Monday Feature: Primal Soup Company

Good Morning and Happy Monday! Feels like fall today, cool and cloudy, but it's still a great day to be alive, wouldn't you agree? I've already done some laundry and grocery shopping, and it's not even 11 yet! Life sure is different when you have a wee one. Anyway, I now give you your Monday Feature! Enjoy!

PRIMAL SOUP COMPANY

Frozen soups to go, frozen soups to eat :)

It was a crisp, fall afternoon that found me driving through Calgary, heading South to the Kingsland Farmers Market on MacLeod Trail, where Margaret Nemeth, owner of Primal Soup Company, has her small, cozy kitchen filled with giant, silver pots of simmering soup. As I walked through the door I was greeted with intense, vibrant aromas that instantly transported me back to my childhood and my mom's home made chicken soup. The saliva glands began to work overtime as my senses were overloaded with fragrant soups.

Margaret greeted me with her ever present smile, bubbly personality and warm laugh. You feel you've found an instant friend when you meet Margaret, with her openness and honesty, and yes, with her amazing soup! Once you try one, you'll keep coming back for more, but more on that in a moment.

As we began chatting about life, art, cooking etc, Margaret made us some gluten free nacho's. We then sat at a cute, round table, reminding me of a street cafe in Europe somewhere, with a plate of nachos and cup of coffee in hand, and I was ready to learn more about this woman sitting in front of me and her awesome business, Primal Soup Company.

Margaret started down the food business road over 20 years ago, when she opened up Primal Grounds Cafe, on 37th St SW, in Calgary. This was a lovely cafe that offered a menu that was 1/2 gluten free and 1/2 regular. Over the years, Margaret would estimate that about 60% of the people who ate gluten free at her cafe, ate it because they preferred it, not because they had to eat it. 30 years ago, only people who were celiac, or had a need, would buy gluten free. About 5 years ago gluten free took off. Her cafe always offered both options, but she sold way more gluten free food. I can't wait to sample some of these gluten free goodies.

Throughout the years, Primal Grounds Cafe won the "Best Cafe" award for several years, "Best Soup" awards, Margaret was featured in different magazines, including Readers Digest, and she also submitted several recipes to the Calgary Herald over the years. It didn't take a genius to realize this cafe was amazing and it was always hopping.

Margaret opened up a 2nd Primal Grounds Cafe location in West Side Rec Centre, however the two cafe's were just too much. She closed the West Side cafe in Nov 2010. Margaret then decided it was time to downsize, and thus she closed the 37th St Primal Grounds Cafe in the Spring of 2011. She sold the property, which was near Mount Royal College, and then realized she had to either retire and do something. Retirement wasn't an option at this time in life, so Margaret decided to open up her soup division, and Primal Soup Company was born. She wanted something small, over another cafe, and Primal Soup Company was supposed to be just that, a part time job. However, because of her reputation and the vast love of her food by patrons abroad, what was supposed to be a small business grew, in a mere 3 months, to be a 7 days a week job for Margaret, with 5 employees along for the ride.

Within the first year, Primal Soup Company became part of Kingsland Farmers Market and also was a regular at Millarville Farmers Market. She finished up 2011 with Christmas, and decided to start fresh in 2012. It's been quite the success.

Margaret is pleased to announce, that as of Nov 1st, 2012, Primal Grounds is re-opening at the Kingland Farmers Market with her original staff! She can't wait, and neither can we! Margaret will be offering both her regular and gluten free options once again. This news is worthy of celebration indeed.

Home made chicken stock being prepared

So let's talk about Primal Soup Company (PSC) now, as that is the main focus of this feature. :) You may be wondering, "What makes PSC's soup so special?" Well let me tell you!

First off, PSC is credited and certified gluten free! Can all my gluten free readers give a high five! This fun, cozy kitchen, decorated with art and with a wall of windows looking out onto Calgary, is a special kitchen that is completely gluten free, so there is absolutely no cross-contamination. As Margaret herself is Celiac, she understands the importance of being absolutely strict about this, for her well-being, as well as ours.

