Making Pork Fresh Rolls & Intro to Quaraneats

Monday's have become our grocery shopping day. When once-upon-a-month-ago every day was grocery shopping day for us, now my husband, Chris and I have limited our trips to once a week, and are seeing if we can push it even further. With a 'pack rat' mentality engrained in me since birth from my German-Lithuanian grandparents, I was born for a challenge like a global pandemic.

"What was once a nuisance and a game of 'what shelf-stable item is about to soar out onto my head?' has become a whole new game of 'what unknown treasures await behind these kitchen doors?'"

Never has an "I told you so" sounded so meek, reacting as I watch Chris's strong feelings towards our overflowing pantry cupboards change from indignant to gratified, as we settle into this strange reality that is Covid-19 social isolation. What was once a nuisance and a game of "what shelf-stable item is about to soar out onto my head?" has become a whole new game of "what unknown treasures await behind these kitchen doors?" It's the random bits and pieces, both in our pantry and buried deep within our freezer, that have been saving our meals these past few weeks. These bits and pieces of random packaged goods and what some may consider to be "waste" have been acting as vehicles to carry fresh foods to our mouths and keep us feeling satiated, as well acting as flavour enhancers, adding that much needed hit of salt, fat, acid, heat or umami. Not only that, having a filled-to-the-brim pantry has allowed us to fill our shopping bags with the fresh items like fruits, vegetables, proteins, and leafy herbs that we seem to be flying through these days!

"Last week our kitchen cupboard nuisance became our saviour"

Previously we used to groan at the packages of rice paper rolls shoved at the top of our cupboard, taking up precious room that could be used for jars of homemade tomato sauce, cartons of stock, or some other cherished shelf-stable item. Last week our kitchen cupboard nuisance became our saviour when we had a bit of soy marinated pork chops leftover from dinner that had to be turned into lunch. With a little bit of mint and scallions (which we are re-growing!) left in the fridge, as well as some carrot (a fridge staple!) and a jar of homemade pickled radishes kicking around, I was struck by the idea of finally putting those damn rice paper rolls to use and making shaved pork fresh rolls!

"It's easy to make a quick and tasty dipping sauce on the side by stirring together a bit of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and some Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp"

A quick little julienne of some carrot, a thin slice of scallion, and a chiffonade of mint later, we were in business and ready to wrap up our fresh rolls. While fresh rolls can be a little labour intensive when preparing a large batch, they are a quick, easy, and delicious option when making enough for a simple lunch for two (or four if you add a salad or some rice on the side!). It's easy to make a quick and tasty dipping sauce on the side by stirring together a bit of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and some Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, but you can absolutely use that random jar of store-bought spicy Thai dipping sauce, that you unearthed from the pantry or the back of your fridge, in a pinch.

"with so much on my mind, plenty of time, and cooking challenges arising at every turn, there's no better time to take fingers to keyboard, and use my old ugly blog as my cathartic release"

These past few years blogging has taken a supporting role to Instagram for me, but with so much on my mind, plenty of time, and cooking challenges arising at every turn, there's no better time to take fingers to keyboard, and use my old, ugly blog as my cathartic release. I hope to make writing apart of my routine once again. I want to use this space to express myself and work through my anxieties, but also as a way of collecting and sharing the recipes, items and products, tips and tricks, and media (be it podcasts, TV shows, movies, or more!) that are inspiring me and helping me to get through this.

If there's a specific recipe, question, or idea that you have for me, please reach out and let me know in the comments below, or message me on Instagram (@gingerrosefood), where I will be sharing every step of my Quaraneats journey. We're all in this together!

Follow my Quaraneats journey on Instagram - @gingerrosefood

Freshness Delivered To Your Door with Metro Ontario - Raw Shaved Asparagus Salad

Grocery Shopping is one of those polarizing tasks, either you love it or you hate it. I fall into the former category. Being someone who often works from home, I have the luxury of going to my grocery store on off-hours when it's nice and quiet, when I can stroll around the aisles, taking my time to look for new products and great sales. Not only that, it's often an excuse to take a very welcome break from my laptop screen.

"I'm that weirdo who takes a solid five-minutes to select a pineapple"

I generally enjoy the grocery shopping experience, giving myself the opportunity to get inspired for new recipes, but also to hand-select my produce so that my asparagus are not too thin and not too thick, with nice and tight flowers on the ends, my eggs are not broken, and my bananas are bright yellow with no bruising. I'm that weirdo who takes a solid five-minutes to select a pineapple, pressing the bottom of each one and aggressively sniffing to determine which one smells the sweetest (which is a great trick if you've never tried it!).

As much as I typically enjoy the grocery shopping experience, there's no doubt that some days it's a joy and some days it's a straight up chore. When life gets busy, I find myself wishing that I could teleport my produce and pantry items right to my door. My wish essentially came true this week, as Metro Ontario launched their new eCommerce platform in the GTA! Metro's new online grocery store promises to deliver freshness right to your door, with Metro's exclusive Tri-Zone delivery trucks that allow you to select the 2-hour time slot that works for you and your schedule, with the option for same-day delivery when ordered before 1:00 PM. With a lot on my metaphorical plate these days, there was no better time for me to test out the new platform!

As asparagus is just beginning to come into season in Canada, I was inspired to make one of my favourite Spring recipes, a Raw Shaved Asparagus Salad with fresh mint. This dish is beautiful and delicious on its own, but I love it all the more when topping crostini, spread with tangy goat cheese. I also figured that asparagus would be a good test for seeing how Metro's specially-trained personal shoppers would fare when selecting my produce.

"Our personal shoppers are as picky as you are"

Right on schedule, my groceries were delivered straight to my condo unit door (I didn't even have to go down to the lobby!) by a very friendly Metro employee (you always get extra points in my books for having a smile and being friendly!). With the claim that "our personal shoppers are as picky as you are," I dove into the grocery bag to scope out my asparagus. Indeed, I couldn't have asked for more beautiful asparagus! Just as I had hoped, they were not too thin, not too thick, with nice and tight florets on the end. They also passed the cracked egg test, with all dozen remaining intact.

