dairy-free

The Perfect Matcha

Who said you couldn’t have your greens in a warm and cozy cup… Ok not quite… But a good cup of Matcha offers many benefits to help kick off your day. This miracle elixir has been around for over a thousand years and is ever growing in popularity. While the best can be found at small Chinese tea shops, Matcha is easily available at most major tea and coffee retailers, when you are looking for convenience. I’ll often get my fix at Starbucks if needed and on the go. However, nothing beats sitting back and relaxing with a warm cup of greens before starting the day. Finding that moment of peace and calm in a delicious cup is beyond comforting.Matcha

It’s well known that Matcha is a ‘superfood’ we should not ignore. There are loads and loads of benefits that should be well noted and celebrated with each latte you make. Here are a few that are top in my books –

  • high in antioxidants, exponentially more than any other ‘superfood’
  • loaded with catchin EGCg, which is most powerful with cancer fighting properties
  • L-Theanine helps in calming, aiding in relaxation and meditation efforts
  • L-Theanine also produces dopamine and serotonin which enhance memory and concentration
  • a clean energy boost from combined nutrients vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
  • rich with chlorophyll, naturally detoxifying the body
  • boost to one’s metabolism, helping burn calories
  • natural antibiotic properties that fortify and stregthen the immune system
  • health properties that help fight heart disease, improve cholesterol and lower blood sugar

Making the perfect Matcha is kind of a no brainer, but here you’ll find a few of my special touches. This recipe yields 2 servings.

Matcha & Coconut Milk

2 teaspoons of Matcha, 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, drizzle of maple syrup or coconut agave syrup.
Matcha

  1. Whisk the Matcha with a tbsp of water to get rid of lumps and clumps
  2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk of your choice to a simmer over medium heat
  3. Boil water in kettle
  4. Add Matcha and sweetener to simmering milk
  5. Fill mug with half water, half Matcha milk
  6. Enjoy!

Matcha Latte

Matcha On. xx

Bruschetta Board

We had our first official summer kick-off BBQ/Housewarming at CasaDelSal and it was a lovely afternoon/evening spent with some of our favourite people. While we kept things pretty basic food-wise, with firing up the grill and accompanying salads; my friend Michelle put together a fantastic Bruschetta board that truly wow’d our guests. This was a dish that had to be shared and evidently I asked Michelle to enlighten us with her creativity behind this delectable appetizer. Please read on, share with your friends and above all else, try this one out!

Thank you again Michelle for putting together such an impressive board with a new-fashioned twist! Here’s her dish:

This past weekend I was invited to a BBQ at a friends house in Toronto.  If you know anything about our gatherings, they are mainly focused around family and friends with plenty of food and drink.

I was racking my brain trying to think of what I was going to bring for an appetizer – something fresh, colourful, easy to transport and make ahead and doesn’t require much kitchen time at the BBQ.  Huuummmm….summer…seasonal…ah-ha! I will create a bruschetta board, a non-traditional bruschetta board. I decided I would make all the mixes first thing in the morning and when I got to the BBQ all I would have to do is cut the baguettes into thin slices, toast and assemble.

Added bonus, all these incredible mixtures are nut-free and vegetarian + vegan friendly. Mixture and assembly is as follows:

Bruschetta Board Close Up

Farmers Market Cherry + Strawberry + Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

  • 1+1/2 cups fresh cherries, pits removed and chopped
  • 3 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed and chopped
  • 5-7 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (stack the leaves as evenly as you can, roll the stacks tightly so it resembles a cigar, slice the roll crosswise into very thin slices and pull apart into strips)
  • 5-7 mint leave, cut into chiffonade
  • 2-3 tbsp finely diced red onion
  • 4 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar (regular balsamic vinegar can be used as a substitution) + extra for drizzling
  1. Wash and cut all fruit
  2. Add all ingredients into a medium size glass bowl, mix gently
  3. Cover and set aside in the fridge until ready to use

Farmers Market Tri-Colour Peppers

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 large peppers – 1 x red, orange and yellow
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  1. Wash and thinly slice the peppers
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan on low heat, add peppers, season with sea salt and pepper
  3. Stir occasionally until the peppers are very soft, approx. 30 mins
  4. Add additional sea salt and pepper if required
  5. Cover and set aside in a medium glass bowl in the fridge until ready to use

