Name: Garlicky Buttered Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 6-8 people
Ingredients: 24 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1/2 lemon juiced; 2 tsp dijon mustard; 1/4 tsp salt; to taste pepper

Wor Wonton Soup

by Compelled to Cook | May 16, 2021 | SOUP | 2 comments

Wor Wonton Soup

You’ll want to skip the takeout when you can make flavour-packed Wor Wonton Soup at home. It’s incredibly easy and quick once all the components are ready. I prefer to make homemade wontons and pork for this recipe because both are just so much better than store-bought in my opinion. I’ve included links for both, so I encourage you to be adventurous and try both. For this soup, I’ve chosen to use broccoli and carrots for my vegetables, however, feel free to sub in baby bok choy, water chestnuts, snow peas or baby corn to suit your liking.

Prepped pork wontons, pork char sui, shrimp and vegetables ready for Wor Wonton Soup.

The biggest trick to Wor Wonton Soup is the timing. I’ve dabbled with several different timing arrangements and found that the vegetables will cook in the same time it takes the wontons to cook. Therefore, adding them to the simmering broth at the same time is essential. Overcooking either is undesirable, to say the least. The same can be said for the shrimp and pork too. The shrimp will cook in no more than 2 minutes and the pork only needs to be warmed as it’s already cooked. So be sure to stick around the pot, the whole process takes only 4-5 minutes, so it’s not the time to do even the quickest of choirs.

I’ve included links for the Pork Char Siu and Pork Wontons. The extra pork can be tightly wrapped in a sealable bag and frozen for up to two months. The wontons can also be frozen in a single layer and then placed in a sealable container for up to a month. Extra wontons are easily cooked in a little broth, deep-fried or pan-fried. Trust me, they will not go to waste!! This is a wonderful soup that eats like a meal and it’s easier than you might think. Enjoy!

Pork Char Siu

Crispy Wontons

Author: Compelled to Cook

Wor Wonton Soup

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2-2 cups large bite-size broccoli pieces
1 large carrot, thinly sliced on a diagonal
16 each pork wontons see note
12 large shrimp, deveined and tail removed
6 ounces Chinese BBQ pork (Pork Char Siu), thinly sliced see note
2 tbsp green onion, thinly sliced on a diagonal
as needed sesame oil

Instructions

In a large pot heat broth and soy sauce to a gentle simmer. Add broccoli, carrots and pork wontons and maintain a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes until wontons are cooked and vegetables are just tender. Add shrimp and sliced pork when about 2 minutes of cooking time remains.
Divide soup into shallow bowls and garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Notes

-The prep time noted does not include the time to make the wontons or pork char siu if making either from scratch.

-You can use store-bought wontons and pork char siu, however homemade is so much better and I've included a link to both in the post above.

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Garlicky Buttered Beans

by Compelled to Cook | Sep 25, 2020 | SIDE DISH, VEGETABLES, VEGETARIAN | 0 comments

Garlicky Buttered Beans

Some will say it’s all about the turkey or roast, but how many of us scour through recipes looking for the perfect side dishes to serve with the turkey? We search for recipes because we dream of the perfect meal, and the meal generally includes side dishes. I definitely fall into this group of recipe searchers, partly because it’s nice to try something new and because I believe accompanying dishes are equally as important to any meal as the main item. Even though everyone will not agree with this sentiment, it’s hard to resist buttery green beans. Add in a good dose of garlic, Dijon and lemon juice and you’ve got a bright and zesty veggie that is perfect served with roast turkey, beef or ham. These Garlicky Buttered Beans just might steal the show.

Sauteed garlic, butter and Dijon mustard in a stainless steel pan with blanched green beans in the background prepared for Garlicky Buttered Beans.

Garlicky Buttered Beans start with simple ingredients and the whole dish comes together quickly with little fuss. To help with a busy day in the kitchen, the beans can be cooked and cooled in advance, leaving only a quick sauté in garlicky butter. The Dijon, lemon juice and chili flakes help to liven up plain old green beans. If it’s weeknight cooking for just a few people, go ahead and use only half the amount of the green beans, they’re just saucier. What’s not to love about that. Enjoy!

Want more side dishes??

Honey Garlic Carrots and Parsnips

Roasted Gremolata Cauliflower

Cranberry Almond Roasted Broccoli

Author: Compelled to Cook

Garlicky Buttered Beans

Servings	Prep Time
6-8 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6-8 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Garlicky Buttered Beans

Servings	Prep Time
6-8 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6-8 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Ingredients

24 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon juiced
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
to taste pepper

Servings: people

Instructions

Heat a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook at a gentle simmer until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, gather remaining ingredients and melt butter in a medium skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute on low heat until fragrant and slightly softened, about 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Whisk in lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper.
Add cooked beans and toss until evenly coated with butter sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

-Green beans can be cooked and cooled in an ice bath up to one day in advance. They will need more time to warm in the butter sauce if adding from a chilled state.

