Ontario Black Cherry, Feta, & Arugula Salad

The time for Summer salads is here! One of my favourite ways to utilize the abundance of fresh fruits over the summer months in Ontario is with beautiful summer salads, and I'm not just talking about fruit salads! I adore the way the flavours of fresh and juicy Ontario fruits play against the peppery heat from arugula, and either a salty bite of feta cheese, or a creamy taste of fresh mozzarella or burrata. These types of salads are uncomplicated, while still being interesting, beautiful (both visually and in it's flavour!), and are just so damn delicious you'll want to enjoy one every day!

I'm not including an exact recipe here, instead choosing to give you a guideline, as summer salads are all about utilizing what you already have on hand. This recipe was inspired by a big ol' bag of fresh Ontario cherries that I wanted to eat for more than just dessert and snack. While mixed greens are an easy option to have on hand in the summer months, I opt for keeping arugula in my crisper, as I find that peppery hit to be a more exciting contrast from the sweet flavours from the fruit. With sunflower seeds already on hand in my cupboard, I chose to sprinkle a few of those over for some crunch, but I actually think pumpkin seeds (sometimes labelled as pepitas) would be an ideal seed for this dish. Play around with whatever fruits, produce, nuts, and seeds you have in your kitchen or in your garden and find a summer salad that suits your tastebuds! Let me know what creation you've made by telling me about it in the comments, or sending me a pic through Instagram (you can find me @gingerrosefood). Looking forward to seeing your summer salad creations!

Note: I have not included specific measurements, as I encourage you to work with what works for you!
Ingredients:
arugula
pea shoots
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Ontario black cherries, pitted and cut in half
feta cheese
salted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
fresh ground pepper
Maldon Salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl lightly drizzle the arugula and pea shoots with olive oil and balsamic. Toss together gently with your fingertips. Place along serving dish (I like to use a platter as opposed to a bowl so the other ingredients don't fall to the bottom).
2. Top the dressed greens with cherries, feta cheese, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, fresh ground pepper, and Maldon Salt. Serve immediately.

Listening To:

Summer Games - Drake

Raw Shaved Asparagus Salad Two Ways

Being such a food-focused province, the winter months have a way of taking its toll on us Ontarians, having to endure months and months of minimal options and repetition when it comes to local produce. There's no better sight than the first discovery of local asparagus at the market, as it has become a signifier for the beginning of Spring and all of the seasons big, fresh flavours for Ontarians.

With asparagus at its peak in the Spring, there's no better time to turn off the heat and play around with different raw preparations for this healthy and flavourful green. Serving asparagus raw allows its true flavours to shine through, as well as taking advantage of its fantastic  crunchy texture. This recipe lets asparagus act as the star, dressing it in a light vinaigrette that highlights asparagus's natural flavours, without overwhelming it. More than that, this recipe gives you the option of serving the salad two ways; standing along, garnished with pistachios and parmesan cheese, as a light accompaniment to lunch or dinner; or as an appetizer, using it as a topping for goat cheese crostini.

This article was originally posted in Fredi Magazine. CLICK HERE to check out the spread!

Tip: Save any remaining dressed salad to add into an omelette the next day!

Ingredients:
2 lb thick asparagus spears, trimmed & peeled into ribbons
Salad Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp mint, cut into very fine ribbons
salt and pepper to taste
Salad
2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios, lightly toasted
shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish
Crostini
8-10 thin slices baguette, cut on a bias
olive oil
about 1/2 cup goats cheese

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, and mint, and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, add asparagus ribbons. Add 3/4 of dressing and toss. Taste, and add remaining dressing as needed. 
3. Divide salad in half. Plate half garnished with pistachios and parmesan cheese shavings and serve as a salad.
4. Use the remaining half of the salad for topping the crostini. Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil and lightly toast or grill. Spread evenly with about 1-Tbsp. goats cheese each, and top evenly with remaining asparagus salad. Serve immediately. 

Listening To:

Kendrick Lamar - Loyalty 

Arugula & Egg Salad Crostini & How To Get Excited About Choosing "Yes" Foods

You know how every few months I go on a "health-kick" and write about 3-5 posts on my new healthy lifestyle, just to post about how I gorged on pie right after? Yeah, I'm right in the middle of one of those. 

While this may seem to be just another repeat of the same somewhat toxic pattern of healthy vs. unhealthy eating that I've gone through more times than I can count, what sets this time apart is my expectations of myself and my perspective. Previously whenever I would begin a new health kick, I would start by cutting out the bad foods, the foods that were absolute no-no's for my new diet. That, my friends, would be mistake number one. Instead of taking the time to focus on the "no" foods, I should have changed my perspective to get excited about all of the vibrant and flavourful "yes" foods that I was opening up my palate to! How could I ever expect to keep up a healthy diet with such a negative perspective? The trick I've found is to find new ways to get excited about all of those yes foods! 

So how does one get excited about clean eating? I mean, kale and lentils aren't exactly the most thrilling ingredients on paper, so what can we do to encourage ourselves to reach for ingredients that aren't hanging out at the "cool table" as opposed to the easy, ready-to-eat, big flavour bombs that can satisfy in seconds? I believe that for many people, myself included, the key to getting excited about healthy eating is all about convenience and building flavour. 

The only way that I can keep up a healthy diet is by having healthy, flavour-building ingredients right at my fingertips every single day. Sure, that maybe means taking an extra trip to the grocery store each week to stock up on fresh items like leafy greens, fruit, vegetables, and protein, but there are also so many other ingredients that you can keep  for months in your pantry or your freezer that can help to layer flavour for healthy meals and snacks. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, coconut, oils, dried herbs,  spices, mustards, and more are all fantastic ingredients for adding a big punch of flavour and texture to a dish in mere seconds! 

I like to take the time at the start of each week to toast up a batch of mixed nuts and coconut to store in airtight containers to have on hand all week to dress up salads, yogurt and chia seeds bowls, soups, stir-fry's and more! Think about it, are you really going to choose a plain mixed green salad that will still take at least seven-minutes to prepare over a juicy and hot burger that you can pay $1.99 for and have ready in less than 2-minutes? If you have those healthy and flavourful ingredients prepped and on hand that can turn that bland mixed green salad into something spectacular, you just might! My go-to quickie salad has become greens tossed in a homemade dressing (prepped in advance) with toasted mixed nuts, dried cranberries and figs, homemade croutons (prepped in advance) and some sort of fruit (apples, mandarin oranges, and berries are all great options!).

