Savour the Flavour Saviour!

Aging.  Good, bad, ugly.  I guess we need to embrace these so we can age gracefully (for the most part).   

Since 2017, I have had on-again off-again vertigo, combined with tinnitus, and some hearing loss.  Fast forward to 2021, my ENT has diagnosed me with Meniere's Disease.   It's not deadly, but during my vertigo episodes it is completely debilitating.  I have been doing a lot of reading and diligently taking my medications. I am also looking outside of the box for anything that will help manage these symptoms.  Some days I can hardly get out of bed, while other days I feel like I can "climb any mountain".  That is the nature of this particular beast - there is no cure and many things that work to manage it are anecdotal.

One of the things that does help me (and many others) is a low salt diet and drinking lots of water. Being the foodie that I am, this is devastating for me to have to control this, yet at the same time...challenge accepted.

My goal for sodium intake is to hover around 1500 - 2000 mg per day.   Did you know that 1 teaspoon of salt has 2400 mg of sodium?  YIKES!  My favourite Hawkins Cheezies?  Per individual serving has over 600 mg of sodium?  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!   Well, I can find a recipe for that (thank you Julie Van Rosendaal). 

https://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2010/04/23/homemade-cheezies/

Oh yes, and cheese. That also has salt.  Well, fuck!  I will pick and choose carefully, and I won't be giving up cheese (or wine) anytime soon. 

So how do you flavour food without salt?  There are cookbooks and diets dedicated to low salt due to other health conditions.  What I am writing about is nothing earth shattering.

But, I am a foodie. I talk about food.  I cook. I  create. I indulge.

I love food. I am in love with food.  I have a healthy-ish relationship with food

This is my way. 

We can always cut down or eliminate salt from any recipe.  That part is easy.  Or we can enhance our meals with other brilliant options and Savour the Flavour Saviours! 

Citrus

Pick any citrus fruit and enhance the flavour.  I love making wings with lime and pepper, or with lemon and oregano for more of a Greek twist.  For wings, if you make them extra crispy in the oven, you can just squeeze a fresh lime or lemon over top before serving.  This works on ribs too. Try making a chimichurri style mixture and squeeze a lemon over the ribs as the come out of the oven.  Hear them sizzle!  Citrus also works well as a salad dressing with a bit of good quality olive oil.  My favourite salad these days is a combo of avocado, cilantro, blood orange, naval orange and lime juice.  Throw in some shrimp if you want a meal! Add chili flakes for heat! 

Sherene's Greek Ribs - low in salt and full of flavour

Mix together the following, all finely minced for about 3lb of ribs

Can be in a rack or half rack.  You can also cut them all before marinating and baking

Recipe doubles easily

1 TBSP dried basil

5 - 6 cloves of minced garlic

2 - 3 teaspoons of minced rosemary (fresh is awesome and dry also works)

2 teaspoons of dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon of salt (original recipe calls for 1 TBSP)

1 teaspoon of pepper

Mince altogether to create a yummy paste.  Taste to see if it is to your liking.  Coat ribs and slow cook covered with foil in oven for 3 hours on 325F.   You want them tender and not quite falling off the bone. If doing half racks, can quickly BBQ after they are cooked if you want that grilled flavour.  Once cooked, squeeze fresh lemon over top and enjoy!  

Herbs and Garlic

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh herbs and garlic?  Adding sage and garlic with brown butter to gnocchi is exceptionally delicious.  Note that for butter, I use salted and don't add extra salt to what I am cooking.  I have made this particular recipe for sweet potato gnocchi with ricotta cheese a few times.  Devine. 

https://damndelicious.net/2019/12/14/brown-butter-sweet-potato-gnocchi/

Fresh herbs and garlic can enhance anything.  Try adding fresh basil to a salad. Make your own homemade chimichurri with what ever herbs you have on hand by mincing them with garlic and olive oil. I will sometimes go on "herb patrol" in my fridge.  Anything that needs to be frozen will be blended with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar to make little ready-to-go seasoning cubes. 

Herb Cube Combo's

cilantro/parsley/garlic

oregano/basil/garlic

thyme/sage/rosemary/garlic

rosemary/basil/garlic

Create your own favorite combo!

