Chef Paul: Traveling…
April 19 2011
I’ll be taking a much needed vacation later this week to visit friends and family out of province. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with friends I haven’t seen in a while. I’ve got a few dinners planned; including a meal at a former chef of mine’s new restaurant…we’ll be there for his “trust me” night, which is his tasting menu.
I find the hardest part of traveling is always meal time. You either end up at the mercy of others or eating at restaurants all the time. For part of our trip, we’ll be at my father-in-law’s house which means I’ll be able to cook some meals and my brother-in-law, who’s also a chef will no doubt be cooking as well.
But it’s easy when traveling to forget all about healthy eating, to get out of your routine and not consume enough fruits or vegetables. Breakfast I find is always a bit of a challenge. When you’re staying at friends’ houses you often get up to a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast etc when all you really want is a bowl of oatmeal and a half a grapefruit. It’s also really easy to eat too much fast food when traveling and end up being “bogged down” as I like to call it.
For me, the key is to always try to have as many fruits and vegetables as possible. It keeps the metabolism flowing and gives you the energy needed to be social and on the go. I make it a point of ordering the vegetarian option if I’m going to be out for meals often. I’ll also pack some healthy snacks for the road, like apples and carrot sticks instead of stopping off at the road side coffee joint and buying a donut.
A few years ago, when my wife and I were traveling around France by car, we were sure to hit any market days we could find to purchase fruits and vegetables for lunch…and of course cheese. We stayed mostly in B&Bs and hostels so quite often breakfast was included with our accommodations and dinners were always restaurant meals. Therefore to save money and to keep us “regular” we had light picnic lunches everyday featuring fruits, vegetables, bread and cheese…and wine.
It’s one of the joys of traveling, experiencing a culture’s cuisine and culinary heritage. What better way than by visiting the local market.
Chef Paul: Going Out
April 14 2011
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this week is all about the birthdays at our house. I’ve just finished the “heart shaped chocolate cake with pink icing” and am looking forward to presenting it to my daughter tomorrow.
Tonight, however is about my wife. Her birthday is a mere 4 days before our child’s so to celebrate in an “adult” way, we’ll be going out for dinner. We were hoping to do the whole “date thing” and see a movie as well but the timing just doesn’t work out…so a nice dinner it is.
We love dining out but we rarely do. Once you factor in babysitting (luckily my mother is in town this week to celebrate birthday fest…her’s was 6 days ago!), the cost of a good meal out can run into the $200 to $250 range depending on your bottle of wine. So, being frugal people we tend to only eat out at “fancy” restaurants a couple times a year. Why dine out when you can make a nice meal at home? Dining out is definitely a treat and as such we enjoy our meals at restaurants quite a bit.
We did the math not long ago and found that eating at a restaurant costs about 400 to 600% more than making the equivalent meal at home. Now I know what you’re saying: “not everyone can cook like a fancy restaurant chef”. But it’s not just fine dining meals we’re talking about here. Take the humble lasagna for example. At your “family style” restaurant you would pay somewhere between $9 and $15 depending on side dishes etc. You can easily make the same meal at home for under $2 per portion!
So for us, going out for dinner is and shall remain a once-in-a-while treat. I think it makes it all that much more special.
The Big 0 -3!
April 12 2011
My daughter turns three on Friday.
She has requested a very specific cake for her birthday…because turning three is all about the cake! She has asked for a “chocolate heart shaped cake with pink icing”. Instead of buying a heart shaped mold to use for one cake (well, hopefully one cake) I will use a square pan and a circle pan to make a heart shape. Just place the squar
e cake on an angle, cut the circle cake in half and place the halves on two adjoining sides of the square and voila! Heart shaped cake.
As for pink icing, there’s not really any option of avoiding awful food colouring. I think a special treat once in a while is no big deal. Sugary desserts every now and again are okay for our family because we try to limit the amount of sugar in our diets on a regular basis, therefore a bit of indulgence now and again is no biggie.
Sugar becomes an issue if, like most things, it is consumed in excess. We’re very much an “everything in moderation” kind of family. We don’t avoid salt but we limit it. We are very aware of how much we have daily. We don’t cut all fats but again, we are aware of the amount we consume.
I am taking my wife out for her birthday dinner this week (it is birthday FEST around our house right now) and I am sure I’ll order something on the heavier side. That just means that meals on the day before and the day after will be lighter. Same goes for my daughter’s birthday celebration…there will be excess of sugar on that night for sure but we’ll temper that with healthier choices throughout the week.
Chef Paul: Get back at Dandelions!
April 08 2011
The scourge of every lawn, the ubiquitous dandelion is seen as a pest by almost everyone…everyone except us cooks. While I’m not about to dispense lawn care advice I can tell you how you can get back at the dandelion for ruining your lawn…EAT THEM! That’s right! Eat them!
One of the first greens of the season every year is the dandelion. That lowly weed packs a nutritional wallop. One cup of dandelion greens contains 188% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K; 54% of your Vitamin A and lots of Calcium and Iron.
