New Foodie Foods

Snaps from Hawaii

2014-07-31T14:16:00.001-07:00

While Vancouver bakes in the sun the past few weeks, I have turned off the kitchen for awhile. I think the best thing I have made lately was a kale pesto used for veggie dipping and a bruschetta to accompany some stale bread that "looked pretty good still." In a heat wave, we tend to gravitate to Whole 'Paycheque' (thanks Dad) and grab and go down to the beach, either that or a sweet platter (see previous post) and call it a night.

So, to make me feel like I can still call myself a quasi-food-somewhat-blogger I have put together this long overdue post. A while back I took an awesome trip to Maui with my Maja, for a family friend's wedding. Two foodies were trekking around da Island (not that one) with their trusty Edible Hawaiian Islands publication in hand. For foodies, each meal is serious stuff and the sights and smells of tropical paradise just pushed us over the edge. Enough chit chat, here are some highlights of our trip in photos.. Enjoy! Also, I promise to put up the Kale Pesto (vegan!) soon. PS you may have noticed the name change on twitter, a redesign is in the mix!

Big hugs,

Hawaiian's looove their SPAM... seriously?

First day lunch after visiting some local markets!

Beauty fish from a local market

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Fish, Kale Salad, with the Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Cocktails Anyone?

Two Hawaiian Kitchen Staples

A local market was amazing, located just up the hill from us in Wailea and conveniently under a great restaurant Monkeypod, The Market became a go-to for beach lunches.

Macadamian Nut Hummus? Yes please.

Ba HUMBOLT FOG!

Homemade Pasta Selections

A delicious dinner at MonkeyPod.

Their award-winning Mai Tai

NOM NOM NOM

This Avo was bigger than my two fists.

And made SO MUCH GUAC

Poached Breakfast Al fresco

A beauty platter in Paia

Wedding time!

A beauty of a night

Coastal Living

2014-06-06T11:25:00.002-07:00

Welcome to your weekend. I know, two posts in one week? But I really wanted to share this one with you before you maybe hit the cabin this weekend!
I know I sound like a broken record but summer is here to stay my friends.

With summer also comes escaping the city to the many cabin-esque destinations that surround our lovely lower mainland. A couple of weekends past, the ladies and I sailed away (yes, lots of lady posts these days) on the Queen of Surrey to the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Our good friend J-Mit has a sweet little cabin right on the beach just down from Seachelt and we had a couple things to celebrate.

The week before we left, I got engaged. Yes, engaged! To my sweet man friend and buddy for life, B. So the weekend became the perfect time to whisk off and celebrate with my girls (and bridesmaids to-be!). A friend of mine also is recently engaged and so a dual celebration was mandatory.

Before boarding our sturdy vessel, we settled into supper at a Horseshoe Bay favourite, the Olive and Anchor. You can see by looking at the website and menu is a great little lead in to our nautical adventure.

Setting sail we then arrived at the coast, cabin times are the best times. Sun, wine beachcombing, brunching, bbq-ing and general all around silliness ensued (including many unsuccessful cartwheel attempts). For some weekend fashion, I will direct you to my lovely friend The August Diaries, who was also my photog for the weekend.

Weekends away call for many nibbles, and shared items. Lunch time can creep up directly after a large brunch and before an even larger dinner. To avoid over-feeding, lunch time and most of the afternoon becomes a platter-type situation. Pick and nibble as you see fit, and wash it down with a crisp Sauv Blanc or lots of bubbles...

For an amazing platter you will need the following (but just remember, these are only suggestions, get creative and make this your own):

1 hard cheese, eg. Irish Chedder, Applewood Smoked Chedder

1 goat based cheese, eg. Pailliot is one of my favs

1 blue type cheese or stinky cheese, Naramata Bench Blue is great

Olives, mixed but include Cerignola, they are amazing and taste the butter.

Hummus, Carmelized Onion, yum

Mixed veggies

Fresh arugula greens with a very light drizzle of olive oil

A baguette or French bread, cut into pieces. I love the Green Olive Loaf at Terra Breads for this.

Fruit, strawberries cut up, blueberries work well with the cheese

Fresh Basil, ripped up

Lots of napkins or small plates

White wine or Bubbles

Presentation is important here, but at the same time it is also supposed to be fun! So have at ‘er and throw your favourites together. Platters like this carried us through the weekend, on to many more bottles of wine and lots of wedding related chatter (not to mention cartwheels).

Thanks to everyone to cheers’d along with me and my big news. I guess we will have a few wedding posts to come? x.

Taco Tuesday, Supper Club Edition

2014-06-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos! How’s it hanging? Pretty low and lazy in all this SUNSHINE! Yes, summer has arrived in my books. Has it bloomed for you?

Summer is ‘it’ for me, it is my season of happiness and good feelings. I love the air, the floral aroma, feeling of lightness that comes with warmer weather. I was on my early morning dog ‘wog’ (that’s my walking-jog combo) and thought to myself, ‘Wow, everything is so green and lush. How do I forget this every winter?’ Luckily we do forget, because if we didn't, there would be a lot more rain puddle related drownings going around. Phewf.

Freshness outside means I get to play with a lot more freshness inside, in my kitchen. A few weeks ago I (finally!) was able to host a supper club at my new casa and I really wanted to WOW the ladies the first time they came over.

Champagne any time

Fish Tacos were a no-brainer and give the right sizzle to summer feasting. Not to mention, I love a meal that is interactive and family style. To go along with the tacos, I came up with the following menu:

Purple Cabbage Slaw with a Lemon-Tahini Dressing (thank you @ohsheglows)

Summer Corn Succotash with Broad Beans and Fresh Basil

Pico de Gallo Salsa with Kumoto Tomatoes

Pineapple Salsa

Gauc (made by a friend whose speciality is a good guacamole)

I have put my Succotash and Pineapple salsa recipe below, but others are linked above.

I set out the night before and prepped all of the above (minus Gauc). That way, day of on my way home from work, I just had to pick up the fish (fresh, wild Sole from Whole Foods) and set everything up.

The fish, I cooked in the oven, with a lot of lemon, paprika, salt, pepper, butter and a bit of chili spice.

The Succotash was by far my favourite item of the night. The tastes of sweet corn, broad beans, cherry tomatoes with the slight hint of garlic, salt and sweet fresh basil – amazing and exactly what summer should taste like.

