Toasted Sesame Pretzel Toffee Bark

I love love love baking, it's my stress relief, and belly filler. I would assume, if you are perusing food blogs, that you love to bake too? Christmas time can add a different type of stress, maybe even panic(?), for those who are kitchen challenged. I'm not going to give you a turkey tutorial, although, that might be a good future post!  But, I can give you an idea on how to fill you're cookies platters!  The ultimate way to get a tonne of cookies, without having to do all the work, it to plan a cookie exchange!

For the past five years, I have coerced my co-workers into joining me in a cookie exchange.  I send out an internal email, and post a sign-up sheet in the staff room where they can add their name, and what they choose to contribute.  We have to bake one dozen per person, and this year we each baked for eight dozen!  Eight dozen different kinds of cookies!  Well, not just cookies, there was fudge, toffee, palmiers, and even Oreo truffles!

This is how library ladies organize cookie exchanges....on a book truck! haha

The best part about a cookie exchange is the variety of treats that you end up with!  I like to package them up for Holiday gifts for the kid's teachers, our neighbours and for friends.  I'm usually still left with enough treats for my own family, and any holiday visitors, to enjoy over the holidays, too!

Kind of ironic, that I like to bake probably the most out of all my colleagues, and I choose the easiest thing to make.  I contributed Toasted Sesame Pretzel Toffee Bark, which you may already be familiar with under the name Christmas Crack, or Saltine Toffee, or something similar.  This recipe is truly addicting, and so so simple.  Get your gift giving on - Toffee Bark style!!

Toasted Sesame Pretzel Toffee Bark

1/4 - 1/2 cup sesame seeds
roughly 50 salted waffle pretzels (enough to cover your cookie sheet)
1 cups butter
1 cups packed brown sugar
pinch of salt (optional)
1 -11/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (approximately – I usually just keep adding until it seems like enough!)

Using a small pan, over medium -high heat, toast the sesame seeds, tossing or stirring, taking care not to burn, and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, or foil,  this helps with clean-up after (and to make it easier to remove).   Line the prepared sheet with pretzels, placing them right together.
In a medium saucepan, bring the butter and brown sugar, and pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it bubble for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and pour it evenly over the pretzels. Spread with spatula to fill any gaps.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until bubbling and deep golden in colour. Keep an eye on it for the last few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Remove from the oven, and then scatter chocolate chips over top while the caramel is still hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then spread chocolate out with a spatula or knife until smooth, and finally, scatter the toasted sesame seeds over the top.
Cool completely in the fridge, (or in the garage cold room) then break up into pieces using your hands.  I like there to be barks of all shapes and sizes, and prefer they aren't just squares - don't be a square, man!  Package up for gift giving, or get ready to get your will tested!

Happy Holidays!

Overnight Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Buns

I'm already mentally getting ready for January, so it's no shocker that Christmas Day's breakfast is already planned too.  Can I share my exciting news with you?  We are going...on a cruise!!  I know! I know!  We are gonna relax, and read, and relax, and eat, and relax, and take naps, and explore tropical islands, and relax, and shop, and relax some more!! 

It's so super exciting it almost makes me want to skip Christmas, so we could get to vacation time faster. Almost.  

I usually make some kinda cinnamon rolls, whenever my folks come to town.  They are my dad's favourite, and I love experiment on him with new and different kinds, flavours, and techniques each time.  My dad is already preparing his sweet tooth for the Christmas visit.  And it seems rather ho-hum to make something so vanilla as regular ol' cinnamon buns on such a special occasion.  So this year I'm gonna take it up a notch with these festive gingerbread spiced cinnamon buns!

I don't know about you, but I like to enjoy watching the kids open their gifts, and stockings, and quality family time on Christmas morning.  The idea of making a big production of breakfast, then cleaning it up, and starting in on the preparation of the big feast, holds little appeal.  The beauty of this recipe in particular, is you can get it all ready a day or so in advance, and then just pop them into the oven Christmas Morning!  Stay in your jammies for as long as possible, and tuck into this super decadent and delicious Christmas morning treat!

Overnight Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Buns

Dough

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 

3/4 cup milk, warmed (I used 2% and nuked it for about 30 seconds)

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Gingerbread Spice Filling

6 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 Tablespoon molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 Tablespoons flour

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave, add yeast and stir, allow the yeast to activate by setting aside for a few minutes.