I truly couldn't have asked for a more stress-free and smooth experience trying out the new platform. With any new launch, there's often kinks that need to be worked out, but I was pleasantly surprised at how successful my experience was. I trust Metro's personal shoppers to look, touch, smell, and press the produce just as I would, and can see myself taking advantage of their online grocery on a more regular basis.

Visit Metro.ca to test out the new platform and let me know what you think in the comments!

Note: The dressed asparagus salad keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days! 

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
flakey salt for garnish

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. Garnish the crostini and salad with flakey salt. Serve immediately (see note above on how long dressed salad keeps).

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:

The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored

Red Lentil Dahl

I've recently had a not so great realization that some of my favourite recipes, the ones that I've created myself and am the most proud of, often never make it to the blog. You would think I would be excited to share something that I'm proud of and want others to experience the joys of as well, but the fear of having my post not live up to the recipe that I am so proud of often stands in the way. 

Whether it's saying to myself "I'll post it next time when I get a better photo" or not feeling like I have the perfect story to tell before the recipe that will make the dish resonate with people, there's always road blocks that I put in my own way that prevent me from moving forward. 

There's something so much safer about putting a photo or a short story on my Instagram, for instance. On Instagram I have the option to let my photo expire after 24 hours, or put it in my grid, where it will inevitably get buried and be forgotten. Why does it feel safer sometimes to be forgotten? Why is there this constant push and pull within myself, between wanting to shine a light on my interests and passions and wanting to hide them away just for myself? It always comes down to fear; fear of not being good enough, fear of not living up to expectations that I have of myself or that others have of me, and fear of putting myself out there and trying and still maybe failing. 

Even though I was scared to sit down and write this today, I did it. Even though I was scared to write about fear in a post about Red Lentil Dahl, worried that people would wonder "what the hell does this have to do with dinner?" I did it anyway. Even though the photo I took was a quick, un-styled capture before I hungrily dove into my bowl, I posted it anyway. Even though I know that I can take a better photo or style a better bowl, I gave myself permission to not be perfect. Even though I'm worried that people may not think my recipe is authentic, I remind myself that I never claimed that it was, and it's delicious nonetheless. Even though I'm scared for people to read this and think that I'm weak for having these fears, I know the only way to move past them is to expose them and fight through them. I face my silly fears today because it will make them a little less powerful tomorrow. 

Red Lentil Dahl

This is one of my favourite go-to recipes for the mid-week rush! I love that this recipe is so quick and simple to prepare, and it also always results in leftovers for lunch the next day, as well as some to freeze for future emergency dinners! If you want this recipe to really go speedy, prep your mise-en-place in the morning, so everything is chopped, measured, and ready to go when it's time to get dinner on the table. 

Ingredients:

4 medium garlic cloves, small dice

1 Tbsp ginger, small dice

1-3 thai red chillies 

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp mustard seed

3/4 tsp whole cumin seed

2 small onions, small dice

pinch baking soda

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground turmeric 

1 tsp garam masala

1 can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 can (400 mL) coconut milk

1 cup red lentils

Directions:

1. Bash the garlic cloves, ginger, red chillies, and lemon juice in a pestle and mortar until it forms a loose paste. Set aside.
2. In a large pot set to medium heat, add vegetable oil, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. Cook until spices begin to sizzle and pop.
3. Add onion and pinch of baking soda. Cook, stirring frequently, deglazing with a splash of water every few minutes until mixture is deep brown and very fragrant, about 10-minutes. 
4. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for 1-minute.
5. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and lentils and stir to combine. Season with salt. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice. 

Listening To:

Maggie Rogers - Back in My Body

Za'atar Cauliflower Steaks with Creamy Tahini Sauce & Pomegranate

There's no denying it, the plant-based diet is no longer a trend, it's a movement! While I'm not interested in fully saying 'goodbye' to meat anytime soon, I am interested in reducing the amount of meat that I consume, as well as increasing the amount of vegetables that I put into my body. With so many of my friends becoming vegetarians over the past couple of years, I've had to get creative with coming up with new and exciting dishes that I can serve both as side dishes as well as main courses for these newly veggified friends.

Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable, with it's texture so easily manipulatable, and it's mild taste acting as such a fantastic base for other flavours. I don't like when people pretend to make vegetarian food taste like meat very often (sometimes I get it!), so this isn't going to be one of those recipes. This isn't a cauliflower wearing the mask of "steak," pretending to embody those flavours, and that's okay. This dish doesn't care to be steak, because it is unique and wonderful all in itself. To be honest with you, on most nights I think I would prefer to eat a cauliflower steak dressed in beautiful flavours and textures than a big hunk of meat. I still love you, steak, but if I had to have one over the other every night of the week, I'd pick my friend Cauli.

Cauliflower steaks hit the table in the same dramatic way an actual steak does (and that's just about where their similarities end), but due to that lovely blank canvas, we have so much room to play! I like to roast my cauliflower steaks in the oven at a high temp to get the inside nice and tender, and the outside charred and caramelized. If I can get a dip involved, I will, and this dip is creamy, tangy, and just a little smokey (hi, smoked paprika!). While I'm never going to turn down a spicy mayo like a chipotle mayo or sriracha mayo, I'm ready for a new flavour in my mayo these days, and tahini has been an ingredient that I've been turning to on the regular. Tahini and avocado go hand-in-hand in my books, and with the new Metro Irresistibles Avocado Oil Mayo in my fridge these days, the pairing was a no-brainer. I spooned a little pool of the creamy mayo onto each plate, giving the cauli steaks a place to hang out and soak up that flavour. A sprinkle of nutty and herbaceous za-atar, a hit of bright cilantro, and lastly, a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for their pop of juicy, tangy flavour and texture round this dish out.

