Family Bites

Quirky Food Habits

         

Rob and I escaped for a mid-day lunch date earlier this week. He took an extra day off on the already long weekend, and after the kids went to school and I spent some of the morning working, we hit a new-to-us spot for lunch.

Our main topic of conversation that day was quirky food habits. It turns out I have quite a few of them! Rob has almost none, for he's one of those rare people who likes everything - and I mean everything - but now we're curious about everyone else.  Are you all a little more like me or him?

He encouraged me to share with you just how strange quirky I really am. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit some of these, and now that I've written them down I realize there really are so many!  

1. I drink a 750ml bottle of Perrier almost every single day. The pink grapefruit variety is my favourite, but I almost always drink the original version because I can buy it in an extra large case at Costco.

2. I only like sandwiches if the bread is toasted. I will eat a non-toasted sandwich, but I really don't like it as much.

3. I eat my French fries like the Europeans and not the Americans. I would take a mayo-based dipping sauce over ketchup any day of the week.

4. I hate tomatoes.  Loathe them, actually. If I order a sandwich or burger in a restaurant and they forget to take the tomato off as I request, I have to send it back. Not because I'm a diva, just because it kind of grosses me out that the tomato slime touched the rest of my food.

5. I like my ice cream to have chunks in it. Always. Nuts or chocolate...it really doesn't matter. But I need there to be chunks of something in order to really enjoy it. 

6. I will always choose an ice cream based dessert over any other option that might be available. Except for Eton mess or pavlova. I love that.

7. I cannot keep peanut M&Ms in my house. I will eat every last one of them if I do, so instead I buy a small bag whenever I go to the movies to satisfy that particular sweet tooth.

8.I love to make cakes, but I never eat them. I don't love the cake/icing combo that much, so while I enjoy creating these confections I usually opt not to eat them. 

9. My hamburgers have to have pickles on them. Extra pickles if possible. A burger just isn't a burger without pickles.

10. I hate hot dogs. Not because they're unhealthy, just because I don't like texture. Ew!

11. I love to crunch ice. Give me a glass and chomp, chomp, chomp!

12. Meat tastes best when cooked on a bone (in my opinion), but I can't eat the meat that rests close to it. Unlike the people in my household who manage to clean theirs off completely. 

13. I only just started drinking red wine and I'll only drink one type. Except for sangria. I love all types of that.

14. I don't drink juice or milk. Ever. 

15. I always, always leave one bite of food on my plate. I have no idea why! Isn't that crazy?  If I'm eating salad I leave behind a leaf or two, or a piece of carrot. If I'm eating spaghetti, I leave a little untouched. I have no idea why, but I always leave something on my plate when I finish eating.

16. The only store bought salad dressing I like is the Paul Newman brand.

17. I've never had a cup of coffee in my life. Ever. I don't like the smell or the taste that I've experienced in coffee-infused desserts.

Okay, now it's your turn. Is there anything odd about how or what you eat?

PS - The above Instagram photo is from our lunch date.  The restaurant passes out champagne buckets of spiced popcorn as a complimentary appetizer. Oh, and they also include sparkling water free of charge if you would like it. This is good for habit #1.

Minty Chocolate Pudding Pots and Other Things

Good Morning!

This week on the Eat Savvy blog I shared a cute idea for St. Patrick’s Day that I thought you might be interested in. These are little pots of minty chocolate pudding, made with just a few common pantry ingredients. I liked this idea because it eliminated the typical fake green food colouring that is added to so many foods this time of year. Oh, and see the serving vessel? It’s a votive candleholder! If you don’t keep glass ramekins on hand (I don’t!) these are perfect for kid-sized portions and party foods. They cost about $3 for half a dozen or so, and I love to use them at dinner parties, for both the lighting options and the serving ones.

        

Two weeks ago I had the chance to chat with Chef Michael Smith about his newest project, a collection of webisodes he's prepared with Canadian Lentils and the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.  He was charming and fun to chat with and you can read more about his latest adventure here.

        

I was in desperate need of a shaker for my powdered sugar, so I fashioned one out of an old jam jar.  A few nails hammered into the top created the holes I needed, and now it's one of my favourite new kitchen tools.

