There is something about fresh roasted fish that always appeals to me. This simple preparation really allows the fish to be the star of the meal.
Trout are fresh water fish, with firm textured flesh and a medium to high (good) fat content. Rainbow trout is probably the best known and one of the most popular varieties in the world. Being a mild, white fish with a light, clean flavor and just a touch of ‘sweetness’, makes it perfect for even a non-fish lover.
Rainbow trout fillets vary from ivory to pink as they belong to the same family as salmon. They’re most often fried but can be poached, baked, steamed, grilled or broiled. Whole trout is often stuffed before being cooked. Mushrooms and fish are an underrated combination but a good one nonetheless. Fish cook very quickly so its important to make sure the stuffing is cooked first.
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Rainbow Trout w/ Mushroom Stuffing
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Instructions
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Clean & scale trout; set aside.
In a saucepan, heat butter. Add onions & celery; sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms & season well; continuing to cook 3 more minutes. Add breadcrumbs & mix well. Add cream, fennel & chives; cook 3 minutes.
Remove pan from heat & stuff trout. Tie with string. Dredge with flour & bake 12-15 minutes.
Meatballs don’t have to be boring. Tender, juicy meatballs, wrapped in puff pastry and served with a zesty sauce makes an easy, inexpensive version of the classic beef wellington.
Economical and versatile, cooking with ground meat opens up plenty of avenues for experimenting. Beyond reliable beef, almost all meats can be ground, but each kind of meat should be treated differently to fully enjoy the benefits.
Consider the fat content of ground meat before you buy. Some fat content is desirable as it adds flavor and helps to keep meat moist during cooking. Choose different types of ground meat for specific dishes. For example …. fatty beef makes juicier burgers but leaner ground turkey or chicken works better served as smaller meatballs or in a sauce. Ground pork makes for a cheaper burger than beef, plus it is unlikely to dry out. Flavor pork with spices like mace, or herbs like sage, thyme and fennel seeds and of course always ensure its cooked through. Ground meat is one of those things that generally ‘you get what you pay for’.
These meatballs make a tasty meal that can be ‘dressed up or down’, depending on what it is served with.
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Meatball Wellington
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Instructions
In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Saute mushrooms, onion & garlic until onions & garlic are soft & most of the moisture has been released from the mushrooms, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine cooled veg mixture, pork, breadcrumbs & seasonings; mix all ingredients until incorporated. Shape mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
Cut thawed puff pastry into thin strips. Wrap each meatball with a few strips of the pastry & place on the baking sheet. Brush pastry with egg wash.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden & meat is cooked through. Remove from oven & place on serving platter. These are nice to serve with steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.
CELEBRATING HERITAGE DAYS!
Heritage Festival in our city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada is one of the world’s largest multicultural events, taking place every August. It features over 70 pavilions representing almost 100 countries set up in William Hawrelak Park. All ethnic minorities of Canada come together to exchange experiences, entertainment, cultures and to celebrate Canada’s diversity. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy the tastes, smells and sounds of different nations around the world.
Due to the Covid-19 world pandemic this year, the annual August long weekend tradition of the Edmonton Heritage Festival will not be celebrated in Hawrelak Park, and is instead being reformatted from an on-site event into a virtual festival. You will be able to enjoy performances from past events, entertainment from countries around the world, explore new cultures and authentic recipes, as well as order food from local Edmonton restaurants. More than 40 pavilions are ready to celebrate our heritage online.
These grain burgers are one of my favorite ‘burgers’. Heritage Day seems like a good reason to enjoy some!
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Garden Grain Burgers
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup bulgur wheat, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp salt-free seasoning blend
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 112 grams (1 cup) mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded
- 30 grams (1/4) cheddar cheese, low-fat, shredded
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cottage cheese, fat-free
- 1/2 cup egg substitute OR 2 whole eggs
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1 Tbsp veg oil
- 12 Ciabatta buns or your choice
- lettuce, tomato slices, mustard for toppings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup bulgur wheat, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp salt-free seasoning blend
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 112 grams (1 cup) mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded
- 30 grams (1/4) cheddar cheese, low-fat, shredded
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cottage cheese, fat-free
- 1/2 cup egg substitute OR 2 whole eggs
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1 Tbsp veg oil
- 12 Ciabatta buns or your choice
- lettuce, tomato slices, mustard for toppings
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine rice, bulgur wheat, seasoning blend, poultry seasoning & water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover & simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; cool completely. Cover & refrigerate overnight if possible.