This weekend when a late afternoon hunger storm hit my belly, I was tempted to rush out and grab my favourite $2.99 bacon and cheddar perogies with sour cream at the local Hungarian takeout joint. Just as I was about to reach for my coat to give in to the temptation of sautéed bacon, potatoes, and onions, I remembered all that prep I had previously done in the week and realized that I already had a fantastic lunch in the works! With pre-boiled eggs in the fridge, as well as some arugula, and green onions, I could see how easily I could have a delicious lunch ready in less time than it would take me to go out and purchase pre-made perogies. No, an egg salad sandwich doesn't sound as appetizing as bacon and cheddar perogies slathered with sour cream, but an an egg salad crostini with Koslik's Triple Crunch Mustard, and green onions, topped lightly dressed arugula, extra virgin olive oil, fresh-cracked pepper, and Maldon salt sounds pretty freaking wonderful if you ask me! Again, it's all about building the flavour! 

I began with delicious Prince Edward County Rye bread and spread some rich grass-fed butter on top to prevent any sogginess from the egg salad. The egg salad was seasoned to perfection with more than just salt and pepper, but with Koslik's Triple Crunch Mustard, mayonnaise, and green onions. The arugula garnish was given the same amount of care as the rest of the dish, by being tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette (literally just lemon and olive oil with salt and pepper). The whole dish was finished off with a little bit more fresh cracked pepper, Maldon Salt (a crystallized finishing salt that provides both texture and a "clean" salt flavour), and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. As you can see, this dish is all about building flavour on flavour, and texture on texture, which makes the final result irresistible, satisfying, and positively delicious! Perogies who? Sorry, forgot all about those potatoes and bacon, this crostini is just too good! 

Listening To:

Formation - Beyoncé

Campbell's Summer Grains

Kelsey Brown of the food blog Happy Yolks

Writing a food blog has it's perks. I have to admit, it feels pretty damn cool to get to sit in media lounges with free wifi and swag; mingle with some of Toronto's top chefs; get to try products before they hit the market; have friends and acquaintances tell me I inspired them to cook something; the list goes on! Yes, there are some wonderful perks, but with any perks in life always comes the downside. My friends always tell me how cool it is that I get invited to so many interesting events in Toronto, and yes, "interesting" is the word to use. Sure, there are some events that are wonderful, educating me and allowing me to meet new and insightful people, but unfortunately for the most part most "media" events kind of suck. 

Fresh Apricot, Jalapeno, Mint Quinoa Salad

The problem with media events is the same problem I had in University, they make you feel like "just a number". They really don't give a crap who you are, other than the fact that you offer them free exposure. To many big companies they look to us bloggers and see "tweets," "Facebook posts." "blog posts," FREE! To sum it up, they basically want to use you. They don't really care about progressing their own brand and learning, or having the blogger walk away with something truly valuable, and the most unfortunate part of that is that many bloggers blog with that very goal in mind. My apologies for my candor, but many bloggers really just want free shit. So you can imagine my skepticism each time I am invited to a "blogger" or "media" event. Why do I continue going you ask? You're not the first. It's just apart of the gig, and despite the bad taste in my mouth that I often walk away with, networking is a very important aspect of trying to get into this very small, but growing industry. 

I felt that same uneasy skepticism about a month ago, as I walked to the St. Lawrence Market Kitchens to participate in Campbell's Canada's Summer Grains Series. How can you blame a gal with a big name like Campbell's on the event, and a young American food blogger as the host? The moment I walked up to the large kitchen doors, the PR team received their first point. Without so much as extending my hand, the PR rep already knew my name, knew my blog, and knew that I am currently in culinary school. Someone did their homework. I was impressed. I walked into the spacious kitchens, surprised that I had not been in this beautiful space as of yet, seeing as I am at St. Lawrence Market almost every weekend. I was greeted by more PR reps, Campbell's reps, and servers who offered me a selection of different spa waters while I mingled with arriving guests. The event scored their second point with me when I saw the attendees. I was apart of a small group of strong, independent woman, most of whom are recipe developers as well, and have already found some success in the industry. I couldn't help but smile knowing that I was selected to be apart of this intimate group. 

Just like me, one of Kelsey's favourite tools in the kitchen is her rasp

Point number 3: I met Kelsey from the blog Happy Yolks. Kelsey would be the American food blogger that Campbell's shipped in from Colorado to develop seven super grain recipes featuring Campbell's broths, as well as host the event. It was the mention of Kelsey in the invite that had me feeling like I was walking into another one of those "bad taste in my mouth" events. I pictured just another freebie-grabbing, disingenuous blogger talking at us for an hour. Had I read Kelsey's blog prior to the event, I would have known just how wrong I was. Oh, how thankful I was that I was so very wrong. Kelsey is one of those women that can light up an entire room with her positive energy, and boy did she ever. I think all of us were completely entranced by this successful, young woman (Kelsey's blog Happy Yolks was one of the finalists in the Best Cooking Blog category in the 2013 Saveur: Best Cooking Blog Awards), who was so incredibly down-to-earth, charming, talented, and made us feel as though we were just hanging out in a friends kitchen. Though she was younger than I, I had found a new inspiration in Kelsey. Kelsey's passion for cooking was clear in her delivery, as she demonstrated how to make three of the seven recipes she had developed for Campbell's. 

"It was SO refreshing to work with talented and inpsiring women who are less interested in the BUY BUY BUY message and focus on the LET'S ALL EAT WELL message." - Kelsey Brown of Happy Yolks, describing why she took part in Campbell's Summer Grains Series

Point number 4: The recipes rocked. With one summer grain side for every day of the week, I could actually see myself making each and every one of the beautifully colourful and flavourful recipes that Kelsey had created, featuring ancient grains and Campbell's. Having been previously out-of-the-loop when it came to ancient grains, other than the oh-so-popular quinoa of course, it was really beneficial for me to learn just how simple it is to prepare these different healthy grains. What really caught my attention was learning how easily digestible and healthy ancient grains are. Although I have had issues with digesting gluten and wheat in the past, that hasn't stopped me from eating all of my favourite carb-heavy foods. So learning about how I could substitute ancient grains for many of the hard-on-the-body grains that I was familiar with, was wonderful for me. 

Farro Caprese Salad

Although I truly enjoyed all of the summer sides that Kelsey had created, you must know by now that I always have my favourites. My first standout summer grain side was the Fresh Apricot, Jalapeno, Mint Quinoa Salad, and was actually the first recipe of the day that I chose to recreate in my own kitchen. I loved how simple this recipe was to make, as well as the contrast of the sweet and juicy apricots with the spicy bites of jalapeno, and the bright and fresh tasting mint. My second standout of the day was Roasted Spring Carrots Over Herbed Kamut with Horseradish Yogurt Sauce. I really liked the almost "al-dente" bite that the kamut gave to the dish, allowing it to standup to the zesty horseradish flavour and the texture of the whole roasted carrots. I also appreciated that Kelsey chose to utilize the slightly-bitter carrot top greens by incorporating that into the dish. My third standout was Shaved Fennel, Orange, Candied Pecans, and Toasted Millet. The slices of orange added a fantastic juicy freshness to the dish, and was a wonderful accompaniment to the crunchy and sweet candied pecans, and balanced by the thinly sliced fennel and red onion. It's also worth noting, that this was also the most beautifully-plated of all the dishes.

