The Laaracino

July 18, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

I don’t come from a family of coffee drinkers or even tea drinkers for that matter. Just water and milk when I was growing up. But that would change when my Dad spent some time in France studying French, it was there that he got accustomed to drinking coffee. Not too long after that Dad took my brother and I on our first European trip. It was in Paris where Dad encouraged me to have my first cappuccino. As a teenager obsessed with Vogue magazine, it seemed like this cup of creamy, foamy coffee was the perfect entry point into the world of Catherine Deneuve, Chanel, the Concorde.

Since then, I will have the occasional latte when going out for coffee. My husband has learned that drinking coffee has all sorts of benefits such as reducing the risk of diabetes, staving off Alzheimer’s disease, it may also be helpful to those suffering from depression. So now we make coffee at home a few times a week.

My Dad is Mr. Health, and his knowledge and lifestyle has influenced how I eat and take care of myself. So when I found a whole stack of McCafe coffee cups on his kitchen counter I knew I was on the right track. One night after family dinner we ended up at Dairy Queen, and my Dad was the first one to order and I was wondering what he could be getting, because he doesn’t eat ice cream, or anything sugary. Then we saw him picking up 3 cups of coffee, and I thought, “Strange, why three?” None of us drink coffee after dinner. So when I asked about it, he said, he paid for one and got 2 refills, to drink in the next day or two. Is my Dad smart or what?

I have inherited my frugalness from my Dad. Every year I will allow myself one Frappacino for the whole summer. But very rarely do I ever take myself up on that offer. First of all, it’s an expensive drink that is mostly crushed ice. And, if I want it to taste good, there’s going to be tons of sugary syrup. So I have come up with my own version, thus naming it after myself. My version is dairy free, gluten free, sugar free and has superfoods. One thing about coffee is that it can inhibit absorption of vitamins and minerals, so for those who have a morning coffee, take your supplements an hour away from it. Because of this my Laaracino actually does not have coffee in it. I do not miss the coffee taste because the maca, malt and the cocoa satisfies my coffee loving taste buds. But by all means add coffee to my Laaracino, if that is what pleases you.

The superfoods in my Laaracino:
Cocoa – High in vitamin B’s and magnesium, both of which supports the nervous system. It also has phenylethylamine, which stirs up happy feelings, and releases stress. Cacao has an even higher amount of antioxidants than blueberries.
Maca – This root from Peru has lots of nutrients, but it is mainly known for increasing cognitive function, libido, energy levels. It is also an adaptogen which means it helps the bring the body into balance. For instance, when the body in under stress, maca helps support the adrenal glands to deal with the stress.
Coconut oil –Has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic properties and contains lauric acid which is found in mother’s milk. Breast-fed babies are better able to fend off infections than babies not given mother’s milk.
Vanilla powder – This is simply the seeds that are inside the vanilla pods. They contain a phytochemical called vanilloid that reduces inflammation and improves brain function.
Cinnamon – Can be beneficial for reducing risk from diabetes and heart disease.

Laaracino serves 2

2 cups almond milk (or any type of milk)
2 t. maca powder
2 T. malt powder, gluten free if made from rice (optional)
4 T. cocoa powder
2 T. coconut oil
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla powder
5 drops stevia (or other type of sweetener)
pinch of sea salt
4 cups of ice

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a good blender, whiz until the ice has been blended and serve in two frosty glasses.
Feel free to experiment with this recipe and make it your own, ie. add a banana, frozen yogurt, liquer, coffee if you must, you get the idea.

*You may wonder if it is possible to substitute vanilla extract for the vanilla powder, I haven’t simply because extract wouldn’t be as nutritious as the powder. If any of you do make this with the extract let me know how it goes.

Eat healthy, live great! – {Kake}

Our Ramen-tic Lunch

July 11, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

I admit it, I have had my love affair with instant noodles, especially when I lived in Hong Kong. For a period of time it was my breakfast, lunch and dinner. But my favourite way was to add corn to it while it was cooking, and then break an egg into it at the last minute. Just before my first bite, I would put a couple of drops of Maggi sauce (it’s like soy sauce but isn’t) into the yolk and then swirl the yolk throughout the noodles. Mmmm….

{Kale} and I went to an outstanding ramen shop on the outskirts of Vancouver’s Chinatown, called Harvest Community Foods in the Chinatown-Strathcona area. It is on the same street and several doors down from the Jimi Hendrix Shrine. Because the food is made with locally sourced ingredients, they charge a little more than average, and the bowls are not the size of a baby wash tub, which I like, because we all need to be conscious of portion control. I have been there a couple of times and thought {Kale} would like it and she did. It is a humble place that is part noodle shop, part grocery store.

