Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I got this recipe from  a friend at work. The cookies are super moist and delicious! And super easy to make...

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package instant pudding mix (I've tried both chocolate and vanilla, either one works)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 package milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Combine flour and baking soda, set aside.
3. Mix butter, sugars, pudding mix, and vanilla until creamy.
4. Add eggs, mix well.
5. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop teaspoons of batter onto a greased cookie sheet, 1" apart.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, for larger cookies bake 3-4 minutes longer.

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing

This one's a crowd pleaser!...

- a large bunch of kale
- a red pepper
- a large carrot
- 1 cup of roasted salted peanuts
- 1/3 of a cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 a teaspoon salt
- a pinch of red pepper flakes

Wash the kale well and remove the center rib. Roll a stack of leaves together and slice into very fine ribbons. You will have a large bowl of chopped kale in the end.
Cut the red pepper into fine strips and add to the bowl.
Slice the carrot very fine. You can use a vegetable peeler and create curls. Add to the bowl along with 2/3 of a cup of the peanuts.
In a small food processor, put the remaining 1/3 of a cup peanuts, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse just a few times so that the peanuts are partially pureed.
Toss the dressing with the slaw and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tomato Noodle Soup

This is a favourite! So simple and delicious.
I found it in the Winter 2010 Food & Drink magazine from the LCBO, I shouldn't have waited so long to post it....

4 green onions
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can (398 mL) diced tomato
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin
1 tbsp sugar
4 cups vegetable stock
1 package soba noodles

1. Cook noodles al dente according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. Mince the white parts of the green onions, coarsely chop the green parts. Set the green parts aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced white parts of the green onions and the diced tomato.

3. Add soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

4. Put as many noodles as you like in a bowl and cover with the hot tomato broth. Garnish with green onions.

I guarantee you will make this recipe over and over again!
The magazine recommends serving Sake or a crisp, refreshing white wine with it.

A few notes on the ingredients... I've experimented with a few different kinds of soy sauce and they've all worked well. Mirin can be found in health food stores. I've used white sugar and brown, both delish.  My favourite noodles are Sobaya brand but feel free to use any kind that tickles your fancy.
This recipe is super hard to fuck up.

Miso Sweet Potato Soup

Here's another sweet potato soup recipe!
I served it with toasted pita bread and Oka cheese, it made for a rather tasty dinner.

• Olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 2" chunk of ginger (I usually put in a bit more simply because I love ginger), peeled and sliced
• 2 extra large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 tbsp miso
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup almond milk
• salt & pepper

Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil. Then add the ginger and fry until the ginger is fragrant but don't let the onions and garlic brown.
Add the sweet pototoes and miso. Continue frying for a bit then add the broth and water.
Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
Remove from heat and blend. Once a relatively smooth consistency is achieved return to the heat and warm. Whisk in the almond milk and add salt & pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato & Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower is one of my most favourite veggies and when you turn it into a soup with one of my other most favourite veggies... sooooo good!!!!

My husband suggested adding bacon, hissss!!!!

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces
• 1/2 a sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 7 cups water
• olive oil for drizzling
• garam masala, to taste
• salt & pepper, to taste
• chopped chives (optional for garnish)

Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Cut up cauliflower into bite size pieces and place on a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with desired amount of garam masala.
Place in the oven and roast until golden brown and tender, not mushy! About 25 mins.
Remove from oven and let cool.
In a large soup pot, bring sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, and water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender.
Add in half the roasted cauliflower and let cool.
Blend in a blender until smooth. You will need to do this in 2 parts.
Add salt & pepper. Garnish with chives or parsley.

Beet Quinoa

This one is super yummy and healthy. I served it with a fresh green salad and tofu steaks.
Here's what you need...

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 grated, peeled, raw beet
1 grated, peeled, raw carrot
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 pinches cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste

In a medium size saucepan, heat the quinoa in the oil for a few minutes. Add cumin. Cook and stir for 30 seconds.
Add water, salt, and balsamic vinegar. Be careful, it might splatter.
Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cover until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in beets and carrots. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, cayenne, and more salt to taste.

Nutty Pumpkin Bread

Every time I've made this loaf people always ask me for the recipe so here goes...

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup pumpkin puree (you can use the canned stuff or make your own, I've done both and there's no difference in taste)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I've made it with walnuts, pecans or almonds and they all work but my personal fave is the walnut version)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Mix together the dry ingredients (except the nuts) and the wet ingredients in separate bowls.

Then combine them, do not mix too thoroughly.

Stir in the nuts.

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes.

Check that the middle is fully cooked with a toothpick before removing it from the oven.

I found that when I made my own fresh pumpkin puree it needed an extra 10 minutes.

Let it cool for a bit before eating it or else it will fall apart on you.