Monday, April 28, 2008
Drift in & out...
Today was a day for friends, old & new alike. After what was a fantastic weekend with the one I love-we had cupcakes, brunch, laughter, and waterfront time complete with ducks and skittles! What more could I ask for? Yes, he got brownie points big time for being Mr. Wonderful.
I woke up today to clouds and eventual rain, I love the rain. It's like an old friend who I cherish and enjoy everytime they show, I know it depresses people, but I was always a water baby and that will never change!
I give thanks for all of the laughter and joy I have been able to be a part of, although things may be difficult and stressful, I have time with those I love which lifts me up.
There are so many feelings I run through in a day, I feel exhausted when night falls. When we are children, feeling is so basic, automatic and quite small. As we age we are inundated with waves of emotion, responses to multiple life situations, judgements to make, experiences to gain, things and people to lose or come closer to, dissapointments, triumphs and even the need for quiet, distance, contemplation of more feelings. I don't recall anyone ever preparing us for all of this. It's amazing how society and all of us in it are expected to function at an optimal level, when most of us don't know the rules, let alone have a guidebook. I am not speaking of spirituality, I am referring to the physical nature of being, the ins & outs of day to day that seem so mundane but can be so baffling.
I find myself questioning so much, backtracking, searching for a better way to approach, be connected, disconnect, be genuine, beyond coping and making it through. I want to overstand how others can grasp life with such tremendous knowing, confidence, belief, surity.
I want to get it to the point where I can implement it and roll.
I only remember three places I ever felt that strength, in the pool when I used to be an athlete, in the kitchen, and the third, well, it's not for here but it's one of the strongest days I have ever known.
I keep repeating Khalil Gibran: When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
As he so eloquently put it, I would very much like,
"To melt and be like a running brook that sings it's melody into the night."
Somedays I wear this fleshy cage better than others it would seem. It sounds so strange, I know, but I understand it and oddly enough, I feel that God does too.
I woke up today to clouds and eventual rain, I love the rain. It's like an old friend who I cherish and enjoy everytime they show, I know it depresses people, but I was always a water baby and that will never change!
I give thanks for all of the laughter and joy I have been able to be a part of, although things may be difficult and stressful, I have time with those I love which lifts me up.
There are so many feelings I run through in a day, I feel exhausted when night falls. When we are children, feeling is so basic, automatic and quite small. As we age we are inundated with waves of emotion, responses to multiple life situations, judgements to make, experiences to gain, things and people to lose or come closer to, dissapointments, triumphs and even the need for quiet, distance, contemplation of more feelings. I don't recall anyone ever preparing us for all of this. It's amazing how society and all of us in it are expected to function at an optimal level, when most of us don't know the rules, let alone have a guidebook. I am not speaking of spirituality, I am referring to the physical nature of being, the ins & outs of day to day that seem so mundane but can be so baffling.
I find myself questioning so much, backtracking, searching for a better way to approach, be connected, disconnect, be genuine, beyond coping and making it through. I want to overstand how others can grasp life with such tremendous knowing, confidence, belief, surity.
I want to get it to the point where I can implement it and roll.
I only remember three places I ever felt that strength, in the pool when I used to be an athlete, in the kitchen, and the third, well, it's not for here but it's one of the strongest days I have ever known.
I keep repeating Khalil Gibran: When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
As he so eloquently put it, I would very much like,
"To melt and be like a running brook that sings it's melody into the night."
Somedays I wear this fleshy cage better than others it would seem. It sounds so strange, I know, but I understand it and oddly enough, I feel that God does too.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Our actions have a cause & effect pattern that is global.
I feel it is important to discuss issues that are happening on our planet. It would be irresponsible to be writing about food, indulgences and the privilige of three+ squares a day, while ignoring the ever growing global food shortages. We have reached a crisis that touches so many places and people, Palestine, Africa, Afghanistan, China, Haiti, Phillipines, just to name a few. Our way of life, the lack of equilibrium in the way we consume, has been one of the top contributing factors leading to these shortages of food. This isn't about digging into our pockets to send financial aid to others, it's about our refusal to learn from our mistakes, our constant nagging and whining for more, the egotistical belief that we are intitled at all times, that there is a never-ending supply of everything, always. This isn't an issue about food, this is an issue about society and social inequalities, the ones that Durkheim, Weber, W.E.B. Dubois, Jane Addams, spoke of, warned of.
Obesity is on the rise in the U.S. & Canada, our population is looking more and more like the overweight images posted here, which impacts our health negatively and places a tremendous strain on our health care systems. Preventable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, cancer,stroke have reached epedemic proportions, in the 1940's the #1 killer was pneumonia, today, the #1 killer in North America is heart disease.
