Making a pot of wholesome Beef Barley Soup from scratch doesn’t have to be a long complicated process. This recipe is easy and in just about an hour you can have a delicious and hearty meal on the table.

Hearty and full of flavour, this Beef Barley Soup is easy to make, delicious and nutritious. Barley has a slightly nutty flavour and a chewy consistency. It’s high in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals (see here for more on its health benefits). To make this soup in just about an hour, I used Pearl barley. Though it’s not considered a whole grain and is less nutritious than hulled barley, it’s still very good for you. If you prefer to use hulled barley to take full advantage of its health benefits, you can do so but will need to increase its cooking time.

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This beautiful Plum Upside-Down Cake features plums in a delicious butterscotch sauce on top of a tender spiced cake. The cake recipe is easy to make and can be used to make a variety of upside-down cakes. Try this recipe with nectarines, peaches, pineapple, and even blueberries.

This Plum Upside-Down Cake is a flavourful dessert with a cake base spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger. The cake is tender and moist, and the plums are baked in a mixture of butter and brown sugar and become caramelized, jammy and sweet. This is a cake that will certainly become a favourite in your household.

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If you’re looking for an easy and no fuss way to make use of excess zucchini this summer try making this delicious Lemon Zucchini Walnut Loaf, you’ll be happy you did!

This Lemon Zucchini Walnut Loaf post was originally published in June 2016. The post has been updated.

Baking with zucchini is a wonderful way to make use of all the zucchini growing in your garden. Zucchini adds plenty of moisture to baked goods and helps produce a tender and moist loaf. If you’ve never tried zucchini bread before you may be thinking that zucchini is an odd ingredient to put into a sweet tasting loaf. Well let me tell you that this lemon zucchini walnut loaf is delicious, flavourful, tender, and super moist.

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These moist Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with whole grains and unrefined sugar. They’re easy to make and are a delicious kid-friendly snack.

These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins are a favourite with my kids. They love them because of how tasty they are and all the mini chocolate chips in them. I love them because they’re made with whole grains, are quick to make and are great for using up over-ripe bananas.

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These American style Blackberry Scones spiced with vanilla and just a hint of cinnamon are buttery, tender and flaky. Enjoy them plain, with a dusting of confectioner sugar or drizzled with a simple icing.

Perfect for brunch, afternoon tea or even a light dessert, these Blackberry Scones are one of my favourite treats. Homemade scones are much fresher than store-bought and can be prepared, baked and ready to eat in under 45 minutes!

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An easy recipe for a healthy White Bean and Tuna Salad loaded with ingredients high in protein and fiber. This salad takes 15 minutes to make, uses pantry staples, fills you up and keeps you satisfied until your next meal.

My favourite salad recipes are those that are quick and easy to make, are filling enough for lunch and can even double as a light main meal. This White Bean and Tuna Salad or even this Mediterranean Kale Salad are excellent examples of such salads. And if you happen to be looking for tasty Mediterranean diet recipes, this salad is filled with heart healthy ingredients that are part of the Mediterranean diet.

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With less than 10 ingredients, this delicious Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta couldn’t be easier to prepare. Ready in 30 minutes, it makes a fantastic weeknight meal!

This recipe for Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta was originally published in July 2016. The post has been updated.

Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

Not only is this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta super easy to make but it’s also quick to prepare, nutritious and really easy to adapt to your liking.  You can choose to use the recipe as is, or as a guide and substitute the spinach with a different vegetable. My favourites are zucchini, mushrooms, peas, or even a combination. You can also add some protein, I think shrimp or chicken would taste fantastic. With so many options available, you can easily make this dish and change up the protein and veggies to keep from getting tired of it. Anyway you decide to make it, this pasta dish makes a fantastic mid-week meal.

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Made with nutritious ingredients, these No-Bake Maple Espresso Bites are refined sugar-free, vegan, and perfect for a quick snack or a much needed energy boost!

With so many energy bite flavour variations possible, it would be easy to make a different kind each time I make a batch. But my favourite always ends up being this recipe that I’m sharing with you today. These No-bake Maple Espresso Bites are flavoured with coffee, cinnamon, maple and vanilla and taste like a delicious latte.

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Moist and flavourful, these savoury Mini Cornbread Muffins with corn kernels make a great side dish and are also delicious as a snack or breakfast.

This recipe for Mini Cornbread Muffins was originally published in January 2014. I’ve updated the post as well as the recipe and included new photos.

Cornbread definitely fits into the comfort food category and is great served along side a hot bowl of chili, soup or a roast chicken. They are especially scrumptious served warm from the oven with a little dab of butter. These made from scratch Mini Cornbread Muffins combine just the right mix of ingredients for super moist, tender and flavourful cornbread muffins.

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This Mediterranean Kale Salad is a delicious combination of healthy vegetables and chickpeas dressed in a lemon garlic dressing.

The Mediterranean diet is reportedly one of the healthiest diets in the world. It’s becoming increasingly popular and is currently ranked as the best diet (https://www.health.com/weight-loss/best-diets-2019). The Mediterranean diet puts emphasis on eating mainly a plant based diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Fish and seafood are recommended twice a week, whereas, poultry, eggs and dairy products are prescribed in moderation and red meat only occasionally. For a more in depth look at the Mediterranean diet with a list of foods to eat and those to avoid check out this article.

This Mediterranean Kale Salad follows the healthy way of eating touted by the Mediterranean diet. This salad is made with fresh vegetables, and includes chickpeas with a homemade dressing made with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. This salad is healthy, filling and low in calories. It makes a delicious portable lunch to bring to work and is a great side for dinner.

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This is an easy afternoon tea recipe for homemade Irish Scones that rise high every time. Best served freshly baked with butter, jam or honey, these flaky and buttery scones are sure to go quickly.

With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to share an Irish recipe with you. Since I love baking and have a weakness for delicious baked goods, Irish Scones were on the top of my list.

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Made with simple ingredients, this easy and quick to make homemade vegetarian Tomato Orzo Soup is a delicious, hearty and healthy meal.

There’s something so soothing about making a hot pot of soup on a cold stormy day. This Tomato Orzo Soup was just what we needed to warm us and re-energize us after shoveling several feet of snow off our buried steps this past week.

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These made from scratch, Gluten-Free Almond Flour Brownies are easy to make, have a rich chocolatey taste, and are incredibly moist and fudgy.

These have to be the most decadent, fudgiest, ultra-moist brownies I’ve ever baked! For those of you watching your gluten intake, you’ll be happy to know these brownies are made with finely ground almond flour and are grain and gluten-free. They are dangerously delicious and self-control will come in handy for resisting a second piece.

Though you’ll find several delicious brownie recipes on this site, this is the only one which is gluten-free. I adapted this recipe from this one over at Food and Wine.

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Making a big batch of healthy Homemade Muesli is easy, just follow this basic recipe or use it as a guide to create your own favourite muesli.

A bowl of Homemade Muesli is an easy healthy breakfast you can feel good about eating. In fact, this healthy muesli recipe is made with heart-healthy ingredients both high in fiber and antioxidants. This recipe will provide you with a big batch of muesli which you can use for a quick filling breakfast all week long.

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A perfect option for those breakfast on the go mornings, this healthy and filling Blueberry Oatmeal Smoothie is an excellent way to start your day.

If you like the taste of oats but haven’t tried them in a smoothie yet, I suggest you give it a try next time you make a smoothie. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the taste. The last thing I expected is that it would taste like blueberry pie. But that’s exactly what I thought when I took my first sips of this Blueberry Oatmeal Smoothie. The oats and coconut with the addition of vanilla flavoured yogurt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg make this smoothie taste like dessert.

