everyone knows i love to support local. and obviously i’m totally down with the all-natural. however, you may be surprised to discover that i love ginger ale. i mean i LOVE IT! almost as much as i love beer… almost.
{organic beef and potato lettuce wraps w/ caramelized shallots and fresh sugar snaps}
5 Marthis is one colourful dish! and fun to eat, too!
simple ingredients :
– 1 pound organic grass-fed beef {i choose 85%}
– 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes {any potato will do, i just had leftovers}
– 1 medium shallot
– handful sugar snap peas, shelled
– organic shredded cheese of choice {i went with cheddar}
{specialty produce : fingerling potatoes}
4 Martell me you’ve tried these before?! i’m pretty sure i’ve mentioned them at least once or twice on this here blog of mine… they are definitely a staple in my home! what’s better than colourful carbohydrates?!
i was a little surprised and way excited when i spotted this multi-coloured pack at the market. my favourite way to prepare them is to simply drizzle them with tons of olive oil and S&P and roast them in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour…
the finished product is a sheen, tender and sweet potato ready for poppin!
they make an excellent side dish, and are also great in soups.
{wild rice with lemon chicken, shallots, and tomatoes}
24 Febit’s a little sad for me to admit that i just haven’t been cooking as much lately. i lovelovelovelovelove my tiny home, don’t get me wrong… but it has been a bit of a challenge to fotograph my recipes in action within 180 square feet.
so, i’ve just had to change the way i do things a little. and that’s okay. i’m super forever inspired by one of my favourite bloggers – i mean she’s cute as a button, and she is into the same stuff i’m into regarding eating healthy and with the seasons. i love her style of fotography as well; so simple and elegant and she’s such a new yorker – so classy.
i’m still working out the kinks to finding the perfect way to fotograph inside the tiny home – but for now, here’s a simple recipe i made up this weekend that turned out delicious! Continue reading
{nom nom, fresh pineapple}
22 Febafter many years working in the organic food industry, i learned a lot about picking good produce. it’s hilarious to watch me at the market – i take my time when picking out my fruit and vegetables, mostly because i know i’ll be fotographing them. and hey – aesthetics matter! plus, food is outrageously expensive these days and i’ll be damned if i’m going to spend five dollars for a pineapple and not have it be incredible!
therefore, i browse the produce stands carefully when choosing what to buy. have you ever purchased something and it spoiled two days later or when you cut into it, the flesh was rotting or brown? not everything you pick up at the market is necessarily fresh and/or tasty at any given time – it’s another reason i prefer to buy and eat with the seasons… stuff just tastes better when it’s in season! i mean, wouldn’t you like to be picked during your prime?! 😉
speaking of which, do you know how to pick a good pineapple? the beginning of their season is just around the corner… and i’m already salivating thinking about them.
one thing to look for when picking out a pineapple – is how the leaves feel when pulled out from the top. if they remove easily with little force, it’s a pretty sure sign your pineapple is ripe. you also want to pay attention to the scent. i often sniff the bottom of the fruit, looking for a fresh scent that is strong enough to seep through. and finally, you want to look for a pineapple that is a little darker in colour… not quite brown, but just golden… Continue reading
{happy nom-nom-idays!}
21 Decnom nom… i just love this time of year. the holidays are also all about eating, right?! and sharing… 🙂
like this homemade peanut brittle from a friend’s mama in michigan and homemade caramels from my wonderful neighbours -50 yards away.
my goodness they are both SO AMAZING! i completely savoured each one, and still am. it’s that kind of treat – when someone takes time to make something so incredibly delicious like this and then shares it… THAT is the true meaning of the holidays… or, the nom-nom-idays. i think we should start making it more about food than “gifts”. afterall, i believe food is one of THE BEST gifts you can give… and receive 😉 Continue reading
{thirsty thursday : roasted volcanic garlic and a snow day!}
7 Novi feel like i eat garlic with almost every meal. it’s so good for you, so good for the immune system and for your joints, among a slew of other things. in the late spring this year, i purchased this beautiful braid of volcanic garlic. the rep from the farm suggested roasting it with olive oil in the oven, for a very unique experience and flavour.
on it! said food and foto dot com.
i have about 5 bulbs left on the braid i purchased… the guy did say, “buy this now and it will last you through the end of the year” – and here we are {6 months later} in early november and i still have some to play with – yay!
and obviously you can use any kind of garlic. i had actually never made roasted garlic on my own, so i just had to try…
and i did exactly what the farmer told me to do…. Continue reading
{meatless mondays – roasted spaghetti squash with fresh parmigiano reggiano}
28 Octit’s a meatless monday recipe!
spaghetti squash {and all squash} is totally in peak season right now… and it’s one of my absolute favs! i typically make it just like a pasta and serve it primavera-style with a fresh red sauce… but this time, i wanted to use up my freshly-cut parmigiano reggiano… there is just nothing like it.
simple stuff :
– olive oil, grass-fed butter, lemon, parmigiano reggiano… Continue reading
{thirsty thursday – homemade pickles and oktoberfest for days!}
24 Octi have always been a HUGE fan of pickles. they are easily one of my favourite snacks. once i started making my own, i was hooked! i have even been known to travel across the country with them… no joke.
as usual, i KISS with these. simple ingredients :
super easy refrigerator dill pickles :
- 5-6 cups cucumbers, chopped
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 head fresh dill
- 2-3 cloves garlic {optional}
{meatless mondays : rainbow quinoa featuring my homegrown tomato!}
9 Sepas i mentioned saturday, i harvested my first tomato from my early girl tomato plant… it was so exciting!
i used it in this quinoa dish with some chopped zucchini and sauteed sweet onion…
i ate two slices just to savour the flavour of hard work and dedication… plus, it’s the only one i’ve had all season so far!! sigh… patience. Continue reading
{meatless mondays : heirloom cherry tomato risotto}
2 Sepyou know how i feel about risotto right?! that it’s like the greatest thing ever and i love to make it and eat it all the time?!
like here…
this was great, too.
for this recipe, i featured these beautiful cherry tomatoes…
i love the different colours and shapes… like humans! 😉
hehehe 😉 Continue reading
{righteous rambutan}
20 Aughave you ever seen this crazy interesting fruit?!
it’s called rambutan. and it is by far the most bizarre-looking food i’ve eaten so far. Continue reading
{stunning and scrumptious squash blossoms}
19 Augi mean, these are just gorgeous… right?!
i’ve always wanted to make something with squash blossoms, but due to the fact that they are hard to find and have a small window of availability, i often miss my opportunity…
…but not this time 🙂
goat cheese stuffed squash blossoms… stunning and scrumptious.
i could’ve had full-on foto shoot with them, but i got hungry… so this will have to suffice…
…for now 😉 Continue reading




































