Amanda

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp (in a Skillet!)

September 1, 2015 by Amanda 15 Comments

Well, hello September!

There is a definite hint of Fall in the air these days. The temperatures have been cooler, at least in the mornings and evenings, and on more than one occasion I have found myself turning on the heat in my car during my drive to work. I’m feeling an eagerness to pull out my boots and scarves and warm sweaters, and to start baking with pumpkin. Coffee shops are welcoming back the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte, and even though I don’t drink the things (fake pumpkin flavour ain’t my thing), the fact that they’re available again excites me. I’m weird, and I know it. Fall is my favourite time of year, and the thought of its imminent arrival gives me a little thrill each time I think about it. I don’t know what it is about this season that makes me feel all the feels – I mean, the beautiful colours of the changing leaves speak for themselves – but there’s something more that I can’t quite put into words.

Despite my eagerness to bake everything pumpkin, right now I’m trying to use up the last of my summer favourites. I am lucky to know several people who were able to provide me with a steady supply of rhubarb all season long. At one point, I couldn’t keep up with the supply, and froze a big bag of the stuff for rainy day baking. As I was taking inventory of my freezer’s contents this past weekend, I came across that bag and decided that I’d better put it to good use before it reached the typical freezerburnt fate of many things that find their way into my little icebox of doom.

In search of inspiration, I flipped through a few of my cookbooks. With the steady availability of recipes and food inspiration on the Internet these days, I find myself spending less and less time with my cookbook collection – something I hope to change. With a little bit of help from Megan Gordon’s Whole-Grain Mornings, this crisp was born. I managed to use up my entire supply of rhubarb, and threw in a few apples from my neighbour’s tree that had fallen into my backyard for some added sweetness. Full disclosure: I maybe might have possibly jumped up and picked a few apples off of the tree, but only from the branches hanging directly above my backyard.

Consider this crisp as a delightful little merging of two seasons: the rhubarb of summer and the apples of late summer and fall. I find rhubarb a little bit too tart to be used by itself in crisps and crumbles, and I didn’t want to have to add a boatload of sugar, so the apples were the perfect compromise. And while not entirely guilt-free, I do feel that this crisp boasts enough healthful ingredients to justify eating for breakfast, as I have for the past couple of days.

Oh, and I baked this in a cast iron skillet because I just love using my cast iron skillet. I’m a rustic gal, what can I say? You can certainly use a large baking dish (11 by 7-inch), if you prefer. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp (in a skillet!)

Adapted from Whole-Grain Mornings. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free, as long as you make sure to use certified gluten-free oats. The almond meal adds a lovely extra bite to the crisp topping. I think if I make this again, I will add a little bit more cinnamon, so if you’re a fan like me, feel free to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon. Serve warm with ice cream for dessert, or with a splash of milk for breakfast. Serves 6 to 8.

For the topping:

1 cup sliced raw almonds

2/3 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of salt

4 TBSP. cold unsalted butter

3 TBSP. buttermilk

For the filling:

4 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups apples, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup coconut (or white) sugar

Juice from half a lemon

2 TBSP. cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using a baking dish, butter or spray with non-stick spray. If using a cast iron skillet, skip that step.

For the topping: Put the almonds in a food processor or high-speed blender, and pulse or blend for about 30 seconds, or until you have a medium-fine almond meal. Add the oats, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse or blend for a few more seconds, until combined. Add the butter and pulse/blend until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 30 seconds. Slowly add the buttermilk, and pulse/blend until the dough has come together.

For the filling: Mix together the rhubarb, apples, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Scoop the mixture into the baking dish/cast iron skillet.

Pile/spread the topping over the fruit in an even layer. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before serving. Not too much though – I think this crisp tastes best when it’s still a little bit warm.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Sweet Treats Tagged With: apple, breakfast, crisp, gluten-free, oats, rhubarb

My Favourite Green Smoothie

August 25, 2015 by Amanda 24 Comments

Hold onto your butts folks, I’m about to drop a blog post. Hey-oh!

