Snacking Squirrel

The Gluten Free Store

2012-05-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am a huge supporter of drawing attention to local businesses

that are working hard to bring health and wellness to the community

The Calgary Gluten Free Store is doing just that through

the availability of local and international gluten free products

Don't let the "Purified Water Store" sign fool you

as it did me... the store is a combination of both

"Hundreds of products inside"

Eat Pizza with Judy G's gluten free pizzas and frozen meals

Purified water

One of the aisles

Allergic Solution's dry mixes such as Carob Cake Mix, Egg Bread Mix and Waffle Mix

XL Veggie Taco from Earth's Oven Bakery

Hot cereals, cold cereals and granolas

Piccola Cucina Italian macaroons

Thoz Barz Soft Baked Snack Bars

Some of the flavors include Classic Raisin/Chocolate

Chip, Apple/Cranberry and Blueberry/Coconut

Nutrition Facts: 200 calories and 11 grams fat

Another section of more gluten free products

Chips and snack foods

Soups, mixes and seasonings

Baking mixes

They'll be getting a new shipment of Only Oats soon which I can't wait for!

Freezers in the back room

Frozen pre-made gluten free meals

Patsy Pie Mini Muffins: Morning Glory with Flax

Copper Pot Creations Spaghetti Bolognese

And Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

I am grateful that Calgary is home to such great stores like this one. With

so many people experiencing issues with digesting wheat and/or gluten,

having access to wheat grain replacements becomes an invaluable resource!

Calgary Care Package

2012-05-16T08:00:00.002-07:00

Anyone who has ever moved away from home knows how exciting it can

be to get a "care package" sent in the mail from your family or loved ones

My mom told me she was sending me a parcel in the mail but

I didn't expect the box to be so big!!! What the heck was inside?

Inside the box

A cute note from my mom, along with a sample of

Naked Strawberry Green Tea from fullyloadedtea

The tea theme continues with a box of Disney Alice

in Wonderland Tea, "The Official Unbirthday Tea"

Earl Grey and Pomegranate

Mango and Mad Tea Party Blend

Blueberry and Lemon Honey Chamomile

The backside

Mushroom and Quinoa Cream Soup Mix from Gogo Quinoa

Jade Cloud Organic Green Tea from Rishi Tea

My dulse seaweed that I figure my mom was

just tired of having sit around the house haha

An adorable summer t-shirt from American Eagle

"Let's Live a Free Life"

And the rest was some of my spring/summer clothes

I left behind... and my sandals which I needed badly!

Questions: When was the last time you received or

sent a care package? What were some of the items inside?

Gluten Free English Muffins

2012-05-15T08:19:00.001-07:00

One of my idiosyncrasies is my obsession with trying new gluten free products. Although

a few new products have left me disappointed and craving wheat, I've managed to come

across some that have impressed me to where I feel the need to share them with all of you

These Glutino Gluten Free English Muffins definitely rank

high on my list of the best gluten free bread products I've eaten

Per 1 muffin: 170 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein

I made a breakfast sandwich by toasting the english

muffin and topping one side with natural sliced ham...

...and topping the other side with a slice of processed

cheese, white onion, a poached egg and black pepper

Then both sides are united and the runny egg

yolk is released, freely flowing all over the plate :)

The gluten free english muffin holds moisture really well without becoming soggy,

and the texture of the cornmeal on the outside adds a lovely crunch when you bite in

Question: What is the last gluten free product

you have tried that impressed you, and/or possibly

fooled you into thinking you were eating wheat?

