Buzzing Happily with Pumpkin Cashew "Cheesecake"

When I think of thanksgiving, I almost immediately picture a large table, or two to three smaller tables patch worked together in a long train, covered with mismatched table clothes and each place set with the proper assortment of plates, cutlery, glasses and crackers for a full meal together. Some, of course, match, like at the parents table where the nice plates and wine glasses reserved only for special occasions are used, but down at the other end, where the kids are usually placed together, it's a colourful array of orange and red dishes, bright napkins folded neatly, and the bright golds and shiny yellows of the crackers. I love the setting of a thanksgiving table, with all the colours and decorations that often resemble an autumn pathway, lined with fallen maple leaves held down by smoothed stones and little tea lights that flicker and eventually fade as the evening progresses.  

There is always family and friends, buzzing happily around the table, while some help to serve the heaping dishes of vegetables and aromatic tray of turkey, balancing the cranberry sauce between two plates in either hand. Some sit across from one another and chat freely, with sounds of laughter filling the whole room, and eventually catching on as everyone sits down together, and the food is served in heaping spoonfuls onto plates. I always send my spoon back to the mashed yams, my favourite, and a few extra Brussels sprouts. 

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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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Mornings Are Peachy

Ever since I was younger and mum would leave for work in the morning during summer, leaving me to sleep through the sounds of the car pulling out the drive, and her sneaking in through the door to leave me beside a steaming mug of tea she brought down, I've always loved the morning. In the summer, when I wake up to a gentle breeze flowing through the open doors, and the sun has already warmed my favourite place at the kitchen counter, it's the best time to sit and to enjoy those quiet, precious moments to myself. Outside, neighbours softly pound at broken fences, or rake up the quickly falling blanket of leaves as August heightens and the strong sun with no rain to break it up browns the leaves before they fall from the trees. In the morning, there is only the sound of the radio coming from a top the microwave, or before I've fed the dog, I can hear her paws pattering along the floor as she skips along beside my feet, and curiously detects whether I'm heading to her food bowl. She too loves the morning, it means food, and it means playing outside. To me, morning is the time before I have to get up and start packing, before Tilly gets too anxious for a walk, happy with a play and her bowl, and it's an hour, or two, before I have to think past anything more than a nourishing breakfast, and keeping hold of this cup of tea whilst turning the pages of my book.

Usually, I take my time choosing a rainbow of fruits to go with my cereal, or decide the best variation of nuts and seeds to top. Unlike when I was at camp this summer, where the cafeteria decided our plates, and being gluten free left me little option of waffles and bagels there, here I have an entire carton of eggs to play with, the spice cabinets full, a vegetable and fruit drawer to choose from, and I can't forget the cupboard where we keep our cereals and nuts. To me, breakfast has the most freedom. If you like sweet, you can have sweet. And if you're in the mood for savoury, toast, eggs, vegetables, potatoes, all give limitless variations.

Time, to me, also seems to stretch out, and I have that freedom in the bubble of before I think its the day, before the clock endlessly chimes out 12. 

Peach and Oat Smoothie

{print me here}

Here's the smoothie that got me ready before a big day of packing, before I really have to make the final push of packing boxes for our moving date next weekend. With a bowl of peaches on the counter, I've been enjoying them in all ways, salads, sliced with a drizzle of raw honey, or as part of breakfast, and especially in this delicious smoothie. As the main ingredient, peaches add flavour, while banana adds a bit of sweetness as well as texture. There's also nothing better than oats in a smoothie, with tons of fibre, manganese, and absorbing powers too. I've also added chia seeds for a morning boost, and because they absorb moisture to thicken it up. 

Sweet, with a slightly tart kick, but thick and creamy, this is the smoothie for a satisfying breakfast, brunch or late night bash. Peachy!

{serves 1}

{Ingredients:}

1 fresh peach

1 frozen banana

2 tablespoons gluten free oats

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/4 cup natural almond milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

{Directions:}

Combine ingredients in a blender, and allow the ingredients to sit for 5 minutes to give the oats and chia seeds time to absorb some of the almond milk. This will help to give your smoothie a creamy consistency, the wait is worth it!

Then blend until completely smooth, allowing the blender to run until there aren't any lumps left. For a thicker smoothie, add more banana, or add more almond milk to thin it out. 

Serve in a tall glass and sprinkle with more chia seeds or sweeten further with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Enjoy! xx S

Je Veux un "Ice Lolly!"

