Stop having a boring tuna.

Stop having a boring life.

How true to do those words ring in your ear? Since I started blogging over a year ago, it has been very uncommon for me to make the same meal twice. Sure I make some things and keep leftovers for easy lunches for days like yesterday where my mom and I ended up being at the office for 14 1/2 hours. And yes, you heard me correctly. Needless to say when I went home I was not in a mood to cook. However, seeing as I need to maintain my health, and do not want to give into the temptation of bad food habits I made a lunch regardless of how tired I was. It may not be the best of lunches, but I know that today Mandarin is for lunch, and seeing as on the weekend I actually gave in and went to Mandarin I don't think it's the wisest to have the grease filled food enter my stomach within such a small amount of days spacing between.

Everyday I wake up and look forward to the breakfast I am going to make. Breakfast is by far my favourite meal now a days. I love that I haven't even made the same smoothie twice, I may be in absolute love with certain smoothies, i.e. Banana Chai Smoothie, you see I'm still talking about it, and it has been how long since I tasted it! However, I make a new breakfast everyday because I believe the reason food was created in such varieties is so that we don't have a boring life. Moderation, variety and balance are three keywords I took out of my University nutrition class and how true are those words. I believe people get bored with food because they eat the same thing everyday, in the summer I definitely fell into that category. I mean, I had become nuts and was simply eating my "no fat, aspartame added" yoghurt a whopping 1/2 cup with a total of 60 calories + 3/4 cup Bran Buds totaling a whopping 120 calories. 180 calories for breakfast. Honestly what in the world was going through my mind. My one cup of soy milk that I put in either my smoothies or my oatmeal contains 110 calories itself! Goodness me. I'm not sure where this little rant is coming from, but VARIETY. Variety is the key to life, it makes your meals more fun, colourful and it allows for you to not get so bored with your food.

...............................................................................................................................................................

So yesterday was an insanely long day, what did I end up doing? Eating. Eating. and more Eating. I couldn't stop I was just so bored, and the day just kept going. On top of everything I told you guys about in my post I ended up going to the kitchen upstairs and seeing what they had. Well, I found pineapple, cantaloupe and red grapes, needless to say I was content. Then, my eyes quickly targeted a BOX full of Larabars! I was in heaven, vegan granola bars, woohoo! I quickly snatched up a few to put in my desk for later, well I ended up eating the Apple Pie one, it couldn't just stare at me and think I wouldn't eat it, as if. Speaking of Larabars, I found a recipe a while ago, which I immediately hit the kitchen when I found it for Larabar knock-offs. They were delicious, I never posted it because I didn't have the "right" post for it, well now I do :)! These Larabars had pretty much identical ingredients, except for the fact that I made mine a little thinner and the lighting is absolutely horrible so you can't really see them. They were soooo good though! Zest of lemon, juice of lemon, ginger, dates and almonds? How could you seriously go wrong with ingredients like that? You simply cannot. They were so simple to make, all ingredients you can read (just like real Larabars) and tasted fantastic! The variation of these bars is certainly unimaginable if you keep the nut/fruit ratio intact, I can't wait to try some different versions!

Ginger Lemon Larabar Knockoffs

Recipe taken from here


Ingredients:

• 1 cup ground almonds
• 2/3 cup lightly packed ground medjool dates ~10-14, depending on size and dryness
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
  
• 2 tsp lemon zest - the bright yellow part only
• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Grind almonds with a food processor, until mealy, and measure out 1 cup. Roughly a little over 1c whole almonds will yield 1 cup ground. Empty into a bowl. Process dates until very small sticky pieces are left. Combine nuts with dates, add ginger and lemon zest. Pulse until well combined. ~10-15 pulses . Add lemon juice and pulse again, until combined.

If the mixture can hold together if you try to form a ball, it’s done. If not pulse a few more time and test again. If it’s still not working, you probably need a few more dates. Start with 2-3. Empty the contents of the food processor and processed 2-3 dates. Add combined mixture back in and pulse. Test again to see if it holds together. Form into a large ball and place on a large sheet of saran wrap. Cover the top of the ball with the saran and start to press out, shaping with your hands. Flatten and shape into desired shape. Cut, wrap in saran, and store in the fridge.

Yields ~ 10 bars.

That wasn't the only thing I grabbed though. The day before, they ordered Greek food for lunch and there was leftovers. I may not of taken some the day they ordered, but I definitely took the leftovers, oh it probably wasn't the wisest of choices since it was greasy rice and potatoes that I slathered with Tzatziki, but it was soooooo good. Oh my goodness, it was amazing, and it had been forever since I'd had Greek so I gave in! It is apparently one of the best Greek places in Toronto, I can definitely see that, I can't remember the name but it certainly was fantastic. So, all of that food on top of some other stuff I had in my lunch, I was a huge glutton, it was bad, but that's what happens when you're bored. Fortunately though, after making my lunch I don't know how, but I had some energy left, and I did another work out. Yes two in one day, that seems kind of crazy, but seeing as they're only approximately twenty-two minutes in length I don't feel like one of those crazy gym freaks.

With that being said, it's been almost two months since New Years. How are your resolutions going? Have you kept your word, or have you fallen off the wagon a bit? I hope that everyone has been able to keep with their resolutions as I think it is important since most people choose ones regarding health. I have been incredibly diligent at keeping mine, it probably helps that Jillian Michaels enforces the idea of health, and says how she hopes we our gurgling our hearts... just makes you want to work out right? No, it doesn't but I love the work out, it's so fun. I have done it everyday since January 8, excluding last Tuesday and Wednesday since I wasn't feeling well. However when I first started there was one day I did two parts in one day and did so last night, so can we say that I'm even? I know I don't have to work out everyday, but seeing as it is for just a short time I figure it's not hurting anyone, and really I do love the way I feel after doing so.

