HEART health EAT to LIVE light

Let's fill our hearts with healthy goodness so that our reunion...

with anything sweet will be realized with a little less guilt.

 

In support of our...
Healthy Heart awareness month...

here's my loving dedication.

Self-esteem kitchen issues...
seem to run high within my circle.
You know who you are :-)

I'm here to tell you to get over yourselves and invite me over at the very least for a sandwich by your countertop ;o))

I promise to eat and appreciate every morsel ;o) 
I'm not that intimidating...am I???

As for everyone else, you must be wondering why...

I'm bringing this up and not a fancy...
Valentine meal or dessert?

A little patience...it's coming in next weeks' post.

For today, this will be a message to my surrounding friends and family that have some of these pesky kitchen dilemmas.



I do consider myself being blessed with silver fingers in baking and the golden thumb in cooking.  
The latter is not something I particularly struggle with.
Due to a very fortunate star set upon me...cooking seems to come quite naturally.

Baking is my therapy...

however, due to the sometimes precise complexities...

I have experienced more than my share of a few failures in my lifetime.

 

Just this past Sunday...

I had ‘Sushi’s granDOGparents over...
for a pre-Valentine Brunch.

After all...
they're leaving for an extended vacation where this may be their last good meal for a while. LOL

The table was set and waiting for a brunch feast to be served.

Most of the meal went well except for the tiny mishap with the poached eggs ;o(

I will be bringing this up in another post for sure.

By this time, most of the meal had proceeded reasonably well until...

I had decided to show Mom how I make a last minute dessert...on the spot no less.

Big mistake!

I had a doozer of an embarrassing experience with some...

Molten Chocolate light cakes.

The height and soft interiors were nowhere to be found.

All these mini-cakes had going for them was...

a pretty decent presentation and good quality chocolate.

To think that I had made this same recipe twice before with fabulous results.

Later in the evening, I realized what two things went very wrong due to distraction.

I'll surely bring up this other full experience again in another post also.

At one point, since Mom felt it was so unlike me to experience two flops in one invite...

the question begged to be asked...are you alright Claudia?

I thought I was doing fine until later that evening a few other situations happened.

I thought it was best to call it a day and start over fresh the next day.

Therefore, this was certainly one that made the Honorary Top 10 Flops for sure.

Hubby still brings up the forgotten baking powder in one of my other cakes.
*** 

Alright, here's the message to the ones that...
think I'm always cooking elaborate meals...NOT.

Are you kidding me?

After a full day...do you honestly think I'm really always in the mood to cook?

***

Back to a few of my desperate moments in my kitchen...

which actually turn out to be quite edible indeed.

You'll see, from the moment I open that fridge to what finally...

appears at the table can actually be at times miraculous.

Therefore, friends and family...
this is the last time I'll need to console you on...
your frequent dull meal prep moments.

This is how it actually unrolls itself during my uninspired beginnings.

The other day...

I had come in with a few chills coming from the outdoors...

...and since I wasn't really in the mood for restaurant food...

I gave a quick browse in the semi-empty refrigerator.

Although, in all fairness...the shelves did hold some promise.

There was some meatloaf and a few anxious veggies begging to be used.

With the leftover meatloaf...I thought of making, a comforting 'Pasta e Ceci'...{Garbanzo pasta soup} with a little more substance. I actually called this my most desperate put-together soup ever.  No kidding.

To the quick chopped veggie mix I added cans of Japanese Enokitake mushrooms and crushed Italian tomatoes.  Chicken stock was in the freezer and so were some chick peas which I had prepared the other day.  Added to that, some small shelled type pasta got cooked right before serving.  It actually turned into a soup meal to be proud of.

All there was left to do was add a drizzle of olive oil...Parmigiano and a generous garnish of fresh parsley leaves. Voila, a quick, healthy soup...and a great taste all around. It seems, that one more time...the least thought-out menu turned into a good light supper.

 

On another day of the week, I had a...

rustic romantic reunion

with one of my favourite squash named...

the 'Table Queen'...

otherwise commonly known as the

'Pepper' or 'Acorn' squash.

