Celebrate Local!

BT Toronto | posted Friday, Jul 16th, 2021

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In partnership with Scotiabank, Breakfast Television launches ‘Celebrate Local’!

With the lockdowns ending, we have to remember to support our local businesses. Each day, Breakfast Television will place a spotlight on a Canadian business deserving of recognition! 

Check back Friday mornings for a freshly updated list!

Stay safe, and support local!

CELEBRATE Local: Week 1

SOLE BURNERS

@soleburners

Creator and Owner Camille de Leon took her passion for sneakers and started designing candles that look like your favourite pair of sneaks. From Yeezys to Jordans, she’s got you covered.

OLA BAMBOO

100 rue Quesnel, Victoriaville QC G6S 1K9

@olabamboo

Inspired to help end plastic waste, OLA Bamboo is a company from Quebec that specializes in all types of Eco-friendly products made from bamboo. From Toothbrushes to straws, to kitchen utensils, they have you covered.

CABANO’S COMFORT FOOD

75 St Nicholas St #104, Toronto, ON M4Y 0A5

@cabanoscomfortfood

Cabano’s Comfort Food is known for exactly what it says – comfort food (which is very much needed these days!). From homemade burgers, to classic chicken sandwiches, to never-frozen chicken wings and iconic sauces, they offer classic items, made with quality ingredients. Everything is fresh, local, cooked to order, and very affordable.

REIMAGINE DESIGNS

326 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B2

@reimagine_designs

Reimagine Designs is a boutique interior design company offering residential design services and online furniture that is available throughout Canada.  They strive to provide personalized customer service online, and in the showroom, highlighting well-designed, unique, and quality products such as furniture, rugs, art, lighting, and decor.

REBELS REFINERY

49 McCormack St. Toronto, ON M6N 1X8

@rebelsrefinery

Rebels Refinery specializes in lip balms, essential oils, sanitizer, and much more. Having a knack for design, their produts come in all different shapes and colours. From Cactus to skulls, these lip balms are unlike any other.

BY ANNALAY

@byannalay

Created in 2013, By Annalay is a family Jewellery company that centres around personal self-empowerment Produced in Toronto, Canada, By Annalay focuses their products on the women who want it all and accepts that the journey is just as important as the destination – also, she is set on looking and feeling her best on that journey!

ROOKS TO COOKS

40 Kodiak Crescent Unit 3, North York, ON M3J 3G5

@rooks2cooks

Rooks to Cooks is an innovative culinary school based out of Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Chef Shai Mandel in 2015. Rooks to Cooks was developed to be first and foremost student-centered and flexible. We know that each student is unique with their own learning goals. For this reason, we make sure that any course, class or program offered through Rooks to Cooks accommodates all students and their individual needs. Our mission is simple: we will empower our students to become more independent by building self-confidence and supporting self-expression through culinary education.

KINDRED CULTURES

@kinderedcultures

Kindred Cultures take their probiotic-rich kefir water and infuse it with a rainbow of organic fruits + botanicals for a delicious beverage that makes your body feel great. Low in sugar and calories, packed with probiotics, infused with the natural goodness of real foods.

CELEBRATE Local: Week 2

CARLA’S COOKIE BOX

Online Business – GTA Based

@carlacookiebox

Carla’s Cookie Box is known for their cookies, smash cakes and most importantly their visually stunning and delicious butter tarts. Available online, ship throughout Canada and The U.S.

ai TORONTO SEOUL

Online Business

@aitorontoseoul

ai (Eye-E) Toronto Seoul which is a proudly Canadian, family-run, sustainable fashion brand that carefully curates PETA-approved vegan leather handbags and accessories made in small batches. Founded by a mother and her trio of fashion-obsessed Korean-Canadian daughters, the brand works with local artisans in Seoul to create sustainable-luxury pieces shipped directly to consumers, worldwide, from their Toronto-based HQ.

BELLE’S BAKERY 

262 Dupont Street, Toronto

@bellesbakery.to

Belle’s Bakery specializes in Sourdough breads, Montreal Style Bagels, savory pastries like croissant’s, empanadas, quiches, and sausage rolls. Also, from their homemade soups and Broths, they have you covered there. And obviously, no bakery is complete without the sweet stuff. With a variety of cakes, lemon bars, tiramisu, Portuguese custard tarts and so much more, you’re not going to leave Belle’s hungry.

