Looking for a simple way to trim your budget? Start with Breakfast & Lunch!

We can often easily underestimate the cumulative amount of money that we spend on a daily basis for take- out. When craving that bagel with egg and cheese for breakfast we might not blink at the $4.00 price tag. For lunch, whether we choose a healthy salad or a burger combo it rarely cost less than $7.00 with tax. Add it all together for 5 days a week and your tab can easily total over $2800.00 for a year. With a little preparation, bringing your own food from home can almost cut that amount in half. Here are a few of my brownbag favorites to help stay on budget and keep you from falling into the PB&J rut.

• For breakfasts buy yourself a bag of bagels or a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, jam, or your favorite toast topping and store it at the office. If your workplace has a fridge & microwave, also consider purchasing a carton of eggs that can easily be beaten and nuked for a minute with a low-fat cheese slice for a more substantial morning protein kick.
• For snacks, buy yourself an assortment of fruit that can be kept in a bowl at your desk. Buy a couple of boxes of healthy granola bars or low fat microwave popcorn when they go on sale to satisfy your salty/sweet cravings. Or try a handful of almonds to munch on for your afternoon energy lulls.
• For lunches, try making an extra portion at dinner time to pack in a microwave safe container. Now that winter is upon us it is a perfect time to break out your crock pot and make large batches of chili, soups, and stews that can be easily frozen in individual portions.
• If you love sandwiches, try mixing it up with a variety of wraps, pitas, and whole grain breads. Choose healthy filling options such as tuna, lean meats, eggs, or cheese. To keep your bread from getting mushy, pack a baggie of extras like sprouts, lettuces, tomatoes, cucumber, or onions to be added before eating.
• Not a star in the kitchen? Frozen entrees, and canned soups can often cost considerably less than what you would spend for take out, and often have choices that are lower in fat and sodium.

LEMONS: FLAVOR, CLEAN, AND DECORATE ALL FOR UNDER A BUCK.

My kitchen drawers are filled with gizmos, many of which are seldom touched since they serve only one obvious purpose: garlic peeler, milk frother, and sushi rolling mat to name just a few. I also have single-purpose cleaners designated specifically for the bathroom, my kitchen sink, and my hardwood floors.

When I find something that can not only flavor my favorite dishes, but decorate my house, and clean my kitchen and bathroom all for less than a buck, I get excited! Here are some of my favorite and lesser-known uses for the lemon, the fruit that more often than not is seen only as a drink garnish.

- Decorate on the cheap by piling a bowl with lemons to add a prosperous looking touch to any counter or table.

- Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle it with baking soda. Clean your counters, sink, stovetop, and copper pots with this abrasive, antibacterial cleaner.

- Lemon juice mixed with vinegar is an effective cleaning solution for any surface including counters, glass, and tile.

- Liberal amounts of juice as well as the rind added to hot boozy tea help relieve a sore throat.

-Refresh your cutting boards with a squeeze of juice. Odors like garlic and onion disappear after being rubbed all over with a half lemon.

- Clean your microwave without scrubbing or chemicals by nuking a bowl filled with the juice of a lemon and a cup of water for about 5-10 minutes. The steam will loosen all the dirt which can then be easily wiped away.

- Soften and exfoliate your hands, feet, and elbows by mixing lemon pulp with sugar (brown or white) or sea salt and scrubbing. Follow up with a good moisturizer.

- Add lemon juice to any cut fruit (apples, pears, avocados) to help prevent browning.

Like an ideal roommate, lemons bake, cook, garnish and clean your life without trashing your budget or the environment. Check back in October for further ways to stretch your dollar and enhance your lifestyle.

Bloom Cafe - What an unexpected treat!

There is something magical that seems to happen as hot water is poured over a small wound ball of grass-like material. Right before my eyes a tiny miniature garden emerges suspended in the lightly colored water. Wonderful floral aromas greet me as I sip from the hand crafted Japanese cup. Unobtrusive and friendly service makes me feel relaxed and comfortable. This was definitely worth the trip outside of my little corner of the world.

Tea not your thing? Bloom also has an extensive list of regular or iced lattes and coffees as well as freshly squeezed juices. Or try a delicious fruit smoothie such as the Blueberry Hill, an icy combination of fresh blueberries, banana and soy milk. For something a little more potent, Bloom is also LLBO licensed and offers a selection of beer, martinis and wine by the glass.