I brought my gym gear to work today and figured I would do it when I arrived to work since no one would be here except my mom, the other accountant and I, but I am far too tired. I will either do so on my lunch break or when we get home, if it's not crazy like yesterday. For breakfast though, I had this amazing smoothie. It was delicious, delicious, deliiiiiccccious. I've been in-love with dates ever since biting into my first one sometime last year, and now I am hooked. When I found a smoothie that incorporated dates it was destiny that I make it. I loveddd the smoothie, I saved it for when I arrived at work. The only downfall though, the dates sink to the bottom. I decided to shake up my glass, and I shook a little too hard and ended up getting some on my WHITE jeans, why did I wear white? I then get out of the car, wipe my leg ON the wet, snowy, muddy car, hits my jeans, great start to a day... le sigh. Oh well, I went to my office and happily sipped at my smoothie. It was so wonderful, and the fiber from the dates definitely left me full for a few hours afterward, I certainly recommend making this smoothie!

Date Smoothie

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup (packed) pitted Medjool dates
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cups ice cubes

Directions:

Combine the yoghurt, milk, dates and vanilla together, then add the ice and blend it some more.

For lunch I had my delicious Homemade Wheat Thins, I ended up freezing half the batch and they definitely freeze/unthaw like a charm. I had made this gorgeous Tuna Salad with Lemon and Olives that I had been eying for quite some time but just never got around to doing it. This was a delicious lunch, it was light, refreshing, packed with flavours, savory, and filling. I thought this was beautiful and it was so simple to put together and the results ended with a big bang. Certainly would make this again, heck this would be even nice to serve as an appetizer or such at a party or dinner, especially tossed in with some Homemade Wheat Thins. I loved this, and had some leftovers for the next day that I gladly snacked on!

Tuna Salad with Lemon and Olives

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• 2 cans tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil - optional
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add the tuna to a mixing bowl & using a fork, break it up into small pieces. Add the olives, lemon zest, lemon juice and cilantro. Stir to combine. Pour in the olive oil, along with a sprinkle of salt & pepper to taste. Toss well & serve.

I then snacked on tons of veggies, another delicious Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Oatmeal Cookies, followed by a ton of rice and some Bruschetta. It was a good day but another long fourteen hour day, ughhh. Needless to say I was incredibly glad to go to bed when I got home!

Cause tonight I'm loving you.

Last night I slept! Yes, I slept for a whole five hours, it was wonderful! I even slept in for an extra seven minutes. I debated whether or not I should do my work out and continue to sleep in or bring my gear and do it at work. I decided not to be lazy though, jumped out of bed, flicked on the light switch, did another dance in spot debating once again whether I should do my work out. I snapped out, pulled off my pj's, and hopped into my gear. Once I started I was happy. I got ready, cleaned my room, yes at 5:30 am I cleaned my room, got all my stuff for work ready and grabbed my blender on my way up to the kitchen.

Once I hit the kitchen I started to drool. I decided last night what kind of smoothie I was going to make and couldn't wait to make it this morning. Oh, it was good. I've been craving a little matcha lately, and since I didn't have any of those scrumptious Green Tea Almond Thumbprint Cookies on hand, I figured I could make a smoothie with similar ingredients, and so I did. This was an insanely delicious smoothie, definitely one of my new favourites. I took a huge gulp then somehow managed to save the remaining smoothie for when I got to work an hour later! It was so worth it, oh it was perfect, I will definitely be making this again!

Minty Ginger Banana Matcha Smoothie

Recipe by me

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 5-6 mint leaves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp matcha powder
• 1 frozen large banana
• 3 ice cubes
  

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together, and enjoy.

Had my shake, and midway through the morning I opened up my container of dragon fruit. I did a little reading on dragon fruit while I was munching down. Dragon fruit sits on cactus-like trees. They are incredibly low in calories, approximately 60 calories, I mean, that's so little seeing as my container was filled to the brim, I couldn't finish it and finished it later in the day. They help to lower glucose levels which helps with Type 2 Diabetes, high anti-oxidant and vitamin C levels, and they are packed with fiber, delicious!

Finally it was lunch time. I couldn't wait for lunch! I had made this "salad" a couple of times prior to this just never blogged about it. It is a simple crab salad that takes literally less than two minutes to toss together and it results in pure satisfaction. The flavours are hit 100% on the head, you can eat them with crackers, nachos, wrapped in seaweed, or tossed with some seaweed, a top some lettuce, many possibilities, I love this salad!

In a Pinch Crab Salad

Recipe slightly changed from here

Ingredients:

• 1 package shredded imitation crab meat
• 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
• Dash of:
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic salt
• Smoked paprika

Directions:

Toss all your ingredients into a bowl, and eat as desired!

Maple Apple Cheddar Melt - Vegan

Recipe slightly changed from here

I ate this salad with a simple yet delicious panini. I had also made this panini once before. I was glad when I had found this recipe, because I had tried making a version before seeing the recipe and it was good, but it was certainly not as good as this. Yes, I realize how weird this flavour pairing is, but it was really good. Ate the crab salad first, then finished off with a "dessert" type panini and it was awesome! I remember the first time I saw Jordan put cheddar cheese on his apple pie I seriously thought he was on crack... I mean cheese and apples, ew? This is why we should never judge a book by it's cover, this is an excellent pairing, especially with the warm cinnamon spice and sweet maple syrup oh this was decadent!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, & sliced thin
• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• A few shakes of ground cinnamon
• 2 slices Honey Banana Whole Wheat Bread
  
• Vegan cheddar cheese to cover the sandwich bread
  

Directions:

Heat canola oil spray-coated nonstick pan over medium heat. Add apple slices & maple syrup and cook, stirring often, until the apples are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground cinnamon.
Lay cheese slices on one piece of bread. Spoon apples over cheese and top with remaining piece of bread. Coat both sides of sandwich with canola oil cooking spray. Lower stove heat to medium-low. Add sandwich to skillet and cook until the bread is golden-brown and the cheese is melted, flipping halfway through, about 2-4 minutes total.

