a breakfast bowl passion

Unless you are totally new to this blog you are by now well aware of how I feel about the first meal of the day. I am pretty passionate about it - because I am really ready to eat after a long night, it is nutritionally critical, and I just like the things I eat for breakfast. I tend to be a creature of habit (at least first thing in the morning) and love the comfort of familiar favourites for breakfast, so to add a new item to the lineup is tough. It means bumping an old friend or at least not enjoying it as often. One can only eat so much for breakfast!

Last month when I was in Vancouver helping with setting up LITCHFIELD I did not have the leisure to cook the old standbys. I was not in my own kitchen with my well stocked pantry right at hand and I didn't have much time to cook anyway but I still wanted/needed to eat a healthy and sustaining breakfast. This pretty breakfast bowl was born of that desire. It has quickly become a frontrunner in the favourites race. Fast and easy to put together and ultra adaptable it is the perfect breakfast for this (or any other) particularly busy time of year. It is loaded with superfoods and wise nutrition choices, tastes great, and is pretty enough to sit and gaze at …. if you have the time.

I like to use a combination of berries and another fruit (whatever is in season or on sale). Berries can be costly out of season but frozen berries work very well here and are almost always affordable. Sometimes I add chopped nuts but other times not. I like a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon most mornings but it is equally good without. The amounts suggested are what I use when I make a bowl for myself - you may like more or less of any one thing. Just to note: I do eat a hearty portion at breakfast time.

a pretty breakfast bowl

1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup blueberries

1/3 cup pomegranate arils (or half a pear chopped … )

3 Tbsp hemp hearts

1 tsp fresh bee pollen

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp cacao nibs

handful of broken pecan pieces

Layer the ingredients in a bowl, stir to combine, and enjoy.

a little almond chocolate mug cake

aka (almost) immediate gratification

At the end of the day, sometimes we take ourselves downstairs to the sofa in front of the tv and enjoy watching a movie. It isn't a daily event just a sometimes event. Most of those sometimes we take a cup of something hot to drink and enjoy that but other times we just need something else. We had that need the other night but having just returned from our trip there was nothing else to be had. But needs cannot be ignored (thank goodness!) and I remembered that I had been wanting to try a recipe that I 'pinned' ages ago. My memory of the recipe was that it was pretty immediate gratification for the kind of need we had and it turns out that my memory was right. Sadly although I was right on that score, the cupboard was bare of a few key ingredients. I was not to be deterred by such small obstacles though - a need is a need after all - and determining that a few substitutions could likely be successful, I carried on to happy (almost instant) gratification. 

There are recipes galore for 'mug cakes', the one on which I based my foray would (I am sure) have been delicious. One thing I know is that it was generous - the recipe for one would have been plenty for both David and I. What I suggest here is to share that amount between two mugs so each person gets their own mug cake, but if you are really hungry or have a huge need go for the gusto and have it all in one mug - it will fit but only just :) Part of the fun of this recipe is making one tiny little cake all for yourself ... in a little minute of time.

The changes I made were based on necessity - because I didn't have any Nutella in the cupboard and because I wanted to use what seem to me to be better choices for a few of the ingredients. Whatever the case the end result was excitingly good and immediate. In the excitement of needing I forgot that we were trying to do without the microwave but when I made the cakes again today I did half (or one mug) in the oven and the other in the microwave just to see how it would work. I am pleased to report that either option produces a very good result and the oven is still remarkably immediate. The choice is yours.

a little almond chocolate mug cake
( adapted from this little street)

3 Tbsp almond butter
3 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 egg
3 Tbsp coconut milk
3 Tbsp cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
4 Tbsp flour**
a healthy pinch* of baking powder, and baking soda
pinch of sea salt
two chunks of good quality dark chocolate

Put all the ingredients (except the chocolate chunks) together in a small bowl and stir to combine. Divide equally between two mugs and add a chunk of chocolate to each mug. We wanted lovely, chocolatey gooinessmore like lava cake than a cupcake; if that sounds good to you as well cook your little cakes for exactly 1 minute 10 seconds in a microwave oven or for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F in an oven. Let cool for about as long as it takes to scoop some ice cream  or pour a bit of cream onto the top and dig in. 