        

I’ve been working on the next edition of Party Savvy, and this time I found myself making a slew of themed paper cups.  They were so fun to put together and I figure if all else fails, maybe I’ll have a career as a party cup designer. Ha!

Have a great day!

A Few Things I'm Liking....

Posting will be a little lighter than normal during the month of June.  It's a busy month at work and at home, and I'm sending myself on a blogging vacation for a few weeks so I can keep up with everything else that's going on.  I'll pop in when time permits, but for now I'm going to leave you with a few things that I'm loving these days.

Iced Chai Tea:

I've been using my Chai Tea Concentrate to make iced chai chillers and chai tea popsicles in an attempt to beat the heat.  I follow the recipe exactly as it is, chill the mixture and pour into a glass of ice or into popsicle molds for a refreshing treat.  Give it a try, I'm sure you'll like it too if chai is your thing. 

Root Beer Floats:

This one is for the kids.  It's probably Jackson's favourite treat of the summer, thanks to my Dad's wife who made him one every! single! day! last summer when we were in BC.  I've been making them the good old fashioned way, with vanilla ice cream and canned root beer, but this summer we're going to attempt to make a homemade root beer version a la Gwyneth Paltrow.

Bon Appetit Magazine:

This magazine recently had a makeover and I love it!  I can't tell you how many pages I dog-eared on the last read, which was the third time I flipped though this issue alone.  The stories are interesting and many of the recipes are applicable to my every day life.  Expect to see many adaptations here in the coming months.  Oh, and the June issue showcased my very favourite tea towel which can be found at Ikea for less than fifty cents! I use it in the kitchen and once it becomes stained it becomes a car washing/dog paw cleaning cloth. 

Zoku Popsicle Maker:

I'm not going to lie - this isn't a cheap kitchen gadget to invest in, but once you have it I'm certain you'll use it all the time.  Mine was a gift, thankfully, and I can't tell you how many times I've pulled it out in the past two weeks.  It freezes almost any liquid (think coffee, tea, smoothies, and popsicle concoction) in nine minutes.  Nine!  There's no waiting around for the freezer to do it's job, for it sits on the counter and produces flavourful icy treats in less time that it would take to drive to the store and buy a popsicle.

Books For All:

I love non-fiction and food related memoirs sits at the top of the list.  The above books were all given to me recently and I'm loving them.  Especially Blood, Bones and Butter.  What an excellent read!

For the kids, it's been all about Nicholas these days.  If you have boys between the ages of 5-12 you should consider adding these books to your home library.  Each book is a collection of short stories about Nicholas and his friends.  They get into mischief of course, but it's all in good fun.  Originally written in French, they were recently translated to English and we've been reading and re-reading them for a few years.  

And if the kids aren't doing that, they love anything that's a "how-to" book.  Now that Ben is a blogger, he's been enjoying the creative writing book (so fun for summer vacation!) and Jackson is turning into quite the little cartoonist.

Summer Entertaining: The Bruschetta Bar

When I was flipping through the pages of the aforementioned Bon Appetit, I came across an article on making crostini.  "Hey, I do that!" I wanted to yell at the pages.  Seeing as I was ahead of my time, here's a link to the easiest and tastiest way to entertain this summer.   I promise you and your dinner guests (and the kids!) will love a make your own bar of any kind, but this one is really very easy to assemble.

 

The EatSavvy Blog

 

It's really nice when food blogging presents opportunities that may not have come my way otherwise.  One of those is PartySavvy, which I've told you all about, and now I'm happy to have joined the Savvy Mom team as their new food blogger.

Twice a week you can find me over there sharing ideas on breakfast foods, lunch box ideas, snack staples, activities for getting your kids in the kitchen and savvy kitchen tips for the everyday busy mom.

My very best breakfast loaf (with quinoa!) has been a big hit in our house, and although it's designed for an easy breakfast we've also enjoyed it for lunch and after-school snacks as well.  Head on over to check out what I'm up to, and stay tuned for some great posts I've been planning for June....

 

Meal Planning Monday and Spring Housekeeping

Happy Monday morning.  The kids are home from school today and we have an Easter basket's worth of errands to run this morning, so we're up and at it quite early today.  We off to buy some food and some books, the very best kind of shopping, if you ask me. 

