Honied Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

What does your breakfast look like?  My breakfast looks like that picture up above.  I have been eating a lot of quinoa lately because I have changed the way I start my mornings.  A month ago I stopped drinking coffee.  I was rather surprised that I was able to stop drinking it so easily this time because the last time I attempted to rid myself of it I suffered.  I had terrible withdrawal symptoms severe headaches and body aches and pains.  It was really uncomfortable so like most times when things get uncomfortable I simply continue on doing what I am doing because it is easier.  I was quite fortunate to have a relatively easy time eliminating it from my diet and morning routine this time around.  I did experience a slight headache on the first morning but then I remembered that I had read somewhere where that headaches in the morning are sometimes caused by a lack of hydration and protein.  Luckily I had quinoa in the cupboard. I prepared my breakfast waiting patiently as I sipped on some water.  After eating the quinoa and hydrating myself my headache was gone and I was over my first morning sans caffeine!  Incredible 🙂  I have to tell you that since eliminating the caffeine from my diet I feel great.  It is nice to wake up in the morning and not have to depend on a cup of liquid to decide what sort of day it is going to be.  Now I decide, it is always a beautiful day with limitless possibilities that lie ahead!

This Honied Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa is so nourishing.  I have yet to find a breakfast that leaves me feeling so well balanced and satisfied.  We all know how important the first meal of the day is but do we all know that it is equally important to incorporate protein into each of our meals?  It is very important.  Our bodies require protein for the majority of our metabolic functions and if we can add protein to our breakfasts we are setting ourselves up for a very well balanced day that will allow you to keep a steady pace throughout the day.  Quinoa is a very versatile grain and a complete protein.  Quinoa is also a good source of dietary fibre, phosphorus and is high in magnesium as well as iron. It may also be used as a source of calcium, and therefore is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.  Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest. If you have not yet introduced yourself to quinoa you really should get on it!  It is amazing and so very nourishing.

Honied Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa
Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup unsweetened almond or hemp milk (regular milk also works)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons honey
Handful chopped or sliced hazelnuts
Handful of fresh blueberries

To Prepare

In a large saucepan, stir together the quinoa, milk, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until quinoa softens and absorbs all of the liquid.

Transfer to a bowl sprinkle a handful of blueberries squeeze some honey on the blueberries and top with sliced hazelnuts. Serve hot.

Makes 1-2 servings depending on your hunger

Sources The Pastry Affair
&
Wikipedia

If you are looking for a well balanced breakfast that leaves you satisfied look no further this will do the trick!

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones

Blueberry Danishes with Cream Cheese Glaze

I have always been a sucker for a little hard work.  It’s gratifying.  It’s good for the soul.  After a difficult task has been completed you feel as though you have accomplished something. Perhaps it is something that not everyone could have accomplished.  Hard work gives you a sense of self worth.  It is allows us an opportunity to challenge ourselves.  To really see what is lying beneath the surface waiting to burst through.  Like those beautiful flowers that have to work so hard trying to break through that layer of dirt  in order to fully blossom.  I believe that when we challenge ourselves with hard or difficult tasks it allows us to really see what we are really made of just like those beautiful flowers.  It allows us to see what we are really truly capable of doing and in turn capable of becoming.  It is an opportunity for us to change and grow.

These Blueberry Danishes with Cream Cheese Glaze are just that a little hard work but the results that you are able to achieve are incredible.  This pastry is a cheat puff pastry recipe that uses yeast.  I know what you must be thinking, puff pastry does not require yeast.  Maybe this isn’t really a puff pastry recipe, let’s call it a danish pastry.  Regardless of what you would like to call it this pastry is absolutely amazing.  It is a little time consuming and there is a wee bit of manual labour that is involved but trust me when I say it is worth every second of work that is required.  I made these danishes into spirals or snails and they turned out quite wonderfully.  The pastry is so tender and flaky you will not be able to eat just one, please be prepared for this 🙂  I used a homemade blueberry jam as the filling but you can use what ever your heart desires you may even use a variety of jams if that is something you might be interested in!

