Cranberry Christmas Cake

 

I don’t have much time to write today, but in the spirit of Christmas I’ll leave you all with a great Christmas recipe that I came across a few weeks back and after trying it and eating the whole cake in less than 3 days I can tell you that it is completely approved!

You can easily substitute fresh cranberries for frozen and if cannot find or don’t like cranberries, just use whatever you have at hand: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, nuts, candied fruits, or whatever smells like Christmas to you. Also, remember to use only organic ingredients for a healthier and tastier cake.

Enjoy the recipe and Merry Christmas/ Happy holidays to all!

Cranberry Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 cups sugar (I used organic cane sugar – demerara)

3/4 cup butter (melted but not hot)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

12 oz. fresh cranberries

1/2 tsp baking soda

 

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 350 F.

Grease a 9X13 inch pan with butter.

Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs and the sugar together in high speed until very fluffy and white. (about 10 minutes) – ribbon stage

Add the melted butter and the vanilla and keep beating in medium speed until incorporated.

Add the flour and baking soda together and beat just until incorporated.

Add the fresh cranberries and mix by hand.

Pour over the buttered pan and spread with a spatula. It’s quite thick, similar to a brownie batter.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Allow it to cool completely before cutting.

Healthy Pizza Crust

So I saw a picture of a pizza dough made with cauliflower last week that looked amazing and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about so I decided to give it a try.
Well, what can I say….. it really is delicious and it does look very good, but I gotta say, it doesn’t substitute pizza at all. At least not for me! If you’re craving pizza, just have a slice of the real thing because this one will not do. But, if you’re up for something fun to make, absolutely delicious and very different and healthy, than yes, you should definitely try this recipe.
This one is my version as I adapted the original recipe by adding a few ingredients and the toppings. *Remember to always use organic ingredients*.
Hope you all enjoy as a substitute for pizza or just a great snack!

Cauliflower pizza with mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and arugula

Ingredients:
for the dough:
1 cauliflower (roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, 2 bay leaves and freshly grated nutmeg)
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup shredded mozzarella
for the toppings:
Tomato sauce
5 –6 sun dried tomatoes
6-7 artichokes
1 extra cup shredded mozzarella
fresh arugula

Directions:
Roast the cauliflower until very soft.

Using a food processor, purée the cauliflower.
Add 2 eggs and pulse all together.
Add flour and mozzarella and a little salt and mix.

Spread this dough over a pizza pan/tray lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a wooden spoon to create the desired shape.

Bake it for about 20 minutes on a 375 F oven.
Take it out of the oven and add all the other ingredients (tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes), except for the fresh arugula.

Bake it for another 30 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
Add the fresh arugula and serve it hot.

Why is organic food so important in our life?

 

We all know it’s more expensive and harder to find, but why buy organic, really?

Do you know how many people have health problems nowadays because of the continuously intake of processed food? After years taking these terrible products we find in the market today, many problems have arisen and become more popular, even in younger people. I’m talking about the big C (I mean cancer), heart problems in general, clogged arteries, strokes, obesity, asthma, and so on.

Did you know that 90% of the grains you find in the supermarket are in fact genetically modified (GMO – genetically modified organisms)? Yes, that’s right. I’m talking about wheat, soya, rice, beans, corn, etc. The majority of seeds come from Monsanto (oh, how much I hate this stupid company) and they are in all parts of the world, all over the 5 continents, end up in our supermarkets and consequently our table without anybody really knowing.

[Monsanto not only uses very cancerigenous pesticides in all their crops but genetically modify all kinds of products so they look perfect, last longer in your fridge or shelf and are available throughout the year. Have you ever asked yourself why strawberries, for example, are available now all year round when in fact when we were kids (or our parents were kids) it was a seasonal fruit? Because in fact IT IS a seasonal fruit and you’re supposed to find it fresh in the supermarket for about 3 months a year only. This is just an example, and Monsanto is just one of these horrible corporations that really don’t care about you and your family’s health. In fact I try to stay away (as much as possible) from all the big names: Nestlé, Kraft, Unilever….]

