Homemade Pizza

Nothing like a little homemade pizza to get cha going. Or, in my case, get cha blogging. How have you guys been, anyhow? What's it been like 4 months since I've posted. Shaaame on me. It's been a great semester of school, and I am proud to say that I finished my last exam this morning! And I must say, Blogging was an obvious celebration technique for me. As is homemade pizza.

If you don't do this at home already, I highly reccomend that you try it soon. Start by buying some fresh pizza dough from the grocery store or make your own. I made this one out of a mix I found at the bulk barn. Just add water, black pepper, oil, and flax seeds.

Gather the kids, friends, and/or neighbors and let everyone add their own personal flare. You can't go wrong! My pizza is topped with spicy tomato sauce, spinach, tomatoes, green peppers and cheese--a valiant vegetarian combination, If I do say so myself.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

What was one of the first things I (remember) learning how to cook? Macaroni and cheese. What did I request each and every time my mom went to work and dad was in charge of dinner? Macaroni and cheese. I love the stuff.

Naturally I am no novice to making it from scratch either, and this is a delicious recipe! I stumbled across it on another food blog, annies-eats.com. She claims that it is her favourite version. Unfortunately because I didn't have the cheese her recipe called for in my fridge, I can't be sure of her tastes validity. I'll give you the option of both (her cheese selection and my substitute), and you tell me. Or perhaps I will go make so more. Yep, I like that option.

Ingredients:

1 lb. small or medium pasta shells

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

1 c heavy cream

8oz. fontina cheese, shredded (I used old cheddar cheese, shredded)

1 tsp dry mustard

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 c panko bread crumbs

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions just until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente.

2. Meanwhile, dice 4 Tbsp of the butter and place in a large mixing bowl. Warm the cream in a small saucepan or the microwave. Cover to keep warm.

3. Once the pasta is cooked, add tot he bowl with the butter and toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and the fontina cheese until the cheese starts to melt. Mix in salt to taste, and add the nutmeg.

4. Pour the mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter. Mix in the panko breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan. Toss with a fork to coat evenly with the butter. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish.

5. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Delicious Oatmeal: Take II

Oatmeal

Brown Sugar

Milk

Cinnamon

Frozen Blueberries

(Stirred into the hot oatmeal to soften)

Walnuts

Delicious Oatmeal: Take I

Oatmeal

Brown Sugar

Milk

Poppyseeds

Crasins

Banana Slices

Shredded Cocoanut

Slivered Almonds

Purple Smoothie

She is a beauty, i'd say! Speckaly (no, it's not a word) and yummy. Nom nom nom. And of course I had to take a picture because we had these beautiful flowers which my dad gave to my mum for their anniversary conveniently placed behind my shot.

And because I really like purple! My room is purple, don't cha know.

What's in it you ask? Well...a little bit of this and a little bit of that!

More precisely? Blueberries, blackberries, milk, acai/pomegranate V8 juice, a banana, oat bran, and flax seed.

Yay purple!

Old School Stir-Fry

Okay, so I don't actually know what "Old School Stir-Fry" would refer to exactly--but I do know that I am attending a very old school, and that that is where I made my stir-fry!

Students, I understand the challenges that arise from living at school, around school, and near school. It is far to easy to to run to the closest subway and grab dinner as opposed to making something which could take half an hour. I hear you. I came this close to not making food tonight as well. But I had vegetables in the fridge that would go bad if I didn't use them, and that's just money that I don't have down the drain. Or in the garbage.

So. Reality is that we want easy to cook food. This recipe is composed of veggies, pasta, and a 6 ingredient sauce. Ready for it?

Note: If you are up for a sauce which takes more time, but would probably taste even better, I will add that option to the directions.

P.S. Here is what the food actually looks like amidst my school life:

Not as glamorous. Just as delicious!

Ingredients:

1 serving linguine noodles

1 cup chopped veggies (I used yellow and green peppers, bok choi, broccoli, and zucchini)

1 Tbsp canola oil (for the pan)

Sauce Version 1 (I have nooo time, version)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp. hot sauce (add to your liking)

sprinkling of chili flakes

Sauce Version 2 (I have some time to cook, version)

1/2 c chicken stock

3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp sherry or Chinese cooking wine

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp peanut oil

3 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

(ingredients are mixed into a sauce before being poured onto the noodles and veggies)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions, about 8 minutes.

2. Mix sauce in a separate bowl and set aside

2. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a pan/wok on medium-high. When pan is hot, add veggies (starting with the peppers and broccoli--bok choi goes with a minute left to go) and cook until desired tenderness. Add sauce and lower heat.

3. Place noodles in pan and toss everything together until the sauce is dispersed.

4. Taste, and adjust seasoning accordingly.

5. Eat with chop sticks! (I think it tastes better this way.)

Cantaloupe Melon Milk

This might be one of the prettiest drinks I've made. I love the soft orange colour of the cantaloupe melon, and during the summer they are at their peak--great taste and not too expensive. This morning I purchased a baby cantaloupe from an organic farmers market, for $1!

The sweet cantalope melon is surprisingly healthy and so refreshing it makes for a great beverage addition to shake up your normal drink routines.

My family gave it rave reviews, but for my sisters taste, she preferred the drink strained of any melon pulp. Its great either way in my opinion.

Ingredients:

1/2 cantaloupe melon*

1 1/2 c milk

1 Tbsp honey

*Note that the size of the melon will dictate the size of the drink.

Directions:

1. Remove seeds of the melon with a spoon. Scoop the melon out of the skin into a bowl and freeze for 1 hour until solid. Cover with plastic wrap if freezing longer.

2. Put the milk and honey into the blender and add the frozen melon. Process until smooth.

Makes approx. 1L

Breakfast Blintz

There is a part of my childhood which I remember quite fondly. It would not surprise many to hear that it had to do with food. Food that I ate and thoroughly enjoyed as a kid still sticks with me, and to this day I can recall their textures and tastes. This can sometimes be unfortunate, as some of the restaurants which I really enjoyed are now closed or under different ownership, and no longer making the same food.

Alas, now I find myself trying to re-create many of my favourite dishes from my past. Like this breakfast blintz for example.

The year was 1998 and my family and I dined at a local jewish diner called Katzan-jammers. My mom loved the raspberry blintzes, but I thought they seemed too strange to eat. Eventually however I got a taste in (while making my parents and sister close their eyes), and exclaimed, "Mmmmmm!!! Soo goooood." I ordered the blintz every time we visited after that point. My only lament was that there were only 3 on my plate.

This morning I had a hankering for the soft, and delicious crepes filled with sweet cheese which are topped with fruit and icing sugar. Yes, my hankerings are that specific. So, the BF and I ventured into blintz territory, only to discover that they are quite simple to make!

They make a beautiful breakfast/brunch dish, or evening treat.

And before the formal instructions, here are some photo guidelines:

Ingredients:

Crepes:

1 c flour

2 Tbsp + 1tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

butter for the pan

Sweet cheese filling:
4 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest (you can also use lemon if you prefer)

Fruit sauce:

1/4 c strawberry jam (I used strawberry but you can use whichever flavor you prefer)

1 Tbsp water

parchment paper

some extra powdered sugar

fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Mix crepe ingredients together. FYI the batter will be quite liquidy, so don't worry that you messed anything up. Allow to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix together the sweet cheese filling!

2. For each crepe I used about 1/4 cup of the batter on a buttered crepe pan (or frying pan). Allow the crepes to cook for about a minute on one side, or until they seem "done," and flip for a few moments longer. Your will get better at this as you go!

2. When you have a whole stack of crepes you can begin to fill them. See photos above OR for an easy to follow video on how to fold your crepes, click here.

3. Place into a baking dish over parchment paper and cook @ 400 for approx 10 minutes.

4. While baking, mix the jam with a little bit of water in a sauce pan or in the microwave for approx. 25 seconds, or until soft and warm.

5. For your final presentation, spoon a dollop of fruit sauce onto a plate, followed by 3 baked crepes, a sprinkling of icing sugar, and some fresh fruit.

Kitchen Sink Chili

Does anyone out there not like chili? Okay, there are a few of you. And you have my special permission to skip over this post (Oh don't, your call...), but if you do enjoy the rich tomatoey flavor of chili, and the buttery bread which you may dip into it, take note!

This one is a keeper.

I have posted about chili before (see here), and that recipe is still a great standby for me. It takes less ingredients and only about an hour from start to finish. It's very forgiving.

