Nanaimo Bars at the Little Bakery

There must be an easier method to shelling almonds. I stood at the counter with a pot of almonds that were soaking for a few hours, peeling the husk off each one in a pile of 130 grams.

It wasn't all that bad though, leaning from right foot to left and back again. I had the radio playing gently behind me, and fell into a rhythm of peeling, pulling, dropping, and repeating with a new almond each time, building one pile of clean, naked almonds, and slowly pulling away from a mound of brown and streaked. Each almond had its own look, its own feel, and the longer they soaked, the easier it was for me to tear the husk away.

It turned an hour or two of baking nanaimo bars into a whole afternoon, but I'm always happiest in the kitchen anyway, and I sipped on a cup of tea while repeatedly refilling it from a pot brewing warmly at the side.

I remember the old bakery on Bowen that always had fresh nanaimo bars for the many islanders needing a sweet treat, some conversation, and even a bit of coffee while they waited in line for the ferry. Construction workers ordered double sandwiches and extra large cookies, mums and their kids took away hot chocolates in the pouring rain. There were always customers streaming in and out of that bakery, whether it was for a piping hot sausage roll served while still on it's rack from the oven, and placed in a white paper bag to warm your hands, or for one of the biggest white chocolate macadamia nut cookies to share with dad as the line of cars slowly snaked is way onto the ferry.

I even remember the morning that bakery was suddenly gone, along with its brownies and pies set out in the front cooler, and the trays containing the nanaimo bar I was looking forward to on my way down to the ferry.

So suddenly, all that was left was a charred black square, a few lines of yellow tape, and the air hanging thick with questions left unanswered.

The front room of the bakery was always small, but next door at the Snug Cafe we sat around tables if we planned on hanging around. No one has ever replaced that memory of my first nanaimo bar at the bakery, and the sticky mess I got myself into while excitedly savouring each layer, starting with crumbly chocolate topped with a creamy custard, and finally, thick chocolate that quickly melted in my little hands and made its way along my upper lip, and over my fingers, suddenly making them taste delicious too.

It wasn't until brunch at a gluten free bakery in Victoria with mum that I remembered these delectably sweet moments, ones that will always make me think back fondly on the community we shared, the local coffee shops and bakeries that felt more like a living room with all our family and friends, and those irresistible nanaimo bars that I haven't yet found to replicate that pure, young enjoyment.


It was while we ate our plates of breakfast in a windowed alcove that I looked around to the trays of baked sweets and realised how many times I've recently seen nanaimo bars, since we've moved to Vancouver Island in fact. Suddenly, they seem to be back in fashion, or are popping up to remind me of something.

Something wonderful, they are.

Nanaimo Bars {gluten and grain free, vegan}

{print recipe here}

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Ingredients:

Base
130 g almonds, soaked
110 g dates, soaked
65 g ground walnuts
50 g shredded coconut
60 g cocoa powder

Filling
80 g raw cashews, soaked
2 tbsp raw cashew butter
3/4 coconut cream
1/4 c coconut oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Layer
300 g dairy free chocolate chips
50 g coconut oil

 Directions:

Soak your ingredients. In separate bowls, soak the almonds, dates, and cashews overnight.

Shed the almond husks. Peel back the husks of the almonds to reveal the white meat inside. Use a garlic peeler or two sheets of paper towel to rub the husk off for a quicker method, otherwise use your hands. The longer the almonds soak, the easier this process will become.

Make the base. In a food processor, blend the hulled almonds until very fine. Drain the dates, setting the water aside to use later, and add them in the processor with the almonds. Blend again. Combine the ground walnuts, shredded coconut, and cocoa powder in the processor, blending until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Add the date water. Using the leftover water from soaking the dates, slowly pour in a tablespoon at a time to the base mixture, blending each time, until it begins to come together in a large ball. It should stick together, but should not be gooey.

Press into the pan. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, and press the base mixture evenly onto the bottom. Place in the fridge.

Make the creamy filling. Rinse out the food processor and blend the soaked cashews, drained, until it becomes almost creamy. Add the cashew butter and process again. Next, add coconut oil, then maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process on high for a couple of minutes until it is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend again.

Pour on the filling. Remove the base from the fridge and set it on a flat surface. Using a soft spatula to scrape the filling from the processor, pour it over the chocolate base, starting in the middle and working your way in a spiral to the edges. Even it out quickly before returning the whole pan to the fridge.

