October.local.grub

artichokes, dried beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, swiss chard, corn, cucumbers, fennel, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, red and yellow onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, winter squash, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini, apples, crab apples, cranberries, pears and quince.

I LOVE Sundays, after a late Sunday morning walk at Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver we stopped in at the West Van farmers market. My absolute favorite time at the local markets as we really are in the most abundant season. We picked up a variety of winter squash and sugar pie pumpkins as well as some decorative gourds, cabbage and brussels (since some strange tick like bug attacked ALL my brussel plants in my garden this fall), peaches and apples, brought in from the Okanagan, colorful swiss chard, peppers and beautiful heads of garlic.

carrot.cake.cupcakes.with.chai.icing

My sister, Tanya and my brother came for dinner the other night for Tanya's birthday. We feasted on crab legs with garlic butter, soy and maple marinated sablefish, herbed rice and spicy baby bok choy. For dessert Jeremy and I whipped up a batch of carrot cake cupcakes (I based the recipe off his Gramma's recipe- an absolute fav of his) and adapted it to make just 12 cupcakes with less sugar than the recipe called for as well as a number of small adjustments. The outcome was delicious! Jer prefers the regular cream cheese frosting as I really enjoyed the addition of the masala chai spice!

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1/2 C sugar (I use an organic)
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground cardamom
• 1 C finely chopped carrot
• 1 C (200 g) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 C coconut, large flake if you can find it
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 C flour

1. In a large bowl, combine everything but flour, eggs, oil, and butter.
2. Add oil and butter and stir vigorously to combine.
3. Add eggs in one at a time, combining well after each addition.
4. Add flour in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.
5. Divide evenly among cupcake liners.
6. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Masala Chai Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature (3/4 pack of cream cheese)
• 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 C powdered sugar
• 3 t masala chai tea spice (ground black pepper, ground ginger, cadamom, nutmeg, clove and black cardamom)
• 1 t vanilla extract

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy and light.
2. Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. You can add more or less to get your desired consistency.
3. Mix in chai tea spice and vanilla until fully integrated.
4. Pipe or slather onto your cupcakes.

split.pea.for.the.soul

An autumn storm came in strong on Saturday night. As the rain and wind continued on through Sunday the day presented itself as a perfect simple soup dinner inspiration. Split pea with smoked ham was on the menu. I picked up a multigrain baguette to pop into the oven from a local bakery and enjoyed the quick preparation and smells of the simmering soup as I cuddled up on the couch with my latest read watching the rain come down in sheets.

I recently reposted a link on facebook about nitrates in processed meats, please read. (http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2007/12/processed-meats-declared-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/)

Ingredients;

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 leek, white part only, washed and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1- 1/2 pound nitrate free ham hock (smoked)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Pinch dried chile flakes (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups green split peas
• 10 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

How to:

Heat the oil in a heavy stock pot at medium high heat. Add your onion, carrot, celery, leak and garlic sauteing for 5-7 minutes. Add the ham hock, thyme, bay leaves, chilli flakes and split peas and saute for another few minutes. Increase the heat and add the stock bringing to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until the split peas are soft.

Remove the ham hock, take the meat off the bone and set aside. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks. Using a hand blender or regular blender (be sure to leave the vent off the top and cover with a cloth as you are blending a HOT soup) blend some or all of the soup depending on your desired texture.

Top with ham pieces and season with salt and pepper.

enJOY!

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morning.metabolism.boost

As I delve deeper into the business plan of the juice bar both excitement and fear come forward.... well if I'm being honest here it's just mostly fear with a sprinkle of excitement. Every day I accomplish something big on the list of things to do 10 more pop up.

In the cleanse mode I returned home from a weekend in the Okanagan sun to juice and refill on water. One of the easiest ways to jump-start your metabolism and improve liver function is to Squeeze half of a lemon or lime into a cup of warm (or room temperature water) in the morning.

Dave's.chicken.skewers

Dave and I had a couple creative days in the kitchen this past weekend as we made multiple spot prawn recipes as well as this special creation from Dave. We were testing out the new grill Dave and Tanya got as a wedding gift from mom and dad.

Something I never would have thought of, grilled raspberries, turned out interestingly delicious!

Chicken Skewers;

Serves 4

12 wooden skewers-soaked in water for at least a half hour

4 breasts cubed chicken

raspberries, market fresh

garlic, diced

2 limes, juiced

a handful of chopped fresh dill

sea salt and pepper

Lemon Aioli;

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup good mayonaise

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

fresh chopped dill

summer.tofu.stirfry.

Fresh pea's from my garden out front inspired this tasty and quick stirfry. I also used the leaves from the pea plant in the sautee and LOVED them!

