Tag: toronto

Back with a Fresh Perspective and New Inspiration

Sometimes a change of scenery is just what you need to kickstart your creativity and breathe new life into your businesses. I recently adventured to the beautiful Greek island of Crete with my *mom and business partner at Better Than Yia Yia’s Mediterranean Catering.

We spent one food and adventure-filled week exploring the island, sampling local cuisine, and seeing some of the most incredible natural phenomena imaginable. Crete is one of the most unique places in Greece and, in my opinion, the island produces some of the most delicious food in the whole country. They are probably best known for their mountain honeys, olive oil, and local cheeses, which are always featured in their traditional dishes.

I will be posting more details about our trip, including where to stay, how to get around, and (most importantly) what to eat when you are there. For now, here are some highlights of the Better than Yia Yia’s Tasting Tour #btyytastingtour.

*Special applause to my mom who, at 58 years of age, decided to launch her own catering business, and at 59, joined me to travel across the largest island in Greece; jump off pirate ships; walk across rock landscapes and climb mountains.

CleanWorkout.com Recipes: Superfood Cookie Butter

I have teamed up with the Professional Personal trainers at CleanWorkout.com to bring you a delightfully decadent tasting, yet somewhat guilt-free, snack: SUPERFOOD COOKIE BUTTER!

Balance is key to a healthy lifestyle, as well as to a good diet. Part of maintaining that balance is never feeling like you are depriving yourself of snacks and treats. To create the perfect healthy Cookie Butter, it needed to have a rich, satisfying texture, and bold, spicy flavours.

Coconut Oil is such a versatile ingredient – You can use it for making flaky vegan pie crusts or as an intense moisturizer/cleanser/tooth whitener in beauty applications. When kept below 24 degrees Celsius, it has the perfect buttery consistency.

We use the same spices in our Better than Yia Yia’s Gingerbread cookies, which is the perfect flavour profile for traditional Cookie Butter. We added turmeric for an extra health kick and black pepper to help absorption in the body. Toasting the spices in oil for a few minutes helps them release their essential oils, bringing out deeper flavours, and removing any chalkiness that sometimes happens with ground spices. Pink Himalayan Sea Salt was chosen for its extra minerals, but table salt or fine sea salt can also be used.

Since this is a dessert, we have to have some sugar. We chose richly flavoured sweeteners like brown sugar, molasses and pure maple syrup, because a little goes a long way. Maple syrup also has a low GI, which means that it does not spike your blood sugar, leading to fat storage; The calories you consume are more quickly expended as energy. Molasses also help with the classic gingersnap cookie flavour, and help with the smooth, thick consistency of the final product.

To preserve the healthy oils in the cooked spices and to keep your Superfood Cookie Butter fresh, keep it in the refrigerator up to four weeks. Remove it about 15 minutes before digging in.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 tbsp + 1/2 cup Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Ground Clove
1 tsp Ground Ginger
Pinch of Turmeric
Pinch of Black Pepper
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Grated Nutmeg
Pinch of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Sweeteners

1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 to 2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
1 to 2 tbsp Fancy Molasses

 

TIP: Make it Chocolate Cookie Butter by adding 1 tbsp of Cacao Powder

TIP: Make it Crunchy Cookie Butter by folding in chopped nuts

 

How to Enjoy Superfood Cookie Butter

  • Blend it into Smoothies
  • Spread it on Toast – Top with Chopped Nuts like Almonds, Pecans or Walnuts for a crunchy breakfast
  • Try Baking with it – Mix Clean Cookie Butter Swirls into Cakes and Cupcakes
  • Use it as a Dip
  • Melt it and Pour it onto Ice Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • Eat it on a Spoon

1. Warm your spices in 3 tbsp Coconut Oil over low heat for 1 – 2 minutes. You want to warm the spices to bring out their oils to give your Cookie Butter more flavour. I also find that cooking spices like turmeric and cinnamon soften their flavours, giving them more sweetness and less of a chalky taste.

2. Add your sweeteners. Continue warming the mixture over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the molasses are combined.

3. Turn off the heat and let cool for 20 minutes.

4. Add room temperature spice mixture to 1/2 cup Coconut Oil.

5. Stir to Combine. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes until the mix starts to solidify.

6. Remove from the refrigerator and shake to redistribute spices and molasses. Chill for another 15 minutes, or until it reaches a ‘Peanut Butter like’ consistency.

7. Stir your Cooled Cookie Butter and Enjoy!

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes for the Toronto Raptors

Red Velvet is one of those cakes that usually looks more exciting than it tastes. After years of trying, I finally create the PERFECT RED VELVET CUPCAKE!

The secret ingredient? BEETS!

To cheer on the Toronto Raptors, I combined the perfect red velvet cupcake with the perfect cream cheese frosting, and decorated them with a delicious chocolate raptor claw.

