Inspired Edibles

~ wellness, wonder, words ~

Chilled White Wine Sangria Gelée

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You know how some recipes can get you more revved up than others?

When I saw how well these little sangria jellies turned out, I just about burst with excitement!

Then I had a Woody Allen moment and was absolutely convinced I was going to get flattened by a truck before having the chance to share them with you…

Phew.

I’m still here.

And so are you!

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These fruit jellies are so much fun and are sure to add a splash of novelty and elegance to your summer celebrations.

What I appreciate most about them is their complete adaptability.  You can vary the size and content entirely according to dietary need and preference.

If you are making a batch of sangria jellies for children, you can use a combination of water and delicious fruit juice such as white grape to keep the base translucent so that the beautiful, colourful fruit shines through at maximum capacity.

 

I just love how the orange is suspended in the jelly mid-glass

Or, you can go for a brilliantly coloured beverage in a purple grape or ruby red tone, as desired.

For adults, you can play around with white, red, or rosé wine.  Or, if alcohol is not in the picture, you can simply omit it and use a sparkling water or fruit juice.  Since I generally prefer the taste of drinks without much sugar, I found sparkling water to be the perfect complement to the dry white wine and fruit in the featured version.

But you can do whatever you like with these – including varying the fruit content. You can also play with the size of these jellies – setting them up in shot glasses, ramekins or, in the featured version, I used a clear cylinder glass (with one cup capacity).

Depending on how you set it up size wise, you can offer these jellies as an apéritif or digestif or simply enjoy them for dessert, as you wish.

Chilled White Wine Sangria Gelée

  • 2 cups dry fruitty white wine (I used a Niagara Riesling that was lovely – Cave Spring 2009)
  • 2 cups sparkling water (such as Perrier or Pellegrino) or fruit juice or plain water
  • 2 cups assorted fresh fruit, (such as orange, lemon, lime, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, peach, etc.), chopped into bite sized pieces where necessary
  • 2 packets (each 7 grams) unflavoured gelatin powder

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Makes 4 one cup servings

Note: if you are using sparkling water, you will notice a fizz effect and likely the accumulation of bubbles (frothing) on the surface of your glasses.  You can simply use a spoon to scoop away the froth.  It’s quite easy to deal with.

The ratio of wine to sparkling water used in this recipe renders a relatively mild alcoholic taste.  If you prefer, you can experiment with 3 cups white to 1 cup water, etc. as desired.

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Place wine in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Allow mixture to come just to a boil and then remove from heat.  Whisk in gelatin until dissolved and well integrated.  Add sparkling water (or fruit juice or plain water).

Meanwhile, divide fruit among 4 x one cup (250-mL) glasses. Pour wine mixture into each glass dividing it among the four glasses.

Refrigerate sangria jellies until set, about 2-3 hours.  They will store well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Mango Chickpea Lettuce Cups with a Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Have you found your spot yet?
You know that place near or far, real or imagined, that allows you to be a little bit more like yourself and a little bit less like the impostor who sometimes inhabits your being?
I spent some time up at my spot this weekend.  In fact, for the first time in nine years, I spent 24 blessed hours all.by.myself. at my spot.  Not another soul in sight (except for my four-legged companion that is).  A rare opportunity indeed.
my spot
And the funny thing?  I almost didn’t go.  30 degrees and brilliant skies but I had the usual litany of excuses swirling around in my head: I should really stay in town and put some order in the house while I can… wash the floors, get the cupboards organized, match socks. 
Yeah. Maybe not.
Find your spot.  Wonderful things happen there.
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I love the combination of mango and cucumber in the summertime.  Juicy, refreshing and hydrating – not to mention delicious.
It also reminds me of one of my all time favourite salads (which I’m pretty sure I could eat every day if required).
The chickpea (and peanut) in this recipe transforms the salad into a meal with its quality plant protein and fulsome fibre.  Add a little cilantro and a drizzle of spicy peanut sauce and you’ve got a wonderfully tasty, no-cook, meatless meal option – lunch or supper – any day of the week!
If you have vegetarian teenagers in the house, this is a healthy, well-balanced and hassle-free meal they can whip up on their own.
Mango Chickpea Lettuce Cups with a Spicy Peanut Sauce
For the Mango Chickpea Lettuce Cups:
  • 1 head Butter (aka: Boston or Bibb) lettuce, leaves gently removed
  • 2 cups cooked chickpea, well rinsed if using canned
  • 1 large ripe mango, roughly diced
  • 1/2 English cucumber, roughly diced
  • 2 Tbsp scallions (green onion), sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup natural peanuts, chopped
For the Spicy Peanut Sauce:
  • 2 Tbsp all natural peanut butter
  • 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • Sprinkle of dry chili peppers, as desired
—————–
Directions:
Serves 4
To create lettuce ‘cups’ simply place two or three leaves together in an overlapping fashion, trying to fit them together such that they form the best cup shape possible (not an exact science).
Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, combine chickpea, mango, cucumber, onion and cilantro. Mix ingredients together gently to combine.
Place about one quarter cup of chickpea filling into each lettuce cup (more/less depending on size of cups).  Top each cup with some chopped peanuts.
For the dressing, place all spicy peanut sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk to combine. If you find the consistency too thick, simply add a little more water.
Once the dressing ingredients are well combined, drizzle the spicy peanut sauce over the mango chickpea lettuce cups and enjoy.

