Read A Blog - Vanilla Bean Cafe - 100th Blog Anniversary.. Everything Cookies.. Mmm Canada...Spicy PEI Mussels in Wheat Beer.. Grilled Meditaranean Pizza..

On Tuesday July 1, 2008 Canada will be celebrating it's 141st birthday. To celebrate I decided to join the food event Taste Canada, hosted by Confessions of a Cardamom Addict. For this event she is asking bloggers to write about what Canada tastes like to them - savoury or sweet. Confessions of a Cardamom Addict is hosting the savoury side of Canada and Jennifer of Domestic Goddess is hosting the sweet side of Canada.

Canada is known as a melting pot of different cultures, races and religions. Such diversity has brought so many great culinary delights to this nation. The days of going out to your traditional St. Hubert's (a traditional Quebec/Ontario restaurant) are far gone. Today going out for dinner can be a all day ordeal trying to figure out if you are in the mood for japanese, chinese, korean, italian, african, greek, indian, thai, english pub fare, mexican etc....

When it comes to Canadian food there are so many foods to think of from coast to coast and season to season (not to mention all the beer & wines). Rather than going through them all I will tell you what Canada Tastes like to me in my region.

I grew up in a small town in Ontario on the border of Quebec (near Ottawa and Montreal), thus some of my meals growing up were traditionally french- canadian. As a kid I remember eating Habitant French Canadian Pea Soup with grill cheese sandwiches, Poutine from the local frie stand with squeaking St. Albert's cheese curds, Montreal Smoked meat sandwiches, tourtiere/meat pie, butter tarts, and my all time favourite strawberry shortcake.

My background is not really known, but we figure my dad's ancestors were from England and my mother's from Italy. So there is a mixture of english-italian living in a french-english community. My husband's roots are thought to be from Ireland & Belgium before settling in French Canada. To this day they continue on with many of their traditional meals of pancakes with maple syrup, pate a rague, creton, peameal bacon and sucre a creme.

Now that I am living in the nation's capital, Ottawa, Canada taste's like Beavertales after skating on the canal; pints of a local cold brew (Clocktower) on a patio in the hot summer sun; a Poutine from Elgin Street Dinner (ESD). It tastes like local fresh berries from the Byward Market, tomatoes & cucumbers from my dad garden, backyard bbq's and my favorite - corn on the cob.

Canada Day itself use to make me think of partying in the capital in the Byward Market and on Parliament Hill. These days Canada Day is symbolic for cottaging with friends, bbq and beer and that is exactly what I will be doing. So as I will not be around to blog have a

HAPPY CANADA DAY, EH!!!

Tonight I was going to make a traditional backyard bbq with burgers or a beer butt chicken. But with the rain, I decided to stay indoors and make Steamed PEI mussels from LaPointe's Fishmarket in the Byward Market with Mill St. Wheat Beer, brewed at the Mill St. Brewery in Toronto. The flavor and aroma of this dish in incredible. I believe my husband found this recipe from Bobby Flay. I kind of went crazy on the pics!

Spicy Mussels in Wheat Beer

3 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried curshed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

1 wheat beer (2 cups) - Mill St. Wheat
1 lemon sliced
1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 lbs fresh mussels, cleaned
1 medium to large chopped and seeded tomato
Serve with crusty whole wheat italian bread.

Heat the stove to high. Heat oil in large pot and add onion, cook until soft. Add garlic, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add wheat beer (or use a white wine), lemon slices and 1/4 cup of parsley, bring to a boil.

Add mussels. Cover pot and cook until mussel shells open, stirring once, about 6 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Using spoon, transfer mussels to large shallow bowl. Boil broth in pot until reduced to 1 cup (about 3 mins). Season with pepper and salt. Pour broth over mussels and sprinkle with the tomatoes and remaining parsley.

I had a long weekend this week, and the plans were to go hiking in the Adirondacks'. But I am still dealing with patellar tendonitis and therefore the weekend spent doing other things. I was able to get in a few rounds of golf in and walk around the Chicken & Rib Festival.

Although I was salivating from the irresistable smell of the smoke and sauce I did not end up trying them. It was not because of the long line ups or the 5 cups of sugar and 5lbs of butter coating each piece of meat - okay well maybe that has something to do with it. But I had planned on taking my husband to my favourite sushi place for lunch. When we got there it was closed (much to his dismay I am sure). So instead we headed to our favourite local coffee shop - Bridgehead.