Blend together with olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar and freeze in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, pop out and store in a freezer-safe container and use as needed!

Oils

Oils are another great way to flavour foods.  A few years back,  I was grocery shopping and ran into a friend I used to work with.  She is the creator of this amazing Seven Spice, by far one of our family favourites.  We use it as a dip, dressing, spice...you name it.   It is amazing with pizza, wings, or as part of a marinade.  I also put this on top of salmon with some lemon slices and the flavour is fantastic!  Try a drizzle of maple syrup for that sweet / savoury combination. We have also  used Seven Spice to flavour Asian style soups, which seems to be that missing ingredient that we all wondered about. Delicious! 

https://sevenspice.com

Sesame oil or any infused oil adds a nice strong flavour and a little goes a long way.  Wonderful with tuna poke, salad dressings, soups and marinades.  I recently found a recipe for honey sesame chicken, and omitted the salt.  The honey glaze and sesame oil combination was amazing! I came up with my own version so it could be low in sodium. 

For the chicken:

Cubed chicken breast

cornstarch

black ground pepper

Mix together and sauté with sesame oil or any oil until fully cooked.

For the glaze:

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of spicy tomato jam (see below!)

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Mix all this together and bring to a gentle boil until it thickens.  Add cooked crispy chicken and serve with veggies and/or rice.

Savoury Spreads

Nothing says flavour like a savoury spread! These are two of my favourites  Don't let the name "Spicy Tomato" fool you.  It is incredibly versatile - great on a sandwich, burger, or as a charcuterie accompaniment. We used it in the above recipe for the honey glaze (the original recipe called for ketchup).  With zero sodium and zesty flavour, how can you go wrong?  

https://saltspringkitchen.com/

Coconut Aminos

Here is something I had never heard of before.  Coconut Aminos!  I was catching up with a friend and had told her about my low salt woes. She mentioned this product as it's a lower sodium option to soy sauce made from fermented coconut palm sap.  Is there anything that coconuts can't do??

It is soy-free and gluten-free if that's what you are looking for. While it still contains sodium, it has almost 50% less than the Kikkoman Less Sodium soy sauce.  Per teaspoon, the Coconut Aminos has 90 mg of sodium. The Kikkoman Less Sodium has about 193 mg of sodium per teaspoon.  It is not completely low, but a little goes a long way.  It has a great savoury taste with a hint of sweetness.  

The downside is that it is a bit pricy, but the cost of me enjoying my sushi.....priceless!

Liquid Smoke 

I have only used liquid smoke in one recipe so far, which is from another dear friend of mine.  It is simply the best three-ingredient recipe on the planet and has tons for leftovers. 

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/slow-cooker-kalua-pork/

This pork is freaking amazing. While the recipe does call for 1 tablespoon of Pink Himalayan Salt (approximately 5500 mg sodium), I recently did this pork with half of the sodium in a 5 pound pork shoulder, adding a bit more liquid smoke (zero sodium in this smoky stuff).  The taste was still incredible.  Worth the non-effort for this meal, as it works for leftovers in tacos, nachos and sandwiches.    

 

Vinegars

Vinegar - not just for cleaning anymore!  So much flavour can be found in a variety of vinegars and with zero sodium, so go wild! They are great with oils as a dip, in a salad dressing or marinade.  One of our favourite salad dressings is to just use the balsamic reduction drizzled over top. 

I recently enjoyed one of my fave pub food meals - fish and chips.   I did eat the batter on the fish (duh!) but got my fries with no salt (I don't like ketchup, so this is also a plus).  Dipping those fries into malt vinegar sent me back to my childhood in Halifax, eating fish and chips at Point Pleasant Park.  Fully enjoyed my pub meal without the salt.  It is important to be vigilant when ordering at a restaurant.  I am an expert at asking way too many questions about the foods on the menu, but worth the time and the extra malt on the side.

