Last time I had the urge to bake cookies, I knew they were going to involve this magical flavour combination. Fortunately I had just the recipe to make this happen. I think I got this recipe from one of those school fundraiser cookbooks – you know the ones where everyone submits their favourite recipes? My mom got that cookbook from a coworker when I was a kid, and I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe. Trust me, my family has eaten their fair share of these cookies. I even have all the proportions committed to memory!

This is not a healthy cookie recipe. It is simply a delicious cookie recipe. Sugar, butter, peanut butter, chocolate – we skimp on none of these here! Because as much as it’s fun to make treat recipes a little healthier, sometimes you just need a good ol’ fashioned cookie.

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes approx 36 cookies

Only peanut butter and chocolate lovers need apply! These are my ultimate peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and no, I don’t think I’m exaggerating. They are sweet, slightly chewy in the centre with a crisp exterior, studded with chocolate, and packed full of peanut butter flavour. Pour yourself a glass of your favourite milk, because these are dunk worthy!

• 1 c butter, softened
• 1 c peanut butter (all natural – no need for sugar or salt here)
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 c white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Using a stand or hand held mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy.

3. Add in the eggs, and mix until well blended. Add in vanilla, and mix.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture in batches, mixing until just combined.

6. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

7. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Cool on a wire rack, and store in an airtight container.

Note: If you have a peanut allergy, I’m sure you could substitute in your favourite nut butter. And I’m deeply sorry you can’t experience the awesomeness that is this cookie in it’s true form.

Peanut butter and chocolate – a gift from the gods, or totally overrated? Discuss!

The previous day was National Soft Pretzel Day but I did not get a chance to go to Auntie Anne’s. Still, April was National Soft Pretzel Month and National Garlic Month so my visit was still very appropriate.

The Garlic Pretzel had a very strong garlic aroma from the garlic butter. It was a little oily but the pretzel was wonderfully warm and chewy. I am a big fan of garlic most of the time and this was no exception. The saltiness was just right.

The Raisin Pretzel was a little bland in comparison. There could have been a lot more raisins to give it more flavour. Otherwise, it just tasted like a plain one, which does not have much flavour to begin with.

The Fresh ‘n Fruity creation from Kiwi Yogurt, consisting of their seasonal Tropical Tart yogurt and topped with fresh mangoes, kiwi, and strawberries, was so refreshing. The yogurt had a strong tropical flavour that I usually associate with somewhat of an artificial fruit flavour. However, it was tart and not very sweet. The mango was a little on the less ripe side and both the kiwi and strawberries added to the tartness.

The Choco-coco is essentially the Creamy Coconut yogurt topped with shredded coconut and chocolate syrup. I always appreciate the sugar-free syrup option and the coconut added a nice texture to the smooth yogurt. The yogurt itself was sweet and creamy but not overwhelming. Anyone who is a fan of coconut and chocolate would love this on a sunny afternoon.

As a child I was never really fond of ube. I don’t know why exactly but I think it had something to do with the fact that at that time I considered anything that resembled a potato or yam to be “savory”. I would always avoid foods with ube in them and if it was in my halo-halo I would have my parents eat it for me! Now I can’t seem to get enough of the sweet taste of ube and its vibrant purple hue always brings a smile to my face. Not just because of how much I love it but also because it always reminds me of how silly I was as a child for avoiding it.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fat free half & half
1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
pinck of salt
pinch of black pepper
pinch of dried italian herbs (you can get this in the spice section of your grocery store)
pinch of red chilli flakes
2 slices of whole wheat bread (or any other if you prefer)

For the topping/sauce: (garlic sauce & oven roasted/steamed cherry tomatoes)
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
1 and 1/2 tablesppon butter
1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
7-8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 table spoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method to make tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take a square piece of aluminum foil (big enough to wrap the cherry tomatoes). Add the tomatoes in the middle and fold the sides up so its like a hollow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add some salt and wrap it. Set on a baking sheet and put in the oven for about 25 minutes. See image below on how to wrap..

Method to make garlic sauce:

In a non stick pan, add butter and let it melt. Add the garlic. Let it cook for a minute or so and then add the flour and let it incorporate with the butter just for a few seconds. Add the heavy cream and turn flame to medium stirring constantly. You will notice that the sauce starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper. Once the sauce is thick, turn flame off and set aside.

Method to make french toast

In a flat bowl, mix half & half, flour, salt, chilli flakes, italian herbs and pepper. Spray a non stick pan with some pam spray and set on your gas. Dip each slice of bread in the batter for just a second on one side only (this is really important because regular wheat bread is thinly sliced and absorbs the liquid very fast). Put the batter side down on your non stick pan and let it cook. Drizzle very little of the batter mixture on the other side (about 1 tablespoon).

