Summer Equals Salad Love.

Summer is in full swing and the living is easy. Don't like to spend alot of time in the kitchen especially when its hot hot hot outside, so I am in full salad mode. Remember this tasty Tuesday and this one? Today I made this beautiful quinoa tabbouleh courtesy of Mairlyn Smith.

Mairlyn is a regular on Breakfast Television and Cityline and is so much fun to watch. She combines cooking and comedy and a kick ass attitude. I'll be picking up a copy of her latest book Healthy Starts Here for sure!!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

recipe

I've been searching for healthy recipes that use quinoa and I especially love this. It's super easy and very tasty.

Another Tasty Tuesday

Smokey Turkey Grilled Panini

I love a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I don't however like eating turkey this and turkey that for weeks on end afterward. So I take as much of the meat off the bones as I can, put it in an airtight container and stick it into the freezer. Then a few weeks later I'll pull it out and throw together something that's fast and easy. Sandwiches are a good thing especially when they're hot and toasty and have big flavor. I threw together this Smokey Turkey Panini for a quick lunch. You don't need a fancy panini press to do this. I use a brick covered in tin foil and it works great. Here's my recipe but you can change this up with any ingredients you like. I just happened to have this on hand.

2 slices bread brushed with a little extra virgin olive oil
leftover turkey breast
a few slices smoked gouda cheese
Tabasco Chipotle sauce-to taste
a few leaves baby spinach
a few slices vidalia onion

Heat a fry pan on medium heat-I find a grill pan works best and gives you those nice grill marks.

Brush the bread with olive oil and flip over so that the oiled sides are on the outside of the sandwich. Layer your ingredients. Place sandwich in pan and put foil covered brick on top. Grill 2-3 minutes per side but check so that it doesn't burn.

I really enjoy cooking but it has to be quick and simple. I'm not into making big elaborate seven course meals or dishes that have a hundred ingredients. Let's face it who has the time!!! Sometimes I'll start out following a recipe but then change it up a bit to make it my own. Just like when I'm painting. If I feel it needs something here, I'll add it. What about you? Any wannabe chefs out there??

And don't forget to enter my Holiday giveaway!!!

Inspired by Rachael

Today's post is totally out of the norm for me but I felt like shaking things up a bit. It's freezing cold here today. This morning when we woke up it was -13C with the windchill. That's 8 F for my U.S. friends. We don't have any snow yet as we are not in the snow belt but it's on it's way. On days like this I get very "50's housewife-ish" and feel the need to do some home cooking and baking. Nothing fancy or stressful, just laid back and throwing things together like Rachael Ray. One of the perks of having a home studio is multi-tasking, and besides having the oven on warms up our little apartment very nicely.

I'm a foodie!! I'm married to a foodie and our son's a foodie too. Although he's been mostly into the eating part lately, he does make a mean bananas flambe. So today in between layers of gesso and gel medium, and waiting for my paint to dry, I've been in the kitchen whipping up a big pot of Spicey Tortellini Tomato Soup. It's very yummy and warms your soul on a cold day. I've included my easy recipe for all you other foodies out there.

1 large onion, chopped
3-4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 796ml/28oz can of whole plum tomatoes
1 900ml container of chicken broth
1 700gr package frozen tortellini
salt and pepper to taste
1 large bayleaf
1 tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes

In a large soup pot, heat onions on medium heat in olive oil until transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to boil. Add salt and pepper and spices. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Bring soup back up to boiling and add frozen tortellini. Cook for 10 more minutes. This is extra yummy with shaved parmesean or asiago cheese on top. Enjoy.

Now back to some art!!