This dish is happy playing the star or supporting character, being both a great side dish and a main. When served as a main, I like to pair this with a protein like lentils or beans, or a hearty soup to make it a little more satiating.

* Za'atar seasoning can be made in advance and stores in an airtight container for about 2-months, but best used fresh.
** Creamy Tahini Drizzle can be made in advance and stores in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-week.

Ingredients:
Za'atar Seasoning*
2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp sumac (optional)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Cauliflower Steaks
1 cauliflower head, stem trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
za'atar (see recipe above or use store-bought)
salt & pepper, to season
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Creamy Tahini Sauce**
1/4 cup Metro Irresistibles Avocado Oil Mayonnaise 
2 Tbsp Tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin, freshly toasted & ground
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

1. Prepare the za'atar seasoning. In a mortar and pestle grind together dried thyme, sumac (optional), and kosher salt. Stir in sesame seeds.*
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Cut cauliflower down the centre and slice into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch steaks. The cauliflower on the side will naturally break off into florets and that's ok! You will be left with about 4 cauliflower steaks and some florets on the side. 
4. Place steaks and florets on prepared baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with about 2-4 Tbsp za'atar and salt and pepper on both sides, and bake for 15-minutes. Flip steaks and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until browning and just beginning to char on both sides. 
5. While cauliflower is baking, prepare the Creamy Tahini Sauce**. In a small bowl whisk together Metro Irresistibles Avocado Oil Mayonnaise, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and salt.
6. Serve cauliflower steaks immediately on a bed of the Creamy Tahini Sauce, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, and cilantro, with remaining Creamy Tahini Sauce drizzled on top. Serve immediately.

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:
Arlo Parks - Cola

Individual Lemon Poppyseed Mixed Berry Cobblers & Lemon Poppyseed Scones

When I go out to a restaurant, chances are I'm going to want to share dessert with you by the end of it. While my stomach (unfortunately) fills up quite quickly, my eyes are always bigger than my tummy, and I can't help but always want to finish off the meal with a sweet note on the palate, no matter how full I may be feeling. It's in those instances that sharing is the way to go! Call me selfish, but on your average night-in at home, I have no interest in sharing. Lounging in my "comfy pants" with time between dinner and dessert to find my appetite again, I want to dig into something sweet that I can enjoy all to myself! While that may sound indulgent on the surface, what I also love about individual desserts is that your portion is already decided for you, so there's no temptation to go back for seconds. Not only that, the remaining portions of dessert can be easily gifted to family and friends to spread some of that dessert love around.

I don't always have desserts on hand at home on my average weeknight, but I do like to keep a few dessert-emergency ideas in my back pocket so that when the craving strikes, I have something to turn to. For those weeknight emergency desserts I never want anything labour intensive, nor anything too large that I have to worry about eating all of, or alternatively wasting. I also like my weeknight emergency desserts to not be too sweet, and hopefully can also act as a breakfast or snack the next day. With this in mind, I created a dessert that ticks off all of those boxes! Introducing the recipe that produces not only your dessert, but also your breakfast, Individual Lemon Poppyseed Mixed Berry Cobblers & Lemon Poppyseed Scones.

Thanks to the help of the newly released Metro Irresistibles Naturalia Frozen Mixed Berries, this recipe can be made all year round, while still allowing you to stick to your budget. The great thing about cobblers is there really is no need for fresh berries, as they're all going to be cooked down anyway. This is the perfect application for frozen fruit, and I love that these berries are both tested for pesticide spray, as well as frozen at their peak freshness to ensure the highest quality. With berries already that delicious, they really don't require much other work.

To switch up the traditional biscuit topping for my cobblers, I invited in one of my favourite sweet flavour combinations, lemon and poppyseed, to play off of the sweet and tangy dance happening inside of the mixed berry filling. To give myself some breakfast for the next day, I made just enough biscuit topping to gift me with four additional scones, baked off on their own! Without the sweet berry filling, they make an exceptional breakfast to enjoy with a coffee, or on the go. I was so happy with how this dessert turned out, and can't wait to whip it up again the next time I feel a dessert emergency coming on.

Ingredients:
Mixed Berry Filling
2 packages (equals about 6 cups total) Metro Irresistibles Naturalia Frozen Mixed Berries, thawed and drained (reserve juices for another use)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1-2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Biscuit Topping
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp (well packed and heaping) lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (plus more for serving)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease 4 individual baking dishes or ramekins (my dishes could fit 250 mL) and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Prepare another baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients for the mixed berry filling starting with 1-Tbsp cornstarch (if berries are quite juicy, add more as needed). Taste, and adjust sugar as needed. Spoon evenly into baking dishes allowing filling to go up about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the dish.
3. In a large bowl whisk together flour with sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
4. Add cream to dry ingredients and stir together until just combined (dough will be very shaggy). 
5. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, spoon approximately 2-3 Tbsp of biscuit mixture on top of fruit filling. Scoop any remaining biscuit dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each biscuit. 
6. Brush the tops of all of the biscuits lightly with heavy cream. Bake cobblers for 35-40 minutes, or until golden. Enjoy immediately or set aside in fridge covered until ready to eat. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and a drizzle of the strained berry juices on top.
7. Increase oven temperature to 425ºF and bake remaining biscuits for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Enjoy immediately or set aside in an airtight container until ready to eat.

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:
Maggie Rogers - Light On

New Years Eve Mezze Board

New Years Eve is often a night full of unfulfilled expectations. The stakes are always set unnecessarily high for a night that really should be like any other. While I used to stress and fret about New Years plans when I was younger, for the last few years I've set expectations aside, and changed my mindset to think of it as just a late night with friends. While no, I don't like to have high expectations in terms of social plans on New Years, I still can't help but want to send the previous year off and ring in the new one on a delicious note!

