Grilled Corn California Mexican Quinoa

Homework... I thought it was a thing of the past.  But faced with an end of semester Spanish ll project including "creating a recipe with origins in a Spanish speaking country, photographing it and researching the ingredients" I volunteered to help when Liv needed to finish an ACT practice test.  (This has been the summer of extra "get-ahead" work for this girl...)  Recipes, photos and ingredient research, all kind of right up my alley.

Living in San Diego just 52 miles from the Mexican Border where Mexican food is akin to life itself, Mexico became our Spanish speaking country of choice.

Now for ingredients... corn?  Historians believe that people living in what we now call Central Mexico developed corn over 7,000 years ago.  Known as Maize, the corn didn't look, exactly as it does today, but the cobs with small kernels farther apart became a crop the Indians of South as well as North America heavily depended upon for much of their food.

As important as corn was to the indiginous Mexicans, so were beans, and you will find much of Mexican food based on these two ingredients.  Apparently neither food on it's own provides a full complement of amino acids needed for protein synthesis, however put the the two together they do.

More recently, cilantro and lime have become known a quintessential Mexican ingredients.  While they may not have thousands of years of history in the country, it's said that the conquistadors brought coriander seeds, cilantro, to Mexico in the 1500's.  And as for limes, Mexico has been the largest exporter of the fruit since at least the 1950's.

Next we have my beloved avocado.  Said to be a native of Mexico, the fruit is believed to have originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico where the oldest avocado artifacts have been found - dating back to 10,000 BC.  Today though, California produces over 90% of the cultivated avocado crop.

Jalapeño... it's name taken from the Jalapa, the capital city of Veracruz Mexico, the jalapeño is the most widely grown chili in the country and has a history dating back to the Aztecs who smoked the chiles to preserve them.

And lastly quinoa.  While not exactly from Mexico, quinoa originates from the mountains of Peru and Bolivia - which are both Spanish speaking countries and therefore fit our homework bill.

And there we have it.  A dish filled with modern and historical Mexican ingredients which are also popular in California and considered quintessential Mexican Cuisine.  Mix them all together and we simply have what I call "dinner".  The leftovers??  We call them "lunch".  My homework here is done.

Coconut Lime Cashew Cream (Crema)

What's a taco without crema??  That luscious, creaminess that brings all the flavors together and also kills the heat when spice gets a little out of hand.

Crema became one of the most missed things when my son turned lactose intolerant, and for years we've just gone without.  But home for the summer, he asked if we could try to recreate one of his favorite recipes,  Grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa, with some sort of dairy-free alternative.

My son's all time favorite dish... Grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

We've tried before, and while the tacos are always a treat, they just aren't the same without the crema.  I've stressed over the fact that I just haven't been able to come up with a satisfying dairy-free version, but turning to some of my favorite vegan books the time had come to give cashew cream a try.

Not one to always plan ahead I found a few recipes that didn't require soaking the cashews (so long as you have a handy dandy high powered blender - we have a Blendtec ).  

Following recipes including almond milk and cashews, the crema was okay.  Satisfactory in that it did the trick, brought that creaminess to the taco, but didn't add much else.

And then we tried coconut milk.  Oh my heavens!!  Beyond satisfactory, Coconut Lime Cashew Cream totally rocks!  A little tropical in flavor, but not overly coconutty, the coconut added a dimension that brought the whole taco together and had us spooning on just a little extra on, well, on everything.

Just a few ingredients and a blender and you're set... dairy-free lime crema that will leave your dairy eating friends totally jealous.

Classic Pico de Gallo Salsa

Many times college days don't bring the best nutrition.  However, I have to admit I spent my college years practically living on salsa, and I hereby propose the concoction to be its own food group.

Filled with juicy tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro and a squeeze of lime, we can't really get more "fresh", can we?  And while it might be a

Instagram shot with a shot!  :)

stretch, if we add organic corn tortilla chips, we've now added corn too.  Heck... toss in a side of guacamole and we have a full meal!  But I'll save that one for another post.

In all sincerity, salsa really can be a healthy food, but you do have to be careful.  Many store bought jars can be filled with not so desirable ingredients, like added oils or sugars.  Really, do we need sugar in salsa?

