Some Like It Hot

November 20, 2013November 21, 201342 Comments

Can you believe that Thanksgiving here in the U.S. is only a week away! How did that happen? I swear we were just setting the kids off to school after summer break only yesterday. Well, even though I am nowhere near ready for the holidays, I am ready to welcome them. I’ve been feeling very holiday-ish for weeks now. Perhaps its the unseasonably cool temperatures we’ve been having? Burr!

But before I can turn my attention to holiday cooking, I figured I had better post some of our Indian recipes I’ve been mentioning. India was my choice for our cooking around the world adventure. I’ve been participating in lifestyle and teacher training program at my yoga studio since August, and one of our recent adventures was to spend an afternoon with the wife of one of our instructors learning how to cook home-style Indian cuisine. It was the perfect fit for our blog!

We learned how to make dosas, curried cauliflower and a delicious chickpea stew. The instruction was hands-on and our teacher was very informative and helpful. She brought her most used equipment from home, her pressure cooker and spice tin. She said that the traditional gift for a new Indian bride is a pressure cooker – she couldn’t get by without hers. And her spice tin was a circular container (it reminded me of a Christmas cookie tin my grandmother used to have) with individual compartments for her most used spices. It was such a clever container and a far site more organized than my crazy spice drawer (which is now over-flowing with spices and herbs from around the world).

My favorite recipe from the day was the curried cauliflower, which I’m sharing with you today. It’s simple. It’s healthy. It brings the heat! But I think the best part about it was learning how to prepare my own curry. I had no idea that curry powder is a spice blend. I always figured it was its own spice, when in fact it is a blend of spices that was said to have been created by an Indian cook for a British soldier who was returning to England and wanted to take the flavors of India home with him. Our instructor prepared her curry with cumin, cayenne, coriander and turmeric which is the version I plan to share today.

Mr. N joined me in the kitchen to make the cauliflower. He had a sample from my class and was eager to learn how to make it. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s fast and easy, so perfect for Mr. N to learn how to make for himself (with oven supervision of course). We started by cleaning the cauliflower and then slicing it into quarters. The trick to slicing it is to make a deep cross-cut into the stem of the head and then pull the quarters apart. This makes it easy to break the cauliflower into bite size florets.

After rinsing the cauliflower clean, we added it to a Ziplock bag. Mr. N then measured out and added a bit of olive oil and our spices to the bag.

After giving the bag a good shake to coat the cauliflower, we then placed it onto a parchment lined baking sheet and roasted the cauliflower at 450F for 15 to 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower was baking, Mike and Miss A called us out to the yard where they had been raking up leaves. They just had to share their amazing find…a rather large praying mantis!

The kids were just enthralled (as was I). She was a real beauty. She sat perfectly still, well all but her eyes were still. Her eyes tracked our every movement. You can see how the praying mantis makes such a great hunter! Had she been on a plant, we likely never would have noticed her.

Back in the kitchen the cauliflower had finished roasting, so Mr. N and I returned to the kitchen to get a first taste of our healthy snack. We had toned down the cayenne and increased the cumin from my instructor’s version and were hopeful that it would be as good. We still wanted it hot – just not need-a-fire-extinguisher-hot.

The verdict – we have a winner! This dish might hold a special place in my heart – it’s a vegetable, which I have never really been partial to, in fact, I typically can’t stand cauliflower – and I love this recipe! I could hardly stop snacking on these little gems. Mr. N too, he kept coming back for more, and then a few more. And how fun that it’s a snack we don’t have to worry about overeating!

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but it earned 4 spoons from both Mr. N and I – a vegetable nonetheless! Mike also enjoyed the cauliflower. This ranked at a 3 spoon vote for him. Surprisingly, the heat was a bit too much for him (the man that literally douses things in srichacha).

And I’m guessing that you can imagine Miss A’s reaction. Yes, this was a 1 spoon dish for her. She did take a few bites offered by her brother, but after several moments she went charging to the sink to pour water into her mouth. A bit of an over-reaction? Perhaps. Drama does tend to run in the family. 😉

Print this recipe: Oven Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Long story short, if you like it hot, give this one a try. It’s a fast, healthy recipe that makes a great side dish or snack. Just ask Mr. N, he’s requested this as part of his weekly school lunches.

All-in-all, I’d say our first Indian cooking adventure was a success. We’ll have one more Indian dish to share after Thanksgiving as well. Until then, I hope you all enjoy the holiday. As we count our blessings for the Thanksgiving holiday, all of our wonderful readers, commenters, friends and family will make the list. Like this recipe, you all hold a special place in our hearts. Cheers!