Like so many holidays that I celebrate, New Years Eve often ends up being a potluck amongst my friends. I always enjoy putting together a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board for potlucks, but this year I had a different idea brewing. If you haven't yet heard, 2018 was the year of the Mezze Board, giving people an opportunity to get a little more creative with their boards, as well as welcoming the chance to offer some healthier choices into the mix. A mezze board is really what you make it, but think of it as a spread that includes veggies, dips, pita bread, pickles, salads, and sometimes even more, inspired by Middleterranean cuisine.

I love mezze boards for so many reasons! The best thing about a mezze board, in my opinion, is that it really allows you to put in whatever amount of time, effort, and money that you feel comfortable with. If you're short on time, you can literally purchase anything and everything you'll need to build a beautiful mezze board right at the grocery store! Because the holidays are such a busy time, I built the board shown in the photos above from pre-made shortcuts from my local Metro grocery store. I picked up my favourite olives from the olive bar, bought packages of hummus and couscous, pre-made falafels ready to heat-and-eat, and quickly cut up some veg. If I find that I have more time on my hands closer to New Years Eve, it's likely I'll make my own hummus and couscous, but will still turn to the pre-made falafels, and olives from the olive bar. I love knowing that I have that flexibility if my schedule should change!

I also love that mezze boards allow you to offer different options for friends who may have dietary restrictions. A number of my friends have become vegetarian recently, and you can always count on a few dairy-free and gluten-free guests in the mix. With a mezze board you can have all sorts of options and variety that can work for pretty much anyone! Play around with different dishes and ingredients that work for you and your friends tastes, but keep in mind that you want variety in textures and colours to keep things interesting.

Mezze Board Ideas:

• Olives
• Taboulé
• Couscous
• Hummus
• Babaganoush 
• Vegetable crudité 
• Tzatziki
• Pita bread
• Falafel balls
• Fresh herbs 
• Marinated vegetables 
• Grilled lemons
• Roasted Chickpeas
• Grape leaves

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:
Lola - The Raincoats

Roasted Maple Chilli Squash with Pumpkin Seeds

Every year time seems to fly a little faster, which means that Christmas always arrives at lighting, speed, prompting me to often ask aloud "wasn't it JUST Christmas?!" Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas dinner (adore it, even!), but with the hands of time spinning faster than a ballerina in the Nutcracker, it doesn't feel like Christmas dinner was all that long ago!

My family always does a big potluck for our Christmas dinner, which puts the opportunity for change in each of our hands. This year I decided to shake things up and make a Christmas side dish that's grounded in a classic Christmas flavour (roast squash), but given an exciting twist! While roast squash is a common vegetables found on the Christmas table, I roasted mine in a maple chilli glaze to give it a bit of a kick, and garnished it with roasted pumpkin seeds for a salty crunch; dried cranberries for their balance of sweet and tart, as well as chewiness; and finished the dish off with a light, cooling drizzle of a cumin-spiced yogurt.

I love the way this dish activates every taste bud, and think it will make a really exciting and delicious addition to my family Christmas table!

*You may roast the squash in advance, and reheat when ready to serve. Garnish just before serving.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash 

2 Tbsp Metro Irresistibles Amber Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp melted butter

2 thai red chillies, sliced thin on a bias

1/4 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup Metro Irresistibles 2% Plain Yogurt

1/4 tsp ground cumin (fresh ground is best!)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Cut squash into quarters and slice into 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch slices.
3. In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, butter, and chillies. In a large bowl toss together squash slices with maple syrup mixture and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Lay squash in a single layer on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until tender when inserted with a fork.
5. While squash is roasting, prepare the spiced yogurt. In a small bowl stir together yogurt with cumin and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Store in fridge until ready to use. 
6. Place squash directly into a serving dish and garnish with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and a drizzle of spiced yogurt. Serve Immediately.*

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:

Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi

Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange Honey Butter

Holiday baking isn't just about cookies over the holidays! I'm the kind of person who likes to find any excuse to eat treats all day long, so while I love dipping a cookie in some coffee, there's nothing like having dessert for breakfast! With that in mind, I took the classic flavour combination of orange and cranberry that I so often put in my holiday biscotti, and infused them into one of my favourite go-to scone recipes! I love this recipe because it's super easy to whip together, plus it's just as lovely to gift to a special someone as are cookies!

To take this recipe to the next level, I like to serve it with an Orange and Honey butter, to kick up that citrus flavour just a touch, while also adding another hint of sweetness, to otherwise not overly sweet scones.

Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting surface)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 heaping tsp orange zest
1 tsp Metro Irresistibles Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup fresh cranberries
Egg Wash
1 egg
2 Tbsp water
Orange Honey Butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-2 heaping Tbsp orange zest (use more or less depending on how punchy you want it)
2 Tbsp Metro Irresistibles Organics Pure Honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl, whisk sugar baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour to combine.
3. Add the cubes of butter to the dry mixture and toss to coat.
4. Using your fingers or pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, breaking it down until only pea-sized pieces of butter remain.
5. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, and add the beaten egg, cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Mix the wet ingredients with a fork, incorporating dry ingredients a little at a time, until a shaggy dough is formed. Gently fold in the cranberries. Lightly knead until dough comes together. Don't over-mix the dough! Don't worry if it looks a little dry. 
6. Flour your table and turn dough onto surface. Pat into a 1-inch thick round, and cut into 8 even wedges. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. In a small bowl, make the egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and 2 Tbsp water.
8. Using a pastry brush, brush tops of scones with egg wash mixture.
9. Bake scones until golden-brown, 25-30 minutes.

Honey Butter

1. In a medium bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together softened butter with orange zest and honey until light and fluffy. Serve at room temperature with Cranberry Orange Scones. 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:

Earl Sweatshirt - Cold Summers

Holiday Decorations for the Food Obsessed

The first snowfall has arrived in Toronto, and with the Santa Clause Parade this weekend and the Distillery Christmas Market all set up for the masses, there's no better time to start planning your holiday decor! In my humble opinion, I think the best holiday decorations are the ones that have a personal touch to them. Whether your decorations evoke a memory or are homemade, there's something so much more charming about creating a holiday environment that really means something to YOU! Being the food obsessed person that I am, I like to find inspiration for my own holiday decor in my kitchen, creating centrepieces that incorporate some unexpected pantry items! 

