Tag: photography

Breakfast, Desserts, RECIPES

PECAN, OAT & SALTED CARAMEL SQUARES

Cristina Carlos-Supino

*Makes 9 squares or more if you cut them into smaller bites

*No baking required & Gluten Free, make sure the oats you buy are gluten free

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 20 dates, pitted
  • 1/4 cup water

Salted Caramel

  • 20 dates, pitted
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Topping

  • 1 cup crushed pecans

Instructions

Line a 8×8 square pan with parchment paper.

Prepare the crust:

1. Combine rolled oats, pecans, oat flour and cinnamon in a food processor. Process ingredients until a crumbled, flour-like mixture is formed. Add dates and water. Process again until a sticky, crumbled mixture is formed.

2. Transfer mixture to the pan and press it across the base in an even layer.

Prepare the salted caramel: 

  1. Combine dates, water, vanilla, and salt in a blender. Process until ultra smooth.

2. Spread the caramel over the crust in an even layer.

3. Toss crushed pecans on top and gently press them into the caramel.

Chill in the pan, in the freezer, for 30 minutes

  • Store the pecan squares in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator

Breakfast, RECIPES

Homemade Oil Free Granola, Sweetened with Maple Syrup

Cristina Carlos-Supino

INGREDIENTS

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup nuts (combination of sliced almonds and halved pecans pictured here), you can certainly use your favorites

3 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup water

½ cup maple syrup

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

*If you wish you can add in chocolate or coconut chips !

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat whichever you have at home

2. Heat the water, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a saucepan and let simmer for a couple of minutes. 

3. In a large bowl mix the oats, nuts, and cinnamon.

4. Pour the heated wet ingredients evenly over the mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. 

5. Spread the granola mixture evenly over the lined baking tray, but don’t overcrowd the oats.

6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes (Use a spatula), being careful not to burn the granola. Very important not to skip this step, so that your arts bake evenly.

7. Once the granola is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool down completely.

8. Once it’s fully cooled down, keep it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 



Delicious on smoothies or added to yogourts 🙂

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Bread, Focaccia, Pizza, Breakfast, RECIPES

𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗔𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗜𝗧𝗦

Cristina Carlos-Supino

*Makes 12 biscuits

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tbsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of onion powder

2 tsp of garlic powder

2 tbsp of chopped chives

2 tbsp of fresh parsley chopped

1 cup unsweetened soya milk

1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp melted vegan butter

2 cups of vegan shredded cheddar cheese 

𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

1. Add the apple cider vinegar to the soya milk and set aside 

2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt

3. Pour the melted butter into the milk before adding it to the flour mixture

4. Gently stir to combine and before fully combined add in the cheese, the chives, the parsley, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix until all these ingredients are well incorporated.

5. Scoop out the biscuits onto a large lined baking sheet using an ice cream scoop.

6. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until golden on top

Ooooh so delicious with breakfast or simply on their own

Enjoy !

Cristina for Peas & Peace 🙂

Breakfast, Desserts, RECIPES

Chocolate Marble Cake

Cristina Carlos-Supino

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
4 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup of cane sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 5 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 cups of soya milk
2 tsp pur vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil + a little to grease your loaf pan
4 tbsp cocoa powder
5 tbsp hot water

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a loaf pan with a little oil.

2. Add flour, corn flour, baking powder, soda, sugar and nutmeg to a large bowl and stir well.

3. In a small dish mix ground flax seed with water to form a gel.


4. Add the flax mixture, milk, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients bowl and stir without overmixing.


5. In a medium bowl, mix cocoa with the hot water. Pour in half of the batter and stir well.


6. Using a tablespoon, alternate spoons of batter into the loaf pan until all batter is used up. For extra swirls use a chop or brochette stick to swirl the top layer of the cake. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool fully before slicing.

A go to in the afternoon or morning with a nice cup of coffee or tea 🙂

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Cashew & Lemony….. Energy Balls

Cristina Carlos-Supino

*Makes 10

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of raw cashews
1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut (+ some to roll the energy balls in)
2 tbsp of pure maple syrup
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of yellow goldenberry powder (Optional, it however gives them a nice colouring 🙂 )
Freshly squeezed juice (1 small lemon)

DIRECTIVES:

  1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth
  2. Using a 1 1/2 inch scooper
  3. Roll in your hand to form a ball
  4. Lastly roll each ball in some shredded coconut

Keep refrigerated

Enjoy !!!

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies *Gluten free

Cristina Carlos-Supino

  • Makes 9 cookies, only 6 ingredients and done in 15 minutes !

Ingredients:

270 ml of chick peas (soaked overnight), cooked & drained or if you prefer and easier 1 can (540 ml) of chick peas (drained)
2 tbsp of vanilla
1/4 cup of agave
3/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 tsp of baking powder
Pinch of salt

9 roasted peanut halves (optional)

Preheat oven at 350

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Scoop with an ice cream scooper into balls, lay them on a silicone lined 17 x 12 baking tray, flatten to about 1/2 inch thick and top with a peanut (you may add a chocolate drizzlle if you wish or any other topping).

Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy !!!