I was so glad that my initial skepticism didn't keep me away from this event. It's well-planned and executed events like this that restore my faith in this crazy food blogging scene that I've found myself in. I now have seven easy, go-to recipes that I can make for myself as well as for entertaining, that I know will leave me and my guests satisfied and happy, not to mention I walked away feeling so incredibly inspired by this bright new blogger. I encourage you to find your favourite Campbell's Summer Grain side to recreate in your own home, as well as check out Kelsey's blog Happy Yolks for yourself. I'm not just saying this, but Happy Yolks has actually become one of my new favourite blogs thanks to Kelsey's beautifully written and insightful posts, gorgeous photography, and unique recipes. I'm in the middle of a bit of a soul-searching expedition at the moment, laying awake each night wondering "who am I?", "what do I want?", "where do I want to go?" and Kelsey's blog was just the answer I needed to guide me through this confusing, yet thrilling faze of my life. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did. 

Kelsey's Fresh Apricot, Jalapeno, Mint Quinoa Salad recipe recreated in my own kitchen

• Check out the seven Summer Grain recipes that Kelsey developed for Campbell's Canada here.

• Check out Kelsey's gorgeous blog Happy Yolks here.  

Listening To:

Ed Sheeran - No Diggity vs. Thrift Shop (Kygo Remix)

Market Inspired: Caprese Salad

Is there a more perfect sight in the world than a farm fresh, colourful, spontaneously placed caprese salad? Is there a more perfect taste? If there is, I've certainly never seen it or tasted it. With the first of the colourful, multi-sized, farm fresh tomatoes finding their way into local farmers' markets, I've found myself more and more taken by the vibrant, bright colours and big, sweet, and juicy flavours from Ontario's most loved savoury fruit. My newfound love for the humble, Ontario-grown tomato has me so utterly smitten, that I was even moved to change the header on my webpage to reflect this new inspiration. I recently shared a quote that summed up the experience of eating a farm-fresh tomato perfectly: 

"It's difficult to think of anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

It's true. Not one bitter thought could permeate the blissful barrier of flavour that tomatoes welcome upon biting into. With dancing, colourful tomatoes on my brain last week at the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market, it was an absolute must for me to stop by the Cookstown Greens tent to chat with my new friend John about all the different varieties of tomatoes we are now beginning to see in our province. There was no doubt that I was walking home with a bag of those red, orange, yellow, and purple balls of perfection, to be utilized in the only way I could imagine, paired with Monforte Dairy Water Buffalo Fresco Cheese (similar buffalo mozzarella, but more crumbly and absolutely divine!) as apart of a simple caprese salad. Toss in my best quality olive oil that I got from an olive press in the Golan Heights in Israel, some leaves of fresh basil growing on my kitchen windowsill, and finish it off with a generous turn of fresh cracked pepper, and one of the most perfect sights and tastes in the world (no hyperbole here) is complete. 

Visit the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market webpage to learn more about our growing community market.

Note: I have not provided the quantity of each ingredient, as it is really not needed. When preparing, just remember that each bite should contain every ingredient. I prefer to go a little heavier on the cheese,  basil, and olive oil rather than not have enough.

Ingredients:

small Ontario farm-fresh tomatoes (a combination of different varieties and sizes)

Monforte Dairy Water Buffalo Fresco cheese

fresh basil leaves

very good quality extra virgin olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

1. Cut some of the larger and medium-sized tomatoes in half, leaving the remainder of the tomatoes in tact. Tear off pieces of the cheese and place overtop. 
2. Tear the basil leaves overtop and drizzle over enough olive oil so that each tomato gets a slick coating. Finish with fresh cracked pepper. 

Listening To:

Neutral Milk Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1

Cheaters Handbook: Roasted Asparagus & Blistered Cherry Tomato Couscous

Cheater, cheater, couscous eater! Here's an easy little cheat that comes in handy in the midst of those manic, weeknight rushes to get a well balanced meal on the table. Sometimes it can be a challenge to prepare a well rounded meal complete with a protein, a good serving of vegetables, and a carb when you're rushing home from work and the only thing on your mind is "I AM HANGRY!" The trick is to try and prepare yourself in advance. It's a great idea to take a bit of time out of your Sunday evening to prepare a healthy and flavourful side that will carry you through to mid-week, but let's face it, as simple as that sounds, sometimes planning ahead just isn't a reality. For those times when your hunger and lack of time forces you to think on your feet and come up with something ASAP before your hangry temper gets the best of you, here is a little trick to make a satisfying, tasty, and healthy side dish that provides you with both your serving of vegetables and carbs all in one! 

Couscous is insanely simple and fast to prepare when armed with a cheat. When time doesn't allow me to stir up a dressing, sauce, or flavouring of my own to season my couscous with, I like to go to the convenience section of my fridge which features an array of salad dressings for moments just like this. A few tablespoons of salad dressing can add a big hit of flavour to your couscous or even quinoa and takes all of 2 seconds! When matching your salad dressing to your couscous or quinoa dish, think of complimenting flavours. What vegetables are you putting into your couscous? What dressing will compliment those flavours as opposed to overpower them? Putting a bit of thought into the dish doesn't require much time, and will make a world of a difference in the final dish. 

Tip: Keep in mind that as your couscous sits, some flavour will dissipate, so make sure to over season just a touch so your leftovers will still have all those big bright flavours. 

Ingredients:
olive oil for cooking
1 cup cherry tomatoes
a handful of asparagus
4-5 tbsp Italian, Greek or other salad dressing of your choice
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and fresh ground pepper
about 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
1 cup couscous
1 cup vegetable broth (may substitute with chicken broth)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Place the couscous in a tupperware container large enough to fit both the couscous and water. When the broth comes to a boil add to the couscous-filled tupperware container, stir, and close tightly with a lid. Let sit for 5-minutes, fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. In a small skillet set to medium heat, warm about 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered. Don't worry if some skins start to burst.
3. Set a grill-pan on the stove at medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and lay out the asparagus in one layer. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until tender but still has a bit of a bite. Remove from pan and set aside. When asparagus is cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. 
4. Stir 4 tbsp salad dressing into the couscous along with the cherry tomatoes, asparagus, lemon juice and zest, and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper and additional salad dressing, if needed. Taste again and season one more time, if needed. Can stay in fridge for 1-week. 

