Tag Archives: pecans

Under the blanket

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So I have been hiding under a blanket. A cigarette burnt, sweat smelling, bittersweet memories filled blanket.

There is much to do under a blanket, besides the obvious obviously : crumb collecting, wall staring, ancient persia recollecting.

Yep I got busy under a blanket and must admit that it is rather dim under there. You can try and blog, but your eyes quickly tire. You can cook amazing raw foods, but the smell of the slime ends up overpowering the smell of the sweat. In short, if you’re very determined, you can blog and cook under a thick dusty beige blanket, but you definitely cannot shoot. Here’s the proof.

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So after months of self-indulging in the sweet darkness of my sweet blanket, I sort of went overboard/overbored and tasted the blanket. I experienced a slightly salty nuttiness with a dreamy dash of nutmeg. Then I got up from under my beloved blanket and baked it into these yummy banana muffins. Indulge!

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vegan banana pecan muffins (print)

recipe adapted from everybody likes sandwiches

(12 small muffins)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pinch of cinnamon

1/3 cup raw sugar

1/3 cup oil

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, quinoa flakes, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar and oil together until blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Then slowly add the dry mixture along with the pecans, making sure not to overmix the batter.

Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

nutrition facts : 172 calories; 8.2 g fat; 1.6 g dietary fibers; 9.5 g sugars; 2.2 g protein

muffins végétaliens aux bananes et aux pacanes (imprimer)

recette adaptée de everybody likes sandwiches

(12 petits muffins)

1tasse de farine de blé entier

1/4 tasse de flocons d’avoine

1/4 tasse de flocons de quinoa

1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte

1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude

1/2 c. à thé de sel

1/4 c. à thé de muscade

1 pincée de cannelle

1/3 tasse de sucre brut

1/3 tasse d’huile

3 bananes mûres, écrasées

1/4 tasse de pacanes

Préchauffer le four à 375. Vaporiser de l’enduit à cuisson sur un moule à muffin.

Dans un bol, mélanger la farine, l’avoine, le quinoa, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate de soude, le sel, la muscade et la cannelle. Réserver.

Dans un grand bol, mélanger le sucre et l’huile. Ajouter les bananes écrasées. Puis, incorporer doucement les ingrédients secs et les pacanes. Ne pas trop mélanger.

Répartir le mélanger dans le moule à muffins et enfourner de 15 à 20 minutes. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.

valeur nutritive : 172 calories;  8,2 g de lipides; 1,6 g de fibres; 9,5 g de sucres; 2,2 g de protéines

 

Craving simplicity

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The prince of persia is a typical monarch. He fancies fancy cars, shiny jewelry, expensive clothes, lavish parties.

From time to time, too much glitter makes my head spin and I find myself craving simplicity.

Take this tomato crisp for instance.

It’s made out of simple ingredients : coconut, oats, olive oil, panko, parmesan cheese, pecans, pepper, salt, cherry tomatoes.

The cooking process is just as simple : drop the tomatoes in a baking dish, drop the rest of the ingredients on top of the tomatoes, drop it all in the oven for about 50 minutes.

The simplest way to eat this cheesy, nutty, scrumptious tomato crisp is with a spoon, right on the kitchen counter, far away from the twinkle and the sparkle of the prince’s castle…

This recipe was chosen by Nicole for the Food Matters Project. Read her post on the giving table for the original recipe (I used extra evoo instead of butter, panko instead of bread crumbs and added about a 1/4 cup of finely grated coconut). Don’t forget to check out what other FMP member’s have done with this great Mark Bittman recipe.

Pretty on the inside

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Do you ever feel cursed?

Do you ever feel that no matter how hard you try, you never get it right?

Let’s say you’re a food blogger. Because food is your thing. Duh.

So you’re a food blogger. You are simply copycating your favorite recipes, but you feel that’s okay. Because you’re just starting off. And you’re a full-time teacher. And you’re busy 24/7 being wife to a prince and mother to a king. You don’t have time for recipe testing.

Then, one day, out of the blue, you come up with this amazing banana bread recipe. All on your own. It’s vegan and delicious. Dense and moist. Healthy and filling. It’s the banana bread recipe you’ve been looking for all your life and you own its copyright!

This banana bread is filled with yumminess, healthiness and… green spots! Ugly green spots all over its twelve slices! And there’s nothing you can do about it!

You feel cursed. And crappy. You feel like nothing you ever do is good enough. You’ll never be the next joy the baker so why bother?

So you take a bite. And a sip of coffee. Then you take another bite. And a third bite.

Suddenly, you don’t feel so cursed anymore.

Green is a beautiful color, right?

This bread is pretty on the inside, isn’t it?

They say love is blind, don’t they?

After a few slices and two cups of coffee, you find that this cursed bread is actually a cure for hopelessness and self-pity. You start believing that you might become the french canadian joy the baker after all. You feel that if you actually eat the whole loaf, you’ll be unstoppable! So you do…

vegan banana bread (print)

(12 servings)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup finely grated coconut, unsweetened

3 bananas, mashed

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup soymilk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon flax seeds, grinded

1 tablespoon chia seeds, grinded

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pecans

Preheat oven at 350.

