G! Gets Zesty: Crank Up the Heat

Give your taste buds a kick in the you-know-what by making it spicy!

By Zestycook Cory Gallant

 
Variety is the spice of life; the same goes for your food life. The world is full of tasty options, so why settle for the same foods and flavours day in and day out? Spice things up – literally!

Those who enjoy a diet rich with spicy foods get more out turning up the heat than just tingly lips. Studies show that people who regularly incorporate spicy foods and hot peppers, such as jalapenos, into their diet have improved sleep patterns, circulation and digestion. Spicy foods have also been known to aid in weight loss and help keep mood swings in check. Not many foods out there can do all that!

Not all spicy foods have to be heat-seeking, blow-your-socks off hot. If you like to live on the mild side, try this recipe for Basil Hummus. It’s like a cross between hummus and pesto and it’s delicious. The Tabasco sauce gives this dish a touch of zest that will make you taste buds take notice.

 

 

Basil Hummus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup of pine nuts
* 2 cups of sweet basil leaves, packed
* 3 cloves of garlic, smashed then minced
* 2 15-ounce cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained*
* 1/4 cup of olive oil
* Up to 1/4 cup of water
* 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt
* Several dashes of Tabasco sauce
* 1 teaspoon of tomato paste

 
Method

Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium to high heat. Stir as they begin to brown. When most of the pine nuts have lightly browned, remove them from the pan into a bowl to cool. You’ll want to reserve a few of the pine nuts for garnish.

In the bowl of a food processor, place the basil leaves and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, most of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Pulse several times for several seconds each time until the hummus is smooth. Add more Tabasco and salt or lemon juice to taste. Add water to the point of desired consistency.

To serve, place in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over top. Sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts. Serve with pita wedges, crackers, or rustic bread.

Spicy Mushroom Pasta

 

Let’s dial the heat up a little bit. This Spicy Mushroom Pasta takes pasta to the next level of awesomeness. The freshness and bite of the arugula balances with the sweetness of the tomatoes and makes a great base for the heat supplied by the red pepper flakes and jalapeno. The best pairing for this dish is a tall glass of milk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
* 1 handful of Fettuccine pasta
* 10 -12 mushrooms, chopped
* 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
* 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
* 12 grape tomatoes
* 1/2 cup of white wine
* 1 cup of fresh Arugula
* 2 tablespoons of butter
* 1 teaspoon of olive oil
* salt and pepper to taste
* fresh parmesan cheese to garnish

Method
1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; salt and add pasta. Cook according to directions and drain.
2. In a large pan, turn on medium heat and add the olive oil and half the butter.  Add mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add in red pepper flakes, Jalapeno and cumin. Cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 more minutes.
5. With heat still on medium, toss in the white wine and cook down for 1 minute.  Add remaining pat of butter and stir.
6. Toss in the arugula and let wilt for 2 minutes.
7. Add cooked drained pasta and toss gently. Shred parmesan cheese before serving.
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If you find the sauce a little dry, add a small portion of the reserved pasta water before draining down the sink. This will bring a nice starchy, salty flavour to the sauce and give it a nice balance.

For more ways on how you can spice up your food life, head over to zestycook.com and I’ll show you how to heat things up!

Take care,

Zesty

Give your taste buds a kick in the you-know-what by making it spicy! By Zestycook Cory Gallant   Variety is the spice of life; the same goes for your food life. The world is full of tasty options, so why settle for the same foods and flavours day in and day out? Spice things up [...]

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G! Eats: Pure Culinary Bliss

Lot 30 defies all expectations

Photography and text by Ellen Egan

It goes without saying that I’ve been to my fair share of restaurants, eateries, bistros, and cafes across this great Island of ours. Strangely enough, I had yet to check off the one and only Lot 30on Kent Street in downtown Charlottetown from my checklist of Island culinary hot spots. Having heard rave reviews from just about everyone, I knew it would make the perfect retreat from the holiday chaos that had consumed my already jam-packed schedule.

Upon entering the expansive dining space, I’m immediately intrigued with the urban-inspired art gracing the walls and the mood lighting seems to set the scene just right. Once seated, we’re greeted by our brilliant server who explains the inspiration behind the menu. We’re excited to learn that Chef Gordon Bailey is committed to using the finest ingredients available on PEI, so much so that he changes the menu daily to offer only the freshest products available from local farmers and producers.

I kid you not; their only freezer is the size of a small bar fridge.

Starting off with a round of drinks, I opt for the Vodka Ginger Mojito, which is instantly proclaimed the best mojito either of us has ever tasted (no offence, Smirnoff). My dining partner goes for a glass of the Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio – a classic choice.

It’s an internal struggle to choose what exactly will determine the fate of my dining experience, even despite the small menu size. Luckily, we find out that Chef Bailey has us covered in the appetizer department.

We’re not quite sure what to expect but are soon amazed to watch the plate take shape right before our eyes on the TV screen behind the bar. Yes, you heard me. This isn’t the Food Network you’re watching. The plating of each and every dish is, in fact, filmed for your viewing pleasure.

