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How to get your Cooking Groove On!

Cooking is an art, it is a place to relax into and enjoy. Food that is cooked by someone who loves cooking tastes better. Too often meals are cooked in a rush with the purpose of getting some sort of edible food on the table. Attention to detail is lost and the look, smell and presentation is ignored. This doesn't exactly make for a healthy and well digested meal.

There are a few things that come in our way of getting into the groove of cooking:

• Time. There is never enough, is there? And cooking from scratch takes so much time and thought and preparation. Or does it?
• Energy. There is never enough of that either, right? It takes way less energy to heat up a prepared meal or make something out of a box. But what does that food give back to us? How much energy to we get from it?
• Skills. It takes time (already lacking) to learn how to cook healthy food from scratch.
  
• Talent. You can either cook or you can't. Period.
  

Let me de-bunk these myths or stories, that's really all that they are. Myths and stories.

• Time. A tasty and healthy meal made from scratch can easily be on the table in under 30 minutes. If you use this cooking time to relax you will feel good when you sit down to eat and will be less prone to wasting time. Find time where it is hidden, such as at the tv, internet, facebook then shift your schedule to fit in dinner. Sometimes prepping the next night's dinner the night before is helpful.
  
• Energy. When you let your body relax, have a cup of tea and snack on some raw veggies while you cook you will gain energy. When you eat a nutrient filled meal with lots of fresh produce, healthy grains and a moderate amount of protein you will have more energy. When you eat live food your body will thrive. Live food means whole, unrefined and fresh not out of a box.
  
• Skills. Once you cook a few recipes and find your favourites you will be improvising and cooking with skill. A cooking class is always an option and it is a good way to connect with others and really have fun cooking.
  
• Talent. Cooking is something that can be learned like anything. It's not about being the best cook. Just keep it simple and let yourself be creative. Period.

Getting started:

• Find some great and simple recipes. Try one or two new recipes a week so that you don't get overwhelmed. Get some free ones here (scroll down) or sign up for monthly recipes, meal plans and shopping lists. Make it easy.
• Make sure your kitchen is well stocked with staple ingredients. Also make sure knifes are sharpened, gadgets are easily accessible and you have all the gadgets you need.
• Schedule time into your day to cook and prep ingredients.
• Get inspired by shopping at farmer's markets. Find an ingredient that you are unfamiliar with and ask the farmer how they cook it. Or put it in the comment box and ask me.
  
• Invite friends over for dinner or brunch. Make it a potluck so you don't have to do it all and can enjoy making one simple dish.
• Turn on some high energy music to get your groove on! I like CBC Radio 2 Drive for cooking to, followed by Tonic for dinner music. This song by Serena Ryder is definitely for groovin' and cookin' to.
  
• Have fun with presentation and garnishes. Get some fun new serving bowls. These are pretty.
  
• Let others know that this is your time and if they want to help great (if you want the help). If they want to steal you away for other things, too bad. It can wait.
• Take a few deep breathes before you get started and take your mind off of work and into the kitchen where cooking with love and joy happens!

What helps you get your cooking groove on? Leave a comment to inspire others.

enJOY!

Spring Farmer's Market Dinner

I turned some of the tasty greens I bought at the Brackendale market from the Good Time Farmers into a very simple, light and satisfying meal. The story is here. I used fresh fava beans (not at all local, but organic), which are a bit time consuming to prepare from fresh but totally worth it. It takes 15-20 minutes to pod the beans, cook them and then take off the second pod. Their pods are very cushy and almost insulated. It is as if they are sleeping in a sleeping bag. You could use canned beans for the job. Edamame will also substitute.

Any dark leafy greens will work as well. Try to get the younger more tender kale and chard or use spinach. Basically use whatever is green, fresh and tasty. The tender greens are a bit sweeter and less bitter than their elders.

I only had 1/2 a cup of brown rice so I added 1/2 a cup of arborio rice to make a full cup. I always make at least a cup of rice so I have leftovers for breakfast. I wasn't sure how this experiment would turn out. I really liked it; it was slightly sticky, which I liked.

Finally I almost added shallots to this recipe, then I decided against. I kept the flavours light, fresh and simple. Nothing overpowering.


