Last week I threw a little tapas dinner party and it was sooo much fun. Not to mention, utterly delicious! I made some of the greatest hits and you know what, they are all surprisingly easy to prepare, as you'll see in the recipes below. Are you ready for this epic, six-recipe blog post featuring some of the most popular and best loved tapas? I promise the deliciousness you're about to encounter will make your tastebuds extremely happy!
Read moreGinger Apricot Chicken
Do you like the sound of juicy chicken with crispy skin, slathered in a zippy sauce? If so, I have this fantastic 6-ingredient, 30 minutes recipe for you. This easy and flavor-packed GINGER APRICOT CHICKEN recipe came about when I craved a tasty dish to appease my bored taste buds shortly after starting my first Whole30 so this recipe provides options for regular preparation or soy-free / gluten-free versions. This recipe has since become one of our family weeknight favourites!
Read moreThai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls { gluten free, dairy free }
Slurp-worthy rice noodles in a creamy, flavourful broth, this easy THAI RED CURRY NOODLE SOUP WITH SHRIMP BALLS is the kind of tasty and nutritious meal to put into your recipe rotation immediately.
Read moreCauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms { gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan }
Any morel lovers out there?! I am so pleased to partner with Green Peace Canada on this blog post to raise awareness about the Boreal forest by way of this wildly delicious Cauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms recipe! Easy to make two-ingredient cauliflower gnocchi are tossed simply with sauteed morels, shallots and garlic, and finished with chives and a wee drizzle of nice balsamic vinegar to brighten everything up. This is an elevated dish fit for royalty! Or at least your most favorite dinner guests. The ones who bring very nice wine! ;)
Read morePeppermint Chocolate Mousse with Peppermint Meringue Kisses { dairy-free, vegan, egg-free, refined sugar-free }
SPOILER ALERT: This dairy-free and vegan chocolate mousse involves NO tofu, NO avocado, NO aquafaba and NO praying that the coconut cream will whip up properly. It is luxuriously rich with that dreamy fluffiness of traditional mousse. It is SUBLIME.
When I set out to make a dairy-free and vegan chocolate mousse, I deep-dived Google and Pinterest and came across a multitude of recipes using one of the four aforementioned ingredients: avocado, silken tofu, aquafaba (brine from canned chickpeas) and whipped up coconut cream. But I really, really wanted to create a version that steered clear of all of them. I wanted a recipe that uses more conventional dessert ingredients AND a fool-proof method, while still achieving a mousse that delivers the same intense chocolate flavor with a billowy texture that slightly melts on the tongue. No compromise.
Read moreBlueberry Swirl Meringue Cookies from Oh Sweet Day! Cookbook { gluten-free, Grain-Free, dairy-free }
When talented baker, mama, and fellow Canadian blogger Fanny sent me a copy of her new debut cookbook Oh Sweet Day! A Celebration Cookbook of Edible Gifts, Party Treats and Festive Desserts to review, I could not have been more delighted! Fanny and I have been following each other on Instagram for a few years. Her IG posts torture me (in the best way hehe) with elegantly executed desserts that inevitably awaken the dessert monster inside me! So much so, I have already made two of Fanny’s recipes, not including this delectable meringue treat (which we will get to in a beat, I promise). One such recipe was her Pecan Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies which was published in the 2017 Holiday issue of the Bake From Scratch Cookie Magazine, an issue full of featured recipes from a handful of the most elite baking bloggers. I made the Pecan Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies to include in my annual holiday cookie boxes for giving away, and hers turned out to be my personal favorite (by far) of the season. I was tempted to keep them all for myself.
Read moreLobster and Truffle Oil Mac + Cheese with Crunchy Chickpea Crumbs { gluten-free, dairy-free }
Autumn seems to be everybody’s favorite season, doesn’t it? We have long Winters here and some of the allure of Autumn, for me anyways, is how fleeting it is before it gives way to the bitter cold. Ugh, I hate the cold. Apart from that, there is something almost ineffable about the beauty of Autumn. The cool, crisp air. The scent of earthiness and wood-burning fires. Leaves in the most splendid array of rich, vibrant colors. ASMR-inducing crunch-crunch-crunch of fallen, dry leaves underfoot. And as for taste, we crave the return of comfort foods after a summer of lighter fare. Foods that feel like a cozy hug for a hungry tummy, like this Lobster and Truffle Oil Mac + Cheese with Crunchy Chickpea Crumbs.
Read morePeach + Passionfruit Pavlova { gluten-free }
A pavlova always makes a grand impression. This PEACH + PASSIONFRUIT PAVLOVA is probably my all time favourite version of the dessert! The sublime combination of juicy peaches and tart-sweet passionfruit, billowy whipped cream and chewy-crisp meringue, is certain to make you swoon.
Read morePoached Shrimp + Tomato Salad
It's mid August which means Toronto is bursting with summer produce. Our local farmer's market is, to me, almost like a candy store to a child. Tables are piled high with an abundance of fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables hitting their peak. I am in heaven! In particular, tomatoes are having their long-awaited moment in the sun, literally and figuratively. :)
Read moreCauliflower Steak Salad with Sambal Matah
Remember when I said cauliflower has superpowers? I still stand by that. Especially after this pretty incredible Cauliflower Steak Salad I made. I've made this dish three times in the past 2 weeks and I have had no regrets about it. Not a one. Actually I do have one regret which is that I'm only discovering Sambal Matah now and not sooner. Such a crying shame!
