It's a marshmallow, it's an igloo building block, it's....

...my homemade baked tofu!  I can't remember who I got this recipe from, but whoever you were, thank you!  Until this recipe came along, I felt completely lost when it came to tofu.  This recipe, however, is flavourful, quick and easy.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
 
Ingredients

• Firm tofu (I find 1 package is normally good for 3-4 servings)
• 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1-2 tbsp soy sauce
• freshly ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Mix all ingredients, except for the tofu, together.  Cut the tofu into cubes (big or small, your choice).  Lightly coat the tofu in the sauce...I roll each individual piece in it, and place the tofu on a baking sheet.  Place in oven and cook until the tofu is starting to crisp up on the outside (10-20 minutes).  Enjoy!

My homemade baked tofu.

Hump night...

I had the greatest hump night ever this week!  An amazing yoga class with a lady who is absolutely lovely on the inside and out, followed by a fabulous catch up and some delicious snacks at Suika Japanese Snackbar.
 
Now, before I get to the food, I just have to say that for all you yogis and non-yogis out there, I have found the yoga class for you.  Hatha yoga at Yyoga South Granville with Whit Hornsberger on Monday and Wednesday nights from 6:45-8.  For the yogis out there, Whit leads a lovely relaxing but energizing hatha class, which leaves your legs tired and your mind ready for bed.  And for you non-yogis, you will still love this class...trust me.  I'm not going to elaborate, but you'll know what I mean after you meet Whit.  (http://www.yyoga.ca/ )

As for Suika Japanese Snackbar...this place is amazing!  I have been walking by its hustling, bustling funness for years and have been wanting to be a part of it, and now I can finally say that I was!  It's even more funky on the inside than it looks from the outside, the people working there are amazing...you can tell they actually like their jobs, the restaurant is full of energy and fun, the food is delicious, and they have a light fixture that I would die to have in my house.  So, do yourself a favour and stop by this fabulous hideaway one night.  You'll thank yourself.

On to the food!

 Corn Kakiage: organic corn niblets fried with cilantro batter, soy sauce and butter.  ($4.80)  A colleague had recommended this dish to me and at first I couldn't believe he recommended the corn but he was so adamant I figured there must be something special about this corn...UNREAL!  It is pretty much the definition of yummy goodness.  Definitely a must try.

Kakuni Bibimbap: stewed pork belly, sweet dried shrimp and scallions on rice served in a hot stone bowl...hot hot hot!!  ($8.80)  When we were asking about the different rice bowls, we were told this dish was one of the most popular on the menu, so we couldn't resist.  It was very yummy and the presentation was so much fun!  It literally came out in a sizzling stone bowl and was mixed right in front of us. 

The frozen grapes that came with our bill.  Talk about brilliant!  Way better than a mint.  Absolutely scrumptious.

http://www.suika-snackbar.com/ 

A night in, that felt like a night out...

How many of you remember the good old days when you had to leave your house to go rent a movie?  If you're anything like me, you miss those nights.  It turned a night in, into something different from the ordinary.  You can always turn on your TV and change the channel, but going out to grab take-out and a movie was a little mini-adventure.

Well, I have good news.  I have discovered a little gem of a movie store that still rents videos!  They have new, they have old, they have DVDs, they have bluerays...it takes about two minutes to set up a free membership, and the movie costs $6 to rent...which I do believe is $0.99 cheaper than renting directly from your couch.  The name of this fabulous little store is Limelight Video (http://www.limelightvideo.ca/).

After having discovered this gem, a fun take-out and movie night was a must!  I'd been wanting to try Khai Thai for ages, so that made the food decision easy.  The food was delicious, the price reasonable, the service quick, and the folks that worked there were very genuine and kind.  I will definitely be eating more Khai Thai in the future...in fact I think incorporating it into my dinner at the beach routine this summer is a must! 

Pad Thai.  You can't get Thai food and not get Pad Thai.  This Pad Thai was very yummy and tasted pretty darn authentic to me.  ($10.50)

Pad Eggplant: spicy stir fried chicken with eggplant, pepper, and basil leaves.  ($13.95)  This was really nice.  There was spice, but more for flavour than anything.  I was also very impressed with the amount of veggies...the eggplant was delicious!

Spring rolls: vegetables and glass noodles served with plum sauce.  ($6.95)  These were very interesting.  They were not what I was expecting from a spring roll, but they were really nice.  Imagine glass noodles in almost a curry sauce, wrapped in the wrapper and deep fried.  Not your typical spring roll, but yummy nonetheless.

 

http://www.khaithai.com/

My night with Jamie...

Jamie Oliver that is!!!  Okay, so maybe he wasn't there in person but he was definitely there in spirit.  My starter, main and dessert all came from his cookbooks.  They resulted in an absolutely scrumptious treat of a home-cooked meal, if I do say so myself! 

Starter - Jamie's Crispy Asparagus Soldiers
My parents make a scrumptious variation of this (asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and grilled on the barbeque), so I couldn't resist trying Jamie's version.  Essentially you wrap asparagus in pancetta (singles, or doubles if you have skill), pop them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and bake them at 425F until the pancetta is crispy.  Jamie suggested 10 minutes for baking, mine took about 20 minutes.  I'm guessing it was because I was only able to get thickly sliced pancetta. 

Things to note: (1) The pancetta didn't wrap very well, so I ended up tucking the ends underneath to get the pancetta to stay put.  It worked pretty well.  I think the pancetta would have wrapped better if it had been more thinly sliced.  (2) Jamie suggests softboiling an egg and then dipping your Crispy Asparagus Soldiers into the softboiled egg.  I opted to keep this starter very simple and didn't try that, so am not sure how it would taste.  (3) You can find this recipe on page 20 of Cook Your Way to the Good Life (http://www.amazon.ca/Jamie-Home-Cook-Your-Good/dp/0718152433)

I thoroughly enjoyed this appy.  The flavours were awesome together and I especially liked the saltiness of the pancetta.  I will definitely make this again.

 
Main
Up next was Paella!  I love Paella and have always wanted to try making it, so when Jamie's Favourite Paella recipe popped up on his twitter feed the other day, I couldn't resist trying it out.  It was a full on adventure from shopping for the ingredients, to cooking the Paella, to eating it.  The final product turned out flavourful and yummy, and I will definitely make this recipe again but, I'm not going to lie, there was a hiccough along the way...more details below.
 
Things to Note:

1. You can find the recipe for this yummy goodness at:  http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/seafood-recipes/my-favourite-paella  
2. I halved the online recipe's ingredients and it was good for three very hungry people, or four less hungry people.  
3. I noticed that in a lot of Jamie's (yes, we're on a first name basis now) paella recipes, he uses pancetta in the same manner that he used the pork belly in this recipe.  So, since I already had pancetta, I substituted it for the pork belly and it tasted pretty darn good.  
4. I swear it must be easier to buy illegal drugs than saffron.  For you Vancouverite folks, here's a tip: it's held under lock and key at the Customer Service Counter at Whole Foods.  
5. I had no idea what 200g of tinned tomatoes would be, so I used one small can, which was probably a bit too much.  I'd use 1/2 to 3/4 of a small tin in the future.  
6. I looked high and low for paella rice and didn't have any luck.  However, as I was phoning around to a gazillion and one stores, I hit the jackpot with a lovely Spanish lady who works at Greens (http://www.greensmarket.ca/home.php).  She told me that when she makes her paella she uses Basmati rice and she prefers it to traditional paella rice because it gives it a nice nutty taste.  So, save yourself some time and use basmati rice!  
7. Interesting fact: Greens has a bulk section that includes lovely items such as quinoa, buckwheat, goji berries, etc.  

Okay, so what was the hiccough?  For some reason, my rice just wouldn't soften.  I started out by adding the broth suggested in Jamie's recipe and stirring as described, but 20 minutes later I still had rock hard rice.  So, more broth was added and the lid was put on hoping that would help.  20 minutes went by and the rice was still rock hard.  It took about an hour and a half, double the broth recommended and a lot of hoping and wishing, and the rice finally softened enough that it was edible.  It wasn't perfect, but there were no complaints and my dinner guest went back for seconds, so it must not have been horrible.  I'm convinced I must have got some bad rice, but in case it was due to the fact that I used basmati instead of paella rice, ensure you give yourself a little extra cooking time.

I'm cooking Paella, I'm cooking Paella!

Look at that yummy goodness!

On to the plate you go!  One of my favourite parts was the squid.  I'd never cooked squid before and it was absolutely delightful.

