Garbage Pasta (don't worry, not really)

Don't panic - by garbage I just mean whatever you have leftover in the fridge.

Last night wasn't the first night I took some leftovers and made a delicious meal. How often do you open your fridge and feel like you have nothing when really the crisper is over flowing? Probably more than you'd think.

This meal can't really have a recipe because you'll make it with whatever you happen to have in the fridge. I will give you the recipe for the sauce I made though because it was delicious (and healthy too).

What you will need for the garbage pasta

- 1 pkg of any pasta of your choice
- any vegetables you may have in the fridge (I used cherry tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower). Some other suggestions: spinach, mushrooms, green or red peppers (or yellow or orange - why not?), baby carrots, bok choy (seems random but who knows?). Really, you can use any vegetable of your choice.
- any leftover meat you have (chicken, shrimp, steaks) I used some chicken sausages I had in the freezer.

All you have to do to make the pasta (make sure you salt the water), and throw all your other ingredients in a large saute pan to soften the vegetables.

For the sauce:
1/4 cup of flour
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of pesto
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

What to do:
This is an easy way to make a healthier version of a roux (butter and flour mixed together and used to thicken sauce).  All I did was take about 1/2 cup of the broth put it together with the flour in an air tight container. I gave it a good shake and then mixed it with the remainder of the broth.

Heat the broth mixture and add the garlic powder. Once it comes to a boil, add the Greek yogurt, parmesan cheese and pesto.

Then, just toss the sauce, pasta and meat and vegetables together and voila! You've got a garbage pasta!

Here's what mine looked like:

My favourite dip - the green stuff

This post has been a long time coming and I can't believe I've never written about guacamole before!

There are so many different ways to make this delicious green dip and to be honest with you, most of the time, I make it the easy, fast way - with a packaged mix. I know, I know, how can I call myself a foodie if I use this pre-made guacamole mix but it's really good and it also has an ingredient in it that I find even better than citrus for keeping the guac from turning brown.

This isn't the exact one I buy but I think they're all pretty similar. They're also usually placed right by the avocados in the grocery store.

If however, you are feeling ambitious, you can do it this way (this is my favourite way to make it if I have the time/energy/ingredients):

2 avocados
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
handful of chopped cilantro
juice from 1/2 lime.
lots of s & p

Then, you just mash the avocados and mix in the other ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips.

I also have one of these things which is awesome for scooping the avocado out of the skin.

 

Or, if you're in the grocery store and craving guacamole but don't feel like making it, they have this at Safeway and apparently at Costco too. I haven't tried it but I'm told it's really good and tastes like the real thing. I've never been a fan of pre-made, store-bought guacamole because it just doesn't taste anything like real avocados - I don't think they're meant to be preserved (they turn brown when they're exposed to the air). 

 

Jamie Oliver and my dad

Hey readers,

I'd like to blog about my dad today. That's right, my dad, like me, does enjoy to get his hands dirty in the kitchen once in awhile. (Although my dad is like the cleanest person ever so he doesn't really get dirty. That was just a figure of speech.)

Our PVR is full of recordings of Jamie's Meals in Minutes because my dad just loves it! I think it's Jamie's style and approach to cooking that make him so desirable as a TV personality and chef. He's very "no muss, no fuss" and his style is very rustic. I would recommend checking out his show on the Food Network if you get the chance.

The other day, my dad decided he was going to take over making dinner so he went shopping and planned an entire meal (on a weekday). He made pork tenderloin rubbed with rosemary and garlic, smashed carrots, peas and a delicious garlic bread.

Here's a clip from the show:

Another PR fail - Foodie Edition

You guys all know that I'm a PR nerd so when I saw this food-related PR "fail", I knew I had to share it with you.


It was August in New York and a bunch of food bloggers were invited to dine at an underground, swanky, hip restaurant in the West Village. They were told they would be enjoying food prepared by George Duran, the chef who hosts "Ultimate Cake Off" on TLC.


The event was organized by PR and Marketing agency, Ketchum whose client was ConAgra Foods.


The bloggers were invited to:


“an intimate Italian restaurant” where attendees would enjoy a “delicious four-course meal,” Mr. Duran’s “one-of-a-kind sangria,” and learn about food trends from a food industry analyst, Phil Lempert. The invitation continued that upon confirming — for one of five evenings beginning Aug. 23 — bloggers would receive an extra pair of tickets as a prize for readers and that the dinner would include “an unexpected surprise.” (NY Times)


Sounds like a great event, right?


Wrong!


After the bloggers were finished eating, it was revealed to them that they had actually eaten a Three Meat and Four Cheese Lasagna by Marie Callender’s, a frozen line from ConAgra Foods.


Needless to say, the bloggers were offended. ConAgra invited influential bloggers who write about and review good quality, real food. They were quite cheesed when they found out what they had unwillingly eaten and they even served the lasagna to a blogger who was open about the fact that he's allergic to preservatives and one who writes about being calorie conscious.


Here's what ConAgra had to say (from NY times):


“The twist at the end was not dissimilar with what brands like Pizza Hut and Domino’s have done in the recent past with success,” she said, referring to hidden-camera advertising campaigns. ConAgra expected to use the footage for promotional videos on YouTube and its Web site, and for bloggers to generate buzz when they wrote about being pleasantly surprised.


I understand what ConAgra was trying to do but even I know they did it with the wrong audience. Prominent food bloggers are not interested in frozen microwaveable meals. They were trying to copy a campaign used on regular, busy families with the same effect. No such luck, ConAgra.


Some of the responses:
Here's a sampling from the FoodMayhem blog:
To Mr. George Duran:

On behalf of the the culinary world, we hereby revoke your dodin bouffant; apron; and most of all, your right to call yourself a ‘chef’.  You sir are an embarrassment to those in the culinary industry working hard to maintain and enhance a culture of food as one of the best parts of living.

We discussed with the group the sad state of chemical-filled foods and discussed various chains.  And yet, you still fed me the exact thing I said I did not want to eat.

And this from the ChubbyChineseGirl blog:

I'm NOT their target consumer and they were totally off by thinking I would buy or promote their highly processed frozen foods after tricking me to taste it.

Best things about Autumn - Food Edition

Hey guys,

I haven't done a lot of cooking in the last week (other than the regular stuff) so I apologize for the lack of recipe in this post but I would like to talk the time to talk a little about autumn related food.

That's right, it's time to say goodbye to lovely summer salads and sangria and trade it in for more heartier, warming meals. And the best part of fall? Fall suppers! That's right, those suppers that are put on by all the ladies of a church and are usually held in a church basement. Those suppers where you buy one ticket and all the food is there for you to enjoy (as much as you want!). Not so good when you've recently joined Weight Watchers though.

The fall harvest is perhaps one of the best things about fall as well. My mom, Nana and I went to a Hutterite colony and got a ton of fresh vegetables, baking and preserves. We bought some jams, meat pies and some fruit pies. They also had lots of different pickled things and even a ready-to-eat jarred vegetable soup.

Also, if you are a Red River College student like me, don't forget to check out the next issue - my very first installment of my brand new food column!

Yet Another Delicious, Lean Recipe

If you're anything like me (maybe you aren't but hear me out anyway), you are constantly trying to watch your calorie intake. I recently joined Weight Watchers and last night I made this fantastic recipe that was only 6 points! For those of you who don't know, that's pretty low for an entire meal.

I got the idea to make this dish from an Eating Light magazine but of course like every recipe, I made my own changes and adjustments to it.

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs:

You will need:
1 spaghetti squash (this should be enough for about 4 people depending on the size of the squash)
1 jar of your favourite spaghetti sauce
1 lb of lean ground turkey
1/4 cup of italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of chopped, fresh basil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 egg white
1 tbsp olive oil
s & p

What to do:

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and stick in the microwave for about 5-8 minutes. You will know it's ready when you can easily scoop out the "spaghetti" strands. Fully scoop out the squash and set aside.

For the meatballs:
2. Mix the turkey, garlic, egg white, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, fennel, olive oil, basil and some salt and pepper by hand. Form small meatballs (about the size of a ping pong ball) and place on a baking sheet lined with tin foil.
3. Cook the meatballs under the broiler for about 6 minutes on each side. I can never tell when they're done unless I take a small peek inside one of them so feel free to do this. No one will judge you.
4. Heat the spaghetti sauce in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. When the meatballs are done, mix them with the sauce and serve over the spaghetti squash.
5. Top with a little more s & p (if needed), a little parm and maybe some of the fresh basil to make the plate look pretty!

Food Network Canada App

In keeping with the theme of my blog AND fulfilling a class requirement, I'd like to share with you the wonderfulness that is the Food Network Canada app.

As you can imagine, I've tried a lot of apps related to food and cooking. When I'm making meals, I don't necessarily follow recipes but I definitely take inspiration from all sorts of recipes from a bunch of different places.

I chose to blog about the Food Network Canada app because the Food Network is of course a TV channel and therefore, a business. The app uses the following principles of persuasion to get you to watch the channel.

Identification - I can use these recipes to make delicious dishes for my family, just like my favourite Food Network stars.
Action - All the recipes from my favourite Food Network stars are at my fingertips. I don't have to go to a website to see them.
Familiarity and Trust - The recipes featured are ones I've seen before on TV on a channel I like from a "company" who knows how to cook.
Clarity - the app is easily read with clear directions and nice pictures.

The reason why I love this app is because there's a vast index of recipes and I love to see the pictures (I'm very inspired by pictures). And let's face it, the Food Network is on my mind when I'm cooking. For someone who isn't an avid viewer of the Food Network (because I am already), the app is a constant reminder of what they could be learning how to make by watching the network.