If you don't like tofu you could use chicken or just more vegetables! It is along the same lines as the noodle dish from the last post. Very simple and delicious. I put measurements in my recipes for those of you who like to follow a recipe however I never make the same dish twice.... I love garlic and chilies and often add more

I cooked up a batch of brown rice with a touch of sea salt and olive oil. Be sure to rinse your rice, and any grain for that matter before cooking so that it doesn't come out mushy.

Serves 4

2 TBSP Evoo

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cm of ginger, diced or grated

3 green onions, finely sliced

1 red chilli, seeded and chopped

1 large handful snap peas, trimmed

2 handfuls snap pea leaves

1 large handful shitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped

7 oz firm tofu cut into 1cm cubes

1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1/2 cup water

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or sautee pan and fry the tofu over medium heat until golden. I like to throw in a dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper as the tofu cooks. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Give the pan a quick wipe and add the additional 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions and chilli and sautee for a minute. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to stir.

Add the soy sauce, hoisin, fish sauce and water and stir to combine. Cover the pan and continue to simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the tofu to the pan then serve over hot brown or wild rice.

spelt.soba.noodle.salad

For everyone who isn't too sure about soba noodles, the way they taste and possibly look I found an amazing soba noodle with both spelt and buckwheat. The brand is SOBAYA and the color and texture is much more appetizing than a pure buckwheat noodle. I picked up some fresh peas and carrots from the market to throw together this fabulous and easy noodle dish.

2 TBSP Evoo

2 cloves garlic, diced (or more)

1 shallot, diced

1 red thai chilli (if I cannot find these at my local grocer I will use a spoonful of sambal sauce)

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a small sautee pan on medium heat. Add two cloves diced garlic and one shallot, sautee for one minute, until fragrant then add your finely sliced chilli (seeds removed if you don't like it too spicy-I love it!)

In a separate bowl combine rice wine vinegar and brown sugar. Add this to the sautee pan and stir. Let the mixture simmer and reduce.

Pour the sauce over the cooled soba noodles and toss in fresh, shelled peas and grated carrot.

july.at.the.farmers.markets.

The farmers markets seem to be a bit behind this year as the weather has emulated early spring more that mid summer;) Here is what we are seeing in Vancouver at the markets.... I am excited to head up to the Okanagan in a couple of weeks for a long weekend.... their markets are always bountiful and inspiring!

beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, chard, fennel, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, salad greens, spinach, tomatoes, turnips and zucchinis. We have also been blessed with Okanagan cherries, raspberries and local strawberries.

Creamy mushroom risotto and garlicy spot prawns

Irene and I headed down to Fisherman's wharf beside Granville Island the day before Mother's Day to pick up our dinner right off the boat. Spot prawn festival was in full swing with hundreds of tasters waiting in line for their round at the different chef's tables prepping up their prawns. We skipped the tasting line to pick up our own batch for sauteing up the following evening. We left the heads on the boat although many others left with their prawns still squiggling; heads and all.

We paired these prawns with fresh spring asparagus and a creamy risotto made with a mushroom broth.

Loads of pressed garlic and a knob of butter with a sprinkle of sea salt and few turns of fresh ground black, white and red pepper to taste was all it took for our prawns. The asparagus were steamed then tossed in the prawn pan to pick up some of the garlic and butter. I also tossed in a splash of the Pinot Gris I was drinking while prepping the meal:) Don't be intimidated by risotto, there are people who claim it is a hard dish to make, however it just requires constant attention.

Risotto is a delicious once in a while treat; I don't prepare it to often as I prefer whole grains with more nutrients and if I'm going to do risotto I want to do it right with the best arborio rice and some good stock.

Mushroom Risotto Recipe

• 3 cups mushroom broth, (you can use any broth you like)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 shallots, diced
• 1 pound assorted wild mushroom, (such as oyster, crimini and stemmed shiitake)
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1. Bring mushroom broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep broth hot.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add chopped shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add wild mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and juices are released, about 8 minutes.
4. Add rice and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook stirring always for another 4 or 5 minutes.
5. You will actually be able to hear the rice begin to “crackle” as the starches are released.
6. Add the cold white wine to “shock” the rice. Cook for 3 minutes longer till the wine is almost gone.
7. Add 3/4 cup hot mushroom broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently
8. Add remaining hot mushroom broth 3/4 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.
9. Stir in Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh thyme.
10. Serve warm. Add more Parmesan if you would like your risotto creamier.

may madness at the farmers market

Local ingredients are especially inspirational this time of year.... we have lasted so many months without the fresh crisp greens of spring and summer.... tender local asparagus are sprouting up as well as the seasons first swiss chard and spring peas.

