Vegan Haystack Cookies

No-bake, vegan haystack cookies! Great for hot summer days… Makes ~12 cookies.

In a medium sauce pan on low heat, melt together

• 1/4 C oil (coconut, vegetable, canola, your choice)
• 1/4 C pure maple syrup
• 1/2 C natural peanut butter
• 1/3 C cocoa (unsweetened)

Stir well, and once melted together, remove from heat. Then add

• 1/2 C steel cut oats
• 1/2 C cooked quinoa
• 1/2 C shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Once combined, drop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet (for easy clean-up, cover cookie sheet with parchment paper first). Place cookie sheet in freezer, and allow cookies to freeze (about 30-60 minutes). Store in freezer in an airtight container. If you used coconut oil, you may be able to store them in the fridge. They fall apart rather quickly once they warm up.

 

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

It’s taken me a loooong time to find a decent homemade granola bar recipe. No matter what I do, they always fall apart. My hunt has ended with Ambitious Kitchen‘s Chia, Quinoa & Banana bars! They are vegan,  gluten free, and stay in one piece.

Preheat oven to 350F, and line a square baking pan with parchment paper (or tin foil works, too).

In a large bowl, mix together

• 1C rolled oats
• 1/2 C quinoa, uncooked (& rinsed!)
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 C chopped nuts & seeds of your choice (I find slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds a nice combo)
• 1/3 C dried fruit (I have made it with dried, unsweetened blueberries, and with chopped dates – both have tasted great)

In a small saucepan on low heat, melt together

• 1/4 C natural peanut or almond butter
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

Pour nut butter mixture into the large bowl of the remaining ingredients, and mix well. Press into prepared pan, and bake for 25 minutes. When cool, cut into 10-12 bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator.

Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf

Tastes like the real thing but better for you! Oil replaced with fat-free Greek yogurt, reduced sugar, and made with a mix of white and whole wheat flour! Adapted from here.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium sized bowl, mix

• 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C whole wheat flour
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, whisk together

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 Cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)
• 1/2 C Plain Greek yogurt, fat-free or low-fat
• 1 tsp vanilla

To top

• Roasted pumpkin seeds

After mixing dry and wet ingredients separately, pour wet ingredients into dry and stir slowly. Do not over mix and stop as soon as there are no bits of dry flour left. Turn into a greased loaf pan, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made, time and time again. Enjoy! Makes ~16 cookies.

• 1/2 C butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 C brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C quick oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 C chocolate chips

Cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour, oats, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until evenly blended, and then stir in chocolate chips. Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Brioche Pretzels

 

A labour of love… the time it takes to make these is so very worth it! Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Makes 8 pretzels.

Dough

• 1/3 C Milk
• 1 tsp Instant yeast
• 2 1/4 C All-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 C Butter, room temperature
• ~1 C Dark chocolate, chopped finely

Glaze

• 1 Egg
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Water

Whisk together milk and yeast in a small bowl. In an electric mixer, use the paddle to stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add eggs and yeast mixture, and stir on low until dough comes together. Turn up speed to medium, and mix for 10 minutes. Add butter, 1/3 at a time, mixing in between. Once well mixed, switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Add chocolate and continue to knead until evenly distributed. Let dough rise in greased bowl covered with plastic wrap in a warm spot for 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350. Split dough evenly into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a long (~18 inch) rope, and twist into a pretzel. Place on cookie sheet, brush with glaze, and let rise again for 15 minutes. Brush with glaze again and bake for 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned.

Mango Chicken Curry

Red mango curry – adapted from Thug Kitchen. Serve with rice!

• 2tsp cooking oil, divided
• 2 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless), cut into ~1inch cubes
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• Handful of green beans, ends removed and cut into ~1inch pieces
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 C vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed
• Juice from 1/2 a lime

In a medium frying pan, heat oil and stir fry chicken until cooked through. In a soup pot, heat oil and saute the onion. Add green beans, zucchini, and bell pepper and cook until veggies are soft. Add cooked chicken, garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Stir, then add soy sauce, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a simmer, then add mango. Cook until mango is soft (about 8 minutes). Add lime juice, stir and serve over rice!

*New & Improved* Tomato-free Slow Cooker Chili

Updated October 2015! If you, like me, can’t eat tomatoes and are in need of a chili recipe to hold you over, look no further! This chili is chicken-based, is completely tomato-free, and feeds 4-5. Adapted from Spark Recipes.

