Recipes

Marlene's Meal Makeovers now a cookbook!

When Marlene MacPherson decided to focus efforts on a cookbook, she teamed up with two other talented women, Robin Macmillan and Julie Achtermeier, both of them breast cancer survivors.
While Marlene, Robin, and Julie bring different talents to the table, they share a common philosophy: eat locally throughout the year, maximize your time in the kitchen, and, overall, be cognizant of what you’re putting in your body.
With Robin’s photographic talents and Julie’s writing prowess giving vision and voice to the Cook Once, Produce Twice philosophy, Marlene and her team have developed this unique seasonal cookbook.
The chapters of the book correspond to the months of the calendar year and introduce a variety of recipe trios that feature produce that is available locally at that time of year, as well as various meat dishes to fit the seasons.
All three women share a commitment not just to promoting healthier eating but also to giving back to their community, through proceeds generated by the sale of the book. Partnering up with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was an easy choice: the foundation is the leading national volunteer-led organization in Canada dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer; it just felt right, they say, to donate a portion of the proceeds to this amazing organization.
To order, visit Marlene’s website at www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com.

Marlene's recipes can also be found here on lakesimcoeliving.com and in Lake Simcoe Living magazine.

Three Things to do with Asparagus

COOK ONCE: Asparagus Quiche  
Ingredients:
2 bundles of asparagus (1 ½ bundles washed, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces and ½ bundles washed, trimmed, and left whole)
2 premade frozen pie shells*
6 eggs
2 cups of milk
1 ½ cups of cheese (whatever is available such as feta, cheddar or mozarella.)
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of pepper
2 pinches of nutmeg

Method:
1.      Put both frozen pie shells on a sheet pan and poke the bottoms with a fork.
2.      Bake in 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, just until golden brown.
3.      Beat 6 eggs, then add milk.
4.      Mix 1 bundle of the asparagus, cut in 2-inch pieces with the above egg mixture in a bowl, and add 1 cup of cheese.
5.     Season mixture with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then pour and divide between both pie shells.
6.     Top with remaining cheese; then put back in the oven for 20 minutes or until eggs are done.
* If you are worried about the fat from the pastry shells use left-over mashed potatoes pressed in pie plate and bake for 30 minutes before adding egg mixture.

If you cook two quiches, you can put one in the fridge for lunch or breakfast.

PRODUCE ONCE: Grilled Asparagus Wraps
Ingredients
- ½ of asparagus bundle trimmed and left whole from cook one.
- 6-8 slices of bacon.
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. of olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Take 2 or 3 asparagus and wrap in one piece of bacon tying at the front.
3. Take bundles and sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper.
4. Arrange on sheet pan.
5. Also add to the same sheet pan the balance of the 2” asparagus pieces from cook one, also cover in olive oil and salt and pepper.
6. Bake entire pan for 20 minutes.

PRODUCE TWICE: Grilled Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:
-       ½ bundle of grilled asparagus pieces from produce two
-       Corn (2 fresh cobs or 1 can)
-       2 green onions
-       1 red pepper
-       1 garlic finely chopped
-       ¼ cup of feta cheese
-       1 lemon (juiced)
-       ¼ cup of olive oil
-       Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
Mix all of the above and enjoy.  Stores well in fridge for 2-3 days.

Read more: Marlene's Meal Makeovers now a cookbook!