Tag Archives: cooking

{foto friday : for the love of food!}

26 Jun

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brunch! – w/ salmon lox, bacon frittata, cherry almond scones, fresh fruit!

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living butter lettuce!

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nicoise salad!

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danish cream-puff pastry!

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bacon, mush, tomato scramble over arugula!

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happy hour with fine ladies!

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farm-fresh eggs!

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oozing danish chocolate cream puff pastry!

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tomato pesto turkey salad!

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snacks!

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vegan dinner! – w/ yucca fries, corn on the cob, quinoa, and garden salad!

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classic cobb salad!

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potato waffles! – w/ creme fresh and smoked salmon!

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flank steak salad! – w/ red peppers, zucchini, mozzarella, and chimichurri!

{light & simple fusilli pasta salad with roasted chicken and fresh veggies}

17 Apr

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i love to make this dish… and quite often, too! it’s simple, healthy, colourful, and great as a make-ahead meal to have on-hand for lunches. furthermore, it is an easy to dish to batch-cook… a great choice to take to potlucks or BBQs. it has a lot of fun “crunch” and texture, which we all know i love and enjoy, and as always, you can control the ingredients. i simply buy a roasted chicken from the market whenever they are on sale… then i eat some, shred the rest, and save it for a dish like this or to throw on salads.

i always try to eat something raw with every meal i have – whether it’s a large salad with some warm soup and bread, a ripe banana in my oatmeal, or fresh avocado slices on top of my scrambled eggs – i always try to incorporate raw ingredients. i believe it’s important to balance out a dish with raw components that only fresh vegetables or fruits can offer. what i also love about this dish, is that it can be served hot or cold – it’s great both ways! i love it when my food is versatile 😉

and you can add in whatever veggies you want, really. mix it up with cooked and raw veggies… i would like to try this dish with some fresh spring peas, roasted garlic, and blanched asparagus – to celebrate the season!

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fusilli with roasted chicken and fresh veggies:

– 16 oz cooked fusilli pasta, drained and set aside {reserve 1/4 cup starchy water}

– shredded roasted chicken {about 1 cup}

– veggies {about a quarter cup for each} :

   ~black olives

   ~cucumbers

   ~red onion

   ~mushrooms

   ~tomatoes

   ~corn

   ~purple cabbage

———

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combine all ingredients and mix together. drizzle in reserved starchy water {this will help “marry” the pasta to the veggies}. add in dressing of choice {i opted for a french vinaigrette} and some S&P to taste. sprinkle in some dried herbs, if you wish…

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and… “eat the rainbow” 🙂

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make a big ol’ batch and take some to work for lunch!

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nom nom… 

{healthy batch-cooking}

11 Feb

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it seems like this is the time of year when everyone promises to “eat healthier!” and so with that in mind, i’m going to write about a little something that helped me change my diet by creating better eating habits and healthier decisions.

i’m referring to BATCH COOKING.

working in the food industry all these years has really helped me learn how to be a better at-home cook.  i wasn’t even much of a cook until recently… i’d say within the last 5 years i really discovered my love for cooking.  it actually is relaxing to me… chopping, stirring, mixing, tasting… all of it makes me feel good.

anyway – between wacky work scheduling, random one-day sales on groceries, and not having a vehicle -something I’ve kind of had to learn to do well is batch-cook. i find it’s much easier for me to spend an afternoon preparing a bunch of food for the week than trying to figure out how i’m going to get three daily meals in during my regular work week. i was first introduced to the idea of “batch-cooking” when i was working at whole foods market. i had never really thought about preparing food ahead of time… it just wasn’t something i had considered. but the more i thought about it, the more sense it made… especially at the time, when i was working the night shift. i simply didn’t have enough time in my day to cook at home as much.

that has all changed, though. now it’s become a regular thing for me to batch-cook at least 2-3 things each week. i don’t plan my meals before shopping, i let the food guide me. when i shop, i simply look for what’s fresh – as well as local and organic. sometimes i’m inspired right on the spot and sometimes i wait until i get home and look at what i got and create dishes based on that and what i have in my pantry.

