Flowfit

I am often asked where I get my inspiration for cooking.  Well, I read cook books like novels, from cover to cover, rarely being opened again.  I have an inability to follow a recipe, which is why I am such a lousy baker.  However, not following a recipe does allow for some great creativity!

My greatest inspiration, honestly comes from the ingredients themselves.

Do you remember that show called “Doorknock Dinners”?  It was on the food network years ago (in the late 1990′s), and I totally loved watching it.  The host, Gordon Elliott unexpectedly shows up on the doorstep of homes with a highly skilled chef in tow. Once welcomed inside, the chef prepares a gourmet meal for the family, using only ingredients found while rummaging through the home owners cupboards and fridge!  I am sure that is when I started getting creative and inspired by the ingredients I had on hand.  My husband says I am the Queen of doorknock dinners…. a title I wear with pride!  Hey Gordon!!  Wanna get the show started again?  I’ll be your doorknock chef!  Seriously!!  Oh what fun that would be for me!!

This dinner was inspired by a box of Sabarot French lentils du Puy I had in the cupboard, as well as a container of that super yummy cilantro pesto from Sunflower Kitchens.  See??  Not everything has to be completely scratch!  Frozen tilapia, a can of baby corn, half a red pepper and a starting to wilt head of iceburg lettuce.  Put it all together, and dinner is served!

Mix it up!  Just choose WHOLEsome ingredients and you’re golden.

For this dinner, simply broil, grill or pan fry your favorite white fish (I broiled this one with a sprinkling of sea salt, pepper and herbs de Provence).  Top fish with Sunflower Kitchens Cilantro “Zesto-pesto”.  GREAT combination!!

If you’ve never had Lentils du Puy before, you really must give them a try!  They are more expensive than other lentils, but in my opinion, worth it.  They really hold up well for salads and sides – they stay firmer than other lentils and have a rich earthy flavour.  They’d be GREAT paired with beets… hmmmm…. put that on the idea shelf for next time.

To cook lentils, add twice as much cold water as lentils to sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med/low, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes.  Check frequently, sometimes you may need to add a bit more water.  These lentils will have a little more bite to them than others you are used to.  I like mine simply with a squeeze of lemon and some sea salt and pepper.  They are also great added to soups, stews and salads.

YUM!

The salad is just some simple crunchy iceburg lettuce, fresh organic watercress from my Plan B box, canned baby corn and sliced red peppers.  The dressing is a simple olive oil and vinegar with a pinch of cumin for fun.

See?  You CAN make a fab dinner WITHOUT a recipe!!  Go on… get your creative juices flowing….have some fun with it!!  Tell me what YOU come up with on your doorknock dinner adventure!

As I sit here eating my lunch, I am in awe of how beautiful all that green looks.  Something about green makes me think spring, life, energy and health.  All that would explain why spring is one of my favorite seasons.

This salad will take you less than 2 minutes to throw together – perfect healthful lunch!  Grab a plate and add a good handful of washed baby spinach, a whole avocado (TIP – cut avocado in half lenghtwise, remove pit and make cuts into flesh going both directions – so you’ve made little diamond shapes – now squeeze the avocado in the palm of your hand facing down.  All those little diamonds will spill out and you’ll be left holding nothing but the rind – COOL!).  Squeeze a quarter lemon onto entire thing, add a table spoon of hummus on the side, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper and you’re done!  I added some left over roasted organic chicken breast as well.  A can of tuna or some garbanzo or cannelli beans would also be great.

Try it!  Time yourself… betcha it’s 2 minutes!

The Hummus on this plate is from Sunflower Kitchens.  As I’ve mentioned before, I have a bit of a love affair with their products.  This Wednesday April 20th, Marilou’s Market in Burlington will be carrying a new selection of all of their wonderful products.  They will have pestos, hummus, soups and dips.  I highly recommend the Oregano and Kale Pesto, the Cilantro pesto and of course all of the hummus!  Hurry in, they won’t last long!

To read about Sunflower Kitchens, go here:

http://www.sunflowerkitchen.com/about.html

Yesterday was snack day at John T. Tuck school.  We served (surprise!) – Hummus with french green beans, organic baby carrots and Mary’s Rice Crackers.  A hit overall, especially with the younger students.  What was interesting to me is that a couple of the moms commented that they considered raw green beans to be an “odd” choice for a snack.  Surprising?  No, but it still a little discouraging to see such old fashioned thinking.  In all honesty, the green beans were a bigger hit than the all too familiar baby carrots.

I so didn’t see that rant coming….but I feel a little more on it’s way….

For me, there really isn’t anything “odd” about eating a raw vegetable – even one that is typically eaten cooked.  But that’s me.  From where I’m standing (on my apparent high horse at the moment), this is the proverbial miss in why there are so many picky eaters out there.  Well intended parents feeding their children only a handful of choices (albeit healthy ones) because “it’s what they like”.  Sadly, what they are creating is a limited pallet reluctant to trying new things.  What they are missing is introducing their children to so many more wonderful flavours, textures and nutrients.  A shame really.

Rant complete.

I guess that’s one of the GREAT things about the healthy snack program.  Not only does it offer nutrition, healthful education and sustenance but it also gives some students the opportunity to try something they may have never been introduced to before – like raw green beans.  I can’t tell you the high I get when one of the students approaches me and says, “what were those green things called?  I love them and want my mom to buy them“.  BIG SMILES. Or when a parent writes to me asking what I served at snack because their son or daughter is raving about the new vegetable or fruit they’ve tried.  Awesome, isn’t it?!  I think so.

Lastly, something so important to remember, especially when introducing new foods… everyone EATS WITH THEIR EYES FIRST.  I put it in caps and bold because I think it is so important.  A little more effort, yes, but I really do believe that if it looks good, kids especially, are more apt to try new things.

Go ahead, make it pretty…. have fun with it!

Peace.