In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, oats, mozzarella cheese, cheddar & onion. In a food processor, process cottage cheese & egg substitute until smooth; add to the mushroom mixture. Stir in parsley, salt, basil, celery seed & chilled rice mixture. Divide mixture into 12 balls & shape into patties.
On a large non-stick griddle, cook patties in oil for 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned & crisp. Serve on lightly grilled Ciabatta buns with your choice of garnishes.
Recipe Notes
- If using a BBQ, place patties on a oiled sheet of foil paper to grill.
I realize lasagna and healthy eating hardly fit in the same sentence but — There are numerous ways to make great tasting lasagna that can fit into just about any meal plan with lower fat cheese, lean meats, nutritious vegetables and unique sauces.
The problem, (I guess it’s how you look at it), with lasagna is that it is often overloaded with so much cheese and fatty meat that you’re almost drinking pools of grease with every bite. An all-time winter comfort food, lasagna has so many things going for it. Not only can it feed a crowd, it can be made ahead of time, frozen or reheated.
In doing one of my favorite things which I call ‘recipe development’, I’ve tried to come up with a lasagna that could check all the boxes of ‘healthy’ ingredients. By using lean turkey or chicken, fresh mushrooms and spinach you add flavor, protein and fiber as well as cutting calories and fat. It may seem a tiny bit drier but the flavor is great!
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'Healthy' Chicken Lasagna
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Instructions
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Boil lasagna noodles 12-14 minutes in salted water with a few drops of oil. Drain.
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In a large skillet, cook chicken, mushrooms,onion & garlic for 5 minutes. Add spinach, basil, oregano, thyme & pasta sauce; cook another 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt, pepper & all but 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese. In a bowl, combine eggs & cottage cheese; blend well.
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Assemble ingredients in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan as follows: Place a small amount of meat sauce on bottom, layer with 4 noodles, 1/3 of meat sauce, half of the cottage cheese, handful of Nacho cheese, 4 more noodles, another 1/3 meat sauce, remaining half of cottage cheese, last 4 noodles, last 1/3 of meat sauce, top with the rest of Nacho cheese & sprinkle with 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese. Done!!
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Bake, covered for 50 minutes; uncover & bake another 10 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
A day when ‘love is in the air’ — roses to be purchased, chocolates and valentine cards to be shared and dining over that special, very intimate supper meal. If only our world would focus more on this emotion all year around instead of just for one day. As I get older, the idea of cherishing each day and the people you care about the most has become so important.
Today is also important to me as it is now one year since I started publishing my blog. With the help of my husband Brion, we have posted 85 blog articles. These stories and recipes are being shared on Facebook and pinterest as well as our website. I have enjoyed the wonderful feedback I’m getting from many different countries as well as friends and family here at home. Thanks to all of you who have followed my blog and I hope you will continue to find it interesting.
Brion and I share a love of seafood so my Valentine supper is Mushroom Stuffed Shrimp. This meal lends itself to being an appetizer as well as a main course dish. Not a lot of fuss and muss, just a nice little elegant meal for the two of you to enjoy.
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Mushroom Stuffed Shrimp
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Instructions
Jumbo Shrimp
Peel & de-vein shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly each shrimp along the outside curve. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, water, ginger & garlic powder. Add raw shrimp & marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Stuffing
In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in hot water. Stir in remaining stuffing ingredients. When marinated, remove shrimp from marinate & open shrimp flat & place with tails up in a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of stuffing onto each shrimp.
Bake at 375 F. for 5-8 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Serve over rice as a main course.
Some of my favorite foods have always been vegetables and grains. Being a farmer’s daughter I guess it all makes good sense. When ever I had the opportunity to try a ‘veggie’ burger in our travels I would do so only to be disappointed.
When my parents were still alive, they lived in Southern Alberta. Whenever Brion & I could take time from our jobs, we would make a weekend trip to see them. We would leave Edmonton right after work on a Friday night. We always made Red Deer our supper stop and then continue on. The trip usually took about five hours.
Our favorite restaurant at that time was a place called Glenn’s. I came across the perfect Garden Grain Burger on their menu, which tasted like non other I had tasted before. For a long time I tried to replicate it with no real success. Then one day I happened to see a recipe on the tasteofhome.com website that had all the same ingredients. I tried it, made a few very minor adjustments and loved it.
I’m passing it on to you today, adding it to the ‘burger series’. Even if you are not into vegetarian eating I’m sure you will enjoy the flavor. The ingredient list is long but it makes twelve patties so some can be frozen for another meal when time is of the essence.
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Garden Grain Burgers
A satisfying combination of brown rice, bulgur wheat, oats, mushrooms & cheese gives an almost nutty flavor to this meatless 'burger'.
