April, 2011 Monthly archive
I was chatting with Michael from Chocosol yesterday and he informed me that a) they’re now making fresh tortillas and b) they make chocolate and cheese quesadillas at some (all?) of their market stalls. Not wanting to wait until my next market trip – and with a stash of Chocosol chocolate he’d given me – I tried to recreate them at home. Chocosol chili chocolate, Fifth Town/Black River goat cheddar, and not-local tortillas from frozen.
The verdict? Decent first attempt – the chocolate melted really nicely – but I can do better. My tortilla was a little stale and the goat cheddar doesn’t melt much, so it didn’t mix in with the chocolate very well. I think next time I’ll try spreading a soft cheese like chevre on the tortilla before adding the chocolate for a better blend.
Have you made chocolate quesadillas? Any tips?
Read MoreLast night I was asked to make a crumble. You see, we had extra whipping cream, and needed something to put it on.
As a smoothie addict I always have a freezer full of fruit, so this wasn’t a tough sell. And in April, you don’t have to feel guilty about not chopping your own peaches. (Although if you’re a real star, which I am not, you’ll have your own frozen Ontario peaches from last summer pre-sliced in the freezer.)
I prefer a simple crumble. No extras in the fruit (unless you’re using cranberries or rhubarb, you definitely don’t need added sugar) and a recipe-free mixture of oats, nuts or seeds, sweetener and fat. This is the only baking I can do recipe-free and it always makes me feel accomplished in a great-grandmother’s time kind of way.
This one I made with oats, shredded coconut, coconut oil, hemp seeds and maple syrup. Coconut oil is a great vegan and healthier alternative to butter, so long as you get the virgin kind, and while it certainly doesn’t taste like butter, it browns nicely and has its own fab flavour. (Pictured for breakfast, so without whipped cream.) I dumped frozen peaches, mixed berries and raspberries into a dish and topped with the mixture. 350F for 45 minutes or so. Easy!
Read MoreWas at Fiesta Farms this evening and spotted (and grabbed) these frozen sour cherries from Nudefruit, a brand I’d never seen before. Perhaps it’s new? The fruit is 100% Canadian, no sugar added and mostly Ontario grown.
They were already sold out of blueberries and raspberries – no surprise, since they’ve got them on sale for $3.99 (from $4.99), way cheaper than other brands of frozen berries. I love frozen cherries as a dessert-like snack and in smoothies.
Read MoreOne of my staples this winter has been pumpkin chia pudding. It’s quick and easy to make and a perfect afternoon snack for dark, wintry workdays. (I like it as a dip for apple slices, too.) So this morning, with a look at the sad bananas on my counter (and the lack of canned pumpkin in my cupboard), I thought – why not use bananas, instead? Then, bonus – leftover coconut milk (the kind from the can) in my fridge. (I’ve been using it in smoothies, something I highly recommend.) The result? Tasty, pie-like banana coconut cream pie chia pudding.
What’s local? The maple syrup, of course.
What? Doesn’t everyone buy maple syrup by the litre?
Here’s what I did:
Mash a large banana. (1/2 to 3/4 cup of mashed banana results.) Add 3 tablespoons chia seeds, 1/2 to 3/4 cup coconut milk and a splash of maple syrup. Stir together and let sit until the chia seeds absorb the liquid – you may need to add more coconut milk or other milk of your choice. (This is a great overnight recipe.)
To get fancy, you could top it with sliced banana, banana chips, dehydrated banana (Karma has a kind with lime juice on top), shredded coconut, etc.
Now, don’t get me wrong. These aren’t bad cookies. They just don’t have that amazing quality homemade ones usually do. I slap myself on the hand for the following reasons:
1. I cheaped out on the chips
Don’t do this! I was in a hurry, I went to Sobeys, all they carry is Baker’s and Our Compliments. I got the latter in a moment of bargain-hunting – mistake. They’re too sweet and not chocolatey enough. A better choice would have been a Lindt chocolate bar chopped at home, or a walk to Fiesta Farms for Ghirardelli.
2. I used unsalted butter
I know, recipes always say to use unsalted. And I guess I could have compensated with more salt. But I usually use salted because it’s what we have in the house, and it’s usually totally fine. Better than fine, in fact – I think chocolate chip cookies benefit from being on the salty side.
3. I undertoasted the pecans
The recipe I used has a secret ingredient – ground toasted pecans. This adds a nutty flavour without chunks, and it’s spread throughout the recipe. I was rushing and didn’t toast the nuts long enough, and you can tell, unfortunately.
Don’t worry, these won’t go to waste. But I promise to do better next time.
Read MoreOops – forgot to blog the past few months. A long vacation turned into a very busy winter. But now that it’s spring, and beautiful and inspiring outside, I think it’s time to get back on the wagon.
Of course, in Ontario, spring doesn’t exactly mean fresh food. It’ll be a while yet until we have fresh asparagus and strawberries. But I managed to get to the Green Barns market this morning to pick up some local foods, even if they aren’t springlike exactly.
In the picture (taken with Instagram): maple syrup, honey, eggs, four (!) kinds of sheep and goat cheese, crackers, apples and spinach. I would have bought more but I was out of cash and space in my bag. Next time!
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