Celebrate with Canadian Burgers.......

My hometown fireworks 2009

Hot Minted Feta with Chunky Greek Salad

Hot Minted Feta with Chunky Greek Salad

Woah is me, my camera is acting up again so periodically I will be offering you dishes from my archives of yet to be published recipes. The long and the short of it is that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Like the time I tried to enter a Spanish Tapas event from Nuria or the Royal Foodie Joust a few days ago. I took photos, they all appeared to be there on the camera disk but when I downloaded them on to my computer they had miraculously disappeared. I guess these events were not meant to be, so I carry on with an on again off again camera continuing to prepare delicious dishes and trying to share them with you. Today I bring you a delicious Greek-inspired salad I tried a few weeks ago. It is topped with pan fried/grilled feta cheese marinated in mint which brought the salad out of the ordinary to extraordinary!!!

Potato Salad with Gremolata Dressing

Potato Salad with Gremolata Dressing

On Friday when we launched the very first Cooking Light magazine Virtual Supper Club I enjoyed preparing the Maple Grilled Salmon to share with the ladies. Since the meal was a virtual one, then here at home I needed to prepare something simple and tasty to accompany my salmon dish. What I came up with is the best potato salad I have had in some time. So refreshing and light tasting I don't know why I haven't thought of it before!!! Since the dressing uses no mayonnaise it would be perfect for picnic lunches as well!!!

Maple Grilled Salmon for the Launch of the Very First Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club!!!!!!!!!

Maple Grilled Salmon

For years the two countries of Canada and the United States have collaborated and lived side by side peacefully. Our neighbouring countries are vibrant, colourful and filled with progressive people sharing similarities in cultural diversity as well as being proud of their differences. One thing we do have in common is our love of varied cuisines developed over years of being a "melting pot" for different nationalities and cooking styles.

A Mexican Fiesta in Honour of My BBFF

Today I am sharing a recipe for Grilled Chicken with Honey, Orange and Chipotle Glaze, Mexican Grilled Corn, Grilled Sweet Potatoes and to top off the fiesta Watermelon Margueritas...and for dessert Yucatan-Inspired Fresh Coconut Tart in honour of my BBFF. No it's not a Paris Hilton reality show..wink...wink... but BloggerAid- Best Friends Forever !!!!

"Light" Fettuccine Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus & Garlic Scapes

When at the farmers market this past weekend I did my usual rounds of my favourite producers. I always begin my Saturday morning during market days with a flavourful crepe made by a lovely woman originally from Quebec. She will even squeeze me some fresh lemonade to go with my favourite savory crepe, a combination of cheeses, cheese curds and pesto. "Bonjour", I say, with which she responds with a flurry of French. This is where I smile and nod:D "Merci", I say. Some day I will try her fruit concoctions but those would limit my ability to wander and chat with our local farmers since I would need a knife and a fork.

This Saturday saw the first cherries of the season so I popped some in my environmentally friendly bag along with fresh basil, asparagus, Spring lettuce mesclun mix, fresh dill, lemon balm, some garlic scapes and early beets. I also made my usual plea for our local farmers to see the value in having zucchini flowers available. I may have convinced one farmer, but the rest have no imagination and see them only as a loss. Everyone of them says, "If you take the flower there will be no zucchini." Don't they realize that there comes a point when they will be selling their zucchini for a few measly cents just to get rid of them because of overabundance??? Let's say I am still working on them:D

If you grow your own garlic or have a good farmer’s market, then you can enjoy a new kind of vegetable..... garlic scapes. The scapes are the flower stems that garlic plants produce before the bulbs mature. Growers often remove the scapes to push the plant’s energy toward bigger bulbs, and when harvested while they are young and tender. The scapes are delicious with a mild garlic flavour so why not use them!!!

To use my Spring produce I came up with this recipe which of course is on the "light" side. It's wonderful flavours come from the Neufchatel cheese, if you can find it, and the sauteed mushrooms and garlic scapes. If Neufchatel is unavailable please substitute "light" cream cheese. The sauce is made so quickly with just the "zip" of the blender. What could be more perfect on these hot summer days. As with all Alfredo dishes serve immediately.

