pumpkin pie granola.

Yes...I'm a nerd. There it is, I admit it. Yes, I clip coupons and I check out grocery store flyers online. Yes, I organize the books in my book shelf by height and of course by category as well. Yes, I watch the Bachelorette and it's even more scandalous counterpart the Bachelor Pad. And yes, I may even follow a few of the contestants on twitter (I know...shameful!). Yes, I'd prefer a night at home reading Nicholas Sparks in my purple pants and "Gangsta" tee over bar-hopping (although who doesn't like to shake things up every once in a while). Yes, I read cookbooks in my spare time. No, I generally don't like to buy things at the grocery store unless they're on sale...and yes, I make my own granola. Phew...I'm glad that's finally off my chest. 

Growing up, the cool kids at school were always the ones packing dunkaroos and fruit roll-ups in their lunch box. Their parents gave them cold pizza for their lunch, and if they HAD to have a sandwich, it would always be on white bread with something fun like nutella or chocolate sprinkles. And of course they were always the ones with the "chinese noodles". Looking back, eating a bag of uncooked "Mr. Noodles" seems pretty disgusting, but it really was delicious!

While my mom now purchases drink boxes and fruit snacks for my younger brother (which is in my opinion about 15 years too late...and he is about 15 years too old for that!), we were definitely not part of the "cool" club when it came to lunches back in grade school. While we had luckily convinced my mom that whole-wheat bread was the devil, our lunches generally contained fruit, granola bars, and a sandwich (much to my chagrin). I must be getting old, because I know find myself roaming the grocery store and avoiding everything in the centre isles because they contain too many preservatives. I have become my own worst nightmare. I make my own cookies because I know what goes into them, I generally don't buy anything that that comes frozen in a box (unless it's Mike's Pizza...because that is just plain delicious), and I not only eat whole wheat bread...I make my own! Yes, I have become "granola", and therefore, I give to you this festive version of a personal favourite. Fall = pumpkins = pumpkin pie granola = Enjoy!



Pumpkin Pie Granola
(makes 8 cups)

- (3) cups of large flake rolled oats
- (2) cups of puffed rice cereal
- (1) cup of pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- (3/4) cup of chopped pecans
- (1/3) cup of roasted unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
- (3) tbsp. flax seeds
- (1/3) cup of packed brown sugar
- (1/3) cup of pure maple syrup
- (1/3) cup of vegetable oil
- (3/4) tsp. of cinnamon
- (3/4) tsp. of ground ginger
- (1/4) tsp. of ground cloves
- (1/4) tsp. of nutmeg
- (1/4) tsp. of salt



Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, cereal, pepitas, pecans, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds. Feel free to mix this up as much as you like. I used a puffed quinoa cereal instead of puffed rice as well as a mixture of rolled oats and kamut flakes...be as creative as you want (or finish off all your old boxes of cereal)!

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook brown sugar, maple syrup, oil, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. It will take about 3 minutes. Keep stirring or swirling pan and watch that the sugar mixture doesn't boil over. 

Pour syrup over oat mixture and toss to coat. Spread granola evenly over the two baking sheets. Note that I used aluminum foil instead of parchment paper (as I realized last minute I was out). If you choose to use aluminum foil as well, make sure to keep an eye on the granola as it seems to bake a little quicker and the bottom gets toasty quick. If you have it, I think parchment paper is definitely a better option.

Bake in top and bottom thirds of the oven, switching and rotating pans halfway through and stirring twice, until crisp and golden, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Let granola cool on pans and break up any large clumps. Store in airtight containers for up to 3 weeks or even freeze until you're ready to enjoy!

toasted sesame ginger salmon.

Mmmm...doesn't that make you hungry? Blogging about food is a lot harder than one may think. It's 8:30 at night...you're sitting on your couch and the dinner you ate over two hours ago is just not cutting it any more...you're looking at pictures of food...and writing about food...and craving just about anything with salt in it...and to top it off...your're watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! That "Guy" gets me every time!