Wild Salmon and Sweet Potato

2012-05-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

After eating my fair share of fast food, ice cream and burgers, I was

more than happy to balance it out with a healthy omega-rich dinner

Fresh baked wild salmon with lemon, roasted sweet potato and steamed broccoli

The salmon was simply seasoned with salt, pepper,

lemon juice and a little water to keep in the moisture

Moist, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious... It was the

best wild salmon I have ever eaten which is surprising given the

amount of high quality fish available back on Vancouver Island

Question: How do you obtain your optimal dose of omega-3

oils? (Example: Fish, flax seeds, supplements, all of the above)

Missing My Mommy

2012-05-13T08:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Having the day off without my mommy here with me is hard. I won't lie

that it makes me a bit jealous seeing everyone out and about in the gorgeous

Spring sunshine with their mothers, enjoying brunch and coffee/tea together

But instead of sulking around I chose to celebrate my mother by taking a

stroll through downtown, thinking about how much my mother has shaped

my life and taught me the lessons I needed to become the woman I am today

...Because the hardest job in the world is being a mother, a good mother

And regardless of whether our mothers are with us in person or in

spirit, the bond a mother and daughter or mother and son have is priceless

So here's to all the mothers out there who instill the advice, lessons,

guidance and love we need to grow and become the adults we are today

Mommy, I love you so much!

Okay, so maybe the Canadian goose has nothing to do with this post but I

thought it was cute; Maybe he/she was also feeling lonely without its mother?

Questions: How has your mother shaped your world?

What qualities does/did she process that you admire?

Big Beefy Burgers

2012-05-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

The further into Spring we enter, the more I crave backyard

barbecue meals like burgers, hot dogs, tacos and taco salads

And making the beef patties are as easy as combining about 1lb of meat

(or meat alternative) into a bowl with 1 large egg, 1/3 cup diced onion,

2 small minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper and any other seasonings

Then you mix everything together with your hands. To make the patty, just

scoop out about 1/4-1/3 cup of the meat and roll into a ball with your hands.

Using the palms of your hands, slightly flatten into a burger shape. Tip:

Press your thumb down into the center gently to ensure even cooking

(meat expands when cooking and you don't want the middle to be too thick)

I placed the patties in a lightly oiled pan, cooking over medium to med-

high heat for 5-10 minutes, flipping them a couple times on each side

Once the burger patties were cooked I placed a slice of cheese on top to start

melting before placing that on top of a lightly toasted sesame seed burger bun

A few veggies like sliced tomato and romaine lettuce were

added, along with condiments: ketchup, relish and mustard

All that's left for me to do is devour it :)

Tooting my own horn here by saying this is WAY better than fast food!

Questions: Are you looking forward to the BBQ
season? What are some of your favorite BBQ dishes?

Drumstick Ice Cream McFlurry

2012-05-11T08:20:00.001-07:00

There are a few food ~~habits~~ vices I have that most people do not know

about me, and although I am not very proud of them, I accept them haha

One of these vices would be my obsessive compulsive fascination with

trying every new McDonalds McFlurry that they feature per specific season

So when I saw that McDonalds brought out a new Nestle Drumstick

McFlurry, I didn't hesitate to convince my boyfriend to buy me one :)

My mom always bought a box of Nestle Drumsticks to keep in the freezer for

when we came home from an exhausting basketball practice or swim meet; The

perfect combination of vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate and peanuts and

scooped into a crunchy chocolate-lined waffle cone. The best part was at the end,

there'd be almost an inch of solid chocolate at the bottom of the cone, at the point

The Drumstick McFlurry is made with their usual ice cream base, chunks of

the Nestle Drumstick and some extra chocolate syrup poured on top. Delicious!!!

Question: What were your favorite

ice cream treats to eat growing up?

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread...With Poached Egg?

2012-05-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

I'm definitely not one to shy away from weird food combinations

My philosophy is that there are so many foods that do

not traditionally go together but, out of fear to experiment,

many people have not tapped into new sources of flavor

Let's dissect this breakfast for starters...

Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread topped with sliced banana (normal so far) but

then topped with a poached egg, cinnamon and cayenne pepper (not normal)

The savory egg balances out the sweetness of the meal

But you don't need to stop there; Some saltiness, like peanut

butter or a slice of cheese, would elevate the flavor even further

And all foodies know it can be exciting when you stumble

upon your own unique and nontraditional flavor combinations

Question: Do you have any strangely delicious

food combinations you've discovered that you

would like to share with Snacking Squirrel readers?