MUMGRY 

Online Business

@mumgry

MUMGRY takes the guesswork out of snacking. We make plant based snacks using only the good stuff. Made with love and integrity, our snack foods are flavourful, dairy free, gluten-free, low in sugar, high in protein, iron and calcium. Good for everyone, especially Mums. Keeping you nourished and energized is our greatest goal.

KANDL

88 Avenue Road, Toronto

@kandlartistique

KANDL is a family-owned business and has been one of the world’s top candle makers for almost 50 years. KANDL Artistique is home to a line of small-batch, hand-poured, soy-based wax candles. At KANDL we bring you the first fully customizable candle Lab experience in North America. Guests can choose, combine and create custom fragrances to create their own personalized scented candle, from start to finish. We are the first lab experience where you can take your fully cured candle home in just 90 minutes.

THIS IS J SLEEPWEAR

Online Business

@this_Is_j

This Is J Sleepwear is a Canadian made, ethically made, comfort-driven brand that makes ultra-soft sleepwear & loungewear. Best known for their soft, breathable bamboo fabrics and fun hand-printed patterns, This is J knits, dyes, prints, cuts, and sews their products right here in Canada and have since their inception, 20 years ago.

ERNIE’S ICEBOX

Online Business – Toronto Based

@erniesicebox

Ernie’s Icebox makes handmade ice cream sandwiches in the heart of downtown Toronto. Founded by Julia Haist, Ernie’s is proudly local and made completely from scratch. New flavours are introduced regularly, and announced on instagram @erniesicebox along with weekly pre-order drops!

EVERYDAY HEROES KIDS

Online Business

@everydayheroeskids

EHK is an online source connecting families to pediatric professionals & organizations in health, mental health & education.

DOM

Online Business

@athomewithdom

DOM develops design-forward products for a post-pandemic world. Launched in April of this year, the brand’s first products are a duo of organic hand sanitizing sprays.  The inspiration for Dom was born out of frustration with the lack of safe, effective and aesthetically pleasing products on the market, especially during a time when hand sanitizer has become such an integral part of our daily lives. Dom’s hand sanitizer sprays are vegan; completely free of silicon, phthalate, paraben and sulfate, and are never tested on animals. The bottles are created using post-consumer recycled material and, they smell and feel really good!

REWORKS UPCYCLE

West Kootenays, British Columbia Based

@reworks_in_nelsonBC

Reworks Upcycle features a one-of-a-kind selection of recycled, zero waste locally made products. Reworks stocks a wide variety of products made from recycled or upcycled materials diverting thousands of pounds of waste from the landfill each year. Most of the products are made by individuals from Calgary and across Canada. ReWorks strives to make lives more sustainable by encouraging waste reduction and maintaining a large selection of eco friendly products. They’re also launching Bear Springs Eco Retreat nestled in the West Kootenays, the retreat offers novel canvas tents and A-frame glamping accommodations in a beautiful mountain setting with stunning views.

Banh Mi Stuffing

Sylvia Nguyen | posted Thursday, Dec 12th, 2024

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Want to make your holiday feast unforgettable? This season, transform traditional stuffing by giving it some bold banh mi flavour!

BANH MI STUFFING RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

2 Vietnamese or French baguettes

2-3 tbsp of Vietnamese pâté (homemade or store-bought)

2-3 tbsp of Vietnamese mayo (homemade or store-bought)

3/4 cup of diced carrots

1/2 cup of daikon (white radish/lobok)

2 whole shallots sliced

2 green onions, sliced (separate white and green parts)

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb crispy pork belly, chop meat & skin (set crispy skin aside)

1 cup chicken broth

1 tsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 stick unsalted butter (about 7-8 tbsp)

1 tsp salt, adjust to preferred taste

3/4 cup(ish) of sriracha mayo, brush as “egg wash”

9″ oven safe pie dish or similar

Garnish:

Crispy pork skin

Green onion (reserved green parts)

Cilantro stems (to taste)

Optional: chili peppers (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

Banh Mi Croutons

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Cut open baguettes and spread Vietnamese pâté on one side and mayo on the other side 2. Close up baguettes & cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
3. Lay a single layer on an baking sheet and place in the oven to toast all the way through, approximately 15-20 minutes. Croutons should be nice and hard (not just toasty on the outside or else stuffing will be too soggy!)
4. Once croutons are out of the oven, turn up the heat to 425F for the stuffing

Stuffing “Custard”:

1. Meanwhile, heat up a pan on med-high and add some cooking oil
2. Saute the green onion whites, shallots and garlic until aromatic
3. Add the carrots, daikon, and butter and stir until the butter has completely melted, season with a pinch of salt, let the veggies simmer on medium for 5-7 minutes
4. Add fish sauce, maggi/soy sauce and sugar and simmer for 2-3 more minutes
5. Add chicken broth and allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Take off heat

Get ready to bake!

1. Toss pork & Bánh Mì croutons into the broth mixture
2. Pour entire mixture into oven safe dish and pack it in and make it pretty
3. Brush the top with an even coat of sriracha mayo, this will add gloss, crunch and amazing flavour
4. Bake for 15-25 minutes until the top is golden, brown & delicious

Final touches: Garnish with crispy pork skin, green onions, cilantro stems and chili peppers (however much you’d like!)

Three Sisters Soup

Aicha Smith-Belghaba | posted Monday, Nov 25th, 2024

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Ingredients

• 1 cup dried beans – ( can used canned as well be sure to rinse)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 apples diced
• 1 whole roasted butternut squash – (sub canned pumpkin puree or frozen diced squash)
• 2 or olive oil
• 1 cup Lyed Haudsunee white corn (can use hominy )
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 cups vegetable
• Fresh thyme,Savory
• Salt and pepper

*Garnish – Fresh blanched green beans, microgreens , green onion , pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Soak beans overnight if using dried, if using canned rinse off-
2. Reserve some beans and corn for additional garnish – please bring some raw as well
3. Wash and dice all the vegetables.
4. In a pot heat olive oil
5. Sauté onions until translucent.
6. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
7. Add the carrots, apples and beans sauté for 5 minutes.
8. Add stock and roasted squash, bring to a boil
9. Add the herbs – savory and thyme.
10. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
11. Lower heat down to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until all vegetables are softened.
12. Blend soup- in a blender or with a hand blender until you get a smooth and creamy consistency. If it is to thick add some more stock or water until desired thickness –

Notes for roasting squash:

• Roast the entire butternut squash at 375ºF until squash is fork tender , scoop out  the butternut squash

Nachos for Every Meal

Stacey Green | posted Tuesday, Nov 12th, 2024

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Nachos for Every Meal

Who says nachos are just a late-night snack? Let’s get creative in the kitchen, or at least with our idea of nachos. From breakfast nachos loaded with eggs and bacon, to savory cheeseburger nachos, and even dessert nachos with all the gooey sweetness of s’mores, there’s a nacho for every craving and every time of day.

Ground Sausage & Scrambled Egg Waffle Fry Nachos

What You Need:

• 1 lb waffle fries (frozen is easiest)
• ½ lb ground breakfast sausage
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 green onion, chopped
• Sour cream and salsa for topping
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp butter

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (or according to the package). Spread the waffle fries on a baking sheet and cook until they’re golden and crispy, around 20 minutes. This will be your crunchy base, so don’t skimp on the cook time!
2. While the fries bake, grab a skillet and cook the ground sausage over medium heat. Break it up with a spatula until it’s nice and browned, around 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, then pour in the egg mixture. Stir gently until the eggs are fluffy and just cooked through.
4. Once your waffle fries are done, pile them onto an oven-safe platter or sheet pan. Scatter the browned sausage evenly over the fries. Spoon the scrambled eggs over the top.
5. Sprinkle both cheeses over the sausage and eggs, then pop the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close watch—the cheese should melt and get bubbly, but don’t let it burn!
6. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top, then add dollops of sour cream and spoonful’s of salsa. Serve hot and watch everyone dive in!

Veggie Breakfast Nachos

What You Need:

• 1 lb frozen hash browns (loose or patties, both work!)
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 bell pepper, diced (red or yellow adds color)
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
• Sour cream, salsa and guacamole for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spread the hash browns on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes or until they’re golden and crispy. This will be the crunchy base for your nachos.
2. While the hash browns bake, chop your bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and avocado. Drain and rinse the black beans.
3. Once the hash browns are done, arrange them on an oven-safe platter or sheet pan. Sprinkle the black beans, bell pepper, and red onion evenly over the hash browns.
4. Sprinkle both cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese on top of everything. Place the platter under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and gooey.
5. Remove the nachos from the oven and add the final touches—sprinkle the cherry tomatoes on top and add a few dollops of sour cream, salsa and guacamole for the ultimate finishing touch.
6. Serve these colorful, veggie-loaded nachos right away, and let everyone dig into this breakfast fiesta!

Cheeseburger Nachopalooza

What You Need:

• bag of “healthier” tortilla chips (try blue corn, organic, baked, unsalted)
• 3 cups of shredded cheese (I like old cheddar and so do my kids because that’s the only one I buy)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• of cooked protein choice (ground beef, shredded chicken breast, tofu)
• ½ head of iceberg lettuce, shredded- about 3 cups
• 4-5 pickles, chopped (this is just an estimate, use as much or as little as you like but don’t omit!) (about 1 cup)
• 2 green onions, chopped (use both the green and white part) (about ½ cup)

Sauce

• ¾ cup of mayonnaise
• ¼ cup of sour cream
• 2 tbsp of minced pickles
• ¼ of a white onion, minced
• 2 tbsp of ketchup
• 1 tbsp of white vinegar
• 1 tsp of white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat then add beef, cook through until browned, then strain off the oil.
2.  Next, spread tortilla chips on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure they are in a single layer so you can get the cheesy/meaty goodness on as many as possible. Sprinkle cooked beef on top of the tortillas as evenly as you can so nobody gets left out. Cover the whole pan in shredded cheese so that each bite is perfection.
3. Pop that masterpiece in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble and you can’t possibly wait any longer. While those are cooking, make your sauce.
4. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. DONE! You thought it was going to be more difficult than that, didn’t you? The difficult part will be not eating the whole thing yourself. Top the greatest nachos ever with the lettuce, onions and pickles, then drizzle your sauce over the whole thing. Eat it right now!
5. Note: You can absolutely add any other traditional nacho toppings that you like to this. Some excellent options are tomatoes, white onion, olives, peppers, black beans, jalapeños – go crazy!

Churro Nachos

What You Need:

• 1-2 bags of Churro Tortillas or homemade cinnamon/sugar pita chips

Toppings

• ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
• ¼ cup caramel sauce
• ½ cup whipped cream
• 1 cup strawberries, diced

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice each pita into 8 triangles (like you’re cutting a pizza). In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Brush each pita triangle with melted butter, then coat each side with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
3. Arrange the cinnamon-sugar-coated pita chips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until they’re golden and crispy. Let cool slightly.
4. Arrange the baked churro chips or bag of chips on a large serving plate or platter. Drizzle with melted chocolate and caramel sauce.
5. Sprinkle diced strawberries and mini marshmallows over the nachos. If you like, toast the marshmallows lightly with a kitchen torch for an extra gooey texture.
6. Add dollops of whipped cream over the nachos right before serving for the final, sweet touch.
7. Dive in and enjoy these churro nachos right away! They’re best when crispy, sweet, and warm.

S’mores Nachos Recipe

What You Need:

• 8 graham crackers, broken into halves (or 16 individual pieces)
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (or chopped milk chocolate bars)
• ¼ cup caramel sauce (optional, for a fun twist)
• ¼ cup crushed pretzels (optional, for added crunch)

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
2. Spread the graham cracker pieces across the baking sheet, overlapping a bit to create a base. This forms your “nacho” layer.
3. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows evenly across the graham cracker base, making sure you get good coverage so every bite has gooey and melty goodness.
4. Pop the baking sheet in the oven for about 5–7 minutes, or until the chocolate begins to melt and the marshmallows are golden and puffed. Keep a close eye so the marshmallows don’t burn.
5. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle the crushed pretzels on top if you want a salty-sweet combo.
6. Let the nachos cool just enough so you don’t burn your fingers, then dig in! For an extra treat, dip into additional melted chocolate or marshmallow fluff.

Slow-roasted Pork Shoulder with Cozy Mushroom and Pecorino Barley

Paul Lillakas | posted Thursday, Nov 7th, 2024

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Ingredients:

• 7 lbs (3 kg) Boneless pork shoulder roast, in two pieces
• 2 large sweet onions, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
• 3 tbsp seasoned salt or preferred dry rub seasoning blend
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 10 cremini mushrooms, halved and sliced
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cups pearled barley
• 5 cups vegetable broth (see tip)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup finely grated pecorino or asiago cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Lay onion rounds cut side down in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Season pork all over with your preferred seasoning blend.
3. Lay pork atop onions. Add water. Place lid on top and roast until pork is tender and pulls apart easily, about 4 hours. Remove lid and continue to roast until pork is crispy on top, about 10 minutes more.
4. Approximately 45 minutes before the pork is ready, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add onion and barley.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 2 minutes. Add broth, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring; reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until barley is softened with a slight chewiness, about 35-40 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in cheese. Taste and add salt (if desired). Thin with water (if needed).
6. Serve barley topped with pieces of roasted pork on top. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Immunity Bombs

Tamara Green | posted Wednesday, Nov 6th, 2024

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It’s cold and flu season! Whether you’re feeling crummy now with a stuffy nose and sore throat, or simply want to prevent a cold from coming on, these Immunity Bombs have got you covered.

What You Need

• 1 lemon, peeled and quartered
• 2 oranges, peeled and quartered
• 2 small carrots, washed
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 cup coconut water, more if too thick
• Pinch black pepper

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.  If you don’t have a high speed blender, chop ingredients smaller so they blend well.
2. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If your blender can’t get it smooth, strain through a sieve.
3. Pour the liquid into an ice cube tray, freeze until hard, about 6 hours minimum.

Store cubes in the freezer, when you’re ready for the immunity bomb, place one cube in a mug, pour hot water over top and enjoy as a nutrient-packed hot drink.

Ghoulishly Good Halloween Drinks

Sebastien Centner | posted Tuesday, Oct 22nd, 2024

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Creating Ghoulish Garnishes:

Elevate your Halloween cocktails with these Ghoulish Garnishes that add a frightful flair to any drink! Spice things up with Hot Pepper Devil Horns for a fiery kick, give your martini a chilling twist with Lychee Eyeballs that stare back at you and finish with a Dripping Blood Rimmer to make every sip delightfully eerie. These spooky touches will turn your standard recipes into a haunted hit!

What you’ll need:

• 6x cocktail glasses
  • 2 martini, 2 lowball, 2 highball
• 4 red hot peppers
• 6 fresh lychees
• at least 6 fresh blueberries
• Honey
• Red food colouring
• Small dish
• 3 ‘cocktails’ to fill 6 glasses

Recipe:

1. Cut the tops of your hot peppers off, as far up as you would like your ‘devil horns’ to be. Cut slits across the top to create space for your to wedge them onto the rim of your glass.
2. Strain the lychee to drain off the syrup or juice; rinse if packed in syrup. It’s good to let them dry out for at least 30 minutes. Rinse the blueberries and pick out a few that will fit into the hole of the lychee. Gently insert one blueberry into the hole, be careful not to go too far or your berry will be lost. Repeat until you have the quantity you need.
3. Pour approximately 2 oz of honey into a medium bowl or plate and add 1-2 drops of food grade red dye, and stir well with spoon until evenly colored. Keep at room temperature for best mixability. Rim glasses as needed.

Black Magic Martini:

Serve up some Halloween magic with this Black Magic Martini! Combining black vodka, raspberry liqueur, a splash of lime, and a dash of edible iridescent glitter – this eerie cocktail is the perfect balance of spooky and sophisticated. Its deep, inky colour and velvety smooth flavour make it a bewitching addition to any Halloween celebration. Sip if you dare!

What you’ll need:

• 2 Coupes
• Cocktail glitter
• Black Vodka
• Raspberry liqueur
• Cocktail shaker
• Luxardo cherries
• Silver or gold skewer
• Ice

Recipe:

1. To a cocktail shaker, add ice, black vodka, and raspberry liqueur. Cover and shake well, for about 15 seconds.
2. Pour the martini from the cocktail shaker, dividing the contents equally between the two glasses.
3. Sprinkle with lustre dust (I recommend adding it one pinch at a time), stir well, and enjoy!

Kids “Zombie Juice”:

Keep the little monsters entertained with a fun and delicious “Zombie Juice”! This green mocktail comes with a spooky candy skewer for a playful twist, and you can take it up a notch by setting up a “make your own skewer” station, letting kids create their creepy candy combinations. It’s the perfect treat to keep your Halloween party spooky and sweet!

What you’ll need:

• 4x highball glasses
• Black and white straws
• Long skewers
• Bowl for candy
• Candy
• Lime sherbet
• Sprite or 7Up

Recipe:

1. Scoop the sherbet into the highball glass, top with lemon-lime soda
2. Carefully stir and allow to sit for a moment to get that foamy look, serve with a fun straw and your candy skewer.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Suzy Gazzellone | posted Friday, Oct 18th, 2024

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This pumpkin loaf is moist, slightly sweet, and flavoured with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, which add a delightful touch of the Autumn warmth.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Using a cheesecloth, squeeze the pumpkin purée, draining as much of the liquid as possible. Set aside.
3. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Using a stand mixer/handheld fitted with a paddle/whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth in a large bowl. Add sugar until creamy. Beat for 2 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Stir in the pumpkin purée, milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
7. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
9. If desired, sprinkle chopped pecans/walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries on top of the batter.
10. Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Let cool.

Pumpkin Scones

Suzy Gazzellone | posted Friday, Oct 18th, 2024

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These pumpkin scones are packed with pumpkin flavour and lavishly spiced with cinnamon. Drizzled with vanilla or cinnamon glaze, creating a cozy and comforting treat.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, cold or frozen 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk, plus 1-2 tablespoons for brushing
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin purée, canned 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Vanilla Glaze or Cinnamon Glaze

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Using a cheesecloth/paper towel, drain any excess moisture/liquid from the pumpkin purée. Set aside.
3. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. Grate cold butter using a cheese grater. Add it to the dry ingredients and combine with your fingers, a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Place in fridge while wet ingredients are combined.
5. Whisk the wet ingredients: buttermilk, egg, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract.
6. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until almost combined.
7. Lightly flour countertop. Make sure you also flour your hands and work dough into a ball. DO NOT overwork dough. Dough should be sticky.
8. Press dough into about an 8″ disc and with a knife cut into 8 wedges.
9. Place wedges on parchment lined baking sheet, spacing them 2″ apart.
10. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
11. Remove scones from fridge. Using the remaining buttermilk, brush scones.
12. Place scones in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Scones should be lightly browned on top and a golden brown along the edges.
13. Let it cool completely.
14. Drizzle Vanilla Glaze or Cinnamon Glaze.

Matcha Monster Balls

Jessica Jane Lee | posted Thursday, Oct 17th, 2024

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Prep time: 10 minutes | Chill time: 40 minutes | Serving size: 8 large balls

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup white chia seeds
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3-5 tbsp maple syrup depending on your taste
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place coconut and chia seeds in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add almond flour, and matcha green tea powder and blend until mixed.
3. Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract and blend until mixed.
4. Let sit for 10 minutes in the fridge to solidify.
5. Roll into 8 balls and place in the freezer to set for 30 minutes. Store in the freezer.

Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Trudy Stone | posted Monday, Oct 7th, 2024

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Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups chickpea flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (I like dark chocolate)

Lavender sea salt (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the melted and cooled coconut oil, and coconut sugar.

Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well, then add in the chickpea flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until the batter looks uniform; it will be relatively thick and sticky. Warning: Do NOT taste the raw cookie dough, because chickpea flour tastes terrible before it’s cooked.

Fold in the chocolate chips, then scoop the batter using a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop. Drop the dough onto the lined pan, spacing the cookies about 1 to 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. You can sprinkle the cookie dough with some flaky sea salt, if you like a sweet and salty flavor.

Bake at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies look lightly golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the pan completely, to let them firm up. They should be lightly crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside. (Let the bake longer, until they are more golden, if you prefer a crispier cookie.)

Chickpea flour cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.