Monthly Archives: April 2012

Blueberry Chia Jam

It’s been a while since my last post on ‘foodie highlights’ from the week. Last time was in Hawaii, when my diet was 90% pineapple, apple bananas, taro frozen yogurt and ahi poke. I miss those days. Especially the taro fro-yo.
I love being able to cook in my own kitchen again, though. Some highlights from the week:

Rainy day chicken and rice casserole served in the ultimate comfort dish – a giant mug.

In a crock pot on high heat, I added sliced carrots, red onion and celery, along with a cup of vegetable broth, salt, pepper and a pinch of rosemary and sage. After an hour, I added sliced zucchini, peas and corn.

Then I wrangled two chicken breasts into a frying pan. It was a sad and awkward sight to see. Raw meat just… creeps me out and I don’t know what to do with it! It was like a scene from Fear Factor. Court is usually in charge of grilling or cooking it. I took the easiest approach I could think of: frying the breasts in coconut oil. Once they were done, I shredded the chicken and added it to the crock pot with the veggies. I turned the broth into gravy by whisking in almond milk, corn starch, nutritional yeast and some extra sage, salt and pepper. As you can tell, I’m really good at writing down measurements. Sorry about that.

I cooked brown rice according to the directions, then tossed it with a tiny bit of butter, a handful of chopped spinach and pepper. The chicken casserole was poured on top of the rice.

A great salad topper that can be made ahead of time: red lentils tossed with coconut milk, tumeric, cumin, garlic salt and pepper. Mixed with sauteed mushrooms, fresh basil and spinach.

Blueberry Chia Jam. The only jam I’ve ever made and probably will make, because the thought of pectin, boiling jars, etc stresses me out.

All you need:
a jar
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
optional: cane sugar

In a saucepan on low heat, I added frozen blueberries and mashed them slightly until they thawed. After stirring in lemon juice and heating for about a minute, I poured the berries into a mason jar, stirred in chia, and let it thicken for two hours in the fridge. Chia seeds are so magical.

Creamy Lemon-Basil Spaghetti

Inspired by the flavors in one of my favorite coconut curry dishes, I added a springtime twist. The creamy sauce is a can of coconut milk, the juice of half a lemon, and a cup of loosely packed basil leaves.

I tossed extra basil leaves in with brown rice spaghetti, olive oil, then poured the creamy sauce and veggies over top. Again, I forgot to write down the measurements, but doesn’t it look good?! It was delicious.

Lastly, I’ve been eating this for breakfast… a lot. Topped with chocolate PB2. You need to try this 5 minute breakfast cupcake recipe. It keeps me satiated for hours and it tastes like dessert!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, friends! What are some of your favorite eats from the week?

Banana Bread Explosion

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Who in their right mind gets excited over banana bread? This lady! I am boring. While I was in Hawaii, I developed an addiction to ‘Bomb Banana Bread‘, locally made by Buddha Belly Baker and sold in Island Naturals grocery store. I loved it so much that I ~~may have~~ definitely ate an entire loaf in less than 24 hrs.

Since then, visions of Bomb Banana Bread have been dancing through my head. I’ve baked three loaves this week, each recipe a little different. This one was devoured in 12 hours. I think this is a new record for me? I’m impressed!

The winner of the week:

Banana Bread Explosion

Preheat oven to 350F

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter* (see note at end of recipe)
1/2 cup* palm or cane sugar

Cream together above ingredients, then add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

1 cup spelt flour (or all purpose)
1/2 cup oat flakes
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth. Lightly spray a small loaf pan, and pour banana bread mixture in. Now, for the fun explosion part. Sprinkle on toppings of choice. I used mini chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut, flax and chia seeds.

*Note: Coconut oil also works, especially if a heavier loaf is preferred. I think it tastes better with butter though.
*The amount of sugar is give or take depending on your sweet tooth. Just under 1/2 cup was just the right amount of sweetness for me.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

What’s your biggest food ‘weakness’? Banana bread is (obviously) high on my list, along with self-serve frozen yogurt. Remember the Yogurtland incident(s)?

