Comfort Food

Everyone has their idea of comfort food. For some it’s soup that sticks to your ribs, for others its crispy salty potato chips, and possibly mom’s cooking. I have many depending on my mood and last week it was peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I didn’t eat these all the time as a child, but I did eat them often. They were one of my favourites. I have fond memories of the peanut butter sticking to the roof of my mouth or being the sticky contrast to the soft banana. They also got me through university and have become a quick no-fail sandwich in my ‘real world’ life. With my hectic (read erratic and quasi-crazy) schedule of late they are perfect for a filling lunch while packing a protein punch.

These tortillas make wrapping the pb & banana a sinch (found them at Metro in Barrhaven).

Friends have mentioned how much their tea consumption has gone up in the last month or so; mostly due to the cooler weather rolling in and the dreary skies. Tea, no matter the type, flavour, and caffeine level, has a way of making everything alright. It makes you feel warm inside and the cool weather outside seems to disappear.

Last week I put tea aside for my chocolate cravings. I needed hot chocolate. Luckily there was a box of chocolate almond milk in the cupboard. After a few minutes in the microwave (or on the stove if you must) you have a nice cup of hot chocolate.

The Honey and I have spent many evenings curled up on the couch with a cup of warm, thick, velvety chocolate drink. Even he doesn’t miss the milk.

Dinner Changes

The other night I had a craving for some Pad Thai. There was some peanut sauce in the freezer and thought it would be nice to have the following evening. The rain had returned and it would be perfect to warm me up from the inside. I put it into the fridge to thaw during the day and thought about the veggies covered in that spicy peanut flavour. I was really looking forward to it.

I returned home after work, puttered around the house then decided to put on some dinner. I pulled that little plastic container with that light brown mass inside and opened it up. It was refried beans. The two things I hadn’t been bothered to label and of course, as luck would have it, I pulled out the wrong one.


What to do with it?


I stuck my head back in the fridge and took a look around. No. No. Ah tortilla shells. I thought they were all gone!

Lucky for me the pack of brown rice tortillas got pushed to the back of the fridge. Even better, some pre-sliced/chopped veggies from a few days prior. Cheese – check. Salsa – check. Fajita seasoning – check. Quesadillas!

In the pan went the veggies to sauté with some herbs and some PC Fajita seasoning (gluten-free). Next, tortillas were placed on a cookie sheet, then the beans were spread on top, followed by the sautéed veggies.

The cheese was shredded and sprinkled on top. Lastly, another tortilla was placed on top. In the oven it went until they had browned.

Dolloped some salsa and plain yogurt on the side and enjoyed with a New Grist beer. Nice and healthy, and hit the spot.

The peanut sauce? It’s still in the freezer for another time.

Wrap it up

A while back we were having dinner with family and friends (taking a break from all the Buck & Doe preparation) at the Red Dot Cafe in Osgoode. Our cousin chose the venue because they like the food and it has a gluten free menu (I have no review to write, but everyone liked their meal, so I recommend it). I got a salmon wrap and was impressed, especially by the tortilla. Apparently, they’re common and can be purchased at Loblaws.

On my next shopping trip I popped into Loblaws and headed for the freezers in the Health Food section and picked some up. These Brown Rice wraps are made by Food for Life, a Californian company, and are quite pliable and have the same taste and texture as the wheat-based counterparts. I’ve used them mainly for sandwiches, but last night we had burritos.

The Honey, who is a diehard carnivore, loved the zucchini and pepper burritos from Mollie Katzen’s The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. I halved the recipe and it gave both of us 1 ½ big burritos. And to make it easy, I put everything into my food processor to chop it up. Simple, fresh, and tasty.

 Today I got to come home for lunch as my class was early today (7:30-10:30 – Hello coffee!!) and made myself a wrap with Dijon mustard, mixed lettuce, smoked salmon sprinkled with pepper and dill. Delish!

Zucchini & Pepper Burritos

Makes 12, 30 minutes to prepare

2 tbs olive oil

1 ½ cups onion, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

¾ tsp salt

1 large bell pepper, minced

5 small zucchini, diced

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 tbs dried basil

1 ½ tsp dried oregano

Cayenne and black pepper to taste

1 1/3 cups grated cheese

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add onion, garlic, and salt and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft. Add the pepper, zucchini, and seasonings. Stir and cook until zucchini is beginning to soften. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Fill tortillas.