We are a society that has a tremendous void, we pursue trappings to fill this insatiable appetite and when that doesn't work, we turn to food. For comfort, to satiate boredom, eleviate stress, cope with all manner of upset, or to "reward" those we love.
Do we even recall what the reason is for consuming food? It's fuel, we need food for survival & survival is not the same as comfort.
We put all manner of trash in our bodies and think nothing of it but would be horrified if we were to put inferior quality fuel into our cars-how is this logical?
Our inability to be responsible, mature adults, social conditioning, constant mixed messages from the media and rushed lifestyle makes us believe we are to be excused.
I eat local and organic as much as I can afford, I choose to eat smaller portions, keeping fast food down to a bare minimum, cook more whole foods and without shame pass off vegetarian dishes to those I love who believe it's meat til the last bite. I try to steer clear of toxic packaging, recycle and reuse whenever possible, bring my own bags, and am making an effort to learn and implement a method of composting, I also frown on litter bugs and push those around me to pick up their tossed crap. This does not make me a better person, there is so much more I should be doing and I am not writing this blog to give others negative feelings. This is about awareness, spreading information in hopes that someone out there will read this and make better choices because they are armed with knowledge.
The time of being thoughtless consumers is over and done, this is a call to act, we are all being effected by what is happening and this planet can no longer sustain our irresponsible and lazy natures.
Choose to make a difference, choose to question and learn, but most importantly, choose to care about those in the pictures, they will easily be you and I if we don' do something NOW!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Potato Pizza
This recipe is from the chowhound site, I thought it was brilliant. Gluten-free crusts can get to be a bit dense and heavy so this seemed like a nice alternative, I'll post it as it was listed:
Perfect Potato Pizza
"The classic recipe for potato pizza in Italy is quite simple: potato, rosemary, olive oil, and salt," says vvvindaloo. To make it, lightly toss paper-thin slices of potato in olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, with an optional tiny bit of either pepperoncini or black pepper. Bake on high until the top and edges are brown.
Other Chowhounds go nontraditional and add some cheese: Gruyère and raclette are favorites. Crushed garlic and caramelized onions are also additions that several hounds recommend. Some also precook their potatoes before adding them to the pizza to ensure they cook through. This
allows you to make more toppings-heavy pies too. Agent Orange makes a pizza with pesto, roasted potato rounds, roasted garlic, and a few small dollops of chèvre cheese.
I have yet to taste it but when I am in the pizza mood, which is not often, I will let you all know!
Perfect Potato Pizza
"The classic recipe for potato pizza in Italy is quite simple: potato, rosemary, olive oil, and salt," says vvvindaloo. To make it, lightly toss paper-thin slices of potato in olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, with an optional tiny bit of either pepperoncini or black pepper. Bake on high until the top and edges are brown.
Other Chowhounds go nontraditional and add some cheese: Gruyère and raclette are favorites. Crushed garlic and caramelized onions are also additions that several hounds recommend. Some also precook their potatoes before adding them to the pizza to ensure they cook through. This
allows you to make more toppings-heavy pies too. Agent Orange makes a pizza with pesto, roasted potato rounds, roasted garlic, and a few small dollops of chèvre cheese.
I have yet to taste it but when I am in the pizza mood, which is not often, I will let you all know!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Yummie crisped smashed potatoes with rosemary.
So I thought I should at least put up one of my happiest comfort food recipes, although in the warmer months I have a tendency to move away from pots but on the weekend with brunch or for the men in my life with a steak it really can't be beat. I do em' with fish cuz red meat doesn't like my belly.
Chef tip:Always read a recipe all the way through before starting to cook so you know what to expect and to be sure you have the ingredients and equipment you need!
Recipe: Smashed Pots with Rosemary Difficulty-Easy!
Ingredients:
1lb small potatoes (I find the baby purple ones work best but the red ones are good too & a bit
sweet-do not use the white fingerling, they fall apart)
3 + Tablespoons good organic olive oil (regular is fine too)
4 + pats of organic butter (this depends on you, feel free to use less or more)
2 cloves of garlic minced fine
1 medium onion chopped fine
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary chopped
a good pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Chef tip:Remember,when using salt it's better to use less and allow people to add as much as they like at the table because you can add but you can't take away.
Method:
-boil the potatoes until a fork inserts easily (do not make them mushy potatoes, you are not
mashing them!)
