Category: Recipes

Recipes

And then they asked “What’s for dessert?”

kiscunika

You can’t have Thanksgiving without a sweet treat! So add this to your candy to your table this year! 

Today I’m sharing a Sponge Toffee recipe that is sure to be gobbled up even after all that good food you’ve eaten for Thanksgiving dinner!!

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Floral, Table & Invitations by:
@timelessflowerdesign @montrealinvitations @caragao.safi

Sponge Toffee Recipe 

Ingredients

 1 cup water 

3 1/2 cups sugar 

1 1/2 cups of corn syrup – I used golden 

 1 1/2 tbsp honey  5 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cream of tartar *sift baking soda and cream of tartar

 Prep: Have all your ingredients measured and ready.  Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so that it goes beyond the sides of your pan. You really need a candy thermometer AND do NOT stir just let it cook and watch the temperature.

284 & 300 degrees are your important numbers.

Instructions: 

First add water to a large pot, then sugar and corn syrup.

Bring to a gentle boil & cook until the mixture reaches 284 degrees 

Add honey to pot – don’t stir. Allow mixture to climb to 300 degrees, remove from heat 

Add the sifted baking soda & cream of tartar with a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until baking soda is dissolved 

Stop mixing and carefully add candy to your lined pan.

Allow to cool 2 hours Remove from pan and break into pieces using the end of a rolling pin.

Dip into melted chocolate if desired.

Add this treat to your Thanksgiving dessert table and before you know it, you’ll be making this for Christmas too!

Homemade Sponge Toffee

Recipes

Plant Power Lunch

kiscunika

🌱 Pack your lunch with plant power! This salad offers lots of protein and good for you whole veggies! 😋

You’ll love this Quinoa Salad because it’s tasty, and you can use up leftover veggies or quinoa.

This quinoa + chickpea salad is a meal on its own!

I prefer black & white quinoa for this salad. It looks pretty- what can I say?!! 😂 You can use any variety you like best!

You can add garlic for more flavor. Season to taste!

Remember to save this recipe so you can use it later! 👌🏼

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 English cucumber, diced
2 field tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can chick peas, drained & rinsed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, chopped
Sea Salt & black pepper to taste
Add 2 raw chopped garlic cloves if desired
Sometimes I added chopped mint. It makes for a really fresh tasting salad! Try it!! 🌱

🌱 Add all your ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.

This recipe is great when served chilled, but I personally like it when I add the warm quinoa to the veggies and serve right away!

Quinoa Salad + Chickpeas for a nutrient dense meal or side

Quinoa Salad + Chickpeas for a nutrient dense meal or side

Recipes

Blueberry Scones

kiscunika

Craving a little something to nibble on while you sip on iced tea or coffee? I got just the thing to satisfy!

Here’s a quick and easy recipe to share with your family, friends, or maybe you’ll just keep them for yourself … no judging.

Blueberry Scones – no eggs, dairy and gluten free

Blueberry Scones

2 3/4 gluten-free flour 

1/2 cup organic sugar

3/4 teaspoon Muskoka Pantry Elsalvador Sea Salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

8 tablespoons vegan butter

1 cup fresh blueberries

2  flax eggs 

up to approximately 2/3 cup oat milk 

2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla

* Read my tips below

How To

In a large mixing bowl blend flour, sugar, salt and baking powder

Add butter and blend until you have little pieces of chunky butter bits the size of a pea

Using a separate bowl add the flax eggs, milk, vanilla and mix well

Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until it sticks together 

I add the blueberries once the mixture has come together

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and divide dough in half and add these two portions on to the baking sheet. Shape dough into circles that aren’t too high. They should be less than 1 inch in thickness. 

Using a wet knife, slice the dough to form six evenly cut wedges. 

Gently pull the wedges away from each other and allow the dough to sit in the freezer for 30 minutes. This allows for maximum rise & a more tender crumb. 

Before the 30 minutes of freezing time is up, preheat your oven to 410°F 

Bake scones for 20-23 minutes until golden brown. Makes 12 pieces.

Serve warm with jam or butter if you like, otherwise, they are just perfect on their own with a nice cuppa tea or coffee. 

Tips

* use your favourite gluten-free flour blend for this recipe. I used Bob’s All-Purpose 1 to 1

* use your favourite variety of milk 

* you may need a little more or a little less milk depending on the variety of the flour you are using & believe it or not, the weather! 

* i like to top my scones with a sprinkling of organic sugar. 

* you can “wash” your scones with real eggs, or milk to give you a golden colour to your scone

* for fancy scones add chopped chocolate-covered blueberries or cherries

Recipes

Summer cocktails you say?

kiscunika

It’s a hot and sunny summer here in beautiful Ontario, Canada! That said, i’m guessing it’s hot where you are too!