Blueberry Danishes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients

2 cups butter, softened
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

To Prepare the Danish Pastry

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup of flour. Divide into 2 equal parts, and roll each half between 2 pieces of waxed paper into a 6 x12 inch sheet. Refrigerate.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry yeast and 3 cups of the remaining flour. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Heat to 115 degrees F, or just warm, but not hot to the touch. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour and yeast along with the eggs, and lemon and almond extracts. Stir for 3 minutes. Knead in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is firm and pliable. Set aside to rest until double in size.
Cut the dough in half, and roll each half out to a 14 inch square. Place one sheet of the cold butter onto each piece of dough, and fold the dough over it like the cover of a book. Seal edges by pressing with fingers. Roll each piece out to a 20x 12 inch rectangle, then fold into thirds by folding the long sides in over the center. Repeat rolling into a large rectangle, and folding into thirds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator one at a time, and roll and fold each piece two more times. Return to the refrigerator to chill again before shaping. If the butter gets too warm, the dough will become difficult to manage.
To make danishes, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. The dough can be cut into squares, with a filling placed in the center. Fold 2 of the corners over the center to form a filled diamond shape. Or, fold the piece in half, cut into 1 inch strips, stretch, twist and roll into a spiral. Place a dollop of preserves or other filling in the center. Place danishes on an ungreased baking sheet, and let rise until doubled. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Danishes can be brushed with egg white for a shiny finish.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms are golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of milk

 To Prepare the Glaze

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and drizzling consistency, you may have to add more milk. Drizzle the glaze over the danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source Adaption Allrecipes & Epicurious 

Makes 3 Dozen Danishes

*Note:  This recipe makes a large quantity of pastry.  This pastry does freeze well if wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a ziplock bag for up to one month.

If you are seeking a challenge to expand your baking skills you really should try your hand at this wonderful recipe.  The results you will achieve are outstanding.  The compliments you receive on these danishes will make you feel utterly gifted 🙂

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones

Honey & Oat Stone Ground Wheat Bread

I have been neglecting you.  I have been going through an after vacation withdrawal.  Do you ever have those?  I apologize. Its not you, it’s me.

This Honey & Oat Stone Ground Wheat Bread is probably one of the best bread recipes I have tried in a while!  One of the things that I have discovered while I was on my extended hiatus was that I am an emotional baker.  You know how you can be an emotional eater, well same thing except I bake when my emotions begin to flare.  It is a therapy for me a type of meditation that calms and soothes my mind.  This bread was the result of some emotional baking I did the other day 🙂 I seem to do my best work when I am driven by emotion 😉  This bread is absolute heaven!  It has a tender crumb and is so light you’ll hardly believe that you are eating anything at all.  It is slightly dulcet and will not disappoint even the most seasoned bread eater!  I highly suggest this bread for breakfasts and sandwiches as it is absolutely divine.

Honey & Oat Stone Ground Wheat Bread
Ingredients

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup honey
4 cups bread flour
1 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups stone ground whole wheat bread flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

To Prepare

In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the warm water, yeast, sugar and 1/3 cup honey. Add 4 cups white bread flour and oats; stir to combine. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook.  Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, the additional 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour. With the mixer on stir add the additional flour 1/2 cup at a time and allow the dough to knead for about 6-10 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the bowl looks “clean” the dough should be one complete mass.  Alternately, flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky – just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of stone ground whole wheat bread flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and a dishtowel. Allow to rise in a warm place free from drafts until doubled in size.
Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch. As an option you can brush the tops of the loaves with honey and then sprinkle with oats.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. To test the loaves you may insert a thermometer in the corner of the loaf on an angle and when it reads 210-215 F it is done!  Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool on a wire rack completely.

Makes 3~9×5 inch loaves
Source Adaptation  Allrecipes

If you have any upcoming picnics planned this bread would make the most scrumptious sandwiches for your affair!

