Julie's Cooking

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

2012-05-05T18:46:00.001-07:00

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16.

In honor of the Mexican holiday Cinco De Mayo I am going to post this cute video and then a recipe for a delicious Mexican meal. Please let me know if you make it and I would appreciate your comments! - You can comment on anything - just comment please! This dog is soooo special!

CHICKEN WITH PEANUT MOLE SAUCE
(POLLO EN MOLE DE CACAHUATE)

The mole sauce with chiles, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and peanut butter really makes this Mexican chicken dish pop.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (4-pound) stewing chicken, cut up
8 cups water
4 stalks celery with leaves
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 small onion, cut up
2 sprigs parsley
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 of a 10-ounce can (2/3 cup) tomatoes with green chiles
2 slices white bread, torn
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
4 whole cloves
3 whole black peppercorns
1 (1/2-inch stick) cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 small clove garlic, minced

Preparation:

Place chicken pieces in Dutch oven with water. Add celery, carrot, onion, parsley, bouillon granules, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Cover and cook over low heat 2 to 2-1/2 hours or till chicken is tender.

Remove chicken pieces. Place in a 2-quart casserole. Strain broth; skim off fat. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the broth for sauce (cover and refrigerate remaining broth for another use).

To prepare mole de cacahuate: In blender container place the reserved chicken broth, tomatoes with green chiles, bread, and peanut butter. Cover and blend till smooth. Turn into 2-quart saucepan.

With mortar and pestle crush cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon well; add to saucepan along with chili powder and garlic. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or till thickened, stirring often.

Spoon mole de cacahuate over chicken in casserole. Bake, covered, in 350-degree F. oven 30 to 40 minutes or till heated through.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Gardens Mexican Cooking (Better Homes and Gardens)
Reprinted with permission.

Broccoli - one of the favorites for health

2012-04-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Creamy broccoli lentil soup recipe | Chatelaine.com We eat loads of broccoli in our household - I think it is Jack's favorite vegetable. So loaded with Vitamin B, protects against various cancers, good fibre, and you know what - some nights a soup night is a good thing! I am working lots lately - I know I had a year off but right now I am working for a very busy accounting firm (and it is tax season!!!) Kind of jumped into it but I really like it! In my life as a young girl I worked for many years in a couple of law firms in downtown Vancouver. Feels kind of weird to say that even - I feel young but have just had a few "Life Experiences". I liked being young but for the people closer to my age I must say I do feel more content. Do you? Ok - for you young ones - enjoy, live for the moment - I have to say I did too, but remember you will get your Visa bills within 30 days. Try to put away something for later. (Even $25 or $50 it does add up -much more at your age) You know what I can't believe what I have read - I am giving advice?

Life gets more interesting as you get a bit older. I have to say when you do find the right relationship things fall more into place. I know there are many young girls who are so willing to settle for being with someone rather than being alone. I have been one of them. But if you do get a chance give it a bit of time - I promise you there may even come a time when you think you don't need anyone. (except your cat or dog) I think that when you have some time on your own you will start to enjoy it - and like me really enjoy it. Things have a way of working out - just when we are least expecting it.

If there is something you would like to see here - let me know . Don't forget to leave comments please - it really helps me grow my audience. Also if you like something you read here - don't forget to "share" - never know when someone else might like to see it also.

Portugal Trip - Come and Gone

2012-03-24T09:17:00.001-07:00

http://cantarvitorias.com/

Strawberry Cheesecake

The four pictures above are from our time in Guimaraes, Portugal which is in the North. That is where Portugal actually began. There is lots of great history and culture there as well as good restaurants that serve traditional Portuguese food. I know I have mentioned it before in another blog but our favorite is Cantar Vitorias Restaurante. If you do manage to get there please tell them Julia and Joaquim Guilherme from Vancouver, Canada recommended it. These people really are all about great service and delicious food but you must bring your appetite because the servings are generous.

Yes I'm back from Portugal. We had two wonderful weeks where we attended my father-in-law's 90th birthday and our nephew's wedding (all in our first week!) The first night sleep we had was at my sister-in-law's house and the room is very dark with the outside shutters closed. We woke up at one point and after checking my watch and thinking it was only 5:30 a.m. we went back to sleep. Later we got up, showered and my husband, Jack went downstairs to say "good morning". He came running up the stairs and said "Julie - do you know what time it is?" "It's 3:00 in the afternoon!!!" Our hosts were quite worried about us. How's that for jet lag. So we had cafe and toast and jam at around 4:00 and then one of many fabulous dinners around 9:00. Some people in Portugal eat between 9:00 and 11:00 but they have a bigger lunch at 1:00 (more like my dinners).

Check out my other articles relating to Portugal at:

http://jaxjule.wordpress.com/tag/portugal/

Family Dinner - Always a Feast!

2012-02-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

Mia studying Portuguese

Tzatziki Dip

Tonight we are expecting family driving down from Prince George which is about a nine hour drive to Vancouver. I thought it would be nice to make a Pork Tenderloin with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and carrots and as a side dish I made Tzatziki dip and a raw veggie platter. Both the meat and the dip recipes I found on the internet. My husband was a bit leary of me trying a new recipe for company. I had faith! I had also read about 20 of the reviews so I was very convinced it would be good.

Slow cookers are great in the fact that you can do housework and the dinner just cooks away while you get other things done. Nice to have company on a Friday - the house always gets a more thorough clean. So I shall share the recipe I found but with a few alterations of my own:

PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE SLOW COOKER

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1/2 package envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 onion cut in circle slices
1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
3 tbsp. minced garlic + 3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. soy sauce
fresh ground pepper
pinch rosemary and pinch thyme
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
fresh parsley

Place a few garlic pieces into the tenderloin (called studding - I learned that today). Put the meat into the slow cooker and empty the 1/2 pkg of onion soup mix on top as well as the fresh onions. Pour water, broth, wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce all over. Add the rosemary, thyme, parsley, and black pepper. Put slow cooker onto low, cover and cook for 4 hours turning meat half way through cooking time. Serve the cooking liquid on the side in a gravy dish to use over mashed potatoes.

