Easy, Nutritious & Everyday Delicious
She feels like an old friend to me, as I first came across Andrea Mut in 2019. She was providing recipes online for The Livy Method — a weight loss program that focuses on healthy food rather than calorie reduction — and I have followed her through Instagram and Pinterest ever since. Mut posts under the My Pocket Kitchen moniker, and this is her first cookbook.
Originally from Napanee, Mut has 30 years as a chef, baker, recipe creator and instructor at Toronto’s George Brown College. She has self-published My Pocket Kitchen, available in Canada through her website (mypocketkitchen.com) and processed by Amazon. We have corresponded and she confessed to me that this book took her well out of her comfort zone. “I did everything from recipe development to photography and design,” she said, adding that she contracted a photographer to take photos of her and hired an editor. She reminded me that she has lots of free recipes on her site (an understatement!) and more coming.
I already had a few of Mut’s recipes in rotation. Her combinations of herbs and spices always create delightful flavours and aromas and are attractive on the plate. More than that, I love that she uses whole foods with a focus on cooking for health at the same time. Mut brings good food to everyday life, helping create a rhythm in the kitchen that feels manageable and enjoyable. Her recipes are always easy to follow, and My Pocket Kitchen has contributed some new favourites in my home.
I asked Mut if I could excerpt three recipes for Lifestyle readers. “For breakfast, lunch and dinner,” I explained, and she gave me permission and shared her photos and files. Upon reflection, I would enjoy these recipes at any time of the day.
Greek Chickpea Salad comes together quickly, and the flavours mix well with time. I can confirm it is good for a week in the fridge, and we eat this as a side dish for a few days. There is a pleasing blend of colours and textures, and while we enjoy Mut’s recipe as written, I can see how this salad might come into play when I’m feeling experimental.
Tuscan White Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup is rich enough that I have served it as a main dish for supper. I never thought to save parmesan rinds before, so I had to buy some, and they add something tangible to this very satisfying soup.
It might strain credibility to suggest Everything Cookies as a healthy breakfast option, but they are chock-full of good-for-you ingredients. Nuts and seeds give them a bold structure while the sweet ingredients bind them together. We will take these when we’re on the go but they’re also perfect with a cup of tea or for a bite of dessert. I’ll try swapping in raisins instead of cranberries when I make these the next time. Maybe you’re bold and could add both!
Greek Chickpea Salad
Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: 30 minutes
This recipe has been a family favourite for years and is now a staple in regular rotation. You can easily adjust the vegetables — try artichoke hearts, celery, roasted red peppers or grated carrots, which all work well. Letting the salad marinate for 30 minutes enhances the flavour, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. It travels well too, making it ideal for potlucks, lunches or meal prep.
GREEK DRESSING
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice, about ½ lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
SALAD
2 (19 oz/540 mL) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ English cucumber, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
¼ red onion, finely diced
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved or quartered
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk until well combined.
Pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large bowl. Add cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, olives, feta and parsley.
Pour dressing over salad and toss until evenly coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.
For best flavour, rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Tuscan White Bean & Turkey Sausage Soup
Yield: 6 to 8 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, this recipe might look familiar however, this version includes a quicker method and a healthy switch to turkey sausage from pork.
And, if you are not already saving the rinds from your blocks of Parmesan, now is the time to start. Having an available rind will add subtle richness to soups like this.
Mashing a portion of the beans makes this soup creamy without needing dairy. If you prefer it clearer and more brothy, skip the mashing.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 lb (450 g) Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 (19 oz/540 mL) cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 piece Parmesan rind, about 1-inch by 2-inch (optional)
4 cups lightly packed baby arugula leaves
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp lemon juice, about 1 lemon
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
Add sausage and garlic. Using a wooden spoon break up sausage into small pieces. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes, until sausage is fully cooked. If choosing a thickened version, place half of the rinsed beans in a bowl and mash with a fork.
Stir in chicken broth, beans (mashed and whole) salt, pepper, and Parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
Stir in arugula and basil and continue simmering until arugula is wilted. Add more broth if needed to reach desired consistency.
Remove from heat and discard Parmesan rind. Stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed. Sprinkle each serving with grated parmesan cheese if desired.
TIP: Feel free to switch up the type of sausage to whatever you like best or have on hand. The same goes for the beans keeping in mind the texture can change depending on what type of beans you choose. Chickpeas, lima, or navy beans would make good alternatives. Arugula has a peppery punch but can be replaced with any number of leafy greens such as sliced kale, cabbage, collard greens, or spinach.
Everything Cookies
Yield: about 30 (3-inch) cookies | Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
These cookies are teeming with whole grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit making them a wholesome snack or a nutritious treat for the kids. Grinding your own oats in a blender or food processor, instead of using oat flour, provides a fresher product with less waste.
I like my cookies on the smaller side, but feel free to adjust the size to your preference. You can mix and match any combination of nuts and seeds as long as they equal a total of 1 ¼ cups.
¾ cup large-flake oats, divided
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup raw slivered almonds
¼ cup flax seeds
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a blender, or food processor fitted with the steel blade, blitz ½ cup of oats until finely ground and powdery.
In a large bowl, mix ground oats, the remaining whole oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, flax seeds, and dried cranberries or raisins.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and continue mixing on high speed for one minute.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add oat mixture to butter mixture, until well combined.
Turn the machine off and add the nut and seed mixture. On low-speed mix until evenly incorporated.
Using a 1-oz scoop, or hands moistened with water, roll the dough into 1 ½-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet and gently flatten to about 2 ½ inches in diameter, leaving at least an inch space in between.
Note that these cookies don’t spread much during baking.
Bake one tray at a time in the centre of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.
See Tip below for extra baking tweaks.
Remove tray from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for one week or freeze for 3 months.
TIP: The top cookie-baking tip I can share is to testbake one or two cookies before baking a whole tray. Oven temperatures, rack placement, and baking sheet type can all affect how cookies bake. If the bottoms brown too quickly, try lowering the oven temperature by 25 degrees, double up your baking sheets, or move the rack to the top third of the oven.
