Author: natashapaterson

“Magic Mushroom Spice”

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3 cups dried mushrooms (I use a gourmet mushroom mix from Costco)
3 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp black pepper

  1. Add the mushrooms to a blender and blend until they become a fine powder.
  2. Add the other spices and give it a quick blend.
  3. Pour into jars to store or gift.

There are several recipes out there and some also use salt, onion powder, mustard powder. I prefer to keep it simple so it’s more versatile and can be used in low-salt diets if necessary. If you want to make it really simple, just blend the mushrooms. This spice add a great umami flavour to gravy, spaghetti, chili, soups…

Vegetarian Chili

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1 (14 oz) pkg extra firm tofu
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika (smoked paprika is best)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups chopped carrots and/or sweet potatoes
1 cup chopped mushroom
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped pepper

2 (28 oz) cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 (19 oz) cans black beans, drained
1 (19 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 ½ cups of broth, or water

2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cocoa
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp mushroom spice
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp pepper

  1. Crumble the tofu. Mix the oil, soy sauce and first set of spices with the tofu. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. While this is baking, you can prepare the chili.
  2. In a large pot, saute the onions, carrots and mushrooms in the olive oil until the carrots are slightly tender. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the tofu) to the pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the tofu. Taste and add more spice to your liking.

Suggestion:

Some serving ideas are: with a loaf of fresh bread and butter, or with Tostitos and cheese, or as a taco salad with lettuce, corn chips, cheese…

Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

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2 (28 oz) cans of crushed or diced tomatoes (your preference)
1 (5.5 oz) can tomato paste
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and pureed (about 2 cups)
2 zucchini, pureed (about 2 cups)
1 (227 g) pkg mushrooms, pureed (about 2 cups)
2 ribs celery, pureed, (about 1 cup)
½ roasted red pepper, pureed (about ¾ cup)
1 cup canned black beans, drained and pureed
Tofu ground beef substitute

½ cup parmesan cheese (optional)*
3 tsp “magic mushroom spice” (optional)
2 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp hot sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp pepper (or to taste)
½ tsp onion powder

  1. Pour the canned tomatoes and tomato paste in a large pot and simmer over medium-low heat.
  2. Using the food processor, mince the garlic and chop the onion. Saute in a little oil until soft. Add to the tomato sauce.
  3. One after the other, puree the carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and celery and then fry them a little to soften them before adding them to the sauce.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients and adjust to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes up to a few hours (depending on how much time you have).

This makes a very large batch and freezes very well. Also, you can adjust the amounts of different veggies according to your liking.

* Leave parmesan out to make this dairy-free and/or vegan.

Tofu Ground Beef Substitute

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1 package extra-firm tofu (about 14 ounce or 350 grams)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika

  1. Open tofu, drain water and pat dry.
  2. Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl to create a paste.
  3. Crumble the tofu into small pieces and mix it with the paste until the tofu is coated.
  4. Bake on a greased baking pan at 400 for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.

Cooking while travelling

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There are many reasons you might want to cook while travelling. You can save money; eat healthier, cater to food sensitivities; save time, and eat local ingredients.

We love travelling and have learned some tricks from buying groceries in many countries. Here they are:

Do your research

Is food cheap and easy to access? If not, you may want to make room in your suitcase to pack some extra food to save money/hassle. What food is common?

  • Bananas? You can make banana muffins or pancakes.
  • Avacados? You can make fish tacos or corn chips and guac.
  • Cheese? In some countries it’s plentiful, in others it’s very expensive.
  • Eggs? These seem pretty easy to find and are economical almost everywhere.
  • Bread? If there’s a local bakery on every corner, you know what to add to your list!

