Can you believe it’s 2011 already? I literally remember being nine years old and counting down to midnight on y2k, wondering what would happen when the year 2000 hit. Hah!

Last night was a ton of fun. I invited five friends over for some snacks and drinks before we hit the town. I love entertaining, I wanted a really fun menu with everything miniature!

Everyone was greeted with a Mini Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Drop Martini.

Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Martini

• 2 oz Absolut Peach vodka
• splash of pomegranate juice
• splash of grapefruit juice
• sugar
• orange zest

Put a bit of sugar into a bowl and stir in some orange zest. Run a piece of orange around the rim of your martini glass and then rim with orange-sugar. In a martini shaker, combine ice, vodka, and juices. Shake! Shake! Shake! Pour into prepared glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

And we munched on a fresh platter of veggies n dip

I made these Fig & Brie bites, which were absolutely delicious. I think you guys know about my love affair with brie…and these were no exception. MAKE SURE YOU FREEZE THESE BEFORE YOU BAKE. I actually couldn’t serve these because mine weren’t cold enough, so the brie ran everywhere…..but the scraps were amazing haha. I have one more batch ready, which I will freeze first.

Fig & Brie Bites (adapted from Food Mayhem)

Sour Cream Pastry

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 3/4 cup fig jam
• 10 oz wedge of brie cheese

To make the sour cream pastry, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor by pulsing a few times. Add the butter and pulse 4 times, then process for 10 seconds, or until it looks sandy.

Empty into a very large bowl and form a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, yolk, and vanilla extract. Place wet mixture in the center of the well and work from the inside out with a rubber spatula.

When the dough comes together, knead a few times with your hands and press together. Divide the dough in half and form a 3″x4″ rectangle with each. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Dough can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.)

Remove one dough rectangle from the fridge and cut in 4 equal pieces. Keep un-used dough in the fridge.

Roll the piece of dough into a 14″ x 3″ strip on a lightly floured surface. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of preserves down the middle.

Cut the brie into thin slices a little less than 1/8″ thick. Cut off the rinds. Lay the brie down the middle on top of the preserves.

Lift the sides of the dough over the preserves and brie, folding one side over the other. Press down gently to seal.

Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Place them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with all the remaining dough, preserves, and brie. Place them in the freezer for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove to cooling racks to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best served warm.

I also served Smoked Salmon Blinis. I love smoked salmon, and all seafood for that matter. I try to avoid salmon because I have a sensitivity to it, but what the heck, it was New Year’s Eve!!

Smoked Salmon Blinis (recipe found here)

For the pancakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 8 ounces cold smoked salmon
• Freshly chopped green onions, for garnish

For the sour cream sauce:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and chives.

In a small bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add the egg and whisk until completely incorporated.  Whisk in the milk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just incorporated and no large lumps remain.  Do not over-mix.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Spray lightly with non-stick spray then scoop the batter by the tablespoon into the pan.  Cook for one minute on the first side, flip, then cook for an additional thirty seconds, or until the cakes are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed in the center.  Remove to a plate to cool while you prepare the rest.

While the cakes cool prepare the sour cream sauce by adding the sour cream, horseradish and salt to a small bowl.  Whisk to combine then let stand ten minutes.

To prepare, spoon a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of the sauce onto the center of the cakes.  Top with a piece of the salmon.  Garnish with the chives.  These can be assembled up to one hour in advance.  Serve at room temperature.

I have always wanted to make sliders, and I decided to make these lovely Lentil Walnut Burgers from Oh She Glows, into sliders! They look so adorable and almost to cute to eat.

Lentil Walnut Sliders (adapted from Oh She Glows)

• 3/4 cup canned lentils
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 piece bread, toasted OR 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 chia/flax egg (1 tbsp ground chia or flax + 1/4 cup water)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl make the chia or flax egg and set aside.

Toast the walnuts by placing the walnuts on a baking sheet and cooking at 350F for about 12 minutes until golden brown and delicious. Let cool.

In a food processor, process the garlic, walnuts, toasted bread OR breadcrumbs, spices & seasonings until combined. Now add oil and lentils and pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should be visible and left chunky). Add the flax or chia egg and pulse a bit more until combined. Now shape small patties with hands and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a non-stick mat. Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, turning once. When almost done, add cheese (if using), and let melt in the oven for about a minute.

I served these on slider buns, with spinach, avocado, ketchup, mustard, and havarti cheese. Enjoy!

My friend Taylor said, “These are the best f*cking burgers ever!” LOL

As if we didn’t have enough shots in our near future, I thought I’d kick things off with a shot that wouldn’t make our stomachs (and livers!) cringe. A simple Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup served in shot glasses.

Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup (adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

• 2 acorn squash, pumpkins, or other smallish winter squash (I used one can of pumpkin puree, and one acorn squash)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• clove minced garlic
• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
• water
• 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)
• sprinkle of red chili flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle.

