summer living at it's best

Ooooh, I'm pretty excited! I should have my camera back tommorrow, so it will be back to all the photographic food porn you know & love. Did I really promise technicolour cupcakes? Hmmmmm.

The sun has come back and the weather is all nice and warm and it's just the perfect time to relax in a hammock tied between two shade trees and an icy bottle of beer in hand. Unfortunately for me, the hammock and shade trees remains a dream but the bottle of beer is chilling as we speak. Oh the blight of urban living! The good news is that there is a beautiful park outside my front door and picnic season is here (at least for the moment!)

Tonight's dinner was settled in a flash. We had some fresh sole filets that were just waiting to be used and because the weather is so nice, I figured that some fish tacos would be just the ticket. Plus, they'd be sweet with a couple of icy cold beers. Sho' nuff. These babies were yummers!

fish tacos with garlic-cumin yogurt sauce
2 white fish filets (I used sole)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1 t chipotle powder
1 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1 T oil

1 small container of fat free plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T cumin

flour or corn tortillas

1 large juicy tomato, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/4 head cabbage or lettuce, shredded
1 lime cut into quarters

1. Cut the fish into managable strips. Mix the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, chipotle powder, chili powder and salt together. Dip fish into egg and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

2. Heat oil in a large cast iron pan and when hot, add the breaded fish. Turn fish over when golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

3. Prepare sauce by mixing the crushed garlic, yogurt and cumin together.

4. Heat tortillas over a gas flame until softened and slightly charred. Assemble tacos with the fish, cabbage, tomatoes, avocado and drizzle with the garlic sauce & squeeze a bit of lime juice over top.

potatoes aren't very photogenic

There has been a distinct shift in the weather. The clouds and grey skies have rolled in leaving cooler temperature in its wake. It's disappointing, but I'll manage. I spent the long weekend redesigning my portfolio and then coding it into xhtml. Cornelius and I also launched our web design business website. Not the best way to spend a long weekend, but sometimes stuff just needs to get done. Today I will have to pick up my lcd screen for my camera at the post office and then trek it over to VanCam to get it replaced. Soon, photos will be back on this blog, I promise!!

You might be getting sick of all my salad postings of late, but I can't seem to help it. Something about quick and easy seems to spell salads for me at the moment and I'm not going to fight it. Plus, I might as save all the really pretty recipes for the moment I get my camera back! Frosted and decorated technicolour cupcakes dressed to the nines in photographic glory, I promise!

The other day I had made some european weiners for dinner and this potato salad turned out to be the perfect accompaniment. Instead of the traditional, artery-clogging potato salad of the past, this is a lighter and brighter tasting salad using a small bit of yoghurt for that traditional creaminess. So good!

I should note that I did make this a few days ago and while I'm pretty certain of the ingredients used, I'm just guessing at the amounts. I think this is correct, but you should taste before you serve and make any necessary adjustments!

light n' creamy potato salad
4 large potatos, left whole with skin on
2 eggs, hardboiled
1/2 c chopped dill pickles
2 T plain yogurt
juice of half a lemon
a drop of honey
2 T dijon mustard (I used a very mild dill mustard, so I used about 3 T)
2 T olive oil
1 t dried dill
salt & pepper

1. In a large pot, boil water and add the 4 potatos. Cover. When almost done, add the 2 eggs into the water. Remove eggs after about 4-5 minutes (they must be hard boiled) and dice. Drain potatoes and dice them into 1 inch cubes or so.

2. In a large bowl, add the diced potatoes, eggs and pickles and lightly mix.

3. To prepare the dressing, mix the yogurt, honey, lemon juice, mustard, oil, dill and salt and pepper until thick.

4. Pour dressing over salad and mix lightly to combine.

The salad can be eaten at room temperature or cold.

i like it hot in here

The weather has been HOTT and I'm not complaining. I like an early summer which means only good things like popsicles, bbqs and hanging out at the beach. Last night I had a friend over and I didn't want to turn on the oven or do anything that would increase the already HOTT temperature in my kitchen, so I made a meal out of 2 dips and a very hearty salad. As my friend Kristen can attest, the meal was flavourful and delicious and can definitely stand up to repeat makings in the HOTT summer weather.

simple hummous
Dip number one was my simple hummous recipe, which is simply a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas dumped into a blender along side 3 plump cloves of garlic, 3 heaping T of tahini, 2 T cumin, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a few large drops of hot sauce, juice of 1 lemon, salt & pepper, 1-2 T water and 1-2 T olive oil. Blend. If it's too thick, add a bit more water. Done!