Roast the sunflower seeds in the oven for about 5 minute. Grind in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

Roast the grated coconut in the oven for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, blend together the bananas, oil, soymilk, maple syrup, vanilla, flax seeds and chia seeds. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add the dry mix to the wet mix a little at a time using a wooden spoon. Fold in sunflower seeds, coconut, walnuts and pecans.

Bake for about 50 minutes.

nutrition facts : 231 calories; 11.4 g fat; 5.5 g dietary fibers; 7.8 g sugars; 4.7 g protein

pain aux bananes végétalien (imprimer)

(12 portions)

1/4 tasse de graines de tournesol

1/4 tasse de noix de coco râpée finement, non sucrée

3 bananes, écrasées

1/4 tasse d’huile

1/4 tasse de lait de soya

1/4 tasse de sirop d’érable

1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille

1 c. à soupe de graines de lin, moulues

1 c. à soupe de graines de chia. moulues

2 tasses de farine de blé entier à pâtisserie

1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude

1/2 c. à thé de cannelle

1/2 c. à thé de sel

1/4 tasse de noix de grenoble

1/4 tasse de pacanes

Préchauffer le four à 350.

Griller les graines de tournesol au four pendant environ 5 minutes. Broyer à l’aide d’un moulin à café et réserver.

Griller la noix de coco au four environ 3 minutes. Réserver.

Dans un bol, mélanger les bananes, l’huile, le lait de soya, le sirop d’érable, la vanille, les graines de lin et les graines de chia. Laisser reposer 5 minutes.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger la farine, le bicarbonate de soude, la cannelle et le sel.

Ajouter graduellement le mélange sec au mélange liquide à l’aide d’une cuillère de bois. Incorporer les graines de tournesol, la noix de coco, les noix de grenoble et les pacanes.

Enfourner environ 50 minutes.

valeur nutritive : 231 calories;  11,4 g de lipides; 5,5 g de fibres; 7,8 g de sucres; 4,7 g de protéines

Brown is beautiful (part II)

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There are some classic couples.

Romeo & Juliet.

Laurel & Hardy.

Yin & Yang.

Movie night & popcorn.

Bread & butter.

Peanut butter & jelly.

Apple pie & vanilla ice cream.

Rhum & coke.

Rock & roll.

Now meet a not-so-classic couple : pasta & chocolate!

But first, a few words of deep wisdom on freedom.

Being a mommy means living in a golden jail cell of true happiness. I’m handcuffed to the little king night and day. He shines and rains over me. He cracks me up and tears me apart. He makes my day every single day. I wouldn’t give up that jail cell for anything.

Freedom is an inner thing. A state of mind. A state of heart.

Still, I find it hard to grasp, hard to keep from slipping through my fingers.

Whether life is good or bad, I can find freedom riding my bicycle. I ride for hours with the little king by my side, breathing through the smog, pretending I’m in downtown Beijing, aiming for that great wall (and great legs).

On that same bike, beside that same pure and innocent king, I may run into some anti-freedom activists. These postmodern communists loudly condemn my bad driving, deliberately trying to spoil my freedom on wheels. What they do not know is that they allow me to experience total freedom : I gladly flip them the bird! Is that too much freedom?

Almost daily, I also find freedom on the toilet seat.

It’s not what you think.

While the little king is busy developing is gross motor and intellectual skills in the bathtub, I get to enjoy a few moments of freedom sitting down on the cold white throne. I might surf the internet, read a book, learn mandarin, or just wander off.

A few months ago, I was leafing through an old forgotten cookbook of mine meanwhile getting soaking wet from all of the little king’s H2O experiments. I finally ended up in the chocolate section. After a fascinating exposé on the invention of mole poblano, the author, Daniel Pinard, a well-known french canadian foodie, starts going on and on about some traditionnal Florentine chocolate pasta dish.

By bedtime, it would be too late for me to make the last flight to Florence.

But it’s never too late to get cooking!

Pinard admits that he took the idea from Giuliano Bugialli, some italian cooking master. Being a free spirit, he added some capers and olives. For my part, I took out the ground beef, the pancetta, the beef stock and the olives, added some eggplant, and cooked up a delicious brown vegetarian noodle plate.

This brown savory dish is not as photogenic as I had hoped, but taste is what matters. The flavour of the sauce reminds me of caponata, but the chocolate takes it to a whole new level. The eggplant melts in your mouth, the noodles are chewy and the pecans remain slightly crunchy. Every bite is a yummy surprise.

Pairing pasta and chocolate is a great statement of freedom and I encourage you to try it.

You can try and make it authentic by serving it with fresh homemade cocoa scented pasta.

You can make it meaty by using ground beef and pancetta.

You can also gross me out by adding tons of garlic.

You can even make pretty if you’ve got some food styling skills.