Carefully cut each squash/pumpkin into halves (or quarters). Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

Saute garlic clove in a bit of olive oil in a soup pot. When the pumpkin/squash are cool enough to handle scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer – a light vegetable stock would work here as well. Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt and chili flakes (and more curry paste if you like, I used about 10 teaspoons of curry paste, but the kind I used was very mild.)

To round out the evening before we headed downtown, was a selection of festive cookies. I made shortbread 3-ways, snowflake sugar cookies, and rumnog pecan cookies (vegan, and to die for!) .

Here is a great use for butternut squash (my fav!). It’s a lovely curried soup and it’s so easy to make. I served this for my friends when they came over for a “Fall Dinner” and they asked me if it was from a package because they thought it was too good. What a great compliment!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup (adapted from The Everyday Vegan)

• 1 large butternut squash, cooked (6-7 cups)
• 1 large yam, cooked
• 1 cup carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup sweet white onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 1 tsp Madras curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1- 1 1/2 cups of water
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake squash and yams for 55-60 minutes (until soft when pierced). Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Prepare other ingredients while squash and yams are baking and cooling. Once cooled, slice squash and peel from flesh. Slice yam.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, sea salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Add some water or stock if necessary. Stir in garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, and cinnamon. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until onions soften. Add vegetable stock, 1 cup of water, squash and yam. Puree soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Add extra water depending on desired thickness. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for ten minutes. Season to taste.

This makes a lot of soup, but I like to put it in single-serving sized containers and freeze it. Yum!

Ooh, and I finally got my copy of Foodies of the World in the mail. Check it out!! Excuse the crappy pictures…I took them with my cell phone!

This is a unique, and ultra creamy soup. The subtle chamomile flavours pokes through the dish just enough for one to taste it, but not identify it. The chamomile tea takes the place of any herbs and spices, and a nice pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to enhance the lovely flavour of the soup. This soup took about 20 minutes to make- it was so simple. I love how the cauliflower is just so creamy and smooth, without the addition of any actual cream- or any dairy at all, for that matter. For a vegan soup, I think absolutely anyone would enjoy this.

Chamomile comes from a flowering plant of the daisy family. It has been used for centuries to help with insomnia, anxiety, skin conditions, headaches and stomach problems. The smell of chamomile just brings relaxation to mind. This soup is a great way to enjoy chamomile in a form other than tea.

Chamomile Cauliflower Soup (adapted from Cooking with Tea)

• 7 chamomile tea bags
• 3 cups water
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped frresh parsley, for garnish
• olive oil, for garnish

Boil the water and tea bags in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and squeeze the excess liquid into the pan. Add the cauliflower to the tea, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.

In a small saucepan, saute the shallot and celery in the olive oil until the shallot is clear. Put in a blender with the cauliflower, plenty of salt and pepper to taste, and a cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Blend until smooth and add more liquid if necessary until desired thickness is reached. Pour into bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly chopped parsley, and enjoy!

Here we are, already setting the clocks ahead and getting ready for Spring! We’ve been having unusually sunny weather here in Vancouver for most of February and then suddenly got snow this week, and now the sun is back, trying to make an appearance! Strange strange strange. Regardless of the weather, I decided to make a light, refreshing and healthy pea soup. Anything to do with peas just tastes like Spring to me- the flavour is so fresh! This made a pretty big batch, but I’ll definitely be freezing it in single portions for whenever I need a quick bite! Hey! I just thought of something- what a great dish for St. Patrick’s day! Eat a nice healthy pea soup and then go and drink pint after pint of green beer! :p

This week I will be graduating from culinary school with a Certificate in Baking & Pastry Arts (hopefully! If I pass all my exams ). This consisted of me taking 3 months of culinary courses and 3 months of baking & pastry courses. It has been a big learning experience for me and there is much that I can take from traditional French cooking and pastry, and apply to what I think modern food should be- tasty and nourishing for your body, mind, and soul. From here, I will be finishing my last few courses as well as my case studies in becoming a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. I’ve made some great friends over the last few months, and it’s going to be strange not going to school. I can’t say I’ll miss the 4:45am mornings, though! Onwards and upwards…..

Spring Pea Soup

• 1 kg package frozen peas
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1/2 lemon (I might use an entire lemon next time- I liked tasting the citrus!)
• 1 tsp dried basil (I didn’t have fresh in my garden!)
• 1 tsp dried mint (same here!)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

Heat a large pot over medium heat with 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Add shallot and garlic and cook a couple of minutes, until softened. Add frozen peas, vegetable stock, herbs, salt and pepper, lemon zest and juice. Cover and bring to a simmer. Puree in a blender. Return to pot and heat until hot. Garnish the soup with a small lemon wedge, chives, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Enjoy!

* If you wish to make this soup a bit richer, simply add a dollop of creme fraiche, yogurt, or some heavy cream.