The 'Slaw and Succotash, family style

A great night with the ladies, supper clubs are a great way to get together with your friends and explore cooking. I know we all look forward to being all together at least once a month. Life gets hectic and to stay sane, we put this time aside for ourselves and each other. Not to mention, nothing beats a mid week dance party.

I last minute whipped up these chocolate strawbs

Note: I have some fabulous posts coming up, including my trip to Maui (if I can get a new camera battery already) and a weekend away on the Coast, celebrating something very special! x

Sweet Succotash (adapted from Martha Stewart’s)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cups, cherry tomatoes

1 540ml can, broad beans

3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (4 ears)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

STEP 1

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, broad beans, and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and serve OR rest in fridge over night, and slightly heat up right before serving.

Fresh Pineapple Salsa (Adapted from Whole Foods)

Ingredients:

2 cups diced fresh pineapple

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

½ jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Zest and juice of 2 limes

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

STEP 1:

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to use.

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The Vegan Question

2014-05-22T10:31:00.002-07:00

I have always struggled with my meat intake. Meat, of any kind has not been an easy thing for me to digest. After my weight loss I noticed how little meat I needed to eat to be full and get enough protein in my diet. Over the last few years, I have found other ways to get my protein and the ever important IRON. This seems to be a, dare I say, foodie trend as I have noticed more and more quinoa and sprout looking ‘power bowls’ popping up on my Instagram feed.

They all seemed to be tagging one account in particular, Angela Liddon @ohsheglows. Angela is a vegan food blogger and now cookbook author who just published her first ever book, entitled “Oh She Glows” after Angela’s successful blog. As more and more of my lady friends seemed to be pumping out Lemon Tahini dressing like it’s going extinct, I bought the book and set my mind to possibly becoming a Vegan.

I admit this whole becoming a Vegan/Vegetarian thing maybe a phase I missed in early puberty. As one long time veggie friend, who recently gave it up cried to me “Where were you the last eight years of my life?”
Could I do it? I am a card carrying member of PETA after all, so why not?

There are many reasons why not, and they all seem to start with Cheese. BUT I was not going to let that deter me (see photo below with my downfall). I would eliminate meat at home (at least from my diet) and cheat only at restaurants that I felt absolutely necessary to do so (I needed those meatballs at Ask for Luigi, I did).

Angela’s cookbook is a beauty. The colours and the freshness associated with her food photography draw you in. Not to mention the aspect of enhancing to your beauty regime with recipes entitled “Tropical Beauty Smoothie”. Angela, you did say we were going to glow like you, yes?

The first recipe I have tried was a vegan version of Mexican comfort food.
The Yam and Black Bean with Cilantro Avocado Cream Enchiladas.

They were amazing. I loved each minute of preparing these babies and doubled the recipe, they fed me for lunches and dinners for a week. B added chicken to his and it was just a good (so he told me!).

Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped (~2 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup sweet potato, chopped (or zucchini)

1 bell pepper, chopped – I subtracted this and added grated parsnip

2 handfuls spinach, chopped

1 can black beans (~2 cups), drained and rinsed

Enchilada sauce or Pasta sauce (about 2.5 cups)* see note

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder, or to taste

4 whole grain tortilla wraps

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce, to pour on top (recipe below)

Have you seen a Garlic clove that big?!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a baking dish large enough for 4 enchiladas. Pre-cook the chopped sweet potato, by simmering it in a small pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium to low heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add in garlic and reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Now add the chopped pepper, pre-cooked sweet potato, drained black beans, and chopped spinach. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes on medium-low heat.

Whoops, there goes some cheese...

3. Now add in your enchilada or pasta sauce. Stir well, and add in your seasonings: nutritional yeast (optional), cumin, fresh lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chili powder- all to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well.

4. Scoop about 3/4-1 cup of the mixture onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread out in a thin layer. Scoop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down on the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining 3 tortillas and leave a bit of filling left to spread over the top. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if preferred.

Assembly Required

5. Bake tortillas at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your Cilantro cream sauce (see below). When enchiladas are cooked, remove from oven and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 enchiladas.

Note: Depending on what kind of sauce you use, you will have to adjust the seasonings to taste. I used a pasta sauce so I likely needed more seasonings to achieve the taste I desired.

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

Yield: ~1.25-1.5 cups

Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh

2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out

2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)

1 cup packed fresh cilantro – I also added chopped kale

1 tsp kosher salt, to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp ground cumin

Black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.

Carbs and Cheese-y Nights In

2014-04-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need a girl’s night. Not to be cliché, but any female will tell you this is fact. Being constantly around the male species at work and play(!) eventually will give you that craving. Don’t deny this feeling, you need this. You need some other self-righteous female to consciously break down your recent life decisions and compare them to popular media and celebrity life. You just do.

Female meetings such as this also require wine, (insert stereotypical someecard here). They would also preferably have some selection of cheese and a carb source delicately plated on a cutting board. Okay, so maybe they aren't that picky but I know my friends actually appreciate this stuff.

As part of this particular meeting of carbs and cheese I made very simple seafood pasta (more carbs) with fresh prawns, garlic and chillies. Accompanying this was a beauty of an arugula salad with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh lemon and mini bocconcini (more cheese). For a pasta recipe that inspired this dinner click here.

We had a great time, chatted about work, boys and photography (hence all the photog skills you see here). Thank you to these two beauties The August Diaries and Jmit.

Another One Bites the Crust

2014-04-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Please bear with me, I have a lot of ricotta left over and I may or may not have made more...

My step-mom requested we make these little guys for a dinner with her friends. Incredibly easy and paired with a beautiful French Rose wine

Lemon, Rosemary and Honey Ricotta Crostinis

3 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

Zest of two lemons

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed

Salt and pepper to taste

1 French baguette, sliced thick

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the rosemary. Cook until crispy, about 10 seconds. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Place ricotta in serving dish, then mix in lemon zest and all of the rosemary

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and remaining rosemary.

Served with grilled bread.

For Bread: Cut baguette into pieces, cut on a bias. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side. You could also use the burner on a gas stove or broil in the oven until slightly charred.

Foodie Field Trips: A Hobby Chef Huddle

2014-03-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ah the date approaches... and I am getting slightly more nervous for our menu “Spring is Served!”

Last Wednesday all of the #dinnerpartyYVR hobby chefs were invited to get together for a little ‘huddle’ at Cressy Development’s Arbutus Ridge show home. What a beaut of a building that is going to be!