Most of my favourite childhood holiday memories involve either holiday arts and crafts or holiday baking. Long before the days of Pinterest, my mom somehow managed to always have a craft or recipe up her sleeve to get my sister and I into the festive spirit. I have so many fond memories of us making ornaments out of dough, painting and stamping our own homemade wrapping paper, making pipe cleaner angels, and making Christmas cookies with my grandparents, that fill me with the warm and fuzzies, and bring a fond tear to my eye! I love the idea of incorporating both a DIY element as well as food into my holiday decor, as a nostalgic nod to my favourite holiday memories growing up. Take a peek at my three favourite ways of utilizing your kitchen pantry to create holiday candleholders that make for a striking centrepiece! 

Himalayan salt is known for its positive effects on the environment (it detoxifies the air, and releases positive ions into the environment), but also for its beautiful colour! I saved some leftover glass yogurt jars (I use the Maison Riviera Petit Pot jars) to act as a vessel for little tea lights. Pop the tea lights into the cleaned jars, and carefully spoon Himalayan salt around the candle to hold it in place. The light of the candle emits the most beautiful and romantic pink glow that looks stunning next to silver elements! This is also a cute idea to make DIY holiday gifts for those on a budget. Have someone on your gifting list looking for a Himalayan salt lamp? Why not make them their own Himalayan salt candles!

When looking for inspiration for this post, I wandered through literally every single aisle of my local Metro grocery store, looking for innovative ideas that I may not have thought of for holiday decor. In the bulk aisle I came across some wasabi peas that, to me, looked like they were dusted in freshly-fallen snow! It was too cute not to try out! I used the same glass yogurt jars and simply popped the tea lights inside. I nestled the jars into a decorative tray and spooned the snowy-looking peas around the jars to hold them in place. 

My final idea for you is one that I came up with a few years ago. Struck by the beauty of vibrant pink peppercorns (that actually appear more red than pink!) I yet another foodie candleholder, this time incorporating those beautiful dried berries! I took a small white serving platter and arranged some tea lights on it and then spooned in my pink peppercorns. Et voila! So simple and lovely! 

Do you have a clever holiday decor idea involving food? I want to know ALL about it! Tell me about it in the comments below! 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:

Your Dog - Soccer Mommy

Red Curry with Butternut Squash & Chickpeas

I never gave my mom enough credit with being able to put beautiful, delicious, and varying meals on our table every night of the week, in the midst of her crazy busy schedule. Now that I'm an adult and the primary cook in my little family of two (just Chris and I right now), I'm already feeling the struggle of finding the time to grocery shop and get a tasty and satisfying meal on the table each night of the week. I definitely have a few go-to meals that I turn to, and a new one that I've added into the rotation this year has been weeknight curries!

Curries are so incredible for weeknight meals for so many reasons. First of which, I love that most curry ingredients are items I already have kicking around my kitchen, which means not having to run to the grocery store before mealtime. I also love the ease and speed in getting a beautiful, restaurant-worthy curry on the table, not to mention how forgiving they are once reheated. Curries reheat beautifully, making them a fantastic option for weekend meal planning, as well as using the leftovers for lunches throughout the week, and freezing for future emergency dinners. Last but not least, they are so delicious and are a great excuse for enjoying a meatless meal. While curries are fantastic with chicken, beef, seafood, goat, and more, I tend to mostly make protein-packed vegetarian and often even vegan curries so that I don't have to go to the store to buy any additional meat.

I often draw inspiration for my curries from some of my favourite restaurant curries that I've enjoyed around the city. One of my favourites is the red curry from Sukhothai, which includes tender and sweet cubes of squash immersed in the flavourful sauce. With this curry on my mind, and local squash in abundance in the grocery store, I came up with a delicious and feel-good weeknight curry to add to my collection of homemade curry recipes. I often make curries on Monday's before our evening yoga class, so to give this dish a hit of extra protein to give me the energy to get through the class, I also added some chickpeas, that added a bit of texture to the dish as well. I know chickpeas are not traditional in a Thai curry, but for a weeknight meal it's more about creating a delicious and satisfying dish that works for me than going for authenticity.

I hope you enjoy this curry and add it into your own weeknight meal rotation! Let me know what you thought in the comments below.

Ingredients:
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, minced
1 - 6 chillies (depending on your heat tolerance)
1/2 Tbsp cilantro stems, finely chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1 tsp whole coriander seed
vegetable oil for sautéing
4 large shallots, diced
pinch of baking soda
5 - 6 Tbsp red curry paste
2 - 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed (you may sub in other types of squash if you wish!)
1 can (540mL) Metro Irresistibles Life Smart Chick Peas with no salt added, drained and rinsed
handful of kefir lime leaves (optional, if you can't get your hands on them, just add a squeeze of lime juice)
400mL coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp lime juice
1-2 Tbsp fish sauce
pinch of brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
jasmine rice to serve

Directions:

1. In a mortar and pestle grind together garlic, ginger, chillies, cilantro stems, lemon juice and salt until you form a paste. 
2. Heat a large pot to medium heat. Add a glug of vegetable oil and add in the cumin and coriander seeds. Once the seeds become fragrant, add the shallots and pinch of baking soda. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently. Every two-minutes or so, deglaze the bottom of the pot with a small splash of water, using a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue this process for 7-10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes a deep brown colour. 
3. Add in the prepared garlic paste, along with the red curry paste and butternut squash. Stir to coat and cook for 1-min. 
4. Add the coconut milk, vegetable broth, chickpeas, and kefir lime leaves and bring to a boil. Season with salt and reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until squash is tender. 
5. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cilantro and taste for seasoning. Season as needed with additional fish sauce, salt, chillies, and brown sugar to balance flavours. 
6. Serve with jasmine rice, garnished with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately or keep in fridge for 1-week, or freeze for future use. 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:
Roll (Burbank Funk) - The Internet

Sausage & Apple Phyllo Bites

Pies, crumbles, muffins, cakes; It's easy to come up with plenty of delicious sweet dishes using apples, but with apples so abundant this time of year in Ontario, I was itching to move away from familiar sweet flavours and create a savoury dish using local apples. While it's still pretty early, I'm always looking for new dishes to add to my potluck repertoire to bring for my family's Thanksgiving. We always do a potluck format for our big family holiday dinners, so that everyone can contribute to the work and celebration. While a lot of family members have their favourites that they like to stick to each time, I tend to get bored easily and am always looking to switch things up with something new and exciting!