I had purchased this acorn squash which later ended up sitting in a tray for almost a month.

Although, I've used it quite often in my cooking and baking...for some reason it just kept staring at me.

 

Easily available...this 'pepper' acorn squash rose to the occasion and showed its true colors. It was perfectly without the unwanted blemishes and some of the deeper shades of orange were very welcomed...especially at this time of year.

     I had nothing elaborate in mind when I split open the squash and scooped its seeds to then start roasting it.  At first, I was going to eat it as a side dish and then something in me shifted.  I figured, why not do something a little different with it this time.

I opened the fridge door and quickly took inventory of what was left from my veggies before the next jaunt to the store.

All of a sudden, an inspiring moment emerged. I got out the deep pan...poured a little olive oil and sautéed some veggies. I  soon found myself getting some inspiring momentum in my pan.  A few dried herbs, spices and I was in business.  The spinach came in as an after thought, only because I had initially bought them for another dish.  Oh, what the heck...in went the spinach for a little green to the veggie mix.



This nutritional 'Table Queen'...
full of fibre, plenty of vitamins and minerals...
was now going to find herself in great company.

A mild, along with an aged cheese got added to the scooped out flesh and the veggie mix.

I had made sure to keep the shells intact so that I could stuff them back.

stuffed Acorn Squash Veggie hearts
serves 2 persons

Click HERE for PRINTER version

Ingredients:

(American / Metric measures)

 

. 1 roasted Acorn Squash

Vegetable mix:

. 4 tbsps. (60ml) olive oil

. 1 large sweet onion

. 1 red bell pepper

. 1 small Nappa cabbage

. 1 bunch of baby Spinach

. splash of Sherry or White wine (optional)

Seasonings:

. 1 tsp. (5ml) each: sea salt, garlic powder, dried basil and oregano

Cheeses:

. 1/2 cup (65g) shredded aged Cheddar

. 1/2 cup (65g) shredded Friulano or other mild cheese

. a little extra cheese for the optional gratin

 

PREPARATION:

 

. Pre-heat oven at 375F/190C/Gas5 and position rack at the second level from the bottom of oven.

...roast SQUASH:

1. Split squash in half and place cut side down on a parchment pre-lined baking sheet.  Make tiny incisions in order to permit the squash to exhaust a little steam.

2. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the knife pokes easily through the flesh without it being too soft.

3. Take out of oven to cool slightly before carefully scooping out the flesh to go back into the stuffing.

. Lower the oven to 350F/180C/Gas4 while the rest is ready to assemble and be put back into the oven.

...VEGETABLE mix:

4. While the squash is roasting...start caramelizing the onions.  Then continue by sautéing all the vegetables and seasonings as mentioned in the ingredients list.  Add the optional splash of wine towards the end.

...ASSEMBLY:

5. Place the scooped out squash into a medium bowl along with the cheeses and the vegetable mix.

6. Put the finished mix evenly distributed between the two squash halves and place back onto the baking sheet to bake for another 20 minutes.  If you wish, at the very end, a little more cheese can be added and placed under the LOW broiler setting for another 2 minutes or so until desired gratin is achieved.
. Serve with a side of salad or simply with crusty bread or crackers.  Buon appetito.

Today, hopefully served on a few fronts.

One, to remind us that it's not difficult to eat healthy.

Second, we all have our desperate moments.

Thirdly, I certainly enjoyed spilling and sharing my little kitchen confessions.

I'm sure, you may also have some...
desperate moments to share.

Well, here's your chance...share a little so that our HEARTS and soul will feel free.

Flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

Comments or suggestions ... write me :o)

Claudia at: foodessa [at] gmail [dot] com

Go HERE for more SAVOURY creations.

Please take note on how I bake and cook...

Here’s a 101 of sorts to make sure that there are no disappointments when trying my creations.  

Also...just so you know...feel free to increase the salt and sweet factor since I'm not high on either of them ;o)

. Use DRY cup measurements for...you guessed it...all DRY ingredients.

