein 20.7g, Carbohydrate 4.5g, Fat 7.2g, Saturated Fat 1.1g, Fibre 1.5g, Salt 1.34g
For more recipe ideas visit Mushrooms Canada at www.mushrooms.ca.
No Comments | Tags:Easy as [Pizza] Pie
Posted September 15, 2011 – 6:07 am in: Pizza
(NC)—Homemade pizzas may make mom a hero in her kids’ eyes, but let’s face it, it’s often hard to find the time on a busy weeknight.
One way to get a personalized pizza experience is to start with a prepared cheese pizza and layer up from there. President’s Choice Quattro Formaggi Wood-Fired Thin Crust Pizza, straight from the freezer, is a perfect base and family members can top it with any of their favourites. Toppings can even be prepared the evening before.
Try these fun, fast pizzas that will please everyone around the dinner table:
1. For the burger fanatic: Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza
Burger lovers will flip if you put together mouthwatering toppings like ground beef, dill pickle, tomatoes and crumbled bacon.
2. For the health conscious: Confetti Pizza
Treat the kids to a delicious multi-coloured pizza by topping the crust with red and yellow peppers and broccoli.
3. For the family foodie: Garden Fresh Pancetta Pizza
Try a combination of fresh baby arugula and basil with savoury pancetta and sweet red peppers.
4. For the vegetarian: Antipasto Pizza
Go to the spirit of Italy when you top the crust with traditional antipasto ingredients like mushrooms, artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes.
If you have a bit of spare time, try your hand at this easy and delicious yeast-free pizza dough recipe that’s ready in no time:
Quick No-Yeast Pizza Dough – Makes two 12 inch crusts
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
¾ cup warm water
¼ c + 1 Tbsp olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt; using wooden spoon stir in water and ¼ cup (50 mL) oil until mixture comes together. Using hands, form dough into a ball. Knead gently 8 to 10 times in the bowl until smooth. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 12-inch (30 cm) round. Place each on pizza pan. Fold ½ inch (1 cm) border up and press to form a raised edge. Brush crusts with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil. Top with your favourite toppings.
3. Bake on bottom rack of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden.
For more time saving tips and pizza recipes visit pc.ca.
No Comments | Tags:Simple Slow Cooker Recipe
Posted September 8, 2011 – 6:30 am in: Main Dish, Poultry, Slow Cooker
(NC)—The slow cooker first gained widespread popularity in the 1970s as a solution for women who were entering the workforce, and were expected to have food on the table for family dinner. The idea of putting ingredients into a slow cooker and having the meal ready hours later is still popular with today’s busy moms.
This delicious slow cooker recipe will be appreciated by your family.
Slow Cooker Coq au Vin
- 6 slices PC Naturally Smoked Bacon, cut crosswise in ½ inch (1 cm) thick slices
- 8 Chicken Thighs, about 1.2 kg
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups (750 mL) small cremini mushrooms (about 8 oz/250 g)
- 4 shallots, halved crosswise
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup (250 mL) white wine
- 2 cups (500 mL) PC Blue Menu No Salt Added Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
1. Heat large frying pan over medium heat; cook bacon for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer to slower cooker, leaving pan on medium heat.
2. Remove skin from chicken thighs and discard. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to frying pan; cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning once, or until brown and crispy. Transfer to slow cooker. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic to pan; cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Pour wine into frying pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Pour liquid into slow cooker along with chicken stock. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife.
4. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl; tent loosely with foil to hold warm. Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour juices over chicken. Serve sprinkled with tarragon.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4-1/2 hours
For more time saving tips and recipes visit pc.ca.
No Comments | Tags:Roasting Turkey
Posted September 2, 2011 – 6:53 am in: Holiday Recipes, PoultrySeveral turkey-related holidays are on the horizon: Canadian Thanksgiving in October, American Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December. Here are some turkey roasting tips from the BC Turkey Marketing Board)
Turkey is one of today’s best meat buys nutritionally and economically. The low fat content in turkey accounts for the little shrinkage in meat after roasting. A defrosted whole turkey requires only a few minutes to prepare for roasting. Follow these three simple steps to a beautiful golden brown, ready-to-carve, mouthwatering turkey!
1. Thawing: (if turkey is not frozen begin with Step 2)
NEVER THAW TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE - leave turkey in original package and follow one of these methods.
a) Fast Method: Place wrapped frozen turkey in sink and cover completely with cold water. Allow ½ hour per pound of turkey. Change water frequently.
b) Regular Method: Place wrapped frozen turkey on a pan in refrigerator. Allow 5 hours per pound of turkey. (A 20 lb. turkey will take approximately 4 days to completely thaw.)
Refrigerate or cook turkey immediately once thawed. NEVER refreeze uncooked turkey.
2. Preparation:
Wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after handling raw turkey. All materials used for storage, preparation and serving turkey must also be cleaned before and after use. Remove plastic wrap from thawed turkey. Remove giblets and neck from body cavity. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Roasting:
Place turkey breast side up in roasting pan. Sprinkle outside and cavity with poultry seasoning. Insert thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, but be careful not to let it touch the bone. Roast turkey in 325 Deg. F. (160 Deg. C.) oven. When the skin of the turkey is golden brown, shield it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
How to insert thermometer in Raw Turkey:
Insert thermometer into inner thigh, just above and not touching thigh bone.
