Quick, Easy and Healthy Recipes

Orange Beef Stew

Warm up in the cool holiday weather with this hearty stew.

Enjoy the tender meat and full-flavored sauce with a refreshing zing from the orange juice.

Serves 6

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cooking Time 3 hours

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kilos beef brisket or short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large onions, diced

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup red wine

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 (400-gram) can diced tomatoes

2 pieces cinnamon bark

4 bay leaves

2 cups beef stock or chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 sprigs rosemary

zest from 1 orange, chopped toasted almonds,

orange segments, and fresh rosemary for garnish

1 tablespoon olive oil

Procedures:

1 Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a frying pan. Sear meat on a very hot pan, browning all sides of the beef. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot or slow cooker.

2 In the same pan, sauté garlic, onions, carrots, and celery until tender then transfer to the pot. Deglaze pan with red wine and add to the pot.

3 Add orange juice, diced tomatoes, cinnamon, bay leaves, and stock. Season with salt and sugar. Cook over low heat until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove cinnamon bark and bay leaves. Add fresh rosemary.

4 To serve, arrange beef chunks on a platter. You may pour sauce over the beef as is or purée with a hand blender. Top with orange zest, almonds, orange segments, and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil.

Make-ahead tip Cool immediately after cooking and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to a month.

Intimidated by Italian-inspired osso buco?

Try it using your slow cooker and be amazed at how fuss-free preparing a gourmet dish can be.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus extra to taste

4 pieces bone-in beef shanks, sliced into 3-inch-thick pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic, plus 1/2 tablespoon for garnish

1/2 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

2 bay leaves

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 (400-gram) can crushed tomatoes

grated rind from 1 lemon

grated rind from 1 orange

1/4 cup chopped parsley

mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, to serve (optional)

Procedures:

1 Season flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dredge beef shanks in season flour, tapping off any excess.

2 In a large stockpot, heat oil and butter. Sear the shanks on all sides until browned; set aside.

3 In the same pot, sauté onions until translucent. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add carrots, celery, and bay leaves; cook until vegetables are tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and add red wine; let reduce to one-third. Return the beef shanks to the pot and add the stock and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then transfer mixture to a slow cooker.

4 Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 6 hours or until the beef is very tender.

5 In a small bowl, mix together lemon rind, orange rind, remaining garlic, and parsley; set aside.

6 When ready to serve, remoce the bay leaves. Transfer the osso buco to a serving platter and sprinkle with lemon rind mixture. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, if desired.

It is the season for fruitcake!

Here's a superb tweak on the traditional recipe:

Use dried local fruits and cut the cake into bite-sized bars.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup mixed dried fruits

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts and cashews)

Procedures:

1 Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside. 

2 Sift together flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and baking powder. Divide in half.

3 Dredge dried fruits in half of the flour mixture.

4 In a bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add honey, then stir in remaining flour mixture. Fold in dried fruits and nuts.

5 Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before slicing into bars.

Wrapping tip: We used dried mangoes, coconut, bananas, and pineapples in this recipe. To give as gifts, first wrap bars in aluminum foil then in colored cellophane.

Serves 5 to 6

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cooking Time 30 minutes

Ingredients:

500 grams elbow macaroni, cooked until al dente according to package instructions

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 cups milk

3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

2 cups grated Jack cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

bacon bits and crushed crackers for topping (optional)

Procedures:

1 In a soup pot, boil the macaroni until cooked but still firm. Drain, melt in a tablespoon of butter, toss quickly and set aside.

2 In a large saucepan on low heat, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Stir well until the flour is completely incorporated. Using a whisk, slowly combine the milk with the butter and flour mixture to create a creamy base.

3 Turn off the heat. Toss in cooked macaroni and the grated Cheddar and Jack cheeses. Toss until the cheese completely melts into the sauce and pasta. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss until evenly distributed.

4 Sprinkle bacon and crushed crackers on top, if desired, and serve while hot.

Cheesy tip: You can experiment with different cheese combinations, but make sure you use at least one that melts well and another that is flavorful.