Hence, making your own keeps the ingredients list in your control, and while your at it you can tweak the flavors to your personal preference.  This easy Pico de Gallo Salsa version is a snap to put together, and when you bring this bursting with flavor food group condiment to your next Cinco de Mayo gathering you're sure to be the hit of the party.

Fresh, simple, and so much more flavorful than the jar, keep an eye out for beautiful (or even not beautiful), ripe tomatoes at your local markets, and you too can call salsa dinner.

Mexican Chicken Tortilla and Rice Soup

Chicken soup... it's good for the soul, right?  Liv completely agrees.  A year or so ago she found her love of chicken soup (she prefers potatoes and noodles usually) and has now (finally!)  branched out to flavors beyond the norm.

Her request last night to "make something with cilantro" led me to this spin on one of our favorites, Tortilla Soup.  Filled with her chicken soup faves - carrot, onion and chicken - we thickened the mix with a chopped tortilla.  Substituting rice for the noodles and potatoes, and adding beans and tomato, we had a Mexican flavor of her favorite comfort food.

Topped with avocado, a sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips and handful of the requested cilantro, I pretended not to watch as she hesitantly took her first taste.  Her quick smile told me we'd found something good, and the empty bowl moments later proved it.

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Did you whip up a batch of Classic Guacamole today??  Or perhaps it was a nice Grilled Tomatillo Mango Salsa?  And when you were at the store did you get all the ingredients on your list... except the tortilla chips??  I just may have done exactly that, but my to my family's happiness all was not lost.  Actually... all was better.

Tomatillo Mango Salsa

Spying a bag of corn tortillas in my pantry my mind went to work.  Hmmm... DIY Corn Tortilla Chips??  Probably made with corn tortillas, right?

Pulling out a few of the fragrant rounds (I love the smell of corn tortillas) we cut them into triangles and strips (and yes... they really can be cut with a cutter into heart shapes too), drizzled with our favorite avocado oil, sprinkled with a few pinches of smoked paprika and a grind of salt and we baked.  And then we ate.

Nicely salted, flavored and crisped to perfection, these Baked Corn Tortilla Chips brought a fraction of the fat than the store bought bags, and the whole family actually begged for another batch.

20 minutes is all you need to whip up a crispy batch of your own.  Now you're happy you forgot that bag at the store!!

20 minutes and a stack of corn tortillas is all your need for fresh, crispy chips!

California Farm Tour and a California Mexican Rice Bowl

"Do you know where these vegetables come from?" A question I remember asking my kids years ago as we wandered the grocery store.  

"From the, uh, the vegetable store...?", was always their questioning answer.

The vegetable store indeed.  But where is that vegetable store?  Or the fruit store for that matter?

Just last week I received the answer to those questions as I participated in a behind the scenes tour of various farms in Southern California's Imperial and Coachella Valleys.  As guests of the California Farm Water Coalition, fellow bloggers Priscilla (She's Cookin'), Barbara (Barbara Cooks) and Jeanne (The Jolly Tomato),  and I visited local farms growing produce making up some 60% of our nation's winter supply.

Located in the very south of Southern California, the Imperial Valley boasts mild winter temperatures making it the perfect growing venue for winter vegetables including spinach, various types of lettuce, carrots, onions and broccoli, among numerous other varieties.

Every drop counts...

However, being part of a desert brings to the forefront the issue of an average 3 inches of rain per year, nowhere near enough water to grow crops to fill local packing plants with the necessary produce to supply much of the nation's food needs.  And with current California drought conditions making matters even worse, farms are doing everything in their power to irrigate crops as efficiently as possible.

While farming may seem like "big business", most of the farms in the valleys are still family owned, and many of these families have been farming their lands for generations.  Water scarcity in recent years however, has some farmers allowing their lands to go fallow for seasons, some seasons stretching into years.

The Faces of Farming

Our tour brought us to local farmers working hard to keep their crops fully watered while staying up to date on the most efficient irrigation standards for each particular crop.  From sprinklers to drip lines, the precious water flowing from the Colorado River to the valley's irrigation canals is used at maximum efficiency.  (Read more about our tour from the Imperial Valley Press)

LaBrucherie Spinach Field

J.P. LaBrucherie, a fourth generation farmer with LaBrucherie Produce, brought our team of bloggers to one of his El Centro spinach fields and took us through the life of a spinach seed from planting to packaging.  Beginning as one of 3.5 million seeds in an acre, a spinach plant takes some 30-45 days to harvest.  Irrigated with sprinklers, these plants thrive in the local warm winter climate. 

