Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Cold Soba Noodle Salad or... "Mom, I need something for the potluck tomorrow AND 24 cupcakes for my French presentation..."

..."well, actually, you only need to make 22 cupcakes."

ONLY 22? Well then, that should be no problem?!

Last words as I tuck my 10 year-old into bed. I was kind of hoping for "good-night!"

I left the cupcakes for another mother in the group whose child was A LOT more convincing than mine, but did manage to pull off something for the potluck later in the day.

If you need a dish any time soon that you can make on the fly, this cold noodle salad was quick and the result was better than anticipated.

I relied on some pre-prepped veggies and a bottled dressing, but there was nothing in the bottom of the dish upon its return home besides a stray green onion or two rolling around and a few sesame seeds, so I think it was a success.

My amounts are a bit spotty and really don't matter.  Adjust everything to the size of the crowd you are feeding, or how many leftover servings you want to have.  I like a generous veggie-to-noodle ratio, but add as much or as little as you like.

Soba noodles prepared according to package directions, rinsed and cooled (these cook quickly, so they're perfect for last minute prep!)

Handful or two frozen edamame (throw into pot with soba in last few minutes of cooking)

A bag of Mann's Rainbow Salad

Mann's Sugar Snap Peas

Some green onions

Sliced coloured peppers

PC Toasted Sesame Vinaigrette

Sesame seeds

A handful of chow mein noodles for a bit of crunch.

In a large serving dish, combine your prepared soba noodles and edamame with a few handfuls of rainbow salad, sliced sugar snap peas, sliced peppers, and green onions.

Toss with desired amount of sesame dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Top with a handful of chow mein noodles just prior to serving (they will get pretty soggy otherwise).
Refrigerate until needed.

If you want to extend this salad even further, or make it the main event, you might add leftover roast chicken, broiled tofu, or some grilled shrimp.

A spoonful of chili-garlic hot sauce or some diced fresh mango might be tasty additions as well.

Apple Muffins

I have been cleaning out my recipe file - actually more of a pile than a file!

I came across a number of recipes from Today's Parent Magazine in my stack of clippings and scribbled memos.

This recipe for Triple-Grain Apple Muffins was originally printed in the March 2002 publication of TP Magazine.

I wanted to make some muffins worthy of these lovely parchment baking cups my sister bought me for my birthday. Much appreciated gift.  Thank-you.



These muffins are nice with a hunk of cheese and a piece of fruit as you run out the door or alongside a bowl of soup for lunch.

I added raisins and some chopped walnuts.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled quick oats (not instant)
1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I used a teaspoon)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil ( I used melted coconut oil)
1 cup coarsely grated apples

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Grease your muffin cups or line with lovely parchment baking cups gifted to you by your sister!

Mix your dry ingredients and grated apple in a bowl and set aside.

Whisk your milk, egg and oil and add to to your dry ingredients; stir just to combine.

Spoon batter into your muffin cups almost to the top.  I like to sprinkle tops with some oats and a thin slice or two of apple.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden and knife inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 8- 10 muffins.

Marshmallow Peanut Butter Squares for Tara

Anyone who knows me well knows I feel a strong connection with food and believe deeply in its power to unite and comfort and heal and sustain us and those we love.

I wanted to share this video today. It was posted by friends following the sudden death of food blogger Jennie Perillo's husband in 2011. It is a lovely tribute to life and love and friendship, and I thought it worth sharing.

 Jennie's husband Mike loved Peanut Butter Cream Pie, and following his death his wife asked her friends to bake a pie and share it with someone they love and "hug them like there is no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."  I loved this idea and felt elevated thinking about all the peanut butter cream pies that were made and shared and enjoyed that day and all the light and comfort that simple gesture generated.

A very dear friend of ours lost her sister this week and I was reminded of this touching video when I asked her what we could do to help.

In her ever-creative and purposeful style, Michelle asked us to bake some of her sister's favourite Marshmallow Peanut Butter Squares or Millionaire's Shortbread to include on a table of Tara's favourite things that was being put together to honour her life and celebrate who she was and what she held dear.

I feel very happy to join her many friends and offer this gesture of love and to contribute in some small way to the celebration of Tara's life.

These squares are for Gordon.  These squares are for Tara.  These squares are for everyone.

"Something beautiful is happening today..."

Pizza Pinwheels

I wanted to share my experimentation with the two ingredient pizza dough that I posted earlier in the week.

I was in need of some comfort measures for a friend and used the dough recipe to make pizza pinwheels to accompany a big pot of homemade soup.

On a large sheet of parchment, I rolled out one ball of Two Ingredient Pizza Dough  ( I added a tablespoon of pesto to the dough while mixing it up) into a large rectangle and spread it with about a 1/4 cup of thick pizza sauce, 1/4 cup finely diced red onions, 1/4 cup slivered pepperoni and about 1/2 cup of pizza mozzarella.

I rolled the dough jelly-roll fashion, pinched the seam shut and cut the dough into about 12 pieces placing the cut side down on a parchment lined baking pan.

I sprinkled the tops with a bit more pepperoni and cheese for good measure and a shake of Italian seasoning blend and popped them in a preheated 400 degree over for about 25 minutes (or until nicely browned and bubbling).

You want to make sure the inside is cooked and not doughy.

I'm guessing the possibilities are endless with these little gems.  I want to try some salty black olives, spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes next.

Ooooh, artichoke caponata might work nicely, and of course I did also read that others had made cinnamon buns with this dough ...quite possibly more updates to follow!

Serve warm with more pizza sauce for dipping.

Hopefully it's comforting with a bowl of warm soup - likely perfect with a big green salad or a pot of chili.

Other good things today... Rhubarb is sprouting in the garden!

Finally Spring seems to have arrived!

The sunshine and warmth this weekend appears to be quickly coaxing my rhubarb plants from their long hibernation.

It won't be long before we can enjoy more of Oma's Rhubarb Cake!

Burrito Bowls

Today's goodness comes in the form of good vibes and good food fast.  Have you heard about edible spoons?!

This Karma Tube video, "Eat your Spoon," is really intriguing. Even if you do not fancy yourself an environmental enthusiast, the concept of reducing waste, creating a spoon that does not leach toxins into your food, and creates jobs opportunities will leave you with some very good vibes today.

Research scientist, Narayana Peesapaty has created 100% natural, edible cutlery made of millet that can be eaten or left to decompose in only 7 days.  Not that one would necessarily want to start eating a spoon with every meal, but the thought that when you did need a portable spoon, there is a non-leaching, compostable alternative that could create jobs and revive the growth of more sustainable millet crops for local farmers is pretty darn innovative, don't you think?

For some good food fast tonight, these Burrito Bowls are the perfect addition to your Meatless-Monday meal repertoire.

They are fresh and healthy, and besides cooking your rice and a little chopping, they are pretty low on prep time.  Leftovers store easily and transport well!

If you have little people who like to cook (shout out to my favourite pint-sized master chefs) or teens that want a quick meal they can put together for themselves, add these bowls to your next weekly dinner line-up.


Left over rice or grains
A tin of black beans rinsed and drained
Frozen (thawed) or fresh corn
Diced tomato and avocado
Sauted peppers and onions
Roasted sweet potato
Chopped green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro or other herbs/greens

For the Drizzle:

Half a cup of Greek yogurt
Salsa/taco sauce
Hot banana peppers or jalapeno peppers

If you don't have any leftovers, cook your rice or grain accordingly and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and chop your sweet potatoes, toss in a little olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper, and roast for about 25 minutes or until brown and nicely roasted. Or better still, pull some leftover roast sweet potatoes from your fridge and bring to room temperature.

Rinse and drain your black beans.  Thaw your corn or cut previously cooked corn from the cob.

Thinly slice your peppers and onions and saute at high heat with a little olive oil and salt and pepper until slightly blackened.

Chop your tomatoes, green onions, avocado, herbs and any other veggies/toppings you like.

Mix Greek yogurt with whatever proportions of salsa or taco sauce and/ or hot pepper puree if you would like to make a spicy drizzle for your bowls.

Set out your ingredients buffet-style and let everyone create their own bowl.

Simple Strata

 Never let a stale hunk of bread, nub of cheese, or leftover stray veggie go to waste in your house ever again with this very simple strata.

This dish is so easy and delicious you will be planning leftovers so you can make it again!

A couple handfuls of stale, cubed bread (we're talking stale, not moldy here!)
A handful of leftover veggies (steamed broccoli, roast asparagus, a handful or two of baby spinach, leftover pepper/onion saute from fajitas; anything!)
A sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs and/or 2 or three chopped green onions
A handful of leftover roast ham, diced chicken, bacon crumbles, or diced sausages, or leave it out entirely for a vegetarian meal
8 eggs
A cup of milk
Salt and pepper
Pesto, hot peppers, a spicy salsa for a southwest fix!
Assorted cheese nubs








Toss your cubed bread in the bottom of a buttered 9x13 casserole dish followed by your veggies, meat (if you are using), herbs, and green onions.

Whisk your eggs with a cup of milk and add your salt and pepper, hot peppers and/or salsa/pesto.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread and veggies, sprinkle with the assorted grated cheese nubs you have lurking in your fridge, cover, and allow to sit in the fridge to soak up the liquid until dinner time or overnight.
If you find you were a little generous with your bread and veggies and the mixture appears too dry, whisk another egg with 2 Tablespoons of milk and add.  It should look just barely covered as opposed to swimming in the egg/milk mixture.  8 eggs to a cup of milk is generally plenty, but amounts are easily variable.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden and bubbling - about 35 minutes, or until the centre does not jiggle.

Adapted from Julie VanRosendaal's recipe found here.  Tonight I used sour dough bread, leftover baked sausage, baby spinach, green onions, fresh oregano, and hot banana peppers sprinkled with a sharp, old cheddar cheese.

No Knead No Rise Two Ingredient Pizza Dough!

Or perhaps more appropriately titled "PURE MAGIC!!"

I have come across several recipes for two ingredient pizza dough on various other blogs and never stopped to give it a try until now. This is for real.  No kneading, no rising, NO WAITING, no sticky dough that springs back when you roll it out with literally TWO INGREDIENTS: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.

I mixed, I rolled, I topped and baked in the oven in 20 minutes (possibly less!) from start to finish.

The end result was a beautifully home-baked pizza from scratch. Did I mention there are only two ingredients?!

I read many reviews by others who said they used the same dough to make garlic bread sticks, dessert pizzas, and cinnamon sticks with the same basic recipe and others who had experimented with gluten-free flour blends and also had success.
I also read you can make the dough up to two days ahead and store in the fridge, bringing to room temperature before you roll it out.

I followed the above recipe (found here ) without modification, and it was perfect!

1 and 1/2 cups self rising flour
(If you do not have self rising flour, add 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder to your 1 1/2 cups flour.  I did not have self-rising flour and this worked just fine for me!)

1 cup of plain Greek yogurt ( I used Astro Balkan Yogurt )

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix your flour and yogurt in a large bowl until it starts to come together, turn onto a lightly floured surface and continue to shape into a smooth ball adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.  It should form a smooth ball that does not stick to your hands when you roll it.

Roll into whatever shape and size pizza you like (I rolled mine quite thin), transfer to a pizza pan or baking sheet, brush the top with olive oil, and top with pizza sauce, toppings and grated cheese.

Bake in your preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling (longer if you like a crispier crust).

Invite over some friends and enjoy because this pizza is too good not to share!