Simple, speedy, and absolutely fills the need.

*about 1/16 tsp
**I used my gluten-free flour mix for one trial, regular all-purpose flour for the other with equal success.

cauliflower soup with toasted garlic

If I had any kind of professional pride I would not be posting these pictures - but there you go, I am most certainly not any kind of professional, so no need for pride! Nevertheless whatever kind of pride I do have is smarting a bit. I don't know what was going on with my camera when I took the pictures - I did it so quickly just before we polished off the soup that I didn't check and now the soup is gone and the pictures are a bit of a mess. I really couldn't not post this recipe for such a small and selfish reason. As it was I felt a bit like I was holding out because this is almost as simple and genius a recipe as last year's broccoli-spinach soup, and I had made it 10 whole days ago. Without sharing. 

I didn't expect an awful lot from this soup. It had been one of those days. The day flies by, stomachs are beginning to growl, and there are no plans for what to fill them with. Not a one. And not an awful lot of anything very exciting in the pantry or fridge to get things off to a promising start. Just a pretty head of cauliflower and some fresh thyme. Not expecting much I didn't plan to share the result ... so no pics. But happy surprise! the soup was really good and there was plenty for another day when I could snap a couple of mediocre shots just as the light was fading.

If you find yourself with a pretty head of cauliflower and half an hour until dinner, consider trying this incredibly simple soup. Toss together a salad of greens with a bit of sharp cheese and some bright cherry tomatoes to go along with the soup. A light dinner to warm your body and soul, satisfy tummies and health.

cauliflower soup with toasted garlic
(from RealSimple magazine)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 head cauliflower, chopped
5 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot, add the sliced garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden - about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove and reserve the garlic slices.

Add the chopped cauliflower to the pot, give it a quick stir for a minute or so then add the chicken broth, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender (15-20 minutes) then remove the thyme sprigs - by this time most of the leaves will have fallen off and you are just pulling out the twiggy bits. Puree in a blender (I prefer an immersion blender). Top with some slivers of toasted garlic and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

mini pumpkin cheesecakes

In some families pumpkin pie is reserved, with love, for the Thanksgiving meal dessert. On the other end of the spectrum you have those who eat pumpkin pie nightly - or would - as long as long as it is 'in season'. My dad abominated pumpkin pie (I don't know!?) so I grew up in a family that absolutely never ate it. I married into a family that adores pumpkin pie. I guess my household falls somewhere in what I like to think of as a healthy middle ground. We enjoy a slice of the pie - or the many offspring and relatives of it - over much of the fall and winter, paying special attention at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This sweet little dessert is not a pumpkin pie. But it is undeniably related. Served in mini portions it is just perfect for filling up that empty spot that begs to be filled after a good meal leaving you comfortable but not tipped over into too full. You can feel reasonably noble as well - if you ignore the cream cheese and whipped cream - eating pumpkin and the healthy spices that dress it up. And it is just a little bite.

To make these gluten-free use a gluten-free ginger cookie for the crumb 'crust'. When I make it for our family I make some portions gf and the rest not. To distinguish one from the other I sprinkle a bit of the reserved crumbs on the top of the gf servings. This trick was born after I had made these and thought I would be able to tell the difference from the look of the crumbs. Couldn't really. 

mini pumpkin cheesecakes

16 ginger thins, crushed (I use Anna's)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
scant 1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
1 cup whipping cream 

In a small bowl combine the melted butter with the crushed ginger thins. Divide the crumbs into the bottom of whatever you are using as serving 'dishes'. (I used tiny glasses this time and have used the 4 oz canning jars also - both look really sweet.) Set aside.

In another bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, honey and spices. Beat until creamy and smooth. Drop the mixture carefully on top of the crumbs, dividing evenly among the glasses.

Whip the cream and dress your little cheesecakes with a dollop of it. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (at least) before serving.

chocolate raspberry clafouti

I am taking a moment away from my Christmas making (back in my atelier and having a blast) because you need this pure and simple, fast and easy road to chocolate bliss. Add raspberries and freshly whipped cream. Sigh and eye-roll. Purrfect. 

