Meet Bob's Red Mill

Intro:

Bob, meet blog readers.
Blog readers, meet Bob.

Awkward Silence.

Okaaaay, so I'm going to do the talking here, if that's okay with you two chatter boxes.

There really is much to to talk about, so here I go!

Bob's Red Mill is a company specializing in getting the "healthy" into your food. (Yes Bob, you can quote me.) They carry an extensive line of whole grain products, beans and lentils, gluten free products (like pizza dough, and cookie or cake mix!), flours, baking aids, and more. All packaged in easy to identify bags, the products are labeled with what they are, and what goodness is hidden inside. Perhaps you have seen Bob at your supermarket?

In the attempt to really re-fuel my breakfast routine, I can't seem to get enough of Bob's Apple, Cinnamon & Grains Hot Cereal (pictured above.) Cooked pretty much the same way as oatmeal, this hearty breakfast cereal is really yummy topped with banana and brown sugar or honey. But besides being yummy, this hot cereal is made of a tasty blend of stone ground high protein hard red wheat, rye, triticale, oats, barley, brown rice, oat bran, flaxseed, natural dried apples and cinnamon.

I am really interested to try some of their mixes as well. The cornbread and buttermilk pancakes mixes caught my eye, but there are like 30 other options to choose from. The sky seems to be the limit with Bob. (What a guy!)

Can't eat Gluten? Bob has over 80 products that are gluten free.
If you can't make up your mind, you can buy a Gluten Free Starter Kit:

The tester kits also come in different varieties if you are interested in trying out the bread, or whole grain mixes.

So yeaahh, now that you know a little bit about Bob, maybe you guys can carry on your own conversation? Cause I gotta go have a life...n' stuff. Oh, and finish my breakfast- Thanks Bob.

Check out Bob's website @ http://www.bobsredmill.com/

A Breakfast Wrap

Do I like breakfast??

Ptcchyaaaa! (Translation: Yes, in fact I do!)

And I have discovered, (Well, Not Christopher Columbus or Alexander Fleming discovered, more like "woah, I just discovered that if I put the toaster on level 8, it burns the bread, kinda discovered.) the breakfast wrap.


And I'm kinda thrilled about it.

You can literally put anything into it, combined with eggs (or not!) and you have an instant, hold you till lunch, breakfast.

For my wrap, I like the combination of spicy jalapino peppers, two good quality free-range eggs, and parsley, all scrambled together, topped with cheese, and salsa, wrapped in a spinach tortilla. If I'm feeling quite hungry I would add some cooked sausage or perhaps a few strips of bacon or ham.

I'm thinking the next combination I try will have maple syrup in it somewhere. Perhaps I will fry some sausage in maple syrup and top the eggs with that, diced apples, and cheese. Yep. There's tomorrow's breakfast!

Place your desired toppings into the centre of the tortilla and then wrap it up*, enclosing the filling completely. When it is sealed I like to pop it onto the George Foreman Grill (or pannini press) for a few minutes. The grill takes even stale bread and gives it a really nice crunch and toasty-ness. Plus with the addition of heat, it combines the flavors inside the wrap nicely.

So give er a go, and see if you don't stay full for at least twice as long as usual. (Stay full longer by using a whole-grain tortilla, at least two eggs, and eating a piece of fruit on the side.)

*For proper wrapping techniques, you could check out this website, but I would recommend this one.

For a full rundown on the benefits of breakfast, you can check out this post.

Photo courtesy of http://www.portcityjava.com/images/secondaries/menu_graphics/b_wrap2.jpg

Fall 'To Cook' List

Good Morning, eh?

It's a beautiful Canadian morning in Toronto, Ontario; about 17 degrees Celsius and partly cloudy.

For those of you who don't live in a northern climate, you may not realize (whisper:) but as we speak, little leaves on the trees are changing colour from green, to red/yellow/orange. It is indeed remarkable that their natural instinct is to die so beautifully. What a sight!


Did I sound like I was on National Geographic?

Allllrighty then.