Not a minute later, a tri-medley of savoury delights arrives at the table. Sitting pretty on the plate are four roasted garlic and panko baked oysters, two baked salmon and haddock cakes with lemon and dill aioli, and four cheddar filled perogies with bacon and crème fraiche.

Now, I wouldn’t call myself a perogie connoisseur exactly, but something of slightly less prestige might be fairly accurate. Not to overshadow the delicious oysters and fishcakes, but these perogies are a work of pure magic.

Typically famous for being a Ukrainian specialty, these particular perogies were inspired by Chef Bailey’s mother who runs her own perogie spot out in Manitoba. Needless to say, these doughy creations now compete for number one ranking in my books.

With just enough time to take a quick breather, we’re soon ready for our main dishes. What were the final decisions, you ask? None other than seared sea scallops with roasted baby potatoes and cider reduction and Shepherds farm maple braised pork belly with potato puree and natural jus.

Oh, baby.
Not to brag, but my pork belly selection was the unanimous winner. And since I’d only ever tried a small sliver of this indulgent cut in my past pork experience, an entire steak is almost too good to be true. I savour just about every morsel and even part with the odd bite along the way. The crisp, maple braised exterior coupled with the tender (and fatty) interior is nothing short of decadent.

And while we’re almost too full to entertain the idea of dessert, two bite-size bowls of homemade carrot cake ice cream arrive and make for the perfect ending to a charming evening.

Lot 30: kudos. You’ve created a dining experience that can only be described as pure culinary bliss.

Happy Eating!

 

While we will certainly miss Ellen’s descriptive and delicious contributions each month for G! Eats, we are excited to welcome aboard Christina Flemming as the newest foodie to tempt our taste buds. Watch for Christina in the January/February issue of G!

Lot 30 defies all expectations Photography and text by Ellen Egan It goes without saying that I’ve been to my fair share of restaurants, eateries, bistros, and cafes across this great Island of ours. Strangely enough, I had yet to check off the one and only Lot 30on Kent Street in downtown Charlottetown from my [...]

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Myth: Resolutions don’t work

The Myth and The Madness

Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good

 

 

 

Myth: Resolutions don’t work.

 

 

 

Did you achieve your fitness and health resolution for 2011? While some of you may have hit your fitness goals (good for you, by the way!), it’s safe to say the majority of resolution-makers out there didn’t.

It is far too common that people have the same fitness resolutions year after year. While most people have great intentions for the year ahead, the only difference ends up being the amount of weight they want to lose is now higher than the year before.

Let me hit you with some knowledge. Here are three tips to keep in mind when making your resolutions that will make them easier to keep:

1) Make realistic goals. Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week, not the 10-20 they lose on The Biggest Loser. Making realistic goals will set you up for realistic success.

2) Don’t give up before you even start. So many people get completely off track around the holidays. Exercise goes out the window and eating goes through the roof. A healthy lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. You have to make exercise and healthy food choices a part of your EVERYDAY life.

3) Do something different. Stop doing the same things you always do. It’s a new year, so it’s time to shake things up! If it didn’t work last year, it isn’t going to this year. Try something new.

Speaking of something new, here are the fitness trends to look for in 2012.

Bootcamps
Originally based on military style training that usually involves running, jumping, bodyweight, and interval styles of exercise. People are pushed harder than they would normally push themselves.

Dance fitness
The dance fitness craze has taken off in the last couple of years and shows no signs of stopping. With the popularity of TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, fitness classes like Zumba are still bringing in big numbers.

Yoga
Yoga has been around forever…literally! Yoga is used to strengthen muscles in isometric holding positions. Yoga can be used to breathe, relax, and meditate as well. Hot Yoga will stay hot this year (pun intended).

Activity-Driven Kids
Childhood obesity rates continue to soar, so in 2012 we’ll be seeing more fitness geared toward children to get them up and moving around. Interactive video games for Nintendo Wii or XBOX Kinect are a great option to get kids active when it’s too cold to go outside.

Older Adult Fitness
Baby Boomers are taking their health seriously and trying lots of new fitness classes that are less intense, or hiring personal trainers who can create age specific programs. They want to be able enjoy their retirement and staying active is key to making that happen.

Personal Training
More and more people are looking to hire educated and certified personal trainers to help tailor a plan to achieve their goals. Personal trainers teach safe techniques, give advice, and motivate.

Functional Fitness
Gone are the days of doing bodybuilding exercises for an hour and then cardio for another hour after that. Functional fitness combines compound movements to work lots of muscles at once, getting your heart rate high and burning lots of calories. Examples are CrossFit, kettlebell, and TRX training.

Technology
You will see more people in the gym this year with their Iphones out. There is an app for everything these days including how to monitor and achieve optimal personal health and fitness. It brings fitness to your fingertips.

Whatever your fitness resolution is for 2012, try something new. Doing different things is good for both your body and your mind.

Yours in fitness and wellness,

Ryan Cairns
CSEP-CPT

 

For fitness tips, videos and more check out Ryan’s website www.sparkfitnessnow.com.

The Myth and The Madness Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good       Myth: Resolutions don’t work.       Did you achieve your fitness and health resolution for 2011? While some of you may have hit your fitness goals [...]

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