Food & Passion... The Diary of a Food Enthusiast

Healthy Corn Chowder

2012-01-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

I have read that if you eat soup before a meal, you tend to eat less during the meal (and this can lead to weight loss). Of course, by soup, this is probably referring to a broth like soup as opposed to a creamy soup like Cream of Mushroom, or New England Clam Chowder (yup, that's the white one).

Now I have nothing against broth based soups, but I just love the texture and heartiness of a nice, creamy soup. But, if you are watching your waistline this new year, perhaps a cream filled soup isn't the best option.

Never fear! Creamy textured soups don't have to contain cream! They can be just as healthy and full of good stuff like a broth based soup. And the best part about soup is that you can make a big batch and freeze it!

So, try some of my favorite soups:

Healthy Corn Chowder (recipe below)

Carrot and Pumpkin Soup

Split Pea Soup with Crispy Ham

Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

Potato and Leek Soup

Cumin scented Lentil Soup

Ginger infused Carrot Soup

Healthy Corn Chowder
Makes a huge pot! (6-8 people)

1 tbsp Canola Oil
2 Large Carrots, diced
4 stalks Celery, diced
1 Large Onion, diced
1 tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
2 cups Frozen Corn
1 Large Potato (about 2 cup), peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes
1 liter Chicken Broth
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 3/4 plus 1/4 cups Skim Milk
Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Grated Cheddar Cheese for garnish (optional)

In a large pot over medium high heat, heat oil and cook carrots, celery, and onion for a couple of minutes. Add 1. Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add celery, onion, and green pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add thyme, corn, potato, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.

Stir in the 1 3/4 cups of skim milk. Dissolve the cornstarch in the other 1/4 cup of the skim milk, then slowly stir that into the soup. Bring to a boil so that soup thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish if desired with grated cheddar cheese.

Chinese Steamed Pork with Salted Egg

2012-01-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest with you... it's not a dish that looks super appetizing to the untrained eye. However, I am telling you, Chinese Steamed Pork with Salted Egg is delicious and so so simple.

My mom used to make this dish all the time. We usually eat it with steamed white rice and some kind of stir fried vegetable. In theory, it's basically meat that is mixed with egg so that when it steams, it stays together. But in actuality, it is so much more than that.

Think of it as Chinese meatloaf. Except that the seasoning comes from the simply beautiful salted duck eggs.

What is a salted duck egg? Is is basically an egg that has been preserved by soaking the egg in brine or by packing the egg into damp, salted charcoal. This gives the eggs a salty taste which imparts a great flavor into such dishes as this one and Chinese porridge (congee).

You can find these eggs in any Chinese grocery store, usually just on the shelf. You can find them both raw (as in, they have a liquid white and yolk) and cooked.

Chinese Steamed Pork with Salted Egg

Serves 4-6 people

500 grams Lean Ground Pork

2 Raw Salted Duck Eggs, white and yolk seperated

1 tbsp Cornstarch

Beat the salted egg white with a fork or chopsticks lightly and mix into the ground meat. Then add some corn starch to the meat mixture. You can either chop the egg york into chunks and mix with the meat (not too small because you want to be able to eat some tasty egg york instead of being so small and you can't find them), or you can simply leave it whole or cut it into half and leave on top of the meat.

Steam for 30-40 minutes until the ground pork is cooked through.

Serve with rice and vegetables (Below: Baby Bok Choy with Ginger, Garlic, Soya Sauce and Sesame Oil).

Chocolate-Orange Tart

2012-01-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

Dark chocolate and orange really is a winning combination. Reminds me of those chocolates that my grandma used to buy as a kid that were large and round like an orange and wrapped in orange foil. I remember slamming that round orange chocolate on the table and it would break into segments just like an orange. The flavor... chocolate and orange of course!

I use this combination a lot. For example, my Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting and my Dark Chocolate Dipped Citrus Biscotti.

Today was no exception. A chocolate tart with orange liqueur and orange zest. Delicious.

Chocolate-Orange Tart

From Cooking.com

Makes 1 Tart

For the Crust:

1 1/4 cups Flour

1/8 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Icing Sugar

1/2 cup Butter

3 tbsp Ice Water

For the Filling:

6 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup Butter

1/3 cup Sugar

2 Large Eggs

2 Large Egg Yolks

2 tbsps Orange Flavored Liqueur (i.e Grand Marnier)

Zest of 1 Orange

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Flour

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients in a food processor just until dough forms. Transfer dough to work surface. Gather dough into ball. Press the dough into a tart pan (preferably with a removable base). Pierce crust with fork. Refrigerate until firm. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 18 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.

For the Filling:

Stir chocolate and butter in large wide metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using electric stand mixer and whisk attachment, beat sugar, eggs, yolks, Grand Marnier, orange peel and salt in large bowl until very thick ribbon falls when whisk attachment is lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift flour over egg mixture, then fold in. Fold egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture. Transfer batter to prepared crusts, dividing equally.

Do Ahead Tip:

Can be made 1 week ahead. Freeze 1 hour. Cover and keep frozen.

Bake tart at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until filling puffs and begins to crack, about 20-30 minutes for room temperature tart and 30-40 minutes for frozen tartlets.

Mom's Other Pork Chop Recipe (and Chicken too!)

2012-01-07T23:17:00.000-08:00

My mom is a perfectionist just like me. If there is a chance that some kind of tweak can make a recipe even better, she will try it. In this case, the subject matter was pork chops.

My mom made some simple and fantastic pork chops which I shared with you in November (Mom Miranda's Crispy Pork Chops). At that time, she also made some similar pork chops that I will share with you today. Now, there is some debate amongst us as to which pork chops we like better, but the bottom line is, they are both delicious. The main difference is that the ones I will share today are wet marinated, which some may argue is just more work. Others however, will say that this makes the pork chops taste better and stay moist.

So, I leave it to you to decide which ones you like better. And please, if you do happen to try them both, I would love to know what you think...

P.S. I did use this recipe to make chicken too, which was delicious!

Mom's Other Pork Chop Recipe (and Chicken too!)

Serves 4

4 Pork Chops (with or without bone) or Chicken Pieces

1 Egg

1 tbp Cornstarch

2 cups Bread Crumbs

Marinade

1 tsp Chicken Boullion Powder

1 tbsp Wine (whatever you have on hand)

1 tsp Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Mix together bouillon powder, wine, soy, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Marinate pork chops for an hour if possible. Then preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleaning, greased rack and put inside pan.

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Lightly beat egg with a fork in another shallow dish. Sprinkle cornstarch over the pork chops and pat to coat evenly on both sides. Dip the pork chops into the egg, then press into the breading mixture until evenly coated on both sides. (Discard leftover mixture.) Place the pork chops on the rack. Bake until cooked (3/4" thick boneless loin chops only takes 30-40 min). Don’t overcook or it will be dry.

Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs, or “Panko breadcrumbs.”

Carrot & Pumpkin Soup

2011-12-30T23:51:00.000-08:00

Turkey, ham, stuffing, hashbrown casserole, gravy, prime rib, mashed potatoes, repeat. Yes, that sounds like my week.

Actually, I am lying... I forgot to mention the curried puffs, chorizo fig cups, samosas, cheese sticks, cookies, lemon tarts, cranberry pudding.... the list goes on and on.

It has definitely been a week (or more) of fantastic eating. And eating. And eating some more. A way to get together with family, hang out, and bond.

But after all this time of overindulging, it's time for something, well, a little lighter. And nothing does this trick like soup. This particular soup is perfect because it is quite filling, but with lots of good stuff. It really is the guilt-free end to a fantastic holiday season.

Carrot & Pumpkin Soup

Serves 8-10 people

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Onions, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, sliced

1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced

6 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp Curry Powder

8 cups Chicken Stock

1 large can Pumpkin Puree (796 ml)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook until the veggies start to soften. Stir in curry powder and let cook for a couple of minutes.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover pot and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender.

Using an immersion blender, process until smooth. Add the pumpkin and process again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.

Quiche Lorraine

2011-12-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Quebecois make tourtière around the holidays. It is a meat pie made usually with minced pork and sometimes also with veal or beef, onions, and spices.

Pies are not really a tradition in our household around the holidays, although I have toyed with the idea of trying to make one. But instead, in a similar theme, I decided to make Quiche Lorraine for my husband. Again, not something I usually make during the holidays, but I know he has been missing France lately, and in anticipation of our trip there next month, I thought it would be nice to get in the spirit. Plus, it is great for entertaining. It could be a cocktail hour treat (and could be made into little bite sized quiches), or could be served just like this in small slivers, or of course, for a holiday brunch.

This recipe is so versatile, because you could really add whatever you want to make this quiche your own. My in-laws don't like cheese (go figure... they are French and have unlimited access to some of the best cheeses in the world, but won't touch them with a ten foot pole), so we often omit the cheese, or you could add mushrooms, spinach, sausage, bell peppers.... the list is endless as long as you keep the eggs, milk, and cream the same.

So make your own holiday quiche or ring in the new year with a quick, make ahead brunch.

Quiche Lorraine

Makes 1 Tart

1 Tart Shell (See my recipe for a Homemade Whole Wheat Pastry Crust or a Regular Pastry Crust)

Filling:

6 slices bacon, cut into pieces

1 Large White onion, finely chopped

4 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp White pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Extra Old Cheddar (traditionally, Gruyere cheese is used)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll on a floured surgace until about 1/2 cm thick.

Place into a tart tin (preferably one with a removable base). Prick all over with fork. Cover with foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Blind bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, remove weights and foil, and let cool in the tart pan.

Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.

To make the filling: In large skillet, fry bacon pieces over medium-high heat until the fat renders. Transfer the bacon onto a paper towel lined plate.

Dispose of the fat from the pan, then sautee the onions until they soften.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream and dijon mustard. Stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add in the bacon, onion, and grated cheese (at this point, you could add whatever fillings you want to the egg mixture). Pour the egg mixture into the tart shell.

Bake in the 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the quiche comes out clean. Let cool on a rack until ready to serve. You can serve warm or room temperature.

If you want to make it ahead, do everything as above, but let the quiche cool completely, then refrigerate. You can reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warm, about 15-20 minutes.

Maple Walnut Fudge

2011-12-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

Nothing says Christmas like fudge! And thanks to the Cookin' Canuck, her Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt has become a holiday staple and favorite.

But this year being our first year in Vancouver for Christmas, it was time to combine the old Christmas favorites with some new recipes. So, I decided to make a new fudge. After all, fudge is easy to make in batches and then enjoy all holiday season long, it's easy to transport, and great as a gift.

This fudge combines Canadian Maple Syrup with walnuts and white chocolate to make a delicious Christmas treat!

Maple Walnut Fudge

Makes 1 pan 9" by 13"

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup 2% Evaporated Milk

1 1/3 cups Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

2 cups Mini Marshmallows

300 grams White Chocolate Buttons or Chips

1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup Maple Syrup

50 Walnut Halves

Butter the bottom and sides of the pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, evaporated milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the marshmallows and stir rapidly to melt the marshmallows. Remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate, chopped nuts and maple syrup.

Pour into prepared baking pan. Press the walnut halves into the top of the fudge in grow. Cover and refrigerate until the fudge is firm. Cut into squares.

Chicken Stew with Acorn Squash & Quinoa

2011-11-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

So, I went a little quinoa crazy last month and bought a couple of huge bags of organic quinoa because they were such a great deal. What I failed to consider is what I was going to do with all of this quinoa. I already felt that I had exhausted all quinoa salad possibilities (okay, don't get me wrong... I love quinoa salad like this one with chicken and apple, but, well, you can't eat it everyday) and was just getting sick of the same old quinoa preparations.

So then I made these Sundried Tomato and Olive Quinoa Cakes which I have to admit, renewed my interest in the whole quinoa thing. However, it still didn't help in reducing my massive pantry stash of quinoa. I had to keep looking.

Then, I came across a recipe by the Cookin Canuck. Hmm.... a stew with quinoa? Had to be worth a shot. So, I modified the recipe a little according to what I had around, and made an acorn squash, chicken, quinoa stew. And it was surprisingly fantastic! I kinda thought that the quinoa would turn to mush, but it really manages to hold it form and texture. And the olives gave a great saltiness to each bite. Really, it was phenomenal. And another quinoa recipe to add to my repertoire.

Chicken Stew with Acorn Squash & Quinoa

Adapted from recipe from www.cookincanuck.com

Serves 6

1 Acorn Squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes

2/3 uncooked quinoa

3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, oregano and squash and sautee for a few minutes. Add about 1/4 cup of water, cover, and let steam for about 5-8 minutes, until squash just starts to soften.

Add chicken and broth. Cover and let simmer for another 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the tomatos and quinoa. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

Pull out the chicken, remove the bones, and shred.

Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.

Individual Ricotta Cheesecakes with Wild Blueberry Compote

2011-11-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

My sister was coming over for dinner with some fresh Fanny Bay Oysters. She asked me to make a salad. I did, but I felt that it just wasn't enough of a contribution to this dinner. After all, she was bring fresh oysters. From Fanny Bay. On the island. And was sharing them with me. That is sisterly love.

So, I needed to bring something equally fun and loving to the dinner table.

As I have said time and time again, I am more of a savory girl. My sister, however, loves her sweets. So, I thought I would make her some ricotta cheesecake. But, it couldn't just be any ricotta cheesecake. Because, as I mentioned before, she had the oysters. Fresh, beautiful, huge Fanny Bay oysters. And my dessert had to be worthy of those.

So I made the cheesecake with wild blueberry compote. In individual mason jars. To show my love and appreciation for my sister. Oh, and did I mention the oysters?

Individual Ricotta Cheesecakes with Wild Blueberry Compote

Makes 4 individual cheesecakes

250 grams Ricotta

2 Large Eggs, seperated

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Sugar

1 1/2 tbsp Flour

Zest of 1 Lemon

Pinch of Salt

4 Small Wide Mouth Mason Jars (250ml) or ramekins or individual springforms

Butter and Sugar for Mason Jars

For the Wild Blueberry Compote

Makes about 2 cups of Compote

3 cups Wild Blueberries, frozen

1/3 cup Sugar

Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tbsp Cornstarch

To make the cheesecakes:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter 4 small wide mouth mason jars (250ml size). Sprinkle sugar inside the jars. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta until smooth. beat in the egg yolks and sugar. Stir in the flour, lemon zest and salt.

In a seperate bowl, beat egg whites with 1 tbsp sugar until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites gently into the ricotta mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared mason jars, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes until firm and golden brown on top. Let cool completely.

To make the compote:

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until thickened. Let cool completely. Spoon onto the cooled cheesecakes before serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie

2011-11-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday.

And there is no way that I would rather spend it than with my family and in the kitchen.

So, I am having some dinner tonight with my family. On the menu? Maple Chicken and Ribs, Boiled Baby Potatoes, and my fave.... Lemon Meringue Pie!

So, let's start with the pie.

I am really not the biggest sweet fan. I am more of a savory girl. However, I do love anything lemon. I think it's because of the delicate balance of sweet and sour. So for my birthday, a lemon meringue pie would be the perfect treat.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Adapted slightly from http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/lemon_meringue_pie.php

Makes 1 Pie

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed

1 Large Egg Yolk

1 tsp Lemon Juice

3 tbsp Ice Cold Water

For the Filling:

1 cup White Sugar

6 tbsp Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Salt

2 cups Water

4 Large Egg Yolks, beaten

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 tbsp Butter

For the Meringue

5 Large Egg Whites

1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/3 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC)

For Pie Crust:

In a food processor, mix flour with salt. Add cubes of butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal. Add beaten egg, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp ice water. Pulse to combine. Continue adding ice water by the tablespoon and pulsing until dough just starts to come together. Take the dough from the processor bowl and press into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes or for up to 3 days.

On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry so it is large enough to cover a 9 inch pie dish without stretching. Trim edges of pie crust. Line with foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in bottom third of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights. Prick shell all over. Bake 10 minutes or until evenly golden. Let cool on rack.

For Filling:

In heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk one-quarter into egg yolks, whisk back into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon rind, lemon juice and butter. Set aside.

For Meringue:

In bowl, beat egg whites with cream or tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/3 of the sugar at a time until stiff peaks form.

Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing top. Starting at edge and using spatula, spread meringue around outside of hot filling. Sealing to crust, which prevents meringue from shrinking.

Spread over remaining filling making attractive peaks with back of spoon. Bake in center of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 5 to 6 minutes until golden. Let cool on rack for about 5 hours or until set.

Sundried Tomato and Olive Quinoa Cakes

2011-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have definitely been on a quinoa kick lately. I absolutely love the stuff. It's easy to make, has a great nutty texture, and is really good for you.

However, this quinoa kick has put me in a little bit of a rut. I find myself making the same things with quinoa. I cook it, then mix it with veggies and turn it into a salad of sorts like my Summer Quinoa Salad with Chicken & Apple.

I mean, don't get me wrong. These one meal wonders with quinoa are delicious. But I felt the need to break out of this quinoa rut and try something different.

For starters, I figured I should make something warm. Like a warm quinoa side dish. But of course, I got caught up in adding stuff to the quinoa, and before I knew it, it was another room tempurature salad of sorts. Again.

So, this time, to break out of the mold, I decided to use the quinoa as a basis for pan fried cakes. I added sundried tomatoes, olives, onions and zucchini for flavor; I added eggs to bind everything, and pan fried them. Then, for a final burst of flavour, I mixed up a little garlic mayo.

I served these cakes with some pan seared wild coho salmon and a little salad and it was a fantastic dinner! The perfect dish to make quinoa interesting again!

Sundried Tomato and Olive Quinoa Cakes

Makes 8 cakes

2 Large Eggs

1/3 cup Onions, finely chopped

1/3 cup Sundried Tomatoes, finely chopped

1/3 cup Olives, finely chopped (whatever kind you like)

1/2 cup Zucchini, finely diced

2 cups Cooked Quinoa, room temperature

2 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil canola oil for pan

Garlic Mayo

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 tbsp Grainy Mustard

Salt and Pepper

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the onions, sundried tomatoes, olives and zucchini. Then add the quinoa and flour. Mix until incorporated. Let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, combine all ingredients for the garlic mayo in a bowl. Mix and set aside.

Heat some oil in a large pan over medium heat. Form the quinoa mixture into balls and place in the preheated pan, pressing down to form patties. Cook until browned on both sides (about 5 minutes per side).

Serve warm with the garlic mayo.

Kale Salad with Dried Cranberry, Walnut and Boursin

2011-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

This is a super easy and incredibly flavorful salad. I made this as a Thanksgiving side dish, to complement my mom's massive turkey, stuffing, mashed sweet potato, and apple pie. It was a nice and fresh addition to the traditional but heavy, dishes included in Thanksgiving dinner. And as a bonus, it is chalk full of lots of healthy ingredients.

This would also make a great lunch, summer picnic dish, or dinner side.

Kale Salad with Dried Cranberry, Walnut and Boursin

Serves 2 (4 as a side dish)

1/3 cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 Sweet White Onion or Red Onion, sliced

1/2 pkg Cranberry and Black Pepper Boursin Cheese

1/2 cup Walnuts, toasted

Bunch of Kale, chopped (or Spinach)

For Dressing:

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.

For the dressing, place all ingredients into a jar and shake. Drizzle over salad.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

2011-10-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

Nothing says fall like pumpkin. I picked up a bunch of canned pure pumpkin the other day, and was trying to figure out what to do with it. Here is the result....

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Makes 1 pan of bars (9" by 13" pan), about 20 bars

2 tbsps Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1/4 cup Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1 1/2 cups Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Ground Flax Seeds

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup Raisins

1/4 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" by 13" pan.

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, pumpkin and apple sauce.

In a seperate bowl, mix together oats, flour, flax, salt, baking powder and soda.

Add the oat mixture into the egg mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the raisins and sunflower seeds.

Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan (tip: use a sheet of wax paper to press the mixture in)

Press into pan. Use wax paper to press evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

2011-10-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I loved Mac & Cheese. That beautiful orange, creamy sauce over soft white pasta... mmm....

And of course, there was the jazzed up version of this classic with cut up hot dog and perhaps a little bit of ketchup. Yes, those were the days before I really understood what was in that package. Before I dared to ask why the sauce was made out of an orange powder instead of real cheese.

I haven't had a package of mac & cheese in years. Perhaps over a decade. However, the idea of mac & cheese conjures up feelings of childhood, home and comfort.

So, I decided to make some. I found a great recipe online for Rachel Ray's pumpkin mac & cheese. I tweeked it a little, and here it is. Oooey, gooey, delicious (and healthy)!

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Cheddar Mac and Cheese Recipe

Serves 4

500 grams Whole Wheat Pasta

2 cups Frozen Peas

4 tbsp Butter

3 tbsp Flour

3 cups Skim Milk

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

2 cups Pumpkin Puree

1 cup Sharp Aged Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 cup Gruyere Cheese, grated

Salt and Pepper

Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. When pasta is almost done, add the frozen peas. Drain the pasta and the peas and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir, cooking until the flour soaks up all the butter and starts to lightly brown (1-2 minutes). Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the maple syrup, mustard, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the pumpkin puree and the cheeses. Season the sauce to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Add the pasta and peas to the sauce and stir until coated. Serve immediately.

Sunday Breakfast: Eggs en Cocotte with Bacon and Spinach

2011-10-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

After a long week, there is nothing better than breakfast at home with the hubby. Of course, it's got to be easy. No point stressing out trying to make a weekend breakfast.

Eggs en Cocotte is a great way to make a tasty, special breakfast that is headache-free. And it's a great way to use whatever ingredients you have around.

The basics are the eggs and the cream. After that, you can put whatever you want in them. Then, just put them in the oven for about 10 minutes and voila! Breakfast!

Eggs en Cocotte with Bacon and Spinach

Serves 2

3 cups Spinach

1 clove Garlic, minced

Olive Oil

1/4 cup Chopped Pork Belly or Bacon

4 Eggs

2 tbsp 18% Cream

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and the garlic. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from pan.

In the same pan, add the chopped pork belly or bacon and cook until browned. Place on a paper towel to drain.

Prepare the 2 ramekins by placing half of the spinach and bacon in each one. Crack 2 eggs into each cocotte. Add 1 tbsp of cream to each. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake the cocottes for about 10 minutes until the egg white is just cooked. Serve hot with toast.

Mom Miranda’s Crispy Pork Chops

2011-10-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

My sister and brother in law went to my parents' place last weekend. And they came back raving about my mom's pork chops. So much so that I had to get the recipe!

And they were just as good as they sounded. Crispy and juicy, but also healthy since they are baked in the oven. I served mine with dijon mustard, wild rice, and petit pois.

My mom never seizes to amaze me with her cooking. She always wants to try new flavors and techniques, and shares them with us, her three kids, in the hopes that we will fill our houses with the smells and tastes of home cooking.

Thanks Mom!

Mom Miranda’s Crispy Pork Chops

Serves 4

Marinade for pork chop:

2 cloves Garlic, minced or paste

Salt and black pepper

Other Ingredients

4 Pork Chops (with or without bone)

1/2 cup Dry Coarse Breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Tip)

3/4 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

4 tsp Canola Oil

1 Large Egg White, lightly beaten

4 tbsp Cornstarch

Marinate pork chops for an hour if possible. Then preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleaning, greased rack and put inside pan.

Mix breadcrumbs, sugar, paprika, onion powder and salt in a shallow dish. Drizzle with oil and mash with a fork until the oil is thoroughly incorporated. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in another shallow dish. Sprinkle cornstarch over the pork chops and pat to coat evenly on both sides. Dip the pork chops into the egg, then press into the breading mixture until evenly coated on both sides. (Discard leftover mixture.)

Place the pork chops on the rack. Bake until cooked (3/4" thick boneless loin chops only takes 30-40 min). Don’t overcook or it will be dry.

Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs, or “Panko breadcrumbs.”

Rocky Road Cookies

2011-10-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on cooking.com the other day, and I just had to try it! Rocky Road cookies?? I mean, COME ON! All of the best stuff (chocolate, marshmallows and nuts) mixed together in a cookie? It just had to be good!

I did face a few challenges with the recipe and made a few changes. The biggest thing was that the "dough" was extremely sticky and liquidy. I actually doubled the amount of flour to combat this.

The other thing... don't overbake them! Even if you feel the cookies aren't quite done yet, pull them out anyway after a maximum of 14 minutes. They are supposed to be a little bit oozy.

I made this recipe a little healthier by using whole wheat flour, and cutting both the sugar and chocolate chips. Even with those changes, these cookies were still super sweet and rich, yet surprisingly light! I know it sounds strange that a cookie could be both rich and light, but it really was! It was the most amazing cookie.

They make a fantastic dessert... I would suggest turning them into a rocky road ice cream sandwich with a scoop of vanilla ice cream between 2 cookies! Yum!

Rocky Road Cookies

Adapted from Recipe for Rocky Road Whoppers at Cooking.com

Makes 12 large cookies

2/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/8 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

2 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1/3 cup Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 1/2 tbsp Brewed Espresso, cooled

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

60 (about 2/3 cup) Mini Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl to blend. Set aside.

Stir 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in medium bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Set aside.

Whisk sugar, egg, coffee mixture and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Stir egg mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Mix in flour mixture just until blended. Add nuts and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoon dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inch apart. Gently press 5 marshmallows into center of each. Gently press 1 rounded tablespoon of dough atop each to cover marshmallows and form 2-inch-high mounds. Bake cookies until top is dull and feels crusty when touched gently, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even browning, about 12-14 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheet 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

Farmer's Market Lasagne

2011-09-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like heading to the market, picking up whatever's around, and turning it into a fantastic meal.

