What you callin' jerk?

Another new recipe I've tried also comes from my neighbour Tammy. It is for Jerk Chicken! It isn't too spicy the way I make it, so I don't know how authentic it is. Either way, it is really tasty! Most of the ingredients are common staples in the kitchen, at least in my kitchen they are. I use boneless, skinless chicken, but any cut would work and doesn't have to be boneless. I imagine you could jerk up just about any protein. The nice thing about this recipe, is that all you really need is a blender! So dust off that blender and get jerking!

In your blender (a food processor would also work), blend all of the ingredients. Here is what you need:
5 green onions/scallions
1 tbsp fresh or 1/2 tbsp dry thyme
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp all spice
1 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
2 red chillies (Thai?)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp grated ginger

A few notes:
For less heat, remove the seeds and ribs of the chillies. I used fresh.
Rough chop the onions and garlic before putting in the blender.
One large navel orange squeezed yields about 1/2 cup of juice.
Ginger keeps amazingly in the freezer. Peel it with a spoon and store in a zip-top bag. Just grate what you need from frozen!
This recipe makes enough to marinate four or more pieces of meat, depending on size. It makes quite a bit!
You'll want to marinate 6-8 hours, but when in doubt, overnight is good. I left my chicken in for three days, and it was awesome.

I grilled the chicken on indirect heat in the bbq. Cook until the juices run clear and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving.

We absolutely loved this recipe, and currently have some marinating in the fridge! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Got MoJo?

I live in a neighbourhood of people who love food. It is awesome! I was talking with my neighbour, Tammy, and she gave me a few of her recipes to try. Oftentimes, I just want to try something new. Those who really know me, know that I am not easily swayed to try new things. Let me tell you! If you like bbq chicken, you will love this!

The recipe is called MoJo Chicken. You can make it as spicy as you want. It doesn't have anything scary in it. Just make sure to plan ahead! I didn't, and it led to the chicken hanging out in marinade for three days in the fridge.

Here is the recipe:
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (I used sriracha)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
bone-in, skin-on chicken

In a zip-top bag, make the marinade. I juiced an orange since I didn't have OJ on hand. One navel orange makes enough juice. If you want a spicy chicken, add more hot sauce. The 1/2tsp doesn't make it spicy. Add the chicken to the bag, swish it around, and put it in the fridge for 6-8 hours. "When in doubt, leave it overnight" as Tammy said.

Remove the chicken from the bag, and pour the marinade into a small pot. Bring it to a boil for about a minute. I left this step out, and it still turned out great.

Heat your bbq to medium heat. Cook the chicken over INDIRECT heat until the juices run clear. Takes about 30-40 minutes. If you want, baste with the boiled marinade once or twice.

For crispy skin, grill the chicken on direct heat for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

The chicken comes out nice and tender. Usually, I don't go for chicken breast because it dries out too much, but not with this recipe. I cooked off three breasts with this recipe, so you have an idea of how much this marinade stretches. It had a nice, subtle flavour. I forgot about the garlic, so feel free to leave it out if you aren't a fan! Definitely a repeat recipe!

We really enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you do too!

Enjoy!
Lisa

I know I'm not alone

It is nice to know that I'm not alone in my struggles with food. I knew this, but when meeting with other people with a similar problem, it became more real. You know how it is, you think you're the only one who struggles until you see it for yourself.

Apparently, I am a compulsive eater. At least that is what I'm told. I can see that when I look back at my weaker times. It never occurs to me until after the damage is done. Thankfully, I've been good this week and have not experienced problem eating. Okay, maybe just a small slip when I had two granola bars... and when Kerri brought cupcakes. They are gone, so no more temptation!

I learned at Craving Change that perfectionists often are the ones who experience problematic eating. Because we've gone off the wagon, we figure "since I've already messed up today, I'll just eat what I want and try to be good again tomorrow". Hello! That is often what happens to me.  I have to break that cycle. I do seem to follow the 80/20 rule of eating well most of the time and having the indulgences infrequently. Unfortunately, I need to do closer to 90/10 if I want this weight to come off. After visiting with the family, I tend to take almost two weeks to lose what I gained in two days. Maybe that will change if I can get my weaknesses under control. I know it isn't their fault. They aren't forcing me to eat things that I shouldn't have. I don't have to eat a huge chunk of meat or gobs of potato. They are comfort foods, they taste good, they are also large portions.

I am also trying to put my hunger on hold. If I am still hungry after half an hour, then I'll go ahead and eat. I need to focus more on stomach hunger than the I-just-want-to-eat hunger. Sometimes it is just the idea that makes me want to eat and not that I need to eat. That is a time I get in trouble. Unless my stomach is on the verge of growling, I'll try to wait.

I've been a bit hard on myself lately, because the weight hasn't been coming off very much. A small consolation is that I've had more endurance. I guess muscle is building since I've been working hard in the garden and zumba is easier. My feet don't feel like lead half way through now.  Also, Joe and I went for a bike ride and I made it the approx. 5km without thinking I was going to die. It got close going up a small hill, but I made it. That was the first ride of the season, too.

I also haven't been using MyFitnessPal like I was before. I figured if I was eating within my set portions outlined by my nutritionist, I'd be fine. That doesn't seem to be working. I haven't been weighing or measuring what I eat, so my eying of portions must be off. I know I haven't been drinking enough water, so I am trying to be aware of that. I either eat too many calories or not enough. I'm always afraid of going over. Really, it is just a ballpark, so I don't know why I am so worried.

