Category: Dinner
Food & Your Family – 6 Ways to Serve Up Hard-Boiled Eggs
Let’s face it. There’s a pile of hard-boiled eggs in our refrigerators destined for the garbage unless something really inventive comes along. Really, how many of those things can you eat before they go bad and you learn to hate them? Then divide it by nine and that’s how many the kids will eat. Unless… [...]
The Canadian Dinner Table – Black Bean & Artichoke Heart Chili
These early spring days make for challenging cooking in any house. Mostly, we suspect it has a lot to do with the reality that most Canadians have had their fill of root veggies and other seasonal goodies. Craving the fresh, bright flavors of the garden, we are starting to think lighter meals that have a [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 6, Beautiful Borscht
As we wrap up our six-week celebration of Canadian soups, it seems fitting to finish with one that – from Victoria to Halifax – can truly be considered a Canadian winter staple. The root veggies and tasty meat-based stock that are at the heart of a tasty borscht has warmed the bellies of folks on [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 5, Chinese Dumpling Soup
Taking part in Chinese New Year celebrations this past weekend, the crew here at OBE wondered how to replicate the amazing spread of traditional foods that brought people throughout Canada together. The delicate combination of ingredients that make a good Chinese soup come together are a bit of tasty magic. Dumplings are a fan favorite [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 4, Sweet Potato Soup
At the daily farmer’s market here in Halifax the other day there was a big discussion about what can actually be found when it comes to Canadian produce this time of year. February is the dregs of sorts. Not a whole lotta greens, last of the apples. But, there is definitely no shortage in the [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 3, Braised Pork Stew with Garlic Mash
A winter in the Canadian Rockies, where temperatures cheerfully dip down past -20 and Jack Frost is a familiar site, finding the perfect meal that wraps you up in a cozy warmth, satisfies and hard-working appetite and tastes amazing is often bundled up in the art of cooking up the perfect stew. Although soup purists [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 2: Butternut Squash Soup
When it comes to winter soups, as Canadians we all think about a lovely Alberta beef stew or a delicious Saskatoon borscht. But, no soup finds itself on dinner tables from Quebec to Kelowna more than a tasty roasted squash soup. Wherever you are, the winter farmer’s market, the local grocer, squash is a seasonal [...]
Six Weeks of Canadian Soups – Week 1, Maritime Seafood Chowder
It’s cold. When the chill starts inching its way down your spine, ski pants are a non-optional clothing and you spot kids skating on the local pond down the road it is time to start thinking about warming, tasty, hearty dinner options. This time of year as adults we are all trying to think about [...]
Summer Eats – Hearty Middle Eastern Supper Salad
The blazing heat of August, all we can think about when it comes to making dinner is what will be healthy and something the kids will eat that we don’t have to turn the stove on to make. While the grill is a decent option, even that seems to hot to handle when it’s 40 [...]
Cozy Family Recipes – Honey Buns
Lots of moms go through phases with cooking for their family. Sometimes you are wowed by the wonder and can’t stop yourself from spending every extra second in the kitchen. Others, well, it’s a good thing there’s takeout sushi. But, there’s something about getting the basics down and delivering them fairly regularly that is pretty [...]
Healthy Comfort Foods – Spinach Burgers
At first blush, spinach burgers may not be something that you’d consider a dinner staple for your whole family. The mere thought of a mouthful of greens may be repellent for the fussy food crowd. But, this recipe recently whipped up in the OBE test kitchen proved greens could get the green light for dinner. [...]
Fall Family Recipes – Chicken Sweet Potato Pot Pie
As we move into the chilliest time of year I begin to hunker down in the kitchen to create some cozy, satisfying comfort foods that are also healthy. That seems to be the trick, really, as comfort food always seems to be code for heavy and full of calories. Homemade pot pie is a tasty [...]
