Easy, Cheesy jalapeño cornbread muffins

Who doesn't want fresh, hot bread with their meal?  These easy, comforting little quick breads are ready in minutes and perfect anytime of day!

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. Brown sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tbsp. Baking powder
1 egg
1 1\2 cups milk
1\2 cup melted butter
1\4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. Finely chopped jalapeño

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine dry ingredients (first 5) in a large bowl and stir until combined

Make a well in the center and add the egg, milk and butter.  Mix in the well until the egg is broken and then combine with dry ingredients.

Stir until well blended and then ntly stir in cheese and jalapeño

Scoop 1\3 of a cup batter into well oiled muffin tin

Bake for 15-20 minutes

Recipe yields 8 muffins

Homemade pita chips

Pita bread it's delicious and perfect for stuffing with just about anything. Unfortunately, after a few days it's not so plyable and becomes unappealing. The solution pita chips!

I love bagged please pita chips but they are over priced this 5 minute alternative can be easily and quickly prepared for your snack or party anytime!

Homemade Pita Chips Recipe

Ingredients:

Pita bread
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rip pita bread into bite sized pieces

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with salt & pepper

Bake for 5 - 7 minutes or until the edges of the chips are golden brown

Takes less than 10 minutes total and you get these!

Homemade pita chips 

Five Dollar Friday! Spaghetti and meatballs for under $5!

Stumbled upon these awesome cheat meatballs in the grocery store and thought what and perfect weeknight dinner idea!

Not big into the texture of traditional frozen meatballs but these ones are fresh/frozen raw so it's the closet to homemade that I have seen.

Paired with some of my price matched pantry staples, dinner for the kids was ready in under 30 minutes and very well received.

Here's a photo of what I used to create this easy, delicious and budget friendly supper!

Five Dollar Spaghetti and Meatballs

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bar Recipe

Every month I get a sharp pang in my sweet tooth begging for a dose of chocolate.  Lucky science gave us the wonderful news that dark chocolate is actually good for you, how exciting is it to think of chocolate as a healthy snack!

This quick and easy recipe will give you a sweet, delicious box full of healthy nutrients your mouth will totally accept as junk food.

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bar

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
5 slices candied ginger
5 Brazil nuts

Instructions:

Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for one minute

Stir gently until smooth

Chop ginger in a small dice and Brazil nuts into small pieces

Arrange a sheet of foil on a flat surface and pour chocolate into center

Smooth gently until one centimeter thick

Sprinkle ginger and Brazil nuts over the chocolate

Fold foil in half so that all of the nuts are covered with chocolate

Place flat in  freezer for 30 minutes

Remove and peel back top layer of foil

Break into bite sized pieces and enjoy or pack up in a cute box for the perfect gift!


Check out some video instructions if you need:

Vegan Superbowl Menu

Click here for the deets!

Vegan Superbowl Menu

Roast Kabocha Squash Recipe by Fabulous Faith

If you haven't heard of Kabocha squash before you are in for a treat!  This sweet, fluffy Japanese squash is not only delicious but loaded with vitamins and nutrients.

The flavor and texture are a cross between yam and pumpkin making Kabocha squash perfect for soups, stews, desserts or as a stand alone super food side dish like:

Roast Kabocha Squash by Fabulous Faith

Roast Kabocha Squash

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha Squash

As required:
Raw Coconut Oil
Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Black Pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut the Kabocha squash in half and remove the seeds and discard

Cut into large wedges and place on a baking sheet

With the back of a spoon, schmear each segment with coconut oil

Sprinkle salt, pepper and cinnamon generously over the segments

Place the tray into the oven and bake for 30 - 45  minutes or until fork tender

Recipe yields 4 - 6 servings

Vegan Italian Pasta Salad Recipe - by Fabulous Faith

Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1 - 375g package of whole wheat pasta shells, cooked as per package directions
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup pitted, diced olives (kalamata or similar preferred)
1/8 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bunch fresh basil, torn
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Combine warm pasta and remaining ingredients in large bowl

Allow to chill until cool in refrigerator

Serve when chilled or can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance

Recipe yields 4 - 6 servings

Diet Friendly Burger by Fabulous Faith

Today I was craving a burger so badly!  But it's January and I am trying to adhere to my New Year's resolution of eating better.  So I headed to the kitchen and concocted possibly the healthiest burger known to man!

Served on the legendary Ezekiel Bread made by Toronto's Own Sha Sha Bakery Co. and featuring Sol Cuisine Sprouted Quinoa & Chia Burgers these burgers pack a serious nutritional punch.  So here's the 411...

What you need:

A package of Sol Cuisine Spouted Quinoa & Chia burgers (because you will make more after!)
2 Slices of Ezekiel Bread per burger

Toppings:
A few tablespoons of hummus (homemade preferably)
A few slices of tomato
A few sliced pickled jalapeno (totally optional)
A sprig of Kale
1/4 cup of thinly sliced cabbage mixed with a splash red wine vinegar and salt

What to do:

Put the burger or burgers a non-stick pan over high heat and add a splash of cooking oil

Put the bread in the toaster and assemble the remaining toppings

Flip the burger over when you see the sides starting to brown

Arrange the toppings on the toasted bread and when the burger is ready put it on top and serve

Recipe takes around 10 minutes to prepare and serves one

World's Healthiest Burger

Clementine Tea Loaf - Recipe by Fabulous Faith

I know it's the holiday season when I spot crates of delicious clementines in the grocery store.  Besides being the perfect portable snack, clementines take bake goods to a mouth-watering higher level.

This sweet buttery cake's flavor is enhanced by pungent and slightly acid rich clementine zest and juice.

Clementine Tea Loaf - Recipe by Fabulous Faith

 Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Juice of half a ripe clementine
Zest of one clementine (put aside a few strands for the glaze)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Glaze:
Juice of half a ripe clementine
A few strands of clementine zest
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup sugar 


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease two mini loaf pans
 
In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter & egg until smooth

Add the vanilla, clementine juice, zest, salt and baking powder, whisk until smooth

Pour in the flour in half cup intervals alternating with the milk, stir until combined

Spoon half the batter into each prepared pan and bake for 30 - 45 minutes or until golden brown and doubled in size

Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside

In a small saucepan, combine glaze ingredients and bring to a boil

Continue to boil for 2-3 minutes and then remove from heat

Take a long skewers and poke a bunch of holes into the warm cake

Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with the syrup pushing into the holes

Allow to sit 30 minutes to one hour before serving

Recipe yields 12 generous servings

Recipe - Easy Balsamic Chicken Bake

Balsamic Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

2 large (or 4 small) frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen Italian pre-seasoned)
4 baking potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
4 tbsp. Calorie-Wise Kraft Balsamic
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. crushed chilies
2 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large baking dish arrange the chicken breasts and potato wedges

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine

Slowly pour over the chicken and potatoes

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown

Recipe yields 4 generous servings