The Toque Girls

We’re still in Edinburgh today and flying back to London tonight. We’ll spend tomorrow hanging with friends in Islington (my old ‘hood!) before heading home Saturday night.

That means that we’ll be home for breakfast Sunday morning! And that’s exciting because I can make French toast. It’s our  favourite weekend breakfast and only happens on the rare weekend that we’re both home. I found a recipe several years ago for sprouted grain French toast on my Whole Foods app (it’s one of my faves!). I tweaked the recipe a bit, mostly because I’m lazy, and came up with this.

It’s the perfect Sunday morning kick-off.

Sprouted Grain French Toast

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 slices sprouted whole grain bread
• 1 teaspoons butter or coconut oil

Beat together eggs, milk, agave nectar, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon.  I lay the four pieces of bread into the bottom of a large shallow dish and pour the mixture over top; the bread really sops up the mixture this way. If I’m working with really doughy bread, I’ll just dip the bread into the mixture for 30 seconds to one minute on each side.

Melt the butter or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Allow the excess batter to drip off soaked bread before placing it in heated skillet. Cook French toast in batches until browned on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Top with berries or maple syrup. As you can see, we approach French toast very differently in this house!

~Chris

That’s right, friends. We have a pair of tickets to the Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival — that’s RMWFF for those who like super catchy acronyms — to give away.

The tickets are good for the afternoon session on Saturday, May 5, from 2 to 5 p.m., in the Grand Tasting Hall at the Banff Springs Hotel. They grant you access to the event but no tasting coupons. Other things to consider: it’s an adult-only event (so no kids allowed) and the tickets can’t be used for any other RMWFF session.

We’d be there if we could but Chris will be on vacation in Europe and I’ll be busy envying Chris. Actually, I have some work to do that weekend. But if I could join you party people at the RMWFF, I tell you what I’d do: sip some wine, go for a great dinner and then head to the Dancing Sasquatch afterwards. Here’s a shot with DJ Cain — who plays the best dance music! — from not too long ago. Oh, how I love Banff…and that dance club.

If you’re 18 and older and you dig vino, leave us a comment on this blog post by Sunday night. We’ll announce the winner on Monday. Good luck!

~Michelle

Hurrah! We entered barbeque season this weekend in Calgary. Both days were sunny and warm. When I went for a run Sunday afternoon, I could smell delicious wafts of barbeque fare drifting out over fences. BBQ smell, by the way, has a tremendous impact on running speed. Someone should look into this for a running study. I was so hungry to get home and eat that I sprinted the last mile.

I’m not a big steak’n'potatoes person; I’m not a steak’n'potatoes person at all. Unfortunately, I live with someone who is. Enter the art of marital compromise. Over the last two years, we’ve come up with barbecued dinner that’s healthier than the regular spuds, steak and Caesar salad standard, and it tastes better, too. We replace the beef steak with bison steak, substitute a lemony kale salad for the old lettuce salad, and switch up sweet potatoes for plain old taters.

Everyone’s happy.

Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 teaspoons agave syrup or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rosemary

Cut potatoes into even pieces, about the size of a perfect bite.

Mix with two teaspoons of agave syrup and one tablespoon of rosemary.

Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Wrap in tin foil and throw on grill. You can also roast in oven set to 400°F for 35 minutes.

Kale Salad

• Juice of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
• 4 cups fresh kale, stems removed and torn into small pieces
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
• 1/2 cup of panko, or one piece of whole wheat bread toasted
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts (optional)

Mix together lemon, olive oil, garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper. Then, add the cheese into the dressing and stir. Toast panko and/or pine nuts. Tear bread into crouton-sized pieces if you prefer croutons instead of panko. Add the panko or bread to the kale, and pine nuts if using. Pour dressing over the kale. Mix it well. I often massage it in with my hands. Let sit for several minutes before serving.

Bison Steak

*I have no idea where this marinade recipe came from. It’s scribbled on a post-it note that I’ve been using for at least five years!

For marinade:

• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard
• ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and pour over two bison steaks. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. I usually aim for around eight hours.

Throw on BBQ. Depending on the thickness of the steak, we leave them 6-10 minutes.

~Chris

Welcome back from the long weekend!

Mine was wonderfully lowkey and involved a lot of shut-eye. I don’t know what it is about my parents’ place, but as soon as I walk in the door, my body relaxes and all I can think about is sleep. Example: I slept for 10 hours Thursday night, woke up and had breakfast with my parents and then crawled back into bed. I dragged myself out of bed at 2:30 but felt like I could’ve slept straight through till Saturday.

My well-rested self decided to do something productive Saturday morning — make breakfast. I found the recipe for Baked Berry Oatmeal via Peanut Butter Fingers, my new blog obsession, and decided my family members would be the guinea pigs.

Doesn’t that look yummy?

It tasted just as good. I love oatmeal — LOVE oatmeal — and thought this was perhaps the tastiest version I’ve had. The applesauce, honey and cinnamon made it apple pie-esque, and I’m never averse to starting the day with something sweet (hello coffee and caramel Baileys). My parents’ oven tends to run a little cooler than the temperature it’s set at, so the steel cut oats were a bit chewy, but still delicious. We topped our oatmeal with milk, but next time I’ll try it as suggested, with yogurt and jam. Yum!

Baked Berry Oatmeal

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, stir together rolled oats, steel cut oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, applesauce, oil, honey and brown sugar. Add to mixture and stir until combined. Pour into a greased 2-quart soufflé dish or casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir mixture and fold in berries. Bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Spoon into bowls and serve with yogurt and warmed strawberry jam.

Serves 6 to 8.

~Michelle

When I’m dining solo, I often throw any and all veggies sitting in my fridge into a big bowl, add some black beans and unsalted sunflower seeds and then top it all off with a protein. It’s not impressive, but it’s fast and healthy and that’s all that matters.

Last week, the protein I had on hand was tofu; the recipe is one I found in the April issue of Chatelaine. I snuck a peek at the issue before it hit newsstands because, when I met with my editor at Chatelaine while I was in Toronto, she gave me a copy. (I have a profile of Christiane Germain, the co-president of the Germain Group, in the issue. When it’s online, I’ll share the link!)

This honey-ginger tofu is delicious and so quick to make. I got home from the gym, let it marinate for 15 minutes while I showered and then prepared the rest of the salad, and then tossed it into the pan for a few minutes. Voila. Gourmet salad pour un.

Honey-Ginger Tofu

• 350 g pkg extra-firm tofu
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp canola oil

~Michelle