5 Spice Poached Pear and Beet Salad

It's freezing here in Kale Eats country and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Think I've lost my marbles?  Let me explain.  Our backyard is home to a large ice rink, lovingly built and maintained by Don, year after year.  In fact, I think this is our seventh year with a rink of some sort.  While this sounds very quaint and idyllic, the reality is both hard work (done entirely by Don) and a lot of worrying (also done entirely by Don).  Will it be cold enough to freeze?  Is there a leak in the liner?  Is the ground level enough that the water doesn't need to be too deep?  Friends, this is my entire winter.  The weather channel is constantly being checked, with the long range forecast a beholden sight.  Should Mother Nature alter her course, it's possible swearing occurs.

Roasted Beet & Spinach Pesto Cheesy Melt

For someone who doesn't love them, there are quite a few sandwiches on this site.  Don's favourite food in the world is a sandwich and I try to keep things interesting with various veggie combinations.  Previously I would have told you my favourite is the Roasted Zucchini with Lemongrass Aioli.  He would have said his favourite is the Southwest Sandwich .  My friend Lori still talks about the time we carpooled to hockey and I brought along my Beet and Grapefruit Sandwich to enjoy.  As their family enjoyed subs from a drive thru, she threatened that she might just rip that sandwich right out of my hands!  All this to say, I thought I had peaked in my sandwich creations.  I mean, could I really find a better sandwich than those we already loved?

Turkey Mango Salad

Home alone, I started watching old home videos the other night.  I think we both know, if you're missing someone like crazy, the worst thing you can do is immerse yourself in their image.  Or maybe not?  I had a lot of good laughs and a few tears watching them grow up on the screen. One particular gem was of Luke's 4th birthday.  He happily opens a present from big sister Josilin.  When Luke was younger, he desperately wanted video games.  I was adamant that he would not own one unless he bought it himself.  Hindsight sure makes me sound like a mean mom, but it made sense at the time.  Josilin has always loved Luke to death and even then she knew is deep want of video games.  So much so, when we had been at a garage sale a few weeks before, she purchased a PS1 for him, at cost of $1.

Roasted Vegetable Hemp Seed Lasagne

A few years ago I was out for a walk when a car pulled up beside me.  I was certain the driver's next words would be: where is the gas station? funeral home? arena?  Living in a small town right off a highway means people end up here looking for staples.  Even if they've come to town intentinally, some landmarks  are not easily found.  A river runs through the town and so the streets are not a grid and some streets start on one side of the river and continue on the other.  It's not uncommon to give directions to any of these places and I was ready and willing to happily direct them.  However, on this day, the driver instead said to me: are you Josilin's mom?  Panic sank in.  What emergency was going on at my home that this random stranger had been sent out to find me? 

Warm Rice Salad with Chicken, Carmelized Onions and Chicken



Comfort food that is still healthy is a tricky task.  What each person describes as comfort varies and for that matter, so does what is healthy.  Jos and Luke will always love their mom's mac and cheese, but we can't eat that every night.  I don't even want to eat it every week!  (confession: I never eat it.  I only make it when Don and the kids are home eating without me.  And even then, there is sweet potato pureed in).

Chana Masala with Curried Spinach

In the summer of 2011 Josilin was able to participate in a global village program for a month in Denmark.  When she was preparing to go we were worried about many things.  Would she be safe? Homesick? Lonely?  I never once considered: would she be hungry?  In recent years there have been multiple stories of what a food revolution is happening in Denmark, including the best restaurant in 2012 and 2011. The night before she left I offered to make any meal she wanted or take her out to any restaurant.  She chose to eat at home and the meal she wanted was this one.  Chana Masala has been a favourite of hers for years, so I was not that surprised she wanted this.  Leftovers pack nicely in her thermos for lunch and it can be made days in advance.

Mexican "Lasagne"

The name of this recipe is a little deceiving.  While it looks like a lasagne and the ingredients are layered in much the way a lasagne would be, the flavours are decidedly Mexican.  It reminded me a little of enchiladas, but way less work!  The ingredients can be assembled in under 30 min and you can then bake right away or put in your fridge/freezer for another time.  This is my favourite kind of dish because I can make it in advance and have it available for a meal when I get home from work.