Moving!

Hi everyone!

In order to make this blog bigger and better, it has now moved over to www.flyingfrognutrition.com.

Check it out!

Nutella-Inspired Frosting

Oh, Nutella.

Sweet childhood memories. Coming back from a cold and windy sailing practice to devour mounds of brioche spread thick with chocolate-hazelnutty goodness. Goodness? Well, sort of. Too bad that Nutella actually has more refined sugar and vegetable oil than hazelnuts. Too bad that it contains skim milk powder and reduced-fat cocoa instead of real, full fat stuff. Too bad that synthetic vanilla flavor is used in place of good old vanilla extract.
Do I still eat Nutella? On occasion. I do not ever buy it. But if I visit my parents and find a jar of Nutella, am I going to dig in? You betcha. And I'll probably spread it generously on a thick slice of homemade yogurt cake (recipe coming soon).
Because I am at home and not buying Nutella does not mean the craving never strikes.
A couple of weeks ago, I found myself longing for a good simple piece of vanilla cake with Nutella. Enter this simple vanilla cupcake recipe from Simple Bites, topped with my own, homemade, Nutella-inspired frosting.
Heavenly.

Nutella-Inspired Frosting: 

- 1 cup hazelnuts, roasted at 350F for 10mins, most skins removed (you could, of course, use 3/4 cup hazelnut butter instead, but I find the process of roasting and removing skins very therapeutic)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 cup icing sugar

In a food processor, process the hazelnuts, salt and butter until creamy. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add vanilla, cocoa powder, maple syrup and milk - stir to combine.
Add the icing sugar and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.

This recipe will make enough for 12 cupcakes.

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Happy Sunday!

Mushroom Carbonara + Lemon Tart

Here I am again!

As promised, I have to brag about share my lemon tart recipe. It is my second attempt to re-create the fabulous lemon tart that we had at Villa Valentina in Mexico. For the first try, I just followed a highly rated recipe from allrecipes.com, which I found way too sweet, and lacking texture. So, for attempt #2, I just winged it, and...bingo! Let's just say that there is no need for a third attempt.

But today, we are going all traditional and not eating our dessert first. I just made a simple mushroom carbonara (a pasta dish traditionally made with bacon) - and that's our main course today. It comes together in just 15 minutes and makes an easy and comforting weeknight dinner. Here is my take on my childhood's carbonara, which I tweaked to include cremini mushrooms, green onion, spinach and pine nuts. Enjoy!

Mushroom Carbonara for Two:

- 200g of your favorite noodles (penne, spaghetti, shells etc)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- sea salt / black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh spinach

In a large pot, cook the noodles al-dente.
While the noodles are cooking, sauté the garlic and mushrooms in olive oil (use a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients in the end) until soft - it should take about the same amount of time as it takes to cook the noodles, about 10 minutes. Season with salt + pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolk, parmesan and mustard.
Drain the noodles and add them to the garlic/mushrooms.
Add the cream mixture + pine nuts and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes, until the noodles are coated and everything is piping hot.
Add the green onion + spinach and stir.
Remove from heat as soon as the spinach starts wilting and serve immediately.

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Lemon Tart: Makes one 9 inch pie - I halved the recipe to make 2 individual tarts.

For the crust: 

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp good quality mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 6 Tbsp cold water

In a food processor, combine the flour and sugar. Add the mayo, vanilla and butter, and pulse a few times until the butter is reduced to coarse crumbs. Add the water 2 Tbsp at a time, and pulse until the dough starts to come together.
Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic film. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9 inch tart pan. Roll the dough out to fit the pan. Place into pan, trimming any excess. Prick all over and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Bake the cold pie crust for 12-15 minutes. If you have pie weights, great - that will prevent the crust from bubbling. What I do is place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust and fill it with coins. Dried beans work too.
Let cool completely before filling.

For the filling: 

- 4 eggs
- 4 lemons, juice + zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together, except for the flour. Sift the flour in last and mix until well combined.
Pour the filling in the crust and bake until set, about 30-35 minutes.

Cheers!

A Weekend in Baking Heaven

Baking Heaven?

My kitchen. There is nothing that makes me happier than experimenting in my kitchen. And this weekend, I had three glorious days to do just that. I cooked and baked and baked and cooked some more. Most of the recipes turned out amazingly well - sometimes, you just hit a stride.
Here are a few of them.

This first one is my version of a traditional French "Galette à la Frangipane" - we'll just call it an almond pie. I made it for a potluck we were having at the office on Friday, and it is fair to say that it got rave reviews. It is incredibly easy to make, thanks to "cheating" in the crust department - I bought ready-made puff pastry. It literally takes DAYS to make puff pastry, so I thought that a good quality, pure butter puff pastry (President's Choice makes a decent one, thanks President!) would have to do. As for the filling? Easy as pie.

Pardon the poor quality picture...It had to get in my mouth, and fast. 

Almond Pie:

- 2 sheets puff pastry (1 package), thawed according to package instructions
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1tsp milk
- 1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F.
Grease a pie dish and place one of the sheets of puff pastry in.
In a food processor, process the almonds until a coarse meal forms (texture of coarse sand). Transfer almond meal to a mixing bowl.
Add the eggs, vanilla, butter and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust, and cover with the second sheet of pastry. Make sure to get a tight seal by brushing cold water on the bottom crust with your fingers, then pressing the edges together.
In a small bowl, combine milk and olive oil. Brush the top crust with this mixture.
Bake for about 30 minutes, and serve while still warm. YUM.

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This next one is adapted from my chocolate-espresso tart. The crust is made healthier, and the walnuts have been replaced with hazelnuts for some Nutella-inspired deliciousness.

Chocolate-Hazelnut-Espresso Squares: 

For the crust:

- 1/3 cup dates (about 10), soaked for a few hours if not soft
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted at 350F for 8 mins, most skins removed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350F. In a food processor, puree the dates with the butter and vanilla. Add the hazelnuts and pulse a few times, until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add the maple syrup and salt. Mix in the flour, 1/3 cup at a time.
Line a square pan with 2 criss-crossed pieces of parchment paper. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan, and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool completely before filling.

For the filling: 

- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked for at least 4 hrs and drained
- 1 cup hazelnuts, soaked for at least 4 hrs and drained
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup brewed espresso
- pinch of salt

In a small pot, melt choc chips with espresso, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla.
When melted, pour into a food processor with the cashews, hazelnuts and maple syrup.
Process until smooth and pour onto crust.
Freeze for at least 4 hrs, until set.
Let stand for 10-15 mins at room temp before cutting into squares and serving.

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The following eggplant casserole is all about perfectly simple flavours. It makes a great vegetarian entree paired with a salad, or a nice side dish to some grilled chicken or salmon.
It takes a few hours to for it to come together, so it is the right project for a lazy Sunday.
Thankfully, it can be assembled in advance, waiting patiently in the fridge to be baked - up to 48 hrs.

Eggplant Casserole: 

- 2 large purple eggplants, sliced and soaked in salt water for 3-4 hours (or overnight), then drained and dried with a paper towel
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 1 5.5oz can tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp ground flax
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup ricotta, divided

Preheat oven to 425F. Roast the sliced eggplant on a cookie sheet with a sprinkle of sea salt and olive oil for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce:
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, cream, honey, flax, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 35 minutes, until thick and chunky.
Reduce oven temp to 350F.
In a square casserole dish (8x8), start with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Arrange a layer of eggplant on top. Spread 1/2 cup of the ricotta on top. Repeat with a layer of tomato sauce, eggplant, ricotta, then add the last of the tomato sauce and cover with the shredded mozzarella.
Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, then broil for a few more minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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That is all for now folks - I just made and enjoyed a killer lemon tart that I will share in the next few days - it is so good that it deserves its own blog post (plus it's bedtime)!

XOXO

Olive Bread + Sweet Potato/Leek Casserole

Long time no see!

The past few days have been glorious. After several weeks of intense studying, I am rewarded with a few days off! I had missed you, kitchen.

This olive and sunflower seed bread is my best one to date. Wholesome, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. For a plain version, you could omit the olives but you might have to add some water as the olives add moisture to the dough. Check it out!

Slathered in butter right out of the oven... 

Olive and Sunflower Seed Bread:

- 1 cup warm water
- 1 Tbsp cane sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (optional, but recommended!)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- an egg, lightly beaten, for brushing (optional)

In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water and add yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy - that's how you know your yeast works.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat gluten and salt. Pour the yeast mixture on top and add the olive oil, as well as the yogurt. Mix until the dough starts to come together, then add olives and sunflower seeds and mix until barely incorporated. Turn the dough over onto a clean surface and knead until smooth - about 10 minutes.
Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl, covered with a kitchen towel in a warm spot, for about 2 hours - it will have doubled in size.
Lightly grease a loaf pan. Punch down the dough and place into prepared loaf pan, folding the sides underneath and keeping the top smooth. Let it rise, loosely covered, for another 40 minutes. During this second rise, preheat oven to 425F.
Once the dough has nicely risen above the loaf pan, lightly brush the top with the egg.
Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then, without opening the oven door, turn the temperature down to 350F and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes.

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.

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Did I ever mention how much I love sweet potatoes (and chocolate, but that has nothing to do with the following recipe)? I have made a few variations of this sweet potato and leek casserole in the past, but never bothered writing down the recipe. I am glad I did this time, because it turned out delicious!

Ready to eat

Mmmmm, creamy leeks...

Sweet Potato and Leek Casserole:

- 1 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch leeks (3), washed and thinly sliced, tough green part removed
- coarse sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup cream (half and half or heavy)
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup veggie broth
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oben to 425F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the leeks and garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper. When the leeks are soft (about 6-7 minutes), add the lemon juice, mustard, cream, thyme, nutmeg and rosemary. Cook for a few more minutes and remove from heat.
Arrange a layer of sweet potato on the bottom of the casserole dish, overlapping slightly.
Spread 1/2 of the leek mixture on top. Repeat with another layer of sweet potato (they can be more spaced out), then add the rest of the leek mixture and one last layer of sweet potato.
Pour the veggie broth over top.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, with a pinch of coarse sea salt and some black pepper for good measure. Sprinkle on top of the casserole.
Bake, covered with foil, for about 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. You can broil for a couple of minutes to give it a lovely golden colour.
Let sit for 10 minutes before digging in and enjoy!

Have a wonderful week-end!

Mushroom/Spinach Quiche

Good evening!

I have a lot going on these days, which means I haven't been able to spend as much time in the kitchen as I would like to. There is, especially, a lot of studying going on. Turns out, my little brain needs fuel!

Taking a break to experiment with a healthy quiche recipe this afternoon ended up being a great idea.

The quiche-salad combo used to be one of my favorite meals back in France. And with a healthier quiche, it is also a nicely balanced one: protein from the eggs, whole grains from the crust, healthy fats, and lots of veggies. 

Dig in!

Mushroom/Spinach Quiche:

*You might want to start caramelizing the onion before getting started on the crust, since that can take a while - half a medium onion (thinly sliced) with olive oil on low heat for about 45 minutes.

For the crust:

- 1/2 cup oats

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup ground flax seed

- 3 Tbsp butter, cold and cubed

- 3 Tbsp cold water

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a food processor, combine oats, flour, salt and flax and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse again until coarse crumbs form. Add the water and pulse a few more times. 

Spray 4 individual pie dishes with olive oil, or one 9 inch dish. 