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These roasted Mixed Spiced Nuts make an easy and healthy sweet and savory snack for your next holiday celebration or party.

Whenever I need a quick appetizer, I know a bowl of roasted spiced nuts is the perfect solution. I like to keep my freezer well stocked with a variety of nuts, this way I always have something I can use. These Mixed Spiced Nuts only take twenty minutes to make and you can use whatever unsalted nuts you have on hand. For this recipe, I included pecans, walnuts, cashews, and almonds.

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Soft, tender and deeply chocolatey, these delicious Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies make an excellent holiday treat.

I couldn’t let the holidays pass without sharing this easy and tasty recipe for chocolate sugar cookies. These chocolate cookies are flavoured with a touch of peppermint extract which adds extra flavour and makes them especially suited for the holidays. Made with cocoa powder, these cookies are seriously chocolatey and not overly sweet which gives us room to decorate these cookies with more chocolate, sprinkles and candy. 

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This chocolate chip cookie recipe yields deliciously thick, tender and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies that will stay chewy for days.

This recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies was originally published in December 2013. I’ve updated the post as well as the recipe details and have included new photos.

This is our favourite Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. They’re often requested by my kids and are always appreciated as a sweet treat.

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If you are going to make biscotti for the holiday season, let this Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti be the one! It’s the best holiday biscotti!

This recipe for Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti was originally published in December 2014. Here’s an updated the post, recipe remains the same.

This Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti recipe is a holiday family favourite, not only is it beautifully speckled with green and red but it tastes absolutely delicious. What makes this biscotti recipe a winner is that it’s full of crunch without being overly hard, the cookies aren’t dry and remain slightly tender in the middle.

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This easy recipe for a flavourful Spinach Apple Cranberry Salad combines sweet and savoury ingredients and is proof that simple can be delicious.

Whether it’s for a small family dinner or a large feast, you can impress your guests with this easy and light spinach salad. Perfect as a starter or a side dish, this simple Spinach Apple and Cranberry Salad dressed with an apple cider vinaigrette comes together quickly.  This salad demonstrates that all it takes are a few basic pantry ingredients and a couple of  fresh seasonal ingredients to make flavourful salads that aren’t boring.

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This fabulous pumpkin bundt cake combines pumpkin purée, fall spices and melted chocolate to make a scrumptious Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake worthy of special occasions.

If you’re looking for a seasonal cake to wow your guests with at your next fall dinner party without having to spend hours on dessert, this Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake is it! The layer of melted chocolate and crumbly pumpkin spice and brown sugar mixture in this pumpkin cake is sure to make this an unforgettable dessert. This super moist, dense and tender pumpkin cake is spiced with just the right amount and combination of warm spices. The aroma coming out of your oven while this bundt cake bakes will make your mouth water with anticipation of your first bite.

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This easy recipe for Sweet Potato Muffins combines whole grains and sweet potatoes for a wholesome breakfast. A great way to start your day, these muffins have long staying power and will keep you and your family feeling full and satisfied.

This recipe for Sweet Potato Muffins was originally published in May 2014. I’ve updated the post as well as the recipe and included new photos.

The recipe for this post is adapted from this recipe I found on NancyC. The recipe I included in my original post was for 6 muffins. For this updated post, I doubled the recipe to make a dozen. I also made these Sweet Potato Muffins healthier.  Since sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, it was easy to cut back on the sugar without affecting the taste. I also reduced the amount of oil I used and the muffins still came out delicious, tender and moist. I included pecans and spiced these Sweet Potato Muffins with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. They make a lovely fall breakfast, snack or treat.

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Delicious, moist and light, these made from scratch Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes are made with fresh apples and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.

This recipe for Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes was originally published in January 2014. I’ve updated the post and included new photos.

These Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes are a delicious way to use some tasty seasonal apples. With Canadian Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share something that fit the autumn season. Baked fresh apple desserts are some of my favourite sweets to make during the fall. I love using warm and comforting spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to flavour my baked goods.

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Wondering what to do with all those peaches you couldn’t resist buying at the market? This sumptuous Fresh Peach Sauce comes together in minutes and is perfect for easy summer entertaining.

With us being well into late summer now and fall quickly approaching, I want to make sure I make good use of sweet and juicy seasonal peaches. So I’m taking my extra peaches and turning them into a Fresh Peach Sauce that can be used to top a variety of desserts. In this post, I showcase the peach sauce on top of ice cream, but you can serve it on top of vanilla cheesecake, pound cake, crepes and more.

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Looking for a fresh and easy appetizer that is just perfect for summer? This mouthwatering Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini recipe will delight your guests.

This simple sweet and savoury crostini appetizer is just perfect for summer entertaining. You’ll find this recipe especially delicious when you can get your hands on fresh local strawberries. This strawberry crostini is a great example of how we can combine sweet and savoury ingredients to create amazing flavour combinations.

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I love cooking with seasonal ingredients and the easiest way to incorporate fresh seasonal produce is to include it in a salad. There is nothing like fresh fruit to lighten and freshen up a summer dish. This time I’m using fresh strawberries to make an easy and flavourful salad that is sure to make you want a second serving!

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There are days where finding the time to eat right can be a daunting task, I find one of the quickest and easiest ways to remedy the situation is to get the essential vitamins and minerals my body needs in a fresh, creamy and easy to drink green smoothie.

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An easy recipe for a moist Healthy Carrot Bread made with whole wheat flour and lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup. Serve it plain or top it with a light ricotta icing for a special treat!

I seem to be in a baking mood lately, it must have something to do with me needing to distract myself from the cooler than usual spring weather and what seems like a never ending winter. But in order to feel less guilty about baking yet another treat, I decided I would make it wholesome. And what better way to make a treat healthier than making one that contains a vegetable! Baked carrot desserts are always so popular in the spring so I decided to make a Healthy Carrot Bread. Making a satisfying and healthy carrot bread is easy if you use the right ingredients!

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This simple recipe for a classic Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake yields a refreshing and moist lemon cake. Top it with a simple and tangy lemony glaze for a scrumptious treat!

If you love lemon desserts as much as I do you will want to try this Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake. This light lemon cake is delicious, moist, buttery and iced with a simple lemony glaze.  Similar in texture to a pound cake, this lemon cake is a perfect way to celebrate the arrival of springtime and would definitely make a wonderful addition to your Easter and Mother’s Day celebrations.

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Silky smooth and elegant, this simple and healthy recipe for Creamy Asparagus Soup requires only basic ingredients and very little effort or time to make!

One of my favourite spring seasonal ingredients is asparagus.  Though it’s available year round in supermarkets, it’s prime harvesting season in North America is from February to June, with April being the peak in the warmer climates and May and June for those of us living in cooler parts. Asparagus tastes best and is most tender when it’s fresh. And since it loses its flavour and nutritional benefits quickly after it’s picked, it’s best to buy local asparagus when possible.

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Looking to make salted caramel brownies without having to make your own caramel? These rich and fudgy Salted Caramel Chip Brownies are made with salted caramel baking chips — a simple way to achieve that sweet and salty taste without the added work of making your own salted caramel.

Deeply chocolaty, moist, chewy and fudgy, these Salted Caramel Chip Brownies make a delicious decadent treat that will satisfy the most serious of chocolate cravings.

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These Healthier Sugar Cookies make a delicious and healthy treat to share with your loved ones on Valentine’s Day or anytime your heart desires!