Finally, popsicles, and finally, the summer weather to go with them. I was inspired to make a cool and refreshing treat with the first few days of hot weather last week, with trips to the lake and riding on the scooter in shorts and flip flops, but as soon as they were made, wrapped in parchment, and stacked in the freezer ready to be eaten, there were clouds filling up the sky. The day following, these same clouds broke, and for the days after, and continuing over the weekend, it was a steady stream of heavy rainfall. 

I was thrilled the "first" evening we could have our windows and doors open again, and finish a relaxing day with a chocolatey and delicious ice lolly that filled taste buds with as much satisfaction as knowing they were made from the same whole ingredients we could pronounce and hold in our hands during a trip to the grocer. No added preservatives, no refined sugars or fats. 

Real ice lollies? You might not feel like it with a bite through its coconut coating and into the creamy chocolate filling. However, you'll be sure once the cool taste of it will be just the refreshment for a hot summer's day. 

I'm sitting in Quebec City airport now, the beginning of my summer in Quebec only an hour away, to when we'll board the bus and make the final leg of our journey, a three hour drive to Rivière-du-Loup. Despite traveling across Canada together, and going to schools practically next door, I have only just met another girl from Vancouver while we gathered bags from the rotating carousels and found the sign held by an animateur which will lead us to our summer "home." 

I'm glad the plane ride was easy, because the anticipation and nerves that I built up about being away from family for so long were not. A couple of hours in the Vancouver airport left me drowsy and wiped out for the plane ride, causing me to sleep most of the way, but so did spending a full couple of days with my sister who had just arrived home before I was expected to set off. 

And those days were full of ice cream dates, which have been planned for years, and thus fulfilled only twice over two days, plus a series of hours spent sorting through old clothes, toys and photographs, and drawn out mornings together with teas and coffees, pancakes and eggs, all which were enjoyed in our pajamas and glasses - finally my sister and I looked similar in our differences, my hair in tight curls, hers long and wavy, to name only one. 

We also kept busy late into the evenings, mostly because I didn't want the day to end, and be left with one less day to spend with my sister. Even the first night she was home, catching the last ferry and arriving just past ten pm, we stayed up by a plate of cheese and apple slices, while my mum and sister sipped on wine and we felt the ease of being back together, and our relaxation showed as we poked fun of each other and laughed.

However, as Saturday came to an end, it was almost the time when I would be dropped at the airport and begin travelling Quebec and exploring en français. We picked my sister's boyfriend from the airport and drove out to the southern coast of Vancouver, the ever-growing popular fishing town, Steveston. The cannery has become a tourist attraction, and the park with its expansive field has become an attraction to young and old who enjoy letting their kites out to the wind and pulling the strings to hold them in place. We walked through these flutters of colours, and even stopped for our second round of ice cream amidst the heat and crowds of picnickers and cyclists who thought the five o'clock treat was just the thing. Finally, we made our way back to the center of the town, and sat on the pier to enjoy a dinner under the heat of the sun, and with the flurry of wind off the water to cool us down. 

I was quieter and quieter over the time we sat there, the anticipation and emotions rolling over me and blocking my view of those last hours with my family. Mentally I was checking I had everything, and whether I knew exactly what I was going to do in order to avoid confusion in the airport as I boarded or went through security. 

I've found my way here though, made it through two flights and a bus ride. I've met people, and can manage the language with a little patience and perseverance. I'm sure that with a few more days my jetlag will have subsided, and I'll have settled in to a new routine, new classes, new people, and a whole new culture and environment, but with it a whole new excitement for the summer. Until I take a train in the middle of the night to visit my sister in Montreal that is. 

Avocado Chocolate Ice Lollies 

For a rich and creamy treat while sitting on the beach, or while enjoying the sunny weather as afternoon fades, plus the delicious taste of cocoa, these are the perfect refreshment to be taken straight out of the freezer! Simple preparations make these ice lollies quick and fast to be ready when you need them during busy summer plans.

To make the ice lollies raw, substitute the maple syrup for agave.  

{Makes 6 small ice lollies}

{Ingredients:}

2 ripe avocados

1/2 cup cocoa powder, raw and dairy-free

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup water 

75 grams coconut oil

4 tablespoons heavy coconut milk, from a can

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

{Directions:}

In a blender, pulse pitted avocados until smooth. Add in cocoa powder, maple syrup, and water, and blend until fully combined. 

