Persian Delights in Toronto

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..35 kilometres north of where I live is a thriving Iranian community

When my son and his fiancé came to visit in December we were treated to a wonderful Iranian meal made by my future daughter-in-law. A trip to Super Khorak Supermarket in North York made it possible to gather up all the ingredients necessary to create our authentic meal. I heard so many wonderful stories of this Persian market that day and then again when I read about it in fellow blogger, Ann Gagno’s post yesterday that I really wanted to experience it for myself.

My husband suggested that we take a drive up there today and purchase some of their ready-made food for our dinner with our girls tonight. The place was buzzing with activity. The bakers worked non-stop putting fresh hot flat breads on the counter for customers to gingerly fold and put into paper bags. Behind the take away counter the grill man cooked skewers of kebobs while the ladies packed up the orders swiftly and efficiently into styrofoam clamshells and foil containers.

Everyone was extremely friendly and very helpful. One thing I realized after we paid for our purchases was that I ordered way too much rice. When I saw the size of the container I told the man next to me that I ordered enough for ten people. He laughed and suggested that it was just enough for four hungry Persians.

We ordered three different kinds of kebabs, beef, chicken and ground meat, two different flat breads, marinated olives, baked rice with a chicken filling, an eggplant and meat stew and gormeh sabzi (herb stew) and for dessert, baklava. Needless to say we had lots of leftovers. The girls went home with bread and rice.

Tonight’s dinner. Yum!

For fellow Torontonians who’d like to try some authentic Persian cooking I would highly recommend a trip to Super Khorak Supermarket in North York. It’s open 24/7 and is located right on Yonge Street. Check out this site for more reviews.

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Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….in Canada we’re honouring our Mothers today

My daughters and their significant others treated me to a wonderful day on Ward’s Island yesterday. G made a fantastic meal that included a rabbit and apricot terrine, homemade sour dough bread, cured salmon infused with beet juice and cheese cups with hot pepper jelly and those delights were the appetizers.

After a bit of nourishment we went for a long walk and explored the beaches and neighbourhoods of Ward’s Island. I’ll post more about this amazing community in the coming week. When we returned to the little cottage that G’s mother-in-law was renting we enjoyed part two of our Mother’s Day Extravaganza.

For the main course we were treated to chicken legs, a faro salad and green beans and snow peas garnished with chopped hazelnuts. Dessert was a delicious panna cotta topped with rhubarb.

At the end of the meal the table was cleared and we played a family game of Apples to Apples. It was a lot of fun but apparently I’m not very good at it. Either my answers weren’t clever enough or they were too embarrassing.

Photo courtesy: http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/getreligion/files/2009/01/apples.jpg

This morning my husband surprised me with a very special present…..a brand new ukulele. What a nice surprise. I guess I’d better learn to play better than I play now. After a nice breakfast, also prepared by my husband, I connected with my son and his fiancé in the Netherlands via Skype. After some minor glitches with the volume we spent 35 minutes catching up on the news and sharing plans for the future.

All in all it was a perfect way to spend Mother’s Day weekend!

95% Back to Normal Eating

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….one week later, down 4 pounds and off mushy food

One week ago today I had gum surgery for crown lengthening so that I can have my broken tooth capped. Today I went for my check-up to make sure that the incisions were healing properly and to have the dressings removed and replaced with new, smaller dressings.

Everything looks good. The stitches have dissolved, there’s no infection and I can start to eat more normally. Still no hard foods like crusty bread, croutons, biscotti and celery and chewing can only take place on the opposite side of my mouth away from the dressing. I am still restricted in the exercise department (no push-ups, sit ups, trampoline, bench pressing, cardio, etc.) but I can start walking further and faster and even go for a leisurely bike ride.

Here is my dilemma. I’m happy that I’m down four pounds and I’d like to keep them off and take off more. Being able to get out more will help but going back to ‘normal eating’ scares me. One thing that I’ve been forced to do and will have to do for another few weeks is eat on one side of my mouth. The good thing about that is that it forces me to eat more slowly and as a result I’m probably not eating as much because I get full before I finish my plate.

