Tea Time Blueberry Cake

Hello there. Are you enjoying the summer? Specifically, are you enjoying the summer fruit? I hope so. This first month of my summer has been uncharacteristically busy -- an out-of-the norm for me. Usually when school ends, I spend a good week and a half doing nothing and mulling about, reminiscing and baking scones or making a treat for a road trip. Not this year. Boo hoo.

But I did make cake. A wonderful, hearty, spelt and blueberry tea cake, sweetened with dark maple syrup and made with the season's first Ontario blueberries. I obsess over berries each summer, and in the fall, I always regret not eating more. Berries are so fleeting and will always be. And even though I know the best way to eat these local delights is to just enjoy them straight up, I can never resist baking up batches of goodies studded with ripe, local fruit. This cake is no different. It's a very simple, no fuss cake, adapted from one of Heidi's recipes at 101 Cookbooks. Her version uses huckleberries and includes a little crumble topping. Seeing as I've never seen a huckleberry here in Ontario before, I decided that blueberries would have to do, and although I love crumble topping, I skipped it for a more wholesome, breakfast friendly-version of this cake. Heidi also included some fresh rosemary and thyme in her cake and I loved the idea of herbs adding that little something extra to a dessert. I followed her lead with the thyme, as each summer they grow like mad on the balcony and I feel bad if I don't use them up, but instead of the rosemary, I added some fresh lavender leaves which perfumed the cake ever-so-slightly -- perfect with the floral, fruity berries.

While making this cake, I thought about one summer when my sister drove my best friend and I to a farm just north of the city, and we spent the afternoon in the sun, picking blueberries and raspberries. When I sampled the blueberries I bought for this cake, the whole day came flooding back to my mind -- the hot, dusty drive out of town, the sun on the back of my neck as we stooped over the pick our berry treasures, the way I giggled when a farm boy with an accent handed me my blended lemonade and grilled corn on the cob, the rustic, touristic feel inside the gift shop where you could buy jams, pies, and other assorted goodies, and the way my best friend giggled at me when I bought honey-roasted soybeans of all things at the shop and snacked on them all the way home in the car. Gosh, that was a good 7 or 8 years ago, but I remember it so clearly.

I'm not sure if there will be road trips, berry picking or dusty car rides into farm land this year. But there will be cake, there's already been lots of coffee, and there will always be giggles and good times.

Happy Summer. I hope you're having a good one .. and I hope it lasts forever ...

Maple Blueberry Tea Cake
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1/4 cup of spelt flakes
1/3 cup of skim milk yogurt
zest and juice of one lemon
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup of dark maple syrup (grade B amber)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of canola oil
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
5-6 fresh lavender leaves, finely chopped
1 cup of spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of fresh blueberries, washed

1. In a large bowl, combine the spelt flakes, lemon juice and zest and yogurt. Stir well and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding the egg, maple syrup, vanilla and canola oil. Mix well.

2. Add the thyme and lavender and sift in the flour, baking soda and powder. Mix until just combined. Add the blueberries and give it one final mix.

3. Pour your batter into a baking pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until the cake tester inserted comes out clean and the top of the cake is springy when you touch it.

4. Serve with tea, coffee or big dollop of yogurt and more fresh berries for breakfast!

Feeling Chocolately

On Monday morning, I woke up wanting to bake a chocolate cake. This chocolate cake to be specific. This chocolate cake that involves stout, maple syrup and cocoa powder. Did I have those things in my pantry? Yup (minus the stout, but there was a lonely dark ale sitting beside the almond milk...) Did I make that cake? Nope.

Ridiculous! Why can't I bake a chocolate cake on Monday, just because? It must be some inherent start-of-the-work-week thing where you feel like you have to do some work to earn the chocolate. Like, you know the episode of Bing Bang Theory where Penny makes French toast for Leonard and Sheldon but Sheldon is too uptight to eat French toast on a Monday?  Yeah, I totally felt like Sheldon -- except I didn't waste perfectly good French toast (or chocolate for that matter!).