Transfer mixture into popsicle molds, inserting sticks on top and place in freezer. Freeze overnight. 

To make coating, melt coconut oil before stirring in coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Allow mixture to cool slightly before coating ice lollies. 

In a tall and skinny glass, just wide enough to insert the ice lollies, pour in the coating mixture. 

With squares of parchment prepared for each ice lolly ready, dip each lolly one by one into the coating, allowing it to drip off and harden slightly before wrapping in parchment and placing back in the freezer. Continue with all ice lollies, and repeat again to thicken the coat. 

Enjoy! 

xx S

 

May Showers Bring Back Tea Time

It's May still, isn't it? Yep, according to my calendar we're still right in the middle of it, but heading into a series of days clouded by heavy rainfall. Just when I thought summer was finally nearing, and we were pulling out shorts and tank tops from the backs of our dresser drawers. We had already enjoyed a couple of evenings sitting out on the deck, a plate of chicken burgers on the barbecue, and a salad with fresh fruit set on the table. I'd already started taking those days for granted, riding around the island in shorts and a tank top, flip flops hanging off my toes, on my little red and white scooter. Just hoping for a couple more days of sun, especially over this Mother's Day weekend, I bought a pair of shorts to hopefully get a new shade of tan on my legs - and just as I came out the shops the wind picked up in a fluid motion of clouds covering the sun as well.

I guess it's back to long pants, hot drinks, and big umbrellas stacked by the doors and covering the sidewalks where people should be. Remember shopping in the rain? Jumping into a coffee shop after dashing across the street to be welcomed by a throng of the ten or so other customers who had the same idea - a hot latte and the last of the gluten free baking (oh my goodness, one more scone, don't let that guy take... Okay the cookie looks good too), and just because it is such a rainy day all of a sudden, I'll take a newspaper to watch the people passing by hurried and soaking (I won't laugh, at least not out loud).

You know, I've always wanted to just spend time in a coffee shop, working away at something odd in particular, and people watching. We spent a lot of time on Main Street this week, mum and I went shopping for graduation dresses and popped by to check out a store that was closed, and instead grabbed a drink in one of the restaurants, pairing it with jumbo shrimp and potatoes to keep us going. There are some very interesting people around Main, all doing different things and with different styles - and he stores could keep me entertained for hours! 

So in our eagerness to dress shop again at this particular boutique, with dad in tow this time, we entered the store pulling dress after dress off the shelf - each one beautiful and almost perfect in its own way. I got attached to two, very different, and bounced back and forth between them both, trying them on repeatedly and slowly coming to a decision. If you've ever gone dress shopping, no matter the event, you'll know how much goes into finding the perfect one - with the perfect fit and style for both the occasion and you. We were lucky that the store quickly quieted after we came, giving me all the time I needed in the change room, and all the attention of the salesclerk who was so helpful. She helped me come to a decision with my sister as well, who dad had on the phone, and it was so special to have my whole family there while I chose my graduation dress. 

Anyone up for another round of shops... I'm looking for shoes. (However, I might give it a week for my paycheck to be cashed, and a bit of recuperation). 

I felt like a little girl, peeping in at the perfect dress while the shop was closed. I actually picked out the one I ended up getting today on a previous trip, but I suppose something wasn't quite right. We ended up going around other stores and trying on other dresses. However, I needed dad, and my sister, to be there to make the decision. Ha! I should be on one of those reality shows with the emotion and depth I'm describing this "escapade" with. Don't worry, it really didn't take all that long, and a big plate of Egg's Benedict afterwards refueled us all nicely. Shopping is tiring. Especially trying on dresses and walking around in circles in too-big high heels - you have to curl your toes just to keep them on, and let me tell you, they start to cramp up after a couple laps of the store!

Ginger Maple Tea Lattes

{Print me here}

To end a rainy day, a long day, or as you sit and watch the activities of other people dashing past rain covered shop windows, and need an alternative to coffee or tea, a ginger maple tea latte is just the rich and flavorful hot drink - refreshing and comforting, the perfect balance between the teeter-tottering of this weather. 

I love ginger maple tea lattes because of the sweetness and spice of two key ingredients: maple and fresh ginger. Although I use almond milk for this recipe, cow's milk, or other milk alternative would work perfectly. What a great replacement for your morning coffee!