Alcohol

Never underestimate the power of alcohol.  Cooking with booze is not new and adds so much flavour!  Making a nice bourbon sauce for steak, or a white wine garlic sauce with lemon makes me go from zero to hero in the kitchen!   I have no specific recipes that I use, but adding wine to any dish usually pans out (plus I get a glass or two on the side before dinner, a win-win!).  A great way to enrich your dishes with lots of flavour.   Just don't skimp out.  Enhance your foods with wine that you will actually drink and don't go for the cheapo Naked Grape.  I am not saying to cook with a Barolo, but cooking with good wine will give you the best results, plus a delectable pre-dinner glass-o-vino while cooking!

Nutritional Yeast

Here's a nutty-cheesy-gooder!  Even my cheese-loathing child will put this on her popcorn.  Not only does this have only 25 mg of sodium per 1/4 cup but it comes with a nutritional punch, also having 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre.  Plus it is loaded with B vitamins all well above 100%!  We have used this primarily on popcorn (yes with a bit of melted butter so it sticks), but it is simply delicious!  There is even a recipe on the back for a cheese sauce sans- fromage.  Adding this to dips and other sauces would probably work too (have not tried yet) to add extra flavour and bonus points for nutrition. 

Spices

Spices are another easy way to add a bit of zest and zing. Make sure you read the label, especially if you are buying a pre-made spice mix or a blend.  We tend to avoid the packages, and often will create our own mixture.  Either we put in a fraction of the salt, or hold the salt altogether.  There are lots of great recipes online for rubs and mixes, whether you are cooking Greek, Mexican, or fusion.   

Another spice that a friend introduced to me is Sumac. Made from the crushed berries of the Sumac flower, it has a lemony tangy taste, often used in Middle Eastern cooking. It is quite versatile - filled with flavor, this spice can be used in dry rubs for grilling meats or as mixed with olive oil to dress a salad.   Truly delicious!

Our favorite Spice Rub from "Gastro Grilling" by Ted Reader

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup chili powder

1 TBSP salt (original recipe calls for 3 TBSP)

2 TBSP ground coriander

2 TBSP garlic powder

2 TBSP white sugar

2 TBSP curry powder

2 TBSP hot mustard powder (we have omitted sometimes as we don't have it)

1 TBSP ground black pepper

1 TBSP dried basil

1 TBSP dried thyme

1 TBSP grond cumin

1 TBSP cayenne pepper (I use 1 teaspoon) 

Great on ribs, chicken, burgers, fish, vegetables, potatoes and more!  Next time I make this spice mix,  I plan to try it sans-sodium! 

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00G3L6M3O/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Cooking with less salt and enhancing the flavour with other ingredients can take your creations to a new level.  One of my favourite cookbooks (yes I still have cookbooks!) is The Flavor Bible. Set up alphabetically, each food has a list a mile long on what flavours and spices go with any food.  Brilliant. 

There are so many ways to enliven our palate without (much) salt.  I refuse to let this dampen my sensory food experience. Flavour gives meaning and depth to the food we create. I encourage everyone to find inspiration and innovation when cooking and discover creative ways to add that extra zesty bite to everything you do!

The Year of Living with the C word.

COVID.  It has been over a year with this pandemic and I still go through my WTF moments.  

We all have our own personal stories - my story is no more or less than others and the pandemic has affected all of us in different ways.  Trips and major events have been canceled, weddings have been postponed,  large get-togethers are still a no-no and it's not business as usual.  But this IS a pandemic, and while vaccinations are underway, the virus isn't going away anytime soon.  It can get down right fucking depressing. 

The year has been tough. I live far from my parents and my siblings and it has been over a year since seeing any of them. I've got people all over, from Nova Scotia to California, and from Florida to Ontario and places in between.  This causes quite a bit of emotional turmoil and I am also going through menopause, oh good. Bring on the hot flashes and mood swings and for godsakes if you value your life you will turn down the fucking heat!!!!!  Top that all up with a  new dose of vertigo and hearing loss.....basically I am fucked.  

So is there anything good?  

Yes.  

Yes there is.  

Yes it sucks AND yes there are some good things that have come out of it. 

Here are my top 10 in no particular order.