In the spirit of these dipping temperatures (that hopefully will not go too low any time soon), I am organizing a Fall 'To Do' list. Or rather a 'To Cook' list.

Stick with me this fall and together we can learn all about fall food, fall table settings, what Martha Stewart has to say about these colourful leaves, and so on and so fourth.

So lets get rolling, shall we?

Basically, my list is comprised of dishes that I want to try, ingredients I want to cook with, and some activities I want to do while the weather is still crisp. (For those of you who don't get snow, and don't have to drive through six inches of it on your way to work, crisp means: cool, fresh, and invigorating.)

As I go, all of the recipes I have completed can be found in the category, 'seasonal' in the left hand column of my blog.

1. Apple Pie
   
2. Apple picking:
3. Make Pumpkin Pie
4. Use Squash
5. Make a fall centerpiece
   
6. Use Terbinado sugar
7. Have a Fall Photo Shoot
   
8. Try Spicy Macaroni and Cheese
9. Go shopping at the farmers market for some new ingredients
   
10. Use Cinnamon in as much as possible
    
11. Try Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa
    
12. Have a campfire
13. Buy and Carve a pumpkin
14. Try Pumpkin Waffles with Maple Walnut Apples
15. Use Crepes
16. Do Wine Sampling
    
17. Make Soup
18. Use Cayenne Pepper
19. Sew something
20. Try Curried Apple Cous Cous
    
21. Drink Hot Apple Cider/ Mull Cider
22. Invent a new fall recipie
23. Blog
24. Read Martha Stewart's Living Magazine and make something from it
25. Shop at Pottery Barn
26. Try Maple Syrup Scones
27. Try Nut and Seed Biscotti

What are you doing this fall?

Pink Mixers has a New Dress!

A new dress?
No not that kind of a dress, silly!

Just a new look that is refreshing, and from my point of view, super cute!

I hope you like it, and that the girlie-ness isn't too overwhelming for you men out there. However, you already got this far so it's probably not going to be an issue:)

Photo courtesy of http://www.modcloth.com/store/images/DIY_dressFront.jpg

Today is the Day

Today is the day, I have decided, to relax and stop worrying.

To breathe in the fresh air, and not think about what toxins may be in it; to eat a cookie and not think about the calories; to shop and not worry about the debt; to smile and not feel awkward.

Today is the day to be utterly thankful.

Today is the day to be spontaneous.

Today is the day to be unapologeticly in love with my Lord and Savior. Because I am.

Today is the day to be really happy about being single; to be fearless while heading into the unknown.

Today is Friday, a day of completion.

Today is the day.

Today, try this recipe that I have been meaning to try for the past while. I feel like it will satisfy your craving for 'fall food.'
Cheers.


Roasted Corn Pudding in Acorn Squash
courtesy of 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:

1 small (2 lb.) acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon clarified butter or olive oil
1 cup milk
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (or more if you like)
1/4 teaspoon anise seed, chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions
a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup grated white cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees with a rack in the middle.

2. Rub the orange flesh of the squash with the butter/oil. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. You will want it to sit flat (and not tip), if you are having trouble just level out the bottom using a knife. If the squash is tilting on the pan, the filling will run out - bad news. Cover the squash with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the squash starts to get tender.

3. In a bowl combine the milk, eggs, corn, anise seed, half of the scallions, nutmeg, and salt. Fill each of the squash bowls 3/4 full (see head notes about using leftovers). Carefully transfer the squash back to the oven without spilling (tricky!). Continue baking uncovered for another 30 - 50 minutes, or until the squash is fully cooked through, and the pudding has set. The amount of time it takes can vary wildly depending on the squash and oven. At the last minute sprinkle with cheese and finish with a flash under the broiler to brown the cheese. Keep and eye on things, you can go from melted cheese to burnt and inedible in a flash. Serve hot sprinkled with the remaining scallions.

Serves 4 - 6.