But for tonight's dinner I pull another recipe from theBite Me files, (Cookbook by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat). Just wait until you see what lies behind it's rich flavor! I'll give you a hint...it rhymes with BOGO.

Can you guess??

The rich flavors are enhanced by many spices including cumin, chili powder (of course!), oregano, cayenne, Aaaaaaaaand....

Cocoa powder. If you can believe it. The cocoa gives the chili, not a chocolately taste, but a deepened rich flavor.

It's meaty (if you want--vegetarian works too!), vegetab-ly(?) and delicous, and I had a simple time preparing it. You can do it over the stove top if you prefer, or if you're like me and don't have time to spare, the slow cooker works perfectly fine! (Just remember to pre-cook your meat and onions.)

Serve with caesar salad, a ciabatta loaf, cheddar cheese, and red wine.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 large red bell peppers, chopped

2 c sliced white mushrooms

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 c canned chopped green chili peppers, drained

1 (28oz/796ml) can diced tomatoes with juice

2 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 c mild salsa

1 c vegetable broth

1/2 c cous cous (optional)

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Shredded Montery Jack or cheddar cheese, for topping

Directions:

1. This recipe can be cooked either in a large soup pot over medium heat, or in a slow cooker on high.

2. For a meat version (optional), brown ground beef prior to placing into the slow cooker. Also brown the onions in a small amount of canola oil. Add to the slow cooker/pot and season with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.

2. Next add the red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, minced garlic and chopped green chili peppers. (If using a pot, cook approx. 5 minutes before going on to the next step, stirring occasionally). Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, salsa, vegetable broth, couscous, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat/allow to simmer in slow cooker. On the stove reduce heat to low, and in the s-cooker, to medium. Simmer gently covered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and serve in bowls, topped with shredded cheese.

Fiesta Bowl Salad

I've never been one for salads as a entrée. Gimme a caesar salad or garden on the side of something substantial like pasta or chicken, but on it's own I won't feel like my hunger has gone anywhere.

Accept maybe back into the pantry for some munchies.

I usually pitty the girls who order, "a small caesar with chicken, please" because not only are they missing out on what could be a bowl of saucy noodles or grilled steak, they are paying 15 dollars for lettuce. Laaame.

Sorry, I digress slightly.

My point is to draw your attention to a change of heart I had recently. This salad...this crazy delicious salad which I decided to get seconds of! It was yet another recipe from Bite Me, and it clobbered my perception of entrée salads.

Sweet and salty and savory and filling. Believe me, I wouldn't be saying that if it weren't true. And this homemade dressing had me cleaning out the bowl.

The contrasting texture of tortilla chips added crunch, and an avocado, freshness.

Note to vegetarians: you could easily ditch the chicken and add chickpeas or black beans!

Ingredients:

1 head iceberg (I used romaine because it was all I had at the time)

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 avocado

1 roasted deli chicken breast meat shredded (I used sliced ham because I didn't have chicken)

3/4 c shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (Why is Monterey Jack capitalized?)

Salad Dressing:

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c salsa

1/4 c mayonnaise

1/2 c canned chopped green chilies

1 lime, juiced

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 c crumbled tortilla chips, for topping

Directions:

1. Place lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and grated cheese in a large bowl. (Or put into serving bowls. I did this so that everyone got equal toppings. Optional)

2. For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, salsa, mayo, chopped green chilies, lime juice, sugar, cumin, and chili powder.

3. Add dressing to salad bowl tossing well to coat. Sprinkle salad with crumbled tortilla chips.

Serves 4

Wholesome Honey-Baked Granola

This recipe comes from a deeeelectable cookbook which my mom and I have been enjoying lately. It's called Bite Me, by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat.

Every single recipe we pull from it has been easy to prepare and very tasty, not to mention that the recipes are comprised of lots of awesome (sometimes quirky!) ingredients. Sometimes I find recipes that only have simple items can be missing a certain je ne sais quoi, but these recipes make up for it! (Coco powder in chili!? Awesome.)

The book's brunch chapter features this delicious homemade granola, which is not only good on your digestive tract, but also good on your pocket book. Prepared granola in the grocery stores can run for $10 or more, depending on the brand. And for HALF of the portion you get here.

That's a no brainer if you ask me.