Today I’m sharing a simple + flavourful iced tea recipe that also doubles as a cocktail. I know, you love this idea! You’re welcome.  😉

Bonus Points for you! If you have your little nieces coming over for a visit, you can make this iced tea for them (without alcohol obvi) and they’ll feel all fancy & grown-up. It’ll be so special and you’ll be their hero!

This recipe is for one bevie, but you can easily double it as required to make a pitcher and keep the iced tea in your fridge.

Featured: Hibiscus Lemongrass + Tulsi & Spiced Rooibos Chai over ice

Vanilla Spiced Tea 
6 oz organic rooibos chai tea 
1/2-1 oz coconut milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar Vanilla
ice cubes
Ceylon Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Want to make it a cocktail?

It`s ok, I know you do!

Alcohol add-ins for adults;

RumChata
Vanilla Vodka

Instructions:

Brew 1- 1.5 teaspoons of Rooibos Chai as per instructions and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

Once cooled, add tea, coconut milk, and vanilla into a shaker and shake, shake, shake to blend the ingredients and create a wonderful froth. The heavier the cream content of the milk you choose will also determine the amount of froth. Less fat, less froth. 

If you’re making this as a cocktail, add your rum and vodka to the shaker along with the tea, and milk. You don’t need to add the vanilla. Shake until frothy and serve over a tall glass filled with lots of ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Here’s the shop link if you’d like your own organic Rooibos Chai: The Muskoka Pantry

PS. Birthday Reminder: Know someone born July 23-August 22. They’re a LEO and Rooibos Chai is the perfect gift for the LEO on your list. 

PS.I’d love to connect with you on Instagram. Come over and say hi @themuskokapantry  

xox
Clara

Recipes

Dip into this Vegan Artichoke Dip

kiscunika

Well, if you can’t take a dip in a pool or the lake, you can always take a dip into this delish artichoke dip!

Easy to make Vegan Artichoke Dip with Gluten Free Bread

Forget store bought dip. This tastes fresh!

Here’s what I used to make this quick dip at home.

Artichoke Dip Ingredients

Cream cheese, 227 grams + 2 tablespoons
Mayonnaise, 1/2 cup
Plain Yogurt, 1 tablespoon
Artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves pressed or finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
jalapeños, 1-2 finely chopped –
Black pepper, freshly cracked as desired
Sriracha Sea Salt, as desired
Parmesan cheese, grated, as desired

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise and yogurt with hand blender until smooth.

Add garlic, artichokes, lemon juice and seasonings until blended.

Transfer dip it to a small oven proof casserole dish.

Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Warm at 350 in the oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:

Place casserole dish on a baking pan to save you from cleaning the oven should your sauce spill over. 😂

For a thicker dip. I make this recipe using non-dairy ingredients. You can use dairy and real egg mayo and the dip will be thicker. In this case, you can adjust the thickness with some milk. You’ll have to judge how much milk to add. I’d start with a 1/4 cup.

I find when I use vegan ingredients this results in a thinner dip but still it disappears super fast!! 😋

Want to add more flavor?
Try adding dry vegetable soup mix, a sprinkling of Italian herbs blend or a tablespoon of Italian salad dressing to your dip. Remember- season to taste!

Yes, I made my own bread but, you don’t have too!!

Serve hot with tortilla chips, crusty bread or crackers and your favorite freshly sliced vegetables.

Enjoy! 😘

Recipes

Cool down with a cold-brew

kiscunika

Cold-Brew Iced Tea:  The cold brew method takes longer but yields a lighter and crisper flavour than the traditional boiling water method. Give this method a try if you’re not in a rush.

Use 1 headed teaspoon of tea leaves per 8 ounces of cold water.
🥶

Infuse the leaves for about 1 to 3 hours in the refrigerator, depending on the blend.

It’s best if you can taste the tea every 15 mins or so to make sure the tea infusion doesn’t become bitter. If you’ve steeped too long, strain leaves immediately and you can add some sugar.

You’ll want to experiment with different tea varieties and with each variety the steeping time will also vary according to your taste.

What kind of tea is good for cold-brew?

🌱

 Herbal

🍃

Oolong

🌼

Chamomile

🍃

Green Tea

Let me know what’s your favorite tea hot or cold! 

🍵
Recipes

Running out of ideas for dinner tonight?

kiscunika

Here’s an easy recipe for a nourishing and comforting soup.

🍜

 Look no further! 

Comfort in a bowl or a cup.
😃

Now is a good time to use those of veggies sitting in the back of your veggie crisper tray. Turnips, peppers, tomatoes, green onion etc add a lot of flavour to the base of your chicken broth.

