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!