Once the one side is golden brown, flip. Once the other side is golden brown take off the flame.

Serve with garlic sauce and tomatoes!

Rich, red, creamy, and packed with delicious nutrients, this smoothie is a keeper!

Beet in a smoothie! Ew! Just kidding, it’s actually delicious. If they’re roasted or boiled, beets have a very sweet flavor that blends splendidly with whatever berry you have on hand. I like the blueberry combo for the rich fuschia hue…the depth of color just screams that this smoothie abounds with antioxidants and other health-promoting nutrients. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tbs. almonds (preferably soaked over night and de-skinned)
1 little squeeze lemon juice
1/4 pinch sea salt
* optional: 1 medjool date

Method:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to smithereens!

Pour into a glass and enjoy heartily.

Benefits:

Almonds: Almonds are a Supernut. High in monounsaturated fats (associated with reduced risk of heart disease), almonds contain high amounts of vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium. They are also high in protein, which makes them an ideal snack. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information. Many suggest that soaking nuts (and grains, legumes, and seeds) before consuming them enhances their nutritional quality.

Beet: A great source of phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. They are also an excellent source of folate, which is a crucial nutrient especially for those who are (or are looking to get) pregnant. They are also very high in manganese and fiber. These root veggies contain nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. See here for more health benefits and nutritional information (raw) (cooked).

Blueberries: These berries should get their own cape. They are a superfood, packed with antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, meanwhile protecting your nervous system and brain health. They’re rich with manganese, and Vitamins K and C, and are also a good source of dietary fiber. See here for more health benefits and nutritional info.

Coconut Water: Coconut water is perfect for replenishing simple sugars, electrolytes, and minerals within the body. It contains cytokinins with significant anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic properties, and is very soothing to the digestive tract. But there’s so much more! See here for more health benefits and nutritional info.

Lemon: Lemons are vitamin C powerhouses. Great for immunity, vitamin C can also be helpful for preventing the development and progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. See here for more health benefits and nutritional info.

In the usual way though, I rarely have tahini paste in the apartment and Tesco has proved a bit unreliable stock-wise.  So I was pretty happy when I found Nigella Lawson’s peanut butter hummus (especially with regard to aforementioned peanut butter obsession)

To make enough for 2 people to inhale while watching Star Trek (2009), you’ll need:

• 400g can of chickpeas
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 30 ml olive oil
• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp pouring salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2-3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• Smoked paprika

Wash and drain your chickpeas and put them in the food processor with everything else except the yoghurt and smoked paprika.  Mix until it’s a rough paste and then add your yoghurt gradually until the consistency is right.  If it’s still too thick, add equal parts yoghurt and oil until you’re happy.  Taste and adjust seasoning or add more garlic if needed!

Sprinkle with smoked paprika to serve.

I had mine with some pepper slices (would’ve added carrots and some more veg but the fridge was approaching empty) and also some baked wholemeal pitta chips:

• Preheat oven to 190°C
• Take 2 wholemeal pittas and slice into two rounds
• Cut or tear into bite-size pieces
• Place on a baking tray and lightly brush with oil
• Sprinkle with chilli powder/salt & pepper to taste
• Cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway through

Zesty twist on a classic basil (vegan) pesto. Sunflower seeds replace the pine nuts, nutritional yeast flakes mimic the cheese, and the spicy ginger and lime combo adds the pizzazz!

Try to aim for organic ingredients as much as possible. This is a raw dish, so heat won’t even get the chance to kill off the chemicals!

3 cups fresh basil

1/3 cup + 1 tbs. sunflower seeds

4 garlic cloves

1 chunk of ginger, about half an inch

1 lime, juice only

1 tbs. nutritional yeast flakes

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of salt

2 pinches of fresh ground pepper

-Add 1 tbs. ground flax seed for extra health benefits!

Put all ingredients in food processor, or blender except for oil. Slowly drizzle in the oil until smooth.

*Enjoy with fresh veggies, crackers, sandwiches, or salads like my Crisp Kale & Quinoa Salad, http://foodatpeace.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/crisp-kale-quinoa-salad/.

Sooji – 500 gm

Sugar- 250 gm

Coconut (grated) – 2 cups

Ghee – 100 gm

Water as required

Salt as required

Procedure:

• Fry the sooji in ghee till it becomes golden brown.
• Fry the grated coconut in oil and keep it aside.
• Mix the sooji and coconut with the other ingredients above to make a paste.
• Mould the paste into small balls.
• Cook them in steam using the normal idly cooker for twenty minutes.
• Remove after 20 minutes and serve hot.

