Recipes

Easy Cheesy Macaroni Tuna & Vegetables

What you need: 2 ½ cups of water 2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes, or 1 tbsp. bouillon powder 2 cups whole wheat pasta spirals or elbows 1 cup of milk 2 cups of fresh, frozen or canned green beans, peas or broccoli, cut into half-inch pieces ¼ tsp. of black pepper 1 ½ cup of cheddar cheese, shredded 1 6.5oz. can of chunk of tuna, drained How to: In a medium saucepan, bring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and bring back to a boil and keep stirring. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for eight minutes or so, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add the milk, veggies and pepper and continue to cook, partially covered for another five minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, add the cheese and tuna and stir until the cheese is melted. Serves eight children Reference: LEAP HOP, Legacies Now, p. 175

Gingerbread cookie people

Ingredients: ½ cup margarine (no trans-fat) ¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar 1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses 2 eggs 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger 2 c. tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. allspice ¼ cup milk Dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, etc.) Cooking spray How to: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream margarine and sugar together. Blend in molasses until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, one at a time. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mix, alternating with milk. Mix until well combined and dough forms. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1 cm (1/4 inch) thickness. Use gingerbread people or cookie cutters to cut out cookies and decorate them with dried fruits. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before eating. Makes about 24 cookies.   Reference: LEAP HOP, Legacies Now, p. 143

Potato Salad

What you need: 1-2 small potatoes or sweet potatoes 1-2 tbsp. of mayonnaise Dash of salt Dash of pepper Dash of cinnamon Dash of ground nutmeg How to: Cook the potatoes until soft and then let them cool down. Cut the potatoes into small pieces and put it in a cup. Measure mayonnaise into the cup. Add a shake each of salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well with a spoon. Serves one child Reference: LEAP – Food Flair, Legacies Now, p. 135.  

Greek Salad

Ingredients: 1 cucumber, diced into large chunks 1 tomato, diced into large chunks 1 yellow bell pepper, diced into large chunks Black olives, chopped Crumbled feta cheese Italian herbs (e.g. oregano, basil, thyme), to taste Lettuce or spinach (optional) Lemon juice (optional) Instructions: Cut the vegetables and mix together. Add the feta and herbs. Mix well. For dressing, add a little lemon juice and mix again. Tip: Let the salad sit in the fridge for a few hours to give time for the flavours to mix!

Salad Dog

Ingredients: Lettuce, chopped ½ tomato, diced Onion or green onions, chopped (optional) 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped Mayonnaise Salt & pepper, to taste 4 whole grain hot dog buns Instructions: Cut up the lettuce, tomato, and onion. Mix altogether with the chopped eggs. Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise to the salad mixture. Warm up or toast the hot dog buns (on a BBQ grill or in the oven). Stuff the buns with the salad mixture and enjoy! Variation: Substitute the hard boiled eggs with chicken or lobster!

Taco Salad

Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 taco seasoning pouch (low in sodium) 1 cup water 1 tomato, diced 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped Kalamata or black olives, sliced Spinach or lettuce Cheddar cheese, grated Salsa or plain Greek yogurt (optional) Directions: Heat a skillet over medium-heat. Add meat and cook until browned. Drain fat off and add seasoning and water. Mix and cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool. Chop, slice and dice vegetables. On a spinach or lettuce bed, add meat, vegetables and grated cheese. Add salsa and/or Greek yogurt (optional) and serve. Note : For a simple and easy lunch on the go, add ingredients in a jar, starting with salsa/yogurt, meat (cooked and seasoned), vegetables and grated cheese. Top with spinach and put in the fridge until ready to serve.

