GRANOLA SPRINKLE

E was late to sprout teeth. Very late. And as a result, we were reluctant early on to serve him crunchy granola. I wanted to offer him an alternative, something delicious to eat on top of his granola, while also introducing a little fun sprinkling action. He loves it to this day. 

BANANA PANCAKES

Inspired by one of his cousin's favourite breakfasts, these pancakes have become not only a go-to breakfast at home, but an ideal travel snack as well. They are packed with flavour, moisture and keep well out of the fridge. 

BLUEBERRY BAKED OATMEAL

We’ve been making this baked oatmeal a lot lately. It’s warm, hearty and perfectly sweet from the berries. It also lasts a few days and reheats well...all things that I’m quickly learning are essential for new parents.  

ALMOND AND APPLE PORRIDGE

What started as an easy breakfast while introducing E to allergens and solids, has turned into one of his morning favourites. It also happens to be one of my favourites, as it’s ridiculously easy to prepare and freezes well - major wins for busy parents. 

SOURDOUGH DISCARD CARROT MUFFINS

It's now been 13 months of working from home, and though there are a lot of things about this new normal that we still can't get used to, having more relaxed weekday mornings has been a really lovely benefit. With that comes the desire for breakfast dessert, and though I'd happily bake scones or cakes weekly, I was in need of something a little healthier. These muffins have minimal sugar so definitely feel perfectly appropriate for breakfast, and are a great way to use up leftover starter.

SOURDOUGH DISCARD PANCAKES

One of the benefits of so many people working from home is that a lot of local chefs are doing (and sharing) more home cooking. I stumbled onto this recipe after falling down a deep online rabbit hole, landing on Chef Rocco's instagram account. Given the delicious-ness of all things Libretto, I knew this recipe would not disappoint. The in-house taste tester labeled these restaurant quality pancakes -- so you know they're a winner!

BIRTHDAY WAFFLES WITH FRESH PEACHES

I had the best intentions of posting this recipe last year (or was it two years ago now?), but somehow just never hit publish. Birthdays have always been a big deal in my family, and though I married someone who isn't super keen on celebrating, I've been finding little ways to start up our own annual birthday traditions. It took a few tries, but we've settled on a go-to (although atypical) birthday cake, birthday dinner always seems to include something on the grill, and birthday breakfast had to take full advantage of prime Ontario peach season. These waffles demand a little more effort than my typical recipe, making them extra special for a birthday morning.

BLUEBERRY SCONES

Towards the end of January, we spent a wonderful weekend up in Prince Edward County at the Devonshire. Its a dreamy spot for a weekend away, and we took full advantage of the hotel slippers and bathrobes, self-serve coffee, the games room, and multiple fire places. We ate both our dinners at new local spots (here and here), but enjoyed breakfast at the hotel while soaking up the beautiful lake view from their dining room. Though we didn't order the blueberry scones, I've been dreaming of them since. A quiet weekend at home seemed like the perfect time to use up the last of the freezer blueberries and try a new scone recipe.

ITALIAN PLUM COMPOTE

With Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) just around the corner, this recipe seemed fitting, almost necessary. Every year, my Oma (maternal grandmother) would make her famous plum pies for the holidays -- an open face pie with a shortbread-like crust, loaded with fresh fruit. During the summer months, blueberries, for jewish new year, italian plums, for her birthday in December, apple slices and cinnamon.

My mom continues the tradition and bakes these pies throughout the year; I on the other hand wanted to feel the warmth and familiarity of the pie, without going through the effort of baking (lazy or efficient, I'll let you decide). That's where this compote comes in -- yielding a similar texture and equally gorgeous colour as the plums baked atop the pie crust. Eat it straight out if the jar, or top your morning oats or yogurt with it. Either way, you're going to wish you had made a double batch.

DAIRY-FREE FLUFFY "BUTTERMILK" PANCAKES

My new laptop allows me to shut down for the night with webpage tabs still open. At first, I thought this was great - I could read things at a more leisurely pace and not worry I'd forget about a new post, or hot article.

But now, mid summer, when the last thing I want to do at the end of a work day is face my computer, I find myself struggling to keep up with all of my favourites, leaving 20+ tabs looming week after week. It sounds ridiculous to say that I feel stressed about having too many blogs to read, but that's how I feel. The blogger community is one that I feel very lucky to be apart of, and a huge part of that is reading, commenting, liking, and supporting one-another. I got through a handful of them this weekend, more coming up this week. Baby steps, right?

We celebrated 4 years yesterday, and though we had a celebratory dinner planned, breakfast needed to feel a little special too. These pancakes, doused in all the summer berries, just felt right.

SPELT PANCAKES WITH GRAPEFRUIT CHIA PUDDING

Weekday breakfasts are pretty standard around here -- granola with nut milk in the summer, and some variation of oatmeal in the winter. Sometimes though, on those extra wintery mornings, I need a little extra motivation to get out of bed. That's how these pancakes came to be -- a happy accident one early weekday morning.

