Kristen Yarker-Edgar

I've Moved

2009-06-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

A Peek in My Cart and Juicy Morsels are now at www.vitaminKconsulting.com.
Come visit me there,
Kristen

Moving

2009-06-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to let you know that I'm putting the final touches on my full website.
Juicy Morsel & A Peek in My Cart will be moving to the new site.
Stay tuned for the launch...

Juicy Morsel - Putting BMI in its Place

2009-06-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying Kate Harding's blog today: http://kateharding.net/.
I was introduced to it by another great woman whom I met in Toronto last weekend: http://www.fatnutritionist.com/
While I don't agree with everything at these blogs, I enjoy the conversation.

I've been well-versed in weight, health, and BMI for more than 10 years now and I hate how BMI is commonly used.

BMI (body mass index) is a measure of weight in relation to height. It is a crude indicator for increased risk of disease (and death), most likely due to inactivity and poor eating habits. On a population level, those with lower and higher BMI's are at an increased risk. I cannot emphasize enough the two qualifiers in the previous sentence: "population level" and "risk". They mean that when you look at groups of many people, the chances of ill-health are increased. In other words, when you look at hundreds of thousands of people, those who are heavier and lighter are more likely to have poor eating habits and be inactive. It is the poor eating habits and inactivity that increase the risk for ill health. BMI does not indicate that an individual is unhealthy (or healthy).

BMI was designed to only be used with individuals with a huge grain of salt (what in the health profession is termed "within the clinical context"). What are your eating habits like? How active are you? What are your family members' bodies like? Do you have high blood sugar, cholesterol, or blood pressure? Etc, etc, etc. BMI is only one (crude) piece of the puzzle because healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. And, on the flip side. unhealthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

So, I'm not ready to throw BMI out with the bath water. But I will continue to fight for it to be used only within context.

My bottom-line: enjoy healthy eating, be active most days, and take your eyes off the scale. Your healthy body is going to be the size that it's going to be. Oh yeah, and stop bashing others' bodies. Please.

Juicy Morsel Ultimate Paris Lunch

2009-06-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Parisian Lunch - UPL
Guest blogger Dave, a Vancouverite now living in Paris reports on the food-life in his new city.

You may be asking 'With all the good food in Paris, what is the Ultimate Parisian Lunch? How can there be one ultimate lunch?' Well, it's quite simple really; the Ultimate Parisian Lunch is whatever you want it to be. Allow me to explain: Since spring is here and nearly gone, and summer is knocking on the door it's time for Parisians to flock out side, and try and find a little refuge in a city with little green space. Unlike London which has about 25% green space I feel like Paris has 2.5% green space in the center core. Sure there are 2 big forests on the East and West sides, but that is too far. Parisians don't usually like to go very far, and when they do it's for their famously long vacations, like in August when the city basically shuts down, except for the tourists, but I digress. So, what to do in a densely populated city to find a quiet bit of refuge and enjoy the UPL? The first thing to do is to find the closest market that is open. Most markets are only open a few days a week, so do your research ahead of time. If there isn't one within walking distance you can use the metro or rent one of the city bikes for 1euro per half hour - a fantastic way to get around. The best thing about the UPL is that it is completely up to you, you get to make it up exactly as you see fit, what you feel like eating and what is available at which ever market. We have done this the past 2 weekends and have had a great time. The first weekend we went to the Marché Port Royal and this past weekend we hit up Marché Edgar-Quinet (a bit of a fitting name don't you think?) with some friends who just moved here. We bought a random assortment of bread, cheese, cured meats, olives, fruits and vegs and of course a bottle of wine. Another tip when visiting Paris: bring a few bottle openers (and cups) from home and keep them in your bag, or jacket. But even if you find yourself without one, chances are someone near you will have one. Then the real work begins: if you aren't near on of the main jardin in the city (Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Les Tuilleries or Jardin des Plantes) finding a bit of greenspace can be tricky. So the next best solution is to find a bench (sometimes easier said than done) on a wide street with some trees, or a bench in a little square or plaza where a few streets intersect. The fist weekend we had to settle for the bench under a tree but last weekend we went to Jardin du Luxembourg and shared a postage size piece of grass with the rest of Paris! It wasn't really that bad - but definitely not like the wide open spaces in Canada.

Since most of you reading this aren't in Paris right now that's ok. You can still accomplish the same thing in your local city. For those of you in Vancouver head to your local farmers market on Saturday or Sunday, if you can walk or take your bike there then all the better, as that is also part of the journey and you'll want to get to you picnic spot quickly to enjoy all the good food you just bought. You can also head to Granville Island, pick up the things you need at Oyama, Duso's and the bakeries and either head towards Kits of the other direction along False Creek. Find a nice quiet grassy spot in the sun or under a tree in the shade, spread out your food, crack open the bottle of wine (who cares if it's illegal in Vancouver), sit back and just enjoy.