Make the chocolate topping. Over medium-high heat, bring a pot of water to boil on the stove top. Place a bowl over the boiling water and add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Stirring continuously, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil. Remove the bowl from the saucepan when the mixture is completely smooth, letting it stand a minute or two before pouring it over the base and creamy filling of your nanaimo bars. Pour slowly, as the hot chocolate could melt the filling. Pour in the same pattern, starting in the centre and working your way outwards.

Freeze to set. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 - 2 hours, placing it in the fridge at least 45 minutes before serving. Cut with a hot knife, wiping it clean and reheating it between each slice.

Enjoy! xx S

Enjoying Gluten Free Brunch

The camera felt too heavy to hold and snap up photos this week, even though I was cooking and experimenting each day in the kitchen, with new ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And despite being busy with a new job, a new schedule, I was still cooking and baking, but neglecting to write down anything, my only records being photos quickly snapped up with my phone and a quick two-line caption for Instagram. I have to say that this past week has given me lots of food for thought... quite literally, and I have more ideas for recipes which I will hopefully have time to make before another round of days where I'll be working.

Here's some of the last week's shots, an incomplete diary of gluten free meal ideas, but definitely some of my favourites, and some of my favourite creativity with breakfast and lunch. Brunch.

Starting last week with training at my new job, a receptionist at one of Sooke's hotels, I spent the last of my lazy weekends stretching mornings out, spending time with family, and hiking up one of the mountains nearby. One Sunday morning was spent in my fuzzy pajamas, a hot almond milk mocha, and some gluten free toast. The bread I use now comes from a local bakery called Little Vienna, where they have an array of speciality foods, from cakes and pastries to cookies and doughnuts, and a whole menu of soups, salads and sandwiches for lunch. Among them, many items are wheat free, so we often stop by for a cup of coffee and a small bite under the sun, leaving with buns of bread for dad, and some gluten free for me. And so, for an autumn breakfast, these buns toasted, one half topped with raw chocolate hazelnut butter, the other with local marmalade, and for a perfect finish, some sliced banana, are delicious any morning.

It was a lazy Sunday morning after all, one complete with a little fog that quickly dissipated as the sun warmed, so I felt little need to cook up eggs, keeping my inner laziness happy for just a little while longer.

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No More False Appearances, Tossed Vegetables Make Us All Happiest

I was thrilled when I read a post so openly criticising what Pinterest and Instagram have become, making each of us focus on how everything looks again. Each site is filled with food bloggers and perfectly posed photos under an array of lights to cast the oh-so-natural-but-not-real lighting streaming in through what appears to be a window propped open that leads to a fresh cut lawn and a platter of home made cookies and pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade for everyone to enjoy, because there are no enemies in this world right? I remember starting this blog to get away from an image-obsessed world and the popularity contest that ruled the halls, and finally feeling a freedom in being able to start from scratch, and from there, to build a place where I could write, write, and write even more, being in a place away.

When did it become being about that 60-second elation upon receiving another notification for which, yet another, stranger has double tapped your photo. They chose my photo! You might scream out, only to glance upon another user's photo that has quietly surpassed any number of likes you've received. And the best part, this little elation dwindles quickly, leaving behind only an immense amount of disappointment. Maybe this one will do it, you think with each added hash tag to the caption of another photo, a towering plate of cookies that never tasted very good anyway, maybe more people will notice this time.

Oh. My. God. No. Since when did this become a network for the popularity-obsessed, each prying for one another's attention, and solely forgetting the interests that are clearly stated in each person's bio. I read a recent blog post from Gluten Free Girl, and have to say, that I couldn't have been happier that finally, someone had acknowledged how far this has gone, and how far it has come into each blog, as little as we realised. 

Now as I look around Instagram and Pinterest, it truly feels as if the attention has turned to being solely preoccupied with looking our best, and above all, making everything perfect. And for a perfectionist like me, someone who isn't often left happy with a "good" job, I'm sent into spirals and loops while I continually question all the effort I have already put into this blog, and the work I've had to put in to break away from high school pressures, mainly striving to be perfect in a world full of unattainable standards. 