I was glad to see Hokuto in the kitchen, because he had made my husband and I good bowls of noodles before and so I knew {Kale} would be in for a treat for sure. He did not disappoint. {Kale} ordered the Ramen with pork shoulder, candied bacon, egg and radish and thoroughly enjoyed it. The highlight for both of us was their egg, they soft boil it and then marinate it in a secret sauce. The yolk is still slightly runny and it has this wonderful deep soy gingery flavor.

Not being a huge fan of udon, I asked to substitute the ramen for the Udon with Sake Kazu Chicken, with watercress and shitake, plus a side of the oh –so-yummy egg. The ramen was cooked perfectly, still slightly chewy and springy, the broth was savoury without being overly salty. While devouring our noodles {Kale} and I recalled the old Japanese movie called “Tanpopo” about a couple who were in search of the best ramen in Japan. It is definitely a must-see for those who are foodies, there is even a few scenes that may be scandalously close to being literally food porn, without crossing the line.

Here are the superfoods in our lunch:

Egg: Nature’s near perfect food. Contains a wide range of vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, choline, B12, as well as protein, lutein and zea-xanthin.
Radish: Good source of vitamins A, C and E. Great for digestion
Watercress: High amount of vitamin C and A. Has strong detoxing properties, good for detoxing heavy metals.
Shitake mushroom: Rich in vitamins, minerals and polyphenols they also activate the immune system, have strong anti-tumor properties and prepare white blood cells to be ready to fight off disease.

If you are a Jimi Hendrix fan then check out this link about his Vancouver shrine.

This is not a recipe per se, but an idea for a Quick Ramen salad.

Cook Ramen according to instructions on the package (use the flavor packet if you want the taste). You can toss in any superfood veggie you like in with the noodles while it is cooking ie. Chopped carrots, beets, squash. Then drain and chill for about an hour.
Once chilled you may add about 2 Tablespoons of *mayonnaise to the noodles and any sort of protein ie. cooked turkey, tuna, shrimp, chickpeas, etc. you get the idea. You could also add fresh herbs and more veggies that can be eaten raw ie. celery, bell peppers.

*May also use sesame oil and grapeseed oil and a splash of rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce, instead of mayo.

Eat healthy, live great! – {Kake}

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

July 4, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

I will be forever grateful to whoever was the first person to combine chocolate and peanut butter. The classic pairing that found its way into my mouth by way of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups when I was a child, still has a special place in my heart. When our family first immigrated to Canada I remember tasting peanut butter and almost gagged. I wasn’t used to the texture, and taste, because it wasn’t popular in Hong Kong at all. Over time Mom got me to eat it in PBJ sandwiches, but the combo of chocolate and peanut butter made it much more palatable.

Having a Peanut Butter (PB) cup always brings me back to my happy place; savouring one and listening to my Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road cassette tape and not caring that other kids were playing with their friends, while my friend was my piano. Our family moved a lot so making friends was always a challenge for me since I was usually the only non-white kid in the class. Are you playing a tiny violin now for me? No need, because now I have friends, and not just my piano, and I get to eat home-made-good-for-you PB cups, YAY for me!!

It seems that peanut butter has fallen out of favour, since so many people have developed allergies to it. So, for those of you who are allergic or are partial to almond butter, by all means, replace peanut butter with almond butter, or any other nut butter that you have on hand. How can I indulge in this treat but do away with the sugar and up the health quotient? Make it with superfoods of course, and in my recipe they are:

Coconut oil – Gives healthy fat burning benefits.
Dark Chocolate – Contains antioxidants and magnesium which can help with lowering blood pressure.
Maca – Increases energy, helps the body handle stress and contains antioxidants.
Peanuts – Contains protein, vitamin E and resveratrol (also in red wine).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups makes 10 mini cups

2/3 c. dark chocolate chips
¼ c. peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 T. coconut oil
2/3 t. maca
*Maldon sea salt

Directions:

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler.
While chocolate chips are melting, stir the rest of the ingredients together, except for the sea salt. Set the filling aside.
Coat silicone 10 mini muffin cups with a layer of melted chocolate, make sure the chocolate goes up the sides about 2/3 of the way. You should only be using half of the chocolate. Then put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Then fill each cup with the filling. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Then with a small spoon, put a dollop of chocolate over the filling and smooth it out. Then sprinkle a little Maldon sea salt on top.
Put back in the freezer to set. These should be stored in there until they are ready to be eaten.

*If you don’t have Maldon sea salt, then put a pinch of regular sea salt in the filling, or you can leave it out altogether.
For more benefits of the superfoods in this recipe look them up in our superfoods list.

Eat healthy, live great! -{Kake}

Inspiration from a Farmers Market – Miso Mushroom Pâté & Oat Crackers

June 27, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

Unless you’re growing your own vegetables, it’s hard to beat locally grown produce from your neighbourhood farmers market. Supporting markets are great all around – we’re helping local businesses, minimizing the carbon footprint and enjoying more nutrients from fresher foods. We both enjoy the atmosphere and the opportunity to meet the growers or food artisans. In particular, I love photographing the textures and colours of the food on display, plus the interesting proprietors. – {Kale}

There are various Vancouver Farmers Markets running throughout the week. Most are packed with shoppers and lookers on the weekends. To avoid the crowds, we decided to shop midweek at one of the lesser known markets – Main Street Station Farmers Market. Three blocks from my home is the most established farmer’s market in the city and I must confess that going to it no longer holds any pleasure as it has become very crowded and I feel like I am in a NYC subway station during rush hour. Not fun. So we found the Main St. Market refreshing in that we could really take our time with the vendors and check out their goods.

Markets in the Western world are vastly different than in Asia. When I lived in Hong Kong I had an experience in a market that was like something out of a horror movie. My friend and I were in a rush to get to a dinner and he knew of a shortcut. So I blindly followed him and he lead me through a market after hours, oh boy! This market was a permanent one so it was enclosed, it was super scary. The whole place was dark and dank with who knows what hiding underneath big tarps. As I was lead through the labyrinth there was a big basket in the corner with something poking out of it, aaaaargh! I looked in and it was a steer’s head with most of the skin peeled off, I apologize to any vegetarians who are reading this. There was another incident after this in Hong Kong that made me decide to give up eating red meat for a long while. – {Kake}

Our picks of superfoods from the market are:

Radishes -High in vitamin C, folic acid and anthocyanins, which is an antioxidant that may be good for heart health and may be a cancer-fighter.
Wheat Grass -Powerhouse of nutrients, full of vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and enzymes. It is 20 times more nutrient dense than other vegetables.
Garlic Scapes -These are the flower stalks which sprouts from the garlic bulb. They have the same nutritional benefits of garlic. The scapes is a great way to get the benefits of the garlic without the strong flavour of the clove.
Sea Asparagus – Rich in iodine, supports healthy thyroid functioning. It is also high in minerals ie. iron, calcium, as well as vitamins A, C and amino acids, which are the building blocks for protein.

One of the vendors at the market was sampling a veggie pâté and it inspired me to make a riff on it. Wonderful earthy mushrooms in the next stall gave me the idea to make it the main ingredient. Adding miso gives a deeper salty flavour without adding salt. And what to spread this pâté on? Homemade crackers of course! It is not difficult. If you can make pie crust, you can make crackers.

Miso Mushroom Pâté makes 1.5 cups

1 T. butter
2 cups mushrooms (any) coarsely chopped
½ medium onion roughly diced
2 cloves garlic roughly diced
1 T. sherry
2 t. miso paste
1 cup cashews (soaked for 2 hours, then drained)
Black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Melt the butter over medium heat, then add garlic and onions, sauté for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Then add mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, then add sherry, continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
Put the mushroom mixture and the rest of the ingredients into a good blender or a food processor and puree until smooth. Chill for a couple of hours and serve in a pretty bowl, or like I did in a bell pepper.

Oat Crackers makes 30-40 crackers depending on size

¾ cup *oat flour
½ cup all purpose gluten free flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 T. sugar
½ t. sea salt
3 T. butter (cold)
1 T. Camelina oil (or oil of your choice)
¼ c. ice water
¼ c. pumpkin seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and using a whisk, stir to combine, then add the butter and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse pea size crumbs. Then using a fork, stir in camelina oil and 1 tablespoon of water at a time until mixture starts to come together enough to form a ball.
Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times, then roll the dough out between wax paper until it is ¼ inch thick.
Using cookie cutters, cut out the crackers and then transfer onto baking sheet. Decorate with pumpkin seeds. Bake until crackers are just start to brown, about 5-10 minutes.
If desired, melt some butter to brush onto baked crackers while still warm.

Go to our list of favourite superfoods to see the nutritional benefits of the superfoods – mushrooms, cashews, onions, oats and pumpkin seeds – in these recipes.

*If you want to make this gluten free, use Pure Oats.

Eat healthy, live great! – {Kake}