Mary's Kitchen

March 10, 2018March 10, 2018

MARY’S KITCHEN – GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

This is my go to appetiser when I really want to impress my dinner guests and with very little fuss, conjure this delightful blend of ingredients up.

This combinations work perfectly and with the addition of some extra virgin olive oil (always buy the best you can afford), some fresh tarragon or dried, a squeeze of lemon and voila, you have a fabulous starter to compliment any dinner party or simply on its own, a light lunch or supper snack.

You will need a lovely crusty French baguette for dipping at the end. The combination of flavours enlightens the taste buds and it will cross your mind to almost lick the plate, but I recommend using the baguette to mop up the remaining juices. (or a gluten free version)

If you have some small oval ear serving dishes, these lend themselves well to this dish.

Assembling will only take moments and the result will be award winning.

Treat your food like a fashion accessory and layer it up. Great colourful results.

GOAT’S CHEESE, TOMATO & CHORIZO

3 – 3/4″ slices of goats cheese per serving (roughly 100 grams – 4 ounces)

1 Large Vine Ripened Tomato

6 slices of chorizo

A drizzle of Olive Oil

A sprinkle of fresh or dried tarragon

A sprinkle of chilli flakes

Squeeze 1/4 whole lemon juice

2 sun dried tomatoes plus 4 cherry tomatoes

Method – slice vine ripened tomato, assemble evenly in the bottom of your dish – place the 3 goats cheese slices – chorizo – drizzle with olive oil and squeeze 1/4 of a lemon. Sprinkle with tarragon, chilli flakes & black pepper.

Top with sun dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.

French Baguette for mopping juices. Awesome result!

serving size 1 bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Serve as a starter, light lunch or supper snack.

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Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018

DAY 28 on the DANETTE MAY 30 DAY CHALLENGE – ONLY TWO MORE DAYS TO GO!!

The one thing not do while your on this challenge is make a weekend stop over in Poland for a retirement party! Polish love nothing more than a social gathering and all parties no matter how big or small involve copious amounts of food, vodka and dancing. . . . .then more food, more vodka and more dancing.

So I’m sorry to report I did not abstain on Day 25, 26 and 27, and completely fell of the wagon grand style, For those of you who enjoy a wee libation, you may have been proud of me. My theory, go Big or go Home!!!

Here I stand on Day 28, back to swilling my 3.7 litres of “Adam’s Ale” (H2O). I’ve missed walking my dogs for 4 days so my mileage is way down. Walking around airports doesn’t have the same enjoyment factor as walking my three furrbies on the beach.

It’s always sad when the challenge comes to the final days, but its been wonderful to have had the opportunity to share my culinary skills and inspire so many to get back into the kitchen, using ingredients you perhaps would never have used before. For those of you who have been following my cooking videos, you know I like to add things to improve flavour. Any additions made was in keeping with the clean eating plan and I think one of the all time favourites was Banana Pancakes with a Twist. Here I added 1 tsp. cacoa and some unsweetened organic coconut. A number of you made these for your families and told me they really enjoyed them. It’s amazing what a bit of cacoa and shredded coconut can do to bring a pancake dish to life.

Banana Pancakes with Mary’s Twist

2 egg whites, 1 organic banana (mashed), 1 tsp cacoa, 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened organic coconut, 2 tbsp water, 4/5tbsp almond flour. 2 tsp coconut oil for frying pan.

Whisk your eggs whites in a bowl large enough that you can add all ingredients. Add the almond flour, banana, 1 tsp cacoa, 1/4 cup coconut. Mix all ingredients. Heat your coconut oil to a medium heat, pour spoonfuls into frying pan. Once browned on one side, flip and repeat on other side. You can top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and maple syrup. Optional – top with fresh blueberries and raspberries. Serving – makes 3 pancakes.

The biggest disaster of my week was attempting the crepes with coconut flour. When you have been use to working with regular flour and produce sensational crepes, this was a real disaster. Even though I greased the pan well with coconut oil, the mixture stuck like glue to my non stick pan, it was impossible to flip and basically crumbled into a million pieces. Not like any crepe I have ever made before and I certainly will not be revisiting that recipe.

My lunch favourite was the crispy green apple and chicken salad topped with roasted pecans. A simple dressing of 1tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 ACV (apple cider vinegar) drizzled over top made this an exceptionally palatable dish.