This is easily made gluten-free by subbing gluten-free flour. It works equally well. Because I try to stay away from refined sugars I used demerara and muscovado sugars in place of granulated white and dark brown sugars. If raspberries are hard to find (or looking sad at the market) cranberries are an easy, yummy, seasonal substitution.

chocolate raspberry clafouti
(adapted from Gourmet)

3 cups fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp demerara sugar
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1/2 cup muscovado sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Toss the washed berries with demerara sugar and let stand for 15 minutes.

Combine the milk, melted butter, eggs, muscovado sugar, flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract in a blender and process until smooth. Scatter the berries evenly in the buttered baking dish and pour the batter over top.

Bake until slightly puffed and firm to the touch - about 35 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven sprinkle with chopped chocolate. Cool to warm and serve with a generous dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream.

gluten-free buckwheat pancakes

December! Time for celebrating and feasting - we could start with buckwheat pancakes. Despite the many pancake recipes on this blog that would argue the contrary, I don't really like* pancakes all that much. But David likes variety and the weekend usually demands a change from the regular breakfast fare so I make pancakes. Because I don't like them all that much I am always looking for ways to make them more worthwhile. And so you end up with quite a few offerings here. Besides all that Eden and her kids like pancakes a lot. So what can I do? I make pancakes. Of course.

The options for gluten-free pancakes range from the sublime to the ridiculous and there are times when I swear to never try another one. Then I see an interesting recipe and ... here we go again.

These pancakes are so incredibly simple and delicious I was honestly excited. Whole grain and gluten-free and yummy, yummy, yummy. They are light and fluffy with more worth than your average empty pancake. Run out and get yourself some buckwheat flour, then make a hot stack of deliciousness.

I increased the buckwheat flour, decreased the brown rice flour, and didn't separate the egg as the author suggests you do. My pancakes were still very light. I say do it the easy way.

gluten-free buckwheat pancakes 

(from Whole Grains for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff)

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 large egg
about 3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted - or olive oil
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Crack the egg into a measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup, add the butter and maple syrup. Whisk together and add to the dry ingredients. Pour the egg/milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula just until combined.

Cook in a lightly buttered skillet by scan 1/4 cupfuls until dry at the edges and browned on the bottom, then flip and cook until done.

Serve with your favorite maple syrup and fresh berries. 

*I do like all the pancake recipes I have posted. Just to be clear. In fact, I like them a lot. Is that self-serving?

peanut butter & honey energy bites

Some people grow up on peanut butter and jelly (pb&j). For me growing up, the staple sandwich for lunches at home or elsewhere was peanut butter and honey. Several times on this blog I have bemoaned the loss of pb&h as I have made an effort to include healthier choices. Peanut butter and honey is not really a healthy lunch - pretty much everyone would be compelled to admit that there is a world of better choices waiting to be had - but as a treat!? Well! I think it is a fine treat. Especially if you add sunflower seeds, hemp seed, and flaxseed along with coconut and rolled oats.

The idea is not my own, just a few of the twists. To give credit where credit is due I was introduced to the recipe on a blog written by a good friend of my son's -  allie is always hungry. (Allie calls them no bake peanut butter oatmeal balls.) Allie saw a pic on pinterest and traced it to gimme some oven, a fun little blog. I was sold pretty quickly on trying this treat with the aforementioned minor tweaks and two days have seen two batches disappear entirely. No bake, gluten-free, all pantry item, 10 minute start-to-finish treats. Do it!

Allie recommends using a regular (read: not natural, organic) brand of peanut butter. I have only the natural, no added sugar or salt organic type in my pantry so that is what I used. Worked for me. Making these was a scoop of goodness for the 'bite' count, a pinch for me kind of exercise.

The very comfortable peanut butter and honey combo is entirely welcome in my tummy.

peanut butter and honey energy bites
(adapted ever so slightly from gimme some oven)

1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped kind of fine
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup hempseed hearts
2 Tbsp milled flaxseed
2 Tbsp shelled sunflower seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Dump every single ingredient into a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. 