A Peek in My Cart - June 1 - 7

2009-06-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

With a vacation coming, this week is all about using stuff up from in the fridge (and making meals without buying new food from the grocery store).
Note: there won't be a "Peek in my Cart" next week - I'm not cooking. But keep your eyes open for a guest blogger's "Juicy Morsel". An international correspondent will give us the goods on food from his new home town.

Monday - eggplant & chickpea stew. I'm not in the mood to cook so I defrost these leftovers. I match the stew with some rye crackers - like Ryvita crackers but these ones are from Ikea.

Tuesday - eat out at the Banana Leaf. I haven't eaten here in years. It doesn't disappoint.

Wednesday - "meat", potatoes and fiddleheads. When I shopped at Superstore last weekend I was so surprized to find fiddleheads. I don't expect to find seasonal produce there! We simply steamed them & topped them with butter & salt. For the “meat” W has lamb chops and I have a veggie patty.
We make leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Thursday – coconut curry. This is one of W’s favourite dishes. It’s a tasty alternative to stirfry, yet just as easy. I am not loyal to any one brand of curry paste. However, I am loyal to full-fat coconut milk. The curry flavour is carried in the fat – so low fat means low flavour! Today’s fridge clear-out ingredients included tofu, mushrooms, bell pepper, snow peas, and frozen green beans. We served the curry with white rice and there we made enough for leftovers for lunch Friday.

Friday – party at a friends’ place.

Saturday – pizza. W is out for a guys’ night. I enjoy the quiet house by enjoying a good book and ordering a veggie pizza from the folks around the corner. One of their pizzas feeds me dinner tonight and lunch for the next 2 days!

Sunday – “meat”, roasted sunchokes and cabbage. The crisper is looking bare. I roast the last of the winter’s sunchokes and steam the last bit of the red cabbage that we’ve gotten so many meals out of. W has porkchops and I have a veggie patty.

Roasted sunchokes
Sunchokes, also called Jerusalem artichokes, are a tasty root vegetable, grown locally and related to the sunflower. They’re a great alternative to potatoes.

Sunchokes
Olive oil
Rosemary
Sage (optional)
Salt & pepper

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2) Wash the sunchokes, making sure to scrub away any dirt hiding in crevices.

3) Cut sunchokes into even sized pieces.

4) Drizzle a baking pan with oil. Add sunchokes, herbs, salt & pepper. Drizzle with more oil. Mix thoroughly so that sunchokes are covered with oil.

5) Turn sunchokes so that all the pieces are skin-down on the baking pan.

6) Roast in the oven for about 45min to 1 hour, or until the sunchokes are really soft.

7) Serve on their own. Or, for a decadent treat, dip into mayo.

Juicy Morsel - Do you cheat?

2009-06-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Do you cheat?
When there are no rules, there is no cheating (and no guilt).

Last week I staffed a healthy eating booth at 2 workplace health fairs. I love staffing healthy eating booths. Talking with people about food is why I went into the field of nutrition. The questions that people ask are fascinating to me.

Apparently one of the most fascinating things for the people I talk to is what I eat (hence this blog). Last week I was asked over and over again, what diet I follow: Atkins, South Beach, the Zone. This is nothing new for me.

My answer: I don't follow a diet. I listen to my body, focus on foods closest to the way nature made them, and foods that I enjoy. Deprivation has no place in my world of healthy eating!

But, last week I was asked something new, something that left me speechless. After explaining how I choose to eat, the individual asked me: "Do you ever cheat?"

Cheat. Cheat? Because I don't "diet", because I don't have hard and fast "rules", cheating is a foreign concept. I cannot cheat, because I choose not to ride the dieting rollercoaster.

Yet I know that for most people, their relationship with food includes cheating. They are on the dieting rollercoaster - start a diet, cheat, feel guilty, go back on the diet, fall off completely, pay no attention to what they are putting in their mouth, feel guilty, start a new diet. Repeat.

The dieting rollercoaster is ripe with guilt, experts, saints, and sinners.

While I recognize that it is difficult, I say be a rebel. Choose to get off the dieting rollercoaster.

Listen to your body.

Eat food that you enjoy AND makes your body feel good!

A Peek in My Cart - May 25 - 31

2009-06-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

This was a fairly typical week, lots of work and other activities going on. On Saturday I made poor eating choices and experienced the consequences on Sunday.

Monday - Leftover night. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Some people may hate leftover night but I love it.

Tuesday - pizza. We buy frozen balls of dough from First Ravioli on Commerical Drive. Take the dough out of the freezer in the morning, remove it from it's bag and place on a floured surface, covered by a floured tea towel. By dinner time it has defrosted and risen. Just, roll out the dough and top with what you love. Today's pizza included tomato sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, sundried tomatoes, and salami on W's half. Top with cheese and bake in the oven at 400 degrees until the crust is golden and the cheese bubbling.

We ate half the pizza tonight and have half leftover for lunch tomorrow.

