Grain discovery series - black rice

Black rice, also known as purple rice or forbidden rice, keeps popping up in my life. I keep finding it in my research online and people have even started asking me about it. Traditionally, I'm not a *rice lover*, that's why I didn't jump at the chance to try black rice when I first started hearing about it. I like rice for sushi at restaurants, but I make it with quinoa at home... That's pretty well it. It probably has much to do with the fact that a lot of restaurants serve up white rice, which I see as empty carbs... wasteful. You'd be hard pressed to find me ordering a rice dish at a restaurant. If I'm going to order a ton of empty carbs at a restaurant, I'd rather have ice cream. However, black rice intrigued me and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! So off to Whole Foods I went!

Turns out, black rice is very good for you! It contains more antioxidants than blueberries. It's high in vitamin E, which is great news for our skin and immune systems!! It's said to prevent cancer and protect the heart. It's also low in sugar and a good source of protein and iron.

Black rice has a warm, nutty taste and texture similar to brown rice. It can be used in any dish you would use white or brown rice in. I think I may have discovered some reasons to love rice after all!

To cook black rice:
1 cup rice
1 3/4 cups water

Soak rice at least 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Add water and rice to a pot and turn burner on high. When the water begins to boil, turn the burner down and simmer until the water is absorbed (about 30 minutes).

Serve with your favourite sauce or stir fry!!

Bon appétit!
Talia

Stepping back

In my life I have been fortunate to have had no limitations. As a kid I was allowed and encouraged to try everything. I started dancing when I was five: tap, jazz and ballet... At 7 it was swimming... When I was 11, I picked up gymnastics... When I was 13 it was Irish dance and synchronized swimming... Then in highschool it was modern dance and various ballroom dance styles, vocal lessons, saxophone and guitar lessons. I taught Irish dance while continuing with my staples: tap, jazz and ballet in my highschool program... Danced on my university dance team... Dabbled in mountain bike riding and finally hopped on a proper road bike when I was 26.

The bike was a gift from my dad, an avid and skilled cyclist himself. A pearl white trek set-up with drop handle bars. My helmet, jerseys and shoes were of course all appropriately coloured: white, lime green and gray, to match. One day while riding my usual route from one of my favourite places on earth, the Toronto beaches, I was cruising down a rec trail and a car didn't see me.............. There is this brief moment of clarity when you face your mortality... I, of course, didn't lose my life that day but for a brief second I accepted that I might. That was enough to have a profound effect on me.

I am a different person now, today, than I was on that day. I have struggled physically which has forced me to face my demons. I don't even feel right complaining about my struggles because I know that there are people who suffer worse than I do every day... But the struggles are there. I have had to learn to cope with (minor) chronic pain and physical limitations for the first time in my life. There are days when I can't do the things I want to do and days I probably shouldn't do some of the things I struggle through anyway and it's changed me. It's put into perspective what's actually important in life, because, for a split second I thought that my life was over and now I am so grateful for every day.

In the end, the journey that started following that accident was a very positive one. I have met really amazing people and learned so much about life and become much more body aware. I've learned not to sweat the small stuff. I still whine and exercise my ferocious sarcastic sass on the regular, but I don't worry about things the way I used to... And that is a blessing!

Seriously though don't sweat the small stuff because everything can change in a split second. Love freely, dance like no one is watching and sing like no one is listening.

Most of all, have a happy day!!
Talia

So, just what's in that nut milk anyway?

In life, and particularly in groceries, I prefer to stick to things with ingredients I don't have to google to find out what they are and where they came from. You know, shop the perimeter and all that jazz. However, I try not to rely on animal products for everything alllll the time. For instance, I like to use my chia egg replacement formula and nut milks in my cooking and baking adventures sometimes. Something has always bothered me about pre-made nut milks though. Actually a few things. Just what is gellan gum? Also, did you ever wonder what is a 'natural flavour' and if it's so natural, why don't they call it by its proper name? Last I checked there wasn't a 'natural flavour tree' with 'natural flavour seeds' growing on it. All kidding aside... These things aren't going to kill you, I think you're ok to drink mass produced almond milk in moderation (just like everything else). However, I wondered: how hard is it REALLY to make your own almond milk? Also, because I'm a control freak about certain things in my life, like for instance, I like to know exactly what I'm tossing into my gullet and there are no questions if I made it myself out of whole ingredients.

So, guess what folks!! Almond milk really isn't that hard to make. At all!!! If you want to try it, here are the instructions:

1. Soak desired amount of raw almonds in water for 8-12 hours. They should be covered and have an extra inch to account for absorption. 1 cup of almonds will make about 1 litre of almond milk.

2. Drain and rinse almonds thoroughly and add to a blender. Add water. For this, the general rule is 3:1... That's 3 parts water to 1 part almonds (or cashews, or whatever nut you'd like to make milk out of, really!). So if you're blending 1 cup of almonds, add 3 cups of water. That said, once you've done this, you may decide you like it creamier... Or less creamy. The solution is simple: more creamy = more nuts/less water, less creamy=less nuts/more water.

3. Blend for about a minute.

4. Strain through a mesh strainer into a jar/bowl (Bonus: You can keep the remaining almond meal for other recipes :-)

5. Strain again through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into another jar. Or use a nut bag, if you happen to have one of those lying around (my bet is that you don't... And you'll use the cheesecloth...).

6. Optional, put back in the blender and add honey.. Dates... Vanilla... Chocolate... Chia seeds... Whatever you want. And blend. Chia seeds will thicken it up a bit.

... Et voila!

Home made nut milk will keep for about 4 days in the fridge. I blast through over a litre in about 4 days.

