Oh Snow Cute

Playing in the snow never looked so good!

Photography and text by Kimberly Rashed

As much as I love to shop and have an overflowing closet full of just about every item you can imagine, I have to admit I do tend to skimp when it comes to winter outerwear. When the family heads out for a fun day in the snow, I shy away because I know I’ll be the first one to freeze my (albeit fashionable) butt off. Let’s face it, the red-nosed, teeth chattering, bundled like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man isn’t the greatest of looks for, well, anyone.

Heading outside for a winter snow day isn’t exactly a fashion show, but come on! Can’t we raise the cuteness factor just a little bit? Given that the snow’s going to happen whether we want it to or not, here are some top tips for looking cute and staying cozy this winter.

Invest in a quality winter jacket with some shape and keep the style classic.This is a sure-fire way you will wear it time and time again, making it an investment that will not only keep you warm and toasty but will last you through the years. Look for options that are specifically made for a day in the snow, like the three-quarter length jacket. Options like a snow catcher can be your best friend saving you from the surprise of snow sneaking up your back.
If you’re lucky enough to find a winter jacket with a matching pant, they are definitely worth the splurge. However, if you are forced to pull a pair from a different brand, opt for a neutral colour. The pant itself tends to get less wear and will outlast the life of your jacket, giving you the option to match that neutral colour with another jacket in the future.

Us ladies love us some fancy footwear but when it comes to winter galoshes, well, they’re not nearly as exciting to search for, are they? They’re more of a ‘well, I guess I have to’ kind of purchase. Do your best to find something you like and will feel good wearing on those treacherous snow days. Trust me ladies, they are out there. Something with a fur trim or lining is always nice. You’re going to want to spend some money on these; quality will go a long way towards comfort, warmth and durability. Plan on kicking some frosty butt this year!

Long Janes. Yeah, you guessed it – the female version of long johns. Available in super cute prints and colours, LJs offer a flirty look that look great as winter pjs but also serve a dual function as a winter must-have for extra warmth when venturing out for some snow play.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a hat person.Though I do love hats, the ridicule I endure once one is placed upon my head is something I do not. That’s why it’s important to try on as many styles available, which, literally, are endless. When trying on hats, consider what it looks like by wearing your hair up and leaving it down. Don’t forget about other head-warming options like earmuffs or a headband.

Mittens vs. gloves.Mittens always look so cute – so cute, they remind me of my childhood days. But gloves are so much easier to maneuver if you happen need the use of a finger. I mean, what if someone asks you how many marshmallows you want in your cocoa? Or you need to flip the…switch? Mittens are fine for making snowballs, but if you’re hands on, gloves are way more functional. Choose wisely.

My biggest tip for all the gents out there is this: coordinate.For years, my husband got by on mismatched outerwear and until I decided to join the winter wear world myself, I was letting it slide. This year, however, I’m taking the reigns. He’s getting a new, coordinated look from head to toe whether he wants it or not!

If this is a stretch for you, stick to neutrals for the jacket and pant. Throw in some colour with a scarf or hat. Guys don’t need to be over adventurous, but if you’ve got some great moves on the slopes, a little colour will help a gal track you down later at the ski lodge. Hey guys, I’m just lookin’ out for you!

Thank you to models Joe Rashed and Sangeetha Young of Panache Models for braving the elements for these photos.

Kimberly Rashed, photographer, modeling director, and mother of three, keeps us looking fashion forward each month in G!

Playing in the snow never looked so good! Photography and text by Kimberly Rashed As much as I love to shop and have an overflowing closet full of just about every item you can imagine, I have to admit I do tend to skimp when it comes to winter outerwear. When the family heads out [...]

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G! Eats: Wellington – A Meal Fit for a Duke?

Photography and text by Christina Flemming

It is historically rumoured that the Duke of Wellington didn’t really like food. It wasn’t even like he had to cook; he had a huge kitchen staff working tirelessly to thrill him during every dinner service, but nothing really impressed the velvet socks off him.

The Duke of Wellington, after all, was an important guy. Arthur Wellesley was the leader who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Not everybody’s a foodie, but there were a few things old Arthur liked. He enjoyed beef, he liked mushrooms, and he loved pastry. So his culinary team put them together and created what we like to call Beef Wellington, named after the Duke’s famous victory and said to resemble a polished riding or Wellington boot.

Though most accounts agree on the origin of the dish, it’s important to note that there are disputers. In The New York Times Food Encyclopaedia, Theodora FitzGibbon provides a recipe for “Steig Wellington.” She uses the Irish spelling for steak, claiming that the dish is of Irish origin and that it was merely a favourite of the Duke of Wellington. Incidentally, many years later, the dish was also a fave meal of President Richard Nixon.

Classic Beef Wellington consists of seared beef, brushed with a topping of duxelle (mushroom paste with herbs), wrapped in puff pastry, baked in the oven and served with some type of sauce—commonly Madeira sauce (made with super-sweet Madeira wine). Even if you’ve never ordered your kitchen staff to prepare you a plate of Beef Wellington, you’re likely to have seen Ramsay yelling at his protégés on Hell’s Kitchen for either over or undercooking the Wellington. Bloody Hell!

But why go for beef when you’re surrounded by water?

