But now – Valentines day is approaching and there is a new reason to eat chocolate.  And there has been so many requests for this recipe – it does after all deserve a post from me. So here – I bring you this highly additive treat.

There are literally hundreds of variations of this stuff all over cyberspace.. like here.. or here (one of my favourites)… even Paula Dean’s.

From my experiences you should err on the longer side of baking time.  Some recipes suggest 5-7 minutes.  I’ve tried that, and I found 12-15 minutes is better. A longer baking allows the butter and sugar to form a toffee – not enough baking and you end up with something soft – a bit greesy and crumbly (but totally edible! ) – just not as pleasing to look at).

I used a combination of saltines and pretzels in mine.  I like the little extra saltiness the pretzels added.  I also used both milk chocolate and dark chocolate.  It’s hard to tell from the picture  - but basically I just sprinkled both on top and swirled them together. If you want to get creative, you could sprinkle with sprinkles, nuts or drizzle with a little white chocolate for a nice touch.

Basically you need equal amounts butter and brown sugar and enough saltines to cover the bottom of you baking dish.  And if you are using pretzels, just squeeze some in between the crackers.  I don’t like mine perfectly lined up – I like a little space between the crackers and it’s okay if the pretzels are not snug down in between.  Uneven terrain is good.  Make sure you line whatever baking dish you are using with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.  This is sticky stuff!

Before you do anything, get your pan ready.

• Line a 10 X 14 baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350.
• Spread saltines and pretzels all over bottom of baking tray.

In a small saucepan, combine

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter

Remove from heat, allow to cool for a minute and stir in

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter

Spread mixture over top of crackers and pretzels and back in your pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.  Don’t allow it to burn, but you want it to bubble all over.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes.  Top with

• 2 cups chocolate chips – milk or semi sweet or some combination.

Allow the chocolate to soften slightly, then spread with an offset spatula until chocolate is even.  At this point you can add some extra toppings – sprinkles, nuts, candy.

Allow it cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting.  If you spread your foil properly, once cool, the whole thing will lift right out of the tray. Break into pieces. Or cut – but I like different broken pieces.

Recently we’ve discovered she prefers salads.  (Sighs of relief all around).

This salad works well for lunches.  It stays crunchy and she likes the contrast of the salty seeds and sweet raisins.  We call it “orange slaw” because the carrots and the dressing is orange. I use a store-bought bottled dressing – Kraft Catalina.  Any sweet dressing would do, this just happens to be her favourite.

Using a bag of shredded carrot slaw – mostly carrots, with a few pieces of cabbage throw in – means this salad can be made in no time flat. Perfect for lunch packing times.  PC makes this mix.

Leftovers will stay crunchy for a day or two stored in the refrigerator. Apples are another nice addition, but the apples will colour quickly, so I don’t usually use if I’m making ahead for lunches

Orange Slaw

3 SERVINGS

• 1 cup carrot slaw
• 1/4 raisins
• 1/4 cup salted, roasted sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons salad dressing, light Catalina style

Mix all ingredients together.

You could say, if you believed in such things, that a higher power was telling me to eat my kale. First was this article that popped on my Facebook page.

Then there was this blog…. I could totally relate, so could the kale buried deep in my fridge at the time.

You really don’t have to tell me to eat more kale. I already know I should eat more kale. I buy kale every chance I get. I just don’t always get around to eating it.

And of course there is a small matter of a nasty cold we are fighting this week.  We (and when I say we, I mean the whole family – me, my husband, and the kids) have been, quite literally, a nasty bunch of beings. I’d stay away if I were you.

Needless to say I was looking for something comforting and warm to heal us and clear our heads.  I think it should also go without saying … I did not feel like cooking.

I turned to this slow cooker recipe which has been hanging out on my “to-try” list for a while.  You see – I love my slow-cooker, but I don’t pull it out and use it all that often.  Slow-cooker meals, crock-pot meals, whatever you want to call them – are never fancy. But they are satisfying in a rustic, and utilitarian kind of way. I was saving this recipe for a time when I needed it. I time, like this one, when I could not bear the thought of doing anything more than plugging in a couple of appliances.

I made the stew with some very minor modifications and I added a full bunch of kale – about 2 tightly packed cups thinly sliced – in the last 20 minutes of the cook time.  Served with brown rice from the rice cooker.