My weight loss has not been as spectacular as my first challenge in January 2017, as I would have liked to shed a few more pounds. I did however, get into that Black Mini 60’s revival skirt so that in itself was a huge success.

With two more days to go – I’m looking forward to continuing my clean eating journey and inventing new recipes along the way.

I hope that each and everyone of you who joined me in the 30 day challenge has been inspired, gained more self confidence, made some new friends and most importantly improved your health.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

131/91 PULSE 73 (resting) RELEASED 12 LBS

WALKED 67.33km 12 litres WATER INTAKE

Only two more days to go.

If you are enjoying my blogs and following me on this clean eating challenge, please subscribe after reading this blog my entering your email address in the subscribe area. You will them receive notification when I have posted.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

Hope to see you in Fit Rise.

January 28, 2018January 28, 2018

DANETTE MAY’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE – DAY 21 (BEHOLD – A GLIMMER OF HOPE)

As I have said many times, the older you get the more and more difficult it is to shift excess weight that just seems to want to cling to our bodies with every bite you take. I have always been of the belief “You are what you eat” and this clean eating lifestyle is proof of just that.

Keeping your metabolism on point is an important part of weight loss. Starving oneself simply does not cut it in the weight loss journey, as everything you lose by starving, simply comes back two fold.

What I have learned is the importance of eating regularly keeps the metabolism in check, but in saying that, eating and snacking on the correct foods is all important. Don’t expect to chow down on your favourite fast food restaurant meal and see promising results. The only result you will see is the scale increasing.

There is nothing boring about clean eating and for those of you who enjoy tinkering in the kitchen, you will find some of the recipes not only challenging but very delicious. One of my all time favourites to make is Salsa. It is such a versatile dish and can be added as a side dish to a number of things. I love to grill chicken and serve with a side of salsa and asparagus. Scrambled eggs scream for a dollop of salsa. Here in the video that follows I show you how to make your own homemade salsa.

The other thing you need to keep happy during the challenge is your sweet tooth. By using fat burning ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, oats, honey, almond or coconut milk, coconut oil and fresh eggs, you can come up with a number of deliciously sweet items that will satisfy any sweet tooth. In last weeks blog I listed the recipe for Fat Burning Blueberry Muffins, here follows two super easy recipes for Peanut Butter Bites and 4 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

PEANUT BUTTER BITES (No Cooking required)

3 cups oatmeal, 1/4 cup honey, 1 cup natural peanut butter (no Palm Oil please) or Almond Butter, 1/3 cup water. If you would like, you can add one serving of Chocolate Protein Powder but this is optional.

Mix all above ingredients well. Roll into bite size balls. I like to roll mine in cacoa and shredded organic coconut. Makes about 20 balls. Store in an airtight container and serve with a cup of dandelion or green tea.

5 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Cooking Required)

2 mashed banana, 2 cups of porridge oats, 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup cacoa nibs. Mix altogether and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy.

Exercise, meditation and no alcohol have also played important roles on this healthy journey. I have enjoyed daily walks with the dogs and clocking up numerous kilometres every week. My golf has greatly improved as I am playing at every opportunity and walking in nature helps one absorb the beauty around them. Water intake recommended is 3.7 litres daily and although this is not always achievable it’s important you strive towards this goal. 9 more days ahead of me.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

128/87 PULSE 70 (resting) RELEASED 11-1/4LBS

WALKED 81.68km 13.5 litres WATER INTAKE

Looking forward to the next 9 days.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 21, 2018January 21, 2018

DANETTE MAY’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE – DAY 14 – HAVE I FALLEN OFF THE WAGON YET??

The answer to that, is a big fat NO! Two weeks now clocked up on the 30 day challenge, 14 days of clean eating and how do I feel? Fantastic. The release in weight is not as much as I would like, but the older you get, it does get more difficult. I am pleased however, with the results so far.

My skin is shiny and more vibrant, hair is gleaming and my jeans fit with no muffin top! Speaking of muffins, I would like to share the Fat-Burning Blueberry Muffin recipe with you. This recipe is a great breakfast treat or enjoy with a cup of dandelion tea which I have become to love the taste of.

