Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

'Tis the season for cookies and cookie swapping! Every year, my sister and I host a cookie swap. Each of the attendees bakes enough of one kind of cookie to give half a dozen to each person. That means, if there are 10 other people, you arrive with 5 dozen of the cookies you baked and leave with 5 dozen cookies that are 10 different varieties! 

I love this event, especially this year when I am crunched for time with a newborn. Essentially, I can make 1 type of cookie and end up with 10 kinds, many of which I have never tried before! 

This year, I wanted to make a simple cookie and one that I could make ahead. That way, I could make the dough at any point in the month leading up to the cookie swap, and bake them fresh the day before. I though the perfect choice would be a sliced icebox cookie. 

The tough decision was the filling. I was toying with making a cranberry orange compote for the inside or using my favorite jam, and then it hit me. Nutella. Who doesn't love Nutella? So, the nutella pinwheel cookie was born.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

So, I am officially 3 days overdue and taking this opportunity to continue this whole "nesting" thing.  I have moved on from savory dishes like the Pulled Pork and Chicken Enchiladas, lasagnas, and chili to cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. I've been enjoying every moment--- baking, sharing, eating and freezing for later.

I have made lots of my favorites, like these surprisingly delicious Lentil Cookies, packed with protein from the lentils, nuts and seeds; Nutella, Cranberry & Chocolate Cookies, a yummy blend of gooey nutella with chewy dried cranberries; and of course, Triple Chocolate Cookies-- need I say more?

But today, I felt like making a classic-- oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I thought since I am making tons of cookies these days that I would make them with completely whole wheat flour which makes them nuttier, heartier, and a little bit healthier, but of course, you can stick with white all purpose flour or a blend if you like.

I kept them simple with just oatmeal and chocolate chips, but if you are feeling like a little extra something, feel free to add walnuts or dried cranberries to the mix.

Nutella, Cranberry & Chocolate Cookies

With less than 1 month to go before Christmas, it is time to get baking!

I am usually a cookie traditionalist. I like my Christmas shortbread, thumbprint cookies and other classic Christmas cookies that my mom used to make at Christmas time. 

However, I always like to try something new as well and make new traditions. In this case, I was also looking for an easy drop cookie that could become a staple year round.

These fudgey, delicious Nutella cookies combine everything I like about Christmas (cranberries and nuts), with the creamy yummy spread we love.... Nutella. They are super simple to make and since they are drop cookies, you can put away the rolling pins, cookie presses and the like and easily make these cookies in an hour.

When they are warm, they are fudgey and delicious, and when they are room temperature, they are equally decadent. (oh, and they are delicious frozen too for those of you who LOVE frozen cookies like me!).

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Canadians face this question far before our American counterparts. But regardless of geography, the same question faces us all.... "It is Thanksgiving and I am invited for dinner. What should I bring?"

Normally, there are so many duplications of ingredients at a holiday event such as this. At a Thanksgiving gathering, this equates to all varieties of sweet potatoes, variations on stuffing, and pumpkin laced desserts. So, for those who want a slight break from tradition and who want to ensure that their flavours stand out from the rest, the question becomes:  "What can I do that is still festive but not going to add another level of "same" to the mix?"

The first decision to make was savory or sweet. In this case, I figured that people would choose to bring savory, transporting their family's traditional side dish to the shared table. So, I chose sweet.

Cookies for a Cause! Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our company is riding for Juvenille Diabetes in September and is looking for support. To help the cause, we hosted a bake sale at work to raise money for our team. Help our cause by DONATING NOW.

For this occasion, I thought it was really important for me to create amazing cookies that people would just snatch up and that would also have some healthier, more substantial elements for those who would normally shy away from the regular cookie.

So, I made these Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. They were just sweet enough for those that like them that way, but didn't scare the health addicts away. They were a hit and sold out in record time!

For those of you that were not around to buy these Cookies for a Cause, your support is always appreciated. Please click HERE to donate as every dollar counts and even just a small amount can change lives.

Apple, Craisin & Walnut Galette

So a galette is pretty much a free form pie. Okay, it's a lazy pie. It's all the deliciousness of a pie crust and the filling, without having to make it fit the pie tin and making a top crust. 

