I got this recipe from Today's Parent magazine but I altered it to use what I had in house. The kids loved it. I was going to take a picture but there is nothing left.
Ingredients:
a package of soba noodles
1 red pepper
1 bunch of kale
1 carrot
1/4 red cabbage
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 tbsp of sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp of honey
sesame seeds
Directions:
mix the water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce and honey in a small pot and bring to a boil. remove from the heat and mix to ensure the honey has dissolved. Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add the soba noodles and boil for 3 minutes, drain. Sliver the carrot and pepper and rip the kale into small pieces. shred the cabbage. mix the vegetables, noodles and sauce in a large bowl. stir then leave. it will seem watery at first but the noodles will absorb the excess. sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Leaving 28 behind
This is the eve of my last day of being 28. Not a substantial number but I have learned a lot in these years. This year I had a few realisations that have helped my world view to expand. Some of them seem so simple but when you really think about them its amazing how small and insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Not to say that life is insignificant, life is wonderful and meaningful. But we as North Americans and possibly all humans put a lot of emphasis on things that are unimportant and seem to ignore the things that are. So here is all that life has given me this year.
1. I worked hard at changing my lifestyle and was rewarded with losing over 40lbs.
2. I found a lost sick puppy that someone had tossed in a ditch and I fought for 3 days to keep her with us on this planet. It was grueling and scary holding her little life in my hands. We named her Daisy.
3. I gave up being at home and rejoined the workforce.
4. My husband and my relationship hit rock bottom. I lost some people I thought were friends, I lost the trust of my husband, I was betrayed by people I loved and trusted, I lost my job and I don't know that we have recovered from this yet, there are a lot of changes yet to be made.
5. I started to meditate.
6. I realised one night looking at a sunset on one of the equinoxes that time marches on and has always no matter what is happening. The earth continues to change the seasons and rotate the same way it did 1 million years ago, 1 thousand years ago, 100 years ago and it will continue to do so. Our ancestors looked at the same sunsets we do and they have passed into history and so shall we and the earth will keep rotating.
7. I have found myself a very good set of eclectic friends that I love dearly and I know they love me for who I am.
8. I am living my life as myself and trying to let go of trying to please everyone. I am also trying to express myself when I am angry or hurt instead of burying it.
9. Winter is absolutely silent, more silent then any day in the summer.
10. I got a new job doing something I thought I would love. I have been afraid to take the steps to start my career, worried about what happens if I fail and then I have nothing left and have been taking minimum wage jobs instead. I left that job after I realised how ridiculous I was stressing myself out because my supervisor at the job had it out for me and harassed me.
11. My baby boy started school!
12. Every action has a reaction, its easy to see the spiderweb we are all apart of. Things we do now may have consequences later. Everyone has had something affect them in some meaningful way.
13. We are all weird in our own way and we should celebrate that!
14. I need more patience.
15. I have much to learn and I should enjoy having the knowledge come in its own time.....refer to #14.
16. I am smart and a good person......everyone needs to believe this and KNOW it.
17. I have trust issues.
18. I have been realizing that our lives are more closely tied to nature then we think.
19. I have been trying to let go of my prejudices.
20. I have finally taken the steps I needed to for my career. I applied and to my surprise had a interview for a job that would be a great learning place and start to my career. I also have seen that if I do not get this job I need to go back to school, in fact even if I get the job I still need more schooling.
21. I am in charge of making myself happy. No one else.
22. Money is a hard thing to control.
23. I choose how I raise my kids.
24. I got my first tattoo and didn't chicken out or cry.
25. I can stand up for myself.
26. I can still play soccer and golf well!
27. I have a whole lot of compassion and empathy.
28. All the love and joy my children bring me everyday!!!!!!
1. I worked hard at changing my lifestyle and was rewarded with losing over 40lbs.
2. I found a lost sick puppy that someone had tossed in a ditch and I fought for 3 days to keep her with us on this planet. It was grueling and scary holding her little life in my hands. We named her Daisy.
3. I gave up being at home and rejoined the workforce.
4. My husband and my relationship hit rock bottom. I lost some people I thought were friends, I lost the trust of my husband, I was betrayed by people I loved and trusted, I lost my job and I don't know that we have recovered from this yet, there are a lot of changes yet to be made.
5. I started to meditate.
6. I realised one night looking at a sunset on one of the equinoxes that time marches on and has always no matter what is happening. The earth continues to change the seasons and rotate the same way it did 1 million years ago, 1 thousand years ago, 100 years ago and it will continue to do so. Our ancestors looked at the same sunsets we do and they have passed into history and so shall we and the earth will keep rotating.
7. I have found myself a very good set of eclectic friends that I love dearly and I know they love me for who I am.
8. I am living my life as myself and trying to let go of trying to please everyone. I am also trying to express myself when I am angry or hurt instead of burying it.
9. Winter is absolutely silent, more silent then any day in the summer.
10. I got a new job doing something I thought I would love. I have been afraid to take the steps to start my career, worried about what happens if I fail and then I have nothing left and have been taking minimum wage jobs instead. I left that job after I realised how ridiculous I was stressing myself out because my supervisor at the job had it out for me and harassed me.
