breaking news!

i made beef stew without making the beef turn to leather! awesome sauce!

that is all.

Red Lentil Soup

So cold today. Did not remember to layer. Lets talk soup.

1 tablespoon ghee (or butter), plus 1 teaspoon
1 chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 cup chopped tomatoes (1 can diced)
1 cup dreid red lentils. wash and drain them.
4 cups water or stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

OK I thought this looked way too crazy hard to even try but I realized this is actually really easy. Like most soups right?

- melt the ghee at onion and garlic. cook until they get nice and brown. yum.
- add the spices. (i ALWAYS forget this step and end up added spices later which kind of sucks but doesn't ruin the soup.)
- add tomatoes
- add lentils
- add stock or water
- simmer away for about an hour stir often
- add salt

heat the teaspoon of ghee in a small pan and fry cumin and mustard seeds until the pop and crackle. pour them into the soup for a very dramatic sizzling amazing time.

warm and cozy. makes all my neighbours think i am an amazing cook when i make this. or makes them think i am super annoying since i make this like twice a week. the kids are SO over this soup.

Your New Favorite Chicken Curry Stew

I just learned this from a nanny buddy at playgroup a couple of weeks ago. As you can imagine I almost never measure anything so everything below is approximate...this is a really forgiving recipe though! If I can do it you know you can.

Olive Oil
2-3 cloves Garlic
1 Onion, chopped
3 large Carrots Chopped
3-4 Potatoes Chopped (skin on is fine)
1 can of chick peas, drained
1 -2 packages of chicken breasts or thighs (boneless) cut up in smaller peices
Curry powder, 3 tablespoons + to taste
Salt, to taste

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Heat 2+ tablespoons of olive oil in large pot
Throw in garlic, potatoes and carrots stir and let cook until potatoes and carrots start to get soft, stirring often - yummy!

In frying pan heat olive oil and cook onions until brown and tasty
Add chicken stir until cooked through

Add cooked chicken and onions to the pot with potatoes and carrots

Add curry powder - I would say maybe 3 tablespoons?

Add chick peas

Slowly add water 1/4 cup at a time to create a stewy texture and to help cook potatoes and carrots further, I'd say 1 cup but you'll have to make the call on how stewy you want it to be.

You may want to add more curry powder - its up to you. Definitely add some salt to make everything yummier.

Serve with rice.

Theo says its his favorite dinner, its mine too.

Spelt Zucchini Bread aka 1st Day of Kindergarten Bread!

from some random google searching for gluten-free banana zucchini bread, shawn and i cobbled together a recipe that makes a really yummy moist bread.

2 tablespoons butter/coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup / agave
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup mini choco chips
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 smashed banana

preheat oven to 350. grease a loaf pan.

mix dry stuff first then add wet. **add zucchini and walnuts and choco chips at the end.

bake for at least an hour closer to hour and half or until cooked obviously.

its a really good snacking/breakfast/first day of kindergarten bread!

Camping Trip #2

well people, it was a success. we did not forget the food!!! i know, amazing right?we actually ate really well!

2 large baskets of peaches were a good addition to our list, instant oatmeal instead of cereal, and Shawn's giant batch of amazing lentil soup was a fantastic meal (i will post that recipe soon...)

the pinery was gorgeous and even had yummy poutine for us at the tuck shop and the saltiest and vinegariest chips we have ever had. those were gross. but the poutine made primarily of salt was a yummy treat for me.

anyhoo we survived: it didn't pour rain and we had food to eat and made wicked campfires everynight.



**oh highly recommended is the campsite emergency phone that directs you to the camp warden office when the LOSERS right next to you party until 1 AM. had i known about this wonderful phone the night of, i would not have had to walk over and frighten them with my scary sleep deprived maniac shouting to shut the party down. i was happy to find out some one else had complained the next morning so i wasn't alone in my sleepy anger. but yeah next time i am all over that phone....beware loud loser campers.

Wheat

Looks like Eva is back to having wheat issues. We kinda got lax on the wheat thing this summer and she has yet again developed a persistant cough and red racoon eyes. So we are back on the wheat-free train. This seriously ups the challenge for me in the food department.
Also super hard if we are out for the day since it seems that everything that is sold anywhere (except french fries) is made with wheat. I will admit limiting wheat isn't such a bad thing for the family either...it's just HARD to do.

Food we can do:
Rice Pasta
Real Rye bread
Rice or Ryvita crackers
Baking our own wheat free cookies and treats

Feel free to suggest other ideas. PLEASE.

Oh Dear God These Are GOOD powerbars - UPDATE

Adapted from the Kitchen Stewardship Healthy Snacks To Go ebook. So good So easy.


You will need a strong food processor. I say this only because the first one I used broke after one batch.


Step 1: Grind 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup almonds
Step 2: Add in 1/2 cup of pitted dates and 1/2 cup of raisins
Step 3: Add approx. 1 tablespoon shredded coconut, approx. 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon coconut oil (the one that tastes like coconut - virgin)
UPDATE - Add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter and a squirt of maple syrup to make thses into desserty power bars. SO YUMMY!


I mush the finished product in some parchment paper or saran wrap, keep in the fridge (not necessary) and eat whenever hungry. 


Next I want to try an apple cinnamon version.


Oh we are going camping this weekend and are determined NOT to forget the food. Wish us luck!