THAI NOODLE BOWLS

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Kids are going back to school today and it's raining in my city...looks like summer is on its way out! I don't know about you, but there's something about this time of year that makes me want to get my butt in gear health wise. I guess I'm trying to make up for months of eating ice cream in the summer, ha. Any of you in the same boat??

I told James that after Labour Day I want to eat a lot better and figure out an exercise plan...slowly but surely. A good place to start is with these Thai Noodle bowls. The recipe is from Oh She Glows cookbook, which I highly recommend as everything I've made from it has been so yummy!

These bowls are healthy, filling AND delicious. A perfect recipe to kick my butt back into healthy gear.

THAI NOODLE BOWL

Serves 4

Ingredients:
 

For the sauce-

  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 2 tsp grated ginger
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp tamari
  • 2 tsp sugar

For the salad-

  • 4 oz soba noodles (found in the asian section of your grocer)
  • 1 bag frozen shelled edamame beans (I could not find shelled at Costco or superstore..I ended up buying shelled ones, defrosting them and then shelling them...not ideal because it takes a long time ha!)
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 cucumber diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Directions:

  1. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. You can use a food processor but I just whisked everything and it came together easily.
  2. Cook the soba noodles according to package. Once done, rinse immediately under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Add the vegetables in and then the sauce. Give it a good mix.

Enjoy!!!

 

Happy Tuesday,

XO,
laura

MOROCCAN QUINOA SALAD

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It's been awhile since I've posted a healthy recipe post..haha...kinda hard when all I want to eat is ice cream these days... Well guys, I've been holding out on you. I realized the other day, that I haven't shared my go to quinoa salad with you. I seriously make this recipe all the time. It's quick, healthy and delicious! I brought it to a family dinner and my nine year old nephew asked for seconds!! You know it must taste real good when that happens. 

This is super flavourful salad and I make a batch of it every three weeks or so. When it's just James and I, I use the amounts below but when I have international students, I double as it can get gobbled up quite quickly!

MOROCCAN QUINOA SALAD

erves 6
(adapted from Looneyspoons cookbook) 
 

Ingredients-

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup each finely chopped red bell pepper, grated carrots, and cucumber
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions-

  1. Combine quinoa, broth, spices, salt and honey in a rice cooker and cook until done. If you don't have a rice cooker, bring to a boil in a pot then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  2. Transfer cooked quinoa to a bowl and let cool. (I usually do all the chopping when the quinoa is cooling.)
  3. Once cool add in remaining ingredients and mix well.
  4. Enjoy!

So there you have it...a quick, healthy and delicious quinoa salad to bring to your next bbq!

XOXO,
laura

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE TRIFLE

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Throughout this pregnancy so many people have asked if I have had any cravings. I haven't had any crazy ones but I've definitely noticed my sweet tooth increasing...surprisingly, I usually crave candy more than chocolate...but this one day in particular, I was craving the heavenly combination of chocolate and peanut butter....so I decided to make this trifle. 

Now just warning you, this is a crazy rich dessert. I used brownies but next time, I would definitely use a lighter chocolate cake instead.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE TRIFLE

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch of chocolate cake from a box (don't bother making from scratch, but do if you really really want to), cooled and cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 large box of chocolate pudding
  • 1 bag of mini peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 brick of cream cheese at room temperature

Directions:

  1. Beat heavy cream and regular sugar in an electric mixer on medium high until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whip cream to another bowl and put in the fridge.
  2. Beat peanut butter and cream cheese in the electric mixer on medium until the mixture is creamy. Add in the icing sugar and mix until combined. Add in the milk.
  3. Add 1 cup of the whipping cream to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Grab your dish and begin to assemble the trifle. Clear dishes are obviously better but use what you have! I assembled it in this order: chocolate cake, peanut butter, peanut butter cups, chocolate pudding, whip cream and then repeat. Make sure you save some peanut butter cups for the top layer!
  5. Enjoy!

MMMmmmmm now I want this all over again....

Happy Tuesday!

XO,
laura

CLASSIC CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

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CLASSIC CARROT CAKE!

Oh, carrot cake, I love you. Over Easter weekend I made not one, but two carrot cakes! I made my first ever carrot cake from scratch at my birthday last year and it was delicious so I decided to make it again for Easter. For my birthday cake and the second cake made over Easter, I used a recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. For the first one over Easter, I used this recipe. We definitely preferred the Hummingbird one so I'll post that one below. The other one was yummy but it was much drier than the Hummingbird one and I'm all about moist cakes!

the best carrot cake

CLASSIC CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 sunflower oil
  • 2 1/3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • About 3 carrots grated

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups cream cheese (1.5 bricks), room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325.
  2. Put the sugar, eggs and oil in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until well incorporated. Slowly add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and continue to beat until well mixed.
  3. Stir in the grated carrots (and nuts/raisins if you want to add those) by hand until they are evenly dispersed.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans (3 8 inch or 2 9inch, lined with parchment paper) and smooth over. Bake in the preheated over for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the cake bounces when touched. Let the cake layers cool slightly in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. While the cake is cooling, make cream cheese icing by beating the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth. Add in vanilla extract and salt and continue mixing. Add in powdered sugar and beat at med-high until smooth (add more powdered sugar if it's too runny).
  6. Once the cake is cooled completely, transfer the layers to a cake stand and ice away!
  7. Enjoy :)

 

So there you have it, my favourite recipe for carrot cake!

XO,
laura

MEYER LEMON SCONES

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Meyer Lemon Scones

I'm still new to the scone baking business but it's a business, I'd like to grow in. Scones are pretty easy to make and are the best compliment to an afternoon cuppa! I saw this recipe and slightly adapted it. It was crazy easy and meyer lemons happened to be on sale...double win! 

Meyer Lemon Scones

If you're wondering what the heck a meyer lemon is, don't be ashamed! I only found out last year. Basically it's a mix between a lemon and a tangerine...not too sweet but not too tart....deliciousness. I used the rest of the bag to soothe my stupid cold that I finally have gotten over! (hurrah!!)

meyer lemon scone recipe

MEYER LEMON SCONES

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar (and a bit more if you want to sprinkle some on top!)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 meyer lemons, zested (you'll also need the juice from two of these lemons)
  • 2 meyer lemons, sliced very thinly
  • melted butter for brushing

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425. 
  2. Mix the sugar and 1/2 the lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers so it gets all fragrant.
  3. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, lemon sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Grab a pastry blender or fork and combine the butter into the bowl. Keep cutting it together until it resembles coarse sand.
  4. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, juice from 2 of the lemons and rest of the lemon zest.
  5. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead.
  6. Divide the dough in half and form into two large circles. Brush the melted butter and then place the lemon slices on top. You can also sprinkle some sugar on top if you're feeling it! Divide the dough into six triangles (by slicing down the middle like a pizza).
  7. Bake the scones for 14-16 minutes until the tops are slightly golden.
  8. Enjoy!! 

Happy Baking!!

XO,
laura