Super Streusel Roasted Pineapple Pound Cake

I bought a pineapple the other day.  A whole pineapple.  This is something I rarely do because disassembling a whole pineapple is a daunting task that leaves me sticky all over with a puddle of pineapple juice on the counter.  And I always feel like I’m wasting half of it trying to get rid of those little sharp bits.  But I bought one because they look so cool, with their yellow-green colour and tuft of leaves on top. 

Strawberry Rose Ice Cream

Summer is the season of love, wedding season.  My own wedding anniversary is coming up in August.  I can’t believe it’s been almost a year already.  And although a year of baking for my husband probably means I wouldn’t fit into my wedding dress anymore, it’s all been worth every second.
 

Roasted Strawberry Toasted Coconut Almond Cookies

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am stubborn.  When I get it into my head to do something, I will keep going until I do it.  Sometimes this is good; we call it perseverance.  Sometimes this is bad; we call it pig-headedness.
 
When it comes to this week at work, I am definitely feeling piggy.  I cannot solve this problem.  Breathe with me. 

Maple Cream Puffs with Maple Glaze

Happy 146th birthday Canada!  Some people may think that’s a little old.  But I think you look great for your age! 

Lemon Sorbet with Sparkling Wine and Mint

It’s time to celebrate!  Pop open that champagne (or sparkling wine...)!  Remember this post from earlier this year when I had my paper rejected?  Well after several revisions, it has been accepted!  

Fresh Strawberry Tarts

Just like the heat here, strawberry season has been slow to begin.  The baskets of fruit at the farmer’s market are still fairly expensive.  But when faced with a divine smelling pint of beautiful, intensely red berries, I had to have them. 

Sunshine Lemon Bars

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  The sun peeked out in the past few days.  Timidly.  Just brushing our cheeks and shoulders with some warm rays.  Making us remember that summer is actually just around the corner.  That it hasn’t forgotten.  

Chocolate Pots De Crème (With Olive Oil and Sea Salt)

On the way back home from our trip to Strasbourg last week, we had to spend a night in Paris because of the odd flight schedule.  Yeah, we HAD to.  What a terrible life. 

Raw "Brownies" or The Best Healthy Snack Bar

Sometimes I wish I was the type of person that went running every morning.  I wish I could eat a salad for dinner and then not crave dessert.  I wish my house was ready to entertain at a moment’s notice.  I wish I knew how to do my hair in a variety of different styles. 

But the truth is, I would much rather sleep in then get up early to run.  I chew flavored gum after dinner to trick my dessert craving.  There is a food processor in my entertainment unit and a box of different types of flours on the dresser in the bedroom.  The dining room table is never actually used for eating.  My desk is covered in post-its with recipe ideas and to-do lists.  And my hair is always up in a pony-tail bun thing. 

But I’m happy to clean up if you say you’re coming over.  I will gladly bring baked goods to any event.  I would go running with you if you asked me to (you’d probably beat me).  You’re welcome to join me for dinner on my cozy couch while watching something fun.  I have the best intentions. 

These raw brownies were full of good intentions.  I wanted to believe that I could replace my regular brownie recipe with one full of healthy ingredients like dates and nuts.  But as good as these bars were, don’t call them brownies.  They are however, some of the best healthy snack bars I’ve ever tasted.

One thing I’ll give these bars is that they are fast!  No baking.  Just press into a pan lined with parchment and refrigerate until ready to cut.  They are also vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar free! 

Walnuts and cocoa powder provide the base.  Dates add a caramel sweetness and bind everything together.

Making these will make you feel like a better person.  They can totally calm a sugar craving after having a salad for dinner.  But if someone asks me to bring brownies to a party, butter, chocolate, sugar, and eggs will be on the ingredient list.  That’s just me. 

Raw “Brownies” or The Best Healthy Snack Bar 
From My New Roots

2 cups whole walnuts
1 cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao if you can find it)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 cups pitted Medjool dates
1 cup raw, unsalted almonds (optional)

Process walnuts in a food processor until they are finely ground.  Add cocoa and salt and pulse to combine.  Add dates one at a time through the processor feed tube while it is running.  At the end, the mixture should look like moist crumbs that will stick together when pressed with your fingers.  If they don’t stick together, add more dates. 

Give the almonds a rough chop and mix them into the date mixture.  (I had the almonds in, but next time I’ll either chop them finer or not put them in at all.  I found they broke up the texture too much and made everything fall apart a little too much.) 

Press the moist crumbs firmly into an 8 inch square pan lined with parchment paper.  Refrigerate to make them easier to cut. 