Lemon Currant Oatmeal Scones with fresh Lavender Leaves

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Ever since visiting this property, it has been a quiet fantasy of mine to cultivate my own lavender farm.

Wouldn’t you just love to run yourself and your naked feet through those fragrant purple fields? 
But since I’m not likely to abandon my life as I currently know it, nor obtain a degree in horticulture anytime soon, I decided I would do the next best thing. 

Snip off some fresh lavender leaves from my little herb box and get busy.

I made these scones for my husband on Father’s day.  (He adores scones; something I don’t make very often so it qualifies as a treat).

He tried the first scone without jam, cream or anything in between, preferring instead to “explore the subtle flavour of the lavender” (shameless flirt).

If you’re looking for puffy, airy, white flour vapidness – these are not your scones.  The featured scones are made with whole grains and deliver a more textured, coarse biscuit-style bite with just a touch of sweetness and plenty of nature’s surprise.

These scones were a big hit in our home (once we were finally able to wrestle a few away from Dad that is) – I hope you enjoy them too!

Lemon Currant Oatmeal Scones with fresh Lavender Leaves

  • 1 + 2/3 cups spelt flour (or other whole grain flour of choice)
  • 1 + 1/3 whole grain oats
  • 1/4 cup golden turbinado sugar, substitute other coarse grain sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla essence
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 2 heaping Tbsp lavender leaves

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Makes 12 – 14 scones

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, combine spelt flour, oats, turbinado sugar, baking powder and baking soda.

Add butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles small pea-sized lumps.  Add currants and lavender leaves to mixture.

In a separate smaller bowl, stir together vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and buttermilk.  Add wet mixture to dry ingredients.

Stir until a sticky dough begins to form. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times.

Pat dough into a 1-inch thick rectangular shape, dusting surface with flour if necessary. 

At this point, I usually add more citrus zest
and currants to the surface of the dough
Cut out as many scones as possible with your cutter – or an object posing as a cutter
I have no idea where my cookie cutter is…
probably in the Christmas box
 
Transfer scones onto a parchment paper lined cooking sheet. 

Be sure to gather any scraps of dough to reshape for more cut outs.

Brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with a dusting of turbinado sugar if desired (I forgot to do this – it did not seem to matter).

Bake for approximately 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Allow scones to cool on a rack prior to eating.

Lemon Thyme Artichoke Dip ~ a summer fresh delight

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“There is no such thing as a little garlic”  ~ Arthur Baer.
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Every morning, I visit my little herb garden to see what surprises await me.



My sons made these beautiful elevated herb boxes for me
on Mother’s day this year (with a little help from their dad)

The herb boxes are made of cedar. So not only do the herbs smell delicious, the boxes do too! (they remind me of that smoky, intoxicating sauna smell…which reminds me of skiing… which reminds me of jacuzzis… which reminds me of saunas… the perfect circle of life).

More importantly, the herb boxes are elevated and away from a certain girl who would absolutely and unequivocally love to devour them, roots and all.

who, moi?