Secondly, all of PSC's soups are made from scratch! No recipes, no additives, no preservatives. The soups are thickened using a pureed vegetable that is already existing in the soup. For instance, if the soup has chunks of yam in it, Margaret will take some cooked yams, puree it and use it as her base, her thickener. Then she will begin to add the layers back into the soup, adding water and/or stock, and then adding the chunks, or texture, back in. It's time consuming but it creates absolutely perfect layers, and on top of it, tastes oh so good. *smack lips*

Third, All of PSC's soups are flash frozen. This is probably the most important feature of this soup. Once soup is cooked, you have a magic window of 2 hours before bacteria begins to grow. After 2 hours bacteria will being to appear in the soup and with each passing hour the bacteria doubles, then triples etc and you can run the risk of people getting sick from the soup, especially if they keep it in their fridge for another 3 days after heating it at home. This is the case, even when soup is ladled hot and put into a normal freezer right away. The soup takes too long to cool and freeze and bacteria will have started to grow.

BUT, such is NOT the case with PSC. Once Margaret has finished preparing and cooking a soup, she sets it aside and places a large ice paddle in the soup, occasionally stirring the soup with it (see below picture). This cools the soup down at expedited rates. You should never ladle soup until it's under 70 degrees Celsius, and these ice paddles cool her entire pot of soup to below 70 degrees in about a 1/2 hour to an hour, well within the magic time window. She then ladles the warm soup into BPA free containers (so there's never a risk of contamination from the plastic) and places it in a flash freezer where it solidifies almost instantly. The process from cooked to frozen all takes place in well under 2 hours, so bacteria has no chance of even beginning to grow. This is great for us, because when we take our delicious soup home and warm it up, it's like it was just made fresh an hour ago, and it's absolutely safe to keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Red Thai Coconut Lentil soup getting the ice paddle treatment

Primal Soup Company has 30 different soups to choose from and they're ALL gluten free! The soups are either meat based, vegetable based or cream based, thus some are dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan. So there's something for us all. *Sigh of relief* I don't have a list of all the soups available, so that just means you're going to have to head out to the market and see what scrumptious soups are waiting for you. But I can share a few with you.

Margaret's favourite flavour is "Spinach, Artichoke & Feta" soup. Sounds incredible doesn't it? If it's the creators favourite, then it's got to be a "must try". 

PSC's top 3 sellers are:

#1 - Thai Coconut Chicken, which I had and was A-MA-ZING! It's got a spice kick to it and for those of you who know me, you know I have severe pansy mouth. My mouth was flickering with flame, (so it would probably be hardly spicy for you :) ) but the soup was so good, I had to finish it! And I even consumed the leftovers the next day. It's just THAT good!

#2 - Italian Wedding Soup. This soup is so sought after that a woman, who wanted this soup for a dinner party, drove to Kingsland Farmers Market, bought what they had left, and as they didn't have enough for her party, she then drove all the way out to the Millarville Farmers Market, just to be sure she had enough containers of soup. If that doesn't tell you something, I don't know what will. This is a must try for sure.

#3 - Red Thai Coconut Lentil (a vegan soup and the one pictured above with the ice paddles). Margaret gave me a container of this soup to take home to my hubby. It also has the same kick as the Thai Coconut Chicken. Again, I finished my bowl of deliciousness and kept the leftovers for myself the next day. My excuse, there wasn't enough there to satisfy a hard-working man at lunch ;). 

Margaret has to make 4 batches of these 3 flavours as they sell out so fast. People specifically seek out these flavours, so when you go to get some, be sure to arrive early if you hope to bring one, or all, of them home with you.

I asked Margaret how she comes up with her flavours, as she doesn't use any recipes. She said that she "creates soups based on a cool dinner I've had". She tries to re-create the dinner in a soup! In fact, most, if not all, her soups are versions of dinners she's eaten. She's always inspired by other dishes and she ALWAYS makes what she likes. That's probably why we love it so much. 

Margaret went on to say, "My taste buds are from years and years of cooking for a European (Hungary and German) family, where soup was served three times a day." *she chuckles*

Margaret also has another small business that she runs in conjunction with Primal Soup Company, at both markets. Hold The Mustard is a specialty hot dog stand (with gluten free options as well!) with around 8 different hot dogs to choose from, heaping with fresh ingredients. A must try for all you hot dog lovers, while you stroll around and enjoy the market.

Check out and "like" Primal Soup Company's facebook page here and Hold The Mustards facebook page here.

You can find Primal Soup Company at the Kingsland Farmers Market, in Calgary, at 7711 Macleod Trail S, year round, Thursday - Sunday. Check out Kingsland's facebook page here for more details.

Primal Soup Company is also at the Millarville Farmers Market on Saturdays, 9am - 2pm, until the end of the season, which is Saturday, October 6th. Check out Millarville's website http://www.millarvilleracetrack.com/ or facebook page here for more details and directions.

