Homemade Ricotta: Two Tastes

This whole escapade into homemade cheese has made me dream and concoct different combinations of flavours to create the perfect cheesy bite. When you put all of this effort into making your own cheese, you certainly don't want to see an iota of it go to waste. That said, there is only so much fresh plain ricotta that one can consume. I don't mean that to sound blasphemous, if you think it does! The 4.25 litres of milk and cream that I used to make my homemade ricotta yielded approximately 1.25 litres of cheese... and that's a lot of cheese!

So, I sat down with my new dedicated cheese journal and started jotting down potential flavour combinations. Then I grabbed my trusty Flavor Bible (if you aren't familiar with this reference book, I would highly recommend it) and went into flavour combination overdrive. What did I have in the house? What herbs were ample in the garden? Since it is such a subtle and mellow cheese, what would complement the ricotta without overpowering it?

These are the two bites that I landed on...

Fresh tarragon and lemon zest.

Cracked black pepper, fresh strawberry, and honey.

Kale Chips

So, I went to donate blood a few weekends ago. This is not something that I particularly look forward to. I don't like needles. I typically want to sleep and be lazy afterwards to recover from the donation, so the rest of my day is done. Despite that, I like going in a different way... It is one small thing that I can do to help another person, a person who would clearly be in great need, if they require a transfusion. There was a day in my life where I required a transfusion. Where would I have been without that donation? I  just think it is something good to do. Don't feel guilty. But if you can donate, consider going to a Canadian Blood Services donation clinic sometime and giving. If wussy me can do it, so can you. :)

Thus ends the public service message portion of this post. 

Anyway, I said I went to donate blood. Unfortunately though, I was not able to donate this time. In order to donate, your blood is tested to ensure that you have adequate iron levels to be able to recover from the donation. Well....... ummmm.... my iron levels didn't measure up. *tear* Whether it was stress and life or poor eating or forgetting vitamins or whatever else, I wasn't donating that day.

As I waited to discuss this with the RN, I was trying to think about why my iron/hemoglobin levels weren't up to snuff (we're not talking far off here... I was 2 points off!! I needed 125 to donate and I registered a 123.). 

What are normal hemoglobin levels?

Normal hemoglobin levels are different in women and in men. In non-pregnant women, normal hemoglobin ranges from 120 g/L to 160 g/L (12.0 g/dL to 16.0 g/dL). In men, normal hemoglobin levels range from 140 g/L to 180 g/L (14.0 g/dL to 18.0 g/dL).

(Source: Canadian Blood Services website)

What I figure is... I sometimes let work and life and other things get in the way of being intentional about what I eat. Sometimes laziness will show me the way to a slice of pizza (albeit good pizza) from a local shop rather than to the leafy greens on the verge of going bad in my fridge. 

Which foods have the most iron?

Iron comes in two forms:

1. Heme iron, which is easily absorbed by your body.

Foods with heme iron include beef, lamb, pork, liver, veal,

chicken, turkey (the dark meat has more iron), fish and seafood. 

2. Non-heme iron, which is absorbed less readily.

Foods with non-heme iron include breakfast cereals (fortified with iron),

breads and pasta (whole grain and enriched), lentils, dried peas and beans, tofu,

seeds and nuts (pumpkin, sesame or peanut), dried fruit (raisins or apricots),

dark green, leafy vegetables, and eggs.

(Source: Canadian Blood Services website)

At the end of the day, I decided this... I would really try to put my mind to eating a colourful and well-rounded diet that will give my body the nutrients and vitamins that it needs to do and be its best. If my iron stores weren't sufficient after that a concerted effort was made, then it may just be that I need to donate less frequently than the 56 days allowed. 

As such, I went grocery shopping and filled up that cart with all sorts of fantastic foods... then went home and whipped up a batch of kale chips to help me on my way.  If you haven't gotten on the kale chip bandwagon yet, now is the time.

Paprika Candied Almonds

A few weeks ago, while enjoying a great dinner as part of a girls night, I ate the most wonderful paprika almonds. They were wonderfully salty, rich in a smoky paprika, and coloured the most perfect red. We devoured them. Then we went to a movie. Then I went home.

And then I dreamed of smoky paprika almonds. 

I adapted my recipe from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from another source as well. While I kept the sugar ratios similar, I increased the spices significantly... even sprinkling a bit of extra paprika on some of the cooling nuts afterwards.

These were ridiculously addictive. I don't know how often I can make them and have them in my house. I don't have overwhelming needs to eat all of the chocolate in the house or finish the bag of chips or spoon or spoon and spoon until I reach the bottom of the ice cream tub. I like a treat, then can typically put it away and carry on. These nuts ruined me for that. I would eat one, then two, then another five, then another handful... I. Could. Not. Stop.

And I'm okay with that. I think you'll be okay with that as well. 

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

I was trying to come up with some new snack options for myself without indulging in the office vending machine, which seems strategically placed to mock me as I pass it each time I need to use the ladies' room. Despite its token granola bars, low salt nut packs and 0 calorie beverages, if I am going to purchase an item from the vending machine, it isn't going to be faux-healthy. It is going to be a calorie-laden treat that makes the indulgence worthwhile.

Anyway... I need to curb this indulgence. While only happening once, maybe twice, in a week, that chocolate bar is just a gateway snack item... ready to coax me into a 'balanced' meal of cashews, potato chips, tuna-snack pack and soda. 

Enter: chickpeas. I wasn't in the mood for hummus... so I thought I'd come up with my hummus-inspired version of roasted chickpeas. It's a win.