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen is fine)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1-2 Carrots, diced
• 2-4 white mushrooms, sliced
• 1-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2-4 tsp Sriracha
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 19oz can white kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 19oz can red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 small can corn
• 3/4 C chicken broth
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Add all ingredients (except the lime juice and cilantro) to your slow cooker. Stir well and make sure the chicken is mostly covered by liquid. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-7 hours. Fifteen minutes before cooking time ends, shred the chicken breasts apart using two forks and stir. Immediately before serving stir in the lime juice and cilantro. You won’t beleive it’s tomato free!!

Creamy Chicken Soup

This recipe is a bit more fussy than soups I prefer to make, but it is definitely worth the extra steps! Makes approximately 5 servings. Original recipe from Cooking Classy.

• 3/4 C wild rice/brown rice blend
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/4 C butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 5 C chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 C flour
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1/2 C cream

Prepare rice according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt ~1 Tbsp of the butter, and saute the vegetables ~5 minutes, then add the garlic. Add the broth, seasonings, and chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Make sure the chicken is covered in liquid, and boil for ~15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken and shred into bite-size pieces (two forks work perfectly). Return chicken to the pot, and add the cooked rice.

In a medium sized sauce pan, melt remaining butter, and whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Stir until mixture thickens. Add to soup and let simmer until the soup thickens. Stir in cream and serve with rye bread!

Wedding

Joel and I were married at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse in Saanichton, BC in August. Here are a few pictures from the lovely Stephanie Christo.

  

Slow Cooker Frozen Burritos

These will keep you going for weeks – burrito filling concocted in the slow cooker and made into burritos you can freeze! Also can be made tomato-free for those with allergies/intolerances. Makes 10-12 burritos, total cooking time 6-8 hours. Adapted from The Kitchn.

• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes (tomato-free version: replace tomatoes with 1 can of refried beans + 1/2 can of chicken stock)
• 1 C chicken stock, divided
• 1.5 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalepeno, seeded and diced (optional, of course!)
• 1 C brown rice
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 C corn (frozen or canned)
• Toppings: cheese, salsa, cilantro, etc. (lettuce, avocado and sour cream are also great toppings but do not freeze well)
• 10-12 flour tortillas

In a large slow cooker, add the chicken breasts, tomatoes OR refried beans and chicken stock, 1/2 cup additional chicken stock, chili powder, cumin and salt. Make sure the chicken in covered in liquid. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Add onion, bell pepper, jalepeno, rice, beans, corn, and 1/2 C more chicken stock and stir well. Cook for an additional 3-4 hours on low. Stir the mixture once in a awhile and add water if it appears dry to make sure the rice cooks. When finished cooking, shred chicken using two forks and stir well. Serve immediately, or cool until room temperature to make frozen burritos.

To make frozen burritos: the burrito mix must be room temperature, otherwise the burritos will become a soggy mess. Place burrito mix in the middle of a flower tortilla, top with cilantro, salsa and cheese, and wrap into a burrito shape. Wrap in tinfoil and place in a freezer bag. Freeze. Lasts ~3 months!

Connally McDougall in Vogue!

Eeeep! My dear friend Connally was recently featured in Vogue.co.uk!

Check her out here.

Sriracha Maple Popcorn

Sweet & spicy homemade popcorn! Original recipe at Style Me Pretty.

• 1/2 C butter
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C light corn syrup
• 1 tsp sriracha (+ a little more if you like extra spice)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 6 C popped popcorn (I used two microwaved bags of natural flavoured popcorn – don’t use anything coated in butter)

Prepare popcorn and preheat oven to 250F. Put popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.In a small saucepan, melt butter, and stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a rolling boil and let it bubble away for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add sriracha and baking soda. Pour the butter mixture over the popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Spread popcorn in an even layer on a tinfoil or parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake in oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Chicken & Bacon Carbonara Sauce

The simplest carbonara recipe I could find – so full of flavour, yet so delicate. Adapted from BestRecipes.com.

• 4-6 strips of thick-cut bacon, sliced into squares ~0.5 x 0.5 inches
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 C Half and half cream
• 2 Tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 egg, whisked
• 3/4 C grated cheese (I had some havarti kicking around that worked amazingly)

In a large frying pan, cook bacon until lightly browned. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Leave remaining bacon fat in the pan, and use to fry the chicken. Fry chicken until cooked. Add onion and mushrooms, and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until onions soften. Add cream and sour cream (or yogurt), and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Slowly add whisked egg while stirring. Next, add grated cheese and stir until fully melted. Serve over your favourite pasta! I served it over tortellini & paired it with a sauvignon blanc.

Sausage & Spinach Tortellini

A deliciously filling one-pot meal! Takes less than 30 minutes to make and serves ~4 people. Adapted from here.

