Pan toasted granola with caramelized bananas

My oven doesn't work super well and I don't have a pan that fits in it anyways, so I decided to try pan-toasting some oats to make granola..it worked surprisingly well, though not as crunchy as you would get in an oven, still lovely crisp and chewy. Obviously with granola you can put in whatever you have, and these are the ingredients that we had.

Granola:
-1 cup quick oats
-2 table spoons butter
-2 tablespoon honey
-2 tablespoons coconut
-2 tablespoons ground almonds
-pinch of salt

Caramelized bananas
-tablespoon butter
-2 bananas, sliced lengthwise
-2 pinches tea masala- a spice mixture of cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and pepper

To cook granola: melt butter in the saucepan, then add the rest of ingredients and mix together, stirring occasionally on a low heat for about 20 minutes.
To cook bananas: melt butter, add bananas and sprinkle with spices. Turn and cook on the other side when they start smelling delish and look cooked on the bottom.

Serve with vanilla yougurt. YUM.

my spin on Kenyan/Indian, and cooking Ugali

There are a million different kinds of "masala" spice here in Kenya. Tea masala, chicken masala, fish masala, pilau masala..you name it. I personally am not quite sure what the difference is between all of them, but apparently there is a need for every type you can imagine. Anyways, I made this lentil dish with Pilau masala- which I believe is a spice mixture of cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. I'm not going to write a recipe because there wasn't much to it- I used mixed dal (lentils) so there was some variation- brown, green, yellow...cooked until soft with pilau masala, onions, garlic, peppers and zucchini..on top of some plain brown rice, and with a few toasted papadoms (if you have never used them- go to an Indian food market and buy some. They are awesome crispy thin spicy lentil crackers).

The other photo is me cooking Ugali for school children. It's ground Maize flour- which is corn, but not like we know corn..it's not sweet and yellow but is pale and..well quite flavourless. Ugali is cooked with water over hot coals and you just stir the crap out of it until its kind of a tough blob. Then they cut some off and serve with whatever..usually sukooma (kind of like kale), some kind of meat sauce( on special occasions), or beans. I'm not a super huge fan but hey, it does the job.

Why I Love Summer: Farmer's Market 1.0

One of my favourite things about living downtown is the Saturday Farmer's Market and the cheap organic local fresh produce and goodies I can purchase there. Plus I always see people that I know and get to catch-up with friends in the neighbourhood.

So this saturday with my fridge containing only perogies, garlic sausage, broccoli and beer it was time to go on a market foray. Here are some of the great selection.

Friesen Farms - fresh spinach and carrots (and lots of other organic goodies... almost got rubarb, but ran low on cash)

The Pepper Barn - As many peppers as you can fit into their bags for $4.00 an outrageous deal... I got 3 each of red, yellow and orange (no horrible unripe green ones)

Gesundheit Bakery - genuine bavarian apple strudel ($2.80 is not too expensive for this delight) and a lovely loaf of fresh baked rustic italian bread for only $2.50. (their spelt and rye.... are worth a try)

Gelderman Farms - Organic Pork Farmer Sausage (mmmmmm)

I also recommend the following:

The Mushroom Stall: Container of oyster or shiitake $3.00 or 2 portobello for $4.00 (this is a good deal)

Fraser Valley Honey: I advocate for the wild flower or backberry! Slightly pricey but will blow your mind.

Free Run eggs are also available from a lady who sells flowers.

Following a few conversations with the Braun-Kauffman's, some Stewarts and a few other notables I meandered up the road to Formaggio for the following additions to my lunch.

Picholine Olives (the best.... seriously) 100 g

Gureyer cheese (its got zip so you dont need miracle whip) 150g

and arguably the best macchiato in town while I waited. $2.50

So now that you are all jealous you should give it a try!

Sorry Victoria, but I know you will appreciate this post even though you can't access it's contents :(

Ps. Also in the photos is me being really excited about the morning and a quick and simple soup.

Chick Nude with Broc! (only takes 5-6 mins.) serves 2-3-4.

4 1/2 cups water in a pot

Add half a head of broccoli chopped smallish

Bring water to a boil

Add package of noodle soup mix (lipton or something better)

Add a few sprigs of parsley

Add a dash of Italian Tri-Force (oregano, thyme, rosemary)

Cracked black pepper

Simmer down for four! and eat.

Vegetable and Quinoa Whathaveyou!