We enjoyed this with plenty of cornbread, some rye bread and of course a bit of red wine.

North 54 restaurant, Prince George British Columbia

For dessert, believe it or not we still had room, for some of my lemon loaf and my sister-in-law brought us some delectable dark chocolate covered humungous juicy strawberries from her restaurant, North 54 located in Prince George. The restaurant is so popular that they unfortunately had to turn people away as they were so booked for Valentine's Day this year.

As with all good family dinners it is a good time to have a few laughs and enjoy each others company as we did. We did however, have to keep checking to see if Mia was trying to sneak back into the kitchen to steal another morsel of food. I have never known a cat to have quite a personality such as hers. She is a sweetheart though. If you liked this blog you could see my more recent blog at : http://www.jaxjule.wordpress.com

Stewing about Dinner

2012-02-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

First off - very sad about Whitney Houston. People with too much money, too many chances to get into trouble with drugs and alcohol and too much fame can be a lethal combination. We just experienced the same with Michael Jackson and his death at 50. It's sad for the loved ones that get left behind. We did get to experience the beautiful music that was Whitney's. Too bad she couldn't have lived to see her daughter have children and to have more memories. Instead drugs seemed to control her and so her life was only made up of 48 years.

I felt like stew for dinner tonight in the crock pot. Last night we had sardines from Portugal - my husband is Portuguese and these frozen sardines are actually from the Atlantic ocean near his hometown of Peniche, Portugal. It's a healthy fish but you should really fry or barbeque them outside as they have such a strong smell. Once we cooked them on a little hibachi on our rooftop deck in the summer and my skirt seemed to absorb the fish smell. I had to wash it twice!!

So tonight - I just bought a package of stewing beef and swished each cube around in a small cereal bowl of flour and salt and pepper. Then I shook each piece to get a bit of the excess flour off and dropped them into a fry pan of a few tablespoons of hot olive oil. After a few minutes turn each piece with a fork and add some pieces of chopped garlic and some sliced onions. Brown all for a few more minutes about 5 minutes and then spoon all into a crock pot (slow cooker). I added about 1/2 cup of red wine that wasn't very good but will add a bit of flavor to the stew. Put it on high and then peel a few potatoes and carrots and even a turnip if you like and cut up into wedges and boil for about 10 minutes and drain the water and add the vegetables to your crock pot. I added a bit of Hungarian paprika and some fresh parsley, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and some thyme. Cook for about an hour until your veggies are fork tender. Don't overcook and don't stir much as you don't want to break the potatoes. A few slices of rye bread are a nice accompaniment or crusty rolls. Serve with a nice glass of Merlot - tonight we have a California wine - Barefoot. Enjoy!!

Lemon Loaf, Sunshine and Spring!!

2012-02-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Robin

We had four or five days of sunshine with no clouds here in Vancouver. What a great few days that was - my husband had that four days off and we were able to get out and enjoy some walks around the lake near us. Seems too that people are in a better mood, more talkative at the checkout stands of the grocery store and we need that!! We saw people in shorts too - a bit cold for me although we did get up to almost 14 degrees Celsius. Robins (the birds) are usually one of the first signs of spring and there were many of them hopping around the grass.

Anyways without further adieu (seems like such an old fashioned saying), I present you with my:

LEMON LOAF

1/2 c. margarine or butter

1 cup sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar together with mixer. Add eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and salt
and lemon rind and mix all until just blended. Bake in greased loaf tin for
45 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix juice of one lemon with 1/8 cup sugar and spoon over
loaf while still in the pan when just removed from oven. I poke little holes in it with a
toothpick so the juice gets inside the loaf too. Wait until thoroughly cooled to remove
from pan. Slice and enjoy a slice of spring!!Would love to hear your comments. Please
don't be shy - if you have any questions or ideas for me. Also don't forget to go to my
Julie's Cooking Facebook page and "Like" me if you haven't already. Means a lot to me!!

Superbowl - Super Snacks

2012-02-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

I am going to make these wings tonight. I have just boiled my wings, onions, celery, carrots, salt and garlic for 20 minutes at a gentle boil and am waiting for the pot to get close to room temperature and the chicken will absorb all the goodness of the vegetables. In the preparation of the sauce please omit 6 "Add the curry and blend again". I also substituted Agave Nectar for the honey - same proportions. I am going to add some pirri pirri sauce to the mixture in the frying pan - just a couple of dashes to give it a bit of a kick. If you don't have pirri pirri (Portuguese hot sauce) any hot sauce will do. When you are ready to serve the wings I would suggest serving with some cut up carrot sticks and celery sticks - nice with the Oikos dip. The Oikos Plain Greek Yogurt is a nice option to regular yogurt. Greek yogurt has double the protein content compared to standard yogurt brands and 50 percent less sodium. My husband and I picked up a 2 container size at Costco today after sampling the flavored Oikos Greek Yogurt. It is a nice consistency - a bit thicker than regular yogurt. We are a society now that reads nutrition labels and watches sodium contents particularly. We used to eat canned soup more but check labels now due to some having higher sodium amounts. Funny how we are always talking about what we are going to have for our next dinner. I really wonder if there are a lot of others like me that do that. Can tell can't you - food is a big part of our life. Seems like chicken wings are always a part of Superbowl. That and chips and dip and lots of Budweiser beer. People love finger food and even if I am not a football fan I will probably watch it (or parts of it). I even have a Manning jersey that I won once at a pub during another Superbowl. We watch a lot of soccer in our household - we were happy to watch the Women's soccer at our Vancouver's BC Place while they played for Olympic Qualifiers. Nice that Canada is one of the teams going on to the Olympics in
London.

So...... gooooooooooo GIANTS!! We have a daughter and son-in-law that have lived in the U.S. and they will be going for the Giants - so will we!! Enjoy everybody! May the best team win! Enjoy all your Superbowl Snacks!

