Ma Po Tofu (麻婆豆腐)

Most of my family is on vacation, so I've actually been staying with B. over the past month. (My brother's been holding down the fort.) You would think that with all the cooking that I've been doing you would see more blog posts, but most of the stuff I/we've hasn't really been "blogworthy" - meatballs in a too-runny sauce, a vegetarian, more improvised version of this stew and a Japanese curry recipe that completely flopped - I still think it's because I didn't add any salt to it, while the original recipe called for two teaspoons (aka the maximum amount of sodium a person should have in two days), but we also made the recipe without any meat and there didn't seem to be enough liquid to go around...

Even the recipe that I'm sharing with you today had to be made a second time - the original recipe tastes delicious and authentic, but the tofu is swimming in ½ cup of oil.

Ma Po Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is an iconic dish in Szechuan/Sichuan cuisine - it's a spicy tofu dish, usually coupled with a bit of ground pork (or in this case, beef) in a red, numbingly spicy sauce. My mom usually uses a mix to make the dish, so I never knew much about what gave this dish its distinctive flavour, but it's actually pretty simple.

Secret Ingredient 1: Szechuan/Sichuan Peppercorns (花椒)

This one was pretty straightforward - Ma Po Tofu is a spicy Szechuanese dish, and I had heard of the numbing heat of Szechuan peppercorns before. I just wanted to show you that in my local Asian supermarket this stuff was labelled as "Prickly Ash", but you'll know you have the right stuff if you see the Chinese characters "花椒", which literally translates to "flower pepper" - quite the appropriate name, actually, because underneath all the spiciness the peppercorns do have a floral scent to them.

Secret Ingredient 2: Pi Xian Broad Bean (douban) sauce (郫縣豆瓣醬)

This is the real secret ingredient in this dish, I think, because if you're familiar with ma po tofu, you'll know that this is what it smells like. The fermented beans add savouriness to the dish while the chilis in the paste add another layer of spiciness. When shopping for this, look for the words "Pi Xian", which is the name of the county in Szechuan/Sichuan that specializes in this. The Chinese characters to watch out for are "郫县豆瓣" ("县" is the simplified Chinese version of "縣", which means "county"). In the post where I got this recipe, Paupered Chef Nick Kindelsperger bought three brands of broad bean sauce, unsure if he had the right one. But as you can see, all of them say "郫县豆瓣", so all of them would be appropriate. If you can't find any Pi Xian broad bean sauce, I've heard that Korean gochujang would do in a pinch (although if you can't find the broad bean sauce I'm not sure if you'll have better luck finding gochujang...)

Nick (via Kenji Alt) recommends ground beef instead of pork, which I'm guessing is because beef has a richer flavour. He also uses the trick of blanching the tofu so that it doesn't break apart as easily - but you have to make this dish quick because if you leave the tofu out for too long it will cool into a solid mass. Finally, the original recipe calls for Shaoxing (紹興) cooking wine, but we didn't have any on hand and didn't really miss it.

Ma Po Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
Adapted from The Paupered Chef
Makes 4 servings

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Szechuan peppercorns, divided
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch
  
• 4 tsp (20 mL) cold water
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) low-sodium soy sauce
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Shaoxing wine (optional)
  
• 1½ lb (680 g) silken tofu, chopped into 1" cubes
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  
• ¼ lb (115 g) lean ground beef or pork
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) ginger, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Pi Xian broad bean sauce
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili sesame oil, or more to taste
  
• 3 medium scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

1. Toast 2 tsp (10 mL) of Szechuan peppercorns by placing them in a wok set over medium-high heat and stirring vigorously for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool for a moment before grinding in a mortar and pestle (if you don't have one, a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin will work here too.)
   
2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Stir in soy sauce, chicken broth and wine. Set aside.
   
3. In a small saucepan, bring enough water to cover the tofu to a boil. Carefully add the cubed tofu and simmer for about a minute. (It doesn't hurt to leave it in for a little longer.) Drain the tofu in a colander and set aside.
   
4. While the tofu is simmering, heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the remaining teaspoon (5 mL) of Szechuan peppercorns. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often, until fragrant. Drain the peppercorns, being sure to keep the oil. Discard the peppercorns.
   
5. Now you're ready to cook - return the pepper-infused oil to the wok and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef or pork and stir-fry until no longer pink.
   
6. Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring vigorously.
   
7. Add broad bean paste and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring vigorously.
   
8. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for about 30 seconds.
   
9. Carefully fold in tofu and chili oil. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat immediately. Serve garnished with chopped scallions and toasted peppercorns.

Nutrition Info (per serving): 261 calories, 16 g fat (3 g saturated), 19 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrate (2 g fibre, 2 g sugar), 18 g protein, 795 mg sodium. An excellent source of folate (vitamin B₄), vitamin B₁₂, zinc, manganese and selenium. A good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and copper.

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This Weekend

    
This weekend I'm going to be at Folk Fest on Saturday and the Sun & Salsa Festival on Sunday. I may or may not swing by Fiestaval too.

See you there?

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Escaping Stampede at the Calgary Turkish Festival

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

    
I didn't go to Stampede this year.

I know, I know, how terrible of me, since there's supposed to be all this "weird and wonderful" food down at the grounds that I'm sure all of you wanted to read about - Everybody's been talking about the mini donut ice cream from Mackay's Ice Cream; Fiasco Gelato teases me everyday with their tweets about their crepes and unique gelato flavours (Helloooo Maple Bacon, Caramel Apple, Pancakes & Maple Syrup and Root Beer Float?), and how come no one has reviewed the cricket pizza and alligator pizza yet?

But to be honest, aside from Stampede breakfasts (including one by the India Canada Association of Calgary serving authentic Indian food) and wearing jeans to work, there is very little that appeals to me about Stampede anymore, and with all the people who use Stampede as an excuse to be lewd and belligerent, the animal deaths every year and now kids getting hurt on rides, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's becoming a little disenchanted with the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth".

So when I saw a banner advertising the Calgary Turkish Festival, I thought it would be a nice change of pace, and having recently tried Turkish food for the first time in Montreal, I was eager for more.

The fourth annual Calgary Turkish Festival was held on July 10-11 this year; in the past it had been the first weekend of July, but for some reason this year it was a little later and found itself competing with Stampede. Still, when B. and I headed out to Eau Claire Market late last Sunday, there were lots of families out, enjoying the performances and traditional costumes (and dancing in a big circle in the space in front of the stage) and the delicious and cheap food. B. and I only spent $17 between the two of us (plus $2 for parking, and $8 for eight squares of baklava, which we took home) and enjoyed a veritable feast - and we didn't even get to try everything!


I loved watching the ladies knead and roll out dough to make lavash, a Turkish flatbread - some were seated behind the traditional low tables, while others were standing over more modern tables and cutting boards. At the back, more women filled the flattened dough with ingredients like feta cheese, parsley, spinach, ground beef or potatoes before they were grilled on a traditional circular griddle to make gozleme.




We had a spinach and feta gozleme ($5), and though it was not hot off the griddle, it was still fresh and warm, with lots of air pockets and lovely charred bits. I thought they were a little skimpy with the filling, but I did appreciate how the lavash still stayed quite soft, unlike what I had in Montreal, which hardened quickly as it cooled.

B. spent $10 on a bunch of sides - they were not priced that way on the poster, but I think the ladies at the booth just gave him smaller portions and cut him a bit of a deal for trying everything!


We had borek, which I also had in Montreal, but I was quite disappointed by this one as the layers were more like lasagna instead of thin like phyllo pastry, and didn't taste good cold (the way it was served). However, they were quickly redeemed by the "spring rolls", which were crispy and flaky, and had a soft, warm, savoury filling of feta cheese and potatoes. (Wikipedia later told me they are actually called "sigara boregi", which roughly translates to cigarette-shaped borek).


We also had sarma, which were grape leaves stuffed with a tomato rice mixture and rolled into a cigarette shape. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavourful rice, but wished that the sarma was served hot.


My favourite dish we had was the manti, which are like little tortellinis served in a warm garlic yogurt sauce topped with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley. This was very filling even though it was advertised as a side dish!

We were already stuffed from all the "appies", so we didn't get to try their main dishes, which included beef or chicken doner, sujuk kofte (which looked like a meatball sandwich) and tantuni (advertised as a "turkish taco" - meat with lettuce and tomato wrapped in a flatbread). We also didn't try any turkish coffee or tea, which are notorious for being very strong. (We had $2 ginger ale instead.) However, we did pick up some baklava for the road. I'm so glad B. talked me into getting eight pieces, so we had dessert for two nights.

    
Despite being sticky with honey, the thin layers of phyllo stayed crisp and flaky and the baklava tasted very light, with just a touch of nut and rosewater flavours.

For those of you who aren't as food-oriented as me, there were non-food vendors selling traditional arts and crafts and beautiful scarves, as well as booths where you can get henna done or have your name written on a grain of rice. Throughout the day, there are traditional Turkish dancing and singing performances by local and international performers, as well as time for people to just get up and dance! I would've loved to dance off everything I ate that day, but unfortunately we were in a rush to run a few errands, and B. is not a dancer :(

Calgary Turkish Festival
Held every year during the first or second weekend of July at Eau Claire Market (200 Barclay Parade SW, Calgary AB)
This year it was held on July 10-11, 9 AM-9 PM.

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White Toblerone Raspberry Mousse

So I finally started cleaning my room and one of the unexpected outcomes of that was I finally managed to find the card that came with the four Toblerone bars that my friend Chelsea had sent me - two dark and two white. The card was important because along with her usual message, this one came with recipes to turn the bars into chocolate mousse!

The recipes came from The Swiss Cookbook by Betty Bossi, the "Swiss Betty Crocker". Chelsea also helpfully copied out the nutrition information for me - each serving of mousse has nearly 400 calories and about 30 g of fat! Fortunately for my health, she only sent me enough chocolate to make each recipe once.


B. doesn't like dark chocolate, so we chose to make the white Toblerone mousse. I'm sure any white chocolate will do in this recipe, but Toblerone is nice because the nougat adds a bit of nutty crunch. Of course, I wasn't satisfied with just a ramekin full of white stuff, so I took a page from the Cheesecake Café and added raspberries (though B. did stop me from going all out and making a sauce.)


The recipe is super-easy, unless you're stupid like me and cause your chocolate to seize. In that case, do not be like me and throw a mini-tantrum. All you need to do is add a little boiling water - may I suggest from the pot that you are melting your chocolate over? - and your chocolate (and temper) will smooth out again in no time.

White Toblerone Raspberry Mousse
Adapted from The Swiss Cookbook by Betty Bossi

• 150 g (1½ bars) Toblerone white chocolate
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
  
• ½ cup (125 mL) raspberries

1. Melt chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave.*
   
2. While chocolate is melting, whip whipping cream (if you don't have a hand mixer, a blender or food processor is also great for this.)
   
3. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in egg. Fold in whipped cream.
   
4. Place a single layer of raspberries at the bottom of a ramekin. Spoon in chocolate mousse until the ramekin is nearly full. Repeat with three other ramekins.
   
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until mousse is set. Garnish with additional raspberries before serving.

*If your chocolate seizes, stir in boiling water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until chocolate returns to its melted state.

 

Nutrition Info (per serving): 364 calories, 26 g fat (18 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrate (1 g fibre, 16 g sugar), 5 g protein, 40 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin A.

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Grassi Lakes and La Belle Patate

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

As I've mentioned before, one of the most awesome things about Calgary is what's waiting for us just outside the city; and La Belle Patate is one of those places.

But before we get to that, B. and I went hiking last weekend in the Grassi Lakes Recreational Area just outside of Canmore, in the heart of K-country. It was a fairly easy hike, despite choosing the "more difficult" trail up - it was pretty easy-going until the mid-section, which featured some steep steps. The hike offered gorgeous views of the Spray Lakes Reservoir and the hydropump project, and the Rockies, of course.




The lakes themselves were these beautiful turquoise pools.



At the trailhead, we saw a lot of climbers enjoying the late afternoon. That was pretty cool.


Of course, after seeing all this exciting stuff - and finding our first ever geocache to boot! - we were famished. Fellow Calgary food blogger (and local celeb) Julie had made poutine in honour of Canada Day, and one of the commenters (Shannon, whom I now know is another Calgary food blogger) noted that there is a "poutine restaurant" in Canmore. So after we made our way down the mountain (on the "easy" path), we made our way to La Belle Patate, which is tucked in a little strip mall in a more "industrial" area in Canmore.

Despite the fact that it's only been open for just over five months, La Belle Patate (a play off the "La Belle Province" fast food franchise in Quebec perhaps?) already seems to have a steady group of regulars, including Quebecers who come to work in the mountains as well as people who just appreciate a good poutine, which ranges from the classic cheese curds and gravy combination, to the Supreme, which features onion, mushrooms and bacon. If you want to pretend to be virtuous, there is also a veggie poutine available. Aside from poutine, La Belle Patate also features other Quebec fast food, including smoked meat sandwiches (the meat is shipped in from Montreal), steamies and spruce beer.

