Top 5 Winter Cooking Gadgets

Top 5 Winter Cooking Gadgets

As temperatures drop in the Northern Hemisphere, cooking styles start to change, influenced by the colder temperatures and shorter days.  Makes for some amazing, hearty meals and body warming soups…bring on the kitchen gadgets and gizmos …. winter cooking is here!

1.  Crock pot – I don’t know why it took me so long to add a crock pot to my kitchen armory, but I finally added one a few winters ago, and have never looked back!  In fact, my one crock pot became two and ultimately three.  My largest crock pot gets center stage on my kitchen counter all winter and is a regular feature on the dinner planner.  Perfect for soups, stews and decadent winter dishes….it allows me to prep in the morning and let it simmer away all day.  Love coming home to the wonderful smells of home made cooking goodness – warms the house and the soul.  The medium crock pot makes awesome rice pudding – nice and thick after a day out in the cold!  Then there is the mini – perfect for warm dips and Christmas parties.  This little guy doesn’t come out as often at my house, but I am sure I could find more uses if I tried!

2.  Immersion blender – this one goes hand in hand with the crock pot when making creamy soups.  I couldn’t resist but get the cordless – it moves from counter to stove top/crock pot to sink without the hassle of dealing with cords and plugs.  No muss, no fuss.  Also great for smoothies and shakes – this little blender gets used year round in my kitchen, and has even been known to travel with me.  I bought the Cuisinart Cordless rechargeable hand blender which also came with a handy mini-chopper – love the 2 in 1 versitility for quick food prep on a cold winter night!

3.  Cast iron skillet – another versatile kitchen tool, my cast iron pans have become the go-to choice for my stove top.  Like the crock pot, I have them in 3 handy sizes.  This dependable cookware is a must in todays kitchen.  The cast iron skillet conducts heat beautifully, goes from stovetop to oven with no problem and has a number of healthy benefits.  Benefits such as the ability to use less oil, avoid leaching chemicals (potential aluminum and teflon risks) and fortifying your food with iron (they say cooking acidic food like tomato sauce in your cast iron skillet can increase iron content by as much as 20 times!).

4.  Toaster oven – I have had mine for yours and don’t know what I would do without it!  We have all been there – you are heating up leftovers for one and don’t need to heat up the entire oven for your single serve.  It takes a fraction of the time to heat things up and personally, I find reheated left overs taste so much better in the toaster oven than the microwave.  Throw a little grated cheese onto the leftover veggies and you have a delicious dish ready to satisfy!  I don’t think my kitchen would be complete without it.

5.  Dutch oven – much like the crock pot, the ability to slow cook amazing stews and soups is a must over the winter cooking season.  The versatility to go from the stovetop to the oven with one dish is tough to beat.  I also love my trusty dutch oven for cooking perfect, fluffy rice every time.  Something about that heavy lid – doesn’t let any of the steam out.  I find the rice is perfect every time.  I lucked out and got a brilliant KitchenAid on special as they can run a little pricey!

What about you – what tops out your list of Top 5 kitchen gadgets and tools for winter?

Back to Reality

Back to life….back to reality!

I can hardly wait – it has been close to 3 months since the last time I cooked.  Sure, there were cooking classes in San Sebastian and a veggie stir fry on the Camino de Santiago….but it has been mostly restaurants and pilgrim menus as I hiked my way across Spain on the Camino de Santiago!

While it will be back to reality for me, I can hardly wait to hit the kitchen…so many new Basque recipes to try(I took a cooking class at San Sebastian Food – it was amazing!) and with my favourite cooking season still here (I love stews, soups and other fall friendly dishes)….there will be plenty of cooking to share!  I am thoroughly inspired and eager to hit the kitchen.

If you want to see more from the European adventures, check out my travel blog: Travel Destination Bucket List for tales from Croatia, the Camino de Santiago, Italy and France!  Food and wine related posts can be found in the Food Series.  Still trying to keep up – I am still posting from all these adventures and will make sure to share some of the amazing food stories here on Nutritionally Yours!

I can still hardly believe, that after walking 800K across Northern Spain on the Camino, that I managed to gain weight!  It must have something to do with Restaurant Week in San Sebastian and all that amazing flavour!

Bon appétit!

Sometimes you need a little green!

Sometimes, while traveling, I find it can be difficult to get enough vegetables. Since when are French fries a veggie anyway!!!

I have been walking the Camino de Santiago, and lately find myself craving green. Green and fresh to be exact. At times, I just wanted to dive right into the field…

Summer Veggies

Summer veggies on the Q….who could ask for anything more!

Well – perhaps the grill master!

Happy grilling.

Culinary Delights in Mallorca in pictures

For a number of years now, I have been traveling to Mallorca for 2 weeks of cycling in the spring.  We cycle well over 1,000 kms in that time and love every minute of it.  While we often eat dinner at our rented apartment, lunch out is always a priority.  Beware: some of these photos may have you developing a sudden urge to travel to Mallorca!