Where we live  

We are lucky to live in a place where vaccinations are available for the public. I received my first Pfizer shot last week and remember thinking how grateful I am to live in this country.  As I sat for my 15 minutes after my shot, I thought how grateful I am for my family and friends; to all healthcare workers, whether on the frontlines or behind the scenes; for all administrative staff in hospitals; and grateful for Science and all those involved in the vaccination process from start to finish.  

Curbside pick-up

This feature should never go away!  I love the ability and choice to NOT have to go into a store, whether it is Home Depot, the local pharmacy for a medication pick up, or Walmart.  To go to the parking lot, have prime parking and text someone that you are "here!" is awesome!  You open your trunk, they load your junk, you drive home. Done. Nuff said!

Online shopping

This has been a thing long before the pandemic, but shopping has never been so easy and fun!  I have never loved mall shopping (still love cute little one-off shops especially in our lovely Inglewood). But to order online has been amazing. I love how local shops have this too (we love ordering from the Best of Calgary) and we don't always have to order from Amazon!  Returns are easy, shopping is not limited to work hours and it can be just fun.  I may have developed a slight addiction, but it ebbs and flows. And speaking of flow......Market Wines has free delivery within Calgary!  Yes!

https://bestofcalgaryfoods.com/

https://www.marketwines.ca/

Wash your hands and no spitting on my cake!

These both just make good sense!   Wash your hands...before cooking, after the bathroom, before and after anything, just wash your hands and carry hand sanitizer everywhere! Sing along to your 20 second song!  And regarding the cake thing....who ever liked eating the spit-glistening icing anyway?  Or did we just never think about it?  Well, it's out there now, so lets just give the birthday person their own cupcake and let them blow on that and I can just get my own, clean cupcake thanks! 

Virtual Health

I am amazed at how fast things went from all in-person to the ability to zoom with patients.  Working in healthcare, this has been huge!  I also love that physicians are making phone calls as this did not happen as often before. Having the option to do your appointment by phone or zoom is something that will be here to stay.  For sure virtual visits do not replace the value of an in-person visit, but for patients and their families it gives them flexibility to still proceed with the appointment if it is difficult for whatever reason to make the commute. A win-win for everyone!

Family Time

My two university kids were virtual for most of the year and it was even though it was tough, we did get a lot of family time.  We played games - tried Monopoly (still a no-go as fights can break out), but loved Code Names, Sushi Roll, King of Tokyo, Poker and Dealers Choice.  We had some awesome fireside chats outdoors with good wine and good laughs.  We had a few family activities like skating on Gap Lake, and driving with my husband to watch the sunrise at Moraine Lake which had more parking than usual as there are no tour busses.  Spending this time together was not always perfect, but it was excellent, and I will cherish these memories and hold them close to my heart. 

Netflix and Prime and Disney, Oh My!    

So in a word.   Bridgerton.   But watched lots of great shows including Bridgerton. Did I mention Bridgerton?  Seriously though, we watched Mandalorian, Killing Eve, Schitts Creek, Wanda Vision and more. Plus don't forget to tune in for Season 4 of Handmaid's Tale starting up right around the corner!  I did not watch the Tiger King (I tried!) but loved having our Marvel Marathon, and rewatching the classic Star Wars Movies and a few Disney flicks too - Lilo and Stitch is a family favorite! So much fun to snuggle in with a bowl of popcorn, a loved one and a furry friend! A great way to help carry us through and spend time together. 

WFH

Whether you are Working From Home or Working-Out From Home, the same benefits apply.  Stumble out of bed, grab coffee, a quick shower and dress up from the waist up (sweats on!) and you can be at work in less than 30 minutes.  Same with workouts.  Stumble out of bed, grab my workout stuff, stumble to the basement and in less than 10 minutes I am ready with my yoga mat and water bottle. No commute in the morning is Bliss, especially on snow days! I know that the WFH may change, but hoping to have a balance of  GTFO (go-to-the-fucking-office)  and WFH. Zen.

Pet World! 

I love my dog. Not only has she embraced quarantine, she now knows the world revolves around her even more than it did before.  My people are here all the time!!!!!  That means they want to play fetch all the time!  Yay!!!  This does come with more whining (especially around meal times) and more sad looks when we can't play (WFH - see above), but when you factor in an extra dog walk at lunchtime, it is pretty great!

