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.

tomato pie

With field tomatoes and garden fresh basil so plentiful - and more importantly - so wonderful right now you need to make this pie. Today. Or at least tomorrow. The recipe was shared by my friend Toni after she served it to our quilting group months ago. I was immediately obsessed (and made it several times within a week) but I figured if it was that good with supermarket tomatoes what would it be like with end-of-summer straight-off-the-vine perfection? I can't compare with absolute authority (since I am not eating the comparisons bite side-by bite) but I am confident that I figured right. Of course, this is not low-fat or gluten-free but it is fresh and wholesome. A rich, melty, cheesy tomato pie is totally worth jumping off the wagon for. As long as you don't make it several times in a week. Ha!

I made my own pie shell but if you don't have time or simply don't want to, you could use a frozen pie shell. Aside from not peeling the tomatoes and using only a very good sharp cheddar instead of a cheddar/mozzarella mix, I made this following Toni's recipe faithfully. I did try once to cut down on the mayonnaise - and won't go that route again. 'nuff said.

Serve it with a green salad and consider dinner done.

tomato pie

(recipe from Toni Young)

4 tomatoes, sliced about 1/4" thick

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green onion

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 9" precooked deep dish pie shell

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the tomato slices in a single layer in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to drain for 10 minutes, then place the tomato slices on a double layer of paper towel, top with another double layer of towel and press lightly to absorb any excess moisture.

In the baked pie shell, layer the tomato slices. Top with basil and green onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the cheese and mayonnaise, spread over the vegetables. Bake until cheese is melted and top is slightly browned - about 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

blueberry cornmeal muffins

gluten-free

While I remain chained to my sewing machine David and Thomas are having fun with Deacon, Aubrie, Jane, and Theo in Waterton. A stop at Uncle Dean's to ride the horses and then on to eat, sleep, and play in the mountains. Throwing rocks in the lake (endlessly entertaining), bike-riding, hiking, picnics, swimming. 

A weekend in Waterton needed some yummy 'vittles' to keep the troops happy. Since neither of the men wanted to be in the kitchen much (who would when Waterton is on the other side of the door?!) and it was a good idea for the food to be easily grabbed and absolutely portable (four kids between the ages of 2 and 8) I made a batch of muffins for them to take along. The qualifiers also included  gluten-free, major kid-appeal, and at least semi-healthy. I had a big box of perfect fresh blueberries in the fridge so that factored into the choice as well. Usually I class blueberry muffins in the cake category as far as nutrition goes and to be honest these are not terribly far off that mark but they are made with a gluten-free whole grain mix, no refined sugars, and coconut oil. And of course, blueberries! So although these are not loaded like my favourite (or these) muffins they are a pretty good compromise. Plus they have the obvious advantage of appealing to people who really have no appreciation for the virtues of hempseed hearts, flax, and dates.


These came out of the oven and went straight into the food bag (aside from the one that I wolfed on the spot) so I have no reports yet from my small taste-testers but the one muffin I ate was pretty yummy and I wish I had been a little more selfish.


If you don't have buttermilk just sour fresh milk by adding a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. You can also use any other oil of your choice but I like the health advantages as well as the taste of the coconut oil - butter is always a yummy choice. I used coconut palm sugar because it is an unrefined sugar - if you wanted to use regular sugar instead 3/4 cup would be the amount. Or 1/2 cup of honey and decrease the milk to 1 1/8 cups. And finally, although I haven't tried it yet I am confident that you could substitute regular flour for the gluten-free blend cup for cup with good results.


gluten-free blueberry cornmeal muffins


2 cups (275 gm) whole grain gluten-free flour mix ( or your favourite commercial blend)
 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (75 gm) cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (180 gm) coconut palm sugar
1 1/3 cups buttermilk 
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment cupcake papers or grease thoroughly.


Whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted coconut oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until all the flour is mixed in.  Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Fill the muffin cups evenly and bake until the muffins are nicely golden and the top springs back when touched - about 25-30 minutes.

avocado pesto

For the second time in two days I was licking sharp things in the kitchen. Carefully but... licking something I really wouldn't want little people to lick. Not smart but this is oh-so-good! It was honestly exciting. We had been out and busy most of the day and David suggested something easy for dinner - like soup and grilled cheese. I explained to him that since we never have canned soup on hand, soup for dinner was actually a bit of work. I was on my own for ideas after that. Fortunately I had read a recipe in a magazine for avocado pesto that had taken my fancy. Unfortunately I couldn't remember which magazine. Fortunately it turns out that the idea was enough. In the end this gnocchetti with avocado pesto was at least as fast and easy as opening a can of soup and grilling cheese sandwiches. Better - way better - too.


It looks a bit odd, being lovely and gooey and green but my, my, it sure tastes good. And being so nice and green it is perhaps another contender for St Patrick's Day. I'd take it over Green Eggs and Ham any day.


I had a 500 gm package of gnoccetti on my pantry shelf that really loved being smothered in pesto. If you are gluten-free I would lay serious money on brown rice fusilli being every bit as good.


avocado pesto
(inspired by a mystery source)


1 ripe avocado
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup pecans
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt


Put all the ingredients in a food processor bowl or blender container and process until smooth. Toss with hot pasta.

lemon cream

What do you do with lemon cream? Why, eat it! By the spoonful, in a tart shell, smeared on a cracker, or plopped on a scone. This particular lemon cream is bright, smooth, and rich and so, so, good that I licked the hand blender. Yes, I did. At horrible risk to my tongue (and reputation). I had swiped a bit with my finger that was threatening to drip and of course, I had to lick my finger. One thing led to another and before I knew it there I was licking. Yup. But at least I unplugged the thing first.

The  original recipe (from Tartine) called for a full cup of unsalted butter. I found that to be too rich - a bit too much like eating butter. This comes from a confirmed and unrepentant butter lover (a characteristic all my near and dear can attest to and protest). That recipe also recommended using a double-boiler or bowl over hot water when cooking the 'pudding'. Being a lazy cook I determined to see what would happen if I simply cooked it over a low flame. I am happy to report that the sky did not fall - in fact, the result was lovely, smooth, and silky. I did stir it constantly but that was recommended anyway. Do it however you choose but do it :)

meyer lemon cream

(adapted from Tartine)

makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp Meyer* lemon juice (for me this was the juice of 2 1/2 lemons)

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of fine sea salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Combine the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a medium stainless steel pot. Whisk to combine. Place the pot over a low flame and stir constantly until the mixture becomes very thick (the whisk should leave a trail in the curd). This will take about 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times to release the heat.

Meanwhile, cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces. When the cream has cooled for 10 minutes scrape it into a bowl. Using a hand-held or counter-top blender, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition before adding the next one. The cream becomes very pale yellow, opaque, and quite thick.

Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container.

*I used Meyer lemons because I had some and love the spicy, floral note of the juice but regular lemons would work just as well.

simply vegetable beef soup

I had no intention of posting this. It is just plain ol' soup. But David loved it. In fact he raved. Well....what passes for raving. A bit of back-story here - David rarely gets very excited about anything I cook. If I ask what he thinks he usually replies with a cool and non-commital "uh, good". So when he gets even a tiny bit enthusiastic I pay attention. When he made three comments about how he really liked this soup, I noticed. When he said "You should blog this one!" I more or less puffed up my chest and polished my nails. 

I have been reading lately about the merits of cooking meat bone-in. Tastes better - richer and fuller - and the nutritional value of the end product is enhanced. Bones are after all storehouses of nutrients, not just racks for muscles and skin. For the last few weeks I have had a hankering for a hearty, healthy vegetable beef soup, so when I stopped at the farmer's market for a few things I added a package of beef braising short-ribs (from grass-fed* Alberta beef) to my bag. This soup is just what I wanted to eat - pretty, rich, full of flavour and meltingly tender morsels of beef. Loaded with goodness.

vegetable beef soup

500 gm of braising short-ribs

2 onions, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 cups water

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced

6 baby potatoes, quartered

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (19 oz) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp thyme leaves

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp)

5 cups fresh baby spinach, washed

parmesan for sprinkling

In a large pot (I use a large enamelled cast iron pot) heat a tablespoon of light olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the short-ribs. Add the onion, cook stirring for a couple of minutes then turn the heat to low, add the garlic, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Leaving the heat low, add water making sure to cover the ribs. Replace the lid and continue cooking on a very low heat for an hour.

