Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Recipes

It's fiesta time! Here's a little roundup of some of my favorite Mexican-inspired recipes for Cinco de Mayo! 

Having a Cinco de Mayo brunch? Serve Baked Tortilla Cup Huevos Rancheros and these awesome Black Bean and Chorizo Egg Tortas!

Every fiesta needs BEBIDAS! Put out a bucket of Mexican beers, Jarrito & Tequila To-Gos, and of course, whip up a batch of Coconut Margaritas! 

For snacks, put out a big bag of tortilla chips (my favorite are Juanita's!), some Totally Grilled Guac, and some cheesy Aperitivo de Frijol!

Taco bar? Be sure to add this spicy/tangy shredded beef for Machaca tacos! 

It turns out, I don't have any Mexican dessert recipes on the blog! Crazy! You know what else is crazy? I've never had tres leches cake. Like, ever. Never even one bite. I'm thinking of changing that real soon, and here are a few contenders:

• Shutterbean: Coconut Tres Leches Cake 
• The Candid Appetite: Classic Tres Leches Cake
• Chez Us: Coconut & Lime Three Milk Cake
• How Sweet Eats: Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake 

Italian countryside for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the MLCC

 Last night I presented the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy's Foodie Program with the MLCC on the theme of Italian Countryside.  Kelly Burton, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided wonderful beverage pairings and Melissa Scouten, Education Coordinator for the APC, presented on the plants and culture of different regions.

 Photos to follow soon!

 Reception Beverage:  Limoncello Lemonade

1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 cup club soda, divided

2 cups limoncello, divided

1 cup St. Germain (elderflower liquor)

Ice cubes, crushed

1. Fave con Pecorino
(serves 4)
Paired with Ruffino Orvieto Classico #31062, $11.95

2 lbs fava beans, peeled
4 ounces Pecorino Toscano, sliced into 1/2 inch/1 cm long matchstick-thick segments
1/4 cup olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 leaves radicchio, sliced very thinly

Place the fava beans and pecorino in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss very gently, just to combine the flavours and not to break the beans or crush the cheese.
Mound a quarter of the beans and cheese in the centre of each salad plate. Top each serving with a few slivers of radicchio.

2. Sage Butter pasta (Burro e salvia)
Paired with Gabbiano Chianti DOCG # 710324, $13.99

1/3 cup butter.
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.

Enjoy!

3. Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli
Eggplant Parmigiana Eggplant Parmigiana
Paired with Feudo Badala Negroamano #15086, $11.82

Ingredients
The Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices
6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
The Eggplant:
2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound provolone cheese, grated
2 handfuls fresh basil, leaves only, torn

Directions

For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.

Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Osso Bucco

Paired with Masi Costasera Amarone #317057, $44.99

 
 1 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces Beef, Bison or Elk shank

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1-3 tbs butter

1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 lemon, zest peeled off in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
1 head garlic, cut horizontally through the middle
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bottle dry red wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth (I had homemade chicken broth on hand instead)
1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed

Put the flour in a large shallow platter and season it with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour and then tap off the excess (extra flour will burn and make the dish off-tasting).

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and hit it with a 3-count drizzle of oil. Add the butter and swirl it around the pan to melt. Sear the meat, turning carefully with tongs, until all sides are a rich brown caramel color. Drizzle with a little more oil, if needed. (Do this in batches if the shanks are big and look crowded in the pot.) Remove the browned meat to a side plate. There will be a lot of flavor left over in the bottom of the pot. You're going to use that to create your sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using the same pot, saut� the onion, celery, carrots, lemon zest, garlic, bay leaves, and parsley over medium heat. Cook the vegetables down until they start to get some color and develop a deep, rich aroma. Season with salt and pepper; add a little oil if needed. Nestle the meat back in the pot. Pour in the wine and let it simmer down for 20 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half. Reducing is key for intense flavor. Add the beef broth and tomatoes and stir everything together. Cover the pot and put it in the oven. Braise for 1 and a 1/2 hours. Then remove the cover and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be thick and the meat tender and nearly falling off the bone.
Remove bay leaves.

Enjoy!

Pea Shoot Pesto on Manitoba Arctic Char with CBC

It was my pleasure to present the following recipes yesterday on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.

