JADE, WILLOW, SKYE & VALENTINA

VALENTINA

Simply want to introduce to you my precious Valentina, she is my daughter’s French Bulldog. She is simply delicious, I have the pleasure of looking after her for one week 🙂

She has a friendly, mild-mannered temperament, very smart and very funny.

JADE, WILLOW, SKYE & VALENTINA

Valentina

Hi I’m Valentina ! I’m now 6 months old ! Notice my ears are no longer floppy ! Just to let you know that I am beyond spoiled, but I give so much love and laughter back, that’s what we do best! Shout out to all the Frenchie Community !

Desserts, RECIPES

Oatmeal Cookies

*Makes 4 large cookies

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 tbs melted coconut oil
  • 2 tbs coconut sugar
  • 2 tbs pure maple syrup
  • 1 flax egg  (1 tbs flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together and let set for 15 minutes)
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

*Powdered sugar to sprinkle (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchement paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients
  4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold until well mixed.
  5. Use a 2 inch ice cream scooper and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet—spaced evenly apart. Using a fork, flatten cookies about halfway. Cookies will spread during baking.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes. Place baking sheet on a cooling rack, allowing the cookies to firm up and sprinkle with icing sugar if you wish .
  7. Allow to cool for 1 hour if you will be storing them.

Enjoy with a cappuccino or a chai latte !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

SOFT PUMPKIN COOKIES

These cookies are so soft, like biting into a cloud

*Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened vegan butter
  • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin purée
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the pumpkin spice icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soya milk
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Neutral spray oil for cookie scoop

  1. To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  2. Add the sugar and vegan butter to a large bowl and use a mixer to cream the sugar and butter together. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix in. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and mix well to combine.
  3. Lightly spray a cookie scoop with neutral oil, scoop the cookie battre and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to fill your tray, evenly spacing the cookies. Bake for 15 minutes until the cookies are golden. Let the cookies cool completely before icing.
  4. Sprinkle top with coarse sugar if you wish.

  1. To make the icing: add the powdered sugar, soya milk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the cookies. Let the cookies rest to set the icing. Store the cookies at room temperature for up to a week or freeze in an air-tight container.
HEALTH

Home Made Orange Juice !

Always better than store bought.

No preservatives, no added sugars.

Made in no time.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, simply buy the less costly oranges you can find at the market.

Cristina for Peas and Peace

RECIPES, Soups

Leek & Potato Soup

Ingredients

  •  4 medium-sized chopped leeks
  •  2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
  •  4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  •  1 small yellow onion, diced 
  •  2 tablespoons olive oil
  •  3 garlic cloves, minced
  •  salt & black pepper
  •  chives, chopped *optional

Instructions

  1. In a large pot on medium heat add oil, then saute garlic, leeks, and onion together with salt until soft – about 5 minutes. 
  2. Add potatoes, vegetable broth, salt & pepper to pot – cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Potatoes should be soft when tested with a fork.
  3. Use a hand-blender to blend soup on medium to high until ingredients are smooth and consistency is creamy.
  4. Season soup to taste with salt & a good amount of black pepper. Serve with chopped chives and black pepper – enjoy

Tip

Freezing potato and leek soup: Allow soup to come to room temperature, store in a sealed container and place in freezer for 1 to 3 months. Remove, defrost, and cook in pot until desired temperature

Serve with warm crusty bread !!!

Cristina for Peas and Peace

RECIPES, Soups

Matzo Ball Soup

*Makes 12 Balls

Ingredients for the Matzo Balls

1 cup matzo meal
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup soya milk
1/4 cup canola oil

Ingredients for the Soup

1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the matzo balls, stir all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in the milk and oil until thoroughly mixed.

Cover the bowl and chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes, while you begin the soup.

To make the soup, coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, until the carrots just begin to soften.

Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.

Stir in the broth. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.

Shape the matzo mix into 1 inch balls, pressing the mixture firmly together. Carefully drop each ball into the soup right after forming it.

Allow the soup to cook, uncovered, at a low simmer, for 45 minutes. Do not stir.

When the soup is finished cooking, remove it from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully stir in the dill.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

Desserts, RECIPES

No Bake Date Squares

Ingredients:

Crust
1 1/2 cups raw almonds
1 1/2 regular oats
10 pitted & roughly chopped dates
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Filling
25 pitted & roughly chopped dates
1/2 cup of water

Directions:

1. Line a 8 inch by 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, process the almond and oats until a fine crumble forms. Now add in the dates and process until crumbly again. Add melted coconut oil to the mixture and process until sticky. Remove from processor, set aside 3/4 of the mixture for later and press the rest of the mixture very firmly and evenly into the pan.

2. Grab your pitted and roughly chopped dates and water and process in a food processor until a paste forms. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl often. You can add a tiny bit more water if needed, but you want the paste quite thick. Scoop out the date mixture onto the crust and spread evenly.

3. Sprinkle on top the 3/4 cup of mixture you set aside and press down. Refrigerate in the fridge until firm (At least 1 hour).

Cut into squares and serve.

Store in the fridge.

Desserts, RECIPES

Pecan Pie

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 !!!