Family Feedbag

Honey Poppyseed Dressing

2021-06-20T21:29:00.002-07:00

This post is part of a paid partnership with Canola Eat Well. I'm being compensated for writing this recipe.

It's summer BBQ season and I'm feeling inspired by some recent virtual visits organized by Canola Eat Well. In previous years, the Canola team has invited Canadian food writers, chefs and other food voices to Manitoba to learn how canola is grown, meet some farmers under those big blue prairie skies, and eat great food. When they announced some virtual sessions this spring, I jumped at the chance to reconnect, learn from some big name chefs like Ned Bell, and listen to live music.

Although I spend a lot of time in virtual meetings during the day, these sessions felt like a little island in my evening to do something different and delicious. I'm not going to say I fell in love with canola oil again. The truth is canola oil and I are longtime friends. This homegrown Canadian ingredient is a staple in my kitchen and it continues to come out of the pantry often.

One of my favourite uses for canola oil is salad dressing. That's because neutral-flavoured oils like canola allow you to bring in a variety of other flavours without becoming overpowered. This honey poppyseed dressing is easy to make, fun to shake, and turns my store-bought shredded kale salad into something I'm willing to call homemade.

Honey Poppyseed Dressing

Makes approx. 1 cup (250 mL) of dressing, which is enough for a family-size salad

2/3 cup (150 mL) canola oil

1/4 cup (60 mL) white wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) prepared yellow mustard

1 tbsp (15 mL) honey

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) poppyseeds

1/4 tsp (1 mL) coarse salt

Add all the ingredients to a jar. Pop on the lid, shake it up, and pour over your prepared salad.

With a brassica salad like kale or cabbage, I like pour the dressing at least 20 minutes ahead of time to allow the dressing to make the vegetables more tender before serving.

Seeded Sui Choy Salad

2021-05-01T14:49:00.001-07:00

I'm partnering with my friends at Canola Eat Well on some fresh recipes from my kitchen that use this quality Canadian ingredient. Canola oil is the ultimate goes-with-everything oil because of its neutral flavour, light golden colour and high smoke point. Plus, it's Canadian and I feel good about putting my grocery money behind food grown at home.

A few years back I had the opportunity to visit canola country to see how it's grown, meet some of the great people who grow it, and enjoy some incredible meals in incredible places under that big prairie sky. I learned a lot and I still think of those vast yellow fields every time I reach for the canola oil in my pantry.

For my first recipe in this three-part series, the focus is on plants. In the spirit of spring, this delicious sui choy salad makes the most of seeds - pumpkin, sesame and sunflower. It's about big crunch and big flavour, so grab a big bowl and try this one in your kitchen.

Seeded Sui Choy Salad

Makes 6-8 servings

1 garlic clove

1-inch piece of fresh ginger

1/2 cup (125 mL) sesame tahini

1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil

1/4 cup (60 mL) soy sauce

Juice of one lemon

2 tbsp (30 mL) honey

1 large sui choy (napa cabbage), thinly sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 cup (250 mL) snow peas, thinly sliced

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (125 mL) pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup (75 mL) sunflower seeds

To make the dressing, add the garlic, ginger, tahini, lemon juice, canola oil, soy sauce and honey to a mini chopper or small food processor and pulse until smooth (you can also whisk this by hand in a small mixing bowl if you mince the garlic and ginger first).

In an extra large salad bowl, combine the sui choy, red pepper, snow peas, green onion, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Pour the dressing overtop. Toss to coat.

Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate for later.

Yam Lentil Ginger Soup (VEGAN)

2021-02-15T13:55:00.005-08:00

Eating healthy has become more important to me lately. Like many people, spending so much time at home has meant more comfort eating and less movement. It's a tough time for many, and the comfort of good food is an undeniable pick-me-up. For the benefit of my physical and mental health (and my jeans!), I'm trying to find ways to combine comfort food and food that's just plain good for me.

Soups are a go-to in my kitchen right now, mainly for quick and easy lunches. Somehow working from home doesn't feel any less busy than working in the office, and keeping homemade soup in the fridge helps me grab something hot and healthy at lunch that will keep me going until dinner. Let's be honest, on cold days a lunch salad doesn't always appeal quite like a hot bowl of soup.

Each pot of soup I make is a little bit different, but yams have been a regular feature lately. Puréed with other veggies, lentils, coconut milk and spices into a silky blend makes for a quick bowl of comfort on busy weekdays.

Top this vegan soup with fresh herbs, nuts, roasted chickpeas or even unsweetened coconut to add a variety of textures and flavours to each bowl.

Yam Lentil Ginger Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 cup baby carrots (20-25 or so)
1 medium yam, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 cup (250 mL) red lentils
6 cups (1.5 L) water
1/2 cup (250 mL) coconut milk
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) curry powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt

Directions

Warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown (8-10 minutes). Add the yam, lentils, water, coconut milk, ginger, curry power and salt. Stir and increase the heat to medium-high to bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Purée using an immersion blender, or in batches in a countertop blender, and serve.

VARIATIONS

SPICES

Not a fan of curry? Substitute for something else in your spice collection, such as coriander, chili powder or even poultry seasoning. Love curry? Boost those flavours with extra curry powder and a tsp of cumin powder.

WITHOUT LENTILS

Don't have lentils on hand? Add another 2 cups of yam or a combination of yam and carrot.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Replace all or some of the yam with cubes of butternut squash.

MAKE AHEAD

Bring the finished soup to room temperature and refrigerate in a sealed container for 3-5 days, or freeze for up to three months.

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

2019-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have arrived at the opinion that the best cookie of all time is a simple classic - peanut butter. Chewy and glorious with a glass of cold milk, the peanut butter cookie seemed to fall by the wayside when we became distracted by ‘fancy’ things in our cookies like lavender and matcha. The classic peanut butter cookie does that salty/sweet thing like no other, and it's back big time in my kitchen.

Through experimentation with different recipes, and a few adjustments, I have landed on the ultimate version of this cookie classic. Salt is key, along with natural unsweetened peanut butter for maximum nuttiness. These come together in a flash and are out of the oven in 10-12 minutes for a snack worthy of sharing. In fact, my latest batch was shared with some friends who are really going through it. They're just cookies, but they're also more than that. You know?

Here's how to make them.

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes about 20 cookies

1/2 cup (125 mL) room temperature butter

1/2 cup (125 mL) natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky, your choice)

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour

Granulated sugar for rolling (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a large baking sheet, or two medium ones, with parchment and set aside.

Beat butter and peanut butter until well blended. Add sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and beat again until well blended. Add egg and vanilla and beat again. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.

Add some additional sugar to a small bowl. Roll cookie dough into 1.5-inch balls and roll each one in sugar to coat. Place balls on cookie sheet(s) leaving two inches between. Press with a fork for that classic peanut butter cookie look.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool, or go ahead and eat them warm.