Instead, I made granola. Wholesome, healthy, grain-packed Monday-food granola. And I make it chocolatey! I added a nice rounded tablespoon of dark cocoa powder to my oats and spelt and sunflower seeds and a dash of cinnamon to remind me of spicy hot chocolate. The liquid base is a combination of honey, tahini and apple sauce -- oil and guilt free. I tossed a good handful of raisins at the end and snacked on it while it was still warm. The house smelled like a chocolate factory while this was baking and it totally took away my chocolate-cake-baking itch. It was also perfect later that Monday with a splash of almond milk, a few sliced bananas and a sprinkle of blueberries. Beautiful summer Monday food.

Well, it's the weekend now, and a perfect time for chocolate cake, except that I didn't get around to doing any baking or cooking this weekend and ya know what? Tomorrow is Monday and the perfect excuse to make this granola again! This time, I think I'll try adding some coconut flakes, or flaked almonds and cranberries instead of raisins -- although dried cherries would make it a really special treat... and almond butter instead of tahini. Or maybe I'll use this recipe that calls for mashed bananas instead of apple sauce. Chocolate and banana .. Mondays rock!

Chocolatey Tahini Granola
makes about 4ish cups

2 cups of spelt flakes
1 cup of rolled oats
1/2 cup of sunflowerseeds (or almonds and coconut!)
2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
3/4 cup of apple sauce (I made my by cooking two little apples in a splash of water and blending it)
2 tablespoons of tahini
1 tablespoon of honey
1 cup of raisins (or dried cranberries or dried cherries)

1. In a large bowl, toss together spelt flakes, oats, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cocoa powder and cinnamon until everything is evenly distributed.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the applesauce, tahini and honey. Don't worry if it looks gross -- it'll get better!

3. Add the applesauce mixture to the oat mixture and carefully stir until everything is moistened. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet making sure it's as even as possible.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven, turning every 10 minutes for about 30 minutes or until the mixture dries out and gets crisp. You house will smell like heaven. Toss in the raisins as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!  Happy Monday!

Hooked on this Salad

I love summer and I love summer produce, especially the summer fruit. But when it comes to cooking in the the heat, I'm a bit hesitant. I love summer because I get lots of time off and that means lots of time to experiment in the kitchen. But these past few days have been hazy and humid and hot, weather that takes away your appetite. It's like you want to drink lemonade and eat popsicles for supper every day. Seriously.

While the weather outside today is just perfect -- lots of sunshine, a little breeze and not too much humidity, the 7 day forecast calls for heat alerts by Friday. Turning on the stove is going to be a chore, but we still need to eat, right? One cannot subsist on lemonade a frozen treats -- but add a salad in there and we're probably good to go, especially if it's a nice hearty salad, like this beautiful rice and cucumber bowl. It's nourishing and almost cleansing, and it's the kind of thing that you don't mind eating even in the extreme heat.

I've called it a cucumber and rice bowl, but really, you could put whatever you want in it. It's all about the dressing. I had a huge crush on tahini-based dressings, but in the heat, I prefer something yogurt-based. It's totally simple. Non-fat yogurt, lemon juice and bunch of herbs from your garden. This year, we've started growing dill, so I used a whole bunch of it in the dressing and it really worked well. It's zippy and lemony and cool and creamy -- the perfect way to top my bowl full of goodness. And it goes without saying that you could totally mix it up. Isa says that the essential ingredients of a bowl are "a grain, a green, and 'tein and a sauce." Once you've got that, you're all set. I'm considering switching the grain to soba noodles -- if you choose to go that way, you might want to cut your veggies in a similiar shape (like rather than dicing or chunking, cut them in match sticks or use a grater). This salad is also awesome because you can cook up a big batch of whatever grain you choose, and for the rest of the week, you'll enjoy cooking-free lunches or suppers. Just chop, toss and enjoy.

