Flavours of Canada

We had the most excellent meal for supper this evening! Darren, Laurel, and Bronwyn joined us.

It's interesting how things work out... I received an email from FoodTV Canada (foodtv.ca) this week that suggested registering for the "World’s Longest Barbeque" at this Flavours of Canada website for a chance to win a prize. The barbeque, in support of Canadian food producers, was scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday July 31, 2004. So, since I'm a contest-entering web-surfing kind of gal, I clicked on the link, and then another, and then learned that my mom had registered! (I don't even know how she heard about it; perhaps through the Bison Association?)

And so we registered too, and we hope to win a prize of course (especially the Weber Genesis grill!), but the funny thing is, we would have had a barbeque on this very day, at the right time, and with all of this great food from local producers anyway!

Here's what we ate for supper today:

• Whole wheat focaccia bread (purchased at the Farmers Market today), sliced thickly, toasted on the grill, and served with Fresh Tomato Purée (recipe follows);
  
• Bison ribeye steak, marinated (from frozen) all afternoon in French Steak Marinade (recipe follows);
  
• Grilled-in-the-Husk Corn with Lime & Chili Butter (recipes follow);
  
• New potatoes and carrots, diced, tossed with olive oil and spices (Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning, a blend of freeze-dried herbs, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt), and cooked in foil on the BBQ; and (:::drum roll, please:::)
  
• Saskatoon Berry Crisp (recipe follows) with vanilla ice cream.
  

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Fresh Tomato Purée

• about 1-1/2 lbs. of fresh ripe tomatoes
  
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (chili flakes)
  

Core tomatoes and cut a large X on the top and bottom of each one. Pour boiling water over tomatoes to cover. Let stand for one minute. Drain. Remove skin from tomatoes, then cut into halves and remove seeds using a spoon.

Place prepared tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes into a food processor and pulse for a few seconds until no chunks remain. At this point, you may wish to strain some liquid out.

Serve with slices of any dense rustic bread such as Ciabatta. You may leave the bread slices as is, or toast them on the grill before serving. Spoon purée onto bread just before eating.

French Steak Marinade (for four steaks)

• red wine, about 1 cup
  
• Dijon mustard, about 2 Tbsp.
  
• minced garlic, about 2 or 3 cloves (1 heaping teaspoon)
  
• rosemary or thyme leaves, crushed between fingers, about 1 or 2 tsp.
  

Grilled-in-the-Husk Corn

Cobs of corn with husks in tact (do not remove any husk or silk before cooking)

In a preheated barbeque, place cobs on a second-tier grill rack so they are not too close to the flame. Use tongs to turn cobs often. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove the husks and silk from cobs before serving. Be careful—they’re extremely hot! (Heat-resistant gloves would be useful.)

Lime & Chili Butter

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
  
• 1 tsp. grated lime rind
  
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
  
• 1 tsp. chili powder
  

Stir all together until smooth. Spoon onto plastic wrap; shape into log and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm. Slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds to serve. (Refrigerate for up to two weeks.)

Saskatoon Berry Crisp

• 4 cups Saskatoon berries
  
• 1/2 cup flour
  
• 1 cup rolled oats
  
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  

Put the berries in a baking dish. Blend remaining ingredients (a food processor works well) and distribute evenly on top of the berries. Bake at 400° for 25-35 minutes.

Greek Canapés

I made up this recipe myself and it's really delicious!

Good crusty bread, such as sourdough or French bread, sliced about 3/4" thick
Feta cheese in brine, drained
Greek dressing
Ripe tomatoes, sliced

Mash the drained Feta with a fork and mix in a bit of Greek dressing.
Toast the bread slices on a grill (or use a toaster or oven).
Spread the cheese mixture onto the toast.
Top with tomato slices.
Devour.

Moving On

I recorded every single thing I consumed for a full two months. It was an interesting exercise, but I'm going to take a break from it now.

I'm still planning to post recipes and other food-related thoughts and links on my.food.log.

