Cocoa Cookies

On February 20, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets, Uncategorized7 Comments

On a Special Sunday’s post I made this delicious and easy cookies: Cocoa Cookies, that I found on one of my favorite Romanian blogs that I love to browse from time to time: Edith’s Kitchen.You can find the original recipe here.

My family was amazed by the results, despite the little changes that I made here and there. And my co-workers could not believe that something so delicious could come from so few (and let’s not forget HEALTHY) ingredients.

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter ( vegan )
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp of instant coffee
2 tbsp rum extract (you can add a bit more as the taste is not very strong after baking) ( you can also substitute the rum extract with other flavor of your choice; I made with almond extract as well )
a pinch of Himalayan salt

In a bowl mix together the melted butter, the sugar, the egg, salt and the rum extract.

In a different bowl mix the flour, cocoa and baking soda.

Add the flour mixture over the butter mixture and mix well.

I have also tried a second batch substituting the egg with apple sauce. I have to admit in look they were slightly different but the taste was just: YUMMY !!!

One thing is sure. I added this cookies on the family list and preferences and because today is Family Day in Ontario, I hope you all have a great day.

Sunday’s Specials and lots of LOVE

On February 13, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Uncategorized14 Comments

When I started this blog back in 2011, I wanted to share the diversity of recipes we enjoy every day and on special occasions, but I also wanted to leave some of the recipes written down for my daughter. However, life is not as linear as we like to believe it is. In the following years, I had to focus on a career change and there was just not enough time to pursue my hobby. Not to the extent that I wanted to. I did, however, continue to photograph the food we ate. It’s a little soft spot of mine: going back and seeing what we used to eat, say, five years ago. It is so different than what we eat today!

As expected, over the years, our culinary preferences have changed. Personally, I had to do some (involuntary) changes due to some health problems. And along the way (and one gruesome documentary later), my daughter also decided to become vegan. My husband, however, is the only one that remains faithful and open to all kinds of challenges and new recipes. You put it in front of him, and if it looks and/or smells appetizing enough, he’ll eat it.

Now, you might ask yourself “Why is she telling us this?” I’ve been asked several times over the years what prompted me to start this blog. As I mention at the beginning of this post, this blog was meant to be a digital cookbook for my daughter to use after I’m long gone. (Bit sentimental but also morbid, as she so often likes to remind me). But now, as I become more immersed in this lovely community of food bloggers, this blog has grown and transformed in more ways than I ever dared to hope. And it is all because of you, dear reader. Now, before we get teary eyed, let me just say a big, warm thank you for supporting me and joining me on my daily adventure with food.

Because this Sunday was closer to Valentine’s Day I wanted to make it a bit more special.

We started the morning with Peppermint Hot Chocolate while waiting for the waffles to be done:

Since my daughter turned vegan, we discovered Yves company with their vegan products. One of our favorite ready done meals are the kale – quinoa bites. We had them on the side with mashed potatoes and veggies. Here you can see my husband’s plate which is quite overloaded 😉

Now for dessert I decided to go for a Vegan Butternut Squash pie. Unfortunately, I made a vegan crust but I lost my courage when it came to the filling .. .However it turned out just as amazing as a pie should be 🙂

Wishing you lots of love and delicious food.

” Love is just a word until someone comes along and and gives it a meaning.” – Paul Coelho

Sunday’s Specials

On February 5, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Uncategorized3 Comments

Friday !!! I have to admit this weekend I cheated. I had a vacation day on Friday. Just to relax, cook, play with the furry boys and go out with my daughter for some much needed mother and daughter fun.

Friday morning I wanted to make a special breakfast, especially because my better half had to go to work, so I decided to wake up early to make some pancakes. Because it felt like weekend already I wanted to come with something new and so I created:Vegan Matcha Peppermint Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Overloaded. This is a long title 😉 but I wanted to include all the goodies I used and the pancakes turned out so delicious and passed both tests: daughter and husband. I had the first one. I had to be sure they are OK, of course. And I had the second one as well 😉 just to be sure I wasn’t wrong about how good they were. The rest I saved for my peeps. LOL

I have to admit the pancakes were a huge success so I had to make them again on Sunday morning.

Vegan Matcha Peppermint Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Overloaded

And because this Sunday it was just me and my daughter, we had a very interesting vegan cream soup and a vegan mashed potato dish for lunch

Sweet potatoes – Acorn squash Vegan Cream Soup.

In addition to the very light vegan soup the Vegan Mashed Potato with Mushrooms.

I had no idea what to do for dessert. All I knew I wanted something with apples.

Something not complicated and fast to satisfy the three of us. So I picked up the ingredients from the fridge and pantry and I ended up with a wonderful creation:

Apple Cinnamon Dark Chocolate Muffins

All in all, this weekend was quite fun. I had time to relax, play with Sherlock & Steve and cook. It was as perfect a weekend as one could get. Hope your weekend was just as good!

♥

Sunday’s Specials

On January 29, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Uncategorized3 Comments

Sunday came again and like every Sunday I had to try new things.

Friday, I found a post that stuck in my mind and I had to try it. Jessica’s from ” How sweet it is” wrote a wonderful post about a Matcha Hot White Chocolate: here.

We enjoyed our Matcha Hot Chocolate along with delicious gluten-free, vegan pancakes. One thing is sure: I will be making this hot chocolate and pancakes again.

After such a rich breakfast I had enough energy to start planning the lunch and the dessert.

I am not sure what made me decide, but I haven’t cooked something Asian inspired in a while so the winner was: Sweet and sour veggies with rice noodles.

And we finished with a very special dessert. Well, of course I made muffins before but never tried the vegan ones and also when you serve them with ” So Delicious ” – vegan coconut vanilla ice-cream it’s just like a Sunday indulgence.

For the muffins I found my inspiration here as for the ice cream … I just got inspired by the freezer form our grocery store. LOL

I hope you enjoy it as much a we did 🙂

∗

Vegan Cinnamon Buns

On January 28, 2017January 29, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets, vegan2 Comments

When I found Dana’s post from minimalistbaker.com I was very impressed by her result.

I can say I am in love with this dessert because it is very easy to make and very versatile.

I browsed through my posts and my computer folders I found that I was filling those buns with various things: from plum jam to cheese and pesto.

So why am I making them yet again? Well I had never tried a vegan version. It seemed interesting and I really wanted to see the result.

Here are the ingredients:

1 tbsp of instant yeast
1 1/2 cup warm unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups whole grain flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
50 grams of ground almond
1/2 cup = 1 extra tbsp Earth balance (vegan butter)

Heat the water but never reaching the boiling point.

In a bowl add the warm water, the sugar and the instant yeast. Let it activate for about 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl add the flour and salt. Mix together. Make an indentation, add the yeast mixture and half of the melted butter. Start kneading until the dough is coming from your hands and it’s not sticky. You might have to add a bit of extra flour. Knead for about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean, oily bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic foil. Let it rise for about 1 hour or until the dough is double the size. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with the melted butter left. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and the ground almond. Top the buttered dough with the sugar cinnamon mixture.

Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough. Cut the dough into 2 inch pieces. Add the pieces in a square or round greasy pan. Brush the rolls with the extra tbsp of butter for a reach golden color. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them on the top of your preheat oven ( 375 F ) for about 30 more minutes.

Bake the buns for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden.

Let them cool for a few minutes and then enjoy 🙂

vegan-cinnamon-buns

vegan-cinnamon-buns3

♦

Sunday’s Specials – Jan 15, 2017

On January 23, 2017January 23, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Uncategorized3 Comments

It should be a known fact that I tend to cook a lot on Sundays.

This weekend was full of firsts. From our morning smoothie to an afternoon dessert. This morning, inspiration struck and I prepared a Grapefruit-Strawberry Smoothie made from 2 bananas, 6 ripe grapefruits and 250 gr of strawberries. Aside from the delicious taste, I also fell in love with the color of it! Seriously, isn’t that amazing? I’ve added no addition honey or sweetener; it didn’t require it, in my opinion.

But really, look at the color! Just the sight alone makes my mouth water!

Later in the day we had a mushroom- red pepper and feta frittata that did not make it to the post as it seems we were quite hungry and I forgot to take the picture. LOL

For lunch, we once again tried something new. Turmeric Oven Roasted Turnip and Carrots.

And there is no Sunday without a dessert. The new winner was Cocoa Cookies. They are even more delectable than they look 🙂

Have a great week ahead 🙂

2016/2017 Tag

On January 19, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Uncategorized12 Comments

So I’ve been tagged in by Jess ( Thanks, Jess 🙂 ) and I decided to go for it. The tag was created by David from The Guy Who Said Always No.

Here are my answers to the questions:

1. Describe your 2016 in 3 words.

Stressful, restless and yet blissful.

2. Write the name of 2 people who have characterized your 2016.

Every day I am characterized by my mother.

Also I am impressed and inspired daily by all of the wonderful bloggers out there sharing their story, their life to inspire others 😉

3. Write about the most beautiful place you’ve visited in 2016 and why you liked it so much.

Sandbanks Beach; we haven’t traveled too much in 2016 due to work and school duties 🙂 but my better half and I discovered a beach not too far from our city that really made our summer: Sandbanks Beach: best beach in Ontario, Canada.

collage

4. Write the most delicious food you’ve tasted in 2016.

As you might know by now I love curry so in 2016 for my birthday my husband invited me to a Indian Buffet: Tate of India, so all I could eat was curry. LOL

5. Write the event which has marked you more of this in 2016 (even global event).

Donald Trump getting elected. 😦

6. Write the finest purchase you’ve made in this 2016, and if you want, link a photo.

Ninja Blender, 1000 Professional. ( Cashew milk in the making 😉 )

ninja

7. Write 3 good intentions for this 2017.

Try to make a new recipe each month ( sweet and/or savoury )
Be more active
Write more on the blog

8. Write 1 place you want to visit in 2017.

I don’t have a new place in mind but I would love to go back to Cabot trail, Nova Scotia.

cabot-trail

9. Write 1 plate/food you want to eat in 2017.

Pavlova (a personal challenge for me)

Here are the lucky tagged 9 people 🙂

Here are the Rules

Mention the creator of the tag: https://theguywhosaidalwaysno.com/

Use the image that you find in this article.

Mention the blogger who has chosen you: Jess

Answer the questions.

Mention 9 bloggers/friends and let them know through a comment on their blog.

Thank you Jess fro thinking of me. 🙂

Sunday’s Specials -Jan 08, 2017

On January 15, 2017 By felisrecipesIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Why do I like Sundays ? Because usually it brings us together for all the meals of the day.

Sunday like every other day I start with coffee. Fresh brewed, hot coffee. However, I cannot drink coffee without milk so I started experimenting with Home made cashew milk: