Food & Drink

Orange is the New Black

I love a good cup of java and all the cute coffee shops and feelings that come with each cup! This really is one of life’s simple joys. And as the Fall season sets in, I love to indulge in a good ol’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Lately though, I have been reluctant to regularly indulge in the PSL we all know and love and find that often I am choosing this option more so for the convenience aspect and here’s why….  Homemade PSL’s!

These are so much better than and pumpkin syrup just does not compare. You control the sweetness, the spice and know exactly what goes into each cup. Plus, the $5+ spent on each cup is much more welcomed in my pocket!

So this Thanksgiving weekend, cuddle up on the couch with this homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte and enjoy yourself and all the things we have to be thankful for: 🙂

Pumpkin Spice Latte (yields 2 cups)

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 4 tbsp pumpkin purée
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp of maple syrup (you can add this in as you go to suit your sweet tooth)
  • 1/8 tsp salt (optional)
  • 4 oz brewed espresso or strong coffee
  • 2 cups almond milk (or milk of choice)

PSL Ingredients

  1. Mix spices with vanilla and maple syrup to create a paste.
  2. Heat milk on low, add in pumpkin puree, and spice mixture. Whisk until smooth. (don’t be afraid to add more sweetness or spice if you prefer)
  3. Brew Espresso.
  4. Pour Espresso and top with pumpkin spice milk mixture.
  5. If you are feeling fancy, top with whip or frothy milk.


Sip & Enjoy. xx

All Things Pumpkin Spice

It’s October! Which means we’ve entered the blitz of pumpkin everything and there are no complaints here.

As new products hit the shelves, I am easily intrigued by all the new variations of Fall. Pumpkin has literally taken over the grocery aisles and I’m suddenly set for all things Fall. I’ll be perfectly honest when I say that I love me some good ol’ pumpkin spice – the famous PSL, tasty pumpkin ales (or not so tasty lol), and every type of pumpkin dessert imaginable. I do my best in keeping up with the pumpkins. 🙂 And best yet, I have been experimenting at home, which usually brings an even better version of the things we love without the fake pumpkin flavour and extra sugar!

You’ll see in past some of my pumpkin go-to’s (energy balls, raw pie, and savoury risotto). And this weekend I am sharing the ultimate pumpkin spice smoothie and latte!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (yields 4 cups)

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 frozen ripe banana
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1.5-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Ingredients

  1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the milk, oats, and chia seeds. Place in fridge for 1 hour or overnight.
  2.  Add soaked oat mixture to blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Add ice to make it more refreshing and top it with your favourite whip to make it extra fancy and sweet!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

The PSS works great for breaky or dessert and is a quick way to satisfy that pumpkin craving!

Pumpkin On! xx

 

Grilled Peaches

Peaches are a summer favourite when it comes to fruit, especially Niagara peaches; nothing else quite compares. And every so often I like to spice things up by throwing peach halves right on to the grill – which is a real treat! Grilled peaches are the perfect way to jazz up a weekend brunch/breaky or if you want to impress guests with a sweet and smoky dessert.

I like to keep mine simple with a light drizzle of pure maple syrup as the peaches are the real winning treat already. However, if you are looking for something super delicious and indulgent, grilled peaches  topped with your favourite type of ice or whip cream is the way to go! I personally love them topped with Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss “Naked Coconut” – YUM!

Also, another favourite dish for grilled peaches when looking to use them as part of your main dish, is to pair your grilled peaches with ricotta, basil and a drizzle of EVO and your favourite balsamic vinegar (see here my spin on the classic Caprese).

Grilled Peaches

For more of my favourite items to grill – check out my post Grill On and please share what you’re grilling up this summer! #delsdish #delsgrill

Happy Long Weekend! xx

 

 

Coconut Banana Muffins

For the love of coconut, when a friend of mine shared this muffin recipe I literally went bananas. How did I not think of this sweet little treat sooner, however within hours I was baking my own batch. Warm from the oven, I knew these would be a household winner. And sure’y, they were!

A twist on a traditional banana muffin, these are sweet and bright, delectably comforting and easy peasy to make! They are my new go to muffin recipe and I’ll be sure to experiment ways to make them more coconutty. 🙂

Coconut Banana Muffins (yields 12-18)

  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup earth balance buttery spread or unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • 2 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well.
  4. Fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.
  5. Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
  6. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.
  7. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Coconut Banana Muffins

Enjoy! xx

Baba Ghanoush

We have eggplants upon eggplants this summer and I have been running out of ideas on what to do with them.  I’m not the biggeest eggplant fan and am quite picky with how I like them, which makes it very challenging when you have a crisper full of them in the fridge. Of course I love them smothered in sugo and layered with cheese for a delectable Eggplant Parm, but I can’t eat that every day. Well, maybe I could, but I won’t. 🙂

High in dietary fiber, copper, vitamin B1 + a load of other nutrients, I really want to love this veg and not see them go to waste. I’ve put on my creative hat and dreamt up a batch of Baba Ghanoush and it’s real good! A recipe that’s better for you than what you would find at your local grocer, without all the extra’s, like mayonaise, sour cream, corn starch etc.

Eggplants

Creamy, tangy, savoury and slightly sweet; this recipe makes for a perfectly balanced dip. Simple in it’s ingredients and light on the extras, this dish packs loads of flavour and doesn’t compromise the nutritional value.

Baba Ghanoush

  • 1-2 eggplants
  • 1-2 lemons
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 2-4 tbsp tahini
  • 2-4 tbsp olive oil
  • Himalayan sea salt
  • pepper

Optional: fresh herbs or chilli peppers, for some extra flavour.

Eggplants Roasting

  1. Preheat oven to high broil  and position a rack at the top of the oven.
  2. Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds, sprinkle with sea salt. Drain any excess liquid by placing slices in a colander  for 10 minutes. Rinse slightly and pat dry between two towels.
  3. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of Himalayan sea salt.
  4. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip rounds and roast for another 5-10 minutes. Roast until the eggplant is softened and golden brown.
  5. Remove from pan, wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
  6. Peel away the skin of the eggplant and add flesh to a blender/food processor.
  7. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until creamy.
  8. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  9. Serve with pita and/or pita chips and veggies. Will keep covered in the fridge for several days.

Roasted Eggplants

Baba Ghanoush

Happy Dipping! xx