Thai-Die For!

Okay so its a cheesy title!

But, inspired from Julie Van Rosendaal last week on CBC radio, this one is a keeper!

Every Tuesday on CBC radio, I look forward to hearing what Julie Van Rosendaal has created, and a few weeks ago, I heard the most delicious-sounding recipe ever for fish.  Of course due to the fact that I didn't have every ingredient, we had to add-lib a bit, but sometimes this is half the fun!  So here's what I had in the pantry: coconut milk, lime juice, peanut butter (yes, a bit of pb!) and some Epicure Satay seasoning.  Dinner done in less than 30 minutes!  And, to make it more impressive, my husband cooked since I had boot camp that evening!

I came home with only 10 minutes to get dinner going, change into my bootie-camp clothes and dash out the door.  My hubby, who is very competent in kitchen, (and is a super-awesome cleaner, so really, its a win-win!) did supper, with just a few minor instructions...

me:  Sautee the veggies in a bit of oil and then...deglaze with wine or something...okay?  Then just....
him:  De-what?? 
me:  Deglaze...once the veggies are cooking and almost sticking to the pan, pour in a bit of liquid. him:  So pour in...
me: White wine...and just wait for it to boil off, then add the coconut milk, spices,
him:  I got this! Go workout!
me:   Oh yeah..we have whole grain 10-minute rice, just whip that up for our grains!

Yes, I know this rice is slightly processed, but it's a  pantry-must-have for those quick nights where you don't want to fuss and you don't have time to cook the nice brown rice in the rice cooker that takes an hour.

So off I went to my boot camp (ugh!)...but, when I came home, a wonderfully tasty and flavourful meal was waiting for me!  He even took pictures!









Ingredients

2 - 3 Basa Fillets (that's what was in the freezer..could do any white fish!)
3 cups chopped vegetables....broccoli, carrots, celery, mushrooms, red pepper)
1 small can of coconut milk
a few tablespoons of peanut butter
lime juice
soy sauce
Epicure Satay seasoning (you can use Thai green curry paste, or whatever you have)
wine to deglaze

Saute vegetables, and "deglaze" once they are almost sticking to the bottom.   While veggies are cooking, make a mixture of the coconut milk, the pb, the lime juice and the satay seasoning.  Once veggies are successfully deglazed, pour in coconut mixture and simmer in the savoury sauce.  Once boiled down, place cut up pieces of fish in the broth, and cover.  Don't mix, especially with basa, as it will break apart.

Serve over rice and voila! Dinner made by hubby...and just so delicious!


http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/food/2014/09/23/julie-van-rosendaal-cooks-sockeye-salmon/

Delicious dinner in 20!

What a beautiful looking dinner!

Today is the first time in 4 nights that our family has sat down together for dinner.  Between hockey and ringette evaluations, work, school and all the other "normal" stuff that still has to happen (meal planning, laundry, cleaning), it has been a bit of a difficult week.  Miraculously we had nothing on the go tonight.   What to do with ground dark turkey, tomatoes, cucumbers and tzatziki in my fridge?  Lets go Greek tonight!   After a quick stop at the grocery for fresh pita and olives, its show time!

Once I got home, of course I had to cuddle the puppy first and take her for our ritual walk down the hill to meet hubby.  By the time I got started, it was close to 6:15.....and honest to goodness, we were sitting and eating dinner by 6:35 pm.

Yummmmm!

Here's what you do:

1 lb ground dark turkey + spices

1 tomato, diced

3 mini cucumbers (or equivalent), diced

1 orange pepper, diced

olives (optional, but why not??)

tzatziki

pita

Preheat a pan with 2 TBSP of  vegetable oil. 

When you think Greek...think of the spices you have in your pantry that will work.  I had fresh garlic, dried rosemary, adobo (from Epicure) and seasoning salt.   Quickly mix together the dark turkey with your spices.  Once mixed, place turkey in preheated pan and let it sizzle! Even if you just have garlic, oregano and sea salt and pepper...you are good to go!

Chop up your veggies (or in my case, kindly request your 12 year old daughter to do the chopping and at the same time, get your 14 year old son to set the table).  