We picked up our ‘goodie bags’, including beautifully paired Serendipity wine and Granville Island beer.

Both Serendipity and Granville Island Brewing read our menus and chose which beer or wine would go with our meals. Then we were GIVEN a whole case of the beer and a bottle of the wine! Could not ask for more really...

We sampled some amazing charcuterie from Two Rivers Meats where I met mini-chef in the making Little Locavore, check out his blog here!

We were then treated to a knife demo by the chefs at the Pacific Culinary Institute in Granville Island, Little Locavore went on to win the knife set up for grabs, hrrumph.

Not to mention we learned a couple of things about the ever growing charity of the event. Not only will our meal’s proceeds go to the charity of our choosing (in my case the ALS Society of BC) but SPUD! Vancouver has agreed to donate $5.00 to Loving Spoonful for every tweet, post and pic with the #dinnerpartyYVR (WOW!) So re-tweet this post!

Thank you SPUD! I am so looking forward to my first delivery.

This event is turning out to mean so much more to myself and our local community that I hoped or expected! A big pre-dinner thank you to Social Bites and the sponsoring partners:

Cressy Development

SPUD! Vancouver

Fortis BC

Two Rivers Meats

Granville Island Brewing

Serendipity Wine

Chimp

MODO Car Co-op

Vancouver is Awesome.com

Yelp

Pixel Booth

Music Direction

Mark your calendars for April 5^th!

Crostini Crazy #dinnerpartyYVR Recipe 1

2014-03-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ho, Hey fellow foodies!

How is everyone today? Another fine rainy SPRING Tuesday! Yes, it is spring I confirmed it last night on my evening stroll in the suburban ‘hood where I am (still from the flood) residing. (SIGH).

I will not be mentioning the flood any further, other to than to say, what a disaster it has turned out to be.

Moving on, upsides of my suburban residence are as follows (staying positive...)

1. Holy heck do I have a big kitchen containing a massive Viking range

2. The view can’t be beat (see below)

3. There is a large sea lion barking every night across the water (perhaps a downside?)

4. My parents live next door (also, perhaps a downside?)

The kitchen thing is really the cherry on the cake, and I have been using it to its fullest potential. Trying new things, cooking up a storm for friends and generally make a gigantic mess.

One of those messes had to do with our very exciting and rapidly approaching #dinnerpartyYVR, presented by Social Bites. I previously mentioned the amazing event in a post here.

Well now we have our dinner SOLD OUT! So Jackie and I decided to do a test run of our spring-inspired menu, my first priority was to master the little crostinis that are our first course.

Pickled Fig and Ricotta Crostinis with Pistachio, Thyme and Honey Drizzle

(adapted from In the Kitchen with Leela Cyd)

Black Mission Figs, sliced into thin discs

1 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Water

3 sprigs of Fresh Thyme

1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese*

1 Baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

Olive Oil

Salt

For garnish 1/2 cup Pistachios,

Lightly crushed drizzle of Honey

*Now, because this is #dinnerpartyYVR and you don’t mess around, I decided to make my Ricotta cheese myself. For the RICOTTA I used that saucy minx, Ina Garten’s recipe can be found here. Leave the cheese to drip for 40 min, I found it left a better texture.

For the Crostinis; In a small pot over medium-low heat, bring fig slices, red wine vinegar, sugar, water and thyme sprigs to a simmer, for about 5 minutes. Turn heat off, cover and let steep for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a pan with parchment. In a large bowl, toss baguette rounds in a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt. Cook rounds for about 15 to 20 minutes, checking for desired doneness (I love a deep golden brown toast, but you may like them a little more blonde) every 5 minutes. Remove toasts from the oven when done and set aside.

Gather figs, toasts, ricotta, thyme sprigs and pistachios for assembly. Spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of ricotta on each toast, gingerly place pickled figs (about 2 or 3 per toast) atop the ricotta, and drizzle with honey and a hefty sprinkle of crushed pistachios.

Finish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.

These are amazing; I ate so many of them... and then drank too much wine so my sous chef was left slightly alone for the rest of dinner? Sorry Jmit. I will do better on the actual day.

Follow @socialbites or myself @newfoodiefoods on Twitter for more updates on #dinnerpartyYVR

Dip It Low, Scoop it up Slow: White Bean Dip

2014-03-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday to all.

Is it a happy Monday for you? I think it is for me, I spent the weekend still struggling with this ongoing monster of a cold. Monday has brought me a little closer to feeling 100% but what DA HECK? Why is the getting better process taking so long? I mean, I eat my kale, I juice, I am all over vitamins in food and in pill form. This monster of cold does not care for all that, it laughs in the face of nutrition and has made camp in my throat and chest.

While I am lingering in this half place of feeling okay enough to allow myself out but then cursing my self for doing so... I ventured to another round of our infamous Supper Club.

I am proud to say we are now on the 3^rd go-around! I had to miss my kick off turn thanks to the flood so, AKB graciously stepped in and hosted. What an epic meal she prepared too, "dahl ghosht" which literally translated mean dahl meat, or lentil curry with slow cooked lamb, with rice and naan. She nailed it too, the meat was so tender and the curry was very bright in flavour.

Typically we all bring a little something to nibble on beforehand, to have a base for the first glass of wine really. Cheese is a must, bread from our favourite Terra Breads and hummus. This time, I on my health kick decided to give a fresh boost to our dipping pleasure. This white bean dip is a favourite of mine; I usually make in the summer but hey, why wait for the warm weather to come to you!

Dip it low, White Bean Dip

2 cans (400g) White Kidney (Cannelloni) Beans, drained

2 cloves of Garlic

Fresh Basil, chopped

Fresh Thyme,

Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Parsley, chopped

½ Lemon, squeezed

½ cup Green Onions, finely chopped

Good Olive Oil

Salt and Pep, to taste

Reserve about ½ cup of the kidney beans, your chopped parsley and about ¼ of your chopped Green Onion, but put all other ingredients in processor and blend.

Taste as you go and adjust levels, I find that more Lemon, Thyme and Basil are good.

When thoroughly blended, add reserved beans and blend again so there is a slight chunk to the dip.

Serve warm, sprinkle with Parsley and rest of your Green Onion

Dip it low and scoop it up slow!

Foodie Field Trips: BC HOME AND GARDEN SHOW!