Anything DRY gets measured by spooning the overfilled ingredient (never shake the cup) and then level off with a flat edged tool.  Exception...Brown sugar should be packed in and leveled.

. Use LIQUID cup measurements for...all LIQUIDS that cannot be leveled like for example butter, yogurt...etc.  Measure the liquids at eye level to avoid overdoing what the recipe truly needs.

. OVENS are unfortunately not created equal.  Mine is so old that it has reached many degrees off it's norm.  It's really worth investing a few dollars to test yours with an appropriate oven thermometer.  You'd be surprised how many ovens I've heard about not being where they should have been.  Before you lose any more ingredients and much time preparing a new recipe...run to the store...you'll thank me later.

ASIAN hop SUGAR stop with FOODIE

 Our chariot awaited for an ASIAN 'hop'.....

all the way through to our SUGAR 'high' stop.

A few weeks ago, I had another date
with a Foodie blogger friend.

 Our day unfolded very leisurely as we set out from an Asian eatery...

to grocery stores...kitchenware boutiques as well as candy and baked goods shops.

This was another outing I was really looking forward to adventuring through.

Our very first meet up point was going to be one of Montreal's oldest district.

Here is where most immigrants from various ethnicities initially landed and formed what is today called Chinatown.

After all, who better than with a foodie to share these animated, colourful streets to hop around looking for reasonably priced oriental items: 
moon cake molds, dishware, tea pots and other tantalizing treats ;o)

Although she had planned to shop a little first...

our plans got deviated because I had an incredible need to use the wee room.

Being stuck in morning traffic longer than imagined can certainly create that desperate need.

All this road construction in our lovely city better lead to a much improved environment.

Therefore, Evelyne and I figured that lunch was to be eaten a little sooner.

I certainly didn't mind since my breakfast was cut short that morning.

Luckily, her restaurant selection was footsteps from the parking lot.

In we went and got quickly seated.








No sooner after ordering for one of their specialty duck meals...
she enthusiastically offered me a small Buddha figurine.
I somewhat interpreted this gift as a reminder of how far I'd come into my...
'awakening' and 'enlightenment' through my experimental culinary journey.

It's always nice when someone recognizes your qualities of 'generosity' and 'truthfulness'.
This will undoubtedly lead me to the greater and wiser path I baby-step towards ;o)
I haven't quite achieved the art of complete 'discipline' and 'endurance' as the Buddha
has accomplished...however, it's always something to strive for and look forward to.
Thank you Evelyne for this symbolic gesture.

After a meal, I do look forward to a yummy dessert.
It's very rare for me not to order something sweet to finish off my experience with a satisfying smile.
That day, things turned out slightly differently.  
Lucky for me, I got to sample a chunk of one of my favourite childhood pleasures:
‘Sugar Sponge’ (I call it Sponge Toffee Crunch).
This was a great treat which Evelyne had made during her preparations for the Food Buzz competition.
I can't begin to tell you how ecstatic I was!

***




After our bellies were fed a good base...
off we went shopping for some...
ordinary and some not so ordinary products and items.
I was in great need of a new Herbal / Tea pot...
and Chinatown was a perfect place to content me at a very reasonable price ;o)

As for myself...
the ordinary and known vegetables were...
Chinese Broccoli and baby Bok Choy...
which are greens I love to make dishes with.

Here's one vegetable I used with an estrogens supplying kick in mind:
' Curry Tofu Bok Choy with
Mung Bean noodles '
I had quickly put this together with the following loosely mentioned ingredients:
A base of caramelized onions, fennel, carrots, chickpeas and bok choy sautéed with some 'silken' tofu. 
All was enhanced with a sauce consisting of: pineapple juice, rice vinegar, curry paste, black bean garlic paste...
all creamed over by coconut milk!  
This dish turned out incredibly delicious.   A definite make over and a promise to properly record the recipe next time ;)




The not so ordinary foods which I was not familiar with were:
* Jujube fruit *
* Thai eggplants *
* Tamarind pods *
* purple Sweet potato *

First and foremost, I'll start with the Jujube fruit...
a game and small apologetic confession.
Here, I'll explain...
it all started when Evelyne was attracted to these mysterious Chinese fruits.
She had grabbed a big bag of them and insisted I bring some home and try them.