Gimli Fish carries this fantastic fish.  So delicious and healthy!

(Photo by Karen Peters.  Features Pea Shoot Pesto on Arctic Char about to be baked.)


Pea Shoot Pesto
Ingredients:
1/4 lb fresh, young pea shoots (or pea tips!)*
1 bunch chives, chopped (or spring onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted Almonds
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place the pea shoots, chives, garlic, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, pulse until a thick paste forms.

Enjoy with pasta, fish or other pesto uses.



On Arctic Char

Spoon over Arctic Char fillet and bake at 350�F for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Date Shakes

I feel like I've been really boring on here lately. I'm sorry! I've made and eaten plenty of tasty things this month, but most of them are quick little salads, soups, or thrown together bowl-meals, none of which are particularly blog worthy. 


I do have some more donuts to share with you soon, but I need to make them again for photos� and I have a cold (seriously!? As if I wasn't already sick for the first two months of the year�). I don't want to germ-up a bunch of donuts that other people are going to eat, and I certainly don't need 12 amazingly delicious donuts sitting around my house. I will eat every single one. Donut will power is not a thing. It doesn't exist. So, I want to be sure I can safely share with friends before I make them again. Because coconut. And ginger glaze. See what I'm saying about will power? 

In addition to quick little dinners, I've been using my Vitamix like crazy. I know they're expensive, but guys� I'm telling you� life changing! I used to make smoothies like once a month. My old blender sucked so bad, it took forever to blend everything up, and was just an all-around pain in the ass to use. So I saved up my credit card points, and used them to get a Vitamix. Now I blend things almost daily! Sometimes twice daily. Even thrice daily, on occasion. Fruit & veggie smoothies, creamy soups, nut milks and butters, hummus, bean dip, sauces. All thing things. I highly recommend a high-powered blender (for a more affordable option, my parents have a Ninja, and love it). 

My favorite treat lately has been this peanut butter date shake. It tastes milkshakey, but is full of good for you stuff like peanut butter, banana, almond milk, dates, and oats. I won't lie and say this is a low calorie shake, because it's not. But everything in it is natural and healthy-like, and it's a major protein boost. It's quick and easy to make, so perfect before early morning workouts. Just kidding� I don't work out in the mornings, who do you think I am? I wish I was a morning person, but no matter how hard I try, it just doesn't happen. I'm pretty sure my REM sleep kicks in at 8AM. So instead I have this shake as an afternoon snack, dessert, or late-morning breakfast.  

Peanut Butter Date Shake

Makes 1 big shake, 2 small ones

3 pitted dates (I used the large medjool dates. If you like it less sweet, start with 2, and the 3rd as needed)

1 banana (the riper it is, the more you'll taste it--I go for less ripe)

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (plus more if needed)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 overflowing cup of ice

Depending on your blender, you may need longer blending times. I add everything except the ice to the blender, and blend until it's all smooth (the dates take awhile). Then, since the long blending time has likely warmed up the mixture, I add my ice last, and blend until smooth. Taste test as you go. Add more peanut butter or vanilla if you want, or more almond milk if you like a runnier shake. Sometimes I also add toasted coconut!

Note: This post is in no way affiliated with Vitamix, I just happen to be obsessed with mine, and all opinions are my own. 

Moroccan Tour for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.  Jenny Steusser, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, presented on the country and history of Morocco and Jody Twomey, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided excellent beverage pairings. 

These recipes are from Paula Wolfert's, The Food of Morocco.  It is a wonderful cookbook and an essential part of any kitchen.

Reception Beverage:  Moroccan Cider (Moroccan beer with Pomegranate liquor)

1. Moroccan Butternut Squash Soup
Paired with La Patisserie Chard Muscat, $13.99 and Nobel House Riesling, $12.84

1 yellow onion, chopped
pinch coarse salt
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs butternut, kabocha, or calabaza squash halved, peeled and seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks (about 6 cups)
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp La Kama Spice Mixture (1 tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric and white pepper, good pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon and optional cubeb pepper)
1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 lb crumbled chevre
1 tsp or more to taste Harissa paste (available at Halal Meats and Specialty Foods or Dino's Grocery Mart)
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook onion in heavy bottomed pot or casserole dish (tajine) on medium low heat with the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes
2. Add the squash, cover with parchment paper and/lid and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, spices and 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the squash is tender, about 20+ minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Blend in batches or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the cream and 3.4 or the cheese and the harissa at the end. Puree until velvety.
5. Bring up to heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve into warmed bowls and top each portion with a light sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

enjoy!