Photo courtesy of http://www.swedishhill.com/image/fall-leaves.jpg

My 'Yay!' Soup

Yay! for using up ingredients; for cleaning out a terribly cluttered fridge; for easy and healthy options; for creating something from nothing; for yummy dinners that you can totally make in a snap. Yay! for the combination of tomato and basil; for the unlimited food combination's you can find if you search them; for the occasional Swedish massage (???); for food that can sit on the kitchen counter top and stay hot while I rush to take my laundry out the machine so that no one else in residence will plop it on top of the washer, exposing my...ahem. Yay! for taking your blog photos using photobooth because you still can't afford a new lens, but for the prospect of better photos in the near future; for the ability to still post regardless, and to have so much fun while doing it. Yay! for this beautiful day God has given us; for you, because you are the reason I do this whole blogging thing; and for everything in between.


Ingredients:

1 can PC tomato, basil and parmesan soup (I reccommend the PC brand version, it is the best canned tomato soup I have ever had. End of story.)
1 can water or milk
a few shakes of hot chili flakes
1 c broccoli, chopped into pieces
1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced into pieces (optional)
2 pieces rye bread, toasted with butter

Directions:

1. Cook can of soup over medium heat with one can of water or milk and stir.

2. As the soup warms up, assemble your veggies and chicken and once chopped, stir into the soup. (Now would be the time to add ANY other ingredients you like in soup: noodles, chickpeas, spinach, cooked lentils, extra tomatoes, zucchini, etc.) Add chili flakes and your done! Serve with toasted rye bread.

I was a KD kid

At school this year I have a room mate who is from Johannesburg, South Africa. Her name is Nikicci, and tonight I walked into the kitchen to find her making her first box of Kraft Dinner.

It was such a monumental experience that I felt the need to blog about it.

I mean, I have been making it since I could talk! (Back in the days when the box used to look like the one you see pictured above.) My dad used to let me stand on an old wooden chair in front of the stove to put the cheese powder right into the center.

Anyway, I just realized how comforting KD is to me (pathetic as that may be). I don't eat it often anymore, but almost feel like it's part of who I am. The 8 minute noodles, 2 Tbsp. of butter, 1/4 c of milk, and ketchup smiley face...something is so nostalgic about that recipe! I was a KD kid, and I'm proud of it!

(Kraft you can send me a check later.)

Nikicci did a fabulous job by the way, making her KD. Especially for being a complete novice with food that comes from a box. I had to help her a long a bit with the amount of milk, but hey, thank goodness I'm an expert!

Vintage photo courtesy of http://www.morgoth.org/archive/kraft/images/original.jpg

DAVIDsTEA

I would like to introduce you to a lovely little store that I stumbled across today.

The names Tea, DAVIDsTEA...


And oh my goodness I'm in love.

For those of you who have never been, let me just paint a little picture for you:

Imagine, every kind of tea you can think of, all stored in silver streamlined containers, awaiting your sniffer. (That's right, your nose!) Each tea, seasonal, and traditional, is available for a good smell. You can capture the essence of these teas in one wiff, believe me. The robust fragrances reveal exactly what is hidden in each tea. There are no pathetic tea fillers here! Everything is so rich and bright, that you will have no idea your only smelling tea. As the fragrance fills your body you can almost taste the aromas. The seasonal maple, cinnamon, and fruity teas all smell like fresh desert, and promise to taste just as good. (Minus the calories!)

If that doesn't make you want to check out DAVIDsTEA, then you must not be a tea drinker. Or you're bonkers. I had about 20 different teas out on the counter, narrowing down the choices; they all smelled so amazing! And honestly, after drinking a glass of my final selection: "Secret Weapon" white tea, I can honestly say that the tea tastes like it smells.

Check out the description of it:

Kick-start your immune system

This blend just might give you the edge you need to stay healthy this fall. It’s a white Bai Mu Dan, so it’s naturally high in immunity-enhancing antioxidants. Plus it contains licorice and goji berries, a Chinese wonderfood reputed to have 500 times more vitamin C than oranges. The best part? The almonds and cocoa nibs. They don’t fight colds, but they make this an amazingly tasty weapon of choice.

