BC Agriculture in the Classroom, Updated Giveaway

Some time ago, I posted this and then had a lot of trouble getting my comments fixed so that I could actually give this book away. I'm fixing that today! BC Agriculture in the Classroom is an amazing program that I am proud to support on Chasing Tomatoes. I have seen first hand how because of their program, kids have gotten into eating more fruits and veggies. 

It's not often that my day job and online life mix, but today at a pro-d event in Chilliwack I got to meet some ladies with BC Agriculture in the Classroom.

Agriculture in the Classroom is a non profit organization that works hard to bring BC's agriculture to students in BC through various school programs. One that I've seen (and Kevin has participated in) is their fruit and veggie program. Every other week a bunch of fresh fruit or veggies are brought to the school-enough for each classroom so that kids could sample fresh, local produce.

Fresh produce snacks in the classroom are a great way to expose kids to fresh foods that they may not have seen before or otherwise eat. I've seen kids wolf down oranges and apples, tentatively try a cherry tomato, or even grab them by the handful. When kids see their friends eating (and enjoying!) fresh local produce, they are far more likely to try some themselves. Some quotes from six year olds:

"I like ketchup and salsa, but isn't it weird that I just don't like tomatoes?"

"They explode in your mouth! I love them! I could eat them all day!"

"I tried one. I didn't like it, but I tried one."

"They are so juicy and sweet, they are better than candy!"

Having the fresh produce provides so much avenue for discussion. Kids can learn from their teachers or other staff where the fruit comes from, what it's used for, and more. Won't eat a tomato? Let them know that ketchup, salsa, and pizza sauce have tomatoes in them. Even if they don't like the item, most will at least try it and who knows? If they've tried it once, they may try it again.

Besides just supplying kids with fresh snacks, BC Agriculture in the Classroom also has a great Spuds in Tubs program. Schools apply to the program and are given a kit to grow their own potatoes. The kids tend the potatoes and get to see them grow until harvest time, when they get to eat the end result. Who says French fries are the only way to get your kids to eat a potato? when they've grown it themselves, I'll bet they will be more interested.

Want to get involved or find out more?

@BC_agintheclass on Twitter

Like them on Facebook

Check out their website

This year at school, I am teaching some kids about nutrition and food. In honour of the work BC Agriculture in the classroom does,  I have a giveaway of the book Alfalfabet along with a bunch of goodies that I will personally select for you and send as your own little prize pack! How is that for fun?!



Who can enter:  Canadian Residents with a Canadian Postal address

How to enter: Leave me a comment below

Get an extra entry by tweeting (make sure to come back and let me know): RT Enter to win a copy of Alfalfabet prize pack from @scatteredmom! http://www.chasingtomatoes.ca/2013/04/food-revolution-friday-bc-agriculture.html #bcagbook

Contest closes: September 18, 2013

The proof really is in the kids. When a basket of cherry tomatoes was in our room the other day, one little girl counted hers carefully and said,

"One for grandma, one for my sister, one for..."  Then she popped it in her mouth and grinned. "Oops. Too late. Can I have some more?"

PS.. I was not sponsored, paid, or compensated for this post in any way. When I met the ladies of Agriculture in the Classroom and asked how I would get a book to purchase to give away, they very kindly gifted me one. All opinions here are my own. I wasn't even asked to write this post. I am doing so because I'm so excited about their program!

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Food Revolution Friday: Jamie Oliver's Chicken Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh is a spicy curry dish traditionally from the Kashmir region of India, usually consisting of lamb cooked in a gravy of onions, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, yogurt, and a chile that is similar in flavor to paprika. With lamb being quite expensive here, I substituted boneless skinless chicken thighs but you could even make this vegetarian by using squash, potatoes, and cauliflower (cook only 45 minutes). My usual brand of curry paste (Pataks) doesn't have their Rogan Josh paste available in Canada, so finding an alternative was really difficult. A few years ago I found one tucked away on the shelves of a tiny IGA Marketplace in Pender Harbour, BC.  When we moved to the Fraser Valley I didn't think I'd find it again but there it was, in another IGA Marketplace in Langley.



Minara's makes a fantastic Rogan Josh paste. You could, if you wanted, make your own but I don't really want to bother. Considering that it is dairy, nut, gluten free AND non gmo, this makes it even better. It also didn't have soy, as far as I could tell. If you can't find Rogan Josh paste, you could substitute another medium curry paste.

This curry is fantastic. Spicy but not so much so that you can't enjoy it, and with large meaty chunks to stir into rice, it's one of my favorite dinners. Make a pot to enjoy for dinner, and then have the leftovers for lunch the next day. They re-heat very well-in fact, you could even freeze them.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 3/4 lbs lamb leg steaks or boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium onion, chopped
1 fresh red chile, seeded and minced
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
small bunch of cilantro, stalks chopped and leaves set aside
vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
4 bay leaves
salt and pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
2-3 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup rogan josh curry paste
2 handfuls of red lentils
plain yogurt

In a large, deep frypan melt the butter and about 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chile, ginger, bay leaves and cilantro stalks. Cook, stirring, until the onions are cooked through and browned just a little. Add the lamb or chicken in batches, stirring and cooking until browned. When all the lamb or chicken is browned, add any chicken that you had to put aside back to the pan, along with the balsamic vinegar and cook another 2 minutes. Then stir in the tomatoes, curry paste, lentils, and about 2 cups of chicken broth.

