I did something completely different on the culinary front for Christmas this year.
I invited the family to vote on Christmas dinner. I went about it by creating a menu with three categories: appetizer, main dish and dessert and listed three food options within each category. The menu was circulated electronically and the boys were asked to vote quietly on their top food choice in each category (they would only find out on Christmas day which selections won). In the event of a three-way tie in any category, mom would get the deciding vote, otherwise, majority rule.
I thought it would be a fun way to mark our first Christmas in the new home. In the end, it was also well worth the effort. I will admit to some intermittent anxiety — that moment when you wake up at 2 am and think: did I really say that I was going to make herbed mushroom, garlic & onion sauté cradled in a pillow of sour cream and served on miniature pancakes? And was I fully baked at the time?
To make the process interesting for yours truly, I offered up suggestions that I’d been wanting to make for some time now. A mix of classics and curious inventions. I kept food photography out of it so I could relax and just enjoy the actual cooking process (and Christmas day!).
In case you’re curious, here’s a little summary of the winning selections: the chosen appetizer was indeed as described above: pan-seared herbed mushrooms, garlic & onion cradled in a pillow of sour cream and served on warm miniature pancakes. I survived it and I’m glad I did. This was a delectable little creation that was inspired in part by a conversation with a girlfriend, in part by this post, and in part by my meddling noggin. This is definitely one that I will blog about in the future.
The winning main dish was this classic. I’m so glad I made it! It’s the funniest recipe though — have you made it? It’s quite unconventional (old fashioned?) in its construction and maybe mildly convoluted. I found myself reading it several times to get a handle on it and also wondered about the wisdom of some of the seemingly arbitrary steps — but who am I to argue with the famed dish and its creator. So, I followed the instructions as closely as I can ever bring myself to and in the end, it was a mouth-watering meal that was loved by all (phew!) — I served it with wild rice, julienned carrots and seared baby onions. Not a drop left on anyone’s plate.
Dessert was this obscenity. Even with half the sugar it was divine (and seemingly still quite sweet). Silk on the tongue. But beware, very rich, a sliver will do y’a. Next time I make it I will focus on the crust which was somewhat lackluster – walnut perhaps.
I hope you all had some fun kitchen adventures as well!
I spent all of last week reading these blender reviews and decided on one, today, I’m recharging with this antioxidant-rich rejuvenating green tea smoothie… so delicious and full of beautiful ingredients. Versatile too — don’t forget, there are always options, so feel free to make this lovely your own.
Oh, one last thing… Inspired Edibles returns in the New Year with a new Nutrition Series! I’m excited to offer you some focused nutrition information in addition to recipes, photography and life stories.
Until then, be well and have a joyous new year’s celebration!
- 1 cup almond milk or milk/water beverage of choice (see notes)
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 frozen banana, chopped
- 1 green apple, skin-on, chopped
- ½ avocado
- handful walnuts or nut/seed of choice
- 2 heaping tsp matcha (green tea powder)
- 2 tsp maple syrup (or to taste)
- splash of fresh lemon juice to taste
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until ingredients are broken down and well integrated.
- Add more fluid as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
2. I enjoy a fairly dilute smoothie (I find it easier to drink), but if you prefer something thicker simply reduce the fluid at the outset.
3. You can use any milk beverage of choice or water (coconut water is also lovely).
4. Feel free to use whatever fruit and/or dark leafy greens you have on hand for this recipe. Smoothies are versatile and generally quite forgiving :) so have fun with it and taste test as you go along to achieve desired result.
5. Matcha tea is made from green tea leaves that have been finely milled into a silky, radiant green powder. When you drink matcha you are benefiting from the entire green tea leaf, not just the brewed water from the leaf. Matcha is considered amongst the highest quality green teas with one of most concentrated antioxidant contents.
6. Avocado not only tastes delicious, it is also endowed with gorgeous, nutritive properties. An excellent source of heart healthy monounsaturated fat, avocado is also rich in lutein, a carotenoid that operates to help protect our eyes from disease. Other health supporters found in the avocado include: fibre, folate, vitamin K, vitamin E, and vitamin B5.
7. Dark Leafies! Studies continue to link spinach, and other dark leafy vegetables, to a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. The vitamin E content in dark leafy vegetables is also said to protect our brain cells against oxidative damage, helping keep our minds healthy as we age.
Oh my gosh, you are hilarious! That’s the coolest thing ever…a vote for Christmas dinner! It sounds like everything was delicious!! I feel like all I’ve done since coming home is EAT….it’s time to get back on track with green smoothies like this one. I’m currently drinking a kale-orange juice…everyone around me seems to have a cold and I do not plan on getting one! ;-)
I’m really looking forward to your new nutrition series!!