2014-02-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

The other night I was lucky enough to get a sweet little invite to opening night of the BC Home and Garden Show! Extra sweet because for the first time, I am an actual home owner. Cherry on the top (as you may know) we are in the market for a new hot water tank (or tank-less) system. I did have one thought on my way there; what draw would this show have to a foodie? So far it appeals to my newly cultured 'homie' (that’s home owner homie) side, but where is the food? I mean there will be BBQ’s I am sure, but will there be a choice selection of meat on them?

Excited I was, walking into BC Place stadium I was pleasantly surprised to be directed to the BC Living Lounge and Power Smart House. A nice little lounge set up with wine and charcuterie offerings and some chic outdoor patio furniture to enjoy your glass. We decided to wander and around the corner I hit the jackpot. The massive Urban Fare booth decked out to be a fully functional grocery store/sample heaven. Not to mention they were cooking a full roast and offering samples alongside some amazing horseradish cream.

After munching some truffle hummus, I came across the Urban Fare Cooking stage, set up and ready for a cooking demos AND as I learned, an amazing CHOPPED competition that is scheduled for Saturday Feb 22, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Ned Bell, Chef at YEW

Hosted by one of my favourite Vancouver talents, Chef Ned Bell of YEW seafood and bar at the Four Seasons. Actual home chefs will compete with baskets of mystery ingredients (voted and decided upon by social media users). Judges include the amazing Chef Vikram Vij, Urban Fare executive chef Ryan McDonald, and 102.7 Peak host Laurie Logan. Last chef standing receives an amazing prize of a deluxe flight seeing and dining experience for 4 valued at $3,500, courtesy of Urban Fare and Helijet.

Ryan McDonald, Executive Chef Urban Fare

Vikram Vij, Vij's and Rangoli

While I pondered how to get in this competition as a very late entry, we continued to wander and see the sites. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a lot of other foodie related booths. I even found another stone/Irish themed bar in the upper level, along with some vacuum packed corn on the cob.

I really enjoyed the little secret garden getaway booth, I even tried to get in there and taste some of that Prosecco. That was not appreciated, and I had to settle with the little chair in the garden.

An amazing evening, the show was a big hit with me. So much so, I am going back tonight and Saturday (2-4) for the CHOPPED competition! It is going to be a great time, and tickets are cheap so it really is a great little foodie field trip!

While you are there, please go by the "Better Gnomes and Gardens" booth, a funny little wall of Gnomes to benefit SOLE FOOD. PS did you know Gnomes were banned from the Chelsea Flower show for 100 years until 2013?

Roses are Red, Cabbage is Purple.

2014-02-14T10:30:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Hum-bug you say? Lot of nonsense and consumerism you might say? Well, I say, stuff it in a sock. Yes, Valentine’s day has been made out to be for those in gushy-oh-so-romantic-cutesy-no-you-hang-up-first type of relationships, fair.

But what if, now bear with me here, just what if – everyone took today to just spread some love to your fellow man? (or woman of course.) Take a moment out of your day to let someone go ahead of you line, smile at someone who looks like they need it, and make a joke so you give a giggle to a complete stranger. Do this, be happy today, bask in the love that surrounds everyone and Valentine’s Day will forever be a holiday of love and not lovers.

These are a few of the loves of my life. (Miss are the top two, B and B).

On that note, I must say that I am pretty proud of how positive I just sounded. Just as a quick update on my #thisis2014 moving/buying a home escapade – while we were in the house, putting in new flooring, walls etc. We are now out of the house. Thank you hot water tank. You may or may not have seen my desperate tweets as of late, I was hosting a pity party – did you want to come!? Haha, no. In the face of this, I am now homeless and living out of a suitcase from hotel to apartment. Since kitchen access has been scarce, I have to rely on a Valentine’s Post from two years ago to get me through.

Every year my mom would could us a pink, red and purple meal, as best she could without trying to kill us with food dye. One favourite that I have kept is braised Purple Cabbage. The perfect side dish to an Asian inspired meal, or just a big ol’roast (see older post here).

Braised Purple Cabbage (updated)

Head or ½ head of Purple Cabbage, chopped

1 Granny Smith Apple, chopped small

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil or Butter (for pan)

1 Sweet Walla Walla Yellow Onion, chopped small

Pinch of cinnamon

Salt and Pep to taste

Heat pan with oil or butter,

Throw in onion and cabbage, add apple shortly after.

Season to taste using liberal amounts of Balsamic

Braise nicely, until Cabbage is soft with a bit of crunch.

Serve next some red meat.

Happy V-Day, to everyone who loves, someone loves you.

Big News! #DinnerPartyYVR Round 2!

2014-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I received an email from Annika the founder of Social Bites. After the massive success of her #dinnerpartyYVR last October, she has decided to organize Round 2 this April! I, of course immediately jumped at the chance to be a part of this amazing event. If you are unfamiliar with Social Bites read my past post when I was a competitor!

The #dinnerpartyYVR event is a much larger event with more people, hobby chefs and no competition. All the proceeds from each hobby chef's dinner goes to the charity of your choosing.

While I am still working on a menu of sorts. I am also trying to decide which charity to support. I support multiple charities close to my heart through volunteer work so I am having a bit of trouble choosing. I DO however have a new partner in crime for this adventure. My good friend and chef JMit, I have asked her to guest post on the blog sooner rather than later in order for you all to get a 'taste' of her cooking skill. Let's hope she is up for the task!

Anyways, I will be all a flutter (twitter) about my participation in this year's event. I of course will let you know when tickets go on sale, and you could come to my own #dinnerpartyYVR

Pigskin and Poppers: Healthy Jalapeno Poppers

2014-01-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

I looooooove a good popper. You know, those slightly spicy, creamy, burn the insides of your mouth when you bite into them? It's the finer things in life, really.

What I do not love about a good popper is the caloric content after a about two of them. Tipping the scales at over 200 cals for two of the store bought variety, after an entire box, they might *pop* something else (a button perhaps?).

Let's face it, couching it up for 5 hours watching the big game, having a few beers and eating your face off is awesome times. Not as awesome times for someone whose metabolism moves slower than grass grows. No disrespect! I love a good couch sesh and I date a bonafide NFL addict but I have had to develop ways to cope when the only physical activity is making another ceaser.

