Beef Wellington with Au jus
This is the perfect dish for entertaining as almost everything can be done in advance leaving the host/ess relaxed and ready to enjoy their company Beef Wellington with Au jus . To get this meal to the table all at the same time: Prepare the mushroom duxelle up to a day in advance Prep the beef up to a day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to go into the oven. Assemble the beef wellington earlier in the day and then held refrigerated until ready to bake. Pull it out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before placing in the oven. The beans can be cooked and refreshed up to a day in advance....
Read MoreDespite internal turmoil, Green Party is needed in Canada.
A commentary by the former leader of the Green Party, originally published in the Toronto Star. The nature of leadership is at the core of how democracies function when they function well — or when they function badly. With Greens, leadership is markedly different from other parties. It is deep in the bones of Greens around the world. Leaders of parties are necessary to compete in the world of politics, but our wiring is anti-hierarchical. Until the recent experience with Annamie Paul, the leader had no power. No party staff reported to him or her. The leader could not set policy, but...
Read MoreDownsizing
“I am not my stuff: we are more than our possessions. Our memories are within us, not within our things. Holding onto stuff imprisons us; letting go is freeing.” Joshua Fields Millburn In our North American Culture we tend to collect value and put a lot of emphasis on material things, the “stuff” in our lives. This really came to the fore front for me when I made frequent visits to Africa. I saw how simply the people in our village lived and though life was challenging there was a joy for life and a deep connectivity with each other that was not the norm in my...
Read MoreIn praise of the Women’s Institute (W.I.}
I want to remind us, as we struggle to stay relevant in today’s fast paced world, where we have come from. I started to read the 2013 ‘Eat B.C. cook book published by the South Island membership and I found the following mission statement and the Eat B.C. introduction very thought provoking. Trish Summerhayes. A member of the Cedar W.I. ************************************ British Columbia Women’s Institute Mission Statement: British Columbia Women’s Institute is an organization that focuses on agricultural awareness and education, community action, the family and personal...
Read MoreThis is a great way to entertain especially when you are not sure what all of your guests like to eat or how they like things cooked.
This is also perfect to share on a bright sunny day on chairs in your backyard or on your deck. Mini Beef Skewers ½ pound sirloin steak cut into bite size pieces 1 clove garlic crushed 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil Mix all of the ingredients together well and marinate overnight, refrigerated. Remove the beef from the refrigerator and skewer one eight of the meat onto each of 8 skewers. Discard the marinade and allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling. Lamb Kebobs ½ pound lamb chops, meat removed from the bone and cut into bite size...
Read MoreMarinated steaks, sauté of mushrooms, Caesar salad, garlic bread,
ice cream sundaes with summer fruit coulee Marinated steaks 1 kg sirloin steak Remove any moisture from the steak using a paper towel and place the steak in a non reactive bowl just large enough to hold the steak. (You can also marinate the steak in a sealable zip lock bag.) 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon Kikkoman reduced salt soy sauce ½ tsp hot sauce or more if you like 1 tablespoon olive oil Combine the above together well and pour over the steak. Let the steak sit in the marinade, refrigerated for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 24 hours....
Read MoreBack to Eden
For years I have been pondering the scenario of what would happen to seed supplies if the whole world suddenly became food insecure and people all around the globe started to grow food. I could not imagine what would cause such an unlikelihood, yet today here we are seeing an unprecedented reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a return to the land and expansion of food gardening not seen since the Victory Gardens of World War 2. This has caused sweeping demands in seed sales and food starts as folk who have never grown food plant food gardens, and others switch their gardens to grow...
Read MoreExciting News
Haley Healy’s second book following the success of her first “On their own terms” is now available Once again she features some of the amazing women that help to create the Vancouver Island that we now enjoy and cherish. Thank you Haley for portraying these women such a graphic way for us to enjoy. Trish Summerhayes. Publisher Island Woman Magazine. ***************************************** Flourishing and Free: More Stories of Trailblazing Women of Vancouver Island is an inspiring and eye-opening collection of true stories about sixteen women who blazed their own trails in...