I am submitting this dish to Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast . As always I neglect pasta far too often, but, I do try and join in on the fun whenever I do over at Presto Pasta Nights. Kait of Pots and Plots is this week's host so do visit her blog when you have the chance!!!! Check back on Friday at Pots and Plots for the roundup of delicious pasta dishes!!!

**Fettuccine Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus & Garlic Scapes**
Printable Recipe

2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon butter
3 - 4 garlic scapes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 - 6 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
Cooking spray
16 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic scapes and saute approximately 4 minutes until wilted. Add mushrooms; sauté 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Cover.

Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once.

Cook fettuccine according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

Place pasta and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add pepper; toss gently.

Serve immediately.

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 cup)

Ricardo Larivee Speaks to Me With Falafels

Falafels withTarator bi Tahini Sauce

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the ninth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Grilled Black Bean Quesadillas

Having a 3 hour lunch break certainly has its advantages on stunning summer days like these. I can enjoy the day just as I would like to by having lunch with friends, reading at the beach, shopping, running errands, just about anything, or of course I can go home and catch up on some blogging!!! Problem is if I am sitting at a lakeside lunch spot or on the beach it is a little difficult to gain strength and go back to work. You can see that can't you:D In August our office will be moving to a heritage home in the downtown core. Imagine all the distractions I will have then!!!!!

Yesterday L'il Burnt Toast and I had lunch at a relatively new restaurant, Cabanas, which is owned by Ned Bell. Close to the beach and the "young" crowd it offers fabulous and innovative cuisine. I had to tear myself away from the conversation and head back to work. Today I am having lunch with another friend at an orchard so I will have to drag myself back to work again. Good thing I love my job!!!! When I am at home after a day at work or during my lunch break quick and easy often falls into play. That is why the barbecue is my best friend!!!

The quesadilla is loosely defined as a Mexican version of a grilled cheese sandwich and fits the bill perfectly. The word comes from the Spanish language, and literally means "little cheesy thing" or "cheesy." They are one of the easiest, healthiest and delicious recipes to prepare on the grill.

The basic quesadilla is made up of a tortilla, cheese, and anything else your little heart desires. They are so wide open to interpretation and don't really even require a recipe!!!! Just do your thing!!! The tortilla is folded over and then browned or grilled on both sides before cutting it into wedges and serving.

I am told that the sincronizada (Spanish for "synchronized") is a tortilla dish frequently confused with quesadillas by tourists in Mexico, because it is what is typically called a quesadilla in most Mexican restaurants outside of Mexico.

There is a wonderful Mexican restaurant south of here along lake Okanagan that serves up authentic Mexican dishes. It is an hour away but well worth the drive for the sensation that you are actually in Mexico!!!

This is my version of a quesadilla. It is vegetarian but you can always add chicken, shrimp or beef to boost the protein factor.

I served it with this guacamole from Rick Bayless.

**Grilled Black Bean Quesadillas**
Printable Recipe

4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1/4 cup black beans, cooked and lightly mashed ( I most often use canned to simplify the process)
8 red and yellow pepper strips, grilled
2 tablespoons roasted corn ( for a quick solution use frozen corn)
2 tablespoons tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup (8 ounces) fat-free mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup goat cheese feta (optional) ( I use cojita when available)
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of chili pepper
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Salsa
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Preheat grill to a medium setting. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Thinly spread 1/4 cup of mixture on top of tortilla, fold in half. Lightly spray the top and bottom tortilla with cooking spray. Place quesadilla on grill and allow one side to brown 4 to 5 minutes. Flip quesadilla and brown the other side for a few minutes. When cheese is melted through, remove quesadilla and allow to cool slightly and cut into wedges. Serve with your favorite salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Makes 2 quesadilla's.

Greek Burgers with Feta Aioli

Greek Burgers with Feta Aioli

Barbecue season is in full swing and what is more appropriate to serve guests but a juicy grilled burger. They are quick and easy to prepare and require next to no cleanup for the hassle free cooking we enjoy all summer long.