Dessert
For dessert I opted for one of my all-time favourite Jamie recipes: Clementine Chocolate Salad  from Jamie's Kitchen (http://www.amazon.ca/Jamies-Kitchen-Jamie-Oliver/dp/1401300227).  This dessert is heavenly.  It's refreshing, light, sweet, flavourful and just ever so lovely!  For those of you that don't have Jamie's Kitchen, I've included my version of the recipe below.  However, I must warn you, many an elephant died in the making of this dessert. 

Ingredients

• Clementine oranges - this is going to make up the bulk of the dessert, so select the number you need based on the size of the oranges, the number of people and the portion size you want to serve. 
• Fresh mint, approximately 3 leaves per person, chopped fine
• Slivered almonds
• Shaved bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp water
• 1 vanilla bean (you can use pure vanilla extract instead, but the vanilla bean is truly heavenly)

Peel the clementines and then slice them so you end up with clementine circles.  Mix the clementines with the mint.  This can be done ahead of time and put in the fridge for later.  Place the clementine and mint mixture onto the individual serving plates and sprinkle with slivered almonds.  Next, slice the vanilla bean in half and, with the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla goodness out of the bean. Place the sugar and water into a small pan or pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Add the vanilla bean goodness, mix oh so slightly and then simmer until the mixture becomes syrupy and golden brown.  Drizzle the golden brown syrup over the clementine salad, sprinkle with shaved chocolate and serve.  I could eat this all night, every night!

Interesting fact: if you place the left over vanilla pod into a container of sugar, it will turn the sugar into lovely vanilla sugar. 

Just looking at this makes me want more!

 

Warning: the following photo is graphic.  Mature audiences only.

The elephant graveyard.

A ray of sunshine on a rainy Vancouver day...

I was out for my lunch-time walk when I made the greatest discovery ever: The Reef has opened a food truck at Thurlow and Cordova!!!  That combined with my re-found food truck fever...nothing was going to keep me away from The Reef Mobile...not even pouring rain!

The Reef's food truck did not disappoint.  The food was just as yummy as at the restaurant, they had their home-made ginger beer (delicious!), the individuals manning the truck were super helpful, and the service was very quick.  Not to mention, they were nothing short of brilliant when designing The Reef Mobile and the side of the truck turns into an awning.  Brilliance!

So, if you're feeling like a taste of the caribbean or an extra ray of sunshine one day...you should make your way to The Reef Mobile. 

The truck, the menu of yummy goodness, and the greatest umbrella ever!

Word to the wise, food trucking on a rainy day takes some serious skill.  There's nothing easy about trying to hold a Reef Mobile box, a ginger beer and an umbrella all at once.  Luckily we made it to the food court a okay with no loss of precious food.

My Tobago Wrap, Plantain Chips with Jerk Mayo and Ginger Beer combo.  ($12.50)  The Tobago Wrap had curry & lime marinated chicken breast with fresh tomato salsa, organic greens & avocado yogurt in a flour tortilla.  This wrap was absolutely scrumptious!  My only wish is that they would sell a bigger version with double the fillings, because that would be perfect for lunch.  Mind you, then I wouldn't have room for the plantain chips...and they're so darn yummy! 

My lovely lunching parnter's Jamaican Patty, Plantain Chips with Jerk Mayo and a Ginger Beer.  ($8.50) 

 The inner workings of the vegetarian Jamaican patty made with housemade Tofu.  My lunching partner enjoyed this Jamaican patty, but enjoyed it more dipped in the jerk mayo.

 

The hidden secrets of the yummy in my tummy Tobago wrap.

Seriously the best ginger beer ever!

 

http://www.thereefrestaurant.com/

Le Tigre...

Ladies and gentlemen, it's officially spring...and you know what that means...it's food truck season!!!!  Dum.....dum....dum..dum..dum....dum...dum..dum....dum...dum..dum...dum everybody dance now!  And if you just got that reference, you so owned a copy of Much Dance Mix 95.

Okay, so for my inaugural food truck outing of the season I decided to check out Le Tigre...partially because I'd been wanting to try them forever...and partially because I had a voucher that was expiring that day. 

There are no doubts about it, this food truck rocks!  Their menu is very unique and is unlike anything I've ever tasted, the prices are reasonable, the quality is unreal for the price you pay, the flavours are out of control, the names of the dishes are so much fun, and all of the fellows working there have the funkiest glasses ever.  So, needless to say, I would highly recommend checking this food truck out this summer.

Things to note: (1) Le Tigre is currently only downtown at Alberni and Bute on Thursdays from 11:30-14:00, (2) you can find their other locations by visiting the Vancouver food truck app/website (http://streetfoodapp.com/vancouver), (3) they accept VISA and mastercard, and (4) all of their containers and utensils are recyclable.

The truck, the geniuses behind the food, and the oh so fabulous glasses!

The menu!  The kumquat and basil seed juice looked very intriguing.

Lunch!  Clockwise from the top: Warm Brussel Sprout and Cauliflower Salad, Angry Kitty Cat Squares, Famous Beet Fries, and the Kickass Rice with Popcorn Chicken.  This assortment worked very well for two people for lunch...albeit one person was very famished...it may have been me.

The Famous Beet Fries: roasted beets, plum powder and spicy mayo.  ($4)  These were good, but not quite as mind-blowing as the other dishes.  Other thing to note: if you're like me and don't incorporate beets into your diet as much as you should, remember that beets affect your body.  I.e. if you happen to notice something a bit odd when you visit the restroom for the 3-12 hours after you eat the beet fries...chances are there is no need to take an emergency trip to the walk-in clinic. 

Angry Kitty Cat Squares: crispy kimchee fried rice, bacon, spicy mayo and nori.  ($4)  These rocked!  Warning you will discover why they're called Angry Kitty Cat Squares quite quickly, and some are angrier than others, but your taste buds will still thank you.

Warm Brussel Sprout and Cauliflower Salad: brussel sprouts, cauliflower, capers, chili, lemon and parm.  ($4)  Hands down my favourite dish.  If you're only going to get one dish, make it this one.  I could have eaten it all day long.

Kick Ass Rice with Popcorn Chicken: cooked in sake, butter, dashi and topped with a perfect poached egg, fresh herbs and thai chillies.  ($8)  Delicious!  For those of you looking for a one dish lunch from Le Tigre, this should do the trick (unless you're absolutely famished).  I was very impressed with the flavours and the amount of popcorn chicken.

A better look at the kick ass rice with popcorn chicken.  Note that the container lids double very nicely as plates.

As you may have guessed, this dish did not come from Le Tigre.  My very dear, pregnant friend opted for a beef dip from The Deli for lunch and I couldn't resist including a picture of it, because can you get a more pregnant meal than a beef dip with pickles?

 

http://www.letigrecuisine.ca/

Tap & Barrel...finally!

Well, it finally happened...I made it to Tap & Barrel!!!  I have been dying to get here since the day it opened and I'm glad I finally did...it definitely lived up to expectations.  23 beer on tap, 14 wines on barrel, a very fun and funky atmosphere, tonnes of TV's to watch the game but they didn't encroach on visiting time...I was very much a happy camper!  Mind you, that probably had something to do with the fabulous company I got to enjoy it all with. 

Now, for those of you wondering what I meant when I said "14 wines on barrel" this is one of the neatest parts of Tap & Barrel.  They have a special system where they actually tap a barrel of wine and are able to pour individual glasses without oxygen sneaking in and ruining the wine.  So, each and every glass is like it has been poured from a freshly opened bottle of wine.  How awesome is that?! 

Overall, I loved Tap & Barrel and definitely see myself making my way back plenty this summer...whether it be for hockey playoffs in July (you know it's going to happen), or for a caesar on the patio.  I was there in the evening, but you can tell from a glance that they have one of the best patios in Vancouver...with a view of Science World and BC Place to boot!  So, if you're looking for a new place to grab a wobbly pop, make your way to Tap & Barrel...you won't regret it.

My Red Roof Cider from Orchard Hill.  ($7.50)  I loved the way that all of the tables had been branded with the Tap & Barrel logo.

Hummus: extra virgin olive oil, paprika, pine nuts, wood stone oven flatbread.  ($11)  There was also some lemon juice or something of the like squeezed on top that took this hummus to a whole other level...delicious!

My view during the game.  How often do you see a bunch of TV's surrounded by that many kegs?  Not to mention that many taps all in a row!  And just to clarify, this was the one and only 3 second time frame that I saw these chairs empty.  We got there at 8pm and they barely had room for two!

Yam fries with house mayo...scrumptious!  ($5)

 

http://www.tapandbarrel.com/