Apple Pecan Streusal Muffins

Oh man...I am addicted to these!! I usually try and stay away from muffins, since they're never as healthy as you think they are. Really its just a cupcake with fixins without the icing, so I mine as well go all the way and eat a really good cupcake! But these just might be the exception. A take on a healthier muffin, it's still loaded with all the flavor, fluffiness and cakey goodness a muffin should have. I had to freeze half the batch to keep from devouring all of them, but their good to have on the mornings when you are running out the door, just take one out of the freezer the night before, grab a piece of fruit and you're good to go.

Apple Pecan Streusal Muffins
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp firmly packed unrefined sugar
1/4 chopped pecans (toasted)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup spelt flour (or whole grain flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup natural unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 gala apple, cored, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners
2. Mix together 2 tbsp of brown sugar with the pecans and cinnamon
3. In another bowl mix together the two flours, baking soda and salt
4. In a mixer combine remaining 3/4 cup of brown sugar and oil. Add eggs
5. Add in applesauce and vanilla. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk until just combined
6. Scoop batter into muffin tins using an ice cream scoop and top with pecan brown sugar mixture.
7. Bake for approx 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Note: I made my own applesauce, just peel, core and dice 3 apples, toss in a small pot with a splash of vanilla and let the apples soften and release their juice. When they are soft use a potato masher to mash them into a puree. (Chunks are fine too).

Coconut Almond Granola

I was at Gourmet Warehouse awhile back, looking at their varieties of coconut when I got to talking to one of their knowledgeable staff members. I was asking if they had sweetened coconut and she told me to try the unsweetened variety. She said to toast it in the oven and once you try it you won't ever go back! I guess I never realized coconut has its own subtle sweetness to it, I was always used to using the sweetened variety. I found this recipe on a new fave blog of mine and finally had an excuse to try using my unsweetened coconut flakes. This recipe is great, stores nicely in a tin and its a great addition to my morning yogurt and fruit.

Coconut Almond Granola (from Kath Eats Real Food)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

1.Preheat oven to 350
2. Warm honey and add in brown sugar, oil and vanilla
3. Toss together with oats, almonds and coconut and spread out evenly on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden

Double Chocolate Banana Cookies aka MUFFIN TOPS

I told you I was on a banana kick...I think I went a little overboard and bought one too many, they ripen too fast before I can eat them all. Not a problem! All I had to do was google banana recipes. I was entrigued when I found a recipe for banana cookies, I like bananas! I loove cookies! SOLD.
Of course I like chocolate even more so I took the concept of the recipe and made up my own. After sampling them with a friend, I realized they aren't cookies at all! Yes, same cookie making procedure, but the end result tasted like a muffin top! Even cakier than a muffin too. What's better than a muffin top!? My friend was reminded of a Seinfeld episode about the muffin top, where the muffin top bakery gives away their bottoms to the homeless and they get offended. I had to youtube it to see for myself and ohh mann is it hilarious!! See for yourself. Top of the muffin to youu!

Double Chocolate Banana Cookies/Muffin Tops
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup agave syrup (or use maple syrup/honey)
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup Robinhood nutriblend flour (or 1/2 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup white)
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chocolate chunks, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream butter with sugars and agave until fluffy
3. Add in egg then mashed banana
4. Mix together dry ingredients and add into banana mixture, just until combined
5. Add in chocolate chunks and drop onto a lined cookie sheet
6. Bake for 12-15 min or until tops are set and aren't soft in the middle

Cold Soba Noodles with Miso Peanut Dressing

I'm always looking for alternatives to white pasta and had been wanting to make a pasta salad that I can throw in my bag and take for lunch. Soba noodles aka buckwheat noodles were this weeks choice! Going along with the Asian theme I threw together a miso peanut dressing. I apologize in advance because sometimes when I'm trying new recipes I start tossing things in and forget to write down my exact measurements! All I can suggest is taste as you go! Not salty enough? Add in a little more miso paste or soy sauce, not sweet enough? Add in some honey, agave syrup or sugar. Only problem I have is I always make too much pasta, I may be eating this one for a week...

Cold Soba Noodle Salad
1 small pkg soba noodles (I know helpful right? I'd tell you the exact amount, if only I could read the Japanese writing on the package..)
1/2 red bell pepper, julienne
1 carrot, julienne
1 bunch green onions, cut on a diagonal
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
shredded chicken (optional)

Miso Peanut Dressing
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbsp miso paste
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp honey or 1 tbsp agave syrup
enough hot water until you get the consistency of a dressing

1. Boil pasta until al dente, drain and rinse under cold water, using paper towel dry off noodles so the dressing will stick to them.
2. Toss everything together and chill in the fridge. Reserve extra dressing on the side as the noodles tend to absorb alot of it.

Better For You Banana Bread

I'm on a banana kick right now and besides bananas slathered with whole nut butters, banana bread is my favorite! I grew up eating alot of banana bread and everybody knows my moms is the best! In fact her recipe is even called Best Ever Banana Bread which is why I wanted to take her recipe and turn it into Better For You Banana Bread. I used less sugar and substituted in maple syrup and agave nectar, whole grain spelt flour instead of white flour and ground flax seeds. Thanks to the mashed banana it was still nice and moist and had a nice nutty texture from the spelt flour and flax seeds. Now if only I could substitute out the oil, maybe next time I'll try using peanut butter instead, peanut butter banana bread?! Oh yum. Oh and if you have any leftovers it makes great banana bread french toast topped with fresh strawberries or a nice banana bread pudding.