Earth Weekend Things

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Over the weekend I took my bike out for a cruise, (the first of the season!) went on a long solo walk, made a ton of food, mowed the lawn, dug weeds out of the garden and prepped the soil for planting. During spring and summer, I become less focused on ‘gym-type’ workouts, favoring the outdoors instead. Being outside and enjoying nature is all I really need. To any new readers, this vintage bike was my birthday present last year! My husband and I found it abandoned on the street, and after no one claimed it for days, we took it home. Court had it completely restored and painted my signature color.

On Saturday morning, I baked a dozen carrot muffins, put them in my bike basket and pedaled to Courts Moms house for coffee. We made a pot of 100% Kona coffee that we purchased from the bed and breakfast, Ka’awa Loa we stayed at. Fantastic coffee – the best beans on the Big Island (in our opinion.)

We visited with Courts Aunts, snacked on muffins and fruit before continuing on our bike ride.

My parents came over for dinner on Saturday evening, and we had quite the assortment of goodies. They brought deviled eggs, bbq pork skewers, warm artichoke dip and stuffed mushroom caps.

I made a mixed green salad with dried apricots, fresh Gala apple, goat cheese and a sweet sesame dressing.

Chilled green beans tossed with sesame oil and seeds.

Sweet potato sliders with basil pesto hummus and melted cheese.

Warm coconut curry lentils and corn tortillas for dipping. I created the lentil dish by accident. Earlier in the day, I forgot a pot of lentils on the stove and they turned to mush. I remedied it by tossing in garlic, chopped onion, tumeric, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and coconut milk. It was delicious! It reminded me a lot my favorite lentil dish from a local Ethiopian restaurant that I just love.

We eat like Kings over here!

On Sunday morning, Court and I jumped on our bikes and headed to Starbucks to take advantage of free Earth Day coffee (when you bring your own tumbler.)

Blonde roast coffee and egg scrambles were enjoyed in the warm sunshine.

In the mix:
1 egg + 1/2 cup egg whites, sauteed onion, mushroom and spinach all topped with salsa, avocado and cheese. Oh, and my beloved jalapeno Tabasco. I put it on almost everything!

The rest of the day was spent spring cleaning the yard and house. I even switched the flannel sheets for cotton – here’s hoping I don’t jinx the weather.

How did you spend Earth Day weekend? Did you implement any new ‘green’ ideas in your home?
I’ve been making my own natural cleaning products for a little; everything from laundry soap to all purpose cleaner, but I added ‘build an outdoor clothes line’ to Court’s to do list. I also want to get these laundry magnets that were introduced to me in Hawaii. You use them in place of detergent, along with a few drops of essential oil to add a fresh scent.

Am I officially a hippie now?

‘Grown Up’ Grilled Cheese + Tomato Basil Soup

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Oprah fans, remember a few years ago when ‘Grown Up Grilled Cheese’ sandwiches were featured? No? Is it sad/weird that episode stands out the most in my Oprah memories?

Paired with tomato-basil soup and mixed greens, this comfort meal is best enjoyed on a rainy day.

Tomato Basil Soup
1 can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 crushed garlic clove
2 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 tbsp cane sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil and sautee garlic and onion for about two minutes. Add crushed tomato, water, herbs and sugar then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir milk. Simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed. While soup is simmering, prep the sandwich fixings.

‘Grown Up’ Grilled Cheese
I made a sandwich with sprouted grain bread for Court and I had a quesadilla.

First, I smothered the bread and wrap with hummus, then added layers of cheese, followed by thinly sliced apple, sauteed onion and fresh basil.

Sandwich suggestions:

Light Havarti Cheese
Shredded Cheddar
handful of fresh basil leaves
1 small apple, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced, and sauteed
basil pesto hummus
pinch of dried sage
pepper

Grill until gooey, and dig in!

What are some of your go-to comfort meals? Are any of them childhood favorites?

For me, grilled cheese and tomato soup, pumpkin pie, buttered toast and hot chocolate, baked mac and cheese are the first things that come to mind.

Breakfast Banana Bread Pudding

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This blog has served as the perfect outlet for me to talk about food, share and store my recipes, and give my friends a break from my endless food rants.

It’s no secret that I love food.

I love thinking about it, talking about it (to whoever will listen. Typically, no one) grocery shopping, cooking and of course, eating it.

When it comes to researching vacations, I browse local restaurants and pour over their menus like a juicy tabloid. While I’m on vacation, my idea of fun is going from restaurant to restaurant ordering a little something from each one.

Last year, while celebrating my one year wedding anniversary, I text messaged my girlfriend a detailed play by play of everything delicious I was eating. After two days of endless descriptions about chocolate cake and sushi, she replied with, “Are you done yet?” Sorry about that.

Last week in Kailua, I sampled bread pudding from the hotels breakfast buffet. Was it ever good. I always forget how much I love bread pudding. “I wonder if I could make this in the slow cooker? With bananas?!” I exclaimed to Court.

I set everything up the night before, and turned the slow cooker on low on before bed (around 9pm) and by midnight, it was done. Or so Court says. To be on the safe side, we turned it off, but I reheated it in the morning and it held it’s perfectly sticky texture throughout the night.

Breakfast Banana Bread Pudding
Yields 2-4 Servings

Looks unappetizing; tastes exactly like banana bread. In bread pudding form. Yes.

6 slices of bread, sliced into cubes
2 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
1 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray or coconut oil. Add bread. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over top of bread. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3 hours, or high heat for 1 hour.

In the morning, I ate my bread pudding with a side of homemade Kefir and strawberries. Random. But delicious!

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Tempeh Coconut Curry

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My best meal creations tend to be the ones that took no planning at all. A can of coconut milk inspired last nights meal, and within 20 minutes, dinner was served. Court and I didn’t speak during the entire meal. That’s always a good sign, right? Or maybe it was because we’ve just returned home from spending five solid weeks together and have nothing to say.

Tempeh Coconut Curry (Vegan)
Serves 3
Hearty, filling and nutritious, this is my kind of comfort food.

1.5 cups brown rice
1 block of tempeh (preferably pre-seasoned Turtle Island Coconut Curry brand)
1 can coconut milk
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
3 small carrots, sliced
6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 cups loosely packed spinach
1 tbsp tumeric
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
salt and pepper, to taste

While rice is cooking, sautee onion, garlic and carrots in coconut oil (or oil of choice) over medium heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until carrot begins to soften. Now add chickpeas tempeh and mushrooms, stirring frequently for another 5 minutes or so. Add spinach, and cook until leaves are wilted.

Season with tumeric, ginger, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir in coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes, adjust spices if needed.

Spoon the curry over brown rice and dig in!

It feels good to be cooking in our kitchen again, and (sadly) trying to wean ourselves off of fresh Hawaiian produce. I’m looking forward to planting our garden soon and visiting the greenhouses!

Do you grow a garden? What are your favourite things to plant?

Big Island Love

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Well… we’re back in Canada. Coming home from a trip is always bittersweet. I thought I’d be devastated after leaving Hawaii, but it’s nice to see our families, house and pets again. Living out of a suitcase becomes tiring after a while.

Court and I booked a hotel room at the Marriott in Kailua a couple days before flying home. For a ‘basic’ hotel, it was actually really nice! Newly renovated, very comfortable beds and a great breakfast buffet. We were all over the omelete bar and um… oatmeal. I’ve been craving oats like mad lately! You know your vacation is coming to an end when oatmeal sounds more appealing than a Mai Tai.

Kailua reminded me a lot of Puerto Vallarta. Just smaller and without a ton of resorts. It’s a great choice for families or travelers looking for hosted tours. I’m glad we only stayed there for two nights – the dining options are limited, unless you’re into pub-style eats. Plus there are so.many.people. Instead of hanging around tourist shops, we lounged by the pool, and squeezed in a few much needed gym sessions.

Our last full day in Hawaii was spent swimming at Hapuna Beach (I swam with turtles again!) and lazing in the sun. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know we’ll be back. I cried when the plane began it’s taxi down the runway and all of the airport employees were waving goodbye. And then again when I went grocery shopping at home and spotted a sad looking pineapple. Did anyone see a distraught looking blonde lady in Save On Foods recently? That was probably me.

Court and I were fortunate enough to be able to explore the island thoroughly, taking our time and compiling a list of ‘the best’ of Hawaii. For the most part, we went beyond the main tourist attractions, avoiding overpriced tourist traps, and letting our sense of adventure guide us.