*Can keep in the fridge up to 5 days

Cristina for Peas & Peace

BEAUTY

Decadent body butters from MELTEDMTL

Cristina Carlos-Supino

I am so excited ! Just received my body butters from @meltedmtl 
Their products are natural, Vegan and cruelty free. This company is run by a young, talented entrepreneur. Encourage young talent and follow them on Instagram, you can order these butters online ! 
M
E
L
T
E
D
M
T
L

Breakfast, RECIPES

Soaked overnight Espresso flavoured Oats

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Ingredients for bottom layer;

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (you may use gluten free if you have an intolerance)

1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

2/3 cup of unsweetened cashew milk

1 tbsp of maple syrup

1/3 cup cooled down espresso

Ingredients for top layer;

1/3 cup of unsweetened cashew milk

2 shots of espresso (1 each glass)

Maple syrup to taste (I added 1 tsp each glass)

Instructions;

1. In a bowl mix oats and chia seeds. Stir in the milk, maple syrup and coffee and combine well.

2. Transfer mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. 

3. In the morning froth milk in a milk frother machine or heat up in a small pot over medium-high heat for 5 minutes and froth with hand frother.

4. Transfer overnight oats into two glasses. Top off with some extra coffee, maple syrup and milk foam.

Delicious !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

HEALTH

Follow your dreams !!!

Cristina Carlos-Supino

I am 57 years old, and I am here to dispel the notion that being a certain age restricts you in terms of the activities you can do. I am a firm believer in the notion that age is but a number, it is all in how you feel on the inside. I would like to illustrate this via my love of ballet.

From a young age, I have been fascinated with the dance world, and the innovative ways in which it marries music, movement, and expression. I Took ballet classes in my teens, but life caught up with me, and I eventually resorted to simply spectating at performances here and there, nothing more. However, as time went on, I could no longer fight the urge to revisit it for myself. There was one small thing holding me back in my mind. If I were to go back, and start from the beginning, I would be placed in a class with young children, and would need to keep up with them, and the fear of old knee and other injuries flaring as well. Still, despite all of these apparent concerns, something compelled me to enroll myself.

This is a photo of me at my midterm recital, as you can attest, my fifth positon is not perfect and I need to work on and improve many movements and steps. Regardless, I made it! I attend two hour classes twice a week and can keep up with my much much younger class mates. My passion for the art of ballet inspired me to push my limits, stay fit, practice the sequences, and better myself with each and every class.

Somewhere, I am hoping that I could maybe also be an inspiration to a parent or grand parent, anyone really to follow their passion or dream. This goes to show that no matter how old you are, you can do anything you set your mind to, it’s never too late! If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, find out the necessary steps, and work towards your goal.

Desserts, RECIPES

No Bake, Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Treats

Cristina Carlos-Supino

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 5 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup cacao nibs

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt together until fully combined.
  2. Stir in the cocoa powder and oat flour until a thick mixture forms.
  3. Mix in the chocolate chips and cacao nibs.
  4. With a medium size scooper (*Makes 12), form round shapes and place on a lined tray. Sprinkle on some cacao nibs and more chocolate chips (optional) and place in the freezer for 30 minutes until set.
  5. Store in the fridge and enjoy !
Desserts, RECIPES

Pecan Pie

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Crust
2 cups spelt flour
6 tbsp coconut oil (solid)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cold water
Filling
1/2 cup vegan butter
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup pecan halves, for topping
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Add spelt flour, coconut oil, salt and cinnamon to a food processor. Pulse until crumbly. Add cold water slowly and pulse to combine. Wrap up in cellophane and set aside to chill in the fridge. 
Add vegan butter and 2 tbsp coconut sugar to a pan and melt over a low heat. Add in chopped pecans and stir to coat well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch tart pan. Add dates, maple syrup, 1/4 cup of coconut sugar, cornstarch & vanilla extract to food processor and blend well to a smooth paste. Add this to the warm pan of pecans, stir well and simmer gently for 5 mins, until thick.

Roll out chilled pastry between baking paper the circumference of the tart dish and trim off the excess. Pour in pecan filling and top with the remaining pecan halves. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool.
Chill in the fridge until ready to serve !!!

If you like you could top you slice of pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream !!!

Mains, RECIPES

PAELLA

Cristina Carlos-Supino

*4 Portions

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 tsp saffron
  • 600ml vegetable stock
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 vegan chorizo style sausage (preferably spicy)
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 red pepper cut into thin strips
  • 6 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 200g rice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 lemon
  • Chili, salt & pepper if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place hot vegetable stock and saffron in a bowl and leave to infuse
  2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Cut the chorizo sausage into small chunks and fry for about 5 minutes until starting to brown on all sides
  3. Transfer the chorizo pieces into a bowl and save for later
  4. Pour remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and add the onion. Fry for a few minutes and then add the crushed garlic and peppers
  5. After a few minutes add cherry tomatoes, tomato puree and smoked paprika, stir and leave to cook for a couple of minutes
  6. Next add the rice. Stir and once the rice is translucent on the edges add the saffron infused stock
  7. Let gently simmer for 10 minutes without stirring it. Stir once and leave for a further 10 minutes
  8. Add the frozen peas and sausage and stir
  9. Taste and check the rice is cooked, it should still have a bit of bite but be soft on the outside. Season with salt and pepper and chili flakes
  10. Squeeze juice from half the lemon and use the other half to decorate

Voila !!!