Banana Bread
(makes 1 loaf and approx 6 muffins)
3 medium bananas
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups whole grain spelt flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar (if you don't have just use maple syrup)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (flax meal)

1.Preheat oven to 350
2.Butter and flour pan
3. Mash bananas
4.Beat egg, sugar and oil, add mashed bananas and vanilla
5.Mix dry ingredients together.
6. Alternate adding dry ingredients into liquid mixture with buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Bake for 1 hr 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean
8. Bake muffins 16-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Triple Berry Chocolate Shortcakes

I went to a dinner party at a friends place and wanted to bring a dessert that was A. Chocolate (for selfish reasons as I was craving chocolate and hey who doesn't love chocolate?!) B. Summer worthy and C. Transportable. I thought about a cake but without a cake container or cake box they are a helluva pain to transport and in a hot car with icing? No Thanks! The answer? Individual chocolate shortcakes! Easier to make than a cake, all you have to do is pack your shortcakes in a tin, berries and whipped cream in separate containers and throw it all in a small cooler. As a bonus individually plated desserts always just seem to look nicer too. Also if you are in a time crunch (which I was!) this dessert can be made start to finish in about half an hour. Nobody needs to know you didn't sweat it out in the kitchen all day!


Triple Berry Chocolate Shortcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chocolate chunks, roughly chopped
1 egg lightly beaten
3 tbsp raw sugar (or any coarse sugar to sprinkle on top)

2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla

fresh berries (I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
fresh mint (for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. Add in cold butter and using a pastry blender or your hands mix until butter is the size of small peas. Mix in chocolate chunks
3. Add in buttermilk just until combined
4. On a lightly floured board knead dough gently until it all comes together.
5. Roll out approximately 2 cm thick, round.
6. Cut into circles using a 6cm round cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with silpat or baking paper
7. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with the beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar
8. Bake for 12-15 min. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.
9. While shortcakes are cooling, in a mixer whip the whipping cream, slowly adding in the icing sugar and vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form
10. Slice strawberries if using.

Spicy Tortilla Soup & Spelt Cornbread with Jalapeno Honey Butter

I had a version of this soup at this modern Mexican restaurant the other night and have been wanting to try my own rendition of it since. It also gave me a reason to make one of my favorite sides that I thought would go nicely along with it, cornbread! I absolutely love cornbread and wanted to do a healthier version then my usual recipe, this time using whole grain spelt flour and a touch of Robin Hood nutri blend flour (a mix of white flour and ground wheat bran). I also used less white sugar and some agave syrup as well. (Honey or maple syrup would work well too). The base for this soup is so simple yet so tasty but I think the real highlight is all the garnishes, fresh farmers market tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, crispy oven baked tortilla strips, shredded chicken and a squeeze of lime. This is one soup I can eat in the summertime!

Spicy Tortilla Soup
8 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 28 oz can San marzano tomatoes
1 white onion, fine diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, fine diced
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp sugar
s+p

Garnishes
4 skinless chicken thighs (or 2 cups cooked roasted chicken, shredded)
2 avocados, cut in half
2 limes, cut in wedges
1 bunch cilantro
2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 soft tortilla shells
oil,cumin, chipotle chili powder, salt

1. If using raw chicken thighs: In a stock pot bring chicken stock to a simmer and place chicken thighs in it. Poach until done. Remove chicken thighs, let cool and shred. Remove excess fat from chicken stock.
2. In another pot add a little oil and saute onion and garlic just until soft. Add 1/2 the can of tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar and spices in. Using a hand blender puree until smooth. Add the rest of the tomatoes in and the shredded chicken
3. While soup is simmering pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut tortillas into strips, toss with oil and spices and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake in oven until crispy approx 5-10 min
4. To serve place half an avocado in the bottom of the bowl, ladle soup on top, place tortilla strips into the avocado, and cherry tomatoes and cilantro in the middle, serve with lime wedges.

Spelt Cornbread
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup Robin Hood nutri blend flour (or use 1/4 white flour and 1/4 whole
wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixer blend egg, oil, sugar, agave nectar, vanilla and buttermilk together. In a separate bowl combine flours, salt and baking powder.
2. Slowly add dry mixture into the wet mixture. Add in cornmeal
3. Place in a greased 9" square pan and bake for 35 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Jalapeno Honey Butter
1 cup softened salted butter
1 jalapeno, fine diced, reserve a sprinkle for the top
2 tbsp honey

1. Combine all ingredients together. Sprinkle extra jalapeno on top and a drizzle of honey

Insalata Caprese: Tomato Basil Bocconcini Salad with 15 Year Old Balsamic Vinegar

I think I might have said watermelon feta salad was my favorite summer salad, but I was mistaken...THIS is my favorite summer salad! So simple and such clean flavours. It also doesn't hurt that there is the most amazing tomato stand at the farmers market right now. There are so many varieties, you know it's good when the lineup to fill a paper bag full of these little gems goes all the way down the whole market! These tomatoes are so good that I even pulled out my 15 year old balsamic vinegar that I brought back from Italy. Since it's aged so long, its thick and sweet and compliments the tomatoes nicely. I know it's not traditional to use balsamic vinegar in a caprese but I love the tang and sweetness it adds. Another good salad to bring to the beach!
Insalata Caprese
Tomatoes of your choice
Bocconcini
Fresh Basil (chiffonade)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Fleur de sel



1.Depending on the amount you make, drizzle just enough to coat everything. Toss and serve.

Rhubarb Blueberry Blackberry Crumble Cake

Ahh how I love summer farmer's markets...so inspiring! In season right now is the oh so lovely rhubarb, actually what am I saying? I used to hate rhubarb! Unless it was dipped in a pound of sugar of course. I think I may have found a new appreciation for it, the rhubarb I picked up this weekend at the market didn't taste anything like the stuff we used to pick from our backyard! I sauteed it quickly in a pan with a splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of sugar just until soft. I know strawberry and rhubarb are usually the complimentary couple but I wanted to switch it up a bit and there were some nice looking blueberries and blackberries at my local grocer. I also doubled this cake recipe since I was feeding a bigger crowd for a bbq. Thanks to Dinner with Julie for another great recipe!

Rhubarb Blueberry Blackberry Crumble Cake (from Dinner with Julie)
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup low fat sour cream or plain yogurt
Fruit of your choice


Crumble:
1/2 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-2 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter (not softened)

1.Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 8" pan
2.Combine all crumble ingredients until well combined
3.For cake, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl
4. Using a mixer cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla
5.Alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream in, starting and finishing with flour.
6.Place batter in pan, top with fruit and then crumble
7.Bake for 35 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean

Chocolate Banana "Pudding"

I think I might be the only one excited about this new discovery...but I'm sharing it with you anyways! For my birthday I recieved some Valrhona cocoa powder and I was trying to think of new ways to use this amazing product and it came to me, what if I combined my favorite yogurt with cocoa powder?! Much more healthy than homemade pudding and super easy, I just took some strawberry yogurt I had in my fridge and mixed it with the cocoa powder and voila! I layered the bottom of the glass with sliced banana, spooned the "pudding" in and topped it with amaretti cookies ala Giada De Laurentiis style. Next time I might try whipping some egg whites and folding it in, then you can call it chocolate mousse. Instant dessert!

Chocolate Banana "Pudding"
1 cup favorite yogurt (Greek style would make it more rich)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 banana sliced
1 ameretti cookie, crumbled

Summertime Salads: Watermelon Feta Salad and Cucumber Mango Salad Rolls

Summer is here! Okay, well it was last weekend anyways....prime beach weather and with that goes bbq's on the beach! I was in charge of the sides so I picked two of my favorite summer salads. Shown here is the watermelon feta salad and I also made my cantaloupe bocconcini salad. Cool, refreshing and light these are perfect for hot sunny days and pack and travel way better then a wilted green salad. Really it goes back to the basics, fruit and cheese, how can you go wrong? The mango cucumber salad rolls stuffed with fresh cilantro and mint made for good appys (and are good snacks for on the go). I just figured out how to use my mini charcoal bbq so stay tuned for anything I can get my hands on that goes good on a grill! Ohh yeaaa.

Watermelon Feta Salad
Watermelon, cubed
Feta, crumbled
Fresh mint, rough chopped
Fresh basil, rough chopped
Red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
Black olives, sliced (optional)

Dressing:
Lime Juice
Honey (if needed)

1. Toss together and chill in fridge.


Cucumber Mango Salad Rolls
Rice wrappers
Rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and chilled
Cucumber, sticks
Mango, sticks
Red pepper, sticks
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Mint
Shrimp (optional)
Chicken (optional)
Favorite dipping sauce ( I used a sweet mango curry dipping sauce)

1.Dip rice wrapper in hot water, lay on flat surface and fill with ingredients. Wrap like a spring roll and keep covered with saran wrap.
2.Serve chilled.

Birthday Dinner: Hoisin Baked Trout w/ Lemon and Leeks, Wild Rice and Roasted Asparagus

Can you see where I get my love of food from? My ma! Now I can’t take credit for this dinner because this is my mom’s cooking! Ok, I did give her the idea for a hoisin glaze which she ran with and made her own and even then, I can’t even take credit because I got the idea from Dinner with Julie’s salmon rendition! When I was in town for mother’s day we also celebrated my birthday. Why is it there’s nothing like a home cooked meal made by mom? A trip home was just what I needed!

Hoisin Glazed Salmon
Hoisin Sauce
Sesame Oil
Chili flakes
Black Pepper
Warm Water

1 Salmon fillet
Leeks, sliced
1 Lemon, sliced


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine sauce ingredients to your taste and add enough warm water till you have sauce consistency.
2. On a lined baking sheet sprinkle leeks and lemon on the bottom and salmon fillet on top, skin side down. Top with hoisin glaze and bake for 20-25 min or until just cooked.

Mother’s Day Brunch: Tropical Coconut Pineapple Banana Pancakes & Open Faced Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Ahh brunch, who doesn’t love a good brunch!? The only problem I have with brunch is what to order! I’m always torn between choosing something sweet or savoury. I had a chance to fly home for mother’s day and have had Cumin & Coriander's coconut pancakes on my mind for sometime, so I decided to make a similar version for brunch. Topped with toasted coconut, crushed pineapple, fresh mango, macadamia nuts and warm maple syrup, I think this could have even been a dessert! (Hey for real, when I was in Spain we ate at a restaurant that did a take on Americanized food and they had pancakes on their dessert menu! Oh and don't even ask why we were eating at a restaurant like this...I know it was so wrong!). Seeing as I was in charge of the menu planning and cooking, there was no need to choose between sweet or savoury! Toasted spelt bread was the base for the open faced sandwich topped with a low fat cream cheese, smoked salmon, cucumbers, red onion and the first of the chives growing from our garden. Oh and ever wonder what to do with those leftover pancakes? Just freeze them and pop them in your toaster on those mornings you’re to lazy to make anything else, I swear I think they taste even better the second time around.

Tropical Coconut Pineapple Banana Pancakes

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 milk

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp coconut extract

1 banana, pureed

1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 cup shredded coconut, sweetened

Pancake Garnishes

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup fresh mango, diced

1 cup banana, sliced

1/2 cup toasted coconut

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

warm maple syrup

butter

Open Faced Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Spelt bread (or any other kind you like), toasted

Low fat cream cheese

Smoked salmon

Cucumber, sliced

Chives

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Capers (optional)

To Market To Market: Farmers Market Fresh Salad & Local Italian Pork Sausage

I flew back to Calgary this weekend and one of the first stops I always try and make is to the Calgary's farmers market. I don’t think I realized what great local products we have. From the local organic Italian pork sausage from Sunworks Farm to Sylvan Star’s gouda and gruyere cheese, these products are fantastic! My school course at the moment is called Eco-Nutrition and we are learning about the benefits of eating local and organic. I know I know, you hear it all the time, local, organic…but what does it really mean? Organic meaning free of pesticides, chemicals etc, local being products made, grown or produced near your area. When I first started school I even snubbed the idea of local and organic because I didn’t quite understand what it meant. An apples an apple right? I was wrong! I truly understood what it meant when last year at one of the Vancouver farmer’s market I tasted the crispiest sweetest apple, the ripest juiciest pear you could ever imagine and a tomato that tasted like a TOMATO. Sweet as candy I had never tasted anything like it, I can’t even tell you, it was outrageous! I literally had my paper bag of sungold cherry tomatoes and walked around popping them in my mouth like candy. I won’t preach because I rolled my eyes every time I heard “organic” at first, but the proof is in the product. What could be better then an apple picked fresh off the tree and sold to you days later? I can definitely taste the difference between that and a waxy apple that has been sprayed with chemicals, picked unripened and then gassed to ripen, sent across the country and sold to you a month later. I must admit I don’t eat local and organic all the time, but I definitely appreciate my food a lot more when I do! Today’s dinner incorporated products I found at the Calgary farmer’s market, from the Italian sausage to the whole grain baguette to the beets, apples and green beans, it was a nice light meal that would be perfect for those hot summer nights.

Sun gold cherry tomatoes from last years Vancouver's Trout Lake farmers market. I can hardly wait, next week is when Vancouver's farmers markets start to make their appearances!

Farmers Market Fresh Salad
Favorite greens (spring mix, spinach, baby romaine)
Shredded raw beet
Shredded raw carrot
Green beans, blanched
Apple, julienne
Avocado, diced
Feta, crumbled
Walnuts
Favorite vinaigrette (I used my fave homemade red wine garlic dijon dressing)

Midnight Baking:Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yesterday night I got home from a friends and not being tired just yet, I came up with the brilliant idea that I wanted to make cookies! It being 1:00 in the morning, I grabbed a pillow and stuffed it in the crack of my roommates door so not to wake them…I measured everything out and then proceeded to turn on my extremely loud Kitchen Aid mixer. How loud do you ask? You know that annoying sound of your neighbor’s lawn mower that seems to go off at hours way to early for any human being to be awake? That’s what mine sounds like! Now I know what you’re thinking, how inconsiderate of me! But hey, my roomies crank the blender for their smoothies at 5:30 in the morning everyday before work, so I think we’re even! It was all a fantastic idea until 1:45 rolled around and I was standing over the oven waiting for batch number three to come out and getting extremely sleepy…but it was all worth it in the end! I substituted some things such as using spelt flour instead of whole wheat flour, adding baking soda for a little extra rise and adding ground flax seeds in for texture and those good ol omega 3’s. For an even healthier version I think next time I will try using all spelt flour, no white flour and even cut back on the sugar. It tastes just like every other fabulous double chocolate chunk cookie so I definitely suggest you try making these! Just maybe not at 1 in the morning...

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food you Crave)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or whole grain spelt flour)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (flax meal)
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces dark chocolate chunks

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.In a mixer cream butter and sugars. Add oil, egg and vanilla.
3. In a seperate bowl combine flours, cocoa and salt. Slowly incorporate into wet mixture. Add chocolate chunks.
4.Bake until cookies are just set, about 12 minutes.

Salade Nicoise

I love a good salad and one of my favorites would have to be Nicoise Salad. A couple years ago on a trip to Paris I tried to eat as many traditional French dishes that I could, Nicoise Salad being one of them! Sitting in a little bistro doors wide open, sun shining, over looking the street, it was hands down one of the best salads I’ve ever had! Why is it some of the most memorable meals have to do with good family, good friends and a good setting? The one I had in Paris had an anchovy mayo based dressing so I tried to lighten up my rendition with a garlic Dijon vinaigrette instead. I only realized after I started eating that I forgot the anchovies (along with tomatoes)! I know some people think yuck anchovies! But it really does add a nice salty depth of flavor and for all you haters, why do you think your ceasar salad dressing tastes so good! I also used Italian olive oil packed yellow fin tuna, it’s sooo good and so different from the water packed stuff. My favorite brand is called Rio Mare and you can usually find it at your local Italian grocer.

Nicoise Salad
yields 4 portions
1 package mixed field greens
1 package green beans
2 cans tuna
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
3 tomatoes, quartered
6 anchovies (optional)

Garlic Dijon Vinaigrette
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey or 1 tbsp agave syrup
s+p


1. Mix all ingredients for vinaigrette together and chill in fridge.
2.In a boiling pot of water, drop green beans in and cook until tender. Drain and shock in cold water to stop them from cooking. Toss beans in 1tbsp of vinaigrette.
3. Place mixed greens on a platter and assemble tuna, egg, olives, tomatoes, green beans and anchovies on top. Pour dressing over top and serve immediately.

Ladies Night

• Roasted Garlic Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Baguette
• Cantaloupe Bocconcini Prosciutto Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower White Bean Dip
• Individual Strawberry Shortcakes
• Cinnamon Caramel Popcorn

Last night my close girlfriends and I got together for girls night so I thought what better way to start out the night then appy’s and drinks before going out downtown? It was a bit of a random selection, but recipes I’ve been meaning to try, or in the strawberry shortcake case, a poundcake from the freezer that needed some lovin! The crackers I used for the white bean dip are Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps and if you've never had them before, you need to go out and get some right now! The caramel popcorn recipe is from Dinner with Julie and I decided to add cinnamon to the recipe since I think caramel and cinnamon are the most amazing combo together. I also had picked up the cutest little popcorn containers from Gourmet Warehouse and have been meaning to use them. I love how the box says delicious and nutritious, this popcorn may not be nutritious but it sure is delicious! Nothing better than good food, good friends and a little dancing...

Cinnamon Caramel Popcorn (Adapted from Dinner with Julie)
8 cups air popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda

1.Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray and put the popcorn in it
2.Combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add cinnamon and mix in.
2.Reduce the heat and boil without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda.
3.Quickly pour over the popcorn and stir to coat well. Spread onto a cookie sheet or roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool.

Individual Strawberry Shortcakes
1 Poundcake
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups frozen strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
mint garnish (optional)

1.In a mixer whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Chill in fridge
2. In a pot add frozen strawberries and sugar.Cook on med-high heat. When strawberries soften, mash them and let reduce until sauce because thick and syrupy. Serve warm or cold.

Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Baguette
1 baguette
2 garlic bulbs
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp thyme or rosemary, chopped
2 large white onions,sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup nicoise or kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
s+p

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut tops off garlic, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast in oven for 30 min or until garlic is soft.
2.In a large pan heat oil on med-high heat. Add onions and saute with sugar and thyme until soft and caramelized. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Slice baguette in half and warm in oven for 5 minutes. Take baguette out and turn broiler on.
4.Combine softened butter with roasted garlic and spread over baguette, top with caramelized onions, crumbled goat cheese and olives. Place in broiler for 2 minutes and serve warm.

Roasted Cauliflower White Bean Dip
1 can white beans (Cannellini,White Kidney, rinsed)
1 bulb roasted garlic
1 head cauliflower
1/2 lemon, juice
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
3 tbsp warm water
s+p

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut cauliflower into small pieces and toss in oil, salt and pepper. Roast until caramelized. Let cool
2. In a food processor combine white beans, roasted garlic, lemon juice, chili flakes, water and 1/2 of the roasted cauliflower. Puree until smooth. Season with s+p and adjust consistency of dip by adding more water if necessary. Add in the rest of the cauliflower (saving a few florets for garnish) and pulse until chunky. Chill and serve.

Cantaloupe Bocconcini Prosciutto Salad
1 Cantaloupe
1 cup bocconcini
8 basil leaves, chiffonade
1 lime, juice
2 tbsp honey
6 slices prosciutto, julienned

1.Slice cantaloupe in half and scrape out seeds. Using a melon baller scoop out balls.
2. Mix honey and lime juice together. Toss everything together and serve chilled.

Salsa Fest: BBQ Chicken Quesadilla with Mango Avocado Lime Salsa

Every year in Calgary they have a summer event called the Sun and Salsa Festival where stores along the Kensington area participate by making their own versions of salsa for people to try as well as vote for their favorite. I helped participate in it when I was working at Crave at the time and man did I learn a lesson the hard way…! I was helping fine dice a massive amount of jalapenos needed for the salsa (I’m talking a huge buckets worth) and started off wearing rubber gloves, but they were getting in my way, so I took them off so I could chop faster. 10 minutes later I said to a colleague who was helping, boy my hand feels funny, how bout yours? She replied, yea it’s feeling a bit tingly…we finished and started cleaning up and by then the tingling turned into burning! We tried scrubbing with salt, soap and water (which of course made it worse, letting the oils from the peppers spread even more!) then I remembered you're supposed to drink milk if you eat something spicy so we tried dunking our hands in a cup of milk, well that didn’t work! Driving home it felt like my hand was on fire and by night I was sitting in a drop in clinic to see what the doctor could do for me. (I swear I usually have a high tolerance for pain!). Have you ever ate something so damn hot there’s nothing you can do but wait it out? Well that’s what he told me I had to do, just waait it out…2 days later the burning went away!! All I can say is at least we won that darn contest!! (Okay to counter my stupidity I have chopped jalapenos before with no side effects, just not a big buckets worth!). Last nights dinner involved a different salsa, more of a sweet salsa using mango's and avocado's that I thought would pair well with a BBQ chicken quesadilla using ground flax seed tortillas, "sour cream" aka thickened plain yogurt and a mixed field green salad with feta, toasted pecans and a raspberry vinaigrette. Careful with those jalapenos!


BBQ Chicken Quesadilla with Mango Avocado Lime Salsa

2 ground flax seed soft tortilla

1 chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup fresh corn kernels (or canned)

1/2 red pepper, diced

3 green onions

1/4 cup favorite bbq sauce

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1.Saute chicken until almost cooked through, add in red peppers and cook until softened. Take off heat and add green onions and bbq sauce.
2. In a pan add a little oil and heat on med-low. Place tortilla in pan and on 1/2 the tortilla place chicken mixture and cheese. Fold over. Pan fry until golden and flip and crisp the other side. Serve warm

Mango Avocado Lime Salsa
1 mango, small dice
1 avocado, small dice
3 tbsp onion (red or white), small dice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juice only
2 tsp honey
1/2 jalapeno (optional)
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional, but adds a bit of smokiness)
s+p

Sour Cream
3 cups plain yogurt

1.Place yogurt in a strainer that has been lined with paper towel or a coffee filter and place over a bowl.
2.Let sit in the fridge to drain the liquid and become thick, at least 1 hr.

Go Fish: Crispy Halibut Fish Burger with Lemon Dill Tartar Sauce

The title is fitting because that is exactly what I did! I went to Go Fish for lunch today. Go Fish is a little fish shack located right near Granville Island and with only outdoor seating, it is best to go when the sun is shining so you can sit out over the dock. I was supposed to go down to Granville Island Market to the fish vendor and pick up some halibut for dinner tonight but of course I got a little sidetracked with thoughts of the salmon tacone and had to go get one. While finishing it I thought, do I really want fish again for dinner tonight? ( yea that’s me, already thinking of my next meal, while still eating the meal before it!) but then I remembered the plain yogurt I had straining in the fridge being thickened, for my healthy version of a tartar sauce. So off to the market I went! Lately I have been trying to do a healthy twist on foods that I love so this is my version of a fish burger, a whole grain bun instead of a white bun, breaded, pan fried and finished in the oven crispy halibut instead of deep fried battered halibut and tartar sauce made with thickened yogurt instead of mayonnaise. As you can see from the picture I looove tartar sauce and now I don't have to feel guilty about using so much!

Crispy Halibut Fish Burger with Lemon Dill Tartar Sauce
(for 1 person)
1 whole grain bun
1 tomato
1 handful mixed greens
1 halibut filet
1/4 cup whole grain flour
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
s+p

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and preheat small frying pan with a little oil in it. Mix together egg and milk and season flour and bread crumbs with salt and pepper.

2. Dredge halibut in flour, then egg wash then bread crumbs. Pan fry on both sides until golden brown finish in the oven until done, about 5-6 min depending on thickness of filet.

Lemon Dill Tartar sauce
3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickles, diced
3 tbsp capers, chopped
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic
s+p

1.To thicken yogurt place a strainer with paper towel over a bowl, place yogurt in strainer and set in fridge for atleast 1 hr or more.
2.Combine ingredients together with thickened yogurt and chill in fridge.

Just Me and Edith in the Kitchen: Maple Pecan Pie & Crispy Chewy Granola Bars

There's nothing I like more than crankin the Edith Piaf tunes while cooking and especially baking...if you don't know who she is, she is a famous French singer! I think it just reminds me of Ratatouille (one of my favorite movies of all time!) it's all so very French, you feel like tossing flour around the kitchen and tossing things in a pot! Okay really I did neither of those things today nor what I made was very French, but it is was still inspiring! Today's creations were a good ol Pecan Pie and a crispy chewy Granola Bar. Oh and I cheated a bit too, I had a tenderflake pie crust sitting in my freezer so no homemade pie crust this time. As for the granola bar, I am lovin this recipe, adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger, it is loaded with tons of dried fruit, almonds and sweetened with maple syrup so it's much healthier than the bars you can buy in a store. Next time I think I will add ground flax seeds to add more fiber and a good dose of omega 3's.

Maple Pecan Pie (Adapted from Donna Hay's- Modern Classics 2)

1 tenderflake deep dish pie crust

1 cup whole pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

40g (1 1/2 oz) butter, melted and cooled

3 eggs

1/2 cup whipping cream

1.Pre-bake pie shell till lightly golden. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and toast pecans, let cool.

2.Whisk together all ingredients except pecans. Fold in pecans last and pour into pie shell. Bake for 35-40 min or until filling is set. Cool before serving.

Crispy Chewy Granola Bars (Adapted from Ellie Krieger's- The Food you Crave)

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup shelled unsalted raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (if cannot find toasted, buy wheat germ and throw in a 350 degree F oven until toasted)

1/4 cup whole grain pastry flour

1/4 cup dried apricots

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pitted dried dates

1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks (optional)

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large eggs

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Place all ingredients in a food processor, except maple syrup and eggs and pulse until everything is finely chopped, or chop by hand. Add in syrup and eggs until combined.

3. Spread mixture evenly into baking pan and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. When cool cut into bars.

(note: because wheat germ is high in natural oils it is prone to rancidity so look for it in vacuum packaging and not in bulk. After being opened store it in the fridge or freezer. It has gone bad if it has an unpleasant smell and bitter flavor.)

Wrap and Roll: Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Why do things always taste so good wrapped up? Puff pastry, filo, pita, tortilla, flat breads and the guilt free of them all, crisp iceberg lettuce! When you've had a long day the last thing most people want to do is be in the kitchen but that's exactly what I love, I miss using my knives, I don't get to cook as much as I used to so anytime I can pick up my knife and start chopping is relaxing to me. This dish requires a bit more mise en place(meaning everything in it's place/getting your ingredients set up) but that's what I love about it! It's so satisfying having everything all ready so you can just throw it in a pan. I'll list the veggies I used but you can really use anything you like or whatever is in your fridge. The picture below is not only the mise en place for the wraps but also a soup I was making for the week to have on hand, another rendition of the roasted red pepper soup I made previously, this time using San Marzano tomatoes and a splash of vinegar.
Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps
2 chicken breast, diced into bite size cubes
1 red bell pepper, julienne
2 baby bok choy, sliced
1 carrot, thin strips (use a peeler)
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cups, button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 zucchini, sliced on bias
2 bunches green onion, sliced on bias
1 bunch cilantro (stems removed)
3 cloves garlic, fine diced
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 cup hoisin sauce thinned with 1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp chili flakes
peanuts (optional)
3 cups cooked vermicelli noodles (chilled)
1 head iceberg lettuce, chilled

1. In a bit of oil saute chicken until cooked, remove and toss in celery, red
bell pepper, carrot, celery and mushrooms, saute until slightly softened then add garlic and ginger.
2. Add zucchini, bok choy, green onions and chili flakes, saute until soft.
3. Fold in hoisin sauce into veggies and toss in cilantro.
4. Top with peanuts and serve with chilled vermicelli noodles and iceberg lettuce.

When you've got lemons...: Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Strawberries

Okay what I really mean is when you've got leftover lemon curd and egg whites and whipped cream...make Pavlova! After making the raspberry lemon curd cake I had all this extra stuff leftover, so what better way to utilize the ingredients than make another dessert!?

Pavlova
(adapted from Donna Hays modern classics)
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar
4tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
2 cups strawberries, quartered
(See Raspberry lemon curd cake for lemon curd and whipped cream recipes)

1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
2.Beat egg whites until soft peaks form then slowly add in the sugar, beat until mixture turns glossy. Fold in cornstarch and vinegar.
3. On a baking sheet covered in baking paper, form the meringue into a 7 inch round circle, leaving a little indent in the middle (so it can hold the filling after it is cooked)
4. Place in the oven and reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F and cook for 1 hr.
5. After 1 hr, turn oven off and let meringue cool in the oven

Piece of cake: Raspberry Lemon Curd Cake

No really, I swear it really was a piece of cake to make! So maybe it wasn't my finest decorating job, but it was tasty ! I hummed and hawed over what kind of cake to make for my friends birthday, chocolate cake? nahh, too original..chocolate cardamom cake with cream cheese icing? a little too out there...maybe its my obsession with all things lemon right now that I settled on a lemon curd filling with fresh raspberries sandwiched between two nice fluffy layers of sponge cake topped with whipped cream...sweet, tart and satisfying.
Sponge cake
1 1/4 cup sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8 inch cake pans by buttering and flouring pans then putting parchment paper circles on the bottom of each pan
2.Sift together flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt
3.Beat egg whites until frothy, gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form
4.Combine egg yolks, water, vanilla, slowly incorporate dry ingredients into this mixture. Beat until thick and lemon colored
5. Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture and place into prepared pans
6.Bake for 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean

Lemon Curd
(adapted from Donna Hays modern classics cookbook)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
200 g butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
6 egg yolks

1.Place lemon juice and butter in a saucepan. When butter is melted add sugar, eggs and egg yolks.
2.Stir constantly over medium-low heat until mixture thickens (8-10 min)

Whipped cream
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups fresh raspberries
mint (to garnish)

1.Whip cream, add vanilla and slowly adding in icing sugar until soft peaks form.

To assemble:
1.Peel parchment off bottom of one of the cakes, place enough lemon curd to cover the center of the cake and 2 cups of raspberries on top of curd
2.Flip the second cake over so the parchment side faces up, place on top
3.Cover with whip cream and garnish with more raspberries and mint

Gotta love the twiced baked cookie: Chocolate Cherry Almond Biscotti

Who doesn't love a good biscotti? They store longer than the average cookie and are oh so good dunked in a hot cup of your fave beverage. I am a huge cookie fan, and I'm always in search of the best chocolate chip cookie...so far my fave has been the addition of brown butter but I'll get to that another time! At the bookstore a couple weeks ago I came across a cookbook by Ellie Krieger host of the food network show Healthy Appetite. As a registered dietitian she does a take on foods you crave..in a healthier way. Now who wouldn't want that!? Try it for yourself...

Adapted from: The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger
Chocolate Cherry Almond Biscotti
2 1/2 cups nutri blend flour by Robin hood (white flour and wheat bran)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 canola oil
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup raw almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup dark chocolate, finely chopped

1.Preheat oven to 350.
2.Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl beat sugar, eggs, oil, orange zest and vanilla until well combined.
3.Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add in cherries, almonds and chocolate.
4.Shape into a log 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. Bake for 25 min. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
5.Using a serrated knife cut log on a diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place on baking sheet cut side down, bake for 10 min then turn cookies over and bake another 5-10 min until golden.

Cravin a feel good meal: Crunchy Walnut Lentil Burgers & Roasted Red Bell Pepper Tomato Soup

After going to the gym today I was craving something healthy and satisfying and it came to me, lentil burgers! I know I know, it doesn't sound that exciting but I have been wanting to do my own spin on a good ol veggie burger for awhile now. Now by no means am I vegetarian! I love my meat but sometimes this can be just as satisfying! I've also been wanting to make more homemade soups, I don't have that hand blender for nothing and on those rainy Vancouver days sometimes that's all you want! So I headed down to my local produce store, known by everyone in the area as the cheapest produce in town. It's tiny and always packed and you literally have to shove your way through and have your wallet ready to pay because those cashiers are so damn quick! No giving exact change here, they seem to get a little peeved if you try and scrummage in your change purse...so anyways here it is! Lentil burgers my way: with a healthier take on basil aioli using thick Greek yogurt, garlic and fresh basil, and a roasted red bell pepper and tomato basil soup.

Crunchy Walnut Lentil Burgers with Basil Aioli

4 whole grain buns

1 handful mixed field greens

2 cups cooked lentils

1 1/2 cups uncooked yam, grated

1 cup zucchini, grated

1/2 small onion, fine dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 tsp cumin

s+p

1.Saute onion, garlic and grated yam just until slightly soft.

2.In a food processor blend 1 1/2 cups of the lentils.

3. In a bowl mix together everything. Shape into patties and pan fry until crispy on both sides.

Basil Aioli

1 cup thick Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt, strained)

1 handful fresh basil

1/2 clove garlic

s+p

pinch of sugar

1. Place everything in a food processor and mix until yogurt turns green.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Basil Soup

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

5 red bell peppers

4 small tomatoes

1 small onion, small diced

1 carrot, small diced

1 celery stalk, small diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 handful fresh basil

1 tsp chili pepper flakes

s+p

2 tsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, place bell peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes or until the outer skin looks charred. When done, place in a bowl, covering it with saran wrap for 5 minutes. Remove skin and seeds, chop into chunks

2. To remove tomato skin make an x with the tip of your knife on the bottom of the tomato and place into boiling water for 10 seconds, take out and place in ice water, remove skin and seeds, chop into chunks

3. In a big pot saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic till soft. Add bell peppers and tomato, add stock, fresh basil and chili pepper flakes. Using a blender or hand mixer puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. (Sugar will off balance the bitterness bell peppers can have).

Figuring this whole blog thing out...: Cornbread with Sweet Strawberry Butter & Lamb Burgers with Apple Fennel Slaw

So this is my first blog ever, and I feared if I started one I would spend way too much time on it! I havn't yet decided if it will be mostly restaurant reviews and pictures of what I've eaten or my food creations...I'm thinking a little of both so we will see how it goes! As for my blog name, it's so true, I always have room for dessert! Although this blog won't be all about desserts....For now I have posted last week's creations I made for a potluck dinner. Cornbread with sweet strawberry butter and lamb burgers topped with apple fennel slaw and cranberry mayo.













Cornbread
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
3 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cornmeal

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream eggs and sugar together, add oil, mix all dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture.
2.Bake in a greased 9 x 14 pan for 40 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Sweet Strawberry Butter
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tbsp strawberry jam (if strawberries arent very ripe)
1 cup salted butter, softened(I like the contrast of the saltiness with sweet)
1/4 cup icing sugar
1.In a food processor puree strawberries and strawberry jam, in a mixer beat the softened butter, strawberry puree and icing sugar, if butter mixture is still to wet add a bit more icing sugar.

Lamb Burgers
8 whole wheat buns
Handful mixed greens
2 lb ground lamb
1 small onion, fine diced
3 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, fine diced
3 tbsp fresh oregano
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1 tbsp montreal steak spice
s+p
1.Saute onion, garlic, red pepper just till soft. Let cool. Combine ground lamb, feta, egg, montreal steak spice, pepper and cooled onion garlic mixture.
2.Make a toonie size patty, pan fry in the same skillet from onion mixture, taste and check for seasoning (depending on the saltiness of your feta, may need salt). Form into pattys, bbq or pan fry.

Apple Fennel Slaw/Cranberry Mayo
1 bulb fennel, thinly julienned, reserve fennel tips
2 gala apples, thinly julienned
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
s+p
1.Mix together Cranberry and Mayo, reserve some to spread on the bun.
2.To the rest, add the vinegar, s+p and toss with fennel and apples and fennel tips.