Monthly Archives: January 2015

January 27, 2015 · 11:56 AM

Flourless Black Bean & Avocado Brownies

Snow day!  I just walked to the local Organic Market and bought ingredients for my black bean brownie recipe I’ve been working on.

Flourless Black Bean & Avocado Brownies | real food. home made.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 of a large extra ripe avocado
  • 2 large pastured eggs
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup organic raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder if unavailable)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup organic turbinado sugar (or light brown sugar if unavailable)
  • 1 t molasses
  • 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F and grease an 8×8 baking pan with coconut oil.
  2. Put everything except chocolate chips into a food processor and pulse until well combined.
  3. Stir in chocolate chips.
  4. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top begins to crack open.
  5. Cool pan on a wire rack, and then cut into 16 even squares.
  6. Refrigerate and enjoy throughout the week as a delicious and healthier chocolately dessert!!

Flourless Black Bean & Avocado Brownies | real food. home made.

I made these to bring to work for my dad’s birthday tomorrow.  I am debating whether or not to disclose the ingredients, or just to present them as “brownies”.  We’ll see!  😉

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January 17, 2015 · 4:42 PM

Sweet Potato Noodle & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Onions

Sweet Potato Noodle & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Onions | real food. home made.

This amazing creation was invented by the wonderful Ali at her inspirational Inspiralized blog.  I made a few changes, and have come up with one of the most perfect quick after-work dinners!  Most of the time I can make this without even going to the grocery store.

Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl with Quinoa and Roasted Onions

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and spiralized
  • 1 large carrot, spiralized
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into large chunks
  • 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 1/3 cups free range chicken broth (buy this one from Trader Joe’s) plus extra, so get a 32 oz carton

For the sauce:

  • 3 T apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T tahini
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T maple syrup, grade b
  • 1 T chicken broth
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • 1/2 t turmeric
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Heat your oven to 425º.
  2. Spread onion chunks on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until pleasantly roasted.
  3. Put quinoa and chicken broth in a medium sized pot with lid, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat, cooking for 20 minutes.  (I time this so the onions and quinoa cook at the same time with the same timer).
  4. Use this time to mix your sauce ingredients.
  5. In a large skillet with lid on medium heat, pour in about a 1/4 cup of chicken broth and then add your spiralized veggies, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Alternate between stirring and steaming with the lid on, adding more chicken broth if necessary.
  6. When the noodles reach your desired tenderness, put a scoop of them in a bowl with a scoop of quinoa and a scoop of onions.
  7. Top with your delicious sauce and enjoy!’

Vegan Option: Use vegetable broth

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January 10, 2015 · 4:20 PM

Dirty Bastard Chipotle Chili

It’s been too cold lately & all I want is chili!  Dirty Bastard Chipotle Chili to be exact.

Dirty Bastard Chipotle Chili | real food. home made.

Ingredients:

  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any colour), seeded, and diced
  • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey from a local farm
  • 2 1/2 T chili powder
  • 1 1/2 t sea salt
  • 3 t ground cumin
  • 1 t freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 t dried basil
  • 1 bottle of Founders’ Dirty Bastard Ale (or other dark beer if not available)
  • 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
  • 2 T tomato paste
  • 28 oz free range chicken broth
  • 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained (pinto, kidney, black, navy, cannellini, great northern)

Method:

  1. First, brown your meat and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add your onion, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
  4. Add diced bell pepper and cook 5 more minutes.
  5. Add chipotle pepper and garlic, cook 1 minute.
  6. Add browned beef or turkey, your spices, and then the beer, and simmer about 2 minutes.
  7. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and next three ingredients.
  8. Bring to a low boil, and reduce heat to low.
  9. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  10. Crack open another Dirty Bastard and sip thoughtfully.
  11. Add beans, stir, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
  12. Garnish with shredded cheese if desired, and serve with a slice of  Everyday Crusty Bread.

Dirty Bastard Chipotle Chili | real food. home made.

This recipe makes quite a large batch, so feel free to have some friends over for some snowed-in crafts or board games.  Warning: do not go to sleep or take a nap immediately after eating this chili!  You will get heartburn.  😉  Give this chili recipe a try and let me know how you like it!

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January 7, 2015 · 10:35 PM

Everyday Crusty Bread with Jalapeño Cheddar Variation

Everyday Crusty Bread with Jalapeño Cheddar Variation | real food. home made.

Once upon a time, baking bread at home was as much a part of every day life as doing the laundry or taking a bath.  Now, we settle for preservative-laden Sara Lee to save us time on preparing school lunches and breakfast toast.  Every once in a while we treat ourselves to some Avalon Bread, when we are in the area, but what if I told you you could make the best bread ever with just a few simple ingredients!?  The only thing you might not have is a cast iron dutch oven, which you should go ahead and use one of your Christmas gift cards to purchase today.  So here goes the recipe:

Everyday Crusty Bread with Jalapeño Cheddar Variation

Ingredients:

  • cast iron dutch oven with lid
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 t active dry yeast
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (105-110º F)
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup of cubed cheddar cheese (optional)

Method:

  1. Whisk together flour, yeast and salt.
  2. Add in the water.  I do not have a thermometer so I use my body temperature as a gauge of 98.6º, and make the water slightly warmer than my hand.  You do not want the water to be too hot or it can kill the yeast.
  3. Stir everything together.  At this time, add in the jalapeño pepper pieces and cheese cubes, if using, or any other add-ins you wish!
  4. When everything comes together, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it sit for 12-24 hours, until risen.
  5. Once risen, pre-heat the oven to 450º and place your dutch oven inside to heat up for about 15 minutes.
  6. Remove your dough from its bowl and place it on a floured surface, shaping it into a ball.
  7. Carefully remove the pot from the oven, place your dough inside, put the lid back on, and return to the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove your bread from the oven and take off the lid.  Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese and jalapeño slices (if desired) and return to the oven, uncovered, to bake for 15 more minutes.
  9. By this time, your house will smell heavenly and your roommates will be drawn to the kitchen.
  10. Your bread should slide out of the pot with ease, and by golly, do not wait any longer to cut into your fabulous creation.

Warm freshly baked bread is the BEST!  Serve with grass-fed butter, or plain if you have chosen the cheddar/jalapeño variation.

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January 3, 2015 · 11:43 PM

My Favourite Music of 2014 | Happy 2015!

Happy 2015, guys! My resolution is to continue on my path towards being the best person I can be!  For now I want to share with you my favourite music that came out in 2014.

My Favourite Music of 2014 | Happy 2015! | real food. home made.

Disc 1  | Download Here

Alt J – Intro

Alt J – Every Other Freckle

Wampire – Fly on the Wall

Wampire – Wizard Staff

La Roux – Uptight Downtown

La Roux – Tropical Chancer

The War on Drugs – Red Eyes

Broken Bells – Perfect World

Broken Bells – After the Disco

Jenny Lewis – Late Bloomer

Jenny Lewis – The Voyager

Lana del Rey – Sad Girl

Lana del Rey – Brooklyn Baby

St. Vincent – Prince Johnny

St. Vincent – Digital Witness

Mac Demarco – Salad Days

Mac Demarco – Chamber of Reflection

.

Disc 2 | Download Here

Alvvays – Party Police

Alvvays – Red Planet

FKA Twigs – Two Weeks

Sia – Chandelier

Caribou – Can’t Do Without You

Caribou – Silver

Sylvan Esso – Dreamy Bruises

Sylvan Esso – Hey Mami

Sharon van Etten – Every Time the Sun Comes Up

Sharon van Etten – Our Love

Perfume Genius – Queen

Perfume Genius – Fool

Future Islands – Future (Waiting on You)

Future Islands – Like the Moon

Ariel Pink – Lipstick

Ariel Pink – White Freckles

TOPS – Outside

TOPS – Way to be Loved

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