Read moreGF Profiteroles with Lilac-Vanilla Lemon Curd Ripple Ice Cream { gluten-free, refined sugar free, dairy-free ice cream }
Hot on the heels of my last post for Perfect Gluten-Free Choux Puffs, I now give you this most essential follow-up recipe: Profiteroles with Lilac-Vanilla Lemon Curd Ripple Ice Cream. Basically, the most refreshing, tart and creamy dessert perfect for the summer months ahead.
Read moreRooibos Chai Panna Cotta Tart + Honeyed Strawberry Rhubarb Compote { dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar free } + GIVEAWAY
Years ago, a friend gave me a jar of Rooibos loose leaf tea to try. She told me it is an non-caffeinated tea with health benefits aplenty. I later read that Rooibos is high in antioxidants, helps lower high blood pressure, aids in cancer-prevention and digestion health, bone health and more. Seems like I should be drinking this stuff like water! Instead, it sat in my pantry untouched for months, or closer to a year. When it comes to hot beveraging, I can't help but choose an Americano, a matcha latte or for so many years, my top choice was English Breakfast tea with a splash of milk (a reflection of my British-influenced Hong Kong ties).
Tea in desserts, on the other hand, I dig! A LOT. Like these earl grey cookies or the earl grey ice cream I made for pear frangipane tart. Heaven. So it is no surprise this Rooibos Chai Panna Cotta Tart with Honeyed Strawberry Rhubarb Compote is totally my jam. The only surprise is why I didn't think of it sooner. Everyone I served it to thoroughly enjoyed it too! Weeell if I'm being honest, everyone except my 4 year old who ate only the tart crust and "saved" the panna cotta part for her mama. But I can't blame her for loving the crust - it's so dope.
Read moreBlack Garlic Soba Noodle Bowls { gluten-free, meatless, ovo-vegetarian or vegan option }
"SPRINTER." Urban Dictionary.com: The Canadian season which occurs between Spring and Summer, when Mother Nature forgets that it is supposed to be getting warmer and suddenly reverts to Winter for no apparent reason.
This may sound cheeky and cute but unfortunately, it is tragically true! We are still reeling in disbelief from a massive ice storm last weekend. In the middle of April. APRIL!
Read moreMaple Tahini Granola { gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, vegan }
To state that we are a granola-loving family would be an understatement. I have two Granola Monsters here. Apart from the year when we were following a modified Paleo diet where grains like oats and quinoa are disallowed, granola is a mainstay here because it is such a healthy and convenient option for breakfast. Not to mention totally addictive.
Read moreRoast Pork with Mojo Sauce + Black Bean Rice { gluten-free, dairy-free }
This recipe was inspired by our recent trip to Miami, Florida. The hotel we stayed at was beyond gorgeous and the weather was even more so, especially after months living in the tundra known as winter in Toronto. Guys, it was a real difficult winter. So our escape down south was well anticipated. Except it didn't turn out to be the vacation I pictured...
Read moreWinter Pavlova with Meyer Lemon Curd { gluten-free, dairy-free }
Pavlovas don't normally come to mind in the winter since they are generally regarded as a summer dessert. I always questioned the sense in that though? High humidity is the serial murderer of pavlovas. Sure there are other factors that could undermine your pavlova, such as whites contaminated with yolks or grease / water in the mixing bowl, but I assert that weather is public enemy number one since it is not a factor you get to control.
Read moreWinter Salad with Lentils and Herbs with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette { gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, paleo, Vegan option }
I think there is a certain consensus among those of us who are living through Winter right now that citrus fruits are basically the best part about it. The other features of our winter - air so cold it hurts any exposed skin, shoveling and de-icing all the things all the time, extremities that are always cold even while INDOORS, plus a few other things that make you swear under your breath - I can live without!
Read moreTwo Tasty Sauces to put on EVERYTHING: (1) Honey Miso SAUCE & (2) Maple Tahini SAUCE { gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, vegan, vegetarian }
Even though these sauces are simple in their ingredients as well as their preparation, they really elevate a grain or noodle bowl or salad or seared tofu or roasted veggies (or all of these things together in one meal haha!) to another level. I find that when eating clean and simple foods, it's kinda all about the sauce to take it from ho-hum to super extra extra yummy. I very much do believe the sauce is king. That's why I really wanted to share these two go-to sauces with you. Plus, I've gotten enough DMs on Instagram whenever I make it on stories that I think it's finally time I deliver!
Read moreDouble Chocolate Brownie Cookie { gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, paleo }
WHUT. Christmas is less than a week away, and the year is done-zo in less than two! How are you feeling? Are you getting holiday stress? I had myself a panic moment a few days ago when Aubrie asked me why there are still no presents under our tree. I mumbled something about not wanting them to poke around the presents and wreck the wrapping like last year, instead of the truth, which is I was procrastinating the mundane task of wrapping them up. On the actual gift-buying side, I had 90% of gifts purchased by early December but the last 10% is by no coincidence, the most difficult. People like my dad, dad-in-law, etc are impossible to buy for. So I'm still working on that last 10% ... kiiiinda cutting it close, I reckon. Socks? Again?
Read moreWinter Spice Snack Cake with Maple Swiss Meringue Buttercream { gluten-free, refined sugar free, paleo + dairy-free option }
This season, Vitamix came up with this Winter Spice Seasoning of cinnamon sticks, crystallized ginger, cardamom, pink peppercorns, cloves, dried orange peel, salt and brown sugar (tip: sub coconut sugar for Paleo / refined sugar free version!) blended into a fragrant seasoning of warmth and WINTER MAGIC.
Vitamix and theFeedfeed partnered up to sponsor this post so that I can bring you this recipe I created using that heavenly seasoning mix. Can you smell it in your mind's eye...eerrr, nose? I want to put it in everything, both sweet and savory!
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