Flowfit

A pressure cooker.  A cold and snowy day with no school.  Hearty food and good friends soon to become neigbours.  Does a day get any better than that?  Only if you add in rum punch it does….

Everything old is new again.  I love when things come full circle…. especially something as time saving as this!  My sister-in-law had us for dinner recently and made the most amazing Chinese meal.  One dish in particular, really stood out for me.  A soup made with carrots, ginger, onions and well, ridiculously tender pork ribs. The carrots were so sweet and incredible, I literally could not stop eating them.  The meat on the ribs literally fell off the bone (okay, maybe I had one or two – I had to be polite and try them, didn’t I?)  And the broth!!  Oh my goodness, that broth!  Of course, when food is that outstandingly delicious, I have to ask; “How did you make this”?

Well, since Anna is Chinese, her regional cooking comes naturally and easily for her – with much joy I might add.  I think she enjoys feeding me as much as I do her – foodies are global!  Anna has lovingly showed me many of her cooking methods, and I have willingly listened and learned.  Thank you Anna!  In her broken English, she showed me the “cooking machine” and listed the simple 5 ingredients she put in.  Now, I’ve heard of pressure cookers, and I’m sure I’ve seen one at some point in my lifetime, but never did I expect such wonderful things from one!  She then said “five teen meenit coooking time”.  Translation – that this incredible meal (fall of the bone tender) was made in just 15 minutes.  I was sold.  I purchased a Pressure Cooker cook book the very next day, read it from cover to cover and a few days later was opening my brand new, very own “cooking machine”.

I experimented and made a Jamaican inspired vegetable curry for lunch.  Since there was no meat in mine, I set the timer for 10 minutes.  I cooked some rice and wok fried bok choy on the side.  Dee-lish!  And it went perfectly perfect with the Jamaican Rum Punch. Is a Jamaican themed lunch, on a snow day a good way to celebrate with new neigbours?  Heck ya!

Jamaican Vegetable Curry:

• 3 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 4 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 purple onion
• 3 big handfulls of green beans, cut in half
• 1 cup mushrooms (I used white), cut in half
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped collard greens
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
• handful washed whole (left on stems) cilantro – to be removed after cooking (let sit on top)
• 2-3 1 inch pieces fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp Jamaican curry powder or curry of choice
• 1 can tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable or mushroom broth

Add all ingredients to pressure cooker.  Cilantro set on top.  Put on lid and bring to a boil.  When steam starts to escape from top, put on the cute little steam lid, turn heat down to med/low and set timer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove from heat and let sit until steam escapes through top – lid will not open until pressure of steam has been released.  On mine, you can safely hold cute little steam lid up to release steam more quickly.  If not, it takes about 10 minutes before it will open.

YUM!

That’s it!  Super quick, super easy, super yummy and…. because of the quick cooking method, many more of the nutrients are left intact!  And so fast!  If you don’t have  a “cooking machine” of your own, go out and get one!  I paid $49.99 for mine at Canadian Tire.  It’s not a top end model, but it’s a good starter.

I almost forgot how much I liked snow days…. it’s been a while since we’ve had one – and even longer since we had one that was an ACTUAL snow day.  For some reason, blizzards from my childhood felt far more dramatic than they do now.  Is it just my perspective or something else?  Who knows and honestly, who cares!  I for one thoroughly enjoyed my snow day.   This one started off perfect and ended perfect with wine and a chick flick with yet another great friend and neigbour!  How lucky am I to have started AND ended the day with visits from friends?

BIG GRIN

What to do, what to do… what to do for lunch?!

Ever have one of those days where you are staring into the cupboard, fridge and pantry looking at loads of items, but seeing nothing?  Sometimes I have those days too…. no, really, I do!

My mom used to make me tuna melts for lunch.  I always loved them.  I had forgotten about them, but my daughter and her little friend were hung-gry-y-y-y-y (can’t you just hear the little whine there?).  Sigh…… Into the cupboard I went looking for something but not knowing what.  Then I saw it.  A lonely little can of tuna. Wa-a-a-a-y at the back of the cupboard.  In a few moments, I had two happy girls  - who were awesome kitchen helpers!  Dontcha just love when it all works out?

Tuna Melt:

• 1 can tuna (I like solid white packed in broth and oil)
• 1 tbsp mayo (I used Vegenaise)
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 dill pickle, finely chopped
• Cheese of choice (I used organic sheeps milk cheddar)
• sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Combine ingredients in bowl.  Mix well.  Spread mixture over bread and add cheese.  Broil on top shelf on baking sheet for approximately 2 minutes.  Watch closely… all ovens are different.  Bread should be toasty on crusts and cheese bubbly.

YUM!

NOTES – you can add the tomatoes to the top of the tuna mixture before cheese, but I left it separate for the kids.  Be creative here and add hot peppers, baby spinach, whatever you love!  Enjoy!

Believe it or not, these super crunchy chips are super delicious!  They are crunchy to the point of exploding in your mouth.  It’s a strange crunch… hard to explain.

You’ll have to make it to see!