I'd seen chia puddings all over the web, but knew, knowing my tastes, that I wouldn't like it on its own in a bowl or parfait -- it needed to be more of a topping, like yogurt or compote are to waffles. I've been on a kick supreming citrus lately, and decided to whisk some fresh grapefruit juice and maple syrup into the chia mixture. The result was perfectly balanced in flavour, with subtle hits of sweetness from the maple, and tartness from the grapefruit. The pancakes are easy, and come together quickly -- and like I said, totally achievable on a weekday!

BANANA BREAD WAFFLES WITH A BLUEBERRY-PECAN RELISH [AND A GOODBYE TO THIS APARTMENT]

This is it. The last post from our fabulous little apartment in Toronto. The past two years, and this apartment, have been so good to us. We've hosted countless dinner parties, used our barbecue as a smoker, tried our hand at growing veggies, consumed a few too many cocktails, built our own furniture, celebrated holidays and birthdays, and really just loved every minute of it (minus of course, the squirrels in the roof, raccoon party on the balcony and the leaky roof).

When we moved in two years ago, it was the first time we were living together, and with N, came his waffle iron. Waffles, and slow weekend mornings have sort of become our thing, and with that, waffles seemed like the only appropriate way to say goodbye to Toronto, and to this apartment.

We move tomorrow, and then head out East for a week. We may not be giving ourselves ample unpacking time, but we sure know how to enjoy Summer. Happy almost August friends -- see you on the other side!

THE LAST GRANOLA

Somewhere around this time last year, I was mulling over the idea of participating in my first ever flea market. Inspired by a dear friend, I was tempted to try selling some of my homemade granola. The idea excited me for a whole slew of reasons: one - spending a whole day doing nothing but baking and bagging granola; two - for the fun of choosing the packaging and designing a logo; and finally - the fact that people other then myself may actually love the product and buy a bag of 7granola (yahoo!).

Here we are one year later, and though the flea was a huge success (!!!!!), it won't be happening again any time soon (too many other fun things on the go). So I figured, in true fairness to you, that I would share a version of last year's famous granola. Happy snacking!

BREAKFAST BOWLS WITH POTATOES, AVOCADO AND SOFT BOILED EGGS

This past week was one of those weeks where I was reminded that work deadlines are way less fun then spending time in the kitchen. That sometimes, netflix can't be a priority, and its okay if dinners become mindless concoctions of whatever is in the fridge.

When I woke up on Saturday and realized that I actually had the time to put together a hearty meal, I was giddy with excitement. I wanted something that was warm and satisfying, and easily eaten from the couch (because, this). I'm a recent convert to soft boiled eggs, and can't rave about them enough -- as good as poached, minus all the effort. This bowl throws itself together within half an hour -- perfect for slow weekend mornings and hungry bellies.

LEMON + CURRANT SCONES

I have several fond memories from my childhood associated to citrus -- elementary school citrus drives leading to boxes upon boxes of oranges and grapefruits in the house; my grandmother's citrus compote, as she was the only one patient enough to remove all the pith; and ski hill lunches, always ending with two (or more) clementines. With winter upon us, we've been trying to have a steady flow of clementines in the house, and the occasional orange or grapefruit, but nothing like it was when I was a kid.

The abundance of citrus had left me wanting to bake something citrus-y. I quickly realized that I don't actually like the flavour of oranges in baked goods, and the grapefruit was being saved for this. So I turned to the trusty lemon, and though not super wintery, these scones were the perfect compliment to my mid-afternoon cup of tea.

GINGER MOLASSES WAFFLES WITH ROASTED PEARS AND POMEGRANATE

Spending time at home always comes and goes a little too fast. Don't get me wrong, we've been pretty busy since I got here last Tuesday -- celebrating, drinking, eating, skiing, taking advantage of boxing day deals, movie watching and lounging -- yet somehow, the time always passes faster then I'm prepared for. All of a sudden its time to pack up, say our goodbyes, and head back. If I'm being totally honest, I'm not quite ready to leave yet...

Last year, we woke up on January 1st to freshly baked bread. This year, if we weren't going to be on an airplane (more on that later), I'd definitely be making these waffles. Packed with molasses and warm seasonal spices, and then topped with roasted fruit and a sprinkling of festive pomegranates, these are a perfect for a January 1st breakfast, or any other cozy winter morning really.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2015!

GRANOLA WITH APPLES + HONEY

The week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is intended to be a week of solemn reflection. Quiet time to mull over the events of the previous year, and prepare oneself for the year to come. Time to consider ones wrong doings and resolve how to make amends. My heart feels heavy, and my head full and overwhelmed.

I wasn't quite ready to tackle something new in the kitchen, but knew that cooking (or baking) would be just what I needed. Granola seemed safe and comforting - like throwing on an old cozy sweater. Apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, symbolizing the sweet year to come, and a sprinkle of poppy seeds, because this time of year, I couldn't leave them out.

