chocolate chunk pretzel cookies

cookies with a salty twist

We were having a few friends over for beers on the deck and didn't have any snacks to put out so I thought I better bake something...but somehow chocolate chip cookies didn't quite fit with beer.  I scrounged around and realized I had some pretzels in the cupboard...but not quite enough to put out (you know, all the broken ones on the bottom!) - then it dawned on me - add them to the cookies.  Thus was born the chocolate chunk pretzel cookie.

what you need:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp golden corn syrup
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup or so crushed pretzels

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.  
2. Combine dry ingredients (except sugars) in a bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon to mix well.
3. In a large bowl, mix sugars and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, corn syrup and mix well.
4. Roughly chop chocolate into large chunks.  
5. Add dry ingredients to butter & sugar mixture, mix until batter is smooth.  Add pretzel and chocolate chunks.  
6. Drop round dollops of batter onto cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.  
7. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.  Enjoy!

grilled summer salad

This hearty salad is great on it's own for a satisfying lunch, or serve it alongside BBQ fare.  This salad travels well as long as you keep the dressing, greens and cooked veggies separately -  it is easily assembled on location.  I brought it to my friend Karolina's birthday party over the weekend (4 hour drive!) and it was enjoyed with burgers and sausages...yum to summer veggies!  For the party I used spring mix and green beans - in the photo above I used asparagus and spinach...you really can use whatever you have on hand.  Instead of grilling you can also place veggies on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven until tender.

what you need:

• 4 beets
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 bunch of asparagus (or equivalent amount of green beans)
• 1 large bag of baby spinach (or spring mix)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• olive oil

dressing:

• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (frozen ginger grates easier)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 lemon's zest and juice
• 1 tbsp honey

what to do:

1. In a pot of water, bring beets (washed but unpeeled) to a boil and allow to cook for at least 30-45 minutes (depending on how large your beets are), or until you can stick a fork into the beets.  Allow beets to cool, then peel them and cut into bite size cubes (red beet juice stains so don't wear your nice clothes!).  Set aside.
2. Preheat oven (400 F) or your BBQ grill.  Cut up sweet potato (no need to peel) into bite size cubes.  Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper in a bowl.  Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or use a iron veggie basket to grill them.
3. Trim asparagus and also toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cut into 1" pieces.  They will take a little less time in the oven or grill so add them to the heat once sweet potatoes have had 10-15 minutes in the heat.
4. Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a jar or tupperware and shake well.  
5. Once sweet potatoes are tender and have some golden brown colour, remove and toss gently in a bowl with the maple syrup.  Return to oven for another 8 minutes.
6. Once veggies are done (tender with slight grill marks or colour from roasting) - allow to cool to room temperature.  You can store the beats, sweet potato and asparagus in a container in a fridge until ready to serve.  
7. In a large salad bowl, toss together spinach, grilled veggies, and beets with the dressing.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.  Enjoy!

lentil cakes

deliciously vegetarian

I always thought falafels were intimidating to make but they actually are really easy as long as you have a food processor!  I didn't have chick peas at home but I used red lentils instead and they turned out well.  These hold up really well so they could be made into small bite size appetizers with tzatziki, alongside a salad, in a wrap or sandwich.  They are an awesome snack the next day.

what you need:

• 1 1/2 cup red lentils (rinsed and soaked 4 hrs in water)
• 1 small carrot
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 egg
• 1 slice whole wheat bread 
• 3 tbsp milk or soy milk
• about 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 handful cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• pinch each salt and pepper
• canola oil 

what to do:

1. Get your food processor ready.
2. Drain lentils.  Soak bread in milk.  Roughly chop carrot, onion, cilantro, and garlic.  Add chopped ingredients to food processor and pulse until very finely chopped, almost a puree but still with a little texture.  Add egg, bread, and spices, then pulse to mix well.
3. Transfer into a bowl and assess how wet the mixture is.  If it appears too wet, add bread crumbs a little at a time and stir well, until the consistency of the lentil mixture keeps together (you don't want it runny).
4. Heat a non-stick pan on medium with a thin amount of canola oil to coat the pan (about 2 tbsp).  Drop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and press gently for an even cake, fry until golden brown then flip, about 2-3 minutes each side.  You can keep them warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the rest.
5. Serve with tzatziki or any other sauce you like.  Enjoy!

lentil cakes with greens and tzatziki

lentil cakes in a whole wheat wrap with spring mix, tomatoes,
cilantro, thinly sliced red onion, and homemade tzatziki

ryan approves:)

simple fish "burrito"

eat as a soft taco as above, or bake wrapped up as below

a quick healthy fresh meal

Still on that mexican kick, here's a simple version of a "burrito"... I've got quotation marks because it's kind of a mix between a wrap/soft taco/burrito.  Whole wheat tortilla filled with spicy seasoned cod and mexican inspired rice, with a side of fresh salsa and sliced avocados. Super satisfying.