Love this tzatziki from Costco

For the pita, if you want it to be soft and warm....run it under the tap for a few seconds and then quickly heat in a non stick pan.

Presto!  Dinner is ready!  Table is set!  Veggies are chopped!






The fact that my tablecloth looked Greek was completely coincidental!   Delicious!   

Suddenly September...

September.

First, on Sunday, it was 25 degrees...did my perennial planting,
Got some great sun, had the neighbours over....good times....

While I love the fall, falling back into September pretty much sucks.  Gone are the whimsical days of summer, and we are forced back into a rigid routine, ditching our flip flops for proper shoe-ware, and telling ourselves that we need to cut back on all the wine and cheese we feasted on over the summer (nothing good can come of this!).  

...then...this happened the
NEXT day! Its still summer!!!!

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great things about September...the fall is beautiful (well, not today in Calgary), the kids are back in school, and while they don't realize it, they DO thrive on structure. 

But, before I become to bitter and numb to the pain of September, it would be good to reflect on the wonderful summer we had, from east to west!    We did two weeks in Ontario for my cousins wedding,  with a side trip to Montreal (yes, got bagels AND 4 lb of smoked meat!).   What a great wedding (with a fab and sexy MC...me!), and just some much needed connection with my entire family.  Then we did two weeks out west and drove to Victoria, stayed with my hubby's bro and his wonderful family. On our way back we stopped for our annual week at Mara Lake, which was fantastic, as usual!

Summer recap!

Went out for Ben and Sandy's wedding....what a great
picture of my hubby and I!  Brown Goddess indeed!

And more brown!!!!  Love this pic of my sis and some cousins!

Got to see my dad and two sisters!!!  
Wish we did not live so far apart!!!!

Wedding time.....check out the MC and her
main squeeze!

Mommy and daughter...love it!

Nanee and Noah!

Fun times with my mom and aunt, my cousin and daughter!

BC ferries!  Off to Victoria!

Love this pic of my son and I!

Tea at the Empress with my
sister-in-law and daughter....and she loved EVERY minute!

Simply delicious!

Me driving a boat at Mara Lake!   Who woulda thought???

Ahhhh...back to school....Grade 7 and 9!  Wha???????

Katy!!!!!!  We love Katy!!!!!!!  What a great show!

Here's to summer!    Bring on the fall (I guess).   I did get a great gift from my sister-in-law which I have now decided (after writing this blog post),  I will use to survive September...."Fifty Excuses for Wine"...here is one of my faves....

Love this......it's the only way to survive September....
how many days til Thanksgiving???

Best Monday Ever!

Today was the best Monday ever.
Here is a text conversation today to demonstrate the fun-factor in my day:

    

Drinks anyone?

friend:  So my kid's at ur house! What time should I come get him?
me: Whenever! I am not home til 10 :-) 
friend: wtf? Why soooo late?
me: Tequila at work


So just to back up, yes I am a dietitian at Health Stand Nutrition, no I don't drink tequila or any alcohol with clients,
but yes we have amazing meetings that include fun drinks and good eats.

Today was strawberry margaritas and Mexican bean dip!

Time to start our staff meeting on the deck!

It was a great day and we had a productive, meaningful and fun meeting.  AND...to top it all off, we went for dinner at Aida's Mediterranean Bistro!  My only regret is that I forgot to take a picture of all the fabulous food we ordered!

To all the phenomenal women I work with at Health Stand Nutrition...thank you for a great day today!  


http://www.aidasbistro.ca/

http://www.healthstandnutrition.com/

Foodie Kiddies!

My kids are foodie kids, and I have evidence to prove this....

1.  The kids surprised us once by making dinner.  They made fettuccini alfredo with bacon, and had googled the recipe for alfredo sauce, made it with real whipping cream, cooked real bacon and had everything ready for us when we arrived home, right down to setting the table.

My son's amazing stuffed crust pizza!

2.  My son will often take it upon himself to create a sauce if we are barbecuing.  The sauce is never the same twice as he is great at ad-libbing, and it is always delicious.  He is also quite curious about what I am cooking for dinner, what spices I am using and will often question what I am doing (yes, he IS 14!!). Whenever we have make-your-own-pizza night, he always stuffs his crust, and makes his pizza truly unique.