Using a 1" cookie scoop make balls that you set on a piece of parchment paper. If you want, you can stop here. If you want perfectly round and smooth balls, give each scoop of peanut butter and honey goodness a roll between your palms and voila! Fini. 

That's it. really.

chocolate pots

a la Meinhardt's

I have obsessed over the chocolate pots from Meinhardt's in Vancouver for a couple of years. When I am in Vancouver I always, always plan a visit (quick though it may be) to Meinhardt's and rarely leave the shop without a little chocolate pot in my bag. I have tried a number of times to make my own chocolate pots but although I have made some yummy chocolate stuff nothing has been quite right. Not, that is, until a couple of weeks ago. And having cracked the code it is crazy easy. I laugh at myself for all the involved and chocolate-rich options I tried. (To be honest I haven't compared the original to the reinvention, bite side-by bite but I am happy with this.)

A few good eggs, a touch of sweet, some good bittersweet chocolate - but not a lot - a dash of cream plus a little bit of time. mmmmmmmmmm

I have made this a number of times. It is equally good made with honey or sugar for sweetening. The honey is recognizable as such in the finished pudding but that's not a bad thing. Try it either way or both.

Since Jonathon first introduced me to the seduction of Meinhardt's little chocolate pots and then pushed me to try to "make it at home", this one is for him.

chocolate pots

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar (or 2 Tbsp honey)

a pinch of sea salt

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped very fine

1/2 cup heavy cream,whipped

Combine the egg yolks, sugar (or honey), and pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Whisk together over very low heat. VERY low heat because you don't want to cook the eggs, just warm things up enough to melt the chocolate that you have chopped very fine so that it will melt without requiring a lot of heat. Check the temp frequently to make sure that you are not, in fact, cooking anything and when it is just warm remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature - which won't take very long since it was never all that warm to begin with.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy to soft peaks. When the chocolate mixture has cooled sufficiently, add about half of the whipped cream and whisk to combine. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spoon into 4 small cups or bowls. Refrigerate until firm.

baked cod with dill sauce

This is definitely comfort food for our family. It is another one of those super-simple recipes that  gets pulled out when time or tempers are short and dinner needs to be on the table tout de suite. I found the recipe in a magazine (long forgotten now) when I was a very newly married lady. It worked for two very poor and very tired university students and was popular with a tableful of toddlers and preschoolers. We ate it often all the way through soccer games and ballet classes and then another generation of university students. Now the grandkids love it and so do their moms because it is just that easy and yummy. All the ingredients are usually stocked in my pantry or fridge so it doesn't even need to be planned for. Just whip it up and  dinner is ready. 

This is not something that plates up beautifully but it sure goes down well. We always serve it with rice and peas. Always. Just works.

If you don't have sour cream use plain yogurt. If you are out of dill weed or chives, try another herb. We have used herbes de provence among other options. Any firm white fish is good. Double or halve the recipe depending on how many you want to feed - or if you want anything left for a lunch another day. This is that kind of dish. Simply easy and very forgiving. Like the best friends.

baked cod with dill sauce

4 small cod fillets

1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp dried dill weed

1 Tbsp dried chives

1 tsp sweet paprika

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Arrange the cod fillets in a baking dish that just accommodates them. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, dill weed, and chives. Spread over the fish. (There will be a lot of sauce but you will want it. Trust me.) Sprinkle with the paprika. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve over rice  - that's where the sauce comes in :)

no-bake salted nut bars

Every lunchbox needs a treat and this is a good one! Since I first made these bars a month ago I haven't not had some in my fridge. I have tweaked the recipe this way and that - liking each variation - but today's batch is by far the best. A little less honey, a little more almond butter, a little more salt. No big changes but such a big difference. 

Fast, easy, healthy and delicious. Addictive. Pretty perfect.

