strawberry jam

Time is flying by too quickly.

I made this jam over a month ago.

I have since made more raspberry jam.

My sister in law posted a photo yesterday of her wedding invite. From 3 years ago. It felt like yesterday.

The husband and I at their wedding.

Also, I blinked then this happened.

Can't believe this was 5 years ago.

I still think I look like this.

But thankfully I don't.

Moral of the story, get making strawberry jam before you run out of time. Time goes by faster than you think.

Strawberry jam
[ from Intimate weddings ]

 Makes approx. 10 250ml jars. I reduced the amount of sugar from 6 cups to 5 because I don't like an overly sweet jam. The jam still set quite nicely and you taste more of the strawberry flavour, but feel free to use all 6 cups if you so please.


13 cups strawberries, cleaned and hulled ( about 4.5 pounds)
5 cups of sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Place the strawberries in a large pot over medium-low heat. Mash the berries with a potato masher while bringing them up to a simmer. You can mash the berries to whatever consistency you like, I prefer a smoother jam, so I mashed quite a bit. The berries will also break down during the cooking process. Once the fruit is simmering, stir in the sugar and the lemon juice. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. The berries will have to boil for 30 minutes, stirring frequently and skipping the hot pink foam off as you go. The jam will be ready once a cold spoon dipped into the mixture will hold the jam. It's not ready if the jam runs off the spoon like syrup.

Once finished, remove pot from heat and fill prepared jars. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes. Let jars rest for at least 24 hours before using. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Don't know the full process, start to finish for canning? Here's a link from the pro's at Bernardin.

overnight oatmeal in a jar

Oatmeal is one of those crazy health foods that you should eat everyday.

But when it's steamy hot outside, the last thing I want to do is eat a huge bowl of warmth. But I love oatmeal, and I want it in my belly even though it's summer time.

I've been reading all over the internets about this overnight oatmeal. You take some oats and some milk, toss it in a jar, leave it in the fridge overnight and voila!¡ You've got oatmeal.

I have some steel cut oats and milk in the house, and I've got 5 minutes, let's try it.

I really liked it. It's not like the warm, traditional oatmeal in the sense that it's creamy with almost no liquid. This is almost like cereal. The oats have softened but not completely, so they have a really nice chew to them. I added some brown sugar, blueberries, and chopped walnuts to my bowl this morning and it filled me up without feeling like a lump in my stomach.

This recipe is so versatile, you can use soy or a nut milk in place of the dairy, you can add whatever sweetener you prefer, and add whatever topping you have in the house. Chocolate chips, marshmallows, and raspberries? You go for it.

It's oatmeal, no matter what you add to it, it's still healthy.

Overnight oatmeal
[ from the Kitchn ]

Like I said above, this recipe can be adapted to any tastes. Feel free to replace the milk with your favourite non-dairy option, maybe take out the brown sugar and use agave syrup.

1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups  non-fat milk
2 teaspoons brown sugar
toppings of your choosing

In a large mason jar, or medium sized bowl, combine the oats, milk, and brown sugar. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, stir and pour a serving (about 1/2 cup of mixture) into a bowl. Top with desired topping and enjoy.

buttery streusel coffee cake

I was reading post earlier about motherhood and how sometimes, you want to be a bit selfish.

Sometimes I just want to sit alone in a corner.

I want to be able to go to the bathroom without having to worry about what to do with the baby. 

Be able to bake without having her strapped to me.

Be able to go out for sushi without her screaming her face off for an hour, while I try and jam sashimi in my face and wipe the pouring embarrassment sweat off my face.

This is the real motherhood no one talks about. 

But that's okay. Because even at 4 am when I'm had too much wine, that smile will melt my heart and make me forget that it took you 2 hours to fall asleep and you were a demon child all afternoon.

I'm grateful that I have a beautiful baby girl, who for the most part is an excellent child, who sleeps in ten hour stretches at night, is totally healthy, and makes my day that much more special.

And by special, I mean pooping up to her ears. 

Buttery streusel coffee cake

[ from the Kitchn ]

 This buttery cake is super simple and a great way to start off with yeast if you've never used it before. The rise takes place overnight in the refrigerator, so it's perfect cake to make on a Saturday night. Takes a few minutes to prep, then just pop it in the oven Sunday morning and you have a beautiful treat.

1/3 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons dry active yeast

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 whole egg, plus 2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

In a small bowl sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and yeast over the warm water, let rest for 10 minutes or until foamy.

While the yeast foams, in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle, combine the flour, the remaining sugar, and the butter. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is well combined, almost creamed. Add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the salt and yeast/water mixture. Mix until just combined. 

Place dough into a large, well greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then place the dough in the fridge overnight.

The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let come to room temperature. About 45 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 and prepare streusel topping. 

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredient for the topping and using either a pastry cutter or your hand (like me), blend the ingredients together until the butter is well worked into the mixture.

Coat a tube pan with nonstick spray and press the dough into the pan. The dough is super sticky. Top with streusel topping and bake for 45 - 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Let rest for 5 minutes in the pan before running a thin knife along the edges to remove the cake from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

avocado toast

Want a super fast lunch/snack/breakfast that won't take any longer than popping something in the microwave, but it's waaaayyyy healthier?

Of course you do.

Avocado + toast.

And go!

Start with putting a couple slices of your favourite bread into the toaster. Toast until desired darkness is reached. I like whole grain bread and toasted to almost burnt. Yep, I like burnt toast. Weirdo.

Next slice open a ripe avocado.

Eat some chips while you wait for your toast.

Scoop some of the ripe, green flesh on to your toast.

Mash it up with a fork and cover the whole surface.

Now you could eat it just like this OR you could add some salt.

Or a slice of ham.

Or some sliced tomatoes.

Whatever you like.

Eat it up!

quinoa + blueberry muffins

After carrying, and delivering a small human, I've gained a bit of weight. 

I'm back on the fitness wagon and trying to eat healthy, running 3 times a week, eating kale and oatmeal and such.

But sometimes handfuls of chocolate and popcorn end up in mouth. I don't know how it happens. It's like a mental blackout. One minute I'm noshing on a carrot, then darkness, then I'm eating popcorn slathered in butter.

I'm about 15lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight and I know I'm close, I can feel it.  I think super foods will help. 

Quinoa, blueberries, flaxseeds, maple syrup, walnuts, oats, cinnamon. Mix 'em up, make muffins, gobble them down, scorch those last pounds!

Let's do it! And then eat a whole spoonful of frosting.

Wait.....

Scratch that last part.

Superfood muffins

[ adapted from Bittersweet ]

The original recipe was 100% vegan, but since I don't keep soymilk in the house and ran out of agave, this is not vegan. To make this vegan once again, replace the milk with soy or almond milk.

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon flaxseeds

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a standard muffin tin with liners, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, flaxseeds, walnuts, and blueberries, stir to combine thoroughly. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the quinoa, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, milk, and orange juice. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until no dry clumps remain.

Divide batter equally amongst the muffin tin and bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

banana muffins with steel-cut oats

Yesterday was the husband and I's second wedding anniversary. 

I thought we were going to keep it low-key since we're going to a fancy night out in a few weeks, but he came home early to take me out for a surprise lunch. 

Nice right?

I wasn't home. I was having lunch with the ladies from my baby group. 

I felt bad, but then again, I didn't know he was going to come home. Anyways, he gave me a beautiful orchid and a stash of french macarons. 

To make up for everything I was going to make a lovely dinner and we were going to have some wine, and just enjoy ourselves at home. 

The reality slapped us in the face and we ended up spending the evening at a walk-in clinic (over 2 hours to be exact) because Avery's finger has somehow gotten infected. 

After the clinic, getting the prescription, putting Avery to bed, and making a quick dinner, we weren't in the mood for anything but the couch. We watched No Reservations, Vancouver episode (!!!) and then went to bed. 

Sounds like a pretty fantastic way to spend an anniversary to me.

Banana muffins with steel-cut oats

[ from the Kitchn]

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour ( or any other whole grain flour)

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large)

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup cooked steel-cut oats (cooking instructions here)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tin with liners, or grease liberally with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend completely. 

In another medium sized bowl, whisk together the banana, milk, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, eggs, and the steel cuts oats. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 

Spoon evenly into prepared muffin tin and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until muffins are lightly golden and a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

love this guy.

chocolate chip cinnamon rolls

It's another beautiful day of liquid sunshine here in Vancouver, like I should be surprised at this point. It's April, of course it's going to rain in Vancouver.

We're all more concerned about hockey playoffs. The husband swears the Canucks won't make it out of the first round, there's PSA's being shown telling us not to riot, but on the other hand they are still planning for large, group viewings.

I think the city if under a cloud of anxiety and apprehension after what happened last year. We were so good, we won the Presidents trophy, we dominated every team we played, yet we still lost. 

Maybe we just don't want to get emotionally invested because we don't want the heartbreak of last year ?

Maybe we're just happy to see the Leafs miss the playoffs once again.