I have overcome a huge hurdle, so I should be nicer to myself. I haven't been craving real sugar. I've finally found a sugar substitute that works in my lattes. I had tried stevia, truvia, cane sugar, and decreasing the amount of sugar. None really worked as well as I had hoped. Until I tried the Starbucks Sugar-free caramel syrup. One and a half pumps of that seem to do the trick. Sometimes it even tastes like a mocha. I don't remember the last time I put sugar in my coffee. That was the only place I was using white sugar except when I had tea at mom's.

One new change that we have made is to only have the skinny cow ice cream on weekends instead of every day. Usually right after dinner, we'd grab an ice cream sandwich. Now we either don't have anything, or eventually have fruit or yogurt. Soon, maybe both when the fruit starts coming in season.

I'm learning more and more about myself with this program. I hope that there is another one after so I can continue to find ways to help myself. The change isn't easy, but every step is a step in the right direction.

My admission

In my efforts to lose weight, I enlisted the help of a nutritionist. She suggested a group called Craving Change that is run by her and a social worker. This is a four part program that meets at the hospital that helps us to understand why we eat what we eat and when.

After the first meeting, I learned something about myself that I am not proud of. I am a lonely eater. I eat when I am alone, and it is hard to make wise choices when I do. I've done this for a long time. When no one is around, I will sneak the foods that are usually had in moderation. As a child, when my mom was busy, I'd sneak cookies, snack cakes, chips, or any other snack food. I'd hide the wrappers, or take just enough for no one to really notice at first glance. This problem behaviour still haunts me. I'll buy junk food and eat it without my husband knowing. I've thrown out the bags on my next pass by a public trash can or hid them in our garbage can right before collection time. I'm not proud, but I am working on it. I am weak when it comes to food, I know this.

When snacks are put near me, I lose all control. No matter what kind of food, if it is there, I'll eat it unless it is something I don't like or can't have for painful reasons. I don't have the power in me to remove myself from the situation. I don't have the power in me to just say no. Food is my drug, and I admit to being a sugar/carb junkie. I crave the crunch. I crave the endorphins.

If I am able to keep myself occupied, I can sometimes avoid the problem eating. This isn't something I am good at. When I am motivated enough, I can keep busy, but I first have to feel motivated. The lack of motivation is when things can potentially snowball for me.

When looking through the list of triggers that lead to problematic eating, I always find that being alone is the worst. I can't say that it is my only trigger, but it is the strongest. I'm not strong when I am alone. I don't notice until it is too late and the eating has already begun. The damage is done. I feel the guilt, I feel remorse, I feel disgust.

I'm really hoping that Craving Change will help me to kick my bad habits. I need help, I want to change, and I want to do better. 

Mushroom Pot Pie

Yet another recipe that I've put my own spin on. This recipe is from In The Kitchen With Stefano Faita. The main thing I changed was using my own dough recipe instead of puff pastry to try and save on some of the fat.

If you decide to make your own pie dough, you'll want to start by making your dough since it needs to sit for about an hour. My go-to dough for this recipe is 10 oz all purpose flour, 5 oz margarine/butter, about 1/2 tsp salt, and water.

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and with a pastry cutter, work in the margarine/butter until it is evenly distributed. Slowly add enough water to form a dough. The amount of water needed is never the same because of humidity, so add a bit then you can always increase it. If you find your dough too wet, just add small amounts of flour. When your dough is formed and feels wet enough, wrap in plastic wrap or a produce bag, and put in the fridge for about an hour so the gluten does what it does. Now to make the filling. You will need the following:

- a medium onion, chopped
- a clove or two of garlic, minced
- a few kinds of mushrooms (shitake, cremini, king oyster, button, portobello, etc)
- one or two carrots
- one or two parsnips
- 1 cup frozen peas
- about 1 cup cooked lentils or 1-14oz can rinsed
- 2 cups stock (I use mushroom and vegetable cubes- one of each)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- salt and pepper
- thyme and rosemary either dried or fresh
- 2 tbsp oil (evoo, canola, etc) 

The ingredients I didn't use are: 1/2 cup red wine, diced potato, brussel sprouts, leek, and puff pastry. The real recipe is found at http://www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen/2013/03/mixed-mushroom-pot-pie.html.

So, first you need to heat the oil in a stock pot. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and start to brown them. In a few minutes, you house will smell awesome. This is when I add the stock cubes minus the water, the salt and pepper, and thyme and rosemary. Now add the flour and tomato paste and stir until the flour disappears and you can smell the tomato paste. Slowly add the water or actual stock, soy sauce, lentils, carrots, parsnips and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the veg is softened. Add the peas and turn off the heat.

I spray my ramekins with non-stick spray and add about two laddles of the mixture into each. I place them on a baking sheet for ease of movement in and out of the oven. Roll out your dough, and cut rounds that fit your ramekins. Place on the top of the filling and pierce the dough for air vents.

I find this recipe usually fills five ramekins. Cook in a 425F oven until your dough is golden.

There are a few reasons why we love this recipe. It is portioned out in the ramekins that are easy to store and take for lunch. I LOVE mushrooms, so I can go nuts and add a ton of them. This recipe is tasty, and tastes even better the next day when warmed up. It is full of vegetables and lentils and is a meatless main.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Lisa

Easter isn't Easter without Figolli!

