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.

I love Mexican food. It combines many of my favorite things: tomatoes, avocado, lime, cilantro. Combined they smell like sunshine and good times. When ever we are in the United States we always search out the best Mexican restaurant in town. In the States things taste more authentic because chances are the restaurant is owned and operated by Mexicans...perfect.  Of course I loved the food in Mexico once we left our resort, but always a risky undertaking for Canadian tummies.

Even with my deep love of Mexican food the first time I heard of fish tacos I was not at all tempted to try. Sounded pretty gross to me. Of course when I finally gave them a go...loved them. How could I not? They are now a staple on many non-Mexican restaurant menus for good reason. I decided it was time to try these at home, actually my husband did while I helped. Adapted from All Recipes here.

Marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1  teaspoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 pound white fish fillets, cut into chunks

Dressing
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the fish in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and chipotle pepper sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
4. Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Grill fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes. (I found this easier to do on skewers)

We loaded a whole wheat tortilla shell with tomatoes, avocado, cabbage, cilantro, the grilled fish then drizzled with the dressing. Oh my...I was in heaven. My stomach is rumbling just writing about these! Serve with some fresh salsa and some low sodium tortilla chips and you've got dinner.

It looks like a whole lot of ingredients, but most are spices you probably already have around. You can buy chipotle pepper sauce at Superstore and other grocery stores. It also makes a great dip for yam fries when mixed with a little low fat mayo and sour cream.We used the last of our ling cod out of the freezer, quite sad to see that gone. This recipe makes a great change from the boring (and fatty) ground beef taco with the salt laden taco seasoning pack. It is also perfect for this amazing weather. Get grilling amigos!

I am totally into Christmas this year. I have never been a scrooge, but I dread some of the set up, decorating, shopping. Not this year. Our outdoor lights were up by the end of November, the tree up and house decorated by December 1st. I love the lights and the colour, it makes the house feel brighter and cozy. Plus the boys love it all and are mostly old enough to not to be picking at the tree all day. I am sticking to one of my past boycotts though, no Christmas baking. I loathe it. My boys are headed over to their Great-Grandma’s to bake and decorate gingerbread men this weekend. She loves it and they will too.

Then there are the gifts. My boys get spoiled. They are the only grandchildren on both sides. That not only means grandparents going wild with giving, but aunts and uncles too. I am a clutter-phobe. We are staying in our three bedroom rancher when baby arrives. We don’t have a playroom. I fear being over taken by toys. A few weeks ago I cleaned out all the toys that are no longer played with, or were never played with. They all went up on Craigslist. So far I have made $110. I have vowed that that is the only money I am spending on the boys this Christmas. It has really made me think about what they truly need and want. I finished their shopping the other night. I bought everything locally. There is more than enough. Plus there is more to go around in January on our annual Maui vacation. I would rather spend money on doing than things. I feel good, might make this an annual November toy sale. 

Now for the most part I am an egg hater (minus that weird pregnancy moment when I ate a breakfast burrito). I love the idea of quiche, so when I saw the recipe for Sundried tomato, mushroom and spinach tofu quiche I wanted to give it a try. It should be said that I am also not a huge tofu or mushroom lover. I made a few changes, subbing in asparagus for the mushrooms. The original was gluten and dairy-free, which I didn’t need, so I changes that a bit too. If you are looking for gluten and dairy-free get the recipe here.  

Ingredients:

For the crust: 
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 very cold water

For the quiche:
1 block (14-oz) firm tofu
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups chopped asparagus or broccoli
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1.5 cups baby spinach
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (I used smoked cheddar)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a round 10-inch tart pan. Alternatively, you can use a 9-inch glass pie dish or a spring form pan.
2. Wrap rinsed tofu in a few tea towels. Place a few books on top of it to lightly press out the water while you prepare the crust.
3. For the crust: Mix flour and salt. Beat oil and water with a fork to thicken. Pour into flour and mix with fork. Press into desired pan. Poke a few holes in the crust to let steam escape.
4. For the filling: Break apart the tofu block into 4 pieces and add into food processor. Process the tofu until smooth and creamy. If it doesn't get creamy, add a splash of milk to help it along.
5. In a skillet, add oil and sauté onion and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes. Add in the asparagus and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until combined. Cook until the spinach is wilted.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the processed tofu until thoroughly combined. Stir in grated cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste if desired. Spoon mixture into baked crust and smooth out with a spoon until even.
7. Bake quiche, uncovered, at 375F for 30-35 minutes, until the quiche is firm to the touch. For best results, cool the quiche for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing. 

