Strawberry & Peanut Butter Whole Wheat Oat Muffins

Somehow I always end up missing strawberry season because it seems to go by so quickly, so this year I was determined to bake at least one thing with strawberries. 

We don't really want a lot of desserts around right now though, so I decided to bake something on the healthier side.  And because we are only two people, I wanted something that can freeze well.  Enter muffins!

I had it in my head to make peanut butter and strawberry muffins, which surprisingly I could find almost no recipes for, so I decided to make up my own.  Peanut butter and jam goes together, so why not pb and fresh strawberries!

Because I wanted these to be on the healthier side, I used all whole wheat flour combined with oats, only a bit of pure maple syrup for sweetener instead of sugar, natural peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk, only a tablespoon of oil, and fresh strawberries instead of jam.

While they're not exactly low-fat because of the peanut butter, and not vegan because I included an egg (I haven't really had success with eggless baked goods in the past and don't have any problems personally with an egg being included), I still consider them a wholesome snack that is perfect for afternoon cravings as they satisfy hunger pretty well!

These were photographed over a day after making them, so the strawberries I had placed on top aren't looking so hot, but I assure you that these still turned out great!

I also love slathering these in chia jam for more strawberry goodness.  If you've never made chia jam before, I encourage you to give it a try!  It's super easy and quick to make and so much better for you than regular jam.  I used the jam recipe from these strawberry oat squares by Oh She Glows, another strawberry recipe I'll have to try soon before the season is over!

Strawberry & Peanut Butter Whole Wheat Oat Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, melted slightly to mix in better

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or I used 2 T maple syrup + 2 T honey)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

12 slices strawberries for the tops, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a regular 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk the dry ingredients (flour through salt) together in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients until just blended (egg through oil).  Add the wet ingredients along with the diced strawberries to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.  If desired, add a strawberry slice to the top of each muffin.  Bake muffins in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of a muffin comes out clean.  Let cool for a couple minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Buffalo Lentil Loaf

I always hated meatloaf as a kid, and I still do.  I can’t even say the word meatloaf without adding ‘shmeatloaf’ after it.  It’s funny that when I was young, it was more the vegetables, onions and little crunchy bits in the meatloaf that I hated, and now it’s the idea of a tray full of packed meat that turns me off.  A lentil loaf full of vegetables though?  Much more up my alley!

I know some people will have the same reaction I have to meatloaf when they hear the word ‘lentil loaf’.  Indeed, my fiancé in particular was extremely skeptical at the idea.  But even he ended up admitting that this was really good, so if you’re hesitant, I encourage you to give it a chance!

Why should you give this a chance over regular meatloaf?  Because lentils are full of fiber and protein to fill you up and give you energy, along with other important minerals like potassium, folate, and iron.  There’s also oats and a little egg for even more fiber and protein in this, along with vegetables like onions, carrots, and peppers for added nutrition.  Of course, I had to add a little extra appeal to convince the fiancé to try this, so I included buffalo sauce to give it extra flavour and kick, which I loved!  You could substitute bbq sauce though if you’re not into spicy food.

Though it takes a little time to cook, the result is worth it!  I love this lentil loaf on its own with a side of vegetables (mashed potatoes would be great too!), but I ate most of it in sandwiches for lunch.  Toast some whole grain bread, add some lettuce, barbeque or buffalo sauce, tomato, and a couple slices of lentil loaf and you’ve got a hearty, filling, and tasty meal!

Buffalo Lentil Loaf

Lentil loaf recipe adapted from In Sonnet's Kitchen and The Simple Veganista

Makes one 9x5 loaf, serves about 4-6 (or more depending on how you serve the loaf)

Ingredients:

1 cup dry brown lentils

2-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small or medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 a large red bell pepper, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Pinch each of salt and pepper

1 cup rolled oats, pulsed in a blender or food processor a few times to more of a coarse crumb

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buffalo sauce (your favourite brand, such as Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce or PC Buffalo Wing Sauce)

Glaze:
2 tablespoons bbq sauce (plus more for after baking, if desired)

2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Directions:

Add lentils and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and water is mostly evaporated.  Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and puree about three-quarters of the lentils in a blender or food processor (or with an immersion blender).  Set aside to let cool slightly.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, red pepper, and carrot and sauté, stirring often, for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.  Stir in the spices (cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper), then remove from heat. 

