A cycle that repeats. Healthy, healthy, healthy all week long then BAM the most indulgent of treats to celebrate the weekend! Like these pear frangipane tarts topped with salted caramel sauce & earl grey ice cream I made two weekends ago. Supple pear slices atop a moist and nutty frangipane filling baked inside a crunchy tart. That's an impressive dessert right there. But why stop there? For an off-the-Richter impressive dessert, top it with salted caramel-y love and homemade Earl Grey ice cream because what pie or tart didn't get 1000x better with the a-la-mode treatment? None, that's what.
Read moreNYC Chicken & Rice with 'Secret white sauce' { inspired by 'The Halal Guy's' food cart ! }
If you've been the New York City, then you've seen the plethora of street food carts selling pretzels or nuts or bagels that fill the streets with their amazing aromas. But I don't waste my money there.
Read moreBlack Forest Chocolate Cake with Sweet Poached Cherries
This cake was a huge hit at a family gathering over the weekend. I'm finicky when it comes to chocolate + fruit combinations in a cake (as in, I don't always love it), but I have to say this cake was reaaally scrumptious. Uber moist chocolate-y sponge cakes are layered with a simple vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream and gently poached sweet cherries, blanketed in dark chocolate ganache and topped with fudge-y brownies (update: I went for fresh cherries and chocolate curls on top on the version in the updated images). It is decadent without being overly sweet or heavy. This is one of the best cakes I've ever made!
Read moreEasy Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish and I'll be the first to admit to know nothing about Russian cuisine or whether my version is authentic. Probably isn't? I use flank steak in mine which deviates from the sirloin, tenderloin or chuck I typically see in recipes. After having tried all of those cuts for Stroganoff at some point in the past, I stand by flank steak as the ideal cut to use in this recipe. When sliced uber thin, the melt-in-your-mouth flank pieces are at harmony with the sauteed soft mushrooms and tender egg noodles.
Read morePumpkin Chiffon Tart in an Oats + Gingersnap Crust
When Autumn rolls around, I love going bloody bonkers for all the pumpkin-y things for about four weeks straight! I indulge in homemade pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin waffles (I made some with my friend Natalie check out her site for photo evidence ;)), pumpkin scones and some pumpkin even sneaked into my morning smoothie which was absolutely delicious!
This year I opted for a pumpkin chiffon tart for Canadian Thanksgiving instead of the traditional pumpkin pie. I made a hybrid oats & gingersnap crust because I wanted the oats for healthier bulk and the gingersnap for the flavor and crispness needed to balance the pillowy filling. I really enjoyed this lighter version, so much so, I may go chiffon every year forward! Add to that a dollop of maple whipped cream and toasted pecans...you'll be happy you wore stretchy pants for Thanksgiving. And by you, I really mean me!
Read morePumpkin Spice Cashew Smoothie { gf, dairy free, refined sugar free }
I made this the other day because I had hella pumpkin puree to use up. It's only mid October and I'm still on my annual pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) bender and I wannit in EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
Read moreCauliflower + Corn Soup with squash 'croutons' & crispy sage { dairy free }
I got coerced to join my friend in renting a table at a 'mom to mom' sale this weekend where dozens of of us will set up in a school cafeteria to sell used baby and kid stuff to other parents. I spent the better part of yesterday and today collecting, sorting and pricing out the things my girls have outgrown. Actually I had to price everything TWICE after I realized I was inflating the price of everything due to emotional value.
Read moreCashew + Oats Smoothie { gf, dairy free, refined sugar free }
It doesn't get any more simple or nourishing than this! This smoothie is filling, nutritious, free of refined sugar yet delightfully kissed with just a bit of sweet. It is a perfect breakfast, post-workout snack or even a light meal.
Read moreHoney Apple Muffins { gf, oil free, refined sugar free }
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they say, and yet it seems rather over-represented with not the healthiest options involving bread, fatty cheese and salty meats. When my first born was around 2 years old, I somehow got away with serving her oatmeal cooked in unsweetened almond milk with a sprinkling of raisins (no sugar) every single day for an entire year! Then she got wise.
Read moreCrispy Chicken Cutlet Sliders { Lightened Up! }
[ October 2018 ] This recipe was updated with improvements! I switched to using roasted chickpeas for an amazing gluten-free alternative for the breading! (see image above) Note the use of store-bought, snacking kind of roasted chickpeas (like Watusee Foods roasted organic chickpeas; not sponsored) which I blitz into a coarse crumb in a blender or food processor. They also have ready-made chickpea crumbs if you can find it (I don’t have access to that in Canada). Home-roasted chickpeas would likely be too moist to achieve the same results.
