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/

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!

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/

A Grand Day Out

The weekend has come and gone, and even though the weather felt more like winter than spring (we had a blizzard here yesterday), we made the best of it.

It is always a bit surreal when hockey and ringette are over.  It felt weird in the car yesterday when the four of us were driving, with no arena to go to and no smelly gear in the car.  With it being such a grey day, we decided to go downtown for an indoor adventure!  Our first stop?  The Devonian Gardens.....lush green palm trees, beautiful flowers and tranquil ponds with tropical fish....indoors, but still!  Nice to see green on grey day!

Next...we stopped and bought 4 baby cupcakes at a trendy bakery....chocolate for the girls, and then the boys had vanilla with pink strawberry icing.....delicious!  Then....time to walk around....go into a few little shops....just enough of a walk to get those tummies grumbling!  

We did a late lunch yesterday (which worked out great, as we did not have to cook dinner!).  We decided on Earls....decent food, and a little something for everyone....

Fish and chips and a Guinness for me!
No regrets! Every calorie was worth it!

Hubby got the Earls signature curry dish...

It was such a good feeling to sit and eat together in a restaurant with no arena-schedule.  No places to go or people to see...just us.  We talked  and laughed, and it filled us up...the grey and dreary weather no longer mattered.  Kids were laughing, hubby and I were smiling...I just sat back and drank my Guinness, ate my fish (batter and all) and felt happy.  What a grand day out indeed!

Another hockey dance come and gone...

Another hockey dance has come and gone, but the memories last forever. Then there are the memories that over time, have turned into urban legends, spread like wildfire, and are never forgotten, but are like fine wine..they just get better every year.

Weird taking a pic of just me....
but I really liked my top! All ready
for the Ice Breakers 2013 Dance

This year was by far the best year and I decided to be the DD (!!)   In previous years, we rented a limo which always involved someone bleeding BEFORE getting to the dance, grouchy limo drivers, us all being stranded at 2 in the morning in minus 40 degrees AFTER the dance (nowhere near your house), and having our limo driver "lose" his keys in a snow bank (how did that happen, you ask...that's one of those urban legends....).  The limo was fun and I am glad we did it, but this year, I liked driving and being in control (I am a control freak).  Plug in the iPod, insert the metal buckle into the opening, and get ready to party! Though it was a bit squishy, we all had fun.

Prawns and Sea Scallops in chili butter with brown butter gnocchi and asparagus
Anyone drooling yet????

Pre-Dance was dinner was at Redwater Grill, and I am sure I dreamt about scallops and pancetta last night (sorry hubby!).  This is definitely on my A+ list of restaurants.

We ended up at the dance a little late due to a glitch beyond our control, but we made the best of it, and had a fantastic time anyway.  At the dance...that's what I do.  Dance. Visit. Dance. Dance.  Love it.  You get to see people you haven't seen in a long time, you get to let the music move you (isn't that a song?), and at the end of the night, though my Eddie Bauer Down Filled jacket was soaked with someone's beer, I had a great time.  I even made sure all of my passengers were dropped off at their door (no stranding anyone!!).

A good time had by all.  Cuckooo! Cuckooo!   Here's to the next gathering!

The Sherene Special!

  

Last week when I weighed myself, I was pleased to see the progress with my weight loss, which was just over 2 lb.  Then came Finger Food Friday, followed by a trip to Banff and a Canmore bakery on Saturday, followed by a Sunday trip to CFM (Calgary Farmer's Market).  The list goes on.  Every day could be a special occasion, and you can always make an excuse as to why you could eat something you really shouldn't.  

The Sherene Special...available at Rea's

Today was time to get back to it, and it turned out to be a pretty good day for me.  I had a healthy day, didn't eat too much, ate foods from all four food groups, and even though we went out for dinner at one of my favourite Italian restaurants, I did well!  We went to Rea's Italian Cucina (formerly known as Sandro's Restaurant).  My mom is visiting this week, and she wanted to take us all out for dinner.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am a bit of a high maintenance foodie (okay, okay, I am just high maintenance!).   I am constantly looking at the menu, asking our server questions and never know what to order.   My dilemma today?  I really really REALLY love pasta, but really really REALLY wanted to be good and not eat too much.  But I also wanted to feel satisfied and happy with my meal and my entire restaurant experience.    This was not easy for me to do.  I decided to focus on the things that I really LOVE at this restaurant.  We shared a few appies (bruschetta and calamari adriatica).  I had half a piece of the bruschetta and some of the calamari, which I love!  It's not deep fried, but is in a tomato-lemon sauce and is just so so yummy.  I asked our server if they would make me up a plate of the calamari for dinner, with  a side of their caprese salad.  What an amazing presentation for my dinner.  The food was phenomenal, and I was 100 percent satisfied.

I did of course pick a little at my daughters gnocchi, and my husband's fettuccini, but all in all, it was much better than what I would have normally eaten, which would have been a full plate of pasta with cream sauce and at least 2 pieces of the bread they bring to the table.  All in all, I truly enjoyed my meal, which was followed by no dessert, but just a cappucino...and yes, of course I had wine (it lowers the bad cholesterol, you know).    The moral of my story today?  If I can go to an Italian restaurant, and be completely satisfied without eating pasta...anything is possible!


http://www.reasrestaurant.com/

http://www.calgaryfarmersmarket.ca/

Guilty Pleasures

For two nights in a row, I have "gone out on business" and had a couple guilty pleasures...

Deep Fried Pickles and horseradish mayo

Last night I had to drop something off at a friends house.  When I arrived, of course they twisted my arm and MADE me come in for a glass-o-vino.  How could I refuse such an offer?  And me, without the kids and hubby.....come in for wine?  Absolutely!  So in I went, and down it went.  Had the wine, chatted with good friends (thanks for that!) and felt uplifted  and revived afterwards!  

Best Ribs, Best Food!
Winner of the Best New Food
Calgary Stampede 2010!

Tonight...guilty pleasure part two.  I went solo to a meeting at our son's school...so again, me, alone, out on business. When the meeting was over it was just too early to go home so I headed over to Big T's BBQ and Smokehouse, which is owned by a friend of mine.   She greeted me with open arms, a bottle of Fat Bastard red, delicious deep fried pickles and beef brisket quesadilla, complete with horseradish mayo and spicy ranch mayo.  Ate great food, had a glass of wine, chatted with my gal-pal, and felt energized and inspired afterwards.

What have I learned?  That good friends + good wine + good food + some good chitty-chatty = inspiration, happiness and some positive energy for your aura.

So perhaps I shouldn't be calling these guilty pleasures as it has such a negative connotation....so long guilty pleasures, hello Inspirational Outings!

http://www.bigtsbbq.com/index.html