40

Who knew 40 would feel so fantastic?  I am quite pleasantly surprised really.

My husband and I celebrated my birthday this past weekend, but saved the cake for today which is the day.  We enjoyed some quiet and relaxed child-free moments over a sumptuous feast on the weekend, so tonight I was totally okay with making dinner on my birthday.  

I have quite a thing for buckwheat soba noodles lately.  Don't be surprised if you see them making frequent appearances on our table, as they did yet again today slathered in a zippy tamari almond butter sauce.  To be honest I would have used peanut butter if my children actually liked it.  What child (aside from those with allergies of course) doesn't like peanut butter?  I also would have liberally dosed the sauce with sriracha if the kiddos could handle that too.  I am glad they don't like scallops though, because that left more for us!

SCALLOP & SOBA NOODLE STIR-FRY with Almond (Peanut) Butter Sauce

Sauce:

6 Tbsp organic almond (or peanut) butter

5 Tbsp water

5 tbsp organic wheat free tamari

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp avocado oil

2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp organic apple cider or brown rice vinegar (or lime juice)

1 clove organic garlic
 1 knob of organic ginger, peeled

1/2 cup organic cilantro

1 organic red pepper, sliced

1 organic onion, chopped

1 head organic broccoli, chopped

2 organic carrots, chopped

2 pounds organic buckwheat soba noodles

1 package wild Nova Scotia scallops, drained on a paper towel

sea salt and pepper

avocado oil

Method

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until creamy.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  While you wait, sear the scallops in a wok drizzled with avocado oil.  Be sure to dry the scallops well first, and add to a hot pan to get a nice brown crust.  Cook about 1 minute on each side - set aside.

Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes.  While you wait for noodles to cook, saute the vegetables in the remaining oil in the wok until tender.  

Drain the cooked noodles and add to the wok, along with the sauce.  Stir to combine and top with scallops and some more chopped cilantro for garnish.

And this gorgeous cake is my favourite go to birthday cake lately - it's a grain-free delight from Dolly and Oatmeal called Vanilla Bean Ice Box Cake.  No, I did not make my own birthday cake, though I have been known to do that before.  I am pretty excited about freezing it and eating it like an ice cream cake.

PRINT RECIPE

SHRIMP STIR FRY

Living life with less plastic isn't the easiest thing to do sometimes, but for the most part, once you get used to shopping and living differently, it ain't so bad!  For instance, I've sewn a whole bunch of cloth produce bags with drawstrings and take them with me to the market instead of using the plastic bags provided.  I also bring along paper bags and vegetable wax paper for bulk items, meats and seafood, as well as an (old) plastic tub so nothing leaks out.  

     Today, instead of buying the (unfortunately plastic packaged) PC Organic Shrimp that I was once so excited about, I got some wild caught ones from Mike's Fish Shop at the Farmer's Market.  Sometimes it is inconvenient when you are looking for something specific and it is only available wrapped in useless plastic.  If you're strategic though, another store probably sells what you are looking for.  For example, Atlantic Superstore has a nasty policy of selling most of it's organic produce in plastic.  So I choose to shop at the Farmer's Market and Planet Organic.  The market is your best choice for finding plastic free food by far.  Some vendors do use a lot of plastic, but there is always someone around the corner who doesn't, so be discriminating!

     Today was a great reminder that living a life plastic free requires not only diligence in the market, but regular activism!  The last couple of times I've shopped at Bulk Barn, the checkout staff got all flustered when they saw my paper bags.  They then tell me that I am not allowed to use my own bags because of health regulations.  Not only was I hassled by the staff, but then a customer in line was impatient and told  me this wasn't the time for political activism.  I strongly disagreed which then held him up even longer.  So sad.  Anyway, so I will be calling Bulk Barn head office on Monday to voice my objection to their policy and to request that they offer paper bags in their stores for customers who prefer them.  If you are so inclined, please join me by calling (905)886-6756.

SHRIMP STIR-FRY

10 wild caught shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise if huge

3 Tbsp fresh organic ginger, grated and the juice squeezed out with the palm of your hand

3 Tbsp organic tamari soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 tsp organic sugar or honey

1-2 Tbsp organic cornstarch

1 cup water

organic black pepper

4 Tbsp organic vegetable oil

1 organic red bell pepper

1 stalk organic broccoli, peeled and chopped into florets

1 large handful organic snow peas or sugar snap peas

8 organic green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 organic zucchini, cut into half moons

1 large handful roasted organic cashews

Method:  In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, ginger juice, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, some black pepper and the water.  Set aside.

     Heat half the oil in a large cast iron wok over medium high heat.  Cook the shrimp until just opaque, set aside.  

     Add the other half of the oil and stir fry the vegetables until crisp yet tender, about 3 minutes.

     Whisk the sauce, and pour it into pan, cook stirring until thickened.  Add the shrimp and stir until coated.  Serve over rice or noodles with some cashews.

NORBERT'S NOODLES

My favorite farmer in the whole world is making pasta and it is good.  Norbert from Selwood Green has awakened a latent talent for noodle making and I am glad.  Although this means he isn't spending as much time growing phenomenal organic vegetables.  But at least he is doing good things no matter what he does.  And lucky for us it always involves food.

     We eat Norbert's Kamut Pasta with all kinds of sauces, but tonight we delved into our frozen green curry paste stash and whipped up this little yummy.

KAMUT NOODLES in a Peanut Coconut Sauce

1 pack of Norbert's Organic Kamut Noodles (equal to about 1/2 pound dry pasta I think)

1 pound organic local firm tofu, cut into cubes

1/2 cup arame seaweed, soaked in water for 5 minutes

1 organic onion, chopped

2 cups organic cabbage, cut into small pieces

3 organic carrots, chopped

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

1/2 can organic coconut milk

6 Tbsp organic tamari

4 Tbsp spicy thai chili dipping sauce

big pinch sea salt

2 Tbsp organic raw sesame oil

1 heaping Tbsp green curry paste

1/4 cup water

1/2 bunch organic cilantro, chopped

1/2 organic lemon

Method:  Bring a pot of water to boil and when ready cook noodles for about 5 minutes.  Preheat oven to 450*.  Marinate the tofu in 2 Tbsp of the tamari sauce and 1 Tbsp of the sesame oil.  Broil in the oven in a cast iron skillet for about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Set aside.

     Heat a cast iron wok over medium high heat.  Add the rest of the oil and stir fry the onion, carrot, cabbage, arame and a pinch of sea salt for about 8 minutes.  Then stir in the tofu, coconut milk, curry paste, peanut butter, chili sauce, water and remaining tamari.  Cook stirring for about 5 minutes, then add the drained noodles and chopped cilantro.    Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopsticks.

Oodles of Noodles

My trip to the market this morning resulted in the purchase of two pieces of eco-certified salmon from Mike's Fish Shop.  I don't know much about what eco-certified means other than it abides to some sort of code that somewhat improves the state of salmon farming.  Initally I thought I was buying the fish just for Scott (he will eat anything) but once I started supper I decided to eat some too. It was very yummy, especially next to these awesome noodles.

TAMARI GLAZED SALMON with Nutty Somen Noodles

Salmon:

1/8 cup local honey

1/8 cup e.v olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp organic tamari

1 Tbsp fresh organic lemon juice

1 Tbsp water

2 organic or the best you can find salmon fillets or steaks (about 1 pound)

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  Whisk together the marinade and pour over the fish.  Cook in hot oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Serve on a bed of noodles with the juices pour over top.

Noodles:

1 package of organic kamut somen noodles

1/2 cup organic nut butter (tonight we used some peanut, almond and tahini) 

1/4 organic tamari sauce

1/4 organic brown rice vinegar

1 Tbsp local honey

1 Tbsp organic toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp raw organic sesame oil

1 handful organic fresh cilantro

2 cloves organic garlic

1 stalk organic broccoli, peeled and floretted and stalk cut into matchsticks

1/2 organic green pepper, slivered

1 organic carrot, grated

2 handfuls organic spinach, torn

handful of organic cashews

Method:  Combine the nut butters, garlic, tamari, honey, vinegar, cilantro and oils into a blender and process until smooth.  Boil noodles.  When noodles are almost done, toss in the broccoli.  When noodles are done, drain the water and toss back into the pot along with the spinach so it can wilt.  Pour half of the sauce onto the noodles and stir.  Plate the noodles, topping with the other veggies and cashew.  Drizzle with more sauce if you like.