PSC will also be at the Millarville Christmas Market, Fri-Sun, Nov 9-11th. See the above website for details. This is one event you won't want to miss!

And now, a little something for you, my readers, from Primal Soup Company, found on this blog only...

give the PROMO CODE: Growing Green at any of Primal Soup Company's locations and get $1 off 1 litre of soup! Now's the time to stock up on all your favourites, whilst discovering some new favourites.

THANK YOU PRIMAL SOUP COMPANY!

What's your most favourite flavour of soup and why?

Mine, I just love Lobster Bisque and Clam Chowder. I know that's two flavours, but food from the sea, in a soup, is like the best thing since sliced bread :) A perfect meal on a rainy day.

Next week's feature hint: snap snap snap

Till next time!

Beauty Detox Solution: Intro

Health fads come and go. Studies tell us to eat more carbs, then next time, to eat less carbs, to eat more protein, to eat less protein, and the vicious cycle continues while people yo-yo up and down on the scale and continue to deal with major health issues. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the confusion myself.

This book, however, is NOT a fad. It's not a quick and easy fix to drop that extra weight and then resume those eating habits we've had all our life. This is a complete lifestyle change. No backsies. This change is not only to help us lose those extra pounds we've been fighting, but to help our overall health and fight disease. If I had read this book when I was younger, I might have taken some of the principles from it, but I don't think I would have taken it as seriously as I do now. I wasn't ready for a lifestyle change at that time in my life. I'm ready now, completely willing and totally motivated. I'm blessed that the hubster is on the same page and also willing to make the necessary changes to our lifestyle. It makes it much easier when both are on board.

If you're interested in diving into this with me and exploring how we can make our eating habits, choices and lifestyle healthier, be environmentally friendly, and help reduce our carbon footprints, then come along for the ride. If you're not there yet, I still encourage you to read through the thoughts with me, and hold these ideas on the back-burner of your brain, until you're ready to bring it forward and make the change yourself. :)

Of course, Ideally I would rather that you all read this book yourself, either purchasing it or loaning it from your local library (if they don't carry it, ask them to bring it in). This is presently a loaner, but I'm in the market to own one asap. Reading this book will ultimately give you the full research, food plans and everything else you need to ensure success in your life change, however for now, I would like to go through the book, chapter by chapter, and sum up the main ideas presented. This will hopefully give you a start and get the wheels turning.

I will warn you now, what Kimberly Snyder talks about concerning food and healthy eating practices, goes against everything we've ever been told or brought up believing. It's a complete mind switch. If you're willing and open-minded, it's a change for the better. We have been slowing transforming our eating habits and already, in just a couple of weeks, Both Hayden and I have noticed a difference in our energy levels and feeling fuller and satisfied longer. I've noticed a difference in my skin and have already dropped 4 pounds…without even trying!

This book is so profound, and for those of you who know me, I'm very health conscious and passionate about health anyway, thus this was the perfect token for me. This books' contents are too good to keep to myself, and I'm just bursting to share it with anyone who would like to know! Thus I willingly and excitedly share it with you! I hope you will take it to heart. The key isn't to focus on what we CAN'T eat, but rather, rejoice and enjoy what we CAN eat. :) And enjoy it we shall.

Stay tuned for Chapter 1!

Till next time...

Gluten Free Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Today I share with you a recipe I endeavoured (and succeeded I might add) to create. For my husband's birthday this year, instead of cake, I made some cupcakes! What could be better then multiple mini cakes? :) Hayden grew up eating Hostess Cupcakes. You know, the ones filled with an insane amount of preservatives and last 1000 years? Ok, I'm exaggerating a little. Anyway, they were his favourite and he wanted me to try out this recipe.

I LOVE this recipe book!

In this gluten free cupcake book, there is a new take on these classic favourites from our childhood, with no chemicals, no refined sugar, and no gluten. Could life get any better then this? I submit that it cannot! Ok, maybe it can, but still. These are must try that are light and fluffy and that the whole family will love. I made them for my family when we went home and they were a hit!

Gluten Free Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Batter

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 lg eggs

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners. 

In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grapeseed oil, and agave nectar. Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined.

Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 hour.

Now for the next part I changed it up a bit. I'll write what the book says, and then tell you what I did.

To assemble the cupcakes, remove each from it's liner. Flip each cupcake upside down, and use a paring knife to carve out a circle just a bit larger than the size of a quarter and about 1 inch deep in the bottom center of each cupcake. Save the bottom pieces to reseal the cupcakes after filling. use the knife to hollow out a bit more around the inside of the cupcakes, discarding the crumbs.

