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.

A Little Heaven in a Jar

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….I don’t often make dessert but this recipe for cheesecake made in a slow cooker intrigued me

The original recipe comes from Chef Ricardo’s cookbook, Ricardo: Slow Cooker and was reprinted in the Life section of Saturday’s paper. I was drawn to the recipe for two reasons: 1. It is prepared in a slow cooker and 2. it is prepared in individual ramekins or small canning jars.

Since we were having the family over for Sunday lunch and Game Day, I decided to make the salad and dessert portions of the meal. The menu consisted of Orange, Avocado and Red Onion Salad, which I posted here, cornmeal and jalapeño muffins, beef enchiladas, Mexican rice and cheesecake in a jar.

Cheesecake with Strawberries and Graham Cracker Crumble in a Jar

Serves 4

1 pkg. (250g or 8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

75 mL (1/3 cup) sugar

1 egg

60 mL (1/4 cup) 35% cream

5 mL (1 tsp.) vanilla extract

Crumble

125 mL (1/2 cup) graham cracker crumbs

60 mL (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour

30 mL (2 tbsp) brown sugar

60 mL (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

Fruit Topping

250 mL (1 cup) diced strawberries or favourite fruit

15 mL (1 tbsp.) sugar or sweetener

Whipped Cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Place a clean cloth in the bottom of the slow cooker. I forgot and two of the jars broke as soon as I added the hot water.

2. In a food processor combine all the ingredients for the cheesecake (not the crumble or fruit) and puree until smooth.

3. Pour into clean ramekins or small canning jars and place in the slow cooker. Carefully pour hot water (not boiling) around the jars until the water reaches the half way mark on the jars.

4. Cover and cook on low heat for 90 minutes until firm and slightly puffed. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours until completely chilled.

5. Crumble:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients and add the butter. Using your hands mix the mixture until crumbly. Drop onto the baking sheet. Bake, stirring twice during the baking process for about 15 minutes or until golden in colour. Let cool.

Strawberries:

Wash the strawberries and dice. Toss with the sugar or sweetener of your choice. Set aside to macerate.

When ready to serve, garnish each ramekin or jar with the graham cracker crumble, strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!

My Twin Babies Turned 32 Yesterday

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….a hectic but fun day

The day started early with a visit to Sherway Mall to look for a winter parka for Az and a birthday present for my son. I had already purchased his sister’s present long before Christmas but we didn’t know what B needed or wanted so I waited until his arrival to Canada to find out.

It turns out that B really needed new shoes. It was his lucky day. Between his fiancé, Az and me, he ended up with three new pairs of shoes, 2 casual and one dressy. We also found a warm and stylish winter parka for Az, which will come in very handy when they go to Montreal later this week. It’s always colder in Montreal.

After our shopping spree we headed to Costco for gas and groceries. Az wanted to prepare an Iranian feast for us and what better time than for a birthday celebration. We were expecting 10 people for dinner and even though they had picked up a load of groceries at the Iranian grocery store (who knew) we still still needed a few extra items to round out the meal. One of the things we bought was a birthday cheesecake for B and G. I know that’s not very Iranian but it’s a bit of a birthday tradition in our house. Turns out that more desserts were brought by others and I have a lot of cake left over.

The girls hard at work.

Once we got home Az and our daughter, G started to cook and cook and cook. When Az told me that 1 kg of rice wasn’t enough, I was shocked so when I picked up our other daughter, A, her partner J and our son-in-law we made another stop at a store to purchase more basmati.

The green olives were the best I’ve ever eaten. They were purchased at the Iranian market. The marinade included ground walnuts and it became a great dipping sauce as well.

When all the guests arrived the place was buzzing with activity. I noticed that Az was not happy with one of her dished and was quite upset. I tasted it and I thought it tasted wonderful. I passed it around to a few more guests to sample and they all agreed that she needed to serve it. Ignorance is bliss. It really did taste devine but I’m sure if it had turned out the way she wanted it would have been better but we didn’t have anything to compare it to. The whole meal was an explosion of taste in the mouth. I’m sure I could never recreate it on my own but our daughter G has a little more experience and hopefully I don’t have to wait for another visit from B and Az before we can experience this meal again.

: Prepping the eggplant for the dip

: A very large sheet of Iranian flat bread

: The birthday boy with one of his good friends

: The eggplant dip…..

: …..served with the flat bread, torn into small pieces and toasted

: Potato pancakes with a mint yogurt sauce

: Green salad with pomegranate seeds

: A baked rice dish with a lovely crust all around….

: …..filled with lamb and a side of fesenjoon (ground walnuts with chicken)

: The Birthday girl with her husband

Of course there was way too much food, especially desserts. My husband is hoping we don’t have to go grocery shopping for awhile. My fridge is jam packed with leftovers and the cheesecake is sitting outside in a cooler bag on the deck where it is frozen solid.