Doesn’t she perform innocent well? Just look at those chocolate brown eyes… they’ll melt your heart while she quietly goes about destroying your property (gone are my kiwi plants; raspberry bushes, tulips and I’m in the fight of my life for our precious lilac tree).  Good thing I love the little stinker to pieces.

Anyway, today, in my elevated herb boxes, the lemon thyme was calling out to me.  I decided to use it in this summery version of artichoke dip.
With a solid protein content, this dip is the perfect accompaniment to fresh, hydrating vegetables.  Summer delicious.

 Lemon Thyme Artichoke Dip ~ a summer fresh delight

  • 1 400 ml bottle whole artichokes (about 1 + 1/2 cups), drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp pitted green olives, finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp jalapeno pepper, finely diced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme, chopped + more for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp tarragon vinegar (substitute rice vinegar)
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste

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Notes:

This dip has got some good ol’ fashion zing to it.

If zing is not your thing, you may wish to tone down the raw garlic (the primary source of zing) and/or skip the jalapeno.

Why Garlic?

Those of us who love garlic don’t need any excuses to consume copious amounts of this allium, but just in case some of you are curious…

Research suggests that garlic may help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure as well as assist in helping prevent heart attacks by reducing the potential of blood clotting.

Raw garlic is also known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.

The compound that is principally responsible for garlic’s disease-fighting ability (and characteristic smell) is allicin.  Allicin is formed after garlic is crushed or chopped and is best left exposed to air for at least a few minutes prior to cooking or integrating in food to activate maximum health benefits.

Garlic smell in your fingers?  Try rubbing a few drops of vanilla essence on your finger tips to tone down the stinking rose.

As for your breath?  Easy solution: make sure your partner eats plenty of garlic too!

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Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired consistency is achieved.

Keep dip stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.  It will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

You can enjoy it throughout the week – with vegetables, as a sandwich spread, on poultry, chicken or your burgers.  It’s wonderfully versatile and flavourful.

Have fun with it.

Raspberry Mango Cheesecake Pops with an Almond Crust ~ Gluten Free

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The most challenging part about making this recipe is resisting eating the entire cheesecake batter before putting the pops in the freezer (so, so, … so, good).

As indulgences go, this one is pretty innocent.  In fact, these cheesecake pops are more like a healthy snack than a dessert.
Made with two cups of fresh fruit, protein rich yogurt and delicately sweetened mascarpone cheese, these pops will keep you cool and refreshed while providing you and your family with delicious nutrients.
As summer settles in and temperatures rise, our fluid needs increase.  Beyond water, our best dietary source of fluid comes from fresh fruits and vegetables.  Fruits and vegetables also provide an abundant source of vitamins, minerals, fibre, enzymes and antioxidants for our bodies.  They are truly wonder foods and when paired with a protein – yogurt, cheese, nuts, seeds, beans – they provide a balanced, low glycemic snack that helps keep our blood sugar levels stable and our energy and mood balanced.
Raspberry Mango Cheesecake Pops with an Almond Crust ~ (gluten free)
For the Cheesecake Pops
  • 12 x 3 oz. Dixie cups
  • 2 cups 2 % fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • ¼ cup agave nectar, honey or pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp natural vanilla essence
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 generous cup mango, coarsely chopped + a few smaller pieces for garnish
  • 1 generous cup fresh raspberries + a few chopped pieces for garnish
For the Almond Crust
  • 3/4 cup ground natural almonds (I use a dedicated coffee grinder to grind nuts/seeds)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
  • 1-2 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil

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Why Greek Yogurt?

I favour Greek yogurt for its exceptional protein content (and gorgeous texture).

All yogurts, regardless of milk fat content, begin the same way – by adding bacterial cultures to milk.  Greek yogurt begins this way but it soon departs from other yogurt brands in that the milk is strained to remove the liquid whey.  According to manufacturers, this process of straining means that as many as four pounds of milk are required to produce one pound of Greek yogurt.  The resulting product is a far more concentrated source of protein (from casein) and a thick and creamy texture characteristic of Greek yogurt (regardless of fat content – even zero fat Greek yogurt has a gorgeous creamy-like texture reminiscent of sour cream) .

You will pay more for Greek yogurt but I think you will find that you get what you pay for.

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Directions:

Assemble ingredients.