With savoury apples on the brain, I kept swimming around the idea of creating my own version of a sausage roll, but this time with apples as well! I love the combination of pork and apples together, and with sausage rolls as a popular Thanksgiving appetizer (it's such a delicious and comforting way to kick off a meal!) I knew I could create something special that I would be proud to serve to my family!

To make my own sausage rolls a little bit different, I first added sweet and sour Granny Smith apples to aid in rounding out the flavour of the sausage meat. I also added some fresh rosemary still kicking around in my garden, and chose to wrap my rolls in phyllo dough as opposed to the traditional puff pastry, to give them more of a crunchy exterior. I also spread two different types of mustard (one dijon and one with lots of texture) right on the interior of the phyllo to allow the flavours to blend during baking. I love mustard, but I find that sometimes sausage rolls can be a bit bland, and when dipped in mustard, the flavour is improved, but can overpower the roll all together. Adding the mustard right into the roll avoids this, and gives a much more rich and well-balanced flavour.

I was so happy with how these sausage rolls turned out, and cannot wait for my family to try them! These will be so easy to transport to my aunts house that we are hosting Thanksgiving at, as well as reheat without losing their texture or flavour.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 large Granny Smith apple, small dice
1 lb. fresh Italian sausages, casings removed
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
Metro Irresistibles Frozen Phyllo Pastry, thawed
about 1/2 cup Kozliks Triple Crunch Mustard
about 1/2 cup Metro Irresistibles Traditional Prepared Dijon Mustard
about 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Maldon Salt, for garnish (optional)
salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Heat olive oil and add onion, apple, and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. 
2. Add sausage meat and break up with a spatula, and cook until browned. Add rosemary and stir to combine. Taste and season as needed with additional salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. Filling may be made in advance.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 
4. Stir together both mustards in a medium bowl. Lay out your phyllo pastry and cut into four even strips widthwise. Take one stack of phyllo strips and place them on a work surface. Cover both stacks of phyllo with damp cloths. 
5. Working one at a time, lightly brush one sheet of pastry with butter and layer another sheet on top. Brush lightly with butter once again, and lay a third sheet of pastry on top. Leaving a 1/2-inch border from the end of the strip, spread about 1 tsp of the mustard mixture. Top with about 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp sausage and apple mixture. Roll in the half-inch border on the end and both sides, like you're wrapping a present, and carefully roll up. Place on a greased baking sheet, and continue this process with the remaining pastry and filling. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and score with a knife. Sprinkle a little Maldon Salt on top of each one for garnish (optional). 
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Serve immediately or refrigerate. To reheat, place in a 200ºF oven for about 10-20 minutes, covering with aluminum foil if they start to get too dark. 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:
Darling - Real Estate

How To Build A Pantry Snack Station

Confession: I am a ravenous snacker. All day, every day, I'm a woman who loves her snacks! For someone who works at home a lot, this can be a dangerous thing. When the urge to snack hits me, and boy, oh boy, does that ever happen often, I will turn to the first snack that I can find that interests me, which can often mean some less than healthy choices. It was a few years ago, while working on my Food Hacks campaign with Kraft Canada that I came up with the idea of creating a snack station in my home. A snack station is a dedicated area for purely snacks that I fill with a variety of different options, so that when my urge to snack hits, I have somewhere to turn for quick, easy, and healthy ways to satiate me and curb any naughty food cravings. 

While a snack station has been incredibly helpful for Chris and I to help steer us away from the candy, ice cream, and other junk that's way too convenient for us to snack on, I also love the idea of making a snack station for kids! A few years ago I was taking care of two amazing young girls after school, and while they rarely ever fought or even disagreed, the one thing that they would sometimes tiff over was their after-school snacks. They would occasionally disagree about which items they were allowed to eat after school, creating an unnecessary heated moment in the midst of what was usually a lovely afternoon. This type of disagreement can be totally avoided with the help of a snack station. A snack station allows parents to curate exactly which snacks they would like their kids to eat after school, while also giving the kids the opportunity to have variety and begin making choices for themselves. 

The key word in creating a successful snack station is "variety." It's important to have variety in a snack station that covers all forms of different cravings so that there is always at least one option in the station that you could be in the mood for. This means including different types of dried fruit, nuts (both raw and salted), crackers or melba toast (I like the individually wrapped ones to control portion size and preserve freshness), granola bars, and fruit. Having variety like this means having different flavours (both salty and sweet) as well as textures, which is particularly important for kids who may be finicky with certain flavours and textures on any given day. 

If a parent wants to give their kids a special treat one day, it would be a cute surprise to have that in the snack station when they get home. I like turning to treats that are on the healthier side such as chocolate dipped dried cranberries, so you're still giving kids something special (hello, chocolate!) without spoiling their appetite or giving them junk. This can also be useful to use as a check-in spot for your kids. Leave notes for them at the snack station on things you would like done (homework, clean room, set the table, etc.), or to give guidance on other snacks that may be available in the fridge. 

How To Build A Pantry Snack Station - What To Include:
All items/ingredients listed are a guideline for you to use to create your own, but, as usual, I encourage you to use your imagination and your own tastes to create your own with what you and your kids like.