For a long time now I’ve convinced myself that I need more protein than most people and that carbohydrates are my enemy. Funny thing is that I’ve eaten very little meat this past week and a whole lot of pasta, creamed soups and mashed vegetables and still managed to lose 4 pounds. Tonight I had a bowl of vegetarian chill and a slice of sour dough bread with butter. I feel very satisfied and won’t need to eat later this evening. I’ll probably have a cup of tea.

I think what I need to do is start recording what I eat for awhile and see if I can see a pattern with what I eat, how much and in combination with what foods and see how my weight loss is affected. I suspect that how I combine foods will make a difference and not eating at night will also prove beneficial.

So I’m still down 20 pounds but my goal is to lose the other 10 before the end of the school year. It should be doable. I have 8 weeks to go. One and a half to two pounds a week is a very reasonable and achievable. I’ll keep you posted.

Cheers!

Before my 30 pound weight loss. I never want to go back to this again.

My after picture in the same blouse. 10 pounds to get back to this.

Share Your World 2014 – Week 18

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..another set of great questions from Cee

What object do you always have with you when traveling and why?

I always have my camera with me. I love recording all the wonderful sights that I see and being able to share my experiences with family and friends when I come home again. In fact I’m never without my camera, regardless of where I am.

What subject would you like to study in depth, if given the time to do so?

I would study art in depth. I’ve learned over the last few years that there is so much that I don’t know about the art world. I would also like to try new and different art techniques, such as encaustic painting. I’ve been considering going back to university when I retire and study art just for fun or at least take a lot of courses from experts in a variety of fields.

Which would you prefer: a wild, turbulent life filled with joy, sorrow, passion, and adventure–intoxicating successes and stunning setbacks; or a contented bordering on happy, secure, predictable life surrounded by friends and family without such wide swings of fortune and mood?

This is a tough question. When I was younger I would probably have chosen the first option but as I get older I’m happy to live a contented life. Family and friends are more important to me than ‘wild, turbulent’ adventure and who needs stunning setbacks at this stage in life. I think I would like the best of both options. A life filled with joy, passion and some adventure while being happy and secure in the company of family and friends.

What are your favorite spices?

My favourite spice is cinnamon and most spices that complement it, such as ginger, cardamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Is that too many? I love ginger cookies, spice cake, chai tea, mulled wine and spicy apple crisp.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I’m grateful that my oral gum surgery went well and that the recovery has been a breeze. I’m looking forward to having the dressing removed and being able to eat more than soft bland food. I’m also looking forward to spending time with my daughters and their significant others on the weekend for Mother’s Day.

For more Share Your World stories go to Cee’s Photography

A Day of Reading and Quiet Reflection

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..my road to recovery has been painless

After icing my jaw all day long yesterday I was happy not to have to do that today. There was little to no swelling this morning so I guess the ice paid off. I started the morning with a delicious peach mango smoothie that my husband made for me and for lunch I had some creamed soup and leftover mashed cauliflower with an egg mixed in for some protein. Both meals were somewhat satisfying and I wasn’t as hungry today as I was yesterday.

One of the benefits of staying home and having restrictions as to what I’m allowed to do is that I was able to get a lot of reading done. I’m all caught up with my emails and I’ve finally started a new book, Road Ends, by Mary Lawson which I’m about a third of the way into. I’ve also been able to research some great art sites for ideas for upcoming art classes at school.

We also got some good news today. My husband went for his quarterly check-up at the hospital this morning and his blood count is still in the normal range. It’s always a little stressful for my husband on those days coming up to his appointments.

Ese’s Weekly Shoot & Quote Challenge – Pleasure

Knowing that we don’t have to worry about the return of my husband’s cancer for at least another three to six months brings us both a great deal of pleasure.

Pleasure is Nature’s test, her sign of approval. When man is happy, he is in harmony with himself and with his environment…..Oscar Wilde

As we get older we appreciate the simpler things in life. Here are a few things that give us pleasure:

Tonights dinner. Yum!

My sister with ‘my three girls’.

For more quotes and photographs about pleasure check out Ese’s Weekly Shoot & Quote Challenge.

