The "Good Cookie"

It's a good thing we have cookies.

They make just feel normal again. Oh darling, I know there are those days when we begin to feel estranged from all those wheat-eaters out there. With a slow shake of your head as you decline a plate of Oreos ("But they're vegan!"), or a slice of cake, to see their tilted head and apologetic smile, just remember that a gluten free cookie has all the same comfort, and all the more flavour. Now, that's better. The warmth and flavour melts in your mouth. Chew. Swallow. Repeat. And rejuvenate.

Friends, you, and yours, are often absorbed in their busyness and activities, and can sometimes pass a plate of wheat-filled treats without thinking. You sheepishly pass it to the next person and avoid anyone's gaze. It's not guilt which you feel for the foods you have chosen (or must) not eat. Sometimes, their questioning which happens so frequently,

"Oh! You can't eat this?"

Or cries of,

"I am so sorry!"

Are worse that just forgetting the plate was ever passed, and held in your hands for that quick moment. Justifying yourself is too exhausting each and every time, time and time again. Sometimes it's a challenge: it's even more a challenge outside the comfort of your own home; managing restaurant menus while dealing with a growing appetite is certainly a tyrant of a battle. Sitting down to a hot latte in the city with friends while they chow down on deliciously appetising sandwiches (I stole all her olives!) or fluffy muffins that leave your belly grumbling (Darling, shhh, I whisper... People only stare, but that's just fine - at least I don't have a wheat belly!)

Friends that must be kept close, tell you they'll hunt the streets for "some of that weird gluten free food," and you laugh. Suddenly it's not so bad. The dragon will be tamed; I'll get my cake - and eat it too.

Those friends also make an pizza just for you for girl's night at her house, an experiment of different flours and techniques so again you can enjoy the normalities of everything about spending time with friends. Even if there is nothing normal about that night. It's important to remember that no matter who you are, and what you choose to do, your friends are always there, will always stand by you.

There will also be that perfect gluten free cookie.

Both invaluable, neither replaceable. This is for you.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Print me here!

These are the perfect blend of sweet and everything nice. Add 1/2 cup of oats to replace the coconut flour for more crunch, and both ways, enjoy with the soothing aroma from a cup of a maple ginger tea latte. Blending strong and sweet, and putting both your mind and body back into balance.

Yields approximately 18 cookies.

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup almond butter, crunchy
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 - 3/4 cup gluten free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg, pour in the almond butter and apple sauce, and mix.

Now add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and powder, and oat. Fold into the wet.

Add in brown rice and coconut flour as well as the chocolate chips. Mix until well blended. Form 1 1/2 inch - 2 inch diameter rounds and press lightly onto the parchment paper.

Bake for 12 - 16 minutes.

Make tea.

Eat.

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.

To Sip a Winter Smoothie

Last week, on one of the endless days of rain and thick cloud cover, I stayed home from school to recuperate from early mornings and what felt like a hive activity for the past few weeks since school restarted for the new year. It was one of those days where very little was going on, so Mum and I got to spend the afternoon together in our cosiest socks and big thick sweaters. I spent the morning beautifying this blog, focusing on adding more pictures and clarifying the little details which had been bothering me for some time, so it was nice to completely relax when she got home from work.

Lunch was only something small to curb our hunger, so when four o'clock came around, and after we'd taken the dog out for a walk to the lake and back, we both felt the need for a little pick-me-up and something to hold tightly in our hands to warm ourselves up. The wind had chapped our lips as we strolled beside the lake, shards of ice perched on top of each other along the shores after being pushed aside by the strong wind. There was a slight breeze as we wandered, and the clouds threatened rain in small droplets that fell infrequently onto our heads and shoulders.

We came home in a flurry as the rain picked up and quickened. Mum put on the fire to heat up the house, and I turned up the stove to make a drink to heat us up. It was then that we both ended up choosing our favourite spots on separate sofas after sipping warm smoothies, and curled up around iPads in the nooks of our arms, absorbed in the trials of our preferred shows and covered in soft blankets. The fire blazed on; the animals snoozed peacefully.