Bring mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down to low, cover, and let simmer for about an hour. Check it periodically during that time to make sure that it's not burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan, and if you think it needs more liquid you can add some. I don't like my curry too soupy so for me, two cups was enough chicken broth but you can add more. Fish out the bay leaves when you're ready to serve. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the curry with rice, topped with a spoonful of yogurt, a little mango chutney if you wish, sprinkles of fresh chopped cilantro leaves, and naan bread.

Serves 4-6

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Road Trip Food: A How-To, With Recipes!

This summer I was on the road for 32 days, covering ten states, in three different vehicles, and went over 15,000 kms. While it was loads of fun and I enjoyed every second, there also was one major challenge.

The food.

Road trip food is generally not that great, I'll admit. You end up taking just whatever you can get, and after awhile all the restaurant menus begin to blend together. Even though we vowed not to eat fast food, by about the 15 day I was ready to chuck a restaurant menu across the room and wail in protest.

Plus I was really, really sick of bacon.

How did we survive that many days on the road? Each trip was unique, as it was by a different vehicle and had different travel companions-so I'll break it down for you, by the trip.

Family Vacation

Vehicle: car
Travel companions: My husband (ultra picky) and teenager (ultra adventurous)
Destinations: Montana, Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, and more. The trip was to spend time 4x4ing in Utah, gold pan in South Dakota, and spend lots of family time together.
Plan of attack: Eat at hotel breakfast bars, pack our own lunch and snacks, eat dinner at restaurants.

This vacation was where I cooked the most. We loaded up on dry goods like cereal, crackers, hummus, and more before we crossed the border into the USA and hit a grocery store for more perishable items. I had packed a bag with a tupperware that contained all the hotel room cooking items I'd ever need: a peeler, small cutting board, knife, ice cream scoop, wine bottle opener, can opener, small jar with lid for making salad dressings, a few measuring spoons, salt and pepper). In the bag I also had a great plastic colander and single serving sized containers with lids.

What did I cook?



Road trip chopped salad:

1 egg per person (we snagged hard boiled eggs from the breakfast bar that morning)
lettuce, washed, dried, chopped (or torn into small pieces)
sweet red pepper, seeded and sliced
cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2
cheese, sliced
sprouts, chopped
green onions, chopped

Dressing:
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Chop up all the veggies (leave out the egg, tuna, cheese) the night before and toss in the large tupperware that you are storing all the cooking utensils in. Divide into smaller single serving containers and put in the fridge. Grab the eggs in the morning at the breakfast bar before you leave and put in a single serving container. Pack everything in the cooler.

**be careful-hotel fridges notoriously freeze everything!

Make sure to pack the olive oil and balsamic close to where you can grab it when you pull over at a restaurant and want lunch, along with a small jar, the lid, and a tablespoon.

When you are ready to eat, dump the salad onto a picnic plate. Add the eggs and cheese slices. To make dressing, shake 3 Tbsp of olive oil with 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar, plus a little salt and pepper. Drizzle over top.



Chick pea salad

19 oz can of chick peas
can of tuna (no drain is wonderfully easy)
cherry tomatoes
chopped fresh basil (would be nice, I didn't have any)
shredded carrots (you can do this with the veggie peeler OR buy them pre-shredded)
green onions, chopped

Dressing:
Shaken in a jar...

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Toss everything in a bowl, drizzle with the dressing. Season to taste. Then divide into single serving sized containers with lids.

(Makes 4 servings)



Veggie Sandwiches
The problem with sandwiches when you are traveling is that mayo is hard to keep cold. Give your sandwiches some 'sauce' by mashing up avocado into them instead.

bread
avocados (2, for 4 sandwiches)
lime
salt and pepper
cucumbers
sprouts
sweet peppers
carrot, shredded
sliced cheese (we loved pepper jack in this, lots of flavor!)
Thinly sliced red onion

Slice the avocado in half, take out the seed in the middle, then spoon it all out into a bowl and mash. Slice the lime in half and squeeze in the juice, and add some salt and pepper to taste. You cold also add chopped garlic and a little jalapeno if you want some spice.

Spread the avocado mixture on a piece of bread, then begin layering the other veggies. Spread more avocado on another piece of bread and sandwich together. Wrap them well and keep in the cooler until ready to eat.

Restaurant recommendations:

La Parilla, Bozeman, Montana

The Rusty Moose, Spokane, Washington

Greg's Grill, Bend, Oregon

The Peace Tree Juice Cafe, Moab, Utah


Romantic Bike Vacation for Two

Vehicle: motorcycle
Travel companion: my husband
Destinations: Washington, Oregon, California (specifically the Gold Rush Trail, or Highway 49 in California and the Redwood Highway on the way home)
Plan of attack: eat at hotel breakfast bars, strategic ordering at restaurants

This trip was the most difficult, mostly because we couldn't carry any food on the bike and were completely at the mercy of restaurants. We employed a lot of strategic ordering, to the point where we'd ask how big items were, and had no difficulty asking for sauces on the side, fruit/salad instead of fries, half orders, and would resort to the seniors/kids menus if we needed too. Also sometimes getting an appetizer instead of a full meal is a great option.