Wednesday - spinach & cheese canneloni. This is a prepared dish that we keep on hand in the freezer. It's W's turn to cook and he has lots of work to do this evening. So, he pulls the canneloni out of the freezer, tops it with jarred tomato sauce and pops it into the oven. He serves it with a chopped salad - what's in the crisper: mushrooms, carrots, celery, and cabbage. I like my chopped salad with a creamy dressing so we use the store-bought ranch. The salad does take some time to make - chopping all those veggies. So, he makes extra that we can eat over the next few days. We don't dress that salad so that it'll stay fresher longer.

Thursday - "meat" with rice and asparagus. W grills lamb chops and I have a veggie patty.

We make extra for leftovers.

Friday - BBQ at a friends' place.

Saturday - no dinner, snacking only. Tonight was a great example of poor planning. After a full day workshop W and I spin by a friends' place to say hello. We haven't brought any food and I get really hungry. So I fill up on what's on-hand: potato chips. Later I'm not hungry for dinner. W fends for himself (I'm not sure what he ate). Sunday morning I have no energy for my trail run, cutting it short from 10km to 5km. Ugh.

Sunday - Sushi and edamame. I'm tired of looking at the nori sheets and pickled ginger in my cupboard and fridge so we buy some avocado, cucumber, and imitation crab meat and make sushi. A little preparation before hand to make and cool the rice, otherwise it's a fun and fast meal. While we're rolling our sushi, I steam the edamame. It's a great meal on a hot day.

We have extra filler and no more rice so I mix the cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab together. Top it with shredded nori and we eat this on top of rye crackers for lunch on Monday.

A Peek in My Cart - May 18 - 24

2009-05-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

This was a great week for local foods - the summer bounty is picking up speed! We prioritized cooking at home. Together it made for a delicious week!

Monday - Frittata with salad. For the recipe see the previous post. I bought a HUGE head of lettuce at the farmers market on Saturday so there's going to be a lot of salad this week!
We enjoyed the leftovers the next day

Tuesday - Chickpea curry with rice and salad. The curry is from Sarah Brown's World Vegetarian Cookbook. I have a shelf full of cookbooks but I consistently use only a couple of them. And, this is one that I turn to again and again. By mistake I used cloves instead of the cardemom - D'oh. It was still tasty - but I highly recommend using the cardemom as the recipe indicates. This recipe makes enough for leftovers the next day.

Chickpea Curry with Ginger

1 can chickpeas or 8oz (250g) dried chickpeas, drained overnight.
1 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardemom
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
4 - 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tomatoes (I substitute bell peppers), finely chopped
125-150ml stock or water
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper

If using dried chickpeas, drain them and cook in plenty of fresh water for 45 - 50 minutes or until soft. Drain.
Using a food processor or blender, process the onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, cardemom and chili flakes to a paste adding a little water if necessary.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion paste over low-medium heat for 10 minutes allowing to brown slightly.
Add the tomatoes or bell peppers and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and stock or water and lemon juice.
Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

Wednesday - Pasta. W's turn to cook. He has really mastered the fridge-clearout pasta. I think his secret is that he cooks the onions for a really long time on low heat so that they are really sweet. Today's pasta has a tomato sauce and I notice mushrooms, bell peppers, gai lan, artichoke hearts and capers. He makes enough for leftovers.

Thursday - Spot Prawns with salad and rice. I finally made it to the Fisherman's wharf near Granville Island and picked up spot prawns. I always miss the season so I'm super excited that I made it this year. I bought three pounds. To freeze them the guys working the boat recommended removing the heads and bagging them with some salt water. Which W and I promptly did. Don't worry - around here the heads don't go to waste. Our little seafood-loving dog goes crazy for them. She'll have treats for many days to come - I froze them too! Perusing the internet for a recipe, I find one from Rob Freenie in March 31st's Globe and Mail. It's amazing! The prawns are truely sweet. I can't wait to eat the ones that we froze. There sure aren't any leftovers from this meal.

The recipe calls for 3-4 pounds of prawns. I cooked just 1 pound for the 2 of us and adjusted the recipe accordingly (OK, maybe I didn't cut back all the way on the butter). We also had frozen hot peppers from last summer's bumper crop - so we used those instead of the jalapenos. And, while I made the mayo (with Tobasco instead of the Sambal Oelek), I don't think that the recipe required the dip at all.

Sauteed BC Spot Prawns with Garlic, Jalapenos, fresh herbs and a Spicy Mayo

3-4 pounds spot prawns

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I used my garlic press)

2 red jalapenos, thinly sliced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

1 cup dry white wine

1 whole lemon

freshly cracked black pepper

Spicy Mayo:

1 cup mayo

1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek

In a saute pan, on medium heat, add olive oil, butter, garlic. Lightly saute.
Turn up the heat, add prawns and jalapenos. Toss for 1-2 minutes.
Turn heat back to medium, add wine and cook for another minute.
Add parsley, lemon juice, and pepper. Serve immediately.

Friday - Ate out at the District Social House on lower Lonsdale. I highly recommend the olives.

Saturday - green salad with canned tuna and leftover rice. We buy canned tuna from a local fisherman. It makes a simple green salad and canned tuna an elegant meal.

