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Peach and Bocconcini Pizza

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I loved cooked peaches. They give up their juices as they cook and are so delicious this time of the year. Perhaps these are memories from childhood. Either way this experiment of adding ripe peaches to pizza turned out really, really good. It started with fig jam on a pita, topped with sliced, ripe peaches, and a few other tasty bites. Then became the perfect lunch which left me wanting more. The only thing I would do different next time is add some seasoned grilled chicken or shrimp if I had it.

I will be making these again. Like tomorrow. I have a Ladies/Mom’s Wine Night planned for tomorrow evening, and needed to make a tasty, summery, simple bite. After success with the peach pizza flavour combination, I decided to try and make a smaller, appetizer version for the wine night. Using a glass, I cut small circles out of one of the leftover pitas and proceeded to make mini versions of the peach pizza. Turned out fabulous and these will be my offering for our Wine Night.

 

Lentil, Cabbage and Sausage Soup

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Hearty and comforting, Lentil, Cabbage and Sausage Soup is best enjoyed on those days you need a hug in a mug!

lentil, cabbage and sausage soup

Lentil, Cabbage and Sausage Soup

I used to make a dish that was simply carrots, potatoes, onions and sausage cooked together in a saute pot on the stove. The sausage flavour permeated all the ingredients making it a flavour bomb and excellent meal when served with crusty bread.

For this soup we mix in lentils and cabbage with the sausage providing a rich and satisfying cup of soup.

lentil, cabbage and sausage soup

All day, every day

When it comes to soup the options are endless and it’s one of those things you either love, like or avoid. Growing up it was mostly soup from a can but when my mom got on her eating healthy and seeing a dietitian kick, she started making some delicious recipes including cabbage soup. I took that recipe and expanded it to suit my family.

One of the most popular soups on this blog and with my daughter is our Carrot and Cumin Soup featuring fresh ground spices. My son is fairly crazy for Pizza Soup, my beef lover husband gets excited when I make Slow Cooker Beef Minestrone Soup and I could eat the Chicken Tortilla, Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Soup or the Roast Turkey Pho all day, every day! Truthfully though my daughter and I tend to love the same soups and I think the boys love the more meat/beef focused soups!

lentils

TIPS & TRICKS

  • Replace green cabbage with napa cabbage.
  • Sub in any smoky sausage.
  • I’ve used brown lentils or Spanish Pardina lentils instead of green. Ensure you read the cooking instructions as these tend to take a little longer.
  • I use chicken stock but use whatever stock you have on hand.
  • Smoked sausage tends to be salty so only add a little salt to start and taste as you go.

Lentil, Cabbage and Sausage Soup

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

 

Pie Iron Pizzas | Bow Valley Campground Camping

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Camping season is upon us and as I was making reservations for our summer adventures, I looked back at where we’ve been while considering where we should go this year. We love being able to go camping in Kananaskis, and having the Rocky Mountains so close to where we live. I grew up in BC and I miss the mountains more often than not, so having them a short drive away is very comforting.

We love to have fun with our food when we go camping, and one of our many favourite camping meals on the fire is anything that will go into our pie irons. Pizza is one that tops the list, as the flavour of this pie iron pizza being cooked over an open fire far outweighs that of any oven. Add in some fresh air and everything just tastes better.

Important to note, if you have no interest in making your own pizza dough, buy some!

Bow Valley Campground
Bow Valley Campground & the gorgeous view from our campsite

Bow Valley Campground is a hidden gem nestled within the gateway to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. A short hop, skip and jump to Kananaskis and you are suddenly in the beauty of the mountains. We booked our site kind of last minute, and when you do this you never know what kind of campsite you will end up with. As it turns out we got the last one in the loop and it turned out to be a beauty as we had this pathway right next to our campsite and no one ventured near us. It was also not far from the washrooms and as you can see by the photo, gave the kids oodles of space to run around. We’ve definitely been lucky like this on several occasions.

You have to prepare for any kind of weather when you go camping, especially in Alberta. And it rained part of this camping trip. We’ve been fortunate we haven’t encountered several days of rain at a time while camping, just a little bit here & there. One morning we decided to go into Canmore for a couple hours to let the kids burn off some steam. It wasn’t raining in Canmore so we only had the mosquitoes to deal with as we wandered around town and along the boardwalk.

Visiting the boardwalk in Canmore while camping in Bow Valley Campground
Visiting the boardwalk in Canmore while camping in Bow Valley Campground

It took us less than an hours drive from Calgary to get to the Bow Valley Provincial Park and Bow River Corridor Campgrounds. As a family we were kept busy with all kinds of things to do; from day trips into Canmore & Banff, hiking, biking, fishing, to causal walk-abouts, playgrounds & family fun adventures.

Definitely plan ahead if you want to come and camp here. It’s a very popular family destination and as I mentioned above we lucked out and got one of the last sites, but one of the best.

Bow Valley Campground Biking
Bow Valley Campground Biking

 

 

Enjoying our Pie Iron Pizza Lunch!
Enjoying our Pie Iron Pizza Lunch.

 

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts

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Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts combines crispy vegetables, a zesty marinade, spicy nuts and pasta noodles creating the perfect side dish or item to bring to a potluck!

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts

If you love noods, you are going to go crazy for this Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts!

Served cold, Asian ingredients are mixed and mingle before serving offering a light, refreshing salad great any time of the year but especially during those hot summer days!

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts

Ingredients

Since having kids I’ve been a meal planner and flyer shopper. It helps save money and us plan out meals especially when we are busy with kids activities throughout the week. Ingredients for this salad can be changed to your liking.

  • Carrot: peeled and sliced although sometimes I buy the bagged matchstick carrots from the store to save time.
  • Snow peas: or use sugar snap peas or frozen (cooked) peas if that’s all you can find.
  • Green Onions: slice them thin or swap with thinly sliced red onion.
  • Radishes: make sure they are fresh and try Daikon radish instead!
  • Cilantro: omit and use parsley!
  • Bell peppers: I love them in this salad however when I make it for the family I omit since husband does not like these kinds of peppers.
  • Napa cabbage: is delicious in this salad.