Broccoli, Cauliflower and Avocado Soup and Hummus

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..I was inspired to cook today

It was sunny today but still a little brisk and even though we did get out for awhile I’m still not into long walks, never mind running at the moment. More about that in another post.

Instead I turned my attention to the food in the refrigerator that needed to be prepped. We’re having small steaks for dinner but I felt like having soup to start so I Googled the three ingredients that I had on hand that I wanted to use in my soup; broccoli, cauliflower and an avocado that wouldn’t last another day. I thought that it might be an unusual combination but lo and behold this recipe showed up over at Family Fresh Cooking.

I had all the ingredients in the recipe and it was pretty close to what I would have done anyway. The only difference is that I used the broccoli stalks and only about half the cauliflower that the recipe called for. I thought the recipe produced a soup that was a little too thick so my version will be thinner.

: Cut up broccoli stalks to use in the soup and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the cauliflower

: Saute the broccoli, cauliflower, onion, garlic and seasoning in a small amount of oil

: Add the broth and cook for about 30 minutes until very soft.

: Blend all the ingredients and add the avocado and blend some more. Add more liquid if too thick.

: I added a little cream to thin my soup and then put a dollop of sour cream on top.

I’ll be using the left over broccoli and cauliflower as a snack with hummus at school this week. Here’s my recipe for an easy and quick hummus.

Hummus

2 cans chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, well rinsed and drained

fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon

1/2 cup (125 ml) tahini
2 small garlic cloves, minced (more if you like garlic)
1/4 cup (125 ml) olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tsp. (5 ml) salt, depending on taste
1 tsp. (5 ml) ground cumin
4 to 6 tbsp. (125 – 185 ml) water
Dash of ground paprika for serving

Throw everything into the food processor (except the water and paprika) and blend. Add the water while the food processor is running until it reaches the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning. This is where I take a spoonful and get my husband to sample it. He didn’t think it needed anything added today.

Serve on a platter and drizzle with oil and sprinkle a little paprika on top. So easy to make and so much cheaper than buying store bought. Enjoy!

: Gather up all your ingredients

: Blend together in a food processor until smooth

: Serve with oil drizzled on top and a pinch of paprika

: Tonights dinner. Yum!

Up 4, Down 4

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….an update on my weight loss journey

Before I left for Calgary I was hoping to maintain my weight and not gain weight over five days.

The optimum word here was ‘hope’. Weight loss is never about hope. It’s about ‘doing’. I didn’t go to Calgary with the plan to not eat dessert, not drink wine and not eat bread and pasta. Instead I went with the notion that I could eat everything but in moderation.

That was all fine and well but the missteps started right on the plane. I had a least 3 drinks. I passed on the bread but I ate the rice and the ice-cream. I did pass on the potato chips but I didn’t turn down the dark chocolate. When we arrived at my sister’s place the wine came out almost immediately. Her husband cooked us dinner. Pasta with seafood. My weakness.

The next day we met my friends at the local conservation area where an art exhibition was on display in the learning centre. Afterwards we stopped by their house and I picked up dessert to have with coffee. Of course they had also picked up dessert. I should have declined but no I had a bit of all the desserts.

This is pretty much how the entire 5 days went. Very little exercise, lots of wine and good food. It shouldn’t have been a surprise when I gained 4 pounds. So much for maintaining my weight.

Since I’ve been back I’ve eaten much better. I’ve had salads pretty much every day for lunch and then again with dinner. I’ve been trying to drink a lot of clear tea during the day and not eat at night. I think in the last 10 days I’ve had only a couple glasses of wine and I’ve turned down sweets at school most of the time. It’s taken 10 days but I’ve finally dropped the 4 pounds that I had gained.

The challenge now is to stay on track with the healthy eating plan and watch the weight come off. The weather is beginning to turn around and hopefully I will be able to get out and walk. I’ll report in again when I’m down another pound or two. The journey continues.

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….even though her actual birthday is in December we celebrated on Friday

Last Christmas my sister’s husband surprised her with a gift certificate for a dinner for three at the Chef’s Table. That was only half of her birthday gift. The other half included flying her two sisters from Ontario to Calgary to join her for the dinner. It was as much a gift for her as it was for her sisters.