Fold together the lentils, sautéed vegetables and spices, oats, eggs, and buffalo sauce in a large bowl or in the saucepan until combined.  Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, spray lightly with cooking spray, and spread lentil mixture evenly in prepared pan.  Mix the 2 tablespoons each of bbq sauce and buffalo sauce for the glaze, and brush in an even layer on top of the loaf. 

Bake loaf in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the top of the loaf is dry, firm, and golden brown.  Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then use parchment paper to lift out of pan.  Top with a bit of additional bbq sauce if you like. Slice into 10-12 slices and serve however you desire – either on its own, in a sandwich, on top of a salad, etc.

Southwestern Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers

The (almost) return of summer means the return of burger season - one of my favourite foods!  I still make them in the winter on the stovetop (and even in the summer I use the stovetop because I'm scared of bbqs), but there's something about summer that makes me crave burgers all the time.

I've never liked beef burgers though, and a regular beef patty with the standard toppings doesn't appeal to me much.  Instead, I love experimenting with different chicken and turkey burgers - like buffalo chicken and cheddar burgers or apple turkey burgers with caramelized onions and brie - and veggie burgers, which are so customizable, like lemon chickpea quinoa burgers or portabello mushroom burgers with roasted red peppers and provolone!

I love trying out new flavours and for my first veggie burgers of the post-winter season (it's hard to call this summer yet), I went with a Southwestern theme!

The veggie patties for these burgers are hearty and full of real veggies, just how I like them!  The base is a mixture of brown rice, oats, and black beans for plenty of protein and fiber, and mixed in are some onions, garlic, peppers, corn, and plenty of spices for added nutrition and flavour.

Ryan and I ate these for dinner three nights in a row (another great thing about veggie burgers is getting a lot of food for a pretty low cost!) and ate them differently each night.

The first time I topped mine with salsa and served them with chipotle sweet potato fries as pictured, which made for a pretty spicy meal though I still loved it!  The second night I added cheese on top, skipped the salsa, and used a light ranch dressing instead which was also awesome.  And the third night I crumbled my patty up and served it over a big spinach salad which was a refreshing change! 
If I had avocado I would have definitely added it to all three meals but avocados are so expensive these days I have to sadly try to limit my use of them.

You can eat these however you like and with whatever toppings you think sound good - hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Southwestern Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers

Inspired by and adapted from similar recipes seen on Simply Scratch, Veggie Belly, and Katherine Martinelli

Makes 6 burgers

Ingredients:

For the Burgers:

1/2 cup uncooked whole grain brown rice – I used pre-cooked instant rice

1/2 cup rolled oats, divided

1 (540mL) can of no-salt added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup diced bell peppers – I used half a green pepper but you could use a mixture of green and red

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup thawed frozen corn kernels

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder for added spice (or substitute paprika)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

For Topping:

6 whole wheat hamburger buns

Lettuce or spinach

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced ripe avocado

Salsa (optional)

Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese (optional)

Directions:

Cook the rice according to package directions.  Let drain well.

Pulse 1/4 cup oats in a food processor to form crumbs.  Keep remaining 1/4 cup of oats whole.  Transfer all oats to a large bowl.  Reserve 1/4 cup black beans and transfer remaining beans to the food processor.  Pulse until most of the beans are mashed (but not completely mushy).  Add to the large bowl with the oats.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and peppers and sauté until softened, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add corn and reserved 1/4 cup of black beans and stir.  Add all spices and sauté for another minute, stirring.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Add vegetable mixture and rice to the bowl with the oats and black beans.  Add whisked egg and stir mixture until combined.  Form into 6 large patties or 8 smaller ones, if desired (I made 6 patties).

Heat two large skillets over medium heat.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray or use a light amount of oil.  Add 3 patties per pan and cook about 5-6 minutes per side, turning carefully in between, until browned and cooked through.  If using cheese, add slices to the tops of the patties about a minute or two before they’re done cooking to melt the cheese.  Remove from heat.

Add patties to buns and top with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, salsa, or desired other toppings.  You could also crumble the patties and serve them on salad!

Birthday Cake Oreo White Chocolate Cheesecake

Last Thursday was my (and my twin sister Genevieve's!) birthday and I had a fantastic day being spoiled by my fiance, who took me to my first NHL playoff game that evening, which was really exciting even though the end result of the game didn't turn out quite how we'd hoped!