Today at the market.... local BC zucchinis and eggplants. Both were looking fantastic. So, I decided to turn them into a healthy lasagne that we could enjoy tonight and whenever we needed a quick lunch or dinner.

Farmer's Market Lasagne

Makes 1 Lasagne

12 Whole Wheat Lasagne Noodles

1 Large BC Eggplant, sliced (#bceggplant)

2 BC Zucchini, sliced (#bczucchini)

1 jar (650 ml) Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

Corn Kernels from 2 cobs (or 1 can corn kernels, drained)

300 grams Ricotta Cheese

1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Salt and Black Pepper

Cook the lasagne noodles as per the package instructions.

In a large casserole dish, start layering the eggplant and zucchini. Add 1 layer of lasagne noodles and top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with half of the corn.

Add another layer of eggplant and zucchini. Top with noodles then spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Add another layer of eggplant, zucchini, noodles, tomato sauce and the rest of the corn.

Add the final layer of eggplant, zuchini and noodles. Spread the noodles with the remaining ricotta and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Cover and bake in a 375 degree oven for about an hour until bubbly.

**Make ahead tip: You could make this ahead, cool it, cut it into portions, and freeze the portions for later!

Peanut Butter Flax Nut Oat Bars

2011-09-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

I love Starbucks. I know there are tons of other coffee companies out there, but I still favour this one. Why?

I like the consistency. I like to know what I am getting. And I love those damn Oat Bars!!!

Yes, the famous Oat Bar. I started this relationship with the Oat Bar and the Flax Oat Bar when I worked for Starbucks in Victoria, BC. At that time (and I think still now), the baked goods were supplied by Cakes Etc, a local bakery.

And they made that "to die for" huge, square Oat Bar and the less famous, but just as good if not better, Flax Oat Bar. I remember putting these yummy bars in little brown paper bags for endless numbers of customers. Then, during my break, I would line up with everyone else to enjoy one with my coffee.

That was more than 10 years ago. And today, I still fondly think about those Oat Bars. Unfortunately, the oat bars here in Vancouver have been reduced to a smaller, rectangle sort, although still delicious, but the flax oat bar is never to be found.

So, I decided to start making my own oat bars. I starting with neither a traditional oat bar nor a flax oat bar. This one is a peanut butter, flax and nut oat bar.

It ended up being less oat-y than the traditional, with the peanut butter taking centre stage followed by the almonds. Absolutely delicious, but not really an Oat Bar. This one was also a little more of a crumbly texture than chewy like the real thing. Perhaps next time I will try to replicate the real thing!

Peanut Butter Flax Nut Oat Bars

Makes 1 - 9" by 13" pan of bars (cut into 20 squares)

1/4 cup Butter, melted

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter

1/3 cup Whole Milk

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 cups Quick Cooking Oats

1/3 cup Slivered Almonds

1/3 cup Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

1/3 cup Flax Seeds

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" by 13" pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, honey, peanut butter, milk, egg and vanilla.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Push the mixture into the pre-greased pan so that it is tightly packed.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until brown on the edges.

Raspberry Tart

2011-09-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

A raspberry tart needs no reason. It speaks for itself. The perfect end to a weekend lunch or dinner.

And frozen raspberries make this tart possible all year round... So in the dead of winter, you can still enjoy a little bit of summer...

Raspberry Tart

Makes 1 Tart

For Tart Pastry:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/8 tsp salt

½ cup butter

3 tbsp ice cold water

For the filling:

5 cups Raspberries, frozen

2 tbsp White Sugar

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

4 tbsp Cornstarch

Zest of 1 Lemon

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

To Make Tart Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the flour and the salt in a medium bowl or food processor.

Add the cold butter pieces and cut in using a pastry blender or by pulsing in the food processor.

Add ice water, 1/2 tbsp at a time until the dough forms into a ball. Gather up and pat into a disk. If possible, refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before rolling out.

When ready to use, roll dough out on a lightly floured board. Gently fold into quarters using a little flour as needed to prevent sticking. Place dough in pie plate and carefully unfold, fitting loosely and then pressing into place. Trim the edges and crimp for a decorative crust.

Prick the crust with the fork (be sure not to go all the way through) so that it doesn't puff up during blind baking or fill with foil and dried beans if you prefer.

Bake the crust at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

For the Filling:

Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into the pre-baked pastry crust. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until the filling is thick and bubbly.

Let cool completely before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

2011-09-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

As the summer ends and fall arrives, we are greeted with a plethora of "wintery" vegetables and a feeling that we just aren't ready for the summer to leave.

So, we find ourselves wanting to ease the passage of another summer by making dishes that reconcile both summer and winter seasons. Gone are the fruity, leafy salads, and fast arriving are Sunday night stews.

I think this dish perfectly expresses this changing of the seasons. Hearty vegetables are roasted and served room temperature or slightly chilled. An easy complement to the final summer grill out or a wintery roasted meat.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Serves 4

1 Large Red Onion, cubed
1 Large Parsnip, cubed

1 Red Pepper, cut into chunks
1 Zucchini, cut into chunks
1 Sweet Potato, cubed
1 Eggplant, cut into chunks

4 cloves Garlic, whole peeled and crushed

2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese

Dressing Ingredients
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Toss all the vegetables and garlic cloves in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the vegetables on a baking tray and roast for about 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool.

For the dressing, place all ingredients into a jar and shake together. Once the vegetables have cooled, toss with the dressing. Crumble the feta cheese on top.

Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Bread

2011-09-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

I am a savory person. Some people love sweets, but I love salt. So when it comes time for dessert, I usually prefer to have things that aren't too sugary sweet. I err on the side of fresh fruits and dark chocolate.

However, to appease those around me who thrive on more sweetness, I usually make some kind of "bread".... banana bread, carrot cake, or zucchini loaf. Somehow, these choices seem to satisfy both ends of the salty- sweet spectrum. Plus as a bonus, they are full of fruit and veg.

And just in case there is any left over, no one will feel guilty snacking on the leftovers!

Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1/4 cup Butter

1/3 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1/2 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Zucchini, shredded

1 1/4 cups Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/3 cup Chopped Walnuts

1/3 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf tin and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs.

Stir in the apple sauce, buttermilk and the zucchini.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and the chocolate chips.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until done. Cool on a wire rack.

Fresh Fig Cake

2011-08-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Once again, it's that time of year when the fig tree in my parent's backyard bears its fruits!

I remember my mom planting that tiny tree like it was yesterday and me questioning her at the age of 10 what figs were and if I would even like them.

Before I moved away from home at around 20 years old, I don't remember eating fruit off that tree. I do remember my mom getting really excited one year when she was able to get 3 figs off the tree. But she must have eaten them....

On my journeys away from home, I became more and more familiar with figs. Especially in the dried form. In Dubai and Damascus, I remember strings of them hanging in the store fronts along with dried dates and apricots. I fell in love with them.

Fast forward to this summer.... my first summer after returning to Canada, just a short ferry ride from home. And boy was I surprised this week when my mom came over with 2 huge buckets of ripe figs from the tree.

I ripped some apart immediately with my hands and ate them, with the intention of turning a lot of the remainders into jam.

My sister, not knowing what to do with all these figs, resorted to the internet, and came up with this fantastic recipe for a fresh fig cake.

The only modification that she made was to use 1 1/2 cups of figs in the cake batter instead of the original 1 cup. And the cake was TO DIE FOR! It was so good, that I had to share it with all of you!

Fresh Fig Cake

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-fig-cake/detail.aspx

For the Cake:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh figs

For the Filling:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 cups chopped fresh figs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with the evaporated milk. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts and chopped figs.

Divide into two prepared 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.

To make the filling: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups figs, brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Spread thinly between layers of cake and on top.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal, Chocolate, Raisin Cookies

2011-08-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

When it's raining outside, one great way to warm up your house is to bake. Somehow, it makes every trouble go away!

The cookies that I made today fit the bill to a tee. They are hearty, healthy, just sweet enough oatmeal cookies.

I made 24 larger cookies (about 3 inches round when baked), but you could make them whatever size is right for you. Don't be alarmed if the dough feels kind dry. Just use your hands to form the balls of dough and then press them gently with your hand. They will turn out just fine!

Whole Wheat Oatmeal, Chocolate, Raisin Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

1/2 cup Butter, room temperature

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup White Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 cup Raisins

2/3 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a seperate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Then stir in the oats, raisins and chocolate chips.

Form the dough into 1.5 inch balls. Flatten onto a baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden.

My Pasta Puttanesca

2011-08-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

Lots of recipes are just variations of other recipes. Everyone adds their own special touch, adapts recipes to their specific tastes, or uses what they have on hand or in season.

In this case, I made Pasta Puttanesca. Basically, it's a tomato sauce with anchovies, garlic, onions, olives, capers, chili flakes and Italian Parsley. I made it my own by adding a whole bunch of kale to bulk it up and using whole wheat pasta.

You could top this with cheese, or eat it just drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil. However you deal with this flavorful sauce, it is sure to please!

My Pasta Puttanesca

Serves 4 people

375 grams Whole Wheat Spaghetti

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 Large Red Onion, chopped

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced

2 tbsp Anchovy Paste

1/3 cup Sliced Green Spanish Olives

3 tbsp Capers

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

1- 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes

3 cups Chopped Kale

1 1/2 cups Italian Parsley, chopped

Cook the spaghetti as per the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and anchovy paste and sautee until the onions and peppers just start to soften. Stir in the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, oregano, and black pepper. Then stir in the tomatoes. Let simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the kale and parsley until just wilted. Toss in the pasta. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole Wheat Flax Tortillas

2011-08-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Bread. Starch. All that stuff that people nowadays are avoiding. For me, it's a staple food. And it's available everywhere. Yet so often, the breads in the grocery stores are packed with stuff that we have never even heard of and then end up sitting on shelves for who knows how long. Then, the consumer takes that bread home, slathers it in stuff to make it taste good, and eats it.

Well, for starters, the bread should taste good. By itself. Alone. With no accompaniments. And then, topped with a really good jam, salted butter, or cured meat, that bread is taken to a whole new level. Yes, that is what bread should taste like!

That is why I try to make my own bread. I would say I make a loaf every week. And it has just 4 ingredients. Good flour (whole wheat, white, rye, multigrain or a mix), yeast, salt and water. That's it.

But lately I have found myself gravitating towards flat breads. I like them because they are easy to eat during the week. They serve as a vessel for a whole variety of things, such as left over chicken and alfalfa sprouts, ground pork with barbeque sauce, veggies and cream cheese. You name it, it can be wrapped and eaten in a flat bread.

So, I decided to try to make my own. After all, $3 for 6 tortillas doesn't go far. Plus, they are once again packed with so many unnecessary ingredients that I am sure they cannot be that healthy.

Yes, it did take a little more labor than making a loaf of bread, however, there was no rising time. And the result was fantastic. I let them cool, put them in a ziplock bag, and left them in the fridge for a week of tortilla pleasure!

Whole Wheat Flax Tortillas

Makes 12 tortillas

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 1/2 cups White Flour

1/2 cup Ground Flax Seeds

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 1/2 cups Warm Water

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.

Add water and oil and mix until just incorporated.

Knead for a few minutes to form a soft, smooth dough.

Divide into 12 balls. Cover with a towel.

Take one ball and roll it into about a 10 inch round (roll it as thin as possible).

Heat a flat griddle pan or grill pan over medium high heat.

Place the rolled out tortilla onto the heated pan and cook for about 30 seconds on each side, or until air pockets start to form in the tortilla.

Use immediately or store in a ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-08-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

It was my cousin's birthday today. So I made cupcakes. Delicious, decadent chocolate ones. In fact, it is my go to, one bowl chocolate cake recipe care of Ms. Martha Stewart. It still never fails me. I use it for cakes and cupcakes for ever occasion, and adjust the frosting based on the person, the occasion, or my mood.

In this case, these cupcakes were for a summer birthday so I wanted the frosting to be rich but fresh (is that possible??).

I decided to use cream cheese frosting, because my cousin loves it! In fact, last time I made Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, she devoured them!

But to add that freshness, what better than some orange? I mean, chocolate and orange?? A match made in heaven! And on a summer day, it was the perfect combo!

Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes

(I used the One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe for these!)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 large whole eggs, plus 1 large YOLK

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups warm water

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line your muffin pans with paper liners or spray your cake pans with cooking spray.

Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add the eggs and yolk, milk, oil, vanilla and water, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and combined (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Fill the prepared muffin tins with the chocolate cupcake batter until the cups are about 3/4 full. \Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.

For the Icing

1 cup Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup Butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 3/4 cup Icing Sugar

Zest of 2 large Oranges

Dark Chocolate Shavings for Garnish

Beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl until completely smooth. Add the icing sugar, half a cup at a time until the icing is smooth. Stir in the fresh orange zest. At this point, you can spread onto the cooled cupcakes or you can place in the fridge and cool for 1-2 hours and pipe the icing onto the cupcakes. Garnish with a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings.