Granola is such a light yet hearty, crunchy yet soft, food. Yummy served over yogurt, ice cream, with milk and bananas (as seen above), as a muffin/crisp topping, or just on it's own. It's a huge money saver for lunches: Pack 1/2 cup in a re-sealable dish and pour it over fruit and yogurt when you are ready to eat.

Fun to prepare, and oh-so satisfying, I know you will love it.

Ingredients:

4 c old-fashioned large flake oats (not quick cooking)

1 c slivered almonds

small handful of ground flax seed (this was my addition--just because I try to add flax seed to everything possible)

1 tsp kosher salt (I found this to be slightly salty for my taste)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 c melted butter (I used canola oil instead)

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c dried cranberries

1/2 c raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F--Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, flaxseed, salt, and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl, combine melted butter (or oil), brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Whisk well and pour over oat mixture. Toss to combine and spread granola over prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake 20 minutes, stir carefully and then continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to large bowl. Add dried cranberries and raisins, mixing to combine. Cool completely and store at room temp. in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

Yield: 7 cups

Cookbook photo courtesy of http://www.torontolife.com/daily/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BiteMeCookbook.jpg

Sweet and Savory Tomato Pie

This dish is one of my summer-time favourites!

It combines the sweet and tartness of beautiful vine-ripened tomatoes topped with green and fresh basil, salty cheese, a creamy dressing, all enclosed in a biscuit crust. To die for.

I first had this dish about 9 years ago (woah!) and I immediately fell in love. It is really yummy and it complements the tomato season perfectly! However don't let the name confuse you like it first did me. This dish isn't a pie like you would find in the desert section. And it doesn't get served as a desert. Tomato "pie" refers to it's combination of flavors, all in one dish.

By the way, there is a secret ingredient which makes this pie amazing. White (or red) current Jelly! It is served along side the pie as a kind of dip/sauce, and it's sweet flavor contrasted with the salty and savory pie makes it. This is not an optional ingredient if you want to have it right.

Give this dish a try on a warm saturday evening with a light salad and perhaps some berries for desert. Oh, and eat it outside if you can manage it!

Ingredients:

Biscuit Crust

2 c flour

1 stick butter

4 tsp baking pdr.

3/4 c milk

Filling

2 lbs tomatoes, fresh and sliced or canned (drained well)

a handful of chopped basil and chives

1 1/2 c sharp cheddar, grated

Sauce

1/3 c light mayo

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. For the biscuit crust, mix ingredients by hand or in a food processor until well combined. Take half of the dough and roll out onto a floured work surface. Place into a 9" pie plate.

2. Add half of the tomatoes over the crust and scatter the chopped basil and scallions.

Top with 1 cup of sharp cheddar and the mayo sauce which has been thinned with lemon juice. Top this with the rest of the tomatoes and then cheddar.

3. Roll out the remaining dough and place over filling, pinching the edges to seal. Cut several steam vents in the top, and brush with an egg wash.

4. Cook at 400 for 25 minutes.

You can prepare this dish ahead of time and re-heat it before serving if you wish.

Springtime Spring Rolls

Springtime is here!

(Or at least the weather is!) 11 degrees 3 months from now will be tragic, but for now I LOVE it!

Another good sign of spring's arrival is the increase in students appearing (out of hibernation) around campus. All of a sudden students are assembling themselves where the sun and fresh air is. Good news travels quickly apparently when it comes to weather.

Something else that spring brings? For me, I feel a sudden desire to put the stew cookbook back on the shelf, and to dust off those which contain lighter options. And this week, a trip to the local market introduced me to a great one: spring rolls!

These little babies were vegetarian concoctions but I know you can also make them with meat, like chicken or shrimp.

They came with a sensational peanut sauce which I haven't tried to re-create yet. (Partially for fear of failure and also for lack of ingredients.) But I knew that I just had to try em, so the next time I went to the grocery store I picked up the ingredients I needed and some sweet chili sauce for dipping. Sweet chili sauce is often used for spring rolls, so I knew that it would be tasty. I still crave that peanut sauce though...

Now you can try them at home too! You will wow your friends with a new hunger satisfying snack/meal that appears difficult to make, but in reality, is reeeeallly simple.

Here's what you do...