For those of you who follow this blog you will know that I try and cook healthy and delicious meals on a regular basis. Last week Shelby (aka HoneyB) and I teamed up to bring you a week of Cooking Light recipes from this months issue. Sometimes I may fall "off the wagon", so to speak, but it is never hard to climb back on board. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

2 Gals Cooking Light...and the Winner is.............

It has been a fun week with 2 Gals cooking a week of light and healthy dishes from the pages of Cooking Light magazine. Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch and I have been fans of the magazine for years with over 70 delicious and healthy recipes in each issue. As mentioned all this week Shelby was given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers! These Cooking Light Subscriptions were generously offered to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who commented for your chance to win and followed us through this week of Cooking Light!!! Also a BIG HUG to Aaron for sponsoring us!! Stay tuned for some more adventures in the future as we continue to eat healthy and extremely tasty dishes.

Day 1 saw Shelby and I devouring Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches here and here. We both prepared this sandwich more than once, it was that good with the melted brie!!

Day 2 I chose to make Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle. This is the perfect way to enjoy those sun-ripened and juicy summer tomatoes.

Day 3 Shelby prepared Strawberry Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. It is definitely something I need to try!! Shelby said, " Strawberries aren't quite in season here yet, but we are able to buy them in the stores at a fairly reasonable price still - not to mention they are high in nutritional content and low in calories!

Day 4 -  I opted for something sweet Oatmeal Cookie Peach Cobbler . L'il Burnt Toast and I enjoyed this with some vanilla yogurt ice cream warm from the oven. You could substitute any seasonal fruit for the peaches. I strongly feel that rhubarb would be a perfect combination for the cookie topping!!

Day 5 Shelby shared Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken with her family and friends. She says, "The glaze was slightly sweet and the chicken was so tender and juicy. I took leftovers to work in a salad and it was delicious!" This was an excellent choice!!

The highlight of Day 6 was Fire-Seared Antipasto PlatterFire Seared Antipasto Platter jumped off the pages of Cooking Light as the perfect summer appetizer to highlight seasonal vegetables from your local markets.

Day 7 Shelby opted for the Gingered Blueberry Shortcake . Shelby says, "The photo looked so appealing in the magazine that I decided I would have to make it"

We have drawn the names of the 3 winners who will receive a Cooking Light Subscription for 1 year which were generously offered to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. And the winners are:

Delectable Dining
Coleen's Recipes

Linda of Oklahoma Peach Fuzz and For Goodness Sake(Linda authors two blogs!)
Thanks to all who participated and entered! Winners please email Shelby at grumpyshoneybunch at yahoo dot com with your full name and mailing address so that she can pass this on to Aaron at Magsdirect.com!

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

2 Gals Cooking Light Giveaway with Fire Seared Antipasto Platter

Fire-Seared Antipasto

Welcome to the sixth installment of our Cooking Light adventure. 2 Gals have been sharing recipes from the June issue of Cooking Light magazine with friends, family and each and every one of you all week. I hope you enjoyed Shelby's delicious Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken yesterday. Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch and I have always had a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

We have been Cooking Light all week to kickstart our summer by sharing some of their recipes with you from this months issue.The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Here are some tips to make eating light even better!!!

2 Gals Cooking Light Giveaway with Oatmeal Cookie Peach Cobbler

Welcome to day 4 of our Cooking Light saga. Thank you for continuing to tune in while 2 Gals kickstart their summer by Cooking Light!!!

Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch and I have a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

We decided to collaborate for one week and kickstart our summer by sharing some of their recipes with you from this months issue of Cooking Light. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Drinking a glass of water or tea before a meal will help you curve your appetite and cause you to eat less. I drink water all day long so perhaps this is why I am never hungry for a large meal.

When eating healthy and nutritious meals you can still have sweets, but always remember "everything in moderation". Have a small piece of dessert and remember to share. If ever you have the urge to eat the whole cake remember FedEx does ship to Canada:D

Forget the excer"scuses". Exercise burns calories and suppresses your appetite. Do what is fun for you. Swim, walk, hike.....For me it is pole-walking. What is it that turns your crank?