If you've read some of my blogs you might know that I advocate fairtrade, local fare and organic foods. Therefore I thought I would pay omage to a local coffee shop that offers fair trade products. Bridgehead's coffees and teas are fairtrade as well as organic, in fact it is the first company in Canada (Ottawa) to offer consumers fairly traded coffee. Since then, they have been supporters of the grassroots movement in support of Nicaraguan farmers - helping small scale farmers become competitive in the international markets, while at the same time supporting environmental farming practices.

Now all that is great and definetly a selling point for me to go their. But from another stand point they have great rich, aromatic coffee. The service is always friendly. And most importantly they serve delicious wraps, sandwiches, soups and baked goodies.

I have a number of favorites such as their vegetable and cheese sandwich, tuna and dill sandwich (on great multigrain bread) and their famous pecan chocolate square. Today I decided to have a vegetable wrap which had hummus, tabouleh and vegetables. It was delicious. So next time you are in the Nation's Capital, find a Bridgehead to enjoy a coffee and one of their many great sandwiches or desserts.

1 cup raisins (sultans)
1 cup + 2 T 1% milk
2 1/2 T unsalted butter (softened)
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (and extra for flouring surface)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1 2/ tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
non stick cooking spray

Place the raisins in a small saucepan and cover with water, bring to a boil. Remove frmo heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain well.

Combine 2 3/4 cups flour, brown sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon (not all of it), salt and yeast in a large bowl. Mix well.

In a small saucepan heat the milk over low heat (do not bring to a boil). When warm remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until melted.

Add the warm milk/butter and the lightly beaten eggs to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add the raisins and stir until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. The dough will be sticky so keep adding a bit of flour to the dough 1T at a time until no longer sticky.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray and flip to coat the other side. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour (should double in size). After 1 hour press two fingers down into dough, if imprints remain it is ready. Punch dough and then cover for 5 more minutes.

Roll dough out into a 14 x 7 inch rectangle on a floured surface. Evenly sprinkle the remaining cinnamon over the surface of the dough. Roll up the rectangle tighly, starting with the short edge pressing firmly while rolling to eliminate air pockets. Pinch the seams and ends to seal.

Place the roll, seam side down, in a 9x5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover an dlet rise for 30 minutes (should double in size).

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until loaf is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan an dcook on a wire rack.

Makes about 16 slices.

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While reviewing some of my favorite foodie blogs, I stumbled upon a food event hosted by Fun and Food. This Healthy Cooking event seemed perfect for me as the basis was to create a healthy vegetarian recipe. Anyone who knows me, could tell you that I have a passion, sometimes obsession, with health and fitness. The majority, if not all of my meals are cooked using healthy foods & healthy methods. Although I am not a vegetarian, I do advocate eating less meat and more vegetarian meals for environmental and health reasons.

In fact I am currently reading a great book called In Defence of Food, by Micheal Pollen, which talks about the need to eat "real food" to be healthy. I must say I agree with his point of views and if I can add my two cents about health and health weight, I'd advocate eating more vegetables and fruits and what Pollen states as "real food" as oppose to substitutes like low-fat snacks (muffins, cakes, cookies, chips) and diet drinks. These types of food provide no health benefits, depsite any disclaimers made on their fancy packaging.

The vegetarian meal I decided to submit to this challenge was one that I have been wanting to make for a while - stuffed portobello mushrooms. However, the rain seemed to deter me again and again from putting these delicious stuffed portobello mushrooms on the grill. Alas, I decided not to let the rain deter me anymore.

Never having made or eaten a stuffed portabello mushroom before I was amazed at how great they were and what a hearty and healthy vegetarian meal they made. At only 26 calories per mushroom (not stuffed) and about 90 calories stuffed these were actually filling.

Ingredients

I decided to stuff the mushrooms with some of my favorite flavors tomato, garlic, green onions, rosemary, feta and zucchini. Tomatoes are a staple for me in the summer, as the local tomatoes are so flavorful and fresh. Not only are they delicious, but they contain lycopene known to be an anti-carcinogen. Studies have shown that lycopene can lower risk of certain cancers such as lung, pancreas and prostate. The other ingredients also provide their own set of health benefits. And buying organic eliminates any unhealthy chemicals.

Method
Before placing the mushrooms on the grill I brushed them with a light coat of olive oil & lemon juice. Grilling the mushrooms with a light coat of olive oil not only prevents them from sticking to the grill, but provides essential oils for the body. It is important to know that en if you are trying to lose or maintain weight health oils and fats are needed for proper body functioning.

