Glorious Fennel Bulb + Inspiration For Home Cooking

Food, glorious food

You may recognize this phrase from the famous play, “Oliver.” I personally couldn’t agree more.


Food is many things to many people; comfort, celebration, tradition, routine, sustenance, even medicine for health. The list is as endless as there is variety of foods available in the world.


I personally feel the true, goodness of fresh whole foods sometimes gets lost amongst all the noise and chatter about the function of food: from the numerous diets (keto, paleo, vegan), to the experts constantly “revealing” what we should and shouldn’t eat. 

And then there is the packaging. Boxes of packaged goods boasting to be the healthiest, most natural, most sustainable food out there – or the most likely to help you lose weight. 

Finally, don’t even get me started about the celebrity chefs, who make meal prep look so darn easy.

I agree daily cooking can be a chore and a bore. There are (many) days I just don’t feel like cooking. 

I understand some people hate cooking and prefer takeout and pre-made meals. 

I realize food is a competitive market and is a big business. 

I appreciate that some do not have a positive or healthy mindset regarding food. And I know that maintaining a healthy weight has been tough for many. 


But let’s put aside all the babble around food for a minute, turn the story around, and look at all the goodness food can bring:


Strawberry Muffins

Strawberry Muffins

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves in your kitchens this spring, cooking delicious meals with ease – and more importantly – relishing the process.

I have to be honest.... that's not always the case with my home cooking.  At time I need a little inspiration to motivate myself into the kitchen.

I find a change of season, like spring, inspires home cooking because of the availability of fresh local foods.

Strawberries are typically the first to appear at our local Farmers Market, so, in an attempt to energize home cooking this spring, here is a  strawberry recipe to try. 

Easy Strawberry and Raspberry Sauce

Strawberry Raspberry Sauce

Here’s a perfect sauce to have with ice cream when you have unexpected guests or family and friends. It’s also good on yogurt or even pancakes.

I like this recipe because it’s not too sweet, which allows the taste of the fruit to shine.

Yummy Bran Muffins with Sliced Strawberries

Bran Strawberry Muffins

Here is a light, yet satisfying bran muffin. It’s super simple to make and delightfully tasty. It does call for two cups of plain yogurt, which seems like a lot, but it’s the secret to the success of these muffins. 

I added sliced strawberries on top, but you could omit that and add one cup of blueberries to the muffin batter if you prefer.

Kale Salad with Strawberries, Fennel, Dried Cranberries and Walnuts

Kale Salad with Strawberries, Fennel, Dried Cranberries and Walnuts

If you’re looking for a delicious kale salad with a splash of colour, then try this kale version with fennel, strawberries, dried cranberries and walnuts. It’s served with a simple vinaigrette made with maple syrup.

Kale Salad with Strawberries, Fennel and Walnuts

10 Easy Steps To Meal Planning

Weekly Meal Planning

It's always a good idea to get a handle on meal planning. 

It really does simplify home cooking, makes meals interesting and eliminates the need to think about what to make for dinner all day long. 

Not only that, you can save on your grocery bills because you only buy what you know you will be using - no food waste!"

 

10 EASY STEPS TO MEAL PLANNING

Quick and Easy Falafels with Tzatziki

 

Quick and Easy Falafels

It's  already March. Yeah! It means we’re sneaking up on spring. It’s time to freshen up our cooking routines and slip into easy meals, with fresh soon-to-be-found local spring foods.

So, lets revitalize our recipe selections and talk cookbooks!  

Do you buy or collect cookbooks? How many do you own? When you buy a new one, do you actually try the recipes? If not, why? 

To me, accumulating cookbooks is like buying kitchen gadgets that you rarely use: eventually you re-discover them in your kitchen drawer (or on your cookbook shelf) and wonder why you bought them in the first place.

New cookbooks mean new recipes, and that means changing things up. It isn’t easy. I love the idea of cooking new foods but putting it into action takes effort. 

I think you’ll agree it’s easy-peasy to cook the same old recipes over and over again. It’s like driving home from work: it’s uncomplicated to drive the same route every day. Why muddle things up by taking a longer, more scenic route, just for sake of change?

Beef Tacos with Paprika – Inspired by a Community Kitchen

Easy Beef Tacos

While I wait for spring to arrive, I’ve been busy in my community. And this week, I want to share a beef taco recipe I was reminded of while volunteering at the community lunch program. 

Usually, when I arrive for my shifts in the school gym, I feel like I’ve been dropped into the middle of an action movie and have to quickly figure out the plot and the characters to catch up with the audience. 

Every day is different. New recipes and new volunteers, which include parents, students, and community neighbours. The rotating scenario creates overall mayhem. Typical of any elementary school program that is student-run, and feeds lunch to 200 kids twice a week.

When I arrived last Thursday, the kitchen was eerily calm and organized, and all the dishes were done. The meal was cooked and ready to go.

Chef Maria stood smiling in the middle of it with her black hair pulled off her round face, smiling broadly beneath her gold-rimmed glasses. A white apron pulled tight across her full frame.

Maria has a playful, warm personality and she cooks with a sanguine confidence. “What are you cooking today, Maria?” I asked. She beamed back the answer, “chicken, with my new favourite spice, paprika.”

Paprika, a spice I rarely use. When she mentioned it I was reminded of a simple beef taco recipe I occasionally cooked for my family.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins

Tasty Spiced pumpkin muffins 

Here’s a simple pumpkin muffin recipe with raisins and walnuts, spiced with cinnamon, ground ginger and molasses. These pumpkin muffins are both healthy and tasty and make a great snack on the go. 

Spicy Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins

Easy Pecan Granola with a Hint of Orange

Easy Pecan Granola with Sunflower Seeds, Pecans, Coconut and Orange

How has your New Year been going so far? Have you started doing anything new in your food and cooking routine? Perhaps you’re eating healthier? Cooking more meals at home? Trying new recipes?  It’s always fun to attempt something new…right?

My husband and I tried a new breakfast spot this month. It’s a restaurant in our neighbourhood that’s always busy. I often walk past and see hungry folks of all ages lined up outside waiting for a breakfast table. 

To be honest, it’s always baffled me why anyone would wait in a line just to eat breakfast. Many times, the queue is snaked around the block! So, in honour of trying something NEW, we decided to check it out. 

Once we were inside, it was obvious what all the fuss was about. The breakfast dishes being served out were a whole day’s worth of food: eggs piled high, topped with anything you can imagine: from deep-fried chicken to maple bourbon BBQ glazed short ribs. 

There were numerous variations of eggs Benedict and an equal number of pancake and waffle configurations. The plates of food coming out of the kitchen were piled so high, the meals looked like Jenga towers ready to collapse. 

I ordered the strawberry cheesecake pancakes and the meal was tasty. The service was quick, pleasant and efficient, and it was a fun way to start the day.

It inspired me to create new breakfast recipes such as this new granola recipe with a hint of orange which is easy, fast and full of yum!