For my dessert I had three of the most delicious cookies. I told you guys yesterday I am hooked on vegan baking. I'm not sure how come, it may be the maple syrup. Before I started eating vegan baked goods, I seriously despised the taste of maple syrup. Honestly I found it to be way too sweet, but I believe I've become accustomed to be it, and I regularly seek out it's gorgeous taste. These cookies are so fabulous, loaded with fibre, crunchy, a hint of dark chocolate from the carob chips, sweetness from the maple syrup. They were just delicious. I made them around the time I made the Homemade Oreo's since it just wouldn't be fair to me to have no treat on Valentine's day! I'm kind of embarassed how many I first ate when I made these... like, it became sort of a problem, they were just so fantastic. These are peaking the top of my lists for favourites, and will certainly make these again.

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups oat flour (I ground up Scottish oats)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed meal
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup carob chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flax meal and almond milk. Add sugar, oil and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously until all ingredients are emulsified (for about a minute). Mix wet ingredients into dry, fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Drop batter by the tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet, leaving and 1 1/2 inches of space inbetween cookies.

Bake for 10 -12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes. Using a spatula, put them on a cooling rack or plate to cool the rest of the way. Store in air-tight containers.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Patties

Recipe adapted from here

For dinner I kept it pretty simple. I had a plate of vegetables with two Sweet Potato Chickpea Patties. Now, in the past I've made Chickpea Cakes and although not being a fan the day of, but thoroughly enjoying the next day, these were nothing like that. They were good on day 1, 2 and three 3! I loved these, and they were so simple to toss together. They had a nice little spice from the smoked paprika with a sweet and savoury bite from the sweet potatos, and a bit of a crunch since I left some of the chickpeas unmashed. This is definitely a nice twist from a regular crab/salmon burger and will be sure to make again.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sweet potatoes
• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Cooking spray

Directions:

Cook the potatoes: cover with water, and simmer until soft, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the chutney (below). Drain the potatoes once soft, and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, put the chickpeas, cooked potatoes, garlic, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mash until fairly smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Form patties (scant 1/4 cup filling per patty), flattening between palms. It’s easy enough to form the patties as you need them for frying, plopping them on the hot skillet as you make them.

Spray cooking oil on a skillet, and warm over medium heat. When the oil is hot cook the patties for a few minutes on each side. Be careful when flipping, though the crispy skin holds them together, they are definitely softer patties. If you don’t over-crowd your pan you should have no problems flipping!

Makes 12 cutlets

P'tit poisson, p'tit poisson...

Last week I came across a truly drool-worthy blog, Our Life In Food, I spent quite some time perusing through each and every recipe. I couldn't help it, every picture was just so beautiful that it made me want to make each and every recipe even if I didn't eat the food shown in the picture. I did however make a few recipes from their blog, I couldn't help it, I had the ingredients, and they were so fantastic looking I had to try them out!

The first recipe I tried was Mushroom and Goat Cheese Strudel with Balsamic Reduction. I cannot even describe to you how delicious this was. Everything melded so perfectly well together it was pure bliss. The crunchy texture from the phyllo dough, with the beautifully melted sweet goat cheese, and the reduced mushrooms beautiful flavour, paired with the reduced balsamic... oh it was a party in my mouth. I made this for my mom as well, honestly delicious.

Next I made the seafood-lovers version of the above recipe: Phyllo Wrapped Salmon and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Reduction. This was just like the above recipe. I made this for my friend Jenna and I. The smell that the oven was giving off, holy moly. I took it out, and within seconds, hands burning and all, started eating it as though it was a burrito. It was so fantasticallyfantabulouslydeliciouslyamazing. Yes, it was just that great, that it deserved that huge, not-so real word to describe just how great it really was. I love reduced balsamic vinegar too, it makes the perfect dipping sauce, or sauce to pour on top, (especially on strawberries, yum!) This recipe, and the one above I would hands down, make it in a heartbeat. It was so beautiful to look at, seriously the photographs may not prove this, but it was beautifully presented, and it tasted so great that if it was at a restaurant I'd be willing to pay $22.95 for it with a side salad. Not only was it gorgeous and tasted fantastic it was incredibly filling, was the perfect end to the night, if I were a wine drinker I sure this would be so fantastic with a glass of wine.

When it comes to salmon recipes, that is definitely and with out a doubt my new favourite way to eat salmon, oh man, and to think I never even used to enjoy eating cooked salmon, I only liked it raw... it really goes to show you how when something is not prepared properly it can really make you dislike that item; hence my brother's and I "allergy" to green beans when we visit our grandparent's house... sorry, but true.

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Strudel with Balsamic Reduction

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 8 fresh phyllo dough sheets
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, more or less to taste
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Saute the onions until they are tender. Add the garlic and saute for approximately one minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until the moisture released evaporates and the mushrooms start to brown, approximately 15 minutes.

Add the parsley to the mushroom mixture, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

Brush one sheet of phyllo dough with olive oil, and top it with a second sheet. Brush the second sheet with olive oil, and then top it with the third sheet. Brush the third sheet with olive oil, and then top it with the fourth sheet. Sprinkle approximately 1/4 of the goat cheese along one of the long edges of the dough. Spoon half of the mushroom mixture on top of the cheese, followed by another 1/4 of the cheese. Fold the short edges of the phyllo dough over the filling and then roll the phyllo dough to form a long roll. Repeat steps 3-6 for a second phyllo dough roll. Place the two rolls seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the rolls with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden brown (about 20 minutes).

While the strudels are baking, simmer the balsamic vinegar over medium low heat until it has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat, where it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Serve the strudels with the balsamic syrup for dipping.

Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Reduction

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillets
• 4 tbsp goat cheese
• 12 sheets phyllo dough
• Pam was used - instead of butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lay the first sheet of phyllo down on your work surface and brush sparingly with melted butter. Repeat until you have 6 sheets layered on top of each other.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place at an angle, pretty far into the phyllo so that the edges will close over the fish easily. Top the salmon with approximately two tablespoons of goat cheese. Bring the corner of the phyllo dough up on top of the fish and fold in the sides, wrapping the salmon like you would fold a burrito. When the salmon is wrapped, brush the top of the phyllo dough with more butter.

Repeat the process for the next salmon fillet.

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 35 minutes or until golden brown.

While the salmon is cooking, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the vinegar reduces and has thickened, approximately 5-10 minutes. Take the vinegar off of the heat, and it will thicken more as it cools.

Serve the salmon drizzled with the balsamic reduction.

Crab Stuffed Salmon

Recipe taken from here

Let's just say this. When you mix two of my favourite fish together I think it is impossible to be disappointed. Yes, for this I used imitation crab, I love Pollock, when I eat real crab I get hives so I love my crabby flavoured Pollock. This meal was so simple to put together, and it looked gorgeous. I swear every bite was a little bite of heaven. The Pollock got crispy, and the salmon was cooked just right. Dill and salmon goes together like peanut butter and jam, however, salmon and crab together like white on rice. Oh this was fantastic. It was such a perfect dinner, I really enjoyed it and would surely make it over and over again :)

Ingredients:

• 2 wild-caught salmon filets
• 4 oz imitation crab meat
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh dill, minced
• 1/4 lemon
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

Combine the crab, garlic, dill, juice from 1/4 lemon, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Slice the salmon filets lengthwise down the center to create a space for stuffing.

Stuff the salmon filets with the crab. Top each with a few pats of butter, about a tablespoon a piece, (I did not do this).

4. Bake for 18 minutes at 400 degrees.

Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Recipe adapted from here

The last recipe I tried from their website was for a delicious salmon. I loved this dish. It was quick to put together, and it was very simple to make. What I really enjoyed about this, is that the spices on the fish formed a very beautiful crispy crust. I loved the flavours that were used, together they formed such a perfect unison. Topped with the avocado salsa this dish just came together perfectly. Crispy crust + creamy spread = divinity. This reminded me of the summer due to the beautiful hints of lime, avocado, cilantro, and of course the fish. I would certainly make this again, mmm, especially with a side of basmati rice and a simple salad, helllloooo.

Ingredients:

Fish:

• 2 salmon fillets
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Sprinkle of salt

Salsa:

• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 3-4 slices of red onion, sliced thin
• Juice from 1 lime
• A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt to taste
  

Directions:

Mix the coriander, cumin, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and salt together. Rub the mahi-mahi fillets with a good drizzle of olive oil and the seasoning mix, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the avocado, red onion, hot pepper, lime juice, cilantro, and salt in a bowl and mix well, chilling until ready to use.

Broil the salmon until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Serve the fish topped with the salsa.

Flavours of the Orient.

Crab Rangoons

Recipe by me

One of my favourite "Asian" food items are crab rangoons. They're just so tasty, a crispy exterior with a creamy, cheesy, crabby interior. Then you dip it into some beautiful chili sauce, oh delish! I love them, and they are just so comforting and leave you with such a warm feeling. About a year ago I had come across a recipe for crab rangoons, before this moment it never crossed my mind that I could make crab rangoons at home. I mean why, they really are so simple.

The other day I had bought a pack of wonton wrappers, and since we had crab meat in the fridge I figured what better way to use both items. I didn't follow a recipe, nor did I look at any for inspiration, I simply set out to the kitchen and grabbed the ingredients that I wanted to put into the mix. I simply made it as I would if I were making wonton's for Wonton soup. It was so simple to put together and they were definitely fantastic. My mom absolutely loved them as well, I can't even tell you how many times in the past few days she has asked me to plop them into the toaster oven for her. That's what I love about them, I made a large batch and they are the perfect food for a quick lunch. They are definitely delicious, mmmm. What I enjoyed most about these though, is that unlike the crab rangoons you get at the restaurant, these ones are baked and not fried. You can give into the temptations without feeling the guilt, it's perfect.

Ingredients:

• 1 package crab
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 3 tbsp whipped chive cream cheese
• 2 large green onion stalks
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 package of wonton wrappers - about 30 wrappers
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degress F.

In a medium bowl, combine all of your ingredients except wonton wrappers, mix well.

Top one wonton wrapper with 1 tsp of your crab mixture. Moisten edges with water, and fold into a triangle. Press to seal tightly, making sure to remove any excess air bubbles.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

*Note: these freeze really well. What I do is put them on a plate and place them in a fridge for about an hour. Then I place in a freezer safe bag and keep them for a later use.
Vegetable Honey Tofu Stir-Fry

Recipe taken from here
I've been doing this a lot lately where I take really nice pictures and delete them. I wanted to still post this recipe though because it is indeed very tasty!

Oh my gosh. Seriously this meal was absolutely delicious. While it was cooking it smelt like an Asian restaurant. When I brought it to my mouth it was love at first bite. It was perfect. It was sweet, crunchy, spicy, and just sweet perfection. I ate so much of it, I couldn't stop, it seriously tasted like authentic restaurant food. I had saved just a bit for the next day, and when I opened it, the scent was so overwhelmingly beautiful, it was as if I had just eaten at Cynthia's Chinese Food, but much better. It was healthy, and full of flavour, I loved it, and would certainly make this again.

Ingredients:

• 1 package firm tofu
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 5 cloves garlic, cut in thirds
• 1 tbsp creamy honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce, to taste
• 15 baby bok choys
• 2 heads broccoli
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, slightly toasted
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

Tofu:

Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch slices. In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Pan-fry the pieces of tofu on both sides until golden and puffy. The tofu should have a nice fried outer crust and still be moist inside. Transfer the tofu onto paper towels. Once the tofu pieces are cool enough to handle, dice them. Set aside.

