From the restaurant to the home

I was recently in France, and while there was lucky enough to have some delicious seafood.

Mussels, to be more precise.

To some people who know me well this might come as somewhat of a shock.  You see, when I was younger than I am now I was not the biggest fan of seafood (my suspicion is that being raised in a landlocked province didn't help).  With time, however, I have learned that fish is delicious, and find myself cooking it at least once a week.

But anyway.....mussels.

The mussels I had in France were delicious.  They were simply steamed until they opened, and then finished with lots of herbs and butter (of course they were....we were in France).  The mussels I decided to make for myself at home, however, were a touch lighter and had a bit of Italian flair.....

Ingredients
-2 lbs fresh mussels (rinsed, beards removed)
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 cup sliced yellow onion
-1 cup sliced fennel
-1 clove minced garlic
-2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped
-pinch of red pepper flakes
-lemon zest
-1 cup dry white wine

1) In a large saucepan (that had a tight fitting lid), saute the onions and fennel in olive oil until soft (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest and cook for another 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).

2) Add wine.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add mussels.  Cover and steam until they are all open.

Serve with salad, bread, and the remaining wine.  Simple and delicious!

Five simple ingredients, one delicious sauce

Booking a hotel with a kitchen is a great way to save money while on vacation.  Unfortunately, most hotel room kitchens do not come fully stocked with all of the basics that an at-home kitchen contains...creating the potential need to re-invest in many of those basics in order to create delicious meals.  This creates a bit of a conundrum: do I spend money on seasonings to keep the food delicious, or do I save and run the risk of cooking something bland and boring?

Neither.  I have a solution to the problem!

Or rather, I should say, the French have a solution.  The answer is "beurre blanc", an emulsified butter sauce that requires a mere five ingredients:

-dry white wine
-lemon juice
-shallot (or a small onion)
-butter
-salt

(Some recipes also use cream, which helps prevent the sauce from breaking.  I might go this route if I made the sauce again at home, but while on vacation the fewer ingredients I had to buy the better!)

Bonus: This is a sauce that goes particularly well with fish, and fish is a meat that goes particularly well with white wine...meaning that the rest of the bottle won't go to waste.  Also, lemon juice is merely a suggestion...you can really use any kind of citrus (or vinegar) in it's place to change up the flavour.

To make a beurre blanc.....

1) Combine 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2-3 tbsp finely chopped shallot in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half and has a syrupy consistency.

At this point you may choose to add heavy cream in order to prevent the sauce from breaking.  If you do go that route, add 1/3 cup of heavy cream and bring the mixture back to a boil for 1 minute.  Then continue with the next step.

2) Cut 1 cup of chilled butter into tablespoon sized pieces.  Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly, and adding new pieces before the the previous ones have completely liquefied.

Don't let the mixture get too hot or else the sauce will break.  To prevent that from happening, lift the pan from the heat occasionally to cool the mixture.

3) Once all of the butter has been added your sauce should have a thick hollandaise-like consistency. Some people like to strain the sauce to remove the shallot, but I don't think that's necessary. (Plus, what kind of fancy hotel kitchen has a medium-mesh sieve?)  Season to taste with salt, and serve warm.

Like I said....delicious with fish!

The quantities given above are only a suggestion, and result in about 1 cup of sauce.  If you don't need that much simply try reducing the quantities by half.  Also, you don't have to use half white wine and half citrus juice: you could just as easily use all white wine or all citrus...it won't change the process, just the flavour of the final sauce.  Feel free to experiment and, as always, enjoy the deliciousness that you have created!!

The basics.

Fact: cooking requires ingredients.  And when you don't have those ingredients lying around it can be hard to motivate yourself to make something from scratch.  But when you do have a set of basic ingredients on hand you can open up just about any cookbook to make yourself a delicious meal.

Here is my list of pantry necessities.

As a base for all baking, flour is a must have.  It's also important for making cream sauces, as well as a number of other applications (I keep both all-purpose and whole wheat flour in my cupboard).  The other important basics for baking are sugar (both white and brown), baking powder, and baking soda.  In addition to those you should keep anything that you find you use regularly...in my case that's ground flax, quick cooking oats, cornmeal, and panko.

I also like to have dry pasta, rice, quinoa, and couscous close at hand.

Tupperware organization optional, but pretty.

The fridge is a bit trickier, since the ingredients kept in here can go bad if not used in short order.  However, there are a number of things that you will find yourself using over and over again, so it's worth stocking up on them on a regular basis.  They are, in no particular order: milk, butter, eggs, dijon mustard, ketchup (which I use as a substitute for tomato paste in most recipes), cheese (hard cheeses keep well), pesto, and your favourite salad dressing.