2. Eggplant Salad, Rabat Style
Paired with Jacob's Creek Cool Harvest Pinot Gris, $13.59

1 eggplant
1 clove garlic, peeled and slivered
2 tbs chopped parsley
2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs olive oil (or less)
1-2 tbs lemon juice
pinch salt

Stud the eggplant with garlic slivers, using a pairing knife to cut slits into the eggplant. Bake at 400�F until very soft. Remove from oven to cool when darkened and "collapsed".

When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the flesh of the eggplant into a sieve. Discard liquid and skin of eggplant.

Mash or push the eggplant and garlic through a food mill (avoid a blender as it won't give you the desired effect).

Add the chopped herbs and spices and mix well. Fry in the olive oil over moderate heat, turning often until all of the liquid has evaporated and the eggplant has been reduced to a thick black jam, about 15 - 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt. Serve warm or slightly cooled.

Try with grape tomatoes and good toasted pita bread.

Enjoy!

3. Chicken Tajine with prunes and almonds
Paired with Innis & Gunn Rum Cask, $3.60

1 chicken � (3 1/2 lbs)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup prunes
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup whole blanched almonds
vegetable oil for frying

Rub all the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for one hour.

Soak prunes if very dry.

Place onions in a wide shallow casserole with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup water, cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Brown the almonds in 4-5 tbs oil in a large skillet and drain on paper towels. Brown the chicken evenly on all sides in the oil and transfer to the steamed onions. Cover with parchment paper and cook in tajine on the lowest heat for about 1 1/4 hours.

Discard the parchment paper. Add the prunes and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top.

4. Moroccan Lamb Stew
Paired with House of Mandela Cab Sauv, $12.15

1 lb lamb leg, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly saut� onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Serve with flat breads, rice, couscous or bulgur.

Enjoy!

Tantalizingly Tasty Tapas for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following Tapas recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC.  Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the APC, discussed the plants featured from the region and Scott Strizic, Product Consultant for the MLCC, prepared a wonderful welcome beverage and pairings for each dish.

Welcome Beverage:  Agua de Valencia, made with Cava

200ml Orange Juice

50ml gin

50ml Vodca

700 ml Cava

pinch sugar

In a pitcher, add bottle of semi-dry Cava (or Champagne if you do not have Cava).  Add a shot and a half of both vodka and gin.  Add sugar to taste.  Chill and enjoy!

1. Saut�ed garlic mushrooms

Paired with Flor de Vetus (Spain), $16.26

1 lb white mushrooms
5 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
crusty bread

Trim off stems of mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds- 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and saut� over high heat, stirring until the mushrooms have absorbed the oil in the skillet

Reduce the heat to low. When the juices have come out of the mushrooms, increase the heat again and saut� for 4-5 minutes until the juices have almost evaporated. Add lemon juice and season. Stir in parsley and cook for an additional minute.

Serve hot or warm with crusty bread.

2. Spanish Smoked Paprika Shrimp
Paired with Mas Amor - Rose, $16.26

1 lb peeled, wild caught shrimp
1 tbs butter
Drizzle olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika
Pinch sea salt

Heat butter and oil in saut� pan. Add shrimp and toss well. Add garlic and then paprika. Serve with bread when shrimp is firm and pink. 

3. Calamares with no-fail A�oli
Paired with Martin Codax - Albarino, $21.60

1 lb prepared squid (calamari rings, etc)
all-purpose flour for coating
corn, peanut or canola oil for deep-frying
salt
lemon wedges, to garnish
a�oli, to serve

Dry squid and dust with flour. Do not season as the salt will toughen the calamares. Heat oil to 350 � 375�. Carefully add the rings in batches and deep fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towels. Enjoy with a�oli.

