best banana bread

a friend of mine made this fantastic banana bread while i was visiting her, which is a favoured recipe from a friend of hers, which may very well be a favoured recipe from yet another friend. needless to say, it’s worth passing around.

for a possibly less decadent version, you may opt out of the chocolate chips... but at your own peril. and if you want it to be even more sinful, drop in a few more chipits (as in the photo above — yeah, i am one of those).

ingredients
1/3 cup -butter -softened
1/2 cup -sugar
2 -eggs -large
3 -bananas -large and ripe
1/3 cup -yoghurt
1/2 tps -vanilla extract
2 cups -flour
1/4 cup -ground flax seeds
1 tsp -baking soda
1/2 tsp -salt
1 cup -chocolate chips -optional

• in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar.
• add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• mash the bananas.
• beat in bananas, yoghurt and vanilla with butter/sugar mix.
• in a small bowl, combine flour, flax seeds, baking soda and salt.
• add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until they are moistened.
• lastly add the chocolate chips.
• spoon the batter into a greased loaf pan.
• bake at 350º F for about 60 minutes.

a gluten-free version
the first time i did this recipe i used a gluten-free flour, so if you want a gluten-free version, it is simply as easy as changing the type of flour you use. just remember to add about 3/4 tsp of xantham gum. if you are not used to baking with gluten-free flours, i recommend bob’s red mill gluten-free all purpose baking flour — it is one of my favourite as others can sometimes give you unexpected textures.

creamy coconut vegetable stew

gluten-free | dairy-free | vegetarian option

i originally found this recipe when my mother was trying out a gluten-free diet for health reasons. it has been slightly altered over time (as most recipes usually are) but remains a complete hit every time i make it, no matter the version. this is also a perfect comfort food for those cold and/or rainy winter days. i promise, you will have no regrets.

coconut milk
one small word of advice before we start: the coconut milk is what makes this recipe exceptional. so please use the real stuff (it comes in a can and it is not a beverage). also make sure you get the regular kind, not the light stuff. there is very little fat in this recipe, so there are no reasons to cut calories by using the wrong milk.

ingredients

2 tbsp ~ 15ml -olive oil

1 -medium onion, diced

2 -garlic cloves, minced

1 -medium fennel bulb, halved, cored and diced, or

3-4 -celery branches -i often replace the fennel with celery

1 tsp ~ 5ml -salt

root vegetables

simply use what you prefer, it will be just as good.
i tend to use what’s available at the market at the time or what’s in my fridge.

1 -medium turnip, peeled and diced

1 -medium rutabaga, peeled and diced

2-3 -sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced -yams are better

2-3 -carrots, peeled and diced -i add those for colour

4 cups ~ 1 litre carton -vegetable or chicken broth -use good stuff here! and feel free to use less if you prefer a thicker stew ~ original recipe calls for half (2 cups)

1 can ~ 15oz -regular coconut milk -do not use light milk

1/4 tsp -red pepper flakes

your choice of protein

12 oz ~ 340g -wild salmon, tofu or chicken -the latter is my favourite

feel free to add as much protein as you like ~ i usually use 2 breasts of chicken

optional for presentation

2 tbsp ~ 15ml -finely chopped parsley

1/4 tsp -finely grated lemon zest

• in a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

• add the onion, garlic, fennel or celery, and the salt. cook until tender.

• then add the broth of your choice and all the root vegetables at once.

• add also the pepper flakes.

• bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low.

• once the broth is hot, add the coconut milk.

• coconut milk can be very thick so the heat helps dissolve it

• cook with the cover on until your vegetables are tender.
• adjust seasoning — salt + pepper to taste.

• lastly, add your choice of salmon, tofu or chicken.
• those should be diced into small bite sizes.

• note that the heat of the stew will cook the fish or meat in about 5-10 minutes.

so that’s it folks. simple, fast, and delicious! i hope you think of me on those cold winter days... because i’ll be having some of that comfort food too! and don’t forget to give me your feedback!

the difference between a turnip and a rutabaga

i often mix those up (among other ones), so if you are like me, here is the basic difference: the turnip is half reddish-purple with the bottom half white. once peeled and diced it is essentially white. the rutabaga is usually bigger in size, and although it has a similar half purple and half cream colour, it is much darker. once peeled and diced, it is a peachy-cream colour.

the difference between yams and sweet potatoes
this one can be tricky, but only if you speak french, because in french they both translate to patates sucrée (sweet potatoes). however, their look aren’t confusing at all: the yam is a dull orange/red and the sweet potato a yellowy/beige much like some small new potatoes. both have a similar taste, but myself i much prefer yams.

et voilà.

top row: those are turnips. some variety can give them a different shape, even a different shade of purple, but the bottom part remains unmistakingly white.

second row: those are rutabagas. they are often larger than turnips and there is no confusing the darker orange-cream colour of the bottom half as well as the purple.

third row: here we have yams beside sweet potatoes. they are about the same odd shape and size, but the yam has a reddish skin, and the sweet potato has a beige skin. once peeled, the orange yam is quite distinguishable beside the whitish sweet potato.

last row: these are yams, and if you have to choose vs sweet potatoes, i find yams tastier so i would choose those. plus what makes them orange also turns out to be good for you!

berry buckle coffee cake

it’s the berry season! yesterday i went to a dog park with a very dear friend (three forks dog park, the most amazing dog park i have ever seen) and all around this outstanding field were gigantic blackberry bushes. so as we walked around the park with our tupperware in hand, we collected a heap of ripe juicy blackberries.

when we got home we contemplated on what kind of dessert we should make with them, then my friend carol gave us her favourite buckle cake recipe. for one, i had never heard of a buckle cake — but then again i’m french (wink). so if you are also wondering, it is a cross between a coffee cafe and a crumble. not a bad combination if you ask me!

ingredients
2 cups ~ 500ml ~flour ~you can use a gluten-free flour if you wish
3/4 cup ~ 187.5ml ~sugar
2.5 tsp ~ 12ml ~baking powder
3/4 tsp ~ 4ml ~salt
1/4 cup ~ 62.5ml ~butter ~softened (1/2 stick)
1 cup ~ 250ml ~milk ~you can use a dairy-free alternative
1 ~large egg
2+ cups ~ 500ml ~blackberries ~or any type of berries ~ add more if you have more!

crumb topping
1/2 cup ~ 125ml ~sugar
1/3 cup ~ 83ml ~flour
1/2 tsp ~ 2.5ml ~ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ~ 62.5ml ~butter ~softened (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup ~ 125ml ~oats

glaze optional + decorative
1/2 cup ~ 125ml ~powdered sugar
1/4 tsp ~ 1ml ~vanilla
1-2 tsp ~ 5-10ml ~hot water

• preheat oven to 375º
• blend all the ingredient together: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, milk and egg.
• mix well until the batter is perfectly smooth.
• spread half the batter in a 9 x 9 inches buttered pan.
• add the fruits evenly on top, then cover with the rest of the batter.
• sprinkle the crumb topping over top.
• bake for 45-50 minutes (until inserted toothpick comes out clean).
• optional: drizzle with glaze if you wish.

lastly, serve warm if you can as it is even more delicious! the glaze is completely optional and i omitted it because i think it is sweet enough and mostly a decorative element for presentation. this little sweetness is great for tea time and brunch. if you add a lot more berries (i used about 3 cups) then you won’t feel so guilty having it for breakfast! (wink)

please let me know what you think ~ thanks!

bubbles with a strawberry twist

they say strawberries and champagne are a perfect complement. this may very well explain why this cocktail is so delicious! by now everyone who knows a thing or two about me, knows that a good cocktail is something i don’t keep secret.

this is not a complicated recipe to make, but the liquor i use may not be available everywhere. it is called fragoli (meaning strawberries in italian). it is not a super sweet liquor (not even sure it qualifies as one) and it is filled with tiny wild strawberries which are about the size of raisins! those are not only delicious but they also render this cocktail simply sumptuous.

essentially all you need to do is poor a little bit of fragoli into a champagne glass (as shown below), then fill the rest with an inexpensive sparkling wine such as a prosecco or a crémant. like most of the cocktail recipes i write about, go with your taste for figuring out how much liquor you want in it. start with a little, and if you want it more flavourful, add a little more.

(in the glasses above i may have put a little too much, although it made a really nice picture)

one cool thing about the berries in the bottle: they have managed to carefully measure the amount so that there are strawberries until the very end of the bottle. so don’t worry that too many may fall into your glass ~ it’s a good thing!

please feel free to leave a comment after you’ve tasted it ~ thanks!

the duel for the best chocolate chip cookie

once upon a time when i was a young designer at holt renfrew in toronto, i worked with a lovely woman named martha. one day in a casual conversation i mentioned to martha that i baked the best chocolate chip cookies. it really wasn’t an arrogant statement, but rather one supported by a long list of great reviews. but martha said hmmm... i believe i make the best chocolate chip cookies. what type of chocolate do you use, she asked. well, no point of arguing without having the proof at hand, she said, let’s have a best-cookie challenge.

of course, chocolate being an important part of such a cookie, it goes without saying that its quality is with great impact. i used a good quality brand, but nothing particularly special. but rather than feeling defeated by this simple question, i took on martha’s challenge.

on the specified challenge date we both showed up with our batches of cookies at hand and were soon surrounded by the rest of our department. i tended my box for her to take one of my cookies, and she tended hers for me to take one.

after my first bite into her cookie, i simply said "okay, you win" — “now you have to give me the recipe!” and so, here is that infamous winning recipe. i haven’t made it as often in recent years, but every time i do it is greatly appreciated. of course if you love chocolate chip cookies, you may already have a famous recipe of your own... but give this one a try. the last time i made the “other cookie” recipe was on the day of the challenge. this one here is definitely a winner.

and wherever you are martha, i thank you again for raising a challenge and graciously sharing your winning recipe. i think of you every time i make it!

toblerone oatmeal cookies

ingredients

3/4 cups ~ 187.5ml -unsalted butter -soften

1.25 cup ~ 312.5ml -brown sugar

1 -egg

1/4 cup ~ 62.5ml -orange juice

1 tsp ~ 5ml -pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ~ 2ml -salt -omit if using salted butter

1/4 tsp ~ 1ml -baking soda

1 cup ~ 250ml -flour

3 cups ~ 750ml -rolled oats

200g -toblerone chocolate -chopped into chunky pieces

100g -toblerone white chocolate -use another kind if you can’t find white toblerone

a note about chocolate: this recipe is amazing because it uses toblerone chocolate which has nougat and almonds in it. so please make sure not to substitute. also please note that you don’t have to use white chocolate at all as this was my added touch at some point over the years. you can simply use 300g of regular toblerone (a huge bar is 400g).

make sure to cut the toblerone chocolate into nice chunky pieces to your taste.

your batter will be very thick, and after the chocolate is in, very chunky as well.

• preheat oven to 350ºF / 175ºC

• mix butter until fluffy, then beat in sugar, egg, orange juice and vanilla extract.

• in a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda.
• then add to the butter mixture.

• once this batter is well mixed and looking smooth, add the rolled oats.
• the batter will seem very thick, so add the oats one cup at a time.

• lastly add your chocolate chunks, but not all at once either.

• place 1 tbsp of batter for each cookie on a baking sheet ideally covered with parchment paper. i find baking is perfect when using parchment

• bake 10 to 12 minutes (depending on your oven).

ovens vary greatly and unless you have an extra thermometer to confirm its temperature, you have to monitor the first batch you put in. this baking time is quite accurate so if you like your cookies a bit chewier, then 10 to 11 minutes will do the trick. if however you prefer them crunchier, 11 to 12 minutes it is. these cookies however will sing much better on your palette on the chewier side. enjoy!

please let me know if you enjoy these cookies by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

spritz : a venetian cocktail

only a very special cocktail could make it to my yummy recipes blog... and this one definitely fits the bill. i discovered this delicious cocktail in venice in 2003 while at the spectacular 300-year-old caffe florian in piazza san marco. i figured at the time that i was better off paying 12 euros for a cocktail rather than 8 euros for a coffee: at least i’d get a buzz out of it! and for the record, caffe florian is an absolute museum of richness and beauty, well worth the price of a cocktail.

so what is a spritz? well, there are variations of it, but essentially it is a mix of a bitter orange aperitif and white wine. the most popular of those aperitifs is aperol which unfortunately is not available in north america (as of january 2012, it is now available in canada) and the other one is campari. the difference is that aperol is much less bitter than campari, and slightly sweeter. it also has only 11% alcohol vs 25% in campari. the latter is also much more red in colour. — to learn more about spritz check here.

at first this cocktail will be a shocker to most: it is bitter. but it is also very refreshing and very addictive. and i have many many friends that can attest to that. for one, if you get to travel to italy you must experience it firsthand while you’re there. just like if you go to france you should not leave the country without having tried a pastis. that is how i travel anyhow.

so here are recipes using both types of aperitifs, as i have finally managed to create an equivalent recipe for making a spritz with campari that it is much more like that of the aperol.

spritz with aperol + white wine

1 measure of aperol

1 measure of white wine

a splash of sparkling water -just enough to give it a fizz

a slice of orange -always squeeze the juice out of it a little

spritz with aperol + prosecco

1 measure of aperol

1 measure of prosecco

a slice of orange -always squeeze the juice out of it a little

spritz with campari

1 measure of campari

1/2 measure of orange syrup -you can double this amount if you find it too bitter

3 to 4 measures of white wine or prosecco

a splash of sparkling water -only if using white wine: replaces one measure

a slice of orange -always squeeze the juice out of it a little

as i constantly described aperol as a sweeter and more orange-flavoured alcohol than campari, it occurred to me that by adding a touch of orange syrup to the campari it might soften the difference. as it turned out, i was very happy with the result when i finally made the taste-test. depending on your palate, feel free to adjust the syrup amount to your liking. it’s all good... so make it your own, and enjoy it!

if you missed the other cocktail that warranted a spot in my yummy recipes blog, here it is.

please let me know if you enjoy the spritz by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

winter pesto

this is probably my favourite pesto sauce. it is called winter pesto because it is made with fresh parsley instead of fresh basil, and parsley is readily available all year round and always at a reasonable price. now the reason i like it best is that for one it is very flavourful (not all pesto sauces are created equal that way), and secondly it tends to keep a nice green colouring unlike basil pesto which seems to turn brownish.

ingredients

2 cups ~ 500ml -fresh parsley, chopped coarsely

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup ~ 60ml -pine nuts

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -dry basil

3 or 4 -cloves of garlic, cut in small pieces

1 tsp ~ 5ml -salt -to taste

1/4 tsp ~ 1ml -pepper -to taste

3/4 cup ~ 375ml -olive oil

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -sundried tomatoes, cut into small pieces -optional

• make sure all the ingredients are chopped or cut into smaller pieces even if you use a high-power blender. having the mixture stuck at the bottom of the blender is not fun. if however it happens, adding the olive oil will help it get unstuck.

• put all the ingredients at once in a blender except for the olive oil and the sundried tomatoes, and mix until everything is finely chopped.

• then, still while mixing, add little at a time the olive oil until you have a well blended and smooth mixture.

• transfer the pesto sauce into a bowl. if you choose to add the sundried tomatoes in your pesto, add them at this point and blend into the sauce — the little pieces will not only add flavour to your dishes but also colour.

• you can store the pesto into small jars and freeze them.

this recipe makes about 375ml of pesto sauce, that’s 1.5 cup, which you can store in small jars and freeze for future meals.

pesto makes wonderful pasta salads: simply add your favourite veggies and some protein such as shrimps or chicken and you’re done. easy, fast and delicious!

please let me know if you enjoy this pesto by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!