Ingredients:

(per 1 spring role)

1 rice paper wrapper--22 cm in diameter(you can find these at your local supermarket), soaked and softened

1 lettuce leaf

1 tsp shredded carrot

1 small spear of cucumber (about 2.5 inches long)

a few sprigs cilantro

a few rice noodles, cooked

a dipping sauce of choice (I used a thai sweet chili sauce)

Directions:

1. Soak the rice paper wrapper in water until soft an pliable (about 30 seconds), and place onto a plate or cutting board.

2. Place the lettuce into the centre of the wrapper, followed by the cucumber, carrots, a few cooked rice noodles and cilantro.

3. Follow these directions for proper rolling techniques.

Fruit Cereal and Yogurt

Good morning all! Time for some breakfast.

I don't know about you, but sometimes all I can stomach for breakfast is fruit. Not all days of course, there is the occasional day which I can eat an entire buffet. (hehe rhyme). But today I am in the mood for fruit.

Seasonal is a good way to eat your fruits and veggies because you know that it will taste great and that it was probably a bit cheaper than those oranges that were shipped across the continent. And pomegranates are in season, so that fruit's in. Apples were season about a month ago, so their in too!

I love fruit and yogurt, so I mixed some delicious vanilla yogurt with the chopped up apples, and then combined it with a vanilla almond cereal. Then I sprinkled the yummy fruit cereal mix with some gorgeous pomegranate seeds.

Mmhm. It was perfect for breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 gala apple, chopped into bite size pieces

1/4 c vanilla almond cereal (or which ever variety you prefer)

1 c vanilla yogurt

1/2 pomegranate, seeded

Is that an Egg on your Pizza?

Wait. Lemme Check.

Oh why yes! Yes it is.

The short and quick version of why that is so, is basically, I had no other protein source in my fridge and I thought, why not!?

Jamie does it!

And I trust his opinion on things edible.

This pizza can be a really quick and satisfying snack, or turn it into a meal by serving it with some chips (fries. I'm speaking Jamie. ok. he's british. get it? okay good.) The crust is a whole wheat pita, so it couldn't be any easier. I also love using nan bread if you have any of that around the house. Top this with your home made tomato sauce, veggies, cheese, and crack an egg over the top. I drizzled some bbq sauce on top and threw some nice herbs de Provence on too, for good measure.

When it's done right, it's really quite good!

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pita or nan

1/2 c grated cheddar cheese (approx.)

enough tomato sauce to cover your pita

diced veggies (your preference)

a pinch of herbs de Provence

a drizzle of bbq sauce (optional)

1 free range egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spoon sauce overtop of the pita and top with veggies and cheese.

3. Crack an egg overtop of your pizza. Don't worry that you can't see much of it, and if it drains down the sides. If the yolk breaks, it will cook faster.

3. Allow to cook on a low rack in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, turn the oven onto the broiler setting and cook for about 5-7 more minutes. (If you jiggle the pan a bit you will be able to see if the egg is cooked. You don't want runny egg whites!)

Photo of Jamie courtesy of: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys

images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/9/1/1251821546102/

Jamie-Oliver-in-America-002.jpg

Sauteed Potato Hash-Browns

Hash-Browns

I luuuv hash-browns.

Hash-browns with eggs and ketchup.

Hash-browns at the diner with lunch and fresh fruit.

Hash-browns for dinner.

Hash-browns the morning after meat and potatoes.

Hash-browns with maple syrup. Seriously, but just a dab.

Ingredients:

chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, herbs de Provence, and any other savory seasoning you like, (No over kill, please.) butter, and olive oil.

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes until just underdone and let sit in the fridge to cool and firm up. This is what makes day old cooked potatoes the perfect leftover.

2. Melt a dab of butter and a Tbsp of oil in the frying pan, and then gently place potatoes into the pan. (Careful, don't splatter!)

3. Add seasonings and toss the potatoes in the pan until fully coated. Cook until brown, hot and there are some nice pan marks. (Grill marks, but from a pan.)

Edamame, Avocado, and Cranberry with Rice

This is pretty one. (Like, I wouldn't be surprised if you were scurrying to find your camera to take a picture of this picture.)

No seriously. When you mix the cranberry sauce into the rice, it turns pink, and with accents of green throughout...it's technically art.

SO going to the highest bidder-- the recipe!