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Nut Butter Granola Bars

by Compelled to Cook | Sep 10, 2020 | BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH, GLUTEN FREE, SNACKS, VEGETARIAN | 0 comments

NUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

These slightly chewy, a little bit crunchy Nut Butter Granola Bars are the perfect snack or grab and go breakfast. As the name implies, they are made with nut butter, and my personal preference is natural chunky peanut butter. I’ve also made them with almond butter, which is tasty too, however the peanut flavour really comes through when using peanut butter and it’s a great flavour that marries up nicely with the honey. So tasty!

Nut Butter Granola Bars pressed into a 9x13 pan and ready for baking.

From this recipe, you get 16 nicely sized bars that wrap and freeze well for those of you who like to get a little meal prep done. If it’s likely that your hungry family will hoover through these is a short time, they’ll last for several days in a sealed container at room temperature.

Nut Butter Granola Bars are gluten-free, packed full of protein from the goodness of nuts and egg whites. The fat from the peanut butter and ground-up nuts helps to keep you feeling full and dried fruit and honey give a little chewiness and natural sweetness. There’s no excuse not to have a batch of these ready for snacking, enjoy!

Need more snacking options?

Gluten Free Snack Bites

Seed and Almond Coconut Clusters

Maple Date and Nut Snack Bites

Author: Compelled to Cook, adapted slightly from Bon Appétit

Nut Butter Granola Bars

Servings	Prep Time
16 bars	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
30-35 minutes	5 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
16 bars	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
30-35 minutes	5 minutes

Nut Butter Granola Bars

Servings	Prep Time
16 bars	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
30-35 minutes	5 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
16 bars	30 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
30-35 minutes	5 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups raw mixed nuts such as almonds, pecans, cashews
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds pepitas
3 tbsp oil extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil
2 cups large flake oatmeal divided
1 1/4 cups dried fruit such as currants, cherries, blueberries
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Servings: bars

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange nuts and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes until golden, stirring once. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, reduce the oven to 300°F. Spray a 13x9" pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper, overhanging the long sides.
Using a food processor, pulse cooled nuts and 1 cup of oats until a sandy consistency and no large pieces of oats remain. Transfer to a large bowl, along with the remaining cup of whole oats. To the same bowl stir in dried fruit and oil (chop any dried fruit bigger than a raisin).
In a medium saucepan whisk together honey, salt and vanilla over medium heat until at a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes until bubbling vigorously and smells like caramel.
Add peanut butter to oat mixture along with the hot honey and stir to fully combine. By adding together, the hot honey will help melt the peanut butter. Whisk egg white in a small bowl and stir into oat mixture until fully incorporated.
Scoop into prepared pan and pack down firmly and evenly. Using the bottom of a measuring cup helps to compact the mixture and get it flat.
Bake until golden and no longer sticky 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before scoring into 16 pieces (2x8). Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment overhang. Cut along score marks into bars.

Recipe Notes

-don't skimp on the amount of listed salt.

-I used a combination of almonds, pecans and cashews.

-cut bars can be wrapped and frozen, kept in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

-cut bars will last for about 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

-other nut butter such as almond butter work well too.

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Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal

by Compelled to Cook | Apr 30, 2020 | BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH, GLUTEN FREE, VEGETARIAN | 2 comments

Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal

I think breakfast is a very important start to any day. I am one of those people who does eat breakfast every single day. Yes, I think I should for nutrition but also because I’m quite hungry in the morning and if I don’t eat breakfast, no one is safe around me! That’s right, I turn into a hangry person, and it is not pretty.

I love these individual Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal squares because they are a good combination of chewy coconut and oatmeal with sweetness from frozen berries and maple syrup, yet they are not overly sweet. The eggs and milk provide much-needed protein to help us get through the morning and the adorable squares are a perfect size, at least for me. I just love them topped with lots of yogurt and fresh berries if I have them on hand. They can be made in advance, wrapped and frozen for up to a month. Thawed squares can be warmed gently in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.

Ingredients for Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal in a large glass bowl ready to be whisked together.

They’re super simple to make using only one bowl, and if you don’t have an individual pan like the one I have, you can bake it in a 9” x 9” pan and cut into desired squares. Either way, Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal is an easy and tasty way to start your day. Enjoy!

