Recipe: Butternut Squash Frittata

First of all, please let me apologize for my absence and for not letting you guys in on the news regarding my blog just yet. I will let the cat out of the bag as soon as I am able too and I really hope that those of you that are following my blog (if there are any of you left!) will follow me on my journey!

Second of all I am also apologizing for my lack of posts in 2014. Truth be told, I have had little time for blogging and even though I really miss it, other things in my life have taken a priority. However I really wanted to share this AWESOME recipe I tried last night. It is super good for you, easy to make, different than a "meat & potatoes" type meal and it's delicious! Perfect for a week night dinner for a family or you can adjust the measurements for a smaller portion. If you have never tried a Frittata before, it is simply eggs, potatoes, cheese and veggies. That's all! My Mom has made them for me many times but this was my first attempt and I can say it was super easy.

So here we go, how to make this Frittata....

Healthy Recipe: Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta Frittata Ingredients 

• 1 package (10 oz./300 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 
• 1½ cups cubed peeled potatoes (375 mL) ( substituted sweet potatoes as they are more nutritious)
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (175 mL ) 
• 8 eggs 1/2 cup 
• 1% milk (125 mL ) 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (250 mL) 
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (125 mL)
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (4 to 5 cups/1 to 1.25 L)  

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) | 13- by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) glass baking dish, lightly greased.
Place squash in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap, leaving a corner open to vent. Microwave on High for about 5 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain off excess liquid. Place in the greased dish and gently stir in spinach, potatoes and red onion. 

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season to taste with pepper. Pour over vegeta-bles and stir gently to distribute. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar and feta.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until eggs are set. Makes 12 servings

Nutrients (per serving) 
Calories 151
Fat 8.0 g 
Carbohydrate 12 g 
Saturated Fat 4.1 g 
Protein 9 g 
Fiber 2 g (8% DV) 
Sodium 192 mg (8% DV) 
Calcium 177 mg

(16% DV)
 Iron 1.2 mg (9% DV)
Very high in: Vitamin A and vitamin B12. High in: Magnesium, folate and riboflavin. Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: 1/2 Carbohydrates, 1 Meat & Alternatives, 1 Fat

Here's a shot of the finished product

This was very rich tasting for such a light meal. One thing I changed from the original recipe above (which I got from our Wellness Committee at work) is I roasted the sweet potato and squash in the oven. I placed on a baking sheet, drizzled on some EVOO, sprinkled with sea salt and backed in the oven at 400 F until tender. I did that to give the veggies some extra flavor through the roasting process. But if you are short on time or live for convenience you can easily microwave too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and again I promise more new to come on the MelMac Blog Journey!




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Must try: Green Tea Ice Cream

If you like anything about Green Tea or ice cream you need to allow these worlds to collide into one perfect dessert, Green Tea Ice Cream! I was lucky enough to be taken out for one of my fav meals today, Sushi, for my Birthday. For dessert I was handed this mound of lusciously refreshing iced perfection.

It may sound like a weird combination but the flavor is so unique and not too sweet, it is the best way to end a fabulous meal. 

If you want to try Green Tea Ice Cream out to see why I am raving about it, you can find it at any Asian Market in the frozen section. Or if you are feeling adventurous, there are tons of recipes on Pinterest to try making it on your own at home.





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Quick Post about Chili

Yes, that's right, chili. I made a HUGE batch of chili this weekend - sorry no pics or recipe as I didn't really follow one - that I planned on eating all week for lunch or dinner. But like most things, I got tired of eating it on Day 2. Something about cooking the dish and smelling it for hours kind of takes the wind of out its sails once you sit down to eat it. I still really enjoyed this warm, spicy and slightly sweet meal (I added brown sugar) on a cold Winter's night/day; but last night I needed to change it up a bit!