Even though we weren't home for Easter, we still had figolli. We tried three different ones, and they were all different. They were quite different from the ones we make. The flavours varied quite a bit.

For those of you who don't know what Figolli are, they are traditional Maltese Easter treats. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the shapes started as symbolic, like a fish, a lamb, a bird, a rabbit, etc. Malta is a very religious country, so the shapes would reflect that. Now a days, less traditional shapes have emerged, like a car, a boat, a butterfly, etc. Some people coat them in chocolate and others in icing. My family enjoys the icing. I personally find it easier to ice figolli with icing-it is more forgiving. The cookie is similar to a butter cookie with an almond paste filling. In Malta, you see figolli made with blanched almonds, but that is a lot of work! We just use the almonds with the skins on, and it really gives a better flavour in my opinion. What also makes these "cookies", is the use of almond extract. I've searched high and low in Canada for a good one, but nothing compares to the pure almond extract you get in Malta. The smell and flavour it imparts is out of this world. We bring it home from Malta and a little goes a long way. The real stuff can't be stored in plastic jars because it will eat through the plastic.

Since we are celebrating Easter as a family late this year, I couldn't show up without the traditional treat! What kind of Maltese family member would I be?

I started making my own figolli a few years ago. I'd send one to Joe's work for the office, usually in a Firefox/Mozilla theme. Here are a few pictures of ones I've made:

My dad helped me decorate this one. We were basing the picture from a t-shirt.

When Firefox for Android came out, I thought the Android robot was appropriate.

Because the company is Mozilla, I tried the mozilla dinosaur.

The last few years, I just made my figolli in square pans and decorated them in a scene of some sort. That is really taking the easy way out as figolli go. This year, I made shapes! Traditionally, huge metal cookie cutters are used, but as I learned from my mom, you can save a ton of money by making your own with cardboard. In case it isn't obvious from my pictures, these are BIG cookies. If you try to eat one of these in one sitting, you are certain to go into a diabetic coma. Luckily, they freeze really well, so you cam pace yourself if you choose not to share.

Because it is a family tradition, I don't feel right giving out the recipe that we use. There are many variations of the recipe online. It all comes down to preference after trial and error. I don't think there is a bad recipe, just a texture and/or flavour difference. If you see my mom's recipe box, she has about 10 or more different ones all labeled as "<insert name>'s". Everyone has their own recipe!

Once iced with a mixture of icing sugar, water, and we add a little almond extract, they are a blank palette. You get to choose the colours and designs. I use gel food colouring because a little bit gives great colour.  I usually end up with a bunch of bowls with different colours by the time I'm done. A sugar high also accompanies from licking my fingers. I did my best to not eat a lot of the sugar this year.

The shapes I attempted this year, are a bunny, butterfly, and egg. My artistic skills are next to nonexistent, but I think they turned out okay. As Joe says, I am my own worst critic, so I see my amateur flaws. I should have baked it more or should have taken it out of the oven sooner, the details didn't turn out how I wanted, etc. Here are a few pictures of the figolli I made this year.

I rather enjoy making these for my loved ones. Traditions are important to carry on, which is why I started to make my own figolli. There will come a day when my mom doesn't want to or can't make them, and I'd like to be able to step in when needed. Figolli are part of my heritage, and future generations need to know how to carry along the tradition. Baking and cooking are in my blood, and it is a fun skill to have!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!
Lisa

Oh so tasty

While in Malta, we have been eating a fair bit of produce. I've written about the cauliflower and lima beans, but let me tell you, the strawberries are AMAZING. We were in Ta' Qali for a bit today, and there was a huge farmers' market in a parking lot. We stopped in to see what they had, not thinking about the season we were in and if apples even grow here. The produce that was available was jaw dropping. There were 0.65€ cauliflowers. They were the size of a basketball! There were different kinds of squashes that you buy by the piece that were the size of the largest watermelon you could find or a small ottoman. There were bunches of fresh garlic, onions of many varieties, Maltese zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots, artichokes the size of pepper squash, chard and spinach, lima beans, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes that were as big as a baby's head, and the best strawberries we've tasted outside of Ontario.

The shear sizes are mind blowing. My jaw was dragging on the ground while we walked to the different vendors. I felt like I was walking through the award winning vegetable section at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. And the prices! They were dirt cheap! If our prices were that good, my grocery bill would be a quarter of what it is now. Everything looked like it was picked this morning, and at the peak of freshness. We've been spoiled with the availability of fresh local produce daily. I can't wait for Ontario's growing season.

Last night, we took my aunt and new uncle out for supper. The food was good, but I enjoyed dessert the most. Joe had a seafood risotto that had muscles, prawns, cuttle fish, and octopus and I had a chicken breast dish with mushroom and asparagus gravy. Holy portion size! We shared a "salad" of sauted mushrooms, asparagus, and bacon. I found the chicken needed more salt, and the "salad" less. There was a dollop of cream cheese on top, so if I had used that, it might not have been so bad. Instead I used some of the bread to cut the saltiness. Joe had a fig ice cream that was quite interesting. I had a lemon sorbet that was light and refreshing. If it wasn't for all the sugar, I'd make it all the time. Our new uncle insisted on Joe and him having a liqueur. They chose sambuca. I tried a minute amount just to see what it was like. It smelled awesome. I love black jelly beans and suckers, and that is what it smelled like. It wasn't that bad, but then again, I only touched it to my lips a few times.

