Month: March 2019

So this was inspired by my visit to the Marilyn Denis show and watching the Chef for Cafe Balou (Chef Balou) do a green cream sauce for spring… In his sauce he didn’t want it to reduce to make a lighter one, I like a good thick cream sauce and I’m eating healthy clean and keto for the time being (summer is acommin’!) so here is an amazing invention of mine – Keto Creamy Pesto and Zoodles (zucchini noodles).

This one satisfies my need for pasta and cream sauce…

Wait, What are Zoodles?

If you have never ever before heard of zoodles you really need to check out spiralizers – I have a great one – it cuts veggies super quickly and easily into noodle like shape (thick or thin) – works great with zucchini which you can eat raw or sauted. I really love them so I haven’t ventured to other veggies too much yet (other than beets – for an beet salad recipe I posted here: https://drkarenhudes.ca/index.php/2018/10/04/rice-and-beet-salad/

I hear that also awesome veggies to use are butternut squash, carrots and turnips… I promise to give these a try soon too. Here is what a spiralizer looks like and what it can do:

Ok, Enough about spiralizers and on to the recipe!

So I invented this one last night… here is a picture of today’s lunch keto creamy pesto and zoodles:

Here is a better pic added after I warmed it up for myself (in separate containers) and added some chicken for protein.

This would likely be so much better if eaten right away but it was so so good today! (really really good – I have to make it again… Nooooo, I didn’t lick the bowl I swear)

I stored the zoodles separately from the sauce because I didn’t want the sauce to take on extra water – and heated them separately too. Here is what you need:

Ingredients

What you need for Keto creamy pesto zoodles:

A large handful of basil

garlic – one or two cloves to taste

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

a chunk of Parmesan cheese grated (about 1 inch by 1/2 inch – but to taste)

1/2 cup heavy cream

zucchini – 1 per person (the sauce makes about two servings depending on how saucy you like things!)

Best done with mortar and pestle but you can use a food processor too

Directions

Place whole basil leaves and finely chopped garlic into a mortar with some of the oil and use pestle to grind up… add shredded cheese and continue till a fine mash adding oil if it gets too thick. Pour cream into sauce pan and heat to reduce. BE CAREFUL not to burn (mine almost boiled over). Add stuff from mortar to hot cream and let cook a tiny bit until the garlic is fragrant. And Voila! The cream sauce is done! Remove from heat. Now (or before) spiralize the zuchinni and add to a saucepan or pot with a bit of olive oil and saute a minute or too – not too long as these are better a bit crisp. Combine and toss together and enjoy!

Hope you like this one – I loved it!

Ok, it’s spring – sweet right? This time of year brings sunshine, springing forward, lighter coats, less (but maybe not no) snow, lots of mud and yard work, and often the urge to do some spring cleaning.

Remember last year (or years past)? Spending the better part of the day cleaning out and getting rid of stuff, tidying up the garden and getting the garage in order for summer? Are you going to do some of that this year and maybe Marie Condo your life a bit in the meantime? Good idea. But let me help you watch your back while you are at it ok?

Why is cleaning up around the house back unfriendly?

It doesn’t really have to be but generally when we are really wanting to get stuff done we sacrifice proper technique for lifting and bending for speed. Here are some examples of what I mean:

Vacumming

If you are going to do some vacuuming with your spring cleaning make sure you don’t put undo stress on your back when you are doing it. I once got tendonitis in my thumb from vacuuming (you thought it was from work right? Nope, no way). I decided that it would be easier to show you what I mean then babble about it here so check out the video by clicking the link below:

Lifting

I think probably the lifting component with spring cleaning comes with putting the things in boxes and hauling them into the car and out of your life Marie Condo Style… though there are probably tons of little things to be lifted too… for that reason it is important to review the cardinal do’s and don’ts of lifting here:

Pay attention to holding the load as close to you as you can and don’t make it awkward – also look at the lower right hand picture above – dot round your lower back – always keep the normal lordosis in the lower back – it helps protect you from injury.

Also if you are picking up something light ans small from the floor like a pen (or socks, underwear, random Lego- you know kid things) use the golfer’s lift – it is fast and protective for your back. Check out the video below :

Gardening

Lots of gardening is about to happen too right? Best tip for gardening is to get close to the earth – either sit or kneel on it or buy a garden stool. The closer you are the better your back will do with it. Try not to twist but approach things face on – and remember the lifting tips above! Check out the pic below for more tips about gardening.

Today I went to the Marilyn Denis Show taping in the city (Toronto) with my friend Penny – we had a blast – if you live in the GTA you should check it out – the tickets are free and I came away with a huge haul of stuff: $100 gift card to Petro Canada (I won that), and everyone in the studio audience got $50 to Pet Smart, a gift certificate to Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Royal York annnnnnnd a bag full of amazing sauces from The Spice Taylor. Also on the show was the Chef from Cafe Ballou at the four seasons doing a spring pasta with a sauce that I call a creamy green sauce that I HAVE to try…

One of the segments was the Chef from Cafe Ballou at the Four Seasons showing us how to make this amazing Green Cream Sauce for Pasta – since they are changing to their spring menu. It sounds amazing but I am back on my keto kick… guess what – if you put it on zucchini ‘pasta’ (spiralized zucchini). Sooooooo, guess what, it’s gonna be on TV tomorrow so I figure it is fair game… So here it is – I will definitely make this Creamy Green sauce this week for myself and add pictures!

First some Pictures from our visit to the Marilyn Denis Show!

P.S. I totally got in trouble for taking these pics…. but – JANN ARDEN!

For tickets to the show go here:https://www.marilyn.ca/Tickets

Creamy Green Pasta Sauce

So I will be guessing at the proportions here but I am pretty good at that… here is the list of ingredients:

1 head green leaf lettuce – green part chopped off and blanched and rest chopped into bite sized pieces and reserved

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup heavy cream

lemon zest

water (a couple teaspoons)

1 tsp fresh mint chopped

Directions for the creamy green pasta sauce

Ok, here is what he did – take the tops of the lettuce and blanch in boiling water – a couple mins till tender not soggy and mush. Then put in blender with the rest of the items (not the water) and blend till smooth – that’s it for the sauce really!

To make an amazing Spring Pasta Dish

Chef Ballou also had cooked pasta but I will substitute spiralized zucchini for myself to make it healthier – In a hot skillet with some olive oil add “pasta” and sauce – a couple teaspoons of water to keep it smooth, a couple teaspoons of ricotta cheese and heat… not too much because you don’t want the zucchini noodles to lose their crispness.

For bonus points:

In a separate pan add cut up pieces of zucchini, green beans, the bottom white parts of the lettuce, green onion and green peas. Saute till warm and toss with pasta and sauce. Serve with a garnish on top of ricotta, green onion and lemon zest.

Here is Chef Ballou doing his thing (well setting up for it anyways) – check out his spring menu starting this week at the Cafe Ballou at the Four Seasons Hotel!

Can’t wait to try this one this week and will add pics for sure!