• Nuts, both salted and raw - ex. almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds
• Granola bars
• Fruit - ex. apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries
• Apple sauce - I like the Metro Irresistibles Life Smart Fruit Snacks for reduced sugar and portion control
• Crackers or Melba Toast - I love the Metro Irresistibles Melba Toast as a vehicle for dips, spreads, or topping with fruits or veg. I love their versatility, crunch, and the fact that they are individually wrapped.
• Dried Fruit - ex. cranberries, cherries, apricots, figs, apples
• Metro Irresistibles Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries (my new favourite sweet treat! All it takes is a small handful of these to curb my sweet cravings).

Tip: Make a salad building station too to help you make quick and delicious, restaurant-worthy salads for weeknight meals!

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:

Lemon Glow - Beach House

Back To School Essential: Sandwich Kabob Packed Lunch

Once you've said it, there's no turning back. It's out there. So here I go, about to say those fateful words that I used to curse my Oma for saying that first week of August every year growing up...it's almost back to school time. There. I said it! It doesn't feel good, but I said it! Even though I'm not preparing to go back to school this September, and as much as I love the Fall season, I really do dread the end of Summer. Though I'm not looking forward to scarves, boots, and the constant feeling of shivering, I do like looking at September as a fresh start, and one of the best fresh starts the Fall season brings is reinforcing good habits.

There are a lot of good habits that I try and commit to all year long, but there's nothing like taking advantage of a fresh season to jumpstart good patterns and routines. A habit that I am always looking to improve on is to commit to doing a daily fridge dive and clean to make use of any and all ingredients that need to be used up to reduce food waste in our home. For Chris, I know a habit that he wants to improve on is committing to bringing a homemade lunch into work every day. With these two goals in mind, I came up with a solution that allows me to use up different types of ingredients that need to get eaten, as well as give Chris tasty packed lunch ideas that he can rotate and customize every day.

Introducing the Sandwich Kabob! Essentially a charcuterie board on a stick, sandwich kabobs are a quick and tasty way to use up any leftover deli meat, cheese, vegetables, bread, pickles, and more to create an easy to transport and eat lunch, that your co-workers will be envious of! I like to lay out all of my ingredients that need to be used up, and pair them up as though I was building flavours in a sandwich. From there, simply skewer them on your kabob stick or spear and pack them up. While we're sure to be seeing a lot of Sandwich Kabobs in our very adult household over the coming months, I also love this idea for parents preparing lunches for their kids!

Sandwich Kabobs are a fantastic way to provide your kids with variety in their lunches, as well as giving them an opportunity to get involved to help mom and dad make their lunch, and start playing around with creating their own flavour combinations. More than that, I also think this welcomes a great opportunity to introduce new flavours to your kids palate. Try skewering on new types of meats, cheeses, and vegetables that they may have previously shied away from. While a pickle may ruin an entire sandwich for a kid who may not like pickles, if you try skewering a pickle on a Sandwich Kabob, they have the opportunity to try it, and if they don't like it, it can be easily removed without impacting the other ingredients.

As I often say with my recipes, I encourage you to play around with this one! As you can see in the photos, I used an assortment of different types of meats, as well as skewering on some simple sliced wraps. This is a particularly good idea for kids who tend to like having options in their lunch, and may get sick of any one particular flavour, as I often did growing up. You can also play around with creating more fancy sandwich kabobs, using more gourmet ingredients and serving them at your next gathering with friends and family as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre. I'd love to know what types of flavour combinations you and your kids create in your own home! Tell me about it in the comments, or share a photo with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram @gingerrosefood.

Ingredients:
All ingredients listed are merely suggestions to inspire you to create your own!
Metro Irresistibles Artisan Seasoned Angus Roast Beef, sliced
Metro Irresistibles Artisan German Salami, sliced
Metro Irresistibles Artisan Oven Roasted Seasoned Turkey Breast, sliced
Metro Irresistibles Canadian Lactose Free Swiss Cheese, cut into chunks
multigrain bread, cut into large chunks
aged cheddar cheese, cut into large chunks
Metro Irresistibles Traditional Prepared Dijon Mustard
flour tortillas
cherry tomatoes
pickles
cucumber, sliced or peeled into ribbons
kabob sticks or other form of spears
mayonaise

Directions:

1. Lay out all of your ingredients that you intent to use (I prioritize ingredients that I know need to get eaten up first) and start building flavour combinations.
2. Skewer your ingredients on your kabob sticks or other form of spears and pack up for lunch!
3. Prepare small containers on the side for dips such as mustard, mayo, or aioli. 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:
Ben's My Friend - Sun Kil Moon

Honey Vanilla Peach Freezer Jam

There is no better season in Ontario than peach season! It's hands-down the best ever, and I'm willing to fight anyone who says otherwise. I go peach crazy as soon as the first local peaches appear, and find myself buying baskets of peaches every few days to keep up with my consumption. It's such a short season, so you really can't blame me for wanting to take advantage as much as possible, as well as extend the season in any way I can.

My trick for extending peach season this year is to turn those fresh and juicy wonders into jam that I can enjoy well into the fall and winter. Every single morning I start my day with an egg and toast, and being able to make peaches apart of that breakfast every day for the next eight months makes me giddy!

The freedom of playing around with different flavours was also what drew me to making jam. I wanted to infuse some other flavours into my peach jam to make it a little more complex and unique. When I think of some of my favourite ways to enjoy fresh peaches in the summer, they almost always involve honey and vanilla. I love making simple desserts with fresh peaches, by grilling them up and topping with a drizzle of honey and either fresh vanilla cream or French vanilla ice cream. To mimic those flavours in my jam, I substituted some of the white sugar for organic honey, as well as adding some pure vanilla extract.

While this jam is certainly sweet when trying straight from the jar, its perfect on top of buttery toast! Play around with different ways of serving this jam to make it your own! Think of glazing tarts, topping plain yogurt, or stirring into smoothies! Let me know how you play around with this jam in the comments below.