Is it really fair to ourselves that the food we make, cooked so we feel better, healthier, is now a measurement of how others see us? That each photo taken can scale how good we have life, rather than just an outlet a long along with the creative process of cooking, and of blogging. So who cares if a hand peeks into the frame while a photo is snapped? The food I make is for people to enjoy, forks in hand, plates ready, so isn't it right that they would be there, with the food? And all those times we've left a table full of people waiting while the perfect shot has yet to be taken, only to present a plate that's cooled down, lost its brilliance of being straight from the oven, only to mumble, well at least I got a photo. 

No!

It's this post from Gluten Free Girl that captured what I've been meaning to scream for too long now, after realising that those moments immediately after scrolling a news feed teeming with foodography were when I felt the worst, almost as if I had to live up to each brilliant, glittery photo. But how could I? When each post was unattainably attractive, without a dog hair in the frame, a perfect slice of apple pie that doesn't crumble when it's cut, and would never spill any of the evenly chopped apples inside. And of course it's free of anything that makes food taste good! As she says, "It’s just fake, all of it, this perfect food. I’m so damned tired of perfect food." And so am I. 

So here's to throwing pleasing, being perfect, and trying to attain something that, really, I would never want to be, out that perfectly propped open window and into the tray of baked cookies and lemonade. Besides, I'd rather have them warm from the oven. And a cake without sugar?  Puh-lease. 

Back to tossing vegetables together for dinner, throwing in an array of spices, and mixing up the colours to see what will come out the kitchen this time. There's excitement in that, and best of all, complete and utter joy while we enjoy the flavours in a plate that's still steaming in front of us. Behind that shine of perfection we see in photos on our Pinterest feeds is a whole lot of stifled creativity, and I'll have none of that, for this blog, and these dishes prepared, are for living without being heralded by appearances, perceptions, or worries.

This blog after all, has been a way for me to be happy, and I hope to keep it that way. 

Baked Root Vegetables Tossed in Fresh Rosemary

{print recipe here}

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This was a great recipe as it used up some of our fresh vegetables, and fresh herbs that we picked up at a market in Saanich, with very little effort. Beets this time of year are juicy and full of flavour, as well as many other root vegetables such as yams and potatoes, that complement each other with taste and colour. 

serves 4

Ingredients:

3 medium sized beets
1 onion, sliced
1 small yam, diced
3 - 4 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, cut from the stem
1 teaspoon salt

 Directions:

Start by cooking the beets, preheating the oven to 415 F, and chopping off the stems of each beet. Place the beets in a shallow baking dish and fill with water reaching halfway up the sides of the beets. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 40 - 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together sliced onion, yam and potatoes, olive oil, rosemary and salt, and lay out onto a baking sheet. Place this in the oven, with the beets, and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the beets from the oven and allow to cool, or run under cold water. Using a knife, or gently pressing with your fingers, peel the beets, rinsing frequently to avoid staining your hands. They will stain everything if not rinsed immediately.

Cut the beets into small cubes and toss with tray of yams and potatoes, quickly returning to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot, enjoy a delicious meal with fresh ingredients!

Bite Back the Chill with Coconut Cashew Bites

Darting in and out of the trees, passing by fishermen in tall boots and green trousers standing out in the river to the right, we ran; climbing over fallen trees and pressing onward up big hills while our feet pressed into small footholds, with the sound of the river's current splashing up against rocks, we ran. Reaching a fallen Douglas fir with a view of the river bed and it's swimmers and feeders, we stopped almost as if the twists and turns previous were lost on us, and the only thing that stopped us from pressing onward were the oversized tracks in the dirt and our own gut feeling. So there, with a view over top seagulls diving into dinner, their shrilling calls louder than my own footfalls and the white of their wings darting back and forth across the rocks, as well as salmon fighting the last push of the current in tattered shape but excellent form for skimming the water and breaking the waves to leap above rocks, we stopped and stretched after running for a while.

I thought at that moment of sinking in to a moment by myself, with only the sounds of each evenings scurry for dinner down at the river, and as I pressed deeper into a stretch, I was almost unaware of my heavy breathing and the half of the run just behind me. 