Asian noodle salad

What to serve with this salad

It’s a great salad any time of the year however we tend to make it more in the warmer, summer months since it’s a cold salad. Serve with your favourite grilled items like chicken, beef, lamb, pork or veggies!

Change up the salad by adding grilled chicken shredded or roasted chick peas. It’s also the perfect picnic salad!

Love noodle salads as much as we do? Here’s a few more to try:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker and please comment below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coconut Banana Bread

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With so many varieties of banana bread out there, it’s nice to shake things up once in awhile. This Coconut Banana Bread never lasts longer than a day in our family. The addition of coconut and orange zest is not over powering, yet adds a nice subtle flavour boost.

My kids are always asking for banana bread or muffins, but we never seem to have leftover, “ripe” bananas. I finally started buying two stacks of bananas at the grocery stores allowing some of the bananas to become ripe. And baking to be done!

Serve this Coconut Banana Bread with butter, cream cheese or a drizzle of honey. A perfect anytime snack.

Makes 1 loaf.

 

Kung Pao Chicken

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Kung Pao Chicken is a classic Chinese dish made using cubed chicken breasts and a mouthwatering kung pao sauce.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken also goes by the names Gong Bao Chicken or Kung Po Chicken in Chinese restaurants. It’s a simple stir fried chicken dish made with a complex sauce of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavours making it irresistible.

Kung Pao Chicken

The Inspiration

This recipes dates back to the 90s when I worked in an office in Vancouver. Book sellers would drop by with a stack of books, many of them cookbooks, and an order sheet returning a week later for any orders and the books. You know how my lunch hours were spent – pouring through these cookbooks looking for ideas and inspiration.

Since this is a popular recipe in Sichuan cuisine typically calling for red thai chilis, we make our Kung Pao Chicken with sambel oelek and chili flakes. This gives us full control control over the amount of heat in this dish ensuring the kids will enjoy it too.

Kung Pao Chicken

The Sauce

The sauce is made with flavours like sambal oelek, soy sauce, and sherry adding levels of flavour. You will want to let your chicken marinade in the sauce for a minimum of 30 minutes. Have your Jasmine or Basmati rice ready to go or even serve with cooked Asian noodles as your stir fry will come together quickly once started.

PRO TIPS:

  • have your ingredients chopped and ready to go to save time
  • A stir-fry pan or wok is best for this dish, however a non stick sautee pan will also work
  • we prefer boneless chicken breasts however you can substitute with boneless chicken thighs

Looking for another Asian inspired dishes to try, check these out!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

Grilled Cheese Wafflewich

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You won’t believe how easy these Grilled Cheese Wafflewich’s are to make. We experiment a lot with our pie irons when we go camping and are assembling quite a collection of these fantastic camping cooking tools. One of my favourite things right now to make with them is pie using canned pie filling and some dough I bring along and mix up on the spot. Treats on the fire.

More favourites include making pizzas in the pie irons and of course grilled cheese sandwiches. I love to grab leftover hamburger buns, or any kind of bread I can squish in and make a grilled cheese adding anything I can find. Breakfast sammy’s this way are equally fantastic using ham or bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese, veggies and the beat goes on.

We haven’t been camping yet this year but have four trips planned for the summer. I can’t wait. Until then the urge hit this weekend for one of the pie iron grilled cheese sammy’s so I pulled out the waffle maker. Plus I had some burger buns to use up. And some bacon.

The husband and the boy loved it. The girl was gone for the night so didn’t get to partake.

Make any variation you like, using regular bread or buns that are squishable. You will not be able to press a bun that is too firm (ie: pretzel bun) in either the pie iron or waffle maker.

 

Antipasto Salad from Just A Pinch of Ginger

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You will probably hear me talk a lot about how much I love the world of Food Blogging. While I’ve been blogging since 2006, I’ve only really honed in on the Food Blogging World the past 3 or so years. And with it I’ve met and made some wonderful friends from all over the world, who share my passion for Food.

Deidre over at Just A Pinch of Ginger, is one of them. Deidre and I started chatting last year, and connected immediately. She’s originally from Northern British Columbia and so am I, although we never lived there at the same time. Even though we have yet to meet in person, I can honestly say it feels like I’ve known Deidre forever. You know that feeling when you meet someone and it’s just comfortable. You feel like you can talk about anything? Ya that. Deidre and I will be seeing each other at a couple of Food Blogger Conferences later this year and I can’t wait to enjoy some good food, beverages and laughs with her.

I love her inspiration for this salad that includes “Heaven at the top of Spanish Steps”, so make sure you get to know this month’s Guest Blogger, Deidre over at Just A Pinch of Ginger.

I was delighted to be invited to share a recipe with Bakersbeans because the most rewarding aspect of blogging is becoming part of such an inclusive community, and I am thrilled to have made a friend in Wanda through our shared passion. I began this journey as ‘Just A Pinch Of Ginger’ just over a year ago. A wonderful friend convinced me to blog instead of writing a family cookbook, and it simply evolved from there. It has been quite the wild ride. I must admit I’ve been shocked by the response, who knew people would actually want to hear about my recipes and crazy family?! My previous careers have included teacher, interior designer, florist and dance studio owner…eclectic, I realize. That’s me! Although I have no formal training as a cook, I have always been fascinated with ‘playing’ with my food and over the last couple of decades I’ve been experimenting on my six children. Yup, I said six. Nineteen all the way down to almost nine year old twins. It’s never boring, let’s put it that way. We traveled a lot as a family and I’m thankful for the opportunities to have my taste buds pushed to their very limits. Many of my own food adventures have started with trying to replicate some delectable dish gobbled down in a foreign country.