On the weekend I celebrated with my family, which meant that I got to choose a birthday dinner, but I made my own cake as usual because I look forward to it every year!  For dinner, my parents made a somewhat Mexican-themed meal with sangria, chips and guacamole, and caramelized pineapple and chicken quesadillas with a strawberry salsa - it was all amazing!

And for dessert, I made this festive birthday cake Oreo white chocolate cheesecake! 

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm not a huge fan of the typical white birthday cake with super sweet frosting, but cheesecake is a different story - I love any and every kind of cheesecake!

My older sister had just brought back birthday cake flavoured Oreos for us from her trip to the US, so I decided to incorporate them into a birthday cheesecake!  I don't think I've seen these Oreos anywhere in Canada but I could be wrong - if someone knows if they're available, let me know!  If you can't find them, you can still make this with regular Oreos, it just won't smell as much like birthday cake :)   I didn't have quite enough birthday Oreos to use throughout the cake by the time I got around to grabbing the package, so I just used half regular Oreos which worked fine!

This cheesecake has an Oreo crust, with the birthday cake Oreos chopped up and mixed throughout the cheesecake batter, along with some sprinkles (necessary for anything birthday themed, of course) and melted white chocolate chips to enhance the sweet birthday cake flavour. 

I also made a quick buttercream frosting, which I don't particularly like but in this case I needed it to stick some Oreos on top for decoration.  I mixed in some sprinkles and Oreo crumbs to the frosting which ended up turning the frosting into a somewhat unappealing grey colour, so if you want to avoid my mistake just leave the Oreos out of the frosting, there's plenty of Oreos elsewhere in the cake anyway!

I have a tendency to overbake my cheesecakes because I'm always paranoid about them not being cooked all the way through and haven't quite mastered the art of knowing when a cheesecake is done yet, so as you can see mine was a tad overdone, but everyone still loved it! 

I loved how festive it looked, and it smelled and tasted just like a birthday cake but with the creamy texture of cheesecake - like a grown-up version of a kid's birthday cake to help make this getting older business a lot easier :) 

Birthday Cake Oreo White Chocolate Cheesecake

Note: Recipe adapted from this Philly Oreo cheesecake recipe and this white chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe

Makes one 9” cheesecake; serves around 12

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

16 Oreos – I used regular Oreos for the crust

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

2 cups white chocolate chips

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

3 (250g or 8oz) bricks of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

14 ‘Birthday Cake’ Oreos, chopped (I chopped each one into about 6 pieces)

2 tablespoons sprinkles

For the Topping (Optional):

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons milk

6-8 Oreos

Sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crush the 16 Oreos for the crust in a food processor or blender until they form crumbs.  Stir in melted butter with a fork and mix until combined, then transfer Oreo mixture to a 9” springform pan, and press evenly to cover the bottom in a thin layer.

In a metal bowl placed over a small saucepan of simmering water on the stovetop, melt white chocolate chips and half-and-half, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Add vanilla extracte and melted white chocolate mixture and beat just until smooth.  Gently fold in the chopped Oreos and sprinkles with a flexible spatula.  Pour batter over prepared crust and gently tap the pan against the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. 

Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, until center is almost set.  My cheesecake had some butter drip out the bottom of the pan, which is an issue with my pan, but in case you have the same issue, be sure to place a baking sheet on the rack below the cheesecake to catch any drippings.  You could also use a water bath if you prefer to bake your cheesecakes that way.  Once done, I turn off the oven and let my cheesecake cool in there for about 10-20 minutes or more, then remove transfer it to a wire rack.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake so it doesn’t crack as it cools.  Let cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

If you wish to decorate the cheesecake as I did, you can prepare a simple buttercream frosting to stick Oreos on to the top of the cake.  To make buttercream, beat 1/4 cup butter for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.  Add 3/4 cup icing sugar slowly and mix on low speed until incorporated.  Mix in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk until smooth.  If the frosting's too thin you can add more icing sugar; if it’s too thick you can add more milk.  I also stirred in 2 teaspoons of sprinkles and 1 crushed Oreo but this can alter the colour of the frosting (mine came out kind of grey) so I might recommend leaving those out and just adding sprinkles on top, or at least just leaving out the Oreos.  Pipe buttercream onto spots of the cake where you want to attach Oreos and stick Oreos into the frosting (see pictures). Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Baked Oatmeal

As a kid I used to love all the flavours of those little instant oatmeal packets that I'm sure are full of sugar and everything kids love.  Now the only instant oatmeal I'll occasionally buy comes from the organic aisle, but I need to eat at least two packages to sustain me for breakfast and even then I'll still be hungry a couple hours later.  I love making my own oatmeal on the stovetop, especially versions that are full of ooey gooey delicious things like bananas, peanut butter, or pumpkin.  Unfortunately, I don't do this often as I'm usually in too much of a hurry or too lazy in the mornings to make anything that requires effort.