While we missed the actual harvest, J.P. described the scene with a machine slicing the tender leaves from the plant, essentially doing what needed a field of people in the past.  The plant is then left to re-grow, but as the remaining leaves may be somewhat damaged from the initial cutting and simply not as pretty as the first round, these leaves are then cut for frozen or chopped packaging.

As an side interesting note... have you ever noticed those slender leaves in your spinach bag?  I've always wondered if they were another plant somehow mixed in by accident, however they are actually the first little leaves to emerge from the spinach sprout.  Same plant, simply a different shape.

Moving on to lettuce, J.P. brought our team to his iceberg and romaine fields.  Entering the field the scent of fresh salad wafted around us as J.P. plucked heads from the ground, broke off the root end and and served up romaine crisper than any I've ever tasted.  Beautiful specimens are actually harvested by hand and packed right there at the field, a process I'd love to see in person one day.

Irrigated by furrows, the fields are tilted ever so slightly to encourage the water to flow from one end to another while keeping the produce dry and the roots wet.

Making our way toward the Coachella Valley, our next stop brought the heavenly scent of citrus blossoms as Dennis Jensen, of Seaview Packing, took us through lemon and orange groves.  With the groves nearing the end of the picking season new growth sprouted from the freshly manicured, squared off trees, and the fragrant blossoms brought the beginning of next year's crop to life.

Lemon... 2015!

Driving through the citrus grove our van broke out into a tropical palm filled paradise and we soon discovered "the date store".  Apparently I'm the last person to know that the gorgeous "Date Palm" is actually where dates come from.  Taking us through the life cycle of a date, Mr. Jensen explained the laborious process of rising into the spiky (I've heard the spikes can puncture car tires) trees some 8 times in a season to prune, pollinate, pick, etc.

Growing the popular Medjool and Deglet Noor (meaning Tree of Light) varieties, the palms provide a beautiful Garden (did you know a Date "Grove" is properly called a Date "Garden"?) and have piqued my interest in dates.  More on that in the weeks to come...

Moving on to the orange section of the farm, workers worked at picking the last of the beautiful Valencias from the heavily laden trees.

With a family-like familiarity, Mr. Jensen greeted workers with smiles and jolly laughs, and workers spoke with thankfulness and appreciation for the opportunities on this farm.  One woman in particular spoke how Mr. Jensen had passed his knowledge of the industry to her as they worked together and she now works in management at an adjacent farm.  Her contagious laugh had us all smiling right along with her.

Taking us through the groves Mr. Jensen passed out bags giving us the opportunity to pick and pack our own oranges showing that a certain skill is indeed necessary to pick quickly and properly so as not to injure the trees and branches or oneself.  Picking oranges in quantity is not quite as easy as it might seem.

Perfectly suited to drip irrigation, lines bring water directly to the root of the trees with no wastage in the process.

Automated to bring exactly what is needed, the water is pulled from the Coachella Canal, a branch of the All-American Canal, now a lined (it used to be an earthen canal,  and is now lined with cement) canal to eliminate seepage while flowing, farmers open aqueducts to bring water into ponds which is then readily available when needed.

Coachella Canal

Making our way passed the Salton Sea, a "sea" with a fabulous history of its own, our team made its next stop with Ellen Way of Prime Time Packing.  Another generational family farmer (her family has been farming since the 1700's), Ellen's quick smile and passion for agriculture exuded from every part of her as she took us through the life cycle of a pepper plant.

The largest Pepper Grower in California, Prime Time doesn't take its title of "The Pepper People" lightly.  Bringing green, red and yellow peppers to market nearly 365 days a year, Prime Time uses conventional fields as well as hothouses screened with mesh to assure the marketplace receives high quality peppers.

"One of the richest growing regions in the world, this fertile ground and warm climate are ideal for the demands of growing premium-quality peppers. Coachella Valley is the base of Prime Time's operations. Peppers are grown both in spring and fall seasons."
Prime Time

Actually a fruit, tiny peppers form after the plant flowers.  Grown conventionally in an open field, "plastic covered beds are used to cover the ground to aid in water conservation, weed control and to protect the fruit from direct soil exposure. Modern drip irrigation systems are utilized as well as the latest cultural technology."