With Valentine’s Day quickly coming up I decided to spend some time baking something special for the kids. But with all the sweets we consumed over the holidays, I wanted to give them a treat that would be appealing and delicious as well as healthier. So I set out to adapt my favourite sugar cookie recipe into a healthier sugar cookie by substituting some of the ingredients with healthier ones and reducing others.  

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A simple to follow homemade recipe for incredibly delicious walnut stuffed Middle-Eastern rolled baklava.

This post was originally shared when I first stated this blog 4 years ago. This is an updated post with new pictures.

Walnut Baklava

Baklava is a delicious pastry made with phyllo dough, ground nuts, butter and a sweet syrup made of sugar or honey. Many variations of baklava exist and depending on what your preference is, you can make it with ground walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios or even a combination of these nuts. My family’s preference is walnuts, and so the recipe I’m sharing with you is for walnut stuffed baklava.

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With all the preparations already involved with the holidays, cooking a holiday dinner can be a stressful and needless to say time consuming affair. However, a roast turkey, the classic holiday table centrepiece,  doesn’t have to be complicated. Truth is, while a turkey takes some time to roast, it actually takes very little effort and hands-on time. With this recipe for an Easy Roast Turkey with Gravy, I will show you how simple and straightforward it is to have a flavourful, tender and juicy roast turkey. 

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This recipe for Chewy Ginger Cookies has been updated with new pictures and I adjusted the recipe to include some chilling time.

These Chewy Ginger Cookies have to be one of our favourite cookie recipes, we have been making them for a few years now and they’re always a big hit with adults and children alike. We look forward to making them every year so that we can include them on our cookie trays during the holiday season. …

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This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Citrus Tahini Dressing is an elegant, vibrant and gourmet salad just perfect for the holiday season.

Using seasonal ingredients, this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Citrus Tahini Dressing hits all the rights notes for the holiday season. The combination of textures, flavours and colours in this salad make it one that your guests are sure to remember and a perfect starter or side dish for your holiday meal.

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Melt-in-your-mouth, flavourful and buttery Espresso Cardamom Shortbread Cookies perfect for Christmas and the holiday season.

Shortbread Cookies

Some of my favourite seasonal recipes for this time of the year include shortbread cookies. Shortbread cookies are a timeless treat and can be found on just about every bakers’ must make cookie list for Christmas and the holiday season. With so many options possible, it wouldn’t be difficult to fill a cookie tray with a variety of shortbread cookies. Shortbread cookies can be found plain made with only the essential butter, flour and sugar. Other varieties can include chopped nuts, chocolate or flavouring such as citrus or spices.

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Fill your home with the heavenly aroma of holiday spices and molasses with these easy to make and ultra-flavourful Gingerbread Muffins.

These light, moist and tender Gingerbread Muffins are flavoured with molasses and spiced with my favourite trio of warming spices: ginger, cinnamon and cloves. These muffins make a delicious treat anytime of the year but they are especially wonderful during the holiday season.

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Jelly roll cakes have been on my dessert tackle list for a while now. Though they can seem intimidating to make, they are surprisingly easy. Since it’s prime pumpkin goods season, the first roll cake that I’ll be sharing with you is this scrumptious Maple Pumpkin Roll Cake. …

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This Pear and Blueberry Crumble is a simple fruit-based dessert made by combining diced pears with fresh or frozen blueberries and topping it off with a hearty and crunchy oat topping.

There are so many reasons why fruit crumbles are one of my favourite desserts to make. They’re delicious, easy to make, and are adaptable depending on the fruit in season. With so many fruit and fruit combinations you can choose from, you can make a different crumble every weekend! Crumbles are delicious all year round and since they can be served warm, they’re an excellent choice for a comforting dessert in cooler weather.

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Wondering what you could make with ripe pears? How about this easy to make spiced Pear, Date and Walnut Loaf cake. Studded with sweet dates and crunchy walnuts, it’s perfect served as a snack or dessert!

My parents just gave me a bunch of ripe juicy pears from their tree and after enjoying some fresh, I knew I wanted to bake with some of them. So I made this quick loaf cake with pears, dates and walnuts and spiced it with cinnamon and nutmeg. The loaf came out tender and moist, perfectly sweetened and with a nice crunch from the toasted walnuts.

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I love how portable and easy energy bites are to grab, they’re one of my favourite ways to get a quick energy boost when I need one. There’s nothing more satisfying than a snack that tastes like an indulgent treat but one that you know is actually good for you. These No Bake Brownie Energy Bites taste like a fudgy dark chocolate brownie but are made by using superfoods, ingredients that are nutritious and are naturally beneficial to your health….

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Make these addictive, quick and easy Baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta Cheese for a nutrient loaded side dish or snack.

These sweet potato wedges are seasoned with a combination of spices and herbs and then baked until perfectly tender and nicely browned.  Topped with softened feta cheese they make an addictive dish!

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My favourite way to consume blueberries is when they’re baked in a dessert where they become all jammy such as in pies, galettes or in cobblers such as this one. Galettes and pies are perfect for keeping the focus on the fruit itself and are great for using up the abundance of berries we have in the summer. I usually lean towards making galettes, I find them much simpler to make than pies. With galettes, there’s no need to fuss with the dough to get a perfectly crimped edge because galettes are actually meant to look rustic. As long as you roll out the dough into a circular looking shape, you’re on your way to a beautiful looking galette….

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Make this simple one-pan recipe for Baked Rainbow Trout Fillets with Roasted Broccoli for a healthy, light and delicious meal that can be ready in 30 minutes.

I’m really happy to be sharing this recipe for Baked Rainbow Trout Fillets with Roasted Broccoli with you today. One of the most popular recipe on this blog is this baked rainbow trout recipe I published last year. And I’m not at all surprised about it, the recipe is quick and easy to make, is light and healthy and really delicious!

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Have you noticed the abundance of matcha tea flavoured desserts and drinks on Pinterest?  There are so many options of matcha confections one could choose from. The beautiful bright green colour of matcha seems so well suited for spring and summer desserts. So with summer fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to finally try baking with matcha.

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Cheer on your favourite team and keep your party guests entertained with these scrumptious Baked Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce!

This post is sponsored by Vitamix — Makers of my favourite high-performance blenders! All opinions expressed are my own.

Are you or someone in your family a big hockey fan? If so, you’ve probably been watching the playoffs cheering your team on. Those who know me well, know that I’m not the biggest sports fan but I am a fan of food, and game time snacks are the best!  I can always get excited about watching a game if there is some good food involved. Chicken wings are my favourite game time appetizer and judging by their popularity, there’s a good chance they’re one of your favourites as well. Wings are a classic game snacking food and with all the flavour possibilities out there you could have a different flavour for every game. My favourite so far has to be these Baked Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce.

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A layered Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a baking classic and a fabulous way to end a perfect meal.

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post a lemon flavoured dessert on my blog. I love them so much. But truthfully, I haven’t made one that I was excited enough about to put on here. But I finally succeeded and made one that I’m really really happy with. This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting hits all the musts for me, its moist, tender, perfectly lemony and sweet but not overly so.

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Easy, quick and incredibly versatile, this protein-rich Healthy Vegetable Frittata can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

I love quick and easy meals. And a meal that doesn’t need to be planned ahead of time is even better. Since frittatas can be infinitely varied and customized to your liking by using your favourite add-ins, it’s simple to come up with a delicious frittata with ingredients you have on hand. In fact, frittatas are great for using bits of leftover ingredients (steamed veggies and cooked sausage, for instance, are perfect in frittatas) and cleaning out your refrigerator. Because eggs are rich in protein, healthy and inexpensive it’s a good idea to have a few easy egg dishes that you could make on rotation.

