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Take a trip to a sunny destination via your dinner tonight

Cheria — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:20:05 +0000

Tacos night {Photo: Vadim Daniel}

Food is not only nourishment, it can also be a voyage to a faraway destination without ever leaving your kitchen. These 5 recipes will take you on a trip to a sunny destination in no time. Bon voyage!

Mexican tacos
I love tacos. They’re easy to prepare, versatile and so much fun to eat! Get everyone to pitch in and it’s a tacos fiesta in your kitchen!

Spanish paella recipe {Photo: seriouslyspain.com}

Spanish paella
No dish is more ubiquitous in Spain than paella. This dish made easier with the use of In Cuisin risotto will have you saying OLÉ in a matter of minutes!

Moroccan carrot dip

Moroccan carrot dip
I’ve always wanted to go to Morocco and it’s easy to taste the flavours of that North African country with this easy to make dip. Perfect with some In Snax crisps for that superbowl party you’re planning!

Easy jambalaya recipe

New Orleans jambalaya
Travel down south with this delicious jambalaya made easier with the use of In Cuisin tomato & basil risotto.

Greek-style cabbage rolls {Photo: Vadim Daniel}

Greek cabbage rolls
Last but not least, a recipe from my own mother land. This is a hearty, comforting recipe that will transport you to the shores of Greece with every bite.

What are some of the international recipes you like to prepare?

5 things to do this winter to boost your immune system

Cheria — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:13:32 +0000

Boost your immune system this winter!

Winter can be tough on the body. The cold temperature and the lack of a variety when it comes to seasonal produce can sometimes mean we don’t get enough vitamins with our food. Here’s a quick guide that will help you stay healthy throughout the cold months.

Eat more cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli, kale, spinach, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, etc. are all cruciferous vegetables. These are all readily available in the winter. They all contain high does of vitamin C, fiber and many other nutrients. They also contain cancer fighting properties.
Eat more root vegetables
Potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, etc. are all rich in fiber and a great source of energy. Give Jerusalem artichokes a try this winter, these are also a great source of potassium!
Eat more garlic!
Garlic is a great natural antibiotic, in the sense that it greatly reinforces the immune system and helps it fight those pesky viruses.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is a great immune system booster. Lack of sleep makes us more vulnerable and more prone to catching all kinds of viruses and bacterias. So make sure you get enough sleep!
Get some sun!
I know that it can be hard to go outside in the winter but the lack of sun can mean that the brain will stop producing serotonin, which are important in regulating our mood. So chase those winter blues away by getting some sunshine!

Start your day with a smoothie!

Cheria — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:29:22 +0000

Healthy breakfast smoothie {Photo © getridofmommytummy.com}

The temperatures may be dipping very low these days, which is why I believe we all need an extra dose of vitamins to boost up our immune system and bring some colour into our day. I like to start my day with a healthy, nutritious breakfast smoothie. Smoothies are great because I can change the flavour everyday to keep things interesting. You can use fresh or frozen fruit, different kinds of milks and yogurts (cow, goat, soy, almond), a variety of sweeteners if needed like sugar, maple syrup, agave or honey. You can even add ice (not if you use frozen fruit though), juices or ice cream. All of these different flavours will affect the taste and texture of your smoothie so don’t hesitate to experiment to find your favourite.

Basic smoothie recipe:

8 oz of your choice of yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (you can use any combination of fruit)
1 cup your choice of liquid (juice, milk or 50/50)
Some ice if needed (for texture)

Method:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

Remember to experiment and have fun! Stay warm everyone!

DIY: My top 5 clothespin crafts

Cheria — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:39:40 +0000

We all have an unused stack of wooden clothespins somewhere in our home, either because it’s winter or because someday, we decided to switch to plastic clothespins. And although they may seem useless for the time being, you can easily give them a second life that will make them almost indispensable anew… Indeed, whether it be a planter or a missing sock board, these old clothespins can come in handy in plenty of ways. Moreover, you can always paint them before undertaking these crafts if they are a bit worn out. Note that these simple crafts can all turn out to be great activities to do with the kids!

So here is a top 5 of my favourite DIY clothespin crafts:

Clothespin magnet: Why not get those old Polaroid photographs out of their albums and put them on this beautiful wall display?

Missing sock board: Still wondering where those lost socks go? Me too! At least, with this missing sock board, you will have somewhere to put their forsaken sisters while waiting for the lost ones to return, if they ever do…

Yarn storage: If you are a knitting aficionado, you know what it’s like to discover your yarn threads all tangled up. Needless to say that with this simple trick, such an annoyance will be a thing of the past.

Clothespin planter: This is undoubtedly the most surprising and inspiring craft of the lot. Who would have thought you could make such a pretty object with a mere tuna fish can and a few clothespins? You can even turn these into a candle holder!

Place card holder: If you like to host big dinners with numerous guests like I do, you know how important place cards can be. And you probably know also how simple paper cards can fall from the table (especially during summer) or get lost amid the table setting. Well, these two issues can be easily settled thanks to a handful of clothespins.

Shrimp and tomato risotto easy recipe

Cheria — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:53:12 +0000

If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent a lot of time in the kitchen during the Holidays, cooking for friends and family. However, now that we’re all slowly getting back into the swing of things, you probably just want to cook something simple. Well trust me, this easy tomato shrimp risotto recipe will do the trick. Ready in less than 20 minutes and so tasty!

Ingredients (for 4 people) :

1 onion, chopped
12 shrimps, peeled and deveined (if necessary)
2 bags of In Cuisin tomato & basil risotto
½ cup of white wine (or ½ cup of chicken broth)
2 cups of tomato sauce
Fresh basil
Olive oil

Method:

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in some olive oil.
Add shrimp and sauté until just pink.
Add your bag of In Cuisin tomato & basil risotto and the white wine (or stock). Stir until it is absorbed.
Add the tomato sauce, cover and let cook for 4-5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Before serving, add a few leaves of fresh basil.

Enjoy!

En français

Ingrédients (pour quatre personnes):

1 oignon, émincé
12 crevettes, décortiquées et déveinées (si nécessaire)
2 sacs de risotto tomato & basil In Cuisin
½ tasse de vin blanc (ou ½ tasse de bouillon de poulet)
2 tasses de sauce tomate
Basilic frais
Huile d’olive

Méthode:

Dans une grande casserole, faites revenir l’oignon dans l’huile d’olive.
Ajoutez les crevettes et faites revenir jusqu’à ce qu’elles soient rosées.
Ajoutez le sac de risotto tomato & basil In Cuisin et le vin blanc (ou le bouillon). Mélanger jusqu’à absorption du liquide.
Ajoutez la sauce tomate, couvrir et laisser cuire 4 à 5 minutes.
Salez et poivrez à votre goût.
Avant de servir, ajoutez quelques feuilles de basil frais

Bon appétit!

Wintertime beverages: my top 3 hot chocolates

Cheria — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:24:56 +0000

For me, January is the beginning of hot chocolate season. After a day at work or an afternoon spent outside on a cold day walking my dog Dexter, nothing is more satisfying than a steaming mug of hot chocolate. And it gets even more satisfying when you do it yourself. Homemade hot chocolate is so easy to make and so much better than the powder mix you find at the grocery store.

The most important ingredient of a good hot chocolate being the chocolate, I suggest you choose yours wisely. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t have a yummy hot chocolate with inexpensive chocolate, as you’ll see…

On that note, here are my top 3 hot chocolates :

Barcelona hot chocolate {Photo: myrecipes.com}

Barcelona hot chocolate

Have you ever been to Barcelona? It’s one of my favourite cities in the world and their traditional hot chocolate is divine, especially when it is accompanied with churros! The coffee and the orange rind strip really add a unique bitter taste to it. Just don’t forget to use decaffeinated coffee if you want to be able to sleep afterwards.

Hot White Chocolate with Cardamom {Photo: saveur.com}

Hot White Chocolate with Cardamom

I’m usually not a big fan of white chocolate but I must admit I really love this recipe! I especially like the use of cardamom, which balances the vanilla to give a flavourful mixture.

Nutella hot chocolate {Photo: rachelscottagehouse.wordpress.com}

Nutella Hot Chocolate

This one is my “guilty pleasure” hot chocolate. It’s really simple and particularly convenient when you’ve run out of real chocolate. And, as you can guess, the kids are crazy about it!

Also, as I’ve already said it in a previous post: In Snax cinnamon pita crisps are a delicious snack to accompany hot chocolate. Perfect for the kids or when you have a sweet tooth!

Enjoy!

Eight recipes to start 2013 the healthy way!

Cheria — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:38:37 +0000

The Holidays are over and so are the big caloric family dinners. As always, most of us have put on a few pounds during the past 2 weeks. And, as usual, one of our first objectives of the New Year is to lose that weight as fast as possible. Aside from exercise, the best way to achieve this objective is obviously to eat healthy. However, unlike what some people might think healthy food does not necessarily mean boring food.

And to prove my point, I grouped together 8 of my favorite healthy recipes. Four of them are salads, the other four soups. Moreover, they are all really easy to make so you have no reason not to start 2013 the healthy way!

Salads :

Baby spinach, apple and goat cheese salad {Photo: © Vadim Daniel}

Baby spinach, apple and goat cheese salad: This salad is the perfect proof that healthy food can be really tasty.

Healthy chickpea salad {Photo: © Vadim Daniel}

Healthy chickpea salad: This salad is one of my simplest (and least expensive) recipes. A meal full of fiber ready in less than 10 minutes!

Authentic Greek salad {Photo: © Vadim Daniel}

Authentic Greek salad: The quintessential Greek dish is a great healthy option for the New Year.

Caesar Salad { Photo: © Julia C. Vona, Photographer, Montreal }

The best caesar salad ever: One of my favourite salads, if not my favourite. Perhaps not the healthiest but definitely the tastiest!

Soups:

Linda Thompson pumpkin curry soup {Photo: © seadreamblog.wordpress.com}

Curried pumpkin soup: This recipe was sent to me by one of my followers and has ever since become part of my classics!

Jerusalem artichoke soup: Jerusalem artichoke makes such good soup but is still too little known. Try it and I’m sure you will love it!

Hearty, low-fat vegetable soup: This soup is perfect for cold winter days when you just want to eat something simple but comforting.

Root vegetable soup: Root vegetables like parsnip and celery root are among the rare local produce we can find during winter. And they make such delicious soups!

Enjoy and stay healthy!

Galette des rois: a delicious and festive tradition

Cheria — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:56:55 +0000

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are things of the past and the cold month of January is upon us… But that does not mean we can’t celebrate anymore! This Saturday January 5th, on the Eve of Epiphany, will be celebrated the Fête des Rois (literally the “Festival of Kings”), a French holiday which revolves around a delicious yet simple cake.

King’s cake or galette des rois is a puff pastry with almond cream (or frangipane) into which is hidden a trinket (usually a porcelain figurine) or a bean (la fève).

If you’ve visited France during the month of January, you must have noticed these flat cakes in the windows of the bakeries and pastry shops. They’re everywhere around this time of year!

One of the best things about this cake – and one which is sure to amuse the kids – is the ritual that goes with it: before an adult divides the cake, the youngest child of the family hides underneath the table and, once it is divided, calls out which slice goes to whom. Whoever gets the bean in his slice is named King (or Queen) for the day and gets to wear the paper crown that usually comes with the galette. One last thing: beware that the King does not choke on the bean before he is actually crowned!

So why not celebrate the Fête des Rois this year? The kids will love it and it will give you a reason to reunite the whole family around the dinner table one last time before 2013 really begins.

I usually buy my galette des rois since they are pretty easy to find in Montreal but you can always make your own. I particularly like this recipe… and will definitely try this one soon.

Enjoy and Happy New Year everyone!

A holiday brew: pine needle tea

Cheria — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:27:50 +0000

Pine needle tea

In less than 2 weeks, Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be things of the past. And so will be your Christmas tree. Thus, other from briefly brightening up the house and sheltering the family’s presents, your Christmas tree will probably have no other utility. But this also can be a thing of the past. Indeed, from this tree you can get a simple yet really comforting tea that will warm you and and your family up for the Holidays.

Native Americans were the first to discover the virtues of pine needle tea, which is rich in vitamins A and C. It is particularly good for curing colds and flus.

So before merely throwing this tree out, brew yourself a cup of fresh pine needle tea!

Ingredients:

3 cups of water
1/2 cup of fresh pine needles (choose the youngest and greenest)
Honey or agave nectar (optional but recommended)

Method:

Rinse the needles thoroughly
Chop the needles into tiny pieces
Boil water. Once it is boiling, pour over the needles in a teapot or multiple cups.
Steep 5-10 minutes
Filter and sweeten to taste.

Warning: Do not consume this tea if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Happy Holidays!

Pine needle tea recipe