The next day, I cut into it, sniffed it and took a tiny hesitant bite.
Yes, that's how I get when something is unfamiliar to me...I trek carefully.





Only my travels are more adventurous than my palate...go figure!?! 
Anyhow, it turns out that I was going to be pleasantly surprised after all.
This small, elongated rounded fruit tasted somewhat like a cross between...
an apple and a pear with a stone interior similar to one of dates.

I for one am looking forward to what Evelyne dug up on her mystery fruit.
Why wait and not look it up myself you wonder?
It's really to respect the results from a very interesting
food game Evelyne engages in.
In short, she gets attracted to a food she's never tried...
takes note of the given name...
and later scopes out some info on the product.
Ultimately...she then creates a dish with it.

Upon hearing her view, I thought it was a fantastic idea!
After all, my 'Hubby' does always call me the 'Claudia Curiosa'...
and I think I'll start playing that game too once and a while.
Thanks for the small enlightenment Evelyne ;o)

Now...for the small apologetic confession part.
 That day...I did come close to ruining her fun.
As I was leaving the store, the grocer whispered to me what this Asian fruit was.
Then, in conversation, I had inadvertently passed on the info to Evelyne.
I was initially stumped about how this came out and...
believe it or not, it lingered until the next day.
It was only when she emailed me with great news that I felt a sense of relief.
She informed me that the grocer had somewhat misled me.
Phew...I was incredibly relieved because I had felt terrible...
 about ruining her amusing food scavenger hunt ;o)

The lesson here is to maintain the fun aspect to food.
Maybe, now, when you see a foreign looking food...
you'll be less intimidated because you'll be able to play the same guessing game.
You will not only inform yourself about something new...
you'll hopefully be able to incorporate a sure needed change in your menu ;o)
 

So, until I get the complete goods on Jujubes...
I went ahead and cooked up a very tasty...
Jujube, Pineapple and Berry compote sauce.
Some fresh pineapple, raspberries and squash, along with these Asian fruits...
and voila...another 'newness' in my kitchen that was put to great use at breakfast ;o)

Now, for my 'coup de coeur'...
which happened when my eyes landed on adorable mini pumpkin looking...
Thai (a.k.a. Makua) eggplants.
Of course...it was love at first sight.
How appropriate to have been able to find these around Halloween festivities.
As I bought them...I started having big plans for these small beauties!
Unfortunately my plans were short lived.
I had enthusiastically prepared ingredients to go with stuffing these eggplants.
I also made sure to steam the eggplants so that they could keep as much of their color integrity as possible.

I had sliced the tops to keep as decor and then started scooping the flesh.
I then remembered reading that the tiny seeds should be discarded. 
At about the fourth eggplant... I got curious about the taste!
Thank goodness I did because my meal would have been a major let down.
Is this what
 'love at first sight'
results in? 





Now...I don't want to discredit this variety of eggplant...
however, these were incredibly bitter and awful tasting!
Was this a rare event...bad seasonal timing or just a terrible batch?
Have any of you tried these?
Let me know what could have gone wrong.

***

Now, placing my attention to those surprisingly good Tamarind pods.
Evelyne had bought a big box of pods and insisted I try a few.
Truthfully, although I was intrigued, I wasn't quite sure if I'd really eat any part of it.
I had figured, at the very least they'd go well with my Autumnal table decor.

Since, she also lit an
extra spark of curiosity...
I went searching about this mysteriously, odd looking pod to find out what the heck I could use it for.

Afterwards, once, I had started dismantling the pod...
I got a better idea of what I was dealing with!
After a small taste of the paste surrounding the stone seeds...
I happily concluded that I could certainly adapt this in my Asian-Italian style meal creations ;o)
The flavours imparted by the Tamarind paste are somewhat like a blend of...
dried apricots, dates and prunes with a slightly added acidic zing.