Miso soup is so easy to make and it’s absolutely delicious. I love the salty miso and seaweed with the neutral, creamy tofu. I threw this together for lunch one day and there are so many different add-ins you can use. Why not try crab meat instead of tofu? Or use some soba noodles to make it a bit heartier. Try using different kinds of miso for slightly different flavour combinations, as well!

Miso Soup

• 7 cups of water
• several strands of seaweed- (I used dried wakame and I cut it into pieces with scissors. Keep in mind that seaweed expands ALOT!)
• 1 tbsp of mirin
• 2 tbsp tamari
• tofu, medium dice (about 1/2″ cubes, use however much you like- I used about half a block I had in the fridge)
• 1/2 cup miso (I used a brown rice miso called genmai- it was what I had on hand.)
• 5 scallions, minced (reserve some for garnish)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Heat the water to a simmer. Add the seaweed, the mirin, and the soy sauce. Cover and remove from the heat- allow to soak for 5-10 minutes. Reheat to a simmer and add the tofu. Simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in the miso and scallions. Heat up but don’t boil. Boiling will remove some of the nutrients from the miso. Sprinkle plenty of sesame seeds over top of each portion of soup, and top with extra scallion as a garnish. Enjoy!

If it is too salty, add more mirin. If it is too sweet, add more miso!

On another note, I wasn’t going to post these, as there is nothing healthy about them, but my boyfriend made me promise I would. I made a batch of sugar cookies and decorated them as little footballs for a Grey Cup party my boyfriend’s family was having. The Grey Cup is pretty much the Superbowl, but for the Canadian Football League. It was a really exciting game (and normally I reaaally don’t enjoy watching football) and the cookies were a big hit!!

Lastly, I think instead of having a Cookbook of the Month for December, I will focus on family recipes for Christmas! Hopefully making them healthier in the process.

Hello everyone! It’s been a little while since my last post and at last….something NOT pumpkin! After making a New England style clam chowder in my cooking class, I wanted to try to make MY version at home so I could actually taste it- sans pork, and chicken stock. I used vegetable stock with a bit of fish sauce mixed in because I could not find fish stock. The soup turned out fantastic, though not quite as thick as the one we made in school, the flavour was very nice and my family and I enjoyed it for dinner!

Koko’s New England Clam Chowder

• 25 g butter
• 50 g onions, diced
• 100 g celery, diced
• 50 g flour
• 3/4 L vegetable stock, warm, with 1/2 tbsp- 1 tbsp fish sauce added OR fish stock
• 300 mL clam nectar
• 1 sachet (herbs tied up in cheesecloth and left to float in the soup while cooking) consists of 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp peppercorns-crushed, 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 75 g potatoes, diced
• 350 mL baby clams, canned
• 125 mL Cream, 35%, or milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sweat onions with celery until translucent.

Add flour and cook roux until white/blond in colour.

Whisk in heated vegetable or fish stock until smooth.

Stir in clam nectar, add sachet and simmer 15 minutes.

Add potatoes and simmer until tender.

Stir in baby clams and their juice.

Return to simmer, add cream and adjust seasoning, enjoy!!

And now…back to pumpkin! You thought I had stopped!? Nooo…..try these pumpkin cheesecake brownies- they are SO rich you will only need one to satisfy your sweeth tooth, though they are absolutely delicious! The recipe comes from the Beantown Baker.

I went through a phase that lasted about a year and a half….I despised soup. I couldn’t even look at it without getting a gross feeling. It came from a bad experience with soup during a hospital stay and it took quite a long time for me to even consider eating it again. But it’s been a long time now and I can say that once again, I love soup!! My favourite type is thick soup, like butternut squash or even better…pumpkin! I cannot wait to make pumpkin soup this year- if that does not sum up autumn in a bowl, I don’t know what does!

Yesterday I decided to make a different kind of soup though, something a little bit lighter. I decided on “Monkey Minestrone” from “Eat, Drink, Be Vegan”. It was my first time making this recipe (and minestrone, actually!) and it turned out really well. It’s full of beans (3 kinds!), yummy tomato flavour, veggies, herbs and whole wheat macaroni. Unfortunately, I cannot share the recipe with you because I really didn’t change anything about it, except that I added parmesan. I made it un-vegan but it is good without the cheese as well. I just love the salty flavour that parmesan adds!

Lately I have been reading “French Women for All Seasons” by Mireille Guilliano. It is the sequel to “Why French Women Don’t Get Fat”. I was excited to see that the second book contains many more recipes and I have tried a couple out. I have been eating a lot of soup lately as it’s become warmer out and that makes me crave lighter, healthy meals. I tried making the Beet Soup from French Women for All Seasons, as I had just purchased some beets (something I don’t usually have on hand) from Whole Foods.  The recipe can be found here, just scroll down a bit. The soup is refreshing and tasty, but I have trouble eating raw onions and I found that the shallots came on a little bit strong in this recipe. Try it out and see for yourself!