More breakfast options…

Baked Apple Cranberry Oatmeal

Orange Yogurt Smoothie

Ginger Pear Pancakes

Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal baked in individual squares.

Author: Compelled to Cook

Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal

Servings	Prep Time
12 servings	20-25 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
28-30 minutes	20 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
12 servings	20-25 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
28-30 minutes	20 minutes

Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal

Servings	Prep Time
12 servings	20-25 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
28-30 minutes	20 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
12 servings	20-25 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
28-30 minutes	20 minutes

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups 2% milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup coarsley chopped pecans optional
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
pinch nutmeg
1 cup frozen berries of choice I used mixed

Servings: servings

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl whisk together milk and eggs. Whisk in remaining ingredients except for the berries until fully combined. Stir in berries.
Spray a 12 square non-stick brownie pan or a 9"x 9" non-stick pan with non-stick spray.
Divide batter evenly between squares or pour into prepared 9" x 9" pan.
Bake on the center rack for 28-30 minutes if using the individual brownie pan and about 40 minutes if using the 9"x 9" pan.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. They will continue to firm up while cooling and you only need it pleasantly warm to serve. They will be difficult to remove from the individual brownie pan if too warm. Remove from pan and serve with yogurt, fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired. If baking for meal prep and saving for later feel free to allow it to cool longer before removing from either pan.

Recipe Notes

-Use almond milk or other milk substitutes in place of the 2% milk if desired.

-Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder if you want more protein.

-The individual brownie pan is perfect for meal prep baked oatmeal squares.

-Allow the squares to cool completely before wrapping and freezing. Will keep well wrapped for up to one month in the freezer.

-Allow frozen squares to thaw before warming gently in the microwave.

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Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

by Compelled to Cook | Feb 21, 2020 | SNACKS, VEGAN | 0 comments

Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

It’s time for a little blog cleanup, so I’m picking away at updating and putting a polish on a few of my older posts. Today’s cleanup goes back to 2016 with these wholesome, rustic and vegan Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps. Not only are these crisps beautiful with their dark cracker base they are also delightfully healthy with no added fat, eggs or dairy. I find some of my great recipes get left in the dust, never to be made again because my head is down and focused on always creating NEW content. Doing a little blog cleanup allows me to go back and redo the recipes, reminding me of just how good they really are.

In this recipe, I used nuts and seeds that I had on hand, but you can certainly change them up to whatever is your favourite. I love these Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps because of their texture which is crispy, yet still, some bites give a little chew. The currents are a nice addition because their size adds just the right amount of sweetness without becoming overbearing. Enjoy!

Baked Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps in loaf form on a wooden cutting board garnished with fresh thyme.

A small white plate with Pumpernickel Seed and Nuts Crisps, cheese slices and apricot jelly.

More pumpernickel greats!

Multigrain Pumpernickel Rye Bread

Chicken Piccata Sandwich

Author: Compelled to Cook

Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps

Crisp wholesome seed and nut crackers perfect for a vegan diet.

Servings	Prep Time
64 crackers	15 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
70 minutes	90 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
64 crackers	15 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
70 minutes	90 minutes

Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps

Crisp wholesome seed and nut crackers perfect for a vegan diet.

Servings	Prep Time
64 crackers	15 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
70 minutes	90 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
64 crackers	15 minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
70 minutes	90 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups seeds and nuts see note
1 1/4 cup almond or soy milk
1/3 cups rye flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp orange juice
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
3/4 tsp salt
2 each foil loaf pans see note

Servings: crackers

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients until just combined.
Spray 2 8"x3" loaf pans with non-stick spray and divide batter evenly between them. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack to room temperature. Once cool, remove loaves from their pan and place in the freezer for about an hour to help firm up for cutting.
Reheat oven to 300℉.
Remove from the freezer and cut each loaf into 1/8" slices. You should get approximately 30-33 slices per loaf. Lay each slice flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Flip each piece and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes (they will continue to crisp up as they cool). Remove from oven and place each slice onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.

Recipe Notes

-Any seeds and nuts can be used, but in this recipe, I used a combination of currents, pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas.

-Regular 9"x 5" loaf pans can be used, however, I used 8" x 3" foil loaf pans because they are narrower and therefore produce a slightly taller cracker and the loaves pop right out of the foil pans.

-Freezing is only required to assist in cutting even thin slices. If you are good with a knife, feel free to skip this step.

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Wor Wonton Soup

Wor Wonton Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Garlicky Buttered Beans

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Nut Butter Granola Bars

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Baked Berry and Coconut Oatmeal

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Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

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