Place yogurt, mascarpone, agave nectar (or other), vanilla and lime juice in blender or food processor and blend until combined.

Add mango and raspberries to mixture and pulse just until fruit is broken down somewhat but still retains visible pieces of fruit.

Try not to eat all the batter.

Line up Dixie cups.  Drop a couple of small pieces of fruit at the bottom of each cup before filling cups 3/4 full with cheesecake batter.

Gently tap cups down on counter a couple times to allow batter to fully settle into cups and prevent air pockets.

Place a couple more pieces of fruit on top of cheesecake batter.

hmm…only 11 Dixie cups…
I wonder what happened to that other portion…

Assemble almond crust ingredients in a bowl.  There should be just enough butter in the mixture to allow the ground almond/sugar to stick together.  Top each cheesecake pop with a couple tsp of almond crust, pressing down on the crust to allow it to adhere to the cheesecake mixture.

Place a popsicle stick in the center of each Dixie cup.

I made a few with crust and left some without –
both versions were delish
Place cheesecake pops in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Important Note: 
Because these cheesecake pops are a natural food that do not contain thickeners, stabilizers or emulsifiers, they will freeze like ice (and become rock hard).
Do not let this deter you from making these delicious and healthy snacks.
Instead, you can simply remove the pops from the freezer and allow them to soften somewhat at room temperature on the counter or move the pops from the freezer to the fridge (which is what I do most often) in the Dixie cups.  Even if you forget them there, you can simply enjoy with a spoon out of the Dixie cup (like a thick smoothie – delish!).

To eat, remove pops by pressing up on the base of the Dixie cup or, failing that, simply tear away the cup.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do (‘did’).  My husband and sons came home from camping this past weekend and wiped out my entire stock!  They loved them…

Light and Refreshing Mojito Smoothie

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Mojitos are one of my all-time favourite summertime drinks.

On the weekends, my husband and I try to escape for a few blessed moments of tranquility by the lake to enjoy a refreshing cocktail.  Side by side on our wobbly dock, we chat about our crazy lives, share our dreams and soak in a few moments of calm and gratitude.

It seems we are both huge fans of freshly squeezed lime juice and typically alternate between margaritas and mojitos as our favoured drink.  We have a simple electric citrus juicer that burns through 12 limes in no time, extracting every ounce of goodness. 

On hot and sticky summer days when we are back in the city, I find myself craving that same fresh lime juice but since it is not generally advisable to consume rum or tequila during the day (something to do with reduced productivity levels), I fashion a delicious protein rich smoothie that has all the taste and refreshing qualities of the mojito without the alcohol.

I hope you enjoy this smoothie as much as I do – our boys also love this drink!

Light and Refreshing Mojito Smoothie
  • 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup ice cubes
  • Zest of 1 lime, or to taste (see note below)
  • Juice of 3 limes, or to taste (see note below)
  • 10-15 fresh mint leaves
  • Handful of lemon thyme leaves, optional
  • 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup (substitute agave or natural honey) *note: this mojito is quite tart, if you prefer you can adjust by reducing the amount of zest/juice and increasing gently the maple syrup/honey to suit your taste
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Serves 2
Because this smoothie is comprised of fruit juice rather than fruit pulp, you may find that it is not as thick as a traditional smoothie.  It tastes every bit as good but if you find it overly liquid, you can play around with the consistency by adding more yogurt and omitting the milk, as desired. 
This mojito is quite tart.  If you prefer, you can adjust by reducing the amount of zest/juice and increasing gently the maple syrup/honey to suit your taste
I had some beautiful lemon thyme growing in my little herb box so I couldn’t resist tossing a handful into the mix.  Delicious.
———————–
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into two large glasses, sit back, breathe, relax, enjoy.
Sunset on the water – wobbly dock in the foreground

Minted Strawberry Quinoa Salad in an Amaretto Dressing

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Have you ever noticed how life’s little mysteries get sorted and solved during long car rides?

I just returned from a brief road trip with our eldest son.  A weekend soccer tournament in beautiful Vermont that saw us spending 12 hours in the car together.

The weekend itself could not have gone better.  From the generous hospitality of the people in Rutland Vermont to the glorious sun shining over the mountains and fields, we were treated to one of the smoothest and most enjoyable tournaments we’ve ever attended.