The best food feature is without a doubt their lunch offerings where for $5.99 you can choose any combination of 2 plump red rice triangle packages called onigiri with soup or salad. Want to be adventurous? Try the Umeboshii (Japanese pickled plum) or the spicy tuna fillings. Two not enough? Extras can be purchased at a deal for only $2 each. Other menu items are an eclectic and healthy combination of vegetarian/vegan/gluten free/Asian inspired dishes priced under $11. Want to indulge? There is also an assortment of deserts made by Phipps Bakery in Toronto. Two bite rice treats called mochi ring in at only $1.50 for 2 and will end a meal on a not too sweet note.

Depending on the time of day, the crowd ranges from singles reading or working while they nosh, to couples and small to large groups of chatting friends. The café is small with only six tables and two booths and although often busy it never feels cramped and retains a relaxed friendly air reminiscent of small community cafes. Free Wi-Fi is a bonus offered to customers.

The tasty onigiri, novel teas, and a cool relaxed environment make this small café a great and affordable venue for a casual first lunch date, relaxed afternoon break with a friend, or an affordable and healthy evening bite (they are open until 11:00pm 6 days a week). And although service can be a little slow at times, it is worth the wait as you can enjoy leisurely conversations while never feeling rushed to leave.

Address: 45 Baldwin Street

Phone: 416-850-4200

Hours: Mon-Friday 10am-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm.

Wheelchair Access: No (second storey walk-up)
Website: http://www.bloomtea.ca/

mmmmm crispy oven baked chicken wings

I know that it has been ages since I have blogged, but to be honest I have had a lot of other stuff on my mind and plate. I was shocked and thrilled to see that even though I haven't been actively blogging that my site has had almost 12,000 hits in my absense. That is crazy! So thank you to all of my readers for visiting me. Where was I during this period of absenteeism? Well, I spent a couple of months with no internet up at the cottage, soaking up some sun, enjoying the beauty of the lake, and, of course, the glory of my BBQ. I also read through a whack of really good food writing novels which I will be sharing at a later date. I came back to the city a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to readjust to the noise and speed of the city, as well as using my oven once again. I have also been checking out a few new dining digs, and am excited by some of my finds. I thought that I would kick off this cooler fall season with a recipe that qualifies as comfort food for me - crispy, yummy baked chicken wings. Delish!

Throughout the years I have been experimenting with various ways to prepare wings, both baked and fried, and I think that I have now found a new favorite. The reason why I like it so much is that it is on the healthier side, and although a bit more labour intensive than just banging them in the oven, they seem to produce wonderful crispy results. Credit goes to Alton Brown who introduced me to the steaming technique.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs chicken wing pieces - I like both the drumstick and the wingettes. To save money I buy the whole wings and take kitchen sheers to the joints and separate them. I don't use the very end tips for this preparation. I instead collect and store them in the freezer ready for when I make chicken stock.


• About half a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce


• 1 tbs melted butter


• A couple of shakes of tobasco (or more depending on your tastes)


• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Steam the chicken wings for 10 minutes. This can be accomplished by putting a metal collander over a pot of boiling water if you don't have a commercial steamer. Turn the wings half way through.

Pat the wings dry and place them uncovered for about an hour on a baking rack on a baking pan in the fridge. Line the baking pan with paper towel to catch any juices that might leak out. Do not omit this step - It is the key to the crispy wings.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the wings from the fridge. Replace the paper towel with parchment paper. Shake on the salt & pepper and place them on the middle oven rack.

Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the wings. Bake another 20 minutes until nicely browned.

In a bowl large enough to season all the wings, combine the 1 tbs melted butter, your favorite bbq sauce and the tobasco. Toss the wings in the sauce and serve. Yum!

Kids, eating, and health

My brother in law and his 7 year old grandson Scotty came for a visit this weekend from another province. Knowing that the weekend was planned full of activities I ensured that the fridge was packed full of healthy foods, including snacks that could be easily grabbed and eaten, as well as 100% fruit juices. I even baked a couple of loaves of my favorite healthy breads for breakfast and sandwiches.

Scotty was full of energy and probably the least picky child that I have ever met. He joyously ate whatever was put in front of him including eggplant, zucchini, peppers, avocado, hummus, carrots, olives, chickpeas, and every kind of luncheon meat. This impressed me since I have encountered so many picky children who would rather say no as a rule before ever considering trying any new food. What amazed me the most about Scotty though was not just his openness to trying new foods, but the volume in which he consumed them. Scotty could not only match my brother in law bite for bite at the dinner table, but he also continuously snacked on handfuls of veggies, fruits, and grab ‘n go foods like crackers, nuts, popcorn, granola bars etc. There is no question in my mind that little Scotty was more active than all of us combined, since he didn’t stop moving for a second except to sleep the whole weekend. But what amazed me was the sheer caloric volume that seems to be needed for a growing boy to thrive.

