Torviewtoronto

Green Dolphin review and giveaway

Green Dolphin products are eco safe solutions for our home. I tested three of their products; green bin deodorizer, calcium lime rust buster and stainless steel cleaner and polish. The details of each product is on this post.

I like the feeling of using eco-friendly products that doesn't have abrasives, solvents and VOCs. All the products are made in Canada and can be bought online.

Giveaway
Use the code CREATE to get 20% off

Green Dolphin would like to offer a Canadian reader of Createwithmom and Torviewtoronto a chance to win a package of Eco Auto Dishwash detergent and a bottle of coffee pot and kettle cleaner.

To enter the giveaway please leave a comment on this post or on Createwithmom before July 15th.

Please follow me on twitter and Facebook so I can let you know the winner.

Follow Green Dolphin on twitter to know about their new products and other information.

Refreshing Lipton ice tea

It is the perfect time to enjoy ice tea and cool off during summer heat. Lipton has lots of delicious flavours of ice tea varieties for us to choose from. We tried the Lemon, Green tea citrus and pomegranate raspberry ice tea that were already prepared in bottles. Lipton also has boxes with 10 sachets of flavoured ice tea that we can mix and drink.

The ice tea is made with fresh brewed tea and all natural ingredients without any preservatives, sugar or artificial flavour. The lemon flavoured ice tea is an energy booster that has a slightly sweet tart taste.
The rejuvenating green tea citrus flavour is made with green tea leaves and a combination of orange and lime flavours.

Lipton has lots of ice tea flavours that we can enjoy on its own or combined with other ingredients to make delicious entertaining drinks. Check out the Lipton ice tea Facebook page for cocktail and mocktail recipes.

Here is a summer entertaining White Citrus Sangria recipe from their Facebook

1 bottle 100% Natural Lipton green tea with citrus

1 3/4 cups white grape juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1 orange sliced

1 lemon sliced

1 lime sliced

Combine everything in a pitcher and chill for 2 hours before serving in ice filled glasses.

Interesting fact :) The annual tea drinking holiday was on June 10, 2012

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2012 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Almond cardamom whoopie pies

Almond cardamom whoopies

This Whoopie pie book is cute and written in a friendly manner. I like that the authors have placed the page numbers beside the recipes, which make it easy to access the recipes. The first whoopie pie I made are pumpkin whoopie pies, which is one of my favourite; I mostly make it during fall.
The introduction in this book is a must read as it will be useful to make whoopies.

Whoopies are soft, round shape cake/cookies that have a creamy filling. It is not quite a cake or a sandwich cookie. For me, it has a childhood taste of something that tastes similar to these yummy whoopies without the cream; I actually prefer without the cream :)
The book makes us go down our own childhood memory lane. It is definite that once you make or taste a whoopie pie it is very likely that you will enjoy it.

The cake or soft cookie part of the whoopie can be made a head of time and it can be frozen up to a month. Defrost 2 hours at room temperature before filling.
Most fillings such as buttercream stay in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature about an hour before filling. The marshmallow or whipped cream filling doesn't store well so use these right away. Assembled pies store in airtight container for up to 3 days. It can be individually wrapped and frozen up to one month.

There are lots of combinations that have been suggested and experimented in the book for us to try and get started. The book also has places where we can find hard to find ingredients, sources, places in USA where whoopies are sold and about the annual whoopie festival that is held in Pennsylvania.
This book is available online, amazon and at bookstores i.e. Chapters.

First, I tried the Classic chocolate whoopie recipe from the book, however I didn't like the strong baking soda taste in it. I am not sure if there is an error in the amount of baking soda. Although it looks good I prefer not to share the recipe as it wasn't tasty.

Then, I tried this pistachio cardamom whoopies by replacing the pistachio with almonds and it tasted fabulous. I didn't put any filling because we enjoyed the cake like cookies on its own. It had a beautiful aroma.

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (I replaced with rose water)
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup ground pistachio (or almonds, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts)

*can be replaced with a favourite spice i.e. cinnamon, ginger, ground spices
Sift flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt and leave it a side. Beat butter with the sugars until it is fluffy and smooth. Add the egg and beat well. Add vanilla or rose water and beat.
Add half of the flour mixture then buttermilk beat till incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and buttermilk beat till combined. Add the ground nuts and mix till combined.
Using an ice cream scoop (2 tbsp) drop the batter onto the baking sheet or wax paper 2" apart. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F until it is brown, I inserted a skewer to check. Leave the whoopies in the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring on to a rack to cool completely.

