Author: The Sunshine Inn Blog

Chef wanna be

Beef and Vegetable Barley Soup

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Beef and Vegetable Barley Soup

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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We love soup. What can I say? It can be a side, a main course, comfort food, even a snack. It’s even better when they are easy and you get to use leftovers to make it.

Ingredients


– 1 tbsp of butter
– 1 tbsp of olive oil
– 1 medium onion chopped
– 3 cloves of garlic minced or 5 garlic scapes minced
– 1 carrot thinly sliced
– 3 celery stalks sliced thin
– 1 1/2 – 2 medium zucchini sliced thin
– 1 cup of barley
– 8 to 9 ounces of cooked sirloin steak sliced thin about 1 inch long
– 6 cups of reduced sodium beef broth
– 1 tbsp of Worchestire sauce
– 2 tbsp of Soya Sauce
– 2 tbsp of Diana Sauce or ketchup
– 1/2 tsp of cayenne (optional)
– salt and pepper to taste
– 1 tbsp of cajun spice

Directions

  1. In a large stock pot, over high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, butter and onion. Cook 3-5 minutes until onions are transparent.
  2. Lower heat to medium, add garlic. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients, stir until well blended.
  4. Lower heat and let simmer for an hour.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 149
  • Fat 5.1 g
  • Sugar 2.6 g
  • Carbohydrates 17.6 g
  • Protein 7.7 g
  • Fibre 4.0 g

The vegetables are interchangeable. We had steaks the night before and that was the left over. You can sub for inside round which is a cheaper cut. Be sure to cut it against the grain. As a main course, I serve a double serving with a nice salad. Remember that what you put as a veggie, spice, is how you can make this your own. Enjoy and have fun.

Easy Pork Curry

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Easy Pork Curry

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Did the word easy get your attention? It got mine when I first saw this recipe. Dinner for 6 in 75 minutes, I just had to try it. Turned out pretty good. So here it is.

Ingredients

  • Boneless pork shoulder roast (2 lbs) cut into 1inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil (divided)
  • 1 small white onion chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp of ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp of curry powder
  • 2 cups of diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 can of coconut milk (light)
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • 4 cups of cooked basmati rice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Directions

  1. In a large stock pot, over high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and onion. Cook 3-5 minutes until onions are transparent.
  2. Lower heat to medium, add garlic and ginger. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
  3. Add curry powder and stir for 15 seconds.
  4. Add diced tomatoes, coconut milk and chicken stock and stir until well blended.
  5. In a large skillet, over high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and cubed pork, working in batches if necessary. Sear pork on all sides, approximately, 1-3 minutes.
  6. Add pork to curry mixture and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes .
  7. Serve with basmati rice and topped with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 365
  • Fat 16 g
  • Sugar 7.4 g
  • Carbohydrates 20 g
  • Protein 37.2 g
  • Fibre 4.8 g

This was an easy recipe to make. If you are watching your carbs or need to be careful on what carbs you eat that might spike your blood glucose, you might want to switch the basmati rice for brown converted rice, or even a tortilla. The nutritional facts are with basmati rice. You can also make this with the other white meat, chicken.

Have fun and remember to make it your own.