Yesterday I meal planned for the week and it didn't come easily I tell you.  I turned to a section of my bookshelf and pulled out tome after tome, looking for some inspiration. I finally pulled a plan together but really, I should've just got input from my new Family Bites contributors. That's right, the Family Bites family is growing, and I will not be the only writer in this space from now on, as Rob and the boys are going to be writing their own columns here every once in a while.  

The reason for this is simple.  If this is a family cooking website, why not get input from the other people who live here?  The same people who eat and help shop, and occasionally even cook.  Rob and I often have different perspectives when it comes to feeding a family (with the same goals) and it might be nice to hear from a man on a family food blog, don't you think? My kids also thought they could offer the kid's side of family meal, and be more involved in what's written here.  This blog is growing from a me to a we, and I'm quite excited to see how it works out. Who wouldn't want to read something written by this pair?

The other thing you may have noticed (or not) is the new photo buttons in the right column of the screen.  I will change these seasonally, or as often as I think necessary, and they are links to some of our more popular eats from season's past.  Those rhubarb mini muffins?  A repeat hit year after year, and unless I repost the recipe over again, you may not remember it.  This way you can be reminded of some of the more popular seasonal posts without the rewriting.

And about those giveaway winners?  Thank you all for entering. bag The following people have won a Kraft giftbag worth $85: Mama_B, Katrin, Toni, Yana, Angie Coulter. Winners have been contacted via email. 

And lastly, I have a new project that I'll hopefully be able to introduce you to this week.  A real dream job for me and I'm excited to finally share.

So, back to what really matters.  Here's what we're eating this week.  How about you?  Anything extra yummy grazing your table in the coming days?

Monday:: Tuna and white bean bruschetta, salad

Tuesday:: Pasta with broccoli, red onion and feta

Wednesday:: Chicken Milanese, baked potato wedges, asparagus

Thursday:: Slow-cooker pulled beef, rice, mixed veggies and salad

Friday:: Paninis (using leftovers) and salad

Your Grocery Bill is Going Up!

If you've been following the news in the past few weeks, I'm sure you've seen the glaring headlines that inform us about the upcoming rise in food prices.  I've seen it on TV, heard it on the radio, and now I'm reading about it in my morning paper.

This past Tuesday, the Globe and Mail published an article in the money section on the impending increase of grocery store prices.  To be perfectly honest, I typically leave that area of the news to Rob.  I try to wake up in the morning, but those articles often have the reverse affect on me.  But the slices of bread that accompanied the words "Lettuce up 45%" caught my attention this week.

In brief, here is some of what the article had to say:

• Prices of everything from bread to vegetables and meat are going to climb as companies pass on soaring commodity prices to the consumer.
• Incomes aren't expected to rise with the price of food.
• The price of sugar reached a 29 year high.
• Overall prices will rise 3 to 8 percent in the coming year.
• Fresh vegetables are up 7.4% from the same time last year.
• Fresh and frozen meats are up 4 %.
• Households that consume a lot of bread and meats should consider changing the types of foods they buy.
• Legumes and rice will be a better deal than meat and bread.

It sounds somewhat grim.  But the last two points are the ones I really want to focus on.  

• To beat the prices we should consider changing the types of foods we buy.
• Legumes and rice will be a better deal than meat and bread.

Those are both glass-half-full statements if I ever saw them.  Many of us need to change some of the types of foods we eat anyways, and legumes and rice are so good for us, that if they're going to be the most economical option for our dinner plates, it's a bonus to both our wallets and our bodies. And to quote Charlie Sheen (the only time I'll do that, I promise) it's a "winning" idea.

And let's not forget about beans.  As I've mentioned before, beans keep my very hungry boys well fed. They're also an excellent source of protein and many much needed vitamins. And they're cheap.  Really, really cheap. The last bag I bought cost $2.09.  That will feed my family three meals.  Awesome, don't you think. So, wouldn't it make sense to add more of these, in addition to the legumes and rice, to our weekly meal plan?

In addition to changing some of what we eat, we also need to be aware of how we shop, and knowing your prices is the key to savings.  