Tzatziki

2019-03-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time to figure out grilling can be so much more than burgers and dogs. Over the years as I've become more experienced on the grill, and in the kitchen in general, I've expanded my grilling lineup to include vegetables, chicken, fish and more. These days my favourites off the grill include cream cheese-stuffed mini peppers and marinated chicken souvlaki served with cool, creamy tzatziki.

This traditional Greek sauce is made with cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice and fresh herbs (I like dill best) and can be served with a variety of meats, vegetables and flatbreads. Unlike heavy mayonnaise-based aioli or sour cream dips and spreads, tzatziki feels fresh and bright, and can be made with everything from low fat to heavy Greek yogurts.

I think I was in my late teens when I first heard the word tzatziki. There was a pita wrap takeout place in downtown Ottawa that my friends and I used to frequent when we were 19 or so and enjoying the nightlife in the Byward Market. Those 2 a.m. pita wraps with loads of tzatziki were a dream after dancing with my friends on a hot summer night. Sometimes I miss those days!

Nowadays I see tzatziki everywhere, even pre-made at the grocery store. But, like most things, I like it best homemade. This recipe is tangy, super flavourful and easy to make. I plan to make it a regular this summer to dress up pretty much everything that comes off the grill.

Grab the recipe below and you too can keep a bowl of cool, creamy tzatziki handy to take all your grilling to the next level.

Tzatziki

Makes 2 cups (500 mL)

1 cup (250 mL) peeled, grated cucumber

1 tsp (5 mL) coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) any plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh dill

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Juice of half a lemon

Cracked black pepper to taste

Add the grated cucumber to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the salt and set aside for 20-30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the excess moisture. Do not rinse.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the grated cucumber by gathering it up in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel, or press with the back of a spoon in a fine mesh sieve. Discard the excess liquid. Add the cucumber back to the mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, dill, garlic, lemon juice and black pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

What do you like with tzatziki?

My New Kitchen

2019-03-02T16:56:00.001-08:00

Now, more than ever, the kitchen is my favourite place. It's a creative space, it's where I feed my favourite people, there's usually music playing - lots of reasons. It's also an escape from the craziness going on the world, where I can disappear from the 24-hour bad news cycle and just focus on home and family. And now, after a year-long renovation, I can also say my kitchen is a beautiful place to escape.

My love of pale turquoise endures. It has been my favourite colour since I bought a retro radio that colour about 15 years ago. Around here it's just called Amy Colour now. So when it came to designing our kitchen, I wanted it to be there, but I didn't want it to overpower. The overall colour palette is bright white and light maple wood with a pop of turquoise in the island cabinets in a shade chosen to match exactly with my stand mixer.

Read on and I'll tell you a little more about the features...

We brought natural gas into the house as part of the renovation, so I switched from an electric coil range to a five burner, dual fuel gas range. Dual meaning it has gas burners and an electric oven. As a recipe writer, I wanted to continue using an electric oven, which is what most home cooks use.

These bar stools from IKEA are sleek and practical. They're super comfy with curved seats and low backs. The plastic is a dream to wipe down easily and the legs protect the new wood floor nicely. The pendant lights are schoolhouse style and we have three of them along the island, with the centre pendant over the sink.

This corner window is a remnant from our old kitchen. I knew from the beginning I wanted to hang onto them. These windows are how I know what my kids are up to outside and see my husband pulling into the driveway.

I knew I wanted to go with a farmhouse sink, I just didn't like the price tags I saw around town, ranging from about $1,800 to $3,000. Then, with perfect timing, IKEA put this beautiful ceramic double sink on the market for $399. Sold!

The cabinets are shaker style, which feel like a perfect mix of traditional and modern, with nickel drawer pulls. The hardware reminds me of the kitchen where I first learned to cook for myself.

On either side of the stove, we added some convenient organizers. To the right are all my cooking utensils - ladles, whisks, wooden spoons, spatulas, etc. To the left are my cutting boards, cooling racks and larger baking pans that don't fit under the range.

One of our renovation goals was to have a walk-in food pantry. Having storage in another space allowed us to not have upper cabinets in the kitchen. Instead, we have these natural wood shelves to match the light maple flooring. All our drinking glasses and wine glasses come right off the shelf when we need them.

My favourite thing about the pantry, other than the fact it keeps all our food (and mess) out of the way, is the built-in step so I can reach things up high. The shelves go right up to the ceiling, with the things I use less often, such as my pasta makers and largest canning pots, on the top shelf. It's also a great place to store countertop appliances like the air fryer, multi-cooker and food processor.

Although the pantry door is right off the kitchen, it is on the other side of the island from the gas range. So I keep a basket in the pantry to shuttle ingredients back and forth.

The best thing about a custom kitchen is the details. This shelf for my most-used cookbooks was built into the end of the island, closest to the double French doors that open onto our new backyard deck.

Yes, now, more than ever, I just want to be in the kitchen. In fact, it's kind of hard to leave it sometimes.

Two Mushroom Soup with Parmesan Croutons

2019-02-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

Everyone has their immediate yes foods. When I'm dining out or just stepping away from the office to grab some lunch to go, if the daily soup on the menu is cream of mushroom I will order it. You really don't need to tell me what other soups are available because it's a yes to the mushroom. Every time.

That's why I'm excited to share this new recipe for a creamy mushroom soup with crunchy, cheesy croutons. It's robust and filling enough to make a meal, with loads of deep and earthy mushroom flavour.

The soup starts by browning a thinly sliced onion under a heap of fresh mushrooms. The temptation to stir while the onions are browning is strong, but if you restrain yourself as the recipe suggests, you'll be rewarded with the most beautifully browned onion and mushroom aroma and flavour. The extra mushroom goodness comes from soaking dried porcini mushrooms in boiling water to create a dark and delicious broth for the soup. You can find packages of dried mushrooms in the produce department of most grocery stores.

Although this is a new recipe from me, I am already confident it will become a classic in my kitchen that I'll make again and again. You can get the easy recipe below. I hope it becomes a classic in your kitchen too.

Two Mushroom Soup with Parmesan Croutons

Serves 4-6

For the soup:
1 package (14 g) dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) fresh white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine
1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour
1 box (946 mL) chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper

1 cup (250 mL) half and half cream

For the croutons:
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

3 slices of fresh or day-old bakery bread (any kind), cubed

2 tsp (10 mL) grated parmesan

Soup directions:
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a heat-proof container or bowl. Pour three cups of boiling water over the mushrooms and set aside to soak.

Warm the olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cover with the fresh mushrooms. Allow to cook for 10 minutes without stirring. Stir and cook another five minutes. At this point you can set aside a small amount of mushrooms as a garnish if you wish (optional).

Pour in the white wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the flour and stir well to coat. Pour in the porcini mushrooms and soaking liquid, as well as the chicken or vegetable stock. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble away for a minute or two to thicken slightly. Turn off the heat.