Want more bowl inspirations?

Glorious Bowl
Lemon Orzo with Spinach, Feta and Almonds
Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Balsamic Dressing
Green Quinoa
Bulgar, Millet and Chickpea Salad
Roasty Soba Bowl
Qunioa with Currents, Dill and Zucchini
Buttermilk Farro Salad
Wild Rice Salad with Yogurt Viniagrette


I'm sure these cool bowls will keep you happy all summer long!

Cucumber Rice Bowl with Herbed Yogurt Dressing

Fill your bowl with some of the following ...

rice -- red, brown, wild, go nuts!
quinoa
millet
barley
soba noodles
or a combination

cooked and/or drained chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans etc.
tofu cut into cubes (the smoked or marinated kind is awesome)
cooked lentils -- go nuts and try some of the fancy kind

cucumber or raw zucchini chunks
blanched fresh or frozen peas
fresh sweet corn (blanched or raw!)
baby arugula or spinach
chopped lettuce
cherry or grape tomatoes

Herbed Yogurt Dressing
makes about 1/3 cup -- enough to dress 3-4 salads

1/4 cup of skim milk yogurt
juice of one large lemon
a splash of water
salt and pepper to taste
a large bunch of chopped, fresh herbs -- I used dill, oregano and thyme

Whisk all the ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Pour 1-2 tablespoons over your bowl. Toss, eat and be happy and cool.

Cool and Creamy

It's a hazy one out there. A perfect Pride Weekend, made special because it's my first weekend of summer vacation. It usually takes a few days for the thought of summer vacation to soak in, and another few days to get all unwound, especially with end of the year drama. And while I'll miss the children like crazy, I'm glad to have some time to myself. And it couldn't be a more perfect weekend to start off my holiday.

Enjoying hot hazy days can be tricky. The sunshine begs you to join it outside, but after awhile and a couple gallons of water, you're exhausted. I think the trick is to balance your sunshine adventures with lots of hydration, and some cool creamy treats. These mango lime popsicles are perfect, but so is this unique strawberry rice pudding.

I know some of you aren't pudding people. It's a texture thing, right? I loved pudding as a child. Every once in awhile, my parents would get the Jell-o pudding cups (usually vanilla or tapioca) and I would be allowed to have one as an after school treat. My first perfect memory of pudding as a child was when I went over a friend's house for the first time, and we made lemon pudding together. We poured in the milk, mixed it up, and waited patiently for it to set in the fridge. I think it's the memory of being together with that friend that I miss, rather than the taste of powdered pudding.

 My re-acquaintance with pudding came many years later when I made this super easy chocolate pudding. No messing about with egg yolks or double cream. Cornstarch does an amazing job thickening it to the perfect pudding consistency. I even made a mocha version by substituting some of the milk with extra strong brewed coffee, and a butterscotch version with some leftover butterscotch chips. Then this coconut rice pudding got posted, and I tried that too. In this recent pudding edition of my kitchen adventures, I made a strawberry rice pudding that's just sweet enough, very creamy and totally perfect if you have some stray berries that are getting over-ripened. I originally wanted it to be a coconut strawberry pudding; I used a coconut milk beverage (the kind in the tetra pack that's used as a milk substitute) for the first time, but found out that while it's nice and creamy, it lacked in coconut flavour. But that didn't matter because the strawberries totally shone. When it's chilled and eaten straight from the jar, it's the perfect after-sun-adventure treat.

While I know the pudding probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, I urge you to try it if you like pudding even a little bit. There's just something so satisfying about sticking your spoon into a jar of something creamy and cool ... Happy summer days everyone!

Strawberry Rice Pudding
serves about 2-3

1/4 cup of arborio rice
1.5 cups of milk (or any non-dairy milk -- I used So Nice coconut milk beverage)*
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of natural cane sugar
1/2 cup of fresh strawberries, diced

**if you want a more coconut-y pudding, try replacing some of the liquid with the thicker coconut milk that you get in a can -- I would say maybe use half a cup.

