Red Curry Chicken Drumsticks

I don't usually buy drumsticks. I love chicken, but would prefer to buy them whole or if I buy pieces, I prefer the wings or the thighs. That has all changed.

We recently had chicken wings for dinner. As usual, I proceeded to take off some of the meat to give to my 1 year old daughter. This time, however, she was insistent on having a wing too. So, I cut off the drummette and gave it to her. She loved it. So much in fact that she completely cleaned the bone!

Curious to see if this enthusiasm would continue, the next day, I bought a package of chicken drumsticks and made these Red Curry Chicken Drumsticks. I wanted to see if my daughter would like eating off the bone as much as she had the previous day. To my surprise, my daughter happily ate 3 of them! It seems that she likes food with a little kick, and she loves holding the drumstick and eating off of it.

Since that time, I have tried other marinades for drumsticks and I have not been disappointed. My daughter has enjoyed all of them. So I guess I will be buying packs of drumsticks more frequently!

Banana Zucchini Bread

A few things happened today. I wanted to make something yummy and freshly baked to enjoy in the afternoon. I noticed I had an abundance of ripe bananas in the freezer. And I wanted to give my daughter some kind of treat.

So I made banana bread. With zucchini. And way less sugar than usual. But then I messed up and shorted the recipe an entire cup of flour. Yup, a whole cup. And I didn't realize until just now as I was looking at my recipe. I didn't notice because the banana bread was fantastic. Moist and yummy. So good in fact that we (my husband, me and my 1 year old daughter) ate almost the entire loaf!

Oh well. It was pouring rain today, the house smelled like baking and the banana bread was fairly healthy as far as baked goods go. And I got a new and better recipe as a result. A very productive day!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

My daughter just turned one. I can't even believe it. It seems like just yesterday that I was busy cooking up a storm to stock our freezer for her arrival.

This past weekend I found myself trying to make a somewhat healthy but still decadent and crowd pleasing first birthday cupcake.  

In the past year, I haven't given our daughter a whole lot of sugar, salt or processed food. I try my best to make her meals healthy and packed with nutrients while of course making sure that the food is tasty.

Creamy Sockeye Salmon Orechiette

I realize that I have been missing in action for a while. It's not that I haven't been cooking. It's just that between looking after our active 11 month old, the never ending house projects, and of course, enjoying the summer, I haven't had time to sit down and share.  But don't worry. I'm here. And I've got a really good one for you.

This pasta is so quick and easy and uses ingredients that most of us have regularly in our pantries and fridges. As summer comes to an end (sigh....), the days get shorter, and we get back in the hustle and bustle of work, school, daycare etc, quick no-fuss meals are in high demand. And this is one of them. It is also sure to please as it doesn't skim on flavor, and it contains some kid favorites-- pasta, peas and a creamy sauce. Yum yum!

Salmon with Boursin Cheese & Tomatoes en Papiotte

We'd been driving for 3 plus hours south east from Dijon to Thonon-les-Bains to visit friends. Normally this trip would be filled with some good music, sleeping (for me) and talks of future travels and projects. This time, with our 9 month old daughter, it was filled with Nirvana's MTV unplugged album on repeat (it was a surefire way to get her to sleep), and talks of potentially stopping at the next rest stop, what she was going to eat, and diapers. Wow, how times have changed.

So after what seemed like endless driving on the French highways, mediocre rest stops and not much napping on my part, a late lunch and a little rosé in the garden of our friends' home was welcome. And for lunch? A wonderful fillet of salmon baked en papiotte (in a parchment paper pocket) with boursin cheese and tomatoes. It was so delicious and so flavorful. Even our 9 month old daughter loved it!

5 minute Nutella Cake for 2 (or one!)

Today is my husband's birthday. He's been working all day and has no idea what time he will be home. So, instead of preparing an amazing dinner only to have him microwave it later, I thought I would make him a cake.

Only I didn't want to make a huge cake that we would eat a quarter of and toss. I wanted something small that he could enjoy when he gets home from work. Oh, and the other thing is that I don't have time to make him a huge cake. Between diapers and dishes, I wanted to find something simple that I could whip up in a flash.

Healthy, Veggie Packed Muffins for Baby (and mama!)

So, my little one is 8 months old! Wow, time sure does fly. And everyday, she is more and more interested in food and feeding herself. But she's not quite eating what we eat yet. I am still trying to limit the salt and added sugars and make sure she gets her fair share of veggies and whole grains.

The other challenge is that we seem to always be on the run. Which means we always need to bring snacks. So far, I have managed to stay away from pre-packaged snacks, but it's hard because I want something that is easy to make, is readily available when I need it, not too messy, and most of all, healthy. So I started making baby muffins.

Baby muffins are great because you can make a massive batch and freeze them. Whenever you need to take one on the run, pop it into a snack bag and by the time you are ready to eat it, the muffin will be thawed. They are easy for baby to eat because they aren't too slippery and messy, and they are easy for mama to clean when bits get dropped everywhere (which they definitely will!).

There are lots of options of what could be added to these muffins. I have a list of things I want to try like quinoa, pureed peas, apples, lentils, pumpkin.... etc and I promise to share as I make them! But for now, here is the first batch. Oh, and even though there is no fat, sugar or salt, I am sure you will find yourself eating them too!

Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup

It's almost that time again!

As the weather heats up, chilled soups make the perfect light meal or starter. They are refreshing, flavorful and so easy to make. Especially because you can make them in advance. If you are entertaining, you can serve chilled soups family style in a large soup tureen with a ladle (already prepared in the fridge) or you can dish the soup into small bowls before your guests even arrive.

This chilled cucumber and avocado soup combines the coolness of the cucumber with the creamy avocado to make an awesome soup summer soup! You will never just think of soup as a winter dish ever again!

Lemon, Poppyseed & Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Another day, another muffin. After all, who can't use a good muffin recipe? Especially as the days get brighter, the weather gets drier, and we find ourselves on the go and enjoying the great outdoors. Muffins make a great and healthy take along snack.

Although they use a majority of whole wheat flour, these muffins are particularly moist and light, partially due to the use of yogurt. And of course, lemon and blueberries are a winning combination, so you really can't go wrong here. Oh wait, yes you can---- You can make only one batch and see them disappear way to quickly! 

Next time, I am definitely doubling up. This recipe is a sure winner!

Dry Rub BBQ Ribs

The sun is shining, so it must be time to fire up the barbeque! 

Well, even if the sun isn't shining, it is always a good time to barbeque! Especially in our case, since our barbeque is just outside our kitchen door on the covered part of our deck, sheltered from mother nature and really just an extension of our kitchen! Oh, and did I mention our barbeque is natural gas? No need to lug propane tanks back and forth and no fear that the propane will run out just as your dinner is in the middle of cooking. Yep, it doesn't get any easier than that!!!!

So, now that the barbeque is uncovered and clean, the question is... what to make? I figure that you just can't start barbeque season without ribs, dry rubbed and slow cooked until tender? Yum yum!

I usually make a whole jar of dry rub, then put it in a mason jar to use on both chicken and ribs whenever I feel like it.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Oat Muffins

Right now, it's all about the muffins. They are portable and quick, and because of all the flavour options, they never really get boring. They can be made super healthy and could function as a "vessel" for all those veggies you want your children to eat!

Today, whole wheat, oats and blueberries were on the menu. Sometimes I also add nuts to this recipe for some extra crunch.

These muffins freeze beautifully and I often take one straight out of the freezer and into my bag as a snack. It thaws quickly and tastes just as good as the day it was made.

One Pot Beef Stew

Snow, snow, snow! After quite a dry winter here on the west coast, I was starting to wonder if we just skipped winter this year. And then a few days ago, the snow started and I woke up to a winter wonderland! And the snow hasn't stopped! There are at least 20 centimeters on our deck and counting and the local mountains are packed with fresh powder.

So yesterday. I decided to take my little one for her first excursion in the snow. We went for a nice long snowshoe and at the end of it, I was famished! (probably had something to do with carrying an extra 16+ pounds on my front!). What did I crave after a day on the mountain? Hearty, soul warming, comfort food of course!

Banana Rye Nut Muffins

Do you every have a whole bunch of rye flour kicking around? I do. Usually because I buy it for one inspired recipe, use a couple of cups, and then the rest sits in my pantry until I figure out what else I can do with it.

I usually end up mixing it with wheat flour to make bread; that is, until I started making these muffins! They are so delicious and are made with 100% rye flour. They could also be made with whole wheat flour, in case you are reading this recipe and thinking "do I have to buy a bag of rye just to make these muffins?" Oh, and you can make them with some rye and some whole wheat, in case you are just trying to use up that last little bit of rye you have left!

Split Pea Soup

When time is an issue, soups really are the way to go. It takes very little effort to make a large pot and then you have a bunch of meals taken care of! I know a lot of people who regularly prepare a huge batch of their favorite soup to enjoy for lunches or dinners throughout a busy working week.

Soup is also healthy and I swear it gets tastier as the week goes on. And if you don't want to eat the same soup over and over? No problem! Make a big batch anyway and freeze it in portions. You never know when it might come in handy as a quick meal.

Split pea is a soup that my mom used to make for us, but for some reason, I have never really made myself. I have no idea why. I absolutely love it. If it is the "soup of the day" at a restaurant, I will usually order it. I even found that you can buy pretty good tasting ones in tetra packs in the super market. That being said, it is so easy to make, there isn't any reason why I shouldn't just be making it. 

Steamed Five Spice Pork Buns

For a lot of us, the fall is a time for foraging, harvesting, and preparing for winter. For me, the fall included stocking my freezer full of meals to get me through the first few months with my newborn. And today is one of the days in which I enjoyed the fruits of my labour from the fall.

I had been running around all morning tending to a 3 month old baby's every need, and before I knew it, my stomach was grumbling. Even though I pride myself in having a fully stocked fridge and pantry most of the time, I also pride myself in staying away from most process foods and making things from scratch. So of course, when I opened my fridge, I had lots of fruits and veggies that would need to be broken down (which is difficult with one arm holding a baby) and in my pantry, lots of dry ingredients waiting to be made into bread and muffins, or needing to be cooked (like legumes and grains). So, freezer it was. Oh, and there were so many choices! Thank goodness for that fall preparation.