Hellmann's Real Food Grants

I've been using Hellmann's Mayo - my fave these days... their Olive Oil Mayo - since I was a kid.  I can't imagine my mother's tuna or chopped egg or chicken salad without some.

I slathered some along with Dijon mustard on our Greek Style Lamb Burgers we enjoyed a couple of days ago and added a heaping spoonful to my own version of Caesar Salad Dressing for some Romaine Salad on the side.  The left overs keep for a few days in the fridge.

1 tbsp mayonnaise (instead of the raw egg)

1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)

1 tsp anchovy paste or 1 -2 anchovies, finely chopped or mashed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large serving bowl, adding the olive oil last and whisk until well blended. Add the chopped romaine, toss and serve.

Mayo dreaming aside, this post is about Hellmann's Real Food Grants.  So let's back up a bit.   Back in May, 2009 I was invited, along with 8 other food bloggers from across Canada to participate in the Eat Real Eat Local Panel Conference held in Toronto.  It was an awesome experience and very eye opening for me.  I always shopped at farmers markets, but also spent time (and money) in regular grocery stores... without, I might add, looking for the origin of the :"fresh" produce.  That changed and now I always check before buying.  The closer to home your food is grown, the fresher, the tastier it is.   Enough said!

Last year I wrote about Hellmann's continued Real Food Grant program, geared to helping individual families and community groups create their own special projects to bring nutritious food to their tables - like vegetable gardens that popped up in school yards and community parks all over the country.. 

(Photo supplied by Hellmann's)

And now I want to share a shining star example of what one school - Ecole Camille J. Lerouge School in Red Deer, AB has accomplished with the help of one of my very favorite Canadian chefs - Chuck Hughes plus a $25,000 Hellmann's Real Food Grant to overhaul their cafeteria kitchen and provide more nutritious lunch menus.   Typical of many school cafeterias, their menu used to feature a limited selection of processed and pre-packaged foods, simply reheated.  The new menu at ECJLS now features daily, made from scratch  specials with an more nutritious spin on favourites like chicken fingers.  


It's an ongoing process to continue to create tasty additions to the menu,  but as Stephanie Cox, Senior Brand Manager for Hellmann's® brand in Canada had to say at the inauguration...

“We’re very excited to be able to support this school in their efforts to deliver nutritious and delicious lunch-options to their students as part of our Real Food Grants program, We truly believe that the passion and initiative displayed at the École Camille J. Lerouge School can serve as an inspiration and model for other motivated communities across Canada. 

“The idea is not to take away the foods kids love, but make them with real, fresh ingredients,” said Chuck Hughes who was on hand to help serve up some of his healthful menu creations.  “People will be surprised at how adventurous kids are when it comes to food if it’s prepared in fun and delicious ways. When I saw the old menu my first reaction was not to get rid of cafeteria classics that kids love but rather to make awesome chicken fingers that are good for them too.  Pretty soon they’ll be asking their parents to prepare these at home.”

I don't know about you, but I know I'll be putting on my thinking cap to see who I can share this news with. If you know of any organization, school, community or church group... not to mention chefs in your neighborhood who would love to make a difference.  Check out the Hellmann's Real Food Grant application details and have serious discussions with those around to make a real difference in your community.

A Great Market Score

Remember elementary school after the summer break - when the teacher made you write an essay on "What Did You Do This Summer?". After almost a month of Saturdays, I finally made it to both the Brewery Farmers Market and the Seaport Farmers Market today. I was going to write a lovely story about it... but frankly after shmoozing with some of my favorite people, buying up a storm, putting everything away and breading some gorgeous Off the Hook, line caught haddock... I'm too pooped to write much. Since a picture is worth a thousand words anyway...
Aleppo Seven Spice Blend from Epices de Cru distributed by Costas Halavrezos at the Brewery Market.
Stunning purple kale and pale orange yams or sweet potatoes from Ted Hutten & Family Farms
Farm fresh eggs and lots of lamb from Wood 'n Hart.
The lamb stewing meat to replace the one I just used to make a fantastic curry with my own blend of Epices de Cru spices - Sri Lankan Black Curry & Singapore Curry (recipe from my iPad App - How to Cook Everything ... Recipe & story to follow soon.

