Do it. When you travel. It's the best way to find the best eats.
Normally I do some research on restaurants, things to do, etc when I travel. I also like to ask the hotel staff where to go, not as a "tourist" but where they go eat. Sometimes you find yourself with no options and the best way to find a good spot is to as a local. They will always point you in the direction of good grub in a good atmosphere.
On a recent trip to Portland with my husband and 3 month old daughter, Isabelle, we met with our friends for Sunday lunch in the Pearl District. Unlike in Vancouver (BC), many places were closed in Portland on Sunday. After walking up and down block after block looking for a place, I headed for a lady in her garden. Yep, a lady in her garden. She was the closest local around and I wanted to eat already! She kindly pointed us in the direction of Isabel's (oh the coincidence, it was fate!). It turned out to be exactly the kind of joint of we were looking for. Next time you're in Portland check out Isabel's .
And don't forget, locals know. So where would you point someone to eat in your hood?
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms
Quinoa is a grain that's become popular lately. It's common in South America where they eat it as a hot cereal or add it to soup. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain which is really high in protein and iron, so it's a good option for vegetarians.
Stuffed Portobellos
This recipe can be made with smaller brown mushrooms and served as an appetizer.
4 portobello mushrooms
2 cups cooked quinoa (cook with veg/chicken stock for added flavour)
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro
olive oil
salt & pepper
jack cheese (or other melty cheese)
To cook quinoa: rinse 1 cup raw quinoa, place in saucepan and top with 1.5 cups liquid (water or stock for added flavour-flav!). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all liquid is gone, about 15 minutes...kinda like cooking basmati rice. Set aside to cool.
Heat oven to 375F. Remove the stem and "gills" from portobello mushrooms, set aside on a baking dish.
Chop pepper, jalapeno, green onion and cilantro. Toss veggies with quinoa and olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. You can add crispy bacon bits here, but I like it vegetarian. Stuff mushrooms with quinoa mixture, top with grated cheese. The cheese is optional, but I like it. I like anything with cheese!
Bake until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.
Quinoa Salad VARIATION:
Prepare quinoa and veggies as above, adding a handful of shredded napa cabbage and one rib of celery, chopped the same size as the red pepper. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 or 2 tablespoon of something acidic - lemon juice, red wine vinegar, etc. Toss and refrigerate. This makes an excellent salad for lunches. Try serving it on a bed of fresh crisp greens.
Stuffed Portobellos
This recipe can be made with smaller brown mushrooms and served as an appetizer.
4 portobello mushrooms
2 cups cooked quinoa (cook with veg/chicken stock for added flavour)
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro
olive oil
salt & pepper
jack cheese (or other melty cheese)
To cook quinoa: rinse 1 cup raw quinoa, place in saucepan and top with 1.5 cups liquid (water or stock for added flavour-flav!). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all liquid is gone, about 15 minutes...kinda like cooking basmati rice. Set aside to cool.
Heat oven to 375F. Remove the stem and "gills" from portobello mushrooms, set aside on a baking dish.
Chop pepper, jalapeno, green onion and cilantro. Toss veggies with quinoa and olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. You can add crispy bacon bits here, but I like it vegetarian. Stuff mushrooms with quinoa mixture, top with grated cheese. The cheese is optional, but I like it. I like anything with cheese!
Bake until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.
Quinoa Salad VARIATION:
Prepare quinoa and veggies as above, adding a handful of shredded napa cabbage and one rib of celery, chopped the same size as the red pepper. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 or 2 tablespoon of something acidic - lemon juice, red wine vinegar, etc. Toss and refrigerate. This makes an excellent salad for lunches. Try serving it on a bed of fresh crisp greens.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Kale
It's my new favourite veg. I've been adding it to everything, soup, spaghetti sauce, and the mushroom shepherd's pie recipe below. It's great for you, if you care...according to Madeleine Grey in "Get Fresh", Kale is a great source of Vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Get to know this green in your grocery store and you won't regret it. Unlike spinach or swiss chard, kale requires a little longer cooking time since it's a sturdier green. I like to remove the stems and chop it in strips. My next destination for this green is as kale chips, apparently they're great!
Mushroom Parmentier (Shepherd's Pie)
1.5-2lbs of fresh mushrooms, choose a variety
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
fresh thyme
salt
pepper
1 bunch of kale, stems removed
stock
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp red wine vinegar
4 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
handful of grated gruyere cheese, optional
salt
pepper
Bottom layer
Over high heat, saute sliced mushrooms in 1tbsp of butter and 1tbsp olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and cook until the mushrooms let off their juices. Add chopped kale, garlic, thyme and stock, reduce heat to medium and cook until the stock is amost gone. Add worcestershire and red wine vinegar, remove from heat and let sit while you prepare your potatoes.
Top layer
Peel and cube potatoes, boil in salted water until tender. Drain and mash (I like to use a potato ricer which makes the potatoes really smooth). Warm milk and butter in microwave and add to potatoes. You can add grated gruyere cheese, but it's not necessary if you want to keep this healthier. But don't forget the salt and pepper seasoning.
In a shallow baking dish spread bottom mushroom layer then top with potato layer. Bake in 375F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy hot out of the oven!
Mushroom Parmentier (Shepherd's Pie)
1.5-2lbs of fresh mushrooms, choose a variety
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
fresh thyme
salt
pepper
1 bunch of kale, stems removed
stock
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp red wine vinegar
4 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
handful of grated gruyere cheese, optional
salt
pepper
Bottom layer
Over high heat, saute sliced mushrooms in 1tbsp of butter and 1tbsp olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and cook until the mushrooms let off their juices. Add chopped kale, garlic, thyme and stock, reduce heat to medium and cook until the stock is amost gone. Add worcestershire and red wine vinegar, remove from heat and let sit while you prepare your potatoes.
Top layer
Peel and cube potatoes, boil in salted water until tender. Drain and mash (I like to use a potato ricer which makes the potatoes really smooth). Warm milk and butter in microwave and add to potatoes. You can add grated gruyere cheese, but it's not necessary if you want to keep this healthier. But don't forget the salt and pepper seasoning.
In a shallow baking dish spread bottom mushroom layer then top with potato layer. Bake in 375F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy hot out of the oven!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Soupe au pois
AKA French Canadian Pea Soup
I LOVE this soup. My "taste tester" loves it too - by the way, he was not a fan of soup when I met him, but I've since converted him! Add a nice chunk of bread and you have a great dinner on a cold rainy Vancouver day. This is traditional, no improving on the real deal.
1 bag of yellow or green split peas, rinsed and picked of any delinquent peas
1 hamhock
1 onion, cut in half
fresh thyme sprigs, go fresh it's worth it here
water or veggie stock
In a large heavy duty saucepan add peas, hamhock and onion. Top with water or stock, the liquid should just cover the hamhock.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Stir well (and every 10-15 minutes) so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan, or it can be nasty. Add whole thyme sprigs and pepper. Simmer the soup for...well, there's no set time here, you just simmer until it gets a bit thick. But mine takes approx 1 hour.
Remove the onion, thyme, and hamhock. Let ham cool a few minutes before removing the meat from the bone and shredding with a fork. Return shredded meat to soup and season accordingly with salt and pepper. The hamhock can be quite salty so wait until the end to add salt or you may regret it. If you find that your soup has gotten toooo thick, simply thin out with a bit of water.
Serve yourself a nice big bowl and send me a thank you email : )
I LOVE this soup. My "taste tester" loves it too - by the way, he was not a fan of soup when I met him, but I've since converted him! Add a nice chunk of bread and you have a great dinner on a cold rainy Vancouver day. This is traditional, no improving on the real deal.
1 bag of yellow or green split peas, rinsed and picked of any delinquent peas
1 hamhock
1 onion, cut in half
fresh thyme sprigs, go fresh it's worth it here
water or veggie stock
In a large heavy duty saucepan add peas, hamhock and onion. Top with water or stock, the liquid should just cover the hamhock.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Stir well (and every 10-15 minutes) so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan, or it can be nasty. Add whole thyme sprigs and pepper. Simmer the soup for...well, there's no set time here, you just simmer until it gets a bit thick. But mine takes approx 1 hour.
Remove the onion, thyme, and hamhock. Let ham cool a few minutes before removing the meat from the bone and shredding with a fork. Return shredded meat to soup and season accordingly with salt and pepper. The hamhock can be quite salty so wait until the end to add salt or you may regret it. If you find that your soup has gotten toooo thick, simply thin out with a bit of water.
Serve yourself a nice big bowl and send me a thank you email : )
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Banana muffins
These have been a regular snack for me in my third trimester. I've even gone as far as to freeze some to have on hand after baby comes.This is a modified rendition of the Joy of Cooking's Banana Nut Muffins. I make them by hand in one large mixing bowl.
Makes 12 muffins
2-3 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 flax meal or wheat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mash the banana with a potato masher, add the egg, sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do no overmix. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips, stir to distribute in batter.
Line a 12 muffin tin with paper liners. Divide batter evenly into tin, bake for 17-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Enjoy with a glass of chocolate milk!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Cretons
Cretons is a french-canadian meat pate, which is only made at Christmas time in my family. If you've never had it, you're in for a real treat! My favourite way to eat it is on a piece of fresh baguette with some dijon or grainy mustard, or on toast with mustard. Nothing else.
My Mom has been making this recipe for ages which is courtesy of Marc Garneau's (the astronaut) grandmother, Rose-Alma. If you make the whole recipe you will have A LOT of cretons. I make a third of the recipe which yields 4x 2-inch ramekins, which is enough for my husband and I over the holidays. You can freeze it, but mine sometimes don't even make it to the freezer!
I caution you that I have never made this without it sticking to the bottom of the pot, but that's no reason to not try it...it's THAT good!
3lbs ground pork
2-3 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 large onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (use 2 if you are making a third of the recipe)
1 tsp ground cloves, a must!
3 cups of milk (use 1.5 cups if you are making a third of the recipe)
salt
pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large heavy bottom saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer very gently until thick, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remember the mustard for eating! And send me your feedback if you try it.
My Mom has been making this recipe for ages which is courtesy of Marc Garneau's (the astronaut) grandmother, Rose-Alma. If you make the whole recipe you will have A LOT of cretons. I make a third of the recipe which yields 4x 2-inch ramekins, which is enough for my husband and I over the holidays. You can freeze it, but mine sometimes don't even make it to the freezer!
I caution you that I have never made this without it sticking to the bottom of the pot, but that's no reason to not try it...it's THAT good!
3lbs ground pork
2-3 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 large onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (use 2 if you are making a third of the recipe)
1 tsp ground cloves, a must!
3 cups of milk (use 1.5 cups if you are making a third of the recipe)
salt
pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large heavy bottom saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer very gently until thick, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remember the mustard for eating! And send me your feedback if you try it.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
I can't believe I have not yet posted a recipe for a dessert or cookies - I love to bake, so it's shocking! Shocking I say! But, if there's got to be a first, then this is a good one.
These are a Christmas staple for me. I have been making them for years, and for good reason: they are yummy. And everyone who has them thinks so too...as evidenced by how fast they disappear. With a hot cuppa tea, it's a delish treat (or even breakfast as I've been known to do!).
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
2-2/3 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
jam - I prefer raspberry
Cream butter and combine with sugars and egg yolks, blend well. Mix in milk and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients and mix until just blended. It will seem dry at first. Place on a piece of plastic wrap and pull up sides until the mixture comes together, then wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Make a dent in each one with your thumb and fill with jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool briefly then remove to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container, placing parchment paper between each layer so they don't stick.
Yummmmmmy.
These are a Christmas staple for me. I have been making them for years, and for good reason: they are yummy. And everyone who has them thinks so too...as evidenced by how fast they disappear. With a hot cuppa tea, it's a delish treat (or even breakfast as I've been known to do!).
Jam Thumbprint Cookies1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
2-2/3 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
jam - I prefer raspberry
Cream butter and combine with sugars and egg yolks, blend well. Mix in milk and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients and mix until just blended. It will seem dry at first. Place on a piece of plastic wrap and pull up sides until the mixture comes together, then wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Make a dent in each one with your thumb and fill with jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool briefly then remove to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container, placing parchment paper between each layer so they don't stick.
Yummmmmmy.
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