If you don't like or are allergic to one or another - or simply want a change - it is an easy thing to change this recipe just a bit using different nuts and dried fruits. Hazelnuts in place of the almonds, walnuts for pecans, dried cherries, raisins ... tons of options and potential.

no-bake salted nut bars
(adapted from O magazine)

scant 1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
6 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup hemp seed hearts
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Combine the honey, almond butter and coconut oil and heat gently (in the microwave or on the stove in a small saucepan). You don't want to make it crazy hot - just warm enough to melt the coconut oil and make it easy to mix together. Remove from heat and stir to combine. Add the sea salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix well. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (almonds, pecans, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, oats, and cranberries). Stir to mix well. Add the honey/ almond butter mixture (making sure that it is not hot - or you will have melted chocolate chips. I know this. Not a bad thing but I prefer the condensed bits of chocolate) and mix well.

Use an 8" strip of parchment paper (the width of a 8x8" pan) to line your pan. Dump the mixture into the pan, pat it into the corners and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until cool and firm. Cut into squares and enjoy.

These will stay firm at room temperature - unless room temperature is really warm - so they are fine (although softer) in a lunchbox. The backseat of a hot car produces a finger-lickin' sticky mess. I store them in the fridge because I employ all my will-power and don't eat a batch in a couple of days ... or an afternoon.

summer pasta

Driving homeward Saturday evening after a very full, really great day I was trying to think of something to make for dinner. Something really simple because I was feeling tired and lazy and  it was already past dinner-time. It also needed to be really yummy because I was not terribly interested in eating anything. At all. I was trying to convince myself that tomato sandwiches would be acceptable and was almost there when I remembered this. Honestly almost as easy as tomato sandwiches.

I really didn't plan to post this but after we had more or less finished eating - you know, the sitting at the table thinking about another forkful finished - David asked me if I was blogging this. I looked at the empty plates, thought about another forkful, and decided yup, I should. Because this is the kind of food that you just want to keep eating... like buttered popcorn.

You will really want to use some of the exceptional tomatoes that are abundant now, basil you just picked (or picked up), and the best olive oil you can afford. The sauce is uncooked but when you add the hot pasta  it warms the cheese and tomatoes just enough. For what you ask? Just enough. You'll see.

summer pasta

(adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

4 medium perfectly ripe tomatoes, chopped roughly

1 medium clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

5 Tbsp excellent olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup crumbled feta

340 gm pasta (I used penne)

Put the chopped tomatoes into a serving bowl along with the garlic and olive oil. Roughly chop the basil and add it to the bowl. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper and some sea salt. Crumble in the feta, give everything a gentle stir, and let it sit (on the counter) for at least as long as it takes to cook the pasta - or as long as 8 hours.

Cook the pasta just to al dente. Strain, slip it into the sauce bowl, and fold everything gently together until it is well combined. Serve immediately and when you are finished, try not to lick the plate :)

zucchini, corn, and basil orecchiette with bacon

A super-yummy, super-simple, and super-fast recipe that showcases summer garden classics. Hardly gets better than that - ever! I get ridiculously excited every single time I can use my garden produce. To make pesto from my own basil (an achievement - my basil rarely does well) and to use some of my prolific zucchini is double excitement. I only wish I could grow corn. Ha - better move to Taber for that!

I used fresh Taber corn - we are really quite justifiably proud of Taber corn here in Southern Alberta - I would encourage using kernels cut freshly off the cob but if that doesn't fit your day, use what you have or can get. This is good. The corn is sweet, the zucchini mild, the Parmesan salty, and the pesto adds zest. Make your own pesto or use canned. It's a meal for a lazy evening. Enjoy the last of the summer :)

zucchini, corn, and basil pasta with bacon

(from Gourmet)

6 bacon slices, chopped

1 lb orecchiette pasta

3 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

basil pesto 

shaved Parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet, stirring constantly, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling well-salted water until al dente. At that point remove 1/4 cup of pasta water from the pot and set aside. Add the corn and zucchini to the cooking pasta. It will stop boiling - that's okay. Cook for two minutes from the time you add the veggies. Drain. 

Put the pot back on the hot burner, add the bacon, pesto, and pasta/corn/zucchini mix. Add as much of the pasta water as needed to smooth things out. Season with salt.

