Life is merrier with whole grains....Whole Grain Fig and Raspberry Bars~!

My fellow nutrition students have inspired this recipe with a discussion on whole grains and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Please check out the Whole Grain Council for more information on the health benefits of whole grains, and how to identify the "TRUE" whole grain products!

http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/


Whole Grain Fig and Raspberry Bar
makes 16 bar cookies

1 cup whole grain flour
1 1/2 cup old fashioned (large flake) oats
1/8 cup flax seeds
1/8 cup wheat germ
1 t baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 cup granulated sugar
4 oz (1 sticks) cold butter
2 oz canola oil
1/2 cup black mission fig preserve
1/2 cup raspberry preserve
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly grease an 8” square pan and line with a piece of parchment paper to cover all sides

3. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and both sugars in the bowl of a food processor. Process until ingredients are combined and the oats are chopped a bit but not ground completely.

4. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients along with the vanilla. Pulse until the mixture starts to clump. It should remain a bit loose but hold together when pinched.

5. Transfer the above mixture into a large bowl, and stir in flax seed, wheat germ and canola oil until uniform

6. Press about 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan to form the bottom layer. Distribute the chopped chocolate evenly across the surface. Pour the fig mixture over the chocolate and spread gently. Top with the remaining oatmeal mixture.

7. Press the chopped walnuts gently into the surface.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly browned. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars


Bon Appetit~!

A Christmas cookie exchange sparked the integration of my favourite ingredients....Earl Grey Infused Dark Chocolate Cookie!

~ Earl Grey Infused Dark Chocolate Cookie ~
Since I work at a nutrition research laboratory, to make these cookies just a tad healthier, grapeseed oil is used.


This recipe is an extension to a recent article on Earl Grey:
"Earl Grey....from an obsession to a devotion"


Makes 2 dozen cookies

135g grapeseed oil
100g light brown sugar
150g granulated sugar
55g unsweetened cacao
2 Earl Grey tea bags, grind finely with a coffee grinder
3 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
50g bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
180g all-purpose flour
7g baking powder
1 pinch salt
200g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped


1. Preheat oven to 350oF. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl with the grapeseed oil, stir in the brown and granulated sugars, then stir in the cacao and Earl Grey tea powder until incorporated.

3. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape in the melted chocolate, and mix until incorporated.

4. Gradually stir in the flour mixture in 3 additions, do not over mix. During the final addition, add the chopped chocolate along with the flour.

5. Freeze the dough for 4 hours or overnight.

6. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Scoop the cookie dough into tightly formed balls using a small ice cream scoop (size 24). Arrange the dough on the prepared baking trays, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cookies from trays with a wide metal spatula and cool on wire rack.

Bon Appetit!

une recette, deux plaisirs délectables! Featuring the marriage between Nature's Pride and Fall Flavours....

A short drive down to Providence R.I. was a scenic treasure saturated with Autumn colours, a mesmerising sight against the heavy traffic. As the weather cools and we begin to layer ourselves with sweaters and scarfs, there is nothing better than waking up on a lazy weekend, with the kitchen filled with harvest aromas.


Nothing speaks more to the Fall weather than the scent of pumpkin, and the inspiration from the colour of Autumn leaves led to a recipe that brings the perfect union between french toast and this orange gourd-like squash. The fluffy cloud texture of french toasts topped with a homemade crunchy Pumpkin Spiced Butter will deliver a harmony on your palate.


If the image of this delectable "Harvest Toast" doesn't inspire you to try this recipe, well I will let slip of this little secret. For those who often stack away the ends of bread in your freezers, or worse, in our landfields, all it takes is just adding one extra ingredient to this Harvest Toast recipe (plus baking time) and your cookie jars will be visited often by your cookie monsters, devouring the treats within!


~ Recipes ~

"Harvest Toast"
Serves 6

12 slices of Nature's Pride bread (works great with both the Hearty and Soft Breads)
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Juice and zest of 1 medium orange, (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - for searing toasts
1/2 cup whole pecans
Pumpkin Spiced Butter - see recipe below

To serve:
Dried Cranberries
Pure maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Ginger ice cream

1. Whisk together eggs, milk, juice, vanilla, sugar, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl; set aside
2. Spread a thin layer of Pumpkin Spiced Butter (see recipe below) between 2 slices of bread to form 6 sandwiches
3. Place sandwiches in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over sandwiches and allow them to marinate until they are soaked through
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
5. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry 2 sandwiches at a time until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a foiled baking sheet large enough to hold all sandwiches in a single layer. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter and sandwiches
6. Evenly spread the remaining Pumpkin Spiced Butter over the 6 sandwiches. Sprinkle with whole pecans and place it in the 400 degrees oven for 3-5 minutes or until the butter turns golden brown and crispy
7. Serve the toasts with a generous sprinkling of dried cranberries, drizzle with pure maple syrup and dust with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. This toast is also delightful with a scoop of ginger ice cream as an after dinner treat.


Pumpkin Spiced Butter Recipe:
Serves 6

80g unsalted butter - soften
90g sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
120g unsweetened desiccated coconut
40g almond powder
200g pumpkin butter
1/2 ts pumpkin pie spices

1. Cream butter and sugar in mixer until light and fluffy
2. Scrape down the side of the mixing bowl with a spatula and add eggs while mixer is on low, one at a time, until completely incorporated
3. Scrape down the sides again and mix in the pumpkin butter and pumpkin pie spices
4. Add coconut and almond powder and allow to mix until incorporated


"Harvest Toast - The Cookie Monster Version"
80 cookies


1 batch of Pumpkin Spiced Butter
1 1/2 cup simple sugar syrup (250g sugar dissolved in 250g water)
10 end slices of Nature's Pride Bread* - cut into 8 triangular pieces
(*regular slices also works, works great with both the Hearty and Soft Breads)
1 cup whole pecans - chopped
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Quickly dip the bread pieces into sugar syrup and squeeze out excess. Please pieces on a foiled baking sheets in a single layer
3. Spread the Pumpkin Spiced Butter on the soaked bread pieces, about 1/8" thick
4. Sprinkle chopped pecan over the buttered bread pieces. Gently press the pecan pieces into the Pumpkin Spiced Butter
5. Bake the cookies at the 350 degrees oven for 15 minutes or until just slightly golden. Rotate baking sheets half way through baking
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and allow the cookies to dry out in oven for 4-6 hours or overnight
7. Store cookies in your cookie jars or an air-tight container. They can be stored for up to 2 weeks.