Luscious flavours of banana and hazelnutty chocolate swirl together in this healthier snacking cake.

It’s not just that this sweet and moist little snacking cake combines the flavours of banana and Nutella, which might be the best flavour combination ever, but it’s also super fast to make, and relatively healthy, too. Lots of banana gets joined by applesauce, a little milk, some flour, and reduced oil and sugar. Oh, and the Nutella. There’s always the Nutella.

Indulge in some favourite flavours of childhood, guilt-free.

Apparently when I was a child I was a little bit cra-zy about Nutella. Now as a sage adult, I don’t usually buy the stuff, but somehow, it was everywhere I looked last week and I couldn’t resist. As Cookie Monster would say, it’s a “sometimes” food, but the nice thing about this recipe is that it just takes 2 tablespoons of it and swirls it up with the rest of the cake batter, so less is more. You can get a little bit in every bite without ODing on the stuff.

The texture of this cake is incredibly tender and moist.

Did I also mention how incredibly easy and fast this recipe came together? Zip zip zip–it’s together, and then is baked in 20 min. If you want a FAST and deceptively decadent dessert, go for this. Just make sure you always keep some bananas in the freezer and Nutella in the cupboard…tucked behind a big jar of green lentils if you need to hide it a bit.

Are we still here, having this conversation? Go forth and bake up some sweetness!

(Note: this would be an easy recipe to veganize: simply swap the milk with almond or soy milk, and replace the egg with your favourite vegan egg substitute.)

Swirling the Nutella in the pan is fun....make it pretty.

These soft pretzels are a tasty snack and fun to make

These soft pretzels are a perfect summertime treat, ideal to take along to a ball game, snack on some with some beers on the patio, or take along for a road trip. I have been wanting to make soft pretzels forever. I don’t know about you, but I’m always tempted by a soft pretzel stand when I walk by it. Something about pretzels’ soft, chewy, saltiness always calls my name. Plus, twisty shapes of dough! How fun is that?

And let me tell you–yesterday when the girls were napping, I needed something fun to make, because we’ve had a horrible week of flu rampaging the house. It’s been the opposite of fun. So when I had a couple of quiet hours, I thought I’d whip up a treat that would let me play with dough for a while. I find that soothing. (In university, I remember my roommate coming once to the kitchen and, finding me baking, peered at me closely and said: “What’s wrong?” Yes, baking has long been a way I’ve found some peace and quiet inside.)

A bag of these would be a great addition to a road trip

So I cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, put on some good music and the baby monitor, and proceeded to make these soft pretzels. And it was fun.

The yeast foams up like magic. Ta-da!

I was even surprised at how easy the dough was to handle. It was incredibly soft and supple and springy. (How’s that alliteration working for ya?) I found it easy to roll out the pieces long enough to shape the pretzels without a sweat. Next time I make them, I’m going to do the extra twist in the middle to give them a better shape. They’d also do well if you put the long piece of dough into a spiral and made little rolls.

This dough was so pliable; it was a piece of cake to shape it.

Pretzels before and after rising a little bit. That step wasn't called for in the original recipe, but I think it gave them a bit more airiness. And now they look rotund.

I will caution that these pretzels are salty. Because the coarse salt looked so pretty on them–sparkly!–I went a little overboard when I sprinkled it on. Less is more with the salt. There’s already salt in the dough and in the dousing with soda water you give them before baking, so honestly, they need very little salt sprinkled on. Next time I’ll probably skip the salt and use sesame seeds instead.

Have fun making your soft little pretzel snacks!

The pretzels cool on the rack. These are best the day they're made.

*Green Market Baking Book on Amazon. My links from within the EasyRecipe Plugin don’t always work.

This easy, healthful meal gets amped flavour from fresh basil and lemon juice.

