I love my Ontario!

Fresh & Locally grown, Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes!

I have been secretly envious of everyone who has been eating fresh local asparagus but couldn't seem to find some for myself. On Mothers day Steve and I drove by a little sign saying "Fresh home grown asparagus" but it was raining so we didn't bother. While driving away I felt the longing in my tummy.

Today, I found some. At a little road side building in Ancaster. Hand written signs on the door, say 'Cash Only Please', and once through the door, I found a little sign saying 'Press the button for service'. I pressed the little button twice because I didn't hear anything the first time, then was distracted by the produce. It is still early in the season, here in Ontario, so there were the basic root veggies, and potatoes, but also what I was looking for... ASPARAGUS. I swear I whispered it under my breath, to excited to contain the thought, it slipped out. The button must have donged somewhere because an older man, clearly a farmer himself, walked over to help me. I had to tell him how amazing the asparagus looked, and he began to tell me a storey of when he was a kid he'd bite the tops off all the asparagus in his Mom's garden, without picking them, making her believe rabbits or some other critter was to blame. He just loved the tops!

It felt good, to see vegetables still a little dirty from the garden, piled on a simple table in an open building also housing a tractor and other equipment. Hand written signs, $4, $3, no calculators or cash registers, no sales tax or middle man to pay off. The money I paid went straight to the farmer.

I am going to cook these veggies, only enough to soften them, because I want their freshness
to linger in our mouths, while we absorb the greatness they contain.

EAT LOCAL. EAT FRESH. EAT GOOD

meat machine

I stumbled across this image while surfing the net today, and It struck me as hilarious. It seems to be a helpful guideline on food styling a burger. And I bet this is supposed to be a "fast food" burger, because there are some pretty perfect looking fries tucked into the background of the bun.

I think these guidelines would be more useful in the future when robots are working behind the counter at Mc Donalds. They can look at this photo and see what a burger should look like for human consumption. "Beep... sprtiz water... grill marks... click... beep"

or

Maybe you will just walk up to an ATM type machine, press in your order, quick swipe of you plastic card of choice and boop bleep beep beep, your meal with drop into a handy tray for your consumption. That means the computer will need this photo as part of their 'make man food' software package.

Sometimes i scare myself

Magnum from Outerspace

I bought this painting this morning, at 7:45am, while at work, while shopping for a friends birthday present. I bought it off etsy.com

This painting and I... we made contact! You could say "first contact" And I didn't buy just a print of it, oh no, I'm receiving the ACTUAL PAINTING!

The title of this post is the name of this painting. It is only 4"x4" and yet, it is one of the greatest pieces of art I may ever buy.

The apartment I share with Steve is filled with colour and life and items that are "ours". They don't all match up like lines on a page. But each item makes us smile. Steve has a carved wooden monkey face with earrings that watches me cook, mounted under the clock, next to the stove, and I now have a green alien staring down from space!

I say pashaw ( with a mocking hand flap) to those poor souls who mindlessly shop at places like pier-one imports for those "in style" decorating items... Matching striped vases for the end tables, wicker balls piled into a large bowl for the coffee table... BLAH!

We have paintings in odd places, paintings that don't match, posters in large frames that may as well be paintings. We have masks, and statues and photos. And the kitchen, if I described it to you, would sound like a flea market. But our apartment is very minimalist, but cozy. No clutter, no useless items. What little furniture we have is used to its fullest every day. Our love seat couch is on wheels, so we can roll it to where it is needed, and that is not at all weird to us!
The things we have collected go everywhere, we don't feng-shuai our living room, we hang and place items where we like to look at them. A staue of a woman in lotus pose on the kitchen window sill. A ceramin 3-D sign of the word LAUGH, hung at chest level on the wall behind the sink. I look at it, and smile, it has served its purpose!

And do you know what this painting did to me, that made me buy it, snap it up, so to speak?

It made me smile and 'awe' with childlike wonder.

It stood out, and made me giggle, and smirk and laugh. It is a green alien in space! It looks like an illustration in a children's storey book.

This summer I will be 25 years old. And for once I finally feel the meaning, of "young at heart". No matter how many years your body ages, your mind stays as young and fresh as you want it to be.

My lesson of the day, Be yourself and buy the alien painting if it makes you smile! :-)

What more can I say?

My Name is Adele Lynn Oliver. I live in Hamilton, Ontario with my beloved partner Steve, and our kitty Coltrane. Our apartment is small but colourful on a street with barely any parking. I am the Senior Customer Service Rep for a private jet charter company, I organize people’s lives and keep everything else organized and stocked. Who am I really? I think I was a Chef in a past life, or a fish, I could do both equally well.

Born into a typical family structure, Mom, Dad and Brother. I liked mud, and playing outside, dress up and lying. I lied, because I liked to colour on walls and suck random objects up into the central vac system. I broke my arm at 6 yrs old, hated track and field from the get go, and found that public school was NOT for anyone who stands out.

I graduated College with a Diploma in Outdoor Adventure. I pierced everything I could, and then took them all out. I have a ½ sleeve tattoo among others. I have 0 gauge wooden plugs in my ears. I only show 1/8 of my personality at work, because mainstream business, has not modernized itself enough to incorporate modern-day urbanized citizens into their workforce. Yeah, that’s right!

