Knut the Bear and Other Weekend News.

Sad little story on Saturday, Knut, the polar bear beloved of Berliners, died at 4 years old watched by dozens of spectators. That day he played with other bears, took a swim, had a spasm and died. Obviously they will be trying to find out what caused his death. The bear had been brought up by keepers because he was rejected by his mother when he was born. There are more pictures and details here http://tinyurl.com/5vtwpxz I will be interested to see what an autopsy discovers. You kinda don’t think of animals having heart attacks do you?

I was reading, this weekend, about statins which are given to lower the risks of heart attacks caused by high cholesterol. The article also mentioned Metformin which is the diabetes drug I take, and said it did a good job as well (so why am  I on both). I have recently heard Metformin described as a cancer fighting medication too, sounds like it is a good pill to be taking if it really does have all these properties. It was the Canadians who discovered its cancer fighting properties so Canada can pat its back for this at least.

Having been reading about the bombing of Libya and the fact that countries like Russia and China are against it, I have now started worrying about the possibility of the war escalating. The Pentagon claims the Libyan launch sites are now disabled, in which case, I hope the bombing will stop.

I have just this minute heard of another earthquake in Afghanistan, no details yet though.

For my friends who need gluten free recipes, here is another I found in WebMD. They look and sound delicious.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

By The Gluten Free Goddess
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

If you don't care for nuts in your pumpkin muffins, use chopped or dried cranberries, raisins, or even chocolate chips.

Ingredients and Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup organic coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Add in:
1 and 1/3 cups packed organic light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned organic pumpkin is fine)
1/3 cup light olive oil
2 free range organic eggs, beaten, or Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with 1/4 cup warm water for vegan
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Now add in:
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk or coconut milk

Beat the batter to incorporate the ingredients. If it needs a little more liquid, add up to 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk until it is a smooth consistency.

Stir in by hand:
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts (or raisins, if you prefer)

Spoon the batter into twelve muffin cups, filling them close to the top. Smooth the tops using a wet teaspoon. Add a pecan half to each muffin top, if you like.

Bake in a preheated oven till domed and golden. The muffins should feel firm yet springy to a light touch. If a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean- these babies are done. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the muffins from the pan after five minutes, and allow them to continue cooling on a wire rack. This helps keep their bottoms from getting soggy. Wrap and freeze leftover muffins in freezer bags for easy on-the-go treats

Total Servings: 12

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 291
Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
Cholesterol: 31 mg
Fat: 11.6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
Fiber: 2.5 g
Sodium: 201 mg
Protein: 5.1 g

Have a great day

Travel League, Restaurants, Earthquake.

Yesterday, I mentioned that our Travel League was taking place on Thursday, we will be bowling “just along the road” from us at Towne Bowl and we are meeting at The Crock and Block on King Street. We have never been there although the restaurant has been in existence forever. I decided to look them up and found their lunch menu here http://tinyurl.com/4tba7gn which doesn’t look too bad. I also found some criticisms and some praises on line, so I am not sure what we will end up with. We were talking restaurants with our team captain on Monday and I was telling her about Boa Nova where I took Matt for his birthday last year (the Portuguese/Brazilian restaurant). She had never heard of it, I recommended it. Wouldn’t mind going back there again.

I am a little bit concerned about the earthquake in New Zealand as I know my cousin was intending to be in NZ at some point in time, but whether she was Going to be in the Christchurch area or not, I don’t know. It was quite a bad one with 65 people dead, and at least 100 people thought to be trapped. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake. It occurs to me, we have enough trouble with nature without us humans causing all the trouble such as is happening in the middle east at the moment. Our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was condemning the Libyan government yesterday and calling for them to cease firing on their nationals.

Now here’s something really different for breakfast.

Ham, Gruyere and Spinach Bread Pudding

Source: © EatingWell Magazine

Active Time:  30 Minutes

Total Time:  1 Hour 45 Minutes
6 servings

High-quality smoked ham is worth the cost. It infuses the pudding with a smoky flavor that complements the spinach, peppers, rosemary and Gruyere.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the pudding through Step 3; refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed in Step 4.
INGREDIENTS

For Custard:

4 large egg whites

4 large eggs

1 cup skim milk

For Seasonings:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

For Bread & filling:

4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)

5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)

1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers

1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)

For Topping:

3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Tip: To wilt greens, rinse greens thoroughly in cool water. Transfer them to a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in the wrap. Microwave on high until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the greens before adding them to the recipe.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-7-inch glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.

To prepare custard: Whisk egg whites, eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Add mustard, pepper and rosemary: whisk to combine.

Toss bread, spinach, roasted red peppers and ham in a large bowl. Add the custard and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.

Bake until the custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Have a great day

Earthquake, Tornado, Wimbledon.

About 1:30 I had an appointment to have my hair cut, not long after, we got back to the apartment building to find several people in the lobby, one couple holding their cats, there had been a tremor in the building and the whole place shook apparently. In fact it took place at 1:41 p.m. according to the news. It was a 5.5 magnitude quake and its epicentre was along the Québec/Ontario border although it was felt as far away as Montreal, Boston and Cleveland (not forgetting little ol’ Kitchener. There were no injuries. Quite a little drama. I remember years ago it happening when I was at work in Cambridge a town nearby. Matt was 10 minutes away and never felt a thing. We didn’t feel anything today either – we would have been driving at the time. A preliminary report http://tinyurl.com/23a5h69 I read another report this morning which said fleeing from buildings was a mistake http://tinyurl.com/2wm7gjz there is also a good map showing the area that was affected by the quake. I knew all those people in our lobby were doing the wrong thing.

To top it off, we ended up yesterday with a suspected tornado in Midland, ON. CBC Canada has the story and pictures. Not sure how they decided a suspected tornado was a real tornado, but obviously there were some pretty lethal winds.

An incredible tennis match taking place at Wimbledon, two young men, John Isner from the US and Nicolas Mahut from France, have been playing for a total of 10 hours and at the moment are 59 all in the 5th set. Play was finally called off last night because it is too dark. It will be interesting to see what happens when they start again today. I must say, watching it yesterday, John Isner looked really wiped and I was surprised how well he kept on going. Nicolas Mahut didn’t look quite as tired somehow. http://tinyurl.com/3az6x87 to read more. They have been setting all kinds of records, the longest match, the most aces, etc. etc. Oh, and not a vuvuzela in sight. I used to be a devoted watcher of Wimbledon every year when I lived in the UK, now I may or may not see any of it. I see a note on the web today that the Queen is going to Wimbledon for the first time in 33 years. I wonder if she will get to see the rest of the historic battle between Isner and Mahut.

I thought this looked delicious. I see they specify bought crêpes, however, the only ones I have ever found tend to be a tad sweet. They are really very easy to make and you can cook up a large batch and freeze them (don’t forget to put wax paper in between each one though).

Summer Vegetable Crêpes

From EatingWell: July/August 2008

Crêpes aren't just for dessert—they make a quick and savory weeknight dinner. Here they're filled with ricotta cheese, green beans, zucchini and corn and topped with a chive-cream sauce. Don't skip the step of placing a piece of parchment or wax paper under each crêpe as you fill it—without it, the crêpes are tricky to roll. Serve with: A tossed salad.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 1/4 cups chopped green beans
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes, (see Tip)

• Preparation

1. Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. To roll crêpes, place one on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on the piece of plastic separating the crêpes in the package). Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down the center of the crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll the crêpe around the filling. Place the crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

Tips & Notes

• Tips: To remove kernels, stand a cob on its stem end in a bowl and slice them off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
• “Ready-to-use” crèpes are fast and convenient. Look for them in the produce section of the market or near refrigerated tortillas.

Have a great day

Haiti. My Treadmill.

The earthquake in Haiti still tops the news here of course, but one incredible thing - to me - what a religious leader called Pat Robinson said. He stated that the Haitians had made a pact with the devil to get rid of the French (200 years ago or so) and that God is now punishing them by inflicting disasters of all kinds culminating in the current earthquake. What a load of codswallop. There is a great piece of video which you can access by going to the GMA page at http://abcnews.go.com/gma and looking on the right hand side for Top ABC News and then 'Whoopi blasts Pat Robinson's Devil Remark'. I do like Whoopi Goldberg, she really does tell it like it is. I was discussing with Matt yesterday - how come North America throws up some of these religious leaders - there have been many of them who, even when discovered to be committing felonies or ripping off their congregations, are still followed by their devoted public. Maybe I am out of touch, but I don't remember having such religious fanatics in Europe. Rev. Jim Jones is one who springs to mind, people actually drank poison on his say so. Another group (Heaven's Gate) were persuaded to comit suicide when the Halebopp comet passed because they believed their souls would go to heaven on the comet. Orville Roberts, the Bakers, all evangelical religious people who's followers still believe in them. There was a great song by Ray Stevens which had a line "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex on his Television Show?" which I think says it all.

I finally got to use my treadmill yesterday, we ended up having the help of Bob the salesman who sold us the machine. Just as well because we hadn't been able to get hold of the manufacturer which is what we were supposed to do. We couldn't get the treadmill to power up, it turned out there was an on/off button hidden right underneath the motor housing - Matt had to lie on the floor to find the stupid thing and there was no real reference to it in the instructions. To be fair, the manufacturer finally called about 4:30 yesterday afternoon!! I didn't walk for very long as it is a while since I have used one and I will have to build up my stamina once again. It is such fun being old!!!!!! My doc once said to me 'the only thing golden about the golden age is your pee!".

Once again it is a bowling day and I have just received forms for a tournament several of us took part in last year. I will have to see if the rest of our team wants to participate again.

Eating Well have just published a bunch of 'skinny' soups of which the following is one. I love soups as you know and I thought this one sounded interesting and particularly good. Oh, I forgot to mention I bought avocados for the Avocado Soup I published the other day, but right now they are like bullets, so I will have to wait a day or two.

Thai Bouillabaisse

From EatingWell: January/February 2009

This flavorful seafood soup combines elements of the famous French bouillabaisse with the distinct Thai flavors of lemongrass, lime, ginger and hot chiles. Use two chile peppers if you like heat. Be sure to simmer, not boil, the soup or the seafood will be overcooked. Serve with a crusty whole-grain baguette to soak up the broth. 8 servings,

Ingredients •3 tablespoons canola oil •1 cup diced shallots, (5-6 large) •4 large cloves garlic, minced •2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger •1 5-inch piece lemongrass, (see Note), cut into 3/4-inch pieces, or zest of 1 lime •1-2 small chile peppers, such as serranos or jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced •3 tablespoons all-purpose flour •4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth •4 cups fish or seafood stock, or bottled clam juice •12 ounces Pacific cod, or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces •12 ounces raw shrimp, (see Note), peeled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces •8 ounces dry sea scallops, (see Note), tough muscle removed, cut in half crosswise •16 mussels, scrubbed well (see Tip) •10 large shiitake mushrooms caps, cut into 1-inch pieces •Juice of 1 large lime •1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced •1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation 1.Heat oil in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass (or lime zest) and chile pepper to taste; cook, stirring, until very soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; stir well to combine. Add chicken broth and fish or seafood stock (or clam juice). Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and gently simmer for 15 minutes. 2.Carefully submerge fish, shrimp, scallops, mussels and mushrooms in the broth. Return to a gentle simmer and cook until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in lime juice. Serve garnished with avocado and cilantro.

Nutrition Per serving : 293 Calories; 12 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 99 mg Cholesterol; 13 g Carbohydrates; 33 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 344 mg Sodium; 708 mg Potassium 1 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 fat Tips & Notes •Ingredient notes: Lemongrass is an aromatic tropical grass used to add a pungent, lemony flavor to Asian dishes. It is available fresh at large supermarkets and Asian groceries. •Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized. In recipes calling for a specific count, order by the count (or number) per pound to be sure you're getting the size you want. •To peel shrimp, grasp the legs and hold onto the tail while you twist off the shell. Save the shells to make a tasty stock: Simmer, in enough water to cover, for 10 minutes, then strain. The “vein” running along a shrimp's back (technically the dorsal surface, opposite the legs) under a thin layer of flesh is really its digestive tract. •To devein shrimp, use a paring knife to make a slit along the length of the shrimp. Under running water, remove the tract with the knife tip. •Be sure to buy “dry” sea scallops (scallops that have not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, or STP). Scallops that have been treated with STP (“wet” scallops) have been subjected to a chemical bath and mushy and less flavorful. •Tip: To scrub mussels, hold under running water and use a stiff brush to remove any barnacles. Discard any mussels with broken shells or any whose shell remains open after you tap it lightly.

Have a great day