Bok Choy:

Stem the vegetables. Slice them in half, lengthwise. Cut and separate the stems from the leaves. Set aside.

Broccoli:

Separate the broccoli florets. Blanch for 3-4 minutes in boiling water then transfer into an ice bath. Drain thoroughly, then pat dry on a paper towel. Do not overcook, as the broccoli will continue to cook with the tofu later.

Assembly time:

In the same wok, add the rest of the oil. Once it's hot, add the garlic. As the garlic becomes slightly golden, add the tofu and stir fry until fragrant. Transfer the tofu to a platter, leaving as much oil as possible in the wok.

Add the bok choy stems. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add a tablespoon of soy sauce. Add the remaining bok choy leaves. Toss well, then transfer to a platter.

Return the tofu and garlic to the wok. Add honey. Once the tofu is coated in honey and caramelized, add both black bean sauce and chili garlic sauce and the remaining soy sauce. Stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes. Add the broccoli and bok choy. Stir constantly.

Check seasoning. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Drizzle with sesame oil.

Serve immediately with steamed rice. I served this tofu dish with spinach vermicelle.

An Italian Comfort Food Enjoyed By All

Risotto Milanese

Recipe taken from here

"Forget the stove risotto". What is that hogwash? The fun thing about making risotto is having to constantly watch over it to see if the stock and wine have reduced, to see your hard work get turned into a masterpiece. Often I see comments like the above for in the stove risotto. I have to admit the first time I made risotto I did it in the stove, the only reason was because I wanted it to actually turn out since it was for a holiday meal where I was actually having people over... however, that didn't turn out so great (the meal did), but I ended up burning an oven mitt, err...

Nonetheless, I love making stove-top risotto, it reminds me of my grandmother and makes me nostalgic. I think the results are better too because it has one special ingredient that in the stove risotto doesn't have; love.

Now, I never mentioned, but last year my mom took a European cruise. One of the places that she went to visit was Turkey. With that she brought both my brother and I (my brother is going to school to become a chef, funny how food runs in our family) tonnnnns of spices home, including saffron. Now, this is incredibly good saffron and it tastes' wonderful too. When she brought that home, I kind of went on a saffron binge and bookmarked tons of recipes containing saffron, one of my favourite being the Saffron Ice Cream and a recipe I later made Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Marinara and Saffron. However, one recipe that I had saved over the summer was for Risotto Milanese. It wasn't until this week that I finally made it, feels like I had the recipe forever, but seeing as I started scheduling my meals again I had to make room for this dish and am I ever glad I did.

In the summer my brother had made it, and both him and my dad went on about how it tasted sooooo good. Well, they were certainly right. When I first looked at the bowl, I felt odd since it was just a big bowl of starch and carbohydrates. No protein, no vegetables, dairy if you want to include the Parmesan and butter, but y'know what I'm saying. However, once I took my first bite all those thoughts disappeared. I didn't care how much fat was in this dish, or how many calories were in each bite, or the fact that my plate was simply yellow with no green or red, no, this was a masterpiece. It was so delicious. I didn't even want to stop to inhale each bite because it was so good, (obviously I did because I needed to savour it as well), but it was incredibly delicious.

I love when using saffron, and you infuse it with your liquid and it turns your dish a beautiful bright yellow, it just makes the dish so much warmer, and this was no different this time. I loved it, and will certainly be making it again!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, hot
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling

Directions:
In a large dutch oven or another deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile add the saffron to the stock, stirring to infuse. Once the onions are translucent add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until toasted and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the wine to the toasting rice, and then add a 4 to 6-ounce ladle of the saffron-infused stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy and yet still a little al dente, about 15 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed.

Quick Fish Stew

Recipe from me

Over the Christmas break my dad, brother and I went to my aunt and uncle's place for lunch. One of the items I ate since they were eating pizza with meat on it was this beautiful fish stew. The sauce had the flavour of a beautiful Italian tomato sauce you'd put on your spaghetti but the consistency was more of a broth. The flavour was so rich and was further enhanced by the fish. Unfortunately I never got the recipe from her, hopefully next time I see her however I will be able to pick her brain for it.

With that being said, I tried to come up with a simple fish stew. It did not replicate the one my aunt made, however, this one was just as tasty. I quite thoroughly enjoyed it, as did my mom and her boyfriend. It was indeed very scrumptious. I had one bowl, then went up for seconds. Not only did it taste fantastic it was incredibly simple, everything went into the Dutch oven and simply let it simmer for a little while, and the results, incredible.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, mined
• 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
  
• Small can of Unico diced tomatoes (the can with the herbs in it)
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 tbsp dried parsley
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
  
• A large pinch of saffron threads
• 1 medium sized Ziploc bag of shrimp
• 10-14 medium scallops
• 2 tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; add onions, carrots and celery and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, parsley, white wine and saffron and bring to a light boil. Cover, reduce to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes to allow flavors to come together. Salt and pepper the fish liberally, then remove cover and add scallops, tilapia, shrimp and spinach. Make sure to mix the fish into the sauce. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

I had made this by itself more as a soup/stew, however, rice would be a nice touch to it as well!

Get your stretchy pants on!

Goodbye Fried Food - Hello Home-BAKED Food.

So the weekend is coming up and you know what that means: treat time i.e. eating out. When I was in University one of the statistics that stood out most of all from my nutrition class was that when people put on weight they usually do it on the weekend. After a week of lots of stress, not having much time to do anything and simply working lots of hours people want to unwind and treat themselves. Treating oneself usually includes having pop and chips, and going to your local restaurant and eating some not so healthy meals, which includes but certainly isn't the complete contributor; fried foods.

It has been an incredibly long time since I have been to a restaurant and ordered some fried food. This contributes mostly to the fact that I no longer enjoy fried fries and don't really eat food that could be fried other than fish sticks. Since I don't eat burgers, chicken or the sorts it eliminates much of fried selection... excluding the newly introduced fried veggies including tomatoes and pickles... yeah no, I tried a fried pickle and just gross.

