Sauteed Garlicky-Cabbage

Besides kimchi, this recipe is one of my favourite ways to eat cabbage. It's also super quick to make!

Sauteed Garlicky-Cabbage
(Serves 4)

What you need:

1/2 head of cabbage (sliced finely)
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
2 tablespoons parsley
1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Preheat a medium pan on medium low heat. Add butter to pan. Once melted, add cabbage. Cook until some cabbage becomes lightly brown, add garlic and parsley and  cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is slightly brown. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Maple Iced Almond Flour Cookies

I'm from the capital of maple syrup! Québec produces something like three quarters of the world's maple syrup. So my love for the sticky stuff is practically bred in me. And no artificial substitute for me, thanks! Maple syrup is pricey, yes, but the amount that is needed, and the flavour that it provides is worth it. Use maple butter to top pancakes, baked doughnuts, and whatever you think would taste awesome with maple syrup.

From left to right. Maple Iced Cookies, Snicker-doodles, and Coconut Cookies

Since eating "real" food my sweet tooth has been decreasing significantly. But when I do want something sweet I make these cookies. I also use the dough recipe as a base for other cookies (e.g., before pressing, roll in equal parts coconut sugar and cinnamon and you'll have an amazing snicker-doodle).

Maple Iced Almond Flour Cookies
(24 cookies)

What you need:

2 cups almond flour
5 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla (you could also add a vanilla bean here if you really wanted to get crazy!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons homemade maple butter (see recipe below)

What to do:

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with butter or with parchment paper. 
Melt the coconut oil in a glass dish in the oven while it's pre-heating.  Once melted, combine coconut oil, honey, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Add almond flour and combine. Roll balls with about a teaspoon of dough, placing on the cookie sheet. Use a flat cup (I use a mason jar) to gently press the cookies until they are about 1/3 to 1/2 inch. Bake for about 7 minutes. Wait a minute, top warm cookies with a dollop of maple butter, and then spread maple butter on the cookies one it has melted slightly. 
  
Maple Butter

What you'll need:

500 mL maple syrup (A grade will look prettier, while grade B will be more intense and slightly darker).

What to do:

Place ice in a large bowl and place a medium sized pot in it (this will cool the hot syrup).

In a really large pot (it can spill over real quick once boiling). Heat on medium heat until the syrup reaches a temperature of 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, Once ready, place in a large bowl filled with ice and use a smaller saucepan to use as a vessel for the hot syrup. Let this cool to 100 degrees F. Here's the "hard" part, you gotta mix the syrup (I used a wooden spoon) until it crystallizes, and this takes about 30 minutes. You can also use a mixer I suppose, but I kinda like it this way. You'll notice, after stirring for what seems like forever, that you all of a sudden have something creamy and thick. And that's it, right there, stop stirring and place in a mason jar (or 2 small ones).

Coconut Flour Pancakes

I can find a million uses for maple syrup, but I think one of the best ways to enjoy it is on some freshly made pancakes. Giving up wheat doesn't mean the end to fluffy pancakes for me though! I found a way, and it's delicious. If you have never used coconut flour before, you're in for a treat! It's gluten free and simply a great alternative to both wheat and nut flours. It's a great flour to use if you are avoiding gluten and if you are trying to limit your nut intake too. It is a bit pricey, but note that you do not need nearly as much as you would traditional flour as it absorbs a lot of liquid.

Make ahead tip: I sometimes keep some of the batter for the next day, that way I don't have to do much for breakfast except heat up a pan and cut up some fresh fruit. I can imagine that this would be great to make the night before a weekend morning too! Enjoy!

(Serves about 4)

What you need:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs (egg substitute would likely work here, but I haven't tried it)
3 tablespoons of coconut oil (or grass-fed butter, or ghee)
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons of milk (or almond milk, or coconut milk)
1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup, or coconut sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Coconut oil or butter for cooking

What to do:

In a small bowl, combine coconut flour, salt, and baking soda, and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, combine eggs, oil, milk, honey, and vanilla until well mixed. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, and blend well. Let this sit for about 5 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the ingredients.

Pre-heat a pan on medium heat. When batter is ready and pan is heated, add some coconut oil (or butter) and making sure that the pan does not get too hot, adjust your temperature accordingly.

Carefully place a tablespoon or so of batter for each pancake (if your batter is too thick, try adding a little more milk). Cook the pancakes until they are golden brown on one side, and then flip them over and finish cooking on the other side (about 2-3 minutes of cooking on each side). Be gentle with these guys, they are not as forgiving as gluten pancakes and may crumble slightly if the batter is missing moisture. And, unlike wheat flour pancakes, they don't "tell" you when they are ready by producing little bubbles all over. Watch for colour and smell.

When your pancakes are ready, give them some love! Add berries, cherries, peaches, pan-fried apples and cinnamon, bananas and walnuts, or whatever combination you can dream up. May I also suggest some maple syrup to top that off? Or possibly some maple butter? (Maple butter recipe soon to be available.)

Coconut Flour Pancakes

Coconut Flour Lavender Shortbread with Coconut Manna and Apricot Spread

Coconut Flour Lavender Shortbread with Coconut Manna and Apricot Spread (6 small cookies)

Sometimes I have an easy idea that becomes a little more complicated as I get into the execution. These cookies are a great example of that! I found an easy recipe for some shortbread cookies make with 3 ingredients, genius! So after making them once or twice, I modified them into this creation. I expect to have several cookie variations come from this recipe and would love to hear some from you!