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Rich in omega 3 fatty acids and protein, salmon is a healthy option for quick and easy weeknight meals. This Thai Baked Salmon with Cilantro-Chili Sauce is one of the tastiest fish recipes you can make in under 30 minutes. I’ve been making this recipe for many years, it’s from Simply Thai Cooking, one of my first cookbooks and a favourite of mine as it’s full of great recipes.

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These lightly sweetened Homemade Coconut and Seed Bars are a chewy, wholesome and filling snack. Not only are they incredibly delicious, but they are made with ingredients loaded with nutrients that are good for you. What I love about this bar recipe is that it is adaptable to suit your taste or dietary restrictions. You can make these entirely nut free if allergies are a concern in your home, just be sure to add more seeds, coconut or dried fruit.

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I’ve discovered I could make the most delightful lattes and hot drinks in my Vitamix. It all started when I was making some hot chocolate for my children, I filled a pot with milk, cocoa and sugar, warmed it on the stove top making sure to whisk all the lumps of cocoa away, and just as I was almost done, I turned around to attend to my daughter (for a what seemed like a couple of seconds), only to have my hot chocolate boil over and create a giant mess!

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Made with coconut, almonds, light flaky wafers, sweetened condensed milk, and white and dark chocolate, these truffles are irresistible. These ingredients taste so good together it’s no wonder there are so many delectable creations incorporating them. Luckily, these Double Chocolate Coconut Almond Truffles couldn’t be easier to make at home.

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These made from scratch Spicy Chocolate Brownies are fudgy, rich, super chocolatey and spiced with a hint of cinnamon and cayenne.

Did you know the Mayans and Aztecs commonly added chile peppers to their chocolate drinks? In fact, throughout history, many cultures used chile peppers as an aphrodisiac. So it seems perfectly fitting that for Valentine’s Day you would share a spiced chocolate concoction with your sweetheart!

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These moist, healthy and flavorful Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins are lightly sweetened with maple syrup and include turmeric, a spice with anti-inflammatory properties.

Why Add Turmeric

I’ve been hearing so much about the benefits of turmeric lately. Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. What I find especially appealing about curcumin is its ability to enhance the function of the liver to detoxify our bodies.  Though I’ve  been using turmeric for it’s beneficial health properties in savoury food for years, I’ve only started to use it in baked goods. Since adding turmeric (fresh or dry) to your food is a great way to add antioxidants to your diet, I’ve been on a quest to add it to as many foods as I can. I decided to try it in my baked goods after seeing this recipe over at Green Kitchen Stories.

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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealers. I received the FoodSaver® Wedge with Roll Storage and Fresh Handheld Sealer but opinions are 100% my own.

A couple of months ago, I was offered the chance to try out the FoodSaver® Wedge (FFS005) Vacuum System. Since I’ve always been curious about the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System and I like to buy certain food items in bulk, I thought it would be a great opportunity to see how well it worked. Buying in bulk for my small family helps me save money, however, the problem I have with buying in large quantities is that things can go bad before we have a chance to consume it all. And I hate to throw food out.  
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With a few simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes, this Pistachio Crusted Salmon is both an easy and quick option for a weeknight dinner and also an elegant main for a dinner party.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon — A quick and easy recipe

This recipe for Pistachio Crusted Salmon is one of those simple recipes that produces a beautiful and flavourful dish that is sure to impress your guests. Salmon is a healthy dinner option and this recipe is so easy and quick to prepare. With some basic pantry ingredients you can have this delicious and moist fish on the table in less than 30 minutes.

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This fresh, gorgeous and festive salad, full of ruby red pomegranate seeds, juicy ripe pears, crunchy grapes, and lightly sweetened and spiced pecans is sure to impress your guests. I have been making and serving this salad for several years now and it is always a hit! …

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Here’s an easy recipe for a homemade Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Dip that only takes minutes to prepare and is sure to impress your guests.

The combination of smoked salmon, cream cheese, fresh dill and green onions makes this Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Dip super flavourful. This creamy appetizer is a real crowd-pleaser and so delicious that your guests will happily nibble away on this dip all evening long. This easy recipe makes two cups of dip so this is a great appetizer for entertaining larger groups. And since it can be prepared ahead of time, it’s a great recipe for taking to pot luck gatherings.

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These delicious and fragrant Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookies are a sophisticated twist on the classic sugar cookie recipe.

Did you know that you can make delicious fragrant sugar cookies by adding matcha powder to your cookie recipe? It’s also a perfect way to add green colour to your Christmas and holiday baked goods without using any artificial colours. Adding matcha powder to sugar cookies is a great way of adding anti-oxidants to arecipe that would otherwise be devoid of any!

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This moist and easy Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake has a delicious swirled streusel filling and topping. Perfect for special occasion brunches or dessert.

The recipe for this cake is one from my childhood. My mom often used to bake it when we would have company. I can remember looking forward to having a slice of this moist and cinnamony cake with the tasty crunchy topping. For some reason, my mom stopped baking this cake and recently I found myself craving it. I think all the cinnamon flavour in this cake must remind me of Christmas and so I’ve decided that this is the perfect time of the year to be sharing this flavourful bundt cake recipe with you.

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This Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti is loaded with chunks of chocolate, dried cherries and hazelnut pieces. Keep them plain or dip them in chocolate and chopped hazelnuts for an extra decadent treat!

With so many variations possible for biscotti, it can be difficult to decide which ingredients to choose to flavour my biscotti. It’s become somewhat of a tradition, every year around the holidays I take my favourite Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti recipe and alter the fruit and nut to create a new biscotti as I did with this Apricot and Almond Biscotti.  This year, I opted for hazelnut, dark chocolate and dried cherries. I kept the orange flavouring because it goes so well with chocolate, especially during the holiday season.

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This Southwestern flavoured Easy Black Bean Soup is super delicious, hearty and healthy. Make it with canned black beans for an easy one-pot meal.

Today I’m sharing one of my favourite soup recipes. I think soups are wonderful because they’re perfect for lunch and dinner. I know that as long as I have some good quality boxed broths, canned beans and a few other staple ingredients, I can get a delicious and healthy meal on the table quickly.

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Today I’m sharing another recipe that’s perfect for serving at social gatherings and one that would make a wonderful hostess gift. These spiced almonds are absolutely addictive, they make a great snack and are an excellent accompaniment to drinks and cocktails….

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I’m going to get straight to the point and tell you all about this good-looking Chocolate Swirled Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf. When I saw the recipe for this loaf in a recent edition of Canadian Living, I knew I was going to have to make it….

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These walnuts get tossed in a sweet and spicy glaze and are then perfectly roasted until golden brown. So easy and quick to make, these Maple Spiced Walnuts make a delicious treat and are sure to be a favourite!

I should start off by warning you that these maple glazed walnuts are addictive. I’m snacking on them as I’m writing this post, and though I was only going to have a few, I can’t stop eating them.  They are absolutely delectable! The nuts are crunchy and slightly sweet with a spicy aftertaste. They definitely make a great gluten-free fall snack food and are perfect for serving at game nights and sophisticated enough for cocktail evenings. They’re delicious as a salad topping, and would also make excellent holiday host or hostess gifts.

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This post is sponsored by Vitamix — Makers of my favourite high-performance blenders! All opinions expressed are my own.

There’s nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup on a cold fall day. Leek and potato soup is a classic and there are many variations, but however you like yours, this soup is delicious and so easy to make. Since I received my new Vitamix I’ve been using it daily, I’ve made so many delicious things in it. Last week, I posted a recipe for Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip, I’ve also made a marbled butternut squash and chocolate loaf, that one disappeared before I even got to take pictures, so I’ll be making that again soon so I can share it with you. On warmer days, I even made some healthy fruity frozen treats. But this post is about this Creamy Leek and Potato Soup with Garlic Parmesan Crostini….

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Savoury, creamy and addictive, this Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip makes the perfect healthy appetizer to add to your Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving menus.

This post is sponsored by Vitamix — Makers of my favourite high-performance blenders! All opinions expressed are my own.

I love this time of the year, there’s a refreshing crispness to the air, the trees begin to get all beautifully coloured and the markets are bursting with fresh and local produce that I get to transform into delicious meals. I also love it, because my favourite holidays are quickly approaching and this means that I have plenty of occasions to prepare some fabulous food to share with family and friends. Canadian Thanksgiving is less than a month away, and this year I’m doing something very special. I’m having a Friendsgiving celebration! Have you heard of Friendsgiving yet?  If you haven’t, it’s the celebration of Thanksgiving with your friends!

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This simple and delicious Fresh Peach and Blueberry Cake makes a delightful summer dessert and is perfect for casual entertaining.

It’s already the end of August, and in only a few weeks it will be the end of summer.  But before I say goodbye to summer recipes and start baking fall desserts, I had to share this seriously delicious fresh peach and blueberry cake. The recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s peach cake. Her version has pecans in it, but since I needed to keep this cake nut free I used blueberries instead.  I can’t recall the last time I tried one of Ina Garten’s recipes, but if all of her recipes are half as good as this cake, I need to remember to try more of them.

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I turned my family’s favourite banana chocolate chip muffins recipe into whole wheat double chocolate banana muffins and they turned out fabulous!  These muffins are so chocolatey, that I’m sure they’ll satisfy even the most serious of chocolate cravings.  In fact, the muffins taste like decadent chocolate cake but are so much healthier for you. Best of all, these muffins are quick and easy to make with simple everyday ingredients that you probably already have on hand. …

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With a fresh taste and tropical feel, this Pan Fried Rainbow Trout with Pineapple Salsa makes an excellent light summer meal.

I don’t know about you, but the weather in my part of the world has been pretty hot this summer. I love the summer season and because summers are so short, I like to fill them up with as many outdoor activities as I can. This means I want recipes that don’t take too much time to prepare or can be prepared ahead of time.  That’s why I love recipes like this one. Not only is this rainbow trout recipe easy and quick to make, it makes a flavourful, light and refreshing summer dish.

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Rich, chewy and deeply chocolatey, these scrumptious Fudgy Chocolate Walnut Cookies make a fantastic treat!

Trust me when I say you’ll want to make a batch of these cookies! They’re incredibly delicious and are sure to satisfy your cravings for a deep dark chocolate treat. They’re also super easy to make and can be mixed by hand. In fact, my 6 and 7-year-old made these cookies with only a little assistance from their mama. My kids love to bake and got really involved in making these cookies. My eldest also had some fun styling and photographing them as well. 

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A delicious, easy and healthy recipe for an authentic Lebanese Tabbouleh salad. Serve it alone as a light meal or as a side dish with grilled meats.

Tabbouleh, also commonly spelled Tabouli, is a classic Lebanese vegetarian dish. It’s commonly served as a salad or as part of mezze (small dishes served as appetizers). Its main ingredients are fresh parsley, fine bulgur, fresh tomatoes, scallions and mint. Differences in spices used are found depending on which region in Lebanon you are from. For instance, my family doesn’t add cinnamon, or a seven spice blend. We use salt, pepper and occasionally a pinch of cayenne. Tabbouleh is dressed with a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Though it is commonly available in most grocery stores and delis, making it at home is easy and worth every minute of labour.

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One bite into these heavenly blueberry muffins will convince you that you don’t need any fussy crumb topping to have delicious muffins. These simple whole wheat blueberry lemon muffins are delicious just as is and bake up beautifully every time….

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Made with simple and healthy ingredients, this Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad makes a fantastic meal loaded with lots of flavour. This recipe can be prepared in just about 30 minutes which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

Sometimes it seems like I have a new favourite salad every week. This week it’s definitely this Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad.  I just love the ingredients, spices and herbs used in Southwestern cuisine and if you do too then this salad will surely become one of your favourites as well. 

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I love eating salads in the summer, and this Greek salad with Grilled Chicken is a favourite of mine. The simple marinade used for the chicken adds tons of flavour and the result is tender and moist grilled chicken. With the addition of fresh vegetables, feta cheese and olives, all of the ingredients combine to make a delicious and healthy low calorie Greek salad….

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Pancakes are one of my family’s favourite weekend breakfast treats. But to make sure they’re getting a wholesome breakfast, I like to make my pancakes using a combination of whole wheat and quinoa flour.  Quinoa flour is high in protein and fiber and makes a nutritious alternative to white flour. …

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Rainbow trout is a nutritious and delicious fish and cooking it couldn’t be easier. Here’s a healthy and simple recipe for Baked Rainbow Trout Fillet with a side of vegetables that can be prepared and cooked in under 30 minutes!

Even though I love to cook and would be happy to spend all day in the kitchen, the reality is life’s too busy and that’s just not possible. I need delicious and healthy meal options that can be prepared in just about 30 minutes and seafood is a great option for getting nutritious meals on the table quickly.

Best Rainbow Trout Recipe

This Baked Rainbow Trout Fillet with a side of veggies is an easy recipe that can be quickly baked in the oven. This dish is healthy, light, flavourful and easy to make. What’s even better about this meal is that you can bake the fish and a side of vegetables all on the same baking tray in the oven. It’s perfect for those busy days when you don’t have much time to cook.

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I didn’t think I would be posting a recipe for soup this week, after all it’s the end of April and hot soup isn’t usually on my mind at this time of year. Though we’ve had beautiful sunny days, there’s still a chill in the air. So in my home, soup is still on the menu….

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I can’t tell you how long I have wanted to make cinnamon rolls at home. Unfortunately, I let my apprehension of using yeast get the best of me and always told myself I would try it later. Well, I’m here to say that I have finally put this silly yeast fear out of my head and have successfully made two gorgeous batches of cinnamon rolls!  In just a few simple steps you can have gorgeous, delicious and fluffy sweet tahini and pistachio cinnamon rolls freshly baked at home.  Don’t let the yeasty dough intimidate you these are easy to make even for beginners!…

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If you spend any time on Pinterest looking at all of the food images then you may have noticed that avocado toast, in all its variations, is all the rage at the moment.  So when I recently found a perfectly ripe avocado on my counter, I proceeded to make myself my first fried egg on avocado toast. One bite and I understood what the fuss was all about….

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I’ve made this muffin recipe so many times now and the muffins always bake up beautifully. So I’m going to get straight to the point today and tell you about these whole wheat and quinoa banana chocolate chip muffins. The muffins are light, moist, fluffy, filling and have just the right amount of sweetness….

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Two ingredients in the spice blend of this delicious, Easy Spaghetti Meat Sauce recipe make it stand out from the rest and will have your guests asking for more.

This Easy Spaghetti Meat Sauce is loaded with fresh vegetables, ground beef, tomato sauce and spices. But so are almost all of the meat sauce recipes out there, so you might be wondering what’s so special about this recipe? Well I believe it’s a couple of the spices that I include when seasoning the sauce.