Kale Chips

• 1 large bunch of kale, washed and dried
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear kale into bite-sized pieces, avoiding the tough inner stalk.

Place kale in bowl, add olive oil and toss with hands.

Place kale on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Do not over crowd.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake in oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the kale is crisp.

Here is the part that is a wee bit tricky – if undercooked the kale won’t be super crunchy, if over cooked it’ll taste burnt. Since every oven is different, I say set timer for 10 minutes, test one.  If it’s even a little chewy, add another minute. Test again.  You really want that crunch.

Once you are satisfied, remove kale from oven and let cool for a minute.  Sprinkle with a little more salt and eat immediately.  Any kale left can be put into a sealed container.  If crunch is gone (humidity will take it away pretty fast), simply reheat in oven for a minute.

YUM!

TIPS – if you like things a little spicy, add some chili powder or cayenne pepper before cooking.  Any spice you like really would be a good addition…. come to think of it, I think I’ll try cumin and cayenne next!

Colourful, comfortable and fashionable.  Havianas are the most comfortable flip flop you will ever wear.  Honest.

A Brazilian company, Havianas have been making flip flops since 1962.  However, it wasn’t until the 1998 World Cup where they created a “Brazilian Flag” flip flop did they earn world recognition.  And it’s really only been the last 5 years or so that they have gained popularity, including celebrity status.

Available in a rainbow of colours – solid or patterned.  If you’re feeling fancy-schmancy, you can go all out and have them adorned with Scharowsky chrystals.  They even have an on-line “design your own” feature.  How fun is that!

Their claim and reason for the popularity?  They don’t wear, flatten, stretch or split.  For me personally it is the comfort factor.  So comfortable in fact, I wore them an entire day walking around an amusement park and my feet were not tired!  Now that’s comfort!

For about $20.00 a pair for the basic style, they even make a great house slipper.  Check them out:

www.havianas.com

I came across this little farmer’s market quite by accident and am so happy with what I found, I wanted to share it with you!

Frank Vandenbroek is just one of the farmer’s that brings a selection of his fresh produce to this small gravel lot on Plains Road and Cooke Road (across from Russel Williams) every Thursday and Sunday.  Frank has been a farmer for over 34 years in Kilbride, Ontario.  His family run farm has supplied the likes of Fortino’s, Longo’s and Loblaws with his acreage of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Frank is not alone at this stand, his children are with him, proudly selling their picture perfect produce.  They as well as Frank are determined to change the way we look at and shop for food.  He along with many others (myself included) are learning the benefits of shopping and eating locally.  As well, he will proudly tell you they are in their fourth year of sustainable and are on their way to truly organic farming.

Although the big grocery stores have been a steadfast business for him over the years, it is roadside stands like the one in Aldershot that keep him going.  ”I really like meeting the people”, says Frank.  ”This is what it’s all about”.

I think Frank is right…. this IS what it’s all about.  Local, sustainable, fair, clean farming.  YUM!

Aldershot Farmer’s Market:

North West corner of Plains Road and Cooke Road

Thursday’s and Sundays (more farmer’s on Sunday)

You can also visit the Vandenbroek Farm stand at:

1557 Milborough Line Road (between Kilbride and Carslile) – Monday to Saturday 3-7pm

Don’t be turned off by their narly appearance on the outside.  Inside, heirloom beets are gorgeous colourful gems!  Don’t be afraid to try cooking them or eating them raw.  Most people have experienced canned or pickled beets, but few people have tried fresh beets.  Of course nutritionally fresh raw beets will always be superior to canned or even fresh cooked beets, but lets start your first fresh beet experience off with some sweet roasted beets. Speaking of beet nutrition, beets are high in folic acid (great for pregnant women), potassium, calcium and antioxidants.

Now the “beets” we are talking about so far are the beet roots, the portion that grows below the ground.  The above ground part, the leafy beet greens are also very nutritious and can be used for juicing, or cooking as you would any other green. The beet tops are actually more nutritious than the roots. They contain significantly more iron, vitamin A, potassium and calcium.

Beets are in season and are so delicious!  Buy beets with the greens still attached and fresh looking.

Roasted Beet Roots:

• Beets – washed and tops and bottom root cut off – leave skin on
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• white wine vinegar
• fresh herbs of choice
• heavy duty aluminum foil

Heat grill or oven to 400 degrees.  To prepare beets, wash and cut off greens and root.  Leave skins on for roasting – you’ll remove after cooking.  Place whole beets on foil, drizzle with olive oil and s&p.  Tightly wrap foil so no steam escapes.  Use indirect heat on BBQ (place package on off portion of grill).  Roast for 30-40 minutes depending on size of beets.

Remove package from grill and let sit for 15 minutes to continue cooking.  When beets have cooled enough to touch, remove skins by pinching  or gently peeling off. Slice into wedges, rounds or cubes.  Place in dish and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and a bit more s&p.  Eat at room temperature.

YUM!

Looking for a healthy appetizer to serve at your next party or to take to a BBQ?  Here is a simple and EASY alternative to veggies and dip.  Casual or fancy, these can cover both a BBQ and an elegant dinner party!  Get creative, think colour and texture – have fun and enjoy!

Salad Skewers:

Choose a selection from the following:

• cherry or grape tomatoes
• cucumber (cut into quarters)
• red, yellow, orange or green peppers
• marinated artichokes
• fresh whole herb leaves – basil, dill, cilantro, oregano, parsley
• pitted olives
• organic or vegan cheese cubes
• avocado
• red onion
• radish
• beans

The list goes on and on…. be creative, you really can’t go wrong here.  Choose wooden skewers, the veggies will hold better than on plastic.  Choose ones larger than toothpicks – these don’t leave enough to hold on to.  The super long ones for the grill are fun too as they leave really long handles and look interesting on a buffet.

Keep in mind veggies that hold better should be your anchors.  Use these (peppers, cucumbers, onions) on the top and bottom to stop them from sliding off.

Once you choose your veggies, skewer and arrange on platter of choice – round or rectangle – in a circle or lined up in neat little rows… it’ll look beautiful no matter what you do!  Make a simple dressing like my BEST EVER Lemon Dressing, or use your favorite bottled dressing.  I really like the natural flavours in  ”The Best Dressed Salad Dressings” as they have no MSG, no added preservatives or additives and no eggs.  Drizzle dressing over veggies and sprinkle with fresh herbs of choice and sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  Serve to oohs and aahs…

YUM!

Notes – The Best Dressed Salad Dressings are available at Marilou’s in Burlington and various other locations in Oakville and Toronto.  Click here for a list of locations:

http://www.thebestdressed.com/Locations.asp

New! Memorandum No. 150:

This news is so exciting for me and I wanted to share it with you!

On January 15th of this year, a school food and beverage policy was passed that will require foods supplied in our schools to meet the nutrition standards within the Appendix.  The Appendix states that 80% of all food sold, provided and supplied within the school must meet the requirements of the memorandum.  What does this mean?  Well, firstly it means the end of deep fried foods in high school cafeterias!  GASP!!  Jamie Oliver would be proud!!  It means the introduction of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables and the near elimination of processed foods.  YAY!  No more vending machines with chips and pop.

Here is the introduction provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education’s website:

The Ontario government is committed to making schools healthier places for students in order to establish the conditions needed to realize the potential of all students. A healthy school environment enhances student learning and success, and enhances students’ social and emotional well-being. Schools have an important role to play in helping students lead healthier lives, including teaching students the skills to make healthy choices and reinforcing those lessons through school practices.

The purpose of this memorandum is to set out nutrition standards for food and beverages sold in publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in Ontario.

For more information, please go to:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/150.html

What do you do when you have tortillas you need to use up?  Make tortilla pie!  Super easy and far less work than rolling burritos.

Tortilla Pie:

serves 4

• 4 whole wheat tortillas (8 – 9 inch)
• 1 package taco seasings
• 1/2 can sliced black olives
• 2 green onions
• handful fresh cilantro
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package veggie ground round (I used Yves Mexican)
• 2 cups vegan cheese or organic cheddar

To serve:

• Sour cream (I used Tofutti better than sour cream)
• salsa
• cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook ground round and taco seasonings according to package directions (if using veggie meat, do not brown the meat, it is not necessary – as with all veggie meats, the less you cook it, the better).

In a 9 inch round cake pan, place one tortilla.  Layer with “meat” mixture, beans, olives and cheese.  Complete these layers using all 4 tortilla shells, finishing the last one with cheese and green onions.

Bake in oven uncovered about 25 minutes.  Just enough to heat through and make cheese nice and gooey.

Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.  Serve with dollop of sour cream and your favorite salsa.  Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.  I served mine with Ali-O’s Bean Salad.  YUM!

Ah the smell of fresh dill… you either love it or hate it.  For me, dill embodies freshness, clean, summery and tangy .  Basil is probably the more sought after summer herb, but don’t leave this dilly dandy herb out!  I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner the other night, and in my fridge I found a wonderful bunch of fresh dill.  Add some veggies to my counter, a frozen bag of tortellini and corn from the freezer…. and a new soup was born!  Don’t worry yourself with precise chopping or exact ingredients for this soup.  Big uneven chunks go great with the casualness of this soup, plus make sense with the size of the tortellini.  If you don’t have something, use something else.  Be creative and surprise yourself with an amazing new soup you can call your own.

Summer Tortellini Soup

• 1/2 package frozen Tortellini
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, rough chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 6 cups of water
• Vegetable bullion seasonings (I use 2 tbsp Vegeta)
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 large hand fulls spinach (or more – it shrinks alot)
• 1 handful fresh dill, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot, add onions, celery and carrots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 3-5 minutes to sweat out vegetables.  Add garlic, saute for another minute and add water and vegeta seasonings.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and add sweet potatoes and tortellini.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Add red peppers and corn.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Check potatoes  - when potatoes are cooked, add spinach and dill.  Cook for 2 -3 minutes or until spinach is wilted but still bright green.

Serve with crusty whole grain bread and big salad.  YUM!