Word Wednesday

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Word Wednesday

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Homemade Baileys

Happy St. Patricks Day everyone!! I came across this recipe and wanted to make it, but when my sister asked me to bring Baileys over for her birthday celebration I jumped at the opportunity to give this recipe a try.

I used a mixture of coconut milk, almond milk, strong organic coffee and palm sugar with Irish Whiskey. It is really amazing and tastes exactly like Baileys. I adapted the recipe slightly by using coconut sugar, some almond milk, and a little vanilla powder for some depth. Seriously, give this recipe a try, you won't be disappointed.

Homemade Baileys Irish Cream
adapted from Oh She Glows
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 can almond milk
1/2 cup palm sugar or sucanat
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup Irish Whiskey
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder

In a medium saucepan add the coconut milk, fill the empty can with almond milk and pour into the pan. Add to the milk the palm sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the coffee, whiskey salt and vanilla. Pour into a mason jar with a lid and put it in the refrigerator to chill. Serve over ice.

Never Disappointed: NOtaBLE

Roasted veggie pizza

I had the opportunity to catch up with some friends last night at one of my favorite places, NOtaBLE. I frequent this gem of Bowness often being that it's conveniently located close to my home, the food is always fantastic and the service is outstanding. What stands out for me is you can taste the quality of the local ingredients that go into each dish.

We started out with a pasta dish that may go down as the best ravioli I have ever eaten; Ravioli of confit chicken with roasted mushrooms and Boursin cheese. It was topped with a three cheese blend and a yummy buerre blanc sauce; unforgettable.

Mussels

On the table we had a few dishes to share including, mussels, fresh plump scallops along with NOtaBLE's elegant version of Ceasar salad; grilled romaine hearts with a caper and bacon dressing. Crowded in there was a seriously delish roasted vegetable and Fairwind's Farm goat cheese pizza topped with arugula (my favorite).

Ravioli....mmmmmm!

Just when we thought we could not fit in another bite we settled on sharing the Stilton cheesecake and Josh brought us a well paired late harvest. A fabulous night with great food and great friends.

Scallops with romaine hearts

If you are saving up for a cheat night or simply a great place to eat, I highly recommend NOtaBLE. I will be running 15 K tomorrow to burn off the damage but it was worth every single bite. If you happen to be in the area for lunch, check out their Facebook page to find out what the feature of the day is. It's always fantastic. Brunch, lunch, dinner or just a little dessert with Phil and Sebastian French press coffee, this is a sweet place.

A New Crush

I received the best gift last night and now I am crushing on Choklat, the insanely good chocolate shop in Inglewood. Bad news for me; they deliver. I was given two 80% dark chocolate bars, both with different tastes. Choklat actually makes the chocolate, something I did not realize is that other chocolate shops do not make the actual chocolate itself. The flavors between different chocolates is unreal. I will be going to check this place out very, very soon and I will report back on all my findings. I won't enjoy any of it.

If you are going to eat chocolate I highly recommend a good quality 80% dark chocolate. It is after all a great antioxidant. I find that you only need a small amount to satisfy a craving and even if you are not craving it, a little chocolate works wonders on the soul.

Word Wednesday

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I will start with....

Sesame Broccoli for the Grand Finale

The girls and I wrapped up this season of Bachelor last night. I never saw the win of the cutthroat model coming, I mean, who would have guessed Ben would chose Courtney and 'the voice'. I was pulling for the nice girl but I guess that wasn't in the cards. Switzerland is insanely beautiful though, so not a complete waste of three hours of my life.

For the grande finale meal all the ladies brought a dish to share and it turned out to be a great collaboration of healthy dishes. This broccoli dish, brought by Sasha, is super easy and so delicious that I had to share.

Sasha...don't kill me for posting this picture.

The recipe is originally from the Best of Bridge but I switched out the sugar for maple syrup and reduced the amount, if you like it a little sweeter add more syrup. Look for the darkest maple syrup you can find, this means that it contains more minerals, which is of course better for you.


Sesame Broccoli
2 pounds broccoli, chopped into small florets
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil. Place the broccoli in a 9 x 13 pan or similar size dish. When the water has come to a boil, pour the hot water over the broccoli and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the water and pour over the sesame sauce. Serve.

The Girls

Thanks ladies for some great Monday nights. Now that The Bachelor is over, we have to come up with something else to do on Monday nights. I am sure, if we put all our heads together, we will come up with something.

Lazy Sunday

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Have an amazing Sunday.

Broccoli Frittata

I love quiche but I find that making a crust is way too time consuming at the moment. This frittata is so delicious I could eat it every day and it takes only minutes to prepare. I make this for myself and the kids and slice it into wedges to pack in lunches and to have on hand for snacks.

Use free range eggs whenever possible, they are more nutritious. Yes, they are more expensive but well worth the cost in my opinion. Eggs are one of the best sources of protein and great for growing bodies that need good quality protein.

I crumble goat feta on top before baking, however, you could leave the cheese out if you are dairy intolerant or sprinkle with brewers yeast for a cheesy flavor.

The best part about making a frittata is they are so forgiving you can add almost any vegetable you like. Aidan prefers his topped with hot sauce and I like it as is beside a simple green salad. Hot or cold this easy egg dish makes a great, healthy meal anytime of the day....or at 11:00 at night when you want a slice of pizza.

Broccoli Frittata
1 tbsp organic butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 cups brocolli florets, cut into small peices
1/2 cup chopped red or yellow pepper
8 eggs
1/4 cup crumbled goat feta
sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 10 inch saute pan or cast iron skillet add the butter and garlic and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds then add brocolli and pepper. Cook for a few minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Beat eggs very well in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the skillet along with peppers and brocolli, making sure it is evenly spread. Top with goat feta. Remove from heat and place the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until set.

image via http://thepursuitaesthetic.tumblr.com

I think I would like to raise my own chickens one day. It seems like a lot of work but, if I had the time and the space it would pay off. Fresh eggs every day, I could handle that. Hey, if Martha Stewart can have her own chickens, why can't I?

New Book

I am very excited for the release of The Book of Kale, by Sharon Hanna, out at the end of April. Please watch for release of this book full of one of the most nutrient dense green leaves that I am in love with. Plus, there is a recipe in the book from ME!!

Petite Upcoming Event

Petite is one of my favorite places to eat and they have reopened on 17th Avenue after their original venue had a fire. They have fantastic food and is on my list of recommended places to find an amazing meal and great wine. Champagne happens to be one of my all time favorite drinks and the upcoming Veuve Clicquot Dinner sounds AMAZING! Now who can I find to go with me?

Word Wednesday

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Model Milk: Dining Review

image via reader: Grant Milner

I had the chance to get back to Model Milk a while ago and I have been meaning to do a post but forgot. I was searching through my photos and realized I had taken a photo while sitting at the table but not of the food, insert sad face here. The reason I did not take a photo of my food is because when my dinner came I was so excited to try it I forgot. When I took the first bite it was game over for photo opportunity.

Sunday they have "Sunday Supper" where the chef prepares a variety of dishes and they are served family style. I think it is an amazing value at $35 per person for the food served. The portions are huge and you get to try a bit of everything. I have tried the Sunday Supper and will be going back and have dined during the week and either way you can't go wrong. The bison ribs are out of this world and I have a seafood dish the last time I went that was by far the best dish I have had in a while.

The service is great every time I go. One thing to mention is that they do not take reservations but generally I have not had to wait very long for a table. You can sit or stand and have a glass of wine in the lounge while waiting for a table. The atmosphere is amazing and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I will go back, hopefully soon, and I will for sure take a photo of my food the next time.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I had a fantastic weekend full of everything that brings me happiness. I baked these cookies for a cocktail party this weekend and they were a hit. I made them again on Sunday to test the recipe once more before posting it but I reduced the sugar in the second batch.

I used organic peanut butter and gluten free oats, not the instant variety, the large flake kind. I sprinkled the tops with french sea salt because I like the combination of sweet and salty. I used mostly palm sugar in the second batch that I made and I did not notice a huge difference in taste or texture but if you cannot find palm sugar, organic cane sugar is fine. If you like your cookies a little chewier add 1/4 cup more sugar.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 cup organic peanut butter
2 free range eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup palm sugar
2 tbsp honey
3 cups gluten free oats
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
sea salt for tops

Combine butter, peanut butter, honey and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Stir in oats, baking soda and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned and the tops still look slightly under cooked. Remove and let cool on the pan.

Yum, yum, yum.

Lazy Sunday

TGIF

 

Have a great weekend. I will be hitting the trails.