The Unknown Chef is newest addition to the Birdz of a Feather family; it’s our recipe category. Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The recipe for a happy life is the right blend of family and friends to share it with, don’t you think?
‘The Unknown Chef‘ is inspired by Hubs. But does anybody really trust a skinny chef? Find out why you should! Although his ambitions to become a well-known chef didn’t go to plan, the blog at least provides an outlet to help prove the naysayers wrong!
You’ll find quick and easy recipes that are real timesavers, like our pressure cooker pulled pork. All the recipes are accessible to everyone. Even those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, there are gluten free substitutes that will work every time.. Hubs himself has celiac so every recipe on the site caters to a gluten-free diet.
Sweet potato shepherd’s pie is probably my favourite make-ahead meal because there’s enough to eat some the same day and also freeze for later! It’s always a tasty treat to grab an extra one out of the freezer on those days that you just don’t feel like cooking.
This creamy lentil curry is one of those one pot wonders! It’s great as a side dish or over rice, but recently we paired it with delicata squash and discovered that lentil squash boats are a keeper! Another go to recipe for meatless Monday!
These also make a great side dish at Thanksgiving or any holiday where you want to substitute stuffing. Since we can’t eat ‘real’ bread, this is a great alternative to stuffing and a whole lot healthier!
Do you ever just hang out in front of an open fridge and draw a blank? Those are the days that we really don’t know what we want for dinner. Well, if you have a couple red peppers, any kind of rice, some canned beans and corn and some jared salsa, you’ve got a quick and simple dinner with this mexican style stuffed peppers. Try it for meatless Monday!
Love fried chicken? Perhaps you made a new year’s resolution to cut back. Well you’ve come to the right place because these are the crispiest chicken wings ever!
This recipe lets you have all the crispy crunchy goodness without frying! Yes, you read that right – no oil, no muss, no fuss; but all the flaaaay-vour! If that weren’t enough, it’s also gluten free.
This recipe for chocolate bark comes out of necessity for wanting chocolate when there was none to be found in our house! Our version does tend to soften when handled too much. So I think the best way to eat it is to embellish a dish of ice cream with it! But keep in mind that you can eat it like chocolate – if you don’t mind licking your fingers after :).
With all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holidays, nothing hits the spot better than an easy poutine recipe with mushroom gravy. Who really has time to cook when you’re busy crafting for Christmas? We’re huge fans of this Canadian classic! If you don’t know what poutine is, it’s a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy that originated in Quebec.
We’re not only showing you a quick and easy mushroom poutine, but the best way to cook mushrooms too! It really is the best poutine recipe when you want something quick and satisfying.
In this recipe, I’ve combined my love of two breakfast favourites: pizza for breakfast with Matzo Brei; a classic mid-eastern breakfast dish. It’s a tradition to eat foods fried in oil during Hanukkah. I normally make this recipe with butter. However, over the holidays I add some oil in for good measure (and I find it helps to keep the butter from burning).
Matzo Brei is one of those childhood memories that I haven’t forgetten. My Great Aunt made the best version of this dish when I was a kid. She couldn’t cook for beans, but hers was by far the best I’ve ever eaten. I suspect it’s because she used a copious amount of butter! Does food conjure up childhood memories for you too?
These gluten free cheddar biscuits bake up light and fluffy with the addition of Expandex! Bring on the sausage breakfast sandwiches!
As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better on the occasional morning – or for a snack – than a muffin and coffee. These gluten free banana coconut muffins are moist, delicious and bake up to a golden brown colour.
During lockdown our grocery shopping frequency went from just about every day to only once every two weeks. Hubs has been buying more bananas than we can possibly eat before they spoil. But that’s ok with me because bananas don’t go to waste around here. That’s why this recipe is a mainstay in our household.
I’m calling these homemade Belgian waffles ‘mock buttermilk’ waffles because the goat milk and goat yoghurt bring the tangy flavour that mimics buttermilk. There is no actual buttermilk in these waffles.
You’ll find the texture reminiscent of a pancake; light and billowy. They practically melt in your mouth, which is why these are Hubs’ favourite waffle variation by far! If you substitute the regular flour for a gluten free one, this recipe makes awesome gluten free waffles too (that’s how I make them for Hubs)!
Need a new recipe for Taco Tuesday and got leftover pulled pork? Chipotle guacamole pulled pork tacos are a quick and easy week night meal – especially if you’ve made our pressure cooker pulled pork and have some in the freezer.
Jalapeño cornbread is the answer to a same ‘ol classic. Old cheddar and jalapeño pepper add the zip. It’s a savoury delight that you can enjoy as a snack or as an accompaniment to a meal. You can find the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.
If you’ve ever been in the predicament of inviting over a guest who has to stick to a gluten free diet, this gluten free mini pizza recipe is one to reach for. It will satisfy gluten and non-gluten eaters alike! Turn it into a fun interactive party idea by setting up a ‘pizza station’ with toppings so everyone can customize their own mini pizzas!
This is the best gluten free pizza I’ve made. No one would ever guess it’s gluten free; it’s that good!
If you’re familiar with the work of Julia Child, you’ll probably already know that clafoutis is traditionally a french dessert made with berries. I had no idea what it was until Hubs surprised me one morning with clafoutis for breakfast. But the even bigger surprise was that he made it savoury! This savoury tomato shallot clafoutis is perfect for a light breakfast, brunch or even dinner.
In Canada it seems we now only have two seasons: winter and humid. When it’s too hot to barbecue, and you want to keep the heat down in the kitchen, look no further than a pressure cooker. It will cut down on energy usage and get dinner on the table in no time at all! Our pulled pork pressure cooker recipe cooks up tender and moist in less than one hour (with only 45 minutes of actual cooking)!
