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!

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.

My new favorite soup with my new favorite spice....

This week I decided to try (again) to make a delicious broth - Asian style.   I have attempted this before, but it has never quite turned out.  When I think of an Asian soup....whether it is a delicious pho, or a savory wonton soup there is always that sweet and spicy taste with hints of ginger, garlic, sesame, soy....and that one ingredient that escapes me. 

Lets back up to last week when I was at Co-op, and ran into an old colleague of mine selling a product that she created.  It is called Seven Spice Chili oil.  It. Is. Amazing.   It is the missing link to making this broth go from good to absolutely amazing!

So for my wonton soup, here is what I did (remember I am not an exact kinda recipe gal!):

1) In the morning before work, I threw a chicken carcass plus some of the leftover juices from said chicken in my slow-cooker.   Add water, close the lid and put on low heat for 9 hours.
**Kitchen-hack tip: when you roast a chicken, throw the carcass and all juices in a bag and into your freezer

2) When I came home I strained out all the broth and separated all the meat to add back into the soup (no sense in wasting).   I put the broth in soup pot on the stove and began creating.....

I added:

• fresh minced garlic
• fresh grated ginger (Kitchen-hack tip from my friend Kelly, freeze your fresh ginger and it will last forever and is easily grated without peeling!)
• Soy sauce
• Sriracha 
• Sesame oil - to taste...i probably added about 1 - 2 tsp
• Fish sauce  - just a few dabs
• Seven Spice Chili oil (did the mild)  
• thinly sliced cabbage (I used Napa cabbage and used about half)
• sliced fresh mushrooms (maybe used about 6?)
• wontons (cheated and used the chicken cilantro ones from Costco)

Garnish with fresh cilantro, fresh grated carrot and green onions once served.

Absolutely delicious and full of flavor!   And seriously...check out this spice as it is so versatile...once you try it you will need to add it to your permanent grocery list!   

www.sevenspice.com

Quick-ish Sirloin Stir Fry

Sometimes I feel like a super-hero.   Sometimes I feel like a super-hero who needs a vacation.   Today it was a bit of both.  Even though it has been minus 30 for almost the past 2 weeks and I am in desperate need of a beach vacation, for an icy cold Monday...I was pretty super-hero-ish.  Here is a snapshot of my last 24 hours.

Last night:  Took out a piece of sirloin steak from the deep freezer and put in the fridge for a nice slow defrost.

This morning:  Got up at 5:15 am, went to work out; got home, showered, changed, had a coffee and muffin (yes, homemade) and put my lunch together.

Before work: It was the best time cut the steak as it was partially frozen and cut beautifully into thin strips.  Made a kick-ass marinade and refrigerated til I came home.

Home from work: Made rice in my favourite kitchen appliance, the instant pot!  Add equal amounts of rice and water, high pressure for 4 minutes, slow release, no fuss, no overflow, no questioning "is it done?".   It's.  Just. Done.

Hubby fried the steak.

I chopped and sauteed veggies.

Voila!  A meal that is easy and delicious!  My 18 year old telling me "Mom...this is good AF" says it all!.


Here's the recipe as best I can remember.  Those who know me know that when it comes to recipes, I look stuff up and then I make stuff up.  


For the marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
a few dabs of sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 - 4 cloves minced garlic
a few squirts of nice seedy mustard

Pour the above over sliced sirloin steak, cover and refrigerate til you get home.


Veggies  - basically anything will do...this is what I had in my fridge
Fresh green beans - chopped
broccoli -chopped
zucchini - quartered and chopped
1/2 red pepper - sliced\
2 - 3 cups fresh chopped basil


Chop and cook the veggies
Saute veggies in a little oil.  Throw in some chopped garlic and a dab of sesame oil.  Once veggies are done, add about 2 cups - 3 cups of chopped fresh basil so it is just wilted into the veggies.


Cook the steak
When ready to cook, add 3 - 4 teaspoons of cornstarch to the meat and fry in cast iron skillet (or any fry pan).

Time to Eat!
Add the beef to the veggies.   The cornstarch + steak will make a nice sauce.  Add a bit of water or white wine to the pan that originally had the steak...*deglaze the pan and add this mixture to the veggie/steak mixture.  YUM.

Fill your bowl with some rice and top with veggies/steak.

Garnish ideas:  Chili flakes, Sriracha, cilantro...whatever!

*de·glaze

Dictionary result for deglaze

/dēˈɡlāz/

verb

1. dilute meat sediments in (a pan) in order to make a gravy or sauce, typically using wine.

   
   

   "deglaze the pan with the white wine"

January again....

2016.   When did that happen?  Time to start fresh, start new.  Time to be in non-holiday mode...that means cooking for our family, driving to arena's, piano, driving my oldest to his job (yes he has a job now), and on and on and on.  I thought I would try and blog more this year and try and capture our dinners a few times per week, just to get things going and to get people inspired to cook simply but deliciously! 


Yesterday was piano day, which means eating super early or a bit later, depending on what else is going on. Typically I do slow-cooker Monday's, but the weekend was so busy with hockey and ringette that I did not have time to prep the night before.   Now I am okay with the whole concept of breakfast-for-dinner, and grilled cheese and tomato soup, but there's something about Monday's...I need to have it be delicious and full of good flavour.  Salmon!  That's it!  Cooks quickly, pairs nicely with....gnocchi (already had in my pantry).  Cooks quickly, and  can lightly pan fry in...brown butter and fresh sage (yes, I had those things on hand too).  And what veggies....zucchini from the farmers market, and a fresh spinach salad! Done!    And the "piece-de-resistance".....my homemade dill garlic lemon mayonnaise....so good you could eat it with a spoon (I didn`t do that.....but I coulda)

Baked salmon, gnocchi, zucchini and spinach salad

Baked Salmon
-start with a salmon fillet (I get mine at Costco)
-season with sea salt, ground pepper and fresh minced garlic
-rub all over fish
-garnish with lemon slices to bake
-bake at 375 convection, lightly covered with foil....I think I baked it for about 20 min


Gnocchi
- boil for under 2 minutes
-drain and quickly transfer to a butter-seasoned non stick pan
-fry on medium low until you get some nice crispy parts
-cut up fresh sage and toss in with the brown butter / gnocchi


Mayonnaise
-Get out your blender!
-put in 2 medium eggs
-juice of half a lemon
-1 - 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic (okay I used 3..but LOVE garlic)
-fresh dill (or whatever herb...if no herb its good with just the lemon and garlic)
-salt and peppa

Now blend this up....and open the lid of your blender and SLOWLY pour in vegetable oil.  Olive oil is a bit heavy, and while I love olive oil, I do not like the taste of it in mayonnaise.   Eventually your ingredients will emulsify and blender will make weird gurgly sounds...its done then!  Can store in the fridge for about a week, but never lasts that long in our fridge.  We use it to dip veggies, as a creamy salad dressing, spread on sandwiches....lots of possibilities!

And presto..dinner was ready by the time the kids came home (hubby picked them up!)

Happy cooking!

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!   

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!

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

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!  

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!


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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.

Pizza with Style

The theme of my week was pizza....but not just any pizza...and definitely not take out or delivery.  I had flatbread thin crust pizza at two trendy restaurants in Calgary.  I was first thinking...what a delicious week!  Two fabulous pizza places in three days!  Then I thought....what would my answer be if someone asked me "which do you prefer...Posto or Without Papers?"  Hmmmmmmm...lets take a closer look.

Tuesday night, some we went to Posto, which is featured as a Pizzeria and Wine Bar

Fig and gorgonzola at Posto

Their pizza was scrumptious and they had about 10 different kinds, including a spinach and chanterelle mushroom with a yummy fancy cheese, chicken and almond pesto with goat cheese and a fig and gorgonzola with radichio.  The ingredients were fresh, it was a trendy atmosphere, and we shared a yummy salad filled with caper berries, romaine, pancetta...need I say more?  

Today, I went to one of my favourite pizza places in Inglewood with a good friend (who was also at Posto) and her adorable daughter.  We both love this place as well, and again, the pizza is simply wonderful...thin crust with mouth watering flavours. Our favourite pizza there, hands down is the Shroom....mushrooms (imported of course), truffle cream, arugula.....so goooood....   Many places I have been to have tried this same pizza, and while they were good, none compare to this one.  They also have a buffalo mozzarella appetizer that is to die for.   

