Delicious Oatmeal: Take II

Oatmeal

Brown Sugar

Milk

Cinnamon

Frozen Blueberries

(Stirred into the hot oatmeal to soften)

Walnuts

Purple Smoothie

She is a beauty, i'd say! Speckaly (no, it's not a word) and yummy. Nom nom nom. And of course I had to take a picture because we had these beautiful flowers which my dad gave to my mum for their anniversary conveniently placed behind my shot.

And because I really like purple! My room is purple, don't cha know.

What's in it you ask? Well...a little bit of this and a little bit of that!

More precisely? Blueberries, blackberries, milk, acai/pomegranate V8 juice, a banana, oat bran, and flax seed.

Yay purple!

Breakfast Blintz

There is a part of my childhood which I remember quite fondly. It would not surprise many to hear that it had to do with food. Food that I ate and thoroughly enjoyed as a kid still sticks with me, and to this day I can recall their textures and tastes. This can sometimes be unfortunate, as some of the restaurants which I really enjoyed are now closed or under different ownership, and no longer making the same food.

Alas, now I find myself trying to re-create many of my favourite dishes from my past. Like this breakfast blintz for example.

The year was 1998 and my family and I dined at a local jewish diner called Katzan-jammers. My mom loved the raspberry blintzes, but I thought they seemed too strange to eat. Eventually however I got a taste in (while making my parents and sister close their eyes), and exclaimed, "Mmmmmm!!! Soo goooood." I ordered the blintz every time we visited after that point. My only lament was that there were only 3 on my plate.

This morning I had a hankering for the soft, and delicious crepes filled with sweet cheese which are topped with fruit and icing sugar. Yes, my hankerings are that specific. So, the BF and I ventured into blintz territory, only to discover that they are quite simple to make!

They make a beautiful breakfast/brunch dish, or evening treat.

And before the formal instructions, here are some photo guidelines:

Ingredients:

Crepes:

1 c flour

2 Tbsp + 1tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

butter for the pan

Sweet cheese filling:
4 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest (you can also use lemon if you prefer)

Fruit sauce:

1/4 c strawberry jam (I used strawberry but you can use whichever flavor you prefer)

1 Tbsp water

parchment paper

some extra powdered sugar

fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Mix crepe ingredients together. FYI the batter will be quite liquidy, so don't worry that you messed anything up. Allow to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix together the sweet cheese filling!

2. For each crepe I used about 1/4 cup of the batter on a buttered crepe pan (or frying pan). Allow the crepes to cook for about a minute on one side, or until they seem "done," and flip for a few moments longer. Your will get better at this as you go!

2. When you have a whole stack of crepes you can begin to fill them. See photos above OR for an easy to follow video on how to fold your crepes, click here.

3. Place into a baking dish over parchment paper and cook @ 400 for approx 10 minutes.

4. While baking, mix the jam with a little bit of water in a sauce pan or in the microwave for approx. 25 seconds, or until soft and warm.

5. For your final presentation, spoon a dollop of fruit sauce onto a plate, followed by 3 baked crepes, a sprinkling of icing sugar, and some fresh fruit.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Is there a better way to enjoy a kitchen full of strawberries, than to dunk most of them into melted chocolate? I think not.

They are elegant, sweet, photo friendly...see?

And they are so easy to make it's ridiculous. Literally just melted a good handful of chocolate chips and poured in a dab of cream to smooth it out. Then kept them in the fridge to harden up slightly.

If you have any extra berries lying around, try making these for desert! They will be quick to prepare and you can enjoy the excited faces of your family members as you pull them out of the fridge. We don't have desert too often around my place but whenever I can, I really like to make something small.

We really liked these...

I think I ate 5.

Edamame, Avocado, and Cranberry with Rice

This is pretty one. (Like, I wouldn't be surprised if you were scurrying to find your camera to take a picture of this picture.)

No seriously. When you mix the cranberry sauce into the rice, it turns pink, and with accents of green throughout...it's technically art.

SO going to the highest bidder-- the recipe!

Going Once.

Once.

Once!

Okay fine. I will just give it to you. You have convinced me! That, and the title of this post doesn't exactly hide the ingredients from you; nor does the full colour photo.

My friend Genevieve is one of the healthiest people I know and she inspired this recipe. She pulled this yummy vegetarian protein dish out of her purse the other day at the coffee shop and I was (in line buying sugar I didn't need...) like, woah! What is that!?

Cooked brown rice, eaten cold or hot, topped with edamame and avocado. She introduced me to edamame, or soy beans; you can buy them at the grocery store in the frozen section for only a few dollars. They are high in protein and pretty yummy.

In my version, I added homemade cranberry sauce, which added a nice sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 c. prepared brown rice

1/4 c. edamame (from fresh or frozen)

2 Tbsp. homemade cranberry sauce

1/2 an avocado

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Top cooked brown rice with edamame that has been prepared according to the package directions, large scoops of avocado, cranberry sauce, and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce: On a Whim

I don't really know why in particular I decided to make cranberry sauce.

It could have been Martha's latest Living magazine, with its awe inspiring photos. This month she made a cranberry compote that was served on mascarpone cheese and cookies.

It could have also been the fact that I have been dying to make a cranberry brie omlete some morning for breakfast.

It could have been because the last time I went for groceries, I was enamored with this gorgeous, fiercely coloured fruit.

All I do know, is that last night I got home from work at 10pm and decided to make cranberry sauce. I also decided that I would not look up the recipe, and that I would make it up as I went. Turns out, I know how to make cranberry sauce.

My version is not as sweet as the Thanksgiving/Christmas version, which I like. It has a bit of a tang, and you you could eat it straight if you really wanted to. Last night, I really wanted to.

Brilliantly red berries, sugar, cinnamon, and lime juice simmered until I felt the time was right make-up this sauce that I made on a whim.

whimy-whim whim-whim,

whim!

Ingredients:

(Makes 1 cup prepared sauce)

I'm sorry that these amounts are kind of vague. I sort of threw things into the pot and discovered, it is hard to mess up cranberry sauce! That should encourage you:)

3/4 of a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
4-5 Tbsp white sugar (add additional sugar to taste)

few good shakes of cinnamon

1/4 cup water

the juice from 1 lime

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a pot to simmer over medium heat. Allow it to come to a light simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch out because the cranberries have a tendency to pop open!

2. When the cranberries have simmered down and take on the consistency you like, it's done! (It will thicken slightly after you let it cool.)

Fizzy Raspberry Purree with White Wine

Here is yet another recipe for wine in combination with fruit. (Apparently I really like white wine this summer!?)

This one is a winner because the raspberry fruit is pureed with lime, orange juice and sugar, and is therefore completely incorporated into your beverage. Sweet eh?

The fizz adds just a little sparkle.

The recipe is loosely measured, so play around with your ingredients depending on how many drinks you are preparing. Any leftover puree you can save in the fridge to pour over hot waffles or pancakes. Mmmm...delicious!

Ingredients:

1 box fresh raspberries (or any other berry that you would prefer)
1 lime (zest and juice)
1/4 c orange juice
1/8 c sugar
*clear soda (sprite, spritz up, etc.)
*white wine

* amts. are according to your own discretion, depending on the size of the cup. I would use a ratio of 2 wine: 1 soda.


Directions:

1. Puree raspberries, lime zest and juice, orange juice, and sugar with a hand held immersion blender. Pour about 1/8 cup into the bottom of each glass and top with white wine and soda.

Raspberry Lime Icing

It's summer time - and summer means hanging out with the friends. Because I am working at camp all summer, my weekends are the only time where a hangout is even possible. (Along with free time, daily showers, whole grains, and consistent blogging). Today I'm off to my friend Becky's house for some fun with the gang.

I decided to bring along a yummy treat: Raspberry Lime Iced Cupcakes.

I couldn't turn down the opportunity to make a new cupcake recipe, and I must say that this one has become one of my favorites. (Hello bake sale idea!) It is made with the simplest of ingredients: fresh raspberries, lime juice and zest, and finally, icing sugar.

You mash the fresh raspberries with a little bit of sugar so that they create a really fresh, red pulp. To this you add the juice and zest of one lime. This puree can stand on it's own with just a touch of sugar as a topping for waffles or pancakes. If you feel like being really fancy, put some into a piping bag and pipe a small bit into the center of a cupcake. Ice over top of that hole and your done! This could be a great afternoon activity with the girlfriends or kids.

Ingredients:

I iced 12 cupcakes. If you had more cupcakes, you can simply adjust the amounts accordingly.

12 fresh raspberries (for on top of the cupcake)
approx. 3/4 c fresh raspberries, mashed
1 lime, zested
approx. 1 1/2c icing sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Begin by sifting your icing sugar into a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mash the raspberries until fairly smooth and add the juice/zest from one lime.

3. Combine a small amount of the raspberry puree into the icing sugar (about 2 Tbsp.) and stir. Continue to add small amounts of the puree until the icing has formed a desired consistency.

4. Ice cupcakes, and top with a fresh raspberry.

Watermelon Blueberry Protein Smootie

When people feel like they are getting sick, some take Cold FX, some take echinacea, some sleep. I, on the other hand, eat. Feed a cold, my mother always told me. And so I do.

But you can't settle for unhealthy food; you have to indulge in nature's vitamins, like fruit for example. Today my remedy of choice: the blueberry. I can literally eat an entire pint of blueberries in like 5 minutes. (In case you were wondering). And I don't feel guilty at all because I know how good they are for me.

Check out this blub I found online:

The dye that is released from the blueberries' skin may well be the most valuable nutrient the fruit has to offer. The pigments in blueberries and also in red crops such as cherries, plums, and red cabbage are powerful antioxidants. They have been determined to be a much-heralded chemical warrior against heart disease and also cancer. Blueberries actually have the highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration.

Antioxidants in our food can save us from virtually everything. Most of our health misfortunes are due to the perversity of oxygen. Our cells are perpetually besieged by toxic forms of oxygen which have been proved to have fierce destructive powers. So far scientists have linked destructive oxygen reactions to at least sixty different chronic diseases, as well as to aging itself. Oxygen free radicals can attack DNA, the genetic material of cells, causing them to mutate, which is a step on the path to cancer.

One of the great revelations of the last few years, according to a massive and growing body of evidence, is that you may be able to eat your way out of this dilemma insofar as the boundaries of human life span and genetics allow. You can supply your cells with antioxidant food compounds that strike down, intercept and extinguish rampaging oxygen molecules and even repair some of their damage.

So, while enjoying the many health benefits of the blueberry, you can endulge in this refreshing power smoothie that is sure to boost your bodies immunity into high gear.

Ingredients:

3/4 c fresh blueberries
3/4 c watermelon
3/4 c milk
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 c oat bran
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
3 ice cubes


Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a blender on high until smooth.

Fruity Sangria

Well! Is it not finally the season for fruity, and fun cocktails? I think so!

Growing up I looooved having drinks that looked grown up and fancy, but (not to worry) I enjoyed the moctail version. There is just something really special about enjoying colourful, decorated beverages, drinking out of a glass which is only used for fancy occasions, and using a pink straw, and/or umbrella. (You know the kind I'm talking about!)

Now that I'm (relatively) older, my tastes have matured along with me but I still love the feeling a fancy drink brings. If you're the same way, you will love this recipe for Fruity Sangria.
Not familiar with Sangria? Here is a quick run-through:

Sangria is a wine punch typical of Spain and Portugal. It normally consists of:

• red wine
• chopped or sliced fruit (often orange, lemon, apple, peach, berries, pinapple; ocasionally melon, grape, or mango)
• a sweetner such as honey, sugar, or orange juice
• a small amount of added brandy, triple sec, or other spirits
• carbonated soda, in some recipies
• and ice

This Fruity Sangria is combined with tropical and local fruit which, if given time to sit, incorporate exciting flavors into your drink.


Not into the alcoholic version? No problem! Skip the wine and replace it with white or regular grape juice, apple juice or grapefruit juice.

Ingredients:

For one glass.

In terms of amounts, you can use as much of as little of any ingredient as you would like, these are just rough guidelines.
1/2 can sparkling soda (I used Spritz UP)
2 slices lime
1/4 banana, sliced
1 slice orange
3-4 ice cubes
White wine, to fill the rest of the glass

Directions:

1. Assemble fruit in the glasses (or a large pitcher if you want to make more) and pour in your sparkling soda, ice, and finally, the wine.

2. Allow the drink to sit for a little while (I waited 30 minutes) so that the fruit can flavor your sangria. If you aren't patient like that, and I don't blame you, you can enjoy it immediately.

Blueberry Pancakes with Orange and Butter Infused Maple Syrup

I have no problem topping my cereal with blueberries and calling that a successful breakfast. But that's what I did yesterday...

So today, blueberry pancakes were in order!

Pancakes are one of my favourite breakfast comfort foods (along with eggs Benedict), and I like to do em' up right! These Fluffy and slightly sweet cakes are filled with juicy and tart berries, and then topped with maple syrup that has been simmered with orange and butter...does it get any better than that?!


Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 egg
3/4 c milk
1 c flour (Note: Try using half whole wheat flour for a little extra fiber)
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup blueberries (preferably fresh)

Orange and Butter Maple Syrup:
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
the juice from one orange
1/2 tsp. orange zest

Directions:

Pancakes:
1. Beat egg slightly and mix in milk, oil, sugar, salt.

2. Separately, combine sifted flour and baking soda. Gently fold liquid into the dry ingredients and then add the blueberries.

3. Heat pan to medium, and add some canola oil (just enough to coat pan). When the pan is hot, you can begin scooping the batter into round dollops. You can make them as big or small as you would like. When the edges begin to appear cooked or there are bubbles forming, flip the pancake and cook until done.

4. Top with extra fresh blueberries and syrup (directions below), and serve with an orange wedge.

Orange and Butter Maple Syrup:
1. Melt butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Add maple syrup, orange juice and zest. Stir, and serve.

Toast with Peanut Butter and Strawberry...Jam??

Okay, Okay so the jam part of this little breakfast/night-time snack isn't really jam at all.

I took the most important part of the jam and made that the focus. I do really like jam, don't get me wrong. But sometimes, if I have the option of eating something in its natural state, then I will.

I know! It's crazy that sometimes people like to eat things that haven't seen an oven/microwave/stove top or packaging factory.

So for instance, instead of apple martinis, try an apple. Or instead of corn flavored popcorn, try corn. The distance we are going from the food that we grow is amazing. (If your interested in learning more about eating things that are local and perhaps in their natural state, check out the 100 mile diet here).

I got some gorgeous local strawberries today, so before topping my typical bed-time snack of PB on toast with banana, I went for the strawberries instead! I then drizzled it with honey and MMMmmmm....It was so yummy. The fresh strawberries added such a light note to the snack. In fact I didn't even need a glass of milk to wash it down. That never happens with peanut butter!

Ingredients:

1 piece rye bread, toasted
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
4 local strawberries, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp. honey

Directions:

1. Toast rye bread, and spread with peanut butter. Layer the strawberry slices over the bread and drizzle with honey.

Enjoy!