11. My baby boy started school!
12. Every action has a reaction, its easy to see the spiderweb we are all apart of. Things we do now may have consequences later. Everyone has had something affect them in some meaningful way.
13. We are all weird in our own way and we should celebrate that!
14. I need more patience.
15. I have much to learn and I should enjoy having the knowledge come in its own time.....refer to #14.
16. I am smart and a good person......everyone needs to believe this and KNOW it.
17. I have trust issues.
18. I have been realizing that our lives are more closely tied to nature then we think.
19. I have been trying to let go of my prejudices.
20. I have finally taken the steps I needed to for my career. I applied and to my surprise had a interview for a job that would be a great learning place and start to my career. I also have seen that if I do not get this job I need to go back to school, in fact even if I get the job I still need more schooling.
21. I am in charge of making myself happy. No one else.
22. Money is a hard thing to control.
23. I choose how I raise my kids.
24. I got my first tattoo and didn't chicken out or cry.
25. I can stand up for myself.
26. I can still play soccer and golf well!
27. I have a whole lot of compassion and empathy.
28. All the love and joy my children bring me everyday!!!!!!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Rabbit Stew
Ok so this one is a first for me. But my hubby loves rabbit so I figured I would give it a try.
this is the base sauteing away
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 rabbit loins
2 medium onions
3 medium carrots
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of pepper
1 tbsp salt
2 small turnips
2 pints of mushrooms- I used button because they were on sale this week but I think it would be better with a mix of different ones
3 large potatoes
fresh sage
fresh rosemary sprigs
1 box of chicken stock
Directions:
cut rabbit loin into bite sized pieces and place in bowl. pour salt on the rabbit and let sit for 30 min at room temperature. chop onions, garlic and carrots. sautee onions, garlic and carrots with the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. once onions are softened and translucent add mushrooms. sautee until mushrooms are softened. braise rabbit in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), sprinkle with flour then add rabbit to pot, de-glaze the skillet with a bit of red wine, add to pot. add stock, herbs and pepper to pot. chop turnip and potatoes and add to pot. turn heat on high and bring to a boil. once boiling lower heat and simmer for 2-3 hours or until potatoes and turnips are softened and rabbit is tender.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 rabbit loins
2 medium onions
3 medium carrots
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of pepper
1 tbsp salt
2 small turnips
2 pints of mushrooms- I used button because they were on sale this week but I think it would be better with a mix of different ones
3 large potatoes
fresh sage
fresh rosemary sprigs
1 box of chicken stock
Directions:
cut rabbit loin into bite sized pieces and place in bowl. pour salt on the rabbit and let sit for 30 min at room temperature. chop onions, garlic and carrots. sautee onions, garlic and carrots with the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. once onions are softened and translucent add mushrooms. sautee until mushrooms are softened. braise rabbit in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), sprinkle with flour then add rabbit to pot, de-glaze the skillet with a bit of red wine, add to pot. add stock, herbs and pepper to pot. chop turnip and potatoes and add to pot. turn heat on high and bring to a boil. once boiling lower heat and simmer for 2-3 hours or until potatoes and turnips are softened and rabbit is tender.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Three Bean Bake
I got this recipe from the Pulse Canada recipe booklet. I have altered it a bit and was thinking it would be a good recipe to add cooked ground chicken or canned flaked tuna to. I'm sure you can find the original recipe at http://www.pulsecanada.com/
INGREDIENTS
1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce
1 can of white kidney beans
1 can of black beans
2 medium onions
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp of molasses
2 tbsp of reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp of ground ginger
2 cups of uncooked rice
(optional pinch of chili powder)
DIRECTIONS:
preheat oven to 325 degrees F. combine baked beans, black beans and white kidney beans in a 2L casserole dish. in a large skillet saute onion, sesame oil and garlic until the onion is tender. stir in the flour then add the molasses, soy sauce, ginger and chili powder (if desired). bring to a boil and pour over beans. mix together, cover and bake for 1 hour. cook rice then combine the rice and the beans and serve
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Vegetarian Kale and Bulgar Soup
I got the idea for this soup from the blog "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" but theirs is a Turkey and Kale soup. My Grandmother is a vegetarian so I wanted to make mine something she could eat. At this time of year a nice warm soup is what I like to feed my family and this one is tasty.
Ingredients:
1 tsp of oil ( I use coconut but olive is good too)
2 yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 box of vegetable soup stock
1 cup of bulgar
1 bunch of kale
2 cans of white kidney beans
2 tbsp of lemon juice
4 carrots
1 tsp of salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tsp of fresh ground ginger
2 tsp of cumin
and I throw Parmesan rinds that I have frozen into my soups took add some extra flavor and instead of throwing them out. I pull them out before I serve it though.