Growing up every summer was a different job, single serving lodging. I’ve been a farm hand, Ontario Ranger, Boat Tech, Kitchen girl, Raft Guide, Rock climbing Instructor, and Deli Manager. After college, on a whim, I quit my job and flew to Taiwan to be an English teacher. After escaping psychological trauma from an under-medicated psycho roommate, I had an amazing time. Bought a scooter, saw the sights, rode the trains, navigated the markets and loved the food! I hope one day to return.

I’ve met a lot of people in my life who were a waste of time, and alot of people who have made my world a better place to be. I go to the gym 5 days a week, get angry at bad drivers, and talk to myself a lot. I battle with my weight, my demons and annyoing people everyday.

I write a blog about food, because that is where my heart is. I am an environmentalist so if you don’t recycle, stay the hell away from me, because you’re going to get a piece of my mind. I am turning 25 this year, and a quarter century has taught me to screw dealing with time wasters, and just enjoy every moment.

I’m weird, I’m me. I’m a vegetarian because eating meat creates HUGE amounts of green house gases. I am dairy intolerant. I love chocolate, guacamole, soup and wine. I don’t subscribe to TV; I don’t eat fast-food. I don’t wear cover-up, I don’t paint my nails and I break the law everyday of the week! I am artistic, creative and love to use movie quotes as my own. I like comedy, and comedians and I think everybody needs to lighten the hell up!

Sunday dinner with Friends

Spicy roasted eggplant and green peppers!

Steph and Jay were our guests on Sunday, except 'they' cooked 'us' dinner! Well, Steph did all the cooking that night. The rest of us sat and enjoyed a fresh coffee, from our in house Barrister, Steve.

Steph in action & Steve in action

Steph arrived with almost everything prepped, like a good cook. And without much more than a glance at a Whole Foods cook book, the flurry of her cooking began before our eyes. Watching her in my kitchen, I felt like I was watching myself. Wondering if that is how I looked while doing the dance of cooking. Steph had never cooked in my kitchen before, and yet she moved like fluid from one counter to the next, from one dish to the next... Me, silently watching in awe.

Our apartment just happened to be a great place for this dinner to happen, and we were more than happy to have their company.

Steph and I met through work about 3 years ago, we both c0-managed a health food store kitchen together, and found that we may have been separated at birth, a few years and 1 day apart! And it just so happened that our guys get along together like peas and carrots. We both have new jobs but can't seem to get away from each other.

While everything marinated and mixed in the fridge, we scooted off to the park for a game of Frisbee. Which got serious, when we started to compete for the most passes without dropping the Frisbee. 32 times the Frisbee was passed between 4 people, probably 20 feet apart!

Jay and Steve probably talking about fish

These guys love fish! They talk about it like little kids in a sandbox, squatted down infront of the tank, smiling faces and nodding heads, they could sit and stare and talk for hours, if we let them! ha ha ha

Spinach & Sundried tomato Tilapia, Summer Pasta salad and Spicy roasted Eggplant toss

Viola, this was a meal to remember! It was our kick-start to summer, and a really great time with friends! There is nothing better than sharing a meal with the people you enjoy to be with.

Corn Bread

Saturday Morning Cornbread

These little loaves came hot out of the oven, sliced in half, smoothed over with organic butter, and dipped into our eggs, to start a wonderful weekend! Mmmmmmm

Delicious food and sunny skies

Thai Coconut Squash soup over Rice Stick noodles

Steve and I are doing a Candida Cleanse to start off the new season. Which means for the first 10 days of our Cleanse (started April 1st) our diet is limited a fair bit. So the things we can eat, are a celebration, and last night it was our beloved Thai Coconut Squash Soup. I omitted the sugar and fish sauce and Viola! I also added 3, chopped up, leaves of bok choy for some 'greenness'.

This 30 day cleanse is pretty simple, but it requires dedication and planning because I can't just eat anything-anywhere. I like a challenge!

This morning, I got up quite early, though naturally, and managed to get some company on my run around the neighbourhood. It is a beautiful day here and so far, not a cloud in the sky. Next thing on the list, eat a wonderful breakfast!

All week I have been eating kamut puffs with almond milk for breakfast and I have to say, it is lacking in taste and entertainment. But I give myself NO time in the morning to make breakfast so Saturday's slow morning is a Delight!

OUT OF BREAD? What was I going to dip in my eggs?

Cornbread hit the spot!

I try to always keep a stocked pantry for times like this. If you have a few cookbooks and the basic pantry elements, you never need to worry about "what am I going to eat" because the possibilities are endless.

I made my cornbread into mini loaves, so any leftovers could be easily wrapped up for lunches. Plus the best part of cornbread is the crunchy crust, and you have 6 sides of crunchy with these little loaves!

I don't know where I got this recipe but its tried, tested and true!

Corn Bread

1 1/4 cup Cornmeal ( I use Bobs Red Mill 100% stone ground, medium grind)
3/4 cup Spelt Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup Almond Milk
2 tbsp olive oil

-Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F
- Sift dry together
- Whisk wet together
- Add the wet to the dry mixture.
- Fold ingredients together gently just until mixed. The less you mix the more they will puff

Pour into an oiled 8" cake pan and bake for 25-30 mins.
or
Pour 1/2 cup scoops into an oiled mini loaf pan. Bake for 20 mins. Makes 6 loaves.

I have a great photo of Cornbread, I will add as another post, it does not want to add itself to this post.

Enjoy your weekend!