Although we've been busy every day with my uncle visiting this week, starting from a big breakfast to explore and enjoy the spots of sun that are quickly chased by large clouds of fog, I've had little time to be out running. But this afternoon, after a sunny day by the ocean (because when aren't we near it here!) with farms by the side of the road and alligator soup for lunch, I finally made a break for the orange-tinted tree-lined pathways that sidle up close to the river and wind their way through fields and rocky hills. We've also been lucky with each day out and have only spent one day completely blanketed by fog - a day spent in what is commonly known as "the dark side" of Sooke - and have otherwise enjoyed t-shirts while we tanned on the rocks by Sooke River, a complete sunset overlooking Sooke's Inner Harbour as we sat on a waterfront bench on the Galloping Goose Trail, and today, had lunch in Brentwood Bay on the docks where we sat outside with a clear view into the water filled with sea stars and crabs and even felt the sun's heat with each layer of clothes. I knew the first time when mum and I curled up beside hot coffees and curry gumbo with warm cornbread, looking out from large windows, that we would be back. And so, nearly a month later, we surprised ourselves by sitting out on the large patio above the bay, and peeled back layer after layer under the sun, and squinted for photos being taken in the light.

And so when many people are tucked away under a thick blanket of fog, we're out enjoying the sun and colours of the leaves amidst driving through winding roads and stopping in tea shops for coffee when the thud of the big door behind us leaves us in a room partially historic and somewhat diner-style.

So much exploring also turns up new places where I could sit for hours with a pot of tea, as long as this delicious sunshine that we've had keeps on shining. It would be all that I'd need. 

And maybe a cookie. I like those.

I love combing nuts and fruits, maybe a little sweetener to taste, and even a touch of spice as well, to toss together, mixing and mixing, only to be surprised by the new flavours developing with each new addition, and seeing what is created. I love mixing ingredients to form a delicious treat. Most of all, I love the simple pleasure that comes from creating a dish new to us, but one that lasts so much longer in taste and in memory.

These little cashew bites are like that, a simple method to making delicious cookies, without crazy ingredients, or even the process of baking. So with a warm cup of tea, maybe under a blanket of fog as this week's weather rolls in, a simple cashew bite is just the sweet treat to prepare for October.

Coconut Cashew Bites

{print recipe here}

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makes 8 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp raw honey (use maple syrup for vegan)

 Directions:

Soak cashews overnight. If using almonds or another type of nut, they don't need to be soaked for this recipe.

In a food processor, blend cashews until they're finely ground. Add coconut and chia seeds, and pulse 2 or 3 times before adding honey, processing again until completely smooth and the mixture begins to fall together from the edges. It should be fairly sticky and able to mold into the bites.

Using your hands, form the mixture into 8 small bite sized balls or cookie shapes, laying evenly out on a plate or parchment lined board. Place in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes to set.

If desired, you can press chocolate shavings, shredded coconut, or chopped fruit on each coconut bite to decorate.

Variations!

Any type of nut can be used in this recipe, however cashews have a much creamier consistancy so I recommend using at least half cashews, or macadamia nuts which are similar, and half another type of nut (such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts).

The chia seeds can also be opted out for hemp seeds, flax (ground or whole), or completely removed if preferred. 

Dried fruit is also another favourite of mine to add, as not only does it add flavour and a different consistency, but a little bit of natural sweetness. By favourites are dried apricots, cranberries or dates, which can be blended right in with the nuts in the food processor! I'm usually careful to choose one additional ingredient though, however only for the appearance as too many colours look hectic and somewhat less unappetizing. 

Another favourite of mine is adding a bit of chocolate, and when its melted will also help to forming these little bites. (You can also reduce the amount of honey needed).

Finally, a little sugar and spice always goes far, so try adding spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, and even some freshly ground ginger or cardamom and cloves to make them chai spiced! 

Enjoy! xx S

Sipping Soup Surrounded by Autumn Leaves

Thanksgiving. A holiday filled with family, food, laughter, and most of all, lots and lots of pumpkin. Fresh pumpkins lining the tops of tables and mantles, or puréed and cooked pumpkin with maple and spice and baked in the form of pies, cheesecakes, tarts, or all three laid down the centre of an extended dining table in between decorative pumpkins, surrounded by black corn and autumn's leaves.

I spent this past thanksgiving weekend back on Bowen, and the better part of two days travelling from one island to the next, via the mainland, during which I spent most of my time thinking about what it would be like back on the island where I grew up, and back in my friends familiar house, but unable to quickly pop up the hill to where we used to live. I also spent the better part of the ferry rides gazing out the window to where I thought Bowen was, terrified. Terrified of how different it would seem, and how it would feel to be among everything so familiar but changed myself with living in a new place, new people, and most of all, a completely new routine to run by. 

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Mmmaple is Autumn's Flavour

September, are you in? Because October's already knocking on my door, leaving little gifts of freshly picked pumpkins and a swirl of red-brown leaves on the deck. 

Summer went and packed up it's bags, I've been greeted by a crispness in the air that must be the space where summer once was. And as soon as the vacancy opened up, Halloween came swooping in with hanging ghosts and little witches stirring cauldrons under trees. I know it's a little early, but space seems to be filling up fast. I mean, Christmas has already reserved its place by way of little reindeer and Santa figurines lining store aisles. It's hard to keep up with the changing of seasons, especially when layers pile on in the morning, and layers come off in the afternoon to a change in weather like suddenly summer really did change it's mind, and bags were once again brought back up to the door, and the sun carefully unwrapped from it's place in a suitcase. The cloud of dust surrounding it now dispersed and shaken off. 

Unfortunately, dust always seems to settle somewhere, and usually by that evening, we once again feel the coolness of the air and the softness of the sun's rays are missed. The little electric fire hums to the tune of wind howling outside, and little pockets of cold air come in through windows left open from a sunny afternoon. 

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Forget Everything but a Peanut Butter Cookie

I wanted to make a cookie that was made from the purest ingredients. Using whole foods that can be held in your hands before they become a cookie so full with flavour, and so full of love, that you can't resist just one more... But there's no guilt in all natural foods right? So why not, indulge. 

And so this is all about the cookie. The most delicious, easiest, foolproof, spectacular... well it is a cookie. I mean don't all cookies make the world crumble away, and our focus narrows to the way it melts in our mouth, the way it absorbs milk when you dunk it, and the way the cookie makes you feel, all warm and fuzzy inside? Yes, that's what a real cookie can do.

It started with a huge bag of raw peanuts I picked up at the bulk store, a place filled with everything in bulk, from gluten free flours to dried fruits and nuts, even freshly ground nut butters and honey. And the best part, was an entire aisle dedicated to gluten free products, including pizza and cake mixes. We stumbled upon this goldmine while searching stores for a new dresser, because as it seems, mum and dad have more clothes than I... Really! But after a long winded search, driving from store to store, we turned around and circled back to where we had begun, and with chocolate chai lattes in hand, this building suddenly appeared. And yes, it was like something from a movie, it just appeared, and it hadn't been there before.

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Cashew Caress in a Spinach-y Hug

It has been a lazy weekend. Out in the forest on the western shore snug in warm vests around a camp fire, it was the kind of weekend where we took long walks and read our books in the warmth of a thick fog down at the beach. Sand stretched into rocks which stretched out and under slow, crashing waves, which seemed to come from a white blanket of cloud hovering just far enough to give us the beach to rest, and to play.

The major moment of our days camping was building and lighting a fire for the evening. It took most of our attention, and all of our efforts. It was then around the roaring flames giving off both heat and light that we could sit and watch the cascades of dancing light around the trees. We had sticks for roasting marshmallows, and after a disappointing first gluten free s'more which I described as only worth it if you intended on giving your jaw a workout while trying to chew the two home made gluten free Graham crackers sandwiching a perfectly toasted marshmallow and a small square of chocolate. Appalled, I stuck them straight in the waste. I would have liked to at least given them a second life, but being too chewy and tough, I couldn't think of a better place for them.

I was instead comforted by the leftover chocolate, if marshmallows go hand in hand Graham crackers, then chocolate slips so easily into mine.
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Wrapped Up Falafel and Pita Style

 

Last nights dinner, warm home made kale falafels on top of fresh greens and slices of tomatoes from the farm, with a bed of piping hot pita breads straight from the oven, was the perfect end to a hot day that suddenly turned when the fog set in the bay, and a breeze swept up any leaves that tittered around the front deck. Dancing feet outside our open doors were fluttered away in one strong gust, and just the squeals of an open door caught up in the wind could be heard. I set to baking early in the afternoon, and with my chin resting on my hands, staring at this bunch of fresh kale, there was a separate whirlwind of thoughts, recipes, and ideas for the luscious green vegetable. The fresh kale from a nearby farm was how falafels became something else, a whole new flavour was added, as well as intrigue, and falafels were taken up a notch.