It's also the way you eat your food that matters. Eating light means eating at the table, with friends and family. It means eating at a relaxed, leisurely pace, with plenty of time for chewing before the next mouthful goes in. That way the brain has time to send those all-important 'I'm full' messages to the body. Make your dining table a charming place to be, with candles, music, wine and good conversation. The more you look forward to the mealtime itself, the less need there is for lots of heavy, filling food.

As mentioned in an earlier post .... Shelby and I have been given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers. Leave a comment here on More Than Burnt Toast or visit Shelby here . You will have an opportunity each day to win!!! These Cooking Light Subscriptions have been generously offered to Shelby and then ultimately to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. Follow us through this weeks journey as we laugh and cook each day through this months issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Tune in tomorrow at The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch for the 5th installment of 2 Gals Cooking Light where she prepares Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken. Don't forget to comment for your chance to win!!!!

This peach cobbler was amazing. L'il Burnt Toast arrived today for lunch and we even enjoyed it cold, although warm from the oven with a little yogurt or yogurt ice cream is still best!! You can make this in individual ramekins as I did with one dollop of dough on top of each if you so choose. The baking time remains the same. This feeds a sports team of 12 but you can easily reduce the measurements by half to feed your family or to have those leftovers to look forward to.

**Oatmeal Cookie Peach Cobbler**

Printable Recipe
Topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

11 cups sliced peeled peaches (about 5 pounds)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Cooking spray

****************

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare topping, place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Weigh or lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup flour, oats, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

To prepare filling, combine sliced peeled peaches, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and fresh lemon juice in a bowl; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dollop 12 mounds of chilled dough over peach mixture at even intervals.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Serves 12 (1 cup servings)

Two Gals Cooking Light Giveaway with Heirloom Tomato Pappardelle

With all the excellent fresh produce available in the summer, it's a good time to try a vegetarian entrée or two, and this recipe is a perfect choice. The simple sauce highlights the flavor of tomatoes with fresh herbs, shallots, and garlic, and it comes together in seven minutes just about the time it takes to cook the pasta. In this summer heat thank goodness for my outdoor grill and my side burner!!!

Thank you for continuing to tune in for this second installment while 2 Gals from opposite sides of the continent join together, one from upper New York State and the other from British Columbia, Canada to kickstart their summer by Cooking Light!!! One wonderful thing about this week is that I am having the opportunity to "meet" so many new blogging faces. The blogging world is growing by leaps and bounds!!! Nice to meet you all!!!

Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch and I have a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

We decided to collaborate for one week and kickstart our summer by sharing some of their recipes with our readers from this months June issue of Cooking Light. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Make a conscious decision about eating light and healthily every day. Here is where the "less is more" concept takes on a new twist. If you eat less and more often, you won't feel like you are 'starving' yourself. There are tricks to lightening up your food without ditching the flavour.

One suggestion is to get the proportions right. Instead of having a little soup and a big main course, have a small first course and a large bowl of soup. Instead of loads of meat, gravy and potatoes, swap the ratio so there is a pile of roasted winter root vegetables and a lamb chop or two. Lighten up your cooking by swapping meat for fish when you feel the urge. It's easier to digest and there are some excellent fish choices in today's markets. Build your meals around omega 3-rich salmon and mackerel or base them on prawns, langoustines and mussels and you’ll feel lighter immediately.

As mentioned in an earlier post .... Shelby and I have been given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers so be sure to visit Shelby here all week as well as here on More Than Burnt Toast for your chance to win. Simply leave a comment and you are entered for the draw. These Cooking Light Subscriptions have been generously offered to Shelby and then ultimately to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. Follow us through this weeks journey as we laugh and cook our way through this months issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

We kickstarted our week of Two Gal's Cooking Light by both making Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches from this months issue here and on Shelby's site here . Be sure to visit Shelby at The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch tomorrow for installment 3; and a peak into more healthy and delicious recipes from Cooking Light!!!! She will be preparing Strawberry-Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette from the June issue.

This simple-to-prepare vegetarian pappardelle pasta entrée may become your summertime standby. Use any combination of heirloom tomatoes you like. A variety of colors and tastes is ideal for "eye candy" as well as flavour. The tasty sauce can double as a bruschetta topping for an easy appetizer. Add grilled shrimp if you like for a heartier dish.

**Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle**
Printable Recipe

12 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved pecorino cheese

*******************
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add oregano and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes); cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Arrange 1 cup pasta onto each of 6 plates. Top each serving with about 1-1/3 cups tomato mixture; drizzle with 1 teaspoon remaining oil. Divide cheese evenly among servings.
Serves 6

Calories: 397 Fat: 13g (sat 3.2g,mono 7.4g,poly 1.3g) Protein: 14g Carbohydrate: 59.1g Fiber:5.5g Cholesterol: 10mg Iron: 3.2mg Sodium: 448mg Calcium: 158mg

***********************************************************************************

Still speaking of food Lisa Orgler generously agreed to create an art piece from one of YOUR food photographs and donate it to be auctioned for Art Auction with a Twist over at BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine . Her love for food, art and journaling have brought her to blogging to combine all of her loves and driven her to create art from food creations. On her blog Lunchbox Project Lisa reaches out to fellow bloggers to create a masterpiece from your own photography. The winner was Hummus and Roasted Pepper Sandwich by Hopie of Hopie's Kitchen!!!! The finished painting here will be auctioned off at the Mission Fish site which is the E-Bay Giving Works with the monies designated to the School Meals Program of the WFP. Thank you Lisa for doing such a beautiful job!!!

Two Gals Cooking Light Giveaway and Grilled Tomato & Brie Sandwiches

What brings two gals from opposite sides of the continent together, one from upper New York State and the other from British Columbia, Canada? Their passion for food and creating innovative and delicious dishes for their family, co-workers and friends.

Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch is an avid blogger and writer. Her love for her family shines through in every post besides the fact that I wish her dishes could just leap off of the pages. She makes delicious dishes for Grumpy's palate as well as fabulous desserts for co-workers and friends. Shelby and I both have a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

With our love for Cooking Light magazine Shelby and I decided to collaborate for one week and kickstart our summer by sharing some recipes with you from this months issue of Cooking Light. Check out her post here. Shelby and I will be alternating days so please return here at MTBT tomorrow for the second entry to our week of Cooking Light. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Eating light and healthy is a key component to better health.

The most important piece of advise would be to not skip breakfast!!! People who eat breakfast usually feel less hungry throughout the day. It might sound odd, but a good way to 'eat light' is to 'start heavy' in the morning with a healthy breakfast, such as oats, that will give you a slow release of energy throughout the morning. If you don't like porridge, then try Swiss-style muesli thrown onto some yogurt with walnuts and fruit or whiz together some oats, pitted medjool dates, yogurt, apple juice and honey into a smoothie. Eat complex carbohydrates whenever possible such as whole grain cereals, rice, pasta, bread, beans, nuts and some types of fruit. Complex carbohydrates are low in fat, fast-burning, and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Eat carbs for lunch and protein for dinner. If you have your main carbohydrates in the middle of the day, then your body has plenty of time to digest them in the afternoon. So lunch can be pasta with tuna and capers, a sandwich or a baked potato, and dinner can be something lighter, such as grilled fish or a big bowl of soup. Your body will be able to digest it more easily and not feel weighed down.

The first couple days may be difficult if this is a life-style change, but once you've done it over and over again, it will become second nature and you will have an easier time. Don't give up!!! There's no such thing as cheating. It is not always possible to eat healthy and light everyday. Think of those days that you eat something else as wandering and not cheating. Wandering is not wrong or bad. I want to wander all around the world and experience new foods!!!!!

Some exciting news. Shelby and I have been given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers...count them... THREE.... so be sure to visit all this week . We had already decided to do a CL week and Aaron came up with this offer. It was meant to be!!! Just leave one comment on our Cooking Light posts for the next week at The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch or right here at More Than Burnt Toast and 3 winners will be chosen by random draw on Saturday June 13, 2009. These Cooking Light Subscriptions have been generously offered to our readers by Aaron of Magazine Direct. Thank you Aaron!!!!! If you already have a subscription share their magazine with your family or friends. Follow us through this weeks journey as we laugh and cook our way through this months issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

To kickstart our week of Two Gal's Cooking Light we are both preparing Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches from the June 2009 issue. These sandwiches make the most of juicy, flavorful summer tomatoes. Serve with grapes or carrot sticks. Be sure to visit More Than Burnt Toast tomorrow for more healthy and delicious recipes from Cooking Light with Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle .

** Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches**

8 (1-ounce) slices 100% whole-grain bread (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
2 teaspoons country-style Dijon mustard
4 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups packaged baby arugula and spinach greens (such as Dole)
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato
Cooking spray

**************************
Prepare grill to high heat.

Brush one side of each bread slice with oil; rub cut sides of garlic over oil.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on each of 4 bread slices, oil side down. Top each bread slice with 1 ounce cheese, 1/3 cup greens, and 2 tomato slices. Top each with remaining 4 bread slices, oil side up.

Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly toasted and cheese melts.

Serves 4

No Croutons Required Bulgur and Chickpea Salad with Feta and Pomegranate Dressing

Bulgur and Chickpea Salad with Feta and Pomegranate Dressing

When the temperature rises to 40 Celsius the thoughts of eating more than a delicious salad makes me feel sluggish just thinking about it. Plus the fact that turning on the oven would be a travesty and I would feel the effects in the house for days. Thank goodness for the side burner on my barbecue to cook those sauces or anything boiled or stir fried. Comfort food in the summer becomes anything that requires little cleanup which is where the barbecue becomes my best friend or anything that leans towards delicious and healthy salads. I eat a great deal of salad during the summer months so am always looking for ways to pack protein, carbohydrates and power foods into one bowl.

It has been a little while since I attended the vegetarian blogging event No Croutons Required despite my best of intentions . The founders of this event are the talented duo Holler of Tinned Tomatoes and fellow Canadian Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen. Each month they are looking for our vegetarian soups or salads with the theme for this month being GREENS. Both of these ladies follow a vegetarian and healthy lifestyle which is evident in each of their feature stories. They have heard me say this before but they are both such sweeties that I have to participate in their event as often as I can...and I will say it again!!

Chuck Hughes Makes Potato "Risotto" and Sausage on His Day Off

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are up and coming. As the eighth installment in my Canadian Chef series I introduce you to:

Chuck Hughes

Chuck Hughes is new on the Food Network scene this year hailing from Montreal in the province of Quebec. He may be new to his TV audience but he is well known and respected in the culinary world in Montreal. A love for food has always driven his passion. When he was 8 he insisted on being enrolled in a cooking class.

Like many of us it was clear he was crazy about the kitchen and all things "foodie" from an early age, but, he has taken it to the next step . This is made even clearer by his tattoos of lobsters, pomegranates, lemon meringue pie, bacon and even arugula. This suggests that maybe, just maybe, this guy REALLY loves his craft!!!

He started his career in something other than the culinary arts... in advertising... but quickly learned that he needed to turn his "affair with food into a full time relationship". He attended the prestigious culinary school at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec. While he was still in school, Chuck melded his passion for food with his love of rock 'n'roll by catering for the traveling punk rockers on the Vans Warped Tour. Years later, he ended up cooking for his favorite rock bands during the Coachella Music Festival, in the legendary Frank Sinatra Twin Palms mansion in Palm Desert Valley, California. Upon graduation he quickly started working in some of Montreal's hottest kitchens and hasn't looked back since.

The premise of his show Chuck's Day Off on the Food network is the question,

"What does the owner and chef of one the city's hottest restaurants get up to on his only day off?"

If you're Chuck Hughes, you cook!!! In every episode Chuck prepares good, honest food for his family, friends or staff while juggling the rock 'n' roll reality of running his own restaurant. In 2006, Chuck and his two best friends opened their restaurant, Garde-Manger in the heart of Old Montreal. His mom Francine makes all of the desserts as well. Chuck's playground is described as "a vintage crab-shack cum underground club" where he has full reign to put his magical spin on comfort food, and indulge his fantasy of creating decadent meals served up to his favorite rocking soundtracks. The name of the restaurant comes from his first job in a professional kitchen as a ''garde-manger,'' or pantry chef. The garde-manger's duties focus on salads, soups, cold food items, and dessert platings.