Pizza Hut Pizza

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of 12-grain toast with peanut butter
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  
• a couple bites of a T.H. cinnamon roll
  
• cereal square
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO chicken breast, bison weiner/sausage, KD Spirals, and cabbage salad
  
• skim milk
  
• two squares of Lindt Excellence "Orange with slivered almond" Dark chocolate bar
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• three slices of Pizza Hut pizza (pepperoni, ham, green pepper, and tomato)
  
• skim milk
  
• a little red licorice
  
• a little half decaf coffee*
  
• a couple scoops of peach mango frozen yogurt
  

Grilled Chicken Breast

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of toasted 12-grain bread with peanut butter
  
• oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO one pan frittata
  
• skim milk
  
• Jell-O fat free caramel pudding
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  
• a large navel orange
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• chicken breast marinated in Renee's Naturally Light Spring Herb Garlic dressing and grilled on the BBQ
  
• Mom's Cabbage Salad
  
• a little bit of LO grilled pepper
  
• skim milk
  
• cereal square
  

One Pan Frittata

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• Flax Plus multibran cereal with skim milk
  
• two slices of toasted 12-grain bread with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• a Buffalo Nickel bison weiner/sausage on a white bun with mustard
  
• a little Kraft Dinner Spirals
  
• grilled red pepper with olive oil and spiced sea salt
  
• skim milk
  
• a medium Tim Horton's Iced Cappucino made with milk i.p.o. cream
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• One Pan Frittata made with yellow pepper and frozen broccoli for the vegetables and medium cheddar cheese with about a tsp. of Santa Fe spice mix i.p.o. Tex Mex shredded cheese
  
• skim milk
  
• two coffee cream chocolate wafers
  
• cereal square
  

Steak Wrapper

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of toasted 12-grain bread with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack): at Kelsey's

• Blackened Steak Wrapper: tortilla, slices of steak, basmati rice, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and some sort of Ancho sauce (wrapped in a bundle and grilled on both sides until crispy)
  
• a few French fries with ketchup
  
• coffee*
  
• a mint
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• wild blueberry pancakes made with Coyote whole wheat pancake mix (used whole milk and no egg--only because I didn't have one) and a bunch of Safeway Select frozen organic wild blueberries, and topped with margarine and Aunt Jemima Butter flavoured syrup
  
• skim milk
  
• two bittersweet chocolate wafers
  

Black Cherry Ice Cream

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• small raisin spice muffin
  
• oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO bison steak
  
• LO potatoes with ketchup
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  
• cereal square
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• LO stroganoff, egg noodles, and peas
  
• skim milk
  
• ice cream cone with two scoops of black cherry ice cream (at Dessart)
  
• cereal square
  

No-Fuss Stroganoff

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of 12-grain toast with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• A Marca Bavaria beer
  
• LO Panago pizza (two slices of Veggie Mediterranean)
  
• LO macaroni & cheese
  
• skim milk
  
• cereal square
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• No-Fuss Stroganoff (p. 69, Company's Coming Select Series Ground Beef) without mushrooms and with Cream of Celery soup i.p.o. Cream of Chicken (and bison i.p.o beef, of course)
  
• egg noodles
  
• peas
  
• skim milk
  
• homemade fresh Salsa (p. 31, Hot and Spicy) with Tostitos corn chips
  
• A Marca Bavaria beer with a squeeze of lime
  

Mustard & Herb Steak

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of 12-grain toast with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO Panago pizza (two slices of Veggie Mediterranean and one slice of Panago Classic)
  
• a small bottle of Coke
  
• Dr. Pepper Big Gulp (shared with Neil)
  
• cereal square
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack): dessert & coffee at the Mediterranean Bistro

• Mustard and Herb Steak (recipe follows); used bison sirloin butt
  
• white potatoes cubed and tossed with olive oil, Mrs. Dash Herb & Garlic Seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cooked in foil on the BBQ - with ketchup
  
• grilled red peppers (tossed with olive oil and spiced sea salt)
  
• a glass of red wine (Trapiche Malbec 2003)
  
• Chocolate Lava (chocolate and caramel baked in a ramekin, and topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a chocolate-dipped gooseberry?)
  