Macaroni Cabbage Salad

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Macaroni Cabbage Salad

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Easy
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With summer finally here, macaroni salad seems to be a staple in the summer. Like everything else, if you always make it the same, it becomes predicable and ordinary. I always seem to have extra cabbage in the house so I thought, why not. It will give it a crunch. Also I was short on mayo so I thought I’d do oil and vinegar and lemon juice. Here is the end result.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 head of a medium cabbage sliced really thin
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 large carrot chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 orange bell pepper chopped
  • 4 medium branches of celery chopped
  • 10 oz (uncooked) elbow macaroni
  • 3 tbsp of granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup of lemon juice, fresh preferred but Realemon Lemon Juice is a good substitute
  • 1/4 cup of white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp of chilli flakes (optional)
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook elbow macaroni to al dente.
  2. Once pasta is cooked, drain and immediately rinse with cold water until pasta is cool to the touch.
  3. In a very large mixing bowl put cabbage, garlic, onions, carrot, all three peppers, celery and cooled pasta. Mix well.
  4. In a smaller mixing bowl, put vinegar, lemon juice, oil, sugar, chilli flakes, paprika, salt and pepper and mix very well until sugar is dissolved.
  5. Pour over pasta and vegetable mixture and coat well.
  6. Chill for an hour and serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 197
  • Fat 6.3 g
  • Sugar 6.5 g
  • Carbohydrates 30.7 g
  • Protein 4.5 g
  • Fibre 3 g

Pot lucks, picnics, and BBQs just scream for macaroni salad. Well at least they do here. I’ve always worried about it being out too long because of the mayo and feared it would turn bad. This recipe put my mind at ease. Now of course, this is one recipe that you can play with a lot. You have extra avocados, throw that in, it won’t go black because of the vinegar and lemon juice. You want asparagus that you have left over in the fridge, in it goes. Same with broccoli. This is a great way to use up your left over veggies. The only one I would really want to cook is the asparagus (too tough if not cooked).

This recipe screams for you to have fun and make it your own.

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (Lop Cheung Chow Fan)

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Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (Lop Cheung Chow Fan)

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Chinese food, especially fried rice, is often considered a comfort food. I have personally made fried rice in many variations, and yet could never quite get the flavour when you go to chinatown and get it there. This recipe came close. With a few modifications, this is what we came up with.

Ingredients


– 3 Chinese sausage (cook as recommended on package)
– 1 large white onion (chopped)
– 5 cups of cooked white rice (preferable cooled to room temperature)
– 3/4 tsp of salt
– 1/4 tsp of sugar
– 2 tbsp of hot water
– 1/2 tsp of sesame oil (essential)
– 2 tbsp of soy sauce
– 1/2 tsp of white pepper
– 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
– 3 eggs (beaten)
– 1 cup of frozen green peas (thawed to room temperature)
– 1 cup of bean sprouts
– 2 scallions (chopped)
– 1 tbsp of soy sauce

Directions

  1. Prepare your Chinese sausage, onion and rice.
  2. In a small bowl, add salt, sugar, water, sesame oil, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, white pepper, mix well and set aside.
  3. Heat your wok over medium heat and spread 1 tbsp of oil around the perimeter of your wok.
  4. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them in the wok, breaking them into small pieces with your spatula. Once cooked, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
  5. Add Chinese sausage and fry for 20 seconds.
  6. Add chopped onion and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until translucent.
  7. Add the remaining oil and add rice. Use your metal or wooden spatula to flatten out and break up any clumps. (I tend to do that before hand with wet hands). Keep moving it around to heat thoroughly and prevent sticking.
  8. Once the rice is warm, pour sauce mixture evenly over the rice. Mix rice in a scooping motion for 1-2 minutes.
  9. Add the cooked egg, frozen peas, bean sprouts and stir fry for 2 minutes.
  10. Add the scallions and another tbsp of soy sauce and mix well. Stir fry for another minute or so.
  11. Serve hot.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 455
  • Fat 24 g
  • Sugar 3 g
  • Carbohydrates 43 g
  • Protein 16 g
  • Fibre 2 g

As you see the recipe is quite simple. The fat content is a little high and a lot of it has to do with the Chinese sausage. If that is a concern, you can change it to cooked chicken or even pork. The sodium content is also high. As is, using regular soy sauce and Chinese sausage you are looking at 759 mg per serving. That’s up there. I used sodium reduced soy sauce. I personally found this recipe to lack soy sauce but I’m not a good judge. I even add some at the Chinese restaurant, so you be the expert with your plate. It’s easier to add some than take it away.

