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Moxie’s Mosaic Dip (Copycat Recipe) – Goat Cheese and Mushroom Queso

February 18, 2022 No Comments

If you’re like me, you dig any recipe that has cheese in it – especially goat cheese! I use goat cheese in almost everything including toast, bagels, wraps, and salads. This recipe is what I call my version of the Moxie’s Mosaic Dip – which I instantly fell in love with at first bite! Unfortunately, this amazingly popular dip has been discontinued for some time now and you know I had to find my fix – hence the creation of this recipe! It is the perfect blend of ingredients that when combined, taste absolutely divine. Take your super bowl party or dinner party to the next level, by serving up this super easy – and super cheesy – appetizer.

The reason I call this my version of the Moxie’s Mosaic Dip is because I add an extra layer of spinach – yes it’s one of the secret ingredients to making this even awesome-er (is that a word?). If you want to make the original recipe, simply omit the spinach layer and mozzarella cheese. If you’re feeling a more chunkier dip, make sure to chop the ingredients roughly instead of finely. For an even smoother texture, blend each layer separately in a blender – I used my magic bullet – then add it to the baking dish in steps. If you’re in a rush but still want to try this delicious dip, blend all the ingredients in a blender except goat cheese, then place in the dish and crumble the goat cheese on top. I love using herbed goat cheese for a more enhanced flavour, but the original Moxie’s version had plain goat cheese in it.

My favourite way to serve this dip is the same way Moxie’s used to do it. Add a little butter or ghee to naan bread and heat it up in a pan, then cut into mini triangular (pizza) slices. Other alternatives include pita bread or tortilla chips. You could even dip vegetables in it like baked zucchini sticks or celery sticks.

The possibilities are endless with dips, and this dip is no exception! Just by tweaking the ingredients in the layers – like adding spinach (or kale), to using different types of mushrooms/onions/cheese, you can change the flavours to your liking and still experience the cheesy goodness. I haven’t yet tried using vegan cheese for this dip, but I’m sure it would taste great.

Try the recipe below and be sure to give my TikTok a follow or like! If you have any questions, leave a comment. Let me know how you like the recipe if you try it – especially if you come up with other amazing variations (please share!).

Moxie’s Mosaic Dip (Copycat Recipe) – Goat Cheese and Mushroom Queso

A delicious goat cheese and mushroom based dip, perfect for any occasion.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Servings 4 people

Calories 0.966 kcal

Equipment

1 baking dish
1 pan for sautéing

Ingredients

1 tomato, finely chopped or half a container cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or groun
¼ cup sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups mushrooms, finely chopped for better flavour, try a mix of cremini and button mushrooms
2 tbsp cream cheese if you add the spinach layer, add 1 more tbsp to this recipe
1 tsp soy sauce
¼ tsp salt
½ cup goat cheese
¼ cup mozzarella cheese optional, but tastes better
¼ cup baby spinach, finely chopped optional layer

Instructions

Lightly sauté the onion, tomatoes, garlic, andsalt in a pan with a little olive oil, then layer it into the bottom of a bakingdish.
In the same pan with olive oil, now add the mushrooms and soy sauce and sauté for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat, add cream cheese, mix, and layer this on top of the tomato mixture in the baking dish.
*Optional layer: sauté baby spinach in the pan and mix with 1 tablespoon cream cheese and add this on top of the mushroom layer.
For the final layer, we top everything with goat cheese (crumbled) and mozzarella cheese.
Bake in preheated 350-degree F oven for about 15 minutes. Remove and serve with warm naan bread or pita, or tortilla chips.

Video

@littlepartea
Try this #copycat #easyrecipe with a twist! 👍🏼😋 #foodtok #foodie #trending #viral #comfortfood #cheesetok #foodporn #torontofoodie #fyp #foodgasm
♬ SALSA JAM NO.1 – Jaycee Mante

Recipe Index

Energizing Matcha Green Tea Power Smoothie

January 29, 2022 No Comments

Matcha green tea smoothie with yogurt, milk, kale, spinach, mango, banana, and matcha.