Going Once.

Once.

Once!

Okay fine. I will just give it to you. You have convinced me! That, and the title of this post doesn't exactly hide the ingredients from you; nor does the full colour photo.

My friend Genevieve is one of the healthiest people I know and she inspired this recipe. She pulled this yummy vegetarian protein dish out of her purse the other day at the coffee shop and I was (in line buying sugar I didn't need...) like, woah! What is that!?

Cooked brown rice, eaten cold or hot, topped with edamame and avocado. She introduced me to edamame, or soy beans; you can buy them at the grocery store in the frozen section for only a few dollars. They are high in protein and pretty yummy.

In my version, I added homemade cranberry sauce, which added a nice sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 c. prepared brown rice

1/4 c. edamame (from fresh or frozen)

2 Tbsp. homemade cranberry sauce

1/2 an avocado

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Top cooked brown rice with edamame that has been prepared according to the package directions, large scoops of avocado, cranberry sauce, and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Happy Healthy Vegetarian

I am happy to announce that my lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has been going great! I feel really good, and the food I have been eating has been just as satisfying as meat. In this post, I want to explore the ins and outs of how to be a happy, and most of all, healthy vegetarian.

Maybe this post will assist you in finding more vegetarian options to incorporate into your week, or maybe you too are a vegetarian. Either way, there is some exciting vegetarian exploring to be done!

Lets start with the basics, shall we?

As I discussed in a previous post, there are 4 main types of vegetarians. (Some can count 5 or 6, but I am drawing attention to the 4 most popular.) I began my transition from omnivore to vegetarian COLD TUKEY. In fact I took on the vegan diet for a few days!

This proved to be too difficult for me to stick with at school (with the limited selection of food I have on campus) and was getting slightly discouraged. I took on the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet soon after in the hopes that I would be able to get most of the nutrients I needed in a much more convenient manner.

This is the food pyramid that I follow as a lacto-ovo:

I use this pyramid as a reference point, but if you are a vegan or you are not sure about how to go about fitting your veg. diet into your lifestyle, consult a nutritionist.

Nutrients you may be missing

The very first thing I did upon becoming a vegetarian, was research. (Find some great links at the end of this post.) It is important to figure out (for the sake of your health), what food you need to include in your diet so that you get all of the proper nutrients. In my case, it wasn't good enough for me to drop meat out of my diet but not add anything new.

Vegetarian diets are typically low in protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12, however you can subsitute these nutrients quite easily if you know how.

Protein is abundant in eggs and milk, but there is also a significant amount in beans, soy products, nuts, seeds, whole grains, soy foods, and legumes. (Did you know that most North Americans actually consume too much protein!? People always worry, oh your a vegetarian so you must not get enough protein! Actually, I get plenty! And my body is probably happy that I'm not overloading it anymore.)

Iron* is found in dark green leafy vegetables and animal products (like eggs), but I still try to take an iron supplement each day. You can get one over the counter at the pharmacy, but make sure you talk to the pharmacist first. You will want to let him/her know about things like a family history in iron deficiency, and potentially a little something about your diet. Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, so with your salad, maybe have some orange segments too!

Zinc* is important for growth and your immune system. Zinc is found in whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, dairy products, soy foods, and legumes. It is also richly supplied in animal foods (which may be tricky if you are a vegetarian...)

Calcium* is found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Some foods are not naturally high in calcium but have calcium added to them; these foods are called calcium-fortified. Look at the Nutrition Facts Label to find out which brands are highest in calcium

*These 3 nutrients are all richly supplied in animal foods, and while they are

found in plant foods too, their absorption is reduced by phytic acid in whole grains and legumes and oxalic acid in green vegetables and soybeans.

Vitamin B12 does not exist in non-animal foods, but certain soy milks and cereals are B12 fortified. A vegetarian should definitely eat fortified foods. (And minera

l supplements as mentioned earlier.) Examples include nutritional yeast flakes, fortified soy milk, and fortified cereals.

My Diet

I know we all love examples! We love to be told what to eat rather than how to eat, so here is the food I eat (more specifically).