Favorite stops:

Starbucks coffee, for their hummus and chicken bistro boxes and keeping us in coffee all summer

John Barleycorns in Portland, Oregon for the best cold turkey sandwich I ate the whole summer

Black Bear Diner, because they so graciously made me something with a ridiculous amount of requests (a delicious 2 egg omelet with veggies, fruit, and dry toast)


Girls Only Road trip

Vehicle: Chevy Traverse
Travel Companions: Tracey, Nicole, Alexis
Destinations: Washington, Oregon, California to go to Blogher 2011 in San Diego.
Plan of attack: visit Trader Joes along the way and not visit a restaurant the whole trip

As far as restaurant free vacations go, THIS was the most successful. Appointed the Director of Noms for the duration of the trip, I was expected to provide cookies, and wrangle the food for the 4 of us. While at first I planned to cook, things gravitated in a different direction. Instead we all settled on grazing, which turned out to be wildly successful. Eating this way rather than in a sit down restaurant required a little time and forethought, but I think that all of us felt well fed and happy. The extra bonus was the ridiculous amounts of money we saved-for 7 days, we spent just under $60 each on food for four people. Crazy, huh? Plus it was ridiculously good food. I plan to employ this strategy more with my family on our road trip next year.

Any and all of this was consumed on our trip, all from Trader Joe's stores:

-morbier cheese
-brie
-smoked gouda
-cambonzola cheese
-crackers
-kalamata olives
-jarred bruschetta
-prosciutto
-pepper salami
-garlic naan, whole wheat naan, and mini pitas
-cherry tomatoes
-grapes
-nectarines
-guacamole (Trader Joes has a cool guacamole kit, with everything you need to make fresh guac yourself. They were very handy!)
-mini carrots
-snap peas
-olive tapenade
-cream cheese (tip: naan bread slathered with cream cheese, topped with tapenade = yum)
-hummus
-peanut butter stuffed pretzels
-trail mix
-Fage yogurts
-chocolate caramel wedges
-bottled green tea (iced)



A few days, we bought individually packaged pre-made salads, which are all fresh and come with a dressing that has only real ingredients, then supplemented them with the cheeses and meats. Trader Joes does this wonderfully, and we enjoyed just nibbling all the tasty goodness.



We had a great plug in cooler which helped enormously-not just with being able to keep the food cold but protect it from overzealous hotel fridges. Packing along our food not only saved us money but some of the most fun of the trip was stopping at various locations along the road for a picnic. There aren't any Trader Joe stores in Canada, but you can likely replicate this by stopping at other local grocery stores. I highly recommend mapping out your trip and then researching via Google maps the stores along your route, so you don't get lost and waste time looking for them (although we still did a few times).

All in all, it was a delicious trip. I even did a final shop at Trader Joes to bring a bunch of the tasty goodness home to my family.

Happy travels!

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Book Review: Don't Kill the Birthday Girl

Lately I've been getting a few cookbooks here and there to review, but recently this new book by Sandra Beasley came in the mail from Random House. I've read books before about allergies since I have Oral Allergy Syndrome as well as a pollen allergy, but most have been about how allergies work and what you do to avoid exposure.



This book was a treat-far from the traditional books I've always found that are out there about allergies, Sandra weaves science and new discoveries about allergies as well as the social implications along with her own experiences. There was the nutritionist that claimed she wasn't designed to survive, the dance of avoiding allergens at birthday parties, risks taken as a teen, and eventually navigating adulthood and the challenges that come with having many severe allergies.

I enjoyed the mix of story telling from Sandra's own life interspersed with relevant topics that have been in the news recently such as food labeling, processed food, and how they affect those with severe allergies. She also touches on soy and possibly why it has become one of the big allergies, and delving into science and history, explains at a level that is not only interesting and easy to understand but fascinating for anyone who is interested in food, how it is produced, and where it comes from. I love that the tone isn't preachy or condescending, but rather very informative.

This format kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I highly recommend it to anyone who deals with allergies, or even if you don't, it's a good read.

You can read more about Sandra and the book here

Or, see the trailer below.




Disclosure: I received a free review copy of the book to read in order to write this post. I'm going to pass the book along to a friend who has a child with food allergies.

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Food Revolution Friday Cook Off: Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza with Boursin Cheese

Pizza is, without a doubt, my favorite food. Cheesy, warm, loaded with veggies or meat, it's my go-to dinner when I want to indulge a bit. Food Revolution is having a weekly cook off, and this week the challenge is pizza! How could I say no?

I have written about pizza before and shared my favorite dough recipe, but I didn't give you my home made sauce or the toppings that landed on this particular one. Make pizza sauce is so easy, there's really no reason to buy it. Just make a batch and freeze in small 1/2 cup servings, then it's always ready to just thaw and spread on a pizza when you need it! Now you may notice that this sauce will seem more watery than the stuff you buy, but that is because it doesn't have all the thickeners and emulsifiers in it. If you prefer your sauce to be thicker, then stir in some tomato paste and you shouldn't have a problem.

Pizza Sauce

Adapted from Canadian Living

one 28 oz can of plum tomatoes (Italian ones are really good if you can find them, and sometimes they are low sodium)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
pinch sugar

In a frypan over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, wine vinegar, and pinch of sugar, stirring and cooking a bit more. Add the tomatoes and break up with a spoon.

Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Let it cool to lukewarm before transferring to food processor or blender and blending until smooth.