Roasting Guide:
Please refer to the New Roasting Times for Whole Turkey chart below for approximate roasting times only. Using a thermometer is recommended. A number of factors affect roasting time. These include the type of oven, the temperature of the turkey when roasting begins, the size of the oven, the shape of the turkey, the pan used, etc. Begin checking for doneness about one hour before the end of the recommended roasting time.
NEW ROASTING TIMES FOR WHOLE TURKEYS
*New research shows whole turkeys take less time to cook!
For best results use a meat thermometer when roasting turkey. Use these new cooking times to prepare roast turkey that’s moist, tender and delicious.
Weight
Oven Times 325 F (160 C)
Barbeque Times Medium Heat
| Weight | Oven Times 325 F (160 C) | Barbeque Times Medium Heat |
| Stuffed Unstuffed | Unstuffed | |
| 6 - 8 lbs (3.0 - 3.5 kg) | 3 - 3 ¼ hours 2 ½ - 2 ¾ hours | — |
| 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg) | 3 ¼ - 3 ½ hours 2 ¾ - 3 hours | 1 ½ hours |
| 10 - 12 lbs (4.5 - 5.5 kg) | 3 ½ -3 ¾ hours 3 - 3 ¼ hours | 1 ¾ hours |
| 12 - 16 lbs (5.5 - 7.0 kg) | 3 ¾ - 4 hours 3 ¼ - 3 ½ hours | 2 hours |
| 16 - 22 lbs (7.0 - 10.0 kg) | 4 - 4 ½ hours 3 ½ - 4 hours | — |
Your turkey is done when:
a meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 180 F (82 C) for a stuffed turkey
a meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 170 F (77 C) for an unstuffed turkey.
When cooked to perfection the turkey meat and juices may have a slight
pink tinge. The temperature of the meat is the most important sign of doneness.
When the turkey is done remove it from the oven or barbecue. Cover it with foil and let it stand for 15-20 minutes before carving.
*Diversified Research for the Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency 1994
Stuffing:
Stuffing is most easily prepared separately and placed in a covered casserole dish to cook during the last hour of the turkey roasting time. For those who prefer to stuff their turkey follow these directions:
Prepare stuffing and spoon into body cavity just before roasting. Do not pack stuffing - let it sit loosely in cavity to promote even cooking.Never stuff your turkey the day before it is roasted. It takes too long to heat the centre of the chilled stuffing and food spoilage organisms could accumulate.
No Comments | Tags:Back to school is a good time to make healthy changes
Posted September 1, 2011 – 6:28 am in: News, Nutrition
(NC)—For full time students, young or old, a new year begins in September as much as in January. Fall is the time for changing clothes, changing schedules and even changing habits — a good time to initiate new healthy routines.
An informal survey by Webber Naturals, a leading Canadian manufacturer of natural health supplements, revealed that people make resolutions in the Fall just as they do at New Years. Common health-related decisions made by students are to exercise more, eat less junk food and more fruits and vegetables, take vitamins, and get more sleep. For young children, parents may make these “resolutions” for them.
Because learning ability is directly affected by health and nutrition, students can improve grades with the help of exercise, sufficient sleep and by increasing their intake of specific brain-supportive nutrients. Omega-3 essential fatty acids, from fish, fish oil supplements, flaxseed, or chia, help improve vision and attention, as well as supporting heart and brain health. There are even naturally flavoured omega-3 kids liquid supplements for those who don’t like taking pills. Fish has always been known as “brain food”, but it you don’t like fish that much you can get the brain support with fish oil supplements.
Antioxidants are nutritional compounds that fight the destructive effects of unstable molecules called free radicals. Antioxidants support circulation, as well as heart and brain health. They are found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables or in concentrated extracts. For example, blueberries have been shown to improve memory and alertness. Vitamin E and vitamin C are two of the best-known antioxidant nutrients. If students don’t eat enough bright green, red or purple foods they can use antioxidant concentrates to increase their brainpower.
Smart students feed their brains!
No Comments | Tags:Applesauce bars
Posted August 25, 2011 – 11:25 am in: Snacks
Here’s a fun snacking cake that was developed by Emily Richards, P.H. Ec., for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. It has lots of apple taste and is perfect to tuck into kids lunches to tote along or when friends are coming over for a visit
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) wheat bran
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) ground flax
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground nutmeg
- Pinch cloves (optional)
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups (500 mL) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil
Directions:
- In large bowl whisk together flour, bran, flax, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, if using and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, eggs and oil. Pour over flour mixture and stir until moistened.
- Scrape batter into greased and parchment paper lined 13 x 9–inch baking pan and spread evenly. Bake in 350 F oven for about 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool completely and cut into bars.
Tip: Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favourite shapes for the kids.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 24 bars
Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories: 96
Fat: 4 g
Saturated: 0 g
Cholesterol: 16 mg
Sodium: 46 mg
Potassium: 94 mg
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Fibre: 2 g
Protein: 2 g
No Comments | Tags: