Delicious Chick Peas

Chick peas also known as garbanzo beans is part of the legume family and is well known and popular in most countries around the world.  It is high in fiber, protein, quite filling and know to reduce cravings for sweets after consumption.

 I was first introduced to this food as "Channa".  Channa, is a South American dish that is simple to make, and delicious  The peas are soaked over-night to swell and soften, before being placed into the pressure cooker to complete the tenderizing process.

It's common in countries like South America, and the Caribbean to buy all types of legumes dry.  First, because it's cheaper and you get more on the dollar, than buying it in a can.  The good thing is - it has turned out to be healthier for you too - bonus.

Today, chick peas isn't only found in popular dishes like Hummus, Falafel and Punjabi Chole dishes introduced by different cultures like Greek, Middle East, and India - it can be found in hundreds of recipes of all cultures.

Recently, I had a craving for chick pea, but not my traditional "channa" recipe - I will share that in another post; this dish was inspired by what was in my kitchen.  I've named it "Chicken chick pea stew" 

Dish prepped for Baking

Dish after Baking

 If you'd like a copy of this recipe, drop me a line.  Thanks for reading and...

to your health

4 Easy steps to Baking amazing Bread

I've made mentioned of my mom's favorite bread recipe in a earlier post.  Today I'm going step by step with pics to give you not only the visual, but to show you how super easy it is, and you don't need a bread machine to do it.

Fresh Yummy Whole Wheat/whit Bread

Salt, brown sugar, whole wheat and white flour, warm water,  yeast and  margarine

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together, add margarine and mix in thoroughly by hand, add enough water to make a soft dough

Cover and place in a warm place (on top of the stove with light on works)  for 90-120 min

Dough fully risen and ready to be formed into loaves

Loaves placed into oiled pans; cover and let rise for 30 min then bake for 45-55 min

You gotta try this recipe, you can find it on a earlier post - try it and please share your experience with me.

To your health and enjoyment!

Glam up your Protein

Seasoning your meat in the Caribbean and South America is a normal every day occurrence, with specific steps in place, it's given care and attention. A bathing is the first takes step in the process prior to the seasoning stage. 

 I recall the steps my parents took when preparing the meat for cooking; be it chicken or fish. The meat would be washed, yes washed with fresh squeezed lemons, or lime and if those weren't readily available, white vinegar would be used along with a dash of salt.  The meat would then be covered and left to sit for about one hour.

During that time the prep for the rub is put together; either wet or dry; depending on the type of dish being cooked.

After that time expired, the meat would be rinsed to remove the juice and salt, and then patted dry with a paper towel. The wet or dry seasoning (and I am not talking about salt and pepper here) is then massaged by hand into the meat and it's covered again for another 2 hours, and in some cases overnight before being cooked. 

In the typical  North American Caucasian, European and Chinese  homes, meat is not prepared in that fashion. The meat is washed with water; salt and black pepper added and maybe a dash of other dried herbs, then cooked according to the recipes' instruction.

Having tried both ways of preparing meats; hands down I prefer the method of allowing the meat to marinate in the seasoning for a period of time prior to cooking.  This process tends to make the meat more flavourful, and if you don't think this is the case; do your own experiment and then let me know.

So, let's talk a bit about Seasoning; dry, fresh or wet?  It all depends on your preference, what's handy and how much time you have to get the herbs ready.

Dry Herbs:
You can buy them at the grocery store in bulk or pre-packed, and mix a few together and store in a air tight jar for your chicken, then do a similar one for your fish etc.
The down side to using those herbs - you don't know the actual shelf life and how long they've been packaged, thus you don't know the strength of what you're getting.

Fresh Herbs:
It's the way to go in my opinion, but depending on what you're looking for, it could be tough to find as fresh herbs are seasonal, and if you do find them it could be costly. However, you can't beat the flavour of using fresh herbs against dry.

Wet Herbs:
Yeah, there is such a thing as wet herbs; well now there is-LOL!  It's what I grew up seeing my parents do, and continues to.  It's simple, easy, a time saver and way better than using dry herbs.
Buy loads of a variety of fresh herbs - basil, cilantro, green onions, spanish celery, hot scotch bonnet peppers (maybe not for some), thyme etc, 
Wash  thoroughly, add them to a blender, drizzle a bit of water, olive oil and salt and blend to a paste like consistency. Store in glass jars and keep in the fridge for 3-6 months.

Now you have fresh herbs with a bit of salt and olive oil to preserve it, and you're spared the extra work of chopping fresh herbs every time you want to season your meats. It is a great way to get as fresh as you can to using fresh herbs still full of flavour and a time saver.

TIP:
Experiment to find which herbs work best on different meats, and make separate jars of the mixture and label them; chicken rub, fish rub, pork rub etc. 

Al-right, to your health and enjoyment. 

Kitchen Time is Play Time

Kids of all ages get stoked to visit Disney Land; I experience that same kind of exhilarated rush when I enter my kitchen. I am over the moon passionate about cooking as I am about writing and sharing on this wonderful art that continues to grow and expand in so many different ways. 

Today,  I want to touch on the subject of "Did you know" and periodically you'll find posts dedicated to "Did you know"; you can call it an expansion of "Tips" on a more in depth scale.

So, let's get to today's 

Did you Know:

 Experimenting in the kitchen can be very educational and creative, rewarding and lucrative empowering and fun.

Educational and Creative- the Kitchen, where you feel like and are the Queen or King of your domain, you can educate yourself.  You have the opportunity to strengthen your craft, and besides the hundreds of cooking shows on TV you have enough resources at your fingertips to sharpen your skill.
From mixing different liquids to create your own sauces, and dry spices and herbs to create your own signature rub. To substituting one ingredient for another, you keep what works and vibrates a resounding yes to your palate, and write off the ones that makes the muscles in your face twitch.

Rewarding and Lucrative - there's something to be said when you create or take an old recipe and make it your own. When you take ingredients on a whim and turn it into a crowd pleaser. When you run out of store bought BBQ sauce, and you make your own, or pancake, waffle and crepe syrup, and you decide - I am going to whip something together, and it becomes so amazingly delicious it has the potential to become a product sold in grocery stores. 

Empowering and Fun - it is in those moments that you realized that you are a chef; no you didn't attend culinary school though that has it's advantage, but you have a gift, you derive great joy from working with ingredients to make dishes for your family and friends to enjoy. There's a sense of excitement that comes when you watch what's in your mind unfolds and becomes something beautiful on a plate that awakens the sense of sight, smell and taste.
And, on an off day when the idea doesn't fully come together, you don't walk away in defeat; rather it's another important lesson learned for the next time. A little more, a little less, a pinch of this, a splash of that, let it simmer longer, you'll get it right.

Tip:
Stir the pot of your mind  and make a dry rub or sauce from the ingredients available in your  kitchen, and use it in your next meal. You will be inspired, and another creative side to your your love for cooking will emerge.

To your enjoyment and health!

Healthy, Tasty and Inexpensive Meals the Whole Family will Love

It's hard to believe that we're a few days away from the start of the fall season, the weather outside looks and feels like we're just somewhere between July and August.  I love the extended warm days, compensation for a crappy June, but this blog isn't about weather, though the food I'm about to share is perfect for the upcoming fall and winter months.

Stews; I am talking about the ones your mama and grandma used to make. Thick, hearty, stick to your bones kinda stews.  A bowl jammed packed with enough sauce to sop up with a warm piece of fresh bread, colourful vegetables, your favourite protein, and enough fresh herbs to make your mouth water. Now, that is starting to stir a craving within for another bowl of hearty stew.

This stew was actually created on a warm summer day.  I wanted something hearty to eat for dinner, and didn't have beef, but wait, I had some fresh hot Italian sausages, a can of white beans, bok choy, tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh basil.

There was no need to add any additional stock to this stew; as the flavour from the browning of the sausages with onions and garlic was enough to create a beautifully flavoured sauce. A dash of cayenne, with soft warm whole wheat french bread and a glass of red made this meal complete.

Tip: 
To obtain  flavourful stews without the need to add additional stock; make sure you take the time to brown your meat on medium heat with onions which helps to pull all the flavours together, and caramelize the meat. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan when the meat is brown to get all the stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan off before adding your vegetables.

To your enjoyment and health!

Appreciate Food

My enjoyment and appreciation of food continues to expand and this summer I have discovered  there are certain foods I prepare has a greater affect on my mood, weather, and company.  As I continue to be more enlightened not just about the art of cooking good food, I have gained a new respect for cooks of all walks of life and genres. Home cook Christine from the current series of Master Chef hosted by Gordon Ramsay is a prime example.
Christine lost her sight, but has consistently created tasty dishes; the presentation, plating, colours and textures of every dish has been beyond impressive.  She has won against 16 other "home cooks" and is in the finals  to win the title against another contestant.  Her attitude, technique and sense of taste has amazed me.

I have learned that regardless of the simplicity, complexity or cost of creating the dish your heart has to be in it. The finished product has to make an impact therefore it needs heart.  Here are a few points that I have found to be helpful to me in the kitchen.

• Heart or passion has to be there. You have to be excited about your menu, and ingredients you're going to work with.
• Vision is another important component of creating an outstanding dish.  You have to see the complete plated meal before your hands get moving.
• Preparation is the key to a smooth flow in the kitchen.  Being disorganize will not only slow you down but can affect the outcome of your dish the way you've envisioned it.
• Choose Fresh working with fresh over dry herbs does make a world of difference, so whenever possible   choose fresh.

OK, that's it for today,until next week.

I hope you enjoy and to your health!

TIP of the Week:
Buy fresh herbs when in season, blend and add a bit of salt and olive oil and store in the fridge in air tight glass jars for up to 6 months.

Refreshing, Tasty and Healthy

You know when it's time to re-visit and make adjustments to your food intake when you find yourself lacking energy and sluggish despite how much exercise and sleep you get.
i found myself in that place a week ago and got my aha moment when I took a look at my diet over the past 6 months. It consisted more of processed foods than I am used to, so changes had to be made immediately.


Time to ease off the baking:) 


The plan for the next 2 weeks is to cut out all white flour and unnatural sugars; so today a new recipe was made; introducing Quinoa Salad.  Packed full of ingredients that provided a delicious refreshing taste of ingredients you won't think of putting together to make such an amazing healthy salad. A nice balance of  fiber, healthy carbohydrates, protein and fresh cilantro.


Quinoa Salad


Mix and set aside:
2 tbsp. soya sauce
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey or brown sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed
The juice of 2 limes




Cook 1 cup dry quinoa in vegetable stock and cool
Wash and drain 1 14oz. can of black beans or lentils
1 large red pepper diced
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro




In a large bowl mix the dry together
Add the liquid to the dry and mix thoroughly.
Serve at room temperature


Makes enough to serve 6-8


To your health and enjoy.