Well, before I hit up the snack cupboard, here is a recipe that everyone should try at least once...although that may not be enough. This recipe has quickly become a "go-to" for Joe and I. It's not overly difficult, so it's great to whip up on your everyday Thursday night, but it's also an amazing dish to serve up if you have guests coming over for dinner. And it just looks so pretty! We eat this salmon with just about anything, but if you want to keep with the Asian flavours, serve with a side of rice, some bok choy, or a bowl of miso soup. Another tip of mine...call your husband when he's "working from home" and have him marinate the fish for you on one of his "15 minute breaks"...every little bit helps!



Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon
(Serves 2-4 people)

- (1 1/2) lbs of raw salmon
- (1/4) cup of olive oil
- (2) tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
- (2) tablespoons of rice vinegar
- (2) tablespoons of brown sugar
- (2) tablespoons of soy sauce
- (2) garlic cloves, minced or grated
- (1) tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
- (1-2) tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
- (4) green onions, sliced

Sesame Ginger Honey Glaze

- (1/4) cup of honey
- (1) teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- (1) teaspoon soy sauce
- (1/2) teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
- (1/2) teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (toasting isn't totally necessary)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or shallow baking dish with aluminum foil and set aside.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and brown sugar and whisk well until combined. Either add the salmon to the bowl of marinade and cover or place both the salmon and marinade into a ziplock bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Note that I generally cut this recipe in half as I'm only cooking for the two of us :).

Once the salmon has finished marinating, it is now time to pop it in the oven. Place your filets skin side down directly onto the aluminum foil. If you like, season your salmon with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the oven. The cooking time will vary slightly depending on your oven and the thickness of your filets, but they will generally take about 20-30 minutes. I like to turn my oven to broil for the last 5-10 minutes to get a nice carmelized crust. 

While your salmon is baking, you can go ahead and prepare the glaze. Combine all ingredients listed above in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Once your salmon is finished cooking, remove from the oven. If you're unsure if your salmon is fully cooked, insert a fork into the thickest part of your filet and check out the inside. The fish should be a lighter shade of pink throughout, completely opaque, and should easily flake apart with your fork. 
I like to run a thin spatula underneath the fish to separate it from the skin. Next, plate the fish and top with the glaze. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy!

 

summer sides.

I don't know about the rest of you, but summer for me means barbequing. I have spent the last eight months of the year trapped in my little 10' by 4' kitchen slaving over a hot stove (My husband is convinced it's 12' by 6'...but don't men generally exagerate when it comes to measurements?) Either way, by the time May roles around I am itching to get outside, to smell the fresh cut grass, have the sun beat down on my pasty white skin, to look out over my big back yard, turn on the grill and start cooking. Oh...did I forget to mention that I live in Downtown Montreal? For now this is my beautiful view...

 
And this is my little slice of heaven...

But regardless of my sad little backyard scenario, that mean machine barbeque can cook up some fantastic burgs' and dogs' just like best of your oversized grills. And who can't grill a burger or boil a hot dog...it's the salads that really make a barbeque!
Skip the typical potato salad or pasta salad next time you're asked to bring a side dish to your family get-together and try this amazing sweet potato and black bean salad. This recipe has been adapted from a recipe originally featured in the New York Times and is a really great alternative to your typical macaroni and mayonaise. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

- (4) medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2 to 1-inch chunks
- (2) tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- (1) large onion, chopped
- (3) cloves of garlic, minced
- (1-2) tablespoons of minced fresh or pickled hot chile, like jalapeño
- Juice of 2 limes
- (1) tablespoon of white vinegar
- (1) teaspoon cumin
- (1/3) cup of extra virgin olive oil
- (2) cups of cooked or canned black beans, drained
- (1) cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 400 degrees C. Put cubed sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to baste), toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on corners and are just tender inside, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a medium skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and chiles and saute another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar and cumin.  While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil until dressing comes together.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion mixture, black beans and cilantro and toss with dressing to coat.  Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy later.