I replace the missing nutrients with:

• Supplements of Iron and Vit D every day
• Soy Milk (I love the PC Blue Menu Chocolate Soy Milk)
• Beans (chickpeas, black, kidney, edamame [soy], etc.)
• Whole grains more often (brown rice, w/w pasta, bread, etc.)
• Eggs more often
• Cheese (Lots of cheese)
• Brightly coloured veggies (esp. red, orange, green)
• Vegi burgers
• Nuts (and nut butters- try almond butter!)
• Lots of veggies (esp. dark green, bright red, and orange fruit)
• I don't like tofu that much, but I will eat it if it was prepared well

Some of my favorite meals and snacks:

• Hummus and pita for a snack at work OR as a sandwich topped with veggies and tzatziki sauce
• Vegetarian chili with loads of vegetables (like zucchini, red peppers, tomatoes, onions corn, etc.) and lots of kidney beans
• Brown rice with edamame, avocado and homemade cranberry sauce
• Stir fry
• Hot grains cereal with banana and apples
• Hummus with carrots or celery for dipping
• Fresh berries are amazing when in season
• Apples tossed in cinnamon and sugar
• Breakfast for dinner (eggs, hash browns, toast, juice, etc.)
• A smoothie with fruit, milk, flax seed, almond butter, and fruit juice
• Cheese sandwiches
• Pasta Ponza (with chickpeas added)
• Chickpea burger patties
• Yogurt with homemade cranberry sauce or fresh fruit
• Squash or sweet potatoes cooked and mashed with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter
• Breakfast wraps
• Salsa and chips
• Homemade soups (You can control the salt if you make it yourself)

More Resources

• 101 Cookbooks (See the vegetarian section for really creative recipes)
• Go Veg (You can order a free vegetarian starter kit, and this website has endless amounts of information)
• VegCooking (Lots of great recipes)
• Eating for Health (Learn more about how to be a happy healthy vegetarian)
• Factory Farming (Learn more about where most eggs come from)
• Meet your Meat video (This video features the worst of the worst, but is still worth checking out)

The Decision To Go Vegetarian

How many of you picked up on the slight change in my personal blurb recently? If you did, (well done, Sir!), you would know that I am now a:

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian!

And just incase you are wondering about the different types of vegetarians, I will break it down a bit.

There are 4 primary types of vegetarians, and no, they do not differ primarily by age/gender/hair colour/and holiday destination preference. Each type's name is indicative of what food their diet will (and technically won't) allow.

The 4 types (in order of their diet's strictness) are:

Vegan: A vegan diet does not permit any animal products whatsoever. This includes milk, eggs, fish, honey, and jello. (Yes, Jello. Did you know that the thickening

agent in Jello is made of bone marrow? It's true! Sorry if I just turned you off of it.)

Lacto Vegetarian: A lacto vegetarian diet does not permit most animal products-except milk. Animal bi-products like honey and jello are usually acceptable.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: (Me!) A Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian diet does not permit eating any type of animal flesh. Eggs, milk, honey, and jello are acceptable.

Semi Vegetarian: A semi vegetarian may choose to eat a vegetarian diet that includes milk, eggs, fish, honey, and jello, or they may choose to eat vegetarian meals for the majority of their diet (and will eat meat occasionally).

The major variance between vegetarians, is their reason for going veg. The most common would be 1) Issues with Animal cruelty, 2) Diet and Health reasons, 3) Environmental reasons, and 4) Religious reasons.

I personally can attest to two of these as the main reasons for my decision: I disagree with the mistreatment of animals, and I am also keen on the various health benefits. Here are some facts you may or may not have known about meat (and a lack thereof), that convinced me to become a vegetarian:

The Mistreatment of Animals

• Factory farming. Really, enough said if you have ever seen what factory farming is.
• The PETA film, "Meet your Meat" gives a pretty good summary of where our meat has been before it arrives at the supermarket and eventually, your plate. Keep in mind that this video shows the worst of the worst but it is still worth watching. You may also want to have an empty stomach before viewing this one. To view the film, click here.

Health Benefits

• Lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease
• Lower blood cholesterol levels
• Lower blood pressure and rates of hypertension
• Lower rates of type 2 diabetes
• Lower rates of prostate and colon cancer
• Vegetarians are less likely than meat-eaters to be obese.
• Well-planned vegetarian diets provide us with all the nutrients that we need, minus all the saturated fat, and cholesterol.
• Vegetarians may have stronger immune systems.
• Vegetarians and vegans live on average 6-10 years longer.
• Studies have shown that vegetarian diets help children grow taller and have a higher IQ.