I wish every day could be as peaceful as that day was, instead, I try and stay warm bundled in a big knitted scarf and a hot beanie on my stomach today while studying for an exam. I might just make another smoothie to remind myself of that day, and to sip while I try to memorise vocabulary.

Try a favourite gluten free cookie with your smoothies as well, they're delicious when dunked - see how long you can keep them in without them falling apart!

Before I get too carried away with the goodness of these smoothies, I must quickly tell you how amazing they are. As in, you must make them today, tomorrow morning, next week. In the summer after a day at the beach with ice, in the winter by the fire in a steaming mug. And for the pumpkin obsessed (oops, that's me!), try this for breakfast too. Then, as you take the first sip, you'll realise that this really is the most delicious, creamiest, smoothest, drink ever.

They'll be your neighbours favourite, and your friends favourite, too.

Go ahead, see what pumpkin can really do.

Warm Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie
Print recipe here.

If you thought pumpkin pie was just for Thanksgiving and Christmas - think again! You can pick up a can of pumpkin pie mix from your local grocery store, or puréed pumpkin, all year round. Serve this warm smoothie as an after dinner dessert, or quickly heat it up on the stove to start your day with just the right amount of sugar and spice.

Using canned pumpkin pie mix sweetens the drink, so there's no need to add sugar, and by adding a little extra spices it will bring out the pumpkin flavour a little more when paired with the coconut milk (this can be substituted with any choice of alternative). Try using pure puréed pumpkin if you'd prefer to adjust the sweetness, I recommend doubling the amount of spices listed below and add brown sugar or honey to sweeten, then simmer for an additional 10 minutes to develop the rich flavours of all the spices.

For a creamier dessert, serve these smoothies with a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogourt (the thick kind works best), and provide a spoon to eat.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (the beverage kind)
1 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin pie mix

Dash of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice powder

2 cinnamon sticks to serve

Directions

In a medium sized sauce pan on the stove, whisk together coconut milk, water and pumpkin pie mix.

Add in vanilla and spices and bring to a near boil.

Simmer for a few minutes (3 to 5), whisking repeatedly.

Strain into two large mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick. Top with yogourt if desired.

The Harmony in Baking Cake

Decorated to be served at Christmas dinner, the cake is finally ready.

I feel as if the beginning of a new year should start with the thrill and excitement of a new journey, one complete with a new set of expectations and goals to accomplish or sights to see. There should be that fleeting flutter of anxiety before, just so you know that it is completely un-adventured, unfound, before you. What if waking up to the new year was like the first day of school as a five year old, you can't sleep from excitement, try to prepare yourself as much as possible with matching pens, backpack and lunch kit, a new pair of shoes even.

However it seems to me that we haven't quite filled enough excitement into the previous year and instead must end with a bang, in the sense of spending the last hours of the year with as much laughter and chatter with friends as possible. There is no reason to seclude yourself for the last hours, however I also see little reason to go all out (no regrets as my friends would say) because the entire year should have much more fulfilment than a single night. And instead of beginning the new year with expectations of accomplishing each goal and all those little things you've always wanted to do but never got around to doing, we sit around in a haze trying to recover from the previous night.

I recall the first time I stayed up past midnight on New Years Eve, I thought the creatures of the night would be awake at the same time, those cowboys of ten-to-ten, the grumpy monsters and pumpkins of parents trying to get their kids to sleep.

I was the kid that went to bed only to get back up again in ten minutes for a cheese and cracker platter, which took plenty of time to choose. I sat in front of the open cupboard trying to select the perfect type and amount of crackers to pair with cheese, and then continued to slice the cheese in only a perfectionists manner.

I can only say now that characteristics so particular to me now must have started young.

When I was younger mum and I used to cook together seamlessly, she gave me instructions for which ingredient to gather or how much to add to the bowl of batter, and I was instructed as the apprentice of the kitchen. Upon her request I took ingredients off the shelves and placed them beside the bowl for use, and gathered spoons or measuring cups for her when she needed. If I was lucky, she held out the big wooden spoon we used, and in two little hands I grasped the handle tightly as I began stirring the mixture round and round slowly, using my entire body to move the weighted spoon.

