Clay Oven

Cross-Posted from Calgary is Awesome.

By some strange coincidence, everyone at my work lives on the west side of the city (except for one straggler who lives in Airdrie), with most of us living around the Westhills area (Signal Hill, Coach Hill, Discovery Ridge, Glamorgan, Glenbrook, etc). We were discussing this during lunch one day and one person said, "Well it's so convenient. You can easily get on a main road out to anywhere in the city, except for the NE... but who cares about the NE?"

Well, if you like Indian food, then Clay Oven is a reason to care about the NE.

Clay Oven is a tiny little restaurant tucked away in a strip mall a few blocks from Sunridge Mall. The space is very conservatively decorated and softly lit, making for a cozy, homey environment. Unfortunately for me, however, this environment was not very conducive to taking good photos.

The best way to enjoy Indian food is sharing. Brian and I each chose a main dish - he ordered the Malai Kofta ($11.95) while I went for the Lamb Saag ($13.95) - and then we also got an order of Garlic Naan ($2.50) and rice ($2.95) as sides.


Malai Kofta is/are basically veggie balls made primarily of potato and paneer cheese swimming in a creamy curry sauce. They reminded me a bit of falafel, but in a good way. Brian claims that Glory of India makes the best Malai Kofta in Calgary, but Clay Oven comes in a close second...


Saag is a category of curries that are spinach and mustard leaf-based. We chose a "medium" level of heat (with all the curries at Clay Oven you can choose to get it mild, medium or hot) which provided just the right amount of kick. The lamb itself must have been cooked for hours because it had seemed like almost all the large chunks of meat were separated out into small, tender pieces.

The terrible thing about Indian food that I seem to "forget" every time is that they come in deceptively small but deep metal pots. Although the food was delicious, we filled up quickly and probably had a couple meals worth of food to take home.

Clay Oven appears to be family-run and the staff are knowledgeable and patient. There were a couple instances that I had to flag someone down for water, but I think I'll let that slide ;)

Clay Oven
349-3132 26 St NE
Calgary AB T1Y 6Z1
(403) 250-2161
Open Mon-Thu 5-8:30 PM, Fri-Sat 5-9:30 PM. Closed Sundays.

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Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies

Some chick at my work had a birthday on Thursday...


...so I made her and her coworkers some cheesecake-marbled brownies to celebrate.



When I first saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen I instantly thought that it would be the new boy bait. Unfortunately, opportunities to bait boys have not presented themselves lately and so the recipe was filed away with everything else on my Google Reader until I started dreaming about birthday cakes... I know I would take a rich, fudgy brownie over cake any day, and when I finally saw those gorgeous photos by Deb again I knew there wasn't going to be another word about how "strange" it was that I make my own birthday cake.


Because birthdays only come once a year, there are no redeeming qualities nutritionally to this recipe - no whole-wheat flour, no added bran or flaxseed, no tub margarine, no low-fat cream cheese...

The added bonus of this recipe is that it's surprisingly easy - the ingredients are a cinch to find and I'm sure if I wasn't snapping photos I would've been in and out of the kitchen in an hour.

  






And the brownies are sooo good. The massage therapist was telling me about The Zombie Survival Guide and how one of the noted "Zombie Attributes" are "may approach while moaning and groaning"...


I think the whole clinic turned into zombies for a little bit there...

Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 16 brownies (2 × 2" squares)

Brownie batter:

• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
• 90 g (3 oz) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  
• 250 mL (1 cup) sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 mL (½ tsp) vanilla extract
  
• 1 pinch salt
  
• 165 mL (⅔ cup) all-purpose flour

Cheesecake batter:

• 1 225 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
  
• 80 mL (⅓ cup) sugar
  
• 1 large egg yolk
  
• 1 mL (¼ tsp) vanilla extract

• 125 mL (½ cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8" square baking pan.
   
2. Heat butter and chocolate over moderately low heat in a 3L-heavy saucepan. (You may also do it in a double boiler, or in a metal bowl placed over a saucepan with simmering water.) Whisk occasionally, just until melted.
   
3. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in a baking pan.
   
4. Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth (something I neglected to do). Dollop over brownie batter and swirl using a butter knife or spatula. Be zealous about it! The more zealous you are, the better the marbling effect - you can tell that Deb's looks marbly while mine kinda looks like cheese pizza...
   
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake-brownie. Bake until edges are slightly puffed and centre is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve at whatever temperature you prefer.
   