Make a basic plan

Be ready to be flexible once you get there and see what’s on sale/local… But having a basic plan is helpful. Here are a few simple ideas:

  • Pancakes
  • French toast
  • Yogurt and granola
  • Bread/pita + jam, Nutella, peanut butter or whatever is local
  • Chicken
  • Chicken broth/Noodle soup cups
  • Banana muffins
  • Brownies or chocolate mug cake
  • Protein bars

Pack smart

There are rules about what food you can/can’t travel with, so you need to do your research. But it’s handy to pack a few essentials (if allowed) to minimize what you need to buy there, especially if you only need a teaspoon or so. Here are some suggestions:

  • Reusable grocery bags
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla
  • Cocoa
  • Salt/pepper
  • Spice mixes
  • Coffee
  • Coffee whitener
  • Dark chocolate (for snacks or baking)

Shop and adapt once you arrive

Once you arrive at your destination, Google where you can find a good grocery store, or ask a local.

Check the flyer and store sales and revise your plan as needed. If you were planning to cook chicken, but beef is half the price, change your plan. If you had gin and tonic in mind but tonic is way over-priced, tequila is on sale and the limes are cheap, it’s time to Google a good margarita recipe. (Thanks for the memories Costa Rica.) Often, things that are cheap at home are expensive in other countries. For example, in Australia, chips were expensive and we wanted some crunchy snacks, so we switched over to cheese rice crackers (bonus: way fewer calories).

Remember, if you’re moving from place to place, don’t buy a lot of perishables.

Here are just a few examples of economical food we’ve eaten in different locations:

  • Australia – Rotisserie chicken sandwiches; chicken soup made with the bones; kombucha.
  • Costa Rica – Fish tacos; BBQ chicken; margaritas
  • France – Baguette and cheese; fresh bakery items for breakfast
  • Honduras – Banana muffins; guacamole
  • Israel – Pitas and humus; eggs and pancakes for breakfast
  • Italy – Pasta and fresh veggies; buns, meat and cheese for breakfast

Enjoy your trip. I can’t wait to hear about it and see what you cooked!

Grocery Sale Price Reference

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This page is a work in progress, to use as a quick reference if you’re not sure if something is a good deal or not.

The prices below are good sales (in my opinion), and the items go on for this price regularly enough that I wait for a sale and stock up. Some items (like chicken) I choose to pay more because I notice such a difference in quality.

My goal is to document common, whole food items and other staples. If you have suggestions on items you’d like me to add, shoot me a message, or leave a comment.

Unit Price Calculator

Thanks.

ItemGood priceExampleNotes
Bacon$5.50/lb ($12/kg)

$4.50
375g pkg
Zehrs
PC 1kg
$12
Dec 9/23

Costco
Kirkland 1.8kg
$18.99-$22.99 ($10.55-$12.77/kg)
Nov/Dec ’23		Costco’s price seems to fluctuate, so keep an eye on it.
Beef: Ground, lean$3.50/lbZehrs
$3.49/lb
Mar 04/23
Beef: Roast, sirloin tip$4.50/lbZehrs
$5/lb
Nov/23

Costco (2-pack)
$7.23/lb
Mar 03/23
Beef: Tenderloin, whole$10/lbOften on sale around holidays.
Cereal: Granola$0.638/100gCostco
$11.49
1.8kg Harvest Crunch
($6.38/kg)
Cereal: Mini Wheats$0.687/100gCostco
$10.99
1.6kg box
$6.87/kg

Walmart
$5.47
700g box
$7.81/kg
Chicken: Breasts, bone in, skin on$4/lbClements
$3.29/lb
Feb 16/24
Chicken: Breasts, boneless, skinless$5/lb
Zehrs
$4.77/lb
Dec 9/23

Clements
$4.65/lb
Feb 16/24
Chicken: Thighs, bone in, skin on$3/lbMetro
$3/lb
Dec 9/23

Clements
$2.72/lb
Feb 16/24
Chicken: Thighs, boneless, skinless
$4.50/lb		Zehrs
$4.77/lb
Dec 9/23

Costco
$6.81/lb
Dec 9/23

Clements
$4.42
Feb 16/24		To buy from Clements, you need to order ahead, buy 5kg min and pay cash.
Chicken: Whole$2/lb
Zehrs
$2/lb
Oct 16/23

Clements
$2.49/lb
Feb 16/24
Chicken: Wings$4/lbNo Frills
$4/lb
Feb 11/23

Costco
$11.49/kg ($5.27/lb)
Dec 1/23		Costco wings are good quality.
Chocolate$11/kg or
$1.10/100g


Costco
Chipits 2.4kg: $25.99 ($0.0108/g)

No Frills ($2 off)
Chipits 925g: $12.99 ($0.0140/g)

Costco
Kirkland 2kg: $28.99 ($0.0145/g)

No Frills
PC 300g: $5.49 ($0.0183/g)
Coffee: Decaf, beans$25/kgCostco
$24.99
750g Williams
Jul 14/23
($33.32/kg)

Zehrs
$10.99
454g Kicking Horse
Jul 14/23
($24.21/kg)
Coffee: Decaf, groundShoppers
$18.99
875g PC
– Aug/25

Costco
$32.99
1.36kg Kirkland
– Aug/25
Dairy: Butter$5/lbShoppers
$5/lb
Jul14/23

Costco
$4.95/lb
Dec11/23
Dairy: Gruyere$17/lbCostco
$16.99/450g
($37.76/kg)

Walmart
$8.17/150g
($54.47/kg)
Dairy: Yogurt$0.73/100gCostco:
$11.99
2x 850g Oikos
Dec 1/23
($0.71/100g)

Walmart
$5.49
750g Oikos
Dec 9/23
($0.73/100g)		Watch the size of container for “shrinkflation”
Eggs$3.50/dozenCostco
$7
2 dozen large

West Montroses
$3/dozen (large)
$3.35/dozen (xlarge)
Fish: Salmon, fresh$9/lb
Fish: Tilapia, fresh$6/lb
Fruit: Cantaloupe$2/eaFood Basics
$2/ea
Feb 11/23
Fruit: Lemons$2/lb or about $0.50/eaFresh Co
$3.99
2 lbs
May 3/24		1 pound = about 4 lemons.
Fruit: Pineapple$2/ea Food Basics
$1.88
Feb 11/23
Garbage bags, small compost (10L)$0.14/eaAmazon
$14.42
Box of 100
Jul 12/23
($0.14/ea)

Costcto
$14.99
Box of 125
Jul 13/23
$0.12/ea
Honey$8/kg or
$0.80/100g		Costco:
$23.99
3kg jug
($8.00/kg)

Costco
$9.99
3 x 750g
($8.88/kg)
Kombucha$0.50/100 mlCostco
$18.99
8 x 473 ml Kirkland
($5.02/liter)

Zehrs
$11.99
1.4 liters Synergy
($8.56/liter)
Maple Syrup$16/literCostco
$15.99
1 liter Kirkland

Zehrs
$16.99
1 liter Jakemans

Zehrs
$9.99
540ml can
($18.50/liter)		The dark maple syrup has more flavour. They sometimes have it at Costco.
Naan$3.762/kg
or about $0.40/naan		Costco
$4.89
1.3kg (12 naan) bag		Usually much cheaper at Costco. These freeze well.
Pasta: Dry$1.50/900g pkg
Peameal$2-3/lb
Skor Bits
Grocery Store $3.29/200g bag
($16.45/kg)

Bulk Barn: $2.14/100g ($21.40/kg)
Sugar, Brown$2/kgCostco: $3.79/2kg
Bulk Barn would need to be $0.20 / 100g to be a good deal.
Toilet paper


$0.25/roll
$0.50/double roll
Costco
$17.99
30 rolls/425 sheets
($0.60/roll.)		Approximately $0.25/roll (or $0.50/double-roll) for two ply. This makes the math easy to do in your head.