I cannot speak with as much passion and conviction as a vegan might, which is a major reason why I am am not able to follow that diet. I feel that it is important to be smart about what you are eating and to follow what you believe, but if it causes you to get sick or to lose out on vital nutrients, then you are missing the point. In my opinion, animals are important, but your health is far greater. I respect anyone who can religiously follow the vegan diet, but I will never be able to attain such dedication. I just like cheese to0 dang much!

My parents are not vegetarian, and I was raised eating meat with the understanding that it is completely normal and accepted. So it wasn't until recently that I made this decision, and to be honest, I don't know how long it will last. I want to see how my body responds and if I have a negative response, I will probably try going semi-vegetarian for the sake of my health. Everyone truly has their own experiences so I am definitely curious as to how this will pan out. I will keep you posted!

However I don't want it to seem that I am taking this decision lightly. I think that we as consumers have gotten so used to separating the animal from the food on our plate, and for me, I can't do it anymore. I have seen (thank you PETA) what happens before our meat arrives at the grocery store, and it doesn't look good. I choose to eat milk and eggs which have been produced at a farm with high standards and regulations. For example, free range eggs from chickens who actually see the light of day. There is a market near my home which supplies both eggs and milk products directly from the farmer.

I think it is important to consider your options as a consumer and to not settle for the norm just because everyone else seems to be okay with it.

If you have been intrigued by this post then stay tuned for great vegetarian recipes! My next post talks about what you can eat as a vegetarian, and how to stay healthy and happy while doing so.

Photo courtesy of http://ticklefight.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/lisa_the_vegetarian.png

Apple Gingerbread Sweet Potatoes

This recipe brings warmth to any meal. I bring it forth as a nomination for the category of "yummy creative side dish made in under 30 minutes", in the food Oscars. Do they have those? They should.

The combination of smooth and creamy sweet potatoes, gingerbread tea which can be cooked directly into the potato, honey, tart and crunchy apples, topped with nuts, dried fruit, and sugar, makes for a satisfying side dish.

I might add that I made these potatoes right after class and in-between homework sessions, so they are pretty easy if you have the right ingredients in your pantry. I literally kept throwing matching flavors into this dish because sweet potatoes are a very versatile vegetable. Sweet, but not too much, so you can add a seasonal flare to them like I did here. Crumbled up gingerbread cookies on top would be a nice addition as well.

You can use any type of gingerbread or cinnamon tea to infuse the potatoes that you can find. I bought mine at the grocery store and have had it sitting around for 2 years, and thought, It's about time to put this tea to some use! So I did. When the water with the potatoes in it comes to a boil, I let one of these seasonal tea bags and 3 black peppercorns steep for about 2 minutes, and the potatoes took on a great flavor!

You can use this same trick when making potato salad. Put a few garlic cloves in the water while the potatoes cook, and they will taste like garlic!

Combine some fresh apples into the cooked and mashed potatoes, cinnamon, and honey or brown sugar.

I didn't cook mine for too long because I didn't want the nuts to potentially burn, but you could leave yours in longer if you left the nuts off until a bit later into the cooking process. Maybe your sugar will caramelize more than mine did.

Ingredients:

(For one portion)

1 medium size sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1'' pieces

1 gingerbread tea bag (or chai/cinnamon/etc.)

3 black peppercorns

1/2 medium size apple, chopped (I used an Empire apple)

1 tsp. butter (optional)

1 tsp. honey or brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

a few pinches of large crystal sugar (like turbanado)

a handful of mixed nuts/dried fruit

Directions:

1. Cook peeled and cut potatoes into a pot full of cold water on high. When water comes to a boil, place tea bag and peppercorns into the pot (steep for 2 minutes) and allow the potatoes to cook another 8 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to be be cut with a fork. Drain.

2. Mash potatoes, cinnamon, honey, and butter in a bowl with a fork until smooth. Stir chopped apples in gently.

3. Spoon mixture into a oven safe dish, and top with mixed nuts/fruit and sugar of choice.

4. Cook on broil for approx. 5 minutes. (You can cook it longer if you want the sugar to melt further, but watch so that it doesn't burn.)