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup bulgur, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp salt-free seasoning blend
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 112 grams (1 cup) mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded
- 30 grams (1/4 cup) cheddar cheese, low-fat, shredded
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cottage cheese, fat-free
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1 Tbsp veg oil
- 12 Ciabatta buns or your choice
- lettuce, tomato slices, mustard for toppings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup bulgur, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp salt-free seasoning blend
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 112 grams (1 cup) mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded
- 30 grams (1/4 cup) cheddar cheese, low-fat, shredded
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cottage cheese, fat-free
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1 Tbsp veg oil
- 12 Ciabatta buns or your choice
- lettuce, tomato slices, mustard for toppings
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Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine the rice, bulgur, seasoning blend, poultry seasoning & water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover & simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; cool completely. Cover & refrigerate overnight if possible.
In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, oats, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese & onion. In a food processor, process cottage cheese & egg substitute until smooth; add to the mushroom mixture. Stir in parsley, salt, basil, celery seed & chilled rice mixture. Shape 1/2 cupfuls into patties.
On a large non-stick griddle, cook patties in oil for 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned & crisp. Serve on lightly grilled buns with mustard, lettuce & tomato slices.
Recipe Notes
- If you decide to freeze some of the patties, do so before grilling. 'Flash freeze' them on a tray individually, then wrap in foil tightly & place them in a plastic bag in a air tight plastic container. When you are ready to use them just thaw & grill.
Today I have tried to incorporate another favorite ‘recipe’, this one is derived from the taste of my mother’s turkey/chicken stuffing. Most homemakers of her time did not have the luxury of opening their kitchen ‘spice drawer’ with all its many little bottles. Something I remember well, was this brown bag my mother always kept in the bottom of one of her kitchen cupboards. When I looked inside, what I found was some dried, prickly plant that had a wonderful smell. To this day, I’m not sure what it was, but every time she made stuffing she would crumble some of it into her mixture. For years, I have tried to recreate that exact taste in my own bread stuffing. The Savory Herb & Apple-Zucchini Bacon Burger filling seems to have captured that ‘taste of a memory’ fairly close I think. The mixture seems to work well in anyone of the three meats used in the ‘Basic Meat Patty’ recipe from the previous blog in my ‘Stuffed Burger Series’.
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Savory Herb & Apple-Zucchini Bacon Burgers
With the addition of three more items added to the original savory herb stuffing recipe, you have one more tasty 'stuffed' burger to try.
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Ingredients
Savory Herb Stuffing
- 100 grams, (2 slices) dry bread crumbs, (I like to use a chia-flax bread, pulsing it to a fairly fine crumb in a food processor
- 3 Tbsp margarine
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 55 grams fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 150 grams (1 large) potato, cooked & mashed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp sage leaves, dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 1/2 tsp savory leaves, dried
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 8 slices cheese, your choice ( Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Monterey Jack, Havarti )
- 8 Ciabatta buns or your choice
Apple-Zucchini Bacon Stuffing
Ingredients
Savory Herb Stuffing
- 100 grams, (2 slices) dry bread crumbs, (I like to use a chia-flax bread, pulsing it to a fairly fine crumb in a food processor
- 3 Tbsp margarine
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 55 grams fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
- 150 grams (1 large) potato, cooked & mashed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp sage leaves, dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 1/2 tsp savory leaves, dried
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 8 slices cheese, your choice ( Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Monterey Jack, Havarti )
- 8 Ciabatta buns or your choice
Apple-Zucchini Bacon Stuffing
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Instructions
Savory Herb Stuffing
Boil potato in salted water. Drain & mash; set aside. Saute onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms & seasoning in margarine. Remove from heat. Combine with fine bread crumbs, mashed potato & chicken broth.
This stuffing will be enough for 8 burgers so you will need to double the 'Basic Meat Patty' recipe, using the meat of your choice. Divide stuffing mixture into 8 and place in the center of 8 meat patties. Flatten filling slightly, then place remaining 8 patties on top. Seal edges well.
Place burgers on a greased piece of foil & place on a preheated barbecue grill over medium heat. Close lid & grill. Halfway through cooking time, turn & place a slice of cheese on each burger. Finish cooking, remove from grill & serve on slightly grilled buns. Lettuce & tomato slices with a little mustard all add to the nice flavor of this combo.
Apple-Zucchini Bacon Stuffing
Using the SAVORY HERB STUFFING recipe, OMIT the MASHED POTATO. Instead, add the apple & zucchini; saute with the veg/seasoning mixture. Combine all with crisply fried bacon & chicken broth.
Complete following steps 2 & 3 from above recipe.