• half of a coffee with Triple Sec, Amaretto, and whipped cream
  

  Mustard and Herb Steak (from Anne Desjardins, chef of L'Eau a la Bouche in Sainte-Adele, Quebec)
  - 4 x 285 g (10 oz.) portions of boneless strip loin (beef or bison)
  - course sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  Marinade:
  - 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  - 5 Tbsp. strong Dijon mustard
  - 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  - 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
  - 1/2 tsp. salt
  Combine marinade ingredients. Brush half of this mixture onto both sides of the meat at least one hour prior to cooking. Sear on both sides over high heat (or hot embers). Continue cooking over medium flame, using the rest of the mixture to brush on the steaks. Cook meat according to preferred doneness, remove from grill, and set aside for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper to taste.

  
  

Pizza & Beer

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of 12-grain toast with peanut butter
  
• one peach mango real fruit popscicle
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO pork & pepper stir-fry with brown rice
  
• skim milk
  
• two pieces of My Favourite Cereal Squares
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• a little bit of Dr. Pepper
  
• Panago pizza (two slices of Veggie Mediterranean and one slice of Panago Classic)
  
• A Marca Bavaria beer with a squeeze of lime
  

Pork & Pepper Stir-Fry

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• Organic Flax Plus multibran cereal with skim milk
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• taco salad: lettuce, corn chips, LO bison taco meat (heated), cheddar cheese, salsa, light sour cream, tomato
  
• a little LO macaroni & cheese
  
• skim milk
  
• one each of extra dark, orange, and coffee cream chocolate wafers
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• Lundberg Countrywild brown rice
  
• Pork and Three-Pepper Teriyaki Stir-Fry (p. 156, The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook) without the green pepper
  
• skim milk
  
• one milk chocolate wafer
  
• scraped the bowl of My Favourite Cereal Squares
  
• Brie and two Wasa fibre plus crackers
  

Bison Taco

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• Organic Flax Plus multibran cereal with skim milk
  
• oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO macaroni & cheese
  
• two small bison Farmer's sausages (70% bison / 30% pork; smoked)
  
• a small can of V-8
  
• skim milk
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  
• a large Jonagold apple with Litehouse Fat Free Caramel apple dip
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• one bison taco: taco shell, ground bison with 25% less salt taco seasoning, cheddar cheese, Pace medium salsa, light sour cream, lettuce, and tomato
  
• skim milk
  
• a piece of TCBY peanut butter frozen pie
  
• three red licorice
  

Baked Mac & Cheese

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• one slice of toasted 12-grain bread with peanut butter
  
• oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• Extreme Pita: grilled chicken pita with sauteed green pepper and mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, black olives, cheddar cheese, and Greek feta and oregano sauce
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• Macaroni and Cheese (p. 40, Company's Coming - Pasta); used whole wheat macaroni and about 1/3 less butter in the recipe
  
• cooked (frozen) broccoli with a little margarine and McCormick Citrus & Pepper Seasoning
  
• skim milk
  
• two prunes
  
• one orange chocolate wafer
  

Salad Topper Mix

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• toasted whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• LO egg salad (lots) on 12-grain bread with margarine, salt, and pepper
  
• skim milk
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• LO bison chili
  
• lettuce salad with tomatoes, yellow peppers, Renee's Naturally Light Spring Herb Garlic dressing, and Salad Topper Mix from Old Fashion Foods (roasted and salted--soy nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds)
  
• a handful of corn chips
  
• skim milk
  
• a small piece of birthday cake (LO from Bronwyn's party)
  
• a piece of frozen peanut butter pie from TCBY
  

Neil's Bison Chili

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• toasted whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• Chili (p. 56, Cooking Class Mexican) with these variations: used ground bison i.p.o. beef; added a can of red kidney beans (rinsed), a can of chickpeas (rinsed), a 7 oz. can of corn niblets (drained), some crushed chiltopenes (sp?), and about 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder. Note: In addition to the ingredients listed above, the original recipe includes white onion, dried de arbol chilies, garlic, ground cumin, salt, ground cloves, tomatoes, fresh orange juice, tequila, tomato paste, and grated orange peel.
  
