Maple Mania
It’s that time of year in Quebec where maple syrup, a Canadian emblem and international pour-over-anything delight, is in season. This versatile ingredient is often used in sweet or savory dishes for its silky and sugary flavor and texture. Quebecers and tourists alike attend sugar shacks all around the province to get their sweet fix and indulge in special treats like maple taffy, maple pie, and a traditional regional breakfast with maple syrup drizzled over everything. If you can't make it to a sap house this season, make your own home a DIY sugar shack with these decadent recipes:
Pure Maple Butter
This spread is a truly decadent treat. Slather it on a piece of toast or an apple as a snack or substitute it for icing on a cake. It makes everything taste better!
Maple Candied Bacon
Initially, this might seem like an unusual pairing but once you try one of these crunchy candied goodies, you’ll regret how long you've gone in your life without ever making them.
Maple Scones
Perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea, these scones have just the right amount of sweetness and are best eaten with just a smidgen of butter.
Maple Sausage Patties
These sinfully delicious sausage patties give bacon a run for its money. Serve them with eggs and hashbrowns for your perfect brunch.
Kitchen Essentials: The Rice Cooker
We’re sort of in love with the rice cooker. Besides allowing you to consistently achieve rice perfect in texture and fluffiness, it can also be used to cook other things.A nifty gadget, you can set it and move on to other kitchen duties while it does its job.
Since the cooker works at a lower temperature setting, we prefer not to use it for meat but instead, make wonderful dishes of pasta, tofu and vegetables, quinoa, oatmeal, and much more. Here are our favorites:
Black Bean Chili
Satisfy your tex-mex cravings with some chili. Let’s face it, fewer things are better than warming up with this hearty and flavorful bowl of goodness. We recommend adding crushed corn tortilla chips or dipping them in for an added crunch.
Super Cheesy Polenta
Creamy and ultra cheesy, this delicious recipe makes a perfect side dish to accompany an herb-roasted chicken. A typically high-maintenance and slow-cooking dish, the rice cooker method achieves great results in only 20 minutes. You can also substitute the types of cheeses used to suit your own taste.
Poached Pomegranate Spiced Pears In A Rice Cooker Recipe
Bold in flavors and presentation, this recipe is bound to impress! What’s more, these poached pears are sweetened solely with fruit juices, making this dessert a sensible treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. Top with Greek yogurt or crème fraiche for a tangy touch.
Rice Cooker Steamed Tofu & Asparagus
A winning combination, the chewy tofu and steamed vegetables cooked in an Asian sauce is simple and savory. To take it up a notch, add in more vegetables like mushrooms, red peppers, or bok choy, and throw in some fresh ginger.
Black Bean Chili
Satisfy your tex-mex cravings with some chili. Let’s face it, fewer things are better than warming up with this hearty and flavorful bowl of goodness. We recommend adding crushed corn tortilla chips or dipping them in for an added crunch.
Super Cheesy Polenta
Creamy and ultra cheesy, this delicious recipe makes a perfect side dish to accompany an herb-roasted chicken. A typically high-maintenance and slow-cooking dish, the rice cooker method achieves great results in only 20 minutes. You can also substitute the types of cheeses used to suit your own taste.
Poached Pomegranate Spiced Pears In A Rice Cooker Recipe
Bold in flavors and presentation, this recipe is bound to impress! What’s more, these poached pears are sweetened solely with fruit juices, making this dessert a sensible treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. Top with Greek yogurt or crème fraiche for a tangy touch.
Rice Cooker Steamed Tofu & Asparagus
A winning combination, the chewy tofu and steamed vegetables cooked in an Asian sauce is simple and savory. To take it up a notch, add in more vegetables like mushrooms, red peppers, or bok choy, and throw in some fresh ginger.
Uncommon Ingredients: Turnips
The turnip is a delicious root vegetable that is in season right now. They are rich in vitamin C, low in calories and carbohydrates, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, despite their tastiness and versatility, turnips are underrated and sometimes get lost in the mix. We won’t allow any of that here, because we’re giving you the best recipes that put this uncommon ingredient right in the spotlight.
Turnip & Onion Soup
This velvety and earthy soup is perfect for a light lunch. Slice and toast a piece of baguette to serve with.
Turnip Gratin
It’s fair to argue that anything topped with cheese and butter will be delicious. You don’t have to feel all that guilty though, this lower carb adaption of a gratin substitutes the classically used potato with antioxidant rich turnips.
