Mercy....life has been crazy busy, too much going on, too much to learn and too much to absorb.  But you know what?  I am one happy girl despite all of this craziness.
Since I have been asked...now for some personal information...
Back in 2001 I worked for a company that I loved, providing Mobile Spa Services to various high end hotels in our downtown area.  Soon my own business took off (mobile spa service to high end B&B's) so sadly I had to leave this company as I was too busy to do both.
By 2008, a new owner had taken over the Mobile Spa Service to the downtown hotels.  Then nearing the end of 2009, with the down turn in the economy, and a lack of tourism in our city, my B&B business slowly began to slow down - as it did everywhere. (I think our B&B's were harder hit than our local Hotels were)
So in 2010, I returned to the Mobile Spa Services in our downtown area to work with this new owner.  I love it... the hotels are fabulous and the owner is a delight to work with.
Here we are two years later in 2012.  Recently the owner approached me asking:  "Would I like to take over the business?"  Deep breath Ina....deep breath. (although I am not "religious" I prayed for this back in 2010, and way back in 2002)  Dreams do indeed come true.  It may take 10-15 years but they do come true if your intention is true and strong.
So here I am 11 years later, owning and running the business I worked for back in 2001.  I could not be happier.
There has been a lot to learn, a lot to absorb, a lot to process.  But wow, what an amazing opportunity...one I am very grateful for.
Have I had time to properly cook?  At least what my version is to properly cook?  No.  No, I have not.  However, that does not mean that food can not still taste exceptionally delicious.  (luckily, I have a few extra posts to share during this busy phase in my life...at least until I get used to this new routine)
This is not a recipe but more of a method - a great way to have two meals out of one:
10-12 chicken pieces cut up - thighs, wings, breasts, skin on bone in (I made extra to have left overs for next day.)
seasonings:  Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sweet Paprika
a good drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
generous amounts of Pesto - yes I cheated and bought freshly made store bought
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, add the cut up chicken pieces.  Drizzle in EVOO to cover lightly.  Add all of the seasonings to coat well.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with tin foil.  Bake for 1 hour, basting the chicken half way through at the 30 minute mark.
Then transfer the chicken to a platter and generously add a good dollop of Pesto to each chicken piece.   Serve with steamed vegetables...mow down...then crash because you are too tired to do anything else.
p.s.  if you are as busy as I am right now, please ask your significant other to do the dishes...especially if he wants to eat dinner tomorrow, I am sure he will be most helpful.  I must give a huge shout out of thanks to my DH...he has been such a support during my new crazy life phase!  🙂

This year we grew all of 3 zucchini's.  It is definitely becoming more of a challenge to grow vegetables in my garden.  We do appreciate anything we do get...so hopefully everyone has not had their fill of zucchini and can take one more yummy dish.
Our neighbor gifted us with freshly caught shrimp - so delicious!  They were already cooked, so for this dish I lightly re-heated them to go alongside the Zucchini Cakes and Chili Paste with Sweet Basil dipping sauce. Can you tell I am in love with this Chili Paste with Sweet Basil?  Lately I can not seem to get enough of it.   For a reminder here is a picture:
Many thanks to our neighbor for the delicious shrimp!  🙂
2 Tblsp. Grapeseed oil
1 fully packed cup of finely grated zucchini - well drained
2/3 cup finely grated carrot - well drained
2 Tblsp. finely diced red onion
2 Tblsp. Chili Paste with Sweet Basil (if you do not have this brand - Thai Kitchen Red Curry paste would work, just use 1 Tblsp.)
1 Tblsp. mayonnaise
3 Tblsp. gluten free bread crumbs
salt to taste
1 small egg
Add the grated zucchini to a sieve and squeeze out the excess juice - to become very dry.  Place in a bowl.  Then add the grated carrot  to the sieve and squeeze out any excess juice.  Add to the bowl of zucchini.
Add the diced onion, chili paste, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, salt and the egg mixing well.
Shape into patties and place onto a plate.  Heat up a frying pan with grapeseed oil on medium high heat.  Add the zucchini cakes to the pan and cook 5-6 minutes per side.
While the zucchini cakes are cooking make up this super easy dipping sauce:
Chili Sweet Basil Dipping Sauce:
3 Tblsp. Mayonnaise
1 Tblsp. Chili Paste with Sweet Basil
That is it...too easy, but mighty tasty!
Once the zucchini cakes are cooked, transfer to a plate.  Cook fresh shrimp in the same pan just for a few minutes sauteing until nice and pink.  (mine were just re heated)  Serve the zucchini cakes and shrimp with the chili sweet basil dipping sauce.

