Saturday, September 24 - End of Summer Fish Tacos with Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and Pica de Gallo

End of Summer Fish Tacos with Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and Pica de Gallo

I could have sworn we used to change the clocks around this weekend when I was growing up.  I was shocked to find on the internet that it isn't until November.  We had planned on a Taco Night a few days ago while it was chilly out.  We do Veggie Tacos on a regular basis with Soy Ground Round but since it was surprisingly warm out today and after watching Eat St on FoodTV, D had a sudden about face and had a craving for Fish Tacos.  We had been up on the North Shore at our friend R's secret Chanterelle stash and we decided to stop at the local megastore for some white fish and Low Fat Greek Yogurt.  Our local shop doesn't carry it but any of the PC branded supermarkets have a great one.  Anyhoo, we asked the fishmonger's opinion on which fish might hold up best on the Q.  I knew Snapper would be D didn't seem keen.  She recommended Tilapia but I don't know if it was because they seemed to have a surfeit of it.  We decided on Cod and Haddock filets so we could test which we liked best.

As toppings on our fresher lighter tacos, we decided to keep things light as well and make a Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and a Pica de Gallo (fresh Red Salsa).  We also picked up the PC Branded Green Salsa.  We've tried a few brands that we could get on board with since making the roasted Tomatillos is a bit of a chore.  It is definitely tastier to make your own but if we could find a brand we liked enough, then all the better since Tomatillos in our area are quite expensive.  Anyhoo, we have dismissed the Goya and the Herdez brands as being too watery, bland and tart.  The PC Brand looked promising.  You could see the nicely charred chunky Tomatillos in the jar.  It was quite nice and in a pinch, is what we will use now.

To season our fish, I mixed my own All Purpose Mexican Seasoning because if you take 30 s to read the labels of the store bought one you will see they are loaded with Salt, fillers and preservatives.  I make ours with no Salt and season as needed.   Plus it's cheaper!  For the shells, we buy the fresh, soft Corn Tortillas.  We buy them in packs of 10 here.  We have a smaller hispanic community here so you are not likely to find the stacks of 100 like we do in California in the corner drugstore for like 3 bucks (jealous).  Simply heat these up for 30 s on each side in a hot cast iron skillet or microwave as instructed.  We use the skillet to get a nice toasty rather than soggy experience.

Mexican All Purpose Seasoning

4 t Chili Powder
1 t Cayenne
1/2 t Paprika
1/2 t Ground Cumin
1/2 t Ground Coriander
1/2 t Oregano
1/4 t Thyme
1/2 t Onion Powder
1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/2 t Red Chili Flakes
1/2 t Black Pepper

Shake and keep tightly lidded.

Pica de Gallo (Red Salsa)

2 large Tomatoes, room temp
1 1/2 - 2 Jalapeños, minced (remove seeds and veins if too spicy)
1/2 Lime, Zest and Juice
1/2 medium Red Onion, finely diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 t dry Oregano
2 T Olive Oil
1 t Salt
Black Pepper

Mix and let stand at room temperature until dinner. With the acid, it is fine for hours. If you refrigerate, you'll lose some of the tomato goodness. I keep all the Tomato guts. If that is too watery, leave the Tomato seeds out.

Avocado Lime Crema

1 medium Avocado
1 Jalapeño (or Serrano)
1/2 c Low Fat Greek Yogurt (about the same amount as the Avocado you're using)
1 Lime, Zested and Juiced
1/2 c fresh Cilantro
Salt and Pepper

Puree all ingredients in a mini processor or with a handblender. It is very thick so you will have to stir a few times. Very addictive.

Fish Tacos

1 lb firm White Fish, (we used Haddock and Cod)
1/2 c Pica de Gallo, mainly the liquid
2-3 t AP Mexican Seasoning
1/4 - 1/2 t Salt
Olive Oil

Cut the fish into pickle sized fingers. Let the Fish marinade in the Pica de Gallo liquid for half an hour at least in the fridge. Drain off the Fish. Season and drizzle with Oil.

Grill for 1-2 minutes on all sides. Do not over cook. Serve on soft Corn Tortillas with fresh greens of your choice, Salsa and Crema. Mmmmmmm

Tuesday, Sep 7th - Sunny Thai Green Curry with Prawn

I have tried to take a cue from D about simplifying my cooking.  I am sure that if I were on Top Chef, I'd be the cook that they told needs 'more editting'.  In soups, omlettes, pizzas, quesadillas, what have you, I always try to add too much.  I suffered as a child when mom put out too many 'Ban Chan' (Korean condiments) try to put as many as I could in my mouth with each spoonful of rice.  :^P 

D likes to limit veg contributions to 1 or 2.  Less confusion and cleaner flavour, I guess.  I tried to do that with today's Thai Curry except I went thematic.  On busy days and on a regular basis because of the simplicity and yummoness, we make Thai Curries.  You're assured of fresh Veg, great flavour and a good kick if you do it right.  We were still pretty knackered after our camping so dinner after work needed to be as effortless as possible.  Tonights thematic Thai Green Curry was Sunshine.

Start Rice or in our case tonight, Quinoa now.

Sunny Thai Green Curry with Prawn
(Serves two with 1-2 lunches depending on seconds)

1 medium Orange Sweet Potato, cubed
1/3 large Yellow Zucchini (~2/3 - 1 c), cubed
1 Orange Bell Pepper (Capsicum), chopped
1/2 small Onion, sliced
1/2 tin Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
16 Prawns, shelled
3-4 T Green Thai Chili Paste (We use Mae Ploy and keep it in the freezer. Lasts over a year)
1 Chili minced
1 inch Ginger, sliced
2-3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tin Coconut Milk
1-2 c Vegetable Broth/Water
1/2 c chopped fresh Cilantro

Microwave the Sweet Potato for 3 minutes on high.  Or steam them for 4-5 minutes.  Depends on the amount of dishes you want to use.  I use one of the dinner plates in the microwave.  If I am on a Microwave aversion day, I will steam them over the rice.

Have the vegetables all chopped and ready.  Open the tin of Coconut milk and have it ready.  Have the additional water or broth in a measuring cup there too.