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh peaches (about 2 cups chopped, or about 3 medium peaches), peeled, pitted and chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 package (57g) Original Certo Pectin Crystals
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Metro Irresistibles Organics Pure Honey
1/2 tsp Metro Irresistibles Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Thoroughly wash enough jars/containers and lids that will hold approximately 1 1/4-pints of jam (most canning jars come in 1-pint, 1/2-pint, and 1/4-pint sizes) with very hot water, and dry thoroughly. Set aside. 
2. In a medium saucepan set to medium-low heat, add peaches. Cook and crush using a potato masher. Mash until peaches have reached desired consistency (about 10-15 minutes).
3. Add lemon juice and pectin crystals and stir to combine. Bring to a boil at high heat.
4. Stir in sugar, honey, and vanilla and return to a boil. Cook for 1-minute. 
5. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5-minutes, stirring occasionally. 
6. Pour into warm, sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Cover with lids and let stand at room temperature for 24-hours or until set. Keep jars in freezer for 8 months, or until ready to enjoy! Jam will hold in the fridge for about 3-weeks. 

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario. 

Listening To:
Kanye West - Ghost Town

Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls

My schedule is all over the place, and often means eating meals at odd times of the day (think lunch at 3:00 and often dinner at midnight...I know, it's not good!). With so much running around between commitments, it's so important to have quick and easy snack options on hand that can keep me satiated and energized throughout the day. I always like to keep nuts, yogurt, fruits, and veg on hand for that purpose, but a new healthy snack that has become a prominent feature in my kitchen is energy balls!

I have to admit, when I first tried making energy balls a couple years ago, they did not go successfully. I focused too much on health instead of flavour, which resulted in dry and flavourless balls of chia and coconut oil, that ultimately ended up in the garbage. The trick to making energy balls is striking that perfect balance between healthy and delicious! Inspired by the flavours in banana bread (another snack I love!), I created my Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls that are just sweet enough to trick me into feeling like I'm enjoying a treat, but are packed with ingredients that will keep my body and mind feeling energized and alive!

Keep these energy balls on hand to enjoy for a midday pick me up, or a pre-workout energy boost that won't leave you feeling bogged down and sluggish.

Ingredients:
1 overripe banana*
1/2 cup Metro Irresistibles Organics Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground flax
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2-4 dates, pitted and softened (adjust the amount depending on your sweetness preferences)
1 - 1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, frozen (freezing your chocolate chips allows them to hold their shape, giving the energy balls some texture)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add banana, peanut butter, coconut, flax, chia seeds, dates and 1-cup oats. Pulse until just combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl several times. Pinch the mixture between your fingers to test consistency. You want the mixture to be able to form into balls without being too sticky. If mixture is still very sticky and wet, add more oats as needed.
2. Stir in frozen chocolate chips. 
3. Using clean hands, form into 2 Tbsp balls and place in an airtight container. You should be left with 12-14 energy balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy throughout the week! 

*To quickly ripen bananas, separate individual bananas from the bunch and place on a baking sheet. Cook in a 300ºF oven for 25-30 minutes, or until black and shiny. Cool.

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:
Pusha T - Santeria

Layered Mango-Strawberry Lassi-Inspired Smoothie

As the heat rises in the summertime, so does the heat level in the food I make, and I'm not talking temperature! There's something about a hot day that has me craving spicy food. While my tolerance for spice is pretty good, I've been known to push my own limits from time to time, resulting in me turning to shots of milk or yogurt to fan the flames on my tongue. Whenever I order in Indian food I'm reminded of how soothing a cold lassi can be after a hot-as-fire bite of curry. With that in mind, and my tendency for putting hot chilli oil on my morning eggs, I wanted to create a lassi-inspired smoothie that could aid in keeping my tastebuds happy and cool when enjoying my spicy morning eggs. With Ontario strawberries still in the markets, I wanted to combine the mango-flavoured lassi that I'm most familiar with, with a strawberry one in a unique way that would allow the flavours of each to shine individually.

I adore the flavour of honey that always shines through in the lassi's that I've tried, so I kept that consistent, using it as my sweetener. To switch things up a little bit, I also chose to use a lighter Greek yogurt to give the drink that same rich taste that I love in a lassi, but with a more viscous consistency that's easier to drink in the morning. While I had previously never tried any myself, I had read that there are some lassi's that can be infused with rose water, turmeric, or saffron. I loved the idea of really making that yellow colour pop against the pink strawberry smoothie, so I infused the honey with some saffron to give it that extra intensity.

Not only does this layered lassi-inspired smoothie look gorgeous, it's also delicious and cooling! I love the idea of serving this smoothie for an elegant outdoor summer brunch for friends and family. Let me know how you enjoyed this layered lassi-inspired smoothie in the comments below!

Tip: If you're shot on time, forget about layering and just toss all the ingredients together!

Ingredients:
For the Mango Lassi Smoothie
2 cups Metro Irresistibles Frozen Mango Chunks, thawed
2 tsp Metro Irresistibles Organics Pure Honey
pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup Metro Irresistibles 0º Plain Greek Yogurt
handful of ice

For the Strawberry Lassi Smoothie
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced
3 tsp Metro Irresistibles Organics Pure Honey
1/2 cup Metro Irresistibles 0º Plain Greek Yogurt
handful of ice

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, add mango chunks and blend until relatively smooth.
2. In a small bowl add the honey and saffron threads and stir to combine. Add to blender with Greek yogurt. Blend until very smooth. Add a handful of ice, blend, and transfer to a container and set aside in fridge. Clean blender or food processor bowl.
3. In a clean blender, add strawberries and blend until relatively smooth. 
4. Add honey and Greek yogurt and blend until very smooth. Add a handful of ice and blend.
5. Divide the Mango Lassi Smoothie between 2-4 cups (depending on the serving size you prefer). Using a large spoon to avoid the two smoothies from mixing, carefully spoon the Strawberry Lassi Smoothie over the Mango Lassi Smoothie. Serve immediately!

This post was created in partnership with Metro Ontario.

Listening To:
Snail Mail - Pristine