We arrived in Calgary on Wednesday and the dinner took place on Friday. After a long afternoon of shopping at the outlet mall we returned to C’s home and showered and dressed for our special dinner.

I’m not really that short. I wore flats while my sisters had on heels. C’s husband drove us to the restaurant. We arrived at 7: 00 and were seated immediately. For the next four hours we were treated to a five course meal with a wine pairing for each course. The sommelier took extra care to explain each course and the reason for his wine selection. We were truly pampered.

We had a wonderful evening with great food and wine and we loved reminiscing about our childhood together. I started to photograph each course but at times I was so anxious to try each course that I forgot to take pictures of some of the plates. I truly savoured each dish and was surprised that I didn’t finish first. This is not something I’m proud of. I tend to eat too quickly but for some reason that didn’t happen on Friday. At the end of the meal C’s husband picked us up. It was nice not to have to worry about drinking and driving.

Share Your World – Week 7

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….four more interesting questions

What is your favorite couch potato activity: readings, watching movies, watching sports, napping, anything on TV, computer games, play cards, or other?

My favourite couch potato activity is watching a good movie or documentary. I always feel that I can never get those two hours back again so whatever I watch has to be worth my time. If I’m learning something interesting I always feel that is time well spent and if I get enjoyment out of it all the better.

What is your favorite toppings on pizza?

Pizza is an indulgence and special treat so again it has to be worth the calories. Some of my favourite toppings are: mushrooms, roasted red peppers, ricotta cheese, meatballs

Pizza done in a special pizza oven where it cooks in minutes and the thin crust comes out slightly charred is my all time favourite. Top it with fresh arugula and I’m in pizza heaven.

I have to admit that our favourite pizzas lately have been the ones we make ourselves at home. We don’t have a special pizza oven but we’ve been toying with building one in the backyard. Garden Fork has made a video on how to make a dry fit pizza oven with clay brick. I’ve wanted to make one of these for the cottage. I need to find 96 clay bricks and an old bed frame and I’ll be good to go.

What is is favorite genre of movie or book?

I don’t like horror or action movies. Give me a good drama, love story or intelligent comedy and I’m good to go. Add a little suspense and something with a surprise ending and I’ll talk about it forever. I’m pretty much the same with books. Some of my favourite books are:

The Help, The Rosie Project, The Birth House, Best Laid Plans, The Book of Negroes, Cutting for Stone

Favourite Movies:

The Wizard of Oz, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Toy Story 1, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Sixth Sense, Titanic, Django Unchained (I was surprised how much I enjoyed this), Captain Phillips,

Movies I Want to See:

Philomena, Gravity, Saving Mr. Banks

Do you prefer eating the frosting of the cake first?

I love frosting but I like it with the cake so I try to make sure that every bite has some frosting on it.

A Happy Day

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….busy, too many treats and a great dinner made by my husband

After surprising my husband with breakfast and his heart shaped donut this morning I left the house extra early to pick up three dozen “I love you” donuts from Tim Horton’s and then I continued on to school for another early morning basketball practice. When I got to school I discovered that my coaching colleague was also there so I took the time to pack the donuts into the specially decorated paper bags and started to deliver my little gifts to the staff.

People were surprised and delighted to find that the donut inside the bag was in the shape of a heart. This was the beginning of an onslaught of treats throughout the day. I don’t have the heart to say ‘no thank you’ to the boys and girls who offer me their specially made treats but I did resist the snacks that were in the staffroom. For most of the treats I took a single bite and when no one was looking I discarded the rest. If I didn’t do that I’m sure I would be suffering a ‘sugar induced headache’.

For lunch our principal treated us to pizza and not just any old pizza but pizza from Mamma’s. There were 7 different varieties to cater to the different dietary needs and individual preferences. I had one piece with the crust and after that I only ate the toppings. You might think that is odd but I’ve learned over the years that it’s the bread dough that plays havoc with my weight.

Tonight when I got home my husband had prepared the most amazing dinner. Shrimp cocktail and a glass of champagne to start, followed by a medium rare filet mignon, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and red wine. It was the perfect amount of food and delicious to boot.

Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not I hope you had a fabulous day, filled with love and laughter.