Heat a large Wok on medium High.  Add 1 T of Peanut Oil or Canola Oil.  Add the Vegetables in this order about 1-2 minutes apart: Onion, Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Ginger, Chili. 

Add the Green Thai Curry Paste and smash down and break up the bigger lumps.  It will smoke so turn your fan and try not to breath directly over the wok.  Add the Garlic for less than a minute.  I do not like burned garlic.  Add the Coconut Milk stir and mix up the Curry Paste well.  I add the water to the tin of Coconut milk to swirl around and add to the wok.  You may not need a full 2 cups but at least 1 c.  More if you're using Rice as the bed because while it is piping hot, it will get dry on the plate. Add the Fish sauce now.  Taste before adding too much.  I add it here because if you add it to the dry wok, it will vapourize and disappear leaving a very fishy smell in your kitchen and not alot more. :^P Add the Sweet Potatoes and Chick Peas. Let simmer. 

Add the Prawn about 5-10 minutes before serving so they don't go too rubbery.  Serve on Quinoa and garnish with Cilantro. MMMMM


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Saturday, Sep 4th - Port Townsend Farmer's Market and Camping Curry

Camping Curry

We went camping for the Labour Day long weekend.  We normally try to go camping a couple times a year.  With our longer trips this summer, we only managed one trip.   I like local camping but we were up for something different so we picked the Olympic Peninsula National Park.  D's ridden there on his motorbike in the past and he had said it was gorgeous.

It is a haul which includes a border crossing.  Nightmare really.  Peace Arch crossing is a farce on the long weekend.  If you do not have a NEXUS card, do not bother.  It was backed up to the last highway exit.  D reckoned the folks waiting were probably in line for in excess of 3-4 hours.  It did not help that that far back, the NEXUS lane does not start.  So we got off at that last exit and did an about face back onto the highway which brings you about 500 m ahead of the line, which if you are not a NEXUS car, is terribly rude.  But at that point the NEXUS lane starts.  Then I did the stupid thing of needing the loo which just tacked on 30 minutes because there were people using the Duty Free as a way to jump the Queue.  We were chatting with this one couple in line with us who just took a wrong turn dropping their daughter off at UBC and ended up crossing the border.  Now they were stuck for at least another 1 hour from that point before the escape turn around point before the Border.

We packed what we could foodwise but the fruit and veg we waited until Port Townsend.  I wanted to stop earlier at a Farm but D was worried we would not make the ferry at Keystone.  We made it with cars to spare!  We were going to pass right through Port Townsend and just stop at the Safeway but I wanted to check it out a bit.  It is an adorable community.  It looks like it's trapped in time.  Wonderful little shops and restaurants.  We stumbled upon the sign for their Farmer's Market.  We climbed the insane stairwell from the lower part of town to reach it.  We bought some Heirloom Tomatoes, Chanterelle Mushrooms from Foragers, Lettuce and Lunch!

Foccacia Pizza and Giacometti (Cheese Straws)

I bought a Cheese Straw aka Giacometti and a Foccacia Pizza from Pane D'Amore.  They had a stall right outside their shop.  That of course meant that they had food long after the Kimchee Bagel guy had sold out.  :^(.  As well, it meant that the food was piping hot.  Who has piping hot Foccacia Pizza at a Farmer's market.  It was delicious.  It had lovely Olives, Artichokes and the right amount of Cheese.  The bread was tender and warm.  Wonderful!  Their Cheese Straw was what attracted me initially because EVERYONE was walking around with one.  Unfortunately, I was handed one of the scrawniest, and saddest looking ones.  So I was rather disappointed in it.  Everyone else seemed to have one that looked easily twice as large.  I guess that's the local's edge.  I clearly was not one as I fished for change around my Canadian quarters.  Still that pizza! MMMM

Pane D'Amore

617 Tyler St
Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 385-1199
www.panedamore.com

Burned and Dry Bavarian Bratwurst

D had Bratwurst.  It was horrible.  She was a lovely lady but that Bratwurst dog was so ill prepared.  He was all set on having a Fish Taco right next door.  They were frying to order!  But he just can't turn down a good Wurst.  They were a women's finger sized.  You get two.  She does not take orders from the queue. She only takes orders from the front people and waits.  So that is a tad inefficient even for a market in a small town.  AND she places the frozen sausages directly on the grill with the cooking ones.   That results in a cooled off grill and longer cook time for the other sausages already on the grill.  They were all burned on the outside and on the edge of pink on the inside because of the frozen start.  As well, she kept pressing on them so they were quite dry.  I'll bet D wishes he had the Fish Taco after all.

Get the Fish tacos next to the Bavarian Bratwurst tent

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At the campsite we plan our meals ahead so the first night was going to be a simple instant Curry.  We bring just enough rice for the two of us and I like these 'boil in the bag' curries that are available all over Vancouver and the brand is 'Mother's Recipe'.  Since we were cooking over a fire pit, we could have both pots on at the same time which was nice.  Other times we have to do one then the other on the little campstove.  I brought two: Lentil Dahl and a Vegetable Korma.  The Lentil Dahl was very good and D endorsed it as well.  The Korma was very very strong on the Cardammom.  Although he was rather reserved on the feedback he did say that he'd rather I never bought that one again.  I thought it was acceptable.  It was not my favourite but there's the verdict.  Their Saag Paneer (Spinach with fresh cheese) is very good as well.  Generally, adds a bit of variety to the vegetarian option when camping instead of hotdogs.  Plus, they do not weigh much particularly for just a weekend trip.

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July 27th - Red Pepper Ravioli in Cashew Nut Basil Pesto

Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Ravioli in Cashew Basil Pesto

This was our first trip back to the Drive in nearly a month.  It is an interesting and diverse neighbourhood.  It was originally the Little Italy of Vancouver and to lesser extent, it still is.  The fruit and veg markets are extremely competitive and in season (for the most part, I do not go to Triple A after an incident with infested Kale). 

