All posts tagged: homemade

Homemade Hot Chocolate

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If you’re fed up with all snow and the cold weather we have been having lately, a cup of Homemade Hot Chocolate is just what you need. Rather than buying a pre-made hot chocolate mix that is full of preservatives and unnecessary ingredients, I encourage you to make your own. Not only is it super easy, you likely have all the ingredients in your pantry! Pantry Staples & Fancy Additions Simply combine some unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated white sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a pot of warm milk and you will have a rich and creamy hot chocolate in under 10 minutes! You can use whatever milk you like, but my favourite is 2% milk from our local BC dairy farmers! While this is a basic recipe, you can also go all out and add whatever toppings you like. I like to keep it pretty simple with whipped cream and maybe a sprinkle of chocolate chips. But if you want to take it up a notch you can add chocolate shavings, a cinnamon stick, …

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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  As the autumn days get cooler and rainier, I am in constant search for something to keep me warm. Whether it is a cup of peppermint tea (my current obsession) or a cozy blanket, nothing beats a nice warm cup of soup. Soup has to be one of my most favourite meals. I could probably eat it every day and never get sick of it since there are so many soup variations out there. On the lighter and healthier side we have classics like tomato and basil soup, chicken noodle soup, lentil soup, bone broth soup, minestrone soup- they’re all amazing. And on the more decadent side we have cream of mushroom soup, broccoli cheddar soup, French onion soup, beef stew with dumplings, ramen- the list goes on….and I love them all! Hmm..now that I’m thinking of all these soups, I need to post more on the blog! So you should look forward to a soup series coming next month 😛 Anyways, for the fall we have to make some sort of squash soup. …

Winter Fruit Salad

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Nowadays, it’s typical for every fruit and vegetable in the grocery store to have a passport. In Canada, this makes sense as the majority of the country is frozen during our long winters, which makes it difficult to grow food (other than what can be grown in a greenhouse). In reality, our fruit season is relatively short- from June to late October- depending on where you are in Canada and what you are growing…so thank goodness for imports! During this time of year, many fruits that are sold in BC and throughout Canada are imported from warmer climates- particularly from California, Florida, and Mexico. While these fruits aren’t local, we still need to eat fruit to get our vitamins and to stay healthy. This Winter Fruit Salad combines the most flavourful fruits of the season from all over the world together in salad form. In my fruit salad, I used oranges (Florida, USA), clementines (Spain), kiwi (New Zealand), pomegranate (California, USA), pears (Italy), and good ol’ Canadian apples (Okanagan, BC). Wow- fruits from three continents! …

Host & Hostess Gifts: Winter 2016

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On a personal level, I cannot go to any event without bringing something for the host or for the party. If I am pressed for time, I will head to the liquor store and pick up a bottle of wine or a bottle of nice craft beer- always a safe bet. But if I am organized enough, I will bring a thoughtful gift to the host or hostess depending on their style (while subsequently racking up some brownie points). For this holiday season, I have curated a list of gifts that you can bring to any style of host or hostess for your next event. The majority of these items are made right here in Vancouver and can be bought in-stores or online (support the local economy!). I have also included a few of my own festive recipes that you can make from scratch if you are looking to save some money. Whatever the occasion, show your appreciation to your next host or hostess with these beautiful gifts! For the Foodie: “People who love to …

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce

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A delightful fall twist on my traditional gnocchi recipe- this sweet potato gnocchi are like little mini hugs. These sweet little nuggets are seasoned with traditional fall spices- nutmeg and cinnamon- and are complemented by a rich buttery sauce and crisp savory sage leaves. Enjoy these as a side or a main course and truly experience the flavours of the season. See the recipe here!

Homemade Gnocchi

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I don’t make homemade gnocchi just for anybody- so if you are lucky enough to get some, you are very special to me. Making gnocchi from scratch is a true expression of love. Just like love, gnocchi requires good ingredients, time, a bit of skill, and passion. It simply cannot, by any means, be fake, forced, or overworked. If all goes well, you will have soft, pillowy, pasta that seduces and pleases, that makes you feel like you are floating on a cloud (in this case, made of flour and potatoes) when you eat it. Take some time and show a special someone how much you care with this true labour of love. See the recipe here!