For more information, visit the TravelDestinationBucketList – Cycling in Mallorca – great lunch stops to fuel your ride.

Stunning roasted vegetarian salads….

Sangria!

by the jug….

Your table is waiting…

Would you like some wine with your lunch?

And don’t forget dessert…..ice cream sundaes in Soller!  Pure decadence.

Did someone say something about Iberian Ham being a specialty?  Grocery shopping at the Carrefour.

The flavours of Mallorca are incredible….enhanced only by the amazing locations in which to experience them!

Pizza Weekend

Who says pizza can’t be healthy??  This weekend is all about relaxation.  I have sipped wine by the fire reading a book, enjoyed a walk in the sunshine, and had some fun in the kitchen.  Homemade pizza – it’s the way to go!

I don’t know where the dough recipe first came from – I have been using it for years.  The only modification – I sub in about a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour – I have yet to have much luck with adding more and keeping a perfect crust.

Pizza Dough

• 3 cups flour (I usually do 1/2 cup whole wheat, 2 1/2 cups all purpose)
• 1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) dry active yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Mix all dry ingredients together, then add
• 1 cup warm water with 2 tbsp vegetable oil.

Knead together until you have a nice consistency in your dough.  Makes enough for 2 pizzas.  I usually wrap half the dough in saran and throw in the fridge for the next day.

When ready, spread the dough on a large pizza pan, top as desired and bake at 375 F for 20 – 25 minutes.

The beauty of pizza – dress as you like.  Today, I ran out of red peppers (they all went on yesterdays pizza!!!), so I added broccoli to the mix.  Some thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet vidalia onions, sliced honey ham and crumbled goats cheese to round out the toppings and voila – a delish pizza on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Secret ingredients 

#1  Balsamic Vinegar – reduce to make a thicker sauce and drizzle – adds a little extra zing and loads of flavour

#2  Rocket/Arugula – so good for you in so many ways, also adding a fresh flavour and nutritious goodness!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.  It’s pizza time!

Valentine’s Pavlova

For the foodie romantic….Lucy Waverman’s cookbook “A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen” has a delightful Valentine’s menu.

Do you prefer to stay at home, share a romantic candlelit dinner for two without the crowded restaurant scene?  There are so many options – a personal chef experience, take out by candle light or surprising your someone special with a romantic dinner at home!

Lucy’s Menu for Valentine’s is spectacular.  She starts with Spanish Shrimp, gently sauteed in garlic, wine, tomatoes and cheese (what’s not to love), followed by a melt in your mouth roasted ribeye, spinach gratin, mashed potatoes and finishes it off with the romantic, heart shaped pavlova.  Words do not describe how decadent the combination of tart lemon curd, shaved white chocolate and colour exploding red pomegranate seeds can dance on your lips – the perfect finish to a romantic Valentine’s dinner.

Sadly, I don’t have a picture of my own just yet – this photo has been borrowed from the Globe and Mail until I make my own for tomorrow!

Pavlova with Lemon Curd, White Chocolate Shavings and Pomegranate Seeds

3 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup lemon curd (buy from a gourmet shop, or try yourself – recipe link here)

1 cup shaved white chocolate

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (dried cranberries or fresh raspberries will do in a pinch)

1.  Preheat oven to 275 F.  Draw a heart template, approx 7 inches in diameter, on a piece of parchment paper.  Place ink side down on a baking sheet.

2.  Beat egg whites in a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed for 4 – 5 minutes, adding sugar gradually until very thick and glossy.  The meringue should look like thick shaving cream.

3.  Beat in vinegar and cornstarch until just incorporated.

4.  Spread meringue on parchment paper inside the heart outline.  Bake for 1 hour, or until pale gold and crisp on the outside.

5.  Turn off oven and leave meringue for 30 minutes.

6.  Whip cream in bowl, fold in lemon curd.  Spread evenly over meringue.  (Meringue top will most likely shatter – that is ok!)

7.  Top with shaved chocolate and pomegranate seeds.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Lightly Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup

Anne Lindsay’s cookbooks are fantastic – and the lightly curried carrot and ginger soup is no exception!  Comforting on a cold day or after a morning of skiing – the flavours of this soup always hit the spot.

So – what if dairy is not your friend?  Her recipe calls for 2 cups of milk (or a combo of milk, yogurt and coconut milk).  Decided to experiment a little – substituting 1 cup of almond milk for the dairy products.  The almond milk maintained that creamy texture and only added to the flavour of a soup already loaded with taste!

Lightly Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced gingerroot (I grated it with the micro planer)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 each: curry powder, salt and pepper
• 4 cups thickly sliced peeled carrots (approx 1 1/2 lbs or 750 g)
• 3 cups stock – vegetable or chicken
• 2 cups milk (or 1/3 milk/yogurt/coconut milk)  substituted 1 cup almond milk (sugar free)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• Note: I also added 1/4 cup red lentils – thicken it up and for no other reason than, I could!

1.  In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic, onion, ginger, coriander, cumin, curry powder, salt and pepper; stirring occasionally for about 5 mins or until onion is softened.

