Food for thought.......

 Written by Linda Gauthier

I say Eggplant, you say Aubergine, whatever you call it, it's darn good and good for you!!!

Here is the food,

Eggplant Au Gratin with Baby Spinach

Ingredients:

1 med size eggplant
1 jar Italian tomato sauce
2 tbsp Epicure Sun Dried Tomato
1/2 of a medium cooking onion
2 c spinach (washed and stems removed)
1/2 c to 1 c grated Pecorino  Ramano cheese  amount depends on your taste

Method:

1. Slice eggplant into slices 1/2 inch thick
2. Sprinkle 2 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato over Eggplant
3. Chop onion finely
4. Sprinkle over eggplant
5. Place spinach over eggplant
6. Pour tomato sauce over mixture
7. Place in pre-heated 375 degree oven
8. Bake for 15 minutes
9. When bubbling, remove from oven and top with half of the cheese replace in oven continue to bake, aprox 15 minutes more. 
10. Remove from oven once more, sprinkle rest of cheese,place in oven to melt 5 min.   
11. It is now ready to serve.     
12. This dish is a total of 13 ww points.

Here is my finished dish, served with roasted beet, red onion and orange salad, topped with toasted walnuts and Epicure Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

And now for the thought:

I have been having a real hard time getting back into the routine of writing, so yesterday I sat down and had a talk with myself, and self gave me a few interesting answers to my questions.

I have realized that I require structure.  I knew I was a list maker and a to-do person, but I had not actually come to the realization that it was a personal requirement for most activities in life.
  
When I sat down to give myself a shake and ask myself what the heck was going on, these where the answers I came up with:

a) I had not sat down and made a list of goals, or created a menu to start the month off with... "So?" you say.  Well, what I was doing was floating around, drifting like a leaf in a puddle of water, not having any particular direction to focus on, the result being that I was just bopping from here to there with no particular goal and achieving nothing.   
Realization #1;  Meandering not good, keep focused and on track.

b) I also realized that I was beginning to think I had reached my goal and I was relaxing.  What I was actually doing, was returning to old habits.  I had been too confident that I had my new lifestyle down pat.  Wrong!  Old habits, lifelong habits are comfortable, and easy to fall back into.  Until you are sure of them and have a firm handle on them, you must remain vigilant.  I am not saying that this applies to everyone, but to me, it certainly does.  It's like seeing that old boyfriend and all the old feelings and the warm and fuzzy memories start up, but you forget about how wrong you were for each other, the pain it caused you.  Remember the pain and you'll be better off.
  
Realization #2;  Over-confidence is not a good thing, keep your confidence in check, if you're going to splurge, okay, but be sure you have your return back to schedule plan in place.

c) This isn't a diet that you follow for a period of months, days etc, it is a change, a permanent change in lifestyle, and therefore has to become part of you.  I have to view it as the way things are, not a temporary situation to deal with and then move on.  I have to look at food and my behaviours, being sure to recognize why I am craving something or falling back into my old ways.  What I have to recognize is why do I want this, am I really hungry, or am I bored, or thirsty, or mad with myself or my husband, or is it something else entirely?

Realization #3;  Recognize my demons and don't try to bury them with food, face them and meet them head on.

d) When I truly look at myself and the barriers I sometimes place in front of me, it is as if I am deliberately testing myself.  Setting myself up to fail, instead of forgiving myself and moving on.  One slip does not make me weak, one indulgence does not make me any less determined, but when I allow the slips and indulgences to continue and to mount up, to undermine my determination, they do become a weakness, followed by, in my case, at least acceptance that "yeah, you can't change, that's the way you are; you were born to be this way; who are you kidding? you will always be overweight."

Realization #4;  Get rid of the whiny little kid voice that sometimes likes to ride on my shoulder and undermine my resolve.

So, the outcome of the conversation with "self" is; she gave me a swift kick in the posterior and said to smarten up, and get on with it, so here I am.  Sounding a little crazy, but I am here, and I am getting back on this horse, so I guess the morale of the story is the following quote from Albert Einstein: 

Not that I could ever be compared to Einstein, but "self" sometimes seems to know a few things.  If only I would listen to her more often.

Have a great day, and remember it never hurts to sit down and have a serious talk with "self".  We all know what is right for us, we have just forgotten how to listen to our "self" and sometimes need to hear the hard truths which no one else will tell us.

Talk to you soon.

Preserved Lemons a taste of Italy

Preserved Lemons

I can't imagine my kitchen with out them now....