Okay now you have sauce, a link for dough, let's move on to toppings! I have become somewhat of a roasted tomato addict these days. Roasting tomatoes brings out the natural sweetness and they turn into these little bites of concentrated tomato goodness. First, pick up a carton of really good cherry tomatoes at the Farmer's Market or, if you were like me and missed it this week, the store.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Pre-heat oven to 400 F

Get a rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Cut all your cute cherry tomatoes in half and put them in a bowl, then drizzle them with enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top.

Dump them out on the parchment paper, cut side up and spread out so that they are a single layer. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until wrinkled and dried out looking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Now, for the pizza!

Roll out your dough and fit it in a pan. Slather with sauce. Cover with some mozzarella cheese, then dot with roasted cherry tomatoes, some thinly sliced bell pepper rings, thinly sliced fresh mushrooms, and thinly sliced pieces of fresh garlic. Dot with crumbled bits of Boursin cheese. (I used about 1/3 to 1/2 package)

Bake your pizza at 450 F for about 10 minutes or so, until the bottom of the crust is all nice and brown-about the color that you like your toast. I like to turn on the broiler and broil the top a bit to get the cheese a bit browned and bubbly, but if you do this, be careful! You'd hate to forget about the pizza and let it burn by accident.

Let it cool slightly before slicing up, and enjoy.

Makes one medium sized pizza (enough for 3-4 people

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Chicken Chow Mein, Jamie Oliver Style

I had planned to make this recipe a long time ago, but had forgotten about it until just recently a high school cooking class that I work in made it. Faced with 30 teenagers chopping, frying, and loving every minute of it, I knew I just had to make this at home. What better time to have chicken chow mein than for my birthday dinner?

The beauty with stir fries is that they come together really quickly, and this can be made and on the table in no time. Also, you can change the ingredients if you wish. Don't like bok choy? Use broccoli. Water chestnuts gross you out? Don't use them. Try a little red pepper, or maybe some sugar snap peas. Switch pork for the chicken, if you like. Leave out the mushrooms, it's entirely up to you. Just keep in mind that denser veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and snap peas should be blanched (or rather, dipped in hot water briefly) before you toss them in the stir fry or they may not cook as much as you'd like.

Adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution

1 inch long piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 fresh red chile, seeded and minced (I use tiny Thai chiles)
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips (I used 2 chicken breast halves)
2 green onions, sliced
1 bok choy (I used 3 baby ones, split in half)
4 cremini or shitake mushrooms, sliced
4 oz chow mein noodles
1 tsp cornstarch
1 eight oz can sliced water chestnuts
2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
small bunch of fresh cilantro
2 limes

First, prep your ingredients for your stir fry because once you get going, it comes together rather quickly. I like to assemble things by the stove, all ready to pop in the pan when I need it. Take the cilantro and pick off the leaves, then chop the stalks and set aside.

Get a large pot of water boiling, and add your noodles and bok choy. Cook for 2 minutes and then remove them from the water and set aside. Keep a little bit of water and set it aside as well.

Using a large wok or frying pan, add some oil and let it get really hot. Toss in your chicken and stir it around for a few minutes, until it browns a little. Toss in the chile, garlic, cilantro stalks, mushrooms, half of the green onions, and ginger, continuing to stir for about 30 seconds or so. Add the the cornstarch and water chestnuts, stirring to keep things from sticking to the bottom. You CAN add the water chestnut juice as well, but I don't. If you do you'll have some broth in the bottom of the pan.

Take your pan off the heat and stir in the soy sauce, then zest your lime right into the pan, cut it in half and give a good squeeze. (I love lime!) Toss in the drained noodles and bok choy, adding a little of the water you cooked them in if you want a little more sauce. Give it a taste and add a little salt and pepper or more soy sauce if you need it. Sprinkle the fresh coriander leaves over top and toss well. Serve with extra lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Serves two, generously.

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Butternut Squash and Chorizo Soup

Truth be told, I haven't been a fan of any of Jamie's soups from his Food Revolution Cookbook. Oh sure, they were okay but there seemed to be something missing. This soup, chock full of smokey sausage, sweet squash and a hint of curry is hands down one of my favorite recipes in the entire book. I made a few small changes, namely not pureeing the whole thing but reserving some delicious chunky veggies to add a little more texture, and using butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes.

Amazing. But be warned, the soup does get hotter from the curry and chorizo as it sits, so be prepared!

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 heaped tsp curry powder
6 cups chicken stock
300 grams of chorizo sausage, chopped into bite sized pieces

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, squash,and chorizo. Give it a good stir, and then add in the curry, and mix it well to coat. Turn the heat to about medium, and put the lid on the pot slightly askew. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, checking and stirring every now and then to make sure that it's all cooking and nothing is burning. The veggies will go all soft and delicious smelling, at which point you will be tempted to just stick your head into the pot and slurp up all these soft, spicy, deliciously fragrant vegetables.

Meanwhile, heat up the chicken stock in another pot so that it's good and hot.

Once your veggies are softened to the point where the carrots are soft but still hold their shape, pour in the broth. I have reduced the amount in this recipe, but you can always feel free to add more. I like my soup fairly thick, so you can eyeball it at this point. Give it a good stir to loosen any tasty bits that may have found their way to the bottom of the soup pot. Simmer gently for a few minutes to make sure all the veggies are cooked through.