• a couple handfuls of Tostitos bite-size corn chips
  
• LO cabbage salad
  
• skim milk
  
• Tim Horton's decaf coffee*
  
• two each of Droste Pastilles Orange and Coffee Cream chocolate wafers
  
• one red licorice
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• egg salad sandwiches: used 12-Grain bread and Egg Filling (p. 63, Company's Coming Greatest Hits Sandwiches & Wraps) with these variations: added chopped yellow pepper and used Litehouse Freeze-Dried Salad Herb Blend i.p.o. parsley flakes
  
• skim milk
  
• Jell-O Fat Free caramel pudding
  
• one prune
  
• one chunk of Tobblerone dark chocolate with honey/almond nugget
  
• three red licorice
  
• a spoonful of peanut butter
  

Fresh Salsa

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• toasted whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• Tim Horton's half decaf coffee*
  
• LO grilled teriyaki chicken, brown rice (with margarine, salt & pepper), and grilled red and yellow pepper
  
• about half of a large "Birdseed Cookie" from Old Fashion Foods (ingredients: rolled oats, whole wheat flour, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, raisins, walnuts, organic flax, wheat germ, eggs, butter, and honey)
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack): at Bronwyn's birthday party

• a ton o' party food: potato chips, corn chips, homemade fresh salsa (see below), crackers, cheese, sausage, red pepper, cauliflower, carrot, mushroom, veggie dip, cherry, apple slices, orange segments, green grapes, lots of fresh pineapple
  
• two pieces of white birthday cake
  
• a chocolate-covered marzipan
  
• a Miller Genuine Draft beer
  
• coffee*
  

  In our opinion, this is the best fresh salsa (p. 31, Hot and Spicy by Koren Trygg and Lucy Poshek): 1 pound ripe red tomatoes (seeds removed & chopped), 2 tbsp. white onion (chopped), 3 cloves of garlic (minced), 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped), 1 small whole jalepeno or serrano pepper (sliced), 2 tsp. lime juice, 1/4 tsp. salt -- place all ingredients except the onion and half of the chopped tomatoes into a food processor; process for 3-5 seconds; strain excess liquid; stir in onion and remaining tomatoes.

French Steak Marinade

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• toasted whole wheat bagel with margarine and orange spread
  
• about 1/3 of a peach (terrible)
  
• a handful of pretzel sticks
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• Tim Horton's Tuna Salad on a large whole wheat baguette with lettuce and tomato
  
• Tim Horton's coffee*
  
• about 1/3 of a honey dip donut
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack): barbeque at Ali's before the Rider game

• bison steak marinated overnight (from frozen) in French Steak Marinade: 1 cup red wine, about 1-1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. minced garlic, and 1 tsp. rosemary
  
• Mom's Cabbage Salad: 454 g (1 lb.) bag of 3-color Deli Cole Slaw, three tomatoes, and about 2/3 of an English cucumber, mixed with 1/2 cup of Zesty Italian dressing and some fresh ground pepper
  
• a slice of garlic bread
  
• A Marca Bavaria beer
  
• a couple small slices of watermelon
  
• a handful of White Cheddar Quaker Crispy Minis Soy
  
• a chocolate-covered marzipan
  
• a teaspoon of freshly ground peanut butter
  

Sophia's Favourite Salad

Morning (breakfast, snack):

• half decaf coffee*
  
• two slices of Flax Bread toast with margarine and orange spread
  
• three 50% less salt Triscuits
  

Afternoon (lunch, snack):

• McDonald's Chicken Caesar Salad with about 3/4 of the dressing and no croutons
  
• skim milk
  
• a few fresh blueberries
  

Evening (supper, dessert/snack):

• chicken breast marinated in Kikkoman Toasted Sesame Teriyaki Quick & Easy Marinade (grilled on the BBQ)
  
• Sophia's Favourite Salad (our own creation): one English cucumber (not peeled) and three medium tomatoes cut into chunks with (~ 1/4 cup) Kraft Light Done Right Creamy Cucumber Dressing, about 1-1/2 teaspoons of Litehouse Salad Herb Blend (Freeze-Dried Herbs), fresh ground pepper, and sea salt
  
• brown rice with a little margarine, pepper, and salt
  
• one glass of Bulgarian red wine (Gamza, 2000)
  
• a bowl of fresh blueberries topped with Light Cool Whip
  
• a bunch of Brie with three Wasa Fibre Plus Crispbread