A�oli
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tbs white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
salt and pepper
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
5 tbs canola oil

Put the egg yolk, vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper in a food processor and blend well together. Slowly add the olive oil with the blade turning. When it starts to thicken, add more oil and blend until it is thick and smooth.

4. Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

Paired with Fortius Grand Reserva 2001, $27.12 (YUM!)

3 lb potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350�F until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.

Enjoy!

Sesame Sriracha Egg Salad

Here's my second egg salad experiment. And, I must say� this one rocks. It rawks, even. 

Before we get to the goodness of this recipe, can I tell you something sort of embarrassing? So, I've had lower back pain on and off for years, and recently, as I've amped up my outdoor running for spring, my backs been killing me. So I went to a sports rehab doc, and guess what? My glutes aren't doing their job, forcing all the effort on my lower back. Basically, in a nutshell, my butt muscles aren't working right. So now, in order to retrain my muscles to do what they're supposed to do, I have four weeks of PT. To relearn how to walk. My butt is broken.

In other news� Sesame Sriracha Egg Salad! After my deconstructed egg salad, I was brave enough to try a mixed up version with lots of fun flavors. This has sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha, and the flavor totally kills. So, so good. I seriously want to eat this every day. Egg salad convert!

Sesame Sriracha Egg Salad

This is the 4-egg version, which basically made two overloaded baguette slices. Double the recipe for more, or cut in half for less.  

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha

2 teaspoons mayonaise

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 hardboiled eggs

Salt & pepper 

Baguette slices

Micro greens or spring greens

Extra Sriracha

Black sesame seeds

Whisk together soy sauce, Sriracha, mayo, and sesame oil. Chop eggs in fairly small pieces, add to mayo mixture, and gently toss to combine. Salt & pepper to taste. Top baguette slices with greens, a big scoop of egg salad, an extra squirt of Sriracha, and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. 

Garden Update: A Banner Year

Things are warming up here in Seattle and the flowers are blooming. I just planted my first crops of the year-- potatoes and strawberries.

2013 was a banner year for my 500-square-foot urban vegetable garden, including my first experience growing and processing a grain. I never got around to posting about it last year-- so here it is.

Interbay mulch technique

The bed on the right has been mulched with leaves, spent coffee
grounds, and burlap sacks ($1/sack at the local hardware store).
The beds on the left were planted with a rye-clover-vetch-pea
cover crop. Paths are mulched with wood chips.

In the fall of 2012, I tried a new technique for improving the soil called "Interbay mulching". This is a variation on sheet mulching, which involves placing uncomposted organic matter directly onto the garden soil in fall and letting it compost until the next growing season. To Interbay mulch, you simply cover your sheet mulch with burlap. This keeps everything moist, protects earthworms from bird predation so they can munch freely, and suppresses weeds. I used leaves (carbon) and spent coffee grounds from a local coffee shop (nitrogen) for my organic matter.

When I pulled back the burlap last spring, I was initially disappointed. The coffee grounds had disappeared completely, but there was still a lot of leaf matter left on the soil, indicating that it had only partially composted. However, I later decided that it had worked well, because the soil structure underneath was improved and it seemed to be enriched with significant organic matter as well as a large population of fat earthworms. The mulch suppressed weeds remarkably well, and the beds remained mostly clean for the rest of the season.

Those observations, combined with huge yields from the mulched beds, convinced me that it was worthwhile.

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Egg Salad No. 1

This is the time of year where all my online feeds fill up with egg salad sandwiches. Which I hate. Well, used to hate.

I�ve mentioned here before that my whole life I had a major hate-hate relationship with eggs, until about five years ago. Now it�s sort of love-hate. I eat a ton of eggs. Love �em over medium, baked, scrambled, and sometimes even hardboiled. But I still have a few weird leftover hang-ups from my egg hating days. Like, I don�t want to eat eggs that other people prepare. And I don�t like watching other people eat eggs. And until this week, I hated egg salad sandwiches.

My egg salad memories from childhood are squishy and smelly. Amanda loved the things, and would really disgustingly eat them in front of me since she knew it grossed me out. Since egg salad is all over the place around Easter, I started a little convo about it on Facebook. And, kind of to my surprise, it turned out that everyone loves egg salad sandwiches.