every week is different. i don’t {and due to where i used to live, couldn’t} rely on being able to get anything i want at any time i want… which is a much different mentality then my days living in manhattan. but it keeps my diet much healthier because i know what i am buying didn’t have to travel very far and therefore is much fresher, and it keeps me eating in tune with nature and the seasons.

here are a few pics of some dishes i batch-cooked recently :

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slow-cooked smoked ham hocks w/ green beans and leeks

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herb-stuffed roasted chicken and veggies…

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savory mushroom soup {with homemade beef broth}…

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dehydrated {rainbow} bell peppers…

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bacon and brussels…

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my mom’s recipe : hearty beef vegetable stew… ❤

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candied carrots, sautéed cabbage and bacon, garlic and onion kaniwa, and red kuri risotto

i also have been LOVING these purple sweet potatoes! i like to bake 3-4 at a time and just bust them out when i’m ready for one.  they freeze really well, too!

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do you batch-cook? what are some of your favourite make-ahead meals? i love to hear from you, so comment below and let me know what you think!

{eat the rainbow : purple sweet potatoes}

11 Dec

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i get super excited when i see a rainbow on my plate. it just makes me happy to eat COLOUR!  and these wonderful bright purple sweet potatoes please both the palate and the eye.

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i love how they grow in weird shapes, too.

have you ever had a purple sweet potato? i was first introduced to them many years ago at whole foods, as they tend to get the “cool” produce a lot. since then i have been seeing them in mainstream supermarkets and grocery stores, as well. unlike purple potatoes, these do not lose colour when you cook them.  in fact, they get BRIGHTER! it’s the coolest thing. Continue reading

{homemade nutrient-dense beef bone broth}

7 Dec

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it seems like bone broth is all the rage these days. everyone is talking about it, bloggers are writing about it, and i see articles in random magazines about it, too. i also find it funny that food has like, fads. i mean – i figure diets have fads because that is essentially what “dieting” is… but it just tickles me when i notice certain “food trends”… you know what i mean?! nevertheless, i’d be lying if i didn’t say i recently jumped on the bandwagon regarding bone broth. 😛

———

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH BONE BROTH, ANYWAY?!

– bone broth is ancestral food – our grandma’s grandmas probably made it all the time!

bone broth contains many nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.

– bone broth is also high in beauty-supporting collagen and amino acids.

bone broth is comforting, and great for those days we feel “under the weather.”

bone broth supports a healthy gut and intestinal-lining.

– bone broth contains joint-supporting gelatin, glucosamine, and chondroitin.

bone broth is very cost-effective and you can control the ingredients when you make it yourself!

———

anyway, my cute little store sells beef bones with the marrow included, which is what you want for making broth.  i’ve read several articles and books about the benefits of ancient cooking and bone broth is something that always seems to be at the top of the list for overall health-boosting properties. i usually opt for a veggie broth when i am stocking the pantry.  however, i couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make something new from scratch.  i just love to create things. plus, understanding the health benefits of bone broth make it extra appealing to me.

after perusing several recipes and suggestions, i did what audrey typically does and i created my own version of bone broth.  this entire batch {which made about a gallon} cost me around $4.00. try comparing that to the stocks or broths you find in the store… it simply doesn’t.  nor does the nutritional value.

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ingredient guidelines for bone broth :

– 2 lbs grass-fed beef bones

– 2 large carrots, chopped

– 2 celery stalks, chopped

– 1 yellow onion, chopped 

– 3 cloves garlic, chopped

– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 or 4 sprigs fresh parsley {optional}

– 1 bay leaf {optional}

Continue reading

{red kuri squash risotto}

3 Dec

it’s comfort-food season!

i will preface this post by saying that this dish, albeit exquisite, took a little time to make. typically i prefer my meals to be a little more “easy breezy” to prepare… however, this one is oh-so-worth the time and effort!

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and let me reiterate – this dish is absolutely DIVINE! i totally love risotto any way i can get it, really… it’s one of my staple dishes, for sure. when i discovered this new squash, i was inspired to fuse it with some risotto and eventually make it into risotto balls.

risotto is hearty and filling while still being gluten-free, which i kind of love. the red kuri squash is in its prime season right now and it is just beautiful! full of vitamin a {that lovely colour!} and potassium [like most squash}, it added so much flavour to this amazing dish!