Armed with that info...
I went right ahead and used the Tamarind paste in an
oriental dish lightly inspired by one of my very old recipe books. 
I also named this creation:
'Oriental Tamarind Coconut Chicken' on a bed of Chinese Broccoli.
It turned out so amazing that even 'Hubby' who usually turns...
his nose away from anything coconut, loved this dish. 
Imagine, he also extended his approval of adding...
more coconut milk next time around.
Wow, what a turn of events...
I'm slowly getting Hubby to see things my way ;o))
Yippee, because I love coconut!
*** Which brings me to the next successful blend of ingredients ***
The main ingredients that were used:
 Chinese Broccoli and Chicken thighs.
The sauce mix consisted of:
Tamarind paste, Tomato paste, Soya sauce, Coconut milk and a little water.
Note: Since I was eye-balling every ingredient...I only had the time to scribble notes.
It was so delicious that it's definitely a re-make and I promise to record this recipe at a later time.

***

Now, onto my small fascination with the solely purchased purple Sweet potato.

I had wondered if the color would come through properly after cooking it...

and YES it actually did!

It must have been my insistence on keeping the potato whole...

and steaming it instead of using any other cooking method.

I had managed to maintain the integrity of this gorgeous royal color.

Therefore, I decided to honour our highness with this delectable...seafood platter:

A blend of Matane shrimp, marinated oyster mushrooms,

pickled ginger, avocado and olive oil.

The bed of boston lettuce nestled the rest of the...

sliced royal purple sweet potato and rolls of smoked salmon...

all drizzled with homemade ginger syrup.

***

Our short time in China town was over for this leg of our day together.

It was now time to head over to our SUGAR stops on another side of town...

located on Monkland avenue in the N.D.G. district of Montreal.

Evelyne had found a candy shop named 'Sparkles' which ended up providing us with some goodies to bring back home but unfortunately lacked big time in appreciation towards their customers.  Although most of my favourite chocolate covered raisins, coffee beans and hazelnuts were found at this shop...I will not step foot in there ever again.   I know this may sound harsh, however, this is after all a candy shop...not a stuffy bank that turns their nose up when Food bloggers ask to take photos to share with others.   Enough said!  Oh, BTW, this is not to say that the sales girls were not pleasant.  They probably were the only reason that we didn't just walk out empty handed.

Alright...onto a more pleasant visit across the street to a cupcake shop called...
 'Petits Gateaux'.
They had a lovely lady who was incredibly sweet and generous with her time as well as offering us an adorable mini cupcake as a tasty sample of their colourful selections.

Since my palate was quite pleased with this small cake...I decided to grab half a dozen and bring them home to Hubby.
Unfortunately, at our further sampling of the cupcakes, Hubby and I remained slightly and surprisingly disappointed.

Therefore...sorry, here I go again...

although the one sample we ate at the shop was very tasty and fresh...

the others I brought home felt like two day old baked goods.

I truly feel that when in the business of selling cupcakes...
moist and tasty...is what is sought after.  Am I asking too much?

I will however, give them another chance if I find myself

in the areas of one of their two locations again.
This might just have been one of those unfortunate days.

At this point we were almost ready to call it a day...

until we crossed the street to discover 'Cuisine Gourmet Monkland'.

This specialty shop was a real gem for seekers of...
dining ware and especially kitchen supplies.

The professionally run boutique was owned by an...

extremely charming and helpful person...how refreshing!

This is where Evelyne found her donut cutter for her upcoming...

 'Daring Bakers' challenge and where I finally...

found my forever sought after Madeleine pan...

more on this small obsession in a later post for sure ;o)

It was time to bring Evelyne back home.
We briefly spoke of another possible meet up.
It would either be a supper with other...
Montreal Food Bloggers or...
to the upcoming charitable...
Cupcake camp Montreal event.
***
I totally encourage you to get together...
with a Foodie near you.
Hop and go through fun stops and maybe...
get enlightened at the same time like I did ;o)
All in all...once again, 
our Foodie date was a real treat.


Flavourful wishes,
 Foodessa

Comments ... ??? ... or suggestions ... write me :o)

Claudia at: foodessa [at] gmail [dot] com