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Pork Perfection

1/22/2022

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Saturdays have long become a favourite of mine, and not just because it's the weekend.  I'd say that part is obvious. 

So why Saturdays?  It's the day my team and I get to cook and share our passion for Thermomix with others, hoping to inspire more people to create delicious, healthy, sometime indulgent, foods from the comforts of home.  Our menus vary from week-to-week. Sometimes we travel around the world virtually to share International cuisines, other times we show off our favourite dishes, and sometimes we even make our menus thematic.  The best part about Thermomix and Cookidoo (our digital recipe platform) is that the possibilities and recipes really seem to be endless - they never get boring, repetitive, or tasteless.  Did you know we have access to over 75,000 recipes from around the globe?  Mind-boggling, isn't' it!
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Cookidoo

Sousvide Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin with Warm Rice Salad

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This weekend we featured one of my favourite Pork recipes, using both my Thermomix and Joule Sousvide circulator.   The results are out of this universe, seriously!

I fired up the grill to sear the outside of my pork tenderloins, before putting both into a BPA-free Vacuum sealing bag.  My Thermomix then chopped up the garlic, shallot, parsley, and cilantro in 2 seconds, before adding some oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and chilli flakes.  One half of this mixture would make up the marinade for the pork (I added this into the bag, then vacuum sealed it), and the other half went into a bowl as the salad dressing for the warm rice salad.

I like my tenderloin to be pink and juicy, so I set my circulator to heat up to 58 ℃ (137℉). Once it reaches optimal temperature, the pork takes 1 ½ hours to cook.  Alternatively, this can also be done in the Thermomix TM6, which has the capabilities of cooking sousvide as well.  All you need is the blade cover! 

About 30 minutes before the pork would come out of its lovely bath, I started making the rice salad. The display and integrated recipe guided me every step of the way.  It prompted me to cut up my zucchini, carrots, and red pepper, all of which would be placed into the Varoma dish and tray.  I also weighed out my rice into the simmering basket, which I was also able to use as a strainer to rinse the rice.  The integrated scale in the TM6 let me know exactly how much of which ingredient I was adding to the dish/tray/basket and bowl. All that was left to do was add 1000g of water to the mixing bowl, add my simmering basket with the rice, place the lid onto of the bowl, and stack the Varoma dish and tray on top of the lid.  Again, the display prompted me every step of the way and even let me know that the rice and veggies would now steam for 25 minutes.

The timing was perfect!  As the rice and veggies finished, so did my pork tenderloins.   The beauty of sousvide is that the food will never overcook, so I was safe to leave it immersed in the hot circulating water  a little longer while I plated my meal.  I put the rice and veggies into the bowl with the dressing and tossed to mix. I removed the pork from the bag and sliced it up.  All that was left to do was plate my food.

Well, check this out!  I plated some of the salad and a few slices of the pork, and drizzled it with some extra chimichurri sauce.  All that was left was to dive into my food.  It was pretty spectacular, to say the least.

​Bon Appetit!

** Want the recipe?  Click on the recipe title to be taken to the recipe on Cookidoo.  **
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Sousvide Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin with Warm Rice Salad
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Let's do an update, shall we?

1/16/2021

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What is up, everyone! First and foremost, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that we are in the year 2022.  So much happens in a calendar year, but I hope that this new year brings everyone much health, happiness, adventures, and more.

I know it's been a long while since you've seen any new content on my blog, which was never my intention when I restarted my blogging journey. To be frank, I have no real excuse other than life got busy and the pandemic has thrown me and everyone I know off their game. ​

2021 definitely brought a lot of positivity to my neck of the woods:
  • Life as a teacher ~ I continued to teach a hybrid program with an amazing group of 6 and 7th graders (see last post) until the end of June 2021.  I am so proud of all they accomplished and the adversities they overcame as they finished their year the best way they could.  I couldn't be prouder and I am happy that I too survived a very odd year of teaching both online and in the classroom.   September 2021 saw the return of in-class teaching with heightened awareness of hand washing, distancing, and the continued use of masks. Wearing a mask all day to teach in is hard, but I know it's what's best for us all. I am also back to teaching a full class of Grade 7 - a class full of energy and inquiring minds.  

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  • Life as a fur mom ~ Loki Bear continued to keep me on my toes.  I am so happy that the teething phase is over, but I do admit I miss his cute little puppy face.  Why do dogs have to grow up so quickly? At the end of the summer, Loki went in for neutering.  I decided to wait until he was 1 year old to allow his growth plates and hormones to develop fully, the latter of which definitely did based on the frequency of things we was mounting.  Happy to report this behaviour stopped completely! Tikah continues to be the princess she knows how to be and I has grown to love her baby brother, even when he chews on her ears or jumps on her like a little lamb.  Never a dull moment over here.


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  • Backyard transformation ~ I decided to give my backyard a facelift and turn it into an oasis!  For the past 5 years it was not really being used much, and I was determined to change that.  The yard was always wet, the grass barely grew, and it was lumpy.  So, a few of my neighbours and I had turf installed. I created a rock garden, and turned the porch into a lounge, complete with a wine barrel fire-pit.  What a change!  The dogs and I spent many hours soaking up the sun, listening to the soothing sounds of the water fountain, and even roasting a few marshmallows at the fire while drinking a glass of wine and listening to some tunes. Life is great!

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  • Summer at the cabin ~ I was fortunate to be able to spend a few weeks at our families cabin in the Interior of our province.  Our cabin is new to us and needs some work, but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.  It overlooks a wonderful lake, which is filled with Rainbow Trout and gets the perfect temperature in the summer to swim and paddle-board on.  I introduced the pups to my love of paddle-boarding and they loved it!  This melts my heart.  There is something so peaceful, relaxing, and serene about paddling as the sun sets, the fish jump, the loons call, and the lake reflects like a mirror. I am looking forward to spending some more time there in the Summer of 2022!

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  • Thermomix ~ My sous-chef/kitchen assistant sure has continued to surpass all of my expectations! I have discovered some of the most amazing recipes from all over the world and have a huge list of recipes I still want to try as the weeks go on.  I am beyond excited to be able to continue sharing my passion for all things food and share my love for Thermomix with more lucky Canadians.  My business has continued to grow in 2021 and I am looking forward to what 2022 will bring.  If you would like to learn more, or you are interested in a personal cooking experience, please contact me.  
I guess life wouldn't be complete with a few downs as well:
  • April 2021 definitely threw me a curveball.  I ended up getting sick right before Easter, which turned out to be severe gallstone attacks. I subsequently underwent emergency surgery to have my gallbladder removed.  Recovery took a little longer than I would have liked, but I am thankful for our Canadian Health Care system.  This was my 3rd surgery since the start of the pandemic, and hopefully the last!  Life without a gallbladder took some time to adjust to and still requires me to eat certain foods in moderation, such as caffein and rich fatty foods, but I am now healthy and not suffering from any major GI issues.  
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  • Circus ~ It's been a year in which I wasn't really able to train on the flying trapeze as much as I would have liked to.  On top of my gallbladder issues, I've also spent a significant chunk of the year rehabbing my shoulder. My rotator cuff tendinitis kept flaring up to the point that I had to put a hold on flying to rest and strengthen it through regular physiotherapy treatments.  It's been a frustrating year to say the least, but I have made tremendous progress.  The plan moving forward is to keep working on my exercises and see my therapist on a more regular basis as prevention and ongoing maintenance.  And back up the rig I go to keep flying high!

Now that 2022 is officially here, I am excited for what's to come!  Yes, we are still in a global pandemic and that we cannot control.  However, we can continue to control how we deal with adversity, overcome challenges, and approach life with a positive attitude.  

Stay safe and stay tuned, because I intent to provide you with more content as the year progresses.  Looking forward to sharing more in the world of Thermomix, puppy dogs, fitness, and life!
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I've been published!

