I helped Emma assemble her 30 Valentines last night. She brought them to school this morning. Sarah’s class is is exchanging theirs on Tuesday.
I’m giving blood tonight (you can too!) which I have decided is my new Valentine’s day tradition. I am a little nervous about this whole blood thing. It’s been a long time since I’ve given blood and I don’t really like needles. (Ha. Does anyone?) My mother LOVES to tell the story about how when I was a kid I had to have some blood taken. She told me that each little vial of blood of mine was going to feed a baby vampire. And I believed her. Thanks mom!
Valentine’s dinner is all planned out too. Mark and I have long eschewed dining out on Valentine’s so we’re dining in. There are a few places around Ottawa which offer catered dinners for two. We picked Thyme & Again simply because we know them best and have had some great food for Valentine’s in the past. We started ordering dinner from Thyme because of babysitter issues. (It’s too late to order, but check out their Valentine’s menu while it’s up.)
Doing special dinners this way is much cheaper than to night out on the town … especially after you factor in a bottle of wine, parking, and of course, the sitter.
This year, partly because of the shopping embargo, we’re not giving each other store-bought Valentine’s cards. In fact, we’re just going to exchange notes … no fancy card stock involved. I think I’m going to like this tradition more than the old one.
What about you? What’s Valentine’s Day like where you are?
Every February Ottawa Magazine publishes a special edition “interiors” edition which I read over to cover. This month’s issue is a particularly gorgeous, gloss fantastic and totally coffee-table quality publication.
I have an article about local designer Marion Lanktree in this issue. (Can we give a collective HOORAY for fun assignments?)
Pick up a copy and flip to page 51 and let me know what you think. :)
Marion is pictured on the front page of the Ottawa Magazine website. The photo is by a favourite local photographer of mine, Rémi Thériault. (Check out his blog for more of his work. So talented!)
Subtitled: My kids didn’t eat beans, now they do.
Remember my lament about beans?
Hummus is my secret weapon. My kids love it. They have no idea how healthy chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are for them: high protein, high fibre, low fat … and apparently chickpeas contain calcium too. Chickpeas are truly magical. And they are the main ingredient in hummus. But now I’ve made my hummus recipe even healthier … by adding beans.
Here’s my recipe. It takes about 10 minutes, not including the time it takes you to open a couple of cans. :) I often make it in the morning for school lunches.
Andrea’s hummus
- 1. Peel a clove or two of garlic and throw it in a food processor. Whirl until it’s in teeny pieces.
- 2. Add two or three heaping tablespoonfuls of tahini (a.k.a. sesame seed paste, available in most grocery store chains.)
- 3. Dump one 19oz can of chickpeas* into a strainer and rinse under cold running water. See the bubbles? That’s sodium from the packing water. Yuck. Rinse the chicks until there are no more little bubbles. Add them to the garlic/tahini.
- 4. Rinse one 19 oz can of white kidney beans and add it as well.
- 5. Add a bit of lemon juice. Maybe three tablespoons or so, but feel free to use more or less. Whatev! I use a few squirts of Realemon because it’s quick, but fresh lemon juice is better.
- 6. Whirl it all together. The mixture will be a little clumpy and dry. It’s ok. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of water (while mixing) until your hummus reaches a desirable consistency. I like it a little thick, but not too thick. (Texture is a personal thing!)
* I’ve read that hummus tastes different (better?) when made out of dried chickpeas. I haven’t tried it yet. But I will!
There! You’re done. Serve with pita triangles.
(What is it about kids and dips anyway? It is because it’s interactive? Do they crave control? What can I say? Kids love dipping.)
Now for part two.
I made up a batch the other day and realized that Sarah had eaten all her pita and there was still a considerable amount of hummus left in her bowl.
“Why don’t you just eat it with a spoon?” I asked Sarah, secretly hoping she’d choose to eat the hummus and not ask for more bread. Well, she wasn’t very interested in that idea, that is, until I carved her a spoon out of a big fat carrot.
Woo hoo!
I know my carrot spoon looks more like a trowel than an actual spoon, but hey, I lack carving tools! I used a veggie peeler and a paring knife. Much to my surprise Sarah used her spoon to eat the rest of the hummus and then she ate the spoon itself. (!)
Cool huh? Oh I love it when a plan comes together.