Which is why I've become obsessed with baked oatmeal lately.  Sure it requires some effort to make, but you end up with a lot of leftovers that can be stored as individual servings in the fridge so all you have to do later on is reheat.  Perfect for busy mornings, and also for people who don't like the mushy texture of a bowl of stovetop oatmeal, as the baked version is a lot firmer.

This peanut butter and jelly version of baked oatmeal is Ryan and my current favourite.  It has a strong peanut butter flavour with the perfect amount of jam to sweeten it up, and it's nice and filling.  It's pretty easy to throw together too - just add your wet ingredients (egg, milk, vanilla, peanut butter) to your dry ingredients (oats, a tiny bit of brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt), drop some jam on top, and throw it in the oven.  The hardest part is waiting for it to be ready! 

I've made this with both grape and strawberry jam before and we love it both ways; I always try to choose a low sugar jam as I usually find regular jam way too sweet.  I consider this a reasonably healthy breakfast so I don't mind eating it for several breakfasts in a row or that Ryan now asks for it all the time!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Baked Oatmeal

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups large flake rolled oats

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 cups skim milk or almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter - I usually use regular smooth peanut butter but natural would work too if you want slightly less sugar and salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup low-sugar jam – strawberry, grape, or mixed berry all work

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla, and peanut butter. You can warm up the peanut butter for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave first to make it more liquid so it will mix in better.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. 

Spread mixture into pan and spread evenly with a spatula.  It will look like oats floating in a lot of liquid – that’s normal; the liquid will all be absorbed during baking.  Drop spoonfuls of jam evenly on top of the oatmeal.  If you like, you can leave the jam in little pockets, or take a butter knife and try to swirl the jam around to cover more surface area (that’s what I like to do).  Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until edges are golden brown and middle is cooked through.  Divide into at least 6 servings and serve warm, with maple syrup if desired.

Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for a few days and reheated.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Pancakes

Today  is one of my favourite days of the year, Pancake Tuesday!  Better known as Fat Tuesday, it's a day traditionally meant for eating richer, fatty foods before Lent, which somehow led to eating pancakes (though I don't really agree that they're a rich or fatty food!)  To my family and I, it just means it's a day to eat pancakes for dinner!

As a kid I always loved the traditional blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes for pancake dinner, but now I love using the day to try new flavours of pancakes I've never had before.  Last year I made these delicious earl grey vanilla tea pancakes with honey tea syrup, and the year before that was these caramel latte pancakes, which I also loved.

But it's getting harder and harder to think of pancake flavours that haven't been done before, so this year I decided to combine two flavours into one!  And what better combination than the best of friends, chocolate and peanut butter.

These really are no harder than regular pancakes because the chocolate and peanut butter batters are basically the same, the only difference being the addition of cocoa for the chocolate batter versus peanut butter for the peanut butter batter (duh, I know).  Because the peanut butter batter is thicker, you'll pour the chocolate into your pan first in a pancake shape, then swirl the peanut butter batter on top just using a simple ziplock bag.

The browning of the pancakes hides the swirl a little, but I still love the contrast in colours you see, and the balance of peanut butter and chocolate in the taste is absolutely perfect - I love that you can taste both equally!

These may just be my new favourite pancakes, and with a certain peanut butter loving fiance's birthday coming up this weekend, I think I have the perfect excuse to make them again soon!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Pancakes

Recipe by Once Upon a Cutting Board but peanut butter pancake batter adapted from Food.com

Makes around 10 pancakes

Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Batter:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Batter:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

*note: feel free to replace the whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat

Directions:

Prepare the chocolate and peanut butter batters separately, but notice that the batters contain almost identical ingredients (the chocolate batter has cocoa and the peanut butter batter has peanut butter), so you can prepare them side by side, making it easy. Add all your dry ingredients to two separate bowls for the separate batters and whisk the mixture together, then add the wet ingredients to each bowl and gently whisk or fold just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Note that for the egg, you can lightly beat one egg then divide it in two for the two batters. Transfer the peanut butter batter to a squeeze bottle or a Ziplock bag with a small corner cut off.