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This one's a home run at my house! And I am willing to bet it would be at your's too, if your peeps like crispy little chicken sandwiches on warm soft brioche buns served with a good schmear of creamy tartar-y sauce goodness. The best part about it is, it's a lightened up (healthier) version that is EASY to make (less than 30 minutes) with NO COMPROMISE in taste! What is this voodoo magic, you ask? Read on friend…
Read moreFrench Toast + Spiced Apple Compote + Salted Caramel
Okay Fall, you win. I guess you're coming whether I'm ready or not.
But I win too, because Fall means apples and pumpkins and pumpkin pie spice in everything. In this case, there is pumpkin pie spice in both the egg mixture for the french toast and the apple compote (like I said, pumpkin pie spice in errrrthing). This french toast is served with a scoop of luscious apple compote and a good drizzle of warm salted caramel over top because apple + caramel are the original bff's. How Fall vibe-y is that?
I guess Fall isn't so bad.
Read moreHoney Miso Ice Cream
Today is the last day of August. The hazy warm days of summer are still with us but there is no denying the trend of shorter days, fading summer blooms and a mounting dread of what is to come.
Winter is coming. Pleck.
The only solace is the few months of Autumnal pleasures we get to enjoy before that, like pumpkin spice everything, over-the-knee suede boots, crisp cool days and good-bye to the summer bedtime debate with the children why they have to go to bed before Mr. Sun does.
Read moreJapanese Cold Summer Noodles aka Hiyashi Chuka (cold ramen)
JAPANESE COLD SUMMER NOODLES, or HIYASHI CHUKA in Japanese, is a cold ramen dish made with fresh ramen noodles topped with a variety of toppings dressed in an easy sweet and tangy soy based sauce. It is one of the tastiest and most refreshing meals to enjoy during the hot summer months!
Read moreHorchata Iced Latte
Have you ever tried horchata? It's a Mexican drink made of rice soaked in water and spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar, in it's simplest form. In addition to rice, almonds or seeds are sometimes also used in the beverage. Well anytime there is delicious homemade almond milk involved, I'm all in! Add to that a shot of strong espresso, and you've got yourself a horchata iced latte - otherwise known as the best caffeinated summer sipper ever.
Read moreOrange Creamsicle Chia Smoothie { featured on Vogue.com }
This is a healthy, dairy-free take on the nostalgic flavor combination of sweetly acidic orange juice and creamy vanilla. These may seem like an odd marriage of flavors for those who didn't grow up getting creamsicle popsicles from the corner store but they play so well with each other - like pb&j or chocolate & strawberries! I really like it, can you tell?
So when vogue.com asked me to contribute my recipe for this healthy creamsicle smoothie for a feature on their site, I gleefully agreed! You can read my wee feature here. No big deal ;)
Read moreBlueberry Breakfast Muffins with Oat Crumble {gf, dairy-free, refined sugar free}
This is a gold star muffin recipe! I adore this recipe because it begins with walnuts and rolled oats ground into a coarse flour which gives the muffins substance, keeping you full longer because of the healthy oils in the walnuts and the heartiness of the oats. Buckwheat flour is used which happens to make this gluten-free. Muffins have a bad rap as the evil breakfast food loaded with hidden fat and sugar, but it doesn't have to! I hope you like this one.
Read moreSummer Fruit Tarts in Almond Crusts
This to me is a quintessential summer dessert that celebrates summer's bounty of berries and fruits! I love all the components: a lightly-sweetened creamy custard offset with sweet tart fruits inside an almond tart crust that I absolutely adore because (1) it uses almond flour in addition to all-purpose flour which adds a lovely nuttiness not to mention a little nutrition boost from almond's heart-healthy properties if you are looking for any justification to eat these (you're welcome) and (2) it is a press-in dough which means you simply push it into the tart pans with your fingers. No rolling. No mess. Easy peasy!
Read moreRoasted Sockeye Salmon + Pineapple Basil Sauce { made in 20 minutes! }
Here's a tasty and healthy option for a quick weeknight meal. Did I hit all the right words...tasty...healthy...quick?! Not lying, this meal can be made in 20 minutes flat. We all need more of those in our busy lives.
Read moreBlueberry Pie + Honey Lavender Ice cream
I just discovered this dreamy flavor combination of blueberry + lavender + honey and I want to share! I made two blueberry pies this past weekend and honey lavender ice cream to top it. I had been searching for recipes and ideas to use the dried culinary lavender my in-laws brought back for me from their trip to Provence. Can I tell you, my eyes literally rolled to the back of my head when I tasted the ice cream. As if that wasn't ecstasy enough, add it to a warm slice of blueberry pie...bliss.
Read moreChinese Chicken Rice (Easy Weeknight Version)
This is, hands down, one of our favourite dinners of all for adults and kids. The aromas of ginger, garlic and scallions permeate every component of the dish, resulting in something far more than the sum of its parts. It is really, really spectacular. I'm talking about CHINESE CHICKEN RICE. Made simpler and easier for a weeknight hit.
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