My 'couch-friendly' version of the Jalapeno Popper

You will need 10-12 Jalapenos (feeding 10-12 people)

500g Low Fat Cream Cheese

500g (roughly) Goat Feta Cheese

500g of Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Cumin

Garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh Chives (optional)

Panko Bread crumbs

1. PUT ON GLOVES. I can't stress this enough, I FOOLISHLY did not listen to every recipe that I read when testing running recipes. They all said this first. LISTEN, you need to put on gloves. There was a terrible experience involving a burn eye, nose, cheek and other body parts shortly after putting these bad boys in the oven.

2. Start cutting your Jalapenos, length-wise. Remove all the seeds and white pith (the spicy stuff).

3. Pre-heat oven, 350-375 degrees. Lightly oil a couple of baking sheets (not too much, and not overly necessary).

4. In a large bowl mix together, Cream Cheese, Feta, 1/2 of Parm, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 shaved or minced garlic cloves, finely minced fresh chives. Mix well.

5. In a small bowl mix together, Panko and other 1/2 Parm, salt and pepper

6. Start stuffing peppers. Use a spoon to stuff and fill, make sure you smooth down the mixture. Sprinkle each with Panko mixture until top is fully coated.

Place on baking tray and bake for 20-30 min. Depending on size of popper.

Note that you can stuff the peppers the night before and refrigerate till morning. Bring your Panko and bake at your football party destination (if that is possible). If not, they warm up well in the oven or *gasp* mircowave.

Yum, have a very happy Superbowl Sunday! I will be moved in by Thursday/Friday to my new place so expect some pics on my Twitter feed! @newfoodiefoods

Next post will of course recount the horrors of moving that I am currently living in, but also will be a big ANNOUNCEMENT! #thisis2014

Weeknight Supper: Detox Edition

2014-01-20T12:23:00.004-08:00

Giggling, photo doesn't quite match the title of the post? Read on, fine friends.

How is your Monday going so far? Mine has been quite productive. I am not sure if the Wild Rose detox can be given the credit for all the pep in my step. I like to think it has something to do with some new agreements I have made with myself going forward. Continuing with my last post - I am attempting to be more confident in my positive thinking. I am hoping this will give me the edge on a few personal projects coming up in the new year. Positive personal projects!

While my last day of the WildRose was on Friday. I tried to still follow the detox menu, except for the large amount of booziness that happened that night (what can I say, it felt great to have a bourbon cocktail again). We ended up at Mamie Taylor's in Chinatown. A favourite if you like great drinks, comfy food and have a thing for taxidermy. Find them here, and try their BURGER

Burger at Mamie Taylor's c/o Scout Magazine - A better way to start a blog

*Drool and sigh* This bad boy is for the weekends... After the cleanse, I really appreciate the term "you are what you eat". So I am attempting to keep up the clean and lean eating during the week and allowing myself gems like the above occasionally on weekends.
Call it the 5:2 if you will but I am not that serious.
I generally am sticking to variations of the below warm salad/dish. It has everything that your taste buds and tummy need to feel happy and full but without that other not-so-good fats.

One thing I noticed that helped me stick to the diet was the amount of prep I did. Sunday nights was a big one for the week. Then each night I would pre-pack my lunch for the next day with ready to make stuff from Sunday. The below gem was my base for almost everything I ate.

Not the best way to start a blog... the burger is a better photo.

Cauliflower, Kale, Zucchini Fried 'Rice'

2 cups Cauliflower
2 large Kale leafs
1/2 regular Zucchini
1 cup Quinoa
1 cup Brown Rice
2 Eggs
Cilantro, Cumin, Chili Flakes, Lemon and Garlic
Olive Oil

Cook your Quinoa and Brown Rice in a pot. Be careful not to burn and set aside.
In your Food Processor blend the Cauliflower, Kale, Zucchini with the spices/lemon.
Heat a large pan with Oil and more Garlic if you wish.
Add Veg mixture to pan. I flattened mine like a pancake and tried to get some browning on each side. Add your Quinoa/Brown Rice (I didn't use the whole pot I made, added only 1/2 a cup of each and saved the rest for other nights).
Stir and sizzle. Crack both eggs into mixture, stir and sizzle and mix egg around while it cooks. Continue to mix and stir.
Voila! "Egg Fried Rice" for your week ahead.

Using the above as a base this is pretty much what I have been eating for the past 2 weeks.

Detox Dinner

1/2 Cup "Egg Fried Rice"
A handful of ripped dark leafy Kale
A palm-full of cooked chopped Yam (also something good to pre-prep)
1/2 an Avocado, chopped
A handful of Pea Shoots
Sliced and chopped Broccoli florets (stem included).
More veg of your choosing, chopped (I liked some red peppers thrown in there)
1 Tablespoon Hummus (Also a good pre prep, my favourite recipe is here) but you can buy some local goodness called Yummus too.)

1 half lemon, chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients in small bowl (sans Pea Shoots).
Warm in microwave (yes, warm avocado and hummus is your friend)
Sprinkle with Pea Shoots or some more Cilantro.
VOILA! A warm salady-meal thing that is Wild Rose Detox friendly, very filling and very yummy!

Mix and match the veg from the Wild Rose list of foods, the combos are endless.

I mashed up the Yam pretty good...

Holiday Hungry Round Up

2014-01-06T10:20:00.005-08:00

My apologies to you all. I took a wee break over the holidays. Between house hunting, house and dog sitting, and the holidays themselves... I did not make time for you my friends. For that I am sorry.

Now it is 2014! Here we are... How do you feel about the promise of a New Year? I was reading an fellow blog post about those oh-so pesky but popular New Year resolutions. Slightly different was the idea of a one word resolution. One single word that could help empower you into a new and fruitful year! I think this is a great idea and being the challenges I have carrying over from 2013, I need something to remind me of how many blessing I have in my life. Positivism is a word so overused, while still being a favourite of mine. I have relied on the power of this word to retain my sanity through many trials and tribulations (including my failed souffle attempts, hrmph). I am going to add another word and make it a two word resolution for 2014: Confident Positivism. Yes, that sounds nice.

I am going to need all the confidence and positive attitude I can get in the new few months! What with a new home (YES! We bought a house! More on that to come..) We will be moving and undertaking my very first renovation(s). Even harder, and more of a trial (bear with me here) will be my 12 day Wild Rose Challenge. Starting today. Oh ya baby. So bring on the quinoa, yams and avocado. I am giving up the goods - oh ya and no drinking! Here we go.

Breakfast today consisted of a punch of little pills, some drops in my mint and lemon water. 1 egg scrambled with some yams. Just livin' the dream baby.