Giveaway on Createwithmom
The Smart Mother's guide to a better pregnancy book giveaway worldwide ends July 15th, please leave a comment on the post to enter.

Pasta with spinach, almonds and Nudo garlic flavoured oil

I had a good time at the Nudo olive oil taste testing event last week. I am very impressed by the taste of this delicious flavoured Nudo olive oil. One taste of this oil and you'll know how uniquely flavourful it is.

I tasted a few simple, healthy and delicious food preparations from the chef, Nicole Rumball at All the Best Fine Foods. I made this pasta dish at home, which is an adapted version of the orecchiette pasta the Chef served.

2 tbsp Nudo garlic flavoured olive oil
1/2 cup chopped spinach or collard
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chillie flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup pasta uncooked

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté the spinach or collard, then add the sliced almonds. Add the chillie and salt. Toss this to the cooked pasta, drizzle a tbsp of Nudo garlic flavoured oil and serve hot.
I found that we don't have to use a lot of this oil to get its flavour.

Nudo olive oil is unique in taste and is made differently compared to other extra virgin olive oil that is in the market. Nudo is an artisanal olive oil that is cold pressed by a small group of farmers in Loro Piceno La Marche, Italy. The olives are pressed within hours of picking so it is fresh with flavour. This high quality low acidity oil has high proportions of beneficial antioxidants.
I tried a few recipes with this oil and found it gives a delicious special flavour and taste that we really enjoyed. We like the aromatic smell of the flavour and the taste, which is prominent.

The flavoured Nudo oils are stone ground with the flavouring ingredients such as lemon, garlic, basil or Sicilian chillie. I really enjoyed tasting the flavoured oils at the event. I couldn't pick a favourite as all of the oils are delicious. I liked the spice in the chillie flavoured olive oil, the citrus flavour in the lemon Nudo olive oil, the taste of the flavourful herb in the basil olive oil and the delicious instant taste of garlic in the garlic flavoured oil.
When the olives are pressed with the flavouring ingredients it is more intense and has the real flavour it is supposed to have, unlike the infused oils in the market.
The production of Nudo olive oil is done in a small scale. All the ingredients are from Italy and most products are certified organic; soon all the products will be organic.
The oils are packaged in recycled tin containers, which are cute, eco friendly and preserves the quality of the oil compared to glass bottles. The flavoured oils are in 250ml containers and the cold pressed extra virgin oil is in 500ml.

Nudo olive oil is available at All the Best Fine Foods *, online and at these retailers from many parts of the world.

Olive grove Image from Nudo site

Check out Dolce Vita diaries to see delicious recipes from the owners of Nudo, Jason Gibb and Cathy Rogers. With the initiative of making consumers from all over the world feel closer to their food Nudo has an adopt a tree program. We can adopt a tree from the olive groves and receive information, photos and oil from the tree two times a year. This program provides consistent reliable payment at a fair price to the small scale farmers without depending on harvest. This advance commitment to tend their trees organically helps the labour intensive work of the farmers, as they make this healthy oil with passion for tradition and love for the real olive oil.

*All the Best Fine Foods is a speciality gourmet food store located at 1101 Yonge Street, Toronto. Jane Rodmell the author of All the best recipes is the founder of this speciality store. The store has lots of high quality, new, exclusive food that is fresh and frozen. They have an artisanal cheese room, gourmet food, different types of mayonnaise, mustards, pastas, preserves, coffee, cakes, oils, gift baskets and lots more.

All the Best Fine Foods sells seasonal soups, freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, side dishes, vegetarian specialties, casseroles that would be good to serve at the cottage, picnics, backyard, dinning etc. There are no chemical, additives or preservatives in their food. They also service catering and event planning services. It is a destination for people who enjoy high quality natural food that is from local farms.

Savoury bread toast with Avocado dip

Savoury bread toast

4 slices bread cut into 2" wide strips

1/4 tsp chillie powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or cream

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1/2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tbsp shrimp chopped finely (optional)

2 tbsp oil

Whisk the egg with cream, chillie powder, salt, onion, coriander leaves, shrimp and pour this mixture over the bread to soak.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and cook both sides on medium high heat till it is cooked, just like french toast.