Getting to Know You

August 21, 201318 Comments

Mandy at The Complete Cook Book recently posted a “Get to Know You Series,” and it was a lot of fun to read. So since we’re away from our kitchen (sneak peak of where we are below), we figured this was a good time to share in the fun. Feel free to join along in the comments or on your blogs as well. Have fun and enjoy the rest of the week.

1. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

Mike – Coffee; Kristy – San Pellegrino Limonata; Mr. N – Strawberry Lemonade; Miss A – Sparkling Grape Juice

2. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

Mike – Red Wine; Kristy – Red Wine or Champagne

3. What is your favorite food?

Mike – Pizza; Kristy – Sushi; Mr. N – Pizza; Miss A – Quesadillas

4. What is your least favorite food?

Mike – Brie; Kristy – Beets; Mr. N – Beets; Miss A – Beets (no beet love here!)

5. What do you eat that others think is really weird?

Mike – Salt on Pizza; Kristy – Applesauce on Bread; Mr. N – Pesto (kids at school don’t quite get it); Miss A – Goldfish Crackers in Yogurt

6. What is your favourite thing to cook/bake?

Mike – Anything on the Smoker; Kristy – Pies and Sauces; Mr. N – Banana Bread; Miss A – Lemon Tarts

7. If you could only chose one, would it be sweet or savory?

Mike – Sweet; Kristy – Savory; Mr. N – Sweet; Miss A – Savory

8. What time do you usually eat your dinner during the week?

Mike and Kristy – either with the kids around 5:30 or after they go to bed around 9:00; Mr. N and Miss A – between 5:30 and 6:00

9. What kitchen item/s have you never owned?

Ice Cream Maker

10. What tip would you give to a newbie cooker / baker?

Mike – Be Patient; Kristy – Don’t be afraid to experiment; Mr. N – Have fun making it; Miss A – Put things in it you think will be good

11. What is the best vegetarian dish you have eaten?

M – Lentil burgers; Kristy – Vegetable lasagna, risotto or pasta; Mr. N – Salad; Miss A – Pasta

I should note here that we may have to revisit who won this year’s chopped challenge. While Miss A and I were declared winners, Mike’s lentil burgers are the only dish ever to have been repeated from a chopped challenge. They are really good and relatively easy to make.

12. What is the easiest meal you can cook?

Mike – Quesadillas; Kristy – Pasta; Mr. N – Peanut Butter & Jellies; Miss A – Pizza

13. If you could only grow 3 herbs in your garden, what would you grow?

Mike – Basil, sage and cilantro; Kristy – Basil, sage and rosemary; Mr. N – Basil, sage and parsley; Miss A – Basil, thyme and sage

14. What would you use as a substitute for salt?

Mike – Chili powder; Kristy – Cumin; Mr. N – Pepper; Miss A – Sugar

15. What 5 items would you pack for a quick and easy picnic or day out?

Mike – Havarti, Triscutts, grapes, salami and red wine; Kristy – white wine, brie, grapes, crackers and fig jelly; Mr. N – Bananas, pistachios, celery, peanut butter and water; Miss A – Mozzarella, grapes, ham, juice and more cheese

Thanks for the fun Mandy! Have a great week everyone. Now, back to vacation. 🙂

Short But Sweet

August 17, 201339 Comments

I’m late in posting this week. It’s been a whirlwind. We’re heading out on a little vacation this week before school starts and there’s always so much to do before leaving the house. This is especially the case when we come back to a school year in full swing. So this trip required a little more organization, so that once we get home we’re ready for the end of summer. So, much like summer, this recipe is short, but sweet.

I had another volunteer day recently. This time it was at the Thanks Jordan Foundation’s Raw Vegan Cafe. The restaurant, as the name suggests, serves all raw vegan cuisine. It’s also run by volunteers. Well, not entirely, there’s an owner, a chef, a teacher, and a few servers, but the rest of the kitchen help is all volunteer-based. The cafe is a non-profit with proceeds going toward cancer research. While I don’t think we’ll be going vegan or raw anytime soon, it was an absolute pleasure to work in the restaurant and I have to admit the food was amazing. I brought several items home and Mike and the kids agreed. They do a fabulous job – particularly with dessert.

And talk about an incredible volunteer opportunity – I got to work in a restaurant! How fun is that?! Not only did I get to help the community, I got to live out a little dream of mine. Even doing dishes was fun – too bad that doesn’t carry over to home. 😉 While at the cafe, I had the opportunity to make the raw vegan taco “meat.” I did my best to replicate the recipe at home because after one bite, I was sold. Not only is it healthy and full of protein, but it has an incredible smoky flavor. It starts with almonds which are soaked for a bit. The almonds are then processed until they are crumb-like.

