These are so good. They are more of a treat than a healthy snack but that hasn’t stopped them from disappearing from my kitchen in less than 2 days! Every time I turn my head another muffin goes missing. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Recipe adapted from Food52.

Makes 20 muffins

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk use just under 1/2 cup milk+1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp dark spiced rum
• 1/2 cup raisins, *soak in rum/vanilla for 1 hour before using
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 1 tbsp brown sugar+1 tsp cinnamon for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. in a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3. in a medium bowl whisk together the egg, pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, molasses and buttermilk.
4. combine the wet ingredients with the dry.
5. add the candied ginger and raisins.
6. stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
7. distribute the batter evenly amongst 2 muffin tins making 20 muffins.
8. sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.
9. bake for 30-33 minutes.

*Note: If you want to make this recipe into a loaf simply add an extra 2 tbsp coconut oil and bake in a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Thanks to Antiques on Queen  for the beautiful dishes used in this post.

So this sandwich is the s***. I have always been a huge fan of sandwiches but due to a sluggish metabolism I can’t eat nearly as many as I would like. I can however dream…..and that is what this beauty started as. I eat roasted veg every week. I love roasted vegetables and toss them in with most of my weekly dishes. Because I eat so many roasted vegetables I’m always thinking of new ways to incorporate them into my meals. The idea of this sandwich was just too good not to bring to life. Enjoy. serves 4

• 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced in slabs (remove the leaves, then leaving the core intact cut into 1/2 inch slices)
• 2 large red peppers, sliced
• 2 cooking onions, sliced in rounds
• 1 head of broccolini
• 2 small zucchini, sliced length ways
• 2 avocado, sliced
• 8 slices of jalapeño havarti cheese
• 8 slices of light rye bread
• safflower oil

Spice mix for veggies:

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 smoked paprika
• 1/2 – 1 tsp salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

For the sauce:

• 4 tbsp mayonnaise or vegenaise
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 tsp sriracha, adjust to taste
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• splash of worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp honey (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

To make -

1. preheat oven to 425.
2. brush oil on both sides of the sliced veggies (minus the onions and red peppers)
3. season both sides with spice blend.
4. lay on baking sheet. Bake for 25 -35 minutes flipping half way through (the broccolini and zucchini will cook a little faster, remove when nicely charred)
5. while the vegetables are baking drizzle some oil in the bottom of a medium sized pan and toss in the onions and peppers. Cook on med-high until caramelized, about the same amount of time as your other vegetables will be roasting for. Stir often.
6. make your sauce. Toss all of the sauce ingredients in your food processor and pulse until fully combined. set aside.
7. when your roasted veggies are done, remove from oven and set aside.
8. place your bread directly on the rack of your oven. 4 of those slices should have 2 slices of havarti each. remove from oven when toast begins to brown and cheese is beautiful and bubbly.

Assemble - first cover the bottom of the non cheesy rye with cauliflower. Now place in layers the zucchini, broccolini, peppers and onions and avocado. Slather the cheese covered rye with a generous amount of sauce and sandwich those beauties together. Devour.

And so the pumpkin recipes begin. This granola is packed with that yummy pumpkin spice flavour so many of us crave as the seasons begin to change. It’s great as a snack or try it for breakfast served with a little greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. This recipe makes a large batch. It lasts my family 2 weeks….maybe 3 depending on how much we eat per day.

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 2 extra ripe bananas
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp allspice
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of ginger
• 1/2-1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp coconut oil or safflower oil
• pinch of salt (if desired)
• 1/2 cup dried or candied ginger, chopped into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Place the banana, pumpkin, oil, maple syrup and spices into your food processor and pulse until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix together. Spread the granola onto 2 well greased baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir frequently or you will wind up with large chunks, and I don’t mean crispy good chunks…I’m talking about undercooked mushy ones. Bake for another 15 – 20 minutes (again keep tossing the granola around every 5 min or so breaking up any large chunks). Bake until granola is nice and crunchy/golden brown. Remove from oven. Mix with dried ginger then let cool completely before storing at room temp in an air tight glass container. Enjoy! *note: Feel free to swap any of the sun seeds for your fave nuts, try pecans or walnuts!

Recipe adapted from IT’S ALL GOOD

This week Poppy and I are staying with Granny and Grandad at a beautiful cottage they rented on Baptiste lake near Bancroft. We are loving every second of it. Since we were lucky enough to have been invited to join them for this week I thought it was only right that I offer to make at least a few of the meals. I decided on this dish for two reasons, number one being that I was craving a vegetarian dish, my mom cooks with meat a lot more than I am used to…not that there is anything wrong with that. I love my mom’s cooking. Number two being that I brought with me two of my newest cookbooks, The Vibrant Table and IT’S ALL GOOD. This recipe was inspired from it’s all good.

Serves 4

• 2 cups dark green lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 heaping tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 heaping tbsp whole grain mustard
• juice of 1 medium lemon
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• coarse sea salt ( any salt will do )
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 large field tomatoes, diced or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• handful of radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

In a medium bowl whisk together the mustards, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and toss until evenly coated. Set aside on the kitchen counter for a min of 30 minutes.

To serve: You can eat this alone or if you want it to be a more substantial meal serve over mixed greens and top with a poached egg and a side of country bread. Enjoy!

This beautiful cherry clafoutis has been on my “to make” list longer than cherries have been in season. Lucky for me I procrastinated long enough that I was able to snatch up a beautiful basket of Cherries at the local farmers market to use in this simple and delicious dessert.

Serves 8

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2/3 cup of sugar, divided
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp, almond extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups of cherries, pitted – you can leave them whole or halve them
• powdered sugar, for topping
• lemon, juice for topping

In your blender add the milk, 1/3 cup of sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour. Blend. Pour 1/4 inch of the batter into a buttered medium-sized cast iron skillet ( or any oven safe skillet ). Bake until a thin layer begins to set, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven cover with a layer of cherries. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar over the cherries. Evenly pour on the remaining batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until nicely browned and puffed.

To serve: Let cool slightly. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

*Adapted barely  from Julia Childs  Cherry Clafoutis

I came up with this recipe yesterday while brainstorming the millions of different types of tacos I could make for dinner. I just happened to have a butternut squash kicking around that needed to be eaten asap…and so the “pulled butternut squash taco” was born. This is another recipe in progress. Don’t take that the wrong way though, these taste amazing! I just mean I will definitely be playing around with it. I would like to make a healthier bbq sauce and maybe add a few tasty extras. So if you have a fave bbq sauce, feel free to swap it out for the recipe I used. Enjoy.

serves 8

PULLED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

4 cups butternut squash, shredded

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 large yellow onion, sliced in half moons

1 can of black beans, strained

safflower oil

BBQ SAUCE

3/4 cup ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1-2 tbsp honey

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tbsp mollases

1 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE BBQ SAUCE: Add all of the above bbq sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk until blended.

TO MAKE THE PULLED BUTTERNUT SQUASH: In a Cuisinart using the shredder attachment, shred the butternut squash. In a large pan ( preferably one with a lid ) heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shredded squash, peppers and onion. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes stirring throughout. Add 2 tbsp of water and cook, covered for 5 min. Add the sauce, as much or as little as you like. Add the black beans and cook for 5 more minutes.

TO SERVE: Warm taco shell of choice ( I used a soft corn tortilla ). Spread a layer of crema. Pile on some pulled butternut and top with avocado, shredded cheese and sriracha.

WANT TO MIX IT UP A BIT? TRY ADDING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR TACO-

-Shredded red cabbage

-pickled jalapeno

-Fresh diced tomato

-turn it into a breakfast burrito and add some scrambled eggs!

recipe adapted from a house in the hills

I love meals like this. It is such a versatile dish that can be taken in so many delicious directions. I was running short on time…and groceries… so this time I didn’t add a ton to this hash. Regardless of the lack of toppings my guests devoured it.

serves 4

. 1 bunch asparagus

. 4 medium russet potatoes

. 5 green onions, chopped

. 1 large clove of garlic, minced

. salt and pepper to taste

. coconut or safflower oil for frying

. Feta for topping

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, snap off the bottoms of your asparagus spears ( discard the bottoms ) and cut the remaining asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Chop the green onions. Now that the water has come to a boil add the potatoes and cook for about 10-15  minutes or until just tender. Add the asparagus to the pot of potatoes and let boil for the last two minutes. Once the potatos and asparagus have cooked, drain them and give them a quick rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool. Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces. In a large frying pan saute the green onions and garlic with about 1 tbsp of oil over medium-low heat. Turn heat to med and add a little more oil. Now add the potato, asparagus and a good pinch of salt and some fresh pepper. Saute, turning every 4 minutes making sure the bottoms are browning ( not burning ) If  the potatoes are sticking to the pan you can add a little more oil. Once the hash is looking good and golden remove from heat and serve! Top with a generous drizzle of chimichurri and a crumbling of Feta. Enjoy.

chimichurri

. 1/2 cup parsley

. 3/4 cup cilantro

. 1 1/2 cloves of garlic

. 2 1/2 tbsp shallots

. 2-4 slices of pickled jalapano, add more or less depending on how much heat you like or you can skip the jalapano if you aren’t wanting the extra kick.

. 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

. 3/4 cups olive oil

. 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

. 3/8 tsp salt

To make: add all of the above to your food processor and pulse. Alternately, if you do not have a food processor you can finely chop everything and then mix together in a bowl.

Want to mix it up a bit? Try adding any of the following to your hash

. top with a poached egg

. shredded chicken 

. sliced sausage

. diced tomato

. can’t forget a drizzle of sriracha!

I have been craving this particular breakfast for months now but every time I would go to buy granola my health conscious conscience got the better of me. It seems even at the health food stores granola has a ton of extra crap in it that my body just doesn’t need. I don’t know about you but I don’t want salt  + sugar in my breakfast….at least not all the time. In the end I finally decided to just get over my lazy self and make some granola the way I wanted it.

. 1 cup of oats

. 1/4 cup of steel cut oats

. 1/2 cup of shredded coconut (unsweetened)

. 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

. 1/2 cup of dried apricots, chopped into small pieces

. 1/2 cup of dried figs, chopped into small pieces

. 2 tbsp of chia, flax or hemp seeds (a mixture of, or you can use just one)

. 2 tbsp of coconut oil, melted

. 2 tbsp of maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 300. Dump everything into a large bowl and mix it together using your hands. Spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight glass jar for a week or two.

To serve: I have been eating this batch of granola with some plain greek yogurt and sliced pineapple but you can pretty much serve it with any fresh fruit!

*Want to mix it up a bit? Try adding any of the following to your granola

. sliced almonds

. walnuts, chopped

. pecans, chopped

. raisins

. dried cherries

I made this quiche for my beautiful bestfriends birthday potluck brunch. Sadly we had to leave before the party was over, to put Poppy down for her afternoon nap. Later that day I got a text saying both quiches were devoured! and as if that wasn’t enough of a compliment the birthday girl herself then told me it was the BEST quiche she had ever had!! along with a request to PLEASE post the recipe on my blog. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.

Recipe makes 2, 24cm round quiche tins

2 tbsp olive oil

5 medium cooking onions, chopped into half rings

16 oz crimini mushrooms

150ml  Guinness

2 cans of seamless dough sheets ( 1 can per quiche )

1 package of bacon, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces

300 ml double cream

3 cups cheese, shredded ( I used a mixture of swiss, sharp white cheddar and parmesan )

Pre heat oven to 395. In a large pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms, cook until softened but not browned. Add the beer and cook for about 20 minutes stirring frequently ( do not let the mixture dry out ) turn heat down if needed.

Roll out the dough and line two 24 cm round quiche tins. Use your fingers to close up any holes that may have appeared when placing the dough in the quiche tins…Make sure there are no holes in the dough!

Cover the bottom of the quiche with a thick layer of bacon. Cover the bacon with the mushroom and onion mixture.

Mix together the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese.

Pour over the quiche. Make sure the cheese is evenly spread out.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. If you notice the dough or cheese is browning too fast lightly place a piece of tinfoil over the quiche to prevent burning. Remove from oven. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

3 cups self-rising flour ( or 3 cups all purpose or whole wheat + 1 tbsp baking powder + 3/4 tsp salt )

3 tbsp sugar

1 12oz bottle beer of choice, I used guinness

1 stick (8 tbsp) of butter, melted and divided – trying to be healthy?….you can use 1/2 stick of butter (4tbsp) instead.

*if you want to dress this bread up a bit, try some herbs like rosemary and thyme or some crumbled bacon and 1/2 cup or so of cheese. You could also add a little heat to it with sriracha or some jalapeno peppers…..the options are endless and it’s so easy. Have fun and enjoy!

preheat oven to 350. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour and sugar. Add the beer. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Pour in half of the melted butter. Spoon the batter into the pan. Pour the remaining butter over the batter. Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

*note: This tastes amazing with a good slather of honey or served alongside your favourite soup or stew.