Recipes of the Week: Part 7

Sweet Potato Crusted Quiche by Fourteen Forty

+ Full disclaimer, I modified the heck out of this recipe. Not by choice. 

+ Make sure you use the orange kind of sweet potatoes, aka yams. I would recommend organic ones as they always taste way better to me. I ended up using white sweet potatoes. They weren't as sweet, but they were still tasty. 

- It calls for 6 small sweet potatoes, I only needed 2 1/2 to make my crust. Ended up making sweet potato fries with the extras, since they were peeled.

+ It calls for a bunch of Spinach. I used two huge handfuls, but it's pretty much by look.

+ I used 1/2 stem of green onion for my "spring herbs".

- I didn't use the miso or asiago cheese, simply because I didn't have them.

Cauliflower and Yellow Lentil Curry by Pinch of Yum 

+ This is probably my favourite of the lot, so hearty and delish!

- To be honest I have no idea what colour my lentils were...I think they were red. I'm gonna go ahead and say use whatever lentils you have. 

- I only used a little olive oil.

+ I didn't have veggie broth (so weird), so I had to use chicken. 

+ I used apricot jam. Do not be stingy. The jam makes the dish! 

+ I used a wild rice quinoa mix for the base. 

How To Cook Roast Beef by A Sweat Pea Chef

+ Cue this song.

+ So I managed to cook two of these at the same time for 9 people on New Year's Eve. I found out that I had to do this at about 3pm that day. YUP. Not gonna lie, I am proud of myself! And thankful for my sues chefs.

+ I definitely used more garlic than 2-3 cloves.  

+ Super important to have a thermometer, it just takes away all the guess work! 

Quick and Easy Yorkshire Pudding by Dwrightie

+ So this was nerve racking. The last time someone made these in our house, the entire place smelt like smoke for days. Not fun. This time it worked! 

+ Make sure to make your batter FAR in advance! It needs 2-3 hours to sit at room temperature. 

+ They say the key is getting the batter in the tin as quickly as possible. I got my brother to help me to make sure we were extra speedy. 

+ They were divine "grease muffins", as my Uncle Doug calls them.

Hello friends,

I do apologize for the lack of recipes over the past month and a bit! I've been staying at home doing this last contract and have been so spoiled. I have really missed cooking though and hopefully I shall be back hunting down new recipes weekly. Here are the recipes that I've made this past week, some are healthy, some are not. I will say though that all of these recipes were incredibly successful and that they were hard to rank, as they were all faboosh!


Recipe Ranking:
#1 Cauliflower and Yellow Lentil Curry by Pinch of Yum 
#2 How To Cook Roast Beef by A Sweat Pea Chef
#3 Quick and Easy Yorkshire Pudding by Dwrightie
#4 Sweet Potato Crusted Quiche by Fourteen Forty

Let me know which one is your fav!

Love,
CP

And A Beer...In A Tree.

Merry Christmas Eve everybody and Happy Holidays! 

Can we just talk about how adorable these holiday beer bottles are. Not only are they the cutest beers/ciders ever, they are also delicious and all from my home province of British Columbia! My favourite would have to be the extremely sassy, Naughty and Spice Porter from Russell Brewing Company. 

Thanks for tuning in and Happy Holidays! 

Love, 

CP

Recipes of the Week: Part 6

Cauliflower, Kale & Chickpea Curry by The First Mess
+ This is a very hearty recipe.
+ I added extra potatoes and cauliflower.
+ I also added a bit of cumin and turmeric, because I found the recipes just a little bland.
- I couldn't find the Tuscan kale at my grocery store, so I just used regular kale and it still tasted lovely!

Coconut Butter Brownies by Coconut Almond Recipes

+ Super light and fluffy treats that aren't too sweet. 

- Personally I would have liked them to be a little more chocolatey. Next time I might try adding some cocoa powder as well.

+ I would highly recommend using parchment paper, instead of just oiling the pan. It's always a safe bet for an easy clean.  

- The only dark chocolate I had, had almonds in it. Hopefully they didn't throw off the recipe too much. 

+ They taste really great when fresh out of the oven and also after they've been in the fridge. 

- I would make these again with a few tweaks. 

Flourless Thumbprint Cookies by Oh She Glows

+ Ok, I think these could be fantastic. I didn't have any jam, so I just used peanut butter and honey. They were pretty dry, but even so they disappeared quite quickly. 

+ They are super easy and fast to make.

+ Definitely gonna try these again when I have jam. 

Here are my Pinterest finds from last week, clearly I was craving all of the sweets! With it being Halloween and temptation lurking in every corner, it was hard to stay on track! I think that's why I was dying to try all of these healthier options. I also made Samoa Bars that were SO tasty I gave them their own post! You can check them out here! 

