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nutella pie for pi(e) day

March 14, 2016 By Fareen 3 Comments

If you really need an excuse to eat pie, well, here’s a great one for you! Today is Pi(e) Day!

I wanted to make a pie for Pi Day but wanted to try something new. I had an idea I wanted to test and this was the perfect day to do it. Remember the Nutella Pot De Cremes I had made for Valentine’s Day? I really did love the mousse-like texture and thought it would be perfect in a pie. Using a frozen, ready-made pie crust, I baked it and let it cool. Meanwhile, I made the pot de creme mixture and, once the shell was cooled, poured it into the crust and let it set. It didn’t take too long, only a couple of hours. Add some whip, grate some chocolate and you have the perfect celebratory dish for the day.

Looking for more inspiration? Click here to see more pies. Happy Pi Day everyone!

Nutella Pie

1 prepared pie shell

1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup Nutella
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup whipping cream
1 TB icing sugar

Bake the pie shell as per directions and let cool.
In a blender, combine the chocolate chips, Nutella and egg yolks and blend together. Meanwhile, heat up the whipping cream until bubbles start to form but not boiling. Add the whipping cream slowly through the lid of the blender while blending on low. Once combined, pour the mixture into the cooled crust. Let set for 2 to 3 hours.
Blend the cream and the sugar until whipped. Top the pie with the whipped cream and shaved chocolate if you wish.

modern steak

March 14, 2016 By Fareen Leave a Comment

Modern Steak has been on my list of places to go for a really long time. Everyone had raved about the food and I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself. I finally had a chance to go yesterday to celebrate an early birthday with friends. Since The Big Taste was going on, we decided to do that menu. It was amazing!

We started out with the best server who was very attentive all through dinner. Our meal began with truffle popcorn which was a fantastic treat. I love truffle oil and paired with popcorn, well, it was delish.

The first course was the Prawn Bong – grilled spicy prawns served with a cooling mint creme fraiche. The prawns were cooked to perfection and paired well with the creme fraiche. It took a lot of will power for me to not drink the minty sauce.

Our second course was the Brant Lake Wagyu. The petite tender steak was sliced and served with chimichurri on top of mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans and topped with crispy fried onions. The steak was cooked to medium rare and was so tender and flavourful. The potatoes were creamy and the beans were crisp – it was a delicious main course.

The meal was rounded out with a bowl of gelato. Great food and great friends – it was the perfect evening.

If you haven’t been to Modern Steak, it is definitely worth checking out. Owned by Stephen Deere, the restaurant has been rated the top steak place in Calgary, and now I know why. I can’t wait to go back soon!

sky 360 and the big taste calgary

March 11, 2016 By Fareen Leave a Comment

It’s time for The Big Taste in Calgary – every foodie’s favourite week! Hubby and I checked out Sky 360 for lunch last weekend and it was great. It had been years since I’ve been to the Calgary Tower and this was a nice treat. As we lunched on our 3 course, $25 menu, the floor of the restaurant rotated and we got an amazing view of our city.

The first course for The Big Taste was either a soup or a salad. We both went with the Greens Salad which contained carrot chips, cucumbers, shave radish and topped with a pomegranate and pink peppercorn vinaigrette.

For the second course, I went with the Grilled Blackened Chicken sandwich which was served on fresh focaccia. The bread was so good and the chicken had a nice kick to it. The fries that were served on the side were cooked to perfection. Hubby went with the burger which was also very good.

We ended our meal with a cream cheese gelato served with strawberries.

After the meal, we were able to enjoy the tower from the observation deck. The glass floor was kind of scary – I had to not look down in order to take this picture.

It was a great meal, definitely worth a visit. Considering a trip to the top is $18, the lunch during The Big Taste is a great deal!

macadamia nut shortbread

March 5, 2016 By Fareen 2 Comments

If there’s one thing that all four of us like to snack on, it would have to be nuts. We are nuts about nuts. We aren’t that picky about which ones – almonds, peanuts, pecans….any will do!

Naturally, when we were in Hawaii last week, we indulged in lots of macadamia nuts and of course, brought some home. We loved the little cookie shops filled with macadamia shortbread so it was on my list of things to make.

These cookies are buttery and nutty and made extra special with the ends dipped in chocolate. Perfect to nibble on while dreaming about palm trees and sandy beaches.

Macadamia Nut Shortbread

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

In a mixer, whip the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla until incorporated. Add the flour and nuts until the dough comes together. Place the dough in saran wrap, forming into a disk. Refrigerate until firm.

Roll out the dough and cut into rectangles (or whatever shape you want). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

sumac roasted cauliflower

March 2, 2016 By Fareen 1 Comment

We had leftover kebabs for dinner the other night and I needed a vegetable side to go along with it. I had this idea of combining sumac with the cauliflower and thought it would be a great accompaniment to our dinner.

Sumac is a middle eastern spice which I really should use more often. It has a bit of a tart lemony flavour, perfect for livening up vegetables or even meat. I combined the sumac with some complementary flavours of coriander and garlic and tossed it with the cauliflower florets. These were then roasted until the cauliflower was carmelized – yum!