Baked & Spicy Oregano Turnip Fries
A much healthier version of regular french fries, these crispy turnips can be enjoyed with any kind of dipping sauce. Although, doesn’t every love guacamole?
Mashed Turnips with Bacon and Chives
Creamy turnips, crispy bacon, and fresh chives make this side dish a winner. It’s so good, in fact, that you might not want anything else.
Detox Smoothies
Pick a base: Start off by adding 1 cup of the following to the blender: almond milk, fresh juice, coconut milk or water, iced coffee, or water.
Add the fruit: Measure 2-3 cups of your favorite fruits. We especially enjoy bananas, mangos, blueberries, strawberries, apples, and acai berries.
Lean and green: Add 1 cup of spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, or avocado. If you’re worried this won’t mix well with the rest of your smoothie, don’t worry too much, we promise you won’t really taste it!
Sweet kick: For some added sweetness, make a wise choice with raw honey, pure maple syrup, figs, dates, or vanilla extract.
Meal on the go: For a heartier meal replacement smoothie, add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds, ground flax seeds, all natural nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.), coconut oil, or organic oats.
Power boost: Throw a pinch of cinnamon, protein powder, cacao powder, maca powder, or bee pollen for optimized energy.
Kitchen Cleaning 101
Inspired by springtime renewal, we’ve been thinking of efficient ways to clean a kitchen space. This way, you’re sure to start the season off on the right foot.
Which cleaning solutions to use? Check under your sink to take an inventory of what you’ll need. Here are some homemade mixes you can use to fill up empty bottles. We love these because they are non-toxic, budget-friendly, and very effective. Be sure to label everything.
First things first, if you have a self-cleaning oven, set and start it before you begin anything else so that it can work its magic as you work yours.
Before you reorganize and deep clean, make sure any maintenance cleaning is already done. This means washing and putting away all dishes previously used and ridding all spaces of unnecessary clutter. Gather all the items that are in your kitchen but do not belong and temporarily place them in a box or basket and set items accordingly at a later time.
1. To begin, clean out your cupboards and pantry one by one and place like items together on the counter. For nonperishable items that won’t be consumed, place them aside in a box to donate. For all items in half open bags, like pasta or rice, place them in storage containers for neater storage and prolonged freshness. Clean each shelf from top to bottom. Once all surfaces are dried, put the items back in place.
2. Next, clean out your drawers and follow the same process. Once drawers are reorganized and cleaned, wipe down doors and outer surfaces. Pay close attention to handles and outside edges too.
3. Now move on to all appliances. First, tackle your refrigerator and freezer. Empty both by throwing away any items that are old or expired. Fill your sink with hot soapy water to throw in empty containers and the drawers from your fridge so they can soak. Working from top to bottom, clean all shelves. Once surfaces are dried, place items back in the refrigerator and freezer. Don’t forget the top of the refrigerator!
Wipe the outside of your dishwasher. Wipe the outside of your stove and clean the inside manually if your oven is not self-cleaning. Wipe the outside of your microwave as the inside cleans by microwaving this natural solution on high: fill a medium-sized bowl with water, one sliced lemon, and a splash of white vinegar.
4. For all the items that have been soaking in your sink in the meantime, place them in the dishwasher or wash by hand. Drain the sink and rinse with hot water. Clean the basin and rinse with hot water again.
5. Empty the trash bin and give the can a wipe down before taking the trash out. Replace the can with new bag.
6. Sweep and mop the floor. Don’t forget to move appliances to get every nook and cranny. Dump the dirty mop water outside or in the toilet to not contaminate the already clean sink.
Homemade Power Snacks
This homemade recipe of bite-size energy bars will never have you go back to the store-bought variation. The convenient bite size is not only perfect for on the go but makes an ideal pre or post-workout treat and afternoon snack when you need a sweet fix. No baking is necessary, making this fuss-free preparation simple. Use the instructions below as a template for individual adaptations with any kind of nut or dried fruit of your preference.
What you’ll need:
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
2 table spoons dark chocolate chips
½ cup all natural unsweetened peanut butter
¼ cup Honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons Ground flax seed
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon goji berries
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients (except the coconut) until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Once the mixture has cooled, use your hands to press it firmly into whatever shape you please. We prefer 1-inch balls. You can equally press them into bars. Then, roll the bites in coconut until evenly covered.
Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes about 20 bites.
Prep time: 10 minutes.
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