What you need:

3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 tablespoons butter (preferable if from grass-fed cows, or coconut oil)
1 tablespoon coconut nectar syrup (honey is a good substitute)
1/8 teaspoon lavender flowers
1.5 tablespoons coconut manna (also known as coconut butter)
1 tablespoon apricot spread (I used a store-bought organic apricot spread that did not use any added sugar or artificial sugars). 

What to do:

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

In a small food processor, mix coconut flour, butter, and syrup or honey. Pulse until well combined.

Using a half-tsp measuring spoon, scoop out cookies onto baking sheet and create a small "well" in the center. Sprinkle the cookie with a few lavender flowers. Bake cookies for about 7 minutes (check them to see if they are browning too much at 6 minutes). Let cookies cool for a few minutes.

While the cookies are still slightly warm, spread coconut manna onto cookies, and then top with apricot spread. Let fully cool to ensure that cookies will hold.

Coconut Flour Lavender Shortbread with Coconut Manna and Apricot Spread

Thai-Shrimp-Cauliflower-Kale Curry

Thai-Shrimp-Cauliflower-Kale Curry

Thai-Shrimp-Cauliflower-Kale Curry (Serves 4-5 people)

At the market, I noticed some lovely wild shrimp ... and that's how this recipe started! Needing inspiration for a shrimp recipe I browsed my fridge and noticed cauliflower, a nice bunch of kale, and some cilantro. All great ingredients for a curry!

What you need:

1 lb of uncooked medium sized shrimp (wild, or raised "responsibly" if possible), shelled and deveined
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 onion, sliced
1/2 head of cauliflower
1 bunch kale (leaves ripped off ribs)
1-2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger (finely shredded)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 keffir lime leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1-2 chopped fresh Thai chilies, or 1/2 tsp thai red pepper powder)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 
Lime or lemon
sea salt to taste

What to do:

Heat coconut oil in a medium sized saucepan on medium-low heat until onions are soft and starting to become translucent. Add garlic and ginger, lower heat to medium-low. Cook until vegetables are softened.

Add spices to soften onions, garlic, and ginger. Slowly cook until fragrant. Add coconut milk and broth, bring to a boil and add cauliflower. Let the curry boil for about a minute and lower heat to medium-low. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add kale as the shrimp are almost done, and cook until the shrimp are fully cooked and the kale has begun to welt. remove keffir leaves. Salt to taste. Spoon in bowls and sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Serve with sliced lime or lemon wedges.

Chipotle Chicken Chowder

Chipotle Chicken Chowder

I've made this chowder several times during the past few years and it's become a favorite. The chipotle adds a little heat but not too much, adding flavor more than anything else (if you want more heat .. add more chipotle!). Do try this recipe! 

You may omit the chicken altogether, use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian and add veggies, I imagine summer squash, or some winter squash, adjusting cooking time accordingly. (Serves 4)

What you need:

1 chipotle chile minced (canned in adobo sauce) and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce

1 tablespoon coconut oil (you can also use extra virgin olive oil if that's all you have on hand)
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper to season (depends on broth purchased; salted versus non-salted)

6 cups chicken broth
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or one large sweet potato)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)

8 lime wedges
1 Avocado, cut into cubes
1/4 cup sour cream (optional) 

What to do:

Place oil in a large heated Dutch oven over medium-heat. Add chopped chile, adobo sauce, onion, carrot, celery, cumin, herbs de Provence, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to season. Cook mixture for approximately 7 minutes or until onion is tender, stir frequently. Next, add broth and bring to a boil. Once a boil is reached, turn the heat down to low-medium, heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Once vegetables are fork tender, remove the pan from heat and let it stand 5 minutes. Place mixture in a blender in several small batches and process until smooth. Return pureed broth mixture to pan. Add potatoes and chicken and bring the chowder to a simmer over medium heat. Let cook, uncovered, at low-medium heat 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cilantro (and cream if you are adding it) and simmer 5 minutes. Top with a tablespoon of sour cream, cubed avocado, and fresh cilantro for garnish. 

Serve with lime wedges. 

You could also add a few fine chopped tomato bits to add color.

Montréal Style Bagels

Montréal Style Bagel

There is something to be said about bread, especially when it's in the form of a circle and dipped in the topping of your choice. I am trying to be good with my eating habits. But there are times when I feel like would like to "treat myself" with some gluten.   
What you need:

1 1/2 cups water 
5 tablespoons sugar 
3 tablespoons oil (or butter)
1 (8 g) package dry yeast 
1 tablespoon beaten egg 
1 tablespoon malt drink powder or 1 malt tablespoon syrup (found at natural food stores)
4 1/2 cups unbleached white bread flour (maybe more ...) 
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/2 cup sesame seeds or poppy seeds, or both! 
6 quarts water 
1/3 cup honey 

What to do:

Combine warm water, sugar, oil (or melted butter), yeast (not instant), egg and malt in a large bowl until the yeast is no longer visible. Stir in salt and a cup of flour. Slowly add more flour until you have a soft dough (about 3 more cups). Knead the dough for about 10-12 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. The dough will let you know, you don't want anything too sticky or loose. 

Once you have a firm dough, shape in a round and cover with a bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Cut the dough in 12 pieces (I normally end up with 13 ... which works fine with me!!!). Roll up the dough, into a rope shape (about 10 inches) and wrap the dough around your hand to make the bagel. Seal the bagel together by pressing the dough and "rolling" it together, using water if necessary. Place the bagels on a sheet pan and allow them to rise for about 30 minutes. Start boiling the water in a large pot, adding the honey. 

Pre-heat oven for 425 degrees. Boil the bagels in the honey water for about a minute and a half each side. Drain the bagels and quickly dip them (ok smother them!) in your topping of choice. Place the bagels on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes, turning the bagels and then bake for an additional 10 minutes.