Svetlana's Russian Salad

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The 2014 Winter Olympic Games begin today in Sochi, Russia. Athletes from all over the world come together and will compete in a variety of events. I LOVE the Winter Games. I mean, where else you get to watch sports like speed skating, short-track, freestyle ski or curling?
Yes, curling - one of the least understood and lower profile sports ever.
To me curling is nothing more that a mixture of shuffleboard and bocce on ice.
I honestly can't see where any athletic ability comes into play during curling. Throwing a stone and sweeping the ice is not like doing a crippler trick with the snowboard. However, there are some very sophisticated tactics - not to mention abilities - involved in the game of curling, that's why I enjoy watching it during the Winter Games. I have an uncanny sweeping ability, and I feel that someday, when I'm old and not able to compete in triathlons anymore, I could be a pretty decent curler, provided that I learn the tricks.
Anyways, to celebrate the beginning of the Olympic Games, today I’m making a classic Russian dish: Olivier salad, also known as Russian salad.
A salad usually made with diced boiled veggies, hard boiled egg and dressed with mayo.
But wait, this is not A recipe for Russian salad, this is my friend Svetlana’s recipe for Russian salad; and it's special.
Who’s Svetlana, you ask?
Let me do the introductions then; people, this is my friend Svet:

Easy Healthier Crock-Pot Chicken Mole

Cocoa and chilli in Mexico always symbolized power and glory. Mole is the combination of both, and for this very reason, so worthy of your attention.
Before taking any step further, let’s do the name thing. This is not “Mohl”, there’s an accent on the “e”; so “Moh-LAY.”
Mole is a sweet and spicy rich dark sauce; made with chocolate, two different kind of chiles, tomatoes, almonds, raisins, cumin, cinnamon, and onion (aka the usual suspect).

Chocolate Chia Orange Pudding

The chocolate/orange pairing is one that divides public opinion.
Some people don’t like it, others say it’s a small miracle in itself.
Personally, I’m on the fence about it.
At times the orange flavor is overpowering; on other instances, I feel the acidity alters the chocolate aroma (and not in a good way); but I can’t deny that when done right, the silky dark chocolate brightened by citrus fruit can be an outstanding combination. Worthy of any palate.

Mongolian Beef (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

As you may have noticed from many of the recipes I post, I’m a big fan of meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.
Many of you tell me that you’re so busy, you just don’t have the time to cook. This often results in lots of deliveries, takeouts, drive-thrus and less than optimal food choices.
I totally get it. On some nights, even I don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
After a long day at work (and a stop at the gym), sitting on the couch watching TV, or surfing the Net can sound A LOT more appealing than start chopping, sauteing, etc.
But since preparing your own food is key to get (and stay) healthy; it’s important to have some quick and easy recipes to rely on when you’re in a hurry (or too lazy), but still want to make yourself something delicious.
Which brings me to this Mongolian beef.

Minty-Chia Green Smoothie

It’s no secret that I’m a smoothie aficionado.
There’s something about sipping liquid food that just does it for me.
Not that I disdain chewing.
To the contrary, I for one think that jaw activity is totally underrated.
Chewing thoroughly pre-digests food, helps you eat less, and - more importantly - makes you really savor all the flavors your food has to offer.
“Chew-chew-chew, for it’s the thing to do!” the crowd screams.
There are times however when contracting the jaw muscles feels like a chore.
Say you go for a 13.1-mile run, come home starving, barely make it to shower, stomach seized up; munching is not an option.
That’s when food in liquid form (aka smoothie) saves the day.
The blender will “gnaw” the food for you and ease the burden on your mouth and digestive system.
All you’re left to do is “Sip-sip-sip!”

Roasted Garlic Thyme Butter Hasselback Potatoes

There are many things we have thanks to Sweden.
Pippi Longstocking, IKEA, H&M, Absolut Vodka, Vikings, blondes, ABBA, and Smörgåsbords, among others.
One of the lesser known are Hasselback potatoes.
These delectable thinly sliced baked potatoes - soft on the inside and super crispy on the outside - originate from the fancy Hasselbacken hotel & restaurant in Stockholm.
Just when you thought that Swedish cuisine was limited to the cafe at IKEA, followed by a jaunt round the food store before leaving the hangar sized shop...BAM! Hasselback potatoes.

Roasted Cauliflower, Tomato and Goat Cheese Casserole

A lot of people say they don’t like cauliflower.
These people have no idea what they're missing out on.
In most cases, they don’t like it because they’ve only had cauliflower that has been steamed to death.
Too much steaming turns cauliflower into mushy hot mess and makes the kitchen smell like a stink bomb detonated.
Steamed cauliflower can be so bad, it’s often covered up with a ton of cheese or slathered in white sauce and then baked into submission; a complete disaster.

Radicchio Pesto

First things first, let’s do the name thing.
It’s radicchio as in Rick, not rich. The ‘CH’ is pronounced ‘CK’ (as the famous cologne); so ra-dee-ckyoh.
Radicchio is one of those foods I think of as very grown up.
It has moustaches, monocles and wanders around the apartment in a regimental dressing gown, with the New Yorker tucked under his arm, smoking a pipe and sipping bourbon.
Radicchio is upscale and sophisticated and looks down with contempt at the dull plebeian lettuce murmuring “We are not cut from the same cloth!”
In a way, snobbish radicchio has the right to say so because it is not, strictly speaking, a variety of lettuce.
It’s a member of the chicory family that comes in several varieties, with two types being most widely available in the United States: Treviso and Chioggia. Treviso leaves are oblong with pointed ends and grow in small, tightly packed heads. Chioggia instead grown in loosely packed round heads similar in shape to lettuce. Both varieties have purple leaves with white ribs.

15-Minute Chinese Orange Chicken

Do you guys like challenges?
I’m such a sucker for challenges.
There really is something about challenges that turns my crank - and I know I’m not alone.
Sure, sometimes they won’t make any sense and be the most idiotic thing on the planet.
Such as the “melon crash helmet”.
You don't know what that is? Okay so, in the “melon crash helmet” you get a large melon. You cut it and carve it out to make a satisfactory crash helmet shape. Put it on and test it out, by having your friends throwing heavy things at/onto your head.
How cool is that?
Just kidding. I know it’s stupid, but so entertaining; really, endless hours of fun (try it and see for yourself!)

Chocolate Krantz Rolls

*Warning friends, this is an indulgence recipe. Eat in moderation and enjoy!*

This past weekend I was in the mountains with my very good friend Louise and her husband.
Louise and I have known each other since we were born — our fathers were in high-school together.
We have shared many adventures including but not limited to: Going to ski school wearing our older sibling's worn-out ski equipment and freezing to death; long and epic games of Scrabble and Risk; going to summer camps and doing all kinds of crazy/dumb things; singing karaoke in a crowded bar not caring what the other 200 patrons thought.
That kind of friendship.
I count it a blessing to have a friend like her in my life; so you can imagine how stoked I was when - just a couple of weeks ago - she announced me that she was expecting her first baby.
Lou pregnant, I still can’t believe it.
I’ve been told a pregnant woman needs pampering. Mostly from her hubby - of course - but even friends can pitch in and share the extra chores.
She needs to eat and rest well, and feel loved at all times.
To show her how much I care, I spent the weekend cooking up a storm. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. I was on fire in the kitchen.
We went out for good brisk walks in the snow, played board games and ate good food.
Quality time with friends, is there anything better?