My son’s team happened to win this year’s tournament, but that wasn’t the most memorable part of the trip for me.  No, the most memorable part of the trip for this mom, was the collection of weird and wonderful questions that came up during our car ride that amused and delighted me to the core.

Here is just a sample of the conversation starters:

– Mom, do you think humans have always been able to laugh?  I’m just wondering because no other living species is able to.  What makes people laugh anyway?

– Mom, what’s the difference between a freckle and a birthmark?  Why do some people have lots of birthmarks and other people hardly have any?

– Mom, do you think the smell of skunk seeps into the car through the closed windows or the air vents or a combination of both? (I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at this one.  Not because it wasn’t a valid question worthy of exploration but because I can sincerely say that I have never, at any point in my life, contemplated how the smell of skunk gets into a car.  I love boys!!).

Minted Strawberry Quinoa Salad in an Amaretto Dressing
For the Salad
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 5 large mint leaves, finely chopped + a few leaves for garnish
  • 6-8 large strawberries, fiely chopped + a few strawberries for garnish
  • 1/4 cup natural almonds, sliced + a few almonds for garnish
For the Amaretto Dressing
  • 4 heaping Tbsp plain yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp amaretto liqueur (I used Disaronno), substitute 2 tsp pure almond extract for a non-alcoholic version
  • 1 tsp honey
This is a unique and beautiful salad that is simple yet elegant and full of complex flavours.  It would make a perfect starter for guests on a summer’s evening.

The almond notes in the amaretto are a gorgeous complement to the sweetness of the strawberry, each intensifying the other’s flavour. The mint brings the freshness of summer supported by the texture of the sliced almond.

I’ve had this salad in my head for weeks and am so happy to finally deliver it on the page.

I hope you enjoy it.

Directions:
Prepare quinoa according to package directions (generally 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water).

Once quinoa has cooled (you can cool it in the fridge if you like), add in the sliced strawberry, mint and sliced
almond.

Meanwhile, place amaretto dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, whisking to combine.  If you find the dressing too thick (depending on what yogurt you use), simply add a little milk or olive oil.

Drizzle amaretto dressing over the salad and gently combine with the ingredients, taking care not to mash the fruit.

Plate the salad onto four individual dishes and top with mint, strawberry and sliced almond as desired.

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Our weekend setting

 

 

 

 

soccer pitch below…

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bon appétit ~

Seared Garlic Chicken with Lemon and Olives

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I seem to have developed a stress fracture in my lower right leg, just above the ankle.

(Completely self-diagnosed mind you. Having broken 6 bones in my day, I consider myself a small, albeit entirely unqualified, expert in the field).

Anyway, it’s a bit embarrassing because it’s not like I was doing a drop step into a turnaround jump shot when it happened.  Nope.  As I recall, I was somewhere above Grimaldi’s at the mid-way point across the Brooklyn Bridge in the midst of our family’s 6 day whirlwind tour of New York City when it started hurting like a bugger.  And I mean a bugger.

But here’s the thing.  We walked an average of 10 km (6.2 miles) a day for five consecutive days, so I’m thinking, I’ve just completed a marathon, right?  Sure there wasn’t much running involved (unless you count diving out of the way of oncoming traffic) – and there may have been a few stops along the way.  Still, I was booking a pretty good pace trying to keep up with my supremely keen and overly fit sons and somehow, I also ended up being the designated backpack carrier for most of our travels (not sure how that happened).

A small price to pay I’d say for the fun we had travelling to the top of the Empire State Building, walking the sun-drenched shores of Battery Park (with its stunning views of the Statue of Liberty); spending a day at the Bronx Zoo (loved the Gorillas!); visiting Fire Department Ten House across from the World Trade Center site and the 9/11 Memorial (a personal favourite); exploring Central Park; crossing the Brooklyn Bridge (you already knew that); visiting Yankee Stadium (what an impressive building); and frolicking amidst the madness of Time Square (I felt completely at home).  No rest for the wicked I’ll tell you – our sons had us out till the wee hours.

We had a blast and I want to thank my blogging buddies who shared so many great ideas, tips and recommendations for our stay – including our hotel (thank you Amy!).