Cook vegetables along with onions, garlic, sea salt, black peppercorns & bones for 4-6 hours at a simmer.

Strain the broth. Remove meat from bones, discard bones and any vegetables you won’t add to finished soup.

Sauté 2 chopped carrots until you see a bit of the carrot 🥕 colour seeps into the olive or avocado oil.

Add a chopped parsnip,celery, 🥔 2 chopped potatoes, 1/4 cup rice or barley and any veggies you’d like to enjoy in your soup.

Add strained broth + meat to veggies pot.

Cool until veggies are tender. About 20 minutes.

Finish with chopped parsley, and adjust the seasoning with garlic sea salt, thyme, and a black pepper as desired.

TIP: Are you thinking of adding pasta to your soup? Add cooked noodles to your bowl if desired, not the pot of soup! This prevents soggy noodles. 

🍜
Chicken Soup with Gluten Free shaped pasta

Want a helping hand? Send me a DM and we’ll cook together. It’ll be fun!

PS. Remember to take advantage of that 20% off coupon for those items you’d like to buy in the ETSY shop. As always local pickup is Free. 🙂

Here’s the link: 20% off for MP Bestie Insiders

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Recipes

Sweet + Salty Caramels

kiscunika

It’s easier than you think.

I have a sweet tooth and chewy, delightfully sweet and just perfectly salted caramels are a family favorite. It’s that time of year where I totally ramp up the baking and dessert making. I’ve tried to cut back, honestly. It’s never a good idea because people complain. “Did you make butter tarts this year? I can’t wait to have one.” Then there’s the guilt that comes with hearing that someone was looking forward to that one special treat and there’s none left or there were never any made!

Salted caramels are quick and easy to make and great for gift giving.

Get creative with your caramels.

Salted Caramels Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 sticks of sweet unsalted butter  
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract   

 Finishing salts of your choice: Merlot infused or Lime Sea Salt for the more adventurous is delectable, but if you like the traditional salted caramels use our El Salvador Sea Salt for a nice salty crunch.

Directions: 

  1. Line an 8″x 8″ baking pan with foil or parchment paper ( I prefer parchment). Use spray oil or coat the foil with butter prior to pouring caramels to prevent sticking.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar, stirring constantly. Stir in corn syrup and condensed milk and bring to a boil
  3. Decrease hear to medium-high and simmer, stirring constantly until the mixture achieves a deep golden colour and begins to pull away from the pan. This takes about 10 minutes.
  4. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with your choice of Sea Salt. Once completely cook, cut into squares and wrap in parchment paper.
  5. You can try your hand at taking a semi-cooled square of caramel and with butter hands try to roll the piece into a tube. Sprinkle with sea salt.

 I love using my Sea Salts in every day dishes. Need Sea Salt for this recipe? Please see my Etsy shop, see my website or connect with me.

Shop link: The Muskoka Pantry

Website link: Elements Sea Salt Collection Vol. 2 is now available. Limited quantities are available of Vol. 1. 

Recipes

Comfort food – Coconut Lentil Curry

kiscunika

Ready for your quick any-time curry? This is perfect when you’re cold, tired and hungry or just don’t feel like cooking but know you should. Add steamed rice or riced cauliflower or a simple salad to complete this meal.

Coconut Lentil Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow lentils rinsed & drained

4 cups water

1 tbls EVOO or coconut oil

1 clove garlic

2-3 finely chopped ginger (or grated)

1 tsp Muskoka Pantry sea salt (or ginger-infused sea salt)

1 tbls Muskoka Pantry’s Indian curry powder

1- 1/2 cups coconut milk

coconut sugar or sweetener to taste

1-2 tbls lime juice

2-3 carrots diced

Method:

Bring water to a boil, add chopped carrots and cook for 7 minutes; add rinsed lentils. Cook an additional 4-5 min. Don’t overcook lentils. 🙁

In a separate pan briefly fry garlic, and ginger until scented. Add salt, curry powder and cook for 1 min.

Lower heat and add *Coconut milk and sugar, stir to combine.

Drain cooked carrots and lentils. *Take 1/4 of carrot and lentil mixture and cool. Once safely cooled add to blender to gently blend. Add this puree AND the unblended lentils to the coconut milk and seasonings.

Season again to taste with sea salt, curry or sugar. Add lime juice and serve with cooked rice or riced cauliflower.

Top with a heaping of cilantro. Or don’t. You choose! Enjoy!

  • You don’t have to blend the carrots and lentils.
  • If you don’t have coconut milk you can substitute vegetable broth, blending the carrots and lentils will make the dish more creamy