Maple Pecan Marshmallows

Things are crazy over here!  Work is hectic; getting ready to go to a conference and frantically trying to get some more data.  Why does it always seem like it’ll be ready right before you have to go? 

Husband’s birthday is coming up, so plans are in full swing for that.

And I totally saw some buds on trees today!  Take that flurries!

I have definitely been on a marshmallow kick lately, ever since I discovered how easy marshmallows are to make at home.  So of course, now I want to see what I can change and stuff into them.  Totally normal.  

Pastel Swirl Meringues

The other day I made vanilla mousse with rainbow sprinkles, and apart from the fact that it was delicious, it left me with a lot of egg whites.  And if you’ve read some of my posts before, you know how I take pride in using up leftovers.  Like how I always use leftover frosting, and how I like to smother aging bananas in caramel.  

Meringues were a natural choice when it came to using up egg whites.  Fyi you can freeze eggs whites in an ice cube tray and then transfer to a zip bag once frozen to store, but my ice cube trays are currently full of ice.  Go figure.  

Vanilla Mousse with Rainbow Sprinkles

Is anyone else watching March Madness?  I am part of a March Madness pool this year and it is definitely bringing out my obsessive, must-win, personality.  I have never cared so much about basketball.  Although I do find it more entertaining than NBA.  I find there is more obvious strategizing and playmaking as opposed to just running from one end to the other and scoring every time.  

This vanilla mousse is obviously a win-win situation.  Creamy, airy, vanilla mousse.  Colourful rainbow sprinkles.  Win win.

Caramel S'mores or How to Deal With Rejection

Last Friday I had my heart broken.  Not by my husband (thank goodness), but by a much crueler mistress that is the scientific peer review process.  

Chocolate Stout Cakes with White Chocolate Whiskey Glaze

Just in case the last couple posts have made you think that I am all about being green and healthy, I give you this decadent cake recipe.  Green is only part of St. Patrick’s day celebrations.  The other part being composed of beer and whiskey, and this cake contains both!  

Marshmallow Dreams

There are certain processed, packaged foods that I simply can’t believe anyone buys.  Pre-peeled garlic?  Herbs in tubes?  As if Pillsbury cookies weren’t easy enough they had to start selling pre-sliced ones.

Then there are other foods that you always buy because it just never entered into your head that you could make them.  Pasta, muesli, even cheese.  Then one day you’re feeling adventurous and you try it.  And it’s easy!  And it tastes so much better than the store bought stuff!  

Bourbon Caramel Banana Tart

So who else is obsessed with the show Homeland?  I think we are a little late to the party, but we are just blowing through season 1.  Amazing.
  

This post has nothing to do with that.  It has more to do with my current love of bourbon.  Manhattan? yes please!  Bourbon in my caramel?  Sounds great!  

Brownie / Oreo / Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes {For the SPCA National Cupcake Day!}

It’s National Cupcake Day in support of the SPCA and Humane Society!  And really, any excuse to make cupcakes it a good one.  But when you think of all the poor abandoned and abused animals out there that need our help, doesn’t that make it even more worth it to participate? 



For this cupcake recipe I wanted to do something really over the top.  The inspiration came from “slutty” brownies that have been making the internet rounds.  This brownie has been around my friends!  It has had an affair with Oreo AND chocolate chip cookies.  Essentially an Oreo brownie with a chocolate chip cookie base. 

Blackberry White Chocolate Pavlova

I am done with winter.   Totally over it.  I am dreaming of leaving the house without having to put on a coat and a scarf and a hat and mittens.  I am dreaming of patios and tank tops and sandals.  I am dreaming of juicy summer fruit and airy whipped cream.

 

Brown Butter Shortbread

I have come to the conclusion that people are inherently lazy.  Unless it is absolutely necessary to do something, people won't do it.  Especially if there's a chance that someone else might do it instead. Let's not let that be us. Let's be better than everyone else and not settle for the bare minimum.  Let's brown some butter!  And let's make some cookies so that we can eat them with some hot tea and forget about our problems with people.  


Browning butter is one of my favorite things.  It turns regular butter (which we know I still love) into a nutty, rich deliciousness.  Put it on pasta, spread it on bread, eat it with a spoon.  In this case, I put it into Scottish shortbread. You should too!

Dulce de Leche

So the weather can't decide what it's doing.  Friday was so cold my thighs went numb walking home.  Today was warm (relatively) and rainy.  Most of my free time lately has been spent curled up on the couch reading the Game of Thrones series.  But I did have time to whip up some dulce de leche, and so do you!