Spinach Summer Salad

Ingredients: 3 cups baby spinach 2 cups fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and/or peaches etc.) ½ cup yogurt Directions: Wash baby spinach. Cut fresh fruit into small pieces and add to spinach. Add yogurt and toss salad until everything is coated. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Cabbage and red bean salad

Ingredients 3 cups of chopped cabbage 1 can of red beans, rinsed 2 green onions, chopped 1 red pepper, diced ¼ cup feta cheese, diced ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup lemon juice 2 tbsp olive oil 2 pressed cloves of garlic Directions Mix the chopped vegetables, feta and parsley in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well and serve. Reference: Anne Lindsay Light Cooking

Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients: 1 & ½ cups of frozen blueberries 1 banana (frozen) 8-10 fresh pineapple chunks ¾ almond milk 1 cup spinach Toppings: Fresh blueberries Fresh strawberries Mandarin pieces 2 tablespoons of unsweetened coconut ¼ cup granola 1 tablespoon hemp seeds 1 tablespoon walnuts 1 tablespoon peanut butter Directions: Put all ingredients in blender and blend. The consistency should be thicker than a regular smoothie so that you can eat the smoothie with a spoon. Add a little more milk if the mixture isn’t blending. Pour mixture into a bowl and add toppings. Enjoy!

Bush Pies

Ingredients: Pizza Bush Pie 2 slices of bread Spreadable butter 1-2 tbsp. pizza sauce ¼ cup chopped or sliced meat (chicken, ham, etc.) ¼ cup Mozzarella (more or less depending on personal preference) Extras: Sliced peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos, pineapple, tomatoes, etc. Directions: Make campfire (works best when there is lots of hot coals and fire not blazing). Butter the bread on one side and lay the butter side down in the cold Bush Pie maker. Add pizza sauce, to bread then add meat, cheese, and other toppings.  Close the Bush Pie maker. Cook over campfire coals.  Cook times will vary with the fire and also depending if the Bush Pie maker is aluminum or cast iron. Take it out of the fire and open to check the color of the bread.  Remove from fire when it is a golden brown color (depending of personal preference). Note: Try Dessert Bush Pies- try adding marshmallows, peanut butter, jam, chocolate, canned cherries, cream cheese in any combination that appeals to your taste. Try Breakfast Bush Pies- try sliced boiled eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. The options are limitless.

Staff Favorite Summer Recipes

Bush Pies (Erica’s Favorite) Ingredients: Pizza Bush Pie 2 slices of bread Spreadable butter 1-2 tbsp. pizza sauce ¼ cup chopped or sliced meat (chicken, ham, etc.) ¼ cup Mozzarella (more or less depending on personal preference) Extras: Sliced peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos, pineapple, tomatoes, etc. Directions: Make campfire (works best when there is lots of hot coals and fire not blazing). Butter the bread on one side and lay the butter side down in the cold Bush Pie maker. Add pizza sauce, to bread then add meat, cheese, and other toppings.  Close the Bush Pie maker. Cook over campfire coals.  Cook times will vary with the fire and also depending if the Bush Pie maker is aluminum or cast iron. Take it out of the fire and open to check the color of the bread.  Remove from fire when it is a golden brown color (depending of personal preference). Note: Try Dessert Bush Pies- try adding marshmallows, peanut butter, jam, chocolate, canned cherries, cream cheese in any combination that appeals to your taste. Try Breakfast Bush Pies- try sliced boiled eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. The options are limitless.   Blueberry Smoothie Bowl (Se’era’s Favorite) Ingredients: 1 & ½ cups of frozen blueberries 1 banana (frozen) 8-10 fresh pineapple chunks ¾ almond milk 1 cup spinach Toppings: Fresh blueberries Fresh strawberries Mandarin pieces 2 tablespoons of unsweetened coconut ¼ cup granola 1 tablespoon hemp seeds 1 tablespoon walnuts 1 tablespoon peanut butter Directions: Put all ingredients in blender and blend. The consistency should be thicker than a regular smoothie so that you can eat the smoothie with a spoon. Add a little more milk if the mixture isn’t blending. Pour mixture into a bowl and add toppings. Enjoy!   Prosciutto chicken (Corinne’s Favorite) Ingredients: 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts 2 cups of provincial mustard or Dijon mustard, or pesto (tomatoes or basil) 2 garlic gloves, minced ¼ cup of freshly ground black pepper 8 fresh basil leaves 4 slices of prosciutto Directions: Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breasts length-wise (without completely cutting them into two). In a bowl, mix the mustard (or pesto), the freshly ground pepper and garlic together. Pour the mixture in the slice of each chicken breast and place the two basil leaves inside. Close the chicken breasts and roll a slice of prosciutto around each one. Place a toothpick in each piece to ensure the prosciutto stays in place. Turn the BBQ on to medium heat and grill the chicken breasts for approximately 12 minutes or until the chicken is fully grilled (turn the chicken breasts while grilling). Serve and eat with a side of your choice (a vegetable dish, mashed potatoes, brown rice, etc.) Makes 4 servings   Cabbage and red bean salad (Gabrielle’s Favorite) Ingredients 3 cups of chopped cabbage 1 can of red beans, rinsed 2 green onions, chopped 1 red pepper, diced ¼ cup feta cheese, diced ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup lemon juice 2 tbsp olive oil 2 pressed cloves of garlic Directions Mix the chopped vegetables, feta and parsley in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well and serve. Reference: Anne Lindsay Light Cooking   Grilled Corn Salad (Tracy’s Favorite) Ingredient: 4 cobs of corn ½ cup green pepper, diced ½ cup red pepper, diced ½ cup cucumber, diced ¼ cup purple onion, finely chopped ½ cup tomato, diced or 10 halved cherry tomatoes 1 green onion, diced ¼ cup black olives, sliced 1 jalapeno, finely chopped ¼ cup feta, crumbled Zest from 1 lime 1 tbsp. olive oil Juice from 1 or 2 limes Directions: Grill corn until nicely browned. Remove corn from cob and place in a large mixing bowl. Combine the remaining vegetables and feta with the corn. Add zest, lime juice and olive oil. Stir together and enjoy! Note: This recipe is very customizable. Feel free to add your favourite vegetables and seasonings. This salad goes great alongside all barbecued meats and fish.   Taco Salad (Mélissa’s Favorite) Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 taco seasoning pouch (low in sodium) 1 cup water 1 tomato, diced 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped Kalamata or black olives, sliced Spinach or lettuce Cheddar cheese, grated Salsa or plain Greek yogurt (optional) Directions: Heat a skillet over medium-heat. Add meat and cook until browned. Drain fat off and add seasoning and water. Mix and cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool. Chop, slice and dice vegetables. On a spinach or lettuce bed, add meat, vegetables and grated cheese. Add salsa and/or Greek yogurt (optional) and serve. Note : For a simple and easy lunch on the go, add ingredients in a jar, starting with salsa/yogurt, meat (cooked and seasoned), vegetables and grated cheese. Top with spinach and put in the fridge until ready to serve.   Strawberry-Banana Ice Cream (Geneviève’s Favorite) Ingredients: 3 bananas 6-8 strawberries, hulled 2 tbsp. almond milk (optional) Directions: Dice bananas and strawberries. Freeze banana and strawberry cubes for 2 hours. Blend banana and strawberry cubes until as smooth as ice cream. If hard to blend, ad  a little bit of almond milk. Serve immediately. Note: Don’t hesitate to add your favorite toppings like peanut butter, walnuts, fresh fruit or cocoa powder. Use your imagination!   Spinach Summer Salad (Erica’s Favorite) Ingredients: 3 cups baby spinach 2 cups fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and/or peaches etc.) ½ cup yogurt Directions: Wash baby spinach. Cut fresh fruit into small pieces and add to spinach. Add yogurt and toss salad until everything is coated. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

What you need: 1- 1/2 cup of cooked chicken, minced ½ cup of low-fat mayonnaise 1 green onion, chopped finely 1 small celery stalk, minced Salt and pepper to taste Whole-wheat bread slices How to: In a mixer, put in the cooked chicken, celery stalk, green onion, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Reduce the mixture until all the ingredients are finely chopped. Spread the mixture on the bread slices to make the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Put the sandwiches in a Panini grill until the bread turns golden brown. Note: The sandwiches can also be grilled in a regular pan if you do not have a Panini grill.

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