Press a thin layer of the crust mixture into each dish. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

For the filling:

- 1/2 a medium sweet onion, caramelized (see note above)

- 1 heaping cup sliced mushrooms

- 3 eggs

- 1 tsp dijon mustard

- 1/2 cup milk (almond or regular)

- 1/2 cup plain yogurt

- 2/3 cup grated swiss cheese

- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, finely chopped

- 1/2 cup fresh spinach

- 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

- 1/2 tsp salt

- freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sauté mushrooms in the pan used to caramelize the onion, until they are soft and most of the water has cooked off. 

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the mustard, milk, yogurt, cheese, parsley, caramelized onion, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper and stir until well mixed. 

Pour filling into prepared crust. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until set and golden. 

Before baking

Here you go!

Postcards

Hola!

I may not have been in the kitchen lately, but that does not mean I have not been eating. Here are a few "food postcards" from San Jose Del Cabo...

So...you know. Life is good.

Cheers!

Our Christmas Feast

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you are all having a lovely holiday season, filled with warmth, family and friends. And good food.
It seemed silly to have a turkey die for just the two of us this year, so I cooked us a non-traditional meal, special nonetheless!

We had lentil-walnut balls with homemade cranberry sauce (recipe here), cornbread stuffing (recipe here), roasted Brussel sprouts, and a simple sweet potato casserole - roasted sweet potatoes mashed with butter and a couple of tablespoons of whipping cream, topped with toasted pecans and brown sugar.

This morning I made my perfect pancakes with some chocolate chips added to the batter, because it is Christmas, after all!

Sending lots of love and joy to you all.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Happy Friday!

At work, we have a magic table. Food appears on it regularly, and at this time of the year, it is insanity: every time you look at it, some new delicacy has popped up. Soups, pretzels, bread, cookies, smoked salmon, crackers, cheese, chilli, fudge, and countless boxes of chocolate have appeared in this fashion over the past few days.
Does that make me want to bake any less? Nope.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits: (makes 6)

- 1 small sweet potato (about 1/2 to 3/4 once roasted and pureed)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup almond milk or regular milk
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- black pepper, to taste

Glaze:
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Roast the garlic + sweet potato - about 35 minutes at 375F.
Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Turn the oven up to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal (optional).
Once the sweet potato and garlic are roasted, scoop out the flesh and the garlic cloves and place into a blender with the maple syrup, butter, water and milk. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pepper.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until the dough starts to come together.
Generously flour a clean surface and dump the dough on it. With your hands, knead a few times until the dough holds together (not too much, otherwise your biscuits will turn out very dense).
Flatten into a 1 inch thick rectangle and cut into biscuits using a cookie cutter or a plain old glass.
Place onto prepared baking sheet and glaze.
Bake at 400F for 18-20 minutes.

Delicious with an African Peanut Stew from the Oh She Glows Cookbook

Have a wonderful weekend!

Wholesome Apple Crumble

I hope everyone is having a lovely Saturday night!

My Saturday night may have started the same way yours did: I put on a pretty dress and went to a Christmas party. However, I make no apologies for the fact that I am an old lady at heart. After sampling the buffet and going for two rounds of dessert, I decided that it was time to head home. It was, after all, past 8:30pm and therefore past my bedtime ;)

So here I am in my cozy pyjamas, watching a documentary in bed with the dog curled up on my feet (and under the covers), my pretty dress safely put away in my closet. And as lame is it sounds, this is my idea of a good Saturday night. 

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I made this apple crumble in 4 little ramequins, but feel free to double the recipe and bake it in an 8x8 pan. I just thought it would be neat to have individual portions in the freezer, ready to be baked on a cold winter night. 

Wholesome Apple Crumble: 

The Filling:

- 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

- 1/2 Tbsp potato starch (cornstarch or arrowroot would work too)

- 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

- 3 Tbsp brown sugar

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice (or pineapple or orange juice)

The Topping:

- 3/4 cup large flake oats, divided (1/4 cup processed, 1/2 cup whole)

- 1/3 cup hazelnuts

- 1/3 cup walnuts

- 2 Tbsp maple syrup

- 3 Tbsp melted butter

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 4 x 1/2 cup ramequins. 

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl then spoon into ramequins. 

In a food processor, combine 1/4 cup of the oats with the hazelnuts and walnuts until coarsely ground. 

Combine processed mixture with the rest of the topping ingredients. 

Press topping over the apple mixture in the ramequins. 

Cover with foil and poke a few holes with a fork for the steam to escape. 

Bake covered for 20-25 minutes (35-40 minutes for a double recipe in an 8x8 pan), then remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

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Good night!

Sweet Breakfast Flatbread + Almond Salad + Cilantro/Lime/Tahini sauce

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Mine included some forced relaxation - I have a nasty cold that is cramping my style!
The upside of this: I have time to blog and share of my new favorite recipes.

Starting with sweet breakfast flatbread. Inspired by Oh She Glows' Super Power Chia Bread, this cinnamon-raisin flatbread is delicious toasted and slathered in peanut butter. You can keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, but I freeze mine pretty much right away and pop a couple of slices straight into the toaster when the craving strikes.

Sweet Breakfast Flatbread: 

- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 3/4 cup oat flour (I just use oats and process them in the food processor for a minute)
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice or cinnamon
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8x8 pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, one going each way (makes it easier to lift out).
Mix all the ingredients except for the applesauce and water. When well mixed, add liquids and stir until combined. The mixture will be quite runny - that's normal!
Pour into the prepared pan and lightly press/flatten with the palm of your hand until the mixture is spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes and let cool on a rack before slicing into 8 pieces.

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Then, we have almond salad. It is a refreshing change from your traditional tuna, chicken or egg salad, and is wonderful in a wrap or pita pocket with raw carrots, peppers and cucumber, although I am sure you will find many different ways to enjoy it!

Almond Salad: 

- 1 cup raw almonds,  soaked for 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 handful fresh dill
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion
- 4 heaping tbsp hummus
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt + pepper, to taste

Combine almonds, lime juice, garlic and dill in a food processor and pulse until almonds are nicely flaked (see picture below).
Transfer to a bowl and mix in all the other ingredients until well combined.
Easy-peasy!

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Finally, we have cilantro/lime-tahini sauce. We have been using a variation of this sauce with pretty much everything, from burgers to falafels to a dip for yam fries. It is THAT good. You can substitute the lime and cilantro with lemon and dill and you have yourself another fresh and healthy sauce which would go swimmingly well with salmon, roasted cauliflower and quinoa, etc etc etc.

Cilantro/Lime/Tahini sauce:

- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 handful fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- salt + pepper, to taste

Give all the ingredients to your best friend the food processor and let him do the work. Process until smooth and voila!

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Take care!

Dates & Orange Breakfast Muffins

Hello everyone!

Life is tasting especially sweet lately. Yes, I have been doing a lot of baking. In the less literal sense though, I have been feeling especially lucky and thankful. No particular reason - it feels like lots of amazing things could potentially happen in the not-so-distant future, and that somehow makes me appreciate the present even more, if that makes any sense. What is there NOT to be grateful for, really, when we are healthy, when our families are supportive, when I am blessed with a wonderful group of beautiful and brilliant girlfriends, when we live in a warm and cozy home?

Speaking of sweetness, this muffin recipe is sure to brighten up your mornings. I mostly used dates as a sweetener, which pair wonderfully with the brightness of oranges. And, wouldn't you know it, there is a green veggie hiding in there! You cannot taste the zucchini, but it adds moisture as well as a boost of potassium and anti-oxidants.
If you are looking for a healthy muffin recipe to grab on your way out the door in the morning, this is it!

Date & Orange Breakfast Muffins: (makes 12 muffins)

- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 3/4 cup whole pitted dates (if not soft, cover with boiling water for 10mins then drain)
- 1/2 a small seedless orange, peel and all
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1/2 a medium zucchini)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 12-muffin tin.
In a small bowl, whisk the flaxseed and water and set aside - it will thicken to the consistency of egg white in 5-10 minute.
In another small bowl, combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside. The mixture will curdle and this is the desired effect. Alternatively, you can use buttermilk and omit this step (and omit the apple cider vinegar).
In a food processor, combine dates, the half orange (no need to chop or peel it - the food processor will work its magic), vanilla extract, maple syrup and olive oil.

Process until the mixture is mostly smooth, then add the milk mixture + the flaxseed mixture to it and process a bit longer to combine. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir until just combined. 

Fold in the zucchini and walnuts

Bake for 16-18 minutes and let cool on a rack. 

Before adding the milk + flaxseed mixtures

The wet ingredients

Before folding in the zucchini and walnuts

Have a great week!

Carrot and Quinoa Salad

Does anyone notice a trend here?

A carrot trend, perhaps? That may have something to do with the fact that carrots are often all that we can find in terms of produce at the Superstore. There is also the fact that I love carrots. They are sweet and healthy - a winning combo in my books.

We came back from a trip to Las Vegas a few days ago, so pardon my lack of recipe experiments lately - I was busy eating out, taking in the sights of the Grand Canyon, walking the Vegas strip, seeing a Cirque du Soleil show and relaxing a whole bunch. Tough life. I am actually amazed at how relaxed I came back from this trip. I usually get a bit frazzled coming back home, finding it difficult to get back into the rhythm of things, unpacking, doing laundry, catching up on my studying etc. Not this time though. I am just happy to be home, excited to be in the kitchen again, and eager to run and even go to the gym.

Seeing the amazing things that the Cirque du Soleil performers do with their bodies inspires me to become even fitter - and noticing how much poor quality food is around (especially in Vegas!) makes me want to eat even better.

Which brings me back to the carrot salad. It is high in protein (from the chickpeas and the quinoa), with lots of healthy fats (from the walnuts and the olive oil), and you get a good dose of beta-carotene (good for your night vision, amongst other things). And if you weren't sold already: it has raisins it it.

Carrot and Quinoa Salad: (serves 4-5)

For the salad:

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots (3 or 4 large carrots)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup raisins
- a handful of parsley and chopped walnuts, for garnish

For the dressing:

- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- back pepper, to taste

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. One package of quinoa usually yields about 3 cups cooked, so you will end up with leftover quinoa if you cook the whole package. It's a good thing in my opinion (quinoa chocolate cupcakes, anyone?). Let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, carrots and raisins. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you can.
In the food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients and process until smooth.
Mix it all together and garnish with parsley and walnuts.

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Here's to a great week ahead!

Carrot themed post: carrot cupcakes + carrot soup

Happy Friday y'all!

It has been another busy week. I was off work on Monday and Tuesday (which means I work this weekend, unfortunately), and was able to spend time doing what relaxes me most: cooking and baking. I have been fighting a cold for a while now, while The Husband has been in full-on man-cold mode. This, combined with the ever-present emotional roller-coaster of the whole infertility/adoption thing, and you have the winning formula for a drained and blubbery wife.
Thankfully, there is always cake to bring me back to sanity.

The flavour of the week: carrot cupcakes with "cream cheese" icing. I am using quotes here, because I actually made my own cream cheese out of cashews using this recipe, but you can just use plain old cream cheese, of course. To get an idea of how delicious these cupcakes were, know that I was planning on taking them to work after The Husband and I sampled a couple. Well, I regret to inform you, dear coworkers, that The Husband and I ended up eating all 10 cupcakes in 3 days. Enough said.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing: 

For the cupcakes:

- 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
- 1/4 canola oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained

Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with 10 liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
In another, medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, oil, applesauce, apple cider vinegar and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the carrots, raisins, walnuts and pineapple.
Fill liners and bake for 18-20 mins. Wait until the cupcakes are completely cooled before icing.

For the icing:

- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 1.5 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat all the ingredients together and spread a thin layer on each cupcake.
Reward yourself with one.

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The carrot recipe that I will share now is quick, easy, and probably healthier than the cupcakes if you are looking for a main course.

Carrot Coconut Curry Soup:

- 1 medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
- 1.5 lbs unpeeled and roughly chopped carrots
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 can coconut milk
- 4 cups veggie broth
- salt + pepper, to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onions in olive oil until they are starting to soften, then add carrots and sauté for a few more minutes. Add cumin, curry and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk and veggie broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are just soft. Blend the soup in batches, return to pot, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

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One more baking effort worth mentioning is that I made bagels. I don't often buy bagels because of the crappy ingredients that most brands contain, which means that we don't often eat bagels....that has now changed, thanks to this recipe.

And for those who are curious to see how my cashew "cream cheese" turned out, here ya go!

Not too shabby!


















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Have a great weekend my friends!

Red curry lentil soup + Slow cooker baked beans

I'm back!

What an amazing experience this Victoria marathon was. We got to catch up with good friends, tour around a beautiful city, eat some delicious food - and I achieved my goal of running the race in under 4 hours. As usual, I started feeling very sick after 25K or so, and the last hour was a struggle. A constant battle in my head that goes something like this:
"Ugh, I'm so sick; let's just walk for a bit" "No, you can't walk, you said you were going to finish this thing in under 4 hours" "How about not finishing at all? We could just stop all together, call The Husband and get tucked into bed!" "Are you kidding me? We didn't come all this way to give up 6 miles back from the finish line!"..... etc, etc, etc.
Positive Me won over Negative Me. And this victory over my self-doubts makes me feel like I can do ANYTHING.

I'm already feeling back to normal, and starting to think about the next marathon. I'm weird like that.

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Back in Whitehorse, fall is definitely here, along with cravings for warm comfort food.

This red curry lentil soup is sure to warm you up! It's not very spicy - just very flavourful. Feel free to add a few veggies in there - I didn't have much on hand when I made this!

Red Curry Lentil Soup:

- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp red curry paste
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups dried split red lentils
- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
- 3 cups veggie broth
- 1 can corn
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onion in olive oil for a few minutes, until soft. Add garlic, curry paste, cumin, nutmeg and ginger and cook for another few minutes.
Add all other ingredients except for lime juice, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.
Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper before serving. Delicious with brown rice, cornbread or homemade biscuits!

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This morning, I had some spare time before work and decided to experiment with baked beans in the slow cooker. They did not disappoint! I will be making them again and again.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans:

- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Ketchup
- 5 or 6 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)
- 2 cans red kidney beans
- 3/4 cup veggie broth
- salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker and walk away! Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Loved them with couscous and a side of greens.


Have a wonderful and healthy weekend!

My Perfect Pancakes

Happy Friday!

Oh wait. It's Wednesday. It's my Friday though! I am vibrating with excitement, all packed and ready to jump on a plane tomorrow, heading south to run the Victoria marathon!
I feel ready to tackle 26.2 miles. It has taken a lot of running, doubting myself, persevering and finding my confidence again to get to this point.

Another thing that this training has required: FOOD, and lots of it. After stuffing myself every morning with pancakes much hard work, I have finally perfected my pancake recipe. It is the right blend of healthy and decadent - a good fit for a lazy Sunday as well as a busy Monday (you can freeze them and pop them in the toaster and yes, you can have weekday pancakes!).

My Perfect Pancakes: (serves 2)

- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (you can use all-purpose instead, but it does decrease the health factor)
- 1/4 quick oats
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 medium banana

In a large bowl, whisk flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, combine milk, water and maple syrup.
Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix until just combined. Slice the banana right into the batter and fold in. If the batter is too thick, add water, 1 tbsp at a time.

Let the batter stand while your pan heats up. You know what to do after this.
Serve with chopped walnuts and warm maple syrup. Drool.

Enjoy - I'm going to bed for some much needed rest!

Mushroom Pesto + Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes

Hi!

What a very relaxing weekend this has been. Pancakes (I still haven't perfected the recipe enough to share it), running, reading, coffee, good friends, hiking, studying, and a s**t load of cooking. 

Living here in Whitehorse, we all know that when the Superstore is well stocked, you just have to buy it all, just in case a certain product disappears, not to be seen again for weeks on end. This is the case with cremini mushrooms. When they are around, I just have to buy them. And then the fun starts, when I get to decide on the fate of these poor mushrooms. GET IN MA' BELLY. 

So I made a double batch of lentil-mushroom-walnut balls (recipe can be found here), I made mushroom gravy to go with some mashed potatoes, and I made a kick-ass mushroom pesto. It is great on noodles, and fun on pizza with roasted asparagus and caramelized onions...the possibilities are endless!

Mushroom Pesto: 

- 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2/3 cup walnuts, divided into 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste

Roast the garlic and saute the mushrooms until most of the liquid cooks off, about 12 minutes.
In a food processor, process garlic + lemon juice + parsley + olive oil + salt.
Add mushrooms + 1/3 of the walnuts and process until the mixture is combined but still has texture. Add the rest of the walnuts and the black pepper and pulse a few times to combine.

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And then....there were cupcakes. Not just any cupcakes. We are talking vegan, gluten free chocolate cupcakes made with quinoa and tahini. To me, they were just a delicious piece of chocolate cake. And trust me, I know my chocolate cake. Face your fear of quinoa and try them - you won't regret it!

Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes:

- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 2 cups cooked quinoa

If you do not have cooked quinoa on hand, cook a batch according to package directions.
In a small bowl, combine flaxseed and water and refrigerate while you prepare the rest - this will allow the mixture to become gelatinous, the consistency of egg whites.
Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
In a large bowl, combine the cocoa powder + baking soda + salt and set aside.
In a blender, blend applesauce + vanilla + almond milk + maple syrup + flax/water mixture. Then add tahini, then quinoa. Blend until smooth and silky - this may take a few minutes.
Pour liquid mixture into the large bowl and mix with the dry ingredients - do not overmix. Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs clinging to it.

For the icing, I used 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips melted on low heat with 1/2 cup coconut oil. I then refrigerated the mixture for a half hour, added 2/3 cup icing sugar, and whipped until fluffy.
Thanks to the coconut oil, this icing hardens after you refrigerate the cupcakes and gives them some nice crunch!
Of course, feel free to substitute your favorite icing recipe.

Enjoy the snow - yes, we are September 30th, after all - and stay cozy, my friends!

Sweet Potato Veggie Chili and Cornbread

Happy Saturday!

Tomorrow will be my last long run (20 miles) before the training tapers off until the marathon. I am getting excited! So I am taking it easy today, running errands, cooking, and drinking tons of water.

I have a little bit of time to share my favorite chili recipe and the deliciously sweet and crumbly cornbread that goes along with it. For the chili, don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients - they are mostly stuff that you have on hand. It was originally a turkey and sweet potato chili recipe, so feel free to add some cooked turkey in there (a good recipe for the day after Thanksgiving).

Sweet Potato Veggie Chili: 

- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finally chopped
- 1/4 cup jalapeno or banana peppers
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, with their liquid
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large sweet potato, diced

In a slow cooker, combine the oil, onion, green pepper, jalapenos, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, cocoa powder and pepper. Cook on high for an hour, until the onions soften.
Add all other ingredients, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

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Now, let's talk cornbread. This recipe isn't particularly healthy, but it's quick, easy, and delicious!
I added zucchini to the latest one I made (about 3/4 cup grated, and I decreased the milk by 1/4 cup to account for the extra moisture), but it's just as good without. It's a very forgiving recipe. Enjoy!

Cornbread:

- 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
- 3/4 whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup almond milk (or regular dairy milk)
- 1/2 cup water (add more, 1 tbsp at a time, if batter is too thick)
- 1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients.
Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

This recipe also makes 12 muffins - they cook faster though, about 20 minutes.

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Stay healthy, y'all!