A little known fact is that he regularly competes in oyster shucking competitions and once shucked over 1000 oysters for a fundraiser.

Many of his recipes such as Potato Risotto with Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausages highlighted on these pages, Home Smoked Salmon with Green Salad and Apple Vinaigrette ,Snow Crab Bloody Caesar ,Stove-Top Clambake or Flambeed Pineapple Creme Brulee can be found on the Food Network site.

I chose to prepare his Potato "Risotto" and grill up some sausages. Something about potato risotto just made me curious enough to give it a try. This is the most amazing dish I have prepared in my kitchen in a long time, and not just because potatoes are a passion of mine. I sauteed the mushrooms in the same pan as the lamb sausages so that the potato risotto would adopt their garlic flavours as well. All of Chuck's dishes are innovative and creative. Risotto of course is made with rice, but I will give Chuck license to call this risotto even if there is not a grain of rice within 100 yards of this dish, because it is prepared in the method in which risotto has been timelessly prepared. Sorry I had no leftovers.......

A year ago today I made..... Healthy Herbed Cream Fettuccine .

** Potato "Risotto" with Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausages**

6 large fresh lamb sausages
Water for boiling
1 T canola oil
A handful of fresh rosemary sprigs

Potato "Risotto"

6 – 8 large fresh mushrooms (like King Eringi or Shitake), sliced thinly
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced finely
A few good pinches of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced in ½ inch cubes
3 – 4 cups stock (chicken, vegetable, mushroom or water)
1 cup loosely packed, freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
A couple of good nubs of butter
A handful of baby arugula or baby spinach, for garnish

**********************
Pan-Grilled Lamb Sausage: Parboil the sausages for about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Drain. Place large pan on med-high heat. Coat bottom of pan lightly with canola oil.
Tear off rosemary needles roughly and toss into pan.

Add sausages and pan-grill till browned on all sides, turning as needed. By the time the sausages are ready, the risotto will be ready.

Potato Risotto: Wash and dice potatoes into small cubes. No need to peel. Put potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water. Add a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn heat down and simmer about 5 min till al dente. Drain.

Heat oil in heavy, medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallots, drained potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and one ladleful of stock. Cook stirring, until the stock is almost absorbed.

In a separate pan (or as I chose to do, in the same pan as the sausages), sauté mushrooms in a bit of olive oil and toss gently till they’re beginning to brown.

Continue to add your stock to potato mixture, one ladleful at a time.(Unlike the traditional risotto, the stock can be warm or cold, it won’t matter) until potato is tender and creamy on the outside, about 5 -10 minutes. (Test it. If it’s too soft, you won’t need to add any more liquid. If it’s still got a bite in the middle, you can add a bit more stock)

Add mushrooms, and cheese, stir. Add butter and continue stirring, adding a bit more stock if needed. Begin to ‘press down’ into the risotto with your spoonula so that some of the potatoes get mushed which will help to build that ‘creamy’ texture.

Finally, add a handful of washed baby greens (arugula or baby spinach) and stir till just wilted.
Taste for seasoning. Adjust if needed.

TO SERVE: Make a nice mound on plate, top with a single large juicy lamb sausage, and serve warm.

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3 as a meal.

Still speaking of food Lisa Orgler generously agreed to create an art piece from one of YOUR food photographs and donate it to be auctioned for Art Auction with a Twist over at BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine . Her love for food, art and journaling have brought her to blogging to combine all of her loves and driven her to create art from food creations. On her blog Lunchbox Project Lisa reaches out to fellow bloggers to create a masterpiece from your own photography. Thank you to all who submitted a recipe and a photo of your dish for this event.

And the winner is.........drum roll please...... Hummus and Roasted Pepper Sandwich by Hopie of Hopie's Kitchen!!!! Congratulations Hopie on the immortalization of your dish!!!

When completed the final artwork piece that Lisa has so generously donated to BloggerAid-Changing the Face of Famine will be displayed on the site for silent auction with the proceeds to the School Meals program. Stay tuned!!!!