If you did a double-take when you saw that this gal had published a new post, I don’t blame you. I’ve been rather absent as of late. As usual, I have no good excuses to give you, other than I was feeling a severe lack of inspiration and just needed to take a little break. Blogging had begun to feel like another task on my to-do list and I was no longer enjoying the process. Fellow food bloggers know that publishing a new post is more than just whipping something up, snapping a few photos, and typing out a recipe. There is preparation, and styling, and editing, and putting together something that you feel proud of. I’m still figuring it all out, but as I sit here typing out these words, while drinking the smoothie I’m here to share with you, I feel a renewed sense of energy and excitement. I’m remembering why I love this little space so much and I look forward to finding my blogging groove again. Thanks for sticking around.

About a month ago, I bit the bullet and bought a Vitamix. Holy heck, are those machines fantastic! It truly is one of the most amazing kitchen gadgets, and if you’re a smoothie lover like me, it’s worth the investment. It can do so much more than make a good smoothie, but that’s definitely what I’ve used it for the most so far. Behold my current favourite green concoction. Drink it for breakfast, a post work-out snack, or just ’cause you need a dose of greens. I promise the spinach taste is undetectable!

My Favourite Green Smoothie

This recipe makes one generous serving or two small servings. Feel free to substitute a different milk for the almond milk if you have another preference. The banana is completely optional – this smoothie is still delicious without it. The peanut butter is optional too, but let’s be real – what isn’t made better by the addition of peanut butter? (Answer: nothing.)

1 1/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed

1 cup frozen mango chunks

1 TBSP. hemp hearts

1/2 frozen banana (optional)

1 TBSP. natural peanut butter (optional)

Add ingredients to a high-speed blender in the order listed (adding liquids first will help get things moving). Blend until super smooth. Enjoy immediately.

Nutritional Info: 340 calories – 33g carbs – 16g fat – 12g protein – 265mg sodium – 21g sugar

Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast, Vegan Tagged With: breakfast, green, healthy, smoothie, spinach, vegan, Vitamix

A Delayed Culinary Blog Tour

March 8, 2015 by Amanda 10 Comments

Happy Sunday, friends!

Black Bean, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers c/o Feast on the Cheap

Several months ago – over five to be exact (it makes me cringe to say that) – I was featured over on Feast on the Cheap as part of Mariel and Mary Anne’s Culinary Blog Tour. It was quite an honour to be chosen as one of these incredible ladies’ top blogs to follow. Mariel and Mary Anne are a mother-daughter duo focused on the idea that “delicious, healthy, homemade food should be easy and accessible – and shouldn’t require a massive bank account.” They achieve this goal over and over again, as Mary Anne brings her catering skills to the table, and Mariel contributes “less expensive, space-conscious renditions that are easy enough for even a fledgling foodie.” When visiting their site, be sure to check out the Cinnamon Streusel Baked French Toast, the One-Pot Chili Mac & Cheese, and the Pear, Pancetta & Gorgonzola Quiche with Toasted Walnuts. I have been following Feast on the Cheap since its early days and can also tell you that the Black Bean, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers are not to be missed! A very belated thank you to Mariel and Mary Anne for the feature! My apologies for my extreme tardiness, but…better late than never?

Now it’s time to pass the torch to three of my favourite Internet food stops! I read literally hundreds of food blogs, so it’s very hard to choose, but here are three of my current loves.

Chocolate Dipped Vanilla + Chocolate Waffle Cookies from The Frosted Vegan

1. The Frosted Vegan: Abby’s blog is a recent find for me. Bless the powers of Instagram for connecting me to more beautiful food blogs! Abby focuses her culinary energy on showing “vegans and non-vegans alike that even if you are eating vegan or plant based, you can still enjoy a lovely and delicious dessert, without the hassle.” Mission accomplished, Abby. From Chocolate Dipped Vanilla + Chocolate Waffle Cookies, to Loaded Baked Potato Pizza with Vegan Cheese Sauce and Bacon Bits, to Brown Sugar Banana and Toasted Almond Cinnamon Rolls, Abby will change your mind about vegan food altogether.

