Fresh Thai Style Spring Rolls

Ingredients

3 grated carrots
1 red pepper cut into match sticks
1 cucumber peeled and cut into match sticks
Your favourite kind of lettuce
asian rice vermicelli noodles
round rice sheets -(these can be tricky to work with)
cilantro, mint and basil
optional - sweet onion
optional- shrimp

Peanut sauce

1 stick of lemon grass
1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped ginger
a dash of sesame oil
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of hoisin sauce
4 table spoons of good quality peanut butter (a lot of peanut butter has way to much sugar)
- a pinch of sugar if needed
***add more PB if needed***

Directions

1.  Boil water and cook noodles as per package instructions. Cool and set aside.

2. Prepare all the veggies and chop up the herbs. Organize nicely on a plate.

3. Here is the tricky bit!!! This was my first time working with rice paper.  When you first pull out a sheet they are hard and look like plastic! Briefly soak one piece of rice paper and lay on a piece of cloth. It will quickly become soft and get sticky. On one side of the rice paper put the veggies, noodle and herbs.  Then roll it up and put on a plate.  Repeat until the veggies are gone. Set aside.

4. Now you need to make the Peanut sauce.  Oh and make sure you drink some wine to stay hydrated.  You are probably getting tired.  Boil one cup of water. Chop up the lemon grass into one inch pieces and put into the pot.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Use tongs to remove the lemon grass or use a sieve with a bowl underneath to drain the water.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the water at a medium heat.  Whisk until it becomes think. Taste the sauce.  Does it need more PB?  Does it need more hoisin? Use your taste buds to get the desired result.

5. Cut the spring rolls and place them on a plate.  Drizzle some sauce on top.

6. Repeat because your guests will want more!

Any other suggestions for ingredients???

Pure Bread Review

Food for Thought

Sometimes there are no substitutions

I like to eat healthy food and I think this lifestyle can be really tasty.  I am pretty good at making modifications.  For example, last night instead of using regular ground beef I used bison to make a burger.  I also incorporated lots of yummy toppings so I didn't need to had cheese.  All of the little substitutions add up to keeping my waste line from stretching horizontally.

Today, I decide I am going to checkout Purebread.  It is a new bakery based in Whistler.  There are many healthy options and the bread is all handmade.  The storefront has a great presentation and the people inside are very welcoming.  First, I am looking for a nice healthy loaf of bread.  I immediately see the seriously seedy bread and I think this is going to really good.  Second, I see these almond croissants staring at me.  They say "eat me now."  Unless I am in Europe I usually stay away from pastries because often in north american coffee shops they are rarely handmade.  I am not going to sacrifice my waistline on dry croissants.  Needless to say I leave Purebread with 2 croissants and the seedy bread.

Instantly when I can home I cut into the Seriously Seedy bread and I am very impressed. There are seeds throughout the bread and the bread is so fresh and most.  Even the crust is perfection.  It is the perfect mixture of health as well as taste!  The seriously seedy bread could satisfy seriously anyone. I leave the croissants to the side with the intent on saving them for breakfast with my boyfriend.

Two hours pass by and I am into the croissants.  I am even more pleasantly surprised than I could ever imagine.  This is worth every bite of indulgence.  For anyone wanting to try the best croissant of your life this is the one.  I do not want to divulge the entire experience of this croissant, but I must say this treat will impress the toughest critic  As I write this I have another sample just to make sure I can describe just right; yes it is a small bite of a foodie's heaven.  This croissant will leave you wanting more.

My final remark is that there are no substitutions for this decadent treat.  Even while watching your waistline it is good for the soul to take the time to enjoy great food.  This is worth every calorie.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame chicken

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup of honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
5 garlic gloves (or as much as you like)
a couple pinches of cayenne
1-2 table spoons of sesame oil
2 table spoons of butter
2 table spoons of flour


Directions.

1. Make the sauce. In a bowl mix honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, cayenne, and sesame oil.  Poor a small portion of the mixture into the pot of your slow cooker.
2. Cut of the chicken into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Put into slow cooker.
3. Add the rest of the sauce and chopped onions.
4. I put the slow cook on high for about 2 hours and then on low for 2 hours.  Alternatively 5 hours on low would do the trick!
5. Make long Grain Basmati rice.  Follow the instructions on the rice package.  I usually saute butter and garlic and then I add the rice.  I use chicken stock to add flavour as well.  For this recipe I also added coconut to the rice...Yummy!

Possible starter:
- My fresh Thai Spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce!

Wine Paring:

Wild Goose Gewurztramminer

Breakfast muffin

My inspiration came from Tosca Reno's eat clean.  I made a few modifications

Dry ingredients:

3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4c.  dry oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash allspice
dash cardamom
1/4 Sucanat (or brown sugar)
1/2 tsh sea salt

Wet

1 banana  (smashed)
1/2 cup Kefir or yogurt
1 egg white plus 1 whole egg
2 Tbsp applesauce
1tsp vanilla
1 carrot shredded
1/2 chopped dates


Pre heat oven to 425 and prepare muffin tin will paper liners and non stick spray
combine dry
combine wet
mix wet with dry
spoon batter into muffin cups until 3/4 full
bake 15-20 minutes

Worst Dinner Ever

My boyfriend and I went to see Transformers and then we wanted to get a cheap quick meal.  As foodies we should have known better NOT to eat at the Village Nightclub.  However, we went anyways because we thought we should try their 5 dollar menu.  It should have been a sign that there was no one in the restaurant.

I will continue this blog later....

Grape Seed Oil Mayonnaise

This one I got from Oprah, so that means it has to be good!

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 grape seed oil
herbs.....This time I used dill, but I think Thyme would be fantastic
salt and pepper

Optional
Curry

Directions

1. In a food processor blend egg yolk, dijon, and lemon juice.  Then slowly add the grape seed oil.  This will provide the base of your mayonnaise and then go nuts with the spices

Creamy Cauliflower broccoli soup WITHOUT cream or cheese

I just discovered the power of cauliflower.  It makes soup super creamy without the calories.

Ingredients

1 onion
4-6 garlic cloves (you know how much you like)
olive or grape seed oil  (for higher temperature grape seed is the way to go!)
2 heads of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
3 bay leaves
2 bunches of dill
4-6 cups of vegetable/ beef/ chicken stock
salt and pepper

Optional add ons
You can also add asparagus or any other vegetable you like.  Also try adding different spieces.  Next time I am going to try adding potato! Of course add 1/2 of cream and cheese to make it extra yum!

Directions

1. Saute onions and garlic for 5- 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add 4 cups of stock, dill and bay leaves.
3. Add all cut up vegetables.  I add just enough stock to cover the vegetables.  If you add too much water the soup will not be as thick.  At this point add more stock or water if needed.  bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies are all soft.
4.  BLEND until smooth and creamy and pour back into pot.
Taste again and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Optional:
Once the mixture is blended add cream and cheese.  Oh YUMMY