Spring Farmer's Market Dinner for Two

1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup arborio rice
1 tsp powdered kelp

12 Fava beans
1 tsp Himalayan crystal salt

1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 a lemon, juiced
4 tbsp plain, organic, non-homogenized yogurt
a pinch of Himalayan crystal salt

1 tbsp butter
2 handfuls of fresh tender greens
a few sprigs of Italian parsley

2 tbsp soft goat cheese

Cook the rice like you would cook brown rice; 1 cup rice to 2 cups water and kelp, boil, turn down to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Soak it all day or overnight if you remember to plan ahead, otherwise rinse it well.

Take the fava beans out of their pods. Place ice and cold water in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Boil a small pot of water and add 1 tsp of salt. Add the beans to the boiling water and cook for one minute. Drain and put in ice water for a couple minutes then drain. Now pinch off the end of each bean and pop it out of it's second pod. Once you do a few it will be easy.

In a small bowl mix lemon juice, yogurt, lemon zest (save a pinch for garnish) and a pinch of salt.

When the rice is done heat a skillet to medium and add butter. Add greens, parsley and fava beans to the skillet and cook for just a few minutes. The greens are best when slightly wilted yet not overdone.

Place a scoop of rice in each bowl. Top with greens and beans and drizzle on yogurt sauce. Crumble on goat cheese and garnish with a sprinkling of lemon zest.

So fresh and yummy, enjoy!

Change Your Thoughts for More Energy

This afternoon I was feeling a little tired and then made it worse by blaming my sleepiness on what I ate. I know I'm not supposed to do that. I had a muffin because I was tired, bored and I just felt like it. It was a tasty muffin with banana and blueberries and was from a really good cafe in town. I thought for some reason I was getting the gluten free muffin. As soon as I broke it apart I knew it was wheat. This isn't a huge problem for me, I just avoid wheat, especially large amounts, because I know that it makes me tired after an hour or so. I ate it anyway because, well, I wanted to, I wasn't concerned about the after affects and it was so tasty. I put it in my head that because it was made at a lovely little cafe (Zephyr's) by a caring baker and did contain some really healthy ingredients that I would be just fine. I also gave Reiki to the muffin, just to be sure. I enjoyed every bite guilt free, I really did.

Then in about an hour I started to feel very tired, slightly irritated and a bit depressed. That's when the regret came. The "ah, I should have known, now I have to endure the effects for the rest of the day, what did I do that for, duh!" Again all the things I don't recommend doing or thinking. I was on my way to the Wednesday (3-7pm at the store) farmer's market in Brackendale at that point. The road was being paved so I thought I would take the back way, only to find it was being paved as well. Then I thought I had taken the wrong way and wasted my time. I breathed, turned on the CBC radio 2 Drive and listened to a Manu Chao song. That made me feel better, how could it not. Then I decided to do an experiment. I believed that having wheat would make me feel a certain way and it did. What if I decided that I could change the way wheat makes me feel by simply changing the way I feel. The song had started to help and next, the market would.

I got to the farmer's market and saw 3 smiling faces sitting in front of 3 tables. There was maple syrup, fresh greens and indoor composters. I was already feeling energized, happier and motivated. As I talked to sellers my energy increased. The farmer from The Good Time Farmer's (best farm name ever) was showing me his greens that had bolted to seed and had also flowered. He gave me some sprigs to taste test. Mmmm, tiny kale, leaves with little yellow flowers, purslane with tiny flowers poking out the centre. Amazing! What was more amazing was all the side effects from eating wheat had disappeared. We talked about gardening, when the tomato plants would be ready for planting outside and how I had grown lettuce on my windowsill this winter. It was inspiring and exciting. I also got a demo of a brilliant indoor worm composter.

I won't be eating another muffin any time soon but I will be working on my beliefs about them more and more. The more I remind myself that I am the only one who thinks my thoughts and that changing my thoughts changes my feelings the easier it becomes. Like anything it takes practice. Start practicing, why not?

Millet Bowl

The tomatoes are still hothouse but at least they are actually grown in BC and not Mexico. You have to watch that in the winter. Those tomatoes and peppers labeled "BC Hothouse" in the winter are actually grown in Mexico; "BC Hothouse" is just a name brand. A deceitful one at that. I don't buy Mexican produce that is not organic and I usually pass on the organic anyway, it's just too far away. Tomatoes in the winter are just not.

I can't wait any longer and they were actually pretty good, not mealy and had some flavour. Oh I can't wait for fresh summer produce. I am craving green stuff. I have to go on a nettle picking outing. This week. I will let you know how that goes.

This recipe is easy, simple, fresh and tasty. Millet is a nice and hearty gluten free grain. It goes well with light and slightly bitter or spicy greens. The feta and olives add flavour as does the fresh dill.

Here yah go:

Millet Bowl

Feeds 4

1 cup millet, soak for up to 24 hours
1/2 tsp ground kelp
2 cups or 1 14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch watercress, remove the thick stems
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup goat feta, crumbled
10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a drizzle of raw apple cider vinegar
8 small tomatoes, quartered

Rinse millet, add ground kelp and cover in water. Cook for 20-30 minutes adding more water as needed. The longer you soak it the less cooking time. Spread millet on a plate so that it will cool quickly. You can put it in the fridge too. (Get the complete grain and bean cooking guide free with my monthly recipes.)

Chop or tear watercress and put it in a large salad bowl. Add chickpeas, feta, olives and dill. Crumble cooled millet on top. Add a drizzle of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, toss and taste. Add more oil and vinegar as desired.

Spoon into bowls and place 2 quartered tomatoes on each serving.

Enjoy!

Snack Habits

Having healthy snacks on hand will make your healthy eating goals easier to achieve. When you are feeling snackish or maybe have gone too long without food and are famished the snacks that are closest to you are the snacks that will win. If there is a box of doughnuts or a pot of coffee in front of you it will win. If there is a bag of raw almonds and raisins beside the doughnuts you have a choice. You decide which snack wins your love. The trick is to train your body and mind to choose the snack which will be the best for you in the moment and in the long run.

If you at first choose a handful of almonds followed by a doughnut, that's okay. It's a step towards snacking success. Take it as a victory and keep moving forward. Focus on your victories and forget about the times that you eat the doughnut. Just like riding a bike it takes practice and the more you do it the easier it is. Pretty soon you will be snacking on almonds without a second thought, just like you get on your bike and peddle even if it has been awhile. You don't think about it you just do. Automatically reaching for the doughnut at snack time is a habit, that is all it is. It is not about willpower or lack there of, it is simply a habit. All you have to do is create a new habit to bump out the old one. The new habit is grabbing a good for you snack. The more you do it the better you will feel. At first you will have to remind yourself that eating the almonds will make you feel better than eating the doughnut will. After awhile your body will remember and will choose the best choice for you.

When I worked as a baker I got into the habit of drinking lattes, eating cookies, scones and bread when I was at work. It was all around me, it was easy and it gave me energy to get through the early mornings and into the late nights. I continued that habit of chowing down on carbs for energy long after my baking days. It was a habit and it was not serving me; it eventually showed up in a big way when my joints became extremely swollen. I was forced to change this habit out of fear of permanently being the Pillsbury dough girl as my friends lovingly called me. Now I have a new habit of healthy snacking and it serves me well. I do slip back here and there and I allow it, knowing that feeling guilty about it will be worse than eating it.

Habits are easy to follow, create good ones!

4 Quick, Tasty, Healthy Snacks

The next time you are getting the munchies, are craving sugar, needing a boost or are wanting food NOW try out one of these snack. They are easy and quick to make, will give your body a nutrient and energy boost and will make you feel good for choosing a healthy snack.

1. 2-3 Brazil nuts stuffed into 2-3 pitted medjool dates
2. 1 sour apple sliced and dipped in 2 tbsp almond butter
3. 1 banana blended with 1 handful of spinach and 1 cup of water (yes I'm for real)
4. 2 big chard leaves spread with hummus and rolled up

Quick, tasty, healthy.

What is your favourite snack? Post it below.

Or let me know on Twitter @marissamakesp.s. See those little black spots on the banana? That means it is ready for eating. Don't eat it before it gets those tiny spots because it is not fully ripe and you may get a belly ache.