what you need:
*serves 2

• whole wheat tortillas

burrito filling:

• 2 portions of white fish (I used cod)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne 
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed well
• canola oil
• salt and pepper
• mexican inspired rice

simple fresh salsa:

• 1 tomato
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/4 cucumber
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 lemon juice and zest
• salt and pepper
• 1 small jalapeno 
• 1 small handful cilantro
• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 avocado
• 1 lime

what to do:

1. Marinate cod with 2 tsp canola oil, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper, and cayenne.  Be sure to use your hands to gently rub spices evenly all over the fish.
2. Dice salsa veggies (as finely as you want your salsa).  Toss together in a bowl, then finely grate lemon zest and garlic into bowl.  Add lemon juice and olive oil.  Mix well and set aside.  Slice up avocado and squeeze lime juice all over, set aside.
3. In a non-stick pan on medium, heat up 2 tsp canola oil.  Add cod and cook through, about 3 minutes on each side (depending on how thick your fish is).  Use a wooden spoon to gently break fish apart into large chunks.  Remove from heat.
4. Soft taco version: place tortilla on a large plate and fill it with the mexican rice, fish, salsa and sliced avocados.  Enjoy!
5. Burrito version: place tortilla on a piece of aluminum foil and fill with mexican rice, fish, and shredded cheese (if desired).  Wrap it up tightly and secure with foil, then bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes.  Serve alongside fresh salsa and avocados.  Enjoy!

mexican inspired rice

After a girls' trip to Chicago with some great friends (ina, mel & abby!) and having some delicious mexican fare, I was craving more.  This rice dish is inspired by mexican flavours and makes a great filling for my version of a fish burrito/soft taco (next post!).   

what you need:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 handful of fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions
• canola oil
• 2 cups water
• salt & pepper

what to do:

1. Finely dice onion, red bell pepper and garlic.
2. In a pot, heat up 1 tbsp canola oil on medium.  Add onions and saute until slightly translucent.  Add rice to coat with oil and allow it to toast lightly.  Add bell pepper, garlic, and black beans (drained).  Stir lightly, then add cumin, oregano and chili flakes.  Stir in the water and cover pot with lid.  Turn heat to medium - high until water boils, then turn it down to medium low and allow to simmer for ~ 30 min.
3. In the mean time, slice green onions thinly on a bias and roughly chop up cilantro.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and season to your taste with salt and pepper.  Fold in green onions and cilantro, and save some to garnish on top.  Serve as a side dish and enjoy! Or use it as a filling for a burrito:)

looking at ourselves in the bean, chicago

granola bars

homemade goodness

Today I spent a good amount of money after work at bulk barn...it's amazing how long I can linger up and down those aisles! At work we've been talking about making our own granola bars and I suddenly had a craving to do so - and it is definitely well worth it!  Make it your own by substituting your favourite dried fruits, nuts, seeds, etc.  The base is rolled oats, something sticky and sweet to bind it all, and some canola oil.

what you need:

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup pitted dates
• 1/3 cup pitted prunes
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a large baking dish (9" x 13") with parchment paper.
2. Roughly chop almonds.  
3. On a large cookie sheet, spread out pumpkin seeds, almonds, and rolled oats.  Toast lightly for 10 minutes in centre rack.
4. In a food processor (or chop by hand) - pulse prunes and dates with a little bit of the canola oil.  It should become a very rough, chunky paste.
5. Combine the rest of the canola oil, brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup in a small saucepan on medium low heat.  Stir and remove from heat when sugar dissolves.
6. In a large bowl, combine rolled oats and nuts, pulsed date/prune mixture, warmed wet ingredients, and the rest of the ingredients (except for cinnamon).  Mix thoroughly.
7. Spread the granola mixture into lined baking dish.  Wet your fingers with some cold water and press mixture, leveling evenly.  Sprinkle cinnamon all over.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool (2 hours at least) before cutting into desired sizes.  Enjoy!

*can be kept in airtight container in fridge for several days, or freeze to keep fresh longer. 

sushi rolls

spicy salmon roll

assorted: salmon, vegetarian, avocado

vegetarian roll

Sushi rolls are fun to make - and much easier than you think!  You can get creative and put pretty much anything you're craving into the rolls (long thin veggies are easiest to roll up of course).  My mom taught me how to make the rice and vegetables more authentically Japanese (vinegar and sugar are the secret) - and it does make a difference in taste.  There are also a few tricks (which might seem weird! but they work) to make the rice sticky but not gluey/gummy. 