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With a Middle-Eastern twist, these Dukkah-crusted lamb chops served on a bed of cauliflower and potato purée make a flavourful and elegant meal that is perfect for this time of year.
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If you’re looking for a special dessert to celebrate St-Patrick’s Day, and want something with some serious dark chocolate flavour then this is the cake for you! This Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake is as chocolatey as they come. You might think beer is an odd ingredient in a cake, but in fact the toasty chocolate and coffee undertones of stout (such as Guinness) make it an excellent choice for incorporating into chocolate flavoured baked goods….

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This homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup makes the best comforting and filling meal. Get this dinner on the table quickly by using ready made chicken broth and leftover roast chicken.

This delicious creamy chicken noodle soup is a hearty soup full of savoury vegetables, roasted chicken and noodles. It’s kid-friendly and can be easily made on a weeknight by using rotisserie chicken and ready-made broth.

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I was feeling a bit sneaky when I made these chickpea chocolate chip cookies this past weekend.  I usually like to involve my girls when I bake cookies, but this time I was planning on baking with beans and since I wanted my kids to try the cookies before telling me they didn’t like them, I had to bake them while they were away. Though I’ve seen many recipes that use beans in baked goods, this was my first time giving it a try. I have to say I had my reservations about the way they would turn out, but I was really pleased with the results. And best of all my kids really liked them.  …

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Made with good for you ingredients, these delicious Mini Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Cups are a healthier way to satisfy your chocolate cravings. 

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I was browsing Tieghan’s recipes on Half Baked Harvest when I saw this recipe for Superfood Chocolate Quinoa Bark. I loved her idea of combining some super healthy ingredients with some dark chocolate to make a delicious and yet healthy treat. Tieghan has some very creative recipes on her site and if you haven’t seen her blog yet you should definitely check it out.  I adapted her recipe somewhat, deciding to use mainly seeds and made these Mini Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Cups. …

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This vibrant Pineapple Spinach Juice with Ginger is delicious, refreshing and best of all full of nutrients and vitamins!

I first tasted green juice when my cousin wanted me to try a kale and pineapple juice she had discovered. I was a bit hesitant at first, the colour wasn’t exactly appealing, but I tasted it anyways and found the drink very enjoyable. Since drinking that glass, I developed a bit of a craving for this green juice, so one day I decided to take my juicer out of the deep dark corner of my cupboard and try my hand at making my own tasty green juice.

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Quinoa has become one of my favourite ingredients to incorporate into my family’s diet. It’s full of complete proteins and provides us with a good amount of fibre as well as a plethora of minerals and vitamins (read here for more on the health benefits of quinoa). What I love most about quinoa is how versatile it is and how well it goes with so many different ingredients. …

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This nut-free, vegan Healthy Pumpkin Seed Granola is full of good for you ingredients. It comes together quickly and can be eaten for breakfast or as a healthy snack.

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had happy holidays, I know mine were filled with family, friends, good food and great times. I’m slowly getting back into the groove of things and prepping for my return back to work and to school for the kids. This means I need quick and healthy breakfasts and snacks. I’m starting off by preparing this nut-free Healthy Pumpkin Seed Granola.

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If you are a serious chocolate lover and are still looking for cookie recipes for the holidays, I highly recommend these Holiday Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. They are delicious, easy to make, look pretty, and you probably have all the ingredients already on hand….

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I know what I’m about to say is bad (especially at this time of the year), but I have to say that I’m loving this non wintry weather we are currently enjoying in Canada’s national capital.  Today is December 5th, there is no snow on the ground, the sun is shining and we are expecting a high of 8 degrees Celsius!  Of course this cannot last long, so I’m thinking that I really must get out there and enjoy this beautiful day. But before I do that, I have tell you about this classic gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting that I recently made. …

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The holiday season is upon us and I just can’t believe that it’s that time of year again, how is it possible for a full year to pass by so quickly? It seems like it was just a short while ago that I was taking the Christmas tree down. And now here I am getting all of the Christmas decorations out again. Anyways, I do love it and the kids are always so excited and happy to help decorate the tree. But my favourite part of the holidays is all the baking I get to do, I love to plan all the cookies and bars that I’m going to make for my annual dessert tray….

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This is one of my favourite pasta dishes, it combines lemony shrimp with creamy goat cheese, some baby spinach and leeks. Toasted pine nuts are thrown in for some added texture and a bit of crunch to the dish. All of the ingredients come together to create a pasta dish full of delicious flavours….

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These baked Sticky Hoisin-Soy Chicken Drumsticks are so incredibly delicious, easy to make and take so little preparation, that you’ll want to make this dish part of your regular weeknight dinner rotation.

I found the recipe for this baked hoisin chicken on Smitten Kitchen, but she uses the marinade on chicken wings. Though it would be delicious, I’m always searching for new ideas for my kids so I thought drumsticks would be perfect. Though I’m sure you can easily use this marinade on other chicken parts, I prefer dark meat and think drumsticks and thighs are especially delicious glazed this way.

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These delicious Pumpkin Scones with Espresso Glaze are light, tender and buttery just the way scones should be!

Though I just posted a recipe for pumpkin muffins last week, I couldn’t resist making some pumpkin scones and since they’re so delicious I had to share the recipe with you.

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Autumn is in full swing here, the trees are beautiful with golden and crimson leaves. I will never tire of seeing summer transition into fall, it’s quite a spectacular scene, especially when you are lucky enough to live in an area where an emphasis is placed on preserving as much of nature as possible.

Fall also means an abundance of squash in the markets, pumpkin being the most popular especially as we approach Thanksgiving and Halloween. It also means that bakeries and coffee shops are filled with baked pumpkin goods and pumpkin spiced lattes.  And that’s fine by me, as I always look forward to having my first pumpkin latte of the season and love to bake with pumpkin….

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The smell coming out of my kitchen while this chicken was in the oven was so good and so comforting. I’m not sure why, but there is something about the smell of roast chicken that makes me feel so content. Luckily there is nothing simpler than roasting chicken 😉 ….

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This Cauliflower, Kale and Leek Soup is a healthy soup that is both delicious and easy to make. Cauliflower is great for giving soups a creamy texture without actually having to add any cream to it. The kale and leeks add so much flavour and the kale gives this soup such a beautiful green colour. Cauliflower and kale are both part of the cruciferous vegetable family which provide us with antioxidants and other fantastic health benefits. …

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Homemade granola is quick to make and takes little effort. Try this vegan recipe for Homemade Maple Pecan Granola with Dates and you’ll be rewarded with delicious and healthier granola.

Did you know that you could make the healthiest and best tasting granola right in your own kitchen? If you haven’t already made your own granola then let me tell you that it’s incredibly easy and takes very little time. And if you have made your own granola, then you already know that it’s a delicious treat.

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This homemade Cara Cara Orange and Citrus Drink is a healthy juice made without refined sugars. Add a splash of neutral tasting alcohol to turn into a delicious cocktail drink.

A few months ago I posted a recipe for Sweet Potato, Parmesan and Rosemary Biscuits. In that post, I talk about my daughter’s interest in helping me with the food styling and photography for my blog and her desire to help me style a post for lemonade. We never did get around to making a blog post for lemonade, but we did make this Cara Cara Orange and Citrus Drink and my daughter had a great time styling the pictures here.

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These 5 Ingredient Date Energy Balls are made with healthy ingredients and without any refined sugar. They are naturally sweetened by dates. Dates are filled with beneficial minerals, dietary fibre that fill you up and natural sugars that satisfy your sweet tooth and give you energy without the negative effects of refined sugars….