Also available at DAVIDsTEA, are mugs, infusers, tea pots, and more. I bought a really adorable, sage colored mug that came with an awesome infuser. I can keep the infuser to use over a tea pot, or just place it over the mug, and voila-- tea time!

Safe to say, no more Starbucks for me!
Click here to find a DAVIDsTEA near you! (Or order online.)

Photos all courtesy of http://www.davidstea.com/

Jenny: Roommate Extroardinaire!

I want to introduce you to some of the people that I mention so very often throughout my blog. They are oh, so, important to me. And they make for fabulous food buddies!

Meet Jenny:

Where to start? Jenny/Jennifer or Jen, is in fact my university roommate. However we go waaaay back to the days of Sunday school! Our paths split when my parents went to a new church when I was about 7, but they met up once again when we counseled at the same summer camp. Little did we know, that months later we would be living together, doing literally everything together at University.

It was purely a God thing that Jenny was placed in my life. She brings such passion and joy to each and everything we get to do together. Whether it is a cooking marathon (which we equally enjoy), or planning our next adventure to start a new company, travel the globe and save the world, we adore doing it together!

Jenny is all things great, but here are some specifics:

World traveler.
Future mother of many adopted children.
Cooker of creative, cultural food.
Huge smile wearer.
Wise advice giver.
Bilingual.
Student of International Development Studies.
Slowly saving the world, one smile at a time.
Lover of Jesus, Family, and Friends.
Selfless acts doer.
Passionate.
Giver of wisdom and love.
Patient.
Enforcer of escaping homework.
Wifey and friend.
2good2b4got10.
A+ Roommate and Best friend.

My Favourite Sweet and Sour Dill Pickles

I grew up being one of those people who always asked for "no pickles, please!" I always thought they looked funny, and the pungent smell didn't help either.

That all changed the moment I tried one of my mom's sweet and sour pickles. These pickles opened my eyes to an entire new burger topping; to a brand new snack to eat with my tuna sandwich. Alas, the perfect crunchy pickle has been created. And you can make them at home too!


We have about 10 jars sitting in our basement just waiting to be devoured. And believe me, they will be soon enough. I have my 1 jar at school thankfully- all for meeee.

Ahem.

But like I said, they changed the way I look at wrinkly cucumbers.


I don't think they take much work to make (I mean, a pickle kinda makes itself, don't cha think?), but then again my mom is always the one to make em'!

So what do I know? I just make the blog post.

So without further ado, here is her recipe for sweet and sour pickles!

Ingredients:

Cucumber Prep:
1 gallon/4 qts. 2 or 3 in. baby cucumbers, cleaned and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 c. pickling salt
Boiling Water

1st Brine:
1 pt. white vinegar
3 pt. water
1 1/2 Tbsp. alum
1 tsp. tumeric

2nd Brine:
1 pt. white vinegar
1 pt. water
4 c. sugar

6 or 7 mason jars, cleaned and prepared

12-14 dill florets
6-7 garlic cloves

Directions:

1. Mix prepared pickles with in a large pot with pickling salt and enough boiling water to cover them. Let stand over night.

2. Drain well and rinse.

3. Mix white vinegar, water, alum, and turmeric (1st brine) into the pot with the pickles and simmer for 20 minutes. After wards, drain well and dispose of the brine. Set aside.

4. Make second brine: Combine white sugar, vinegar, and water and allow it to come to boil (or until the sugar is completely melted.)

5. In each mason jar, place 1 dill floret and 1 garlic clove. Pack cucumbers into the jars until full and pour second brine over the cucumbers. Top jars with another dill floret, sealer lid and ring (tightly).

6. Wipe of the jars well and leave to cool, turned upside down.

I would recommend letting the cucumbers 'pickle' for a few weeks to allow the flavors to mix and mingle. Then you may mix and mingle with your pickles. Or if you are like me, hide the jar and tell no one it exists. (Except those on your blog of course.)

Inexpensive Herbs de Provence

The latest and greatest flavor that I have found myself experimenting with, is Herbs de Provence.

The savory blend is a mix of herbs from Provence invented in the 1970s. The mixture typically contains savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender flowers. The proportions vary by maker, however thyme is usually the dominant flavor.

Use it on chicken or on fish, during or before cooking, and you will enjoy such a simple, yet aromatic and flavorful dish.

Now.

I don't know about you, but when I find an herb that I really like, I can't help but want to invest in my own bottle. But oh the agony one feels when they find that very spice, priced for more than is reasonable. Williams-Sonoma carries the jar you see above for $24! You can get a less-attractive cardboard box version for around $16, but who wants to keep it in that.

How un-Provence like.

So I daresay I haven't bought any myself....that is until today.

I was grazing through the many tantalizing isles at Bulk Barn, buying almonds and dates to make veggie cereal with almond milk, and was stunned (kind of) when I stumbled across Herbs de Provence in the spice isle! First, I was like: No way! Why didn't I ever think of getting that here? Then after recovering from shock I bought a little sample. (Probably equivalent to half of Williams-Sonoma's box version.)

It was 20 cents. No joke.

So I took my prize herb mix home, quite excited about my amazing deal-finding skills, put it in a glass jar, and labeled it.

And NOW the secret is out.
Take that over priced herbs!

Tis a Sad Story

Indeed it is a sad story; one that has caused me much distress over the past week.

My camera:

is not working!

Gasp.

Yes I know. My lovable D40, bought only 1 year ago, the one I use to shoot all of my food pictures, is kaput.

I am clearly not very happy about this situation,


mainly because no camera means no pictures, and no pictures means no food posts. (Because I know for a fact, posts are not as pretty without them).

So until I can get out to the closest camera store, where they will hopefully tell me that the lens just needs cleaning, I am at a stand-still.

Tear.

However, the moment I have fixed this dilemma, in the words of Arnold, 'I will be back.'

Much happier than before.


Ahem.

UPDATE: Turns out that the lens which came with my camera is what some call "disposable." (Or not guaranteed to last forever.) It will need replaced, but thankfully I was already looking at buying a new and improved lens!

I am thinking a Nikon 50mm-- a classic, multi purpose lens that is great for shooting food with crisp results. Any suggestions?

A Real Salmon Sandwich

No more of that 'from a can' stuff.

Not here or now anyways.

This recipe is simple enough, but serves as a reminder to all you folk who don't think you can make such things in a tight time schedule. Students, believe me, you can do this too! All it takes is a little planning ahead and you will be left with the yummiest, probably healthiest, salmon sandwich ever.

Now I don't mean to knock the 'from a can' salmon. In fact I use it on occasion and it can be quite tasty. But I don't know... something in the pit of my stomach says that we shouldn't be eating fish from a can. Or rather, if we have the option to eat if fresh then we should!

So today I bought some fresh salmon from the grocery store, cooked it up with some fresh ground black pepper, lemon/pepper seasoning, and olive oil, and left it to cool down completely in the fridge. You can do this the day before you want to eat it, and prepare it in the morning before work/school. (Side note: cooking any meat the night before is a huge time saver).

After the salmon had cooled (you could eat it hot if you prefer) I added mayo, lemon juice, arugula, apple, cucumber and voila!

P.S. Try this same recipe with tuna steaks instead!

You already knew you could prepare this classic sandwich this way, didn't cha? Just needed a little push in the right direction:)

Push.

There you go.

Ingredients:

4 oz. wild salmon fillet
a drizzle of olive oil
black pepper
lemon/pepper seasoning
the juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp. mayo (adjust to your liking)
3 cucumber and/or apple slices
a handful of arugula or watercress
2 slices of rye bread, toasted

Directions:

1. Place fresh salmon on a baking safe stone or pan and drizzle with olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven @ 350 for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is all light pink. (Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the fish). Allow the fish to cool in the fridge.

2. Break apart the fish with a fork and gently mix in mayonnaise and lemon juice.

3. Top your rye bread with arugula or watercress and spread your salmon onto that. Top this with cucumber and/or apple and another piece of bread.

Serves 1.

Photo courtesy of http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/04-30-2008.NF_30salmon2.1.GSV2CVUNB.1.jpg