2.  Stir in carrots.  Pour in stock; bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered.  Approx 30 mins, or until carrots are soft.

3.  In batches, puree mixture in blender or food processor.  (I prefer my hand held blender – stick it right in the pot – works a charm!)  Whisk in milk (or substitutes); reheat just until hot.  Add salt and pepper to taste (optional).

4.  Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with cilantro and enjoy!

Makes approx 6 – 1 cup servings.

Anne Lindsay gives a nutritional breakdown based on her original recipe.  For those who are interested:

Per serving (1 cup):

calories:  108, protein 4 g, total fat 4 g (sat fat 1 g, cholesterol 6 mg), carbohydrate 15 g, dietary fiber 2 g, sodium 504 mg.

Even with the milk product, she suggests this soup can be frozen – although it is so tasty, and even better the next day…..good luck having enough to freeze!

Hope you enjoy the curried carrot and gineger soup!  Bon appetit!

You know your dish was a hit when…

Every January I do a post Christmas finger food party.  There are generally 40ish people who come and we always have a ball!  The craziness of Christmas behind us, it is a great time to catch up, have a few drinks and a laugh!  This year, it almost didn’t happen – too much going on at work with a business trip the days leading up to the weekend.

While I prefer all my food to be made the day of, and as fresh as possible, the one dish that has consistently been a hit, thankfully, is often made a few days in advance.  It is the simplest thing to make, freezes well and rarely do I ever get any leftovers!  What can this wonderful dish be???  The simple meatball!  Taken from an old Canadian Living magazine of all places!  Tried, tested and true….if you don’t believe me….check out the before and after:

Before:

Freezer Meatballs – Makes approx 150 little gems!

4 eggs
4 small onions, grated
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt (I only used approx 1/4 salt – I never use enough!)
1 tsp pepper
4 lbs (2kg) lean ground beef
(recipe suggests you can also use chicken, lamb or pork – I have only used beef)

1. In bowl, beat eggs, mix in onions, crumbs, worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Mix in beef.  Mix well.
3. Shape by level tbsp (I used a melon baller – and they were smaller than a tbsp)
4. Place on foil lined cookie sheet – bake at 450F for 10 minutes.

I used a delicious Honey Garlic BBQ sauce to serve.  They were a hit!

After:

Always a hit – and ever so easy!!!  I had 3 requests for my meatball recipe – and the crazy thing is, it is the simplest thing I served!!!

Guest post: blogging for health, goal setting and bucketlists

First posted on January 7, 2012 by Anita Mac on TravelDestinationBucketList

Melanie Bowen, author of the following article, recently contacted me to share her thoughts on blogging for health.  She is a contributor to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog, and I was happy to collaborate with her on getting out the message on goal setting, dreams and aspirations.  Creating a bucket list is one of many valuable ways to set goals and dream large.  Be inspired.  Set goals – without a destination in life, how do you know what journey you are on?

Blogging for Health, by Melanie Bowen

Learning to deal with a diagnosis that involves a disease such as mesothelioma or evendiabetes places a damper on an individual’s quality of like. The patient is not the only person affected by such a diagnosis–the patient’s family and friends are also affected.  It doesn’t have to be so grim! Lets shed some light on how to turn life challenges into positivity and self-encouragement. So while it is perfectly natural to experience an array of emotions, such as anger, doubt, fear and denial, your prognosis is better if you can maintain a generally happy quality of life.

One way to improve the quality of your life during and after illness is to catalog your emotions. Cataloging your emotions is beneficial to your health because it allows you a completely honest outlet to let your emotions out freely, without worry that you are being judged. Of course, you can talk to your friends and family, but some patients feel the need to gloss over certain aspects of their disease to keep their loved ones from worrying and this is not beneficial to your health.

Write for you! Write for Others. Share motivation and motivate yourself!

When you are experiencing an emotion caused by your illness it is better for your quality of life to deal with that emotion by exploring it and letting it out, in a personal journal or a blog.

Journaling and blogging are not for everyone, which is why there are other ways to catalog your hopes, dreams and goals throughout your illness. One way to do this is to create a list of things you want to do, see, and experience during treatment and also on your path to healing. Anytime you are feeling down, depressed or in need of a pick-me-up or motivation during your treatment, going over your list is a great way to motivate yourself into feeling better, which improves the quality of your life. Start small and work your way up. Finish the book you started. Exercise at home or even make that dish you always wanted to try. The little things definitely pave the way to your larger desires. Motivate yourself!

In addition to helping yourself by cataloging your experiences with cancer, you may help others if you make your words available to the public. Studies show that those who blog about their experiences are more socially supported than those that do not, even if the show of emotional support is from completely anonymous strangers on the internet When a person going through treatment has emotional support, their outlook is better.  Motivation and inspiration is all around us—tap into it!

Writing down your hopes, dreams and goals will make you feel better during your illness and improve your quality of life after, because it reminds you that tomorrow is not a guarantee and that the things on your list should be done now, rather than put off even longer.