Favourite Recipes

I was just dusting off our collection of holiday recipe books and magazines and had a looksy through my recipe book which was started by my mom, that I now add to.

Here are some of my top favouite go-to recipes that I've made a million times. They aren't necessarily healthy!

Freezer Cookies - Calvin's Favourite

I always have a minimum of 12 of these in the freezer at any given time.

Boil: 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, 2 cups raw sugar, 1/2 cup milk & 4 T cocoa powder, for one minute. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 cups oats and 2 tsp vanilla. Drop on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen you can keep them in a container.

Small batch of Lemon Curd

I use this on ice cream, in yogurt parfaits, on pancakes, and in tarts.

In a double boiler, whisk 1 egg, 4 T sugar and 2 T lemon juice until thick, then add 1 T butter and a pinch of salt.

Orange-glazed Tempeh

We figured this one out at a health food store I worked at and now I'm obsessed.

Fry 2 packages of tempeh, cubed. Mix together 1 c orange juice,  1 T grated ginger, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 1/2 tsp mirin, 2 tsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp ground coriander and 2 cloves minced garlic. Pour the sauce in the warm pan and let thicken. Add fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Polenta Pie

Another health food store winner.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix 1 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 cups milk and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add 1 c cornmeal. Simmer for 8 minutes. Mix in 1/4 c parmesean and 1 T butter. Press half into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Mix the other half with 1 c ricotta or feta, 1/2 c chopped spinach, 1/4 c chopped bell pepper, 1 juiced and zested lemon, 1 T dill and 1 egg. Press on top. Bake 12 minutes.

Jody's Secret Apple Crisp

A family recipe. The secret is no oats and a long cooking time.

Preheat oven to 350. Peel and dice a 5 lb bag of apples (Macs). Fill a deep dish with the apples - make sure it has a lid. Top the apples with a mix of 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Press on top. Sprinkle heavily with allspice. Lid it and bake for an hour. Then bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.

Best, best, best Salad Dressing

4 T tahini
2 T oil
1 T soy sauce
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic salt
Fresh chopped cilantro

Make It Monday: 20 Ways to Eat Pumpkin!

Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone but we still have plenty of time to feast on delicious pumpkin. If you're getting tired of the classic pie form, why not try something new! 

For your reading pleasure I've devised a list of 20 ways to eat a pumpkin. Enjoy!

(click any photo to take you to its recipe)

Roasted pumpkin tossed with fussili in a white sauce
Pumpkin soup with toasted pepitas
Pumpkin seed cookies

Pumpkin mudslides made with kaluha
Pumpkin seed granola
Pumpkin oatmeal

Pumpkin ice cream sandwiches

Pumpkin white hot chocolate

Pumpkin pancakes

Pumpkin butter brownies
Baked pumpkin "fries"

Pumpkin smoothie

Pumpkin cream cheese on a bagel

Pumpkin beer (Great Lakes Beer makes a great ale - I had it at Chancey Smith's last year, now called Gambrinus)
Pumpkin loaf french toast

Pumpkin bread
Pumpkin scones

Pumpkin salad dressing

Pumpkin salad

And lastly, pumpkin-raisin muffins.


What's your favourite way to eat pumpkin?

Lentil-Broccoli Rabe Salad

I was pretty sure that - with Where the Wild Things are playing on the wide screen, unoaked wine in my glass and no plans for the night - I knew exactly what was missing.  Lentil-broccoli rabe salad.

Toast a small serving of beluga lentils, quinoa and whole coriander in a metal pot, then add water to boil. When cooked, let chill.

Dice raw whole broccoli rabe, hard feta and raw beets.

Add chilled lentil mix and toss with a cider vinegar dressing.

Success.

Repeat?