Walk Widely. Eat Wisely. Live Gratefully.
Leftovers can be a great start to lunch, and using them up while they are top-of-mind is key to preventing them from becoming a science experiment at the back of your fridge. This is a salmon loaf from the classic Anne Lindsay cookbook, Lighthearted Everyday Cooking. Ours is an ancient dogeared copy, but it is still a wealth of easy, practical healthy recipes.
We paired it with a slaw of grated carrot and shaved celery, dressed with a mix of equal parts Dijon, light mayo, and rice vinegar.
We’ve been in “use it up” mode at our house lately, finding creative ways to avoid the grocery store and use what’s on hand. This includes working down things we have in the freezer, in anticipation (hope?) of another season of garden bounty. Also, I was once again fooled into buying bananas. Here in Nova Scotia, even if the bananas look as green as grass, they won’t last more than a day or two. So here’s what we did – enough for last night’s dinner and lunch today…
Dice a large carrot, an onion, and two peeled white potatoes. Put on to boil in some vegetable broth, then simmer 10 minutes til tender.
Chop up half a pound or about 200g of fish, or use leftover cooked fish, and add to the veg along with a couple of large spoonfuls of dried unsweetened coconut and a tablespoon (15ml) of curry powder. Simmer until fish ish opaque and stir in a cup or so of milk.
Heat through…and here’s the surprise: in each bowl, slice in half a banana. Top with the soup and some chopped herbs – we have basil and Vietnamese coriander growing in the window.
It was delish, and we hope you enjoy it.
For the first day in what seems like ages, we aren’t getting our exercise by chucking hundreds of kilos of snow and ice around. But all that “necessary exercise” has made us feel fitter and more able to push ourselves during our regular workouts, as we return to normal. Not only that, but local spring veg (albeit indoor-grown) are making an appearance to give us hope. This morning, homemade whole grain bread topped with local cream cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber, a poached egg, and a little chipotle powder to wake up the taste buds.
Thanks to Denise MacLean pottery for making the beautiful mug!
Yesterday’s meetings finished late enough that we didn’t get home until the slush in the driveway had frozen into a rutted, slippery mess. So on today’s agenda, scraping and hacking. Lots of it. Clearly, fuel is needed, so this paradise rye French toast fit the bill. Paired up with a Full Steam coffee and some Acadian Maple syrup, and we’re ready to face what nature has doled out.
Thanks also to Krista Oland at Morning Sun Pottery for making these beautiful mugs!
OK, so technically a tomato is a fruit. Nonetheless, a tried and true weight management strategy is to make sure you get some fruit or veg in every meal. We like to add tomato, diced cucumber, or grated carrot to our tuna sandwiches (on whole grain homemade rye bread). Replace half the mayo with Dijon will also give your tuna salad a flavour kick!
Delicious! We are always inspired to find new ways to use things like a basic roasted turkey. Soups, salads, stews, chilis…it’s all good. Today’s lunch finished off the last of the bird.
For two:
1 package of romaine hearts – chop or leave whole and arrange on plates
Top with:
110g diced roast turkey
1 medium apple
For the dressing, mix:
10ml/2t anchovy paste
15ml/1T each Dijon and lemon juice
30ml/2T fat free plain yogurt
Drizzle over your salad and grate on a light serving of Parmesan cheese.
…I was going to end that title with “in the frozen northland”, but in fact, relatively speaking, we are in the south of our country. However it is most decidedly winter, and that can make local a challenge. Fortunately there is nearly always a hydroponic/greenhouse grower of greens – or a friendly windowsill.
Top a big batch of greens with a simple vinaigrette of mustard, olive oil, maple syrup and cider vinegar. Sprinkle with sliced apples, walnuts, raisins, feta, and…eat up!
A couple of nights ago we made our homemade pizza (check out the artichoke pizza recipe in the Recipes tab). This time it was 100% whole grain flour – a mix of spelt and wheat. For the toppings, olive pesto, red pepper, mushroom, anchovies, feta and mozzarella – a light touch on the cheese so the crust doesn’t steam. It has a delicious crispy, nutty flavour.
This morning, with a nod to the French, the Italians, and anyone else who thinks egg on pizza is inspired, we topped the leftovers with a perfectly poached egg.
Our return to post-holiday fitness is on track and things are (ahem) firming up nicely. On today’s agenda, a good long walk. This should give us enough energy to get that done.
The régime is going well and we are eating healthfully every day. That doesn’t mean we don’t crave flavour! To eat healthily and lose weight, in fact, flavour is critical. So is fibre. Today’s breakfast has lots of each – and after an invigorating workout, it will keep us fueled no matter what Mother Nature throws at us.
The toast is old fashioned porridge bread – you can find the recipe in the recipes tab. Scroll waaaaaay down…it’s an old favourite. On the side, homemade molasses (veg/vegan) baked beans and Mark Bittman’s fennel gratin, topped off with a poached egg. Life is what you make of it. We made this.
As shown, 367 calories, 10g fat, 9g fibre.
Another year, friend. It seems like only yesterday we were eating like it was 2014. We hope you’ll join us on our journey as we fuel ourselves mindfully and with gratitude.
Of course there are an abundance of diet books that would refute our choice of breakfast to start the year, but common sense dictates that we don’t throw away food. So instead we continue to use up leftovers in a thoughtful way. No toast today…except to our healthier selves…our repast begins with buttery steamed cabbage, roasted baby potatoes from our garden, applewood smoked bacon, and fresh eggs. The coffee isn’t local but is from a local roastery, served in a beautiful mug from my sister’s local potter, Krista Oland.
Later today we will join with friends at St. Anthony’s to give thanks for the day, and then perhaps a hike or a stroll on the wintry beach to start the year off right. We wish health and happiness to you and yours.