From the Culinary Trail – Finding Oysters & Bouillabaisse at Edgewater Lodge

May 27, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

One of the many advantages of living in Vancouver is the easy proximity to the mountains, and specifically to the popular resort of Whistler. I recently took a mini-getaway there and stayed at the charming Edgewater Lodge, which I highly recommend. Aside from enjoying some R&R and panoramic views, I also had an amazing dinner of fresh oysters and bouillabaisse. Normally, I would enjoy these foods simply because of their delectable flavours; however, from a superfoods perspective, I’m happy to share that there is more to love with oysters and bouillabaisse!

When I went online to do some research, I was surprised to find that oysters are one of the top superfoods, packed with healthy benefits. They are an astounding source of lean protein and essential nutrients, including vitamins A, E, C, D, B12, calcium, selenium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The research indicates that oysters contain more zinc (promotes healing) than any other food. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and iron. And, as if that wasn’t enough, they are also low in calories and fat, plus can help lower your cholesterol.

Bouillabaisse, a traditional French fish stew, is a powerhouse dish of superfoods. The version I had was filled with a lobster, scallops, clams, shrimps, salmon, fennel and other vegetables. Scallops, clams, shrimp and salmon are great lean proteins, similar to oysters. Scallops are an excellent source of B12, magnesium and potassium – all great for cardiovascular health. Clams top the list as a source of B12 but they are also an Omega-3 and iron-rich food. Lobster is a good source of vitamin E. Shrimp is loaded with Vitamin D, B3, zinc and many other nutrients. Salmon contains a range of great B vitamins and is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Who knew there was so much goodness in a bowl of bouillabaisse?

I hope you enjoyed my first ‘tasty travel tidbit’ for our blog. – {Kale}

Edgewater Lodge Kake2kale

Our Favourite Superfoods

May 23, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

More often than we realize, life has a way to bring us back to where we started. While working together on last week’s first post with the Ginger Kale Cake recipe and photo shoot, we had a flashback to when we were kids making cakes in our toy oven. Here we are years later, doing the same thing but with adult size food. Nice! It is wonderful playing together again and finding a way through this blog to express our passion for great healthy foods, including travels and photography. But, perhaps more important than food is friendship, that is – sharing this adventure together but also with friends online.

For this week, we thought it would be fun to offer up a list of our favourite superfoods. Over the years, we have not found a definitive list but there are various lists, ranging from top 10, 25 to 100. Some claim to be the ‘greatest’, ‘ultimate’, ‘best’, ‘celebrity favourites’, ‘everyday’ and so forth. There are even lists of superfoods for pets! Instead, we were inspired to compile our own Kake2Kale ‘super’ list of fruits, vegetables, proteins, herbs/spices, grains, etc., which we hope will be a good ‘go to’ cheat sheet. Kake2Kale’s Favourite Superfoods

If your budget allows, then we recommend organic to avoid loading your body with toxins. Our new Superfoods page includes a reference to a list of fruits and vegetables that are better to buy organic or are cleaner as non-organic.

– {Kake} and {Kale}

Ginger Kale Cake

May 16, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

Kathy and I have been friends for the longest time, since we were children playing with our Barbies. Our families immigrated from Hong Kong to Canada when we were just kids. There was a close knit group of Chinese families that met up regularly for parties, mah jong, generally just to be together because they wanted to create a mini Hong Kong. Assimilation into Canadian society looked different in each of our families. Kathy’s Mom worked at an office job during the day and taught Chinese Cooking to eager Canadians at night. While my mom studied Radio and TV broadcasting, taught piano and in her spare time baked her heart out trying to be a good housewife in this new land.

To prepare for life in Canada my Mom took a baking course from a professional baker, I remember her bringing home cakes with clowns, elephants, a Barbie cake, it felt like Christmas every time she came home from her baking class.

To inaugurate our blog I thought it would be fitting to make a ginger kale cake and to lend some sophistication to the humble kale, a limoncello icing. It is a little sinful, but it is offset by superfoods:

Kale – high in calcium, high in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, anti-inflammatory

Ginger – helps with digestion, anti-inflammatory

I have baked a spice kale cake twice before with wonderful results, it didn’t taste much different from a carrot cake. It seems intimidating to eat a cake with this pungent hardy veggie, but the taste of the kale fades into the background while giving the cake a bright verdant hue.

This cake is a moist dense cake, you can certainly add more grated ginger if you’d like, or add 1 tsp of lemon extract if you want more lemony flavor in the cake. This recipe actually had enough to make one Bundt cake and 5 cupcakes. Just check the cupcakes after 20 minutes. – {Kake}

Ginger Kale Cake Ingredients Serves 10-12

2/3 c. grapeseed oil
2 c. kale (4 big leaves with stem removed, blanched and shocked)
2 3/4 c. spelt flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3 T. grated fresh ginger (peeled)
1/2 c. honey
3 eggs
2/3 c. ginger ale
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. chopped crystallized ginger
zest of two lemons

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan.
Put oil and kale in a food processor or a good blender and puree, set aside.
In a medium size bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, crystallized ginger and lemon rind.
In a large bowl, mix honey, eggs, yogurt, grated ginger, beat until blended. Mix in kale puree and ginger ale.
Next add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined, don’t over mix.
Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45 -50 minutes. Do the toothpick test to see if it comes out clean.
Then cool in pan for ten minutes, then flip onto plate and let it continue cooling. Once cooled, ice the cake, then devour with your 10 friends!!

Limoncello Icing