Happy New Year Kelly! :-) xo
Happy new year KoKo! Your kale orange drink sounds pretty wonderful to me… yes, time to shift gears for sure. first nutrition segment is up on the blog! cheers.
Happy 2015! Sounds like you had a wonderful first Christmas in your new home! Love that meal and what a fun way you put it together. It would be interesting to know what the other options were. :) I was in the same frame of mind on Christmas – no photography. Just have fun in the kitchen, spending time together and enjoying a day of no pressure, no interruptions and no surprises. Now like you, I need to get back to eating more healthy. I ate WAY too much over the holidays! Your smoothie is a great start and who would love matcha in the morning? Very tasty Kelly!
let’s see…
appetizers also included a pureed apple, carrot and creamy peanut butter soup/ and/ a homemade fresh salsa with three different types of peppers and blue corn chips.
mains included a martha stewart roast pork with sweet potato and apple/ and/ fully loaded vegetarian soft tacos.
dessert included fresh lemon mousse/ and/ tiramisu
there were no unanimous selections (but everyone got at least one of their top choices) and no three-way ties :)
Happy New Year MJ!
It is nearing that time of year where I think of smoothies to pay penance for the sins of the holiday eating!
yup :)
What a great idea for your holiday dinner (and so glad you took a break from the photos – I did, too, and it was sooooo nice)! Must try your smoothie – got a Vitamix for Christmas – so unexpected! Need to get my hands on some Matcha tea powder – haven’t tried it at home. Thanks for a great recipe and Happy New Year!
ooh, a Vitamix, how fun! Santa was good to you I see :) Happy New Year Patricia — all the best for 2015.
What a fun (and nerve racking) game for the chef in the house! But it definitely sounds like you all had a delicious Christmas. I’ve definitely been thinking more about smoothies and healthy foods after all I indulged in this holiday season. Hope you have a very Happy New Year!
I love the little reindeer taking a soak in your smoothie ;) XXX
the reindeer make me smile too :) My sister and I discovered these adorable spoons on pinterest in the lead-up to the holidays and she surprised me with them as a Christmas gift…♡
Gorgeous photographs and a most welcome refreshing healthy touch during this lazy period when I keep on eating food which is soooo rich… And, as you might know, matcha is the love of my life! Avocado and matcha sound so incredible together… You are the only one to have invented such a creative combination.
I love the idea of voting for dishes and the choices were excellent! I will certainly copy it next time I organise any dinner or party. I’m looking forward to reading your 2015 posts! Happy New Year!!!
thank you Sissi! I did find matcha and avocado to be a very nice “matcha-up” :) oh dear…haha. The voting was really fun, I highly recommend it. I did have a thought though that next year I might allot each of the winning courses to each of the members of this family to make :) we used to have something like that in place on Sundays — two of us would prepare a surprise meal for the family and then we would switch to the other two the following weekend… It didn’t seem to last very long though before mom took over cooking everything again :).
What an incredible feast Kelly, you put our ordinary Turkey dinner to shame! I can’t wait to see the mushroom recipe, it sounds divine. BB is JTs specialty so I’ve never made it. He uses Julia Child’s recipe but never has to reduce the sauce, it’s always thick and rich and luscious! I sure could use that smoothie, I’m so tired of all of the rich foods from this time of year.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful Christmas memory with me in the comments of my Christmas post, I’m delighted that your memories were similar to mine (less 8 kids!). I wanted to give my niece and nephew a glimps into our childhood as their dad (my brother) is a typical guy and their Christmas is based on his wife’s customs.
I wish you and your family a very happy new year, filled with joy, laughter and good health. XOXO
interesting… is reducing Julia’s BB sauce common? I ask because I did end up thickening the sauce. At the 2 +1/2 hour mark I was a wee bit concerned that the sauce was too dilute. I added 2 Tbsp of tapioca flour (my fave thickener) and it worked like a charm! At the 3 hour mark the sauce was rich and creamy without being chunky :). I hope the rest of your holiday was fabulous Eva! Happy New year to you and JT, xx.
I love the addition of Matcha tea powder in this green smoothie! I have some in the cupboard from baking and have been wondering what to do with the rest of it. Thanks!
Thanks so much for stopping by Amy – matcha is reputed to be the most antioxidant rich of the green teas… definitely worth working in to the diet :) — I also find it delicious. I have a board dedicated to matcha recipes on Pinterest if you are looking for inspiration. Cheers and all the best for the new year!