Warm Cumin Lentil Chickpea Salad with Turmeric-Scented Shrimp
Editor’s Note: Good Morning. Today we are joined by the lovely food blogger and chef France Morisette from Beyond The Peel. France has just released a new digital cookbook. Do you ever wonder if there’s such a thing as delicious health food? Would you like meals to be stress free, nourishing, fast and amazing? Would [...]
Modern Thanksgiving – Quinoa & Winter Veggies
With that traditional Thanksgiving dinner less than a week away now, making plans for what goes on the dinner table and the inevitably long, familiar shopping list that goes with it are just about underway. For us, the holiday will be a quiet, cozy time this year filled with giving thanks for our happy, healthy [...]
Easy Family Dinners – Meatloaf Muffins
Let’s face it. Time is a commodity when the kids are starving after a day of school, you are exhausted from the general chaos of raising a family, working, being human, and there is still so much to do at the end of every day. Cooking big dinners is rarely on the to-do list. Dinner [...]
Fall Food – Refrigerator Beets & Beet Salad
Fall food is all about rich, comfortable noshing. I find myself baking more and moving toward thicker, more hardy dishes as the temperatures cool. But, my extra large baby weight size has really made me determined to keep working off the pounds while still making yummy, cozy dishes that are super satisfying. Adios potatoes. One [...]
Fall Food – Zucchini Times Two
Editor’s Note: Every year during the summer I head back into the Our Big Earth archives and check out some of the oldies but goodies that get filed away and dust them off because it doesn’t matter if it’s 1967 or 2011, they are truly timeless. Every September my counter is packed full of one [...]
Summer Soups That Make You Sing
Summer eating rarely involves the stove or oven in my universe. The thought of heating up the house even more than it already is sends me in the direction of salads, Ploughmans platters and barbecue. But, with this year’s relatively cool temperatures and my parents in town for the season I have rediscovered a love [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Oyster Bacon Burgers & Kale Chips
The holidays have come and gone and the resolutions have been made. I’ve resolved in the past not to make resolutions. I find that it’s too much pressure and since most of my resolutions have to do with exercise and a restrictive diet, I couldn’t do it anyways. You see I’m a food lover. I [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Salmon Chowder
The holidays have come and gone and everyone has already been back to school and work for a week. It’s also this time of year that people are in the final stages of the “turkey hangover,” also know as; hot turkey sandwich, turkey soup and stew and any other turkey flavoured meal overload, and they [...]
Holidays 2010 – Last-Minute Holiday Meals
Editor’s Note: Good Morning, OBE Mom Posse mamas Leah Douglas and Robin Blackburn have joined forces today to help us all get through those last-minute holiday meal emergencies with style and some yummy eats. Don’t spend too much time in the kitchen (unless there is wine involved). Enjoy! Okay, it is nearly Christmas. You have [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Wild Game Stew
I’m starting to get ready. It’s the time of year when it gets a bit dull, a bit rainy, and a bit gloomy. For me it’s the perfect time to start stocking up on some yummy stick-it-to-your-tummy winter foods like chili and stew. For my husband the rain marks the start of his favorite holiday [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Pulled Pork with Tangy Crisp Coleslaw
Today I am bringing a little down South cooking your way, of course with a few delicious twists! This is the perfect meal to throw into your crock pot when you know you are going to have hungry people taking over your home, a delicious change from all the turkey meals we are about to [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Comfort Food Pumpkin Soup
It is officially fall, there is no denying it now! The air is crisp, the leaves are turning colors, Christmas commercials are beginning to flooding the airwaves and Starbucks has re-launched their infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte. You can’t get much more fall than that! Fall for me is time for the summer clothes to be [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – 5 Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
Editor’s Note: You may be thinking “What are they talking about, Thanksgiving?” But, believe it or not, the big day for Canadians is less than two weeks away and if there is one thing we all suffer from as parents, it’s whattodowithleftovers-itis. So, The Kid-Friendly Gourmet’s Christine Buchholz is here today to share some great [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Warming Moroccan Stew
