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.

(NAKED) CARROT CAKE

I knew that studying for my licensing exams would be difficult, but the past 3 months were way more intense then I could have ever imagined. I've always been the kind of person who felt she could do it all -- including balancing a full time job, full time studying and my sanity. These past few weeks were a shocking reminder that this isn't always the case. That sometimes, leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight or eating the same thing 5 nights in a row, is not only okay, but is totally acceptable.

Last Monday and Tuesday came and went, and when I woke up the next morning and realized I didn't have to be hidden away studying anymore, I felt like I could finally breathe again. I could once again think about lazy weekend mornings, setting up our new apartment, spending time with friends and family, and finally, finally, baking the carrot cake that I had been craving for weeks.

I get that its totally not carrot cake 'season' right now, but a craving is a craving, and after feeling pretty good about accomplishing a mega milestone in my life/career, I had no choice but to succumb to the craving, no questions asked.

PASSOVER CARROT CAKE

When we started dating, I assured Nigel that Jewish holidays and Catholic holidays didn't overlap. I'm not really sure what I was basing that on, but boy was I wrong. Without fail, for the past 3 years, Easter and Passover have fallen on the same weekend.

As such, while I'm stuck eating matza this, and matza that this time of year, I find myself tantalized by all the delicious Easter eats that pop up online. Not this year! This year, passover got its very own carrot cake - and though the texture is more sponge cake and less 'typical carrot cake', the flavours are all there, and the satisfaction bang on.

A MIDDLE EASTERN LUNCH PLATE WITH PICKLED TURNIPS, SPICY CARROTS + QUINOA

Word on the street is that Spring is coming. All the signs are there -- the snow has melted, the parka has been tucked away, and the streets are drenched in some sort of muddy slushy concoction. The temperatures however, haven't quite caught up. There's still a solid nip in the air, and my eating habits are super confused -- stuck between the warmth of winter soups and stews, and springy wraps and raw salads. That's where this lunch plate comes in -- roasted, pickled, dried and baked -- it covers all the bases, leaving you with a perfectly balanced plate and an incredibly satisfying meal.

JERK TOFU SMORGAS-BOWLS WITH A TURMERIC TAHINI DRESSING

We had our first snow fall this weekend, and though we weren't here to witness it, we returned from a weekend in the sun to a slushy, wintery city. There was a segment on the radio this morning asking people what they turn to as comfort food once the temperature begins to drop. Some said soup, others chili, one lady swore by mac and cheese, and another guy raved about his home-made poutine. Me on the hand, I can't stay away from meals in bowls. There's something really comforting about eating a warm, hearty meal out of a bowl -- a smorgasbord of ingredients tossed in some really kick-ass dressing.

JERK TOFU SMORGAS-BOWLS WITH A TURMERIC TAHINI DRESSING // serves 4

This recipe can easily be adapted to whatever you have in the fridge; start with some brown rice, be sure to include a protein, add something fermented (sauerkraut, kimchi, etc), and a whack load of veggies (roasted or raw). Finish with a flavour packed dressing and you're good to go!

Preheat oven to 400.

Ingredients:

1 block of firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 T jerk seasoning
drizzle of olive oil

5 carrots, roughly chopped
10 brussels sprouts, leaves separated
olive oil, salt and pepper

2 cups loosely packed carrot top greens, roughly chopped*
2 cups loosely packed lacinato kale, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 T olive oil

1 cup brown rice, cooked
~1 cup sauerkraut (store-bought)
sesame seeds, to garnish

*note: can easily be replaced with more kale if you don't have carrot top greens on hand.

Turmeric Tahini Dressing //
1/4 cup tahini
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T tamari soy
1/2" nub of fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1/3 cup water

What to do:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the tofu, jerk seasoning and drizzle of olive oil in a bowl. Gently toss to combine. Spread evenly onto one baking sheet. Toss the carrots with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Spread evenly on half of the other baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes. Add the brussels sprout leaves to the carrot tray. Continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat 1/2 T of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Saute the garlic before adding the greens. Heat for about 5 minutes, until the greens begin to wilt and smell fragrant. Set aside.

Combine all the dressing ingredients into the body of a blender or magic bullet. Pulse until smooth. Add more water to thin if need be.

To serve, place about 1/2 cup of brown rice in each bowl. Surround with 3-5 tofu pieces, and a handful of sautéed greens, brussels leaves, carrot pieces and about 1/4 cup of sauerkraut. Drizzle the turmeric tahini dressing over top of the whole bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm or cold.

There will be quite a bit of dressing left; it will keep for several weeks and is so incredibly delicious, you're going to want to drizzle it on EVERYTHING.

ROASTED HEIRLOOM CARROTS WITH CUMIN, PAPRIKA AND A FRESH HERB DRIZZLE

When one of your oldest and dearest friends, who happens to live across the ocean, comes to town, you must take full advantage. If she so happens to also be the face behind a fantastic food blog, fifty percent (if not more) of that visit, should probably revolve around food. Challenge accepted.

We devoured bowls of Panang curry while drinking pints of Singha from a beer tower (yes, a beer tower!!), we perused the Brickworks farmer's market stocking up on produce for the weekend, we scrutinized the dessert menu at Bar Isabel, soaked in a few too many rays while digging into our picnic, concocted our very own ice cream sammies, and wrapped up the weekend with an afternoon in the kitchen and a Sunday evening harvest feast (see below).

It was truly a fantastic weekend... JK, thanks for the hugs, laughs, time in the kitchen, blog wisdom & encouragement and much needed, long overdue catch up. Can't wait for February. Much love xx

Our joint inability to say no to fresh produce, meant that we came home from the market with an abundance of beautiful veggies, perfect for Sunday's feast. The menu went something like this:

• Roasted fingerling potatoes with dill, green onions, grainy dijon and apple cider vinegar;
• Green and yellow steamed beans with blistered cherry tomatoes, lentils and purple basil;
• A simple greens + seeds salad;
• Corn on the cob; and
• Roasted heirloom carrots (recipe below)

ROASTED HEIRLOOM CARROTS WITH CUMIN, PAPRIKA AND A FRESH HERB DRIZZLE // serves 4

Preheat oven to 400.

Ingredients:

10-12 carrots, rinsed thoroughly

half a lemon, juice and zest

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

drizzle of olive oil

s+p

fresh herb drizzle //

half a lemon, juiced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

1 T olive oil

1 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp dijon

What to do:

In a large bowl, toss together the carrots, lemon juice, zest, paprika, cumin, oil, salt and pepper.

Transfer to a roasting pan, and roast for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the carrots. I like might still crunchy, but test with a fork and use your judgement.

While the carrots are roasting, combine all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar. Seal and shake well to combine.

Remove the carrots from the oven and dress with herby drizzle. Let sit to soak up all the flavour until ready to serve.

PAPRIKA ROASTED CARROTS WITH BARLEY + BLACK BEANS

I'm on a barley kick these days. The winter weather makes me crave 'winter salads' and winter salads means hearty, warm grains and oven roasted veggies. I've recently read up on barley, and not only is it delicious, its full of fiber and totally great for you! Winning! (read up on it here)

PAPRIKA ROASTED CARROTS WITH BARLEY + BLACK BEANS // serves 4

Preheat oven to 400.

Ingredients:

4 carrots, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch cayenne
1 cup barley, cooked
1 can black beans, strained and rinsed
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 avocado
juice from 1 lime
drizzle of honey
olive oil

What to do:

Mix the carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika and cayenne. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

While the carrots are roasting, combine the barley, beans, lime juice and honey in a large bowl.

Once the carrots are cooked, add them to the bowl and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve with sunflower seeds and sliced avocado.

CARROT CAKE OATMEAL

I splurged a whole fifteen dollars recently and treated myself to (yet) another cookbook. I had first heard about Megan Gordon when I stumbled across Marge Granola, and soon after discovered her blog. She mentioned a soon to be released cookbook, but at the time, I resisted. Her book came out over Christmas, and shortly after, its all I was seeing online - Sprouted Kitchen, A Couple Cooks, The Fauxmartha, The First Mess - they each tackled Megan's recipes with their own charm and raved about the book. I had to get it.

Whole Grain Mornings is a slew of creative and unique breakfast recipes organized seasonally. As you may realize from the ever expanding granola section, I have been on a total home-made granola kick for the past few months, but this book made me want to hop over to Bulk Barn, stock up on ever grain and seed and try every one of Megan's recipes. I settled on Morning Glory Oats as my first; this warm bowl of goodness was delicious and perfectly satisfying on these oh so chilly polar vortex mornings.

CARROT CAKE OATMEAL // serves 2

Adapted from Megan Gordan's Morning Glory Oats

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk (almond or whatever you have)
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup grated carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of kosher salt
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tbsp orange zest (optional*)

*Note: I'm not the biggest fan of orange zest, so though I used it this time around, I think I'd skip it next time.

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, grated carrots, raisin, spices brown sugar, vanilla and salt.

Bring the water and milk to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Stir in the oat mixture and return to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, tilt the lid to partially cover the pot, and cook, without stirring, for 25-30 minutes, to yield a soft yet chewy consistency.

Remove from the heat, stir in the coconut and zest and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of maple sugar flakes.

COCONUT QUINOA + LENTILS WITH HARISSA VEGGIES

After a full week of travel, getting back into my lunch routine was essential. I whipped this up on Monday night and am happily eating it at work for the rest of the week. Yum.

COCONUT QUINOA + LENTILS WITH HARISSA VEGGIES // makes enough for 4

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 can (~2 cups) lentils
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tbsp shredded coconut

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 broccoli, chopped into 1/2" chunks
1 tbsp harissa spice blend

handful of baby spinach
a few slices of avocado
olive oil

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the carrots, broccoli, harissa and a drizzle of olive oil.

Place the veggies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, combine the quinoa, lentils, coconut oil and shredded coconut in a bowl. Stir well to combine and set aside.

Once the veggies are ready, serve with a heaping scoop of the lentil quinoa mixture, a handful of baby spinach, some avocado and a final drizzle of olive oil.

CARROT CAKE GRANOLA

Last year, my roommate introduced me to Love Crunch Carrot Cake Granola. Ever since then, I have been meaning to attempt to make cake cake granola at home. Though the carrot flavour was actually kind of subtle, this recipe was a crowd pleaser (aka - devoured in 3 days).

CARROT CAKE GRANOLA // makes enough for a week

Adapted from Heather's French Press

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins

What to do:

Combine the oats, coconut, pecans and carrots in a large bowl and set aside.
Im a small pan, combine the oil, maple syrup and brown sugar; bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and spices.
Pour the liquid over the oat mixture, and mix until combined.
Spread the granola over 2 baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking and stirring every 10, be careful not to burn it!
Once removed from the oven, add in the raisins, mix well, and let cool before storing in an air tight container.