So what's the verdict? Both offer a trendy atmosphere, reservations, and good wine.  Both have amazing food and in both places you can share (or not!). And both offer a selection of meats and cheeses (formaggi e salumi).   I found Posto to have a bit more variety on their menu including pan seared scallops and ham hock, green apple and pistachio,  Oh my.  But...then there is the shroom...which for me, trumps everything.

I cannot choose!  Both are amazing!  But....if I did HAVE to choose....it could be Without Papers as they have that Shroom that I adore.  On the other hand, those seared scallops were amazing....ah...back where I started.     

The solution is simple.  Visit both in the same week, and just sit back and enjoy (both).

http://posto.ca/

http://www.wopizza.ca/

Meal Planning 2014 -- Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Happy New Year!   Here's to Meal Planning in 2014!!

I love slow cooker meals in the fall and winter.  They are easy, and bring delicious comfort to any meal.  My daughter gave me this book for my birthday this year, and I finally tried a recipe from it tonight.   It was "soup and sandwich night" for us, nothing fancy, just good old fashioned comfort.

The meal choice was based on what I had on hand:  1 head of cauliflower in my fridge, celery, fresh garlic, potato, and the kicker...I had made and frozen some chicken soup broth last month and had it ready to go in the deep freeze. All the makings of my cream of cauliflower soup.

It has no dairy, but what makes it creamy is that after it has cooked all day, you blend it (note if using a blender, make sure you vent it, or she's gonna blow!).  I have a little hand blender (one of those old Braun ones) and just put it right in the slow cooker and it worked like a charm.   The result was absolutely delicious for three out of four of us at the table tonight, which is pretty good.

 And not to worry, the boy didn't starve...he just opted for the sandwich part of the meal (he did try it though!).  




Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1 head of cauliflower
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 chopped and peeled baking potatoes (I used the red russets)
4 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
3- 4 cups of  chicken broth (make batches of this way ahead of schedule and you are all set!)
2 tsp lemon juice

Chop up cauliflower, potato, celery and add minced garlic.  Put in slow cooker and cover with broth.  I used 3 cups, but probably should have put 1 more cup.   Add some salt and pepper (just a bit) and cook on low for 7 hours.  Mine cooked longer, as I left at 8 am and was home by 6:30...so a bit longer but still was yummy.   

Once you are home, it may not look the best in the crockpot (I honestly thought I had ruined it!).  But when you blend it up, it is amazing.   Once blended, add the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.  No need for heavy cream to make it creamy...it is simply delish!  Top with aged shredded cheddar (cheese fixes everything) and serve with sandwiches...which was tuna tonight for us.

We were home at 6:30 and were eating well before 7!  

Chicken Marbella Anyone???

Mixed brown and white rice, chicken marbella and
wilted kale salad with hot balsamic dressing

As a Dietitian, I am constantly talking about food.  When I am not talking about food, I am usually eating food or thinking about food, meal-planning,  recipe-searching or just wishing I was eating more food.  I have really tried to get into the habit of meal-planning for our week to make things a bit easier on our time and our wallets (less chance of eating out if something is planned at home!)

Mondays is usually "slow-cooker-Monday" as our daughter has piano, and usually there is at least one ice time.  The rest of the week will be me cooking three times, leftovers or pull-something-from-the-freezer two times, and then one meal where we just leave open and it could be anything from our Finger Food Friday meal, to soup and sandwiches

What's on the menu this week?

Chicken Marbella....marinated in prunes, figs,
garlic, wine, olives, capers....

Monday: Spaghetti (cooked on weekend, froze it, and dumped it in the slow cooker on low yesterday...yummmmmmy!)

Tuesday:  New recipe, and the inspiration for this blog post...Chicken Marbella......

Wednesday:  Sausage and pasta with broccoli coleslaw (simple, quick, everyone will eat it, done.)

Thursday:  Quick Moo Shoo Pork (from Canadian Living a few months ago...delicious!)