Our default stop is the First Ravioli store.  Without fail, if we are on Commercial Drive, we are going to buy fresh pasta at the First Ravioli store.  I am fairly certain that the same supplier is used at both Zara's and Dusos' on Granville Island and Whole Foods and Bosa Foods supermarkets.  Some of the varieties are identical in shape and colouring.  I do not know for certain how much of it, if any is made on site anymore.  It is definitely better priced than the other places listed above and the exact same quality if not better because of the high turnover.

Today we picked the Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Ravioli.  We have had it before from Granville Island and I did not care for it but D picked.  It had that generic pasty filling taste the last time.  You certainly could not visually nor taste any distinct Red Peppers nor Goat Cheese.  When I buy on Granville, I pick ones I am fairly certain turn and cannot be screwed up.  Too many tourists on Granville who are not buying home grocery, you see.

Anyhoo, I am glad that D chose it because it was entirely different this time.  The pasta was thinner and you could make out the pale ghosts of the filling through it.  It appeared so delicate that when I tossed it in the Pesto, I feared I would break them open.  The filling was also different.  You could clearly see chunks of Red Pepper and the whiteness and not greyness of the binding Cheese.  The sharpness of the Goat Cheese was undeniable even underneath the Pesto.  It was great! I am having that again.

We could not decide on a sauce.  We almost did not use a sauce.  I thought about tossing it in some warm Garlic Oil with fresh Basil but D suggest the Pesto.   It was done before the water came to a boil for the pasta!

Cashew Basil Pesto

1 c packed Fresh Basil Leaves (extra Basil for Garnish)
1/3 c unsalted Cashews (if you have salted you can rinse and dry them or just do not add any more salt)
1/2 t Salt
1-2 cloves Garlic
1/4-1/2 good Olive Oil (depends on the texture you prefer)
1/2 c fresh Parmesan
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small processor (we use the attachement that came with a handblender.  I also used to have a mini one about the size of a Coffee Grinder from my college days.  I gave it to O, my sister.  It is perfect for a job like this where you are not making a bulk batch), place the Nuts, Garlic and Basil (add basil in batches) in that order.

Blitz with a few pulses. Add a bit more Basil, the Salt and a drizzle of the Olive Oil.  This is described in the way you would do it with a small processor.  If you have dragged out your big one, add all the Basil and drizzle the oil in directly instead of opening the mini one.  Continue to add drizzles of the Oil until you achieve the consistency you want.  Add the Cheese by either grating directly into the processor or in a bowl and pouring in.  Blitz until combined.  Salt and Pepper to Taste.

Smear 2 T per person on a plate.  Place the Ravioli on the plate and toss gently.  Serve with more Basil leaves as garnish and of course more Parmesan.  MMMMM  the Cashews add a roundness that is velvetier than Pine Nuts.  As well, Cashews are much cheaper and less perishable than Pine Nuts.  You can use Almonds as well. 

First Ravioli Store
1900 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC V5N 4A7
(604) 255-8844

Mar 1st - Curried Parmesan Tuna Melt and Tomato Basil Soup

Tonight was all about comfort food. No. I need an additional refinement on that. It was all about lazy comfort food. I have had an unsated tuna craving for a few weeks now. It's come and gone and morphed from regular sandwich to a casserole and back. D does not like tinned tuna. He goes into this diatribe about the unecofriendly nature of most tinned tuna. Also, for many people, it dances on the border of junkfood. Not for me. I did not grow up with tuna sandwiches or tuna casseroles or tuna salad. It was what I used to call 'white' food. I had my first tuna sandwich well into high school and I was hooked. That's why Spain was a great place to live for me. They love their tinned or jarred tuna. It's on their pizza and it is their 'standard' table salad. YUMMO!

Actually, one of my favourite pizzas has tuna and is a staple in the UK but not in Canada. I speak of the Tuna and Sweetcorn pizza. It's awesome and much better than it sounds. Tuna on pizza in Spain is rather cooked down with red sauce but still tastey. The Tuna and Sweetcorn is brighter and fresher. It is a red sauce pizza with tuna, cheese corn niblets and white onion. YUMMO!

How did I get on Pizza? Oh right, Tuna. The otherside of this dish is the curry mayo. I became hooked on curried mayo or flavoured mayos in general whilst living in Montreal. There was a Belgian Fry place that served freshly cut french fries in a paper cone with a variety of flavoured mayos. I loved it so much that when I would buy a jar of mayo, I would just add the curry powder directly to the jar and keep it in the fridge that way. UM, it does not work for low fat mayo. Please do not waste your low fat mayo in this way. It is fine when you do it a la minute when you're going to eat it right away but not if you're going to store it. Whatever 'stuff' is used to stabilise low fat, 'fake' mayo, does not like the hydroscopic nature of curry powder and it falls apart if you let it sit too long. It becomes watery and lumpy. It made me sad. You can whisk it to recover but it was still sad.

The combination of these two guilty pleasures was a logical evolution of comfort food. One I wouldn't inflict upon D so I indulge if I'm eating on my own. It is delicious.

Curried Parmesan Tuna Melt

1 tin tuna, drained
1/4 c mayo
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t chili flakes
1/4 t ground ginger
1/2 T curry powder
fresh ground pepper
NO salt if you're using tuna in brine.

1 pumpernickel bagel sliced in half
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan, real!!!!

Mix all the ingredients above the bagel and let sit for at least an hour. You don't have to but when you're using dried spices, you should let them come out. Aromatics do penetrate better in fats so mix in the mayo and let it turn on while you do the rest.

Heap on top of your bagel halves on an oven safe, not necessarily oven proof, plate. Sprinkle your grated cheese on top or grate right on top. Place under a high broiler for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot.

I also sliced up some bell pepper for some freshness and I had forgotten to get a tomato.

The Tomato Basil Soup was out of a can. It was from the Wolfgang Puck series. They used to be limited to specialty shops but now you can buy them just about everywhere. We have several different types stocked for tired nights like this. I didn't need a hearty one to go with my melt though. Funny how tomato soup can have such a range but this is not your Campbell's!! It has a complexity of flavour. Interesting soft, velvety mouth feel. There were also chunks of tomato as well. Really nice.