Turnips - The Forgotten Vegetable

2012-01-31T09:20:00.000-08:00

I think the older we get the more willing we are to try vegetables that we never used to like when we are a kid. The more willing we are to like it to seems to depend on how much information we have received on how beneficial the nutrients are for us - not something that made one bit of difference to us when we were very young.

Tonight I made a fairly regular meal in our household - pork chops which were fried with onions and garlic in olive oil at a medium hight heat for about 10 minutes and then I added some beef broth and a bit of clamato juice that I had sitting in the fridge and a bit of Johnny's Hungarian Paprika and salt and pepper. Then you let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour on low heat. The liquid should be boiling lightly. So the picture shows our pork chop with a little of the broth and onions on top, some beets I had cooked earlier and refrigerated with a bit of red wine vinegar. I boiled two Yukon Gold potatoes (hubby's favorite) with one turnip which I had peeled with the potato peeler and cooked for approximately 20 minutes or until a fork poked in comes out easily. Then Jack mashed the potatoes and turnips with our mixer and some butter and a bit of milk until light and fluffy. The turnips make the consistency a bit more watery so maybe next time we would add less milk before beating with the mixer. I also made some frozen corn in the microwave and served with a piece of toasted cornbread.

We love our Inno Bakery on Ridgeway in Coquitlam for the cornbread. Small world - my Dad used to own the building that the Inno Bakery started their business in. Linda is very kind and still remembers how good my Dad was too when they were starting up. She always acknowledges me with a friendly smile and asks for my Mom. If you are in this area you should check them out - so successful they have now opened another location in Port Coquitlam. They have a deli, and make their own cakes to order and have a very large variety of oils, pastas and sauces. I think they may have 25 workers employed on a weekend day. Good for them!!

Turnips are well known for their bitter flavor if not prepared correctly. When boiling your turnip, and to avoid having to change your water, place a potato or two in the water and cook right with the turnips. Then you will notice there will then be no bitter flavor. Turnips can either be peeled and quartered or chopped before cooking - or they can be cooked in their skin and then peeled (they are said to be sweeter this way). If you are baking turnips in the oven, do not peel before baking. The "hot" flavor associated with turnips makes them particularly well suited to mixing and matching with other root vegetables. Add a turnip or two to your favorite mashed potato recipe, for example, or to a pan of roast vegetables.

Changing the subject - it's Superbowl weekend this weekend and I thought I'd post one of the funny commercials that will be shown during the game. Enjoy your week everybody!! Leave me a comment please and let me know if you watch the football game and if so what snacks/foods do you eat then.

January Greys - Celebrate the Sunshine

2012-01-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

It is a gorgeous day here today in the area outside Vancouver, British Columbia where we live.

We had a few inches of snow in the night and today we have beautiful blue sky and sunshine and not a bit of wind. I love the look of the freshly fallen snow on a sunny day. I like the way the evening is so bright too from the snow's reflection.

I am excited to see that people all over the world are really taking a peek at my writing. I really do wish everyone would realize a comment occasionally would "make my day"!! I need some feedback please - good or bad. Also any new ideas for future blogs would be great! Please don't be shy..... I am taking a big risk throwing out my life here too.

I am sorry there is no recipe, no recommend but this week has been interesting. I have been needed. My Mother who is 85 has had a pain since last Saturday in her head. We went to emergency and sat there for about 3 hours waiting to see a doctor who advised her that she had a virus - it can cause a pain sometimes (shooting) . She is living in an assisted living home not too far from us and gets a bit lonely. I spent a few hours there today - I took some tea, kind of a chocolate blend from David's Tea and we enjoyed a cup. Today my husband is also not at his best after having dental work done last week. As he says " I went in with no pain and now I have pain". I feel so bad. When he eats or drinks he has terrible pain and tomorrow he has to have a root canal.

You know how we love to eat!! Oh my - now I feel so bad as he is hungry and then as soon as any food or wine or water hits that area that is exposed - he is in trouble.

We have read that the recovery after a root canal is a few days and then after a week you feel like yourself. Looking forward to that. I made homemade soup and when I got home from my Mom's he had made rice and prawns and a delicious broth to dip our bread for our second course. My husband is a "keeper".

I hope you are all doing well ..... January can be a very hard month. It is a bit of a low for some. In Vancouver we have a few too many grey days. Today was gorgeous! I wish lots of sunshine for you and may you have a great start to the year 2012!!! (don't forget - please either write back to me via my email at www.jacksjule.gmail.com or make a comment after my blog or share my blog please!!)

This is a picture of a lake not too far from us. My Papa on my Dad's side used to live a block away - when he and my Nana lived there it was only a swamp. Since then the city has made it into a lake and they stock it with trout. I think that you can fish if you are over 65 or under 10 years of age. I have walked many time around this lake. It is a great thinking spot, lots of people walk dogs and there are lots of ducks and swans following the sunshine around.

Como Lake, Coquitlam, British Columbia

A big thanks to all of you!!! xoxoxxoxoxoxo

Don't forget to check out my website, Julie's Cooking at http://www.jacksjule.com

Kellogg's Cereal Happy

2012-01-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Kellogg's New Products

The other day the mailman dropped off a big box for me. It was a boxful of goodies from Kellogg's. These products are new and come into the stores sometime this month. I got three boxes of cereal and a box of cereal bars and a box of Rice Krispies granola bars.

This is a great way to start January - every morning after my latte I think about having my piece of toast with peanut butter and jam and then I look at my cereal cupboard and remember I have a lot of cereal. Cereal and banana is a good way to start your day - just a habit the peanut butter on toast. I think though if I had to be stranded on a desert island peanut butter would be one of the things I wouldn't want to be without.

So ..... today I had the Kellogg's Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten Free. I first noticed the familiar snap, crackle and pop that never changes. (thankfully) Brings back memories of sitting at my parent's breakfast table before going off to school.

