Depending on how long you've followed along on this blog you know that Trevor and I really enjoy good food. I have one of those crazy day planners and at the beginning of the week or whatever day we planned until, I map out our dinners for the week including what we need to buy so nothing goes to waste.
When we were first married I used the "wing it philosopshy" and spent every garbage night throwing half our food and money into the trash as it had spoiled from us not using it.
I was a dental hygienist at the time and miserable at the end of the day and sometimes cooking was just not on the menu when I got home from work.
After a few years of using that method I trashed it and went with the planning method and although it was a bit of a curve to get used to, we haven't looked back.
I also found that when things were planned out I started to enjoy cooking more as the stress of what's for dinner had been decided days ago. There are still some nights we throw out the menu and order takeout or nights where we got home too late and getting Emma to bed and doing paperwork for our respective businesses comes first so pancakes hits the menu instead. Most days we are pretty good however and because of that love of food I tend to collect cookbooks. Real food style cookbooks that work for families, gatherings and couples nights.
I have started carrying a small selection of local and just plain good books in the shop and thought it might be a neat idea to share a few photos from the recipes that got tested.
Monday's the shop is closed. We use it as a day to regroup but also a day for production. Jill works at my home and we shoot content for the blog, social media, cut 20 thousand tons of fabric, sew and prep food recipes for workshops, blog posts, whatever. It's basically a whatever needs to get done day and we get er done!
This past Monday in between pillow happenings we made a few recipes from the wonderful Michael Smith's new cookbook: Real Food Real Good
A real advocate for eating and consuming honest home cooking that isn't hard but also doesn't come out of the freezer section at the grocery store.
First recipe was a selection from the breakfast pile.
ANCIENT GRAIN GRANOLA PARFAIT WITH MAPLE BLUEBERRIES AND YOGURT
I made the granola and blueberry part the night before so that they would be ready for the morning. The granola yields a ton so that will give me breakfast bits for quite awhile but the combo here was delicious.
I also realized when going to shoot this post that I don't have any of those cute parfait bowls, or glass bowls that allow you to see the layers. I used wine glass cause man do I have wine glasses. What does that say about me that I have enough wine glasses to field an army with booze?
Anyways, drinking habits aside I used 0% Oikos greek yogurt for the yogurt base here and made everything else according to recipe. It was relatively low in sugar with that type of yogurt and sweet but not overly.
I did my groceries at Zehrs for this recipe whose health food section is not exactly up to snuff but they were the only place open at 9:30 on a Sunday night which yup is sometimes when I get to groceries. #retailmomlife so I substituted a lot of the unfound grain flakes with a muesli mix that worked out just fine.
Add black coffee and all set to go.
Fine you need cream and sugar I won't look.
Those black mugs are newbies in the shop so got a little feature here. Handmade pottery from my wonderful great aunt that can kill anything I throw at her. The lack of colour inside the mug is my coffee, black as night. Should have grabbed Jill's mug for depth as she's a cream gal.
Next up was the SATAY PORK SKEWERS WITH SRIRACHA PEANUT SAUCE
I'm showing the creation of the sauce for a reason. It was so good it could just be eaten with a spoon and skip the rest of the meal making. There was plate licking involved with no apologies at the end of this lunch. It was that freakin' good.
Skewer creation in the works. This recipe included sliced pork tenderloin but could easily be created vegan by substituting other vegetables and omitting the meat.
All grilled up and ready to be consumed.
I always love perusing a new cookbook and imaging the flavours blending. I am not great about following recipes supper-wise I will admit. I am an inspirational fly by the seat of my pants chef which is kind of how I run my store but I tried to be good and create these true to instruction and they did not disappoint.
This past week has been donned Michael Smith week and we are 6 recipes into this book and not one has so far disappointed or been overly difficult. Easily done after work with ingredients in hand. Last night was a MOROCCAN STEW WITH COUSCOUS.
Pick up a book in store or give it a look next time you're in a book store in your area.
Have a good day
Meg