Asparagus, celery, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, green onions, peas, new potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, salad greens, spinach and white turnips.

Spot prawns have come into their short season and onto our plates for mother's day dinner this year.......

chilli con carne

When I posted the spring panzanella salad I also wrote about a chilli I made with it but forgot to post the recipe.... I don't fully remember what I put into it but I will post the recipe from memory to the best of my ability. It was a winner so I will have to make it again soon.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, minced

3 cloves minced garlic

1 cup vegetable stock or water

1 fresh or dried hot chile, seeded and minced, or to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 stock lemon grass chopped (big chunks as you will remove)

1 tsp fresh oregano leaves

2 bay leaves

1 can tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 can red kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large pot over medium heat add the onion to the hot oil. Saute onions until translucent, add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add to this the liquid, the chilie, cumin, cinnamon, lemongrass, bay leaves and oregano. Bring ingredients to a boil.

Add the can of tomatoes and paste. Cover, turn down to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in the beans, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and enJOY;)

chickpea plants in India

While in the North of India this February I had the opportunity to head into a friends small mountain village outside of Rishikesh. While touring the village we came across fields of this plant.... chickpea or channa as they are referred to in India. I thought this was the greatest!

This legume is round and irregular-shaped, it's slightly larger than your average pea. Probably the most common dish for this mild tasting legume is hummus. Chickpeas are available canned, dried and in places such as India, fresh.

channa masala

I absolutely LOVE channa otherwise known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans. I wanted to use black channa for this recipe, a smaller, firmer dark chickpea than the one shown here however I could not find any at my local grocery store. I have asked them to order it in so I will be making this dish again as soon as the black channa arrive.

1 1/2 cups channa

1 tsp cumin

2 cm ginger, chopped

1 tomato, diced

2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp oil

juice from 1 lime

pinch of tumeric powder

salt and pepper

Rinse and soak the channa overnight. Follow the link below for cooking directions.

http://www.vegetarian-cooking-recipes-tips.com/how-to-cook-chickpeas.html

In a pan, heat the oil, then add the cumin, ginger, tomato and tumeric. Saute for a couple of minutes then add the drained channa and continue to cook for another minute or two.

Remove from heat and transfer to serving dish. Top with coriander leaves and lime juice before serving.

cucumber peanut salad

This salad is crisp, crunchy and full of flavour. I like to leave a bit of green skin on the cucumbers when I peel them. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and spoon out all the seeds before dicing.

Heat the ghee over medium heat in a skillet. When hot stir in the cumin and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Toss the cumin ghee into the salad and add the rest of the dressing ingredients to the salad as well. Add coconut, herbs and peanuts last so they don't lose their crunch.

Ingredients;

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 cup large flake coconut

handful fresh mint chiffonade

handful cilantro chiffonade

1/4 cup roasted peanuts (can be ground into dressing, however I prefer them whole)

1 Tbsp ghee, clarified butter or sunflower oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 Tbsp fresh lime juice

4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp agave nectar

2 chilies, diced (I like it spicy if you don't, use only one chilli and remove all the seeds)

1 garlic clove, diced

sea salt

Spring Panzanella salad.......

A beautiful pairing for spring, a season in Vancouver where we have seen more rain than golden rays.... lusting for spring flavors yet still craving the heartiness of winter substance.

Panzanella salad created with toasted baguette and light fresh mozzarella, spring basil and a light red wine vinaigrette. The chilli is both hearty and warming with traditional indian flavors such as cumin and cinnamon with lemongrass and fresh coriander.

Panzanella salad

1 small multigrain baguette

2 medium ripe tomatoes

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, diced

handful of basil leaves

5-10 pepperoncini peppers (chopped)

1 cup fresh mozzarella (I like the mini bonconchini's)

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400*

Cut the baguette into cubes, toss with olive oil, 3 cloves of the diced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and cool.

Saute the red onion on medium heat with a touch of olive oil until soft and transparent. Remove and cool.

In a medium bowl toss diced tomatoes, boconchini, chopped basil leaves with cubed bread, red onion and peppers.

Drizzle with basic balsamic vinaigrette; olive oil, balsamic, 2 cloves garlic and wisk until emulsified.

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hummus cakes

These are lovely little protein packed delight for a vegetarian meal. I paired these crisp cakes with a cumin seed flecked brown rice, some fresh basil pesto and a light spring salad with warm goat cheese to top it off.

1-19oz can chickpeas

1 shallot, fine diced

1 clove garlic, fine diced

1 egg, wisked

cumin

garam masala

sea salt and fresh pepper

1/4 c breadcrumbs

2 green onions, chopped

coriander (fresh chopped)

In food processor, pulse together chickpeas, shallot, garlic, egg, seasoning, salt and pepper until smooth; transfer to bowl. Add bread crumbs, green onions and coriander; stir to combine. Using wet hands, shape into six 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick patties.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry patties, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Who get's gallstones?