Have a happy day!
Talia.

A little improv in the kitchen!

Sometimes when I cook something, I realize halfway through that I'm missing a key component to my meal. Actually, this happens quite a lot. Sometimes I can be pretty scattered when I'm running around between activities and I often leave the grocery store without an item... Sometimes it's the exact item that prompted me to go to the grocery store in the first place. Today, that item was maple syrup.......

So, there I am, halfway through making my strawberry-chocolate chip wheat and coconut flour pancakes and I remember that I'm out of maple syrup... Bowl of batter, 2 pancakes in the pan. In my world, this is almost a serious crisis!! How am I going to eat my pancakes!

This is when some of my best improvising happens. I start rummaging through the pantry... I have honey... Cinnamon... Pure vanilla extract... I have some more strawberries in the fridge leftover from the pancake batter. Into a pot! Delicious!!! Here's the recipe:

Honey/strawberry syrup:
2 strawberries chopped
2 drops pure vanilla extract
1 pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 pinch sea salt

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer. Press strawberries with a spoon to soften/release juices. Simmer for 5 minutes.

And just for fun! The pancake recipe:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup gelled chia seeds
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large strawberries, puréed
1 and 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bon appétit!
Talia

International women's day(?)

I have to be really honest: I didn't even know there was an 'International Women's Day', let alone that today was it, until about halfway through my first cup of tea at my desk when one of my coworkers wished me a "happy women's day"... But it really got me thinking. What? How? Why?

In this culture we are so bombarded with Halmark holidays. Is this just another reason to BUY for the women in your life?

It may be. Or maybe it's another opportunity to reflect, and that is one of my favourite past times. There has been so much news lately, for instance, a public flogging for a woman in the Middle East who had premarital sex (which she alleges was rape)... This is a reminder, I think, of just how lucky most of us are here. We are free to be educated, love and be loved by whoever we choose, marry, or not marry, work, or not... We get to have those freedoms. It is also a reminder of how we came to have these freedoms, all the brave women who took risks and challenged the way things were. All the women who still fight.

In my own little space of the world, it is a reminder of the strong, brave, intelligent women I come from. My own grandmother who, at 9 years old in the comfort of her childhood bed, deep in the depression decided that she didn't want to be poor and that meant she was going to go to university... This at a time when women didn't typically go to university. She then went on to make her mark on her profession and then be honored for it with an award in her name at one of the top universities in Ontario. For my own mother who made her way through university with two kids in tow. For my dad's mother who was taken far too young. I honor those women.

"Strong women may we know them may we raise them may we be them" - unknown.

Happy International Women's Day!
Talia

Grain discovery series - Overnight.... Barley?

So if you've followed my blog... Or my Instagram at all it's very easy to see that I am quite fond of oats, in all their versatility. Fairly recently I discovered overnight oats and have enjoyed many an overnight oats breakfast. As I was wandering the aisles at Whole Foods looking for inspiration, as I often do, I found myself walking by the bulk barley and noticing its resemblance to rolled oats and I wondered: what would happen if I soak barley overnight oats style? As I'm a sucker for culinary adventure (well, adventure of any kind, really, but the culinary kind is the only applicable kind right now) I found myself leaving Whole Foods bag-of-Barley in tow.

From a nutritional perspective barley is a great way to get iron, protein, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. Like most grains, it's an excellent source of dietary fiber. It's also a great source of selenium which has antioxidant properties that assist thyroid function and prevent a range of illnesses (cancer and cardiovascular disease, to name a few)... and the cancer preventing, age-busting, heart health promoting, immune system regulating polysaccharide Beta Glucan.

Overnight barley:
1/2 cup hulled/pearled barley
1.5 cups milk of choice (I use almond)

I found barley needed more almond milk than I'm accustomed to using with oats. Garnish with the fruits, nuts, seeds and/or spices of your choice and leave in the fridge overnight. Super easy!!

Pictured with almond milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 pinch nutmeg, 1 tbsp flax meal and 1/2 banana.

Bon appétit!!
Talia

Grain discovery series - Millet

Welcome to the fourth entry of my grain discovery journey!

You may recognize millet from that sack of bird seed you used to drag to the local park as a kid to feed the chickadees... And you'd be right, same beast! I bet you didn't know you were basically feeding those chickadees dietary gold. Millet is rich in fiber, phosphorous, manganese, B vitamins, protein and magnesium. Magnesium is great for heart health and there is some evidence that it can reduce the severity of asthma and the frequency of migraines!! Millet, like quinoa and amaranth and the rest of the grains I'll be featuring are gluten-free. So eat up, my gluten intolerant friends... And everyone else!

The one downside of millet is that it is not as easily digestible as some other grains. That being said, the point of this series is not to introduce you to something you can replace wheat with and eat 6 times a day. Everything in moderation, there is a reason they say that!

I tried with all my might and wits to pop millet... They say it can be done! I tried many times and for all my efforts I ended up with a lot of burnt millet. Wasteful. So, I gave up and did this instead (and it was delicious)!

Ps. If you figure out how to pop millet, I'm dying to know the secret!!!!

Millet tabbouleh style:
1/2 cup millet
1 cup water
1/2 large English cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped radishes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne pepper flakes
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 sprig fresh mint
1/2 tsp parsley

Put millet and water in a pot and simmer until water is absorbed. While millet is cooking; whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, cayenne pepper flakes, parsley and garlic. Add mint leaves and press leaves against the side of the bowl to release juices, whisk. When millet is ready, put into a bowl and add the chopped vegetables, mix thoroughly.

Garnish with chèvre or feta and serve!

Bon appétit!
Talia