A combination of fresh market vegetables, with a hit of lemon and basil–and a touch of sweetness–makes for a simple, satisfying, and healthy dinner. So putting together this dish for today’s Virtual Vegan Potluck, a collection of amazing vegan recipes from food blogs around the world (check out the links below!) was a total pleasure. I also so enjoy making food that can be shared and enjoyed with those with different dietary needs. This would also easily make a gluten-free vegan meal, simply by swapping out the pasta with rice or rice noodles.

Leeks, spinach, basil, pepper, and mushrooms: the best kind of nourishment.

Roasting cubes of tofu in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil made for flavourful little nuggets, some of which lightly caramelized while in the oven. I can only imagine that marinating your tofu in the mixture for a few hours, in the fridge, would intensify the flavour even more. I didn’t marinate, since time didn’t allow, but I would encourage you to try that–I’m definitely going to try that step next time I make this.

Just the smell of the fresh basil I bought at this week’s farmer’s market made me swoon. It is probably one of the best scents in the world. Putting it in your recipe almost feels like cheating, because it makes everything so delicious. But I’m okay with that kind of cheating.

The leftovers the next day make a great cold pasta salad to have for lunch.

This dish is going to show up often in my spring and summertime cooking repertoire. I’m trying to eat more vegetarian meals, and this one is so fast and simple, it takes the guesswork out of meal planning.

Pretty veggies + swirly pasta makes for a delicious dish, perfect for a potluck

Keep exploring the feast of the Virtual Vegan Potluck!

Chewy, crispy cookies full of texture and flavour from chocolate, coconut, and almonds

I knew I was in trouble the minute I tasted the batter (terrible habit, I know). Because the flavour of these cookies was like whoa. Something about the nuttiness of the whole-wheat, crunchiness of the almond, texture of the wheatgerm and coconut–not to mention a healthy hit of dark chocolate–just felt right. In every way.

A delicious mingling of almonds, coconut, and chocolate.

How do you think a chocolate chip cookie should be? Should they be thin and crispy, or thick and tender, or somewhere in between? I like a wide range of types, and these fill the thinner, chewy-crisp side of that spectrum perfectly. Something to me feels very indulgent about cookies that spread a bit in the oven, get wide, and take up space. I also encouraged that end result by not chilling the dough before baking for very long. Tip: if you like the thicker variety of chocolate chip, chill your batter for a good few hours before baking, or even overnight. This helps them retain their shape in the oven.

They have a crispness to them, but also a tooth-satisfying chewiness. And I love the flavour and nubbliness of the whole-wheat and wheatgerm combination. No one’s going to pretend these are a “health” food, but there’s nothing wrong with having higher quality nutritional offerings in even your goodies. Why not, since it makes them taste better, too?

(Don’t forget to check out my post on Top Ten Tips for Cookie Baking Success, if you haven’t seen it yet!)

Shaped for baking...and cooling on the rack.

Thankfully, this recipe makes a lot, so you might as well have a bite. Or two.

The perfect cake for a springtime brunch.

The classic combination of poppyseeds + lemons creates a tangy, crunchy result.

I’ve had this recipe triple-starred in my “favourites” file for a while now. Every time I make it, not only is it consistently delicious, but I am always surprised that a healthier recipe variation can be so perfect. Sometimes you can tell with “light” recipes–but this one, you REALLY can’t. Really and truly. The delectable combination of tart lemons and crunchy poppy seeds bakes into a simple, pleasantly dense pound cake that still has a fluffy bite and puckery glaze.

The batter is hard to resist but try to--that means more cake for later.

And really, this cake is just begging to be made for a Mother’s Day brunch. A tall stack of pancakes, a large bowl of strawberries, some thick Greek yogurt, fresh flowers on the table and this beautiful little shiny loaf to have with coffee–I think that sounds pretty good. In fact, I think it sounds fairly spectacular.

(As a side bonus, here’s a link to the Flight of the Concord’s Sugar Lumps, that I reference in the recipe below. If you haven’t watched this piece of hilariousness, you must watch it now. And if you already have–well, it’s always good for a repeat viewing.)

Enjoy this light and luscious cake any time of day!