I liked the cereal - it's easy to eat, it's flavor is simple enough that you can add a banana or whatever other kind of fruit you like. It doesn't get soggy. I'm happy with it and a 1 cup serving with 1/2 cup of 1 percent milk is only 120 calories. The box also says there is less than a teaspoon of sugar per serving.

Ok so now I am off to a good start since we are going on a trip to Portugal fairly soon. When I am there I won't want to watch what I'm eating so much. Isn't that part of being on a holiday? Enjoy all there is, right? Believe me there is so much good food and wine, sand and sun, beaches and we are lucky to have family and friends there.

I heard that we should be having 2 snacks each day - almonds are especially good and high in fibre so I have bought the large bag at Costco as the price is more reasonable. I combine them with cashews and raisins and we put some on the table before dinner.

This morning my snack was Kellogg's All-Bran Bars. It was Orange Cranberry with Natural Orange Flavour. They call it a cereal bar. It is very thin and dark - looks like a healthy snack. My first bite - wow!! I liked!!! My mouth was alive with an orange flavor - delicious. I think I inhaled it - was gone very quickly before the water in my kettle had boiled for tea. At 130 calories it is a good choice for a healthy in-between meal snack.

Don't forget to check out my other blog at: http://jaxjule.wordpress.com

It's a Dog's World

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

I have heard recently that dogs outnumber the amount of kids in San Francisco. Dog walkers in that city are allowed to walk 8 dogs at a time and have a lot of clients. I once read a bumper sticker - "the more people I meet - the more I like my cat." Guess that applies to dogs too. They say dog is man's best friend. Dogs are so loyal to their owners and by the wagging of their tail you can see how appreciative they are for a friendly word or a gentle pat. I don't really approve of having a large dog in an apartment as I think they need a lot of exercise. I have a new cat this year. Her name was Chanel but we call her Mia now. (Mia means meow in Portuguese) She is lots of fun and very sociable and loves to play and eat. Did I say she loves to eat? Seems like she is always eating. We weighed her and she is 13 pounds and only a year and a half old.

At White Rock about half an hour from where we live you can go to a beach which allows dogs to be off leash. It seems like everybody but us has at least two dogs with them. The dogs really do enjoy it when the tide is low and they can run full speed through the sandbars and chase each other. If you are a bit wary of larger dogs it may not be the place for you. Below is an article showing some other dog-friendly beaches in the Vancouver area. From: www.insidevancouver.ca

Well as we in Vancouver head into 2012 I wish to send my best to all for a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year. I am going to share a quote that my step-daughter posted on facebook today with you:

"As 2011 approaches an end and 2012 is just in reach, mindfully acknowledge what you'd like to leave behind and what you'd like to bring ahead. It is truly a new beginning for all of us. "

Vancouver Goes to the Dogs: North America’s Pet-Friendly Capital

Just outside of downtown Vancouver, high-rises give way to the white sands of Hadden Park beach. Brisk ocean water laps at the shoreline and leafy coves offer shade from the sun. This postcard-perfect strand would make an ideal spot for a picnic or romantic stroll except for one little thing: It’s gone to the dogs.

Hadden Park is one of nearly a dozen dog beaches in Vancouver, one of the most pet-friendly cities in North America. While people are welcome, it’s the dogs that rule the sand and surf at Hadden. Here’s a quick rundown of other dog-friendly parks and amenities for pet owners visiting the city:

Dog-friendly hotels: Dozens of hotels in Vancouver are happy to accept pets. Options range from economy lodging to five-star digs. Among the most notable pet-friendly hotels in the city is the iconic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Dogs visiting the historic hotel receive a welcome mat and toy and can also eat from a specially designed pet menu. The Fairmont even has two canine ambassadors, Mavis and Beau, who greet guests upon check in. For a list of pet-friendly hotels and their restrictions, check out this website.

Off-leash parks: Fido will have no trouble finding green space to romp in Vancouver. More than two dozen city parks offer designated off-leash areas, where dogs can run free at specific times of the day. Some of these areas are fenced-in exclusively for pets, while others are open to people, too. For a list of off-leash parks, check out this website.

Dog beaches: Pets enjoy special ocean, lake and river access at parks throughout Vancouver. At urban beaches, dogs can swim against the backdrop of bridges and ferries, while at more remote spots pets can wrestle for driftwood and dig in the sand. For a list of dog beaches, check out this website.

Baby Clams in Linquini

2011-12-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and it is 3 degrees in Vancouver and looks like we are not going to have snow - just rain! This is my second Christmas not working and I have to say it sure is nice to be able to enjoy Christmas more by having the time. I love going for a walk during the day and hearing Christmas carols from the open doors in the hall near us. I like walking up the street and not seeing any cars or people and looking back behind me - just marveling at the way the sun is shining on the church rooftop.

I've made my traditional brown sugar shortbread, the butter tarts and on my list of things to do is make a homemade kahlua recipe. If anybody has a good kahlua recipe could you please leave me a message at my email - jacksjule@gmail.com. That will be next week when Christmas is over.


Christmas kitty - Chanel

I did get my Christmas kitty - her name is Chanel. My neighbour rescued her as she was destined to be put down if not adopted soon. She thought I might like her (of course I did) and she gave her to me!! She is great company, full of energy but loves to eat!! She seems to be waiting by her food dish all the time. I am feeding her twice a day but she eats most all of her food as soon as it's put down not saving any for later. If anyone has any ideas for me I would appreciate comments as she is 13 pounds and only a year and a half old.

Last night I made a recipe using canned baby clams. Canned baby clams cost about $1.65 and when you buy fresh in the shell you pay so much more. I really enjoyed our dinner and will do this again soon. Very quick and tasty and impressive!! The thing is that you don't have to buy anything - just the baby clams and it's low calorie. We added bread to the table (surprise!) and wine. That's where the calories come in. Got to do more walking I guess. Dr. Oz suggests we need to walk 10,000 steps a day. I need to get a pedometer to see how long it takes to do that.