Whether we're out in the first round, or playing Boston for the cup again, I think we need some chocolate to calm our nerves. Maybe some wine as well. But not too much wine, remember last year ?

For Sunday morning breakfast, cinnamon rolls are always amazing. Add chocolate and they are taken over the top. The dough has a couple teaspoons of cinnamon tucked in it to really kick up the cinnamon flavour. I liked these roll, they had all the great properties of a cinnamon roll. Warm, gooey, sticky, sweet, plus with the addition of chocolate, it made them extra messy to eat. But I have to say, the dough was not my favourite. It didn't rise as much as I thought and it was tough. Next time I think I'll use the dough recipe from my cream cheese cinnamon rolls , but change the filling to follow this recipe.  They were still delicious and a perfect Sunday morning treat, just not my favourite.

Chocolate chip cinnamon rolls with vanilla glaze

[ from the Naptime chef ]

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 egg

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

filling:

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

glaze:

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons milk, or more if needed

To make the dough, combine the milk and butter in a microwave safe dish and heat until butter has melted, pour into bowl of stand mixer and let cool slightly. Add the rest of the dough ingredient to the milk mixture, mix over medium speed with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes. Change to the dough hook attachment, knead over medium until dough is smooth and slaps the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, you could knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, let rise in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough rises, make the filling. Melt the butter in a small bowl. Mix in the cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside.

Once dough has risen, roll out on a floured surface to a 14x12-inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all the way around. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips. Beginning with the longer edge of the rectangle, tightly start rolling the dough. Make sure to roll quite tightly or the rolls will fall apart, pinch seams when done. Slice dough log into 8 equal sized pieces. Place rolls in a well buttered dish, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for at least another hour. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, take the dish out of the fridge and bring to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat oven  to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

While rolls are baking, add all the ingredients for the glaze in a medium bowl, whisk until smooth.

Serve rolls with a heavy-handed swirl of glaze with a fresh cup of coffee. 

blackberry white chocolate scones

After a crazy month, this week has finally started to feel like normal.

Well, if by normal means you have a tiny, pink human attached to you at all times, that requires feeding and changing every hour or so.

I've *kinda* figured out a routine, which *kinda* gives me more time to bake. Still neglecting all the cleaning and laundry I should be doing though...... Also still not sleeping a whole bunch, but who needs sleep anyways?

Totally overrated.

I'll just keep myself going on chocolate and caffeine.

Totally healthy.

Okay, not really.

Kinda figuring out a routine still really hasn't given me much time to eat, so I baked something that's handheld (read: can be eaten while holding her pinkness), somewhat healthy, and involves chocolate.

Stroll on into scone town. Blackberry white chocolate to be exact. Made with whole wheat flour. Three for three on the criteria.

Quickly thrown together in the food processor and dropped onto a baking sheet with a large ice cream scoop, in 25 minutes or so, you'll have freshly baked scones.

Blackberry white chocolate scones
[ from Grazing ]

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup roughly chopped white chocolate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a food processor, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse 3 to 4 times, or until mixture looks crumbly and the butter chunks are not bigger than small peas. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and the egg. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and pulse until just combined. Gently fold in the berries and chocolate.

Using a large ice cream scoop (or 2 spoons), drop spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top are just starting to brown.

Transfer to a wire baking sheet to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

browned butter blueberry muffins

Mommy brain.

I gots it.

I wrote a blog post two days ago about these wonderful muffins. Planned on publishing it on Friday.

Logged on yesterday morning. Forgot to save it. Totally gone.

I walked to the store with her pinkness this afternoon. I thought I needed all-purpose flour because I had run out. I buy a 5kg bag.

I come home to fill up my container of flour, only to find an UNOPENED 10kg bag of all-purpose flour.

I'm now currently eating chocolate chips out of the bag.

The blueberry muffins are the perfect muffin. They aren't a cupcake disguised as a muffin, they are perfectly sweet, perfectly moist, the topping tastes like a shortbread cookie, and they are even better to eat with one hand when you've forgotten to eat lunch.

Browned butter blueberry muffins
[ from The Joy the Baker cookbook via Shutterbean ]

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries, I used frozen

topping:


3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners, or butter and flour, set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until butter bubbles and crackles. Keep an eye on the butter until it begins to turn golden brown and becomes fragrant. Remove from heat immediately and transfer into a small bowl to prevent the butter from burning. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and the browned butter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients until mixture is just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. Divide batter equally amongst muffin tin.

To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and using your fingers, mix until crumbles form. Top each muffin with topping.

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let rest in pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.