Serve with shaved Parmesan and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Basic Easy Pesto (or use a 6 oz jar of purchased pesto)

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Chop the garlic, sprinkle with salt. Using the flat side of a knife blade crush the garlic and salt into a thick paste. Add the paste to a food processor along with pine nuts, basil, and 1 Tbsp of the oil. Pulse until finely chopped. While the machine is running add the remaining oil in a steady stream. Add Parmesan and pulse to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

curried quinoa chicken salad

Simple. Fast. And sort of addictive. This is the perfect lunch or light supper. Easy to make a batch and keep in the fridge, then pack to take for lunches at work (Jonathon?) Eden had some and figured she needed to eat it daily. I pretty much agree.

The 2 Tbsp of curry powder is not a typo and is in no way a mistake - go for it. Use walnuts if you prefer them to the pecans (I'm allergic so I always use pecans). If you don't like cilantro use parsley. I have given up peeling ginger (unless all I can find at the market is kind of old and tough looking) - nobody complains or even notices. I figure there has to be good stuff in the skin so why peel it off?

When we had this salad for supper one night I served it on a bed of mixed greens. When I took it for a lunch a couple of days later I skipped the greens and it was absolutely as good - just different. Either way. Choice is good, right?

curried quinoa chicken salad

(from 20 minute supper club, tweaked)

2 cups quinoa, cooked

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces

3/4 cup thinly sliced dried apricots

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp curry powder

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

Combine the quinoa, chicken, apricots, green onions, pecans, and cilantro in a bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk together the curry powder, vinegar, sea salt, olive oil, and freshly grated ginger. Drizzle over the quinoa mixture and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: if you aren't sure how to cook the quinoa you have two choices. You can cook it in a large pot of boiling water - a la pasta - and drain when it is just tender. Or you can bring 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa (in this case 4 cups water, 2 cups quinoa) to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off but leave the pot on the burner - still covered - for another 4 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork. Done.

raw chocolate macaroons

During my April visit to Vancouver Jonathon told me about some chocolate macaroons. He said they were amazing and I had to have some. uhummmmm. I must admit that although I love a good treat they just didn't sound that compelling. Not compelling enough to drive across town for one little cookie. I was sooooooo wrong! Last week we made that drive over a bridge or two and bought a macaroon for me and another for him and.... tada! first-bite quick trip to another dimension. I am publicly repenting my ridiculous judgement. The first thought I had after the 'oh my this is incredibly good' thought was that I would need to learn to make raw chocolate macaroons myself as the distance between Calgary and Vancouver is indeed prohibitive - at least when one is considering a single macaroon. Happily, they are about the easiest treat under the sun. Happier still there is a lot of merit in a single cookie. 

I chose to make my macaroons mini-sized. I was feeding some mini-sized people for one thing and for another, I feel more decadently indulged when I can have more than one. 

The macaroons were an unqualified success. Not too sweet but sweet enough. Richly, intensely, darkly chocolate. Absolutely satisfying. The perfect punctuation to a happy Sunday supper.

*update: upon reflection I figured that these would be better with more coconut oil - creamier -and a little less coconut. So I tried it and they are much better.  The changes are reflected below. The bonus is that you get more of the MCTs now! In order to form the cookies you will need to let the 'dough' firm up a little - about 30 minutes in the fridge should do the trick.

raw chocolate macaroons

1 3/4 cups fine flake unsweetened raw organic dried coconut

3/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp Himalayan sea salt

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and process until combined. (Or simply beat together in a bowl.) Using a scoop, form balls and put on a parchment lined tray. Freeze for about 15 minutes before serving. After the initial freezing, these can be kept in the fridge.

Note: I happened to have some exotic sounding coconut so I used it in an effort to duplicate as closely as possible the deliriously delicious treat I had in Vancouver. I also had the cacao so I used it. That said - these would be ridiculously amazing even made with cocoa and any unsweetened coconut. If  you can't find fine flake (and it can be a bit hard to source - and really isn't worth the effort) just process regular flaked coconut in your food processor until it is quite finely ground. The regular shreds wouldn't produce as pleasant a texture in the resulting cookie. I wouldn't use sweetened coconut though as the extra sugar would be too much.

And just so you know? the whole first batch was gone last night so I had to make another today. Of course.