To Make:
put your oil in a big soup pot and turn heat onto medium. chop onions and garlic into bite sized pieces then put in pot. Chop carrots and add to pot. Saute until the onions are soft then add full box of stock. Rip the kale leaves into bite sized pieces and put in pot. Add bulgar, beans, lemon juice and spices. Turn heat on high until simmering, stirring occasionally, then lower heat and let continue to simmer. Stir occasionally. Let simmer for 2 hours or until kale and carrots are soft.
Serves 4-5
CHANGE IT UP- have fun with this and make it with whatever you have on hand, add potatoes or winter vegetables like squash or turnip to make it heartier. Add barley or rice instead of the bulgar. Try cayenne pepper to give it a bit of heat (just a tsp is enough). Add fresh herbs like thyme or
Ingredients:
1 tsp of oil ( I use coconut but olive is good too)
2 yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 box of vegetable soup stock
1 cup of bulgar
1 bunch of kale
2 cans of white kidney beans
2 tbsp of lemon juice
4 carrots
1 tsp of salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tsp of fresh ground ginger
2 tsp of cumin
and I throw Parmesan rinds that I have frozen into my soups took add some extra flavor and instead of throwing them out. I pull them out before I serve it though.
To Make:
put your oil in a big soup pot and turn heat onto medium. chop onions and garlic into bite sized pieces then put in pot. Chop carrots and add to pot. Saute until the onions are soft then add full box of stock. Rip the kale leaves into bite sized pieces and put in pot. Add bulgar, beans, lemon juice and spices. Turn heat on high until simmering, stirring occasionally, then lower heat and let continue to simmer. Stir occasionally. Let simmer for 2 hours or until kale and carrots are soft.
Serves 4-5
CHANGE IT UP- have fun with this and make it with whatever you have on hand, add potatoes or winter vegetables like squash or turnip to make it heartier. Add barley or rice instead of the bulgar. Try cayenne pepper to give it a bit of heat (just a tsp is enough). Add fresh herbs like thyme or
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Potato Leek Soup
I love a nice thick soup once the weather turns cold. This is one of the dishes we serve when we go and get our Christmas tree which is just around the corner now. The flower market where I work just got their Christmas Greens in so the whole place smells of cedar, pine and eucalyptus. I make a huge batch because everyone loves it and I divide it up so you can half it for a smaller batch.
6 leeks
4 lg onions
4 lg garlic cloves
oil for sauteing about two tbsp of olive oil
4 lg potatoes
2 cartons of vegetable stock
2 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp sesame oil
250 mls cream (optional, leave it out if you want this to be vegan)
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 tsp of chipotle powder
chop leeks (I dont use the really green tops of the leeks, they are a bit stringy and I save them to make my own veg stock) and rinse them in a bowl of cool water, strain the leeks and let dry. chop onions and garlic. saute onions, garlic and leeks in your soup pot with the oil until soft. chop potatoes into bite sized chunks, add to pot. add stock and rosemary to pot, make sure the stock covers the potatoes and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20-25 min or until potatoes are soft. remove from heat and set aside. cook the rice (following the directions on the bag). add the sesame oil to the soup pot and puree. add the cooked rice and puree. let sit and cool then put in fridge for 12-24 hours. reheat on stove adding the cream (if you are going for non-vegan) and the chipotle and puree.
Perfect! Enjoy!!
6 leeks
4 lg onions
4 lg garlic cloves
oil for sauteing about two tbsp of olive oil
4 lg potatoes
2 cartons of vegetable stock
2 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp sesame oil
250 mls cream (optional, leave it out if you want this to be vegan)
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 tsp of chipotle powder
chop leeks (I dont use the really green tops of the leeks, they are a bit stringy and I save them to make my own veg stock) and rinse them in a bowl of cool water, strain the leeks and let dry. chop onions and garlic. saute onions, garlic and leeks in your soup pot with the oil until soft. chop potatoes into bite sized chunks, add to pot. add stock and rosemary to pot, make sure the stock covers the potatoes and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20-25 min or until potatoes are soft. remove from heat and set aside. cook the rice (following the directions on the bag). add the sesame oil to the soup pot and puree. add the cooked rice and puree. let sit and cool then put in fridge for 12-24 hours. reheat on stove adding the cream (if you are going for non-vegan) and the chipotle and puree.
Perfect! Enjoy!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Puffballs!
Look at these beautiful puffball mushrooms the family and I found! The hubby, the kids and I went out on a nature hike today through our neighbors trails. We looked at the stream that cuts through the limestone rock to form waterfalls and had races with sticks down the stream. The weather was beautiful and not too cold. We stopped along the trail to pick up some acorns when the hubby noticed these beauties just off the trail. We harvested them and brought them home along with free run eggs from our neighbors chickens. We also got those as fresh as can be as we grabbed them fresh from the coop. I love the flavors of these eggs since the chickens are allowed to roam all through the woods during the day. I am so excited to cut into the mushrooms! We already have many plans for them including mushroom soup and sauteing them in butter. The smaller one weighed 4lbs and the larger one weighed slightly over 10lbs! I can't wait to enjoy these beautiful mushrooms.
***please note NEVER consume mushrooms found in the wild without absolutely confirming that they are safe!
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