Avocado and Lemon

Well, it's been almost 2 months and finally I am seeing signs of life on my Avocado seed. The root has started growing downward, but I am still waiting for the green shoot to pop up from the top. If you are interested in knowing more of the steps click HERE.

I have also been experimenting with lemon seeds. My first few attempts were busts, but after doing a bit more research they are growing bigger day by day. Apparently they can start to produce fruit, but it won't be for years!

Garden Ideas

Last year (winter), I bought a book called "Square Foot Gardening". The basic concept is reduce garden size without reducing vegetable output. I have become quite fond of this method of gardening - though I have yet to be able to try my hand at it.

Lately (The past few months), I have been thinking a lot about gardening - and if I could grow an actual garden what would it look like, and what would I grow. It didn't take long before the garden in my head grew (probably to an unhealthy size for a first time gardener). That being said, I am not deterred - I even have dreams of selling my produce at a farmers market. Though before that happens, I will have to have a trial year and hopefully with any luck my family with be bombarded with zucchini, carrots, pepper, herb, etc, etc.

Last week, my seed catalogue arrived in the mail. So, I have enthusiastically started picking and choosing what I would like to grow, with the help of Teegan (who's only interest is really spinach and beets).

So here is a pic of my idea. I am using the Sq Ft gardening method but adapted to rows. I should also point out that depending on the size of the vegetable is how many can be planted in one Sq Ft. For example 12 carrots, 1 pepper plant, 1 herb plant, 4 Swiss chard, 1 squash, watermelon, bush pea per 2 Sq Ft.

I just realized I forgot the beets - so I guess my idea for a tidy 8 rows will have to extend to 9.

Detox!

Last week, while visiting Halifax - Teegan managed to get her hands on a library book called the Hormone Diet. After she read it for a few days, she concluded that a 14 day detox was in order. Initially I was hesitant but after a little contemplation, I came around. Not because I really want to do it, but because I think it would be a good culinary challenge.

Here's a list of what I can't eat:

Dairy: Everything except goat's and feta cheese
Grains: Flour containing gluten, oatmeal
Corn: Pop_, _meal, _bread, _chips, etc.
Alcohol/Caffeine: This one will be the hardest
Peanut: Products and oil
Sugar: White, brown, maple syrup or honey.
Citrus: Oranges, grapefruit - besides lemon.
Red Meat: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Cold Cuts and BACON!

Here's a list of what I can have:

Gluten Free Grains: Millet, Rice products, buckwheat, Rice Pasta/Crackers
Veg: All of the above (except corn)
Fruits: All (except the above citrus)
Beans
Nuts/Seeds (except peanuts)
Fish and Poultry
Oil: Olive, Canola and even small amounts of butter
Eggs
Milk: oat, almond, rice, soy
Soy Products: Tofu, beans, milk

So after 14 days - the idea is to slowly add foods back to your diet and see if your body reacts positively or negatively to said food. If it reacts negatively - there is a suggestion to cut it out of your diet completely.

Starting Monday stay tuned for very interesting - gluten free recipes!

Sprouts

A few weeks ago I was in Kitchener, and I became very impressed that my friend Alexis was growing her own alfalfa sprouts. This is something I have wanted to try for a while - so after a little inquiry - she ended up giving me some of her seeds to get me going.

It's super easy...

Basically you rinse and drain the seeds once or twice a day until you they are ready to eat. About 3 to 4 days. 

I am a big BIG fan of sprouts on sandwiches and burgers!

Stovetop Espresso

I have been on the hunt for a Stove top Espresso maker for a number of weeks - and yesterday I finally found one at Homesense - in Barrie. Sure it's not a nice stainless steel one - but I think it will be great until, we can perhaps get a better one once we are a little more settled next year!

My first attempt turned out quire nice - but I am hoping my next few get even better.

Now its off to Costco to get some new beans!

Caesar

Tonight's supper consisted of a very classic Chicken Caesar salad. BBQ'd Chicken (Lemon Pepper), Spring Mix (I prefer romaine), Flatbread cooked on the BBQ (it ended up being a cross between a pita and tortilla) and Lastly a homemade Caesar dressing.

I have made it my goal over the last few years not to buy salad dressings - seeing as they are quite easy to make. In saying this for some reason or another Caesar dressing (along with ranch) often finds it's way into my fridge. I have made Caesar dressing before, Some have been good but I have never been super impressed with any of them.

SO this afternoon I did a little online research and there seems to be quite a few recipes out there to choose from. Some people swear by anchovies, others think a clotted egg needs to be added (basically an egg put in boiling water for a minute), or red wine vinegar, mayo, sour cream - the list is quite extensive.

After considering a bunch of recipes, I have decided that I am going to make it my goal to find or come up with a really great Caesar dressing (perhaps a Travis's signature Caesar dressing). Now, I realize that this may take a while (perhaps a lifetime), so stay tuned for my findings.

Here's what I did tonight (the basic recipe is from Micheal Smith)

1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 c. Lemon Juice

a tsp of Dijon Mustard

1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese

a TB of Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Blitz in a food processor.

