Pies & Tarts, Savory

Peach, Mozzarella, Basil Galette

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Peach Mozzarella Basil Galette

Peaches, mozzarella and basil are all hanging out here in this delicious, flaky, galette made with spelt flour. Make this sweet, savory galette with the best peaches while they are still in season! I hate giving interviews! Anyone with me on this one? Interviews have me stressed out like nothing else. Not even the job itself, not annual review meetings, not presentations, not KPI meetings. Nothing freaks me out more than interviews do. The thought of not knowing what is going on in the interviewer’s mind, not being able to anticipate the questions on my life and my career, the fact that the subject in question here is not a brand or a marketing campaign or a promotion, but me – open to scrutiny and judgement is what terrifies me. I know it sounds crazy but what can I say. I can be a bit unreasonable sometimes. Last week, two interviews had me in a stomach churning, head spinning, sleep depriving bind – basically being a pain in poor Steve’s butt with my non-stop whining and preparation. But then the long weekend arrived and I forced my whirring brain to stop and enjoy the “last weekend of summer”. We had […]

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Desserts, Indian Inspired

Mango Ginger Popsicles

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Mango, Ginger Popsicles I have highly sensitive teeth. I could never bite into anything that is sub-zero degrees even when my permanent teeth had newly popped and were probably at their strongest! As a kid, when we got to treat ourselves to kulfis i.e. the Indian street food ice-cream on a stick I’d slowly suck on it while half of it melted in streams down my hands, and invariably the last few bites would drop to the floor. All these years later, my teeth have obviously not become less sensitive; it’s a miracle they are still there after all the sugar attack they endure. As an adult, I stick to ice-creams in bowls (boring? Trying having sensitive teeth!) Watching others bite into popsicles gives me goosebumps! But its #popsicle week and I had to participate, because we want to constantly be part of something, even if it is a virtual summer party exploding with happy, colorful ice-pops. Last summer when I started using Instagram seriously i.e. started using the explore feature and following a bunch of bloggers is when I first heard of popsicle week. We were homeless and moving between Airbnbs and I didn’t have much kitchen equipment or molds. A feeble attempt in the sweltering Kingston heat of 2016, in an AC-less Airbnb yielded some pretty rubbish maple walnut popsicles. So, I stuck with store bought ice-creams. This year, I was determined to make it. I had an idea jotted down weeks in advance – a boozy iced tea popsicle like a long island. But that did not work for me. It was like eating ice and the teeth do not enjoy eating ice. A quick brainstorming session later with my better half who suggested I stick fruit pieces on a stick or something to that effect, we decided to go with mango. Every summer I am remined of eating pureed chilled mango with a hint of cardamom served with puris. Then I kick myself for not eating more mangoes when I was in India, because really the quality and variety here is quite terrible. Can’t stick a piece of not-so-great mango on a stick and call it happy popsicle week, so I added some ginger, coconut milk and honey. Whizzed it and froze it. Simple and quite tasty that is if you like the mango-ginger combination. If you don’t, you should just eat a slice of mango or head to Wit and Vinegar and browse through 100s of popsicle ideas! Mango, Ginger Popsicles Ingredients – makes 6 – 8 skinny popsicles Flesh from 3 ripe medium mangoes ¼ cup of coconut cream / coconut milk 1 ½ - 2 tbsps freshly grated ginger (depending on taste – start with 1 tbsp) ½ tsp cardamom powder 2 – 4 tbsp honey (depending on how sweet the mangoes are) For Garnish ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2tbsp coconut oil 1tbsp candied ginger 1 tsp granulated sugar coconut flakes To make the popsicles Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Taste and adjust spice and honey. Pour into molds. Stick the sticks in. Freeze overnight. Melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir well between intervals. Once smooth, set aside to cool slightly. While the chocolate cools, chop up the candied ginger very finely and mix with the sugar. You could also give the two a whiz in a spice grinder. Set aside in a small bowl. Put coconut flakes in another small bowl. Remove popsicles from their molds. Working with one at a time, dip into the melted chocolate, immediately sprinkle with some coconut flakes and some ginger-sugar mixture. Set on a plate. Repeat with all and eat immediately or keep in freezer.

Mango ginger popsicles for mango lovers! These are refined sugar free, dairy free and so so easy to make! I have highly sensitive teeth. I could never bite into anything that is sub-zero degrees even when my permanent teeth had newly popped and were probably at their strongest! As a kid, when we got to treat ourselves to kulfis i.e. the Indian street food ice-cream on a stick I’d slowly suck on it while half of it melted in streams down my hands, and invariably the last few bites would drop to the floor. All these years later, my teeth have obviously not become less sensitive; it’s a miracle they are still there after all the sugar attack they endure. As an adult, I stick to ice-creams in bowls (boring? Trying having sensitive teeth!) Watching others bite into popsicles gives me goosebumps! But its #popsicleweek and I had to participate, because we want to constantly be part of something, even if it is a virtual summer party exploding with happy, colorful ice-pops. Last summer when I started using Instagram seriously i.e. started using the explore feature and following a bunch of bloggers is when I first heard of popsicle week. […]

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Cakes, Desserts

Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake (Pound Cakes – Part 3)

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I am a recent strawberry convert. I remember I used to hate them. In the mid-western part of India around Bombay, the region where I am originally from, they are so precious and yet so disappointing. They sell it for an exorbitant price and if you are lucky you may find one sweet little strawberry in your pint. Like a lottery ticket. But you are obliged to say they were so good. You paid a high enough price for them to be good. It was the same in Dubai. They looked prettier but that’s it. I don’t remember ever buying strawberries. Ever! Until I met Steve who told me stories about how he worked on a farm as a child picking strawberries and eating most of them. I am not the biggest fan of fruit but picking strawberries at a farm and stuffing mouthfuls sounds like fun. And now I am here and it is berry season. Toronto markets are flooded. Strawberries everywhere! Plump, pretty, red, ready to eat and oh so delicious! While I was thinking of combining Pound cake series with strawberries I came across this gorgeous concoction by Joy the Baker. I tried the roasted strawberries and […]

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