Chew on This

Here in Calgary, we are in our 5th straight day of deep freeze.  Actually all of Western Canada is in the same situation.  Coaxing my frozen Land Rover out of hibernation has been another challenge - Let's just say that a Land Rover is not a Calgary winter vehicle - this has been the most costly vehicle I've ever owned, and I will never recommend one to anybody! But this isn't really my point today.  I think today is a perfect day to document some of my latest hearty, healthy cold weather comfort foods.  The following recipes are my own creations, often based on the classics, but modified to suit my budget or to improve nutritional values.

Power Boost Black Bean Soup

This version of Black Bean Soup will help your immune system cope with the challenges of deep freeze weather. Packed with good, fibre carbs for fuel, and a variety of nutrient dense veggies, this is a low fat, one pot meal will appeal to the whole family.

Ingredients:

Olive oil - enough to coat bottom of pot

1 - onion diced

3-4 cloves garlic - chopped

1 med sized sweet potato - med diced

1/2 head cauliflower - chopped florets

1 green pepper - chopped

2 med carrots - chopped

4 cups fresh packed spinach

1 14oz can tomatoes - or 4 fresh

2 cans black beans - drained and rinsed (can use more beans if you are feeding a crowd, and you can add white or kidney beans for 1 of the cans if need be)

4-6 cups stock of any flavour or hot water (you may need to add some salt if only using water)

1/4 cup wheat germ

2 Tbs ground cumin

1 Tbs ground turmeric

Chili flakes to taste or 1/2 tsp ground chili powder (add a little at a time and taste after a few min. of adding or it could get too spicy for the kids!)

black pepper to taste

low fat sour cream or Greek style plain yogurt

fresh lime wedges

Do it this way:

In a large pot, saute onions and garlic on med heat for 3 min.  toss in the next 4 veggies and cook for 5-10min, making sure the onions don't burn.

Sprinkle on the wheat germ and Cumin and Turmeric to coat the veggies.

Add the tomatoes spinach, 1 can of beans, and stock.

Simmer for 10-15 min until veggies are tender.

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.  Now, none of the veggies are identifiable to anyone under the age of 16.

Put pot back on low heat and add the other can of beans along with the hot pepper or chili powder to taste.

If you need salt and pepper - add it here. Heat for 5 more mins.

Serve this with garlic toast or hunks of artisan bread, a green salad, and top each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream and lime wedge.

Don't freak out about the long ingredient list - you can use as many or as few veggies as you like - although the onions, garlic and tomatoes are a must - and you don't really need the wheat germ, but it gives you a nice fibre, vit.B and folate boost.

More recipes to follow

I'm still looking for dishes that include wild game and foraged fodder - so if you are a hunter,(or the wife of one) send something in to me!

Some Decisions are More Difficult than Others

I had a very vivid dream the other night - so vivid that I remember it, and how it made me feel, even now. I'm at an event with my family, that I'm not really comfortable with being at. Now, that's not unusual - I'm not usually comfortable at any event...but as I walk outside of the party, down a long, green lawn, towards a large body of water, I feel the absurd need to get across that water to some unknown destination on the other side of the bay. It's evening and the wind is picking up. I walk over to a small dock as the wind starts to make the lake dark and choppy. Now it is not a resort type of lake, but has become an industrial  shipping lane - wide, deep and cold. There is a type of water conveyor belt which is taking long flat portable folding tables from the dock, and shooting them across the bay to the other side, which I can not see.  Without giving it a thought, I step on the next table to go by. Suddenly I'm on a "raft" with nothing to hold on to in the middle of a cold, violent body of water.  For some reason there is a railing sticking up about one third of the distance of the lake. I grab it and stop myself from going further.  Ahead was almost certain death from being sucked into whatever void the tables are being sent to, and behind me is a vicious current of icy dark water - I could never swim back - another certain death.  What the heck am I doing here??? I most certainly can't stay on this little table raft, clinging to a post. I have to make a decision because the next table will soon come and knock me out of the way.  I'm alone in the busy shipping lanes with no way to go back, and an absolutely crazy journey ahead. I don't know what happens next because it is 6am and the alarm clock is going off.  Now what?  The nature of this dream leads me to believe that it is trying to tell me something.  I have had incredibly vivid dreams in the past, which have all turned out to be prophetic - I don't want this dream to come true!!!  As it stands, my life is pretty static.  If you are thinking that I have some profound corners in my life which I need to turn, or some life changing decisions to be made, you are wrong.  My biggest decisions lately have been between different flavours of yogurt to start my morning with.  So I guess I am left to wonder when the solid ground is going to be pulled out from under me, and when I will be set adrift. I can only hope that my table will be solid and that I will have the confidence to finally make a decision.