Preserved Lemons

Ingredients:

4 lemons or 6 lemons depends on size
1/2 cup Himalayan Pink salt
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 springs fresh rosemary     Note:   I chose to omit the rosemary and the chilies
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil; add lemons. Boil 5 minutes; drain. Run lemons under cold water until cool enough to handle.  Discard water.
Cut lemons into wedges press pulp of lemons to release juice save juice in small cup.
Pack lemon wedges with pink salt, red pepper, and rosemary in a medium bowl. Pack into a jar. 
Pour lemon juice over lemon wedges to cover. Seal jar, store in cool dark area, turning and shaking  jar once everyday.
Chill at least 3 days or until rinds are soft and pliable. Store lemons in refrigerator up to 1 year.

Tip: Stir finely chopped pieces into hot or cold dishes for a burst salty, lemony flavor.  Be sure not to use the salty pulp just the rind, rinse and remove pulp then finely chop preserved lemon, adds a wonderful taste to soft cheese, chicken, pork, rice let your mind run wild tastes wonderful in couscous and a million other dishes. 

Happy New Year and welcome to 2013

Written by Linda Gauthier

     

I imagine this is how many of us are feeling after all the festivities over the last while, but it is now time, at least in my small corner of the world, to get back on track, set my schedule and return to the expected order of things, not that this is going to be an easy task.

So this morning I have been busy updating my recipe pages.  20 new recipes have been added to my Page for Breakfast meals.  I have also made a montage, showing just a few of my food pictures from the past 4 months.  I will be adding more recipes to the categories pages over the next little while. 

This morning I started the day off creating a recipe for a "Crustless

Spinach Pancetta Quiche".  It was more or less a fly by the seat of the pants recipe, using what I had on hand.

Ingredients:

5 eggs, 1/2 an onion, dehydrated summer tomatoes from my garden,  3 sundried tomatoes in olive oil from my garden, dehydrated leeks, 1/2 green onion, 3/4 C of soft goat cheese, 1 tbsp Epicure Spinach Dip, 1 tbsp Bacon Leek Dip, pinch of salt, pepper, 6 slices of pancetta, 2 cups of baby spinach(no stems), 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 C cream.

Leeks, green onions, Epicure BLT Hot Dip, Spinach Dip, soft goat cheese, crumbled.

 

 

Step 1 - Baked pancetta

2. Layers of onions, dried tomatoes, green onions
on top of pancetta

3. Beat eggs, add leeks, chopped sundried tomatoes, herbs,
salt and pepper, add cream

4. add first layer of spinach

5. crumble some cheese on top of spinach

6. add rest of spinach and cheese and pour egg over top

7. after baking for 25 minutes, cut and serve.
Yummy!! Nice layering of flavours

Back on track!!!

Take a look at the new recipes under the Breakfast page.
I hope you enjoy them, more to come in the next couple of days.

Just a few of the recipes I have written about and tested for
you, since September 1st 2012

Have a great day and I'll be talking to you soon.  Happy New Year

Boxing Day Feast

Hi Everyone,

The days have gotten away from me with Christmas and the holiday season.  I'm sorry I have not written for the last couple of weeks.  I hope this post finds that you all had a good holiday season filled with family and love.

This is just a little blurb to let you know I am still here and I am still working on my "New Lifestyle Eating" new way of avoiding the dreaded "D" word.

My last weigh-in after the 15th of December found me still at 

However, my weigh-in this morning found a miracle had happened.  The 10 lbs I expected to have packed on during the orgy of food we have been partaking in over the past 2 weeks did not happen and I was pleasantly surprised to find the following:

On Boxing Day, I had my cousins over for brunch and we had a wonderful time, so I thought I'd show you and give you a sampling of the menu I served.  I'd love to thank Marlene and Paul Wilson and Jim and Beryl Cooke, for making our day such a wonderful time and wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Boxing Day Menu

Appetizers

Smoked Salmon on Cucumber slices with Lemon Dilly cheese ,

 garnished with my preserved lemons,

Bacon Leek Cheese Dip on Cucumber slices with a garnish of chives and tomatoes and sweet peppers,

Guacamole made with Epicure Selections Guacamole Dip Mix,

Nacho Cheese Dip of course with Epicure Selections and tortilla chips,

Homemade Turkey Pate flavoured with Epicure Selections Sage and Apple, topped with Epicure Selections Peppercorns and aspic

Starter

Etouffee Louisianan Shrimp Dish served on Rice made with Epicure selections Louisiana Hot and Spicy Dip