What we loved about the Big Island:

The eco-diversity – the island has 11 of the earth’s 13 micro-climates!
Kohala Coasts white sand beaches; especially Makalawena and Mauna Kea beach. Hot, sunny and dry conditions along the South Kohala coast were a welcomed relief from unpredictable weather on other parts of the island.
Lush rainforest valleys, gulches and coastal views along the Hamakua coast.
Warm, welcoming locals. Everyone was so nice!
The old Kalapana-Kapoho highway aka The Red Road in Puna.
Fresh produce and farmers markets, specifically on the east coast. More variety and better prices.
The Kings Trail in McKenzie State Park, which leads into a coconut palm forest.
Tide pool snorkeling in Kapoho.
Waimea, a cool sub-tropical ‘western’ town located among cinder cones.
Waipio Valley- on foot. The walk down the steep 4×4 road is worth the effort – you get to enjoy multiple views of the valley and coast on the way down, with a rewarding grey sand beach at the end of the trail.
The Aloha. You can feel it. Everywhere.The Big Island has it all, and we often forgot we were on an island. It’s large enough that you can take a lengthy vacation without becoming bored.

The only aspect we didn’t like was the vog, which typically hovers around Kona when the volcanoes are very active. Some days were clearer than others, but it became hazy with cloud overcast everyday in Kona. On the bright side, it’s not difficult to get away from. A half hour drive north usually took us to bright blue skies and clean air. And white sand beaches.

We left with Aloha in our hearts, a lifetimes worth of memories and some pretty impressive tans. Hawaii nurtures the soul, and we learned that even though we can’t stay in paradise forever (maybe one day?!) you can create your own paradise within. I left the island feeling re-energized, grateful and determined to focus on ‘the little things’ that make life great.

So… who wants to come to Maui and Molokai with us?

We Found The Mangoes

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Mango-fans, have you ever noticed that finding a decent mango is like chasing the dragon? A good mango is hard to come by – even in Hawaii. They’re either under-ripe and piney tasting, or over-ripe and piney tasting. In Kona this past week, the markets were overflowing with organic mangoes which sent Court into euphoria. They’re his favourite fruit. I love them as long as they don’t taste like a Christmas tree.

The farmers markets on the Kona coast are geared towards tourists – with crafts, clothing, jewelry, and less fruit and veggie stands. Meh. Give me veggies. Lots of fresh leis for sale which I can’t resist burying my nose into every time I pass them. Plumerias are my favourite scent -they’re like lilacs… but better.

We had lunch at a wonderful burger place called Annie’s a few days ago. It’s conveniently located next to Island Naturals (our favourite Hawaiian health food store) in Kainaliu. Some guests we met at Ka’awa Loa recommended it, and we weren’t disappointed! The atmosphere was unexpected for a burger restaurant. It’s a partial open-air setting with a casual-contemporary cafe vibe. When we walked in, Tiesto was was blaring throughout the restaurant, and at that moment I knew I was going to love our meal.

We ordered Longboard beers and a bowl of tomato-basil soup to start.

I’d been told the ‘Mala’ burger was amazing, so I had to try it. Chickpea patty seasoned with herbs, topped with tzatziki sauce and lime coleslaw. Purple potato salad on the side. Sounded promising! Someone in the kitchen went a little crazy with the sauce in both my burger and salad, which was disappointing. All I could taste was tzatziki. It was still good and I’d order it again – minus the gallon of dressing.

Court had the ‘South Point’ burger with a side of fries that I helped him devour. His burger was outstanding!

To balance out the salt, we stopped by Gia’s Gelato next door for a scoop of strawberry-lillikoi and mint chocolate.

My gelato was sickeningly sweet and I could only tolerate a few bites. Serious sugar burn in my throat. Lilikoi is already such a naturally sweet nectar that it doesn’t need extra sugar added to it.

Gelato, ice cream or frozen yogurt – what’s your favourite? Fro-yo, hands down! (Yogurtland… taro… mmmm)

Living Mint Green

a holistic living blog

Monthly Archives: April 2012

Blueberry Chia Jam

Banana Bread Explosion

Earth Weekend Things

‘Grown Up’ Grilled Cheese + Tomato Basil Soup

Breakfast Banana Bread Pudding

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Tempeh Coconut Curry

Big Island Love

We Found The Mangoes

Easter In Hawaii

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