We ordered a large Supreme poutine to share (no spruce beer to wash it down, however - we weren't feeling particularly adventurous). $11.50 may seem like a lot for a poutine, but it is a full 9" pie dish of gravy goodness.


This is the real deal - the fries were thick-cut and the cheese curds were the squeakiest ones I'd ever tasted. The gravy was not too salty and the bacon was crisp (though a little on the dry side). Strangely, although the dish was served hot, the cheese never melted into gooey strings - I don't know if that speaks to the authenticity of the cheese curds, but I do like my cheese with a little melt to them...


We managed to finish the whole thing.

The food does take a little long for a counter-service place, but the service is very friendly - since we stayed to eat, the owner brought our food to us and even chatted us up, asking us where we were from and how we heard about the place. Sure it's a little far, but if I'm ever hiking in K-Country again you will probably find me "rewarding" myself with a poutine, smoked meat or an all-dressed steamie.

La Belle Patate
Bay 4, 102 Boulder Cres.
Canmore AB T1W 1H9
(403) 678-0077

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Tzatziki (A Work in Progress)

Tzatziki is what I make when I have extra dill and cucumber on my hands, which is exactly where I found myself after making my lentil salad.

I actually hadn't made tzatziki since university, but as I remember it, it's fairly easy to put together - diced cucumber, crushed cloves of garlic, dill, a squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and yogurt...

  
I knew it was going to be bad news when I came home to find that the cucumbers I'd salted and left in a colander in the fridge to leach out its moisture that Mama T had neatly placed it in a saran-wrapped bowl (and that they were swimming in their own juices). I also wasn't able to find any of the new Liberté 0% Greek Yogurt people seem to be raving about (I did find their Meditarranée, which is a whopping 10% milk fat) and even though Bles-Wold yogurt is delicious, natural and local (!) It's thinner than the Greek stuff and I didn't prepare with a cheesecloth (or paper towel and strainer) beforehand.

I tried blitzing everything except the yogurt in the Magic Bullet, but it wouldn't budge - long story short, the tzatziki came out runny.

How do you keep your tzatziki thick and creamy? With proper preparation, the drain-out-the-cucumber-and-yogurt methods have worked for me in the past. Everyone else seems to suggest grating your cucumber and squeezing it dry between paper towels (which is a good idea because then you don't have to douse it in salt), then mincing the other ingredients and stirring it into the yogurt. In retrospect, adding just enough yogurt into the food processor just so that everything mixes up might work; then stirring the resulting puree into the rest of the yogurt. Hmm...

Despite its runniness, the tzatziki still served well as a dip for carrots and Triscuits when B. and I were hanging out at the park two weekends ago - the yogurt hides nice little chunks of cooling cucumber and spicy garlic; I like my tzatziki (just as I like most things, really.) with a kick.

It also served as a nice marinade for some chicken thighs which I pan-fried (but you can grill or broil), with a spoonful on top as a sauce.

Tzatziki
Makes about 2 cups

• ½ English cucumber, unpeeled and diced
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh dill, roughly chopped
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) Greek yogurt or plain yogurt*

1. Toss English cucumber and salt together to coat. Place salted cucumber in a colander to allow water to leach out for at least an hour, then squeeze dry using paper towels or a clean tea towel.
   
2. Place cucumber, garlic, dill, olive oil and lemon juice into food processor or blender. If you are using Greek yogurt or strained plain yogurt, it should be ok to add that in too. If not, add just enough yogurt so that the food processor/blender doesn't get stuck and stir in the rest of the yogurt at the end. Blend until ingredients are combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Alternate Method:

1. Grate English cucumber onto a paper towel or cheesecloth and squeeze dry. Mince garlic and dill.
   
2. Stir cucumber, garlic, dill, olive oil and lemon juice into yogurt. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*If you can't find Greek yogurt, you may strain any plain yogurt by leaving it in a cheesecloth- (or paper towel) lined strainer placed over a bowl in the fridge overnight.

 

Nutrition Info (per ¼ cup using salted cucumbers and low-fat yogurt): 51 calories, 2 g fat (0.6 g saturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 6 g carbohydrate (1 g fibre, 3 g sugar), 2 g protein, 313 mg sodium.

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Lemony Lentil Salad with Salmon

Another month means another recipe for my work newsletter! This month's theme was Alzheimer's, which was a little perplexing, given that Alzheimer Awareness Month is in January. (July and January both start with "J" and end with "y", same same, right?)