Baby Clams in Linguini

Anyways, here is my recipe and hope you enjoy it as much as Jack and I did.

BABY CLAMS IN LINGUINI

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons parsley

1 or 2 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 medium onions, chopped

2 tablespoons hot olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 dash black pepper

2 cans (10 oz each) baby clams (minced) with broth

3/4 pound linguini

Directions:

Cook parsley, garlic, onion in hot olive oil for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and 2 cans of clams with the broth from one of the cans. Simmer 5 - 7 minutes longer with lid on. Serve on cooked linguini to which you have stirred in a tablespoon of butter.

So here is wishing all my friends and family a happy, healthy, safe holiday. Have lots of fun.
"Christmas is, of course, the time to be home - in heart as well as body." Garry Moore.

Cauliflower Turns into Rice or Potatoes

2011-12-08T10:48:00.001-08:00


Jenn and her beautiful baby Bella

My good friend, Jenn says lately she has been making mashed whipped potatoes but doesn't use potatoes (avoiding the starch) but instead uses a head of cauliflower. Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbs but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density. It may help protect against cancer.

"All I do is steam the cauliflower then put in a food processor with garlic, dill and unsweetened almond milk. Process and add more milk until potato consistency sometimes I add cottage cheese for fun ! I know sounds crazy but will truly surprise you - we are totally hooked and grateful for this find :)"

She also makes an awesome pizza made quite differently too. Try it yourself and you may be hooked as well:

JENN'S PIZZA

Pizza Crust:

1 Whole Cauliflower (riced)
To make Cauliflower Rice:
1) Using a food processor, process fresh cauliflower until it is the size of rice, either using the plain steel blade or the shredder blade.

Cauliflower Rice

2) Microwave it in a covered dish. DO NOT ADD WATER. Cauliflower absorbs water like crazy, and the "granules" will become gummy. To keep it fluffy, just let the moisture in the cauliflower do its work.

Add to the cauli rice 2 cups of cheese and 1/4 cup almond flour (to make almond flour grind almonds in your coffee grinder) and 2 eggs.
Roll out to make your crust. Put on a greased pizza pan and bake 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove pizza from oven and add tomato paste which was mixed with a clove of crushed garlic, and some oregano, , toppings such as ground beef and turkey bacon (these you must cook first) and add veggies such as chopped onion, spinach, tomatoes, diced peppers, and pineapple if you like it. Lastly add more cheese.
Return to oven for another 5 minutes or longer - check to see that cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Dad's Little Lamb

2011-12-04T23:36:00.001-08:00

It is such a great thing to communicate with people all over the world. My Dad used to say that in his day they used to gather around the radio to listen to the "radio shows". That was some entertainment that families looked forward to. My Dad would be 87 this year but has since passed on a few years ago. Funny the things that we cherish once a relative or best friend has passed on.
My Dad used to tell a story about "the old days" which was his younger years and I would have heard the stories about half a dozen times but never get tired of hearing them. One in particular was that he lived in Ioco, Anmore which is in the Southern Coast of BC and Ioco stood for Imperial Oil Company. My father's Dad, who worked at Imperial Oil, whom we called Papa, brought home a lamb one day that had been abandoned by its mother. My Dad and his family helped to keep the little lamb alive. When it got a bit bigger it used to take a dislike to the paper boy and when he would deliver the paper Dad said the little lamb would run after the boy and chase him down the street. I'm not sure if it was Dad's laughing at his own story or the story itself that amused me so much.

I can't really say why I just felt the need to blog about that but I think it is the time of year that brings out lots of emotions in people. When you have someone in your heart that you have lost the hurt just feels a little more strong. Maybe because this time of year we gather around more and enjoy our families more so we tend to miss the ones we love during these special times.

So ........ with that said I am going to change the subject and give you a recipe I found on the Kellogg's website for an interesting and extremely tasty casserole that uses Bran Flakes. I think Bran Flakes or Bran Buds are always in our cupboard as they are so versatile for muffins and lots of other recipes.

This is the time of year where you may get asked to bring a dish to a party and this would go with most meat or poultry dishes.

Oven Baked Rice and Green Beans Amandine

Ingredients:

500 ml or 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
125 ml or 1/2 cup diced onion
15 ml or 1 tbsp butter or margarine
5 ml or 1 tsp dried basil
4 ml or 3/4 tsp lemon pepper
250 ml or 1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
750 ml or 3 cups frozen or canned French-cut green beans
250 ml or 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots (or coarsely shredded)
375 ml or 1 1/2 cups All-Bran* Bran Flakes cereal
50 ml or 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. In medium saucepan, mix together broth, onion, butter, dried basil and lemon pepper. Bring to boil. Stir in rice and return to boil. Immediately pour into 2 L (8 cup) casserole coated with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Bake, covered, at 190ºC (375ºF) for 45 minutes. Top rice with green beans and carrots. Cover and bake for 10 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and most of the broth is absorbed.

3. Remove from oven. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cereal. Sprinkle top with almonds.

YIELD: 8 servings

PER SERVING:
170 Calories
5 g Protein
30 g Carbohydrate
4 g Fat
4 g Dietary Fibre

In keeping with good allergy practices, we remind you to be aware of allergens and to check labels on any packaged goods used. This recipe has been tested using Kellogg's* products. Results with other products may vary.

Julie's newest favorite quote: (My best friend says I should frame it - so it could be looked at every day)

"Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile."

Can I ask you that read this to please leave a comment - good or bad - this is a work in progress but my comments from you helps attract others to this same site.

Winter Food - Healthy Turkey Chili

2011-11-30T17:49:00.001-08:00

I am watching "Nate Berkus" on tv while spaghetti sauce is simmering on my stove tonight and it smells so homey in here. I have the Christmas tree decorated next to me and turning. It rotates very slowly and makes for the easiest decorating as you can just stand there with your garland or string of lights and wait for the tree to come to you. Love it!! I purchased that at Sears Brentwood and I get so many nice comments about it. I am sure I only paid about $20.00 for it!