You guys also told me on the 'book that you like dill and green olives in your egg salad. I decided to work with that. But I was still a little nervous, picturing a smelly, mushy mound of squishy egg salad, so I decided to go the deconstructed route: baguette slices with tangy green olive and mustard tapenade, micro greens, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and dilly mayo. 

GUYS! This is actually good. Really good! Hey egg salad, I�m not afraid of you anymore! You hear that? I�m not afraid of you! Sorry, quick Home Alone tangent. Anyway, my first foray into egg salad gave me enough courage to try a mixed up version� today you get deconstructed, and later we�re doing a little somethin� somethin� with everyone�s favorite bright red hot sauce. Stay tuned for that one!

Deconstructed Egg Salad Sandwiches

1/2 cup mayo 

2 tablespoons fresh dill

Sea salt

1.5 cups green olives

2 teaspoons grainy dijon mustard

Hardboiled eggs

Baguette slices

Micro greens (I like the Trader Joe's micro greens, but sprouts or spring greens work too)

Dill fronds
Sliced chives

Salt & pepper

Add mayo, dill, and a pinch of salt to blender, and blend until combined. Taste, and add more dill or salt as needed. Scoop into a dish. Once blender is thoroughly scraped out, add olives and mustard, and blend until combined and chunky, but not totally pureed. Scoop into a separate dish. 

For each baguette slice, spread a bit of the mustard tapenade, add a handful of micro greens, sprouts, or other greens, a layer of thinly sliced hard boiled eggs, a pinch of salt and pepper, a drizzle of the mayo (I add mine to a ziplock baggie with the corner cut out to pipe), chives, and a bit of fresh dill. Make as many as your heart desires! 

More Graphs of Calorie Intake vs. BMI

In the last post, a reader commented that the correlation would be more convincing if I graphed calories vs. average BMI rather than the prevalence of obesity.  It was a valid point, so I went searching for average BMI values from NHANES surveys.  I dug up a CDC document that contains data from surveys between 1960 and 2002 (1).  Because these data only cover five survey periods, we only get five data points to analyze, as opposed to the eight used in the last post.  The document contains BMI values for men and women separately, so I averaged the two to approximate average BMI in the general adult population.  It's also worth noting that I use the approximate midpoint of the survey period as the year.

First, a graph of average BMI over time.  It went up:

Now, let's see how well average BMI correlates with calorie intake:

The correlation between calorie intake and obesity prevalence was remarkable, but this correlation is simply incredible.  An R-squared value of 0.98 indicates that daily calorie intake and average BMI are almost perfectly correlated.

We can further deduce that each 100-calorie increase in daily food intake is associated with an 0.62-point increase in average BMI among US adults.  

Around the World in 4 Dishes with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting the following dishes for the Assinboine Park Conservancy Foodie Night with the MLLL (formerly MLCC) under the theme, Around the world in Four Dishes.  APC Education Coordinator, Bonnie Tulloch presented on the plants from the different regions represented and MLLL Product Consultant, Kelly Burton prepared the beverage pairings.

The Lamb Tajine is an adaptation from Paula Wolfert's, The Food of Morocco.

We started with a lovely Summer Sangria:

1 bottle Red Wine

200ml pomegranate Brandy (Wonderful variety from Ontario under the label Persian)

200ml Brandy

orange and lemon slices, lime juice, strawberries

1/2 cup simple syrup (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water warmed on the stove until the sugar dissolves)

cinnamon

1 can Ginger Ale

 Chill and serve 

1. Guacamole and Grilled Pineapple salsa  with corn tortillas

Simple Guacamole
Paired with Gazella Vinho Verde, #3416, $9.99

1-2 ripe Avocados
Lime or lemon juice
Salt
Options:
Chilies
Garlic
Green onions
Chopped Tomatoes

Cut Avocado in half and with a heavy knife, cut into the seed and remove from fruit. Scoop out avocado from peel into a bowl and mash with lime or lemon juice, a few pinches of salt. Add any or all of the options and serve with tortillas.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple, cored then grilled, then chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, roasted whole over grill then chopped
1 ear corn, roasted or 1 cup pan fried
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground chipotle peppers
1/2 cup chopped or pureed tomatoes
salt, to taste
2 tbs brown sugar
2-4 tbs vinegar
drizzle olive oil
3 tbs fresh chopped mint

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Refrigerate and enjoy with tortillas or in your favourite dish.  Try with fish tacos.  Excellent local corn tortillas are available at Dino's Grocery Mart on Notre Dame.