These cupcakes are great for parties and you do not have to feel that guilty for eating them.

Check out the video and recipe below!

Making the Perfect Red Velvet CakE

Ingredients:
(Yields ~9 – 10 Normal Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk (or 1/4 cup of Milk + 1 tsp White Vinegar – let stand 10 minutes before using)
– 1 – 2 Medium Beets for Roasted Beet Puree
– 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
– 1 Egg
– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– 1 cup All Purpose Flour (I use Five Roses Brand)
– 3/4 cup Sugar (I use Redpath’s Special Fine Granulated Sugar)
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

STEP 1: Roasted Beet Puree

– 1 – 2 Medium sized beets
– Wash beets thoroughly
– Place on aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt
– Bake at 350 F for 75 Minutes, or until tender
– Cool and then Peel the Skin
– Chop beets in a food processor with 2-3 tbsp of water until they are coarsely ground.

STEP 2: Blend Wet Ingredients

– Combine the following in food processor
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk
– 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Beet Puree (from Step 1)
– 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

– Blend until completely smooth

– Add 1 Egg and pulse a few times until it is mixed

STEP 3: Warm over Medium Heat

– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– Gently simmer for a few minutes, whisking periodically so the cocoa does not burn, and then turn off the heat.
– Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before next step.

STEP 4: Sift Together

– 1 cup All Purpose Flour
– 3/4 cup Sugar
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

– Pre-heat your oven to 350 F
– Whisk together dry ingredients
– Add the slightly cooled Cocoa and Oil Mixture, and mix to combine.
– Add your Beet mixture in three stages.
– Scrape down the bowl and mix for 10 seconds after each addition.

– Fill your lined cupcake tins with batter
– Use an ice cream scoop for even cakes and cooking time.

– Bake at 350 F for 18 – 20 minutes.
– You can usually tell they are done when you smell cake!

Making your Chocolate “Raptor Claw” Decorations

What you Need:
– 3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
– 1 tbsp Cream
– Red Sugar Crystals
– Silicone Baking Liner

– Combine the chocolate chips and cream.
– Microwave on Medium Heat for 1 minute.
– Mix well. If chocolate has not melted, heat for 30 seconds at medium heat (repeat if necessary).
– Use a tea spoon to spread your chocolate “claws” onto your silicone baking liner.
– When you are happy with your shapes, sprinkle with red sugar crystals.
– Place your baking liner on a tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Making The Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
(Yields ~6 Heavily Frosted Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
– 3 tbsp Special Fine Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
– 1 tbsp Icing Sugar
– 2 tbsp Whole Milk

– Add Butter and sugar to stand mixer and beat for approximately 10 minutes.
– The mixture will roughly double in size and turn white.
– When it has whipped enough, you will not notice the texture of sugar crystals.
– When the butter and sugar is whipped, add Philadelphia Cream Cheese, icing sugar and milk.
– Whip for a few minutes, scraping down the bowl, until the icing is light and fluffy.

ASSEMBLING your Cupcakes

– Use a ziplock bag to pipe your Cream Cheese Frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
– Sprinkle with Red Decorative Sugar Crystals.
– Carefully remove Chocolate “Claws” from Silicone Baking Sheet (use a knife or spatula to help).
– Gently place your claws and serve!

Easter has Arrived!

The Countdown to Easter is over! The lamb has arrived and even though there is still one more day of fasting, the cooking and excitement have started.

The best way – and only – way to start an Easter meal is with a light lamb soup. Magiritsa is full of romaine lettuce and lemon. On Easter, we have it as an appetizer, but when it is made throughout the year it makes a great light meal.

Tip: Talk to your local butcher and ask them for bones the next time you are making a soup (be it chicken, lamb, pork or beef). In my experience, when they are made available on the shelf, they sell out quickly!

Wishing you all a Happy Easter. Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti!

Quick & Easy Cornbread

Have you ever found a recipe, studied it meticulously, dreamt about making it, and then when you finally had the time to bake it, it just did not turn out?

It is so frustrating to put all that time, effort and expense into a recipe that ends up in the trash or being fed to the squirrels. After countless experiments, I finally adapted the perfect tender, lightly sweet, and crispy-topped cornbread.

Bonus – this is a small batch recipe. Enjoy your cornbread for two to three days without having any waste. This recipe can easily be doubled if you are cooking for a family or a party.

Since it is a Basic Recipe, experiment with different flavourings like cheddar cheese, chilli powder or jalepeno peppers.

Dinner SOS!

Roasting is a delicious way to enjoy a warm, comforting meal without spending too much time prepping or cleaning up. Just throw everything together in one pan, put it in the oven, and go!

Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Lemoney Greek Potatoes is always a crowd pleaser in our house. The only problem with this dish : there never seems to be enough potatoes! Crispy and roasted on the outside, tender on the inside and packed with lemon. These potatoes will help you cope with the long, Toronto winter. I promise.

Making The Perfect Chocolate Cupcake

For years I have scoured cookbooks, the internet, folklore and everywhere in between in search of the perfect chocolate cake base. Something light, fluffy, moist and dangerously chocolatey.

One day, I was in my usual Mad Scientist mood and created the most incredible dark chocolate cake that I had ever tried.

Intensely dark, ultra moist and a soft crumb. This was the perfect chocolate cupcake.

Now, I am sharing my secret catering recipe with you.

Enjoy.

Leave your caramel sauce in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. It will set up giving you a smooth, rich, dense topping that can be spooned on top of your cupcakes. Try this as a cake filling, as well!

 

Tickled Pink

One of my favourite people is getting married and her gorgeous blush and gold colour palette needs to be acknowledged! I had the privilege of attending her Pinterest-worthy bridal shower yesterday and, for a few hours, felt like it was actually spring.

Light pink hydrangeas, pink ombre layer cake, and a table of homemade Italian sweets are guaranteed to put you in a good mood.

The perfect Pinterest bridal shower with a plethora of homemade goodies, a pink paper flower wall, fluffy hydrangeas, and a polaroid station.

The perfect Pinterest bridal shower with a plethora of homemade goodies, a pink paper flower wall, fluffy hydrangeas, and a polaroid station.

In homage to the festivities, I have showcased some of my favourite pink cosmetics that will put a smile on your face and get you ready for spring.

Pink products to put a smile on your face (clockwise): Fujifilm Instax mini 8 instant camera; OPI Nail Lacquer in Passion; L'Occitane Rose Bonne Mere Soap; Korres Body Butter in Jasmine; Bite Agave Lip Mask in Champagne; Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm; Aquiline Pink Sugar Parfum; NARS Blush in Angelika.

Pink products to put a smile on your face (clockwise): Fujifilm Instax mini 8 instant camera; OPI Nail Lacquer in Passion; L’Occitane Rose Bonne Mere Soap; Korres Body Butter in Jasmine; Bite Agave Lip Mask in Champagne; Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm; Aqualina Pink Sugar Parfum; NARS Blush in Angelika.

Enjoy!

Bite Beauty: Good Enough to Eat

I recently became a VIB Rouge member at Sephora (meaning I spent way too much money there throughout 2014). When my new card arrived, it was accompanied by a delightful deluxe sample of Bite Beauty’s Luminous Creme Lipstick in a custom brick red VIB Rouge shade.

Bite Beauty's exclusive lipstick for Sephora VIP Rouge customers. Luminous Creme Lipstick in the perfect shade of brick red.

Bite Beauty’s exclusive lipstick for Sephora VIP Rouge customers. Luminous Creme Lipstick in the perfect shade of brick red.

The lipstick was made in Canada, has a fruity yet non-overpowering aroma, and a wonderful smooth application. The creamy consistency moisturizes, has the perfect matte finish, and great staying-power.

Bite uses all food grade, non-GMO ingredients, no synthetic fragrances (great for those with sensitive skin), and no synthetic dyes. This lipstick also contains trans-resveratrol – the antioxidant-rich ingredient in red wine that helps reduce the appearance of lines.

Bite Beauty's Smashed Agave Lip Mask is a new favourite: hydrating and has sheer, buildable colour. A must-have.

Bite Beauty’s Smashed Agave Lip Mask is a new favourite: hydrating and has sheer, buildable colour. A must-have.

I was so impressed by the lipstick that I had to try another Bite product. During the day, I am very minimal with my make up and like using tinted lip balms. They are also especially useful at the gym where I do not wear any make up. I saw that Bite’s Agave Lip Mask had great reviews and decided to try the newest colour, Smashed Agave.

The balm, also made in Canada, smells like real vanilla bean and has a slightly sticky texture. On a cold day in Toronto, it may take a little warming it between your hands to get it to squeeze out of the tube easily, but that just means there are no synthetic stabilizers to maintain the texture (think about the difference of butter vs. margarine when they are kept in the refrigerator. Synthetic margarine is easily spreadable, whereas natural butter has to come to room temperature).

Demonstrating the buildable colour of Bite Smashed Agave Lip Mask: One, two, and three sheer coats lets you determine the colour intensity while always delivering incredible hydration.

Demonstrating the buildable colour of Bite Smashed Agave Lip Mask: One, two, and three sheer coats lets you determine the colour intensity while always delivering incredible hydration.

A little goes a long way with this mask. It is incredibly hydrating and long-wearing, and has a sheer wash of natural pink colour. For more colour, layer on one or two more sheer coats, or use your favourite lipstick on top. It is a great product for year-round, daily use. I am excited to try more products from Bite.