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• ~1/2 lb mild italian sausage
• 1-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1/2 C cream
• 300g fresh tortellini
• 3 C fresh spinach, chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Fresh basil for garnish

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings. Add sausage to warm skillet, break up into chunks, and brown on both sides. Add garlic.

Pour in can of tomatoes and cream. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add tortellini and cook for 8-10 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat, add chopped spinach, and stir until wilted. Garnish with fresh basil and serve!

Raspberry Pie

This delicious pie can be made with any combination of berries! Adapted from here.

• Pastry for a 9 inch pie (enough for top & bottom)
• 4 C berries (I used 3 cups of fresh raspberries, and 1 cup frozen blueberries)
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Cream
• Sprinkle of granulated sugar

Roll out pastry and line the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. In a large bowl, mix together the berries, sugar, flour and lemon juice, then fill pastry shell. Use remaining pastry as the top crust (you can make a criss cross pattern, or if you want a full top crust, make sure to cut some steam vents). Brush top crust with cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350F and bake for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Top with vanilla ice cream or yogurt!

Ya Ya Yam Fries

Baked yam/sweet potato fries take a little extra work, but are deeelish and so much healthier than their deep fried counterparts! Original recipe here. Serve with Srirachup (3 parts ketchup and 1 part Sriracha hot sauce)!

• 2-3 medium sized yams, peeled and sliced into fries
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional, but helps make them crispy!)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
• Sprinkle of salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Coat the raw yam fries evenly in olive oil, cornstarch and spices. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the fries over, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until fries are crisp.

Connally McDougall Design

“You have to love fashion and design with all of your heart, because it doesn’t pay you first. I’m learning about trust in my passion, as I just emptied my accounts to cover rent and am relying on the food bank to get groceries. This is all for passion and love. The opportunity to show in Beijing (and now possibly at NY Fashion Week with my upcoming Spring Collection) is massive, yet currently unobtainable. When I doubt that this path is right, because it’s depleted every resource behind me, I have to have faith that something miraculous will happen, and each of you is a miracle in my journey. It would be cheaper to use sweatshop-produced fabrics. It would be cheaper to have everything made in China, but isn’t it time we put our wallets where our hearts are? Thank you each so much for your support. I’ve given everything I have for this and cannot thank you enough for every dollar you’ve each contributed to make a stand for ethical clothing. Please continue to share and support this vision.“

 

Salsa Fresca

There is nothing better on a sunny day than some fresh salsa!

• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped finely (optional)
• 1/4 green pepper, chopped finely
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sprinkle of salt
• Juice from 1/2 a lime

Mix all together in a small bowl and serve with your favourite Mexican-inspired dishes!

Connally McDougall FW2014

Connally McDougall at Vancouver Fashion Week FW 2014.

One of the most strong, beautiful and cohesive collections of the week. I could watch it again and again and again!

 

Quick Tomato & Sausage Soup

Need a quick Sunday dinner? This soup is hearty, full of flavour and takes less than 30 minutes to make!

• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• ~1/2 pound of sausage (pre-cooked), sliced
• 28oz can whole tomatoes
• 3 C vegetable broth
• ~1 C cooked rice
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2-3 tsp Sriracha sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt & pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, saute the onion, bell pepper and carrots in oil for 4-5 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until lightly browned. While sauté-ing, put the can of whole tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth. Once veggies are soft and sausage has browned, add blended tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for ~5 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add rice, chili powder, Sriracha, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf prior to serving. Enjoy!

 

Chicken & Lentil Curry

A high-protein, high-fibre meal! This one’s for your slow cooker. So good on a snowy, cold day. Seriously, what’s with this weather, Vancouver? Enjoy! Click here for pretty pictures & original recipe.

• 1 1/2 C red lentils
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 tsp curry powder
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• Salt & pepper
• 4 1/2 C chicken broth
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Plain yogurt, lime wedges & fresh cilantro for garnish

Add all ingredients (except yogurt, lime & cilantro) to your slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. 15-20 before serving, remove chicken and pull apart using two forks. Return to slow cooker to finish cooking. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt, fresh lime juice & a sprinkle of cilantro!

Engagement

One of my favourite photographs from our engagement session with Stephanie Christo Photography.

Italian Chicken Stew

Sorry no pictures this time, but you can see some pretty ones here (also where the recipe was adapted from). Make this one in your slow cooker!

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cans (28oz) of diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14oz) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/4 C fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 packet chicken bouillon powder

Add everything to your slow cooker and give a good stir. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.

Cinnamon Scones

These scones have been making the rounds on pinterest lately. I made them this morning and they are delicious! I opted not to glaze them, but served them warm with butter instead. I hope you enjoy! Adapted from here.