We're getting off track here. So back to what I was saying, on the weekend people want to treat themselves. They want to satisfy their cravings and give into temptations that they may not of given into during the week because they wanted to come home right away. Well... here are a few simple dishes that allow you to stay home, not spend a fortune on disgustingly greasy food and allows you to spend time in the comforts of your own home, cooking as much portions as you'd like and keeping your wallet pretty much as full as the day before.

Panko Crusted Grilled Cheese

Recipe adapted from here

I know the title on this post says hello home-BAKED food, however the first post I'm going to writing about is a "grilled" cheese. I mean, I'm sure you could stick it under the broiler and get pretty similar results I just didn't attempt it. Lately I've been in the mood for Panko crumbs, I love them they're such a different taste and texture all around to your regular breadcrumb. I love that with each bite you get a huge crunch of flavour and in my opinion a much better taste all around. With all this bread making that I've been doing lately, it was bound to include a grilled cheese at some point. However, a spin to the regular grilled cheese was a must. I decided to look up if Panko grilled cheese existed (so that I could get something to base of this idea from) and to my delight I found one. So, I jazzed it up only a little bit (I coated all sides of the bread instead of just the exterior sides of the bread). This gave it an insane crunch and all around perfectly beautiful grilled cheese. This was so much better than your mom's grilled cheese, yes, I'm not lying. This sandwich really reminded me of French toast (which... I've been craving lately and... oddly do not like, or perhaps I just haven't tasted good French toast, which I'm sure I will be attempting soon enough to see...). However, yes, with the egg, and the Panko crumbs on all sides of the bread made this taste like a gourmet grilled cheese, if there even is such a thing.

Would I make this again? In a heartbeat.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of homemade white sandwich bread or regular load bread
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

Whisk egg, milk, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

Pour panko breadcrumbs and grated cheese on respective plates. Set aside.

Add some grated cheese on a slice of bread, then layer with sliced tomatoes, then some cheese again and a second slice of bread.

Dip all sides of the breadin the egg mixture and coat it with panko breadcrumbs. Shake of the excess breadcrumbs. In a heated pan greased with some neutral cooking oil, grill both sides of the sandwich until golden brown. Then flip the slices over, add the cheese and continue making the sandwich as you would a regular grilled cheese. Keep the flame on low as we need to ensure the cheese is melted at the same time not burning the breadcrumbs.

Repeat step 2 and 3 for the remaining 6 slices of bread, cheese, milk and breadcrumbs.

Asian Baked Onion Rings

Recipe inspired from here

Now, I have always loved onion rings, for I am a huuuuuuge onion fan. I love onion, honestly, I add them in pretty much any meal I can, whether it be green onion, Vidalia, shallot, red onion etc I love them all. I had an onion sitting in the fridge and I knew just what I wanted to make with it since I was indeed craving some pub food. Now these are baked, so they don't have your typical fried feel to it (you know what I'm talking about right? The sinful, tasty, crunchy just yum taste). However what they do have is a beautiful hint of carrot and ginger (which you could always switch for barbeque, Ranch, blue cheese, Calamata, Thousand Island, really any dressing that you like or have on hand. The base of the onion ring has soooo much flavour, then you add extra spice with your ground ginger in either the flour mixture or in the Panko mixture (or whichever spice you choose be it salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon - going on a whim on that one), whatever your little heart desires I'm sure it will aim to please. These were delicious, I definitely gobbled them down. This was most definitely a great alternative to your typical grease-bucket onion rings.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 tbsp Ginger Carrot Japanese vinaigrette
• 2 cups Panko Japanese crumbs
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1 cup soy milk + lemon juice (didn't have any buttermilk on hand)
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 large Vidalia onions, peeled

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet slightly with oil and set aside, if not using a Silpat.

Cut of the bottom and top end of the onion. Remove the skin and slice onion into rings as thick as you like. Separate the rings and place in a large bowl. Save the small onion insides for a salad or something.

Mix onions, ginger carrot vinaigrette, ground ginger, salt and pepper until the onion rings are well coated. Top with buttermilk (or your milk and lemon juice mixture) and flour and submerge all of the rings. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Add your Panko crumbs in a Ziploc bag or a plate. Add onions and shake to coat. Dip onions 1 at a time into Panko crumbs and place on baking sheet.

Spray cooking spray evenly over rings and bake for 20 minutes, or until coating is crisp. If you don't find them salty enough season with salt and serve immediately.

Panko Crusted Baked Crab Cakes

Recipe inspired from here

Next on our lists are one of my all-time favourite foods; crab cakes. I love crab. Well, I love imitation crab, real crab gives me hives which I don't appreciate so I stick to imitation crab which is fine with me because it tastes' wonderful and is friendlier to the average persons' wallet. As I've mentioned before I really dislike cooking with grease, it seriously frightens me so I wanted to have some baked crab cakes. These definitely hit the spot. They were crunchy, packed with tons of flavour from the sweet and savoury French Onion Heluva Good, to the tart lemon, to the crunchy red peppers, Panko crumbs and crisp green onions to the all around heartiness of the crab, these were fantastic and will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup French Onion Heluva Good
• 2 stalks chopped green onion
  
• 1 large egg
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 3 strips of red pepper cut into chunks
• 1 packet imitation crab meat
• 1 tsp dried dill
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided

Directions:

Whisk together all the ingredients up to the Panko crumbs. Add in 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs.

Form into patties of desired size. At this stage, I actually spread the crab meat mixture out onto a sheet pan (about 1/2 inch thick). Using the remaining 1 cup of breadcrumbs, coat each crab cake with panko. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes turning once halfway, on a parchment lined baking sheet. When they are almost done set the broiler on high to brown. I did this for about 1 minute on the first side, then flipped and broiled for another 30 seconds on the second side. Watch them carefully at this point because they brown quickly!