Bumped into one of my very favorite Halifax chefs - Dennis Johnston of fid Resto - we're still talking about doing another cooking lesson (last was how to butcher & cook a hanger steak)- perhaps how to roast a chicken and perhaps even do a video... great segue to the one on his site with Dennis making his grandmother's strawberry shortcakes... not in season now, but the segment was filmed last summer (he's actually buying the strawberries from Ted Hutten. It's a small but wonderful world at the market. You should watch it. It will definitely take your mind off freezing winter weather. But I digress...

Over to the Seaport Farmers Market and first stop...

Chris at Getaway Farm. He's such a sweetie that he'll even take your order on line and have it ready when you get there. Who could resist these gorgeous beef shanks. I used up the last in my Mushroom,Beef, Barley & Lentil Soup and there's none left in the freezer. Of course I had to add two thick strip loins and a flank steak - both my Honey's favorites.

On to The Fish Shop and some fresh line caught haddock
It's already breaded and ready for a quick pan fry (this time done with Panko crumbs. My friend Peter Boudreau told me about Emma of Spice of Life Artisan Foods having sweet potato panko style crumbs from her awesome sweet potato bread, so naturally I went hunting for her. Unfortunately she was out of them, but told me to go to Rock Island Bistro for a great meal and ... you guessed it... her sweet potato panko crumbs. But I digress again...
Before heading home I had to stop at Julien's for Artisan breads and pain chocolat (another treat for my Honey). Actually, Julien's is now represented at both markets, so you have choices to make.
And Sweet Williams Country Sausages for their awesome smoked turkey (plus some sausages for the freezer)

Herb Gouda from That Dutchman's Cheese, since I already knew what I'd make for lunch.
Grilled cheese & turkey sandwiches slathered with pesto & Kozlik's lime & honey mustard (from my trip to Toronto).
Who could blame me for picking up some of this most excellent (I'm drooling as I write) honey comb from Cosman & Whidden Honey to spread on some toasted Julien's bread?
Or for picking up some fresh mint from Riverview Herbs... one can never have too much mint on hand.
Noggins Corner Farm mushrooms (and a Brussels sprout muscling its way in - I couldn't resist those either).

Or these gorgeous beets from Elmridge Farm, for that matter. We are going to have some wonderful eats this week!

Now it's off to chill before making supper.

Beat the Heat With Local Ingredients

It's Tuesday and last week I somehow didn't get it together to enter a post to a great little carnival. You can read all about Two for Tuesdays! Carnival here, but the bottom line...eat real food rather than instant and packaged. And, certainly when I can, I shop at farmers' markets and eat as locally as possible. It really does make a difference in taste. If you've ever been to a tropical country and tasted fresh mangos, papayas, pineapple, etc...you know exactly what I mean. The taste pales by the time it gets to your table. That said, I'm never going to be a 100 mile girl...local garlic won't be around for months and it's like air...I can't live without it. But I digress.

What I mean is, I choose locally grown and raised ingredients first and then branch out. It's so easy to do...especially this time of year when produce is so plentiful. And when the weather is brutally hot as it is here, frankly, I want to spend as little time in the kitchen as is humanly possible. My secret weapon for the heat...a bag of mixed greens from Ted Hutten Family Farm. Every bite is wonderful - interesting mix of salad greens, Asian greens (their speciality) and mustard greens. It really doesn't take much work to make it the perfect focal point of any meal. Just drizzle a little olive oil, spritz some lemon juice or your favorite vinegar and really - you're done and everyone will be in Heaven.
Another favorite of mine...Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets & Carrots with Cumin, Feta & Mint (you do the beet & carrot roasting early in the morning when it's still cool in the kitchen) . Either of these are perfect light meals on their own or great sides to go with some grilled meat...
...like this awesome Spiced Rub Skirt Steak (served here with an easy Lemon, Garlic Pasta that could be prepared in the morning and served as a salad. The skirt steak is from my very favorite meat purveyor at the market... Getaway Farm... grass fed beef at its best.
And if we weren't about to move I'd be preserving some of these gorgeous strawberries that are finally in season here. Oh well...we will be in our new home by blueberry season.

Add your REAL FOOD link at the bottom of Girlichef's post and then leave a comment so she'll know you've joined in this week! And remember, your link will show up at all 4 host sites for Two for Tuesdays!

Hanger Steak - Beauty & The Beast

I can't believe it's a month and a half since I shared Chef Dennis Johnston of fid Resto's hanger steak tutorial with a promise of my own hanger steak making experience.

So I guess my first thought to you is...it's hard to find, after all, there is only one to a cow, so make friends with a butcher. My go-to-guy is Chris de Waal of Getaway Farm and even then I had to wait all this time to finally get one. I could have ordered on line, but I see him every Saturday at the Halifax Farmers Market and just hope. Last week I was lucky.

My second piece of advice...it takes about 20 to 30 minutes (unless you're an expert chef like my friend Dennis), to actually do the butchering - removing the membrane and sinew, before marinating.

My plan was to use one of the recipes I found on line - most of which didn't seem to mention any need to marinate. And the truth is, while Chef Dennis serves a very popular 7 day marinated hanger steak at fid Resto, the kitchen crew and I wolfed down the one he made for my lesson...no marinating involved, just a little salt and pepper before pan grilling. It melted in my mouth.

Lime Curry Marinated Hanger Steak

Somehow the "rub in the marinade and cook within the hour" plan turned into leaving it in the fridge for four days before grilling. The result was spectacular. The particular curry powder I used - Madras Sambar Masala – Mangal brand, plus the lime juice infused the meat with a suprisingly mild flavour that was intriguing. So if you like more heat, use your favorite curry powder. We thought this one made a really interesting dish. The kind where everyone wonders what the ingredients are.

And if you can't find hanger steak, try it with flank steak or skirt steak.

Two For Tuesday's Real Food Blog Hop

And what, you might be asking is Two for Tuesdays!? My friend Heather, the Girlichef, and a few of her other friends, Alex A Moderate Life and actual genius behind the idea, Michelle, Health Food Lover , and Beth Stedman thought of a great weekly event that starts today. You can check here for all the details on how to join, and explains exactly what they mean by REAL FOOD, but the bottom line... write a post where you share an anecdote, or better still (at least for me) a recipe that focuses on REAL FOOD.

The second question you might be asking is...what exactly is real food? And the term conjures up a number of things to me:

• Lovingly made at home just like my mother and her mother before her did and like I see my girls doing too - the memories alone are worth the effort;
• Using the freshest ingredients you can find because the closer you are to the farm, the fresher the flavor - besides, you'll feel better knowing you're supporting local farmers and artisan cheese and bread makers, I know I do;
• Having the pantry and fridge loaded with ingredients you can "throw together" when those unexpected, but always welcome guests show up;
• That said, having a jar of pasta sauce and other ready made things, are perfectly acceptable in my world, as long as you add a little love while you're whipping it up.

This past Saturday I visited the local Farmers Market - nothing unusual about that...I go every chance I get for the freshest eggs, fish, mussels, free range &/or organic chicken, beef and lamb. And what I realized this weekend...I'm slow, so it never dawned on me before...

I'm always ready for the season ahead...way before the season ahead is actually ready to show up! Just like clothes...come hot, muggy August, I'm craving big bulky sweaters and boots and by February, I'm longingly looking at shorts and skirts and sandals....I'm the same with food. By February I'm yearning for fiddleheads and asparagus and by August I'm aching for the day when I'll be able to make some fragrant slow cooking soups, stews and braises.

When we lived in Toronto, the BBQ was just outside the sliding patio doors off the dining room and we used it all year round. True, it didn't quite get as hot as I wanted in the dead of Winter, but we cooked out there anyway.
For the last three years (You've heard the whine before, I know), no BBQ but that will change at the end of July when we move to an apartment with a large balcony. That said, we still have more than a month and a half to go, so we bribed Joanna & Ezra with homemade lamb burgers if we could come over and have Ezra grill them for us.

To many people, when you say burgers, the image conjures up greasy, skinny fast food offerings, but you'll find some awesome recipes here for any number of things you can do with a pound of ground. This time I wanted to bring a little Mediterranean to the table.

In fact, I woke up that morning with lamb burgers on the brain. So without looking at my favorite recipe until after the fact....I made my Greek style Lamb Burgers with fresh ground lamb from my favorite lamb producer Wood 'n Hart and added some wonderful fresh parsley & oregano from from Hutten Family Farm and some fresh mint from Riverview Herbs. I left out the feta (Joanna doesn't mix dairy and meat at home), but everything else is pretty much the same.
Oh, and Boaz (3 1/2 year old) did inform us that he didn't want a LAMB burger, he wanted a HAMburger. Good thing his mother had a batch in the freezer.

Hellmann's Real Food Grant Program

Who'd have thought I'd write a post about food and not have any photos, but this is worth it. I had to share a fantastic opportunity for Canadians from Hellmann's - the mayo people.

Last June I was invited by Hellmann's to join a panel of Canadian food bloggers in Toronto to increase awareness about eating locally produced food. It was an awesome and eye-opening experience. While true, that I have always enjoyed produce grown locally, and found in season at farmers markets, I never really paid attention to where produce came from at my local grocer. That's changed and I left with a sense of, not only how delicious local food is, but how important it is to support our local producers.

This year, the folks at Hellmann's have gone even further - It's their Real Food Grant Program . Hellmann’s is committed to making it easier for Canadians and their families to enjoy the pleasure of real food. As a result, Hellmann’s® is providing $100,000 in Real Food Grants to support initiatives that bring Canadian families and kids together with real food in their community. You don't have to think huge either - initiatives as small as organizing a real food lunch to something more elaborate like starting a community based garden or green house. So put on your thinking caps and if you have an idea for your family or your local community, check it out. Perhaps you'll be a winner. Just remember that entries must be in by June 30, 2010.

Finally - Skirt Steak & Worth the Wait

The saga of the perfect dinner actually started a few weeks ago. I dropped by my favorite beef purveyor at the Saturday Farmers Market. Chris of Getaway Farm (I've written about them, often, in fact ) had some gorgeous flank steak and we started talking about how difficult it was to find any these days. Conversation led to hangar steak and skirt steak - other favorites of old that I occasionally...make that rarely see on restaurant menus and never in the grocery store. Chris said he'd have some skirt steak in for me the following week.

Well...that was gearing up for Passover and no room in the fridge, so finally last Saturday, there it was. Took it home, eventually marinated it. Skirt steak is one of those tough cuts - very muscular, but soooooo tasty - that really require marinating. With my bazillion cookbooks and magazines, I couldn't find any recipes for skirt steak - and that includes the 5 encyclopedia type books. And while it's true that cooking it is similar to cooking flank steak - marinating and grilling are the best options... skirt steak is thinner and I didn't want to mess it up.

Fortunately, there is "Google". What did we do before it? In 0.38 seconds I was awarded the option of 273,000 recipes - I kid you not! I ended up with this Balsamic Vinegar Marinated Skirt Steak from GroupRecipes.com which is a very cool site.

Dinner was delicious. The steak practically melted in my mouth and all I did was serve it with a bowlful of local, tasty, and fresh mixed green salad and citrus vinaigrette. We licked the plate clean!

Now that I've found my awesome source here in Halifax, and figured out how to prepare the meat even BEFORE marinating it, I thought I'd share these basic steps...

1. Remove the thin membrane on the under-side of the skirt steak. Just slide the tip of a sharp knife between it and the meat at one end and then gently pull it back, using one hand on the membrane and the other on the meat. Do this slowly, and gently so as not to tear the meat. It is quite thin...thinner than flank steak.

2. Place your favorite marinade (check out some of my flank steak recipes for marinades) in a large ziplock baggie. Add your meat and gently massage the marinade into the meat for a minute or two. Place the baggie in the fridge for 24 - 48 hours, turning the bag over once. I usually sit the baggie on a rimmed baking sheet...just in case the bag leaks.

3. Let the skirt steak sit on the counter for 1 hour before grilling to bring it to room temperature.

4. Preheat your grill to as hot as you can - BBQ is my preferred method, but having none, I use a grill pan or my Cuisinart Griddler .

5. Lightly oil your grill grates/pan, place the skirt steak pretty side down and grill for 2 minutes. Turn the steaks and lower the heat to medium high and cook for another 2-3 minutes. I test mine for doneness with a Digital Instant-read Thermometer - 145F/62C

6. Remove from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, covered with tin foil to allow the meat to relax before serving. Remember, this tough cut needs a little extra loving, but is well worth the time.

Chef Dan Barber & Sustainable Fish

I saw this great video and had to share it with you. Take a break, put up your feet and listen to Chef Dan Barber talk about sustainable fish. He's funny and it's quite the eye-opener.


Just in case you can't open it from here, check out this link. Then leave your views in the comments.

Another Great Saturday at the Market

Normally I like to take photos either at the market or at least my stash once I get home. Today, neither .... it's still too early for many produce vendors, although I did get some lovely greenhouse greens from a farm near Tatamagouche. I was too sleepy at 7 AM to get the name. The bok choy, mustard greens, gorgeous cilantro and mixed salad greens will definitely be appreciated this week. In fact the mustard greens made it into the frittata above.

I did get some lovely free range eggs and some Ran-Cher goat cheese - this time with Italian herbs. In fact, I can't imagine my fridge NOT having Ran-Cher cheeses on hand for those last minute meals - fantastic in pasta, on pizza, and grilled cheese sandwiches for sure.

I was on the lookout for a leg of lamb to make Katie of Thyme for Cooking's Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Rosemary, which sounds fantastic...and went early to my favorite place for lamb Wood 'n Hart without thinking that it being Easter Weekend, there would be a huge demand. So, I placed my order for one for next Saturday and bought some free range eggs. One of the things I love best about the market - the relationships I've built with the vendors.

Naturally I had to stop by Mike's Fish Shop and thank Peter for the wonderful side of Salmon I got last week for my birthday party - Roasted Salmon with Teriyaki Hoisin Sauce. It was perfect. This week I picked up some fresh Blue Fish fillets - a first and I did find a wonderful sounding recipe to try tonight. I'll keep you posted.

Next stop...more greens from Riverview Herbs (another hot house farm) baby beet greens, baby arugula, fresh mint ...all to definitely brighten up this week's dishes.

Last stop, to Chris and the gang at Getaway Farm for some aged skirt steak (I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was always on the lookout - they're so rarely available- and he got some for me and now also sells hangar steak -another favorite of mine) and some fresh ground beef (for those awesome looking Garlic Meatballs that once again, Katie of Thyme for Cooking made for this week's Presto Pasta Night).

And home to make a very tasty frittata with my score. You can check out some of the frittata recipes here and them make them your own with whatever local lovely produce you can find.

Sad Day in Hooterville - I Mean Halifax Market

It's a sad, sad day in Hooterville, I mean at the Halifax Farmer's Market. True, normally anytime from January to end of March, there is a dirth of green. And, perhaps because I haven't been since mid December, I'm just not used to such a limited supply.

Ted Hutton, definitely my favorite farmer, with the biggest stall and the most interesting vegetables - even in the winter, couldn't make it in because of the huge snow storm that affected the Annapolis Valley yesterday.
Even the butchers had trouble getting in.
In fact, the only line up was at Getaway Farms - grass fed Galloway beef, and was so long that all the gorgeous, meaty short ribs were gone by the time it was my turn. So I made my way home with some pain chocolat for breakfast, cheese & baguette for later and some scallops and eco certified salmon (farmed but under very strict guidelines) for dinner.

Sad, but all in all, not a bad score of locally produced delicacies, given it's dead of winter here. What do your markets look like...or do you even have any in the winter?

Shipwright's Cafe & Chef Calvin Burt

I promised to share more of my wonderful experiences in Prince Edward Island (PEI) and somehow an entire month just whizzed right by.

So here's the first of my installments...a truly exceptional morning with Chef Calvin Burt (local boy - actually, his family has been in PEI since the 1700s. (His dad a fisherman and his mom a fantastic cook) - at his magical home and cafe...a historic 1880's farmhouse in the heart of fertile North Shore Country in PEI. Do check out his video tour.

But here are a few of my quick photos to show off (or try to) the loveliness of this place. Outside...a view from the driveway...
free run chickens
geese...

a very noisy rooster...
Sadly, my photos of his garden didn't turn out, but the bounty did make its way to the kitchen. So let's move indoors...Chef Calvin greets us all in his kitchen where we'll be baking some famous PEI Potato Bread with him.
But first a quick tour of his cafe/home... the library turned dining room upstairs during the season and back to a family room in the winter.
another lovely dining room - 4 all together...
And back to the kitchen...homemade preserves from the farm and surrounding area that you can purchase on your way out.
our mini potato loaves ready for the oven...

and ready to eat...
excellent roasted bruschetta on garlic toasted potato bread (secret ingredient...balsamic vinegar)
the easy as pie creme brulee about to go into the oven in a bain marie...
and, finally lunch is served....steamed world famous PEI mussels with lots of garlic, fresh tomatoes & herbs from the garden - plus some white wine too...
and the Grande Finale...creme brulee
Next week, I'll be sharing several videos I took of the actual bread making and because Chef Calvin really cooks "by feel"...I found this recipe for PEI Potato Bread on the net that looks very similar.