Listening To:

Glass Animals - Gooey

Summer Fresh Blogger Tour: Real Food For Real People

When I find a product or a company that I love, I turn into a sort of cheerleader for it. I'm that person that wants to share that love with everyone I know so that maybe that product or company will in some way improve a friend or family members day, whether that means using a face cleanser that leaves their skin free of impurities or a salad that will blow their mind in the flavour and health department. Summer Fresh Salads has been a company that I have been a cheerleader for for years now. Thanks to their ever-growing line of salads, dips, sauces, and so much more that all feature innovative ingredients with a focus on health and wellness, I have been a proud supporter of this Canadian company for changing the way that I snack. Long gone are the bags of chips or high sodium crackers with overly processed dips, as I have welcomed the many variations of hummus, greek yogurt dips, and high in protein and fiber salads that Summer Fresh offers. It's so easy to be let down when you have such high expectations of a company, and let me tell you, after talking with numerous people who have worked with Summer Fresh, my expectations were sky high. So when I had the opportunity to join nineteen other food bloggers in a tour of the Summer Fresh headquarters, including the plant where all of their products get made, I jumped at the chance to see for myself whether or not this company lived up to all the hype. 

As a group of twenty, eager, women food bloggers, it was clear right off the bat that our day was going to feel more like a bunch of gals just hanging out and sharing interests, as opposed to a day of blog work. This immediate female bonding session was thanks to Susan Niczowski, President and creator of Summer Fresh, who led our tour of the Summer Fresh headquarters with a smile on her face, making us all feel so welcome and comfortable with her unbelievably down-to-earth attitude. Susan shared with us her experience going from chemistry student to the president of one of the 50 best managed companies in Canada for seven consecutive years! It all started in 1991 when Susan and her mother felt that there was a void in the market for fresh, healthy, gourmet salads that are accessible for the average consumer to bring into their home. Think about it. I know when I was a kid, you could hardly find any healthy and fresh dips and salads in the grocery store. Now look how massive that fresh dip and salad aisle is, as so many other companies have picked up on Summer Fresh's success. Now, 23 years later, Summer Fresh products can be found in just about every grocery store in Canada (not to mention in the US) and I bet in just about every Canadian home, as well as restaurants, retail stores, caterers and more! As Susan passionately shared with us how the family company has evolved and how their products are created, it's clear to see that they never for a second lose sight of their consumer. Summer Fresh is dedicated to providing their consumers with fresh, quality ingredients and products, that are held to the highest standards and testing, that will make peoples lives easier and tastier! 

I was completely blown away at the companies attention to detail, from their health and safety standards to the way in which their products are packaged, Summer Fresh thinks of it all. To ensure the consistency, integrity, and safety of their products, all of their dips, salads, and sauces are made in small batches, with each batch going through a round of testing in their fully equipped microbiologist operated in-house laboratory, and are made to order. After donning a lab coat, hair net, and safety boots and getting to actually walk through the plant where everything gets made, it appears almost obsessive the way in which they oversee the safety of their products, but really, it's incredibly proactive and brilliant!  I also couldn't believe that many of their vegetables are actually cut by hand, and their roasted red peppers and eggplant are not pre-roasted, but roasted in their "kitchen" to make sure that they are getting that authentic roasted flavour that you would find if you roasted vegetables in your own home. They happened to be roasting eggplant when we walked through the plant, and let me tell you, that smell was fantastic! I also learned that many of their products are kosher (with a separate part of their plant exclusively for their kosher product production), organically certified, and gluten free. 

Spicy Mini Taco Tostadas featuring Summer Fresh Bruschetta

With her laser-cut faux leather dress, bright scarf, killer shoes, and perfect manicure, it was obvious that Susan is girl of my own, the woman loves fashion! This love of fashion is transferred to her products as well, trademarking the phrase "Food is fashion", which explains the way food trends are reflected by the season, just like fashion! You'll notice that the Summer Fresh products you find in stores will change throughout the year as certain ingredients become more readily available, and lifestyles inevitably change. For instance, right now Summer Fresh is focused on the Fall and holiday season as they are beginning to bring out new products that reflect the colder months, as well as simple recipes featuring these products that aid in entertaining during the busy holiday season. After our tour of the plant, we had the opportunity to taste some of these new products and recipes. With the launch of their new Appy recipe collection, which features simple and nutritious recipes for people to serve when entertaining, the staff at Summer Fresh had set up a room as though we were entering a holiday party, with all of the tables beautifully decorated and displaying the various new products and recipes featuring them. 

Butter Chicken Pizzettes featuring Summer Fresh Butter Chicken Cooking Sauce

With everything laid out so thoughtfully, it made it easy to see how I could feature these same recipes when I entertain in my own home. Not only were the appetizers lovely to look at, they were also really unique and absolutely delicious! I truly loved every one, but of course I always have my favourite tastes of the day. Hands down, my favourite taste of the day was the Cheesy Olive Bloomin' Bread featuring Summer Fresh White Cheddar and Parmigiano Dip and Summer Fresh Olive and Tomato Bruschetta (one of their new products). This creamy and savory pull-apart bread was incredibly addictive and had me going back for more, more times that I care to share. Another favourite taste of the day was  the Summer Fresh Mousse Desserts! The individually packaged gluten-free mousses are available in four different flavours including Chocolate (my favourite!) and Sweet Salted Caramel, and are already garnished and presented in delicate little dishes so that all of the prep work is done for you! It's safe to say that I am a little bit obsessed with these creamy, heavenly desserts and will most definitely be serving them up at my next gathering with friends! 

Artichoke & Asiago Carrot Pappardelle featuring Summer Fresh Artichoke & Asiago Dip (Canada's #1 selling dip!)

After spending all day at Summer Fresh I cannot express to you how unbelievably impressed I am with this company. It displayed so much confidence to be able to lead us through every step that they go through in bringing out their products, most notably walking us through their plant. Getting to see first hand how much care they take in bringing out the highest quality products, under the most careful health and safety practices, and their dedication to offering real food for real people gave me so much respect for this family company. One of the biggest things that was clear to me at the end of the day was how much they truly care about their consumers, and aim to make them as happy and satisfied as physically possible, which I feel is a rare gem these days. I feel so grateful that Summer Fresh allowed me the opportunity to learn about how quality products are made in such a hands on way, and left me so inspired seeing this confident, strong, and absolutely lovely woman running this huge, successful business with her family, and after only 23 years! I can honestly say that I have nothing but wonderful things to say about that brand. I am really interested to see how the Summer Fresh brand grows as they pick up on new trends and evolve. I felt good supporting Summer Fresh in the past, but I now feel downright proud supporting such a fantastic Canadian company! 

Listening To:
Arcade Fire - Afterlife

Kale & Apple Salad With Nuts & Goat Cheese

I know. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "enough with the damn kale Danielle!" You're probably reading this wondering how in the heck I'm not sick of kale yet. 'How the hell is this chick not sick of this leafy green that she seems to be using in the same way over and over again?! What a hoot this chick must be with her never-ending kale salads.' I have to be honest, after making so many different variations on kale salads this summer, I was just as sick of kale as you would imagine I would be. I was just about to throw in the towel (or the kale!) and whip out a box of KD or frozen hot and spicy chicken fingers, when I realized that if I didn't eat that last half bunch of kale that very day, it would go bad, a thought that would surely traumatize me for the rest of the week, meaning sleepless nights laying  in bed feeling guilty self-hatred about wasting good food. I knew that if I was going to make good use out of that kale, I would have to get creative and come up with a completely different type of kale salad from anything I have made before. With a big bowl full of fresh, hand-picked Ontario apples, that task wasn't too daunting. As soon as I got out my pad of foolscap to start jotting down kale salad ideas, scribbling down different flavour combinations that would shine with apples and kale, my stomach began to rumble and I started to get excited about kale once again. Who woulda thunk it? 