12/8/2020

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About a month ago, I was approached by my branch manager and was asked to answer a few questions about Thermomix and my role as an independent consultant.  I was told I may be given the opportunity to be featured in an online lifestyle magazine. The more exposure I can get, the better, so I jumped on the opportunity to do so. Plus, more people need to learn about this amazing kitchen appliance that is changing lives!
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Well, weeks went by and I still hadn't heard who was selected to be featured.  When I inquired with my branch manager, I was informed that another consultant was selected to work with the magazine.  No big deal! It's just one opportunity that didn't pan out, but that doesn't mean there won't be many more. 

I'm not entirely sure what happened, but to my utter amazement and total shock, I was forwarded a link to an online article - I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that it was my interview that they had published - WHAT???????


​"VITA is Canada’s premiere online lifestyle magazine, with a group of seven free, savvy, online e-newsletters in major Canadian cities that target educated, affluent women who are starved for time and hungry for information."

I still cannot believe that I was chosen as THE consultant to represent our entire company on a national level. I am proud to represent this amazing company - not only because I believe strongly in the quality and versatility that our appliance offers, but I get to share my passion for cooking with all of Canada! The TM6 really has changed my life. 

As I say in the article, "In today’s ever changing world, more and more people are working from home, eating in and cooking meals with families, and looking for ways to save money and time. ...The TM6 is bringing families together once again—kids will enjoy helping in the kitchen and can even take pride in the meals they make themselves with the help of guided cooking. This amazing kitchen appliance will turn any amateur and home cook into a professional chef!"

You can check out my interview by clicking here.
So where do I go from here?  My wish is for more people to discover the amazing features of the TM6! And of course, I will continue to cook delicious mouthwatering meals and share my passion with my free weekly virtual cooking classes* and cooking experiences. I'm confident that we will start to see more TM6's in kitchens across North America - it's just a matter of time!

So with that said, email me for your very own virtual cooking experience.  Let's enjoy some laughter, smiles and a fun night in, and let my sous-chef Rémy do most of the work!

*Free virtual cooking classes can be found on Eventbrite.  (Search for "The Magic of Thermomix").
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Chocolate Lovers Unite!

11/7/2020

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"Chocolate is cheaper than therapy, and you don't need an appointment." ~ author unknown.

How true is that? And it gets even cheaper and better when you get the satisfaction of making the most decadent and delicious chocolate creations yourself!   ​Thankfully, with the magic of my sous chef Rémy, making these amazing show stopper creations is a synch. ​
Cookidoo® gives you access to thousands of recipes from dozens of countries worldwide and in a variety of languages.  I will often search up and try recipes in French, German and English.. and if you find one you are curious to try, Google Translate is your friend.  A quick search for chocolate alone turns up 3333 recipes!  
custard and syrup

This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a virtual cooking experience and I showed my guests how easy it is to make Chocolate Coconut Caramel Custard and Chocolate Syrup.  Would you believe me if I said that both desserts were made in under an hour?  That includes the clean up at the end.  I particularly enjoy eating both the custard and the syrup on top of goat's milk yogurt.  I also shared some tried and true tips for making these dishes low carb and some of my favourite ways to enjoy them as well. 

Check out some other mouth watering desserts made using my Thermomix TM6!
 I'd love to share the magic that is Thermomix and host a virtual cooking class for as many of you as possible. We can customize the menu to you and your party's needs and desires. With the holidays coming up, we need more reasons for social interactions. So, let's get together virtually and have some fun, laughs and share a glass of wine or two together.

Even if we're not in the same room, we can still make the most of it.  You can message me for more info! And feel free to share with all of your friends as well.

You can also click here for more information about Thermomix.
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    This is me

    Just a simple gal living on the West Coast of Canada, sharing her love and passion for food and fitness... and her puppy dogs.

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  • Thermomix
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  • BLOG
  • Cooking must-haves
  • My Health Journey
  • About me
  • Let's connect