Avocado Yogurt Dip

It's almost summer and when I think summer I think creamy avocado's! This is my favourite quick avocado dip to make. When I say this dip is simple, I mean simple. The hardest thing will be peeling the avocados.

You'll need:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 ripe avocados -- peeled and seeded

- 1/2 a garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons of cilantro
- 1 chopped jalepeno -- I keep mine with the seeds because I like the kick it adds, but you can remove the seeds if you wish
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
- pinch of salt and pepper

All you do now that you've got all your ingredients is blend it all together in your food processor until smooth.

I usually eat this with baked pita bread or tortilla chips, you can even add it to wraps!

Enjoy!!

Magic Bars

My families absolute favourite dessert.
So simple and easy you'll end up making this more than once.

What you'll need is
- ground graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup of melted butter
- 2 cans of condensed milk
- 1 pack sweetened shredded coconut
- assorted chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, white chocolate, peanut butter etc)
- assorted chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts)

Turn your oven on to bake at 350.


Start by putting the ground graham crackers into a large baking dish, 9x13 is what I usually use. On top add the melted butter and mix it together with a fork to combine the two, and using either the fork or your hands flatten the mixture evenly.

Bake for 5 minutes.

Take the dish out of the oven, add one can of condensed milk and carefully spread it evenly over the graham cracker/butter mixture. If you think the one can isn't sufficient enough, start by adding 1/2 of the second can and then the entire if you think needed.
Sprinkle the shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts over the condensed milk.

Turn your oven to bake at 300, put the dish into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

If the top of the dish is not golden brown, turn your oven to broil - high for 2 minutes until it turns a light brown.

Take the dish out of the oven, let it set for 20-30 minutes. You can even put it into the fridge to set if you're in a hurry.

Once cooled and set, cut into squares remove from dish and enjoy!

Lentil Pie

A veggies dream.
Not so simple, but definitely delicious. Most of these ingredients I had in my fridge, so I'm sure you will too.

What you'll need is (in order of preparation):

Inside the Lentil Pie

- olive oil
- 1 diced onion
- 2 diced celery stalks
- 1 diced carrot, or 7 mini carrots diced
- 1 diced red pepper
- mushrooms diced
- 1/4 cup frozen corn
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup dry green lentils (rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 cup dry brown lentils (rinsed and drained)
- 1 pack of soy protein, usually Yves Ground Round
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp each of salt and pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes with water
- 2/3 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine, or just use another 1/2 cup of vegetable broth if you don't have
- 2 diced zucchinis
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 4 russet potatoes (6 if you're not using sweet potatoes)
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese -- I used old
- 3 thinly sliced green onions

Okay so let's start cooking!!

Warm your stir fry pan on medium heat with the olive oil and add the onions, celery, carrots, red peppers, corn, mushrooms, and garlic. Once the veggies have softened add lentils, soy ground round, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic salt.
Cook this for like 3-5 minutes still on medium heat.

Add the crushed tomatoes, and veggie broth (wine as well if you're using it) bring this to a boil with the veggies, and then lower your heat and cover.
Cook for 20 minutes and be sure to stir a few times in between so it doesn't stick.

Add zucchini after 20 minutes, cook for another 30 minutes covered and still stirring here and there until the lentils soften.

In the meantime, let's get those potatoes ready!

Peel and dice the russet potatoes and sweet potatoes add to a boiling pot with salt water covered and until tender, this should be about 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes when ready, put them back into the pan. Mash em up with a masher (or fork if you don't have one) adding milk, butter, salt and pepper -- I added some red peppers cause I need my spices! Stir in 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Once the lentils are ready pour the mix into a large baking dish and spread the mash potato mixture ontop. Add the remaining cheese and green onions. 

Bake in the over at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Finished product topped with spinach

Strawberry Nutella Sandwich

This quick snack, with a cup of milk is always my go to snack.
Think about it, Nutella which is basically a chocolate spread, with fresh cut strawberries layed in two slices of bread. Doesn't your mouth just water thinking about it?
Imagine what it tastes like.

What you'll need is:
- 2 slices of any kind of bread (or 1 slice if you're trying to be healthy, and want to make it an open faced sandwich)
- Approx. 3-4 rinsed strawberries sliced
- 1 tbsp. of Nutella

Start by toasting your bread, usually while the bread toasts I slice the strawberries so I'm not just standing around waiting.
Once the toast pops, spread 1/2 tbsp of Nutella on each slice of toast and place the cut strawberries on top of the Nutella.
Close, cut and serve with a cold glass of milk!
Trust me you'll love this, and it's a perfect student study snack.
Quick, healthy and easy.

Spinach Rollups

Spinach Rollups

Spinach dip in a ready to go bite? Who would dare to refuse this quick snack.

For about 40-80 pieces

- 2 packs of tortilla wraps. (Sundried tomato and Spinach flavour are what I usually prefer)

- 1 brick cream cheese

- 1 cup mayonnaise

- 1/2 cup sour cream

- 1/4 cup of ranch dressing

- green onion

- 2 bell peppers

- zucchini

- package of mushrooms

- 1 jalapeno

Blend all the vegetables in a food processor, like literally everything. One by one, and drain out all the excess water. empty into a bowl. Mix the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream and ranch at the same time. Mix everything together in the bowl and spread on to the tortilla wraps. Cut each wrap into bite size pieces.