Oh Canada...

Hellooo,

Ah, another long weekend, thank you Canada!  Yesterday was Canada Day, and I spent the majority of it lounging in bed.  However, at about four o'clock, I left the house, walked downtown Montreal to meet my friend and her family for some Canada Day festivities.  Was fun, however, the majority of it was spent waiting in line, and zooming past people, or trying to avoid people.  Some people are just crazy when it comes to certain things... and you definitely saw a lot of those yesterday.  Later in the evening I walked back home, and waited for her to get home.  I then drove over to her place and we watched The Doors movie... what a fantastic movie.  Jim Morrison might of died young, and he may of only been famous for a few short years, but he certainly enjoyed himself that's for sure.  I loved the movie to bits, and would certainly watch it over and over as the acting was something that honestly I haven't seen in quite some time.

I didn't make any special Canada Day recipes in particular as I didn't really have anyone to cook/bake for since my mom went to Toronto this weekend.  I did however make some summertime inspired recipes that I cannot wait to share with you guys!

As you all know, the ingredients in a Pina Colada are my favourite flavours: pineapple, coconut and banana.  I love them... I have always been a fan, and that will never change.  It doesn't matter how many banana smoothies, pineapples I eat in one sitting, or how many recipes I adapt to have coconut in it somehow, I continue to love them more and more each time I gobble them down.  This morning I wanted to have a special breakfast... it'd been a while since I had pancakes, and I figured why not, it's the weekend, time to indulge!  So what did I come up with?  Pina Colada pancakes, that's what!  I've made some pancakes before that I've completely gobbled up, but honestly, after having these, I don't know if anything can compare (again I am biased since these are my absolute favourite flavours).  The flavour these had were so similar to a Pina Colada that despite the lack of rum and slushiness I was in absolute heaven.  I will certainly be making these over and over, especially during the summer... perhaps for a dinner meal with an actual Pina Colada alongside ;)

For this recipe I adapted my Pancakes for One recipe, and took a pineapple topping recipe from another blog.  The combination of the two were pure bliss, and I highly suggest trying this out!

Pina Colada Pancakes - one serving


Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rice milk (I ran out of coconut milk, but I definitely think that addition would be marvelous)
• 1 banana mashed 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 2 tbsp coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Dash of salt

Directions:

Start by mixing your dry ingredients, add in your wet ingredients, finish by adding blueberries at the end. DO NOT over mix, allow your batter to sit for a few minutes so that the flavours really blend.

Topping

Recipe slightly adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp rice milk
• Pinch black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Maple syrup

Directions:

Melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil over medium heat in the same skillet.  Add the pineapple and saute for a few minutes.  Then, add the pepper, cinnamon, and milk to the pan. Saute another minute and let the milk thicken up a bit. Spoon the pineapple topping over the pancakes and drizzle with some warm maple syrup.

I have a confession to make... peanut butter and jam aren't the only "classic" meal/snack/breakfast whatever you want to say that I'd never tried before.  When I told my work friend, and then when she later told her husband I think they both about died of shock.  However, up until yesterday, not only had I never made chili before, I'd never ever tried chili before.  I don't know how I went twenty-two years (as of next Thursday... birthdaaaayy) without ever trying chili.  I admit, part of it is because I'm really not a stew person, second is because I gave up red meat almost ten years ago, and up until only two years or so ago when I started cooking for myself vegetarian chili wasn't really an option.  Yesterday however, I wanted some chili.  As I mentioned, lately, I've been eating legumes like there's no tomorrow, every meal I've been trying to incorporate some sort of legume, I'm not sure if my body is craving it or what but I've been stocking up on canned beans like crazy.

I did not realize how cheap, easy and delicious chili is.  I mean first off, with the amount of food that goes into a pot of chili for such a little price it's amazing.  Especially considering the meals I make at home 95% of the time I'm the sole person who eats them, that's a huuuuge saving's in money.  It amounts to a lot of leftover meals where I do not have to cook, and leaves my belly incredibly full, my body nutritionally satisfied, I get more than enough protein, fiber, fat, iron, magnesium and more minerals, and it tastes' suppppperrrrr good.  If I had of known how amazing chili was all these years it would of definitely been my go-to meal.

Seeing as I'd never had or made chili before I was a little, mmm... shy as to knowing what goes in a chili.  At first I read a few different recipes to get some ideas, but by the end the only thing I kept from the original recipe were the spices since that I wouldn't of had a clue about.  I called this my kitchen-sink chili because I really threw in whatever I had lying around, the result?  Two huge bowls of delicious chili got quickly gobbled down, and me wanting more but knowing I should save some for a rainy day.  I cannot wait to make another batch of chili because... it's just too fantastic to not make again!

Kitchen-Sink Chili

Recipe inspired from here

Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1 heaping tbsp of minced garlic 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups chopped leeks
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how spicy you like your chili)
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Ground sea salt and black pepper
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the liquid
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 box of vegetable broth 

Directions:

In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, sautée the chopped vegetables in one to two tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat. You’ll need to stir the ingredients every few minutes so they can cook evenly.

Once the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add all of the spices and canned ingredients, and stir. Cover for about two hours, stirring occasionally. By the time your chili is done, the sweet potatoes should be nice and soft and the liquid should have reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency that we all know and love.

To garnish your bowl of chili, (this is simply taken from the original recipe... I simply had mine with a side of terriyaki rice crackers, no topping was necessary) - try adding a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onions. Real Simple suggested thinly sliced radishes; frankly, I would go without. Alternately, you could try fresh cilantro and grated cheese.

How did you spend your Canada long weekend?

Did you make any special meals?