-remove them from the water and allow them to cool, they can be refrigerated or put in an ice bath(what it is: cold water and ice cubes in a bowl used to quickly reduce temperature of hot item) just be sure there is no water on them when you're ready to fry them up. Water and oil don't mix!
-place the potatoes on a flat surface like a cutting board and using the heel of your palm smoosh the pots until they are a flat disk with some of their guts flattened out, don't make them too flat or they will crumble apart on you when you cook them, you want them to hold their shape.
-in a cast iron skillet place 1 Tablespoon of olive oil with a pat of butter in a hot pan, allow butter to melt and just start to sizzle. (medium to high heat-not maximum)
-add onions and cook til a beautiful golden brown, really let the naturally occuring sugars in the onions caramalize so they look and taste wonderful.
- lower the temperature to medium heat and add the garlic and cook briefly til nice and fragrant,
be sure not to burn it or else you will have a bitter taste to your food, garlic should never be black! About 1-2 minutes max depending how much heat your pan has held.
-reserve(what it is:taking the item just prepared and putting it aside in a different container for later use) this mixture in a bowl big enough to toss all your potatoes in once they're all cooked.
-in the same pan add remaining oil and a butter pat, heat til sizzling then add potatoes, brown on both sides til you can see they are crisped and golden (you can add a little blob of butter here and there to prevent them burning). Place them in bowl with the reserved onion garlic mixture.
-when all your potatoes are cooked(you may need to use more oil and butter depending on your pan size) and in the bowl with the onion mix sprinkle in the rosemary, a pinch of good quality sea salt(I prefer the grey sticky one), and season with fresh ground black pepper to taste. Toss to mix gently and briefly-be loving to your food people.
Serve hot as a side, you can add a dallop of sour cream that has some fresh chive snipped into it.
Bonne appetit!
Chef tip:Always read a recipe all the way through before starting to cook so you know what to expect and to be sure you have the ingredients and equipment you need!
Recipe: Smashed Pots with Rosemary Difficulty-Easy!
Ingredients:
1lb small potatoes (I find the baby purple ones work best but the red ones are good too & a bit
sweet-do not use the white fingerling, they fall apart)
3 + Tablespoons good organic olive oil (regular is fine too)
4 + pats of organic butter (this depends on you, feel free to use less or more)
2 cloves of garlic minced fine
1 medium onion chopped fine
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary chopped
a good pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Chef tip:Remember,when using salt it's better to use less and allow people to add as much as they like at the table because you can add but you can't take away.
Method:
-boil the potatoes until a fork inserts easily (do not make them mushy potatoes, you are not
mashing them!)
-remove them from the water and allow them to cool, they can be refrigerated or put in an ice bath(what it is: cold water and ice cubes in a bowl used to quickly reduce temperature of hot item) just be sure there is no water on them when you're ready to fry them up. Water and oil don't mix!
-place the potatoes on a flat surface like a cutting board and using the heel of your palm smoosh the pots until they are a flat disk with some of their guts flattened out, don't make them too flat or they will crumble apart on you when you cook them, you want them to hold their shape.
-in a cast iron skillet place 1 Tablespoon of olive oil with a pat of butter in a hot pan, allow butter to melt and just start to sizzle. (medium to high heat-not maximum)
-add onions and cook til a beautiful golden brown, really let the naturally occuring sugars in the onions caramalize so they look and taste wonderful.
- lower the temperature to medium heat and add the garlic and cook briefly til nice and fragrant,
be sure not to burn it or else you will have a bitter taste to your food, garlic should never be black! About 1-2 minutes max depending how much heat your pan has held.
-reserve(what it is:taking the item just prepared and putting it aside in a different container for later use) this mixture in a bowl big enough to toss all your potatoes in once they're all cooked.
-in the same pan add remaining oil and a butter pat, heat til sizzling then add potatoes, brown on both sides til you can see they are crisped and golden (you can add a little blob of butter here and there to prevent them burning). Place them in bowl with the reserved onion garlic mixture.
-when all your potatoes are cooked(you may need to use more oil and butter depending on your pan size) and in the bowl with the onion mix sprinkle in the rosemary, a pinch of good quality sea salt(I prefer the grey sticky one), and season with fresh ground black pepper to taste. Toss to mix gently and briefly-be loving to your food people.
Serve hot as a side, you can add a dallop of sour cream that has some fresh chive snipped into it.
Bonne appetit!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Yoga and Spring
What a gorgeous day!
Decided to power walk down to the waterfront and do my yoga by the rapids, it was so beautiful.
I feel so alive and thankful when I can have moments like that in my life, that's really when I feel God the most. When there's no inner struggle and I am just being, right here, in the now.