I think back, and remind myself how lucky I am to have this memory of mum and I, the student and a teacher, as we cooked harmoniously in the kitchen. And as the cakes and cookies always tasted delicious even after I scooped the entire bowl for remaining batter, I know with each bite that it was more than the ingredients which make the outcome so tasty. There's something about sharing the moment when the kitchen suddenly fills with the warmth and spices of something from the oven, and you both take that first bite into the delicious treat heating your fingertips.

It was during this time as we made the Christmas cake that I realised what it is about Christmas that I love so much, and what I hope to keep in mind as I begin the new year. With the same wooden spoon that has stayed in the kitchen for years, and been used to make many Christmas cakes before, a constant among the flow of cheap utensils as they are bought and quickly broken, I stirred the mixture with two hands on the handle of the spoon. I had lined the ingredients which mum needed for the cake neatly beside the old scale brought over from England by my parents, which uses black weights with printed measurements such as '4 oz' on top.

The elegance of the fruit and spices, and even an undetected splash of alcohol combines everything together so neatly in this Christmas cake, and reminded me of what we seem to strive for, and in the short window of Christmas holidays when we allow ourselves to relax, can achieve with the familiarity and comfort of having family and friends close. The harmony of all the flavours in each bite made me realise how I've quickly slipped into a habit of trying to control situations which occur. Instead of allowing things to happen, to show their flavour like the nutmeg or molasses in this cake, I've overpowered those spices, an important necessity to achieving the desired taste, and have instead created something undesirable. Without ease of sitting back and enjoying it the moments to come, I have fallen into the pattern of standing up against it.

Harmony between each other can only exist when we can personally remain balanced, and I'll remember this as each section of the Christmas cake is served, topped with a sweet layer of marzipan and icing, and the flavours develop more and more over time, complementing each other better.

I've taken a slice while I finish this post, and remember the harmony that existed in that moment when mum and I stirred the Christmas cake on the kitchen counter, when I was really little, and just a few weeks ago.

Gluten Free Christmas Cake
Print recipe here.

A richly spiced cake which keeps the tradition of cooking over the holidays in today's kitchens. It lasts longer than other cakes because of the alcohol used, and the spices pair perfectly with the flavours, and I was surprised to find that the moistness of this cake keeps it together and prevents any crumbling, unlike many other gluten-free cakes - even without any gums used!

A sweet topping of marzipan and icing complement this rich flavouring of the cake, because a little sugar and spice was never so nice.

Ingredients

175 g raisins
175 g sultanas
400 g currants
50 g chopped prunes
50 g chopped apricots

50 g ground almonds
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg

6 tbsp brandy or whisky

225 g butter, slightly softened
225 g dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

225 g Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour mix

2 tbsp molasses

approximately 3/4 c marzipan
white icing made from icing sugar and water, the proportions vary due to conditions of your kitchen, but you want the consistency to be thick so that the icing does not run off of the cake.

Directions

Place all the measured fruit, ground almonds and spices in a large bowl and mix in alcohol. Stir and leave to soak overnight.

Preheat the oven to 275°F and line an 8" cake tin with parchment paper, a round piece on the bottom and a strip along the sides.

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until it turn cappuccino coloured. Beat eggs together in a smaller bowl and pour in slowly, mixing thoroughly. Don't worry if the mixture curdles at this point.

Fold in the flour mix into the butter, sugar and egg mixture until completely combined. Then add in the fruit and pour in the molasses.

I recommend using a heated spoon when measuring the molasses, running it under hot water before, which keeps the molasses from sticking to the spoon.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin, and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 3 hours. Test that the cake is done by inserting a clean butter knife into the centre, a clean knife when removed means that it is done cooking.

Allow the cake to completely cool before placing it in an airtight container, and keep it in a cool, dry location for a week or so. This resting process allows all the flavours to develop, and don't worry about it going stale - the alcohol will prevent this!