Thank goodness there aren’t anymore major birthdays now until the summer. My waistline can’t afford more days like this.

Cheers!

Planting Tulips in December

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….temperatures warmed up enough to get a shovel in the ground

Sunday, December 1st…the first advent of the Christmas season and I’m in the garden planting tulip bulbs. About three weeks ago a parent at school kindly gifted me 40 tulip bulbs and advised me to plant them that weekend. I told her I had problems with squirrels digging up all my bulbs in the past so she also brought me a small bag of hen poop. Apparently they don’t like the smell. We’ll see.

Unfortunately I didn’t get the bulbs in the ground when the weather was warmer and the soil was still soft. Life just got in the way. Last weekend when I had some time I pulled out the trowel and almost broke it when I tried to turn the soil. It was so cold that the ground was frozen solid. Winter had arrived early.

This past weekend we were having the kids over for our annual pre-Christmas goulash and mulled wine party. I wanted to start decorating the house to get in the festive mood so I pulled out the outdoor lights. After testing each string and hauling the ladder out from the garage I started to drape the yew in front of the house. I noticed that the ground was pretty muddy so I decided to take advantage of the conditions and get my bulbs into the ground.

So there I stood in the drizzling rain, bent over and digging holes in the garden. My neighbours must have thought that I was crazy. Once all the bulbs were in the ground I continued to decorate the tree with the outdoor lights. It was still raining as I was literally tossing the strings over the branches. I made several trips into the house and I noticed that I was tracking in a lot of mud.

With only a couple of hours left before the kids arrived I got out the pail and mop and washed the floors, cleaned the mud from my shoes and set the table for our meal. I then drove up to the liquor store to buy the wine for our mulled wine or gluewine as we call it. My husband was in charge of making the goulash.

When the kids arrived we enjoyed some appetizers and cups of mulled wine while the spaetzle cooked. I underestimated the amount of German noodles that I needed to cook but there was more than enough of the goulash to go around. Everything was delicious. After dinner our son-in-law brought out the board game we bought him for his birthday and we all learned how to play Small World: Underworld from Days of Wonder. When the rules were being explained to us I really didn’t think I’d get the hang of it but once we started to play I was on a roll. In the end I tied for second place. My son-in-law, the game board master, was impressed with my standing.

Less than three weeks of school left before we’re off for the holidays. The Hundertwasser projects are coming along nicely and hopefully I’ll be able to post some of the finished projects in the next day or so. I’d better get off to bed. I have to get up early for more basketball practises. We play in the semi-finals next week. Till later.

Cheers!

Christmas Shopping On-Line

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Mama Cormier

…..easy if you know what you want and don’t go for the first link

More and more I’ve been shopping on-line for Christmas presents. One of the reasons is that my adult children post everything they would like on-line with links as to where one can purchase the items. It really makes it easy but I have discovered a few glitches along the way.

First of all, when you’re ordering from Canada the free shipping claim is often null and void. By the time you pay the shipping you’re not saving very much money, if any. This is true for Amazon. com. The shipping charge was more than $16.00 for one item and the Canadian taxes hadn’t been added either. When I went to Amazon.ca the same item was initially a little bit more expensive but even with taxes in and no shipping charge the final price was cheaper than the American price. So Canadians beware.

Amazon.com and Amazon.ca are offering free shipping for a month on all items but after that you will be charged a $79.00 fee for the rest of the year. Personally I rarely shop on-line after Christmas so it doesn’t make sense to sign up for the free offer. If you’re willing to wait a few extra days for delivery you can get free shipping anyway. The lesson here is to read the small print.

If you use Paypal you can get a 5% discount back on all your purchases that you make for the next little while. I think its just from now until the first week in December but every little bit helps. I wish I could use Paypal for all my on-line purchases.

This year we used Elfster to organize our gift exchange. It’s been fun and it’s forced me to think about what I would really like for Christmas. At first I found it extremely difficult to write down what I wanted. I just couldn’t think of anything that fit within the $100.00 limit. I never have problems knowing what I’d like when I actually go shopping but the reality is that I probably don’t NEED anything. I did, however, come up with several items. Once I started I was on a roll and before I knew it I had nine items on my list. Some of them are over the limit but my husband doesn’t have to stick to the limit. The gift exchange doesn’t include significant others. I’m still responsible for getting my husband gifts and vice versa.

The best part of on-line shopping is having the parcels arrive at the door in a few days. It’s like Christmas opening the parcels, even though you know they’re for someone else. I think there’s some truth in the saying ‘It’s better to give than to receive’.

Cheers!

P.S. We’re finally having our gift exchange party tomorrow, even though we all know who we’re buying presents for. My husband is starting to feel better as he recovers from his shingles and is finally up to preparing his Gluewein and Goulash dinner.