With a slotted spoon remove the short-ribs from the broth and let cool slightly. Pull the meat from the bones (the meat will basically fall off) and cut into small bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the pot. Add celery, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring back to a nice simmer, replace the lid and cook for at least 20 minutes - or until the vegetables are tender. (Longer cooking won't hurt the flavour so if you want or need to leave it longer, don't worry.) Add the beans and cook another 10 minutes or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference. 

Just before serving add the spinach and stir until wilted. Serve with a tablespoon of parmesan sprinkled on each serving.

I once read that only the pure in heart can make good soup. I almost always think of that at some point in the soup-making process. Do whatever you want with that - but I aim to make good soup :)

*grass-fed (or pasture-fed) animal products -meat, dairy, eggs- are sources of vitally important and naturally occurring vit K2 as well as omega-3's. When you eat these products it is worth the time and money to source grass-fed. Just be respectful and don't over-indulge.

Waterton, wind, & pancakes

We spent two and a half perfect days in Waterton last weekend. The wind howled (like it pretty much always does in Waterton) and although the temperature was moderate for a Canadian mountain park in March it was still cold enough that I layered up like the Michelin Man before sticking my nose out the door of our cozy, quaint, totally cool cabin. Inside, we turned the heat up, snuggled into (sheepskin-upholstered!!) armchairs and read. Or talked. And ate. And then read some more. We watched the snow falling. All kinds of adventure. 

Blissful yes, but we decided to brave the wind, strap on the snowshoes, and see what we could see - or how we would do. Snowshoes and I are not very well acquainted but happily we got along just fine after I figured out that turning on a dime was not going to happen. The wind huffed and puffed and gusted and quite literally almost blew me down a couple of times. It was pure fun. Enough fun to go out again after lunch and snowshoe up the trail toward Bertha Lake. And then come home to curl up and read and eat and talk some more. Heaven!

For breakfast we had gluten-free flaxseed pancakes. Hearty, thick and fluffy. Crispy edges. Absolutely yummy. They are my current favourite pancakes - and satisfy enough of my requirements for a healthy breakfast that I look forward to them for special breakfasts. (I dislike eating - and will pass-up the nutritionally empty - all purpose flour pancakes drowned in faux maple syrup that too often pass for breakfast.) Topped with greek yogurt mixed with honey and ripe raspberries.... mmmwhaw!! 

gluten-free flaxseed wholegrain pancakes

(tweaked, from Gluten Free Girl)

7 oz  wholegrain gluten-free flour mix (about 1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp by my mix and scale)

1 oz ground flaxseed (1/3 cup)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cardamom

generous 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup soured* milk (almond, coconut or cow's - your choice)

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 large eggs

1/4 cup melted butter 

Combine the flour mix, flaxseed, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Whisk together the soured milk, almond extract, and eggs. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir. Add the melted butter and stir until everything is entirely combined.

Pour the batter into a greased (I melt the butter for the batter in the frying pan and scrape it out with a rubber spatula - leaves about the perfect amount of 'oil') frying pan. Cook until bubbles start to form and pop on the top of the pancake and the bottom of the pancake is golden. Flip and cook another minute or so.

Serve with yogurt and fruit, or maple syrup.

Serves 4.

NOTE: If gluten-free is not something  you pursue, feel free to substitute wheat flour. If you use white flour though, you will pass up the goodness of whole grains. And seriously? These are amazing with the gluten-free wholegrain mix. You'll love them if you give them a spin.