This recipe looks like it's going to be a keeper. My husband loves Chick Peas and we are trying to eat healthy so this dinner choice is great for us! I know several friends (you know who you are) lol that might be interested too!

Chunky Turkey and Chickpea Chili

Learn how to make a delicious chunky turkey and chickpea chili with Gail Simmons.

Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 poblano pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder blend
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
Chopped cilantro, chopped scallion, diced avocado and sour cream, for serving
tortilla chips

Directions:

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, bell peppers and poblano pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and serrano pepper and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the turkey to the pot and cook, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until the meat is white throughout, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with the spoon.

Simmer the chili over moderate heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the chili into bowls, garnish with the cilantro, scallions, some tortilla chips, avocado and sour cream and serve. Most of all enjoy with those you love!

Recipe courtesy of Gail Simmons, Foodandwine.com.

The Boathouse Restaurant, Port Moody, BC, Canada

2011-11-24T14:54:00.001-08:00

On November 12, 2011 we were married here - at The Boathouse, Port Moody!! It was a stormy rainy day and we were planning to have our lunch afterwards here but The Boathouse were extremely accommodating to our wedding party of 9.

Rocky Point Park, Port Moody, BC, Canada

They gave us a lovely private area for our nuptials. Shortly after we had our photographer, Amanda from Pink Lotus Photography take many pictures with her gentle guidance and then we started lunch. Our server, Brittney was excellent, efficient, attentive and very personable. We ordered a set lunch menu - #3 which was $29.99 per person and included a choice of 3 starters, choice of 4 lunches, choice of 2 decadent desserts (one being my favorite - Creme Brulee) and coffee or tea. A lot of us ordered the Miso Crusted Wild BC Halibut which was delicate and delicious, a Boathouse specialty which was a very generous portion. My Mom, who is 85, raved about her Fire-Grilled Sirloin Steak. Even though it was very rainy the view from this location is breathtaking. After walking around Rocky Point Park, just outside the restaurant, my husband and I have dropped in at this location more times than we can count to sit in the cozy lounge during Appy Hour. It has great ambiance. http://www.boathouserestaurants.ca/vancouver-restaurant-locations.php#PortMoody
https://www.facebook.com/PinkLotusPhotography

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Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer

2011-11-17T19:43:00.001-08:00

November 12, 2011 (11/12/11) I got married!! It was probably the most rainy day we had in weeks and I had been obsessed about looking at the weather report - sometimes checking 3x a day! What can you do? We got what we got and it was raining "cats and dogs" as they say.

Funny the hoops some women jump through to look their best on their wedding day. I guess I am included in that bunch. My step-daughter who lived in California and always has a nice golden skin tone told me her secret for that look was in a tube of Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer - Firming. I purchased the a tube at a Wal-Mart for approximately $10 and used it daily on my arms, legs and decollete area. I really love the scent and feel very moisturized and most of all it does work to provide a natural looking golden tan!!

Instead of looking pasty-white in the winter time I can feel healthier looking by simply applying a thin coat of Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer on my arms and legs. It is such a quick step after a shower that gives a nice glow - like the glow you get after getting married!!

Snapper Supper Made Easy!

2011-11-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

Squirrel enjoying Fall trees

Well it's official we are in Fall now!!! The leaves sure do show it!! Funny - I heard my neighbour say he went out without a coat the other day and didn't expect it to be so cold. Here in Vancouver on the West Coast of Canada it is about 10 degrees tonight. We really enjoyed our summer and fall is beautiful here with such gorgeous colored leaves.

This year I have had an opportunity to not have to get up and go to work. It is a luxury and I appreciate every minute (maybe every second) of it. I really see more when I walk around the neighbourhood, and I like to listen more. I love to walk some mornings and not really hear anything - just the sound of cars in the distance on the Lougheed Highway. When people are focused on what they have to get done in a day or where they should be then they may miss out on the special feeling you get from just enjoying the minutes of being with yourself and nature. Not sure if I can convey that in words - try it sometime. It's easy - just walk by yourself and try to absorb all that you see, smell and feel and take it all in. It really is a gift that you can give yourself.

Tonight we made snapper for dinner. Jack wanted his to be simple so he poached our snapper fillets in about 1/2 inch of boiling water with some olive oil and sliced onions and a bit of white wine. Bring water to a boil and add the fillets and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Don't overcook. Fish should flake off with a fork.

For myself I prepared a topping for mine as snapper is a delicious fish, no bones but fairly bland in taste. I used part of a can of tomatoes and added some chopped garlic, chopped green onions and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder. Mix that up well with a spoon and serve over hot poached fish and enjoy.

Jack had his just drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and accompanied by a few vegetables and a bit of bread. Simple or natural as he says - just the way he likes it.

Can't Live Without my Peanut Butter

2011-10-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

What's the one food you can't be without? For me I think hands down it is peanut butter. I have heard that some people eat so much of their favorite foods, ice cream or candies that they feel sick at the thought of eating them again. I am not that type of girl I guess. I have never eaten a whole box of cookies, or a tub of ice cream (brrrrr - the thought of that drives me crazy! - sensitive teeth).

You always see people overindulging after a bad breakup or when someone has let you down or you didn't make a team or didn't get picked for something.

I am going to share a recipe of my Mom's now - it's a little early to be thinking about Christmas baking but it's one of my favorites and I heard they got snow on our mountains yesterday. Just 58 days until Christmas!!!

SNOWBALLS (Unbaked)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (chopped)
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 tbsp. butter
coconut

Cream together the peanut butter, icing sugar and butter. Add Rice Krispies and walnuts or pecans. Shape into little balls about 1 inch in diameter. Make a very thin icing of icing sugar and water(mostly water). Dip balls in the icing water and roll in the coconut. Place on wax paper or foil. These may be kept frozen and served without defrosting. I like them right out of the freezer!!! Just like a snowball - only tasty!!