Recipe Ranking:

#1 Coconut Butter Brownies by Coconut Almond Recipes

#2 Cauliflower, Kale & Chickpea Curry by The First Mess

#3 Flourless Thumbprint Cookies by Oh She Glows

Just a heads up, there might not be very many new recipes next week as I am trying to use up all the food I have before moving once again! 

Love,

CP

"Samoa" Bars

Ok, so this recipe is a game changer for me, folks. As many of you know, I have a wicked sweet tooth, I absolutely love all things chocolate and peanut butter, especially when they're combined. Over the past few years I have slowly been gathering clean eating recipes that satisfy these cravings in a healthy way. This is probably my favourite out of them all!

Let me introduce to you the "Samoa" Bar! They are coconut-y, chocolate-y goodness wrapped into one little bar, and there is nothing artificial about them! They are simple and delicious! You have natural peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, rolled oats, cocoa powder, ground flax seeds, vanilla, and of course shredded unsweetened coconut.

I followed THIS recipe, with only a minor alteration. I just used a tablespoon of coconut oil instead of 1/4 cup.

These are a healthier and more natural sweet treat that's packed with lots of great energy. Just a note. Even though you will want to eat them all at once, try and keep them as a special treat. Eating about three bars will almost equal the same amount of calories, as roughly one healthy meal. One "Samoa" bar equals about 126 calories (I cut my batches into about 15 bars). So try eating just one for a treat or after a really good work out!

Are you excited to try them? Let me know what you think!

Love,
CP

Recipes of the Week: Part 5

Zucchini Pizza Crust by Food and the City

+ Tasty, cheesy and relatively healthy dinner! 

+ I used full fat cheese, cause #$%* it!

+ I'd say I followed this recipe to a T, not the usual make 'em ups!   

Vegan Paleo Tomato Soup by Good Girl Gone Green

+ Before you're even eating this soup your entire house will smell like heaven.

+ I used turmeric and oregano for my spices. 

+ Make that two times that I actually followed a recipe, except for using Light Coconut Milk!

Supercharged Egg Drop Soup by Yogimami

+ A perfect pick-me-up when you're not feeling well ( I swear this cured my cold).

- I used Organic Chicken Broth.

- I used green onions instead of chives.

Pumpkin Spice Marshmallow Popcorn by Oh, Sweet Basil 

+ Ok, so this is clearly a sneaky treat! I would suggest only making this for special occasions, because you will eat it all (Cough)!

- I used 24 marshmallows and added pumpkin pie spice. 

- I used less butter and sugar and made lots more popcorn. 

+ I also added some peanuts. 

*** Make sure you pour the liquid mixture over the popcorn and not the other way around! 

Hey Friends, so this week's haul of Pinterest recipes was a gooder! I can say with confidence that each recipe is a winner.

Recipe Awards:

# 1 Pumpkin Spice Marshmallow Popcorn by Oh, Sweet Basil 

# 2 Vegan Paleo Tomato Soup by Good Girl Gone Green

# 3 Supercharged Egg Drop Soup by Yogimami

# 4 Zucchini Pizza Crust by Food and the City

Enjoy and let me know which is your favourite??? Also here's week 1, 2, 3, & 4! And if you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, you can do so here! 

Thanks for tuning in! 

Love,

CP

Recipes of the Week: Part 4

Spiced Apple Chips by Leanne Bakes

+ KEYWORD: Parchment Paper! Do not substitute or you'll be picking apples off for a good 15 mins. 

+Super tasty and healthy fall treat.

+ For spices I used Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice.

+ For apples I used organic Gala apples with a mandolin.

Spinach Potato Curry by Coffee and Crumpets 

+ I really enjoy this hearty dish, it's perfect for Autumn.

+ I added chickpeas after adding the potatoes and I'm very glad I did! They add a nice flavour and texture. 

+ I used organic coconut oil, adds a brilliant creamy flavour.

- I used less spinach then the recipe called for, I just went on looks. 

- Take it easy on the water or just be prepared to steam most of it off (aka leave the pot uncovered on a higher temperature.)

- I tried making it with and without the green chilli, both were delish!

Cauliflower "Risotto" by Fork and Beans 

+ I will start off by saying I made some major substitutions and I think the normal recipe would have been much better.
- I didn't have any shallots, so I used an onion.
- I didn't have any thyme, so I used dried oregano.
- I didn't buy any capers, as they're not my favourite.

Here's this week's Pinterest finds. I was definitely in the Autumn spirit, all I wanted was potato-y comfort food and sweet cinnamon! I actually made the Potato Curry twice in a row, it's really good! 