Perfect. Just what the doctor ordered

Chickpea and Kale Stew

• 1  tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon, each: curry powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
• 3 cups chickpeas, cooked or canned.
• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 bunch thinly sliced kale, about 2 cups

In a medium frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onions, garlic and ginger. 2-3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften.  Add spices – curry powder through salt and cook another 2-3 minutes. Careful not to burn, reducing heat if needed. Add this mixture plus everything else to the slow-cooker. Turn it on high. Clean up your mess and go have a nap.

Cook on high for 3 hours, reduce heat to low and add kale and cook, covered for 15-20 minutes.

Dish could also be cooked on low for 6-8 hours, if your schedule needed it.

When I first saw the recipe I knew I just had to try it.  Really? Tomatoes and Peanut Butter!

The original recipe called for fresh tomatoes.  Well, this time of year, fresh tomatoes are tasteless and pale.  So I used 2 cans of no-salt added diced tomatoes and drained of most of their juices.  I was a bit concerned that blending the fresh onion would leave the soup with a strong onion flavour. So I used a sweet, mild and fleshy onion.  It was perfect.

It’s good and different is good.

Peanut and Tomato Soup

adapted from Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi

• 2 28oz cans of whole, no-salt added, canned  tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of juice from tomatoes
• 1 medium sweet onion. roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated, about 1 tablespoon
• 1 piece of lemon grass, inside end only, finely diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup natural, unsweetened smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2-1 cup vegetable stock or water

Drain tomatoes of most of their liquid, reserve 1/2 cup.

Add tomatoes and onion to food processor and process until a purée.

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.  Add tomato and onion mixture.  Add reserved tomato juice and lemon grass and bring to a boil.  Mixture will not boil hard – but will begin to bubble up and sputter. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter and coconut milk.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Thin with water or vegetable stock if needed.

Return to the heat and bring to hot  – but not boiling.  Serve with several pieces of crispy tofu and a drizzle of sesame oil if you like.

Servings 4.

Crispy Tofu

1 block firm tofu, diced

Marinate in:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 1 teaspoon ginger, garlic and chilli paste
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• Sea salt

Toss tofu cubes in marinade and let stand 10-15 minutes.  Stir occasionally. (While soup cooks!)

Heat frying pan over medium high heat. Add a teaspoon of peanut oil.  Remove tofu from marinade using a slotted spoon to drain off the excess juices.  In batches, fry tofu until browned and crispy on all sides.  this takes about 5 minutes per batch.

Sprinkle tofu with a dash of coarse sea salt while still hot.

This tofu is awesome on it’s own (my kids keep grabbing bits while waiting for the soup).  Keep leftover tofu to throw on top of salad for tomorrow’s lunch.

About 2 ounces of tofu (1/6 of the block) add approximately 100 calories.

Nutrition info for soup only:

….. and a fast food donut is out of the question…..

I use unsweetened vegetarian protein powder in these smoothies and then added agave or honey for a little sweetness.

Choco-Banana-Nut Smoothies

• 2 medium bananas, fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 heaping tablespoon dark, unsweetened coco powder
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 2 cups light vanilla soy milk, more as needed to get the consistency you prefer
• handful of ice

Blend until smooth and serve with a straw.

serves 2 (or 1 adult and 2 kids )

My millet was not overly spicy – which worked well for the kids who do not normally like traditional samosas purchased from speciality shops or restaurants.   These they liked.  They were mild and sweet.

I used the same technique (let me apologize now for the links tonight – but I am being lazy and refuse to retype the instructions…) as I used for the veggie spring rolls.  I used a bit more oil between the layers and brushed the tops of each samosas before putting it in the oven.

Some a rolled like spring rolls, others I folded into a turnover shape.

Baked at 400 for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Serve with a sweet chutney.

Most whole grains pair well with fried, sweet and caramelized onions. Here, I cook the grains simply with cauliflower. Don’t worry about over cooking the cauliflower – it gets soft and falls apart, melting into the grains.

I do this dish in a multi-tasking kinda way.  This dish normally takes me about 30 minutes start to finish.

Curried Millet with Cauliflower and Peas

• 1 cup millet, rinsed and drained, allowed to dry
• 2-1/2 cups water or stock
• 1/2 of a cauliflower – about 2 cups, cut into bite sized pieces
• generous pinch of sea salt, if using water.
• 2-3 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

First things first: millet is dusty. It needs to be rinsed before cooking.  Rinse it well in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water.  Set it aside to drain and dry out as much as possible while you chop the veggies.

For the onions: In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil and add onions.  The goal is to slow cook the onions so they are sweet and tender.  Remember to stir these regularly while the millet cooks.  Covering the onions and reducing heat to low will help soften them.  Caramelized onions are great too – so go ahead and let them get brown. It is best to start the onions before the millet.  They only get sweeter – and a longer cooking time will ensure sweetness.