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones

Banana Espresso Muffins with Cacao Nibs

One of the most wonderful things about being home is being in the kitchen.  Ever since I was a wee girl the kitchen has been my favorite spot.  It doesn’t matter if I am cleaning, doing dishes, chopping, cooking or baking as long as it’s in the kitchen I am in a good sound state of affairs!

When I first returned home last week I was a little reluctant to get back into the kitchen and start scooping flour and measuring out other ingredients.  I have been on a cleanse for the last week and that is why the reluctance was so overwhelming.  It is difficult for me to refrain from sweets and other goodies when I am doing my spring cleaning so to speak.  But I am a woman of my word and when I say I will be back writing posts the first week of June then by golly I am back writing posts the first week of June cleanse or no cleanse!  Fortunately, I do have a couple of side kicks that are not doing any spring cleaning or cleansing for that matter that were and are more than happy to consume everything that I bake and concoct for you all 🙂

These Banana Espresso Muffins with Cacao Nibs underwent some vigorous testing here in our kitchen and I have to tell you they are incredible!  Moist and tender these muffins are the perfect companion for your breakfast or brunch!  They even come loaded with their own espresso back up just in case you didn’t get enough coffee to start your day off!  The great thing about these muffins or any muffin for that matter is that they are a cinch to make.  You simply add the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another and then combine, easy peasy!  Banana muffins are really just a variation of banana bread so if you are a fan of banana bread you’ll most certainly love these muffins.  These muffins are the perfect accompaniment to any breakfast table or brunch for that matter!  I added  cacao nibs because I am addicted to them and I also really enjoy the crunch they add to baked goods.  Cacao nibs are a great alternative to nuts when you are looking for extra crunch without the extra calories 🙂

Banana Espresso Muffins with Cacao Nibs
Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup strong espresso, chilled or cool
3/4 cup olive oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed

 To Prepare

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cacao nibs and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk together, and make a well in the center. Combine buttermilk, coffee, oil, vanilla, sugar, mashed bananas and eggs. Whisk wet ingredients together and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients together until almost combined.  Continue to stir until the batter is evenly moistened, being careful not to over mix.

Scoop batter into prepared pans, filling the muffin cup to the top. Sprinkle with sugar, if you like. Bake until muffin edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out with the tiniest bit of crumb, 16-20 minutes.

Makes 12 Muffins
Source Adaptation The Vanilla Bean Blog 

If you are looking for some fresh morning fare these muffins will completely fill the bill!  You will not go back to your plain ‘ol banana muffins are these, or maybe you will, either way enjoy 🙂

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones

Organic Cacao Nib Florentine Cookies

Hola amigos!!  I’m back.  I’m rested and ready to bake up some really incredible food for you to drool over!
I was recently in Costa Rica for three weeks.  It was a really inspirational experience for me.   I don’t think that I mentioned it early but I don’t speak any Spanish.  You can imagine what it was like traveling to a country where the first language is Spanish and I didn’t speak it.  It was challenging but upon arrival I was pleasantly introduce to a lovely lady who was also traveling solo who did speak Spanish, fortunately she was willing to allow me to tag along with her 🙂  I was so thankful.  It can be a wee bit stressful traveling alone to some countries especially when you are a woman.  If there is one piece of advice I can pass on to you it is this, it is always better for women to travel in minimums of two.  I find it makes for your entire experience to be much more relaxing and a lot less stressful.
I spent a lot of time at the beaches when I was in Costa Rica.  After I was beached out I went to a yoga retreat at the Costa Rica Yoga Spa!  If this is the first time that you have seen or heard of the Costa Rica Yoga Spa quickly bookmark the page and commit the name to your memory!  This place is absolutely incredible.  The staff were amazing, the food was all vegetarian and absolutely delicious and the yoga was sublime!  If you are ever in Costa Rica in the  Guanacaste Region you must travel to Nosara and stay at the Yoga Spa you will not regret it!  There were monkeys swinging from tree to tree, fresh papayas, mangoes and bananas were also hanging from the trees!  It was one of the most hospitable environments I have been in in a while.  They were even growing their own pineapples, no kidding!  I honestly can’t say enough about the place and the entire experience it was out of this world 🙂
When I was staying at the Finca, which is Spanish for estate and refers to a piece of rural or agricultural land, I was pleased to discover an incredible road side oracle named Franklyn.  Franklyn is a very wise, very simple business man who sold dehydrated organic food products.  He grows organic coconuts from the coconuts he makes his own coconut oil, dehydrated coconut, and shredded coconut.  Frankly also sells, dehydrated mango, bananas, fresh ginger, dried hibiscus flowers, cacao nibs, cacao powder and much much more!  One of my favourite things that Franklyn makes is his coconut cacao nib ice cream!  You can look forward to a recipe on that one for sure 🙂  I was completely inspired by Franklyn’s love of eating pure, fresh and organic products so much so that I am attempting to adopt some of his techniques here at home in my daily cooking and baking.