Puree using an immersion blender right in the pot, or by ladling into a traditional blender (if using a traditional blender, you will need to work in batches). Add the cream to the soup and heat through over medium heat until hot. Remove from the heat.

Croutons directions:
Warm the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the cubed bread and cook, turning often, until golden (usually 2-3 minutes, but it can depend on the type of bread). Remove from the heat. Add the parmesan to a bowl. Toss the croutons in the parmesan and serve on top of the hot soup with any reserved mushrooms as a garnish.

Quick Chickpea and Carrot Salad Topper

2019-02-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I last shared a recipe from my kitchen, but it seems I'm back.

After a couple of very busy years - the busiest of my life - things are starting to settle down in my life and in my kitchen. In 2016, after nine years at home with the kids while food writing on the side, I picked up my career again and went back to the office Monday to Friday. The steady income and routine has been good for me, but it has meant less time in the kitchen and adjusting to the weeknight scramble to figure out what's for dinner - a routine I know many of you live everyday as well.

On top of that, in 2017 we started planning a major house renovation. And at the start of 2018 we moved out of our house for ten months, relocating four times while the renovation was completed. Builders put on additions at the front and back, re-did the layout, replaced the stucco with siding, replaced the electrical and plumbing, new roof, new deck, new stairs, three new bathrooms and a new kitchen. It has been a journey to say the least, but we are now settled into our lovely new/old house and I am finally making time again for the things that make me truly happy, like knitting, catching up with friends and, yes, writing about cooking. It's amazing how quickly the activities you love can fall away when you're trying to figure out the basics, like where your family is going to live.

Now that I have more free time, I'm in my new kitchen as much as possible. Soon I'll share some photos of what it looks like. For now I'll just say it's a big white kitchen with a long turquoise island, and it's my favourite place to be.

My first new recipe reflects the way I like to cook - casual and unrushed. To do that within my new career woman lifestyle it helps to have some things prepared ahead of time, like this quick chickpea and carrot salad topper. Yup, a salad you put on a salad. It's yummy on its own but best used piled on top of dressed greens for a weeknight dinner salad or a packed lunch as a quick hit of protein and texture. I used pre-cut matchstick carrots which come in a bag in the produce section to save myself time, but you could also julienne them yourself.

I can't tell you how good it feels to be writing a recipe again - you can find it below. I'm finally slowing down to enjoy the good life again. I hope you're getting the chance to do that too.

Quick Chickpea and Carrot Salad Topper

Makes about 2 1/2 cups (625 mL)

1 can (398 mL) chickpeas, drained

1 cup (250 mL) julienned (matchstick) carrots

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

3 tbsp (50 mL) canola or other light tasting oil

1 tbsp (15 mL) apple cider or red wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) tahini

1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried thyme

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, carrots and chopped parsley. Add the oil, vinegar, tahini, Dijon, thyme and salt. Stir to combine. Serve immediately on its own or on salad greens, or cover and store in the fridge for up to five days.

Blueberry Pie That'll Make You a Hero

2016-11-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

The job of family baker, and I'm guessing that's you since you're reading this, is a special one. You get to tempt taste buds with a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies and Sunday morning cinnamon buns, and everyone ooh and ahhs over your creations. Yes, baking is work and there isn't always a lot of time to make the magic happen, but when the time is there and the ingredients are handy, there's something empowering about being the one with the white thumb (like a green thumb, but dusted in flour).

Unless of course they don't ooh and ahh. Unless they say no thanks, I don't really like pie/those cookies/that kind of cake today. Yes, there are people out there, including one in my very own home, who are extra particular about what they eat or don't have a single sweet tooth to count. Or they do have a sweet tooth but it belongs to candy. Let's not pretend it makes sense, it's not logical. We can only hope to win them over one day.

Then there are the home baking superfans. I have one of those in my house too. He jumps up and down at the mere mention of pie, takes a first slow bite then rolls his eyes back in his head and pretends to fall off his chair. Yup, those are the hero moments for the family baker. Those are the moments when you swing your apron around to the back like a cape and take the dramatic bow you deserve because you. are. that. good.

Blueberry pie in butter pastry is a winner. This recipe uses frozen blueberries so you can whip one up any time of year and be the family baking marvel that you are. Who knows, maybe you'll even convince the tough to please.

Blueberry Pie (using frozen berries)

BUTTER PASTRY
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1 egg
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp water

FILLING
4 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
Extra granulated sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To make the pastry, stir the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter using a hand pastry blender or two knives working across each other (or pulse all ingredients so far a few times in a food processor) until coarsely blended and there's not much flour dust left in the bottom of the bowl. In a small dish, beat the egg, vinegar and water. Add to the butter mixture and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Form the dough into two balls. Roll out one ball on a floured surface and transfer to an 8 or 9-inch pie plate. Set the other ball aside.

To make the filling, combine the blueberries, sugar, flour and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir to coat the berries. Pour into the pie shell and spread out evenly. Cut the butter into pieces and dot across the filling. Roll out the second ball of dough on a floured surface. Transfer to cover the filling. Crimp edges and cut a few slashes in the centre for a vent. Dust pie top with extra granulated sugar.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 65 to 75 minutes until the filling can be seen bubbling through the vent. If the edge is getting dark while baking, cover with foil.

NOTE: A hot-from-the-oven blueberry pie tends to be soupy. It's best to let it cool back almost to room temperature, or chill it after it cools, to allow the filling to fully set.

What do you bake that makes you feel like a hero?

Curried Apple Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

2016-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

This post is sponsored by SweeTango.

It's remarkable I've managed to be so quiet on apples so far this fall. In past years it has felt like wall-to-wall apple talk around here because I love the little things so much. Pretty sure I've even called them my favourite all-time ingredient in the past. I'll stick to that.

The truth is some big changes have happened for me this fall. The biggest of which is I'm back in the workforce! I mean like, out there, beyond the walls of my kitchen and my laptop screen, doing actual officey things. My youngest boy is now in school (how'd that happen so fast?!) and so I have all this time during the day to get out there and be productive, for my family and for myself. And I'm loving it.

But I'm still blogging too, and sharing stories, images and recipes from my kitchen, like this oh-so-tasty chicken salad recipe. It gets a big flavour boost from curry powder and diced SweeTango apple. This apple has one serious crunch. In fact, the world record for loudest apple bite was won with a SweeTango. For reals, it's that crunchy. The experience of a SweeTango is described as a burst of sweet juice with notes of citrus, honey and spice. That's the kind of apple I want in my chicken salad!

Head on over to the SweeTango website to get your hands on the recipe, and let's be all-apple all-the-time together.

3 Life Lessons From the Garden

2016-07-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about having a backyard veggie patch and fruit trees is how much they teach me. When I'm back there, my toes in the grass and the sun on my face, there is no technology to distract me. No one pleads with me to do things they can perfectly well do for themselves. There's nothing in the way of listening to my own thoughts (you parents of young ones know what I'm talking about). It's just me and the plants, slowly and quietly changing and trying to improve every day.

There's a lot to learn while watching the beans grow and the zucchini plants blossom. Here are three life lessons my garden has given me:

1. All Things Come in Their Own Time

You can't rush what grows in the garden. It requires patience and time to reach its potential. A careful eye and a little experience will tell you if carrots are ready to be yanked from the soil or if tomatoes need another couple days to ripen on the vine. On the flip side, you also can't deny something its readiness when it comes earlier than expected. For example, the warm, dry weather this year means I am picking apples in July. Granted we have an early ripening variety, but it's typically the first week of August before I'm canning my first batches of garlic rosemary apple jelly and cinnamon brown sugar applesauce, and filling the freezer with apple oat crumbles. The truth is the garden responds to the conditions in the air and in the soil, whatever they may be, just as we must learn to thrive as best we can with whatever life blows our way and plants at our feet.

2. Good Things Grow on Trees
You can't always get what you want and money doesn't grow on trees, but plenty of really great stuff in life does start out on a branch. Peaches, pears, apples, apricots, nectarines and plums arranged neatly at a roadside stand or growing in your own backyard are as beautiful as life itself, and sometimes the cherry on top of a good day is quite literally a cherry on top. All these beautiful things bring us together, whether we go fruit picking with friends, chat with the seller at a roadside stand or preserve jars of dill pickles with a neighbour. All of that makes life richer, feeding our bellies and our hearts at the same time. Trees also bring us nuts, olives, bananas, lemons, limes, oranges, coconuts, figs and so much more. Yup, if it starts on a tree it can improve your life.

3. If We Don't Change We Don't Grow
There's no denying that change can be difficult, especially big changes like the one I am working on. After nearly nine years at home with my kids, I am planning to return to work outside the home this fall once my youngest son starts school. It's a big change, and not one that comes without a little anxiety, but the garden reminds me that change isn't only natural, it's actually healthy and can bring new things that I didn't even see coming. Just as a bean seed changes into a sprout, then into a stalk, then it flowers and produces fruit, people too can blossom through change. And just as the roots of the bean plant when left behind can add important nutrients to the soil over winter, we too leave our lasting marks on the world behind us as we change and move forward. Change is always coming our way, but we get to choose how we want to handle it.

What life lessons has your garden taught you?

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam: A Canning Photo Story

2016-05-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

Strawberry season has come early to my little kitchen garden here on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is usually mid June before I'm picking in the strawberry patch, but a mild spring and plenty of sunshine have conspired to deliver a cheeky May bounty of ripe, juicy berries perfect for homemade jam.

The rhubarb plants are still going strong as well, so my first jam of the growing season this year is a batch of homegrown strawberry rhubarb jam with just a touch of lime. Mmm! My littlest son especially will enjoy this smeared all over his face for the coming year.

Here are some jam-making snaps from the holiday Monday experience in my happy little kitchen. Canning is such a colourful, beautiful, delicious experience and I love sharing the photos with you here. Want the recipe? You can find all my canning recipes in my national bestselling cookbook The Canning Kitchen. Homemade jam for all!

Batch Cookbook Blog Hop & GIVEAWAY

2016-05-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year I start dreaming up preserving plans for the sunny months ahead. What do I want to preserve? How many pounds of tomatoes, peaches and cucumbers do I want to can this year? What will I grow, and what will I buy? Preserving can be done year-round, and I do put up jars of this and that when the mood strikes, but I like starting the growing season with shelves that are starting to get bare. They are not empty shelves to me. They are space for a fresh start.

I sat with my bare feet in the grass this Mother's Day, the sun shining hotly on my head, and did some daydreaming. No need for a spreadsheet or a checklist. Nothing set so firmly that it can't be undreamed. Just ideas and intentions.

Just in time for planning summer preserving comes along a new cookbook from the folks at the Toronto-based food blog Well Preserved. Joel MacCharles and Dana Harrison's beautiful book Batch: Over 200 Recipes, Tips & Techniques For a Well Preserved Kitchen from Appetite by Random House is in stores now. It has loads of ideas for canning fans, but you'll also find recipes for other types of preserving, such as dehydrating, fermenting, cellaring, salting, smoking and infusing. I have my eye on the mushrooms section and the instructions for making mushroom powder.

With a wide range of preserving options for an equally wide range of preservable foods, Batch is a thorough resource that is sure to please experienced preservers. But with its simple language and helpful illustrations, there is still plenty to love for the new preserver.

Start with the quick recipes like Salt-Preserved Lemons and Limes (salting) and Strawberry Ginger Leather (dehydrating), then work your way up to recipes with more steps like Cherry Ginger Beer (fermenting) and making your own bacon (salt and smoke). If you love the way food and science combine to make magic in the kitchen, you'll have fun casting spells within the pages of Batch.

I'm joining forces with some other Canadian food bloggers this week in celebration of the launch of Batch and giving readers a chance to win a copy for their own kitchen. We've all made something different from the book, and I chose Quick Pickled Grapes (page 219). I love me some sweet and sour flavours, so these halved grapes and lemon slices tucked inside a jar and topped with a simple brine of wine vinegar and honey is a winner. So far we've enjoyed them with seared pork chops and in salads. Yum.

Scroll down and enter to WIN a copy of Batch, and visit the other bloggers involved in the Blog Hop to enter their giveaways too...

Batch by Joel MacCharles & Dana Harrison, published by Appetite by Penguin Random House Canada. Author image credit: Margaret Mulligan.

Here are the other Canadian food bloggers participating in the Batch blog hop this week:

MONDAY
Getty at GettyStewart.com
Mardi at eat. live. travel. write.

TUESDAY
Jan at Family Bites
Kelly at KellyNeil.com

WEDNESDAY
Me!

THURSDAY
Valeria at A Canadian Foodie
Isabelle at Crumb

FRIDAY
Renée at sweetsugarbean
Food Bloggers of Canada

ENTER TO WIN RIGHT HERE ON FAMILY FEEDBAG!
To enter, fill out the rafflecopter box below.

Canadian residents only.
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chocolate Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini

2016-04-28T10:11:00.003-07:00

Disclosure: I am being paid to develop this original recipe content using Green & Black's Organic chocolate. I know, twist my arm to write about chocolate.

I'll be in the garden this Mother's Day.

It's a family tradition to plant our veggie garden and pot some flowers on Mother's Day each year. My mum usually comes over and we make a trip to our favourite garden centre to pick up some flowers, potting soil, veggie starts and seeds, and by the time we get home Mr. Feedbag has usually tilled the two long raised garden beds in our back yard. He's a sweetheart like that.

Working around the already huge rhubarb plants and flowering strawberry patch, I dig new homes for our summer tomatoes and zucchini plants. With long sweeps of the trowel, I make tiny trenches and drop in rows of carrot and lettuce seeds before covering them with soil and giving them their first sip of water. We put stakes in place and tie up new string lines for the peas to climb up under the summer sun. Beginnings.

Today I'm sharing another Mother's Day recipe made with Green & Black's Organic chocolate. This time I'm using 70% dark chocolate to make a savoury appetizer that's right at home on your Mother's Day menu. These chocolate strawberry goat cheese crostini are as pretty as they are completely tasty. I love strawberries with dark chocolate and I love strawberries with balsamic vinegar. Add in a fresh basil leaf and cool, creamy goat cheese on a crunchy slice of toasted baguette and you have a combination that feels fresh and fancy despite the fact they're actually super easy to make.

Watch my how-to video to make these simple appetizers, or scroll down to get my full recipe...

Chocolate Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini
Makes 24 appetizers

1 baguette, sliced into 24 pieces
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
150 grams goat cheese
24 fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup (175 mL) sliced strawberries
1 bar (100 grams) Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate with 70% Cocoa
2 tsp (10 mL) liquid honey
2 tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

On a baking sheet, drizzle baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat, then spread out on a single layer. Bake until lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Spread each crostini with some goat cheese. Add a basil leaf to each one, then a slice of strawberry. Set aside.

Add 1 inch of water to a small saucepan. Finely chop the chocolate bar, transferring about two thirds to a heat-proof bowl, reserving the remaining chocolate. Set the bowl over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is fully melted. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in reserved chocolate until fully melted.

Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar into the chocolate until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle (or use a spoon) and drizzle over crostini. Serve immediately.

NOTE: The baguette can be sliced and baked a day ahead and kept fresh in a sealed container. The chocolate balsamic glaze can be made ahead and reheated in the microwave, checking every 20 seconds, until melted. Assemble with other ingredients just before serving.

Are you a fan of dark chocolate? Do you use chocolate in savoury recipes? Leave a comment and share your ideas.

White Chocolate Sprinkle Truffles with Green & Black's

2016-04-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

[Disclosure: I am being paid to develop and photograph this original content using Green & Black's Organic chocolate products. Also, chocolate!]

I always knew I wanted to be a mom.

As a kid, when friends said they wanted to be veterinarians and fire fighters and rocket scientists when they grew up, I would say with my little girl conviction that I wanted to be a blood donor and a mom. Goals achieved, I guess you could say. Sure, there were other fun things along the way. I was a news anchor for a while, ran a half-marathon once, became an author, but in the end it is motherhood that makes me the happiest and feels like a home for my heart.

I know a lot of you can relate, and since Mother's Day is coming up fast I am sharing some chocolatey goodness this week in partnership with Green & Black's Organic. I have two new recipes to share, crafted in my own little kitchen, to make for or with the moms in your life.

Today I'm sharing some dainty sweet treats that can be boxed up and wrapped with a bow. These white chocolate sprinkle truffles are made with Green & Black's Organic White Chocolate with Madagascan Vanilla (ya, it tastes as good as it sounds). These chocolate-coated truffles have a satisfyingly silky white chocolate ganache centre, and they are fun to make and oh-so-pretty. Use whatever colour sprinkles you have on hand or go with mom's favourite colour.

For all you mamas out there, a very happy almost Mother's Day to you. I'll have another chocolate recipe in a couple days, complete with a fun how-to video. For now, scroll down to get my recipe for white chocolate sprinkle truffles, and be good to your mutha...

White Chocolate Sprinkle Truffles
Makes 2 dozen truffles

4 bars (4 x 100 grams) Green & Black's Organic White Chocolate with Madagascan Vanilla
1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream
2 tsp (10 mL) sprinkles (any colour)

Finely chop 2 chocolate bars and transfer to a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute to begin melting, then gently stir until fully melted. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).

Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop small amounts of the ganache and roll into 1 inch balls (this is easiest done with cool hands). Transfer balls to a wax paper-line sheet. Chill for 10 minutes.

Finely chop 2 more chocolate bars. Transfer about two-thirds of the chocolate to a medium heat-proof bowl. Add 1 inch of water to a small saucepan and set the bowl over it to create a double boiler. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted. Remove bowl from the heat. Stir in the remaining chocolate until fully melted.

Using a fork, dip the ganache balls into the melted chocolate to coat. Allow excess to drip off, then return to wax paper-lined sheet. Top each truffle with sprinkles as you work before the chocolate hardens.

Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

NOTE: If the ganache is left in the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours and is too firm to roll into balls, allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour to soften slightly.

How do you use white chocolate in your kitchen? Cookies? Muffins? Truffles? Leave a comment and let's talk white chocolate.

'Homegrown' the Cookbook: Quebec Style Pea Soup

2016-03-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

I'm getting all patriotic on you today and joining with a group of Canadian food bloggers to spread the joy about the new cookbook Homegrown by our pal Mairlyn Smith. This collection of Canadian recipes, published by Whitecap Books, is perfectly summed up by its subtitle - Celebrating the Canadian Foods We Grow, Raise and Produce With 160 Recipes. If you never knew how much of what we eat is grown right here at home, this book will bring you up to speed quickly and on a full stomach.

Mairlyn is a professional home economist, cookbook author, media darling and all around funny gal (she's a Second City Comedy Troupe alumnus). Whatever the room, she is bound to be the most sparkling personality in it as she wishes one and all, "Peace, love and fibre." When she speaks passionately about something, you can't help but care about it too. So it's no surprise she is the one bringing Canadians together in a tasty celebration over the food grown and raised right here at home.

In Homegrown, Mairlyn takes us all across this great land of ours from east to west, north to south, and through four seasons to showcase what it is to eat Canadian. It reminds us of the bounty of our prairies, the wealth of our waterways, the fruitfulness of our soil, and the beauty of sharing all that food with each other. Homegrown connects home cooks to the family farm and puts that bounty in our bowls so we can feel good about eating well and supporting the families that work hard to fill our shopping baskets.

To me, split pea soup is Canada in a bowl. A regular part of our post-Easter family dinners growing up, a bowl of thick pea soup with cubes of leftover ham was pure Canadian comfort food. On page 146 of Homegrown, we are treated to a recipe for Quebec Style Pea Soup (recipe below), which is absolutely everything you want it to be. It starts with bacon and ends with spoonfuls of thick and satisfying pea soup just like mom used to make. Simple, comforting and full of fibre, this is a Canadian tradition I could come back to time and again.

I visited Quebec City this past December for a fun-filled three day shopping trip with two long-time girlfriends, and we had so much fun enjoying the flavours of Quebec while we were there. I seem to have developed a particular affection for Quebec flavours now, wherever I can get them, so my choice of making the Quebec Style Pea Soup was an easy one. Make it, you'll like it. And in the words of Mairlyn, "Peace, love and fibre."

Now for the blog book tour! Visit these other fine food bloggers to see what Homegrown goodness they've cooked up:

Mardi of eat. live. travel. write. made Spicy Red Lentil Soup (page 148)
Jan of Family Bites made Apple Maple Cheddar Spread (page 73)
Charmian of The Messy Baker made Zucchini & Carrot Breakfast Muffins (page 34)
Renée of Sweetsugarbean made Kale Tossed Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing (page 204)
Julie of Dinner with Julie made Maple Brussels Sprout Slaw (page 194)

Quebec Style Pea Soup

Contributed by Carol Frail, PHEc

From Homegrown: Celebrating the Canadian Foods We Grow, Raise and Produce with 160 Recipes, authored by Mairlyn Smith. Reprinted with permission of Whitecap Books, 2016.

8 slices bacon, diced (low sodium recommended)
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, scrubbed well and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) dried split peas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp (5 mL) iodized salt
7 cups (1.75 L) no salt added vegetable broth
1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped green onions (optional)

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Set aside.
2. Add onion and carrots and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic, thyme, black pepper, bay leaf, cubed potatoes, split peas and salt. Sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the peas and potatoes are very soft.
4. Remove soup from the heat and remove the bay leaf; using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup or transfer to a blender or food processor and puree in smaller batches, then return soup to saucepan.
5. If needed, add additional water or broth. Reheat if necessary. Sprinkle bacon over soup, stir in and serve. Sprinkle with green onion, if using.

Makes 8 cups (2 L) One serving = 1 cup (250 mL)

To purchase your own copy of Homegrown, you can pick one up at your local book store or purchase one online here!

Understanding Nutrition Labels in 3 Simple Steps

2016-03-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

Grocery shopping for a family can be hectic. Between the planning, the price comparing and the physical moving of it all from shelf to cart to checkout to home, it's no wonder home cooks who once enjoyed a leisurely visit to the grocery store start to dread it as their families get bigger. I wish I could say I have some sort of system worked out, but most of the time I'm out there with no game plan and no patience, plowing my cart up and down aisles, kids hanging off the sides, trying to remember what was on the half-written list I forgot by the front door at home.

So, I'm all ears about anything that simplifies the process, especially when it comes to understanding what's in our food quickly and easily. For my own health, I am interested in avoiding hidden sugars in products where you don't expect them, such as pasta sauces (which is why I don't buy them at all anymore), and bonus protein wherever I can find it.

Recently I attended a blogger event in Vancouver with my family where we learned together to 'Focus on the Facts' - that is we learned Health Canada's 3 steps to using the Nutrition Facts table found on most packaged foods. It's pretty simple, really. You start first by looking at the serving size. After all, if you're going to compare products you need to know if you're comparing them fairly. Then you look at the percent daily value for the nutrients you are interested in. Finally, you make an informed choice based on your family's needs. A good rule to follow is 5 per cent is a little, 15 per cent is a lot. Simple, right?

Health Canada's 3-steps to using the Nutrition Facts table (credit: Health Canada).

My kids and I compared a few products we buy a lot, such as tortilla chips. Seriously, my kids would snack on those all day every day if I let them. We compared a multigrain chip and an original chip from the same brand and we were interested to discover that the original chip is in fact the better choice for our family, based on sugars and protein. I had read something online recently about this comparison, and upon personal investigation I'd say that's pretty surprising!

We also compared jarred pasta sauce with a can of plain tomato sauce. Each of them were 1/2 cup serving sizes, yet the jarred pasta sauce had four times as much sugar per serving. Like I said above, I don't buy it anymore. The can of plain sauce becomes something completely lovely once simmered with minced garlic, fresh or dried herbs, spices and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Plus, it costs much less.

Being able to use the Nutrition Facts table means making informed choices quickly, instead of standing around in the grocery store trying to make a choice based on ingredients lists or gut feeling. It's also a great conversation starter for kids. My own boys actually enjoyed comparing products and learning about which nutrients we want more of and which we want less of. It didn't hurt, of course, that they were given nifty Sherlock-style detective hats and magnifying glasses for the task. The experience reminded me that sometimes everyday activities like grocery shopping can be turned into a game rather than a chore.

To find out more about using the Nutrition Facts table to simplify your own grocery shopping, visit the Health Canada Nutrition Facts website. Plus, enter the contest for a chance to win a $300 grocery card at www.FocusontheFacts.ca!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I am being paid to share information about the Nutrition Facts table with my readers/social media followers. Words and opinions are my own.

Thoughts From the Grocery Store #3

2016-03-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

My Thoughts From the Grocery Store blog series continues with this story from the hair aisle. You can read part one about the self-checkouts here and part two about groping the veg here.
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#3 - My Nasal Enema

Like most normal human women, I like my shampoo and conditioner to smell great. It's a comfort thing. In the morning when I'm taking a hot shower, my eyes still barely open, I like a good whiff of calendula or ginseng or whatever other nice-sounding scent they can stuff into a plastic squeeze bottle. Hair companies know this. That's why they put the smelly stuff in there. Sure, it's probably fake natural chemical scent or whatever, but it smells good and I like it.

Because of this desire for a nice-smelling hair product, I have a habit of loitering in the hair aisle at the grocery store, opening the bottles and smelling the contents before deciding which ones to put in my shopping cart. It's just a quick, stealthy sniff. There's that little pocket of air at the top of the bottle between the product and the lid, and if you pop the top and give the bottle just a tiny squeeze you can puff out that air and give it a sniff. Simple. Except for that time when there was no pocket of air.

I was puffing and sniffing this one time with my husband next to me when suddenly I was experiencing a sort of deep conditioning nasal treatment. Creamy white conditioner had shot out of the bottle and up one of my nostrils, filling it completely and leaving another big glob dangling from my upper lip. I looked at my husband in a state of stunned victimization over this unscheduled nasal enema while Joe Cocker sang "You are so beautiful to meee" from the speakers in the ceiling. The look on his face in that moment, a combination of sympathy and adoration, told me he would never leave me.

I wish I could tell you this happened just the once. A normal person would have learned their lesson about puffing and sniffing. But it may have happened again, this time while I was grocery shopping alone. I don't have to confess to anything that may or may not have happened without a witness, but let me just say this, my friends, for what it's worth. Hair conditioner does not make a good facial lotion if you happen to have some dripping from your nose that you need to get rid of quickly. You will end up leaving the grocery store looking like a greasy-faced hot mess. But you will smell great.
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I will be sharing more Thoughts from the Grocery Store, so check back soon and be sure to follow Family Feedbag on Facebook for updates.

Thoughts From the Grocery Store #2

2016-03-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

My new blog series Thoughts From the Grocery Store continues this week with a few thoughts about buying fresh fruit and vegetables. Or is that fruits and vegetables? I never know. Google disagrees on this. Anyhow, to read the first part in this series, about self-checkouts, you can find it here.

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#2 - Groping the Veg

Being choosy is pretty natural in the produce section of the grocery store. I know we're all supposed to be buying ugly fruit and veg to reduce food waste and all that, and the thing is I totally agree with that, but I am shallow and I am human. Sure, I get it, ugly tomatoes are people too. But my garden has plenty of those knobbly, half-ripe tomatoes on the vines come early September. I slice them up or sauce them or turn them into relish because, well, I have kind of grown attached to them all summer.

But the reality of it is when in the grocery store and presented with the option between a gnarly tomato and a shiny, plump one, I'll take home the pretty one. Every time. It's normal, I think, even natural. We are judgy about food, just as Mother Nature or God or Darwin or whatever intended, so we eat food that won't poison us.

I have this thing about buying cucumbers. I like them to be uniformly thick the full length of the cucumber. I mean, who wants tiny bread and butter pickles and big round mushy pickles in the same jar? This picky woman doesn't, that's who. So, I look at the cucumbers on offer carefully. I pick one up, wrap a hand around it snugly, slide my hand up and down the full length of it to make sure there aren't any soft spots. I turn it over in my hands, then put it back and feel up and down another one until I find the right cuke.

Now, I get what this could look like. I wasn't born yesterday. I get that another shopper who just happens to be wandering through the produce department with their filthy mind might think I'm testing for girth. And, actually, I am. Just not for non-eating reasons. They may assume (perhaps with a tinge of admiration) that I am simply a vivacious woman in my late thirties looking for something to get me through those lonely nights, the big perverts that they are.

But I swear to you I have no lusty designs on the cucumbers. Same goes for the zucchinis, the bananas, and other oblong fruits and vegetables in the grocery store. It's simply natural human instinct to want to put only the best in my mouth.

What?! Oh, just stop it.

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Check back soon for more Thoughts From the Grocery Store when I'll be sharing a story about that time I accidentally got a deep-conditioning nasal treatment in the shampoo aisle.

Thoughts from the Grocery Store - #1

2016-02-26T13:54:00.002-08:00

I'm shaking things up here on Family Feedbag with a brand new blog series about grocery shopping. Yup, for real. Why? Because I was craving something new to write about AND because we all do it. Whether it's at big box stores, small neighbourhood groceries, or your standard supermarket, we all have to buy food. From parking lot drama to embarrassing incidents in the shampoo aisle (it's a thing, just wait), I'm sharing all the hilarious, messed up and sometimes pi$&ed off thoughts that float around my head while grocery shopping.
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#1 - The Self-Checkout

Technology is the way and the light. I'm a blogger, I get it. But the self-checkout is one use of tech that seems to be still going through some growing pains. I use it regularly, but only for a small basket of things. It doesn't seem to be a system that works for large orders, or basically anything beyond what fits on the weight scale sneakily disguised as a bagging area.

Here are the people I see using the self-checkouts while I'm *waiting for attendant*:

That Angry Guy
You can recognize this guy because he never gets a cart and never smiles. To him, the rest of us are just useless pylons in the grocery store obstacle course. He's usually wearing gym clothes and an attitude, and he just wants to pay for his boneless, skinless chicken breasts and get home to watch ultimate fighting.

As an aside, this is also the same person who is most likely to make a scene and rage out of the store without his canister of protein powder when the technology fails.

The least technologically-savvy person in the world
There's no way around it, shelf-checkouts are computery thingies with screens and buttons and stuff. It doesn't matter how many years you've been grocery shopping, you need at least a basic understanding of how to operate a computer to do this successfully. Cashier Cathy in lane #4 hates these things and doesn't understand why the manager wants to put in more of them.

There should be a pre-screening test to use the self-checkout line-up, just to save the rest of us from the strain of being too polite to roll our eyeballs into the back of our brains in public, even though we really, really want to. Please, if you still can't figure out your TV remote, don't use the self-checkouts. Go see Cathy. You probably want to talk about the weather anyway. She'll love you.

Anyone buying condoms, hemorrhoid cream and all other "down there" products
We all know there's only one way to purchase these things: Get in, pay, get the hell out. These shoppers don't want to feel the embarrassment sweats brought on by Cathy's knowing glance while she slowly drags a box of yeast infection cream over the scanner. Frankly, I think this is why self-checkouts, and hoodies, were invented.

The cravers

These are the people that only need one thing, but they, like, really, REALLY need it. They have a movie on pause at home and are hoping we'll think their pajamas are really just yoga pants. The giveaway is the late hour and the single carton of Ben and Jerry's.

By the way, these are the same people that almost run you over in the parking lot as they peel away with their bag of double-stuffeds tucked between their knees. But I get it. Cravings are for real. I see your single-serving cheesecake and raise you a bag of Doritos.

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Those are some Thoughts from the Grocery Store. I'll be back next time with a little bit about feeling up vegetables in the produce department.

Whipped Avocado Cucumber Bites

2016-02-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sharing a recipe today over on Produce Made Simple. This time I'm taking guacamole in a satisfying one-bite direction with some whipped avocado cucumber bites. They're pretty enough for the buffet table yet fun enough for a casual game-day get together. With fresh avocado, chili and lime, these are a pop of big flavour that packs a healthful punch. Super yum!

Get the recipe here on Produce Made Simple.

Peach Mint Salsa

2016-02-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

No one would be surprised, I don't think, that my family loves canned peaches. I can a whole bunch of them myself in jars each summer when they're ripe and juicy. Heck, I wrote a book about it! Trouble is, those jars of home-canned peaches run out somewhere around mid-winter and yet we still want the taste of pure summer in our cakes, pancakes and pies. That's when I reach for canned peaches from the shops. They're handy, affordable and, best of all, they pack a peachy punch just like homemade.

In Canada, canned peaches are almost exclusively California cling peaches, which are sliced and canned within 24 hours of coming off the tree to preserve their flavour, texture and nutritional content. They hold their shape nicely too, which makes them ideal for slicing and dicing to suit whatever you're making.

My first instinct when developing a recipe using canned peaches was to do something sweet. But, loving a good challenge, I decided instead to aim for something a little less obvious. To honour their summer flavour, I settled on a salsa recipe using tomatoes, fresh mint, and the canned peaches for their gentle, sunny sweetness. With a little hot chili flakes and the juice of a lime stirred in, the result is a fresh and fruity salsa. Try it at party time with crunch tortilla chips or use a few spoonfuls to dress up baked chicken and fish.

So stock up on canned peaches and grab the simple recipe below...

Peach Mint Salsa
Makes 3 cups (750 mL) salsa

1 can (398 mL) peach slices, drained and diced
2 cups (500 mL) diced plum tomatoes (about 3 or 4)
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely diced red onion
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot chili flakes
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

In a medium bowl, mix together the peaches, tomatoes, onion, mint, lime juice, chili flakes and salt. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

How do you like to use canned peaches? Leave a comment and share your peachy ideas!

Disclosure: I am being paid my standard recipe writing fee for developing this recipe using California Cling Peaches. Views are my own.

Saucy Pulled Chicken and Rice Tacos

2016-01-19T07:21:00.003-08:00

Types of rice are like friends. They come in many varieties and forms, some are suited to certain situations more than others, but they are all special in their own way. Just like sometimes I need to call on a funny friend or a knitting friend or someone who gives great advice, I like to keep several types of rice around so I can call on the one that suits the moment best.

I used a medium-grain California-grown brown rice to write this recipe for saucy pulled chicken and rice tacos. Brown rice has a mild nutty flavour and chewy texture, which suits these substantial tacos, also adding whole grain nutrition. The best part about rice in tacos is it helps to soak up all that gorgeous sauce to keep things tidy. Well, as tidy as tacos can be. You're still going to want a napkin for these lovelies!

This recipe is super easy to make, and the chicken can be prepared ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to assemble the tacos. The rice takes about half an hour to cook, which is just enough time to assemble the other toppings and set the dinner table.

I had never really contemplated much where my rice comes from until I started working on this recipe. I was surprised to learn about 70 per cent of the rice we consume in Canada is grown in the U.S. I guess I thought it came from much further away. I learned a lot of other interesting facts over here on the USA Rice website. Check it out, then grab a package of some nutty brown rice and try these saucy pulled chicken and rice tacos!

Get the recipe below...

Saucy Pulled Chicken and Rice Tacos
Makes approximately one dozen tacos

2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 or 5)
1 can (156 mL/5.5 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) malt vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) onion powder
1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) uncooked medium-grain brown rice
12 small flour or corn tortillas
1 head of butter lettuce
1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Place the chicken breasts in a medium baking dish, such as a 9-inch (2.5 L) square baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato paste, brown sugar, malt vinegar, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard, paprika and salt. Pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Use two forks to pull apart the chicken in the sauce.

Meantime, bring the rice and 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes (or cook according to package instructions).

To assemble each taco, place a leaf or two of lettuce on a tortilla. Add a spoonful of rice and a forkful of pulled chicken. Top with sour cream, a sprinkling of green onions, and a squeeze of lime if desired.

Disclosure: I am being paid my usual recipe development fee for this post using USA Rice.

Chocolate Toffee Truffles (with Hershey's CHIPITS)

2015-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Chocolate. Few nibbles are as exciting as a piece of chocolate. Better yet, chocolate truffles.

To me, the best thing about dark chocolate is it doesn't take much to satisfy. Just a truffle or two can feel like a decadent treat. I like to take small bites, to savour the richness of the chocolate and dwell in the moment just a little bit longer. A truffle coats the tongue with the flavour and texture of pure luxury. Let the wind whip and the rain fall. Let the chores wait. There is no need to rush a truffle.

I like to keep my baking cupboard well stocked so I can prepare something whenever the mood strikes without having to make a trip to the store first. My go-to chip is Hershey's CHIPITS. They taste incredible, perform well and fit my shopping budget nicely. So, I was delighted when I was asked to create an easy holiday recipe using CHIPITS to share with you. These 5-ingredient Chocolate Toffee Truffles are so simple to make, yet so elegant, even your kids could make them and impress just about anyone.

It starts with dark chocolate chips for rich, chocolatey flavour. A hot cream and butter mixture is poured over the chips and stirred into a luxurious, silky ganache. To take things up a notch, SKOR toffee bits are stirred into the mixture to add crunch and interest. Once chilled, the ganache is formed into balls then rolled in cocoa powder for a pretty finish. These can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or even frozen for a few months.

It doesn't get much easier or more decadent than my Chocolate Toffee Truffles. Scroll down for the easy recipe and treat yourself and your loved ones to something truly special this holiday season.

Chocolate Toffee Truffles (with Hershey's CHIPITS)
Makes approximately 4 dozen truffles

1 package (250 g) CHIPITS dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream (may be labelled "whipping cream")
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) CHIPITS SKOR toffee bits
1/2 cup (125 mL) cocoa powder

Add the CHIPITS dark chocolate chips to a large mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until it reaches a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the CHIPITS SKOR toffee bits. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (this can be made a day or two ahead).

Add the cocoa powder to a small side plate. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop some of the chocolate toffee mixture and roll between your hands to form a 1-inch ball. Roll the ball in the cocoa powder to coat. Continue in this manner to form all the truffles. If desired, sprinkle with more CHIPITS SKOR toffee bits when serving.

Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks. You can also make them ahead and freeze for up to 3 months.

NOTE: To make rolling truffles a little less messy, dust the palms of your hands with cocoa powder as you work.

What will you make with chocolate this holiday season?

Disclosure: I was provided with Hershey's CHIPITS at no cost to myself to develop this recipe. I am also being paid my usual recipe development and photography fee for this blog post.

Best Gifts: Cooking Class at The London Chef

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There is one final item to give away on this year's Best Gifts for the Home Cook wish list, and I am really excited about this one because it is very near and dear to my heart. I'm giving away a cooking class! And not just any cooking class. I'm giving away a gift certificate for a cooking class at The London Chef cooking school here in Victoria, BC. I am a guest instructor there and I know for certain you are going to LOVE the experience.

Heads up in advance - the winner of this prize must be able to attend the class in Victoria. So please enter if you live in the Greater Victoria area or can get yourself here, or if you have someone in Victoria you want to gift it to.

If there's one thing I know for certain about people who love to cook, it is that they love to be around other people who love to cook. A cooking class at The London Chef gets you out of the solitude of your own kitchen and into a beautiful and comfortable space to explore new flavours and techniques. It is about spending a few hours enhancing your cooking skills and indulging in the joys and flavours of great food and friendly company.

I started teaching at The London Chef in early 2012, which wasn't too long after the business was opened by Dan and Micayla Hayes who have since become my friends. I call it the most beautiful kitchen in Victoria. It's spacious and bright and sparkles brightly inside floor-to-ceiling street-level windows. If you have my book The Canning Kitchen you may even recognize that I photographed some of the book at The London Chef.

Wherever you live, a cooking class is an excellent gift for a passionate home cook. Scroll down to find out how to enter this fantastic giveaway!

To enter the giveaway of a cooking class gift certificate for The London Chef, leave a comment on this blog post telling me which of the upcoming classes at The London Chef interests you the most (don't worry, you can change your mind if you win)! PLEASE LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Transportation not provided. Winner must be able to attend class at The London Chef, 953 Fort Street, Victoria, BC.

One entry per person. A winner will be randomly selected on Monday, December 14, 2015 at 9 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Pacific. The winner will be contacted directly and announced on FamilyFeedbag.com and its associated social media channels.

GOOD LUCK!