Avocado dip

1 avocado

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp yogurt

pepper and salt to taste

Mash the avocado with the lemon juice until it is a smooth paste then add yogurt, salt, pepper and mix it. Serve this dip chilled or at room temperature.

This dip can also be served with tacos, nachos or spread in tostada.

Avocados From Mexico are grown in the volcanic soil of Michoacán. The versatile delicious avocados are good for cooking and baking as well.

Interesting fact: The avocado trees at Michoacán bloom year round, the only place in the world.

If you are an avocado fan or want to see how other's have used avocado then check out this Avocado from Mexico fan page.

I have added my recipe for Avocado flatbread or roti and this Savoury bread toast with avocado dip to their fan page.
Disclosure: This sponsorship is brought to you by Avocados From Mexico who we have partnered with for this promotion.

This recipe goes to yeastspotting.
All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2012 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Basic Chiffon cake from Tartine

I enjoyed looking through and following the recipes of the book, Tartine by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson. The authors of this book, as many of you know are chefs and bakery owners of Tartine in San Francisco. They use fresh seasonal ingredients in their recipes. The recipes in the book are detailed and the ingredients are reduced for home use. It is easy to follow so we can make bakery style croissants, fruit tarts and tender cakes at home.

I like the black and white images and the colourful pictures in the book. The vivid details in the introduction and other chapters of the book were interesting to read. If I visit San Francisco, I would want to taste the fresh baked pastries and goodies from Tartine bakery after reading this book :)

There are few tips and suggestions throughout the book such as leave the peel and sometimes the seeds i.e. cherry and apricot to enhance flavours in the baked goods. Leaving the apricot pit will make the desserts have an amaretto liqueur taste.

I tried a few recipes from the book, which turned out well. I am looking forward to make the quiche, chocolate cake and ginger pudding soon. There are lots more recipes such as how to make croissants, puff pastries, brioche and more.

Here is the recipe for the basic chiffon cake from the book Tartine.

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 egg yolks (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest grated
10 egg whites (1 1/3 cups)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar or lemon juice
egg whites at room temperature

Sift the flour and baking powder. Then whisk the 1 1/4 cups sugar and salt to the flour.
In a small bowl whisk oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla and lemon zest.
Make a well in the flour mixture, add the yolk mixture and whisk thoroughly and quickly for about 1 minute until it is smooth.
Beat the egg whites until it is frothy. Add the cream of tartar or lemon juice and beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Add the 1/4 cup sugar and beat on medium high speed until the whites are firm and have shiny peaks.
Add 1/3 of the beat egg whites to the yolk mixture and then fold it in gently to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining whites until combined.
Line the bottom of a 10" springform pan with 3" sides using a parchment paper cut to fit exactly. Don't grease the sides of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan smooth the top and bake in a 325F preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on top of a wire rack. Unmould the cake and then peel off the parchment.
The cake keeps well wrapped in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

This goes to cake recipes event.

Pomegranate orange juice

1 pomegranate

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

sugar to taste

2 tsp orange flower water

fresh mint sprigs for garnish optional

Remove the seeds from the pomegranate without the white pith. In a blender puree the pomegranate with the water, then strain using a fine sieve. Press the puree to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a container and add the orange juice, sugar and orange flower water. Serve with ice cubes and garnish with mint sprig.

This refreshing drink Pomegranate orange juice (Hassir roman b'limmoun) is from Cooking at the Kasbah.

This recipes goes to Sara's Event Cooking with Love Series hosted at Torviewtoronto"

Mango chutney

2 mangos cubed without peel
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp mustard seeds* slightly crushed

* I used a combination of black and brown mustard seeds.
Combine everything and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour until it gets to a thick consistency like jam, stir often.
Serve hot with rice and flatbreads or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe is from the book, The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook by Igor Brotto and Oliver Guiriec. I tried a few recipes from the 275 recipes included in this book, as I found it easy to follow and the ingredients are easy to find.
I like the variety of dishes they have included in this book. It is separated into appetizers, salads, light bites, soups, main dishes, sides, basics and condiments and desserts. The selections of recipes are not specified to any type of cuisine.
There are many dishes with a variety of flavours and combinations that we can make for any occasion. The book has a few pictures of the dishes. It is a useful book for beginners and the experienced cooks. This book is available online i.e. Amazon and at bookstores i.e. Chapters/Indigo.