Cheesy English Muffin Bread from Bakerita

2. Bakerita: I’ve been swooning over Rachel’s food photos for some time now. Rachel is a University student with “a major addiction to creating delicious, sweet treats.” Umm, I’ll say. Not only does Rachel have plenty of butter and sugar-laden recipes; she also has quite the selection of paleo, gluten-free, and vegan recipes that look and sound equally amazing. There are so many incredible recipes to choose from on Rachel’s site, but her most recent posts for Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread, Raspberry Coconut Crumble Tart, and Cheesy English Muffin Bread have me wanting to drop whatever I’m doing and just bake.

Beautiful Pan Asparagus & Perfect Poached Eggs from She Eats

3. She Eats: I would be remiss to have a culinary blog tour without making stop over at my homegirl Kristy’s blog. Not only is Kristy a fellow Canadian, but she believes strongly in “eating & drinking organically local, regionally in season and when it comes to meat and dairy, pastured. CSAs and farmer’s markets are brilliant and second only to growing our own food. Or at the very least, knowing someone who grows our food. Farmers really are the best kinds of people.” Her writing is hilarious, her recipes are delicious, and she loves wine. A girl after my own heart, really. I encourage you to pop on over to Kristy’s site and take a gander at the Grilled Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Coffee Sandwiches (I mean, !!!), Savory Crepes with Broccolini, Mushrooms, and Ricotta, and Pan Asparagus & Perfect Poached Eggs.

Now I’m hungry.

What are your favourite blogs to read? Enjoy the day!

Filed Under: Chatter Tagged With: culinary blog tour, favourites, food blogs

Overnight Oats!

March 5, 2015 by Amanda 14 Comments

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii.

It feels strange to be sitting here writing this post. Strange in a good way. Familiar yet new. I’m hoping that blogging is like riding a bike because daaaammmmnnnnn, I’ve been gone a long time. So umm, a belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you! I’ll jump in here with an early Happy St. Patrick’s Day, just in case.

I could insert approximately 47 reasons here to explain my two+ month blogging hiatus, but let’s not waste our time with that boring stuff. The important thing is that I’m back here sharing a recipe and my ramblings with you. My hope is that this post will kick-start a much more reliable and frequent schedule of recipe-sharing, so…fingers crossed! Let’s just jump right in.

Overnight oats.

I realize that I’m a little late to the overnight oats party. They’ve kind of been a thing now for a while. And being the oatmeal lover that I am, when recipes for overnight oats started popping up a couple of years ago, I was eager to give them a try. I mean, throw a few ingredients in a jar, put the jar in the fridge overnight, and wake up to a delicious breakfast? Sign me the heck up!

Sadly, my first experience with overnight oats was not a good one, and it turned me off of the whole idea for a long time. The texture was really off – kind of watery, yet chunky – and I couldn’t get over it.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when I decided to give them another try. The game changer for me was the addition of Greek yogurt and chia seeds – the original recipe that I had tried just called for almond milk, oats, and fruit. But the Greek yogurt and chia seeds give the mixture a much creamier texture, similar to that of traditional hot oats. And with the right toppings, you can turn overnight oats into a downright satisfying, decadent, yet still super healthy breakfast. Seriously, I feel a little nip of sadness after I take the last bite. But the best part is that these overnight oats hold me over all morning until lunch time.

The recipe below lists the base ingredients – I always use oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and chia seeds. You can certainly substitute another milk for the almond milk, if you prefer. And then I add whatever fruit I have on hand. The toppings are up to you, but I’ve included some of my favourite additions. Best combo to date: fresh strawberries, crunchy natural peanut butter, hemp hearts, and cacao nibs. It was like breakfast dessert!