The Camera Loves You!  

Zoom Zoom!  I know that we all have zoom-fatigue but with my family living all over the globe, it has been my saviour.  I see my mom everyday, and I love it.  I have even seen my dad a few times on Zoom, which was amazing as he prides himself on not knowing how to email people.  For sure Zoom, or Facetime or Whatsapp video do not and will not ever replace the hugs, but having this ability with my family and my in-laws has been awesome.  We did a murder mystery with our friends at Christmas, and have done several zoom birthday parties, and while I can't wait for the big gathering to celebrate everything we missed, I am grateful that we have remained together and connected during this time apart. 

Gratitude is powerful.  

Feel the bad and sad, always embrace the good and joy.  

Gratitude is powerful. 

 

   

If You Cook it, They will Come (begrudgingly).

I am a huge advocate for the family meal. I owe this to the way I was raised. When dinner was ready, everyone gathered and everyone ate together.  Both my husband and I had families with working parents and our moms put dinner on the table daily.  I have no idea to this day how my mom did it, but she did.   In our house we would sit, listen to music, eat and talk about our day.   It wasn't perfect.  There would be fighting over who set and cleared the table and one of my siblings (who shall remain nameless) would conveniently go to the bathroom during clean up.  But it was excellent.  Most of the time we sat around our dining room table - we did have a view of the ocean, which was pretty cool.   There were special occasions where we would we eat in our basement in front of the TV.  We did this for the 1980 Winter Olympics, and to this day I remember the meal - whole barbecued chicken and my mom's homemade macaroni pie - and we  ate as we watched he United States win gold.  I have such fond memories of our dinners growing up and cherish these times with my parents and my siblings.

Fast forward.  From early on my husband and I set the precedent for mealtimes.   No TV at dinner was our main rule (unless it was Olympic hockey or Game 7 of the Stanley Cup).   Once we had cell phones and as our children got older, we had to reinvent some of the rules:  no cell phones or screens of any kind at the table for anyone (including us), no checking texts and no answering calls.  This last rule was amended to no answering phones unless it was a grandparent, only because all the grandparents live far away.  Setting an example for our kids at dinner has been one of the best things we have done.  I am certainly not saying it was perfect, as there were many MANY times where we had to remind  our children to stop checking their phone, or to put their phone down (which did not go over well, but whatever...PUT DOWN THE PHONE).  There are 1440 minutes in the day, and I am asking for 20 minutes.  Less than 2 % of everyone's time.  Sounds reasonable to me.

The kids are older now and it can be amazing what happens at dinner.   Our older one is away at university so the dynamics have changed as it is just the three of us.  Our daughter, though lovely, is seventeen and she misses her brother.  Getting her to come down for dinner on time has been challenging but we still try to do family meals when we can. Today we made a delicious meal, and she came downstairs, begrudgingly, and was not in a very chatty mood.

How was your day? Fine.  
How was your chem test? Fine.  
How was your Spanish presentation? Fine.   

Not a typical family meal!
Christmas Eve at my moms this year

Okay....?  

So we carried on with some quiet small talk. Finally after she ate, out came the animated chatter about her day, her life, her friends.  It is amazing how many times this has happened at our meals and how much we learn sitting around the table.    Meals are more than just about sustenance.  They are social times to be together and can be a safe place to share stories and talk about your day.

Creating mealtime structure is something that we can do and make time for. I know more than anyone that life is busy as our kids play team sports and have social lives with friends.  My best advice is whenever possible, on a regular basis, have family meals.  Eat together, share, laugh and listen.  You will never get a better education than around the dinner table, sharing food (and wine sometimes) with family and friends.

Change IS hard....Duh!

My actual water bottle from a good friend
who knows me well

I heard on the radio last week someone saying that "even if polar bears cease to exist, humans will, and isn't that what matters?" Or something like that.  I was like what the actual fuck?


Change is hard, but unavoidable.   People can either avoid it, which in my opinion causes stress and anger, or be a part of it, which will cause stress and anger.  Wait.  What?  Change can be ugly and messy at first, but eventually if we are a part of that change, it can be tolerable, and maybe even a bit beautiful (sometimes...not always).  I am not really selling it, but I don't have to.  It is inevitable.