In lieu of a recipe today - I will post some of my pics from over the holidays. Some of these gems WILL be recipes to be put up shortly on the blog. Also, please enjoy the above adorable little roundup of some of my photos in 2013.

Healthy Jalapeno Poppers!

A great visit to Rain or Shine Ice Cream in Kits!

My view for the last few weeks of December and beginning of Jan

New Years Day Smoked Salmon Eggs Benny

Our pre-Christmas Christmas at Van Deusen

Mom's Classic Tree

New Year's Eve Sweet and Sour Meatballs

NYE Lobster Tails!

Leftovers: More Than A Sandwich

2013-12-02T13:00:00.001-08:00

Hello my fine friends! How was your weekend? A bit blustery around these parts for sure. Also quite wet and cold, but who minds that when you have a lovely golden Turkey browning in the oven and a nice glass of wine in your hand.

Yes, this past weekend was our now annual trip to Pt. Bob (Robert's) in 'Amurica'. A good friend of ours has a lovely place down there that he so generously opens up to a bunch of hooligans for a night or two of food, wine and games. Oh, so much wine (sick feeling rising in my stomach as I type). After a mis-step on timing by my usual kitchen partner, I was left with an different but eager sous chef. We rocked our way around the kitchen putting together some amazing combos for our Thanksgiving feast. My personal favourite was the roasted brussel sprout, cauliflower, asparagus, feta, caper and pomegranate topped veggie dish. The combo was amazing - created on site as well! I will put that little baby up my sleeve for Christmas dinner and post it closer to the date.

My focus today is what to do with all that left over Turkey - we certainly had quite a bit after filling up on wine before dinner, whoops. Soup? ho hum. Pasta, meh. Why not add a little spice and change it up - you used all those fall flavours the first time around.

Leftover Turkey Burrrritos!

1 lb (454 g) of your finest leftover Turkey meat
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeño pepper or pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) salsa
1 cup (250 mL) water
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh coriander
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh spinach or kale
8 small whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled feta cheese
1 cup ( 250mL) cooked rice or quinoa
Boil water, and cook rice/quiona - set aside
In large nonstick skillet, brown turkey over medium-high heat; Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, kale/spinach chili powder, cumin and salt ; saut?ntil onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add green pepper, salsa and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in half of the coriander.

For each burrito, place rounded 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the turkey mixture on one side of 1 tortilla and roll up. Arrange, seam side down, in single layer in greased 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. (Make-ahead: Cover; refrigerate for up to 1 day.)

Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven until golden, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with feta cheese and remaining coriander
Here are a few shots of this weekend(please excuse my iPhone, forgot my camera, again..)

Typical Turkey: Turkey Edition

2013-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

American Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Here with some more not-so Typical Turkey Tips is me! (again, surprised? haha)

A few tips and tricks to really make your Turkey crackle.

1. Try to get a fresh, not frozen Turkey. Turkey farms around the Lower mainland will take orders weeks in advance. Or try the Turkey House, where we frequent in White Rock (great sandwiches too).

2. Don't stuff the bird. Yes, in the photos you will see stuffing. That is merely because of an lost argument with my troll of a brother on Turkey Stuffing. Please ignore and know that if I had my way that bird would be bare.

3. Brine your bird. Your fresh turkey will 100% need to be brined. Your average Butterball will not. Here is a great brine recipe and technique.

4. Crispy Skin is a must. We used a tried and true method of patting the skin dry and adding butter packets in careful slits under the skin. Also, try the oven hot hot then not so hot - like Martha.

5. Got a bird, but you got a few extra people? Grab a full breast. We had a few extras confirm last mineto. We grabbed a fresh full turkey breast and slapped that baby on the BBQ. Amazing, as you can see from the pics. For best Turkey Grilling results, follow our methods here. Note, we stuffed with apples and sage.

BBQ'd Breast

6. Learn how to cut. And eat the dark meat! Yum.

All in all. Turkey is something that can be tinkered with! Get in there and don't stress. But remember, the most important thing about turkey is time. Leave yourself enough time for everything. Brineing, baking, bbqing etc. Time is Turkey Love.

Troll brother stealing all the leftovers

Happy Turkey-ing to my Yankee folk!

Weeknight Dinner: 'Hungary' for some Goulash

2013-11-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Weeknight dinners have become somewhat tricky. What with my OCD on time (dinner should be served at 7ish), mandatory dog walks after work, and my new commute home - I repeat, week night dinners have become 'tricky'. Being a food blogger who uses cooking as a creative outlet, I have had to adjust slightly from attempting complicated or new recipes to adapting some of my old ones to be new time savers. Still trying to keep things healthy (my waist has not loved my new desk job).

I would also like to take this opportunity to state that while I love Jamie Oliver, 30 min do not not his meals take. There, I said it. Sorry Jamie, but even with all your short cuts, your average chef won't complete your beautiful recipes in 30 min time. Still hands down, one of the best cook books I have ever made a recipe from. Every one a winner in taste.

Okay, back to adapting fast week night meals. One of our favourites is this Hungarian Goulash recipe. I have had a craving for it since B's parents gifted us with some real Hungarian Paprika. I knew I didn't have the time to include every ingredient or make Spaetzle from scratch. So I 'adapted' and what came out was actually not a #fail.

Quick Weeknight Hungarian Goulash

1 lb Ground Top Sirloin (go big or go home)
2 cups, sliced white Mushrooms
1 Yellow Onion rough chopped
1 Parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
1 bunch of Italian flat leaf Parsley
1 teaspoon Tomato paste
1/3 cup Fat Free (and in my case Lactose Free) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Shredded Cheddar (optional, this is B's little extra he likes)

Where's the parsnip?

1 cup of pasta or 1 cup Quinoa

1 clove garlic
Hungarian Paprika (I used quite liberally, it was a beauty colour)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic
Salt and Pep to taste
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon thyme

Simmering nicely

Heat pan to brown onions and beef with a small amount of oil.
Add half of each seasoning but all of garlic and some rough chopped Italian Parsley
Add mushrooms Add Parsnip
Cook until simmering in juices
Throw in 1 can (big can) of stewed tomatoes
Add sour cream/Greek yogurt
Add other half of seasoning
Stir and simmer
Boil water for pasta/quinoa

Assemble on plates, mix with pasta or on top (B likes mixed)
Dice up some more Italian Parsley for garnish

Try it with some of this Basil Chili garlic bread.