I bought a large jar of tahini a while ago. At first I figured it would go the way of my other “it’s cheaper in bulk!” buying blunders, like the time pureed garlic was on special offer and I returned home with 2 x 500g jars (for the price of one!) full of the smug satisfaction of a person who will never again have to wash a garlic crusher again. Of course, jarred garlic puree tastes nothing like the real thing and after a few days I crawled back to fresh garlic and left the puree to fester in the fridge along with that old parmesan rind I keep meaning to throw out.

You’d have thought that would have put me off buying the 1kg tub of tahini but no! It was the same price of a small jar in the supermarket, I’d be a fool not to! And now I’m glad I did because tahini is awesome; it keeps for ages, it’s can transform single ingredients (chickpeas, aubergine) into wonder-dips and I’m pretty sure I read somewhere it has a few health benefits, prevents cancer, stops Microsoft word from suddenly going into 12 point Times New Roman, something like that…

So here’s a quick recipe for baba ganoush. As fun to eat as it is to say and far easier to make than it’s many layers of flavour would have you believe.

Ingredients

1 large, ripe, aubergine

1 small garlic clove

1tsp smoked salt (or normal salt)

1tbsp tahini

2tbsp lemon juice

3tbsp olive oil (plus some to drizzle)

Set the aubergine on top of a medium sized burner and heat, turning every couple of minutes, until the skin is scorched and the kitchen smells of bonfires (about 10 minutes)

Remove from the burner and, once cool enough to handle, scrape the blackened skin off, then pull apart the flesh and place in a sieve to drain.

Crush the garlic and salt together with a mortar and pestle then pour in the olive oil to loosen

Combine the aubergine, tahini, garlic mix and lemon juice with a fork, breaking up the aubergine as you do.

Serve with flat bread, or less traditionally, on toast.

Finally, cancel tomorrow’s meeting because you’re going to smell of garlic.

White Raw Rice – 500 gm

Sugar – 250 gm

Water – 2 cups

Flax seeds – 50 gm

Cardamom – fine powder

Procedure:

• Soak the white raw rice for half an hour. Then dry and it and grind it into fine powder and keep it aside.
• Heat the water in a flat pan. Add the sugar to it and keep stirring till it becomes syrupy.
• Switch off the flame. Mix the ground powder to the syrup slowly and stir well.
• Add the flax seeds and cardamom powder and mix well. The mixture should be loose and soft.
• Keep it aside for setting. It has to soak for atleast 6 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• When the oil is ready, take a little set mixture and press it between your hands. Make a little hole in the middle and drop it into the oil. ( It should resemble a doughnut.)
• Fry both sides till they become golden brown.
• Remove from oil and serve hot.

Maida Flour – 500 Gm

Sugar – 200 Gm

Salt to taste

Baking Soda – A pinch

Coconut – Cut into small pieces

Dried fruits – 50 gms

Water as required

Procedure:

• Mix all the above ingredients into a batter
• Paniyaram is done is a separate pan called the Paniyaram Pan. In the pan pour oil.
• When the oil is heated, pour the batter into the provisions given in the pan.
• When one side becomes, light brown, turn it to the other side using a thin stick.
• Remove from oil when both the sides have become golden brown.
• Serve hot

A meeting at Capogiro will not be complete until you have had that small bite of creamy gelato. The Fior di Latte, or simply milk-flavoured, was lightly sweetened, creamy, and just very refreshing in the creamiest way. The Ciocolatto Scuro – dark chocolate – was not very sweet and had a strong cocoa taste. It was just as creamy, though!

Wawa had some great offers this past month, one of which was the 2 for $3 sizzlis. It is a good solution for a quick and decent breakfast.

The Ham, Egg White & Cheddar Multi Grain Muffin Sizzli was not too bad. The ham was not as flavourful as I would have liked but the egg white made it a lighter option. The cheddar was also a little bland. Overall, this was a very light sandwich.

The Turkey Sausage, Egg White & Cheese Bagel Sizzli was not as light since the sausage was quite flavourful in a very generic way. The egg white was nice with the melted cheese over it. The bagel was actually dense but chewy, toasted nicely.

The Homestyle Chicken & Noodles was very creamy. The pasta was of course way soft and overcooked but that is the way it should be for something like this. The cream was light with carrots, peas, and celery in it. The chicken was a little dry on the inside but eating everything together made up for it. 

The Iced Caramel Macchiato, which I got with skim milk, was very refreshing. The caramel flavour was strong and good. I did find the coffee, syrup, and milk all separated though. Some parts were milky while others were either bitter or sweet. 

The bottle of Diet Peach Iced Tea was the sweetest peach iced tea I had ever had. It had a good strong peach flavour but was just overly sweet. That made it not the best solution to thirst on a hot summer day. 

The Mocha Muffin was average, with cream on the inside and only a light coffee taste. The texture was good, moist and dense, but it was mostly chocolate rather than coffee. 

The Apple Fritter was very bad. The outside was over-baked and almost hard. The inside was dry and there were barely any apples or cinnamon sugar. The middle was still raw, which was very surprising considering the first bite was quite hard. 

The Coffee Roll was better, with a nice sugar glaze on the top. The cinnamon was distinct and the dough was soft and slightly chewy. There were a few spots with a lot of glaze but did not taste very sweet, which I thought was odd. 

For dinner, the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla had way too much of Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce. It overtook the flavour of the salsa and cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. The chicken was okay but a little bland. 

The Pizza Cheesesteak Hoagie was not very good. The marinara sauce was not very good, and the steak was a little dry. The roll got soaked and it did not have much onions inside either. The provolone cheese was very bland and I could not taste it at all.

Wawa’s food seems to be a hit or miss. Most of it is quite fresh but not all of it taste as good as it looks. 

Tuna Guacamole in endive leaves

Tuna Guacamole is great dish for an appetizer, snack, or impromptu little meal. I know it may sound a bit strange, but trust me, it’s yummy! And it takes less than five minutes  to make — especially if you start with a high-quality, freshly-made, store-bought guacamole.

INGREDIENTS

Freshly-made guacamole (homemade or store bought)
Canned tuna, flaked with a fork
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Thinly sliced green onions (green part only)
Chopped fresh cilantro
Fish sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Leaves of Belgium endive or Butter  lettuce
Diced red onions
Diced red bell pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place the guacamole into a bowl and then mix in the tuna. Then add, according to your taste: lime juice, green onions, cilantro, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix it all up; taste and adjust seasoning.

• Take a leaf of endive and partially fill it with a dollop of Tuna Gaucamole. Garnish with finely diced red onions and red bell peppers. Serve!

- OR  -

• Place a small scoop of Tuna Guacamole into leaf of Butter lettuce and top that with the red onions and red bell pepper. Wrap the lettuce around the mixture and enjoy!

FOOD SHOPPING NOTES

Tuna:  I really like the Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna. It’s pole-caught, high quality tuna, that is “highest in omega 3 and low in mercury.” And, it’s  canned without added oil or water in BPA-free cans! It’s a premium product for a premium price, but it’s a good value when you buy through Amazon Subscribe & Save (which is what I do)!

Fish Sauce: Tra Chang Brand Fish Sauce is my current favorite. It is made from anchovies, salt, sugar – and nothing else. I bought a 25-ounce bottle for just a few dollars at one of our local Asian supermarkets. For a side-by-side comparison of popular fish sauces, see the blog post, Thai Fish Sauce Taste Test. Note: All fish sauces are sky-high in sodium, but the Tra Chang Brand is lower in sodium than most. And, you don’t need to use a lot to get a great flavor hit!

Red Bell Pepper: Because red bell pepper is on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen Plus list (in 2013), I only buy organic red bell peppers.

Enjoy and be healthy!
~ Leni

Ingredients:

150g mozzarella, 1 uovo, 2 cucchiai di pangrattato, olio di semi di arachidi, sale e pepe.

How to Do It:

Tagliare la mozzarella a cubetti un po grandi, e farli scolare per 5min in un colino. In una ciotola battere l’uovo con un pizzico di pepe, immergervi la mozzarella, scolarli, passarli nel pangrattato e friggerili, pochi alla volta, in abbondante olio caldo, finché saranno leggermente dorati da ogni parte. Scolarli sopra un foglio di carta assorbente, salarli leggermente e servire molto caldi.

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

For the crumb:

- 3/4 C. flour

- 1/4  C. sugar

- 1/4 C. brown sugar

- 1/2 C. butter, melted

Muffins:

- 2  1/4 C. flour

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- dash of salt

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 C. milk

- 1/2 C. butter, melted

- 1/2 C. sugar

- 1/2 C. brown sugar

- 1 tsp. vanilla

- 1 C. blueberries

- Preheat oven to 400

- For the crumb, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork until well mixed. Set aside.

- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

- In a separate bowl whisk eggs until broken. Add milk, melted butter, both sugars and vanilla.

- Add flour mixture and stir until completely mixed. Stir in blueberries.

- Pour batter into greased or lined muffin tin. Fill each to the top.

- Top each with a generous amount of crumb mixture and bake for about 17 minutes.

Are you a muffin fan? Favorite type?
How do you feel about brunch?