Who the Fig am I? and Making a Purple Stew

Another month, another photo of Colin to admire while I work!  I've had cake orders flying through here left, right and centre for the past few weeks - the good news is that I've reacquainted myself with Colin serenading me with his rendition of "Our Last Summer"!  It's become my baking jam - Carla can attest to that as she's walked in many a time while the Mamma Mia soundtrack is playing amidst cake chaos in the kitchen!  Not only does the music make me feel happy, but I find myself dancing away to it while I'm working, therefore, calories are being burned!

As mentioned in my last entry, I thought perhaps, that my lull in progress could be somewhat attributed to the lack of Colin Firth infusion into my daily rituals.  So, to get back on track, on top of listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack, I invited Carla and her daughters to come over and watch Bridget Jones's Diary with Kristen and I.  It was girl night!  We had Coke, chips, and wine (for Carla and I!).  Soon, we'll have to do it again and watch the sequel together!

My weight has been teetering back and forth a bit lately, but when I weighed myself in at Curves this morning I was thrilled to see that I am back down to 135.75 lbs again!!!  And while I wish I could have lost all this weight before my high school 20th reunion last summer, I was ecstatic that I was able to lose a good chunk of it before dancing with my son at his Grade 8 Graduation!  He's such a cool dude!

Last week I went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant with my friend Michelle!  It was delicious as always and we each ordered a tartufo for dessert (which was perfect, and thank goodness they ran out of cheesecake!).  On Friday night, nine of us went to Sakai for dinner to celebrate John's 41st birthday.  You may remember my dislike of this restaurant from a previous blog entry - I don't care for sushi!  However, I capitulated under the premise that I would enjoy a salad, steamed rice and mango ice cream for the goodwill of the group.  I begged of John in the car on the way to the restaurant "Don't try forcing your dragon on me!" which elicited laughter in some dirty minds!!  I, of course, was referring to the sushi dishes called Green Dragon, or Red Dragon....whatever other dragons they serve!  Well, I surprised even myself by foraying out of the box and trying something altogether different.  My entree was a Korean dish called Dol Shot Bee Bim Bap - a mixture of rice, beef, veggies and a fried egg set in a heated stone bowl that continues cooking the meal while it's front of you.  Thanks Lori for the suggestion!  It was certainly more exotic that what I was planning to order!
Over the past couple of weeks, I've made a few new meals.  The first was one taken from an Atkins summer recipe magazine published a few years back for Pork Tenderloin Plum Salad with Couscous.  This was my first time making couscous and it was pretty good.  I think it would have been better if I'd used a sweeter plum instead of the slightly sour and tart one I added.  The basil was fresh from the garden!!!

On Saturday night, while the men were off playing poker, Carla invited us girls over for wine and appetizers in the backyard.  Our friend Sara made this amazing appetizer with Brie, fig and a pecan atop crostini and drizzled with a pomegranate reduction!  Oh my heavens, it was to die for!!!  I also gorged on some Gruyere and fig butter!  Hmmm...I've come to the realization that the fig is completely UNDERrated!!  Bring on the Fig Revolution!!

Since the shops were all closed on Monday for Canada Day, we had a quiet day at home and decided to make a fire and roast marshmallows in the backyard!  On Tuesday, I was anxious to get to the garden centre to see what was still available to fill up some space in my garden.  I bought a hanging strawberry plant, a strawberry plant for the ground, mint, and lemon balm.  My green peppers and tomatoes are doing nicely and the cucumber and watermelon vines are growing quite rapidly!  I love my little garden, and I get so much pleasure out of watching things grow and cooking with them!!!

For dinner on Tuesday I made Chicken Spiedini (www.whatsgabycooking.com).  I found the recipe on Pinterest.  The pasta was delicious with the fresh Roma tomatoes and the kids all loved the chicken skewers!  Note the sprig of fresh parsley picked from my garden!

A couple of weeks ago, I bought some purple carrots at Fortino's not sure what to do with them, as they lingered under my neglect for a week or so before I had to add them to the compost.  I had good intentions, really I did.  But, in the end, those few purple carrots reminded me of a childhood song that I couldn't get out of my mind, and hence inspired a desire in me to ....drum roll please...

Making a purple stew, whip whip, whip whip,
Making a purple stew-bee-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo,
With purple potatoes
And purple tomatoes
And even a purple YOU!