And that’s true, nobody knows what they are eating anymore, with the exception of a few countries in Africa and Europe, people have no idea where their food comes from. Especially if we talk about meat and poultry. It really hurts my heart to know such horrible things they do to these animals before they end up at the local supermarket and find their way to your belly. If you are interested in knowing more about the subject, please watch this documentary: Food, Inc. from 2008.

But beware of the truthful, yet horrifying scenes you’re about to see. I honestly couldn’t get passed the first half of the film, and I am a vegetarian who occasionally eats chicken or turkey. So you can imagine….. My husband, on the other hand, who absolutely loves meat, in all forms, changed his view completely after this documentary and now eats meat about once a month, just because he LOVES it and cannot stay away from it completely!

We only buy organic everything now and I’ll tell you from personal experience that there is nothing better. Not only it tastes better and fresher but we feel more energized, faster fulfilled and most importantly relieved and guilt-free. The fruits are lighter weighted, the veggies have more color and nothing gets really stuck in the container of your juicer after you dispose of all the pulp and peel. Even the beets don’t stain, seriously. The juice is liquid just like water and no after taste. The grapes have a fresher taste, without that annoying feeling of something stuck to your tongue at the end and the chicken breast is properly sized, none of that nonsense we see out there, full of hormones and antibiotics. They run free and are free to nest, as it should be.

Even my cats eat organic and it’s totally worth the price. What you have to remember is that by taking care of your health now you’ll actually save money in the long run, by avoiding visits to the doctor and the hospital and that alone makes a lot of sense to me.

I’ve mentioned before on the blog (the old one that was unfortunately lost) that I would love to go vegan, but it’s really hard for me because I’m a pastry chef and I LOVE butter and milk and eggs and flour, as you would imagine, and that’s why the way for me to do better was to only buy organic. Better for me and my family, better for the local economy and local farmers who need to put food on their table too and better for the animals, plants and environment in general. Find your way to do better too. Life thanks you and you feel it in your heart.

I find it really hard to see how people are treating the lives of others, be it animals, plants or even human beings as nothing worth appreciating. Treating life with not even a drop of respect and expecting to receive health, respect and power in return. I’m talking about the big corporations, again, which I disgust with all my being, but also about you reading this post, you who buys from these companies and never looks back to see what’s being done to these poor beings out there.

I still believe in a world where we can value the food we eat and the lives we take for our own survival. I’m not saying everybody should be vegan, what I’m saying is that if you want to eat meat, you gotta respect the life you’re taking and honor the animal who died for you. I’m completely in favor of hunting if it is for food supply, if it is for your family and if you are well aware of what you are doing. Why not? The world would definitely be a better place and people like me, who cannot envision themselves hunting, would be  vegetarian, and people who do love meat would eat it as much as once a week, which sounds perfectly all right in my book.

So, think about that the next time you have a big juicy burger or steak, the next time you eat butter or drink milk, the next time you have a salad with cheese on it, the next time you eat chicken or eggs and especially the next time you visit your local supermarket to buy food. Search, investigate, don’t settle for anything less than organic, free run and grass fed meat, organic veggies and fruits and mainly certified organic grains and flour. Nature thanks you! Your body thanks you! Your family will too.

*But don’t just take my word for it. If you’re willing to search more about the subject I suggest a few articles online and a few other documentaries that could change your life.

Articles:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/

http://rt.com/news/monsanto-march-berlin-protest-115/

http://www.naturalnews.com/041559_monsanto_gmos_lies.html

http://www.policymic.com/articles/33031/monsanto-s-gmo-seeds-are-actively-cultivating-cultural-genocide

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-buy-organic-dairy-meat.html

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16444.cfm

http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/organicproduce.htm

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20471167,00.html

http://drrimatruthreports.com/why-buy-organic/

Documentaries:

http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch_food_videos/

Organic Lemon Coconut Cake

 

A twist on a simple traditional lemon cake makes it healthier and tastier with the addition of coconut sugar and oil.

This super healthy recipe will have you coming back for more because it is absolutely delicious!

Be sure to use only organic ingredients to profit from all the goodness this cake has to offer. It might be a little more expensive, but your body will thank you and in the long run you will actually save money by eating less and not going to the doctor so often.