Often when we talk about healthy eating, we focus on foods that are good for our heart - limiting the saturated fats and boosting the unsaturated fats (particularly omega-3s) in our diet helps us manage our cholesterol; cutting out the sodium in our diet lowers our blood pressure and the antioxidants in fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods keep free radicals from causing damage to our heart.

But what do we have to eat to make sure our brains stay healthy and that we stay alert as we age?

Fortunately, we don't have to choose between saving our hearts and saving our brains - a heart-healthy diet is also brain-healthy!


For example, not only does high cholesterol increase your risk of stroke (which increases your risk of vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia behind Alzheimer's), but a diet high in saturated fat causes our brain cells and cell membranes to become more rigid, affecting their ability to function properly. Choosing healthy fats are important as 60% of our brain's dry weight is made up of fat. Omega-3s (particularly DHA and EPA) have been found to play crucial roles in brain development in infants and young children, and so scientists are now looking into whether they could prevent cognitive decline as well.

The results do look promising - population studies have found that people who eat fish (the primary source of DHA and EPA in our diet) even just once a week have a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairment and dementia compared to those who never or rarely consume fish. Strangely however, studies that have looked at the effect of supplementing with omega-3s have found no overall effect, so getting your nutrients through food is the best bet.

This lentil salad is full of heart/brain healthy nutrients - the red pepper and tomato (and lemon in the dressing) provide vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant.


The salmon provides vitamin B₁₂ (which keeps homocysteine, a marker of slowed cell regeneration, in check) and omega-3s, of course.


The lentils provide folate and vitamin B₆ (also related to homocysteine levels).


And the dill... well dill is just tasty.


Actually, the whole salad is tasty - lentils and salmon are apparently a very common French bistro pair, and the lemon mustard dressing takes the lentils from being a hearty winter food to a lighter, summery food. The original recipe calls for ½ cup of chopped red onion, but I don't like raw onion, so I eliminated them in favour of some other vegetables - feel free to add them back.

Lemony Lentil Salad with Salmon
Adapted from EatingWell
Makes 6 servings (about 1-1½ cups per serving)

• ⅓ cup (85 mL) lemon juice (yield from 2-3 lemons)
  
• ⅓ cup (85 mL) chopped fresh dill
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
  
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
  
• ⅓ cup (85 mL) olive oil
  
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) diced seedless cucumber
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  
• 3 cups (750 mL) cooked brown, green or Du Puy lentils*, or 2 x 398 mL (14 oz) cans lentils, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 x 418 g (14 oz) can salmon, drained and flaked, or 1½ cups flaked cooked salmon

1. Whisk lemon juice, dill, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Add bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, lentils and salmon; toss to coat.

*A heaping cup of lentils makes 3 cups of cooked lentils. Pick through lentils for rocks and other debris and rinse before placing in a saucepan, covering with water and bringing it to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until just tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Nutrition Info (per serving): 316 calories, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 47 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrate (9 g fibre, 4 g sugar), 23 g protein, 252 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin C, thiamin (vitamin B₁), folate (vitamin B₄), vitamin B₁₂, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese and selenium. A good source of niacin (vitamin B₃), pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), vitamin B₆, calcium, zinc and copper.

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Brunch at Heartland Cafe

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

I'm going to tell you now this review is only partial - I did not sample Heartland Cafe's coffee (Not having coffee at a café! Terrible.) nor did I have any of their baked goods which are all adorably hand-labelled in the display case. I didn't try any of their soups, salads or sandwiches (which all looked very tempting), but I did sample their weekend brunch choices.

That photo up there is of their Spinach Feta Fritatta, which I added a touch of ketchup to before snapping a photo of my last bite. It was an eggy concoction with thick layers of potato and spinach, topped with an herby layer of crisp, melted cheese. But that's not all - the fritatta also came with toast flecked with flax, as well as a small bunch of grapes and slices of orange (sour) and kiwi (sweet).


B. ordered their breakfast burrito, which on first glance looks like a grilled wrap with lots of egg in it, but if you look more closely, you'll see that there's a thin layer of smoky refried beans and cheese. The salsa, flecked with onions and cilantro and filled with spices, adds to the lovely smokiness of the dish, which comes with a side of hash browns.


Heartland Cafe reminds me of the homey cafés I used to frequent as a student, where the cutlery and condiments are all laid out for you to get yourself, and you are encouraged to clear your own dishes at the end of the meal. I ordered a bottle of water, which prompted a strange look from the cashier, and it was only after that I realized that there was a water cooler with a tray of plastic cups on top! It's certainly a place where I see myself hanging out, sipping a coffee, enjoying a pastry and reading the paper or working on my laptop.