Having said that, I don't feel the slight bit guilty for making a galette. In fact, it's the perfect, quick, rustic end to a home cooked meal and it seems much less work and much less daunting than making a pie. You can fill it with whatever your heart desires, or whatever you have just kicking around in your fridge. Some great examples would be frozen fruit tossed in some cornstarch and sugar, some fresh sliced peaches or apricots, or a thick spread of your favorite jam.

Oh, and the best part is, there is no leftover, wasted dough. Nope, you roll it all out, put on your filling, and just fold it over. Easy as pie!

Apple, Craisin & Walnut Galette

Makes 1 Galette

For Whole Wheat Pastry Crust
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp Ice Water

(**In this case, I made a whole wheat pastry crust, but you could use a the same recipe with white flour)

1 Egg beaten with 1 tsp of water (Eggwash)

For Filling

2 Apples, sliced

Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

1/2 cup Walnut Pieces

1/3 cup Craisins

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

3 tbsp Plain Yogurt

2 tbsp Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make Pastry Crust

In a food processor, mix together flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a course meal. Slowly add the ice water, pulsing just until the dough starts to stick together in a ball. Remove the dough from the processor, form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Filling and Baking

In a bowl, stir together apples, lemon juice and zest, walnuts, craisins and brown sugar.

Roll out pastry dough to about 1/4 cm thickness. Place on a a parchment or greased baking sheet. Put the yogurt on the dough and spread in the centre, leaving a 2 inches border around the edge of the crust clear. Place the apple mixture on top of the yogurt. 

Rustically fold over the borders of the pastry (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches all around), pressing down to seal it around the filling. Brush with the egg wash. Place spots of the butter onto the filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Kale Salad with Dried Cranberry, Walnut and Boursin

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

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 tbsp 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 separate 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.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal, Chocolate, Raisin Cookies

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.

Tea Party Ideas: BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Cabbage Slaw

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!

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

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!

Lentil & Chick Pea Salad with Dried Cherries and Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

I pride myself in a well stocked pantry. I could say it's because I like to be prepared for a natural disaster, but in fact, it's because I like to be prepared for whatever culinary adventure strikes me at any given moment.

Of course, there's the dried stuff.... the pasta, rice noodles, egg noodles, rice, couscous, cornmeal, oatmeal, bulgar, lentils, chickpeas, and other beans and pulses. Oh, and don't forget the flours and sugars. Then there is the canned stuff... the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk.  Then, the essential sauces and oils. I mean, I like to make most things myself, so I am not referring to add and toss pasta sauce or meat sauces, I am talking about seasoning sauces like worchesterchire, tobasco, soy sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, sesame oil, truffle oil, vinegars, etc.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the spices!  That would take hours.

But then there are times when it is necessary to do a "pantry clearout." Those are the times when I feel up for a challenge, or when my husband and I finalize a move to a different country and we realize we have far too much stuff in our pantry. So, for some number of weeks, or months (yes, it can take me THAT long to clear all the stuff in my pantry), we survive on what we have, plus the essential fresh stuff that we allow ourselves to buy.

And let me tell you... dishes can get mighty creative! So, here is one of them. A salad made from beans, dried fruit, and other stuff.

Oh, and as a note, I used dried lentils and chick peas rather than canned. I find that the texture of dried is far nuttier than canned and that each individual pulse stands up to being tossed in dressing and never gets that mushy texture. That is why I prefer to take the time and cook my own.

Lentil & Chick Pea Salad with Dried Cherries and Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

Makes loads

2 cups Chick Peas, cooked

3 cups Lentils, cooked

3/4 cup Dried Cherries

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing

Zest and Juice of 2 Lemons

1/2 cup Yogurt

1/2 cup Olive Oil

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper

In a jar or container with tight fitting lid, add add dressing ingredients. Place on lid and shake, shake, shake!!

Then, in a large bowl, toss together chick peas, lentils and dried cherries. (Everything can be done ahead up to this point).

When you are ready to serve, pour the dressing over the chick peas mixture and toss. Then stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

My Grandma’s Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

I really love cookies.

I think this is because of my grandma. When we were kids, she used to fill leftover tins with her homemade cookies. I remember looking at the Quality Street candy tins and the blue English tea cookie tins sitting under her side table and wondering which cookies were inside. I always knew that these tins were never filled with the original goods. They were always, always full of her (and our) favorites… particularly peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, lemon bars, schneken, and these yummy, crunchy oatmeal cookies.

As a little twist, I added some dried cranberries to the final dough. You could also add raisins, chocolate chips, or just keep them plain and simple. Because they are thin and flat, you can also sandwich them around a generous layer of nutella…

My Grandma’s Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

1 cup Butter, soft

1 cup Brown Sugar

3 cups Rolled oats

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup Boiling Water

1/2 cup Dried cranberries (optional)

Cream butter and sugar.

Mix together oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir into butter and sugar mixture. Add 1/4 cup boiling water. Mix until dough comes together.

Shape into 2 rolls that are about 5 cm in diameter and freeze.

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit).. Using a very sharp knife, slice into about 1/2 cm slices. Place on lined baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes until browned. Let cool so that they become crisp.

Lemon Cranberry Biscotti

Some people like soft and chewy cookies. Others prefer crisp and crunchy cookies. I like them both.

Today, I was craving something crunchy and satisfying. So I decided to make biscotti, the ultimate in crunchy cookies. I especially love these biscotti, because they have cornmeal, which give them a distinctive, satisfying crunch.

After going through a chocolate phase, when everything had to have dark chocolate, I wanted to make something different. So instead of my usual Dark Chocolate and Walnut Biscotti, I decided to go for Lemon and Cranberry. Summery yet comforting.

Lemon Cranberry Biscotti

Makes about 36 biscotti

3 Eggs

2/3 cup Sugar

Zest of 2 Lemons

2 cups Flour

3/4 cup Cornmeal

1 ½ tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

¾ cup Dried Cranberries

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit).

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat well until pale yellow.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the cranberries.

Divide the dough into two and form each half into logs. Place the logs on a lined baking sheet and flatten each log so that they are about 4 inches wide and 1 inch thick. (It is easier if you wet your hands a little so the dough doesn’t stick).

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, slice each log diagonally into ¾ inch slices. Place the slices back onto the baking sheet (cut side down), and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the cookies are dry.

Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Healthier Cherry-Chocolate Cookies

I love healthy recipes. When they are delicious. And flavorful. And easy.

I don’t like healthy recipes when I don’t understand the ingredient list because of all the substitutions. When they taste like cardboard. Or rubber. Or artificial ingredients.

So, today, I want to make cookies. Healthy ones. Tasty ones. And sometimes, I think in our quest to make things healthier, we cut out all the fat and all the sugar, and we’re left with something unpleasant to eat. Well, that’s no good.

I don’t think you can’t make fat free, sugar free cookies and expect them to always taste good (of course, if you disagree, please share! I would love someone to prove me wrong). Each ingredient adds a little bit to the cookie, and although we can alter recipes, I do not think we can do without certain ingredients.

So, here is my recipe. I think this recipe has balance. Taste. Texture. Health. Simplicity. They do not compromise taste or texture even though they use smaller amounts and different kinds of fats and sugar and use whole wheat flour and oats instead of white flour.

After all, what is the point of making cookies that end up tasting like burnt toast? So enjoy these without feeling guilty, but of course, always in moderation!

Healthier Cherry-Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 24-28 cookies

Dry Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks

½ cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. One at a time, beat in the oil, egg, vanilla, then milk. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until browned around the edges.

Flax Oat Fruit Bars

I am always looking for healthy snack foods and quick breakfast foods. Although I love muffins, they can be deceiving because they usually have quite a bit of added fat and sugar. Ditto for granola. And of course, I love cereal, but not exactly the kind of breakfast you can take on the run. That is, unless you eat it dry.

Then, I found these… these Flax Oat Fruit Bars include all the things I love without the not so good stuff. They are portable, freezeable, and most importantly… delicious!

Flax Oat Fruit Bars

Makes 18 bars (2 square dishes 9x9)

Adapted from recipe at http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/baked-oatmeal-snack-bars/

Dry Ingredients

3 cups Roll Oats (not quick cooking)

1/2 cup Unsalted Nuts, chopped (I used a mix of Walnuts, Hazelnuts, and Almonds)

1 cup Seedless Raisins

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

1/4 cup Flax Seeds

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients

2 Large Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Non-fat Milk 

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Stir in vanilla and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 45 minutes to let the liquids soak into the dry ingredients.

In the meantime, grease or line two 9 by 9 square baking dishes and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit).

Pour the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake for about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting.

These bars can be stored in an airtight container for about 1 week, or wrapped individually and frozen for up to 1 month.

Healthy Brown Rice Pudding with Apple Compote

Healthy Rice Pudding? Is that possible? I mean, when I think of rice pudding, I think of a creamy and rich bowl of sweet rice. The last thing that comes to my mind is healthy.

Well, I think I have found an answer with this healthier (and tastier!) version of this heart-warming dessert. I used brown rice with low fat milk and much less sugar than other recipes would call for. I also made use of some beautiful fall apples, which I cooked down to bring out their natural sweetness. Give it a try and let me know what you think!



Healthy Brown Rice Pudding with Apple Compote
Makes 4 servings

For the Rice Pudding

3 cups Low Fat Milk
4 slices Fresh Ginger Root
1/2 cup Brown Rice
1 tablespoon White Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Apple Compote
3 Large Apples, diced (Any kind. I used a mix of Golden Delicious and Red Delicious). I don’t peel them, but you can if you want)
2 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
¾ cup Golden Raisins

To make the rice pudding, put the milk, ginger, rice, sugar, and vanilla into a heavy bottomed sauce pan on med-high heat. As soon as the milk starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 50 minutes, stirring a few times during cooking.

Meanwhile, in a large sautee pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced apples, sugar, and cinnamon and sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir in the raisins. Cover and let cook on low heat for another 15-20 minutes until the raisins are soft. Remove from heat and leave covered.

When the rice has cooked for 50 minutes, remove from heat, and let it sit, still covered for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the ginger pieces. Stir the rice pudding and adjust the thickness with milk if necessary. I usually stir in between ¼ to ½ cup more milk at this stage so that the pudding is thick and creamy.

Serve the rice pudding topped with the apple compote.

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

I wanted to bake cookies today, but I wanted try something a little different. My “go to” cookie recipe in times of need is always my delicious and sought after Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe; however, today my heart was set on oatmeal. This left me with so many decisions to make. Plain Oatmeal? Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip? Oatmeal Raisin? Peanut Butter Oatmeal?

They all sound good, but today’s winner is… Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies.



There is nothing like an oatmeal cookie with that beautiful cinnamon aroma and those sweet little apple morsels embedded in it. And what makes this cookie so special is that it’s not hard and heavy. It’s soft and chewy, thanks to the combination of baking soda and baking powder. Goes great with a cup of tea, or sandwiched around a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Oh so satisfying (and not that bad for you either)!



Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
Makes approx 20 cookies

Dry Ingredients
3/4 cup White Flour (you could use Whole Wheat if you like)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup Butter, room temp
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Honey
1 Egg, room temp
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Other
1 /2 cup Fresh Apple, peeled and cut into small dice (If you prefer, you could substitute raisins or nuts. If you want to substitute chocolate chips, omit the cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the honey, egg, and vanilla and beat well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Gently stir in the fresh apple (or substitutions).

Drop by heaping tablespoon onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve alone or with some Vanilla Ice Cream!

Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin Muffins

Muffins…how can you not love them? Not only are they versatile, individually portioned, anytime snacks, but they are also so simple to make.

Muffins are a “quick bread” and the title is far from deceiving. Most muffins take less than 10 minutes to mix and about 20 minutes to bake. What could be easier?

The only problem with muffins is that commercially, they have become a sugary, fatty, sticky mess. They have been tagged in health circles as “unhealthy” because of their high calorie and fat content. Especially those purchased in coffee shops, which are not only laden with sugar, but are about 3 times the size of a regular muffin. However, making your own muffins is easy and can be very healthy, depending on what you put in them.

I love these Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin muffins because they are not overly sweet and chocked full of sugar like store bought muffins. The sweetener in these muffins is not sugar, but molasses. For those of you who have never used molasses, here is a little info. Molasses is the by-product of sugar production. Basically, when the sugar cane is crushed, the juice of the sugar cane is boiled to get crystallized sugar. The sugar crystal is removed, the rest is the first molasses (light molasses).

In this recipe, I used blackstrap molasses, which is the by-product of the third boiling, which is the least sweet, but also has the heaviest taste. It is also said to have the highest nutritional content, containing potassium, iron, and calcium. If you prefer to use another molasses (light- 1st boiling or dark- 2nd boiling), you can substitute without a problem. Just note that the end result will be lighter in color.