Nutrition Info (per 2×2" square): 247 calories, 15 g fat (9 g saturated), 70 mg cholesterol, 26 g carbohydrates (1 g fibre, 20 g sugar), 3 g protein, 75 mg sodium.

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Changes are a-brewin'

For those of you who read my blog via RSS (and according to my "Top 40 Most Obscure" tab on my Google Reader there are at least 56 of you - thank you for making me #40!), you probably haven't noticed some of the minor changes that have happened here on the blog.

And by minor, I mean really minor - there are no changes to the themes or colours or anything, but I've added a little cramped bar to the right that makes it easier for you to browse the blog by category and find the specific restaurant reviews and types of recipes that you are looking for. You can also search for recipes by ingredient with my "Ingredient Cloud" on the left... I like how chocolate and coconut are extra huge ;)

Just a quick note about the "Special Diets" labels - I have labelled some recipes that could fall under a category with a little tweak (i.e. using vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth for a dish to be vegetarian) while with others I have erred on the side of caution and not labelled them (i.e. I assume that commercial broths contain gluten and soy). If you feel a certain recipe has been mislabelled please let me know and I will try to fix it - I'm new at this!

I've also added a new menu bar up top... not much there for now except a link to a newly updated About page.

Geotagging on Blogger is currently on the fritz, but the map widget I used to have was tiny and not user-friendly anyway, so I am in the process of trying to figure out how BlurbBits work. I'm also thinking of getting a copy of MacGourmet so I can start including nutrition info for the recipes on the site! (Any suggestions for better, Mac-compatible programs would be greatly appreciated)

Last but certainly not least, I received a letter about a week ago from the College of Dietitians of Alberta notifying me that the blog puts me in violation of certain sections of their Code of Ethics. Based on my interpretation of the letter, it appears that the College has mostly taken issue with certain sarcastic, self-deprecating comments that I have made in the past that when taken out of context and/or read by someone who is not familiar with me, my style of writing or my sense of humour could cast doubt on my practice and/or professionalism. I have since reviewed every single entry I've written on this blog and have deleted or changed any statement that I believe could be questioned (plus fixed some of the grammatical errors and cut down on the cussing) and will continue to cooperate with the College on this matter.

My letter came with quoted sections of the Code of Ethics that I may be in violation of, and section 1.2(6)c in particular caught my attention:

The dietitian does not use professional titles and initials or make references to being a member of the dietetic profession or the College, or having dietetic education and training when...acting within a personal rather than professional role.

Initially I tried to remove all references to the fact that I am a dietitian from this blog, but I then quickly realized that the fact that I do have a background in nutrition has an impact on my personal experiences and opinions. So as I have noted at the top of the blog (so that long-time and new readers alike can see it) and in my new About page, I will take professional responsibility for the comments made on this blog, keeping in mind that this blog isn't necessarily about the healthiest choices, but about enjoying the experience of food and eating, which I think is an important part of nutrition as well. If you would like any clarification about anything or if you want to get more technical about nutrition, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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Applesauce

Is there anything better than warm, homemade applesauce fresh off the stove with walnuts sprinkled on top?

Not at this moment, no.

I have a drawer at work filled with healthy non-perishables - applesauce, green tea bags, Mary's Organic Crackers, Lärabars, and Dolfin chocolate (OK, not so healthy, but to give you an idea of how "fast" I go through this stuff, I got three bars a year ago for my birthday, only one of them is open and all three of them are way past their "best before" date... and this is my favourite chocolate we're talking about here!)


My go-to snack lately has been a container of applesauce with some cottage cheese (we also have a giant fridge at work for perishables, but I don't think I've used it to its full potential yet) and a small handful of nuts - it satisfies my palate by combining sweet, tart applesauce with savoury cottage cheese. Plus, the walnuts add crunch so I don't feel like I'm eating baby food. It also makes for a great snack nutritionally as it combines a source of carbs and a source of protein with the added bonus of some healthy fats.

I must admit that I buy the President's Choice unsweetened applesauce just because it's the cheapest on the shelf, but the ingredients sketch me out a little -


"Just Apples"? In quotation marks? What does that even mean? Why can't it just say "apples" (without quotation marks)?

While it does take a little more time, making your own applesauce can help you ensure that your applesauce is just apples (or not) and it's so easy you'll wonder why you didn't know how to do this before. In fact, I learned how to do this in my first year in university when we used to go to the orchard on campus at night and steal apples, then sit around the pot of fresh applesauce in the wee hours of the night and finish the sweet treat in one go. Ahh... Mac...