See this ohhh soooo lovely photograph of deliciousness?  This photo was taken with this:

Yes...DH brought home a new camera - what an awesome present!  It has all kinds of fancy options...I have not even used the camera yet.  He kindly took all the photos for this post.  I am in a huge learning curve at the moment with the start up of a new business and many other things:
1 - Learning to use a new Android Phone - brutal!
2 - Learning to Text Message - not by choice let me tell you - I do not like it one bit, nope not one bit.
3 - Excel Accounting Program
4 - Business meetings - setting up new protocols for my business and meeting new people.
Yes life has been hectic, and somewhat stressful.  I seem to have this expectation of myself to learn something super fast....and if I do not....I am not a happy girl.  Patience....taking one baby step at a time is what is being called for.  Once I have all of the above under my belt, then it will be time for camera instruction.  It sure is a good thing DH has so much patience with me.  Maybe he can teach me patience too??
In the meantime, this was one tasty dinner.  Once again I added Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese to this meal.  It lends a very creamy smooth texture and flavor to any cooked meal - so good!  By all means, it is optional, the Sweet Chili Basil Chicken will still be yummy if you do not have Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese.
2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 chicken thighs, skin on bone in
salt and pepper
1/4 of a large red onion, sliced and then cut in half
1 small red pepper, sliced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 large tomato, diced
1 heaping Tblsp. tomato paste
2 big Tblsps. Chili with Sweet Basil sauce or more if you like it spicy
2/3 cup chicken stock
a big handful on minced fresh basil
1 heaping Tblsp. Vegan Cream Cheese (optional)
Heat up a saute pan on medium high heat with the EVOO.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and fry until golden - about 5 minutes per side.
Drain off some of the extra renderings from the pan, turn down the heat to low medium and add in the onion, red pepper, and season with salt and pepper.  Saute about 5 minutes, then add in the garlic, tomatoes.
Then add in the tomato paste, chicken stock, and Chili with Sweet Basil stirring to incorporate.  Return the chicken to the pan cover with a lid slightly cracked, and turn the heat to low, simmering for another 30-40 minutes. Check for seasonings, and add in the Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese (if using), and the minced basil stirring well.
Now we are ready to plate....enjoy!

This is a recipe I have been thinking about since last summer.  Only back then, I had already run out of my garden zucchini.  This year....I actually remembered. If you have extra zucchini on hand this makes a great breakfast/snacking muffin.  I used my standard muffin recipe ingredients and voila....delicious muffins.
1/2 cup Tapioca starch
1/2 cup Sorghum flour
1/2 cup Sweet Rice flour
2 Tblsp. Coconut flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. each - cinnamon and ginger
2 large eggs - whisked well
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 Tblsp. honey
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup finely grated zucchini - strain liquid through a sieve
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  I like to line my muffin tin with paper cup liners.
In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, whisking well to combine.
In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, then add in the honey, oil, and vanilla mixing well.  Add the grated, drained zucchini mixing to incorporate.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing just until combined.  Fold in the nuts and spoon the batter into your prepared muffin tins.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Served warm with a good dollop of butter - yum!