Tourtiere Traditional French Meat Pie

Antipasto and olive crackers

Main Meal

Baked Ham Glazed with Epicure Selections Cranberry Sauce

Scalloped Potatoes made with Epicure Selections Chive and Bacon Dip Mix

Spinach Salad with Hazelnuts, Roasted Beets and Goat cheese topped with a Epicure Selections Balsamic Dressing and Honey

Homemade Fan-tan Bread Buns

Desserts

Fresh Fruit

Brandy Plum Tarts

Butterscotch Apple Tarts

Assorted Christmas Cookies and Chocolates

Here are some of the pictures however, I forgot to take some before they started being eaten, but I think you will get the idea.

Salmon and Lemon Dilly cucumber slices in the foreground.

Antipasto, Guacamole and then in small red dish Homemade Turkey Pate

Homemade Turkey Pate

Fresh fruit tree (out of focus, sorry)

Ham glazed in Cranberry Sauce

Etouffee

Selection off dessert platters, clockwise from left:
Butterscotch Apple Tart, Brandy Plum Tart. asst Sugar Cookies, Homemade Chocolates.

I will be posting the recipes in the next few days for all of these  Menu items, but since I am "a bit of this and a bit of that" type of cook, I have to formulate the recipes, but I do promise I will post them within the week. 

Talk to you soon, in the meantime have a great day, and enjoy your holidays and the holiday season.  Wishing Everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Minutes for dinner let me show you how.

written by Linda Gauthier

We all have busy schedules and even more so at this time of the year.  So if I could show you how to put an entire meal together, from start to finish, in 30 minutes, would you be interested?  No, I don't mean phone the Pizza place!  I mean a proper nutritious meal, which will fit your budget, and your desire to have a tasty quick meal.

Menu tonight: 
                          Chicken poached in apple cider with apple and 
                          sage and garlic
                          Acorn squash, brown sugar and spices for chutney
                          green beans amandine
                          Couscous with Epicure's Cherries and Berries,          
                          sultana raisins, Mediterranean style.

The above are the ingredients I used, and please note the time is 5:36 pm

Step 1, place chicken breasts in the Epicure rectangular steamer (Aubergine colored item in the picture)
Pour 1/2 cup apple cider on chicken, shake herbs on top, place in microwave for 4 minutes. 

Boil water to make couscous, measure 1 cup of couscous out 

Cut acorn squash in half,  remove seeds,  put Epicure Chutney Spices and brown sugar in cavity of acorn squash, set aside.

4 minutes have passed, remove chicken and check, give it a quick stir and return to microwave for an additional 3 minutes.

Water has boiled, measure 2 cups out, and pour on couscous, stir in dried fruit, place over low heat, stir until the all the water is absorbed.  Approximately 5 minutes.

Chicken is now cooked, remove from steamer.  Place on serving tray in low oven to keep warm.  Rinse steamer, place acorn squash in steamer.  Cook in microwave for 6 minutes.

In the meantime, brown almonds in Epicure Eclipse non-stick fry pan.  When toasted, remove from pan, set aside.  Place frozen green beans in warm pan, pour 1/4 cup water into fry pan, cook until warmed through and cover.  Drain, place pat of butter on beans, add almonds. 

Dinner is now all done please look at the time:

Time total to cook 30 minutes

Complete about ready to plate

A complete and balanced meal.

Complete dinner from start to finish: 30 minutes
Total cost: $3.75 per portion

I use the Epicure Steamers nightly and it is so easy to have a great meal ready in no time and easy clean up.  For further information about the Epicure Steamers, and their versatility, I have added a couple of links to some recipes on YouTube.

Asian style fish


Epicure Steamer Coconut Curry

Information about the steamers

                       

Playing With My Food

Written by Linda Gauthier

Looking at old recipes with new eyes

I have decided to take a new angle on some of my old recipes, so I am playing with my food.
One of the recipes I'm looking at, is a Christmas staple in our house.
Every year, I make the dish known as "Mom's Easy Christmas Breakfast".  I have no idea if that is the correct name, but it is the name we called it in my house.  I do know that there are tons of variations of this recipe out there.
Here is the one I have used for years.


6-12 slices cooked ham
1 1/2  cups sliced fresh mushrooms
8 slices white bread slices 
2 cups shredded cheese

Beat together the following ingredients:

8 eggs
1  1/2 cups milk
1  1/2 cups cream
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard or 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Lightly coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Place bread slices in prepared baking dish.
Top with half of the ham, mushrooms, and cheese.
Pour half of the egg mixture over the bread and ham mixture.
Repeat layers with remaining ham, mushroom and cheese mixture top with the remaining egg mixture. 