Right now, one of the hottest topics is climate change.  It is scary to think that our way of life needs to change so we can protect our planet.  I ask myself "what am I willing to do beyond turning the water off when I brush my teeth?"  I drive an SUV....am i willing to change that?  I travel a lot as my family lives across the continent.  Am I willing to change that?  We took our kids to Europe this summer, knowing that jet fuel is a huge contributor to ruining the environment but we still did it.  Why is this?  I don't have the answer.  But it is coming.  It will be ugly and messy and uncomfortable but we need to try and be a part of it and figure it out.



I am currently reading Brene Brown's book "Daring Greatly" and she talks about not sitting on the sidelines and the importance of being uncomfortable and vulnerable in order to have the "courage and willingness to engage". Reading this made me think of Greta Thunberg and her recent visit to Alberta, which is causing quite a bit of discomfort.  Everyone has an opinion.  Some are angry, others are skeptical, while some welcome her and want to hear what she has to say. She talks about the global crisis, which  trickles down and creates a lot of uncertainty and discomfort in our own personal lives. I for one do not want to sit in the cheap seats!  It may be quiet up there, but you can't see anything, can't hear anything, and nobody can see you. If we are not willing to get messy and feel uncomfortable, what are we here for?


Whether you believe in climate change or not (seriously people!), we all live on this earth, and while it should be in our nature to protect the planet we live on, it is not easy to think about the changes that are coming.  Our planet  - it is not our right to be here, it is our privilege, especially if you are in North America (okay Canada!).  So whatever you choose to believe in - whether it is a force from above or below or a step to the left (or god forbid a step to the right)....whatever it is, we are living on this earth together.  Climate change or not, we should respect where we live, and protect it.  I can't say that I will embrace all that is coming with open arms, but I want to be a part of the mess and the chaos and ultimately the solutions.

I want to do my part to protect our planet.  Full disclosure I am going to Mexico in February 2020 but will pay that extra carbon offset...for now.

One of my favorite quotes seems both timeless and relevant.

be the change that you wish to see in the world - Gandhi 


https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/questions-about-carbon-offsets-flights-answered/

love you edtti...xo

Tomorrow will be three years.  Three years of life on earth without him.  How is that even possible?  I still ask myself if it is real. But it is.  And maybe it feels worse because I am no longer in denial, or am I?   I still talk to him, write to him, but sometimes I want to hear him..what would he say to me?  What advice would he give?  

I searched my email today and typed in "Zaim" and scrolled through hundreds of emails.  It gave me comfort seeing our emails to each other about everything from organizing closets and desks to our jobs and our families.   I wanted to see his words.  Feel the words he wrote to me.  

His love for his job....

Hi Sherene I got the job in the private practice office just like you! only narda and I know so keep it on the qt till I tell you and know the details.
I love you everyday that there is
Fav uncle

OM(F!)G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so proud of u! And so happy for u! I had my private practice job today and just LOVE it!!!!!!

Love u everyday that there is!!!!!!

~s..xo

Thanks for your vote of confidence and love.

So glad I have you to confide in..I thank Allah that you love your job it is one non fattening ingredient in a recipe for a great life. 

Fav unc

Love for his family....

I love you everyday that there is.kiss all for me.

Merry Christmas. My Christmas is so happy Emir slept here with all of us . Allah be praised.
Fav uncle

His funny sayings that were soooooo him....

Gee thanks...love the microphone pics ..love them did I mention I love them 

Fav uncle

His love for my kids.....

Sooooooo cute beyond words ..love you everyday that there is....kamea asked me what is there is

Fav uncle

My number one fan...

So proud of u

Fav unc

Saw you in the news paper...wow wow wow
Fav uncle

Wow I am sooooooo happy for you.

Fav uncle whose niece is in the papers

So what advice would he give me about my job, my children, my family?  I already know this answer.    He was proud of me.  He loved me.  He is with me.  

I just need to read between the lines.  

Love you uncle Zaim, everyday that there is...xo

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!

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!