I had my doubts. I tried a finger full of the pureed tofu and was almost ready to call it quits. We all loved it. It tasted like there was bacon in it, I think the combo of sundried tomatoes and the smoked cheese maybe. It re-heats well. I managed to get it on the table on a weeknight, but it was a bit of a push.

I hope all your holiday preperations are going smoothly. My goal it to avoid stress, that's why I am wrapping everything tonight. 

For sure I have been away from the blog. The reason: I am growing a tiny human. Right now I am doing that. It still boggles my mind that my body can just grow a person. On Wednesday my husband and I saw that tiny human (1.8 cm long to be exact) on an ultrasound. Complete with tiny heartbeat. Pure magic. There was also a lot of relief when the tech reassured me that there only appeared to be one baby.

I did not ever think I would have three kids. I thought anyone that had more than two kids was a little wacky. Right after I pushed Sawyer out I was expecting this wave of relief. A “fewf, last time I am going to have to do that” feeling. It didn’t come. When I mentioned number three to my husband he was on board. What?! I thought he would be the voice of reason. There are about 1000 reasons not to have three kids: money, space, time, sanity. But there was one reason to have another. The whisper in my ear that told me our family wasn’t complete. I tried to ignore it, wave it off, bargain. Nothing worked.  This little human has been whispering in my ear for a while and finally got it’s way. It is already killing me that I don’t know the sex. I am fully prepared for boy number three. How cute would that be? Three little blond boys all in a row. The trouble they could get into together. A girl would be a wild, wild surprise.

I have been feeling not so great. Worst yet. I thought baby number three, I am a pro now. Yeah, not so much. I am nauseated, slow moving, tired and blah. I have lost my spark. I know it will return, but at this point I don’t feel a whole lot like me. 

All I want to eat is ramen noodles with sriracha and anything with gravy on it (mashed potatoes, poutine). Things that in real life I don’t eat a lot of. So between the tiredness and not cooking much the blog has suffered. I hope I am back now, but no promises. I take things day to day. My husband has been amazing: taking the boys to the park, making meals, buying me flowers to cheer me up. I am so grateful to have him. I did want to kill him when he mentioned that having a fourth would be a good idea. He has lost his mind.      

Anyways, I made this a while ago and fell hard: Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Quinoa. Sounds good right?

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
1 cup coconut milk (reduced fat coconut works well too)
1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 pound shrimp (I used ocean wise Pacific shrimp) or chick peas
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup pineapple, cut into small pieces (or you can used canned pineapple tidbits)
1 egg, lightly beaten (not for me)
1 cup peas
1/4 cup peanuts or cashews
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa, coconut milk and stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce the heat and simmer covered until the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over medium high heat.
3. Add the shrimp, garlic, ginger, pepper and pineapple and sauté until the shrimp is almost cooked, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the egg and cook, stirring for a minute.
5. Add the quinoa, peas, peanuts, curry powder and fish sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and mix in the lime juice and cilantro.

Adapted fromhere.

Huge hit. The pineapple lends a really nice sweetness and goes so well with the coconut flavor. I have also made this with brown rice and replaced the shrimp with chick peas, equally as good. I would suggest cooking the rice ahead of time and letting it cool. The texture is better that way. If I was you I would just double the batch. It re-heats and freezes well (if there is any left). My kids ate it but weren’t thrilled. You can’t trust their taste buds ever. 

Between eating vast amounts of salt and looking for a minivan (for real) I hope to be back here sooner than later.  