Dandelions help with digestion, reduce swelling and inflammation, and treat viruses, jaundice, edema, gout, eczema and acne. A relative to the sunflower, the dandelion boasts potent medicinal properties with laxative and diuretic properties (in French we call them pissenlit, which translates as: “wet the bed”).
These bittersweet greens are usually plentiful and affordable but must be picked before they flower or they’re just too bitter to eat. Now, I’m not suggesting you should go outside right now and dig up your lawn; you can often find dandelion greens at the farmer’s market or health food stores.
As I said, they are quite bitter tasting and therefore not everyone’s cup of tea. Dandelions can be used in a salad either mixed with other greens or on their own or even in a stir fry. Because of their bitterness, most people tend to use a sweet-ish dressing with them. I like to dress them with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Be careful when tossing them in a vinaigrette, they tend to clump together very easily if you add too much dressing. Add a bit at a time and taste as you go.
They’re nutritious, plentiful and if you pick them out of your own lawn, free! And, you get a nice lawn out of the deal! What more could you ask for?
Chef Paul: I struck out on Sunday
April 04 2011
For Sunday dinner this week I made a wonderful roast pork shoulder. It was marinated for 24 hours with garlic and oregano and served with French lentils, roasted candy cane beets, turnips and sweet potatoes. I thought it was fantastic! The porkwas flavourful and very moist; the accompaniments were great; and the wine we had was a perfect pairing…unfortunately, neither my wife nor our three year old agreed (the three year old really knows her wine). Neither of them was very keen on the pork. The lentils went over OK but the sweet potatoes, beets and turnips less so.
It just goes to show that everyone has an opinion when it comes to food…and no one’s opinion is necessarily wrong. There is one universal truth in this world…we all need to eat! And because we all eat, we all have an opinion about what we like and dislike.
What I did appreciate is that both my wife and daughter tried everything on the plate, that’s all I ask. Like most three year olds, my daughter can be very fussy at times. What was a hit last week might very well be a miss the next (I’ve even resorted to taking photos of her as she eats to prove to her that she did in fact like broccoli last week!). And it’s not just three year olds; I too have my likes and dislikes, such as calves’ liver or canned salmon. Eating is a very personal and yet communal thing.
That’s why it can be tough and sometimes frustrating trying out new food ideas. Many folks are not very receptive to change; they know what they like and are not willing to try anything beyond that. But what we need to remember is that for a lot of people, their food choices are slowly killing them. Too many amongst us are eating diets high in fat and sodium. Too many folks are eating their way to diabetes. Too many people are not willing to change their eating habits. It’s tough…no one wants to eat food they’re not going to like (or that they THINK they’re not going to like). But changes need to be made. Eating healthy meals needs to become a priority for ourselves and our loved ones. You might not always like what you’re eating but you owe it to yourself to at least try it. It’s important for you to make that commitment. I guarantee that if you go in with an open mind, you’ll discover wonderful new flavours and delicious meals you’d never thought you’d like.
Chef Paul: It’s almost asparagus time!
April 01 2011
Spring has to be my favourite time of year as a cook. I look forward to the arrival of asparagus to the farmers market…a sure sign of spring. Asparagus will be followed soon thereafter by fiddleheads and then…the flood gates open! Buying fresh local produce is a must. Not only will it last longer, the taste is just that much better. For my lunch today, I packed myself some spinach for a salad. As I’ve said previously, I wash and spin every green or vegetable that requires it when I get home from the market. Well, today’s spinach salad will feature spinach purchased March 19th…that’s two weeks ago! There is NO WAY a bag of spinach from the grocery store would EVER last that long…often the spinach is half turned to liquid by the time you get it home.
Soon there’ll be a huge variety of fresh produce at the market: lettuces, tomatoes, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy…
And then fresh fruit arrives! Is there anything better than a sun ripened strawberry? Still warm and oh so juicy! It’s all still a little ways away, probably a few weeks yet until asparagus arrives. It’s almost like Christmas for a chef…Christmas that lasts all summer long.
By the time asparagus season has run its course, we’ve usually had our fill.
Here’s a low fat take on an asparagus classic:
Chef Paul: Burgers for BBQ
March 28 2011
I picked up our new BBQ on Saturday thanks to a neighbour with a trunk. Despite today’s weather, a balmy high of 1C, BBQ season is just around the corner. For those of you fortunate enough to reside in warmer climes, well…I’m quite jealous.
I love to barbecue. It’s not the primal “man make fire” thing for me, it’s mostly not having as many dishes to wash! Yep, that’s one of the major perks of BBQing… much less cleanup.
We needed a new BBQ because ours was on its last legs…well actually, on its last leg – literally. One legged barbecuing is not for the faint of heart either, so a new BBQ was purchased. Now, I like propane BBQs myself. Though I do love the flavour of charcoal briquettes, the ease and speed of a good gas grill is what we need around our house.
Even though ours is a brand new ‘cue, I will still go through the spring cleaning/maintenance checklist. That means I will be sure to check my gas lines with a soap solution; clean out the burners; scrub down the grill rack and then “season” the grill by heating it up at full heat for at least 20 minutes. If yours is an older BBQ, make sure to check it for any rust spots as well.
Come summer time, we pretty much barbecue EVERYTHING…well everything food that is. So to get ready, I placed an order for 10lbs of lean ground beef from my favourite butcher at the farmer’s market. He’ll have fresh, grass fed ground beef for me next Saturday and then I will make patties which I’ll freeze to use throughout the spring and summer. I usually get about 3 to 4 patties per pound which would mean 35 burgers when all’s said and done. At a cost of $40 for the meat and roughly $5 for the remaining ingredients (mustard, herbs, spices, egg and bread crumbs) that works out to $1.30 per patty. Sure, you can buy the pre-made frozen “convenience pack” of patties for around $20 for 30, or the “gourmet Angus beef” patties for $10 for 8, but I know EXACTLY what I’ll be putting in my burgers. There’ll be no “flavour” as an ingredient (what is that anyhow…shouldn’t all products have flavour?), no endless amount of beef filler or other mystery ingredients. It will take a bit of time to make 35 patties of course but I think my family is worth the extra effort.
Eating healthy and planning meals requires a commitment…you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to make that commitment.
Chef Paul: Garden Update
March 25 2011
As you can see from this photo, things are progressing quite nicely with our garden.
It’s been 9 days since they were planted and about half have sprouted and are doing quite well.
Once they reach a certain height, we’ll remove the cover and leave them under the grow lights for a few weeks until they can be transitioned to outside.
Chef Paul: Grocery Shopping
March 25 2011
People hate grocery shopping with me. Why? Because I’m s-l-o-w. The reason I’m so slow is that I like to take my time and read the labels on everything I buy. For the very few food items we actually buy at the grocery store, I like to make sure I know what I’m getting. My very simple rule is: If I cannot pronounce the name of the ingredient, I do not buy the item.
I do of course read the nutrition facts labels to see the amount of sodium and sugar that is in the item. I exercise a lot so fat is lower down on my list of things I need to be wary of. It always amazes me what “ingredients” are in processed “foods”. There can be no way that chicken nuggets with a list of over 30…yes 30… ingredients can be good for you. Come on! What do you need to make a chicken nugget? I’ll tell you:
- Chicken
- Bread crumbs
- Egg and flour to dredge the chicken pieces in so that the bread crumbs will stick
- Some seasonings like salt, pepper, maybe some herbs or other spices.
THAT’S IT!!! Maybe 6 ingredients…not 30!
We cannot assume that because it’s for sale in the grocery store, and that our “food agencies” have approved it, that it is any good for us. It’s these so called “convenience foods” that are conveniently turning North Americans into overweight, diabetic, energyless sloths that crave more sugar and more sodium.
These days everyone seems more concerned about food costs than about their health. But can you really disassociate the two? Sure, the immediate costs of a poor diet are not as obvious, but when you factor in the health care costs; cost of medications; and of lost wages should you develop diabetes because of a poor diet, then it becomes clear where your priorities should lie.
It may seem less expensive getting the $4.99 burger special at the fast food joint- but will it really cost you less in the long run?
Chef Paul: Indian Food
March 22 2011
My family loves Indian food. But we very rarely go out for Indian as my wife has become quite an accomplished Indian food cook. This wasn’t always the case.
When we first moved in together, years before we married, my wife rarely cooked at home. It all comes back to one fateful romantic weekend getaway at a friend’s cottage when she asked if she could help with dinner. I said: “Sure. You can whip the cream for the strawberry dessert.” Being intimidated with “helping a chef” she quickly turned that cream into butter…turns out I was supposed to tell her when to stop, even though she’s made whipped cream many times before.
Since then, the standard response when asked if she ever cooks at home is: “Why would I? I can make mashed potatoes or let Paul make better mashed potatoes.” But because my wife did grow up in a household where family supper was important and home cooking was a must, she has a true love of food and cooking. She was not about to let me do all the cooking forever. What my wife did is immerse herself in Indian cookbooks. Her rational was: “Here’s something he never cooks.”
Now, luckily for me, we have what I call “Indian feasts” on a regular basis. I call them “feasts” because it’s usually not just one or two dishes…it’s more like 10 to 15!!! My wife will spend all day cooking a huge, fantastic feast and then cool and freeze the leftovers for lunches…and boy do I LOVE those lunches. The aroma of cardamom and coriander permeate the house and have me salivating at the thought of her saag paneer, the chicken tikka masala or the wonderfully spicy daal she makes. I’ll gladly do the dishes (all 100 of them) just to savour her incredible meals.
This just goes to show that you don’t need to be a professional or an expert foodie to cook great meals, all you need is the desire and the passion to eat well.