Marmalade Chicken

I struck out with my recent batch of orange marmalade.  Arielle, who's usually a fan of citrus and sour, complained that my concoction was too acidic. The marmalade made little Alexander's face pucker and his tongue tingle.  Epic fail, Mom! 

How to salvage a fail? Disguise it, water it down and use it as a sauce. Project Salvage-A-Fail was in full swing.

In my fridge, next to the marmalade was a package of skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Why not introduce the two in a hot skillet?

Marmalade Chicken
Chicken parts (I used 10 skinless, boneless thighs)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
3 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade (recipe here)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet with oil, brown the chicken with the garlic.

While the chicken is browning, combine the stock with the marmalade.
Pour the marmalade sauce into the skillet with the chicken. 
Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. 

Enjoy.

Marmalade chicken with quinoa and greens 

The kids gobbled up my marmalade chicken. They even asked for seconds. Mom's epic fail wasn't so lame after all.

The marmalade also works well to flavour pork chops. Mix in a teaspoon of grated ginger, a couple of tablespoons of soya sauce and tablespoon of brown sugar. Spread the zesty marinade over the chops and broil until done. 

Optimism & Orange Marmalade

Delinquent me. It's been too long since my last post. I've spent more time in hotels and restaurants than in AK's Kitchen.

A new project has brought me back to television, to launch and host a new programme dedicated to people with different abilities. 

I just wrapped up taping season one. It gave me a unique opportunity to meet some incredible, inspiring, fascinating people.

One of my guests, Nancy, lives with cerebral palsy. Barely middle aged, she's already planning ahead  because her disease accelerates the aging process. Is she worried about what the future holds for her?

Not really. Instead of worrying about tomorrow, she relishes the now. Nancy's philosophy reminds me to cherish every able moment I am blessed with.

Fresh from my latest project, I am feeling energised and optimistic. When I mistakenly bought a bag of sour oranges, I knew there was something great, waiting to be made.

My Twitter buddies at  Foodies Prints and @AMWaters suggested marmalade.

I found an easy recipe here, by Elise Bauer. The fruit prep was time-consuming. I didn't use a food thermometer, but the end product turned out great.

When life gives you sour oranges, make marmalade.

Satay Sauce

I had dinner recently with a longtime friend and colleague. She and her husband served a tasty Asian-inspired meal. The main dish was a pork tenderloin with a flavourful, fragrant satay sauce.

I had to duplicate it. I tinkered with Joanne and Michel's original recipe using ingredients I already had in my cupboard. This is my new staple sauce.

AK's Satay Sauce

The satay sauce is delicious with a stir fry of scallops and noodles.

And stirred in ground pork and vegetables.

I like to double the recipe and keep a jar of the leftover sauce for dipping and marinating. It adds zing to chicken drumsticks, wontons, noodles, rice, tofu, grilled veggies.

AK's Satay Sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 piece of fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons soya sauce
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
juice from 1 lime
3 Tablespoons peanut or almond butter (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or Sriracha chili sauce (optional)

Whisk everything together in a small sauce pan.  
Let simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens.
Enjoy!

Ability

I'm back in my kitchen. Back in familiar surroundings with the aromas and spices I missed so much when I was on the road.  

Lethbridge, Alberta

Work took me across Canada, visiting communities north and west of Ottawa, Ontario, sharing my journalistic experiences with budding reporters. My mission was to teach them the basics of news gathering and televised reporting.

With CTV News Anchor Lloyd Robertson in Sudbury, Ontario 

AK's journalism workshop in Edmonton, Alberta

Most of the participants in my workshop live without sight. Some without hearing. Others with mobility challenges and brain disorders, such as cerebral palsy.

Before embarking on my cross-country endeavour, I wondered how -- with such physical limitations -- can they possibly gather news, scan written data, write engaging stories and present their work?

Not easy. But not impossible. Will and technology can be great enablers.  

With the help of special software and ear buds or headphones, users can hear the printed word. Mechanical devices called Braillers let users tap out their text in a series of raised dots. Their fingers read their tactile writing. In other cases, super large, high contrast text makes reading possible on a computer screen. 
  
With the right tools, there need not be dis-ability, only different abilities. What may seem  impossible merely takes some creativity and extra time. 

For me, dictations apps, big fonts and the speak feature on my smart phone allow me to work.

I'm slowly easing back into my kitchen after an inspiring, energizing adventure across Canada. 

I couldn't leave you without some edible inspiration: 

Wild Sockeye Salmon on a bed of risotto

Brûléed lemon custard with crème fraîche and gold dust

Curry Cauliflower & One Inspiring Artist

My friend Paul has an extraordinary eye. Where I see fog, he sees this:

He finds beauty in what many of us overlook. Paul is going through his countless images as he prepares his home studio for this weekend's West End Studio Tour. He's showcasing his vibrant photos from his recent trip to Havana.