Not Quite Traditional Gazpacho

2011-07-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Now that summer is here, it's time for us soup lovers to switch to chilled soups. And there is nothing quite like a bowl of flavorful, refreshing gazpacho to start off a picnic or a roof top meal.

I have seen tons of recipes for gazpacho, and I took these as inspiration to create my own. I know it's probably far from traditional, but it tastes good, is super easy and is packed with flavors that just scream summer.

So fill the cooler and head on down to the beach. It's time to enjoy the summer!

Not Quite Traditional Gazpacho

Serves 8

1 Red Onion

1 English Cucumber

1 Red Pepper

1 Jalepeno, seeded

5 Large Tomatoes

5 cloves Garlic

1 can Large Diced Tomatoes (28 ounces)

2 pieces Pita Bread (day old is best)

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Salt and Pepper

Garnish- Plain Yogurt

Cut all veggies into large dice. Place all ingredients in blender (in batches if necessary) and blend until almost smooth (I like mine a little chunky, but it's your preference). Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight for the best flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Summer Quinoa Salad with Chicken & Apple

2011-07-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer like barbeques, picnics on the beach, and tasty, light summer food.

This salad is great because it is both a fresh and light accompaniment to any meal, or a healthy summer lunch or dinner! I love quinoa, but you could use couscous, bulgar, rice or even pasta in this recipe, and it would be fantastic.

I like to make this salad one evening for dinner, and keep the leftovers for lunch the next day! The perfect tasty timesaver!

Summer Quinoa Salad with Chicken & Apple

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups Quinoa

3 cups Water

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless

Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Large Apple, peel on, diced small (I used a Fuji apple but you can use whatever you have)

2/3 cup Yogurt

1/2 Red Onion, diced small

1 Zuchinni, peel on, diced small

1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Place the quinoa and the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 12 minutes until the water is soaked up. Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes or so. Fluff with a fork.

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place in a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and cook for about 4 minutes on both sides until cooked through. Let cool then shred with your hands.

In a large bowl, mix together lemon juice and zest and chopped apple. Stir in the yogurt. Add the onions, zuchinni, black beans, raisins and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

2011-07-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

I think Indian food has to be one of my absolute favorites. The flavors are so warm, earthy and pungent. It is definitely one of the cuisines that I crave the most because of its distinctive qualities.

However, sometimes it is difficult for me to find good Indian food in restaurants, and I find that I am often disappointed. So, I have taken to making it myself. I was blessed to have visited India and tasted the cooking of a true Indian household, and am always trying to replicate these flavors at home.

And I have found a way to fit it into my work-life schedule. I mean, after all, the rumour on the street is that Indian food takes time to cook. Yes, it is true that some low and slow cooking is required, but this can be overcome with either a pressure cooker (which I have never used), or a weekend cook up. During these weekend cook ups, I make a bunch of dahl (indian lentil curry), pre portion it, and place it in my fridge and freezer for many meals to come! The best part is that it tastes better and better as the time passes.

So what is better with Indian curry than fresh Indian flat bread? And I am telling you, this is the easiest, quickest, tastiest flat bread that you will ever make!

Enjoy it with:

Quick & Easy Chicken Curry,

Indian Style Fish Curry,

Sweet Potato & Two Pea Curry

or my absolute, all time favorite dish,

Dahl Makhani (Creamy Indian Lentils).

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

Recipe modified slighty from Bal Arneson, The Spice Goddess

Makes 6-8 Parathas

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 to 1 cup Water

1 cup Mashed Potatoes, room temperature

1/4 cup Red Onion, minced

1 tbsp Whole Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp Garam Masala (I made my own by using the ingredients below)

2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

For Garam Masala:

1 tbsp Ground Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom

1 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Combine the flour and water in a bowl and knead until it forms a smooth round ball similar to a stiff pizza dough. Cover the dough and set aside.

Put the mashed potatoes, red onion, mustard seeds, garam masala, cilantro, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it into a disc with your fingers. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the disc into a thin patty (like a tortilla).

Place 1/4 cup of the filling into the middle of the patty and then fold the edge of the dough over the mixture and form into a ball, with the filling in the center. Roll out the paratha gently, being careful not to squeeze the filling out.

Put a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and place a paratha into it. Cook until brown bubbly spots appear and then flip the paratha and cook the second side until it is done, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and brush with a little vegetable oil.

Continue until all the parathas are done.

Banana Walnut Bread

2011-07-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

I never realized how I take banana bread for granted. I mean, it is so easy and quick to make, that I almost forget how much I love it.

Then one day, I was with a friend in a coffee shop. She reached for a slice of banana bread, pre-cut and wrapped in cellophane. And she said... "I want a piece of banana bread... I love banana bread and I haven't had it in so long!" She then proceeded to buy it for $3.00! Can you believe it? $3.00 for a slice!

So I asked her why she didn't just make banana bread at home. After all, she is a pretty good baker.

And her response? "I have never made banana bread." WHAT?!?!?! Never made banana bread? How could this be possible?

What about Zuchinni Bread? or Carrot Cake. No, no, no. She hadn't made any of them before.

Why? I asked.

The answer? She didn't think it would be so easy. Well, here is a recipe that proves her wrong....

Banana Walnut Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 1/4 cups Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas, about 2 large ripe bananas

1/4 cup Buttermilk

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf tin and set aside.

Cream together butter and vanilla. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs.

Stir in the apple sauce and the banana

Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the buttermilk and the walnuts.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until done. Cool on a wire rack.

Wonton (Chinese Dumplings)

2011-06-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for recipes that I can make in quantity and store for days when I don't have much time. This is definitely one of them. In fact, this isn't just a large recipe, it's a HUGE recipe!

Yes, this recipes really does make about 150 wontons! But I did that on purpose. I won't lie.... making wonton is a lot of work. So, I buckle down and spend the better part of a day making a ton of them. Then, I freeze them for many many meals to come.

So, you must wonder... don't they get boring? I mean, especially for two people? At about 6 wontons per person per meal, that is 25 meals, or about 13 meals per person of the same thing.

But it doesn't have to be boring. Wonton can be cooked and served so many ways that they become a freezer staple.

Wonton

Made about 150

For the Filling:

750 grams Ground Pork

500 grams Ground Chicken or Turkey

2 Egg Whites

1/3 cup Water

1/3 cup Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar

1 tbsp Sesame Oil

2 1/2 tbsp Ginger, minced

1/3 cup Cornstarch

1 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp White Pepper

2 cups Napa Cabbage, chopped (white and green parts)

1 cup Green Onion, chopped (white and green)

150 Wonton wrappers

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together all filling ingredients. Cover and place in the fridge for about 45 minutes. Once the filling has sat for about 45 minutes, I usually taste it, either by cooking a bit in a non-stick pan, or making 1 wonton just to check the seasoning. This is entirely optional, but if you are about to spend the time to make dozens of them, I just think it's better to double check that you are happy with the taste!

To fill the wontons, place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper. (You might feel that this doesn't look like a lot of filling, but do not add more! When you try to close the wonton, the filling will push out creating a mess!)

Brush all of the edges of the wrapper with water (I use my fingers by dipping them in a bowl of water, but you could also use a brush). The fold as desired. Here are the 2 folds that I prefer:

1. The basic triangle fold- bring 2 opposite corners together and press the wonton wrapper together around the filling, making sure to push out all the air.

2. The purse fold- bring all 4 corners to the centre and stick together, push all the air out, and press each set of edges together.

Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

At this point, there are many directions you could take with these. You could cook them (either boiled, fried, or in soup), or you could freeze them for later.

To Boil or Steam

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop the wonton into the water, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Bring back up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 4-6 minutes until the filling is cooked through. Remove the wonton from the water with a slotted spoon, trying to remove as much excess water as possible. Serve with Wonton Dipping Sauce.

To Fry

Heat a pot of oil or fryer to 350 degrees. Place the wonton in the oil in batches, being sure not to overcrowd. Fry for about 4-6 minutes until the wonton are golden. Great served with sweet and sour sauce, chili sauce, or wonton dipping sauce.

In Soup

Blanch the wonton for a couple of minutes in boiling water. Drain. Place the wonton in your soup broth and finish cooking. Spoon broth and wontons over shredded napa cabbage and cooked egg noddles. Drizzle with sesame oil and garnish with green onions.

To Freeze

To freeze, place the wax paper lined baking sheet with the wontons directly in the freezer. By freezing them first on the sheet, it will ensure that they freeze individually instead of sticking together. When they are completely frozen, place in a container or ziplock bag.

To cook from frozen, boil, fry, or place in soup just as above. Just note that they will take a couple extra minutes to cook.

Wonton Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Chinese Black Vinegar

1/2 tbsp Ginger, minced

1 Small Red Chili, seeded and chopped

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Just mix all the ingredients together! That's it!

Proscuitto & Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken

2011-06-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned time and time again, I love dark meat. I just think it has more flavor. Having said that, although I made this recipe with chicken breasts, feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.

So, back to the chicken breasts. I am always looking for new ways to cook and add flavor to chicken. And this is the answer....Here is a simple method that is super easy and allows you to add whatever flavors you want to chicken, making it a great and exciting weekday chicken dish.

The basic principle is this... Pound out boneless chicken piece until it is a flat, blank canvas. Cover it with ingredients and flavors that inspire you. Roll it up. Stick it with a couple of toothpicks. Cook in a pan. Eat.

Oh, and I forgot the best part. This recipe is for 1. Or more if you like.

Proscuitto & Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken

Serves 1

1 Chicken breast

1/2 cup Cooked Wild and Brown Rice

1 tbsp Green Onion, sliced

1 tbsp Cream Cheese

2 slices Proscuitto, cut into pieces

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Place the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound until about 1/2 cm thin. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

In a small bowl, mix together rice, green onion, cream cheese and proscuitto. Spread the mixture onto the chicken breast.

Roll the chicken breast and secure together with a couple of toothpicks

Heat some olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breast roll on all sides until brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Remove the toothpicks, slice, and serve!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2011-06-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Peanut butter is a love-hate thing. You either love it, or you hate it. I love it.

I love it on toast, apples, celery or just on a spoon. And I love it in cookies.

It's funny because I grew up loving peanut butter and have always just had it around. What I didn't realize, is that not everyone has a jar of peanut butter in their pantry growing up.

My husband had never eaten peanut butter until he met me. He was 24. He didn't really like it. At all. Then, one day, he started eating it and couldn't stop. And so started the loving relationship between my husband and peanut butter.

Oh, and I am sure the cookies helped....

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

1/2 cup Margarine, room temperature

1/2 cup Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky-- your preference)

1/3 cup White Sugar

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup White Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup Salt

1/2 cup Rolled Oats

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into wet ingredients. Stir in rolled oats.

Roll dough into 1.5 inch balls and place on greased or lined baking sheets. Flatten with the back of a fork. Bake for about 12 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Four Bean Salad with Tangy Dressing

2011-06-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

My mom used to make bean salad everytime we had company over. It was my least favorite dish. It was weird to eat a bowl of sweet and tart beans. Just didn't work for me.

Then my sister made it one night not too long ago. And it was fantastic. Hearty and filling with the tartness complementing the heaviness of the beans. I just couldn't stop eating it.

It's funny how dishes we remember as a child resurface in our adult lives. And it's amazing how our tastebuds change!

Four Bean Salad with Tangy Dressing

Serves 4-6

1 can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained

1 can Cut Wax Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Cut Green Beans, rinsed and drained

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Red Onion, chopped

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Celery Seed

1 tbsp Mustard Dijon

Salt and Pepper

In a large bowl mix together all the salad ingredients.

In a seperate bowl, disolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add the other dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour the dressing onto the bean salad. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until service (the longer you refrigerate, the better this salad tastes, so I suggest you make it the night before).

German Marble Cake and a BBQ Celebration!

2011-06-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today was my husband's birthday celebration. Nothing dramatic... just a low key barbeque with family. But of course, food wise, nothing can be "low key." We needed to make a spread fit for celebration!

On the menu? Barbeqie pork ribs, thyme marinated chicken thighs, smokies, grilled vegetables, greek pasta salad, and some sangria to wash it all down.

Oh, and the cake. Decisions, decisions. Every year, my husband gets some kind of awesome cake. The most memorable had to be the "Turtle" cake, followed by the patriotic vanilla cake . This year, when I asked him what kind of cake he wanted, he said "A Marble Cake." At first, I was surprised, but then I remembered...

On my birthday last year, I was blessed by a German friend, Julia, who surprised me with a German marble cake for my birthday. My husband loved it so much, he ate about 3/4 of it. He ate it as it was, and then for breakfast, lunch, and every time in between until it was gone. And it left such a strong impression that when I asked him about his birthday cake, he didn't even hesitate before asking for this one.

I am not sure if I can ever replicate Julia's delicious cake, but here is my recipe, which complemented our barbeque celebration just perfectly!

German Marble Cake

Makes 1 cake

1 cup Butter, room temperature

1 cup Sugar

4 Large eggs, separated yolks and whites

1 cup Skim Milk

1 tsp Almond Extract

3 1/4 cups Flour

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 pinch Salt

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

3 tbsp Triple Sec

Icing Sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt or fluted pan (like an angel food cake pan)and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolks, milk, and almond extract.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the butter and egg yolk mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the batter.

Move half of the batter into a separate bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and triple sec.

Spoon the batter into the cake pan, alternating white and brown batter. Then swirl with a fork.

Bake for about 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Creamy Cilantro & Coconut Chicken

2011-06-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting dish.... creamy and comforting lifted up with the freshness of cilantro. Inspired by Thai flavours with the coconut milk and fish sauce, this dish is super easy to make and is a great alternative for those who do not like spicy dishes. Also, because of the light, fresh flavours, this dish would make a great summer main course.

If you prefer, you could make this delicious dish with a nice white fish like halibut or grouper. Just cut it into 1 1/2 inch cubes and instead of adding them at the beginning of the recipe, add them after you add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Let the fish cook in the sauce for about 5 minutes only. Enjoy!

Creamy Cilantro & Coconut Chicken

Serves 2 generously

1/3 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves, chopped

6 cloves Garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Pinch of Rock Salt

2 tsp Vegetable Oil

400 grams Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast or Thigh, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 Medium Onion, diced (about 2/3 cup)

1 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk

2 tbsp Fish Sauce

Place the cilantro, garlic and rock salt into a mortar and pestle and pound into a paste.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes, then add the onions and cook until the onions just start to soften. Add the cilantro paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Let cook for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickens a little.

Serve over steamed rice or tossed with rice noodles.

Crispy Rice & Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Mmm... cookies! So quick to make, and a big batch put in the freezer provides homemade goodies for a long time to come!

These cookies are a little twist on regular chocolate chip cookies because they have rice krispies in them as well. I love the addition of the rice krispies because they add an additional texture component and almost lighten the cookies.

Crispy Rice & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 60 cookies

1 cup Butter

1 cup Brown Sugar

2/3 cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

2 cups Chocolate Chips

4 cups Rice Krispies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix to incorporate. Fold in the chocolate chips and rice krispies.

Drop by spoonful onto the lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Mini Carrot & Ginger Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

2011-05-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

I don't really think that I have a sweet tooth. Yes, I do occasionally crave a piece of dark chocolate or a homemade sweet, but in most cases, I would choose savory over sweet anyday.

The exception to this seems to be carrot cake. For a cake filled with vegetables, carrot cake is pretty delicious and sweet. In fact, I love it so much that I wanted my wedding cake to be carrot cake (over-ruled by Chocolate-Raspberry....).

Carrot cake is deliciously moist, and of course, topping it with sweet, velvety cream cheese icing doesn't hurt!

Mini Carrot & Ginger Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Makes 60 Mini Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

2 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

3/4 cup White Sugar

3 Large Eggs

3/4 cup Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated

2 cups Grated Carrots

1 cup Canned Crushed Pineapple, drained

2/3 cup Chopped Walnuts

For the Icing

1 cup Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup Butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 3/4 cup Icing Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin tins.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the white and brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and ginger. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, and walnuts.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake for 11-13 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl until completely smooth. Add the icing sugar, half a cup at a time until the icing is smooth. At this point, you can spread onto the cooled cupcakes or you can place in the fridge and cool for 1-2 hours and pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

2011-05-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

I think Thumbprint cookies are my favorite kind of cookie. I love the way they look and the richness with the sticky sweetness of the filling.

Every year, my mom makes them at Christmas time, rolled with sesame seeds and filled with red jam (for my mom's thumbprint cookie recipe, click here).

And I often take this recipe, and switch thing up, by rolling the cookies in nuts or sugar, or filling them with nutella or cream cheese. Today, I am twisting this idea even further by playing with the classic combination of peanut butter and jelly.

I mean, who doesn't like peanut butter and jelly? And in a cookie, it's got to be a winner!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

Adapted from www.joyofbaking.com

Makes about 30 cookies

1/2 cup Butter, room temperature

3/4 cup Smooth Peanut Butter

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup White Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

2 tbsp Milk

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Jam

Sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter, brown and white sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to incorporate.

Roll the dough into 2 cm balls. Roll in white sugar and place on lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, pull out of oven, and using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon, press to form holes in the centre of the cookies. Fill with jam and bake again for about 5 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Split Pea Soup with Crispy Ham

2011-05-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Soup is a funny thing. It calms you when you are anxious, it soothes you when you are upset, and it makes you feel better when you are sick.

Yet so many of us do not really think of soup as a year round, go to meal. Yes, we eat it as a starter sometimes in a restaurant, or make it conveniently out of a can, but we don't make as much soup from scratch as we should. And let me tell you, soup in it's purest form, with just a few basic ingredients, is the best remedy, healthiest meal and most heartwarming liquid in a bowl that there is.

So, when you are feeling up for it, make a huge pot. Portion it. Freeze it. Keep it around for rainy days or surprise visits by friends. It will be the best thing you ever did. You will see.

Split Pea Soup with Crispy Ham

Makes about 8 cups

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 1/2 Large Onion, peeled and chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

2 Large Carrots, chopped

5 Cloves Garlic, peeled

2 cups Green Split Peas

2 Bay Leaves

1 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme

Water

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Cooked Ham Slices or prosciutto, cut into strips

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic, and cook until they just start to soften (about 10-12 minutes).

Stir in the split peas, bay leaves and dried thyme. Then fill the pot with water to cover the veggies and peas by a couple of inches. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes until peas and all veggies are completely soft. Remove bay leaves and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add more water if the soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the ham strips and cook until crispy. Use as garnish on top of the soup.

S'mores Cupcakes

2011-05-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Camping is one of my favorite pastimes. Pitching the tent. Hiking. Building fires. And of course, campfire cooking.

In 2009, when we went camping in Eastern Canada, I shared some of my campfire cooking with you: Campfire Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Fire Roasted Chicken Thighs, Cheddar Baked Potatoes, and of course, Warm Baked Apples filled with Nutella.

I think that was the last time we went camping (living in the Middle East, camping is not a very popular pastime) and since moving back to British Columbia, I have been dying to go!

So, while I was drifting off, thinking about ideas for cupcakes for my best friend, it's no surprise that camping came back into my mind. And then I thought of S'mores. The sweet, sticky, oozy marshmallow with the rich chocolate and the crunch of the graham cracker. So I decided to recreate S'mores in a whimsical cupcake.

This cupcake has a graham cracker crust, layer of chocolate, dense chocolately cupcake, graham sprinkles, broiled marshmallows, a chocolate drizzle, and topped with a graham cracker garnish.

Yes, it is a lot of steps and yes, it does take some time, but it is so so worth it! They looked fantastic and the taste was to die for. How could you possibly resist?

S'mores Cupcakes

Makes about 5 dozen medium sized cupcakes

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups Graham Crumbs

1/2 cup Sugar

1/3 cup Butter, Melted

3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Mini Choc Chips or Finely Chopped Chocolate

For the Cupcakes

(I used the One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe for these!)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 large whole eggs, plus 1 large YOLK

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups warm water

For the Toppings

Marshmallows (I used mini but you could also use big ones)

1 1/2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Dark Chocolate Chips

15 Graham Crackers, broken into large pieces

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line your muffin pans with paper liners or spray your cake pans with cooking spray.

Combine the graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press about 1 tsp into each cupcake mould. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add the eggs and yolk, milk, oil, vanilla and water, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and combined (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add chocolate cupcake batter on top of the graham crusts until the cups are about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with a little of the graham crust. Bake for about 20-25 minutes (for medium sized cupcakes).

Let cool on a wire rack. Turn the oven to broil. Once cool, top with marshmallows and broil for about 30 seconds until the marshmallows are browned. Make sure you watch the marshmallows as they brown quickly and burn easily.

Once browned, remove from oven and using your fingers or a spoon, just press down the marshmallows.

In a microwave proof bowl, heat chocolate chips for 20 seconds at a time, then stir, then heat again, until completely melted. Place the chocolate into a ziplock bag and cut a small corner off the bag. Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cupcakes. Garnish with a piece of graham cracker.

Sweet Potato and Two Pea Curry

2011-04-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

For a couple days, I really thought that summer was just around the corner. The sun was shining, and it was warm enough to go out without a jacket. So, my meals started to reflect the weather. Spring greens with avocado, apples, and bright zingy dressings. Pan seared fish with simply squeezed lemon and sauteed vegetables. Cold rice bowls with salmon, crisp veggies and garlic-tahina dressing.

But I guess I spoke and acted too soon. The rain and cold breezes returned, and I found myself going back into hibernation mode for a little bit longer. And this meant, I needed to warm up my dishes. The secret? A little bit of spice.

Now by spice, I don't mean heat. I just mean a little bit of warmth. The is achieved with some Indian inspired flavors and is balanced with the sweetness from the sweet potato and the freshness of the cilantro. Paired with the pop of the mustard seeds and two kinds of peas (green and chick peas), I am starting to think I could stay in winter mode for a little while longer!

Sweet Potato and Two Pea Curry

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp Curry Powder

1 tbsp Mustard Seeds

2 tsp Ground Coriander

1 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp Ginger, minced

1 Large Onion, chopped

6 cups Sweet Potatoes, cut into large chunks (about 3 medium sized potatoes)

1 Can (28 ounces) Diced Tomatoes

1 cup Water

1 cup Frozen Green Peas

1 cup Cooked Chick Peas

4 cups Fresh Spinach Leaves

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper

In a large pan, add all the spices and toast on medium heat until the spices start to smoke and the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the olive oil. Then add the garlic, ginger, onion, and sweet potatoes. Stir to coat with the spices. Add the tomatoes and water. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

After 30 minutes, stir in the cooked chick peas and green peas. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Then stir in the spinach and let it wilt. Finally, stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with rice or flat bread, or both!

Green Pea Polenta Cakes: A Side Dish & Brunch all in one!

2011-04-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today, as I was in the grocery store, my eyes fell on a bag of cornmeal. Strange... I haven't used cornmeal in ages. I really think it's because of moving. You see, I always make sure my pantry is full. You might call me a kitchen hoarder, but I just like to say that I am well stocked. Anyway, every time we move, we spend weeks before hand emptying out our pantry. That basically means using up as much stuff as we can and not buying anything else! As difficult as it can be when you get low in stocks, the more interesting the meals become.

So, once moved to a new location, I always start again to stock up the pantry. But it takes time. And something always gets overlooked. In this case, the cornmeal.

But I am so glad I have found it again! It is so easy to make and has endless possibilities. In this case, I made a great side dish which turned into an easy brunch also! Two dishes in one! Can't go wrong with that!

I cooked the polenta with some peas and aromatics then cooled it in a pan and cut it into little cakes. These cakes were then pan fried until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Yum!

These polenta cakes are great as a side dish to any sort of meal. And the leftovers are amazing for brunch with a sunny side egg on top. Reminds me a little of the cheesy grits with poached egg that my husband loves so much!

Green Pea Polenta Cakes

Makes 12 squares (6 servings of 2 squares each)

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups Cornmeal

4 cups Water

1 1/2 cups Frozen Peas

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil or Butter for cooking

Prepare a 9" by 13" cake pan by lining it with plastic wrap.

In a large pot, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add polenta and water and bring up to a boil. Reduce to low. Stir continuously until polenta is cooked, about 20 minutes (alternatively, stir for the first few minutes, cover for about 10 minutes, then stir again). Stir in the frozen peas and salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be creamy and smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth out with a spatula. Place in the fridge to cool and set.

Once cool, cut into 12 squares. Up until this point, this recipe can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge until ready to use.

Heat some butter or olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the polenta squares and cook until browned on both sides and hot in the middle (about 5 minutes per side).

Serve as is or as a side dish to any meat, fish, or poultry. Or, for a yummy brunch, serve with a sunny side up egg on top (and bacon on the side...)

Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup

2011-04-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Soup is one of my all time favorite "go to" dishes. It is super easy to make, clean up is a breeze, and you can make tons and freeze it for later. And soup is one of those dishes that just gets better tasting with age.

Oh, and it's healthy. Which works really well with my current "detox." Yes, it's true. I am detoxing. After moving across the world and enjoying many welcome home meals (and drinks) with family and friends, it is time to kick my body back into perfect functioning order. And that means a 14 day detox. Now, I am not really one for diets and stuff like that, but this detox isn't a diet. It is supplying the body with whole, natural, easy to digest ingredients to allow the body to shift it's focus from digestion to a little internal clean up.

So, what does it mean? Well, in essence it means no salt, sugar, wheat, dairy (except yogurt), meat, poultry, alcohol, caffeine, or anything processed. And to be honest, the hardest part? Giving up coffee. I love the smell and the taste in the morning. And yes, I guess I could drink decaf, but I figure, if I am going to give it up, I might as well go all the way.

Okay, so back to soup. I wanted a soup that was healthy but also creamy and delicious. So, I chose butternut squash.

Butternut squash makes an incredibly delicious, creamy soup. When it is pureed, it becomes creamy and decadent and acts as a thickener. Now, since I am detoxing, I didn't use any salt in this recipe and I used water instead of stock. Of course, if you are not detoxing, you could use stock, or even if you are detoxing, you could make your own stock without salt. But I find water works just fine.

I also added a few other elements to make the soup flavorful and interesting. Ginger adds some heat, the honey complements the natural sweetness of the squash, and some herbs, just to give some flavor.

To be honest, this soup tasted fantastic. Detox or no detox. I would eat it anyday!

Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup

Makes about 8 cups

1 tbsp Canola Oil

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, chopped

1 large Onion, chopped

3 large stalks Celery, chopped

3 Carrots, chopped

1 Butternut Squash, seeded and cut into cubes

1 1/2 tbsp Italian Herbs

1 Bay Leaf

Water

1 tbsp Honey

Cracked Black Pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onions, celery, carrots and cook until they start to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the butternut squash, Italian herbs, and bay leaf. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add enough water to the pot to cover all the vegetables. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, until all the veggies are soft.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender (or a regular blender). Stir in the honey and season with cracked pepper to taste.

More Tea Party Ideas: Greek Skewers & Mexican Taco Cups

2011-04-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

On the topic of tea parties, here are a few other great tea party ideas. Of course, like the BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Slaw earlier, they could also be used as creative starters for a dinner party, a light and fun lunch or appetizers before a party! They are so versatile and look great! Plus, a lot of the components can be made ahead.

These are fun, colorful dishes that can be made for 4 people or 40 people. So try them at your next social get together and let me know what you think!

Greek Skewers

Makes as many as you want

Feta Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Oregano

Kalamata Olives

Cucumber, cut into about 2 cm cubes

Cherry Tomatoes

Red Onion, cut into about 2 cm pieces

Wooden Skewers, soaked for about 10 minutes (I think it helps everything slide on better, but not mandatory)

In a bowl, mix the olive oil and oregano. Cut the feta cheese into about 2 cm cubes. Toss in the olive oil and oregano.

Then just assemble the skewers... Cherry tomato, red onion, olive, feta, cucumber, tomato. Simple, tasty, and good looking!

Mexican Taco Cups

Make a few or a lot!

Ground Beef

Chili Powder

Ground Cumin

Salt and Pepper

Romaine Lettuce, Shredded

Salsa

Sour Cream

Guacamole (homemade or pre-made)

Cherry tomatoes, sliced

Cheddar Cheese, grated

Tostidos "Scoops" Tortilla Chips

Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season with chili powder and cumin (about 1 tsp of each for each 250grams of meat). Cook until there is no pink left and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.

In a bowl, mix together equal parts of sour cream, salsa and guacamole (1/3 cup of each should be more than enough to start).

Assemble the cups: put about 1/2 teaspoon of ground beef mixture on the bottom of the tostido cup. Top with about 1/2 teaspoon of the sour cream mixture. Then add a little grated cheese, shredded lettuce, and top with a slice of cherry tomato.

These are best eaten immediately. The longer then sit, the tortilla chip becomes a little soggy.

Tea Party Ideas: BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Cabbage Slaw

2011-04-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

Tea Parties. Elegant parties with elegant little food. Cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon rolls, petit fours and the like, right? Well, not in my book.

After all, who says that tea parties have to follow the "rules" when it comes to food? In my eyes, a tea party is a chance for people to get together, drink tea, perhaps champagne, and enjoy "little" food..... and by that, I simply refer to food that can be eaten while drinking tea.

So, this weekend was my sister's bridal shower. And it was a tea party. So of course, food was an extremely important component. The question is, are all the traditions of a tea party really necessary?

Tea parties staples are in fact, just a suggestion, but they are not a requirement. It is not mandatory to adorn the table with perfect little cheddar sandwiches, deviled eggs, and fruit tartlets. This is a an opportunity to create an interesting spread of finger foods. Of course, details are everything. They need to look good and taste fantastic.

The first item on the menu were these BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Cabbage Slaw. Definitely not the traditional tea party food, but colorful, comforting and just really delicious. They were a hit!

BBQ Chicken Pita with Zesty Cabbage Slaw

Makes a lot of little pitas (or you could just pile it onto a rolls and eat it yourself for lunch!)

For the Chicken

2 kg Whole Chicken Legs, bone in, skin on

Paprika

Salt and Pepper

For the BBQ Sauce

2 tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 Onion, chopped

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Dried Thyme

1 tsp Dried Rosemary

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

2 tsp Paprika

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2/3 cup Water

1/2 Orange, zest and juice

2 cups Plain BBQ Sauce (bottled)

For the Slaw

1 Head Cabbage, shredded (green, purple, or mixed)

1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Raisins

For the Slaw Dressing

Juice of 1/2 Orange

Juice 1/2 Lime

2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Ginger, minced

1 small Red Chili, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

Pita Bread (you could also use bread rolls or whatever bread you like)

For the Chicken

Generously season all sides of the chicken legs with salt, pepper and paprika. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once cooled remove the skin and discard. Then shred or pull the chicken into small pieces and set aside.

For the BBQ Sauce

This is a really great way to make your own custom BBQ sauce. It really brings some additional great flavors to the table without needing to do everything from scratch.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in all the spices. Then add the water, orange juice and zest, and BBQ sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the BBQ sauce cook for about 45 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the mixture to reduce a little. After 45 minutes, remove the bay leaf.

Pour the BBQ sauce over the shredded chicken. Mix well and set aside.

For the Zesty Slaw

In a large bowl, add the orange and lime juices, red wine vinegar and sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the dijon, ginger and chili. Then add the olive oil and yogurt and mix until smooth and creamy looking. Add the cabbage, onions and raisins and toss with the dressing. Set aside.

To Prepare the Pitas

Cut each pita into triangles (I cut each pita into about 8 triangles). Top with a little slaw (make sure each portion has a few raisins), then the BBQ chicken. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

2011-04-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

I am always searching for great, easy muffin recipes. My criteria? Great flavor and texture, fairly healthy and not too sweet. This way they can be eaten for breakfast, a snack, or even a guilt free dessert!

And blueberry muffins just happen to be one of my favorites. But with so many recipes out there, it is always difficult to choose the right one. So, I combined elements from many recipes that sparked my interest and this was the result.

These blueberry muffins fit the bill perfectly! Despite the oats and whole wheat flour which can usually make muffins pretty dense, these ones have a really nice soft texture because of the yogurt and buttermilk. They are a perfect sweetness for me with just 1/2 cup of honey, but if you like your muffins sweeter, you could add another 1/4 cup.

Make a big batch and share them, freeze them, or eat them all yourself... I will leave that up to you!

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Wet Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1/3 cup Canola Oil

1/2 cup Honey

1 1/4 cup Plain Yogurt (I used low fat, but you could use whatever kind you have)

1/3 cup Buttermilk

1 tbsp Orange Zest

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup White Flour

1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries

1 tbsp Flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet, stirring until just mixed. Toss the frozen blueberries in the tablespoon of flour and stir into the mixture immediately.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup just over 3/4 full. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Surprisingly Delicious Lentil Cookies

2011-04-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is to watch cooking shows. So it is no surprise that while at the gym, my headset is plugged in and I am watching the food network. Yup, there I am, sweating away while watching some great chefs make amazing food. I have had more than one person look at me with confusion, I have had a couple people working out next to me become fixated on the images flashing across my screen, and I have even had some flat out comments like "how can you watch that while you are working out?" or "Why are you tempting yourself?"

And my answer? I just love it. It is not a bad thing to have a good relationship with food. In fact, it's healthy. Perhaps if we just indulge ourselves watching it, food would not always be on our minds as a negative thing, causing unnecessary binges and guilt.

Anyway, I have a great relationship with food, and food network is my workout buddy. In fact, I do my best thinking while working out. Today, however, a great recipe was just handed to me. No thinking required. The Spice Goddess came on TV and made lentil cookies.

Seriously? Lentil Cookies? Could they be any good? With barely any flour, how would they stick together? My curiosity was peaked and I just had to make them immediately.

I did very slightly alter the recipe by substituting 1/2 cup mashed banana for some of the butter and adjusting the quantities of sugar and chocolate chips. But other than that, I kept the recipe pretty much the same.

The result? TO DIE FOR!!! No joke. They were delicious, moist, hearty but not super dense as I imagined. Just fantastic. And my husband could not stop eating them! They are perhaps the best cookies I have had in a long time and I would love you to try them and let me know if you feel the same...

Surprisingly Delicious Lentil Cookies

Slightly modified from the Spice Goddess' Recipe (Bal Arneson)

Makes 24 cookies

1/2 cup Margarine (or Butter), room temperature

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Banana, extremely ripe and mashed

1 cup Cooked Green Lentils, crushed with a fork

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 cup Slivered Almonds

1 cup Pumpkin Seeds

3/4 cup Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar. Blend in the mashed banana, the crushed lentils, the egg, and the vanilla. Add the flour, oats and baking soda and stir until everything is combined. Fold in the almonds, seeds and chocolate chips.

Drop the cookies by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten. Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes and allow to cool on a baking rack.

Balsamic & Ginger Pork Tenderloin

2011-03-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

A quick weeknight dinner for me is usually a salad or a quick pasta. It's easy, reliable, and healthy. But today I got a really great looking pork tenderloin from the market and decided to turn it into dinner.

A pork tenderloin is a great cut of meat because it really satisfies that meat craving without a lot of fat. It also takes on the flavors of whatever or however you cook it, and it doesn't take long at all! With so many great reasons to cook pork tenderloin, I am starting to think that I should do it more often.

Oh, and one more thing.... This meal is the one that keeps on giving! It doesn't take any more effort to make extra, but the leftovers make a great topper for a salad or an incredible sandwich! In fact, we just sliced last night's leftovers and made a killer sandwich with whole grain flax bread, mayonnaise, tomato, sliced white onions and green leaf lettuce. These sandwiches were so so fantastic and much tastier (and I am sure, healthier also) than any sandwich made from store bought deli meat! (I would have posted a picture, but I ate the sandwich so fast, there are only crumbs left!)

Balsamic & Ginger Pork

Serves 2

1 Pork Tenderloin (400-500 grams)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 cup White Wine

1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 cup Water

1 1/2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced

2 tbsp Honey

Season all sides of the pork with salt and pepper. In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Sear the pork so that it is brown on all sides (about 2 minutes per side).

Add the white wine, balsamic, water, ginger and honey. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and let cook for about 15-18 minutes, until cooked through, turning once during cooking (it will be feel medium- firm to the touch). Remove the pork from the pan and place on a cutting board. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Serve drizzled with pan sauce.

Hearty Lentil and Kale Soup

2011-03-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

Usually when I think of Lentil Soup, I think of my blended, middle eastern style Cumin Scented Lentil Soup. However, seeing that I am currently blender-less (yes, we are still waiting for our furniture and stuff to arrive in our new scantly-furnished-yet-functional apartment), I wanted to find an easy lentil soup recipe with the same heart warming qualities as mine but didn't require a blender.

Yes, given I could have made my lentil soup recipe and left it chunky, but I guess it was also the opportunity to try something new in the lentil soup realm. So, I stumbled upon this recipe for Lentil and Kale Soup in a book by Ellie Krieger (yes, I did modify it a little). It was delicious and completely different from my soup, but comforting just the same.

Also, after making this recipe, I realized that it could be make more soupy with the addition of more broth, or it could be made almost dry, then squeezed with lemon juice and topped with fresh lemon zest at the last minute and served as a side dish!

Anyway, it was healthy, hearty and delicious and I would easily make this recipe again for a quick meal or side dish. Oh, and the flavors do get better with age so make a lot and take it for lunch all week!

Hearty Lentil and Kale Soup

Recipe modified by Ellie Krieger's Book "So Easy"

Serves 6

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1 Medium Onion, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 cups Dry Green Lentils

2 tsp Italian Herbs

1 tsp Salt

14 cups Chicken Broth

6 cups Kale, chopped

1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the veggies just start to soften. Add the lentils, herbs, salt and chicken broth. Bring up to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the kale. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add more broth as necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Enjoy!

Gourmet Rice Krispies Squares with Dark Chocolate, Dried Cranberries & Walnuts

2011-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have eaten various forms of rice krispie squares since as long as I can remember. The most frequent "twist" on this classic when I was a kid was changing the white marshmallows with the colored ones. Yes, that's right. A rice krispies square with gooey strands of pink, green, and white. That was as daring as it got.

Move forward 20 years, and I am still crazy about these oozy squares of puffed rice. The difference is that I like to put a bigger twist on things. And by that I mean the addition of dark chocolate, cranberries, and walnuts. It is just as simple to make as the original, but it takes this classic recipe up to the caliber of gourmet treat while still maintaining all the delicious, gooey, satisfying qualities of the original.

Does it get any better than that?

Gourmet Rice Krispies Squares

with Dark Chocolate, Dried Cranberries & Walnuts

Makes 1 pan- 9” by 13”

4 tbsp Butter

1/4 tsp Salt

4 3/4 cups Mini Marshmallows

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

6 cups Rice Krispies

3/4 cup Dried Cranberries

1 cup Walnut Pieces

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, cut into chunks (about 100 grams), cold or frozen

(this prevents the chunks from melting too much)

Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan with butter. Set aside.

In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. As it is melting, rotate the pan to ensure that it is entirely coated with butter. Add the salt and marshmallows and stir constantly until almost melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Then add the rice krispies, cranberries, and walnuts and stir until coated with marshmallow. Quickly fold in the dark chocolate chunks and immediately transfer to the prepared pan. Press the mixture into the pan (** trick, use a piece of wax paper and press with your hands to get an even batch without making a mess!).

When cool, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container for about 2 days or freeze and let stand for about 10 minutes before eating!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

2011-03-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

Waldorf Salad is a classic combination of apples, grapes, celery and walnuts in a creamy dressing.

Over the years, everyone has made their own version, and this is mine. It is pretty simple and stays very close to the classic Waldorf. However, since I made this the meal for two, I added some chicken.

Now, let's talk about the chicken for a moment. Most of the time, salads using chicken use chicken breasts which are cut into slices or cubes. I, however, used chicken thighs, which I cooked on the stove top, let cool, then hand shredded. Of course, if you prefer chicken breast, by all means use them. And if you prefer your salad to look less rustic, then of course you can cut the chicken into cubes. However, I love chicken thighs because they have far more flavor and stay super moist. In fact, I cook them with bone in and skin on, then remove both once the thighs are cooked. Then I hand shred them. Yes, a little rustic, but the salad dressing seems to stick better to the shredded chicken.

I also used only sour cream in the salad dressing. You could use yogurt, mayonnaise or a mix of the three, but I happened to have sour cream on hand and it turned out great!

This is a really great salad to make as a meal for 2 or as a starter or side dish for 4. And because there are no "greens" this salad doesn't wilt in the fridge. In fact, it tastes better with age, so make it in advance and keep the leftovers for a quick lunch. It really couldn't be easier.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a starter or side

1 Apple, cored and cut into cubes (I prefer the tartness of granny smith)

3 ribs Celery, cut into 1 cm pieces

1/2 cup Walnut Pieces, lightly toasted

1 cup Seedless Grapes, cut in half

4 Chicken Thighs, with skin and bone

Salt and Pepper

For the Dressing:

1/3 cup Sour Cream

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

1 tsp Celery Seeds

Salt and pepper

Heat a pan over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the heated pan. Let cook for about 4 minutes until the skin is brown and turn over. Cover and oook for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, mix all the salad dressing ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cut apple, celery and grapes. Remove the skin from the chicken and remove the meat from the bone. Tear into pieces about the same size as the rest of the ingredients. Toss everything together.

At this point, I would refrigerate the salad until I am ready to serve it. Just before service, toss in half of the toasted walnuts. Then sprinkle the rest on top for garnish.

The One Pan Meal: Pan Seared Pork Chops, Potatoes & Veggies

2011-03-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

No one will ever believe that this entire meal was made in just one pan!

It really is a complete meal with meat, starch and veggies all cooked separately but in the same pan. Not only does this mean less dishes, but it also means more flavorful food, as each component (pork, potatoes, veggies) is cooked in the same pan (without cleaning!), building on the flavors of the ingredients before it. The end result? A delicious meal with minimal effort!

Since this meal is cooked in the same pan, and the total cook time is about 20 minutes, make sure that all of your ingredients are cut in advance and ready to throw into the pot.

For the potatoes, you could boil them until fork tender, drain, pat dry, then cut into chunks, but I find stabbing a knife a couple times into them and putting them into the microwave for about 4 minutes each does the trick.

So, make a quick dinner for yourself or impress you friends. This one is not to be missed!

The One Pan Meal: Pan Seared Pork Chops, Potatoes & Veggies

Serves 4

4 Pork Loin Center Chops (about 750 grams), room temperature

4 large Potatoes (about 1 kg)

1/2 Medium Sized Red Onion, thinly sliced

5 cloves Garlic, chopped

1 tbsp Butter

1 head Chinese Cabbage (or bok choy), chopped with white stems and green leaves separated

2 tsp Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Water

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Microwave potatoes whole and with skin on until fork tender. Cut into large chunks and set aside.

For the Pork:

Season both sides of the pork loins with salt and pepper. In a large pan over medium heat, heat up about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the pork chops and let cook for about 3-4 minutes without moving, until nicely browned. Flip and cook for about 3- 4 minutes on the other side until browned. You should see clear juices coming up to the top of the pork chops which means they are cooked. Remove from pan and let rest while the potatoes and veggies cook.

For the Potatoes:

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and about half of the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the potato chunks and the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the Veggies:

Again, in the same pan (even if there are brown bits on the bottom, do not give into your temptations and wash! These brown bits will add flavor to the veggies!), add the rest of the garlic and white parts of the cabbage. Add the soy sauce and cook, stirring until the veggies just start to soften. Add the green leaves and the water. Cover, and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until the greens just wilt.

Serve the rested pork loin with the potatoes and veggies. I also like to serve it with some grainy Dijon mustard!

Spicy Sausage Linguine with Bell Peppers, Onions & Tomatoes

2011-03-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

My apologies for my absence everyone, but as some of you already know, I have just moved back to Canada after many years abroad. It has been really nice to get closer to family and friends, but moving has its downsides also. In my case, living in hotels has to be my least favorite part. Many people I meet are envious of the hotel life, however, I have to say, it is not as grand as it sounds. Living in a hotel room means no kitchen, which means no cooking. When hunger pangs strike, you either need to reach for the half eaten box of shreddies on the table or the few remaining digestive cookies or pretzels from the day before. Or you need to call room service. And then wait....

And it's not only the waiting. It's also the fact that no matter how interesting and delicious a room service menu is, it just lacks variety. It is not really designed for people who stay in a hotel for a long period of time. After a couple meals, I started to repeat dishes done before. Yes, I could always ask for some kind of "self-modified" menu item, but to be honest, no ones wants to be the guest that inspires the order taker to curse and swear when he or she gets off the phone.

So, today, I was super happy that having found a suitable apartment and temporarily equipping the kitchen with the necessary supplies (we are waiting for our actual shipment with all of our furnishings and kitchen supplies to arrive from the middle east), I was able to cook our first meal in our new apartment. Yes, I didn't have all the herbs and spices I would usually have. And yes, I improvised. But it tasted great. And the best part is that it was homemade.

Spicy Sausage Linguine with Bell Peppers, Onions & Tomatoes

Serves 4

4 Mild Italian Sausages, cut into 1cm slices

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Medium Onion, diced

1 Large Yellow Pepper, cut into slices

2 Small Red Chilis, seeded and chopped

2 cans Diced Tomatoes (14 ounces each)

Salt and Pepper

500 grams Whole Wheat Linguine

Cook the linguine in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes less than instructed on the packagee (the pasta will be a little hard to the bite). Drain and set aside.

In a large pan over medium to high heat, cook to sausage pieces until browned. Drain about 3/4 of the sausage drippings from the pan. Then add the minced garlic, onions, yellow pepper, and chilies. Cook until the onions and peppers start to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the drained pasta into the sauce pan and toss. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the pasta cook the rest of the way in the sauce. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Remove the cover and taste. The pasta should be al dente and the sauce should have thickened. Garnish if desired with fresh cracked pepper and parmesan cheese.

Ode to the Middle East: Part 2- Fattoush Salad

2011-03-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Fattoush. This is the salad that my brother fell in love with when he came to visit us in Syria (although he did mistakenly call it Phantoof....).

The reason why I love this salad (and probably why my brother loves it also) is because it has great texture and flavor. It is so fresh tasting and the tartness of fresh lemon juice, tanginess and saltiness of the olives, bite of the onions, and the crunch of the fried or toasted pita bread all complement each other. It is a great starter salad, as it is traditionally eaten, or could be great as a meal, topped with some roasted chicken.

And the best part is that it can easily be made anywhere in the world!

Traditional fatoush uses a slightly bitter green called Purslane. If you cannot find purslane, you can use watercress, or baby arugula. It also uses a spice called sumac, which is ground from red berries and imparts a sour, lemony taste.

Here is my fatoush recipe:

Fatoush Salad

Serves 2

2 Tomatoes, cut into large dice

1 English Cucumber, cut into large dice (cut into 4 lengthwise, then chop)

1 bunch Purslane (Watercress, Baby Arugula, or Lettuce)

1/4 cup Black Olives (pitted, sliced, or whole.... your choice)

1 Shallot, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Sumac

1 tsp Dried Mint

1 tsp Dried Thyme

1 clove Garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Round of Pita Bread

In a large bowl, mix together all the salad ingredients. For the purslane or watercress, use the leaves and small stems only. For the lettuce, chop into bite sized pieces.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Place the pita bread in the oven (350 degrees) until crisp- about 5 minutes. Break into bite sized pieces. (You could also fry this bread as done traditionally. Cut into 1 inch pieces and fry in oil until crisp).

To put it all together, toss the dressing into the salad and top with the crisp pita bread.

Ode to the Middle East: Part 1- Shanklish

2011-02-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

(Above picture from http://fortheloveofyum.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/the-bounty-of-a-middle-eastern-platter/)

As we prepare to leave the Middle East, I find myself reflecting on our last five years here.

The people, the culture and traditions, the history and sights, and of course, the food. Our first 3 years in Dubai saw a great plethora of food choices, and we found ourselves eating very similarly to how we would anywhere else in the world. Japanese, Chinese, Western, Grills, Indian and of course, a dabble into Arabic cuisine. However, the last two years in Syria have introduced us to new tastes and great cuisine, and I would like to take this time to share just a little with you.

Let's start with my favorite....Shanklish (or Shangleesh).

Shanklish is like the blue cheese of Syria. Pungent, flavorful and really a "love it or hate it" kind of cheese. It is made out of cow or sheep milk and although you find manufactured varieties everywhere, the best ones are homemade.

Now, I have never actually made Shanklish, however, the basic method is as follows:

Make yogurt by boiling milk, cooling it and fermenting it into yogurt.
Churn the yogurt and occasionally skim off the butter that forms on top until the yogurt is partially skimmed.
Heat the partially skimmed yogurt until it breaks down into liquid and white residue. Cool and hang in cheese cloth.
Salt the drained cheese and roll it into balls and dry in the sun (about 1 week or more).
Scrape the balls of cheese clean (since they may have a little rot) and roll in thyme or other spices.
Wrap in cloth or put in air tight container and let age in the dark for a week or longer.

When the cheese is ready to eat, you eat it with diced fresh tomatoes, onions, tons of olive oil, and Arabic bread. I like to add some diced cucumber too because it's nice and fresh and crunchy.

I can't really explain the taste profile except to say that it is savory, flavorful and so so delicious. It should definitely be on your "must try" list if you are in Syria!

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

2011-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love Thai food. But in Damascus, good Thai, let alone Asian food, is hard to come by. However, with the arrival of a few new modern supermarkets, we are now able to find ethnic food ingredients that are not available in the local market. Oyster sauce, hoisin, sweet chili, and coconut milk are now readily available to satisfy any craving that a restaurant in Damascus simply cannot.

In this case, I craved the creamy, spicy broth of Thai Tom Kha Gai. However, I didn’t add the oyster mushrooms since mushrooms are one of the few things my husband doesn’t eat. Something about getting sick as a kid on mushrooms or something like that. I personally think if he didn’t know they were there, he would eat them and all would be fine.

Anyway, I left the mushrooms in the recipe so you can make it as is..... unless of course, your company doesn't like mushrooms as well!

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

(Tom Kha Gai)

Serves 2 generously as a meal

1 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk

2 cups Chicken Broth

6 slices Fresh Ginger (about 1/2 cm thick each)

1 stick Fresh Lemongrass (cut into 1 inch pieces) or 2 tbsp Chopped Lemongrass

400 grams Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast or Thigh, cut into bite sized slices

1 cup Oyster Mushrooms, cut into pieces

1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice

1 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Sugar

11/2 tsp Dried Red Chili Flakes (for medium spicy soup)

Fresh Cilantro Leaves for garnish

In a saucepan over high heat, combine coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger and lemongrass and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer.