The recipe I’m sharing here was inspired by a day in Italy, Rome to be exact. We had been visiting the sights all morning…hitting some big ones; Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Boboli Gardens and we were all exhausted! Not only from the walking and map reading and heat, but also the non-stop ‘posing’. Yes, that’s correct…posing. When you visit a country that adores families as much as Italia, with many, very blonde little kids in tow, you become somewhat of a celebrity. Every time we tried to take a quick shot as a family, we’d have several people…uhm…add their kids to our pictures and begin snapping away. The photo sessions inevitably ended with warm compliments, enquiring about each name and enthusiastic cheek pinching. Much to the chagrin of my offspring. Ahhh well…’bella, bella famiglia’…what can I say?

Our frazzled tribe were caught in a sudden downpour and ducked into a restaurant that we would not have sought out otherwise. Too pricey. Too frou-frou. We quickly ordered the cheapest thing on the menu, an antipasto platter. I was just thinking easy, finger food. What they served up was instead, a little sample of heaven! This was well before the current ‘I Must take a photo of every meal’ craze, so I have no photo evidence. You’ll just have to trust me…Heaven at the top of the Spanish Steps. I’ve combined my favourite elements of that platter into this salad, with a few adjustments to keep the minions happy. Hope you enjoy…buon appetito!

Just A Pinch Of Ginger can be found here & there & everywhere! Follow her here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Justapinchofginger13
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/redisbest13/
My Blog http://justapinchofginger.com

 

Roasted Garlic & Sausage Casserole

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This year I was asked to be part of The Great Cream Challenge 2014. This cross Canada recipe challenge pairs 3 Canadian Food Bloggers against each other in a special monthly cooking challenge. At the beginning of the year you pick three challenges (one per month) to participate in using real cream, and then let the recipe testing madness begin.

My first challenge was in January and called The Slow Cooker Challenge. I made a Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding and came in 2nd out of 3 bloggers. It was a ton of fun.

My second challenge quickly followed and this Roasted Garlic & Sausage Casserole, was my recipe submission for April’s The Family Brunch Challenge. A little more labour intensive with a few extra steps, but it is well worth it and perfect for a special Mother’s Day or Father’s Day Brunch at home. This time I placed…..2nd out of 3 bloggers! Foiled again ha ha but at least I lost to another Alberta Food Blogger. My 3rd and final challenge is coming up in June, so who knows, maybe third times a charm? I’ve had a great time either way and loved the friendly competition with my fellow food bloggers.

To save time you can cook up your sausage, potatoes, roast your garlic, and toast your bread cubes the night before. Assemble all the next morning and Bob’s Your Uncle. Or Fred.

Either way family breakfast casseroles started with my mom and this family breakfast casserole is a fun tradition I have continued with my own children. This version has some roasted garlic, fresh tomatillos, and is topped it with cooked bacon and fresh eggs.

It’s definitely luxurious, but then everything in moderation, right?

 

Sausage Tin Foil Dinner | Waterton Lakes National Parks Camping

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Growing up we used to camp a lot. But it was boring for me. I was the youngest by 7 years and most of the time the only kid for miles. We never went somewhere fun to camp, but instead we drove down winding logging roads for hours to special fishing holes so my dad could settle in for the day(s) and catch a boat load of fish. Or rather as much as he was legally allowed to bring home. I still however, loved being in the outdoors, and camping. Good times.

Waterton Lakes Camping with friends
Waterton Lakes Camping with friends

One of my favourite things to eat as a young child while camping, and a meal we had every time we went camping, was this flavourful sausage tin foil dinner. After mom started the fire and then sat by it watching and stirring the coals once in a while, she would bring out these three neatly folded packages and stick them in the coals. They took about an hour and a half to cook, were carefully monitored and turned regularly to prevent burning. The aroma that came from those packets when opened for dinner was outstanding and I’m surprised there wasn’t wildlife wandering through our camp wanting some dinner for themselves.

Enjoying our Sausage Dinner
Enjoying our Sausage Tin Foil Dinner in Waterton

As I became a teenager we stopped going camping. In my 20’s I started camping again with friends and then eventually my husband and kids. Since kids came along we always seek out family friendly campgrounds where there are tons of things to do. I am grateful my kids love to go camping and explore the great outdoors as much as we do.

Our first camping adventure in Waterton National Park took us to the Waterton Townsite Campground. Both Rob and I prefer a campground that allows some privacy. Located on the South side of town, the Waterton Townsite Campground has no privacy. It’s like a whole bunch of trailers in a mosh pit and a free for all where sometimes the wind can blow your small dog away if you are not careful. They do not allow fire pits, you have to cook your food under the shelter. And they have free roaming mule deer all over the place so if your not careful you can easily step in one of the poop piles. My husband swore one of the deers was stalking him every night he took our dog for a walk before bed.

Wildlife everywhere in Waterton National Parks. Mule Deer here.
Wildlife everywhere in Waterton National Parks. Mule Deer here.

The pros of camping in the townsite, well firstly there is nothing quite like live wildlife literally right outside your door. This unto itself is an experience. You are right by the lake which offers fun boat tours. You could bring your canoe or kayaks but beware the wicked wind. The family we were camping with did some windsurfing and yes in case you are wondering, the water is cold so wetsuits are a good idea. If you don’t have kids this might be the perfect spot to camp as you are a short walk into the townsite to explore the shops or grab an ice cream. Or even take in some of the night life.

Waterton Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Peace Park (a symbol of peace and goodwill between Canada and the USA representing cooperation and stewardship with shared resources), and a Biosphere Reserve (a core protected area which is relatively undisturbed). This is the only park in the World that has all 3 of these designations. YA Canada!

Hiking in Waterton National Parks
Red Rock Canyon Loop. Hiking in Waterton National Parks

Plan to do some hiking while you are there. We managed to get in a couple short hikes, Red Rock Canyon Loop and Blakiston Falls.

