Month: August 2016

The Urban Peasant – Salmon Latkes Recipe

Faith

Yes… I know… I’ve been on a recipe kick lately, but here is another recipe to add to the bunch!!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • 1 tin salmon
  • 2 potatoes, grated
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 tsp dill
  • 1 egg
  • fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  • Heat the frypan over medium-high, add the oil. Combine the salmon and potato then add the remaining ingredients. Scoop mixture into the pan and press to form pancakes. Cook till browned, turn over and cook a further 2 minutes.

Here is a video to show you how to make it – The Urban Peasant – Salmon Latkes

Enjoy!!!

The Urban Peasant – Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups Recipe

Faith

If I liked salmon, and I could handle multiple textures mixed together, this would be another recipe I would make, and eat if I could.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Canadian cream cheese, spreadable
  • 1/4 lb (115 g) sliced smoked salmon
  • 2 green onions, whole
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) capers

DIRECTIONS

  • Spread the tortillas with a layer of cream cheese. Lay some salmon over top, and place the green onion and a line of capers across the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up like a jellyroll and slice on a diagonal – nice appetizer for parties.

Now, if you want visual instruction, I have it for you!

The Urban Peasant – Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups

Enjoy!!!

The Urban Peasant – Salmon with Peppers & Garlic Recipe

Faith

Another recipe that I would not be able to eat. Although, looking at it, makes me want it even more. It looks really good, so I hope you enjoy it!!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 salmon steaks
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 2 coloured peppers (red, yellow or orange), chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp wine vinegar
  • a sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
  • a pinch of cayenne
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/3 cup white wine or apple juice
  • a handful of parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  • Heat a frypan over high heat, add the oil . Add the peppers and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 more minute. Push the peppers to the side of the pan and add the salmon. Cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper, and spoon some of the peppers over the salmon. Add the wine. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 6 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Here is the video for it – The Urban Peasant – Salmon with Peppers & Garlic.

Enjoy! 😀

The Urban Peasant – Chicken Salad with Pears Recipe

Faith

Another recipe that sounds really good, so I thought I’d put the recipe and video up here.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked & sliced
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thin
  • 1 pear, cored and sliced
  • 1 orange, peeled and chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • a sprig of fresh tarragon, or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS

  • Toss all of the ingredients together and serve.

Now here is the video instruction for it – The Urban Peasant – Chicken Salad with Pears.

Enjoy! 😀

 

The Urban Peasant – Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes & Ginger Recipe

Faith

So, this recipe sounds, and looks soooo good. If it weren’t for my texture sensitivity, I’d probably try this. I will provide you the video with the visual guidance, along with the recipe and directions.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped or grated
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pint (about 15) cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup frozen peas, still frozen
  • Salt
  • Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat a fry pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the chicken, ginger and garlic to the fry pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the chicken starts to change colour. Add the cherry tomatoes, water and peas. Cover and cook for another 4 minutes, or until the peas are done. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Enjoy watching the video to go along with it – The Urban Peasant – Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes & Ginger.

Enjoy! 😀

There will be more where that came from.

Para Transpo? Accessible? Not so much.

Faith

This title only begins the spew of thoughts in regards to this. I’m not usually a protester, but I had to speak up about this, so again, in another form, I am… on multiple levels. The article written about my situation with Para Transpo, and the secret donor who came forward was written by Emma Jackson, from Metro. You can find the full article here.

I will attempt to summarize what I can from this. There was a protest in January, of this year, about Para Transpo’s new buses, and people receiving letters about outstanding balances as little as $1.85 to be paid before March 1, or those people would have their service suspended, like I almost had mine, for much more to owe.

When I found out this protest, which, thankfully Steven encouraged me to go to, I wrote a letter to Para Transpo about the reason for the outstanding balance. Since I am visually impaired, or technically, legally blind as the article stated, I have a CNIB card which is valid on the regular OC Transpo service, but not on Para Transpo. I asked them about this, including a photocopy of my CNIB card, as to why they don’t accept this and their roof organization (OC Transpo), accepts it. They, however, did not give me a straight up answer.