Cream together the sugar, butter, and egg, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and give it a few pulses.  Replace the paddle with the dough hook attachment and add the flour, and salt, mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl.

Using a large stainless steel bowl,  grease with cooking spray or butter, and place the dough ball in it. Cover the bowl kitchen towel or plastic wrap, find a warm spot, and let the dough sit for 2-4 hours, or until it doubles in size.

My house is super cold in the winter, but my oven has a warming spot, I usually turn that on low, or keep it on the oven while I'm doing other baking!

Make your filling by mixing together butter, brown sugar, flour, and spices until it forms a paste, and set aside.  Grease a 9” pan, pie plate or baking dish with butter or spray oil, and set aside.

Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 12” by 9”. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle all the way to the edges.

Roll the dough up tightly from the long end, and slice it into 9 equal rounds. Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish.

At this point, you can let them rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until they are swelling up in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Or!  You can cover with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake for a wintery morning treat or Christmas Day!  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
If the rolls have been in the refrigerator, remove them and let them warm up while the oven is preheating.  Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

While they bake, make your Maple Cream Cheese frosting!

Using a hand held or standup mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup.  Add in the cinnamon, vanilla and maple extracts, and finally, the icing sugar.  Mix until smooth with a thick, but spreadable, consistency. 

Remove the rolls from the oven, and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before frosting, and devouring serving!

Happy Holidays!

Low Fat Chocolate Crackle Cookies

The problem with running a real life kinda blog, is that sometimes things don't always come together in the most attractive and cohesive ways.  Take, for example these Chocolate Crackle cookies I'm sharing with you today.  They are in fact leftovers from a Christmas Craft Fair I was part of last weekend.  I made them the day before the sale, so they'd be nice and fresh, and then packed them up all nice and pretty.
My sales at the craft fair went pretty well, despite the weather being horrible.  The day of the fair the temperature was -25 without the wind, and the roads were ice rinks, making sales a little sluggish.  I'm pretty sure I managed to at least break even(?).  Because the craft fair was in our community, I had the chance to hang with my family, putting my kids to work at the table, and catch up with friends and neighbours as well.  All in all, it was a really great day, and got me in the Christmas spirit.

I still brought home a fair bit of baking, including these Chocolate Crackle cookies, much to my Son's delight...these are his favourite cookies of all time!
But the real life reality is that, most of the sugar has worn off, making them not as photogenic, as they once were, but now I'm also SLAMMED with other real life responsibilities.  I have no time to take pics of anything else.  The voices in my head tell me it's okay though, because these cookies, regardless of their appearance, still taste fantastic, and are a year-round favourite for my family.
 

There are as many different versions of this recipe, as there are names for the cookie:  Chocolate Crackles, Chocolate Crinkles, etcetera, etcetera.  I prefer the Chocolava recipe from Julie's One Smart Cookie Cookbook.  Not only is her recipe delicious and  reminesent of a fudgy brownie, but it has about one quarter of the fat from any other recipe I've found.  For the sale I chose to rename them, thinking that a crackle was more Christmas-y than Chocolava, but you can call them any name you wish!
I always make them at Christmas time, I like to think the crackled icing-sugar dusted exterior is somewhat festive, or at least reflective of a good dusting of snow...no?  A fast,easy, and tasty recipe that is almost guilt-free, making them the perfect for a hostess gift or for giving to your neighbours or co-workers, or sharing with your family this Christmas!

Low Fat Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Recipe adapted from: One Smart Cookie Chocolava cookies, Page 65

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup icing sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a large cookie sheet with oil, or line with parchemnt and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the butter, and both the sugars and mix until creamy. Next add the eggs and vanilla, mix to combine.  Then add the the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, all at once until the dough just comes together.  It may still seem too dry, but it does come together, especially if you use your hands to bring it together - like magic!
Place a few heaping spoonfuls of icing sugar into a shallow dish. Roll dough into balls and roll the balls in icing sugar to coat.
Place them about 2” apart on the prepared cookie sheet, and bake for 12–14 minutes, until just set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

It's the most wonderful time of the year...again!  Last year, right around this same  time, I shared a recipe for a Lower-Fat Nanaimo Bar, 'member?  This time around I thought I would switch it up a bit, and make them with a peanut buttery twist!  These however, are mos' def' NOT low-fat...sorry, not sorry.  These Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars are, so super decadent, and a would make a perfect treat to bring to a party or to give as a homemade Christmas gift.