{Serves 2}

Ingredients:

1 1/2 inch of fresh ginger root, grated or chopped 

3 tablespoons maple syrup 

1 cup almond milk

2 1/2 cups water 

Directions:

In a saucepan over high heat, bring ginger, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and water to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Divide the almond milk among two cups, and divide the maple syrup among them also. Place both in the microwave, heating for up to a minute. This can also be done in a separate sauce pan, before dividing among the two cups. 

When the ginger mixture has simmered, remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for another 5 minutes. (Or pour into a french press for this step).

Pour into the cups of almond milk, and serve.

Enjoy! Xx S 

Candied Nuts to Keep Us Snacking

These candied nuts might make the perfect snack to bring on the plane - I can't believe we're actually going off to Cuba this spring break, and that we've only got to wait until the end of this week! None of us really know what to expect, and can only know what the guidebooks and reviews tell us; it will definitely be a very different experience. I've traveled to England many times with my parents, and to surrounding countries, and more recently been to tropical vacation resorts such as Hawaii and the Cayman Islands, however I've never been to a place as culturally different to where we live as Cuba. And I am very excited.

I'm also excited to break from bleak weather and cold rain that continues to finalise each week for us - however, I seem to have nothing to complain about compared to the other side of Canada, with snow storms bringing in over a foot of snow just as spring comes around the corner. Perhaps my pale skin will soak up enough vitamin D to last me until summer, and I'll come back happy and energetic (and tanned!) We've got sun screen, sunglasses, and bathing suits on our packing lists, and I can't wait to put them to good use!

A couple of weekends ago my parents took me to buy a backpack for the trip, it's not too large since we're only going for a week, but I've already started packing. Mentally laying out outfits for the week, planning which of my many pairs of shorts to take, and rolling things up to fit in my pack. I'm really excited to be away from my phone, from Facebook, Pinterest, everything, for a week, and in fact, I wish it were longer. I need a break. And I think both of my parents do as well, from work, school, and little problems that seem so great when we're in the middle of it all, but with a step back, a holiday, they don't seem so big on reflection. We need this trip for a change of perspective, and to put things into reality again.

It's actually quite refreshing not really knowing, or not knowing at all, what to expect. I am a planner and an organiser, and I feel myself slowly letting go even before we've left, all because I cannot plan the events, I can't picture the place or the people there at all. I'm trying to get mum to leave some of the planning to chance, since once we get there I expect our knowledge and feel of the place will change drastically from how it is now, and there is no way we can know now what we will want to do. But I think she's nervous: none of us speak Spanish, we don't know anyone there, and well, it's a completely new experience.

Pack on my back, and notebook in my hand, I can't wait to depart from the plane in hot, sunny, tropical Cuba, and just enjoy every moment we have there, wherever it takes us. Hopefully I can jot down recipes to try back at home, with new inspiration from traditional cuisine from the owners of the casas particulairs which we will be staying at, individually run and owned bed and breakfasts, an option for the "more adventurous tourist." I'm also taking a little camera from my trip to France in the summer, and hopefully will return with lots of colourful photos of Havana and surrounding towns which we will be visiting.

Maple Candied Nuts
Print recipe here

These Maple Candied Nuts are so delicious! I made some to top a salad for a dinner last week, and after we had all finished, we sat their munching on the remaining nuts - and finishing every last crumb off! So, I decided today to make another batch, just in case of course. They can be enjoyed as is, a simple but delicious snack, and also as a delicious garnish for desserts. Vanilla ice cream topped with caramel and spiced nuts? Oh that does sound delicious!

I already regret making so little as I did, so you might as well whip up a double batch while you've got all your ingredients ready to go - these will be gone quickly. These are just too good to pass up.

Personally, I don't like spicy foods very much, but if you would like that extra kick - add 1/4 tsp of cayenne powder to the mix.

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed raw nuts (I used pecans and cashews because they're my favourite, but you can choose any type really!)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used Himalayan)

Directions:

Stir together nuts in a large bowl.

Pour the maple syrup over nuts, add ground cinnamon and stir to coat evenly.

On a baking sheet, pour nuts out and spread apart evenly. Sprinkle generously with salt.

Bake at 300ºF for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir, before baking an additional 10 minutes, or until nuts are toasted and coating is sticky.

Let cool 5 minutes, the nuts should be dry to the touch. Serve warm or cool completely and store in a sealed container.

Enjoy! xx S.

Smooth(ie) Mornings: An Obsession With Oats

Okay, I'm obsessed with oats now.

I mean, they've got so much going for them, and they make me feel so good - I think of them as the popular super food that everyone's just got to have, got to know. I recently found that oats are okay for those with gluten-sensitivity, someone like me, and this truth about oats, has made me go crazy for them - I'm experimenting with smoothies, muffins, everything! They really help with baking, as they hold together the ingredients, making the outcome firm and moist, they also hold lots of moisture, instead of crumbly and flaky like many gluten-free baked goods.

And I just love that after having them for breakfast, whether in porridge or smoothies, I can start my day feeling nourished and full of energy. No need for caffeine!

Last year, I would make myself smoothies for the morning, blending fresh ingredients such as bananas and blueberries, yogourt and cinnamon together the night before, refrigerating it in a large container until I awoke, when I would pour some into a travel mug and leave the house in a rush - often forgetting an important project for school or even my mittens that protected my hands from the brisk wind, as well as keeping them warm as they wrapped around a cold mug, in my wake.

That was before I woke up early enough to allow myself the time to enjoy those dreaded hours, still dark before the sun rose, and just wanted to sleep as much as possible, without wasting a second on making and eating breakfast at home. However, as the days became shorter and jackets became heavier last winter, as they have begun to now, I replaced my mug full of smoothie with a hot drink to warm my hands, and left breakfast behind me, where I began learning to appreciate it at the kitchen counter before I left - keeping warm all the while.

This morning my parents and I awoke to a late start, and incidentally, a late breakfast, which then causes morning coffee time and then lunch to be pushed back farther into the day. I write this before lunch today, at three in the afternoon just as dad comes in the door with lunch in his hands - soup.

But today, I took coffee time on a healthier route, and announced it to mum and dad,

"I'm making something for you!"

I planned a detour from the unnatural high to low caused by the caffeine. Instead of grinding beans and putting them at the bottom of the pot, I heated apple juice on the stove, and as it simmered softly a comforting aroma of spices and cooked apples filled the kitchen, and then laid out delicate cups on matching saucers along the counter top.

Autumn smells filled the rooms.

Then, all the ingredients went into the blender, and maybe in excitement, I pressed the button to blend, without checking the speed or fit of the lid.

It splattered.

Across the counter, little droplets of smoothie were scattered, and oats congregated on the inside of the blender's lid, although luckily they were too large to escape from inside. It even got on me, and I had to run my arm under the cold water from the tap to relieve the burning sensation from the hot liquid. Fortunately, there was no evidence of a burn a short while later. Although evidence of my carelessness was left along the back splash, and on the jars that line the counter.

"You've left quite the mess here,"

Mum informed me as she wiped it clean.

I served the drinks, and we sat at the counter cherishing the warmth and taste, the rain heavily falling outside the house, where we were nestled in comfortably.

Apple-Oat Smoothie
Print Recipe.

Don't let cold weather and a bad nights sleep get the best of you, and don't opt for an unsatisfying cup of too-strong coffee to wake you up for only a few hours either, instead, try this perfect fall drink, which warms you right up, and will get you going with all it's vitamins and nutrients, and the energy that's packed in!

Apple and oats go perfectly with the blend of spices, and the almond add a perfect punch to your energy drive. This smooth and comforting smoothie is the perfect replacement for summer's popsicles and drinks, too cold to imagine having at this time. 

When blending the ingredients, make sure it is on the lowest setting to begin with, and hold down the lid as you press the button. For a smoother drink, grind the almonds beforehand, or try replacing them with other nuts such as pecans, or even dried fruit such as dried dates. 

Everything - before apple juice - in the blender

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 1/2 c apple juice
1 c water

1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 c unsalted almonds
1/2 c quick oats (wheat-free)
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the apple juice and water to a simmer.

Add spices and simmer for another 5 minutes.

In a blender, combine almonds, oats and maple syrup, and pour in apple juice mixture.

Blend on low until smooth.

Pour into mugs and serve.

As The Leaves Dropped, She Said "Wha-Fell?"

"Wha-Fell?"

"What fell?"

Leaves, fluttering like feathers, rhythmical swayed back and forth as they descended from the trees this morning -

"Waffle!"

"Waffles for breakfast?"

The leftover pumpkin purée in the fridge has been my topping for everything since Thanksgiving, I've especially enjoyed it with plain yogurt in the mornings as the subtle, indulgent flavours complement added fruits such as apples or bananas. Oh, and don't forget the added serving of vegetables at the same time!

I've been admiring all the pumpkin baked goods at Starbucks, which I don't grab anymore, as I reluctantly pull my eyes away,

Focus on the hot drinks instead.

Except even those drinks don't maintain the true pumpkin taste I crave when the leaves begin to float through the air on their way to the ground, a complement to the cinnamon and nutmeg spices, and delicately embodying what I think fall is about. Comfort. Familiarity. Cherishing the moments.

This morning, my friend and I in oversized university sweaters from our sisters, slippers, and pyjamas, made tea to warm up with as mum and dad woke up and we decided about breakfast.

Fittingly, for the house was chilly when we awoke, I received a text from a friend that read,

'Hey its snowing!'

And in the grogginess of sleep I thought it was from a friend who lived nearby, and the possibility of it never crossed my mind. So, my friend and I leant far out the window with arms outstretched trying to find droplets, rain or snow, and wondering where she had gotten the notion of snow. To our dismay the air was clear of falling crystals, despite grey clouds above, and bundling back inside, tripping over one another to reach our sweaters, I realised the snow was falling much farther north, home to one friend and the source of the text.

It must be around -30° C where she lives, a temperature intolerable for me, as I find myself in sweaters, scarves, a big coat and mittens in the current 10° C and the thought of the inevitable -5° C of our winters frightening. But I will embrace it with a mug of tea in the morning and some gluten-free hot cereal, which I'm working on at the moment. Preparations for winter.

Saturday mornings are the perfect day for a cooked breakfast with family, as are Sundays, when everyone's home and all are ready to relax into a long morning that stretches into an afternoon filled with the repetition of pouring teapots and the flow of chatter at the table. Idle chatter about the week's events, and the island gossip; laughter as we poke fun, but also chatter about what might really be going on underneath the surface of those around us, and why things are always changing pace.

I've learnt time and time again that its best to open up, and never to let things simmer on high as they're bottled. The pot will boil over eventually. And breakfast, even if things aren't said directly, is the perfect time for the presence of those around to become the net to catch words, whether they be good, grieving, or ambiguously embedded and tied up in the need for others to decipher them.

Baking is a lot like watching the formation of secrets, the spices become buried underneath the complex configuration of other ingredients, masked in colour by the whiteness of flours, and hidden by the thickness of the batter. However, underneath each crust, muffin top or pastry shell, we know whats been added, although unknown to the baker are the chemical processes that undergo when heat is applied. The baker's apprentice, the bystander, can't yet understand the effect each ingredient, each addition, every cause, will have on the outcome, and the consequence triggered eventually. And like hurt that's been smothered as if a thick smog blanketed it once before, feelings eventually reveal themselves, all those hidden secrets, and all those forgotten spices come out again.

They give the cake it's name, make the muffin flavourful, desirable, as the secrets reveal themselves from under the shell.

So within these waffles I've added spices and pumpkin, a complementary pair, working heroes together, that make these waffles, and this breakfast, special. Memorable. They've made it what it is.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Print recipe.

The moist and tender waffles can be altered to sport your favourite dried or fresh fruit, such as blueberries or peeled and diced apple, or even chocolate chips. Be happy with your creation.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

250 g Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 pumpkin puree
4 tbsp grape seed oil
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

2 - 2 1/2 c rice or almond milk

Directions

Heat up waffle iron and preheat oven to 180° F with a large plate inside. Combine all flour mix, baking powder and soda, and spices in a large bowl, set aside.

In another bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs.

Make and well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredient, stir until mixed.

Slowly pour in rice or almond milk and stir constantly, add enough for batter to become thick and runny.

Spoon mixture into waffle iron and close, following cooking instructions specific to your waffle iron.

Transfer cooked waffles to a plate in the oven until all waffles are cooked.

Serve with maple syrup and slices of fresh apple or banana.

It's Just the Beginning

I'm still trying to figure out this whole blogging thing, as well as posting and getting the format right, so forgive me. In time it will be better. (I couldn't quite figure out photos yet, so they may come later!)

To start,

I've decided to begin this blog with the intention of tracking my gluten-free journey (for lack of a better word). It's only been a few weeks since I said no to wheat and other gluten products in my diet, and I've been feeling better from it already!

My grandad was diagnosed with celiac disease as a young adult, and has been living healthily and gluten-free since then! (He's in his eighties now). I have not been diagnosed with the intolerance from a doctor, although I have been tested numerous times, wheat still seems to negatively effect me in all sorts of ways, and some I am only just discovering now.

For instance, my skin has improved since removing gluten from my diet! And thankfully, seems to (finally!) be on the mend after months. I've had eczema and psoriasis most of my life, so its amazing to see a significant difference from something seemingly simple once started.

I've also noticed a huge change in my mood, days are no longer stretches of time that I do not enjoy, and school, who would have thought, is actually exciting to go to each day! Its amazing now, I'm much happier, despite waking up at 6 am each morning, I am full of energy!

This September I've started my grade twelve year of school (Last Year!) and I expect to be busy with dancing, volunteering and other sports at school, so of course, I need to be feeling my best without complications from anything! In previous years I've always found it hard to juggle lots of things going on at once, with homework and tests among dance and competitions, but this year, just maybe, this change in my mood will carry on, and I'll just slide through my last year easily! (Though friends in older grades have never said this was the case...)

But right now, I'm enjoying the moment, and what better way than filling that craving for baked goods (gluten-free banana muffins right out of the oven anyone?) with cooking and baking, which I've been doing loads these past few weeks.

To start my lazy Sunday off in just the perfect manner, and to start this blog and the journey (must find a better word!) that will ensue, I gathered the family to make a typical Sunday brunch meal, with that gluten-free twist of course! - Banana Pancakes!

Ever since I was very little, my dad would wake up before everyone else and whip up some amazing crepes to urge us out of bed on those lazy days. They weren't gluten-free then, but boy they were good, so I felt it would be extra special if dad and I could make these pancakes together today, and maybe (perhaps too wishful?) he would venture into gluten-free cooking, and attack a recipe of gluten-free crepes to usher me out of the thickness of my blankets on another rainy Sunday morning.

So we dressed in cooking aprons, me in my too-small apron from years ago, and dad in the floral housewife apron (good thing I took photos!), and set to measuring our flours and gathering ingredients.

And it went well! Dad cooked of course, with all his experience at pancake flipping, I couldn't exactly deny him, and I gathered ingredients and mixed the batter. Mum set the kettle for coffee, and the dog wandered around the kitchen for scraps while the cat dozed in the corner. It was a good morning.

Instantly, it smelt amazing. Warm banana pancakes ... It's heavenly just thinking about it. So I better just post the recipe before I get too reminiscent.

Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes
Adapted from Pig in the Kitchen's Banana Pancakes Recipe
Click here for printable version.

Since we aren't vegan, we used an egg instead of the egg replacer mix used in the original recipe. I've made breads without eggs and they've never bonded together properly, and ended up crumbly and dry, so if this is a first time attempt at pancakes, I would recommend sticking with the egg unless you don't eat them!

We used rice milk in this recipe because of the excess in our pantry, as we ended up buying extra right before I found out about almond milk, and realised I preferred it much more! I don't drink milk, although my parents do, because of the taste. I usually alternate between using almond milk and cow's milk in my recipes, but I've found that either works.

Also, a quick note when cooking them, these pancakes need a bit of time to cook thoroughly through before you flip them, otherwise they'll fall apart. So keep the frying pan on medium-low temperature, and wait a little longer than you would with regular pancakes.

Ingredients

100g white rice flour
50g sorghum flour
50g almond flour (or meal)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 tsp baking soda

1 egg
1/4 c brown sugar
1 c of rice milk (or almond milk), and you may need a bit more depending on the consistency of the flours

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°F and put a plate in the oven to heat up.

Combine the flours and the baking powder in a large bowl, until mixed. Making a bowl in the center, add the egg.

Next add the brown sugar and rice milk, whisking until the batter is mixed and quite thick.

Add the baking soda to the mashed bananas, and slowly add to the flour mixture. Whisk again until the batter thick, but still runny. (At this point you may need to add more rice milk - but do this slowly!)

Heat up oil (I always use grapeseed oil for cooking) in a frying pan over medium-low heat, and then pour about 1/3 c of the batter into the pan. Wait until just after the edges begin to bubble, and then flip! (Or get someone else to do this, in my case).

Transfer the cooked pancakes to the waiting plate in the oven to keep warm.

Delicious when served with frozen blueberries and real Canadian maple syrup!