I guess in hindsight, my initial exposure to camping at such a young age, regardless of the surroundings, was what caused me to love it so much today. That and the incredible food my parents used to cook over the fire that even included fresh fish, fresh crab and sometimes fresh clams caught in the formerly named Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii).

 

Little legs get tired quickly, that's why the short hikes worked best for us.
Little legs get tired quickly, that’s why the short hikes worked best for us.

 

The tradition of the Sausage Tin Foil Dinner has continued over the years, with different sausages, meats, ground burger, and vegetable variations. I love it so much I sometimes make it in the oven during the winter.

May Long Weekend is only a couple days away and with that is camping season! I’m already thinking about camping, prepping the trailer, and the delicious outdoor cooking that goes with it.

Try this simple tin foil dinner with your favourite sausage and veggies and watch it become a family favourite!

 

 

Carrot & Mint Salad

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Growing up in the 70’s & 80’s, well life was much simpler back then. There was no technology to entertain us other than the great outdoors. It was the mid 80’s when my parents built and moved into a house on a 1/4 acre lot. I watched from afar as they planted a garden starting with just your basics, potatoes, beans, peas, and carrots. Over time, as they mastered these plants, more and more were added to the garden. A greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers, the back part of the yard became Berry Lane with raspberries, red currents, strawberries and gooseberries. In later years we added a Saskatoon bush, that came about following a trip to visit family in Regina and my secretly harvesting a branch from one of our relatives Saskatoon Branch. I safely transported it all the way back to BC and we planted it. A miracle really but it grew into a massive bush that lives on to this day.

Also added into the mix in the front yard were fruit trees. Crabapple, Damson Plum, Cherry and Apple. I still remember fondly my dads constant battle with the robins to keep them away and out of his Cherry trees. He tried everything except a gun. Which was probably a good thing since we were in a residential neighbourhood.

As you can imagine this labour of love produced enough fruits and vegetables each year to fill a grocery store. Or at least it seemed like it through the eyes of a child. There was canning, jams, jellies, pies, pierogies and eventually fruit wine. And as a child I didn’t see it then, but looking back I was really lucky to grow up surrounded by all this freshness. Clearly the impact on me is obvious!

Garden grown tomatoes
My own garden grown tomatoes

As an adult with a family of my own, I haven’t lived in one place for very long, or rather long enough to establish a garden until recently.We are Zone 3 for growing here in Calgary, and that is challenging at best as our season is short.

Our yard has needed a lot of work and it’s taken time. We’ve dug out a garden and been working on the soil. So far the kids and I have done some planting, mostly container planting and have managed to successfully grow beans, peppers (from seed), tomatoes (also from seed), peas, carrots, radishes and lettuce. Two years ago we planted raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. So far we’ve had strawberries and I predict raspberries this summer as our raspberry bush has quadrupled in size and gave us some berries late last Summer which didn’t have enough time to ripen. I can’t wait for the kids to start picking fresh raspberries!

Container Gardening Carrots
Our Carrots

The exposure to gardening I had growing up taught me to love most fruits and vegetables. I immensely enjoy how it feels to grow your own food and love teaching my kids how important it is. One of our family favourite vegetables is carrots. You can do tons with carrots including salads. My mom used to make a grated carrot and raisin salad when we were kids. I also love fresh herbs and tend to have these in container pots. One of my favourite herbs is Mint and so adding it to this salad, or almost any salad really, makes it magnificent!

We’ve kept the flavours in this carrot and mint salad simple. And it works cause the minions love it. Perfect side. Perfect meal for one.

The Canadian Food Project Experience was started on June 7, 2013 by Valerie Lugonja of A Canadian Foodie. It’s a compilation of Canadian Food Bloggers who are committed to sharing their time, unique regional Canadian food experiences, and recipes. We hope to bring clarity to our Canadian Culinary identity.

 

Moroccan Brown Rice Bowl

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Hubs and I are trying to work out more and with that comes feeding your body the right foods for muscle growth. We’ve committed to an event in August that will be testing our endurance, cardio and over all strength. Enough procrastinating, it’s time to start preparing.

Our family loves brown rice. I started feeding it to the kids when they were small(er), they took to it, and still like it to this day. I got hubs to eat it by sprinkling feta on it. Like I do with quinoa, I’ve made up a big batch of brown rice for the week so hubs and I can have it for lunch. Today he is eating his with leftover steak, sliced and warmed in some juices (Au jus) which I think will taste pretty good.

I decide to make myself some brown rice bowls this week. The great thing about this style of eating is you can add anything to it you like. Find a protein, dressing and the veggies or supporting staff (nuts, dried fruit, etc.) you like, and you are ready to build a brown rice bowl. Today I made a Moroccan style dish using Roasted Cauliflower & Chick Peas. I topped it with a home made orange sesame ginger dressing that I admittedly put too much garlic in. There will be no Vampires in this house today. You can make your own dressing or use your favourite store bought. And for the greens, use one or all three (mint, cilantro, spinach) if you have. Remember anything goes. You could even use flat leaf parsley.

This is food for one so double it if you plan on sharing!

 

 

 

 

Calgary’s First Hawkers Market

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Last weekend Calgary was able to get down and dirty with their first ever Hawkers Market. What is a Hawkers Market you ask? In simple terms a recurring pop-up food market where people can meet local vendors in a smaller, more intimate setting.

Created by Chris Jerome in Vancouver, the Hawkers Market philosophy is to “create a space where vibrant and exciting local food can be discovered…a place to conduct commerce, rapidly test ideas, and meet customers face to face.” And enjoy some loud music by a DJ while you get acquainted with your food. And drink.

Hawkers Market
Hawkers Market

I was invited in an hour early to get a preview of the Market before it started. The event was held at Studio 122, which in itself was an extraordinary space. As we arrived we were briefed at the door (no not frisked), building anticipation, and then given access to browse the market before the public arrived.