2. Kerala Shrimp

Paired with Patisserie Chardonnay/Muscat, #15997, $13.99

 

1/4 kg small shrimp
1 tsp ground chilies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp vinegar

1 tbs cooking oil (grapeseed oil or canola so as to not add flavour)
1 large onion, chopped
a few curry leaves
1/4 tsp. paprika or chili powder (depending on how spicy you like the food)
1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

Clean and marinate shrimp in chilies, turmeric and vinegar at least 1/2 hour before cooking.

Heat oil in pan and saut� onion until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Fry the shrimp in the same oil until crispy. Then add the fried onion, curry leaves and optional paprika or chili powder on low heat. Add the coconut oil for good Keralan flavour. Test for salt and serve with rice, roti or chappati, etc.

3. Patli�an yog�rtl� (Turkish eggplant dish)

Paired with Sibling Rivalry White VQA, #126144, $13.95

1 lg eggplant sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Slice and salt eggplant and let sit in a bowl of cold water. If eggplant is very young, skip the step of salt and water. Rinse and squeeze out water from slices.

Mince garlic and stir into yoghurt with salt.

Saut� eggplant slices on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and let sit for a moment on a paper towel. Place on platter and top with yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle rubbed oregano and paprika over yoghurt. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.

4. Lamb Tajine

Paired with Sister's Run Cows Corner, #15966, $16.99 (surprisingly wonderful white pepper notes!)

 

1 lb lamb shoulder, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs ras el hanout
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs butter
good pinch saffron
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 - 1 cup prunes
2-3 tbs honey
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup red wine
salt, to taste

Slowly saut� onions on medium-low heat with olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Stir in Ras el Hanout spice blend. Turn up heat to medium-high and add butter and saffron. Brown meat well on all sides and add tomatoes and other vegetables. Add broth, prunes and honey. Add red wine and salt and let simmer for 1-2 hours, depending on using the tajine and toughness of the meat. Meat should melt in your mouth when done.

Calorie Intake and the US Obesity Epidemic

Between 1960 and 2008, the prevalence of obesity in US adults increased from 13 to 34 percent, and the prevalence of extreme obesity increased from 0.9 to 6 percent (NHANES surveys). This major shift in population fatness is called the "obesity epidemic".

What caused the obesity epidemic? As I've noted in my writing and talks, the obesity epidemic was paralleled by an increase in daily calorie intake that was sufficiently large to fully account for it. There are two main sources of data for US calorie intake. The first is NHANES surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. They periodically collect data on food intake using questionnaires, and these surveys confirm that calorie intake has increased. The problem with the NHANES food intake data is that they're self-reported and therefore subject to major reporting errors. However, NHANES surveys provide the best quality (objectively measured) data on obesity prevalence since 1960, which we'll be using in this post.

Read more �

Banana Blossom Thoren

Bonus recipe for tomorrow's guests at Madison Square MLCC for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory.

If you have stomach problems, Banana Blossom (flower) Thoren is an Ayurvedic cure.

1 Banana blossom

2-3 Small onions

3 cloves Garlic

1 Green chili

1 Dried red chili

� cup Coconut

� tsp Turmeric powder

� tsp Cumin powder

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Mustard seed

Salt

Slice the small onions.

Grind together, coconut, green chilly, garlic, 1-2 curry leaves, turmeric powder, cumin powder.

Remove the outer hard leaves of banana flower until you see the lighted colored part.

Wash it well, and chop it , and mix it well with little coconut oil keep aside.

Slice the small onions and garlic.

Steps

Heat oil in a pan.

Add mustard seed, add onion once the it is spluttered.

Add dried chilly and curry leaves.

Add chopped banana flower, salt and saut� well

Add very little water and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Group it together and pour the grounded paste on top.

Before mixing the ground paste, close it with a lid and and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Mix it well after and keep in low flame for few minutes.