Add the chicken, oyster mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until chicken is just cooked. Ladle into serving dishes and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Rosemary & Garlic Veal Shanks

2011-01-23T01:25:00.000-08:00

It's still winter.... even in Damascus. Clearly the Damascene winter is milder than the Canadian ones I am used to, however, I think all the moving and travelling in the Middle East has warmed my blood. After all, what Canadian can be freezing to the bone at 10 degrees Celsius?

So, I think a nice, wintery, rib sticking dish is in order. Slow cooked, rich, sauce laden veal shanks with garlic and woody, aromatic rosemary sounds good to me? Any objections?

Rosemary & Garlic Veal Shanks

Serves 4

1 kg Veal Shank (4 pieces)

1/2 cup Flour seasoned with Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup Olive Oil

3-4 sprigs Rosemary

6 cloves Garlic, whole and peeled

2 Large Onions, cut into quarters

1/2 cup White Wine

3 cups Vegetable Stock

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Place the seasoned flour in a large dish. Coat each veal shank with the seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven proof pan on medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until seared and browned.

Add the rosemary, onions, and garlic to the pan and let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring up to a boil. Then add the vegetable stock. Remove from heat, cover with foil.

Place in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, until the veal shanks are fork tender. Remove the veal shanks from the pan. Place the pan on the stove top over medium high heat. Reduce the sauce to about half.

Serve the veal shanks and sauce with rice, potatoes or polenta.

Vietnamese Chicken Lemongrass

2011-01-23T01:15:00.000-08:00

Remember when I posted about Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)? And how I mentioned that when I was feeling under the weather, my boyfriend took me to a little Vietnamese place for a steaming hot bowl of pho? Well, the one point I forgot to mention here is that while I was slurping away, he was often eating his other favorite Vietnamese dish.... Chicken with Lemongrass.

The succulent chicken tossed with fragrant lemongrass, red chili, fish sauce, and crunchy peanuts is a winning combination. And believe it or not, it is super easy and quick to make.

As you can see from my photos, I used a mix of chicken legs and thighs with bones. However, you could use chicken breasts or boneless thighs. To be honest, I prefer dark meat in this recipe because the end result is juicier.

So, treat yourself to a yummy Vietnamese dinner any night of the week with this easy and tasty recipe!

Vietnamese Chicken Lemongrass

Serves 4

2 stalks Fresh Lemongrass, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (or 4 tbsp chopped lemongrass)

3 tbsp Fish Sauce

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed

1 tbsp Curry Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2 1/2 tbsp Sugar

1/4 cup Scallions, chopped

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 kg Chicken Pieces (I used legs and thighs but you could use any parts you prefer)

1 Large Onion, diced

3 Small Red Chilies, chopped

3/4 cup Unsalted Roasted Peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup Water

In a large bowl, combine the lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, curry, salt, pepper, sugar and scallions. Add the chicken pieces and massage with the marinade until all the pieces are coated. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Then, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chicken pieces and all of the marinade and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced onion, chilies and peanuts and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Then stir in the water, cover, and cook for about 5-8 minutes until chicken pieces are cooked through. (This time will be less if you are using just chicken breast pieces).

Serve over steamed rice and garnish with some chopped scallion.

The Fluffiest Pancakes Ever!

2011-01-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

I love pancakes. And there are so many great recipes out there that it can be difficult to choose.

But after trying these pancakes once, they have become THE recipe in this household. Why? Because they are simple and work every single time!

I also really like this recipe because it works with whole wheat flour. I have tried it with 100% whole wheat, and 100% white, but I think this 50/50 recipe gives the best balance.

This is the pancake at its simplest. Feel free to add whatever toppings and variations you want (see some possibilities below) and make this recipe your own! Enjoy!

The Fluffiest Pancakes Ever

Recipe adapted from Saveur Magazine

Makes about 1 dozen pancakes

1 cup White Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp Sugar

1⁄2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Low Fat Yogurt

1⁄2 cup Sparkling Water

2 Eggs

Butter for pan

Possible “Stuffings”: chocolate chips, berries, nuts, bananas, dried fruit, apple

Possible Toppings: Jam, Nutella, Butter, Maple syrup

Stir together the flours, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the yogurt, eggs, and sparkling water and mix together until combined. Let the batter rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Over medium heat, melt a little butter in a large, non stick pan. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan to make 1 pancake. Depending on the size of your pan, you could make between about 2-4 pancakes each batch.

Let the pancakes cook without touching them for a few minutes, until bubbles start to surface at the top of the pancake. At this point, sprinkle any of your desired stuffings onto the pancake (eg. Chocolate chips) and press down lightly. Then flip each pancake and cook until lightly golden on the other side. Transfer pancakes onto a baking sheet and place in a warm oven. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

Serve with your desired toppings.

No Fuss Pork Loin Roast

2011-01-17T01:16:00.000-08:00

We all crave comfort food. But on these days, no one wants to be sweating over the stove cooking. That's why this meal is so great. It literally takes 3 minutes of preparation and then 1 hour (or more if you have a bigger roast) in the oven. Then 3 more minutes to make the pan sauce. THAT'S IT!!!

It is moist, tasty and perfectly heart and belly warming!

And the best part? You could feed between 2 and 20 people with the same amount of work! Just increase the size of the roast, make some rice, potatoes, veggies and enjoy!

No Fuss Pork Loin Roast

Serves 4-6 people

1 kg Pork Loin Roast

1 tbsp Dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper

1 cup Vegetable Stock

1 tbsp Flour

1 tbsp Butter

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Season the pork roast generously on all sides with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Place in a roasting pan oe casserole and bake in 200 degree Celsius oven for about 15 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 140 degrees Celsius and bake for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the pork roast is between 65-70 degrees Celsius (150-160 degrees Farenheit). Remove the roast from the oven, put on a plate, cover with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes before cutting.

In the meantime, place the used roasting pan on the stove top on medium- high heat. Add the vegetable stock and using a whisk, stir to deglaze the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in the butter. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve slices of pork roast with mashed potatoes or rice and drizzle with sauce.

Please note, this recipe will work for varying sizes of pork roast. As per the recipe, cook at 200 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook until the internal temperature of the roast is 145 degrees).

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Dip

2010-12-28T02:29:00.000-08:00

There is nothing easier than making a dip for a party. You can make it ahead and put it in the fridge... in fact, it tastes even better the earlier you make it! This saves you plenty of time to do other things in preparation for your guests.

This Spinach and Sundried Tomato Dip is both healthy and super easy. All you need is a few ingredients, 5 minutes and a food processor. It doesn't get easier than this. Plus it tastes good and is full of vitamins. You could substitute light cream cheese and non-fat sour cream, and it would taste just as good. No one will ever know how simple this really was!

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Dip
Makes 1 large bowl of dip

1 package Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups Sundried Tomatoes, drained

1 package Philedelphia Cream Cheese (200 grams)

1 cup Sour Cream

Salt and Pepper

Drizzle Olive Oil

Sliced Green Onion, for garnish

In a food processor, mix together spinach and tomatoes for about 2 minutes until all chopped and mixed. Add the cream cheese and sour cream and pulse until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop the dip into a bowl, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and garnish with sliced green onion. Serve with tortilla chips, pita, or veggie sticks.

Crisp Ginger Spice Cookies

2010-12-25T02:58:00.000-08:00

Whenever I need some inspiration, I go to Martha. What can I say? She knows everything! So, anyways, I was flipping through her baking handbook, more looking at the pictures than really reading, when I saw a picture of some cute gingerbread men. Yes, that is what I decided to make. Gingerbread men. A classic right?

And then, I remembered these... a cross between gingerbread men and gingersnap cookies. My mom's favorite. My mom actually doesn't like gingerbread. I am not sure why, but it has never really been her taste. Then one day, a family friend brought over a batch of these lovely, crisp ginger spiced cookies, and my mom could not get enough of them. And now I have decided to adapt them into my own repetoire.

Nothing says Christmas like the smells of ginger and spice!

Crisp Ginger Spice Cookies

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

1 cup Unsalted Butter

1 1/4 cup White Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

1/3 cup Molasses

3 cups Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

2 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

2 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, eggs, and molasses.

Sift together all dry ingredients and stir into the wet. Pour the dough into a baking dish lined with plastic wrap (20 by 20 cm). Press the dough into the pan, and cover with plastic wrap. (This will make square/rectangle cookies. For round cookies, divide the dough into 2, form into logs with plastic wrap). Place in the freezer overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit).. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer. For the square cookies, remove the dough from the pan, and cut into thirds so you have 3 square logs. Or for the round cookies, just unwrap the logs of dough. Cut the logs into thin slices (about 2 mm thick), place on lined baking sheets, and bake for about 12 minutes until brown. Let cook on a wire rack.

Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt

2010-12-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

I often read recipes to get inspiration. Then, I use this inspiration to create recipes and dishes of my own. However, there are times when I come across something that I just have to try. And this recipe was one of them. Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt from the Cookin Canuck. How could this not be delicious! Besides the fact that it sounded so simple. So, I added it to my “To Make” list and decided to try it out for Christmas.

Boy was I in for a treat! It was so easy to make with ingredients already kicking around in my pantry, and it was just as perfect as it sounded. In fact, it was absolutely divine and a huge hit with my friends. Try this one, you won’t be disappointed. Thank you Cookin’ Canuck!!!

Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt

Recipe from the Cookin' Canuck

http://cookincanuck.blogspot.com/2010/12/chocolate-nutella-fudge-with-sea-salt.html

Makes 4 dozen fudge squares

Butter, for greasing pan

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (395 grams or 14 oz)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

250 grams Bittersweet Chocolate (at least 60% cacao)

1 cup Nutella, room temperature

3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into pieces

Sea salt, approximately 1/2 tsp

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate and Nutella.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cold butter. Remove the mixture from the heat and scrape into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

When the fudge is set, run the sides of the pan under hot water for just a few seconds. This should loosen the fudge from the pan. Lift the fudge out of the pan, peel off the parchment paper, and place on a cutting board. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Enjoy!

Duck Breast with Balsamic, Honey & Ginger Reduction

2010-12-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is about duck, but I am hooked! Perhaps because it is hard to get over here, and you know how we always want what we can't have, or because it just has a great, rich, meaty, addictive flavor. Whatever it is, I wish I could eat duck more often.

Especially duck prepared like this. With a simple balsamic, honey and ginger reduction. So easy. So flavorful. So addictive. Try it. You'll see.

Duck Breast with Balsamic, Honey & Ginger Reduction

Serves 2

1 Duck Breast (about 400 grams)

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Fresh Grated Ginger

Score the duck breast by using a knife to cut diagonal lines about 1 cm apart through the skin and the fat, then cutting another set of lines at a 90 degree angle.

Heat a pan. Cook the duck breast skin side down on medium low heat, draining the fat every so often (you can reserve this fat to make yummy sauteed vegetables or potatoes later!). After about 10 minutes, turn the breast over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the breast from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan over medium- low heat, add the balsamic vinegar. Stir in the honey and fresh ginger. Let cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.

Put the duck breast into the pan and turn just to coat in sauce. Remove the duck breast to a cutting board and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Classic Apple Pie

2010-12-12T01:34:00.000-08:00

My grandfather was a chef. I didn’t really have a chance to appreciate what that meant. What I mean is, his professional chef days were long over when I entered this world. However, just the same, he always reminded us kids of his trade when we came for a visit. His apple pie. One of my favorite memories of my grandfather. He would bring it to the table and offer us kids a slice. And it was always the same. Warm, moist, cinammon-y and just darn good.

Now, I am not sure that I could ever replicate his pie. Maybe it's because it holds a very dear place in my heart, one that will never be replaced. Or maybe it's because I just can't do it.

Anyway, here is my version. It may not be exactly the same as his, but when I eat it, I feel at ease. As if I am taken back in time to one of the hundreds of times in my childhood when I sat with my grandparents at their dining table and ate Apple Pie.

Classic Apple Pie

Makes 1 pie

6 large Apples, peeled and sliced

Juice of 1 Lemon

1/3 cup Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Whole Cloves

1 tbsp Butter

1/2 tsp Cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp Water

Pastry Crust

2 cups Flour

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Butter, cold and cut into chunks

1/4 tsp Salt

4-6 tbsp Ice Cold Water

For the Pastry Crust: In a food processor, combine the flours and salt. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles oatmeal. Add the water, 2 tbsp at a time, until the dough just comes together. Divide into 2 and form each half into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refridgerate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, dissolve sugar in lemon juice. Toss in sliced apples and sprinkle in cinnamon.

Melt the butter in a pan and add apple mixture. Cook for 5-8 minutes until apples are soft. Remove cloves. Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture. Remove from heat and let cool.

When you are ready to make the pie, roll out the refridgerated pastry dough, making 2 rounds. Place 1 on the bottom of a pie tin. Fill with the cooled apple mixture. Place the second round on top of the filling. Trim the edges of the crust and using a fork, press down on the edges of the crust to seal.

Bake in preheated 180 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden.