Step 1: DO NOT Preheat Your Ovens...

It is officially, stupidly hot here in the "dirty 'Shwa". It hit 32C (90F) here today, and even in our air-conditioned house the three humans were sweating buckets and the fuzzy creatures were anything but comfortable. Luckily for us, while my poor mom and the animals were stuck at home my sister and I managed to escape to the local mall for an hour where it was blissfully cool (well, for me anyways... Teaghan still complained she was hot).

Needless to say, the tomato-quinoa bread recipe that I had concocted last night in my dozey stupor did not get made, nor did any sort of sourdough biscuits, cookies or muffins. I only had the stove on for 20 minutes total today to make my dinner, and even that was too long! Making lunch was much more comforting, heat-wise. Using up some of the languishing veggies in our crisper (even they were feeling the heat and humidity!) I made up this deliciously crispy and tangy Asian-esque salad. It's based on a Weight Watchers recipe from way back (pre-POINTS days, at least) but I swapped some stuff around (didn't have miso paste, so used an equal amount of soy sauce, and I added some leftover cooked bay scallops too) and enjoyed a deliciously cold, healthy meal.

Asian Vegetable Salad
Serves 2 (ish)
2 medium carrots, julienned
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber (about 8" long), sliced into 1/4" half-moons
2 medium scallions, minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp grated ginger root
2 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tsp red miso paste or soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, toss together carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and scallions.
2. In a small jar, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
3. Pour dressing over the vegetables and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 97.2
Total Fat: 0.9 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 426.0 mg
Total Carbs: 21.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 3.1 g
WW POINTS: 1

The heat must have addled my brains today too - I forgot to take a photo! Next time, next time...

I was also fortunate enough to recieve awards from Valli at More Than Burnt Toast, which I will detail for you tomorrow before I head out to the Brooklin Fair with Andrew and Teaghan to watch some serious demolition derby action! Thank you in advance to you, Valli!

The Kitchen is Cold

This is bad... I really haven't been doing much by way of cooking these past few weeks, and I don't know why! And by the looks of the future weather reports (up to 30C tomorrow and all weekend?!) I don't think turning the oven on will be looked on favourably by the rest of my family.

However, that isn't going to stop me from testing out monsieur starter soon - he turned a week old today and is smelling nice and sour, though it still doesn't double after a feeding (the photo is about 2 hours after being fed... nowhere near twice the volume!). I'm thinking maybe a quick batch of biscuits to test it's mettle. I hope it gathers strength soon, I want to get some bread out of that sucker!

Being that it is going to begin baking outside in the near future, I've been turning my attention to colder foods - namely popsicle-type treats. While my standby frozen favourite by far is Tofutti's Fudge Treats (they're nice and creamy, low in sugars, and fat free... what more could you want?) I came across a similar recipe at the blog Tiny Morsels that's made with carob and tofu, which is more nutrient rich than my storebought kind (and going along to Cate's ARF / 5-A-Day event!). I'm definitely going to give it a try, though in the variant that I'm passing along today... I don't have erythritol or agave nectar in my pantry.

Carob powder is made by drying, roasting, and grinding the carob pod. Like coffee, the color and flavor of carob vary according to the roasting process — the longer it's roasted, the darker it gets but also the blander. It's is an incredibly rich food source, and it perhaps the ideal "survival food" since it lasts a long time and is rich in calcium, containing 352 mg per 100 grams, or 1,597 mg per pound. (TrueStar)

Any way you make it, these are easy, rich and creamy - a decadent way to cool down.

Carob Ice Pops
Serves 6
5 oz low-fat silken tofu
1 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla (or almond or coconut) extract
2 Tbsp carob powder
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and pulse until smooth.
2. Pour into ice molds and freeze solid.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 73.0
Total Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 56.3 mg
Total Carbs: 17.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g
Protein: 2.2 g
WW POINTS: 1

And if you like the nut and chocolate combo idea, here's another recipe I stole... I mean... borrowed off of the Almond Board of California and modified to my tastes. This rich, smooth espresso and chocolate ice "milk" is filled with chunks of toasted almonds for another delicious summer snack - but unlike the ice pops, this one should be eaten with a little more restraint. Though almonds are a healthy fat, just 1 oz (or 24 nuts) has 14 grams of it! Not the greatest idea (in large quantities) if you're trying to cut down fat in your diet or, like me, you can't eat that amount without suffering! It is, admittedly, a lot better than eating processed cheese or frosting from a can (which I did as a 14 year old... the frosting, not the cheese). I'd use Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze mixed with cocoa or carob powder for the chocolate almond milk here, since we don't get the Unsweetened Chocolate here yet (I just found the vanilla today!!).

Mocha Almond Ice Milk
Serves 6
2 cups unsweetened chocolate almond milk (Almond Breeze), chilled
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
2/3 cup slivered almonds, roasted

1. Whisk together 1/2 cup the almond milk with the espresso powder in a large bowl.
2. Whisk in remaining milk and sugar.
3. Freeze according to ice cream machine’s instructions, adding almonds when mixture is nearly frozen.
4. Alternatively, divide mixture among waxed paper cups and cover each with plastic; poke a wooden craft stick through plastic and freeze to serve as pops.

Amount Per ServingCalories: 116.6
Total Fat: 8.4 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 13.9 mg
Total Carbs: 8.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 3.9 g

Random Sourdough Ramblings

My starter is turning into a fruitcake. I'm sure of it. Instead of beer, it's beginning to take on the aroma of apple cider. It still rises, and is still bubbly and producing "hooch"... so i'm pretty sure it's still alive. Maybe it just doesn't like beer?

The Death of the Birthday Cupcakes

... or, why this blog will never be cupcake - or photo - central.

I hate it when good recipes happen to bad chefs. Especially when the bad chef in question is, well, me. Let me explain. I had good intentions with this cake recipe I had invented, planning to bake it into cupcakes this past weekend. It was all a test - would it work as a recipe in general, would the flavours be there, would the texture be what I was after, and most importantly, would Andrew like it? This was, after all, the recipe I intended to use for his birthday cake in July. It was a brilliant idea - take all the things in the Lindor Stracciatella chocolate truffle (which so happens to be his favourite chocolate) and mould it into a moist, fluffy cake with a rich frosting.

What happened, as far as the recipe was concerned that is, was a complete success. I didn't scorch the chocolate, cut myself or bash my fingers when breaking up the cookies, nor did I forget to grease the tins, nor did I burn the cupcakes in the oven. Where I failed, miserably, was when I got to the part of baking that involved unmoulding the miniature puffs of sweet heaven (as I named them when they began to aromatize my kitchen, and therefore, house). I failed to note that cakes, even miniature cakes, should cool partially in their tins before being turned out. As you can see, disaster struck, and resulted in some mangled, but still tasty from what I'm told, goodies.

I saved most of them, let them cool completely, and packged them up so I could frost them the next morning. No problem there! The next day, I proceeded to exemplify exactly WHY I don't decorate cakes (or any other matter) for a living. Apparently, even with my biggest pastry tube (an Ateco #6 star), small crumbs of cookie do not like squashing through there! I resorted to a spoon - and - smoosh method of icing the remaining cakes, then topped them with the last bits of whole Teddy Graham cookies that I had left over for what I hope looks like a decent presentation.

Sad the photography may be, but as far as taste was concerned, it got thumbs up from my mom: "rich but not heavy... moist not wet... loved the bits of cookie too... the icing was good... My favourite part is the bear, he's cute!" (Thanks Mom!). Andrew gets his portion of cakies tomorrow (I was, and still am as of now, too sick to drive today so couldn't deliver the goods), so I'm eagerly awaiting the verdict from him!

This is a labour intensive recipe, and will probably stick you in the gym for a few hours burning it off, but it is worth every bead of sweat and extra calorie when you pull it off. The buttermilk cuts the cloying sweetness of the white chocolate and sugar just right, and there weren't even any eggs to crack! The purists out there can use butter, I just chose shortening because I wanted the white colour to stay in the cake as much as possible.

Torta Stracciatella Alla Andrew
Serves 12
8 oz high-quality white chocolate (I used Lindt), chopped
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons clear vanilla
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup broken (not crushed) chocolate cookie wafers (like Mr. Christies)
½ cup shortening
4 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar, divided
3 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup crushed chocolate cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
2. Melt the white chocolate, being careful not to scorch it. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Separately, cream the shortening and white sugar.
5. Beat in the melted white chocolate, the applesauce and the vanilla.
6. Mix the cream and buttermilk together.
7. In three additions, with electric beaters, alternately beat the flour mixture and the milk mixture into the creamed mixture.
8. Beat until smooth.
9. Fold in cookie chunks by hand.
10. Pour batter into prepared pans.
11. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tests done. Allow to cool thoroughly in tins before turning out.
12. Beat shortening in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy.
13. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar until well blended and smooth.
14. Beat in cream, then slowly add remaining sugar until blended.
15. Beat in cookie crumbs.
16. Invert one cake layer on serving platter. Top with a layer of the frosting, then place the second cake layer (right side up) on top.
17. Use remaining frosting for top and sides of the cake.
18. For best results, refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 696.4
Total Fat: 29.7 g
Cholesterol: 31.9 mg
Sodium: 85.7 mg
Total Carbs: 103.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
Protein: 5.7 g

Happy Early 21st Birthday, Honey!

Munching and Crunching

Yay! Blogger's letting me post again! I had intended to put this post up last night but lo and behold, the Blogger load screen crashed my whole laptop. Not once, not twice, but three times. So I gave up, at midnight, and had to scramble to write down the recipe since I didn't actually pay attention to what I was doing with these cookies - baking by feel is just what I do (screw the theory about it being more science than art - someone has to experiment). Actually, experimenting is high on my "to-do" list as of late - not only am I working (dilligently!) on a sourdough starter, I have some plans to make macarons and marshmallows later on too! Tomorrow (if I'm not feeling lazy) I'll be sharing with you my cupcake capers when it came to testing out Andrew's birthday cake recipe out (his birthday isn't until July, but I had never made the recipe before, and beyond that, it was an invention of mine... eep!).

So yes, cookies. These actually started (like most of my baking inventions) with a trip to the Bulk Barn last Wednesday. I still get the 10% student discount (thank God for college!) so I use that opportunity to wander the aisles and pick up a thing or two that happens to tickle my fancy. Well, discounts and sales abounded this past week, and I wound up with this motley crue: shredded (unsweetened) coconut, dried blueberries, whole flax and sesame seeds, and Goji berries!

For those who don't spend their Wednesday mornings trolling the bulk bins (yes, I know I have no life!), Goji berries are fruits of an evergreen shrub found in China, Mongolia and in the Himalayas in Tibet. They are nightshades, like tomatoes and peppers. Rich in antioxidants, like beta-carotene and zeaxanthin (as well as 500 times more vitamin C per ounce than oranges), they have also been reputed to help with liver and eye function, and even weight loss. Check out some more neat facts here, if you'd like.

This week I also stumbled upon a new event being co-hosted by Ben of What's Cooking and the wonderful Ivy of Kopiaste, called Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets?. It, like Cate's ARF / 5-A-Day event (which will also be recieving this recipe), focuses on healthy eating and lifestyles, but with more of an emphasis placed on the lower-calorie and -fat ends of the spectrum, without sacrificing taste or enjoyment of what we eat. These biscotti are naturally low-fat, being a variant on my previous egg-free biscotti, and they have all the added goodness of the fruits, seeds and coconut. I used the potato milk again, and I probably will make another few loaves of bread or so to kill the carton. Good ingredient it may be, but I just can't bring myself to drink it!

"Health Food Store" Biscotti
Makes 20
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup potato (or skim) milk, warmed
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup Goji berries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1 tbsp whole flaxseed
1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375F, place the rack in the upper third of the oven.
2. Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. Seperately, beat together the sugar, milk and extract.
4. Add the dry ingredients and beat until well incorporated.
5. Stir in the coconut, Goji berries, blueberries, flaxseed and sesame seeds.
6. With floured hands, shape into a slightly flattened log and place on a lightly greased and floured cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 20 minutes in the upper third of the oven. Cool completely.
8. Reposition the oven rack to the middle position.
9. With a sharp serated knife, cut log into 1/2" wide slices.
10. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake 5 minutes more.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 88.7
Total Fat: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
Sodium: 5.7 mg
Total Carbs: 18.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.0 g
Protein: 1.7 g

If you count Weight Watchers POINTS, it works out to 1.5 of them(in the American-formula) per cookie. Not too shabby for a sweet, all-natural snack with your tea!

And finally, as for this shot, it is an entirely gratuitous, look-at-me interior look at this bread that I made for Susan's event a while back. Yum, no?