Side note: I can’t stop putting cacao nibs on everything. Help.

Overnight Oats!

This recipe makes one serving; however, you can multiply to create as many servings as you’d like. These oats keep well in the fridge for a few days, so feel free to make a bunch of servings at the beginning of the week and store in the fridge for quick and satisfying breakfasts all week long. If you’re using plain Greek yogurt, you may wish to add your favourite sweetener, or other flavours like vanilla extract. I tend to use flavoured Greek yogurt (usually vanilla or strawberry).

1/3 cup oats

1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (flavour of your choice)

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 TBSP. chia seeds

1/3-1/2 cup fruit (ie. fresh or frozen berries, banana, chopped apple)

Optional mix ins: 1 TBSP. natural peanut butter, 1 tsp. hemp hearts, 1 tsp. cacao nibs, 1 tsp. shredded coconut, nuts, etc.

Combine the oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and chia seeds and stir together in a mason jar or sealable container. I usually add my fruit here too, as well as peanut butter if I’m using it. The mixture shouldn’t be too thick at this point – if it is, add a bit more almond milk. Refrigerate overnight. Add your favourite toppings and enjoy!

Nutritional info for base recipe (before fruit and mix-ins): 216 calories, 7.0 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 30.2 g carbohydrates, 11.4 g protein, 7.7 g fibre, 8.7 g sugars.

It’s good to be back, friends!

Filed Under: Breakfast Tagged With: almond milk, breakfast, chia, greek yogurt, healthy, oatmeal, oats, overnight

Almond Shortbread Bars

December 21, 2014 by Amanda 20 Comments

Only four days left until Christmas!

Every year, Christmas seems to sneak up on me. This year has been no different and despite the whirlwind of shopping, baking, and holiday-partying, I can’t believe we are so close to the big day. Nevermind the fact that 2014 is rapidly coming to a close. Seriously, where did the year go?

I’m hoping to share a couple more recipes during this final countdown to the big day. If you’re looking for quick and easy sweets to add to your holiday dessert table, look no further. These almond shortbread bars are wonderful. They start with an easy shortbread base and are topped with sliced almonds that have taken a little swim in butter and brown sugar, creating a little caramel-y goodness.

Every Christmas needs a little shortbread, in my opinion. Think of these bars as shortbread’s older, wiser, and hotter older brother. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.

Almond Shortbread Bars (adapted from Love Write Now)

Shortbread bars that get a little extra pizazz from a caramel-almond topping. These bars freeze well when stored in an airtight container.

1 1/2 cups butter, divided

1 cup icing sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 TBSP. water

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream together 1 cup of butter and the icing sugar. Add the flour and salt and mix together. Press the mixture into an ungreased 9″ x 13″ pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In the meantime, melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the almonds and vanilla. Spread the mixture evenly over the base and bake for another 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut into bars.

What are your go-to last-minute holiday treat recipes?

Filed Under: Holidays, Sweet Treats Tagged With: almond, Christmas, dessert, holidays, shortbread

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Dark Chocolate Almond Florentine Cookies

December 15, 2014 by Amanda 16 Comments

Well, hellllllllooo friends!

Insert apologies about my lack of posts lately. Hoping to change that in the coming weeks!

We have much more important things to talk about right now. Cookies, obvi. This year marked my second time participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, hosted by two lovely ladies, The Little Kitchen and Love & Olive Oil. In case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a quickie on the details: It’s a worldwide food blogger cookie swap! Basically, you sign up, receive the addresses of three other bloggers, and then you send each blogger a dozen homemade cookies. And then you wait to receive three dozen delicious cookies from those that received your name. Oh, and the swap raises money for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer! Sweet treats and supporting a good cause = so many wins.

My contribution to this year’s swap was the magnificent wafer-thin, chocolate-filled cookies you see above. They taste very similar to Almond Roca with their toffee-like flavour and addictive crunch. Each wafer is incredibly thin and delicate, but once sandwiched together around a layer of dark chocolate, these cookies become a little bit more sturdy (and clearly more delicious). I dare you to make a batch and not eat more than ~~five~~ one.

Next year, be sure to participate in the swap! Check the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap website for more details. Happy holiday baking! See you again real soon.

Dark Chocolate Almond Florentine Cookies (recipe from Bakerita)

These cookies are incredibly addictive with their satisfying crunch and chocolate centers. Their flavour is similar to that of almond roca. A batch will make about 36 cookies (18 sandwiches). They take a little time to make, but are completely worth the effort. The cookies keep well in an airtight container in the freezer.

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
3 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBSP. heavy cream
2 TBSP. light corn syrup
5 TBSP. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds into a large bowl with the flour and salt and stir. Combine the sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil and the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the saucepan mixture to the almond mixture and stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator to cool, about 30 minutes.

Scoop rounded teaspoons of batter and roll into (tiny!) balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they spread a lot. I found it best to only bake six cookies at a time; otherwise they just ran into each other.

Bake 1 pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown colour, about 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. One other tip: If your cookies are misshapen when you take them out of the oven, use a metal spatula to gently reshape them (as they will be very malleable when they come out of the oven).

Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Pair up cookies of equal size. Spread chocolate onto one cookie (be gentle!) and press carefully together with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookie pairs. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Looking for more amazing cookie recipes? Check out the lovely cookies I received from Sarah at Feasts For All Seasons (Chai Tea Shortbread) and Meg at Sweet Twist of Blogging (Mint Oreo Christmas Trees). Also be sure to check out the bloggers that I had the pleasure of sending these cookies to: Kristy at She Eats, Tina at What Taste, and Alicia at Bird House Diaries. xo

Filed Under: Holidays, Sweet Treats Tagged With: almond, cookies, dark chocolate, fbcookieswap, florentine, swap, toffee

Brown Butter Cornflake Marshmallow Skillet Cookie

October 1, 2014 by Amanda 32 Comments

Friendssssss! Happy October!

I’ve got a skillet cookie for yer face today! You’ve seen those cornflake marshmallow cookies from Momofuku Milk Bar around the interwebs, yes? The chewy, amazing, foodgasm-inducing, cornflake/chocolate/peanut butter chip/marshmallow-studded cookies as big as your hand. Yep, those are the ones.

Well those cookies really are all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, they’re kind of like crack. Ridiculously addicting and really not good for you at all. Why is it that things that taste so good have to be so bad? You know me though – all about the balance. Eat some kale salad, go for a run, eat a skillet cookie. Yep, balance.

Basically I took that cookie and turned it into a no-bowl required skillet cookie. Skillet cookies are my jam. I mean seriously, a big, warm, gooey cookie that is best served with good friends and many spoons – it doesn’t get much better. And I browned my butter, ’cause brown butter is still the cat’s meow. Annnnddd, it’s ready in about 30 minutes. So grab a few of your faves, throw this bad boy in the oven, and dig in! Treat yo’ self!

Brown Butter Cornflake Marshmallow Skillet Cookie (adapted from Shutterbean, which was adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar)

A gooey skillet cookie full of cornflakes, dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, and marshmallows. No bowl required! Serves as few or as many as you want!

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups cornflakes
2 TBSP. dark chocolate, chopped
2 TBSP. peanut butter chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt and brown the butter, stirring until golden brown and fragrant (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat. Add the sugars and mix well. Add the egg and vanilla and stir. Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix well. Fold in the cornflakes, chocolate, and peanut butter chips. Spread the batter out evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Don’t over bake, as the goal is a gooey cookie! Allow to cool slightly and then eat straight out of the skillet. Bliss!

Filed Under: Sweet Treats Tagged With: chocolate, cornflakes, dessert, marshmallows, momofuku milk bar, skillet cookie

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles

September 19, 2014 by Amanda 34 Comments

Haaaaaapppppppppyyyy Friday!