Read MoreConstruction set to begin on new supportive housing building in Nanaimo
New building getting underway next week will provide secure homes with wraparound services for people in need Construction will get underway next week on a new 59-unit supportive housing building at 702 Nicol St. in South Nanaimo. The four-storey building features 52 studio suites for people experiencing homelessness in the community. In addition to the studio units, one floor will feature seven units with two beds each that will be available exclusively to vulnerable women — a service previously provided by Samaritan House at 355 Nicol St., which has been demolished in preparation for...
Read MoreKALE – NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS
Kale is not just really GOOD for you but is also one of the easiest and longest lasting garden vegetables to grow. It has the highest levels of beta-carotene of all the brassicas. It contains 10 times the Vitamin A of lettuce and 3 times the Vitamin C of oranges. It also has more B vitamins than whole wheat bread, and more calcium than milk! It is so versatile in the kitchen that Sharon Hanna describes 80 + delicious recipes in her Book of Kale, The Easy-to-Grow Superfood, everything from kale chips to smoothies and kale shepherd’s pie with lentils. Check out a 2021 seed catalogue to...
Read MoreNettle is Starting to Sprout!
Foraging in nature feeds my soul, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by such abundance My research of native plants has taught me that Stinging Nettle is a superstar! Drinking the herb tea or eating the cooked fresh leaves builds the blood; strengthens the lungs, hair, nails. It has been used to relieve seasonal allergies, who knew?! So I’ve been out harvesting nettle VERY CAREFULLY! It probably goes without saying to wear gloves, the sting can be painful. Snip nettle stem about an inch above ground to as not to destroy the plant and always leave a few, we want to continue to...
Read MoreThis Year’s First Trunk Show with Joseph Ribkoff
Ladies mark your calendars for PatrYka Designs’ Joseph Ribkoff’s Trunk Show on Saturday, April 17th from 10 am – 5:30 pm. Classic, chic, elegant, timeless, and luxurious are the words customers use to describe Joseph Ribkoff’s statement pieces and PatrYka Designs in Mill Bay is proud to carry the uniquely Canadian line. Trunk show attendees will view the most popular spring 2021 styles and enjoy a first peek at the 2021 fall collection featuring warm tones and drawing inspiration from the 70s. Joseph Ribkoff’s fashion specialist Mark Saint James will be in attendance also!...
Read MoreCoq Au Vin and Bananas Foster
To get this meal to the table all at the same time: Cut up the chicken and make the stock the day before. Chill the stock over night. Chop the pancetta ealier in the day and set aside. Prep the finishing veggies earlier in the day and cook them during the last cooking time for the chicken. The pecans can be candied several days in advance. Store them in an air tight sealed container until you finish the dessert. Prepare the sauce for the dessert up to just before adding the bananas but finish the dssert just before serving. Coq Au Vin Serves 4 1 chicken Salt and pepper as...
Read MoreAncient Healing Wisdom – Home Energy Clearing
Do you love the energy in your home? Is your home a place of refuge for you? Does the energy in your home feel nourishing and supportive? Your home should be a sacred space for you and your family. If it isn’t, a full Home Energy Clearing may be just the thing to help your household get back on track! Space holds energy! Have you ever walked into someone’s home and felt instantly better, welcomed and embraced? That’s some good energy! But even the most welcoming home needs a good energy cleaning every once and a while. With so many of us now working from home there’s a lot more energy...
Read MoreOur sister site Seniors 101 has just extended it’s reach and scope.
It has produced a Nanaimo Seniors Directory which is available not only on-line but also in PRINT!!! This is huge. Until now our 3 magazines have been strictly of the web variety. The article below was printed in our local newspaper gives a good overview of what we have done. The on-line version of the Directory can be opened from the Home page of Seniors 101 via this link https://seniors101.ca We would really appreciate any comments you might have. Thank you. Trish Summerhayes Owner/Publisher island Woman Magazine. *********************************** Printed product proves popular...
Read MoreLast year at this time I was speaking about gaining mastery over ourselves,
so that no person, no government, no idea could keep us boxed up and unable to guide ourselves as individuals and communities.This was almost prescient beyond belief when you consider how this last year has unfolded, and what has been presented to us. We also emphasized that there is a way to be master of the guidance system that will keep us on track. What is this ‘track’ ? In bearing witness to the global confusion which has erupted all over the globe this last year, it often feels like any kind of ‘mastery’ is a rough and impossible notion. Merely a speculation or a hope of the...
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