Cashmere is cheaper, but rolls only have 242 sheets, so Costco rolls are almost double the size, and I find it is better quality. 
Veggies: Broccoli$2-2.50/lb for broccoli crownsCostco
$6.99
2lb bag
Dec 9/23
($3.50/lb)		I find FreshCo usually has the best quality/price broccoli crowns
Veggies: Peppers$2/lb
Veggies: Potatoes$3 for 10 lb bagNo Frills
$2.49
Feb 11/23
Water Softener Salt$5/18kgNo Frills
$4.99 / 18.1 kg
Sep 15/24

Chicken wings, with spice rub

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1 Tbsp chili powder (or ancho chili powder, or a mix of the two)
1 Tbsp paprika (or smoked paprika, or a mix of the two)

2 tsp brown sugar

1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp mustard powder

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp thyme

2 lbs fresh or thawed chicken wings

  1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  2. Toss the chicken wings to coat them in the spice mix.
  3. Place wings on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Tip: The organic split tip wings at Costco are good. The pkg is about 4 lbs so it will do a double batch.

Nut and Seed Bars (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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1 cup coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 tsp salt

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey, warmed for easier mixing

  1. Mix the nuts, seeds and salt together.
  2. Stir in the vanilla and honey.
  3. Place a piece of parchment in an 8″ x 8″ pan. (Cut slits in the corners to get it to go up the sides nicely.)
  4. Pour the nut and seed mixture into the pan and press it down firmly with a spoon.
  5. Bake at 325 for 40-55 minutes. (Start checking them at 45 minutes, but you want to cook them until they’re slightly golden.)
  6. Optional: Melt dark chocolate and spread on top.

Every time I make this, I change the recipe a bit and it always turns out. Try any nuts or seeds (or similar ingredients) you like.

Butternut Squash Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

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Butternut-Squash-Soup1 apple, medium
1 butternut squash, medium (about 3 pounds)

1 large clove garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 tbsp cooking oil

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground

3/4 cup coconut milk, canned (use full fat for a creamier soup)
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

Pumpkin seeds, chopped (for garnish, if you like)

Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Peel the butternut squash (go around twice with a vegetable peeler), scoop out the seeds and cut into about 2” cubes. Set aside.
  2. Peel, core and chop the apple. Set aside.
  3. Sauté the oil, onion and garlic in the Instant Pot, using the sauté function for about 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant.
  4. Add the butternut squash and apple. Sprinkle on spices and pour in broth. Stir to mix.
  5. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then, quick release.
  6. Let cool for about ten minutes. Blend the soup, either using an immersion blend or a regular blender (in batches if needed). Be careful as it will still be hot.
  7. To serve, garnish with a little extra coconut milk (or sour cream), and pumpkin seeds.

Stovetop Instructions

    1. Peel the butternut squash (go around twice with a vegetable peeler), scoop out the seeds and cut into about 2” cubes. Set aside.
    2. Peel, core and chop the apple. Set aside.
    3. Saute, over medium-high heat, the oil onion and garlic for about 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant.
    4. Add the butternut squash and apple. Sprinkle on spices and pour in broth. Stir to mix.
    5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
    6. Let cool for about ten minutes. Blend the soup, either using an immersion blend or a regular blender (in batches if needed). Be careful as it will still be hot.
    7. To serve, garnish with a little extra coconut milk (or sour cream), and pumpkin seeds.

Copycat Crunch Wrap Supreme

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Crunch-Wrap-Supreme4 large tortillas

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup nacho cheese sauce (can substitute store-bought)
2 jalapeños, diced
2 avocados, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, sliced

4 small tortillas

  1. Lay the large tortillas on four plates.
  2. Layer the ingredients onto the tortillas, dividing them evenly between the four.
  3. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-low.
  4. One at a time. lay a small tortilla on top of the ingredients (in the centre) of a large tortilla. Fold the tortilla around the ingredients in a circular motion to enclose the filling. It’s a bit tricky the first time, but you’ll get the hang of it. (See image below.)
  5. Carefully, place it (folded side down) into the pan. As it cooks, it will seal the folds together.
  6. Cook for about 7 minutes, until golden. Gently flip and cook another 7 minutes.
  7. Serve with whatever dipping sauces you like (extra cheese sauce, sour cream, guacamole, salsa).

Crunch-Wrap-Supreme-Wrapping