Today we got hit with what the media has been calling "Snowmageddon", which Environment Canada has said is the worst storm to hit this area in three years. It all seems a bit dramatic, but I won't complain because snowmageddon meant that we didn't have to leave the house all day and me and my peeps got to do some serious chillaxing. We needed it.
Today's meals were simple and, as Superboy would say "classic". They don't take a lot of time or prep but are soo satisfying and comforting...
...for breakfast SuperBoy wanted pancakes, so I whipped up some whole wheat blueberry ones. They were a hit! We eat pancakes regularly, they are easy to make, SuperBoy likes them and they have seriously been a favorite of mine for literally as long as I can remember. Pancakes and I go way back! My Mom actually still has my childhood cookbook and it's glaringly obvious which recipe was my favorite...they were the first meal I knew how to cook on my own, and also formed the foundation for my favorite childhood breakfast- Pancake Roll Ups - these were my Mom's invention. She made thin pancakes and we would roll them around a sauteed mixture of corn kernels, onion and ham. Drizzle that with syrup and you have got some serious savory/sweet goodness. Pancakes also evoke strong memories of both my Dad and my Gramps. Dad used to tell me that my pancakes were his favorite and I recall making them for him. Since he passed away before I ever had my own kitchen and did any grown up cooking, the fact that he ate, and perhaps enjoyed, my pancakes is comforting in someway. My Gramps on the other hand did eat my grownup cooking but I am not sure he ever ate my pancakes, instead they make me think of him because as a child when he used to come and visit us he would not allow my sisters and I to pour our own syrup when we ate pancakes. I would never have guessed at the time that I would smile at the thought of my grandfather rationing out syrup to us, because he would literally give us two drops!, but its memory the whole family still chuckles about...
So yeah, I kind of digressed there, clearly I am pretty passionate about my pancakes...as I was saying, we eat them regularly. Lately they have been of the oatmeal variety, with any fruit I have on hand. I love them, I think the oatmeal adds a chewy bite, but SuperBoy is not a fan. Hence the whole wheat versions we had this morning. I bought whole wheat flour as I plan to replace the white flour in our diet (I read that by just switching your white flour for whole wheat that you cut your risk of heart disease by 20%! ). Was my first time using the WWF and if not for the colour I would not have been able to really tell the difference. I suggest you make the switch too.
For lunch superboy wanted a siu bao. We love these and again for me they evoke very strong childhood memories from Jamaica, where we call them sow-bows. They are delish, and you can't get any better than BBQ pork in a freshly steamed bun can you? I am able to pick some up locally and freeze them, so all I do is steam them and we're good to go. We had those with edamame, which are another SuperBoy favorite.
The pièce de résistance today was dinner, Split Pea Soup with ham. Can we say delicioso!! I got a ham bone and some ham from my MIL this week and decided I would try my hand at making my very first split pea soup. I knew basically what I needed and after a quick recipe search and a chat with my mom I threw it together and it was a huge hit! The boys and baby NoNo loved it, Mr. P even had a second bowl and told me it is the best he has ever had, even better than his moms :) hehehe. I served it with a nice salad and toasted whole wheat bread. It was the perfect end to Snowmageddon.
Here is my basic recipe
4 stalks of celery
2 good sized onions
3 cloves garlic
ham bone (extra ham is optional)
1.5 - 2 cups split peas ( I used a mixed bag with green & yellow split peas and red lentils)
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
chilli flakes
salt
pepper
10 cups water
3 bouillon cubes
Dice and then saute celery and onions till the onions become translucent. then throw in the peas, ham bone, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, chillie flakes, salt and pepper. Once it is all combined add water and bouillon cubes. Cover pot and cook over low heat until the peas are cooked ( you'll know because they will become mushy - about 2 hours on a low heat).
Dice your carrots and put them in at the end so they still have a bit of bite and throw in any extra ham you want. Soooo easy and sooo good!
Today I am reminded that simple food is still good food and you don't have to do a lot in the kitchen to get great results....
D
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