I married the whole comfort meal with a Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2007. It is bigger than other pinot gris. It is less acidic as well. It had an interesting structure. It was nice and paired well with the spicy, rich tuna.

Feb 26th - Cactus Club Yaletown / Chez Stephan

Tonight is the Semi-final Olympic Hockey night! Canada was playing Slovakia. Vancouver is a true hockey town and I've heard that during Turino Games, that the line ups at the bars in Vancouver on hockey nights started hours in advance. We were worried about getting into a place and having seats. Some of our friends offered us tickets to the Victory Celebration at BC Stadium with Great Big Sea but we'd been to a few and the sound was a bit off with all the echo so we wanted to be sure to catch the game energy, in case. I feel okay making that caveat given I know the outcome.

D and I brainstormed where we might be able to have a good chance to have a good view of big screens. We thought about the new place near his office but they were the one place that decided to take bookings for the night. All other places were first come first serve. I dashed after my last work call at 4h30 to get in line at Cactus Club Yaletown. D had called ahead and they had planned on clearing the restaurant at 5 and then let the hockey line up in. Well when I got there, the line was not so bad but the didn't really clear out the restaurant. The manager or owner had booked half the table for his mates. Booo! Anyhoo, while I stood in line, D walked to a few other places and they were the same or worse.

We had standing room only by the time we got in by 1 couple! Well and even they only had 1 stool but they were able to order food. I was incredibly unimpressed by the fact that the servers were VERY SHOVEY. It wasn't our choice to be allowed in to stand but if your boss lets customers in to stand and watch and DRINK and SPEND MONEY, for crying out loud, say excuse me before pushing me around like a pinball. Our friends looked ready to go after about 10 minutes. We ordered a few drinks and then decided to leave after a period. The Bellini was like an adult slushy all sugar and grenadine. The Caesar was bland and watery and I didn't get any green beans or celery which is why I ordered it to begin with. Since we couldn't order food standing, I thought I could sneak in some vegetables :-P. The food looked alright but not standing room friendly at all.

The atmosphere was great but not at all worth the experience and the rude staff. there was an exception. One server that was wearing a feather headpiece was nice enough to say excuse me. I exclude her from the assessment of the service.

Cost: $$$
Staff: Rude, doormen were nice.
Ambiance: Sleek but badly designed floor plan
Drinks: Poor taste and quality, wine list poor.

Cactus Club Yaletown
357 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1R2
(604) 685-8070

The friends we were with live around the corner so we bolted to theirs. We brought some wine and they had some ready. They baked some phyllo appetisers from Wholefoods that were just what we needed. It was a variety mix of: Roasted Veg, Mushroom, Spinach and Feta. As well, they were nice enough to bake Rocky Mountain Flatbread Vegetarian Pizza. They have a restaurant in Kits and D raves about it all the time but I've never been. We didn't know they had a line of take home pizza. You can buy them at Choices and Wholefoods. The one we had was a Sundried Tomato with Goatcheese. It was delicious.

We had a few wines:

Gray Monk Riesling - not too sweet, a dash of mineral, nice balance. Lovely but maybe even lovelier because I had a seat in which to enjoy it.

Craggy Range Pinot Noir - Light yet curvy body, full of fruit. Wonderful!!

Stephan opened one more he had picked up from Marquis Cellars but I don't know what happened to that photo. It was a burgundy. Really, big flavour. Darn, I'll have to ask him which it was. The Craggy Range was a real star. We buy it regularly but I will have to look for that Gray Monk S served us. It was very nice.

Feb 22 - Big Mountain Vegan Burgers and Jerked Sweet Potato Fries

I went to the Live City Yaletown last night after work to catch Zapato Negro. I dashed out a tad early only to see them on the big screens as I approached the outer gates. I don't know why but the whole line up was moved up an hour! Oh well, I got to see most of their show and line up for the Samsung house.

The Samsung house was an absolute bore. You line up for nearly an hour from then end of the ropes only to find yourself in line at the games to collect stickers on the inside. Seriously, what a waste of time. There was supposed to be a quiz at 5 and I waited but nothing. If you're keeping track on my

House Reviews:
(on 7 maples)
Samsung house: 1 maple
Ontario house: 3 maples because of the insane line with poor info from hosts
Quebec house: 1 maple
Concord house: 0 maples
Northern house: 6 maples
Aboriginal house (VCC site): 3 maples, mainly shopping
BC House (VAG): 6 maples
BC Power Smart: 3 maples, fun for kids
West House: 3 maples, interesting concept
BC Stadium: 5 maples for set up 1 maple for food cost

So after freezing my arse (not a curse word in Canada, actually an euphemism for us for the real one), off watching Zapato then the Bentalls Barney and his son. Actually it was the son's band, Dustin and his dad was featuring. I think most of the crowd was there for Barney. It was a tad too country for me but the kid did have one good song that I'll look for. 3000 miles....chorus: I like to get high and I talk when I'm stoned... with his dad singing along. Ah BC.

So D was supposed to meet me to watch Colin James at 9 but I didn't think I could make it. We went to Choices market instead and picked up some food for a few options and then made a call on the bridge. We thought about Barley Risotto, Vegan Bolognese and Veggie Burgers with the Sweet Potato I bought earlier.

We chose to do the Veggie burgers since D remembered we had Portuguese buns in the freezer and he doesn't like a crowded freezer. I've tried many many brands of veggie burgers and there are 4 basic styles:

- Cutlet/Pattie where it is not meat like at all. It's a mash of veg in veg form, like carrots, peas with breading. Not a burger at all.
- Lentil or Legume pattie, denser than just a veggie cutlet but not the form of the soy protein.
- Soy/Veg protein meat like pattie that simulates the texture of meat. My preferred variety. Best Brand is Yves. Vera's Burgers has a fantastic version of this. It could also be Yves. They will do all their burgers with a veggie pattie if you ask at no extra charge.
- Soy/Veg protein full meat fakeout.... fakes the texture of the fat and the gristle with some vegan gelatin. This version is gross to me. If I wanted that texture and aroma, I'd eat meat. I am what many might call an aesthetic vegetarian. The best kind, in my mind. I am not a moralist or evangelist about it. I don't like the taste or appearance of it. I will try things and have to spit them out. The aroma of the fat, which as you know gives meat it's flavour, is what I find most difficult to eat. Anyhoo, my choice, not yours. Therefore, if you're like me, you won't like this variety. Boca makes these kinds as well, I can't recall the brand but it's green and you can see the patties in the slide out pack with the grill marks on them.