Remove the marzipan from the fridge an hour or so before you begin icing the cake to allow it to soften, rolling it in your hands will also loosen it and make it easier to work with. With a rolling pin roll out the marzipan into a 0.5 cm thick round. Lift it from the counter and lay over the cake. If it is large enough to cover both the top and the sides then cut the excess from the base of the cake, or you may choose to apply the marzipan in two pieces, cutting a round for the top and a separate piece for the sides.

When this is done, and the icing sugar is made, spread it evenly on top of the marzipan with a spatula or knife. It is alright if some drips off of the cake, but it should be thick enough to stay along the sides. Allow it to harden completely before decorating as we often do, or if you choose, serve.

It Actually Snowed, and I Made Mince Pies

We had the first snowfall of the year on Tuesday, but snowflakes began falling Monday night. It would be nice to have some photos of the little winter wonderland the white blanket created, but sadly, and as West Coast weather goes, it was quick to fade as a heavy cloud of rain brewed above and quickly washed away the beauty which everyone kept commenting on. And which also caused numerous problems as last year, as if snow is once again something so unknown and mysterious to each and everyone of us.

But it sure feels that way with the amount of excitement building, especially this close to Christmas and with everyone in such a good mood. It's the possibility of a White Christmas.

It was good timing for the island to be encompassed by the comforting, wintry, weather. My sister arrived last weekend, and with the entire family home, it was the perfect family picture. (However, none were taken as I battled the last week of school - and teachers trying to fit last minute projects in - while my sister and her boyfriend fit as many Vancouver activities into their week together here as they could.)

I had a sense of déjà vu as I started writing this post out in my head, almost as if I'd pictured writing each sentence, each comparison to my entranced state from falling white specks, a million times with every snowflake that fell each year. As if every snowfall was a new experience.

Each time, as I again imagine the whitened fields and snow tiered trees, I also picture the road to my best friends house awash in white. It's the postcard image of winter, a long road, which often isn't plowed after heavy snowfalls, with rows of evergreen trees weighed down heavily and lined neatly alongside the road. Her house, sitting amidst a large field, often has at least 1 foot of snow when my house has only 1 or 2 centimeters.

I remember one year, it must have been my first year if high school, when the snow fell just as the festivities for Christmas began: the Christmas Craft Fair. Usually we spent the entire day wandering the craft tables and helping out with or parents shopping by exclaiming,

"Ooh! Look at this!"

Or, "Can I get this...?"

However, this year as we entered the gymnasium lined with tables and ornamental figurines on display to sell, little snowflakes drifted slowly down. It then became our duty to check frequently on the levels of rising whiteness outside, until that memorable moment came. After forgetting our patrol outside for sometime, minds filled with laughter and excitement from the cake walk and other festive treats inside, we finally returned outside to find more than a foot of soft, powdery snow.

It was then that we headed for the small embankment off the side of the school, where we were usually forced to steered clear from in fear of angered school teachers who would exclaim the low level of safety we risked by stepping one foot on the muddy, steep, and above all, crumbling, hill. Despite a road, with a cement fence, built just on top of the hill.

In nothing more than sweaters, and some of us in light shoes suited for dryer weather, we slid down the hill on our backs and stomachs, delighting in the thrill as the run became icier and faster with each person's turn. We were un-deterred by the cold, and warmed by the happiness of tumbling down a fast track made of snow and ice, surrounded by determined snowflakes and an island awash in winter paradise, we were unscathed by bumps and bruises by the slide down, and instead remained entirely exhilarated whether we felt the wet and cold or not.

I made mince pies today, a Christmas family tradition which we make every year for our annual Christmas Eve party. However, as mum baked a batch of the regular mince pies, I was motivated to try my hands at gluten-free pastry, and these indulgent little sweets.

It was definitely more time consuming, the pastry had to be played with and encouraged into form, and peeling it from the wax paper after rolling was one of the hardest parts. I wanted those little little pies though, so I kept going, repeating the cutting and peeling and placing process until I had twelve uncooked pastry pies sitting in a muffin tin, and were ready to be baked.

Traditional Gluten-Free Mince Pies
Print recipe here.

The buttery pastry is almost melt in your mouth delicious, and with the sweet n' spicy flavours of the mincemeat these are truly a Christmas delicacy.

Makes approximately 16 mince pies.

Ingredients

400 g gluten-free flour mix (I don't recommend using coconut flour in this mix, as it will just soak up all the moisture and leave the pies dry and crumbly.)
1 tsp salt
200 g chilled butter

I recommend cubing the measured amount of butter needed and placing it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so, to make sure it is extra cold when added to the flour. The trick is cold ingredients!

approximately 16 tbsp mincemeat

milk for brushing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 415°F and start by greasing a muffin tin with butter, and sprinkling with a bit of gluten-free flour mix.

In a food processor, combine the flour mix and salt. Pulse once, quickly.

Add in the butter and blend until the dough begins to form together into a large ball. If this does not occur, it may be due to the conditions of the air in your kitchen, pour a tiny amount of water in and pulse again.

Using two pieces of parchment paper for this next part, remove the dough from the processor and divide into two halves. Place one half on one piece of the parchment and layer the other piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough through the paper until its approximately 0.5 cm thick.

Remove the top layer of parchment paper and cut out enough large circles with a cookie cutter. You may need to repeat the process of rolling and cutting a few times to fill the muffin tray. The cut outs should come up the sides of the muffin cups.

It may be easier to use slightly wet hands to peel the dough from the parchment paper to avoid it sticking to your hands, but it should not be wet.

With a tablespoon, scoop mincemeat into each pie so that a small amount sits in the centre of the cut dough.

With the other half of the dough, roll it out again as before, however, use a smaller sized circular cookie cutter to shape the lid of the mince pies. Place the smaller pieces atop the mincemeat and bottom so that the edges reach the side of the muffin cup.

When all are filled, use a fork to score all the way around the sides of the pies, and score once in the centre.

Pour a small amount of milk into a bowl, and using a little cooking brush, paint the tops of the pies with milk.

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The tops of the pies should be golden brown from the milk coating.

Starts with a Chip, and Dip!

Last week I perused through recipes, and trying to decide upon what to make as a simple appetizer for mum's dinner party this weekend, every tab on my iPad was open to a different chef. The recipe I eventually chose, a simple Mexican staple (at least our idea of it), was salsa, but one sneaky ingredient that I didn't know left me puzzled.

The ingredients list had one unfamiliar vinegar, white balsamic vinegar.

"Just perfect, another thing to buy that I'll never use again."

I though to myself, and scanning the grocery shop shelves, I couldn't seem to find it anywhere.

I was the list girl in the never-ending aisles, wandering endlessly up and down, up and down. I felt like I was five years old again and even started to feel the panic of losing your mum in a big, unfamiliar place.

I almost gave up at that point to regular balsamic vinegar, already tucked in the cupboard, and also, barely used.

However, I really am glad that I double checked the aisles, because next to the Balsamic de Modena, an Italian vinegar, and White Cider Vinegar, and across the teas and coffees (I thought it was an odd location at the time), there was just what I was looking for - a clear glass bottle with a transparent, white liquid, that could only be balsamic vinegar.

As I stood in the aisle, I wondered how the two, with a very similar name, could be so different. And so, on my iPhone standing there facing the shelves, I did my research: It turns out that Italian vinegar production has been going on for thousands of years with a process very similar to that of vineyards in the production of making wine. Sweeter grapes are used, and of a much whiter colour, and are pressed into what is called "must" before being simmered for long periods of time (hours) until they thicken into a caramel-like substance. This syrup-y liquid is then portioned into many barrels, made from different types of wood to give the vinegar flavour and the "character" that its label boasts, and then aged. What is called "authentic vinegar" requires an ageing time of at least twelve years, however cheaper balsamic vinegars are not aged for nearly as long and in much larger quantities. The cheapest brands will be mixed with wine vinegar and be coloured by additives.

The white grape must is blended with white wine vinegar and then cooked at a very low temperature, this is required to prevent any darkening. The flavours of dark balsamic vinegar, the kind I always seem to have plenty of in the cupboard, and white balsamic vinegar are quite similar in flavour, despite balsamic vinegar being sweeter and having a more syrup texture. I found the white to be less rich, and also to have much less of an after-taste, which was really lovely in the salsa!

A huge reason that many use white balsamic vinegar in cooking rather than the regular balsamic is to prevent a discolouration. Since balsamic vinegar has such a strong colour and will change the appearance of the dish, white balsamic is used with lighter coloured foods, such as tomatoes and other sauces or dressings. Regular balsamic vinegar could work in this recipe, if you don't mind a darker salsa.

I know it seems like a summer recipe, this salsa, an odd pair to the start of Christmas festivities and decorations today, however, as we would start a dinner party, we shall start off December's posts with a little chip and dip.

Roasted Tomato Salsa
Print recipe here.

A colourful array of vegetables in this wholesome salsa makes a perfect appetizer to any party. The complementary herbs and spices bring about authentic flavours of the tomatoes and onions, and with only a subtle pinch of chile spice, everyone can enjoy this salsa whether served with chips, crackers, or on gluten-free bread as a bruschetta dish.

Ingredients

3-4 c roma tomatoes diced into large chunks
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
200 mL corn kernels, sliced from a cooked corn cob, or for a  
      quicker version, use canned corn kernels

2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp chile powder

3 tbsp grape seed oil
1/4 c white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to season
a few chopped basil leaves to serve

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a large baking dish on the side.

Toss the chopped vegetables, corn kernels, dried parsley and chile powder together in the baking dish.

Drizzle the grape seed oil and white balsamic vinegar over top the vegetables, and mix well.

Place the dish in the oven and cook for 30 - 35 minutes, tossing halfway and adding more chile powder if desired upon tasting (Careful! It will be hot!)

Remove from the oven and set aside until completely cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and serve at room temperature with chopped basil and salt and pepper on top.

With Water Droplets, Make Apple Loaf

It's become a nice weekend ritual for me to bake a sweet bread loaf before dad comes home, it's nice for all three of us to sit around our mug of tea, placed in a triangle around a cutting board with a warm loaf. The table is always littered with crumbs and the loaf is usually missing its other half when we've sipped, chatted, ate, and laughed. And with each new week I want to try something new, to experiment and perfect recipes, and hopefully hit a high note on my parents taste buds; I love the days when they exclaim after finishing a slice,

"Okay, this is really good!"

I love sharing the gluten-free goodies that I bake with family and friends, and those that eat gluten can compare the difference of outcome with either flours (their favourite comment still remains how crumbly some cookies end up - I groan, 'again?') Their positive response to the taste is encouraging, but really it's just so easy now. Their sighs of pleasure with the first bite into something straight from the oven is perfect. Could there be anything more satisfying than the approval of the hours you spent perfecting in the kitchen?

Going gluten-free may appear daunting, just thinking about all those dinners at friend's houses when they serve pasta or pies at dinner, pancakes and waffles for breakfast. However I find, especially now with so many options available in stores, and the changing approaches of consumers consequently influencing what is actually more readily available, the switch away from wheat is becoming much easier for everyone.

Last Friday mum and I went out for lunch after I had my graduation photos taken, and wanting to divert away from more stresses, we settled on a nearby location with a promising name. It's as if I find a hundred things to worry about, and they all descend upon my shoulders, nestle in my hair and between the fibres of my clothes like tiny water droplets from heavily weighed clouds above. I don't know the reason for this, and I don't like the feeling of it either.

Graduation photos should have been fun, and they were, once I was there and in my dress. But the hours before, as we pottered around town in anticipation of my appointment, I stressed about the condition of my hair, my makeup, the fit of my dress. And I know that it agonised mum to see me so worked up.

I am truly thrilled to be finally graduating, I just wish I could enjoy it.