These portabellos can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main dish. I found 1-2 with whole wheat couscous or a spinach salad pretty filling.

1 medium tomato chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup feta
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 zuchinni diced
1 clove garlic minced
salt and pepper
4 portabello mushroom caps (stems and gills removed)
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp olive oil

In a small bowl combine the tomato, bread crumbs, feta, oil, rosemary, salt, pepper, green onion and garlic. Mix well.

In a small skillet cook the zuchinni over med-high until slightly soft. Add to tomato mixture and stir.

Once the mushrooms have been de-gilled and cleaned brush them with a mixture of oil, lemon juice and soy sauce.

On a med heat grill grill the mushroom caps stem side down for 5 min and then flip and grill other side for 4-5 min. Before the 5 min is up, scoop heaping amounts of the tomato mixture into the cap of the mushroom. Then close lid of bbq and grill for 3 mins, should be enough for cheese to melt.

Serve immediately as an entree with couscous, an appetizer or a side dish.

Serves 4.

About 1 year ago I went through a quesadillas craze. Every restaurant I went to I felt compeled to try their version of quesadillas as well as make many of my own versions. I became inspired by so many wonderful flavors from wild mushroom and gruyere; apple and brie; portabello mushrooms and goat cheese; caramelized onions and chevre, and the list goes on. As a Mexican food lover I decided to make a black bean & corn quesadillas which can be served with sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole. I will definetly be making these again, as they are quick and delicious.

On a side note mexican food makes me think of sangria, although spanish in origin, I started indulging in this drink with girlfriends back in high school at the local Mexicali Rosi's. Every summer I usually make a sangria and love the flavors of wine, brandy and fruit together, I have yet to perfect the perfect concoction, but is has been fun trying. My husband found a recipe in the LCBO Food & Drink magazine that called for whiskey infused with fruit, which can be found on his blog Fort's Place under Whiskey and Infused Fruit. We have yet to try it as it must sit for 10 days. However, I am anticipating a good sipping drink with some appetizers.

1 can black beans
1 cup corn kernels
1-2 plum tomato, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 garlic minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne (if you like it really spicy)
olive oil
shredded cheese (monterey jack, old cheddar)
6 x 8" whole wheat tortillas
light sour cream
medium to hot salsa

In a medium skillet over medium heat add 1 T olive oil. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Mix together and cook for about 5 mins until heated throughout.

Spray an 8" skillet with non stick cooking spray and heat skillet over medium high heat. Place an 8" tortilla in the skillet. Using a laddle scoop the bean mixture onto one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over the bean mixture and then fold the other half of tortilla over the bean mixture.

Cook each side of the quesadilla for 3-5 mins per side, until golden brown and crisp.

Remove from skillet and cut in half. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa.

Being from Canada I live for bbq and patio season. Most traditional barbeque meals include a variety of salads, with coleslaw being an oldy but goodie. I find this salad light and with the right dressing can be flavorsome. I tinkered with this one to get the right amount of ingredients so it would not be too peanuty, or too gingery. In the end I think the balance between the ingredients works well.

Ginger Dressing

6 T rice wine vinegar

3 T olive oil
1 T peanut butter
2 T soy sauce
3 T brown sugar
2 T minced fresh ginger
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot sauce
salt and pepper

Coleslaw

8 cups of shredded (red and green)
1 red bell pepper sliced thinly
2 carrots julienned
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/2 cup cilantro
1 apple shredded (optional)

Use either a pre-shredded cabbage or using a sharp nice finely chop 8 cups of cabbage. Cut the remaining vegetables and put together in a bowl and mix.

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and pour some over the salad and toss. Serve immediately.

For me the summer means many weekends of hiking the Adirondack Peaks in New York state. There are 46 peaks over 4000ft which offer spectacular views. Although I am not in any rush I plan on completing them all and becoming a member of the 46ers. Hiking for me is not just about physical activity and the outdoors which I love, but a mental escape from hectic daily life. It is so peaceful and quiet in the trees it gives me a chance to decompress, reflect and just be in the moment. I have an added motivation to hike them this year as in September my husband and I will be hiking the Mont Blanc Tour in Europe. This is a hut to hut hike through the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. I am sure as the trip approaches I will talk more about it.