Enjoy a wonderful cake with your family and friends and make sure to appreciate every bite of this delicious healthy treat.

Lemon Coconut Cake with lemon glaze

*The bread pan that I used for this cake is really big so there was no dome at the top once my cake rose in the oven. If you want the dome effect, make sure to use a smaller fruit cake pan.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup organic all purpose flour

1 tsp organic baking powder

1 tsp organic baking soda

1/4 tsp organic pink salt

3/4 cup organic coconut oil (paste)

1 cup organic coconut sugar

3/4 cup organic maple sugar

zest of 2 organic lemons

3 free run organic eggs

1/2 cup juice of 1 or 2 organic lemons

1/2 cup organic buttermilk (1/2 cup organic milk with 1/2 tsp organic vinegar)

Glaze

1 1/2 cup organic icing sugar

2 tbsp juice of organic lemon

 

Directions

1- Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Grease cake pan.

2- In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat coconut oil with sugars and the zest of 2 lemons until homogenous.

4- Add the eggs, 1 at a time and beat until completely incorporated.

5- Add the buttermilk and lemon juice in steps, alternating with the dry ingredients. Beat until incorporated.

6- Pour the batter into a bread/ fruit cake pan, previously greased.

7- Bake at 350 F for about 45- 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

8- When cake is completely cool mix the 2 ingredients for the glaze and pour on top of the cake slowly.

9- Allow it to dry before cutting the cake.

Mouthwatering Lasagna

This Turkey and Cheese Lasagna recipe is so easy and so delicious that it became a staple in my house. We usually make it for Sunday lunch and when there is any left, which is rare, we serve it the next day and it surprisingly still tastes great if not even better.
Using turkey makes it a healthier alternative to ham or meat lasagna, but if you want a vegetarian version, just substitute turkey for steamed spinach stir-fried with some olive oil and garlic. It’s also one of my favorites and it tastes just as good.
*What kind of pasta should I use?
Well, there are two types of lasagna sheets, the dry ones and the fresh ones. I definitely prefer fresh pasta for this recipe because it’s easier to use and you get a better result. But maybe you can only find dry sheets and that’s ok too. Just be careful when lining the pan not to break the sheets. The instructions to build the lasagna are the same, but make sure you add a little more sauce to help it cook properly.
*How many layers should I use and what combinations should I make for the filling?
You can make as many layers as you’d like, but I personally believe 4 layers are more than enough, in fact my lasagna pan holds exactly 4 layers, and my grandma, who was Italian, used to make it with 4 as well. I learned from her that the top layer should be cheese so you should always start with béchamel + meat/ turkey/ spinach or whatever you decide to use and the second layer should be: pasta + tomato sauce + cheese. That way, when you get to the top layer it will always be tomato sauce and cheese.
You can make many different combinations, using any kind of meat or veggies (bolognese, shredded chicken, turkey, spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, olives, etc) and a sauce (béchamel, Alfredo, pesto, tapenade, etc). But try to use the tomato sauce + cheese combination for the top layer to keep it a little traditional.
*How much sauce, meat, cheese is necessary?
Well, it is important to cover all the pasta with sauce, even the corners to make sure it doesn’t dry out in the oven. With that in mind:
My pan is about 13’’ X 8’’ or 33cm X 20.3cm. I use 1 pack of turkey breast with about 400g and the same amount of cheese, sometimes a little more (500g should be enough). 1 glass container of tomato sauce () and the béchamel recipe usually yields a little more than needed. The lasagna sheets usually come in 2 packs (at Costco) and 1 is more than enough.
*What do I do with leftovers?
I use them for cannelloni or manicotti (with ricotta and spinach or veggies). 1 pack of lasagna sheets that I simply roll with the filling of choice and the leftover béchamel.
cannelloni or manicotti

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients:
Lasagna sheets (fresh pasta – ready for use, no boil)
Béchamel sauce or Alfredo sauce (I used homemade béchamel – recipe follows)
Organic tomato sauce
Turkey breast (cold cuts – the ones used for sandwiches)
Mozzarella cheese (sliced or grated)
Parmigiano cheese (grated)

