A super quick easy method for Air Fryer Italian Sausages, and mighty tasty, plus dinner is ready in less than half an hour!

 

Preheat your Air Fryer at 365 degrees for 5 minutes.  No need to add any oil as they will brown up nicely cooking.  Cook for 23-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Allow to rest in the Air Fryer with basket cracked open slightly for 5 minutes before serving along any other side dishes:

Well, I am happy to say this chicken method might be the best yet!  We used chicken thighs/drumstick attached style of chicken with this simple dry rub - so just a method here.   Lightly drizzle Extra Virgin Olive oil onto the chicken and rub onto the chicken to coat well then add your dry rub.  Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat the air fryer at 380 degrees for 5 minutes.  Place the chicken  skin side up into the basket and cook 15 minutes, then turn over and cook for 5 minutes.  Then turn over to skin side up once again and continue to cook for remaining 10 min.  So in total:  35 minutes to cook.  The skin is so crispy yet the chicken is super moist and flavorful - plus easy clean up.  Just wipe out the air fryer with paper towel and wash in hot soapy water with a good rinse.  So love this - no messy oven to clean and clean up is a breeze!

In this post I wanted to share some new information on Canadian Chicken.  I did a post way way back 2010??? Back then if you bought regular store bought chicken it was still loaded in anti-biotics.  Not so any more Canada - Yayyyyy!  I spoke to 3 different grocery store butchers and they all gave the same information.  All chicken (if given anti-biotics at all) must have a 3 month window before they are processed to ensure all the anti-biotics are out out the chicken's system.  Wow...this is huge in my world and 1/2 the cost of free range or organic.

This said we still try our best to have free range or organic as much as possible and we still do Vegetarian meals twice a week so we think it evens out to be a healthy choice overall for us.

Delicious Air Fryer chicken - serve with any side dish.

 

Leftover oven roasted turkey is such a versatile delicious poultry.  And much much better than store bought when roasted in your own oven!  This salad would also be good with a Tblsp. of pesto for added flavor.

1 rounded cup of cubed leftover roast turkey breast

1 inch thick slice of peeled red pepper, finely diced

2 small green onions finely chopped

salt and fresh cracked pepper

3 big Tblsp. real Mayonnaise

1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Mix up ingredients in a bowl and serve with a serving of fresh spinach and sliced cucumbers.

Turkey Melt:

Heat up a frying pan on low medium heat.

2 slices of gluten free bread, spread on one side of each slice a thin layer of mayonnaise.

1 slice of aged white cheddar

Assemble the sandwich and place mayonnaise side down into the frying pan.  Turn over when golden and continue to cook until the other side is golden in color.  Serve along side a salad of your choice.

Another quick and easy dinner that came together in one pot - love the convenience and yet you can still serve a healthy hearty meal.

1 lb. Extra lean ground beef

3/4 cup well rinsed and drained Basmati rice

1/2 a large onion roughly chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

2/3 cup roughly chopped and peeled red pepper

2 handfuls fresh baby spinach

1/2 a zucchini cut into 3/4 inch thick pieces

1  14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups beef stock

1-2 Tblsp. Madras curry powder - based on your heat level

2 big Tblsp. organic Greek yogurt

salt to taste

Heat up a dutch oven or large pot on low medium heat.  Add the ground beef and cook to brown.  Once browned remove the ground beef from the pan to another bowl and set aside.  Add in the onion, red pepper, garlic and zucchini to the pan - saute about 5 minutes.

Add in the curry powder and salt and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.  Add the fresh spinach, diced tomatoes with juice, and beef stock - mix well to incorporate.

Bring to a simmer and add in the rice stirring well.  Lid on and simmer on minimum/low for 20 min.

Check for seasonings, remove from the heat and add in the yogurt giving a good stir and serve while hot.  Leftovers for tomorrow yayyyy!

Such an old school recipe but one that never gets old and it is mighty tasty too.  Any gluten free pasta style of macaroni or small pasta shape will work in this recipe.  A quick and easy lunch or dinner.

8 oz. Gluten Free Pasta Shells

1  184 gram canned chunky white tuna

1 1/4 c. 2 % milk (we use lactose free)

2 1/2 Tblsp. butter

1/4 cup diced onion, 1 minced garlic clove

1/2 a celery stalk, minced

1/4 finely chopped red pepper

1/2 tsp. dried mustard, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 Tblsp. potato starch

1 cup aged cheddar cheese

Heat up a sauce pan on low medium heat.  Add the butter, and once melted add in the onion, garlic, celery and chopped red pepper.  Season with the spices and saute a good 6-7 minutes or until the veggies are soft.  Sprinkle in the potato starch and whisk allowing to cook for a minute or two.  Slowly add in the milk, whisking well until there are no lumps.  Add in the cheddar cheese again stirring to melt.  Check and adjust for any seasonings, turning down to minimum heat.  Then add in the chunky tuna and mix to incorporate.