Friday....Finger Food Friday up in Sherwood Park as we are going to visit the in-laws!

Tonight's meal was inspired by a friend of mine who gave me some to try....I died and went to heaven in that moment...it was just so tasty!   It is a recipe from a series of cookbooks called "Whitewater Cooks" (and coincidentally, these cookbooks are on my Christmas Wish List).  This recipe is super easy as you mix it all up the night before in a casserole dish, and then pop it in the oven when you get home from work!


Chicken Marbella
1 large pack of chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (my pack was about 3 - 4 lb)

Marinade
6 cloves of minced garlic
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar **
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/2 cup dried figs, quartered
1/2 cup chopped green olives (I did very few of these as I have an "olive-hater" in my house)
1/4 cup capers with a bit of the caper juice
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine

Place thighs in a 9x13 glass casserole dish.  Combine all the marinade together. ** I did not have any red wine vinegar, but substituted some old red wine that was demoted to cooking wine, and threw in a bit of apple cider vinegar that I had.   Once all combined, mixed, chopped, etc...pour over chicken, cover and place in fridge to let the flavours infuse.   Note that this recipe needs to be done the night before to let those flavours sit.  Once ready to cook, bake for about 45 - 50 min at 350 convection uncovered.   Turn the chicken once during baking, basting with the juices.  Once golden brown...its done! Serve with rice and salad.  

It was so delicious, even my "olive-hater" enjoyed it!!

Family Dinner on a Cold and Snowy Night....

Winter has begun....right on cue.  Though yesterday was warm and beautiful, we were warned that we would wake up to cold blowing snow.

While I don't like the cold, I do love having some good old fashioned comfort food on these types of days.  One of my favourite meals when I was young was roasted chicken and macaroni pie.  Tonite I did cheat a little and bought the "flattened and seasoned" chicken from Co-op (still had to cook it!).  But boy oh boy was it delicious!  And my macaroni pie.....soooo gooood, and so easy breezy!  I used a modification of my one pot mac and  cheese recipe (see below) and just added 2 eggs and milk and topped with crushed soda crackers.

Both kids had ice times today, and when they got home, they were greeted by the smell of roasted chicken, hot macaroni pie, baked tomatoes, peas, and raw carrots.  What a great Sunday meal!

One pot mac and cheese

2 cups of Macaroni
2 cups of water
1 cup milk
1 tbsp of butter

Add all the above to a pot and boil for 15 minutes.  Watch that it does not boil over (mine always does!).  Once all the liquid has boiled off, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar (more if you want!).  

**Macaroni Pie Variation...place the macaroni in a baking dish and add 2 eggs and 1 cup of milk (maybe more...i don't measure).  Mix well, and pour over top of the macaroni.  I also added some ricotta cheese as I had that in my refrigerator, and it was delicious!   Top with crushed crackers or Panko bread crumbs and bake.   

It really is comfort food at its best!

Mushroom Barley Risotto

Tonight we had no activities (!) and I was craving something delicious (as usual).   I always try and meal plan either in the car on my way home from work, or if I am really good, I will at least decide on a "maybe" plan the day before and let the idea percolate in my head..."maybe we'll have salmon..."

The menu was simple, but not boring-simple.  Got home, did a quick check to see what I

Super easy and super delicious! 

had....barley...mushrooms, salmon, green beans.....all the makings of an easy and delicious dinner!

1.  Barley...rinse and put to boil.   Takes about 30 - 40 minutes, but do this first, and then you can work on everything else
2.  Chop up the 'shrooms, and sautee them in olive oil and a bit of sea salt and pepper. Can add a bit of white wine if you have some!
3.  Prep the salmon...easy...place on parchment, drizzle syrup and slice up a lemon to put on top.  Cover with foil and bake it up!
4.  Wash the green beans and steam or microwave them up.

By now, the salmon is almost done, and the barley is cooked (just about).  Once the barley is al dente, drain and add to your sauteed mushrooms....you will be amazed at how easy it is compared to real risotto (which I also love, but it is time consuming with all that mixing!).

And.....now, its time to eat!   All done in less than an hour.

Salmon, green beans and mushroom barley risotto