Now, at this point you can go about your soup two ways. You can, theoretically, use a blender or an immersion blender to blitz the whole thing into submission and silky smoothness. Or, if you are like me and adore a more chunky soup, get a slotted spoon and fish out about 1/3 - 1/2 of the bits of veggie and sausage. Set them aside in a bowl, then process the remaining soup until smooth. Add the reserved veggies and sausage back to the soup, give it a stir, and there you go. Done!

Makes 4-5 servings

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The One Where I Buy School Lunch

THIS is a school lunch. From a real school. I pulled a Mrs. Q this week, and if you want to see how it went, drop by Notes From the Cookie Jar and continue reading.

Now wipe your chin.

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Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Last week Hubs and I took off for an adults only trip to Calgary, Alberta to visit Jake's older sister and to get a long ride on that swanky new motorcycle that Hubs bought awhile back. By the time we came home I wanted something simple, yet delicious to eat and found a stray head of cauliflower kicking around the crisper. When I asked Jake what he wanted me to make with it, he promptly pulled out my Food Revolution book and pointed to this recipe. It's delicious and topped with bacon, makes a great lunch!

Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 cups of cauliflower florets
1 3/4 quarts of chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp English mustard
8 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
crispy, crumbled bacon for garnish

In a large soup pot, pour in a glug of oil and let it heat up. Toss in your carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and cauliflower. Saute them up until the onions are golden and the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape.

Meanwhile, pour your stock into a different pot and heat it up until it's simmering. When the veggies are finished cooking, pour in the stock and stir to bring up all the nice bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until everything is well softened.

Blitz everything with a hand held immersion blender, or use your blender and process until it's well pureed and creamy. Stir in the mustard and cheese until well combined. Taste and add some salt and/or pepper if you need to.

Top with a bit of crispy bacon and you're off to the races!

Serves 6-8

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Jamie Oliver's Quick Salmon Stir Fry

I've been in the mood for curries lately, and this one fit the bill the other night. It's fast, it's full of flavor, and it's helping me use up that jar of Patak's Tandoori Paste in the fridge!

Seriously though, we loved it; Jake especially. He greedily snarfed down three helpings, then laid claim to the leftovers.

Wow, Jamie. This one is GOOD!

Adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution
1 cup basmati or wild rice
3/4 lb salmon fillet, skin off and bones removed, cut into 1 inch chunks
handful of unsalted shelled peanuts, whirled up in your food processor to small bits
1 clove garlic, minced
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped (the seeds make it spicy. I omit them)
small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
vegetable oil
1 heaped tablespoon of Patak's tandoori paste
a handful of snow peas
1/2 a 14 oz can of coconut milk
handful of bean sprouts
1 lime

Cook rice according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, put a wok or fry pan on high heat and add some oil to the pan. When it's good and hot, start cooking up your ginger, garlic, and chile. Move it around to keep the garlic from burning. Add the curry paste and continue to stir and cook for another 30 seconds.

Throw in your cubed salmon and stir for about a minute, then pour in your coconut milk and add the snow peas. Cook together for a bit longer until the fish is cooked through, then taste and see if you need to add any seasonings.

To serve, top your rice with some of the salmon stir fry, then sprinkle on the bean sprouts, cilantro, and bits of peanut. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Serves 2

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Jamie Oliver's Chicken and White Wine Stew

This is truly a delicious, ridiculously simple stew. I've never seen one this easy in my life, and it's hands down my new favorite. Most stews have chicken broth, potatoes and the like, which make it a more hearty dish but this one is a light, tasty one with tender pieces of chicken and lots of veggies. I LOVE it.

Make sure you get a good wine for this one, because that is much of your broth. I used Sawmill Creek's Sauvignon Blanc, and it was delicious. The only changes I made was to add a little more flour, some garlic, and peas.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
2 stalks celery
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 cups white wine
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 lb of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes
a handful of frozen peas

In a large pot with some olive oil in the bottom, saute your carrots, onions, garlic, and celery until softened (about 10 minutes). Stir in the flour and chicken. Add the wine, tomatoes, and thyme, stirring to bring up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a boil and then cover and turn down to low to simmer gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, adding a bit more liquid if needed and removing the thyme springs. Stir in the peas just before serving and heat through.

Makes 4-6 servings.

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Jamie Oliver's Evolution Carrot Salad

One change I've made when I'm cooking dinner is to make more salads. Not just one salad per meal, but instead of a starchy potato, rice, or pasta dish, I'm making TWO salads. Jake and Hubs are loving it, too and we are really getting a lot of great veggies!

This salad is simple, but good. The only thing that I changed is I reduced the amount of olive oil. Love ya Jamie, but your salads are a bit oily for me.

4-5 large carrots, peeled and grated
3 Tbsp olive oil (original recipe called for 6 Tbsp)
salt and pepper to taste
sprigs of fresh mint and coriander, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice (I zested a lemon and then squeezed the juice from 1/2 the lemon into the salad)
handful of sunflower seeds, toasted
2 or 3 small clementines, peeled and cut into thick slices (didn't use them as I couldn't find any at the store, but I think they'd be delicious!)
crumbled feta

Just toss everything together in a bowl. Yum!

Serves 4

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10 Kitchen Must Haves for a Food Revolution

As I've been cooking my way through Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Book (check it out-in the last week I've made three recipes, and more are on the way) I have noticed that there's been a definite change in my cooking these days.