Everybody Likes Ice Cream:Rain or Shine Opening!

2013-11-07T16:56:00.003-08:00

Even this lacky (that's lactose intolerant to you) can get down with a little icey cow goodness now and again (the help of a small pill).

Really excited to pop by and try some exciting new flavour's tonight at Vancouver's latest gourmet Ice Cream shop on West 4th Ave in Kits, Rain or Shine!

Yes, rainy it might be, but ice cream tastes good in any season. I have also heard through the grapevine (or branch...twitter? no?) that these mixologists are quite cunning when it comes to coming up with new flavours.

Needless to say, a new must try in #vancouver is Rain or Shine ice cream.

Get updates on their official opening date on Twitter and Facebook.

Come and Get it!

Yaming It Up

2013-11-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

How pleasant is fall? Why do I always forget that fall is actually a fairly pleasant season and not the Hail Mary of rain storms that I always think it to be? The sun in the last few weeks has been breathtaking. So much so that cruising around my 'hood (Robson and the West end) has been delightful. Not too cold, not too soggy. I realize that as I speak the rainy cold weather has perhaps hit us, but for now please leave me to bask in the not to distant memory of the cool, crisp sun that I think followed a really great summer. Oh ya, that great summer we had? Remember that? Well, one of the by products of our weather in July and August has contributed to some of the biggest ~~genetically modified looking~~ bumper crops of Yams that I have ever seen. Yes, yam , those babies are HUGE. Don't be afraid, they are not a product of unnatural farming practices, but that of supernatural BC (Tourism plug).

Just a couple of Yams

Yams are one of my favourite foods. They are less 'sweet' than their sister the sweet potato, and more along the savory side - however not quite their cousin the potato. They are actually listed as one of the world's healthy foods, yielding high amounts of fibre, vitamin C and helping you burn fat. They are also good for digestion and much to B's chagrin, I am constantly feeding them to my dog(Barney, also a B) mixed into his kibble. Yeup, just me and Barney, yamming it up.

With such huge amounts of Yam, what is a girl to do?

Soup: Tried tested True, Yam Soup. This recipe is the easiest one around - Yields a lot.

1-2 Extra large Yams, unpeeled, cut into large chunks

1 pot boiling water

1 bouillon cube Veggie Broth

1 bunch fresh Cilantro

A few dashes of your hot sauce of choice

Salt and Pep to taste

Put the chunks of yam, skin on in boiling water. Boil until yams are soft and you can see the skin coming away from the edge of the yummy yam flesh.

Add the Veggie broth cube to the boiling water (with the yams. Stir.

With a slotted spoon take out Yams, let cool and you will be able to peel off skin easy.

Throw into food processor with a handful of ripped off cilantro leaves, a couple dashes of hot sauce and some salt and pep. Get creative here, add some cinnamon or come curry spice as well!

Blend, and slowly add veggie broth water until you have your desired consistency.

Serve with crusty bread.

Recently I made a ahem not not little salad as part of family dinner. The star of which I decided would be Yams! This recipe is adapted from a good vegan friend of mine who recently won a vegan recipe contest for it! I however have adapted to suit my own tastes with the addition of Feta.

(Please excuse the photo quality, my camera was MIA)

Yam, Apple, Feta Kale Salad with a Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

1 large Gala or JonaGold Apple

2 bunches of leafy Kale

1 150g pack of Goat Feta

1 Large Yam

1/8th cup unsalted Sunflower Seeds

Roast Yam. Cut into small chunks, let cool a bit

Wash. Rip Kale.

Cut Apple into small chunks.

Assemble salad.

Sprinkle with Sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 tbsp Grainy Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp good Maple Syrup

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix well, best in shaker

Yum. This bad boy is amazingly filling and autumn-y good. I am currently addicted and usually have a variation of it for lunch every day at work! Yams and all.

Happy Yamming!

The Best Thing I Ate (Recently)

2013-11-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you will know I have something of a crush on Tableau Bistro and Bar, Melville and Bute, Vancouver BC (in the Loden Hotel).

It seems to have everything you will ever want from a restaurant, for every occasion. It is very important to me to have a perfect venue in mind for every occasion (See POST Here). I have some very finicky relatives, as do we all.. and then some also paricular friends (as do we all), finding just the right venue for everyone can bee tricky! But, for at least my family and friends, Tableau has sealed the deal, multiple times.

A couple Wednesdays ago, we went there for yet another birthday, this time with B and his parents. Tableau did not dissappoint.

So the best thing I ate recently was their Pan seared Steel-head Trout on Quinoa Salad, Thanks Tableau. Signed, A big fan.

(photo courtesy of Tableau's Instagram account, please follow!)

October is for Foodies

2013-10-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

October? Could there be a fuller month? (I just made a pun, and I meant it). Full of events for your stomach!

Here is a quick run down of all the hashtag foodie events in Vancouver this month, not to mention Thanksgiving!

Oct 1 - 31 October is BC's Craft Beer Month including BC Beer Awards/Beerfest @ the Croation Cultural Centre. Tix $35. Oct. 19.

Oct. 6 - Farm to Forks 4, while this event already happened. Take a look at the details and make sure you sign up for next year.

Oct. 9 - Compassion2action Organic Cafe and Marketplace @ The VAG North Plaza 7am-3pm benefiting the Vancouver Food Bank. Presented by Nature's Path, Save on Meats, Terra Breads and many more!

Oct. 14 - Thanksgiving!

Oct. 16 - 27 9th Annual Taste of Yaletown, two weeks of Yaletown kitchens will offer VIP menus, special tastings all amazingly tempting to the foodie in you. Get tix here.

Oct 18 - Vancouver Aquarium's Toast to the Coast! Oceanwise food means the Ocean at the Vancouver Aquarium. This event is a Vancouver staple of a foodie fundraiser and one that is always a success! Get your tix here.

Oct 19 - +SocialBites Hobby chefs in 30 homes across Vancouver will cook for new friends and their favourite charity. Join #dinnerpartyYVR, our biggest, boldest and most INclusive dining event yet. Get your tix here.

Oct 20 - RIPE Vancouver Farmer's Markets' Dinner Celebration - Celebrate the last weekend of the spring/summer market season with RIPE! with Local chefs, this family style feast will sure be filling. Get your tix here.