My daughter's delicious eggs benny!

3.  The other day my daughter suggested making a garlic and white wine sauce with our pasta.  She loves baking and I will often come home to a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies (and a clean kitchen).   She also made eggs benedict for dinner on her own last week, and yes, she made home-made hollandaise sauce which turned out to be absolutely fantastic...did I mention she is 11 years old?

4.  The kids will eat just about anything, whether it's Greek, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, German, Mexican....they have their favourite dishes I make, and honestly get excited about a good meal.  

They are definitely foodie kids, and it is easy to see where their foodie-ism came from.  Both my husband and I grew up in homes where the food was good, comforting and wholesome. Dinners were always together as a family and ready and on the table despite the fact that our parents worked full time.  We sat together no matter what (and also fought about who had to set and clear the table...but that's another story!).

I have carried this love and passion for food with me everywhere I go, and am now in a profession where I am constantly talking to clients about food. Despite our busyness, our family still manages to eat together most nights at the dining room table with no TV,  and just good food and good conversation.  And now as the kids are getting older, mealtimes are more than just about food.  Sitting down as a family is a great time to connect with each other and share stories about our day.

I love the fact that my kids are foodies-in-the-making.  My daughter asks for truffle oil on her pizza and my son asks if we have any aged gouda for his toast.  They like to cook, and they see value and get enjoyment out of a good home-cooked meal.  And all of this gives me great hope that they will someday pass this on, just as our parents passed this onto us.

Let's hear it for Foodie Kiddies!

Chicken and Waffles Anyone?

I have had chicken and waffles three times in my life.

The first time was at an classy Beverly Hills restaurant called Bouchon.  The second time was when I made some good old fashioned buttermilk fried chicken and decided to jump on the C & W bandwagon to see if I could pull it off at home (I sorta did...but the sauce was not quite right!).  And, just like the saying goes...third time's the charm!  It was just last weekend for our seventeenth wedding anniversary.  I had heard so much about Calgary restaurant Model Milk, specifically about about their chicken and waffles for two, I HAD to have them.

Crispy fried (and not greasy) tender chicken, waffles (more like squished Yorkshire puddings...but they were delicious) served on top of a chicken maple gravy (and a side salad with fresh greens and radishes in a light lemony dressing).   Of course we also had the foie gras for our appie,  which they made twice by mistake...lucky us!

 It. Was. Heaven.

Foie gras with cornbread toast to start (twice....)

Followed by chicken and waffles for 2....

Lets load up my plate!!!!

Ah yes...pass the salad please!!!!

So what is the history of this unique combo, that has crispy savoury chicken and delicious fluffy waffles served with a maple gravy?

The Chicken Story...

• 1300's: Chicken Fricassee popular in French Cuisine...fried chicken braised in a sauce.  By the 17th Century, it evolved to a more traditional fried chicken, coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in butter....
• 1800's:  Fried chicken evolves by the African slaves in Southern kitchens
• 1940's:  Harlan Sanders (aka Colonel Sanders) developed his signature fried chicken

The Waffle Story....(and how these two foods got together)

• Waffles were seen in the middle ages and made by bakeries that also made communion wafers
• 1600's: Pilgrams brought waffles to America after seeing them during a brief stop in Holland.  The earliest combination of chicken and waffles was seen in Pennsylvania Dutch country..waffles topped with pulled chicken and gravy
• As with everything...the combination evolved...soul-food inspired versions were seen at jazz clubs in America in the 1930's. 
• 1976:  A restaurant in America opens called Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles.  
• The dish continues to gain in popularity today, being recreated and reinvented from a fast food style to a high end restaurant style C & W dish. 

Happy Anniversary!   

I for one am a fan, and will definitely be going back to Model Milk for more!

HMD 2014!

Some pictures from today!  Happy Mother's Day!

My Traditional Mother's Day Brunch
with my favourite things!

