Hudson won an award yesterday at school. There was a ceremony in the gym. I was there along with my husband, my brother and my father-in–law. Now, I am sure Hudson would tell you, this award for self-discipline is his crowning achievement to date. I have learned through this mothering gig that different kids are motivated in different ways. Hudson thrives under encouraging words, praise and positive attention from adults. I share this trait with Hudson. Sawyer, my middle, is motivated by competition. He wants to win and compete, which he shares with my husband. Milo is still in the puzzle of toddlerhood, we are still figuring out what makes him tick. 
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Seeing Hudson’s proud little face today made me feel all the feelings. Of course I am proud of him for being chosen for the award, but mostly I was so happy to see him excel at something that means so much to him. We always talk about how fun kids are at the holidays because they remind us what it’s like to be kids again, the magic. Today brought back some of those same feelings for me. I remember winning a citizenship award in elementary school. My parents where there to watch, they told the my extended family. It felt great. School was always my thing, that’s where I was competitive. Not on the field or court or ice. It is a funny thing to see some of your traits in your own children. It’s another way nature binds us together. 

Looking at my kindergartener I see endless possibilities. But the best part is that most kindergarteners see that in themselves. The idea that they could write a book, create art daily, become a garbage man, become a Jedi….all plausible, doable. I am not sure when we start telling ourselves it’s not.

Yoga was one of the things I had added to my not doable list. A while back I was telling someone (I wish I remember who) that I hate yoga and then proceeded to blather on about the reasons why (I could get quite passionate about it). She looked at me and said “it sounds like you don’t like things you are not immediately good at”. I started to say something, then stopped and had to agree. I thought a lot about it.

After a change of plans I kind of accidentally ended up in a yoga class at Flow Yoga. I didn’t hate it. At all. I wasn’t immediately super good at it, maybe not even a little good at it. But I liked that it was a challenge. It was hard. It feels like there is so much to learn. It’s like I am in kindergarten again and there is a whole yoga world to progress through. I get to progress on my own time line, not my class mates, or some ideal, just mine. 

Things enter your life when you are ready. My body has been returned to me. I am no longer growing babies, laboring babies into the world or nursing them. I owe my body for doing all that; I need to care for it now. It needs to move and stretch and be challenged. For right now I have found the way to pay back that debt. Just to be clear I still get a thrill and a boost of motivation when the teacher tells me I am doing something well or have improved but I don’t need it as much as I once did.
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Being on the eve of 37 has brought me closer to my five year old self. The one that is a lot less limited by fear of failure. I think I am starting to get over myself.

I am going to talk about food. I haven't blogged in a while, I guess I had a lot to get off my chest. I have found a few fun things in the grocery store (one of my favorite places).

First up, I have been all over frozen veggies. I have always been a big fan of frozen fruit but wasn’t a fan of most frozen veggies. Mostly for texture reasons. I like most of my veggies with a little crunch. I am loving frozen diced butternut squash. I bought mine at Superstore but Costco also carries it. Every time I cut up squash I feel like I am going to lose a finger or sever something. No cutting, no peeling! Let that sink it for a minute. I have used it in soup, chilli and curries with great results and huge time savings. It takes some meals from not achievable in the post-work, weeknight dinner mayhem time slot to downright quick. No stitches required. Nothing delays dinner like a trip to the ER. 

I found frozen chopped kale at Save-On-Foods. I don’t often use kale in smoothies because it takes time to wash is and de-rib it. My mornings can't even handle that. Throw in a handful of this and you are off and running, or off wiping up the kale smoothie your kids just spilled. Also good for stir-fries, scrambled eggs and curries. I usually keep frozen green peas, shelled edamame and corn on hand too. Great for when the fridge gets a little empty and they won’t go bad in the crisper like fresh veg can. 

Frozen veggies are just as nutritious as fresh, and in some cases more, especially in the winter months. Frozen veggies are picked when they are fully ripe and often frozen on site. The veggies that travel to us are often picked before ripe to make the trip and are not the best quality by the time they arrive on our plate.