• Just because something is on sale doesn't mean it's the best price.  Don't assume that the lower end store will sell the least expensive items (the rice in the above picture costs $5.99/bag at Loblaws.  I picked mine up at Whole Foods for $3.49).
• When items are on sale stock up.  Don't buy 1 or 2 extra, but buy as many extra as your home can hold.
• Consider buying online.  Grains, nuts and beans are great options.  Remove the middle man from the equation and purchase directly from the supplier.
• Shop directly from your farmer or market.  Keep our of the supermarkets as often as you can.

How about you?  Are you concerned about the rise of food prices?  Will you shop differently?  Will you eat differently?  Let's discuss.

 

2010 In Review: Some Favourite Food Blogs

This was the hardest list for me to compile.  Trying to decide which food blogs I like best is like trying to decide which of my children I love the most; an utterly impossible task.  So, instead of declaring any of these fabulous sites my favourite, I'm just bestowing them with the title of "most read".  There are at least thirty others that pop onto my screen as frequently as I can allow, but the ten listed here are the ones I turn to for inspiration, laughter and so much more. 

I'm pleased to say that I now know someone from the list below, have exchanged emails with a few others, and look forward to getting better acquainted with the remainder of the folks on the list - maybe even sometime in this coming year. 

Simple Bites: Written by Aimee and her group of contributors this is an excellent resource for recipes and cooking tips.

Dinner With Julie: Julie Van Rosendaal is the voice behind this fun read.  I've made more recipes from this blog then any others I think.

Dinner a Love Story: Jenny, the author, is a former editor at Cookie magazine. This is her take on family dinner and why they're so important.

101 Cookbooks: When I need a dose of healthy and delicious, I always head here first.  Natural cooking is Heidi's specialty and her photography is stunning.

Smitten Kitchen: One of the most well known blogs, Deb makes everything look and taste amazing.

Tea & Cookies: Wonderful storytelling by Tara, and almost always an equally interesting recipe.

The Kitchn: If you love food and cooking and being in the kitchen you'll love this site.

Orangette: I love Molly.  And her stories.  And her recipes.  And her book.

Backseat Gourmet: Cheryl lives in Calgary with a super cute family.  She always has something interesting to write about.

Simply Recipes: An extensive collection of some fantastic recipes.

 And now it's your turn - which food blogs are you loving these days?  Who should I definitely be reading (it's okay to say you, you know!)?

 

 

 

What Jamie Oliver Had to Say

           

Thanks to a super sweet (and cute!) husband, who scoured Craigslist for tickets, went to a stranger's home to pick them up, made dinner for the family and took the youngest boy to guitar, I was able to see Jamie Oliver speak last Thursday.

It's hard not to be smitten with Jamie (and my husband!), with his boyish good looks, charming accent and complete devotion to food, family and feeding people well.  As the first words came out of his mouth, I was completely absorbed in what he had to say, and my inner nerd broke loose as I took fifteen pages of notes based on his seemingly honest answers to the many questions posed to him.

I wanted to share some of what he had to say, with you.  So, here goes:

:: The most romantic dinner he made for a lady (who happened to be his wife) was a Valentine's dinner he cooked naked.  With a bow tied around his manly parts.

:: He has eaten a lamb's bumhole.  And doesn't recommend it.

:: When food sales are analyzed the results state that a majority of our food purchases come from packaged foods.  Except at Thanksgiving and Christmas, when almost everything we eat is homemade.

:: His favourite foods to eat are chilies. He describes them as natural morphine, a metabolic gem (speeds it up by 25%) and he enjoys a 2cm nibble each morning, which gives him a far better kick than any espresso.

:: If forced to choose between local and organic, his preference lies with local.  He deems it clever, quicker, more nutritious and the option that offers up the "best of the area".  Organic is more about working with nature and elimination pesticides. But given the choice he would choose local and organic when possible.

:: Jamie's dream food truck would be one that offers healthier, homemade versions of popular street food.

:: He has a deep belief that every sixteen year old should leave school knowing how to budget, shop and cook no less than 10 meals.

:: He doesn't consider himself a "food nazi".  He loves a good cake and wants people to enjoy it once and a while.  He also believes we need to keep sugar in the proper foods, and not in everything we eat.