Fat Burning Blueberry Muffins (Muffins that won’t give you the muffin top)

Preheat oven to 350F 180C or Gas Mark 4 Makes 12

3 eggs, 1 cup almond butter, 1 cup group almonds, 1/2 cup honey, 3/4 cup blueberries, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 1/3 cup shredded organic unsweetened coconut, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. sea salt and cinnamon (optional)

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until colour of butter, add ground almonds, blend, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Use muffin liners inside your muffin tin – fill 12 cases top with some more shredded coconut and/or chai seeds. Then bake for 15/20 minutes.

Cool then enjoy with a cup of dandelion or green tea.

During Day 8 through to 11, if you have been weighing yourself regularly, you will be sorely disappointed. During this period my weight did not alter much on the scales, that is why it is important to discard them. At this stage discouragement does set in and that large glass of wine seems to be looming in my vision. Don’t go getting negative. This plan works but don’t fall astray at this point. Good things are about to happen. My advice at this point is, STAY POSITIVE, and let any negative feelings dissipate.

My clothes started to feel more comfortable, any bloating I had was alleviated, I have more energy and accomplish much more throughout the day.

I walked with my dogs this week 107,188 steps which equates to 81.89 kilometres. An improvement on last weeks by about 10KM.

I’m moving into the third week in a very positive frame of mind. There is only one thing I have found difficult and I know others do to, is drinking 3.7 litres of water everyday. You have to plan your day around that one for the obvious reasons.

Other than that, I’m on track and welcome the forthcoming week.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

137/82 PULSE 76 (resting) RELEASED 9-1/4LBS.

Looking forward to the next 7 days.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 14, 2018January 14, 2018

DANETTE MAY’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE – YES, I HAVE REACHED DAY 7

Je suis arrive – DAY 7 of the Danette May clean eating challenge !!

What can I say, except the second time around has been much easier for me. I have reached Day 7 with no real dramas. The 3 day detox I embraced and welcomed this time. After abusing my body during the festive season with copious amounts of alcoholic refreshments, it was time to stop the train and change stations. So instead of running of into the woods like a frightened rabbit I opened my mind and said, bring it on. I’m pleased to report that I did not suffer headaches, or nausea, or food pangs this time, and all in all, a pretty easy 3 days of it.

During this 7 Day period I included in my detox and clean eating plan, my daily mediations and pleasant stretching pilates. A workout does not have to be strenuous to be effective. I’m pleased to report during this week I have also covered over 90,000 steps which equates to 70km. Thats a lot of ground to cover in one week on foot. Having 3 dogs does assist this figure as I do take them for long morning walks most mornings.

It was wonderful to taste a little food on Day 2 when Quinoa (pronounced KeenWah) was introduced with Kale. The Apple Cider Vinegar and Cumin drizzle made it very tasty. I admit to adding some fresh red chilli, mango and organic shredded coconut to the dish, if nothing else, to make it look it bit more attractive to eat – it was delicious.

I’ve become a bit of a dab hand at making smoothies – Fired Up Metabolism, Wake Me Up & Shrink Me Down, Detox Pina Colada, Green Goddess, to name but a few, each having a different purpose. The only one I didn’t care for too much, but drank it anyway with my eyes tightly clenched while holding my breath, was the Fired Up Metabolism smoothie. Oh my, give me liver and onions before I would like to taste this again. Perhaps it was the cacoa, but I just had to force this one down kicking and screaming.

Moving into Day 4 is always exciting because the menus open up into a new food world you perhaps didn’t know existed. Hummus Beet Wraps, Turkey Bacon & Bok Choy Salad, Egg Omelettes, Oatmeal (or Porridge as we call it here in Scotland), Lemon infused Salmon, Ginger Chicken and more smoothies of course, all of which were delicious and awakened your palate.

I loved starting each morning and ending the evening with a cup of warm lemon water (one freshly squeezed lemon into a cup of warm water) and add 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar (try Braggs which has “The Mother”). ACV with Mother is unrefined ACV that contains beneficial bacteria and acetic acid, making it good for digestion and has a number of other benefits. I also now enjoy a cup of Dandelion Tea, which contains vitamins A, C and D, and significant amounts of zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium. It helps alleviate bloating, diabetes and liver dysfunction.

TODAY’S BLOOD PRESSURE WEIGHT

135/89 PULSE 63 (resting) RELEASED 8 LBS.

Looking forward to the next 7 days.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018

30 DAYS AND ANOTHER NEW CHALLENGE with DANETTE MAY

A start to a new year always brings out the best possible intentions to lose weight, to get rid of stress, to workout in the gym more, learn something new, get rid of negativity, cleanse yourself from jaundiced friendships, and generally rejuvenate one’s body, soul and mind.

I found a program that not only worked for me in the past, but I have decided to kick off 2018 with the same program this year. Danette May, founder of the 30 Day Challenge Program, is not only a promoter of healthy clean eating, a fitness guru, author and mother created the 30 Day Challenge to help people not only shed excess weight but to find their inner self again.

This is my second time around on this program and I’m excited and pumped to share with you my 30 day challenge. For one month, starting January 8,2018, I will detox my body from built up toxins due to eating inflammatory foods high in sugar content and drinking copious amounts alcohol. I will exercise each day, add in a long walk with my beloved Hungarian Vizslas, meditate, and eat clean organic foods and consume handfuls of chia, hemp and flax seeds in my smoothie drinks.

The end result will be rewarding, of that I have no doubt. I will continue to post most days to encourage others who are also on the same journey. If you fall, do not worry, there will be someone to pick you up and dust you off.

If you are struggling with weight issues, low confidence self esteem, generally need a pick-me-up, I can recommend to you to follow one of Danette May’s 30 Day Challenge.

If you want to learn more click on http://mbsy.co/l7ChV (you may need to copy and paste as my techno skills are somewhat limited)

If you have enjoyed my Blog – please subscribe by filling in your email address and you will then receive all future blogs.

Thank you,

Mary Joan Calder

October 3, 2017October 3, 2017

Guest House Chronicles – (If only these walls could talk)

I have often relayed to friends and family the funny happenings in our Guest House in Edinburgh, so decided to create the Guest House Chronicles. Some things may not seem politically correct (non PC) but I would hope that you would be able to find humour in these stories. The people involved names will be fictional protecting their identity.

We have a wide range of guests from all around the world so some of the stories will involve different cultures, their idiosyncratic behaviour which seems to be unique to their cultural background. This in not meant in any way prejudice what so ever, these are just funny anecdotes that arise on a daily basis and I wish to share them with you to brighten your day. They certainly add humour to our lives daily and we hope the humour found is passed on to you. Welcome to Guest House Chronicles.

Season 1 – EPISODE 1

BEREFT OF LOGIC

I recently took a booking from a lady arriving on January 2 and staying until the 5th. January can be a hit or miss month sometime quiet, but this January 2018 seems to be taken off. After making her booking however, she contacted me by email saying that she had just checked her flights and she was not arriving at the airport until 11.30pm on the 2nd of January, so probably would not arrive until after midnight, so could she change her booking to January 3 – 5 as she would not be arriving until officially the 3rd.

Well, how does anyone answer that without laughing their butt off and saying, HELLLLLLLOOOOOO, are you bereft of logic? So, if I agree to your request, what are your going to do, climb into bed with the guests that booked the room on the 2nd because you are now cancelling the 2nd.

So trying to handle this without sounding patronising, I politely said, sure, your request would be fine providing you don’t mind crawling into bed with a total stranger and that they have no objections when I explain to them your well executed plan. I’m sure everything will be fine. Now what do you think?

Stay tuned for the next episode from Guest House Chronicles.

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Have a wonderful day.

August 23, 2017August 23, 2017

ALDI CONTINUES TO INCREASE CLEAN EATING PRODUCT LINES

ALDI CONTINUES TO INCREASE THEIR CLEAN EATING PRODUCT LINE

Clean eating products such as coconut milk, coconut oil, almond/cashew butter, protein powders, chia seeds, quinoa, maca powder, fresh greens and fruit and be a costly exercise in your everyday supermarkets.

I recently wrote an article on Aldi taking the clean eating market by storm and I am here to report to you that they continue to add to their product line with items you would normally only find in expensive health food store.

Along with their Functional Food range, they have a new range called The Foodie Market. They now carry Organic Coconut Sugar and Organic Coconut Flour (which is completely gluten and wheat free). Both these products can be substituted in recipes that contain normal plain flour and refined sugars. The coconut flour can be used in all sorts of baking – cakes, muffins, pancakes etc. Coming directly from the palms grown in Sri Lanka, organic coconut flour is an excellent addition to your gluten and wheat free cooking recipes.

The coconut sugar is unrefined – dehydrated coconut blossom nectar. It comes directly from Indonesia and is made from the nectar of the coconut flower. This is a 100% natural alternative to refined sugar. Wonderfully delicious and superior to refined sugar to sweeten your favourite recipes.

You can purchase both these products now at Aldi – again, at a fraction of the cost of your nearest health food store.

Here is a recipe for you to try out using both products.

ONE BOWL COCONUT SUGAR COOKIES – MAKES 1 DOZEN

You will need:

8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup coconut sugar

3/4 cup coconut flour

3 tablespoons cacao powder

1/4 teaspoon pink sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F
Combine the wet ingredients (coconut oil, egg, vanilla) in a mixing bowl.
Add the remainder of the ingredients into the bowl and mix until well combined.
Roll the dough into 12 balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet, press down with a fork to flatten.
Place cookies in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove cookies and place to cool on a baking rack.
Most important – enjoy!

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July 10, 2017July 10, 2017

LET’S MAKE INSALATA TRI COLORE

INSALATA TRI COLORE

The wonderful arrival of summer brings lovely fresh vine ripened tomatoes. My favourite salad to make over the summer period or as a light dinner party appetiser is the famous Italian salad called Insalata Tri Colore.

Bringing together the flavours of Italy. Melt in your mouth Buffalo Mozzarella – the luxury of all Mozzarellas and the only one worth using in this salad. Sweet vine ripened tomatoes joined on the plate with slices of avocado.

This is an easy recipe to put together but just like we enjoy accessorising our clothing outfits, I love to accessorise my food dishes.

Once you have layered your mozzarella and tomatoes around your plate, strategically place your avocado overlapping where the mozzarella and tomato meet. Now you can start adding ingredients to turn your simple dish into a work of art. Almost too yummy to eat.

Here is where I like to add sun blushed dried tomatoes, small cherry tomatoes in various colours, fresh red chilli thinly sliced or dried chilli flakes, lemon pepper, black pepper, a little sea salt and of course not forgetting one of the main tasty toppings, fresh Basil. I like to add the Basil last and instead of chopping I just hand rip it. Now, a drizzle of a good quality Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar – and presto – you have a beautiful summer salad fit for a Queen.

Ingredients

1 Ball Buffalo Mozzarella (I bought this in Lidls today for 99P)

2 Vine Ripened Tomatoes

1 Avocado

Trim with sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes of various colours if possible, fresh red chilli thinly sliced or dried chilli flakes, sprinkling of lemon pepper, black pepper and a twist of sea salt. The top with freshly hand ripped Basil. Drizzle with a good quality Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar.

Enjoy this tasty summer dish.

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May the sun shine down upon you this day and every day.

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017

LET’S MAKE A DOGGY FRIENDLY BIRTHDAY CAKE

A CUPCAKE TOWER FOR YOUR FUR FRIEND’S SPECIAL DAY = DOGGY HEAVEN

We recently had a special occasion in this household celebrating our senior member of our 3 strong Hungarian Vizsla family – it was Toffee’s 13th birthday.

Of course, to celebrate such a wonderful birthday for our much loved girl, nothing short of a Doggy masterpiece would do. I decided on a Doggy Cupcake Tower which was more than awesome when it was done, (sorry for bragging), but it was a huge success and 100% doggy approved.

If you are having a special occasion with your much-loved furbby, I would like to share this fool-proof recipe that your birthday boy or girl will thoroughly enjoy. I have also included a you tube video showing you how to make this.

https://youtu.be/m6UYsWH3X9E

Let’s Get Started

500gm minced beef

6 eggs well beaten

1-1/2 cups sifted wholemeal flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup of oatmeal

3/4 cup coconut oil

Finely chopped parsley

1-1/2 cups carrots

1 package of cream cheese or plain 100% Peanut Butter and Doggy treats to decorate (I used Gravy Bones or Markies)

Mix/beat together the beef with all the wet ingredients. Stir in dry ingredients. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to cupcake cases. Cook at 180C degrees for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Decorate with either pure Peanut Butter or Cream Cheese and top with your dog’s favourite treat.

Pure unadulterated Doggy Heaven.

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