Tonight we are eating in with my parents since it is our last night in Malta. We're having stuffed eggplant and zucchini- a Maltese kind of supper. We picked up all of the veg for it at the market this afternoon. I love the Maltese way of life where you go out and get fresh produce each day. You can go to a butcher or fish monger close by, the produce trucks are around almost every street corner, and you can smell the bread from the bakery when you walk in the street. The only thing I'd want different is to have more availability of whole grain and/or whole wheat breads. There are so many pastizzi vendors, that you can just walk past them without a second glance. Everything you need is a few minutes walking distance in most areas.

Tomorrow night we will be back in our own kitchen. No more restaurants for us for a while!

Moderation in the key

These past two weeks have been rather challenging. I knew it would be. With all of the sweet temptations and Maltese hand pies, we haven't indulged much.  It has been hard to resist, especially when my dad brings them here. I've eaten the white bread in moderation. Bread here is 99% of the time white, and it is everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I'd eat it all the time if I wasn't being careful. We found a place that served wholemeal pasta, and that is the only time we ordered it.

I've been drinking Lacto-milk while in Malta. To say the least, my cappuccino attempts have been rather disappointing. I cart around a small wine bottle from Air Malta wherever I go filled with my own milk so I can have caffeine. The taste is just plain weird. Aside from it coming in a tetra pak carton from the unrefrigerated shelf, it tastes watered down and has a strange taste to it. I've had it cold, hot, and steamed. I've used sugar and sweetener. Doesn't make a difference.

One of the neat things I've come across, is that almost anything will be put on a pizza here. It is pretty cool. I had a tasty one with tuna (common with Maltese people), artichoke hearts, peas, and onions. Luckily, I have been able to order with Parm instead of Mozzarella. I'd never had artichoke hearts other than in dip, and I rather liked them. The peas were an odd addition, but it worked. My mom usually makes tuna pizza, so I'm used to that. Unfortunately, the crust only comes in white flour. Some of the unconventional items have been smoked salmon, eggs, shell fish, and octopus to name a few.

I've had ice cream twice here, both times it was a hazelnut flavour of ice cream. Thankfully, it doesn't bother my stomach. Ice cream is everywhere too, so the blinders have to go up. If I don't see it, I won't want it. I'm glad that where we are staying, there aren't many pastry places. The coffee shops usually have cakes and cookies, and the odd time a few creamy pastries. We've usually eaten already, so it is easier to say no.

The hardest time I've had would have to be last night at my aunt's wedding supper. I really wanted to try the eggplant rolls, but they had mozzarella in them and I wasn't taking any chances by removing the cheese. Then the garlic bread was put down right beside me. Torture!!! It smelled so good with melted mozzarella on it. Then the cubed cheese was calling my name. I can't remember the name of it, but it was a soft cheese. Ney Ney. At least I could partake in the main course. I ate way too much meat, but I was good during the day.

I'm surprised that lactose-intolerance seems like such a foreign concept in Malta. When I ask about how something is prepared, people almost seem offended when I say I can't have it. It isn't a choice for me. I would love to have whole milk cappuccinos or tea at any time, or cheesy pizza, but I don't want to fell the after effects.

Our adventures are coming to an end in a few days. I think I can continue being mostly strong. After seeing myself in the wedding pictures, I am even more determined to stay on track.

Aw rats...

The last few days haven't been very adventurous, in a culinary sense. We picked up broad beans from a farmer on the side of the road. I hadn't had them before, and they were pretty good. It is a popular thing to eat in Malta. I think they are similar to butter beans. You need to take them out of the pod, then peel the outer layer off to expose the bean. They can be eaten with that extra layer, but I'm told that they are more bitter that way. All of the produce trucks are carrying them right now. I love the produce trucks. Every day, you can go and get fresh fruit and/or vegetables. We were driving behind a truck today, and a cauliflower fell off the truck when it hit a bump. We didn't stop for it, but someone must have had a free cauliflower!

A new thing we tried today was ftira. It is basically a Maltese sandwich. Ours had ham and egg. It wasn't made on the traditional Maltese bread, but it was still okay. They looked like they were put into a panini press. You see them advertised almost everywhere.

Since I'm not using sugar, the cappuccinos haven't been quite right. Sometimes I ask them to warm my milk since the cafes don't have lactose-free milk. I've been carrying around an airplane-sized wine bottle or my travel mug with lactose-free milk. I get some odd looks, but what can you do. I'm thinking of going back to a bit of sugar so I can enjoy them while we are here. Stevia just isn't cutting it. If I add two of the packets, I really taste the artificial taste.

Easter has to be the worst time to be in Malta when you are diabetic or watching your sugar intake. There are figolli EVERYWHERE! For those who don't know, figolli are traditional Maltese Easter cookies that are huge. They usually fit on a big dinner plate. You can even find them at the dollar stores. They are a sugar cookie (kind of) filled with an almond paste then iced with icing or chocolate or both. My aunt gave us a store bought one and another aunt brought a homemade one for all of us. There are a bunch of sweets that are usually made around Easter, and that makes it that much harder. Growing up with figolli makes it so hard to say no. We have just had small slices of them as an indulgence. I've thought about waking up in the middle of the night and devouring them. Must...be...strong...

The stores are still filled with the Easter eggs. It was neat that yesterday, Easter Sunday, the kids take their chocolate eggs and figolli to get them blessed after the procession of the risen Lord. I'm surprised they could hold off that long.