While most people who wandered in automatically veered to the right, where Village Brewery was set up, and sampling their Troubadour, and various cocktails, we went straight to the back to visit Eats of Asia, and try their Baopop. I’m so glad we did since over the course of the evening, they eventually sold out as did many others. With approximately 10 vendors in attendance, both inside and out, we happily wandered down the path of least resistance tasting as we went. Most vendors had more than one offering, and while we didn’t try them all, I will share what we did get to try.

Marshmallows by Fiasco Gelato
Marshmallows by Fiasco Gelato

Fiasco Gelato gave us these gooey, sweet and delicious fresh made marshmallows. Yummi Yogis must have known we were coming because they were sampling this Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Pie that was out of this world good. And healthy too. Wings n Tings blew us away with their oven baked Jamaican Jerk Wings.

Lisa the Apple Lady, photo by Kelly Hofer
Lisa the Apple Lady, photo by Kelly Hofer

Lisa the Apple Lady was giving out samples of fresh, crisp golden gala apples. She had quite the lovely display of fruits and vegetables making us anxious for Spring and Summer’s fresh produce. Cafe Rosso was our coffee stop for the evening and wow I’m glad I tried it. I enjoyed their cappuccino so much I sought them out the next day. Well Juicery awakened our taste buds with a cold pressed juice made with beets. Jane Bond Grill made us believers with their mango bruschetta, (going to be making this one soon) and prawn/chorizo skewers. The only bite we didn’t get to try was from the Naaco Truck as we had to get going, and they were set up outside. But I’ve tried the Naaco Truck before and the food is worth tracking them down for.

Eats of Asia Bao, photo by Kelly Hofer
Eats of Asia Baopop, photo by Kelly Hofer

With each Hawkers Market you will experience an interesting mix of vendors. I think this was the perfect setting for the first ever Calgary Hawkers Market and with any first time gigs there were a few hiccups along the way. In speaking with Chris, we found out more Calgary Hawkers Markets were in the works for this year, with a bigger and possibly partial outdoor venue in mind. I think Chris did a great job for the first one in Calgary, and they can only go up from here.

Hawkers Market, photo by Kelly Hofer
Hawkers Market, photo by Kelly Hofer

Following this brief but memorable experience I composed a list of 6 things to remember when going to a Hawkers Market.

1. Come hungry
2. Bring cash
3. Collect business cards from the vendors since chances are you are going to love the food and in the process of good fun, forget where you got certain bites from
4. Dress for the weather and the venue as smaller venues can have you getting quite friendly with the person you are trying to pass in a crowd
5. Arrange for alternate transportation if you plan on trying all the libations
6. Loud music, that’s all

Special thanks to local photographer Kelly Hofer, who provided me with many of the gorgeous photographs in this post.

Tickets are already on sale for the next Hawkers Market in Calgary in May. You can find out more about being a Vendor or being an attendee at the next one by clicking here on their website Hawkers Market.

Vincci Tsui’s 2 Minute Chocolate Quinoa Cake

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April’s Guest Blogger Vincci Tsui is not only a Food-Lover (not using the word Foodie), and Food Blogger, but also a well known Registered Dietitian about town. More often than not while enjoying my morning cup of Java and prepping for my day, I will see Vincci pop up on the BT Calgary’s (Breakfast Television) Morning Show sharing her knowledge of healthier food choices & recipes with the hosts and viewing audience.

In addition, she is a Cooking Instructor at Start From Scratch, a program that teaches post-secondary students the benefits of preparing a quality, home-cooked meal. I love her philosophy of having a relationship with all foods. I’ve always believed everything in moderation. Vincci is a very busy lady these days, and I am honoured to call her a friend. So excited to try out Vincci’s 2 Minute Chocolate Quinoa Cake!

 

Hi, my name is Vincci. I love delicious food that nourishes.

I started Ceci n’est pas un food blog over seven (!) years ago when I was still a student at McGill. I had kept personal blogs since before blogging was even called blogging (Hellooooo, Teen Open Diary!), and moving to Montreal (well, technically, a suburb called Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, which is home to McGill’s agricultural and environmental campus), I learned to cook for myself alongside my classmates. I remember in first year my dorm room was across from the communal kitchen and every week a bus would take us from the campus to a nearby grocery store. All the French exchange students would make stacks and stacks of late night crêpes. I found my personal blog posts started veering more and more towards the food that I was making, and having discovered food blogs like Amateur Gourmet and Smitten Kitchen, I decided to start one of my own.

Since then, my blog has evolved from horrible photos of the recipes I made in residence, to moving back home from university and blogging more about restaurants as I enjoyed mom’s cooking, to its current state of slightly better photos (thanks partly to my brother, who taught me the rule of thirds), a mix of reviews and recipes, PLUS a monthly check-up of my new year’s resolutions.

Four years ago, inspired by the National Food Blogger Bake Sale in the states, I started the Calgary Food Blogger Bake Sale. I remember how nerve-racking it was to email “famous” Calgary food bloggers like Dinner with Julie’s Julie van Rosendaal, but everyone was very open and friendly. In the end, there were about 20 of us who baked, and we raised $1,200 for Calgary Meals on Wheels. More importantly, I met so many great people in Calgary’s food blogging community and many of us have become great friends. (That’s how I met Wanda!) I’m also so lucky that this community has brought me a lot of opportunities professionally as well. (I always joke I’m riding on the coattails of my friend Dan.) It’s crazy to me how the community continues to grow. For the most recent bake sale, I contacted nearly 60 bloggers!

Aside from being a food blogger (I hate the term “foodie”), I get to talk about food all day in my job as a registered dietitian. Recently I realized that my profession gives me the opportunity to do almost all the things I wanted to be at some point in time as a kid – teacher, journalist, therapist, on TV… I did want to be an interior designer or makeup artist too at one point, but I can’t draw or put colours together to save my life! My earlier posts did have a bit of a nutrition slant, but now I leave that for my professional site, VincciTsui.com.