I made a few changes to this one before I even tried it. To me and Teegan it didn't seem creamy enough - so I added a bit of mayo and sour cream. It turned out good - but like I said I am looking for more!

Please feel free to pass on your preferences or ideas!

Herbs and Pepper

It's been a few months and finally my Rosemary is growing enough to give it a little blog attention. This pic is of the Rosemary, Thyme and Mint (which are both doing exceedingly well). My Basil, which is hiding behind the mint, is still doing well, but needs some new regrowth, cause it's leaves are a little discoloured.

I should also point out that my Chili's are finally starting to go Red.

A Weeks Worth (recap)

Teegan and I took a trip down to Kitchener/Waterloo to see our friends David/Alexis and little Liam. We had a great time - we ate, we drank and were completely enthralled with little Liam. David keeping true to my week of making Asian food made us a great rice bowl with a sauce. I don't know exactly what to call this sauce - but it's great!

1 Garlic Clove - minced
2 - 3 Chili Peppers - seeded and minced (or use a chili hot sauce to your hearts content)
2/3 C. Water
1/4 C. Fish Sauce
1/4 C. Sugar
2 Tb. Lime Juice
2 Tb. Shredded Carrots

The longer this sits the better it will be. Keep it in the fridge for up to a month.

To recap my week:

Saturday - Satay Chicken with Garlic Peanut Noodles - My favourite of the week.
Sunday - Grilled Salmon Sushi Rice Bowl - Good, but the rice was to sweet and had to much vinegar.
Monday - Freestyle Spinach Salad - Good, but forgettable.
Tuesday - Meatballs and Rice - Good but lacking Asian flavour.
Wednesday - Asian Ribs - GREAT flavour but the ribs were super tough (recipe not posted).
Thursday - Red Coconut Chicken Curry - Good - though the flavour/spice needed a little tinkering.
Friday - Dave's Rice bowl - Good, though I would have preferred rice noodles (but that's me!).

So I will say that it was a successful week.

Peppernuts

This evening I had a desire to bake something. After quite a bit of time and searching online for ideas, I thought of Peppernuts! I looked up a few recipes but I wasn't quite convinced by any of them. Never having made them before, I was scared that I would have come up with something completely different then I was used to. I decided to call up my Mother (at the lake) for a recipe. She had to search a bit but she came up with the recipe that my Grandmother used to make - the exact ones I used to cram into my pockets before leaving, to tide me over on the ride home from Rosthern.

Here's the recipe (cut in half):
1 c sugar
1 c syrup (corn I imagine)
1 c Margarine
1/2 tsp star anise
1/2 tsp clove
1 tsp baking soda
1 eggs
¼ c. of sour milk
4 c flour
Mix the spices/sugar and margarine (hot microwaved). After it's cooled a bit add the egg and milk. Then mix the dry ingredients with the wet. My Grandmother used to make the dough into little snakes and cut little nickle size cookies. Then bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350.

Here's what I did (with the same recipe):
1 c sugar (white)
1/2 c. Brown sugar
1/2 c. Honey
1 c Butter
1/2 tsp star anise
1/2 tsp clove
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 eggs
¼ c. of milk soured with some lemon juice
4 c flour
Instead of rolling snakes, I rolled the dough out in a big square and cut little square inch pieces. I then rolled them into balls and popped them onto a cooking sheet and pushed them down so they looked like crokino buttons.
For next time I would make them smaller - they are about the size of a toonie and what I want is a nickle to quarter.

After making the peppernuts - I soon realized that I had forgotten what they actually tasted like - but after my first bit, it all came rushing back to me. That made me happy!

On another note - I have continued my Asian adventure. Yesterday Ribs - and today I made a Red Thai Chicken Curry - it was nice!

Asian Meatballs

The meatballs were great - but I am sad to say didn't have much of an Asian flavour. 

The initial recipe for South-Eastern Meatballs called for Pork and pureed shimp - with the addition of some oyster sauce, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 T. green onions, 1 egg white and a T of cornstarch. Then they should have been steamed.  

I did not follow the recipe to exact specks - I used beef (cause Teegan and I aren't big pork or shrimp fans) and fried the meatballs because I don't have a steamer - plus I find that kind of weird (perhaps someday when I have a bamboo steamer I will try it).

Yep.

Freestyle

After a few days of tinkering, I have started to figure out basic Asian flavour profiles.

That being said -  I think It's kind of hard to go wrong with a mix of rice wine vinegar, soy sauce,  ginger, chili paste and sesame oil (as a sauce, a marinade or a dressing). Tonight I did just that - I marinaded some chicken and tossed a spinach salad - YUM.

After watching countless hours of food network - I have learned that when experimenting with Asian flavours its good to remember these things - Salty, Sweet, Sour and Spicy.

Grilled Salmon Sushi Rice Bowl

On tonight's menu was sushi rice bowl (Which became a plate)
Grilled Salmon and green beans (marinaded in)
a Ponzu sauce (lemon zest/juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, green onion and sugar)

This is resting on a bed of Sushi Rice - basically this is normal rice (I used basmati) coated in rice wine vinegar, salt and sugar.

Covered in a wasabi/ponzu/ginger sauce.