Vegetable and Quinoa Whathaveyou!


Part 1
Quinoa (cook in separate pot)

Part 2 (cook together till softish)
1/2 Red onion
1 potato
1/2 yam
4 cloves Garlic
splash of olive oil

Part 3 (add to part 2; cook till softish)
2 carrots
Bunch of Asparagus (tips only save the rest for soup)
1/2 Red pepper
splash of olive oil

Part 4
1/2 package of Tofu
Salt & pepper
Chili Flakes
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Splash of Olive Oil

Part 5
Add Quinoa
Splash of Olive Oil
and Feta Cheese

Mix it all up in the pan. Magnifico!

Tomato soup and Latte Amsterdam.

Obviously I didn't make either of these, but this is what I ate and drank while sitting in open air cafes, people watching and writing in my journal. The soup seriously just tasted like blended fresh tomatoes and basil, that's all. It was delicious. And obviously, they know how to make coffee.

Another Pandora's Pot!

Friday I was home around 11am which was surprising for me as I'd already been into town, picked up my business cards, mailed some postcards (yes, finally), gone out to the Canadian High Commission and registered as a Canadian in the country...back into town and back home. I thought it would take the whole day to do those things.

Anyways! I came home and decided to make soup out of what I had.. which wasn't much but it ended up tasty.

half onion
3 clove garlic
4 baby potatoes, chopped
2 handfuls lentils (any colour)
2 small carrots, chopped
half green pepper, chopped
couple tablespoons powdered chick stock

to taste of the following:
chilli
garam masala
salt and pepper

saute half an onion and a couple garlic cloves, set aside
cook your lentils- a couple handfuls. Drain and add water- however much broth you want
add chicken stock, potatoes, carrots, spices
add green pepper when nearly cooked

Serve!

Now the best part of this was that I accidently left the burner on and turned the wrong one off, and left the pot of soup on the burner..for probably an hour, when I returned to the kitchen and found that my soup now resembled kind of a dried up mash. So, for dinner, I added some butter and ate it. It was just as delicious as the soup. However, I burned the hell out of the pot. At least I cleaned it, unlike last time...read Adam Roper's blog post which mentions it! GHOSTS!

the other photo is just of me talking to my love. :)

While you were in Toronto 3 - Baked Pasta #3 and Daniel's Greek Salad

Baked Pasta #3. 2-4 persons

A Good way to use leftover spaghetti.

Part 1 (brown these in saucepan)

1/2 Red Onion

4 cloves Garlic

Chorizo Sausage

Part 2 (add these and simmer)

1 Can tomato Sauce

1 Can tomato Paste

1/2 Red Pepper

1/2 Zucchini

Chili Pepper flakes

Parsley

Oregano

Basil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Part 3 (mix these)

Mix cooked spaghetti, feta cheese and sauce and put in oven dish.

Put Cheddar and Mozzarella on top with a dash of Paprika.

Bake in the oven at 350 for about 15 mins.

Daniel's Greek Salad. 2-4 persons

Chop to the size you like; I prefer medium sized pieces.

**Don't add the feta until right before you serve**

Veg Ingredients

1 Cucumber

1/4 Red Pepper

1/4 Yellow Pepper

1/4 Orange Pepper

1/4 Red Onion

1 small clove of garlic

Picholine Olives

Pinch of sea salt

Fresh Ground pepper

Fresh Basil leaves

Mix these together with generous application of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

and a good splash of quality Balsamic Vinegar

Add the Feta and eat immediately

While you were in Toronto 2 - Cheddar Scones and Spicy Veggie Soup

Cheddar Scones (2-4 peoples)

Dry Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of cayenne
pinch of paprika

Wet Ingredients
two tblsp. butter or Olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

Cheese Ingredient
1 cup grated cheddar
1/4 cup cream cheese

Preheat oven to 375*

How to do it then:
mix the dry and wet in different bowls....
then mix them together while adding the cheddar...
leave a bit of cheddar for topping

Separate dough in to 6-8 globs
Place on oiled baking tray
Cook for 15 mins or till beginning to golden.

Spicy Veggie Soup (2-4 peoples)

Soup Base Ingredients
2-4 Cups Veggie Stock
(make your own Veggie stock by putting:
1 largish onion/ 2-3 celery stocks/ 1 largish carrot/tbl spoon Salt

Chopped smallish into a pot of 6 cups water
simmer for 2-4 hours, add more water if necessary)

I like to immersion blend the stock but this step is not necessary.