Salmon Sandwich

If you're just wanting something takes barely any time at all to make, is still healthy and still want all the flavour, look no further than this Salmon Sandwich.

Ingredients:

• Two pieces of homemade white sandwich bread or regular loaf bread
• 1 piece of Salmon
• EVOO
• Sea salt and pepper
• Sandwich toppings (I used spinach, onion sprouts, and cucumber)
  

Directions:

Pat salmon fillets dry and add a bit of salt and pepper. Heat a clean pan to medium-high. When hot, coat with a thin film of oil. When oil is hot, place salmon in pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. (Reduce to 2 minutes if fillet is thin.) Flip once, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness and the density of fillet.

In the mean time, toast your bread and get your toppings ready. When the fish has done cooking, set on the bread with desired toppings.

Serve warm.

I've been trying more and more recipes at home that I could order at a restaurant but trying to revamp them so I can enjoy them at home without the guilt.

Baked Panko Crusted Spinach Crab Cakes

Recipe by me.
My mom liked the Crab Cakes I made so much that she had asked me to make another batch. I decided that since last time the concept worked so well that I would spruce this batch up even more. I used the basic recipe that my mom and I make for our crab dip and formed it into patty form with Panko crumbs and did they ever work out well. These were delicious. We went out and bought the same ingredients again so that we could make them sometime this week for lunch. They are quick, easy, and pretty "healthy". Not only that, they are even better than the previous crab cakes. Delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup Heluva dip
• 1 whole wheat thin burger bun
• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
• Handful of shredded TexMex cheese
• Chopped red pepper
• One package of crab
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients but the Panko crumbs into your food processor. Once the mix starts to come together, stop processing.

Form into patties and dip in Panko crumbs. Let sit in the fridge for 30-60 minutes so the flavours can mesh well.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once. Once done, broil for 1 minute on each sit.

Serve warm.

Spinach Crab Dip

Recipe by mom and me

No word of a lie, this beats any restaurant crab dip ever. It is sooooo delicious. However, if you are on any sort of diet or watching your weight this is not for you. If however, you aren't and are interested in some cheesy, creamy, dippy, yummy goodness than this is so for you! We make this every holiday/get together and it is always a hit.

Ingredients:

• 1 container of sour cream (2% is better since it is thicker and not as runny)
• 1 tub of Philadelphia Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 packages of crab (we use 1 shredded and one torn crab)
• 2 green onion stalks
• 3 cups spinach - chopped
• Lots of cheese
• Optional: cut one more green onion stalk to sprinkle on top
• Extra cheesy: sprinkle more on top

Directions:

Blend together room temperature cream cheese, wine, sour cream, spinach, package of crab and cheese. Spread in baking dish. Top with additional green onion and cheese. Bake in oven at 350 for 15 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serve with nacho chips and/or pita bread broken down into triangles.

Enjoy :)

Seared Salmon with Shallot and Green Onion Relish + Nutty Goji Berry Power Balls + Strawberry Kiwi Banana Popsicles

Seared Salmon with Shallot and Green Onion Relish

Seriously, this past week and the meals that I have planned have been so delicious. I feel like patting myself on the back every time I heat the oven and start cooking. Tonight for dinner was like no other. The meal I chose tonight was chosen because over the sauce we were buying incredibly large hunks of salmon and freezing them so that I would have meals easily at hand. Unfortunately however, I was getting sort of sick of making salmon since I had eaten many, many packets of the salmon fillets. Part of my new years resolution (which I didn't write on here is to use up food, personal products, etc... trying to use up these products before buying new ones).

With that being said, I've saved two recipes that I wanted to try out with the remaining fillets. One of them being this recipe that I found today for Seared Salmon with Shallot and Green Onion Relish. When I first saw this, the thing that drew me most to the plate wasn't the name (because I hadn't looked at that for a few seconds), it was the picture. I was so enamored by the beauty of the photograph. I'm not sure why, it might of been the contrast of the beautiful salmon colour with the green and the white of the plate. Next I looked at the title, and although the flavour pairings aren't flavours that I usually treat my palette with I was interested in trying it nonetheless.

This morning I set up to go upstairs and took out the salmon. I let it sit out all day so that it would certainly be thawed by the time I wanted to cook dinner. So tonight when it was around dinner time i.e. the time my stomach started rumbling I headed upstairs.

I quickly started preparing the relish for this meal and was a tad bit scared because first off I don't usually eat mustard. I like mustard seeds but Dijon and all those sorts eh not so much. Also, there is just something about capers. Today was my first time having them. I've had smoked salmon numerous times which I down like a maniac however I always flick off the capers and allow the others to eat them. I really was not expecting them to be that salty, I was in for a shock I tell ya. When I had finished the relish and mixed everything in I literally out a little "woah!", but it was good.

Next just as he recipe called for I set out to make the fish. I hate cooking with oil. Everything about it freaks me out, especially when I'm in a t-shirt. Needless to say, this time was just like no other and I seemed to somehow get hit with more flaming hot oil, not so fun. However, I sprinkled it with salt (even though the relish was incredibly salty, and I'm not a salt fan) and let the fish do it's magic. I took the fish out, took a bite of a little piece that had fallen off and let out a "woooooow". It was... I know I've used this term about twice already this week "like candy". It was delicious! I've never been much of a fan of cooked salmon, always found it to be really fishy, this however was marvelous, divine, excellent, perfect, it was just so delicious. The fish almost tasted buttery, I never thought I'd say that about salmon that's for sure but it was, it was buttery, flaky, juicy, salty (but not overpowering salty), crispy, just amazing.