This convinced me to go to the protest even more.

This is also why I spoke up, and I am glad I did. This, however, still does not solve the issue. Earlier today, James gave me another article that ties into this quite well. This article is based off of Ottawa’s newest service through Uber, UberAssist.

This article basically talks about how UberAssist is being much more reliable at serving people with disabilities, than Para Transpo is. Although, I could take that to a whole other dimension. This article was also written by Emma Jackson, and you can find it here.

Since my CNIB card is not valid on Para Transpo, I either have to pay for  the community bus pass, which is apron $42.00, plus extra for tickets, since you need to pay one ticket with that pass, and yet that pass is for people on low-income. Guess what? You don’t need an extra ticket on the regular system. Of course! A sheet of six bus tickets is $9.60, which is ridiculous on its own.

Depending on how much you use the service, your bus pass, plus a few sheets of bus tickets would cost you approximately $70.80, and hope to god it lasts the whole month. With UberAssist, you could use that money on trips where you know you’ll get there safely. I can’t see any competition here, as the only time I’d willingly use Para Transpo is if using my chair. Other than that, I’d say not.

Advocacy starts somewhere… even I can see this, as hard as it may be. You get somewhere, even if it isn’t the complete picture you want.

 

The Countdown Begins!

Faith

Well, actually the title is kinda false. A week from yesterday, Laura, along with someone from OMS, are bringing me my trial power chair. Only six days away!!!!! Super stoked!!! ♿

I’ve been begging for a power chair since late 2011, basically got handed the next best thing… power assist. Yet, they were concerned with my visual impairment.

Now, however, they have medical documentation that says I have tendinitis in my left shoulder, which is the same side I have Cerebral Palsy.

Now, ADP, when I say jump… you say, how high! Right? Right.

Final word = stoked… that is all!

Uncooperative Co-Op!

Faith

So, here we go again… round… I dunno.

I still can’t believe how sucky the management is for this uncooperative… yes, Glenn Haddrell, I’m talking to you. I’ve already written so many blog posts, and emails about this, and to them. I’m *still* ranting. Uncooperative, I wonder why.

Let’s go back to when I first moved in. You people wanted me to sign a contract, yet, I never got the contract, and not even in an accessible format. That’s only *one* issue. Only one… but there is more… much more.

Let’s move on… issue number two… some of the tiles in my kitchen are raising, and are becoming unsafe. If it weren’t for the fact I had company here, I totally would have fallen flat on my face… literally. Just for reference, here is a picture of how unsafe this is.

Raised Tiles

That issue has been an issue for ages, and I have emailed them, and sent in paper copies of work order forms. Did they listen yet? Nope. Thanks Glenn Haddrell… NOT!!!

Second maintenance issue… I have had a broken washing machine for two weeks, and as a result of that, my Personal Support Worker, (PSW), has to wash the things I need by hand. This can be a very tedious process. Yes, Glenn Haddrell gave me a key to the laundry room, but I really can’t get there safely… really, un-co-op? Really? Uh huh… apparently.

All this crap makes me so angry, beyond belief. I ended up writing an email to an organization to tell them of these issues. Hoping to receive an email from them. Let’s see what happens.

As my anger somewhat continues to roll off me… thanks, Uncooperative, Co-Op!

This rant is done. Spread the word!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Faith

So, all thanks to James telling me of his favourite caffeinated beverages from Starbucks, I thought I’d find a homemade recipe for one of his favourites.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup milk, divided
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup brewed expresso

DIRECTIONS

  • Whisk 1/2 cup milk, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup milk.
  • Pour milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove pulp. Return milk mixture to saucepan and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes. Add espresso and whisk until foamy, 1 minute.

Just remember to brew your expresso!! Enjoy!! 😀

Pumpkin Spice Latte