• 2 C flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 C cold butter or margarine
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/3 C buttermilk
• Cinnamon & sugar to sprinkle on top

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolk, honey and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Knead together lightly until dough holds together and forms a ball. Roll out on a floured surface until about 1/2 inch thick. Whisk egg white until bubbly and brush over dough, then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Cut into wedges and bake on a baking pan for 10-12 min at 400F.

Mulled Wine

Perfect for a holiday party! It’s like hot apple cider with a kick 😉 Serves 12. Adapted from here.

• 1.5 L cabernet sauvignon
• 1 L apple juice
• 6oz spiced rum (about 3/4C)
• 1 green apple, sliced
• 1 navel orange, sliced
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Cinnamon sticks

Put all ingredients (except the cinnamon sticks) into a slow cooker, and heat on high for 2 hours. Serve in mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Set slow cooker to low or warm to keep the wine hot for the evening.

Christmas Gingerbread

In a large bowl, cream together:

• 1/2 C margarine or butter, softened
• 1/2 C granulated sugar
• 1/2 C molasses
• 1 egg yolk

Add

• 2 C flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

Stir until batter holds together. You may need to knead a bit with your hands. Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Place on a pan and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Ice when cool using your favourite icing recipe (or you can use the leftover egg white + add 2 cups of icing sugar to make a quick icing).

Winter Songs

A playlist for snowflake watching & hot chocolate drinking:

Red Lentil & Curry Soup

A quick & easy soup! Adjust the curry & spice level to suit your taste. Adapted from here. (There are much better pictures of the soup there than I could ever take!)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 Red bell pepper, chopped into strips
• 1 Jalepeno pepper, minced (with the seeds!)
• 1-2 Tbsp Fresh ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp Curry powder
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Salt
• Small can of tomato paste
• 7 C Water
• 2 C Red lentils, rinsed
• 1 Can Chick peas
• 1 Can Light coconut milk
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large soup pot, saute the onion, red pepper, and jalepeno in the oil until soft. Add the spices, ginger, and tomato paste. Let cook for a few minutes, while stirring. Add the water, lentils, chick peas and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, uncovered. Add the lime juice just before serving and sprinkle on some chopped cilantro!

 

Bacon, Potato & Kale Soup

Spicy & so filling! Great for a cold & foggy day like today (although probably not the healthiest thing!) Adapted from here.

• 8 Strips of bacon, chopped
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 1-3 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Pork spice, or something with a little extra kick
• 1/2 Kale bunch, stemmed and chopped
• 2 Baking potatoes, quartered & sliced
• 8 C Water
• 2 Tbsp Soup bouillon powder
• 1/2 C Cream, half and half or heavy
• Sriracha sauce and/or grated sharp cheddar to top it off!

In a large soup pot, cook bacon until it starts to get crispy. Put bacon aside in a small bowl, leaving the fat in the bottom of the pot. Saute the onion and garlic in the bacon fat until caramelized. Stir in the salt, pepper and seasoning. Add the chopped kale, and stir until the kale turns bright green and completely wilts down. Add potatoes, water, bouillon, and bacon. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low, cover, and let simmer until potatoes are cooked (about 20-30 min). Stir in cream immediately before serving. Top with a swirl of Sriracha and grated cheese!

Crushed Chickpea & Walnut Salad

This little salad was the result of the question: what do I have left in my fridge? I mixed a bunch of leftover ingredients together, and surprisingly, it was delicious! Walnuts could be substituted for pine nuts, and dried cranberries would be an excellent addition.

• 1 Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 C Walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 C Green onion, chopped
• 1/4 C Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 Yellow bell pepper, chopped finely
• 1/2 C Mixed baby greens or arugula
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• Juice squeezed from 1/2 a lemon
• Dash of sea salt
• Dash of black pepper

Mash chickpeas in a medium sized bowl using a fork or potato masher. Don’t over-mash into a paste like hummus, but just until most of the chickpeas are broken. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly blended.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

This recipe makes 10 muffins. Blueberries can be substituted for raspberries or cranberries. I was contemplating adding dark chocolate chunks, because everything is better with chocolate! Recipe adapted from here.

• 1 C Whole wheat flour
• 1 C All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 C Butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 C Granulated sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 C Skim milk
• 1 C Fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium sized bowl, cream the sugar and butter/margarine together. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add the milk (if things look curdled, do not fear!). Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir just to moisten, and fold in the blueberries. Grease the muffin tin (or use paper baking cups), and fill to the top. Bake for 25-30 min at 375F.

Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

I have to confess. Calling these oat bars is a bit of a stretch. They are nothing like a chewy oat bar you would find in coffee shop – instead, they are deliciously nutty, hearty, granola-esque bars that beg to be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Adapted from here.