So I boiled up some Rigatoni pasta (you can use whatever you have on hand) then poured a bunch of the leftover chili in a pan to heat up. The chili turned out rather thick so I poured some red wine to thin it out a bit and make it more of a sauce; really, red wine makes anything better, right? I also added a bunch of baby spinach to the "sauce" for some extra nutrition, though the chili itself is super good for you with tons of beans and veggies. After the pasta had boiled to an al dente texture (slightly under cooked) I added that to the chili sauce, grated some cheese and combined everything together in the pan for about a minute.

This was the finished product and it was SO DELISH!

This chili take on pasta really turned up the flavor and changed it into a completely different meal without wasting any of the chili goodness!

Some other random snaps...

My beautiful Fur-Babies keeping me company, they follow me around the house wherever I go. They make really good sous-chefs too!

Here's a sneak peek at my dress for an upcoming work Holiday Party; cannot wait to wear this!

Next time you have some left over chili or even a thick soup that you are tired of eating; try adding pasta to it to change it into an entirely different meal. You could also change up chili by:

• Making Sloppy Joe's - just heat up in a pan, top on a nice bun with some cheese and you're in Lunch Lady Land!
• Making Chili Dogs - fire up some doggies on the BBQ, top with chili and cheese or any other toppings and you have yourself a ball park favorite at home.

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Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

This weekend was Thanksgiving here in Canada where we get together to have a big Turkey dinner and give thanks for all that we are grateful for in our lives. I traveled to Kingston to spend the Holiday with my Mom and I was very grateful for the beautiful weather we had.

Here is a quick recap of my long weekend:

 On Saturday morning my Mom and I met a friend of her's and her dog for a long walk along the water. There's a hidden gem in Kingston behind the DuPont plant -of all places - to enjoy the lovely view across Lake Ontario and is a great place to let your dog frolic to it's heart's content.

 Panoramic shot of the beach.

 We ran into various dog walkers and the dogs all played together and had tons of fun while we chatted. That first almost wolf-like looking dog in the above pic was a rescue from 13 years ago and she was happy, healthy and lovely. Makes me want to have a rescue pup as well!

You know you are in Canada when you see random Inukshuks. I love seeing these!

My Mom's friend's dog, Danny. He's the same breed as Toto from the Wizard of Oz, a Cairn Terrier. What a happy little fella!

This is a distant picture taken of a lady who has swam in the lake from May to October every day for 13 years! She might have been in her 60's and looked incredible by the way....

Old stone BBQ

And now on to the food!

 I had back-to-back Turkey dinners to attend this year so I was making an effort to eat really clean and healthy before the feasts. This is roasted red pepper hummus my Mom made and some veggies for lunch.

Sunday morning breakfast was multigrain french toast. Indulging can still be nutritious! These were homemade and AH-MAZING!

Turkey Dinner at my Mom's: green beans sauteed with butter and almonds, roasted sweet potatoes with brown sugar, cranberry stuffing, turkey breast, some onions that were roasted with the turkey thrown on top and mashed potatoes with gravy. This was as good as it looked.

I didn't get any pictures of dinner #2, mostly because I was busy sort of co-hosting with my Roommate for about 14 people. But it was just as delicious! I zipped to the washroom during the evening and all I could hear were people laughing, talking loudly and just having a fabulous time. Sure sign that your company enjoyed themselves ;-)

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving! 

Love,

MelMac oxoxoxo


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Eat Here Before You Die: Culinary Conspiracy (Ottawa)

Is it just me or have most of my recent posts been about food? My waistline would agree with that statement! My apologies to my readers who aren't interested in where to eat but I have to share this little treasure located right here in Ottawa called Culinary Conspiracy.

Culinary Conspiracy (great name by the way) is actually a catering company who also offers eat-in and take out orders to accommodate a lunch crowd. Smart! My co-workers and I had been referred to try this place for lunch based on a high recommendation by another co-worker who has frequented CC on several occasions. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint and lived up to the hype we had been dished (pun intended).