Heat two large non-stick skillets over low-medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray if needed. To make the pancakes, you’ll pour the chocolate batter into a pancake then swirl the peanut butter on top because it’s a thicker batter. Pour chocolate batter by about 1/4 cup full onto the pan, then immediately swirl peanut butter batter on top. It will look something like this:

Cook for a couple minutes until bubbles form on top, then cook for one to two minutes on the other side, until cooked through. If you let the pancakes brown too much, it will hide the swirl, so you want to try to cook these over low heat, which may require a bit more time than usual. Repeat with remaining pancake batter; you will end up with more peanut butter batter leftover so just use that to make a few plain peanut butter pancakes. You can serve those in the middle of your stacks to help balance out the chocolate flavour.

Serve pancakes warm, with pure maple syrup if desired. 

Smoked Salmon & Avocado Egg Sandwich

As I mentioned in my last post, I got to spend several days in Seattle last week for a conference.  It was my first time there and I loved it - especially all the amazing food and west coast beer available!  I will probably do a separate post on some of the things I tried in Seattle later this week for those who are interested, so I won't get much into it here, but the one thing I ate the most of was definitely seafood! 

Without realizing it until later, I ate fish for dinner almost every night in Seattle, and even had it for breakfast one morning when I tried some bagel and lox (smoked salmon on a pumpkernickel bagel with cream cheese, red onion, and capers) in Pike Place Market.  Smoked salmon isn't something I eat too often, but I had to try it in a place that's famous for it, and it was really good!

When I returned home I had to make my own version of a smoked salmon breakfast sandwich!

It's harder to find good smoked salmon here in Southwestern Ontario compared to Seattle where it was everywhere, but I managed to find this sustainably sourced smoked wild sockeye salmon from President's Choice.  It was a bit expensive (like all salmon tends to be here), but worth it!

To make my sandwich, I replaced the cream cheese with creamy ripe avocado, left out the red onion because I don't like it, added some arugula for a fresh peppery bite, and topped the whole thing with a poached egg!

The salmon, avocado, and egg combine for a pretty rich sandwich, but I kept the portion fairly small so it wasn't overwhelming, and I found the arugula helped to balance everything out.  And obviously this isn't something I'd eat for breakfast every morning, but it made a great weekend brunch!

You could also add red onion for some crunch or capers and dill to brighten up the rich flavours, I just didn't have any on hand.  You could even leave off the egg if you want, but how can you resist that beautiful runny yolk!

Smoked Salmon & Avocado Egg Sandwich

Adapted from Cooking Light

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 large eggs
2 slices whole grain rye bread, toasted
2 handfuls baby arugula
Salt and pepper
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1.5 to 2 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon

Directions:

To poach your eggs, heat a few inches of water in a wide saucepan. Add a splash of white vinegar (this will help the egg whites stay together). Crack your two eggs into separate small dishes. When the water is just at the point of starting to simmer (but bubbles are not breaking the surface yet), gently slide the eggs into the water. Use a spoon to nudge the egg whites closer to the yolk, turn off the heat, and let cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes. Gently remove eggs with a slotted spoon.  Smitten Kitchen and Simply Recipes both have great tutorials on poaching eggs if it's your first time!

To prepare sandwiches, add arugula and avocado to toasted bread slices, season with salt and pepper, top with smoked salmon and poached egg.  Feel free to add some chopped dill, capers, and/or red onion if you like!  Eat immediately while egg is still warm.

Gingerbread Oreo Cheesecake Bars

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays!

I've been having a very restful and quiet holiday break so far, except for the fact that I came down with the flu a couple of days before Christmas, and though the fever and aches are now gone, I've been left with a nagging cough that won't seem to go away.  The good news is that it has forced me to take it easy so I've been doing a lot of relaxing!  Being sick put a little bit of a damper on Christmas but I still had a fantastic day with my family, who spoiled me as usual, and I got out of any cooking duties so I just got to enjoy all the fabulous food made by everyone else!

Another good thing about being sick is that I haven't overindulged on food and drink like I usually do this time of year, mostly sticking to a ton of water and tea in the evenings.  The one thing I probably enjoyed more than my fair share of though was these delicious cheesecake bars that I luckily made a few days before I got sick.

