LEEKS WITH GARLIC AND LEMON

There are many recipes for leeks including braising them or and using in a number of soups.  When I bought a trio of leeks I wasn't sure what I was going to make with them.  I looked at multiple numbers of recipes for braised leeks with leeks as the main ingredient or as part of the ingredient list.   I adapted this recipe from ones found on Nigella's and Simply recipes internet sites.

Leeks starting to saute.

Ready to serve.

Leeks with Garlic and Lemon

INGREDIENTS

4 big leeks

2 big cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced or minced

4 tbsp butter

1 cup of white wine or chicken stock

juice of half a lemon

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Trim the ends of the green leeks and discard.  Wash the leeks really well to make sure that there is no dirt.  Cut the rest of the fresh, green part of the leeks away from the round white bulbs, finely slice and reserve.

Tear back and discard the first two layers of the leeks, leaving the tender whiter flesh. Rinse well and slice into one inch rounds.

In a large frying pan melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly fry the garlic in the butter with the dark green leek tops until the garlic is softened but not colored. Cook slowly and let the garlic infuse the butter.

Add the pieces of white leek and toss them in the garlic and butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste, lemon juice and combine.  Add the wine or chicken stock, cover and simmer for 35 minutes.  Take the cover off. bring the braising liquid to a boil and cook until the liquid is mostly gone.  Add the parmesan cheese and parsley and remove the pan from the burner.  Serves 4 as a side dish. 

BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH ALMONDS

I like brussel sprouts but I think I am in the minority versus majority.  I made this dish to jazz up the brussel sprouts for the DH.  I didn't add much oil to the dish and you might want to use butter instead of oil.  I also used a sour dough bread with fennel and raisins so I didn't add other spices to the mixture.   The fennel and the raisins in the sour dough added to the flavour.

INGREDIENTS:

about a dozen brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, washed and halved
1 tbsp olive oil
16 almonds, chopped
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 slices of bread, cut into small pieces, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium size pot, cook brussel sprouts until tender.   Let cool.  In a pyrex dish mix all of the remaining ingredients with the brussel sprouts.  Cover with a lid and bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes until all ingredients are hot and the cheese has melted.  You can also microwave the dish, instead of baking, for about 5 minutes.  Serves 3.

SPLIT PEA AND BARLEY SOUP

I have many favourite soups and this is one of them.  The recipe makes a big batch of soup.  With this volume of soup, I tend to freeze several single serving containers to have for future lunches.  This soup does need the almost two hours to cook as otherwise the split peas are not soft enough.

Split Pea and Barley Soup

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups green split peas (can be a mixture of yellow and green)

½ cup pearl barley

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

12 cups water, chicken or vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh dill, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

In a large soup pot, combine all of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper and dill.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes to two hours.  If the soup is too thick add a bit of water.  Season with salt and pepper and add the dill.  Simmer for 10 minutes more.  Serves 12.

Options: When making soup you can add cut up cooked turkey, chicken or ham.

Adapted from Meal Lean Yumm by Noreen Gilletz

OVERNIGHT OATMEAL

There are days when you are pressed for time in the morning getting ready for work and doing a multitude of other tasks and also having the time to make and eat breakfast.  I found a great way to make oatmeal for breakfast the night before and either take the oatmeal to work or eat it at home before leaving for work.  A friend of mine provided me with a link to an internet site that provides recipes for both overnight oatmeal and overnight smoothies.  I haven't made the smoothies but I have been making the overnight oatmeal.

The overnight oatmeal doesn't require cooking.  It is similar to making a swiss muesli where the oatmeal is soaked in milk, yogurt and fruit overnight.  You need to use rolled oats and not steel cut oats.  Overnight the oatmeal softens and the flavours get blended.  There are many variations you can make depending on the fruit and flavourings you add.  The basic recipe requires a 2 cup container or glass jar that has a lid.  This is a recipe for one serving.  I use 1/3 cup of oatmeal but the original recipe calls for 1/4 cup oatmeal.

BASIC INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup milk, soy or almond milk
1/4 cup yogurt, plain or flavoured
1 1/2 tsp chia seeds


FLAVOURINGS:

1/2 cup fruit - berries, chopped apple, banana
1 tsp coconut flakes
1 tsp jam
1 tsp peanut butter
1 tsp chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla flavouring
1 tsp maple syrup

Add the basic ingredients to the container or glass jar.  You then need to decide what kind of flavour do you want.  For breakfast this morning I had raspberry flavoured oatmeal.  When I made the oatmeal the night before I added 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp raspberry jam.  You can use either fresh or frozen berries.  I have also made apple flavoured oatmeal.  I added 1/2 chopped apple and cinnamon. I have also added peanut butter to the apple mixture.  Another time I made blueberry flavoured oatmeal.  

After you add the desired flavourings, mix all of the ingredients together, cover the contained and place in the fridge overnight.  It is ready to eat the next morning.

Here is the internet link for overnight oatmeal that I got from my friend.