Start with some apples - I usually go with McIntosh, but they didn't have any in bags at the Farmers' Market so I just took the easy route and bought a bag of Spartans. You can use any one or combination of your favourite cooking apples to get the flavour and texture you want.


Peel, core and cut them into pieces then throw them in a pot lined with just a teeny, tiny bit of water.


Heat the pot until you can hear the water bubbling underneath the apples, then turn the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for at least 45 minutes.


Mash the cooked apples with a potato masher, and here's the fun part! Sure, some people like their applesauce plain and unsweetened, but I like throwing in all the spices in the cupboard! This time I found some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and vanilla - it was the first time I'd used vanilla and I find that it really softens everything and makes the sauce taste a little like pie.


My sister (who helped me with peeling and chopping - Thanks Winkie!) and I resisted the urge to eat the whole thing straight from the pot, but the little bit we had was like a dream. And at work today I found out that it's also good cold with cottage cheese and walnuts ;)

Basic Applesauce Template

• Apples, peeled, cored, cut into pieces
  
• Water or Apple Juice

1. In a pot large enough to hold all your apples, pour in about an inch of water (or apple juice if you're worried about "watering down" the flavour) and add apples.
   
2. Heat on high heat until liquid begins to bubble, then turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for at least 45 minutes.
   
3. Mash cooked apples using a potato masher. Serve hot or cold.

Suggested Variations:

• Add your favourite spices/seasonings to taste just before serving. Some ideas (in alphabetical order): brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, honey, maple syrup, nutmeg, vanilla.
  
• Get inspired by the flavours at the store and mix in other fruit with your apples, like pears, banana and frozen berries.
  
• Don't eat your applesauce alone! Top with nuts and/or dried fruit or do what I do and have it with cottage cheese (hehe)

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Red Kuri Red Curry

Oh yes, I did.

Two weeks ago, when I was admiring all the different squashes at the Farmers' Market and learning all their names, I became smitten with the Red Kuri squash and my mind wandered off to the same geeky place that gets excited about odd coloured vegetables and comes up with Estimated Energy Needs spreadsheets...

"Wouldn't it be awesome/lame if I made a Red Kuri Red Curry?"


First of all, I had to figure out whether this was feasible. After a quick search on my Google Reader, I found that Béa at La Tartine Gourmande has a Curried Red Kuri Squash, but she used regular curry powder and cumin. Heidi at 101 Cookbooks has a Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup that did use Thai red curry paste, but it was rather plain. However, the two recipes were inspiration enough that red kuri squash and red curry paste would work together, and I started dreaming up a more stew-like, clam-less version of Béa's recipe.

Random Tangent: While we're on the subject of names, I found out that the French name for red kuri squash is "potimarron", which is pretty cool because "marron" is "chestnut" in French, and "kuri (栗)" is the Japanese word for chestnut, a reference to the hint of chestnut flavour in the squash. But really, the French have the prettiest names for food - aubergine (eggplant), citrouille (pumpkin), topinambour (Jerusalem artichoke/sunchoke)...

I went to the Farmers' Market again this time to pick up the ingredients - it's crazy how much more in tune you become with what's in season when you shop there... vegetables like squash, potatoes, onions and carrots are still in full-swing, but my favourite honeycrisp apples were starting to look a little sad... I saw leeks from in-province and from as far as California! There were also zucchinis from Mexico! I did manage to pick up everything I wanted/needed (Almost all the produce was from AB or BC, except the zucchini, which was from the States) and then got cooking that evening.




  



  


The recipe was a success! The Thai red curry paste really brings a distinctive aroma to the dish with its lemongrass, galangal and keffir lime leaves, and the squash and carrot make this a sweet, earthy dish. I'm excited to be bringing this to work this week!

It's also rare for me to dine alone (everyone was out of the house with Halloween plans), so I finally had the chance to try out a trick I learned from Lara, the talented photographer behind Cook & Eat and Still Life With:

    

Red Kuri Red Curry
Adapted from La Tartine Gourmande
Makes 6-8 servings

• 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
  
• ¼ onion, chopped
  
• 1-2 leeks, white part only, chopped*
  
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
  
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) Thai red curry paste
  
• 500 g red kuri squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
  
• 4 carrots (150 g), peeled and cut into chunks
  
• 1 zucchini (210 g), cut into pieces
  
• 375 mL (1½ cups) water**
  
• 125 mL (½ cup) red lentils
  
• 375 mL (1½ cups) water
  
• 125 mL (½ cup) coconut milk ("light" coconut milk is fine; you can make your own by mixing coconut milk with water)

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, leek and celery. Sweat for 2 minutes, until soft, making sure that the vegetables never brown by stirring constantly and keeping the heat at med-low. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
   
2. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add 375 mL (1½ cups) water and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
   
4. While curry is simmering, in a small pot, cook red lentils in another 375 mL (1½ cups) of water until soft. Most of the water will be absorbed.
   