Then things get really spooky! :)

Typical Turkey: Stuffing Edition

2013-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone. How was your weekend? Mine was incredibly grown up. When I say grown up, I think it means I didn't stay out till all hours on Friday, and went to a film festival movie on Saturday night. Yeup. Totally nailing this grown up thing. Other things that come along with being and awesome grown up is 1. Hosting your parents over for dinner (which I will do later this week) and 2. Making an entire Thanksgiving dinner (which I will have to do this weekend).

Being a foodie, you have those auto-foodie thoughts that tell you things like "my Turkey will be perfectly cooked" "Stuffing from a box? Blasphemy " "Fresh turkeys are better" and "everything I make will be extremely amazing and bought from a Farmer's Market". Okay 'New Foodie Foods', we get it.

This week I have decided to do a week long trek into Thanksgiving fare. Throwing off the shackles of typical Turkey cooking and (let me have my moment here) exploring myths and recipes that make up your one-of-a-kind dinner (I hope you read that last sentence with breathy air in your voice, I know I did.)

Today we tackle Stuffing. Mmmmm stuffing. Who doesn't like a bread based meal side dish? A warm, gooey mess of goodness. In years past I have made some awesome Sausage and Sage stuffing. This year I wanted to cut the meat out of it. Voila, my tried and tested stuffing for this year's bird.

Myth debunked: We cook our stuffing(or dressing now) outside the bird. We have converted to this method with better results. Less flavour you say? Nope. The addition of chicken stock into the recipe makes up for the flavour in the bird, and your stuffing(dressing) loses the chance of being overcooked or full of disease. Just sayin' (and so is Martha).

Apple Craisen Sage Stuffing (Dressing)

2 loaves of Terra Breads Cranberry Pistachio Loaf (lg.), cubed - great bread, great stuffing! (also I think the Fig Anise would work well in this recipe too!)
3 tblspoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 medium onion (sweet)
2 cooking apples (Golden Delicious, or Gala) peeled, cored and chopped
2-3 ribs of celery stalk with leaves, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, rustic or button, rough chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium if canned
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup Craisens
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Generous amounts of freshly cracked salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven 375 degrees, Brush a 2 1/2 quart baking dish with butter.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and apples, cook, stirring occasionally until softened. 8-10 min. Transfer to plate.

Add just a tad more butter to saute dish and add mushrooms Don't crowd the pan. Do in batches for better results.
When mushrooms are cooked, stir in sage, white wine. Simmer. Add broth. Simmer.

Don't crowd!

Place bread in large bowl. Pour over mushroom broth over mixture, toss. Gently stir in onion, celery and apple mixture. Toss. Sprinkle in Craisens, eggs, 1/2 of your parsley and salt and pep some more.

Place in baking dish and bake, covered, 30 min. Uncover dish, dot with remaining parsley and a splash of olive oil! Bake again until top is golden brown. 30-35 min.
Let cool at least 20 min before serving.

Phewf. One down, many more dishes to go!

Mmmm Breakfast

2013-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love breakfast. It is my favourite meal of the day. I also like to think that if a large amount of calories are consumed in the morning then you are okay by evening time (perhaps with a workout or a long walk). But hey! That is what weekends are for. Thought I would share this quick and easy breakfast tip with you along with a photo of last weekend's breaky.

Eggs. I prefer poached but also enjoy (and am sometimes to lazy for) a good fried egg. Here we have the best of both (sort of).

Step 1. Heat a pan to Med-high with a small amount of butter. Get a pot lid out and a small glass of water.

Step 2. Crack eggs into pan. It should be hot enough that the whites start turning white right away. Crack some salt and pep on the eggs. Splash some water into the pan around the eggs and put the pot lid over them. It's okay if the lid doesn't fit the pan, it can rest around them creating a dome of steam.

Step 3. Your eggs will poach on top from the steam. Keep an eye on things. Don't walk away unless you like well done yolks. I like mine soft and a bit runny so I stick around and poke the yolk with my finger now and then. Technical, I know.

Step 4. Remove eggs with slotted spatula. The eggs will be perfectly fried on the bottom and poached on the top.

TA DA. Thank you to Ms. J. Mitten, ex-room and kitchen mate. This is wholly her egg practice and she may or may not be upset with me for sharing with the world (or the 11 followers of this blog).

Happy Cracking!

Eatin Clean with Cauliflower: Cauliflower Quinoa Cakes

2013-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

I love cauliflower. Love it. It is a great substitute for those who can't always have pasta, bread, rice etc.

These little guys reminded me of something between a crab cake and a English muffin? Make sense? No, not really. I saw this recipe when I was cruising through the first 25-30 posts on The Sprouted Kitchen, my latest blog obsession. Eating healthy is not always easy and occasionally can be uninspiring. You need to re-inspire yourself to try healthy foods in new ways, Sprouted Kitchen has 100% done that for me, thank you to big JMIT for sending me her link.

Her most recent post was these little cauliflower qunioa patties and I thought, Hey! I am into that! I was especially sold when she mentioned using them for a base for poached eggs and a little hollandaise on top (mmmm hollandaise). So here we are, the NFF version of Sprouted Kitchen's Cauliflower Quinoa Patties/Cakes.

Recipe adapted and inspired from The Sprouted Kitchen
Yields about 16 patties (ya, I know a lot, use 1/2 head of cauliflower for a reasonable amount or freeze some, like I did!)

1 head of Cauliflower, broken into florets
2 handfuls of Organic Baby Spinach
1 cup cooked Quinoa
100g Feta Cheese (You know me, I use Goats!)
4 cloves of Garlic, pan or oven roasted
2 Eggs
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh Basil, chopped fine
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (use as you see fit, if too moist)
1/4 cup grated Parm cheese (optional)
A dash of your favourite hot sauce
A squeeze of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon is good.
Salt and Pep to taste

Blend together Cauliflower and Spinach to fine chop. Remove from processor into mixing bowl.

Blend together Feta, Olives and roasted Garlic. Remove from processor into same mixing bowl.

Add Eggs, Basil, Parm, salt and pep, hot sauce to taste, mix well. If mixture is too moist, add bread crumbs till you get a better consistency.

Olive oil wipe two baking dishes, set oven at 350 degrees

Roll into small meatball like balls, place on trays and press down into small patties.

Bake for 30 min, check on them as this time will depend on your patty thickness.

Remove from oven, cool and serve with some hummus, or cucumber yogurt dressing and some greens. OR do the poached egg thing. I am just waiting for Saturday morning to make that happen!

Happy Eating!