Being fairly ignorant in the area of childhood nutrition I referred to various sites on the web to get the scoop on what the experts were saying and to get some tips for myself for when my time comes. It would seem that the advice is applicable not only to children but to ourselves as well. Here's the best of what I found:

• Children’s appetites are an indicator of what their bodies need and this should be respected (even if it is more than what you may eat). If a child is eating well-balanced meals in sufficient amounts as well as healthy snacks, yet is still hungry all the time, make sure you supply a variety of healthy alternatives to nibble as needed.


• Sometimes hunger can be confused for thirst and dehydration. Have your child drink a glass of water first and then check to see if the hunger is still present.


• A hungry child will often appear cranky, restless, and uncomfortable.


• Children should be put on a regular schedule of snacking and eating meals so that they are hungry at predictable times.


• Children who are active in sports or always on the go need more calories than a sedentary child. So on busier, more active days, let your child eat when he says he's hungry. Offer an extra snack, and make sure you have him choose from a selection of nutritious food rather than processed snacks.


• Avoid eating close to mealtime. A child who nibbles throughout the day simply won't be hungry when lunch or dinner rolls around. So try to limit snacking in the hour or two before a meal.


• Focus on healthy snacking. Since snacks likely make up a major part of your child's intake, make sure that you offer nutritious snack choices. Use the food pyramid as your guide and offer plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products.


• Talk to your child about the importance of eating healthy foods and learning the difference between a healthy and non-healthy snack. Then model what you teach!


• Involve your child in meal and snack preparation as well as menu planning to build healthy lifelong skills and habits.


• Sit down at the table for meals. This benefits your child both socially and developmentally. It gives you time to talk about your day, and it lets you set a good example by eating healthy food. So even if your child says he's not hungry, invite him to join you at the table. Don't harp on what he is or isn't eating; just enjoy being together as a family.


• If you notice that your child seems to be snacking out of boredom, engage him in an activity that doesn't center around food. Using food as a pacifier can lead to long-term problems with food.


• Ensure that your child has regular medical check ups. Ensure that the hunger is not due to medical reasons such as worms.

I can only hope that when I have kids that they are as good eaters as Scotty was. Cooking for anyone who enjoys what you make for them is a pleasure. But there is something fulfilling and neat about watching a child happy munch on grilled eggplant and zucchini that you have prepared and ask for seconds. Gee, I must be a pretty good cook after all!

Information sources: http://www.healthychild.org/ , http://www.en.allexperts.com/, http://www.raisingkids.co/, http://www.kidsandnutrition.co.uk/, http://www.babycenter.com/ , http://www.whattoexpect.com/

Photo source: http://www.growingkids.co.uk/

Moroccan inspired veggie pie (vegan).

My friend Jim pleased me with the news that he was coming to town this week to visit friends and run some errands. Loving to entertain, and wanting to catch up on what's going on in his life, I invited him to dinner. As I mentioned in a previous blog, Jim is pretty much vegan and doesn’t eat refined foods or sugar. I found that when he was up at the cottage that I not only ate really well, but I was also inspired to invent and cook meals that I hadn’t had before. So here is a new recipe that I created in his honour. I was inspired by Susan Jackson’s vegan recipe for spinach and artichoke pie and the yummy looking picture that she posted. I wanted to move more toward middle eastern flavors for this recipe so here is my version. I made the filling the night before and kept it in the refrigerator until the next day to make assembly easier. It may look a little labour intensive up front but I guarantee you it is very worth it. For those who are "veggie resistant", or think that your spouse/partner won't eat something that is entirely made from vegetables, I challenge you to try this recipe. It really does have a hearty mouth feel and there is no one predominant vegetable that shines through. Not to mention that your palate might be pleasantly surprised by the unusual flavour notes of cinnamon and cumin :)

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbs olive oil for sautéing vegetables

3-4 small potatoes cubed into 1 inch cubes
½ butternut squash cubed into 1 inch cubes
1 pepper diced (red, yellow, or orange)
3 large bunches of spinach
2 onions diced
2-3 Tbs kalamata olives diced
1 large handful of cilantro washed and diced
1 jar of artichoke hearts drained rinsed and cubed
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
¾ cup of tomato sauce
1-2 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbs almond butter
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like your food)
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
13 sheets of phyllo dough thawed
Approximately 2 TBS of olive oil for brushing phyllo dough

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash the spinach several times, changing the water in between. Drain lightly and place into a large saucepan (I used my wok). Heat on high until wilted. Drain and squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Set aside in a large bowl.

