Geocaching in the Gulf Islands

We just got back from another fun trip to the coast. While we were there we tried geocaching for the first time. Matthew's family kindly agreed to try it, though I think they were a bit skeptical at first. Peter drove us over to Galiano on the motorboat (this picture is from the beach that was our starting point) and Matthew walked to where he could get a cell phone signal. We discovered a cache just 0.5 mi from us, so went off treasure hunting. The closer we got, the more exciting it got. It gives you that little kid thrill. Anyway, after some searching, we actually found the cache, dating at least as far back as 2003. We left something behind and went on our way, to create our own cache elsewhere on the island. This is a really addicitive little hobby, however I am beginning to think that remote locations are a better bet. Matthew and I tried to go out yesterday afternoon on our bikes to do some urban geocaching, but despite going after three separate caches, we came home empty-handed. I think that urban caches get muggled a lot more frequently because people accidentally happen upon them and don't know what they are. Attention geocachers: Please stop attempting tree caches in the city parks. They get stolen. Anyway, if we manage to find urban caches, I will update...

My Affair with Cauliflower

Cauliflower is the next B.I.G. thing! So, a few years ago I read a recipe for people who didn't want to eat sugary starches like potatoes, which basically suggested using cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes. So I boiled one up and tried to mash it and serve it for Thanksgiving or Christmas (don't remember) to Matt's mom. She tried so hard to be nice about it, but we all knew deep down inside that it wasn't the same. I abandoned the cauliflower until about a month ago.

I don't eat dairy or wheat, which makes life a little challenging when it comes to new and exciting foods. I have been getting into juicing and raw foods though, thanks to mom, which has opened up a new world of avacado smoothies with wasabi and such creations. Anyway, I decided to try cauliflower again, now that I have been armed with a new knowledge of how to puree veg.

I boiled a cauliflower and tried to "mash" it for dinner for Matt and I in the blender. I left the blender on a little too long though, and was sad to see that I had turned the "mashed" idea into more like "puree". Matt ate it anyway, as good husbands will try to do for experimental cookers, and near the end of the experience suggested that the goop might make good soup base. I almost leapt off my chair! A few days later, I made this recipe, and was thrilled with myself. It is delicious, it tastes just like a really thick, rich chowder, but it has almost no calories, no wheat, and no dairy. Woo hoo! I can use the same principle now to make corn chowder, cream of mushroom soup, etc. Hallelujah, creamy soups are back in my life.

Karie's Seafood Chowder

Boil 1/2 cauliflower until very tender. Blend until pureed. You may want to add a little water or almond milk, but you don't need to...

Sautee fresh veggies, such as carrots, onions, celery, whatever you like to have in chowder...

In a soup pot, bring 2 cups of broth (I used chicken broth) to a boil. Add the vegetables and let them simmer for a few minutes. Add seasoning or spices that you like. Then throw in about 1/2 a bag of frozen seafood mix, or freshly cooked fish, or whatever. I have used frozen mussels, calamari, clams, octopus, lightly cooked white fish, shrimp, etc. It all works. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, but not too long because you don't want your seafood tough. Remove from heat and stir in pureed cauliflower. Serve. This serve two HUGE bowls full of chowder, or four appetizer-sized bowls.

YUM YUM YUM YUM!!

P.S. KRAFT has launched a new KD that is made from...you guessed it...

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/Products/J-L/KraftDinnerBrandPage.aspx

http://www.muttleycrue.ca/

What is this all about? It is a new dog groomer that my fabulous gorgeous sister told me about. This is a picture of me with my little black dog, Scoop, my fantastic sister, her cute honey, and Chica (the corgi chihuahua princess). Why is Muttley Crue on my blog today? Because my dog is bloody difficult and the lady who owns this grooming salon in Bridgeland is totally kind, generous, and talented. She is one of the B.I.G. items from yesterday. She is also gorgeous. I have never seen a more gorgeous pet groomer in all my life.

The other B.I.G. things that happened yesterday are: 1. An old man came up to me and started a conversation with me. How he managed this I will never know because I am SHY about strangers and insecure about making conversation. Most people would not know this about me. I know this because upon watching the video of my last birthday party I realized that I come off as aloof, snotty, and uncaring, when really I am just dying inside to have something funny to say. Anyway, back to the old man, I was re-reading Harry Potter on a bench waiting for my dog to be groomed and this guy will not stop trying to talk to me so I finally look up. Kindest, bluest eyes I have seen on a 70-ish face since my Grandpa died. Best spontaneous chat with a stranger EVER. I hope his surgery goes well and I wish I had asked his name so I could send him flowers or find out if he is ok. That is a lesson. Ask their name when someone changes your life; 2. Mom gave me the B.I.G. idea; 3. I decided to abandon road rage and I did it in rush-hour traffic, with my dog whining, on a drive that should have taken 20 minutes but took over an hour. I was really zen. You have to understand what this means for me. The day before I illegally passed a Lexus on my residential street so that I could get to the dog food store 5 seconds faster. I have not admitted this atrocity to anyone; 4. Because I am now zen in my car, I narrowly avoided killing a man just 2 hours later when I was on my way to try to rent a funny movie at Blockbuster. He was going into the liquor store, looking down at his iPhone. I would have squashed his iPhone, smeared his guts all over his $250 dress shirt, and been on the cover of The Herald, had it not been for the fact that I was practising my new art of courteous driving. Seriously, it is now a game to me to see how NICE I can be while operating a motor vehicle in the Road Rage Capital of Canada; 5. I found the nicest Starbucks barista ever at Bridgeland Starbucks. I know how significant this is, because I have worked at Starbucks and most of the time I just wanted to throw steaming hot cappuccinos into the faces of the customers. Lots of foam is more noticeable when you throw a beverage at someone.