These were inspired by the limited edition gingerbread flavoured Oreos that I couldn't resist picking up this year.  I immediately decided to use them in cheesecake bars similar to the candy cane ones I made last year, but with molasses and gingerbread spices instead of candy canes and peppermint extract for flavouring.

I wasn't originally going to share these because I ran out of time before Christmas to post them, but I got so many compliments and enjoyed them so much that I thought I should share them now anyways.  I'm sure most of you are already past the gingerbread stage and perhaps not wanting to go anywhere near dessert right now, so if that's the case just be sure to save this recipe for next year!  Or maybe you can find some gingerbread Oreos on clearance right now, in which case you should make a double batch of these!

Gingerbread Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Adapted from my Candy Cane Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Makes one 8x8 pan, about 16-20 bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

23 Gingerbread Oreos

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

16 oz (2 bricks) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

12 Gingerbread Oreos, roughly chopped

*Note: You will need to buy two boxes of gingerbread Oreos to make this recipe, though you won't use the entire two boxes

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang around the edges to easily lift the bars out of the pan later.   Lightly spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

To make the crust, finely crush the Oreos in a food processor.  Add the cinnamon and melted butter and pulse until cookie crumbs are moistened.  Pour mixture into the prepared pan and press crumbs into an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then set aside.  Leave the oven on.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the sugar until well combined. Add egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing just until each is combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and molasses until just combined.  Mix in the spices until just combined.  Stir in the chopped Oreos.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cheesecake is set around the edges but slightly jiggles in the middle.  Sprinkle gingerbread quins on top for decoration, if desired.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool at room temperature for about one to two hours, then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours (I chilled mine overnight).

To cut the bars, pull the entire cheesecake out of the pan by lifting the foil edges, then peel away foil and slice into bars.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'll have to make this post short as I'm not feeling well but still have to do all my Christmas wrapping and last minute preparations before the big day tomorrow (which hopefully I'll be feeling better for)!  I just wanted to squeeze in one last Christmas recipe though as these cookies were probably my favourite thing I've made this season!

These cookies are inspired by a recipe I saw on Baked By Rachel, which I then went and changed almost everything about so I'm sure they're nothing like the original, but I absolutely loved my own version!  They're puffy but chewy, with a nice strong gingerbread flavour and just the right amount of sweetness from the chocolate chips.  I think these will be a new holiday favourite of mine!

I'd also like to take this time to wish everyone the very best of the holiday season, with lots of rest and relaxation, cheer and good times spent with family and friends, and of course, delicious food!

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Inspired by Baked By Rachel

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or electric mixer to cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the egg and mix until combined.  Add molasses and vanilla and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3-4 additions, mixing on low speed until each addition is just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover dough and refrigerate for several hours until chilled through – this is important if you want the cookies to stay thick and puffy.  I chilled mine for about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Scoop dough by about 1.5 tablespoons full and drop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Because the dough will still be quite firm, I pressed the cookies slightly at the top to flatten them slightly.  Bake for 11-12 minutes.  Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 1-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.  Store covered in a container.

Eggnog Pancakes with Eggnog Glaze

I can't believe Christmas is basically a week away and I haven't posted a single festive recipe on here yet.  I've been more focused on trying to get all my Christmas shopping done lately as I've had an extra hard time coming up with gift ideas this year and as it's looking now, I likely won't finish shopping until Christmas Eve.  Every year I tell myself I'm going to be more organized with everything Christmas-related but every year I end up with a TON of stuff to do last minute.  It's kind of part of the holiday rush and excitement though, and at least I usually get good deals by leaving my shopping so late!

I do regret not being more organized with holiday recipes though.  I had a lot of ideas floating around my head in November but so far I've mainly just been consuming treats that involve eggnog and Kahlua or Baileys, which you don't really need a recipe for!  Other than those soft molasses cookies I told you about earlier, these pancakes are the only other festive thing I've made this year.  And while I'm disappointed I haven't been doing more cooking/baking, I'm pretty happy that the one thing I made turned out so well!

These pancakes are light and fluffy with eggnog in the batter and a pinch of spices to give them a subtle eggnog flavour, but the glaze is what really kicks up the eggnog flavour so you're certain you're eating a festive (and slightly decadent, but not over-the-top) breakfast and not just regular pancakes.  So don't skip it!  