The combination with the relish and the fish also was pure divination. I even sat down to eat. Now... unless you see me in the kitchen, know me in real life you won't know this. But... I barely ever sit down to eat, unless I'm at someone else's house or at a restaurant. I barely ever eat meals with those I live with because well there palettes suck. Okay okay, that was mean, but they're palettes are just simpler than mine and not as... well-rounded. That has nothing really to do with why I don't sit when I eat other than I don't make large sums of food so when I'm done making my meal I immediately start to clean up. I guess that's a flaw of mine, I should add to my new years resolution: slowing down, relaxing, and enjoying meals, enjoying my company by sitting, eating and reflecting on my day, the flavours etc... So that is why I don't sit. However, this meal was so good that I sat. I sat by myself, I took in the flavours, I reflected on my day, and I sincerely enjoyed my company and sitting in the dining room by myself, it almost felt like a spiritual experience and it was all thanks to this one very special dish that I found.

Ingredients:

• 4 wild salmon fillet or steak
• 2/3 cup diced shallots - about 3 small-medium shallots
• 1 cup chopped green onions (about 6)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped, drained capers
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tsp for cooking
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Sea salt + pepper

Directions:

In a pan over medium-low heat, saute the shallots and green onions for about 7 minutes, stirring enough to prevent burning. Spoon into a glass bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes, to cool. At this time, add the mustard, capers and lemon juice. Finally, blend in the olive oil. Taste, and if you find that the salt from the capers and mustard is not sufficient (as I, an avid salt lover, did), add more to taste, along with a few grinds of the pepper mill. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pat salmon fillets dry and salt lightly. Heat a clean pan to medium-high. When hot, coat with a thin film of oil. When oil is hot, place salmon in pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. (Reduce to 2 minutes if fillet is thin.) Flip once, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness and the density of fillet.

Spoon relish over salmon, garnish with green onion and lemon zest, and serve.

Serves 4

Nutty Goji Berry Power Balls

As I mentioned a few posts back I want to start baking and cooking more healthily. As I said part of this was trying to incorporate more environmentally friendly recipes which certainly includes more vegan recipes or at least more vegetarian recipes... despite the fact that I'm posting this underneath a recipe for fish. I made two desserts/snacks today that are not out of my range of baking but just not what I had been making for a couple months now.

The first recipe comes from one of my favourite "healthy" blogs Anja's Food 4 Thought. The recipe I made was inspired from her Goji Power Balls post. These were so incredibly delicious. My mom's boyfriend enjoyed the flavour but not the texture. My mom and I however absolutely loved the flavour and the texture didn't seem to bother either of us. I'm not even really sure what about the texture bothered him, but to each their own. What I like about this is how interchangeable this recipe can be, you could seriously add in whatever you'd like according to your taste buds and I'm sure it would taste blissful. This is a perfect pick-me up snack that would be great to have lying around in the fridge especially when you're craving something sweet but still want to remain along the lines of health.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp dried Goji berries
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp dried raisins
• 3 pitted dried dates, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp almonds mixed with chow mien noodles
• 1 tsp honey/agave nectar
• 3 squares of chocolate covered pistachios

Optional

• Dried coconut flakes
• Rolo hot chocolate mix

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until combined and sticky. Form balls of the size of a walnut out of the batter. Roll in cocoa powder or coconut flakes.

Strawberry Kiwi Banana Popsicles

The next dessert I had made earlier in the day was because I didn't want to wake up tomorrow morning and have yoghurt for breakfast, I really am over yoghurt for the next little while. However, I had a green tea Popsicle for lunch and knew that I wanted to use the remaining yoghurt for popsicles. So, I looked up a few different recipes and this is what I came up with. They were sooooo good! They were creamy, sweet, tart, crunchy, perfect! I loved them! I will be buying some low-fat Greek yoghurt and certainly mixing up the flavour combination's, mmmm this reminded me of the summer which was perfect especially on a cold snowy winters day.

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp strawberry kiwi yoghurt
• 6 tbsp vanilla fortified soy milk
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/4 juice of a lemon
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey

Directions:

Combine bananas, yoghurt, and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Add lemon juice and honey and pulse blender to combine. Pour liquid into Popsicle molds. Close up with the Popsicle stick. Freeze until Popsicle are set.

Have a great day :)

Scallops with Pea Puree

The recipe that I’m about to post is one that I have wanted to try for quite some time. I had never personally cooked with scallops before (until the Sea Scallops Wrapped with Bacon) however my intention when I bought them was to make this Scallops with Pea Puree and Pancetta. When Jordan was over I thought it would be the perfect time to make them because it seemed to be an easy meal to make (which it was), and seemed incredibly delicious and healthy (which it was).

This meal honestly was so delicious. It was fast to make, simple to make, especially when you have someone chopping up your onions so you don't cry like a fool, and it was incredibly easy to eat i.e. insanely tasty. I've recently just started eating scallops, and honestly they pack so much flavour. I've had pea puree before, when I made Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree, when I had this dish I immediately fell in-love with pea puree. It's just so sweet, and even though it looks kind of odd more like baby food than adult food, once you take the first bite you get over its appearance. When I had first seen this recipe it wasn't even the scallops that excited me, no it was the fact that I could have another meal with the pea puree.

I loved this meal, as did Jordan. His we added bacon to it, since we didn't have pancetta, and I made mine with out of course. Definitely a beautiful meal. This meal really screams out love. If you're planning on staying in and cooking a special meal for you and that someone, or even for your family this is a great great dish!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 3 ounces diced pancetta (used bacon instead)
  
• 2 tbsp EVOO
  
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups frozen early sweet peas, thawed
• 1 cup water/vegetable stock
  
• 12 medium sea scallops, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp butter

Directions:

In a small bowl combine the parsley, lemon zest, and one tablespoon of shallot (known as Gremolata.) Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the pancetta until crispy and cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan, leaving some of the reserved fat in the pan. Set aside.

In the same pan, over medium heat, sauté the remaining shallots and garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Add the peas and broth and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the contents to a blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Return the puree to the pan, along with the cooked pancetta, cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter and the remaining olive oil over medium-high until very hot. Add scallops and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and almost firm to the touch, about 3 minutes per side.

Enjoy :)