We bought Mountain Burgers because it was the ONLY type that Choices had in stock though they had loads of Yves stuff. I tried to persuade D to get Tofurkey Kielbasa but he would have none of it. The Mountain Burgers were a lentil based pattie or type #2. It was very very dense and dry. D cooked them in a cast iron pan and they crumbled a bit. He admitted he didn't realise the type it was. He was smart to add some BBQ sauce to the top after the first flip otherwise it would have been terribly dry. It had good flavour but it gets drowned out by the condiments and cheddar. The texture was rather pasty as well. I wouldn't say it was horrible but I wouldn't recommend them.

We garnished our burgers with aged cheddar, fresh tomatoes, pickles and dijon mustard.

Jerked Sweet Potato Fries

1 large sweet potato
1/2 - 1 T jerk seasoning
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
1 T olive oil

Heat the oven to 425F.

Cut the sweet potato in half around the middle. Cut the halves lengthwise so there is a flat surface. Cut those quarters in to 3/4 cm slices. Cut the slices into 3/4 cm to 1/2 cm slices.

Place all the fries in a large mixing bowl that is light enough to toss or have tongs and use whatever bowl you like. Pour half the oil on top and toss the bowl until they all look coated. Add half the jerk and toss again for a minute. Add the rest of the oil and toss for a good minute. Add the rest of the jerk, use more if you want. Toss for another good minute.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper or use a silpat. Even with a non stick pan, it will still stick because of all the sugar, it will still stick.

Feb 9th - Tofu OR Pork Tacos

Tofu Tacos

Pork Taco

We do tacos or fajitas occasionally. It's fairly easy and if you have all the ingredients kicking about, pretty quick. As well, I like to be able to stuff them with my own fillings and mix of vegetables. Where we part ways, D and I, are the shells. D prefers soft shell and I like hard. Tonight was a compromise night :^P. I bought a half half pack of shells from the El Paso line.

Generally, their hardshells are pretty good. Their soft shells have never been. Once they all stuck together in the heating. They were quite small, which is fine but they were rather doughy. We had planned on getting the stack of corn ones that we're always seeing the specialty markets. We've never bought them because they normally come in these bread bags of 100. What are we going to do with a 100 masa shells when we only do Mexican once a month at most? Too bad, we were both craving them and didn't have time to go to that shop. The other thing about the El Paso kits that are a bit lacking is their 'taco sauce'. It's basically a spicy tomato ketchupy sauce. It reminds of the stuff that comes in the foil packs you get at Taco Bell. We didn't use it. We did use the spice pack to cook the tofu and the pork.

All D needed to do was reheat the pork in the oven, covered in foil at 350 for 20 minutes. Chop it up and toss with the spice mix. Or if you're less patient, chop it and sautee it in a small pan with the spice mix.

Tomato Salsa

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper finely diced

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 lime, juiced

salt and pepper (barely a pinch)

1 t olive oil

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and let souse. The longer the better. I just threw this on top of the salsa I already made for Superbowl.

Tofu Taco Filling

200 g tofu cut in strips (or mashed, depends how you like it)

1/4 onion finely sliced

1/2 c red wine

1/2 taco spice pack

In a large non stick pan, on medium high heat, sautee the onions and tofu until the onions are soft and the tofu starts to brown. Don't stir too much or you'll break up the tofu. Tossing is better. But as well, if you let it sit, it will brown better. Add spice mix and stir gently. Add the wine by circling the pan. You can add some more wine or water if it gets too sticky. Serve in a bowl with the other toppings. I use a good helping per shell. Lettuce is filler! I had a good 4 taco's from this. It could make 6 normal human sized ones.

Taco Toppings Suggestions

1 carrot, shredded

1-2 cups chopped savoy and purple cabbage (because we had it) otherwise use arugula or curly endive. Something meaty with flavour. I am not a fan of iceberg.

1 c shredded cheddar or monterey jack or mexican cheese if you can get it.

Salsa

Hot sauce of your choice....nothing smoky.

Diced avocado

Sour cream, low fat

Feb 8th - Falafel Burgers with leftover Superbowl sides

The fridge is still full of food. I was tempted to have the Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese from last night but though I needed something a bit lighter tonight. I new D was going to have the pork and we still have nearly a dozen of those lovely, crusty Portuguese buns. D had some of the leftover roast pork and slaw without a bun with some of the mac and cheese from yesterday. Preheat the oven to 300F and put the portion of pork you want in a small oven proof dish, covered with foil. 20 minutes.

I decided while on the treadmill that I would have the falafel. I bought the mix on Commercial drive months ago and keep forgetting it's there. D was organising the pantry the other day and was bugging me about it. I've had different brands of this type of dried mix in the past and it works out great and keeps forever. Keep it sealed in a ziplock bag but keep the box so you don't forget the instructions. You don't have to feel guilty about using an instant mix because I know restaurants or rather falafel shops that use this type of mix too. I've made falafel from scratch in the past and it's alot alot of work. There's all the chopping, grinding and mixing and frying. This is a dehydrated mix of the classic falafel. All you need to do is add hot water and let stand.

The only annoying thing about this box is that the instructions are for the entire box! I go through the same thing everytime. I forget what the volume ratio is. I wanted to do 1 burger pattie and I ended up with two. So I will tell you what the mix should be for 1 burger pattie.

Falafel Burger
(1 burger)
1/4 c dried falafel mix
4 T (60ml) boiled water

Mix in a small bowl thoroughly. Let stand 10-15 minutes.

In a nonstick pan, heat a little bit of oil. Scoop out the mix and pat down with a spatula into a patty. Don't touch it. Don't shimmy it or peak under it for at least 2 minutes. Then you can try shaking the pan to see if it moves around. If it doesn't, you need to let it sit a little longer. Carefully shimmy a nonstick, silicon spatula underneath the patty. I only say silicon spatula because you shouldn't use a metal spatula on your nonstick pans. Flip over quickly. If it falls apart at all, just pat it back together. 3-4 minutes on the otherside too.

