Chorizo Sausage with Peas and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 chorizo sausages
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 can (400g) cherry tomatoes, undrained
2 cups quinoa grain, rinsed and drained
3 cups hot water
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen peas
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leafed parsley
2 Tbsp chopped chives


Directions:

Cut the chorizo into quarters length ways, then into pieces. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the chorizo until golden, then remove from the pan.

Add the onion and saute until soft, adding a little extra oil if needed. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add paprika, cherry tomatoes, quinoa and water. Season to taste, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the peas, parley, chives and chorizo and simmer, covered, for a further 8-10 minutes.

NOTES: You can substitute shrimp or strips of chicken breast for the chorizo. If using chicken, cook it almost completely through at the beginning. Shrimp can be added at the last step, but vary the cooking time accordingly.

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients

1 cup milk (or non-dairy substitute)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested and juiced


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and fill your muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the milk and vinegar in a small bowl, and set aside for about 10 minutes to let the milk curdle.

In a large bowl, beat together the milk/vinegar mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until well combined.

Fill the cupcake cups, and bake for about 20 minutes (or about 10 minutes for mini cupcakes) or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.


Raspberry Buttercream

1/2 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
heavy cream


Directions

Cream together the butter and the vanilla.

Add the icing sugar a cup at a time, and mix until smooth.

Mash together the raspberries, and drain out the excess fluid. Add the raspberry mash to the icing and whip until fluffy.

If the icing is still too stiff for piping, add heavy cream 1/2 Tbsp at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and garnish as desired. 

Roasted Taco Potatoes

Ingredients

5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup Monterrey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking dish and set aside.

Put your potatoes in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil.

In a small bowl, mix all your seasonings together (you could also just use a package of taco seasoning). Add to potatoes and toss until well-coated. Put seasoned potatoes in greased baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are done and a fork pierces them easily. I mix the potatoes at the halfway point (15 minutes) so that all sides of the potatoes get browned.

Sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

NOTE: This would also be yummy using sweet potatoes.

Vietnamese Chicken-Noodle Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges, for serving
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces rice vermicelli
cooked chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
2 cups mixed herbs, such as cilantro, basil and mint


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the sesame seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a food processor. Add the oil, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and 3 tablespoons of water. Puree until smooth and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the noodles under running cold water to cool; drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, carrot, herbs and two-thirds of the sesame sauce. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Serve the noodles topped with the chicken salad, along with lime wedges and the remaining sauce on the side.