Appetite For Imagination

2012-05-07T08:55:00.003-07:00

Do you ever lay out on the grass and look up at the clouds in the sky, pointing

out different shapes or noticing their resemblance to certain animals or faces?

Well the same principle applies to when I cook or bake; I

notice the shapes and familiar forms. To me, this looks like

Nestle Chocolate Turtles...only with cheese and egg haha

Gluten-free toast topped with red onion, tomato,

an egg and spinach patty, cheese slice and pepper

I made the Egg & Spinach Patty by adding 1/3 cup egg whites and spinach

to a small saute pan, then adding 1 whole egg in the center. After cooking

over medium heat, I flipped it to the other side, each for a minute or two

Adding the whole egg last makes sure you have a runny yolk in the center to dig into

Although I LOVE squash and sweet potatoes, I have to admit that I'm already

growing sick of eating large quantities like this, mainly out of old habits

Purple yams, purple sweet potatoes, kabocha

squash, broccoli, kale, spices and yellow mustard

My appetite and cravings have definitely changed as I much prefer balanced

meals with plenty of protein. I may have beat my root vegetable addiction!

Question: Do you play with the shape or design of your

food and imagine it looks like certain creatures or objects?

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow...Today

2012-05-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

The perfect "Busy Girl Breakfast" consists of

a good quality energy bar and a large banana

Chocolate Chip CLIF Bar

Nutrition Facts

Although I am a big fan of their other flavors, I can

not resist the scrumptious chocolate chips in this bar!

And each bar is different; Sometimes they are lacking in the chocolate chip

department and sometimes, like pictured here, there are large clumps of them :)

Now lets take a brief moment to talk about the weather again...

Remember yesterday when I said the weather switches so

frequently? Well, look at the 180 degree difference a day makes!

I definitely prefer this sunny weather over the dreary rain and snow

Uh oh...Coffee Cat Camille has returned!

Tall Willow Blend Blonde Roast Starbuck's Coffee

Random Fact: She also loves cigarettes...but we won't even go there! Haha

Hot Cold Hot Cold!

2012-05-05T13:43:00.002-07:00

The weather this Spring in Calgary has left me scratching my head...

The ~~gorgeous~~ view from the patio

One day it's 18 Celsius and sunny, then the next day it's this...snow!

And tomorrow? Sunshine...

The only option I have is to adapt, which means I need to

turn on the oven and start cooking some warm comfort foods

Baked sweet potato/yam with an egg and vegetable scramble

The scramble consists of 1 whole egg, 3 egg

whites, broccoli florets, kale, leek and red onion

I seasoned the eggs with garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper..

And sprinkled cinnamon on top of the roasted sweet potato

Questions: Do you adapt to sudden weather

changes by switching up what you usually eat? What

are some of your favorite comfort meals on a cold day?

Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich

2012-05-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

There are so many colorful components in my breakfast

that I found myself taking a bunch of photos to post for you

2 slices of gluten-free toast; One slice topped with tomato and red onion, the other

with 2 slices of turkey, 2 slices of ham, 1 poached egg, sauteed leek and black pepper

Fresh and hot with the steam to prove it :)

Don't forget the runny yolk...

Now let's look at the products that went into making this...

Kinnikinnick Foods Multigrain Gluten-free Bread

Per 2 slices: 150 calories, 6 grams fat and 5 grams fiber

Schneiders Country Naturals Turkey and Ham

Smoked Uncured Black Forest Ham made with

natural ingredients and no added preservatives

Per 4 slices: 60 calories, 1 gram fat and 13 grams protein

Ingredients: Ham, water, sea salt, vinegar, lemon juice concentrate,

smoke flavour, cane sugar, cultured celery extract, spice and smoke

Both sides pressed together; The completed breakfast sandwich

Yes, I took too many pictures to share with you ;)

After a few big bites...