Hence, each little plant gets its own personal water spout and is fed and watered just the perfect amount to bring big, beautiful peppers to our markets.

And then there are the hot house varieties.  Thicker walled peppers are cultivated in mesh hot houses which allows the pepper production season to stretch year round.  Hot houses bring a longer growing season, disease and insect as well as inclement weather protection and as much as 4 times the crop when compared to conventional methods.  However, those benefits come at a cost of some 4 times as much as conventional methods.

Prime Time's conventional pepper fields - Coachella Valley

With three completely different yet very similar farms under my belt, I returned home with a new appreciation for how important farmers are to our livelihood.  We may not think of them often, but they are indeed a daily part of our lives responding to our desires without us even fully realizing it.  Here's hoping the rains see fit to drop a little rain on our parched state to keep these farmers farming.  For more information see the California Farm Water Coalition... Food grows where water flows! 

With peppers on my mind, a few gorgeous red beauties found their way onto my grill for one of our favorite, yet very simple meals.  Filled with grilled peppers (I have a feeling the are from Prime Time...!), grilled onions (probably from the Imperial Valley), brown rice, beans and a loads of fresh ingredients (including ripe avocado most likely from one of my favorite farms in Temecula), this Mexican Rice Bowl has earned a spot on the favorite list.  Join me?  And when you get the chance... thank a farmer.

Super Soft California Breakfast Tacos

With the advent of the internet, I don't often get mail anymore.  The day of the actual letter has disappeared leaving my mailbox filled mostly with unwanted bills and junk.  Hence, when the doorbell rings and my smiling mail lady presents an unexpected package, my heart does a little jump of happiness.

The kids are used to me receiving blog "stuff", and frequently show their disappointment when the box reveals something like coffee, or a blender, or avocados.  This time though, the contents of my blog box featured three fresh packages of Mission's new Super Soft Tortillas.  Looking at the over 40 tortillas in all sorts of sizes I immediately thought, "There is no way we will ever be able to eat all of those...", but the kid's enthusiasm spread like wildfire, and before I knew what was happening my son was planning breakfast for dinner.

Ever the teenage boy, tortillas have become his vehicle of choice to obtain fuel for his growing body (have I mentioned shoe costs lately??).  Who knew one could live on burritos alone?  Who knew warming a frozen burrito in the microwave was considered cooking?  Who knew my son can put together a mean Breakfast Burrito?

With comments of, "Fast food breakfast burritos are gross.", and, "All you do is wrap breakfast into the burrito and you can take it with you!", my son showed me that he does indeed have taste as well as a touch of ingenuity.

While the "Breakfast Burrito" per se is nothing new, making them in our house was new to us.  Filling Mission's Super Soft Tortillas with more ingredients than you can imagine, our family of four did indeed manage to polish off each and every one of those tortillas arriving on our doorstep.  Liv and my son preferred the full traditional, folded burrito, while my husband and I chose to make ours more taco style.

Everyone started with a base of fluffy scrambled eggs (or egg whites), but that's where the ingenuity came in.  The boy child added bacon, potatoes, avocado, black beans and tons salsa to his version, while Liv preferred spinach, peppers, avocado and a mere 1/2 tsp of salsa for a little extra kick.  My husband, saying he needs "man-food", went with the eggs, bacon, avocado and hot sauce, and my version blended a bit of all of the above.

Still working to reduce the calories that my middle-aged middle is intent collecting, I stuck to 1 whole egg plus an extra egg white.  Adding spinach, avocado, fresh tomatoes, red onion, black beans and a touch of salsa I found the perfect way to start (or finish) my day.  Reducing the carbs slightly, I stuck to the soft taco sized tortilla overflowing with the fresh ingredients, and yes... breakfast for dinner is perfect.

As for the tortillas, I've been scolded for letting our supply run low.  Wondering why I didn't think of making Breakfast Burritos before, Mission's super soft tortillas have now become a staple in our pantry.  I'm thrilled at how the kids embraced a meal that fills so many nutritional levels all wrapped up and ready to go, and I even more thrilled that my son made it himself.