Mercy....I have a new discovery.  This was so so good.  The other day I posted the recipe review from Candace and her delicious Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese.
Yes it is Vegan, and it is also raw.  I love it!  We used it on sandwiches as a spread, as well as a dip with crackers and vegetables - simply delicious.  And yes, it did have the texture and some flavor of it's cheesy counterpart.
Now for a confession.  I cooked it.  Yes I did - and it was absolutely fabulous!  If you miss cooking with Cream Cheese - this is the perfect non dairy replacement.
I love food, experimenting, creating and coming up with new ideas and recipes.  There are few foods in this world I will not eat.  Sushi - my soul revolts violently at the thought of raw fish.  My kids shake their heads at me - they love Sushi.  I am also not a Tofu fan unless it is well disguised and highly flavored.
I also could never be a Vegetarian.  I did try it once for 9 months.  During that time, I lost over 20 pounds, felt weak as a kitten, lethargic and had absolutely no energy.  Plus I always looked pasty white - ghastly!  After nine months of trying (and I worked very hard to ensure I had the right proteins) I dived into a cooked chicken breast and have never looked back since.  However, we still do cook Vegetarian once or twice a week - it is a delicious balance to all of our other meals.
I remember reading a fairly prominent Vegetarian Blog and she made the statement to the effect of :  "there is nothing more disgusting than looking at a slab of meat on a plate".  This was said in reference to looking at other people's blogs who are not Vegetarian.  How sad.  I would never blast anyone for the way they eat.  We are all individuals, with different needs, health issues, likes and dislikes.  Shame on her!
Could I be a Raw foodist?  Never.  That does not mean I can not enjoy raw food.  It can truly be delicious - as a way of life - it is just not for me.
The same applies for Vegan Food.  I could never personally eat that way....but believe me, I have had many a tasty meal that was totally Vegan.  In fact, there is a great restaurant downtown where we live that is totally Vegan.  If I am in a hurry at work - that is the place where I will go to have a great lunch time meal.
Back to the cooked Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese.  What inspired me to cook it was a commercial on the new Philly Cooking Cream.  The meals looks so delicious....I just had to give it a try.  This turned out to be a perfect non dairy creamy sauce. For the Raw Foodist's out there - sorry it is no longer raw....but dang, it sure was good.  Can't wait to try it as a replacement for bechamel sauce, over pasta and seafood, in lasagna, over poached eggs....mercy, my wee brain is getting carried away.
I got so excited about this recipe I grabbed a pen and the first piece of paper at hand...which turned out to be a crumpled brown paper bag.  Well - at least I wrote down the basics enough to remember what actually went into this yummy dish!
2 Tblsp. butter (to keep this vegan, use Extra Virgin Olive Oil only)
1 Tblsp. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 crimini mushrooms - sliced
1 shallot, sliced in half, then thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, sliced, then sliced into thin slices
10 slices of fresh zucchini - about 1/4 inch thick
2 green onions, sliced on a diagonal
2 tsp. grainy mustard
3/4 cup Soy Milk
4 Tblsp. Cashew Cream Cheese
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Seasoning blend - use your favorite
salt and pepper to taste
Heat up a frying pan on low medium heat.  Add in the butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Saute the shallots and mushrooms until the mushrooms are golden and the shallots are soft.  Then add in the sliced zucchini - sauteing a couple of minutes on each side, until a light golden color is created.  Then add in the green onions, salt and pepper, and season blend.
Saute for another 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
Return the pan to the heat and add in the Cashew cream cheese, grainy mustard, garlic powder, and soy milk.  Whisk well to incorporate.  Check for salt and pepper.
Serve hot over fresh sauted vegetables and dive in ..... you will love it!

Wow...I was so impressed with this amazing recipe from Cassidy whose blog is Cooking Gluten and (Dairy) Free.  If you are dairy free this is a recipe you will want to check out.
As I was making this recipe - I could hardly stop tasting it - it was that good.
Remember my steal of a deal blender?
I did not think this blender had the capacity to smoothly whip up this vegan cream cheese.  It did take a bit of time, and I had to scrape down the sides a few times, as well as add a bit more liquid to the recipe than what it called for.  It turned out super smooth and delicious.  If you have a VitaMix or BlendTec blender it will be super easy to make.
This cashew cream cheese is delicious on it's own, or with crackers, as a dip for vegetables and even as a spread on sandwiches.
If you are looking for an alternative to cream cheese - this is a must try.  Thank you Cassidy for such a great recipe!