The photographers were really good, although they were being as fast as they could with so many kids coming in, and it seemed as if we were just going through the paces as a horse would in training, they were jovial and made us all feel comfortable. I liked being in front of the camera, and just letting go of the tensed muscles involved in keeping my face downcast, a smile let me relax, and I could feel the tension vanish. I should do it more often.

Mum and I sat down at a table in a delicately decorated bay window of the Ethical Kitchen Cafe and Bakehouse, after we had ordered lunch, and my photos were past us, a block behind us. I was surprised by the gluten-free items on their menu, including tapioca buns, gluten-free Nanaimo bars, muffins, cookies, and more. I wanted to try them all.

A woman sat at a table with a glass teapot of herbal tea, the water could be seen to be coloured by the tea leaves at the bottom, and she waited for her meal as she stared across the room, clearly lost in thought behind the glassiness of her eyes. In front of her line of vision sat a large family, taking up the half of the room filled by an elegant wooden dining table. Members hurried behind the counter simultaneously as tasks needed to be finished, and they were clearly the owners of the business.

I had a Breakfast in Brazil, which was an array of fried up vegetables, peppers, tomatoes and snap peas, spicy kimchi, and eggs on a tapioca bun. It was so flavourful, and I could detect the freshness, and the quality, of all the ingredients. We later noticed on our way out, that a garden was attached to the side of the building where green plants towered out of planting boxes, and little plaques labelled the undecipherable green leaves to those without the green-thumb. Our little basil plant remains an example of this, as it sits in the window sill above the kitchen sink for a few weeks before giving up on being green, and begins to wilt, with it's stems slowly browning the leaves dry up before falling off.

My favourite thing about that restaurant was that mum and I were able to order breakfast as if we had just woken up, which it sure felt like, even at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We needed a fresh start to the day, and mum needed an energy boost after dealing with the stresses I clearly had just created for myself. I hope that her sourdough apple crêpes and americano did just the trick. I know I felt better immediately after sipping the flower infused early grey latté I ordered. Warm, aromatic, and just the perfect interlude to stop the busyness of a frantic mind.

My baking is how I break from the quarrels in my mind, it allows me to hold onto something peaceful and relaxing, and in return I can let go of whatever is bothering me. I once asked mum if she found baking relaxing, or perhaps I asked if she would bake something on her day off, she replied,

"But I don't enjoy it like you do!"

Needles to say, there weren't cookies when I came home! (Don't worry, we've got plenty in the cupboard now).

Gluten-Free Apple Loaf
Print Recipe

A delicately spiced loaf, with warm fall flavours, this apple loaf is a perfect bread to be served with warm or cold drinks, or under a spread of variations of spreads and butters. As a moist and dense bread, it's a perfect substitute for sweet breads and loaves that can be found in coffee shops, but contain wheat.

Try it for snack-time, breakfast-time, or any-time!

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 3/4 c gluten-free flour mix
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c melted coconut oil
1 egg
3/4 c coconut sugar (if you don't have any, brown sugar is fine)
1 grated and peeled apple, however sometimes, I leave the peel on which adds a bit of texture to the finished loaf
3/4 c unsweetened apple sauce

For something extra, add 1/2 c shredded coconut, this will add a bit of crunch, and also develop the coconut flavour a bit more in the loaf. You can also add any substitutions of dried fruit, nuts, or even chocolate chips to suite your tastes (or that of your critics!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with oil or butter.

In a large bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour mix, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, and salt.

In another, smaller bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then beat in the egg. Stir in the coconut sugar, grated apple and applesauce. Mix well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. The mix should be wet and thick, but still runny.

Transfer the mixture into the baking pan and set it into the oven.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. A knife inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. A longer cooling time will allow the flavours to develop and the loaf will crumble less as you cut.

Enjoy!

Pumped For Pumpkin

I just saw the page views from last week on my "Pea-Nutter Butter Cookies" Recipe and jumped up, extremely excited - Indonesia to the United States to Russia! It's amazing how many people, who I never imagined, have now seen my recipes. Thank you, to everyone!

Before starting, I was reluctant because I never thought I'd be able to post every week, and stay committed enough to cook every weekend whilst taking photos, but it's become so much more exciting each time, and I approach every post with anticipation for the process. This blog has opened my eyes to things around me that I would never have taken the time to notice before; the beauty of those little things in life, such as small moments that change the day for the better, are especially amazing to experience and ones that I've come to cherish. I've come to appreciate perseverance over procrastination, as the thrill of a popular post far outweighs the comfort of having nothing change, and never taking risks.

It reminds me of the time mum, dad and I looked up from lunch one Sunday to the swaying of a large tree out front of our house. It's one of the largest alders, but tiny branches grown just last spring splayed out from the expanding trunk. Among the branches, his charcoal black coat apparent against the drab brown and golden leaves of the tree, a big squirrel and its even larger tail jumped from branch to branch with vigor and speed, and not one of us knew of his intentions. He climbed higher and higher, to the teetering branches that bounced at the slightest wind, and careened over as the squirrel bounded down the length of it.

"What's he doing!?"

Dad exclaimed, as mum cried out,

"That's amazing!"

I laughed at their excitement, as well as the humor in their expressions, both standing at the window peering up to the trees. You can tell we don't have a TV.

"He's going to get picked off by an eagle..."

Said dad, and I wondered why such a small creature would venture up so high, with so much risk of falling. So much to lose.

"He can't get any food up there can he?"

I asked, "I mean there aren't any nuts or fruit growing on those trees."

"Look he's way at the top!"

Mum shouted excitedly, dashing back to find her camera from a large pile on the counter, an array of written out recipes, pens and schoolbooks.

"That would be a great photo, you can just see the outline of him up there!"

The branch that he was perched on bent precariously under his weight, bowing down ceremoniously. I gasped as he skittered forward, down, so near to losing everything, although so close to reaching the top of the tree.

Just at that moment, with his head tucked underneath the rest of his vertically positioned body, he sprung up and landed at the end of another branch and scurried furiously along it to the trunk of the tree.

A sigh of relief. It was even better than watching a movie.

And with that, after such difficulty and precision in steps, that big squirrel, who we all doubted from the moment the branch began to give way, had completed his journey to the top. Still, his purpose remained unknown, although it seems unlikely that he intended to get a better look at the mountains, or to seek the thrill of being up so high. However to us, he overcame something unattainable. Unbelievable. Extraordinary.

Just like overcoming something in our lives, with adrenaline pumping, we set to high gear. To go. Go. Go. But for some, after days of high heart rates and busy schedules, we rise to an early morning with dropping eyelids and a lagging drive to get up and out of the house.

In contrast to the squirrel, there's nothing behind us, like the fear of falling, to push us to the top, and propel us toward the day. So, for an added boost to my Sunday morning, I combined a bit of coffee, sugar and spice and definitely that something nice! Today, as fall envelopes my senses and imagination for cooking, I scraped the last of puréed pumpkin from the container.

I didn't quite have the energy to purée my own fresh pumpkin. Yet! However Halloween is still coming, and we have not yet carved our pumpkins - so soon!

Spiced Pumpkin Lattes
Print recipe.

A vision for fall:
Crisp air and the soft, gentle glow of the sun against brightly colored leaves. Bundled in warm mittens and scarves we bound through piles of maple leaves that float blissfully through the air as we walk the trails. As gatherings with friends slowly retreat indoors from the unused patio chairs, one treat remains a consistent favorite, and everyone enjoys the comfort of a perfect blend of spices - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves - smooth, hot, and just enough sweet.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2/3 c brewed coffee
2/3 c almond milk
1 1/3 c water
2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp powdered cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 tbsp puréed pumpkin

Directions

On the stove top, heat the coffee, almond milk, water and honey together
until it begins to boil.

Reduce to a simmer, and add the vanilla, spices and pumpkin.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Pour through a strainer a couple of times to get ride of thickness, and pour into mugs.

Serve.