We serve it with a bowl of won ton soup and steamed veggies on the side. Makes for a complete balanced meal. You can serve it as a side dish with whatever other main course you are in the mood for. So, I hope you have fun and make this your own.

Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad

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Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Perfectly refreshing, colourful, and versatile. Looking for a healthy dish to bring to a pot luck, picnic or just a great way to end a meal, here is a healthy option.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of strawberries, chopped
  • 1 lb of fresh pineapple (canned pineapple pieces if you don’t have fresh, drained)
  • 12 oz of fresh blueberries
  • 12 oz of red grapes, sliced in halves
  • 4 kiwis, peeled and chopped
  • 3 mandarine oranges (canned mandarines drained will work)
  • 2 bananas, sliced (optional)
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 2 tsp of lime zest (zest from 2 medium limes)
  • 1.5 tbsp of fresh lime juice

Directions

  1. Add all fruit to a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, lime zest and lime juice.
  3. Pour over fruit and toss to evenly coat, and serve

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 143
  • Fat 0.4 g
  • Sugar 27.1 g
  • Carbohydrates 36.6 g
  • Protein 2.0 g
  • Fibre 4.1 g

This is a very versatile recipe. Use the fruit you like best and/or have available. Keep in mind that the longer between the time it is made and served, your pineapple will start changing color. It will absorb the juice of the strawberries and such. This is a little tart due to the pineapple, lime and mandarines. You can make this using melons, watermelon, mango, peaches. The possibilities are endless. All you need is a little imagination to have fun and make it your own.

Economical Comparison of Velvetta, Cheez Whiz and Kraft Dinner

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Economical Comparison of Velvetta, Cheez Whiz and Kraft Dinner

  • Servings: N/A
  • Difficulty: N/A
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I was making a recipe called Velvetta Tomato Mac and Cheese and thought I would compare the values of Kraft Velvetta Vs Kraft Cheez Whiz vs Kraft Mac and Cheese (KD). I have done my recipe with both Kraft Velvetta and with Kraft Cheez Whiz. Of course, like every else, I’ve also had Kraft Mac and Cheese.

The purpose of this exercise was to compare value to the nutrients. I wanted to compare price to the fats, protein, vitamins and of course convenience.

Convenience Kraft Dinner Mac and Cheese wins hands down. It is the easiest, quickest and needs a total of three items, the Kraft Dinner, milk and margarine. My recipe needs tomato soup, pasta, Velvetta or Cheez Whiz, milk, margarine, onions. Then I wanted to compare pricing. Of course this varies where you are and if you are using generic or brand names. For the purpose of this exercise I used brand names and all from one store, Walmart.

I calculated to make the same quantity which would serve six. However, I didn’t count the salad or veggie you should be having with this to make a balanced meal. Nor did I add any extra protein. Conclusion of the pricing was pretty simple. Cheapest was with Cheez Whiz, at 1.05 a plate, Velvetta at 1.10 and Kraft Dinner which I found expensive at 1.27 a plate. Kraft Dinner has more calories, more fat, more sugar, and less calcium and Vitamin A per serving.  Mind you, it is much quicker and works well in a pinch. I have used it as side dish many times and will continue to do so.

Now for the comparison of the Cheez Whiz light and Velvetta light which one or the other was required for my recipe, here is what I came up with:

Cheez Whiz LightVelvetta Light (2% fat)
30 g or 1 ounce30 g or 1 ounce
60 calories62 calories
3 g of fat3 g of fat
2 g of carbohydrates3.3 g of carbohydrates
2 g of sugar2.4 g of sugar
3 g of protein5.5 g of protein
0 g of fiber0 g of fiber
8% of daily calcium10% of daily calcium
2% of daily Vitamin A5.5% of daily Vitamin A
4.88 for 15 ounce jar5.48 for 16 ounce package
7.98 for 32 ounce package
comes to $0.325 per ouncecomes to $0.342 per ounce
comes to $0.25 per ounce

To me, this was an easy choice. The 2 calories, 0.4 g of sugar more vs the 2.5 g of protein extra made all the difference. Now mind you, if budget is the issue buying the large container of velvetta was also very appealing. I’ve seen both these items go on sale for lower than that. 

Results, I vote for Velvetta. The main reason for this exercise was to see which was worth more for the buck. We should think of doing this for all foods we buy. We need to make sure we are eating the right foods, and are getting the most we can for the price and convenience. A non processed food would have been a better alternative, but pricing is not always the option. 

This was a fun exercise on something we use often and never took the time to compare. 

Eat right, eat healthy, eat economically and always have fun and make your recipes your own.

Velvetta Tomato Mac and Cheese

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Velvetta Tomato Mac and Cheese

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Mac and Cheese is very popular right now. You go to almost any restaurant and it’s on the menu. This recipe is actually quite old. I’ve used variations of this recipe for at least 40 years. It is economical, relatively healthy and can be modified in so many ways, we could probably fill up a whole recipe book with all it’s versions. You can use this as a base or as is.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of elbow macaroni
  • 300 g of velvetta light cheese chopped into small pieces (11 ounces)
  • 1 cup of low fat milk (I used almond milk)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 can of tomato condensed soup (I used Alymer low sodium)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp of butter or margarine
  • 1 tbsp of cajun spices

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook pasta until al dente and drain (reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
  3. In the same pot, melt butter and add onion. Stir until translucent and tender.
  4. Reduce heat to medium low, and add milk, water, tomato soup, and cheese.
  5. Stir until cheese is melted and this is a nice smooth sauce. If too thick, add a little milk. It might seem a little runny but don’t worry it will get absorbed into the pasta,
  6. Add spices, salt and pepper.
  7. Add pasta and stir to cover all of the pasta and make sure that the pasta is warm.
  8. Serve. That easy.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 437
  • Fat 8 g
  • Sugar 12 g
  • Carbohydrates 67 g
  • Protein 19.5 g
  • Fibre 5.1 g

So as you see this was easy peasy. This is a very economical meal. I looked at the prices for the cheese and the pasta vs Kraft Dinner. Mind you there is nothing wrong with Kraft dinner but there is more sugar, less calcium and vitamins and if you are not using generic mac and cheese, can actually be more expensive with Kraft Dinner. I’ve written a comparison between Kraft Cheez whiz, Kraft Velvetta light and Kraft dinner, see Economical Comparison of Velvetta, Cheez Whiz and Kraft Dinner. On the average you can make this for approximately 1.10 a plate. Now is the fun part, I was asked what about veggies. This is not a balanced meal and they were right. I suggested a nice green salad with this, or you can add spinach, steamed broccoli or streamed cauliflower. You can also add drained canned veggies or thawed and drained frozen veggies. All depends on your budget and/or tastes. If you want to add protein feel free to do so, including a very economical black bean or white kidney bean drained. This is where I tell you have fun and make it your own.

Gouda Mac ’N’ Cheese

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Gouda Mac ’N’ Cheese

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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A young chef (OSM) asked me if we could try this recipe together. Who doesn’t like Mac ’N Cheese? I said sure, why not. This turned out pretty good. We adjusted from the original recipe to reduce the fat content. This was made with left over cooked chicken.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups of cooked chicken (1.5 lbs)
  • 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas (thawed)
  • 5 ounces of Gouda grated (just under 1 cup)
  • 3 ounces of Sharp Cheddar grated (1/2 cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups of chopped spinach
  • 2 avocados smashed
  • 1/4 cup of light margarine
  • 1/4 cup of flour
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 cup of milk (used nonfat)
  • 1/4 cup of panko
  • 1 lb of macaroni (454 g)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Parmesean grated or shaved to taste (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Spray a large deep dish baking dish
  3. Cook macaroni until al dente and set aside in a very large bowl.
  4. Add chicken, avocado and peas. Stir well.
  5. Salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Place margarine in skillet, add flour and make a roux. Whisk until smooth.
  7. Add milk and chicken broth, keep stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of skillet until thickened.
  8. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. (if sauce is too thick, add a little broth)
  9. Add in chicken, veggie and pasta and stir well to coat the pasta.
  10. Pour into baking dish.
  11. Sprinkle the panko on top evenly and add Parmesean if desired.
  12. Bake for 45 minutes.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 567
  • Fat 23 g
  • Sugar 3.6 g
  • Carbohydrates 54.3 g
  • Protein 43.3 g
  • Fibre 4.9 g

You can serve this with a nice salad. If you don’t have cooked chicken, you could use cooked turkey and if all else fails, use drained canned tuna. If you want some spice to it, add some cayenne or hot sauce. This recipe has so many possibilities. You can change the cheeses, the protein, the spices, so it’s all up to you. Have fun and make it your own.

Berry Strudel

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Berry Strudel

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Moderate
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I was asked if I had a recipe that was low in sugar and looked good. Went digging and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of berries (I used raspberries)
  • 2 tbsp of instant tapioca
  • 1 tsp of grated lemon zest
  • 5 sheets of phyllo dough thawed 12 x 17 inches
  • 2 tbsp of unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp of crushed walnuts
  • 1/2 cup of greek plain yogourt
  • 1 tsp of brown sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Mix berries, tapioca and lemon zest and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Place a parchemin paper on your work surface, as this is what you will use in your baking sheet.
  4. Place one sheet of phyllo dough and lightly butter it. (Make sure to place a damp towel on the remaining four sheets so they don’t dry out)
  5. Spread 1/2 tbsp of crushed walnuts on the sheet.
  6. Repeat three times.
  7. Place the last sheet over the four others.
  8. Spread the fruit mixture on a horizontal line approximately 2 inches from the edge and from the ends.
  9. Gently roll and fold the ends under.
  10. Place the roll with the parchemin paper on the baking sheet.
  11. Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack.
  12. Cook for 18 minutes until golden brown. If it browns too quickly place a piece of foil over the top and continue baking.
  13. Once cooked let cool for approximately 20 minutes, serve luke warm.
  14. In the meantime, mix yogourt with brown sugar.
  15. Cut into 8 pieces and serve with yogourt on the side.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 124
  • Fat 7.6 g
  • Sugar 2.9 g
  • Carbohydrates 12.1 g
  • Protein 2.5 g
  • Fibre 3.2 g

This is a refreshing dessert. It looks great (for a fancier look, lightly sprinkle some icing sugar over the top). It is low in sugar, a great dessert for diabetics. You can vary the fruits inside. Berries work great as they don’t need extra sugar. Like I always say, have fun and make it your own.

Pumpkin Soup

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Pumpkin Soup

  • Servings: 8 1 cup portions
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Is there ever a wrong time for pumpkin? What you will find here is a soup that is great as is, or can be used as a base. The puree I used was one I froze from a pumpkin I cooked, you can use canned puree (just be sure not to use pie filling)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 large chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 4 cups of pumpkin puree
  • 6 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp of cajun spice
  • 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat
  2. Add onion and cook until tender.
  3. Add garlic cook for approximately 2 minutes.
  4. Add puree, broth and spices.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes.
  6. You can either serve or if you want smoother, use your blender to puree it even more.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 107
  • Fat 1.8 g
  • Sugar 3 g
  • Carbohydrates 11.6 g
  • Protein 5.1 g
  • Fibre 3.3 g

This is an easy soup that is both nutritious and low calorie. It can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. As a main course, use two servings. You can serve it with a nice sunflower and flax seed bread (see recipe), white bread (see recipe) or country biscuits (see recipe). You can use this as a base for a vegetable soup. You can thicken it with a little flour and use it as a sauce. So basically, have fun and make it your own.