Our house came with a wooden bird house on the fence outside our kitchen window.  About a year ago we started putting bird food in the bird house. I have to tell you it has provided endless moments of joy and wonder.  We all eat breakfast around the island. Hudson sits directly across from the window, and loves to see the birds coming to have their breakfast too. I have seen birds that in all my time living on the West Coast I don't ever remember seeing. There is a woodpecker that comes often and likes to give the fence a little hammer just to make sure we know he came for a visit. 

When I realized how much enjoyment I was getting out of the bird feeder and it's visitors, I questioned if I had turned 85 overnight. It then became clear that these little moments of happiness made day to day life more joyful. Of course I love holidays, vacations, parties, weddings, births. But these big moments of joy are not a daily occurrence.  I find my daily joy in the little things: birds outside my window, drooly kisses, Sawyer's wildly messy bed head, clean sheets, surprise bursts of sunshine, blog comments (hint, hint), warm egg nog lattes on cold mornings, watching old Arrested Development episodes on Netflix while eating popcorn (oh, Buster) and watching my family dance wildly in our post-dinner dance-off. So maybe I am not 85. But maybe I have found a little wisdom to enjoy the moment for what it is. I try to avoid looking ahead to the next big joy, so I won't miss the little joys along the way. I can't lie thought, I know our Maui trip is only 45 days away ;)

I must also add that this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta brought some joy to my life. I have always wanted to try roasting my own peppers, and no need to say why goat cheese would be appealing.

Ingredients:
3-4 whole red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fat free creamer
4 oz. herb goat cheese
1/2 cup grated parigiano reggiano cheese
1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta, cooked to al dente
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place red peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes until peppers are charred. Remove from oven and cover with foil 10 minutes. This can be done ahead of time.
In the mean time, saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour in creamer and goat cheese. Stir to melt goat cheese into sauce and keep warm over low heat.
Uncover peppers, peel off skin and remove stem and seeds. Chop into large pieces and place into sauce along with parmesan cheese. Stir to melt cheese and remove from heat. Pour sauce into food processor or blender and puree, or use an immersion blender. Place back into hot pan and toss with cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with more parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and parsley, if desired. Adapted from here.

The roasting of peppers went really well and they were super easy to peel. Don't be afraid of black spots. Of course this was amazing. Very rich and creamy without the cream. Both kids ate it up. I am sure it looked enough like mac and cheese to lure Hudson in.

If making a meal the whole family likes doesn't bring you some level of joy, then maybe you need a bird feeder.

There is a storm brewing here today. The wind is picking up and there is a wind warning. Crazy wind storms remind me of when Sawyer was born. He finally decided to make his exit on March 11, after eight days of overstaying his welcome. The following day was the once in 30 years storm. We were fairly sheltered from it all. The hospital has generators to maintain electricity and the building is big enough not to notice much of the noise and chaos (plus it is hard not to stare at your new baby all the time). We were told our midwife was unable to discharge us due to trees down on the road. There was some talk that the power may be temporarly off at our house. Another midwife in the practise was able to come in and send us on our way. As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, we realized the true magnitutde of the storm. 

We headed to my parent's to pick up Hudson. They were hudled under blankets with jackets on to stay warm. According to BC Hydro's website we weren't scheduled to get back on the grid until the following afternoon. Super cold, dark house and one day old baby = no way. After a few quick phone calls it was determined that the Coast Discovery Inn had power. We booked in for the night. Our new family of four headed downtown. I remember thinking that if this had of been my first baby, and I was spending the first night out of the hospital in a hotel room, I would have hyperventilated. 

It ended up being a great night. I had a nice, hot shower and got cozy in the bed I shared with my sweet, sweet baby boy. The breakfast buffet the next morning was perfect. Our midwife Sheila came to the hotel the following afternoon for Sawyer's first check-up. By then my parents had power again. We stayed with them for a few more nights until ours was back on. It was so nice to finally return to our own house with our two boys.

For a while we referred to Sawyer as Thor; the god of thunder, lightening and storms.

Stormy weather makes me want comfort food. Warm, hearty, make your house smell good, food. My Mom's side of the family has been making Beans 'N Stuff (yes that is what we call it) for as long as I can remember. It is a slow cooker staple at casual family gatherings in winter and summer. I decided I needed to make it, and of course make it a little more healthy. I have no idea where the original recipe came from.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 onion, chopped
2-3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 cup vinegar
19 oz. canned stewed tomatoes (low sodium preferrably)
16 oz. canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz. baked beans with pork (or baked beans on tomato sauce)
1 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Tabasco sauce to taste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Brown ground turkey with celery and onion. Combine with remainig ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You can do this on the stove top as well. The longer it simmers the better.

The best way to describe this is zesty, it isn't at all the flavour of a chili. Use any combo of beans you have on hand or that you prefer. I have tried chick peas, black beans, kidney beans and navy beans, all great. This can be made with extra lean ground beef if you prefer or vegetarian. The beans provide more than enough protein with added fiber bonus. I found I didn't need to add any salt as the beans in tomato sauce provided more than enough. It is great the next day and freezes well. Of course I loved it. Hudson ate around the beans (so turkey) and Sawyer loved it (we have yet to find something he won't eat). 

Grab a blanket and light a fire (or in my case turn on the fire), Thor is at it again. Stay warm and dry.

I think the mommy world can feel a little bit judge-y and competitive at times. This is somewhat supported by social networking sites like Facebook and Pinterest. Both provide a steady stream of mostly perfect or desirable images, cheerful status updates, and recent holidays and purchases. This can leave us wondering things like "Why don't I have the time/energy to spray paint pumpkins for Halloween?" or "Am I a horrible mother because I haven't signed my child(ren) up for a second language course/piano lessons/toddler expressive dance?" or "Why haven't I made a decortative box to store my nail polish in?" or "How come I'm not out for a super fun girls night?". To combat this self-doubt/anxiety I try to keep clear the things I like and the things I don't.

The things that bring joy to my life and allow me to feel fufilled are:
-spending time with friends and family
-recipe reading, cooking, blogging
-talking, laughing and hearing people's stories (and telling my own)
-working outside the home a few times a week
-reading; specifically fiction and Macleans magazine
-epidurals
-trivia games
-clean, clutter-free kitchen counters
-pedicures

The things that I don't enjoy and seem to drain my energy or patience are:
-cloth diapering
-decorating my house for any holiday other than Christmas
-crafting with very few exceptions
-gardening and yard care
-yoga
-Twitter
-working out at the gym
-being super outdoorsy

The things that I am hoping to one day enjoy:
- having a chaise lounger in our master bedroom
-kayaking
-knitting

This helps to remind me that I have things in my life that I love and that I am good at. There are things outside the realm of motherhood on my list. Being a mother isn't my only role or the only place I find fufillment. Once I admitted to my list of don't enjoy I was off the hook. No need to feel inadequate in those areas because I tried and they are not my thing. I also have some stuff to look forward to on the last list. Makes it real easy to keep my priorities straight. 

Of course I still love Pinterest. I just like to point myself in the right direction, which is how I found the recipe for Cheesy Quinoa Bites.  

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa (about 2/3 of a cup dry quinoa to 1 1/3 cups water)
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded carrot
2 stalks green onion, diced (I didn't have any so I added 1/2 cup of shredded spinach instead)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Mix together quinoa, carrot, egg, green onion, garlic, cilantro, cheese and flour.
3.  Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top.  
4.  Bake for 15-20 minutes. Adapted from here.

This was popular with the whole family. Two and a half year old and seven month old devoured them. I got close to 24 bites. Great as leftovers and easy to double and freeze. 

I hope you can take more joy in the things you love and drop the things you don't and feel good about it. I want to make it real clear it is not Martha Stewart Living over here....like you ever thought it was.

It's been a while since I have posted. I have been busy trying to be not busy. I have been enjoying the summer sunshine and the tail end of my baby's fifth month. Both boys are sleeping, the oldest inside in his swim shorts and the youngest on the deck of our rental beach cabin. Me enjoying a little sun and the portability of my iPad. It is the first time in a while that I felt writing would be more for pleasure than obligation, which is the way it should be.