Breathe just breathe.
I have been offered to cater a new gig coming up in two weeks, the dilema being, do I give them regular goodies or do I launch my gluten-free which they won't know is that anyways? I am leaning towards the latter of the two, it's better for me,for them and it's keeping in line with my business goals. I know, I know, the answer was already there, it's just that the cost is higher and that's what is bringing up feelings of hesitancy. The best solution is to discuss with the person who made the request, it's someone I know so it won't be a problem. Decided.
Well, off to class to learn all about flow charts and the economics of running a business-God help me like math more please.
Enjoy the day.
Decided to power walk down to the waterfront and do my yoga by the rapids, it was so beautiful.
I feel so alive and thankful when I can have moments like that in my life, that's really when I feel God the most. When there's no inner struggle and I am just being, right here, in the now.
Breathe just breathe.
I have been offered to cater a new gig coming up in two weeks, the dilema being, do I give them regular goodies or do I launch my gluten-free which they won't know is that anyways? I am leaning towards the latter of the two, it's better for me,for them and it's keeping in line with my business goals. I know, I know, the answer was already there, it's just that the cost is higher and that's what is bringing up feelings of hesitancy. The best solution is to discuss with the person who made the request, it's someone I know so it won't be a problem. Decided.
Well, off to class to learn all about flow charts and the economics of running a business-God help me like math more please.
Enjoy the day.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
No matter what
Turns out I won't be able to post any pics of the last cupcakes as there are none left to snap...my apologies but it's a good thing cuz that means they were a hit!
It seems people just don't grasp the gluten-free thing easily. I'm taking this program for female entrepreneurs and we are always being given great ideas to help us start up our businesses but none of them can be applied to what I am trying to accomplish. I can not have cross contamination what-so-ever or my products could endanger people's lives, it seems that those with good intentions just sort of push that very important detail to the side when exploring options. I am a little bit down, I think it's also where I am living right now, what's happening with my shoulder,my family,work, there's just this huge cloud of "in transit" hanging over my life. I don't mind change but I realize my lack of patience has me being one of those who think the change should be a big bang followed by immediate results so we can move onto the next phase. Life just has a pace and I have the attention span of a 5 year old,(ok I'm being generous,maybe 2) I feel this incredible urge to move forwards and never look back but I keep checking-just in case. Lol!
My Kabbalah meditation this week is "No matter what"
This is the actual quote from the Kabbalah centre site:
So here is the battle plan for the week: don't fight yourself, fight the adversary within. Do this by repeating, NO MATTER WHAT!
OK.......
So, I say here and now, No matter what:
-I will make this business goal a reality
-I will work everyday at improving my morale and self-esteem
-I will dedicate myself to embracing change (no matter the pace;P)
-I will focus on that which gives me the greatest strength,support,peace and well-being.
My creator, my dreams & true expression of my being, my son, my friends, life's multitude of opportunities.
No matter what I will fortify my soul!
Now, you will all have to excuse me as I must get out there and grab the day.
Smile :D
It seems people just don't grasp the gluten-free thing easily. I'm taking this program for female entrepreneurs and we are always being given great ideas to help us start up our businesses but none of them can be applied to what I am trying to accomplish. I can not have cross contamination what-so-ever or my products could endanger people's lives, it seems that those with good intentions just sort of push that very important detail to the side when exploring options. I am a little bit down, I think it's also where I am living right now, what's happening with my shoulder,my family,work, there's just this huge cloud of "in transit" hanging over my life. I don't mind change but I realize my lack of patience has me being one of those who think the change should be a big bang followed by immediate results so we can move onto the next phase. Life just has a pace and I have the attention span of a 5 year old,(ok I'm being generous,maybe 2) I feel this incredible urge to move forwards and never look back but I keep checking-just in case. Lol!
My Kabbalah meditation this week is "No matter what"
This is the actual quote from the Kabbalah centre site:
So here is the battle plan for the week: don't fight yourself, fight the adversary within. Do this by repeating, NO MATTER WHAT!
OK.......
So, I say here and now, No matter what:
-I will make this business goal a reality
-I will work everyday at improving my morale and self-esteem
-I will dedicate myself to embracing change (no matter the pace;P)
-I will focus on that which gives me the greatest strength,support,peace and well-being.
My creator, my dreams & true expression of my being, my son, my friends, life's multitude of opportunities.
No matter what I will fortify my soul!
Now, you will all have to excuse me as I must get out there and grab the day.
Smile :D
Monday, April 21, 2008
New Flavour!