Who gets gallstones?

You're more likely to get gallstones if:

• You are a woman
• You are more than 60 years of age
• You are of American Indian or Mexican descent
• You have diabetes
• You have a family history of gallstones
• You are pregnant
• You are taking birth control pills
• You eat a diet high in cholesterol
• You are overweight or obese
• You are on a low-calorie diet and have recently lost weight very quickly

I was shocked to find I actually had stones, I do not fall into any of these factoring categories except for the first one, being a woman. These stone can cause serious health problems if left untreated. There is lot's of information on the web on this subject. Many of these sites recommend surgery, chemical drugs taken orally or an injection into the gallbladder to dissolve the stones (experimental).

Not surprisingly I couldn't find a medical site recommending this natural and easy way to pass stones before they become a problem for people.

Gall Stone Flush

Today was day four, last day of the cleanse. After three days of juicing with a small cheat at the end of day three for a couple of Guinness to enjoy with the Canucks game;) Yesterday was the prep for Gall Stone Flush as followed by the words of Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods.

A full day of eating apples, green apples are best but any apple will do. Eat at least 4 or 5 apples however feel free to eat as many as you like. You can also drink water, herbal tea and apple juice.

In the evening 2/3 of a cup of virgin olive oil should be warmed to body temperature, mix in 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice. Slowly sip this mixture immediately before going to bed. He recommends laying on your right side with the right leg drawn up. Stones should be softened by the morning and should pass in the stool.

*This flush should be done with the guidance of an experienced health practitioner*

He adds that gall bladder cleansing clears residues of excess from the liver..... something that can be good from all of us, stones or not, from time to time. I also went ahead with a salt water flush after my first bm this morning to be sure I was really flushing everything out.

Add 2 tsp sea salt(not iodized table salt) to 1 litre of warm water and drink as quickly as possible. You should hear your stomach start to rumble, don't be too quick to run to the bathroom, let it brew;) This is where I really saw the green stones pass; some the size of a green pea and a few that were two or three times this size. The salt water is being passed so you get a clear picture.

I feel lighter and more energized after this cleanse. What comes out in the morning is equally as vile as drinking warm olive oil..... get through that and you somehow shift your relationship with food(even if just a little), an urge to eat clean unprocessed foods, purified in the body, more energized and ready to leap into all spring has to offer in the markets after the heavier foods of winter...... hibernation is over;)

cleansing the curry out;)

Day two of my cleanse..... woke up feeling hungry at about 6am, however I ignored it and gave into sleep for another hour. After planning to do the Master Cleanse for three days I got a new Breville juicer and decided to buy up the produce department at Thrifty's grocery store and juice away for three days.

My days start with a glass of room temperature water with lemon.

8am: greens- apple, celery, cucumber, kale and spinach

10am: mood booster- orange, grapefruit, lemon and St. John's wart

12pm: best face forward- apple, celery, spinach, kale and aloe vera

3pm: quick quench-watermelon, lemon, pineapple, aloe vera

6pm: ginger zinger-apple, carrot, beet and ginger

8pm: sweet dreams-rice milk, banana, almond butter, coconut water and cinnamon

Lots of water all day is essential.

I have to admit while making the juices for the following day on evening 1 I spooned a few spoonfuls of the almond butter into my mouth instead of the blender;) I also chewed a few pieces of gum throughout the day and popped a couple of peppermint candies in my mouth..... all in all there were few hunger pangs throughout that first day and only minor headaches screaming WHERE IS MY COFFEE!!! :)

Today may be a bit more of a challenge as I am working today and for the rest of the cleanse..... in a restaurant.

Vegetables: Beans (dried), beets, cabbage (green & red), cucumbers, garlic (dried), kale, onions (red & yellow), parsnips, greenhouse peppers, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb (field), rutabagas, salad greens, shallots, spinach, squash (winter), greenhouse tomatoes, turnips (white)

Fruit: Rhubarb (field)

Meat & Dairy: Dairy Products, eggs, beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, goat, lamb, pheasant, pork, rabbit, turkey

Seafood: Clams, cod (Pacific), crab, Dungeness crab, flounder/sole (Pacific), halibut (Pacific), herring, lingcod, mussels, oysters (Pacific), prawns (jumbo), sablefish (black cod), scallops, shrimp (side stripe, west coast), Spring dogfish

Herbs: Bay leaves, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill leaf, fennel leaf, garlic chives, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory (winter), sorrel, tarragon, thyme

Etc: Honey, mushrooms, nuts