Before I forget:
Hello to my one and only favourite father in the entire universe.
You rock my world, and I cannot wait to see you!
PS. on Thursday I will be eating your slice of cake!
As many of you have probably noticed, especially the ones who /cough, called me lazy and told me to update my blog because it had been far too long, the past few weeks I've been slacking just a bit. However, the past week and a bit I've posted two or three times, woohoo! As I was reading one of my newly discovered favourite blogs, Snacking Squirrel, one of the questions at the end of one of her blogs posts' was do you find you blog less in the summer? My answer is yes, yes, yes and yesssssss.
Last summer I wasn't working as I was on disability for the most part, therefore I spent the majority of my days in doors in my kitchen baking and cooking. When I wasn't in the kitchen, I was sitting on the couch infront of the tv with my legs on the foot stool writing blog posts... wow, what a lame summer I had. Despite it being lame, and honestly, for the most part insanely unadventurous I taught myself a lot, a lot in the kitchen, as well as learnt a lot from reading other blogs. This summer however, I'm working insane hours, I've actually been going out with friends I've met in Montreal, I spend time working out, as well as I'm trying to make leftovers so I can spend less time in the kitchen. With that being said it's very hard for me to find time lately to blog, even the motivation to want to blog.
Since I have less time for blogging, especially when it comes to the weekend I just find no motivation to want to even blog on my Friday or Saturdays and usually end up writing a little post on my Sunday evenings... I figured I would set some special time aside for something I came up with; "Snackin' Sundays".
I may not be a huge snacker, other than my whole cantaloupe, or whole pineapple once or twice a week, but I do make some baked goods usually on Sunday so I have "dessert" for my lunches. As I mentioned last week, I wanted to start incorporating more of my baked goods so that I could get over my non-vegan catering cake binging... and honestly, it's REALLY been helping. I don't even think I had a piece of cake from the caterers last week. So, what I'm going to do on Sundays is post snacks that I had during the week that may not of been posted and show my current favourits. This will give me something to post, as well as it will motivate me to post on my weekends.
My first and favourite snack that I had this last week is something that I came up with because I was dreeeaaaaming of my favourite Larabar-imitation truffles the Peanut Butter and Jam Truffles, out of all the truffles I've ever made these have by far been my favourite. I haven't remade them because... truthfully I find it hard to make recipes a second time. Before I started to bake and cook I used to make the same things over and over and over and over and over again... because, it was easy and I didn't know how to bake or cook. Now however, since I do know how, and I see the million upon million of infinite recipes and alterations I see no reason to make the same recipe twice. However, I was craving that flavour pairing so here is what I did...
Peanut Butter and Jam "Apple Crisp"
Recipe inspired by here
In the bowl of my food processor I added,
1/4 cup peanuts + 3 dates + a dash of salt + 2 tbsp raspberry I jam = processed until a ball formed.
I then cut a Granny Smith apple into slices, and smeared the "peanut butter and jam" mixture between the apple slices. Drizzled the mix with maple syrup.
This is by far one of the best snacks I've had in a loooooooong time, and regardless of how I feel about duplicate snacks (other than smoothies which I occasionally repeat) I will be making this again, because it's just way too good to not experience again
Mediterranean Olive Bread
Recipe thoroughly adapted from here
Okay, okay, this recipe is on par as my top favourite with the above recipe. The addition of Kalamata olives with rosemary in a quick bread is just magnificent. This is by far one of the best quick breads ever! It's perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, with your lunch/dinner even as dessert. The ONLY thing... this does not keep very long, as after a few days it get's gummy and the olives make the bread insanely strong tasting. If gobbled down in the first few days (since I'm the only one who eats this stuff in my house) it's hard to consume quickly and I didn't freeze it as I wasn't home every day and didn't think of it. This again, would love to make again, as the smell is definitely unique, and the taste well hot dang, amaziiiinggg!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 6-cup loaf pan with vegetable spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, rosemary, and salt. In a large bowl, stir together the flaxmeal and water and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes until a gel-like mixture forms. When this forms stir with your milk and grapeseed oil.
Add the flour mixture and fold until about three quarters of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the olives, and fold just until the pieces are distributed and the dry ingredients are moistened; the batter will be stiff. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack. Serve with olive oil for dipping.
Cherry and Stone Fruit Amaretto Yoghurt Parfait
Recipe by me
Ingredients:
- 2 dried apricots + 2 dried plums + 2 dried prunes - chopped
- 1/2 cup of frozen cherries tossed in coconut oil over medium heat in a skillet
- 3/4 cup plain yoghurt drizzled with amaretto agave nectar
- Granola
- Cacao nibs
Layer your ingredients as desired and gobbled down (you can either let your cherries cool, or you can add them warm so that there is a nice hot and cold combination).
Crispy Coated Apple Fries
Recipe adapted from here
Think apple crisp sans work. Loved, loved, loved.
Ingredients:
- 2 granny smith apples, sliced, peel on (all your nutrients are in here)
- 1/2 cup rice milk (all I had on hand)
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup blueberry bran cereal
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup flax seed
- Organic real maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350F
In a food processor, combine walnuts, almond flour, cinnamon, and flax. Process until walnut pieces are small. Move mixture to a shallow bowl.
Pour coconut milk into a shallow bowl. Drop all apple slices into the coconut milk. Remove 1 apple slice at a time from the coconut milk [doing this with a spoon works best so the mixture doesn't get too wet] and drop in the walnut mixture. Place each slice on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and crispy – mine took 17 minutes
Serve with maple syrup
Blueberry Pumpkin Protein Parfait
Recipe by me
Ingredients/Directions:
- Bottom layer = blueberry bran cereal
- Second layer = 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin + 1/4 cup plain yoghurt + 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder, stirred to combine
- Third layer = fresh blueberries
- Top layer = plantain chips, chopped
- Topped with a dollop of homemade peanut butter
And of course, I wouldn't be snacking on these foods if I weren't sweating at least once a day.
What are some of your typical weekly snacks?
1 comment:
Delicious dessert but personally I prefer to add some of cinnamon to the apple. Try it you will see the taste.
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