I have consumed my fair share of Gorp (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) or trail mix/granola bars on my hikes. In order to make a healthier trail mix, one with less sugar and less oils, this year my husband I decided we'd make our own homemade trail mix/granola mix. This idea then inspired me to try a granola bar recipe. This recipe is adapted slightly from The Kitchen Sink. I have seen others that used wheat germ, which I may try next time.

The bars are very good, crunchy and the sour cherries compliment the nutty flavors. However, I must say I prefer a softer chewier granola bar. So in the end I ended up breaking up the granola bars into granola mix. This is great for on the trail or as a cereal mixed with berries and milk.

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup pepitas

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cup whole almonds

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup light peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup dried cherries (really good fruit to use, but can use any dried fruit)

Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, coconut, seeds and nuts; spread out evenly on the rimmed baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes. Gives them a nice roasted flavor.

When the oat mixture has been toasting for about 10 minutes, combine the honey, peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

When the oat mixture is done toasting, transfer it to a large bowl and add the honey mixture and dried cherries. Mix until all dry ingredients are moist. Spread the mixture in a greased baking pan (9 x13). With the bottom of a measuring cup press the granola mixture into the pan and create a smooth, even surface. Bake the granola mixture for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely.

When completely cool flip granola onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife cut the granola into desired size bars. If you desire granola then you can crumbled with hands or place in a bag and crush with the back of a mug. Store in air tight container.

Getting ready for grill.

Mmmm grilled to perfection!

With the nice weather lately, I have been indulging in BBQ frequently. Last night I could not decide between lamb or steak kebabs. In the end the steak looked more appealing. I found a yummy sounding marinade for the beef at Martha Stewart's website. It called for two of my favorite flavors grainy mustard and fresh thyme. The beef was marinated for about 3-4 hours making it extremely tender and flavorful. I wanted the kebabs to have a nice colorful presentation and therefore choose bright colored vegetables like yellow pepper, red grape tomatoes, and green zuchinni. This is nice served over a bed of couscous or with a side of mixed greens.

1 pounds top sirloin steak
grape tomatoes
zuchinni
yellow bell pepper.
2 T olive oil
2 T grainy mustard
1 T red-wine vinegar
1 T fresh thyme leaves
salt and ground pepper

Slice the steak into 1" or larger cubes.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, vinegar, and thyme. Pour marinade over the beef (and vegetables if desired, however I prefer just the beef marinated). Let marinade in the fridge for at leat 2 hours in the refrigerator, turning periodically.

Assemble the skewers about 4 long ones, alternating beef with vegetables (4-5 beef per skewer is what I like).

Heat grill to high and place the skewers on a greased grill. Grill 1-2 mins per side for medium rare. Serve with side of salad or on a bed of couscous.

Yesterday was race day. In the morning I relaxed with a cup of coffee and warm bowl of oatmeal. At 6:22am the weather was already sunny & warm and I knew it was going to be a hot run. The previous night I watched my husband finish his 10km in a great time (Congratulations!). Seeing him cross the finish line at his goal time and being around all the other athletes pumped me up for Sunday.

After coming back from 2 years of injuries, my goal time was to break 2hrs. As my training progressed, I felt that I was a stronger runner and figured if I had the best race I could have I could complete the half marathon in 1:50 hrs or even break that time by seconds.

The first 14km of the race went amazing....so much energy and spring in my step (had to stop for 30 secs to tie my shoe though). By km 15 the heat from the hot sun was starting to taking a toll on me... with no hat... I could feel the sun beaming down on me. The sun can be your worst enemy out there if you are not well covered up and do not get plenty of water. Unfortunately there were a few runners who literally dropped to the side lines with heat exhaustion/stroke.

Kilometers 15 to 20 were good and I was still pumped, looking at my watch I knew I could not slow down now, in fact I would have to speed up slightly to reach my best goal. However, the legs were begining to get stiff by 18km and it was difficult to push any harder... but I dug deep and pushed on. The last kilometer was as expected - the most hard... I kept my pace and struggled for each breath. I tried to sprint to the finish line, but my legs felt like cement blocks and it was too hard to pick up any faster of a pace. I did hold onto an already good pace of 5:23 per km.

When I crossed the finish line I was more than elated with my performance and time of 1:50:38.

The anticipation of having to race can be overwhelming - you get this nervous, anxious, excited feeling...it takes a lot to calm the nerves. For me the best way to relax and keep my mind off the race is to cook or bake.