In celebration of being on the verge of one of these glorious things called the weekend, I bring you waffles. Whole wheat and oat cinnamon rhubarb waffles to be exact. I can’t lie. I’ve become a bit waffle-obsessed. I can’t stop thinking about all of the waffle possibilities. Of course we have sweet waffles. We also have savoury waffles. But then we have waffle sandwiches. Waffle donuts. And I bet waffle nachos could totally be a thing.

Today we’re keeping it pretty simple. We’ve got whole wheat flour and oats for some hearty oomph. The rhubarb adds a little tartness (PS. You could totally sub in apples for the rhubarb). And there’s cinnamon and brown sugar for flavour. Think: rhubarb crisp in waffle form. And if you want to go all out, you can top the waffles with butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Boom. If that doesn’t start your day off right, I don’t know what will.

It’s the weekend, friends! Enjoy, relax, live it up, treat yo’ self, and eat some waffles. In that order.

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles (adapted from Taste of Home)

These hearty waffles taste delicious with butter and cinnamon sugar (simply combine 1/4 cup sugar with 2 tsp. cinnamon), or fruit and syrup. If you can’t get your hands on any rhubarb or if it’s not your thing, feel free to use apples instead. Makes 6 waffles.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

3 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

4 TBSP. butter, melted

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the chopped rhubarb. Mix until just combined. Cook according to the instructions of your waffle maker. Refrigerate or freeze leftover waffles, and reheat either in the toaster or the oven.

Filed Under: Breakfast Tagged With: breakfast, cinnamon, oats, rhubarb, waffles, whole wheat

Hello Again + Fresh Spiced Pear Cider

September 14, 2014 by Amanda 10 Comments

Hello my friends!

It seems that this ol’ blog took an unintended yet sort-of needed Summer vacation. While I do apologize, I don’t regret it. For the last couple of months, I’ve been lacking in the inspiration department. And although I made a number of dishes and treats that I wanted to share, something always seemed to get in the way of me completing a proper blog post – even something as simple as being too hungry to stop and snap a few pretty photos. And being the perfectionist that I am, throwing together a half-assed post just didn’t feel right to me.

For the past few days I’ve been down with a bad cold and while being sick is never my preference, it gave me the opportunity – actually, forced me – to ditch on some of my regular responsibilities and just relax. And do you want to know what I did? (Aside from binge-re-watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix) I stepped into my kitchen and I created. It was glorious.

Friends, I think I have my mojo back.

First up – juice!

Last week, I was contacted and invited to participate in Williams-Sonoma Juice Week. This week’s theme is Juices That Bite Back.

Typically, I like to incorporate juicing into my morning routine. I’ve shared my favorite green juice recipe here already and green juice is definitely my go-to juice. However, every now and then I like to switch things up and make a fresh juice cocktail. (If you haven’t tried these fresh citrus margaritas, you must make doing so a priority). Earlier this week, it snowed. Yes, frozen white stuff actually fell from the sky and it was much too cold for early September, even by Alberta standards. Thankfully temperatures have shot back up again and we are enjoying more seasonally appropriate weather (I wore shorts today!), but the cold snap has changed my focus to fall and winter recipes.

And after drinking what felt like my hundredth cup of tea this weekend in an effort to soothe my sore throat, I decided to put my juicer to use and make a warm beverage with the flavors of Fall. This fresh pear cider is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and is given a nice little kick by one of my most favorite juice ingredients – ginger. I almost always include ginger in my juices – I just love the zip it adds. And I have yet to meet a drink that wasn’t improved by the addition of booze, so I added some brandy. Just a quick little glug, and you’re good to go. Of course, if brandy isn’t your thing, feel free to use something different, or leave it out altogether.

As I’ve mentioned before, I use this juicer, but there are many other available juicers – do your research and figure out which juicer is best for you! And make sure you give this cider a try – it’s super delicious and healthy too!

Fresh Spiced Pear Cider

A warm, spicy, delicious, and healthy cider – perfect to warm you up on a chilly Fall evening! Makes about four 3/4 cup servings. Double or triple if desired.

4 pears

2 apples (ie. Golden Delicious)

1 lemon

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp. whole cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 to 1-ounce brandy (optional)

Juice the pears, apples, lemon, and ginger. Put the fresh juice into a saucepan, add the spices, and heat through. Pour into glasses, add brandy if desired. Sip and enjoy!

Have a wonderful week, friends!

Filed Under: Beverages, Fruit Tagged With: apples, beverage, cider, Fall, fresh, juice, pears, spiced, warm

Berry Delicious Potato Salad

July 24, 2014 by Amanda 12 Comments

Hello friends! How’s life? Please tell me you’re out there enjoying the crap out of Summer. Can you believe we’re nearing the end of July?!

Today I have a special summer potato salad recipe for you. A couple of weeks ago I was contacted and given the opportunity to share a recipe developed by one of Canada’s foremost chefs for the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s 2014 Real Cream program.

There’s real whipping cream in this potato salad, folks. And it’s divine.

Allow me to be totally honest here – I’ve never been a huge fan of potato salad. I don’t dislike it, but it’s not something I typically fill my plate with. I take a small spoonful and carry on. In fact, I had never made potato salad before, or even really considered it. Typically potato salads are very mayonnaise-heavy, and I’m not a big mayo lover. I like a little smear on my sandwich, or a little spoonful in my tuna or egg salad, but that’s about it. When I read this recipe, I was really intrigued by the unique ingredients and flavours. The Dijon mustard, real whipping cream, and fresh lemon juice and mint really come through and help to downplay the mayonnaise in the dressing for the salad, and the fresh berries and arugula provide a fun twist. I ended up enjoying a bowl full of this potato salad once it was put together – and let me tell you, I ain’t never eaten more than a few bites of potato salad in one sitting before.

This potato salad would make a great addition to a summer picnic or BBQ, or even a regular ol’ weekday meal. I think it looks super pretty served in little tea cups. Don’t you think it would be fun to serve it this way at a bridal or baby shower? *idea alert!*

Even if adding sweet berries and whipping cream to a potato salad sounds bit wild, I really encourage you to give this recipe a try. What’s living if you don’t walk on the wild side from time to time?

Berry Delicious Potato Salad (recipe by Chef Michael Allemeier from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)

A classic summer yellow-fleshed potato salad, bound with a creamy hard-boiled egg dressing, elevated with the addition of assorted berries and arugula for an unexpected twist. Serves 8.

5 medium yellow-fleshed potatoes (about 2 lbs)

2 hardboiled eggs, peeled

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup 35% whipping cream

1/4 cup sour cream

2 TBSP. Dijon mustard

1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

4 green onions, thinly sliced (green parts only)

1/4 cup loosely packed, thinly sliced fresh mint

Salt, to taste

2 cups mixed berries (such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1 cup firmly packed baby arugula leaves, stems removed

1 TBSP. balsamic vinegar

Scrub potatoes and dice into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces. Cook in large pot of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well; let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash eggs with a fork. Whisk in mayonnaise, whipping cream, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, onions, and mint until creamy. Add warm potatoes to dressing; season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

To serve: In a medium bowl toss the berries, arugula, and balsamic vinegar together; reserve some of the berries and arugula. Fold berry mixture into potato salad. Serve in a bowl or on a platter; garnish with reserved berries and arugula.

Chef Michael’s Tip: There are many varieties of yellow-fleshed potatoes. They have a wonderful flavour and texture, perfect for potato salad. Look for Yukon Golds, Agria, and Kennebec potatoes – all of these are perfect for this salad.

Disclaimer: I was generously provided with the ingredients (and some sweet Real Cream swag!) to make this recipe, but all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Salads, Sides, Summer Tagged With: arugula, berries, potatoes, salad, summer

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