Recipes Awards:

#1 Spinach Potato Curry by Coffee and Crumpets 

#2 Spiced Apple Chips by Leanne Bakes

#3Cauliflower "Risotto" by Fork and Beans 

Thanks for reading! 

Love, 

CP

Recipes of the Week: Part 3

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad by ifoodreal

+ one of my favourite lunches to make these days.

- I tend to leave out the avocado so it keeps longer. 

- I also tend to leave out the herbs and spices, because I love how simple and fresh the flavour is without the extras. 

Wicked Watermelon Slushy by Raw Food Recipes
+ So yummy, that you feel like you're eating something bad for you (if that can be a plus?)

- I only used 1 cup of watermelon (because I was using a magic bullet and 2 wouldn't fit). Still tasted amazing! 

+ I had to add a little bit of water so that it would fully blend

Black Bean Burgers by The Fit Cook

- I had to use Jasmine rice, as that's all we had.

- Didn't have a red pepper. It still tasted ok, but I think it would definitely add some moisture and sweetness. 

+ I would definitely use an egg next time. They really fell apart on me, but they were still tasty. 

 Watermelon Mint Feta Salad by SweetSugarBean
+So darn refreshing and tasty.

- I didn't use any basil or olive oil for a bit of a sweeter finish.

Pinterest for the win!!! Here are some more amazing finds! There's definitely a bit of a summer theme going on this week, but who says you can't enjoy the warmer month flavours when the leaves start to fall!

If I had to rank these recipes I think I would go with: 

#1 Mediterranean Quinoa Salad by ifoodreal

#2  Watermelon Mint Feta Salad by SweetSugarBean

#3 Wicked Watermelon Slushy by Raw Food Recipes

#4 Black Bean Burgers by The Fit Cook

Enjoy and let me know which is your favourite??? Also here's WEEK 1 and WEEK 2! And if you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, you can do so here! 

Love, 

CP 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Hey Friends!!! As it is now Autumn and everything is PUMPKIN flavoured I thought it would be fun to share my new favourite treat!

After reading this article on Food Babe, I decided to buy the ingredients for my sister ASAP as this is one of her favourite drinks of all time. I love my sister very, very much and want her to be as healthy as possible, so I really wanted to show her that she can avoid putting chemicals and unnecessary amounts of sugar in her body with this homemade version!

The only thing I needed to purchase was the Pumpkin Pie Spice, which cost just under $5 from the local grocery store. If your spice collection is all stalked up you probably already have the spices to make said Pumpkin Pie Spice mix. It contains ground cinnamon, ginger, all spice, cloves and nutmeg. Pretty much all the spices that equal the holiday season.

As I haven't drank coffee for about three years now, I was also very interested to see how this would turnout as a tea latte! I am now addicted, sooooo tasty.

Here's our take on the homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Recipe
3/4 cup - milk of your choice
1/4 cup - of either espresso, coffee or black tea
1/4 teaspoon - Pumpkin Pie spice
1 tablespoon - maple syrup or honey

1. Heat up milk and brew coffee/tea.
2. Combine milk, tea/coffee and Pumpkin Pie Spice in a milk frother and go to town.
3. Pour mixture into your mug and add your choice of maple syrup or honey.
4. Sprinkle a tiny bit of spice on top of the foam as garnish.


Give it a try and let me know what ya think!

Love,
CP

Morning Muffins

Morning Muffins, I'm obsessed!

Juicer Pulp Muffins by Plan To Eat

Recently my family has been on a bit of a health kick and I love it. As a result my brother and I have taken up juicing! I don't know if any of you make your own fresh juice, but if you do you'll know that it creates a lot of pulp. There are lots of great recipes for using this pulp, but most of the time it just gets composted. I remembered making muffins after some juicing fun with my friend Matt in Edmonton and I decided to try and find a recipe that was relatively healthy, when I found this amazing recipe. There is quite a bit of sugar in it, but they're all natural sugars! 

(PS. don't mind the nail polish)

The verdict...ok, these are amazing!!! I used apple, carrot, and ginger pulp to create a carrot bread type muffin. Not too sweet, but delicious! Especially when they're still warm from the oven! I even used some houndstooth paper cups! I've made this recipe twice now and each time they have been a great success. Ps. Little ones love them too! 

Let me know if you're into juicing! Do you have any yummy pulp recipes? 

Love, 

CP 

Picture Post: Summer Lovin'

[ Me and my mama.]

[ Homemade Pavlova.]

[Sangria and gingham.]

[The Preston ladies.]

[ Oysters for the first time at the Ice House in Tofino.]

[Summer drank.]

[Remi and I eating Tacofino in Vancouver.]

[Homemade ice cream sandwiches.]

[Yummy King crab from Cuckcoo.]

[Beach bum.]

[Fresh fruit salad.]

[All fringed out at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.]

[Flowers from Remi.]

So this summer it looks like all I did was eat and drink haha, which is fairly accurate! I also went home for the first time in over a year, swam in the ocean, and danced my little buns off at the Edmonton Fringe. This summer was stressful and glorious! Lots of friends and family and creativity.

I am one thankful chicky.

Thanks for tuning in!

Love,

CP

Recipes of the Week: Part 2

One of my favourite parts about being at home is trying new recipes! I love being able help out and cook for my family, while taking on new culinary adventures!

This post is actually a few months old from my first stay at home in June! That being said I am still in love with the Chicken Pad Thai with Spaghetti Squash (I made it last night for dinner without the chicken) and Crispy Quinoa Burgers. I make them ALL the time! Definitely added them to my top favs.

The Best Fresh Mango Margaritas by Baker by Nature

+ so, so, so yummy! 

Crispy Quinoa Burgers by Made With Love

- I tend to just eat the sweet potatoes as a side! It's a bit intense with them in the actual burger.

+ I've also made these using ground turkey and they are amazing!

Chicken Pad Thai with Spaghetti Squash by Stuff We Ate

+ great thing about this recipe is that if you don't have all of the toppings, it still tastes amazing.

- You don't NEED the bok choy or green onions if you don't have them.
- If you're a veggie, or don't want to spend money on meat, no problem. Just don't add chicken! 

The Perfect Burger (Made Into Inside Out Burgers) by Food.com 

+ So I actually made these into inside out burgers stuffed with cheddar cheese and cut-up bacon.

- This was for a BBQ, I wouldn't suggest putting this recipe into your weekly diet, they're more of a treat! 

Try them out, they're all great recipes! And if you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, you can do so here!

Love,
CP

Edinburgh - The Day of Whiskey

I asked Remi what he wanted for his Birthday, if he could have anything in the world. He asked to go to a Whiskey Distillery in Scotland. Ok, I thought. And thus led to the Day of Whiskey.

There's something really special about giving someone something that they really want. I know that might sound pretty obvious, but I think it happens when you love someone. When you're almost more excited to see how much fun they have, without even thinking about it. I had a hard time understanding this when I was younger, but now it makes way more sense. That being said, I was not the happiest camper that morning. I will say it again, Sorry Rem for being a grumpy butt.

The closest distillery to Edinburgh is the Glenkinchie Distillery, which is located in a tiny town about 1 hour outside of the city. We woke up nice and early as it was going to take us about 1 1/2 hours to bus there (said google maps). Getting there was slightly hilarious. I didn't find it so funny at the time, hence being a grumpy butt. About two hours or so later we finally arrived at Glenkinchie. I think the highlight of getting there was when our 2nd bus driver told us that this was our stop. There was no bus stop sign, no road signs,  and no people. We were in the middle of the country with no cell reception. This was the part of  the film where we were stranded in a field for 5 hours. Luckily 10 minutes later a shuttle bus showed up and saved us. In that 10 minutes my camera also decided to have a stroke and stop working. I was not pleased.

ANYWHO, other than the few hiccups we had getting there, we had the most amazing day.
We took a tour of the distillery, Remi was all smiles, and then it was tasting time! I didn't realized I liked whiskey, but I do! It's all about sherry casks, man!

After arriving back in Edinburgh we went for lunch at Clarinda's Tearoom, which is a sweet little place on the Royal Mile. We walked around city centre and spent some time in the National Museum.

 But this day was named the Day of Whiskey for a reason. Next we headed to the Scotch Whiskey Experience, where we went on another tour. This tour was more about the history of Scottish Whiskey. Before this day I knew almost nothing about whiskey, other than that fact that I was pretty sure I didn't like it. Now, not only do I know I enjoy whiskey, I also know a heck of a lot about it! I think my favourite part of the tour was looking at the largest collection of Scotch Whiskey in the world. It was pretty darn amazing.

After the tour we headed down to the Amber Restaurant. Which was recommended to us by our Airbnb host! The food and service was amazing. Our server was so sweet and helpful!  We tried a whole bunch of traditional Scottish food, including haggis, which was brilliant. 

All in all we had an amazing day! Remi ended up trying 13 different single malt whiskeys, an impressive feat! 

We finished our trip the next day with another stop at Clarinda's. The ladies there were so sweet they remember us from the day before! We took a few scones for the road and headed to the train station. Edinburgh really does feel like a home away from home. If you every get the chance, you must go! 

Thanks for reading, that was a long one!

Love, 

CP