PRIDE 2013 CLIP ‘N’ SAVE :: Canada’s Pride Season has us tightly wrapped in its rainbow glitter embrace and TheGGN has everything from diet to detox all mapped out for you. Bookmark as you plan your 2013 Pride Celebrations start to finish; now is not the time to serve butter chicken or show off your chocolate fountain.
The Welcome Drink: As your Pride guests arrive, serve them Blueberry Lemonade. Add 2 oz. McGuinness Blueberry Pancake Liquor to every 4 oz of lemonade. Do serve real lemonade:
- 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
- 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
- 1 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
- 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)
The Blueberry Pancake liquor is sweet in itself, so play with the sugar in the lemonade recipe to taste.
The Cocktail: Take advantage of what’s available this time of year (you can serve the standard classics any old time). We love serving our friends a Watermelon Basil Chill.
- 2 oz. vodka (we prefer Iceberg, pictured below)
- 4 basil leaves peeled
- fresh ginger slices
- 2 chunks of watermelon
- 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- ginger ale
In a cocktail shaker muddle 3 basil leaves with ginger, simple syrup and watermelon chunks. Add vodka and lime juice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass, top with ginger ales and garnish with basil leaves and watermelon.
The Meal No one likes to party on a full stomach, so keep the menu light. We love these Panko Scallop Cakes, sub the scallops with chicken for those non-seafood lovers on your guest-list.
Ingredients – 1 1/2 pounds fresh sea scallops, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Vegetable oil
Prep: Mix first 9 ingredients and 1 1/2 cups panko in large bowl to blend. Cover mixture and refrigerate 1 hour. Place remaining 2 cups panko on large plate. Form scallop mixture into balls, using 1 heaping tablespoon for each. Coat in panko, flattening slightly. Heat enough vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat to come 1/4 inch up sides of pan. Working in batches, sauté scallop cakes until golden and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer scallop cakes to paper towels to drain. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat on baking sheet in 350°F oven 8 minutes.) Transfer scallop cakes to platter.
*Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) can be found at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.
Pair this amazing dish with one of our favourite whites, pictured above: Huff Estates Riesling Off Dry 2011 (LCBO Vintages # 155606)
Win a Norwegian Cruise to The Bahamas! Click here.
The Drinkable Dessert: The drinkable dessert ranks in the top ten new culinary trends for 2013. Put the cheesecake away, in other words, and sip this Glazed Caribbean to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- 2 oz. McGuinness Glazed Donut Liquor
- 1 oz. Malibu
- A splash of pineapple juice
- A splash of cranberry juice
Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice in a highball glass.
The Fuel: When we discovered Square Snacks, we did a graceful cartwheel. Owned by women who happened to be members of the LGBT community, Square Snacks was developed by a nutritionist, uses ingredients you can actually recognize, things your body can use when you eat it: oats, molasses, cherries, hazelnuts, pea protein, coconut, sunflower seeds, pumping seeds, wheat grass. Food, in other words. Great for travel too, our favourite is the Cocoa Cravings flavour; the line also includes Fruit and Nut Boost and Hazelnut Cherry. It’s enough to tide you over until your next meal, but take two if you’re actually super hungry. Order online. Pair with coconut water, which is an amazing source of electrolytes, super-hydrating, and detoxifying. And tasty. So tasty.
The Detox: The party is over, the fat lady has sung, you’ve woken up next to someone you don’t recall meeting and it might even be Wednesday. Time to consider calling it a day.
You’re sore all over – and then there’s your insides. Most people don’t know that the gut – your body’s second brain; 70% of immune responses originate there – take a beating during Pride treating. We use Bio-K+. Forget all those yoghurt commercials. Bio-K is the real pro-biotic deal with over 50 billion active bacteria per bottle to promote intestinal micorflora.
As you make your way back to reality, detour into the shops and grab these foods to help detoxify your liver (don’t forget more coconut water):
- Beetroot juice is a great liver detoxifier. Mix it with cucumber, lemon, ginger and celery for extra punch.
- Goji berries are great because they contain B6, B9 and B12. Add them to breakfast, salads, smoothies or just snack on them.
- Raw foods are your friend right now. They contain many more metals and vitamins compared to cooked. Lots of salads right how, Gorgeous. Good night, and Happy Pride.
* Consult your doctor before beginning any changes to your current diet and supplement regime.