5. When curry is ready, stir in coconut milk and lentils and season with salt, pepper, or additional curry paste to taste. Serve on rice or anything else that will soak up the yummy sauce.

*I bought leeks that were way more green than white, so I used two. **I used 2 cups of water, but found it a little too soupy. Try starting with 1½ cups and adding more if necessary, remembering that the cooked lentils and coconut milk will add more moisture in the end. Nutrition Info (for 1/6 of recipe): 172 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates (3 g fibre, 3 g sugar), 6 g protein, 102 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin E, folate and manganese. A good source of vitamin A, iron, magnesium, potassium and copper.

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Avenue Diner

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Several months ago, two food journalists who also kept blogs came out with a Food Blog Code of Ethics. Their goal was to put some guidelines down to help raise the accountability/credibility of food bloggers as their voices become more powerful in helping people decide where to eat. In their Food Blog Restaurant Review Guidelines, two lines made a lot of food bloggers wince -

"We will visit a restaurant more than once (more than twice, if possible) before passing a final judgment."

"We will sample the full range of items on menu."

While I do see where the authors are coming from with these guidelines, for someone like me, I rarely have the chance to try a place multiple times and with a frequency that will ensure that my review is relevant, let alone sample the full range of items on the menu (though going out with lots of people helps), but as I sat down with the menu at Avenue Diner, I knew one visit wouldn't be able to do it justice... but I wanted to have something to share with you today!

I was delighted when Tiff mentioned that we should try the Avenue Diner for brunch - Gail over at The Pink Peppercorn had just mentioned Avenue Diner alongside AKA Winebar as places in Calgary to go for a "modern, hip brunch" on Daybreak Alberta on CBC 1010.

The Avenue Diner is tucked away in a tiny building just off of Centre St. on Stephen Ave. The space is long and narrow, with a long, retro drugstore-soda-fountain sort of bar, and booths with comfy leather couches as its primary seating. Kettles of coffee sit in the entry way to make the wait a little more bearable, but the wait wasn't too long for us; we arrived shortly after 10 and though there were lots of people in the waiting area, we were told that there was only one group ahead of us and only had to wait about five or ten minutes.

So, the menu...

I had taken a gander at the menu online before heading out and was initially thinking of the corned beef hash ($15.29), but as if the large selection on the regular menu was not enough, there's also a separate features menu with a tantalizing array of dishes. Coupled with Tiff's choice of the Avenue stuffed French Toast ($14.49, pictured on top) and the tempting idea of having a combination of sweet and savoury, I debated between the featured lamb hash ($15.99) and whole grain pancakes ($11.49) with a side of maple buffalo sausage ($4.49) before the Carrot Cake Waffles ($11.49) caught my eye. I resisted ordering the sausage because I wasn't sure how big my dish was going to be, but in retrospect I could've *totally* done a sausage ;)


The waffles went really well with the maple whipped cream and made for a light, sweet treat. My only qualm was that my waffles were very limp and I generally prefer them a little crisper instead of the texture of pancakes. Tiff definitely made the better choice of the morning - half of the toast was stuffed with savoury bacon and cheese, while the other half was grilled apple and brie. The toast was topped with a glob of spiced butter and served with a little pitcher of organic maple syrup.

I should also note that Avenue Diner has a pretty impressive drinks menu to go with their brunch. Tiff and I went the boring route and went for our "regular fixes" - coffee for her, Genmaicha green tea for me - but there were a lot more other teas, hot apple cider, different types of juices (that can all be made into mimosas)... For those who aren't creative with their beverages, they get creative for you by serving water with a little slice of lemon and a cranberry.

Our server was very efficient but friendly - it's clear that the people here know what they're doing and keep the flow of the restaurant running smoothly. Tiff and I are already daydreaming about what we'll order next time.

Avenue Diner
105 8 Ave SW
Calgary AB T2P 1B4
(403) 263-2673
Open Mon-Fri 7 AM-3 PM; Sat-Sun 8 AM-3 PM. No reservations.

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