In order to keep cooking fresh, and not processed, some things have stood out in my kitchen as a necessity to keep this Food Revolution going! Some are foods, some are gadgets, but all have been very, very useful:

1. Fresh lemons

I used to always use lemon juice, but it's hard to top the juice and zest of a REAL lemon. They add so much flavor to recipes and eliminate the need for any of those processed, salt filled spice mixes. You can get 'em by the bag at the store, and why not? They are so much better than the stuff sitting in plastic lemons on the shelf.

2. A Microplane Classic Series Zester

My friend Anne gave me this wonderful tool for Christmas, and it has become THE most used item in my kitchen. The little sharp blades take off bits of lemon peel with just one stroke. It's not only good for lemons, but Parmesan as well. I highly recommend that you run out and buy one. NOW.

3. Fresh Herbs

I've said this many times, but fresh herbs are a must have in a kitchen. I love being able to just trot out to my container herb garden and snip off chives, oregano, or cilantro. They add a huge amount of flavor, save you money (instead of paying $2 for a bunch of herbs at the store) and impart so much flavor into your cooking.

4. A Kitchen Scale

This useful little gadget has helped me out a lot when I haven't been sure about measurements. 8 oz of chocolate? Easy. Just weigh it. 1 pound of potatoes? Ditto. Mine is a cheap little one, but it has been well used. When I'm cooking something and not sure about the weight measurements, it always comes to my rescue.

5. Good wine

No no, not for you to drink while you're cooking, although I suppose you could. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from Food Network was to only cook with wine you would drink, and for the longest time I thought they were crazy. Why would I do that?

Until, of course, I tried following their advice. Smart people, those chefs. Totally right. It affects the outcome of your dish a great deal. Use decent wine-doesn't have to be expensive, but if you'd drink it, cook with it.

6. A few really large mixing bowls

I have exactly two-one stainless, and one pyrex bowls that are huge-I can let bread rise in them, do a double batch of cookie dough in them, stir muffin batter, or toss a good sized fruit salad. They really come in handy and I use them on a regular basis.

7. Real Parmesan Cheese

That stuff you buy that is like sawdust? EW. Don't use it. Go to your deli and get some real pre-shaved Parmesan, that will bake up all gooey and delicious in your pasta. You don't need a lot, and it's really worth the money. Trust me. Once you try the real stuff, you'll never go back.

8. A Good Knife and Cutting Board

Now, I'm not an expert on knives, in any way at all. But I have found that all it takes is to have one really good knife that you use for most things, and you're set. From what I have read (by Anthony Bourdain, Jamie Oliver, etc) you don't need anything super heavy or expensive, just something that is light, flexible, stainless steel, well balanced, and good quality. Research and invest in a good one. (I still need to do this-mine is okay but I could use a better one) While you're at it, get a couple good cutting boards. Use one for meat, and a different one for veggies.

I prefer wood cutting boards. My plastic one is all warped and useless, and a chef one tells me glass tends to dull the knives. Come to think of it, I need a good cutting board.

9. Quality Chocolate

What, you ask? Isn't chocolate just...chocolate? What's the difference? Believe it or not, there is one. It just depends on what you are using the chocolate for. Cupcakes for little people? Meh-go with the cheaper stuff, they won't care. Truffles to give to co-workers? Invest in the good stuff-I like to use Lindt or Green and Blacks for dipping, drizzling, etc. Fry's Cocoa is my brand for baking in cakes. If I need lots for chunks, I go with Baker's squares or, depending on the quantity needed, Green and Blacks. Chips are always Hershey's Chipits.

I never, ever, buy no name chocolate. Ever. You can TASTE the cheapness.


10. A Well Made Cooling Rack

Now, if you start baking, cooling racks are important. You need something to transfer those cookies or muffins to while they cool off. The perfect rack has some weight to it, is large and has spaces, but not so wide apart that smaller items will fall through the wires. My favorite one has a grid on it with the spaces small enough that even mini muffins can cool without falling over.

Recommended from Twitter by Shan, Elizabeth, and Chibijeebs :

A Cookie Scooper

Apparently gives you uniformly shaped cookies, makes it easier to scoop them out, and is really fast. Metal is better than plastic, but you can get formed silicone so it doesn't scratch anything either. In fact these ladies were so convincing that I want one. NOW.

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Jamie Oliver's Omlettes

The TV show Food Revolution might be over, but Jamie Oliver is still going strong. On Friday he posted a quick omlette recipe in his Twitter stream and challenged followers to try it. We didn't get a chance on Friday, but it was all I could think about all weekend. Omlettes? Easy. Even Jake made one in Foods class and he got an 'A'. I could make one...and the thing about omlettes is you can have fun filling them. The one pictured here has turkey bacon, sharp Cheddar, and diced green onions.

We switched to turkey bacon awhile ago. At first Jake protested a little, but once he got used to it, he now declares that he prefers it to pork. There's far less fat and calories, so it's healthier. Our favorite brand is Butterball. I cook it up in a little olive oil to make it extra crispy.

So, how do you make yourself an omlette? You will need:

2 eggs
pat of butter (about a tbsp)
salt and pepper
small bit of shredded cheese
1/2 scallion, minced finely
2 slices of turkey bacon

In a skillet over medium heat, gently cook the turkey bacon in a small amount of olive oil until they are lightly browned. Remove to paper towel and blot. Chop into smallish pieces.