Butternut Squash + Caramelized Onion + Maple Syrup

  • 4 cups of 1-inch cubes of peeled butternut squash (tip – President’s Choice offers already cut butternut squash in approx. 1-inch cubes, you can pick up a package if you’re tight for time or don’t want to fuss with cutting your own)
  • Olive oil
  • Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • A few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + extra for drizzling
  • 7-10 mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Spread butternut squash into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper
  3. Let cook for approx. 30 mins until fork tender, turning with a spatula every 10 mins, remove from oven
  4. In a large skillet heat on low approx. 2 tbsp. of olive oil, add onions, season with sea salt and cook until very soft and caramelized, approx. 20-25 mins
  5. Add maple syrup and the red pepper flakes to the onions, let cook for another minute while giving it a gentle stir
  6. In a large glass bowl combine the butternut squash, onions and balsamic vinegar, mash the mixture together (I used my Pampered Chef Potato Masher – works wonders), season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper
  7. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use

Bruschetta Board Assembly (requires 2-3 fresh baguettes)

  1. Remove toppings from the fridge and gently mix
  2. Turn oven on to the ‘hi broil’ setting
  3. Thinly slice baguettes, drizzle the one side with olive oil
  4. Place in oven, broil bread until lightly toasted, remove from oven
  5. Turn bread over and drizzle the other side with olive oil and place in the oven until lightly toasted, remove from oven
  6. Place toasted baguette sliced on a wooden bread board (I lined mine up in 3 rows to showcase each variety I made)
  7. Add toppings to the baguette slices
  8. Drizzle raspberry balsamic vinegar over the Cherry + Strawberry mixture
  9. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and sprinkle mint over the Butternut Squash + Caramelized Onion + Maple Syrup mixture

Ta-dah – your non-traditional bruschetta board is complete!

Bruschetta Board

Mangia, mangia!!

xox, Michelle

Sweet Potato Rounds

Anyone who knows me, knows that I would rather put out a spread with a ton of bite sized options, rather than host a coursed meal. For me hors d’oeuvres encourage my creativity and allow me to offer a variety of options to my guests. I love pulling together each element of detail and finishing the look when it comes to the garnish and plating. Plus, putting out a table full of goodies allows me to be a social butterfly the rest of the evening.

When I look at some of my favourite go-to recipes, many to most contain either gluten or dairy.  With more restricting diets out there, I started to look for alternative options to appease my friends with sensitive tummy’s. It is important to be cognizant of restrictions or allergens of your guests, when choosing the menu, after all we don’t want any one to starve or feel sick.

This sweet potato recipe is simple, pretty, and delicious. And who doesn’t love sweet potatoes! (see benefits here)

This dish has sweet potatoes tossed in olive oil and spices, roasted and topped with a dollop of mashed avocado and topped with tomato and cilantro. These rounds are bright, savoury, and quite filling. Not to mention they look fancy without the work – major plus!

Sweet Potato Rounds

Sweet Potato Rounds

Makes 20-24

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch thick pieces
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 large avocado, pitted
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • sea salt
  • 5 cherry tomatoes, sliced
  •  ¼ cup cilantro

Sweet Potato Rounds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Toss sweet potatoes, cumin, paprika, olive oil, and sea salt in a bowl until evenly coated
  3. Spread the sweet potato slices out into a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy
  4. Mash Avocado with lime juice and sea salt to taste
  5. Spread the sweet potato slices out on a serving platter or tray. Top each slice with a dollop of smashed avocado, one tomato slice, and a sprig of cilantro

Sweet Potato Rounds

xx!

Coconut Baileys Irish Cream

When I think of Baileys Irish Cream, I associate the consumption with indulgence and am instantly taken back to the colder weather and the winter holidays. I feel nostalgic with the thought of sipping Baileys on ice, Christmas eve or enjoying a Baileys spiked coffee on a cold winter’s morning. Rarely, do I think to enjoy this decadent treat in the warmer months, until now.

Recently, I had been looking for a dairy free option that I could easily make at home with natural ingredients. I wanted to eliminate the unknowns of glycerol monostearate, maltodextrin, and artifical flavours, yet still satisfy that Irish cream craving.

As soon, as I stumbled upon this recipe on Oh She Glows, I knew it would be life-changing. 🙂 Angela Liddon, hits it right, every single time. With five simple, natural ingredients, this homemade treat offers a  hint of coconut and espresso, a dynamite combination. Let’s just say I may have over-indulged, it’s just that good.

Not only, does this vegan option hit the mark on taste, but this recipe is just as easy as picking up a “convenient” bottle at your local liquor store. I insist that you give this homemade recipe a try to see for yourself. From here on in, I will absolutely choose this version over store-bought each and every time.

My Saturday morning coffee on the front porch just got a whole lot better.

Coconut Milk BaileysHomemade Baileys Irish Cream (yields 3.5-4 cups)

  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup strong espresso, or to taste
  • 3/4-1 cup Jameson Irish Whiskey, or to taste
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. In a medium or large pot, add the cans of coconut milk and whisk. Now whisk in the sugar. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes, while stirring frequently, until it cooks down and thickens slightly.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the espresso or coffee.
  3. Add a pinch of salt and finally the Jameson, to taste. Make it as strong or weak as you prefer.
  4. Store in sealed jars and serve over ice, with coffee or tea, or in baked goods. The whiskey and espresso settles to the bottom of the jar slightly, so give it a good stir before using.

xx!

Lentil Nanaimo Bars

It took me a long time to master the word Nanaimo. It was always Nanaimano up until my first visit to Nanaimo, BC in 1995. It is still a running joke in the family. I grew up loving the sweet, creamy dessert of Nanaimo Bars, whether it was the original, mint, or peanut butter variation, I loved them all.

In time, I grew out of this favoritism and started to try out more interesting desserts. However, when I came across this recipe the nostalgic craving set in.

I would like you all to please note, this recipe is not necessarily going to replace the original ultra sugary, buttery classic Nanaimo bar, but the variation in taste + added nutritional value will make this switch much more favourable.

I was pleasantly surprised with this alternative. I dig that this recipe is not as sweet as the original Nanaimo bar, yet it fills all my top requirements in a dessert. Coconut, Nuts, Chocolate. The addition of lentils packs this dessert with protein, iron, zinc and copper. I am telling you it is well worth the try!

The original recipe is found here (this site has some great recipes). I did make a few slight variations which are added in below.

Lentil Nanaimo Bars

For the base:

  • 8 pitted Medjool dates
  • ¾ cups walnut pieces
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup raw cacao powder or carob powder
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil

For the filling:

  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup dry red lentils
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 2 heaping tbsp to ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

  • 1 cup of dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Place your lentils and one cup of water into a small pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer. Stir occasionally for about 12 minutes, until the lentils have broken down and the water is almost completely absorbed.
  2. While the lentils are cooking, prepare your base. Add the walnut pieces to a food processor and pulse 6-7 times until they are broken down to a rough meal. Add the dates, coconut, raw cacao/carob and coconut oil. Process until the mixture comes together, about one minute. You’ll be able to pinch the dough with your fingers and have it stay together.
  3. Line a 6 x 6-inch square pan with parchment paper (I used a 9×9 which worked just as well). Dump the base into the pan and press it down as evenly as you can.base
  4. Wipe out the bowl of your food processor with a kitchen towel or paper towel (it shouldn’t be too dirty). Add your one cup of shredded coconut to the bowl and blend for a minute or two, until it breaks down even more finely. Pour your cooked lentils, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil into the processor and blend for 2-3 minutes, until the filling is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust for sweetness if necessary.
  5. Pour the filling over the base and spread evenly. Pop the pan into the fridge to harden.filling
  6. Gently melt the dark chocolate bar and pour over the base. Chill in the fridge until set.topping

Keep an open mind with these, if it’s been years since you have had the original Nanaimo, it’ll be hard for you to taste the difference. Hope you enjoy!

Lentil Nanaimo BarTreat Yourself. xx