Two local chefs have created their own twists on the dish. Chef Ilona Daniel, formerly of Daniel Brenan Brickhouse, was recently serving up Atlantic Smoked Salmon Wellington. Even with the beef replaced by flakey smoked salmon and drizzled with a sweet pea veloute, the dish is both heavy and heavenly. As the Brickhouse menu will be changing due to Daniel’s departure and the incorporation of a new chef, we may have to Google our own Smoked Salmon Wellington recipes in the future. Numerous variations exist online, many with Dijon as a main flavouring ingredient.

Halibut Wellington is perhaps even less common than Smoked Salmon Wellington. Islanders can find a recipe for this dish in Charlottetown Chef Paul Lucas’ first book, Prince Edward Island Seafood: Local Fare, Global Flavours (Acorn Press). In a recent interview with The Guardian, Lucas explains that his Halibut Wellington is topped with duxelle and encased in store-bought pastry and eventually topped with cream sauce made of dried mushrooms reduced to a powder with an electric coffee mill. He explains that meatier types of fish, such as halibut, often make nice substitutes for beef. Who says you can’t serve Wellington to your vegetarian friends?

If you are still unable to forsake fresh island beef (quite understandable), it’s easy to get your hands on a recipe for Beef Wellington just the way the Duke liked it. And with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it might be a good time to test your own culinary capabilities…

Christina Flemming is G!’s newest foodie who has recently come to the Island and learned how to shuck oysters and throw enough elbow to get to the front of the crowd of samplers at the International Chowder Championships. She is passionate about food ranging from oatcakes to octopus. She will eat anything at least once, but there are a couple of things she will never eat twice; namely, pig fat and raw sea urchin.   

Photography and text by Christina Flemming It is historically rumoured that the Duke of Wellington didn’t really like food. It wasn’t even like he had to cook; he had a huge kitchen staff working tirelessly to thrill him during every dinner service, but nothing really impressed the velvet socks off him. The Duke of Wellington, [...]

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G! Gets Zesty: What’s for Brinner?

Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? Bring a little sunny side up to tonight’s dinner menu

By Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook)

Scrambled, boiled, or fried – not your usual dinnertime request, but when you’re cooking breakfast for the last meal of the day, it’s the norm. Finding time in the morning to make a big traditional breakfast is hard to come by, let alone finding the time to savour each tasty morsel. When you want a meal you can really sink your teeth into and enjoy, brinner reigns supreme. As far as I’m concerned, it can’t get to the table fast enough.

What would breakfast for dinner be without its most cherished dietary staple?  For as long as chickens have been laying them, eggs have always been an easy and affordable way for people to get a healthy dose of protein. Plus, there are endless ways to use them when you’re whipping up a brinner menu. Here are two simple egg-inspired dishes that are ready to serve, morning, noon, or night.

Baked French Toast

Crisp on the outside and tender in the middle, this recipe will have you craving French toast any time of day.

What you’ll need:

3 large eggs
2/3 cup of whole milk or whipping cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
6 to 8 slices stale French bread, thickly sliced
1/4 cup of salted butter

 

In a large shallow pan, mix eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Place bread slices in a single layer in the pan and allow to soak up the liquid for 10 minutes; flip, then soak for another 10 minutes (the slices can be covered and refrigerated overnight at this point, if desired).

In another large baking pan, melt butter in a 400°F oven. Transfer the soaked bread onto the hot, heated, buttered pan in a single layer. Drizzle the leftover egg juices on top of the bread slices and bake for 10 minutes. Turn bread slices over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until bread is golden. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Zesty tip: Baking French toast instead of frying it allows every slice to stay hot so everyone gets a nice, hot stack of golden deliciousness.

Quinoa & Kale Crustless Quiche

Quiche is a timeless classic that never gets old. This version is a little different since – tada! – there is no crust. This crustless quiche will have you wondering why you ever needed the pastry in the first place.

 

What you’ll need:

1 cup cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 bunch of kale, chopped (stems removed)
1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of reduced fat white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of reduced fat feta cheese
4 whole eggs and 3 egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste

 
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9 inch pie dish with butter or baking spray. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.

Thinly slice the onion (I used my food processor). Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly until they’re soft and browned; this will take about 35 minutes. Once golden brown, remove onions from pan, and place in a large mixing bowl.

Clean and chop kale and add it to the hot onion pan; cook until kale is wilted and bright green, or 2 to 5 minutes.

Add the cooked kale, cooked quinoa, garlic, and cheeses to the mixing bowl.  Stir the ingredients so that they are evenly distributed.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Pour eggs over the quinoa/kale mixture. Stir until the egg mixture clings to the greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture in the prepared pie dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the pie has started to pull away from the edge of the baking dish.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Zesty fact: Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen wah’) like a grain, but is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach or kale. It’s considered a ‘super food’ because it is high in nutrients, antioxidants and protein. It has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture with a delicious, nutty flavour when cooked. It’s good – try it!

For more tantalizing brinner ideas,such as Breakfast Pizza, Tuscan Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, or Apple Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal, stop on over to www.zestycook.com. You’ll never look at dinner the same way again!

Take care,

Zesty

Find Cory Gallant aka Zestycook every month in G! for ideas on what to put on your plate and in your belly.

Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? Bring a little sunny side up to tonight’s dinner menu By Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook) Scrambled, boiled, or fried – not your usual dinnertime request, but when you’re cooking breakfast for the last meal of the day, it’s the norm. Finding time in the morning to make [...]

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