Next up is PB2. Powdered peanut butter. I heard about it a while back but it wasn’t available in Canada. Now it is, I picked some up at Healthy Way ($6.99). The big claim is all the peanut flavor without the fat. To make PB2 the oil is squeezed from the peanuts then what’s left is dehydrated. The result amounts to mostly carbohydrate and protein. I am a fan of the healthy fats in natural peanut butter. The heart healthy fat keeps you full and satisfied until your next meal. I do like how easy it is to scoop into the blender to make smoothies. The chunky monkey smoothie I made with PB2 tasted great and had a much smoother texture. It also mixed well into oatmeal. There is instructions on how to mix it into a spread by adding water. I can’t say I would ever do this. I would just eat regular PB with the healthy fats. Not sure if I would buy more, I think I need to play around with it some more before I decide.

Anyone else love/hate it?
If you have found something new/exciting/time saving in the grocery store let me know, would love to hear about it. ​

Here we are....the eve of the first day of kindergarten. Big day for Hudson tomorrow. I could say all the usual stuff: time flies, he was just a baby, etc. But really I am just excited for him. I had such a postive experience at school and I am hoping the same for him too. It is going to be an adjustment for sure. The Monday to Friday, the driving, the lunch making.

Knowing what I know about Hudson I think his biggest challenge will be focusing enough to eat his lunch. All the other kids around, so much more fun to make farting noises than eat. My goal is to send mostly finger foods that are quick to eat and easy to handle.

I wanted to share what I bought to prepare for the long haul of lunch making. I feel like being prepared is half the battle. I have been purchasing things over the summer so Hudson had time to practice opening and closing. Plus I am a wee bit weird and want things to match.

Everything, unless otherwise mentioned, was purchased at Superstore. I didn't want things to be too precious. If and when they get lost I don't want to be out $30 per piece. I did label everything.

So top left is his zip up insulated lunch kit. beside it are two mini-icepacks. Middle right are two reuseable, velcro food bags. Good for foods like crackers, apple slices, grapes and sandwiches. Bottom right are silicone muffin liners. These are great to put inside other contains filled with dips (hummus, guacamole, nut butter) or little items like rasins, cubed fruit, veg and cheese. They are flexible so they can be molded around whatever else is in the container. Bottom left is re-useable squeezie bags. These are great for smoothies, yogurt and applesauce. I ordered these online from a company called Squooshi.

Top right is a thermos. I will be sending mostly spaghetti and homemade chicken noodle soup, his two faves. Middle right is two straw based water bottles and finally some fun shaped containers.

Again we have some larger assorted containers. Bottom left is a dinosaur bread/sandwhich cutter.

I re-purposed an old tote to store all this gear together. It is in a low cupboard. Hudson knows to return his empty lunch kit back into the bin at the end of the day.

We have been doing some chatting about what he would like to bring in his lunch. He is by far my most unadventuresome eater. I have frozen portions of pizza and chicken noodle soup at the ready.

I will share some of his lunches on Facebook and Instagram so make sure you follow along. Feel free to share your ideas too.

Tomorrow, the big day. Good luck my son, I know you are more than ready. And good luck to all your kids, and of course to you. We are going to need it.

There have been a few changes in our house as of late. The biggest is that my middle, Sawyer, is lactose intolerant. He has been for a while. I only recently got around to investigating the reason that my three year old could fart like a 50 year old man after a chili eating contest followed by a few pints of draught beer. For real. It was a good source of entertainment, but the tummy pains were not. Basically lactose intolerance occurs when the sugar that naturally occurs in milk, lactose, can’t be broken down. This sugar then ends up in places it shouldn’t. The healthy bacteria in our gut have a total feast/party resulting in a lot of gas, bloating and pain. It is a good time to be lactose intolerant because lactose free milk, cheese and yogurt are widely available. A huge upside is that if Sawyer does want to have something containing lactose he can take a chewable pill that helps him digest the lactose. For the most part we aim for avoidance at home and have the pills for when we are out and about.

It does put a bit of a new spin on holidays like Easter. Milk chocolate = lactose. I decided this year to have a less candy/chocolate Easter basket. Not because I am a total candy Scrooge (or whatever the down on Easter version of that is). The kids are attending three Easter egg hunts. Plus two Easter dinners. There are going to be so many treats. Four day treat and lactose extravaganza. I feel I can easily pull back on the candy in their baskets without inciting feelings of hardship.

So I have decided to share with you what I did put in their baskets. The two older boys were essentially the same:
       - spring t-shirt
       - skipping rope
       - An Elephant and Piggie book
       - six pack of mini Play-Doh
       - a fun rubbery egg that looks like a splattered broken egg when you throw it at a hard surface
       - locally made little chocolate bunny (dark chocolate for Sawyer as good quality dark chocolate is lactose free)

For baby Milo:
        - a sippy cup
        - two t-shirts, one says "messy hair don't care" but I wish it said "fluffy hair don't care"
        - a felted egg shaped rattle
        - the cutest pair of Vancouver made Minimoc leather moccasins that I have been lusting over for a while

There are endless filling ideas: colouring books, crayons, little toys, stickers, puzzles, gift certificates for activities like a swimming pool visit. Endless.

On another note, I started this little blog four years ago today. I might not get to it as much as I once did but it still provides me with a creative outlet. I like that. A lot.

Happy Easter all, hope you are inspired to create a less candy Easter basket too.

It's been a while friends. I have been growing this baby boy. Between working and chasing my other two (not so baby) boys around there hasn't been a whole lot of time to write. I have missed it, but have also enjoyed the focus on this pregnancy. This is likely it for me, last baby belly. I feel mixed about it all, bittersweet. For sure there are things about pregnancy that are no fun (excess hair growth, back pain, tight clothes, varicose veins) but there are things that are down right amazing (baby kicks, growing a real human, the anticipation of that first meeting). I have felt the need to strip away some of my usual activities. Maybe it is age, maybe it is the other two kids but this pregnancy demanded more focus. Or maybe I got smarter and have gotten better at taking it easy and cutting myself some slack. 

I am ten days (!) away from my due date. Kind of mind blowing. Am I ready? Ready as I will ever be. I can't wait to see his little face. I can't wait to introduce him to his big brothers. We are going to be the family of five that I have known in my heart we were meant to be. 

Of course I am still cooking and taking photos of food. Most of my recipe trials and tips have been posted to Instagram or Facebook for ease. Who knows how long after baby I will be back to blogging. I am trying to manage my expectations, one of the lessons motherhood has taught me so far. I will be back when it feels right.

I thought I would share a few photos from our maternity shoot with the uber-talented Erin Wallis Photography. Cannot oven wait to see what she does with the three boys.....ekkk.

I am so excited to announce that I will be seeing my Campbell River clients at Thrive Therapeutics starting October 3rd. Click here to book an appointment. I will be joining a fantastic group of Registered Message Therapists in their beautiful space. I will also be able to offer group classes. I am open to topic ideas. If you have a group of friends/relatives that have a topic of interest contact me. I will continue to see Comox Valley clients at the Crown Isle Clinic.  

Next month I will sharing sports nutrition tips with  CR DanceXtreme's showteams. I can help them get the most out of their busy dance schedule and perform at the level needed for success. As a side note I am taking their adult hip hop class, it's a great way to get moving and let loose. And maybe mess up the steps...sometimes or often.

Also starting next month is a corporate wellness series for Sunwest Auto in Courtenay. Through my interactive sessions on site and in the kitchen and grocery store employees are going to get the tools they need to stay healthy and happy.  I can't wait to get started with this great group of people; it’s going to be a lot of fun.

If any of this sounds like something you would like at your workplace or activity group let me know!

Ummm yeah....it's September. It all happened so fast. Sunshine and vacations will do that to you I guess. I love, love, love September though. The warm orange glow of the sun, the return to a bit of routine and a few more sneaky camping trips for those of us that don't have school age children. Because the boys aren't in school yet (playschool doesn't start up for a bit) it allows for a bit of a gradual re-entry into fall.  

I don't have a clear idea of what I am going to write in this post, it's been a while so it will be a mash up of things. First off let it be known that we have a biter/bully in the house. Sawyer seems inclined to pick on kids that are younger or smaller than himself. I am pretty confident it is a phase, but I am finding it difficult to handle in the moment. Not to mention that we are not going to have any friends. Next time you see him he might be wearing a shirt that says "Caution I Bite".  I actaully heard Hudson tell a friend to be careful because Sawyer bites, I had to laugh a little. 

At the same time I have been taken by how innocent children really are. Their hearts are pure and their feelings are unfiltered weather good or bad. It almost breaks my heart at times. They can be so earnest and find the deepest joy in making me laugh. 

We had some sockeye salmon in the freezer that needed to be used. I wasn't feeling particularly inspired by the usual recipes, until I stumbled onto salmon cakes with a lemon dill sauce. I was off and running.

Lemon Dill Sauce
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Wisk everything together. Adapted from here.

Salmon Cakes
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
2 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 ¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless salmon fillet, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)

Directions:

Combine 3 tablespoons panko, dill, mayonnaise, lemon juice, scallion, shallot, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Add salmon and gently mix until combined.

Place remaining 1 cup panko on a plate. Using 1/3-cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and transfer to baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes. Carefully coat each cake in bread crumbs, gently patting into disk measuring 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Return coated cakes to baking sheet.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 salmon cakes in skillet and cook without moving until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until second side is golden brown, 2 minutes. Transfer cakes to paper towel–lined plate in a warm over. Repeat with last 4 cakes. Serve with a generous dollop of lemon dill sauce. Adapted fromhere.

So my husband is an "I eat salmon if someone makes it but would prefer a lot of other things" guy...he ate three of these babies. Kids loved them, our dinner guests loved them and I LOVED them. I don't often fry things, but the golden, crisp crust on these was so worth it. The sauce is lighter and more refreshing than a tarter sauce. 

I was worried they weren't going to hold together that well, but it wasn't a problem. I did let the salmon mixture to rest in the fridge for a while before I made the patties, so that likely helped. I of course made a double batch and they were great the next day. You could serve these on a bun too. 

Confession time: my photos of the finished product are terrible. Bad lighting, blurry. We had friends over, I was in a hurry, I wanted to just eat already. It's really too bad because they looked really good.  

These salmon cakes have a lot of flavour, a great texture and are loaded with heart healthy omega three fats. I have already made these again to rave reviews. Pull some of that salmon out of the freezer....now!

Anyone else glad to be getting back into a routine?

Today is day three of The Three Day Potty Training method. And I dare say it worked. It is very intense (i.e. throwing away all diapers, not leaving the house, staying by Hudson's side during his every waking moment)...but in the end worth it. My husband actually did the first two days, which were the hardest.  I have always thought that anything to do with pooping and farts is pretty funny. I didn't outgrow that stage. I can talk to clients and patients about with a straight face...I am a professional. But at home, not so much. I think that is the only thing that has gotten me through...the humor. Plus I am exploding with pride for him. It also makes me a little sad to see my oldest baby running around in big boy undies, no matter how cute his little bum looks. I am sure we will eventually recoup the money we spent on rewards and presents through not buying diapers. You are welcome landfill.

Prior to all this potty business I noticed fresh, west coast caught, sockeye salmon was around...my favorite type of salmon. I decided to try Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds salmon of your choice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
4 green onions or chives, sliced

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar and whisk well until combined. Add salmon and marinade to a ziplock bag, then refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hrs)

Preheat your grill on medium heat to about 325-350 degrees.

Remove salmon with kitchen tongs and place directly on the grill skin side up.  Cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on the salmon’s thickness (our’s was just about an inch thick), until opaque and easily flakable with a fork. Flip the salmon halfway through cooking.

Remove and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, green onions and the glaze below.

Sesame Ginger Honey Glaze
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over salmon. Adapted from here.

So, so, so good. Restaurant quality, for sure to impress your guests or family. I am not a huge ginger lover so I toned it down a bit. Can't think of a better way to get a good dose of omega three fatty acids and other heart healthy fats. Perfect served with some brown rice and a fresh salad.

So I hope I haven't jinxed our potty training progress...and know that I am snickering to myself everytime there is a little toot on the potty.

Hopefully you all had a great Halloween, whether you were out with little ones or giving out treats. It was my son’s first year out trick-or-treating, he was a pro. I was thinking it would be a couple houses then a quick wagon ride home, no way. He did the whole street both sides, walking the whole way. I must admit he was a very cute little duck waddling around the neighborhood. It was almost a cancelled event after a major, bloody mishap. His costume involved a pair of tights which he seems to love. Once they were on he got all excited and was running all over the house. Well no gripers on the bottom so there was an incident on the tile floor resulting in both a bloody nose and lip. He powered through though and still managed to enjoy some candy (big surprise there).

As I am sure I have mentioned I am a huge soup lover. This time of year screams for homemade soup. Living on the West Coast I am lucky enough to have a variety of fish in our freezer: salmon, halibut, tuna. I love to eat fish but am always looking for new ways to enjoy it. A hearty halibut chowder? Yes please.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large onion, finely diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1 796 ml can diced tomatoes (I used a no added salt variety)
3 large carrots, shredded
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds halibut, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and garlic, and continue cooking until the potatoes have softened slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour in the chicken stock, tomatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the halibut. Continue simmering uncovered until the halibut is flaky and no longer translucent in the center, about 10 minutes. Gently stir in red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.

Adapted from here.

This was so, so, so good. You could use any white fish or salmon for that matter, but halibut is the best. It isn’t a heavy chowder as you can tell from the ingredients. I ate this for dinner and a few lunches after with no complaint (I am already wondering when I should make it again). It does make a pretty decent amount, either freeze some or make a half batch.

On a side note I would like to wish my husband a very happy birthday today. He is my number one blog taste tester and isn't afraid to say what isn't blog-worthy (well I think he might be a little afraid). I couldn't even begin to express what he means to me or thank him for all he does. 

I was recently the lucky recipient of a large box of fall fruit from my uncle who had just been in the Okanogan. The Bartlett pears were divine, my favorite fruit when they are the perfect ripeness. A little trick I learned from the pear growers: pears ripen from the inside out so don't squeeze the flesh to judge ripeness, instead feel the ends. If they are starting to soften eat the pear. If the outside is getting soft the inside is usually turning brown and is unpleasantly mushy. 

But this is about apples. Also in the box were various kinds of apples, all very authentic with their matte, just picked off the tree look. We have been eating them like crazy, but I decided to do something extra special with some of them. As I have mentioned before I don't really like pastry, but do love the baked apple cinnamon taste of the filling. My all time favorite dessert is cheese cake and one of my favorite cookies is shortbread...when I came across the recipe for this apple tart on the Joy of Baking website there was no decision to made. Start to preheat the oven! 

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Filling:
One 8-ounce package of light cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 tbsp granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups BC apples, cut into 1/4 inch slices (about 2-3 large apples)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Spray a 9 inch (23 cm) spring form pan with non-stick spray. I think you could use a pie pan as well.

Crust: In the bowl of your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and pulse to blend together. Add the butter and pulse until dough just begins to come together. Pat the dough onto the bottom and one inch up the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator while you make the filling. My crust was still quite powdery, it didn’t “come together” as the recipe states. I was thinking flop for sure, but it turned out fine. I still was able to press it into the pan.

Filling: In a food processor process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. Blend in the egg and vanilla extract and process until smooth. Remove the crust from the fridge and pour in the filling.

Topping: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Toss the sliced apples in the sugar mixture. Spoon the apples evenly over the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with almonds. Place the spring form pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any drips. 

Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees F and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, and the filling is almost set. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve at room temperature. Leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Adapted from here.

So what did I do differently? I used whole wheat flour instead of white, I reduced the amount of sugar, used light cream cheese and didn't peel the apples. Didn't make an ounce of difference in the taste, I loved every bite...no maybe savored is a better description. I do think butter is essential to the short bread crust. Making shortbread cookies with margarine is a crime as far as I am concerned, so not happening with the crust either. A slice of this tart comes in at 273 calories, 16 grams of fat and 8 grams of sugar. A slice of apple pie is 400 calories, 21 grams of fat and 23 grams of sugar, quite the savings and a much better taste if I do say so myself.

I would also like to plug my hand blender that is pictured above (I used this in place of a food processor with this recipe). Love this thing...I hesitate to call it a gadget as that implies something more gimmicky. It is a motor top portion that attaches to either an emersion blender (great for soups and making baby foods), food processing unit (use it for fresh salsa, guacamole, dips) and a whisk attachment (perfect for small jobs where a mixer is over kill). The best part - all dishwasher safe. Every time I use it it makes me happy.  

Anyways the tart was a hit all around. It is also a way to appreciate the changing seasons and all they have to offer. The smell of apples baking evokes crisp mornings, crunching leaves underfoot and  all else that fall means to you.

On this the last day of August (sniff, sniff) I feel the need to share an in season, summer recipe. When I came across the recipe for a tomato polenta tart I was sold. First of all it was a tart with no egg filling, perfect for my egg hating self. Second it didn't have a pastry crust, not a huge fan of pastry. Third I had some beautiful, ripe, local tomatoes that were calling out for something special. This recipe does take a little time, but is well worth it. Celiac readers: it's gluten free.

Polenta is made from corn meal and is popular in Italy and other European countries.  It seems to be popping up over here quite a bit too. I have had it a few times in the last few months and was ready to try making it myself at home.

4 cups  low sodium chicken stock
1 cup cornmeal
4 tbsp butter
2 medium sized cobs of fresh corn (or about a cup of canned or frozen corn)
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups light ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 large Heirloom tomatoes  sliced
sea or kosher salt to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste

 Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring stock to a boil. In an even stream, pour in the cornmeal, whisking well as you do so. Lower to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon often (the more you stir the creamier the texture). Continue to stir and check on the polenta for the next 30-40 minutes. It will be very thick which is good. In another large saucepan, fill about half way with water. Bring to a boil, add in the corn and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove corn and run under cold water to make it easier to handle. Use a knife to remove the kernels. In a frying pan melt 2 tbsp of butter and add in the corn, basil and garlic. Sauté on medium high until the corn turns golden and the garlic is cooked, about 6-7 minutes. When the polenta is finished, stir in 2 tbsp of butter, some pepper and the parmesan cheese. Mix in the corn and basil mixture and set aside. Add an egg to the ricotta and mix until completely incorporated. Grease a 9″ round baking dish (preferably glass). I used a spring form pan which worked well. Line the baking dish with polenta, pushing it up the sides like a pie crust. Pour in the ricotta and smooth with a spoon. Top tart with tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 8. Adapted from here. 

I was able to use local tomatoes and corn as well as basil from my garden. The results...perfection. I loved everything about it: the crispy edge of polenta, the creamy ricotta, real tomato taste all with an amazing blend of flavours. It was the prefect dinner. I served it with a green salad that included lettuce from my garden. Let's just say I was feeling the local food vibe and appreciating everything summer has to offer.