The Importance of Breakfast

Read this is John Robbin's May All Be Fed...touched me deeply.

"If you take the time to make yourself a breakfast that fits your mood and needs, and the kind of day you have ahead of you, you set in motion a wave of self-care and responsibility that remains with you throughout the day."

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making the change to eat whole, healthy and energy-rich foods, and the why's behind why this change is essential for the continuation of our life on this Earth.

Let me know what you think..

The Revolution has Arrived

So, I was feeling confined by my blog, thinking to myself, 'What about all those people who don't know about the delicious things I'm eating? How will they know about Royalty Monday breakfasts?'

Ah ha! I had one of these moments - the kind of moments people yearn for. These moments that sometimes come out no where and flood you with what I can only describe as some sort of a charge. It's like you got plugged into something that has no limits. When this particular moment came to me, it was as if someone had removed the top portion of my head, and that allowed me to channel this light in, flooded with ideas.

Then it came to me, as if it had been addressed right to me:

Guerilla Recipe Posting.

It was so simple: Bring the recipes out into the streets and put them where people can see them. Create a buzz. Share the word that good food is easy and will fill you with joy.

So I did it. On Monday night, I posted the recipe for An Exciting Breakfast and

The Perfect Hash Browns for one:

4 nugget potatoes, 2 cloves garlic, one small green or red chili, 2 green onions, salt and pepper and 2 tsp oil.
Dice potatoes into small cubes and mince the garlic, chili and onions.
Heat the oil up in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add all ingredients to the pan and stir often. Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper and cook until golden and crunchy - about 8 minutes. Garnish with flat leaf parsley if you feel like getting fancy.
Eat this with your breakfast and feel strong!

I bought myself a staple gun and packing tape, got 200 copies of the recipes and hit the pavement. I had someone tall with superb taping skills help me slap up the posters around the city in strategic places. We hit corporate buildings, public sidewalks, bus stops and side lanes. We finished off at City TV, posting them right in front of the main entrance, dodging from the night time security guard. What a rush! I felt like such a badass.

My goal is to create a following within the community. I am committing to posting easy, delicious, inspiring recipes weekly, around the city. I'll post them online as well! Look for the HUNGRY? Try This: in bold letters around the city, bus stops, lamp posts, corporate buildings...you get the picture.

Spread the word! If you try a recipe and love it, tell me about it! Post here what works for you and any variations you may be inspired to try.

The revolution has arrived! Come, join the movement. Guerilla recipe posting coming to a city near you soon...!

Breakfast for Royalty on Rainy Mondays

I woke up to the smell of fresh rain this morning and a strong craving for something sweet to accompany my morning tea.
I sat on my balcony, sipping earl grey, imagining the perfect breakfast.

Then it came to me: Berry Pancakes with Butterscotch sauce.

I went to the Flea market yesterday and picked up a couple pints of really extraordinarily fresh strawberries. I made little free-form tarts last night with those berries and some blueberries, all wrapped up in a really simple pastry! I had some of the filling (sliced strawberries, blueberries, lemon zest, a couple teaspoons of sugar and a bit of cornstartch -- to thicken it) left over, so I just spooned that onto the pancakes after they had been in the pan for about a minute. As soon as bubbles appear on the outer edges of the cake, flip it over.

I recently went back to Calgary and during my visit I got some new Teflon pans. I feel so spoiled every time I add something to these new pans and feel confident that I won't be scraping it for hours later. The pancakes were so perfectly golden and evenly toasted this morning, I was speechless.

Here's what you do:

Separate 3 large eggs into two bowls. Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks. In the other bowl, combine the yolks with a scant cup of all purpose flour, a heaping teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole or butter milk. Mix until smooth batter. Gently fold in the egg whites in, mixing gently so you don't squash out all the air.

Pour your batter into a medium high, non-stick pan. Spoon on some sort of filling, cook for another minute, watch for the bubbles, and flip. Jamie Oliver insists that fresh corn in pancakes tastes 'absolute pukka!', which I am assuming is delicious. He says to drizzle it with a little maple syrup and eat lots of bacon on the side.

I made a on-the-fly butterscotch sauce by melting a little butter (maybe 4tbsp?) in a small sauce pan on medium low, and then adding a few scoops of golden brown sugar. I stirred often until the butter was melted, and then added a splash of cream and some vanilla, mixing with a fork and keeping on the heat until smooth and glossy.

I poured that over the hotcakes and felt like a Queen on a Monday.
Try it, treat yourself, treat someone else. Spread the word, we can all eat like royalty!

My Love Affair with a Juicer

I'm practically dating my Breville Juicer.
The day it came in the mail, I carried it home on my head, 15 blocks in 30˚ weather. The things we do for love.
Since my Breville came into my life, I can barely remember what my days were like before I juiced. I feel the days when I don't juice now. I think about the juice all day long, what sorts of fruits I'll whiz together and imagine what it'll taste like. Even as I write this I am thirstily gulping down an electric orange, frothy concoction of golden delicious apples, pink grapefruit and carrots. It's life force in a cup.

I've tried oranges, pears (!!!), peaches, strawberries, blueberries, lemon and of course, apples, carrots and grapefruits. I haven't branched out yet to the vegetable juices. I think I need some guidence.

Any one have any favourite juices? Tricks? Tips? Feel free to give this new, enamoured juicer your thoughts.

Until then, I'll be in the kitchen with Breville.

I've been a slack Alice

I've haven't been giving this blog the love it deserves.
I haven't been sharing the beautiful things I have been eating with all you lovely people.

That's got to stop.

I've eaten so well today, I want everyone to know about it.

I'm making a fried tofu sandwich right now, one of my all time favourite comfort foods. Just toast some toothsome bread and spread with mayo, mustard, tomatoes, sprouts and lots of salt and pepper. Slice some extra firm tofu into 1/2 inch slices and fry in a little oil over medium high heat until crispy. I like putting a little soy sauce and maple syrup in a bowl and marinading the tofu for about 5 minutes before cooking.

Stack the sandwich up, and squish it down a little.


Divine!!!

I swear, you'll hear from me soon!!

An Exciting Breakfast

Hungry?

Try This:

Smash up one avocado.
Add a chopped cilantro, green onions, a tomato, a clove of garlic, one small chili and the juice of half a lime.
Season with salt.

Toast and butter two slices of nice bread.

Heat up one can of Heinz beans in tomato sauce until bubbly.

Fry two eggs in hot canola oil until they are puffed up and golden, flip and fry for one more minute.

Spread avocado mixture on one slice, beans on the other. Top each with an egg.

Never be bored with breakfast again.

Try it, love it, learn it, and share it.