Cantina Steak Burrito.... Fresh and Flavorful

With Super Bowl 2013 a thing of the past, Monday morning dawned early as the kids readied themselves to get back to school.  It was probably something to do with my three days in the kitchen prepping for our 45 person super party, but the thought of packing lunches left my desire lacking.  Leaving my son with a, "Bring the guys home for lunch and I'll have burritos",  my husband looked at me like I was a little off my rocker.

Seeing his questioning look across the table I assured him, "I got this".  Last week the people at DailyBuzz Food approached me to review Taco Bell's new "Cantina Steak Burrito", and what better audience than a pack of hungry 16 and 17-year old boys?

While I must admit that fast food has been an infrequent stop for me for the last decade or so, Taco Bell and I have a history that takes me back to my college days.  Working nights at a department store after spending a full day at school, Taco Bell fit my budget and the classic Bean Burrito was a way of life.  Filling in with the occasional Crunchy Taco, Taco Bell became my dinner of choice for quite some time during those busy years.

As sometimes happens with good friends, Taco Bell's and my paths have drifted in different directions, and for the last decade or so our relationships has been more akin to distant acquaintances.  However, it was Taco Bell's newest addition, "The Cantina Steak Burrito" and its accompanying description of a burrito "filled with flavorful ingredients including citrus-herb marinated steak, premium Latin rice, flavorful black beans, guacamole made from real Hass avocados, roasted corn and pepper salsa, and creamy cilantro dressing all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla" that caught my attention.

Created by Chef Lorena Garcia, the passion put into the recipe is obvious in her videos found on the Taco Bell site.  "Born and raised in Venezuela, Chef Lorena Garcia credits gatherings with family and friends as a major career inspiration. Traveling to, and working in, places like France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and the United States further honed Lorena’s cooking style and sensibilities. After establishing herself as a successful restaurateur and television host, Lorena brought her own personal “sazón” to Taco Bell® through our brand-new Cantina Bell™ Menu."  (credit, Taco Bell) 

Spending my post Super Bowl morning relaxing over a cup of coffee and the morning paper, I actually sent my husband to Taco Bell to pick up the burritos for the boys, and was greeted with "What do you have for us?" as the hungry pack swept into the kitchen.  Passing out the burritos, the boys sat around the outside table enjoying the mid-day San Diego sun, and I loved hearing their conversation travel from topic to topic as they polished off Taco Bell's latest offering.

As with teenage boys, not much of the conversation revolved around the food, but when asked their thoughts on the burritos I received rounds of thumbs up and happy smiles.  Making their way back to their cars it was Sam's comment of, "Same time tomorrow?" that had my heart, and off they went.

Overall conclusions...

• Teenage boy friendly?    Without a doubt
• Mom and Dad friendly?   Yes
• Bang for the buck?          Yep!  At around $5/burrito we call this budget friendly
• Convenience factor?        Very convenient - good for busy nights
• Size?                                Huge - I couldn't eat the whole thing
• Fresh ingredients?           Yes, with actual chunks of avocado (you all know how much I love avocado...) the fresh guacamole was my favorite part.
• Nutrition?  The sodium and calorie content being a bit high for my everyday consumption, this is a busy night and occasional fast food stop.  But the high dose of protein meets my picky approval.

Happy to have crossed paths after with my old friend after all these years, Taco Bell and I might not be quite as close as we once were back when I was in college, but we certainly won't be strangers anymore.  For those occasional busy nights when dance rehearsals or school activities run till long after the sun has set, the restaurant drive through makes this quick dinner easy on a busy mom, and with the burritos holding lean steak, rice, beans and a decent dose of fresh guacamole, the Cantina Steak Burrito works for me.

And on a side note... did you see the Taco Bell Super Bowl Ad?  I agree.... 

"Liv" Mas!!

 


This post is sponsored by Taco Bell. See how great our steak is when you try the new Cantina Steak Burrito. Because when it comes to a great steak burrito, it's all about the steak.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

Ever have one of those panic moments when you need a quick present for a neighbor or as an unexpected Hostess Gift?  A simple hot chocolate mix perfectly fits the bill.  With the popularity of our Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix, Liv has put together a new version, the ever popular Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix.