What a wonderful Mother's Day!   It is so great to have traditions...no matter what they are.  Our tradition for quite a long time has been for the kids and my husband to make me a delicious brunch, followed by "Whatever-Mommy-Wants-To-Do" today.  Brunch was as usual, a brilliant collection of my favourite things...smoked salmon with caper berries, a selection of fine cheeses and bread, fresh berries, chocolate croissant, sausage, scrambled eggs served with coffee and orange juice.  It was magnificent!  Later on, we walked through Nosehill park, relaxed at home, went to Without Papers for dinner (totally yummy and trendy pizza) followed by a family movie.


As for gifts,  I asked for no complaining no matter how many pictures I took today...and I took A LOT of pictures! Though I also got the perfect tea mug from David's Tea (thank you!!!) and a homemade collage from my daughter, complete with coupons for hugs and kisses.

And there were no complaints for the 40 pictures that I took!

Ahhhh....Nova Scotia
Smoked Salmon....

Thank you for a fabulous day!

The Brown Goddess Can Run!

 So today was THE day!   May 4 (yes, its really May and it really looks like this outside...)   The Firefighters fun run / walk!   Wooo Hooo!    I had signed up months ago to do this, and signed up for the 9.11 km run.   Today was the day.  And I did it! And I wasn't dreading it (too much).  I have never enjoyed running, and today...I was going to prove to myself that the Brown Goddess CAN run.....

Some pre-run pics.....

Everyone say.....Its FREEEZING!!!!!!!!!!

Okay...everyone ready???   Ooooh look!  A firefighter....
lets show him our best side....

Half way with the Handsome Hunk

 Then it was ON.   The sound of the siren...and all the 9.11'ers were off!  Had to focus on my breathing, and just go at my own pace.    Crap...where is that half way mark?  *Fast forward 38 minutes* Ahhhhh...here he is.......I could not resist taking a picture!   I downed my water, and said "You are too cute and gorgeous to not take a picture of...can we take pic together?"  He must have thought I was nuts...but not in a dangerous way, so gracefully agreed and told me I was the first one who asked him that....seriously?   I am almost dead last and nobody asked him?   Their loss.......

One more, and I guess I better get back....
38 minutes and counting

Okay.....I've made it this far.....I can do it.   Of course I can......and what is with this snow???    All I could think about was getting back, and seeing my family and my bootcamp friends......6 km.....7 km, 8.....9....can't stop now!!!  Keep running Sherene!  Then, I see the bridge, and see the start/finish line....I hear them cheering!    

I think the best moment for me was when I saw my Body N' Sole buddies....  They saw me, and ran towards me cheering...Dammit!  Don't make me cry (too late!).   And they ran across the finish line with me! Then I saw my hubby, kids and puppy....and it was absolutely amazing!   My running time was 1 hr and 17 minutes (and 47 seconds), and I ran just about 85 - 90 % of the way, stopping for water breaks, the half-way-hunk-break and a few walking breaks....but....I did it!   The Brown Goddess Ran 9.11 km!   

Me...running across the finish line......Wooo Hooo!

Check us OUT!!!!!

Thank you to my husband and kids for being there for me today and everyday...and thank you Laurie (and Cheryl!) for just about the last 2 years of bootcamp....I never would have been able to do this with you!   And of course, just in case you are wondering, as I crossed the finish line, I was carried by two firefighters.....picture to follow!  

Yeah Baby!!!!  

http://bodynsole.ca/

Be One with the Food....

Yoga:   physical, mental and spiritual practices to attain a state of permanent peace of mind in order to experience one's true self. 

The beauty of my Mother's Day
Brunch last year....

I started blogging a couple years ago due to a yoga-related mishap.   Even though I am not a "bendy and flexy" person, when I do go to the occasional yoga class, I am able to breath and find some moments of inner peace.  But I have found one form of yoga I could truly master...Food Yoga.  Even just saying the term "food yoga" makes me think of food on so many different levels.   I used this term recently with a client while describing the art of mindful eating.  What would my definition of food yoga be?

Food Yoga:  To practice healthy, wholesome and soulful eating while being mindful of both your inner and outer surroundings.

Think for a minute about our inner surroundings.  Eating is an incredibly complex process that we often take for granted.  It involves all five of our senses, all twelve of our cranial nerves, facial muscles, a complex swallowing mechanism so we don't choke on our food...and that all happens before the food even reaches the stomach!

Now think about our outer surroundings.What does the food look like?  Sound like?  Smell like?  Can you see the different colours on your plate?  Can you hear the crackle of  breaking bread?  The sizzle of steak on the BBQ?  Smell the wonderful aroma....take it in before really taking it in.  We have all or our senses activated before we even manage to actually eat what is in front of us.

The wonderful feeling of sharing a
holiday feast with family 

We take all of these food-steps for granted when we rush or eat mindlessly.  We may not even notice other aspects of our surroundings...the ambiance, the company we keep, the conversations we may miss due to rushing.  I am not saying we always have to be aware of every step, but practicing food yoga can help strengthen our relationship with food.  Ultimately, food yoga can enable us be mindful of what we are doing and focus on the enjoyment of eating and the afterglow of a good meal instead of rushing to the finish line.  What's that saying...it's not the destination, but the journey?

I know you may be thinking..."it's just food...what is she going on (and on) about?" but eating is something we do on a daily basis.  While we may not have time to practice food yoga everyday, maybe we should try sometimes to just take a moment during a meal....stop....close our eyes...and just.... breathe.

Calgary Herald....How to get your teens and tweens to contribute to healthy meals

I'm in the paper today!!!!

Woo hoo!!!

Follow this link and check it out!

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/your+tweens+teens+contribute+healthy+meals/9767882/story.html

Its all in your head.....running that is....

So, I am sure everyone is waiting to hear how my training is going for the Firefighter's Fun Run / Walk....

Here is a quick update.

I have been out running three times since my Fire! Fire! post.

Run # 1:  I ran just over 3 km, and ran most of it, but walked for a minute after the first 7 minutes of running, and then another minute of walking after that horrid hill on the way back

Run # 2:  I ran about 4.4 km and I will have you know that I RAN the first 2.2 km WITHOUT stopping!  And then ran most of the way back, just had to walk after that horrid hill (hate the horrid hill!).

Run # 3:  This was today.  I ran.....wait for it......6....SIX!!!!!  S-I-X!!!!!!!  6 kilometres today...and with my dog (though she ran ahead with my bootcamp buddy for a bit).  I ran the entire first half without stopping!  And then, of course, walked for my minute, and walked for another minute after the horrid hill!

No pictures today...shoulda thought of that!  But...had to share as I was so proud that I did this!!!!

And it is totally true what people say...it is a complete head game for the first 10 minutes.  I honestly feel like crying in those first 10 minutes and want to give up..then....something happens....and I just keep going.

Look out Fire-dudes....I'm gonna be so ready for May 4!!!!!  Wooo-Hoooo!!!!!!!!!

Lemon Kale Salad

Lemon Kale Salad with Trail Mix

Sunday night suppers are something that I really enjoy but it has to be something yummy with very little effort, as Sunday's are plagued with last minute homework, making school lunches, and getting ready for another week.  Tonight's menu?  BBQ steak, Saskatoon berry perogies and salad.  But not just any salad...a lemony kale salad that was inspired by a recipe I found on allrecipes.com. It was simple, easy and so flavourful and of course I have leftovers for my lunch tomorrow!

Salad:
2 bunches of ruffly kale
1-2 diced seeded tomatoes
3/4 cup of trail mix from Costco (can use any trail mix..this one had cashews, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried apple, figs....)

Dressing:  
Juice from one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix the salad fixings together and set aside in your salad bowl.  Mix dressing ingredients together and set aside.  Pour dressing on salad 5 minutes prior to eating, and toss.   For extra goodness, can crumble some grizzly aged gouda on top of your salad....super blissfully delicious!

Sunday Supper: BBQ steak, Saskatoon Perogies and the Kale Salad

Risotto in under 35 minutes....honest!

Last Wednesday I made a fabulous dinner in under 35 minutes....lemon garlic risotto, broiled char, and sauteed kale.   Mind you, I had planned it out, and had all my essential ingredients, but planning is ninety percent of the battle.

Lemon garlic risotto, arctic char and sauteed kale

I don't really like rice unless it is nice and sticky, or creamy or both.   Risotto is definitely something I love, and while it is tedious to make (sometimes) it is not that difficult, and with planning (and an eleven year old helper to stir!) the meal was ready in less than 35 minutes from start to finish.  The only downside for me was that it was an night that I had to go running (ugh!) and I could not eat my full meal (as seen above) until after my run!


Lemon Garlic Risotto (hint...make enough for leftovers)

3 cups of arborio rice
2 - 3 TBSP olive oil
a few cloves of minced garlic
Liquid:
Fresh squeezed lemon - juice from 1 -2 lemons throughout cooking
dry white wine - about 1 - 2 cups total throughout cooking
water - 4 - 6 cups throughout cooking
Using a deep pan (I used a wok-style pan), heat up olive oil. Have your rice and minced garlic ready. Throw in the garlic and within 10 seconds, add the arborio rice.  Sautee for 1 - 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Slowly start adding in liquid, 1/2 - 1 cup at a time, each time stirring until liquid has evaporated.  This is the tedious part, but if you have an eleven year old to help you, I highly recommend it.  Slowly add the liquid, alternating the lemon juice and water, and then the wine. I did not measure, but tasted as I went.  It took about 25 minutes of adding liquid, and in between I seasoned my char and ripped my kale. You will know your risotto is done when it appears creamy and sticky (yum!) and it has a wonderful texture that is soft, but firm.  



Blackened Char

2 pieces of char, skin side down
Use any blackened spice
Lemon slices
Place char skin side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle any blackened spice you have (I had a spice mix called "Open Season" which was delicious and low sodium to boot!).  Slice lemons and place in along the top of the fish.  Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. 

Sautteed Kale
2 bunches of ruffled kale
1  - 2 TBSP grapeseed oil
salt and pepper to taste
juice from a lemon or...yes....white wine
Preheat the pan with the grapeseed oil.  Once heated, throw in the ruffley kale, and hear it sizzle!   Toss around for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add some salt and pepper, and then toss in a bit of vino.  The acidity of the wine (or lemon juice) helps to get rid of the slight bitterness that kale has, and then all you are left with is total delicious-ness!  

Embracing the "ish"

My favourite food word is "ish".

For those who know me, I am a passionate, fun loving person.  I am far from perfect, but am so okay with that.  I love what I do for a living, and I love the other parts of my life...my kids, my husband, my puppy, my family, my friends.  These are in no particular order. But as usual, I have gone off topic...

Beet Salad at Eleven22 in Golden, BC

In my dietetic practice, I see all walks of people...picky eaters, children with autism, eating disorders, families who need help with meal planning, weight loss clients...the list goes on.  Food is an interesting thing.  It is something that has no feelings, but yet it can be the culprit of so many feelings within ourselves.  We may feel good about eating a yummy beet salad, and guilty for having the  bacon mushroom cheese burger with onion rings.

The Bopper Burger at Legendz Diner,
Golden , BC

I enjoy all foods, and really believe that all foods can fit.  It is how we make these foods fit into our lives that counts.   Healthy eating is not about perfection...I tell this to my clients constantly, because as soon as you have the word "perfect" in your head, you are destined to feel as if you have failed.  Instead of striving for perfection in eating, go for the "ish"-factor.  It's not about measuring food and reading labels obsessively. It is about knowing what you are eating and becoming a really good and honest guesser as to how much is on our plate (most of the time).  I mean, who really cares if we have a cup of pasta or if it is a bit more?  And really, if we enjoy and savour a great meal at a diner (hence the burger and rings) once in a while,  does it really matter?  What matters is that we are okay with eating healthy-ish.  I eat healthy most of the time, but I have room for other foods too.

Embracing the "ish" can help us with not feeling guilty and make us remember that it's okay if we are not perfect with our food choices.  A wise man (and my uncle!) once said,  "It may not be perfect, but it can be excellent"...some good food for thought!

And for the record, there was no guilt with my diner-dinner...only an "ahhhh...." afterwards.

Savory Lasagne

A few months ago at a work function, there was a potluck lunch (how much do I love those!!!??) and someone had brought a squash lasagne.  It was so tasty and savory, filled with fresh thyme and sage, and I have not been able to get it off my mind.  Only one cure for that....had to make it!  Tonight was that night (and also I had some squash that I had to use up).