My son took this photo in Central Park (oops! I mean at the Bronx Zoo)
the tigers were unusually spunky and fun to watch
I just love how the light is hitting the water

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So, as I dash around trying to get back on track with work, groceries and laundry and prepare to dash back out the door for a soccer tourney in Vermont, I thought this one-pot wonder might be just the right thing.


Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you though, this is one succulent and flavourful dish.  I hope you enjoy it.

Seared Garlic Chicken with Lemon and Olives
  • 2 garlic bulbs, peeled
  • 2 yellow onions, peeled and each cut into eighths
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 chicken breasts, each cut into three pieces
  • 1 – 2 cups large olives of choice (I used garlic stuffed jumbo green)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • Sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste
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Notes:

I like to use a cast iron skillet for searing but you can make this recipe in any suitably sized pan.

You can also substitute half of the chicken stock for white wine to create a slightly different taste experience.

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Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces and brown each side for about 2 minutes per side.  Just enough to get a nice sear on the chicken pieces without fully cooking.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate loosely tented with foil.


Add another tablespoon of butter to the same skillet and sauté garlic cloves and onion over low-medium heat, scraping up bits from seared chicken.  Cook until the garlic has a nice sear and onion is softened.
Return chicken to skillet and add olives, lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Allow juices to come to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through.

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By the way, garlic and onion not only taste great, they are also great for you.


As part of the allium family of vegetables that also includes leeks, chives, scallions and shallots, onion and garlic are high in disease-fighting phytochemicals. Studies have shown that a high intake of allium vegetables can help reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. A high intake of allium vegetables has also been linked with a lower risk of colon and prostate cancer.

 

Matcha Lemonade

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matcha green tea lemonade
I’m in love with the ease and simplicity of this time of year.

No heavy coats, no boots and no extra socks. No frozen toes or frostbitten noses.

Just a vast expanse of burgeoning green and the sweet contentment of wandering outside in bare feet and feeling the good earth beneath you.

What’s New

In keeping with the season of renewal, we have been making ongoing changes over here at Inspired Edibles in an effort to serve you better. 

You will notice that we have added print functionality to the site as well as a comprehensive search engine and category Index.  I do hope that you find these upgrades helpful and user-friendly and I welcome your feedback. 

I am also very excited to offer readers scientifically researched and timely nutrition features on some of the most popular nutrition topics today, including: 

considerations beyond calories in weight management 

is it the right approach? 

strategies for overcoming the powerful pull to overeat 

distinguishing between harmful and healthful sources 

You can access these features by clicking on the titles listed above or by clicking on the “Nutrition Literature” button at the top of our site page. 

Today’s Green Recipe

As temperatures rise, my afternoon green tea routine gradually (or abruptly) evolves from a warming cinnamon matcha latte to a refreshing lemon matcha on ice.

This iced beverage not only tastes delicious, it also has outstanding health supportive properties.

Luscious Lemon – lemons have a long history of medicinal use against various forms of ailments and poisons.  Not surprisingly perhaps given this citrus fruit’s natural anti-bacterial properties and strong concentration of vitamin C – a potent water-soluble antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and fight disease.

Matcha Tea – matcha is made from green tea leaves that have been finely milled into a silky, radiant green powder. When you drink matcha you are benefiting from the entire green tea leaf, not just the brewed water from the leaf. Matcha is considered amongst the highest quality green teas with one of most concentrated antioxidant contents.

Even better news, a recent study out of Purdue University reveals that adding lemon to green tea can boost the bioavailability of catechins (the antioxidant compounds found in green tea) which have been linked to lowered cancer risk as well as improved heart and brain health by roughly four-fold.

Matcha Lemonade

    • 16 ounces boiling water
    • 4 tsp of matcha, or according to preference
    • Juice of one lemon
    • Zest of one lemon, I used chunky zest for this one
    • 1 or 2 tsp raw honey, optional
    • A few fresh mint leaves, optional
    • 2 cups of ice

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Notes:

I generally like to use 1 tsp of matcha powder per 4-6 ounces of water. If you are new to matcha you may wish to begin with a smaller amount or add more water to suit your taste until you habituate.

Dressing matcha is a very particular thing.  Some matcha drinkers have a strong preference to drink the beverage straight up – no milk, no cream, no sweetener, no funny business.  My husband likens the taste of this hard-core approach to mud (I think he finds it a bit strong) and prefers a touch of cream and a bit of honey or agave – which takes the edge off.