For the millet and cauliflower: In a large dry pot, over medium heat, add the millet.  The grains will still have some water clinging to them from the rinse.  Allow the millet to steam the water off, and then allow it to start to toast.  You should start to smell the toasty grains.  Keep stirring until the grains colour a bit – 3-4 minutes.  Add water and salt or stock, curry powder and paprika. Bring to a boil, add the cauliflower, reduce heat to low and cover.  Let simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.

After 20 minutes, add peas, stir, and cover for 5 more minutes.

Remove from heat.

Fluff with a fork, top with caramelized onions.

Garnishes:  salt and pepper or soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.

Sprinkle generously.

… my favourite. On top of oatmeal.

No two batches are exactly the same.  This is a perfect recipe to use up leftovers – dried fruits, seeds, nuts and flakes. I’m rather impulsive when I shop in the bulk food store…. I want to try everything.  So I tend to have many odds and ends – never thought you would find a use for rye flakes did, ya?  Well here it is.

Feel free to switch up the nuts or seeds and the types of dried fruit.  It’s the ratio of liquid to flakes that matters the most. The rest is just flavours.

I add the dried fruit to the end.  Dried fruit will puff up a bit and soften while it cooks in the oven, but then it dries into hard nasty pellets.  Do stir it in at the end.

This time of year clementine’s are plentiful and I find their zest is more fragrant than a standard navel orange.  Clementine’s don’t hold up very well during the zesting.  It may seem a waste of fruit – but it is worth the zest.  If you manage to save the juice – use it in place of the orange juice.

Granola with pecans and dried cherries

• 2-1/2 cups large flaked oatmeal
• 1-1/2 cups muesli or puffed rice cereal
• 1 cup rye flakes
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pecan
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• zest of 1 orange and 2 clementine
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
• juice of 1 orange, about 1/4-1/3 cup
• 1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; oatmeal through zest. Toss well to combine.

Combine butter, canola, honey and maple syrup and orange juice and stir well to combine.  Mixture will be thick and syrupy. Pour over oatmeal mixture and stir well to coat all grains evenly.

Spread in a large casserole or baking dish. I used a glass 9 x 12 lasagna dish.  Bake for 30-45 minutes.  Granola should be toasty and crispy – but not too dark.  Stir often.  I like my granola on the well toasty side – you make not like your quite that dark.  It will continue to crisp as you it cools.

Once you have removed from the oven, add the dried cranberries.

And while my version is very similar, this is such an awesome idea I had to share it.  I did make a few changes: I cooked my peppers and onions first and I skipped the refried beans.  Although, I think refried beans would be a great addition – I just didn’t have any.  Which is strange, because I always have at least one can in the pantry.

Really, if you feel a need to change things up for this weekend’s breakfast you should try this.

Here is what I did and here is what you will need.  Sorry that the measurements are a bit sketchy.

• 8 whole wheat small tortillas
• eggs – we used 4
• milk – if you like your scrambly eggs that way
• salt and pepper
• one red pepper
• small red onion
• cheese – cheddar, or a Tex-Mex mix of some sort
• green onions
• fresh tomato
• cilantro
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat your muffin tray with cooking spray.

Using 8 small whole wheat tortillas stuff your muffin cups. I wanted to cut each tortilla in half, and so only use 4, but my husband was in charge of the cup stuffing and he is a “more is better kind of guy” – so we used a whole small tortilla for each muffin cup.  You can see from the picture how he pushed them into the tins.

Make a “scrambled” egg mixture – however you like your scrambled eggs.  We used 4 large eggs with a splash of milk, salt and pepper. You could also just use egg whites. Set this aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat.  Add a touch of olive oil if needed.

Dice one red pepper and one small red onion and sauté until soft. We seasoned ours with a Tex-Mex spice blend.

Meanwhile, dice and seed a tomato or two, chopped some green onions and cilantro.

Assemble the egg cups.

In each tortilla shell add a heaping tablespoon of the red pepper and onion mixture.  Top with a few pieces of tomato, a sprinkle of cilantro and some green onion. Pour egg mixture on top, until muffin tin (not the tortilla shell) is almost full.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the tortilla is nicely browned.

Top with Greek yogurt or sour cream and salsa.

Taking the junk out of kids’ snacks | cleveland.com.

Awesome article about getting your kids to eat better.  Simple steps with a bit of common sense. Slow down, make good choices, talk to your kids about them.