Question: Do you use pre-sliced ham, deli

meat, or soy meat slices for your sandwiches?

Sweeten Up Your Mornings

2012-05-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

While I was making a healthy yogurt parfait with sliced granny smith

apple, I noticed the leftover apple pie staring at me from the fridge...

And when the idea of topping my parfait with a slice of

pie popped into my head, I couldn't resist the temptation!

How delicious does that look?

Question: Do you ever add leftover desserts and

pastries to certain meals like oatmeal, yogurt, fruit etc.?

Breakfast Quesadillas

2012-05-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

Regardless of how lazy I may feel, I always try to

make my food visually appealing with plenty of color

In one pan, I scramble 1 egg and 3 egg whites with diced red bell

pepper and scallions. In a separate pan, I warmed a ~~broken~~ flour

tortilla with a slice of Kraft cheese melting on top, with black pepper

This is my version of a healthier and less-cheesy breakfast quesadilla

By warming the tortilla in a pan, the outside gets

toasty, providing some nice crunch when you bite in

Questions: Do you like quesadillas?

What ingredients do you like to put in yours?

Easy As Apple Pie

2012-04-30T09:34:00.002-07:00

Whether you're an expert baker or a kitchen rookie,

my homemade apple pie recipe is almost fail-proof and

guaranteed to be the most delicious pie you have ever eaten!

The genius behind my passion for baking comes from my lovely mommy whom

I meticulously observed in the kitchen from a young age. She would always assign

me the duty of peeling apples, which I now realize wan't much of a privilege but more

of an excuse to avoid doing the most boring and tedious task of making a pie!

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

recipe created by Snacking Squirrel

Pie Crust Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup graham crumbs

1/3-1/2 cup cold water

1.5 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

Pie Filling Ingredients:

8 medium green apples

(granny smith to be precise)

1 cup white or brown sugar

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp allspice

Directions (Crust):

A. Place butter in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to harden slightly

B. Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl

C. Dice butter into small cubes and toss into the flour mixture

D. Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing together with your hands until it forms into a ball (you may need less or more water depending on the type of flour used)

*do not over-knead the dough! You want to see the cubes of butter in the dough to ensure the crust will be flaky*

E. Remove dough and split into two balls, placing one aside in the fridge to keep cool

F. Spread some flour onto a clean surface and place the ball of dough in the center

G. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, just large enough to fill your pie dish with about 1/2-1 inch extra hanging over the edges

Directions (Filling):

A. Wash, peel and core your apples

B. Slice apples 1/4-1/2 inch thick, then place them into a large mixing bowl

C. Add the sugar, flour and spices, mixing together until each slice is evenly coated

D. Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit

E. Grab the other ball of dough from the fridge, sprinkle more flour onto the counter and roll out the dough the same as before

F. Gently lay the rolled out dough over top of the apples, sealing the edges together with your fingers *You can use the end/handle of a spoon to press in decorative ridges*

(as seen below)

G. Using a knife, cut lines into the top of the pie dough, or cut out any shape your prefer

(I cut out a heart shape)

H. Make an egg wash by whipping one egg together and brushing it over top (this makes the top shiny and retains the flakiness of the crust)

I. Place into oven and cook for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 Fahrenheit and continue baking for 40-45 minutes

J. Remove from oven and allow to cool for up to an hour

The best part about making pie is that it is such a versatile vehicle in which you

can use any type of fruit for a filling, whether you want a strawberry rhubarb pie,

bumble berry pie, peach pie, pumpkin pie or whatever else tickles your sweet tooth

After the egg wash

And because I guarantee your pie will turn out splendidly,

you can use it to impress your friends, family and loved ones!

The finished result

Best served warm with a scoop or two of vanilla or almond ice cream :)

There's not need to feel guilty about having a slice of this apple pie;

Made from scratch and baked with love. Everything in moderation!

Makes 8-10 servings