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Closer to Farms for Raw Yogourt

I close my eyes, it's time to let the water take me where it wants to. A couple of deep breaths. I feel the fear rising up, but I try and forget about it against the pounding of my heart. Try to swallow, get it back down. How is it that I’m still afraid. With another, deeper breath, I can swallow again. And then I start thinking back to the moment when we first arrived here, the moving truck a moving target for watchful eyes in a small town, I can do this. It's only deep water around me, and a couple of eerie looking kelp. Nothing big, nothing scary. A seal over there who just wants to play. Paddle in, paddle out. Left side. Paddle in. Swish. Paddle out. And kayaking gets easier when you realise that although you can't see below you, are the smallest boat on the water, there isn't any real danger around. Like those first few moments when you arrive in a new place, it takes a couple of deep breaths, and maybe a little pep talk before you'll be on your way, navigating the rocks and finding new caves to explore. Moving to a new place is the same.

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At the Cabin

It's a shock to feel as if I have been hit by the sudden fact that it isn't only me that's moving away, something I can control, can always know when I'll be visiting friends again, but also the people I have grown to accept as always being around, always being there, will too, move away, and find new adventures on greater, larger, and expanding coast lines. As this week goes on, more of my friends update their Facebook statuses and with their new location, or post photos of their new dorm room home.

It came when I saw one of my good friends on the island only last Friday, and I was so absorbed in running from errand to errand as well as finding time for a quick coffee with mum before heading to a friends, worried about seeing her before she left to university as well, that I didn't even think that just that evening, he would be flying across the country for a semester in university. And I'm sure he's not the only person I've missed while I've been so wrapped up in my own move. 

After last weekend, we packed a little more and filled an entire row of boxes to be kept, and to be given away, but I also took a few days off to spend a couple of nights at my friends cabin, a place I have visited with her family for years, and a place where it is easy to forget everything else, and just enjoy the sound of the waves on the beach, or the numerous trips in the rowboat in hope of pulling up a big crab from the trap out in the bay.  

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Granola Like Oh Boy! Shoot! Oh Baby Holdup.

For our last morning together in Montréal, my sister and I sat down at a local restaurant for breakfast before I had to catch the bus to the airport. In declining toast which accompanied breakfast, she told me that she would try cutting out wheat for the next coming weeks, to see if it improved anything in how she's been feeling, but also worried about the increase in the cost of choosing labelled gluten free food, especially packaged items such as cereals or cookies which really hiked up our food bill while I was staying with her. 

There are alternatives to buying the fancy packages on the shelves, and with it the feeling of regretfully walking out of the store thinking what you'll have to eliminate from this weeks budget. Simple ingredients that are naturally gluten free are much cheaper, and quick recipes are perfect! Oats, for example, are generally a cheaper item in the grocery aisles, and although finding dried fruits and nuts for cheap can be a harder task, we usually head to small specialty stores in 'Little India' or Chinatown of Vancouver, where they can often be found for less than at Whole Foods. 

For the last week or so, I've been hearing updates that there really is an improvement in how she's feeling, but mostly I've heard of new recipes she's tried. So the name of these two recipes for different types of granola came from my excitement when my sister began sending me the photos while she cooked one morning, and I replied "Oh baby holdup." and started thinking how perfect her recipe was.

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Giving a Raw Recipe a Try

Time really has flown. It seems that it was only yesterday that I arrived home, a little weary from travelling, but excited to be back and to spend a little time island living. It seems already that the end of August is close, most of my friends have had their last day of summer jobs, and it's only two weeks to go until the big day. Moving day.

Yesterday was both the garage sale and our going away party, which was organised by some very close friends of ours, so from the moment I stepped outside with a bowl of gluten free granola and berries for breakfast still in my pyjamas, there was sorting and selling to be done, and later lots more boxing of leftover items and finding the next step for them. 

Among the mountain of things that have piled up over the years, we sold a few knick knacks to some curious onlookers, but mostly enjoyed cups of tea here and there as we sat in the sunny spots at the bottom of our stairs or chatted with people perusing the clothes racks or boxes of toys. 

There's something about seeing all our old things going, some which we thought absolutely essential, or that once held meaning for us, that gives me the feeling that yes, there is a part of my life that is really is over. Suddenly, it feels as if I have finally passed over a line in the sand, and crossed a point where I can finally say that there is a past, and there is also a now, and there is no point in trying to blend the two, or always thinking back to what could have, or may have, been done. There are years during high school, and before, although I may have been too young and not yet influenced or changed by my environment and surrounding people, that I can close as if parts of an album, only events that are recalled upon as if passing through the pages of photos. Those years, with their many enlightening, tough, exciting, or silly moments, may have helped build the person I am today, but they do not define me.

As I put baby clothes and trinkets into cardboard boxes, closing them and labelling them before adding to the pile to keep, and sort through albums, old clothes and books to go, I felt a sense of cleansing, and with each box of toys from my childhood packed into the back room, or pile of painfully awkward old shoes sent to the garage sale pile, I felt as if that small part of my life, with any negative influence it may have, is flushed, and I keep only what I need, and only what I want. 

This recipe, made from only natural ingredients for a completely raw, gluten free and vegan, "cheesecake", is exactly the kind of food fit for a cleanse, even if we are cleansing the clutter from living in this house, growing up, and spending many years here, rather than the typical cleanse. It was inspired by a delicious dessert my sister and I shared the last night I spent in Montréal, from a little vegan restaurant off of Rue Sherbrooke. Past the rows of jars filled with dried fruits, nuts, raw granola and dehydrated crackers for sale, dining tables were set up beside white brick walls and stained glass windows made from car headlights. It was the menu that we oohed and aahed at, with its delicious descriptions of new meals, a raw lasagna, gluten free and raw crepes or pad Thai, and after we were served and had eaten, couldn't resist the temptation of dessert.

Blown away by the flavour of the raw plates, both from dinner and dessert, I've given raw baking a try at home, and am again thrilled to find that the ease of blending a few ingredients together, such as cashews and dates, with other secret ingredients to give new flavours, can produce such delicious cookies, brownies, or even this "cheesecake."

Raw Blueberry Uncheesecake

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Almost unbelievable that this dessert isn't made with any cream or cheese, and is in fact is completely raw! It still has a delicious creamy texture, and the rich taste of blueberries is a perfect complement to cashews. I guarantee you won't be feeling guilty after this indulgent dessert, as it is made from all natural, and healthy ingredients.

Smooth and sweet, its the perfect combination for a dessert to impress, or to enjoy after dinner.

{makes 4 individual uncheesecakes}

{Ingredients:}

Crust:

1/2 cup almonds

2 dates

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Filling:

3/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons raw coconut agave

1/4 cup almond milk 

Topping:

thawed blueberries

{Directions:}

For the crust. In a blender or food processor, combine almonds, dates, and coconut, and blend until finely ground and the mixture starts to have a smooth consistency. Among four ramekins, spoon in the crust mixture and press down evenly along the bottom.

For the filling. Rinse the blender or food processor, then add cashews, blending until finely ground or almost powdery. Combine the blueberries, a teaspoon of vanilla, raw coconut agave, and almond milk, and blend until completely smooth and there are no whole blueberries or chunks of cashew nut left.

Pour the filling into each ramekin evenly, and set them in the freezer for about an hour to set. If making these a day ahead, they can be put straight into the fridge and kept there until serving, otherwise, place in the freezer for a faster set. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the topping. Remove the frozen blueberries from the freezer and allow to thaw completely before layering on top of the uncheesecakes. Heating them up will also speed up this process, and release more of the blueberry juices.

Enjoy! xx S

Finding Figs for Breakfast

I'm not sure what started my obsession with figs, whether it was realizing their sweet flavour and contrasting pink insides to the dark unrevealing skin, or the difficulty I've had finding them (making them all the more appealing) among groceries and market stalls. Nonetheless, I've finally found my figs, and have been chopping and slicing them, or biting into them just on the occasion of opening the fridge door, because they're so undeniable delicious, with everything.

Monday afternoon, while my sister was at work, her friends who had come down from Kingston for Osheaga had also stayed the night and had plans of exploring Old Port of Montreal. As I was already up, making a smoothie for breakfast with lots of the berries still in the fridge, I decided to go with them, and to see a little more of the city. 