GRANOLA WITH APPLES + HONEY // makes 6 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 cups oats
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup whole cashews
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 T poppy seeds
1 apple thinly sliced (~1 cup)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, ginger and poppy seeds. Toss to combine. Add the apple slices and toss again, being sure to separate all the individual apple pieces.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the liquids. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to evenly coat.

Transfer to two parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown, tossing halfway through. The apples will be a bit soft when you remove the trays from the oven, and will harden slightly as they cool.

Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Will keep for a week.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS WITH ALMOND SESAME OATS

Temperatures have totally dropped this week; there's a chill in the air and it smells like Fall -- time to pack away my sandals and break out the boots (honestly not sure if that terrifies me or excites me).

Colder temps have me craving warm, comforting breakfasts. On a good week, I'll motivate myself to make toasted oats, or maybe even baked oatmeal, but sometimes, all I want is warm fruit and granola. This recipe swings all the ways -- breakfast, mid day snack or dessert -- the plums can easily be reheated throughout the week, and are complimented beautifully with yogurt or ice cream. Ontario stone fruit is still abundant at the market, but if you can't find good plums, try apple compote instead, I imagine it would be equally satisfying and hearty.

ALMOND SESAME OATS // makes 3 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 T sesame seeds
pinch of cardamom

2 T maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
2 T water
1/4 cup olive oil

What do do:

Toss all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Pour the wet over the dry and mix to evenly coat all the oats. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS // serves 4

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

4 plums, halved and pits removed
2 T maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground ginger

What to do:

Place the plum halves on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Combine the maple syrup, vanilla and ginger in a small bowl and whisk to eliminate any clumps. Brush the plums with syrup, allowing a small pool to form where the pit was, yet conserving some of the liquid for serving. Roast for 25 minutes, with an optional extra 2-5 minutes on broil.

Serve the plums warm, with a smattering of oats, a drizzle of leftover syrup, and an optional scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

CLASSIC WAFFLES WITH WARM STONE FRUIT

This time last year, I was huddled around my computer for a better part of the long weekend, choosing fonts, colours and layouts. Slowly but surely, and only taking minimal breaks for cider and cycling, I was able to breathe life into this site. I can't believe its been a whole year since then, and to celebrate, waffles seemed appropriate. We had a simpler iteration of this breakfast last weekend for N's birthday -- apparently waffles have become the go-to way to kick off celebratory mornings. To take advantage of lazy long weekend mornings and the abundance of stone fruit while it lasts, whip up a batch of these waffles this weekend (if you can). Happy Labor Day folks!

CLASSIC WAFFLES WITH WARM STONE FRUIT // serves 4

Waffles adapted from i am a food blog

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour
1 T white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

3 T butter, melted
1 T white vinegar
1 cup nut milk
1 egg

4 pieces stone fruit (nectarine, peach, plum, aprium, apricot, ...)
1 T butter
1 T orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

vanilla ice cream or plain greek yogurt, for serving

What to do:

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Place 1 T of white vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the reminder of the cup with milk, and let sit. (This is a foolproof way of making non-dairy buttermilk, as the vinegar will cause the milk to curdle).

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the egg and curdled milk to the bowl and whisk gently to combine. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and mix just until incorporated and lump free.

Allow the mixture to rest while you heat up the waffle iron and prepare your fruit. Slice all the fruit into thin segments, about 8 slices per fruit. Set aside.

In 1/2 cup intervals, scoop the batter onto the waffle iron, and allow to cook as per waffle iron instructions. Allow the cooked waffles to rest on a wire rack, to avoid getting soggy.

While you're making the waffles, warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the fruit, juice and vanilla, stir gently, and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir only minimally to avoid breaking up the fruit.

Serve a warm waffle with a heaping mound of fruit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain green yogurt.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA

I do my very best to make a fresh batch of granola every week. For a while, I was experimenting with new combinations every few weeks, but once I found my go-to recipe, it was too delicious to keep shopping around. However, I decided to dive back into the fun of making granola this week and aim for something lighter, crunchier and slightly less sweet -- to complement all the gorgeous summer fruit and berries around town right now.

It so happens that I picked the hottest night of the summer to whip up this week's batch, so I found myself out on the back deck barbecuing granola - yup, that's a thing. Whoever said barbecues can't do everything is seriously mistaken.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA // makes 3 cups

I describe the bbq technique below, but if you're using an oven, follow the typical granola baking rule - spread mixture evenly onto a parchment lined baking tray (or two), and bake at 325 for 20 minutes, flipping at 10.

Heat grill to medium low, hovering between 300-350.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup rye flakes
1/2 cup raw millet
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 T brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
2 T water
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

What to do:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to toss everything together.

In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, water and coconut oil.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well to combine.

Evenly spread the mixture onto a disposable aluminum tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, shaking and rotating the tray every 5 minutes to avoid burning.

When lightly toasted and crispy, remove from heat and let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.