Instructions:
1- Start by spreading a little of the tomato sauce all over the pan to make sure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
2- Start layering the pasta, cut the excess parts and place them closely to fill up the whole pan, from side to side. There will be 4 layers of pasta in total.
3- The bottom layer is topped with béchamel sauce and turkey. Spread the béchamel all over the pasta and cover it with slices of turkey, don’t overlay or it will be too meaty later.
4- Cover it with pasta
5- The next layer is topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Spread the tomato sauce all over the pasta and add the mozzarella.
6- Cover it with pasta.
7- Proceed with another layer of béchamel and turkey and cover it with pasta.
8- Proceed with another layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This is the last layer /top layer.
9- Sprinkle Parmigiano on top of the mozzarella and cover the whole pan with aluminum foil, closing tightly.
10- Bake it at 350 F at the bottom rack of the oven for about 30 minutes.
11- Remove the aluminum foil and bake it at the top rack of the oven until it starts to boil. If the cheese is not completely melted by then, turn on the broiler and wait for the gratin effect (browning/ caramelization). 
It’s ready to eat.
Cover it tightly with ceramic wrap and keep it in the fridge for a delicious lunch or dinner the next day.

For the homemade béchamel:
Honestly I never really measure the butter and flour, but the ratio should be as it follows.
1- Add 2 generous tablespoons of cold butter to a warm pan (medium heat).
2- Once it’s completely melted, remove from heat and add about 1 cup of flour to it. Mix well with a whisk until incorporated (it will turn into a paste or like coarse meal)
3- Add about 700ml of milk directly to the pan and keep whisking out of the heat. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
4- Back on medium heat keep whisking until completely incorporated and thickened.
5- Keep it in the pan covered with a plastic wrap (touching the sauce) to keep the top from drying out.
How to fix problems with consistency:
- If it ends up not as thick as you’d like, just add a little more flour directly to the pan, whisking strongly to avoid lumps or dissolve 1 tablespoon of flour into 1 tablespoon of milk in a separate glass and add slowly to the sauce while whisking. It should do the trick.
- If you end up with a very thick sauce and would like to make it more runny, just add more hot milk at the end while whisking until you get the desired consistency. Just keep in mind that the sauce will thicken a little more after it starts to cool down.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please check out my videos and subscribe to my channel on youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xeNKvmGMNP19K_qHGmm7w

And if you live in the Montreal area, please visit my web page at:
www.pastrydelights.ca and like my facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pastrydelightspage

Thanks :)
Andiara

Great news!!! Check out Pastry Delights.

 

After a long period of not writing I’m finally back here. I have good news and bad news…. let’s start with the bad one. Unfortunately I am suffering from Tendinitis, which is an inflammation of the tendons in case you don’t know and it’s affecting both my wrists, hands and fingers and making it hard for me to work and type. I’ve been like that for over a month now, in a lot of pain and trying to spare the use of my hands and focusing on my job. So now you know why I haven’t been posting lately and needless to say I must be brief today.

The good news is that I’ve been very busy and I have exciting news to share with you guys. I’ve finally opened up my own business. That’s right! Now I’m taking orders by phone (438) 877-fête / (438) 877-3383 and you can see our products on my new website: www.pastrydelights.ca. It has been a lot of fun! We’ve had some great orders coming out for Thanksgiving and received great feedback from our customers. That really makes me feel fulfilled in the field I have chosen as a career and it makes me proud of my work.

I’ve been also working very hard on my new Youtube channel for Pastry Delights. Since I cannot write much I would like to invite you all to check out my new videos online. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xeNKvmGMNP19K_qHGmm7w. I’ll be posting videos regularly on how to make a few important basic things (the first video is Pastry Cream), basic pastry techniques and giving a few tips that can make your life easier in the kitchen.

I hope you guys like my videos and please like my page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pastrydelightspage and  share it with your friends too.

I’ll see you all soon,

Andie

   

NO sugar, NO butter, NO eggs, NO flour cookie!!!

If you were looking for a great and easy snack for your labor day picnic, you've just found it.