Home-Cooked Dinner with Mom - Souvlaki Pork Tenderloin

2011-10-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

I am having Mom over for dinner tonight. She is 85 years young and I like to make something for dinner that she doesn't have at her residence. It's sad to move from your home and find that the meals are not anything to "write home about". I guess it is a sign of the times - everyone is cutting back and food prices are not getting lower so where she lives most of the dinners are a bit bland and not appealing. Maybe that also has to do with not having a good cooking team on staff.

Mealtimes to Jack and I is something to be thought about, prepared for, planned at times and then most often enjoyed. He likes to cook from his head and heart and lots of his dinners include olive oil and paprika. I most often cook from a recipe and love to try new ones often. I bake too and love to take my newest cheesecake favorite to our familys' birthdays. (Now I am putting a plate under my spring form pan - a very embarrassed waitress at the Keg restaurant had an unfortunate accident where the bottom of the pan dropped out and we lost more than half of my cranberry cheesecake)

Tonight's menu for Mom and I :

Cheese and crackers with a nice glass of red wine

(while playing a couple of games of Rummikub - we call it Tiles)

Souvlaki Marinated Pork Loin (from Costco) - a Julie recommend

mashed potatoes

pita bread and tzatziki sauce

peaches and cream corn

Greek salad

Maybe just a bit more wine.

My homemade banana chocolate chip loaf and coffee.

If you would like my banana loaf recipe stay tuned as I will feature it next week in another blog. If you have any suggestions for new blog ideas I am open too. Thanks for checking things out here and having patience while I try to figure out what I am doing. You are important to me!!

Japadog - Gotta Try One!!

2011-10-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Japadog, Japadog - I hear that word a lot these days!!! So it's an idea/turned reality of Noriki Tamura. He opened a few food carts in Vancouver to sell his hot dog creations and it seems to have really caught on.

Japadog Menu

Classic:

Terimayo: Teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, sautéed onions, sprinkled with nori (dried seaweed flakes). Choice of kurobuta(pork from Berkshire pig (black pig)), bratwurst (pork), turkey, beef or veggie sausage

Oroshi: bratwurst, green onions, grated radish, special soy sauce

Picture of an Oroshi Japadog.

Misomayo: turkey sausage, miso sesame sauce, fried onions, radish sprouts, Japanese mayonnaise

Okonomi: kurobuta pork sausage, special okonomi sauce, Japanese mayo, fried cabbage, bonito flakes (dried fish flakes)

Spicy Cheese Terimayo: jalapeno and cheese smoky, teriyaki sauce, cheese, Japanese mayo, nori

Kurogoma Kimchi: turkey sausage, special kimchi (cabbage with spicy sauce), kurogoma (black sesame seed)

Ume: bratwurst, special plum sauce, raw red onions

Edamame: bratwurst and edamame (soybeans)

Fishdog (sausage from different kinds of fish: mackerel, Pollack, atka, hoki)

Korokke: beef sausage, mashed potato, cabbage, yoshoku sauce, mayo

Okura : bratwurst sausage, sautéed okra

Regular Hot dogs (also sold at Japadog stand):

Jalapeno and cheese, turkey, bratwurst, beef or veggie sausages. Then choose from these common Hot dog ingredients: ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, banana peppers, sauerkraut etc.

Seems like there are mixed reviews on the "dogs". Lots of people say there is nothing like it and they are worth lining up for even for an hour and a half. Others say they are overpriced and disappointing.
I am willing to try and I will let you know what I think of course.

I heard today Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook was in town and spotted at a Japadog stand in Vancouver. I wonder if he "liked" them.

What are you thankful for? Happy Thanksgiving from Canada.

2011-10-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Today is a holiday in Canada known as Thanksgiving. (October 10, 2011).

"Thanksgiving in North America had originated from a mix of European and Native traditions.^[1] Typically in Europe, festivals were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest, and to rejoice together after much hard work with the rest of the community.^[1] At the time, Native Americans had also celebrated the end of a harvest season.^[1] When Europeans first arrived to the Americas, they brought with them their own harvest festival traditions from Europe, celebrating their safe voyage, peace and good harvest."

We had Jack's daughter and her boyfriend over for dinner last night. We were just discussing how lots of people like to celebrate on the Sunday instead of Monday so they can just have a day to relax after the big feast.

When we have a dinner for more than just us we start planning about a week ahead. It's fun though. I have a few lists going with ingredients I need for certain recipes. For us a turkey dinner consists of:

1. Loads of mashed potatoes (we are now using almond milk and Becel vegan margarine instead of butter and 1 percent milk) Tasted really great to us and for those cutting calories or on dairy free diets this is for you.

2. Turkey beautifully cooked for over 4 hours to a lovely golden color - this year we went for a fresh turkey and we were really happy with how moist it was. (some of that was due to some new cooking ideas that Johnny had for us with regards to making the best of our turkey)

3. Julie's stuffing which fills the cavity of the bird. (celery, bread crumbs, onions chopped, apples chopped and 1 cup of chicken boullion and sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper.

4. Julie's gravy.

5. Carrots and brussel sprouts steamed not too long.

6. Julie's cranberry sauce. I buy fresh cranberries and add sugar and a piece of real orange and boil for about 10 - 15 minutes and at the end I added a bit of Port. (Yumm!)

7. Portuguese corn bread.

8. Wine (nice red wine)

For dessert I made homemade Pecan Pie which I share below. It is a dairy-free recipe which Amanda found for me and we all really enjoyed it. Just before serving we melted some dark chocolate chips with a teaspoon of vegan Becel margarine and a tablespoon of almond milk and we spread it all over the room temperature pie. Was soooooo good. Will definitely be a "do again"!!