I already can't wait to make these again for breakfast this weekend, and to hopefully squeeze in some holiday baking before then!

Eggnog Pancakes with Eggnog Glaze

Recipe drew inspiration from several similar recipes, including Forkful of Comfort, Savory Simple, and SkinnyTaste

Serves about 4-6 (makes 16-18 pancakes)

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups eggnog (I used low-fat eggnog)

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or substitute half rum extract if desired)

For the Glaze:*

1/2 cup icing sugar

2 tablespoons eggnog

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

Directions:

First, prepare the pancake batter.  Whisk all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon) in a large bowl.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, eggnog, oil, and vanilla extract).  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just combined (batter will be lumpy).

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray if necessary.  Pour pancake batter by 1/4 cup-fulls onto the pan.  Let cook until bubbles begin to form and pancake is browned on one side, a couple of minutes, then flip and cook until both sides are evenly browned.

While cooking pancakes, prepare the glaze by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve pancakes warm with a small amount of eggnog glaze on top.

*Note: The amount of glaze should be just enough for a small amount for each serving.  The glaze is quite sweet so you shouldn’t want too much, but feel free to double the amounts for the glaze if you like.

Frosted Mocha Brownies

I love baking and used to bake treats all the time, but I can't even remember the last time I made a dessert before last weekend.  I actually don't eat dessert myself that often, but I like trying new recipes and sharing treats with others; the problem is that everyone I know seems to be on diets or trying to eat healthier lately (which is a good thing!), and there aren't really any big dessert-worthy celebrations in the summer, so I haven't had an excuse to bake in a long time!

This past weekend though, I had a sudden urge to bake something so I decided to stop waiting for an excuse and just make something to give away to the boyfriend's coworkers (after trying one myself, of course!).  I was in the mood for a warm and comforting dessert but wasn't quite ready to break out the apples and pumpkin yet (though now that it's cooled off, that will be up next!), so I decided to go with brownies.  Everyone loves brownies, and I had all the ingredients for these latte bars I'd had bookmarked for a while, so I went right to work!

The original recipe for these bars was called 'latte bars', but since they're made up of coffee and chocolate, and mine turned out much more like brownies than bars, I'm calling them mocha brownies.  They're chewy and dense and everything you'd want a brownie to be (i.e. not too fudgey and not too cakey - just in between), with coffee in both the brownie, frosting, and the chocolate coffee beans on top, giving them the perfect amount of subtle coffee flavour.  I topped mine with a cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream because I think everything is better with cream cheese!

I'm not a huge chocolate lover but I do love coffee and I loved these bars, and so did the coworkers who were kind enough to help me eat them all!  I know the pictures are terrible (it was pretty dark out when I got time to take a few pics), but trust me that these are way better than I've made them look!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Frosted Mocha Brownies

Adapted from Land O Lakes

Makes one 8x8-inch pan; can be sliced into 16-20 brownies

Ingredients:

For the Brownies:

1 tablespoon instant coffee (+ 2 teaspoons hot water)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

8 oz (one brick) cream cheese, softened (I used light cream cheese)

3/4 – 1 cup icing sugar

1/2 tablespoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Topping:

16-20 chocolate covered coffee/espresso beans (or more, if desired)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (I lined mine with parchment paper instead for easy removal after – use whatever method you like for brownies).

Prepare the brownies:  Combine instant coffee with hot water and mix until dissolved in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.  In another separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and coffee mixture until combined.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just combined.  Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 23-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Prepare the frosting: Combine instant coffee with vanilla extract and mix to combine in a small bowl.  Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.  Add icing sugar and mix until combined.  Add coffee-vanilla mixture and mix until combined.  Taste and add more sugar if needed (I don’t like it to be too sweet).  Keep frosting in fridge until bars have completely cooled.

Once bars have cooled, spread frosting over them (you might not need all the frosting), and slice into bars.  Top each bar with a chocolate coffee bean, or chop multiple coffee beans and sprinkle overtop.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Corn, Zucchini, & Goat Cheese

If you read blogs regularly or look at food on Pinterest, you've probably noticed at least a few recipes for cauliflower crust pizza before.  I've been seeing it all over the place for a while now and keep adding it to my list of things I need to try, but for some reason it took me until now to finally make it.  I admit I was skeptical that this was another fad that people go crazy for because it sounds good but in reality tastes disgusting (*cough*egg baked in an avocado*cough*), but I'm happy to report that this tastes as good as it sounds! (unless you think it sounds gross, like a certain boyfriend who shall remain unnamed, in which case you are wrong!)