The lemon and ice in this version act as a nice balance, reducing the potency somewhat, but you may well find that you prefer it with a touch of honey so you can make adjustments and see what works best for your taste preference.

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Serves 2

Bring 16 ounces of water to boil (ideally, just to before the boiling point).

Place the 4 teaspoons of matcha powder in a large bowl or jug and add boiling water.  Using a matcha whisk as pictured above (or an ordinary whisk) whisk to integrate powder and water.

Add lemon juice, lemon zest, honey or agave if using and mint if desired, stirring to combine with matcha.

At this point, you can either place the matcha mixture in a pitcher in the fridge to cool for a few hours before enjoying over ice or you can pour it directly over ice (the ice will cool the drink down considerably even without it being refrigerated).

Place one cup of ice in each serving glass (I used mason jars).  Give the matcha mixture a thorough stirring before pouring the mixture by divided portions over each glass.

No matter how well you mix your matcha, you may find that some of it inevitably sinks to the bottom of the glass.  I like to use a spoon while I drink my matcha to give it an occasional stir and make sure I’m benefiting from all those wonderful antioxidants!

 

Cheers to Spring ~

Lemony Kale Bites with Ricotta and Almond

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Many years ago, when I first discovered that I was pregnant, I found myself in a Sunday afternoon yoga class.  It was one of those overly warm and muggy Toronto days with the sun filtering orange through the windows of a peaceful second floor studio.  It happened to be mother’s day.  The instructor had us come to a seated position with our eyes closed and our bodies quiet.  Once everything was still, she spoke one sentence: 

We are all born of mothers. 
She didn’t instruct us absorb the grandeur of her words nor counsel us to spend five blessed moments in non-judgement of our mothers and every other mother on earth – past, present and future.  She didn’t need to.  Instead, she simply offered silence. We got it. And it was pretty wonderful.

So, with mother’s day upon us, I thought it might be nice to feature a celebratory brunch bite or dinner appetizer.

These nutritious lemony bites are also a delicious and elegant way of working in some of those underutilized power greens into the diet.

They are rolled in a mixture of ricotta and sunflower seeds and finished with a dusting of ground almond.  You can serve them simply on a singular tray with toothpicks or, for a slightly fancier look, on individual serving spoons with a dollop of plain yogurt and lemon zest as shown in the picture. 

(By the way, I bought the serving spoons at a dollar store – an inexpensive and fun way to dress things up a bit for guests and special occasions).
Lemony Kale Bites with Ricotta and Almond
    • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 6 cups kale, chopped (you could also use spinach, swissh chard or bok choy)
    • Joice of one lemon
    • Zest of one lemon
    • 1 cup ricotta cheese
    • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
    • 1 egg
    • sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste
    • 3/4 cup ground almond
    • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and some extra lemon zest for serving
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Notes:
Make Ahead: You can make the kale bites in advance and simply store them in the fridge prior to baking.  You can also freeze the bites once baked.  Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.  Reheat at 375 F for 15 minutes or until hot.

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Heat oven to 400 F.

Sauté onion and garlic over low heat in a large skillet with olive oil until translucent (about 5 minutes).   Add kale and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or until wilted and soft.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Place kale mixture into a blender or food processor along with lemon juice, lemon zest, ricotta, sunflower seeds, egg and a touch of seal salt and black pepper.  Blend until the kale has broken down into small bits and the mixture appears relatively well combined.
Remove kale mixture from blender and place in a plastic container to be stored in the fridge.
While the kale mixture is chilling in the fridge, grind the almonds (I use a coffee grinder for nuts/seeds).
Place ground almonds on a flat plate or bowl.  Scoop 1 tablespoon or so of the chilled kale mixture and place it on top of the ground almond.  Cover kale mixture with almond and gently form into a ball with your fingers – the mixture will be soft and somewhat mushy but you should be able to form a ball with it that is mostly coated with almond.
Gently transfer the coated balls to a foil lined and gently greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-20 until the bites are achieving a golden colour and beginning to crisp.
Remove from oven and allow them to cool fully before serving with some yogurt and lemon zest.
Makes approximately 20 lemon kale bites.

 

 

We are all born of mothers ~