Quinoa Salad

4 cups Quinoa

1/2 cup Cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado Avocado

1 Jalepeno Peppers, diced

2 stalks of Celery

CORNMEAL MUFFINS

Makes 1 loaf bread or 1 dozen muffins

You can make your cornbread without sugar if you prefer. Cajuns like it sweet.

DOUBLE THE RECIPE IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO BE FLAT

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup cornmeal

2/3 cup sugar (optional)

½ cup corn flour (you can use cornmeal if you don't have corn flour)

5 tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups milk

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 small egg, beaten

In large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, corn flour; baking powder, and salt; mix well, breaking up any lumps. In a separate bowl combine the milk, butter and egg and add to the dry ingredients; blend just until mixed and large lumps are dissolved. Do not overbeat.

FOR BREAD

pour mixture into greased 8x8-inch baking pan and bake at 350*F until golden brown, about 55 minutes. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

FOR MUFFINS

Spoon mixture into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake at 350*F until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and serve while hot.

Herbivore

Herbivore

Herbivore Lunch Platter

Ingredients:

Toast 1:

7 slices of cucumber

1-2 tbsp hummus

salt and pepper to taste

1 slice of a large baguette, lightly toasted

Toast 2:

1 tomato sliced into thick slices

1 tbsp artichoke heart diced

1 tbsp pesto

1 slice of a large baguette, lightly toasted

Preparations:

Toast 1:

1. Lightly toast one (1 inch) thick slice of bread or baguette. 

2. Once toasted, spread 1-2 tbsp of hummus on top (I used roasted garlic flavoured hummus)

3. slice the cucumber ( I like the cucumber to be a bit thicker but slice dependent on what you like) and place the sliced cucumber on top of the hummus. 

4. Add salt and pepper to taste ( I like to use freshly ground pepper)

Toast 2:

1. Lightly toast one (1 inch) thick slice of bread or baguette. 

2. Once toasted, spread 1-2 tbsps of pesto on top

3. slice the tomato ( I like the tomato to be a bit thicker but slice dependent on what you like) and place the sliced tomato on top of the pesto. 

4. Cut up the artichoke heart and sprinkle on top of the tomato

5. Add salt and pepper to taste ( I like to use freshly ground pepper)

PEAR + GORGONZOLA WITH WALNUTS SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup walnuts

1 Pear, sliced

1 1/2 cups Salad Mix

2 tbsps Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsalmic vinegar

1 . Wash the lettuce mixture and place in the bowl.

2. Cut up the pear into small, thin slices and mix together with the lettuce mix.

3. crumble two tablespoons of gorgonzola cheese on to the top of the salad and mix in with the pear and lettuce mix. 

4. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of walnuts on top of the salad ( I like to put mine in the center)

5. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the salad.

6. Drizzle the balsalmic vinegar on top. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. 

7. bon apetit

The Newest Additions

The newest additions

I recently purchased my first Foley and Corinna bag featured above. I love the colour and the texture of the mohair. I got into a bad habit of using plastic bags as a wallet whenever I used a small evening bag so I finally invested in this vintage antique metal wallet from the East Side Flea Market. I'm so excited to use it!

Garance Dore & Self Service Magazine

A combination of two of my favorite things; Garance Dore and Self Service Mag in Paris.

Granville Island Market

Forget bed, this is what you're doing tomorrow. Throw on a big and cozy knit sweater, grab a green tea latte from starbucks and walk around Granville Island with your camera. The little island is one of my  absolute favourite places to visit with my camera. It's always bustling with people shopping and gawking at the splendour. I only wish I could indulge a little more often.

videos

Chanel

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

Miu Miu

Chanel

I've been looking for a little inspiration for an ad I have to create for school and have been getting some great inspiration from these videos here. I thought I would share them with you. I love the first one. It's a little longer than the rest but it is worth watching. Ever visual looks like a stunning picture.

Margaux Lonnberg

I'm just crazy about Margaux Lonnberg. 

You can check out her designs here: Margaux Lonnberg

and her blog here:the killing moon confused

Christophe Lemaire

Christophe Lemaire

I absolutely love the simplicity from this collection. It's not something you see very often anymore.

Stuffing the Turkey

My mom has always cooked an amazing Thanksgiving Day Turkey and I have been trying to learn for years how to master the art of cooking Thanksgiving Day Dinner. It's always seemed to be such a so long and complicated process but in reality once you get the hang of it, it's a little more simple than you would think. My mother and I teamed up this year to make dinner together which allowed her to show me the ropes. I decided to write everything down so when my turn to cook dinner comes around I'll have a step by step guide to preparing the dinner making the task a little less daunting. I've decided to share this years menu and schedule with you as well. Hopefully it helps you out as much as it has helped me out. 
 
MENU

Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Peas and Carrots
Turnips
Gravy
Acorn Squash
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Apple Salad with Black Walnuts
Buns
Pumpkin Pie

Dinner to be served at 5:00 pm. We were also working with a 16 lb turkey. A smaller turkey will require less cooking time but a larger turkey will require a longer cooking time.
If you're wanting to eat at a different time just adjust the time of preparation accordingly.

STUFFING

9:00 am start the stuffing

This recipe makes enough to stuff a 15 lb (6.75 kg) turkey. With the remaining stuffing (anything that can't fit into the bird) can be baked separately, place it in a greased casserole and moisten it with chicken stock. Cover and bake in 325*F (160*C) oven for 30 minutes; uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until top is crisp. 

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup butter or margarine

2-1/2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

1 (granny smith or Macintosh apples) chopped

4 breakfast sausages squeezed out of casing

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup raisins

2 tsp sage
1 tsp marojarum

5 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp savory

14 cups cubed white bread

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; first add onions, celery and spices and mix together. Next squeeze the sausages from their casings and break into small pieces and mix into the pan. Once the sausage is nearly cooked add the parsley, raisins and dried cranberries.  Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, transfer to large bowl and toss with bread. If the stuffing seems a little dry just melt some more butter and add to the skillet.

STUFFING THE TURKEY

TIPS

When buying a turkey you want to look for a short and fat shaped turkey with short legs, this means the turkey is a female. Male turkey's are long and are very tough, strong tasting and take longer to cook.

PREPARATION

The morning of the day before Thanksgiving Dinner remove the Turkey from your freezer and soak in cold water in a large sink or tub which will allow it to defrost in time for cooking the following morning.

The next morning, once the turkey has defrosted remove it from the packaging and wash out the inside with cold water and dab it dry with scott towels. If you want to cook the neck etc. which is kept inside the turkey you are free to do so but no one in my family likes it so we just throw it away.

Once this is done, you stuff the turkey with stuffing in both the neck cavity and the main cavity until you can't squish any more in there. The remaining stuffing can't be baked in the oven with a little bit of chicken stock.

Smear the top of the turkey with butter or margarine and sprinkle salt and pepper on top of it.

COOKING

Cover your turkey with with tinfoil and seal the edges along the rim of the roasted (make sure the shiny side is on the inside so you don't ruin your oven, because it reflects the heat) Place the lid on top of the tinfoil.

The length of time needed to cook your turkey is based on the size of it.  The heavier the turkey, the longer it needs to be cooked. I would say cook your turkey 15-20 minutes per pound. A 15 lb turkey should take about five hours to cook.

If your turkey is covered cook it at 400 * F for the first 30 minutes, then for the remainder of the time cook it at 325*F. For the last 30 minutes, remove the lid and the tinfoil and baste it to brown it and get all of the juices on the turkey. Make sure you baste the cavity that holds the stuffing to get it nice and moist.

Once your turkey is cooked allow it to sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it.

VEGETABLES

10:00 am

Prep the vegetables ahead of time so when it comes time to cook them all you have to do is turn up the heat.

TURNIPS

1 Turnip
salt and pepper to taste
butter (to taste)

Peel and cut the turnip into medium sized pieces, place in an appropriately sized pot on the stove filled with cold water. Let this sit until you are ready to cook them later on in the day.

about 15 minutes before the turkey is done start cooking your turnips. It should take 30 minutes to cook your turnips.

Once cooked, drain (save water for gravy) add butter, salt and pepper and mash. Transfer to a serving dish and cover with tinfoil when ready with the shiny side down and keep them covered until you're ready to eat.


MASHED POTATOES

1-2 medium sized russet potatoes per person
butter (to taste)
milk (to taste)

Peel and cut the potatoes into medium sized pieces, place in an appropriately sized pot on the stove filled with cold water. Let this sit until you are ready to cook them later on in the day.

About 15 minutes before the turkey is done start cooking your potatoes. It should take 30 minutes to cook your potatoes.

Once cooked, drain (saving the water to add to the gravy), add butter and begin to whip the potatoes, once potatoes are smooth, add milk slowly, whipping and adding more until you get the consistency and taste you like.

Once this is done put the potatoes in a serving dish and cover with tinfoil until ready to eat.

PEAS & CARROTS

1-2 per person

Peel and cut the carrots into medium sized round slices, place in an appropriately sized pot on the stove filled with cold water. Let this sit until you are ready to cook them later on in the day.

Once the potatoes and turnips are boiling, start cooking the carrots

When you're ready to cook the peas and carrots. Don't add the peas until the carrots are pretty much cooked. Once the peas are added bring the water to a boil remove the pot from heat, drain the peas and carrots and place in a serving dish with tin foil on top of it to keep the heat in.

ACORN SQUASH

10:30 am

We prepared the squash in the morning (About an hour after we put the turkey in apr. 10:30 am) 

Once the squash is cooked scoop it out and place it in a casserole dish with the remaining ingredients. About an hour before the turkey is ready put the casserole dish back in the oven to heat it up before serving.

1/2 of a squash per person
(4 for 8 people)

4 small squash, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cut squash in half. Remove seeds. Place cut side down on baking pan. Bake in 375*F oven for 40 minutes.

Mix butter, honey, salt and pepper together. Turn squash cut side up. Divide syrup mixture among hollows, spreading around the inside. Continue to bake another 20 minutes or until cooked. Serves 8.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND APPLE SALAD WITH BLACK WALNUTS

Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 12 minutes, Serves: 8

11:30 am

We prepared the dressing around and began slicing up the Brussels Sprouts at noon to get them ready for cooking later on

Blackberry Farm chefs say this recipe convinces anyone to love brussels sprouts. Black walnuts have a more bitter; earthy flavour than traditional walnuts, although either will work well. Here, the sprouts are pan-roasted on the stovetop. If you prefer to cook them in the oven, toss them with 2 tbs. olive oil, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 450*F for about 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

SWEET HOT MUSTARD

1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbs whole grain mustard
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbs firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp hot sauce

FOR THE SALAD

2 tbsp blackberry farm smoked onion jam or caramelized shallots (available at William Sonoma)
1 tbsp sherry vinegar ( if you don't have sherry vinegar just use 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tbsp cooking sherry)
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 cup black walnuts, toasted (or just use regular walnuts)
1 1/2 red apples, such as Fuji or Gala. Cored and thinly sliced.

To make the sweet hot mustard, in a howl, whisk both mustards, vinegar, brown sugar and hot sauce. Reserve two tbsp mustard for the salad; refrigerate the rest for up to four weeks.

To make the salad, in a large bowl, whisk the smoked onion jam, vinegar, the 2 tbsp of sweet hot mustard, 3 tbsp of the olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are just tender and lightly browned, about 11 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the vinaigrette, add the walnuts and apples and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

GRAVY

all of the drippings, seperated from the grease
 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 cups vegetable water: ( depending on how thick your gravy is)
all of the water from the turnips
all of the water from the peas and carrots
if you still need more use the water from the potatoes
1 package gravy browner

Remove turkey from roaster, pour off drippings into a seperator to remove grease. Measure amount required and pour into large saucepan. Add flour, gravy browner, salt and pepper slowly, whisking it in to avoid lumps. Pour half the water into roaster to blend with brown bits. Stir and pour into flour mixture along with other half of water. Heat and stir until it boils and thickens. Check for salt and pepper. It will probably need more. Makes 6 cups.

Pumpkin Pie

BAKING TIPS

MIXING

Use cold utensils and water will help make a flaky crust.
Do not handle the ball excessively; an overworked dough ball will result in a tough, not flaky pastry.

ROLLING

If dough is sticky, chill 15-30 minutes before rolling. 

To prevent sticking, sprinkle flour on the rolling surface and rolling pin, roll dough between two pieces of waxed paper or use a pastry cloth. 

Roll crusts to approximately 1 1/2 inches larger than inverted pie plate (You can mark the proper measurements on your rolling service) 

To keep pastry tender, patch any tears; do no re-roll pastry.

TRANSFERRING TO PIE PLATE

 If rolling between waxed paper, remove the top waxed layer, turn pastry into pie plate and then removebottom sheet of waxed paper. 

Or, try rolling the pastry in half and openinto the pie plate. To avoid shrinking, ease dough into pan by lifting edges; do not stretch pastry.

CRUST

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups All Purpose-Flour

1 tsp Salt

3/4 Cup CRISCO All-Vegetable Shortening, well chilled

4-8 tbsp cold water

METHOD

1 

BLEND Flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. 

Cut ½ inch (1.5 cm) cubes of chilled shortening into flour mixture 

with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse

 crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.

2 

SPRINKLE 4 tbsp (60 mL) of the ice cold water over the flour mixture. 

Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top; 

press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. 

Add more water by the tablespoon, mixing until dough holds together.

3 

DIVIDE dough in two, one ball slightly larger than the other. 

Flatten balls into ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick disks, 

wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

4 

PLACE larger disk of dough on lightly floured work surface. With floured rolling pin, 

roll dough outward from center into circle 1 inch (2.5 cm) wider than pie plate. 

Transfer dough into pie plate without stretching and trim evenly around plate. 

Fill unbaked pie crust according to recipe.

5 

ROLL Top pie crust; lift onto filled pie. Trim dough to  ¾ inch (2 cm) overhang; 

fold top crust under bottom dough edge. Press edges together and flute. 

Cut slits in top crust. Bake according to recipe directions. 

FILLING

INGREDIENTS

To make one pie:

2 eggs

398 mL (1/2 can of 796 mL) of E.D. Smith Pure Pumpkin

1 Cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 (9”/23 cm) unbaked home-made or 

frozen deep dish pie shell

METHOD

Beat Eggs lightly in medium bowl.

Add pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt; stir until well combined.

Blend in milk. Pour filling in pie shell. Bake at 425*F 15 min.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 *F and continue baking 30 to 35 minutes longer

or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 1 pie.

Serves eight.

Preperation time: 35 minutes.

Baking time: 40-45 minutes.

To make two pies, use 1 can and double all ingredients.

Shredded Beet with Cashew and Tahini Salad

Shredded Beet with Cashew and Tahini Salad

Layer the ingredients in the order listed and top with the tahini dressing

1/2 Cup spinach or salad mix

1/4 Cup purple cabbage shredded 

1/2 Cup cherry tomatoes, whole 

1/4 Cup toasted bread crumbs

 1 Cup shredded carrots

1 Cup shredded beets

1 tbsp chopped cashews

2 tbsp dried cranberries

1 tbsp light feta cheese

Tahini Dressing

1/2 Cup tahini
1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Add all the ingredients, except for the oil to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Slowly add oil until well mixed. Dressing will be thick, but you can always add a bit more water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Top with tahini dressing, I purchased my dressing from whole foods.

Everyone's different so use as much as you see fit.

Chanterelle and Lentil Soup

Chanterelle and Lentil Soup

Green Kitchen Stories

How incredible does this soup look? Just imagine yourself curled up under a blanket sitting next to a roaring fire with a bowl of this soup. It's a pretty irresistible image isn't it?

Veggie Tower

Veggie Tower

Green Kitchen Stories

How amazing does this salad look? I will definitely be cooking this up soon.