Every year we wait for summer to start then turn to worry that it is almost over. This year we planned some get-aways in advance to avoid the end of August panic. We have also had a nice sprinkling of get togethers with friends and family. I am never really ready for summer to be over, but I do feel like we got our money's worth this summer. We are lucky that our holidays can extend into September as we don't have school to contend with yet....so there is still more to come. 

Kids flourish in the summer. Riding bikes, swimming, later bed time, eating meals outside. Babies love it too. Eating fistfuls of sand, staring up at leaves blowing in the breeze, sleeps outside and more people around to entertain them. As a second time around mom I am so much more relaxed too.

We have been eating a lot of good food too. Fish is a favorite at our house in the summer. Its light and heavenly when fresh. This recipe for Miso Glazed Halibut with Sliced Cucumbers is a perfect summer dish.

Miso Glazed Halibut
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons miso, any variety
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons honey
1 pound of halibut fillets
Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, soy sauce, water and honey. Brush the halibut fillets with the miso glaze. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for about 8 minutes or until fish flakes. When done, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot. We did it on the barbecue which results in a black bottom due to the sugar content of the honey in the glaze. It still tastes great.

Sliced Cucumbers
Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, sliced thinly 

2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Juice from one lime

2 Tbsp. cilantro

1 scallion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions: 
While the halibut is broiling, slice the cucumbers and place in a bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, scallions and olive oil and mix together.

Divide the cucumbers among 4 plates. When the fish is done, place one piece on top of cucumbers. 

Adapted from here and here.

This dish is a great combo of salty-sweet...my favorite. Miso is a fermented soybean paste. It is available at most grocery stores in the refrigerator section usually close to the yogurt. Once opened you can keep it in your fridge for up to a year. Miso ranges from light to dark, gaining flavor and intensity with the depth of its color. I just randomly picked one and it works great. There are lots of other recipes around that use miso so you won't have any trouble using it up. This glaze works well on other white fish as well as salmon.

So get out there and enjoy your last days of summer...and pick up some miso paste along the way...

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.

The main thing I miss about living in the city is the availability of ethnic foods. Both restaurants and groceries. I can shop for clothes online (free shipping anyone?!), catch up with friends via email and watch sports events on TV. We have added a few local ethnic restaurants to our favorites list, but have yet to find a great Indian restaurant. When I worked in Surrey there were endless amazing Indian restaurants due to the large South Asian population. Soon I am going to be asking random Indian families to take me home for dinner. When ever I am over on the Mainland heading out for Indian food is a top priority. I end up gorging myself, which is never a good idea as the food tends to be pretty heavy.

I have made a few Indian dishes as home. They all turn out well, but are never as good as the real thing. I am back at it again due to lack of options. This time I tried slow cooker Chicken Tikka Masala adapted from Real Simple. It fits my very easy and fast, I have two small children, recipe requirement. I think slow cookers are like magic...insert food, turn on, leave for a few hours, dinner is done. I don't like recipes that call for some kind of cooking before adding to the slow cooker, what is the point of using a slow cooker? It should be all in as far as I am concerned. Again, this recipe passes.

Ingredients
1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 can tomato paste (about 4 tablespoons)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 and 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup low fat milk
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, onion,  garlic, garam masala to slow cooker and stir.
2. Lay chicken pieces on top
3. In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours
5. Just before serving, whisk together yogurt and milk and stir into chicken.
6. Garnish with cucumber relish.

I served it over basmati rice with a slice of PC Blue Menu Naan (which is very good for store bought in my opinion). The first time I made it I just garnished with fresh cucumbers. It seemed a little strange but added a really nice freshness. I modified the recipe by using a Greek yogurt and milk combo instead of heavy cream...worked great. This really reduces the amount of saturated fat and calories, while increasing protein and calcium. I also increased the amount of garam masala I used. It doesn't add much heat just a lot of flavour, so don't be shy. You can buy garam masala spice mix at most grocery stores. I found the one I used at Thrifty Foods. Watch your rice portions if you are going to have naan too, gets a little carbohydrate heavy. The recipe as written has been doubled by me to make extras for the freezer. It was really tasty. 100% authentic tasting, no....but close.

Fill me in on your favorite Indian restaurant that is closer than Surrey!