Savory Squash Lasagne

But because it was Monday, it was also "super-mom-night" (really, that is every night!) as I had less than an hour to clean up, get dinner going and take my daughter to piano lessons.   Armed with only the ingredients I felt were necessary (mozza, ricotta, squash, thyme, garlic and noodles) and my common sense (i.e., no recipe), I psyched myself up get it done.  But because I always bite off more than I can chew, I also decided to make a traditional lasagne as well (I did have some homemade spaghetti sauce in my freezer...so should be easy to throw that together, right??).  First step, defrost the spaghetti sauce.  Done.  With the noodles boiling, I then cut the squash into quarters, and decided that as time was a factor, I would nuke them too.   It took almost 15 - 20 minutes in the microwave, and just they were done, the microwave shut down.  Whatever. Carry on!   4:45...gotta leave by 5:15!  Noodles done and cheese grated.  Next, I scooped out the squash and mashed it up a little. I decided to saute it with a bit of grapeseed oil and fresh garlic and thyme.  4:55...tick tock, tick tock! Kitchen is a disaster, but gosh darnit I will have dinner ready before piano!   Ok..no time to fuss any more, time to layer it up.   A bit of squash on the bottom with some water mixed in, and then the layers...squash, ricotta, mozza, noodles....squash, ricotta, mozza, noodles.....and the finishing touch....a bit more mozza.  5:15...time to go, but not before slapping together the trad-lasagne...easy breezy, layer sauce, cheese, noodles....I could do this in my sleep!  Done...5:20....in the oven and out the door!

End result?  A delicious lasagne that was sweet and savory and extremely delicious!   And dinner was ready by the time we got home from piano!!  An awesome "Meatless Monday" meal (with a traditional lasagne on the side)...and dinner is all ready for tomorrow!  Leftover Tuesday!  Love it!


****************************************

Savory Lasagne

2 acorn squash
fresh garlic
fresh thyme
fresh sage (optional)
ricotta (maybe 1 cup?)
shredded mozza (1 - 2 cups)
9 cooked lasagne noodles

1. Boil noodles, and set aside
2.  Prepare squash.  Can quarter them and nuke them if you are in a rush, but if you have time, roasting them in the oven would probably be better.  Can roast with some savory herbs and a bit of olive oil and garlic.
3.  Scoop out squash once softened and mash but not puree.
4.  Saute squash with a bit of grapeseed oil and add in some fresh garlic and thyme (and sage if you have any)
5. Once done, begin layering, with the first layer being a bit of squash mixed with water to cover the bottom of the pan.  Layer noodles, then squash, ricotta and mozza.  Continue to layer, ending with noodles and shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Fire! Fire!

OK...now that I have your attention!    So really, who doesn't love Firefighters?  Honestly...they're in good shape, they save people and they look great in a calendar.  Really really really goooood.

Well, because of this, I have gone and done something that I may regret.  I signed up for the Firefighter Fun Run/Walk. What is fun about a run, you ask?  Well, nothing really.  Anyone who knows me KNOWS that I am not a runner.  In fact, I have diagnosed myself with exercise-induced asthma and am certain my lungs are smaller than average (I have no proof of this except for the fact that I feel like I am going to die every time I run).

My friend and bootcamp buddy sent out an email about this fun run and initially I was not even going to entertain the thought, but I clicked the link and read a bit about the run.  There are two distances... 3.43 km and 9.11 km.  The 3.43 is for the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, and the 9.11 is for 911 emergency response.  So that's cool, right?  But then reading on....apparently there is a bonus....as you cross the finish line you are welcomed by uniformed firefighters who present us with our finishers Challenge coin!   Uniformed. Firefighters.  

So, yes, I signed up.  And I signed up for the 9.11 km (am I cray-cray???).  Already I am panicking about what I am going to look like, huffing and puffing past the finish line with my hair all in disarray (uh-oh...didn't think that part through, did I?).  Maybe right before the finish line, I can quickly apply my lipstick (I'll find a place for it), and fix my hair?

Either way, I will cross that finish line (maybe in need of CPR?) and I will be able to say that I ran (?) 9.11 km.  So who else wants to do this with me???  

http://events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=10089

www.bodynsole.ca