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I used to think that making homemade jam was too complicated and took too much work. But when I looked into the process I realized that if I made small batches that could be consumed within a few weeks I wouldn’t have to worry about the sterilization process to make the jars shelf stable. All I would have to do is refrigerate the jam jars and since that’s easy enough, I proceeded to make my first jam: Blueberry! I couldn’t believe how delicious it was, and all it took was three ingredients: blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. It only took me 25 minutes to have homemade jam that didn’t contain a ton of sugar! Since then I’ve made other jams, but my favourite remains this Low-Sugar Blueberry Jam from Ricardo (you can check out many more Ricardo Recipes on his website).  I love spreading this jam on fresh bread with a piece of brie or other cheese, the jam is also excellent stirred into yogurt or on top of vanilla ice cream. …

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This refreshing Watermelon and Feta Salad is the perfect summertime salad. The combination of sweet, salty and tangy ingredients makes this salad entirely addictive.

A few summers ago I tried my first watermelon and feta salad and I’ve been hooked ever since. It may seem like an unusual combination of ingredients, but in fact, it’s makes for an incredibly delicious and refreshing salad that’s just perfect for hot summer days.

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This simple Blueberry Cobbler recipe was inspired by my friend’s blog post of a Rhubarb and Raspberry Cobbler. But since I had no rhubarb or raspberries available at home, I decided to make it using fresh blueberries.  …

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Delicious and easy to make, this Chocolate Celebration Cake with chocolate frosting is sure to please all chocolate lovers and is perfect for celebrating any occasion!

Hello and welcome to the newly re-designed Sweet and Savoury Pursuits. I’m afraid this process took much longer than I wanted. I thought I would have the new version of my site up much quicker but it turns out life doesn’t always work the way you want it to. Regardless, it’s up and running now and though I’m sure I’ll still be tinkering around with the layout, for the most part this is my new Sweet and Savoury Pursuits!

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Here’s an easy, quick and versatile recipe for Roasted Grape Tomatoes. The tomatoes can be used in an appetizer, as a base in a tomato sauce or even served as a side dish.

This post is more about photography than it is about the recipe. Not because this incredibly simple recipe for Roasted Grape Tomatoes isn’t delicious because it really is. It’s because as I was shooting the pictures for this post, I thought it would be fun for me to experiment shooting at a higher ISO than I usually do.  Ever since I started taking pictures of food, I’ve essentially shot at the lowest ISO possible. This time, maybe because this was such a simple recipe, I thought it would be a good time to play around a bit. If you’re only interested in the recipe, scroll down to near the bottom of the post. There you’ll find a recipe for roasted tomatoes as well as ideas on how to incorporate them into your menu.

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These beautiful and easy to make Sweet Potato, Parmesan and Rosemary Biscuits are tender, moist and just loaded with delicious flavour.

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These past couple of weeks have been crazy busy with work and life. I spent the past two Saturdays in class, a food photography class! It was amazing! The class was composed of a wonderful group of people and the instructor, Adrien Duey, a well-known food photographer, is not only incredibly talented but is a great teacher as well.  It’s an amazing feeling to be learning about something from someone who is so passionate about what they do. I only wish I had more time to practice and experiment with all that I’m learning. What’s great is that as I practice my photography at home, I’m seeing my eldest (6 years old) take an interest in food styling and photography.  She will often come and peek at what I’m doing and ask if she could help me. In fact, she styled the photo above. And as I write this post she is planning our next food photography project: Lemonade, her favourite beverage.  So do keep an eye out for that post!
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St-Patrick’s Day is in a couple of days and though I don’t really celebrate it, I thought it would be fun to try a new Irish recipe. I thought about making a traditional Irish lamb stew, but since my true passion is baking I gravitated towards making an Irish Soda Bread. My version includes dill, I know it’s not the traditional way of making it, but I wanted to try it anyways….

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If you love almonds and enjoy the taste of almond flavoured baked goods then you’ll love these easy to make Chewy Almond Marzipan Bars!

What is Marzipan?

Marzipan is primarily made of finely ground almonds and sugar. It’s often used to make fruit shaped candy and decorations for cake. It can be readily purchased ready made and can be made from scratch.

I find baked goods made with marzipan paste irresistible and have been wanting to bake with marzipan for some time. So when I saw this recipe for Almond Bars, I knew that I could tweak the recipe and add marzipan and almond flour for even more almond taste.

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I’m so happy to be posting this Easy Spanakopita recipe today.  Not only is it a beautiful dish but it’s also delicious and so easy to prepare.

Spanakopita is a classic Greek dish made with phyllo dough, spinach, onions, dill, eggs and feta cheese. Though I’ve made this recipe several times,  I’ve always shaped them into small triangles. They’re perfect for serving as an appetizer but are also time-consuming to make. This time, I decided to try making it into one large pie, and I’m very happy I did. The process was much quicker and the Spanakopita turned out amazing….

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Moist, tender and chocolatey, these Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Zucchini Chai Muffins are a delicious way to start your day.

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A couple of weeks ago, I read the about the difficulties a mother was going through when it came to feeding her picky seven year old son. She wrote about how hard it was on her and how frustrating it was to have him reject the meals she worked hard to prepare.  But then one day, her son wrote her a letter. In it, he wrote which foods he did like and that he didn’t like the foods that his mother was making for him. The mother was heartbroken but then spoke to her son who explained that he didn’t like being picky and didn’t like that he couldn’t eat all the things that his siblings enjoyed. She came to the realization that as hard as it was on her, it was even more difficult for her son (you can read the article here).

That article really resonated with me. My eldest is also a picky eater, she barely eats any veggies unless it’s cucumbers or they are puréed and unrecognizable to her.  But she does like many fruits, meats, pasta, rice, cheese, and some grains. So after reading this article, I too decided that I wouldn’t stress myself out about it anymore.  I’ll keep cooking the meals that she enjoys and will continue to invite her to try new things. But if she doesn’t want to or does try it and doesn’t like it, then that’s fine….

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Try slices of this delicious Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Loaf plain, toasted with butter and honey, jelly or for a more decadent treat, Nutella.

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I’ve been looking for some delicious new ways to incorporate peanut butter into my baked goods. After doing some research on the internet, I found this recipe for bread that uses a whole cup of peanut butter. Finally, I thought, there should be some real peanut butter flavour in this. The recipe I found was on the blog She Wears Many Hats. What I found interesting about her recipe is that she mixes her ingredients in the blender. Though the idea intrigued me, I’m afraid my blender quit on me and I haven’t gotten around to replacing it. So I decided that I would make this bread using my mixer….

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This delicious Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette makes a wonderful fall or winter salad. Serve this salad at special occasions for the perfect starter.

There are so many things I love about this Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. The contrast between the sweet and savoury ingredients make this salad addictive. All of the vibrant colours from the fresh ingredients in this citrus beet salad make it so vibrant and beautiful. The creaminess of the goat cheese and the crunchiness of the toasted hazelnuts give this salad so much texture. The sweet and tangy citrus vinaigrette complements the earthy taste of the beets perfectly.

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Have you tried quinoa for breakfast yet? If you’re looking for a delicious, filling and healthy breakfast to start your mornings off right, consider making these incredibly tasty and healthy Pear, Pomegranate and Pecan Quinoa Breakfast Bowls.

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Did you know that quinoa is rather well suited for breakfast? Its naturally nutty and slightly sweet taste makes it a great alternative to the same old bowl of oatmeal, cereal, or granola in the morning….

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These scrumptious Nutella and Hazelnut Brownies are gooey, chewy, fudgy, and loaded with delicious toasted hazelnut pieces.

If you’re looking for an insanely delicious and easy homemade brownie recipe that can be put together quickly, this is the one for you!

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This Smoked Salmon and Boursin Crostini is made with only a few ingredients, can be assembled in minutes and is sure to impress your guests.

Hosting can be so much fun, but when we lead very busy lives it can leave us with little time to prepare for dinner parties. If you are ever left scrambling trying to figure out something special to serve that is quick to prepare, then consider this delicious Smoked Salmon and Boursin Crostini.

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These Browned Butter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins make a delicious and wholesome breakfast.

Looks like my girls are developing a taste for baking, so when they asked if we could bake something together I thought it would be a good idea to make some muffins. For me, this meant the muffins would have to be healthy, for my girls, it meant that there would have to be some chocolate chips in them.

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Happy New Year everyone! I thought I would start off 2015 by posting something healthy on my blog. Since it’s so cold outside, I wanted something hot that would warm me up, so I decided on making this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. I just love the bright colour of this soup and how smooth and creamy it is.
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This Espresso Gingerbread Bundt Cake smells just like Christmas. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, it’s the perfect cake for celebrating the holidays.

The holidays are fast approaching and one of my favourite recipes to make during the holiday season is this Espresso Gingerbread Bundt Cake. Made with molasses and fragrant spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, it’s a classic gingerbread cake with a twist. The espresso added to this cake gives it even greater depth of flavour and reminds me of a gingerbread flavoured coffee drink.

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If you are planning on preparing a cookie tray for this holiday season, then you’ll want to include these Powdered Sugar Almond Cookies.  Nut cookies covered in powdered sugar are a holiday classic and are guaranteed to make your cookie tray look festive!

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This Pumpkin Walnut Loaf is incredibly moist, scrumptious and so easy to make. Baking it will fill your home with the comforting aromas of fall spices.

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Built on the classic combination of fruit, cheese and nuts, this Pear and Brie Crostini is a delicious, elegant and simple to make appetizer.

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A delicious, quick and easy recipe for chewy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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My eldest daughter loves chocolate chip cookies, and I love baking them for her so whenever I have a bit of extra time I like to make a batch of these Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies for her.

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Raspberries are in season! They are my daughter’s absolute favourite berry and she loves to help me pick them and eat them while still warm from the sun. I couldn’t be happier that she loves them so much since raspberries are a great source of dietary fibre, antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.

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There is something about blueberries and lemon, they just go so well together, so when I came upon this recipe from the Pastry Affair blog, I just had to try it. This past month has been crazy busy, and I’ve really missed my mixer and oven. I’m so happy to have had a small break today so that I could make these incredibly delicious Blueberry and Lemon Scones….

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It’s getting warmer out there, so lately I’ve been wanting lighter meals with lots of crispy and refreshing vegetables.  Being short on time, I thought I would make use of some leftover roast chicken to make these delicious Chicken and Vegetable Lettuce Bundles….

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Smoothies have been popular for so long but I’m really just discovering how delicious they can be.  I’ve been experimenting with different flavour combinations, there are so many possibilities! But for today, I’ll be sharing this Avocado and Chocolate Smoothie with you.  It’s so incredibly chocolatey, creamy and delicious its hard to believe that it’s actually good for you! Did you know that avocado is a nutrient booster. Eating avocados actually helps your body to absorb more of the nutrients of the foods that you eat with the avocados. It’s also a great source of dietary fibre, and per gram, contains more potassium than bananas (California Avocado Commission, Live Science)….

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We’re having yet another cloudy and rainy day here, and I’m really in the need of some serious sunshine. I decided the best way to get it would be to create it in a drink.  So after looking in the freezer and finding some frozen pineapple and mango chunks, I decided to make a Pineapple, Mango and Orange Juice Smoothie. So delicious and refreshing! …

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This quick and easy recipe for a delicious and healthy coffee smoothie will help you get your day started right!

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This is my favourite recipe for Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting. It is by far the most delicious carrot cake I’ve ever tasted.  The cake is moist and dense and the cream cheese frosting has a nice tang to it which makes this cake taste so absolutely amazing!

This recipe deviates very little from the original recipe entitled Canada’s Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing from Canadian Living.  I have made the carrot cake from Canadian Living several times just the way it is and always get so many compliments for it. I think sometimes a recipe is so good that there really is no need to change it.

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Cheesecakes are definitely one of my favourite desserts. I have tried many varieties and as of yet I don’t think I have a favourite, but this Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake is definitely a strong contender. The thing about cheesecakes is you don’t make them unless you have a large group of people you can share it with so it’s really a perfect dessert for a party!

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Growing up, one of my favourite cakes was a vanilla cake with a coffee flavoured icing that my mother would make for special occasions. This Mascarpone Espresso Cream and Amaretti Parfaits reminds me of that cake. Though this mascarpone parfait dessert is more similar to cheesecake in texture, it’s an easy and quick solution to my cravings for that coffee flavoured cake. …

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My favourite way to make use of overripe bananas is to make banana muffins or quick breads with them. Muffins are great because they’re already individually portioned, stay fresh for a few days and can easily be frozen for consumption later on. I love to treat myself to a muffin still warm from the oven with a dab of butter on it, yum!…

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My weekday mornings are usually so rushed that I rarely have time for a sit down breakfast.  I usually pack one to go, usually boiled eggs, fruit or granola and yogurt. Problem is that by the time I’ve dropped the kids off at school and get to the office I’m super hungry. Not so easy eating granola and yogurt while driving! No worries, I’ve never actually attempted it, I know my limits!  So I like to grab something I can eat on the go, but really dislike eating dry granola bars filled with sugar and not so good for you ingredients. So this weekend, I decided to make a version of granola bars that would be made with wholesome ingredients….

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This old fashion Date and Walnut Coffee Cake reminds me of something that would be served in the Middle East. It’s filled with dates and walnuts and perfumed with cinnamon. It’s a simple cake, yet sophisticated at the same time and is a perfect treat for tea time.
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These Whole Wheat Apricot and Almond Bars are great for breakfast on the go.  Made with whole wheat pastry flour, oats, apricots, almonds and coconut, they are healthy and delicious.  The chopped apricots make them chewy and sweet and the pieces of almonds gives them a nice crunch.  The flavours and textures come together nicely to create an excellent bar that is quick and easy to make, perfect on its own and even better with a good cup of coffee.

A couple of notes about this recipe: The author in the original recipe calls for a 9×9 baking pan, but when I came to make this I could not find my 9×9 pan, so I ended up using my 8×8.  The bars still came out great but a bit to thick in my opinion, so a 9×9 baking pan is ideal for this recipe.  In an 8×8, the bars took 25 minutes to bake up nicely, I think that in a 9×9, 20 to 22 minutes would be enough time for them.  I also recommend cutting the bars while they are still slightly warm. I found them to be a little crumbly and more difficult to slice after they cooled.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Apricot and Almond Bars

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Made with whole grains, nuts and dried fruit, these Whole Wheat Apricot and Almond Bars are great for breakfast on the go.

Course: Dessert/ snack

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: Whole Wheat Apricot and Almond Bars

Servings: 16

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Adapted from Woman’s Day Kitchen

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

• Place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Line a 9×9-in baking pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper.
• In the bowl of your mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add egg, almond extract and orange zest. Beat until well mixed.
• Add in flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Beat until combined.
• Add apricots, almonds and coconut. Beat until thoroughly mixed.
• Spread the dough into the pan and bake for approximately 22 minutes, until top is light golden brown.
• Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then using the ends of the paper liner, lift out of the pan and transfer on a wire rack to cool a bit more.
• While still slightly warm cut bars into desired size and let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Did you make this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave me a note below!Or take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @sweetandsavourypursuits

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