1. Place your chopped berries in a small bowl and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and let sit while the pudding cooks.

2. Rinse your rice well. Place it in a pot with the milk, vanilla and the rest of the sugar. Bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid a thickened. It will still be runny -- don't worry that it's not pudding-like yet.

3. Turn the heat off and stir in the diced berries with their juices. Let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.  Enjoy when it's completely cool, thick and creamy!  I'd even have it for breakfast!

Rhubarb, oh Rhubarb

 I'm obsessed with rhubarb. Utterly obsessed. I think it's because I discovered the tangy, fruity goodness of rhubarb only recently. I was never exposed to it as a child -- only in those horrible commercial strawberry rhubarb pies that had a goopy thick filling that was pretty much all sugar and very little fruit. When I first picked up the beautiful green and red stalks at the market, I baked them up into this crumble with raspberries. Ever since then, I was hooked. Last year, I made orange rhubarb madeleines that were fragrant and spongey. I even sneaked a little into last year's strawberry preserves. So this year, when I saw them for $1.99/pound at the market, I indulged .. several times. The most recent, being this roasted strawberry rhubarb upside down cake. It's a combination of two different recipes, and the secret is a big splash of balsamic vinegar mixed in with the fruit as it's roasted.

This cake is awesome. It's simple to make and beautifully moist and lemony. It's the kind of cake that you can whip up for unexpected company, or to cheer you up if you're having a rough weekend. It's probably also perfect for Dad tomorrow and brought over the top with a little dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed mine plain, usually as an after school treat, and when I brought a slice to my stressed-out colleague, she said it made her day a little bit brighter.

There's still rhubarb out there and the local berries are just starting to get beautiful, ripe, juicy and cheap.  Roast your fruit, beat your eggs, pick out some interesting whole wheat flours and find a beautiful organic yogurt to put into this cake. Make someone's day a little bit brighter.

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
adapted from Joy the Baker and Everybody Likes Sandwiches

1 large, or 2 small stalks of rhubarb, washed and chopped
1 cup of strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
1.5 tablespoons of natural cane sugar
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

2 eggs
1/2 cup of brown sugar
zest and juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of plain yogurt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of spelt flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

1. Combine the fruit, cane sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a 9 inch baking pan. Toss well. Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the fruit gets soft and the juices start to bubble and thicken ever so slightly.

2. While you're waiting for the fruit to roast, make the cake. Mix the eggs, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, oil and yogurt in a large bowl. Mix until everything is well-combined. Sift in the flours and baking soda. Mix until just combined.

3. Pour the cake batter over the roasted fruit and pop it back in the oven. Bake for 30ish minutes or until the cake gets a beautiful golden brown and a cake tester inserted comes out clean.

4. Let the cake cool completely. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert a plate on top of the cake. Now flip!  Carefully lift off the baking pan and admire your work. Enjoy in the sunshine.

Enchiladas: Pantry Cooking

I know it's spring and it's hardly a time to cook from your pantry -- what with all the asparagus and rhubarb floating about the market, not to mention the first strawberries of the season?  Summer is around the corner and fresh salads and local fruits and veggies should be a staple.  But sometimes, even in the middle of a lovely spring harvest, we need our pantries.

Maybe it's a rainy weekend what you can't get out to market, and a quick dash to the convenience store down the street is all that you can manage. Or maybe it's that crunch time of the year when you can't get organized enough to shop for the week and you find yourself home from work without having stopped for groceries. It's a good time to pull out those pantry recipes. You know, those recipes that you can put together in a snap that are filling and pleasing and leave lots of leftovers for tomorrow?  Here's a good one for you. You probably have everything you need in your pantry or freezer right now.  Yes, there's canned and frozen veggies instead of fresh, but sometimes, convenience rules and you don't have to feel guilty about that.

I've made these simple black bean and rice enchiladas twice, inspired by a post at That's So Vegan. It's got bold, spicy flavours and comforting carbs, plus a little cheesy topping that goes a long way. The best part is that it make a whole lot, so you can totally entertain with it, or keep it in the fridge for a few more meals to come. A squeeze of lime and a hit of fresh cilantro, or some diced avocado on the side would make this dish even better, but don't sweat it. It tastes wonderful even without the added goodies. Can't get tortilla wraps easily?  No problem. Skip the rice in the filling, and steam it up on the side.  Serve your filling over the rice like a chili. Done!

Don't feel bad about cooking from your pantry in the spring.  Sometimes we all need a bit of pantry love. Wishing you lots of sunshine, spring veggies and yummy suppers!

Easy Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas
inspired by That's So Vegan

serves 3-6 depending on appetite sizes!

1 medium carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of frozen corn
1 large can of diced tomatoes,
1 cup of water or stock
1 large handful of basmati rice
6-8 tortillas
1/3 cup of grated cheese (I use mozzarella)

1. In a large pot, saute the carrot, celery, onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until they start to soften and become fragrant. Add the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.

2. Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, stock and mix well.  Bring to a boil and add the rice.  Cook, covered for about 10-12 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is thickened.  Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly while your oven heats up.

3. In a 9'13 pan, add a thin layer of your filling mixture to the bottom. Now it's assembly time! Take a tortilla in your hand and put some of the filling in the middle -- I would say about 1/4 cupish -- just eyeball it.  Now, wrap up the filling nice and tight (better than I did!) and lay it seam-side down on the pan.  Repeat until you fill the pan. I got 6 the first time I made it, and 8 the next.

4. If you have more filling left over, spread it over the top of the enchiladas . Sprinkle it with cheese and pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 15ish minutes -- just so the cheese gets gooey and the tortillas get a tiny bit crispy in the edges.

5. Serve with your favourite toppings (sour cream, diced green onion, avocado) or just plain is a-ok.

Roasted Tomato Orzo Salad

Make this NOW!  If you're buried under work and don't have time to cook, but still want to taste that sunshine outside in your kitchen, make this salad.  Make a big batch and let it sit in your fridge. It only gets better with time.  Eat it all week for lunch, or supper.  Add some chopped raw cucumber, blanched broccoli or a nice green salad on the side and you're totally set.

The first time I made this salad, I totally fell in love with it. The second time I made it, I added chopped red onion and it was even better.  You could totally play with it -- add chopped roasted or raw red peppers, zucchini, roasted garlic, whatever you like.  Or keep it simple and enjoy it just as much.

Don't sweat it.  It's easy.  Take 30 minutes out of your work-at-home time and make this salad.  You'll be so glad you did.  Make it even if you're not busy, and spend the rest of your time biking outside, having coffee or beer on sunny patios or planting the garden.  It's THAT good.  Go for it!  Happy eating!

Roasted Tomato Orzo Salad
serves lots!

1.5 cups of uncooked orzo
4-5 ripe tomatoes, or couple pints of cherry tomatoes, chopped or halved
a big splash each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1 big pinch of salt
1 few good grinds of pepper
1/2 red onion, diced
3-4 basil leaves, chopped
a few sprigs of oregano (or use thyme, or parsley .. anything you've got on hand!)

1. In a large pot of water, cook the orzo for about 15 minutes, or until tender and/or al dente.  Drain and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, toss the tomatoes in the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Spread it out on a baking sheet and roast on high (under the broiler) for about 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and the juices get kind of sticky.

3. Put the pasta in a large bowl and add the onion.  Toss with the tomatoes and their juices.  Add in the chopped herbs and toss again.  Let it cool in the fridge, if you can wait, or just dig in.  It's ten times better when you pull it out a few days later.