So on Saturday to keep distracted and busy I made a coffee cake. If you are like me you always have tons of bananas in the freezer and sometimes get to the point where they begin to take over. So I decided to make a banana coffee cake. I found this recipe at the Bob's Red Mill website. I have used some of this company's product's such as their flax seed and find them of good quality. They also offer a lot of gluten free and organic products. Unfortunately in my anxious state I missed a step of the recipe and rather than pour 1/2 the cinnamon mixture in the center I put it all on top. Regardless it turned out moist and tasty.

1/2 cup chopped Pecan Halves
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 cup Banana, mashed
1 Tb Vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 cup White Flour, Unbleached
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a tunnel or bundt form pan and set aside.

Combine the chopped pecans, ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Add the sour cream and mix until blended.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this to the batter and beat until just blended.

Sprinkle half the sugar/nut mixture into the greased pan. Top with half of the cake batter. Follow with the second half of the sugar/nut mixture and end with the rest of the cake batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove springform rim to finish cooling. Makes 18 Servings.

Me after 21km (1:50:38) enjoying water, bagel, yogurt and flip flops.

One of my favourite sandwich is a roasted vegetable panini or wrap. The Village Cafe in Ottawa has two delicious vegetables sandwiches served on your choice of sour dough bread, focaccia or in a flavored wrap. The Mediterranean which consists of sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce, cucumber, basil pesto & black olive tapenade, and the Vege-lux with great flavors of balsamic fire roasted vegetables & creamy goat cheese. Mio's has a vegetable panini, which is similar tot he Vege-Lux toppped with mint leaves. My sister prepared some paninis for our ski weekend at Jay Peak back in March. She used homemade pesto, roasted vegetables and goat cheese on sour dough bread. These were pre-made and kept in the wrapped in the fridge. To serve they were heated in the oven until warm and crispy; however you could also use a panini press. Absolutely Delicious!

Inspired by these delicious sandwiches & wraps I thought about what I'd consider the ultimate vegetable panini/wrap. The flavors of this wrap are so incredible I assure you your mouth will be watering.

1 portabello mushrooms

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic minced

2 large whole wheat tortilla wraps or if you prefer use a loaf sour dough bread

1 1/2 cup wheat bran

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

Mix the wheat bran and the buttermilk in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients together and stir in the raisins.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, eggs and oil.

Now stir in the bran mixture and add the dry ingredients tot he sugar, egg and oil mixture. Mix until moist, as with all muffins do not over mix.

Bake muffins at 400 F for 15-18 minutes.

Last night I was in the mood for a light healthy meal. I had defrosted shrimp to cook on the grill, but decided I wasn't in the mood to grill. In fact this week, although great, has been exhausting and as little prep as possible for dinner was what I desired. Regardless, of the time to prep, after training hard all week, I needed a dinner packed full of energy and nutrients - hmmmm avocados have energy and great nutrition. Salads can be a good way to get the foods you need as you can throw anything in them from vegetables, fruit, cheese, nuts, beans, chicken, eggs, tuna etc....

Superfood #4 Avocados which is a fruit are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that attacks free radicals in the body by blocking intestinal absorption of certain fats. Scientists also believe that avocados may also be useful in treating viral hepatitis (a cause of liver cancer), as well as other sources of liver damage (source: The Cancer Cure Foundation). Avocados also boost other essential nutrients like protein, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin E, C and Bs., folic acid, iron, magnesium and provides an excellent source of monounsaturated fats.

The other foods in this meal are not too shabby either, but I will spare you from listing all the good things about each ingredient and rather let you know that it is just plain healthy, fresh and tasty.

1 T olive oil
6 shrimp, lightly coated with cayenne
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup romaine lettuce
1/4 avocado, sliced
2 olives, sliced
4 slices of cucumber
1 green onion sliced
goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
1/8 cup walnuts
dressing

Season the shrimp with cayenne and leave it marinate for 10 mins. Then in a small skillet over med-high heat heat the oil. Add the shrimp and cook until pink.

In a bowl add the salad ingredients, spinach, lettuce, avocado, olives, green onion, cucumber. Sprinkle with goat cheese and walnuts. Now place the warm shrimp on top of the salad. Add the dressing you desire. Dig in!

A nice compiment to a grilled steak were these baked fingerling potatoe wedges seasoned with spices. Fingerling potatoes on their own have a nutty buttery flavor. Their texture holds up to the heat therefore they make great crispy fries when baked in the oven.

Using about half the bag of the PC Golden Fingerling Potatoes I washed them and then sliced them into very thin slices, rather than chunky wedges.