Or you can be your own man and watch tv instead.

noodles with florentine sweet and sour sauce (print)

recipe adapted from pinardises

(6 servings)

2 carrots, grated

1 spanish onion, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

olive oil

salt

pepper

2 italian eggplants, diced

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup water

4 tablespoons capers

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pecans

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

15 g bittersweet chocolate

grated parmigiano reggiano, for serving

grated bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, for serving

In a pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery, and saute until the onion is translucent. Add a little salt and pepper. Add the eggplant and a little oil, if needed. Add salt and pepper, again, and saute until all the vegetables are soft.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two. Add the water and let it simmer covered for about 20 minutes.

Add the capers, raisins, pecans, vinegar and chocolate. Adjust seasonnig and keep simmering over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Serve with egg noodles.

Sprinkle grated parmigiano reggiano and chocolate on top, to taste.

nutrition facts : 239 calories; 16.6 g fat; 5.7 g dietary fibers; 13.9 g sugars; 3.2 g protein

nouilles florentines à la sauce aigre-douce (imprimer)

recette adaptée de pinardises

(6 portions)

2 carottes, râpées

1 oignon espagnol, finement haché

4 branches de céleri, finement hachées

huile d’olive

sel

poivre

2 aubergines italiennes, coupées en dés

4 c. à soupe de pâte de tomate

1 tasse d’eau

4 c. à soupe de câpres

1/2 tasse de raisins secs

1/2 tasse de pacanes

1/4 tasse de vinaigre de vin rouge

15 g de chocolat mi-sucré

parmigiano reggiano, râpé

chocolat mi-sucré ou non sucré, râpé

Dans une casserole, faire revenir les carottes, l’oignon et le céleri dans l’huile à feu moyen. Saler et poivrer un peu. Ajouter les dés d’aubergine et un peu d’huile, au besoin. Saler et poivrer encore. Faire revenir jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient bien ramollis.

Ajouter la pâte de tomate et laisser cuire une minute ou deux. Ajouter l’eau et laisser mijoter à couvert pendant 20 minutes.

Ajouter les câpres, les raisins secs, les pacanes, le vinaigre et le chocolat. Ajuster l’assaisonnement et mijoter à feu doux encore 10 minutes.

Servir avec des nouilles aux œufs.

Ajouter parmigiano reggiano et chocolat râpé, au goût, au moment de servir.

valeur nutritive : 239 calories;  16,6 g de lipides; 5,7 g de fibres; 13,9 g de sucres; 3,2 g de protéines

Flexitarian snacking routine

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Since I went flexitarian, I find myself eating all the time : life is good! Strangely, I can’t say that I am overeating, I’m just snacking every two hours or so.

I get up early every single morning, always before 6 on weekdays, sometimes as early as 5 ever since this blogging thing has been going on. I gulp down a huge breakfast : a smoothie with fruits, fruit juice, vegan milk and silken tofu, and a slice of toasted whole wheat bread with some kind of nut butter, or a slice of homemade bread, such as this one. At 9:30 sharp, I eat a few pepitas and almonds that I sometimes pair with some dried cranberries or a fresh fruit. Then, at 10:35, I either have lunch (if I plan to go out for a short run at lunch hour) or I eat a homemade snack : it can be a healthy cookie, a raspberry muffin or a thick slice of banana bread, whatever has been baking in the oven over the weekend. Then, at 1, I go out for a run with my running buddies or I have lunch, if I didn’t have it already. After the run, if I did run, I drinks lots of water and eat fresh fruits.

At this point, my energy level might drastically drop down. A headache might even come around for a short visit. Life isn’t that good anymore.

I guess I always should have a hearthier post-run snack on hand.

I guess I should bake these awesome bars all the time : they’re delicious, nutty, tangy and chocolaty, not to mention full of healthy carbs and proteins. They’re even healthier if you skip the chocolate : but why would anyone want to do that for god’s sake?

apricot power bars (print)

recipe taken from elana’s pantry

(10 servings)

1 cup dried apricots

2 cups pecans

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven at 350 and coat a square 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Place apricots and pecans in a food processor and pulse until the texture of coarse gravel. Pulse in eggs, salt and vanilla, until mixture forms a ball. Remove mixture from food processor and work in chocolate chips. Place mixture in the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

nutrition facts : 218 calories; 19 g fat; 2.7 g dietary fibers; 6.8 g sugars; 4 g protein

barres énergisantes à l’abricot (imprimer)

recette tirée de elana’s pantry

(10 portions)

1 tasse d’abricots séchés

2 tasses de pacanes

2 œufs

1/4 c. à thé de sel

1 c. à soupe d’extrait de vanille

1/2 tasse de brisures de chocolat (facultatif)

Préchauffer le four à 350. Vaporiser un moule carré (8 x 8) d’enduit à cuisson. Mettre les abricots et les pacanes dans un robot culinaire et broyer jusqu’à l’obtention d’une espèce de chapelure épaisse. Ajouter les œufs, le sel et la vanille, et activer le robot jusqu’à la formation d’une boule. Mettre la préparation dans un bol et incorporer les brisures de chocolat. Verser la préparation dans le moule et cuire 25 minutes.

valeur nutritive : 218 calories;  19 g de lipides; 2,7 g de fibres; 6,8 g de sucres; 4 g de protéines