Take an upcoming BBQ to the next level with kamut burger buns.

Dining al fresco season is finally upon us. And whether you’re grilling a hearty vegetarian patty of chickpeas or a thick traditional burger, that smoky goodness deserves a proper bun. Backyard gourmets might wax philosophical about their locally sourced, grass-fed beef, and dedicated vegetarians might slave over a finicky tofu burger with tahini sauce, only to house them in buns that are sadly too much like cardboard. Hey, I know. I’ve been there and done that too. Luckily, I’ve since made the discovery that homemade burger buns are easy, and so good that their minimal effort is totally worth it. Within 2 1/2 hours–the amount of time you’re starting to think about your upcoming grilling, and making your burgers and a beer run–these buns will be coming fresh and hot out of the oven. And the leftovers make for a great sandwich the next day. Win win!

Delicious accompaniments to any type of burger you fancy.

I wanted to upgrade my standard burger bun recipe to a healthier, heartier, and more flavourful variety. Indulging in the purchase of kamut flour–one of my favourite whole-grain flours–made it easy to figure out how. I love kamut, and for some reason, it’s been a while since I’ve bought it. It should really be a staple in my pantry, and it will be, from now on. It’s very high in protein and fibre, but yields fluffier, less bitter, and less dense baked goods than say spelt or a hard whole-wheat. It’s sandier in texture then all-purpose flour, so will need slightly more liquid in your recipe.

Next time the warm breeze and bright sun entices you to put together a grilling night, make your burger buns–you will be very happy with the results.

These only take about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish; not hard to fit into your schedule on a weekend day.

What a treat for a weekend grilling feast!

Fresh, assertively flavoured greens make an easy, nutritional powerhouse side.

Spring has been a long time in coming in Nova Scotia. We flirted with warm weather for a while, but then were hit with week after week of middling temperatures and cold–even extra snow. It was a little dreary.

It is really uplifting to finally feel warmth in the air these last few days–and to go to the Farmer’s Markets and start to see some serious spring bounty.

Garlic shoots are a milder, slightly sweeter variation on garlic cloves.

This week I gleefully gathered up armfuls of fresh herbs, mustard greens, garlic shoots, and spinach. That’s a lotta green. And it made me feel healthier just LOOKING at it all. Not to mention eating it.

This recipe is a very simple one. Perhaps you’ve done a variation on it many times, or perhaps you’ve always meant to try it, but haven’t quite gone there yet. Spring is the time! If you’re like me, you’re craving a plateful of just pure, nutritional goodness. With a squeeze of lemon, and a burst of garlic. Greens, I love you for the incredible nutritional powerhouse and delicious flavour you impart. I used mustard greens for this recipe, but Swiss chard, kale, or collard greens will be just as good. Note that different greens will have different cooking times–the more robust and thick the leaves, the longer they’ll need to steam.

I also had the luck of finding fresh garlic shoots. They’re a milder, sweeter version of garlic cloves, and a nice spring treat. But don’t worry if you don’t have any–of course, you can use normal garlic cloves, too.

Simple flavours of garlic, lemon, and the assertiveness of the greens combine beautifully.

PS: You might note that I’ve been trying a few “printer-friendly” options. I think I’ve finally found one I like, so printing out recipes from the site will be much easier from now on! I’m going to eventually go back and update all of my recipes, but that might take some time to get through. I’ll start with the favourites. But until all the recipes are updated, I’ll keep the beta print option link at the bottom of the posts.

Oatcakes, a sturdy cross between a cookie and a biscuit, are found all over Nova Scotia

Does your area have oatcakes? They’re so ubiquitous here, but yet are allegedly a regional treat. Good coffeeshops in Nova Scotia–at least the ones I tend to frequent on the South Shore and in Halifax, when I’m not juggling a giant stroller–always serve up oatcakes. And an oatcake with an afternoon latte is an amazing treat. I’ve been meaning to make them forever.