And yes, you read it right: no sugar, no butter, no eggs and no flour! And look at this picture, doesn't it look exactly like a regular cookie? It tastes like one too. Even my husband, who is completely skeptical about this all natural recipes, really liked this one. He said you really cannot taste the chick peas and it could have passed as a regular chocolate chip cookie hadn't I said anything about it.

This is a surprisingly delicious recipe made entirely of natural products. It's extremely healthy and great for people, who like me, are trying to eliminate industrialized products from their diet. It uses honey instead of sugar and all natural peanut butter instead of the regular processed version. And oh, don't even try to use regular peanut butter because it will get way too oily and it will ruin the taste, according to the recipe creator.

This was originally a vegan cookie recipe but I decided to substitute the vegan chocolate chips for regular semi sweet chocolate chips as I don't have any problems with eating dairy. If you want to keep the vegan chocolate chips or even substitute them for any other thing, like almonds or cashews, go ahead and try it. I'm sure it will be just as delicious. And then it will be dairy free too.

Also if you want them gluten free, make your own baking powder using these substitutions: 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrow root or 2 parts cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 1 part potato starch. (1 part = 1 tsp).

So, get baking and snacking on these healthful treats.

 

 

Peanut butter all natural cookies - yields 20 cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a tray lined with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup chick peas (well rinsed and patted dry with paper towel)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. all natural peanut butter
1/4 cup honey or agave syrup (I used honey for this one)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, except for chocolate chips, on a food processor. Make sure it's all very well combined and puréed. Add chocolate chips and mix with a spatula.
With your hands wet, make small balls with the dough and press them down on the tray, lined with parchment paper.
Bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Community garden!

It's been a while since I wrote my last post...... there is no excuse but I really have been very busy! Between two jobs and a family to take care of it's not really easy to find time to do everything we want in life.

I think I haven't told you yet about my community garden and I am very sad because I haven't been able to participate as often as I would like to.



I am lucky to have met this amazing group that is part of a community garden in my neighborhood and decided to join them this year in the beginning of spring. The whole idea is excellent, you pay a very low fee for the entire 6 - 7 months and attend the meetings and work in the garden twice a week. The group is incredibly nice and the space is fantastic as well.

Not only do I get to be close to nature and take advantage of this therapeutic manual work but also I get to harvest and eat purely organic veggies and herbs that we planted ourselves. Honestly there is no other greater pleasure in life than eating what you have produced, watered and watched grow. If you have the chance to join one, don't think twice.





Everything looks so amazing and tastes so pure and alive! I feel full of energy when I finish a meal or a juice made with these completely organic local grown veggies. Frankly it's the best I've ever had!

Yesterday we harvested so much and everything was so intensively filled with good vibrations that my dinner was absolutely superb.

Have a look at some of the pictures of the garden from beginning to now and see it for yourself. We planted from fine herbs, to edible flowers and it's full of colors and good smells. It is very hard work but it pays off!



 






  

 





These beets were AMAZING!

 
Sorry about the pictures layout but Blogger won't let me fix them, move them around or delete them....

 Made a delicious salad with the first harvest!

I have made a few things with the veggies that are definitely worth sharing, starting with the eggplant parmigiana that I fried in olive oil without the bread crumbs egg mix so it got lighter helping me keep my diet healthier and my heart beating.

If you want to try this: Just slice an eggplant and fry the slices in olive oil with some salt an pepper, both sides until soft.
Arrange the slices in a pan with a little tomato sauce at the bottom and cover them completely with the rest of tomato sauce.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake until all cheese is melted.

Also made a delicious tomato sauce with minced garlic, olive oil and fresh basil. If you want to make your own tomato sauce: Just chopp some tomatoes and fry them with garlic in olive oil. Add some water and let them cook in low heat for about 1 hour or until it thickens up. Add fresh basil and serve with pasta, bocconcini (fresh mozzarella) and parmigiano. Accompanied by a nice glass of wine and garlic bread - yum!

 

So, you see, it does make your life more meaningful when you cook with real ingredients and enjoy the fruits of your own labor.... unfortunately it's just for a few months of the year.

Sorry again for the crazy layout with the pics.... the most important is that I made you feel like participating in something like that, that's my goal here!