My giant 110 lb pooch is laying on me as I write this. He’s the sweetest bubba, biggest cuddle bug, and most loyal wolf companion. I think I’ll have to invent some special dog treats to share the recipe testing duties with Ranger.
Today I longed for summer, I pined for the warm water and even the mosquitos, the dragonflies, the bees. My feet are itching for the warm earth. The celebrations of true love filled with toasts and endless dancing. The thick mist that rolls through the mountains early in the morning while I weed the garden and sip strong coffee.
Are you pining for summer yet?
I was thinking also about strawberries, the sweet little ones, freshly picked just hours before they would lose their prime, still warm from the red hot sun. You know the kind right? You squeeze them gently between your fingers and they become instant jam. Impossible to compare summers strawberries to those shipped from California barely ripe. I always aim to freeze ample amounts every summer. It never happens because they are too good, but I did have a little stash of berries in the freezer.
A humble amount of strawberries will do in this recipe. It’s delightfully summery, with the crisp red stalks of swiss chard and fresh sprouts locally procured. This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette will definitely be happening in bulk quantities as soon as those bright red berries come into my life again. I hope you’ll try this dressing with whatever salad variation you fancy and feel like summers right around the corner.
Oh how I love snacks, zesty, salty and savoury treats that just help get you through the day are the best. Even better when they aren’t loaded with weird additives, MSG and its pseudonyms. Piri piri is the swahili word for pepper pepper, the hot sauce is made from piri piri peppers also known as african birds eye chilis and a combination of spices, garlic and lemon peel. If you never tried it you’re in for a treat, there’s something about the spiciness paired with lemon that just hits the spot.
This paleo snack mix can easily be made milder by omitting the hot sauce and using smoked paprika instead. You’ll still get the richness and flavour without the spice. Perfect for the wee ones to munch, even though I have a theory that if you start them young on the hot peppers they’ll build up a good taste for them.
They do this in Thailand and places where they traditionally eat a lot of spicy foods. They’ll start with one thai chili and increase for every year, or so I hear. I’ve got my baby on mild spices, he loves curry, he absolutely devoured this kale and chicken curry I made one night. I’m sure it has a lot to do with how I ate when I was pregnant, and I certainly didn’t shy away from hot curries and the like. After all, at the time I was cooking in a restaurant for Thai night every week. I created some gorgeously spicy Thai creations that I taste tested until I was full. Get the babes started on immune strengthening foods early and they’re set for life, I’m still trying to coax him into gobbling up sauerkraut. He’s not quite there yet, to be honest it took me awhile to get there too, sauerkraut is intense!
I really didn’t know what to name this snack mix, so munchie mix it is because lets face it, everybody gets the munchies whether you live in Colorado or not.
Those perfect fatty salty sheets notorious for wrapping whatever they touch in pure goodness. A tear through the fridge unveiled a bunch of caramelized onions, some kale, feta cheese and almond flour. Sounds like a pretty luscious filling to me.
But wait, its just not right- there’s a certain smoothness lacking and the consistency just isn’t there.
Tear through the pantries, which are looking quite barren lately. Behold, the humble lentil gleaming orange and begging to be used. Sure lentil, I’ll give you a chance, you might just fit the bill.
Cooked lentils, pureed until smooth and creamy, the perfect binder, a vehicle to backpack big flavours on. Oh humble lentil, maybe your the next up and comer in this crazy world.
This is the best pho I have ever had and that is pho sho.
Now that we have that out of the way, eat this pho on days where nothing is going right. Where you have to bite your tongue to keep from cussing and deliberately breathe so that you don’t melt into a puddle on the floor. Ok well it wasn’t that bad but still, everybody has those days.
Pajama days, where if you have the luxury to stay in bed all day, you do so. Then when the gumption finally hits to DO something with your life, you get up, and make pho. No? Just me? Okay then…
The moral of the story is the same phrase as you see on the notebook in this picture- The Grass Is Always Greener
Whatever that means…
Can we be satisfied with what we have in this very moment? Instead of longing for an invisible future and pretending like we know whats best for ourselves? By now I’ve found that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, it only appears to be so. But finding peace with this one moment, because it’s really all we have, that is where the green side lies. So I sat by the window, and shared a savoury bowl with J, of the most umami thing to have ever touched my lips, and in that moment none of the madness mattered. Why would it when all that we have is this very moment?
Heat a large skillet or frying pan, melt coconut oil and add onion, garlic and jalapeño, when they're slightly browned add the ground pork.
Keep the heat high and cover the pork, when it starts to release some fat uncover and add hoisin, chili paste and fish sauce. Stirring, keep the heat high, add the sugar or honey and allow the pork to slightly caramelize.
In a large pot, add chicken stock, kaffir lime and sea salt. Bring to a simmer. Add vermicelli and cook for about 3 minutes
When the pork is fully cooked, add half a cup of broth to deglaze the pan and get all the brown bits where all the flavour is.
Scrape the pork mixture into the broth,mix and serve with fresh sprouts and cilantro
I’m stoked, finally after many attempts I have made successful crackers! These little crunch bombs are bloody addictive and reminiscent of the long forgotten vegetable thin- only way better. These are totally adaptable you guys, so if your not into toasted cumin you prefer rosemary or sesame or onion, you could definitely subtract the cumin and add those in, respectively. I adore the brilliant yellow turmeric imparts, not too mention the various health benefits. Toasted cumin gives these bright yellow crackers an Indian flare and reminds me of my beloved pappadam. Paleo and vegan cheese and crackers shazzam everyone is pleased!
The green goddess cashew cream cheese is the perfect accompaniment to these crackers and it’s a cinch to whip up. Did you know raw cashews are great for alleviating depression and anxiety? Cashew cheese makes me happy! This green goddess version is spiked with green onion and cilantro, and of course garlic, it didn’t last very long in our house. The cashew cheese is also really nice smothered on sourdough toast or as a sandwich base.
Being the spaz that I am, I often forget key kitchen tools like, all the time, case in point, parchment paper. This is why my other cracker attempts flopped into a sea of crumbs. You need parchment to roll the crackers out, the dough is just way too sticky to not have a protective parchment barrier below and above. Aside from that, anyone can whip up the toasted cumin and turmeric crackers. The good news, like most health freaks, I do not own a dehydrator (not that I don’t want one) SO these crackers won’t take 800 hours, they bake up just perfect in under 15 minutes, presto.
For cashew cheese 1 C RAW cashews, soaked for minimum 2 hours, drained
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp salt
handful chopped green onion
handful chopped cilantro
Instructions
Heat oven to 350F
For the crackers, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, almond meal, tapioca flour, salt and turmeric.
When the flax is egg like and viscous in texture (about 30 mins of soaking) combine it with olive oil and toasted cumin.
Mix into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Separate into two equal parts.
Roll out one section of dough between 2 pieces of parchment until its about ⅛ inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to gently trace squares or diamond shaped crackers. Transfer bottom parchment to a baking sheet and repeat this process with the other half of dough.
Bake @350F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let crackers cool before serving.
For the cashew cheese, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth
This is my most favourite soup in the whole world. If ever you go out for Thai food and you don’t know what to get, tom kha gai is a safe choice that everyone loves. The creamy rich sweet and tangy coconut broth, infused with lemongrass and kaffir lime and humming with a hint of red chili is simply good enough to eat on its own. Add in tender chicken and plump mushrooms which soak up all the yummy flavours and you will be just as addicted to this soup as I am.
My sister, our friend and I went to one of my favourite restaurants while we were in Edmonton. Syphay specializes in Thai and Laos cuisine and I am endlessly striving to emulate their amazing Tom Kha Gai. Since we returned I’ve made this soup 2 times, learning along the way the perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy and creamy which this soup is so famous for. Often I become obsessed with certain dishes until I get them just right, part of this blog is that it forces me to create a document of recipes which I won’t ever be able to lose. Cause yeah, I’m kinda disorganized like that. I love this soup alongside a thai curry and jasmine rice, or just as a simple lunch. It’s perfect served with a wedge of lime, chopped cilantro, sprouts, and maybe a heaped spoonful of chile sauce, or maybe not. I may or may not have made this before on the blog, but it’s slightly different, I know I’m obsessed,I’ll get over it once I make Tom Kha 10 more times this cold month of January.
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