We walked around the cobbled streets, poked in and out of shop windows, and pulled our sunglasses on and off the tips of our heads as shade and sunlight battled for space along every road. Families and couples rented out bicycle cars along the river, and raced around each other, among pedestrians and obstacles as well, as they both fought for the record speed. There were a lot of people also stopping for lunch in the square, a beautiful open space to the city where small trees grew up, and a fresh juice and smoothie hut had staked out the flow of thirsty people who milled about in the centre. 

After a refreshment of real lemonade, we continued down the square, and down a small alley filled with artist stalls and more people who danced around one another, eyes locked on the prize of a delicately entwined necklace, or a two for one deal on prints of the city's oldest buildings.

It wasn't until we had made our way back through the bustle of people, back onto the metro, and reemerged into daylight in the French part of the city, that we made it to the market. Known as one of the largest in Montreal, I was pretty excited to wander around, and hopefully find some figs to take back home with me. Stalls of fresh fruits and vegetables went aisle after aisle, colours contrasting against each other, and only broken by a stall which sold jars of honey and maple syrup. The larger stands, dominating the middle aisles that ran through the entire market, had plates of the fresh fruit chopped up for samples, but placed above the stands to avoid the pesky fingers of kids who would have happily grabbed handfuls of the sweet and juicy treats, I had to careful balance on my toes and reach to grab a slice of pear, or ripened nectarine from the platters. 

Finally, tucked away in a side aisle of the market, a young girl who spoke mostly French, sold baskets of deep purple figs, soft to the touch, and most definitely ripe.

Beside them, cherries of two types, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and grapes, and caught in the moment of innocent bliss, I almost bought two baskets thinking of how many dishes I could make with my fresh figs, and how many more smoothies I'd have a chance to try with a new ingredient. Even with the one basket of figs, I happily walked around the rest of the market with them tucked under my arm, drumming out smoothie ideas, pizza toppings, or simply dreaming of the taste of fresh figs.

So this morning, after my sister had left for work, I took to the kitchen in my pyjamas, and immediately began with the figs from the fridge. From there, a slice of gluten free bread slightly toasted with a spread of peanut butter, topped with slices of fig and more berries, and finally, a drizzle of honey. 

Tucked back up in bed, I snuggled up in blankets with my breakfast plate. 

With a little craving for something sweet, I also had a slice of yesterday's gluten free banana bread {recipe and post here} topped with natural yoghurt. It was a fruity and colourful breakfast, and with a warm mug filled with a maple ginger tea latte {oops! recipe dropping}, I was completely in bliss, and so happy to have the time this summer to spend long mornings without distractions, without television or computers if I choose, and to just enjoy the things around me as if being experienced new. It's amazing how structure and order, planned activities all day and everyday with rules, can be so exhausting once you come home to familiarity and comfort. Spending five weeks away from home is not long, I know, but it was definitely something I needed to do before going off to university when the time is longer, and there is likely more to get used to. With this program, at least the activities were designed to keep us from thinking too much of being away from home, especially for those who had never spent even a week away. However, as I sit here now beside a delicious breakfast and mug of homemade tea, I also realize the importance of appreciating every moment and everything that is familiar, because there won't always be time to come back and enjoy something afterwards.

Fig and Pear Smoothie

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With the soft sweetness of pear, this fruit is the perfect pair (no pun intended) with figs, which have a deliciously natural and sweet flavour that will be complemented perfectly in this blend of fruits. 

Smoothies are perfect for busy mornings, slow mornings, afternoon or bedtime snacks. I love dressing them up by adding natural yoghurt on top, and more whole berries, plus, it feels like a delicious dessert when eaten with a spoon! The yoghurt can also be blended into the smoothie for a creamier texture, or as an easy way to save time during a busy rush. 

{serves 1}

{Ingredients:}

5 - 6 whole black figs, chopped roughly

1 ripe pear, save 1/4 for topping

Large handful fresh baby spinach

4 - 5 strawberries, roughly chopped 

1/4 cup natural yoghurt 

Spoonful of slivered almond and fresh blueberries to serve 

{Directions:}

In a blender, layer figs, 3/4 of the pear, strawberries, and baby spinach leaves. Blend on high until smooth. 

Pour smoothie into a large glass, and top with natural yoghurt. 

Cut the last 1/4 pear into thin slices, and layer on top, sprinkling with slivered almonds and blueberries. 

Bisous et bon appetit! xx S