While I LOVE and am proud of being a registered dietitian, sometimes I can’t help but be a little hesitant when people ask what I do. Because I’m a bit on the smaller side (thank you, genes… and Muay Thai four days a week!), there is always someone that says something along the lines of, “Oh, you must eat so healthy! That’s why you’re so thin!” or “Teach me how to eat so I can look like you!” If you follow my blog, or even my Instagram, you can see that I am certainly not the face of “clean eating”, but now that I think of it, nor do I want to be. To me, having a positive relationship with all foods, whether they’re nutrient-dense or poor, is more important than having a “perfect” diet, whatever that means. Food should never make you feel guilty… unless you obtained it unlawfully!

When it comes to not-so-nutritious foods, I’m more of a salty/crunchy snack lover (yummm chips and popcorn) as opposed to having a sweet tooth, but when I do get dessert, I almost always choose the richest, most decadent and chocolatey one. This chocolate cake in a mug is perfect for a quick chocolate fix when a square of dark chocolate just doesn’t cut it. It only takes two minutes in the microwave, and it comes out warm and decadent, but with a touch of airiness. I have a bag of quinoa flour of unknown origin, so I can make it gluten-free (but then I add instant coffee, which, depending on the brand, makes it not.)  I use coconut oil for the flavour, not because it’s “better for you” (the evidence is pretty weak). If you’re into the spicy Mexican chocolate thing, cinnamon and some sort of chili (cayenne, ancho or chipotle) is delicious too.

This recipe is adapted from my friend Mallory at TotalNoms.com. She has a cute video for it!

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Vincci Tsui Chocolate Mug Cake
Vincci Tsui’s Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Aromatic Five Spice Ginger Cookies

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This is my second time posting this very tasty Five Spice Ginger Cookie recipe. I first created these bites last Fall, for the 3rd Annual Calgary Food Bloggers Bake Sale. They were a delicious hit and so tasty my mouth is watering looking at the picture. You can find the original recipe post from September here: Five Spice Ginger Cookies.

I am re-posting this recipe in all it’s infinite glory as I am entering the Sweet Dreams Cookie Contest by Crosby’s. This is actually a perfect reminder I have two containers of Crosby’s Fancy Molasses sitting in my pantry needing to get used up. I know I’ll be making them again soon. Probably this week. Maybe tomorrow.

After deciding I drink to much espresso and eat way to many ginger cookies at a very popular coffee chain, I was inspired to make my own version of this cookie. A healthier version. Had to be the same size however because, after all, bigger is better, isn’t it?! Inspiration comes from everywhere.

I wanted to turn it up a notch and decided to use a favourite spice blend, Five Spice Powder. The aromatic combination of spices would be the perfect match in this cookie. My gamble paid off as it’s an explosion of equally balanced flavours in every bite.

Taste testers love this monster cookie and I think you will too.

 

Tacos al Pastor

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Let it be known I love Mexican food. This love started back in the 1970’s, when we used to visit my Uncle in San Diego where he lived until his passing a few years back. All to often we drove into Tijuana and this is where I first experienced authentic Mexican food. In fact my Uncle once had me believing while eating Tacos I was actually eating donkey meat. Yes it’s true. I was young and gullible back then and he liked to play tricks on me. Mexican food in both San Diego and Tijuana was always something we looked forward to.

Fast forward 30 years and it’s hard to find good, authentic Mexican food in Calgary. I’ll never forget those memories of eating tacos in Tijuana while watching a pick up truck with a flatbed of raw meat driving by. Those were the days outside of my small town bubble where I learned about life. In Calgary, you can find decent Mexican food, if you look hard enough. But never the authentic stuff I had back in the day.

When I lived in Vancouver I used to return home, to that small town, every year for Christmas. One year I put on a Mexican feast for my besties at the time (long gone and forgotten friends) which included a kick ass Chile Relleno. I haven’t made it in a long time but that Chile Relleno and Mexican food in general resonates and is on my hit list for the next little while as I jump on the Mexican food bandwagon.

This dish is a simplified version of Tacos al Pastor made with ground pork, grilled pineapple and some fresh red chile. Simply delicious and almost better the next day. I served it with both corn and whole wheat tortillas to satisfy the entire family.

Truth be known, sometimes when photographing a picture there is just not enough time to set up a shot. The family wants to eat, food gets cold and I just have to say screw it. This photo was taken with my phone and while not the best, it shows a delicious bite that I could hardly wait to eat. The family devoured this dish (minus the chile). Always a good sign.

Next time it will be a better photo.

 

Green Lentil Pizza with Prosciutto

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In this Green Lentil Pizza recipe, the lentils are in the crust! Crazy I know, right?!

I’ve been throwing this idea around for a while and only just decided to add in the sweet potato this morning after seeing it staring at me from the counter.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from veggie burgers (believe it or not). I looked at the ingredients used to make my quinoa burger, considered the ever popular cauliflower pizza and decided to combine some of these flavours with green lentils to make a lentil pizza crust. And it worked!

This is my main dish entry for the Canadian Lentils Revelations Recipe Challenge and most likely my fourth and final entry. What fun creating with lentils!

With this recipe, it’s important to note a cauliflower pizza tastes nothing like a bread dough pizza. Nothing at all. And this crust is the same. It gives the allusion and feel you are eating pizza as it holds together remarkably well, especially with the delicious pizza toppings, but it tastes like what it is, veggies n cauliflower crust. You have to go into this knowing and being ok with that. It really is quite tasty and the perfect vegetarian fare (minus prosciutto).

The kids didn’t enjoy the pizza so much, but I liked the taste and would make it again. If you are trying to cut out carbs, and/or you like the cauliflower pizza, this is a good option full of protein. If you want to keep it vegetarian, top your pizza with grilled veggies.

Here’s how I did it.