Carrot Cake Smoothies

I had this recipe ready for you guys earlier this week, but decided it was probably a bad idea to post it on April Fool�s day. Then you�d be all like �Oh, it�s not actually a carrot cake smoothie, its cake�right?� I�m sorry. It�s really a smoothie, no jokes here. There is no cake.

But, also not a joke: this smoothie is really good! And it�s good for you! And, if you�re gonna be filling your Easter keister up with a ton of ham, potatoes, deviled eggs, Cadbury cream eggs, homemade ricotta, coconut cakes, lemon pies, and other pastel-inspired goodies (like I will), then a pre-feast smoothie might be in order.

This smoothie has all the makings of a good carrot cake, minus the cream cheese frosting, butter, eggs, and cake parts. Carrots, coconut, nuts, and spices get all whirled up in your blender with other good and creamy things like coconut milk, bananas, and dates. It�s almost a carrot cake shake, rather than smoothie.

If you�re feeling really festive, you can top it all off with toasted coconut and chopped nuts. And also� that remaining coconut milk? Go ahead and whip that into a smooth and fluffy whipped cream. It�s really like the icing on the cake�or the smoothie shake, if ya know what I�m sayin�.

Carrot Cake Smoothies

Serves 2

5 medium-large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut milk (if you're using remaining for whipped cream, be sure to use a full fat version)

2 large dates, pitted

1/2 large banana

1/4 cup almonds or other nuts

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of fresh nutmeg and ground cloves

2 cups of ice

Toppings:

Toasted coconut

Chopped nuts

Whipped coconut cream

Place everything except ice and toppings in blender, and blend until smooth. Add ice, and blend until smooth. Pour into smoothie glasses or jars, and serve with toppings. 

Uncovering the True Health Costs of Excess Weight

Is excess weight hazardous to health, or can it actually be protective? This question has provoked intense debate in the academic community, in some cases even leading researchers to angrily denounce the work of others (1). There is good evidence to suggest that excess body fat increases the risk of specific diseases, including many of our major killers: diabetes, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, cancer, and kidney failure (2). Yet strangely, the studies relating excess weight to the total risk of dying-- an overall measure of health that's hard to argue with-- are inconsistent. Why?
Read more �

New Position with Nestl�

Warning -- Satire -- April Fool's Post

I'm happy to announce that I've accepted a Product Research and Development position with Nestl� Foods.  Nestl� is known for its skillful application of 'neuromarketing'-- using neuroscience to enhance product development and sales-- and the company recruited me for my background in neuroscience and food reward.

As Whole Health Source readers know well, food reward has a major impact on food selection and consumption, and therefore it has huge potential as a product development strategy.  Although product development by the food industry has always relied to some extent on a basic understanding of food reward, corporations still lag far behind the cutting edge of food reward research, and they are therefore missing out on a major opportunity to drive repeat purchase and consumption behavior and increase total sale volume.  I plan to leverage science-corporate synergy to develop food product solutions that people LOVE*.

Even more exciting, Nestl� has asked me to lead a strategic partnership initiative with Coca-Cola to utilize neuromarketing to tailor beverage product development specifically for children, who have a somewhat different set of reward criteria than adults.  We're excited to develop product solutions that kids LOVE* even more than current offerings, by scientifically designing new combinations of flavors, sweeteners, and totally safe habit-forming drugs such as caffeine.

Both companies have been very responsive to my nutritional concerns about processed foods, and so we're working together to make healthier products.  Here are some of the changes we're discussing:

• Adding vitamin C and cod liver oil to chocolate.
• Replacing a portion (1.7%) of the sugar in beverages with stevia across the board.
• Stealthily decreasing the portion size of beverages.  To do this, we'll increase the thickness of the plastic bottles so the exterior of the bottle is the same size, but the actual beverage content is reduced by 0.2 oz.
• Getting these healthy snacks and beverages back into schools where kids can enjoy them!

One of the first things we discussed is getting the advertising department at Nestl� to write guest posts for Whole Health Source.  This will be a fun way for WHS readers to stay informed of current Nestl� products and what we have coming down the pipeline!

April Fools!!!!!!


* Learned Obedience Via Eating