Sauté the onions, potatoes, butternut squash, garlic, and peppers in the olive oil until the potatoes and squash are tender. Dump into the bowl with the spinach. Add in the chickpeas, tomato sauce, olives, almond butter, cilantro, and herbs and spices. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add in a bit more cayenne if you like it spicier, a bit more salt if it seems a touch bland. Set aside.

Line a shallow baking pan (circular or square) with some parchment paper. Lay two sheets of phyllo on the parchment and brush lightly with olive oil. Take two more sheets of phyllo and place then perpendicular to the other sheets. Brush with olive oil. Continue in this pattern with the remaining sheets two at a time until twelve of the sheets have been used.

Heap the spinach veggie mixture into the centre of the sheets. Take the single phyllo sheet that is left and fold in two. Place in the centre of the heaped mixture and brush with olive oil. This will ensure that your “package” will be sealed at the top. Now fold up each of the corners and sides of the other phyllo sheets essentially forming a circular package around the filling. Believe it or not, the less perfect that you do this the more attractive the package in the end. Brush all exposed surfaces lightly with olive oil.

Place on the center oven rack and bake in a preheated oven at 375 for approximately 45 minutes until lightly browned all over. Serve in slices with fluffy cous cous and a wedge of lemon.

Summer time means BBQ time!

I love summer for many reasons. I am very fortunate to have a terrific cottage north of the city to which I can escape the fog and noise pollution of the city. I spend my time reading, napping, gardening, burning stuff, and of course barbequing.

One of the recipes that is most requested by all of my guests is my beer can chicken. It is not only gives you chicken that is so moist that you won’t believe it, but it also is one of the few items that you can put on the barbeque and just leave alone. Over the years I have simplified the recipe greatly and no one has noticed any difference in taste, so I am sharing with you my simplified recipe.

Here's what you need:

- 1 medium size chicken
- A couple of tablespoons of your favorite rub that may include any combination of the following: salt, paprika (smoked, regular, or hot), garlic powder, onion salt, seasoning salt, poultry seasoning, lemon pepper, regular pepper, mixed grilling spices, steak seasoning etc. Note: All spices and herbs should be finely ground – Do not use loose herbs or they will burn.
- 1 can of whatever beer you have on hand.

__________________________________________________________

Instructions:

The morning that you plan to BBQ, take the chicken and cover it inside out with the spices. It may look like it is going on a little thickly – Don’t worry – It all works out. Return the chicken to the fridge until you are ready to put it on the BBQ. Short on time? No worries. The recipe still works even if the chicken doesn't marinade in the fridge with the spices.

One hour and fifteen minutes before you plan to eat, turn on the BBQ to high on all burners. You now have fifteen minutes to get the chicken ready. Take the seasoned chicken from the fridge and impale it on an open can of your favorite beer. Place it on a pie plate upright. Take a small amount of foil and cover the ends of the chicken legs that are resting on the pie plate – This helps them not to burn. Take another piece of foil and stuff it in the neck of the chicken to stop the steam from coming up through the neck. The ball of foil that you use will depend on the cavity. Take any extra skin around the neck and cover the foil.

Turn all of the BBQ burners down to low and place the chicken on the pie plate on the front part of the grill with the back facing toward the front of the BBQ. Rotate the chicken after it has been on for a half hour. Be careful when closing the BBQ lid as the chicken might fall over.

Chicken will be cooked at one hour. Resist the urge to keep opening the BBQ door several times during the cooking as it will only slow down the cooking time.

Oh and here are a couple of lessons learned by my sister:

1) Place the chicken toward the very front of the grill. It helps the chicken not to burn.

2) Do not use pie plates with holes in them. As you can see the chicken on the left is almost perfectly cooked except the breast is a little too dark as a result of the pie plate being placed at the back of the grill as opposed to the front. You will notice that the chicken on the right however is so char grilled and looks like it is trying to escape from the BBQ as a result of the chicken fat dripping through the holes and igniting on the grill setting the poor bird aflame!

In terms of serving, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to "carving" a chicken. I have found that the best way to disassemble the bird is with kitchen shears. Simply cut at each joint and pile the pieces happily on a serving platter. No fuss, no muss. Happy grilling!