Sunday - Tandoori chicken and tofu with rice and cabbage. I buy the packets of tandoori paste and follow the instructions, substituting half the chicken for tofu (becauseI choose not to eat mass-produced meat & poultry). I turned to Sara Brown's cookbook again for a favourite cabbage dish.

Red Cabbage with Apple and Cloves

1 pound red cabbage

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 apples, peeled and grated (I don't peel them and simply chop them)

3 - 4 cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)

salt

Finely shred the cabbage by hand or with a food processor (I use my cuisinart)
In a large pan, heat the oil. Fry the onion until just soft.
Add the cabbage and apple and mix in well. Then add the remaining ingredients, except for the sugar.
Cover the pan and simmer the mixture for 35 - 40 minutes until the cabbage is soft. Stir frequently to prevent the mixture from burning at the bottom of the pot. Add the sugar part-way through the cooking process.

Juicy Morsel May 22, 2009 - Foodie Fun this Weekend in Vancouver

2009-05-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

Foodie Fun this Weekend in Vancouver

Another great weekend for food-related fun in Vancouver! Of course, the Trout Lake farmers market is also on Saturday starting at 9am.

Cedar Cottage's Spring Fling is Saturday 12 noon - 3pm. They've got garden tours, food, entertainment, workshops etc. And, a plant sale with low prices - all proceeds to Cedar Cottage Community Garden. Plants include lettuce, spinach, scallions, beans, beets, peppers, basil, soybeans, carrots, peas, sunflowers, many varieties tomatoes, gooseberries, dill, cilantro, broccoli, strawberry, raspberry canes, borage, yarrow, and more.
Located under the skytrain (Victoria @ Hull)
http://cedarcottagegarden.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/spring-fling/

Eating Stories at Dr Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden
Sunday 2pm. Listen to local authors read excerpts from Eating Stories: A Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck. Admission by donation - $5 suggested.
http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com/calendar/2007/2007_may.htm

Eat! Vancouver
Friday, Saturday & Sunday at BC Place. Tickets are $15 for adults (save $3 by buying tickets online)
It's Canada's largest food and cooking show.
http://www.eat-vancouver.com/

A Peek in my Cart: May 11 - 17

2009-05-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

With the first Farmers Market of the season on Saturday, this week ends on a fantastic note!

Monday - stirfry with cannellini beans, mushrooms, broccoli, and snow peas. Served with rice. Like pasta, stirfry is my fall-back meal. Again, I used canned beans for a quick, inexpensive protein choice. The stirfry veggies are always a combination of whatever is in the fridge/freezer. Same with the sauce. I keep a variety of asian sauces and I combine them using my sense of smell and the basic Chinese flavour principle of balance between sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. If I leave enough time I serve it with brown rice. Today, it was white rice.

I make enough for leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Tuesday - root vegetable gratin and 'meat'. W has a porkchop. I choose not to eat conventially-raised meat so I eat an Yves veggie patty.

After following several scalloped potato and root vegetable gratin recipes, I now just wing it. I use very few gadgets in the kitchen, but I do like my Cuisinart. It makes this a very fast dish to prepare. I use the slicing blade for all the veggies and the grating blade for the cheddar. I make a lasagne-pan full and we eat the leftovers all week.

Root Vegetable Gratin

A variety of root vegetables (potatoes, turnips, celeriac, sunchokes, parsnips, etc)

Onions or shallots

Milk

Cheddar cheese

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Nutmeg

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash root vegetables, peel those with thick skins (e.g. parsnips, celeriac, turnips). Slice thinly.

Wash, peel, and thinly slice onions or shallots

Grate cheese and set aside

Grease a non-reactive (glass or ceramic) baking dish.

Place root vegetables in a layer on the bottom of the pan. Top with some slices of onion. Season with salt & pepper. Repeat. If you choose, you can add a thin layer of cheese and a light seasoning of nutmeg part way through the layers of root vegetables and onion.

Top with a light seasoning of nutmeg.

Pour milk over the vegetables until you can see it coming between 1/2 and 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pan.

Top with cheese.

Cook, covered, for about 30 to 45 minutes - until veggies are starting to soften. Uncover and cook until veggies are soft. Uncovering at the end will allow the cheese to brown and crisp.

Wednesday - leftovers.

Thursday - It is W's turn to cook. It doesn't work out. He eats it. I have a bowl of cereal and a banana. Oh well, you win some and you lose some!

Friday - dinner on the Drive. I love the vibe on Commercial Drive on a sunny day.

Saturday - Steak with red wine morrel sauce. Served with boiled potatoes & sunchokes and salad. A trip to the first Farmers Market of the season has my kitchen full of fantastic ingredients and me full of inspiration. While strolling the market, I remember the morrel mushrooms in the back of my freezer from last June. A grass pastured steak Frostbauer farms is the perfect match. To let the steak and mushrooms take centre stage, I pair them with simple boiled potatoes/ sunchokes and a spring salad of green leaf lettuce and radishes. For the dressing I make a quick vinaigrette with black cherry vinager from the Okanagan, olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.

Red Wine Morrrel Sauce

Morrel mushrooms

1 Shallot

Butter

Olive oil

Red wine

Pepper

Soak mushrooms in cold, salted water.

Finely chop the shallot

Heat the oil and butter in a pan. Saute shallot on medium-low heat until very soft. Meanwhile, remove the mushrooms from the water and pat dry. Remove any tough ends and slice them open.

When the shallots are soft, add the mushrooms and a splash of wine. Turn up the heat to medium.

Cook, adding wine as needed and scraping the bottom of the pan so that nothing burns. Season with pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are well cooked and the mixture is sauce-like.

Sunday - dinner out with friends.

Juicy Morsel May 15, 2009 - What's in Season?

2009-05-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

What's in Season?

I really believe that taking advantage of the seasons is a big part of enjoying healthy eating. Eating what's in season just feels good in a way that I just can't explain. Think of corn on the cob at a picnic in August or baked squash in dreary November.

I also put away seasonal foods in the freezer to enjoy the rest of the year. Having a well-stocked freezer is key to how I eat healthfully with this busy life. For example, I eat yogurt with fruit almost every day throughout the year - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, stewed rhubarb, and cherries (check out the pic of my deep-freeze stocked with what's left of last summer's fruit). Right now I'm enjoying my yogurt with plums - from our backyard tree, cut in half, pitted and frozen by my neighbour last september.

So what's in season now?

If you've been following me you'll know that here in BC spot prawns, nettles, dandelion, and rhubarb are in season. So are a wide variety of lettuce and dark leafy greens, salad turnips, radishes, some wild mushrooms and early onions. Halibut season is coming soon (or perhaps it's started already?).

I've also heard "through the grapevine" that asparagus is in season in Ontario.

The best way to find out what's in season is to ask people where you buy your food. Smaller vendors will have a better idea but you may also find some knowledgeable staff at bigger grocery stores. Of course farmers, fishers, and gatherers know what's in season the best. Farmers Market season is fast approaching - the Trout Lake market in East Vancouver starts tomorrow.

There are also some websites with info:

The 100 Mile folks on FoodNetwork have a good listing that you can search by province:. http://100mile.foodtv.ca/providers/foods/bc

ActNow BC has a listing of the seasons for vegetable and fruit in BC: http://www.actnowbc.ca/everyone/buy_local,_in_season_fruits_and_vegetables

To find a Farmers Market near you in BC check out the BC Association of Farmers Markets website: http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/findamarket.asp

A Peek in my Cart: May 4 - 10

2009-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

A Peek in My Cart - May 4 - 10
This was a great week filled with friends and family!

Monday - pasta with cannellini beans, snow peas, and roasted red peppers in a white wine basil sauce. Pasta is one of my fall-back meals. I always keep pasta noodles on-hand for easy, tasty, unplanned meals. I'll pair them with canned beans and whatever veggies I have in the fridge/ freezer. Canned beans are a cheap source of protein, they cook quickly and they store forever. I always have a variety in my cupboard - cannellini beans, chickpeas, blackbeans, etc. A great trick is to rinse them in a sieve before using - it washes away some of the extra salt used in canning and makes them a little less "musical". I was out of pesto today so my sauce was just some shallots, garlic, olive oil, white cooking wine that I keep in the fridge, and some fresh basil from the freezer - left over from a previous meal. I know that the great chefs say to never cook with wine that you wouldn't drink. But that's exactly what I cook with. Any leftover wine or wine that I don't like goes into the fridge for cooking.

Tuesday - Cinqo de Mayo at Burrito Brothers in Kits. I chose the soft tacos. Corn tortillas are way tastier than wheat ones!

Wednesday - BBQ 'meat' with rice and steamed broccoli. It's W's turn to cook and he creates a meal that is simple and good. W chose a porkchop. I choose not to eat conventially-raised meat, so I ate an Yves veggie patty.

Thursday - leftovers. Fridge clean-out in preparation for going away on the weekend.

Friday - Veggie burger and salad. We're in Whistler for a friends' wedding. It's a late dinner after some wedding prep activities.

Saturday - great Greek food wedding buffet. Oh, and fantastic wedding cake!

Sunday - Pesto salmon with rice pilaf and asparagus. I'm visiting family and am treated to one of my favourites - pesto salmon. Thanks Mum!

Pesto Salmon

Place a small amount of oil in the centre of a piece of tinfoil. Place salmon, skin-side down, on the oil.
Top salmon with pesto, spreading the pesto to completely cover the salmon.
Fold the tinfoil around the salmon and bake or BBQ for about 10min per inch of thickness.

Juicy Morsel May 7, 2009 - So Much Food Fun Coming Sat May 9

2009-05-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

So Much Food Fun Coming on Saturday May 9th

Both the Spot Prawn Festival and Britannia's stone Soup Festival are this Saturday.

The Spot Prawn Festival opens the short (approx 8 week) season. It's time to fill the freezer with BC's own yummy, sustainable prawn! Taste spot prawn dishes from local chefs 12 - 5pm on Saturday at False Creek Fisherman's Wharf, 1505 West 1st Ave (across from the entrance to Granville Island). For the rest of the season, buying times will be daily after 1pm.

The Stone Soup Festival also on Saturday from 12 - 5pm is a great event celebrating food, culture, community, and the environment. This year has a Latin American twist, combining a Fiesta de las Madres (Mothers Day Festival). It's true grassroots fun! Check it out at the Britannia Centre on Commercial Drive.

So much food fun, so few hours!!

A Peek in my Cart: April 27 - May 3

2009-05-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

A Peek in my Cart - April 27 - May 3

The week started off very busy, with evening commitments over-shadowing eating. But, mid-way through the week we established a better balance. Thanks to the friends who helped!

Monday April 27 - separate meals. W ate leftover hamburgers. I ate a convenience Indian Meal - Palak Paneer. I combined it with raw baby carrots and wholegrain rye crackers.

Tuesday April 28 - falafal and chicken shwarma wraps. It was late and we didn't plan ahead.

Wednesday April 29 - vegetarian lasagne and salad. This was another busy night with evening commitments. So, I stuck a frozen vegetarian lasagne in the oven. I paired it with the first green salad of the season made from veggies from the farmers market. I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar.

The lasagne was big enough for leftovers and I made enough salad for leftovers too. By having people dress their own salad, the leftovers stay fresh longer.

Thursday April 30 - prawn pasta with spinach salad. Friends invited us over for dinner. Good food and great company! The way that she prepared the salad caught my eye, I'll ask her for the recipe for a future post. What I caught while standing in her kitchen doorway was that it involved spinach, frozen peas, feta cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette.

Friday April 31 - Nettle and mustard green frittata with chopped salad. A spring-time veggie feast! For the frittata recipe, see May 3rd's post. I chopped up a variety of veggies from my fridge for the salad: radish, cucumber, and carrot. Dressed it with the leftover balsamic vinaigrette from Wednesday. Simply sublime!

Saturday May 1 - home-made pizza. Over to a friend's place to watch the Canucks game. Is there a more classic combo than hockey, pizza, and beer? Great home-made pizzas: one vegetarian and one with smoked salmon and asparagus.

Sunday May 2 - eggplant stew and brown rice. Desperate measures were in order to save the eggplants going bad in my crisper. So, I tried this recipe. It's just ok - a little bland. I'll make it again, but next time I'm adding jelapenos. I used more eggplant than the recipe called for, so I have lots left over. I portioned it into two containers and put them in the freezer.

East-West Eggplant Stew - From Bharti Kirchner's The Bold Vegetarian.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1.5 lbs Japanese eggplant or 1 medium regular eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Roma tomatoes, unpeeled, seeded, and coassely chopped (I didn't have any so I didn't include)
I added 1 can of chickpeas (for protein)
one 16-oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
chopped cilantro for garnish (I didn't have any so I didn't include)

In hot oil in a large saucepan, saute onion until it is richly browned, about 8 - 10 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin and tumeric and stir until evenly distributed in the oil.
Add eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 20 - 30 minutes, or until eggplant is almost tender. During this period, uncover occasionally and stir, add a little water if the mixture sticks to the bottom.
Add basil, tamarind, sugar, and salt. Simmer, covered, another 10 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
Let stand a few minutes before serving to help develop flavour. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Juicy Morsel May 2, 2009 - Joining the Nettle Bandwagon

2009-05-03T13:20:00.001-07:00

Joining the Nettle Bandwagon
I've been hearing lots of chatter this spring amongst the local food movement about nettles (stinging nettles). I love the adventure of trying new foods. So I took advantage of the opportunity to buy some at the last winter farmers market last weekend.

I polled a few vendors on how to prepare them and each had their favourite way. I came to the conclusion that they are good any way that you enjoy cooked, leafy greens.
And, my favourite way to eat leafy greens is in a frittata.

It was delicious - my favourite greens - hands down! They have a very fresh "green" taste, similar to fiddleheads. To me they taste like the smell when I walk through the woods after a spring rain. Now, I just need to learn how to forage for them.

I love this frittata recipe. Its so versatile - I've used all sorts of veggie combos. And, who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?

With the nettles, I used other ingredients in my fridge: leek (the whites only), mushrooms, mustard greens, buttermilk instead of the milk, and brie cheese.

Vegetable Frittata
The constant ingredients:
vegetable oil (i typically use olive)
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 generous tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

The varied ingredients:
Use in any combination that sounds good to you.
members of the alium family (e.g. leek, onion, garlic, garlic spears)
leafy greens (swiss chard, spinach, kale)
other veggies (e.g. asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini)
cheese (e.g. cheddar, parmesan, brie, mozarella)
herbs (I've always used parsley but I'm sure others would be good too)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate. Set aside.
Wash and chop the veggies.
In a frypan, heat the oil. Saute the alium family members until softened.
Meanwhile, combine eggs, milk, mustard, herbs & salt in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
If using a hard cheese (like cheddar), shred it and set aside.
Add other veggies to the frypan until just soft. Add leafy greens last, cooking until just barely wilted. I like lots and lots of greens, so I need to add the greens in batches, waiting to add the next batch until the previous batch starts to wilt so that all the greens can fit into the frypan.
Transfer veggies to the pie plate. Pour in the egg mixture. Top with the cheese.
Bake in the oven about 20 to 25 minutes, until the centre is golden brown. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

A Peek in my Cart: April 20 - 26

2009-04-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

A Peek in my Cart - April 20 - 26

Yikes, what a crazy week! My eating this week was balanced heavier on the convenience & friendship side than the good for my body side. I admit that I thought briefly about not sharing this week with you all. But, the whole point of this blog is to show the real eating habits of a busy, healthy eating advocate.

So here it is:

Monday April 20 - stirfry with long grain white rice. This is a meal that uses whatever I have on-hand. In today's case it's tofu, carrots, mushrooms, forzen green beans, and gai lan (chinese broccoli). I keep several asian sauces in the fridge and mix and match them in the stir fry. Today waas black bean with sweet thai chili and a splash of rice vinegar.

I make enough for leftovers the next day.

Tuesday April 21 - KD with tuna. Coleslaw on the side. Yes, I eat boxed macaroni & cheese. It is my go-to meal when I airrive home hungry. On tuesdays we have been taking a workout class that runs from 6-7pm. While I do eat a pre-workout snack, by the time I get home I'm hungry. I buy the white cheddar KD and add canned tuna and vegetables to create a balanced meal. Usually I add broccoli or frozen veggies to the boiling pasta when the pasta is almost cooked. Today I had leftover coleslaw so I used it as a side-salad.

One box of KD makes enough for two of us for dinner and leftovers for one of us. I pack a sandwich for lunch on Wed.

Wednesday April 22 Earth day - Spring Salmon with Sunchokes and Asparagus. I changed the original plan a bit. I didn't have enough sunchokes on hand so I threw in some potatoes with the sunchokes (yes, they were BC potatoes). I also realized that it was way more energy efficient to bake the salmon in the oven, since it was already on, than to power up the BBQ.

I made enough for leftovers of all the veg. Thursday's lunch pairs these with sandwiches.

Thursday April 23 - Sushi at Toshi Sushi. We had been invited to dinner at a friends house, but our hosts called me Thurs morning to postpone dinner - they had come down with a nasty cold. So, we took the opportunity to try Toshi Sushi (on 16th Ave, just west of Main St). Wow, it was the best sushi that I've ever had! Definately worth the wait! The fish was melt-in-your-mouth. But, my favourite was the broiled eggplant.

Friday April 24 - Fridge cleanout. In perparation for the party that we're hosting Saturday, dinner is a buffet of leftovers - need to make room in the fridge! Coleslaw, a hard boiled egg, asparagus, potatoes, and sunchokes.

Saturday April 25 - Bon Voyage party at out place- approx 50 people in attendance. We prepare 40 burgers with Columbus Meats' custom ground meat mix (beef & veal). Also, veggie burgers. Guests bring salads, cheese, dips, spreads, veggies, and a variety of desserts. A keg of beer from R&B means less bottles & cans - I love being environmentally friendly. My favourites of the night are baked brie with sundried tomatoes (melted cheese, mmmm), the cucumber salad (crunchy & spicy - palate cleanser after all that brie), caesar salad with home-made dressing (yes, with anchovies and lots and lots of garlic), and the rice crispie squares (taste of childhood).

Sunday April 26 - Party leftovers. People always thank me for hosting the party. But, I think that I get the best end of the deal - a fridge full of leftovers! Both lunch and dinner are a buffet of hummous and pita, sourdough bread and brie cheese, veggie burgers with sundried tomatoes, cucumber salad, baby carrots with artichoke dip, home-made brownies and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Juicy Morsel April 25, 2009 - Urban Foraging

2009-04-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

Urban Foraging

Today I gave up hope. I've been in denial since the snow melted but today I've come to terms with the fact that my two rosemary bushes didn't make it through the winter.

I'm also perilously low on rosemary in my spice drawer & freezer.

So the hunt is on, I'm on the lookout for rosemary bushes in un-suspecting neighbours' yards. Nice, big, rosemary bushes who won't miss a twig snipped from here and there.

Yes, I'm an urban forager. Have been since before the locavore movement made it popular.

While my plant knowledge isn't great, I'm always on the lookout for run-away mint, oversized rosemary bushes, forgotten apple and pear trees, and even the odd overgrown rhubarb. Walking my dogs gives me the perfect cover for my covert operation. We stroll through the neighbourhood with my trusty garden shears tucked inside the dog-walking-backpack.

I never steal annuals, or something in limited supply. I look for overgrown, unkept lots and back alleys. Sometimes I'll find a resident at home and will ask them to share their bounty. I pick what I can use and will leave some for them. I've never been refused.

With the popularity of the local food movement, there's so much info out there on foraging now. The 100 Mile Challenge website is a great example http://100mile.foodtv.ca/. I plan to try the fried dandelion blossoms - no problem identifying them and I don't even have to leave our property to find some!

Here's the 100 Mile Challenge recipe. I may just use my usual batter recipe of equal parts beer (lager style) and all-purpose flour, with a pinch of salt.

Fried Dandelion Blossoms

New dandelion blossoms on short stems, rinsed well in lightly salted water

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup flour

oil for frying

Cut off the stem ends close to the flower heads, leaving just enough to hold the petals together. Roll the flowers in (paper) towels to blot up the excess moisture.

Combine egg, milk, flour & salt.

Dip the flowers in the batter, then drop into hot oil (375 degrees) and fry until lightly browned.

Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with more salt, if needed, and serve at once.

Juicy Morsel April 21, 2009 - Eat Local for Earth Day

2009-04-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Eat Local for Earth Day

Tomorrow (Wed April 22) is Earth Day. What better way to celebrate than to make a local meal!
For inspiration and info on what's in season check out Farm Folk City Folk's Get Local BC: www.getlocalbc.org.

I'll be having BBQ Wild Spring salmon with roasted asparagus & sunchokes (a.k.a. jerusalem artichokes). Dessert will be yogurt and blueberries.
Everything except the asparagus, salt, pepper, and olive oil is local. But, I bought the asparagus at the East End Food Co-op. The salt was a gift. And, I bought the pepper in India when I was there in the fall. So I'm supporting local business. Thanks to my deep-freezer, the blueberries are from last summer and I buy the salmon frozen.

There aren't any measurements for this meal. It's true simpicity. Cook as much as you think people will eat (and maybe some extra for leftovers). I like salmon the way it is.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and cut the sunchokes into quarters. On a cookie sheet, toss sunchokes with enough olive oil to lightly coat. Season with salt, pepper, sage, and rosemary. Bake until very soft - approx 45 min to 1 hour.
Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Approx 15 min before the sunchokes will be ready, pull the sunchokes out of the oven. Add the asparagus and toss to cover with oil & herbs. Put back in the oven and roast until sunchokes and asparagus are tender.
Spread a thin layer of olive oil in the centre of the shiny side of a piece of tin foil. Place salmon, skin side down, on the tin foil. Fold tin foil around the salmon. BBQ approx 10 min per inch thickness of fish - or until the flesh flakes when tested with a fork.

Juicy Morsel April 19, 2009 - Spring Cleanout

2009-04-19T15:29:00.001-07:00

Spring Cleanout
With the arrival of spring I feel the need to lighten up. To get rid of all the clutter and dust that has settled around me all winter.
Today I cleaned out my deep freezer. Now there are no more mysterious tupperware containers hiding out in its depths.

My best find: diced rhubarb.
When the rhubarb is plentiful, I dice some, measure it out into 2.5 cup portions and freeze it, for use in the best muffins that I've ever tasted.
I took the recipe off the internet many years ago. Thank you to Michele O'Sullivan for sharing them on Allrecipes in 2005.

Enjoy these sweet and tangy, moist and dense (but not heavy) morsels. I have - I've eaten 2 since pulling them out of the oven.

I like to coarsely chop the rhubarb to maximize the contrast of big bites of sour rhubarb and the sweet sugar topping.

Rhubarb Muffins II
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2.5 cups chopped rhubarb.
0.5 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)

Grease muffin cups

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine beaten egg, brown sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Fold in rhubarb.

Combine flour mixture and rhubarb mixture. Mixing until just moistened.

Spoon batter into muffin tins.

Soften butter by placing in the microwave for approx 20 seconds. Mix the white sugar and butter. Sprinkle over top of the muffins.

Bake in the oven for approx 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Juicy Morsel April 16, 2009 - Celebrate slow

2009-04-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Celebrate slow with Bike the Blossoms this Saturday (April 18th).
Leisurely tour the city through the blossoms, stopping along the way to enjoy local and fair slow food.
Start at Vandeusen Gardens, Kitsilano Community Centre, or Brittania Community Centre. Register in advance.
No racing allowed!

http://www.slowfoodvancouver.com/

The Food Fighter Blog has Sprung!

2009-04-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

After germinating in my mind all winter, the Food Fighter Blog has sprung.

I'll be battling barriers to healthy eating with:

A Peek in my Cart: I see you peeking when I'm out grocery shopping. And, I know that you wait to order until after I do to see if I choose the fries or the salad. Now you can see how I practice what I preach - healthy eating without deprivation. I hope that you will be inspired as I share the reality of day-to-day healthy eating. Once a week, you get to see it all - what I buy, recipes, everything!

Juicy Morsels: Just like a great dish at a restaurant, I'll share with you a bite of the juicy stuff happening in food!