• 2 1/2 C Rolled oats
• 1 C All-purpose flour
• 1 C Whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 C Brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 C Canola or cooking oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
• 1 C Dark chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients (excluding the chocolate chips), in a large bowl until evenly blended. Mix in chocolate chips. Press firmly into a greased 9x13inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool before slicing. Top with vanilla ice cream.

Gin & Mint Lemonade

A refreshing summer cocktail that works best with Botanivore Gin or Bombay Sapphire (the mint highlights the spices in the gin).

• 1/4 C boiling water
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• handful of mint leaves
• 1 oz. gin
• 2 ice cubes
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Club soda
• Lemon wedge & mint leaves for garnish

Start off by making a simple syrup with infused mint. Mix the sugar and mint leaves into the boiling water, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cool and strain the mint leaves out.

Pour 1 oz of gin into a glass tumbler. Add 1 Tsbp of the mint simple syrup, and the lemon juice. Top with club soda, 2 ice cubes and stir. Finish with a lemon wedge and mint leaves for garnish. You can adjust the mint simple syrup and lemon juice to taste. Makes 1.

Homemade Granola

Are you looking for a healthy, wholesome, filling & low-sugar breakfast? Look no further! This granola will keep your tummy so full and happy, you might even forget to eat lunch! The seeds & nuts can be mixed and matched to incorporate your favourites.

• 6 C of steel cut oats (rolled oats will also work)
• 1 C wheat germ (adds nutrients and flavour!)
• 1 C unsweetened coconut, shredded (optional)
• 3/4 C sunflower seeds, unsalted
• 3/4 C sliced almonds
• 1/2 C pumpkin seeds, unsalted
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 C honey
• 1/2 C canola oil (or another oil of your choice)
• 1/3 C ground flax seeds

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix together the oatmeal, wheat germ, coconut, cinnamon, seeds and nuts. Pour oil and honey into a microwavable bowl, microwave for 30-45 seconds, then whisk. Pour over oatmeal mixture. Thoroughly stir until everything is evenly coated. Place on a large cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Take out, stir, and bake for 5-10 min more. Cool and add flax seeds.

Help Make it Happen!

My dear friend, Connally McDougall, has a passion like none other. Driven by the desire to craft garments that are made to stand the test of time, and that celebrate a woman’s beauty, sensuality and intellect, she has been accepted into the prestigious Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design. She will sit in the seats where Zac Posen, Stella McCartney, and Alexander McQueen once sat. However, her dreams of starting her very own fashion house don’t come without a cost, and so she has started her own crowd-funding campaign. You can help this exceptional woman reach her goals.

 

Quinoa & Chicken Chili

Another great one for your slow cooker! You can leave out the chicken and use vegetable stock to make it vegetarian and it will taste just as great. Adapted from here.

• 1 C quinoa, uncooked
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 cans of black beans, rinsed
• 1 can of corn, rinsed
• 3 C water
• 1 package of chicken bouillon (approx 1 Tbsp)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (green/yellow/orange/red, your choice), chopped
• 1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp (or more!) chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and mix to evenly distribute. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours.

Spring in YVR

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

These are the worst but most delicious things you could ever eat. Make sure you have friends to share this with before making it because it makes a huge pan : ) Adapted from here.

• 1 box of chocolate fudge brownie/cake mix
• 250 grams (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• sprinkle of salt
• 1/2 C smooth peanut butter
• 1 package of Reese’s chipits
• 1 package of milk chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp whipping cream
• 12 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare brownie mix according to directions, and spread evenly in a 9×13 greased baking pan.

Using a hand-mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. In a separate small bowl, stir together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Add brown sugar mixture and peanut butter to cream cheese and beat with the hand-mixer until well blended. Stir in the package of Reese’s chipits. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over brownie layer. Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Put milk chocolate chips and whipping cream into a microwavable bowl, and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds. Stir until all chocolate is melted and the mixture is creamy. Spread evenly on top of cooled brownies. Sprinkle chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on top. Keep refrigerated. Serve with ice cream!

Indian Lentil Stew

This warm vegetarian dish is best made in your slow cooker! Cilantro, spinach and curry are a great combo. I highly recommend serving this stew over brown rice, or with warm naan. Adapted from here. Serves 6.

• 1 C dry red lentils, rinsed
• 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 10 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2.5 C vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1/3 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Put all ingredients (except lemon juice and cilantro) into slow cooker and stir to mix evenly. Cook for 4 hours on high, or 6-7 hours on low. Add lemon juice and cilantro immediately before serving.

Trench Kisses

Burberry Prorsum FW13.