"Sometimes you just don't feel like doin nothin"

"Sometimes you just don't feel like doin nothin"

I had a couple of days like this this week.  I think I have just been going full blast for so long that I ran out of steam like this little fellow.  So I have not gotten all the typing and posts I wanted to do accomplished, so my fingers are doing double-duty typing today.

So today is weigh in day and I'm hoping my being lazy this week has not affected the bottom line, ha ha, get it? bottom line, snicker, snicker, lame, I know, but here we go:

This is great, feet doing a happy dance, down another 3.6 lbs.  Total lost is now 16.2 lbs since September 1st.
I think I might even reward the feet with a pedicure tonight; since I keep making them stand and have their picture taken.
This is a message to my daughter, the dress I bought just before you left to go home, I can now zip by myself no problem.  Ta-dah! Happy Happy.  Might reach my goal by Christmas.  Hope so, anyway.

Have a great day. I know I will!

Eggplant, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, oh my....

Vegetable Terrine starring the above characters

This Recipe is my own creation, created over time.  Linda Gauthier

Made my Vegetable Terrine today, and it was pretty darn good, even if I do say so myself! The thing about my Vegetable Terrine is I serve it warm.  Most terrines are served cold and I enjoy them both ways, but the following recipe is served warm.
It is more like a vegetable lasagna but not nearly as cheesy, or have as much sauce.  The other thing is, the cast of characters changes, dependent on what vegetables I have in the house.  

Today's terrine contains eggplant, zucchini, green tomatoes, leeks, mushrooms, roasted garlic, canned tomatoes without the juice, bread crumbs, goat cheese, fresh basil, lemon juice, Epicure Selections Herb and Garlic, and Epicure Selections French Onion Dip.

1 sm eggplant                              Sliced into thin slices lengthwise
1 sm zucchini                              Sliced into thin slices lengthwise
4 or 5 mushrooms                       Sliced thinly 
1or 2 green tomatoes                  Sliced into thin slices
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper         Sliced into fine strips
1 leek                                          Sliced thin only the white part
1 tsp Epicure Selection Herb and Garlic
1 tsp Epicure Selection French Onion Dip
fresh basil leaves julliened and sprinkled in the layers
1 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup feta cheese
4 cloves of roasted garlic
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. You may not need the total amount.

While you are slicing other vegetables, place your eggplant slices on a plate, sprinkle with salt and let sit approximately 10 minutes.  Drain the liquid the salt has drawn out, rinse slices under cold water, pat dry.
Drizzle with olive oil and grill or broil until just tender. Don't overcook.
Repeat with your zucchini and green tomatoes.

Mix crumbs, feta cheese and roasted garlic along with herbs in a small bowl.  Incorporate all the ingredients.

Layer the vegetables into individual loaf pans.
Be careful not to put too many bread crumbs in.  This will result in a dry terrine.
Start with the eggplant, followed by the mushrooms, some crumbs,
zucchini, crumbs, tomatoes.  Squirt of lemon juice.
Press down on the mixture, add more mushrooms, crumbs, zucchini, crumbs, canned tomatoes, no tomato juice, crumbs and top with thin layer of mozzarella cheese on top of each loaf.
I used a fresh Bufala mozzarella, made locally at Fairbridge Farms in the Cowichan Valley.  It's made from water buffalo milk, is a nice soft creamy cheese, low sodium and has a yummy flavour.
Bake in oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

These are the Epicure selection products used today.

Salted eggplant slices to drain off extra liquid and remove any bitter taste.

Patting dry after rinsing, to help remove any extra water or salt.

2 small loaf pans of vegetable terrine about to go into the oven.

Finished result

We each ate 1/2 of one Vegetable Terrine, saving the other for lunch tomorrow.  I served it with shredded roasted chicken and the rest of the leftover veggies from making the terrine.  They were simmered in the leftover tomato juice to make a sauce, and poured over 2 slices of grilled polenta.  I also placed some cucumber slices on the plate to give the meal added texture. 
In my original menu, I was going to serve it with chicken meatballs and pasta.  But you know the old saying, "Sometimes you feel like a meatball, sometimes you don't".
Okay, okay, it doesn't say meatball, but I couldn't figure out what else to say, consider this artistic literary licence, that is, if writing a food blog can be considered literature.

Until next time, keep smiling.


Just a note:
For the next days' lunch I had the Vegetable Terrine in a pita, with lettuce and low fat Caesar dressing made with Epicure Selections Caesar dressing mix, low-fat mayo and buttermilk.
It was delicious and I still have 3/4's of the second terrine left.   
Oh the possibilities!! Must think. Must think.

Falls Here, warm days, cooler nights.......

crisp leaves and the beauty of the harvest surround us.

I love fall, its beauty can be found in the simplest things.  It's in the light and the majesty of how things seem to suddenly change from the muggy dog days of summer to the crisp days of fall.  The spider webs stretched between tree branches with beads of dew shining on them.  The crunch of the leaves underfoot, and the beauty of the open air markets, the smell of the fruit and the earthy smell of the vegetables, an abundance of local fresh produce.  The sweet smell of the smoke from burning leaves and the smell of hay. The misty sunrises, the red sunsets and the fog that rolls in, only to clear away and show us a bright, sun-filled day.