If you have no idea what I'm even talking about when I refer to cauliflower crust pizza, I'll give a quick explanation of what it is.  Basically it's a breadless pizza crust that's made by mixing pulverized cauliflower with cheese, egg, and spices (if you like) to form a "crust" that is then baked and topped with any pizza toppings you like.  So it's healthier than pizza in the sense that there is actually some nutrition in the crust instead of empty carbs, but I should be clear that it's also not some sort of miracle calorie-free pizza because there is a lot of cheese in the crust, if that's what you're concerned about!

There are lots of different recipes for cauliflower crust floating around, but I used one from The Lucky Penny Blog (with a few small changes), which Jessica from How Sweet It Is recently affirmed is the best cauliflower crust pizza recipe around, and though I haven't tried any other versions, this one worked so well that I know I won't need to (though she does have a cheese-free version if you're interested in trying it)!

Making the crust is pretty simple.  You start by pulsing your cauliflower florets in a food processor until you get a bowl of fluffy snow-like "crumbs":

You then cook the "crumbs" in the microwave, let them cool, then transfer them to a towel to wring out all the water.  This is probably the most important step, as it will help make sure your crust stays together later.  You'll be surprised at how much water comes out - and you'll get a bit of an arm workout during the process!

After you wring out all the moisture, the cauliflower will look completely different and if you smoosh it together with your hands it should actually stay together in clumps:

You then mix in your cheese, egg, and seasonings (if you like - I added dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast for added cheesy flavour).  Then you pat the mixture into a pizza crust shape:

You'll need to prebake your crust, during which time you can get all your toppings ready, then return the pizza to the oven with the toppings, wait very impatiently for it to be ready, and eat!

I decided to keep my toppings light and summery with corn, zucchini, and basil.  Even though the air is definitely getting chillier around here, it's still summer and there's still lots of corn and zucchini available!

I didn't use a sauce or cheese except for the goat cheese on top, as there's already cheese in the crust and I didn't want this to be too heavy.  Everything worked so well together and tasted fresh, which I loved!

The crust was also way better than I expected!  It definitely doesn't taste anything like traditional pizza crust, so if that's what you're expecting then you'll be sadly disappointed.  Instead, it's chewy and flavourful and cheesy, and I think I actually might like it even better than regular crust!

Not that this will be replacing regular pizza for me as there's definitely still a time and place for that, but it's nice to have an alternative!

The only problem some people have noted is that the crust isn't super sturdy, so it can be hard to pick it up and eat it with your hands like regular pizza.  I found that I could still pick up the slices of pizza (see picture below for an idea - sorry it's so dark, I didn't think to take a picture until I'd already started eating), but because I chose corn as a topping, it was a bit hard to keep everything in place!  But as long as you don't mind getting a bit messy, it's worth it!  (and you can always eat with a knife and fork if you prefer!)

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Corn, Zucchini, & Goat Cheese

Crust recipe adapted from The Lucky Penny

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1 medium head of cauliflower

1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)

1 large egg

For the Toppings:

1 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

1 ear of corn, kernels removed

2 oz herbed goat cheese (or plain goat cheese)

A few leaves of fresh basil, sliced thinly

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop the cauliflower into florets (try to remove the stems).  Place in the large bowl of a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, just until all of the florets have been pulsed into very fine crumbs.  You should have about 3 cups of crumbs.  Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, cover, and microwave on high for 4 minutes.  Remove and let cool slightly.  Transfer to a clean tea towel (don’t use paper towels - they will shred), wrap up tightly in the towel, and wring all the water out of the cauliflower over the sink.  You will be surprised at how much water comes out!  Keep wringing to get as much water out of the cauliflower as you can – this will prevent the crust from crumbling.  Combine dried cauliflower with the cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and egg.  Mix to combine (I just used my hands).  Transfer to prepared baking sheet and form into a 10” thin circle.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-11 minutes.

Once crust has precooked, remove from oven and top with zucchini, corn, and goat cheese (you might not be able to fit all of the zucchini or corn kernels, depending on how big the zucchini and ear of corn were).  Top with crumbled goat cheese.  Return to oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with sliced basil, season with additional pepper if desired, and serve!

Note that this is best eaten fresh - it doesn't keep very well.