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Dip number two, was the very delicious white bean dip posted by poco-cocoa. I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I used less oil and more garlic. Beyond tasty!!

white bean dip
2 T plus 2 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt, plus more to taste
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 T fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
4 garlic cloves

In a blender, combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add in the olive oil until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

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The salad I conjoured up was a bit unusual since I never use pearl barley except in soups. Here, it's the main grain and works nicely. Colourful, a bit different and so good.

white, red & green barley salad
6 c water
1 2/3 c. pearl barley
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, choppped fine
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1/2 c raisins

Dressing:
1 lemon, juiced plus grated rind
3 T olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 T cumin
1 t dried dill

1. Boil water in a large pot and add barley. Turn down heat and cover until barley is tender about 45 minutes. Drain and rinse barley until water runs clear. Barley should still be warm to help absorb the dressing.

2. Add barley to large bowl and add red pepper, red onion, apple, raisins.

3. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients together until thickened. Add to salad and mix well.

Serve at room temperature or chill until ready to eat.

my lazy sunday

The weekends are typically times to relax, get stuff done and enjoy life a little more. This weekend was no exception. Every year around this time, there is a huge 30 block garage sale that I go to every year and this time I managed to find some pretty sweet scores. I bought a pretty 1950's teal n' green floral tablecloth for $3, a great pack for 3 day hikes in the woods for $5 and a complete speedball screenprinting kit for $3! But somehow in the kafuffle of thrifting and biking around for groceries, I managed to break the screen on my camera, so this will be a no-picture post.

On Saturday night, I met up with the EMB (Electric Moon Banana) crew at a nearby park at 11pm sharp for a full moon bike ride around the city and although I cut home early in the ride, I still didn't make it to bed until 3am. Sunday was rough and tiring, so I needed something bright and simple to make the day move along a little faster. A brown rice curry salad and some grilled chicken fit the bill. This would make a great picnic meal.

This is a great way to prepare chicken and you can use the meat to add to salads, natchos, burritos, etc. and this chicken is even tasty cold.

lemon & garlic grilled chicken
4 chicken bone-in parts (I used thighs)
1 lemon, juiced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T ground cumin
2 T chili powder
salt & pepper

1. Wash chicken peices in cold water and remove skin and visible fat. Place chicken in ziplock bag with lemon juice and spices. Refrigerate for 2 - 4 hours.

2. Spray cast iron grill pan with a light coating of oil and heat on high. Add chicken, presenation side down. Turn when chicken is slightly blackened, about 15 minutes or so. Repeat on the other side for another 15 minutes.

3. Cover the pan with foil and place in a 400 degree oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

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This salad tastes great the day it's made....but it's almost better the next day as the flavours get real tight! If you've got some chopped almonds, I think they'd be a lovely addition to this flavourful salad.

brown rice curry salad
2 c brown rice, uncooked
4 T curry paste (I use Patak's "korma" paste)
1 T ground cumin
1 t sesame oil
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/3 c major grey or mango chutney
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 c raisins
1 granny smith apple, diced
1 bunch of parsley, chopped fine

1. Cook rice according to package directions. When all the water is absorbed, pour rice into a large bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil with the curry paste until well mixed and add the onion. Cook until translucent. Add the cumin and sesame oil and mix well. Turn off heat and add the chutney, stirring until everything is combined. Add mixture to rice, mixing well. If you want more curry taste, cook up some more oil and curry and add it to the mix.

3. Add in all the finely chopped vegetables and the raisins and blend everything well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.

4. Stir in chopped apple and parsley and stir the salad once again to combine. Serve.

everybody likes cupcakes

My cold is nearing the two week mark and I'm so not thrilled at its take on longevity. Ugh. I did manage to have a lovely birthday and thank you all for your well-wishes!! Cornelius did make me a cake -- a very yummy (and very edible) chocolate and coconut cake which we proceed to gobble up with a side of coffee ice cream. Yummers. The day was spent riding our bikes to Granville Island with a picnic that included some delicious organic strawberries, my favorite oka cheese, a sourdough bagette and some delicious nitrate-free farmer's sausage from Oyama. Cornelius even accompanied me to my bowling tournament, where my good friend Kristen made me some vegan chocolate and vanilla frosted cupcakes and the beer did not stop flowing. Despite my cold, I managed to bowl well above my pitiful average and score 180 in my 2nd game. Whoooo! I can't wait until next month when my friend Dan and I will co-chair the birthday activities with a bar & bike tour. I will definitely have a tupperware container filled with Guinness cupcakes for sure and continue the birthday vibes all summer long!