The huge fat oatcakes one sees in coffeeshops are often half dipped in chocolate–which, of course, sends them over the top, or incorporating peanut butter or some other such deliciousness. I’m so darn moderate by keeping these ones simply naked. But even unadorned as they are, I really love these simple goodies. They are not too sweet this way, and can even be served with a slice of cheddar cheese, if that’s your thing. The other nice thing about these goodies is that their heartiness makes them great snacks that actually stick to your ribs. They can make a dent in true afternoon hunger and tide you over very well until dinner.

Good old oats. We got through them so fast in this house, I don't usually have any left over for baking!

I added a few touches to this nicely simple recipe–some sesame seeds and toasted wheat germ–because I always like to mingle a few extra textures and flavours. Feel free to experiment–or even to dip them into melted chocolate.

Traditional Nova Scotia Oatcakes

modified from A Kitchen Addiction
yields about 2 dozen

These sturdy treats are a cross between biscuits and cookies. Lightly sweet, they make for a satisfying snack and can be good either dipped in chocolate, eaten with a slice of cheese, or just left plain (that’s how I like them!) Divine with a mid-afternoon latte.

Ingredients
2 cups large-flake oatmeal
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
3/4 cup butter, chilled
1/4 cup hot water

Method
In a large bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients (from the oats to the wheat germ). Cut in your butter. A popular method is to cube it and cut it in with two butter knives, but this time I tried a trick my Mom told me about–grate your chilled butter. So easy to do, and so much easier to mix in with your dry goods. You might still need to run a few swipes with the butter knife to get it incorporated, but it works so well.

These are simple to make--just like standard biscuits

When your butter is cut in, add your hot water and just stir until it all sticks together.  Divide into two sections and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 min–or until firm enough to handle.

When ready to shape and bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 375 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Turn one of the halves of dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out your cookies and place them on the lined sheet. Bake at 375 F for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Repeat with the other half of dough.

Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy.

Nutritional info:
per 1 of 25 cookies
140 calories; 7g fat; 18g carb; 2g fibre; 9g sugar; 3g protein.

Oatcakes cooling on the rack.

These are fudgey, dense, and intensely chocolatey--just the way brownies should be.

The friend I baked these for declared them the best brownies she’s ever had. She’s a pretty nice friend, so maybe she was just saying that–but–they are pretty darn fabulously chocolately. And fudgey and dense, just the way I like brownies. AND made without butter, eggs, or milk. So that is a nifty hat-trick. Ultimate Vegan Brownies, you are my friends!

Make these for friends, and everyone involved will be quite happy about it all.

Though I would describe myself as adventurous in the kitchen (cue Arrested Development-like flashback that shows me gingerly sampling from an unlabelled jar from the pantry, shrugging, and measuring it out anyway), readers of this blog know that I like my butter and eggs in baking, and hold them close to my heart.

But the wonderful thing about life is that there are a million ways to do things (leaving adages about poor cats aside) and still achieve fantastic results. I am getting more interested in trying out different types of baking, and making things that my vegan buddies can enjoy with gusto. My vegan friends are such nice people. They deserve ultimate brownies, too.

Don't they look tasty, sitting in my bright yellow spoon rest that doubles as a plate?

Ultimate Vegan Brownies

by Mattie at veganbaking.net
Yields 12 brownies

These chocolately and dense brownies are so rich, you’d never miss the butter and egg. They are best when they’re first made, but keep well for a couple of days if you wrap them well with cling wrap so they don’t get dry.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp ground flax

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
7 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp instant espresso powder
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup boiling water
1 ½ cups sugar
6 Tbsp Earth Balance or non-hydrogenated stick margarine, melted (not tub margarine)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Method
Place one of your oven racks on the lowest setting and preheat your oven to 350 F. Take a square, 8 x 8 metal baking dish and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Take two sheets of parchment paper, and, facing in different directions, trim them so that are fully lined with paper. This will give you “handles” to remove the baked brownies from the pan, later. (for a visual, Alan at Lifehacker has a photo)

In a small bowl, place your 3 Tbsp of water and ground flax. Mix it well and let it sit until the meal absorbs the water and become goopy looking. This will be replace the egg in the recipe.