My Birthday Blog

I admit it - I'm in a lousy mood...My mother is brutally reminding me that my birthday is tomorrow, and is literally insisting that I drag my family into a big family dinner to celebrate the fact that another year has gone by, and I have failed at every goal I set for myself last year.  My Mom set up a really nice lunch a couple of days ago, which was supposed to be my "birthday celebration".  Well my brother in law didn't show, so all of a sudden it wasn't a family event anymore. Now we have to do it again!  He didn't show because he doesn't like these things - and I can totally understand that. Personally, if faced with a family event (baby shower, wedding shower etc) I try to either book a mammogram or root canal for that very unfortunate time. (do you know how hard it is to book a mammogram on a Friday eve. between 7-9pm???)  Anyways, my point is, not all of us like big family events, and with the stress of all the Christmas visiting looming in my mind, I am ready to find a hole to hide in until this wonderful season is over. I am rather miffed that my Mother refuses to respect my wishes to forgo the birthday BS.  Really, I'm in my 40's now and I fail to see the point in taking people away from their busy Christmas preparations to acknowledge the fact that all I've been able to accomplish this year was to keep myself alive.  I have not written a book; I have not lost 20lbs; I have not made a difference in a stranger's life (not that I know of at least); I have not improved my career status; I still can not offer my daughters even half of the cool things their friends have and most of all - I can not get my Mother to listen to me!

So now you are thinking to yourselves "My God does this woman not appreciate the fact that she DID stay alive for another year? She kept a roof on the family's head, kept them fed and schooled, while keeping her marriage alive?  Is she not thankful that her family cares enough to celebrate with her?? She must be the most selfish B---- in the world!" 

Of Course I appreciate everything and everyone in my life!  It's ME whom I am disappointed with!  To be deserving of other people's time and admiration, one should really have made more of an impact during the course of a full year than the one left behind on my office chair from my ass!  So, YES, I am a big grouch this year, and I know that my terrific husband and lovely daughters will do their best to make my day special tomorrow - but the fact remains that life is what you make of it - if you let a year slip by without making your world a better place - then all a birthday really is, is a celebration of space taken up on the planet.

Thankfully, I am too antisocial to do the facebook or twitter thing, so I will not have to feel the false love of all my "friends" who send birthday wishes to everyone on their friend list.  The only thing worse than being treated like something special when it is completely unwarranted by your family, is having a bunch of insincere well wishes from people who don't even know you.  So if you don't know me, but for some strange reason, you are still reading this, don't bother to say "happy birthday you old grouch" because I won't care!

Call out for Outdoor Stories and Road Food Recipes

Happy Halloween to kids everywhere!  This morning us lucky Calgarians were treated to snow!  Certainly not as bad as in Eastern Canada and USA, but SNOW just the same! So in honour of the snow, I am having a lovely glass of red while waiting for trick or treaters to dare show up on my doorstep...and planning my Christmas Charity giving.  Yes it is the time of year when I carefully choose a "good cause" and manipulate my staff into proving to the world that even salespeople and mechanics can do something to make something else better - somewhere....
Traditionally, I've adopted families - buying gifts and wrapping them, as well as shopping for all of the holiday food and decorations - We've collected for the food bank; given significant discounts to our customers for donating warm jackets to Coats for Kids; dragged the staff with me to serve  hot barbeque meals to the homeless; and given paid time off to staff to fullfill their own charitable obligations.  What an I going to do this year???
Well, with the announcement of the global population hitting a whopping 8 billion bodies competing for the same resourses, I've decided to to focus my financial energy on the conservation of Alberta's natural spaces and species.  My inner Darwin is having a bit of a panic attack.  I have only procreated twice - and I'm feeling guilty about that!  Worse than that, I'm actually worried that the air and water will be too contaminated for my little angels to procreate themselves.  I know - that's exactly what my long haired, dope smoking hippie freak parents were saying in the 60's - and look at me, giving them grandchildren - but have things really improved???  It seems that with every electric car produced, another freshwater source is being contaminated - these may or may not be related - that's for you to decide.  But I digress - I will get to the point.
I have decided to compile a fun little book filled with trip tales, road wranglings and noshes in nowhere submitted by my fellow motorcyclists, ATVers, hunters, snowmobilers and tree huggers. Through work and the various conservation groups I belong to, there are so many fun stories and fantastic road recipes out there for the sharing.  I am sharing this with you readers for 2 reasons: first, by putting this "out there" I am hoping to create some accountability for myself - as I am natorious for not completing things; and secondly to solicit some advise about doing this kind of thing.  I'm a newbbie.  My first decision needs to be about where to send the profits - I'm leaning towards Calgary Wildwings chapter of Delta Waterfowl.  So, any words of wisdom are gratefully accepted, and any submissions will be a great start.
I know - 6 weeks is not enough time to raise money for Christmas giving by publishing a book - so I will be dragging everyone I know to some type of socially accepted holiday fundraiser - this year - but next year I will be asking anyone who will listen to buy the fantastic new book filled with stories of environmental stewardship and road kill recipes - oh sorry, that's killer road recipes!

Let me know that this is important to you too - submit something!

Beware the Calgary Bikers

The weather here in Calgary has been absolutely perfect for the month of Sept.  So perfect in fact, that the pedal pushers and hog hoppers have been weaving their way through city streets with the reckless abandon of a new spring day.  I admire those who have the will and the time to bike into downtown every day, and I certainly appreciate the eco benefits of the motorcyclists who are able to stay on the road as long as possible during the short riding season in Calgary, BUT what is with the crazy riding this month???  It is as if "for the month of Sept, the rules of the road do not apply to the Green People" and they have full reign of all the lanes of traffic and completely control the shoulder.  Traffic lights and signs simply do not apply to someone who is oobviously is top physical form and should not be required to stop - or even yield.  Motorcyclists suddenly are allowed to jump red lights, weave through the centre lane and run full throttle up any patch of clear traffic.  Did I miss that memo???  I might be extra sensitive to this subject as the Mom of two kids who have to be driven to two different schools every morning.  During our 45 min morning commute, we encounter countless traffic violations by both pedal and motor bikers, as the bright morning sun is blinding us and we are trying our best to avoid offending any pedestrians we encounter on the roads.  WHY ARE YOU BIKERS TAKING YOUR LIVES FOR GRANTED AND MAKING US COMMUTERS MISERABLE!!???

I am an employee of a local power sports dealership, and do my best to preach the "safety first" philosophy to all types of riders.  What kind of message are we giving our children by riding recklessly and not wearing the proper safety equipment while doing so??  The other day, after talking to parents about safe riding and feeling like I might have made a difference - even if it is small - I was about to turn left at a set of traffic lights.  As I start my turn, a motor biker suddenly whips by me on the left side, completely freaking me out and almost causing an accident.  He works for me!!! I couldn't believe it!  After a day of working together, selling bikes and safety equipment, our own employee is one of the bike demons on the road - giving all of us undue stress!  Well - as Karma has it - less than a week later, my friend is in the hospital with a messed up leg from a bike accident.  I'm not saying this particular incident was his fault, in fact, I don't think it was, but I'm wondering about the poor motorist who was involved.  Did this person even see my friend?  Was my friend taking unnecessary risks on the road at the time?  You know the motorist is going to be charged at fault with this, but how much fault was really his???  Now my friend is off work.  Everyone at work is very sad about what has happened - we are all sympathetic - we all care.  At the same time, we are all overworked because we are picking up his shifts and trying to make due while holding his job for him until he returns.  Yesterday, another motorcyclist did the same thing to my elderly Dad.  I was in the car, so I know first hand how this moron affected our day!  My Dad had his signal light on to merge into the left turn lane - he checks his mirror and (with some difficulty) shoulder checks - then, as he starts his merge, a rude Harley Hog screams by him on the left and has the nerve to give my poor father the finger!!! Of all the nerve!  What good did that do to anyone?  We caught up with this idiot at the next red light and I gave him a piece of my mind (to the mortification of my daughter!).  My Dad could have hit him and tarnished his 79 year old perfect driving record, because naturally, he would have been at fault.... WHY??  Since when did "Share the Road" become give complete right of way to the sanctimonious idiots who think they own it?
As an employee of a bike shop I would like to plead to the Calgary Bikers to help us all stay safe on the congested, nerve fraying roads, and for heaven's sake - please start setting a better example for the next generation of bikers out there!  Some of you are really ruining the sport for everyone and clearly have a superiority complex when it comes to owning the road.  I could go on for a lot longer - maybe I will in future blogs, but before I end this, I want to Thank those riders out there who ARE riding with care and respecting the rules that we all have to live by.  I'll bet you decent riders are just as frustrated as I am with these road hogs, and are tired of the daily hastles of dealing with them too.

Please push for more rider accountability and a sharper focus on regulating and enforcing traffic laws as they pertain to bikers.  I don't care how many carbon credits you are adding up by riding to work everyday, when you could have added your own carbon footprint smeared along the pavement because you really are just an idiot - of course the car driver would be a fault - right..