These Organic Cacao Nib Florentine Cookies are made with Franklyn’s organically grown cacao nibs.  Do you know what cacao nibs are?  “Cacao is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacao beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money!  Cacao is remarkably rich in magnesium and seems to be the highest source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and is associated with more happiness.  Cacao contains subtle amounts of caffeine and theobromine. However, experiments have shown that these stimulants are far different when consumed raw than cooked.  Cacao seems to diminish appetite, probably due to its MAO inhibitors – these are different from digestive enzyme inhibitors found in most nuts and seeds. These rare MAO inhibitors actually produce favorable results when consumed by allowing more serotonin and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the brain.” According to ForeverHealthy .  With all these amazing benefits I am excited about incorporating more cacao into my daily diet!  These cookies would be lovely with an afternoon tea or as an evening snack!  They are crisp and crunchy and absolutely divine!!

Organic Cacao Nib Florentine Cookies
Ingredients

6 ounces blanched almonds
6 ounces walnuts
6 ounces all-purpose flour (for gluten free use rice flour or quinoa flour)
4 ounces organic cacao nibs
1 ounce organic cacao powder
8 ounces butter
4 ounces pure honey
10 ounces sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (optional for drizzling)

To Prepare 

Preheat the oven to 350F and have ready two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Chop the almonds, walnuts and cacao nibs until no large pieces remain (shoot for a chunky mixture with pieces that are similar in size to peppercorns).  Alternately, you can do this in a food processor.  Once chopped combine the nuts and nibs with the flour and cacao powder and stir until fully incorporated; set aside.
In a medium pot, melt the butter and honey together.  When they are liquefied, add the sugar, and espresso powder.  Bring this mixture to a boil;  stir occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves completely.  Once it begins to boil, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and dry ingredients.
Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon to measure out even, rounded portions of dough.  Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leave about 4″ between each cookie because they do spread.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they have spread thinly and turned uniformly dark and lacy.  Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about one minute before trying to cut them out with the cookie cutter.

To Cut the Florentines

To cut the irregularly shaped cookies into clean rounds, you will need to use the largest round cookie cutter you have that does not exceed the size of the cookie.   The goal here is not to “cut out” the cookies like you would with unbaked cookie dough, but rather to stamp “perforation lines” onto each soft cookie.  Don’t worry about trimming the edges, just stamp.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, simply pick up each cookie and snap off the ragged edges.  The excess will break away cleanly, leaving you with a perfectly round cookie.  Save the scrappy crumbs for topping ice cream, adding to granola or over your morning cereal!
Melt the 4 ounces of chocolate over a double boiler and then drizzle over the cooled cookies!

Makes 24 ~ 4″ cookies
Source Adaptation Brave Tart

These cookies are exquisite if you are looking for a recipe to utilize those raw organic cacao nibs this is a great place to start 🙂

Thank you for allowing me to share with you this recipe and my Costa Rica experience, it was a great deal of fun but so is being here with all of you!!

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones