Sesame Slaw

Did anyone else forget that there are only 28 days in February and it's March 1 today? I did and now I suddenly feel like I've lost a couple of days. I hate feeling rushed because it makes me make mistakes. When I'm rushing and cooking, I always seem to cut or almost cut myself. When I'm rushing at work, everything always seems to take longer because I need to do things twice. And when I'm rushing when I'm trying to get out the door, something will always be forgotten at home.

But there are a few rare occasions where something good has come from rushing. One of those occasions is preparing dinner. I now have a few quick and easy recipes that I almost always have all the ingredients for in my pantry, fridge, or freezer. One of those recipes is my Greek Chickpea Salad and another is the new slaw recipe that I'm going to share today.

I love to serve this Sesame Slaw with a simple piece of baked fish but it's also great with take out or frozen pizza or even a grilled cheese sandwich. It just makes food feel more like a meal.

Fanny Bay Makes Good Oysters

About two hours away from me is Fanny Bay, BC and when anyone around here hears the words "Fanny Bay", there's only one thing I know of that comes to mind - oysters! 

I remember the first time I tried an oyster and it was not a pretty sight. I was working in tourism and was on a working trip to PEI. We visited the lovely Avonlea Village and they had brought in a fiddling group and an oyster shucker for us. I loved the fiddling group and was wiggling away in my own special version of dancing, but was definitely shying away from the oyster shucker. 

The oyster shucker was interesting and talented, he barely touched the oysters and they were shucked, but I did not want one of those slimy things in my mouth. Unfortunately it looked like everyone else felt the same as I did and no one was heading over to eat one of his freshly shucked oysters.

I couldn't let the oyster shucker shuck away without anyone eating the oysters, so I went over and tried one. My colleagues lovingly took a few photos of me "enjoying" my slurp, but they will never see the light of day because I very obviously did not enjoy them. 

So why am I sharing this with you? Because I now love oysters, that's why! I still am not interesting in a slimy raw oyster, but I've learned how to not only easily grill oysters and how to make them taste amazing too. 

So from my part of the world to yours, I bring you my West Beach Oyster Roll - starring Fanny Bay oysters! 

                                     

Potluck-y

I love going to potlucks and seeing what goodies everyone else has brought, but I hate coming up with what I should bring. 

Potlucks are tough because I always want to bring a dish that tastes great without it haven't to be reheated, with it having sat for a while, and still being tasty enough to have someone scrape the sides of the bowl to get the last bite. 

If anyone feels the same as me and thinks that their friends are getting tired of their same old standbys, here's a new dish to throw into the mix - Pineapple and Bok Choy Slaw. You'd never warm a slaw, it actually tastes best after it has sat for awhile, and it's so unique that everyone's going to want a taste! 

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Everyone loves apples. Teachers, dentists, doctors, moms, and fairy tale witches.

Johnny Appleseed walked barefoot for miles to plant seeds so the fruit could be enjoyed by the masses. And Adam and Eve even risked their lives for the forbidden fruit. 

But did you know that the real proverb from the 1800s went like this: "Eat an apple on going to bed, And you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread."

Apples are great for you. They help your immune system, reduce cholesterol, and help to clean your teeth by killing off bacteria. 

But, the phrase was actually coined because, in Old English, the word apple referred to any round fruit that grew on trees. So it meant eat healthy fruit and you'll be healthy.

If we can take this one step farther and use the word apple for any round fruit or vegetable, this recipe will really keep the doctor away! 

A Candy Cane Treat

Well.... I do love Christmas but even I know it's a bit early to start decorating and planning, so this recipe has nothing to do with Christmas at all.

Actually, to be honest, this recipe has nothing to do with me at all! It is my very first viewer's contribution and even though it's my mom's contribution, it still makes me feel excited that someone wanted to share their recipe through my blog.

My mom had been looking for special heirloom beet seeds, the golden beet variety specifically, forever. So when I found a huge selection of seeds at the great gardening store in Victoria, I had to get some for her.

I mailed the seeds off, she planted them, and now they're ready to be enjoyed.

Who Says Slaw is Blaw?

You know you saw the word slaw in the title of this post and immediately thought boring.

I bet you thought of that tie dye green stuff that's almost neon and tastes like a pile of mushy goo. I'm here to tell you that that junk is not the only coleslaw in the world.

No there is more out there. Some have a crunch. Some are real colours. And some have real taste.

But if you're still on the fence about it, please hang with me for a few more minutes and read this yummy recipe. I am sure you'll quickly change your mind because this coleslaw recipe is a keeper at my house.

And who knows, it might even become a family favourite at yours.

That's right. It's just that bright, crisp, refreshing, and yummy.