Before I was hooked onto matcha, I had been hearing this term thrown around a lot but never realized it was a type of green tea. Being a crazy tea fanatic, I had already tried various types of green tea blends but had not paid much attention to the matcha hype. That changed this year when I did a quick Booster Juice run and decided to try one of their matcha smoothies. Naturally, I was instantly enthused and began thinking of all the possibilities of using matcha. Besides tasting so darn delicious, I started wondering what the health benefits were and decided to do some research.

Firstly, the direct translation of matcha is ‘powdered tea’ which is exactly what it is. We all drink green tea because of the health benefits, but you don’t quite absorb the full nutrients since you discard the leaves after brewing the tea. Matcha utilizes the full power of the leaves by converting them into a fine powder and ingesting it.

Below is a short summary of the antioxidant benefits of matcha:

Aids in the protection against heart disease and cancer
Boosts metabolism and assists in burning calories
Calms the mind and relaxes the body – assists in meditation and reducing cortisol (stress hormone)
Is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
Enhances mood and aids in concentration
Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
Lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, and reduces blood pressure
Anti-aging by lowering inflammation

While I’m still working out various delicious ways to use matcha in our daily diet, below is my favourite matcha green tea smoothie recipe to date. I have tried many combinations of smoothies containing matcha, but you can’t go wrong with mango and vanilla yogurt, am I right? I bought my first batch of matcha green tea from David’s Tea as that is my trusty go to tea place. I don’t recommend buying cheap quality matcha as the way the tea is extracted and developed could result in lead contamination if managed poorly. Although it could be pricier to go with a higher quality product, it definitely lasts a decent amount of time since you only use about a teaspoon each time.

Try out this matcha green tea smoothie recipe and tell me what you think! What are some other great combinations? Share your favourites in the comments below.
🙂

Matcha Green Tea Smoothie

This matcha green tea smoothie will instantly energize and refresh you. It is the perfect blend of super greens and yogurt in one tasty beverage – the best morning wake-up or mid-day pick-me-up.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Servings 2 people

Calories 0.17 kcal

Equipment

1 blender

Ingredients

1 cup mango chunks frozen for an icier texture
1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
1 banana sliced
1 cup almond milk or substitute with any other non-dairy or dairy beverage (oat/soy/cashew/coconut/rice milk)
½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt
1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
2 tsp maple syrup or substitute with honey, Stevia, or other sweetener of choice
½ tbsp flaxseed powder (optional)
½ tbsp chia seeds (optional)
½ cup ice cubes (optional) for an icier texture

Instructions

Add all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth for about 60-90 seconds or until desired consistency is reached. Add more ice for a thicker smoothie or milk to thin the smoothie as desired.
Pour into your favourite cup, add a straw, and enjoy!

Recipe Index

Chicken Karahi Recipe

January 13, 2022 No Comments

Chicken Karahi is one of the most popular Pakistani and Indian dishes. It is the perfect comfort food for all occasions and pairs well when served with naan or rice. Its simplicity and versatility makes it a popular curry dish found served in restaurants and street venues alike.

My family was raised in Canada, but I can still remember the traditional and authentic taste of chicken karahi from my visits back home. We’re lucky to live in a country that’s so culturally rich, that we’re able to enjoy the different cuisines from around the world. Living in Ontario means we’re blessed with many options to try chicken karahi at restaurants – and it’s great, most of the time. However, sometimes you just want to be able to manage the spice/salt according to your own taste and make it just the way your family likes.

After various trials in my own kitchen – and take-out from local restaurants – I think I might just have perfected the right combination of all the ingredients to create the ultimate chicken karahi recipe! But hey, you try it and let me know, yeah? Also checkout my quick TikTok tutorial on making this recipe and give me a quick follow if you like it. 🙂 I’m new at this TikTok thing, but I’m learning so bear with me.

Let me know your thoughts, I can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you. Happy cooking!

@littlepartea
You MUST try this! 😋 Your tastebuds can thank me later. #recipesoftiktok #foodtiktok #foodies #chickenrecipe #chickenkarahi #delishkitchen #foodlover
♬ I’m So Hungry – Karter Zaher

Chicken Karahi Recipe

A delicious Pakistani restaurant style tomato based chicken curry.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Servings 4 People

Calories 342 kcal

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil or ghee
1 small onion sliced
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 lbs chicken pieces with bone
2 tbsp mint chutney
3 medium sized tomatoes chopped

Spices

1 tbsp Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp chilli pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder

Garnish

1/4 cup cilantro chopped
2 green chilies sliced

Instructions

Saute onions in oil/ghee on medium heat till golden brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till oil separates.
Add chicken and fry till light golden on the outside.
Add mint chutney and fry for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and let them soften then mix in all the spices and salt.
Let the chicken fully cook by covering the pan with a lid and cooking on low heat about 8-10 minutes. The tomatoes will turn into a thick gravy, so uncover the pan and add a little water as needed to continue cooking the chicken.
Once the chicken is cooked and most of the water has evaporated, finish it off by garnishing with cilantro and green chillies. Can be served with basmati rice or naan bread.

Video

@littlepartea
You MUST try this! 😋 Your tastebuds can thank me later. #recipesoftiktok #foodtiktok #foodies #chickenrecipe #chickenkarahi #delishkitchen #foodlover
♬ I’m So Hungry – Karter Zaher

Notes

You can substitute the meat in this curry with meatballs for a kebab Karahi, or any plant-based meat alternatives. If substituting the meat portion, follow the correct cooking guidelines for the meat accordingly.

Free Resources

Spelling My Name Activity – for Preschool/Toddler

March 31, 2020 No Comments

Today they announced on the news, that Ontario schools will be closed until May, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not an ideal situation for sure, and with my preschooler beginning this September, I want to ensure she is fully prepared – even if schools don’t begin by then either. My goal was to ensure she at least knows how to spell her name and write her ABC’s. I created this worksheet to assist other children as well in learning to write their name. My daughter loves doing her daily writing activities, and with the excitement that comes with learning to write her own name, she is definitely over the moon.

Below is a FREE worksheet for those lucky kids named ‘Chris.’ If you are interested in having a CUSTOM sheet with your child’s name – I can create this and send it to you for as little as $5. That’s right, education should be affordable, am I right? But in all seriousness, I understand the struggle many families are facing right now so I wanted to ensure the lowest possible cost for a custom job. $5, that’s like a latte! It’s also a gift that will keep on giving – as you can print it and re-use as many times as you want! Use the PayPal ‘buy now’ link below to purchase this.

In the meantime, if your name is Chris, enjoy this worksheet! If not, no worries just check out some of the other freebies I have available. If you know someone who can benefit from this, please share! Thanks.

Cheers,
Sana

Preschool_SpellMyName_TemplateChris-LittlePartea Download

Free Resources

Daily To-Do List – for Preschool/Toddler

March 31, 2020 No Comments

No one said it was easy to raise kids. Preschoolers and toddlers are definitely harder to keep occupied and engaged in their activities. My own daily struggles with raising a preschooler, have resulted in searching for efficient ways to ‘get the job done.’ For the longest time, it was difficult trying to get her to do simple tasks like eating her vegetables, taking a nap to now ensuring she uses the potty often. Little minds need a little motivation to encourage them to do things that are generally part of their daily routine.

I created this Daily To-Do List to ensure that the basic routine is followed everyday – with a little help from some stickers or colouring as motivation. This worksheet is excellent if your little one needs that push to develop healthy daily habits. Each time a task is completed, get them to place a sticker on the circle for that day OR let them colour it in for extra fun! Personally, my daughter loves her stickers so we try to keep a different set for each day and then circle back to the beginning at the end of the week.

Give it a go with your little one and let me know in the comments how they enjoyed it. If you have any suggestions or requests for future worksheets/activities, send me a message – I love to hear from you! If you thought this was helpful, share it with your family and friends. Thanks!

Cheers,
Sana

Preschool_ToDoList_LittlePartea Download

Free Resources

Animal Book Activity – for Preschool/Toddler

March 31, 2020 No Comments

As a mother of a preschooler, I know the struggle first hand trying to occupy their little minds and keeping them interested in an activity for more than 5 minutes. The current global situation with the COVID-19 pandemic has not helped our case, because now we have to engage them in school activities as well with the recent shutdowns.

My daughter loves going to school and learning, so I’ve designed a few resources to help her continue to grow through writing, colouring, cutting – using fine motor skills. Let’s just say, she is really enjoying herself and so is this mama with some extra time on her hands. Win-win. To help you parents out there as well, I’ll be sharing some free downloadable and printable resources designed by yours truly. If you like them, please share this link with family/friends! If you have any requests or suggestions – please leave a comment. Below is the link for the Animal Book Activity.

Cheers,
Sana

MyAnimalBook1_PreschoolActivity_LittlePartea Download

Spinach ricotta lasagna – gluten-free, vegetarian

Everyone loves a good ol’ lasagna – I mean, how can you go wrong? Although I grew up eating the ground meat lasagna, I still prefer the vegetarian spinach ricotta lasagna any day. My husband is a huge fan of this dish, but I feel it sometimes gets too heavy for me which can result in heart burn. I found that substituting the regular lasagna strips for gluten-free strips has not only tasted better – in my opinion- but it feels much easier on the stomach. For this recipe, we don’t use any flour or create any traditional white sauce layer. You will find that this recipe is a lot easier to make and doesn’t require much care. You can whip this up really quickly if you have the ingredients on hand – especially if using a delicious pre-made pasta sauce. I personally recommend the Classico florentine spinach and cheese sauce you can find at most grocery stores. I prefer this one over others, as it already comes with a generous amount of spinach and cheese blend. Try out this recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. What are some of your favourite sauces?

Tropical Tornado – my version of the Booster Juice smoothie

If you are from Canada, you must have been to a Booster Juice at least once. Sometimes when I am on the go and need a quick filler and boost, I love grabbing a smoothie from Booster Juice. I know, some might argue it isn’t actually all that healthy considering the sugar level, but it definitely beats anything at a Tim’s or McD’s. In order to make it healthier, I decided to make this at home with ingredients I’m comfortable with. Better to know exactly what goes into your drink, am I right? Anyways, I hope this recipe tickles your taste buds like it does mine. I did make some tweaks to the recipe like omitting ice – as it is currently winter in Canada and I’m not about that life right now. Enjoy!

Afghani Chapli Kabab and Kabuli Pulao

Most of my childhood was spent eating rice dishes consisting of aromatic Indian spices – particularly biryani. If there is one thing I can’t live without, it’s chicken biryani. If you have ever had it, you know what I mean by full of flavour and spice – like a ka-pow to your taste buds. When I moved to Toronto, my family and friends encouraged me to try the famous Bamiyan Kabob restaurant, which focused on Afghani foods. This was my first time trying Afghan food, but I became instantly hooked. Although the rice is flavourful, it does not contain the same spice level as the biryani I am used to. My favourite combination is their chapli kabobs with the rice and salata (salad) they serve on the side. Perhaps what I loved most about the Afghani chapli was it’s similarity in taste to the Pakistani chapli kabobs I grew up eating. After eating at this restaurant for a number of years, I decided to give this recipe a try at home. The resulting recipe is something I developed as a quick fix to fulfill that Bamiyan craving. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Indian spiced chana masala

Traditionally, the way my mother cooks chana masala is different from the Indian style dish. People often have different variations of this dish, including a curry or creamy version. Although I quite enjoy the dish with more gravy in it, my father being from India influenced my style of cooking to the more ‘authentic’ way. In India, a large majority of the people are vegetarians, which is why you will find many recipes involving chana (chickpeas), lentils, and other legumes. Personally, I am not a vegetarian but chana and rajma (beans) are on my top favourites when it comes to Indian/Pakistani cuisine. I hope you enjoy this simple and aromatic recipe!

Chana masala can be served with plain basmati rice or naan bread. Yogurt, and chopped chillies and coriander are added on the side or as garnish. In the photos you will find me serving this with my home-ground gluten-free oat flour roti. I will be adding a separate recipe on how to make these healthy and delicious rotis – stay tuned.