Seasonings are probably the thing that I have the most of, and that is purely for the sake of variety.  You don't actually need that many for most recipes, and a few basics will get you pretty far.  First, I recommend having both olive and vegetable oils on hand.  Olive oil is great for making vinaigrettes and dressing pasta, but you don't actually want to cook with too much of it at a high heat at much of the flavour is lost.  Vegetable (or canola) oil is what I prefer to use for frying and sauteeing...it has a nice neutral flavour and can handle quite a bit of heat.  You should also have some vinegar (for those vinaigrettes and other sauces)...white wine vinegar will see you through most applications.

Finally: herbs and spices.  Obviously you should have salt and pepper...beyond that it is really a question of preference.  I like to have cumin, ground coriander, and curry powder; red pepper flakes, chili powder, and paprika; basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme; as well as cinnamon and nutmeg (for dessert and assorted French recipes).

Spice racks are relatively inexpensive to buy, and the labels prevent you from adding chili powder when you should have used nutmeg.....

I also keep lemons in the fridge (for zest and juice), fresh garlic on the counter, and onions in a cool, dark, place.

Now, if that sounds like a long list of things to have in your kitchen that's because it is.  It can be intimidating to think of how many ingredients you need for cooking...but it's all a question of perspective.  Yes you would have to buy those things now...but if you do you also won't need to buy them in the future.  Then, instead of looking at a recipe and seeing a dozen things that you need to buy to cook it you can look at the recipe and only need to pick up an ingredient or two (most likely meat, produce, or dairy).

With that in mind, take a look back to one of the first recipes that I ever posted on this blog......roasted shrimp with broccoli.  If you have the spices and oils on hand you only need to buy two things...and if you're like me and keep shrimp in the freezer then there will only be one item on your shopping list.

Stock up....and get cooking!!

Something sweet

I recently found myself with a (quite ripe) pint of raspberries in the fridge.

Usually I eat raspberries quickly, so the fact that these had not already been consumed was quite the surprise.  But they were getting a little mushy, and so they needed to be used.  I was also experiencing some pretty severe writers block, so I did what any same person would do: I baked.  And, as luck would have it I was also able to get my hands on some strawberries.....

Berry crumble was on the menu.

The best thing about a crumble is that it can be made with any in-season fruit.  The second best thing about a crumble is that it's super easy to put together and requires few ingredients...and it's a nice light dessert, perfect for summer nights.

Ingredients
-about 6 cup of fruit...whatever you like.  Apples, pears, peaches, and plums work particularly well, as do berries.  I also like rhubarb, though you need to balance out it's tartness with something a little sweet.
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 cup flour
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-3/4 cup rolled oats
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ground ginger (or use fresh for more delightful ginger flavour)
-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/2 cup butter (or margarine)

Directions

1) Preheat your over to 350 degrees F.

2) Combine fruit, sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and lemon juice in a bowl; mix well.  Transfer the fruit mixture to a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

3) Combine remaining dry ingredients in another bowl.  Add butter; rub in with fingertips until the mixture holds together in small clumps.  Sprinkle over berry mixture.

4) Bake until the fruit mixture bubbles thickly and the topping is golden brown (about 1 hour).  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Delicious.  I like mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hint of maple syrup......

Keen-what?

Now that I'm back from my holiday, it's time to get back into the swing of blogging on a weekly basis.

Sometimes it can be challenging to come up with a side dish since the old standbys (potatoes, pasta, rice) are so readily available and delicious.  However, eating the same thing day after day can get a little tiresome, and so it's always good to have another side dish in one's repertoire.

Why not try quinoa?

Pronounced "keen-wah," quinoa is a delicious and nutritious South American seed.  Easy to cook, it's become possible in recent years due to it's high protein "superfood" status.  Whether or not you buy the whole superfood thing, quinoa is something that you should try.  It's easy to cook, and is good both hot (as in the recipe that I'm going to share with you) or cold (in a salad).

You should cook quinoa the same way you would rice: two cups of liquid to every cup of quinoa.  I like to cook mine using chicken or vegetable stock...it adds more flavour.  Add both the liquid and quinoa to a pot and bring to a boil; once the liquid is boiling reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (until you can see the germ...the little white bit curling around the seeds in the photo below).

The other clue that your quinoa is cooked?  All the liquid is gone!

Once the quinoa is cooked you can do any number of things with it.  One especially great option is to cool is to room temperature and mix it with veggies/dressing to make a healthy and balanced salad, but I'm going to share another great option......

1) Cook 1.5 cups quinoa in 3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock according to the directions above.  When the quinoa is finished cooking, stir in 2-3 tbsp low fat cream cheese (I like to use the herb and garlic kind for more flavour) and stir until well mixed.

2) Saute 5 cups of veggies (any kind) in olive oil and garlic.  When they are crisp tender, add them to the quinoa mixture.

Here I've chosen a combination of mushrooms, asparagus, and peas...but feel free to use whatever is either in season or in your fridge.

And, as always, enjoy!

Thinking outside the box (of KD)

Let's face it: I haven't posted in awhile.

As I alluded to the last time I posted, I've been going out for dinner a lot over the last couple of weeks.  But the other night while staying with my parents I finally found a chance to cook.  The weather was cold and stormy, which called for something warm and bubbly: macaroni and cheese.

Like any good college student, I fell in love with macaroni and cheese in the form of Kraft Dinner, the radioactive orange meal in a box that contains more preservatives than dairy products.  As I grew older, however, I started to desire something that tasted less like sodium and orange number six.

The potential problem with homemade mac and cheese is one of money: good cheese is expensive, and good cheese is what adds flavour.  So I had to find another way to make this casserole taste delicious.....

I found the answer in a recipe by the fantastic Michael Smith.  You can use whatever pasta you have in the cupboard and, better yet, whatever cheese happens to be in your fridge (or on sale).  The flavour comes from the spices added to the sauce: garlic, paprika, cayenne, and dijon mustard (Michael Smith's secret weapon).

Ingredients

-1 pound of pasta (any kind)

-1/4 cup butter

-several cloves of garlic

-2/3 cup flour

-a big splash of white wine

-5 cups milk

-1 pound cheese (any kind)

-2 tablespoons dijon mustard

-2 tablespoons paprika

-cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

Optional step 0......for more flavour, use bacon.  Chop approximately one pound of bacon and toss into a thick bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat (if you add one cup of water, you can allow the bacon to gradually release it's fat and brown evenly without burning).  Cook until the bacon is nicely cooked; remove the bacon, but reserve the fat.

(If you go with the bacon step, omit the butter and use bacon fat instead.)

1) Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain (don't rinse...the start helps the sauce stick to the pasta) and set aside.

2) Melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for several minutes.  Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms.  Continue cooking the roux for several minutes to add flavour.

3) Add the wine, and stir until the mixture becomes smooth again.  Slowly add the milk and switch to a whisk, stirring until the mixture is smooth.  Then cook a couple of minutes longer until the milk begins to thicken.

4) Stir in the cheese, dijon mustard, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese mixture.  Pour everything into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbly).

For added flavour I like to sprinkle extra parmesan cheese across the top of my mac and cheese....

Then, as always.....enjoy!!

Being restaurant smart.

This blog is mostly about cooking, but it's also a little bit about my weight loss journey.  So if you're looking for a recipe, you'll have to wait until next week.......

I've been back in Alberta for nearly two weeks now, and while I've been able to enjoy many delicious home cooked meals I've also been going out for dinner rather often.  I'm not complaining of course...I love it when other people cook for me.  However, for a girl on a "diet" going out for dinner poses two unique challenges: first, you have no control over how much butter/oil there is in your food, and second, restaurants tend toward large portions.

Consider this for comparison.

I make a rather delicious penne alfredo.  One serving is just under two cups of pasta and amounts to just over 500 calories (with 10g of fat).  This is more than enough food for me...and even when I add salad, a slice of garlic toast, and a glass of wine (which I often do) I can keep the total calorie count between 800 and 900.

At a popular Italian food chain they make a similar dish (only they use a different kind of noodle).  Their dinner portion of pasta alone contains 1220 calories (and 75g of fat!!!!!!!!!!!!!)....if you take into consideration the salad, the wine, and the basket of breadsticks it is easy to walk out of that restaurant having consumed over 1500 calories (more than 3/4 of your recommended daily allowance).

Also important: that's the entree alone.  The 1500 calories just quoted does not take into consideration additional appetizers or dessert.

When going out for dinner it's important to eat smart.  Now this doesn't mean ordering only salad or ignoring that basket of bread...I, for one, love the bread basket.  Here's the best tip that I can offer: when your entree arrives, tell yourself immediately that you will be taking half of it home.  This simple move cuts out 600 calories and brings the restaurant entree more in line with the one that you might cook at home (even though the fat content is still much higher...but that is something that you can't control).  If it helps try thinking about it this way: not eating half your entree leaves room for dessert!

Finally: don't forget to enjoy yourself while you're on your "diet".  It's okay to cheat once in awhile, as long as that "once in awhile" doesn't end up being every night.  Food is supposed to be delicious, and it's supposed to be something that you enjoy.  So order that appetizer and have the decadent entree.....just don't eat it all at once.

You'll thank me when you get to have delicious leftovers for lunch.  Which is what I'm about to do......