foodmamma

pampa brazilian steakhouse

February 24, 2015 By Fareen 1 Comment

We are so lucky to have some great new restaurants in the city. One of the new additions to Calgary is Pampa Brazilian Steahouse. I was lucky to be invited to a media dinner for the new restaurant and try out their amazing offerings. This restaurant is every meat lovers dream!

We were greeted by owner Oscar Lopez, who welcomed everyone with a drink – either Caipirinhas or Guarana, Brazilian sodas.

Chef Joao gave us a bit of history before we were treated to a delicious meal. The buffet was unlike any one I have seen at a Brazilian steakhouse. The variety of items was astonishing – from salads and vegetables to beef carpaccio and a wheel of parmesan. Definitely something for everyone.

The meat – oh my! Here’s some of what we enjoyed: marinated chicken thighs, garlic steak, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, ribeye and lamb chops. My absolute favourite was the house specialty – Picanha. Also known as beef rump, it was sooooo tasty and melted in my mouth. The food was delicious and the meat made everyone at the table quite happy.

The evening ended on a sweet note – passion fruit mousse with a red wine reduction and chocolate mousse with an orange and star anise reduction.

The place was fantastic, the food was delicious and I can’t wait to go back for more!

lentil cookie bars

February 23, 2015 By Fareen 1 Comment

Any chance that I can add a secret ingredient to up the nutrition factor in an otherwise non-nutritious recipe, I’ll happily take it. I loved the idea of adding lentils to one of our favourite cookie bars. These cookie bars have a cup of lentils added to the crust but you would never know! The addition of fibre via the lentils make me feel a little less guilty in indulging.

These bars were so good, they didn’t last long! They were perfect with a glass of cold milk.

Lentil Cookie Bars

20 Maria Biscuits
1 cup cooked lentils
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecan halves

In a food processor, pulse together the biscuits, the lentils and the butter until well combined. Press the mixture into a parchment lined 8″ x 8″ pan. Cover the bottom layer with condensed milk and top with coconut and chocolate chips. Add the pecan halves. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool before digging in.

lemon ricotta crostini with crispy lentils

February 22, 2015 By Fareen 2 Comments

It’s Oscar Sunday! Although I haven’t seen a lot of the nominated movies, it’s a great excuse to have a party. If you’re looking for an appetizer, here’s a tasty one!

Toasted baguette rubbed with garlic topped with a refreshing ricotta spread that’s brightened with lemon and basil – yum!. This crostini is complete with a topping of crispy lentils. The ricotta makes it nice and light while the lentils add some crunchy substance. It was hard not to eat them all myself!

I became a fan of crispy lentils after trying it on a pasta dish at the Food Bloggers of Canada Conference. They are so easy to make, just tossing some cooked lentils in the oven with a little bit of olive oil. It took about 25 minutes and a couple shakes throughout the process. The crisped up lentils are great on their own but perfect as a topping.

What are you serving at your Oscar party?

Lemon Ricotta Crostini with Crispy Lentils

1 baguette
300 grams ricotta cheese
1/2 large lemon, juice and zest
2 TB chopped basil
1 cup cooked lentils
olive oil
salt
pepper

Spread the lentils on a baking sheet with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, zest of half a lemon, juice of half a lemon and the basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the baguette into slices, drizzle with olive oil and toast.

Add a spoonful of the mixture on the toasted bread and top with the crunchy lentils. Enjoy!

win tickets to the calgary home + garden show!

February 18, 2015 By Fareen Leave a Comment

Mark your calendars! The Calgary Home + Garden Show is taking place at the BMO Centre from February 26 – March 1.

This is always a great event with so many ideas for your home. Our new place will be ready soon so I am looking forward to checking out ideas on decorating. With Canada’s favourite home, horticulture and landscaping specialists, including HGTV’s Carson Arthur and design duo Janette Ewen + Jef Hancock, plus more than 650 exhibitors and features, there is something for everyone!

I love that they have Family Day with lots for the little ones to keep them entertained. This year, Family Day is on Sunday, March 1st.

There will be food! Once again, there will be Food Truck Alley with some of Calgary’s delicious trucks to keep us fed while we browse the displays and get some inspiration. There is also a Beer Garden and Portside Lounge.

Want to win tickets to the show? Enter below by spreading some love. Winner will be chosen the morning of February 20th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

valentine’s day round up

February 12, 2015 By Fareen 4 Comments

The best treats are the home made ones. Here are some ideas for the special people in your life for Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Truffles
It’s crazy how easy these are to make!

Marshmallow Pops
These are super cute and perfect in getting the kids in the kitchen.

Oreo Pops
Another favourite treat on a stick! Oreos are a hit with everyone!

Almond Joy
Coconut, almonds and chocolate. Definitely a match made in heaven.

Homemade Ferrero Chocolate
Even better than the real thing, these can be a little dangerous!

Sugar Cookie Glaze
The perfect glaze to top your sugar cookies and take them to the next level.

Almond Crescent Cookies
Hard to believe that Q and I made these cookies the first time four years ago!

Pecan Roca
A crunchy treat with caramel, chocolate and pecans.

pecan roca for my love

February 12, 2015 By Fareen Leave a Comment

It’s become tradition that I make hubby a sweet treat for Valentine’s Day every year. I just think it’s a fun holiday, nothing to spend too much money on. Just some thought and effort and of course some love.

Hubby discovered his treat early so I guess I can share it with you just in time for Valentine’s Day. This year, I decided on Pecan Roca. I made them in mini muffin tins, thinking it was probably better for portion control (for me, not him)! This recipe made 24 chocolates.

The resulting chocolates were heavenly. They had the candy crunch but were topped with chocolate, so it appeals to both candy lovers as well as chocolate lovers. So good!

Pecan Roca

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Spray a mini muffin tin with oil and keep aside. In a pan, combine sugar and butter and let it cook over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, cook the mixture until it get to about 280 degrees F. Remove from the heat and add 3/4 of the pecans, stirring until incorporated. Quickly spoon the mixture into the muffin tins. Top each candy with chocolate chips. After about a minute, take a spoon and smooth the melted chocolate. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on the chocolate. It’s hard but it’s best if you let these cool.

valentine marshmallow pops

February 9, 2015 By Fareen 3 Comments

Here’s another fun and easy Valentine’s idea. It’s another treat on a stick, which seems to be popular with kids of all ages. This is so simple to do and a perfect way to get the little ones involved.

Using chocolate wafers for dipping, melt them in the microwave at 30 second intervals until nice and smooth. Meanwhile, poke a large marshmallow with a cookie stick. Dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and then dip in a plateful of sprinkles.

valentine oreo pops

February 5, 2015 By Fareen 5 Comments

Here’s a fun little treat for Valentine’s Day – Oreo Pops! Food on a stick is always fun and these cookies are no exception. These are perfect for a class party or a Valentine’s favour.

These pops are super easy to make. Take a cookie stick or a straw and put it in the middle of the cookies. If you’re using a straw, you will have to flatten the end of it. Melt chocolate wafers for dipping. I melt them in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it’s nice smooth. Finish with sprinkles.

green curry mussels

February 2, 2015 By Fareen 1 Comment

After seeing Kristy’s post last month about mussels and Julie’s picture on Instagram, I had a craving! Every time I would see mussels at the grocery store, I wanted to make them but never seemed to find the time. Seeing everyone’s posts gave me the push I needed.

Green curry and mussels seemed like a good combination. I also knew I wanted a bit of a broth to eat with either fries or bread.

As usual, Q was a great helper in the kitchen. He helped wash and debeard the mussels and was in charge of getting rid of mussels with open shells. Once the mussels were cooked, he went through the bowl and made sure all the shells had opened up. He loved the responsibility!

The mussels were fantastic! The green curry made its away into the shells and infused the meat with flavour and we had lots of bread to sop up the tasty broth. The mussels were quick to make and would be perfect for any dinner party.

Green Curry Mussels

1 can coconut milk
1 TB green curry paste
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 stalk lemongrass, chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
oil
cilantro
lime

In a large pot, heat a small amount of oil. Add the shallots and lemongrass and cook for a minute. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and let it come to a boil. Add the mussels and cover the lid, allowing the mussels to steam for 3 minutes. Once all the shells have opened up, the mussels are ready to enjoy. Add the juice of one lime and sprinkle with cilantro.

super bowl eats

January 31, 2015 By Fareen 1 Comment

It’s Super Bowl weekend! As much as it is about the game, it is also about the food. Here are some ideas for you to enjoy while watching the big game.