So, enough about molasses. Let’ get back to the baking!

Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Dry ingredients
2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup unsalted margarine, melted & cooled
1 large egg, beaten

2 medium apples, grated
1/2 cup raisins
Vegetable Oil for greasing

Preheat oven to 400F/ 200C

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.

Combine wet ingredients. Add grated apple and raisins and stir.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is just mixed.

Spoon batter into a greased muffin tin or a tin lined with muffin liners. The batter should fill each cup about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Transfer muffins immediately to a cooling rack. Serve warm or cool completely and place in air tight container.

Cinnamon Buns

When I was a child, Sunday mornings were church days. My parents would go to the service downstairs, and us kids would go to Sunday school with the rest of the children. After one hour of bible stories, activities, and discussion, we were often “surprised” with a treat from the Sunday school lady. Trays of freshly baked cinnamon buns! The sweet cinnamon aroma. The light white glaze. The plump raisins peeking out. The soft, chewiness and the sweet stickiness… It made us look forward to Sundays again and again.

Ah… the sweet memories of my childhood. It’s funny how quickly we forget.

I had forgotten completely about my childhood affair with Cinnamon Buns. I had forgotten how I looked forward to them, how I ate them around and around until I came to the sweet and soft knob of brioche in the centre of the bun. How I licked my fingers and wished that I hadn’t eaten it so quickly. How I jealously stared at my siblings as they savored theirs.

When I moved to Toronto for university, I began to despise the cinnamon bun. They were everywhere… in food courts, in train stations, and on street corners. The smell of these buns was overpowering and suffocating. I cringed at the smell and tried at all costs to avoid those brightly lit kiosks.

Why? There is really something different about homemade cinnamon buns versus the commercial ones. I am not sure if it is the satisfaction from creating your own fresh tray of buns or the actual end result but there is really something not so satisfying and not so tasty about buying a commercially baked cinnamon bun and devouring it on the go. Maybe it’s because when you create your own, the smell is subtle, intriguing, and mouth watering rather than sickening and suffocating. And the taste and texture are light and well balanced, with just the right sweetness and stickiness. Or maybe it just needs to be the right thing in the right place at the right time.

And I believe now is the right time. Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. It is very easy, and allows you to make the buns up to 24 hours in advance and leave them in the fridge until you are ready to bake. So come on, let’s try…

Cinnamon Buns
Adapted from Recipe at http://www.joyofbaking.com/

Makes 8-12 rolls

Dough
4 1/2 - 5 cups (630 - 700 grams) all-purpose flour
1 package (2 1/4 tsp/ 7 grams) active dry yeast
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (66 grams) White sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt
3 large eggs

Filling3/4 cup (160 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (35 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cold (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup raisins or toasted pecans (optional)

Glaze
In a medium-sized bowl stir together:
1/2 cup (58 grams) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Light Cream

In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of flour and the yeast.
In another bowl, place milk, butter, sugar, and salt, and place in microwave (or on stove) for about 1 minute 30 seconds, until barely warmed and the butter is almost melted.

Make a well in the flour mixture, and slowly add the milk mixture, stirring until incorporated. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one to insure it is incorporated. Once all the eggs have been added, beat well until mixture is smooth.

Then, kneading by hand, gradually add as much of the remaining 2 ¼ to 2 ¾ cups flour that you need to you make a soft and smooth dough that is no longer sticky. Shape into a ball and place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours)

Once doubled, punch the dough down and place on a lightly floured surface, cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the filling. Cut in the cold butter to make a crumbly mixture.

Roll the dough into a 30 cm square and sprinkle with the filling. Sprinkle over the raisins or pecans. Roll the dough into a log and pinch the edges to seal. Slice the roll into 8-12 equal pieces. Place in a greased baking pan with enough room around each to double in size.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until almost double, about 1 hour.
(Alternatively, refrigerate the rolls for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator. Place in the oven which is NOT turned on and proof with a steaming pan of water for 30 minutes until almost doubled).

Brush dough with light cream and bake at 190C/375 F for about 25 minutes until light brown and a toothpick inserted into a bun comes out clean.

Remove rolls from the oven. Cool for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a serving plate.

Drizzle with glaze and serve.