When I go out for sushi I absolutely love getting special spicy rolls.  Since I can't have raw fish for the next few months, I made my own spicy salmon using baked salmon mixed with mayo and sriracha.

 I know it looks like a long process but I promise it gets easier after the first time.  I recommend doing the filling preps while the rice is cooking to save time.

the basics 
what you need:
*makes 3 rolls

• 3/4 cup sushi rice (you can mix in 1/2 brown rice, white rice is stickier though)
• 1/4 cup white or rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 3 sheets of nori seaweed
• a mini fan or hairdryer (this is the weird part!)
• bamboo sushi mat (for easy rolling)
• plastic wrap

1. Cook the rice as you would normally (rice cooker or in a pot) - while this is happening, complete veggie and protein prep.

veggie prep

quick pickling: my mom always gives the veggies she uses (usually carrots and cucumbers) a quick pickling - if you use softer veggies (e.g. asparagus, avocado) - don't pickle them - but crunchy ones like daikon, radish, celery, etc. would benefit from the picking.  

• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 large cucumber
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 avocado
• lemon

     what to do:

1. Peel and cut carrot into long thin strips (about 0.5 cm X 0.5 cm).  
2. Sprinkle salt over carrots and let it sit for 5 minutes (this softens the carrot).
3. Cut cucumber in half, remove seeds, then cut into long thin strips, about the same size as the carrot.
4. Combine vinegar and sugar, stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Rinse carrots with water to remove salt.  In a shallow dish, combine cucumbers, carrots, and vinegar mixture.  Let it sit for at least 10 minutes (pickle process).
6. When you are ready to assemble sushi, drain off excess vinegar and pat veggies dry with paper towel.
7. Slice avocado into strips as well and squeeze some lemon juice on top to prevent browning.

protein prep: my mom will usually saute some shrimp and eggs (beat in a bowl, cook in a pan like a pancake then cut into long strips) to put in the rolls - you can use whatever protein you'd like (e.g. smoked salmon, any cooked meat/fish/tofu) - or just stick to veggies.  I used salmon, shrimp and firm tofu.

  

• one 4 ounce piece of salmon
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 3 tbsp mayo
• 6 tiger shrimp
• 100 g firm tofu

      what to do:

1. Bake salmon (seasoned with salt and pepper) enclosed in parchment paper at 425 F for 12 minutes (or until desired done-ness).
2. Mix mayo and sriracha (adjust spice level to your liking).
3. Reserve some mayo mix for plating.  
4. Flake the cooked salmon and mix with mayo until well coated.
5. Saute shrimp with small amount of cooking oil, season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Cut tofu into strips (~0.5cm x 0.5 cm) and saute with a small amount of cooking oil until golden.

rice prep: this part is important, to ensure your rice is sticky but still fluffy and not gluey.

1. Once your rice is cooked, keep it covered but remove from heat.  Place it on top of a damp tea towel to prevent sliding (you will be mixing the rice).
2. In a small sauce pan, heat up vinegar and sugar, just until sugar dissolves.
3. Plug in fan or hairdryer and set it on the coolest setting.
4. As coordinated as you can, use a big spoon to gently stir/fold the rice (do not mush down), while adding warmed vinegar slowly and allowing fan to cool down the rice at the same time.  Continue gently folding rice for a few minutes, at least until steam from the cooked rice is gone.

finally! time to make the roll...

1. Gather all your ingredients around your board so it's easily accessible.
2. Put a piece of plastic wrap on top of the bamboo mat.
3. Spoon and spread evenly some of the rice onto the plastic wrap (should be about the size of your nori sheet).  It shouldn't be a dense amount of rice.
4. Place the nori sheet on top and press very lightly to stick to the rice.
5. Put whatever you'd like in that roll, from left to right width wise, near the bottom 1/3 of nori.
6. Lift the edge of the plastic wrap closest to you and tuck it tightly under, the rice beneath will contact the nori and stick - continue rolling gently until you form a log (do not press hard or you'll get smushed  gluey rice).  Use the bamboo mat to help you.
7. Cut roll into about 6-8 pieces (I always snack on the ends:) - and place on serving plate.
8. If you're making a spicy roll - take a piece of plastic wrap and poke a small hole with a toothpick - put some of your spicy mayo over the hole and lift plastic around the mayo - squeeze mayo onto plated sushi for a pretty presentation.
9. ENJOY!!! Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, and chopsticks:)

carrots, cucumber, avocado, spicy salmon, tofu

roll up gently

drizzle sliced pieces with spicy mayo

Note: to make a roll with the nori on the outside is even easier.  Place nori directly on bamboo mat, evenly spread rice on nori, then put filling on the rice and roll up.a