Friday, October 11, 2013

STACKHOUSE






my friend nasim and i went to stackhouse burger bar on 
granville street after a long day of shopping!

nasim tried the pancetta(fancy bacon)burger
 and i tried the portabellini(fancy mushroom)burger.

the table next to us had ordered a bowl full of 
delicious looking onion rings. 
we gave into temptation
and also decided to give them a try.
no regrets.
they were super.

the restaurant itself is modern,
or should i say rustic hip?

give this place a try if you're into 
good burgers and a good vibe!


and check out nasim's blog here:

:)


Sunday, October 6, 2013

AUTUMN SALAD WITH CRISPY KALE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH







kale might really throw some people off because it's course and
lacking in flavour.

however, this recipe will turn kale haters into kale lovers.

serve this dish on a chilly fall day,
and it will warm the heart and soul since it is just 
THAT delicious. 
i kid you not.
my friend leah and i couldn't get over how amazing this dish turned out to be.

i gotta credit www.halfbakedharvest.com
for this fantastic recipe.

leah and i actually ended up omitting some steps to the original recipe to keep it more simple, and it still turned out great.

here's our take on the:
AUTUMN SALAD WITH CRISPY KALE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH 

ingredients:

-1 small butternut squash

-2 small gala apples 
(or any apple that floats your boat)

-1/3 cup pecans

-1 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp brown sugar

-0.5 tsp cinnamon

-0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

-0.5 tsp salt

-0.5 tsp pepper

-1 large bunch of kale

-4 tbs olive oil

-2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

-2 slices of whole wheat bread

-4 slices of brie cheese

-1 tbs of butter or margarine

optional dressing:

-2 tbs olive oil

-1 tbs balsamic creme or vinegar

-1 tsp honey

-0.5 tbs soy sauce

-0.5 tsp of pepper



how to's:

1. in a small dish combine the chili powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper


2. preheat the oven to 400 F


3. remove the stems and roughly chop the kale
(the more the merrier)


4. put the kale in a separate large bowl and add 2 tbs of olive oil, all the parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
mix together with your hards for 2 minutes.

spread on a baking sheet and cook in the 
oven for around 15 minutes. 
(make sure to keep a steady eye on the kale and toss at least once since it can burn easily)


5. once the kale is in the oven, 
peel and seed the butternut squash and cut into cubes
(there should be approx 4 cups).


6. peel and seed the apples and cut into cubes and set aside with the pecans for now.


7. spread just the squash cubes on a baking sheet 
and drizzle 2 tbs of olive oil 
and sprinkle half of the spice mixture from step 1.

mix together on baking sheet.


 8. bake squash for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and then add the chopped apples, pecans and the rest of the seasoning and then toss it all together. 

bake for another 15-25 minutes, or until the squash and apples are tender.


9. while that is cooking in the oven, 
heat a skillet on medium heat, 
butter the outsides of the 2 slices of bread, 
and sandwich the the brie between the slices of bread. 

add the sandwiches to the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides or until the bread is toasted and the brie is melted.

 remove and let sit a couple minutes and then chop into cubes.


10. plate the kale and add the butternut squash, apples, pecan, and croutons on top.
(drizzle on optional dressing if you please)


11. DIG IN!


hope you enjoy

:)


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES




it's that time of year again where i love everything pumpkin.

pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin carving,

and how could i forget:

PUMPKIN COOKIES

(recipe will make approximately 2 dozen cookies)

what you will need:

-1 cup of pumpkin puree

-1 cup brown sugar

-0.5 cup vegetable oil

-1 egg

-1 tbs vanilla extract

-2 cups of all-purpose flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-0.5 tsp salt

-2 tsp cinnamon 

-1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

-0.5 cup dried oats

-0.5 cup crushed pecans or walnuts

the how to's:

1. preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.

2. in one bowl combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg, and vanilla.

3. in a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

4. slowly add in the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly.

5. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease cookie sheet. 

6. drop tbs sized balls onto cookie sheet.

7. cook for 12-15 minutes.

8. make sure they are fully cooked through or otherwise your cookies will have a strange doughy texture.

9. EAT!

perfect with tea on a chilly autumn day

enjoy

:)