Organic Breakfast:Blueberry Oats

Although it may seem more appropriate as a winter breakfast,this morning my stomach was grouching for blueberries and all I had in my pantry was rolled oats.I added some orange zest to the mixture,wonderful!Ready in less than 10 minutes.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup rolled oats
-1 cup soy milk or almond milk
-2 Ts blueberries
-1 ts sugar
-orange zests
-pinch of cinnamon

In a pot on a warm stove,mix together all the ingredients.Cook for 5 to 10 min until the consistency is thick enough.Add more milk if needed and sprinkle with cinnamon!

Green Curry Chicken

Coconut adds a really wonderful texture and taste to sauces but beware of the high level of fat.So just put a small amount!Luckily for me I didn't have to prepare my green curry paste.I received some top notch quality paste from Thailand.If you plan to make your own, you will need to put the following ingredients in a food processor and mix until you get a thick paste.
-10 small hot green chiles
-2 ts of coriander
-galangal chopped finely
-4 cloves garlic
-1 shallot
-1 ts lime
-2 Tbs vegetable oil
Bring pot of water to boil.Add green tea noodles for 5 min.Rinse with cold water.
Heat oil on high heat in wok.Add 250 g of chunks of chicken and stir-fry for 1 min.Add onion,garlic,sugar snaps ,bell pepper.Stir fry another 30s.Add curry paste,a little water,coconut milk.Bring to boil.Add noodles and combine well.Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.Serve with fresh chopped cilantro or Thai basil.

Light and Moist Chocolate Cake

What I had in mind was to make brownies and here is the result...I was so disappointed because as I stated in a previous post I hate cakey brownies.But before throwing "it" out and preparing another batch for the bbq party I was invited to that evening,I decided to taste the darn cake...I couldn't believe how delicate , moist and chocolaty it was(well dah...I put some Lindt 85% dark chocolate).This accident was due to the zucchini!Yes,zucchini...the secret ingredient nobody could guess at the party.So next time try it ,add 1/2 cup of zucchini to your brownie dough.

Bulgur with Squash and Peppers

This recipe come's from Bonnie Stern's book,the owner of one of Canada's most prestigious cooking school.Also,she is a regular contributor to 'Canadian Living Magazine.Originally in this recipe you need Israeli couscous but I replaced it by boulgour which was just fine.

Ingredients
-1 ts olive oil
-1/2 onion,chopped
-1 clove of garlic
-1 ts ground cumin
-1 sweet red pepper,seeded and diced
-1 cup of butternut squash
-1 cup of chicken stock
-1 cup of bulgour
-chopped fresh cilantro and mint

Heat oil in wok.Add onion and garlic.Cook on low heat until golden.
Add cumin and boulgour.Brown lightly.Add red peppers and squash and mix together well.
Add hot chicken stock and bring to boil.Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 min.Taste and season with salt and pepper.Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.

Hazelnut and Chocolate Muffins

My objective when making these muffins was to make them appealing to my nephew who usually doesn't appreciate my 85 % cocoa chocolate cakes...I added chesnut flour to enhance the fluffiness and the moistness of the texture and some big chunks of milk chocolate in the middle for the "fondant"taste.

Makes 6 large muffins.

-1/2 cup of flour
-1/2 cup of chesnut flour
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
-1/2 cup grounded hazelnuts
-1/2 cane sugar
-1 Tbs cocoa powder(Van Houten)
-1 egg
-2 Tbs of crème fraiche
-1 tsp vanilla
-6 squares of milk chocolate

In bowl combine dry ingredients.Mix well.

In another bowl,combine egg,crème fraiche,cane sugar,and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and mix till moistened.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.Add chunks of chocolate in the middle of each muffin.
Bake in preheated 375F/190C oven for 25 minutes.Enjoy!

Gifts from Thailand

Spring-Fresh Gazpacho with Leek and Peas

A terrific starter with the most harmonious ingredients together:leek and peas!

Ingredients
- 2 small leeks,washed and finely chopped
- 250 g of peas
- 1 onion,diced
- vegetable stock
- Xeres vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- olive oil
- 1/2 cucumber
Sauté leek and onion and for 5 minutes.Add vegetable stock,peas and garlic.
Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.Purée in a blender once vegetables are cool.
Add raw cucumber.Season to taste with salt,pepper,Xeres vinegar and olive oil.
Cool for 1 hour at least.

Sicilian Style Tomato Sauce

If you're looking for an easy and outstandingly delicious sauce,try this recipe!!!
Makes 4 servings
- 1 lb tin plum tomatoes drained and chopped
- 1 onion,peeled and diced
- 1 ts olive oil
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic,finely chopped
- 1 drop orange essential oil
- 1 ts sugar
- 1 ts fennel seeds
- 1 Tbsp of capers
- 1/4 cup of white wine (I used Côtes de Gascogne)
- salt and pepper to taste
- "piment d'espelette"
- fresh chopped parsley and mint

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet.Add onion and garlic and cook gently for a few minutes.Add tomatoes,white wine,fennel seeds,essential oil ,sugar.Bring to boil.Reduce heat and cook for 30 min.Off the stove add herbs,"piment d'espelette",capers and season with salt and pepper.

Sicilian Tuna Mousse With Glazed Radishes

The scent of orange is just wonderful in this tuna spread!In a food processor mix tuna from a can,1 drop of orange essential oil,2 ts of olive oil,a few capers,salt and pepper.Put in the fridge until cool.
Meanwhile prepare glazed radishes.Takes about ten minutes.In a skillet over medium heat combine washed radishes,1 ts olive oil,1 ts butter,salt,1 Ts sugar and 6 Ts of water.Stir from time to time...