Beautiful Kelly! Love the story and the success with the Bourguignon. I have always wanted to make it. Will my skill render the recipe a success with my family is the question?!
Glad to hear your first Christmas in your new home was a special and tasty one
Nice smoothie- must try this one :) great pic as well.
Hi Lynn! What a nice surprise to see you here during the holidays… thanks for stopping by. There is nothing complicated about the bourguignon prep – it’s the instructions that are a bit cumbersome but maybe I’m just not used to following recipes :). I hope you’re having a great time with your family. Have you gone skiing? Happy New Year!
Sounds like an AMAZING Christmas dinner! Is it totally Canadian to make turkey on Christmas day? I feel like maybe it is. Perhaps Americans are turkey-d out by the November turkey festivities. Or maybe it’s just a thing in my family…the turkey I mean. I much prefer the beef bourg idea. Yummmmmmmm!
And this smoothie…a nice counterpoint :-). I definitely could use that smoothie right now. Like RIGHT now. I’m feeling a little sugar heavy at the moment.
Hope you had a happy holiday! Here’s to a yummy start to 2015….sounds like you have some good stuff in store!
the bourg was indeed delish. Turkey is definitely the convention in the US as it is in Canada, we’re just weird – can’t remember the last time I cooked a bird (rebels you know ;-).
Yeah, I was thinking I might start with the whole sugar thing for the nutrition series — suggestions are welcome! Happy New Year to you and your family! We will have to meet up for a bevvy the next time I’m in T.O. xx
“…cradled in a pillow of sour cream and served on warm miniature pancakes” wow… are you sure you don’t have an extra chair around your Christmas table? I could make special travel arrangements for next year :D lucky boys!! (I’m not surprised they picked this one though it might give me anxiety too ;-) like everyone else, I would love to see this appetizer up on your blog sometime!
I’ve never heard of a green tea smoothie and I think this is just a brilliant way to incorporate it into a living food. I like how you’ve worked so many healthy ingredients into this drink — it’s just beautiful too… tell me, is that a reindeer poking out of your smoothie? So cute!
Haha, I ended up being the victim of my own description there Elizabeth…I should have known that if my boys heard the words “warm fluffy miniature pancakes” it would be all over :) I actually broke the recipe down into two parts — made the pancakes ahead of time and froze them — they worked out great! Stay tuned for the method sometime on the blog. Thanks so much for your support this year — you really cheer me on and I am so appreciative. All the best to you and yours in 2015!
p.s. isn’t that deer the cutest? It’s actually a spoon on the other end! It was a Christmas gift from my sister :) love it.
I did make Boeuf Bourguignon once, the exact recipe you showed, and it is one of Phil’s favorites
that French Silk pie – indeed….. no words necessary, just a few miles up and down the street, repeated 8 times. Might not be enough though… ;-)
I am wondering if you will at some point repeat the appetizer course and share in your blog – I completely understand avoid the photos and all, I often do that when it’s a special meal and I want to concentrate on the moment.
Happy New Year!
Hi Sally! Do you know what my husband’s first reaction was when I mentioned my excitement about boeuf bourguignon? “isn’t that a peasant dish?” talk about a killjoy (historian nerd!) — he’s absolutely right but… the recipe is a classic and has become loved and appreciated in a whole new way in the modern era. And yes, I’m with Phil, DELICIOUS! I think the G-man was literally eating his words on Christmas day :) heeheeh. Thanks for all your support this year Sally! Wishing you, Phil and the four-leggeds a great 2015! xx
Same to you and your beautiful family in beautiful California!
You made me laugh with the baked comment :) and I know that 2 am rise thing well, glad everything worked out in the end. What a fun and thoughtful idea for Christmas dinner – quite the menu too. My question is, did you do all the cooking? you’re a star. I’ve never made Julia Child’s beef bourguignon and now you have me especially wanting to.
This gorgeous green tea smoothie could not have come at a better time! I was just telling my husband last night how I need to shift gears and this looks like the perfect way to start. Love the colors in your images; so pretty. Can’t wait for your nutrition series!! Happy New Year Kelly.
The cooking was done by yours truly indeed but you know I did have a thought that it would be really fun to allot a course to each family member next year :) This juice is a really nice way to reset after the holidays… I hope you enjoy it and that you have a fun and fulfilling year ahead Clare. Thank you kindly for your support!
I have never tried the combo of green tea and avocado..and I love the idea. The smoothie looks so good for you!
I look forward to your herbed mushrooms recipe!
Happy New Year!
Angie
Thanks Angie – I think you would really like this one — there’s a lot going on nutrition wise and it comes together really nicely :) I hope you have a beautiful new year – all the best in 2015! xx