I served my pattie with some horseradish mayo and fresh Tomato Salsa from Superbowl Sunday

Feb 3rd - Dill Salmon and Israeli Cous Cous with Grape Tomatoes

I like israely cous cous for the distinct texture. If done well, it still stays firm but not raw. We've bought it a few times in a few shops. We bought sack form a middle eastern shop with arabic writing and no instructions. No matter how I cooked it or water proportions, it turned out goopy. It also took a long long time to cook compared to the recipes I found online. The two times I've bought it from Trader Joe's (an american grocery based on the West coast). It turns out fantastic! Stays separated, not goopy, and cooked firm. I would highly recommend Trader Joe's or in this rare case, only the boxed shop brand. I wouldn't say the same for 'regular' semolina cous cous. The boxed varieties are exactly the same and normally too salty and over priced.

Israeli Cous Cous with Zanzibar Pilau mix

1 shallot minced
1 1/2 c vegetable broth
1 c Israeli Cous Cous
1 t Zanzibar Pilau spice mix
1/2 t salt
1 c grape tomatoes

The Zanzibar Pilau mix is a spice pack D bought in Zanzibar on his trip a couple of years ago. It's a aromatic mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, garlic and ginger. It's original intention was to be added to rice. It's totally optional and you can use some dried spices or rice spice that you might have like italian herbs or herbes de provence.

In a small saucepan, heat some olive oil on medium/high heat. Sautee the minced shallot until soft. Add the cous cous. Stir for a few minutes until all the cous is shiny and starting to brown. Add the spices and salt. Stir and add broth. Cover. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered for 12 minutes.

In a small non stick pan, heat some olive oil. Add the tomatoes. Sautee until slightly browned and wrinkly. Toss back into the cous cous when ready.

Garnish with fresh parsley or tonight, we have dill. I lurves fresh dill.

D doesn't like Kale. He informed me of this this morning. I thought he was indifferent. He is not. He doesn't like Kale. Well too bad. I'm cooking and I like the nutty, meaty flavour. It is from the same family as Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage. When browned, it gets a nice nutty flavour. It is not at all like lettuce or shard. It's got substance. It takes cooking in many forms well, sautee, BBQ or roasting.

Kale and Onions

1 large bunch kale
1/2 white onion
pinch seasalt

Slice the onion

Chop off the woody ends of the kale. Chop into 1 inch ribbons.

Sautee the onions in a wok or large pan until soft. Toss in the kale. Turn the heat up. Toss until soft and starting to brown. You don't want to burn the onion. Season with coarse seasalt.

Okay.... so the Kale didn't work out. It was a bit 'off'. So I ditched it and in the process clogged the garbage disposal. Wonderful. What have I learned? D is right. Kale is bad.


Salmon with Dill and Lemon

1 salmon fillet (400g for two people)
1/2 c chopped fresh dill
zest of one lemon
olive oil

Spread some chopped dill out on a non stick baking sheet or a baking sheet with some parchement paper. Drizzle some olive oil. Place the salmon skin side down. We also rubbed in a dry seafood spice mix but barely a teaspoon because it is too salty and I don't recommend it. We coved the top with dill, zest and drizzled olive oil.

Turn the oven on low broil. Put the rack second from the top.

Place the salmon under the low broil for 5 minutes. Turn off the broiler and place the salmon on a lower rack and leave in the hot oven for 5 more minutes.

Check the middle. It should still be slightly dark pink in the middle.

Serve with some more fresh dill.

The fresh herbs will burn slightly. That's okay. The zest ribbons got all crispy and they were quite tasty. Fresh dill couldn't be nicer with fish.

Yummo!

Feb 2nd - Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry with Mabo Tofu sauce

How can we be out of rice? The only rice in the house is half a cup of brown rice or short grain white. I'm not even sure how the short grain white ended up in the house. We never eat that stuff. Not even my mom uses alot of short grain white. It's pretty high on the glycemic index, meaning, that you're more likely to have a carb crash and craving afterward. I think we're all familiar with the old old belief that you're hungry after an hour after eating Chinese food. I threw in a quarter cup of quinoa, a high protein grain that cooks in a very similar fashion to rice. My mom discovered quinoa recently too. Funny, she was never as into all this 'health' food when we were growning up. She started adding quinoa to her white rice if she's using plain.

Tonight is a simple tofu stir fry. I was only supposed to pick up some firm tofu and ginger on my way home but sitting next to the tofu in the korean HMart fridge was a Mabo Tofu sauce mix, extra spicy. It was pretty good. Something similar to a oyster sauce. It wasn't extra spicy. It wasn't even spicy really. I thought it would be the chili based (red) sauce. I think I'll forgo this next time and just use the hoisin and/or black bean sauce . Still it was a tasty, quick and very healthy meal.

Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry with Mabo Tofu sauce

1 red bell pepper, chopped in 1 inch pieces
1/2 red onion, diced
1 japanese eggplant, 1 ft long
6-8 fresh shitake mushrooms, brushed and sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger, julienned
1 10-14 oz pack of firm tofu, 1 inch cubes
1 pack, Mapo Tofu sauce

I pre-roast my eggplant but you don't have too. I find it saves time in the long run. Eggplant does not cook the way it does in Chinese restaurants because you will never have as high heat as they do in the restaurant. Never, not even if you have gas stoves. In order to get the eggplant to cook through at home, you'll normally need to let it stew at the end longer. But then the brilliance of crisp veg from stir frying is lost. Under done eggplant can be tough and bitter. Turn the oven on to 450. Cut the eggplant into 2 cm thick coins. When the coins get too big, cut them in half. Toss in vegetable oil and lightly salt with course salt. Spread out on a piece of foil and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You're just trying to give them a head start.