My veins are running with sugar,  and body is practically vibrating around the kitchen at this point.  I'm in the midst of a baking, packaging, pricing, flurry of activity, as I get ready to sell some of my goodies at local Christmas Craft Sales.  I hope that these Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars, along with my other treats sell like crazy, 'cuz it's a heck of allot of work!  If they don't?  Well, more for me!  Or maybe placed beside the Christmas tree for Santa...if he's nice.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

Bottom
1/2 cup room temperature butter (salted or unsalted)
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Middle
1/2 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt

Top
2 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil
2/3 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Swirl
4 Tablespoons peanut butter

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
For the bottom layer: In a large bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and finely chopped peanuts. Set aside.
For the bottom layer:  In a double boiler, stir together the butter, sugar, beaten egg and cocoa. It will be a bit stiff, but it’s important to start with the beaten egg in a cold pan and allow it to warm gently, to avoid scrambled eggs.  Stir constantly for 5 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened.
Add the graham cracker mixture and stir until well combined.  Press this mixture evenly into the lined 8-inch pan and chill.
For the middle layer: Beat together the peanut butter, butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth.  Spread this mixture over the chilled base. Smooth top and chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
For the top layer: Melt the chocolate and butter or coconut oil together in a double-boiler or in the microwave.  Spread melted chocolate over the chilled middle layer, smoothing out as evenly as possible.  If doing swirled top, heat peanut butter in microwave or in the same (clean!) double boiler. Pour warm peanut butter over the still warm chocolate top, in straight lines, and then lightly slide knife or toothpick through in the alternate direction.  Chill again until firm and then bring to room temperature, before cutting into bars.


Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs

Doesn't it feel like the bombardment of Christmas is thrown at us earlier each year?!  Even before Halloween arrived, the stores were putting out Christmas stuff!  And then November 1st, was like, BAM!  CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!  Maybe it's just me?  I find it a little bit overwhelming, kinda exciting, and I get all nervous inside.  I have to plan what presents to buy, what kind of goodies I will be baking, and how I will stretch my paychecks to handle the load!  One thing I do to make a little extra money around the holidays, is to sell my baking at community Christmas sales and Craft Fairs.  So, I bake a little more than your average mom;)  I already have a garage (ahem: cold storage) full of goodies, but have yet to take any good pics of them yet.  So before I bombard you with their deliciousness, I thought I should bring you something savoury.

This recipe is from the recently published Skinny Taste Cookbook, which I must return to the library for the next person in line, and I hate to admit, but, *gasp*,  It's overdue!!  Horrible.

I've been hanging onto the book so I could share this fantastic recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs, 'cuz it's so so yummy, and the whole fam gave it the "thumbs up" approval.  This recipe has the potential to be a great new way to use up leftover ham from Thanksgiving, so if you do a ham at Christmas too, keep this recipe in mind. 

This recipe from Skinnytaste, is genius!  It mimics the flavours of the traditional chicken cordon bleu, but in a easy to make and calorie reduced meatball form.  The flavours in the Dijon and white wine sauce deliver that extra sumthin' sumthin', that take a average week night meal, and elevate your leftovers to the next level!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs

Recipe adapted from: The Skinnytaste Cookbook, page 163

Meatballs

11/2 lbs lean ground chicken

1/4 cup panko or bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (roughly) leftover ham, sliced & cubed

3 slices (roughly) Swiss cheese, sliced & cubed

Sauce

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup milk, I used 2%

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 salt

1/8 freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped as garnish

Preheat the oven to 425F, and spray large baking sheet with oil, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, parm, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, and using your hands, mix together.  Wet your hand to prevent the meat from sticking, and form into meatballs.  Poke the meatball with your finger to make a whole, and insert one piece each of cubed Swiss cheese and ham.  Do your best to close meatball securely, to prevent cheese escape-age (!) you should make approx. 12 meatballs.  Place meatballs on prepared baking sheet, and bake about 20 minutes, or until cooked through, and slightly browned.

While the meatballs are baking, make your sauce!   

Using a large, deep, lidded skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  using a whisk, add the flour to create roux.  Next whisk in the wine, allow to thicken, and add both milk and broth, whisking for 5 minutes or so, allowing to thicken up again.  Reduce the temperature to low, and add the mustard, lemon, and season with salt & pepper, taste, and adjust to your preference.  

Remove the meatballs from the oven, and add them to the sauce.  Cover and simmer, for about 5 - 10 minutes.  Garnish with parsley prior to serving.  The meatballs are excellent served on egg noodles or pasta, alongside some seasonal roasted veggies!

Enjoy!

African Inspired Peanut Stew

You must forgive my absence, our house was hit hard by an unforgiving stomach flu.  It started with Presley, and then hit both Sloane and I.  Cory has somehow managed to miss out, lucky boy!  Without going into all the gory details, it was gross, and I'm glad to have my energy and appetite back.
I've only seen the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" maybe once or twice, so this is completely random that it sticks out in my memory, but whenever I get the stomach flu, I always think of this quote:

Emily: Andrea, my God! You look so chic.
Andy Sachs: Oh, thanks. You look so thin.
Emily: Really? It's for Paris, I'm on this new diet.  Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese.  I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight.

Hilarious, and true, right?!
I've decided to look at having the flu, as getting the opportunity to re-set your body, Mother Nature's cleanse!  Now that you have this blank slate of appetite and even what you may normally crave, you might as well keep eating the smaller portions, and as follow as clean a diet as possible.

One of the first real meals I craved once I was ready to get back in the kitchen was this African Inspired Peanut Stew.  I added chicken, because whiners, and swapped chick peas for lentils, because whiners, but kept the subtle spice, and the sweet potatoes, which pair perfectly with the peanut butter.
It's an interpretation of the vegan "Soul Soothing African Peanut Stew" from the recently published Oh She Glows Cookbook.  Angela Liddon is the author and blogger behind the amazing Oh She Glows website, and now the award winning book!  I find Angela's recipes to be imaginative, yet totally do-able, and always delicious.
Because I can borrow cookbooks for free from the library (you can too, silly!), I rarely purchase cookbooks of my own, but the Oh She Glows cookbook is the exception!  Totally worth the $ and the shelf space.

African Inspired Peanut Stew
Recipe Adapted From: Oh She Glows Cookbook Page 129

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded (optional) and diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, and chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (optional)
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/3 - 1/2 cup peanut butter
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup uncooked lentils (I used red), or can of chickpeas drained & rinsed
2 large handfuls spinach, chopped or torn
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 handful cilantro, for garnish
Roasted peanuts, for garnish

Using a large stock/soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, red pepper, and jalapeño, sautéing for another 2 minutes. Add the sweet potato, chicken (optional), and tomatoes (with their juice) and a good shake of both salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, using a small saucepan or microwave, heat up 1 cup of broth, and then add the peanut butter, stirring so no clumps remain. Stir the peanut butter mixture to the vegetables, along with the remaining broth. Season with the cumin, chili powder, and cayenne.
Cover the pot, and reduce heat to low, leaving to simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender, and the chicken (if you're using it) is cooked through.
Taste and season if necessary, then stir in the spinach, and cook until just wilted.
Serve stew over rice and/or steamed vegetables, and garnish with the cilantro and roasted peanuts.


Enjoy!

Monster Mashmallow Cereal Treats

A series of puppy-dog eyes from a 5 year old, and claims of a childhood favourite from a 40 year old, made me buy this cereal.  I had never tried it until this year.  Sugarmania cereals were not part of my own childhood, unless I was at my Grandma's or maybe a sleepover at a friend's.  

I was informed that Count Chocula is "thee best", and "we have to get it".  Who am I to argue with a good ol' childhood fave?   

This is pricey stuff, man!  I managed to hunt down both the Count Chocula, and Franken Berry limited edition treats for the best price at Target.  Apparently there is also a "Boo Berry"?  I was unable to locate that one much to their dismay.  Maybe some state-side cereal hunting is in order!  

That's where the Scooby-Doo bone shaped cereal came from, on one of our last excursions to Montana.  United States of America, you have all the bestest cereals!  

Count Chocula is the obvious fave around here, I had just barely 2 cups remaining.   That's where the mash up idea was born!  I figured the bones fit the Halloween cereal theme pretty darn well.  As well, the bones helped to spread out the quantity of the "special" cereal we had left on hand, lest someone complain, that "It's all gone!  I didn't even get one bowl!".  Yeesh. 

Concocted out of the mass cereal mash up came these fun and yummy treats. They are basically like a marshmallow-y Rice Krispie Treat, but more chewy, flavourful, and of course, spookier!

Psst!  Here's my handsome kitchen helper, and biggest critic, hard at work!

Monster Mashmallow Cereal Treats

3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups Count Chocula cereal
2 cups Franken Berry cereal
2 cups Scooby-doo bones cereal (I was running low on the Count, so I added the Scooby-doo to spread it out - Use 3 cups of each, or 6 cups cereal total)

Prepare a large dish (I used 9 X 13), by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.
In large saucepan melt butter over low - medium heat, add the marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted. Remove the pan from heat, and add vanilla.  Next add all the cereal. Stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
Pour mixture into the prepared dish, use a spatula, wet fingers, or the overhang of the parchment to help press it down.  Allow to Cool, before cutting into squares or shapes.

Happy Halloween!

Monster Munch Popcorn

This stuff is everywhere this time of year, and their are a gazillion different interpretations.  I cannot believe I've never made this before.  But now that I have, I can see why so many blogger's heed caution of this crackalicious confection.  It's impossible to stop eating.  For reals.

In the first day I made Monster Munch, I would keep ending up in the pantry, just standing there, noshing away.  

I actually decided to just eat it all, and get it over with, so that I could get it gone faster, and not be indulging throughout the day (er- for more than the two days I had been already!).  Totally rational, right?!

The trick to this treat, is to package it up, and give it away.  You've been warned.

Monster Munch

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

8 ounces white chocolate, melted

1-2 Tablespoons coconut oil, or butter
1/2 cup peanuts, salted
1/2 cup pretzels, smashed or not

1/2 cup candy corn
1/2 cup Smarties, M&M's, or your fave candy

optional Dark chocolate drizzle - 1/4 cup or 1 oz square of dark or semi-sweet, melted

Pop the popcorn in your preferred method (I used an air popper), and take care to remove any unpopped kernels.  

Melt the white chocolate in microwave or on the stove top, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until completely melted. Add the coconut oil, or butter, stirring until incorporated, and smooth enough to be able to pour.
Combine the popcorn, and all the add-ins in a large bowl, or on a large baking sheet, and pour about half of the melted white chocolate over the top, quickly tossing with tongs to distribute the melted chocolate as evenly as possible.  Add the remaining melted chocolate and repeat tossing.  Spread the mixture onto parchment paper, and if topping with a dark chocolate drizzle, add that now. 

Find a cool spot, allowing the monster munch to cool and harden.
Break any large chunks apart if necessary, and here's the trick to not over indulging, package up into fun and/or creepy bags for the perfect Halloween treat to give away. 

Happy Halloween!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Are you sick of turkey recipes yet?  Yeah, me neither.  How about pumpkin?!  Me?  Never!  I don't think I could ever, ever, neverever, get sick of pumpkin treats.  They are one of the best parts of the colder months.  My one gripe, however, is that if you're opening a can of pumpkin, you use like 1 cup for the recipe you're baking up, and inevitably you are left with an odd measure of excess pumpkin.  In my manic cleaning up rush, the pumpkin purée is usually just put into an old yogurt container, and crammed into my overstuffed freezer.  At one point I got into the habit of measuring the amount I was about to freeze, and writing it onto the container.  I can not always be counted on to be that organized, or have that much time on my hands!  

A new trick I have found for freezing pumpkin in an easy pre-measured method, is to freeze the pumpkin purée in an ice cube tray.  Are all ice cubes trays standard at 1 Tablespoon?...I highly doubt it, especially with all the new fangled designer models, shapes and whatnot's that are available.  My ice cube tray has exactly one Tablespoon cubes...measure yours and see!  You can remove the frozen pumpkin cubes, and put them into a freezer bag.  Or, pop them right into the blender, for this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  

Nothing could be a more perfect fall breakfast that this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. It is literally like drinking a pumpkin pie...but in a much more healthy and acceptable way.  So. Friggin'. Good.

Psst...Here's my Pumpkin Pie Spice blend.  Just add all spices together into a jar, shake, and you're good to go!  Double it, triple it, keep in in your pantry.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 frozen banana, broken into chunks

1/2 - 1 cup almond milk

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned, fresh, or roughly 10 froze pumpkin cubes)

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*

ice cubes (optional)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

Add all of the ingredients to the blender.  Blend on high for a few minutes or until smooth  

Scrape down the sides, or stir to help blender to mix larger chunks, if you have an old school beauty like me! Additional almond milk can be added to thin it out, or alternately, add ice cubes (calorie-free!) to thicken it up.

Enjoy!

Turkey Soup with Brown Butter & Herb Dumplings

Every one should have a go to leftover turkey recipe, this here is mine.  But this year I decided to switch it up a bit with the addition of dumplings!  I've haven't had that much experience with dumplings, as usually I like to accompany my soup with as much fresh crusty bread and butter, as my belly will allow.  Dumplings are kinda like the bread and butter right in your soup! Right?!  I had already fallen off the gluten wagon over the thanksgiving long weekend, I ate pizza, muffins, and crackers, and carb loaded snackies, so I was all, whatever!  Lets do this dumplings!

This turkey soup, and the dumplings in particular, received two out of three thumbs up at the supper table.  But Presley (my 5 year old) did not want ANY vegetables or turkey, broth ONLY, and I had to spoon feed him while he told me how much it hurt his throat, wha wha wha!  He was all for ice cream for dessert even though he was "too full to eat any more" (in his whiniest voice).  Ya, one of those nights!  So, I'm not counting his thumb down.  Whiners don't count.  My rules.

I don't have much to compare this to, so if you're a dumpling aficionado, please feel free to critique.  This was a new way to switch it up, and give a tired traditional turkey leftover soup a new life! 

Turkey Soup 

1 roasted turkey carcass, broken in half, plus any leftover bones
6-8 cups water, enough to cover carcass
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely diced
3-4 carrots, quartered lengthwise and chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
3-4 potatoes, roughly quartered and chopped, or use leftover mashed potatoes
Approx. 2 cups reserved roast turkey leftovers, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Spike
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Clean out the fridge!  Any other leftover sides, would be a welcome addition:  turnips, yams, brussel sprouts etc.

In a large stock/soup pot,  place the carcass of the bird, and add enough water to completely immerse the bones. Use a medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer.   Reduce the heat to low, cover pot and leave it overnight or at least 4 to 6 hours.  In the morning, strain the broth through a sieve  or colander and discard the bones, fishing out any remaining meat, and returning it to the stock pot, along with the broth.  At this point you could refrigerate or freeze the stock to use at a later date.  I usually just add everything in for that nights dinner!
Add the onion, celery, garlic, carrots, and mashed (or uncooked) potatoes, and reserved turkey meat. Season with Spike and/or salt and pepper to taste.  Keep it on low for 4-6 hours, stirring periodically, and adjusting taste if necessary.

Brown Butter & Herb Dumplings

6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup flour
1 egg
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh green onions or chives

Using a small saucepan, brown the butter (the kitchn has a good technique and instructions, if you need).  Once the butter is browned add the water and bring the temperature back up, so the butter doesn't harden.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, flour and herbs, mixing until thoroughly combined.   Return the pan to medium heat and stir until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Using  a sturdy wooden spoon, speedily beat in the egg, so that it doesn't cook to the bottom or sides of the pan, but gets combined into the batter.  If doing the dumplings ahead, store covered in the fridge for no more than one day.
Drop teaspoon sized balls, or simply drop the batter unrolled into the simmering soup.  Repeat until batter is all used up, then cover soup pot.  The dumplings are ready when they rise to the top of the pot, about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Raw Cocoa Date Bars

Our tree is off our roof!  Hooray!  Did you know I had to provincially outsource an arborist to get this to happen in a timely matter?  Tree professionals in Calgary are in high demand after our lovely Snow-tember. 

I am lucky enough to work within walking distance of the community library where I work, and generally I go home each day to walk the dog, and scarf down some food.  Yesterday, as I neared my home I could hear the sound of a chainsaw, and then as I rounded the corner, I could see heavy work was in full swing.
These lovely boys are here from my home town of Nelson, B.C., to save us all from our broken tree woes.  I've been anxiously waiting for this day, as our beautiful Mayday, which is the highlight of our backyard, was in dire straights.  This tree has two branches that fork off the main trunk, and the weight of the snow had cracked it down the centre.  Every time the winds picked up or we got another threat of snow I feared a branch might split clear off, and take the roof with it.  When I called the arborist, he thought I was being dramatic "Mayday in our backyard". Ha!

Send me home town boys and I want to make them feel a Koots style thank-you...that calls for some raw cocoa date bars!  I actually had these bars on the ready, as I fell off the no sugar wagon last weekend, and needed to wean myself off sweets again.  Ugh!  Why do I do it to myself?!
These wholesome bars fill my sugar fix, though.  Naturally sweetened from both the dates and raisins, chewy, and nutty, with a hint of cocoa.  Cut these bars up small, they still pack a high caloric hit, with plenty of healthy fats from the seeds -  a little goes a long way!

Raw Cocoa Date Bars

11/2 cup dates, pitted
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds (plus 2 Tablespoons more for topping)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted

Line a small baking dish (I used a loaf pan for extra thick bars) with parchment paper and set aside.  Add the sunflower and sesame seeds to a food processor, and process until broken down to a breadcrumb-like consistency.  Add the coconut, and cocoa powder, and pulse to combine.  Next add the dates, raisins, and coconut oil, blending on high until fully combined.  The mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers, add a small amount of water if you find it is too dry or not sticking.
Add the mixture to your prepared dish, pressing as evenly as possible (wet your fingers with water to avoid sticking), sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds, and place in the fridge for at least two hours to firm up.
Cut into small squares or bars to serve, and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Raw Crusted Vanilla-Cardamom Yogurt Tart

Guys!  I have fallen in love!  Don't worry, I'm not leaving my Hub's, its with another blog;)  My current blog fascination and admiration goes to the beautiful Farm on Plate.  Medha, a classically trained chef, is the genius behind the delicious creations of this well-written blog, and resides just one province over, in my home province of British Columbia.  Right now, Medha is travelling her own homeland in Western India.  The pictures she has been sharing while in India, along with the stories, are absolutely mesmerising, and completely engaging.  I implore you to give her blog a read.

I perused this Raw Crusted Vanilla Cardamom Tart from Farm on Plate, about a month back, and have been experimenting and substituting ingredients, and thoroughly enjoying each incarnation.  I had been wanting to try a strained yogurt dish for sometime now, as I have been reading many Middle Eastern Cookbooks, looking for inspiration for the spices my mom gifted me from her travels to Turkey last year.  The strained yogurt, is also referred to as Labna, or yogurt cheese, and can be traditionally served either sweet or savory.   
Playing with the original recipe of Medha's as a guideline, I've used Chia seeds in place of Hemp Hearts, different combinations of nuts for the crust, and topped the tart with berries, and both peaches and nectarines.  Every which way results in a winner, you simply can't do wrong!  

I couldn't call is a Raw tart though, because yogurt is not raw, as it has been pasteurized.  However, creamy Greek yogurt is packed with B12, which can be a common deficiency amongst raw foodies. The essential vitamin is typically derived from animal sources, making it hard to get enough of on a raw diet.  I used the 0% president Choice brand of yogurt, in honey or vanilla flavour (or a combination of the two!).  If you use a higher fat content yogurt, you would get even cream cheesier results (that's a thing!).  Or,  for a true raw or vegan option try using soaked cashews, pureeing them to a creamy consistency, before adding the additional spices and flavouring. 

Raw Crusted Vanilla-Cardamom Yogurt Tart

Recipe adapted from:Farm On Plate

Raw Tart

2 cups raw almonds (or mixture of raw nuts - I used 1 cup almonds, 1/2 walnuts, & 1/2 pecans)10 dates, pitted1/4 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
pinch of sea salt

Grease either a springform pan or pie plate with coconut oil or line with parchment or cellophane, and set aside. 
Place almonds, dates, coconut, hemp hearts, & salt in food processor.  Pulse until thoroughly broken down.  Add the melted coconut oil, and pulse again, until mixture becomes sticky when pressed between fingers, you can add a bit of cold water if you still find it too dry.  Place mixture into the prepared dish, and press out with your fingers or back of a spoon. Cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.


Yogurt Filling
3 cups Greek yogurt ( I used 0%)
1 tsp cardamom powder
vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup honey(agave or maple syrup would do in a pinch)
Healthy pinch of sea salt

Mix the Greek yogurt with the pinch of salt. Place yogurt in double layer cheesecloth/muslin cloth, gather up the sides and put the bundle into a strainer or colander, and place the strainer over a bowl.  Put the yogurt contraption in the fridge overnight to drain. 
Combine the drained yogurt, vanilla beans, cardamom, & honey, in the blender or food processor, blend.  Taste, and adjust for sweetness if desired.  Pour the yogurt mixture over the crust, and smooth out the top with the edge of your spatula, or bottom of a spoon.
Note: ** Original recipe states: Put the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set. Before serving, take the pan out of the freezer and thaw for 15 minutes.**  I have been simply chilling the tart in the fridge, skipping freezer step, and have been enjoying the results!  
Top the tart with your choice of fresh fruit or berries before serving.

Enjoy!