My apple and kale salad turned out to be just the combination I was looking for to drag me out of my kale rut. The crunchy, sweet, and slightly tart Ontario apples worked perfectly against the slightly bitter kale. I knew that I would have to play with textures to get me devouring this salad until the bottom of the bowl, so I first toasted up some slivered almonds for a crunch and warm, nutty flavour, as well as a handful of trail mix filled with an assortment of other whole nuts (including peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and raisins). To contrast all that crunch from the nuts and the apple, I crumbled in some tangy goat cheese to add a wonderful creaminess. A light sprinkle of some chia seeds for extra healthy points, and a drizzle of some store-bought vinaigrette dressing (yes, I cheated a little!) and this salad was ready for tasting! One taste said it all. This is was definitely my new favourite salad, not just kale salad, but salad in general! It had everything I was looking for in terms of health benefits and big flavours, and made me forget all about that box of KD and frozen chicken fingers! 

* Don't choose a creamy vinaigrette as the goat cheese will already give the salad the creaminess to offset the crunch from the other toppings.

(serves one)

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch kale, washed, dried, torn into smaller pieces

about 1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium eating apple (I used Cortland thanks to its sweet and juicy flavour with just a bit of tartness. Cortlands also take longer to brown, which makes them great for salads!), cut into 1-cm strips 

handful of slivered almonds, toasted

handful of trail mix

about 1/4 cup goat cheese

1 tbsp chia seeds

vinaigrette of your choice* (I used a pear and blue cheese vinaigrette that worked great!)

salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add kale to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with about 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Using clean fingertips, massage kale for about 1-minute, or until the kale has softened slightly and is not tough. 
2. Add in the apple strips, slivered almonds, trail mix, goat cheese, and chia seeds and toss. Add the vinaigrette (a bit at a time so you don't overdress) and toss. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste once more and season again if needed. Serve immediately! 

Listening To:

Current Swell - Too Cold

Kale & Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese & Prosciutto in a Pomegranate Vinaigrette

In typical Ginger Rose fashion, here is another very late recipe posting. I made this salad about a month ago, right as peach season had arrived, after picking up a basket of the most juicy and sweet peaches I could have ever dreamt of from a farmers stand on the way home from a day trip up north. They were the kind of peaches that make you declare that "for the entirety of August, I will eat nothing but Ontario peaches!", a both ludicrous and perfectly understandable statement. So incredibly obsessed with having my all-time favourite fruit in its prime, I found myself adding peaches to just about everything; Peach oatmeal, peach and Nutella paninis, peaches and ice cream, and what may have been my favourite peach usage, my Kale and Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto in a Pomegranate Vinaigrette, the perfect combination of sweet, savory, creamy, and tangy to make my taste buds go wild. 

The big and lip-smackingly sweet flavour from the fresh peaches, enhanced by a quick pop onto the grill, worked perfectly with the slightly bitter kale. The warmth of the grilled peaches softened the goat cheese even more when all tossed together, adding an incredible creaminess to the dish, and making you forget how healthy this dish really is. To tie in the sweet and tangy flavours found in the peaches and goat cheese I made a pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette made from the most incredible pomegranate balsamic vinegar that I coveted from one of my favourite little shops in St. Lawrence Market. The tart and intense flavours from the Chefjono Pomegranate Balsamic took this dish to a whole other level! If you are unable to get your hands on my new favourite addition to my balsamic vinegar collection, you can simply make a vinaigrette out of olive oil and good quality balsamic vinegar and toss in a splash of pure pomegranate juice to imitate the effect. Finally, the dish is given substance with a bit of prosciutto, which also helps to balance out the sweetness, adding a salty bite to every forkful. I have already made this salad numerous times, trying to take advantage of every last bit of peach season before it sadly comes to an end. Trust me, make this quick and easy salad before it's too late!

Take this pomegranate vinaigrette to another level by getting your hands on Chefjono's Pomegranate Balsamic! I purchased mine at St. Lawrence Market. No need to add any pomegranate juice to your dressing with this punchy vinegar. 

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, stemmed with ribs removed
2 peaches, pitted
1/4 cup goat cheese
2 slices prosciutto
5 tbsp olive oil, plus more for massaging kale
5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
splash of pomegranate juice
salt & pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a small bowl pour in the balsamic vinegar and splash of pomegranate juice. Slowly pour in olive oil in a thin and steady stream while whisking constantly. Season with fresh ground pepper and set aside.
2. Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly coat peach halves or slices with olive oil. When pan is hot, grill peaches, flat side down for about 2-3 minutes, or until grill marks have appeared. Set aside.
3. Place kale in a medium bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle very lightly with salt. Using clean fingertips, roughly massage kale for 2-3 minutes, or until kale becomes tender. 
4. Begin adding the vinaigrette, a little at a time, while tossing and tasting to ensure you do not overdress. You may not need all of the dressing. 
5. Plate the dressed kale in salad bowls and crumble over goat cheese. Top with grilled peach halves or slices (one peach per serving) and prosciutto slices (one slice per serving) and serve. 

Listening To:

Lorde - Tennis Courts

Roasted Vegetable & Feta Quinoa

There's nothing like an easy weeknight meal that seems to come together all by itself. I always say that my easiest and most inspired meals come from looking in my fridge, pantry, and countertop to see what needs to be used up, and pulling out all the ingredients who's flavours compliment one another. That's the trick. Literally pull out EVERYTHING that could possibly work together, then edit and scale back from there until you have your dish.  I love doing this because it forces me out of the habit of making the same dishes over and over again, as well as giving me the opportunity to hunt through my fridge to catch anything that is about to expire. The more you do this, the more you get a feel for what essentials you should be stocking your fridge with to ease the challenge of coming up new meal ideas, as well as getting familiar with what's inside your fridge so you will waste less and utilize what you already have so you can save time and money! 

