the benefits to healthy eating: taste!

quinoa. a grain that still seems a little foreign to some food skeptics, but trust me when i say, this power food is nothing short of delicious. the good thing about it - with all the added health benefits and the fact that it is loaded with protein - it absorbs flavour really well, meaning it goes well with about anything, hot or cold, lunch or dinner.

i made a simple quinoa salad for dinner, exploding with flavour, nutrients and delciousness. here is how it went down...

i started by making a balsamic dressing (olive oil, honey mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, s&p, garlic and basil), then i drizzled the dressing over chopped onion, mushrooms and broccoli and stuck them in the oven to roast for 20 minutes at 350.

i had some cooked chicken breast, so i chopped it into pieces and placed it in a bowl with some fresh cucumber, spinach and cherry tomatoes.

then i cooked my quinoa (1/2 quinoa, 1 cup water, dash of maple syrup and chili powder for flavour - let the water bowl, keep the lid on and turn down the heat, about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed - stir occasionally) 

once all the ingredients were prepared, i poured the veggies and quinoa into the prepared bowl and drizzled some more dressing on it. with a good mix my delicious healthy dinner was ready!

what's dinner between friends?

the weekend approaches, and with time for me to actually work my magic in the kitchen, it was time for me to share some home-cooked hearty food with my fellow hard-working friends!

tonight's menu:
pistachio chicken with avocado sauce
arugula, butternut squash salad, with goat cheese and candied pecans in a balsamic honey vinaigrette
sweet potato gratin
oreo ice cream

this delicious meal sounds like a lot of work but it just consists of a couple of diligent steps, and a meal that is a real crowd pleaser!

lets start with the chicken:
make sure you have a clean surface and are working with a sharp and clean knife, trim and fat and less-appetizing bits off of your chicken breast and place them (how many every you are planning on making) in your pan. cut a lemon in half and cover the breasts in lemon juice. sprinkle salt, pepper and fresh or granulated garlic on top of the lemon juice. next in a separate bowl, shell your pistachios and place them in a ziplock bag. once you have properly sealed it and taken all the air out, grab a rolling pin and smash the bits of the nuts - so they're broken into small pieces. mound the pistachio pieces on top of the chicken and place in the oven for 25 minutes at 375.

next the salad:
chop your butternut squash and toss it in olive oil, salt and pepper and some garlic. stick those in the oven and let them roast until they are golden and crispy (about 30 - 40 minutes)
in a large bowl, place arugula and goat cheese. then move onto your pecans! dump them into a pot and on medium heat, mix them with a tablespoon of honey, a tablespoon of maple syrup, salt and pepper, cinnamon and chili powder. leave them on the stove top until the mixture is bowling and stir, stir, stir! once the pecans are coated spread them out onto parchment paper and put them in the fridge to harden.
once your squash and nuts have hardened throw them into your salad bowl!
for the dressing i mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper and basil!

and of course the sweet potato gratin:
scrub and peel your sweet potato, and cut it into rounds. in a sauce pan, over medium heat, combine half a cup of milk, salt and pepper, garlic and fresh rosemary - stir until the milk thickens a little, don't burn it! in a deep dish, place a layer of sweet potato rounds down and pour a little of the milk mixture ontop, then sprinkle a healthy portion of parmesan and cheddar cheese. repeat this process in layers until you have used up all your potato! pop this dish in the oven for about 30 - 40 minutes.

oh and the oreo ice cream is all chapmans....

sundaes for breakfast?

confusing i know, but it is true! sundaes are now a staple breakfast food for me. there is no better way to wake up, than knowing this morning will start with a delightfully colourful, healthy dessert spin-off. this one is really simple, really delicious and always aesthetically pleasing!

you need: 1 banana, a handful of blueberries, 0% plain (or vanilla for extra flavour) greek yogurt, lemon zest, cinnamon, and your choice or almonds and walnuts, or peanut butter

start by cutting your banana right down the middle, so you have two long halves, and place them side by side, seeds up

if you have decided on peanut butter - excellent choice! - spread a teaspoon on each side of the banana

then dollop three spoonfuls down the center of the banana halves

put your blueberries in a microwavable bowl and cook them for 45 seconds. once they have cooled a little, pour them over your yogurt

zest some lemon on top and sprinkle as much cinnamon as you like - if you chose nuts, throw your almonds and walnuts on top!

a beautiful breakfast sundae, waiting to waken your taste-buds and get your day going right!

my poor blackberry camera

it is obvious that no amount of photo-editing on iPhoto will make my pictures as delectably irresistible as instagram. it is a sad truth, but one i must face. unfortunately i was behind with the blackberry curve, putting me at further disadvantage when it comes to getting my hands on an iPhone or Android. don't get me wrong, i do love my blackberry - it provides me with all the essentials of communication, and i can still take a picture to upload onto my blog, but there is a little part of me that wants to have the capability of instant photo sharing.....

the possibilities the iPhone creates when you are overcome with the simple urge to share a picture of something or capture a moment are immense. this is definitely something i am lacking. with all of my passion for sharing my culinary creations, thoughts and opinions, the snap shops of my blackberry are nothing compared to the way i see it with my own eyes. i have accepted that in order to capture all of the pleasures of food i must resort to a real camera, or upgrade to a better smart phone.

any thoughts?

time to redefine the mug!

dessert, dessert, dessert. when there are no prior engagements and the night is yours to relax, by the time 9 comes around it's time for something sweet! for me, there is always a dilemma in choosing a satisfying treat that is sizable for just one. no need to fear, because there is a solution and a great one at that. i have self-named this dessert a mug-metered portion for one! this nutella chocolate mug cake is a definite winner for the night-time cravings.  

if you simply type mug cake into google, there are millions of recipes that provide pure happiness in the size of a mug! it is quite unbelievable how many different options present themselves. the internet is full of cookie mug cake, smores mug cake, carrot mug cake, chocolate mug cake, banana mug cake, the list is endless! after much deliberation and the desperate need to get rid of the remaining nutella in our house, my sister and i confidently decided on the nutella chocolate mug cake. with some flour, oil, an egg, coco powder, sugar, baking soda and of course nutella, all mixed together in our large mugs, we popped them in the microwave and waited for 2 minutes as magic happened!

with 30 seconds remaining we snuck in a marshmallow on top - our own creative genius at work, and presto a gooey, chocolate hazelnut delight towered over our mugs! all this inspiration from a simple blog photo, led us to explore the possibilities open to us on the internet to bring us the perfect individual sweet treat! the mug is a whole different concept to me now! i urge you to go out and find your favourite mug cake online, discover the true meaning of the mug.

what does technology have to do with food?

all of a sudden the food scene has exploded! left, right and center there are new recipes to find, new creative minds to pick and more tastes to explore! one may ask, how did this boom gain so much ground? Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Blogs. The internet is crawling with social media outputs that put out what we like to eat! Who knew so many people liked food, right? So much of food culture is now shared online, via websites and communication through the internet. This is a trend am I glad to be a part of. Not only do I love to cook and bake, but I love to share that with others! What will be interesting in this journey, is to interact with the different technological sources to put my food brain out there. I am currently using my blackberry to take pictures...embarrassing I know, but a girl can only work with what she's got! (we will have to see how that goes...). Even though it's not an immediate association, food and technology are definitely intertwining. A growing connecting that is bringing more people together around the table for a meal - no matter where that table is!