Yes, another Pasta dish.  This was absolutely to die for...seriously!  If you read my blog dear readers, you do know I tend to RAVE about SCD CREAM.  Whether in sweet dishes or savory, SCD CREAM is the best whipping cream ever.  It lends a slightly tart taste that adds a whole new dimension to sweet or savory dishes that you simply can not achieve otherwise.  Yes it is a 28 hour process....but if you only have it once in a while like we do....it is heaven on Earth.
Here is the other exciting news....
Nine months of waiting, yes nine months.  I had read about this pasta in the Costco Magazine and patiently waited.  Wow.  I love that it is made from more than just Brown Rice.  It tastes heartier, has a better eldente  texture than regular Brown Rice Pasta.  The best news?  I get slightly more than double for the cost.  Gotta love that.  Plus this pasta cooks in half the time that Brown Rice Pasta does!
The other exciting news....DH has a present he is bringing home for me.  He has been away for the past two weeks in Penticton, which is in the lovely Interior of British Columbia.  He has been rebuilding his mother's balcony, but should be home in the next few days.   Hence the Clams...DH will not eat shell fish.  I miss him...but after this meal?  I am in love!   Not only with him, but with this divine dinner.   I wonder what he is bringing home???  I will be sure to share. 🙂
CLAM PENNE ALFREDO:
200 grams Gluten Free Penne Pasta
2 slices of thick cut bacon, diced
1 Tblsp. butter
1 minced shallot
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine
284 grams can of baby clams, drained (freeze the nectar for a savory clam tomato chowder)
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups SCD Cream
2 Tblsp. fresh minced Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1 tsp. Fresh minced Thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Heat up a saute pan on low medium heat.  Add in the chopped bacon, stirring until crisp.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add in the butter, shallots and garlic, turning down the heat to low.  Saute until the shallots are softened.  Then pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for five minutes, scraping up any brown bits, and reduce to half.Add in the chopped fresh Thyme, salt, pepper stirring until fragrant.  Pour in the SCD Cream, stirring and bring to a light simmer, then add in the clams.
Meanwhile, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil.  Add in the pasta, stirring well.  Cook the pasta until eldente. (this pasta took 7 minutes to cook)
Once the pasta is cooked, drain well.  Remove the Alfredo Sauce from the heat and add in the bacon and Parmesan Cheese.  Then add in the fresh Parsley and cooked Pasta, tossing well to coat.  Serve with grated Asiago Cheese and any side dish of vegetables.
It is a good thing I only have this lovely dinner once in a long while...I would be as big as a house if we did not!  Can't wait to see what DH is bringing home...

Ever since I made my Marinated Vegetable Salad - it seems to be the only kind of salad I want.  With so much fresh produce still available - it's the perfect end of the summer salad.  They are so colorful and fresh tasting too.
This salad was made in the morning and refrigerated.  I tossed the salad a few times during the day to really incorporate the marinade.
1 1/2 cups chopped green and yellow beans - about 1 - 1  1/2 inch sized pieces
1/2 cup red onion - roughly chopped
1 finely minced garlic clove
a big handful of finely minced fresh Basil
1 celery stalk - sliced
1 large radishes - sliced
2 Tblsp. Red Wine Vinegar
4 Tblsp. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
Feta cheese - crumbled
Bring a pot of water to the boil, and blanch the green and yellow beans for about 40 seconds.  Drain and add to an ice bath to cool.
Add the onion, garlic, basil, celery, radishes to a bowl.  Drain the beans well and add them to the bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, then add in the Red Wine Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, tossing to coat well.
Add a good handful of crumbled feta cheese.  Refrigerate until dinner.