 

Lentil Balls with Marinara Sauce

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Think meat balls but remove the meat and add Lentil to the word Balls. I played with this recipe for a while trying to see if I could get it to work with both flavour and consistency. I wanted it to work so I could enter it into The Canadian Lentils Recipe Revelations Challenge. See I’ve always loved lentils and used them from time to time in different dishes, but never on a regular basis. This challenge is reminding me I need to cook with them more often allowing the minions the chance to learn to love them. And the husband. This recipe is the perfect small bite (appetizer) for those who want a meatless meal. Or a main as it’s filling and tasty.

The hardest part about making these tasty bites is getting them to hold their shape while baking. Admittedly they do not stay crispy or round, but take on a flat side shape as they cook. The sides brown up quite nicely I might add and they are a delectable bite. Now I have to admit I took a couple and fried them in some canola oil in a pan. They soaked up some of the oil but became crispier. In the end I decided to stick with the oven method and make the balls smallish as they held together better. Pair them with your favourite marinara sauce for dipping or pair with whatever sauce tickles your fancy.

Serve them warm cause when you take a bite the melted cheese inside is simply delicious. In an additional experiment I decided to roll half of the Lentil Balls in store bought, seasoned bread crumbs. I almost liked the bread crumb version better as it adds a little extra crunch and texture.

In the end they taste good albeit square, round or heart shaped.

 

Carrot Lentil Whoopie Pies

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This recipe is the combination of a Carrot Cupcake and a Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe. Yes it is possible to put pureed lentils into cookies which is how we got to these Carrot Lentil Whoopie Pies. And the kids don’t have a clue.

Batch one came about last week. Just before I got hit with a wicked head cold and the sick. Needless to say I couldn’t taste them, so I didn’t bother to ice them. Just sent the cookies out as is to friends, teachers at the school and of course my husband’s work mates. The feedback I got was incredible. Words like “exotic flavours” and the perfect amount of spice. Others advised there wasn’t enough spice. All good feedback since I cut back on sugar and oil in this recipe. The other surprise for everyone was they contained pureed green lentils. In fact you can put pureed lentils into most baking for that extra protein kick. Loved the feedback, which helped immensely.

Lentil cookie round two came about today. My sniffer was back, taste buds in check, a few modifications I needed to make were made and I think batch two was way better than the first batch from last week. Will have to wait to hear from the testers again but this time they have been iced.

One thing I decided to change with batch two was only using baking soda. In batch one I used baking soda and powder. The cookies were pretty big. This time, without using baking powder, they still turned out puffy. So the kids are enjoying eating them as singles with a dollop of icing on top. I say whatever works.

This will be my second entry into the Canadian Lentils Contest and my baked goods entry. I further created a Lentil Balls recipe a couple weeks ago, well according to the photo dates, it was March 5th. But the sick and all kinds of other stuff has kept me from getting that recipe posted. Soon I hope.

These cookies are moist, not too sweet, yet flavourful and I’m told delicious as is or with a dollop of icing in the middle.

 

Green Bark

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The one thing about making a chocolate bark is the variations are endless. And it’s super easy. Start with your favourite chocolate (white or brown), grab a few candies, nuts or pretzels, and you are ready to go.

I made this one yesterday, in time for St. Patrick’s Day, all the while trying to use up as much leftover Christmas baking candies as I could. Green smarties, green sprinkles, green m&m’s…it was fun sorting through it all only to realize I have a heck of a lot of Christmas candies leftover, still. I should have done this on Valentine’s Day too with all the red candies. Note to self for next year.

I considered doing a quick drizzle of milk chocolate on top, but was in too much of a hurry to get it done in time for the kids. The kids will love getting involved in making these and probably sampling the goods as they go.

 

Redawna’s Buddha’s Hand Cocktail

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Very pleased to introduce this month’s Guest Blogger, Redawna.

Food blogs are a source of great recipe ideas, and the world of food blogging a fascinating one. I have enjoyed creating and sharing my recipes but also love how food blogging provides us a vehicle in which we stay connected to and get to meet people who have similar interests. I can honestly say I have friends all over the world thanks to food blogging. Redawna, another Alberta girl, is one of them.

I asked Redawna to share a little bit about herself. Here’s what she had to say.

Foodie, Blogger, Photographer. Loves Social media. Creatively driven, highly competitive and always inspired! Entrepreneurial Spirit. Looking for a new adventure. Loving every moment.

Food and photography have always been my passion. I started Nutmeg Disrupted almost 4 years ago as a place to share the gingerbread house work I do for charity. To be able to raise thousands of dollars by being creative in the kitchen is truly wonderful.

I am also a Field Editor for Taste of Home magazine and love being able to talk about food with people all around the world. It is fantastic being able to collaborate food ideas with those who share the same passion.

In my newest adventure I have landed a job as a Produce Manager for Federated Cooperatives in Barrhead. It is like Christmas every morning tearing into huge pallets of fresh produce. There is nothing better.

I have one published cookbook, Everyday Delectable which you can find on Amazon. You can also find many of my recipes published on the Taste of Home website.

In my off time I am a weather and landscape photographer and gardener and I’m working on building those sections on Nutmeg Disrupted.

One of the cool parts about being a Produce Manager is I am the first one who gets to explore all the amazing fruits and vegetables I bring into the store.

The day the Buddha’s Hand arrived you could smell its amazing aroma long before the box was found amongst all the produce. The entire warehouse was engulfed in the most amazing lemon smell. If you have never seen a Buddha’s Hand they are like no other fruit out there.

[lightbox link=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/2-Buddhas-Hand-Citron.jpg” thumb=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/2-Buddhas-Hand-Citron.jpg” width=”283″ align=”center” title=”(2) Buddha’s Hand Citron” frame=”true” icon=”image”]

They do not contain any juice or seeds, and the white center is not bitter like you would find on other kinds of citrus. They are prefect for zesting and you would use them anywhere where you would use lemon.

In creating a recipe, naturally my mind went straight to vodka. The strong lemon scent seemed a classic fit with vodka. The end result is a magnificent flavored spirit that you could drink on the rocks or mixed with club soda for a refreshing cocktail. This is how the Buddha’s Hand infused Vodka and Cocktail came to be.