Today, we tried a new fish! It was called Awrat, and was wild caught. It is a milder white fleshed fish. We picked some up from a local fish monger and brought it back to the apartment to cook up. It was different, but not in a bad way. We just baked it in the oven. Mom cut off the tails, but the heads were the off-putting part. I found the eyeball, and it felt like a marble. We each ate the equivalent of one fish each.

I've been making vegetable side dishes with eggplant, cauliflower, mushrooms, and carrots. The carrots are usually really sweet, with I love. The cauliflower tastes a bit different than the one we get in Canada. It isn't as pungent. I roasted some in the oven and today I started them on the stove top and then put them in the oven because I made too much for the pan, then they went back on the stove.

I'm noticing my taste buds changing. After drinking water all day, I was getting sick of it, so I tried a diet Pepsi. It wasn't half bad. Now I'm drinking Coke Zero. I don't know if I can handle regular Coke anymore. I'll never be able to match Joe in quantity of Coke Zero consumed, but a bottle now and then seems to hit the right notes.

Tomorrow we are probably off to Gozo, so maybe we'll try some more new stuff!

Ciao,
Lisa

Oh Snap!

Tonight was our first night in Malta. We decided to go out for supper, and ended up at this cute little place. They had "catch of the day" fish, which isn't a big surprise. I'm not a big fish eater. I like canned tuna, and the odd Basa filet. Tonight, I got adventurous and ordered red snapper! Joe got a chicken dish, just in case I didn't like it. I was surprised to see a whole fish on my plate. Head to tail on a huge platter. Didn't know where to start. I'd never eaten a whole fish before. I'd never really eaten much fish before! So I'm picking at this fish, trying to avoid the ribs (is that what you call them??) When I was a kid I choked on a fish bone, so I've been fish shy. Turns out I like snapper! I ate almost the whole fish, minus head and tail. If I had known ahead of time, I would have asked for it to be cut in two so we could both have it. We had a side of grilled veggies which were pretty fantastic.

Eating on the way here was a challenge. I packed a few big carrots and red peppers, and we ate most of them before getting on the plane. We got a few strange looks because we were eating plain vegetables like they were treats. I must have had 2 big carrots and 2 red peppers. It helped to tide us over for a bit. This morning, the plane served muffins. I use that term loosely. They were huge and had about 47g of carbs. Ah... no thanks. Then on Air Malta, we were given a white dinner roll and a packaged piece of chocolate cake. Again, no thanks. I cheated by having a few forks of the caramel "cheesecake" dessert last night, so that is where I had to draw the line. I heard the old me egging me on to eat it all and to hell with the consequences. In the words of one of my favourite comic, John Pinette, "nay nay!" That wasn't how I was going to start these two weeks. I had a little bit of white bread with supper, and the lunch on the plane was white pasta. I only ate the pasta because I was starvin'! I managed to find poached eggs at the airport which were mediocre. Was better than the sausage and baked beans my dad ate. The fruit salad was mostly made up of my least favourite melon, honeydew, but I ate it because it was the healthiest thing I was going to find.

I know it will be hard to stay on the A train, but I'm trying. I can only do so much, and I haven't had coffee since before going to the airport. Lord knows, I've needed it. A few baristas, again, using that term loosely, looked at me like I had 10 eyes when I asked if they had lactose-free milk. What is that? What is lactose? Uh... ok. I didn't think it was that uncommon in London. Yet to go on my search here.

Looking forward to sharing other new foods I try! Fish will be a new adventure. I'll keep you posted!

Lisa

Coconut Curry Soup

I apologize for no pictures this time. This is the second time we've made this soup, and we really enjoy it. This recipe is quite flexible and hard to mess up. We didn't follow an actual recipe this time, and I could eat it all!

We took some red curry paste and heated it in some oil to "wake it up". In went some chopped onion and mushrooms. Let them hang out a little. Since we weren't following the recipe, I started to throw vegetables into the pot. I had some broccoli, so I threw the stem parts in since they take longer to cook and the lemon grass. When the onions softened, we added two cans of coconut milk and about two cups of chicken stock. Then we added some chopped peppers, the broccoli tops, and some left over cooked chicken.

When the broth is heated, add some vermacelli and push it down so it is covered. When they are soft and the soup is hot, the dish is ready! Fill your bowl and enjoy!

Here is a rundown of what I used:
Onion
Mushroom
Red curry paste
Broccoli
Peppers
Cooked chicken
Brown rice vermacelli
Coconut milk
Chicken stock
Lemon grass

In the past, we used sugar snap peas, cauliflower, peas, and I imagine something different. A good tip is to "bruise" the lemon grass with the back of your knife to help release the flavour. If you prepare all of your vegetables and chicken, this soup doesn't take long to make. This is a recipe that can easily be made vegetarian or vegan.

Don't be afraid to try new things, you could be pleasantly surprised!

Lisa

I cooked a carrot, and I liked it.

I've never liked cooked carrots. No matter what was done to them, unless in soup, I couldn't stand to eat them. I was always a raw carrot gal. That has changed! I was watching Best Recipes Ever by Canadian Living and saw a recipe for sugar snap peas and carrots. My first thought was "it looks good, but I doubt I'll like it." I'm glad I was wrong.

