Salmon - another Super Food

I'm still recovering from Wednesday night's Surf & Turf extravaganza, so last night's dinner was a much simpler affair...

Asparagus & Pesto Great Pasta Choices

Wait a minute...that's not pasta! This is the post reminding all of you that I'm hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night. So why is there a photo of an asparagus omelet at the top? Well, I'm still on The South Beach Diet Supercharged and, although I've lost a few pounds, it looks like I'll still be doing this next week as well. And as I was making my very delicious omelet, I couldn't help but imagine how great the roasted asparagus tossed with some of Giada's Spicy Walnut Pesto and some cheese would be over pasta - the link to the pesto is actually a tasty pasta dish I made not that long ago - great for SBD Phase 2 with multigrain pasta.

Asparagus & Cheese Spicy Walnut Pesto Omelet

Send your fabulous pastas to me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by Thursday night, so I can drool - and bookmark for later.

Easy Long Weekends in Nova Scotia

Long weekends are always nice, but particularly wonderful when the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm...and even better if great road trips are only minutes away. The difference between living in Toronto and heading out to for a country-side adventure is all about the time it takes to get there...and the ocean, of course (That's Queensland Beach above).

This weekend was the Annual Indian Point/Mahone Bay Mussel Festival and under an hour from Halifax on the loveliest ocean route, passing quaint fishing villages, artistic centers and lots of beaches (at least 10) along the way. The Lighthouse Route is my favorite day trip, as you can see here. You are in the country, on windy country roads within 15 minutes of downtown Halifax and the views are spectacular - Atlantic Ocean view on the left and lakes and mountains on the right. But I digress and you check out my earlier raves by just doing a search here.

Saturday was an attempt to spend the day at Queensland Beach, but the winds blew us toward a more sheltered picnicking spot down the road.
And yesterday it was a jaunt to Mahone Bay to participate in the Mussel Festival and for a lunch of delicious mussels. Frankly it was hard to choose - every restaurant was selling them and every restaurant had at least three options. We ended up at the Gazebo Cafe (a charming spot with lots of patio space and lots of wonderful dishes) and ate some Spanish styled with Chorizo and, my favorite, these Provencal with shrimp in a Pernod cream sauce.
Today is still a lovely day, and to give us some quick energy...or rather, energy quickly...I made this tasty

Asparagus & Cheese with Spicy Walnut Pesto Omelet

with local asparagus - here at last!

I'm not sure where our adventures will take us today, but I am sure it will be wonderful.

Spring Has Sprung....

When I was a kid my dad used to say this little ditty when Spring finally showed up....

"Spring has sprung

The Grass is riz

I wonder where the birdies is.

There one is up in the sky...

Gee I'm glad that cows can't fly."

...and we'd all groan. My dad passed away ten years ago, but he's always around and this time of year, that ditty pops in my head and makes me smile.

Some other things that mean Spring is finally here and also make me smile...

sunshine, birds singing and my favorite vegetables...asparagus and fiddleheads ...are fiddleheads actually a vegetable, I wonder. I know the fiddleheads are really local and the asparagus label did say product of Canada, I'm just not sure where in Canada exactly.

Tonight's dinner is very simple...Frederick's Garlic Steak with Sauteed Asparagus & Fiddleheads. Just follow the recipe with the following tips regarding the asparagus: once you've removed the fiddleheads from the boiling water, add the asparagus and blanch for 1-2 minutes. This time I cut the asparagus into thirds, on a slant for presentation, but also quicker cooking. Remove from the boiling water and add to the ice bath the fiddleheads are in. When it's time to saute ( that would be once you've turned the steaks over), saute both vegetables together as directed. It only takes a few minutes, so have everything ready while the steaks grill on the first side.

And, of course you have to bear with my whining just a little...sigh...no BBQ, so I have to use my Griddler. Still...."spring has sprung, the grass is riz...."