This recipe goes to only series mango at Anu's site, Mango mania 99, dish name starts with M

Leek potato soup and Olive oil tasting event

1 tbsp oil
1 leek
1 cup potato cubed
1 bay leaf
1 cube of chicken or vegetable stock *
4 to 5 peppercorn
1 1/2 cups of water
2 tbsp cream (half and half or whipping cream)

*The soup cube already has salt so I didn't add any salt.
Heat oil and sauté the chopped leaks, potatoes with the bay leaf. Add the peppercorns, soup cube and water. Let it cook covered on low medium heat till the potatoes are cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep it aside to cool and puree the mixture in a blender. The bay leaf can be removed or left in the soup before pureeing.

Add about 1/4 cup water if needed and the cream. Reheat for a quick minute if you want to serve the soup warm.
My version of this soup goes to JC100.

Nudo olive oils taste testing event will be held on June 14th 12:30 to 2:30 at All the Best Fine Foods.
Located at 1101 Yonge street Toronto.
Jason Gibb, the co-founder of Nudo olive oils will be hosting a tasting of a new range of artisanal olive oils made from 100% natural Italian olives straight from the groves of Le Marche, Italy. Nicole Rumball the executive chef of All the Best Fine Foods will provide samples of delicious lunch dishes for us to taste made with Nudo oils.
Follow the event on twitter the Hashtag is #nudotoronto
See you there :)

This recipe goes to Soup kitchen and Souper sunday

Lahmajoun Middle Eastern pizza

Saha is a Canadian food company that creates authentic marinades using only natural ingredients free of additives and preservatives. I got to try Saha's unique marinades from Middle Eastern cuisine. The shawarma, shish taouk and lahmajoon marinades have delicious aromatic authentic flavours. I didn't have to add anything except for the meat. I used the sauces to create unique meals within a few minutes and impressed my family :) The marinades made my job easy and we enjoyed the meals.

People following a healthy balanced diet will like these sauce/ marinates as its cholesterol and trans fat free. The in-house chefs and experienced food development staff ensure the quality of all their products. The ingredients in all Saha products are vegetarian. The Saha site and bottle suggests vegetarian and non-veg recipes for us to use. The products are sold online and are shipped across USA and Canada. It is also available in some specialty food stores. I hope Saha products will soon become available in all stores.

I used this Lahmajoun (lah.mah.joon) sauce for a few dishes; middle eastern style pizza, stuffed cabbages and stuffed grape leaves. The origin of this sauce is from Turkey and Armenia. It is made with red peppers, tomatoes, onion and spices. The containers hold 250ml about 1 cup of sauce.

Lahmajoun middle eastern pizza

1 to 3/4 cup minced meat

1/4 to 1/2 cup sauce

4 store bought flat bread

Cook the minced meat with the sauce until the meat is cooked. Spread the cooked meat with extra sauce if needed over store bought flat bread and bake at 375F for 10 to 15 minutes.

The meat can be substituted for soy.

For the stuffed cabbages and grape leaves I used

1/2 cup minced meat

1/4 cup lahmajoun sauce

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup cooked rice

1 tbsp mint leaves

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1 green chillie chopped

Cook the minced meat and garlic with the sauce in low medium heat covered until the meat is cooked. Remove from heat. Then add the cooked rice, chopped green chillie, mint leaves and coriander leaves.

To prepare the cabbage and/ or grape leaves

Boil the grape leaves for about 3 to 4 minutes in hot water, then remove it and place in cold water. With the shiny side down, place some filling and roll the leaves tightly as you would roll spring rolls.

Place it in a pot lined with grape leaves by packing the leaves close to each other. Put about 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Place a plate or saucer over the leaves and keep something that has weight. Let the leaves cook for about 20 to 25 minutes on low medium heat until the water evaporates.

For the cabbages follow the same instructions. To make it easy to remove the leaves, place the whole cabbage into boiling water and then remove. Or carefully remove cabbage leaves and then place into boiling hot water for about 5 minutes.

I will be posting about what I made with other sauces soon :)

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