I've been buying sugar snap peas to use in pad thai, so I had a package. I didn't like them raw. They needed to be used up, so I figured, what do I have to lose? I knew Joe would eat them. So I cut some carrots into sticks similar in size to the peas. I heated a pan with a little bit of olive oil. Into the pot went the peas and carrots and a sprinkle of salt. After tossing them together, I covered the pan. About 20 minutes later, they felt done. Some were nice and caramelized. I probably could have eaten the whole yield. I'll be making this again and again.

While on the topic of carrots, I tried a carrot and barley soup tonight. This is a low glycemic index recipe. I didn't exactly follow the directions from the website I found the recipe on. Here is what I used.

A few large carrots, a leek, a few stalks of celery, vegetable bouillon (instead of vegetable stock), dried thyme, pot barley, and margarine. The recipe didn't call for leek, but I had one that needed to be used. Also, it called for pearl barley. I use pot barley because it is the unrefined whole grain.

The important thing to remember when using leeks is to cut them THEN wash them. While the leek is growing through the dirt, soil gets stuck between the layers. So cut the leeks and let them soak in water for a little while. This will remove the soil.

 This is not an ingredient you really want to add to your soups or other dishes. This may not look like much, but that grit will make itself known with every bite.

While the leeks are soaking, you can take this time to peel and chop your carrots. I used more than the recipe asked for because, hey, I don't always like to measure. I get that habit from my mom. You rarely get recipes from her that have actual measurements. Anyway, chop the carrots into same-sized pieces.

When the leeks are clean, add them to a stock pot with some margarine. I used about a tablespoon to get them started. When you can smell them, add the carrots, salt, pepper, and thyme. The recipe called for a sprig of time, but I don't usually use fresh herbs because they don't always look good at the store and I don't know if all freeze well. Since I used the vegetable cubes, I threw them in. I find they dissolve better in heat than in water. Mix everything to coat, and I added a little more margarine.

Let the carrots hang out for a few minutes to start cooking them. After a few minutes, add about half a cup of barley. Stir to coat the barley, and cook about ten minutes.

Stir occasionally, because they might start sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add about two and a half cups of water to make up the vegetable stock. If you don't use the cubes, this is where you'd add the stock.

The recipe said to wait to add the celery, but I can be impatient, so I added it with the water. The recipe wanted me to wait until the soup was almost done. I never do that.

Turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer for about an hour. Check for seasoning. If you used the sprig of thyme, you'll want to remove it now. You may want to adjust the salt. If you have an immersion blender (stick blender), blend the soup to smooth. Otherwise, you can always use a blender or a food processor.

I don't know if the soup is supposed to be thick like mine was, but it was pretty good. The barley isn't totally pulverized, so you get little chewy bits. I imagine if you blend it more it could be more uniform. Overall, it was pretty tasty and rather filling. We served this with a slice of homemade whole wheat bread.

I Knew

I knew you were trouble. Every time I hear that song by Taylor Swift, I think of my relationship with food. I know it is about falling for a bad boy. In my life, the bad boy is junk food.

'I think part of me knew the second that I (ate) it, this would happen.' I knew junk food would make me gain weight. This is where the little devil on my shoulder wins. "Just a little, it won't hurt".

'It was the feeling that came along with it. And the crazy thing is that I don't know if I'll ever feel that way again. ' The feeling that comes along with indulging in something decadent like caramel, cheesecake, or anything else that is sweet is unique. Kind of like how some people say chocolate is better than sex. A feeling only sugar can give.

'I knew you were trouble when (I saw you). Shame on me now. You took (my taste buds) to places (they'd) never been. Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground'. Shame on me. I have to live with the consequences of those tasty, fatty, sugary food.

'No apologies, he'll (the companies) never see you cry
Pretend he (they) doesn't know that he's (they're) the reason why
You're drowning, you're drowning, you're drowning
Now I heard you moved on from whispers on the street
A new notch in your belt is all I'll ever be'

The companies who make junk food don't apologize. Why should they? We're the ones buying their products. They look the other way when studies state that their products are unhealthy and are contributing to the obesity epidemic. We are drowning in their ads on tv, billboards, radio, and magazines. If they lose you as a customer, they'll move onto the next poor soul who is either too weak to say no or don't know better. We are each just another "notch" on their belt because they know a sucker is born every day.

I've never deluded myself into thinking that milk chocolate, chips, cookies, etc were good choices. I just never thought about it. I don't think anyone out there can say that those things don't taste good. Sometimes I get into a mood where I just done care... until I snap out of it and fall into remorse. Eater's remorse. You can't change what has already been put into your body. The only thing you can do is not do it again and try to work off those dreadful calories.

'I don't know if you know who you are until you lose who you are.' I've lost who I was. It is time for me to find myself again. I know the lighter me is in here somewhere.

Lisa

Temptation

We live in a world full of temptations. On every corner, you'll find a McDonald's, Tim Hortons (or other donut shop), and pizza place. It is a hostile world when you are watching what you eat. My bestest girl friend in the world described "dieting" as rehab. I have to agree. When watching what you eat and trying to make better life choices, rehab sounds about right.

Emotional eating is a trap. You feel bad, so you eat. You eat, and you feel bad. Sound familiar? That rollercoaster is one ride that is not fun. We are addicted to bad food. Trying to rehabilitate your eating habits with so much access to bad food is a very hard feat.

On any given day, I walk past a McDonald's, two donut shops, Subway, and another fast food joint. I'm not including the three convenience stores and three greasy spoon/grill establishments. That is within a 10 minute walk from my house. I make that walk a few times a week. Every time I make that walk, I think "I'll stop in. Just one won't be an issue". That is when I shake my head and yell at myself for thinking that. No, one will lead to two, etc. These establishments feed on us weak people. They are contributing to the obesity epidemic that plagues North America. People can be weak, looking for a quick and easy bite, and want the convenience. They are convenient, I'll give them that. Gotta love the "eat now, think later" mentality. Makes me think of that saying "a moment on the lips, forever on the hips". So true. It takes a lot to burn off one of those "meals" that cost you almost a full day of your caloric allotment. To think, our youth are eating this junk every day.

I guess you can say "fat sells". Don't get me wrong. I love fat. That has to be the old me. You could put out a spread of food in front of me that includes fries, salad, cake, fruit salad, and a soup. I guarantee you I'd be struggling to not have at least one fry or a few crumbs of cake.

I have to learn to love salads. I don't care for salads. Like John Pinett has said in his standup act I'm Starvin'!, 'salad is promise of the meal to come'. I've never craved salad. I've never woken up thinking "I could sure go for a big salad for supper or lunch". I didn't grow up eating salad.

I grew up thinking that corn and potatoes were vegetables. Pasta was a meal, and so was rice. What a shock when I learned that corn and potato are both starches, and pasta and rice do not make a full meal. Vegetables are supposed to fit in there. Surprise, surprise. This is not healthy.

Having developed an intolerance to lactose in the past year and a bit, it has really affected what I now eat. I no longer eat pizza with cheese, or other cheese-laden foods. Cheese has always been a big part of my diet. With few lactose-free cheese options, I've eliminated a number of food choices. I guess it was for the best. No more ricotta, lasagna, pizza, etc. I just have to think of the discomfort that accompanies those foods, and it is enough to scare me off. I think it was a sign.

Learning about food everyday is both interesting and frustrating!

Lisa

Life Choices

Food. We need it to live. We eat when we're happy. We eat when we're sad. We eat as a family and for special occasions. Eating the right food can be challenging. If you're like me, you like food. Personally, I have an insatiable sweet tooth. That is problematic when diabetes and obesity run in your family. Unfortunately, when it comes to health issues, the deck is stacked against me. Being overweight doesn't help. I find it hard to say no to sugars and carbs.

I had to look at my life. It wasn't easy, but I have decided to be proactive and started eating a diabetic diet. I can't say I'm thrilled. I'm not a fan of being accountable for what I do and what I eat. So the food is being measured and weighed. I'm only allowed so much of a particular food group. Who knew that that deck-of-cards sized portion of meat was actually 2.5 oz and counts as 2.5 servings?

I'm learning about serving sizes. Let me say they are a lot smaller than I thought. I wasn't aware of how many calories are in nuts, olive oil, and seeds. Now we need to be more conscious of how much we use in our cooking. It is easy to lose track of just how much you use when roasting vegetables. Two tablespoons of peanut butter can be quite satisfying. I'm getting used to using only half a teaspoon of sugar in my smaller latte. I'll work on being able to half that, but for now, it is a start.

I am a self-diagnosed sugar addict. I love my sugar. Sometimes I need that can of Coke. Really want that milk chocolate. Crave cake or ice cream. This is going to be a big challenge.  It is really hard shopping at the Bulk Barn with those tempting easter eggs, chocolate covered almonds, etc. I've been strong. I've been fighting temptation. Some days are much harder than others to get over the cravings.

I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners. They don't really agree with me. I am able to use some of that Mio water enhancer in moderation. It helps me get my water in. Sometimes water is just too boring. I know that sweeteners are not good for you. I can't stand sugar twin or sweet and low. I sometimes use Splenda in pancakes/waffles and some baking.

I know this venture will not be easy. I may stumble because I am me and I am human. I have to be strong and God help me get through Easter.

Lisa

Did you save your chicken scraps?

If you kept your chicken scraps from cutting up your chicken, or you saved a chicken carcass from a roasted chicken, you have another meal! Chicken bones make for great soup. In next to no prep time, you could be on your way to using up the rest of that beautiful chicken. Don't know how? Think it is too hard? Take a look!

Take your chicken bones and plunk them in a big pot. Grab some vegetables like carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, or anything that strikes your fancy. In my house, I always have those veggies on hand. Peel and cut them into small pieces. Throw them in the pot. Add about 8 cups of water (or half water and half chicken stock), 4 tsp of chicken soup powder if you didn't use stock. Add a bit of salt and pepper, and turn on that stove top. In about an hour or so, or when you see that the meat is falling off the bones, fish those bones out. When cool enough to touch, remove all of the meat you can get off of the bones and add them back to the pot. Taste and adjust flavours as you'd like.

Guess what? Your soup is done! Making soup out of bones helps to stretch a buck. The whole pot can feed 4 people for less than $5! Where can you feed a family of 4 for that? If you want to add rice, barley or pasta, cook it separately and add at the time of serving. You don't want them to sop up all of the yummy soup if it is sitting in your fridge for lunch. Nothing wrong with that, but it changes the texture of the pasta/grain. If you're like me, and texture is a deal breaker, adding them precooked makes for happy eating.

So save those nickels (since the penny is going bye-bye), and make your own soup. You get to control the fat and sodium, and can make it your own by experimenting with different veggies and spices/aromatics. Soup is a healthy, inexpensive, and easy way to feed your loved ones whether you're on a budget or not. A handy tip! Most soups freeze well for future consumption. Great for make-ahead lunches or suppers.

Remember: Soup is good for the soul.

Lisa

winner winner chicken dinner!

I have a bit of a guilty pleasure. I love watching cooking shows. Since getting the TiVo, I've started watching many different shows. The TiVo records suggestions, and some of them are pretty good. The one that has inspired a new recipe was on America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated. I know I've said it before, but I may never look at chicken the same way again.

This recipe calls for a whole chicken that is cut up into pieces. Turns out that it is a more economical way of buying chicken. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love to save money wherever possible. You take the whole bird and cut out the spine. Don't throw it away! Then you cut off the legs and cut them again along the "fat line". Now you have four pieces! Cut off the wings and remove the tips. The show didn't use them in this recipe, but I did because who doesn't like chicken wings? Cut the breast along the breast bone. This requires a little elbow grease to snap the bone. Then cut each breast in half so all pieces are about the same size. This helps the chicken to cook at the same rate.  Keep the skin on to ensure juicy chicken and flavourful veggies. Keep the spine, neck, and any other parts for a soup. The messy part is done!

Now is where you can use what veggies you actually like. Root vegetables are great for this part. I used some carrots, parsnips, potatoes, mushrooms and whole garlic. The show used shallots and brussel sprouts with their root veg, but not a big fan of those. Cut the veggies into similar sized pieces keeping in mind you don't want them to be too small, otherwise, they will overcook and you'll have mushy veggies, and no one likes that! Use as much of the vegetables as you want to cover a rimmed baking sheet. Throw them all in a big bowl so you can toss them with the seasonings.

Flavour time! For the veggies, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other mild flavoured oil), 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tsp fresh rosemary, 1 tsp sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. It was cold out, so I just used dried herbs. Use less if you are using dried herbs. Toss all with the veggies and spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. I sprayed/greased the sheet first because I always do that.

In a small bowl, melt 2 tsp butter. Add 2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix this up. Place chicken on top of the veggie bed with the breast pieces near the middle and the dark meat around the edges. Dark meat takes longer to cook, so they will get blasted with the heat more than the light meat. With a brush, slather each piece of chicken with this mixture.

Place the baking sheet in a 475F oven for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is properly cooked. Larger chicken pieces take a bit longer. The skin will come out crispy and golden and the veggies tender. Remove the chicken and mix up the veggies with the drippings before serving.

The house smelled amazing! I've never really used herbs before, but I'm not as scared anymore! We loved the flavours, and it turned out really well. Can't wait for the leftover chicken!

Hope you like this recipe as much as we did!

Lisa

Always on my Mind

It has been a while since I've talked about food on my blog, but it is always on my mind. Every day, you have to eat, so it is hard to NOT think about food. I have a confession. I HATE PLANNING MEALS. Each meal seems to be a creative battle. I try to ensure that each meal has a balance of protein, vegetable, and starch and is nutritious and delicious. Sometimes nutrition goes out the window for flavour and fat. I know flavour doesn't always come from fat, but there are days when you just want chicken wings and potato wedges.

I've challenged myself to try a few different kinds of food. I find it easier to be adventurous in the produce section. There are some scary looking things at the grocery store. I've found lemon grass, celery root, jicama, shitake mushrooms, sugar snap peas, and parsnips. Have you seen what celery root looks like? Talk about unappealing! Let's break that list down.

Lemon grass! Tried my hand at cooking some thai food. Thai coconut mushroom soup was a very cool adventure. I love coconut and I love mushrooms. Still haven't tweaked it to my liking, but getting there. Going to have to visit Chinatown before trying that again.

Celery root! Wow! Not the easiest vegetable to work with since you have to peel it with a knife. After chopping off the gnarly root end, it stops running around. I tried it in stew (more on stew to come), but it didn't float my boat. Then my brain started inserting it into other things I cook. Wait a second! Celery root is a root vegetable! I make a root vegetable "medley"! So in the pot it went with sweet potato, white/yellow potato, garlic, parsnip, and white turnip. Gives a nice celery flavour. Mash them up with a little butter, and what a side dish!

Jicama! Haven't figured out how I like to use it yet. The first time I bought it, I tried to make a jicama and apple salad. That didn't work so well, especially when I sliced my thumb on the mandolin. I'll have to revisit this intriguing vegetable.

Shitake mushrooms! I found this dried. Since I absolutely LOVE mushroom soup, I thought this was a natural move for me. The smell of these things leaves something to be desired. I couldn't bring myself to use the "broth" after soaking them. Hard to taste them when mixed with a ton of other mushrooms, but the chewy texture was neat.

Sugar snap peas! I discovered that these are great in pad thai. I tried eating them raw, but I didn't like them that much. I might try them as a side dish steamed with some kind of flavour boost.

Parsnips! These are becoming a regular ingredient in our week-to-week meals. These white carrot-like things are incredible! I'm trying them roasted tonight! They give a neat peppery taste that is unlike any other vegetable I've tried.

Speaking of stew... I had never made stew before. I'm starting to really get the hang of it. I tried it in the slow cooker, but it didn't really like how it turned out. I used what I learned from that to improve my stove-top stew. I browned the beef then added beef stock, bay leaves and marjoram and let that simmer for an hour or more. Oh my! The beef was so tender, just like when in the crock pot. I love stew now!

I'll try my best to be more diligent with my posts about food. I love reading about food about as much as I like talking about it.

Try something new!

Lisa