Located right around the corner from our office on at 855 Industrial Ave in Ottawa, Ontario (sorry my non-Ottawa readers!) this place looks unassuming from the outside but once entering, it is an open, modern, bright and clean first impression. You can see the open kitchen right at the back and there's a bar to eat-in if you so wish. They can't accommodate a huge eat-in lunch crowd so go early if you can. At the front of the shop they have their in-house Ketchup, BBQ sauce, Seasonal Soups and Pasta sauce for sale; all homemade. Their lunch menu offers, sandwiches, burgers, soups and salads; all very reasonably priced. Fancy coffee is also available; Americanos, Lattes, Cappuccinos etc...

I ordered a smoked Turkey Sandwich ($7) and a side of Homemade Chips ($2) that also came with a small side of coleslaw. I can't tell you how many Turkey sandwiches I have eaten in my lifetime but this one was the BEST I have had in recent memory. I will let the pictures speak for themselves for the moment...

That's right, that's real smoked turkey you are seeing there. Not just breast meat either, real dark meat thickly sliced and smoked - like the real deal smoked. Topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle and mayo nestled between multigrain bread, toasted to perfection; I think you can see why this sandwich won it's way straight to my heart!

These homemade chips were a kettle cooked style and they were crispy, salty (but not too salty) and complimented the sandwich beautifully. All of this food for $9 and the portion size was so big that I couldn't finish the other half of my sandwich - -  that NEVER happens to me.

Culinary Conspiracy believes in creating homemade gourmet food made from fresh and more importantly real ingredients and I can attest to that being a true statement. They will also tailor to meet dietary needs such as vegan or gluten free. If their catering is anything like their eat-in meals, then I would definitely have them cater my next event. They can cater me making my bed in the morning for that matter!

If you need to cater any event (min for ten people) or if you want to try a new spot for lunch that serves a great sandwiches and soups made from fresh gourmet ingredients AND is affordable, Culinary Conspiracy is a conspiracy you will want to be entangled in. 


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Food Post: Apple Cider Pork Chops with Butternut Squash

With Fall being officially here comes the opportunity to make some of my favorite comfort food. Those meals that are warm and satisfying where all you want to do after you eat is curl up on the couch with a blankie blanket and watch a movie.

This past Sunday I was craving a Fall meal so I looked through my "Eat" Pinterest Board and found a recipe for Apple Cider Pork Chops that I thought would suit my needs. Apple Cider just screams Fall and to pair with this dish I chose Butternut Squash, which I absolutely love.... Perfect! This meal sounds fancy but it is really easy, just a matter of throwing everything in a couple of pans and the squash bakes in the oven while you are preparing the pork. 

*I made a few revisions to the original recipe that turned out really well.

Here's what you will need:

• 4 bone-in pork loin chops
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped, according to preference
• 1 pound apples, cored and sliced in ¼-inch slices (you can peel the apples if you wish but I like the skin on)
• *4 tablespoons butter
• *1 tsp ground nutmeg
• *1 tsp ground cloves
• *1 tsp dried sage
• *6-7 whole cloves
• *5-6 tablespoons brown sugar
• *4 cups cup apple cider (buy the real stuff)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Two packages of pre-chopped butternut squash (I am lazy but by all means, you can use 1 whole squash to de-seed and cut into chucks)
• 2-3 tablespoons Olive oil (EVOO works too)

What you'll do:

• I marinated my bone in pork chops in about 3 cups of apple cider with the whole cloves thrown in and a little ground pepper for about 3-4 hours before hand.
• Preheat your oven to 400 F. On a baking sheet spread out the chopped butternut squash and drizzle with Olive oil until coated. Give the squash a toss with your hands to make sure it is coated evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and throw it in the oven for 30 mins. So easy!
• In a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet, melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the nutmeg, ground cloves and dried sage to the bubbling butter. Pat the pork chops dry on both sides. Add the meat and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until browned. Turn and cook the other side until browned and the pork is ALMOST cooked through (you will cook it through later!). Turn off the heat remove the pork chops and let them rest on a plate covered.
• In another skillet melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp brown sugar to the butter and cook for 1 minute, or until it begins to melt. Add the apples and sauté over medium heat until the apples are browned and tender. This should take about 10–15 minutes.
• Take the squash out of the oven and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp brown sugar. Place back in the oven for about 5 mins under broil.
• In the pan that the pork chops were cooked in, add the remaining apple cider and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the cream, bring to a boil and allow it to bubble for a few minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Sprinkle with fresh sage and season with salt and pepper if desired. Add your almost cooked pork chops to the sauce (make sure you add in all those juices to the sauce, great flavor!) and allow them to cook for 1-2 more mins until done.
• By the time your Apple Cider Pork Chops are done, your squash should be ready. If serving immediately, spoon the caramelized apples on top of the pork in the pan. Alternatively, you can pass the apples separately at the table and portion them out directly on the dinner plates. Make sure you get some of the sauce that your pork cooked in on the plate as well. To. Die. For!

Now that I have typed out this recipe, it looks like it's a lot of work. But I didn't think so when making this meal. It's not the type of meal that you can step away from but really it is just frying ingredients in a pan, the oven does the work for you with the squash and then you just combine everything at the end so it's not as bad as it looks, I promise you!

It tasted rich and hearty, sweet and savory - everything that you would want in a Fall meal. I totally forgot how much I love sage too; such a unique tasting herb that compliments pork so beautifully. The ONLY thing that I would change next time is I wouldn't use bone in pork chops. I would use pork tenderloin cut into medallions. I just like it better for a pork dish, chops I find a little tough. My Roomies LOVED how this recipe turned out, they said it is what you would hope your meal tasted like when ordering from a restaurant.

I am so SO sad to say that the picture I took of the finished product turned out blurry! It didn't appear that way when I took it but that's iPhone photography for you!

Here are "stock" photos of the finished product that actually do look the way this dish turned out.

I hope you try this one out, you won't be sorry. Please ask any questions in the comments below.

Happy cooking!

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Eat Here Before You Die: Pajos in Stevenston BC

Having been born and partially raised in Vancouver has given me insight into two things:

1) Sushi
2) Fish & Chips

I am a proud connoisseur and snob of each and having to be brave with eating each of these dishes in Ontario (where almost all fish and seafood is imported) is a cross to bare (haha just kidding, but not really).

When I spent a week in Vancouver in July I was able to cross off my to-do list which is 100% food driven. Sushi, Fish & Chips and a White Spot burger are a priority when on the left coast as you can't get the real thing in Ontario.

I am lucky to have a sister who resides in Steveston, British Columbia, a historic fishing village that is part of Richmond, BC (where the Vancouver Airport is). This village has a very quaint small town feel and is becoming more upscale each time I visit with the addition of high end restaurants and spas. So while I was staying with my sister, we had to make the mandatory fish and chips stop at a renowned stand located right in Steveston.

My favorite place to quench my fish and chips craving is Pajos, located right on the Warf of Steveston. Since 1985 Pajos has been THE place to get fish and chips that are melt in your mouth good. People flock there in the Spring and Summer to get their hands on these greasy, crispy fillets of goodness. They offer 4 locations in the lower mainland and I can only dream that they will open a location in Ottawa :-)

Here are some quick snaps of my trip to Pajos:

 Before our meal I worked up an appetite by taking a walk along the beautiful boardwalk. It was so peaceful and the smell of the sea air was intoxicating!

 We arrived at Pajos, it was kind of chilly but we ate outside regardless. I took this pic while waiting patiently for our order.

 Pajos is literally located right on the water, here's the picture of the plank down to the restaurant to prove it. As a side note - I tripped walking back up this plank after our meal while wearing a short dress and flashed all of the diners! Sorry to anyone who had to see that!

And here we are, the Halibut Fish & Chips at Pajos. My mouth is watering just looking at this. The batter is light and crispy but has a lot of flavour. The Halibut is rich and has a buttery dense texture with a mild, clean finishing taste that I dream of. I drench mine in malt vinegar, sooooo good!

It is difficult to get Halibut as a fish and chip option in Ontario so this is an extra special treat. If you would like to read more about Pajos, please click here. I have said this before but I am a big fan of restaurants that use fresh, local ingredients and Pajos believes in this philosophy as well.

So, if you are in the Vancouver area as a visitor or if you live there, please check out Pajos in Steveston. It will be worth the drive, I promise you!

Ever heard of Ground Cherries?

Hi all!

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend (long weekend for us here in Canada and the US). I literally had the most non-eventful weekend on record. I did visit yet another petting zoo with my God Daughter and Roomie (yes, another one!) and that was pretty much the only thing I did of note. Sorry! I know so boring right! This time we went to Abbey Hill Farms and saw a farm built in the 1800's, got to pet 1 week old bunnies, see kittens, turkeys, goats and llamas!

The Llama wasn't interested in the grains, but we managed to get this shot looking like I was really feeding him (or her, not sure!)

After we hit the zoo, we stopped by a produce stand to get some corn and spotted these interesting looking fellas....

Have you ever seen these before? I know that I have but never really gave them much thought. Well, the ladies at the produce stand informed us they are called Ground Cherries or Physalis as they are more formally known.They are small orange fruit encased in a paper-like lantern that you peel off. We tried one on site and decided to buy some. They are slightly (and I do mean slightly) sweet with a buttery pineapple flavor. Very unique and different from regular red cherries and they look like yellow tomatoes.

 You peel off the lantern

The peel is attached and you just pop it off 

 Looks like a little yellow tomato

Crazy looking picture of me enjoying my ground cherry as a snack at work today

After a little research I found that Ground Cherries are super good for you! They are very low in calories about 53 for 3.5 oz and they are a good source of Niacin, vitamins A and C. They are good for eyesight, believed to inhibit cancer and lower cholesterol. 

Just like most berries, they are a powerhouse of vitamins that benefit your health in several ways and should be a part of your diet if it isn't already. As these tiny fruits are mild tasting, they can be used in salads and apparently make a wonderful tasting jam.

Well, back to another work week....sigh! Why can't all weekends be long ones?

Vancouver - July 2013 Recap 1

I have returned from one my best visits to Vancouver that I have ever had! My Dad, 3 older Sisters and my little Brother all reside in and around the Vancouver area so I try to visit them when I can. It's so hard to be so far away from Family! This post will be picture heavy so you can continue on after the jump.

This visit was AWESOME! 

I left last Saturday and landed in Vancouver around 8PM local time -  I had the luck to sit next to the stinkiest guy on the plane for the better part of 5 hours - UGH! Two of my Sisters and my Niece picked me up at the airport and we headed over to Angela's place for some apps and to relax. My body clock was 3 hours ahead so we kept it chill and I tried to get a good night's sleep because in the morning we were headed to Whistler!

 Six hour layover in the Toronto Airport

 Still waiting......*sigh*

The next morning we picked up some food and got ourselves organized to hop on the Sea to Sky Highway, one of the most picturesque and breathtaking drives in the world.

View from the car on the Sea to Sky Highway

*As a side note, all of my readers know I LOVES to eat! I have three very important meals that I HAVE to have every time I am on the left coast:

1) White Spot burger - Triple O Sauce is the draw

2) Fish & Chips - Halibut is my fav which you can rarely find in Ontario

3) Sushi! - Nuff said

So we crossed the first item off my list my stopping at a White Spot on the way to Whistler in beautiful Squamish, BC.

 The White Spot and the Chief in the background

Angela had organized this whole trip to Whistler including the hotel, the dinner and a terrifying but thrilling Zip Line Tour, provided by Zip Trek Eco Tours - more on that in a minute.

We arrived at the Delta Suites in the afternoon and checked into our suite which was SWEET! We were at the end off the hall so we had front and back balconies, a full kitchen, a living room a bedroom and bathroom and a whole separate other bedroom and bathroom as well. Much needed when you have 4 women in the same hotel room!

 View from the Front Balcony

View from the Back Balcony

Peak to Peak

 Our Suite!

We walked around the village, relaxed and made our own cheese and meat plate with wine and it was truly BLISS!

 The Olympic Rings

 Walking in Whistler Village

My Sisters, Laura Lee (Lolly) and Angela

The next day we were up early to get ready to Zip Trek over Whistler Mountain. I have to admit, I don't love heights so I was a little nervous but excited to be outside my comfort zone. I kept telling myself "This is a once in a lifetime experience, so enjoy it!"

We arrived on the mountain and got geared up.

My Sister Bonni, me and Lolly - We are ready!

This post will be picture heavy so you can see more after the jump!

Eat Here Before You Die: Angeline's/ the Hubb in Bloomfield, Ontario

I have had hundreds of Burgers in my life: McDonald's, Burger King, Harvey's, A&W, White Spot (a fav), Five Guys, Johnny Rockets, excellent homemade burgers.....you name it, I ate it!

But I haven't had a Burger experience like the one I had on my recent trip to Prince Edward County. By happy accident, me and 3 girlfriends stayed in the Motel section of Angeline's Inn for a weekend away to tour local wineries and some gastronomical fair. Our first night there, we headed just across the parking lot to Angeline's in house restaurant called The Hubb Eatery and Lounge. The Hubb offers dishes that are made with local fresh ingredients served by a friendly, knowledgeable and laid back staff headed by Chef Elliot and his wife Sommelier Laura. 

Though the inside is tiny, it was decorated beautifully and simply. They have a large patio as well but it was chilly so we sat inside. The quaint atmosphere just begs you to sit down, have a great meal and relaaaaaaaaaaaax.

Photo Source: The Lemon Kitchen

The Menu offers so many unique options, from Mix and Match meat and cheeses to small plates of Beets or Tuna Crudo; you won't find any deep fried greasy zucchini sticks or nachos here.... and I LOVE that! As soon as I laid eyes on the menu, I thought "this is REAL food".

The Waiter (who was adorable and super attentive) brought us an amuse bouche to get our palate going, it was sweet melon with a cream sauce, divine! 

Next we ordered the Mix N' Match Cheese and Charcuterie of tiny pickles, Indian mustard and amazing local cheeses and meats. This had all the flavor you could ask for, sweet from the pickles, spicy meats and mustard, rich decadent cheese. To. Die. For!

Photo Source: www.angelines.ca

For my main course I got The Hubb Burger - hand ground beef, aged cheddar, onion marmalade, shaved lettuce, house made bun, Hubb sauce and baby spuds on the side. To make it even more luxurious I added bacon jam and fois grais. Yes, you read that right, fois grais on a burger; if that's wrong, I don't want to be right! It was juicy and the flavors are indescribably good. Meaty and rich with sweetness from the onion marmalade and the fois grais added an existential dimension that I have never had with another burger.  

The ketchup was homemade as well, it was spicy and way better than anything Heinz could come up with. Price - Burger alone $15, bacon jam $3 and fois gras $8.

You would think that I would have been laying-on-the-floor stuffed by now, and I was. But that didn't stop me from trying some of the incredible Pappardelle pasta with a creamy brown butter sauce that my girlfriend couldn't finish. It was like crack for a pasta lover! It was a Special so not on their regular menu, but oh my goodness it should be! (Sorry no pic of that, I was in a trance while eating it).

After one of the most memorable meals I have had, we waddled across the parking lot to finish the night outside hanging out at a table between our two rooms. The night was calm, we had full bellies of food and wine and we just sat back to watch the comings and goings of this lovely little piece of heaven in the County. It was the perfect ending to the perfect meal. 

As you can tell, my opinion of this restaurant is that I loved it, I recommend it and I will be back. 

A big thank you to the staff at Angeline's and the Hubb! You all are passionate and enjoy what you do....and it shows!