Yes, it became my mission to create my very own, for real, purple stew!!  So when I went grocery shopping this week, I foraged around for any and all purple vegetables I could find at my disposal!  I found purple kale, purple onion, shallot, baby eggplant, purple asparagus, radicchio, purple cabbage, and beets.  Alas, they no longer had any purple carrots, and I couldn't find any purple potatoes or tomatoes.  Yesterday I took the kids with me to the farmers market and told them to keep their eyes out for any purple vegetables that we could throw into tonights' purple stew!  I'm pretty sure I heard some purple 'ewwws' upon my request!  While my boys were trying to hide certain items from my view, Kristen was pleased to have found something purple, not to mention alien-like.  I had to ask the farmer what this item was and was told it was kohlrabi.  OK, we'll give it a go.  Not sure what it was or what I was supposed to do with it, it was nonetheless destined for my big pot.  I also purchased some purple potatoes!!!  When we arrived home, I was eager to display my purple finds and take a purple photo.  Here's my purple stew ingredients:

I knew that if I expected my kids to eat this I'd have to add some meat, so first things first, I browned up some extra lean ground beef with a generous sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce and added it to the pot.

Next, I sliced and diced the purple (red) onion and shallot which I sauteed with a little olive oil till nicely browned and added it to the pot with the meat.  I added 2 cups of vegetable stock and 4 cups of water to the pot as well.

Then I peeled and diced the beets and purple potatoes and added them to the pot.   I removed the alien-like leaves sprouting from the kohlrabi and diced the bulb and then added it to the pot as well.  See, the potatoes really are purple!  All the way through!

My next ingredient to tackle was the radicchio, which I was told was rather bitter (and I remember this from using it the first time in a salad).  I decided to try something I saw once on TV and caramelize it!  The sliced radicchio was added to the frying pan with another drizzle of olive oil and sauteed for a bit before I added 2 heaping Tbsp of brown sugar.  This did the trick, and I pretty much thought of it myself!!  It was so good that I may make radicchio on its own like this!

I've never had asparagus in a soup or stew before, but it was purple asparagus and had to be included.  I dug out the recipe I used for roasted asparagus a few months back and made a mixture consisting of 2 Tbsp of olive oil and I Tbsp of balsamic vinegar.  I then brushed the mixture over the asparagus and very lightly (2-3 turns of my salt mill) added some salt.  Next, I diced up the 3 baby eggplants and threw them on top of the asparagus before roasting in the oven at 400F for about 17 minutes.  When they were done I cut up the asparagus into smaller pieces and added them to the pot along with the eggplant.

Last but not least, I steamed the purple kale before adding it to the pot.

I then ran out to the garden to pick some fresh parsley and basil and added it for extra flavour...and voila!  I present to you, my Purple Stew!

The Purple Stew simmered for another hour before serving.  My kids came in to have a look and told me it looked like compost!  And to their credit, the parts of the veggies that ended up in the compost did have a striking resemblance to that which was in the pot - but I can assure you it wouldn't have tasted as good!

That's a whole lot of goodness in there, and they ate every bite (some had to be coerced more than others but I was able to entice them with the promise that after eating Purple Stew, chances are..you'll end up with a Purple Poo! - yes, it was Jacob who needed some extra coaxing to finish!).  I suddenly want to go upstairs and read Kristen's book, Mable Murple's Purple World!

So, I'm back down to 135.75 lbs, I'm more excited than ever about food and further inspired to try to get down to 130 lbs by the end of summer!  After all, it's been awhile since I've earned a new movie reward! When I look back to where I was last summer I have to wonder who I am, who I have become since then.  I've tried so many new foods!  I love figs!  Who would have thought!  I love cooking!  I used to procrastinate making dinner, hoping that John would take the reins when he got home from work so I wouldn't have to, or order in for us.  Last night I made up my own recipe and loved it!  Who am I?  One thing I can tell you, is I am a much happier person.  I am also a much thinner and healthier person, and I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of peach season in August. 

Here's a heads up to my fellow Firth Fans - next week Mia March's new book "Finding Colin Firth" will be released!  Pick up a copy and let me know what you think of it!!  I can't wait to read it myself!

Goodnight Colin -and purple dreams to you!