Fill a pastry bag with the Meringue Frosting (I didn't use meringue, however, I used the whipping cream frosting instead.) Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the cupcake cavities and squeeze to frill. Trim the cupcake bottom pieces to make them thinner, then seal the cupcakes with the bottom pieces.

Frost the cupcake tops with the Chocolate Ganache to a smooth finish, then decorate with the remaining Meringue Frosting, making a curlicue pattern across the top of each cupcake. Serve immediately.

For myself, I didn't want to take all the liners off and touch all the cupcakes, so I chose to, instead, cut the hole in the top of the cupcake. The chocolate ganache covered it up nicely and they looked alright to me :) I also opted to use the Whipping Cream Frosting recipe instead of Meringue Frosting because to me, it just felt right. You can use whatever you like.

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp agave nectar 

(I made only half this recipe and it was just enough for my cupcakes.)

In a deep bowl, whip the cream and agave nectar with a handheld mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is thick and fluffy and soft peaks form.

Use immediately, using a spoon for dollops or a pastry bag for swirls. Or store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces dark chocolate chips (just over 1 1/3 cups) 

(I used gluten free dark chocolate melting wafers)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil, then immediately remove it from the heat. Stir in the chocolate until it is melted and smooth, then stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

Let the ganache stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until the ganache thickens and becomes shiny and spreadable. This could take anywhere from 10 - 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your refrigerator.

If the frosting becomes too stiff to work with, reheat the pan ever so briefly over very low heat, and stir until softened.

Use immediately or store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

This was the first time I've ever made Ganache, and let me tell you….WOW! Was it ever rich and smooth and silky. Absolutely delicious. :)

Well, I hope you try this out and enjoy it as much as we did.

Happy Eating!

Gluten Free, Refined Sugar-Free Strawberry Cupcakes

Gone are the days, seemingly, when I could pick up most anything to eat and enjoy it thoroughly with no consequences. A delicious slice of warm bread, fresh out of the oven, thick fluffy pancakes, donuts dripping with sugary goodness, crispy pita chips to dip in some hummus, grilled naan bread to scoop up buttery curry, just to name a few.

The change started during my pregnancy with Lalaith. It began as an intolerance to milk, which slowly spread to an intolerance to all dairy. After L was born I was able to consume some dairy products in small amounts again, but milk was still out of the question. This was tough for me, as I grew up a milkaholic. I could down a gallon jug of milk myself in just a few days. I loved milk.

But as I would find, letting go of assorted dairy products was nothing compared to what I was about to embark on.

As the days carried on following L's birth, it seemed that no matter what dairy I cut out, I was still having tummy issues and couldn't pin point what it was. A few months ago I finally figured out the culprit of my demise…..wheat, or gluten. But interestingly enough, it's only the new variations of wheat that I have a sensitivity to. Where there used to be only about 3-4 varieties, the wheat has been altered to include a much higher gluten content (for lighter, fluffier and oh so yummy breads) and now there are 30-40 varieties. My mother purchased some ancient, organic red fife wheat, one of the unaltered and original varieties, and I had no reaction whatsoever to it. However, most everything on the market is made with the new, gluten rich wheat, thus, cutting it all out was the only solution at this time. That is until I learn to make my own bread :D This is not as bad as it would seem, however, as it has made for a healthier lifestyle for myself and a boost to be creative with my cooking and baking. Thankfully we live in a country where gluten free products are available most anywhere, though more expensive they may be.

I'm proud to say I've made some amazingly delicious meals, all gluten free, that even my husband has enjoyed, some of which I have already blogged. Today, however, I'm going to share something more on the sweet side, as I do love my sweets. And what could be more glorious then a delicious treat that is not only gluten free, but refined sugar free and dairy free as well. And it doesn't taste like sawdust! It truly is amazingly delicious!

I have my friend Toni Quincey to thank for lending me this fabulous cookbook. I'm excited to try many different cupcake recipes within these pages.

I asked Hayden, my husband, to choose a cupcake for me to try first. His choice, the Strawberry Cupcake with Strawberry Meringue frosting. I was up for the challenge.

The cupcake recipe is simple:

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 Lg eggs

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners. 

In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, agave nectar, and vanilla extract.

Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined, 

then fold in the strawberries.

Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 hour, then frost and serve.

Now for the Strawberry Meringue Frosting:

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 egg whites

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh strawberries

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the agave nectar to a boil, stirring constantly.

Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 6-10 minutes, watching constantly and stirring occasionally, until the agave nectar darkens slightly from its original amber color, then remove from the heat and set aside.

In a deep bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using a handheld mixer. Be sure to push the beaters around the bowl to incorporate air into the whites. This step is important; if your egg whites are not whipped to stiff peaks, the recipe won't work. Stop whipping as soon as the egg whites are stiff; overwhipping will result in egg whites that are dry and grainy. The foam of the whites will be stiff enough to stand up in well-defined, unwavering peaks.

Drizzle the warm agave nectar very slowly into the egg whites, while whipping with a handheld mixer, to keep the peaks stiff. The meringue will become pearlescent and shiny.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then fold the strawberries into the meringue. Use right away.

I then piped the meringue onto the cupcakes in a fun way and voila! a yummy, but still healthy, treat :)

If there is one thing I notice, more then anything, is that I feel SO much better after having taken out wheat from my diet. It's been a few months now and I have no wish to re-introduce it at this time in my life. Reducing or eliminating wheat from your diet can be a good, healthy choice, especially if you are trying to lose weight. I encourage you to read Dr. William Davis' book "Wheat Belly". It will change your outlook on what you put in your mouth and hopefully help you develop a healthy lifestyle that is not lacking in food, just changing which foods you consume. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have and stay tuned for more gluten free recipes that are sure to be delicious!

Happy Eating!

Monday Feature: Paper Heart



Due to my increasingly growing organization, (which in my life, without it I would soon be drowned in chaos) I prepared ahead, knowing I would be away at my parents house for a mini family reuion today. So instead of taking a couple hours away from everyone to write this blog today, I wrote it before I left! Hence the early post time :) Don't get used to it tho, for when back home again and life commences as normal once more, I'll have to continue writing the Monday Features around naps, feedtimes and diaper changes. :) But for today, Nice and early, I give you your Monday Feature!



PAPER HEART CARDS AND INVITATIONS

Today's feature touches on the sentimental side of life. For those of you who are like me, you not only love giving and getting cards, but you save them for 30 years. I have a bag full of cards from my childhood, stashed away in my closet and from time to time, I love to pull them out and peruse the contents. Those that mean the most and bring back the fondest memories, and sometimes even a glistening of the eyes, are the ones that were either handmade for me, or the ones that people took time picking out for me, considering my personality, style and flare. Not to mention the beautiful words inside.

As awesome as it would be to make everyones cards for all occasions, putting personal touches on it, the reality is, most of us just don't have time. We opt out for generic, overtly wordy cards that cost a fortune. But there is hope! I bring you Paper Heart.

Owner and creator, Natalie Stodolka, takes pride and joy in these lovingly handmade cards and invitations. Not only does she have an immense love for paper, but she understands what we are looking for, and captures that very essence in her work. She can create something to fit your style, whatever style that may be. Natalie's favourite part of what she does? "I love creating new accents for cards and playing with new paper. I love that my cards are whimsical, antiquey, vintagy and rustic. I don't prefer modern, clean cuts, but can do them if asked". Thank goodness for those of us that love that modern flare. *sigh of relief* :)

Natalie found her love of paper at a young age. She would scrap book with her mom and loved it and stuck with it over the years. She fell in love with paper, patterns, textures and designs. She wanted to do something more with her craft, other than scrap booking, and thought it would be fun to do wedding invitations. The opportunity presented itself and she found herself working on her first order. It went very well and the couple loved their custom invitations. Natalie enjoyed it so much that she desires to help more bride and grooms out with one of the most important elements of their big day. For those of you planning some nuptials in the near future and desire something fun, unique, and fabulous for those ever important invites, look no further then Paper Heart.

After the initial custom work of the wedding invitations, Natalie decided that Paper Heart needed to expand. Thus she began creating cards. Because they are blank on the inside, they are perfect for every and any occasion. Yes, that means you must write your own Hallmark saying.

At the start of this new venture, Natalie found the cards took her a while to create. She could get about 10 done in a day. Now, she's got quite a system and can currently create about 10 cards in an hour! This is good news for those of us that may need a rush order of amazing cards for that special occasion that is bounding towards us with great speed.

For Natalie, Paper Heart is a creative outlet. She's passionate about a mere few things, and this is definitely one of them. Natalie is very much a homebody and she loves that with her small business, she can stay home, have people over and continue making cards whilst visiting. It's the most ideal setting and Natalie loves that. 