Last night I worked on a new flavour, Strawberry and vanilla bean cupcake marbled with dark chocolate with a jasmine and strawberry chocolate ganache.
I think I am getting the hang of gluten-free flours for cupcakes, had a bit of a scare when I lost some of the volume of my eggs but it all came out beautiful in the end. Everyone loved the strawberry pieces in the cupcakes and the frosting was rich and smooth,I decided to reheat it and add a bit more icing sugar and vegan margarine to tone down some of the acidity. I preferred the strawberry cupcakes I made on the side without the marble but that's because I have never been a marble cake kinda lady. My son scarffed down three and my roomie ate one-liked the cupcake but didn't like the frosting because he doesn't like softer frostings-they can't all be buttercream my friend but to each his own. I didn't enjoy this success too much because my shoulder was really hurting by the end of the night due to this case of tendonitis that's flared up in my shoulder. I know I am supposed to be resting it but that's all I've been doing since last Wednesday, that's really good for someone like me who suffers from ants in da pants syndrome.
I will try to put up a pic if there's any left by the time my camera recharges.
I think I am getting the hang of gluten-free flours for cupcakes, had a bit of a scare when I lost some of the volume of my eggs but it all came out beautiful in the end. Everyone loved the strawberry pieces in the cupcakes and the frosting was rich and smooth,I decided to reheat it and add a bit more icing sugar and vegan margarine to tone down some of the acidity. I preferred the strawberry cupcakes I made on the side without the marble but that's because I have never been a marble cake kinda lady. My son scarffed down three and my roomie ate one-liked the cupcake but didn't like the frosting because he doesn't like softer frostings-they can't all be buttercream my friend but to each his own. I didn't enjoy this success too much because my shoulder was really hurting by the end of the night due to this case of tendonitis that's flared up in my shoulder. I know I am supposed to be resting it but that's all I've been doing since last Wednesday, that's really good for someone like me who suffers from ants in da pants syndrome.
I will try to put up a pic if there's any left by the time my camera recharges.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Cupcake dilemas
I have thrown myself into the cupcake fray, I know this trend is extremely hot these days. I loved these little jems so much when I was a kid but it always seemed like we hardly ever had them, I think my mom preferred to make a whole cake. Now I am on a quest for gluten-free cupcake domination!
I will be honest the first four tries have left me more than a little dissapointed, yes, I will admit it, I was discouraged.
All that has changed!
I have been able to get a consistency that is so amazingly light and fluffy that I have fooled gluten eaters!Whoohoo!!!!!
Unfortunately I can't post the recipe right now because I am still tweaking and planning on using it for my own little place in the near future. Sorry.
I am working on frostings today though and I am amazed at what freshness can do with regard to ingredients. I purchased some El Peto powdered sugar(GF of course) a while back at Loblaws and I couldn't believe how hard and crumbly the texture of my icing was. I swore off the products permanently, however, yesterday I was forced to buy it at my local grocer when they had run out of the usual brand. The El Peto line is new for them so I knew freshness was guaranteed! Low & behold a beautiful frosting,smooth and superb spreading consistency!
Lesson 1-If at first you don't suceed, go back to the ingredients before giving up.
Lesson 2-When one place carries crappy, old ingredients, go somewhere else.
Lesson 3-Chocolate,whipped cream and sugar are always good friends who LOVE hangin out together!
I will now attempt to infuse my cream with teas for a unique ganache I shall unleash on unsuspecting tongues!
I will be honest the first four tries have left me more than a little dissapointed, yes, I will admit it, I was discouraged.
All that has changed!
I have been able to get a consistency that is so amazingly light and fluffy that I have fooled gluten eaters!Whoohoo!!!!!
Unfortunately I can't post the recipe right now because I am still tweaking and planning on using it for my own little place in the near future. Sorry.
I am working on frostings today though and I am amazed at what freshness can do with regard to ingredients. I purchased some El Peto powdered sugar(GF of course) a while back at Loblaws and I couldn't believe how hard and crumbly the texture of my icing was. I swore off the products permanently, however, yesterday I was forced to buy it at my local grocer when they had run out of the usual brand. The El Peto line is new for them so I knew freshness was guaranteed! Low & behold a beautiful frosting,smooth and superb spreading consistency!
Lesson 1-If at first you don't suceed, go back to the ingredients before giving up.
Lesson 2-When one place carries crappy, old ingredients, go somewhere else.
Lesson 3-Chocolate,whipped cream and sugar are always good friends who LOVE hangin out together!
I will now attempt to infuse my cream with teas for a unique ganache I shall unleash on unsuspecting tongues!
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