Flavour Ingredients
2-3 tblsp. Tomato Paste
Pinch O'Salt
Big Pinch Pepper
Bit of Italian Parsley
Bit of Basil
Bit of Oregano
Bit of Chili Flake
Dash of Cayenne


Veggie Goodies Ingredients
1/4 Onion
2-3 Garlic Cloves
1 Carrot
1 Celery Stalk
1/4 Red Pepper
1/4 Cup Peas
1/4 Cup Corn
Pinch O'Salt
Big Pinch Pepper
Bit of Italian Parsley
Bit of Basil
Bit of Oregano
Bit of Fresh Bird Chili Chopped
Dash of Cayenne

Cheese Ingredients
1/4 Cup Grated Asiago Cheese


How to do it then:
Put Soup base ingredients in pot bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer for 5 or more minutes
Saute (pan fry) goodies in a pan until they are slightly browned then add to soup base
Add salt and pepper to taste.
simmer for 10 mins.


Bowl that soup throw the Asiago on top with a sprig of Italian Parsley
yum!

While you were in Toronto 1 - Savoury Pancakes

Whole Wheat Silver Dollar Savoury Pancakes (2-4 Peoples)

Dry Ingredients
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Bit of Basil

Wet Ingredients
2 Cups Milk
1 Egg
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil

Cheese Ingredient
1/2 cup Grated Gouda
2 Tblsp. Cream Cheese


How to do it then:
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl
Mix the wet ones in another
Pour wet into dry and mix in cheese

Heat a pan on the stove with a bit of olive oil
Scoop 1 heaping table spoon full of batter for each cake.
Ready when crisp and golden brown on each side

Goes great with a nob of butter, honey, pepper jelly or jam.
Maple syrup is also tasty.

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese

I ate this at work for lunch on three separate occasions because it was sooo tasty.

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese is:

Pita

Cheddar

Sundried Tomato

Roasted Red Pepper

Feta (not shown)

I would recommend also throwing on a few herbs like basil and oregano.

MOTHERS DAY FEAST

On mother's day I was in charge of the hors d'oeuvres. Fortunately, I didn't have to buy the ingredients there was already a lot to work with; thank goodness because this would be pricey!

Above is smoked salmon with cream cheese on rice crackers and mango wrapped in prosciutto.... mmhmm.

Below is the antipasta selection: Starting at Noon in photo One... small young mozzarella balls, boursin cheese, humus with red pepper paste, herbed goat feta, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomato and kalamata olives in the centre..... oh and of course laughing cow for Victoria. This went well with crackers and baguette.... yes!

Mussel Chowder

The day before Victoria left for Nairobi we went over to my parents for a seafood feast. Unfortunately, we did not take any photos of the scrumptous treats of the sea we consumed. However, I went back for lunch the next day and made the left over mussels into a delicious chowder. Here is how....

One red pepper
one jalapeno pepper
cup of corn (optional)
Half a sweet onion
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks of celery
cup of white wine
olive oil
salt/pepper

and of course steamed mussels

chop veg smallish,
brown in the pan with olive oil,
pour in wine
pour in mussels (including steamer water)

simmer and salt to taste love!

Nairobi, 2nd week.

The first is on my balcony, and I meant to take the photo before i started eating it..but I forgot. So there is my half eaten omelet. Inspiration was an omelet I used to get at this place in Kigali, Rwanda in 2007. They would fry up veggies (here is green pepper, onion, tomato, garlic) with sweet potato, and then pour over the eggs and cover until it set. Salt and pepper, chilli, and a few herbs. Delish.

the second is the Macchiato I am drinking...very slowly..because I only have enough money to buy it and take a taxi back to my apartment.

More interesting food to com. :)

Nairobi Food.

I haven't taken any photos yet in Nairobi but I can tell you what I am eating.

Breakfast: real coffee! (not instant!), bananas, peanut butter, eggs, juice
Lunch: beans cooked with maize kernels (maize is corn, but not sweet corn like in North America), or something like that.
Dinner: Varies but usually a combination of 2 or more of the following: a vegetable/potato dish, cooked "greens" (unknown green- some variety of spinach or kale), cooked beans in tomato sauce (my favourite), rice, some kind of cooked cabbage dish, lentil stew, chapatis.

More to come. Dan, I love you.