My only regret when I made this was I only did half the cauliflower. I didn’t realize how big of a hit this was going to be. Hubby loved it, but even more surprising, Q loved it. He couldn’t get enough and requested I make the other half right away!

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 TB olive oil
2 TB sumac
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB coriander powder
salt
pepper

Combine the oil and the spices and toss with the cauliflower florets. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.

al’s grill at amato gelato (chestermere)

February 29, 2016 By Fareen Leave a Comment

As great as it was to escape to paradise, it was nice to come home on the weekend. Sure we came back to a little cold and snow but there’s no place like home.

Since we hardly slept on the way home, we were exhausted and all of us had a nice long nap. We were starving when we woke up but had no desire to cook. Amato Gelato to the rescue!

Amato Gelato in Chestermere has opened a side business in their gelato shop, Al’s Grill. Al’s Grill features East African specialties like fried cassava, pili pili fries and chicken poussin.

We ordered the mishkaki chicken combo which came with 3 skewers of marinated chicken, salad, fries and naan. It was delicious! The chicken was flavourful and moist and I loved the skinny fries that it came with. The best part was that Z, who had refused to eat anything for a few meals, loved the chicken and devoured a couple of sticks of chicken. Made this mamma very happy!

We also had the fried cassava which was cooked to perfection. It was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and perfect with the tamarind chutney that it came with.

We can’t wait to go back and enjoy some more of their delicious food. Next time, we will have to leave room for dessert! We are definitely lucky to have this gem in Chestermere. With great service and friendly owners, it’s definitely a business that deserves support.

moderne sushi and bbq

February 19, 2016 By Fareen 1 Comment

Since moving to Chestermere over nine years ago, we have seen the city grow. We saw the food scene grow with the addition of a few pizza places, family restaurants, fast food joints and coffee shops. One thing that was missing though was sushi. Until now.

Moderne Sushi and BBQ opened last month, making all the sushi lovers ecstatic. I checked out the new restaurant a couple weeks ago with the kids and was so happy that I did.

Moderne is quite large taking up the whole space left behind by the Bargain Shop. It has been renovated into a very beautiful restaurant with great light fixtures and lots of seating.

For me, two things make a restaurant worth going back to – the service and the food. The service was incredible! The staff were super friendly and very accommodating, making sure that both kids were happy and comfortable.

The food was great! We tried the salmon and the scallops, both of which were fresh and delicious.

We tried a number of rolls and they were all good! The ingredients were fresh and the cooked items were perfect. Both kids ate very well.

Overall, I was very impressed with the restaurant. We didn’t try the Korean bbq that they offered but it gives us a good excuse to go back. This place is definitely worth checking out.

#onmypath giveaway

February 17, 2016 By Fareen 41 Comments

It’s February, a time when many people may have broken their New Year’s resolutions. Sometimes it’s hard to stick with it, no matter how great your intentions are. We tried something easy this year, incorporating smoothies as part of our daily routine and getting more fruits and veggies into us.

Nature’s Path wants to help you stay on a healthy path by two amazing giveaways!

The first way is a chance to win granola for a year. They want to know what’s on your path for 2016 by posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using both hashtags: #OnMyPath and #GranolaForAYear. The prize includes everything you need to get back on a healthy path including: Nature’s Path granola and organic breakfast foods for a year, DIY Vegan, by Nicole Axworthy & Lisa Pitman – recipe book including more than 100 ways to create an awesome plant-based pantry and Un-Junk Your Diet by Desiree Nielsen, R.D. – how to shop, cook and eat to feel better forever. This contest closes on February 28, 2016.

The second way is right on this blog. There are a few ways to win (see below). The Nature’s Path #OnMyWay giveaway includes:

An assortment of Nature’s Path delicious organic & non-GMO granolas including Nature’s Path Coconut Chia Granola made with wholesome clusters whole-grain rolled oats, omega-rich chia seeds, and coconut flakes. Plus each serving is naturally packed with 6 grams of plant protein and 5 grams of fibre!
Free product vouchers
A printed copy of the new Nature’s Path 7 Days of Healthy Recipes & Lifestyle Tips Ebook

I received a box of these goodies and they are delicious. Especially good on top of my smoothies – they provide the perfect crunch!

Contest closes February 24th. Contest is open to Canadian and US residents only. US or Canadian shipping address must be provided. An email will be sent to the winner. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

All prizes will be shipping after March 1, 2016. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

pineapple shrimp

February 15, 2016 By Fareen Leave a Comment

I have been wanting to go to Hawaii for years. With a big birthday coming up next month, I decided that this was the year we were going, no matter how much hubby was resisting. I can’t wait!

I made this pineapple shrimp dish to get us into the tropical spirit. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and heat and super tasty. This dish comes together super quick and goes great with rice or all on it’s own. Make it even more festive by serving it in a pineapple bowl!

Pineapple Shrimp

1/4 cup pineapple, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 green onion, chopped,
1 pound shrimp
2 TB hoisin sauce
2 TB soya sauce
1 tsp sriracha, or as needed
cilantro
vegetable oil
sesame oil

Add some vegetable and sesame oil to a hot pan. Add the garlic, onions and shrimp. After a minute, add the pineapple and sauces and cook until shrimp are opaque. Sprinkle with cilantro and enjoy.