Either wipe the skillet clean, or get a different skillet and melt the butter over low heat until bubbling. Pour in your eggs and move the pan around so that they spread out. Continue to cook on low, moving the egg a little bit to allow the raw egg to run underneath and cook. Once the egg is pretty much cooked through, sprinkle your cheese, scallion bits, and bacon in the center. Gently fold in half with a spatula. Don't worry if yours falls apart a bit, it takes some practice!

Slide onto a plate, garnish with any leftover bits of bacon, cheese, or scallions, and eat!

Makes one omlette.

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Jamie Oliver's 1 Cup Pancakes

This morning Jamie Oliver tweeted that "if you do anything this weekend, make these pancakes with your kids." He's so right! They are SO easy. Kids could make them almost by themselves! Also it doesn't make a lot so you aren't left with a pile of uneaten pancakes. I made these this week after a really busy day and served them with frittata and turkey sausages. They were delicious!

1 egg
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 tbsp butter

Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Dump the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk it all until you get a nice smooth batter.

Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a non stick pan, then when you are sure it's good and hot, ladle the batter into the pan. If you are going to make blueberry pancakes, this is when I dot the top with blueberries (fresh or frozen). Flip the pancakes over when they are golden brown and the top begins to get bubbles. Cook the other side until nicely browned. Continue, adding more butter if you need to.

On Jamie's site, he offers a fantastic way to eat them with mangoes, bananas, lime, and a coconut yogurt. I highly recommend you try it!

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Jamie Oliver's Crunchy Garlic Chicken

I know, I know-the chicken looks pink. It was the light! Honest!

When I was 19, I worked for White Spot. My favorite dinner there was the chicken fingers, with a baked potato. Loved them! For years, I've tried to find other breaded chicken dishes that are not deep fried, but still have that lovely flavor, but nothing ever really quite cut it.

Well-until I made Jamie Oliver's Crunchy Garlic Chicken, of course.

Kevin's assessment? They were a million times better than the breading out of a packet, didn't go completely soggy, and are great cold in a lunch box.

You win, Jamie. Totally. We're all now Food Revolution Devotees, if you can keep giving us recipes that are so delicious, quick, easy, and cheap to make.

Okay so how did I make these?

Pre-heat your oven to 475 F. Yes, you are reading that right. It's supposed to be hot.

Get a whole, boneless, skinless, chicken breast. Cut it in half. Place each 1/2 onto a cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Pound that baby until it's about 1/2 inch thick or so. Then get a sharp knife and lightly score the underside in a criss cross fashion (I don't know why he does this. Makes it cook faster?)

Then, get:
6 cream crackers
4 sprigs parsley
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp cold butter
pinch of salt and pepper
zest of 1 lemon

Whirl it all in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. Dump it out onto a plate. Set aside. On another plate put a heaping tablespoon of flour. Set aside. In a bowl, beat an egg. Set that aside.

Get your chicken breast halves and dip each half first in the flour, then the egg, and then the crumb mixture, making sure to coat the whole piece of chicken. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with lemon wedges

Makes enough for 2 servings! I doubled the breading and coated 4 chicken breast halves, and we had lots plus leftovers. Like I said, leftovers are amazing in a lunch or sliced and put on salad.

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Jamie Oliver's Mexican Bean Wraps

So, the week got away from me and before I knew it, Friday was staring me in the face. Friday?!? Already? Actually as I'm writing this, Friday is almost over here on the West Coast.

This week I decided to try Jamie Oliver's Mexican Bean wraps. I believe they were the same wraps that he made for the kids at the Huntington Elementary school in that last, do or die meal before they finally allowed him to stay longer.

Good one, Jamie! They were really good!

I admit, Jamie's recipes have a few techniques that make me stop and scratch my head. I mean..make up what looks like a fairly bland mixture of beans and onions, and then puree half of it? What's that all about? It all comes down to trust. Okay, he's the chef, I'm going to try it.

Every time, every single time so far, I wonder why I bothered questioning at all. Why? They were yummy! Not just that, but both Jake and I took them in our lunches the next day and they were equally as delicious. I did change things up a bit and added more chili powder, some fresh cilantro, and slathered them with our favorite salsa. I know, I know..I just can't leave well enough alone.

These are SO MUCH better than canned re-fried beans. I can't even BEGIN to tell you. Don't even bother with canned, re-fried, loaded with salt (and look like dog food) beans. These are SO cheap, and so easy to make, your kids could make them FOR you.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed (I minced it)
a pinch of chili powder (I um...used about a tsp-we wanted a bit of spice!)
1 tsp tomato puree (I used tomato paste)
480 g of tinned kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used a scale and weighed them. Turns out about two 14 oz cans?)
150 g of tinned tomatoes (again, I used a scale. It wasn't much, actually)
salt and pepper
1/2 green pepper (I used yellow)
1/2 red pepper
5 large flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
150 g cheese ( I didn't even measure...lolol!)

With a bit of oil in your fry pan, saute up the onion and garlic until it's nice and soft. Add the chili powder. Stir it around, then add in the kidney beans, tomato puree, and canned tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the juice from the tomatoes is cooked off.

Remove from the heat and set aside. Scoop half of the bean mixture out of the pan and put it in your food processor. What, you ask? Really. I'm serious. Process 1/2 of the bean filling until it's a paste.