Arriving home one afternoon, I found my girl in the midst of plundering our pantry and unwrapping an Ibarra Chocolate disc.  Wrapped in an attractive, bright yellow wrapper, the packaging is indeed eye catching, though the chocolate inside is not the usual candy bar version.  With ingredients including undissolved sugar, the discs provide a bit of a gritty texture, and the cinnamon flavor can be somewhat unexpected if you don't know it's there.  Not really meant to be eaten out of hand (though you most certainly can if you want to), Ibarra is best used in Hot Cocoa.

Our experience has found that brown sugar adds a nice richness to the mix, and an additional touch of cinnamon warms the body just that much more.  Layered into a cute jar, tied with a ribbon and sent with a quick note of directions, you will have your hostess gift put together in a flash, or... a Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix ready for a cold, rainy afternoon all for you.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Mango Pineapple Salsa - A Food Photography Challenge

Fish... growing up, beautiful gold fish swam in my mom's big fish tank, and the Koi in the pond were a treat to feed as they kissed the water's surface to eat their evening meal.  Unfortunately those Koi became a raccoon's feast one night, and then we just had a pond.  Fish, however, was not something that was ever feasted on inside our house.

Dad has always loved fish, but had to get it in restaurants as Mom didn't care for it and therefore, didn't make it.  The one time Dad did make it, a yucky trout that he had caught himself, I remember all of us running to open the windows in the house from the "awful" smell the poor little guy gave off as he spent some time roasting in our oven.

Hence, I'm somewhat of a newcomer to the fish scene.  Just into my 40's, I bravely tasted a very, very small bite of a girlfriend's salmon, and amazingly, I didn't hate it.  Months later, I even more bravely ordered my own Mahi Mahi while dining beachside in Maui, and not only did I not hate it, I really liked it.

The years following have brought Mahi Mahi and Salmon to my own table, but mostly cooked on the grill as the oven seems to bring that cooking smell that permeates every corner of the house and has me still running to open windows no matter what the season.  The kids love their Mahi and salmon, and we eat fillets sometimes several times a week.  Yes... fillets are lovely.

So when my food photography and styling group, The Inspired Plate, brought this month's challenge as "Fish, raw and prepared, a side by side collage", I thought, "No problem!  I'm all over this one.".  Then I read the comments from the other girls chatting about heading to fish markets to by whole fish, or better yet, heading to actual rivers to obtain their raw versions, and I began to cringe.

You see, in my world, fish comes from the store, like Trader Joe's or Costco.  It comes skinned, boned and filleted in little freezer packages that are ready to be marinated and popped onto the grill.  Well... the pre-marinated salmon from Costco does come with skin, but I put that on the grill and the skin just comes off before I serve it, so it's really not an issue.

The thought of buying a whole fish, eyes, scales and all, is something I just couldn't do.  As such, I give you my own version of raw.

As luck would have it, beautiful fillets of sweet Mahi Mahi, all packaged and flash frozen off the coast of Hawaii from Costco's freezer section, just happened to be what was "biting" off our Carlsbad coastline today.  This young man happily shared his catch with me, and I set to making our tacos.

Pulling a pre-packaged packet from the freezer, errr.... I mean bringing it home from the beach, the tender fillet thaws in a flash (just like it was frozen) and is ready for the marinade, and in turn, the grill in no time.  Combined with a few condiments and a tortilla, we have a Southern California staple, The Grilled Fish Taco.  A meal that makes my whole family smile (yes... even the pups like this one).

With flavors of lime, cilantro and chilis, these tacos can bring a kick if you like (and my husband does), or leaving out the chilis you can have a mellow, but flavorful taco that is tastier and healthier than those in many restaurants.

Pre-packaged and flash frozen off the coast of Hawaii, "caught" near Costco at the beach in Carlsbad, CA... no muss, no fuss, and you too can enjoy this San Diego favorite with a tropical flair.  Aloha!

PS... I've heard this type of fish is biting near markets nation wide.  You'll have to figure out your own bait though...

Fish... raw and prepared.  A side by side collage.

Please join me in a trip around our blog circle for the rest of The Inspired Plate's challenge posts including real raw fish and stunning food photography...  First stop, Tammy Bilodeau, a Whitecourt AB Photographer!