* 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar and enough milk to equal 1 cup.

butternut squash & chickpea salad with tahini dressing

You have to make this! Really.


I read the recipe for this salad in the current issue of Oprah Magazine. The title for the recipe sounded promising. Then I noted the contributor (Deb Perelman of smitten kitchen fame) and saw that she had found the recipe in Casa Moro, a cookbook from Moro - one of her favourite restaurants in London. I think highly of Deb's blog and recipes, and I love every single ingredient in the recipe, so I had high expectations for this salad. They were fulfilled. Absolutely. It is even better than you think it will be.


butternut squash & chickpea salad with tahini dressing
(from Oprah Magazine)


1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4" pieces
1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt and  freshly ground pepper
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the squash, garlic, and olive oil in a  large bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and a few good twists of pepper. Toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until just soft, 15-20 minutes. 


dressing:
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water
1/8 tsp sea salt


Whisk dressing ingredients together.


Combine the roasted squash with the chickpeas, onion, and cilantro. Add the tahini dressing and mix.


Simple and amazing.

broccoli-spinach soup

This soup is so beautifully, brilliantly emerald green that I really should save it for St Patrick's Day. But it is also incredibly healthy, zip-fast to make, and delicious so I really could not (in good conscience) be so selfish as to not share immediately. It's one of the best ways to get a good big dose of greens in one sitting that I have had in a long time.


I added  hot sauce and more onion to the original recipe - the hot sauce because it just wanted to be there, the onion for health. And it tasted better.


broccoli-spinach soup
(slightly adapted from Whole Living Magazine)


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
4 cups organic chicken broth
6 cups chopped broccoli
6 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp tahini
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sriracha  aka rooster sauce


Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to be tender, add the scallions and cook another 2 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook, covered, until bright green and tender - about 3 minutes.


Remove pan from heat and stir in the spinach, Parmesan, and tahini. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a hand blender, puree soup until smooth. (If you are using a counter-top blender to puree the soup, be sure to let it cool slightly first or you will be wiping down your walls and ceiling.)


Drizzle with sriracha and sprinkle a bit more Parmesan on each serving. Pass the sriracha - so everyone is happy with the hot :)


Note: this saved and reheated beautifully. Still bright and green, both in colour and flavour.

quadruple coconut muffins with dark chocolate

 

Quadruple coconut? Coconut flour, coconut oil, coconut milk/yogurt, and shredded coconut. Four different ways to get your coconut goodness. Just imagine all the yumminess to say nothing of all those medium chain triglycerides making you so healthy and smart .... or whatever they do :)


These are not beauty pageant muffins BUT .... if you could smell them? and then taste them? No contest! Absolute winners. They are richly, wonderfully, (healthfully), coconut-y. I made two versions; one gluten-free (because some people I know and love are living that way now), the second with a bit of wheat flour (because I know not everyone needs to live gluten-free and they deserve coconut goodness too). Which version is better? It's a tough choice. Both are moist and dense and totally addictive. I think I prefer the gluten-free - it is macaroon-ish (new word, yup) in texture - David thinks he likes the second try. But as you can see, neither of us is very sure which we prefer just that they are very worth eating. 


 gluten-free quadruple coconut muffins with dark chocolate
( adapted from Smitten Kitchen)


1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups Liberte brand full fat coconut yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup whole grain gluten-free flour blend
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup sugar*
1/2 cup dried, shredded coconut
1 cup good quality dark chocolate (chopped or chips)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers. 


Warm the coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan (or in the microwave for about 1 minute) just until it melts. You don't want it hot. Combine the vanilla, egg, and yogurt.


Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in the chocolate. Add the yogurt/egg mixture and the coconut oil. Stir to combine. The batter is very thick - more like cookie dough than batter (as you can see in the picture). That's just the nature of using coconut oil. It all works out. When you fill the lined muffin cups you have to kind of push the dough into the cups.


Bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when they are done. Cool on a wire rack.

quadruple coconut muffins with dark chocolate

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1 large egg

1 cup coconut milk (from the dairy case)

1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat flour**

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup sugar*

1/2 cup dried, shredded coconut

1 cup good quality dark chocolate (chopped or chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers. 

Warm the coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan (or in the microwave for about 1 minute) just until it melts. You don't want it hot. Add the lemon juice to the coconut milk and let set for a few minutes, then add the egg and vanilla and stir.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in the chocolate. Add the milk/egg mixture and the coconut oil. Stir to combine. The batter is very thick - more like cookie dough than batter (as you can see in the picture). That's just the nature of using coconut oil. It all works out. When you fill the lined muffin cups you have to kind of push the dough into the cups.

Bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when they are done. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: I make my own blend of flours. This is the mix I used. It can be substituted cup for cup for all purpose flour.


whole grain gluten-free flour mixture
200 gm brown rice flour
150 gm sorghum flour
50 gm almond flour
50 gm potato flour
250 gm sweet rice flour
150 gm arrowroot
150 gm potato  starch


*You can use an equal amount of coconut palm sugar for a lower GI sweetener that is un refined, or an equal amount of honey if you prefer. Either will work. 


**I recently found this flour and was pretty excited about it. It is delicious and a very healthy alternative but you could easily use regular whole wheat flour or even plain old all-purpose flour if that's what you have or prefer.

goma sauce with asparagus fried rice

This is a very considered choice - putting the sauce before the dish. You need to know right from the start that this sauce is no supporting actor but indeed has the starring role. The asparagus fried rice is good and fine but when the sauce is added? mmmwhaw! This virtuosity owes everything to the fine flavour of goma aka sesame seed. Simple and fast to make this sauce improves salad as well as fried rice.

Sesame seeds are more than simply tasty - they are loaded with minerals (primarily calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc) as well as Vit B1 and some good ol' fiber. Amazing fact: 1/4 cup of raw sesame seed provides more calcium than 1 cup of milk. While I know that it is unlikely you will be eating even 1/4 cup of sesame seed a day, it still shows that this seed is pretty loaded with calcium, and getting these important minerals is critical to good health. So eat your minerals!

goma sauce

1/4 cup tahini

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 tsp roasted sesame oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp hot water

Combine all the ingredients in a small-ish bowl and whisk together. Serve drizzled over asparagus fried rice. Saves well for a week in the fridge.

asparagus fried rice

(adapted from Spilling the Beans)

1 (19 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1" pieces (roughly 1/2 lb)

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 tsp sea salt

 1/4 cup chopped almonds (for topping)

1 Tbsp coconut oil

Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the chickpeas are golden. Add the garlic and salt and continue to cook until the chickpeas are becoming crispy. Remove from pan and put aside.

Add the onion to the pan (with a bit more coconut oil if needed). Cook until golden. Add the asparagus, cover and cook for a couple of minutes - until the asparagus is bright green and just softened. Remove from the pan and add to the chickpeas.

Add another tsp or so of coconut oil to the pan and then add the rice. (You can use leftover rice if you have it but we never have enough rice leftover to make a decent sized batch of fried rice so now I just always use freshly cooked rice. Nobody has complained yet.) Toss the rice around a bit for a minute or two, so it starts to brown. Add the chickpeas, onions, and asparagus. When everything is well mixed and warmed through, you're ready to serve.

Divide the fried rice into bowls, drizzle with the goma sauce, and top with a sprinkle of chopped almonds. Pass more sauce at the table.

One of the things I like best about fried rice is having enough left for a bowl for my lunch the next day. A bowl of rice, some quiet, and a good book to enjoy while I munch. Heaven.

hazelnut hot chocolate

When you make your own homemade 'nutella' you can use some of the delicious stuff to make a cup of amazing hazelnut hot chocolate. Just heat a cup of milk and stir in a generous spoonful of the nutella. Voila! Easier than a mix. Smells like heaven. Tastes even better than that. I used coconut milk (my fav 'So Delicious' from the dairy case) but you could use whatever milk you like to drink. It simply can't be less than wonderfully decadent.