Although I didn't make the cupcakes Kristen brought to bowling, I did give her the recipe a few years ago and it's been her favorite ever since. A few years ago, i directed/shot/starred in a short student film featuring this very secret cupcake recipe. Yes, just me, some lights, some cheap set dec, my camera and me cooking -- all at the same time. I present the video here (note: you may be asked to download a codec in order to view the video) for your streaming pleasure or I'll just pass along the recipe below.

vegan chocolate cupcakes (aka 6 Minute Chocolate Cake aka Wacky Cake)
*from Moosewood Cooks at Home

1-1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c brewed coffee
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 T vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure and mix the oil, water (or coffee), and vanilla. Slowly and gently pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl and mix the batter with a fork or a small whisk.

4. When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls (and some bubbling) in the batter where the baking soda and vinegar are reacting. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter (the color becomes more consistent throughout).

5. Pour batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes--testing with a toothpick. Remove to a cooling rack and make a frosting of your choice.

bad planning

On Monday, it will be my birthday and I like to make a fuss about such things. Last year I had a lovely picnic in the park outside our apartment with all my friends and I made chocolate vegan cupcakes (pictured to the left) and a beautiful baked alaska. This year, all birthday planning fell apart because I simply forgot that it was my birthday (I know, the horror!) and I ran out of time to get some fabulous party or get-together organized. Also, on Monday, Cornelius will be busy launching a huge web project that he's spent the past couple of months working on and I have a bowling tournament in the evening. Another wrench in my plans is that many of my friends are out of town vacationing or having babies - obviously, they didn't take my birthday into consideration when planning out their lives! I do have plans for a bar and bike party (with the wonderful idea stolen from The Messy Cucina!) in June as a co-birthday party celebration with my friend, Dan....but that's in June. What's going to happen this month?

While I have no plans yet for some kind of birthday revelry or beer bash blow out (ha!), I do have a few ideas on what kind of cake I'd like. I've been doing a bit of blog-hopping and I've settled on a few contenders, tho the cake on the cover of the Martha Stewart Baking book, sure looks tempting too! So many ideas, so little time.

• The Strawberry Shortbread Tart found at From the Pantry looks so lovely!

• The alluring combination of brown butter & rhubarb at Orangette.

• How can one go wrong with my favorite chocolate/coconut combo at Chocolate & Zucchini.

• My love of beer and chocolate is combined into a delicious cake at Kitchen on Clarendon.

I usually end up making my own birthday cakes since Cornelius is pretty hapless in the kitchen. One year he did try making me a birthday cake but it ended up horribly and he doesn't like to talk about it. Maybe this year we can make a cake together. Or, I can sit and watch him (a fruity drink in my hand) and guide him through to birthday cake bliss!

sicko

There was a time when I got sick constantly. It probably didn't help matters that I lived with a roommate who had a disease that left her immune system weak and was always having colds & sniffles or that we lived in a damp basement suite or even that I was living a rock n' roll lifestyle. No really! I was working days at a record store and I played bass in a power-pop-punk band at night. Being sick was just something I dealt with every few months. But when I moved out on my own and got a career and finally started living my life with just a sprinkling how adults are supposed to live, then the sickness stopped. Now, I can proudly boast that I get sick once every two years which I think is a pretty nice record.

Unfortunately, that 2 year window closed on me a couple of days ago. On Monday I went to bed with a sore throat and a bit of random coughing. The next 2 days were worse with aches and pains that left me with just enough stamina to hit the forward button whenever the theme song or credits would play on Season Four of the Gilmore Girls DVD. I was hurtin'. Needless to say there was not much cooking being done in this household. The only real treat I could muster up was my morning breakfast smoothie. Really, there are no hard to find ingredients or complex instructions in this one. Which surprises me as to why there are smoothie blends found in grocery store freezer sections. Are people really struggling with the concept of a smoothie? Fruit + Yogurt + Juice + Spinning Blades = Smoothie. It's not a complex equation. Here's my top secret "recipe":

pretty in pink smoothie
frozen strawberries*
orange juice
vanilla yogurt

1. Take a handful of frozen strawberries and put them into a blender. If you are lucky, you will have a beautiful actual vintage model beehive style Osterizer found at Value Village for $4.

2. Add a few generous spoonfulls of yogurt overtop the strawberries. I use a delicious organic vanilla yogurt from Vancouver Island that is so tasty that it actually converted me to liking yogurt in the first place.

3. Then, pour some orange juice over everything and hit blend. You may need to add more orange juice if everything churns to a crawl.

Pour into a fun glass and drink with a straw (or not).

* If I make this for Cornelius, I add a frozen banana too. I hate bananas, so I don't add it in mine.