With fall comes a change in appetites and flavours as routines return.  So back to school and regular scheduling and work.  With all of that in mind, I plan to do some writing in the next few days about some of the best ways I know to keep lunches interesting and easy to do, as well as diet-friendly.

I'll also be doing recipes focusing on the flavours of fall, as extra posts this week.

So here comes the recipes for the 4th week.

No breakfast recipes this week, so Lunch recipes are first.

I hope you like them.  I've chosen recipes that are quick and easy to prepare.

Dinner Meals

Beginning of week 4 Ta Dah.

Written by Linda Gauthier

It's weigh in day, hope it all works out, kind of had a rough week.  I went out to lunch twice, not that going out to lunch is rough, but it makes controlling what I eat difficult. Too many temptations, well here goes!!

Still losing hurray!! Not as much lost this week, but that could be normal, the first 2 weeks I did lose rather fast.  Total lost 12.6 lbs. It really has not been that difficult, I have found if I use a few simple tricks I'm able to continue without feeling hungry or like I'm being deprived.

 One of the tricks I'm using is to use smaller plates, the plates you see in the pictures are 9" square, but the area within, where the food is placed is only 5 1/2" square. This gives the illusion of having more food, combine that with having 2 glasses of water prior to a meal the mind and stomach are fooled into feeling full. I've reduced the amount of fat and carbohydrates I eat as well. Having things prepared ahead of time, like the vegetables cut up etc. and following a menu does, help control what you eat. Quick, simple, tasteful meals seem to be the key.

Tea Time one of my favorite things 

Here's this week's menu, recipes to be posted on Sunday.

Smile, there is more to enjoy

Smile, there is more to enjoy

Fruit filled Spelt Crepes

The following recipe is a variation of the crepes recipe I wrote about in my first blog.  I've been trying to avoid using a lot of wheat products, so I decided to try make the recipe with spelt flour.  The results are as follows:

1. I found they turned out thicker, and slightly heavy. 
2. I also found, for some reason, they did not brown up as well. 
3. The flavour was nice, but as I said, they were heavy and quite filling.
4. When I make them next, I will try with less flour.

I used a slightly different filling this time as well.

The following is what I used:

• Ricotta cheese with the zest of 1 orange, juice of 1 orange, Greek style vanilla yogurt, and fresh blackberries. 

The topping is 1 tbsp low fat vanilla Greek style yogurt.  The syrup is a fresh berry and mixed fruit.

NOTE:  Instead of the whole wheat and the all-purpose
flour I used 1 cup spelt flour

Grilled Steak Salad with Lao chili cilantro Dressing

Lao Chili Cilantro Dressing

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND

Something to keep in mind!



written by Linda Gauthier

Here are some of this week's recipes,

and as promised, more to follow.  

Lemongrass steamed Chicken

My Clean the Fridge Soup, topped with 1 tbsp buttermilk

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes

Please allow me to digress......

Today is a very important day, it is the birthday of one of my heroes.  She isn't rich or famous, in fact it would be easy for many people to overlook her.  To me, she is the embodiment of courage, grace, determination, unconditional love, and tolerance.  She's a motivator, a teacher and a healer.

This wonderful person is my daughter, Nicole.  Nicole was born 25 years ago today.  She was also born deaf/blind, along with other difficulties.  Difficulties for some, but it seems, not so much for Nicole. 

When she was born, we were just like any other parents, shocked and upset and not sure how we would cope.  We were advised to institutionalize her, etc, etc.  However, for us this was not an option.  We brought our angel home and did the best we could.  We also had twins at home who were not quite a year older than Nicole, who adored their new sister and to them there was nothing wrong with her and they were right. Yes, there were difficulties, and it was not a bed of roses, but it was not a bed of thorns either.

It was Nicole who taught us how to reach her, in many small ways, but her first step was by creating a sign herself by tapping her shoulder 3 times when she wanted more food. We now had our first tangible indicator she understood us.  Through numerous painful operations and spinal taps and lord knows what she soldiered on not complaining.  Had it been me, I'm positive I'd have been screaming.  Her little delicate hands waving and exploring her world dancing like little ballerinas, across surfaces tentative and then assertive.  She now has an extensive abstract tactile sign language, which she eagerly uses.  She tolerates our slowness to understand her at times.  She demonstrates unconditional love every day, with her friends, her caregivers and especially her family. I refer to her as a healer because she has an innate ability to know when you are having a bad day, and give you a hug, we have had neighbors who have just come to our home for a Nicole hug.  Her brother and sister have always been tolerant and accepting of others because of their sister. She has taught me so many things it is hard to list them, but two of the most important being; I have more strength of character than I knew, and she has taught me to see with not only my eyes, but with my heart. 

Happy Birthday Sweetheart