In a medium bowl, mix your flour and baking soda with a whisk.

In a large bowl (these are like the bowls for Baby, Mama, and Papa Bear), mix your cocoa powder, espresso powder, chopped chocolate, and salt, making sure the chocolate is fully melted. Add the boiling water and mix until it forms a thick paste. Then add in your flax mixture, the sugar, vanilla, and margarine. When this is well mixed, add in the flour. After the flour is mixed in, add the chopped walnuts if you’re adding them. I added in a 1/2 cup of dried sour cherries, just for fun, instead.

Your batter will be very thick, at this point. With a spatula, pour it into your prepared pan and spread it evenly around, directing the batter into the corner and making sure it is evenly distributed.

Bake for about 35 minutes. Let the brownies cool on the pan sitting on a wire rack for about an hour.

Enjoy!

Nutritional info
(Per 1 of 12 brownies)
243 calories; 8g fat; 43g carb; 2g fibre; 26g sugars; 3g protein

I used dried sour cherries in these, which I really liked, but I think chopped walnuts would very good too.

Healthy and delicious, so fill that belly.

Slow cookers! Where have they been all my life? For some reason, I was anti-slow cooker for a while. I think the problem was–I didn’t have a very good one, and everything I made turned into a mush. It wasn’t pretty. But I recently got a better one–as well as acquiring two children along the way. And now, suddenly, the prospect of having dinner totally ready the minute we’re all ready to eat (no one need claw at me as I frantically rush to get it done last minute) is far too much of a bonus to pass up. And since I’ve become well versed in the slow cooker, I’m very glad to realize that I was totally wrong. Completely delicious and thankfully EASY meals can be made in it, just like that.

Every once in a while a recipe comes along that looks great on paper. Healthy? Check. Easy? Check. Cheap to make? Check. Will feed gluten-free or vegan foodies? Check. BUT the big question is: is it still delicious to eat, even with all of those perks?

I have to admit when I first made this recipe, it was somewhat dutifully, and without very high expectations. Our groceries were running low, the budget didn’t want me to buy more food (that cranky thing, the budget), and I had a big ol’ jar of red lentils in the pantry just glaring at me. So I decided to use them up, and came across this recipe.

And once again, I was thankfully wrong, because damn, this recipe is good. Creamy, flavourful, rich and satisfying–especially with a spoonful of basmati rice–I don’t think you can have comfort food more tasty and comforting than this. And so easy. So easy. Just pop everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and it will be done for dinner. I could almost cry with appreciation. Slow cooker, I take it all back.

Reheating the leftovers. Just as good, if not better, the next day.

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dahl

from Salt and Paprika
Yields 8 servings
This richly flavoured, satisfying dahl makes a wonderful meal for the days you need to plan ahead–and you’re running short on groceries. You get a meal that is so much more than the sum of its parts!

Ingredients
2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed
I large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup coconut milk
1 large can of canned diced tomatoes (795 mL /28oz)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 cups water

Method
Mix the curry powder, chili flakes, garlic, and ginger in a little microwave-safe dish with the vegetable oil. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. (Or, you could also do this on the stove top, as well.) Set aside.

In the slow cooker, combine all other ingredients. Pour the oil mixture over top, and mix well.

Cook on “low” for about 6 hours, or “high” for about 2.5 to 3 hours. Near the end of cooking time, take a quick peek and see how it’s doing–I needed to add about 1/2 cup water in the last hour of cooking.

Serve with basmati rice. Ayalla from Salt and Paprika suggests serving with naan and some fresh coriander on the top, which are fantastic suggestions.

Nutritional Info:
(per 1 of 8 servings)
295 calories
11g fat
39g carbs
7g fibre
14g protein

The perfect meal for when the pantry is looking a bit lean and you're tight on time.