:: If he had to choose, his last meal would be his mother's roast chicken.  Not because it's the best, but it's the most nostalgic.

:: He conditions his hair with olive oil.

:: The most rewarding part of his job? Meeting families who go from being a non-cooking family to being one who eats dinner and cooks together.

:: He's working on a documentary about the massive problem between food and the sea.

:: You only really need three knives in a kitchen in order to cook well; 8 or 9" chopper, 12" carving knife and a small paring knife.  The rest is gravy.

:: The best way to start a food revolution in your home?  Learn to cook.  Not from a book, a TV show, or the internet (although they can be helpful resources), but learn to cook from a person who knows how. Either a grandma, a neighbour a chef or a cooking class.  But go elbow to elbow with another person and learn the love that goes into food.

Are you a Jamie fan?  What are your favourite Jamie recipes?  Do you have any of his cookbooks?

 

 

We All Need a Little More Help with Dinner

   
       (image found here)  

It would be remiss for me to post a weeks worth of ideas for quick and easy dinners without directing you to the places the most inspire me.  The sources I turn to, when I need an answer to the question "what's for dinner?". 

My very favourite place to go (for the past seven or eight years anyways) has been Everyday Food. Yes, it's a Martha magazine, which already tells you it's visually nice to look at, but there's also a very good chance every recipe in the publication can be made in the 30-45 minute time frame. Perfect for weeknight family meals.  The recipes tend to be seasonally influenced, fresh and tasty. There is a website, which is a virtual version of the magazine allowing you to search back issues for previously published recipes, as well as a blog!  If you want to subscribe to the magazine it's uber cheap (like $20 for a one year subscription) and certainly worth the price.

With a mission statement like "life made easier, every day", Real Simple is another invaluable resource for getting a yummy dinner on the table in no time at all. With features like "Dinner in 15 Minutes Flat", "6 Ingenious Shortcut Meals", and "40 Simple Shortcut Recipes", quick and easy food really is the mandate here.

                 
 

The now defunct Cookie Magazine  was once my lifeline to like-minded parents.  I was so disappointed when they shut down production, but am incredibly grateful that their online recipe collection is still available for us cooking mamas to delve into.  As an event planner, I have been continuously inspired by the party food recipe features and am waiting for the chance to make the super fun robot cake (with two boys you wouldn't think this would be that difficult).

How about you?  Where do you go to for meal and cooking inspiration?

Homemade Fun - A Review and a Giveaway

               
 

I first "met" Rae Grant last summer when she emailed me to talk about our shared love of cooking with our kids.  She was reading my blog, while I was reading her book and she made the first move to get in touch.  One year later, we're still corresponding and while we've yet to sit-down for a cup of tea face to face (we almost made it this past Spring when I was in New York), I feel as though I know her well.

So, imagine my delight when she got in touch this past June to ask if wanted to be a reviewer for her forthcoming book Homemade Fun.  Already a fan of Cooking Fun, I was thrilled to get a sneak peak at Rae's new work.  And she did not disappoint.

 

An ode to childhood, Homemade Fun, is a treasure trove of simple, fun and easy activities for children.  With chapters separating the activities into categories like Hand Sewing and Embroidery, Building Things, Baking, Papercrafts and Toys, Games and Pastimes, there is truly something for everyone in this gem of a book.   When the package first arrived I sat and eagerly devoured each page, with it's old-fashioned fonts and retro design, mentally marking all of the activities I wanted the boys to try.  When I reached the baking section, not one recipe was left of the list. 

The first we tackled was Rae's popovers.  Requiring only four ingredients, I though this would be something Ben could approach on his own.  And I was right.  A  quick pantry consultation and review of the methods required left him feeling capable of producing a tasty treat.  As you can see from his brother's reaction, I think he succeeded.

 

  

Today I have one copy of Rae's book to give away to a lucky reader.  To enter leave a comment at the end of the post (you don't have to have a blog just an email address so I can get in touch).  For an additional entry, tweet about the giveaway or link back to this blog post.  Contest closes at midnight Friday July 16th.  Good luck!  

UPDATED:  Congratulations to Tricia!  The random number generator choose comment #5 and you have won a copy of Rae's book, Homemade Fun.