Next up are the carrots – peeled and chopped.

They are then processed until crumb-like as well.

And then the carrots and almonds are mixed together – this creates the texture of the “meat.”

Next it’s onto the sauce that will give the “meat” its smoky flavor. Again we turn to the food processor (gotta love a one pot meal) where we blend the remaining ingredients – garlic, agave, Tamari (gluten free soy sauce), cumin, fresh oregano, cayenne, chili powder and sun dried tomatoes.

While processing the sauce, a bit of water is added and blended until smooth, or at least until there are no big chunks hiding in the sauce.

The sauce is mixed together with the almond-carrot mixture and voila – you have your taco “meat.”

We decided to serve some fresh sweet corn with our tacos. Mike took the kids outside for a lesson in shucking (Good thing they learned to shuck before heading to Miss C’s farm to feed the animals!).

We seasoned our sweet corn with a mixture of olive oil, shallots and sage before tossing it on the grill.

The sage and sweet corn combo is absolutely delicious. I never would have guessed it, but it’s really a good marriage of sweet and savory.

But enough about that, back to the vegan tacos. So you might be wondering how these went over with my carnivorous husband and children. We served the taco meat on organic (albeit not raw) tortillas and topped them with fresh chopped avocado.

Believe it or not, the vegan tacos were a big hit. I’ve already admitted to being a fan of the smoky flavor, so these were 3-1/2 spoons for me. Much to my surprise, they were also 3-1/2 spoons for Mike. So you can be sure these don’t taste like what most meat lovers think of as vegan or raw. This stuff is tasty enough to have Mike ring in a near top mark!

The key to this meal (and the others I sampled) is the generous use of various herbs and seasonings. There’s nothing bland about this meal. Even Mr. N was impressed. He came in with 3-1/2 spoons as well. He couldn’t believe that it wasn’t meat.

Unfortunately Miss A was not as impressed. This meal was a bit too spicy for her. She would have much preferred the raw vegan brownie (which both kids swore tasted just like a homemade brownie). She did enjoy her corn though as well as the fried sage, courtesy of Greg and Katherine over at Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide.

Overall, this meal was a success and made for some great lunches the rest of the week. I think we’ll be making it again (with something on the side for Miss A). I never would have expected this much flavor out of raw food, but I guess when it’s done right, just like anything, it can be flavorful and satisfying.

Print this recipe: Vegan Raw Tacos

So for the next week, we’re going to head for some peace and quiet. So if we aren’t frequenting your blogs, you’ll know why. We’re heading somewhere we can cook, read, play and just be – the four of us – before the busy new school year kicks into high gear. You see, this year is going to be especially new for us…Miss A will start her first full day of school and her first full week of school. I’m not sure how I’m going to manage watching my baby get on a bus, but I know she’s ready. Mom’s just not ready. Childhood – another thing that is far too short, but sweet. Fortunately, I have a few more years of childhood with my babies…so here’s to the short and the sweet whether it’s summer, a good meal, childhood, vacations or any of those other things that we love so much. Cheers!

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

July 8, 201323 Comments

As Kristy promised the next few posts will highlight our latest road trip across North America. If you haven’t guessed by now, we like our road trips!
This time a business trip called me to Toronto right as school was ending for Mr. N and Miss A, and that was all the excuse we needed to jump in the car and head to the Great White North. The fact that some of our favorite bloggers are in the area made it an even easier call. After an all day drive on Friday, the first thing on the agenda was a Saturday morning trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

I highly recommend a visit. The trophy room is impressive to say the least – we actually got to touch the Stanley Cup before it was brought back home, and there are lots of interactive things for the kids to do. While Mr. N was clobbering me at NHL trivia (seriously), Miss A was trying her hand at the real thing.
Mr. N and I played the goalie interactive game, but it’s probably best there isn’t any photographic evidence of our performance. That evening, I took the kids to a movie, and Kristy got to have a girl’s night out with blogging friends Eva, Barb and Kelly. From all accounts, a great time was had by all. I’m told the conversation flowed (as did the drinks and food) and it was more a gathering of long-time friends than new friends. And don’t feel bad for me, after taking the kids to the movie (and getting them to sleep I might add) I got to kick back and watch the Hawks in a little playoff action. Like our weather at home, Toronto was hit or miss, but the sun seemed to shine on the days we most needed it – like our second visit to Centre Island’s Centreville Amusement Park. (A few of you may recall we spent Miss A’s 3rd birthday at the park a few years ago.)

The next day, well, the weather was cold and rainy, but that didn’t deter Kristy and the kids. They spent the entire day at the Ontario Science Centre while I was at my conference. Now that the kids are older they can actually spend more than a few hours at a museum without needing a nap (us adults on the other hand…), so it was a FULL day of hair-raising fun. static electricity </a

Toronto was a non-stop whirlwind of fun with much of the thanks going to Eva, who provided a virtual tour book of activities for us including the other places we visited, the Distillery District, Eaton Centre, Marché, and Yorkville. We didn’t make it to everything else on the list, but the cool thing was that what we did see (except for Centreville) was new to us despite having been through Toronto twice before. Thank you again Eva. We’ll be back again to finish off the rest of the list for sure!

Now before we head back to the states (in our next post), and leave our Neighbor to the North we just had to make another stop at Niagara Falls.

Even though it’s our third visit, it amazes every single time. The amount and force of the water is just staggering. Every time. Again with the kids being older now, we figured a new adventure was in order (and no, not one that involved a barrel, much to the kids’ dismay). This year we braved the rapids on the Maid of the Mist.

And what can I say other than, it completely lives up to the hype. If you’re in the area, it’s an absolute must do. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves (photos were taken on Kristy’s iPhone since the ride is a bit wet):

It was another good one for the books (or our memories anyway), there’s always a new adventure around every corner. Toronto and the Niagara region can provide weeks of sightseeing, and they’ll surely keep us coming back for more. (Not to mention – we’ve got some great friends to come back and visit again too!)

Later this week, Kristy will be back with the rest of our adventure. Until then, here’s something else that was new to us this year – lights on the Falls.

A Devil of a Good Time

June 9, 201341 Comments

Hi everyone! As we mentioned in our last post we were preparing for some fun. Well, this week we are off to our neighbor to the North to meet some new friends and enjoy some family time. Yep, it’s another road trip; although not quite as epic as the one a few years ago that took us to many of the same places.

So while we are away, you’ll forgive us for not checking in on many of your wonderful blogs. We’re going to unplug for a short time and recharge. We’ll be back next week with another French recipe and hopefully some great vacation stories to share.

Until then, we thought we’d share this little non-recipe of a recipe with you. It was a HUGE hit in our house and it just happens to involve lobster which is reminiscent of that trip a few years back. Just search “lobster” on our site and you’ll see what we mean.

We took a basic deviled egg recipe – hard-boiled eggs, add the yolks to a bowl, and mix them with Dijon and mayo. This time we then added a bit of dill, some Champagne vinegar, diced shallots, and of course some chopped up lobster. (We had claws on-hand after a tasty special at Costco.) The measurements on today’s recipes are approximates. You can easily adapt this to your own taste preferences.

Once the mixture was added back into the egg whites, we topped them with a pinch of truffle salt, some chives and a sprinkling of paprika (regular, not smoked, as we didn’t want to diminish the taste of the lobster). Now you can see why these were such a hit.

Mike and I both gave them 4 spoons. Hands-down. No questions. Miss A gave them 100 spoons. I have never seen her eat so much of a non-dessert food in my life. I’m not kidding. She put these little devils (pun intended) away! But Mr. N, he insists on saying they were 3-1/2 spoons….despite also devouring them and fighting with his sister over the last one. Hmmm. I’ve determined his vote is due to either not wanting to appear as a conformist, or that it wasn’t dessert and therefore doesn’t deserve a 4 spoon vote.

What I’m trying to say, is that you may as well consider this one of the rare 4-spoon all-a-rounders. Now do you think I should add it to our index page for four spoon dishes. Hmm…

I’ll ponder that while we’re away. Enjoy your week everyone! Print this recipe: Lobster Deviled Eggs

Like kissing your…brother?

April 8, 2013April 13, 201352 Comments

An oft-repeated quote in sports goes like this: “A tie is like kissing your sister.” A google search attributes the origin of the quote to former Texas football coach Darryl Royal, Alabama coach Bear Bryant, Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty, or Navy coach Eddie Erdelatz, but regardless of who said it first, it sure fits. A weird combination of completely unsatisfying, and could have been worse. We had a tie in last year’s Banana Bread challenge, and needless to say, we weren’t eager to repeat that again in our French Toast Challenge this year.

The final showdown pitted the top two seeds against each other, with #1 Bermuda French Toast taking on #2 Blueberry Stuffed. Bermuda struggled in the first round, but ultimately just had too much and managed to avoid the upset. Blueberry Stuffed prevailed in a tough battle in its previous match-up to earn its spot in the finals. Both recipes were at their best on challenge day, and it was clear when we got them both on the plate that we were in for an entertaining and enjoyable challenge. Continue reading →