We’re not even going to presume to give you a different Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey recipe than the one your family normally uses, but we will suspect that come Boxing Day, you’ll have a ton of turkey waiting to be ‘remade’ into family-friendly dishes. (Aren’t you glad we didn’t say leftovers?) This is a great recipe, and you can substitute tofu or chicken for those who want to avoid the tryptophan-induced sleepiness that comes on after eating turkey. Here’s our take on Acadian Turkey a la King.
Don’t know what to make for dinner tonight, this peach, goat cheese and basil flatbread pizza might become your go-to recipe.
2 naan, about 9-inches (23-cm) each or 1 thin pizza crust, about 11-inches (27.5-cm)
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
11/2 tsp (7 mL) za’atar spice*
½ cup (125 mL) creamy goat cheese
2 slices prosciutto, cut into strips
2 canned California Cling peach halves, cut into thin slices, well drained and patted dry
4 pitted black olives, cut in half
4 fresh basil leaves, shredded
1. Preheat oven according to package directions for naan or pizza. Brush tops with oil. Sprinkle each naan with ½ tsp (2 mL) za’atar or pizza with 1 tsp (5 mL) za’atar.
2. Place on baking sheet. Dollop evenly with goat cheese. Then scatter with prosciutto, peaches and olives. Bake according to package directions, until crust is hot and cheese is melted, about 2 to 4 minutes for naan and 6 to 8 minutes for pizza.
3. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining ½ tsp (2 mL) za’atar and basil. Makes 2 servings for naan or 2 to 3 for pizza
*Za’atar is a blend of dried thyme, oregano, sumac and sesame seeds. Sometime ground cumin and salt is added.
Makes 6 servings
By Lianne Phllipson-Webb, Sprout Right
In the spring as the weather improves, kids can get even busier with after school and evening activities. This can make supper time a challenge. How do you feed your hungry crowd healthy food, and quickly? Here are three sanity-saving supper time tips that will make your weekday meal prep a cinch.
- Weekends are for Prepping
Make some time for your weekday meal prep. Head to the grocery store and fill your fridge with fresh fruits, vegetables and protein. Create a plan for weekday meals and prepare by washing and cutting up veggies, grilling or roasting meats.
- Think BIG
Think BIG when it comes to meals and always aim to have a hearty amount of leftovers. Leftovers make great lunches for the next day and they can also form the foundation of your next supper. Cook a whole chicken (or two) instead of cooking a chicken breast and cut up the meat to make a salad or taco for the next night. Incorporate casseroles that please a crowd, and heat up great, like homemade lasagna.
- A Team Sport
Involve your kids as much as possible in meal preparation. Find age-appropriate activities like ripping lettuce leaves (pre-schoolers) and cutting up raw veggies (school-age). Even toddlers can help by grabbing their own plate and fork and helping to set the table. You can have “make your own” nights, where you put out the basic ingredients and the kids choose how to put their meal together. Examples include make your own pasta night, a chili bar (with hot chili, cheese, veggies and potatoes) and make your own taco night. Getting the whole family involved at mealtime not only helps you, it helps your kids learn skills toward independence.
Do you have some favourite recipes for quick and easy weekday meals? How do you save your sanity at suppertime?
Lianne Phillipson-Webb is the founder of Sprout Right, a company that specializes in pre-conception, prenatal, and postnatal nutrition for women, as well as good food and health for the whole family. With over ten years of experience, Lianne is a registered nutritionist, author, member of the International Organization of Nutrition Consultants, and mother of two.