To restart the momentum, here’s a quickie post!

Quick cooking tip: freeze blue cheese and then grate it with a microplane onto your food.

The blue cheese will be much more evenly distributed over your food and adding the blue cheese last as a garnish will accentuate its presence too. This trick will probably help you cut back on the amount of cheese you need as well!

Sound like a two bird one stone deal right? You use less for the same flavour punch!

Especially if you need to watch your cheese intake and possibly cut back, this trick will make your cheese quota stretch without missing out on the cheese flavour.

Give it a try!

It was an Asian-style Coconut-y sweet soup with taro bites and assorted beans.

As the name implies, this menu item features root veggies and beans which makes it a good source of fiber and protein, perfect as a fulfilling and energizing meal to start off my day.

Yes, although this sweet soup is a dessert-like item, I would still consider it to be a smart option at Dim Sum restaurants since most other items are heavily loaded with refined carbs and/or fatty, sugary components.

And since I wouldn’t have dim sum for breakfast on a regular basis anyways, this dessert soup would at most become one of the many items on my “Eat Sometimes” list.

Eating out has truly become an inseparable part of many people’s lives and it would irrational for them to cut back dramatically. Thus, choosing foods smartly when dining out takes on a key role for maintaining steady weight and good health.

And think of it this way: treat finding smart eating out options as a challenge (look at it as an exploration, as a new chapter and opening doors to new foods!). Enjoy the process, and stay positive!

Photo by poopoorama

When I was younger, curry was simply curry. It was nothing unique, just a yellow spicy sauce that you stir into rice and eat with a spoon.

But now I’m older, and I’m wiser (at least I’ll like to think that I am!), I have finally opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in the world of curries.

A simple Google search will offer dozens of delicious recipes from all over the world. It is simply eye-dazzling…and sometimes plain confusing.

So, to help you navigate through the maze of curries, I will highlight the four most common varieties of curries and (hopefully!) show you how they are unique and what sets them apart from each other.

Let’s begin!

Indian curries relies heavily on spices to build deep and bold flavours. Spices used include mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, curry leaves, and turmeric… and the list can go on and on.To extract the most flavours, it is best to toast whole spices (then grind them up) and lightly fry the ground spices until they smell fragrant. Legumes such as lentils or chickpeas can be added in for substance. Yogurt and/or cilantro can be included as finishing touches. Try: Easy Chickpea and Spinach Indian Curry.

Japanese curries are characterized by their distinctive sweet flavour, mild heat and thick consistency. The sweetness comes from caramelized onions and other sweet additions such as apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. To get the creamy, rich sauce, the secret ingredient is Japanese curry block. It is a roux-based curry paste that should be only near the end of cooking to give flavour and thicken up the curry sauce. The key is to not let the mixture come to a boil (just gently reheat) after adding in the curry block as prolonged heating will destroy its flavour and aroma. Try: Japanese Chicken Curry.

Thai curries come in three colours: red, yellow and green. The colours represent different levels of heat, red being mildest and green being hottest. Thai curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk are the essential ingredients that build the base flavours of Thai curries. Lightly frying the curry paste in oil before adding in other components will bring flavours to life, a generous dash of fish sauce will add in the signature savory flavour common in Thai cuisine and coconut milk stirred in near the end of cooking will tame the heat and add creaminess to the sauce. Try: Thai Chicken Curry.

Malaysian curries get their bold flavours from using curry powders or instant curry paste (the latter is becoming more popular). It originates from Indian curry, but it has been localized to a Malaysian taste. Unlike Indian curries, however, yogurt is not used. And compared to Thai curries, coconut milk is only used sparingly to complement the spices and not overwhelm them; thus Malaysian curries tend to be on the hotter side . Try: Malaysian Chicken Curry.

Different cuisines will have their own way of making curry, or at least have some sort of a dish that is inspired by curries. To introduce all of the different variations in this post would be too overwhelming, so I chose to focus on the four most popular types.

Try the above recipes to get a taste of the Authentic curry flavours, and then get creative and combine the techniques that you like from each cuisine to create something unique for yourself (I made Lentil Curry with Potatoes).

How do you like to make your curries? Which style will you try next?

The first things I saw when I walked into the kitchen that morning were 10 plates laid out, each carrying a different grain. Immediately, I knew the theme of the day was whole grains!

We kicked off the session by playing a little game of detective. Since most of the participants were unfamiliar with whole grains, we spent some time matching the grains to their description cards. Through this activity, we learned a bit more about these seemingly exotic grain products and people became less intimidated and more curious to try them out.

With a Dietetics background, I was able to recognize most of the grains, but still I got quite mesmerized by the sight of seeing so many different whole grain options available. At the same time, tt really got me thinking that we are so blessed to have such a large selection of grains available for us to choose from nowadays, but sadly, for the majority of the population, people are still stubbornly stuck on choosing the white stuff, the refined grains. The most common reason that I’ve heard about why people dislike whole grains is  that they lack flavour or have a unpleasant texture. But as I gazed upon the selection on the table, I thought to myself, was it really possible that people can dislike all of the whole grain options out there? Or, was it a simple matter of just giving up on whole grains too soon and declaring that refined grains are “better”. So, in my opinion, perhaps it is just a matter of having the willingness to explore new foods. And when people do, they will be able to find whole grain options that they enjoy.

After the brief introduction on whole grains and getting everyone excited about cooking them, we quickly moved onto the main focus of the session — the cooking part. We made 3 dishes, each featuring a different whole grain.

The first course was a soup: Mushroom, Barley and Lentil Soup. With veggies, barley and lentils, this soup was truly a hearty, one-pot meal. The lentils were tender and their starchiness thicken the soup, and gave it a rich and creamy consistency. The barley was chewy and provided substance. This was a meatless soup but it was still full of umami flavours from the mushrooms. We made a huge pot so there were plenty for everyone to taste and take home. I happily took home a generous portion, poured it into individual containers and froze them for later.

After the soup, we tried the Millet Pilaf with Butternut Squash. I had never made a pilaf before and only until now did I realize how simple it was. It was basically rice cooked with broth and vegetables. In this case, the rice was replaced by a whole grain, millet. As for the vegetable, we chose to incorporate butternut squash because they are now at their prime. Seasoned with a generous pinch of mustard seeds and cumin seeds, this dish was full of flourishing deliciousness. For an extra bit of decadence, we garnished the pilaf with some buttery, caramelized onions. Needless to say, the combo tasted amazing!

The last dish we made was the Quinoa Salad with a Creamy Tahini Dressing. Preparing the quinoa took the most time (we had to cook it first and then let it cool down before tossing it with the rest of the components). Then assembling the salad itself and whipping up the dressing took no time at all. The chopped red onion provided a nice sweet crunch and some vibrant colour; while the chickpeas and the quinoa made the dish more substantial. Mixed together with the creamy dressing and a handful of chopped cilantro, this salad was wonderfully light and refreshing.

In addition to learning new ways to prepare whole grains, I also learned a new cooking trick: use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa. One of the ladies mentioned that she tried this method before and the quinoa turned out just as fluffy as using the traditional stove-top method.

Both visits to the Community Kitchen has been very enjoyable. I am absolutely thrilled to see that this cooking group is not just about making delicious food, but that it equally values health and nutrition.

And one just more thing to get excited for…I’ve been invited to do a mini presentation on a nutrition topic during the next session. I’ve chosen to talk about some misconceptions surrounding the topic of cholesterol, hoping to debunk some myths and offer some facts for my friends at the Community Kitchen. Can’t wait until the next session, I’m excited!

I stumbled across the website promoting my local community kitchen when I was googling for cooking classes a few weeks ago. I did not have the faintest idea of what a community kitchen was all about, but since it involved cooking and eating, I picked up the phone and contacted the coordinator immediately and signed myself up.

My first visit to the community kitchen was last week. I had no idea what to expect and frankly, I was a little bit anxious about meeting new people but at the same time, I was really excited and looking forward to doing some cooking and learning a few new recipes.

My mood went from super excited to not-so-excited when I saw a pile of zucchinis sitting on the counter. Then, when I found out the theme of the day was zucchini, my heart sank a bit even more because that would mean featuring zucchinis in two of the dishes. Thank goodness a third recipe was planned — oatmeal cookies for dessert. Oatmeal cookies are one of my favourite foods so knowing that we would make some tasty cookies really helped to bring my cooking spirit back. So even though I wasn’t particularly fond with using zucchinis, I quickly got involved in helping the others do the prep work and cooking to create the 3-course menu.

The first recipe ready was the Curried Zucchini Soup. I started off with no interest in this soup at all, but I grew progressively more excited about it since I took part in making it, plus Minoo, our leader, kept expressing how tasty the soup was turning out as she tasted and adjusted the seasonings. Especially since the last step in the recipe involved pureeing the soup using an immersion blender, my resentment toward it diminished quickly because there was no large zucchini chunks which essentially made a world of difference since it is the zucchini’s mushy texture that I dislike the most.

The soup turned out to be completely different from what I had anticipated. It did not remind me of zucchini at all really (thanks to the pureeing step), and the spices really brightened the soup and left behind a very warm sensation at the back of my throat as I swallowed each bite. The dried cranberries were also a great addition; not only did it add some contrasting colour to the dish, the sweet flavour was also the perfect counterbalance to the heat, creating a very complex and mesmerizing taste experience. Delicious! (In fact I enjoyed it so much that I made another batch 2 days later at home!)

While we were licking the soup bowl clean, the next dish, Potato Mousse with Zucchini, was ready. This was a layered dish – alternating layers of sliced zucchini rounds and potato mousse (light and fluffy mashed potato with grated cheese), finished off with a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for decadence. I loved the look of this dish, but this dish did not wow me as much as the soup.  I enjoyed the smooth and fluffy texture of the mashed potatoes, yet I found the zucchini pieces to be slightly lacking in flavour.

Bonus! Although this isn’t my favourite recipe of the day, I did learn a new trick — fold in whipped egg white to the mashed potatoes to create that fluffy texture. I think this technique is just so clever, and I will totally use this trick the next time I make pureed root veggies to lighten up the texture.

Last but not least…Oatmeal Cookies! These cookies were just the perfect two-bite size. They were soft and chewy with just the right amount of sweetness. They were so good that I just wanted to eat my entire share right there on the spot, but I resisted that urge and managed to save two for later.

It’s amazing how time really just seems to fly by when you cook. And even though I was helping to prepare two zucchini dishes that I wasn’t especially excited about, I still really enjoyed the cooking process. Chatting and laughing with the other people while cooking together created a very welcoming, cozy and comforting environment and I loved every moment of it.

I’m already looking forward to the next gathering – Indian Chicken Curry and traditional Jewish Latkes are on the menu!

Meatloaf is one of those recipes in which I always make the full serving size. I tried to reduce the recipe proportionally to make it to serve 2 people, but it ended up nothing like a meatloaf, rather something that resembles more like gigantic meatballs. Hence, from that day forward, making a full recipe for meatloaf is without doubt the way to go.

Think it is bizarre to make such a big recipe for a dinner for two? Not to me! Because what I like to do is serve 2 portions immediately for dinner and then cut up the remaining into single portions, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them for later. It may seem like I am creating a heck lot of leftovers from just making one meal, but really what I am doing is preparing and saving the star ingredient for many quick and easy meals in the future.

Meatloaf chunks + tomato sauce + pasta. This is my version of a quick spaghetti and “meatballs”. Roughly chop the meatloaf into big chunks, combine with jarred or homemade tomato sauce and toss together with hot pasta. Add in some extra veggies to bulk up the meal or sprinkle on cheese for decadence.

Meatloaf bits + silken tofu + canned tomatoes + cooked rice. This is a simple and easy one-pot meal with an Asian flare. In a small pot, heat canned tomatoes and meatloaf until tomatoes have softened. Meanwhile, let the meatloaf soak up the tomato sauce and break it up into small pieces. Then, add in cooked rice and cubed silken tofu (previously pressed & drained of excess water) and simmer until warmed through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil (and try adding in a dash of sambal oelek for a spicy kick). Garnish with scallion pieces and serve hot.

Meatloaf slices + cheese + bun. Instead of buying frozen beef patties, I like to use thick-cut meatloaf slices. Simply cut a meatloaf portion into two thick slices, pan-fry it in olive oil until nicely browned. Then, place it on a toasted burger bun, spread on some ketchup and mustard, add in a leaf of crisp lettuce and tomato slices for a juicy, fresh and meaty burger! If the meatloaf fall into chunks when you cut it up, serve it up in a hot dog bun instead for a chili-dog style meatloaf bun, equally fun and delicious.

And lastly, must not forget to mention the yummy Baked Tomato Rice with Meatloaf and Egg – this is one of my favourite lunch ideas. It’s hearty, quick and addictively delicious!

Of course, the easiest way to serve leftover meatloaf would be to just thaw it and serve it plain, but most of the times, I like to combine it with other foods to create new flavours and keep my meals interesting.

How do you like to enjoy your meatloaf leftovers?

Recent study shows that most Canadians are not meeting the serving recommendations set by Canada’s Food Guide, especially in the dairy and fruits and vegetables section.

Most people have no problem adding in fruits into their diets, but if you find it challenging to have more veggies, read about my suggestions on how to increase your vegetable intake.

Many people tend to think the dairy food group does not provide much health benefits and hence, I is easily neglected in our diet. However, consuming dairy products not only helps us to meet our calcium needs, it also plays a supportive role in reducing the risks of chronic illnesses, including osteoporosis, and certain types of cancers. Thus, getting enough milk products is not just about keeping our bones strong, it is also about keeping optimal health!

In tackling the problem of not eating any dairy, the possible list of solutions shrinks. The problem is slightly more complex than adding in more vegetables since lactose intolerance seems to bother most adults these days and for others, they just don’t really have new ways to enjoy dairy products (I’m one of them!). Thus, instead of offering solid ways to significantly boost your dairy intake, here I can only offer you a few methods that I’m trying out to boost my dairy intake.

Substitute milk for water in cooking.

Instead of cooking 1 cup oatmeal with 2 cups of water, I try to substitute half in 1 cup low-fat milk. The result yields a slightly sweet flavour (due to the presence of natural sugar in milk, lactose) and the colour of the oatmeal becomes more creamy and it actually tastes more creamy too! If you prepare a big batch of oatmeal and reheats it the next day, you can add in a bit more milk to thin it out.

Add cheese to your meals or snacks.

Try added some grated low-fat cheese to your main dish or side dishes – not only will it enhance the flavour, but it will be a quick calcium boost too. Or how about adding a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese to your fruit salad snack. The protein in the cheese will slow down digestion and prevent sugar spikes from the sweet fruits.

Instead of drinking juice, try a yogurt drink.

At many occasions, we tend to choose fruit juice over other beverages thinking that it will add to our fruits and vegetables intake (which it does, but provides minimal benefits in comparison to consuming whole fruits). In many cases, the health benefits that fruit juice offer is very minimal compare to the negative health impact that it can have. Very often, commercially prepared fruit juice are loaded with sugars and hence, we’re basically tricking ourselves to think that consuming sugar-coated fruits and vegetables are good for us! Thus, it may actually be smarter to substitute dairy beverages. This is especially suitable for those who have lactose intolerant (the fermentation process in yogurt consumes most lactose in the milk, with only trace amounts remaining).

In attempt to boost my own dairy consumption, these are the three easiest ways for me to include more dairy products in my life. What are you doing to boost your dairy intake?

To find out more about dairy consumption and calcium intake, here are a few helpful resources:

• Getenough.ca
• Dairy Foundation of Canada
• Dietitians of Canada: Calcium Counts Fact Sheet

Canada’s Food Guide suggests that the average adult should eat about 7 – 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. For some people, meeting this guideline can be a huge challenge (especially those of us who aren’t big salad eaters)! However, by planning ahead, you can easily incorporate more vegetables into your meals and add on a few more servings of vegetables to your diet.

Here are three simple tips to sneak in more vegetables into your meals:

Make your own tomato sauce.

Instead of using store-bought, chemical-laden tomato sauce which are often high in sodium, try making a homemade version (here’s a simple recipe to try — Five Minute Tomato Sauce). Making your own sauce gives you the freedom to add in more vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, carrots and celery. By adding in extra veggies, you enhance the sauce’s flavour and give it an instant nutrition boost! Experiment with different herbs and spices and use it as pasta sauce, pizza sauce or meatball sauce…the list is endless.

Puree vegetables into curry sauce.

Caramelized onions is the ultimate best option because it adds a lot of sweetness to the sauce. Other good options include carrots, bell peppers and corn kernels. Pureed vegetables will give a creamy texture to the sauce and the additional sweetness will definitely help to offset the spiciness of the curry flavour. By pureeing vegetables, you will be able enjoy the benefits of consuming more vegetables without risking to ruin the texture and flavour of the food.

Try mashed sweet potatoes or add in mashed cauliflower.

Most people can’t resist rich and creamy mashed potatoes. Although it is a vegetable option, the healthiness of it decreases as you stir in the butter and milk. However, by adding in some mashed cauliflower, you can add back in some healthiness. Another option to mashed potato would be mashed sweet potatoes. The flavour and texture will be similar, with an added hint of sweetness and a great boost in fiber and beta-carotene (essential nutrient for keeping your eyes, skin and immune system healthy!).

If these options still cannot encourage you to eat more vegetables, perhaps it’s time to try through cookbooks that offer fail-proof recipes for more ideas on sneaking in healthy fruits and vegetables. Here’s two websites to get you started: The Sneaky Chef and Deceptively Delicious.

What are some tricks you use to incorporate more vegetables into your meals?

To prepare basic oatmeal, all you need to do is:

1. Boil 2 cups water in a pot.
2. When water boils, stir in 1 cup oatmeal (quick oats, regular oats, steel cut oats – whatever you like).
3. Turn down the heat to minimum and let the oatmeal simmer until it absorbs the water and becomes a thick goo (it becomes slightly chewy and gives a very creamy texture!).
4. if you like it creamier, add a bit more water and boil it until the water is absorbed.
5. While the oatmeal is hot, stir in the desired ingredients to create your personalized oatmeal breakfast!
6. If you have leftover, just place into a container and put it in your fridge when it’s cool. When you want oatmeal again, simply reheat it in the microwave.

3 savory (crazy!) flavours:

1. My childhood favourite: ground beef and egg. Add marinated ground beef when the oatmeal is almost done. Make sure the ground beef is cooked thoroughly. Then, while constantly stirring, add in a beaten egg to get streaks of egg immersed in the oatmeal (make sure you are stirring the whole time or else you get big chunks of egg and the egg flavour will become too overwhelming!).
2. My recent new attempt: cheese. Grate some old cheddar, or your favourite cheese, into the bottom of your bowl, then pour in the hot oatmeal. Stir well and enjoy! To me, cheese oatmeal is  like eating a healthy version of Mac n’ Cheese.
3. Unbelievable tasty: soy sauce + scallions. Stir in 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of soy sauce into 1 cup cooked oatmeal and then stir in about 1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped scallions for an Oriental flavour. Don’t skip the scallions, it adds aroma and a lot of flavour. If you skip it, your oatmeal will taste funny…  By the way, try to use low-sodium soy sauce to prevent sodium overload!

Oatmeal is so versatile. It is actually possible to have it everyday and you will not get bored because you can have different flavours each day! Because it doesn’t have a strong flavour itself, you can really play with the flavour by adding in whatever you want and the oatmeal will adapt to what you add in.

For my next crazy attempt, I’m planning to mix oatmeal with mashed Kabocha squash with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Any other wild combinations that you can think of but never had the courage to try? Share it with me and maybe (just maybe!) I will be brave enough to test it for you…

Question: How do you like to enjoy your oatmeal? Sweet or Savory? What do you add in?