Saute up your peppers a bit so that they are soft-ish too. Add them to the other half that you didn't process-the chunky beans and bits of onion, etc. Stir.

Lay 5 flour tortillas out on the counter, and divide the pureed bean paste between them. Spread the pureed beans on the tortillas. Top with the chunky bean/pepper mixture. I added a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and then topped each with some cheese. Roll them up and place in a greased baking dish.

Bake them for about 20 minutes at 400 F until hot, browned, and delicious. Serve topped with salsa and a sprinkle of cheese.

Makes 5 wraps.

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Jamie Oliver's Parmesan Chicken with Proscuitto

If you haven't figured out by now, we are prosciutto junkies. I know, I know..it doesn't make sense since Jake won't really eat ham or bacon, but mention prosciutto and he drools. Maybe because it sounds more gourmet, I don't know. As soon as I saw this recipe though, I knew without a doubt that Jake would be all over it.

And rightfully so, because it was downright delicious. I admit, I was skeptical of Jamie's method with this one. It seemed a bit weird but I decided to trust him and just go for it, and it worked. Awesome.

Adapted From Jamie Oliver

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
1 lemon
1 1/4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
fresh thyme sprigs
6 slices of prosciutto
olive oil

Using a sharp knife, gently score each side of the breasts in a criss cross pattern. I know. Sounds weird, but it works. Season with pepper. You don't need salt, the prosciutto is real salty. Sprinkle on some thyme leaves, then zest your lemon over top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Lay the prosciutto over top of the chicken, a piece at a time, overlapping them. Top with more thyme leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

Now here comes the sort of weird part...lay a piece of plastic film over the breasts and give them a good whack with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or fry pan until they are about 1/2 inch thick all over. Seriously! Just do it.

Fry up in a pan with some olive oil, starting with prosciutto side down, until cooked through. The prosciutto will get nice and crispy.

Serve with some lemon wedges. Delicious!

Makes 2 servings

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Jamie Oliver's Broccoli Salad

I'm trying to expand my salad repertoire and this was a really good place to start. Broccoli is Hub's favorite veggie, and he really only likes it steamed.

You can only imagine how often we have steamed broccoli in this house. I was beginning to hate it. But tossed with tomato and fresh chives, and then doused with olive oil, dijon, and white wine vinegar and dressed up with salty bacon?

Oh, talk to me, baby.

So since my guys won't eat pork (including ham or bacon), I used turkey bacon. You don't need as much as called for in the recipe, because the slices are bigger. I'd just eyeball it if I were you. Otherwise, I followed everything to the letter.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

2 large heads of broccoli
8 pieces of bacon, fried up and crumbled
3 tomatoes, seeded and finely sliced
bunch of chives (with flowers if you can get them), chopped (keep the flowers aside)

Dressing:

2 tsp dijon mustard
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1/2 clove of garlic, peeled and finely grated

Cut up your broccoli into little florets. Don't waste the stalk, either! Cut off that woody end piece, then cut it in half lengthwise and slice it.

Put on a pot of water to boil because you need to blanch the broccoli.

Blanch: To cook in boiling water briefly and then drain, run broccoli under COLD water immediately to stop the cooking process. You want the broccoli to still be crunchy.

Blanch your broccoli for 30-60 seconds so it's still crunchy.

Lay some paper towel out on a cookie sheet and spread the drained broccoli on it to dry. Jamie had stated that this was a really important step, and he was right! I even changed the paper towel after a few minutes when the original sheets got pretty wet.

In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

Toss the dried broccoli, tomato, and chives together. Douse with the dressing and toss. Add your bacon bits.

Serve!

Makes 6 servings

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Time for a Revolution

Okay people, get ready for a revolution. I'm really stoked about this. For a long time, I've complained, asked questions, and generally been a pain in the ass about lunches. School lunches. Things sold at schools. At one time, I worked at a school that had the following on their menu:

Little Caesar's bread sticks (dipped in butter and rolled in fake cheese)
Caeasar salad (dripping in dressing)
ice cream
cookie
chocolate milk

Yep. You could literally see puddles of grease on the kid's desks when they were done. Then there was the bake sales every week that allowed kids to buy up to six cupcakes and two cans of pop, then consume it in one sitting.

Last year I tried to convince Jake's school to sell fruit and veggies as an option at the canteen. I was told that no, it would never work. Kids won't buy it. The stuff would rot. The second it gets a blemish kids will pass it by. But the kids were saying that they'd love it if they could get veggies and dip, or some nice fruit. There just wasn't any. And to be honest, I worked there for 3 years and would never eat the food because I think it's disgusting. Pre-packaged mini pizzas, boiled perogies, pasta with almost invisible sauce (it looked like dyed pasta), and butter chicken from a restaurant. There is not a veggie or fruit in sight in anything there unless it's doused in dressing in a Caesar wrap.

What happens in your kid's school, and can we finally do something about it? Fortunately for me, Jake refuses to eat anything served at school because he agrees that the food is terrible. What about the rest of the kids? Don't they deserve something better?

This blog proudly support's Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I can't sign the petition because I'm in Canada, but I do believe that food bloggers need to pitch in by spreading the word.

Let's start a revolution!

What am I going to do? I'll cook up some of the recipes from his site and posting about them here. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Maybe eventually I'll get the courage to call up the lunch ladies and try again.

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