Using the back of a spoon, gently press down on layers.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
We always made it the night before.
Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed, golden and set.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 12 servings.

So this morning, I started on a plan to reduce the calories of this dish.
Wondering out loud, not sure what to call it, Hubby flippantly stated that we should "hug it and squeeze it and call it George", but somehow I don't think that is quite right.

Name choice number 2,  is...

"Mini Wife Savers"

I wanted to have something with the same texture and flavour, but lower calories and smaller portions.

To Serve 3 
Preheat oven to 325
Baking dish with hot water to use as water bath for ramekins when cooking.
Bake in oven for 15 min

Ingredient list:

2 slices of Organic Applewood Smoked Bacon
5 large eggs
3/4 Cup 1% milk
1/2 Cup shredded cheese
4 slices of whole wheat bread
Epicure Selections Roasted Garlic
Epicure Selections Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Epicure Selections Herb and Garlic Sea Salt
Epicure Selections Fresh Ground Pepper
butter 
6 small ramekins for baking

Beat the eggs, with the milk add the herbs and salt and pepper set aside. Slice each slice of Whole wheat bread in 1/2
fry bacon until slightly crisp, cut each piece into 1/3 rds 
Dip the whole wheat bread in the egg and milk mixture
place in ramekins

Bacon slices cut in 1/3's

Bread lining the Ramekins

Place bacon slices into the center of the bread cup 

egg mixture left over from dipping the bread

Pour remaining egg mixture into center of bread cups over the bacon, top each ramekin with cheese.

Spices and cheese

Ramekins in water baths

Place in preheated oven, bake for approximately 15 mins.

baked "Mini Wife Savers"

Brunch!

The flavour was good and the texture was true to that of the original.  The flavour of the bacon was more intense than the ham and was very nice.  With such a small portion, it required a stronger meat flavour than could be achieved with the ham slices.  I think this is going to be what I have for my Christmas Brunch, not sure of the sides yet, working on that still.


And I thought I got myself into messes? 

Now what?

Hope you are having a better day than this guy, keep smiling, and trying new things. 

Try looking at things from a different angle, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Then again, you might end up like this guy, but that's not always bad is it?  It's making you smile, right?

Or you may be feeling empathy, either way, you are viewing things differently than you were 5 minutes ago.

Talk to you soon.

Busy busy week Christmas Elf work etc.

written by Linda Gauthier


Hubby's office party this weekend and trying to get ready to send off boxes to Newfoundland, Epicure parties, etc. just a busy little elf.
Much like everybody else at this time of year.
I am going to sit down and send out the info you are all waiting on:
Did she or didn't she lose weight this week.
I just know there are hordes of you out there waiting in anticipation for my latest words of wisdom.
Yup!
I am sure of that.
But, oh well, I seem to have become addicted to talking to myself and guess what?
I like it!
Is that considered a character flaw?
Or one of those senior moments?
Well, I did lose this week.


I am now down to...

Seem to be at a plateau, but is is a slight loss.
From last week's 142.8, this week's 142.4 gives me a grand total loss of 29 lbs even, as of today.
On the bright side, it is not a gain.

Now I have something to show you.
Normally I am totally against having my picture taken and it is not enjoyable for me.
However, I have made a photo montage of "before and now" pics, which can be found at this site.
Click on the opening photo to start the image carousel of photos.
Click on each to view description texts.  Click again to return to the carousel.

Here is another photo, taken just before we headed out to the party.
New dress, new attitude and I actually let a picture be taken of me.  So you now have a more recent face to go with these feet.
More to lose, and I now have to start concentrating on my activity level and toning, but I now know that I can do it.
It seems to be a matter of proving to myself that it does work, then I can see the possibilities that I can go further.  I am sure that this is the same with a lot of us who have more than 5 lbs to lose.
What once seemed an impossible task, now feels possible, and I have to say, it really gives me a nice exhilarating feeling, to be finally rid of this excess weight.

Talk to you soon and hope you will try some of my recipes.
With a tiny bit of exercise, they really do work.
In other words, you don't have to kill yourself nor sacrifice taste.
And if any of you want information about the Epicure Products, you can just leave me a comment and your email address.
Or email me directly, to keep your email private.
I would be happy to answer your questions.