Essentials for any Kitchen

Staple Items to keep in your pantry for everyone.

My son is moving out in the fall. He is starting a full time job and rented his own apartment. My children have been spoiled with home cooked meals most of their lives. They know and appreciate good quality food.

He asked me to put together a list of items that he should keep in his pantry, so that he could throw together a healthy dinner at any time.

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Whole Grain Pastas

Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Olive Oil

Tamari

Balsamic Vinegar, only buy aged balsamic at least 12 years old

Apple Cider Vinegar

Toasted Sesame Oil

Honey or Agave Nectar

Nuts, such as Raw Cashews, Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts and sunflower seeds

Sunflower Seed Butter

Almond Butter

Almond Milk, it comes in a carton and does not need refrigeration. I like the vanilla flavored, unsweetened version by Almond Breeze

Dried fruit such as cranberries and apricots

Canned Mackeral, it is very high in Omega 3

Canned Tuna for emergencies, but don’t eat often, because it is high in mercury.

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Cumin

Tumeric

Of course, a 24 pack of beer for when his friends come over, and a few bottles of wine for the girlfriends.

A new set of reusable containers for when he comes home for dinner to take the leftovers home with.

Trip to Vermont

I headed to Vermont on Friday with my husband and son. You have to love the United States of America! Great food products, all properly labeled with nutritional values, unlike Canada where for some reason the government does not seem to understand the importance. Vermont is a state which consists of the super healthy, organic eaters, and those that prefer the super size restaurants.

We went for dinner to a little restaurant in St. Albans Vermont, called Chow Bella.

I ordered an excellent salad which consisted of lettuce, lots of roasted vegetables cut up in small pieces and some goat cheese melted in the center. The big surprise was underneath some of the vegetables was a 7 grain patty. I discovered this after asking the waiter about it. He told me that it consisted of a 7 grain cereal, that I could buy at the local health food store down the street.

I headed to the store (Rail City Market) the next morning and bought a bag of the cereal which they sold in bulk. Unfortunately no cooking instructions were attached, but I will figure it out. I will work on this recipe, and if it comes out, I will share it with you. Give me a few days.

We came back to Montreal, and it being fathers day today, I am making dinner for everyone tonight.

Happy Father’s Day!

Fundraiser in London for Autism Research

I flew in to London, Ontario yesterday for a fabulous fundraiser event!
 
Last night at The Only on King in London, Ontario I was an honored guest at a fundraiser for Autism Research. David Patchell Evans (or Patch) CEO and owner of Goodlife Fitness hosted the evening. Dr. Derrick Macfabe, the director and head researcher extraordinaire was there with his lovely wife Sonia. He heads up the Kilee Patchell Evans Autism Research Group through Western University.

The wine was flowing, the food was excellent. Chefs Jason Schubert and Paul Harding, cooked 3 of the recipes from the cookbook “Cooking With Canada’s Best” as some of the food being served.

 

 

The seasonal vegetable salad was so delicious, I followed it with a mushroom and fresh pea risotto with steamed Halibut. Patch tasted the risotto and immediately asked the waitress to bring him a plate as well. The flavours were so beautifully married. I definitely rate their risotto in the top three that I have ever eaten.  Desert was a goat cheese cake, there were no leftovers on anyones plate.
I met some fabulous people.  Everyone had a wonderful time.

Fun at the Jean Talon Market!

Today I visited the Jean Talon Market. It is a local farmers market in Montreal that has been around since 1933. The local farmers bring their fresh produce to sell. I get so excited when I go there. I walk into the market and the brilliant colours of fruits and vegetables dazzle my senses. I walk from stall to stall, and the assortment is incredible.

I have some of my favourite places.

Grand Prix Excitement

We ate at a great restaurant last night, Fino, in Montreal.

It is Grand Prix weekend here, tourists from all over the world come in for this fun filled weekend.

So I was out with a group of friends, and we met a whole bunch of people from Mexico City, Spain and New York City. They know how to party. The shots were flowing, we danced in the restaurant. Everyone had a great time.

I discovered this restaurant last week. It has been open for about one year now. Food is excellent, Anthony the manager knows how to treat his customers properly.

Teaching Your Kids How to Eat

There is nothing like walking into a home and a wonderful smells hit your senses. Over the years my kids and their friends would congregate at our home. They knew that there was always something delicious to eat. Their friends would always comment on the great lunches that they brought to school.

I have always prepared home cooked dinners for my family. Whatever the adults would eat would be made for the kids. My children learned from an early age to eat a whole assortment of foods. If I made fish, they were served fish, not chicken nuggets and fries.

It is so important from an early age to expose your children to all sorts of foods, fruits, vegetables, spices, and seasonings.

Welcome to my Blog!

People ask me all the time, how do you know so much about food and cooking.  I cook most of what I eat for myself and my family. I know what is going into the food, how much oil, grains, assortment of vegetables. Ignorance is not something that is acceptable in todays day and age.

It is so important today, to know what you are putting into your mouth. This blog will discuss ways to shop, what to buy, where to buy, and share some great photos and recipes from some of the cookbooks I have worked on, and the one that is in the works right now.

Why is food so important? The answer is easy, eating properly saved my life.