[lightbox link=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/1Buddhas-Hand.jpg” thumb=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/1Buddhas-Hand.jpg” width=”377″ align=”center” title=”(1)Buddha’s Hand” frame=”true” icon=”image”]

For more information or to contact Redawna, go here:

Twitter @Redawna
Facebook is Nutmeg Disrupted
Instagram @Redawna
Pinterest – Nutmeg Disrupted
Blogging @ http://nutmegdisrupted.com/

 

Tomatillo & Black Bean Salsa

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I had picked up some tomatillos a couple weeks ago at the store with a recipe in mind. I’ve never cooked with them before and was excited to make a new dish. Time passed, other external factors came into play and I never got to make my recipe. Sometimes that happens. But I knew they were in the fridge and I wanted to try them before they started to grow legs. So I made a salsa! I know this surprises you, since I’ve been on a three month long fresh salsa kick.

I wanted to keep the salsa simple so I pulled out some leftover sliced shallot from the fridge, jalapenos (cause I always have those on hand), some black beans and got started chopping.

I was very pleased with how this salsa turned out. The tomatillos impart an unusual almost grassy taste, but it’s so bright. This salsa is refreshing, bright and tastes great on almost everything.

 

Road Trippin: A night in Banff

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Banff is a popular tourist town located in Banff National Park and surrounded by mountains like Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade. While slightly busier than Canmore, just 20 minutes down the road, there is an abundance of adventures to find while you are there. In the summer we partake in hiking, geocaching, camping near by, the hot springs, and once in awhile we take in some treats and good eats on the strip. In the winter one can enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities including snow shoeing, skating, ice caves, skiing and sleigh rides to name a few.

During one of our trips to the mountains and Banff, we visited the Whyte Museum of The Canadian Rockies to take in some history of the area. This museum entry fee is by donation and while it’s not large, it’s packed with some interesting local artifacts. While we were there we took in the Exhibition of Sarah Fuller: My Banff, a series of photographs collected based on personal experiences and perceptions in and around Banff featuring real people in real time. The kids loved checking out the heli-skiing helicopter and learning about bears in garbage cans.

[lightbox link=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/banff-museum.jpg” thumb=”https://www.bakersbeans.ca/images/2014/03/banff-museum.jpg” width=”620″ align=”center” title=”Whyte Museum of The Canadian Rockies ” frame=”true” icon=”image”]

During this visit we stayed at the Banff International Hotel. This hotel is right on the main strip but yet far enough away from any noise that might entertain any given evening. Just a short walk and you are in the midst of Banff. We were booked into a Loft Suite and the kids were besides themselves with excitement. Upstairs in the loft were two very large beds and they immediately got to work unpacking everything they brought, setting up shop and making plans. They even had their own TV. The suite is very spacious and comfortable. The staff at the front desk were very accommodating and we were thrilled to have underground parking to keep our truck warm.

Beaver Tails Banff
Beaver Tails Banff

It was Valentine’s Day when we were there, and we decided to take the kids somewhere fun and carefree to celebrate. Having been to several restaurants in Banff already, we opted for the Banff Avenue Brewing Company, a restaurant recommended to us as kid friendly. We made reservations, arrived and were seated and immediately received great service. The food was good and there was a nice selection of beverages to choose from. This is a place we will visit again.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel. Banff Lake Louise Tourism had recommended we check out Valentine’s Weekend at the Cave and Basin National Park. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada is the birthplace of Canada’s National Park system. While here you can enjoy interactive displays and exhibits, guided tours, naturally occurring and warm mineral springs inside the cave as well as wander through a gallery to take in some history of the park itself. In the winter during specifically posted times you can even go for a skate.

This evening’s celebration was about old time movies & films, skating, fire pits, roasting marshmallows, enjoying hot chocolate and a mini ice palace with slide. So much fun! While we were there, we had the pleasure of meeting Patrick McCloskey of McCloskey Productions Inc. who was onsite taking photographs. An interesting person to talk to full of information on the area and history of the park. He took some lovely photos of the kids and shared them with us.

Photograph by Patrick McCloskey
Cave and Basin National Park. Photograph by Patrick McCloskey

The next morning we got up, packed up, sought out breakfast and checked out. A quick coffee, tea and Beavertails before heading home fueled the trip.

Every time we come to Banff we find something new to explore. Check in with Tourism Banff if you go to find things to do off the beaten path. So much to see and learn about the area and a fun outing for the entire family.

We we’re given a discounted rate at the Banff International Hotel, however all opinions expressed remain our own.

Pepper & Lentil Taquitos with a Tomatillo Salsa

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If you’ve been following along, then you know I am on a pepper and onion kick. Sauteed and put into everything. Mmmm good. Add in some jalapeno peppers and I’m a happy clam.

Rummaging through my pantry in an attempt to do some Spring cleaning and channel Spring to hurry up, I found a bag of whole green lentils that probably needed using. In addition I caught wind recently of a lentil contest. Two good reasons to get cooking some lentils.

Canadian Lentils is putting on this contest and challenging Lentil lovers to create a new and exciting dish. You can check out some of the other contest entries on their Facebook Page. I think this will be my freestyle entry since I have several more up my sleeve.

Also needing to be used up were some flax seed flour tortillas. So I pulled some inspiration from these Chicken & Bacon Taquito’s we love so much. Now in hindsight I used a flax seed tortilla and I probably wouldn’t do that again. Stick to the whole wheat version which is what worked well with the Chicken Taquito’s.

Pepper & Lentil Taquitos
Pepper & Lentil Taquitos

This recipe is pretty simple to make and packs a little heat due to the jalapenos. If you prefer less or no heat, leave them out. Cook dry lentils or use canned, whatever works.

I made up a Tomatillo & Black Bean Salsa to serve with these taquitos. You can to, or use your favourite salsa. Grab some guacamole, hot sauce or sour cream and Bob’s Your Uncle.

Let’s begin.