Editor’s Note: Fall may be another week away, but this cooler weather is sure calling for some warm, wonderful eating for the whole family. Dairy-Free Betty’s Jessica McRoberts is here this morning with a twist on stew that is sure to make you cozy. Enjoy. Can you believe it’s already halfway through September? This was [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Salmon Pasta Salad
Editor’s Note: The weather may be a bit cooler. But, that means the backyard will be the perfect temperature for that family BBQ you’ve been putting off all summer. It also means that refreshing, hearty, yummy fare like a gourmet take on pasta salad are in order. Kid-Friendly Gourmet Christine Buchholz is here this morning [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Beef Lettuce Wraps
Editor’s Note: Happy Wednesday! Christine Buchholz is here with another delicious kid-friendly recipe that was inspired by local farms and is sure to please. Enjoy. Here she is: So often I think about my son and how he will learn about food. I wonder if he’ll know that vegetables come from a planted seed and [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Green Smoothie And Raw Garden Soup
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Jessica McRoberts is back this morning with some wonderful, fresh recipes that highlight the amazing foods of summer, keeping things light and flavorful. Enjoy. In June, I was lucky enough to do a 10 day Raw Foods course with the famous “Raw Rose.” It was the perfect opportunity to inspire me [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Sweet & Spicy Lamb Burgers with Tabbouleh
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Jessica McRoberts is back today with two tasty, exotic recipes for summer that will have your mouth watering. Enjoy. Do you have days when you want to spice up your life a little? I have these moments all the time, especially when it comes to food. I like food experiences that [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Easy Root Vegetable Gratin
Editor’s Note: Good morning readers! Today we are lucky to introduce you to another new OBE foodie addition. Food photographer and at-home gourmet Christine Buchholz’s column focused on savory – dare we even say gourmet – kid-friendly recipes launches today. Her first recipe is sure to please those tiny people in your life and give [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Turkey Veggie Chili & Cornbread
Editor’s Note: Good morning. It is our pleasure to introduce one of two new foodie columnists here at OBE. Today we have Jessica McRoberts, from Dairy Free Betty, on site dishing out a tasty, versatile and simple recipe for turkey veggie chili and cornbread. All of Jessica’s dishes focus on allergy-friendly alternatives. My mouth is already watering! Enjoy. [...]
Develop A Kids Cultural Palette-Learn to Make Sushi
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Sarah Stromquist is on site this morning sharing her recent adventure in making sushi with her lovely girls. She definitely inspired me to give it a whirl. Here’s Sarah: Straying from my usual barrage of recipes, I decided to focus on one idea in hopes of convincing people to undertake their [...]
Roll with Local Veg and Cabbage Rolls this January
Good morning. While I was wandering the aisles at the grocery store the other day I had a very uncomfortable moment of consciousness when I looked down into my grocery basket and saw very little fresh food. It’s that time of year – the dead of Winter – when it seems like the possibilities for [...]
Preserving Holiday Traditions with Sausage & Kraut
Tucked away in a kitchen cupboard is an old paper-bound cookbook. It’s nothing fancy, no spectacular photography, not even a professional print job. But, this book – The Wigilia – is one of my dearest possessions. When I was nine, my grandmother and I traded letters and tapes once a week for a month as [...]
Family Eats – Summer Soups
Editor’s Note: Ah, Wednesday. Yummy day. Family chef Sarah Stromquist is here today offering up some tasty insight into Summer soups. delish. Anytime of year soups are a wonderful way to enjoy a healthy and generally quick meal. Paired with a wrap, sandwich or some such delight they become a full meal. But I usually [...]
Quick Kids Recipes – Zucchini Fries & Onion Rings
Good Morning. The first Wednesday of every month is usually reserved for restaurant reviews. But, we are clocking some chill time this month in preparation for proper introductions to some new foodie folks here on Our Big Earth. In the meantime family gardens around the Comox Valley are bursting with lots of onions and zucchini [...]