I've been an admirer of Paul's work ever since we were colleagues at CJOH News. We covered hundreds of thousands of stories together. He drove me to countless interviews, events and locations. Between stops, we were always on the hunt for the best cheap eats.
 
Paul was at the top of his game, winning award after award. One day, in the middle of a news scrum, the veteran cameraman could no longer operate his Betacam, his hands and arms trembling uncontrollably.

Courtesy CTV Ottawa

Turned out to be -- not depression and anxiety that doctors first diagnosed -- but a degenerative neurological disease. Parkinson's put an early end to Paul's career in TV.  It didn't hamper his passion for capturing beauty.

"Still photography is solitary, so there's a chance for reflection. When you frame up a shot, you're in the moment. And the Parkinson's is gone."

When I was going through the darkest period of my own neurological illness, Paul was my light. He would coax me out of my house with the promise of lunch at a new local dive.

These days, on a good day, Paul is busier and more energetic than most people I know. He packs his days with photography, salsa dancing, guitar playing, tennis and visits to AK's Kitchen to sample the latest experiments. For the record, Paul is 64 years young.

This is Paul's credo: "Some people say 'seize the day.' I have to seize the hour because time is short."

I'm managing my health, and I owe much of my success to Paul. He inspires me to push myself a little further and enjoy every healthy, able moment.

One of Paul's favourite dishes is curry cauliflower. Cauliflower is in season now, and it's a great source of dietary fiber. The Indian spices in this recipe add a range of nutritious benefits. What I like best about this recipe is that it is filling, flexible and frugal.

I stretched this recipe to make seven servings, plus leftovers for lunches. I simply doubled the amounts and added toasted almonds to boost the protein content.

Paul's Curry Cauliflower
Serves 4-6

• 1/2 head of cauliflower

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1/2 large onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic

• 4 small potatoes (peeled, diced and partially cooked) 

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground dried turmeric

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed

• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water or vegetable both

• 1 tomato, diced

• 1 (12 ounce) can beans, drained and rinsed

Optional but so delicious:

Toasted slivered almonds

Yogurt

chopped coriander

Separate the cauliflower into tiny florets and put aside.

In a large skillets, heat the oil.  

When the pan is very hot, add the mustard seeds. 

Once they "pop," add the other spices, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until you have a dark paste.

Add the onion and garlic, and saute until translucent.

Add the potatoes, cauliflower and water/ vegetable broth. 

Cover for about five minutes and let simmer.

Once the potatoes are soft, add tomatoes and beans.

Let simmer uncovered for another five minutes.

Serve warm with rice or naan bread. 

Top with toasted almonds, yogurt and fresh coriander.

Raw Chocolate Bliss

Craving chocolate? I found an easy, healthful substitute to a decandent chocolate truffle.

I sampled this wonderfully scrumptious dessert today, at a yoga studio of all places. If it comes from a yoga place, it's gotta be good for you, right? When I asked the yogi for the recipe, she told me that it was easier than doing the Downward Facing Dog.

Fresh dates + almonds + cocoa = Raw Chocolate Bliss

Two parts dates, two parts nuts, one part cocoa. Whiz all three ingredients in a food processor.  Presto: Raw Chocolate Bliss.
 
When I got home, I had to try it for myself. I used 1/4 cup of dates, 1/4 cup of slivered almonds and 1/8 cup of cocoa powder. I refrigerated the mixture for about ten minutes and then formed little balls with a teaspoon and my fingers.

I made eight quarter-sized balls. I took this quick picture before my little vultures dove in and cleared the plate and all surrounding crumbs.  

These tiny morsels are super filling. They're packed with fibre, anti-oxidants and a host of vitamins and nutrients.

Best of all, they leave you feeling good and satisfied, without having to do the Downward Facing Dog.

Frozen Mocha Buzz

I love it when friends play around with my recipes and come up with their own variations.

My food-loving friend, Roberta has been toying with this chocolate sorbet recipe. She tells me that anything frozen is a welcome treat with the current Oklahoma heat.

Roberta uses vanilla almond milk in place of water. Instead of hauling out her ice cream maker, she uses low-tech popsicle molds. She was so excited for me to try out her method that she sent me a special package with these popsicle molds.

My first attempt resulted in chocolate sandpaper. I was too lazy to properly dissolve all the ingredients. The undissolved cinnamon and cocoa made for an unpleasant, gritty lump.

Here's another note of caution, if you're planning to serve the treats to children, be prepared for a serious buzz. Just ask my jittery kids.

My enthusiastic boys before the Frozen Mocha Buzz kicked in. 

Frozen Mocha Buzz
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup espresso
2 cups almond or coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pour everything into a heavy sauce pan.
Stir over low to medium heat until all ingredients are well dissolved. 
When the liquid is cool, pour into popsicle molds.
Let freeze for at least five hours.
To enjoy your popsicle, run the frozen mold under hot tap water and gently wiggle out the treat. 
  

If you prefer a hot drink, this recipe also makes a delicious Hot Mocha Buzz.