Lemongrass Kale Salad

 I'm feeling a little under the weather today.  Whenever I'm feeling ill I inevitably try to think of the food that will heal me.  I'm not sure if it's the healing properties of fresh food that makes me feel better or just the placebo effect of believing it will.  Either way, this is a fine tasting salad that is quickly pulled together.

Chicken Adobo

Josilin came running downstairs the other day waving a flag at me with a huge smile on her face.  In her hand was a bandana from a friend she met from the Philippines.  Her request?  “Mom, I just remembered how much I love the national dish of the Philippines.  Could you please make this recipe?”

Orange Rosemary Brownies

 My fascination with savoury ingredients in sweet offerings continues.  Following the success of the Grapefruit Rosemary Sandwich cookies I knew I needed to try again.  These brownies are beautifully topped with a sweet orange and rosemary buttercream icing and crunchy raw cacao bits. 

Southwest Sandwich

My poor mother.  My entire childhood I proclaimed: I hate sandwiches!  Not a single one made it into my lunch she lovingly made me everyday.  I turned my nose up at them at friends' homes, wedding showers, birthday parties, family picnics and everywhere in between.  I'm not sure I even tried a sandwich before deciding I hated them.

Hand Pies for Haiti

As word spread that my Recipe to Riches journey had landed me in the top 5 in my category, so did the requests to try the product.  Many offers were made from people to purchase the pies, but I really had no interest in making a profit from these.  Creating dishes has always been about the exploring and the first taste - not mass production!  For one time only, I decided to make the hand pies to give away, while asking friends to make a donation to a worthy cause.

Kale and Black Bean Enchiladas

Many a guest has sat at our table following a meal and looked at Don with envy.  The assumptions being that he eats that well every night and that he cares.  It's not really true on either account.  I won't lie, most nights we eat very well, but we too eat leftovers and order in.  The reason we eat so well is because I find it exciting and enjoyable to make new things.  It matters a lot to me what I consume!  For Don... not so much.

Almond Butter Chickpea Wrap

It’s funny how some foods just by smell or taste can take us back to a place we’ve been or people we were with.  This Chickpea Almond Butter Wrap is full of bittersweet memories for me.  The first time I tasted these flavour combinations was out for lunch with a dear friend.  Both of us were anticipating it would taste like hummus and we were pleasantly surprised to be wrong. That first serving was actually in a pita and I found the bread a little too much when it was really just the filling taste I wanted.  Not long after that lunch out our local newspaper ran an article highlighting this café and included a recipe for the sandwich.  It wasn’t long before I was making the sandwich at home with my own adaptations and every time remembering the lovely lunch when I first had it. 

Almost famous

It was only a matter of time I suppose.  All these years of blog reading would eventually lead to me writing my own.  I love going back to the very first post of my favourite blogs.  It's always awkward and not the least like their current writings.  So I suppose, that is how it will begin.  Clunky and awkward and perhaps move forward to something different.