Paper Heart gladly does "made to order" custom cards. You can set out your colour scheme and style and let Natalie do the rest. She'll help bring your vision to life. If it's invitations you're after, along with your design, just add your worded details. Her combinations of font, colour and decor are beautifully and masterfully created as one of a kind, just for you. Paper Heart searches out the best deals on paper and materials and a lot of the decorations are homemade, so it is a very cost effective choice for that pending occasion.

Natalie would like Paper Heart to continue as a home based business, keeping it small and simple. But she's always open to new opportunities as they may arise. But mostly, she desires to "keep it local".

Pricing info for Paper Heart:

Handmade cards - $4 each

Handmade invitations - $3 each (base price. Cost will vary depending on style and content. For more info, contact Paper Heart directly)

You can find Paper Heart at the Medicine Hat Farmers Market on Saturdays, from 9am-1pm, until Oct 6th.

Please check out Paper Heart facebook page here and like it!

For orders, please send a message on facebook to Paper Heart or you can email or call.

Phone #: 403-488-0668

Email: adam.nat@hotmail.com

As a special to you, my readers, Paper Heart has a PROMO CODE just for you, found only here on Growing Green!
Simply give the code: Heart123 when you purchase individual cards from Paper Heart and you will be entitled to "buy one, get one 1/2 off"! This PROMO CODE expires March 10, 2013, so take advantage now!

                                                                                         Natalie and her husband Adam.

"I believe each card and invitation should be personal and a reflection of who you are."

- Natalie Stodolka, Paper Hearts

next week's feature hint: Hot, liquidy goodness

Till next time...

Pina Colada Quinoa

In the past, if one were to mention "quinoa" it was usually followed with a quizzical expression by the one hearing the word. What on earth was "quinoa"? Until recently, that is, as this healthy little sprouted grain superfood has gained fast popularity in most circles and is now found at any number of restaurants. Taking the place of rice as a choice side in many dishes, it has a slight nutty taste and is a go to option for the health conscious at heart.

With that being said, I broke out my quinoa recipe book, and, at the advice of a friend who had made it, set about making myself some Pina Colada Quinoa. This tasty treat can be eaten as breakfast, as a nice snack during the day, for lunch, or a little later after supper, when you just want something a little sweet to sink your teeth into. Whenever it strikes your fancy actually :) It can be eaten hot or cold, however I prefer cold and allowed my little dishes to cool off in the fridge before indulging myself.

Pina Colada Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

One 14 oz (398 mL) can light coconut milk

One 14oz (398 mL) can crushed pineapple

1 Tbsp brown sugar (I used agave nectar)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and coconut milk to a boil.

Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat

and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for an additional 6 minutes.

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice

(I only had chunked pineapple, so I used my magic bullet to mulch it up a bit)

Stir 1/2 cup of the juice into the saucepan. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix well.

(I didn't measure my agave nectar, I just added what I thought looked right :) )

(vanilla and agave nectar)

Stir crushed pineapple into the mixture and serve. Store in the refrigerator

in a sealed container for up to 2 days.

(made 4 small dishes)

I garnished with the raspberries and it was delicious!

Happy Eating!

till next time.

Market Time Again!

Twas the night before market, and all through the house, the tv was flickering, but thankfully no mouse...

Tomorrow is market day again for Hayden. Thus we made the trek this afternoon to Calgary. I now sit on my in-laws couch, with "Say yes to the Dress" playing in the background, getting my stuff ready for tomorrow. No, I'm not selling anything, but I'm doing a little prep work for you all. I'm actually excited to report that I have 7 meetings with vendors tomorrow at Millarville! 5 have set dates for their features already and the other 2 are a follow up. So my paper work and notes have to be in order so I don't forget anyone! I so cannot wait to share these amazing businesses with you and tell you about their rockin' product. Get ready for some awesome features coming soon!

Along with the market, we also get to have some fun this weekend (not that the market isn't fun. Quite the opposite actually). We're taking our little girl to the zoo for the first time, and then we head to Sylvan Lake to have a couple days with my family. This will include delicious suppers (I'm going to make the cauliflower cheese bread for everyone and see how they like it! The trick, don't tell the boys what it is before they eat it:)) playing games, taking pictures and of course, the corn maze! This has become a family tradition and is always fun.

For all of you in the Calgary area, come on out to the Millarville Farmers Market tomorrow, 9am - 2pm and check out the vast plethora of wholesome, good-for-you products and pleasant vendors. It's sure to please everyone. Cost is $2 upon entrance.

Have a happy weekend, whatever you find yourself doing.