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red kuri squash is delicious on its own, too. the flavour is reminiscent of chestnuts, and the flesh has a rich and creamy consistency when cooked.

risotto itself is very simple, it’s just a little time consuming to make. the ratio for making risotto is about 1:4 – one cup rice to 4 cups liquid. you can use a blend of water and broth or just water or just broth.  i tend to mix it up a little, but typically i use broth. the key {and magical} ingredient in making risotto is white wine. you can use any ol’ wine – cooking wine, cheap stuff at the liquor store, whatever.  but it must be dry and it must be included! the wine gives the risotto TONS of flavour and really rounds out the dish. Continue reading

{seasonal eating : wild chanterelle mushrooms}

27 Oct

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i looooooove mushrooms, did you know this?!  it was amazing to discover that some mushrooms grow WILD up here in the high country. morels, boletus, and chanterelles, to name a few. and they are all something special.  when we received some wild chanterelles at the store, i eagerly nabbed some up so i could try them for the first time.  they are only available for a short time, and many of the “professional” foragers are extremely secretive about their “finding spots”  – and who can blame them!!?? – they sell for upwards of $20.00 a pound! we had a very rainy august here in the valley, and that made for some ideal mushroom hunting-and-gathering!

the peak season for chanterelles is in the fall… we have had a little frost in the mornings lately, so i’m kind of assuming they’re done for the year… but i could be wrong. i’m also just a little late in posting this blog 😛

i most likely have had chanterelle mushrooms at some point in my life and not realized it.  i’m sure at some fancy dinner in NYC, i had a couple in a dish once… but i wanted to truly truly taste the mushroom – being a purist and all – so i simply sauteed them in some awesome local pasture butter.

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i sauteed the golden fungi for about 15 minutes, until they were nice and aromatic… then poured the whole mixture over a yummy baked russet potato…

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it was a taste of heaven…

do you like mushrooms? have you had chanterelles? what is your favourite mushroom?? 

{homemade sauerkraut}

13 Oct

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i’ve been wanting to try to make my own sauerkraut for a while now… as i’ve mentioned in the past, i’ll get on these kicks where i’m all like, “i can make that!” and i think that i can make TIME multiply and have more of it so i can actually MAKE all the stuff i say i can make… silly me.

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anyway, luckily this whole sauerkraut making process is super easy and not nearly as time consuming as one may think.  well, the actual “making” of it takes a little while, but preparing it does not.  it’s quite fun, too. you get your hands involved and you get to “play” with your food, which i always enjoy. 😉  plus, it’s oktoberfest!! and i’m part german, so it’s high time i learn how to make this amazing stuff so every october i can eat it. just kidding, that’s not my only motive.  sauerkraut is one of the oldest fermented foods out there.  and it’s one of those things that is actually pretty inexpensive to make on your own, but for whatever reason, can be kind of expensive to buy. this small batch didn’t cost me much. i had the salt at home, and this head of organic cabbage was $2. it’s loaded with probiotics and because it’s cabbage, it naturally contains a prebiotic as well. it’s just really awesome stuff. we should all eat more sauerkraut… in my humble opinion.

i digress.

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as i said, the process is very simple.  and so are the ingredients :

– one medium head of cabbage {organic, if possible}

– 1 1/2 tbsp salt {i chose himalayan pink salt}

– large glass container or fermenting crock {as clean as you can get it}

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begin by quartering cabbage and then chopping into “ribbons.”  add salt and begin to work in the salt using your hands.  this is the fun part.  you can literally {with clean hands, of course} squish and squeeze the cabbage all around. this will eventually cause the cabbage to wilt from working the salt in.

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it’s quite amazing how it works, and it’s just oh-so-fun. Continue reading

{just some pics from my week}

11 Oct

happy october!

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happy non-gmo month!!!  yay!

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lovin’ these gloves i scored at a thrift shop…

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they are perfect for halloween! 😉

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stewin’ maters…

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and makin’ ’em into a meaty sauce… nom nom.

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pretty radishes!

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scary spider… but not really that scary.

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frost in the mornings… it’s a regular thing, now.

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feathers on eggs… not a regular thing, but i think it’s SO COOL!

{foto friday : for the love of leeks}

10 Oct

i recently had a random and brief discussion with a stranger about leeks.  he mentioned that leeks are prominent in french cooking, which i found intriguing.  he also said something like, “they have a lot of some magic property that is super good for you…”  which made me giggle… and which i later discovered was polyphenol – the super antioxidant we all love so much.

i’ve always been attracted to leeks, though i never really cook with them much.  i want to start using leeks more often in the food and foto kitchen.

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i plan to add them in a frittata… yum!  which actually, i do believe i’ve done before…

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{fried green tomatoes}

1 Oct

happy october!  are you loving the fall colours where you live?! this is my favourite time of year – i just love autumn!  it’s also when i was born, so i feel most alive during this season.  i’ve also been feeling very lethargic and sleepy… but i suppose that just comes with the change in season and light.  i kind of wish i could just hibernate all winter… snuggle with callee more and eat tons of comfort food.

i’ve been wanting to make fried green tomatoes for a while now… what, being born in the south and all, it only seemed fitting.  i can’t believe i had never tried to make them before!  have you?!  when i spotted these perfect tomatoes, i was inspired and excited. so – i practiced the KISS method :

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oh.so.simple.

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and beautiful.

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AND delicious!!!!

i fried my green tomatoes in real sweet cream butter after slicing them about 1/3 inch thick, then dipping them in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs with a little S&P.  i finished the ‘maters off with a topping of freshly-grated parmigiano reggiano. super simple, super easy, and super yummy!

{artisan salts : black lava}

22 Aug

perhaps you may know by now, that i have a major affinity for salt.  himalayan pink salt being my top pick… in fact, i love salt so much that sometimes people buy it for me or bring it back from france as a gift… {how lucky am i!?}

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this beautiful salt is called “black lava” and i recently discovered the most interesting thing about it. apparently, it is simply salt from the hawaiian shore that has been “infused” with activated charcoal… typically from coconuts. WHAT!  did you know that??!!  crazy!  therefore, this awesome salt is also very detoxifying and has been used in spas across the country.  furthermore, i discovered that it is considered a “finishing salt”… which i must’ve known instinctively {thanks to my intuitive-eating lifestyle}, because i totally just put some on this delicious tomato the other day and devoured it…

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it has a slight smokey flavour and i just love the colour!

definitely nab some up if you find it in your specialty department or store. it’s worth the extra expense, and the trace mineral content is also very high in this salt, which just adds to its awesomeness.

{“i can make that!” – coconut flax granola}

17 Jul

i get on these kicks where i think i have all the free time in the world to constantly be making my own food… particularly, easy snacks.  i’m such a label-reader, that i’ll look at the ingredients and be like, “i can make that!” 😛

this time, it was granola.

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i had a gigantic container of organic rolled oats sitting around, waiting to be turned into breakfast vitamix cookies, but i kept forgetting to buy jelly!  so as i was grocery shopping the other day, it came to me.  “dude, audrey – you should totally make your own granola!” what inspired this was my other new favourite obsession right now – yoghurt.  i know it’s nothing new to a lot of you, but i never much cared for yoghurt and suddenly – just like sauerkraut, and eggs – i can’t seem to get enough yoghurt. so – i was completely stoked when i saw my favourite brand, noosa had introduced a coconut flavour!!! holy smokes dude.  AHH–MAZING! and i love noosa because they use milk from pasture-based cows.  LOVE THAT!

anyway, to bring it all full circle, i was like, “self, you should just buy some coconut flakes {super cheap} and use some pantry items to create your own granola to compliment this amazing yoghurt discovery!” {sometimes i do talk to myself like that} and so i did it – i bought some organic coconut flakes for about $2.00 and had the rest of the ingredients at home.  as per usual, i didn’t exactly measure – so i don’t have an actual recipe for you, but if i can wing it, you can wing it! 😉

ORGANIC HOMEMADE COCONUT FLAX GRANOLA :

– rolled oats

– maple syrup

– vanilla extract

– coconut oil

– flax seeds 

– coconut flakes Continue reading

{awesome artichokes}

9 Jul

i just find artichokes to be fascinating and beautiful…

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{“progressive one-pot” make-ahead meals : buffalo sausage w/ zucchini, red peppers, and sauerkraut}

22 Jun

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this meal was a total inspiration from a co-worker who i spotted eating this on his lunch break at least twice last week. so – i totally begged him to give me the recipe.  i added my own variations, of course… and you can make as much or as little as you want, but the base is simple :

– sausage of choice {i picked buffalo andouille from the buffalo guys – they have great ethics!}

– zucchini {cut into 1-2 inch strips}

– red peppers {also cut into 1-2 inch strips}

– sauerkraut {i chose bubbies brand}

and, i chose to add in a handful of shredded carrots because i had them around… and about a cup of kelp noodles, which i’ve written about here.

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{toasted bread cheese!}

9 Jun

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i know what you must be thinking – “BREAD CHEESE?! that sounds… bizarre?! intriguing?! delicious?!”

…all of the above?!

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it’s one of my favourite treats. it is rather expensive and therefore i do not buy it often. however, i had been craving it and so i nabbed an eight dollar chunk from my local market.

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i had this ridiculous butter just waiting to be used. i normally serve bread cheese with maple syrup and i swear it tastes like french toast!  i’m telling you – this stuff is insanely delicious!! Continue reading

{sunday brunch for judi – and a very happy mothers day to EVERY WOMAN out there!}

11 May

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i miss my mama.  today and all week. i’ve missed her since april 14th of the year 1993.  this time of year is hard for me – i won’t sugar coat that. sometimes randomly, i’ll think of something that reminds me of her and it will be hard. it never gets easier. however, i find comfort when i spot a penny on the ground, or when i catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do a “double take” because i look so much like her… and i find great comfort in knowing that i am now living in her favourite part of the world.  she was absolutely in love with these rocky mountains – and it’s an honor to live here… for her and for me.

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if my sweet mother judi were alive today – i would make her this simple and amazing brunch… which i’ve been eating every day for like a month now. i buy the ingredients from a local store here in town and it’s all organic, fresh, and farm-grown – you know, like how REAL FOOD SHOULD BE!!!! 😀

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sunday brunch for judi : 

– farm fresh organic eggs

– asparagus

– cippolini onions

– garlic

– bacon cubes

– colourful cherry tomatoes

– herbed goat cheese

– fresh fingerling potatoes

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this dish is perfect for one – what with my cute little ramekins and all… but i do have a second one, and would love NOTHING MORE today than to be cooking for my mama and using the other one.

i lined the bottom of my ramekin with avocado slices, to start… Continue reading

{a look inside my lunchbox… volume 2}

2 May

a look inside my {colourful} lunchbox – volume 2

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– lemon pepper smoked salmon chunks

noosa brand yoghurt with vanilla almond granola

– steamed chioggia beets 

rainbow rainbow quinoa

– nut thins crackers : almond flavour

– sauteed swiss chard with garlic

– tomato, mushroom, and spinach amaranth porridge

– a few slices of premium salami

click here for volume one

 

 

{meatless mondays : a simple spring recipe – creamy bok choy with sauteed garlic scapes}

14 Apr

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have you ever used garlic scapes?! they are also referred to as “green garlic”…

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first of all – how fun and wild-looking are they?!  …reminds me of my hair in the mornings 😛

you can start to find them popping up in some specialty stores, organic grocers, and maybe even at a farmer’s market…if you’re lucky to live where you can shop at one now!

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i just love garlic scapes!  they are not nearly as strong as garlic itself, and provide a fun texture to a dish. the “scapes” are the “flower stalks” of the plant, and are typically pruned or discarded in gardening practices.  however, this foodie knows better and has learned that they can be an amazing substitute for garlic itself. Continue reading

{meatless mondays : my first millet experience}

7 Apr

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i’ve been wanting to try to play with millet for a while now.  i have had a package of it on the shelves for a good bit now and i thought it was high time to give it a whirl.

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i like to store things in glass jars… packaging just annoys me! 😛

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millet is a tiny grain that reminds me of something from my youth… when cooked, it is almost like a pilaf. i read online that it also can turn into more of a mashed-potato like consistency, if cooked the right way. Continue reading