Heat a wok on HIGH, add a few T of peanut oil. Peanut oil has no flavour and a high smoking point. Olive oil will not work as well. It will smoke at too low a heat and add an odd flavour to asian food. Add the garlic, ginger and onion. Keep it moving. Stir fries are called that for a reason. Add the eggplant, red pepper and mushrooms in that order. Add the sauce pack. I added some water to the foil sauce pack and added the water to the wok. Heat through for a couple of minutes.

Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with scallions. We used cilantro to garnish because we had it from some guacamole we made yesterday.

YUMMO. I love tofu. If you are not brave enough to mix your own asian sauce from playing with soy, hoisin or black bean then by all means use the Mapo sort of ready made sauces. Really, not worth the extra expense if you are prepared to stock the basics.

Jan 31st - Leftover Vegan Bolognese with Parpdelle and Gibson

We were in Whistler today and so that normally means a couple of things: 1. We're exhausted. 2. D wants pasta. When we make pasta sauce, we normally jar the leftovers into the mason jar the tomatoes come in. Tonight we're having one of my preferred pasta shapes, Parpadelle. Parpadelle is a flat and wide pasta, about 1 inch wide. We used a Garafolo brand. It's slightly more expensive than most supermarket brands and sometimes it's worth the extra cost but not always. Their Linguine is just okay. They are one of the only brands that make Parpardelle around here. I used to buy Marks and Spencers when I was living in London. MMMM. My friend Xavier got me hooked on Marks and Sparks Parpardelle actually.
Before dinner D made us some Victoria Gin Gibsons.

Gibson

2 parts Gin
1 part Vermouth
1 toothpick
3 pickled onions

Crush a handful of ice and place in a cocktail shaker. Pour in the proportions depending on how many you're making. Shake for a minute and strain into Martini glasses. Add a toothpick spear of pickled onions.

It's a nice delicate drink. The Victoria Gin has a lovely, rose petal quality. It's a gentle nudge instead of a shove like some gins like Beefeater that I can't stand.

Jan 27th - Vegan Bolognese with Farrette

There is nothing so comforting than heaping bowl of pasta with hearty, clingy sauce. I know that there are a couple of reasons why generally, vegan sauces don't live up to the round, mouth feel or silkiness of a carnivorous one: acidity and fear of fat. There are ways around this depending on what you're dietary goals are. The easiest way to alleviate the acidity (if it bothers you by taste or by digestion) you can add fat. Don't click away. It is the natural way to balance it off. You can do this in a really healthy way by adding additional 'good' olive oil or butter. By good olive oil, I mean extra virgin, normally, or the more floral or pungent type that you would only use for salad dressing or mayonnaise. You really shouldn't use this variety to fry in. It's a waste of the good oil and may add flavours that clash. Butter will add a nice round mouth feel that you often get when you get when you go for indian in a takeaway where they use way more gee than you're brave enough to use at home. 1 or 2 T will go a long way and will only add a few calories... good calories as that.

Another way to balance acidity or add depth would be to add carrots. I'm not a big fan of chunky carrots in a red sauce and if you're the same, you can grate them in and they'll melt away for the most part. Recently, we've been using Yves Vegetarian Ground Round. I think it's fantastic. It adds richness and texture and unlike play tofu or regular soy ground round, has flavour. Of course, D, who is a meat eater, doesn't necessarily get as excited about it. For him, it's an acceptable compromise. Though he initiates making or buying it so he must like it to some extent. I mean really, when you get real mince and it breaks down in red sauce, other than the fat, there isn't a real difference from my perspective and this is a healthier option. YOu're able to replace the animal fat which is less healthy with olive oil or butter which can be healthier. The last and the last resort is a pinch of sugar.

In addition to making it clingy by adding tomato paste and butter or olive oil you can augment this by using a textured pasta. You'll see this in the shop when you look at the pasta and it looks like ripple chips. You can use regular rigatoni, penne or spaghetti but all of these do come with slight textural variety on the surface which helps sauce cling. It's YUM! We used a whole wheat Le Farrette. It's an chunky elbow tube pasta. We bought it in an italian shop on Commercial drive. If you cook it to where you think it should be, i.e. normally softer than italians will eat, this pasta will break up. I don't mind al dente but it is hard to hit it well without getting it raw and sticking to your teeth. But do try because often if you get specialty pasta, I find, that they break up when you over cook. A few of these tubes did. Overall, I did like this variety and would buy it again.

Comforting Vegan Bolognese

1 small red onion, slightly sweet if you can find it
2 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 pint button or crimini mushrooms trimmed and brushed
1 package Yves Italian Ground Round
1 large tin chopped ITALIAN (roma) tomatoes
2-3 T tomato paste
1 chopped chili (optional)
2 t dried basil
2 t dried rosemary crushed
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried tyme
(or in lieu of the above, you could use 1T italian herb mix)
OR a jar of plain chunky red sauce... I do mean plain. We use an all natural sauce that is basically gently herbed tomatoes.
Salt and Pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan

Chop the onion in half, holding the half, slice the onion in half again but hold it together. Slice so you have quarter circle slices. Quarter the mushrooms. Slice the green pepper into bit sized pieces of your shape preference :) I can get pretty rigid about how I would recommend you chop it but you don't need to know it unless you want. Ask.
Mince the garlic.

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil on med/high. Sautee the onions until soft. Add the mushrooms. Move them around so they try to brown instead of steam. You don't have to brown them but if your pan is too crowded, they'll start to steam and get a bit slimey which I don't care for. Add the green pepper. Stir for a few minutes. Add the Ground round and break up. Add the tomatoes and paste. Taste and season.

Simmer on low for 10 minutes or more. Top with a pat of butter and hold on warm if you're not going to eat right away. Keeps well in the fridge for up to a week in a seal container.

Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and truffle oil (optional)

Jan 25th - Red Coconut Cod & Shrimp curry

A staple in this house, coconut curry. We normally make Green but the Mae Ploy or Cock Brand tubs we bought also make red and yellow so we thought we'd try it out. It is definitely more spicy and sharp than the more lemon-grassy and herbal green counterpart. I like it! You don't have to use Mae Ploy but I insist you read the ingredients. If the green variety does not contain Lemon Grass, move on. If it has alot of filler move on. The version we use has the basics: garlic, chili, lemon grass as the foundation. I've read alot of labels to find the ones we use. This one currently is Cock Brand Red Curry Paste. It is a little 500ml plastic tub with a red label. You'll find it in the asian food section or spice section, not the fridge. But you'll need to refridgerate right away because it's all fresh stuff. We keep ours in the freezer since the tubs are a fair size and it keeps well in the freezer since inside the tub is a vacu-bag so you can still squeeze out a few tablespoons when you need it. YUMMO

Red Coconut Cod and Shrimp Coconut Curry
for 2 servings with a small seconds

1 small sweet potato
1 medium zucchini
1 small onion
1 inch fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 orange bell pepper
2 T red curry paste
1 can coconut milk

300 g cod, cut into 1inch cubes
10 shelled shrimp

3 chopped scallions or 1 bunch cilantro chopped for garnish

In a large pot or wok, heat some vegetable oil, sautee the onions until soft. 2 minutes. Add the vegetables. Stir and brown the zucchini. Add the garlic, ginger and the red curry paste. stir briefly. 1 minute.

Chop the veg into bit sized pieces. Spread the sweet potato out on a plate and microwave for 2-3 minutes just soften a little. Otherwise you'll need to simmer longer in the curry.

Add the coconut milk and 1/2 tin of water or more if the tin contains alot of solids. Course, the more solids, in my opinion the better. I've had some watery coconut milk. This one today was 3/4's solids. Yay! Simmer covered for 5 min. Add the seafood. Stir. Cover for 5 minutes

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice and top with scallions, and a little squeeze of lime.

YUMMO. I love coconut curry and you can play with the different veg or protein as you like. If you're doing red meat or poultry, cook with onions or in a separate skillet before adding back to the curry.

Jan 16th - Seaside Bakery & Cafe; Shitake and Oyster Mushroom with Edamame Risotto

We went to Mt. Baker this morning so we were pretty beat when we got home. Mt. Baker was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was very icy and choppy toward the bottom of the lifts. It was really poorly marked and the boundary's and trails were sloppy. Most of the day I had no idea which trail I was on. I know it's a more rustic ski mountain than the ones in the Vancouver area. I'm fine with that. It is in a national park after all. I loved the lodges and the view was breathtaking. That said, trail marking and signage could easily make a day better.

On the way down to Seattle or Baker we ALWAYS stop at the Seaside Bakery and Cafe. It's a tiny little dinner just over the border from the Peace Arch crossing. The decor is probably original 70's but really the on-site baked bread, pastries and soups are worth foregoing the childhood kitchen interior design. Today, we picked up or usual scones which are full but butter and fresh fruit. As well, we had egg sandwiches on on-site baked english muffins which were fabulous. They muffins had chewy and crispy texture and full of flavour. Eggs were perfectly scrambled and upon request will substitute the canadian bacon for tomatoes or spinach. I opted for spinach. I really recommend you go in for their scones if you're ever driving through!

Cost: $
Ambience: Cozy but dated
Staff: Friendly
Location: Blaine riverside
Cleanliness: Tidy

Seaside Bakery and Cafe

477 Peace Portal Drive
Blaine, WA
(360) 332-9866‎

When pressed for time or needing something comforting in the belly, risotto is a must. Don't fear the risotto I say! We normally do a risotto once a week to two weeks. Super easy as long as you keep certain staples in your cupboards. Nothing too fancy: Arborio rice, parmesan cheese, stock/broth.

Originally, we were going to do this dish with peas. As a default if we have forgotten to buy veg, peas make an easy risotto on its own or with a protein like shrimp. When we got home we realised we had run out. We used frozen edamame as a substitute. They're firmer than peas so not as light but they were still yummy.

I am using a new veggie broth this time. I was really loving the low sodium cubes I found at capers. I insist on low sodium to you as well even if you make it or use tetra pack. It is super hard to control the sodium in the rest of the dish if you use salted broth. I've learned that the salty way! I bought a new one that comes in powder form. 1 t per cup and the pack was quite big. Value!

Shitake and Oyster Mushroom with Edamame Risotto

1 - 1.5 l vegetable broth
1 c arborio rice
1 shallot minced
1/4 c dry white wine
6 fresh shitake mushrooms (because when cooked on high to brownining, they are super mushroomy)
1 c fresh oyster mushroom (also cooked on high to brown)
1/2 c shelled edamame defrosted and drained
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan (additional for topping)
2-4 T butter
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Bring your broth to a boil and set aside on low heat.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on high heat. Fry the chopped shitakes without moving for the first minute. Let them brown. Give them space. No piling. Move them around but not too much. Set aside on a plate.

Repeat for the cleaned chopped oyster mushrooms. Nowadays, mushrooms are largely farmed in pretty clean conditions so a good brushing is the way to go. Use a mushroom brush or a dry paper towel. If you insist on washing, make sure you dry them before frying.
Set the oyster mushrooms aside with the shitake.

Add more oil to the pan, on medium heat. Sautee the shallots, try not to brown, just soften. 2-3 minutes. Add the rice. Stir to coat with the oil. You may have to add a dash more. When the rice is all glistening and stlightly browned, add the wine in a large circle around the pan. D doesn't measure this, oddly enough with his propensity to follow recipes. He holds his thumb mostly over the bottle and does 1 circle around the pan. Stir until mostly absorbed. You don't want the pan to dry out and burn.

Add 1 ladle of broth. (about 1/4 - 1/2 c) Stir. When it looks mostly absorbed, i.e. you draw your wooden spoon down the middle of the pan and the moisture doesn't immediately close in on itself. Repeat with the another ladel 1 ladel at a time. About 20 minutes in, add the edamame. Continue adding stock. Season with salt to taste. Add pepper to preference.

When you are 1 ladle away or about at the 30 min mark, add the mushrooms back. Combine add 1-2 T butter. Ladle the last of the stock, stir once. Cover and set aside. Our large skillet is so big that we don't have a lid and we normally cover with our big wok turned over. 10 minutes off the heat.

Add the parmesan and stir to combine. Serve topped with additional fresh parmesan.

YUMMO!