I then placed them in a bowl and tossed them with olive oil. Then sprinkled them with some of (not all) the spice mixture.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there and especially to mine and my mother in law. I was able to spend the day with my mom the other day as the family enjoyed a casual bbq. Today I will be heading to Major Hills Park with the in laws to peruse the tulip festival and then head to the byward market to hit a patio for lunch and see what the fresh market is offering this May.

For the BBQ I made one of my favorite summer salads - greek salad. I just love the taste of feta & kalmata olives mixed with fresh vegetables. This particular picture unfortunately was taken the day after so the tomatoes are not as fresh looking as they were when first made. The salad should be eaten the same day as it does not keep that well. When making you can prepare the salad hours in advance and place in the fridge, but wait until 30 min before serving to add the dressing. This should be enough to let the dressing absorb into the tomatoes and cucumbers but not too long to let it get soggy.

6 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1 red onion, cut into thin rings
1 green pepper, chopped into large chunks
1 large cucumbers, sliced into half moon
1 cup kalmata olives
6 oz low sodium feta cheese, cut into small cubes
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a small jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl. POUR the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine just before serving. Garnish with a little freshly ground black pepper. Again it keeps only for a day or two max in the fridge, so best prepared fresh.

While at the LCBO the other day, I noticed a large ceramic bottle of beer. What caught my eye other than the unique bottle was the tag which stated certified organic beer from a local family owned brewery, Beau's Natural Brewing, Vankleek Hill. In my obligation to the environment to be more green I decided to buy this local organic beer.

Beau’s All Natural's first beer is Lug Tread Lagered Ale. It has been described as a golden-hued, crisp, and finely balanced, being compared to Kölsch. Although I like the beer and would purchase it again, I think Kölsch has a more full flavor. Lug Tread is top fermented (like an ale) and then cold aged, or “lagered,” for a lengthy period—hence the term “lagered ale.” But the fact that Lug Tread it is made with certified organic malts and with Eastern Ontario spring water is alone a good enough reason to buy it.

The LCBO employee noted that the company cannot keep up with supply and demand, and that the beer is usually gone within the first day of stocking the shelf. So if you desire to try this and cannot find it you can also get it on tap at some local pubs/restaurants:

Clocktower Brew Pub
Ottawa Bourgetel
BourgetNational Press Club of Canada
The Black Tomato
Shannon's Pub, Hawkesbury
Windsor Tavern, Vankleek Hill
St. Eugene Tavern, St. Eugene
I also think the Manx serves it.

Attached to their website I found this interesting page of recipes: Cooking with Beer. I might have to give some of these a try this summer.

I did not mearure the amount of mayonnaise vs pesto and think it is a personal choice on flavor anyways. I started with a few heaper Tablespoons of light helman's mayonnaise and kept adding a couple teaspoons to the mixture until I reached the desired taste.

It is great on panini or any type of sandwich.

I have made different pasta dishes over the years, which have been alright to amazing. This new dish was incredible. It could be because after 18 km of running I could literally eat about anything and think it tasted amazing. The next day as a cold salad it was just as delicious, so I will perhaps give myself more credit.

I wanted this dish to have great post long run nutrition with a balance of carbs, protein and fats, which I think I accomplished (whole wheat pasta, chicken, pesto and olives). I also desired fresh flavors with no added preservatives from canned sauces. For a change I used a mix of mediterranean flavors along with the basil pesto I had made recently. This recipe has been submitted to Ruth's Presto Pasta Night's roundup found at Once Upon a Feast.

1lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped into large chunks
1 zuchinni, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, whole or sliced
basil pesto
feta
2 cups dried whole wheat rotini pasta

1. In a large non stick skillet heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chunks of chicken to the skillet. When cooked part way add some lemon zest and the lemon juice. When almost cooked add 1 T of the pesto and mix to coat the chicken.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling add 2 cups of dried pasta. Remove from heat with lid on and let sit for 10 minutes.

3. In the chicken skillet, add the zuchinni, tomatoes and black olives. Add 1 T basil pesto. Cook over medium heat for 8 mins. Do not want the vegetables too soft.

4. Drain the pasta once it is cooked. Then add the rotini to the skillet. Warm up pasta and add a few more Tablespoons of pesto and some pepper to taste. I simply kept trying the dish to see if there was enough pesto flavor....so you can add as little or as mich as you'd like.

5. Serve in a bowl or plate and sprinkle with feta cheese and an ACE multigrain baguette.

Serves: 4