I did ask B. to go back with me over the weekend, but at $8-$10 per dish, I'd have to agree with him that it is a little pricey for a place where you order from a counter and mostly serve yourself. So although you won't find me there everyday, I'm sure I'll be back for the occasional coffee or treat.

Heartland Cafe
825 1 Ave NE
Calgary AB T2E 0C2
(403) 263-4567

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Wishes & Goals 2010 Check-Up - July

Happy July! June was a pretty rough month (I know that's how I begin all my reflections, but this time I mean it), and I figure that if I were to climb back on the wagon, writing my check-up post at the beginning of the month instead of the middle of the month would be a good start. Here's the link to the calendar and the goals as of last month, and let's get on our way!

My Goals for 2010
7.5+ hours of sleep/11:15 PM bedtime
I kicked off June meaning very well, but after the first couple weeks, I started going to bed later and later, and by the third week of the month I found myself regressing to going to bed at pre-New Year's Resolution hours. On Monday I put my foot down and finally had a "green night" on the Tuesday, but then Wednesday and Thursday nights were a little messed as I went over to B.'s for Canada Day... baby steps, baby steps.

Each snack must contain a vegetable or a fruit.
Because of changes in my schedule that cause me to start work later than usual and to have a day off in the middle of the week, I haven't been as good about snacking and part of me wonders if the morning snack is necessary on days that I'm sleeping in. (i.e. If I'm eating breakfast at around 8, 8:30 is it necessary for me to have a snack before noon? Physiologically, I think I can stand to not eat for 3½ hours, thank you very much.) So despite a few missed days and days where I forget to pair my fruit (and occasional vegetable) with protein, compared to everything else I seem to be pretty consistent here.

Be able to do 100 full, proper pushups without stopping by December 2010.
I am starting to get really frustrated by this goal, seeing as how I've been working on "Week 3" for four weeks and still can't finish the reps, which is discouraging. So to help encourage myself I am going to try scaling back to a lower level in Week 3 (The hundred push ups program has three "levels" for each week, based on how many push ups you can do at the "checkpoint") and then once I achieve that, then try moving up a level before moving on to Week 4. I really want to be able to do 100 push ups! (Read: I really want to be able to buy myself a DSLR!)

Drink at least 48 oz of water at least three days a week
Looking at the calendar, I'm surprised I managed to achieve this goal for all but one week in June. I think I was feeling bad because that particular week, I didn't even buy "milk" to bring to work so there was no reason why I wouldn't be keeping pace. I'm still doing horribly on Thursday (my day off) and weekends, so I'm going to challenge myself by changing this goal to Drink at least 48 oz of water at least three days a week, INCLUDING Thursday, Saturday or Sunday.

I will save at least ⅓ of my paycheque every month in hopes of buying a house/condo within walking distance from my work by 2011-2012.
As I mentioned last month, I surprisingly did not incur as many expenses this month as I usually do most months (possibly because I'm not registering for things or going on trips!) so I managed to save the equivalent of... more than a paycheque? (I just looked at my statement again and this makes sense because there were three pay days in the last month.)

My Wishes for 2010
Do a thorough room purge
I made one small step in this endeavour on Tuesday night by organizing my receipts and other miscellaneous papers on my desk! There's still a lot of stuff that I have to get rid of, but the fact that I know I can do this in bits and pieces, and that even a little change can feel like a big difference is very encouraging.

Recipes/Techniques I wanted to try this year
I haven't tried any of those this month, but I did create a new label in my Google Reader called "to try". What I've done in the past is just "star" a bunch of interesting articles on different topics and never went back to read them, but hopefully with this new label I know they are recipe-specific stars. Speaking of Google Reader, if that is what you use for all your RSS feeds, I've created a "bundle" of Calgary Food Bloggers that you can follow. It features 20 of my favourite Calgary food bloggers, many of whom participated in the bake sale.

Blog Stuff
Continue upward trajectory of posts this year
I posted 11 entries in June 2010, vs. 6 in 2009.

Include nutrition information for my recipes whenever possible
Still haven't finished backtracking yet.

Rewards
I know you are supposed to give yourself separate rewards for achieving certain goals, but really, a clean(er) desk, a bigger savings account, a successful bake sale and spending some down-time with B. has been more than good enough for me this month. Perhaps until I get that DSLR, or think of some other rewards for my goals I will use this space to reflect on all the positive things during the month as I usually start the entry by moping about how I haven't been doing well...

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