Cook pasta as per directions and drain well in a colander.  Add to the tuna cheese sauce and gently fold in pasta until well combined.  At this point you could top with gluten free bread crumbs and pop in a 350 degree oven to lightly toast or have as is.

With this easy dish we originally had the black bean chili over rice for dinner one nite.  Then the next day we turned it into a wrap style or quesadilla - even tastier!  The chili recipe with rice made plenty with leftovers to have wraps or quesadilla's for a few lunches - a quick easy meal that turned into two recipes.

RECIPE:

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small onion, diced

3 minced garlic cloves

1/2 a celery stalk, diced

1 cup chopped butternut squash (I used frozen but fresh works too)

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup chopped fresh zucchini

14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice plus 1/2 can water

14 oz. can drained and rinsed black beans

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

salt to taste

3/4 Tblsp. chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

grated extra old cheddar cheese

Heat up a pot on low medium heat with the EVOO.  Add the onion, garlic, and celery, saute about 5 min.  Add in the seasonings and butternut squash sauteing for 5 minutes, then pour in the tomatoes and water stirring well.  Simmer for 15 min. lid off on low heat.  Then add in the zucchini, corn and cilantro - taste to adjust any seasonings, lid on and simmer another 15 min.  Serve over rice with grated cheddar cheese.

For the wraps/quesadillas we found these gluten free wraps (sorry for the poor picture quality!) and they are delicious.

I heated the chili and rice on low heat in a pot on the stove to reheat.  Then using a cast iron frying pan on medium heat add the tortilla then turn over about 25 seconds, and cook another 25 seconds on the other side.

Place on a plate, add the black bean chili and rice, followed by grated cheddar cheese, salsa, chopped lettuce.  Roll up and cut into a wrap or fold over half as a quesadilla.  It is always great to have 1 recipe with leftovers to make another recipe/meal the next day especially a super easy one!

 

 

This was a simple easy meal to make.  In this recipe I used canned lentils (which also freeze very nicely) and some extra vegetables in the fridge that needed using up.  An easy Vegetarian week nite meal.

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 of a large onion, diced

2 minced garlic cloves

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 cup diced rutabaga

large handful of fresh spinach, chopped

1/3 cup diced celery

2/3 cup chopped fresh green and yellow beans

1  can (14 oz) of diced tomatoes

good splash of Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1 bay leaf

salt and fresh cracked pepper - to taste

3/4 cup cooked lentils

Heat up a large saute pan on medium/low heat with the EVOO.  Add in the onion and garlic sauteing to sweat out.  Add the fresh vegetables and spices, saute about 8 minutes.  Then pour in the tomatoes with juice, and balsamic vinegar.  Turn to a low simmer and cook about 25 minutes.  Add in the lentils and continue to cook until reduced further - about 10 minutes.

Adjust ragout for any seasonings and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

 

Wow was this ever a walk down memory lane.  Years ago...too many to count, we had a drive-in restaurant.  You would literally pull into a spot under their covered roof, then your server would roller blade over to your window and take your order.  Yes on actual roller blades!  Now, while this was technically a "burger" joint they were also famous for their root beer.  So you would place your order and happily await the oh so delicious mug of root beer.  Plus a secret: for a short time (not sure how long) they had the most delicious beef tacos I have ever tasted. And do you know what else I realized?  They actually cooked the food.  I don't mean pre-cooked and reheated.  It was actually cooked on site....so this was the real deal.  Back then this was considered fast food.  But it really wasn't.  We had to wait.  And I do mean wait.  I have tried many a time to replicate this recipe...but it is just not the same... sigh.  That said, this recipe is pretty darn close and still pretty dang tasty if I do say so myself.

Yup, while those days are long gone...and with the current times we are now in.... we need all the happy memories we can get 🙂

1 l.b extra lean ground beef

1  156 ml can of tomato paste plus 1 -2 cans of water

1/2 a large onion - finely diced

3 minced garlic cloves

2 rounded Tblsp. chili powder - or to taste

1 Tblsp. ground garlic powder

1 heaping tsp. Cumin

1/2  tsp. smoked Paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Additions:  diced tomatoes, diced romaine lettuce, salsa, guacamole, grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onion

Heat up a medium sized saute pan on low/medium heat.  Add the ground beef, and break up with a wooden spoon.  Cook until all the pink is gone, then add in the onions, garlic and spices stirring well.  Continue to cook a good 6-8 minutes or until the onion is cooked through.  Add in the tomato paste and 1 can of water.  Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring from time to time and adjust the amount of water and seasonings to taste.  Simmer another 20-30 min.

Serve in a heated corn taco shell with all the toppings - and if out of taco shells, nacho chips work great!