DAIRY FREE PECAN PIE

2 T. flour
2 T. plain almond milk or soy milk
1 t. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup and 1 T. white sugar
1/3 cup dairy-free soy margarine, melted
1 ½ cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

1. Take a frozen pie shell out from freezer. Brush a small amount of egg white in bottom and sides and sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over pie crust.
2. Prepare the filling. In a small cup or bowl, mix together the flour and non-dairy milk substitute until smooth. Mix in vanilla and set aside.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs until pale yellow and frothy. Add the sugars and melted soy margarine and whisk until well combined. Add the flour mixture and pecans, mixing until evenly incorporated.
4. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 5 minutes at 400 F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F, and continue baking for about 35-40 minutes, or until the middle is no longer liquid (it should still jiggle, but just slightly).

5. Melt some dark chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler with a tsp of vegan margarine and 1 tbsp. of almond milk. Spread over top of pie and serve to your guests. They will love you.

Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

2011-09-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

I think today is the first day of Fall - looks like it for sure!!! We had a heavy rainfall warning in the Vancouver area. I enjoyed listening to the rain coming down last night while we were supposed to be sleeping. I didn't have to get up early so it was ok for me.

Since it is fall-like out I decided to make Grandma Campbell's oatmeal cookies today. Don't you love the fresh baked cookies smell? My Grandma was a great woman - she and Grandpa used to take my cousin and I for the weekend when we were kids. We had such a great time playing canasta (cards) and she would make us waffle sandwiches for breakfast. These were so delicious - it was one waffle covered in butter and then syrup and a scoop of ice cream and then another waffle to top it and then a spray of whip cream!!! We would watch Lawrence Welk (one of Grandma's favorite tv shows) and then probably the Ed Sullivan show and beg to stay up just a bit longer. Once in bed we would make jokes and laugh until we were told to keep it down and go to sleep. Good memories. If you would like the recipe email me and I will send it to you.

Cantar Vitorias Restaurant - Guimaraes, Portugal

2011-09-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

We were in Portugal a couple of years ago visiting my husband's family - my second time there. I loved it (again) We took a few trips away so I could see a bit more of the country. We saw a soccer game in Braga which was really exciting as they somehow snuck fireworks into the game and it was kind of crazy!! The stadium was full - so exciting. Walking back to our car people were singing altogether i the warm night air. My husband says soccer is like a religion there.

We happened upon a restaurant in Guimaraes that was family owned called Cantar Vitorias Restaurant and experienced a nice lunch with generous portions and delicious food. That night we thought since we were still in the area we would try dinner there as well. We were not disappointed. The staff were almost all family and my husband chatted to the owner who asked his wife (the chef) to come and meet us. The daughter was our server and was attentive and pleasant. I so wished I had learned more Portuguese but after a glass of wine and Jack interpreting for me we were all enjoying the day and our new acquaintances.

We were traveling and asked them for their opinions on where we should travel to next. They were really helpful. We went on our way and spent another wonderful day exploring the countryside and then on the way back to Jack's parent's we decided to dine once again at our favorite new place to dine in Guimaraes. I was kind of excited and when we walked up the stairs it seemed to me that they were happy to see us returning again (for our third time in three days!!!)

We had a fantastic dinner with these warm, generous people and when all other patrons had left they encouraged us to stay longer and join them while they had their meal at which point they brought out more cheeses, appetizers and wine which was "on the house"!!!!

We felt like part of their family - what a wonderful feeling to be so welcomed by these so called strangers. We told them that if they should ever visit Canada please call us as they would have a place to stay with us and we would love to show them around Vancouver. Nice to remember this memory of Portugal and to this day we have emailed them and they referred to us as their good friends in North America. We plan to visit again soon!!!

What do you think of the Mediterranean Diet?

2011-09-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well here I am in the big, wide world of cyberspace doing my first blog. My name is Julie and I live in the West Coast of British Columbia. Today I could call it the "Wet Coast". Can't complain too much as we have had an incredible couple of weeks of hot summer to end our season. We do really live in a beautiful province in Canada. It has all the seasons and a person can enjoy skiing on our mountains, swimming in our lakes and oceans, golfing, hiking and much more all in the same day. (If they wanted to!!!) Sounds like you would have to be in really great shape to do all that in one day.

I am doing a cooking blog because since I was young I always enjoyed food and still do. I love cooking and baking and in our household we talk about what we are going to have for dinner the next day usually while we are having dinner or in a text to each other during the day. Mealtime is a nice time to enjoy food and good conversation and some nice wine too if you are into that. Even the preparation of mealtime is enjoyable for us. Hopefully I haven't rambled on too much - this is a work in progress for me. They say it's good to try something new.

Below I have attached an article to do with Dr. Andrew Weil's lifestyle and his choice of eating habits and lifestyle. When I hear of the term Mediterranean diet I always think of olive oil. We use that a lot in our cooking and my husband gets told he looks younger than he really is and we say that it is because of the olive oil in his diet. Growing up in Portugal they use a lot of olive oil and when his Mother purchases it she buys the gallon size cans. I really miss the food in Portugal.

Have a good day and eat well.

Dr. Andrew Weil follows a MediterrAsian way of eating and living

By Ric

I had to do a double take when I read an interview the other day with popular author and clinical professor of medicine and professor of public health at the University of Arizona, Dr. Andrew Weil. He was asked what his personal health regime was, and the way of eating and living he described is virtually identical to the MediterrAsian way of eating and living Trudy and I have been following and passionately advocating for many years.
Here’s what he said:

I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and fish. I like Mediterranean and Asian food very much. I cook for myself and grow a lot of my own food. I’m physically active every day. I don’t go to gyms or do workouts.
I swim every day, work in the garden, go up and down stairs. I have dogs who take me on long walks.
I have a meditation practice that I’ve done for many years when I get up in the morning. I do a sitting meditation and practice some breathing exercises for stress reduction. I take a simple regime of dietary supplements that I think are useful. I drink alcohol moderately and use very little caffeine. I drink a lot of good water and spend a lot of time outdoors, connecting with nature. I have good friends and relationships.
I think all those are the foundations of a healthy life.

http://www.mediterrasian.com/about.htm