This is exactly how I came up with my new favourite quinoa dish! A container of cherry tomatoes, their skins just beginning to wrinkle, had to be the focus of the dish, as they were in the most dire need of being used up. Because they were not at their freshest, I knew I wanted to roast them. Ok, what other vegetables do I have that like to be roasted? Some Ontario asparagus and a red bell pepper rounded out the perfect trio of veggies for my healthy quinoa. In my fridge safari I also came across two packages of feta cheese and two jars of Greek dressing, a no brainer to toss in. With the veggies being roasted, my quinoa was begging for some fresh bursts of flavour. Parsley, chives, and a squeeze of some fresh lemon quickly did the trick. My dish would have been fine and ready to serve right there, but why not kick up the health factor of the dish with one of my secret weapons that I like to keep stocked in my freezer. I like to keep Cookin' Greens Athlete's Mix in my freezer to have on hand to quickly and easily add a hit of dark leafy green goodness into my meals. I love this blend because it not only contains a number of different dark leafy greens, it also features red bell peppers and white beans to add texture and substance. And can you believe that that's it? It felt like quinoa made itself! In only 20 minutes (with much of that time simply waiting for the quinoa and veggies to cook), I had a delicious and healthy side to pair alongside my roasted salmon, not to mention enough to save for lunch the next day. I loved the simplicity and the big flavours in this quinoa. Whether it's served warm right after cooking, or chilled the next day, I promise you will become a fan of this quick and simple quinoa as well! 

*If you do not have or cannot get ahold of Cookin' Greens Athlete's Mix, sub in 1/2 cup your favourite sautéed dark leafy green such as kale or spinach, as well as 1/3 cup white beans.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water (you may also use vegetable broth)
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 handful asparagus, trimmed 
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Cookin' Greens Athlete's Mix*
about 1/3 cup feta
4-5 tbsp Greek salad dressing
1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. Stir together quinoa and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. While quinoa is cooking, lay out the grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, and asparagus on a medium baking pan. Toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake in a 350º oven for about 10-minutes, or until tender.
3. Chop the asparagus into quarters. Stir the roasted vegetables into the cooked quinoa along with the feta, Greek salad dressing, lemon juice, chives, and parsley.
4. Place Cookin' Greens Athlete's Mix into a small bowl, and add just enough water to cover. Microwave for 1-minute. Drain and add to quinoa.
5. Taste quinoa and season accordingly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve warm or cooled.

Listening To:
Frank Ocean - Sweet Life

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Roasted Beet Salad with Figs & Ricotta

Hooray to sticking with my health kick! It's been a few weeks now of trying to adapt my diet to a healthier lifestyle, and I think I'm starting to finally get in the groove of things and find a good balance between naughty and nice dishes. My diet really hasn't changed all that much. I haven't eliminated anything from my diet at all, just reduced the volume in which I eat those naughty foods (caffeine, cheese, white flours, etc.) and introduced a lot more fruits and veggies that I definitely wasn't getting enough of prior to the kick. These changes have progressed from being a chore that I would huff and puff about, to an inspiration, getting me excited to create dishes that I feel good about putting into my body. 

One of the best things that has inspired me to create new and exciting healthy dishes has been appreciating the beauty of a healthy dish. You simply cannot compare the colour palette to that of a healthy, well rounded dish, to a plate of "naughty" food. Just think of all the many exquisite colours that are found in nature, in fruits and vegetables that give back so much to our bodies. Greens in every shade, reds, purples, yellows, oranges, blues, the list can go on and on. Now compare that to naughty foods, where almost all of what you find is a bland degrade of whites, greys, and browns. That's not to say that there aren't some fantastic foods that do wonders for the body that fall into the boring colour category, (garlic and coconut, I'm talkin' bout you!) but as a general guide, it's colour that you should be seeking.

Todays recipe was inspired by beautiful colours and thought-out plating. I wanted to create a healthy salad that I could get excited about eating, just by looking at it. With red and golden beets as my inspiration, I built this recipe based on things in my fridge that needed to be used up (where pretty much every one of my best recipes is born). With a carton of figs on there very last day, begging to be used up before the dreaded toss in the compost, pistachios left over from making pistachio macarons last week (recipe will be posted soon!), and a half-full container of ricotta left over from a roasted butternut squash and ricotta pasta from last week as well, this recipe effortlessly built itself. Vibrant red and golden beets rest atop mixed greens lightly dressed with a honey, walnut, and balsamic dressing, scattered with nutty green pistachios, sensual red, purple, and golden figs, chia seeds (a super food!), and creamy pillows of ricotta. I can get used to a diet this beautiful.

Tip: This salad is perfect for entertaining! The beets can be roasted the day before to save you time the day of, and the striking presentation will wow your guests.

* To remove pistachio skins, cover pistachios with boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel. The skins will rub right off. Do this step before roasting.

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized beets, stemmed with greens removed (I used a mixture of both red and golden)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp liquid honey
1 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 handfuls of mixed greens
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
4 ripe figs, quartered
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted with skins removed*
olive oil (plus more for roasting beets)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to season

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly coat beets in olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Wrap individually in tin foil and roast for 1 hour to 1.25 hrs, or until tender when inserted with a fork. Unwrap from tin foil and set aside to cool. Once cooled, either remove skins with a paring knife, or by rubbing with a paper towel. Slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey. While continuing to whisk slowly pour in the olive oil and walnut oil in a thin, continuous stream. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl toss together the mixed greens with the dressing, adding a little dressing at a time to ensure you do not over-dress. You may have some dressing remaining.
4. Plate the dressed greens and sprinkle with chia seeds. Top with sliced beets (alternating in colours), figs, ricotta, and pistachios. Drizzle lightly with good quality olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Listening To:
LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean

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Kale & Poached Egg Salad with Pan Roasted Tomatoes, Crispy Shallots,Bacon, & Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

I've got a case of the winter skin blues. Being a redhead, my skin has always been sensitive, but having a high acid count in my body hasn't helped matters at all. I can blame my inflamed and red skin on the wools and cashmeres that shield me from the cold throughout the winter months, and yes, they do play a role in my skin irritations, but I know that much of my skin troubles are a direct result of my diet. During the winter my acid count increases dramatically as I happily indulge in all the foods that make comfort food so damn comforting, but unfortunately result in an acidity hike in my body. Foods such as white flours, beef, butter, pork, peanut butter, sugar, alcohol, fried foods, caffein, the list could go on and on, these are just some of the many delicious and comforting foods and beverages that have an acidifying affect in the body. I've never been good at eliminating foods from my diet, and quite frankly, I just don't care to, but what I know I should always be doing is balancing out those acidic foods with alkaline heavy foods. After a week of being so incredibly fed up with the bus boy at work constantly pointing out how inflamed my chest looks (which by the way is incredibly rude and inappropriate) I knew it was time to stop blaming my cozy winter clothes and take the matter into my own hands...or stomach. 

I was inspired to make this salad after being attracted to so many images of beautifully presented salads topped with poached eggs on various blogs and websites. My Pinterest boards look as though they have been attacked with these images, as I am consistently drawn to them, pinning pretty much each and every one I come across. I began brainstorming and developing this recipe after going out for a friends birthday dinner last Friday, seeing almost every single person at our large table order the kale salad, and proceed to devour said salad, raving on about how delicious it was. Raw kale delicious? This was news to me.

I had only ever experimented with cooked kale, disguising the bitter flavours and tough texture with herbs, seasonings, oils, and various cooking methods. My experience with raw kale wasn't so fantastic, experiencing those same bitter flavours and tough textures in the few times I ate it. But watching 10 or so people devour a large bowl of raw kale, dressed in simply a light vinaigrette and a few slices of parmesan cheese made me reconsider the notorious "super food". Kale is a super food for many reasons, but the reason that sparked my interest in kale is its extreme alkalizing effect on the body. I was determined to come up with a delicious raw kale recipe! I did some research and quickly learned that the way to achieve tender raw kale is to massage it with olive oil and sea salt. I was shocked to feel with my own hands just how quickly the kale's texture was transformed by the olive oil and sea salt massage. In hardly any time at all, I had a delicious (man was in ever delicious!) and satisfying dinner that I could feel good about putting into my body. This is one recipe I will definitely be making on the regular!

Note: Make this a vegetarian dish by eliminating the bacon.

*Massage your kale with olive oil and sea salt to tenderize the tough kale leaves. You'll be surprised at how quickly they soften up!

**I would recommend using a poach pod as it keeps the egg intact and eliminates the issue of watery eggs.

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp grainy dijon mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 drops hot sauce (I use sriracha)
1 bunch fresh kale, washed with leaves torn from the ribs
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 shallot, thinly sliced 
2 slices bacon or pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 eggs
1 pinch red pepper flakes
sea salt and olive oil for rubbing kale*

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk together red wine vinegar, honey, grainy dijon mustard, pepper, garlic, olive oil, and hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside. Note that the kale will be rubbed with sea salt and additional olive oil, so season with salt after kale leaves are dressed. 
2. Roll up kale leaves into a cigar-type shape and chiffonade. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil and sea salt. Using clean fingertips, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes, or until leaves feel tender. Set aside.
3. Add bacon slices to a small cold pan. Turn heat to medium and cook until crisp and brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a piece of paper towel to drain, and pour out excess fat in pan, allowing about 1/2 tablespoon to remain. 
4. Add the shallots to the same pan and cook until golden-brown and just beginning to crisp. Remove and set aside.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until skins burst. Turn off heat and set aside.
6. While tomatoes are cooking, poach the eggs. Either follow the instructions here to poach an egg, or use the method I did, by using a handy poaching pod. If using a poach pod**, bring 1 1/2 inches of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan. Crack the eggs into lightly oiled poaching pods and carefully place in water to float. Reduce heat to low to allow to simmer and cover tightly. Cook for 4 - 4 1/2 for a soft yolk. 
7. Dress kale in dijon mustard vinaigrette to taste (do not overdress!) and transfer to serving dish. Scatter over bacon, shallots, and cherry tomatoes. Top with poached eggs and season with more sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.

Listening To:
Future Islands - Balance

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Tabbouleh Quinoa Salad

Being pretty much banned from your kitchen for two weeks when you have a bountiful herb garden in the back and a fridge full of inspiration is downright torture for a food blogger like myself! This was the case for me, up until last week, when my house was being prepped and went up for sale. With sporadic showings every few hours, forcing me to flee my home, I wasn't allowed to make any sort of mess in the kitchen, or create any food smells that possible buyers may find offensive. I certainly consumed my fair share of toast and instant oatmeal in those two weeks, and was dying for a good home cooked meal. After only being on the market for a short time, we were lucky to find a lovely down-to-earth family that would become our future home owners. With the house sold, I was ready to get back in action in the kitchen, make a great big mess, and create something fantastic! With all the ingredients for a tabbouleh salad in my fridge and garden, and two big bags of organic quinoa in the pantry I had found my mess-making winner of a dish to reunite me with my kitchen! I whipped up this Tabbouleh Quinoa Salad in next to no time, adding some fresh bell peppers for an extra hit of flavour and some crunch. I loved eating this salad alongside fresh grilled fish, and saving the leftovers for my lunch the following day!

Note: If you have any salad leftover, you may want to add more dressing. I find with many quinoa salads that my dressings seem to disappear, which means flavour disappearing, when stored overnight. Just squeeze in some extra lemon juice, olive oil, and perhaps some more garlic and a splash of apple cider vinegar to make your flavour last!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
zest from 1/4 of a lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper (plus more to taste)
1/2 large cucumber, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions on package. 
2. While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly begin to pour in the olive oil in a small stream while continuing to whisk. 
3. Once quinoa is cooked, fluffed and slightly cooled, stir in the lemon dressing, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, scallions, parsley, and mint. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or, if serving the following day, see above note.

Listening To:
Frank Ocean - Super Rich Kids (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)

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Sooo excited for his concert at the Kool Haus tonight!!

Mixed Greens with Pomegranate Seeds, Brie & Balsamic Candied Pecans

As I mentioned in my previous post, for the past few holidays, my family has been making a conscious effort to shake up our usual holiday menu, which we had come to expect to be the exact same at every single major holiday. With Christmas hosted at my house every year, my mom has a lot on her plate, setting everything up and doing double duty...er make that at least triple duty, making several dishes to contribute to the massive pot luck holiday feast. Because she already has so much to worry about on Christmas, she kept some of her dishes the same (mmm no problem there, we would all miss her scalloped potatoes if they got switched up!) and had me help out a little with her switched up dish. My mom loves brainstorming new recipes, playing around with different flavours and textures in her mind to come up with the perfect balance. She always begins her brainstorming with one or two ingredients as her inspiration, and then lets her imagination and taste buds take over from there. Weeks and weeks ago, as my mom and I sat on the couch popping pomegranate seeds into our mouth like they were going out of style, inspiration struck as she pointed out the stunning ruby red colour of the seeds. Immediately she knew she wanted to create the perfect Christmas salad starring the beautiful pomegranate seed. She started listing the other ingredients as it came into her head; brie, candied pecans, balsamic, etc. and a star...I mean a salad was born!

To save time come Christmas eve, the day before I removed all of the pomegranate seeds and stored them in a tupperware container in the fridge so my mom could just sprinkle them into the salad when it came time for serving. The day before I also took care of candying the pecans using an awesome and easy recipe that my mom showed me from Bon Appétit on Epicurious. She was drawn to this recipe as it mimicked one of the major flavours she had planned on putting in the dressing, balsamic vinegar. The pecans are coated and lightly toasted in a sticky and sweet balsamic vinegar mixture that leaves your pecans so tasty, you may have to lock them up until serving time to make sure you don't eat them all on their own! I was happy I didn't eat them all (of course I had to sneak a few!) when I finally tasted the completed salad, as the pecans were one of my favourite parts of the salad, adding texture and a great rich flavour to each bite. The pecans were contrasted by the smooth and creamy double cream brie, zesty red onions, and the juicy pomegranate seeds bursting as your teeth break the surface, adding a tangy sweetness to the balsamic dressing. Christmas dinner was amazing, and there were so many fantastic dishes, but I've gotta say, my hands-down favourites for the evening were my Wild Mushroom Baked Brie and my moms Mixed Greens with Pomegranate Seeds, Brie and Balsamic Candied Pecans! After going up for seconds, and maybe even thirds of the salad on Christmas, I was still so excited to see that there were leftovers the next day. Can you believe, even hours later, after the dressing had slightly wilted the mixed greens, the salad was still so freaking delicious my mom and I devoured it in a matter of moments, only stopping to comment on how delicious it was and...ummm...remind me to write about it on my blog...haha no need for a reminder mummy, I still can't get your amazing salad out of my mind! You did good!

Ingredients:

about 10 ounces mixed greens, washed and dried

about 100 g double cream brie, cut into medium-sized chunks

1/4 small red onion, sliced

1 pomegranate, seeds removed

Balsamic Candied Pecans (see recipe below)

Your favourite balsamic vinaigrette, to dress

Directions:

1. In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed greens with the brie, red onion, pomegranate seeds, and Balsamic Candied Pecans. Drizzle in just enough balsamic vinaigrette to coat greens. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Candied Pecans

Recipe by Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar

6 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp

balsamic vinegar

1 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Spray sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Stir sugar, olive oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in Pecans. Stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats nuts evenly, about 7 minutes. Turn nuts out onto prepared foil. Using fork, separate nuts and cool completely. Sprinkle into salad.

Listening To:

Fiona Apple - Criminal

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My Mexican Birthday Fiesta

Me (Danielle Rose), making my birthday wish

Birthdays were the worst days. I always used to agree with Biggie on that statement, that is until this year. When I was younger I used to love celebrating my birthday, coming up with a fun theme, bringing all my friends together, eating my favourite foods, and, of course, unwrapping all of my birthday presents. But as I got older and birthdays turned into just getting smashed at a club with whichever friends you could drag out with you (which always felt like pulling teeth!) I fell out of love with birthdays. It always felt like too much trouble to try and plan something myself and get everyone together in one place...and let's be honest, clubs are THE WORST. I would always end up stressing about it till the very last minute, ultimately being left with no plans at all, and merely sharing a drink and perhaps some mediocre food with whoever would show up. Each year my birthday felt less and less like a celebration and more of a reminder of what I felt I lacked in my life and just how quickly time flies. This year, with a new positive attitude, I wanted to prove myself and Biggie wrong and make my birthday fantastic! With Mexican being one of my favourite cuisines, and a beautiful house begging to have a party in it, I decided to hose a Mexican Birthday Fiesta at home!

All I have ever really wanted for my birthday is to be surrounded by good food and drinks, good friends, and most of all, feel loved. Simple requests, I know, but I haven't been able to experience a birthday like that since I was 16 years old (I'll always remember how loved and accepted you made me feel that night when you surprised me for karaoke and Tiffany's Robyn, Leigh, Sari, Haley, and Robby!). My Mexican Fiesta at home proved to be exactly what I needed to make my dream birthday a reality. With almost all of my favourite people in attendance, a delicious Mexican feast (if I do say so myself), lots of alcohol, and a killer playlist prepared by moi, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday! I felt so loved having all of these incredible people that I think the world of showing up to celebrate with me! Despite one hell of a hangover and a few regrets (yeah, I blacked out after blowing out my birthday candles), I woke up the next day with a smile on my face, feeling exhilarated about what my 24th year will bring! Thank you so much to all of my beautiful friends for making me feel so special and always being there for me! I couldn't ask for a better bunch of hooligans to call my friends! I can't end this post without also thanking my amazing parents for not only helping with the preparation of the party and cleaning up everything (seriously that was incredible!), but for also being so cool (I'm gonna regret saying that) with my friends and getting the tequila flowing! I love you!

Birthday Menu

No party of mine is complete without delicious food! For my Mexican Birthday Fiesta I wanted to make sure I had enough food for all my guests to enjoy all night long, so I used both my own homemade dishes and purchased dishes and sides to complete my menu so that I wouldn't be stuck in the kitchen all day stressing. The highlight of the Mexican feast was of course my Pulled Pork Tacos with Salsa Verde and Corn and Black Bean Salad. I doubled up my usual pulled pork recipe to make sure I had enough to go around (boy did I ever!), and just tossed in a few extra ingredients to add a little more heat than usual. I set up a topping bar next to the pulled pork to allow my guests to top their tacos with their favourites such as freshly squeezed lime, onions, a selection of salsas, and fresh cilantro. Although I had initially thought of serving my Corn and Black Bean Salad as a side, I loved seeing my friends use the salad to top their tacos with! The salad turned out to be my favourite topping out of them all, adding texture, acidity, and a bit of sweetness to the already mouthwatering taco.

Pulled Pork Tacos

(if serving pork for a party, double the recipe)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 pound pork shoulder

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1/4 cup beef broth (may substitute with other type of broth or just splash in a little cider vinegar to loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pot)

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 chipotle peppers + 2 tbsp adobo sauce (purchase chipotles in adobo sauce in a can)

1 cup chili sauce

1 cup your favourite barbeque sauce

1 can of Coca Cola

Directions:

1. Season pork with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides and transfer to slow cooker.

2. In the heavy-bottomed pot cook the onions, garlic, and chili powder until onions have softened. Pour in the beef broth and, using a wooden spoon, scrape off all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.

3. Add the brown sugar,Worcestershire sauce, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chili sauce, barbeque sauce, and Coca Cola to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until pork is tender. Remove pork and transfer to a large baking dish and shred using two forks. While shredding pork, increase heat to high. Add shredded pork back into the slow cooker, reduce heat back to low, and cook for another hour. Serve with corn tortillas and your favourite toppings!

Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

1 lb tomatillos (about 12-15), husks removed, washed, and cut in half

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

2-3 jalapeno peppers, stems removed

olive oil

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 - 1 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

juice from 1/2 of a lime

Directions:

1. Place tomatillos, onions, and peppers in a baking dish. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.

2. Bake in a 350º oven for 15-20 minutes. The tomatillos should be nice and soft at this point. Set aside to cool.

3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Process to form a smooth textured puree as necessary for the desired consistency.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl. The salsa can be kept for 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container or jar.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

3 fresh cobs of corn, husks and silks removed

1/2 can black beans, strained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

4-5 large basil leaves, chopped into small pieces

the juice of 1 1/2 limes

1/2 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp salt

a pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Using a serrated knife (I found that easier) cut the corn kernels off of the cob trying to cut as close to the cob as possible. Place in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Stir in the black beans, red pepper, red onion, and basil.

3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Drizzle over corn mixture and stir to combine. Let chill in fridge until ready to serve. May make day ahead.

Listening To:

Pink Floyd-Speak to Me-Breathe

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