Family Eats – A Day of Local Food Meals
Editor’s Note: Good morning. There are some seriously exciting events going on today as a part of the Eat Real. Eat Local 30-Day Food Challenge. Join us out at Simms Park near the Kiwanis BBQ for NeighbourWood Eats where families gather for a potluck lunch and are learning how to Winter garden with the Comox [...]
Veggie Puff Pillows
Good morning. As we wind down here on Comox Valley Kids and gear up for the launch of Our Big Earth-Comox Valley (next Wednesday, Wow!) it is my honour that our final Food & Your Family entry comes from one of my favourite food bloggers, Mohini from Mango Power Girl. Her wonderful, delicious treats make [...]
Local Eating – My Favorite Recipe for Summer Borscht
After a great Summer of wonderful guest foodies, sharing dishes that have now become household staples around here, I thought I should maybe, kind of, sort of, pitch in one of my own. It is no secret to anyone who has ever dropped by our house on occasion that I have a thing for cabbage. [...]
Mac 'n' Beans
Editor’s Note: Tree Haverner from Tiny Morsels is back today to share a yummy kid-friendly version of an Italian treat that is absolutely delish. We made this a few weeks ago, and holy cacamaymee was it ever tasty. I loved how it was packed with so much amazing nutritious food, but the tiny person would [...]
Sweet Kohlrabi Salad
Editor’s Note: Today we are joined by one of my absolute favourite Pacific Coast food bloggers, Mohini from Mango Power Girl. A fan of all things local and fresh, Mohini comes to us via Seattle and brings with her a passion for melding the traditional food skills from her Indian upbringing with an uncanny knack [...]
Family Dinner – Spanikopita
Editor’s Note: Today we continue with our second installment of Summertime guest foodies with Nanaimo mom of four, master organic gardener and local food chef supreme Krista Johnston. I first discovered Krista’s warm, wonderful, community-filled spirit years ago and have been a huge fan of her sensibility from that moment on. Her perspective on food [...]
Shaker Salad Dressing
I don’t have to tell you that I’m a big proponent of getting kids involved in the kitchen. Kneading dough, scrambling eggs, flipping pancakes- some of my best childhood memories are of learning basic kitchen skills from my parents. It’s with a love for nostalgia and good food that I find myself encouraging my little [...]
Spinach Pesto Fettuccine
On this, the week before Mother’s Day, I’d like to offer up a recipe that I have come to love for its simplicity- or in other words- I have come to love this recipe because it is easy enough for my husband to prepare, and is downright delicious. I know there are many husbands and [...]
Bee-Free Backyard BBQ
* Fact: Most flowering plants require pollination in order to reproduce. * Fact: The relationship between plants and their pollinators dates back 140 million years. Dinosaurs, bees and butterflies once lived together. * Fact: Pollinators bring the pollen from one plant to another and in return get food in the form of nectar that the [...]
Homemade Pizza
In the realm of kid-friendly cuisine, homemade pizza is a traditional favourite. It’s delicious, inexpensive, and easy for the kiddos to help prepare. It is also the ultimate vegetable transportation device. Moving away from the greasy deli meats and cheeses, our family has long experimented with veggie pizzas, topped with any assortment of produce, or [...]
Penne with Squash and Black Beans
Over the years, my husband and I have had our ups and downs with the level of time and energy we have put into our meals at home. There was a summer years ago when, while saving every penny for a new van, we subsisted on bulk hot dogs & Alphaghetti. This was followed by [...]
Bean Burritos with Sweet Potatoes
One of the big changes we’ll start off with this year is offering more regular features – in particular family-friendly recipes. I am not so creative in the kitchen. Relying on me to bring you tasty treats is like being forced to eat that one casserole from your Auntie Edna over and over again. So, [...]
Dinner Recipes – Easy Curries for Your Family
I‘m pretty sure we are among the lucky parents. From the time our daughter started on solid food, she’s been a huge fan of all that is veggies, fruits and exotic flavours. She’ll chow down on curries, coconut milk, basil and ginger-filled Thai cuisine, spicy Latino and lime-infused Caribbean food. There’s not much, really, she [...]
